Category: Genesis to Revelation

  • MORNING & EVENING

    If thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. — Exodus 20:25 God’s altar was to be built of unhewn stones, that no trace of human skill or labour might be seen upon it. Human wisdom delights to trim and arrange the doctrines of the cross into a system more artificial and…

  • UNITY IN ADVERSITY

    Connect The Testaments1 Samuel 22:1–23:29; 1 Peter 1:13–19; Psalm 123:1–124:8 Distress can unite people. In difficult moments, in shared pain, we discover our true friends. When David fled from King Saul, his divided family was suddenly supportive of him, as was every man in the region who was distressed or indebted (1 Sam 22:1–2; compare…

  • MORNING & EVENING

    God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry? — Jonah 4:9 Anger is not always or necessarily sinful, but it has such a tendency to run wild that whenever it displays itself, we should be quick to question its character, with this enquiry, “Doest thou well to be angry?” It may be that…

  • ETERNAL HOPE

    Connect The Testaments1 Samuel 20:1-21:15; 1 Peter 1:1-12; Psalm 121:1-122:9 We don’t often realize where we put our hope. We can seek sustenance, energy, or relief in the most transient, innocuous things—from our morning coffee to a vacation we’ve been anticipating for months. These things are not bad in themselves, but if they constantly serve…

  • MORNING & EVENING

    Sanctified by God the Father. — Jude 1Sanctified in Christ Jesus. — 1 Corinthians 1:2Through sanctification of the Spirit. — 1 Peter 1:2 Mark the union of the Three Divine Persons in all their gracious acts. How unwisely do those believers talk who make preferences in the Persons of the Trinity; who think of Jesus…

  • OPPRESSORS, VICTIMS, AND A JUST GOD

    Connect The Testaments1 Samuel 17:1-58; James 5:1-12; Psalm 119:153-176 Contemporary culture is often pegged as self-indulgent: We live in a have-it-now world, and we don’t always think about the repercussions of our actions. But when we read James’ letter to the early church, we find that self-indulgence isn’t a modern phenomenon. In his letter James…

  • MORNING & EVENING

    Fellow citizens with the saints. — Ephesians 2:19 What is meant by our being citizens in heaven? It means that we are under heaven’s government. Christ the king of heaven reigns in our hearts; our daily prayer is, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The proclamations issued from the throne…

  • MOVING FORWARD

    Connect The Testaments1 Samuel 16:1-23; James 4:1-17; Psalm 119:137-152 Moving on after a person, a hope, or a dream has died can be one of the most difficult challenges of life. It certainly was for Samuel. The prophet Samuel believed that God had chosen Saul as king, but Saul failed God and His people (1…

  • MORNING & EVENING

    Forget not all His benefits. — Psalm 103:2 It is a delightful and profitable occupation to mark the hand of God in the lives of ancient saints, and to observe his goodness in delivering them, his mercy in pardoning them, and his faithfulness in keeping his covenant with them. But would it not be even…

  • HONOR, CREDIT, AND GODLY WISDOM

    Connect The Testaments1 Samuel 15:1-35; James 3:13-18; Psalm 119:121-136 We’re primed to seek validation. Earning “likes” on our social media outlets gives us a sense of self-worth. Getting kudos for a good idea at work makes us feel important. When this is how we derive our self-worth, the opposite will also be true: Being overlooked…