Category: Uncategorised

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 4 to 5:12; Isaiah 1; Luke 21:5-38

…desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow. 1 Peter 2:2

Peter paints a dynamic image by comparing a baby’s craving for milk with a believer’s craving for the Word of God. And not merely the Word, but the pure Word. As it is not good for a baby to have anything watered down or substituted, neither should the believer when it comes to the Word of God. Three questions come to mind, when it comes to our appetite for the Scriptures: Is there passion? Is there purity? Is there progress? —N. C. Funston

My heart is leaning on the Word—
The written Word of God:
Salvation by my Saviour’s name,
Salvation thro’ His blood.
—Lidie H. Edmunds

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 3; Hosea 11:12 to 14:9; Luke 20:20 to 21:4

…put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? – Psalm 56:8

God has an interesting library in heaven. As the text suggests, there is a book where our tears are recorded. There is also the Lamb’s book of life (Rev. 21:27). How wonderful to be in it! There are the books of each person’s works (Rev. 20:12-13), a huge collection, which will be opened at the great white throne judgment and result in the condemnation of all present. How terrible to be in those books! There is a book of remembrance of those that fear the Lord and think on His Name (Mal. 3:16). Some would say this is the book of the faithful remnant. Is your name in it? —Carl Knott

Is my name written there, on the page white and fair?
In the book of Thy kingdom, is my name written there? —M. Kidder

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 2; Hosea 10 to 11:11; Luke 20:1-19

…And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 2:1

I have gone to court a number of times for men with whom we were working in jail. Standing beside the accused will be his attorney, his advocate. His work is to represent and to plead for his client. A good attorney is a tremendous blessing. As believers there are times when we may fail; we sin. The devil is quick to pounce on that weakness and to accuse us before the Judge of all the earth. But, thank God, Christ rises on our behalf in our defense. His pleading is always effective; He has never lost a case. We rejoice at the intercessory work of our Saviour. —Donald L. Norbie

Five dreadful wounds He bears, received on Calvary.
They pour effectual prayers; they strongly plead for me. —C. Wesley

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 1; Hosea 8-9; Luke 19:29-48

And he [God] said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac… Genesis 22:2

Warren Wiersbe once said, “Our faith is not really tested until God asks us to bear what seems unbearable, do what seems unreasonable and expect what seems impossible”. We do not always get an explanation from our heavenly Father, but it is up to us to rest on the promises of God and know that whatever transpires, He can and will, bring us through. —Brian Russell

Why should I ever anxious be,
Since such a God is mine?
He watches o’er me night and day,
And tells us “Mine is thine”.
—Catesby Paget

DAILY?READINGS: Deut. 34; Hosea 6:4 to 7:16; Luke 19:1-28

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

What a challenge for every father! Paul here gives both a positive and negative admonition. Negatively, we are not to rouse our children to anger by harsh criticism, unreasonable demands or perpetual fault finding. Positively, we are to nurture them spiritually, morally and physically. Nurturing involves teaching them the truths of God and His Word and by being a living example that they can follow and trust. We may need to admonish them, disciplining as necessary, in unconditional love. What a great opportunity and responsibility for every father! —Jim Comte

Happy the home when children praise, lifting our Saviour’s name;
When parents speak and show His love, faithful each day the same.
—Ken Bible

DAILY?READINGS: Deut. 33; Hosea 4 to 6:3; Luke 18:15-43

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. Revelation 21:4

Heaven will be a wonderful place—no tears, death, sorrow, crying or pain. It’s a place you would never want to leave. Yet the One who was at the centre of heaven left His place there to come to a place of tears, death, sorrow, crying and pain. Why? Because He loved you and me. He wants those who have turned to Him for salvation to experience the joy of heaven for all eternity. Will you be there? Have you trusted Him as your Saviour? —Paul Robertson

Down from the glory the Saviour came;
Down to the cross and the death of shame.
Gazing in wonder I there exclaim “Jesus died for me!”
—Author Unknown

DAILY?READINGS: Deut. 32:15-52; Hosea 2 to 3 ; Luke 17:20 to 18:14

Put on the whole armour of God… Ephesians 6:11

It has been rightly said that Christians are “not called to the playground but to the battleground”. That is exactly the focus of Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 6 with its emphasis on spiritual warfare. He points out that to be prepared for battle we need to put on spiritual armour—under the leading of the Spirit of God and undergirded with true prayerfulness. However, as with all battles there will be pain, setbacks, disappointments and hurts. Yet through it all we need to maintain the discipline of true obedience to our Commander, the Lord Jesus Christ. —Paul Young

Fight the good fight with all thy might,
Christ is thy strength, and Christ thy might.
—John S. B. Monsell

DAILY?READINGS: Deut. 31:14 to 32:14; Hosea 1; Luke 17:1-19

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Hebrews 8:12

What a comfort for a child of God to know his sins and iniquities will never be remembered by his forgiving God. He knows they are removed as far as the east is from the west. The diameter of “only” the observable universe from east to west is 93 billion light years, and light travels at a speed of 186,000 miles per second. “So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Praise God! —Arnot P. McIntee

As far as ’tis from east to west, so far has He our sins removed;
Who with a father’s tender breast has, such as fear Him, always loved.
—Author Unknown

DAILY?READINGS: Deut. 30 to 31:13; Amos 9; Luke 16

Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? Isaiah 29:16

Have you got things back to front (upside down!)? Often at the Dedza Pottery Factory in Malawi, we have seen people examine an exquisite piece of pottery with exclamations of its beauty, while completely ignoring the potter who made it, quietly sitting nearby at his wheel forming another lovely piece. Are you rejoicing in your own wisdom and skillful accomplishments yet ignoring the One who gives you life and breath and every ability you possess—your Creator? May God turn our hearts back to Him. —David Croudace

Have Thine own way Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter; I am the clay. —Adelaide A. Pollard

DAILY?READINGS: Deut. 29; Amos 7-8; Luke 15:11-32

And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand. Daniel 1:2

Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. Daniel 1:9

Adversity or favour, God brought both into Daniel’s life. So it is in our lives. Daniel chose to honour God in the good times and also in the adverse times. Let us, like Daniel, determine to trust and obey God no matter what the circumstances He places us in. —D. Pickup

While I hear life’s rugged billows, peace, peace is mine!
Why suspend my harp on willows? Peace, peace is mine!
I may sing, with Christ beside me, tho’ a thousand ills betide me;
Safely He hath sworn to guide me, Peace, peace is mine!
—J. Denham Smith