Gems from August 1- 10, 2018

"Jonah . . . arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; 
for their wickedness is come up before me.” 

(Jonah 1:1-2) 

“And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.”

(Jonah 3:1-2) 

The message is a little more peremptory, without the explanation of the reason for the warning, as given at first. The prophet had shown himself unworthy of that intimacy of communion that the first command contained. 

The first message told of God’s “ways” and gave the reason for His “acts”.  The second time, there was no such explanation given, and simple, implicit obedience is what is called for.  This was right. 

It was in simple, implicit obedience that the prophet had failed: and the second opportunity offered to him is a test of whether he would obey, without being told the reason.

How important for us are the last words of that first verse: "Preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.” 

How often those of us who preach are tempted to preach what we like.  Perhaps the Lord 

has in the past blessed certain subjects, and we like to preach from these,

instead of listening to hear what He may bid us preach.

There are those who have certain subjects that they use over and over again: it saves that exercise of soul, perhaps, that new subjects would require.  There are others who make it a boast that they never preach the same sermon twice.

How different from Jonah, who only had one sermon, and preached it over and over again for days on end.

“The preaching that I bid thee” sums it all up for every preacher today.  May the Lord give us that quiet, hearing ear that is ready listening for His bidding as to the subject, as well as His bidding as to the place!

(G. C. Willis)

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August 1

Midnight Rememberings

"When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.”

(Psalm 63:6)

Memory is never so busy as in the quiet time while we are waiting for sleep; and never, perhaps,

are we more tempted to useless recollections and idle reveries than "in the night watches”.

Perhaps we have struggled against them; perhaps yielded to effortless indulgence in them,

and thought we could not help it, and were hardly responsible for ‘vain thoughts’ at such times.

But here is full help and bright hope.  This night let us ‘remember Thee.’

We can only remember what we already know; oh praise Him, then, that we have material for memory!

There is enough for all the wakeful nights of a lifetime in the one word ‘Thee.’

It leads us straight to ‘His own self;’ dwelling on that one word, faith, hope, and love, wake up and feed and grow.

Then the holy remembrance, wrought by His Spirit, widens.  For 'we will remember the name of the Lord our God,’ in its sweet and manifold revelations.  ‘I will remember the years' and the 'works of the Lord.’  

'Surely I will remember Thy wonders of old.’  Most of all ‘we will remember Thy love,’ the 

everlasting love of our Father, the 'exceeding great love of our Master and only 

Saviour,’ the gracious, touching love of our Comforter.

And the remembrance of all this love will include that of its grand act and proof, 

'Thou shalt remember that . . . Jehovah thy God redeemed thee.” 

(Royal Bounty - Frances Ridley Havergal)

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August 2

“And a man shall be as an hiding place . . . as the shadow 

of a great rock in a weary land.”

(Isaiah 32:2)

Major Andre was a dashing young British Army Officer engaged in the American Revolution.

He was sentenced and hanged as a spy.

Before his execution, he read the Bible and wrote a poem that testified of his conversion.

The Bible and poem are in the custody of Phipps Manor, Tarrytown, New York.

Major Andre’s body was removed years later and now 

rests in Westminster Abbey.  

(Edwin Fesche)

The last stanza of his poem reads:

“Should sevenfold storms of thunder roll, and shake this globe from pole to pole,

No thunderbolt shall daunt my face, for Jesus is my Hiding Place.”

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August 3

“That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in 

His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” 

(Ephesians 2:7)

We may well thank God for precious memories, but there is a danger of being too attached to them so that we cling to them and idolize them and map measure our future according to the likelihood of their repetition.

But our future will always be better (in God’s purposes) than our past:

“But the path of the just is as the shining light, 
that shineth more and more unto the perfect way” 

(Proverbs 4:18)

The future of the elect is but the eternal unfolding of the depths of the love and wisdom and power of God. Today is better than yesterday, and tomorrow will always be better. We cannot comprehend it, but we can enjoy it if we will.

“Look not behind thee.”  Remember Lot’s wife.  The glory shines before us.  

Let us press toward the mark, looking unto Jesus.

Tomorrow is indeed bigger and better—to faith.  Have a Good Day Indeed!

Living in the past paralyzes the present and bankrupt the future. 

(Morsels for Meditations - John Kaiser)

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August 4

“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”

(John 15:3)

"I cannot tell”, said the humblest shepherd’s wife, “what sermon it was that led to my conversion.

I cannot explain even the scriptures, but I know that something has changed me.

Last summer John and I washed the sheep in yonder stream.

I cannot tell you where the water went, but I can show you the clean, white fleece of the sheep.”

