“Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?”
(John 21:16)
Tradition has painted, by brush and pen, portraits of the man called Peter.
He is memorialized by magnificent cathedrals.
But we must look elsewhere for a memorial
engraved where time cannot erase it.
These words move the heart of every sinner saved by grace
who has felt the pulse of Peter’s passion, known some
sad failure, and the pardoning grace of the Saviour.
The words touch the wellsprings of our tears and we fain would make them ours:
“Lord Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest I love Thee.”
(J. Boyd Nicholson)
"I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow:
’Tis Thou who art worthy, Lord Jesus, ’tis Thou.”
(W.R. Featherstone)
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Flying By Instrument
“The things which shall be hereafter. . . .”
(Revelation 1:19)
When all is said and done, there is absolutely only one authority on the life to come.
Surmisings of pagans and speculations of philosophers mean nothing.
It is the Bible or else.
It may have its difficult passages, may leave questions unanswered,
but all we know about the next world is told between
the covers of this old Book.
Sometimes the airplane pilot can see nothing and must fly by instrument.
The Christian must often do the same and that instrument is the Word of God.
It guarantees a safe landing!
(Vance Havner)
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March 1
WHAT GOD DID FOR STEPHEN
“And [Stephen] kneeled down, and cried with a loud
voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.
And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
(Acts 7:60)
A young preacher, who afterwards became famous, once
had a public discussion with a noted infidel.
During the debate the sceptic turned upon his youthful antagonist and said,
‘You say that your God is a God of love.
What did He do for Stephen when he was being battered to death?
Why didn’t He deliver him?’
The preacher felt that the whole discussion turned upon his answer to this challenge.
He silently lifted his heart to God and immediately there was given him this reply:
“God did something better for Stephen than save him from the stones,
He enabled him to pray for his murderers.”
The sceptic was so impressed with the answer he promised to come and hear the young man preach.
Just here lies the secret of God’s purpose,
He is conforming us to the image of His Son.
To Stephen belonged the inestimable
privilege of following in the footsteps of his Master.
And in enabling him to pray for his murderers
God made him more than conqueror.
For it is character God is seeking to produce in His saints;
and all that appertains to this groaning creation is being used to that end.
(Angels in White - Russell Elliott)
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March 2
“I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
(John 14:3)
The hearts of all the saints should be occupied with Himself.
We wait longingly for the moment when, according to His word,
He will come to receive us to Himself, that where He is we may be also (John 14:3).
Such, then, is our attitude. As Israel on the Passover night, with their loins girded, their shoes
on their feet, and their staff in their hand, waited for the signal to depart,
so we should ever be found, with our loins girt and our lamps burning,
expecting the Lord to descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God, to fetch us out of this scene, to be for ever with Himself.
Are we constantly maintaining this attitude?
Do we begin the day with the thought that, ere the darkness returns, we may
be caught up into the unclouded light of His presence? When we lie down at night,
do we remember that ere the morning dawns we may be caught away from our beds?
Are all our our matters kept so constantly arranged that we should desire to alter nothing,
if the next moment we should be with the Lord?
Are all our purposes, all our occupations, undertaken and carried on with this wondrous prospect before our eyes?
Surely nothing short of this should satisfy those who are living in the expectation of the Lord.
May He Himself lead us into all the power of this blessed truth, using it to separate us increasingly
from every thing not suitable to Himself; and, by the presentation of Himself to us in all
His beauty as the Bright and Morning Star, may He occupy and absorb our hearts!
(The Blessed Hope - Edward Dennett)
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March 3
“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. and [Jesus] was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest Thou not that we perish?"
(Mark 4:37-38)
Storms were frequent on the sea of Galilee.
Should we not pause at once to recall how frequent they are in the lives of Christians?
To follow the Master does not mean “smooth sailing” always, or cloudless skies.
Even when we are very near Him, when no sin or doubt separates between,
even then the tempests burst; circumstances seem against us;
the waves threaten to engulf; the skies grow black.
This could have been no usual storm.
Those sturdy fishermen who were managing the boat for their Master had lived on that lake.
They knew every mood of its fickle winds.
Yet, even these men were in despair.
They awoke Jesus, “and say unto Him, Master, carest Thou not that we perish?”
Their appeal expressed the extremity of their fear, but it contained an implied rebuke:
the Master did not care; He either did not know, or He ws not concerned, about their peril.
So we sometimes think, or even say.
We really feel, in the overwhelming storm,
that the loving Master is indifferent to our need.
Even in such unbelief it is well to cry out to Him for help.
(Charles Erdman)
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March 4
“And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near unto me.”
(Genesis 45:4)
The brothers had gone farther and farther back from him;
but now he bids them approach.
This is a beautiful illustration of the way
in which a sinner may be reinstated in the loving favour of God.
We are not set to serve a time of probation.
We need not stand afar off.
We may step right into the deepest and closest intimacy with the Son of God.
Once “far off,” but now “made nigh” by the blood of Jesus.
