Category: Uncategorised

 

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 8; Isaiah 29; 1 Corinthians 8

Admonish the disorderly.  1 Thessalonians 5:14 (Darby)

The word “disorderly” comes from the Greek word ataktos which is a military word indicating those who are out of order, out of step, not following orders, not keeping rank, causing disturbance. These are self-governed individuals who call themselves Christians as long as they can do whatever they want. They march to their own cadence and don’t like taking orders or being directed. To them Christ is only a “get-out-of-jail-free” card. Friend, if you resent the idea of obeying the Lord and submitting every area of your life to Him, then you have a serious problem. God will have order in His household.  —Carl Knott

Now I’ve given to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary! —W. R. Newell

 

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 7; Isaiah 28; 1 Corinthians 7

Blessed is the man.    Psalm 1:1; 32:2; 34:8; 40:4; 65:4; 84:5; 112:1
Blessed are they.    Psalm 2:12; 84:4; 106:3; 119:2

The phrase, “Blessed is the man,” seems to be used in the Psalms to reveal the personal responsibility we have in relation to God—to maintain an attitude of love, joy, and peace towards Him in the midst of a hostile world. The phrase “Blessed are they” seems to focus more on our corporate responsibility to our fellow man, to show others the graces of long-suffering, gentleness, and goodness. May the Lord help us to fulfill both of these responsibilities. With such sacrifices our God is well pleased (Heb. 13:15-16) and we will be blessed. —Tom Steere

Praise we to the Father give, He in whom we move and live.
For He loves our praise to hear and our songs delight His ear.
—James Montgomery

 

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 6; Isaiah 27; 1 Corinthians 6

Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

The price paid for our redemption was the outpouring of our Saviour’s precious blood. The value of that shed blood is founded on the divinity of the Giver! It was pure and powerful. Surely this must bring from our hearts, worship and praise as we ponder the marvel and mystery of it all! —Drew Craig

There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin;
He only could unlock the gate of heaven and let us in.
Oh dearly, dearly has He loved and we must love Him too,
And trust in His redeeming blood and seek His will to do. —C. Alexander

 

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 5; Isaiah 26; 1 Corinthians 5

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.  Revelation 5:12

All the believer’s hopes depend on the perfect sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the cross. Praise God He is now seated in His rightful place in glory. But so often we find ourselves looking back to the cross and to that time when we first believed. It brings joy to our hearts to recall the moment when God’s Holy Spirit granted us an understanding of our Saviour’s work—the sacrifice of the Lamb of God for us. Are you depending on the perfect work of the Lord Jesus Christ?     —Mark Fenn

I have been at the altar and witnessed the Lamb,
Burnt wholly to ashes for me;
And watched its sweet savour ascending on high,
Accepted, O Father, by Thee.
—Amelia Matilda Hull

 

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 4; Isaiah 25; 1 Corinthians 4

And we know that all things work together for good to those who… are the called according to His purpose.  Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

In the midst of the turmoil and problems of life we may feel that nothing is going right. How can a catastrophic illness or the death of a loved one result in any good for the suffering believers? Perhaps for you, life at the moment seems dark, tragic, and hopeless. This is when we must rise above the present distresses and cling to the loving hand of our heavenly Father. We must believe that God will work these present trials into our ultimate blessing. Faith will do this and God will honour it.  —Donald L. Norbie

Will not the End explain?
The crossed endeavour; earnest purpose foiled,
The clinging weariness, the inward strain;
Will not the End explain? —Amy Carmichael

 

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 3:5-31; Isaiah 24; 1 Corinthians 3

He said, Bring them hither to me.  Matthew 14:18

Sometimes service seems impossible—the need is too great, the resources too few. So it seemed to the disciples as they gazed on the hungry crowds and counted their meager provisions: five loaves and two fish—not enough to give even a crumb to each of the more than five thousand assembled listeners. Yet the Lord took their paltry stores and miraculously multiplied them to satisfy the multitudes and leave leftovers to spare (twelve baskets to remind each apostle of their omnipotent Lord’s capabilities). Today you may face a daunting task. Take your small supplies and weakened self to the Lord. He will multiply your life and labour for eternal benefit to those that you serve as well as to you. —K. R. Keyser

He everywhere hath sway, and all things serve His might;
His every act pure blessing is, His path unsullied light. —P. Gerhardt

 

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 2:6 to 3:4; Isaiah 22:15 to 23:18; 1 Cor. 2

And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand.  Esther 5:2

Haman had the ear of King Xerxes, getting his approval for the annihilation of the Jews. Queen Esther bravely sought audience with Xerxes and it was granted by the touch of his golden sceptre. In contrast, when faced with Israel’s extermination Moses “besought the Lord his God” (Ex. 32:11). I have read that the literal translation is, “He stroked the face of God.” We do not plead with a capricious, selfish king. We enter the presence of a Father who has already given His best for us. We too may reverently plead, “stroking His face.” “How shall he not… freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32). —Marilyn MacMullen

So near, so very near to God, I cannot nearer be;
For in the person of His Son I am as near as He.—Horatius Bonar

 

DAILY?READINGS: Judges 1 to 2:5; Isaiah 21 to 22:14; 1 Corinthians 1

I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, like a cloud thy sins; return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.  Isaiah 44:22

There is a sign in a local shop which lists, in black, the names of those who owe money to the shop owner. The amount of the debt is also recorded. If the debt is paid the person’s name and debt are blotted out in black ink and can no longer be read. Jesus Christ has done far greater than this. He paid the debt that I could not pay and blotted the record out with His precious blood. He can and will do the same for you if you will only come and trust in His finished work.  —Janet Fleming

I’ll thank Him today that He came to earth
To suffer and die for me;
For He paid the price for my sin that day
When He died on Calvary.
—J. F.

 

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 24; Isaiah 19-20; 2 Thessalonians 3

As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.  Deuteronomy 32:11-12

What lovely imagery! Just as an eagle pushes out an eaglet from the nest, so that they may learn to fly, so God deals with His people. When they get weary the mother swoops down underneath and catches them on her outstretched wings. In the same way, God’s children are trained by God’s discipline and life’s trials. This is not evidence of our Father’s indifference or displeasure. It shows His love! He wants us to grow. And He is always there to catch us when we cannot go on. —Jim Pizzulli

Lord we are Thine: in Thee we live, supported by Thy tender care;
Guarded by Thine all-seeing eye, we own that we are only Thine.
—Author Unknown

 

DAILY?READINGS: Joshua 23; Isaiah 17-18; 2 Thessalonians 2

They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.  Psalm 69:12

A local lad, Kalenga, the son of a believer, rejected Christ and his grieving parents’ teaching. He then became a notorious thief, was imprisoned many times and had a leg shot off when trying to escape. One day, 100 miles from home, his father was mortified to hear some drunkards singing songs mocking him for the sins of his son. Our blessed Lord endured the “song of the drunkards” as He, the Holy One, hung upon the cross bearing our sin. The foolishness, reproach, shame, weeping, dishonour and loneliness, (Ps. 69:5, 7, 10, 19, 20), which should be ours were all borne by Him. Let us remember Him and adore Him. —David Croudace

He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calvary, and suffered and died alone. —C. Gabriel