Choice Gleanings: Good News Edition

DAILY READINGS: 1 Kings 22:1-53; Jeremiah 33:1-26; Hebrews 4:14-5:10

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. Acts 17:30

The Athenian philosophers had surrounded themselves with many gods. But the Apostle Paul came to Athens and stripped away their comfort by presenting the one and only God and the solemn fact of everyone’s accountability to Him. Notice, God does not ask men to repent—He commands them to repent. Sometimes we think that sinners would be doing God a real favor if they decided to listen to Him. This is not the true gospel. God commands repentance, and promises judgment to those who refuse to obey. —William Burnett

Repent, believe, this very hour, trust in the Saviour’s
cleansing power, Then will your joyous answer be,
saved through a long eternity! —Author Unknown

DAILY READINGS: 1 Kings 21:1-29; Jeremiah 32:26-44; Hebrews 4:1-13

When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” Luke 19:5

Zacchaeus was seeking but so was the Lord. The Lord saw him up among the leaves of the sycamore, and called him by name. How glad we are that today, wherever there is a seeking sinner, there is a Saviour who seeks and calls by name. If you are seeking, seek with all your heart and the Saviour will find you. —John M. Clegg

Oh! Why remain distant when God calls you near?
In love that dismisses all bondage and fear;
Oh why remain Christless when you may be blest?
Oh, why remain weary, when Christ gives you rest?
—Author Unknown

DAILY READINGS: 1 Kings 20:1-43; Jeremiah 32:1-25; Hebrews 3:1-19

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9

The door to the chicken coop was open. But as I turned to walk home, I couldn’t help but notice two chickens that were flapping their wings and flying at the walls and roof of the building, attempting to get out. All that effort for nothing. The door was open. It made me think of those people who are working so hard in the hopes of reaching heaven when the door is wide open. Jesus died on the cross and His blood can cleanse us from sin. Why not enter through the Door and trust Jesus today? —J. Fleming

Christ is the door that leads to life, to purpose and to heaven,
So come and trust in Him today, and you will be forgiven. —J. Fleming

DAILY READINGS: 1 Kings 19:1-21; Jeremiah 31:1-40; Hebrews 2:1-18

Through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things. Acts 13:38-39

Satan has whitewashed sin. Human society smiles upon evil and readily indulges in it. But God has not changed. The sinner must be washed, not whitewashed, by the fountain that was opened through the death of Christ at Calvary. That washing justifies so that the sinner is made clean and is seen by God as being in Christ. If you are in Christ, you know it. If not, you are in your sins, and far from God. —Doug Kazen

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought, My sin, not in part,
but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more. Praise
the Lord, Praise the Lord, oh my soul! —Horatio G. Spafford

DAILY READINGS: 1 Kings 18:1-46; Jeremiah 30:1-24; Hebrews 1:1-14

All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad Psalm 45:8, NKJV

Procter and Gamble is a familiar name. One Sunday, Harley Procter listened to a preacher speak from Psalm 45 where ivory palaces are mentioned. As a result, he decided to call his soap Ivory. Many people think that good works or a  moral life, superficial cleanliness, will merit them entry into God’s heaven. But our problem goes much deeper than that. Thank God for Him who came from the ivory palaces to accomplish what no soap could do! Christ washed us from our sins! —R. Surgenor

Though thy sins are red like crimson, deep in scarlet glow;
Jesus’ precious blood can make them, white as snow.
—Frances R. Havergal

DAILY READINGS: 1 Kings 17:1-24; Jeremiah 29:1-32; Philemon 1:1-25

Jesus…said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark 12:34

When one stands before the King and at the door to the kingdom, it is truly a solemn moment, and no other question really matters. Here was a scribe, evidently drawn to Christ. He had a good grasp of the Scriptures, and realized that God demanded more from men than mere outward observance of the Mosaic law. Similarly, many today know the facts of the gospel but are still outside the kingdom. They need to realize their danger. It’s only a step to safety. Will you take that step? —W. P. W. McVey

Yes, not very far from salvation by grace, but beware, O sinner,
beware! For not very far is a perilous place; you art lost if you
linger there. —Author Unknown

DAILY READINGS: 1 Kings 15:33-16:34; Jer. 27:1-28:17; Col. 4:2-18

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

This verse has been used by God to bring the assurance of salvation to many people. It answers to the question, “Why the cross?” The Lord Jesus in His coming to Calvary dealt with this outstanding need of humanity, their sinfulness. Only He could do it, for no one else was sinless. He bore our sins in His death on the cross that we might “live to righteousness.” He “was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25). Is He your Saviour? —Reg. L. Jordan

I have neither grace nor merit-guilty sinner is my name; But,
believing, I inherit life which only Christ could claim. —Wm. Blane

DAILY READINGS: 1 Kings 15:1-32; Jer. 26:1-24; Colossians 3:5-4:1

But God, being rich in mercy… Ephesians 2:4

Nicole “Faith” Proctor was born terminally ill as a result of a severe brain disorder. She is blind, cannot talk or walk and must be fed through a tube. Many look upon her with pity. But we thank God who is rich in mercy. What a joy to realize that God loves her and one day she will be with her Saviour. I wonder, do you have the same assurance? In a way our lives parallel Faith’s life. We too are born blind (spiritually) to God’s grace, unable to help ourselves. But Jesus says, “whosoever believeth in [me] should not perish” (John 3:16). Our Faith is unable to make the choice, but you are. Make it today. —Jerry Proctor (Faith’s Grandfather)

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me; I
once was lost but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see.—J. Newton

DAILY READINGS: 1 Kings 13:33-14:31; Jer. 24:1-25:38; Col. 2:8-3:4

This people has refused the waters of Shiloah (Siloam) that flow gently. Isaiah 8:6

The ancient pool of Siloam in Jerusalem, today called Birket Silwan, dates back in biblical history almost 3,000 years. Amazingly enough, through repeated droughts, it alone has never gone dry! What a depiction of God’s matchless grace; and yet further, mankind’s continued refusals of our Lord’s soft tones of invitation and salvation. In spite of this, like the subterranean springs which feed Siloam, “he gives more grace” (James 4:6), entrusting the word of reconciliation to those who have drunk to the deepest satisfaction of the wellsprings of His salvation! —Rick Morse

Oh you have been promised grace abundant and free, God’s wonderful
grace is sufficient, sufficient for you and me. —Author Unknown

DAILY READINGS: 1 Kings 13:1-32; Jer. 23:1-40; Colossians 1:21-2:7

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Luke 5:8

The Times newspaper ran a series of articles on world problems. A letter to the paper was received. Titled “What is wrong with the world”, it said, “Dear Sir, I am. Sincerely yours, G. K. Chesterton.” Chesterton’s letter indicated that the root of all world problems was people—their greed, malice, covetousness, selfishness, and immorality. In short, their sinfulness. In order to address this problem of human sin, Jesus came and said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Come to Him today. —Brian Powlesland

Chief of sinners though I be, Jesus shed His blood for me; Died
that I might live on high, died that I might never die. As the
branch is to the vine, I am His, and He is mine. —W. McComb