Gems from June 2013
"The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God."
(Galatians 2:20)
It is by faith that God is honoured.
It is enough for Satan if he succeeds in frightening us away from the pure and simple path of faith.
Faith acts on God's behalf, and reveals Him in the midst of circumstances,
instead of being governed by them.
Its superiority over that which surrounds it is evident.
What repose to witness this amid the mire of this poor world.
It is characteristic of faith to reckon on God,
not simply spite of difficulty, but spite of impossibility.
(Pilgrim Portions for the day of Rest -JND)
June 1
The Name of Jesus
"Because of the savour of Thy good ointments Thy name is as ointment poured forth."
(Song of Solomon 1:3)
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, and drives away his fear.
It makes the wounded spirit whole, and calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary rest.
Blest Name, the Rock on which I build; my Shield and Hiding-place;
My never-failing Treasury filled with boundless stores of grace.
By Thee my prayers acceptance gain, although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain, and I am owned a child.
Jesus! my Saviour, Shepherd, Friend, my Prophet, Priest, and King;
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, accept the praise I bring.
Weak is the effort of my heart, and cold my warmest thought
But when I see Thee as Thou art, I'll praise Thee as I ought.
Till then I would Thy love proclaim with every fleeting breath;
And triumph in Thy blessed name which quells the power of death.
(John Newton)
June 2
“…O LORD…I flee unto thee to hide me.”
(Psalm 143:9)
When you are down to nothing . . . God is up to something!
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
(Hebrews 11:1)
Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible!
“…in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.” (Psalm 143:9)
Faith looks away from circumstances to the God of circumstances.
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)
because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)
Trusting in the God of peace you will be filled with perfect peace.
“…Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you…” (Exodus 14:13)
Then, stand still and watch what the Lord is going to do!
(Courtesy of S.L)
N.J. Hiebert - 5178
June 3
"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt
to every man the measure of faith."
(Romans 12:3)
After I had minor eye surgery, the nurse told me, "Don't look down for the next two weeks. No cooking or cleaning." The last part of those instructions was a little easier to take than the first part! The incisions needed to heal, and she didn't want me put any unnecessary pressure on them by looking down.
C.S. Lewis wrote about another kind of looking down that we may have a problem with: "In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. . . . As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you" (Mere Christianity)
Jesus told a parable about a Pharisee who felt superior to others. In a prideful prayer, he thanked God that he was not like other men (Luke 18:11). He looked down on extortioners, the unjust, adulterers, and the tax collector who was also praying in the temple. By contrast, the tax collector knew he was a sinner before God and asked for His mercy (v. 13.
Pride can be an issue for all of us. May we not look down on others but instead see the God who is far above us all. (Anne Cetas)
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Lord of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
(Watts)
Spiritual Pride is the most arrogant of all kinds of pride.
N.J. Hiebert - 5179
______________________________
"Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries, Copyright, Grand Rapids , MI. Reprinted permission. June 4
"He was marvelously helped."
(2 Chronicles 26:15).
The help with which God makes us to prosper is literally "marvelous."
We do wonder at it, or ought to wonder at it.
Wonder is one of the God-given faculties which distinguishes us from the beasts that perish.
And He gives us grand scope for its happy exercise not merely in His works in general,
but in His dealings with us in particular.
But wonder is always founded upon observation.
We do not wonder at that which we do not observe.
So, if we have not wondered very much at the help He has given us,
it is because we have not noticed, nor considered very much,
how great things He hath done for us.
(Opened Treasures - Francis Ridley Havergal)
N.J. Hiebert - 5180
June 5
"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."
(Psalm 37:25)
The Bible teems with deliverances and is expectant with hope.
Not always does God deliver out of trials,
but He always carries His people through them, and gives them hope.
But God often delivers; indeed, in some cases (we say it reverently) He must,
because of His own character.
It is when circumstances close around us and leave no possible way of escape
unless God makes it that deliverance is sure to come.
What escape was possible to the Israelites when the Egyptians pursed them?
None, absolutely none, humanly speaking.
