Gems from April 2020

April 1

ENTANGLED  CIRCUMSTANCES

For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, they are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.  Exodus 14:3

Some times when problems come up and we see no way through, or when souls we love seem entangled, we are tempted to think of what Pharaoh will say.

There can be no entanglement, the wilderness cannot possibly shut in anyone whom God is leading Home.  It has been said, "What we see as problems, God sees as solutions"; and what we have to do through the age-long minute before we see, is to wait in peace and refuse to be hustled.

"Fear ye not, stand still," and sooner or later, "see the salvation of the Lord"  Exodus 14:13.  There will be no entanglement.

And is it not comforting that the Lord Jesus knows beforehand what Pharaoh will say?  So we need not pay the slightest attention to him, even if he does make discouraging remarks.

The last word is never with Pharaoh.  "They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise"  (Jeremiah 46:17).  So let us trust and not be afraid.
Amy Carmichael - Thou Givest . . . They Gather

N.J. Hiebert - 8073 

April 2

HIS  RESURRECTION

To whom also He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.  Acts 1:3   

The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ was attested by "many infallible proofs (Acts 1:3).  On one occasion He was seen by "over five hundred brethren at once" (1 Corinthians 15:6).   Peter included the other eleven apostles with him when he said, "this Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses" (Acts 2:32).

Our Lord's disciples handled Him (Luke 24:39), talked with Him (Acts 1:6-9), and "did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead" (Acts 10:41).  This companying with the disciples after our Lord's resurrection was for "forty days" (Acts 1:3).

Others were raised from the dead, like Lazarus (John 11:43-44), and the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-16), and the twelve year old daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:35-43); but these all rose to die again. 

The renown of our Lord's resurrection is that when He emerged  from death He brought the "keys of hell and death" with Him (Revelation 1:18).  He was a conqueror, not conquered.  Our Lord took His life again in resurrection (John 10:17-18).  Resurrection was His own act by His own inherent power.

Our Lord will never die again, for death has "no more dominion over Him" (Romans 6:9).  He ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).
Our Lord Jesus Christ - A Plant of Renown - Leonard Sheldrake

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April 3

And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak . . . and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers.   
Numbers 13:33

The promised land which God had prepared for His people stretched out before them.  All they had to do was possess what God had promised to them.

But between them and God's blessing were giants of great size and strength.  These giants robbed God's people of what was rightly theirs.

In like manner today, God has promised His children all spiritual blessings, but too often giants like fear and discouragement and guilt
rob us of God's best.

With God's help all of our Goliaths can be defeated. 
Charlie Tempest

O victory in Jesus, my Saviour forever,
He sought me and bought me,
With His redeeming blood.
E. Bartlett

N.J. Hiebert - 8075   

April 4

MINDFUL  OF  THE  WORDS

That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour.   2 Peter 3:2

There has long been a tendency to water down the doctrine of verbal inspiration by arguing that it is the "thoughts" of Scripture that count - not the precise words.  They forget that the transition of specific thoughts requires precise words.  Ambiguous language is bound to produce fuzzy thinking and uncertain response.

Thus the apostle Peter, in his last chapter, urged his followers to heed the words written by the Old Testament prophets.  And Paul - in his final epistle - stressed that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16).  That is, all the writings are "God - breathed."  The "Scripture," of course, means the writings, the actual words written down - they are "God-inspired," not just the concepts.

Similarly John warned of the grave danger incurred by anyone who would either "add unto" or "take away from," not just the idea, but "the words of the book of this prophecy" (Revelation 22:18-19).

Near the end of the Lord's earthly ministry, He made a startling promise: "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away"  (Mark 13:31).  Thus the actual words of the Bible have come ultimately from God, and we do well to learn them and make them part of our lives.
(Adapted) with thanks B. Lucas

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April 5

MAY  THE  GRACE  OF  CHRIST,  OUR  SAVIOUR . . .

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.  Galatians 2:20

The Apostle Paul concluded one of his letters to the troubled Corinthian church with this  benediction: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.  Amen."  (2 Corinthians 13:14).   

