Choice Gleanings

Numbers 19:1-22; Proverbs 16:1-33; 2 Peter 3:1-18

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 NKJV

Banish self pity from your life. It has no place in the life of the Christian. Yes, things may be difficult at times, but keep the big picture in focus. Every believer is in possession now of every spiritual blessing. Material blessings come and go. The Lord will see we have what we really need of those. Remember how rich you really are in Christ. —Brian Gunning

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always.
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.  —Dallan Foregaill

Numbers 18:1-32; Proverbs 15:1-33; 2 Peter 2:1-22

Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. John 11:11

Consider the pronouncement—Lazarus is sleeping. This sleep refers to the body of the deceased saint. Consider the promise: “I go, that I may awake him out of sleep”. This reminds us of the imminent awakening when the Lord “shall descend from heaven with a shout…and the dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Thess. 4:16). Consider the power: He who formed Adam out of the dust of the earth, (Gen. 2:7), will again assert His power and raise up everyone that has died in Christ. How we long for that day! —L. Cain

Jesus is coming! The dead shall arise,
Loved ones shall meet in a joyful surprise.
Caught up together to Him in the skies;
Jesus is coming again! —D. W. Whittle

Numbers 16:41-17:13; Proverbs 14:1-35; 2 Peter 1:1-21

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? Malachi 3:14

What’s in it for me? This is the sad state of mind for too many of God’s people in these latter days. The prevailing selfishness of our present day has infiltrated the minds and hearts of many, so that lukewarm indifference has displaced fervency and devotion. Have we become so absorbed with temporal things that eternal things are being ignored? Are mere moments in time worth forfeiting His eternal rewards? Do we think so lightly of Him? —Rick Morse

Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me, O Saviour, know my thoughts, I pray.  —J. Edwin Orr

Numbers 16:1-40; Proverbs 13:1-25; 1 Peter 5:1-14

The Father is seeking such to worship Him. John 4:23 NKJV

Praying that souls will be saved is consistent with God’s heart (2 Peter 3:9). Do we also pray for additional worshippers? That’s why the weary Saviour sat by Sychar’s well. That’s why Nicodemus heard, “You must be born again.” Whether female or male, religious or rejected by the religious, immoral or moral, all are candidates.
God’s grace produces worship in spirit (made spiritually alive) and truth (not empty repetition). John concludes his Gospel with Thomas’ touching worship, “My Lord and my God”! The Father values our worship. Let us aim for passion and excellence in worship now, until we worship eternally. — David W. Oliver

Jesus, our Lord, with what joy we adore Thee.
Lifting our praise to Thyself on the throne!  —H. Champney

Numbers 15:1-41; Proverbs 12:1-28; 1 Peter 4:1-19

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Corinthians 4:17

One day my wife and I were on a walk. It was one of those days when I felt being in a wheelchair was so unfair. Why did the Lord allow this disease to enter my body so many years ago? Just then we came to another wheelchair user. He had no companion and was so paralyzed that his electric wheelchair was controlled by a device steered with his mouth. The Spirit reminded me of the above verse. Ashamed, I confessed my sin of ingratitude and was glad that the Lord makes no mistakes. —Sid Halsband

Clouds and darkness round about Thee,
For a season veil Thy face;
Still, I trust and cannot doubt Thee;
Jesus! Full of truth and grace. —Charlotte Elliot

Numbers 14:1-45; Proverbs 11:1-31; 1 Peter 3:1-22

The kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote…In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: The king of Jericho, one…king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one. Joshua 12:7-9, 24

Facing challenging circumstances and hostile enemies Israel progressively appropriated God’s promises. Each city had one authority, who was proven powerless by the Lord of Hosts. Every spiritual enemy we face has one authority, Satan, whose head was crushed at Calvary and he remains powerless to prevent those who stand with the Lord from appropriating His promises. —David J. Reed

Faith is the victory! Oh, glorious victory,
That overcomes the world. —John Yates

Numbers 12:1-13:33; Proverbs 10:1-32; 1 Peter 2:1-25

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Psalm 73:17

The psalmist was distraught as he viewed the prosperity of evildoers. His perspective changed when he spent time in the Lord’s presence and saw their peril. He saw that the wicked are in a slippery place and headed for destruction and desolation. The writer also recognized that we as believers have limitless wealth. He recounts that through our salvation, we have the presence of God with us in life and the prospect of us in His presence in eternity (vv. 23-24). The wicked may have riches here but we have an eternal relationship with God. —Gary McBride

Take the world, but give me Jesus; sweetest comfort of my soul;
With my Saviour watching o’er me, I can sing tho billows roll.  —Fanny Crosby

Numbers 11:4-35; Proverbs 9:1-18; 1 Peter 1:1-25

Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee. Jeremiah 32:17

We need to look beyond what is happening now and focus on what God has promised for the future. Things may seem impossible now, but then we will be affirmed that “with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26). Our faith is not in what is going to happen, but in the God who makes things happen. He worked through His people in the past, and He will work through you now, even in difficult days. With faith in the wisdom and power of God, declare
openly your confidence in the future. God knows better than we do, what is happening around us, and why. —Gaius C. Goff

Crown Him as your Captain in temptation’s hour;
Let His will enfold you in its light and power. —Caroline Noel

Numbers 10:11-11:3; Proverbs 8:1-36; Jude

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen. Psalm 72:18-19

He only does wondrous things! As we contemplate the things that God has done for us, our hearts should be filled with praise and gratitude. We cannot praise Him too much or give Him too much glory. Everything that God does is perfection, and when He rules on earth, all will be at peace. How we long for that day! —Gwenyth Frear

As long as sun and moon endure,
May people know, Your peace so pure.
Blessed be the God of heaven,
And His wondrous name for e’er, Amen! —G.F.

Numbers 9:1-10:10; Proverbs 6:20-7:27; Mark 16:1-20

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding. 1 Kings 4:29

The widely watched funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II heard tributes from many leaders. One tribute came from the leader of the Church of Scotland who said in his homily, “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth began her reign, like King Solomon, by asking for wisdom, something that she demonstrated in large measure”. The king of Tyre said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel…who [gave] to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding” (2 Chron. 2:12). To be wise is to be prudent and demonstrate understanding , characteristics to be admired and sought after.—Brian Powlesland

We have no wealth or learning; what shall we children bring?
We’ll bring Him hearts that love Him; we’ll bring Him thankful praise,
And young souls meekly striving, to walk in holy ways:
And these shall be our treasures, we offer to the King. —Unknown