Category: Uncategorised

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 26; Ezekiel 43; John 19:17-42

What thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God.  1 Thess. 3:9

Thanksgiving in reverse is giving thanks. Thanks are usually given freely. We would never say that thanks could be bought or sold. Yet, it is possible to owe someone thanks and be indebted if we haven’t paid thanks. Our verse asks, what thanks can we render (or repay) to God. How very much we owe Him for His goodness to us! Why not pay today and give Him thanks? We owe it and He deserves it.  —Rex Trogdon

O Lord, from my heart I do thank Thee, for all Thou hast borne in my room,
Thine agony, dying, unsolaced, alone in the darkness of doom,
That I, in the glory of heaven, forever and ever might be,
A thousand, a thousand thanksgivings, I bring, blessed Saviour, to Thee! —E. C. H.

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 25; Ezekiel 42; John 18:28 to 19:16

I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.  Psalm 142:1

Generally speaking, caves are not pleasant places. In a figurative sense, multitudes of people live in caves today—caves of worry, discouragement, depression, doubts and loneliness. David was literally in a cave, hiding from Saul when he cried to the Lord. When in trouble, no matter what the circumstance may be, the very best thing we can do is seek God’s face and spread our need before Him. Today, fellow believer, are you in some kind of trouble? If so, take it to the Lord in prayer (Phil. 4:6-7; Heb. 4:14-16). —W. Ross Rainey

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer! —Joseph Scriven

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 23-24; Ezekiel 41; John 18:1-27

He…saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: and the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god. Isaiah 44:16-17

Isaiah satirically points out the absurdity of idolatry. In his parable, the would-be worshiper cuts down a tree and uses part of it to build a nice, cozy fire. What does he do with the leftover wood? He fashions a god, of course! How foolish it is to put material things in the place reserved for the living God.  —Keith Keyser

Let all who name Christ’s holy Name give God all praise and glory;
Let all who own His power proclaim aloud the wondrous story!
Cast each false idol from its throne, for Christ is Lord, and Christ alone:
To God all praise and glory.                                       —Johann Schutz

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 21-22; Ezekiel 40; John 17

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping…He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. John 11:33
Jesus wept. John 11:35

The Lord Jesus knew that in moments He would transform that scene of sorrow into joy, when He raised Lazarus from the dead. But this did not cause Him to be insensitive to the sorrows of others in the interim. He groaned, was troubled and wept. It cannot be long now, until the Lord returns and removes us from this vale of tears. However, this does not interfere with His loving concern for us in the meantime. Thank God for a sympathetic High Priest at God’s right hand who will succour us until we are safely home. —W. H. Burnett

Touched with a sympathy within, He knows our feeble frame,
He knows what sore temptations are, for He endured the same. —I. Watts

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 20; Ezekiel 39; John 16:16-33

The son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. Luke 15:21
Father…I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.  John 17:1, 4

In these verses we have two sons, both returning home! Looking back over the years that had passed, they each spoke to their father. The prodigal had squandered his allotted portion in selfish indulgence and had dragged his father’s honour in the gutter. But the Lord Jesus, the eternal Son, was wholly different. Though in possession of all things, He never squandered anything on self. The honour of the Father was His deepest passion, His sole delight. —J. Strahan

That path, with moral glories bright, resplendent in Thy holy sight,
Showed nought to mar Thy heart’s delight, in Thy Beloved Son.—Anon.

DAILY READINGS: 2 Chronicles 18-19; Ezekiel 38; John 15:17 to 16:15

Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 Peter 2:24

Come with me to Golgotha (the place of a skull). By faith look at the spotless Son of God dying for you. Alone on that cross He bore our sins that we might be forgiven. In thick darkness He was forsaken of God that we might never be alone—suffered thirst that we might drink the Water of Life. Hear His victorious cry: “Tetelestai!”— “It is finished.” He paid the price with His precious blood that we might have a free and eternal salvation! —E. MacLelland

He could have called ten thousand angels,
To destroy the world and set Him free,
But He died alone for you and me. —Ray Overholt

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

I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.  Hebrews 8:12

I was once invited to a meeting with a brother. He began with a tirade of accusations of how I had offended him for years. I sat dumbfounded and hurt wondering what to say. When he finished, I assured him that I was unaware that I had offended him and said that I was deeply sorry and asked him to forgive me. These were his words, “I will forgive you, but I won’t forget”! It is good to know that when God forgives, He also chooses never to remember our offenses again. —Sid Halsband

My soul at rest in Jesus lives, accepts the peace His pardon gives;
Receives the grace His death secured, and pleads the anguish He endured.  —G. W. H. Hinsdale

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

Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day. Deuteronomy 11:26, 27a

The way to blessing in the believer’s life is not a mystery—it is obedience to God. To emphasize obedience is not legalism. Our Lord said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15). Many today put the emphasis on feeling good, on personal experience and comfort. They arrange their lives and their churches to suit themselves, but this is not the way to blessing. Obedience is. —Carl Knott

We want to live pure, we want to live clean, we want to do our best,
Sweetly submitting to authority, leaving to God the rest;
Walking in the light, keeping our attitude right, on the narrow way,
For if we believe the Word we receive, we always will obey.—Anon.

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

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  Gen. 1:1

The origin of the Bible commences with the marvel and miracle of God creating the world. The first chapter sets forth three beginnings—first matter, then life, and finally personality (Gen. 1:1, 21, 27). How wise of God in Creation to show us a photograph of natural man. “The earth was without form, void and in darkness.” So it is with you and me when we were without Christ—no fulfilled purpose, no life, no light. How true of the unregenerate! Are you a new creation? Whether performing a physical creation or spiritual, how majestic is our Great Creator! —Les Rainey

Firstfruits of Thy new creation, faithful, holy may we be,
Joyful in Thy full salvation, more and more conformed to Thee.   —Charles Wesley

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

Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.  Matthew 19:26

Do we really believe this? All things are indeed possible with God, yet for many of us, when dealing with our challenges, we don’t show it by our actions. We plan as if everything depended on us, rather than Him, and then pray as if to sanction rather than solicit His support. Look to Him, dear brother or sister. Believe His promises. Trust His Word. Ask for His help and you will learn that with God all things are possible.  —Mark Kolchin

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armour, each piece put on with prayer;
Where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there. —George Duffield