It is a remarkable verse because it mentions the work of God on our behalf through each person of the Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

John Newton, the former slave trader whose life was touched by God's amazing grace, became a loving pastor.  He loved his congregation, and they loved him.  He was not a great preacher, but that did not matter.  He had special services for children and special services for senior citizens, teaching the Bible faithfully and singing songs that he had just written.

One writer said, "Newton was more remarkable for his goodness than for his greatness."  Newton would have loved that assessment.
Hymns - W. J. Petersen & Randy Petersen

May the grace of Christ, our Saviour,
And the Father's boundless love,
With the Holy Spirit's favour
Rest upon us from above.

Thus may we abide in union
With each other and the Lord,
And possess, in sweet communion,
Joys which earth cannot afford.
John Newton (1725-1807)

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April 6

And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.  John 6:18

Jesus' disciples were in peril on the Sea of Galilee; until the Lord appeared walking on the waves.  They welcomed Him into the ship, and immediately they were at their destination.  We can learn from this, that, however boisterous seas around us become, our Lord Jesus declares, It is I; be not afraid. v.20

Speaking to a brother recently who was experiencing one of life's very perilous times, his expression of confidence was, "The Lord is in the boat".  It gave him peace to go forward and weather the storm.

And not only that, but there is the confidence that our ultimate destination is very close; the moment when we will see our Saviour's face and be taken to the Father's home.

And immediately the ship was at the land whither they went. v.21

Sweetest rest and peace have filled us.
Sweeter praise than tongue can tell
God is satisfied with Jesus,
We are satisfied as well.

Filled with this sweet peace forever,
On we go, through strife and care,
Till we find that peace around us
In the Lamb's high glory there. 
(From an old German hymn, translated by Mrs. Bevan)
Lorne Perry

N.J. Hiebert - 8078

April 7

And when his brethren saw that their Father loved him (Joseph) more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.  Genesis 37:4-5.

The brethren of Joseph hated him for his words.  As we read: ". . . they hated him yet the more for his dreams and for his words."  Nor was it otherwise with the Lord.  Men heard the words of Him that spake as never man spake, and some believed; but "many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye Him?"  (John 10:20)

The hatred could not be hid.  So too Christ is still the object of a hatred that men cannot conceal, try as they will.  A constant stream of abuse of His Name, denial of His Person, and refusal of His work, issues from apostate pulpits, and an infidel press, often masquerading under the cloak of religion.

It is still His professed brethren that cannot speak peaceably of Him.  But let us never forget that behind all the "hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him" there are the "ungodly deeds which they have committed."  Jude 15

The evil lives of Joseph's brethren were behind the hatred in their hearts, and the evil words of their lips.

It is so today, the ungodly deeds in men's lives lead to the "hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."  Jude 15
Joseph - Hamilton Smith

N.J. Hiebert - 8079     

April 8

This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come.  2 Timothy 3:1

The word translated "perilous" is ch a l p o s, and the dictionary gives the meaning as: "hard; hard to do, or deal with; difficult; hard to bear; painful; grievous; harsh; fierce; savage."

Does not this word very accurately describe the condition of our present day?  As we look around us we might well be discouraged, cast down, filled with fears and forebodings.

But if one little Greek word can so accurately describe the spirit of the present day, there is another little Greek word that can heal the wounds of fear and sorrow and discouragement caused by all that is about us.  That little word is Th ar s e o, or, as our Lord loved to use it, Tharsei, (Cheer Up).

The word has been translated: Be of Good Cheer!" or, "Be of Good Comfort," . . . but others prefer, "Be of Good Courage", or "Be Confidant!" or "Take Heart!" or, (as I love it best), "CHEER UP!!"  But it has the meaning of all these.
Hid Treasures - G. C. Willis

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April 9

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus"  
(Philippians 4:6,7).  

It is hardly necessary to explain that when God tells us to be careful for nothing, He does not mean we are to be careless.  But He positively forbids us to be worried and anxious, and it becomes a sin, grieving to the Hoy Spirit, when we are. This verse promises us that we may exchange all our care for His peace.

