How we are to come to the Lord, and how we are not to come to Him.

Malachi 1:1-2:16; Revelation 6:1-17; Psalm 143:1-12 "Come!... Come!... Come!... Come!" (Revelation 6:1,3,5,7). The invitation is clear. We are to come to the Lord. How are we to come to Him? If we are to learn how we are to come to Him, we should learn also how we are not to come to Him. Malachi …

Pray to the Lord, and work for Him.

Nehemiah 5:1-7:3; Revelation 18:1-17a; Proverbs 31:10-20 Again, the combination of prayer and work is seen in Nehemiah - "I devoted myself to the work on this wall" (Nehemiah 5:16), "I prayed, 'Now, strengthen my hands.'" (Nehemiah 6:9). "So the wall was completed ... this work had been done with the help of our God" (Nehemiah …

Thank God for Jesus, and thank Him for His gift of eternal life.

Daniel 11:36-12:13; 1 John 5:1-21; Psalm 139:1-10 Scripture speaks of “the time of wrath” (Daniel 11:36), “a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then” (Daniel 12:1). For some, this will bring “shame and everlasting contempt.” Through the grace of God, others will receive “everlasting life” (Daniel 12:20). …

Beyond the spiritual warfare, there’s the heavenly glory.

Malachi 2:17-4:6; Revelation 7:1-17; Psalm 144:1-8 Malachi 4:5 speaks of "that great and dreadful Day of the Lord." The Day of the Lord will be a Day of Judgment. This is not, however, the full story. It will also be the great Day of salvation. This comes through clearly in Revelation 7: "a great multitude …

Gold

Ezra 1:1-2:67; Revelation 8:1-9:12; Psalm 144:9-15 We read of "gold" in both Ezra and Revelation (Ezra 1:4,6,9-11; Revelation 8:3; Revelation 9:7). In Ezra 1:6, "gold" is set alongside "valuable gifts" and "all the freewill offerings." "Gold" is a valuable thing. The "gold" of our lives is truly valuable when it is given freely, as a …

Greater than all the prophets, priests and kings, Jesus is our great Saviour.

Exodus 29:1-30:38; Mark 6:6b-29; Proverbs 5:15-23 Some people thought that Jesus was “a prophet like one of the prophets of long ago” (Mark 6:15). He was more than a prophet. He was also greater than the priests of whom we read in Exodus 29. When we look at an evil king such as Herod, it is …

One Year Bible: Days 60-90

Day 60 Leviticus 5:14-7:10; Mark 10:32-52; Proverbs 6:12-19 “The sin offering is to be slaughtered before the Lord … it is most holy” (Leviticus 6:25). Concerning the death of Jesus, the human story is this: “the chief priests and the teachers of the law will condemn Him to death” (Mark 10:33-340. There is , however, also the …

Praising the Lord for all eternity

Esther 9 speaks of days of feasting and joy (Esther 9:17-19,22-23,28). If the Jews had cause to rejoice in Esther’s day, we have much more cause for rejoicing in the Lord – “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed” (Revelation 5:5). The praise of God’s …

A time of great rejoicing

Esther 9:1-10:3; Revelation 5:1-14; Proverbs 30:11-23 Esther 9 speaks of days of feasting and joy (Esther 9:17-19,22-23,28). If the Jews had cause to rejoice in Esther's day, we have much more cause for rejoicing in the Lord - "Do not weep! Se, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed" …

When God’s people faced opposition, they kept on working, and they kept on praying.

Nehemiah 3:1-4:23; Revelation 17:1-18; Psalm 147:12-20 God's people faced opposition. What did they do? They kept on working - "The people worked with all their heart" (Nehemiah 4:6). They kept on praying - "We prayed to our God" (Nehemiah 4:9). They were watchful -  "Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held …

Let us give thanks – with joy.

“At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem”, the keynote of the service was joyful thanksgiving. They gathered together “to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving” (Nehemiah 12:27). “On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43). They sang “songs of praise and thanksgiving to …

Each day, we stand between the past and the future.

