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 duty as duty, and in all these little matters honestly strive to serve and please the heavenly Master; if, in a word, your piety sounds well on such an unpretending harp, it is good, genuine, tested; it will one day win acclamation from a vaster and nobler throng than ever was thrilled by the genius of Beethoven.
Selected
Every character has an inward spring; let Christ be in it. Every action has a keynote; let Christ set it! Drummond
N.J.Hiebert - 9727
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 duty as duty, and in all these little matters honestly strive to serve and please the heavenly Master; if, in a word, your piety sounds well on such an unpretending harp, it is good, genuine, tested; it will one day win acclamation from a vaster and nobler throng than ever was thrilled by the genius of Beethoven.
Selected
Every character has an inward spring; let Christ be in it. Every action has a keynote; let Christ set it! Drummond
N.J.Hiebert - 9727
October 11
Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Psalm 73:23
A traveler following his guide amid the Alpine heights, reached a place where the path was narrowed by a jutting rock on one side and a deep precipice on the other. The guide passed around, and then holding on to the rock with one hand, extended the other out over the precipice for the traveler to step upon, and so pass around the jutting rock.
He hesitated, but the guide called back saying, "That hand has never lost a man." The traveler stepped on to the hand and was soon safely past the danger.
It isn't that I cling to Him
Or struggle to be blest;
He simply takes my hand in His
And there I let it rest.
So I dread not any pathway,
Dare to sail on any sea,
Since handclasp of Another
Makes the journey safe for me.
Hold Thou my hand, O Lord,
Hold Thou my hand!
Mountain Trailways
N.J. Hiebert - 9728
A traveler following his guide amid the Alpine heights, reached a place where the path was narrowed by a jutting rock on one side and a deep precipice on the other. The guide passed around, and then holding on to the rock with one hand, extended the other out over the precipice for the traveler to step upon, and so pass around the jutting rock.
He hesitated, but the guide called back saying, "That hand has never lost a man." The traveler stepped on to the hand and was soon safely past the danger.
It isn't that I cling to Him
Or struggle to be blest;
He simply takes my hand in His
And there I let it rest.
So I dread not any pathway,
Dare to sail on any sea,
Since handclasp of Another
Makes the journey safe for me.
Hold Thou my hand, O Lord,
Hold Thou my hand!
Mountain Trailways
N.J. Hiebert - 9728
October 12
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:" Proverbs 23:7
You are holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and accidentally bumps you and shakes your arm, making you spill coffee everywhere. Why did you spill the coffee? Because someone bumped into you, right?
Wrong answer. You spilled the coffee because coffee was in the cup. If tea had been in it, you would have spilled tea. Whatever is inside the cup is what will come out.
Therefore, when life comes along and shakes you, whatever is inside of you will come out.
So each of us has to ask ourselves . . . what's in my cup? When life gets bumpy, what spills over?
Joy, gratefulness, peace, and humility? Or anger, bitterness, harsh words, and reactions? We choose what's in our cup! Today, let's work towards filling our cups with gratitude, forgiveness, joy, words of affirmation to others, kindness, gentleness, and love!
"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23 With thanks - Dan Hopkins
Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord,
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more;
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole. Richard Blanchard
N.J. Hiebert - 9729
You are holding a cup of coffee when someone comes along and accidentally bumps you and shakes your arm, making you spill coffee everywhere. Why did you spill the coffee? Because someone bumped into you, right?
Wrong answer. You spilled the coffee because coffee was in the cup. If tea had been in it, you would have spilled tea. Whatever is inside the cup is what will come out.
Therefore, when life comes along and shakes you, whatever is inside of you will come out.
So each of us has to ask ourselves . . . what's in my cup? When life gets bumpy, what spills over?
Joy, gratefulness, peace, and humility? Or anger, bitterness, harsh words, and reactions? We choose what's in our cup! Today, let's work towards filling our cups with gratitude, forgiveness, joy, words of affirmation to others, kindness, gentleness, and love!
"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23 With thanks - Dan Hopkins
Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord,
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more;
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole. Richard Blanchard
N.J. Hiebert - 9729
October 13
"He came . . ." John 1:11
"He came" -- these two simple words are at the root of all truth!