How, then, is the great blessing of this verse to become ours - the peace of God keeping our hearts and minds?

In the first place, we must accept it as a direct command from God not to be careful.  And as soon as we find ourselves becoming anxious, we must say to ourselves, "This is dishonouring to God, I am disobeying Him; He has told me I am not to be anxious."

Sometimes this may seem easy, but the test lies in that word "nothing."  There are some matters about which we think it the correct and proper thing to worry.  But God says there is nothing.

Can we believe Him?  Nothing, in heaven or earth, in the Church or in the world, in your private life or business life, nothing as to yourself or anybody else, even your nearest and dearest; nothing as to the past, present, or future about which you are to worry.

And yet we are so accustomed to do it that we live in a chronic state of worry, and have become so accustomed to the burden that sometimes we awake with a start to find how really anxious we are getting.  Instead of worrying, we are told what we are to do: "In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let you requests be made known unto God."  Tell God all about it.
Angels in White - Russell Elliott  

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April 10

IN  THE  SUMMER  SILENCE

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen (nations), I will be exalted in the earth.  Psalm 46:10.

Most of us want an instant fix. We want immediate renewal. We demand an overnight remedy for all our hurts.

We will not give God in Christ either the time or opportunities to bring us back from the bleak disasters that overwhelm us.  Instead we turn to every sort of human device or manmade technology in an attempt to find consolation and comfort amid the chaos of our calamity.

The one great lesson I have learned above and beyond all other amid the great distress of recent months is this: Be still, Be quiet, Be calm, and know that I am God!  It takes time to do this.  It means one must, by a deliberate act of the will, learn to repose confidently in Christ . . . to rest assuredly in the faithfulness of our Father.
He is our hope.
He is our healing.
He is our helper.
The wondrous work which He accomplishes in our souls is done in silence.  It is nothing less than the persistent incoming of His own Presence to generate in us new life, new vitality, new confidence to carry on.  He actually transmits to us His hope, His love, His energy, His ability to begin anew.
Songs of My Soul - W. Phillip Keller

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April 11

R E S C U E D

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.   Galatians 6:2

It was winter and a small river running into the Chesapeake Bay was once again hosting many white swans, Canada Geese and ducks.  Infrequently snow and freezing sleet would move into the area causing the small river inlet to harden into ice over night.

One morning, after a freezing ice storm had blanketed the area, a couple, living in a house on the shore of the river were enjoying breakfast as they viewed the pretty winter scene through ice frosted windows.

With a sudden exclamation of surprise, the lady snatched a pair of binoculars and peered intently at the far edge of the frozen river.  She saw a large Canada goose, sitting very still, its wings folded tight to its side, and its feet frozen to the ice.

Just then the couple saw a line of swans flying overhead in perfect formation.  They flew across the river heading in the opposite direction of the bird frozen to the ice.  Quite unexpectedly the leader of the swans brought the string of white birds into a white circle  which floated down to the river which floated down to the ice and circling the Canada goose.  The couple were sure it would be pecked to death by the swans for they knew that Canada geese and white swans are not friendly and don't mix with each other.

Instead of pecking the trapped goose however, the swans' strong powerful bills began to peck the ice!  After a long time the goose was rimmed by just a narrow margin of thin ice.  The swans rose into the air and hovering, circled as the goose struggle to free itself.

Finally it broke free.  As it stood on the small island of ice no longer a prisoner, the goose tried to fly.  But the bird could not overcome the weight of the ice which had caked its body and wings.  Four swans left their flock overhead and dropped back down, landing by the goose.  Again their powerful beaks went to work slowly chipping and scrapping ice off the helpless bird's wings and body.  When the goose was finally able to stretch its wings back and forth to their fullest spread, the four swans flew back to rejoin their flock and resume their journey.

Behind them, rising with incredible speed and seemingly unbounded joy, the liberated Canada goose caught up with them.  Following at the end of the line of swans, it flew away with them in perfect formation.
The Christian Shepherd - September 2009 - Doug Nicolet.

