Gems from August 1- 10, 2020

August 1

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on Thee.  Psalm 25:21

Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.  Hebrews 13:18

Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. 2 Corinthians 8:21

Integrity means having the courage of your convictions.  This includes the capacity to cling to what you think is right, to go it alone when necessary, and speak out against what you know is wrong.

In the operating room of a great hospital a young nurse had her first day of full responsibility.  "You've removed eleven sponges, doctor," she said to the surgeon. "We used twelve."

"I've removed them all," the doctor declared.  "We'll close the incision now."

"No," the nurse objected.  "We used twelve."

"I'll take the responsibility,"  the surgeon said grimly.  "Suture!"

"You can't do that!" blazed the nurse."  "Think of the patient!"  The doctor smiled, lifted his foot, showed the nurse the twelfth sponge.  "You'll do," he said.  He had been testing her integrity - and she had it.

Integrity means having a conscience and listening to it.

"It is neither safe nor prudent," said Martin Luther, facing his enemies in the city where his death had been decreed, "To do aught against conscience.  Here I stand; God help me, I cannot do otherwise."    Arthur Gordon

N.J. Hiebert - 8195       

August 2

"Rebuke her (Ruth) not.  So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of  barley" Ruth 2:16-17).

The two disciples that went from Jerusalem to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-36) on the day of resurrection were gleaners in the field until even: for they were talking together of all these things which had happened, and as they communed and reasoned together, Jesus drew near and went with them, and many handfuls did he spread out before them on that memorable journey.

May we, like the two privileged disciples on the way to Emmaus constrain Him, to "Abide with us: for it is toward evening."  (Luke 24:29).

Ruth knew at the close of her day's gleaning what she had got, for she had beaten it out, and she had an ephah of barley.

And the two disciples knew as they returned to Jerusalem that they had seen the Lord for they rested not until they had returned to tell others the blessed news, and when they were assembled together the Lord stood in their midst, and said "Peace be unto you" (Luke 24:36).

May we all be conscious of this peace, which only the presence of our Lord can give.  We may hear, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken" (Luke 24:25).  But, as the Holy Spirit opens to us the scriptures and unfolds to us the glories of our Redeemer, we are no longer heard saying, "We trusted that it had been" this or that, but we gladly bow down in worship and adoration, by the Holy Spirit, offering up to Him the sacrifice of praise continually.  (Hebrews 13:15)
Meditations on the Book of Ruth - C.McKendrick

N.J. Hiebert - 8196 

August 3

And He (Jesus) said unto them . . . Why do thoughts arise in your hearts?  Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself.  Luke 24:38-39

Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean.  Leviticus 11:36

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.  Colossians 3:16

"When we think about Christ, it keeps bad thoughts out," said a young Christian.  He had proved the truth of this doctrine. By occupation of heart with Christ, the Christian grows like Him.

As a measure well filled with grain has no room for chaff, so a heart stored with Christ is preserved from evil.  (Selected)

When hearts are full of Christ, they long
Their glorious matter to declare!
Of Him they make their loftier song-
They cannot from His praise forbear;
Their ready tongues make hast to sing
The glories of the heavenly king.

Fairer than all the earth - born race,
Perfect in comeliness Thou art;
Replenished are Thy lips with grace,
And full of love Thy tender heart:
God ever blest! we bow the knee,
And own all fullness dwells in Thee.
Charles Wesley

N.J. Hiebert - 8197

August 4

THE  LIGHT  OF  ETERNITY

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal"  2 Corinthians 4:18.

Faith should pierce through and see the things that are not seen: things get their true value in another world, and faith when vivid sees them there.

We shall sorrow at no sacrifice when we meet Him.

Oh, the blessedness! when after all troubles and conflicts are over we shall "Awake in His likeness"  (Psalm 17:15).  Believers, is there nothing in this to quicken your joy in meeting Jesus?  Is there nothing in this to throw contempt upon the world and its unmeaning joys?

May the Lord's love and approbation be the things that govern us, and not the things that fade away.

There all's unsullied light;
Our hearts let in its rays;
And heavenly light
Makes all things bright,
Seen in that blissful gaze. 
J. N. Darby

N.J. Hiebert - 8198

August 5

He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but He that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.  Proverbs 10:5

The principle abides whether in relation to time or eternity.  The hour of opportunity if improved bespeaks wisdom; if neglected tells of present folly and future shame.

It is of the utmost importance that one set a proper value on the God-given present; "redeeming the time because the days are evil"  Ephesians 5:16.  Let the labourer in the harvest-fields of the Lord heed the word here given.

Now is the time to gather precious sheaves which will be cause for rejoicing in the day of the soon-coming "harvest home."  He who sleeps in the present reaping season will suffer shame and loss at the judgment-seat of Christ.

What an example of the diligent labourer is to be found in Paul, throughout his life of ceaseless activity and concern for a dying world.

Demas was one who, charmed by the love of the present world, went off to sleep and left the service for other hands. His shame abides to this day.  "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world" (2 Timothy 4:10).  Notes on Proverbs - H. A. Ironside

Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noon-tide and the dewy eves:
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves!

Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter's chilling breeze:
By and by the harvest, and the labour ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves!   Knowles Shaw

N.J. Hiebert - 8199

August 6

OUR  MOMENTS  KEPT  FOR  JESUS

Thou wilt keep Him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee because he trusteth in Thee.  Isaiah 26:3.

Keep my moments and my days;
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

But even if we have gone so far as to say  "Take my moments," have we gone the step farther, and really let Him take them - really intrusted them to Him?  It is no good saying, "Take," when we do not let go.  How can another keep that which we are keeping hold of?

