Gems from December 2014

“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.” (Philippians 3:10)

Christianity shuts us up to Christ:

“That I may know Him,” is the breathing of the true Christian.

If to be “found in Him” constitutes the Christians’s standing,

then “to know Him” is the Christian’s proper object.

The ancient philosophy had a motto which it was constantly sounding

in the ears of its votaries, and that motto was, “Know thyself.”

Christianity, on the contrary, has a loftier motto, pointing to a nobler object. It tells us to know Christ - to make Him our object - to fix our earnest gaze on Him.

(C.H. Macintosh)

“O Patient, spotless One!

Our hearts in meekness train,

To bear Thy yoke, and leaner of Thee,

That we may rest obtain.

Jesus! Thou art enough

The mind and heart to fill;

Thy patient life - to calm the soul;

Thy love - its fear dispel.

  

O fix our earnest gaze

So wholly, Lord on Thee,

That with Thy beauty occupied,

We elsewhere none may see.”

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“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

If old things have not passed away in your life, and if you are not a new creature, “Born again,” altogether different in heart and life and love and aim, you are not “in Christ.” And if you are not in Christ, you are out of Christ, outside the only place of safety. “Come thou into the Ark!”

It is one of the devices of the destroyer to delude you into fancying that no very decided step is necessary.

He is very fond of the word “gradually.”

You are to become more earnest -gradually.

You are to find salvation - gradually.

You are to turn your mind to God - gradually.

Did you ever think that God never used this word not anything like it? Neither the word not the sense of it occurs anywhere in the whole Bible with reference to salvation.

You might have been gradually approaching the ark, and gradually making up your mind to enter; but unless you took the one step into the Ark, the one step from outside to inside, what would have been your fate when the door was shut? (Opened Treasures - Francis Ridley Havergal)

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December 1

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

(Galatians 6:9)

I once had a desperately bad Sunday School, and at the advice of an older brother, I gave it up.

About three weeks later I met one of the children on the street, and she said, “Oh, why did you give up the Sunday School? I wanted so much to know I was saved. I think I would have found the Lord the very next Sunday: but I had to go somewhere else, and there I found the Lord.”

Another time an old brother urged that I should give up some children’s work that the Lord had opened up. I was much perplexed, and went for advice to another old brother: and to my amazement he said: “Take on more work of that kind; but never give up! All giving up is of the devil.”

That was in the 1920s, but how often have I thanked God for those words. Mr. Herbert Taylor, Mr. Hudson Taylor’s eldest son, once told me that he was at one time so discouraged that he said to his father, “Father, I’m so discouraged, I’m going to give up.” His father replied, “All discouragement is of the devil!”

God is “the God of all encouragement” (2 Corinthians 1:3). God’s Word is clear. “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.” (Hid Treasures - G.C. Willis)

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December 2

“Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give your rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

(Matthew 11:28-29)

If you will come, you will be given.

If you will take, you will find.

“Come” is the word of salvation.

Stop labouring to save yourself.

Come to Him and He will give you rest.

“Take” is the next step and is associated with being saved.

It is our joy to take His yoke upon us - the happy yoke of learning of Him.

This is what brings rest to our souls.

Many know ”rest” from seeking for salvation, but fewer know “rest unto their souls”

that only intimacy with Christ can bring.

(S.M.)

“Jesus, I am resting, resting, in the joy of who Thou art;

I am finding out the greatness Of Thy loving heart.

(J.S. Pigott)

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December 3

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

(1 John 1:7)

When a burning lamp is placed in the rays of the sun, nothing can be seen but the black wick. But, oh! thrice happy though, if the sense of our uncomeliness should still trouble us,

it no longer troubles the blessed Lord.

He has removed it all and forever from His own eyes.

And faith’s eye sees with Him.

The judgment of God, and the judgment of faith, are ever the same.

Thy sins which were many are forgiven.

The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.

(Andrew Murray)

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December 4

“I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and Thy words:  because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.”

(1 Samuel 15:24)

Here’s a perfect example of the proverb which teaches that -

“The fear of man bringeth a snare.”

(Proverbs 29:25)  King Saul was more concerned about public opinion than obedience to his God.

It is a battle we all struggle with on a daily basis.

We want to be accepted and well-liked.

“The fear of the Lord tendeth to life.”

