Gems from January 2018

The Humble Christian 

"By the grace of God, I am what I am!” 

(1 Corinthians 15:10)

The humble Christian will not be easily angered--nor will he be dogmatic and judgmental. 

He will be compassionate and tender towards the infirmities of his fellow-sinners; knowing, that, if there is any difference between himself and others--it is grace of God that has made it. He knows that he has the seeds of every evil in his own heart!

Also, under all trials and afflictions, the humble Christian will look to the hand of the Lord, and lay his mouth in the dust--acknowledging that he suffers much less than his iniquities have deserved. 

These are some of the advantages and good fruits which the Lord enables us to obtain from that bitter root, indwelling sin.

(John Newton)

N.J. Hiebert - 6948

January 1

“So will not we go back from thee . . .” 
(Psalm 80:18)

Oh, there are heavenly heights to reach in many a fearful place, While the poor, timid heir of God lies blindly on his face; Lies languishing for light Divine that he shall never see

’Til he goes forward at Thy sign, and trusts himself to Thee.

(C.A. Fox)  

When Mallory and Irvine were last seen on Mt Everest— the highest peak in the world—they were "going strong for the top.”

Bitter cold, raging winds, blinding blizzards, engulfing avalanches of snow and rock— all these dangers stood between these brave climbers and the top of that towering mountain. Nothing could turn them back!

What a great way to close the old year, and crossing the threshold into the new to say with these heroic climbers, “We will not go back from Thee!”

Let us fare forth bravely, our feet on solid ground, our eyes to the stars, for we walk with Him whose promise is: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age.” 

Press on!  Surmount the rocky steeps, climb boldly o’er the torrent’s arch;

He fails alone who feebly creeps, he wins who dares the hero’s march.

Be thou a hero! Let thy might tramp on eternal snows its way

And through the ebon walls of night hew down a passage unto day.

(Park Benjamin) 

N.J. Hiebert - 6949   

January 2

Happy new year . . .

“. . . 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 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.”

(I. S. Ellis)       

An artist who was asked, “What is your best picture?” answered, 

 “My next.”  Make tomorrow your best day!

"Yesterday ended last night.”

(Mountain Trailways)

N.J. Hiebert - 6950 

January 3

“They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.” 
(Malachi 3:17) 

What do God’s children as jewels remind us of?

1. Like jewels, they are rare.

2. Like jewels, they are beautiful, brilliant, ornamental.

3. Like jewels, they are found in strange and unlikely places.

4. Like jewels, they are obtained only with much risk and trouble.

5. Like jewels, they have to be cut and polished to bring out their beauty and value.

6. Like jewels, they are very valuable; hence they cost a great deal.

7. Like jewels, they are carefully preserved.

8. Like jewels, they will be collected 

and exhibited.

Sapphires, rubies, opals, precious every one;

The great Lapidary sees His work begun.

He will not relax His care 

till His work is finished there.

(E. E. T.)

N.J. Hiebert - 6951

January 4

"Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.”

(Isaiah 53:4,5)

That covers the days and the deeds that are gone.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” (Psalm 23:6)

These are the two shining ones from the upper sanctuary who are commissioned to look after needs as we journey to the heavenly land.

“Surely I come quickly.”

(Revelation 22:20)

There we are pointed on to the glad event, at the fulfilment of which, we shall be translated from the place of sin and sorrow to one into which sin shall never entered in which all tears are wiped away.

(Revelation 21:4)   

(Heaven’s Cure for Earth’s Care)

N.J. Hiebert - 6952 

January 5

“And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.” (Mark 9:8)

Christ is the key to the puzzle of this world.

May God give us to be anything or nothing, so that the Lord Jesus may be everything.

The magnet always turns towards the pole;

the needle always trembles a little when the storm and tempest roar,

but its direction changes not; the needle of the Christian heart always points towards Christ.

The only thing which can be truly blessing to our brethren, 

so precious because they belong to Him, 

is that which we reproduce of Him.

(Pilgrim Portions for the Day of Rest)

N.J. Hiebert - 6953

January 6

“The Holy Scriptures . . . are able to make 

thee wise unto salvation.”

(2 Timothy 3:15)

I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God . . .  I want to know one thing, the way to heaven . . . 

God Himself has condescended to teach me the way . . . 

He hath written it down in a book.

O give me that book!

At any price give me the book of God!

