Gems from March 2017

“Unite my heart to fear Thy name, I will praise Thee,

O Lord my God, with all my heart.” 

(Psalm 86:11-12)

It is not to the one who works most, nor to the one who reads most,

that the Lord confides His mind, but to the one who loves 

Him most (as Mary Magdalene).

It is only near Himself that the human mind is so in abeyance

that His mind is in the ascendant.

(Footprints for Pilgrims)

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“One thing have I desired . . . to behold the beauty of the Lord,

and to enquire in His temple.”

(Psalm 27:4)

- We are not to rejoice so much in the deliverances when they come as in the One who delivers us.

- The deeper the sense of the state from which we have been delivered the more absorbingly intense our affection for the Deliverer.

- Intellectual conviction is always powerless, it occupies itself with the truth, and never leads to Christ Himself.

- A heart possessed of Christ is fortified against the most seductive allurements of the world.

- The state of our souls may be discerned by the effect produced upon us by the name of Jesus.

- Christ Himself is to be our great example of faith, of a life of dependence upon God. 

If the holiest man that ever lived were to fill our vision it would only hinder and not help us.

(Edward Dennett  1831-1914)

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March 1

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, 

that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the 

world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.”

(1 John 3:1)  

Shall we, can we, reserve any corner of our hearts from Him?

His love for thee: not a passive, possible love but outflowing, yes 

outpouring of the real, glowing, personal love of His mighty and tender heart.

Love, not as an attribute, a quality, a latent force but an acting, moving, reaching, touching, and grasping power. Love, not a cold, beautiful, far-off star but a sunshine that comes and enfolds us, making us warm and glad and strong and bright and fruitful.

His love!  What manner of love is it?  What should be quoted to prove or describe it?

First the whole Bible with its mysteries and marvels of redemption, then  

the whole book of Providence and the whole volume of creation.

Then add to these the unknown records of eternity past and the unknown glories of eternity to come, and then let the immeasurable quotation be sung by angels and archangel, and all the company of heaven, with all the harps of God, and still that love will be untold, still it will be “the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.”

(Ephesians 3:19)

(Francis Ridley Havergal)

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March 2

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

(James 1:17) 

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth . . .”

(Revelation 21:1)

And the 'new heaven’ and the ‘new earth’ will but take up the 

same tale of various but exhaustless goodness.

We need only the happy faith which realizes it all to the soul.

“Our Father’s house! no more our souls

At fearful distance bow;

We enter in by Jesu’s blood,

With happy boldness now.

“Our Father! thought had never dreamed

That love like Thine could be—

Mysterious love which brings us thus

So very near to Thee.”

(The Son of God - J.G. Bellett)

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March 3

"Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end!"
John 13:1 

Christian, God's love to you is always the same. 

He cannot love you more—and He will not love you less! 

Never, when afflictions multiply, when terrors frighten you or when your distresses 

abound—does God's love falter or flag. 

Let the rod fall ever so heavily upon you--the hand that moves, like the heart that prompts the stroke, 

is full of love! Judge not the Lord by feeble sense--but trust Him for His grace.

Whether He brings you down into the depths of misery, or lifts you up into the seventh 

Heaven of delight—His faithful love never varies or 

fluctuates—it is everlasting in its continuity!

“For His faithful mercy endureth forever!" Psalm 136:1 

"I have loved thee, with an everlasting love:" Jeremiah 31:3 

“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, 

because His compassions fail not. " Lamentations 3:22 

(Charles Spurgeon)

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March 4

“They heard the voice of the LORD God . . . Adam and his wife hid themselves 

from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 

And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, 

Where art thou? And he said, I heard Thy voice  

in the garden, and I was afraid . . . “

(Genesis 3:8-10) 

Conscience drove Adam behind the trees of the garden;

revelation brought him forth into 

the presence of God.

The consciousness of what he was, terrified him;

the revelation of what God 

was tranquilized him.

This is truly conciliatory for a poor sin-burdened heart.

