[We] worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:3
By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. Hebrews 13:15
Petition and praise are often mingled into worship, but properly speaking they alone do not constitute worship. "Lord, save me" is petition; "Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul," is praise; but "Thank you, Lord, for what you are" is worship.
Petition. To illustrate, let us suppose that a person who cannot swim falls into a river. As he struggles to save himself, he realizes how hopeless it is, and cries out from his heart, "Help! help! Save me!" This is petition.
Praise. Suddenly, a well-dressed man appears and, risking his own life, without hesitation dives into the river and rescues the drowning man. The response is overwhelming praise. "How brave you were in saving me! How can I ever express my gratitude to you for saving my life! Thank you, thank you!" This illustrates what takes place when a sinner accepts Christ's substitutionary work on Calvary. He is assured that he is saved from his sins' penalty and his soul is filled with joy and with praise for the One who saved him.
Worship. Now the rescuer says, "Please come to my home tomorrow and dine with me so we can become better acquainted." To his surprise his rescuer is wealthy! Then during an excellent dinner, he becomes aware of his host's, nobility, kindness, graciousness, and humility--his moral character and true worth. While he does not forget that his host was the rescuer, he now admires and appreciates what the rescuer is in himself. The expression of this is worship.
We can never forget that Christ is our Saviour and has redeemed us at the cost of His blood, but as the Spirit reveals His character, we are increasingly able to worship Him. The Lord is Near - 2007 A. P. Gibbs
N.J. Hiebert - 9877
Petition and praise are often mingled into worship, but properly speaking they alone do not constitute worship. "Lord, save me" is petition; "Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul," is praise; but "Thank you, Lord, for what you are" is worship.
Petition. To illustrate, let us suppose that a person who cannot swim falls into a river. As he struggles to save himself, he realizes how hopeless it is, and cries out from his heart, "Help! help! Save me!" This is petition.
Praise. Suddenly, a well-dressed man appears and, risking his own life, without hesitation dives into the river and rescues the drowning man. The response is overwhelming praise. "How brave you were in saving me! How can I ever express my gratitude to you for saving my life! Thank you, thank you!" This illustrates what takes place when a sinner accepts Christ's substitutionary work on Calvary. He is assured that he is saved from his sins' penalty and his soul is filled with joy and with praise for the One who saved him.
Worship. Now the rescuer says, "Please come to my home tomorrow and dine with me so we can become better acquainted." To his surprise his rescuer is wealthy! Then during an excellent dinner, he becomes aware of his host's, nobility, kindness, graciousness, and humility--his moral character and true worth. While he does not forget that his host was the rescuer, he now admires and appreciates what the rescuer is in himself. The expression of this is worship.
We can never forget that Christ is our Saviour and has redeemed us at the cost of His blood, but as the Spirit reveals His character, we are increasingly able to worship Him. The Lord is Near - 2007 A. P. Gibbs
N.J. Hiebert - 9877
March 10
While He thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. Luke 9:34
This evening the clouds lay low on the mountains, so that some times we could hardly see them, and sometimes the stars were nearly all covered. But always, just when it seemed as though the mountains were going to be quite lost in the mist, the higher peaks pushed out, and whereas the dimmer stars were veiled, the brighter ones shone through.
Even supposing the clouds had wholly covered the face of the mountains, and not a star had shone through the piled-up masses, the mountains would still have stood steadfast, and the stars would not have ceased to shine. Our feelings do not affect God's facts. They may blow up like clouds and cover the eternal things that we do most truly believe. We may not see the shining of the promises, but still they shine; and the strength of the hills that is His also, is not for one moment less because of our human weakness.
How often we fear as we enter into some cloud of the unknown. The unknown year--or perhaps only the unknown day, can make us fear. Shall we be led through it, always caused to triumph? or shall we fail? Or the cloud may be the sorrow which all of us know so well, the grief (that fills the hour like a cloud) over some well-loved soul that has taken the wrong turn. "They feared as they entered into the cloud."