N.J. Hiebert - 8083       

April 12

D E L I V E R A N C E

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.  
Romans 8:2

'Tis only in Thee hiding we feel ourselves secure;
Only in Thee abiding, the conflict can endure:
Thine arm the victory gaineth o'er every hateful foe;
Thy love our hearts sustaineth in all their cares and woe.

"To will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do"  Romans 7:18-19. 

If souls would be honest many would confess that this has been their condition for years - a condition which brings no glory to God and no happiness to themselves.

What is the cause?  Simply the mistake of thinking that all depends upon their own efforts instead of accepting the truth that they are utterly without strength, and that, therefore, everything depends upon God.

You have fought with your foes again and again with undaunted courage, but you have never gained the victory.

Pause, for a moment, and ask this simple question,  "What am I to learn by this sorrowful experiment?"  It is that the enemy is too strong for you, that you cannot cope with his power.

If you continue upon the present line of effort it is only to court defeat in the future as in the past.  Your case is, as far as your own strength is concerned, hopeless.  If, on the other hand, you come to the end of your own strength, it will bring rest to your soul, because you will understand that your help, strength and succour come from Christ and not from yourselves.

O wretched man that I am!  who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Romans 7:24-25.

Deliverance is found, just as salvation is found, not through self, and the labours of self, but through Christ.
Edward Dennett - Footprints for Pilgrims

N.J. Hiebert - 8084   

April 13

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He saith unto the ruler of synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.   Mark 5:36

Jairus had just learned that his beloved daughter had died.  Instantly the Lord Jesus offered sympathy: "Be not afraid, only believe."

What was the man afraid of?  Were his fears physical?  Emotional?  Spiritual?  Whatever they may have been, the Lord counselled him to believe - literally to "place his confidence" in the Lord Jesus.

Perhaps you are in sorrow today.  Is your heart aching over the death of a loved one?  Does the future fill you with anxiety?  Regardless of what your fears are, follow the Lord's advice and put your confidence in Him.
L. Shatford

Be not dismayed what'er betide, God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you.

      God will take care of you, through every day, o'er all the way; He will take care of you,          God will take care of you.

Through days of toil when heart doth fail, God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail, God will take care of you.

All you may need He will provide, God will take care of you;
Nothing you asked will be denied, God will take of you.

No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon His breast, God will take care of you.
C. D. Martin

N.J. Hiebert - 8085

April 14

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him.  Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength.               
Step 1: Believe that all our strength comes from Him.

The Lord is my shield.
Step 2: Believe that He is our protector.

I am helped.
Step 3: Start to see the benefits.

Therefore my heart greatly rejoiced.
Step 4: Inner peace and contentment result.

And with my song will I praise Him.
Step 5: Remember to return and give thanks and praise.

Here, in one verse, is the ideal process to go through when we find ourselves in a tough situation.  This is the effective antidote to feeling sorry for oneself, feeling abandoned, getting depressed. It is a return to first principles, such as when we first trusted in the Lord for salvation.

At that time we had to recognize that we were sinners in desperate need of a Saviour, and that all strength and protection would thereafter come from Him.

The same principle applies all the way through the ups and downs of the Christian experience.  What we discovered at the beginning was that thanks and praise is not a duty or a ritual, but is simply the natural out-pouring of a redeemed heart delighting in its Saviour.
Lorne Perry

Now in a song of grateful praise,
To our dear Lord the voice we'll raise;
With all His saints we'll join to tell,
"Our Jesus hath done all things well."

And since our souls have known His love,
What mercies has He made us prove,
Mercies which all our praise excel;
"Our Jesus hath done all things well."
Samuel Medley  1738-1799

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April 15

". . . The wind was contrary."  Matthew 14:24

Rude and blustering the winds of March often are.  Do they not typify the tempestuous seasons of my life?  But, indeed, I ought to be glad that I make acquaintance with these seasons.

Better it is that the rains descend and the floods come than that I should stay perpetually in the Lotus Land where it seems always afternoon, or in that deep meadowed Valley of Avilion where never wind blows loudly.

