Month: July 2024

Judges 4:1-24; Isaiah 25:1-12; 1 Corinthians 4:1-21

Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence. Psalm 140:13 NKJV

We are living in a world that is sick with sin. It is often difficult, but our Lord has asked us to give thanks in all our circumstances.  Nothing happens around us that does not pass through our Father’s will. We can trust Him! So let our eyes be looking to the Lord Jesus. Let us live out our faith in this cold world knowing that He is with us. We don’t want to just visit the Lord God now and again, we want to live in His presence. Let us rejoice and be glad. He knows, He cares and He loves! —Vickie Gaynier

Ever standing in Your presence,
Ever living face to face,
Ever sharing, ever listening,
Ever open to Your grace. —Ken Bible

Judges 3:5-31; Isaiah 24:1-23; 1 Corinthians 3:1-23

For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. 1 Thessalonians 1:8

Paul’s praise for the Thessalonian believers included telling them that they were essentially putting him out of work. Their well-known witness to the salvation of God was so wide spread, that the entire Grecian peninsula was being reached with the Gospel. They had embraced their own missionary responsibilities in their own land, and this became a model for evangelism. May we each do the same where we live. The coming of our Lord draws nigh. —Rick Morse

Shine forth, shine forth, O children of the Light!
Reflect, reflect His glory bright;
The mighty Sun of Righteousness,
who waits the world to bless. —Elizabeth Hewitt

Judges 2:6-3:4; Isaiah 22:15-23:18; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing… 1 Peter 3:9 NKJV

We live in a world filled with angry, confrontational people. Heated circumstances can bring out the worst in us. Even the child of God is tempted to anger when wrongly accused of doing something. The carnal response is to retaliate. But our desire shouldn’t be to win the argument but to win the person. The Lord is the greatest example of this. Brought before Pilate, the Sanhedrin and Herod, His answers were always soft, thoughtful and calm. How
then should the child of God respond? “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Prov. 15:1). —Sid Halsband

May the mind of Christ, my Saviour, live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling, all I do and say.  —Kate B. Wilkinson

Judges 1 to 2:5; Isaiah 21 to 22:14; 1 Corinthians 1

You shall not…make any noise with your voice…Then seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord [walked] on. Joshua 6:10, 13 NKJV

Was ever a military victory won in such a fashion! Seven days of silently encircling Jericho and then miraculously the walls came down. What an experience! But surely God does not work this way anymore. Is that true? If we will walk all seven days of the week in the way that the Lord has proscribed, we will find He still miraculously brings walls down. Notice it was walk, not talk. When the Israelites walked by faith (believing and acting on what God had said), the walls of Jericho fell. What walls will God bring down today, if we will simply walk as He has commanded? —S. McEachern

I looked to Jesus, and I found, in Him my star, my sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk, till trav’ling days are done. —H. Bonar

Joshua 24; Isaiah 19 to 20; 2 Thessalonians 3

Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. Psalm 148:13

Praise is appreciation and adoration of our Lord with words that express these sentiments. Linked with music it becomes more impactful on participants and by-standers who wonder what promotes such a commendation. When it is from the heart, praise can pass on a powerful message concerning our Lord Jesus Christ and His work and worth. This chorus of praise starts in heaven and cascades right down to earth. The “Hallelujahs” of God’s people today are always appropriate when they exalt our Lord. —Gaius C. Goff

Praise the Saviour, ye who know Him!
Who can tell how much we owe Him?
Gladly let us render to Him all we are and have.
—Thomas Kelly

Joshua 23; Isaiah 17 to 18; 2 Thessalonians 2

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness…that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers. Romans 1:8-9

Paul had never met most of the believers in Rome. But he had heard of their faith, witness, and service for Christ. He was thankful for them and prayed for them. How about us? When we hear of God’s work elsewhere do we thank the Lord for it? Do we pray for His global work, supporting His servants financially as He leads? We have the responsibility to pray for the work of other believers. What a privilege to be involved in the Lord’s worldwide outreach. —George Ferrier

Who dares stand idle on the harvest plain,
While all around us waves the golden grain? —J. Borthwick

Joshua 22; Isaiah 15 to 16; 2 Thessalonians 1

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15

What a source of comfort for saints passing through this vale of tears, to know that our High Priest has first-hand experience of all the troubles and trials that can afflict His people here on earth. The Lord Jesus knows what it is to suffer rejection, misunderstanding, hatred, severe pain, and distress. He even knows the cost of fulfilling the will of God for His life, even unto death. Dear suffering saint, the Lord Jesus knows exactly how you feel, and therefore can bring meaningful comfort to your troubled aching heart. —Willie H. Burnett

Touched with a sympathy within, He knows our feeble frame;
He knows what sore temptations mean, for He has felt the same. —I. Watts

Joshua 20 to 21; Isaiah 14; 1 Thessalonians 5

For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. Psalm 100:5 NKJV

Our eight-year-old grandson had read Psalm 100 at our local church prayer meeting. When he finished, my husband asked, “Why is the Lord good?” to which his six-year-old brother replied, “Because He rescued us”. How wonderful to know that Jesus has rescued us by enduring the judgement due to us for our sins. How great to know that He can save us from the penalty and power of our sin. Has He rescued you today? —Janet Fleming

He left the glory of heaven, and came to a world of sin.
He died on the cross to save me; to rescue my soul from hell.
How can I ever thank Him, for taking my judgement on Him?
I’ll go to a world that is dying His love and salvation to tell.
—Janet Fleming

Joshua 18 to 19; Isaiah 13; 1 Thessalonians 4

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:6-7 NKJV

You don’t want a trouble-free life. You may think you do, but you don’t. A trouble-free life is a weak and anaemic thing. What we want is a tried faith. Trial produces a robust and mature faith. But in addition, a tried faith gathers to itself riches that are “more precious than gold that perishes”. Such riches cannot be obtained any other way. —Brian Gunning

For by and by, the mist will lift, and plain it all He’ll make,
Through all the way, though dark to me, He made not one mistake.
—A. M. Overton

Joshua 16 to 17; Isaiah 11 to 12; 1 Thessalonians 2:13 to 3:13

I waited patiently for the Lord… mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. Psalm 40:1; 69:3
I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1

Anticipating His Father’s deliverance, our Redeemer endured mankind’s animosity while satisfying the wrath of God and fulfilling every promise regarding Himself. Waiting upon Him is the key to a life of victory for us too, and Scripture details the fruits of our waiting: salvation, refuge, strength, goodness, hope, righteousness, joy, and mercy. Today, what fruit does our Lord enjoy while He awaits His Bride? Until we hear the shout, may it be the fruit of our lips in continual praise to our Lord! —David J. Reed

Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness;
Praise Him! Praise Him! Ever in joyful song! —Fanny Crosby