(Proverbs 19:23)

How much better to obey His Word and seek His favour than to

please the unsaved majority around us.

(William H. Gustafson)

"If I gained the world, but lost the Saviour,

Were my life worth living for a day?

Could my yearning heart find rest and comfort,

In the things that soon must pass away?"

(Anna Olander)

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December 5

“But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Christ is the key to every problem.

To know Him is to have all the knowledge that is really worth while.

And we who are saved are in Him.

That is a remarkable expression which Paul uses over and over again,

“In Christ Jesus.”

It speaks of our new standing before God. It tells of the intimate union that subsists between the risen Lord and all His own.

In Him there is no condemnation.

In Him we are accepted in all His own blessed perfection.

And God has made Him unto us wisdom.

Everything we need for our souls’ deliverance is found in the knowledge of Christ.

Our righteousness, our sanctification, our redemption, all are found in Him.

(Lectures on 1 Corinthians - H.A. Ironside)

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December 6

The Obscure and the Plain 

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

"Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.”

(Luke 24:45)

The great principle which applies to all literature is this:

If the plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense.

Since the inspired writers of the Bible wrote to be understood we must, therefore,

interpret their language as we interpret the language of common life.

If, then, we find in the Word of the Lord dark and difficult sayings, these must be explained,

not in contradiction to what is plainly revealed, but in harmony with it.

What is obscure must be interpreted by what is clear;

what is briefly hinted, by what is distinctly expressed.

“Never allow yourself to be robbed of the value of what you do understand

by something which you do not understand;

because the one is founded upon your knowledge,

and the other upon your ignorance.”

(The Wonderful Word - George Henderson)

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December 7

“O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:39)

In our trials, difficulties, sorrows, and exercises, if instant relief be not afforded, we have to remember there is some deep reason connected with the glory of God and our real good, why the desired relief is withheld.

In seasons of pressure we are apt to think only of the one thing, namely, relief. But there is very much more than this to be considered. We should think of the glory of God.

We should seek to know His object in putting us under the pressure. We should earnestly desire that His end might be gained, and His glory promoted.

This would be for our fullest and deepest blessing, while the relief which we so eagerly desire might be the worst thing we could get.

We must always remember that,

through the marvellous grace of God,

His glory and our true blessing are so inseparably bound up together, that when the former is maintained, the latter must be perfectly secured.

(C.H. Mackintosh)

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December 8

“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee.”

(Isaiah 43:2)

When the Christian’s affairs are most disconsolate, he may soon meet with a happy change.

The joy of that blessed day comes

“in a moment in the twinkling of an eye . . . we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52).

In one moment sick and sad, in the next well and glad,

never to know more what groans and tears mean.

Now clad with the rags of mortal flesh, made miserable with a thousand troubles that attend it, in the twinkling of an eye arrayed with the robes of immortality, enriched with a thousand times more glory than the sun itself wears in that garment of light which now dazzles our eyes.

Who can wonder to see a saint cheerful in his affliction, that knows what good news he expects to hear from heaven, and how soon he knows not?

The saints’ hope is laid up in heaven, and yet it heals all the wounds which they receive on earth. If Christ sends His disciples to sea, He means to be with them when they most need His company.

(The Christian in Complete Armour - William Gurnall 1617-1679)

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December 9

“I will put My trust in Him.”

(Hebrews 2:13)

What a moment it must have been when the Lord stilled the wind on the Lake of Galilee!

It must have been wondrous and beautiful to witness it;

as it would be now, had we but hearts sensible of the glories of Christ, to think of it.

People may talk of the necessary force of principles,

of the laws of nature, and of the course of things;

but surely it is the first law of nature to obey its Creator.

And here, in the twinkling of an eye, the Sea of Galilee felt the presence,

and answered the word, of Him who at His pleasure transfigures the course of nature,

or by a touch unhinges it all. (Mark 4:35-41).

(J.G. Bellett)

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December 10

“The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments."

(2 Timothy 4:13)

In his parting charge to Timothy, Paul declared that he had fought a good fight, finished his course, and kept the faith.

Yet, he was not satisfied to sit idle until Nero took his life.

As long as God granted him breath, he wanted to study God’s Word

(likely "the parchments” of our verse) in order to encourage himself and edify others.

