November 10
CHRIST ENTERED OUR SORROWS
Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
Psalm 69:20
There is no comfort like the thought that Jesus has entered into all our sorrows. This is the very way God has met the need, and want, and wretchedness of our nature. Supposing that Adam had never fallen, we could not speak of God with the comfort that we now can, since He has come in sympathy to us, through the means of the incarnation of our blessed Lord.
The Lord Jesus having become a man is the source of all comfort. The Lord has entered into all the depths of sorrow, so as to give us all the depths of comfort, in order that we may know that God knows the very secret of our case.
He lets us see the feeling of Jesus in entering into it, and in the expression of His thoughts and feelings while in this place; so we come to see how He entered into all our sorrows. And this is the channel for all His love to flow into our souls. J. N. Darby - The Lord is Near
We think of Thy devotion, Thy blest obedience rare;
Thy holy, deep emotion, Thy grief that none could share. G. A. Lucas
N.J. Hiebert - 9027
There is no comfort like the thought that Jesus has entered into all our sorrows. This is the very way God has met the need, and want, and wretchedness of our nature. Supposing that Adam had never fallen, we could not speak of God with the comfort that we now can, since He has come in sympathy to us, through the means of the incarnation of our blessed Lord.
The Lord Jesus having become a man is the source of all comfort. The Lord has entered into all the depths of sorrow, so as to give us all the depths of comfort, in order that we may know that God knows the very secret of our case.
He lets us see the feeling of Jesus in entering into it, and in the expression of His thoughts and feelings while in this place; so we come to see how He entered into all our sorrows. And this is the channel for all His love to flow into our souls. J. N. Darby - The Lord is Near
We think of Thy devotion, Thy blest obedience rare;
Thy holy, deep emotion, Thy grief that none could share. G. A. Lucas
N.J. Hiebert - 9027
November 11
THE OLD TESTAMENT PREPARES FOR THE NEW TESTAMENT
O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24:25-27
Yes, we are all "slow of heart to believe." If God had wished, He could have made no preparation before sending His Son into the world to be the Redeemer. To see how God did prepare for the advent of His Son was a very great help to me when I was struggling to get a firm foundation for my soul.
How patient God is! How considerate! Do you remember what the Lord said to the two doubting disciples as they took that never-to-be-forgotten journey to Emmaus. They were dubious of His divine mission. They did not know of His resurrection, and "their eyes were holden" (v.16) as He walked by their side.
It is a very big thing indeed that we are called upon to believe in the Scriptures. First, that the record is inspired. Second, that Jesus is the Son of God; Who became man, dying on the cross to be the world's Redeemer, and that He is risen from the dead, and ascended to glory, and coming again to reign over the earth.
I am profoundly thankful for the patience of God in teaching us these wonderful things. For about four thousand years He was patiently preparing the minds of men to receive the revelation of Himself in Christ, and the necessity and meaning of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross of Calvary.
Why I Believe the Bible - A. J. Pollock
N.J. Hiebert - 9028
O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24:25-27
Yes, we are all "slow of heart to believe." If God had wished, He could have made no preparation before sending His Son into the world to be the Redeemer. To see how God did prepare for the advent of His Son was a very great help to me when I was struggling to get a firm foundation for my soul.
How patient God is! How considerate! Do you remember what the Lord said to the two doubting disciples as they took that never-to-be-forgotten journey to Emmaus. They were dubious of His divine mission. They did not know of His resurrection, and "their eyes were holden" (v.16) as He walked by their side.
It is a very big thing indeed that we are called upon to believe in the Scriptures. First, that the record is inspired. Second, that Jesus is the Son of God; Who became man, dying on the cross to be the world's Redeemer, and that He is risen from the dead, and ascended to glory, and coming again to reign over the earth.
I am profoundly thankful for the patience of God in teaching us these wonderful things. For about four thousand years He was patiently preparing the minds of men to receive the revelation of Himself in Christ, and the necessity and meaning of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross of Calvary.
Why I Believe the Bible - A. J. Pollock
N.J. Hiebert - 9028
November 12
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
Bible biographies are intensely human. There, you have set before you, not flawless saints, not sinners without a redeeming quality, but creatures of clay like ourselves. It tells of men who could scale the highest heights of devotional aspiration on the one hand but who, at other times, fell into the depths of sin.
