Choice Gleanings: Good News Edition

DAILY READINGS: Leviticus 8:1-36; Psalm 108:1-13; Mark 1:1-20

To you who believe, He is precious. 1 Peter 2:7, NKJV 

This verse doesn’t say what the Lord should be to us, but rather what He is! Love for Christ is a result of having believed and is one of the unmistakable signs of regeneration. John says, “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19, NKJV). Paul declares of anyone who does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, “Let him be Anathema” (1 Corinthians 16:22, KJV), which means “accursed.” Friends, there is no middle ground. The saved love the Lord Jesus and the unsaved do not. The Redeemer is precious to all the redeemed. What does He mean to you? —Carl Knott

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now. —William R. Featherston

DAILY READINGS: Leviticus 7:11-38; Psalm 107:1-43; Acts 28:17-31

Man shall not live by bread alone. Luke 4:4, KJV

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life…” John 6:35 Our forefathers lived without sugar until the 13th century,
without coal fires until the 14th, without potatoes until the 16th, without tea or coffee until the 17th, and without electricity until the 19th. Although mankind may live without such common commodities, we cannot afford to die without Christ who is the Bread of Life and the Living Water. —Arnot P. McIntee

Come, there’s bread in the house of Thy Father, and to spare,
Hear, O hear Him calling, calling now for thee;
Lo, the table is spread and the feast is waiting there,
Hear His loving voice calling still. —Charles H. Gabriel

DAILY READINGS: Leviticus 6:8-7:10; Psalm 106:1-48; Acts 28:1-16

Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” 2 Kings 5:20 

Gehazi wanted the gifts which Elisha had refused. Greed had overtaken him and he sinned greatly in letting Naaman think he could pay for his healing. God’s gift of grace is free. No amount of money could ever pay for such a gift. We are all afflicted with the spiritual disease of sin. Healing and salvation come to us only as a free gift. Thank God. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). —Robert Gentile

Jesus, the just One, has died on the tree, Died for guilty sinners,
and salvation is free! —Author Unknown

DAILY READINGS: Leviticus 5:14-6:7; Psalm 105:1-45; Acts 27:27-44

In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity. Proverbs 16:6

That purging of our sin took place two thousand years ago at Calvary. God’s mercy was demonstrated in its fullness. He could have justly condemned us to a lost eternity, yet He chose to demonstrate His love, mercy, and grace to sinful men. The Lord Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6, KJV). Accept His cleansing today! —W. H. Gustafson

Mercy there was great and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty—at Calvary.
—W. R. Newell

DAILY READINGS: Leviticus 4:27-5:13; Psalm 104:1-35; Acts 27:1-26

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16, NKJV

Out of love, God provided salvation for sinful men before man ever fell. Out of love, God planned from eternity to give His Son. God’s love is eternal, unconditional, changeless. It reaches out to all persons regardless of their status or condition. In love, God offers freely eternal life and heaven to any sinner who will respond to Him. The saved soul loves Him because He first loved us. —Doug Kazen

The cross reveals thy love below; But better soon our hearts shall know,
When we behold Thy face above. The fullness of our Father’s love.
—C. A. Bernstein

DAILY READINGS: Leviticus 4:1-26; Psalm 103:1-22; Acts 26:19-32

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree. 1 Peter 2:24

Trees feature prominently in the Scriptures. In the midst of the Garden of Eden was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This tree became the symbol of man’s iniquity as he disobeyed God’s injunction not to eat of it. As a result, sin passed upon all men. Humanity had to perpetually bear this curse of sin. To redeem man, our Saviour came and was obedient unto death, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree to save us. Jesus Christ took your place on the tree. Do you believe it? —K. C. Ung

Would Jesus have the sinner die? Why hangs He then on yonder
tree? What means that strange expiring cry? Sinners, He prays
for you and me. —Charles Wesley

DAILY READINGS: Leviticus 3:1-17; Psalm 102:1-28; Acts 26:1-18

…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2, KJV

The clock tower at a hotel in Edinburgh always shows the time 3 minutes fast. This is claimed to help those rushing to catch a train at nearby Waverley train station. What a relief for some who just make it to catch their train. There are many instances in life where people procrastinate and leave things until too late. Is there something you need to do for the Lord? Don’t delay, do it now! If you are not saved and know you need to be—attend to it now! —Brian Powlesland

While the voice of Jesus calls you be in time! If in sin you longer wait,
You may find no open gate, and your cry be just too late. Be in time!
—Charles Harrison Mason

DAILY READINGS: Leviticus 2:1-16; Psalms 99:1-101:8; Acts 25:13-27

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time. Hebrews 9:27-28

Two things are appointed to humanity; death and judgment. The Lord Jesus experienced both. But there is a world of difference between the two. Man’s death is because of his own sin. The Lord’s death was on account of others’ sins. While man’s judgment follows death, that of the Lord’s came before death when He bore God’s judgment for human guilt, thus securing salvation for those “who wait for him” (Lamentations 3:25). —Drew Craig

O what a Saviour that He died for me,
From condemnation He hath made me free. —J. McGranahan

DAILY READINGS: Leviticus 1:1-17; Psalms 96:1-98:9; Acts 24:24-25:12

Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel. Proverbs 1:24-25a

This is a serious warning indeed! The wisdom of God calls out to every person to take heed, to listen and to act now! What could be more plain than this warning? Those who respond to it are wise; those who do not have considered neither the grace of the offer nor the consequences of their refusal. God has done all in His power to save people from their sins. The responsibility is now yours. —G. Frear

Accept now God’s offer of mercy; To Jesus, oh hasten today;
For He will receive him that cometh, And never will turn him away.
—S. M. Sayford

DAILY READINGS: Exodus 40:1-38; Psalms 94:1-95:11; Acts 24:1-23

Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Isaiah 55:6, NKJV

I was asked to visit a lady who was dying. I explained the way of salvation to her. She said, “I know all that. I heard it when I was young. I have six months to live and I will go to hell.” She died and, to my knowledge, never trusted Christ. How tragic when she could have come to Him as a young woman and lived her life for Him. If you are considering trusting Christ, don’t put it off. Accept His offer of salvation today. —J. Fleming

Too late, the words came back to me, For I had reached eternity,
I knew at last the wealth I’d lost, Yes, Christ and heaven, what
a cost! My friend, why won’t you come and say, “Dear Lord,
please cleanse my heart today,” Then you will hear at heaven’s
gate, “Come enter in” and not “Too late!” —J. F.