Deuteronomy 10:12-11:32; Song of Solomon 1:1-2:7; Luke 9:18-36
Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:5-6
“Unto him” is speaking about the Lord Jesus. Three wonderful things are mentioned as to what He has done for us. He loved us. This takes us back to Calvary. His compassion there was great because He loved the unlovable. He washed us from our sins. How precious is that blood that washes us from all sin. He has made us kings and priests unto God. We will rule and reign with Him forever. Praise the Lord! —Harold G. Smith
All these once were sinners, defiled in His sight, Now arrayed in pure garments in praise they unite. —Philip P. Bliss
Deuteronomy 9:1-10:11; Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:14; Luke 9:1-17
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31
Several different Hebrew words are translated “wait” in our English Bible. Here, the Hebrew word is “qavah”, meaning, “to bind together (by twisting)”, much as a vine binds and twists itself around a tree. The key lesson for us is to bind the Word of God and its promises around our life so as to strengthen and fortify us against trials and temptations. If and when we practice this, Isaiah tells us that blessings will result. —W. Ross Rainey
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou are the Potter; I am the clay. Mould me and make me after Thy will, While I am waiting, yielded and still. —Adelaide A. Pollard
I found this book both encouraging and exhilarating. Mind you, I confess that I read it entirely the wrong way – racing through its 366 pages in a couple of months instead of savouring it day by day over the period of a year. Binge feeding is never the best method of assimilating God’s Word, or books about God’s Word. Although daily Bible reading guides are fairly thick on the ground, this one certainly fills a niche. Unlike others, which are normally written by multiple authors, A Year with Bible Prophecy is held together by absolute consistency of outlook and is neatly though unobtrusively inter-referenced throughout. Its author, well known for his many publications on End Times subjects, brings to his writing a wealth of information and expertise. Reverently taking God’s Word at its face value, his viewpoint is solidly futurist, pre-millennial and pre-tribulational. To some, the title may initially sound rather narrow in its focus, but two facts should be borne in mind. First, prophecy constitutes a substantial portion of God’s inspired Word. Some experts have calculated that at least one quarter of the Bible is composed of predictions either already fulfilled in history or yet to be fulfilled. Second, all the teachings of Scripture are tightly interlocked. It is impossible to read about God’s programme for Israel, for the Church, and for the world without reaching a new appreciation of the glories of Christ, the greatness of God, and the importance of godly living. As A J Pollock puts it, “God never records the past, nor reveals the future, without designing to affect us by His Word in the present.” The daily readings in this book, which use as their text the New King James Version, consist of a few verses printed in italics at the head of the page, followed by a commentary which deftly combines doctrinal exposition, devotional encouragement and practical challenge. The author has organised his material with great care so that the reader is led systematically through the major interests of the prophetic Word in 31 appetising sections, starting with “A Thirty-One Day Tour of Key Prophecies” and ending with “The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts will Perform This”. The book includes a handy glossary of prophetic terms and (very useful, this) an index of Biblical passages used in the readings. The style is easy to read but packed with data. To give a taster, I quote part of the author’s comment on Revelation 7.3-4:
God is not going to allow an evangelisation vacuum or absence of witnesses after the Rapture of the Church. Since Jesus was rejected by His city and nation, the Church has filled the vacuum left by the side-lined Jews. But the Church is to be taken to Heaven just before the storm breaks. So witnessing Jews, genuine faithful, spiritual remnant Jews are going to do what their ancestors failed to do effectively nearly two thousand years ago. They are going to be God’s sealed witnesses (p 213).