Until God’s work for us is complete we are immortal and invincible, and when it is finished,

we, like Paul, will rejoice in Christ’s presence.

(Warren A. Henderson)

“Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;

In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.”

(Henry Lyte)

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December 11

“. . . that ye might be filled with the knowledge of of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”

(Colossians 1:9)

The things of this world are empty in themselves,

and so are many of our ambitions,

because they are earth bound.

By accepting Jesus as Saviour, we become the children of God.

He wants us to be heavenly minded.

(Corrie Ten Boon)

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December 12

THAT YOU MAY KNOW

“These things have I written unto you that believe on name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.”

(1 John 5:13)

Albert Einstein, the celebrated, renowned physicist, was honoured by TIME magazine as the "Man of the Century." Einstein was traveling one day from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the isle, punching the tickets of each passenger. When he came to Dr. Einstein, Einstein reached into his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his other pocket. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. The conductor said, "Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it." Einstein nodded appreciatively.

The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, "Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one." Dr. Einstein looked at him and said, "Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is WHERE I'M GOING!"

Many today, are knowledgeable about the things of God, have been active in many humanitarian endeavors and are recognized by their friends and peers as good upright people. Sadly, many do not know, or have the assurance of where they are going. They may even be members of a church, active in its ministry, faithful in attendance, giving, and other outreach projects, but still without any assurance that heaven is their final destination. Many hope so, others think so, and others are trying their best through their works to make sure they make it so.

“And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

(1 John 5:11-12)

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me”

(John 14:6).

I trust you not only know who you are but have the assurance based on the Word of God and the witness of the Holy Spirit within you, that you know where you are going! (Daily Meditations - R.L.)

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December 13

"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God.“

(Deuteronomy 29:29)

“That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.”  (2 Timothy 1:14) 

The present truth revealed by the Holy Spirit in our dispensation constitutes the mysteries, the sacred secrets, that the servants of God are now to make known.

We notice the mystery of godliness or piety, the great mystery of the incarnation of our Lord Jesus,

God and Man here on earth in one Person. That is beyond human intelligence.

We read, “No man knoweth the Son but the Father.”

It is utterly impossible for men to understand the union of deity and humanity, and yet this mystery is plain to him than believeth.

We simply accept the revelation that God has given and all questioning is at an end.

People talk about the problem “the problem of Christ.”

Christ is not a problem, He is the key to every problem.

Everything else is made plain when we know Christ in whom dwelleth

“All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

(Adapted)

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December 14

“For we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.” (1 Corinthians 4:8)

“Remember as you go about your work,

- Men will forgive you if you are not eloquent,

- They will forgive you if you lack culture,

- If your educational privileges have been greatly curtailed,

- If you sometimes murder the king’s English as you try to preach the gospel,

- But they will never forgive you if they find that you are not sincere."

Men look for reality, and the Lord looks for reality in His servants, and so the apostle says,

“We are like 'actors on the stage', and two worlds are looking upon us,

angels and men, and we must do our part well to the glory of God.”

(Selected)

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December 15

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in Me . . . that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

(John 15:1-2)

Certainly no one enjoys when the Lord purges or prunes their life.

During the process, we can wonder why there seems to be recurring

disappointment and sorrow in our experience.

In times of adversity it is sometimes easy to miss seeing why our wise

heavenly husbandman is doing this work.

If we could just understand that

He is not simply disciplining us in an arbitrary manner;

His purpose is sure;

He desires that our “branch” might be more fruitful.

May God help us to be exercised by His work.

(R.J. Steele)

Fruit after pruning, sun after rain; joy after sorrow, peace after pain;

After long agony rapture of bliss; right was the pathway leading to this.

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December 16

We Still Have Jesus

“But now we see not yet all things put under Him. But we see Jesus.” (Hebrews 2:8,9)

Jeremiah catalogs the miseries of his day but ends,

“Thou, O Lord, remainest forever . . .” (Lamentations 5:19).

Micah does the same, saying, “Therefore I will look unto the Lord . . ." (Micah 7:7).

And again Hebrews speaks of God’s creative works saying, “They shall perish; but Thou remainest . . ." (Hebrews 1:11).

We certainly do not see all things put under our Lord,

but we see Him and He is the guarantee of a better day.

There is so much that we do not see, but we see Him.