The reality of what I am is met by the reality of

what God is; and this is salvation.

There is a point where God and man must meet, whether in grace or judgment,

and that point is where both are revealed as they are.

Happy are they who reach that point in grace!

Woe be to them who will have to reach it in judgment!

(H.A. Ironside)

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March 5

Rising Early

“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, 
and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”

(Mark 1:35)   

In Genesis 19.28 Abraham looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah which were very sinful cities. He had prepared himself for the day by going “early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord” (Genesis19:27).  Every day we are bombarded by sinful things.  

What can we do to protect ourselves?

What about following Abraham’s example? 

He spent time “before the Lord”. The benefits of spending time with the Lord, in reading the Bible and in praying, are immense. The Christian life is a battle. As soldiers we need to be protected. Dare we go into a day without any protection from the Devil, who wants to make us fail and sin?

Paul advises us to “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against 

the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6.11). I shouldn’t think we can withstand 

the Devil alone.  There would only be one winner.

So, tomorrow morning when the alarm clock rings, will we hit the snooze button, or will we be like Abraham and get up early and get before the Lord! Draw near to Him, seek His face, enjoy His presence and 

you will be strengthened to face the day.

[Christian Living Today]

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March 6

“And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, 

neither would he let the people go.”

(Exodus 8:32)

You may have heard the Gospel many times but keep hardening your heart

and still refuse to turn to Christ for salvation.

Beware my friend.

You never know when God will accept your decision 

as final and you will have had your last opportunity to be saved!

Did He not say in Noah’s day, 

“My Spirit will not always strive with man?”

(Genesis 6:3)

Come today.

Today is the day of salvation.

(2 Corinthians 6:2)

(David Croudace)

"While God’s Spirit bids you come, sinner do not longer roam,

Lest you seal your hopeless doom, Be in Time."

(Charles Harrison Mason 1866-1961)

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March 7

“. . . cease to do evil; learn to do well . . .”

(Isaiah 1:16-17)

So long as we continue in a low position, we are robbing ourselves of blessing,

and failing totally in our testimony and service.

Nor should we, when in a wrong position, stop to inquire, as we so often do,

Where can I find anything better?   

God’s order is, “Cease to do evil;” and when we have acted upon that holy precept,

we are furnished with another, namely, “Learn to do well.”

If we expect to “learn” how “to do well” before we "cease to do evil,”

we are entirely mistaken.

“Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from among the dead . . .” and what then?

“Christ shall give thee light” (Ephesians 5:14). 

If you are doing what you know to be wrong, or if you are identified in any way with 

what you know to be contrary to scripture, hearken to the word of the Lord, 

“Cease to do evil;” and, be assured, when you have yielded obedience 

to this word, you will not long be left in ignorance as to your path.

It is sheer unbelief that leads us to say, I cannot cease to doe evil, 

until I find something better. 

(Adapted)  

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March 8

“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, 

according to the riches of His grace; wherein He hath abounded 

toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known 

unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good 

pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself.”

(Ephesians 1:7-10)

Not only has God purposed us for blessing into which we shall be brought hereafter.

Not only do we really possess the redemption of our souls and the forgiveness of sins

according to the riches of His grace, but this same grace has abounded toward us in

order that we may have at the present time the knowledge of His purpose.

God has made known to us the mystery of His will so that we may know

the good pleasure that He has purposed in Himself.

(Hamilton Smith)

"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather in one all things in Christ, 

both which are in heaven and which are on earth; even in Him.” (1:10)

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March 9

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

(1 John 1:7)

It was 1946 and Hank, recently back form the war, had just hitchhiked home, eagerly looking forward to a family reunion.  But the joy of that happy time was soon overshadowed by his mom’s serious illness and hospitalization.  Two days later her kidneys began to fail.  Desperately ill, the doctor said she could’t live out the night without a blood transfusion.  But her blood type was very rare and hard to find—AB Negative. 

There were no family members whose blood properly matched, and there were no blood bank supplies available.  Living in a rather small, isolated community, there was no hope of obtaining the correct blood type in time to save their dear mother.

