Month: May 2025

Deuteronomy 10:12-11:32; Song of Solomon 1:1-2:7; Luke 9:18-36

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13

Having hope is a wonderful blessing for the child of God. But the Christian hope goes beyond mere anticipation. Our hope is a blessed, happy hope, a hope that brings joy here and now as we wait for it to unfold. Notice as well that this happy hope is wrapped up in a Person, our Saviour Jesus Christ. And so it is with happy anticipation and expectation that we look for His glorious appearing. Older saints among us would often say, “We are not looking for the  undertaker, we are looking for the uppertaker.” He did not come yesterday, but He could come today. Maranatha. —Robert Gentile

Jesus is coming! Sing the glad word!
Coming for those He redeemed by His blood.
Coming to reign as the glorified Lord. —D. W. Whittle

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:11; Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:14; Luke 9:1-17

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:6 NKJV

The old adage about “walking a mile in someone else’s shoes,” originated in 1895 from a poem by Mary Lathrap called “Judge Softly.” In it she challenges the reader to see things from the other’s perspective. The Apostle John also challenges his readers to “walk just as He walked.” How did Jesus walk? Scripture affirms He walked in love, light, truth, purity, obedience and compassion to name just a few. How is your and my walk measuring up to His today? —E. V.

Father please help me to walk like Your Son,
Showing His love to everyone.
Daily displaying His truth to all,
Leading others, on Him to call. —E. V

Deuteronomy 7:12 to 8:20; Ecclesiastes 9:11 to 10:20; Luke 8:40-56

The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” John 4:49 NKJV

Spiritual faith grows with use. Note the progression and fruitfulness of this nobleman’s growing faith. He initially came to Jesus because he had heard of His healing power. After he came, he was not discouraged by Jesus’ response (v. 48). Then he fully believed Jesus’ words; “your son lives” (v. 50). His increasing obedient faith blessed the servants and his whole household. We never know what Christ may do when we exercise our faith completely in Him. We don’t need to understand everything in our life. We just need to trust Him. He knows and makes all things well. —Sam Thorpe

God’s work we cannot do,
But our part He will not do.
—Unknown

Deuteronomy 6:1-7:11; Ecclesiastes 8:1-9:10; Luke 8:22-39

None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: For the redemption of their soul is precious. Psalm 49:7-8

Unlike the owner of a killer ox who could pay a ransom price for his own life under the Mosaic Law (Ex. 21:28-31), we eventually face death. One’s riches cannot be used to purchase immortality either for ourselves or others. Spiritual life cannot be purchased because no one has the spiritual wealth to pay for eternal life. However, the holy Christ had the means through His eternal worth to pay for the world’s sins. The believer has received eternal life through His sacrifice. Praise the Lord! —George Ferrier

O could I speak the matchless worth,
O could I sound the glories forth,
Which in my Saviour shine! —Samuel Medley

Deuteronomy 5:1-33; Ecclesiastes 7:1-29; Luke 8:1-21

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:3 NKJV

The blessed man is like a tree with its five components of life. Planted, for a root system; by the rivers of water, for nutrition; bringing forth fruit, its production; whose leaf also shall not wither, bringing light and life by  photosynthesis; and whatever he does shall prosper, flourishing. In Revelation 22 we see the same components. The water of life flowing, the tree of life growing, twelve kinds of fruit-bearing, and its leaves for healing. From then on, the prosperity of the Lord will flourish eternally. —Rex Trogdon

Yet it must be: Thy love had not its rest;
Were Thy redeemed not with Thee fully blest. —J. N. Darby

Deuteronomy 4:1-49; Ecclesiastes 5:1-6:12; Luke 7:30-50

I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Job 42:5

Why is life so difficult at times? The various trials and tribulations we often experience are actually tools in our Master’s hand, which He uses to remove the “weeds of the flesh” and graft in the fruit of the Spirit. Without experiencing difficult choices and hard lessons, we would never be exercised to make such choices or to learn such
lessons. If we asked Job if he would forego his trials at the expense of his newly found intimacy with God, do we think he would agree to do it? It is highly doubtful! —Rick Morse

Shine thro’ the cloud and rain,
Through sorrow, toil, and pain;
Make Thou my pathway plain;
Teach me Thy way! —B. Mansell Ramsey

Deuteronomy 3:1-29; Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:16; Luke 7:1-29

Think on me…and make mention of me unto Pharaoh. Genesis 40:14

Joseph had interpreted the chief butler’s dream. In recompence, he asked that the butler might remember him to Pharaoh. But after gaining his liberty, the butler forgot Joseph. Two years later (Gen. 41:1), when he remembered, he confessed, “I do remember my faults this day” (Gen. 41:9), after having left Joseph in prison for two additional years! The Lord Jesus asked us to remember Him this Lord’s day. “This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me” (1 Cor. 11:25). Are we remembering Him or our faults? —K. C. Ung

Remember Thee, and all Thy pains,
And all Thy love to me;
Yea, while a breath, a pulse remains,
Will I remember Thee. —James Montgomery

Deuteronomy 2:1-37; Ecclesiastes 2:12-3:15; Luke 6:20-49

He has put eternity in their hearts. Ecclesiastes 3:11 NKJV

George Swinnock, a Puritan writer, wrote, “The body came from dust, but the soul from the breath of God.” Man has been uniquely created in the image of God. “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7). Man is an eternal being, with an eternal soul and as we read in today’s verse, this concept and certainty of eternity has been set in our hearts by the Creator. As we ponder our eternal existence, a larger question looms. Do you know where you will be in eternity? —Pete Smith

Eternity! Time soon will end,
Its fleeting moments pass away,
O, sinner, say, where wilt thou spend,
Eternity’s unchanging day? —Unknown

Deuteronomy 1:1-46; Ecclesiastes 1:1-2:11; Luke 6:1-19

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart. Psalm 34:18

George Matheson began to go blind at age 20. At the time his fiancée told him she couldn’t go through life with a blind man and severed their engagement. His sister cared for him, but when she married, he lost her companionship. Amidst his sadness, on the eve of his sister’s wedding, he wrote: “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.” Troubles are part of life, but they don’t need to have the last word. Our Father has wiped our tears before they hit our pillow. There is joy to be found even in the deepest sorrow. —Alyssa Gee

“O Joy, that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.” —George Matheson

Numbers 35:9-36:13; Proverbs 31:1-31; Luke 5:17-39

The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. Genesis 47:9

Elderly Jacob looked over his days and said they were “few and evil.” It is far better to look at our Lord, as He guides us along our way. He will be with believers every step homeward, until He receives us to Himself. Our journey here is temporary, but it will culminate in eternal glory reigning with our God. —Keith Keyser

Though our pilgrimage be dreary,
This is not our resting-place;
Shall we of the way be weary,
When we see our Master’s face? —Samuel P. Tregelles