Gems from January 2012

December 27

". . . launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught . . . At Thy word I will let down the net."
(Luke 5:4,5)

When Peter made Christ the captain of his boat he was commanded to "launch out into the deep!" When Christ was in control, Peter must no longer stay in the shallows.

Are you hugging the shore of the world? Do you wonder why there is no success in your Christian life? Have you been a Christian for so long, and yet do you still dabble in the world's pleasures? Do you still compromise with the world's standards? Are you still content to come down to the level of the world? Have you never burned your bridges and cut your shorelines and launched out into the deep, with Christ in full control?

If it is a choice between the social evenings and the prayer meeting, which wins? (Frederick P. Wood)

Oh, let us launch out on this ocean so broad,
Where the floods of salvation o'erflow;
Oh let us be lost in the mercy of God,
Till the depth of His fullness we know.

Launch out into the deep!
Oh let the shoreline go;
Launch out, launch out in the ocean divine,
Out where the full tides flow.

A great ship asks deep waters.
(G. Herbert)

N.J. Hiebert - 4657

December 30

"Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God. . . "
(Luke 2:12-13)

Praising God for What? "The mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16). The hope of Israel is revealed to them - glad tidings of great joy to all the people. For JESUS is the pivot of all God's counsels in grace. Adam himself was but a type of Him who was to come. Christ was ever in the mind of God. Such displays of glory are not shown to mortal eyes every day; but God sets them before us in His Word, and we must every day follow the sign given, follow Jesus the babe in the manger. If He filled the eye, the ear, the heart, how we should see the effects in person, spirit, conversation, dress, house, money, and other things.

Such, then, is the sign of God's accomplishment of promise and of His presence in the world - "a babe in the manger" - the least and lowest thing. But God is found there, though these things are beyond man, who cannot walk with God, nor understand His moral glory. But God's sign is within the reach of faith. It is the token of perfect weakness; a little infant who can only weep. Such, born into this world, is Christ the Lord. Such is the place God chose - the low degree. God's intervention is recognized by a sign like this. Man would not have sought that. (J.N. Darby)

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December 31

"Jesus . . . leadeth them up into an hight mountain, apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them."
(Mark 9:2)

A mountain top perspective makes all the difference in life.
As the new year beckons, consider that for a moment. Problems seem so much smaller.
Possibilities seem so much greater.
Our Saviour leads the way, for His heart longs to have us there.
The journey is not easy - the mountain is high; but the loftier the summit the greater the view.
It will involve separation - they went up "apart by themselves."
Smaller problems, greater possibilities, these will be wonderful.
But the greatest blessing of the mountain top is a Person - Christ Jesus in His glory.
In the new year, make the mountain top your goal. (S. McEachern)

Lord, lead us to the mountain height; to Thy transfiguring glow;
And clothe us with the Spirit's might, for grander work below.
(D.H. Ela)

N.J. Hiebert - 4661

January 1

"I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:13,14)

One of God's glorious gifts to mankind is to bestow upon him the dawn of a new year.

New opportunities and challenges are before him. A chance to try again, to make another endeavour to successfully accomplish the ambitions which were perhaps cast aside with discouragement in the year past.

Life is full of beginnings. As one stands at the gate and with doubtful hand draws aside the curtain and peers into the unknown, He begins today by taking his first step across the threshold of the new year. It is already a beautiful year because it is another year of Our Lord.

It is part of our nature to want to live in the yesterdays of life, in "the days that come not back again."

We would rather relive the strifes, the bad habits, the heartaches, and stumbling steps than to face the uncertain. With tenacity the past does cling, and like barnacles, would hinder us from pushing out from the shore and launching into the deep.

