The Name of Jesus

On January 1, 2023December 8, 2022 By charlieIn Galatians, Luke, New Year, Numbers, Philippians, Revised Common Lectionary - Year B1 Comment

January 1: The Naming of Jesus – Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 8; Galatians 4:4-7 (or Philippians 2:5-11); Luke 2:15-21 His Name was called JESUS (Luke 2:21). Christmas is over – but let’s not forget Jesus. He is still here. He is still with us. He is for New Year’s Day as well as Christmas Day. He …

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First Sunday after Christmas Day: Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 148; Galatians 4:4-7 (or Philippians 2:5-11); Luke 2:22-40 – The Name of Jesus is Good News. It tells us of the Saviour’s love.

On December 27, 2022December 14, 2022 By charlieIn Christmas, Galatians, Luke, Philippians, Revised Common Lectionary - Year B3 Comments

First Sunday after Christmas Day: Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 148; Galatians 4:4-7 (or Philippians 2:5-11); Luke 2:22-40 The Name of Jesus is Good News. It tells us of the Saviour’s love. ‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me... to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour’ (Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus has fulfilled these words (Luke …

Continue reading First Sunday after Christmas Day: Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 148; Galatians 4:4-7 (or Philippians 2:5-11); Luke 2:22-40 – The Name of Jesus is Good News. It tells us of the Saviour’s love.

Season of Christmas: Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Day) III – Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12); John 1:1-14

On December 25, 2022December 4, 2022 By charlieIn Christmas, Hebrews, John, Psalms, Revised Common Lectionary - Year B1 Comment

Season of Christmas: Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Day) III – Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12); John 1:1-14 Good News ‘Good News’- Let us ‘shout for joy’. ‘Good News’- Let us sing ‘songs of joy’. There is the Good News of God’s reign - ‘Your God reigns’. There is the Good News of …

Continue reading Season of Christmas: Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Day) III – Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12); John 1:1-14

Fourth Sunday of Advent: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 (or Luke 1:47-55); Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38

On December 12, 2022November 30, 2022 By charlieIn 2 Samuel, advent, Luke, Revised Common Lectionary - Year B, Romans2 Comments

Fourth Sunday of Advent: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 (or Luke 1:47-55); Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38 Look beyond David. Look beyond Solomon. Jesus Christ is the King of kings. David was king. God was looking on to the next king, Solomon. Knowing the kind of man Solomon would become, God speaks of chastening: …

Continue reading Fourth Sunday of Advent: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 (or Luke 1:47-55); Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38

Third Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126 (or Luke 1:47-55); 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28

On December 8, 2022November 30, 2022 By charlieIn 1 Thessalonians, advent, John, Luke, Psalms, Revised Common Lectionary - Year B1 Comment

Third Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126 (or Luke 1:47-55); 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28 God has given us the Good News of salvation: Jesus Christ. ‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me... to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour’ (Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus has fulfilled these words (Luke 4:18-21). …

Continue reading Third Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Psalm 126 (or Luke 1:47-55); 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28

Second Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8

On December 2, 2022November 30, 2022 By charlieIn 2 Peter, advent, Mark, Psalms, Revised Common Lectionary - Year B, Second Sunday of Advent1 Comment

Second Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8 Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. ‘The Lord is the everlasting God... He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak... those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength...’ (Isaiah 40:28-31). …

Continue reading Second Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8

Revised Common Lectionary – Year B: First Sunday of Advent – Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37

On December 1, 2022November 30, 2022 By charlieIn 1 Corinthians, advent, First Sunday of Advent, Mark, Psalms, Revised Common Lectionary - Year B1 Comment

Revised Common Lectionary Year B - First Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37 Jesus Christ is God’s Answer to our prayer. We confess our sins to God - ‘We sinned... All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy …

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We need the Holy Spirit, and we need the Holy Scriptures.

