Month: February 2024

Exodus 10:1-29; Psalms 42:1-43:5; Acts 4:32-5:11

He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me. Psalm 18:19 NKJV
I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart. Psalm 40:8 NKJV

If you are not yet a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, He is waiting with open arms for you to come to Him. If you are a believer, the Lord delights in you. So be open to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and delight yourself in Him each and every day. As we spend time with Him, our delight in Him and His Word will increase. And in turn, He will delight to shower us with His love, peace, grace and mercy. —Annette Baal

We share Thy joy, in Him who sitteth there;
Our hearts delight, in Thy delight in Him.  —W.B. Dick

Exodus 9:1-35; Psalm 40:1-41:13; Acts 4:1-31

He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. John 19:30 NKJV

Each of the four Gospels gives an account of the Lord’s last breath. However, there are three different expressions used. Matthew says Christ, “yielded up His spirit”. Both Mark and Luke say, “He breathed His last”, while John says, “He gave up His spirit”. Each of these descriptions fit with the writer’s presentation of Christ. In Matthew it is as a king the Lord Jesus dismisses His spirit. In Mark and Luke as a servant and as a man He breathes His last, and in
John as the Son of God He gives up His spirit. —Gary McBride

To heav’n He turns triumphant eyes;
“Tis finished” now the conqu’ror cries,
Then bows His sacred head and dies,
On the cross! 0n the cross! —Joseph Hoskins

Exodus 8:1-32; Psalms 38:1-39:13; Acts 3:1-26

Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13:3, 5

No person will be in heaven without agreeing with God’s Word about their sinfulness. After listening to Peter’s convicting preaching, his listeners said, “What shall we do?” Peter had proven Israel’s guilt from Scripture. They must repent and give public evidence of faith in Christ “for the remission of sins”. Recognizing their guilt,
they gladly received Peter’s message and 3,000 souls were saved (Acts 2:22-41). God’s Word is clear, “It is written, there is none righteous; all the world [is] guilty before God” (Rom. 3:10, 19). Respecting Jesus and believing about Him is not enough. Guilty, repentant sinners need the crucified, risen Saviour. Gladly they trust Him and are saved. — David W. Oliver

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow. —E. M. Hall

Exodus 6:14-7:25; Psalm 37:1-40; Acts 2:22-47

Be strong and of a good courage. Joshua 1:6

The call to be both strong and courageous is repeated four times in this chapter. The powerful, intelligent and righteous leadership of Moses had ended. Now the awesome responsibility for leadership of the nation fell upon his successor, Joshua. Humanly speaking it seemed an impossible task but Joshua was reassured that the Lord would be with him. But he must obey the Law. If he did what was right and trusted in God then his courage would not fail him
and he would provide strong leadership for the people. We should also remember the Lord’s nearness as we face difficult and dangerous situations. God is greater than all our problems. —Paul Young

Soldiers of Christ, arise, and put your armour on,
Strong in the strength which God supplies, through His eternal Son.  —Charles Wesley 

Exodus 5:1-6:13; Psalms 35:1-36:12; Acts 2:1-21

…Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king…And the Lord said…they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me. 1 Samuel 8:5,?7

Samuel was a great man of God but his failure to bring up his sons in the fear of the Lord caused Israel to reject God by asking for a king. In the same way my family life will have a great effect for either good or bad in the local church fellowship. Indeed if I do not lovingly lead my own family in the things of the Lord, how can I be a leader among God’s people (1 Tim. 3:4,?12)? Furthermore, I may even be the cause of some rejecting God. Let us pray for all who have young children. —David Croudace

Does your family see the Lord Jesus, in all you seek to do?
Will they follow your life for Him and trust His teaching too?  —Anonymous

Exodus 4:1-31; Psalm 34:1-22; Acts 1:1-26

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10

When God saved us by His grace, “The love of God [was] shed abroad in our hearts” (Rom. 5:5). God, who is love, and is the source of our love, enables us to love God and also other people. That love is confirmed when we see others and desire to bless them. We love lost souls because we see them as God sees them. There is value in them that they do not see in themselves. God’s love in His children is part of our new nature. Reflect it and bless those with whom we come in contact. —Gaius C. Goff

Chance and change are busy ever;
Man decays, and ages move;
But His mercy waneth never:
God is wisdom, God is love. —John Bowring

Exodus 2:23-3:22; Psalms 32:1-33:22; Matthew 28:1-20

When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. John 11:6

Consider the “therefore” in our text. The previous verse has told us of Jesus’ love for His friends in Bethany. Because He loved them, He abode two days still in the place where He was! Can we reconcile devotion with delay? Are we often impatient with what appear to be God’s delays in our lives? Do we question His wisdom, His power or His interest in the crises in our lives? The death of Lazarus was “for the glory of God” (11:4) “Hope thou in God: for I
shall yet praise him” (Ps. 42:5). —L. Cain

My times are in Your hand,
Whatever they may be,
Pleasing or painful, dark or bright,
As You know best for me. —W. F. Lloyd

Exodus 1:1-2:22; Psalm 31:1-24; Matthew 27:45-66

In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence,  incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. Titus 2:7-8 NKJV

Overseers and leaders are to consistently showcase what appropriate Christian behaviour and testimony looks and sounds like. Titus himself was responsible to show how high the bar is set. Paul made it clear to him that he was to walk what he talked. Leaders lead by example. They, in particular, must be our Christian exemplars. But the expectation is no less for any of us. The only offense the unconverted should have against us is our devotion to Christ
and the Gospel. —Peter Ramsay

O Lord, with sorrow and with shame we meekly would confess,
How little we, who bear Thy name, Thy mind, Thy ways express. —J.G. Deck

Genesis 50:1-26; Psalm 30:1-12; Matthew 27:27-44

He said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things. John 21:17

Our Lord knew that Judas would betray Him. He knew Peter would deny Him three times and His disciples would forsake Him and flee. He knew there would be the agony of the garden of Gethsemane and the awful anguish of the cross. Knowing all this He went to the place called Calvary for you and me. Hallelujah, what a Saviour! —John M. Clegg

O Lord, when we the path retrace
Which thou on earth hast trod;
To men Thy wondrous love and grace,
Thy faithfulness to God.  —James G Deck

Genesis 49:1-33; Psalms 28:1-29:11; Matthew 27:1-26

He laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. Revelation 20:2

Today Chinese people all over the world celebrate their lunar new year—the year of the Dragon. It is popularly believed that people born this year have superb leadership, are ambitious, and have a strong drive to realize their dreams. However, in the Bible the Dragon (Cruelty) is just another name for the Serpent (Subtlety) of Eden, the Devil (Slanderer); Satan (Adversary). All of these descriptors demonstrate the kind of enemy he is. As Christians we need to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). —K. C. Ung

Stretch out Thine arm, victorious King, my reigning sins subdue;
Drive the old dragon from his seat, with all his hellish crew.  —Isaac Watts