And what we do see must be judged and valued in the light of Him.

(Vance Havner)

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December 17

My Chains Fell Off

"Peter was sleeping . . . bound with chains . . . 
And the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: . . . And his chains fell from his hands And the angel said unto him . . . follow me."

(Acts 12:6-8)

The fourth verse of Charles Wesley’s great hymn “And Can It Be That I Should Gain?”

compares Peter’s miraculous deliverance from prison with a sinner’s deliverance from bondage to sin.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,

Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;

Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray,

I woke, the dungeon flamed with light:

My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

(Adapted - R.L.)

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December 18

“And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, so that he fainted.”

(Jonah 4:8)

God had only “sent out” the “great wind” into the sea, but this “sultry” was specially prepared by the hand of God Himself, to teach a lesson Jonah might otherwise have never learned. The vehemence and the sultriness of that wind had been weighed and measured by God’s own hand.

We too may learn a lesson here, that some some of those things that we call “misfortunes” are specially prepared for us by the hand of God Himself. Though it is true (as we may see in the case of Job) that Satan also may cause a “great wind” (Job 1:19), yet whether it be Job, or whether it be one of us, we may take all these things from the hand of God,

We may always remember that it is true that “all things work together for good to those who love God,” (Romans 8:28). It is also true that ”all things are of your sakes” (2 Corinthians 4:15)

So Jonah himself bore witness that it was God Himself who prepared both the worm and the sultry east wind: and we may well believe that the time came when he accepted both from God’s loving hand, and thanked Him for them. (G. Christopher Willis)

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December 19

“Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.”

(Song of Solomon 2:15)

Ask then the question, “What has driven Christ from me?”

He hides His face behind the wall of your sins.

That wall may be built up of little pebbles, as well as of large stones.

If you would live with Christ, walk with Christ, see Christ,

and have fellowship with Christ, take heed of the little foxes that spoil the vines,

“for our vines have tender grapes.”

The Lord invites you to go with Him and take them.

He will surely, like Samson, take the foxes at once and easily.

Go with Him and He will keep you.

(Mountain Trailways for Youth)

FOXES AND FAULTS

If I had a grapevine tender and green

Growing taller and taller each day,

And a little fox tried to spoil that vine,

I’d drive that fox away.

If I had a life all clean and pure,

Growing sweeter and sweeter each day,

And a little fault tried to spoil that life,

I’d drive that fault away.

(Florence Harrell)

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December 20

“For every tree is known by his own fruit.”

(Luke 6:44)

Not only bearing fruit, but fruit that Christ produces should be ours.

There is fruit that an upright nature produces, such as that of the young man who came to Jesus,

but that was not divine fruit - “its own fruit” and where Christ is the root and the stock, it is Christian fruit, i.e., fruit that will remain (John 15:16).

Two men may go together up to a certain point, and then some test for Christ comes;

one goes on with Him, and the other turns aside.

“Its own fruit” - fruit shows itself, springs of itself.

There will not be the question of: What harm in this or that?

What harm in being rich? as a person once asked me.

If it shuts you out of Heaven, is there any harm in that? Oh, I did not think of that! But the secret is that you like the things.

The evil is not the things themselves dug out of the earth, but the love in the heart for them.

“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45).

An impatient word betrays the heart.

A blow I may restrain, yet utter the word.

(The Man of Sorrows - J.N.D.)

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December 21

“And she did eat, and was sufficed, and left.”

(Ruth 2:14)

Boaz was the host at the table where Ruth feasted and she left fully satisfied. When we eat at the table where Jesus is the Host, no one goes away hungry.

Our whole being is satisfied.

Our mind is satisfied with the precious truth which Christ reveals.

Our heart is satisfied with perfect peace, resting in His finished work.

Our conscience is at ease because He gives forgiveness when we confess our sins.

Our future is secure for the “blessed hope” causes us to look to the heavenly banquet where

He will be the honoured Host.

(Milton Haack)

Only a little while we pilgrims stay,

To spread the table on our desert way;

Soon will He come, and coming take us home;

Amen, e’en so, Lord Jesus quickly come!

(George Goodman)

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December 22

“They opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold and frankincense and myrrh.”  (Matthew 2:11)

They shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord.”

