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Daily Devotional for December 24, 2025

"A man ought to examine himself –" (v. 28)

Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     1 Corinthians 11:27-34

From what we have seen over the past few days, it is clear that the psalmist has come to the place where his views have changed. He sees that God is ruling over human affairs and that the ungodly are not in such an enviable situation after all. We come now to see that he was not only put right in his thinking...

Bible Verses: 1 Corinthians 11:27-34Psalms 73:21-221 Chronicles 28:1-10Jeremiah 17:10Jeremiah 23:24Psalms 44:20-21

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     Isaiah 40:12-17

Now we come to look at a section of the psalm which suggests that the reason why the ungodly continue to prosper as they do is because God is asleep. Listen to the psalmist's exact words: "As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies" (

Bible Verses: Isaiah 40:12-17Psalms 73:20Daniel 8:5-8Psalms 121:1-82 Chronicles 6:202 Chronicles 16:9

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     Proverbs 24:15-22

Today we look at another reason why God allows the ungodly to flourish - to illustrate by contrast the horror of an eternity without God. Spurgeon commented: "Eternal punishment will be all the more terrible in contrast with the former prosperity of those who are ripening for it." The seeming joy and splendour of...

Bible Verses: Proverbs 24:15-22Esther 7:9Luke 16Luke 16:19-31Matthew 13:24-30Matthew 13:49

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     Psalm 76:1-12

We touched yesterday on the truth that the reason why the ungodly are set in eminent places is because God arranges it. The psalmist goes on to say that not only does God raise up the ungodly, but He also brings them down: "You cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed –" (

Bible Verses: Psalms 76:1-12Psalms 73:18-19Romans 1:18Romans 3:19-202 Timothy 2:1-191 Peter 4:18

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     Deuteronomy 32:28-38

We have been seeing that in the sanctuary the psalmist was reminded of the things he had forgotten, and thus his thinking was straightened out. There can be no real change in our personalities until there is a change in our thinking. Counselling that focuses only on changing behaviour and fails to emphasise the...

Bible Verses: Deuteronomy 32:28-38Psalms 73:17Psalms 73:18-19Psalms 16:1-111 Samuel 2:9Psalms 18:36Ephesians 6:13-14

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     2 Timothy 4:1-8

There can be no doubt that the Bible presents the death of the ungodly as being terrible. How differently, however, does it portray the death of the righteous. Even a hireling prophet like Balaam, bad as he was, recognised that there was something different about the death of the godly. Listen to his words in

Bible Verses: 2 Timothy 4:1-8Numbers 23:102 Timothy 1:1-121 Corinthians 15:45-58

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     Proverbs 12:1-8

We continue thinking about the fact that as soon as the psalmist considered the end of the ungodly, everything dropped into focus. Their true position became so clear to him that his language in the rest of the psalm indicates that he not only ceased to be envious of the ungodly but began to be sorry for them. Indeed,...

Bible Verses: Proverbs 12:1-81 Timothy 6:1-10Psalms 49:10Proverbs 23:5

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     Matthew 7:13-20

Today we look at the special understanding the psalmist received when he came into the sanctuary of God: "Then I understood their final destiny" (Psalm 73:17). As soon as he considered the final destiny of the ungodly, everything dropped into focus for him. He had looked...

Bible Verses: Matthew 7:13-20Psalms 73:17Psalms 37Luke 12:15-21Proverbs 12:15-16Proverbs 28:6

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     Matthew 22:23-33

We spend one more day considering the proposition that apart from a relationship with God and an understanding of the Scriptures, we are unable to see life as a whole. The man or woman who knows and understands the Bible will be acquainted with the facts he or she needs to have in order to come to right and sound...

Bible Verses: Matthew 22:23-332 Timothy 2:1-152 Timothy 3:16

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     Acts 26:1-18

The place where we can see life as a whole is in the sanctuary of God, or, if you prefer, in the presence of God. There we are reminded of things we have forgotten or ignored. See how the Good News Bible translates Acts 26:9: "I myself thought that I should do everything I...

Bible Verses: Acts 26:1-18Acts 26:9Judges 17:1-6Judges 21:25

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

We continue meditating on the importance of looking at life "steadily and whole". I venture to suggest that people who are not Christians are unable to see life as a whole. How can they, when their thinking takes place only on the level of the natural? Natural thinking is notoriously partial and incomplete....

Bible Verses: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-282 Corinthians 4:1-16Proverbs 20:27Ecclesiastes 12:7

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     1 Peter 3:13-22

As Christians we ought never to forget that the message of the Bible is addressed primarily to the understanding; it enables us to understand life. Because of the Bible, we are able to give a reason for the hope that is within us. The psalmist found the truth of this. In the sanctuary he discovered an explanation for...

Bible Verses: 1 Peter 3:13-22Psalms 73:17Ephesians 5:1-202 Timothy 1:8

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     Philippians 4:2-9

We continue to look at the dramatic change in the life of the psalmist when he entered into the sanctuary. It is important to realise that it was not merely the physical act of entering the sanctuary that brought about change. That was important, but something else happened that was even more important. Listen again...

Bible Verses: Philippians 4:2-9Psalms 73:17Psalms 48:1-9Psalms 119:591 Samuel 12:24

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Selwyn Hughes

For Reading and Meditation:     Philippians 2:5-11

We continue meditating on the importance of learning to think spiritually. It is sometimes interesting to listen to Christians discussing together both earthly and heavenly issues. Take politics, for example. When involved in a discussion on this subject, many Christians seem to put their Christianity on one side...

Bible Verses: Philippians 2:5-11Luke 22:42James 1:1-8Matthew 6:221 Corinthians 2:16

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