Standing at the parting of the ways, there is a choice to make, some road to take, we must consider which. How is it that we intend to live?
Will it be repetitious of the past?
"I do not see my way: I do not care to; but I know that He sees His way, and that I see Him."
Shining destinies ahead! We must keep our eyes upon Jesus as we now face the dawn.
(Streams in the Desert)
I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year,
"Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown."
And he replied, Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God; That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.
(M. Louise Haskins)
(Quoted by His Majesty the King in an Empire broadcast)

Best wishes for the New Year as we anticipate the Lord's promise,
"I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:3)

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January 2

"Behold, I make all things new."
(Revelation 21:5)

THE NEW YEAR should remind us of the greatest renovation project of time and eternity.
The first creation was wrecked by sin, but God began,

A new race
With a new Adam
New creatures with
A new life
A new name
A new song
A new commandment
A new heaven, and,
A new earth!

God is not running an antique shop! He is making all things new!
(All the Days - Vance Havner)

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January 3

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."
(1 Timothy 1:15)

Are you a Christian? Oh, you say, that is a very plain question. Then let it have an honest answer now. But what do you mean by a Christian? you ask. I mean by a Christian a person that really knows Christ - not a person that knows something about Him but a person that really knows Christ as his own Saviour. A Christian is one who knows the rejected and once slain, but now raised and glorified, Saviour at God's right hand, and is connected with and united to that risen Saviour where He now is. A Christian is one who is born again of God, whose sins are all forgiven, all blotted out - and who has received the Holy Spirit. These are all things you can know. If you can only say, "I hope this is all mine," you are not a true Christian in the proper sense of the word; and, frankly, you have not got hold of the real essence of Christianity yet.

A Christian is one that is indissolubly connected with the victorious risen Saviour. He is linked to the One who went down first of all into death for him, bore his sins, blotted them all out, and met all the claims of God in righteousness in respect of those sins. That Saviour is risen without a single sin, and has gone into God's presence to prepare a place and take him to it.

The blessing of the believer is this - he knows his sins are forgiven, he knows he is saved, and he knows God is his Father; he has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him, and he is a person standing on the other side of death and judgment, waiting, at the return of the Bridegroom (Jesus), for glory.

Are you a Christian? Have you that title to glory without a flaw? What is that title? The precious blood of Christ - nothing more, and nothing less. (W.T.P. Wolston)

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January 4

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
(1 Corinthians 1:18)

It is one thing to master Christianity; it is quite another thing to be mastered by it!
Oh for the power to preach Christ so that the hearers will turn to Him who died on the cross for them and will live devoted lives for Him. (R. Anderson)

N.J. Hiebert - 4665

January 5

"And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: and let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not."
(Ruth 2:15,16)

How kind, how wise, and how tactful Boaz was. The same thing is true about our service. Has not the Lord repeatedly let us find such handfuls when we did not expect to find them? And in turn He has commissioned us to drop such handfuls for others.

If the brethren who minister think also of the new converts and weak believers, their ministry will manifest it. They may be acquainted with particular needs, and able to drop a handful here and there, but they should follow the example of Boaz. He dropped the handfuls so that Ruth could pick them up.

Neither the person for whom the handfuls are meant not the others present should detect that the handfuls were dropped for a particular person. Ministry should not be personal, nor should it draw attention to any one person. (H.L Heijkoop)

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January 6

"Therefore we are always confident (of good cheer)."
(2 Corinthians 5:6)

"GOOD CHEER" is quite a different word. How often we find some who refuse to have confidence in those who have confessed the Lord's Name: and perhaps these very doubts raise doubts in the hearts of those who are truly the Lord's; and so stumble them. What good cheer to our own hearts should this confidence of the Apostle prove. Sometimes we see the saints we love going on so badly that we stand in doubt of them, we are perplexed as to them, are they truly saints or not?

And yet we are persuaded that the Lord did begin a good work in them: and, coming nearer home, sometimes, perhaps, we are so disappointed in ourselves, that we wonder if it is possible that we ourselves are truly saints. How often does our heart condemn us! Let us remember, then, that "God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things" (1 John 3:20). Yes, at such times we need to look off unto Jesus, and we also may be persuaded that HE will finish up that work which HE began, unto, or, until, or, against, Christ Jesus' day.

