Choice Gleanings

Numbers 7:1-89; Proverbs 4:1-27; Mark 15:1-23

[I] cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. Ephesians 1:16

The Apostle Paul was very much a man of prayer. His work was anchored in a prayerful attitude of communion with the Lord. As we study his prayers and others in the Scriptures we find the focus is spiritual rather than material. Rarely are there requests for health,  wealth or even physical freedom and the words “Be with” are never used, as we so often do today. Jesus has promised to be with His people (Matt. 28:20) and so it seems a bit superfluous to ask the Lord to do what He has already promised to do. As someone has written, “All that matters may be brought before God, but we must always bring before God those things that matter most”. —Paul Young

Take time to be holy, speak oft with Thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word. —William D. Longstaff

Numbers 6:1-27; Proverbs 3:1-35; Mark 14:53-72

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Romans 10:15

I have a 100-year-old friend who faithfully gives Gospel tracts to people every day. According to God’s Word, he has beautiful feet. I long to have beautiful feet too. Do you? God gives us opportunities to share the Good News about His gift of salvation with people every day. I have often wondered where I would be if nobody had ever shared the truth with me. —Pam Hagey

Oh the deep, deep love of Jesus—spread His praise from shore to shore;
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore;
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne.  —S. Trevor Francis

Numbers 5; Proverbs 2; Mark 14:27-52

[Jesus]…began to wash the disciples’ feet… John 13:5

Jesus washing the feet of His disciples goes beyond a call to humble service to one another. Why else would Jesus say to Peter, who refused this cleansing, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me” (v. 8 NIV)? The key here is the word “part”, also used to describe what Mary enjoyed with the Lord (Luke 10:42), namely, fellowship, or intimacy. The Lord uses foot-washing as an example of our need for daily cleansing, not from the guilt of sin, but from the ongoing defilement of sin. Sin limits our intimacy with Christ and our usefulness for Him. May we not resist this necessary foot-washing but, through confession (1 John 1:9), allow the Lord to cleanse us with the “washing of the water of the Word” (Eph. 5:26). — Brian Cretney

Thou, while I trust in Thee, wilt keep me clean;
Each day to Thee I bring heart, life, yea, ev’rything. —H. B. Beegle

Numbers 4:1-49; Proverbs 1:1-33; Mark 14:1-26

The pillar of the cloud departed not from them…to lead them in the way. Nehemiah 9:19
When he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. John 10:4

When the pillar moved, the Israelites moved. When the pillar stood still, they remained where they were. They never needed to wonder where God wanted them to be or whether they were on the path God wanted them to follow. They were always confident. If Christ is our Saviour and Shepherd, we shouldn’t be envious of their certainty. To be led by His voice is even better. —Ken Gross

He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
What-e’er I do, where-e’er I be,
Still ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me. —J. H. Gilmore

Numbers 3:1-51; Psalms 148:1-150:6; Mark 13:1-37

A…strong wind rent the mountains…but the Lord was not in the wind…and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:11-12

When Elijah was discouraged, God demonstrated His power and might. The wind, earthquake and fire weren’t meant to harm Elijah—they just passed him by. Then came stillness, and the voice of the Lord encouraging him to move forward. When Elijah’s way grew difficult, God drew near, not with thunder, but in quietness and stillness. He will do the same for us. —Deborah Manera

Be still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently, the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God, to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.  —Kathrina von Schlegel

Numbers 2:1-34; Psalms 146:1-147:20; Mark 12:18-44

And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. Mark 14:10

Many today present themselves as Christians. Judas was one of the group. No one questioned his loyalty. He was the treasurer for the disciples (John 12:6). At the last supper, when the Lord indicated that one at the table would betray Him (Matt. 26:22), there was no suspicion that it was Judas (Matt. 10:4). It may be the same with you. Are you really one of His or are you just one in the crowd? Examine yourself and know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.  —K. J. W.

Through the blood I repent of all my sins,
Precious Lord I now give in;
Fill me Lord Jesus,
Lord, I ask You to come in. —D. E.

Numbers 1:1-54; Psalms 144:1-145:21; Mark 11:27-12:17

Lo, I come… Exodus 19:9

God came down, “Lo, I come”, to meet Moses on Mt. Sinai. He came to authenticate him as His representative and to prepare the people to receive and obey His law. (Ex. 19:9-10). But they (including Moses) could not keep it! Thankfully the Psalmist prophesied of another, God’s Son, who would come to offer Himself to pay for all of us and our failure to keep God’s Law (Ps. 40:6-8). The Lord Jesus said, “Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God” (Heb. 10:7). Jesus was that perfect sacrifice who came to fulfil God’s Law in every way, and to shed His blood to bear away all our sin—yours and mine! —K. C. Ung

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.  —Robert Lowry

Leviticus 27:1-34; Psalms 142:1-143:12; Mark 11:1-26

The hand of the Lord…set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones…and they were very dry. Ezekiel 37:1-2
A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

Hard stones and dry bones! These aptly describe the condition of our hearts while we were still “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). But our God, with whom “there is nothing too hard” (Jer. 32:17) is able to give spiritual life to those who are hardhearted and dead in their trespasses and sins, just as He can raise up stones and dry bones if He wills. If you haven’t yet come to Him for salvation, trust Him today for His saving grace. —Elizabeth C. Bishop

Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves;
He will lift you by His love, out of the angry waves. —James Rowe

Leviticus 26:1-46; Psalm 140:1-141:10; Mark 10:32-52

He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 2 Corinthians 10:17
Many glory [in] the flesh. 2 Corinthians 11:18

The Apostle Paul had greater human credentials, qualifications and attainment than most of his peers. Yet he reminded the Philippian believers that all those things, previously counted as gain, were now viewed as waste or rubbish for the excellency of knowing Christ Jesus. In an age when men’s accomplishments are paramount, it’s good for the believer to remember what he is and has in Christ. —Wm. H. Gustafson

Take the world, but give me Jesus,
All its joys are but a name;
But His love abideth ever,
Thru’ eternal years the same.  —Fanny Crosby

Leviticus 25:1-55; Psalm 139:1-24; Mark 10:1-31

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 NKJV

Jesus taught His disciples that they could be a light for Him in this dark world, by their good works. Notice too what the purpose for these good works was to be. Not for self promotion, but to glorify their Father in heaven. So today, may we remove anything that may be obscuring our light, and ask ourselves, “How can I shine for Jesus today”? —E. V.

Jesus bids us shine, with a clear, pure light,
Like a little candle burning in the night;
In this world of darkness, we must shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.  —Susan Warner