Month: July 2016

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Samuel 3; Isaiah 46; 2 Corinthians 6:11 to 7:16

I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren. – Romans 9:3

Our blessed Lord experienced the aggregate suffering of all our sins in those three hours on the cross. Because He was sinless and divine, He was the only one who could finish the work. All the eternal despair, utter abandonment, the curse of God, and darkness due to us through the eternal ages, He paid it. He suffered that we might go free. We are now forever free to praise His Name, He who bore our guilt and shame. We bow our hearts in worship! —Vernon Markle

Bearing shame and scoffing rude; in my place condemn’ed He stood;
Seal’d my pardon with His blood: Hallelujah! what a Saviour!
—Philip P. Bliss

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Samuel 2; Isaiah 44:24 to 45:25; 2 Cor. 5:11 to 6:10

If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. 1 Corinthians 16:22

How interesting to see these two Aramaic terms put side by side by Paul. Anathema is a curse on those who love not the Lord. When He returns it will be judgement and loss for them. Maranatha means, “O Lord, come.” It is a blessing on those who love Him. For them, a crown of righteousness awaits which the Lord shall give unto all those who love His appearing (2 Tim. 4:8). “Anathema” or “Maranatha” is the cry of your own personal choice. Which will it be? —K. C. Ung

Lord Jesus, come! And take Thy people home:
That all Thy flock, so scattered here,
With Thee in glory may appear.
Lord Jesus, come! Lord Jesus, come! —George Jekell

DAILY?READINGS: 1 Samuel 1; Isaiah 44:6-23; 2 Corinthians 4:7 to 5:10

…his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:14

As Copernicus, the great academic, lay dying, a copy of his most recent book, “The Revolution of the Heavenly Body”, was placed in his hands. At that time, he saw himself not as a great astronomer, but only as a needy sinner. His tombstone in Frauenberg reads in part: “I do not seek kindness equal to that given Paul, nor the grace granted Peter, but that forgiveness granted a robber—that earnestly I crave.” You may have that forgiveness today through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. —Arnot P. McIntee

There is forgiveness, God doth say, through the blood;
Both sin and guilt are put away through the blood.
—J. H. Burridge

DAILY?READINGS: Ruth 3-4; Isaiah 43 to 44:5; 2 Corinthians 3 to 4:6

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. Matthew 15:7-8

This a harsh condemnation that Jesus delivered against the Pharisees. But are we sometimes guilty of the same? A hypocrite says one thing, yet does another. How it must grieve our heavenly Father’s heart to see his children honouring Him with their lips, but in practice their hearts are far from him. May we search our hearts to see if this applies to us. —E. V.

Search me O God, and know my heart today;
Try me O Saviour, know my thoughts I pray;
See if there be some wicked way in me,
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free. —J. Edwin Orr

DAILY?READINGS: Ruth 2; Isaiah 42; 2 Corinthians 2

But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. Mark 1:30

In a short space of time, three of our neighbours faced surgery and the trauma of treatment for cancer. They endured a long, stressful battle but came through successfully. In each case, our main form of witness was saying that we would pray for them. It may not seem much in the eyes of the world but it is the most important action we can take as Christians. The people around Simon Peter’s mother-in-law immediately and without hesitation talked to the Lord about her need for healing. Are we slow to pray or do we, in every circumstance of need, turn to the Lord with intercession? —Paul Young

Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness, take it to the Lord in prayer. —J. Scriven

DAILY?READINGS: Ruth 1; Isaiah 41; 2 Corinthians 1

The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. Proverbs 18:10

Be suspicious if the world seemingly agrees with you. Such a state of affairs will not last. Our refuge is in the name of the Lord, not in the fickle currents of changing, fashionable opinion. Our fortress is in the name of the One who obtained eternal redemption for us. Our strong tower is in Him, who brought us out of the world and set our feet on the heavenward path. —Mark Fenn

O Lord! Our pilgrim-spirits long, To sing the everlasting song,
Of glory, honour, power; Till then, when Thou all power shalt wield,
Blest Saviour, Thou wilt be our shield. —Robert Cleaver Chapman

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

Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7

Many years ago, gorse (a type of shrub), was introduced to New Zealand. In the beginning people cared for it and even stole plants, hoping to make use of it as hedging. Today it is a noxious weed and we try every year to eradicate it, without success. Watch what you sow in your life today. Even innocent pastimes can become habits and eventually lead to sin. What are you planting in your life today?  —Janet Fleming

Sow love, joy, peace, patience and kindness,
Sow goodness and goodness will grow.
Sow faithfulness, self-control, meekness;
Remember, you reap what you sow!
—Janet Fleming

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

…Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity [persistence] he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. Luke 11:8

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice… 2 Corinthians 12:8

When should we stop praying about something? In one verse we learn to keep asking God for what we desire. In the other, Paul stopped praying after three times. In general we “do not cease to pray for you” (Col. 1:9). But when we receive an answer such as, “My grace is sufficient for thee” (2 Cor. 12:9), then it is time to move on to other matters of prayer. —Sid Halsband

O Thou by Whom we come to God, the Life, the Truth, the Way!
The path of prayer Thyself hast trod: Lord, teach us how to pray!
—James Montgomery

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

That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:31

Glorying or boasting is a part of our fleshly nature. We like to talk about ourselves, what we know and have accomplished. When it comes to being saved, we have nothing of ourselves to glory in. God saves us by His grace based on what Christ did for us (Rom. 5:8). He then works this salvation in us (Phil. 2:13) and He will finish that work on us when He conforms us to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). It is good that He does it all because we are not able. We do the trusting. He does the work. Our only glory is in Him. All praise to the Lord Jesus Christ. —Harold G. Smith

All praise to Him who reigns above, in majesty supreme,
Who gave His Son for man to die, that He might man redeem.—W. Clark

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

Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6

The old English root from which we get worry means “to strangle”. Worry does just that. It can “strangle” us to the point where we lose hope and wallow in despair. Worry robs us of our joy, peace and contentment. It pulls us in opposite directions—hope pulling one way, fear pulling the other way. This happens in our lives when we fail to give our problems to the Lord and leave them there. May we learn to roll all our care and anxieties upon the Lord, for He does care (1 Pet. 5:7). —Jim Comte

Is there a heart o’er bound by sorrow? Is there a life weighed down by care? Come to the cross, each burden bearing; all your anxiety—leave it there.
—Edward H. Joy