I have it; here is knowledge enough for me.

Let me be “homo unius libri” (a man of one book).

Here then I am, far from the busy ways of men.  I sit down alone; only God is here.  

In His presence I open, I read His book; for this end, 

to find the way to heaven.

(J. Wesley)

The Bible tells us Jesus died, a sacrifice for sin;

The gates of heaven to open wide that we may enter in.

The Bible tells us Jesus rose, and left the silent grave,

Triumphant over all His foes, the mighty One to save,

The Bible tells us all may come, and drink at mercy’s stream;

That Jesus soon will share His home with all who trust in Him.

N.J. Hiebert - 6954

January 7

A weak, defenseless, thoughtless creature--and prone to wander!

"I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep." 

(John 10:11) 

This great and good Shepherd has a flock, whom He loved from everlasting—and whom having loved, He will love to the end. He . . . humbled Himself for their sakes, submitted to partake of their nature and their sorrows,

took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. 

He died for His sheep, "the just for the unjust," to redeem them . . . from the curse of the law,

  from the guilt and dominion of sin, from the power of Satan--and to bring them to God. 

They, by nature, are all "gone astray, every one to his own way".  But having thus bought them with His blood--in His own appointed time He seeks, finds, and restores His sheep. By the power of His Word and Spirit--He makes Himself known to their hearts, causes them to hear and understand His voice, and guides them into His fold. They are under His immediate protection and government.

Considered as individuals, they are fitly described by the name of sheep. A sheep is a weak, defenseless, thoughtless creature— and prone to wander! If once gone astray--it is seldom known to return of its own accord.

A sheep has neither strength to fight with the wolf, nor speed to escape from him; 

nor has it the foresight of the ant, to provide its own sustenance. 

(John Newton)

N.J. Hiebert - 6955

January 8

“Of His own will begat He us with the word of truth,

that we should be a kind of first 

fruits of His creatures.”

(James 1:18)

Look at yonder tottering babe, the object of ceaseless care and solicitude, wholly unable to promote his father’s interests in any one way, yet so loved by the father that he would not exchange him for ten thousand worlds;

and if it be thus with an earthly father, what must it be with our heavenly Father? 

He loves us, not for aught that we are able to do, but because we are His children.

He has begotten us, of His own will, by the word of truth. 

We could no more earn a place in the heart of the Father than we could satisfy the claims of the righteous Judge.

All is of free grace.

The Father has begotten us; and the Judge has found a ransom (Job 33:24).

We are debtors to grace for both the one and the other.

(C. H. Mackintosh)

N.J. Hiebert - 6956

January 9

CHRIST OR ANTICHRST

“He that is not with Me is against Me; 

and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad.”

(Matthew 12:30)

AFTER ALL IS said and done, the real issue today, as always, is Christ or Antichrist.

We try to move the focal point elsewhere, 

but here is where the battle rages.

And if Christ is the issue, then for us the supreme matter is—

(1) to become a Christian;  

(2) to become a better Christian daily;

(3) to help other Christians to be better Christians, and 

(4) to help those who are not Christians to become Christians.

We gather with Him, or we scatter abroad.

This is our real “program,” faith in Christ, fellowship with Christ, 

faithfulness to Christ, fruitfulness for Christ.

It simplifies life to one thing, just to be a Christian, a believer in Christ, 

a follower of Christ, a witness of Christ.

Anything less is not enough.  Anything more is too much.

“With Me”— there is our position; “gathering"— there is our practice.

“Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” 

Following and fishing!

Are you Christian or Anti-christian?

(Vance Havner)

N.J. Hiebert - 6957  

January 10

“Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment."

(Ecclesiastes 11:9)

“The God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are 

all thy ways, hast thou not glorified."

(Daniel 5:23) 

What though I might live without the Saviour,

When I come to die, how would it be?

O to face the valley’s gloom without Him!

And without Him for eternity!

N.J. Hiebert - 6958

January 11

“Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)

Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord to Thee.

“Take my life!” We have said it or sung it before the Lord, it may be many times; but if it were only once whispered in His ear 

with full purpose of heart, should we not believe that He heard it?  And if we know that He heard it,

 should we not believe that He has answered it, and fulfilled this, our heart’s desire? 

For with Him hearing means heeding. 

Then why should we doubt that He did verily take our lives when we offered them—our bodies when we presented them?

