Page 4 - 31 October 2025

PAGE 4 · THE REPORTER 31 OCTOBER 2025

You can download the free app EDWJ via Play Store. They have will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I
included two versions of daily reading on the App, Contemporary
desire and achieve the
(New authors and a new format) and the Classic (The original Selwyn
purpose for which I sent it.
Hughes devotionals):
You will go out in joy and be
Many people who read the I see so clearly that my led forth in peace; the
Bible do not derive from it attitude to Your Word mountains and hills will burst
the benefit they ought determines what I will get out into song before you, and all
from you; you are the ruler of because they fail to come to of it. Help me to approach it the trees of the field will clap
all things. In your hands are it with the right attitude of not simply as a book to be their hands. Instead of the
strength and power to exalt mind. Hence a further read, but as a book that thorn-bush will grow the
and give strength to all. Now, suggestion - do not be reads me. In Jesus' name I juniper, and instead of briers
our God, we give you thanks, content just to read the pray. Amen. the myrtle will grow. This will
and praise your glorious Bible, but be willing to let the Isaiah 55:1-13: 'Come, all be for the Lord's renown, for
name. 'But who am I, and Bible read you. A mistake you who are thirsty, come to an everlasting sign, that will
We continue from where we people, the sheep of His who are my people, that we made by many Christians in the waters; and you who endure for ever.'
left off yesterday. Assuming pasture. Enter His gates with should be able to give as their approach to the Bible is have no money, come, buy 2 Timothy 3:10-16: You,
one is standing in the thanksgiving and His courts g e n e r o u s l y a s t h i s ? to come to it looking more and eat! Come, buy wine and however, know all about my
presence of God with no with praise; give thanks to Everything comes from you, f o r c o n f i r m a t i o n o r milk without money and teaching, my way of life, my
c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f Him and praise His name. and we have given you only encouragement than for without cost. Why spend purpose, faith, patience,
unconfessed sin, what does For the Lord is good and His what comes from your hand. challenge and correction. money on what is not bread, l o v e , e n d u r a n c e ,
one need to do to begin a love endures for ever; His We are foreigners and But, you see, the Bible is and your labour on what persecutions, sufferings -
t i m e o f p r a y e r ? M y faithfulness continues strangers in your sight, as more convicting than does not satisfy? Listen, what kinds of things
suggestion is this – let your through all generations. were all our ancestors. Our comforting, more challeng- listen to me, and eat what is happened to me in Antioch,
first focus be that of I Chronicles 16:8-35: (only days on earth are like a ing than confirming. good, and you will delight in Iconium and Lystra, the
adoration, thanksgiving, and the first portion included shadow, without hope. Lord I am not saying that the Bible the richest of fare. Give ear persecutions I endured. Yet
praise. here) Give praise to the Lord, our God, all this abundance does not speak to us when and come to me; listen, that the Lord rescued me from all
Adore God in your heart. proclaim His name; make that we have provided for we need encouragement, you may live. I will make an of them. In fact, everyone
Ponder the fact that you, a known among the nations building you a temple for because quite clearly it does. everlasting covenant with who wants to live a godly life
soiled sinner, are allowed to what he has done. Sing to your Holy Name comes from What I am saying is this - you, my faithful love in Christ Jesus will be
enter into the presence of Him, sing praise to Him; tell your hand, and all of it traumas and emotional promised to David. See, I persecuted, while evildoers
God and to linger there as of all His wonderful acts. belongs to you. I know, my upheavals apart, the major have made him a witness to and impostors will go from
long as you like. Remind Glory in His holy name; let God, that you test the impact of Scripture on us the peoples, a ruler and bad to worse, deceiving and
yourself again of the thrilling the hearts of those who seek heart and are pleased ought to be its exposure of commander of the peoples. being deceived. But as for
truth that the world is not the the Lord rejoice. Look to the with integrity. All these things our self-centredness, our Surely you will summon you, continue in what you
sporting ground of half-mad Lord and His strength; seek I have given willingly and wrong thinking, and our nations you know not, and have learned and have
men but that God has His face always. Remember with honest intent. And now I spiritual waywardness. Jim nations you do not know will become convinced of,
everything in His hands. the wonders He has done, have seen with joy how Packer, the well-known come running to you, because you know those
Human freedom is real but it His miracles, and the willingly your people who are theologian, puts it like this: because of the Lord your from whom you learned it,
is limited. It might look at judgments He pronounced, here have given to you. Lord, 'The impact of Scripture is God, the Holy One of Israel, and how from infancy you
times as though the world is you His servants, the the God of our fathers m o r e s h o c k i n g t h a n for he has endowed you with have known the Holy
out of control but this is only descendants of Israel, His Abraham, Isaac and Israel, supportive. When I come to splendour.' Seek the Lord Scriptures, which are able to
the appearance of things. chosen ones, the children of keep these desires and the Scripture I assume I am while He may be found; call make you wise for salvation
We live in a guarded universe Jacob. He is the Lord our thoughts in the hearts of wrong. What else can you on Him while He is near. Let through faith in Christ Jesus.
