Category: Uncategorised

DAILY READINGS: Judges 21; Isaiah 40; 1 Corinthians 16

Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful
man who can fi nd? Proverbs 20:6

Where are faithful men? We find them in the Scriptures! They were
nonconformists, brave, bold for God, and farsighted. “Moses, when
he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s
daughter.” Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I will not take any
thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich.”
“Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defi le himself with
the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank.”
God, give us the grace and strength to stand, as these men did, for
Him today! —Robert E. Surgenor

Ye that are men now serve Him, against the numbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose. —G. Duffield

DAILY READINGS: Judges 20; Isaiah 38-39; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. Ps. 71:7
Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for
signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD. Isaiah 8:18a
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit
before thee: for they are men wondered at. Zechariah 3:8a

These three men: Isaiah a prophet, Joshua a priest, and David a king,
stood fi rm in the nation of Israel as men in awe! In all three verses
the Hebrew word for “wonder” means, “a cause of astonishment.”
Do I ever cause anyone to wonder at what God has wrought in my
life? May we show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of
darkness into his marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). —Les Rainey

May the mind of Christ, my Saviour, live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling, all I do and say. —K. Wilkinson

DAILY READINGS: Judges 19; Isaiah 37:8-38; 1 Corinthians 15:1-34

From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the
marks of the Lord Jesus. Galatians 6:17

During a search in the att ic, I came across a “Certifi cate of Service”
of my late father in the Royal Navy. I noted on the record how people
were identifi ed. Not just full name, date and place of birth, eye
and hair colour and complexion, but also there were entries under
“wounds and scars”. These latt er elements of identity were suffered
during active service. Paul bore the evidences of active service for
the Lord Jesus on his body. How do people know that we serve the
Lord? —Brian Powlesland

Am I a soldier of the Cross, a follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause, or blush to speak His name?—Anon.

DAILY READINGS: Judges 17-18; Isaiah 36 to 37:7; 1 Corinthians 14

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of
God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew fi rst,
and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16

According to the rest of Romans 1, when men turn away from the
true and living God, one of the things they turn themselves over to
is evil, sexual passions. These things are a perversion of what God
intended in the normal relationship of a man and woman in marriage.
Such a relationship produces children, loyalty and happiness.
Beware of pornography and fi lms which will corrupt your thinking
and cause one to become obsessed with sexual immorality. It is destructive.
Keep yourself pure. —Donald Norbie

So let our lips and lives express, the holy Gospel we profess;
So let our works and virtues shine, to prove the doctrine all divine. —Watts

DAILY READINGS: Judges 16; Isaiah 35; 1 Corinthians 13

I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more
than burnt off erings. Hosea 6:6

No one image can describe the eff ect of knowing God and His wonderful
att ributes. Those who have trusted Him know His goodness
to be as refreshing as cool rain upon parched ground. Like the benefi
ts of knowing Him, dew and rain are not one time events, but
refresh again and again. Hosea invites others to know God, to enjoy
His redeeming love and abundant grace, that they too, might be
revived to fruitfulness, experience spiritual growth, and know the
beauty and fragrance of Christ’s presence. Are you spiritually refreshed?
—Warren Henderson

Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, calls for songs of loudest praise.—R. R.

DAILY READINGS: Judges 14-15; Isaiah 34; 1 Corinthians 12

After a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter,
Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee.
Matthew 26:73

The night at the world’s fi re was cold and dark when an accusing
voice said to Peter, “Thou art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth
thee.” His accent had given him away. That Galilean tone of voice
indicated he was a friend of his Galilean Saviour. Does your language
and mine reveal we are friends of the Saviour? If so, we will
speak in a meaningful and appreciative way about Him. Our speech
will tell others we belong to Christ. —Arnot McIntee

O fill me with Thy fullness, Lord, until my very heart o’er flow
In kindling thought and glowing word, Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.
—Frances R. Havergal

DAILY READINGS: Judges 13; Isaiah 33; 1 Corinthians 11:2-34

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered
the wind in His fi sts? Who hath bound the waters in a garment?
Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is His
name, and what is His son’s name, if thou canst tell? Proverbs 30:4

This verse asks a question. Who is the One who has done all these
things? And what is His Son’s name? His name of course is God
the Father and His Son is Jesus Christ. Today we remember that to
ascend up, the Son fi rst descended to the lowliest place possible—
to Calvary and the cross. What is the Son’s Name? Jesus Christ the
righteous and we worship Him today. —Tom Steere

Hallelujah! Christ hath conquered, conquered sin and death and hell:
Sing aloud His mighty triumphs, gladly now His praises tell.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Jesus hath done all things well! —C. H. von Poseck

DAILY READINGS: Judg. 11:29 to 12:15; Isa. 32; 1 Cor. 10:14 to 11:1

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according
to his abundant mercy hath begott en us again unto a lively
hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance
incorruptible, and undefi led, and that fadeth not away,
reserved in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1:3-4

Recently in a newspaper there was an article headed, “What you
get, you always deserve.” Thank God that I, a sinner, am not going
to get what I deserve! Jesus paid the price for my sin; He walks with
me today and one day He will take me home to heaven. My life in
Him is unmerited favour from beginning to end! —J. Fleming

Fountain of grace, rich, full and free, what need I, that is not in Thee?
Full pardon, strength to meet the day, and peace which none can take away.
—J. Edmeston

DAILY READINGS: Judg. 10:6 to 11:28; Isa. 31; 1 Cor. 9:24 to 10:13

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working
with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to
give to him that needeth. Ephesians 4:28

What a privilege to be “labourers together with God” (1 Cor. 3:9)
in the vast harvest fi elds of our day. In view of the fact that our
heavenly Father is a benevolent Master (in contrast to the cruel taskmasters
of Egypt) should we not work joyfully and wholeheartedly
for Him? As we do so, we’ll fi nd a blessing for ourselves and we’ll
become a source of blessing to others. So carry on faithful servant,
the day of reckoning is yet before us. He’ll sett le the accounts in a
just and righteous manner. —W. H. Gustafson

Let me ever work with a willing hand, in the service of my King,
Guided by His Word, heeding each command, in the service of my King!—T. S. T.

DAILY READINGS: Judges 9 to 10:5; Isaiah 30; 1 Cor. 9:1-23

No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous:
nevertheless aft erward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness
unto them which are exercised thereby. Hebrews 12:11

God the Father disciplines us in love, for our good. Sadly some
hearts are hardened to God by the diffi cult circumstances He allows
and they are not exercised for good. Other hearts are made soft and
submissive to God’s teaching. Then there are those who are careless.
God’s dealings roll off them and there is no change whatsoever in
their lives. If we would be conformed to the image of the Saviour,
we must allow His chastening to do its work. —E. MacLelland

Submissive to God’s perfect will, this should our motive be,
Until we are in ev’ry way, conformed, O Lord, to Thee! —E. M.