Have we not been wronging His faithfulness all this time by practically, even if unconsciously,

doubting whether the prayer ever really reached Him?

And if so, is it any wonder that we have not realized all the power and joy of full consecration? 

By some means or other He has to teach us to trust implicitly at every step of the way.

And so, if we did not really trust in this matter, 

He has had to let us find out our want of trust by withholding the 

sensible part of the blessing, and thus stirring us up to find out why it is withheld. 

(Kept for the Master’s Use - Frances Ridley Havergal)

N.J. Hiebert - 6959

January 12

The one indispensable book!

“Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for My mouth it hath commanded, and His Spirit it hath gathered them.”

(Isaiah 34:16)

The Bible is the oldest--and the newest of books.

The Bible surveys the whole field of time--and it looks farthest into the infinite depths of eternity. 

The Bible lends the most vivid and absorbing interest to the scenes and events of the past—and 

it keeps us in the most active sympathy with the time in which we live.

The Bible gives us the most reliable record of what has been—and it affords us our only means of knowing what is yet to be. 

The Bible is holy enough to denounce the very shadow and semblance of sin—and it is merciful enough to save the chief of sinners.

The Bible is full of God--and must therefore be read with a pure heart, 

or its true glory will not be seen.

The Bible is full of man--and must therefore always be interesting and 

instructive to all who would know themselves.

The Bible is the plainest of books--and yet it has depths of wisdom 

which no created mind can fathom. 

The Bible is set up as a beacon to show all wanderers the safe way--and yet its light shines 

forth from thick clouds of mystery, and from abysses of infinite darkness. 

The Bible describes all conditions of life--and it gives utterance 

to all desires and emotions of the soul. 

The Bible has a song of triumph for the overcomer—and 

a wail of defeat for the overcome. 

(Daniel March - 1870)

N.J. Hiebert - 6960

January 13

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

There is no neutral ground when we face the cross:  Either we accept its atoning work and become a new person, or we reject it and remain in our sinful self centred state.

When we take our stand with Christ and His redemption accomplished at Calvary, we are compelled to make two profound confessions: "The wonders of His glorious love and my own worthlessness.”

This hymn (Beneath the cross of Jesus) was written by a frail woman, Elizabeth Clephane, who, despite her physical limitations, was known throughout her charming community of Melrose, Scotland, for her helpful, cheery nature. Among the sick and dying in her area she won the name of “Sunbeam.”

“Beneath the Cross of Jesus” was written in 1868, one year before her early death at the age of thirty nine. She wrote eight hymns, only another has endured—“The Ninety and Nine,” made popular by the tune composed for it by Ira D. Sankey.

(Kenneth W. Osbeck)

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand, the shadow of a mighty Rock within a weary land; a home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way, from the burning of the noon-day heat and the burden of the day.

Upon that cross of Jesus mine eye at times can see the very dying form of One who suffered there for me; and from my smitten heart with tears two wonders I confess—the wonders of His glorious love  and my own worthlessness. 

I take O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place—I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face; content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss, my sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross.

(Eliabeth Clephane)

N.J. Hiebert - 6961  

January 14

TRIUMPHANT SUFFERING

"Behold, my master . . .  hath committed all that he hath to my hand . . . how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? (Genesis 39:8-9)

It is not, however, to be expected that the devil will leave unmolested a life that is beautiful in the sight of God and man.  Devotion to the Lord exposes Joseph to the hatred of the devil.  Having entirely failed to overcome Joseph by the frowns of the world and the trials of hard circumstances, the devil alters his tactics and seeks to overcome Joseph by the pleasures of sin.

In the person of Potiphar’s wife he had a ready instrument whereby to tempt Joseph, combined with circumstances that favour her evil designs.  In result the temptation only serves to bring out the moral excellence of Joseph.

Here is the secret of Joseph’s consistent life before his master. He served faithfully in the presence of man, because he walked continually in the presence of God;  and walking in the fear of God he was kept in the hour of temptation.

Well for each one of us, if the moment of fierce temptation finds us walking so near to God, that at once we ask, “Can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"

To ask that question is to escape the snare.

The only thing we have really to be afraid of is fearing anything, or anyone, more than God.   