The grieving family began to gather around their dying loved one to say final good-byes.  Leaving the hospital, Hank went home to pick up a younger brother and bring him to the hospital.  He passed a young soldier walking along the roadside, still in uniform, who evidently was also hitchhiking home.

Lost in his private world of grief, Hank felt no inclination to stop and give the soldier a ride as he normally would have done.

But at that very moment he was struck with a strong, distinct feeling that he should pull over and offer the soldier a ride.  The feeling was so strong, that though Hank was was too overcome with tears of grief to say anything but “hello”, he stopped.

With a grateful “thanks”, the young man hopped in.  He immediately noticed Hank’s tears and asked what was wrong. Hank explained his mom’s serious condition, her rare blood type, and the hopelessness of getting the blood she needed in time to help her.

For a moment it was very quiet in the car.  Then the soldier suddenly exclaimed, “Get me to that hospital, quick!”

Hank looked at him questioningly.  Without speaking, the soldier simply held up his dog tags where Hank could clearly read his blood type information…AB Negative!       

Hank’s mother received the necessary transfusion, was restored to health, and lived almost 50 more years.  The young blood donor disappeared from the hospital.  Excited by their Mother’s already improving condition that night, no one in Hank’s family noticed that he was gone.  And to this day, Hank, nor anyone else in his family are able to remember that soldier’s name.  (The Christian Shepherd - Doug Nicolet - February 2016 )

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March 10

“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)

No one could excel Saul of Tarsus.

He was a Jew, of pure pedigree, in orderly fellowship, 

of blameless walk, of fervid zeal and unflinching devotedness.

He was, on principle, a persecutor of the Church.

As a Jew, he could not but see that the very foundations of 

Judaism were assailed by the new economy of the Church of God.

It was utterly impossible that Judaism and Christianity 

could subsist on the same platform, or hold sway over the same mind.

One special feature of the former system was the strict separation of Jew and Gentile;

a special feature of the latter was the intimate union of of both in one body.

Judaism erected and maintained the middle wall of partition;

Christianity abolished that wall altogether.

Hence Saul, as an earnest Jew, could not but be a zealous persecutor of the Church 

of God.  It was part of his religion—of that in which "he excelled many of his 

equals in his own nation"—of that in which he was “exceedingly zealous.”

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”

(Philippians 3:7)

(C.H. Macintosh)

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March 11

Which?

“. . . In the sight of God . . .”

(2 Corinthians 2:17)

“ . . . in the sight of men . . .” 

(Revelation 13:13)

When thou art following Christ, the lowly One,

All that thou dost as in God’s sight is done.

But when thy works are for the sight of men,

’Tis Antichrist’s proud spirit rules thee then.

(Bells & Pomegranates - James M. S. Tait)

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March 12

“Take heed, and beware of covetousness.”

(Luke 12:15)

If love of the world or covetousness . . . slips into the heart it 

checks the power of Christ over the soul and conscience, 

and eats out the practical life of the Christian, and 

his soul is withered, withered, withered. . . .

This covetous care about earthly things is so subtle that while

there is nothing on which to lay the hand, the practical

power of christian life in the soul is gone.

Worldly religion, and religious worldliness, is the pest of this day,

and . . . will never stand in the day which shall try all things.

(J.N. Darby)

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March 13

“So the Lord alone did lead him, and there 

was no strange god with him.”

(Deuteronomy 32:12)

When we seek the Lord’s guidance, 

we must have nothing to do with other forms of guidance.

He will guide us by His Spirit if we ask Him to do so, 

if we are submissive to Him and refuse to be led by out own wishes.

(This Day is the Lord’s - Corrie Ten Boom)

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March 14

“Moses . . . Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.” 

(Hebrews 11:26)

A memorial stone stands in the grounds of a former Japanese prison 

camp in China where a man died in 1945.

