Search The Scriptures: Ezra

On May 9, 2024 By charlieIn Ezra, Search the Scriptures1 Comment

Following the return of the Jews to Jerusalem, after their captivity in Babylon and prior to the beginning of the rebuilding of the Temple, there was the resumption of worship at the Temple site (Ezra 3:1-6). Worship - This must always lie at the heart of the life of God’s people. Once the foundation had …

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Search The Scriptures: Mark’s Gospel

On March 31, 2024 By charlieIn Mark, Search the Scriptures4 Comments

MARK “Good News” - “the forgiveness of sins” and “baptism with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:1,4,8). This Good News is centred on Jesus Christ, God’s beloved Son (Mark 1:11). Jesus was empowered by “the Spirit” (Mark 1:12). He comes to us with “the Good news of God” (Mark 1:(14). He calls for our response - …

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Search The Scriptures: Luke’s Gospel

On July 30, 2022July 12, 2022 By charlieIn Luke, Search the Scriptures3 Comments

LUKE “You will know that what you have been told is true” (Luke 1:4). Historical truth underlies the spiritual truth through which the Spirit brings home to our hearts the meaning of the Gospel. Without the historical truth, there is no Gospel. The Gospel is not based on myth. It is God’s testimony to His …

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Search the Scriptures.

On April 17, 2022April 17, 2022 By charlieIn Search the Scriptures3 Comments

Search the Scriptures: Old Testament Search the Scriptures: New Testament

We need more than life “under the sun.” We need life in the Son.

On March 24, 2022March 9, 2022 By charlieIn Ecclesiastes, Search the Scriptures1 Comment

Search the Scriptures: Ecclesiastes 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 …

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God promises blessing to those who take refuge in Him (Search The Scriptures: Psalms).

On March 18, 2022March 9, 2022 By charlieIn Psalms, Search the Scriptures3 Comments

PSALMS God calls us to follow “the way of righteous people” (Psalm 1:6). He directs our attention to His “Son”, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ (Psalm 2:7). He promises blessing to those who “take refuge ... In Him” (Psalm 2:12). There is much opposition: “O Lord, look how my enemies have increased! Many are …

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Search The Scriptures: Job

On March 12, 2022March 9, 2022 By charlieIn book of Job, Search the Scriptures1 Comment

With God’s permission, “Satan, the accuser” attacks Job (Job 1:8). The attack is ferocious, May the Name of the Lord be praised! Through all this, Job did not sin or blame God for doing anything wrong” (Job 1:21-22). Satan’s attack on Job is really a challenge to God. The Lord is in control of the …

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Yes, Lord I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

John 11:1-13:20 11:1-44 – Everything is moving on towards Christ’s death and resurrection. On His way to the Cross, Jesus performs a mighty miracle – the raising of Lazarus (43-44) – which points unmistakably to an even greater miracle – His own resurrection (Acts 2:24). Accompanying this miracle – the raising of Lazarus – , […]

May our words bring a blessing to those who hear them.

Job 18:1-19:7 – Job listens to Bildad’s harsh words. He answers with a question: ‘How long will you torment me, and break me in pieces with words?’ (19:2). Job couldn’t make much sense of what was going on in his life. He was sure of one thing. His ‘friends’ were missing the point of it […]

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 […]

Praying Through God’s Word: Mark’s Gospel

Mark 1:1-20 Lord, we thank You that Your Son, Jesus, has triumphed over Your enemy, Satan. To us, Satan can seem so strong. Help us to remember that Jesus is stronger than Satan. With Jesus as our Saviour, we shall triumph over Satan, our enemy. Mark 1:21-2:12 Lord, help us never to think that prayer […]

We thank You, Lord, that Your Son, Jesus, is “the Resurrection and the Life” …

Praying through God’s Word: 6th November – John 11:1-44 We thank You, Lord, that Your Son, Jesus, is “the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25). His promise is given to those who believe in Him: “he who believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Help us, when we hear these […]

What’s the point of having plenty of friends, if we fall out with You, Lord?