Storms of temptation appear cruel, but do they not give intenser earnestness to prayer?  Do they not compel me to seize the promises with a tighter handgrip?  Do they not leave me with a character refined?

Storms of bereavement are keen; but, then, they are one of the Father's ways of driving me to Himself, that in the secret of His presence His voice may speak to my heart, soft and low.  There is a glory of the Master which can be seen only when the wind is contrary and the ship tossed with waves.

"Jesus Christ is no security against storms, but He is perfect security in storms.  He has never promised you an easy passage, only a safe landing."
Streams in the Desert

Oh, set your sail to the heavenly gale,
And then, no matter what winds prevail,
No reef can wreck you, no calm delay;
No mist shall hinder, no storm shall stay;
Though far you wander and long you roam
Through salt sea sprays o'er white sea foam,
No wind that can blow but shall speed you home.
Annie Johnson Flint

N.J. Hiebert - 8087 

April 16

He is not here: for He is risen, as He said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  Matthew 28:6

In all the world, there is no place so dear to me,
As in an empty tomb within Gethsemane.

Men sing the praises of the Cross, and, rightly so,
Yet, it is to the Empty Tomb I love to go.

It's there with Paul, I daily die when sorrow pressed,
It's there, where men are loathe to go I sweetly rest.

It's there, when heart ache's angry waves envelope me,
In faith, I lift my mournful face my Lord to see.

There is no place so fraught with power our souls to save,
As is our Lord's last resting place, His empty grave.

In darkest hours of grief, beside a new made mound,
I go again, the depths of God's great love to sound.

And while I view the grave and clothes, the echoes ring:
"O, Grave, where is thy victory?  O, Death, thy sting?

As, one by one, the loved ones cross the threshold's gloom,
I fain believe, embrace, receive, the Empty Tomb.
Mary D. Sammons

That ye may know . . . what is the exceeding greatness
of His power to us-ward who believe . . . which He
wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from
the dead . . .Ephesians 1:18-20.

N.J. Hiebert - 8088   

April 17

He that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.  1 John 5 :18 

The Christian does not isolate himself from a needy world.  The salt of the earth must be rubbed into the decay and misery of humanity, but he can be insulated against the contagion, the evil, he encounters everywhere.

One would be foolish to shut himself up in a house for fear of germs outside.  Let him rather develop his health until he is immunized against the microbes.

So may a healthy Christian move uncontaminated among men of iniquity.  Of course, it is Christ who keeps him as he abides in Him.
All The Days - Vance Havner  (1901- 1986)

N.J. Hiebert - 8089   

April 18

S A T I S F I E D

As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.   
2 Samuel 9:11 

In every thought connected with the King's table we see Jesus only.

- He prepares the feast - "Thou preparest a table before me."
- He gives the invitation - "Come thou over with me, I will feed thee with me."
- He gives the qualifying position of adoption, receiving us as the King's sons.
- He bring us into His banqueting house.
- He bids us partake, saying, "Eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved."
- He is with us at the feast, for the king sitteth at His table.
- He Himself is the heavenly food, the bread and the meat of His table; for -
- He says, "the bread that I will give is My flesh"; and "My flesh is meat indeed."
- He Himself! nothing less is offered to us, for nothing less can truly satisfy.

His righteousness all glorious, thy festal robe shall be;
And love that passeth knowledge His banner over thee.
A little while, though parted, remember, wait, and love,
Until He comes in glory, until we meet above.
Till in the Father's kingdom the heavenly feast is spread,
And we behold His beauty, whose blood for us was shed!
Opened Treasures - Frances Ridley Havergal

N.J. Hiebert - 8090   

April 19

And her mother in law said unto her, (Ruth) Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest (worked) thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee.  And she showed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.  Ruth 2:19 .

Ruth knew where she had gleaned, with whom she had gleaned, and how much she had gleaned.  Now if we were asked the same question, could the inquirers say by what they see in us, "Blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee."  Is the reflection of Jesus so manifest in our countenance that it is clearly seen that we have been with Him, or have we been taken up with the vain, frivolous things of this world instead of Him?