One moment the rugged road of repentance;
the next the Father’s kiss and the banquet in the Father’s home. (Luke 15:20-24)
(F.B. Meyer)
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March 5
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth
his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”
(Proverbs 29:25)
The fear of man can lead us into sin and keep us from
speaking out in boldness for Christ.
It is a snare that subtly traps
us into finding security in
the approval of men.
We need to remember that
“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
to depart from the snares of death.”
(Proverbs 14:27).
As we see God for who He is, temptation
and fear fade proportionately.
The fear of man will keep you from fearing the Lord and
the fear of the Lord will keep you from fearing man.
(Dennis Easton)
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face;
and the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
(Helen H. Lemmel)
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March 6
“. . . Exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would
cleave unto the Lord.”
(Acts 11:23)
Do not let the world come in and distract your thoughts.
I speak especially to you young ones.
They who are older have had more experience in it,
and know more what it is worth:
but it all lies shining before you, endeavouring to attract you.
Its smiles are deceitful; still it smiles.
It makes promises which it cannot keep; still it makes them.
Your hearts are too big for the world; it cannot fill them.
They are too little for Christ:
He fills heaven, He will fill you to overflowing.
"With purpose of heart . . . cleave unto the Lord.”
He knew how treacherous the heart is,
and how soon it would put anything in His place.
You will have indeed to learn what is in your own heart.
(A.J. Pollock)
Keep us Lord, O keep us cleaving to Thyself and still believing,
Till the hour of our receiving promised joys with Thee.
(T. Kelly)
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March 7
CHRIST THE ONLY FOUNDATION
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ.”
(1 Corinthians 3:11)
With every structure the foundation is of utmost importance.
The superstructure will rise or fall on the strength of the foundation.
With very high buildings it is necessary to extend the foundation deep with pilings
of steel and concrete to sustain the weight and give sturdiness to its height.
It must hold the structure strong and sure when the storms and winds blow with intensity.
It is likewise imperative to have the right foundation and to build upon what
has already been laid as its foundation, Jesus Christ.
Many today have various foundations upon which they build their hope.
Some think themselves quite acceptable to God because they have never
engaged in any gross sin that would evoke God's judgment.
Some compare their lives with others and conclude they certainly warrant God's favour for they,
like the Pharisee, are thankful that they are not as other men.
Still others rest their laurels on the good works they have done in
being responsible in their duties to their fellow men.
Others recognize the atonement of Christ but feel they need to contribute their good works,
thinking something needs to be added to make their acceptance with God complete.
(Daily Devotions)
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March 8
"Having predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself.”
(Ephesians 1:5)
“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
(Galatians 3:26)
Here is one of the sweetest privileges of the Christian life. The Christian is a beloved child,
and shares all the love and tenderness of the Father's heart!
This one thought is a fountain of unfailing happiness!
"I am at home with God!
Once I was far off--but now I am near.
Once I was a stranger--but now His beloved child!
Once the thought of His presence was fear and dread--but now it is life, and joy, and peace.
He is my Father, and in this Name all heart-joys meet.
He knows me by name, and cares for me in all my cares.
He pities me, and in tender compassion marks each tear I shed,
and each sorrow that weighs upon my heart.
He opens His hand, and each day gives me all that I need.
He bows down His ear and hearkens to each prayer I offer.
I have boldness and liberty to go at all times into His presence-chamber,
and may tell Him every desire and ask of Him whatever is for my good."
(George Everard - 1884)
"Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called the sons of God.”
(1 John 3:1)
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March 9
“For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth
the hungry soul with goodness.”
(Psalm 107:9)
Every one who does not know Christ has either a disappointed heart or a
heart seeking what will disappoint it.
If His love is not filling my heart,
I shall go to some vanity in a shop to satisfy me:
my heart will get into my business.
If my spirit is wrapped up in the love of Christ,
there will be rivers of water flowing out.
No testimony, no preaching, no teaching, even if the matter of it be all right,
is right teaching, when the soul is not
filled for itself first from God.
We must drink for ourselves that rivers may flow.
Indeed all else dries up the soul.
The world at once sees if God is the centre of a person.
The heart is not morbid,
but thoroughly happy in God;
it has perfect satisfaction in Him,
this is what makes such a difference in life.
“Is the wilderness before thee—
Desert lands where drought abides?
Heavenly springs shall there restore thee
Fresh from God’s exhaustless tides.”
(Pilgrim Portions for the Day of Rest - JND)
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March 10
“That ye may be blameless and harmless . . . in the midst of a crooked and
perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.”
(Philippians 2:15)
The high-beam glare of an on-coming car at night can blind and annoy us.
How about our witness?
Is it a glare to the world or are we like the moon, which absorbs the rays of the sun and
reflects them back to earth shining with a soft glow.
All believers are reflectors of the source of Light, God’s Son.
We represent the altogether lovely One.
May our reflection be the same, with love and concern.
(E.Dyck)
Channels only, blessed Master, but with all Thy wondrous pow’r,
Flowing through us,Thou canst use us, ev’ry day and ev’ry hour.
(Mary E. Maxwell)
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March 11
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