(Comforted of God - A.J. Pollock)
"Thine arm hath safely brought us a way no more expected,
Than when Thy sheep passed through the deep by crystal walls protected."
(Charles Wesley)
June 6
"But now, O LORD, Thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our Potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand."
(Isaiah 64:8)
The Potter has the power, the knowledge and the skill,
To fashion every vessel, according to His will.
The pattern and the purpose, of every vessel planned,
Its usefulness and beauty are in the Potter's hand.
The clay makes no decision, has no will of its own,
But yielded to the Potter, His pattern is made known.
And thus the Master Potter, our service has outlined;
He asks us to be yielded unto His Will and Mind.
His purpose to acknowledge, to listen to His voice,
To let Him plan our pathway, according to his choice.
A vessel marred and broken, we may not understand,
But all can be committed unto the Potter's hand.
Our Father's way is perfect, His thought toward us is love;
He's fashioning and molding, for life with Him above.
To trust the Heavenly Potter, and let Him mold the clay,
Brings joy, and peace, and blessing, and happiness alway.
(Anon - In the Potter's Hands - D.N.)
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June 7
"Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am? . . . some say that Thou art John the Baptist:
some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, 'But whom say ye that I am?' And Simon Peter answered and said, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God'."
(Matthew 16:13-16)
In these days of preference and pedigree our own witness is worth bearing in mind. For whether we are shouting like the chief priests or hiding like Peter, we are all bearing witness to something. The man in the corner watching Jesus's trial with disinterest is still giving an answer to the question of the court. Whether offended, awed, or indifferent, the question we answer is the same.
"What manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey Him!" (Mark 8:27).
"Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" (Luke 5:21)
The role of witness is as unavoidable today as it was in the courtyard hours before Jesus was sentenced to die. "We speak about God without opening our mouths," says Albert Holtz. "What are the chances that by watching me a person can learn that God is love."
Voluntary or otherwise, at the heart of our role as witnesses is our answer to the very question Jesus embodies, "Whom say ye that I am?" And while your answer is hopefully more than mere preference, it is worth realizing that we are answering with every ordinary moment of our lives. Some of the loudest testimonies are often spoken without words. Peter's silence was equally a part of his three-time denial of ever knowing the man on trial.
Yet Peter also followed from a distance, his mind racing with both fear and love. We, too, are looking in on a great trial, sometimes participating, sometimes denying Him, sometimes hearing our voices and with the shock of recognition, a rooster crowing in the distance. The courtyard is still full of witnesses at odds, sometimes at odds even with themselves. But you, too, stand a witness to something. (A Slice of Infinity)
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June 8
"Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter the kingdom of heaven."
(Matthew 18:3)
How entirely has christendom refused to learn this lesson of
"the little child"!
She has consented to forget that it was a poor despised Galilean,
a carpenter's Son,
that suffered the death of the cross. . . .
He did not go to Calvary from kings' courts,
or amid the acclamations of the world;
but He was the rejected One . . .
"a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people."
Christendom may boast of Calvary
and of the Lamb of God in a certain way,
but it has entirely lost sight of Nazareth and of the carpenter's Son.
It links the palace with the cross, greatness in the world,
wealth and ease with the confession of Jesus and of the gospel.
(J.G. Bellett- Footprints for Pilgrims)
June 9
"Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."
(Luke 24:46-47)
"In Whom we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace."
(Ephesians 1:7 & Colossians 1:14)
Do you believe that you can have the clear and settled
assurance that your sins are forgiven?
I ask this question because there are many, now-a-days,
who profess to preach the Gospel of Christ,
and yet deny that any one can be sure that his sins are forgiven.
They maintain that it is presumption for anyone to believe in the forgiveness of his sins;
and, on the other hand, they look upon it as a proof of humility
to be always in doubt as to this most momentous point.
In other words, it is presumption to believe what God says,
and humility to doubt it.
(C.H. Mackintosh)
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June 10
The Mirror and the Window
"Then said I, Woe is me! Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?"
(Isaiah 6:5,8)
Every heart should have its mirror and window.
