May 11
Lord, increase our faith. Luke 17:5
Faith is not clinging - it is letting go.
A traveller upon a lonely road was attacked by bandits who robbed him of all he had. They then led him into the depths of the forest. There in the darkness they tied a rope to the limb of a great tree, and bade him catch hold of the end of it, swinging him out into the darkness of surrounding space, they told him he was hanging over the brink of a giddy precipice. The moment he let go he would be dashed to pieces on the rocks below. And then they left him. His soul was filled with horror at the awful doom impending.
He clutched despairingly the end of the swaying rope. But each dreadful moment only made his fate more sure. His strength steadily failed. At last he could hold on no longer. The end had come. His clenched fingers relaxed their convulsive grip.
He fell - six inches, to the solid earth at his feet! It was only a ruse of the robbers to gain time in escaping. And when he let go it was not to death, but to the safety which had been waiting him through all his time of terror.
Clutching will not save anyone from his hopelessness. It is only Satan's trick to keep you from being afforded security and peace in the solid promises of God. And all the while you are swinging over the supposed precipice of fear and mistrust. Let go! It is God's plan that you fall - not to defeat, but into His arms, the solid rock.
As soon as you recognize your sheer helplessness and your failing strength, you let go; and falling upon Him, your fear goes, your mistrust goes, and the blessed assurance comes forever. For He - not your clinging but - "He shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) Streams in the Desert
N.J. Hiebert - 8478
Faith is not clinging - it is letting go.
A traveller upon a lonely road was attacked by bandits who robbed him of all he had. They then led him into the depths of the forest. There in the darkness they tied a rope to the limb of a great tree, and bade him catch hold of the end of it, swinging him out into the darkness of surrounding space, they told him he was hanging over the brink of a giddy precipice. The moment he let go he would be dashed to pieces on the rocks below. And then they left him. His soul was filled with horror at the awful doom impending.
He clutched despairingly the end of the swaying rope. But each dreadful moment only made his fate more sure. His strength steadily failed. At last he could hold on no longer. The end had come. His clenched fingers relaxed their convulsive grip.
He fell - six inches, to the solid earth at his feet! It was only a ruse of the robbers to gain time in escaping. And when he let go it was not to death, but to the safety which had been waiting him through all his time of terror.
Clutching will not save anyone from his hopelessness. It is only Satan's trick to keep you from being afforded security and peace in the solid promises of God. And all the while you are swinging over the supposed precipice of fear and mistrust. Let go! It is God's plan that you fall - not to defeat, but into His arms, the solid rock.
As soon as you recognize your sheer helplessness and your failing strength, you let go; and falling upon Him, your fear goes, your mistrust goes, and the blessed assurance comes forever. For He - not your clinging but - "He shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) Streams in the Desert
N.J. Hiebert - 8478
May 12
He restoreth my soul. Psalm 23:3
There is a scene in the life of the apostle Peter which beautifully illustrates this. The sifting process of which our Lord had warned him, but to which he paid little attention, had been carried out; and as a result Peter had denied his Master with oaths and curses. One can imagine the remorse which would fill his mind when he realized what he had done: the tendency would be to throw up utterly his new discipleship.
And here we would point out the meaning of a scripture, which is frequently misquoted. Our Lord had said, "I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not," not "that thou mayest fail not." The failure was evidently the only method by which Peter could be robbed of his self-confidence. But the danger was that, having fallen, he would give way to despair, and it was to obviate this that our Lord's intercession was exercised on his behalf.
Well, just at the time of Peter's great denial, "the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, 'before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice' And Peter went out out and wept bitterly" (Luke 22:61,62). "Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him . . . and when he thought thereon, he wept" (Mark 14:72).
That word penetrated Peter's soul, broke up the fountains of his heart, and drew forth floods of penitential tears. When he meant his best he found out what a wicked heart he had; and when he did his worst he found out what a blessed heart Christ had. How often in times of soul declension do we experience equally tender treatment from our gracious God!
Pearl of Psalms - George Henderson
N.J. Hiebert - 8479
There is a scene in the life of the apostle Peter which beautifully illustrates this. The sifting process of which our Lord had warned him, but to which he paid little attention, had been carried out; and as a result Peter had denied his Master with oaths and curses. One can imagine the remorse which would fill his mind when he realized what he had done: the tendency would be to throw up utterly his new discipleship.
