Shepherd's Corner (August 27, 2025)

Shepherds Corner Aug 27 2025Brian Lee

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“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105, ESV).

Beloved Riverside Family,

One of the greatest gifts God has given His people is His Word. Scripture tells us:

“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul” (Psalm 19:7, ESV).

That is why at Riverside, we provide the daily Bible readings and quiet time reflections for you. You can easily find it on our homepage: www.riversidepeople.org/blog. Almost every day, these are uploaded for you to read and listen, so that together we may walk in God’s truth.

I understand that you may already be following a reading plan. So, participating in the Scripture Union's schedule may be too burdensome. You may find the unfamiliar format to be a reason not to read along with the rest of the church. I suppose that as long as one is daily reading and praying the Word, what does it matter which schedule we follow? However, if you are going to read the Word daily anyway, why not read together with the rest of the church? From little children to older saints, if a church were to read the same passage together, it would provide a common baseline for our daily conversations. As Paul reminds us,

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16, ESV).

I believe that a church that reads and reflects together can also experience awakening together. In the busyness of our lives here in the New York metropolitan area, it is easy to be swept away by our schedules, daily pressures, and even distractions. But when we pause daily to open God’s Word, we are reminded of His presence, His promises, and His reality in our lives.

History itself shows us what can happen when God’s people take His Word seriously. In the 1859 Ulster Revival in Northern Ireland, it all began with just four believers who committed to meet regularly for prayer and Bible study. Soon, the hunger for God’s Word spread throughout the region, and tens of thousands experienced deep repentance and renewal. What began as a small gathering of ordinary people reading and praying together evolved into a mighty movement of God’s Spirit.

My prayer is that our church will awaken to God’s presence, not just on Sundays, but in the everyday rhythms of life. Charles Spurgeon once said, “A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”

So, may I impress upon your heart the importance of making time each day? Read. Reflect. Rejoice. And let us grow together in the knowledge and love of Christ.

In His Grace Alone,

Pastor Brian Lee