On January 21, 2022January 19, 2022 By charlieIn Acts, Easter, Jeremiah, John, Psalms, Revised Common Lectionary - Year B1 Comment

Seventh Sunday of Easter: Acts 1:15- 17, 21-26; Psalm 1 (or Jeremiah 10:1-10a); Psalm 108; 1 John 5:9-13; John 17:6-19 We need the Holy Spirit. We read, in John 7:39, that ‘the Spirit’ would not be ‘given’ until Jesus was ‘glorified’. Now, as Jesus was about to be ‘taken up... into heaven’, He tells His …

Continue reading We need the Holy Spirit, and we need the Holy Scriptures.

Second Sunday after the Epiphany: 1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20); Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51

On January 7, 2022June 25, 2021 By charlieIn 1 Corinthians, 1 Samuel, Epiphany, John, Revised Common Lectionary - Year B1 Comment

Second Sunday after the Epiphany: 1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20); Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51 God is restoring His glory among His people. The call of Samuel is a vivid example of what God can do in the lives of children. Samuel’s early response to God set in motion a whole process of …

Continue reading Second Sunday after the Epiphany: 1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20); Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51

First Sunday after the Epiphany (Baptism of the Lord): Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11

On January 7, 2022June 25, 2021 By charlieIn Epiphany, Genesis, Mark, Psalms, Revised Common Lectionary - Year B1 Comment

First Sunday after the Epiphany (Baptism of the Lord): Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11 Getting our priorities right ‘Genesis’ means ‘beginning’. These opening verses challenge us to get our priorities right - (a) The priority of God (Genesis 1:1). God comes first. Before anyone else is mentioned, He is there. (b) The …

Continue reading First Sunday after the Epiphany (Baptism of the Lord): Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11

Revised Common Lectionary: Year B

On April 22, 2021April 4, 2021 By charlieIn Revised Common Lectionary - Year B1 Comment

YEAR B First Sunday of Advent: Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37 Jesus Christ is God’s Answer to our prayer. We confess our sins to God - ‘We sinned... All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags’. We look to …

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Keep on believing that God hears and answers prayer.

2 Samuel 21:1-22:7 – There’s no two ways about it. God’s people were getting it rough. There seemed to be so many problems. Were they to give up hope? – Not a bit of it! Read verse 14 – ‘After that God heeded supplications for the land’. What happened when God heard and answered the […]

Show us, Lord, what we really are – without You.

Deuteronomy 23:1-25 Show us, Lord, what we really are – without You. Make us, more truly and more fully, what You want us to become – by Your saving grace. Fill us with Your holiness – and fill us with Your love. You’ve lifted us out of our sin and into Your salvation. This is […]

Praying Through God’s Word: Matthew’s Gospel

Matthew 1:1-17 Lord, we’ve only just begun – to experience Your love and enjoy Your blessing. We’ve started out on the journey of faith – but we haven’t reached our destination. We’re still travelling. We dare not stand still. We must keep on going forward – with You and for You. Sometimes, we can forget […]

Lord, we come to You in our weakness. You give to us Your strength.

John 14:15-15:17 Lord, we come to You in our weakness. You give to us Your strength. Without Jesus, we can do nothing (John 15:5). With Jesus as our Saviour, His Word abiding in us (John 15:7) and the Holy Spirit teaching us all things (John 15:26), we are led into a life of fruitfulness (John […]

To You, Lord, be all the glory.

Genesis 18:16-33 To You, Lord, be all the glory. You have done so many great things for us. So many blessings – and they all come from You, Lord. Our sins have been forgiven. You’ve come to live in us. Such great blessing – but this is just the beginning! You’re leading us on to […]

Lord, help us to stand upon Your Word.

Genesis 31:43-32:21 Lord, help us to stand upon Your Word. You have given us a firm foundation for our faith. You have given us Your salvation. When everything around is shaking, we can stand firm because we know that You are our God. You are the God who has saved us through the death of […]

A new beginning

2 Samuel 1:1-27 – ‘How are the mighty fallen!’ (19,25,27). The tragedy of Saul was there for all to see. He had made a right mess of things! What are we to think when we read of this tragic figure? He started out so well. He ended so badly. There were high hopes – but […]

We thank You, Lord, that ‘we do not live by bread alone.’