Before Christ came in the incarnation, there had been only the eternal past. Then from the time of creation, we have such truths as "In the beginning He was God" and "In Him was light" and "all things were made by Him" and "in Him was life." John 1:1-3
Now it says, "He came!" We are struck by the wonder of these simple words. All of the mercy and the redeeming love and grace that God could pour out of His divine being - are in the fact that Jesus came!
Then too, all of the hopes and longings and aspirations and dreams of immortality that lie in the human breast had their fulfilment in these two words, "He came!"
The message is more profound than all philosophy. It may be a superlative statement, but I believe it to be a balanced and accurate statement, to insist that the impact of these two words, understood in their high spiritual context, is wiser than all of man's learning.
Because He is "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world," John 1:9 man's long night of darkness is dispelled. A. W. Tozer
Thou wast "the image" in man's lowly guise, Of the invisible to mortal eyes;
Come from His bosom, from the heavens above, We see in Thee incarnate, "God is love".
That precious stream of water and of blood which from Thy pierced side so freely flowed, Has put away our sins of scarlet dye, Washed us from every stain, and brought us nigh.
J. G. Deck
N.J. Hiebert - 9730
"He came" -- these two simple words are at the root of all truth!
Before Christ came in the incarnation, there had been only the eternal past. Then from the time of creation, we have such truths as "In the beginning He was God" and "In Him was light" and "all things were made by Him" and "in Him was life." John 1:1-3
Now it says, "He came!" We are struck by the wonder of these simple words. All of the mercy and the redeeming love and grace that God could pour out of His divine being - are in the fact that Jesus came!
Then too, all of the hopes and longings and aspirations and dreams of immortality that lie in the human breast had their fulfilment in these two words, "He came!"
The message is more profound than all philosophy. It may be a superlative statement, but I believe it to be a balanced and accurate statement, to insist that the impact of these two words, understood in their high spiritual context, is wiser than all of man's learning.
Because He is "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world," John 1:9 man's long night of darkness is dispelled. A. W. Tozer
Thou wast "the image" in man's lowly guise, Of the invisible to mortal eyes;
Come from His bosom, from the heavens above, We see in Thee incarnate, "God is love".
That precious stream of water and of blood which from Thy pierced side so freely flowed, Has put away our sins of scarlet dye, Washed us from every stain, and brought us nigh.
J. G. Deck
N.J. Hiebert - 9730
October 14
And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and precious stones. And King Solomon gave to the Queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. 2 Chronicles 9: 9,12
Careful reading of these verses reveals that the Queen went away with gifts from Solomon of greater value than what she had brought him. This closely parallels what we, as believers in the Lord Jesus, have experienced. What can we bring to Him but our praise, worship and service? But what has He given us in return?
1. "I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish." John 10:28
2. "My peace I give unto you." John 14:27
3 "He giveth more grace." James 4:6
4 "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57
This is just a partial list of all our spiritual blessings; an indication that every time we come into the presence of our Lord and Saviour to thank Him, we come away with a heightened awareness of His incredible largess, way beyond our capacity to give.
Presents and Presence
The Queen discovered how much better it was to be in the actual presence of King Solomon, than to simply hear reports at a distance. "The one half. . . was not told me. 2 Chronicles 9:6. She brought presents of great value to King Solomon, but of even greater value to her was the glory and dignity of his presence - culminating in "his ascent by which he went up in the house of the Lord".
It was the stately and solemn procession up the long staircase to the temple, lined all the way with soldiers bearing shields of gold, glittering in the sun. At this point, she was over-awed; "there was no more spirit left in her" 2 Chronicles 9:4.
It is the same when we spend a little time in quiet contemplation of our Lord Jesus, considering all He is to the Father and to us, all He has done to work the miracle of salvation; to say nothing of His future glory-display that will easily surpass that of King Solomon. We come away humbled, but enriched beyond measure. Lorne Perry
N.J. Hiebert - 9731
Careful reading of these verses reveals that the Queen went away with gifts from Solomon of greater value than what she had brought him. This closely parallels what we, as believers in the Lord Jesus, have experienced. What can we bring to Him but our praise, worship and service? But what has He given us in return?
