Gems from April 21- 24, 2026

JESUS  CHRIST,  PERFECT  GOD  AND  PERFECT  MAN 

". . . When Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, . . . He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied . . ." (Isaiah 53:10,11)   

It is true that He emptied Himself.  He laid aside the outward appearance of Deity.  His Godhead was veiled.  But it was there!  Again and again His Godhead shows itself.  As man, He slept in the boat.  As God, He calmed the waves.  As man, He wept.  As God, He cried, "Lazarus, come forth!" (John 11:43)  As man, He was laid in the tomb--as God, He arose!  A. E. Hughes.

Calvary has no date. "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:8)

Oh, the love that drew salvations's plan,
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man,
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span At Calvary! 

Mercy there was great, and grace was free,
Pardon there was multiplied to me,
There my burdened soul found liberty, At Calvary!  (W. R. Newell)

"Calvary stills all questions."

The cross spells two stories: one in black--ugly black--the story  of sin.  Sin carpentered the Cross, and wove the thorns, and drove the nails--our sin!  And a story too, in red--bright-flowing red--the story of LOVE, HIS LOVE  that yielded to the cross and nails and shame for us!  And only the passion of His love burning within will make us hate sin, as only HIS BLOOD can wash it out.

The hill of the Cross is the highest hill on earth in its significance.  There hate's worst and love's best met.   "AND  LOVE  WON."     Dr. S. D. Gordon

N.J. Hiebert - 20284

April 20

"BUT  HE  ROSE  AGAIN"

He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. . . .  Matthew 28:6 

I was going down a street in Chicago, when in a window I saw a very moving picture of the crucifixion.  As I gazed spellbound at the vividly pictured story, I suddenly became conscious that at my side stood a street urchin. He, too, was gazing, and his tense expression made me know that "The Crucifixion" had really gripped his little soul. 

Touching him on the shoulder, I said, "Sonny, what does it mean?"  "Doncha know?" he asked, his face full of marvel at my ignorance.  "That there man is Jesus, and them others is Roman soldiers, and the woman that's cryin' is His mother, and," he added, "they killed Him."

I was loathe to leave that window, but I could not tarry always at the world's tragedy, so I turned and walked quietly down the street.  In a moment I heard pattering footsteps at my heels, and there stood my little street urchin.  "Say, Mister," he breathlessly announced, I fergot to tell yer, He rose again!"  
The sign of our faith is an empty Cross, and empty tomb--He is not here: for He is risen!

REDEMPTION  
A mother and her Child; a wondrous Boy, a dead man raised to life;
A few poor fishermen, an Upper Room, a feast, a garden and a judgment hall.

A crown of thorns, a scourge, a bitter cross; a great stone rolled away and tears;
A springtime morning  and an empty tomb; a feast a Blessing and a Risen Christ.  
Mary Winter Ware        

Oh, let me live as If He died  but yestertide;
And I myself had seen and touched His pierced side.
20285

N.J. Hiebert - 20285

April 21

REDEEMED  (Being set free - Bought Back)

Your redemption draweth nigh. . . . Luke 21:28 

REDEMPTION FROM SIN has been accomplished already.  All who avail themselves of what was wrought on Calvary have been bought in the market, bought out of the market, never again to be on sale in the market. 

The redemption of our bodies awaits the resurrection when all who have been redeemed through faith in Christ shall be transformed and take their new bodies fashioned  like His glorious body.  Then follows the redemption of all creation. 

When the saints rule over the earth set free from the blight of decay and death, man and beast will be at peace.  God has set His face to redeem man and nature from the havoc wrought by the devil.  "Lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh!"       All The Days - Vance Havner

Redeemed-how I love to proclaim it!  Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed thro' His infinite mercy, His child, and forever, I am.

Redeemed and so happy in Jesus, No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence With me doth continually dwell. 

I think of my bless-ed Redeemer, I think of Him all  the day long;
I sing, for I cannot be silent; His love is the theme of my song.

I know I shall see in His beauty The King in whose word I delight;
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps, and giveth me songs in the night.

