Gems from September 2012
September 1
(Hebrews 13:7)
| At a funeral service in 1742, two men remembered as giants of the faith stood beside their mother's grave. John Wesley conducted the services; his brother Charles wrote the epitaph for the tombstone. In part, it read: A Christian here her flesh laid down, the cross exchanging for a crown. True daughter of affliction, she, inured to pain and misery... The Father then revealed his Son; him in the broken bread made known; She knew and felt her sins forgiven, and found the earnest of her heaven. called the best of mothers. Hopeful that her children would come to know and love the Christ she loved, Susanna reserved a specific day and time each week to sit and discuss matters of God and things on their hearts. The time spent together was cherished by all, such that many continued the discussions with their mother well into adulthood through letter-writing. Once asking his mother for a definition of sin, John Wesley received a response fit for the theology books he was writing. "Take this rule," she wrote to John. "Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off your relish of spiritual things...that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself." Having an opportunity for education available to few women of her time, as a young woman Susanna seized the occasion. And she continued to seize occasions to learn and teach others. While her husband was away preaching, Susanna adopted the practice of reading sermons from the library aloud to her family. Word of the weekly meetings held in her kitchen quickly spread, until over two hundred were gathering regularly, and the parsonage could hardly contain those who came to hear. It was in such a setting that John, who would become a fervent preacher, and Charles, who would become a great hymnist, were raised. Though her life was marked by a determined pursuit of God, it was also marked with hardship. Nine of the 19 children born to Samuel and Susanna Wesley died in infancy. Two different times their home was destroyed by fire, one time nearly taking John's life. They also lived in severe poverty. Yet her determined faith was one she insisted on sharing, and perhaps for this reason there was not a greater force upon eighteenth-century England than her children. Shortly before she died, Susanna had a long talk with John in which she described her greatest struggle in faith. For years, she admitted, she labored with doubt and confusion in regards to her salvation. She had scarcely ever heard, or so believed, that forgiveness of sins was something offered in the present. Yet, she described finding herself one day suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of peace in God's love for her and forgiveness of everything else. In his journal John recounts her description of that moment. "Said she, '[T]wo or three weeks ago, while my son Hall was pronouncing those words, in delivering the cup to me, 'The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee,' the words struck through my heart and I knew God for Christ's sake had forgiven me all my sins.'" Charles alludes to his mother's experience with Christ in the last lines of the epitaph marking her grave. In the broken bread, the Father revealed his Son to Susanna Wesley: And she knew and felt her sins forgiven, and found the earnest of her heaven. In the cup of faith and broken bread, the love of God was unobscured, handed to her literally. The same gift of God's assuring touch is something we can hold today. (A Slice of Infinity)
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September 2
"Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God."
(Psalm 143:10)
"Have thine own way Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway!"
(Adelaide A. Pollard)
The path of life has many crossroads.
Yet often, when we come to them, we pay scant heed to the Lord's leading before we make our choice.
Unfortunately, when we realize that we have proceeded without His blessing,
instead of going back to start over, we ask His approval for the choice we have already made.
May we realize that we must bring every decision to the Lord before making it.
But if we have gone on without His blessing, may we humble ourselves
and give Him the opportunity to set it right - painful as that may be.
As we walk life's journey, may we echo the words of our Lord Jesus:
"Not my will, but Thine be done."
(Jaby Jacob)
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September 3
"If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you,
ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."
(John 15:7)
We remember the incident of the Christian man who was the only one saved from a wrecked vessel after a storm at sea. He found himself cast upon a little island, and by great effort got certain materials together and managed to make a little shelter from the equatorial storms. He waited day after day praying God to send a ship to rescue him, and he used to go down to the shore of the little island and wave a signal, just a piece of his clothing, every time he saw a ship passing in the distance, but some way or another they never saw him.
One day as he was cooking his dinner, he saw a ship some distance away and hurried to the shore, earnestly praying that this time they might see and come to his relief. He waved frantically, but they went by, until at last the little vessel was almost lost to sight.
Then turning to plod his way back to his little hut he was astonished to see that it had burst into flames. He had left some embers, and the wind had set the place on fire. Everything burned, and then when at last he stood there utterly distressed, not knowing where he would be able gather sufficient material to build another shelter, to his amazement he saw that the vessel was headed right for the island.