For this reason we shall find, as we examine them, warnings as well as example, admonition as well as instruction.
- Thus we have the story of the duplicity of the upright man, Abraham;
- Of the weakness of the mot powerful man, Samson;
- Of the cowardice of the bravest man, Elijah;
- Of the sensuality of the most devoted man, David;
- Of the folly of the wisest man, Solomon;
- Of the vindictiveness of the loving-hearted man, John;
- And of the instability of the rock-like man, Peter.
Verily, Scripture is Nature's sternest painter, and its best.
The Wonderful Word - George Henderson
N.J.Hiebert - 9029
Bible biographies are intensely human. There, you have set before you, not flawless saints, not sinners without a redeeming quality, but creatures of clay like ourselves. It tells of men who could scale the highest heights of devotional aspiration on the one hand but who, at other times, fell into the depths of sin.
For this reason we shall find, as we examine them, warnings as well as example, admonition as well as instruction.
- Thus we have the story of the duplicity of the upright man, Abraham;
- Of the weakness of the mot powerful man, Samson;
- Of the cowardice of the bravest man, Elijah;
- Of the sensuality of the most devoted man, David;
- Of the folly of the wisest man, Solomon;
- Of the vindictiveness of the loving-hearted man, John;
- And of the instability of the rock-like man, Peter.
Verily, Scripture is Nature's sternest painter, and its best.
The Wonderful Word - George Henderson
N.J.Hiebert - 9029
November 13
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. Psalm 16:6
It matters not where "the lines" fall; for, in the judgment of faith, they always fall "in pleasant places," just because God casts them there. The man of faith can easily afford to allow the man of sight to take his choice. He can say, "If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." (Genesis 13:9)
What beautiful disinterestedness and moral elevation we have here! and yet what security! It is certain that, let nature range where it will, let it take its most comprehensive grasp--its boldest and highest flight, there is never the slightest danger of its laying its hand upon faith's treasure. It will seek its portion in quite an opposite direction.
Faith lays up its treasure in a place which nature would never dream of examining; and as to its approaching thereto, it could not if it would, and it would not if it could. Hence, therefore, faith is perfectly safe, as well as beautifully disinterested, in allowing nature to take its choice.
What, then, did Lot choose, when he got his choice? He chose Sodom,--the very place that was about to be judged. But how was this? Why select such a spot? Because he looked at the outward appearance, and not at the intrinsic character and future destiny. (Genesis 13:5-18)
Genesis - C. H. Mackintosh
N.J. Hiebert - 9030
It matters not where "the lines" fall; for, in the judgment of faith, they always fall "in pleasant places," just because God casts them there. The man of faith can easily afford to allow the man of sight to take his choice. He can say, "If thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." (Genesis 13:9)
What beautiful disinterestedness and moral elevation we have here! and yet what security! It is certain that, let nature range where it will, let it take its most comprehensive grasp--its boldest and highest flight, there is never the slightest danger of its laying its hand upon faith's treasure. It will seek its portion in quite an opposite direction.
Faith lays up its treasure in a place which nature would never dream of examining; and as to its approaching thereto, it could not if it would, and it would not if it could. Hence, therefore, faith is perfectly safe, as well as beautifully disinterested, in allowing nature to take its choice.
What, then, did Lot choose, when he got his choice? He chose Sodom,--the very place that was about to be judged. But how was this? Why select such a spot? Because he looked at the outward appearance, and not at the intrinsic character and future destiny. (Genesis 13:5-18)
Genesis - C. H. Mackintosh
N.J. Hiebert - 9030
November 14
Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow. Mark 4:3
The sower soweth the Word. Mark 4:14
A beautiful picture of evangelism is presented to us in this description of a sower sowing seed. Undoubtedly he experienced long days of patient toil, taking a handful of seed and scattering it in every direction. Often it was a lonely task as he endured the heat or cold of the day.