Each day, we stand between the past and the future. In our prayers, we call upon God to “remember” (Nehemiah 13:14,22,29,31). There are two different kinds of ‘remembering’ here. God remembers His faithful servants. He also remembers those who have been unfaithful. As we face the future, we must be guided by both the Gospel …

A Glimpse of Heavenly Glory

Malachi 4:5 speaks of “that great and dreadful Day of the Lord.”  The Day of the Lord will be a Day of Judgment. This is not, however, the full story. It will also be the great Day of salvation. This comes through clearly in Revelation 7 – “a great multitude that no-one could count, from …

The Lord is leading His people on to better things.

Exodus 4:1-6:12; Matthew 26:31-46; Proverbs 4:10-19 Moses was not eloquent. God made him a mighty man of faith. Peter denied his Lord. God restored him and established him in Christ. We are inadequate and unworthy. God can do great things in us and through us. The Lord is leading His people on to better things: “The …

When things go badly wrong, the Lord is there for us.

Job 30:1-32:22; Matthew 22:15-46; Psalm 18:16-24 There were hypocrites trying to condemn Job. There were “hypocrites … trying to trap” Jesus (Matthew 22:18). In both cases, they had to give up – “they had found no way to refute Job” (Job 32:3); “No-one could say a word in reply” to Jesus (Matthew 22:46). The testimony …

Lord, take us to the quiet place. This is where we receive strength for bringing the Bread of Life to others.

Exodus 31:1-33:6; Mark 6:30-56; Psalm 25:1-7 Moses calls to the people, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me” (Exodus 33:26). Jesus also invites His apostles to “come” - “Come with Me... to a quiet place” (Mark 6:31). To come with Jesus to a quiet place is not to discover a place of permanent tranquility. …

There are doors which can only be opened by God, and there are doors which we must open.

Esther 2:19-5:14; Revelation 3:7-22; Psalm 141:1-10 There are doors which can only be opened by God - "See, I have placed before you an open door that no-one can shut" (Revelation 3:8). There are doors which must be opened by man - "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If any one …

Your Name, O Lord, endures for ever.

Daniel 4:19-5:16; 2 Peter 3:1-18; Psalm 135:13-21 Worldly men “praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone” (Daniel 5:4). They worship things – material possessions. The Lord calls His people to higher things. He tells us that “the idols of the nations are silver and gold” (Psalm 135:15). They are …

True worship is, always, more than just words. It is the offering of ourselves to the Lord.

Numbers 7:66-9:14; Luke 2:41-52; Psalm 35:11-18 At the time of the book of Numbers, worship took place in the Tent of Meeting. By the time of Jesus, worship took place in the Temple. The Passover was being celebrated in the Desert of Sinai in the days of Moses. The Passover was being celebrated in Jerusalem …

The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting or reviving the soul.

Exodus 6:13-8:32; Matthew 26:47-68; Psalm 19:7-14 There is a clear similarity between Pharaoh and Judas. Pharaoh said, “I will let you go …” (Exodus 8:28). He didn’t keep his promise. ”Judas said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed Jesus” (Matthew 26:49). He betrayed Jesus. How are we to avoid this hypocrisy, this marked discrepancy between our words and …

God’s saving grace and His keeping power

Exodus 35:1-36:38; Mark 7:31-8:13; Psalm 25:16-22 “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done” (Exodus 36:5). “The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven baskets full of broken pieces that were left over” (Mark 8:8). Jesus always has more to give than …

One Year Bible: Days 32-59

Day 32 Job 22:1-24:25; Matthew 21:18-32; Proverbs 3:21-35 Job 23:10 contains a spiritual gem – “He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” Failure to bear fruit leads to judgment (Matthew 21:19; John 15:16). When we face testing and purging, we must not lose sight of the …

We have not been saved because of our own righteousness. We’ve been saved by the grace of God.

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22; Luke 12:1-34; Psalm 42:6b-11 As they entered the promised land, the people of God received this reminder of the undeserved grace of God - “It is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this land to possess” (Deuteronomy 9:6). In His free grace, God gave the land …

The fire of the Holy Spirit: burning away our sin and brightening up our lives

Numbers 9:15-11:3; Luke 3:1-22; Psalm 35:19-28 From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire” (Numbers 9:15). "Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp” (Numbers 11:1). “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in …

God’s Word calls for our response.