As they neared the shore they sent a little boat for him and took him on board. He asked, "Did you see my signal?" "Your signal!" they said; "Yes, we saw your smoke, and so we came to rescue you."
God had answered prayer, but not at all in the way he expected it, and so, some day when we get home to heaven, we shall see that many of the prayers we thought God had not heard were answered in His own wonderful way.
(Anon)
September 4
"I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with My hand."
(Exodus 33:22)
Is the peace of God in the soul disturbed by things down here?
No, never!
If waters break in stormy currents against a rock, the rock is unmoved;
it is only the waters that are disturbed.
The peace of one who is hid in the cleft of the Rock nothing can disturb.
(Gleanings of G.V. Wigram)
September 5
"HE (God) hath made HIM (Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in HIM."
(2 Corinthians 5:21)
HE took our position with all its consequences, in order that we might get
His position with all its consequences.
HE was treated as sin, upon the cross, that we might be treated as righteousness,
in the presence of infinite Holiness.
HE was cast out of God's presence because He had sin upon Him, by imputation, that we
might be received into God's house and into His bosom, because
we have a perfect righteousness by imputation.
HE had to endure the hiding of God's countenance, that we
might bask in the light of that countenance.
He had to pass through three hours' darkness, that we might walk in everlasting light.
HE was forsaken of God, for a time, that we might enjoy His presence for ever.
All that was due to us, as ruined sinners, was laid upon HIM, in order that
all that was due to HIM, as the ACCOMPLISHER of redemption, might be ours.
There was everything against HIM when
HE hung upon the the cursed tree, in order that there might be nothing against us.
HE was identified with us, in the reality of death and judgment, in order that we might
be identified with Him, in the reality of life and righteousness.
He drank the cup of wrath - the cup of trembling, that we might drink
the cup of salvation - the cup of infinite favour.
HE was treated according to our deserts, that we might be treated according to HIS.
(C.H. Mackintosh)
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September 6
"But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
(Matthew 16:15-16)
Napoleon Bonaparte must have spent much time - especially in his later years - in reading the Bible; for it is recorded how on one occasion in the presence of three General Officers, he said: "That Bible on the table is a book to you. It is far more than a book to me; it speaks to me; it is as it were a person."
When confined to the rock of St. Helena, he turned to Count Montholon with the inquiry, "Can you tell me who Jesus Christ was?" The question being declined, Napoleon said: "Well then, I will tell you. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I myself have founded great empires . . . upon force. Jesus also founded His Empire upon love. . . . I tell you all these were men: none else is like Him; Jesus Christ was more than man. . . . He asks for the human heart: He demands it unconditionally; and forthwith His demand is granted."
"Wonderful! . . . All who sincerely believe in Him experience that remarkable supernatural love towards Him. . . . Time, the great destroyer, is powerless to extinguish this sacred flame. . . . This it is which proves to me quite convincingly the divinity of Jesus Christ!" (The Scripture of Truth - Sidney Collett)
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September 7
"Stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee."
(Ezekiel 2:1)
O use me, Lord - use even me,
Just as Thou wilt, and when and where,
Until Thy blessed face I see,
Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.
(F.R. Havergal)
Here is a message for you, if you are seeking divine guidance or a closer walk with the Lord.
God is capable of communicating to you, and He wants to do so.
"I will speak unto thee."
Don't give in to doubts that God will not guide you, for He says, I will speak to thee.
Keep listening.
Keep praying and reading His Word and meditating on it.
God will guide you, and may you be ready to follow when He does!
(C. Knott)
(Ezekiel 2:1)
O use me, Lord - use even me,
Just as Thou wilt, and when and where,
Until Thy blessed face I see,
Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.
(F.R. Havergal)
Here is a message for you, if you are seeking divine guidance or a closer walk with the Lord.
God is capable of communicating to you, and He wants to do so.
"I will speak unto thee."
Don't give in to doubts that God will not guide you, for He says, I will speak to thee.
Keep listening.
Keep praying and reading His Word and meditating on it.
God will guide you, and may you be ready to follow when He does!
(C. Knott)
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September 8
"Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me"
(Isaiah 1:2)
We are bombarded these days by literature that tells us that rebellious children should not be blamed for their bad behaviour, because it is always their parents' fault. In many cases, undoubtedly, this is true. But in many other cases it is not.