1. "I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish." John 10:28
2. "My peace I give unto you." John 14:27
3 "He giveth more grace." James 4:6
4 "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57
This is just a partial list of all our spiritual blessings; an indication that every time we come into the presence of our Lord and Saviour to thank Him, we come away with a heightened awareness of His incredible largess, way beyond our capacity to give.
Presents and Presence
The Queen discovered how much better it was to be in the actual presence of King Solomon, than to simply hear reports at a distance. "The one half. . . was not told me. 2 Chronicles 9:6. She brought presents of great value to King Solomon, but of even greater value to her was the glory and dignity of his presence - culminating in "his ascent by which he went up in the house of the Lord".
It was the stately and solemn procession up the long staircase to the temple, lined all the way with soldiers bearing shields of gold, glittering in the sun. At this point, she was over-awed; "there was no more spirit left in her" 2 Chronicles 9:4.
It is the same when we spend a little time in quiet contemplation of our Lord Jesus, considering all He is to the Father and to us, all He has done to work the miracle of salvation; to say nothing of His future glory-display that will easily surpass that of King Solomon. We come away humbled, but enriched beyond measure. Lorne Perry
N.J. Hiebert - 9731
October 15
"And while Jesus yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying, whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast."
Matthew 26:47-48
"And forthwith came Judas to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master; and kissed Him." Matthew 26:49. The word translated "Hail" is chaire, and literally means "Rejoice, Master!" He said, "and kissed Him."
As we gaze with bowed heads, and unshod feet on our Lord and Master, in such agony of soul: at His sweat as great drops of blood: as we hear His words, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death;" and then we hear that heartless traitor saying: "Rejoice, Master!" how it makes our hearts recoil with horror at such cruel and awful conduct.
And the word for "kissed Him" is changed from the word that Judas used when he gave them this sign. Then he used the word phileo, I love, or, I kiss. But in his eagerness to make sure they seized the One whom once he had followed, he "covered him with kisses:" kata-phileo, a much stronger word.
It is difficult for us to conceive of anything more horrible than Judas' method of betraying his Master; and we know from the Psalms how keenly our Lord felt it. See, for example, Psalm 41:9: "Yea, Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread, hath lifted up his heal against Me."
And Psalm 55:12-14: "For it was not an enemy that reproached Me; then I could have borne it." Hid Treasures in the Greek New Testament - G. C. Willis
N.J. Hiebert - 9732
Matthew 26:47-48
"And forthwith came Judas to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master; and kissed Him." Matthew 26:49. The word translated "Hail" is chaire, and literally means "Rejoice, Master!" He said, "and kissed Him."
As we gaze with bowed heads, and unshod feet on our Lord and Master, in such agony of soul: at His sweat as great drops of blood: as we hear His words, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death;" and then we hear that heartless traitor saying: "Rejoice, Master!" how it makes our hearts recoil with horror at such cruel and awful conduct.
And the word for "kissed Him" is changed from the word that Judas used when he gave them this sign. Then he used the word phileo, I love, or, I kiss. But in his eagerness to make sure they seized the One whom once he had followed, he "covered him with kisses:" kata-phileo, a much stronger word.
It is difficult for us to conceive of anything more horrible than Judas' method of betraying his Master; and we know from the Psalms how keenly our Lord felt it. See, for example, Psalm 41:9: "Yea, Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread, hath lifted up his heal against Me."
And Psalm 55:12-14: "For it was not an enemy that reproached Me; then I could have borne it." Hid Treasures in the Greek New Testament - G. C. Willis
N.J. Hiebert - 9732
October 16
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.
Psalm 100:4-5
There are loved ones who are missing from the fireside and the feast;
There are faces that have vanished, there are voices that have ceased;
But we know they passed forever from our mortal grief and pain,
And we thank Thee, O our Father, for the blessings that remain.
Thanksgiving, oh, thanksgiving that their love once blessed us here,
That so long they walked beside us sharing every smile and tear;
For the joy the past has brought us but can never take away,
For the sweet and gracious memories growing dearer every day.