Brother, sister, keep scattering the Word whether verbally or in literature, telling others about the Saviour. Plant a seed in some poor sinner today by a kindly word or deed. Jim Paul
We cannot all be preachers and sway with voice and pen,
As strong winds sway the forest, the minds and hearts of men,
But we can be evangels to souls within our reach,
There's always love's own gospel for loving hearts to preach.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eves:
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds not winter's chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labour ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping's over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. Knowles Shaw (1874)
N.J. Hiebert - 9031
The sower soweth the Word. Mark 4:14
A beautiful picture of evangelism is presented to us in this description of a sower sowing seed. Undoubtedly he experienced long days of patient toil, taking a handful of seed and scattering it in every direction. Often it was a lonely task as he endured the heat or cold of the day.
Brother, sister, keep scattering the Word whether verbally or in literature, telling others about the Saviour. Plant a seed in some poor sinner today by a kindly word or deed. Jim Paul
We cannot all be preachers and sway with voice and pen,
As strong winds sway the forest, the minds and hearts of men,
But we can be evangels to souls within our reach,
There's always love's own gospel for loving hearts to preach.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eves:
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds not winter's chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labour ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping's over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves. Knowles Shaw (1874)
N.J. Hiebert - 9031
November 15
...Isaac his father...said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned him not... (Genesis 27:22-23). For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
(1 Corinthians 14:8)
The story is told of an explorer who became lost in the jungle. Using all his skill and knowledge, the man sought desperately, but unsuccessfully, to find his way to safety. Hours stretched into days, the explorer's supplies of food and water ran out and he realized his strength was ebbing fast.
Suddenly, in the distance, he heard a welcome sound!--the sound of a bell tolling. Thinking that civilization with a church must be nearby, he began following the sound with renewed hope. But it was not long before the lost and helpless explorer realized that he was not drawing any closer to the source of the bell. Finally, totally exhausted, the explorer fell to the ground to rise no more. The uncanny mimicked noise of the South American bellbird's call (which sounds like the reverberating "toll," of a bell) had, instead of leading the weary one to safety, lured him to his death.
Satan, the enemy of our souls, is a skilled noise-maker and well able to disguise the awful reality of sin by mimicking wickedness and death with false, harmless sounding noises. As an angel of light he cloaks his evil ways with an innumerable variety of sounds, all calculated to draw the attention of each helpless soul away from the path to eternal safety. Using what often seems innocent and alluring--music, laughter, emotional appeals, apparent sincerity, etc.--he leads weary, undiscerning souls to eventual destruction.
In Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego's day, forced worship of the golden idol was initiated by the sounds of different musical instruments and all kinds of music (Daniel 3:1-15). How deceitfully the enemy cloaks sin and death under such appealing, sweet sounds! What is the antidote for such deceptively deadly poison?
Familiarity with the voice of the Good Shepherd! Dear souls may not always be able to understand or discern the exact kind of evil that they are hearing but if the blessed Saviour's voice is a loved and familiar sound to them, "a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers" (John 10:5) The Christian Shepherd - April 2006
N.J.Hiebert - 9032
The story is told of an explorer who became lost in the jungle. Using all his skill and knowledge, the man sought desperately, but unsuccessfully, to find his way to safety. Hours stretched into days, the explorer's supplies of food and water ran out and he realized his strength was ebbing fast.
Suddenly, in the distance, he heard a welcome sound!--the sound of a bell tolling. Thinking that civilization with a church must be nearby, he began following the sound with renewed hope. But it was not long before the lost and helpless explorer realized that he was not drawing any closer to the source of the bell. Finally, totally exhausted, the explorer fell to the ground to rise no more. The uncanny mimicked noise of the South American bellbird's call (which sounds like the reverberating "toll," of a bell) had, instead of leading the weary one to safety, lured him to his death.
Satan, the enemy of our souls, is a skilled noise-maker and well able to disguise the awful reality of sin by mimicking wickedness and death with false, harmless sounding noises. As an angel of light he cloaks his evil ways with an innumerable variety of sounds, all calculated to draw the attention of each helpless soul away from the path to eternal safety. Using what often seems innocent and alluring--music, laughter, emotional appeals, apparent sincerity, etc.--he leads weary, undiscerning souls to eventual destruction.
In Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego's day, forced worship of the golden idol was initiated by the sounds of different musical instruments and all kinds of music (Daniel 3:1-15). How deceitfully the enemy cloaks sin and death under such appealing, sweet sounds! What is the antidote for such deceptively deadly poison?
