October 23
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know unto God. Philippians 4:6
Be much in prayer, in this dark hour, for great are Satan's wiles;
Far worse than persecuting power are his seductive smiles.
And error comes in such disguise -- smooth-tongued and circumspect --
That none but truth enlightened eyes the monster can detect!
And Fair profession, hand-in-hand with evil, stalks abroad
But to deceive. Oh! who can stand save those who trust in God?
Be much in prayer, 'mid all thy joys, so shall their depths increase;
For lack of watchfulness alloys the very sweetest peace.
What power to stand is gained by saints who love to "watch and pray"!
And who escapes the desert taints in this defiling day?
Be much in prayer for labouring ones, who in the Master's name,
And with the Master's message, run, His mercy to proclaim.
The harvest's great, the workmen few, and naught of time to spare;
Iniquity increases, too--remember this in prayer.
"I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace." (Acts 20:32)
Selected
N.J. Hiebert - 8278
October 24
By night on my bed I sought him who my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. Song of Solomon 3:1
The heart of the spouse is feeling the loneliness of the night while waiting for the dawn of the morning. She is thinking of the One who brings the morning with Him. But she has lost the sense of His nearness. This is failure. The conscience is awake--the affections are lively: "I sought him whom my soul loveth." Yet there is no joy--she is in trouble. There can only be one cause for such a state of soul--the eye rests not on the Beloved Himself. Her eye has wandered, and she is in darkness--in felt loneliness. She has rest as to salvation; "my bed"-- a resting place: though for a moment, it is "night" with the soul.
It matters little, for the purpose of the enemy, on what the eye rests, if he can only get it off Christ. It may be occupied with the best of things, such as work of the Lord, our brethren, brotherly love, the fellowship of saints. But even these things, blessed as they are, will lead to failure, if any one of them becomes the governing object of the heart in place of the Person of Christ. But what shall we say of self and the world coming in, in some of their ten thousand forms? Darkness, weakness, and sad confusion must follow. (John 14:23)
The Lord is ever the same. He changeth not. When there is a change as to our communion--as to our enjoyment of Christ, it is entirely with ourselves. We may rest assured, that He will manifest to the fullest extent possible, the love that we can appreciate, so long as the eye is fixed on the Person of the Lord--so long as He is our object, our centre; light, love, peace, and joy fills the soul.
But when the eye wanders--when he ceases to fill the full vision of our souls, darkness comes in; then follows, through the craftiness of the enemy, the numerous train of perplexing, agitating thoughts and feelings. (Matthew 6:22)
Song of Solomon - Andrew Murray
N.J. Hiebert - 8279
October 25
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
An infidel was holding forth on a steamer declaiming against the Bible. There happened to be on board an earnest preacher, who listened in pained silence to the outburst. When the infidel ceased speaking, the preacher spoke up. He placed a five pound note on the table, and on top of the note his watch. He then said to the infidel, "Sir, you are evidently very familiar with the Bible."
"Yes," he replied boastfully, "I have made it a lifetime study."
"In that case you will easily earn this five pound note and watch. They are yours if you will quote ten verses out of the Bible correctly."
The infidel hesitated and looked confused. He then said apologetically, "I have not read the Bible for the last fourteen years, and I am afraid my memory of it has failed a good deal."
"You shall have this five pound note and watch, if you can quote five verses." Still no response.
At last the preacher said, "You shall have this five pound note and watch, if you will quote correctly one text." Still no response.
Then the preacher opened his Bible, and spoke earnestly to those assembled till late at night. They then withdrew to their cabins for the night. The infidel went to his bed, but not to rest. He spent a sleepless night. In the morning with a friend he came to the cabin of the preacher asking him to pray for him, which he gladly did.
I appeal to all, especially young men and women, to give the Bible a fair trial. Read it, study it, and seek earnestly the truth. A. J. Pollock
N.J. Hiebert - 8280
October 26
THE STARS ALSO
He made the stars also. Genesis 1:16
He made the sun that day by day pours down its radiance bright. He made yon stately moon that rules in silvery pomp the night. But all those tiny twinkling specks as far as I can go,
I watch with wonder when I think, "He made the stars also."
