Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever;
and Thy memorial, O LORD, through out all generations.
Psalm 135:13
The wildest mistake which a man can possibly fall into is to act without taking God into his account. Sooner or later, the thought of God will force itself upon him, and then comes the awful crash of all his schemes and calculations.
At best, everything that is undertaken independently of God, can last but for the present time. It cannot, by any possibility, stretch itself into eternity.
All that is merely human, however solid, however brilliant, or however attractive, must fall into the cold grasp of death, and moulder in the dark, silent tomb.
The clod of the valley must cover man’s highest excellencies and brightest glories; mortality is engraved upon his brow, and all his schemes are diminishing.
On the contrary, that which is connected with, and based upon,
God, shall endure forever.
C. H. Mackintosh
N.J. Hiebert - 7562
September 2
Come unto Me . . . and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
There is but one Man . . . who never had a place of rest. . . .
The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests;
but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head. Matthew 8:20
And if we now have a nest, a place of rest in God,
it is because for our sakes Jesus was without rest on earth.
Pilgrim Portions for the Day of Rest - J. N. Darby
N.J. Hiebert - 7563
September 3
Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!
Jonah 3:4
How striking is the difference between Jonah’s message and ours!
Jonah’s message was altogether one of judgment without a word of mercy.
Yet both preacher and hearers read in this message, and read correctly, an offer of mercy.
Otherwise, why send the warning of judgment?
It is well for us to remember that in every message of judgment,
there is hidden an offer of mercy, if the guilty ones will but take warning and repent.
Our message, what is it? True it contains a message of judgment, and coming
wrath; but our message is not characterized by judgment but by mercy.
Never has any messenger had such a glorious message to deliver,
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
The message of judgment aroused a fervent desire to find a way of escape that they should
not perish; but that way of escape is the theme of our message: I am the way. Our
message is to tell of a living, loving Person, a Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ.
(G. C. Willis)
N.J. Hiebert - 7564
September 4
T H E S O N R E F U S ED A N D R E V I L E D
“Ye delivered (Him) up and denied Him in the presence of Pilate,
when he was determined to let Him go . . . and killed the Prince of life.
Acts 3:13-15
In the story of Joseph - all the brethren were guilty, but not in the same degree.
Reuben, though unstable, and morally corrupt as we know from his history, was not necessarily
cruel. In common with his brethren he has wronged his father, but all human affection is not
extinguished in his heart. He would have have spared Joseph’s life, and his father’s feelings.
Judah, too, may be covetous, but he also has some reservation as to laying hands upon
his brother. And these differences we see in the way men treat the Christ of God.
All verily are guilty, but there are degrees of guilt.
Herod, vile and pleasure-loving man that he was, would mock the Lord and set Him at nought,
but he finds nothing worthy of death in Him.
Pilate will go further than Herod, and yield up Christ to the murderous hatred of the Jews;
but he has no personal enmity, and will at least make some feeble
effort to preserve from death One that he knows to be innocent.
But of the Jews Peter has to say—note Acts 3:13-15 above.
And still there are the pleasure-lovers, strangers to all religious convictions,
who have no good word for Christ and yet will not oppose.
But there are others yet more guilty concerning Christ.
They profess to admire His moral excellencies.
Pilate-like they find no fault in Him; yet to retain their
popularity with the world, they stifle their convictions, decide against
Christ, and range themselves with that thrice-guilty class whose active enmity
never ceases to attack His glorious Person and trample under foot His precious blood.
There are the careless and indifferent, there are the fearful and faint hearted,
and there are the furious haters—open and avowed enemies of Christ.
But all unite in the rejection of Christ.
(Hamilton Smith)
N.J. Hiebert - 7565
September 5
Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
Luke 22:48
The kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Proverbs 27:6
Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!
for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Luke 6:26
Be suspicious when the world speaks “well of you.”
The Lord says, Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you,
and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you,
and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Luke 6:22.
and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you,
and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Luke 6:22.
