Matthew 5-7

In "the Sermon on the Mount", we learn, from Jesus, that the way to happiness is the way of holiness. Holiness is to be seen. Happiness is to be shared. Holiness must take shape in our lives - the shape of Jesus Christ, living in us. The truly happy life is the Christ-centred life. It's …

Numbers 7

Numbers 7:1-47  -  Why do we bring our offerings to the Lord? - ‘that they may be used in doing the service of the tent of meeting’ (5). We give ourselves to the Lord - ‘Love so amazing, so divine, shall have my soul, my life, my all’ - and we ask Him to put …

Numbers 5-6

Numbers 5:1-31  -  ‘The Lord said...’ (1): Let us hear and obey His Word. God is holy: His people are not to be defiled (3). Sin is not merely moral. It is spiritual. It is not only a deviation from law. It is an offence against God - ‘breaking faith with the Lord’ (6). God …

Matthew 3-4

We read of John, the baptist, and Jesus, the baptized. The baptism of Jesus is a high point - we read of the Spirit's descent and the Father's declaration. It is followed  by a low point - the wilderness of temptation. In 3:17, we read of the Father's interest in Jesus. In 4:1, we read …

Matthew 1-2

In chapter 1, we learn of the way of God's working, "by the Holy Spirit", and the outcome of His working, the birth of our Saviour. This is, still, a lesson for us concerning the new birth. Through the Spirit, Christ is born in us. In chapter 2, we see men being led to Jesus. …

Let’s Honour God – In Our Attitudes And Actions.

1 Kings 15:9-16:28 A lot of kings are mentioned here. We soon lose track of their names. With one solitary exception, they are all better forgotten than remembered. Thank God for the one glimmer of light: ‘Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord… The heart of Asa was wholly true to …

Numbers 3-4

Numbers 3:1-51  -  The Levites were to ‘minister at the tabernacle’ (5-8). Different people were given different responsibilities. They were not to compete with each other. There was to be no overlapping. One was not to interfere with the work of another. The call comes from God. ‘Every male from a month old and upward’ …

Jesus Died For Barabbas – And For Us.

John 18:28-19:16 ‘Barabbas was a robber’. He was released (39-40). There was ‘no crime’ in Jesus. He was ‘crucified’(38,4,6,16). Was Jesus no more than the innocent victim of a shameful and tragic miscarriage of justice? No! Jesus, the King of kings, chose to die. Looking ahead to the Cross, He said, ‘For this I was …

The Lord is King.

1 Kings As we read about various kings, there is something that we must never forget - the Lord is King. He is King of all kings. Over all kings, there is One who reigns supreme. The Lord reigns. His reign is greater than any earthly king. He is the King of heaven. There is …

We are to “pay more attention to calm words from wise people.”

We are to “pay more attention to calm words from wise people” (Ecclesiastes 9:17). This combination of calmness and wisdom is highlighted also in James - “the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure. Then it is peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good deeds, impartial and sincere.” This description of …

Numbers 1-2

Numbers 1:1-54  -  ‘Every man able to go forth to war’: This is the key phrase in verses 1-46. God is looking for ‘soldiers’: Soldiers of  Christ! To live for Christ is to be engaged in warfare. It is spiritual warfare. We need ‘the whole armour of God’ (Ephesians 6:10-20). We must remember that ‘the …

Numbers 21-22

Numbers 21:1-35  -  In verses 5-9, there is an illustration of God’s salvation (John 3:14-15). There is sin and death (Romans 5-6; 3:23, 6:23). Christ prays for our forgiveness (7; Luke 23:34). Lifted up on the Cross, He dies that we might have eternal life. In love, He appeals to us, ‘Look to me and …

God says, “I am with you. I will save you.”

Jeremiah 14:1-15:21; Colossians 3:1-4:1; Proverbs 24:15-22 Our spiritual warfare is both outward and inward. We have enemies coming at us from without and from within. Concerning the enemies from without, God says, “This people will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you… I will …

Links to Rev James Philip’s Bible reading notes

James Philip

Life under the sun? or Life in the Son?