Chorus: Redeemed, . .  Redeemed, . . Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, . . redeemed, . . His child, and forever I am.  Fanny J. Crosby

N.J. Hiebert - 20286

April 22

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee. . .  2 Timothy 1:6 

Having expressed his love for and confidence in Timothy, Paul passes on to exhortation, encouragement and instruction.  First, he exhorts him to stir up "the gift of God" which had been imparted to him for the service of the Lord.  

In the presence of difficulties, dangers and general unfaithfulness, when there would appear to be little result from the ministry, there is the danger of thinking it is almost useless to exercise gift.  Therefore we need the warning against letting the gift fall into disuse.  We are to stir it up; and, in a day of ruin, to be all the more insistent in its use.  A little later the Apostle can say, "Preach the word; be instant (urgent) in season, out of season" (2 Timothy 4:2).           

 Having spoken of gifts that are special to the individual, the Apostle passes on to remind Timothy of the gift that is common to all believers.  To some God gives a  special gift for the ministry of the word, to all His people He gives the spirit of power, and of love, and of wise discretion.  It is the state and spirit of the believer that is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit and therefore partakes of the character of the Spirit, as the Lord said, "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6)

By nature Timothy may have been timid, and retiring in disposition, but the Holy Spirit does not produce the spirit of cowardice, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  In the natural man we may find power without love, or love degenerating into mere sentiment.  With the Christian, under the control of the Spirit, power  is combined with love, and love expressed with a wise discretion. Thus, however difficult the day, the believer is well equipped with power to do the will of God, to express the love of God, and to exercise a sober judgment in the midst of the ruin.  
Hamilton Smith - Expository Outline of Second Timothy

N.J. Hiebert - 20287

April 23

Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.   1 Peter 5:7 

Do you know the One who says this? In the same epistle there is a verse, which precedes the one we are considering, and must precede it, too, in our own experience.  "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God."  (1 Peter 3:18)  This deals with the sin question, which must be dealt with before the care question. 

But the latter is not overlooked, for what we are invited to do when we are brought to God is to cast all our care upon Him.  If God has laid your sins upon Christ, you may lay all your care upon God.  And the reason is given why we may: "For He careth for you."  Christ once suffered for your sins and bore them, and He now wants you to let Him bear your care.

Here, then, is the answer to the unbelief that thinks God allows the world to drift on, and has left it to take care of itself.  This is as untrue as every other lie of which Satan is the source.  Those words, "He careth;" that invitation to "cast all our care upon Him," come to us with the very stamp of truth.  It would be fiendish to mock us with such words.  Ah! mockery cannot coin such words as those.  They tell their own tale, that behind them there is a heart we may well trust. 

They are words, too, that appeal to all, for who does not know care?  Recently we had the opportunity of watching the faces of people in a crowded London thoroughfare.  Hundreds passed us, among them different classes, and creeds, and nationalities; but in one respect they were all alike--there was more or less of care depicted in every countenance. 

Their cares were not alike, yet there was one remedy for all.  How many knew that they might have the peace of God, which passeth all understanding?  How many could look up and say, "He careth for me?"   Angels in White - Russell Elliott.

N.J. Hiebert - 20288

April 24

He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life.  John 5:24.

Not surprisingly, heaven's words come only from heaven.  You could get the fragrance of roses from a dungeon, if first the lovely flowers were carried there.  This fragrant knowledge of a God of love could never have been told except by the lips of the One who came from His Father in heaven.  He alone could speak words of eternal life.  In almost every chapter of John's inspiring Gospel, these words of eternal life are found.

A learned rabbi hears them at night from an object lesson of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness (John 3:14). An ignorant and licentious, though religious Samaritan woman hears them from "a prophet" who sits on Sychar's well (4:14).  A hopeless paralytic, waiting thirty eight-years at Bethesda's pool, hears them also, and so did those that day who accused the Mighty Healer of making a man whole on the Sabbath day. 

"Verily, verily, I say unto you: He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life (5:24). There were words of eternal life when He fed the hungry multitudes with five loaves and two small fishes, "I am the Bread of Life: He that cometh to Me shall shall never hunger and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst" (6:35).    