"Christian love is clear-sighted and full of trust with regard to its objects, because God Himself, and the energy of His grace, are in that love." (J.N.D.) Knowing all the failures of the Corinthians, the Apostle falls back on the words: "God is faithful." What encouragement for us! (Sacrifices of Joy Being Meditations on Philippians - G. Christopher Willis)

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January 7

". . . (Paul) took bread, and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all (sailors): and when he had broken it, he began to eat.  Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took . . . and when they had eaten enough they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea,"
(Acts 27:35-38)

To continue now on a safe and happy journey after the Lord has graciously restored, you must have Christ as the strength of of your life.
Just like the children of Israel in the wilderness had manna (God's heavenly food) to feed on, so you now have Christ, the Bread of Heaven to feed on for your strength and satisfaction.

- Do feed on Him
- Think about Him
- Talk to Him
- Read about Him - daily!
- Don't throw the wheat overboard!

"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:1).
(The Journey of Life - D.N.)

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January 8

"The eternal God is Thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." (Deuteronomy 33:27)

When close friends or family members turn to us for comfort in their grief following the loss of a loved one, often we find it difficult to express just the right words of consolation. One day a successful author and businessman, Anthony J. Showalter received sorrowful letters from two different friends, telling him of their recent bereavements. In sending messages of comfort to them, Mr. Showalter included Deuteronomy 33:27. As he concluded his letters the thought occurred to him that this verse would be a fine theme for a hymn. Almost spontaneously he jotted down the words and music for the refrain of this soon-to-be-favorite.

Feeling that he should have some assistance in completing a text based on this comforting verse, he asked his friend Elisha A. Hoffman the author of more than two thousand gospel songs to furnish the stanzas. The hymn then was published in 1887.

It is not surprising that "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms," with its assurance of God's steadfast care and guidance and the peace that is ours as we enjoy the intimacy of His fellowship, has been another of the gospel song favorites enjoyed by all ages. Each day we need to relearn the truths of these words. (Amazing Grace -Kenneth W. Osbeck)

What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms.

O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, leaning on the everlasting arms;
O how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Chorus: Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

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January 9

"Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things He hath done for you."
(1 Samuel 12:24)

Take time to be holy; the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone;
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

For both godly living and wholehearted service, there is no stronger motivation than a sincere appreciation of "how great things He has done for you."
Take time, in spite of the many demands of a busy lifestyle, to reflect upon the Lord's innumerable blessings.
To do so will act as an effective counter-balance to the inroads of selfishness and materialism.
(G. Hall)

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January 10

"Without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

Cain presumed that God would accept his attractive sacrifice instead of the prescribed one, but God refused both him and his offering.

Pharaoh presumed that he could take his armies through the Red Sea as Moses had done, but he perished in the sea for presuming on God.

Naaman, the leper, refused God's way of cleansing, saying, "I thought . . .", but the great general remained a leper until he took God at His Word.

Will YOU take God at His Word and trust Christ as your Saviour?
(Adapted)

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January 11

"The coming of the Lord draweth nigh."
(James 5:8)

"Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." (Matthew 24:42)

If I am looking for the coming of Christ, I do not stop to look at my shadow behind, but up to the Lord's appearing. My only object is to reach the goal, and, receiving a glorified body, to be with Him for ever.
(Gleanings - G.V. Wigram)

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January 12

"Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."
(John 12:42-43)

Years ago, there was a conflict which took place between two Indian Rajahs. The one defeated the other and took captive the son of his rival, and the day he was to return to his own palace he prepared to march into the city in triumph. There was a great procession of elephants, cavalry, infantry and a long line of captives. Among them was the young prince. He was told that he was to walk bare-footed and bare-headed. He was indignant and said, "What! Go in like that! What will the people think? What kind of faces will they make?"

The Rajah said, "You haven't heard all yet. You shall carry a bowl of milk in your hand, and if you spill so much as a drop, you will lose your head at the close of the procession." In a few minutes they had brought that bowl of milk, and two guards walked with him, one on either side, and the procession started to move. On and on they went, for perhaps a mile or more, into the presence of the rajah. And that young prince walked along, holding the bowl of milk. It seemed as though he would never finish without spilling some of it, but he completed the ordeal safely.

