Category: Uncategorised

 

DAILY?READINGS: Deuteronomy 4; Ecclesiastes 5-6; Luke 7:30-50

And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David, his father; only he sacrificed and burned incense in high places. 1 Kings 3:3

The problem of divided affection is one that we all have to deal with as we make our way through life. It is so easy to fall into the mindset of loving and serving the Lord on Sunday and then living by the world’s standards during the week. We are not to be pressured by the world into its mold. “Be not conformed.” But rather we are to be the salt and light in our corner of the vineyard. “Be ye transformed” (Rom. 12:2).  —Wm. H. Gustafson

Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me, O Saviour, know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free. —J. Edwin Orr

 

DAILY?READINGS: Deuteronomy 3; Eccl. 3:16 to 4:16; Luke 7:1-29

They continued stedfastly…in breaking of bread. Acts 2:42

One gathering of the early church that bound the disciples together and which they observed continually was the breaking of bread. It was in obedience to the Lord’s command that they did so (1 Cor. 11:25, 26). And we continue to obey His request. The bread we break is the symbol of His body given for us. His back was furrowed (Ps. 129:3); His hands and feet were pierced (Matt. 27:35); and finally He cried, “It is finished” (John 19:30). As we break the bread today, let us remember what our Lord went through for us. He was where we should have been. —K. C. Ung

My broken body thus I give—for you, for all. Take, eat, and live.
And oft the sacred rite renew, that brings My saving love to view.
—John Morrison

 

DAILY?READINGS: Deuteronomy 2; Eccl. 2:12 to 3:15; Luke 6:20-49

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. Luke 18:11
For I say…to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. Romans 12:3

Believers who have enjoyed light from God’s Word need to be cautious. A haughty spirit is a real danger. Our attitude will either adorn the doctrine of God and attract people to it, or taint their appreciation and turn people away. If God has revealed some truth to you from His Word, just get on with humbly obeying it, there is no need to condemn others. —Sid Halsband

When, free from envy, scorn, and pride, our wishes all above,
Each can his brother’s failings hide, and show a brother’s love! —J. Swain

 

DAILY?READINGS: Deut. 1; Eccl. 1 to 2:11; Luke 6:1-19

And, behold, thou shalt be dumb…because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. Luke 1:20

Zacharias had prayed for a child. When God gave assurance that He would indeed answer his pray, Zacharias did not believe. But notice the words “fulfilled in their season”. Even though God had answered Zacharias’ prayer, the answer came in its season, in the natural course of events. When we pray and God has given His assurance of an answer, let us be patient, faithfully believing. Our prayer will be fulfilled in its season. —D. Pickup

I believe the answer’s on the way; I believe the Lord has heard me pray.
“Cast not away your confidence,” saith the Lord, our God.
Now by faith in Him alone I stand, firmly held by His almighty hand,
Fully trusting in His promise. Praise the Lord! —Merrill Dunlop

 

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 35:9 to 36:13; Proverbs 31; Luke 5:17-39

Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did and what should become of her. Esther 2:11

Every day Mordecai walked past where his cousin Esther, the king’s new bride, was living, to see how she was getting on. In an infinitely more wonderful way, God’s Holy Spirit dwells inside each believer. He is just as concerned about our feelings and thoughts as Mordecai ever was about Esther. When we neglect our times with the Lord, He is grieved, and when we rebel against what we know the Scriptures teach, His voice can be quenched. In spite of this, He is always with us. —G. Frear

Holy Spirit, strong and mighty,
Thou who makest all things new,
Make Thy work within us perfect,
And the evil foe subdue. —Heinrich Held

 

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 34 to 35:8; Proverbs 30; Luke 5:1-16

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them. Numbers 23:21

In one sense there was every reason for Balaam to go ahead and curse the children of Israel, but God was merciful towards the nation since they were His people. Sometimes we feel that because of our weaknesses and shortcomings we only deserve divine retribution. Remember that the Lord realises we are but dust (Ps. 103:14). Pick yourself up and remember He is with us, despite us. —Brian Russell

Not what I am O Lord but what Thou art,
That, that alone can be my soul’s true rest.
—Horatius Bonar

 

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 33; Proverbs 29; Luke 4:16-44

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. Psalm 23:2

Caleb’s daughter Achsah said, “Give me a blessing. For thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water” (Judg. 1:15). And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs. When we come to Christ for salvation we receive our “south land”. And in our Saviour, God gives us abundant refreshing springs for our Christian journey. As Achsah’s father gave, so will our heavenly Father. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Eph. 3:20). Have we forgotten to ask? —E. Dyck

Marvellous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe;
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive? —Julia H. Johnson

 

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 32; Proverbs 28; Luke 4:1-15

After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Genesis 15:1

In rescuing Lot, Abraham learned that God was his shield in battle and his reward in victory. The Christian life is a battle but in Christ we can turn aside the piercing arrows of worry, opposition and failure. We can repel the fiery darts of fear, loneliness and despair. In victory we learn that Christ is our reward. Through Him we have a personal relationship with God—now and forever. Let’s foster that relationship today. —George Ferrier

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth, His Name,
From age to age the same, and He must win the battle. —Martin Luther

 

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 30-31; Proverbs 26:13 to 27:27; Luke 3

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not. Isaiah 53:3

Humanly speaking we all seek the comfort of companionship. This support was absent as the Lord Jesus Christ went to the cross. The gospel writers record that His disciples “forsook him, and fled” (Mark 14:50). Others who followed Him stood “afar off” (Matt. 27:55). Looking off to this scene, the psalmist prophesied, “I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none” (Ps. 69:20). Our Saviour, the Man of Sorrows went to the cross alone. —S. B.

Man of sorrows! What a name;
For the Son of God who came;
Ruined sinners to reclaim;
Hallelujah! What a Saviour. —Philip P. Bliss

 

DAILY?READINGS: Numbers 29; Proverbs 25 to 26:12; Luke 2:22-52

When Jesus therefore saw her (Mary) weeping…he groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And said where have ye laid him? They say unto him Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. John 11:33-35

To “groan” has the meaning of righteous anger. Our Lord groaned because in Lazarus’ death He saw the workings of the Devil and the destructive outcome of sin. The word “trouble” is similar to the troubling of the water at the Pool of Siloam. The water trembled! Our Saviour knew that in order to fully bring Lazarus out He would have to experience the abandonment of Golgotha! No doubt it was a foretaste of the strong crying and tears he would pass through, not only for Lazarus but for the salvation of all who would put their trust in Him. —Drew Craig

His agony and shame, His dying cry.
Can any heart forget? Shall you? Shall I? —J. H. Johnston