God's Word is the divine looking glass that shows us
ourselves as we really are (James 1:22-25).
After we have looked into it and taken appropriate action, then we are ready to
look out the window at a needy world and hear God's call to service in it.
Too many are being exhorted to say "Here am I" as Isaiah did
before they have ever said "Woe is me!"
We have not seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
The vision must precede the venture.
A look in the mirror comes before the look out the window.
(All the Days - Vance Havner)
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June 11
"Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them."
(Psalm 119:165)
The blessing of peace is the one prize that often eludes those who seem to have attained everything else in life. Yet peace is one of the choice gifts left to us by our departing Lord Jesus' mission was to bring God's peace to man by bridging the way for us to enjoy eternal fellowship with our Creator.
Peter P. Bilhorn, (1865-1936) author and composer of this hymn, began writing gospel songs shortly after his conversion at the age of twenty. In all he wrote more than two thousand songs while serving as the song leader for Billy Sunday and other leading evangelists.
One night he sang one of his most popular songs "I Will Sing the Wondrous Story," at a camp meeting. A friend jokingly remarked, "I wish you would write a song to suit my voice as well as that song suits yours." Bilhorn responded, "What shall it be?" "Oh any sweet piece." That evening Bilhorn composed the music for the new hymn.
The following winter while traveling on a train, Bilhorn observed a tragic train accident. He saw one poor individual left lying in a pool of blood. That event reminded him of Christ's blood atoning for our sins, which prompted him to write these words there on the train. He completed a hymn that has since moved many to a deeper realization and appreciation of God's "wonderful gift from above."
There comes to my heart one sweet strain, a glad and a joyous refrain;
I sing it again and again - sweet peace, the gift of God's love.
When Jesus as Lord I had crowned, my heart with this peace did abound;
In Him the rich blessing I found - sweet peace, the gift of God's love.
In Jesus for peace I abide, and as I keep close to his side,
There's nothing but peace doeth betide - sweet peace, the gift of God's love.
CHORUS: Peace, peace, sweet peace! Wonderful gift from above!
O wonderful, wonderful peace! Sweet peace, the gift of God's love.
(Amazing Grace - Kenneth W. Osbeck)
June 12
"Jealousy is cruel as the grave."
(Song of Solomon 8:6)
When a body is committed to the ground the grave closes in over it and
shuts out every other object - it possesses that body absolutely.
The Lord's jealousy is like that.
Do you suppose the Lord could contemplate with indifference our hearts going after
this thing and that thing and the other thing which are contrary to Himself?
NO.
If He loves us - and He does love us - He wants our whole hearts.
Nothing less than our whole hearts will ever satisfy Him.
(Edward Dennett)
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June 13
"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)
A banker in New York had a great desire to get the gospel message to the soldiers at Sand Hook, but was not permitted to carry the glad tidings to them in person.
So he called on a firm which manufactured advertising novelties, and had them make several thousand small mirrors about three inches in diameter.
On the celluloid back of each of these mirrors he had printed the words of John 3:16; and beneath the words of this inscription was written:
"If you wish to see who it is that God loves,
and for whom He gave His Son,
look on the other side."
(In Green Pastures)
June 14
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for . . . instruction in righteousness."
(2 Timothy 3:16)
How about that book, the Bible?
Throughout its sixty-six different yet unified divisions,
the Bible claims for itself divine inspiration.
It is accepted as the Word of God.
Inspired but understandable,
threatened but indestructible,
it offers life to the believer,
hope to the hopeless,
and direction to all who trust its words.
(This Day is the Lord's - Corrie Ten Boom)
June 15
"Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt."
(Genesis 37:28)
Thus Joseph passes into the land of the Gentiles and is "brought" into Egypt.
Egypt was a snare to Abraham, and his sojourn in Egypt brought him only sorrow and shame.
With Joseph, however, it brought blessing and glory.
Why this difference?
Is it not that in Abraham's case he "went down into Egypt to sojourn there" (Genesis 12:10);
But Joseph was "brought " into Egypt.
One went there in unbelief and self-will.
The other was brought there according to the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.
