Category: Uncategorised

Ezra 3:1-4:24; Daniel 5; Revelation 1:1-20

I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. Ruth 1:21

Naomi left Bethlehem with a husband and two sons. She expected a better future, as they left during a famine. Often we start a new venture with great hopes, but as in Naomi’s case the Lord brings us to a place where we find our hopes shattered. We may have lost money, family, or health, and we feel that life is empty. We can come back, like Naomi, to a time of blessing. We need to be emptied of all, before we return to God and all the blessings He loves to give. —Mary Robins

Have Thine own way Lord, have Thine own way;
Hold o’er my being absolute sway.
Fill with Thy Spirit, till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me. —Adelaide Pollard

Ezra 1:1-2:70; Daniel 4:1-37; 3 John 1:1-14

Peter stood…and warmed himself. John 18:18, 25
Peter, [stood] up with the eleven. Acts 2:14

Peter failed by distancing himself from the Lord, standing by a fire with the wrong type of company. He was asked about his association with Jesus and denied Him three times. Then he went out and wept bitterly! The Lord restored him and he took a leadership role with the disciples. On the day of Pentecost he stood with the eleven, his brothers in Christ, preached the Gospel and 3,000 were saved. Dear backslider, get restored and He will use you again for His glory! —Jim Paul

Gather me up—as a chalice all shattered;
Piece me together—once more make me whole,
Gather the fragments—which now are so scattered.
Give me completeness again in my soul. —J. Danon Smith

2 Chronicles 36:1-23; Daniel 3:1-30; 2 John 1:1-13

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. Heb. 10:25

In the Australian state of Victoria, one can drive through the quaintly named village of “Seldom Seen”. The gathering together of Christians is not just of importance to engender a spirit of friendship and care for one another, but it is also an expression of corporate togetherness in worship and service for the Lord and of compliance with His wishes. During the pandemic, our lives were impacted in so many ways and many have resorted to online and social media methods to make contact. Let us not make this a permanent arrangement if we can safely resume the appointed
preference of being together. —Brian Powlesland

Jesus Lord, we come together in the bonds of Thine own love;
Thou hast drawn our footsteps hither, its deep meaning now to prove.  —T. H. Reynolds

2 Chronicles 35:1-27; Daniel 2:24-49; 1 John 5:1-21

I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

When should we praise God? The answer is always, in every circumstance and situation of life. It is easy when we are on the mountaintop with everything light and easy and there are no troubles and difficulties and all is going well. It is not so easy when we are in the depth of the valley where no light can penetrate, when we feel down and things are going wrong. The problems multiply and no one seems able to help us. Yet we need to remember that our extremity is God’s opportunity, and we need to seek reasons to praise His Name. It will prove to be a rich blessing. —Paul Young

Praise You, Lord, You have turned our thorns to roses,
Glory, Lord, as they bloom upon Your brow;
The path of pain is hallowed, for Your love has made it sweet. —N. Rose

2 Chronicles 34:1-33; Daniel 2:1-23; 1 John 4:1-21

Prove thy servants…ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Daniel 1:12
Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 1 Corinthians 3:13

Believers must be tested. The world scrutinizes the consistency of our profession. The four Hebrews needed to demonstrate backbone in the face of Babylonian idolatry. But the greater assessment comes from our Lord: “We must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Cor. 5:10). —Keith R. Keyser

My Master, lead me to Thy door;
Pierce this now willing ear once more;
Thy bonds are freedom; let me stay
With Thee, to toil, endure, obey. —Handley Moule

2 Chronicles 33:1-25; Daniel 1:1-21; 1 John 3:1-24

So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy. Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!…Do not be afraid.”
Matthew 28:8-10 NKJV

Fear and great joy! What a mixture of emotion these women experienced as they ran from the tomb. After all, there was a great earthquake, angels descending, the Lord arisen, and the stone rolled away. What’s not to fear? But, the good news of the risen Saviour would soon override their fears. When? When they saw Him, standing there, alive! He said to them, “Rejoice…Do not be afraid.” Don’t let your fears overwhelm you. Rejoice in our risen Lord and go and tell the good news to the world. —Rex Trogdon

Death cannot keep his prey —Jesus my Saviour!
He tore the bars away —Jesus my Lord!
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose! —Robert Lowry

2 Chronicles 32:1-33; Ezekiel 48:1-35; 1 John 2:12-29

And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets… 2 Chronicles 36:15-16 NKJV

Still today the Lord reaches out in different ways to people. He speaks through the beauty of His creation, the testimony of believers and His own Word, the Bible, urging people to repent of their sins and believe His Son Jesus Christ. He says, “Behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). Have you believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour? Trust Him today. —Annette Baal

Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!  —Charlotte Elliott

2 Chronicles 31:1-21; Ezekiel 47:1-23; 1 John 1:1-2:11

Jesus wept. John 11:35
Rejoice evermore. 1 Thessalonians 5:16

I well remember as a boy in Sunday school being taught that these were the shortest verses in the Bible. One spoke of sorrow and the other of joy. “Jesus wept” at the death of his friend Lazarus. How the Lord loved him! The Lord loves each one of us too. So much so that He died upon a cross. If we trust Him and accept Him we “Rejoice evermore” in Him. —John M. Clegg

Rejoice! Rejoice! Ye saints rejoice,
Rejoice with one accord;
Rejoice with all your heart and voice,
In Christ the exalted Lord.  —C. Russell Hurditch

2 Chronicles 30:1-27; Ezekiel 46:1-24; John 21:1-25

By faith Abraham… Hebrews 11:17

Biblically, “believed” is first mentioned in relation to Abram (Gen. 15:6). Here we learn that biblical faith has three components. First, it is based on a report given. God issued a report to Abram: “Count the stars…so shall your descendants be” (v. 5). Second, the reliability of the One giving the report is assessed. Abram was convinced of God’s trustworthiness: “When God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself” (Heb. 6:13). Finally, there is a measured response: “And [Abram] believed in the Lord” (Gen. 15:6). This is true of us. We have “the report of God’s Word” (Rom. 10:17, Dby). We have God’s reliable character, “for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23). What will your response be? —Brian Cretney

‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise, just to know, “thus saith the Lord”. —L. Stead

2 Chronicles 29:1-36; Ezekiel 45:1-25; John 20:19-31

Oh that I knew where I might find him!… Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him. Job 23:3, 8-9

Poor suffering Job! His friends were “miserable comforters” (Job 16:2), and now he couldn’t find God. Never had the Lord seemed so distant! But Job comforted his own heart by remembering that “He knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10). We would also do well to remember that, in times of severe trial, “He knoweth…”. —E. C. Bishop

Help me then, in every tribulation,
So to trust Your promises, O Lord;
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation,
Offered me within Thy holy Word. —Carolina Sandell Berg