We thank You, Lord, that “we do not live by bread alone” (Deuteronomy 8:3). We need bread for the body. We also need Jesus, the Bread of Life (John 6:35). Help us, Lord, not to become too easily satisfied by the things of this world. Help us never to forget that we need Jesus. Without […]

God invites us to come to Him and receive salvation.

ISAIAH 1:1-31 – God invites us to ‘come’ to Him and receive salvation – ‘though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow’. He also warns us – there will be judgment ‘if you refuse and rebel’ (18-20). God speaks to us of His great purpose of salvation: ‘God did not […]

Lord, we need Your Word of encouragement.

Numbers 12:1-13:33 Lord, we need Your Word of encouragement. Sometimes, our problems seem to be so big. Help us to see that Your power is always greater than our problems. When everything in us seems to be saying, “I can’t”, help us to hear – and speak – the Word of faith, ” I can […]

Daily Devotional Readings: Year Two – February

1st February: Judges 1:1-2:5 ‘You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? (Galatians 5:7). Everything seems to be going well – ‘From victory to victory His army He shall lead till every foe is vanquished and Christ is Lord indeed’ (1-18; Church Hymnary, 481). Things went badly wrong. God commanded His people […]

Daily Devotional Readings: Year Two – January

1st January: Joshua 1:1-18 For Israel, it was a new beginning. They were leaving the wilderness. That was their past. They were entering the promised land. This was God’s future. For God’s future there is God’s command – ‘Be strong’ – and God’s promise – ‘the Lord your God is with you’. We wonder what […]

Daily Devotional Readings: Year Three – January

1st January: Psalm 77:1-20 Sometimes, we have more questions than answers (7-9). The questions keep flooding into our minds. We wonder where the answers are going to come from. What are we to do when this happens? We must remember what the Lord has done for us (11-12). Look back over the ‘years’ – and […]

Daily Devotional Readings : Year One – January

1st January: Psalm 119:105-112 We begin the year with the words of verse 105: ‘Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’. This a great text with which to begin the year. It is a great starting-point for these studies in God’s Word. As we journey through life with […]

My One Year Bible

Day 1 Genesis 1:1-2:17; Matthew 1:1-25; Psalm 1:1-6 Genesis speaks of the beginning. Matthew speaks of a new beginning. The God who created us is the God who has provided for our salvation. If we are to enjoy God’s salvation, we must learn to follow the wisdom of Psalm 1:1-2 – “Blessed is the one […]

Jesus – the King of kings and Lord of lords

Matthew 2:1-12 ‘King of the Jews’ (2). Jesus came from the Jews. He came for ‘all nations’ (28:19). He is the ‘King of kings’ (Revelation 17:14; 19:16). Here on earth, we are learning ‘to worship Him’ (2). We are being prepared for heavenly worship (Revelation 7:9-12): ‘Kings and queens and beggar men, presidents and servants, […]

Luke 2:1-20

‘A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord’ (11). The Name, ‘Jesus’, means ‘Saviour’ (Matthew 1:21). Focus your thoughts on Him: The Lord Jesus Christ. Here is a prayer to help you make your response to Him: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us, You are one with us, Mary’s Son. Cleansing our souls from […]

Daily Devotional Readings: Year One – December

1st December: John 10:1-42 The Christian life is not easy. The devil ‘comes only to steal and kill and destroy’ (10). Satan was working through the religious leaders. They were trying ‘to stone’ Jesus (31). ‘Again’, they failed (39). They could not take Jesus’ life. ‘His hour had not yet come’ (18; 7:30; 8:20). When […]

For the Christian, the King’s Highway is the Way of Holiness: “This is the way, walk in it.”

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 be […]

Without God’s grace and mercy, we will fall. With His grace and mercy, we will stand.

Ezekiel 4:1-6:14; Hebrews 5:11-6:12; Proverbs 26:23-27:4 “Alas! because of all the wicked and detestable practices of the house of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine and plague” (Ezekiel 6:11). Alongside these words concerning Israel’s sin and fall, we place the solemn words of Hebrews 6:4-6, words which warn us of the danger […]