Month: November 2023

2 Chronicles 14:1-15:19; Ezekiel 36:16-38; John 14:15-31

The people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? Exodus 15:24
They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. I Corinthians 10:4

From chemical manufacturing complexes and other pollution, man produces “acid rain”, which has damaged many of Canada’s northern lakes. They no longer contain clear, satisfying, thirstquenching water. Unfortunately, many places from which believers seek satisfaction are polluted by sin. May we, like Israel, find our spiritual thirst quenched in Christ. —Arnot P. McIntee

I thirst, but not as once I did,
The vain delights of youth to share;
Thy wounds, Emmanuel, all forbid,
That I should find my pleasure there. —William Cowper

2 Chronicles 12:1-13:22; Ezekiel 35:1-36:15; John 13:31-14:14

Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. John 19:5
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple. Acts 16:14

Archaeologists in Israel recently discovered a piece of fabric dyed a vivid purple. Tabernacle coverings included a purple dye. Lydia, of Thyatira, sold purple dye for a living. The dye, recovered from a tiny gland in shellfish, was more expensive than gold due to the lengthy production process. Our Lord was given a crown of thorns and a purple robe in mockery. Marvellous to think that just as a cloth with purple in it covered the Divine presence in the tabernacle, so too was the Holy One of God covered with a purple robe.—Brian Powlesland

Crowned with thorns upon the tree, silent in Thine agony; 
Dying, crushed beneath the load, of the wrath and curse of God.  —H. Gratton Guiness

2 Chronicles 10:1-11:23; Ezekiel 34:1-31; John 13:1-30

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the Lord. Psalm 104:33-34 NKJV

As we rush through life, are we losing our ability and time to meditate? The psalmist’s mind ranges from the staggering mountain heights to the hidden depths of the ocean. Geology, hydrology, marine biology, zoology, ecology and more produce a doxology. Pondering the profundity of creation, the overwhelmed “meditating” heart worships the Maker, Creator and Sustainer of it all. Slow down, wonder and worship. —Peter Ramsay

There’s the wonder of sunset at evening,
The wonder as sunrise I see;
But the wonder of wonders, that thrills my soul,
Is the wonder that God loves me. —George B. Shea

2 Chronicles 8:1-9:31; Ezekiel 33:1-33; John 12:20-50

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9

Thoughts are important. They are an act of considering or remembering someone or something. Angry and hateful thoughts are sinful and have serious consequences. Genesis 6:5 says, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” What a terrible indictment! Thank God for giving us these words to think on and to live by: “Whatsoever things are true, honest, just,
pure, lovely, are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8). —Jerry Proctor

And is it so—I shall be like Thy Son?
Is this the grace which He for me has won? —J. Darby

2 Chronicles 7:1-22; Ezekiel 32:1-32; John 11:55-12:19

Thus saith the Lord God; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen…yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. Ezekiel 11:16

God had scattered His people far and wide. But in His mercy and grace He promised that He Himself would be a holy place to Whom they could flee! How precious is this? Are you alone, possibly far from home, isolated from family, friends, fellowship, unable to join the Lord’s people in worship? Well, here is a wonderful promise: the Lord Himself will be your sanctuary! The Lord who is all knowing, totally able, and ever present has promised to be your place of worship and fellowship! —Ray Jones

There is a place of quiet rest, near to the heart of God,
A place where sin cannot molest, near to the heart of God.  —Cleland B. McAfee

2 Chronicles 6:12-42; Ezekiel 30:20-31:18; John 11:28-54

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. John 9:1-3

A great comfort for a believer experiencing a health crisis is the confidence that God is using it for His glory. It may be by healing. God can and does heal, but sometimes He gets the most glory by supporting the believer through their trial, so that His own works might be manifest in them. Rest assured, child of God, there is a real purpose for the things you are going through. —Sid Halsband

Oh love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee.
I give Thee back the life I owe, that in Thine ocean depths, its flow,
May richer, fuller be. —George Matheson

2 Chronicles 5:1-6:11; Ezekiel 29:1-30:19; John 11:1-27

Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light. John 3:19

The striking contrast between darkness and light was exemplified when Jesus came into this dark world. Men hated Him because the light of His presence exposed their evil deeds. Paul reminds the Ephesians that they too were once in darkness, but now are light in the Lord. He then challenges them, and us, to “walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8). Is this being clearly demonstrated in each of our lives? God help us to “show forth the praises of him who hath called
you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). —E. V.

The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin,
The light of the world is Jesus.  —Philip P. Bliss

2 Chronicles 3:1-4:22; Ezekiel 28:1-26; John 10:19-42

Without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NKJV

After we have been abiding in Christ for a long time, we may be tempted to feel stronger than we really are. If we feel this way, we are headed for certain failure. Of ourselves, we are weak branches, but in Christ, we have all the strength we need to bear fruit and glorify God. Our weakness is our strength. God will remind us of our weakness even if He has to bring us very low to do it. Even if we are bearing only a little spiritual fruit, this itself is evidence that we are abiding. The Lord then continues His work in us so that we will bear “much fruit”. —David A. Dunlap

I’ve never seen a fruit-bearing Christian,
that was not a student of the Bible.  —D. L. Moody

2 Chronicles 1:1-2:18; Ezekiel 27:1-36; John 10:1-18

Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. Luke 10:39

Mary appears on only three occasions in the New Testament— always at Jesus’ feet! She sat down to learn the Word at Jesus’ feet, while Martha was cumbered with much serving (Luke 10:39-42). When Lazarus died, she wept at Jesus’ feet and Jesus wept with her (John 11:32-35)! And then He raised Lazarus to life (John 11:39-44). Finally, when Jesus visited Lazarus, she was at His feet to anoint them with her very costly ointment to welcome and worship Him. Let us ever be ready to learn His Word, weep for others and worship at His feet! —K. C. Ung

Mary, led by heav’nly grace,
Chose the meek disciple’s place.
At the feet of Jesus, is the place for me,
There a humble learner, would I choose to be. —Philip P. Bliss

1 Chronicles 29:1-30; Ezekiel 26:1-21; John 9:18-41

If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:36

The freedoms we enjoy as citizens are founded upon the sacrifice of those who fought and died for our nation. Today is set aside to remember them and we find ourselves grateful and humbled. Naturally, as we think of sacrifice and freedom, it turns our heart to the ultimate sacrifice, that of the Lord Jesus who gave His life to give us freedom from sin and death and a lost eternity. There never seems to be an end of earthly wars, but the battle for our soul’s freedom was won once and for all when our Saviour cried, “It is finished”. And now we are free indeed. —S.  McEachern

My chains are gone; I’ve been set free, my God, my Saviour has ransomed me,
And like a flood His mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace. —C. Tomlin