And here we would point out the meaning of a scripture, which is frequently misquoted. Our Lord had said, "I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not," not "that thou mayest fail not." The failure was evidently the only method by which Peter could be robbed of his self-confidence. But the danger was that, having fallen, he would give way to despair, and it was to obviate this that our Lord's intercession was exercised on his behalf.
Well, just at the time of Peter's great denial, "the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, 'before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice' And Peter went out out and wept bitterly" (Luke 22:61,62). "Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him . . . and when he thought thereon, he wept" (Mark 14:72).
That word penetrated Peter's soul, broke up the fountains of his heart, and drew forth floods of penitential tears. When he meant his best he found out what a wicked heart he had; and when he did his worst he found out what a blessed heart Christ had. How often in times of soul declension do we experience equally tender treatment from our gracious God!
Pearl of Psalms - George Henderson
N.J. Hiebert - 8479
May 13
My heart is inditing (welling forth with) a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made (composed) touching the king. Psalm 45:1
This is worship. Notice its focus: not so much what He has done, but what He is--His intrinsic worth. Are we able to enter into this kind of appreciation of Him? Listen again to that divine acclamation, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17)
This was true before the Lord Jesus had done anything that man could see. It was true before His incarnation. Throughout eternity past all God's delights were centered in the Son. To illustrate further, let us consider another portion--Psalm 95:
"O come, let us sing unto the Lord:
Let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,
And make a joyful noise unto Him with Psalms."
Why?
"For the Lord is a great God,"
"O come, let us worship and bow down:"
Why?
"For He is our God."
Worship is not a product of the mind or will, but the gushings forth of the soul that has been set in awe by the presence and knowledge of Him Who is worshipped. It is the irrepressible response of the heart brought into an awareness of His matchless worth and incomparable. H. B. Duncanson
Worship, honour, praise, and glory, would we render unto Thee;
Heights unsearched and depths unfathomed in Thy wondrous love we see.
All Thy glory shines transcendent in the Person of the Son,
Jesus Christ, Thy Well-Beloved, Who redemption's glory won. E. H. Chater
N.J. Hiebert - 8480
This is worship. Notice its focus: not so much what He has done, but what He is--His intrinsic worth. Are we able to enter into this kind of appreciation of Him? Listen again to that divine acclamation, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17)
This was true before the Lord Jesus had done anything that man could see. It was true before His incarnation. Throughout eternity past all God's delights were centered in the Son. To illustrate further, let us consider another portion--Psalm 95:
"O come, let us sing unto the Lord:
Let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,
And make a joyful noise unto Him with Psalms."
Why?
"For the Lord is a great God,"
"O come, let us worship and bow down:"
Why?
"For He is our God."
Worship is not a product of the mind or will, but the gushings forth of the soul that has been set in awe by the presence and knowledge of Him Who is worshipped. It is the irrepressible response of the heart brought into an awareness of His matchless worth and incomparable. H. B. Duncanson
Worship, honour, praise, and glory, would we render unto Thee;
Heights unsearched and depths unfathomed in Thy wondrous love we see.
All Thy glory shines transcendent in the Person of the Son,
Jesus Christ, Thy Well-Beloved, Who redemption's glory won. E. H. Chater
N.J. Hiebert - 8480
May 14
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. Acts 2:2,3
In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit, as a rushing mighty wind, enters into the house; cloven tongues as of fire sit upon its occupants. This is the Lord adopting this house. The house was now a living house, and the Lord personally enters it, bringing with Him His gifts, symbolized by the cloven fiery tongues.
The Spirit speaks as soon as He has entered it through the vessels which He had now filled. He speaks of the wonderful works of God. He speaks not of what man was required to do, but of what God had already done in behalf of man. The ministry, death, resurrection, and glory of the Saviour of men are among "the wonderful works of God," (Acts 2:11) which the Spirit through His vessels was rehearsing in grace to sinners.
This is what the Lord of the temple was now doing. He was speaking of what He, the God of salvation, had already done. Surely it is very fitting that the Blessed One should be worshipped by our sacrifices of praise.
There is a disposition in some of us to keep the Lord before as the One Who is a Heavenly Stranger and has been rejected and cast out here. All this is surely so. It is good and healthful for the soul to have this sense of things upon it. But if this becomes the exclusive or even predominate thought, it will tend to legality and a spirit of bondage and fear.