Familiarity with the voice of the Good Shepherd! Dear souls may not always be able to understand or discern the exact kind of evil that they are hearing but if the blessed Saviour's voice is a loved and familiar sound to them, "a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers" (John 10:5) The Christian Shepherd - April 2006
N.J.Hiebert - 9032
November 16
Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans10:17
Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain...having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better. Philippians 1:21,23
Nature dealt the final blow, faith assures it is not so.
Nature never sees thee more, faith but sees thee gone before.
Nature tells a dismal story; faith has visions full of glory.
Nature views the change with sadness; faith contemplates it with gladness;
Nature sorrows faith gives meekness; "strength is perfected in weakness."
Nature weeps, and dreads the rod, faith looks up and blesses God.
Sense looks downward, faith above; that sees harshness, this sees love
Oh, let faith victorious be, let it reign triumphantly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Faith is a very simple thing, though little understood;
It frees the soul from death's dread sting, by resting on the blood.
It looks not on the things around, nor on the things within;
It takes its flight to scenes above, beyond the sphere of sin.
It sees upon the throne of God a victim that was slain;
It rests its all on His shed blood, and says , "I'm born again."
Faith is not what we see or feel; it is a simple trust
In what the God of love has said of Jesus as the Just. Asa Hull
N.J.Hiebert - 9033
Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain...having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better. Philippians 1:21,23
Nature dealt the final blow, faith assures it is not so.
Nature never sees thee more, faith but sees thee gone before.
Nature tells a dismal story; faith has visions full of glory.
Nature views the change with sadness; faith contemplates it with gladness;
Nature sorrows faith gives meekness; "strength is perfected in weakness."
Nature weeps, and dreads the rod, faith looks up and blesses God.
Sense looks downward, faith above; that sees harshness, this sees love
Oh, let faith victorious be, let it reign triumphantly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Faith is a very simple thing, though little understood;
It frees the soul from death's dread sting, by resting on the blood.
It looks not on the things around, nor on the things within;
It takes its flight to scenes above, beyond the sphere of sin.
It sees upon the throne of God a victim that was slain;
It rests its all on His shed blood, and says , "I'm born again."
Faith is not what we see or feel; it is a simple trust
In what the God of love has said of Jesus as the Just. Asa Hull
N.J.Hiebert - 9033
November 17
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, what will ye give me, and I will deliver HIM unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. Matthew 26:14,15.
It was the utter lack of appreciation of the worth and work of the Shepherd that caused the loss to Israel of all that was lovely toward God, and of all that was so good and pleasant among His people. "So they weighed for My price thirty pieces of silver!" (Zechariah 11:12)
Thirty pieces of silver, for the Lord of life they gave;
Thirty pieces of silver--only the price of a slave! (William Blane)
Yes, thirty pieces of silver was the stipulated compensation for a slave (Exodus 21:32). This was the very least value that could be set on the head of a human being. This act of callous blindness, putting the lowest price on the priceless love and service of the Best of heaven, was the calm and unnoticed act that blighted every beauty and every blessing of the favoured people.
A choice that is made with little thought or exercise often manifests where the heart is. Judas thought so little of the thirty pieces of silver that he could actually kiss his Master with them already in his bag. It was these thirty pieces of silver marked Judas out as a despiser of God's Christ, and a traitor. Accept the price of a slave for the Shepherd of the Sheep? Judas did it. The merest speck of true love would have scorned such a valuation.
It was the price of His worth in the minds of the priests as well. The stirring of indignation is readily seen in the holy sarcasm of the words, "A goodly price that I was prized at of them." (Zechariah 11:13) The loathing of the money is seen in casting the pieces to the potter in the house of the Lord. Let the potter put the silver of the wretched bargain with the shards of his broken and worthless vessels. This was done with the price of blood, the price of His blood. Mathew 27:3-10 A Plant of Renown - Leonard Sheldrake
N.J.Hiebert - 9034
It was the utter lack of appreciation of the worth and work of the Shepherd that caused the loss to Israel of all that was lovely toward God, and of all that was so good and pleasant among His people. "So they weighed for My price thirty pieces of silver!" (Zechariah 11:12)
Thirty pieces of silver, for the Lord of life they gave;
Thirty pieces of silver--only the price of a slave! (William Blane)
Yes, thirty pieces of silver was the stipulated compensation for a slave (Exodus 21:32). This was the very least value that could be set on the head of a human being. This act of callous blindness, putting the lowest price on the priceless love and service of the Best of heaven, was the calm and unnoticed act that blighted every beauty and every blessing of the favoured people.