Hear His words about the living water when the unsatisfied crowd at Jerusalem kept the feast of Tabernacles: "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.  He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (7:37). Read words about eternal life when He opened the eyes of the blind in chapter 9, words about Himself as the resurrection and the life, when He wept with others at the grave of Lazarus. These words of eternal life took deep root in the hearts of His disciples, and when the cross blasted their superficial expectations, His resurrection raised them again to a living hope, for "they remembered His words" (Luke 24:8) Plant of Renown - Leonard Sheldrake

N.J. Hiebert - 20289

April 25

"Whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report"  Philippians 4:8

Whatsoever things are lovely, or lovable.  Oh, that we might have our minds occupied with such things!  Oh, that we might meditate on the gracious, winsome things in the saints, and in others about us!  Oh, that we might put the most favourable construction on every report we hear.

Love thinketh no evil.  Love believeth all things: not the evil things, but the good ones: and where it cannot actually believe all the good it would like, it at least hopeth all things: it hopes the good report is true, and the evil one false.

Notice there is not the slightest suggestion we should meditate on the evil report: but only on the good.  A scripture that might go well with this part of our verse is 1 Peter 4:8: Above all things have fervent love among yourselves: for love shall cover the multitude of sins."  With the sins and evil reports covered by love, we will be free to meditate on whatsoever things are of good report.

This does not, of course, mean that we are to make light of evil, or go on with it.  But evil that is dealt with in true love, will win the erring one again, instead of driving him further away.  Meditations on Philippians - G Christopher Willis

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter.
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, 
Chords that are broken will vibrate once more.
Fanny Crosby

N.J. Hiebert - 20290

April 26

Gems from April 11- 20, 2026

There was a man...whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. Job 1:1

When we turn to this ancient book in our Bibles, we find that God searched the world over, not for the worst man, but for the best, and He tells us Job's strangely pathetic story and shows how that good man was brought to repentance that thus "every mouth may be stopped" (Romans 3:19), and all the world of men might be brought in guilty before Him.  For if a man of Job's character must repent, what shall be said of me, and of you, who come so far behind him in righteousness and integrity and have sinned so deplorably and come so far short of the glory of God?  Can you not see the wisdom of Jehovah in selecting such a man to show the need that all men should repent? 

Consider the case of Job.  A wealthy Oriental sheik, apparently, he lived in the days before the knowledge of God had been lost.  Romans 1 shows us men turned from the living and true God to vain idols, and "for this cause God gave them up" (Romans 1:26) to all sorts of unclean practices.  Job had escaped all this.  He was perfect in his behaviour, upright in all his ways, one who reverenced God and detested iniquity. In chapters 1 and 2, we get a remarkable revelation of things in the unseen world.  Job is the subject of a conversation between God and Satan, the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10) who accuses them before God day and night. 

The Lord challenges Satan, "Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth...one that feareth God, and escheweth [shuns] evil?" (Job 1:8).  Note Job was all that God said he was--a man of faith, a true child of God.  This book give us, then, not the repentance of a sinner, but the repentance of a saint.  Satan denies the truthfulness of the divine estimate of Job and particularly declares that Job does not love and reverence the Lord for what He is in Himself, but for what Job received at His hand.  To prove the contrary, the devil is permitted to wrest from the patriarch all that He possessed.  Instead of renouncing God, Job exclaims, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21).    Unless You Repent-H. A. Ironside          

N.J. Hiebert - 20274

April 10

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  Galatians 6:9 
"Let us not lose heart in doing the right."

It is a different word from the "good things" we read of in verse 6.  It is often translated "beautiful."  These truly are good things--beautiful things, noble things, honourable things; these are the things every one of us may do every day.  We call them little things very often; perhaps giving a drink of cold water to someone who is thirsty.   But that deed will get its reward; It will have a harvest.

Most of our lives are filled up with little things--often we think useless little things that are of little profit, but, have to be done--meals have to be cooked, dishes have to be washed, children have to be cared for, our business or our daily job has to be done, and often we long for for something "bigger and better," as we suppose, to do for our Lord.  Brother, sister, these little, daily duties may be the good, the noble, the honourable thing, "the right thing" for you to be doing. 

The Lord says to you two things:  Do not lose heart; do not relax.  We first lose heart, it seems to be so useless.  Perhaps you teach a Sunday school class, but the children are not converted.  Do not lose heart, do not relax; in its own time you shall reap.  It is God's own promise, and it must be true. 