(Hamilton Smith)

N.J. Hiebert - 6962

January 15

“He that spared not His Own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.” (Romans 8:32)

Do you ask for some proof that God really loves you?  How would you have Him prove it? Would you ask Him to give you everything this world affords—friendship, fame, riches, pleasure? That would be no proof that He cared for you. It would cost Him nothing.

Do you ask that He would create a new world, and give it to you to be all your own? Would you believe then that He really loved you? It might not be for your real happiness, and—It would cost Him nothing!

By a word He could create a thousand worlds and present them to you.  But what would they cost Him? Nothing! And until we find that which has cost Him something, we have no proof of whether He loves, or how much He loves. 

Where shall we find this?  Where shall we discover the final proof the heart craves for? God Himself alone can disclose it.  Blessed be His name, He has done so— “He that spared not His own Son.”  

The choicest and the best, the closest and the dearest, the object of His eternal love and pleasure, has been given. Had God said, “I would like to save; I am ready to do a great deal for my creatures, sinful as they are, but I must spare my Son all suffering, I cannot allow Him to enter that dark, sin-stained world, and die," the final proof of His love would have been wanting.

But "He that spared not His Own Son”—this reveals all we need to know.  God has given that which cost Him most to give.  If we think of all the ills of humanity, let us think of this too— “He that spared not His Own Son.” 

(Russell Elliott)

N.J. Hiebert - 6963

January 16

“They that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. . . .  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Romans 8:8,9,13)

The instant I believe in Jesus, I am called on to reckon myself dead. I am never told to die, but I am told to mortify my members that are upon the earth.

A man under the law will be trying to die with all his might, but he will never succeed.

A Christian is dead, and his life is hid with Christ in God, and therefore he mortifies his members which are upon the earth, as living in the power of the life he has in the Son of God.

(J.N. Darby)

N.J. Hiebert - 6964

January 17

“And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him,  And a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.”

(Acts 12:7)

If we fear the Lord, we may look for timely interpositions when our case is at its worst. Angels are not kept from us by storms, nor hindered by darkness.

Seraphs think it no humiliation to visit the poorest of the heavenly family. If angels’ visits are few and far between at ordinary times, they shall be frequent in our nights of tempest and tossing. 

Is this an hour of distress with you? Then ask for peculiar help.

Jesus is the Angel of the Covenant, and if His presence be now earnestly sought it will not be denied.

What that presence brings is heart cheer.

(Spurgeon)

And a light shined in my cell, and there was not any wall,

And there was no dark at all, only THOU, Emmanuel.

Light of love shined in my cell, turned to gold the iron bars,

Opened windows to the stars, peace stood there as sentinel.

Dearest Lord, how can it be that Thou art so kind to me?

Love is shining in my cell, Jesus, my Emmanuel.

(Amy W. Carmichael)

N.J. Hiebert - 6965

January 18

“I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: Thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God."

(Psalm 40:17)

He thinks upon me!  What does He think about?

Verse 5 says that His thoughts are too many to number.

He knows me inside out.  

Lonely?  He knows.  Afraid?  He knows.  In trouble?  He knows.

Whatever our circumstances, let us rest assured that our Lord is quite aware of all the details.

He will save.  He will help.  He will deliver.

Isn’t He wonderful?

(M. Peters)

Why should I feel discouraged?  Why should the shadows come?

Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home?

When Jesus is my portion, my constant Friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He cares for me.

(C. D. Martin)

N.J. Hiebert - 6966

January 19

“But I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me." (John 6:38)

When he was crossing the Irish Channel one dark starless night, says Dr. F. B. Meyer, he stood on the deck by the captain and asked him, “How do you know Holyhead Harbour on so dark a night as this?”  He said,  “You see those three lights?  Those three must line up behind each other as one, and when we see them so united we know the exact position of the harbour’s mouth."

When we want to know God’s will there are three things which always concur: the inward impulse, the Word of God, and the trend of circumstances!  God in the heart, impelling you forward; God in the Book, corroborating whatever He says in the heart; and God in circumstances, which are always indicative of His will.

Never start until these three things agree. Stand still at the cross-roads ready to walk or run, and you will not be kept waiting long.  

When we’re not quite certain if we turn to left or right—Isn’t it a blessing when a signpost looms in sight!  If there were no signposts we should wander miles astray—in the wrong direction if we didn’t know the way.

God has set His signposts on Life’s strange and winding road.  