(Hamilton Smith)
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June 16
Keeping A Clear Conscience
"And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men."
(Acts 24:16)
The word conscience appears more than 30 times in the New Testament. It is the inner monitor of the soul that judges all we do, say, and think. But conscience is not always reliable. While this inner voice passes judgment by either clearing or condemning us, the critical factor is the standard by which it makes these decisions.
An English writer points out that the conscience has something in common with a sundial. During the hours of daylight when the sun is brightly shining, a sundial gives a reasonably accurate reading of the time. But when light from the moon or any other source falls on it, the reading is not at all reliable.
The same is true of man's conscience. Because it has been darkened by sin, it must be exposed to the light of God's Word before it can tell us what is right and what is wrong. Without the standard of objective truth in the Bible, our conscience may make us feel comfortable when we do wrong.
The apostle Paul lived so close to the Lord and was so influenced by divine revelation that he could confidently testify in Acts 23:1, "I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day."
Christians can enjoy peace of mind only if that inner monitor of the soul is continually sensitized by the Word of God. We must be careful not to let our conscience be deadened. We must not engage in wicked practices nor accept the low moral standards of the world.
Do you have a good, clear conscience?
(H.G.B.)
There is a treasure you can own that's greater than a crown or throne:
This treasure is a conscience clear that brings the sweetest peace and cheer.
(Isenhour)
A sanctified conscience is the holy whisper of God in the soul.
------------------------------
Our Daily bread, RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids Michigan - Reprinted permission
N.J. Hiebert - 5192
June 17
Distractions
"Return unto thy rest, O my soul; For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee." (Psalm 116:7)
Often, when we are most in earnest to pray, we are tormented by wandering thoughts and distractions of all sorts. I have been reading some old books lately and find that exactly the same thing distressed others.
"The noise of a fly", as one says is enough to distract him.
Do not fuss, do not worry, do not spend time wondering why that thought came just then or that other interruption was allowed (for that is playing into the enemy's hands); but as soon as you are conscious that you have been drawn away, peacefully come back again.
"Return unto thy rest, O my soul."
(Amy Carmichael)
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June 18
"When He had thus spoken, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle." (John 9:6)
It was a common experience for the poor, blind beggar to be covered with the spittle of men, as in those days illness and suffering were regarded as self inflicted. This time the spittle did not descend in the usually derisory way, but was used by the Saviour to bring life and light. When others wrongfully criticize and condemn, the Saviour understands, and can reverse your pain, and bring relief and joy.
(Brian Russell)
O it was kind of Him, blest be His name,
Unto death binding Him, love-drawn He came.
(Author Unknown)
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June 19
"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."
(1 John 1:7)
Some
time ago the front door bell in our home went out of order. For some
reason only a faint sound came from it, so we sent for a repairman.
What was wrong? Spider webs were discovered inside of it and were
hindering the vibration of sound.
Oh these
cobwebs! Those hindering things which dull our witness. What are they?
Some habits, self-indulgence, friendship, or pastime? Or is it sloth,
pride, indulgence, worldliness, self-seeking, love of praise, selfish
motives, undisciplined life, or self-will?
Let God cleanse them away! Your life will never ring true as long as they remain. (Mountain Trailways for Youth)
Nothing between my soul and the Saviour
So that His blessed face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favour,
Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.
(Mountain Trailways for Youth)
June 20
"And he (Saul) trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? . . . He is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel."
(Acts 9:6,15)
The Lord could do without us,
but He does not want to do so;
He well knows that to use us in His service gives joy to and blesses our hearts -
but we cannot do without Him.
It is He who gives life, nourishment, strength, and growth.
(Meditations on 1 Kings - H.L. Rossier)
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June 21
"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
(Matthew 11:28)
John M. Moore wrote "Burdens are Lifted at Calvary" after a most interesting experience. The company secretary of a large shipping firm telephoned the Seaman's Chapel and requested that he visit a young merchant seaman who was lying critically ill in a Glasgow hospital. After getting permission from the nurse, he went to visit the young sailor.
