Category: Uncategorised

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 10; Jeremiah 45-47; Hebrews 12:1-17

 

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
Matthew 26:53-54
Where is the promise of his coming?    2 Peter 3:4

 

Scoffers may mock the second coming of the Lord Jesus. But if in His first coming, the Son of God endured all that was laid upon Him in order that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, how much more should we have confidence in the promise of His coming again? It could be today.    —Tom Steere

 

Christ is coming! Let creation from her groans and travail cease;
Let the glorious proclamation hope restore and faith increase. —J. MacDuff

 

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 9; Jeremiah 44; Hebrews 11:17-40

 

When I am weak, then am I strong.    2 Corinthians 12:10

 

When the gifted British preacher, W. E. Sangster (1900–1960), found out he was slowly dying, he made four resolutions: “I will never complain. I will keep the home bright. I will count my blessings. I will try to turn it to gain.” He later wrote: “There have been great gains already from my sickness. I live in the present. I am grateful for little things. I have more time, and I use it for prayer.” At the end of his life he could only move two fingers. When faced with such adversity, what would our reaction be?    —W. Ross Rainey

 

My Father’s way may twist and turn,
My heart may throb and ache,
But in my soul I’m glad I know,
He makes no mistake. —A. M. Overton

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 8; Jeremiah 42:7 to 43:13; Hebrews 11:1-16

 

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 1:8

 

In our verse the Holy Spirit was to come upon the disciples for evangelistic service. There seems to be a sad lack of this among us today. Peter, with the Spirit upon him preached one sermon and two thousand were saved. There are many sermons preached today and nobody gets saved. The poverty of the hour is a lack of Spirit filled preaching. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).    —Harold G. Smith

Joys are flowing like a river, since the Comforter has come;
He abides with us forever, makes the trusting heart His home.
—Manie Payne Ferguson

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 6:24 to 7:20; Jer. 41 to 42:6; Heb. 10:19-39

 

They cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.    1 Chronicles 5:20

 

Other translations render the above text, “He heeded their prayer.” Remember God spoke to Moses saying, “I have surely seen their affliction … heard their cry … for I know their sorrows” (Ex. 3:7). No matter what battle you are facing in life, claim the promise of Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.” Little wonder the apostle Paul urges us to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17).    —William Gustafson

 

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble any where?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer. —J. Scriven

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 6:1-23; Jeremiah 39-40; Hebrews 10:1-18

 

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.    Matthew 27:50

 

This loud cry came when the Lord had finished His work and dismissed His spirit. This was not the weak whisper of a dying man succumbing to death, but a strong cry of victory. Never think that the death of the Lord Jesus was the result of physical decline caused by the sufferings of the cross—severe as these were. The Lord Jesus was not overcome by death, because death had no claim upon Him. He had already said “No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself” (John 10:18), and in His resurrection, He demonstrated that He had overcome death, hell and the grave.    —W. H. Burnett

 

He Satan’s power laid low; made sin, He sin o’erthrew,
Bowed to the grave, destroyed it so, and death by dying slew. —S. Gandy

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 5; Jeremiah 38; Hebrews 9:15-28

 

There is but a step between me and death.    1 Samuel 20:3
Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.    Amos 4:12

 

Riding home on his bicycle, a young lad suddenly saw a black mamba on the path. Terrified he fell off right on top of the reptile, which promptly sank its fangs into his leg. Far from medical help he died two hours later! Thankfully I had had the privilege of explaining the Gospel to the young man that very morning—how that Christ had died for his sins, and wanted him to trust Him for forgiveness. Whether Kayombo was saved I never knew, but you my friend would do well to prepare to meet your Maker, for there is only a step between us and death. But also only a step between you and God!     —David Croudace

 

Only a step to Jesus! Believe and you will live;
Lovingly now He’s waiting, and ready to forgive. —Fanny J. Crosby

 

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 4; Jeremiah 37; Hebrews 9:1-14

 

And it came to pass when all the people were clean passed over Jordan.    Joshua 4:1

 

This might seem an innocuous statement in itself, but it reveals a precious truth. You may well have been led of the Lord to pursue and accomplish a certain task, but circumstances seem to militate against you to such an extent that the completion of the work appears to be thwarted. Remember that the Lord always succeeds in the end. Take heart—tomorrow is another day, and the Lord is able to overcome obstacles, procure a victory, and “get you to the other side.”
—Brian Russell

 

The battle is the Lord’s, all power belongs to Him.
Since He His mighty grace affords, let us go on and win.
—Author Unknown

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 3; Jeremiah 36; Hebrews 8

 

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.    1 Timothy 1:15
For all have sinned.    Romans 3:23

 

No one ever got saved without first having conviction of sin, and yet sin is the point we often dwell on least in our presentation of the Gospel. We get the cart before the horse, and talk much of love, and little of sin. God loves righteousness and hates iniquity. Of what does a person repent except his sin! According to 1 Timothy 1:8-11 the law is to bring conviction of sin. May we use the tools God gave us and the Holy Spirit honours, to bring about conviction of sin. Those who realize they are sinners, can be saved!    —Carl Knott

 

Sinners Jesus will receive; sound this Word of grace to all;
Sing it o’er and o’er again—Christ receiveth sinful men. —E. Neu­meis­ter

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 2; Jeremiah 35; Hebrews 7

 

“I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.”
1 Corinthians 3:6

 

Jesus told of a farmer who scattered seed in a field knowing that some would be lost to the birds, thorns or rocky ground. Someone planted the seed of a New Testament in a prison, but it was thrown into the garbage can. Another inmate saw it, picked it up and in his cell immediately read a good portion of it. Its message changed his life. When we see discarded tracts do we react with, “What a waste?” Buying a packet of gospel tracts or Christian literature to distribute is not a waste or expense, but an investment in life’s greatest purpose—to win souls for the Lord. May we be faithful sowers.    —E. Dyck

The sower went forth sowing, the seed in secret slept,
Through weeks of faith and patience, till out the green blade crept.
—William S. Bourne

 

DAILY?READINGS: 2 Kings 1; Jeremiah 34; Hebrews 5:11 to 6:20

 

I am the Lord thy God, who teacheth thee to profit.    Isaiah 48:17

 

Often the child of God questions why the heavenly Father allows trials in their lives. The above verse suggests that He would teach us through them and thus we profit from them. His refining process in our lives, removes the dross and produces fruit, thus conforming us to the image of his Son. As we submit to His will, may His grace enable us to trust Him, and truly profit.    —E. V.

 

If through fiery trials our pathway should lie,
His grace all-sufficient shall be our supply,
The flame shall not hurt us; His only design,
Is the dross to consume and the gold to refine.
—W. Williams