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 turn from …

Christ sets us free to please God, not to please ourselves.

Exodus 37:1-38:31; Mark 8:14-9:1; Proverbs 6:1-11 Jesus warns His disciples against the godless influence of the Pharisees. Their influence on people is classed along with the evil influence of Herod (Matthew 8:15). The Pharisees had become obsessed with the externals of religion but they had lost the awareness of God’s glory. They conformed to the details (the kind of …

The glory of the Lord, revealed through Moses and Elijah, was nothing compared with the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Exodus 39:1-40:38; Mark 9:2-32; Psalm 26:1-12 “The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34-35). There is, however, an even greater demonstration of God’s glory - in Christ. Concerning Christ, God says, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!” (Mark 9:7). The glory of God, revealed through the ministries of Moses …

How do we react to difficult circumstances?

Nehemiah 1:1-2:20; Revelation 16:1-21; Psalm 147:1-11 How do we respond to adverse circumstances? We can respond in a godly way or we can respond in a worldly fashion. "The walls of Jerusalem ... had been broken down, and its gates ... had been destroyed by fire" (Nehemiah 2:13). Nehemiah responded with faith in God: "Come, …

The most important thing of all is to be in a right relationship with God.

Leviticus 4:1-5:13; Mark 10:13-31; Psalm 27:7-14 The most important thing of all is to be in a right relationship with God. This is the point which is emphasized in Israel’s sacrificial system. All other relationships are secondary to our relationship with God. Jesus makes this point in Mark 10:29-30 - Leave all your loved ones …

We rise up and stand firm.

Exodus 9:1-10:29; Matthew 26:69-27:10; Psalm 20:1-9 The tragedies of Pharaoh and Judas continue – “the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart … Moses replied … I will never appear before you again” (Exodus 10:27-28). Judas “went away and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:5). This is the tragedy of those whose hearts are hardened against the Lord. The opportunity …

Let us press on to know the Lord and enjoy His blessing.

Numbers 13:26-14:45; Luke 4:14-37; Psalm 36:1-12 In Numbers, there were those who grumbled against the Lord and those who pressed on to know the blessing of the Lord. In Jesus’ time, there were those who despised the Him and those who received the “good news” with gladness. What a difference there is between the two: “See …

We have been redeemed by the Lord. Let us live as those who are being sanctified by Him.

Leviticus 5:14-7:10; Mark 10:32-52; Proverbs 6:12-19 “The sin offering is to be slaughtered before the Lord … it is most holy” (Leviticus 6:25). Concerning the death of Jesus, the human story is this: “the chief priests and the teachers of the law will condemn Him to death” (Mark 10:33-34). There is, however, also the divine side of …

Jesus Christ, our Saviour: perfect in holiness, perfect in love

Exodus 27:1-28:43; Mark 5:21-6:6a; Psalm 24:1-10 "Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart" (Exodus 28:29). This bearing of the names on the heart is seen supremely in Jesus. He was not prepared to let the woman, who had touched the hem of His …

Listening to the Word of God

Numbers 15:1-16:35; Luke 4:38-5:16; Psalm 37:1-9 In Numbers, we read much of the way of opposition to the Lord and His Word. It is a way that leads to judgment. There is, however, a better way. It is the way of “listening to the Word of God” (Luke 5:1). Which way are we to choose? …

Cleansed from sin and on fire for the Lord

Numbers 29:12-31:24; Luke 8:19-39; Psalm 39:1-13 Numbers 31:22-24 emphasizes the importance of cleansing. The healing of the demon-possessed man, in Luke 8, emphasizes the power of Christ to cleanse even the most sinful of people. To be cleansed from sin involves an act of the will on our part - “I will watch my ways …

Through Jesus Christ, the perferct Sacrifice for our sins, we are able to come to God and know that our prayer is heard and answered.

Leviticus 7:11-8:36; Mark 11:1-25; Psalm 28:1-9 The priest entered the holy place on behalf of the people. Jesus entered the holy city, Jerusalem, on behalf of the people. The priest entered with a sacrifice. Jesus Himself became the Sacrifice. Through Jesus Christ, the perfect Sacrifice for our sins, we are able to come to God …

From conflict to triumph

Deuteronomy 30:11-31:29; Luke 19:11-44; Psalm 48:1-8 A comparison may be made between Israel’s entry into the promised land and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Ahead of both, there lay conflict, but beyond the conflict, there was triumph. Their triumph is the triumph of God – “As we have heard, so have we seen in the city …

This is what the Lord says.