Mr. Moore talked for a few moments and then put his hand in his case for a tract, not knowing which one he would pull out. It happened to be a tract based on Pilgrim's Progress, with a colour reproduction of Pilgrim coming to the cross with a great burden on his back. He showed the young seaman this picture and told the story in brief, adding that Pilgrim's experience had been his experience too. He explained that when he came to the cross of Christ, his burden rolled away and the sense of sin and guilt before God was removed.
The young seaman nodded his head when asked, "Do you feel this burden on your back today?" "Then they prayed together and John Moore wrote, "Never shall I forget the smile of peace and assurance that lit up his face when he said that his burden was lifted!"
Later that night, sitting by the fireside with paper and pen, Mr. Moore could not get the thought out of his mind - his burden is lifted! He started writing, but never for a moment did he imagine that this little hymn would become a favorite throughout the world. Since that time people all over the world were being blessed through the singing of this hymn.
Days are filled with sorrow and care, hearts are lonely and drear;
burdens are lifted at Calvary - Jesus is very near.
Cast your care on Jesus today, leave your worry and fear;
burdens are lifted at Calvary - Jesus is very near.
Troubled soul, the Saviour can see ev'ry heartache and tear;
burdens are lifted at Calvary - Jesus is very near.
Chorus: Burdens are lifted at Calvary, Calvary, Calvary;
burdens are lifted at Calvary - Jesus is very near.
(Kenneth W. Osbeck - Amazing Grace)
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June 22
"And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."
(Isaiah 65:24)
"Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things."
(Jeremiah 33:3)
The Bible and the Cell Phone
The
cell/mobile phone has become an important part of our cultural/work
environment. What follows is NOT a criticism. But let's think about
how we use it. May God give us to ever embrace, love, read, and
obey the precious unchanging Word of God - the Bible!
Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bibles more like we treat our cell phones?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to our kids as gifts?
What if we used it frequently when we traveled?
What if we used it in cases of emergency?
And unlike our monthly cell phone bill, we needn't worry about our Bible being disconnected.
Our Saviour has paid our bill in full.
Let's use it more!
(Anon - courtesy TCS)
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June 23
"All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people."
(2 Samuel 3:36)
The Father opened heaven and said of One greater that David,
"This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased."
Are we not pleased with Him as well?
He has dealt with the issue of sin in its totality and has given us the indwelling Holy Spirit.
He's gone to prepare a place for us, and is interceding for us at the Father's right hand.
Yes, we do well to find Him to be the only One who can satisfy our souls.
(William H. Gustafson)
I've found a Friend, oh such a Friend!
So kind, and true, and tender,
So wise a Counselor and Guide
So mighty a Defender!
(James G. Small)
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June 24
"Trust in Him at all times; ye people pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us."
(Psalm 62:8)
"I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have
poured out my soul before the Lord."
(1 Samuel 1:15)
Ye to whom His love is revealed, reveal yourselves to Him.
His heart is set on you, lay bare your hearts to Him.
Turn the vessel of your soul upside down in His secret presence, and let your inmost thoughts,
desires, sorrows, and sins be poured out like water.
Hide nothing from Him, for you can hide nothing.
To the Lord unburden your soul; let Him be your only father-confessor,
for He only can absolve you when He has heard your confession.
To keep our griefs is to hoard up wretchedness.
The stream will swell and rage if you dam it up:
give it a clear course, and it leaps along and creates no alarm.
(C.H. Spurgeon)
Prayer becomes very real when it is like pent up steam that must find vent.
When the "subdued sighings of the soul" begin to find expression
prayer becomes a pouring out of the heart.
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June 25
"The prayer of the upright is His delight."
(Proverbs 15:8)
Beware that thy constant daily prayer doth not degenerate into a lifeless formality.
What we do commonly we are prone to do slightly.
He is a rare Christian that keeps his course in prayer, and yet grows not to pray of mere course.
He that watcheth his heart all day, is most likely to find it in tune for prayer at night;
whereas loose walking breeds lazy praying.
Never was any formal prayer of the Holy Spirit's making;
when He comes it is a time of life.