Life “under the sun” is depressing (Ecclesiastes 1:3,9,14). When life is seen in an earthbound way, with nothing above and beyond it, there is no hope, no glimmer of light. The preacher is not saying that this is the only way we can look at life. He is saying that this way of thinking about …

Acts 17:1-34

Notice the importance of the Scriptures for both public ministry - 'reasoning with them from the Scriptures' and private devotion - 'examining the Scriptures every day' (2,11). We need the Word of the Lord on the Lord's Day. We need the Word of the Lord every day. God is not the 'unknown God'. He has …

Acts 18:22-19:22

Apollos 'taught accurately the things concerning Jesus'. He needed to have 'the way of God expounded to him more accurately' (24-26). There is always more to learn. We should never adopt a 'know-it-all' attitude. In 'two years' of ministry, 'God did' great things through Paul (10-11). Paul was moving on. His road led to 'Rome'. …

Sin, salvation and service

Jeremiah 7:30-9:16; Colossians 1:1-23; Psalm 116:12-19 There is a great contrast between sin - “Do not trust your brothers. For every brother is a deceiver... and no-one speaks the truth” (Jeremiah 9:4-5) - and salvation - “the holy and faithful brothers in Christ... the Word of truth, the Gospel... has come to you” (Colossians 1:2,5-6). …

A Critique of J D Bettis, "Is Karl Barth a Universalist?"

More about Berkouwer, see The Theology Of G C Berkouwer The question of universalism in Barth’s theology has been raised directly by J D Bettis in his article, “Is Karl Barth a Universalist?” (Scottish Journal of Theology, Vol. 20, No. 4, December 1967, pp. 423-436).This article requires to be carefully discussed not only for its significance as …

Faith – Conflict and Victory

Jeremiah 11:18-13:27; Colossians 2:6-23; Psalm 118:1-16 The life of faith is a life of conflict. We live among “the faithless” – God is “always on their lips, but far from their hearts” (Jeremiah 12:12). We are called to maintain the faith in the face of “hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and …

Colossians

COLOSSIANS 1:1-2:7  -  ‘In everything’ Christ is ‘pre-eminent’ (18). In Him, there is salvation - ‘redemption, the forgiveness of sins’ (14) - , sanctification - ‘mature in Christ’ (28) - and service - making Him known (27). Everything is in Christ. In Him are ‘all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’ (2:3) - all that …

Meditating On God’s Word: New Testament

MATTHEW When the tempter comes, we must stand on God’s Word: ‘every Word that comes from...God’ (Matthew 4: 4). ________________________________ From religion to revival Standing upon divine revelation – “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4), Jesus received God-given strength for challenging the …

The light of God: this is what makes the difference.

"God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). The light of God: this is what makes the difference. When we feel like we're in a dark hole, the light …

When we fall away from the Lord

"Meaningless! Meaningless!     says the Teacher. Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 12:8). "Now all has been heard;    here is the conclusion of the matter:Fear God and keep his commandments,    for this is the duty of all mankind" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). How do we get from "meaningless" to "fear God"? Do we say to ourselves, "Pull yourself together. This is getting out …

Your God will help you.

These notes are taken from my One Year Bible. Day 213 1 Chronicles 11:1-12:22; Romans 14:19-15:13; Psalm 89:46-52 1 Chronicles 11 speaks of “David’s mighty men” (1 Chronicles 11:11). The focus is not, however, on either David or the “mighty men.” It is on the Lord – “The Lord brought about a great victory” (1 Chronicles 11:14). …

God speaks to us – and he’s waiting for our reply.

Ezekiel 32:1-33:20; James 1:1-27; Psalm 127:1-5 God’s Word must be spoken as a Word which calls for response. The prophet is to “warn the wicked man to turn from his ways” (Ezekiel 33:9). He is to declare that “the Sovereign Lord ... takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they …

Preach God’s Word – and pray that men and women will be brought back to the Lord.

Ezekiel 40:1-49; James 5:1-20; Psalm 130:1-8 The prophecy spoken by Ezekiel has its ultimate Source in God Himself - “the hand of the Lord was upon me” (Ezekiel 40:1). He goes on to describe “visions of God” (Ezekiel 40:2). To speak the Word of God faithfully requires patience. There is not always evidence of great …

"Let The Word Of Christ Dwell In You Richly."