We must rather cherish a disposition or tendency in our souls to know Christ in the grace which He is ministering to us, in the love that He has declared He has to us, in the eternal security which His blood imparts to our condition, and the sure and bright blessedness He is preparing for us. J. G. Bellett
N.J. Hiebert - 8481
In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit, as a rushing mighty wind, enters into the house; cloven tongues as of fire sit upon its occupants. This is the Lord adopting this house. The house was now a living house, and the Lord personally enters it, bringing with Him His gifts, symbolized by the cloven fiery tongues.
The Spirit speaks as soon as He has entered it through the vessels which He had now filled. He speaks of the wonderful works of God. He speaks not of what man was required to do, but of what God had already done in behalf of man. The ministry, death, resurrection, and glory of the Saviour of men are among "the wonderful works of God," (Acts 2:11) which the Spirit through His vessels was rehearsing in grace to sinners.
This is what the Lord of the temple was now doing. He was speaking of what He, the God of salvation, had already done. Surely it is very fitting that the Blessed One should be worshipped by our sacrifices of praise.
There is a disposition in some of us to keep the Lord before as the One Who is a Heavenly Stranger and has been rejected and cast out here. All this is surely so. It is good and healthful for the soul to have this sense of things upon it. But if this becomes the exclusive or even predominate thought, it will tend to legality and a spirit of bondage and fear.
We must rather cherish a disposition or tendency in our souls to know Christ in the grace which He is ministering to us, in the love that He has declared He has to us, in the eternal security which His blood imparts to our condition, and the sure and bright blessedness He is preparing for us. J. G. Bellett
N.J. Hiebert - 8481
May 15
Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines. Song of Solomon 2:15
Little foxes pose a big threat to vineyards. They'll either chew off the new shoots or eat the fruit itself. What "little foxes" are preventing spiritual fruit in our lives? A "little sleep, a little slumber" -- be on guard against spiritual laziness (Proverbs 6:10). A "little folly"-- one foolish deed could mar an otherwise honourable testimony (Ecclesiastes 10:1); a "little leaven" -- sin that is ignored will spread like a cancer in my life (1 Corinthians 5:6); that "little member" in our mouth can cause fiery destruction (James 3:5); "little faith" -- not taking God at His Word (Matthew 6:30) and little love, the result of lightly esteeming our forgiveness (Luke 7:47). May we deal with those little foxes before they spoil our fruit. Brian Cretney
Christian, walk carefully, danger is near;
On in thy journey with trembling and fear.
Snares from without and temptations within,
Seek to entice thee once more into sin.
Christian, walk cheerfully thro' the fierce storm,
Dark tho' the sky with its threat of alarm;
Soon will the clouds and the tempest be o'er,
Then with thy Saviour thou'lt rest evermore.
Christian, walk prayerfully, oft wilt thou fall
If thou forget on thy Saviour to call;
Safe shalt thou walk thro' each trail and care,
If thou art clad in the armour of prayer.
Christian, walk hopefully, sorrow and pain
Cease when the haven of rest thou shalt gain;
Then from the lips of the Judge, thy reward:
"Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." G. C. Stebbins
N.J. Hiebert - 8482
Little foxes pose a big threat to vineyards. They'll either chew off the new shoots or eat the fruit itself. What "little foxes" are preventing spiritual fruit in our lives? A "little sleep, a little slumber" -- be on guard against spiritual laziness (Proverbs 6:10). A "little folly"-- one foolish deed could mar an otherwise honourable testimony (Ecclesiastes 10:1); a "little leaven" -- sin that is ignored will spread like a cancer in my life (1 Corinthians 5:6); that "little member" in our mouth can cause fiery destruction (James 3:5); "little faith" -- not taking God at His Word (Matthew 6:30) and little love, the result of lightly esteeming our forgiveness (Luke 7:47). May we deal with those little foxes before they spoil our fruit. Brian Cretney
Christian, walk carefully, danger is near;
On in thy journey with trembling and fear.
Snares from without and temptations within,
Seek to entice thee once more into sin.
Christian, walk cheerfully thro' the fierce storm,
Dark tho' the sky with its threat of alarm;
Soon will the clouds and the tempest be o'er,
Then with thy Saviour thou'lt rest evermore.
Christian, walk prayerfully, oft wilt thou fall
If thou forget on thy Saviour to call;
Safe shalt thou walk thro' each trail and care,
If thou art clad in the armour of prayer.