It reads, 

"Eric Liddell was born in Tianjin of Scottish parents in 1902.  His career reached its peak with his gold medal victory in the 400 meters event at the 1924 Olympic Games.  He returned to China to work in Tianjin as a teacher. . . . His whole life was spent encouraging young people to make their 

best contributions to the betterment of mankind.”

In the eyes of many, Eric’s greatest achievement was on the sports 

field.  But he is also remembered for his contribution to the youth of Tianjin in 

China, the country where he was born and that he loved.  He lived and served by faith.

What will we be remembered for? Academic achievement, 

job position, or financial success may get us recognized by others.  But

it is the quiet work we do in the lives of people that will live long after we are gone.  

Moses is remembered in the faith chapter of the Bible, Hebrews 11, as someone 

 who chose to align himself with the people of God instead of enjoying the 

treasures of Egypt (v. 26).  He led and served God’s people by faith.

Faithfulness to God is true success.

(C. P. Hia) 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries, Copyright (2016), Grand Rapids, MI.  Reprinted permission)

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March 15

“For He is not a God of the dead, but of the living:

for all live unto Him.” 

(Luke 20:38)

“Tentative” and “Terminal”

“This is a tentative appointment.” “This is only a tentative plan.”

We use the word when arrangements are temporary and uncertain.

But, come to think of it, don’t we operate most of the time on a 

tentative basis?  Life is so unpredictable, so little is sure.

The best-laid plans of all men are never for certain. No

wonder the Bible tells us to make our remarks low-key 

when we talk about what we plan to do tomorrow. 

Another uncertain word is “terminal.”

We call some cancer victim nearing death a terminal case.

Arent we all?  

I don’t want you to lay down this piece feeling worse

than when you started reading it, but you are a terminal case.

We must all call it a day and depart unless Jesus returns 

before long and changes our plans.

“Tentative” and “terminal,” that is the essence of temporality.

And yet we are eternal, for somewhere we shall continue.

Nobody is terminated in God’s sight- “all live unto Him.”

We never cease to exist.

Put eternality into your head and heart.

The real you, the tenant within your 

tenement, will live on somewhere.

The choice of residence is yours.

(Vance Havner)

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God 

is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

(Romans 6:23)

(Vance Havner)

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March 16

“Joseph found grace in his sight . . . and [Potiphar] made him overseer 

over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.”

(Genesis 39:4)

The Lord was not only with Joseph, but He was for Joseph, disposing the 

heart of the master in favour of his servant.

It follows that Joseph became a source of blessing in the house of the Gentile;

“It came to pass from the time that he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had,

that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake, and the blessing of the 

Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.” (Genesis 39:5)

The Christian is not only called to blessing but, 

as he passes along his way, 

to be a blessing.

(Joseph - Hamilton Smith)

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March 17

“To every thing there is a season, and  a time to

every purpose under the heaven.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, 

made this observation as he contemplated the affairs of life.

How important it is for us to realize this, and to plan our lives accordingly.

We see this in the life of the Lord Jesus. He knew not only what to do, 

but the time, when it should be done.

At the wedding in Cana, He said to Mary, 

who was anxious that He should act immediately, 

“Mine hour is not yet come”.

But eventually nearing the cross, the Lord is heard to say, 

“Father, the hour is come”.

May the Lord grant us that same sensitivity to His timing for our lives.

(W.H. Burnett)

Until the race is run, until the journey done,

Until the crown is won, teach me Thy way.

(B. Mansell Ramsay)

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March 18

PRIDE & WORLDLINESS

“A man’s pride shall bring him low.”

(Proverbs 29:23)

When men stand high their heads do not grow dizzy till they look down; when

men look down upon those that are worse than themselves, 

or less holy than themselves, then their heads turn 

round; looking up would cure this disease.

The most holy men, when once they have fixed their eyes awhile upon God’s holiness,

and then looked upon themselves, have been quite out of love with themselves.

After the vision the prophet had of God sitting upon the throne, and the seraphim about Him, 

covering their faces, and crying, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts,” how was this 

gracious man smitten with the sense of his own vileness! they did no more cry 

up God as holy than he did cry out upon himself as unclean  (Isaiah 6:5).

