Month: August 2023

2 Samuel 2:1-32; Micah 4:9-5:15; Romans 11:1-12

The sword of Goliath the Philistine…..There is none like that; give it to me. 1 Samuel 21:9
The word of God is…sharper than any two-edged sword. Hebrews 4:12

David had proven Goliath’s sword when he removed the owner’s head with it. He saw what it could accomplish when skillfully handled. May you and I know from personal experience what can be conquered by the living and powerful sword of God’s Word. Let us use it today for His glory, the consolation of the saints and the conviction of sinners. —Arnot P. McIntee

Oh blessed Word, O gracious Word,
We love it more and more;
O may it be our strength and sword
Till earthly strife is o’er. —L. W. Munhall

2 Samuel 1:1-27; Micah 3:1-4:8; Romans 9:30-10:21

They all ate and were filled… Mark 6:42 NKJV

Someone wondered if perhaps, for most of these people, this was the first time in their lives they had ever been satisfied after a meal. Many in our world can identify with that feeling of hunger. The Puritans used to refer to Sunday as “the market-day for the soul”, the day when we have an opportunity to gather food for our souls for the week ahead, as the Word is opened and taught. Today, let us bring our basket to the feast. “Only bread and only wine” says the hymn, but to us it a “sweet feast of love divine”. Come. Come eager and come prepared. Come expecting to gather good and great things, to be satisfied and to leave with baskets of leftovers to share with a needy world. —Marilyn MacMullen

I was glad when they said unto me,
Let us go into the house of the Lord. —F. G. Burroughs

1 Samuel 30:1-31:13; Micah 1:1-2:13; Romans 9:1-29

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while….And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. Mark 6:31, 39

Three times Mark 6 talks of a “desert place”. Strong’s defines it as “a desolate, uninhabited, uncultivated, wilderness region”. How then did a patch of green grass appear in such a desert place? Surely the Lord knew it was there and His planning led them to that place of colour and life. God’s provision fed them in that desert place and God’s power was displayed there. He can do the same for us. “Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give
bread also?” (Ps. 78:19-20). —Jerry Proctor

The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want; He makes me down to lie in pastures green; He leadeth me, the quiet waters by. —Francis Rous

1 Samuel 28:1-29:11; Isaiah 66:1-24; Romans 8:18-39

And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. John 16:8 NKJV

The ministry of the Spirit, the Helper, is to help people see their deep need of salvation. He helped me. He also helps us to witness to others. Note His three points. Sin, because they do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the ultimate sin. Righteousness, because only Jesus Christ is righteous. He is at the Father’s right hand. Judgment, because the ruler of this world, Satan, has been judged. His doom is sure as with all unbelievers! Sharing these
convictions will help you to be a Spirit led witness. —Rex Trogdon

Lord, lay some soul upon my heart,
And love that soul through me;
And may I humbly do my part
To win that soul for Thee. —Leon Tucker

1 Samuel 26:1-27:12; Isaiah 65:1-25; Romans 8:1-17

And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle…and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged. Genesis 8:1 

Had God forgotten Noah? Had He fallen asleep and left the ark alone on the voracious sea to be swallowed up by angry waves? No. God cannot forget those who love Him! “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me” (Isa. 49:16). His thoughts are forever towards us, and with a nod to the wind, the fiercest storm can be calmed. Are you battling a tempest today? He will take care of you! —Deborah Manera

In every rough and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the vale.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay. —Edward Mote

1 Samuel 25:1-44; Isaiah 63:15-64:12; Romans 7:7-25

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. John 20:29 

We never had the wonderful experience of actually seeing the Lord as He lived and moved on the earth. We never heard a word that He spoke, nor ever witnessed any tremendous miracle He performed. Though we didn’t see, we believe. As a result the Lord would call us “blessed”. One day we shall see Him and be with Him forever. How blessed we are and how blessed then we will be! The best is yet to come. —John M. Clegg

We saw Thee not when Thou didst come, to this poor world of sin and death, Nor e’er beheld Thy cottage home, in that despised Nazareth; But we believe Thy footsteps trod its streets and plains, Thou Son of God.  —John H. Gurney

1 Samuel 23:1-24:22; Isaiah 62:1-63:14; Romans 6:15-7:6

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. John 20:18

Mary Magdalene could not find her Saviour, but the garden was the last place she knew where her Lord had been. Despite not finding Him, she stayed there, even when John and Peter left. Sometimes when we feel distant from the Lord’s presence we must be still, and stay where we are, waiting for His Spirit to reassure us of His constant abiding with us. In due course, the Lord called Mary by name. In the same way He will speak to us. —K. J. W.

I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses;
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.  —C. Austin Miles

1 Samuel 21:1-22:23; Isaiah 61:1-11; Romans 6:1-14

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm…I will spue thee out of my mouth. Revelation 3:15-16

The Laodicean church is a picture of the church in the last days—a picture of the church today: lukewarm; self sufficient; no urgency to “snatch people from the very gates of hell”. We might well wonder, just how much longer before we are caught up to be with the Lord? Then all opportunities to tell men and women, boys and girls about Christ, who died to save them from hell, will be gone forever. —David Croudace

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus the Mighty to save. —Fanny Crosby

1 Samuel 19:8-20:42; Isaiah 60:1-22; Romans 5:12-21

They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods, according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away. 2 Kings 17:33 NKJV

As we gather to worship the Lord today, are we harbouring other gods or other idols in our hearts? We who have so much to be thankful for, need to ensure our hearts are wholly for His purposes and are holy for His glory. The Lord Jesus Christ is to have the preeminence today and always. Do I have some idol removal to do? —Annette Baal

Lord, You are the First and the Last;
Help me, You to give,
First, last and full place in my heart;
You alone are worthy!  —Annette Baal

1 Samuel 18:6-19:7; Isaiah 59:1-21; Romans 4:23-5:11

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe…that they all may be one…that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. John 17:20-21

A remarkable fact about this prayer is that, although it was offered up by our Saviour 2,000 years ago, we are its subject matter. What did He ask for us? That we may be one. What a difficult challenge. But it is critically important, because it will cause the world to believe that our Saviour was indeed sent by the Father. If we are not one, they have much cause to disbelieve. Are we taking this divine prayer request seriously? —Ken Gross

Blest be the tie that
Binds our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above. —John Fawcett