Christian, walk hopefully, sorrow and pain
Cease when the haven of rest thou shalt gain;
Then from the lips of the Judge, thy reward:
"Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." G. C. Stebbins
N.J. Hiebert - 8482
May 16
But he (Stephen), being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened. Acts 7:55,56
Here we find Stephen, a man on earth indwelt by the Holy Spirit and drawing all his resources from a Man in the glory. He "looked up steadfastly into heaven." A man on earth full of the Hoy Spirit looks up! He is not marked by looking within or looking around. To look within is to be depressed, to look around is to be confused but to look up is to see no one but Jesus. Stephen fixed his eyes on another scene and refused to be distracted by the evil of this world or to be detained by its attractions.
Looking up into heaven, Stephen "Saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God." Everything in this world speaks of the glory of man, but Stephen looked into a scene where everything speaks of the glory of God. He sees a Man in the glory. All other men have come short of the glory of God, but this Man, Christ Jesus, who came into the world in circumstances of weakness and poverty, now holds in heaven the place of highest power and glory.
Furthermore, Stephen could say, "I see the heavens opened." Unrolled before his vision, he finds a heavenly scene. But he sees more; he sees that the heavens are opened so that the glory and power of the Man in heaven is at the disposal of a man on earth. The Lord Jesus has gone back to heaven to occupy a place of supreme power, but He has left the heavens open behind Him so that all the love and power and grace of the Man in heaven may stream down upon a man on earth.
In Stephen, we see the practical results that flow from an individual believer being controlled by the Holy Spirit on earth and drawing his resources from Christ in heaven. This is still God's thought for His people today. Hamilton Smith
N.J. Hiebert - 8483
Here we find Stephen, a man on earth indwelt by the Holy Spirit and drawing all his resources from a Man in the glory. He "looked up steadfastly into heaven." A man on earth full of the Hoy Spirit looks up! He is not marked by looking within or looking around. To look within is to be depressed, to look around is to be confused but to look up is to see no one but Jesus. Stephen fixed his eyes on another scene and refused to be distracted by the evil of this world or to be detained by its attractions.
Looking up into heaven, Stephen "Saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God." Everything in this world speaks of the glory of man, but Stephen looked into a scene where everything speaks of the glory of God. He sees a Man in the glory. All other men have come short of the glory of God, but this Man, Christ Jesus, who came into the world in circumstances of weakness and poverty, now holds in heaven the place of highest power and glory.
Furthermore, Stephen could say, "I see the heavens opened." Unrolled before his vision, he finds a heavenly scene. But he sees more; he sees that the heavens are opened so that the glory and power of the Man in heaven is at the disposal of a man on earth. The Lord Jesus has gone back to heaven to occupy a place of supreme power, but He has left the heavens open behind Him so that all the love and power and grace of the Man in heaven may stream down upon a man on earth.
In Stephen, we see the practical results that flow from an individual believer being controlled by the Holy Spirit on earth and drawing his resources from Christ in heaven. This is still God's thought for His people today. Hamilton Smith
N.J. Hiebert - 8483
May 17
Thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. Isaiah 58:11.
A garden does not water itself; it is watered. A spring does not fill itself; it is filled from unseen sources.
"Thus said the Lord that made thee, . . . Fear not, . . . for I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground." (Isaiah 44:2,3). The gardens which we have made and loved we do not leave to die of thirst. Once I made a garden. I cared for it as long as I could, and then gave it to someone else. But that one forgot to water it, or did not give it enough water. One day I saw it. I can feel again the little sharp pang that went through me as I saw the drooping leaves and dried-up buds; and I remember thinking, "If only she had made that garden herself, she would have cared more for it."
And this is just a tiny picture of what is meant by such words as, "Fear not, . . .for I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground." Never, never does our great Gardener give His gardens away (as I gave mine). He who made us waters--pours floods of waters on us when we are thirsty. And all this means we shall never be dried up.
Does it seem as though you were not being watered, as though the springs were not bubbling up? Sometimes when we feel so, we do everything but call upon the Lord. We think sadly about our dryness; perhaps we read helpful books, and even speak of it to others, hoping that they will act as watering cans to our dryness. David did something better: "In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and He did hear my voice, out of His temple, and my cry did enter into His ears." (2 Samuel 22:7).
"If thou knewest Who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water." (John 4:10) Amy Carmichael
N.J. Hiebert - 8484
A garden does not water itself; it is watered. A spring does not fill itself; it is filled from unseen sources.