So Job, “Now mine eye seeth Thee.  Wherefore I abhor myself” (Job 42:5,6)

(William Gurnall - 1665)

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March 19

Divine Possibilities - Part 1

“To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,

that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.”

(Ephesians 3:19)

O Lord! Thy rich, Thy boundless love no thought can reach, no tongue declare;

Oh give our hearts its depths to prove, and reign without a rival there.

From Thee, O Lord, we all receive, 

Thine, wholly Thine, alone we’d live. 

(Gerhardt)

“Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).   

Fellowship with the Father is to be filled with His thoughts, 

His desires, His objects and His affections.

It is also so with fellowship with the Son. . . . 

It is our privilege to be taken out of ourselves altogether—

to be lost in the affections and aims of the Father and the Son! . . .

Self disappears before such a blessed possibility.

Shall I cling to my own thoughts and purposes when I may be occupied 

with those of the Father and His Son?  

Shall I have my own affections when I may be possessed with those that fill

the heart of the Father and His Son Jesus Christ?  Far be the thought!

Rather let me be lost in this illimitable sea of bliss opened out 

before me in the marvellous grace of God.

(E. Dennett)

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March 20

Divine Possibilities - Part 2

“To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,

that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.”

(Ephesians 3:19)

It is written, “All things are possible to him that believeth”; we read the words, do not doubt them, and yet we seldom think of the possibility of their being verified in our own experience. 

Circumstances may be the form of the expression of God’s will for us, but the normal 

thing for the Christian should be the inward apprehension of the Lord’s mind.

“I will counsel thee with Mine eye upon thee.”  If this is true, we have to

wait until we hear His voice, and if that attitude be maintained,

I am sure that we never should be confounded.

It must ever be remembered that guidance is a matter of faith, not sight.

The Christian ought to be the most dignified person in the world. We 

do not think half enough of ourselves as we are before God.

If the cross be applied to ourselves and then to the world, you have two crucified things, and consequently there could not be the least attraction between the two (Galatians 6:14).

That, therefore, is the true way of overcoming the attractions of the world.

When the heart is at leisure from itself, through being satisfied with Christ,

the Holy Spirit is free to lead it out into all the circle of God’s interests, 

whether as regards the church, His ancient people or the world.

An open door in service is from the Lord and not from man.

We may, therefore, be independent of man altogether, and we shall 

be if we keep our eyes wholly upon the Lord, remembering He always sets 

an open door before us if we keep His word and do not deny His name. (Revelation 3:8).

“As thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25).

The whole force of this scripture depends upon the connection.

The last words of verse 24 are, “Let him dip his foot in oil”; that is, 

in its Christian interpretation, let him walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, 

and then his shoes should be as iron and brass—a firm and consistent walk,

and his spiritual strength should never decay.  As your days, your strength shall be.

(Edward Dennett - with thanks F.P.)

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March 21

“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: 

but the word preached did not profit them, not being 

mixed with faith in them that heard it.”

(Hebrews 4:2)

Faith is very important.

It is the link that binds us to every promise of God—it brings us every blessing.

I do not mean a dead faith, but a living faith.  There is a great difference between the two.

A man may tell me that ten thousand dollars are deposited in a certain bank in my name.

I may believe it, but if I don’t act upon it and get the money it does me no good.

Unbelief bars the door and keeps back the blessing.

Someone has said there are three elements in faith—knowledge, assent, laying hold.

Knowledge!  A man may have a good deal of knowledge about Christ, but that does not save him.

I suppose Noah’s carpenters knew as much about the ark as Noah did, 

but they perished miserably nevertheless, because they were not in the ark.

Our knowledge about Christ does not help us if 

we do not act upon it.  But knowledge is very important.

Many also assent and say—“I believe”; but that does not save them.

Knowledge, assent, then laying hold: it is that last element that saves,

that brings the soul and Christ together.