The word "relax" is what happens to a bow string if it becomes loose; and then the bow is useless.  The bow is only useful while the string is tight.  So if I relax in my work for the Lord, I become useless also; and remember in "its own time" (and that may be a long time, for seeds do not all grow quickly), in "its own time" we shall reap if we do not relax.    Meditations on Galatians - G. C. Willis  

N.J. Hiebert - 20275

April 11

And Judah said, what shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves?  God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants!" Genesis 44:16 

Joseph's brothers no longer attempt to justify themselves as to the present, they do not attempt to clear themselves as to the past.  They are convicted sinners "found out" by God; and they entirely submit to Joseph, "We are my lord's servants," (V.16) they say. This indeed is excellent, but these are words and may be but empty profession.  Words must be proved by deeds. 

Judah, therefore, comes forward on behalf of the brethren, and proves the reality of their words by what they are prepared to do.   He can say, "Let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren."(V.33). Moreover; the pleading love that breathes throughout Judah's  touching appeal proves how deep the repentance that has been wrought  in their souls.

The heart of stone has indeed been changed into a heart of flesh.  As a son he pleads for Jacob.  He is our father, he is an old man, he loves Benjamin (v.20), "his life is bound up in the lad's life" (v.30).  How can "I see the evil that shall come on my father?" (34) As a  true brother he pleads for Benjamin.  He is "a lad," "a little one" (v.20), "Our youngest brother." 

But this appeal to Joseph shows that not only repentance has been wrought but confidence has been in measure won.  A beautiful picture of that "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21) which always accompanies a true work of grace.   
Joseph - Hamilton Smith

N.J. Hiebert - 20276

April 12

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.  John 1:17 

In one respect, law and grace are alike, for both set before us a very exalted standard.  In all other respects they are exact opposites.  At mount Sinai, the law of Moses was given  (Exodus 19-20).   God explicitly laid down His righteous and holy demands.  If men obeyed, they were blessed; if they disobeyed, they came under the law's solemn curse.  Grace, on the other hand, means that all of God's righteous and holy demands have been met in Christ's death and resurrection. 

To all who believe, forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit are granted, so there may be power to conform to the standard, which under grace is nothing short of Christ Himself.  The very essence of law, then, is demand; the very essence of grace is supply.  Under law, God stands before us saying, "Give! Render to Me your love and dutiful obedience."  Under grace, He stands with hands outstretched, saying, "Take! Receive of My love and saving power."   Law says, "Do and live."  grace says, "Live and do." 

Believers are not under law but under grace. In Galatians 4:4-5, we find how this change has come about: "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."  The change, then, is found in one word: REDEMPTION.  and that involved the death of the Redeemer. 

He was made a curse for us by dying on the tree (Galatians 3:13), and therefore the believer is entitled to regard himself as "dead to the law" (Romans 7:4).  The law did not die; Jesus died beneath its curse, but now God suspends His wrath and proclaims grace available to all.  The believer died to the law in the Person of his great Representative.  Now he is controlled by another power, and that power is in a Person--the risen Son of God.   F. B. Hole 

N.J. Hiebert - 20277

April 13

Unto you therefore which believe He is precious.  1 Peter 2:7 

Peter gives us an excellent example of the sanctifying and life changing grace of God.  On one occasion Peter denied his Lord with an oath and said, "I do not know the man" (Matthew 26:72).  But now the Spirit has transformed him and he writes, "He is precious." 

To those who believe, O how precious He is!  He is "God's unspeakable gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15) and eternity will not be enough time to display all His beauties.  Time spent at His feet now, basking in the sunshine of His love will convince us with Peter that, "He is precious."  Let us worship Him today!      Milton Haack

"Glory to God on high!  peace upon earth and joy,
Good will to man." We who God's blessing prove
His name all names above, Sing now the Saviour's love,
Too vast to scan.

Mercy and truth unite, Oh! 'tis a wondrous sight,
All sights above!  Jesus the curse sustains!
Guilt's bitter cup He drains! nothing for us remains--
Nothing but love.

Love that no tongue can teach, love that no thought can reach,
No love like His.  God is its blessèd source,
Death ne'er can stop its course, Nothing can stay its force;
Matchless it is .

