Category: Uncategorised

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 22; Jeremiah 33; Hebrews 4:14 to 5:10

 

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning will I direct my prayer to You, and will look up.    Psalm 5:3
In the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.     Mark 1:35

Both David and the Lord enjoyed the morning watch. Their example tells us this is the best time to meet with God. Did you notice that twice over David uses the word “morning” to emphasize its importance? As you awaken each morning in your “solitary” place, you will hear the voice of the Lord speaking through His Word to your soul. This will set the tone for your day. If the Lord Jesus chose this time to commune with His Father we would do well to follow His example.    —Jim Comte

 

Shut in with Thee far, far above, the restless world that wars below;
We seek to learn and prove Thy love, Thy wisdom and Thy grace to know.
—Alexander Stewart

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 21; Jeremiah 32:26-44; Hebrews 4:1-13

 

And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.    Leviticus 1:4

 

In the burnt offering, the sweet value of the animal was transferred to the offerer and then the animal was burned on the altar before God. Yet, in the non-sweet savour sacrifices, the sin and trespass offerings, the sin of the offerer was transferred to the animal, and except for the fat and kidneys the animal was burned outside the camp. Both offerings have their fulfillment in Christ. With our sins upon Him, He was once judged outside the camp, but through the Holy Spirit, the goodness of Christ in each believer will continue to refresh the Father forever. What a transaction! Our sin for the praise of God!     —W. A. H.

 

The gifts you bring with loving hand, your Lord will not disown!
Their odours sweet to Heaven shall rise, like incense round His throne.
—Fanny J. Crosby

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 20; Jeremiah 32:1-25; Hebrews 3

 

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.
Psalm 118:8-9

 

Here, I believe, are the two middle verses of the whole Bible. How fitting it is that they should express so concisely the core message of the Scriptures! Only in the Lord can we find a solid foundation for our faith. As worldly ideals and standards collapse, let us hold ever more firmly to that which is “better.”    —George Hall

 

Simply trusting every day, trusting through a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small, trusting Jesus, that is all.
Trusting as the moments fly, trusting as the days go by,
Trusting Him whate’er befall, trusting Jesus, that is all. —E. P. Stites

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 19; Jeremiah 31; Hebrews 2

 

They shall call His Name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.    Matthew 1:23

 

This message was primarily written for the world. However, it is especially precious to the true Christian. Every morning, as we awake to a new day, we can savour the fact that He who is very God is with us, and will be throughout the day. And as we turn out the light at the end of the day, settling down to a night of rest, we are assured that He will brood over us in the darkness. God is with us.    —Doug Kazen

 

In the calm of the noon tide, in sorrow’s lone hour,
In times when temptation casts o’re me its power;
In the tempests of life, on its wide heaving sea,
Thou blest Rock of Ages I’m hiding in Thee. —W. O. Cushing

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 18; Jeremiah 30; Hebrews 1

 

And Abram went up out of Egypt … And Lot with him.    Genesis 13:1
And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well-watered … like the land of Egypt.    Genesis 13:10

 

Abram sinned when he went down to Egypt, jeopardizing his own walk with God. But Abram also brought his nephew Lot to this place that was out of the Lord’s will. There Lot succumbed to a love of the world that only grew stronger as time passed. The result was that Lot became a prominent resident in wicked and worldly Sodom. Sin’s effects are deadly and far-reaching, often contaminating others as well as ourselves. Be diligent to abide in the centre of God’s good and perfect will.    —D. Pickup

 

Hope of all who trust in Thee, Thou whose blood was shed for me,
Thro’ its healing power divine, keep from sin this heart of mine.
—Fanny J. Crosby

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 17; Jeremiah 29; Philemon

 

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. Luke 4:18

 

The Lord Jesus related to those He reached. He preached the gospel to the poor, yet He became poor (2 Cor. 8:9). He healed the brokenhearted, and reproach broke His heart (Ps. 69:20). He preached deliverance to the captives, and was bound Himself (John 18:12, 24). He opened the eyes of the blind, and was blindfolded by His accusers (Mark 14:65). He set at liberty them that are bruised, but was bruised for our iniquities (Isa. 53:5). Oh, what grace!    —Rex Trogdon

 

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: 1 Kings 15:33-16:34; Jeremiah 27-28; Col. 4:2-18

 

Therefore God dealt well with the midwives.    Exodus 1:20

 

Times had turned harsh for Israel. Yet in the midst of a national crisis, what story does God choose to tell? One about the ministry of two humble women! In fact He calls them by name—Shiprah and Puah. Does this surprise us? Here’s a clue as to why it shouldn’t. The names of these women are associated with light—bright and glittering. Could it be that a work that brings a little heavenly light into the darkness of others is mighty in God’s eyes? Could it be that God cares about my little candle? Yes! This is the God we serve. He sees you. He knows your name. He knows what you are doing. Your story is being recorded—that you are shining the light. —S. McEachern

 

Holy Spirit, come and shine, sweetly in this heart of mine,
With Thy heavenly love and light; come, and make my spirit bright!
—Author Unknown

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 15:1-32; Jeremiah 26; Colossians 3:5 to 4:1

 

And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem … And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem,… and brought it to David.    2 Samuel 23:15-16

 

Out of deep love for David, three men broke through the enemy lines to bring David a drink from his home town. Nothing is too much trouble to a believer, who has completely abandoned himself to his beloved Saviour. So, if ever I find myself complaining when asked to do some service for the Lord or for His people, let me go quickly to the foot of the cross to be reminded of the One who loved me to the uttermost and gave His all for me.    —David Croudace

 

I left the throne of glory and counted it but loss,
My hands were nailed in anger, upon the cruel cross. —I. Stanphill

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 13:33 to 14:31; Jer. 24-25; Col. 2:8 to 3:4

 

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors.    Romans 8:12

 

As creatures we are debtors to our Creator. As sinners we are debtors to God’s mercy. As believers we are no longer debtors to God’s justice because Christ paid the debt on our behalf. I owed a debt I could not pay. He paid that debt with His precious blood on the cross. God will not demand payment twice, first from my Saviour and then from me. Conscious of the great debt He paid on our behalf, we should offer ourselves a living sacrifice, not to repay the debt but in an attitude of deep gratitude and worship.    —Milton Haack

 

The work which His goodness began, the arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is Yea and Amen, and never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now, nor all things below or above,
Can make Him His purpose forgo, or sever my soul from His love.
—Augustus M. Toplady

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Kings 13:1-32; Jeremiah 23; Colossians 1:21 to 2:7

 

Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
1 Timothy 1:16

 

In the salvation experience of Paul, God has given us a pattern of how He works. Some teach that a person must be regenerated before he can believe. But this is not God’s pattern. His mercy and longsuffering are to those who believe on Him to life everlasting. That is, regeneration, life, comes after belief. Those who believe are born again. Friend, don’t wait on God. He’s waiting on you. It’s your move. Believe!    —Carl Knott

 

There’s a story ever new, it is wonderful and true,
And the best thing you can do is believe it.
—John Ferguson