Finally he stood before the rajah, "Well, Sir Prince, what kind of faces did the people make?" He looked up and said, "Your majesty, I did not see the faces of the people. I saw only my life, which I held in my hands, and I knew one false step would make me lose my life." (Selected)

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January 13

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light."
(Romans 13:12)

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
(Ephesians 6:11)

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."
(Ephesians 6:13)

It is to late to put the armour on when we ought to be in the battle.
A man living with God, when he gets into trial, goes through it, in his measure, as Christ did. He stands in the evil day, because he as been walking with God when there was no evil day.
(J.N. Darby)

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January 14

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by Whom also He made the worlds; Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His Person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."
(Hebrews 1:1-3)

He is speaking about Jesus who is the exact expression of the Father's character. So if you want to know what God, the Father, is like, just get better acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ. The better you know Him, the better you know the Father. Everything in the character of Christ tells out that which is in the heart of God; His love for holiness, His delight in righteousness, His interest in men - even unconverted men - His deep tender affection for His own as evidenced by His love for that little company of disciples who walked with Him three-and-a-half years, of whom we read, "Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them unto the end," His sweet gracious interest in the little children, His love for the girls and boys, so that they delighted to come to Him and sit upon His knee. He took them in His arms and put His hands on them in blessing. All this tells us of God the Father's love for the children. (H.A. Ironside)

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January 15

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
(Hebrews 12:2)

"And looking upon Jesus as He walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God."
(John 1:36)

Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshippers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become "unity" conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.
(A.W. Tozer)

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January 16

"And God appeared unto Jacob again . . . and blessed him."
(Genesis 35:9)

Higher than the highest heaven,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last hath conquered.
Grant me now my supplication,
None of self and all of Thee!
(Theodore Monod)

Jacob, the deceiver, was told by God to go to Bethel ("house of God") and dwell there.
So it was that he went with his family to the place where he intended to make an altar to the Lord.
Upon his arrival, he did and the divine record states,
"God appeared unto him again and God blessed him."
Thankfully, our God is the God of the second chance.
 Jacob returned and was blessed.
When you and I return to the Lord through the altar of Calvary-love, He will bless us, as He did Jacob.
What a God!
(Arnot P. McIntee)

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January 17

"Call upon Me in the day of trouble! I will deliver thee--and thou shall glorify Me!"
(Psalm 50:15)

"I will deliver YOU!" This is the laying of God's hand on His needy child.

My poor brother--are you in trouble? Are you calling upon God? The Lord says, "I will deliver YOU!"
You are the person God had in His eye and in His heart. -- when He caused this precious portion to be penned.

Take up the language, and say, "He will deliver ME!" And you, being delivered, proving God to be faithful, realizing the power of prayer, and enjoying delivering mercy -- shall, though Satan will try to hinder, and unbelief would gladly shut your mouth -- you shall glorify Me!

How truly blessed, how pleasant, how satisfactory is this! Every believer must say:
"It is just as I would have it! I get all the mercy -- and God gets all the glory!"

Brethren in Jesus . . .
   expect your portion -- troubles,
   prize your privilege -- prayer, and
   look forward to your prospect -- deliverance!
(The Believer's Companion in Season's of Affliction & Trouble - 1842)

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January 18

"Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."
(Philippians 2:4)

Supreme regard for our own things at the expense of others violates God's principle of loving our neighbour as our self. Such selfishness not only harms the slighted brother, but it also injures the one who practices it.

There is a parable, oft repeated in India, concerning a selfish fool to whom a rice-field was bequeathed. The first season the irrigation water covered his property, making it abundantly fruitful, and then flowed on to his neighbour's fields, bringing equal fertility everywhere. The next season, however, the selfish fool said in his heart, "This water is wealth; it is liquid harvest. I was too generous in letting this treasure escape to others." He therefore stopped the water with a specially made dam and robbed his friends of the beneficial flood. In so doing he spoiled his own crop, for the irrigation water brought blessing while it flowed, but when it became stagnant it turned his rice-paddy into an unfruitful marsh. Love that stops at itself breeds trouble!