1 Kings 2:1-46 God’s purpose does not stand still. It moves forward. This was a new beginning for God’s people. Solomon was not to do his own thing. He was to do God’s will: ‘Keep the charge of the Lord your God’(3). He was to serve God’s purpose: ‘that the Lord may establish His Word’(4). …

Knowing Jesus and preaching him: it’s all about loving him.

"I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). "We preach Christ crucified" (1 Corinthians 1:23). Here, Paul speaks to us about knowing Christ crucified and preaching Christ crucified, Before we can preach him, we must know him. God speaks to us before we speak for him. What …

More than words from the distant past

"I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel" (1 Kings 6:13). These words come to us from such a long time ago - yet they are more than words from the distant past. The Holy Spirit speaks these words of encouragement to us. He takes words from the ancient past, and …

God wants to bless us. How much do we want to be blessed by Him?

Ezekiel 33:21-35:15; James 2:1-26; Psalm 128:1-6 The Word of God speaks clearly about sin and judgment - “See, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep” (Ezekiel 34:20), “judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful” (James 2:13). God’s Word also gives to us great promises. …

Am I trusting the Lord? Am I walking with him?

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" (Psalm 8:3-4). We look at the "heavens" - "the moon and the stars." We're impressed - but we …

In the darkest valley

"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me" (Psalm 23:4). As we travel through life, we go through many times of darkness. Sometimes, the darkness is very dark. There's a feeling that the light has gone out. These are the times when we need to …

The importance of the doctrine of election

Berkouwer emphasized the importance of the doctrine of election - "if we take seriously the conviction that election lies ... at the heart of the church, we find ourselves at the centre of the church's faith when we focus on the question of election" (A Half Century of Theology, p. 79). He also discerned the …

The ancient paths, the good way, and rest for your souls

"This is what the Lord says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.' But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'” (Jeremiah 6:16). We want to move forward into the future. What are we getting …

Make a new beginning with God.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God... Cast me not away from Thy presence... Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation" (Psalm 51:10-12). These words come to us from the ancient past. They were first spoken many centuries ago. They can be the words which change your future. Make them your words. Make …

The deep things of God – and the deep love of Christ

"'What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived' — the things God has prepared for those who love him — these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God" (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).  "I …

Not by works, for good works

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). We look back - and we remember. What do we remember about Jesus? We …

Don’t Miss Out On God’s Blessing.

Psalm 1:1-6 The first Psalm contrasts two ways - the way of the Word and the way of the world, the way of blessing and the way of judgment. Encouraging us to build upon the solid foundation of God’s Word, the opening Psalm sets the tone for what is to follow. To whet your appetite …

We are sinners. We’re called to be servants. Jesus is our Saviour.

"I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:11-12). We read the words of Paul - and we look beyond him to …

The apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, and Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord

"Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no …

Worth thinking about?

"In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son ... " (Hebrews 1:1-2). "In the past": Some people switch off when they hear these words. They feel that the past has nothing to do …

So much – but not everything?

"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead …

Faithfulness and relevance: speaking to believers – and unbelievers

"Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people" (Jude 3). Jude writes about "the salvation we share" and "the faith that was once for …

Exalt The Lord Our God.

"Exalt the Lord our God, And worship at His holy hill; For the Lord our God is holy" (Psalm 99:9). We read about the people who worship God, the place where we worship Him, and the God whom we worship. "Exalt the Lord our God" - We are called to worship God. We are the worshippers. He is the …

We can be changed – by the love of the Lord.

“The people of Israel are as stubborn as a bull” (Hosea 4:16). This is more than the story of Israel. It’s the story of every one of us. Resisting God’s Spirit and rebelling against God’s Word, we dig ourselves, more and more deeply, into a hole of our own making. It is a hole from …

Called to believe in God’s Word – and called to trust in Christ as Saviour and follow Christ …

The purpose for which God has given us Scripture G C Berkouwer points out that “Scripture itself in a very explicit way speaks about its intention” (Holy Scripture, p. 125, where he cites John 20:31, Romans 15:4, Romans 4:23-24, 1 Corinthians 10:11, 2 Timothy 3:16 and 1 Timothy 1:18-19). He emphasizes that his approach is …

In Christ, We Are Being Led On To ‘A Better Country… A Heavenly One.’

