Author: Gospel Folio Press

DAILY READINGS: Judges 6; Isaiah 27; 1 Corinthians 6

Enoch walked with God aft er he begat Methuselah three hundred
years, and begat sons and daughters. Genesis 5:22

Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying,
Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints. Jude 14
The potency of our testimony is commensurate with our intimacy
with God. If we daily walk with the Lord, He will fi ll our hearts, and
our mouths will overfl ow with messages for Him. In a world that was
much like ours, Enoch walked with Him in dark days when the majority
of the people were evil. Yet, he communed with the Lord, and
thus had a message for the nations, prophesying of divine judgement
on the ungodly. Are we impacting our world? —K. R. Keyser

How wonderful it is to walk with God, Along the road that holy men have trod;
How wonderful it is to hear Him say;
Fear not, have faith, ‘tis I who lead the way!—Theadore H. Kitching

DAILY READINGS: Judges 5; Isaiah 26; 1 Corinthians 5

Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of
His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power,
when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right
hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1:3

Jesus Christ made all that was made. He is the very illumination of
the glory of God. His person expresses all that God is. His power
keeps everything together. Without Him, nothing could exist; and
man could not be. Yet, He gave Himself, in sacrifi cial death, to save
us from sin. Amazing! Only aft er giving Himself totally, could He sit
down; in evidence of an accomplished work that totally, fi nally, and
fully accomplished our salvation. What a Saviour! —Doug Kazen

Once for all, O sinner, receive it; once for all, O brother, believe it;
Cling to the cross, the burden will fall, Christ hath redeemed us, once for all.
—P. B.

DAILY READINGS: Judges 4; Isaiah 25; 1 Corinthians 4

Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? Joshua 5:13
He that is not against us is for us. Luke 9:50
He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not
with Me scatt ereth abroad. Matt hew 12:30
If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Here we have four similar statements in four diff erent sett ings to
four diff erent people. In essence the question in each case is, “Whose
side are you on?” To a soldier like Joshua, it was comforting. To the
Lord’s disciples, it was encouraging. To hypocritical Pharisees, it
was convicting. To us, sinners saved by grace, it is reassuring. If on
His side, we are assured of victory! —Rex Trogdon

Jesus is calling! Forth to the fray, in line be falling, serve Him today;
Follow Him ever, call no retreat, His soldiers never suff er defeat.—C. S. K.

DAILY READINGS: Judges 3:5-31; Isaiah 24; 1 Corinthians 3

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die,
we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the
Lord’s. Romans 14:8

There is a very fi ne line between life and death—simply a breath.
Yet, there is a huge diff erence—they are extremes. Our verse today
reassures us that in the trials and joys of life, we belong to the Lord.
We are His. At the same time, even should we die, in death we are
still the Lord’s. The believer’s exclusive position of assurance and
comfort is that there is nothing that exists that can change that position.
You are the Lord’s own peculiar treasure and loved possession—
yesterday, today and forever. —Roy Hill

I am thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, and it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith, and be closer drawn to Thee. —Crosby

DAILY READINGS: Judg. 2:6 to 3:4; Isa. 22:15 to 23:18; 1 Cor. 2

Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following
the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of
unrighteousness. 2 Peter 2:15

Balaam stumbled badly where once he stood strong. In this verse,
we are told plainly that he loved the “wages of unrighteousness.”
This was not always so. The actual biblical context (Num. 22:1-20)
speaks of his initial purity regarding money—even to the extent of
refusing a palace full of silver and gold (Num. 22:18). One wonders
where and when he slipped from this high standard? It is a clear-cut
warning for all of us, but particularly leaders. Set yourself free from
the love of money! —Craig Funston

I am resolved no longer to linger, charmed by the world’s delight;
Things that are higher, things that are nobler—these have captured my sight.
—P. H.

DAILY READINGS: Judg. 1 to 2:5; Isa. 21 to 22:14; 1 Cor. 1

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to
me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing. 2 Tim. 4:8

The crown of righteousness is sometimes referred to as the “watchful
warrior’s crown”. The distinguished scholar, A. T. Robertson,
has said that this is a “crown that consists in righteousness, and is
also the reward for righteousness.” Thus it is a special reward for
those believers who have lived “soberly, righteously, and godly, in
this present world” (Titus 2:12). Why do they so live? Because they
truly and consistently would love to see Christ appear. Is this true of
you and me? —W. Ross Rainey

Keep us, Lord, 0 keep us cleaving to Thyself and still believing,
Till the hour of our receiving promised joys with Thee. —Thomas Kelly

DAILY READINGS: Joshua 24; Isaiah 19-20; 2 Thessalonians 3

To this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might
be Lord both of the dead and living. Romans 14:9

Supreme and undiminishing Lordship very properly belongs to our
Saviour. He who was victorious in the batt le where all others have
been defeated! Christ’s glorious resurrection and exaltation confi rm
His unique position of authority. Neither the dead, nor the living,
are outside the sphere of His dominion. Truly, “He is Lord of all”
(Acts 10:36). Is He the Lord of our lives? —George Hall

Jesus Christ is Lord of all, yes, yes, yes.
King of kings and Lord of lords.
That’s all, there is, that all.
My God is Lord of all.–Keith Green

DAILY READINGS: Joshua 23; Isaiah 17-18; 2 Thessalonians 2

The Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. Ruth 1:20
[Hannah] was in bitterness of soul and prayed unto the Lord.
1 Samuel 1:10
Her soul is [bitter] within her. 2 Kings 4:27

The Lord did not scold these women for their anguish of soul. They
took their bitt erness to God alone, and He heard and answered
abundantly—for Naomi a grandson in the line of David; for Hannah
a son, a mighty prophet; for the Shunamite, her son back from
the grave. If we too take our bitt ernesses to the Lord then our sorrows
will “stretch out spaces in the heart for joy.” —M. MacMullen

Every heavy burden, He will gladly share,
Are you sad and weary? Jesus truly cares. —B. Bell

DAILY READINGS: Joshua 22; Isaiah 15-16; 2 Thessalonians 1

The chief priests accused Him of many things: but He answered
nothing. Mark 15:3

He spoke to the sea and it obeyed Him (Mk. 4:39). He spoke to an
unclean spirit and it too had to obey (Mk. 5:8). He spoke to the dead
and they came back to life again (Jn. 11:43 ). Indeed it could be said of
Him, “Never man spake like this man” (Jn. 7:46). Yet we are reminded
of an occasion when He was silent. On that occasion He could have
called more than twelve legions of angels, yet not one was called or
sent for. Such was His love for you and me. —John M. Clegg

Crowned with thorns upon the tree, silent in Thine agony;
Dying, crushed beneath the load, of the wrath and curse of God.
—H. Gratt on Guinness

DAILY READINGS: Joshua 20-21; Isaiah 14; 1 Thessalonians 5

Righteousness shall go before Him; and shall set us in the way of
His steps. Psalm 85:13

Following the steps of a righteous leader, makes the path of life plain
and safe. We can confi dently follow the steps of our good Shepherd
and indeed the believer is commanded to walk in the footsteps of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Following His steps almost surely will lead
into a path of “suff ering for righteousness sake” (1 Pe. 2:21), but His
guidance and grace will bring us to the end of the path—eternal
glory. Where is He leading you today? —Milton Haack

And if my feet would go astray, they cannot, for I know,
That Jesus guides my falt’ring steps, as joyfully I go.
And tho’ I may not see His face, my faith is strong and clear,
That in each hour of sore distress my Saviour will be near. —E. O. Excell