Isaiah 1:2 contains an encouragement to parents who have sought to bring up their children in the discipline and admonition of the Lord, but have been greatly disappointed with the outcome. The Lord knows well how you feel. He also nourished and brought up children, but they rebelled against Him! Not every case of a wayward child is the fault of his parents. Nor is an occasional mistake on the part of a parent a valid excuse for the child's misbehavior.
The apostle tells us: "We have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence . . . chastened us . . . (as seemed good or meet to them - margin) but He for our profit" (Hebrews 12:9,10). Thus God acknowledges that human parents are not perfect, but says they must be reverenced nonetheless.
Of course we must search our hearts, our motives, and our methods. If we have been careless and disobedient to the instructions of Scriptures, we must not be surprised about the sad results. In such case we should confess our failure and pray for healing and for wisdom for our further pathway. On the other hand, if we have been sincere in our attempts to lead our children in the right path, if we have often prayed with them and for them, and if we have set them a good example, then we must leave the results with the Lord, and humbly accept His will. Let us beware of the danger of an unjustified sense of guilt. (A.M. Benham)
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September 9
"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." (Joshua 1:8)
Coming together is a beginning;
Keeping together is progress;
Working together is success.
(Some Thoughts to Consider - R.K.)
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September 10
"For whosever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 14:11)
When the eye is upon God self is forgotten.
If not, I am thinking of the slights I receive, and neither faith nor grace are in exercise.
If I could think nothing of myself I should be perfect.
The man who bade the guests has the right estimate of each and the honour due to them.
The evangelist's place, the pastor's, the apostle's will all be appointed by God.
When God gives me a place it is one of power and nearness to Himself;
but when a man takes a place for himself it is one of weakness and alienation from God,
because self is the object.
(J.N. Darby)
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September 11
"What thinkest Thou (Jesus)? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites? Show Me the tribute money, and they brought Him a penny. And He said unto them, whose is this image and superscription? They say unto Him, Caesar's. Then said He unto them, render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:17-22)
Readers of the Bible will remember the story of the group of religious leaders who came
to Jesus and asked Him if it was all right to pay taxes to Caesar. (Matthew 22 quoted above).
Jesus responded to them with a question of his own.
He asked them for a coin, held it up, and asked,
"Whose portrait and inscription are on it?"
"Caesar's," came the response.
"Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's," Jesus said.
The interesting thing is that the questioners did not come back with a follow-up
question. They should have asked Jesus, AND WHAT BELONGS TO GOD?"
Undoubtedly Jesus would have answered with another question:
"WHOSE IMAGE IS ON YOU?"
(R. Zacharias)
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September 12
"This is the Stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
(Acts 4:11-12)
In
the morning a goodly number of Israel's religious chiefs assembled
together in Jerusalem, and having set Peter and John in the midst, they
demanded of them by what power or by what name they had made the lame
man whole. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit in accordance with the
Lord's promise in Matthew 10:19-20, no longer timorous but divinely
bold, forthwith indicted his interlocutors most solemnly.
To the people he used the language of persuasion, but not to the leaders. It was in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, "whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead," the
crippled man had been made whole. The position here is plainly stated.
Men crucified Jesus; God raised Him. Men were thus in open conflict
with God. Not ignorant men, mark; but the clergy of His holy Word.
(Acts 4:11-12)
Religious
teachers, whether in Judaism or Christendom, are builders; constructors
of that which will either abide or perish, as the Lord may judge by and
by. (1 Corinthians 3:9-17) God's foundation stone is Jesus; upon Him
alone can men safely build. But Israel's leaders had treated Him with
contempt. God's answer to them was the exaltation of His Son. God has
now made Him the Corner-stone of a new structure.
Our apostle made a magnificent finish of his defence: (Note verse under lined above) Every man is thus shut up to Jesus for salvation. He who rejects Him does so to his eternal ruin.
(W.W. Fereday)
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September 13
"His name shall be called WONDERFUL."
(Isaiah 9:6)
"Redeemed with . . . the precious blood of Christ."
(1 Peter 1:18-19)
"Beautiful . . . are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings."
(Isaiah 52:7)
His name is wonderful because He is a wonderful person.
His blood is precious because it was the only blood that could atone for the sins of the world.
His feet are beautiful because they were pierced to carry the glad tidings of salvation to mankind.