Christians live in the world, but are not of the world.
How can we expect the enemy that hated and crucified our Saviour,
to be a trusted friend of the Christian?
How can we expect the enemy that hated and crucified our Saviour,
to be a trusted friend of the Christian?
Milton Haack
Take the world, but give me Jesus, all its joys are but a name;
But His love abideth ever, through eternal years the same.
Fanny Crosby
N.J. Hiebert - 7566
September 6
W H A T I S M A N?
O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth!
who hast set Thy glory above the heavens. Psalm 8:1
In giant storms, the pressure of an ocean beating on solid stone can mount to more
than 60,000 pounds to the square foot. That is the awesome equivalent of
well over 30 tons of impact to one square foot of rock surface.
The rock cannot long endure such battering and abuse. Some portion of it will break loose,
to be flung against the shore and serve as a giant battering ram that is caught up
in the waves, to grind and rumble against other boulders in the surf.
This explains in part why some of the most elaborate seawalls, ocean harbours, and
costal installations simply do not survive great storms. There have been instances
where blocks of cement, stone, and reinforcing steel weighting more than 1000
tons have been torn loose, broken up, and shattered by relentless ocean storms.
The less obvious reason is, of course, the simple physical fact that in deep water any
submerged object becomes increasingly buoyant. A giant boulder on the
seabed, or a huge block of concrete below high water, is not nearly
as heavy or immovable as we might imagine.
The hydraulic action of the mighty inrushing waters that thunder
and roar over the rocks lifts, shifts, and splits stone,
concrete, and steel with impunity and disdain.
The immense power that pulverized the best of man’s endeavours likewise pulverizes
human pride. The skill, science, and engineering expertise that were combined
to try and tame the sea came to naught. Only a twisted, torn reminder
of man’s insignificance remains.
O LORD our Lord . . . When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers,
the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man that
Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that
Thou visitest him?” Psalm 8:1,3,4
Songs of My Soul - W. Philip Keller
N.J. Hiebert - 7567
September 7
P L O D D I N G F O R G O D
And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full
assurance of hope unto the end: that ye be not slothful but followers of
them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
(Hebrews 6:11-12)
Those raised in the English village with William Carey (1761 - 1834) probably thought he
wouldn’t accomplish much, but today he’s know as the father of modern missions.
Born to parents who were weavers, he became a not-too-successful teacher and
shoe-maker while teaching himself Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.
After many years, he realized his dream of becoming a missionary to India. But he faced
hardship, including his child’s death, his wife’s mental-health problems and for
many years the lack of response from those he served.
What kept him serving amid difficulties as he translated the entire Bible into six languages
and parts of it into twenty-nine others? "I can plod,” he said. I can persevere
in any definite pursuit.“ He committed to serving God
no matter what trials he encountered.
This continued devotion to Christ is what the writer to the Hebrews counselled. He called
for those reading his letter to "be not slothful“ [lazy] (Hebrews 6:12), but to “show
the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end” (v. 11) as they
sought to honour God. He reassured them that God “is not unrighteous
to forget your work and labour of love which ye have
shown toward His name. (V. 10).
During William Carey’s later years, he reflected on how God consistently supplied his needs.
“He has never failed in His promises, so I cannot fail in my service to Him.”
May God also empower us to serve Him day by day.
Amy Boucher Pye
N.J. Hiebert - 7568
______________________________
Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries, Copyright (2019), Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted permission
September 8
Y O U C A N D O W H A T Y O U O U G H T
Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?
Acts 9:6
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13
Paul did not mean that he could do anything he wanted to do or some foolish thing.
He could do all things that God wanted him to do.
We can do anything we ought to do, anything He wants us to do.
And that leaves plenty of room for miracles!
There is wide latitude within the limits of God’s will.
We shall not feel cramped.
There is much we know is God’s will without making further inquiry.
