Choice Gleanings: Good News Edition

DAILY READINGS: 2 Samuel 22:1-51; Jeremiah 6:1-30; Ephesians 1:1-14

Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. Job 22:21

Where is true peace to be found? Not in the idyllic surroundings of an earthly paradise, not in the amassing of material treasures! The Bible’s message is that eternal peace is available to all who enter into a relationship with God, through the Lord Jesus Christ. He “[made] peace by the blood of his cross,” (Colossians 1:20) To know Him is true peace! —George Hall

I have a peace and it’s calm as a river, 
A peace that the friends of this world never knew; 
My Saviour alone is its Author and Giver, 
But O could I know, it was given to you!
—S. O’Malley Cluff

DAILY READINGS: 2 Samuel 21:1-22; Jeremiah 5:1-31; Galatians 6:1-18

So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden…and I hid myself.” Genesis 3:10, NKJV

and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us…from the wrath of the Lamb! Revelation 6:16, NKJV

And a man will be as a hiding place from the wind…as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Isaiah 32:2, NKJV

Man’s history has been one of hiding from God. In Genesis, he hid because he had sinned. In Revelation, he will hide
from God’s wrath against sin. But Isaiah says there is a God-provided hiding place in the man Christ Jesus. I have enjoyed His safe and secure hiding place for 66 years. I encourage you to come by faith to Jesus to enjoy the same. —Arnot McIntee

Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest “Rock of Ages,” I’m hiding in Thee. —Wm. O. Cushing

DAILY READINGS: 2 Sam. 20:1-26; Jer. 4:3-31; Gal. 5:10-26

Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Proverbs 23:23

How do you buy truth? First of all you must recognize it as truth, as ultimate reality. Then you must pay the price to obtain it, and be willing to obey that truth. Next you make the decision to obtain it for yourself. Your life should then be formed by that truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Is that true? Is He the Son of God and the only Saviour of sinners? Are you willing to pay the price of following Him? Then receive Him as Lord and Saviour and begin to follow Him today. —Donald L. Norbie

Oh, dearly, dearly has He loved, and we should love Him too;
And trust in His redeeming blood, and seek His will to do.
—C. F. Alexander

DAILY READINGS: 2 Sam. 19:9-43; Jer. 3:6-4:2; Gal. 4:21-5:9

Those who handle the law did not know me. Jeremiah 2:8

How disastrous when a preacher or teacher of the Bible does not personally know the Lord. Because of their sinful behaviour the Corinthians were told to examine themselves to see whether they really knew Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5). We are told, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). In the light of these Scriptures, is the Spirit witnessing with my spirit that I am a child of God? (Romans 8:16). If not, I need to return to Christ and put my faith in Him alone. —David Croudace

Jesus I will trust Thee, trust Thee with my soul;
Guilty, lost and helpless, Thou canst make me whole.
There is none in heaven or on earth like Thee,
Thou hast died for sinners, therefore Lord for me. —M. J. Walker

DAILY READINGS: 2 Sam. 18:1-19:8; Jeremiah 2:1-3:5; Gal. 4:1-20

And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the highway. And anyone who came by, seeing him, stopped. And when the man saw that all the people stopped, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field and threw a garment over him.
2 Samuel 20:12 

People stop and stare when lives are ended abruptly. It’s a solemn reminder of human frailty, the brevity of life, surety of death, and length of eternity. Death is not an if, but a when. Not how, but where. When it finds you, will you be ready for eternity? —Rex Trogdon

Life at best is very brief, like the falling of a leaf,
Like the binding of a sheaf, be in time.
Fleeting days are telling fast, that the die will soon be cast,
And the fatal line be passed, be in time. —Anonymous

DAILY READINGS: 2 Samuel 16:1-17:29; Jeremiah 1:1-19; Galatians 3:15-29

The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7b, NKJV

Martin Luther records that he once dreamed that Satan came to him and told him he could never hope to get to heaven because he was such a sinner. “Have you a list of my sins?” Luther asked. “Yes,” said Satan, and brought him a long list of failures. Twice Luther asked if there were any more, and twice Satan brought him a long list. Again, Luther asked if there were any more. “That is all,” Satan said. “Now,” cried Luther, “write across them all, ‘the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.’” And Satan left! Have your sins been washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ? —W. Ross Rainey

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? —Elisha A. Hoffman

DAILY READINGS: 2 Samuel 15:1-37; Zephaniah 3:1-20; Galatians 3:1-14

And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” 2 Samuel 9:8

When Mephibosheth was five years old, an unfortunate accident caused him to become lame on both feet. Today we would extend every effort to give such a one a quality of life as normal as possible. But as he stood before the king Mephibosheth’s estimation of himself was “a dead dog.” Are we any different as we stand before the King of kings? We come dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2) and the Lord gives us life. But more! David invited Mephibosheth to sit at his table and enjoy the bounty of the king. Our Lord makes the same offer. May we accept His invitation today. —Charlie Tempest

Out of my bondage, sorrow and night, Jesus I come. Into Thy freedom,
gladness and light, Jesus I come to Thee. —William T. Sleeper

DAILY READINGS: 2 Samuel 14:1-33; Zephaniah 2:1-15; Galatians 2:1-21

Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Acts 16:30-31 

Here is a man who had come to a point where life was not worth living. Yet, he finds himself in the presence of two men who, even though beaten and in prison, still have joy and fulfillment. He asks them the most important question anyone can ask: “What must I do to be saved?” How wonderful it is to know that there is an answer to this question. Jesus Christ can forgive us our sins, give us a new life and a home in heaven for all eternity. Have you trusted Christ as your Lord and Saviour? —Crawford Paul

His precious blood was shed for me, and in that precious blood I see
The righteous ground, the perfect plea, for my complete acceptance.
—Author Unknown

DAILY READINGS: 2 Samuel 13:1-39; Zephaniah 1:1-18; Galatians 1:1-24

“Do you want to be healed?” John 5:6

We try to imagine the scene. A man who has been ill for thirtyeight years lies helpless beside the pool called Bethesda. He was without help, strength, or hope. Is not that a picture of the sinner today? We are all part of Adam’s fallen race (Romans 5:12) and are unable to get to heaven by our own efforts. Thank God for the Man who stood before him that day, the Lord Jesus Christ. A miracle took place and the man who had been unable to walk did exactly that (John 5:9). He would never forget the day he met the Saviour! May you find the Saviour precious today. —John M. Clegg

O Thou art precious to my heart, my portion and my joy;
Forever let Thy boundless grace my sweetest thoughts employ.
—Author Unknown

DAILY READINGS: 2 Samuel 12:1-31; Habakkuk 3:1-19; Romans 16:1-27

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10

This text takes in the basics of the gospel and salvation. Sins are mentioned here, our sins. Our former attitude is here—not that we loved God. No, we were not lovers of God at all, yet despite all of that He loved us! “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The Lord has “laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Truly here is love. Have you partaken of it? —Reg. L. Jordan

I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore;
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more;
But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me, now safe am I! —James Rowe