For the faith that keeps us patient looking at the things unseen,
Knowing Spring shall follow Winter and the earth again be green,
For the hope of that glad meeting far from mortal grief and pain-
We thank Thee, O our Father - for the blessings that remain.
For the love that still is left us, for the friends who hold us dear,
For the lives that yet may need us for their guidance and their cheer,
For the work that waits our doing, for the help we can bestow,
For the care that watches o'er us wheresoe'er our steps may go,
For the simple joys of living, for the sunshine and the breeze,
For the beauty of the flowers and the laden orchard trees,
For the night and for the starlight, for the rainbow and the rain-
Thanksgiving, O our Father, for the blessings that remain.
Annie Johnson Flint
N.J. Hiebert - 9733
Psalm 100:4-5
There are loved ones who are missing from the fireside and the feast;
There are faces that have vanished, there are voices that have ceased;
But we know they passed forever from our mortal grief and pain,
And we thank Thee, O our Father, for the blessings that remain.
Thanksgiving, oh, thanksgiving that their love once blessed us here,
That so long they walked beside us sharing every smile and tear;
For the joy the past has brought us but can never take away,
For the sweet and gracious memories growing dearer every day.
For the faith that keeps us patient looking at the things unseen,
Knowing Spring shall follow Winter and the earth again be green,
For the hope of that glad meeting far from mortal grief and pain-
We thank Thee, O our Father - for the blessings that remain.
For the love that still is left us, for the friends who hold us dear,
For the lives that yet may need us for their guidance and their cheer,
For the work that waits our doing, for the help we can bestow,
For the care that watches o'er us wheresoe'er our steps may go,
For the simple joys of living, for the sunshine and the breeze,
For the beauty of the flowers and the laden orchard trees,
For the night and for the starlight, for the rainbow and the rain-
Thanksgiving, O our Father, for the blessings that remain.
Annie Johnson Flint
N.J. Hiebert - 9733
October 17
THEY WIST NOT WHAT IT WAS
And when the dew that lay was gone up, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said, it is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. . . . and the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Exodus 16:14-15,31
It was small, very small, and reminds us of Christ who humbled Himself to the death of the cross. He stands among men at the foot of the list of those who were lowly, and suffered all loss.
It was white, very white, and Christ too was pure, no evil within Him, no blemish without. His whole life was holy from birth unto death, in sight and in sentence He was ever devout.
It was sweet, very sweet with no bitterness found, and Christ's life was sweet and His manner serene. His ways were perfection in God's holy sight, no envy, no sourness could ever be seen.
It was round, very round, not an angle nor twist. He went on so smoothly; no corners were there. His life was unruffled, and calm was His heart; His days were all fragrant with unbroken prayer. (Selected)
Our Shepherd is still our Guardian and Guide,
Before us He goes to help and provide:
The springs that refresh us from heaven were given,
Our bread is the Manna that came down from heaven. J. G. Deck
O may we be like Him in each of His ways, And walk in His footsteps the rest of our days.
N.J. Hiebert - 9734
And when the dew that lay was gone up, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said, it is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. . . . and the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Exodus 16:14-15,31
It was small, very small, and reminds us of Christ who humbled Himself to the death of the cross. He stands among men at the foot of the list of those who were lowly, and suffered all loss.
It was white, very white, and Christ too was pure, no evil within Him, no blemish without. His whole life was holy from birth unto death, in sight and in sentence He was ever devout.
It was sweet, very sweet with no bitterness found, and Christ's life was sweet and His manner serene. His ways were perfection in God's holy sight, no envy, no sourness could ever be seen.
It was round, very round, not an angle nor twist. He went on so smoothly; no corners were there. His life was unruffled, and calm was His heart; His days were all fragrant with unbroken prayer. (Selected)
Our Shepherd is still our Guardian and Guide,
Before us He goes to help and provide:
The springs that refresh us from heaven were given,
Our bread is the Manna that came down from heaven. J. G. Deck
O may we be like Him in each of His ways, And walk in His footsteps the rest of our days.
N.J. Hiebert - 9734
October 18
I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect. Genesis 17:1
Consecrate yourself today to the Lord. Exodus 32:29
I have noticed that wherever there has been a faithful following of the Lord in a consecrated soul, several things have inevitably followed, sooner or later. Meekness and quietness of spirit become in time the characteristics of the daily life.