How much different the true spirit of Christianity manifested by a farmer in Denmark who, when his own house and the entire section surrounding him was threatened by fire, first rushed next door to take care of his sick neigbour because he knew the man relied upon him. At the hazard of of his life he entered the flames, gathered the invalid into his arms, and rushed to a place of safety. While he did this his own possessions burned. He was, however, rewarded by his government with a special gift which made up for all of his losses. What is more, he saved a life and built a reputation. So, too, there is not a believer, who for Christ's sake has unselfishly given up things for others, who will not receive a special reward at the Judgment Seat.

Remember, friend, selfishness is a terrible tyrant. Wherever it reigns it blights and ruins. (H.G.B.)

Not as we take, but as we give, not as we pray, but as we live -
These are the things that make for peace, both now and after time shall cease.
(Anon)

"Extreme self-love has often blinded even the wisest."
(Villefre)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Our Daily Bread - Bread for Each Day, RBC Ministries, Copyright (1962), Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted permission."

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January 19

"Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another."
(John 15:16-17)

Tis' not that I did choose Thee, for, Lord, that could not be;
This heart would still refuse Thee, but Thou hast chosen me.

Twas the same love that spread the feast, that gently forced me in,
Else I had still refused to come, and perished in my sin.

Long before my heart was inclined to come to Christ, He touched me by the blessed Holy Spirit, and at last when I was utterly broken down and brought to repentance, and cried to Him in shame, "Save, Lord, or I perish." He took me in and made me His own.

And then when it is a question of service, it is He who chooses for this or that special work. And it is He who selects our sphere of ministry, whether at home or abroad. You remember the man who wanted to follow the Master, and the Lord said, "Return to thine own house, and show how great things the Lord hath done unto thee" (Luke 8:39). We can glorify Christ in whatever place we may be and we must recognize that He chose that task for us. "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you." (H.A. Ironside)

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January 20

"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
(Romans 3:24)

Burdened by sin, a young man asked the question, "What can I do to be saved?" He was shattered by the answer, "I am sorry to tell you but you are too late!" Thankfully the speaker went on to explain, "You see, everything needed for your salvation was done by Christ. He finished the work that was needed for you to be saved when He took your sins upon Himself on the cross." You can do nothing to earn salvation! Simply cry out to Christ in your distress and trust in Him. Receive by faith what He died to give you - salvation full and free. (David Croudace)

Jesus bled and died for me; Jesus suffered on the tree;
Jesus waits to make me free; He alone can save me.

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January 21

"Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."
(1 Thessalonians 1:3)

Faith looks backward to the Cross and that saves.
Hope looks onward to the Coming and that sanctifies.
Love looks upward to the throne and that satisfies.

The first gives us a flawless title.
The second, a cloudless prospect.
The third, a changeless Friend.

Faith believes and toils.
Hope anticipates and waits.
Love, enjoys and serves.
(Selected)

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January 22

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in HIm should not perish, but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16)

- If, indeed, it is true that God so loved the world as to give His only begotten Son,
- If "the righteousness of God is unto all" (Romans 3:22),
- If it be God's gracious will that "all should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4),
- If He is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9),
- Then verily is every man who hears/reads this glorious gospel laid
under the most solemn responsibility to believe and be saved.

No one can honestly and truthfully turn round and say,
"I longed to be saved, but could not, because I was not one of the elect.
I longed to flee from the wrath to come but was prevented by the insuperable barrier of the divine decree which irresistibly consigned me to an everlasting hell."
C.H. Mackintosh)

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January 23

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it."
(Luke 9:24)

“Do not have your concert first and tune your instruments afterward.
Begin the day with God.”
(Hudson Taylor - SL)

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January 24

"The peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4:7)

There are depths in the ocean, I am told, which no tempest ever stirs - beyond the reach of all storms that sweep and agitate the surface of the sea. And there are heights in the blue sky above, to which no cloud ever ascends; where no tempest ever rages; where all is perpetual sunshine; where naught exists to disturb the deep serenity. Even at the center of the cyclone there is rest.