Let us worship Him today.
(Milton Haack)
September 14
"Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye buy, and eat; yea come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."
(Isaiah 55:1)
What matchless grace shines in the expression,
"to him that worketh not," and,"he that hath no money!"
They are as like God as they are unlike man.
Salvation is as free as the air we breathe.
Did we create the air?
Did we mingle its component parts?
No; but we enjoy it, and, by enjoying it,
get power to live and act for Him who made it.
So is it in the matter of salvation.
We get it without a fraction, without an effort.
We feed upon the wealth of another;
we rest in the work finished by another; and, moreover, it is by so feeding and resting,
that we are enabled to work for Him on whose wealth we feed, and in whose work we rest.
This is a grand Gospel paradox, perfectly inexplicable to legality, but beautifully plain to faith.
Divine grace delights in making provision for
those who are "not able" to make provision for themselves.
(C.H. Mackintosh)
September 15
"Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."
(1 Samuel 15:22)
The word OBEY represents the "essential" without which all the other essentials
will be practically valueless.
It cannot be too frequently emphasized that
the key to the understanding of the Scriptures is, not scholarship, but OBEDIENCE.
That is not to undervalue scholarship; it is to give OBEDIENCE its rightful place .
The learned Johann Bengel (1687-1752) never gave us wiser counsel than when he said:
"Apply thyself wholly to the Scriptures, and apply the Scriptures wholly to thyself."
Nor did the poet ever communicate a greater truth than when he said:
"Read thou, but first thyself prepare
To read with zeal and mark with care;
And when thou read'st what here is writ,
Let thy best practice second it;
So twice each precept writ shall be
First in the Book and then in thee."
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September 16
" . . . we will obey the voice of the Lord our God . . . that it may be well with us, when we OBEY the voice of the Lord our God."
(Jeremiah 42:6)
The Bible itself sets forth OBEDIENCE as one of the secrets
Of prosperity. "Observe to do all that is written therein (The Book of the Law) (Joshua 1:8).
Of knowledge "If any man will do His will, he shall know the doctrine . . ." (John 7:17).
Of happiness "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (John 13:17).
God values it above the highest form of service or sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22).
It ensures His companionship "These things, which ye have both learned, and received,
and heard, DO; and the God of peace shall be with you" (Philippians 4:9).
De Quincy divides literature into two great sections, namely,
the literature of knowledge, and the literature of power.
Prayer, searching, and meditation on the Word of God brings us
into possession of the first of these - knowledge;
OBEDIENCE brings us into possession of the second - power.
Two sentences summarize these things.
"After all, the best commentary on the Bible is OBEDIENCE - do and you will know." (Monod)
The other is a nautical saying: "He that is slave to the compass has the freedom of the seas."
These, then, are the things that are necessary to our understanding of the Book of God:
A prayerful frame;
An enquiring mind;
A meditative spirt;
An OBEDIENT heart.
(The Wonderful Word - George Henderson)
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September 17
"Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon."
(Daniel 2:14)
Daniel, together with the so called wise men of Babylon, was under a death sentence,
but he did not panic or despair.
He acted with wisdom and counsel.
As Christians we should be careful in the heat of the moment not to to respond hastily,
in a way which could exacerbate our problems.
Take time to think things through and seek help from the Lord before responding.
He will not let you down.
(Brian Russell)
Through waves and clouds and storms,
His power will clear the way;
Wait thou His time; the darkest night,
Shall end in brightest day.
(Paul Gerhardt)
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September 18
"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:14)
It is a race, in which the runner has his eye fixed on the goal.
Is not this what you and I need in these days of laxity, when our eye is tempted to wander
to all sorts of things, and when it is more awfully true than ever:
"All seek their own"?
May God help us each one to have our eye on those things above,
"the things of Jesus Christ,"
and not on the things all around us,
that so easily fill our vision:
then we will be found seeking the things of Jesus Christ.
(G. Christopher Willis)
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September 19
"Come" Means Come
"And He said, come" (Matthew 14:29).
But what is "coming"?
One's very familiarity with the terms used to express spiritual things,
seems to have a tendency to make one feel mystified about them.
And their very simplicity makes one suspicious, as it were, that there must be some mysterious
and mystical meaning behind them, because they sound too easy and plain to have such great import.
