Category: Uncategorised

DAILY READINGS: 1 Chronicles 15; Ezekiel 16:1-34; John 5:24-47

But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his
tongue against man or beast. Exodus 11:7

The Lord, by His direct or permissive will, allows His children to
experience circumstances that are not easy to bear. When He decides,
however, that enough is enough, He oft en intervenes in a dramatic
way. The children of Israel had suff ered as never before under
the oppressive hand of the Egyptians. Finally God stepped in and
when He did, He saw to it that not even a dog barked to frighten or
interfere with their deliverance. —Brian Russell

The battle is the Lords,
His is the spoil and prey,
Shout! For His hand is lift ed up,
And we shall win the day.—Anon.

DAILY READINGS: 1 Chronicles 13-14; Ezekiel 14-15; John 5:1-23

And He went a litt le further, and fell on His face, and prayed,
saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me:
nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt. Matt hew 26:39

This verse reminds us of the complete submission of the Son to the
will of the Father. The highest priority in the life of the Lord Jesus,
was the Father’s will. Even faced with the terrible prospect of drinking
the cup that the Father had given him to drink, the Lord never
deviated from the will of the Father. There was never any resistance
in the perfect Servant to the Father’s will even when it meant “being
obedient unto [to the extent of] death, even the death of the cross”
(Phil. 2:8). He was there for us. Let us worship Him. —W. H. Burnett

Death and the curse were in our cup, O Christ, t’was full for thee,
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop, ‘tis empty now for me. —Cousins

DAILY READINGS: 1 Chronicles 12; Ezekiel 13; John 4:31-54

I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will
build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matt hew 16:18

Barcelona’s biggest tourist att raction is its cathedral. Begun in 1882,
work continues today, to ensure its completion by 2026, a date chosen
to coincide with the death of its architect in 1926. If it seems this
building of brick and mortar has been a long time in the making,
think about the wondrous Church of Christ, still in the making aft er
2,000 years. One day soon, its Architect and Builder, who is alive
forevermore, will see the last stone put in place and then He will
come to claim it as His own possession. What a glorious prospect!
—Brian Powlesland

View the vast building: see it rise, the work how great, the plan how wise!
O wondrous fabric! Power unknown, that rests upon the living Stone.—Anon.

DAILY READINGS: 1 Chronicles 10-11; Ezekiel 12; John 4:1-30

Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that
hour that disciple took her unto his own home. John 19:27

In His deepest hour of woe, the Lord committ ed His mother to the
patronage of John, the disciple whom He loved. It was no burden to
John, for in the following days, there would be a unique fellowship
as one would speak to the other about Him. John would hear of the
Lord’s childhood days from Mary, while Mary would listen to John
relate the days of His unique ministry. Thus both received a blessing.
Is our home fragranced likewise? —Robert E. Surgenor

O happy home, where Thou art loved the dearest,
Thou loving Friend and Saviour of our race,
And where among the guests there never cometh
One who can hold such high and honored place! —Karl J. Spitta

DAILY READINGS: 1 Chronicles 8-9; Ezekiel 11; John 3:22-36

And she went up and laid him upon the bed of the man of God,
shut the door upon him, and went out. 2 Kings 4:21

So often in the life of faith we must let things alone. The Shunamite
woman placed her dead son, her special gift from God, on the
prophet’s bed—symbolizing to her the Lord’s presence. Then she
shut the door, leaving him there. There was nothing more she could
do for her boy. Am I facing a problem which is beyond the help of
man, which requires the Master’s touch? Then let me seek Him; let
me deepen my knowledge of the Almighty while leaving the child
in His hands. Then let me say with the faith of the Shunamite to all
I meet in the way today, “It is well.” —M. MacMullen

In faith, Lord, let me serve Thee; though persecution, grief and pain,
Should seek to overwhelm me, let me a steadfast trust retain.—E. N.

DAILY READINGS: 1 Chronicles 7; Ezekiel 10; John 2:23 to 3:21

Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land
for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master’s son
may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat
bread alway at my table. 2 Samuel 9:10

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psalms 23:6 David
made provision for his friend’s son because of love. Our heavenly
Father has provided a place for us at His table, because He so
loved us. But there is a diff erence. Mephibosheth was provided for
only as long as the king lived. We have David’s “greater Son” and
our provision is for eternity! —A. Fiebig

Forever with the Lord! Amen, so let it be;
Life from the dead is that word, ‘tis immortality. —James Montgomery

DAILY READINGS: 1 Chronicles 6; Ezekiel 8-9; John 2:1-22

The holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation,
through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:15

Like no other book, the Bible exposes men to their guilt and lost
estate before God. In it man reads the secrets of his own guilty soul,
and sees the vileness of his own evil nature. No wonder so many
don’t want to read it! The Bible then demonstrates its power by convincing
the reader of the availability of complete salvation through
faith in the cross-work of Christ. It wells up with divine assurance
that gives indestructible peace to the innermost part of man. It witnesses
that he is in fact eternally saved and forever secure. No wonder
so many do want to read it! —Rick Morse

The Bible stands like a rock undaunted, ’mid the raging storms of time;
Its pages burn with the truth eternal, and they glow with a light sublime.

DAILY READINGS: 1 Chronicles 4:24 to 5:26; Ezekiel 7; John 1:19-51

Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and
work. 2 Thessalonians 2:17
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you
from evil. 2 Thessalonians 3:3

In the fi rst text, the apostle prays that the Lord would establish both
our word (what people hear) and our work (what people see) and
in the second he assures us that our heavenly Father will enable us
to do just that. What assurance in these days where uncertainty and
complexity seem to be the norm. It seems everything is changing.
Only our God is unchangeable—the same yesterday, today, and forever!
How good to trust Him. —W. H. Gustafson

With us in the lonely valley, when we cross the darkling stream;
Lighting up our steps to glory, with salvation’s radiant beam.—E. H. N.

DAILY READINGS: 1 Chronicles 3 to 4:23; Ezekiel 5-6; John 1:1-18

To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be
just, and the justifi er of him which believeth in Jesus. Romans 3:26

Only the Lord can claim to be just. But to be the Justifi er of sinners
and still be just, how could it be? There is only one way and
one place these two could meet. The Cross marks the spot. There
Christ reaches out in justice while reaching down to justify. Peter
states, “Christ suff ered once for sins, the Just for the unjust, that
He might bring us to God” (1 Pe. 3:18). Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
—Rex Trogdon

Upon the cross of Jesus, mine eye at times can see;
The very dying form of One, who suff ered there for me;
And from my smitt en heart with tears,
Two wonders I confess: the wonders of His glorious love,
And my own worthlessness. —Elizabeth C. Clephane

DAILY READINGS: 1 Chronicles 2; Ezekiel 3:16 to 4:17; 2 Timothy 4

The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
Jeremiah 8:20

Israel was away from God, worshiping idols and living immoral
lives. But God sent His prophets, pleading with His people to return
to Him.They had come, time and again, warning and exhorting the
people. Now God’s time of harvest was past and Israel was still unrepentant.
Jeremiah laments the fact that aft er all of God’s patient
pleading, they still were not saved. How about you? Are you saved?
Are your sins all forgiven? If not, delay no longer. Trust in Christ
and be saved. —Donald Norbie

Jesus, I will trust Thee, trust Thee with my soul;
Guilty, lost and helpless, Thou canst make me whole. —Mary Walker