Category: Uncategorised

DAILY READINGS: 2 Kings 6:1-23; Jeremiah 39:1-40:16; Hebrews 10:1-18

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

Malcolm Barrow worked tirelessly for the Lord through many years until 2015, when he went home to heaven. At his funeral it was stated of him: “He did not ask for God to lighten his load but rather to strengthen
his back.” So much more could be achieved today, if instead of giving up, we asked God for the grace and strength to keep going. —Janet Fleming

Rough your path may be before you; obstacles along your road;
Let Him walk today beside you, He will help you bear your load.
Dark your way may seem and lonely, in His presence daily rest,
For the Lord will always take you, on the path He knows is best. —Janet Fleming

DAILY READINGS: 2 Kings 5:1-27; Jeremiah 38:1-28; Hebrews 9:15-28

The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever. Deuteronomy 29:29.
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 1 Cor. 2:10

The apostle makes it clear that the natural man cannot discern spiritual things (1 Cor. 10:14), but through the indwelling Holy Spirit, the child of God has access to divine “secrets.” The Lord Jesus promised, “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). Let us claim this promise, and make ourselves available to the Spirit’s teaching. —W. H. Burnett

Speak Thy servant heareth, be not silent Lord,
Waits my soul upon Thee, for the quickening word. —E. M. Grimes

DAILY READINGS: 2 Kings 4:1-44; Jeremiah 37:1-21; Hebrews 9:1-14

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. Ecclesiastes 1:13

The resources that have gone into pointless scientific exploration are mind boggling. We’ve walked on the moon and brought back rocks. We’ve sent unmanned spacecraft throughout our solar system to take pictures. We’re even planning a one-way trip to Mars! Having left God out of the search, man continues to ask, yet receives the blackness of space and the darkness of his heart for answers. Willing ignorance carries its own sentence of despair. —Rick Morse

Throughout the universe of bliss, the centre Thou, and Sun;
Th’ eternal theme of praise is this, to heaven’s beloved One. —Josiah Conder

DAILY READINGS: 2 Kings 3:1-27; Jeremiah 36:1-32; Hebrews 8:1-13

Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. Proverbs 17:6

Becoming grandparents is a real joy and adds a new dimension to your life. However it is important that our children and grandchildren see in us examples to look up to. It has been one of the greatest privileges of my later years when grandchildren ask to come and see us to seek advice in their temporal—and even better—their spiritual lives. We must make sure we older ones are spiritual helps not hindrances. —Brian Russell

May the word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour;
So that all may see I triumph only through His power. —Kate Wilkinson

DAILY READINGS: 2 Kings 2:1-25; Jeremiah 35:1-19; Hebrews 7:1-28

Mighty men of valour, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers…mighty men of valour…men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do. 1 Chronicles 5:24; 12:30, 32

Men like this are needed today. Men of spiritual might, strong in the Lord. Men of spiritual valour, willing to stand for God’s truth. Men who will contend earnestly for the faith and not degrade it, reduce it or deny it. Men who understand the times we live in, who believe firmly in the soon-coming of the Lord and who have spiritual wisdom to know what to do. Not crowd followers or crowd pleasers, but faithful men of God. Where are these men today? —Carl Knott

Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss. —George Duffield Jr

DAILY READINGS: 2 Kings 1:1-18; Jeremiah 34:1-22; Hebrews 5:11-6:20

O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Psalm 95:1

Haydn, the great composer, was once asked why his church music was so cheerful. “When I think upon God,” he replied, “my heart is so full of joy the notes dance and leap from my pen.” David, when occupied with the Lord, had the same joyful and exciting experience. Let us think upon our beloved Lord today, and with Haydn and the Psalmist be joyful people of God. —Arnot P. McIntee

Lord Jesus, the crucified, how Thou art mine;
Though once a lost sinner, yet now I am Thine;
In conscious salvation I sing of His grace,
Who lifts now upon me the smile of His face. —F. Bottome

DAILY READINGS: 1 Kings 22:1-53; Jeremiah 33:1-36; Hebrews 4:14-5:10

And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14

A young woman who desired to serve as a missionary felt compelled instead to help raise four motherless children. No doubt she poured her heart into caring for those little ones—as all four became missionaries. Our desires may not materialize as we think and we may spend our life doing obscure things in unseen places. But if we take our passion for God and apply it to where He leads, the results will surprise us! A life that changed diapers and wiped runny noses received a fourfold return on her investment! May this become our experience. —Deborah Manera

Let God have your life;
He can do more with it than you can. —D. L. Moody

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

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20
We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.Rom. 8:28

A thankful Christian is a happy Christian! Cultivating a thankful spirit is not always easy. Paul gave instruction on when and what to be thankful for. When? “Giving thanks always.” But he also said give thanks “for all things.” Now that can be challenging! It’s easy to be thankful for nice things but what about the difficult things? We can be thankful for “all things” when we remember that “all things” work together for our good. —Sid Halsband

O Thou whose bounty fills our cup, with every blessing meet!
We give Thee thanks for every drop, the bitter and the sweet.—J. Crewdson

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

For he is not a man, as I am…Neither is there any [mediator] betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. Job 9:32-33
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5

Job clearly understood that there needed to be someone to mediate between him and God, but he didn’t know who that could be. Unlike Job, we not only know who that Mediator is, but we know He did all that was necessary to mediate the problem of our sins. We were God’s enemies, separated from Him, but that issue has been satisfied and God offers “peace with [Him] through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). Have you asked to be right with God? —Ken Gross

God’s almighty arms are round me; peace, peace is mine.
Judgment scenes need not confound me; peace, peace is mine.—J. D. Smith

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

Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. John 7:24 (NKJV)

The Lord warned His disciples not to permit their feelings or a superficial examination of the facts to guide their decisions. Solomon warned: “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him” (Prov. 18:13). “He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him” (Prov. 18:17). The first appearance of things is usually not the fullness of the matter and a
wise person does not grip a one-sided story. Deception is of the devil and God is truth. In the matter of judging others, let us be exceedingly careful and honour the Lord. —W. A. H.

As he of old deceived the world and into sin and death was hurled,
So now he subtly lies in wait to ruin school and Church and state. —Philipp Melanchthon