Category: Uncategorised

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 16-17; Ezekiel 37; John 15:1-16

The glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people. And there
came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the
altar the burnt offering and the fat: [which] when all the people
saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces. Leviticus 9:23-24

What a moment for Israel! We too have seen the glory of the Lord
in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6), and witnessed fire from the
Lord consume Him as our sacrifice. As we remember His death, do
we declare with joy His praises? Or have we lost the wonder of it?
—R. Mattice

I’ve been to 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 M. Hull

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 14-15; Ezekiel 36:16-38; John 14:15-31

And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And
when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed
Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him,
when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
2 Samuel 20:12

People stop and stare when lives are ended abruptly. It’s a solemn
reminder of human frailty, the brevity of life, surety of death, and
length of eternity. Death is not if, but when. Not how, but where.
When it finds you, will you be ready for eternity? —Rex Trogdon

Life at best is very brief, like the falling of a leaf,
Like the binding of a sheaf, be in time.
Fleeting days are telling fast, that the die will soon be cast,
And the fatal line be passed, be in time. —Anon.

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chron. 12-13; Ezekiel 35-36:15; John 13:31-14:14

And thou Bethlehem…out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall
rule My people Israel. Matthew 2:6
Out of Egypt have I called My son. Matthew 2:15b
And He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be
fulfilled…He shall be called a Nazarene. Matthew 2:23

Where was Jesus from? He was born in Bethlehem, the city of
David from which the promised Ruler of the Jews would come. He
was called out of Egypt and thus would have an inheritance among
the Gentiles as well. He also was a Nazarene, for He would be the
branch, (netser) of God. Nathaniel asked, “Can any good thing come
out of Nazareth?”(John 1:46) Yes! God Himself! —Tom Steere

Jesus shall reign where, e’r the sun, does his successive journeys run;
His Kingdom stretch from shore to shore til moons shall wax and wane no more

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 10-11; Ezekiel 34; John 13:1-30

And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a
prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? And I am this day
weak, though anointed king. 2 Samuel 3:38-39a

Eulogies at funeral services can sometimes be long, painful and
hypocritical! In the case of Abner this was not so. David was short
and to the point in his praise of Abner and described him as “a prince
and a great man”. The loss of Abner made David weak even though
he was anointed king. The passing of believers always weakens the
church but God is sufficient for these things and raises up others to
stand in the breach to His glory. —Roy Hill

Make good the loss so heavy, in those that still remain,
And prove to all around you that death itself is gain. —George Duffield

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 8-9; Ezekiel 33; John 12:20-50

Because there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His
stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. Job 36:18

When a fire swept through their apartment, two young women
died. The Fire Inspector quickly determined there were working
smoke detectors in the apartment, but they had been deactivated
when the girls were planning a party for smokers. Sadly, many people
today have decided to deactivate the call of God when He lovingly
warns them of coming danger. Listen to His voice. Judgment is
coming, and it is time to accept the Lord Jesus as your personal
Saviour. Do so today. — Arnot McIntee

Why do you wait, dear brother? The harvest is passing away;
Your Saviour is longing to bless you, there’s danger and death in delay.
—George F. Root

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 7; Ezekiel 32; John 11:55 to 12:19

And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing
with Thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have
no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on Thee, and in
Thy name we go against this multitude. 2 Chron. 14:11a

Asa had an army of 300,000, but against him were arrayed that
many, plus a million more! Impossible odds? Not with God on Asa’s
side. And so it still is. Stand with God and though the situation may
seem desperate in human eyes, be still before Him and see the salvation
of the Lord. —Doug Kazen

My Saviour, Thee possessing, I have the joy, the balm,
The healing and the blessing, the sunshine and the psalm;
The promise for the fearful, the elim for the faint,
The rainbow for the tearful, the glory for the saint. —Anon.

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chron. 6:12-42; Ezekiel 30:20-31:18; John 11:28-54

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are
honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things. Philippians 4:8

A. W. Tozer listed seven rules for self-discovery. He stated that we
may be known by the following: What we most want. What we think
about most. How we use our money. What we do with our leisure
time. The company we enjoy. Whom and what we admire. What we
laugh at. In view of these rules may we apply to ourselves the words
of today’s verse—“Think on these things.” —W. Ross Rainey

May the mind of Christ, my Saviour, live in me from day to day,
By His love and pow’r controlling, all I do and say. —Kate B. Wilkinson

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chron. 5 to 6:11; Ezekiel 29 to 30:19; John 11:1-27

What [mean] ye by these stones? And these stones shall be for a
memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. Joshua 4:6-7

Amemorial is an object reminder or token act by which something
is brought to mind. These stones represented every Israelite who
passed through Jordan, by the power of the Ark of the Covenant, to
a new life. What an analogy for believers who remember the Lord’s
power over death, hell and the grave. Can we not say the same thing
as we gather around the bread and wine, what mean these emblems?
—Duncan Maxwell

Till He come we take the bread, type of Him on whom we feed,
Him who liveth and was dead, we give Thee thanks, O Lord.
Till He come we take the cup; as we at His table sup,
Eye and heart are lifted up! We give Thee thanks, O Lord. —Anon.

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 3-4; Ezekiel 28; John 10:19-42

Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and
understanding. Proverbs 23:23

How do you buy truth? First of all one must recognize it as truth,
as ultimate reality. Then one must pay the price to obtain it; they
must be willing to obey that truth. Next they make the decision to
obtain it for themselves. Their life should then be formed by that
truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Is
that true? Is He the Son of God and the only Saviour of sinners? Are
you willing to pay the price of following Him? Then receive Him as
Lord and Saviour and begin to follow Him today.—Donald L. Norbie

Oh, dearly, dearly has He loved, and we should love Him too;
And trust in His redeeming blood, and seek His will to do.—C. F. Alexander

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 1-2; Ezekiel 27; John 10:1-18

And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye
His servants, and ye that fear Him, both small and great.
Revelation 19:5

Praising the Lord should be a significant part of every believer’s
life. How tragic though, if it is done just by habit without fervency
and faith. Praise is to honour, laud, magnify, glorify, exalt, admire
and acknowledge. “In everything give thanks” (1Thess. 5:18) for a
thankful heart is a joyful heart. Try it in sincerity and it will surprise
you along the way. —Les Rainey

Give thanks to God the Lord; upon His name now call.
Make known among the people on earth what He has done for all.
Sing praise to Him, now sing; His wondrous acts proclaim.
Rejoice, all you who seek the Lord; come glory in His name. —S. H. P.