But I am glad; because, you see, my life so small appears-- Not big and brilliant like the sun that lights the rolling years, Nor fair and lovely like the moon. I'm just a speck, I know.
Yet He who made those greater lights, "He made the stars also."
Then, there are things in daily life that seem so mean and slight, We wonder, does God really keep such tiny things in sight? But now I know however small those little things may show,
They'll not escape His loving eye, Who "made the stars also."
But are they small, those twinkling specks? or should I maybe find (Had I the eyes) each one exceed both sun and moon combined? And -- who can tell -- those things that men deem "weak" and "base" and low,
May be the greatest things with Him Who "made the stars also."
Bells and Pomegranates - James M. S. Tait
N.J. Hiebert - 8281
October 27
And He commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. Mark 6:39
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. Psalm 23:2
Those who do most in the day and who always have time for one thing more are those who know what it is to sit down on the green grass. It is not the bustling, chatty people who do most for others. It is those who know most of quietness.
Before our Lord Jesus could feed the people, He had to make them sit down. Before He can feed us we too must sit down. David sat before the Lord; he was quiet before his God. Even if we have not a long time to spend in the morning with our God much can be received in a very few minutes if only we are quiet.
Sometimes it takes a little while to gather our scattered thoughts and quiet our soul. Even so, don't hurry; make it sit down on the green grass.
Gather my thoughts, dear Lord, they fitful roam,
Like children bent on foolish wandering,
Or vanity of fruitless wayfaring;
O call them home.
Amy Carmichael
N. J. Hiebert - 8282
October 28
As it is written, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. Romans 8:36-37
What is it to be more than conquerors? A mere conqueror is sometimes little better off than the vanquished, and a victory is often only next door to defeat. France and Britain were said to have conquered in the late war, but, certainly, they were not more than conquerors, for they have both suffered and are still suffering to such an extent that they are but little better off than the vanquished.
To be more than conquerors is not only that no enemy can do you harm, but it means you come out of the conflict a complete gainer in every way. In the passage before us the Apostle enumerates the worst of ills (verse 35). He even speaks of being killed all the day long, and yet he can say, "in all these things we are more than conquerors." Apparent defeat and disaster can be turned to our advantage through Him that loves us.
An American admiral said once "I have fought in many engagements, and been victorious in all, but I have one more enemy to encounter, and I know that when we meet I shall be defeated." The enemy he meant was DEATH. This is not being more than conqueror, to be defeated at last. The Apostle Paul, facing even death itself--as he faced it often--yea, speaking as one who was "killed all the day long," could exclaim: "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us."
Through time and eternity, he knew of no enemy that could vanquish him, and he knew that out of all his tribulations he would emerge the gainer.
(2 Corinthians 4:17) To what does he attribute his final and complete victory? Not to his own courage, or determination, or wisdom, or strength--not even to his own faithfulness or holiness, but, to "Him that loved us." He traces it all to one source, and that source the love of God. Angels in White - Russell Elliot
N.J. Hiebert - 8283
October 29
And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elias: who appeared in glory, and spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem. Luke 9:30-31.
They were occupied with His death while talking with Him. One thing occupies the minds of heaven and earth. He was going to be crucified where He ought to have been King. Under such circumstances there was nothing for heaven or earth to talk about but His death. And so for us, the great thing to talk about Messiah is, that He died.
We shall never cease having interest in this subject: when with the Father in the glory, it will be the absorbing theme. He said Himself, "Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life." How much more shall we not love Him for the same cause?
"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom. And Jesus said unto Him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise . (Luke 23:39-43).
Jesus crucified was more than King -- He was Saviour. The poor malefactor was a testimony to it, and the joy and consolation of the Lord's heart -- the first fruits of the love which had placed them side by side, were, if the poor thief bore the fruit of his sins from man, the Lord of glory at his side was bearing the fruit of them from God.