Blest in this love, we sing; to God our praises bring;
All sins forgiven.  Jesus, our Lord, to Thee
Honour and majesty, now and forever be,
Here and in heaven.    T. Kelly

N.J. Hiebert - 20278

April 14

And they say into Him, we have here but five loaves, and two fishes.  He said, bring them hither to Me.  Matthew 14:17,18 

Jesus had told His disciples to feed the hungry multitude.  But their resources seemed utterly inadequate to the demand--and the command. 

Has the Lord commissioned you to a task for which you have not the wherewithal?  As with the man in the parable, have your friends come to you in their journey (Luke 11:5,6) and you have nothing to set before them? 

Are you wondering how in the world to stretch your loaves and fishes to feed so many hungry mouths?  Your family, your lifework, your Bible class--you look at your pitiful resources and sigh, "What are they among so many?"  "Bring them hither to Me." 

Little is much when He takes over.  "Who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Corinthians 2:16)  "Our sufficiency is of God." (2 Corinthians 3:5)  But all our efficiency, without His sufficiency, is only a deficiency   There were basketfuls left over.  God always gives over-flowing measure, "good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over." (Luke 6:38) 

He giveth liberally, exceedingly abundantly, above all that we can ask or think.  He will turn your scarcity into a surplus.  Bring it to Him. 
Day by Day with Vance Havner

N.J. Hiebert  - 20279

April 15

Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body what ye shall put on.   Luke 12:22   

That sublime passage is the chart by which, if we sail, we shall not worry.  For it is inconceivable that He who died for our sins, will leave us to struggle with the burdens and difficulties of life, and come to our aid only when at last, wearied in spirit and body, we lay ourselves down to die. 

 It is a complete and inclusive utterance as set out in Luke 12:22-23. Illustrates (vv 24-28) and appeals (vv 29-34).  Here the Master unveils some of His most wonderful teaching.  He points to the little birds of the air which pour forth their profuse strains of unpremeditated art, and shows that God knows and cares for even the most worthless of them.  He takes up the flower of the field with its simple natural adorning, and shows that its glory outshines that of the greatest of earth's potentates.  

"I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these". (vv 12:27)  And from the fact that God feeds the sparrow and clothes the lily, our Lord goes on to assure us that our heavenly Father is intimately acquainted with our needs, and to urge us to banish from our hearts all abrasive, corroding care. 

God is great in great things, but very great in little things.  A party stood on the Matterhorn admiring the sublimity of the scene, when, a gentleman produced a pocket microscope, and having caught a fly placed it under the glass.  He reminded us that the legs of the household fly in England were naked, then called attention to the legs of this little fly, which were thickly covered wth hair, thus showing that the same God Who made the lofty Swiss mountains attended to the comfort of His tiniest creatures, even providing socks and mittens for the little fly whose home these mountains were.  This God is our God.  Heaven's Cure for Earth's Care - George Henderson

N.J. Hiebert - 20280

April 16

As my Father hath sent me, even so so send I you.  John 20:21 

From the glory and the gladness, from His secret place,
From the rapture of His presence, from the radiance of His face,
Christ, the Son of God, hath sent me through the midnight lands;
Mine the mighty ordination of the pierced hands.  

You must be in present dependence in preaching.  There is no power unless we are receiving while we speak.  What you need is a living connection with the heart of God, and then what flows out of the heart of God into your heart will come with power to the hearts of those you speak to.

To hold ourselves at the Lord's disposal secures for us open doors when He has work for us to do.  We are left here to display Christ; if we are not doing this we are no use to Him or to the world.  The qualification for service is a deeper acquaintance with the heart of Christ. 

The more you honour God by keeping man in the background the more blessing you will have in the work.  The Holy Spirit is always ready to work when we exalt Christ,  "He shall glorify me." (John 16:14)  The great danger is the presentation of any truth apart from Christ.  What will become of those cut flowers to-morrow?  They will fade.  So truth that is separated from Christ will fade away. 