There is more of His will that opens up as we trust and obey.
He would not ask us to do what cannot be done.
But it is done through Christ, who keeps on pouring His power into us.
His strength is made perfect in weakness, that the power of Christ may rest upon us.
We can do all the work that is within His will.
He who said, “Go ye," said, “Lo, I am with you,” and “all power is given unto Me.”
Day by Day with Vance Havner
N.J. Hiebert - 7569
September 9
So will I also be for thee! Hosea 3:3
Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us. Ephesians 5:2
The Son of God . . . loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20
Yes, Himself! What is the Bride’s true and central treasure?
What calls forth the deepest, brightest, sweetest thrill of love and praise?
Not the Bridegroom’s priceless gifts, not the robe of His resplendent righteousness,
not the dowry of unsearchable riches, not the magnificence of the palace home to which
He is bringing her, not the glory which she shall share with Him, but Himself Jesus Christ,
"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree; This same Jesus,
Whom having not seen, ye love”; the Son of God and the Man of Sorrows;
my Saviour, my Friend, my Master, my King, my Priest, my Lord,
and my God—He says, “I also for thee.”
What an “I”! What power and sweetness we feel in it, so different from any human “I",
for all His Godhead and all His manhood are concentrated in it—and all for thee.
And not only all but ever for thee! His unchangeableness is the seal upon every attribute;
He will be this same Jesus forever. How can mortal mind estimate this enormous
promise? How can mortal heart conceive what is in-folded in these words,
“I also for thee”?
One glimpse of its fullness and glory, and we feel that henceforth it must be, shall be,
and by His grace will be our true-hearted, whole-hearted cry—
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee!
Kept for the Master’s Use - Frances R. Havergal
N.J. Hiebert - 7470
September 10
I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich;
and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed.
Revelation 3:18
The believers in Laodicea belonged to a very materialistic society and like many others
in the city were involved in banking, medicine and the manufacture
of high quality garments and carpets.
Their commitment to work meant little time for the Lord.
He counsuls them to invest time in things that will give a much better return.
They should do business with Him.
He can provide gold for the poor, raiment for the naked and
eye-salve for those who have difficulty seeing the spiritual perspective.
Today, open the door of your heart,
invite Him in and listen to His investment advice!
Roy Hill
Rise, touched with gratitude divine, turn out His enemy and thine,
That soul destroying monster, sin, and let the heavenly Stranger in.
Grigg
N.J. Hiebert - 7571
September 11
W O R D S F O R T H E W O R R I E D
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth
thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.
Psalm 103:4
Does hope seem dead and buried? Does the outlook on life seem dreary? Have its flowers
and fruits, the presence of which gave you much happiness, disappeared?
Remember the words as quoted above from Psalm 103:4.
When the ground in London was cleared of the old buildings to make the New Kingsway, it
lay for a year exposed to the light and air. A strange sight drew naturalists to the ruins.
In some cases the soil had not felt the touch of Spring since the day when the Romans
sailed up the Thames, and beached upon its shore. When the sunlight poured its
life upon this uncovered soil, a host of flowers sprang up. Some were unknown
in England. They were plants the Romans had brought with them.
Hidden away in the darkness, lying dormant under the mass of bricks and mortar,
they seemed to have died. But under the new conditions, obeying the law
of life, they escaped from death and blossomed into a new beauty.
So may it be with every life, however crushed and bruised by sorrow, however
blighted by sin. It needs only to be laid open to the breath of God’s Spirit,
the sunshine of His love, and the healing atmosphere of His grace in
Christ Jesus, and a new life, with new possibilities and new beauties,
will arise, however desolate at present the scene may appear.
Thus ever on through life we find to trust, O Lord, is best,
Who serve Thee with a quiet mind find in Thy service rest.
Their outward troubles may not cease, but this their joy will be-
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.
(Angels in White - Russell Elliott)
N.J. Hiebert - 7572
September 12
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