Month: December 2024

Esther 9:1-10:3; Malachi 3:7-4:6; Revelation 22:6-21

Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. Genesis 1:9 NKJV

Six times in this chapter of mighty creatorial power, we read “God said and it was so”. There is never any reason to doubt that God will do what He says He will do. A new year will arrive tomorrow. Many of us can probably look back over the past year and wonder why things we longed for have not come to pass. Don’t give up. Continue to seek Him out in prayer and wait to receive His word for your answer. Trust Him. He will bring the right thing to pass at just the right time, for His glory. —K.J.W.

‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise, just to know “Thus saith the Lord!”  —Louisa Stead

Esther 7:1-8:17; Malachi 2:10-3:6; Revelation 21:9-22:5

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him. Lam. 3:25 NKJV

This was the verse for today in Jabe Nicholson’s Petition Mission. I dutifully wrote it in my journal and nodded in appreciation of this very familiar truth, never thinking that I would have to apply it immediately. For as the day unfolded a medical situation that I thought was urgently needed was postponed. In communicating this change in timing to family I added the words of this verse, and slowly the truth of it nourished my soul. The word “linger”
has been challenging me this year, so perhaps this verse could include that the Lord is good to those who wait for, (and linger with) Him. —Marilyn MacMullen

My soul with patience waits, for Thee the living Lord;
The plenteous source and spring from whence eternal succour flows.  —Laura Tate

Esther 5:1-6:14; Malachi 1:1-2:9; Revelation 20:7-21:8

So will I compass thine altar, O Lord: That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. Psalm 26:6-7

To compass the altar is full of meaning. We start on the north side, where the sacrifice was offered for us; our salvation (Lev. 1:1). The east side where the ashes were placed; our justification (Lev. 1:6). The south side with God’s blessing flowing like a river (Ezek. 47). Lastly, the west side with the going down of the sun (Mal. 1:11), reminding our hearts that we will be with Him forever—glorified. This gives us great cause for thanksgiving and for telling of all His wondrous works! —Rex Trogdon

Yea justified! O blessed thought! And sanctified! Salvation wrought!
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me, and glorified, I too, shall be!  —James Gray

Esther 3:1-4:17; Zechariah 13:7-14:21; Revelation 19:11-20:6

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Titus 2:11

God’s saving grace has been fully manifested in the Person of His beloved Son, who is “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9), and He is “the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (1 Tim. 4:10). While God’s salvation is not universally applicable, it most certainly is universally available. “He is the propitiation (the satisfactory provision) for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). —Rick Morse

There’s a story ever new, it is wonderful and true,
And the best thing you can do, is believe it.
It will calm your troubled breast; it will give you peace and rest,
It’s of all the news the best, Oh, believe it. —John Ferguson

Esther 2:1-23; Zechariah 12:1-13:6; Revelation 19:1-10

At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me… But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me.
2 Timothy 4:16-17 NKJV

There may be times when you feel as if you’re facing life’s insurmountable circumstances all alone. The Apostle Paul certainly understood this. He endured many hardships all alone. Yet, even in such dire circumstances, Paul could say, “the Lord stood with me and strengthened me”. When all human comfort was gone, he could rely on the Lord’s strength to see him through. Take courage, you do not face your trial alone, for He has said, “I will never leave thee,
nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). —E. V.

No, never alone, No, never alone,
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone. —Ludie Carrington Day Pickett

Esther 1:1-22; Zechariah 11:1-17; Revelation 18:1-24

Do all things without complaining. Philippians 2:14 NKJV

In Exodus 15, as the Israelites tasted freedom from Egypt, their lips overflowed with singing to their Saviour God. However, just seventy two hours later, everything changed as they faced bitter disappointment at the undrinkable waters of Marah. Although God had not changed, their tune had! Singing was replaced with complaining, a word which at its root in Hebrew means “to stop, to stay permanently”. Their progress to the Promised Land was halted. Complaining is no small matter. It reflects a lack of faith in the goodness of God and misrepresents Him to those around us. Am I progressing in my walk with the Lord or is grumbling impeding my progress? —M. McKillen

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done! —J. Oatman Jr.

Nehemiah 13:1-31; Zechariah 9:1-10:12; Revelation 17:1-18

And Joseph also went up from Galilee…into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem. And so it was, that, while they were there…she brought forth her firstborn son. Luke 2:4, 6-7

What an amazing night! The Son of the Highest becomes Mary’s firstborn son. The holy One is born of the virgin. Emmanuel is laid in a manger, and the Lamb of God is viewed by humble shepherds. The glory of God shines upon earth, as the angelic host fill the skies with praises. What an amazing sight! —Pete Smith

Christ, by highest heav’n adored, Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come, offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail th’incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.  —Charles Wesley

Nehemiah 12:1-47; Zechariah 8:1-23; Revelation 16:1-21

I have waited for your salvation, O Lord! Genesis 49:18 NKJV
For my eyes have seen Your salvation. Luke 2:30 NKJV
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

As Jacob lay dying, was he longingly waiting for salvation, Yeshua? This is the first time “salvation” is mentioned in Scripture, and could be translated, “I have waited for your Yeshua, (your Jesus)!”. Simeon, as he tenderly held the Lord in his arms said, “For my eyes have seen Your salvation (Your Jesus)”, and thus died in peace. Jacob longed for the “Hope of the Ages”. Simeon held the “Hope of the Ages”, and we await the coming of the “Hope of the Ages”! At this Christmas season we rejoice and cry, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”. —Jim Comte

The name of Jesus is so sweet, I love its music to repeat;
It makes my joys full and complete, the precious name of Jesus. —W. Martin

Nehemiah 10:1-11:36; Zechariah 7:1-14; Revelation 15:1-8

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Genesis 1:1 starts at the beginning of time and moves forward. John 1:1 begins at the beginning of time and moves backward, to the time before time. And what do we discover about Jesus? He was pre-existent: “In the beginning, the Word [Jesus] already existed”. He was co-existent: “The Word was with [facing] God”. And Jesus was self-existent: “The Word was God” —not needing anyone or anything outside of Himself to exist. But there is more—a divine plan was formed “before time began…the appearing of our Saviour” (2 Tim. 1:9- 10). God thought of us and set in motion His rescue mission before we even existed. O come, let us adore Him. —Brian Cretney

Come to Bethlehem and see, Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King.—J.S. Bach

Nehemiah 9:1-38; Zechariah 5:1-6:15; Revelation 14:1-20

Behold, wise men from the East came…opened their treasures… they presented gifts to Him. Matthew 2:1, 11 NKJV
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 2:8 NKJV

By God’s grace, the wealthy and the poor heard about the birth of our Lord Jesus. Humble shepherds were the first to hear about the arrival of the Chief Shepherd when a cohort of angels proclaimed God’s glory. And when wise men in the East saw the star, they travelled until they came to the place where He was and they worshipped. No matter our circumstances, let’s worship Him! —Annette Baal

Worthy of homage and of praise; worthy by all to be adored;
Exhaustless theme of heav’n-ly lays! Thou, Thou art worthy, Jesus, Lord.  —Frances R. Havergal