"Thus said the Lord that made thee, . . . Fear not, . . . for I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground." (Isaiah 44:2,3). The gardens which we have made and loved we do not leave to die of thirst. Once I made a garden. I cared for it as long as I could, and then gave it to someone else. But that one forgot to water it, or did not give it enough water. One day I saw it. I can feel again the little sharp pang that went through me as I saw the drooping leaves and dried-up buds; and I remember thinking, "If only she had made that garden herself, she would have cared more for it."
And this is just a tiny picture of what is meant by such words as, "Fear not, . . .for I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground." Never, never does our great Gardener give His gardens away (as I gave mine). He who made us waters--pours floods of waters on us when we are thirsty. And all this means we shall never be dried up.
Does it seem as though you were not being watered, as though the springs were not bubbling up? Sometimes when we feel so, we do everything but call upon the Lord. We think sadly about our dryness; perhaps we read helpful books, and even speak of it to others, hoping that they will act as watering cans to our dryness. David did something better: "In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and He did hear my voice, out of His temple, and my cry did enter into His ears." (2 Samuel 22:7).
"If thou knewest Who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water." (John 4:10) Amy Carmichael
N.J. Hiebert - 8484
May 18
Blessed is he that waiteth. Daniel 12:12
It may seem an easy thing to wait, but it is one of the postures which a Christian soldier learns not without years of teaching. Marching and quick-marching are much easier to God's warriors than standing still.
There are hours of perplexity when the most willing spirit, anxiously desirous to serve the Lord, knows not what part to take. Then what shall it do? Vex itself by despair? Fly back in cowardice, turn to the right hand in fear, or rush forward in presumption?
No, but simply wait. Wait in prayer, however. Call upon God and spread the case before Him; tell Him your difficulty, and plead His promise of aid.
Wait in faith. Express your un-staggering confidence in Him. Believe that if He keep you tarrying even till midnight, yet He will come at the right time; the vision shall come, and shall not tarry.
Wait in quiet patience. Never murmur against the second cause, as the children of Israel did against Moses. Accept the case as it is, and put it as it stands, simply and with your whole heart, without any self-will, into the hand of God, saying, "Now, Lord, not my will, but Thine be done. I know not what to do; I am brought to extremities; but I wait until Thou shalt cleave the floods, or drive back my foes. Help me to wait, if Thou keep me many a day, for my heart is fixed upon Thee, O God, and my spirit waits for Thee in conviction that Thou will yet be my joy and my salvation, my refuge and my strong tower."
Wait, patiently wait, God never is late;
Thy budding plans are in thy Father's holding,
And only wait His grand divine unfolding.
Then wait, wait, patiently wait.
Morning by Morning
N.J. Hiebert - 8485
It may seem an easy thing to wait, but it is one of the postures which a Christian soldier learns not without years of teaching. Marching and quick-marching are much easier to God's warriors than standing still.
There are hours of perplexity when the most willing spirit, anxiously desirous to serve the Lord, knows not what part to take. Then what shall it do? Vex itself by despair? Fly back in cowardice, turn to the right hand in fear, or rush forward in presumption?
No, but simply wait. Wait in prayer, however. Call upon God and spread the case before Him; tell Him your difficulty, and plead His promise of aid.
Wait in faith. Express your un-staggering confidence in Him. Believe that if He keep you tarrying even till midnight, yet He will come at the right time; the vision shall come, and shall not tarry.
Wait in quiet patience. Never murmur against the second cause, as the children of Israel did against Moses. Accept the case as it is, and put it as it stands, simply and with your whole heart, without any self-will, into the hand of God, saying, "Now, Lord, not my will, but Thine be done. I know not what to do; I am brought to extremities; but I wait until Thou shalt cleave the floods, or drive back my foes. Help me to wait, if Thou keep me many a day, for my heart is fixed upon Thee, O God, and my spirit waits for Thee in conviction that Thou will yet be my joy and my salvation, my refuge and my strong tower."
Wait, patiently wait, God never is late;
Thy budding plans are in thy Father's holding,
And only wait His grand divine unfolding.
Then wait, wait, patiently wait.
Morning by Morning
N.J. Hiebert - 8485
May 19
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. James 1:2,3
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulations worketh patience. Romans 5:3
Endurance is so precious, and of such inestimable value, that we may count it all joy when we fall into these trials, because we know that they work endurance. "But let patience (endurance) have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire (complete) wanting (lacking) nothing." (James 1:4) And (Romans 5:3). Yes, Endurance works experience.
