Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church
by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21.
Do I believe that God can strengthen us to do things which are humanly speaking quite impossible?
It is easy to say, Of course I do. But do I?
"A man's right hand is capable of a pull equal to about two thirds of his own weight,
but a crab's claw can support a weight equal to thirty times the weight of its own
body", so I have read in a book about the Barrier reef. It sounds impossible.
Sometimes we are asked to do things that seem far too hard for us, to "support a weight"
far too heavy for us. But the God with Whom we have to do
can do for us what He does for the crab.
He can make us strong to do that which looks and feels impossible;
He is the God of the Impossible.
Edges of His Ways - Amy Carmichael
N.J. Hiebert - 8033
February 22
JOSEPH WAS HATED
Now Israel loved, Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age:
and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their
father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could
not speak peaceably unto him. (Genesis 37:3,4)
If Joseph has a unique place in his father's affections, and if he is destined in the counsels of God
to the place of supremacy, he will, in the mean time, have to face the hatred of his brethren.
This must be so if, in any measure, his story is to shadow forth that far greater
hatred which Christ was called to endure at the hands of men.
The One whom God has destined to the place of universal dominion is the only one that is hated
by every natural heart. Why does the natural heart bear such hatred to Christ?
Was there any cause of hatred in Him? Surely not, for in Christ there
was an entire absence of the cruelty and violence, the lust and
covetousness, the pride and arrogance, the meanness
and selfishness, which in other men give such
occasion for hatred.
In Him there was everything to call forth love. While others went about doing evil,
He "went about doing good" (Acts 10:38). Man's mouth may be full of
cursing and bitterness, but at least man must bear witness to
"the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth"
Luke 4:22, and the officers who were sent to take
him said, "never man spake like this man"
(John 7:46).
Hamilton Smith
N.J. Hiebert - 8034
February 23
As thy days, so shall thy strength be. Deuteronomy 33:25
The Lord's compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23
Sometimes I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of a year to a great
bundle of sticks--far too large to lift. But God does not require us to carry
the whole bundle at once.
He mercifully unties the bundle and gives us one stick that we are to carry today
and then another that we are to carry tomorrow, and so on.
We might easily manage it, if we would take only the burden appointed for us each day.
But we chose to increase our troubles by carrying yesterday's stick
over again today and by adding tomorrow's burden to our
load before we are required to bear it.
John Newton - Author of the hymn "Amazing Grace."
N.J. Hiebert - 8035
February 24
All that generation were gathered unto their fathers:
and there arose another generation after them,
which knew not the Lord. Judges 2:10
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith. 2 Corinthians 13:5
It is easy for a young person who has had the privilege of growing up in a
godly home and a Bible believing assembly to rest on the faith of
his/her parents and yet not know the Lord in a personal,
life-changing way!
Such faith will not stand. Eventually life will force you to stand alone and make
your own decision regarding Christ and your relationship to Him. Only
Christ Himself can satisfy the deepest longings of the heart.
Before you drift away into a world of sin that will never satisfy, turn
to Christ. Humbly trust Him as your Saviour and commit
your life completely to Him.
David Croudace
Now none but Christ can satisfy, no other name for me,
There's love, and life, and lasting joy,
Lord Jesus found in Thee.
Emma Bevan
N.J. Hiebert - 8036
February 25
Slowing Down Time
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12
A lot has changed since the electric clock was invented in the 1840s. We now keep time on
smart watches, smart phones, and lap tops. The entire pace of life seems
faster - with even our "leisurely" walking speeding up. We're just
moving faster and faster and getting back to people as
quickly as we can. That's driving us to think
everything has to happen now.
Moses, the writer of one of the oldest of the Bible's Psalms, reflected on time. He reminds us that God controls life's pace. "For a thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past,
and as a watch in the night" (Psalm 90:4).
The secret to time management, therefore, isn't to go faster or slower.
It's to abide in God, spending more time with Him. Then we get in step with each other,
but first with Him - the One who formed us (Psalm 139:13) and knows our purpose and plans (v.16).
Our time on earth won't last forever. Yet we can manage it wisely, not by watching the clock, but by
giving each day to God. As Moses said. "So teach us to number our days, that we
may apply our hearts unto wisdom (Psalm 90:12). Then with God we'll
always be on time, now and forever.
(Patricia Raybon)
N.J. Hiebert - 8037
------------------------------
Our daily Bread, RBC Ministries, Copyright (2020), Grand Rapids, MI - Reprinted permission.
February 26
For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia,
that we were pressed out of measure, above strength,
insomuch that we despaired even of life.
2 Corinthians 1:8
Have you ever watched a musician and seen how he tightens the strings before commencing to play?
Sometimes he screws and screws until the strings seem as though they would snap.
It is to get the right tone. The musician knows what he is about.
And does not God, though He may be dealing with you
in much the same way and putting a
great strain upon you?
Yes, even though, like the apostle, you may seem pressed out of measure, yet He knows
how much we can bear. And He knows the effect the pressure will produce.