How could you expect to be happy, away from Jesus, with nothing for your labours in the field; for you have laboured at "that which satisfieth not"? (Isaiah 55:2).   You have gained nothing, but you have lost much.

See, then, that you continue, not in the spirit of worldly-mindedness, but at once confess your shortcomings and so be restored to the place of communion and blessing; or, in other words, "Set your affection (mind) on things above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."   (Colossians 3:1-2)
Meditations on Ruth - C. McKendrick

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April 20

The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.  Proverbs 14:14

A backslider is one who has given up ground once taken for God.  Many a soul gives up in heart long before it is manifested in the life. The conscience becomes defiled; and if self-judgment does not follow, the truth begins to lose its power over the heart.

The sad result of a broken-down testimony soon follows, till he is filled with his own ways.  It is important, however, to carefully distinguish between backsliding and apostasy.

The backslider is one who fails in practically carrying out the truth.  The apostate, on the other hand, gives up the truth entirely, even denying the Lord that bought him; thus proving his unreality, whatever his previous profession may have been.  It is to such that John, (1 John 2:19), as also Paul, (Hebrews 6:10), refer.  Needless to say, no true believer ever becomes an apostate.

The good man - that is, the man who is real for God - shall be filled from what is in himself.  The testimony of the Lord controls the reins of his being.  His life will be in accord therewith.

Peter was a backslider in heart long before he fell; so, we may rest assured, was David.  In the faithful stand of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we see men whose hearts were under the sway of divine principles when in seclusion, and who therefore overcame in public. (Daniel 3).
Notes on Proverbs - H. A.Ironside 

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April 21

He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, . . . That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.   Philippians 2:8-10.

- The officers of the Sanhedrin slapped and buffeted Him and thought they humbled Him.
- The rulers had Him crucified and thought they humbled Him.
- The Roman soldiers stripped Him and gambled for His clothes and thought they humbled Him.

But such was His power that their efforts were only as He allowed.  The truth is He humbled Himself.

Wherefore God has highly exalted Him.
God asks us to bow our knees to the Saviour today.
Some day in the future, as Judge, He will demand it.
What a privilege to do it now.
Ken Gross

Within the holiest of all cleansed by His precious blood;
Before the throne we prostrate fall and worship Thee our God.
J. Deck

N.J. Hiebert - 8093 

April 22

". . . Ye shall find rest for your souls . . ."  
(Jeremiah 6:16)

Laid aside by illness?  No, laid aside for stillness.  I have found a great deal of comfort more than once in my own experience in a little word of the Shepherd Psalm - "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures."

I like to emphasize the "maketh" for we are not always willing  ourselves to stop for rest,  and gentle compulsion is needed.  He will not have me always on the stretch.

The bow of the best violin sometimes needs to have its strings loosened, and so my Lord gives me rest.

Then it is pleasant to know that it is not on the dusty road, nor on the dreary, parched hillside, that we are made to lie down, but in the green pastures.  It is only and always for rest and renewal that we are made to stop and lie down.  The time is not lost.
Dr. J. R. Miller

N. J. Hiebert - 8094   

April 23

Then she (Naomi) arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab . . . Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voices and wept.  And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people.  And Naomi said, Turn again my daughters; why will ye go with me . . . Orpha kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.   
Ruth 1:6,9,10,11,14.

We see how deeply below the principles of God believers can sink.  Naomi was full of complaints about her lot, and she tried to keep her daughters-in-law from sharing it with her.  She suggested that they had better prospects in Moab.

In Canaan and in the midst of her people they would only be strangers.  Besides, she had no more sons to restore the link which death had broken.  Why should they go with her?  Would not the Lord, bless them even if they remained in Moab?  Dangerous theory!  Poisoning service!

The soul is not taken into account; eternity is forgotten; and God and His goodness and grace are not for a moment considered. Alas, it suited Orpha nicely, but it was her ruin.  So often a conviction of sin is suppressed and an awakened conscience is smothered.