"His love in times past forbids us to think
He'll leave us at last, in trouble to sink."
This is experience, and it was endurance taught it. Do you think Shammah would have missed the experience he gained by that fight in the lentil field? (2 Samuel 23:11,12) Never! And when we get Home, we will see that some of these hard places on the road were the bits we would not have missed for anything. They worked Endurance.
The first mark of a true servant of God is "Endurance". "In all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God (servants) in much patience (endurance)" (2 Corinthians 6:4). The false servant, the hireling, fled when he saw the wolf coming; but the Good Shepherd remained behind (John 10:12,13). He endured.
Endurance was also the first sign of an Apostle. "The signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all appearance (endurance) . . ." (2 Corinthians 12:12)
Hid Treasures - G. Christopher Willis
N.J. Hiebert - 8486
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulations worketh patience. Romans 5:3
Endurance is so precious, and of such inestimable value, that we may count it all joy when we fall into these trials, because we know that they work endurance. "But let patience (endurance) have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire (complete) wanting (lacking) nothing." (James 1:4) And (Romans 5:3). Yes, Endurance works experience.
"His love in times past forbids us to think
He'll leave us at last, in trouble to sink."
This is experience, and it was endurance taught it. Do you think Shammah would have missed the experience he gained by that fight in the lentil field? (2 Samuel 23:11,12) Never! And when we get Home, we will see that some of these hard places on the road were the bits we would not have missed for anything. They worked Endurance.
The first mark of a true servant of God is "Endurance". "In all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God (servants) in much patience (endurance)" (2 Corinthians 6:4). The false servant, the hireling, fled when he saw the wolf coming; but the Good Shepherd remained behind (John 10:12,13). He endured.
Endurance was also the first sign of an Apostle. "The signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all appearance (endurance) . . ." (2 Corinthians 12:12)
Hid Treasures - G. Christopher Willis
N.J. Hiebert - 8486
May 20
We hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Isaiah 53:3
Isaiah described how badly the Man of Sorrows was treated by His own people. The prophet used the word despised twice in verse 3, listing seven points of the severe rejection He experienced. Just as people would avoid any contact with a leper, so they were hiding their faces from Jesus the Messiah. "Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One, to Him whom man despises, to Him who the nation abhorreth, to a Servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful and the Holy One of Israel, and He shall chose Thee". (Isaiah 49:7) just as in (Isaiah 52;13-15) recounts the bad treatment He received from the Jewish leaders, Isaiah 53:3 forms the conclusion of this great prophecy about Messiah's rejection.
Following are those seven points:
Despised--this implies disrespect and rejecting God's thoughts.
Rejected--Left alone: people refused any contact with Him.
Man of Sorrows--His Name of much pain, suffering and anguish!
"Acquainted with Grief."
Hiding their faces, people were staying away from Him.
Despised--a word mentioned the second time in the same verse; a distain implying hatred.
We esteemed Him not.
This recaps how people evaluated Him. For they had no room for Him. Let's not forget that this text was penned about 800 years before the Messiah suffered and died.
Alfred E. Bouter
N.J. Hiebert - 8487
Isaiah described how badly the Man of Sorrows was treated by His own people. The prophet used the word despised twice in verse 3, listing seven points of the severe rejection He experienced. Just as people would avoid any contact with a leper, so they were hiding their faces from Jesus the Messiah. "Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One, to Him whom man despises, to Him who the nation abhorreth, to a Servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful and the Holy One of Israel, and He shall chose Thee". (Isaiah 49:7) just as in (Isaiah 52;13-15) recounts the bad treatment He received from the Jewish leaders, Isaiah 53:3 forms the conclusion of this great prophecy about Messiah's rejection.
Following are those seven points:
Despised--this implies disrespect and rejecting God's thoughts.
Rejected--Left alone: people refused any contact with Him.
Man of Sorrows--His Name of much pain, suffering and anguish!
"Acquainted with Grief."
Hiding their faces, people were staying away from Him.
Despised--a word mentioned the second time in the same verse; a distain implying hatred.
We esteemed Him not.
This recaps how people evaluated Him. For they had no room for Him. Let's not forget that this text was penned about 800 years before the Messiah suffered and died.
Alfred E. Bouter
N.J. Hiebert - 8487
May 21
Whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Ephesians 5:13
The light shows exactly what the true state of affairs is; and, therefore, until a man is in the light he does not know what he is; and he does not know God. In fact, until a soul is brought into the light it really does not understand its true state before God.