Through a work unknown to man save by faith, the sins of His companion were forever put away, they no longer existed, their remembrance was only of the grace which had taken them away, and which had forever cleansed his soul from them, making him that moment as fit to enter paradise as Christ Himself his companion there!
Footprints for Pilgrims.
N.J. Hiebert - 8284
October 30
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true. . .honest (venerable). . . just. . . pure. . .lovely. . .of good report; if. . . any virtue, and if . . .any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:7-9
The peace of God is the Divine Sentinel to keep guard over our "hearts and thoughts;" to repel foes from within and without. When we were children we used to play a sort of game to see if we could stop thinking, and just leave our mind a blank: but we never succeeded.
The Spirit of God knows well how these minds of ours are always active: always thinking: our Divine Sentinel is there to keep away those hateful, evil thoughts: but we need something more than that: we need the positive side as well as the negative. If our mind is always busy with thoughts, and evil thoughts are excluded, what then? That is what we have before us (v 8). Now the Spirit of God, by the Apostle, presents to us those things which should occupy us instead of the old bad thoughts. We will see that the God of Peace Himself promises to be with us if we give heed to Philippians 4:8.
The first is: "Whatsoever things are true." Does this not turn our eyes at once to the only One of Whom it can be truly said "He that is true." (Revelation 3:7) Our thoughts form us; and it is "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." And let us not forget that our thoughts are formed by what we read, and look at, and hear.
How much about us is superficial, or false. Our newspapers, radio, the magazines about the house: do these help us to meditate on whatsoever things are true? Do we realize what a terrific influence these things have on ourselves? And how much of all that is not true, but utterly false, as we very well know. Little wonder the Spirit of God exhorts us to think on, to meditate on, to calculate, whatsoever things are true. May God help us, to learn to refuse, and to choose! To refuse the false, and to choose the true! G. C. Willis.
N.J. Hiebert - 8285
October 31
Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever. Psalm 28:9
Save . . . bless . . . feed . . . lift up . . .
What an inclusive prayer! nothing is left out. The word that speaks to me specially is "feed".
I do not think there is anything from the beginning of our Christian life to the end, that is so keenly attacked as our quiet with God, for it is in quietness that we are fed. Sometimes it is not possible to get long uninterrupted quiet, but even if it be only ten minutes, "hem it with quietness."
Enclose it in quietness; do not spend the time in thinking how little time you have. Be quiet. If you are interrupted, as soon as the interruption ceases, sink back into quietness again without fuss or worry of spirit. Those who know this secret and practise it, are lifted up. They go out from that time with their Lord, be it long or short, so refreshed, so peaceful, that wherever they go they unconsciously say to others, who are perhaps cast down and weary, There is a lifting up. Amy Carmichael
I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses;
And the voice I hear falling on my ear the Son of God discloses.
Chorus:
And He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own.
And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever has ever known.
He speaks and the sound of His voice Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me within my heart is ringing. C. Austin Miles
N. J. Hiebert - 8286
November 1
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly . . . but his delight is in the law of the Lord: and in His law doeth he meditate day and night. Psalm 1:1-2.
People get salvation mostly through single verses of the Bible. How many have found peace through that precious verse "
But we do not want to remain ignorant. God saves us to be sharers in His thoughts. That is why we ought to covet to understand His Word. We are so intensely selfish naturally that we cheat ourselves as most selfish people do. We are so selfish that unless we think a certain portion of God's word is going to minister to our comfort, or specially suits our case, there is no good in it for us, and therefore we fail to be in harmony with the thoughts of God. As a result we live a poor low life that is exposed to the temptations of the enemy.
Why is it that Satan has such power over the people of God. It is because they neglect the Word of God. And so you and I may have two or three verses that apply to the Christian walk, or to restoration and communion and a few more that apply to our dealings with the world, and we think we have enough to live by: but we are not in communion with God. There is only one way to be in communion with God and that is through His precious Word. That is the importance of taking up in in an orderly way and unfolding some of the perfections of God's blessed Word. Genesis to Revelation - S.Ridout
N.J. Hiebert - 8287
November 2
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