But "there came a Voice out of the cloud saying, This is My beloved Son: hear Him", and as we listen we hear. To each heart comes the word it needs most at that moment, and often the first word will be, "Fear thou not", and with the words will come an assurance of His Presence, or a promise of His succour. "And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone." (Luke 9:36) Edges of His ways - Amy Carmichael
N.J. Hiebert - 9878
This evening the clouds lay low on the mountains, so that some times we could hardly see them, and sometimes the stars were nearly all covered. But always, just when it seemed as though the mountains were going to be quite lost in the mist, the higher peaks pushed out, and whereas the dimmer stars were veiled, the brighter ones shone through.
Even supposing the clouds had wholly covered the face of the mountains, and not a star had shone through the piled-up masses, the mountains would still have stood steadfast, and the stars would not have ceased to shine. Our feelings do not affect God's facts. They may blow up like clouds and cover the eternal things that we do most truly believe. We may not see the shining of the promises, but still they shine; and the strength of the hills that is His also, is not for one moment less because of our human weakness.
How often we fear as we enter into some cloud of the unknown. The unknown year--or perhaps only the unknown day, can make us fear. Shall we be led through it, always caused to triumph? or shall we fail? Or the cloud may be the sorrow which all of us know so well, the grief (that fills the hour like a cloud) over some well-loved soul that has taken the wrong turn. "They feared as they entered into the cloud."
But "there came a Voice out of the cloud saying, This is My beloved Son: hear Him", and as we listen we hear. To each heart comes the word it needs most at that moment, and often the first word will be, "Fear thou not", and with the words will come an assurance of His Presence, or a promise of His succour. "And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone." (Luke 9:36) Edges of His ways - Amy Carmichael
N.J. Hiebert - 9878
March 11
She laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. . . . They spit in His face, and buffeted Him; and others smote Him with the palms of their hands . . . [Pilate] scourged Jesus, and he delivered Him to be crucified. Luke 2:7 Matthew 26:67,27:26
EYEWITNESSES OF HIS MAJESTY
The common, overwhelming picture we have of Christ in the Gospels is that of the despised, lowly, suffering Servant; however, we do find occasional glimpses of His divine glory and majesty:
1. Even while the infant Jesus was lying in a feed trough in a dark and dirty stable, the glory of the Lord shone down to reveal to the shepherds the glory and majesty that belonged to this wondrous Being (Luke 2:9-14);
2. Later, the wise men visited Jesus and worshipped Him Matthew 2:1-11;
3. Peter confessed Him as "the Christ, the Son of the living God"
Matthew 16:16;
4. The centurion exclaimed, Truly this Man was the Son of God Mark 15:39,
These people accorded to Jesus the honour and place that were rightfully His even though He did not make an outward display of glory and majesty.
But we do find one instance in the Gospels of His divine glory and majesty breaking through the veil of His humanity. We read that "He was transfigured" before Peter, James and John (Matthew 17:2-5). This is the scene Peter refers to in (2 Peter 1:16-18) "We. . . were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
The more we meditate upon the glory, the majesty of our Lord, the more deeply we are impressed with how worthy He is to receive from our lives continual honour, glory, praise, adoration, worship, and obedience. P. L. Canner
N.J. Hiebert - 9879
EYEWITNESSES OF HIS MAJESTY
The common, overwhelming picture we have of Christ in the Gospels is that of the despised, lowly, suffering Servant; however, we do find occasional glimpses of His divine glory and majesty:
1. Even while the infant Jesus was lying in a feed trough in a dark and dirty stable, the glory of the Lord shone down to reveal to the shepherds the glory and majesty that belonged to this wondrous Being (Luke 2:9-14);
2. Later, the wise men visited Jesus and worshipped Him Matthew 2:1-11;
3. Peter confessed Him as "the Christ, the Son of the living God"
Matthew 16:16;
4. The centurion exclaimed, Truly this Man was the Son of God Mark 15:39,
These people accorded to Jesus the honour and place that were rightfully His even though He did not make an outward display of glory and majesty.