Now, in the verse above you see this brought out. We have elsewhere the wonderful statement, that, "Light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19). Light comes first of all, in the Person of Christ, for, "In Him was light; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not" (John 1:4,5).
Now, that is a remarkable statement. You see if you bring in natural light, into the darkness out goes the darkness. If this room were in darkness, and someone turned on the light the darkness would vanish at once. If you were in a coal-pit, and your light went out, you would be in darkness, and you could not estimate the relation of things. What would be the natural way of letting you see where you were, and what your surroundings were? Bring in the light; for, when the light comes in, away goes the darkness.
That is the truth regarding natural things; but in divine things the solemn thing is this, that although light comes, the darkness remains; for the darkness does not comprehend the light. (1 John 1:5) But what is the light? God--"God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5). And what is the darkness? Man. Man makes the darkness; the darkness is what his own state as a sinner is. That constitutes the darkness, as we read, "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord" (Ephesians 5:8). It is a wonderful moment when a man gets into the light, and becomes "Light in the Lord." You will never get into the light, until you get to Christ. Seekers for Light -Dr.W. T. P. Wolston,
N.J. Hiebert - 8488
The light shows exactly what the true state of affairs is; and, therefore, until a man is in the light he does not know what he is; and he does not know God. In fact, until a soul is brought into the light it really does not understand its true state before God.
Now, in the verse above you see this brought out. We have elsewhere the wonderful statement, that, "Light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19). Light comes first of all, in the Person of Christ, for, "In Him was light; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not" (John 1:4,5).
Now, that is a remarkable statement. You see if you bring in natural light, into the darkness out goes the darkness. If this room were in darkness, and someone turned on the light the darkness would vanish at once. If you were in a coal-pit, and your light went out, you would be in darkness, and you could not estimate the relation of things. What would be the natural way of letting you see where you were, and what your surroundings were? Bring in the light; for, when the light comes in, away goes the darkness.
That is the truth regarding natural things; but in divine things the solemn thing is this, that although light comes, the darkness remains; for the darkness does not comprehend the light. (1 John 1:5) But what is the light? God--"God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5). And what is the darkness? Man. Man makes the darkness; the darkness is what his own state as a sinner is. That constitutes the darkness, as we read, "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord" (Ephesians 5:8). It is a wonderful moment when a man gets into the light, and becomes "Light in the Lord." You will never get into the light, until you get to Christ. Seekers for Light -Dr.W. T. P. Wolston,
N.J. Hiebert - 8488
May 22
The word of the Preacher, the son of David . . . Vanity of Vanities . . . all is vanity (emptiness). What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? Ecclesiastes 1:1-3.
"Therefore I hated life, (Ecclesiastes 2:17,19,21,23), yea, all my labour which I took under the sun," and "therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all my labour which I took under the sun." For what is there in the labour itself? Nothing that satisfies by itself. It is only the anticipation of final satisfaction and enjoyment that can make up for the loss of quiet and ease now; prove that to be a vain hope, and the mere labour and planning night and day are indeed "empty vanity."
Thus much for labour "under the sun," with self for its object, and death for its limit. Now for the contrast again in its refreshing beauty of the "new" as against the "old" "therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58). "All my labour is vanity" is the "groan" of the old, "for death with its terrors cuts me off from my labour and I leave it to a fool." "No labour in vain" is the song of victory of the new, for resurrection with its glories but introduces me to the precious fruit of those labours, to be enjoyed forever.
Let us cherish this precious word, "not in vain," let us be indeed "persuaded" of it, and "embrace" it, not giving up our glorious heritage and going back to the mere human wisdom that Solomon the king possessed, and which only led then, as it must now and ever, to the groan of "vanity!" But "not in vain" is ours. No little one refreshed with even a up of cold water (Matthew 10:42) but that soon the fruit of even that little labour of love shall meet its sweetest recompense in the smile, the approval, the praise of our Lord Jesus; and that shall make our hearts full to overflowing with bliss; as we there echo and re-echo our own word: it was indeed, "not in vain". F. C. Jennings (with thanks - Bill Weiss)
N.J. Hiebert - 8489
"Therefore I hated life, (Ecclesiastes 2:17,19,21,23), yea, all my labour which I took under the sun," and "therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all my labour which I took under the sun." For what is there in the labour itself? Nothing that satisfies by itself. It is only the anticipation of final satisfaction and enjoyment that can make up for the loss of quiet and ease now; prove that to be a vain hope, and the mere labour and planning night and day are indeed "empty vanity."