A choice that is made with little thought or exercise often manifests where the heart is. Judas thought so little of the thirty pieces of silver that he could actually kiss his Master with them already in his bag. It was these thirty pieces of silver marked Judas out as a despiser of God's Christ, and a traitor. Accept the price of a slave for the Shepherd of the Sheep? Judas did it. The merest speck of true love would have scorned such a valuation.
It was the price of His worth in the minds of the priests as well. The stirring of indignation is readily seen in the holy sarcasm of the words, "A goodly price that I was prized at of them." (Zechariah 11:13) The loathing of the money is seen in casting the pieces to the potter in the house of the Lord. Let the potter put the silver of the wretched bargain with the shards of his broken and worthless vessels. This was done with the price of blood, the price of His blood. Mathew 27:3-10 A Plant of Renown - Leonard Sheldrake
N.J.Hiebert - 9034
November 18
THE BLESSEDNESS OF OLD AGE - ITS LIMITATIONS
And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. Isaiah 46:4 .
One may no longer be equal to the heavy physical tasks once undertaken so easily. The eye may have become dim, the ear dull, the breathe short, the heart faint, the hand unsteady, and the golden bowl of life seem nigh to breaking.
But what distresses even more than these, perhaps, is the failing of the memory: one cannot remember even the promises or the precepts which, in one's younger days, one could repeat so easily. A Christian once complained to an aged man, that he was much discouraged in reading the Scriptures, because he could not fasten on his memory what he had read.
The older friend bade him take a pitcher and fill it with water. This being done, he bade him empty it out and wipe the pitcher. The other wondered to what this tended, "Now," said the older man, "though no water remains in it, yet the pitcher is cleaner than it was before; and though your memory retains not what you read, yet your heart is the cleaner for God's Word having passed through it."
There is, however, a much more comforting reflection than even that one and it is this, namely, that if we forget the promises, God never forgets them.
Heaven's Cure for Earth's Care.
N.J.Hiebert - 9035
And even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. Isaiah 46:4 .
One may no longer be equal to the heavy physical tasks once undertaken so easily. The eye may have become dim, the ear dull, the breathe short, the heart faint, the hand unsteady, and the golden bowl of life seem nigh to breaking.
But what distresses even more than these, perhaps, is the failing of the memory: one cannot remember even the promises or the precepts which, in one's younger days, one could repeat so easily. A Christian once complained to an aged man, that he was much discouraged in reading the Scriptures, because he could not fasten on his memory what he had read.
The older friend bade him take a pitcher and fill it with water. This being done, he bade him empty it out and wipe the pitcher. The other wondered to what this tended, "Now," said the older man, "though no water remains in it, yet the pitcher is cleaner than it was before; and though your memory retains not what you read, yet your heart is the cleaner for God's Word having passed through it."
There is, however, a much more comforting reflection than even that one and it is this, namely, that if we forget the promises, God never forgets them.
Heaven's Cure for Earth's Care.
N.J.Hiebert - 9035
November 19
COME AND SEE
Come and see. John 1:39
The Lord Jesus said it first. He said it to the two disciples of John who heard that He was the Lamb of God. They knew very little about Him, but they followed Him. Perhaps they would not even have ventured to speak, but "Jesus turned, and saw them following," (v.38) and spoke to them. Then they asked Him where He dwelt, and He said, "Come and see!"
Philip said it next. He had found Christ himself, and at once he told his friend Nathaniel about it, "Come and see,!" Is it not said still? Oh, "come and see!" Look into the Saviour's glorious and loving face, and see what a lovely and precious Saviour He is! Come and see how ready He is to receive you, and to bless you. Come and see what He has done for you; see how He loved you and and gave Himself for you; how He lived and suffered and bled and died for you!
Come and see what gifts He has for you--forgiveness and peace, His Spirit and His grace, His joy and His love! Come and see where He dwelleth--see that He is ready to come in and dwell with you, to make your heart His own dwelling-place. Oh, if I could but persuade you to "come and see!" There is no other sight so glorious and beautiful.