1 Kings 20:1-21:29; Acts 18:9-19:13; Psalm 78:32-39 As a prophet of God, Elijah brought this message to the people: "This is what the Lord says" (1 Kings 21:19). This was Paul's ministry: "teaching them the Word of God" (Acts 18:11). Elijah's ministry was the denunciation of the evil king, Ahab. Paul's ministry was the proclamation …

Jesus’ death was a triumph – not a tragedy.

1 Samuel 29:1-31:13; John 19:28-20:9; Psalm 68:28-35 The contrast between the death of Saul, the first king of the Jews, and Jesus, the true King of the Jews, is striking. Saul’s death was a tragedy. Jesus’ death was a triumph. The contrast is the difference between a man who said, “it is enough” (Saul had had enough …

God’s purpose – for all nations and all generations

1 Chronicles 12:23-14:17; Romans 15:14-33; Psalm 90:1-10 God’s purpose concerns all the nations – “The Lord made all the nations fear David” (1 Chronicles 14:17). Paul was “a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles” (Romans 15:16). God’s purpose concerns all generations – “Lord, You have been our dwelling-place throughout all generations” (Psalm 90:1). From …

If there is to be delight in God’s Word, we must overcome doubt.

If there is to be delight in God's Word, we must overcome doubt. Satan is always saying, "Did God really say ...?" (Genesis 3:1). We must learn to say, "God did say" (Genesis 3:3). We must stand by this confession of faith in God and His Word. Satan will not give in easily. He will …

We have been lifted out of the darkness of our sin. We will be raised to eternal life.

Leviticus 11:1-12:8; Mark 12:13-27; Psalm 30:1-7 The Psalmist says, “I will exalt You, O Lord, for You lifted me out of the depths” (Psalm 30:10. In Leviticus 11-12, there is a great emphasis on the need for cleansing. In Christ, we have been cleansed. We exalt Him because He has lifted us out of the …

The clean life

Leviticus 13:1-59; Mark 12:28-44; Proverbs 6:20-29 Leviticus 13 continues to emphasize the importance of being clean. The clean life is a life characterized by love for God and love for our neighbour (Mark 12:29-31). This is “more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:33). The clean life is the life which is lived …

Let us go the Lord’s way, not the world’s way.

Leviticus 19:1-20:27; Mark 14:43-72; Proverbs 6:30-35 Central to the teaching of Leviticus is its emphasis on the holiness of God and His purpose of making His people holy: “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. Keep My decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy … …

O Lord my God, I will give You thanks for ever.

Leviticus 14:1-57; Mark 13:1-31; Psalm 30:8-12 We are cleansed by the sacrifice of “the sin offering” which “makes atonement” for us “before the Lord” (Leviticus 14:18). Only those who have received cleansing from their sins through faith in Christ will enjoy the glory of heaven when the Lord returns (Mark 13:27). Psalm 30:8-12 gives an …

The Lord is my Rock.

2 Samuel 22:1-23:7; Acts 9:1-31; Psalm 73:15-28 2 Samuel 22 begins with a tremendous declaration of who God is and a marvellous expression of trust in Him – “The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress and my Deliverer … my Rock … my Shield and the Horn of my Salvation … my Stronghold, my Refuge …

Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins: the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world.

Leviticus 17:1-18:30; Mark 14:17-42; Psalm 31:9-18 “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar, it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (Leviticus 17:11). The Old Testament principle, cited in Hebrews – “without the shedding of blood, …

Jesus suffered death for our salvation.

Joshua 5:13-7:26; Luke 22:39-62; Psalm 50:16-23 Achan suffered death because of his own sinful disobedience. Achan died, and the judgment of God did not come on the whole people of God. Jesus suffered death as the sinless Son of God, who bore the sins of many that we might be saved through faith in Him. Achan died …

When I see the blood, I will pass over you.

