Choice Gleanings: Good News Edition

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

God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day. Psalm 7:11, NKJV

Most do not like to think of God as ever being angry with sinners. They like to think of Him as an indulgent grandfather. They feel God will overlook their sin and the doors of heaven will welcome them when they die. But God is holy and just; sin must be punished. And this is why Christ came, to bear on the cross the anger and punishment for sin that we all deserved. Have you received Christ as your Lord and Saviour? If you are a believer remember, God still hates sin. Do not think lightly of it. —Donald L. Norbie

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our
song shall rise to Thee; Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity! —R. Heber

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

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. Genesis 6:5-6

These two verses take us to the heart of the matter. Man’s heart and God’s heart. What is the matter with man’s heart? It is the chronic condition called sin—every imagination of its thoughts is only evil continually. At this the Lord was grieved in His heart and moved to stop man’s violence, resulting in the flood. Ultimately the Father sent the Son of His heart into this world to pay the penalty of our sin. —Rex Trogdon

O Jesus, blest Redeemer, sent from the heart of God,
Hold us who wait before Thee, near to the heart of God. —C. B. McAfee

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

“Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Matthew 27:22

“Brothers, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37

The Lord Jesus is the great unavoidable. We must have a doing with Him. The Lord said that the Holy Spirit would convict the world of sin (John 16:8). The greatest demonstration of sin was the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus and all are guilty of this heinous act. What shall we do in light of our guilt concerning this? Peter answered that very question by preaching salvation through Christ and the result was 3,000 souls saved (Acts 2:38-41). What will you do? Only believe and you will be saved. —Neil Dougal

Come every soul by sin oppressed, there’s mercy with the Lord,
And He will surely give you rest, by trusting in His Word.
—John Hart Stockton

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 10:11-11:3; Proverbs 8:1-36; Jude 1:1-25

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

The headline read “Mom’s final act saves baby.” The heroic mother was pushing her baby’s stroller across an intersection when a car made an illegal turn. She pushed the buggy out of the way, but could not avoid the vehicle and was killed. The greatest act of love was at Calvary where the Lord Jesus died in your place and mine, paying the price of our sins. The apostle Paul said, “the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians. 2:20). —Arnot P. McIntee

Jesus has saved me—wonderful Saviour! Jesus has saved me—
I cannot tell how; But this I do know, He came, my ransom,
Dying on Calvary with thorns on His brow. —J. W. MacGill

DAILY READINGS: Num. 9:1-10:10; Prov. 6:20-7:27; Mark 16:1-20

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” John 14:5

Thomas asks a vital question concerning our direction and destiny. There are two ways into eternity, the narrow way that leads to life, and the broad way that leads to destruction (Matthew 7). Be not deceived for there is “a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 16:25). Reformation, religion, good works, and sincerity are some ways that seem right, but are false. There is only one way. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). “And there is salvation in no one else” (Acts 4:12). Have you come to Him? —R. Surgenor

Yes Jesus is the Truth, the Way, that leads you into rest. Believe in
Him without delay, and you are fully blest. —J. H. Sammis

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 8:1-26; Proverbs 5:1-6:19; Mark 15:24-47

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10, NKJV

The Lord Jesus loved to talk about life. In this passage He speaks of the enemies of the sheep—the thief who comes to steal and to kill and to destroy. The wolf has a similar ambition and the hireling is no better. So different is the motive of the Lord the Shepherd. He comes to give His life and, by so doing, He is able to impart life more abundant to those who put their confidence and trust in Him. He said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep,” (John 10:11, NKJV). Have you received life from Him? —R. J.

The least, the feeblest of the sheep, to him the Father gave, Kind is His
heart the charge to keep, and strong His arm to save. —P. Doddridge

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 7:1-89; Proverbs 4:1-27; Mark 15:1-23

And also say, “Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.” For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.” Genesis 32:20, NKJV

Jacob feared death at the hand of his brother and so he tried to appease his brother’s anger with gifts. We face the wrath of God and eternal death (Romans 6:23). God is not appeased by our gifts or good works. It is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5, NKJV). Which method are you counting on—your gifts and works or His gift to you? —P. W.

Thy work alone, my Saviour, can ease this weight of sin; Thy blood
alone, O Lamb of God, can give me peace within. —Horatius Bonar

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 6:1-27; Proverbs 3:1-35; Mark 14:53-72

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. Romans 5:20

Even our righteous acts are like filthy rags in the eyes of God (Isaiah 64:6). Yet, no matter how sin has revealed itself in us, there is good news—the Gospel of the grace of God. On the cross the Lord Jesus paid the price for all our sins and whether great or few, God’s grace abounds more. Friend, you may have done great harm to yourself and others. Don’t despair. Trust Christ as your Saviour today and He will immediately forgive, change and welcome you as His own. —George Ferrier

Marvellous grace of our loving Lord, Grace that exceeds our
sin and our guilt! Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled. —J. H. Johnston

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 5:1-31; Proverbs 2:1-22; Mark 14:27-52

The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11

David kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock (1 Samuel 17:34). Being a good shepherd, and prepared to lay down his life for the snatched lamb, David went after them and slew both the lion and the bear (1 Samuel 17:36). Jesus gave His life for His sheep when He faced off with the lion (Satan, our adversary, 1 Peter 5:8), and then finished off the bear when He cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30)—His mission of bearing our sins on the cross. Thus, he slew the lion and bear—the Good shepherd had given His life for the sheep! Are you His sheep for whom He died? – K. C. Ung

I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed, That thou might
ransomed be, and quickened from the dead. I gave, I gave My life for
thee, what hast thou given for Me? —Frances Ridley Havergal

DAILY READINGS: Numbers 4:1-49; Proverbs 1:1-33; Mark 14:1-26

So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land… But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:7-8 

And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him. Genesis 7:5

We first read that God purposed to destroy all mankind. But Noah became the exception, because he was the object of God’s grace. God offers that grace to all who will believe and trust Him. “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). Are you saved? —Ken Gross

O, the love that drew salvation’s plan, O, the grace that brought it
down to man, O the mighty gulf that God did span; At Calvary!
—William R. Newell