Month: June 2023

Joshua 13:1-33; Isaiah 9:8-10:4; Luke 24:36-53

Is there no balm in Gilead, Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery for the health of the daughter of my people? Jeremiah 8:22 NKJV

Jeremiah was discouraged. He had a hard message to give God’s people. They had sinned grievously and God was sending the Babylonians to conquer them and bring them captive to Babylon. At such a sad moment Jeremiah cried, “Is there no balm in Gilead, is there no physician there?”. We too have sinned against our God but how wonderful to know that there is balm in Gilead, and that it is our Lord Jesus Christ. When people turn to Him they will be healed (saved). What a message for these hard days! —Rosemary J. Richardson

There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole.
There is a balm in Gilead to heal this sinsick soul.  —Author Unknown

Joshua 11:1-12:24; Isaiah 8:5-9:7; Luke 24:13-35

We have such an high priest. Hebrews 8:1

To be a high priest, a person must be “taken from among men… ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins” (Heb. 5:1). Indeed, we have such a High Priest in sinless Jesus (Heb. 5:5-8). He offered Himself unto God on our behalf, once for all, and is now seated on His right hand (Heb. 1:3) interceding for us (Heb. 7:25). “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). —K. C. Ung

Jesus, my great High Priest, offered His blood and died;
My guilty conscience seeks no sacrifice beside.
His pow’rful blood did once atone,
And now it pleads before the throne. —Isaac Watts

Joshua 10:1-43; Isaiah 7:1-8:4; Luke 23:47-24:12

Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. 2 Thessalonians 3:16

There are many things on our life’s journey that have the potential to rob us of our peace. Thankfully, the legacy of peace Jesus left His disciples is still ours to claim today! “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you…let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:27). Think of it, the Lord of peace Himself, offers you His peace, always, by all  means! May His peace, which passes all understanding, guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus today (Phil. 4:7). —E. V.

The winds and the waves shall obey My will, peace, be still!
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea,
Or demons, or men or whatever it be; 
They all shall sweetly obey My will; peace, peace be still.  —Mary A. Baker

Joshua 9:1-27; Isaiah 6:1-13; Luke 23:13-46

Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings. Micah 3:4

There are times when the condition of our lives presents an obstacle to prayer, and our Lord’s willingness to hear us. Repentance is not just for unbelievers coming to Him as Saviour, but is just as needful for believers approaching Him as Lord. When we confess our sin, He forgives and cleanses us, so that we may again draw near to Him without fear in the full assurance that it is His delight to hear and answer. What am I harboring today that needs to be repented of and confessed? He’s waiting to hear from each of us. —Rick Morse

Now hear me when I pray, take all my sin away,
O let me from this day, be wholly Thine. —Ray Palmer

Joshua 8:1-35; Isaiah 5:1-30; Luke 22:54-23:12

Our care for you in the sight of God… 2 Corinthians 7:12

The apostle Paul had a genuine concern for the spiritual well-being of all the saints he knew. In the context of this chapter, he was most anxious to know how they had responded to his first letter. For in it he had pointed out several failures on their part and the need to act in the fear of God, in putting things right. Do we have a real heartfelt love and care for the Lord’s people? Do we pray for and seek to help any who may be struggling, discouraged or who have grown cold in heart due to sin? The Lord sees any kindness shown. —Pete Smith

Give me a faithful heart, likeness to Thee;
That each departing day, henceforth may see,
Some work of love begun, some deed of kindness done,
Some wanderer sought and won, something for Thee.  —R. Lowry

Joshua 7:1-26; Isaiah 3:1-4:6; Luke 22:31-53

Under whose wings you have come for refuge. Ruth 2:12 NKJV

With majestic power God brought Israel to Himself on eagle’s wings (Ex. 19:4). David enjoyed preservation in the shadow of God’s mighty wings (Ps. 36:7; 57:1; 63:7). He trusted under the shelter of those wings for protection (Ps. 61:4). But Moses’ shelter (Ps. 91:1) was to be covered with His feathers, under His wings (v. 4), not outstretched wings, but the privacy of enfolding wings, near to God’s heart. How blessed! Ruth found grace (Ruth 2:10) and refuge near to God’s caring heart. We, once were strangers and afar off (Eph. 2:12-13), yet through the exceeding riches of God’s grace (v. 7) are accepted in oneness with His Beloved Son! (Eph. 1:6). —David W. Oliver

Dear, so very dear to God, dearer I could not be,
For in the Person of His Son, I am as near as He. —Catesby Paget

Joshua 5:13-6:27; Isaiah 2:1-22; Luke 22:1-30

Who is this man walking in the field to meet us? Genesis 24:65

Isaac was last mentioned in Genesis 22 on an altar of sacrifice. Gen. 22:19 says, “Abraham returned unto his young men.” Isaac is not again in view until today’s chapter. The servant speaks of the son to Rebekah and she chooses to travel with him to meet Isaac. In the scene before us, Isaac comes out of his father’s house to meet his bride. This wonderfully illustrates the experience and expectation of Christ’s return. He was here as a sacrifice but will come
from the Father’s house to receive His bride. —Gary McBride

I am waiting for Thee, Lord, Thy beauty to see Lord,
I am waiting for Thee, for Thy coming again,
Thou art gone over there, Lord, a place to prepare Lord,
Thy home I shall share, at Thy coming again.  —H. Burlingham

Joshua 4:1-5:12; Isaiah 1:1-31; Luke 21:5-38

And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life. Deuteronomy 17:19a

Knowing that someday Israel would desire a king, God directed Moses to give him divine instruction. Among other things, God told Moses to make sure that he was provided with his own personal copy of the law, copied from the priest’s scroll. By reading it daily, he would learn to fear the Lord, and keep and do all that was written therein. Have you read your personal copy of God’s Word today? Are you feeding on His Word every day? —Sam Thorpe

Open my eyes, that I may see,
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key,
That shall unclasp, and set me free.  —C. Scott

Joshua 3:1-17; Hosea 11:12-14:9; Luke 20:20-21:4

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:25 NKJV

It was said of Edward VI that “He died young but lived long, if life be action.” That reminds me of a worthy prayer request for our children—that they die young to self, and live long for Christ, for His church, and for His cause. —Marilyn MacMullen

Only one life to offer
Jesus, my Lord and King;
Only one tongue to praise Thee,
And of Thy mercy sing (forever);
Only one heart’s devotion,
Saviour, O may it be
Consecrated alone to Thy matchless glory,
Yielded fully to Thee. —A. Christiansen

Joshua 2:1-24; Hosea 10:1-11:11; Luke 20:1-19

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace… Galatians 1:15

Have you ever realized that the first gift you ever received was the gift of life? God has always had a special plan in mind for you. The development of a baby in its mother’s womb is truly amazing. We are fearfully and wonderfully made! Let us thank the Lord for giving us the gift of life. —Bronwyn Hagey

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean.
How marvelous, how wonderful! And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous, how wonderful, is my Saviour’s love for me!  —Charles Gabriel