Nothing can justify a lack of tenderness in the presentation of the truth. We have to labour in faith, and in proportion to our confidence in God will be our expectation of  blessing.   Footprints for Pilgrims -  Edward Dennet

N.J. Hiebert  - 20281

April 17

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  Colossians 2:6,7   

How it would quicken the sense of dependence, and make me see that praying without ceasing is indeed the one need of my life,--and unceasing waiting, moment by moment, on the God Who hath united me to Christ, to perfect His own Divine work, to work in me both "to will and to do of His good pleasure"  (Philippians 2:13)  

And what a motive this would be for the highest activity in the maintenance of a fruitful branch-life! Motives are mighty powers; it is of infinite importance to have them high and clear.  Here surely is the highest: "you are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus  unto good works:" (Ephesians 2:10) grafted by Him into Christ, unto the bringing forth of much fruit.  Whatever God creates is exquisitely suited  to its end. He created the sun to give light: how perfectly it does its work!  He created the eye to see: how beautifully it fulfils its object!  He created the new man unto good works: how admirably it is fitted for its purpose. 

Of God I am in Christ: created anew, made a branch of the Vine, fitted for fruit bearing.  Would God that believers would cease looking most at their old nature, and complaining of their weakness, as if God called them to what they were unfitted for! 

Would that they would believingly and joyfully accept the wondrous revelation of how God, in uniting them to Christ, has made Himself chargeable for their spiritual growth and fruitfulness!  How all sickly hesitancy and sloth would disappear, and under the influence of this mighty motive--the faith in the faithfulness of Him of whom they are in Christ--their new nature would rise to accept and fulfil their glorious destiny! 
Abide in Christ - Andrew Murray

N.J. Hiebert - 20282

April 18

He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.  Philippians 1:6. 

Today I have found something fresh in this--"He Which hath begun a good work . . . will perform it until the Day  of Jesus Christ." will go on to perform it in preparation for the Day of Christ. 

So often some fervent loving prayer for another has not seen its hopes fulfilled.  But "He Which hath begun . . ."; may it not be that there has been a beginning, deep in that soul, unknown perhaps to itself?

I have often found later on that it has been so.  Even though we never know, it does not matter.  Of one thing we are sure: prayer is heard; prayer is answered; forces are set in motion by prayer in the Name of our Lord Jesus which will not cease, but will continue until that which has been begun is perfected.

Love will perfect that which it begins. It will not forsake the work of its own hands. (Psalm 138:8)  
Edges of His Ways - Amy Carmichael  

Unanswered yet? The prayer your lips have pleaded in agony of heart these many years?
Does faith begin to fail, is hope departing, and think you all in vain those falling tears?
Say not the Father hath not heard your prayer;
You shall have your desire, sometime, somewhere.

Unanswered yet? though when you first presented this one petition at the Father's throne,
It seemed you could not wait the time of asking so urgent was your heart to make it known 
Though years have passed since then, do not despair;
The Lord will answer you, sometime, somewhere.
F. G. Burrough 
 
N.J. Hiebert - 20283

April 19

JESUS  CHRIST,  PERFECT  GOD  AND  PERFECT  MAN 

". . . When Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, . . . He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied . . ." (Isaiah 53:10,11)   

It is true that He emptied Himself.  He laid aside the outward appearance of Deity.  His Godhead was veiled.  But it was there!  Again and again His Godhead shows itself.  As man, He slept in the boat.  As God, He calmed the waves.  As man, He wept.  As God, He cried, "Lazarus, come forth!" (John 11:43)  As man, He was laid in the tomb--as God, He arose!  A. E. Hughes.

Calvary has no date. "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:8)

Oh, the love that drew salvations's plan,
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man,
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span At Calvary! 

Mercy there was great, and grace was free,
Pardon there was multiplied to me,
There my burdened soul found liberty, At Calvary!  (W. R. Newell)

"Calvary stills all questions."

The cross spells two stories: one in black--ugly black--the story  of sin.  Sin carpentered the Cross, and wove the thorns, and drove the nails--our sin!  And a story too, in red--bright-flowing red--the story of LOVE, HIS LOVE  that yielded to the cross and nails and shame for us!  And only the passion of His love burning within will make us hate sin, as only HIS BLOOD can wash it out.