(D.L. Moody)

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

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March 22

"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; 

withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of 

utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:  

That I may make manifest, as I ought to speak.”

(Colossians 4:2-4)

Christ has a special service for each saint.

We often want to arrange things beforehand; 

But that is never Christ’s plan;

He expects us to look to Him to get the word which He wants us to speak, 

showing by that, that we believe He is a living person. 

We cannot see the hearts of those to whom we speak, but He can; He knows every

thought of every heart, and we must look to Him for guidance what to say.

If you are walking with Christ as a living Lord, you will

find that He guides you in everything.

He has all the feelings of a man, and is entering into all ours.

(G.V. Wigram - Gleanings)

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March 23

OLD AGE NO BARRIER

"Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.

They shall still bring forth fruit in old age.”

(Psalm 92:13-14)

Some of the fruits of the Spirit seem to be especially and peculiarly characteristic of sanctified older years; and do we not want to bring them all forth?

Look at the splendid ripeness of Abraham’s faith in his old age;

the grandeur of Moses’ meekness when he went up the

 mountain alone to die; the mellowness of Paul’s joy in his later Epistles;

and the wonderful gentleness  of John which makes us almost forget his early character 

of “a son of thunder” wanting to call down God’s lightenings of wrath.

And the same Spirit is given to us, that we, too, may bring forth

“fruit that may abound,” and always more fruit.

Now, the pruning, sharp, unsparing; scattered blossom, bleeding shoot!

Afterward, the plenteous bearing of the Master’s pleasant fruit.

(Francis Ridley Havergal - Opened Treasures)

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March 24

“For Thou wilt lighten my candle:

the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.”

(Psalm 18:28)

YOU CANNOT EXHAUST GOD

We would in Thee abide,

In Thee be glorified,

And shine as candles 

“lighted by the Lord.”

(Selected)

Let us not flinch when the snuffers are 

used; they only cut away the black charred debris.

He thinks so much of His work that He uses golden snuffers!

And the hand that holds the snuffers bears

the nail-print of Calvary!

(F.B. Meyer)

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March 25

“I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning.

I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.

I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

 (1 John 2:13)

The Apostle distinguishes growth.

The fathers have known Christ, who is from the beginning, the true Christ who guards the soul, 

knowing Him perfectly—no ambiguity, no uncertainty; and all the exercises and 

experiences of the Christian, which are often so much dwelt 

on, are but the scaffolding of the soul to get at this—

"Known Him that is from the beginning.” 

(J.N. Darby)

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March 26

“. . . If a son, then an heir, . . . “ 

(Galatians 4:7)

A dying judge said to his pastor, “Do you know enough about the law to understand what is meant by joint tenancy?”  “No,” was the reply; “I know nothing about law; I know a little about grace, and that has satisfied me.”

“Well,” he said, “if you and I were joint tenants on a farm I could not say to you, 'That is your hill of corn, and this is mine; that is your blade of grass, and this is mine," 

but we would share alike in everything on the place.

I have just been lying here and thinking with unspeakable joy that Christ Jesus has nothing apart from me; that everything He has is mine, and that we will share alike through all eternity.”

(Selected)     

Oh, how sweet a sight it is to see a cross betwixt Christ and us, to hear our Redeemer say, 

at every sigh, and every blow and every loss of a believer, “Half Mine!”

(Samuel Rutherford)

“From whence shall WE buy bread?” John 6:5

The Master said  “WE!”

(Mountain Trailways for Youth)

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March 27

The Straw

“Taste and see that the Lord is good.”

(Psalm 34:8)

The wonderful  man who was my mentor, my spiritual father, used this illustration once.

He was to address a large group of young people and he came to 

the podium sipping a chocolate shake.  

Most of us thought that was, at the very least unusual and strange, and perhaps inappropriate as well.

But His point was this, and it was a very good point.

This shake was something very good—it is something tasty, 

refreshing and something anyone probably would enjoy. 

The way of getting the good shake to him (and to each of us) was/is via this straw.