Will you not come? When you have come, when you can say, like Philip, "We have found Him!" and like Paul, "We see Jesus," will you not say to someone else, "Come and see!" You will wish every one else to come to Him, and you have His word to bid you try to bring them: "Let him that heareth say, come!" (Revelation 22:17) Opened Treasures - Francis Ridley Havergal
N.J.Hiebert - 9036
Come and see. John 1:39
The Lord Jesus said it first. He said it to the two disciples of John who heard that He was the Lamb of God. They knew very little about Him, but they followed Him. Perhaps they would not even have ventured to speak, but "Jesus turned, and saw them following," (v.38) and spoke to them. Then they asked Him where He dwelt, and He said, "Come and see!"
Philip said it next. He had found Christ himself, and at once he told his friend Nathaniel about it, "Come and see,!" Is it not said still? Oh, "come and see!" Look into the Saviour's glorious and loving face, and see what a lovely and precious Saviour He is! Come and see how ready He is to receive you, and to bless you. Come and see what He has done for you; see how He loved you and and gave Himself for you; how He lived and suffered and bled and died for you!
Come and see what gifts He has for you--forgiveness and peace, His Spirit and His grace, His joy and His love! Come and see where He dwelleth--see that He is ready to come in and dwell with you, to make your heart His own dwelling-place. Oh, if I could but persuade you to "come and see!" There is no other sight so glorious and beautiful.
Will you not come? When you have come, when you can say, like Philip, "We have found Him!" and like Paul, "We see Jesus," will you not say to someone else, "Come and see!" You will wish every one else to come to Him, and you have His word to bid you try to bring them: "Let him that heareth say, come!" (Revelation 22:17) Opened Treasures - Francis Ridley Havergal
N.J.Hiebert - 9036
November 20
And Jesus said unto the centurion, go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. Matthew 8:13
Christ is our life and according to the faith we have we are to trust Him to sustain even out bodies and rest assured that He will keep us here as long as He wants us in this world. "We are immortal until our work is done." (David Livingstone)
Guidance. "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:6) It is easier to preach about guidance than to be sure of it in some cases. Sometimes we expect the Lord to make it plainer than He does. By the Word, prayer, meditation, circumstances, sometimes the advice of true Christian friends, by steps and by stops, "God leads His dear children along."
Calls, results, funds. I have found it best to let the Lord open doors without any effort on my part. Sometimes I have become too anxious when there was no visible response to my preaching and unduly elated when there was. "The wind bloweth where it listeth [wishes]" John 3:8. It is not possible to determine fully which meeting is the greater defeat or victory.
"Our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20) "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20). I am a citizen of heaven so-journeying on earth, not a citizen of earth journeying to heaven. God help me never to lose my pilgrim character. It is so easy to drive down our tent-pegs in this world.
That I May Know Him - Vance Havner
N.J.Hiebert - 9037
Christ is our life and according to the faith we have we are to trust Him to sustain even out bodies and rest assured that He will keep us here as long as He wants us in this world. "We are immortal until our work is done." (David Livingstone)
Guidance. "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:6) It is easier to preach about guidance than to be sure of it in some cases. Sometimes we expect the Lord to make it plainer than He does. By the Word, prayer, meditation, circumstances, sometimes the advice of true Christian friends, by steps and by stops, "God leads His dear children along."
Calls, results, funds. I have found it best to let the Lord open doors without any effort on my part. Sometimes I have become too anxious when there was no visible response to my preaching and unduly elated when there was. "The wind bloweth where it listeth [wishes]" John 3:8. It is not possible to determine fully which meeting is the greater defeat or victory.
"Our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20) "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20). I am a citizen of heaven so-journeying on earth, not a citizen of earth journeying to heaven. God help me never to lose my pilgrim character. It is so easy to drive down our tent-pegs in this world.
That I May Know Him - Vance Havner
N.J.Hiebert - 9037
November 21
And they (Joseph's brethren) sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying...Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. Genesis 50:16-17
Jacob was dead and now his brethren were trying to convince Joseph to forgive them. But he had long since forgiven them for the evil they had done to him. For seventeen years they had been living under the care of Joseph without realizing that he had completely forgiven them!
