Bible Gems

And Jesus said unto the disciples, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.  And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.  And the people saw them departing and they ran together . . . and outwent them.  And, Jesus when He came out, saw much people . . . and He began to teach them many things.  Mark 6:31-34  When Jesus was interrupted in His hours of retirement and spiritual communion He was never irritated; nor yet did he feel that the unexpected task was a substitute for the needed refreshment.  So when the multitude intruded upon the period of rest which Jesus had designed for Himself and His disciples, He patiently taught them during the day, but then He dismissed them  and with drew to the mountain solitudes to spend the whole night in prayer. So with the disciples: they may have been disappointed in their ex...

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.   Galatians 6:14 Beethoven was in the habit of playing his symphonies on an old harpsichord, as a test.  They would thus be made to stand out in their true character, with nothing to hide their faults, or exaggerate their beauties. Thus wisely may we test our character, endeavouring to ascertain how it manifests itself - not on great and rare occasions, or before the public eye, where there is a chance for display and applause - but in private, in the little, homely everyday duties, which attract no particular attention and reward us with no praise. If in the retired nook of your own breast, in the regulation of your thoughts and feelings; if in the bosom of your family, in the monotonous round of home life each day, you preserve a sweet serene temper, and go forward cheerfully, taking a real pleasure in dut...

And when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him."  Joshua 6:5 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.  Hebrews 11:30 The shout of steadfast faith is in direct contrast to the moans of wavering faith, and to the wails of discouraged hearts.  Among the many "secrets of the Lord," I do not know of any that is more valuable than the secret of this  shout of faith .  The Lord said to Joshua,  "See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour." He had not said, "I will give," but  "I have given."  It belonged to them already; and now they were called to take possession of it.  But the great question was, How?  It looked impossible, but the Lord declared His plan. Now, no one can suppose for a mome...