Genesis 47:27-48:22 No more fear (46:3). No more pride (47:9). Now, no more doubt - God will bless (15-16, 19-21). Let it be confidence(Philippians 1:6), humility(John 15:5) and faith(Hebrews 11:1; Philippians 3:14). Man's way is set aside - ‘his younger brother shall be greater than he’(19). We are ‘saved by grace’(Ephesians 2:8). There is one …

The Way Of Blessing Is The Way Of Obedience.

Psalm 119:1-24 The way of blessing is the way of obedience (1,9,11,17). Many will choose the way of disobedience - ‘influential people sit together and slander me’. We must choose the way of obedience - ‘Your servant will meditate on Your teachings’(23). Following Jesus Christ will not be easy. We see many people turning back …

The love of Jesus

We see the love of Jesus in his crucifixion. We see the love of Jesus in his resurrection. His love is a suffering love. His love is a triumphant love.

Jesus brings His light into our darkness.

For more of these Daily Devotional Readings, visit God's Word For Every Day. Matthew 4:12-17 Having overcome His enemy, Jesus begins His ministry. Satan will be back - Luke ends his account of Jesus' temptations with these ominous words, 'When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left until an opportune time' (4:12). Satan …

One Year Bible: Days 334-361

Day 334 Daniel 7:1-8:14; 1 John 2:12-27; Psalm 136:13-26 Daniel 7:13-14 looks forward, prophetically, to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the future towards which history is moving, the future towards which God is working, the future of the Kingdom of God. This world is passing away, "but the man who …

The Lord is King for ever and ever.

Psalm 10:1-18 Wickedness seems to be so prevalent. Many ‘renounce the Lord’, saying ‘There is no God’ (3-4). It seems that the wicked ‘prosper at all times’, while the innocent victims of oppression feel that ‘God has forgotten’ (5-11). When it appears that God ‘has hidden His face’, when we feel that He has forgotten …

Set free – to stand firm

" ... Christ has set us free. Stand firm ... " (Galatians 5:1). Why does Christ set us free? Does he set us free to do whatever we like? No! He sets us free - to be his soldiers and servants. Without Christ as our Saviour, we are defenceless and defeated - when Satan attacks us. …

Journey through the New Testament: Matthew

Matthew 1-2 This may be the beginning of the New Testament, but it is not the beginning of God’s revelation. It is not the beginning of His redemption. The birth of Christ is a fulfilment of prophecy: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him …

The ‘depth-aspect’ of salvation

Maintaining that Berkouwer has continually failed to expound the full teaching of Scripture concerning the ‘before’ element of divine election,  A L Baker insists that “Berkouwer cannot communicate what the Bible means by ‘election’ if he neglects such a determinative concept” (G C Bekouwer's Doctrine of Election: Balance or Imbalance?, pp. 102-103). Referring to the …

Berkouwer on “‘Luther and Calvin’ on ‘Paul and James’”

The views of Luther and Calvin regarding the relationship between Paul and James - this is not merely a matter of historical curiosity. Rather, it points towards a way of overcoming the evangelism - social concern polarization. Both Luther and Calvin were committed to the principles of “grace alone”, “faith alone”, “Christ alone” and “Scripture …

Better To Play With Dynamite!

"Jehoiakim started something here that has come into fashion again in our time - cutting up God's Word with a knife! Note Jeremiah 36:24 -  'Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words'! Aye, men might well be afraid when they …

Whatever the Lord tells me

1 Kings 22:14 This is the way of the true prophet of God.  Our words and our life are to be an echo of the voice of the Lord. 

Stability, service, salvation, sanctification, singing, strength (Psalms 1-9)

PSALMS 1:1-6  -  As well as journeying through the Old and New Testaments, we will read a Psalm at fairly regular intervals. The first Psalm contrasts two ways - the way of the Word and the way of the world, the way of blessing and the way of judgment. Encouraging us to build upon the …