Wednesday, October 30, 2019

1 Chronicles 10:1-11:47; Ezekiel 12:1-28; John 4:1-30

Will a man make gods for himself, which are not gods? Jeremiah 16:20, NKJV

It is well known that cows are sacred in India, but they have many other gods too. The Karni Mata Temple in Rajasthan, India, is home to some 20,000 rats. These rats are fed, protected and worshipped! Macaque monkeys freely roam the streets and temples of India. They are fed, protected and even honoured due to their association with the Hindu deity Hanuman, the monkey god. The god of this world has and is blinding the minds of millions! Only the gospel of our Lord Jesus can set them free. —Raymond Jones

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible, hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty victorious, Thy great name we praise. —Walter Chalmers Smith

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

1 Chronicles 8:1-9:44; Ezekiel 11:1-25; John 3:22-36

They…yielded their bodies. Daniel 3:28, NKJV

You would have thought that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had read Romans 12:1-2. They certainly lived it! The practice of their faith went well beyond lip service and eating habits. It involved their whole body and it was their whole body that was put to the test. The fire that they were thrown into had no effect on their bodies, from top to bottom (3:27), including even the smell of fire! Their bodies were free from the attack of the enemy and free for the Master’s use. It is our privilege to be the same sort of living sacrifices, in body, soul, and spirit. —N. C. Funston

We are an offering,
We lift our voices, we lift our hands
We lift our lives up to You;
We are an offering, we are an offering. —Dwight Liles

Monday, October 28, 2019

1 Chronicles 7:1-40; Ezekiel 10:1-22; John 2:23-3:21

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

It is important that we do not carelessly judge other believers’ motives and service. In fact, we are not even qualified to judge ourselves (1 Cor. 4:3). Ultimately Christ will judge our lives. In the meantime, He uses His Word to keep us on the straight path, convicting us when we stray, returning us back onto His way, and instructing us how to remain on it. —George Ferrier

All the way my Saviour leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living Bread. —Frances J. Crosby

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

2 Samuel 20:1-26; Jeremiah 4:3-31; Galatians 5:10-26

The Lord said, Simon…Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. Luke 22:31-32

The Lord told Peter that trying times were ahead. But that was not the heart of His message. In fact the power of the message was not that our Lord would pray for him but that He had already prayed for him. He could have prayed that the temptation would not happen, but instead prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. This should be a model for our prayer life. Not that we avoid temptation but that our faith would not fail. —Ken Gross

Faith is the victory. Faith is the victory.
Oh, glorious victory that overcomes the world. —John Yates

Lord’s Day, July 21, 2019

Judges 16:1-31; Isaiah 35:1-10; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout. 1 Thessalonians 4:16

When Rebekah neared the end of the wilderness journey, she was looking forward to meeting the man she had never seen, but loved—Isaac, who would be her bridegroom. On the final day of the journey, Rebekah saw someone coming to meet her, and indeed, it was Isaac himself who had come to escort her home. So also, when our wilderness journey is over, it will be the Lord Himself and no other, who will meet us on the way and escort us to His heavenly home to be His Bride. —W. H. Burnett

Oh, the blessed joy of meeting, all the desert past!
O the wondrous words of greeting,
He shall speak at last! He and I together entering, those bright courts above, He and I together sharing, all the Father’s love. —P. Gerdhart

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Judges 14:1-15:20; Isaiah 34:1-17; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. Jude 19, NKJV

The church faces false brethren who sow discord and separation—an abomination to the Lord (Prov. 6:19). These deceivers act this way because they lack the Spirit, whose indwelling is required for true believers (Rom. 8:9). Such fleshly ones are incapable of knowing His things (1 Cor. 2:12-16). The church functions on spiritual principles. Its simple organization enables saints to fellowship with the Lord without human intermediaries. It is designed to make them dependent on Him and to bring the triune God all the glory. Gatherings for prayer, praise, worship, teaching, and fellowship all require the Spirit’s work in us. —Keith Keyser

The Comforter is come, the earnest has been given;
He leads me onward to the home reserved for me in heaven.—H. Bennett

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Judges 14:1-15:20; Isaiah 34:1-17; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. Jude 19, NKJV

The church faces false brethren who sow discord and separation—an abomination to the Lord (Prov. 6:19). These deceivers act this way because they lack the Spirit, whose indwelling is required for true believers (Rom. 8:9). Such fleshly ones are incapable of knowing His things (1 Cor. 2:12-16). The church functions on spiritual principles. Its simple organization enables saints to fellowship with the Lord without human intermediaries. It is designed to make them dependent on Him and to bring the triune God all the glory. Gatherings for prayer, praise, worship, teaching, and fellowship all require the Spirit’s work in us. —Keith Keyser

The Comforter is come, the earnest has been given;
He leads me onward to the home reserved for me in heaven.—H. Bennett

Friday, July 19, 2019

Judges 13:1-25; Isaiah 33:1-24; 1 Corinthians 11:2-34

There be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us. 2 Chron. 32:7-8

Confronted by seemingly impossible odds—the mighty conquering armies of Assyria—Hezekiah encouraged Israel to look at their situation from a spiritual perspective. The Assyrian soldiers might seem invincible but they were simply human beings. In contrast Israel had the Lord their God on their side. If today, as a believer, you are facing great opposition, take time to look at your circumstances in the light of eternity. You have the Lord, the God of the entire universe on your side, upholding and protecting you! —David Croudace

Yet shall the armies Thou leadest, faithful and true to the last,
Find in Thy mansions eternal rest, when their warfare is past.
–Fanny J. Crosby

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Judges 11:29-12:15; Isaiah 32:1-20; 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Romans 12:15

To take pleasure in the success and accomplishments of others can require more grace than to share in the sadness of those who have failed or faced defeat. To rejoice in the blessing received by others means that we are not jealous or envious of them but are truly delighted for them. It is not to ask questions like, “Why them and not me?” or “Do they really deserve it?”. To be delighted with the success of others, when maybe we feel down or defeated, requires a deep work of God in our hearts and a genuine desire to respond in the same way as would the Lord. —Paul Young

But where the Lord has planted grace; and made His glories known;
There fruits of heavenly joy and peace, are found, and there alone.
—John Newton

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Judges 10:6-11:28; Isaiah 31:1-9; 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:13

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? John 5:44

Are you like me? Sometimes, before I roll over and go to sleep I do one final check and see how many “likes” I got on my latest “selfie” post. Guilty. So many people go through life with a self seeking desire to be noticed and admired by man. It is a natural desire to want to be liked! But is it healthy? The world is shallow, mostly interested in appearances, not reality. The admonition for believers in this “social media” age is to seek the honour that comes from God only. —Sid Halsband

Make this poor self grow less and less,
Be Thou my life and aim;
O make me daily, through Thy grace,
More meet to bear Thy name. —J. C. Lavater