• ‘If anyone wants to boast’ [Jeremiah 9:24 (GNB)]

    ‘If anyone wants to boast’. We generally discourage boasting but here the Lord says that anyone wanting to boast should boast that he knows and understands Me. We read here that wise men boast of their wisdom, strong men of their strength and rich men of their wealth. Knowing the Lord means a recognition of ... Read more

  • ‘Moses whom they refused’ [Acts 7:35]

    ‘Moses whom they refused’. These words are taken from Stephen's sermon - recorded at length in the Acts of the Apostles, no doubt to give a lead to preachers in all generations. The Children of Israel did refuse Moses when he acted impetuously in slaying an Egyptian and no doubt he thought he had lost ... Read more

  • “be strong in the Lord” [Ephesians 6:10]

    <b>"be strong in the Lord".</b>  Only in the Lord will you find strength to carry the campaign of life to a successful conclusion. Here are some of the strengths available to you in the Lord: power to resist the Devil and to stand firm in the face of temptation, power to witness to His saving ... Read more

  • “Lord, I want to see” [Luke 18:41(NIV)]

    <b>"Lord, I want to see".</b> If you realise something is missing in your life… If your quest for a purpose has not yet been fulfilled… Should it be that you feel there is something more than you have at present - a spiritual dimension that you know nothing of… When all the reasoning you can ... Read more

  • “I will do whatever you say” [Ruth 3:5(NIV)]

    <b>"I will do whatever you say". </b> Naomi was a godly woman who suffered great personal sorrow and loss and in the process of time her loss was compensated by one of her daughters-in-law, Ruth.  Ruth shone because of her unwavering devotion to Naomi. She chose caring for Naomi before going back to her own ... Read more

  • “I am not worthy” [Matthew 8:8]

    <b>"I am not worthy".</b>  The centurion had an opinion of himself that would be rather out of fashion today. He acknowledged he was an unworthy sinner in God's sight; he knew he was a transgressor and felt morally unfit before Jesus. Popular thinking today would never demand that you stoop so low as this. It ... Read more

  • “Serve the Lord with gladness” [Psalm 100:2]

    <b>"Serve the Lord with gladness".</b>  There are times when this reminder is timely: When asked to do something we would not choose. When the job in hand calls for special grace. When we go for a long period without any obvious result. When our lamp burns low or we are asked to donate the last ... Read more

  • “the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed” [Acts 13:12]

    <b>"the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed".</b>  The deputy was astonished to find a statement of belief that was supported by a miracle. It was the Lord working, confirming His word with signs following, as Mark says at the end of his Gospel. Saul, at the beginning of his ministry, rebuked Elymas the ... Read more

  • “Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites” [II Chronicles 30:22(NIV)]

    <b>"Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites".</b>  People need encouragement and God's work needs "encouragers". There is a lot of lethargy and half-heartedness and folk need encouraging to begin working. Note that it was the Levites, or priestly tribe, that Hezekiah encouraged. They led the people in worship and they needed encouragement.  They were not ... Read more

  • “Master, all these have I observed from my youth” [Mark 10:20]

    <b>"Master, all these have I observed from my youth".</b>  Maximum attendance, paying full attention, committing to memory the Law and the Commandments and applying this to every aspect of his life was not enough. Perfect in all but one point is to be imperfect. The young ruler's perfection in so much made him very conscious ... Read more