When we’re blindly stumbling with the burden of our load—

He will lead our footsteps though the pathway twist and bend—

In some form He guides us, through The Book, a song, a friend . . .

In the dark uncertain hours, we need not be afraid—

When we’re at the crossroads, and decisions must be made . . . 

Though the track is unfamiliar, and the light is grey—

Rest assured, there’s bound to be a signpost on the way. 

(Patience Strong)

Let us be silent unto Him, and believe that, even now, messengers are hastening along the road with the summons, or direction, or help which we need.  

N.J. Hiebert - 6967 

January 20

“It was the king’s commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.”

(Nehemiah 11:23)

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:19)

Well may we sing! With triumph sing

The great Redeemer’s praise!

The glories of the living God,

Revealed in Jesus' face.

Then gladly sing, and sound abroad 

The great Redeemer’s praise;

The glories of the living God,

The riches of His grace!

(G. V. Wigram)

N.J. Hiebert - 6968

January 21

“Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you 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. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”

(Matthew 11:28-30)

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, if any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.” (John 7:37)

Christ, therefore, is the key to all the Bible.  He is its central Figure. It all speaks of Him Who is at once our Prophet, our Priest, and our King. We can hear His voice in the Old Testament if we read it in the light of the New.

The New Testament has a richer meaning when we read it as the completion and fulfilment of the Old. It is when we see Christ in this way in all the Scriptures that the Bible becomes to us the living voice of the the living God.

In the Old Testament, the New lies hid; in the New Testament the Old lies open. In the Old Testament the New lies concealed; in the New Testament, the old is revealed.

What is enfolded in the Old Testament is unfolded in the New. The New is in the Old contained; the old is by the New explained.

These all indicate that the two principal parts of the Bible are like the two sides of the human body, organically one—the two hands and feet both by their likeness and unlikeness, contributing to mutual efficiency.

(The Wonderful World - George Henderson)

N.J. Hiebert - 6969 

January 22

“Ye shall receive power, 

after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.”

(Acts 1:8)

Do thou, the very God of peace, us wholly sanctify,

And grant us such a rich increase of power from on high,

That spirit, soul and body may, preserved free from stain,

Be blameless until that great day; Lord Jesus Christ, Amen! 

We must not expect consciousness of power.

It is on this point that so many stumble.

They want to feel power, and failing to do so they conclude that they are in the wrong condition of soul for its exercise.

No mistake could be greater.

On the other hand, the Lord has to break down His servants . . . in order to reduce them to the sense of their own utter impotence, that they may learn the lesson that His strength is made perfect in weakness.  

Human arrangements interfere with divine power.

(Edward Dennett)

N.J. Hiebert - 6970

January 23

The Unfinished Song

“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood . . .  be glory and dominion forever and ever.  Amen.”  (Revelation 1:5, 6)

". . . and no man could learn that song but the 

. . . redeemed from earth.”

(Revelation 14:3)

There will be no silent voices in that ever-blessed throng;

There will be no faltering accents in that hallelujah song;

Like the sound of many waters shall the mighty pæan be

When the Lord’s redeemed shall praise Him for the grace that set them free.

But ’tis here the theme is written; it is here we tune our tongue;

It is here the first glad notes of joy with stammering lips are sung.  

It is here the first faint echoes of that chorus reach our ear;

We shall finish it in heaven, but our hearts begin it here.

“Unto Him who loved us”— to the Lamb for sinners slain,

“Unto Him who loved us”— evermore the joyful strain;

“Unto Him who loved us”— full and strong and sweet and clear;

But, if we would know it yonder, we must learn to sing it here. 

(Flint’s Best - Loved Poems)

N.J. Hiebert - 6971

January 24

“Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into His chambers, . . .”

(Song of Solomon 1:4)

