Category: Uncategorised

 

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

 

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.  3 John 1:4

The Lord may well bless you in material things. There is nothing wrong with that. However, the greatest joy is to see your children going on with the Lord. What riches indeed! Pray that your children and grandchildren will exceed you spiritually, and you will have a marvelous legacy, by His grace—and His grace alone. —Brian Russell

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Saviour am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
—Fanny Crosby

 

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

 

…thine handmaid hath not anything…save a pot of oil.  2 Kings 4:2

A shepherd’s rod (Gen. 4:2). A widow’s jar (1 Kgs. 17:14). A small cloud (1 Kgs. 18:44). A grain of seed (Mark 4:31). Five loaves and two fish (Luke 9:13). God delights in using little things! Gideon defeated a vast army with 300 men. David slew Goliath with five smooth stones. 120 people—filled with the Holy Spirit—turned their world upside down. It’s not what we have that counts, but Who we have! Discouraged by the “littleness” in your life today? Take it. Pour it. Plant it. Break it, before God! And wait for an abundance of rain! —Deborah Manera

Give of your best to the Master;
Give Him first place in your heart.
Give Him first place in your service;
Consecrate every part.
—H. B. Grose

 

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

 

…I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it…And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. Genesis 15:7-8, 17

In ancient times, a contract between two parties was sealed by both of them walking between the halves of severed animals. It was a solemn symbol of the depth of their individual commitment. After God promised Abraham a future, it was God who walked between the animals. He held Himself responsible to fulfill the promise. He is both Just and the Justifier and we stand amazed. —Jared Fraser

Christ’s grave is vacant now, left for the throne above; 
His Cross asserts God’s right to bless, in His own boundless love.
—Author Unknown

 

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

 

…It is the Lord’s Passover.  Exodus 12:11
…Even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. 1 Corinthians 5:7

Their bondage in Egypt had passed, but before the Lord’s people left, God gave them instructions as to how they were to remember the event. Each family was to take a perfect lamb, sacrifice it and collect its blood. It was then to be applied to the door lintel and the two side posts of each house. When the Lord passed over the land that night, the applied blood showed that those within had obeyed God’s Word and would be spared His hand of judgment. We rejoice that Christ is our Passover, having been slain for us, and His shed blood assures us we will never experience His hand of judgment. —Arnot P. McIntee

Behold! A spotless Victim dies, my surety on the tree; 
The Lamb of God, the sacrifice, He gave Himself for me!
—Author Unknown

 

DAILY?READINGS: Exodus 4; Psalm 34; Acts 1

 

To all that be in Rome, beloved of God…  Romans 1:7

God has given His children names: believer, Christian, servant and many others. The name that warms my heart is “beloved of God”. “Beloved” means dear to the heart or precious. The Lord Jesus said that the Father loves us just as the Father loved Him (John 17:23). God called His son “Beloved” and we are called beloved of God. We are dear to the heart of God. We are precious to Him. —Bob Cretney

In the Beloved, God’s marvelous grace
Calls me to dwell in this wonderful place;
God sees my Saviour, and then He sees me,
In the Beloved, accepted and free.
—W. P. Loveless

 

DAILY?READINGS: Ex. 2:23 to 3:22; Psalms 32-33; Matt. 28

 

Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance.  2 Peter 1:13

David said he would not hide from the generation to come the praises of the Lord (Ps. 78:4). Paul told the Philippians that it was safe for them to hear repeated exhortations (Phil. 3:1). And in this verse Peter tells the Christians that it is appropriate for him to keep on exhorting as long as he is alive. Each of us also should have this sense of urgency to promote Christian devotion in our fellow believers. Grandparents especially, this verse is for you. While you can, encourage your children and your grandchildren. Remind them often of the greatness of our God. —D. Pickup

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best;
Seem hungering and thirsting, to hear it like the rest.
—A. C. Hankey

 

DAILY?READINGS: Ex. 1 to 2:22; Psalm 31; Matt. 27:45-66

 

…When those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth…Then they took him, and slew him.  Judges 12:5-6
Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Matt. 12:34

In a similar way to this story, a believer’s speech will reveal much about him. Whatever fills my heart will come out in my speech. Am I always talking about my business or politics or possibly even criticizing the saints? If so it is not my mouth that needs attention but my heart. I need to get back to Calvary and in brokenness make my Saviour the Lord of every part of my life. —David Croudace

Take all my will, my passion, self and pride,
I now surrender, Lord in me abide.
—J. Edwin Orr

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 50; Psalm 30; Matt. 27:27-44

 

…so shall we ever be with the Lord.  1 Thessalonians 4:17  
Looking for that blessed hope… Titus 2:13

We have a blessed, happy hope ahead of us. It is a powerful hope; “The dead shall be raised” (1 Cor. 15:52). It is a glorious hope; “This corruptible must put on incorruption, this mortality must put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:53). It is a victorious hope; “O death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory?” (1 Cor. 15:55). It is a joyful hope; “So shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17). Let us live in the light of this blessed hope. —Milton Haack

O joy! O delight! Should we go without dying;
No sickness, no sadness, no dread, and no crying; 
Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory;
When Jesus receives His own.
—H. L. Turner

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 49; Psalms 28-29; Matt. 27:1-26

 

Until…the shadows flee away.  Song of Solomon 4:6
Casting all your care upon Him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7

In Lesmahagow, Scotland is a large residential care home for the elderly. It has several beautiful gardens. In one garden is the inscription, “Turn your face to the sun and the shadows will fall behind you”. Sometimes we are guilty of being occupied with our own problems and anxieties. But if we turn to the Lord and cast all our care upon Him, we will find Him the best source of strength and of help. Our anxieties and cares will fall into place behind us. —Brian Powlesland

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, 
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, 
In the light of His glory and grace.
—H. Lemmel

 

DAILY?READINGS: Gen. 47:28 to 48:22; Psalms 26-27; Matt. 26:57-75

 

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?  Matthew 14:31

Only minutes earlier, Peter had shown his faith by his positive response to the Lord’s call to come. Now, however, “little faith” and doubts have taken over. What went wrong? Peter had become occupied with “the boisterous wind”, rather than the Lord’s empowering word! Faith is diminished when we lose sight of Him! —George Hall

Though I forget Him and wander away,
Still He doth love me wherever I stray;
Back to His dear loving arms would I flee,
When I remember that Jesus loves me.
—Philip P. Bliss