"Come" means "come" - just that! and not some occult process of mental effort.
What would you understand by it, if you heard it today for the first time, never having had any doubts
or suppositions or previous notions whatever about it?
What does a little child understand by it?
It is positively too simple to be made plainer by any amount of explanation.
(Opened Treasures - Frances Ridley Havergal)
"Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
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September 20
"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
(Joshua 1:9)
"Day
by Day" was written by a young Swedish woman who learned early in life
the all-important lesson of living each day with the conscious presence
and strength of her Lord. Lina Sandell Berg has often been called the "Fanny Crosby of Sweden"
for her many contributions to gospel hymnody. From her pen flowed
approximately 650 hymns that strongly influenced the waves of revival
that swept the Scandinavian countries during the later half of the 19
century.
At
the age of 26 Lina had an experience that greatly influenced her life.
She was accompanying her father aboard ship to the city of Gothenburg,
Sweden, across Lake Vattern. The ship gave a sudden lurch and Lina's
father, a devout Lutheran minister fell overboard, and drowned before
the eyes of his devoted daughter. Although Lina had written many hymn
texts prior to this tragic experience, now more than ever poetic
thoughts that expressed a tender, childlike trust in her Lord began to
flow freely from her broken heart.
Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here;
trusting in my Father's wise bestowment, I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure gives unto each day what He deems best -
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure, mingling toil with peace and rest.
Ev'ry day the Lord Himself is near me with a special mercy for each hour;
all my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me, He whose name is Counsellor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As thy days, they strength shall be in measure," this the pledge to me He made.
Help me then in ev'ry tribulation so to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
that I lose not faith's sweet consolation offered me within Thy holy word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting, e'er to take, as from a father's hand,
one by one, the days, the moments fleeting, till I reach the promised land.
(Kenneth W. Osbeck - "Amazing Grace")
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September 21
"He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you."
(John 16:14)
There are many of the Lord's people who have learned in a measure their weakness,
but who know nothing of the source of power as provided in the Holy Spirit;
there are others who believe in the provision,
but who have scarcely any skill in drawing upon it for use;
there are others, who act even in the christian life as if everything depended upon themselves.
(Edward Dennett)
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September 22
"Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?"
(Hebrews 12:9)
When you have learned that your only home is God's presence,
and your only happiness is in doing God's will,
there is nothing more that I can teach you.
(Footprints for Pilgrims)
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September 23
"Let us lay aside every weight , and the sin which does so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God in heaven."
(Hebrews 12:1-2)
We must run with perseverance--or we shall never obtain. There may be many things we cannot understand, much that the flesh could perhaps wish otherwise--but let us endure unto the end,
and all shall be made clear, and God's arrangements shall be proved best.
Think not to have your reward on earth--do not draw back, because your good things are all yet to come.
• Today is the cross--but tomorrow is the crown.
• Today is the labor--but tomorrow are the wages.
• Today is the sowing--but tomorrow is the harvest.
• Today is the battle--but tomorrow is the rest.
• Today is the weeping--but tomorrow is the joy.
And what is today, when compared to tomorrow?
Today is but seventy years--but tomorrow is eternity!
"Run that ye might obtain" (1 Corinthians 9:24)
(Daily Devotions - R.L.)
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September 24
"Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."
(Hebrew 12:3)
A number of reasons are given in this passage as to why Christians stumble
in their race for God, but here the issue is weariness.
Many believers flounder in their walk for for God because they are simply worn out spiritually.
They have looked for fruit in their labours but found none,
or they have longed for encouragement but heard none.
There is no easy antidote, but there is an incentive -
look off to Jesus, the One who has started and finished the race.
(Craig Funston)
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September 25
"Let not your heart be trouble."
(John 14:1)
I had no peace till I had heard deep within me soft and soothing words such as a mother uses: "Let not your heart be troubled; do I not understand? What do such words matter to Me or thee?" And I knew that the Father understood His child, and the child her Father, and all was peace again.
Then,
like the scent of a flower blown by a passing wind, came the memory of
the day in the train some years ago. I was traveling, on the Father's
business, when a silly feather-flutter of local gossip, retailed by a
guest before she could be stopped, tried to disturb me. And it did
disturb till these six words were repeated over and over, beaten out, as
it were, in my ear by the sound of the wheels of the train: "Let it be; think of Me."
