Category: Uncategorised

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 15; Psalm 51; Acts 8:5-40

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

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: Exodus 14:5-31; Psalms 49-50; Acts 7:30 to 8:4

I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go…I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:2-3

Our Lord Jesus made this promise to His own and He never breaks His word! Now we are waiting for the fulfilment of that promise. However, in the meantime, He has given us the Holy Spirit to indwell us and He expects us to be occupied in His service. He asks us to watch and wait and pray. As we labour for Him we look ahead to the moment when He will “present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle” (Eph. 5:27). And at last we will be with Him and all the redeemed for eternity! —Drew Craig

Let all that look for hasten, the coming joyful day,
By earnest consecration, to walk the narrow way. —J. McGranahan

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 13 to 14:4; Psalms 47-48; Acts 7:1-29

Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. 1 Samuel 7:12

Over the years, two words have featured in my life—Ebenezer and Jehovah-Jireh—the latter meaning, “the Lord will provide”. We should start every day with thanksgiving for past blessings and look in faith to a God that will provide for the future. It is when we call to mind the past that we realize what the Lord can do for the future. Take heart—He will go before you today. —Brian Russell

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me.
—T. O. Chisolme

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 12:21-51; Psalm 45-46; Acts 6

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye shew the Lord’s death till he come. 1 Corinthians 11:26

For the believer in Christ there is no activity on earth so compelling as on the first day of every week remembering their beloved Lord. The bread and wine which are symbols of the body and blood of Jesus remind us of that supreme sacrifice He made for us at the place called Calvary. It also is a reminder that in fulfilling His request it is only until He comes! What a blessed hope! May you this day, wherever possible, honour the Lord by doing what He has asked you to do! —Jim Paul

According to Thy gracious Word, in meek humility,
This will I do, my dying Lord, I will remember Thee.
—James Montgomery

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 11 to 12:20; Psalm 44; Acts 5:12-42

…but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. Isaiah 66:2

The God, who sits on the throne of heaven, finds His delight in individuals who are known by the description found in today’s verse. They are “poor”, humble in mind and actions (Matt. 5:3-5). They are “contrite”, not trusting in their own human strength (Isa. 57:15). They tremble at His Word. They live their lives in reverential respect for God’s Word and seek to obey it (Ezra 9:4-6). May our prayer be that the Lord would make us this type of person. —Sam Thorpe, Jr.

With broken heart and contrite sigh,
A trembling sinner, Lord, I cry:
Thy pardoning grace is rich and free,
O God, be merciful to me. —C. Elven

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 10; Psalms 42-43; Acts 4:32 to 5:11

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

It has been well said that when we move away from the cross we are moving away from God. The cross is not only where He died, but how—the most despicable, disgraceful and shameful death one could die. It is not only where He died, but where every believer died with Him. Paul could say “I am crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20). Our verse above says it is the power of God unto us. Crucifixion cuts us off from all the vanities of the world and enables us to live the Christian life. Is this true in our lives? —Harold G. Smith

Jesus, keep me near the cross, there a precious fountain,
Free to all a healing stream, flows from Calvary’s mountain.
—Fanny J. Crosby

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 9; Psalm 40-41; Acts 4:1-31

…but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. 1 Samuel 30:6

For David, it had been a difficult time; former friends were rejecting him and Saul’s opposition to him was unabated. To compound his troubles, the Amalekites had raided and carried off his property and his wives. His trust in God wavered, for there appeared no sign of the divine promises being fulfilled. In his extremity, he did well to encourage himself in God! What a fund of memories he had of God’s power and presence with him in equally distressing situations, long since past! Has God changed? Today, we find encouragement in God, as we review His former mercies. —George Hall

When trouble, like a gloomy cloud, has gathered thick and thundered loud,
He near my soul has ever stood; His loving-kindness—O how good!
—Samuel Medley

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 8; Psalms 38-39; Acts 3

For we know that the whole creation groaneth…even we ourselves groan within ourselves… Romans 8:22-23

God knows well that we, even as believers groan, often and at times deeply. We live daily in an aging body, both mentally and physically. And then there is the deep emotional pain that often comes—failure, loss, heartaches. Thank the Lord, all of our groaning will cease at Christ’s coming. The havoc wrought by sin will be nullified and Christ Himself will bring us into everlasting peace and joy. O that it might start, today! —Vernon Markle

What transports then will fill our hearts,
When Thou our worthless names wilt own,
When we shall see Thee as Thou art,
And know as we ourselves are known. —Thomas Kelly

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 6:14 to 7:25; Psalm 37; Acts 2:22-47

And 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

We often quote and draw encouragement from this verse because we imagine that if we love God we will always experience happy endings. We imagine we can choose what we see as good and God will respond accordingly. Don’t forget the verse ends with “according to his purpose” and He is the one who decides what is “good”. In fact, He tells us how He defines “good”. “Conformed to the image of his Son” (v. 29). It does not get any better than that. —Ken Gross

And is it so—I shall be like Thy Son?
Is this the grace which He for me has won?
—J. N. Darby

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 5 to 6:13; Psalms 35-36; Acts 2:1-21

…thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Revelation 3:1

Many believers have been raised in a Christian culture where the emphasis has been on being right, often at the expense of not being real. These two qualities are not the same. The warning for us is this, doctrinal smugness and pride will be a death blow to reality. Sometimes we like to give the appearance that we are walking with the Lord because our doctrine is right. May the Lord preserve us from being dead right, but rather may we be living, loving vessels of reality! —Sid Halsband

Fill me with gladness from above, hold me by strength divine;
Lord, let the glow of Thy great love, through my whole being shine.
—J. Caspar Lavater