December 31, 1871

The Joy of the Lord, the Strength of His People   "The joy of the Lord is your strength."—Nehemiah 8:10. "And the singers sang aloud, with Jezrahiah their overseer. Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy …

Nehemiah:8:10

December 31, 1871

A New Year’s Retrospect and Prospect   “LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear.”— Psalm x. 17.   IT has been sometimes said that a good Sabbath makes a good week. Sir Matthew Hale long ago said:— “A Sabbath well spent Brings a week of content;” while George …

Psalms:10:17

December 23, 1871

Joy Born at Bethlehem   "And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye …

Luke:2:10, 11, 12

November 19, 1871

The Throne of Grace   "The throne of grace."—Hebrews 4:16        These words are found embedded in that gracious verse, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need"; they are a gem in a golden setting. True prayer is an approach …

Hebrews:4:16

November 4, 1871

Household Salvation   "And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, …

Acts:16:32-34

October 28, 1871

Pleading   "But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: Thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make no tarrying."—Psalm 70:5        Young painters were anxious, in olden times, to study under the great masters. They concluded that they should more easily attain to excellence if they entered the schools of …

Psalms:70:5

October 21, 1871

The Talking Book   "When thou awakest, it shall talk with thee"—Proverbs 6:22        It is a very happy circumstance when the commandment of our father and the law of our mother are also the commandment of God and the law of the Lord. Happy are they who have a double force to draw them to the …

Proverbs:6:22

October 14, 1871

The One Thing Needful   "But one thing is needful."—Luke 10:42        We have no difficulty whatever in deciding what the one thing is. We are not allowed to say that it is the Saviour, for he is not a thing; and we are not permitted to say that it is attention to our own salvation, for …

Luke:10:42

October 8, 1871

"Nunc Dimittis"   "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation."—Luke 2:29-30        Blessed wert thou, O Simeon, for flesh and blood had not revealed this unto thee; neither had it enabled thee so cheerfully to bid the world farewell. The flesh clings to the …

Luke:2:29-30

September 30, 1871

Our Watchword   "Let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified."—Psalm 70:4        These words occur at least three times in the book of Psalms, and therefore we may regard them as especially important. When God speaks once, twice, thrice, he doth as it were awaken us to peculiar attention, and call for …

Psalms:70:4