Author: Gospel Folio Press

Exodus 22:1-23:9; Psalms 64:1-65:13; Acts 12:1-25

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Acts 26:28
[The Bereans] received the word with all readiness of mind. Acts 17:11

These two examples of “listeners” are representative of those who attend a local church—passive and active. Dr. Charles Stanley says, “Passive listeners just sit in their pew and let their minds wander. Active listeners, on the other hand, are excited about what the Lord is going to say.” We all are prone to let our minds wander and lose focus. We need to ask the Lord to help us to keep our minds stayed on Him (Isa. 26:3). Be an active listener! —Bob Cretney

Jesus is my Shepherd, His voice I do hear;
I follow it so to Him, I can stay close and near.  —Deborah Ann Belka

Exodus 21:1-36; Psalms 62:1-63:11; Acts 11:19-30

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come. 1 Corinthians 11:26

“Occupy [be active] till I come” (Luke 19:13) the Lord said. There are many things we are to be doing until He comes. We walk, work and wait as He has instructed us. But perhaps most importantly, we worship Him when we “show the Lord’s death till he come.” The Lord’s Supper manifests our Lord in wonderful ways; His incarnation, deity, and humanity; His death, burial, and resurrection; and the substitution and atonement that He has accomplished for
us. Remembering Him was important to the Lord then and is now. It should be to us as well. —Gaius C. Goff

We show Thy death till Thy return; Thou for our sins didst die!
“Remember Me,” Thy parting word; “Amen,” our hearts reply.  —Anonymous

Exodus 20:1-26; Psalms 60:1-61:8; Acts 11:1-18

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Matthew 9:36

Compassion was one of the hallmarks of the Lord Jesus as He fulfilled His earthly ministry. Compassion is showing mercy and sympathy in relation to the suffering of others. Oh how this defined our Lord’s life. He had compassion for the poor, the sick, and the lost. And to us His compassion is just as real. It never fails, and is new every morning, even today—whatever your circumstances may be. —Caleb Riordan

Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure, unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter ev’ry trembling heart. —Charles Wesley

Exodus 19:1-25; Psalms 58:1-59:17; Acts 10:24-48

Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. Jonah 1:17
But God prepared a worm. Jonah 4:7

God, the great Creator, used two creatures of contrasting sizes in His work to preserve and educate Jonah. The small worm had a part to play as well as the great fish. It reminds us that God is interested in every aspect of our lives, the small things as well as the large ones. He is working now for our good in both the large and small affairs of life to develop our Christian character as we tread the road home to heaven. —Philip A. Kaye

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all. —C. F. Alexander

Exodus 18:1-27; Psalms 56:1-57:11; Acts 10:1-23

Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches. 2 Kings 3:16

Why dig ditches in a valley? A valley is a low-lying area and ditches will make it even lower! But when life is low, God asks us to dig ditches of faith through prayer. Then, when we least expect it; an answer comes, a need is met, our spirit is lifted! The people in this story needed rain. God asked them to dig ditches—without any sign of rain. The rain never came, but the ditches were filled to overflowing! Dig ditches of faith through prayer and let God provide. —Deborah Manera

He who cares for the sparrows
And numbers the hairs of our head,
Cannot possibly fail us.  —Hannah Whitall Smith

Exodus 17:1-16; Psalm 55:1-23; Acts 9:32-43

We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

I picked up the phone to call the professor. I had been tasked with printing and preparing an exam for her students, and I was unclear about her peculiar instructions for the test. She explained to me why she had designed it in such a way and what she hoped to accomplish through it. Once I understood her purpose, my confusion melted away. We may never fully understand why the Lord has allowed a certain trial in our lives, nor what He plans to accomplish through it. Instead, we can trust that it was done with a purpose in mind: for our good, and His glory. —Lynn Shatford

Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial, by the Sun of Love. —F. R. Havergal

Exodus 16:1-36; Psalm 52:1-54:7; Acts 9:1-31

That ye be not soon shaken in mind. 2 Thessalonians 2:2

The Bible is unshakeable truth for a shaking world. Society wobbles on the fragile legs of manmade precepts, ever-changing on the whims of user reviews. Having abandoned God’s absolute truth, humanity has invented all manner of standards that neither bear the weight of scrutiny nor bear the weary soul. Morals, societies, and governments
are breaking and broken, yet we who know the Lord Jesus, know the truth. He is the Truth, He does not change, and His truth does not change. —Rick Morse

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith, in His excellent word!
What more can be said, than to you God hath said,
To you who for refuge, to Jesus have fled? —G. Keith

Exodus 15:1-27; Psalm 51:1-19; Acts 8:5-40

The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. Isaiah 50:4 NKJV

To someone who is feeling “weak and heavy-laden,” how refreshing it is to have a brother or sister come alongside with just the right word of comfort and encouragement! Where does this come from? The “God of all comfort, who comforts us…that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor. 1:3-4). Let us abide in Christ daily, allowing Him to comfort and encourage us, and always be ready to share a word of comfort with those who need it. —Elizabeth C. Bishop

Give as t’was given to you in your need, love as the Master loved you.
Be to the helpless a helper indeed, unto your mission be true.  —I. Wilson

Exodus 14:5-31; Psalms 49:1-50:23; Acts 7:30-8:4

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims…Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:1, 3 NKJV

It was to beleaguered believers that Peter wrote this epistle. One can only imagine their joy when the “postman” arrived with his letter. First, he reminded them of their position in Christ (v. 2). But then he assured them of the living hope that awaited them. We too have the same living assurance, all because of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28). May our worship of Him today be sweet. —Jim Comte

Standing before Him at last, trial and trouble all past,
Crowns at His feet we will cast. Jesus is coming again. —J. Peterson

Exodus 13:1-14:4; Psalms 47:1-48:14; Acts 7:1-29

Come to Me , all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29 NKJV

This offer of rest is so compelling, especially when our problem isn’t a physical weariness that can be solved by a good night’s sleep. Sometimes our hearts and minds feel so heavy we wonder how we’ll get through the day. Yet Jesus isn’t impatient with our situation. He is gentle and lowly, not only willing to shoulder the weight of our burden but eager to teach us His lovely character. As we join ourselves to Him and work His way, we discover that serving Him is easy and His load is light! —Caroline Webb

My soul finds rest in God alone, my Rock and my salvation;
A fortress strong against my foes, and I will not be shaken. —S. Townend