(Isaiah 60:6)

When the enquiring wise men entered the humble home wherein the infant,

Incarnate, Saviour lay, they worshipped and gave Him gifts of gold,

symbolic of deity, frankincense which told forth His purity,

and finally myrrh foretelling His coming suffering.

At His second advent, there will be no need to offer myrrh as

His suffering will be forever passed.

Calvary’s conqueror will occupy

David’s Royal throne to receive

gifts of gold and incense.

(Arnot McIntee)

Oh! what a load was Thine to bear, alone in that dark hour,

Our sins in all their terror there, God’s wrath and Satan’s power.

(Dr. H.L. Rossier)

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December 23

“For I delivered unto you first of all . . . how that Christ died for our sins. . . . And that He was buried and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures."

(1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

Apart from the Christ - no joy at His birth,

Though merry and fun all the feasting on earth;

The candles burn out, and the revelry’s done;

But the glory of Christmas shines forth in God’s Son!

(Betty Stan [1906 - 1934] martyred December 8, 1934)

Jesus came into the world for “the suffering of death” (Hebrews 2:9);

to view His birth apart from this perspective is to have a

Christmas which is spiritually out of focus!

(G.W.)

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December 24

Let not your heart be troubled . . . I will come again.”

(John14:1,3)

The Rest of the Story

We are wont to sing of shepherds and the heavenly glory bright,

Of angels and their message on that peaceful, holy night.

But so oft we end the story when ’tis only just begun,

For we fail to give the message that this Child is God the Son.

Here to give Himself a ransom, crucified on Calvary’s tree,

Through His blood providing pardon, perfect cleansing, full and free.

And the tomb, thank God, is empty; Jesus sits at God’s right hand

Now a loving, mighty Saviour; spread the news to every land!

(L.W. Beckley)

The birth of Christ brought God to man;

the cross of Christ brings man to God.

Norm and Lois Hiebert

(Gem # 5749)

December 25

“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

The Lord is coming.

Not only is He coming, we also want Him to come, do we not?

We are not looking for business success to make our retirement easy.

We are not looking for politicians to make our lives down here more comfortable.

Yes, we must labour in the Gospel and seek the welfare of the Lord’s people.

But over and beyond these activities is the blessed, certain hope of the Lord’s coming.

“Even so, some Lord Jesus.”

(Mark FennI)

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December 26

“The living God is among you."

(Joshua 3:10)

It is strange we go on living our everyday lives - so carelessly, stumbling, dully we plod Our commonplace paths, and forget that we walk every day, every hour, in the presence of God.

(Martha Snell Nicholson)

From the first page of the Bible to the last, as well as in other books, men of every rank and every age

have left testimony of having found themselves with awe and rapture in the radiant Presence.

A few of this great host are:

Abraham in the night tending his altar fire.

Moses on Sinai (it was six days on the Mount before the Lord revealed Himself).

Isaiah in the temple.

Three apostles at the transfiguration.

Paul at Damascus.

John at Patmos.

In each instance some great task confronted them and offered a chance to be a fellow-worker with God.  No excuse was adequate.

Their reply was like that of Mary: ”Behold, the handmaid of the Lord”.

Paul: “I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.”

Isaiah in the temple, we too when we face the shining Presence, must be ready to reply:

“Here am I; send me."

(Selected)

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December 27

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

(2 Peter 1:21)

A weatherman boasted, “I’m 90% right - 10% of the time.”  

That is a ridiculous staement, but some people resort to that type of double talk to cover up a poor record.

The Bible’s prophetic record, though, truly is accurate.  

- The Lord Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) 

at the time specified  (Daniel 9:25).

- Infants in Bethlehem were massacred as prophesied (Jeremiah 31:15).

- Jesus went down into Egypt and returned (Hosea 11:1).

- Isaiah foretold Christ’s ministry in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1-2).

- Zechariah predicted His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a colt (Zechariah 9:9).

- And His betrayal for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13).

- David had never seen a Roam crucifixion, yet in Psalm 22, under divine inspiration, 

he penned a graphic portrayal of Jesus’ death.

- Isaiah 53 gives a detailed picture of our Lord’s rejection, mistreatment, death, and burial.

Theses few prophecies (and there are  many more) should impress us with the reliability of the Bible.

Since these predictions have all been fulfilled, let us also accept with confidence what the Bible says about the future.