Exodus 11:1-12:51; Matthew 27:11-44; Psalm 21:1-7 In Exodus 12:13, we read of the Passover – “when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” In the story of Christ’s crucifixion, we have the message of His blood being shed for sinners. This is illustrated in the events of Jesus being crucified and Barabbas being set …

The battle is not yours, but God’s.

2 Chronicles 18:28-21:3; 1 Corinthians 15:35-49; Psalm 102:12-17 Those who were armed for battle received this message from the Lord: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 21:15). Now, we fight many battles. There will come a Day when these battles …

God and the gods

1 Kings 18:16-19:21; Acts 17:22-18:8; Psalm 78:17-31 In the relationship between God and the gods, we see (a) the conflict between good and evil (1 Kings 18); (b) God's way of salvation - He leads people out of the darkness of ignorance and into the light of knowledge (Acts 17:23); (c) God's word of warning …

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Leviticus 21:1-22:33; Mark 15:1-32; Psalm 31:19-24 An offering of sacrifice to the Lord “must be without defect pr blemish to be acceptable” (Leviticus 22:21). In Mark 15:15, we have the great statement concerning the sinless Son of God taking the sinner’s place – “Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged and handed Him …

Salvation – the removal of sin and the restoration of glory

Zechariah 1:1-4:14; 3 John 1-14; Psalm 139:11-16  The removal of sin (Zechariah 3:4,9) and the restoration of glory: Here, we have a great description of salvation, wiping out the sin of the past, giving an anticipatory glimpse of the glory to come. The past is forgiven. The future is promised. What about the present – …

Obedience to God arise out of knowing that we are loved by Him.

Numbers 1:1-2:9; Luke 1:26-38; Psalm 33:12-22 “The Israelites did all this just as the Lord commanded Moses” (Numbers 1:54). “‘I am the Lord’s servant’, Mary answered, ‘May it be to me as You have said’” (Luke 1:38). Obedience to the Lord’s Word – this is emphasized throughout Scripture: “the eyes of the Lord are on …

We are called to look to Christ for salvation.

Ezekiel 45:1-46:24; 1 Peter 3:1-22; Proverbs 28:18-28 In Ezekiel, we read of many sacrifices being offered to God. In the New Testament, it is emphasized that one Sacrifice is sufficient – “For Christ died for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). We are called …

Let us worship God.

Numbers 4:1-5:10; Luke 1:57-80; Psalm 34:11-22 Numbers 4 speaks about the work which the various tribes were to do in the Tent of Meeting. Above all, the work we are called to do is worship. We are to say from our hearts, “Praise be to the Lord” (Luke 1:68). Part of this worship will be …

On to the great future, the Lord is preparing for us

Deuteronomy 2:24-4:14; Luke 10:25-11:4; Psalm 41:7-13 When the people of Israel were brought to the promised land, this was a great fulfilment of God’s purpose. When Jesus teaches us to pray, “Father ... Your Kingdom come”, He is teaching us to pray for an even greater fulfilment of God’s purpose. The Lord sets us in …

The Kingdom belongs to the Lord … and we will be there with Him.

Obadiah 1-21; Hebrews 2:1-18; Proverbs 26:13-22 The last words of Obadiah are a great declaration: "the Kingdom will be the Lord's" (Obadiah 21). When we think of God's Kingdom, we are thinking not only of a Kingdom which belongs, solely, to God, but a Kingdom, which He shares with the redeemed. Christ says, "Here am …

I will tell him only what the Lord tells me.

1 Kings 22:1-53; Acts 19:14-41; Proverbs 15:31-16:7 Here's a spiritual principle for everyone who seeks to be faithful to God: "As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me" (1 Kings 22:14). In Ephesus, there was a riot. The crowds shouted, "Great is Artemis ("Diana" in the King James …

God’s constant love – the divine pattern for our living in love

Amos 1:1-2:16; Romans 2:17-3:8; Proverbs 17:5-14 God is perfectly holy. He cannot stand sin. This is clear in both Amos and Romans. It is stressed in Proverbs, which emphasizes that sin is not so much sin against man but “contempt for their Maker” (17:5). Proverbs 17:9 tells us that we are to “promote love.” This love …