(William Gurnall -- 1617 - 1679)
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June 26
"A sower went out to sow his seed . . . some fell on good ground, and sprang up and bear fruit an hundred fold. These are they which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."
(Luke 8:5-15)
There may seem to the world to be fruits bright ad blessed, but if people have not got Christ they tire.
There will be no enduring unless Christ has possession of the soul; but if he has,
there will be an abiding motive, and people will go on, and "bring forth fruit with patience."
They that hear and keep go steadily on, having their motive for action in the Lord.
Trouble may come into the church; disappointment may arise, . . .
but they go on just the same, because they have got Christ before them.
For the Word they have heard and keep connects them with Christ,
and He is more than anything else.
(The Man of Sorrows - J.N. Darby)
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June 27
"In the last days perilous times shall come."
(2 Timothy 3:1)
This world in the last few years has undergone more dramatic changes than at any other time in history.
Fear has gripped its inhabitants in every part of the earth.
Great floods, earthquakes, famines, disease, as well as a reign of terror unparalleled in history.
Leaders have spent endless hours trying to negotiate peace and resolve
the great divisions that cause wars, bloodshed and pain.
These events all point to the fact that our Lord is coming soon.
The only true place of security is in knowing Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord!
(Jim Paul)
Be still my soul: nor contemplate disaster,
The hand that led still leads thee on life's way,
While world events move on - both grave, faster;
For thee they lead to life's eternal day.
(J. Danson Smith)
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June 28
"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)
Grace alone can bring the soul into this blessed, happy state.
Law never can, because it condemns those who break it, and shows no mercy.
Besides, if I have fear now, I have torment.
But "perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment.
He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
This "perfect love" expresses itself in perfect grace, and grace alone establishes the soul in the perfect
love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the perfect work which He has accomplished for us.
(Andrew Miller - August 1877)
N.J. Hiebert - 5204
June 29
Nothing on earth can satisfy the soul!
"The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing."
(Ecclesiastes 1:8)
The senses are but servants to the soul.
The soul desires to look--and sets the eye to see.
The soul desires to hear--and sets the ear to hearken.
The soul is never wearied.
It listens to sweet music, and lingers, longing still for more.
When had the soul enough of a sweet flower?
When was it ever filled to overflowing with viewing the masterpieces of nature?
Nothing on earth can satisfy the soul!
It leaves its pleasures, with a craving for more.
It sighs to increase its satisfactions.
It grieves to think how limited are all its joys.
Let your eyes repose on Jesus!
The more you look at Him -- the longer will you look.
The more you look--the more will be your power to gaze upon Him.
The more you commune with Him--the sweeter shall you find His company.
Speak much to Jesus--you shall not speak in vain.
The name of Jesus shall be to you
"As beds of spices, and sweet flowers" (Song of Solomon 5:13).
The whispers of the Spirit, telling of grace and peace,
shall ever and always refresh your ear!
(Adapted from Lessons for the Christian's Daily Walk - 1859)
N.J. Hiebert - 5205
June 30
"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses."
(Colossians 2:13)
There is no depth of sin and folly into which a Christian is not capable of plunging, if not kept by the grace of God. Even the blessed apostle himself, when he came down from the third heaven, needed a "thorn in the flesh" to keep him from being "exalted above measure."
We might suppose that a man who had been up in that bright and blessed region could never again feel the stirrings of pride. But the plain fact is that even the third heavens cannot cure the flesh.
It
is utterly incorrigible and must be judged and kept under, day by day,
hour by hour, moment by moment, else it will cut out plenty of sorrowful
work for us.
Still, the believer's standing is
in Christ, forever justified, accepted, perfect in Him. And, moreover,
he must ever judge his state by his standing, never his standing by his
state. To attempt to reach the standing by my state is legalism; to
refuse to judge my state by the standing is antinomianism.
Both
- though so diverse one from the other - are alike false, alike opposed
to the truth of God, alike offensive to the Holy Ghost, alike removed
from the divine idea of "A man in Christ." (C.H. Mackintosh)
N.J. Hiebert - 5206
posted by soundwords at
June 01, 2013
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