And so, I may forget the doctrines, but I have the blessed fruit in my heart and life.

~~~~~~~~~~

A backwoods preacher who knew little of books or theology, but who had what was a vast deal better, a practical knowledge of salvation through Christ, was before a committee for examination.

"Will you please name some of the evidences of the divinity our Lord Jesus Christ?” 

said one of his wise examiners.

The preacher’s face wore an expression of puzzled bewilderment and he was silent.

The examiner repeated his question, “What makes you think Christ is divine?”

Now there was a response from the whole man!

With tears in his eyes, he started to his feet and stretching out his arms and 

hands he exclaimed, “How do I know He’s divine? Why bless you, 

He’s saved my soul and I love Him for it.” 

(Traveling Toward Sunrise)

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August 5

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”

(Psalm 103:2) 

“His benefits” means all the good things he has done for you, and all the good things He has given you. Try to count up “His benefits” of this one day; and then think of those of yesterday, and last week, and all the year, and all your life. 

You will soon find that there are more than you can count, 

and you will begin to see how very much you have to thank Him for.

And then recollect His still greater benefits—the great gift of Jesus Christ Himself to be your Saviour and Redeemer, and the great gift of salvation through Him, and all His promises of grace and glory!

David speaks of "the multitude of Thy tender mercies" (Psalm 69:16), and Isaiah tells of 

“the multitude of His loving-kindnesses” (Isaiah 63:7).

Are not these true and beautiful words?

Will you not turn them into a song of thanksgiving,  

and say, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His 

benefits: . . . who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies!”

(Psalm 103:2,4)  

(Frances Ridley Havergal)

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

(Johnson Oatman - 1897) 

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August 6

LOVE WILL BE MANIFESTED

“By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples:

if ye have love one to another.”

(John 13:35)

Here is a sign which looms large among all who love the Lord, and by means of 

which they can be picked out anywhere. 

The Editor of an American paper offered a thousand dollars, to any of its readers who would invent a badge that could be worn by all Christians, and that would identify them as such.

One reader replied saying that he did not know much about badges,

but asked how John 13:35 would do?

“By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

The only way in which this witness can be given to men is for us individually to live

close to our Lord; for Christians are like the spokes of a wheel: the nearer 

they get to the Centre, the nearer they get to one another.

(In Pasture Green - George Henderson)

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August 7

"But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him;

and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.” 

(Luke 15:22)

The prodigal’s father brings out the “best robe” and puts a “ring upon his hand.”  These were not part of the original inheritance, but something the father had hidden away in reserve.  Had it been part of the original inheritance the son would have squandered it as well.

Man in his sin has forfeited his place in the original paradise—we can never go back to that.  But since sin came in through Adam, God has now brought out something much higher.  We have an intimate connection with the Last Adam (Jesus) and an eternal inheritance reserved for us in the heavenly paradise.

The prodigal, although forgiven, could not enter the house in the garments of the far country.  And he could not provide his own robe, but it was given to him.  This is a picture of the doctrine of justification. The believer has been declared to be righteous, which is more than mere forgiveness. Christ is our righteousness and we stand in Him, in perfect acceptance before God.

The ring is a picture of our eternal glory with Christ; we are secure in Him (1 Peter 1:4; 5:10).

The sandals testify of sonship; servants did not wear shoes.

This is all according to the “riches of His grace”! 

(Brian Reynolds)

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August 8

“She hath done what she could . . .”

(Mark 14:8)

Though we may not be important to the affairs of state, and though we work only in the most obscure of places, where we will never hear a praising word from human voice, there is still a record of our deeds.

Some “golden daybreak” a rich and grand reward will await us.

God’s praise is far better than man’s stuttering words of appreciation.

It is true that Mary’s ointment was wasted when she broke the alabaster box and poured it upon her Christ. Suppose she did not break the container nor pour out the ointment?

Could there have been a remembrance of her act of love?

It surely would not have been recorded within the gospel story.

Surely her deed would not have then been told over the whole world.

She broke the vase and poured it out.  She lost it, all of it.  It was her sacrifice.

Now the perfume from the precious ointment fills all of the earth.

"Our lives must be kept, carefully preserved from waste,” say those who are not close enough to their Lord to stoop down and anoint His feet.  Little they know that the reward will be not theirs to claim.

They will not have honour to cherish.

Only if life is poured out in loving service will it be a blessing to 

the world.  Then and only then will there be reward.

God will remember such a giver forever.

(Streams In The Desert) 

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August 9

“The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; 

and there He put the man whom He had formed.”

(Genesis 2:8)

"In the place where He was crucified there was a garden;

and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was 

never man yet laid.  There laid they Jesus.” 

(John 19:41-42)

The Father sent the Son a ruined world to save;

Man meted to the Sinless One the cross—the grave;

Blest Substitute from God, wrath’s awful cup He drained;

Laid down His life, and e’en the tomb’s reproach sustained.

(H. K. Burlington)

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August 10

“Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 

and ye yourselves like unto men that 

wait for their Lord.”

(Luke 12:35-36)

Your Father . . . your treasure . . . your loins . . . your lights . . . yourselves:

here in this section of the Gospel are things that are ours and

instructions for appropriate deportment. 

Having such a Father and such treasure, we should be ready for worship and service,

for witness, and for a personal welcome for our returning Lord.

He is coming back again.

Let us be found fulfilling our responsibilities.  

(Roy Hill)

Brightly beams our Father’s mercy from His lighthouse evermore,

But to us He gives the keeping of the lights along the shore.

Let the lower lights be burning!  Send a gleam across the wave!

Eager eyes are watching, longing, for the lights along the shore. 

(P. P. Bliss)

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August 11

“Take heed unto thyself . . .”

(1 Timothy 4:16)

Let nothing come between my soul and God.

Keep nothing back from God — tell Him everything as if He knew nothing about it.

_____________________________

Be mercilessly true to yourself, and have everything out with God; none will ever treat you so tenderly as He. 

___________________________

The measure of my love for God’s Word is the measure of my love for God; 

as you reverence Him, so you reverence it. 

__________________________

There is no halting-place short of conformity to Christ; but there is no need to be disheartened,

the Holy Spirit is here to work this out in us.  

(Comforted of God - A. J. Pollock)

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August 12