Thus much for labour "under the sun," with self for its object, and death for its limit. Now for the contrast again in its refreshing beauty of the "new" as against the "old" "therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58). "All my labour is vanity" is the "groan" of the old, "for death with its terrors cuts me off from my labour and I leave it to a fool." "No labour in vain" is the song of victory of the new, for resurrection with its glories but introduces me to the precious fruit of those labours, to be enjoyed forever.
Let us cherish this precious word, "not in vain," let us be indeed "persuaded" of it, and "embrace" it, not giving up our glorious heritage and going back to the mere human wisdom that Solomon the king possessed, and which only led then, as it must now and ever, to the groan of "vanity!" But "not in vain" is ours. No little one refreshed with even a up of cold water (Matthew 10:42) but that soon the fruit of even that little labour of love shall meet its sweetest recompense in the smile, the approval, the praise of our Lord Jesus; and that shall make our hearts full to overflowing with bliss; as we there echo and re-echo our own word: it was indeed, "not in vain". F. C. Jennings (with thanks - Bill Weiss)
N.J. Hiebert - 8489
May 23
Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought Him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this Man. John 7:45,46.
The only writing of our Lord was with His finger, and that in the loose sand of the ground (John 8:6). Other men who spoke words, wrote in books to preserve to themselves a perpetual memorial of literary glory. Not so the Son of God. When He expired, forsaken on the cross, His words only remained sown on the hearts of men. There the Holy Spirit, like the sun and the rain, made them bear fruit after His resurrection.
When the Lord Jesus died, His works were doubted; His disciples seemed hopeless, and His words appeared lost, like the seed of the harvest, in the cold ground during the frozen winter. Peter had said, "Thou hast the words of eternal life," but those words were not written, and now Peter has denied Him in the presence of his enemies. The officers testified, "Never man spake like this Man," but now they have seen Him answering not a word, "like a lamb dumb before her shearers, so He opened not His mouth." All His friends were disappointed, and despaired when He was crucified. Who now would care about His words? The tree is cut down; how can it now bear any fruit?
No other person's words have been so cherished as the words of the Lord Jesus. Yet His words lived! Here then is one of the wonders in the words of Christ. They are imperishable words. Passed away! What has passed away? The kings of earth have passed away. Whatever opposition may arise to God and His Word shall surely pass away: for the Son of Man Who was Son of God, said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24:35) Let the ages answer. Bibles are more plentiful today than they have ever been. The Words of the Lord Jesus are better known and loved by a greater multitude than ever before in the history of the world. We add our simple testimony to the outspoken excuse of the Sanhedrin officers, "Never man spake like this Man." Leonard Sheldrake - A Plant of Renown
N.J. Hiebert - 8490
The only writing of our Lord was with His finger, and that in the loose sand of the ground (John 8:6). Other men who spoke words, wrote in books to preserve to themselves a perpetual memorial of literary glory. Not so the Son of God. When He expired, forsaken on the cross, His words only remained sown on the hearts of men. There the Holy Spirit, like the sun and the rain, made them bear fruit after His resurrection.
When the Lord Jesus died, His works were doubted; His disciples seemed hopeless, and His words appeared lost, like the seed of the harvest, in the cold ground during the frozen winter. Peter had said, "Thou hast the words of eternal life," but those words were not written, and now Peter has denied Him in the presence of his enemies. The officers testified, "Never man spake like this Man," but now they have seen Him answering not a word, "like a lamb dumb before her shearers, so He opened not His mouth." All His friends were disappointed, and despaired when He was crucified. Who now would care about His words? The tree is cut down; how can it now bear any fruit?
No other person's words have been so cherished as the words of the Lord Jesus. Yet His words lived! Here then is one of the wonders in the words of Christ. They are imperishable words. Passed away! What has passed away? The kings of earth have passed away. Whatever opposition may arise to God and His Word shall surely pass away: for the Son of Man Who was Son of God, said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24:35) Let the ages answer. Bibles are more plentiful today than they have ever been. The Words of the Lord Jesus are better known and loved by a greater multitude than ever before in the history of the world. We add our simple testimony to the outspoken excuse of the Sanhedrin officers, "Never man spake like this Man." Leonard Sheldrake - A Plant of Renown
N.J. Hiebert - 8490
May 24
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