Each of these is an emblem of the soul which Jesus visits, to whom He speaks peace, whose fear He dispels, whose lamps of hope He trims.

During the test of a submarine it remained submerged for many hours. When it had returned to the harbour, the commander was asked: "Well how did the storm affect you last night?" The Commander looked at him in surprise and said: "Storm? We knew nothing of any storm!"

"When He giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?"
(Job 34:29)
(Springs in the Valley)

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January 25

A Word to Doubters

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24)

If all the shalls in Scripture meant perhaps,
And all the haths meant simply hope to have,
And all the ares depended on an if,
I well might doubt;
But since our Saviour-God meant what He says, and cannot lie,
I trust His faithful word, and know that I
Shall surely dwell throughout eternity
With Him whose love led Him for me to die,
E'en Christ Himself.

The word know occurs forty-two times in John's Epistles,
which are addressed to believers
in the Lord Jesus Christ.

("Comforted of God" - A.J. Pollock)

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January 26

"And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly . . . I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the Lord; for very great are His mercies."
(1 Chronicles 21:8,13)

"Let me now fall into the hands of the Lord; for very great are His mercies."
A weak person can tumble.
Relinquish yourself into the hands of Christ.
Those blessed hands have been nailed to the cross;
Fall into them, and He will give you rest.
(E.P Corrin)

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January 27

"Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
(Psalm 15:11)

Do you want comfort?
Nothing can give it so much as the thought of His coming.
There may be sorrow in the night,
But joy enough - fulness of joy -
In that morning when we shall see Him as He is:
Fulness of joy in being like Him and with Him for evermore.
(Gleanings - G.V. Wigram)

N.J. Hiebert - 4688

January 28

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
(Psalm 139:23,24)

If we should all honestly make this prayer once every day, there would be a good deal of change in our lives.
"Search me" - not my neighbour. It is so easy to pray for other people, but so hard to get home to ourselves.
I am afraid that we, who are busy in the Lord's work, are especially in danger of neglecting our own vineyards.
In this psalm, David got home to himself.
There is a difference between God searching me and my searching myself.
I may search my heart, and pronounce it all right, but when God searches me as with a lighted candle,
a good many things will come to light that perhaps I knew nothing about.
(D.L. Moody)

N.J. Hiebert - 4689

January 29

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you." (John 16:23)

Our Lord brings before us in a truly illuminating way, the privilege now extended to us, as believers, to go directly to the Father in prayer, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I do not think that there is any subject on which there seems to be more confusion than that of prayer. So many people have an idea that prayer is the effort to overcome God's unwillingness; to make Him willing to do something for us which He does not desire to do. That is not the case.

We are not told to pray in order to overcome God's unwillingness. Our God delights to bless, but he chooses to bless in answer to prayer, and that for a number of reasons. When I go to God directly, when various things are pressing upon heart and mind, and they drive me to Him, I find that just speaking to Him of the things that burden me has a sanctifying effect upon my own soul. (H.A. Ironside)

"It is good for me to draw near to God."
(Psalm 73:28)

N.J. Hiebert - 4690

January 30

“The LORD…saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
(Jeremiah 31:3)

“In math, if you divide an infinite number by any number, no matter how large, you still have an infinite quotient.
So Jesus' love, being infinite, even though it is divided up for every person on earth, is still infinitely poured out on each one of us!”
(C.H. Spurgeon)
“…the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

“Jesus, Captain of salvation,
Conqueror both of death and hell!
Thou who didst as sin's oblation,
Feel what Thou alone couldst feel:
Through Thy suff'rings, death, and merit,
We eternal bliss inherit,
Thousand, thousand thanks to Thee,
Jesus, Lord, for ever be!”

(Jacobi)
(Selected - SL with thanks)

N.J. Hiebert - 4691

January 31

"Love suffereth long and is kind. Love envieth not. Love vaunteth not itself."
(1 Corinthians 13:4)

Get these ingredients, fellow Christian, into your life.

Then everything that you do is eternal, it is worth doing.

It is worth giving time to.
(A Thought for Every Day - Henry Drummond)

N.J. Hiebert - 4692