and God will have the last God; His judgments are in all your people for ever, and expect? the wicked forsake their ways All Scripture is God-
word. Remember, no matter the earth. He remembers His keep their hearts loyal to My perspectives clash and the unrighteous their breathed and is useful for
how sensational the world's covenant for ever, the you. violently with the Bible.' Dr thoughts. Let them turn to t e a c h i n g , r e b u k i n g ,
headlines, no atomic device promise He made, for a Psalm 9:11: Sing the Lawrence Crabb puts the the Lord, and He will have correcting and training in
can ever blast the pillars thousand generations, the praises of the Lord, same point in these words: mercy on them, and to our righteousness,
atomic device can ever blast covenant He made with enthroned in Zion; proclaim 'We will not understand the G o d , f o r H e w i l l 2 Peter 1:21: For prophecy
the pillars of the cosmos. So Abraham, the oath He swore among the nations what he Bible aright until we come to freely pardon. 'For my never had its origin in the
adore God, praise Him, to Isaac . . . has done. it willing to be exposed by it.' thoughts are not your human will, but prophets,
rejoice in Him, and thank Splendour and majesty are Because our thoughts are so thoughts, neither are though human, spoke from
Him for His everlasting love. before Him; strength and joy I Peter 2:9: But you are a contrary to God's thoughts, your ways my ways,' God as they were carried
Be prodigal and extravagant are in His dwelling-place. chosen people, a royal we ought to be ready and declares the Lord. 'As the along by the Holy Spirit.
with your praise. Let it not be Ascribe to the Lord, all you priesthood, a holy nation, willing to let the Bible read us heavens are higher than the Acts 1:16: and said,
given to Him in thimblefuls; families of nations, ascribe God's special possession, whenever we open up its earth, so are My ways higher 'Brothers and sisters, the
do as Mary did in the Gospels to the Lord glory and that you may declare the pages. The fear of being read than your ways and My
and break open the alabaster strength. Ascribe to the Lord praises of Him who called by this book means that t h o u g h t s t h a n y o u r Scripture had to be fulfilled
box of your soul. you out of darkness into His many fail to get the best out thoughts. As the rain and the in which the Holy Spirit
the glory due to His name; spoke long ago through
If you have difficulty here, let bring an offering and come wonderful light. of it. snow come down from David concerning Judas,
your mind run over the many before Him. Worship the Matthew 6:13 May I suggest that if you are heaven, and do not return to who served as guide for
it without watering the earth
reasons you have to be Lord in the splendour of his having a comfortable time and making it bud and those who arrested Jesus.
thankful: health, home, love, holiness. Tremble before And lead us not into reading the Bible, the flourish, so that it yields seed Psalm 119:11: I have
friends, flowers, work, Him, all the earth! The world temptation, but chances are you are not hidden Your word in my
service, prayer... and so on. If is firmly established; it deliver us from the evil reading it correctly. for the sower and bread for heart that I might not sin
the eater, so is my word that
honesty compels you to cannot be moved. Let the one. A prayer to make: O Father, goes out from my mouth: it against You.
admit that you do not enjoy heavens rejoice, let the earth
some of the things I have be glad; let them say among the authorities, against the requests. With this in mind,
listed, then think of the God- the nations, 'The Lord powers of this dark world and be alert and always keep on
given things you do enjoy. reigns!' Let the sea resound, against the spiritual forces of praying for all the Lord’s
Think on them - think on and all that is in it; let the evil in the heavenly realms. people.
them until your heart swells fields be jubilant, and Therefore put on the full Spiritual Warfare:
w i t h g r a t i t u d e a n d everything in them! Let the armor of God, so that when
thanksgiving rises like a tidal trees of the forest sing, let the day of evil comes, you 1. Spiritual attacks are
wave within your soul. them sing for joy before the may be able to stand your designed to return us to the
Lord, for he comes to judge Kingdom of Satan. Colos-
A prayer to make: O Father, ground, and after you have sians 1:13-14; Ephesians
forgive me that I am so stingy the earth. Give thanks to the done everything, to stand.
with my praise when I have Lord, for He is good; Stand firm then, with the belt 6:16-18; Romans 5:2
so much to be thankful for. I Chronicles 29:10-18: of truth buckled around your 2. People are not our
Help me have a clear focus David praised the Lord in the waist, with the breastplate of problem.
on how good You are to me, presence of the whole righteousness in place, and 3. Great faith makes use of
and cause me always to assembly, saying, 'Praise be with your feet fitted with the all God’s armour
come into Your courts with to you, Lord, the God of our readiness that comes from
thanksgiving. In Jesus' name f a t h e r I s r a e l , f r o m the gospel of peace. In 7 Pieces of God’s armour:
I ask it. Amen. everlasting to everlasting. DEVELOPING Ephesians 6:10-18: The addition to all this, take up 1. The belt of truth
Armor of God
Further study: Psalm Yours, Lord, is the greatness GREAT FAITH: Part 3 the shield of faith, with which 2. The breastplate of
100:1-5 Shout for joy to the and the power and the glory 1 Timothy 4:1: The Spirit Finally, be strong in the Lord you can extinguish all the righteousness
flaming arrows of the evil
and in his mighty power. Put
Lord, all the earth. Worship and the majesty and the clearly says that in later times on the full armor of God, so one. Take the helmet of 3. The Gospel shoes
the Lord with gladness; splendour, for everything in some will abandon the faith 4. The shield of faith
come before Him with joyful heaven and earth is yours. and follow deceiving spirits that you can take your stand salvation and the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word
against the devil’s schemes.
songs. Know that the Lord is Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; and things taught by For our struggle is not of God. And pray in the Spirit 5 The helmet of salvation
God. It is He who made us, you are exalted as head over demons. against flesh and blood, but on all occasions with all 6. The sword of the Spirit.
and we are His; we are His all. Wealth and honour come The Armour of God against the rulers, against kinds of prayers and 7. Pray in the Spirit