Do we realize that our forgiveness was a once and for all act and we are safe and under Christ's love and care? Is the Lord grieved with our lack of understanding of our security in Him? Ray Jones
The work which His goodness began, the arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is Yea and Amen, and never was forfeited yet;
Things future, nor things that are now, nor all things below nor above,
Can make Him His purpose forgo, or sever our souls from His love.
Our names from the palms of His hands, eternity will not erase:
Impressed on His heart they remain, in marks of indelible grace:
And we to the end shall endure, as sure as the earnest is given;
More happy, but not more secure, the spirits departed to heaven.
August M. Toplady
N.J.Hiebert - 9038
Jacob was dead and now his brethren were trying to convince Joseph to forgive them. But he had long since forgiven them for the evil they had done to him. For seventeen years they had been living under the care of Joseph without realizing that he had completely forgiven them!
Do we realize that our forgiveness was a once and for all act and we are safe and under Christ's love and care? Is the Lord grieved with our lack of understanding of our security in Him? Ray Jones
The work which His goodness began, the arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is Yea and Amen, and never was forfeited yet;
Things future, nor things that are now, nor all things below nor above,
Can make Him His purpose forgo, or sever our souls from His love.
Our names from the palms of His hands, eternity will not erase:
Impressed on His heart they remain, in marks of indelible grace:
And we to the end shall endure, as sure as the earnest is given;
More happy, but not more secure, the spirits departed to heaven.
August M. Toplady
N.J.Hiebert - 9038
November 22
JESUS LOVES EVEN ME
As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love. John 15:9
The wonder of Jesus' deep love for each of us has been expressed in this text in beautiful but childlike language by the noted musician of early gospel music, Philip P. Bliss. After attending a service where the hymn "O How I Love Jesus" was sung repeatedly, Bliss thought, "Have I not been singing enough about my poor love for Jesus and shall I not rather sing of His great love for me?"
Soon he completed both the words and music of one of the all-time favourite children's hymns, which is widely sung and enjoyed by adults as well. There has been no writer of verse since his time who has shown such a grasp of the fundamental truths of the gospel, or such a gift for putting them into a poetic and singable form.
The third stanza of this simple but very appealing hymn is especially meaningful when we realize that Philip Bliss died suddenly at the age of thirty-eight in a tragic train accident. His many stirring hymns, however, have lived on. They all focus clearly on important biblical truths, but none is more moving than the reminder in this text that Jesus loves even me.
I am so glad that our Father in heaven tells of His love in the book He has given; wonderful things in the Bible I see--this is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.
Tho I forget Him and wander away, still He doth love me wherever I stray; back to His dear loving arms would I flee, when I remember that Jesus loves me.
O if there's only one song I can sing when in His beauty I see the great King, this shall my song in eternity be: "O what a wonder that Jesus loves me!"
CHORUS: I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me; I am so glad that Jesus loves; Jesus loves even me. Philip P. Bliss
N.J.Hiebert - 9039
As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love. John 15:9
The wonder of Jesus' deep love for each of us has been expressed in this text in beautiful but childlike language by the noted musician of early gospel music, Philip P. Bliss. After attending a service where the hymn "O How I Love Jesus" was sung repeatedly, Bliss thought, "Have I not been singing enough about my poor love for Jesus and shall I not rather sing of His great love for me?"
Soon he completed both the words and music of one of the all-time favourite children's hymns, which is widely sung and enjoyed by adults as well. There has been no writer of verse since his time who has shown such a grasp of the fundamental truths of the gospel, or such a gift for putting them into a poetic and singable form.
The third stanza of this simple but very appealing hymn is especially meaningful when we realize that Philip Bliss died suddenly at the age of thirty-eight in a tragic train accident. His many stirring hymns, however, have lived on. They all focus clearly on important biblical truths, but none is more moving than the reminder in this text that Jesus loves even me.
I am so glad that our Father in heaven tells of His love in the book He has given; wonderful things in the Bible I see--this is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.
Tho I forget Him and wander away, still He doth love me wherever I stray; back to His dear loving arms would I flee, when I remember that Jesus loves me.
O if there's only one song I can sing when in His beauty I see the great King, this shall my song in eternity be: "O what a wonder that Jesus loves me!"
CHORUS: I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me; I am so glad that Jesus loves; Jesus loves even me. Philip P. Bliss
N.J.Hiebert - 9039
November 23
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