Category: Uncategorised

2 Kings 6:24-7:20; Jeremiah 41:1-42:6; Hebrews 10:19-39

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified.” Haggai 1:7-8 NKJV

After 70 years of captivity in Babylon, the Lord brought the children of Israel back to the Promised Land. An important component of their returning responsibility was to rebuild the Temple. With industry and enthusiam, the work was started, but then it stopped because of opposition from locals. So God sent two prophets, Haggai and
Zechariah, to challenge and motivate the people to return to the work. Sometimes we get lethargic in our service for God and He has to prompt us to start afresh. Do we need a renewing call from the Lord today? —Rosemary J. Richardson

Revive us again, fill each heart with Thy love,
May each soul be rekindled, with fire from above. —William Mackay

2 Kings 6:1-23; Jeremiah 39:1-40:16; Hebrews 10:1-18

Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You.” John 17:1 NKJV

In the four preceding chapters of John, we find the Lord in the intimacy of an upper room, surrounded by His beloved disciples, instructing and preparing them for life after He was physically gone. However, He knew these men: men with fears, men who lacked complete understanding of all that would soon take place. Thus we come to today’s chapter and find Jesus saying, “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours” (John 17:9). What assurance to His disciples, and to you and me. “He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25). —Jim Comte

Oh yes, He cares – I know He cares!
His heart is touched with my grief. —Frank Graeff

2 Kings 5:1-27; Jeremiah 38:1-28; Hebrews 9:15-28

And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! Matthew 27:29

At His crucifixion it was determined that if our Lord was a king then He should have a crown. The crown that He wore on that day was made from cruel thorns, a product of the cursed earth.  They were pressed down on His holy brow into which never an evil thought had entered. Praise and thank God that today He is the Victor and not the victim. Today He is crowned with glory and honour and worthy of it all. —John M. Clegg

The head that once was crowned with thorns,
is crowned with glory now;
A royal diadem adorns, the mighty Victor’s brow. —Thomas Kelly

2 Kings 4:1-44; Jeremiah 37:1-21; Hebrews 9:1-14

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:20

An ambassador is a high-ranking diplomat, who is sent out by a government to speak for them and to be their representative in another nation. An ambassador for Christ is sent out by God as a representative of His kingdom, to represent His truth and light, in a world of deceit and darkness. What a great privilege and responsibility we  therefore have as believers. Let us faithfully live and witness for Him today. —Pete Smith

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of His name!
Make known His might, the deeds His arm has done;
His mercy sure, from age to age the same,
His holy name, the Lord, the mighty One.  —T. Dudley-Smith

2 Kings 3:1-27; Jeremiah 36:1-32; Hebrews 8:1-13

Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV

F. B. Meyer refers to these three hallmarks of believers as the root, the stem, and the fruit. Faith is the root, for who or what we trust in determines what kind of plant will grow. Hope is the stem, for our sure confidence that God will complete what He has begun, is what causes us to stand and grow strong amidst life’s storms. Love, however, is the beautiful fruit, with its fragrant aroma or satisfying taste. Love is our testimony to the world, our own reward, and a
means of glorifying our heavenly Gardener. —Eunice Free

When we love, we earn the right to speak the truth:
When we speak truth, we show the world we truly love.  —B. Herms & M. Hall

2 Kings 2:1-25; Jeremiah 35:1-19; Hebrews 7:1-28

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. 1 Timothy 3:16

May Christ’s birth ever direct us to His condescension. May His life ever captivate our attention and affections. May His sufferings teach us what it cost to procure forgiveness and His tender shepherd care draw us to dependence on Him in all things. May His glorious Person draw out ever greater and sweeter devotion unto Him, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. —Doug Lewis

Have Thine own way, Lord!
Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter,
I am the clay. —Adelaide Pollard

2 Kings 1:1-18; Jeremiah 34:1-22; Hebrews 5:11-6:20

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Psalm 51:12

Psalm 51 is a powerful chapter of repentance and a lesson on the devastation of sin. David recognizes what he has done against God and writes, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.” It is a reminder of what sin does to us. It leaches the joy from our relationship with God. It separates us from experiencing God’s love as we should. Can we lose our salvation? Absolutely not! But sin can still affect our fellowship with Him. When we stumble, may we quickly run back to the Father. Let us never allow sin to rob us of what is ours in the Lord. —Caleb Riordan

No longer far from Him,
But now by “precious blood” made nigh;
Near to God’s heart we lie. —Robert Boswell

1 Kings 22:1-53; Jeremiah 33:1-26; Hebrews 4:14-5:10

If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. Jeremiah 18:8

There are few mental exercises as powerful as repentance. When we change our thoughts and intents from our own ways to the Lord’s ways, He reacts with immeasurable mercy and grace. There may be some self-made course of action which I have stubbornly set my heart upon today. May His wisdom enable me to forsake my thoughts and yield to Him about the way that I should take. —Rick Morse

Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still. —Adelaide A. Pollard

1 Kings 21:1-29; Jeremiah 32:26-44; Hebrews 4:1-13

Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. 2 Samuel 24:24

David had sinned—and he entreated the Lord not to punish the people because of him. He purchased the threshing floor of a foreigner knowing that sacrifice must cost him something to be acceptable to the Lord. Sin needs atonement. Jesus paid the ultimate price to restore us to fellowship with God on the cross. Let that be the driving force of our worship and service to Him, even if it costs us much. After all, it cost our Lord everything! —Deborah Manera

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow. —Elvina M. Hall

1 Kings 20:1-43; Jeremiah 32:1-25; Hebrews 3:1-19

What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor? Esther 6:6 NKJV

In this story, Haman comes to the king to ask permission to hang Mordecai on the gallows Haman had prepared. In divine providence, the king has just read an account of a kindness Mordecai extended to the king. Mordecai who is in the gate, in sorrow, is brought up and given royal splendor and acclaim, and ultimately given the place of honour. Haman is hung on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. This account in history reminds us of our Lord and Saviour, that Man of sorrows now exalted to the highest place and His cross the place of defeat for Satan. —Gary McBride

Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious; see the Man of Sorrows now;
From the fight returned victorious, every knee to Him shall bow.  —Thomas Kelly