Author: Gospel Folio Press

2 Kings 13:1-14:22; Jeremiah 49:1-39; Hebrews 13:7-25

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. Ps. 100:4 NKJV

In the Old Testament, the Psalms are rich with expressions of thanksgiving, encouraging believers to enter God’s presence with joyful praise. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul frequently emphasizes giving thanks, reminding Christians to be grateful in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:18). Jesus gave thanks before breaking bread with His disciples (Matt. 26:27). Biblical thanksgiving is not just for abundance, but recognizes God’s continual care and
sovereignty in all aspects of life. —Caroline Webb

Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!  —Joachim Neander

2 Kings 11:1-12:21; Jeremiah 48:1-47; Hebrews 12:18-13:6

Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained? Isaiah 63:15

Focus on our own expectations and timing can generate distress in our hearts. Consider, that in the fulness of time, our Lord — the fulness of the Godhead, fulfilled Isaiah’s plea and descended from His holy habitation, to dwell among sinners so that we might behold His glory. Consumed by zeal for His Father’s house, Calvary followed. Isaiah also said, “Wait upon the Lord”. His responses will be at the perfect time and glorious! —David J. Reed

What ever foes or fears betide, in Thy blest presence we may hide;
And while we rest our souls on Thee, Thou wilt our sanctuary be! —S. Medley

2 Kings 10:1-36; Jeremiah 45:1-47″7; Hebrews 12:1-17

I have learned … to be content. Philippians 4:11
Be content with such things as you have, For He … said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 NKJV

Paul’s sufferings were deep: in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often, five times he received 39 stripes, three times beaten with rods; once stoned; three times shipwrecked; in journeys often, in perils of waters, of robbers, in weariness, sleeplessness, hunger and thirst, fastings, cold and nakedness (2 Cor. 11:22-33). Yet in it all, he was content! Are you content in this discontented world? Are you living for the material and temporal
or the spiritual and eternal? —Jim Paul

I know that His power my safeguard will be,
For, “Why are ye troubled?” He saith unto me. —J. N. Darby

2 Kings 9:1-37; Jeremiah 44:1-30; Hebrews 11:17-40

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4

Amidst all the suffering in the world today, we have a marvelous hope. We joyfully anticipate the day when it will all have “passed away” and we will finally be with our Saviour forever, where there will be no more sorrow, crying, or pain. However, this verse is also a reminder that we must be reaching out to the millions still without Christ who have no such hope. —David Croudace

Men die in darkness at your side, without a hope to cheer the tomb:
Take up the torch and wave it wide, the torch that lights time’s thickest gloom. —Horatius B

2 Kings 8:1-29; Jeremiah 42:7-43:13; Hebrews 11:1-16

That I may win Christ … That I may know him … that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:8, 10, 12

Writing from prison in Rome, the Apostle Paul attested to his burning desire to “win Christ”. He wanted to know Him better and become more like Him. This was his priority, and no effort was spared in this quest: “This one thing I do … reaching forth … I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (3:13-14). We too should have the same spiritual ambition and seek to magnify our Lord. —Clark Logan

Break every barrier down, till Christ be formed in me;
Till of the travail of Thy soul Thou, satisfied, shalt see. —Bertha Mullen

2 Kings 6:24-7:20; Jeremiah 41:1-42:6; Hebrews 10:19-39

And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! Genesis 17:18

I was praying about an important issue while scheming my own ideas about how to bring it to pass. Finally I realized God wouldn’t bless my manipulations. He proved that in Sarah and Abraham’s lives. God had promised Abraham a son with Sarah, but to ‘help God out’ Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham and Ishmael was born. He had to wait 13 more years for God’s promised son (Gen. 18:9). God made him give up Ishmael (Gen. 21:12) because his schemes could
not live beside God’s ways. God can’t work until you surrender all to Him. —Deborah Manera

I turn to wisdom not my own,
For every battle, You have known. —K. & K. Getty

2 Kings 6:1-23; Jeremiah 39:1-40:16; Hebrews 10:1-18

That ye … May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. Ephesians 3:17-19

Can any mortal being comprehend the love of Christ in its: breadth, as far as the east is from the west; its length, stretching from before the foundation of the earth to the unknown future; its depth, as deep as the deepest sea; its height, as high as the heavens above. His love is immeasurable, undefinable, eternal and extended to you and me. How great, gracious, and glorious is our God! —K. C. Ung

How good is the God we adore! Our faithful, unchangeable Friend;
His love is as great as His power, and knows neither measure nor end. —Joseph Har

2 Kings 5:1-27; Jeremiah 38:1-28; Hebrews 9:15-28

You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:19 NKJV

If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus, this reality is gloriously true. Our sins are out of sight – God’s sight – forever! The New Testament tells us that our sins have been carried away; cleansed; forgiven; covered; not counted against us, and nailed to Christ’s cross. Indeed, our sins and iniquities are remembered no more (Heb. 8:12). Rejoice, your sins are gone! —David Petterson

In the depths of the sea of God’s forgetfulness,
Removed as the east is from west,
Far away from all power and principality,
My sins are in the depths of the sea.  —Phil & Carolyn Cross

2 Kings 4:1-44; Jeremiah 37:1-21; Hebrews 9:1-14

They cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. Exodus 7:12
Behold, the rod of Aaron … brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. Numbers 17:8
Death is swallowed up in victory! 1 Corinthians 15:54

Aaron’s once dead, but now living, blooming, consuming rod is a beautiful picture of Christ’s victory over death and the grave! He literally “swallowed up” death as He completed His own agonizing death on Calvary’s cross. As we remember Him today, let us rejoice in His life, death, burial and resurrection from the dead, the greatest victory in all of history! —Elizabeth C. Bishop

Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia! —Charles Wesley

2 Kings 3:1-27; Jeremiah 36:1-32; Hebrews 8:1-13

Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover … so I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver … Hosea 3:1-2 NKJV

Hosea’s wife Gomer went into a life of adultery, which eventually brought her to bankruptcy. In that culture, the only way to cancel the debt was to hope that selling everything would match what was owed. If it was more, slavery was the result. Hosea was told to go into the marketplace and enter into the bidding and buy Gomer back for himself. The Lord said the standard was “the love of the Lord for Israel”, as the nation was unfaithful to God. Oh how this reminds us of the price the Lord Jesus paid to redeem us from the marketplace of sin! —Gary McBride.

O blessed Lord, what hast Thou done! How vast a ransom paid!
Who could conceive, God’s only Son, upon the altar laid! —M. Peters