Author: Gospel Folio Press

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 35:1-29; Psalms 7:1-8:9; Matt. 19:16-20:16

The cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their face towards one another. Exodus 37:9

The cherubim never took their gaze off the blood sprinkled mercy seat. “There I will meet with thee” (Ex. 25:22), was God’s promise to Israel. As those redeemed by Christ, we now focus our gaze at Calvary and see His blood shed there for us. We also see Him in our midst as we gather (Matt. 18:20). May God help us to never turn our gaze from the cross nor from the Lamb who shed His blood and is in our midst. Oh what wonders grace has wrought! —Vernon Markle

Lord, I believe Thy precious blood, which, at the mercy seat of God,
Forever doth for sinners plead, for me, e’en for my soul, was shed. —Nikolaus L. von Zinzendorf

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 33:18-34:31; Psalms 4:1-6:10; Matt. 19:1-15

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments. 1 Corinthians 12:28

The word “governments” refers to those who govern in the local church. W. E. Vine gives “steering or pilotage” as root meanings. These men are the spiritual shipmasters or helmsmen. This describes what spiritual leaders do. They do not chart a new course but keep the ship on course, in the channel, away from dangers. God sets the course—not us. That course is laid out in the “navigational chart” of His Word. We are to steer and stay in it. —Carl Knott

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou, shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now lead Thou me on! —John H. Newman

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 32:1-33:17; Psalms 1:1-3:8; Matt. 18:15-35

Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. Genesis 28:16

Are you in the desert, with the hardness of the terrain and the coldness of the stones your only comfort? Look up! He is here! Not— He was here and left—or passed by and is gone. He is here! God brings the ladder of hope and the vision of His majesty into our darkest places. The sun may have set and the blackness of night may encircle us, but He is here! He revives us with the fragrance of His presence, the balm of His fellowship and the sweetness of His joy. Take heart. God is here—and near—in your place today! —Deborah Manera

Our Faith must be tested. God builds no ships but what He sends to sea. —D. L. Moody

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 31:1-55; Job 42:1-17; Matt. 17:14-18:14

What have I to do with you, O man of God? 1 Kings 17:18a, NKJV

Elijah had left the brook Cherith, the place of quiet days and consistent miracles, for a bigger and broader sphere. He was simply obeying God’s call on his life. In that new place, for probably the better part of two years, a widow had turned to him for support, but now she turned on him. How he must have longed for the simple solitude of the steady stream! Sometimes God enlarges our jurisdictions, but things generally get more stressful. Bigger, broader spheres often mean more demands on our time, energy, finances, and soul. Elijah’s great confidence was that the God who had called him would be the God who would sustain him. —N. C. Funston

Jesus never fails, Jesus never fails,
Heav’en and earth may pass away, but Jesus never fails. —A. Luther

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 30:1-43; Job 40:1-41:34; Matt. 16:13-17:13

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Psalm 8:1

God is the creator of all things and He has built a wonderful order into the vast complexity of His creation. Above all else, God reigns supreme and mankind was meant to love and obey Him. But man disobeyed, and sin and death followed. But God has brought us back to Himself through the sacrifice of His own Son. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). What a wonderful promise! Have you believed? —G. Frear

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent You are!
How perfect Your order, how great is Your fame,
As creation sings to Your excellent Name! —G. F.

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 29:1-35; Job 38:1-39:30; Matt. 15:29-16:12

When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Isaiah 1:15, NKJV

The Scriptures give several reasons why prayers can be hindered:

• Rejecting or not yielding to God’s Word (Prov. 28:9; 1 John 3:22).
• Husbands not properly caring for their wives (1 Peter 3:7).
• Fostering selfish motives (Jas. 4:3).
• Having an unforgiving heart (Mark 11:25).
• Doubting God’s faithfulness (Jas. 1:6-7; Mark 11:24).
• Praying for what is contrary to God’s will (1 John 5:14-15).

May we take these warnings to heart. —W. A. H.

When we pray for the Spirit’s help, we will simply fall down at the Lord’s feet in our weakness. There we will find the victory and power that comes from His love. —Andrew Murray

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 28:1-22; Job 36:1-37:24; Matt. 15:1-28

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. John 15:14

Hard times often reveal the truth as to who our friends are. Are we grateful for the friends who have stayed with us through the highs and the lows, the thick and the thin, the smiles and the tears? Friends such as these should never be taken for granted as they are very rare. The Lord Jesus Christ is such a friend. We can take all our cares and problems to Him, and He will stand by us through all our trials and tribulations. —Ken Gunnell

Sweet the moments, rich in blessing,
Which before the Cross we spend:
Life, and health, and peace possessing,
From the sinners’ dying Friend. —Walter Shirley

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 27:1-46; Job 34:1-35:16; Matt. 14:13-36

And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. Luke 24:30-31

They recognized Him in the breaking of the bread. One day, we too will see those nail prints. I once heard a friend pray, “Thank you Lord for the privilege of coming together to remember You. Let us not forget today that many don’t have this privilege.” May we remember with gratitude today what Christ has done for us. —Janet Fleming

As bread is broken week by week,
Each emblem has a word to speak.
There’s one less feast, till I am home,
For this is only till He come. —Janet Fleming

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 26:1-35; Job 32:1-33:33; Matt. 13:44-14:12

A new commandment I give unto ye, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. John 13:34

Why is this a new commandment? Hasn’t God always commanded us to love? In the Old Testament we were commanded to love our neighbour as we love ourself. This is a high standard. But the new commandment is even higher. We are now to love one another by the example of Christ. We should love each other sacrificially and selflessly. The new standard of love is the standard of Christ Himself. Do we love in such a way? —Shane Johnson

Beloved let us love: for love is light, And he who loveth not, dwelleth in night.
Beloved let us love, for only thus, Shall we behold, that God who loveth us. —H. Bonar

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 25:1-34; Job 31:1-40; Matt. 13:24-43

All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away. Exodus 15:15, NKJV
Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? Numbers 21:5, NKJV

Both of these verses are statements made by the children of Israel. One was in a song after the miracle at the Red Sea. The other much later, when they were complaining about God’s provision of manna. They remind us of what it means to leave our first love. Rather than rejoice in all our God has done for us, we find reasons to question His great love and bountiful provisions. May we like David cry out in true confession, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation” (Ps. 51:12). Only then can we praise God as we should. —Ken Gross

Praise the Saviour ye who know Him, who can tell how much we owe Him?
Gladly let us render to Him, all we are and have. —Thomas Kelly