The music will be all the sweeter.
Angels in White - Russell Elliot
"Praise shall employ these tongues of ours,
Till we with all the saints above
Extol His Name with nobler powers,
And see the ocean of His love;
Then while we look, and wondering gaze,
We'll fill the heavens with endless praise."
Toplady
N.J. Hiebert - 8038
February 27
They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day:
and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God
amongst the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8
If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom.
Job 31:33
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper:
but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Proverbs 28:13
Come at once, thy way forsaking,
Own thy sins with all their shame,
Claim God's pardon, full, eternal,
Now believing in His name;
Then with joy thy Lord confessing,
Press thou on, the glory's thine,
Wait His coming, live unto Him,
Let your light thus brightly shine.
Anon
N. J. Hiebert - 8039
February 28
DO IT!
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13
The will of God streams and flows like a colossal, cosmic current through the seas of time.
Only the person who also moves in accord with it finds purpose and
direction in a divine destiny of utter fulfilment.
If you would walk with God in His will, discover what it is. Then do it!
Step out in simple faith, your attention centred in Christ to go where He asks you to go;
to live as He instructs you to live; to be what He asks you to be; to do what He asks you to do.
As you set your will to so live, you are taking the first giant step of faith which He will honour.
He in turn will be faithful to you and empower you to walk with Him in joy.
Songs of My Soul - W. Phillip Keller
N.J. Hiebert - 8040
February 29
THE SUBMISSIVE HEART
Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the
Father of spirits and live? Hebrews 12:9
A heart resigned, submissive meet,
My great Redeemer's throne,
Where only Christ is heard to speak,
Where Jesus reigns alone.
Faith is a divine plant that only grows out of the soil of a broken will.
Two lessons to be learned: first, to expect nothing but from the Lord; and
second, to take nothing, even though it be that on which you have set your heart,
and even if it be brought to you, but to wait on the Lord until He puts it into your hands.
You are of no use to God until your will is broken.
The calm of a soul which reposes in the will of God is unspeakable.
When you have learned that your only home is God's presence, and your only happiness is in doing God's will, there is nothing more that I can teach you.
The more subject we are to the will of God the more
we shall grow in holiness.
Edward Dennett
N.J. Hiebert - 8041
March 1
MEET FOR THE MASTER'S USE
Serving the Lord with all humility of mind. Acts 20:19
The eye that is most anointed will not be the first to see failure in others, and the soul that knows most of walking under the yoke with the Master will not be the first to undertake the putting right, according to its own mind, of what halts and limps in others.
Prayer is sure work and the harbinger of blessing . . . and often what sets us a praying for more is the a first dropping of His rich love and grace.
Through evil report and through good report Paul had to pass, and so far as any accusation against me is known to me as not true . . . I do not think one need to be unhappy about it. . . . But there is a reward for our bearing false accusations.
G. V. Wigram
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Matthew 5:11-12
N.J. Hiebert - 8042
March 2
Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love Thee. John 21:17
It is not someone else, some temporarily possessing spirit, which says these words, but our true and very self, only changed and renewed
by the power of the Holy Spirit. And when "I do that which I
would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin
that dwelleth in me" (Romans 7:16-17).
Our true self is the new self, taken and won
by the love of God and kept by the power of God.
Yes, kept! There is the promise on which we ground our prayer; or,
rather, one of the promises. For, search and look for your own
strengthening and comfort, and you will find it repeated in
every part of the Bible from "I am with Thee, and will keep
thee (Genesis 28:15) to "I also will keep thee from
the hour of temptation" (Revelation 3:10).
And kept for Him! Why should it be thought a thing incredible
with you when it is only the fulfilling of His own eternal
purpose in creating us? "This people have I formed
for Myself" (Isaiah 43:21). Not ultimately only
but presently and continually, "Thou shalt
abide for Me." (Hosea 3:3). "He that
remaineth, even He shall be for
our God" (Zechariah 9:7).
Are you one of His people by faith in Jesus Christ?
Then see what you are to Him. You, personally and individually,
are part of the Lord's portion and of His inheritance. His portion and
inheritance would not be complete without you; you are His
peculiar treasure (Exodus 19:5); a special people
unto Himself (Deuteronomy 7:6).
Kept for the Master's Use - Frances R.Havergal
N.J. Hiebert - 8043
March 3
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
It has been rightly said that prayer does not equip us for greater work--
prayer is the greater work.
Some of God's people are given the responsibility to preach His word in public settings, even before large audiences, but the privilege of all God's people is to pray.
It can and must involve the sacrifice of time, the giving up of other things to focus upon the Lord. The joy of prayer and the power that flows from it is very much anchored to the discipline of interceding with God.
The need today is for true intercessors and that is
the challenge for each of us!
Paul Young
In the busy round of life, do we stop to pray?
commit each day into His care, and seek His help alway.
Norah A. Young
N.J. Hiebert - 8044
March 4
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