“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

I press toward the mark for the prize of the 

high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 3:12-14)

~~~~

It is much better to be drawn by the joys of heaven,

than driven by the sorrows of earth.

The believer should not wait to be shaken out of present things.

He should not wait for the world to give him up before

he gives up the world.

He should give it up in the power of communion 

with heavenly things.

There is no difficulty in giving up the world when we have,

by faith, laid hold of Christ; the difficulty

would then be to hold it." 

(Food for the Desert)

N.J. Hiebert - 6972

January 25

“The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”

(Galatians 2:20)

Out of Christ’s shed blood—flows my justification!

Our of His agony—comes my victory!

Out of His pain—come my ease! 

Out of His stripes—comes my healing!

Out of His gall and vinegar—comes my honey!

Out of His curse—comes my blessing!

Out of His crown of thorns—comes my crown of glory!

Our of His sin-atoning death—comes my eternal life!

O what a melting consideration is this!

(John Flavel)  

N.J. Hiebert - 6973

January 26

“We look not at the the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

(2 Corinthians 4:18)

"To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, 

and that fadeth not away, reserved

in heaven for you.”

(1 Peter 1:4)

Carry on, oh beloved; the evening is at hand,

And desolate and fearful the solitary land;

Take heart!  The rest eternal awaits our weary feet;

From strength to strength press onwards, the end, how passing sweet!

N.J. Hiebert - 6974

January 27

“We love, because He first loved us.”

(1 John 4:19)

“The Father Himself loveth you, because 

ye have loved Me.”

(John 16:27)

God loves me; and, as on His love I dwell,

My heart grows warm, and I can love as well.

I love the Son; and, loving Him, I find

I share a Father’s love, strong, wise and kind.

O blessed circle!  End there cannot be.

I still must love, and still He loveth me:

Loving and loved, throughout Eternity!

Bells & Pomegranates

James M. S. Tait

N.J. Hiebert - 6975

January 28

“God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.”

(Psalm 46:1)

There are two ways of getting out of a trial.

One is to simply try to get rid of the trial, and be thankful when it is over.

The other is to recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever had, and to hail it with delight as an opportunity of obtaining a larger measure of Divine grace.

Thus even the adversary becomes an auxiliary, and the things that seem to be against us turn out to be for the furtherance of our way.

Surely, this is to be more than  conquerors through

Him who loved us.

(A. B. Simpson)

N.J. Hiebert - 6976  

January 29

“But my God shall supply all your need according 

to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

(Philippians 4:19)

I have been linking together the ‘all’ of “all your need” 

with the ‘all’ of "all your care" in 1 Peter 5:7; and I have found them very sweet.

“My God” gives to me that which meets all my need; and I cast upon upon Him—

give to Him—all my care.  What an exchange! 

And as Baskerville points out, just as it is quite impossible to catalogue all for our needs: so it is equally impossible to catalogue all our cares.

The biggest, as well as the smallest, are all included in that little word all, whether it be needs or cares. Thanks be to God!

Moody once spoke of Philippians 4:19 as a blank cheque:

The firm—“My God”

The promise—“shall supply"

The amount—“All your need”

The capital—“His riches”

The Bank address—“in glory”

The signature:— “Christ Jesus”

This cheque must be endorsed by the person to whom it is made payable.

(G. Christoper Willis)

N.J. Hiebert - 6977  

January 30

"Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?”

(Job 31:4)

The haft of Satan’s hatchet, with which he lies chopping at the root of the Christian’s comfort, is commonly made of the Christian’s wood.

First, he temps to sin, and then for it.

Satan is but a creature, and cannot work without tools.

He can indeed make much of little, but not anything of nothing,  as we see in his assaulting of Christ, where he troubled himself to little purpose, because he came and found nothing in Him (John 14:30).

Though the devil throws the stone, it is the mud in us that disturbs our comfort.  

(William Gurnall….1617-1679)

N.J. Hiebert - 6978

January 31

“. . . all my springs are in Thee.”

(Psalm 87:7)

In order to grow in our faith,

we need to be placed into circumstances where 

we are forced to reach out to the Source of our strength.

That is the way our spiritual vision is 

exercised, and how we discover new dimensions in our God.

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

N.J. Hiebert - 6979 

February 1

“Greater love hath no man that this, 

that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

(John 15:13)

WHEN WE WISH to know the love of God we should go to Calvary.

Can we look upon that scene and say God did not love us?

That cross speaks of the love of God.

Greater love never has been taught than that which the cross teaches.

What prompted God to give up Christ—what prompted 

Christ to die—if it were not love?

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Christ laid down His life for His enemies;

Christ laid down His life for His murderers;

Christ laid down His life for them that hated Him;

and the spirit of the cross, the spirit of Calvary, is love.

When they were mocking Him and deriding Him, what did He say?

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

That is love.

He did not call down fire from heaven to consume them;

there was nothing but love in His heart.

(D. L. Moody)

N.J. Hiebert - 6980