So many young hearts have been mislead and made to stray from the right path because Christian parents wanted to secure some worldly advantage for them.
The Book of Ruth - H. L. Heijkoop

Those who are young, O God, Make them Thine own;
Hear from Thy blest abode, Make them Thine own;
Now in their early days, turn them to Thy blest ways,
Save from the giddy maze, Make them Thine own.
A. Midlane

N.J. Hiebert - 8095      

April 24

T H A R S E I T E!

Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.   Matthew 14:27

My father often had to use a seal in his work, and he loved this word (Tharseite) so much that he had the Greek letters of it engraved on the seal he always used, so that he might ever be reminded of its message.

As a little child I loved to watch the hot, red sealing wax, as he sealed his important letters; and when a little older, loved to trace out the strange Greek letters, which he told me meant  "CHEER UP".  So this word was my introduction to the Greek New Testament.  Do you wonder I love it?

It was a dark, stormy night, and the disciples were far out on the sea, and the wind was contrary, and for hours they had been battling with wind and waves.  It is at such a time this word sounds the sweetest.

The disciples were toiling in rowing.  They were alone, without their Lord in the boat.  But unknown to them, He had been watching them in their toil and fear, though they had no idea He was doing so.

Then they saw a strange sight, Someone walking on the water, and coming near to them.  They were troubled and cried out with fear.  So would you and I, had we been in their  place.

Then straight-way, Jesus spoke to them.  What did He say? "THARSEITE!"  "Cheer Up! it is I; be not afraid!"  Or, as the old Wycliff translation so beautifully puts it: "I AM nyl ye dread."
Hid Treasures - G. C. Willis

N.J. Hiebert - 8096    

April 25

And so he that received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant.   Matthew 25:20-21. 

Everyone has talents, given by the Lord.
And, we who have salvation by trusting in His Word,
Can put them to His service as we march along our way,
Till He will say "Well done, My servant", on that glory day.

One servant had one talent, quite some money's worth.
He thought it best to hide it, well buried in the earth.
He took it proudly to the boss, all tarnished from the soil.
But he was spurned, it had not earned one cent for all his toil.

Another had five talents that he wisely set in motion,
Doubling the investment; to his master: pure devotion.
You have many talents; but that's just the beginning.
Put them to our Master's use, that way is always winning.

Life is like a canvas, staring at your face,
Blank and ready to be painted any time and place.
You can fill it with the worldly stuff with all its grit and grime,
Or do the Master's bidding now while still, you have the time.
Lorne Perry

N.J. Hiebert - 8097  

April 26

C H R I S T  I S  ALL

The heart is satisfied; can ask no more;
All thought of self is now for ever o'er:
Christ, its unmingled object, fills the heart
In blest adoring love - its endless part.

This is My beloved Son: hear Him. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only.    Mark 9:7-8

Jesus is the fountain of all blessedness, sent to poor, weak, wretched sinners, that they may have abundance of comfort, of peace and of enjoyment. We must find everything, but Christ, - nothing.

No trial can touch a person who has Christ for his all.  He may have lost this or that; but if he has Christ he has that which he cannot lose.

It is not the quantity we do that makes spirituality, but the measure of presenting Christ: that is the value of our service, in a world where there is nothing of God.
Pilgrim Portions - J. N. Darby

Nothing but Christ, as on we tread,
The Gift unpriced - God's living Bread,
With staff in hand and feet well shod,
Nothing but Christ - the Christ of God.
Samuel O'Malley Cluff

N.J. Hiebert - 8098 

April 27

And thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.    Matthew 1:21

Our blessed Lord not only saves us from the guilt of sin through the work of His cross, but He has provided the means whereby He may save us from the power of sin, take away the habit of sinning, through the indwelling Holy Spirit after the new nature has been communicated to us through the new birth; so that people who loved to sin, loved to take their own way, now delight in holiness and find their joy in doing His will.

