Author: Gospel Folio Press

DAILY READINGS: Num. 25 to 26:51; Prov. 22:17 to 23:11; Luke 1:26-56

Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is
the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall fi nd rest for your
souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Jeremiah 6:16b

Where I lived in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, there were beautiful
well-traveled paths that generations had walked. Now they’ve become
overgrown and no one walks them anymore. Jeremiah’s message
is a warning not to forget the ancient paths of God where “the
good way” is. God’s way is found in His commandments. They are
a protection around our heart and mind and in them we fi nd rest for
our soul. Lean not on your own understanding and He shall direct
thy paths. —Jerry Proctor

Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, pilgrim though this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty; hold me with thy powerful hand.—W. W.

DAILY READINGS: Num. 23:27-24:25; Prov. 21:12-22:16; Luke 1:1-25

Maranatha. 1 Corinthians 16:22

“Maranatha” is a word derived from two Aramaic words: “maranh”
meaning “the Lord,” and “atha” meaning “comes”. It was evidently
in common usage among Christians in Paul’s day, since his readers
apparently understood its meaning without any defi ning of the
word by the apostle. This watchword was a constant reminder of
the Lord’s return, an expression which fortifi ed, unifi ed, and sanctifi
ed the believers. We would do well to revive its use among His
people today. —W. Ross Rainey

Saviour come, Thy saints are waiting, waiting for the advent day,
Thence their promised glory dating; come, and bear Thy saints away,
Come, Lord Jesus, come Lord Jesus, thus Thy waiting people pray. —T. Kelly

DAILY READINGS: Num. 22:39-23:26; Prov. 20 to 21:11; Jas. 4:13-5:20

If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He
also will deny us. 2 Timothy 2:12

While visiting Travancore, a church leader from Madras was introduced
to a young slave girl called “the child apostle”. She had won
this title because of her zeal in speaking to others of Jesus Christ despite
being brutally treated. Her quiet, steady persistence had won
several to Christ. When she was introduced to the offi cial, her face,
neck and arms were disfi gured and scarred by stripes and blows. As
he looked at her, the man’s eyes fi lled, and he said, “My child, how
could you bear this?” She looked up at him in surprise and said,
“Don’t you like to suff er for Christ, sir?” —Warren Henderson

Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into batt le; see his banners go! —S. Baring-Gould

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 22:1-38; Proverbs 19; James 3 to 4:12

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part,
which shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:42

These days it is diffi cult for our minds to be fi xed on one thing. There
are so many att ractions and distractions to divert our thoughts and
att ention. However, to get back to the one thing is needful. But what
is it? The Psalmist says, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that
will I seek aft er; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the
days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in
his temple” (Ps. 27:4). Mary lived out this truth and sat at Christ’s
feet learning of Him. Implementing this one thing in our life will
revolutionize it for Christ. Will you do this one thing? —K. C. Ung

One thing I ask and seek, Lord: to dwell with you always,
To gaze upon your beauty and seek you all my days. —Susan H. Peterson

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 21; Proverbs 18; James 2

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth
the LORD, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:30

The truths in this verse are for every woman, not just moms. The
beauty techniques of the Bible are more than skin deep. They start at
the heart. A woman who fears the Lord is one who reverences God
in her heart. The charm and beauty of this world is passing and deceptive,
but the adornment of the Word is enhanced as the years of
service and love for the Lord pass by. The cosmetic industry cannot
compete with that! —Rex Trogdon

May His beauty rest upon me, as I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel, seeing only Him. —Kate B. Wilkinson

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 20; Proverbs 17; James 1

We are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Spirit,
whom God hath given to them that obey him. Acts 5:32

One of the words used to describe conversion is obedience. The gospel
not only gives us good news, but also calls upon us to respond to
it, to repent and believe it. In that sense we could say that the Christian
life begins with an act of faith and obedience. Hebrews 5:9 says
Christ is the “author of eternal salvation for all those who obey”.
Romans 1:5 speaks of the “obedience of faith”. On the other hand,
numerous passages (Rom. 2:8; 2 Thess. 1:8 and 1 Pet. 4:17) speak of
those who do not obey the gospel. It’s not enough to know the truth
or to agree intellectually with it. Have you obeyed it? —Carl Knott

To obey is bett er than sacrifi ce; O Lord, make my life so;
As my heart desires its own things; help me to let them go. —A. R. M.

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 19; Proverbs 16; 2 Peter 3

Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen,
and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the
LORD helped us. 1 Samuel 7:12

There is such promise in the word “hitherto”. It bears testimony
to the Lord’s help in the past and brings the promise of His help in
the future. For the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, “today” is simply
another moment in our personal history, in which we will enjoy
again gracious blessings and provision from the Lord. His care
stretches from far in our past, through today and into the future.
What blessings lie concealed in “hitherto”! —Mark Fenn

O God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home. —Isaac Watts

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 18; Proverbs 15; 2 Peter 2

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

To a large congregation, two visitors were introduced. The fi rst one
was a young orator, who was asked to recite Psalm 23. His oratory was
so moving that it ended with a standing ovation. Then they asked the
other visitor, an elderly gentleman, to recite the same psalm. There
was no standing ovation, but tears in everyone’s eyes. The orator
stood up and said, “I can explain the diff erence, I know the psalm,
but this gentleman knows the Shepherd.” Paul expresses our desire
too, “That I may know Him” (Phil. 3:10). —Milton Haack

I know not when my Lord may come, at night or noonday fair,
Nor if I’ll walk the vale with Him, or meet Him in the air.
But I know Whom I have believèd, and am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committ ed unto Him against that day. —D. Whittle

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 16:41 to 17:13; Proverbs 14; 2 Peter 1

He said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham…I
being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s
brethren. Genesis 24:27

Abraham’s servant was to fi nd a wife for Isaac. Faced with such a
daunting task, he sought the Lord. With His help, he was able to
convince a young woman to travel to a place she’d never been, marry
someone she didn’t know, and live in a land she’d never seen! Afterwards,
he rejoiced, knowing it was God who had led him. Wise is
the Christian who fi rst seeks, then commits to the Master’s way. It’s
then that we learn what trusting God is all about, and it’s then that
we’ll experience His divine interventions! —D. Manera

I have held many things in my hands, and have lost them all;
But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess. —M. Luther

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 16:1-40; Proverbs 13; 1 Peter 5

For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it,
and too much. Exodus 36:7

When someone is truly in love, their heart is usually overfl owing,
and if you have someone’s heart, you really have all of them. If the
Lord has our hearts, there is so much that He can do through us, because
we are willing to let Him. His work goes bett er and our heart
overfl ows with a willingness to give eff ort, time, and resources to
His cause. Conversely, when there is a scarcity of love; eff ort, time
and resources are so hard to give over to the Saviour. Are we really
in love with Him? —Craig Funston

Lord, Thy love has sought and found us, wandering in this desert wide,
Thou hast thrown Thine arms around us, for us suff ered, bled and died:
Sing my soul! He loved thee, Jesus gave Himself for me. —J. J. Hopkins