“Should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more
than six-score thousand persons that cannot discern
between their right hand and their left hand;
and also much cattle?”
(Jonah 4:11)
There is something peculiarly touching in those last words, “And also much cattle.”
Though not numbered, like the little children, the cattle had worn sackcloth
along with the people, and God had seen it, (Jonah 3:8) and the God
who does not let one sparrow fall to the ground without His
knowledge, (Matthew 10:29) shows us here His tender care
for the cattle who would have perished with their guilty owners.
It is a grand truth that when a man is saved, all that pertains to him is under the dominion of a new master.
Pharaoh wanted Israel to leave their cattle in Egypt when they went out of that country, but the
magnificent answer is, “There shall not a hoof be left behind.” (Exodus 10:26)
That is the right way.
When you were converted, were your cattle converted, too?
Was your business converted, and your bank account?
The little children who do not know their right hand
from their left, are they they traveling
the narrow way with you?
All these were saved when the king of Nineveh and his people turned to God in repentance.
That is the only right way for us to be saved also.
If the little children and the cattle are not included there is something wrong.
(Lessons From Jonah the Prophet - G. Christopher Willis)
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June 1
“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body,
and to be present with the Lord.”
(2 Corinthians 5:8)
There seems to be so much we don’t know about heaven.
What will we look like? How old will we be?
What, exactly, will we do for all of eternity?
For all the other uncertainties,
there is one thing we know to be absolutely sure—to
be absent from the body is to be be present with the Lord!
All else comes into focus when we
keep our eyes on Him.
(L. Shatford)
Face to face! O blissful moment!
Face to face to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ who loves me so.
(Carrie E. Breck)
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June 2
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye always having
all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”
(2 Corinthians 9:8)
“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men,
especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
(Galatians 6:10)
“But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased.”
(Hebrews 13:16)
In calling us, thus, to lives of unselfishness and of devotedness to the well-being of others,
God is not only conferring on us an inestimable privilege,
He is also placing within our reach one of the
great secrets of true happiness.
For experience shows that the saddest of mortals is the man who lives solely
for his own selfish interests and advantages.
(Heaven’s Cure for Earth’s Care - George Henderson)
“He pours no cordial in the wounds of pain,
Unlocks no prison and unclasps no chain;
His heart is like the rock where sun or dew
Can rear no plant or flower of heavenly hue;
No thought of mercy there may have its birth
For helpless misery or suffering worth;
The end of all his life is paltry pelf,
And all his thoughts are centred on—himself.”
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June 3
And He Saith, “Follow Me"
“This spake He, signifying by what death He should glorify God.
And when He had spoken this, He
saith unto him, Follow Me.”
(John 21:19)
"The cross awaits me”? Yes, I know.
“The night is dark”? but He is near.
“The path is rough”? His arm upholds.
“I cannot see”? But I can hear,
And where He leads I follow on;
He calls me, and I may not stay;
HIs strength is mine through all the days;
His light is sown along my way.
I know not where that way shall lead;
It matters not, so He shall guide,
So only, when the tempests come,
I feel His presence at my side.
When skies are bright above my head,
When smiling eyes with tears grow dim,
Through smiles or tears His peace is mine;
’Tis joy enough to follow Him.
O loved Redeemer, loving Lord!
I hear Thy voice; it calleth me
Through joy and grief, through toil and pain,
To rest beyond the stormy sea;
O’er mount and valley, plain and stream,
Unto the place where I would be,
Unto the heaven where Thou hast gone,
I follow Thee—I follow Thee.
(Annie Johnson Flint)
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June 4
“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be
able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”
(Ephesians 6:16)
The moment we enter upon the enjoyment of any blessing Satan will seek to rob us of it.
An unsatisfied heart is a source of danger,
and a divided heart is the continual cause of inconsistency of walk.
On the other hand, when Christ possesses and engrosses the affections
we are superior to every temptation of the enemy.
We never enter upon any service rightly unless we expect to
encounter the opposition of Satan.
The preacher has to learn that liberty is not power.
The temptation is to rest satisfied in speaking with ease and freedom.
Whenever this is the case it is Satan’s opportunity, and thus we ought to be on our guard.
There is nothing like boldness in the face of the adversary—
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
(Footprints for Pilgrims - Edward Dennett)
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June 5
“If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed;
but let him glorify God on this behalf.”