1. A submissive acceptance of the will of God as it comes in the hourly events of each day;
2. Pliability in the hands of God to do or to suffer all the good pleasure of His will;
3. Sweetness under provocation;
4. Calmness in the midst of turmoil and bustle;
5. Yieldingness to the wishes of others;
6. An insensibility to the slights and affronts;
7. Absence of worry or anxiety;
8. Deliverance from care and fear;
All these, and many similar graces, are invariably found to be the natural outward development of that inward life which is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
H. W. Smith
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days;
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
F. R. Havergal
N.J. Hiebert - 9735
Consecrate yourself today to the Lord. Exodus 32:29
I have noticed that wherever there has been a faithful following of the Lord in a consecrated soul, several things have inevitably followed, sooner or later. Meekness and quietness of spirit become in time the characteristics of the daily life.
1. A submissive acceptance of the will of God as it comes in the hourly events of each day;
2. Pliability in the hands of God to do or to suffer all the good pleasure of His will;
3. Sweetness under provocation;
4. Calmness in the midst of turmoil and bustle;
5. Yieldingness to the wishes of others;
6. An insensibility to the slights and affronts;
7. Absence of worry or anxiety;
8. Deliverance from care and fear;
All these, and many similar graces, are invariably found to be the natural outward development of that inward life which is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
H. W. Smith
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days;
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
F. R. Havergal
N.J. Hiebert - 9735
October 19
Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me. Psalm 50:15
The Ant and the Contact Lens: a true story
Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a rest during her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens. "Great", she thought. "Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now my sight is blurry."
She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there. She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she may find her contact lens. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains.
She prayed to God, "O God you can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."
A little later, another set of hikers reached the top. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?" Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it!
The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, "God, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it is awfully heavy. But if this is what you want me to do, I'll carry it for You."
I think it would do all of us some good to say, "God, I don't know why You want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if You want me to carry it, I will.
God doesn't call the qualified, He QUALIFIES those He calls.
Christian Truth Book Room - Chennai, India
N.J. Hiebert - 9736
The Ant and the Contact Lens: a true story
Brenda was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a rest during her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens. "Great", she thought. "Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now my sight is blurry."
She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there. She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she may find her contact lens. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains.
She prayed to God, "O God you can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."
A little later, another set of hikers reached the top. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?" Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it!
The story doesn't end there. Brenda's father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, "God, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it is awfully heavy. But if this is what you want me to do, I'll carry it for You."
I think it would do all of us some good to say, "God, I don't know why You want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if You want me to carry it, I will.
God doesn't call the qualified, He QUALIFIES those He calls.
Christian Truth Book Room - Chennai, India
N.J. Hiebert - 9736
October 20
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 expectations of secret fellowship with Jesus, but the very interruption gave them opportunities to know their Lord better than they had ever known Him before.
For those who are patient, plans unexpectedly altered often bring new revelations of the person and power of Christ.
Gospel of Mark - Charles R. Erdman
N.J. Hiebert - 9737
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 expectations of secret fellowship with Jesus, but the very interruption gave them opportunities to know their Lord better than they had ever known Him before.
For those who are patient, plans unexpectedly altered often bring new revelations of the person and power of Christ.
Gospel of Mark - Charles R. Erdman
N.J. Hiebert - 9737
October 21
A BRIGHT PROSPECT
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Corinthians 4:17
We get too much occupied with "our LIGHT affliction," and "the moment" in which it takes place. Our outlook is not far enough, nor high enough, and we are apt to forget the "far more exceeding and ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY."
The remedy for this is to "Look . . . at the things which are not seen" -- a riddle, a contradiction, a paradox to all but faith, but how blessedly simple to faith.
You have a bright prospect. The most weighty teacher, the most faithful pastor, the most honoured evangelist, has not a brighter prospect than yours.
It is to be conformed to the image of God's Son, and spend eternity with Him. "We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." (2 Corinthians 4:18) Then praise Him in the cloud, and soon you will see Him on the cloud, to be translated into His presence without a cloud.