Remember, we have a book of prophecy that is right - all of the time!

"I’ll trust in God’s unchanging Word till soul and body sever;

For though all things shall pass away, His Word shall stand forever!" (Luther)

You can trust the Bible - God always keeps His word.

Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries, Copyright (1982), Grand Rapids, MI.  Reprinted permission

_________________________________________________________________ 

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December 28

“Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us.”

(2 Corinthians 1:10)

Only God could have made a way of escape for the three Hebrew children.

Who would have thought of the fire burning their bands and slaying their enemies and giving them the company of the Son of God in such a special fashion?

Again only God could have made a way of escape for Daniel in the den of lions. Only God could have shut the lion's mouths and used them as a body guard for His servant instead of devouring him.

They were hungry enough, as Daniel’s enemies soon 

found out when they themselves 

were thrown into the den.

Past, present and future!

What a God!  

How we can trust Him.

(Comforted of God - A.J. Pollock)

N.J. Hiebert - 5753 

December 29

“For we walk by faith, and not by sight.”

(2 Corinthians 5:7)

We who follow Jesus Christ must do so by faith.  

It’s a pilgrimage that must be a step-by-step process.

Its like a hiker on a narrow mountainside trail, unable to see the path ahead. Sometimes the way is clearly marked out before him.  

At other times, it turns abruptly to the right or left, becomes rugged or muddy, rises or falls sharply.  

All he knows is that he must take the next step.

But our spiritual walk of faith differs from that of a mountain hiker.  

Through faith in Christ, we can keep moving forward with full confidence that we will reach our destination.

When you come to the edge 

Of all light you have known,

And are about to step off into darkness,

Faith is knowing there’ll be something to stand on,

Or you will be taught how to fly. 

Perhaps today you are right at the rim of a shadowy unknown.  

You know you must move forward, but you can’t see 10 feet ahead.  

God has brought you to this place not to abandon you but to show you - 

perhaps as never before - that you can trust Him completely - - - Go ahead.  

Prayerfully step into the unknown future.  

God has promised to be there for you (Hebrews 13:5).  

You can be sure “there’ll be something to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.”

Faith is not a leap into the dark but a step into the light.

(Selected)

N.J. Hiebert - 5754  

December 30

“. . . forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”  (Philippians 3:13)

The new year is not present with us,

Only a new day!

So it will be continually.

We shall see but one day at at a time.

If each day is lived right, the whole year will be right;

if each day is wrong, the year will be all wrong.

Each day is a white page to be written.

Write it beautifully, and the year will be beautiful.

Lord, Thou hast given me a clean, new year.  Help me to keep its pages pure, unspoiled; To write upon its scroll but kindly thoughts, with no unsightly blots to have it soiled.

Let me not mar, in thought or word or deed, this page, so white, so pure, unsullied, fair. Help me to know that when I stand in need of help from Thee, Thou’rt always standing there.

When duty calls me, Lord, let pleasure wait.  Let me fulfill my calling.  Let Thy will, Not mine be done.  Oh, let me ever hear Thy calm, approving voice, Thy guidance still.

Lead me dear Lord, in paths of peacefulness.  But if, perchance, Thy paths should ever lie O’er mountain trails, though they be rough and bleak, then may I answer, "Master, here am I.”

(J.S. Ellis)

An artist who was asked, “What is your best picture? answered, "My next.”

Make tomorrow your best day!

"Yesterday ended last night.”

N.J. Hiebert - 5755  

December 31

“Be still and know that I am God.”

(Psalm 46:10) 

That I Might Know Thee

Another year, O Lord, lifts my vessel on its tide,

The way ahead is dark, but Thou art by my side.

The voyage may be stormy; the sea not always calm,

But Thy grace will be my portion; Thy love, my healing balm.

My purpose on the voyage, by Thee I’ve been assigned,

To preach the Gospel to the meek, and broken hearts to bind,

To proclaim liberty to the captive and freedom to those enslaved,

To fulfill Thy great commission and redeem the day of grace.

This one boon I ask Thee Lord, ere on the voyage I start,

That as the year ahead unfolds, I would know Thee as Thou art.

Reveal Thyself to me O God, that I might nearer be,

To the Lord who calms the storms; to the God who rules the sea.

(S. McEachern)

N.J. Hiebert - 5756