Praying Though God’s Word 1 Chronicles 3:1-4:23 “Jabez called upon the God of Israel, ‘Oh that You would bless me …’ And God granted his request” (1 Chronicles 4:10). Help us, Lord, when we ask for Your blessing, to pray for your mercy – “Have mercy on me, O God, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Help […]

We’re not only praying for God’s glory in the place of worship. We’re praying for His glory in our lives.

Ezekiel 43:1-27 – This is not only about the glory of the Temple. It’s about ‘the glory of the God of Israel’. This is the greater glory – ‘the glory of the Lord filled the Temple’ (1,5). God is not only concerned about the creation of a beautiful place of worship. He wants our lives […]

Jesus Christ – the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world

Ezekiel 46:1-24 – We read here about the ‘offering’ of ‘a lamb without defect’. This was to happen ‘morning by morning’ (13). From these offerings , we look on to another Offering, ‘a single Offfering’, the ‘once for all’ Offering of Jesus Christ as ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the […]

God wants to bless us. He wants us to seek His blessing.

Psalm 81:1-87:7 Psalm 81:1-16 – God calls us to worship Him with joy – ‘Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob!’(Psalm 81:1). He has blessed us with His salvation – ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt’. He will continue […]

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 […]

Daily Devotional Readings: Year Two – April

1st April: 1 Samuel 17:1-58 David defeats Goliath. This is not only a story about David and Goliath. It is about the Israelites and the Philistines. It is about ‘God’ and the ‘gods’ (43,46). Victory comes from the Lord. It is given by grace. It is received by faith (47). Notice the contrast between the […]

Bible Reading Notes: Year One – April

1st April: Genesis 25:19-34 Esau was a fool. He chose his own way rather than the Lord’s way. Jacob was a ‘heel’! ‘Born with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel…, he was named Jacob (Heel)’ (26). A crafty twister, a manipulating cheat, there was nothing about him that merited God’s blessing. He was not […]

The tragedy of spritual suicide and the triumph of Christ’s resurrection

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 […]

From the Miracles to the Resurrection

Matthew 15:21-16:4 Above all Jesus’ miracles, we celebrate His mighty resurrection from the dead (28:5-7). This miracle is referred to in 16:4 – ‘the sign of Jonah’: Jonah was raised from ‘the belly of a huge fish’, Jesus has been raised from ‘the heart of the earth’ (12:40). We are to ‘remember Jesus Christ, risen […]

The prophets of God… and the Son of God

Acts 24:1-27 Paul did not abandon the teaching of the Old Testament Scriptures – ‘I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the law or written in the prophets (14). He read the Old Testament. It led him to Christ. Paul’s great theme was ‘faith in Christ Jesus’ (24). Paul speaks. […]

A great picture of God’s way of salvation

Acts 27:1-44 There is, in this story, a great picture of God’s way of salvation. (a) Our human situation is hopeless: ‘All our hope of being saved was at last abandoned’ (20). We are sinners. We cannot save ourselves. (b) There is hope: ‘God has granted you all those who sail with you’ (25). God […]

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

2 Kings 14:23-15:38; Acts 25:23-26:23; Proverbs 16:18-27 Here, we have the record of seven reigns – five in Israel, two in Judah. The five in Israel “did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Kings 14:24; 2 Kings 15:9,18,24,28). The two in Judah “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (2 […]

Bible Notes by G. Philip

On 1st March 2019, I attended a thanksgiving service for the life and ministry of Rev George Philip (11th November 1925 – 16th February 2019). For forty years, George taught the Word of the Lord, faithfully and fruitfully, in Sandyford – Henderson Memorial Church, Glasgow. Here’s a link to George’s Bible reading notes, which cover […]

Daily Devotional Readings: Year One – March

1st March: Genesis 15:1-21 God is greater than our circumstances. God had given great promises to Abraham, yet there appeared no sign that His promises were being fulfilled. The circumstances seemed bleak, and Abraham felt despondent. Abraham was full of questions. In verse 2, he asks, ‘What can you give me…?’. This is the question […]

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 […]