The hill of the Cross is the highest hill on earth in its significance.  There hate's worst and love's best met.   "AND  LOVE  WON."     Dr. S. D. Gordon

N.J. Hiebert - 20284

April 20

"BUT  HE  ROSE  AGAIN"

He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. . . .  Matthew 28:6 

I was going down a street in Chicago, when in a window I saw a very moving picture of the crucifixion.  As I gazed spellbound at the vividly pictured story, I suddenly became conscious that at my side stood a street urchin. He, too, was gazing, and his tense expression made me know that "The Crucifixion" had really gripped his little soul. 

Touching him on the shoulder, I said, "Sonny, what does it mean?"  "Doncha know?" he asked, his face full of marvel at my ignorance.  "That there man is Jesus, and them others is Roman soldiers, and the woman that's cryin' is His mother, and," he added, "they killed Him."

I was loathe to leave that window, but I could not tarry always at the world's tragedy, so I turned and walked quietly down the street.  In a moment I heard pattering footsteps at my heels, and there stood my little street urchin.  "Say, Mister," he breathlessly announced, I fergot to tell yer, He rose again!"  
The sign of our faith is an empty Cross, and empty tomb--He is not here: for He is risen!

REDEMPTION  
A mother and her Child; a wondrous Boy, a dead man raised to life;
A few poor fishermen, an Upper Room, a feast, a garden and a judgment hall.

A crown of thorns, a scourge, a bitter cross; a great stone rolled away and tears;
A springtime morning  and an empty tomb; a feast a Blessing and a Risen Christ.  
Mary Winter Ware        

Oh, let me live as If He died  but yestertide;
And I myself had seen and touched His pierced side.
20285

N.J. Hiebert - 20285

April 21

REDEEMED  (Being set free - Bought Back)

Your redemption draweth nigh. . . . Luke 21:28 

REDEMPTION FROM SIN has been accomplished already.  All who avail themselves of what was wrought on Calvary have been bought in the market, bought out of the market, never again to be on sale in the market. 

The redemption of our bodies awaits the resurrection when all who have been redeemed through faith in Christ shall be transformed and take their new bodies fashioned  like His glorious body.  Then follows the redemption of all creation. 

When the saints rule over the earth set free from the blight of decay and death, man and beast will be at peace.  God has set His face to redeem man and nature from the havoc wrought by the devil.  "Lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh!"       All The Days - Vance Havner

Redeemed-how I love to proclaim it!  Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed thro' His infinite mercy, His child, and forever, I am.

Redeemed and so happy in Jesus, No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence With me doth continually dwell. 

I think of my bless-ed Redeemer, I think of Him all  the day long;
I sing, for I cannot be silent; His love is the theme of my song.

I know I shall see in His beauty The King in whose word I delight;
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps, and giveth me songs in the night.

Chorus: Redeemed, . .  Redeemed, . . Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, . . redeemed, . . His child, and forever I am.  Fanny J. Crosby

N.J. Hiebert - 20286

April 22

Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee. . .  2 Timothy 1:6 

Having expressed his love for and confidence in Timothy, Paul passes on to exhortation, encouragement and instruction.  First, he exhorts him to stir up "the gift of God" which had been imparted to him for the service of the Lord.  

In the presence of difficulties, dangers and general unfaithfulness, when there would appear to be little result from the ministry, there is the danger of thinking it is almost useless to exercise gift.  Therefore we need the warning against letting the gift fall into disuse.  We are to stir it up; and, in a day of ruin, to be all the more insistent in its use.  A little later the Apostle can say, "Preach the word; be instant (urgent) in season, out of season" (2 Timothy 4:2).           

 Having spoken of gifts that are special to the individual, the Apostle passes on to remind Timothy of the gift that is common to all believers.  To some God gives a  special gift for the ministry of the word, to all His people He gives the spirit of power, and of love, and of wise discretion.  It is the state and spirit of the believer that is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit and therefore partakes of the character of the Spirit, as the Lord said, "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6)

By nature Timothy may have been timid, and retiring in disposition, but the Holy Spirit does not produce the spirit of cowardice, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  In the natural man we may find power without love, or love degenerating into mere sentiment.  With the Christian, under the control of the Spirit, power  is combined with love, and love expressed with a wise discretion. Thus, however difficult the day, the believer is well equipped with power to do the will of God, to express the love of God, and to exercise a sober judgment in the midst of the ruin.  
Hamilton Smith - Expository Outline of Second Timothy

N.J. Hiebert - 20287

April 23