That is the characteristic mark of a Christian.  A man who has professed to accept Christ as his Saviour, to have been justified by faith through His atoning blood, and yet goes on living in the world and like the world, shows that he has never had a renewed nature; is simply a hypocrite, because he is pretending to be what he is not; or else he is self-deceived.

But a real Christian is one who has been born again, one who has a new life and a new nature and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and therefore, he has learned to hate the sin in which once he lived.
1 John - H. A. Ironside

N.J. Hiebert - 8099  

April 28

R E P E N T A N C E 

The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.   Romans 2:4

What is repentance?  Owning that what God says of you is true.  Repentance is the judgment that the soul passes on itself.

It receives the testimony of God, and when a soul believes there is a Saviour in glory, and that it has never yet bowed down to that Saviour, I believe an arrow of conviction goes through that soul.

Peter was repentant when he said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."

Job, when he said to God, "I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth Thee," was repentant, for he adds, "Wherefore I abhor myself. " (Job 42:5-6).   

Never let us forget that, "Repentance is the tear drop in the eye of Faith."  If you are brought to repentance, self-judgment, and contrition now, I know the hand that will wipe that tear from your eyes.  It is the hand that was nailed to the tree for you!
Simon Peter - W. T. P. Wolston

N.J. Hiebert - 8100  

April 29

But the Word of the Lord endureth forever.  
1 Peter 1:25

The wreck of Flight 93 on September 11, 2001, left little behind.  The burning jet fuel incinerated virtually everything.

However, one of the items discovered was a fully intact copy of a well used Bible, complete with a prayer list - the possession of a dedicated Christian aboard the doomed aircraft.

Almost everything else from that flight was destroyed or burned - nearly everything that is, except the Word of God!

Heaven and earth will pass away, but not God's Word.  It will last forever.  Let's read it today, so that we can enjoy its truth throughout eternity.
Mark Kolchin

The Bible stands though the hills may tumble,
It will firmly stand when the earth shall crumble;
I will plant my feet on its firm foundation,
For the Bible stands.
Haldor Lillenas

N.J.Hiebert - 8101    

April 30

A l l

The Request - Drink ye all of it. - Matthew 26:27
The Response - They all drank of it. - Mark 14:23

"Would He, then, miss me if I did not come?"
While one is absent, then He hath not all.
"Lacks He His portion if my heart is dumb?"
The whole requires each part, howe'er so small.

"All," Love demands; and love respondeth, "All!"
When there's a praiseless heart, a vacant seat,
A cord is lacking; and the strains that fall
Upon the listening Ear are incomplete.
Bells & Pomegranates - James M. S. Tait     

N.J. Hiebert - 8102

May 1

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Romans 6:11

Regeneration is a new birth - the imparting of a new life - the implantation of a new nature - the formation of a new man.  The old nature remains in all its distinctness; and the new nature is introduced in all its distinctness.

The new nature has its own habits, its own desires, its own tendencies, its own affections.  All these are spiritual, Heavenly, Divine.  Its aspirations are all upward.  It is ever breathing after the heavenly source from which it has emanated.

It partakes of the nature of its source.  A child partakes of the nature of its parents; and the believer is made "a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).  "Of His own will begat He us. (James 1:18).

Regeneration or the new birth, is not a change of man's fallen nature, but the imparting of a new - a Divine nature.  In a word, then, regeneration is God's own work, from first to last.  God is the Operator, man is the happy, privileged subject.  His cooperation is not sought in a work which must ever bear the impress of one almighty hand.

God was alone in creation - alone in redemption - and He must be alone in the mysterious and glorious work of regeneration.
C. H. Macintosh

N.J. Hiebert - 8103  

May 2

Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.  Psalms 16:11

Tell the birds amidst the buds of spring not to sing;
Tell the waters welling from the depths not to flow;
Tell the happy child not to laugh and jump;
Tell the sun and the stars not to shine;

And when these have obeyed you, then tell the soul which has new life through the love of God that it must not speak of Him!  It cannot  but speak what it has seen and heard.
Dr. F. B. Meyer - Mountain Trailways

N.J. Hiebert - 8104

May 3