A Year with Bible Prophecy is a rich and varied book which does far more than conduct the reader through some of the key prophetic passages of the Bible . I gladly recommend it. David Newell
Deuteronomy 7:12-8:20; Ecclesiastes 9:11-10:20; Luke 8:40-56
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. Ecclesiastes 12:1
Youth is full of vitality! We are driven by an abundance of energy. Nothing seems impossible. But as time passes the vim and vigour of youth fades. Our steps slow, our memory lapses and ambition no longer fuels us. Blessed are those who embraced Christ at their first opportunity, saturating themselves in His Word and prayer. Those words will His fellowship sustain when vitality and youth are gone. Don’t wait until “older age”, when mind and body may no longer comprehend God’s saving grace. Make your decision to follow Christ today! —Deborah Manera
Salvation is God’s way of making us real people. —Augustine
Deuteronomy 6:1-7:11; Ecclesiastes 8:1-9:10; Luke 8:22-39
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God. Psalm 42:5, 11
David found himself deeply distressed and depressed. Three times over he asks himself, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?”. He follows this by giving the remedy, “hope thou in God”. There are times, when we also may feel depressed and discouraged and the only answer is, as David found, to “hope in God”. It is only the realisation that the perfect will of God is being worked out in our lives that will calm the storm within, and give us peace. —W. H. Burnett
When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, It is well, with my soul. —H. G. Spafford
Deuteronomy 5:1-33; Ecclesiastes 7:1-29; Luke 8:1-21
But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. Habakkuk 2:30
Habakkuk lived during a time of rampant wickedness, failing morals and injustice: much like our day. As he looked out over all of this he did not understand what God was doing or why He was doing it. But he was willing to trust. It is as if Habakkuk puts his finger to his lips and whispers, “Be quiet”—“Let all the earth keep silence before him”. We may be perplexed today as to what God is doing globally and also in our own lives. But He is still on the throne and quietly whispers to our hearts, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10). —Jim Comte
“Be still, my soul! Thy God does undertake, Your hope, your confidence, let nothing shake. —Katharina von Schlegel
Deuteronomy 4:1-49; Ecclesiastes 5:1-6:12; Luke 7:30-50
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. John 14:18
How tragic to hear stories of abandoned babies in orphanages who have stopped crying, giving up hope that any will come to comfort them. Promising His return, Christ assured His disciples that He would not leave them orphans. Fulfilling His word, Christ came to them after His resurrection and again at Pentecost through the Holy Spirit, another Comforter. Someday Christ will return for us and escort us to heaven with great joy. He will never abandon us. He will surely come. Even so come Lord Jesus. —George Ferrier
Oh, joy! oh, delight! Should we go without dying, No sickness, no sadness, no dread and no crying; Caught up through the clouds, with our Lord into glory, When Jesus receives, “His own.” —H. L. Turner
Deuteronomy 3:1-29; Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:16; Luke 7:1-29
Keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding…oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. 1 Timothy 20-21
Believers should value scholarship in understanding the Bible. But don’t forget faith, for it is the persuasion that God is worth seeking and His Word is worth understanding. So use every resource to understand the original Bible languages. Delve into the technicals of Bible study. But wed your scholarship to faith. Scholarship alone won’t open the Word. There are too many amazing, startling, unexpected, shocking things there. Without faith the scholar’s learning is his weakness, routinely using learning to explain away the astounding message. —J. A. Bjorlie
Word of the ever living God, will of His glorious Son; Without Thee how could earth be trod or heaven itself be won?—Barton
Deuteronomy 2:1-37; Ecclesiastes 2:12-3:15; Luke 6:20-49
And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few. 1 Samuel 14:6
Saul had failed Jonathan. His son could easily have adopted a negative attitude and blamed his father. Instead he did what he could, knowing God could still use him. Sometimes the older saints fail. I exhort the younger people not to despair or criticise but do what you can for the Lord in the local assembly. Like Jonathan you may well be surprised what God can do with the few and at the same time activate and encourage the older ones. —Brian Russell
Cast care aside, lean on thy Guide, His boundless mercy will provide. —John S. B. Monsell
Deuteronomy 1:1-46; Ecclesiastes 1:1-2:11; Luke 6:1-19
Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. Deuteronomy 8:5
In the rearing of His children, our loving God knows that some forms of training are less enjoyable for us than others. In His faithfulness, He does not hesitate to do everything necessary to bring us to full stature and maturity, on our journey to being conformed to the image of His Son. Our thoughts may deceive us into thinking we are being ill-treated. Yet when we consider His love for us in our hearts, we can trust that He is doing all that is best for us. —Rick Morse
I know that His power my safeguard shall be; For “Why are ye troubled?” He saith unto me. —Anna B. Warner