The straw in itself has no taste and most often is not even thought about as being important.

But it is very useful for this one purpose.  I am like this plain old straw;

I can be used to bring Jesus to you.

Can you think of the person(s) who were used as ’straws’ to bring Jesus to you?

“. . . we, being many, are one body in Christ, and each one members one of another . . .

having different gifts, according to the grace which has been given to us . . .

let us occupy ourselves in service . . . Let love be unfeigned; abhorring

evil; cleaving to good . . . in spirit fervent; serving the 

Lord . . . distributing to the necessities of the saints;

given to hospitality . . .” (Romans 12:5-17)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Christian Shepherd/Lifelines, F.P.

December 2014*

N.J. Hiebert - 6569   

March 28

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.”

(John 14:6)

The politics professor stated at the beginning of his course,

“There is no such thing as an absolute truth.”

One of his students replied, 

"does that include that statement?”

Dear friend, in a world filled with philosophies each claiming to be the truth,

Jesus proclaimed He was the only way, the only truth

and the only life.

Do you want peace with God?

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Bob Cretney)

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, that’s what Jesus said.

Without the Way there is no going;

Without the Truth there is no knowing;

Without the Life there is no growing.

I am the Way, and the Truth and the Life; 

That’s what Jesus said.

(N. Woychuk)

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March 29

“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

(Genesis 18:15)

There is far more wisdom in this method of settling an apparent difficulty,

than in the most elaborate argument; for it is perfectly certain that

the heart which is in a condition to “reply against God,”

will not be convinced by the arguments of man.

However, it is God’s prerogative to answer all the proud reasonings, and

bring down the lofty imaginations of the human mind. He can write 

the sentence of death upon nature, in its fairest forms.

“It is appointed unto men once to die.”  

This cannot be avoided.  

Man may seek to hide his humiliation in various ways,—to cover his retreat through the valley of death in the most heroic manner possible,—to call the last humiliating stage of his career by the most 

honourable title he can devise,—to gild the bed of death with a false light,— to adorn the 

funeral  procession and the grave with the appearance of pomp, pageantry, and glory,

—to raise above the mouldering ashes a splendid monument, on which are graven 

the records of human shame,—all these things he may do; but death is death 

after all, and he cannot keep it off for a moment, or make it aught 

else than what it is, namely,

“The wages of sin is death;

BUT 

the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

(Romans 6:23)

(C.H. Mackintosh)

N.J. Hiebert - 6571  

March 30

TAKE HEART AGAIN

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,

that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

(1 Timothy 1:15)   

William Archer has pointed out that one of the singular things about the Bible is that some of its outstanding men had serious moral lapses.

Abraham practiced deceit, and yet is called “the friend of God” James 2:23.

Jacob was a crafty schemer, yet is called a Prince with God—Genesis 32:28.

David committed sins that cast deep shadows over other lives as well as his own, yet is called a man after God’s own heart—Acts 13:22.

Peter said that he would follow the Master to prison and to death, but when the test came, 

he denied Him to a little maid—Matthew 26:69-72. 

Mr. Archer instances these things, however, 

not to throw stones at these good men, nor to condone their faults.

He does so to show, on the one hand, that if God were strict to mark iniquity, not one of us could stand; and, on the other that it is the trend of a life that is the true test of character.

A battle may be lost, but the campaign may be won;

the wave may be defeated, but the tide is sure to triumph.  

(In Green Pastures

George Henderson - 1866-1912)

N.J. Hiebert - 6572

March 31

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,

Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth 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.”

(Hebrews 12:1-2)

And, as the path of duty is made plain,

May grace be given that I may walk therein—

Not like the hireling, for his selfish gain,

With backward glances and reluctant tread,

Making a merit of his coward dread—

But cheerful in the light around me thrown,

Walking as one to pleasant service led,

Doing God’s will as if it were my own,

Yet trusting not in mine,

But in His strength alone!

(Johm Greenleaf Whittier - 1807-1892)

With thanks - J. Kaiser

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