Month: November 2022

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

A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench. Isaiah 42:3, NKJV

A reed was not valuable. A bruised reed even less so. Easily discarded. But not to the Lord. He treated it with tenderness. We were all broken reeds; broken by sin. But the Lord Jesus would not discard us. Perhaps today you are sensing the great weight of your sin and feeling broken by it. You don’t know where to turn. There is Someone who can fully help. The Lord Jesus Christ accepts us in our brokenness. He promises He will never turn you away. He will forgive you and give you the peace that only comes with forgiveness. He accepts broken reeds. I know because He accepted me. —Paul Robertson

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see.—John Newton

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

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.  Philippians 4:23

In every greeting and closing comment, in every letter that Paul wrote to the churches, he included the word grace. Why? At one time he was a religious zealot who persecuted the innocent and brutally murdered in the name of his religion. He was a wicked man and a stranger to grace. Then the Lord met him on a dusty road! He conversed with him, convinced him, converted him and gave him eternal life. Paul became overwhelmed by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We should be too! —Ray Jones

Grace, grace it was that brought Thee down;
Love shone in all Thy ways;
Through death Thine is the Victor’s crown;
And Thine the endless praise. —Douglas Russell

2 Chronicles 27:1-28:27; Ezekiel 44:1-31; John 20:1-18

Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?  Romans 9:19
Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.  Acts 7:51
Who will have all men to be saved. 1 Timothy 2:4

The will of God expressly states that He wants all men to be saved. Yet many are not saved. Is the arm of the Lord shortened, that He cannot save? Not at all. We are each given the capacity to resist His will, albeit to our own eternal hurt. Resisting the Holy Spirit, who points us to Christ, is most certainly not without consequences. Heed the Spirit’s plea and come to Christ today.  —Rick Morse

Tell the joyful news, wherever man is found,
Whosoever will may come. —Philip P. Bliss

2 Chronicles 26:1-23; Ezekiel 43:1-27; John 19:17-42

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day. Revelation 1:10

John tells us here that he was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” when he was given his great vision of the glorified Lord. In response he fell prostrate in worship. If we, like John, would be worshippers on the Lord’s day, then being “in the Spirit”, as worshippers, must be our habit of life during the week. —W. H. Burnett

Here rejoicing in Thy nearness,
Gladly by Thy Spirit led,
Calmy in the blest remembrance,
Of Thyself, Thy blood once shed.  —Mrs. Thompson

2 Chronicles 25:1-28; Ezekiel 42:1-20; John 18:28-19:16

Where are you? Genesis 3:9, NKJV
Where have you come from, and where are you going?  Genesis 16:8, NKJV

God asks the important questions. First, “Where are you?” This question was asked of Adam that he might realize that he could not hide from God. He asks the same question to our hearts, that we might know that we are lost. Second, “Where have you come from?” This should cause us to focus on the Life-giver and get our bearings from our Creator. Third, “Where are you going?” This is the ultimate question. Where will you spend eternity? What is your answer? —Rex Trogdon

I know my mansion He prepareth, That where He is, there I may be;
O wondrous tho’t, for me He careth, And He at last will come for me.   —Jessie B. Pounds

2 Chronicles 23:1-24:27; Ezekiel 41:1-26; John 18:1-27

The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Numbers 14:18
The Lord…is longsuffering [toward us], not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Pet. 3:9

Longsuffering is simply defined as “patience”. How thankful we should be for that attribute of God. If He had not been longsuffering with us, where would we be? Because we belong to Him we should reflect that same attribute in our dealings with others, whether saved or unsaved. It surely is a rare commodity in our world and shines bright when manifested. —Wm. H. Gustafson

Teach me, Lord, to wait down on my knees,
Till in Your own good time You answer my pleas,
Teach me not to rely on what others do,
But to wait in prayer for an answer from You. —Stuart Hamblen

2 Chronicles 21:1-22:12; Ezekiel 40:1-49; John 17:1-26

Mattaniah…[began] the thanksgiving in prayer. Neh. 11:17
Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving. Nehemiah 12:8
God had made them rejoice with great joy…so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. Nehemiah 12:43

Never have so many had so much. But has there ever been a time when so many seem dissatisfied and unhappy? Mattaniah means “gift of Jehovah”. He was a man of thanksgiving. When the people commemorated the completion of Jerusalem’s wall, he began the celebration with a prayer of thanksgiving. Later, he led psalms of thanksgiving. In our ungrateful age, people who have a thankful heart are gifts of God. They remind us that all we have we owe to
Him. Thanking Him will bring great joy. —S. McEachern

Praise to the Lord, above all things so wondrously reigning;
Sheltering you under His wings, and so gently sustaining! —J. Neander

2 Chronicles 20:1-37; Ezekiel 39:1-29; John 16:16-33

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 2:17

It is a daily challenge to let go of our desires and conform our outlook to the will of God. Yet nothing is more important for us, as Christians, than to understand the aim and desire God has for us and then to fulfil it. Someone has wisely written, “To know God’s will is life’s greatest treasure, and to do God’s will is life’s greatest pleasure.” To see God’s will unfold in our lives gives fulfilment, delight and deep rejoicing. May we daily walk a life of commitment to the Lord and fulfil His will for us. —Paul Young

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 Addison Pollard

2 Chronicles 18:1-19:11; Ezekiel 38:1-23; John 15:17-16:15

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom…But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23-24, NKJV

The messaging is consistent throughout the Bible. Even the smallest amount of pride detected in my heart is an abomination to God. But He also discerns with delight every thought of Himself we cherish in our hearts—however small it may be. That’s encouraging! May we be ruthless in judging our pride and more diligent in knowing Him better. —P. Ramsay

He’s the great Shepherd, the Rock of all ages, Almighty God is He;
Bow down before Him, love and adore Him,
His name is wonderful, Jesus my Lord. —Audrey Mieir

2 Chronicles 16:1-17:19; Ezekiel 37:1-28; John 15:1-16

O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day.  Psalm 119:97

A mother trying to impress the visiting preacher said to her little girl, “Honey, get the book Mommy loves so much”. She quickly returned with the Sears catalogue! We smile, but really, how important is God’s Word to you? We have the Bible in our hands, but not in our hearts and therefore it is not lived out in our lives. Take time to read it, meditate on it, and obey it. Allow the Holy Spirit to apply it to your life. It diagnoses the problems, heals, and cleanses our sin, and it is daily manna to strengthen and nourish us day by day. May I encourage you to get a good devotional book that will help to build you up in your walk too? —Jim Comte

Precious Holy Bible, treasure rich and rare,
Word of God eternal, balm for every care. —A. P. Gibbs