So let us, with full trust in His power, first commit these slippery moments to Him. Those moments when the devil comes all in a moment;  - an unguarded, unkept moment - we utter the hasty or exaggerated word, or think the unChristlike thought, or feel the unChristlike impatience or resentment.  Put them right into His hand - and then we may trustfully and happily say, "Lord keep them for me!"

But the sanctified and Christ-loving heart cannot be satisfied with only negative keeping.   We do not want only to be kept from displeasing Him, but to be kept always pleasing Him.

Every "kept from," should have its corresponding and still more blessed  "kept for." We do not want our moments to be simply kept from Satan's use, but kept for Christ's use; not only kept from sin, but kept for His praise.
Kept for the Master's Use -  Frances Ridley Havergal

N.J. Hiebert - 8200

August 7

I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.   Psalm 3:6

EVENING.  "Felt much turmoil of spirit, in prospect of having all my plans for the welfare of this great region and this teeming population, knocked on the head by savages tomorrow.  But I read that Jesus said: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations ... and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." (Matthew 28:18-20)  

It is the word of a Gentleman, of the strictest and most sacred honour.  So there's an end of it!  I will not cross furtively tonight as I intended.  Should such a man as I flee?  Nay, verily, I shall take observations for latitude and longitude tonight, though they may be the last.  I feel quite calm now, thank God!"     From the diary of David Livingstone

During the terrible days of the Boxer uprising in China, as one report followed another of mission stations destroyed and missionaries massacred, Hudson Taylor sat quietly at his desk singing softly the hymn he loved so dearly:

"Jesus I am resting, resting, In the joy of what Thou art.
I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart."   J. S. Pigott

When our confidence is in God we may be superior to circumstances.  "If God be for us, who can be against us?"  Romans 8:31  However impossible it may seem to the reasoning of the earthly-minded, it is nevertheless a blessed reality to the trustful child of God, that: "Faith can sing through days of sorrow: "All, ALL is well!"  Mary Bowley

"Though I was afraid of many things," said John Buchan, " the thing I feared most mortally was being afraid."  Selected.

N.J. Hiebert - 8201

August 8

Gideon threshed wheat by the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites.  And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, the Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour . . . and Gideon went in and made ready unleavened cakes.  Lo a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian.   Judges 6:11-19, 7:13

The Midianite is in the land,
And Israel's hard bestead.
There's poverty on every hand,
And scarcity of bread:
But brawny Gideon beats at night
The threshing of his floor,
And by the winepress, out of sight,
Conceals his precious store.

How well his honest heart esteems
The food his God has given!
A plain unleavened cake he deems
Fit for a guest from heaven.
Here is a man whom God can tell,
'Go thou in this thy might.'
Yes, Midian's tents shall prove how well
A 'barley cake' can fight!

A lesson learn from Gideon's floor:
Nutritious food for you
Is in the Word; abundance more
Than ever Caanan grew.
And if you wish to serve the Lord
(For still his foes assail),
If you would learn to use the Sword,
First learn to use the Flail!    James M. S. Tait

N.J. Hiebert - 8202

August 9

Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.  Psalm 23:6

It would be difficult to find two other words to describe as accurately as do the two great words of our text, the two-fold provision which has been made by our God for believers of New Testament times.

Goodness - is for our need, and corresponds to what the priesthood of Christ provides (Hebrews 4:14-16);  Mercy - is for our failure, and well describes what is secured for us by the advocacy of Christ (1 John 2:1).

GOODNESS.  At the present moment, therefore, "He now appears in the presence of God for us."  (Hebrews 9:24); and, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for us, (7:25), we are enjoined to "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (4:16).  David, in common with ourselves, knew what it was to grow weary in the fight: "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" Psalm 27:13.

MERCY - But suppose we fail to avail ourselves of the high-priestly provision which has been made for us - what happens then?  Does He cast us off forever?  That is what we would deserve, no doubt; but that is not what He does.  "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous."  (1 John 2:1).

Thus "goodness" is manifested in the provision of One Who ever lives to intercede; while "mercy" follows us to remove entirely all traces of those sad footprints which we make when, through un-watchfulness, we go astray.

An artist was asked if he could paint a picture of an Eastern shepherd. "And can you paint the sheep which follow the shepherd?"  "Yes," he replied.  "And can you paint the goodness and mercy which follow the sheep?" To which the artist had to reply that, that was quite beyond him.  G. Henderson     

N.J. Hiebert - 8203

August 10

JEWELS,  GEMS  AND  PRECIOUS  STONES 

And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My Jewels.  Malachi 3:17

These three terms refer to rare and costly stones, which when cut and faceted, are very beautiful.  One of them was chosen as the title of this series; reflecting the "mining" and meditating upon God's Word.

This applied to Israel, but we can extend it to include every true believer today. Every miner of precious stones needs to be trained and equipped for the work. So each of us must accept the Lord Jesus as Saviour, before we can "mine" the Word and be led by His Spirit to rightly interpret what we read.

Precious stones, when dug out of the rock, are unattractive except to the discerning eye of the skilled miner.  So Isaiah 53 says of the Lord Jesus that "there is no beauty that we should desire Him".  We must first get to know Him and value His complete work of salvation.

It is the skillful cutting, faceting and polishing that makes attractive jewels.  This reminds us of what the Lord went through (rejection, false charges, suffering and death) to bring us redemption by His shed blood.

A final thought; in the pitch dark, any valuable jewel is simply a pebble.  It takes light to impart it's sparkle.  We too can shine as jewels, recognizing it is only the light of God reflected in us that gives testimony to the great salvation that has been granted to us.  Lorne Perry

When He cometh, when He cometh, to make up His jewels,
All His jewels, precious jewels, His loved and His own.
Like the stars of the morning, His bright crown adorning,
They shall shine in His beauty, bright Gems for His crown.  William Cushing, 1856

N.J. Hiebert - 8204     

August 11