(1 Peter 4:16)
Suffering as a Christian
What is it that can turn shame into song and disgrace into glory?
Peter tells us from his own experience – it is suffering as a Christian. He and John had been
commanded "not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 4:18)
and were threatened with punishment.
As soon as they were let go they went to their own company and they prayed!
Their prayer was brief, scriptural and powerful.
They did not ask for the threat to be removed but that,
in the trial that was under divine control, the Lord would
“grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy word” (Acts 4:29).
Did Peter and John back off, content that they had made their stand?
Was the counsel of their brethren not to provoke the authorities?
Very soon they were in prison, and boldly testifying to their captors
“We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
They departed from the presence of the council,
"rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).
We wonder how soon it might be, if the Lord remains away,
that we will have to learn to pray like that.
Liberty that we have taken for granted, and perhaps used so little,
for the preaching of the gospel, may soon be curtailed.
• What reaction will there be among us to saints who are arraigned in court,
mocked in the press and jailed for preaching the Word?
•Will we stand with them?
To do so will be to suffer as a Christian, something that a great many of our
brethren and sisters in other lands already know a good deal about.
Are you – am I – ready to suffer as a Christian?
(C.L.T. - Bob Lucas)
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June 6
“I have called you friends.”
(John 15:15)
Years ago there was an old German professor whose beautiful life was a marvel to his students.
Some of them resolved to know the secret of it; so one of their number
hid in the study where the old professor spent his evenings.
It was late when the teacher came in. He was very tired, but he sat down and spent an hour with his Bible.
Then he bowed his head in secret prayer; and finally closing the Book of books,
he said,”Well, Lord Jesus, we’re on the same old terms.”
To know Him is life’s highest attainment; and at all costs, every Christian
should strive to be “on the same old terms with Him.”
The reality of Jesus comes as a result of secret prayer,
and a personal study of the Bible that is devotional and sympathetic.
Christ becomes more real to the one who persists in the cultivation of His presence.
Speak thou to Him for He heareth,
And spirit with spirit will meet!
Nearer is He than breathing,
Nearer than hands and feet.
(Maltbie D. Babcock)
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June 7
“. . . I am Jesus whom Thou persecutest . . . and he [Saul] said,
Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?”
(Acts 9:5-6)
Where the Holy Ghost is working, one instrument is as good and efficient as seventy;
and where He is not working, seventy are of no more value than one.
It all depends upon the energy of the Holy Ghost.
With Him one man can do all, endure all, sustain all.
Without Him seventy men can do nothing.
If God honour a man by giving him a great deal of work to do, let him rejoice therein,
and not murmur; for if he murmur he can very speedily lose his honour.
God is at no loss for instruments.
Oh, for a heart to serve Him!
A patient, humble, self-emptied, devoted heart!
A heart ready to serve in company, ready to serve alone; a heart so filled with love to
Christ that it will find its joy, its chief joy, in serving Him,
let the sphere or character of service be what it may.
(Food for the Desert - prepared by James M. Black 1856-1938)
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June 8
“For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
(Romans 14:23)
If a thing is a snare to me I must give it up entirely.
Different things are snares to different people.
It is an individual thing with God.
I cannot judge what may be a snare to you.
If it is a snare, let it go.
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
(Matthew 5:8)
Purity of heart is the absence of what would shut out God.
(Footprints for Pilgrims - J.N.D.)
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June 9
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies,
kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.”
(Colossians 3:12)
An Australian poet, Adam Lindsay Gordon,
who was born more that a hundred years ago, wrote:
“Life is mostly froth and bubble.
Two things stand like stone:
Kindness in another’s trouble,
Courage in you own.”
Life is not mostly froth and bubble if you are living for the things that are eternal.
But it is perfectly true of the life that has not for its center, Christ.
The last three lines are entirely true.
Let us put them into our hearts and minds and live them.
(Amy Carmichael)
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June 10
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
(Genesis 1:1)
This is God’s universe and He does things His way.
You may [think you] have a better way of doing
things, but you don’t have a universe.
(J.V. McGee)
Unfortunately more and more people these days are consumed
with creating their own virtual reality.
It used to be called insanity.
Now it is called entertainment.
(Things to think about - J.K)
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June 11
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