These
words spoke to me again now. It was then that the thought of the many
to whom unrecorded little pangs must be daily commonplaces came with a
new compassion, born of a new understanding. And I wanted to share my
crumb of comfort at once, and tell them not to weigh flying words, or let their peace be in the mouths of men, or allow the ignorant stock phrases of the well to the ill to penetrate their shield.
"No man can tell what in that combat attends us but he that hath been in the battle himself";
so how can they, the unwounded, know anything about the matter? But
the Lord our Creator knows (and all who have ever suffered know) that
pain and helplessness are not rest, and never can be; nor is the
weakness that follows acute pain, nor the tiredness that is so tired of
being tired that it is poles apart from rest. . . .
If He remembers, what does it matter that others forget? Thus, being comforted and filled with inward sweetness, we can thank Him for all who trample unawares upon us, talking smooth nothings.
For we know, just because they can do it so unconsciously, so easily,
and with so airy a grace, that they, at least, were never laid in iron;
and is that not good to know? (Rose From Briar -Amy Carmichael)
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September 26
"They looked unto Him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed."
(Psalm 34:5)
If you want to scatter your doubts,
look at the blood;
and if you want to increase your doubts,
look at yourself.
You will get doubts enough for years
by being occupied with yourself only a few days.
(D.L. Moody)
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September 27
"Lord, to whom shall we go?"
(John 6:68)
I bring my sins to thee, the sins I cannot count,
That all may cleansed be, in Thy once open'd fount;
I bring them Saviour, all to Thee, the burden is too great for me.
My heart to to Thee I bring, the heart I cannot read;
A faithless, wand'ring thing - an evil heart indeed;
I bring it, Saviour, now to Thee, that fixed and faithful it may be.
I bring my grief to Thee, the grief I cannot tell,
No words shall needed be, Thou knowest all so well;
I bring the sorrow laid on me, O suffering Saviour, all to Thee.
My life I bring to Thee, I would not be my own;
O Saviour, let me be Thine, ever Thine alone:
My heart, my life, my all, I bring, to Thee, my Saviour and my King.
To Thee, my Saviour, and my King!
(Francis Ridley Havergal)
September 28
"For Thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness."
(Psalm 18:28)
In a dimly-lighted room a girl was found working with unwonted haste.
When asked the reason, she replied,
"My candle is nearly burned out and I don't have another."
Robert Louis Stevenson, in speaking of a friend said,
"When he comes into a room it is as though someone had lighted another candle."
An enlightened soul is like a lighted candle.
One candle can light a thousand others without diminishing its light.
The beauty of a candle touchers me -
It is so softly happy,
So steadfast and so careless of itself -
Giving itself away.
To give of self, and not to count the cost,
To learn, to teach, to labour and to pray,
To serve like Christ, the least, the last, the lost -
These were the beacon fires that lit the way.
(Traveling Toward Sunrise)
N.J. Hiebert - 4931
September 29
"Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known. "
(Psalms 77:19)
God's path is in the sea - just where you would expect it to be!
So when He leads us out by unexpected ways, off the strong solid land,
out upon the changing sea, then we may expect to see His ways.
We are with One who finds a path as He goes.
That is better than having a path already tracked out,
for it makes us perfectly independent of circumstances.
There is an infinite variety in the paths God makes,
and He can make them anywhere.
Think you not that He who made the spider able to drop anywhere and to spin its own path
as it goes, is not able to spin a path for you through ever blank,
or perplexity,
or depression?
(C.A. Fox)
We are but passengers on the voyage of life.
The pilot understands the way.
His eyes are always ahead.
He will be the last to leave his post in time of danger.
N.J. Hiebert - 4932
September 30
"But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom."
(Hebrews 1:8)
Concerning the angels (Hebrews 1:7), God says that He made them, and that they are His servants.
What does He say about the Son?
Nothing like that!
The Bible never says that God made the Son.
Listen to verse 8: it is God's own word, His testimony about His Son.
He calls the Son "God."
He gives Him a throne without beginning or end - "for ever and ever."
He speaks of His sceptre - the symbol of His authority and rule, and He speaks of His kingdom.
No angel has any of these things - only God, and that is exactly who the Son is.
This is our God.
(C. Knott)
N.J. Hiebert - 4933
posted by soundwords at
September 01, 2012
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