Comforted of God - A. J. Pollock
N.J. Hiebert - 9738
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Corinthians 4:17
We get too much occupied with "our LIGHT affliction," and "the moment" in which it takes place. Our outlook is not far enough, nor high enough, and we are apt to forget the "far more exceeding and ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY."
The remedy for this is to "Look . . . at the things which are not seen" -- a riddle, a contradiction, a paradox to all but faith, but how blessedly simple to faith.
You have a bright prospect. The most weighty teacher, the most faithful pastor, the most honoured evangelist, has not a brighter prospect than yours.
It is to be conformed to the image of God's Son, and spend eternity with Him. "We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." (2 Corinthians 4:18) Then praise Him in the cloud, and soon you will see Him on the cloud, to be translated into His presence without a cloud.
Comforted of God - A. J. Pollock
N.J. Hiebert - 9738
October 22
"A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief ." Isaiah 53:3
"Jesus therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well." John 4:6 Oh! to think of the Lord Himself, whom none of the princes of this world knew, but who was the Lord of glory, sitting weary on the well, thirsty, and dependent upon this world for a drink of water--the world that was made by Him, and knew Him not!
He was the display, at all cost to Himself, of divine love to man.
I adore the love that led Him to be sin for me. There was the full testing of the love that carried Him through all. It is deeply instructive, though very dreadful to see there what man is. What do I expect of my friends if I am on trial? At least they will not forsake me. They all forsook Him, and fled!
In a judge? I expect him to protect innocence. Pilate washes his hands of His blood, and gives Him over to the people! In a priest, what do I expect? That he will intercede for the ignorant and for them that are out of the way. They urge the people, who cry, "Away with Him, away with Him!" Every man was the opposite of what was right, and that one Man was not only right, but in divine love He was going through it all!
His sorrows must ever be a depth into which we look over on the edge with solemn awe. It exalts His grace to the soul to look into that depth, and makes one feel that none but a divine Person (and one perfect in every way) could have been there.
He looked for some to take pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but found none. He was tested and tried to the last degree of human suffering and sorrow, standing alone in this, praying in agony and alone, none to sympathize with Him.
None of us can fathom what it was to One who had dwelt in the bosom of the Father to find His soul as a man forsaken of Him.
In the measure in which He knew what it was to be holy, He felt what it was to be made sin before God. In the measure in which He knew the love of God, He felt what it was to be forsaken of God. He is the resurrection and the life. Wonderful that He, such in this world, Master of death, steps then into death Himself for us! Pilgrim Portions - J. N. Darby
N.J. Hiebert - 9739
"Jesus therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well." John 4:6 Oh! to think of the Lord Himself, whom none of the princes of this world knew, but who was the Lord of glory, sitting weary on the well, thirsty, and dependent upon this world for a drink of water--the world that was made by Him, and knew Him not!
He was the display, at all cost to Himself, of divine love to man.
I adore the love that led Him to be sin for me. There was the full testing of the love that carried Him through all. It is deeply instructive, though very dreadful to see there what man is. What do I expect of my friends if I am on trial? At least they will not forsake me. They all forsook Him, and fled!
In a judge? I expect him to protect innocence. Pilate washes his hands of His blood, and gives Him over to the people! In a priest, what do I expect? That he will intercede for the ignorant and for them that are out of the way. They urge the people, who cry, "Away with Him, away with Him!" Every man was the opposite of what was right, and that one Man was not only right, but in divine love He was going through it all!
His sorrows must ever be a depth into which we look over on the edge with solemn awe. It exalts His grace to the soul to look into that depth, and makes one feel that none but a divine Person (and one perfect in every way) could have been there.
He looked for some to take pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but found none. He was tested and tried to the last degree of human suffering and sorrow, standing alone in this, praying in agony and alone, none to sympathize with Him.
None of us can fathom what it was to One who had dwelt in the bosom of the Father to find His soul as a man forsaken of Him.
In the measure in which He knew what it was to be holy, He felt what it was to be made sin before God. In the measure in which He knew the love of God, He felt what it was to be forsaken of God. He is the resurrection and the life. Wonderful that He, such in this world, Master of death, steps then into death Himself for us! Pilgrim Portions - J. N. Darby
N.J. Hiebert - 9739
October 23
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