But we do find one instance in the Gospels of His divine glory and majesty breaking through the veil of His humanity. We read that "He was transfigured" before Peter, James and John (Matthew 17:2-5). This is the scene Peter refers to in (2 Peter 1:16-18) "We. . . were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
The more we meditate upon the glory, the majesty of our Lord, the more deeply we are impressed with how worthy He is to receive from our lives continual honour, glory, praise, adoration, worship, and obedience. P. L. Canner
N.J. Hiebert - 9879
March 12
Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:7,8.
Where there is peace, such peace as peace wth God and conscience, there can want no pleasure. David goes merry to bed, when he had nothing to eat but the gladness that God by this puts into his heart, and promises himself a better night's rest than any of them all, that are feasted with the world's cheer.
This same peace with God, enjoyed in the conscience, redounds to the comfort of the body. Now David can sleep sweetly, when he lies on a hard bed; what here he says he would do, he has done, "I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me." Psalm 3:5
The title of this psalm (A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.), tells us when David had this sweet night's rest; not when he laid in his bed of down in his stately palace at Jerusalem, but when he fled for his life from his unnatural son Absalom, and possibly was forced to lie in the open field, under the canopy of heaven.
The great care that Christ took for His disciples, when He left the world, was not to leave them a quiet world to live in, but to arm them against a troublesome world: He bequeaths unto them His peace.
The Christian in Compete Armour - William Gurnall (1617-1679)
In Jesus for peace I abide, and as I keep close to His side,
There is nothing but peace doth betide, sweet peace, the gift of God's love.
P. P. Bilhorn
N.J. Hiebert - 9880
I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:7,8.
Where there is peace, such peace as peace wth God and conscience, there can want no pleasure. David goes merry to bed, when he had nothing to eat but the gladness that God by this puts into his heart, and promises himself a better night's rest than any of them all, that are feasted with the world's cheer.
This same peace with God, enjoyed in the conscience, redounds to the comfort of the body. Now David can sleep sweetly, when he lies on a hard bed; what here he says he would do, he has done, "I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me." Psalm 3:5
The title of this psalm (A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.), tells us when David had this sweet night's rest; not when he laid in his bed of down in his stately palace at Jerusalem, but when he fled for his life from his unnatural son Absalom, and possibly was forced to lie in the open field, under the canopy of heaven.
The great care that Christ took for His disciples, when He left the world, was not to leave them a quiet world to live in, but to arm them against a troublesome world: He bequeaths unto them His peace.
The Christian in Compete Armour - William Gurnall (1617-1679)
In Jesus for peace I abide, and as I keep close to His side,
There is nothing but peace doth betide, sweet peace, the gift of God's love.
P. P. Bilhorn
N.J. Hiebert - 9880
March 13
Exercise thyself rather unto godliness, For bodily exercise profiteth little (a little while) but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 1 Timothy 4:7,8
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run. 1 Corinthians 9:25,26
Three things to remember when running the race. The first is, while running get your instructions from your Trainer. "Let not your peace be in the mouths of men." (Amy Carmichael) Listen only to what the Trainer says.
The second is, when running the race endeavour to keep your mouth closed, otherwise it will get dry. "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, . . . this man's religion is vain." James 4:26 Oh, what trouble a backbiting tongue causes! It is a sad fact that so many people who once ran so well have got their mouth wide open, as they lag behind. Their tongues are very much like a wasp's sting and leave the poison the devil has given them, wherever they touch. Yes, put the bridle of self-restraint in your mouth, and keep your mouth tight shut.
The third is--never look behind. I have seen races lost by the man turning round to look behind him to see what the other racers were doing. As the man turned he has lost his step; it has been but a little, but the man with his eye straight before him has just caught up and passed him.
The runner, if he be wise, will "forget those things which are behind." Having his eyes fixed upon the goal, he will see that all that irrevocable past, really repented of, is under the blood, and he will "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14,15)
(The Christian Athlete - George Clarke 1887)
N.J. Hiebert - 9881
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run. 1 Corinthians 9:25,26
Three things to remember when running the race. The first is, while running get your instructions from your Trainer. "Let not your peace be in the mouths of men." (Amy Carmichael) Listen only to what the Trainer says.
The second is, when running the race endeavour to keep your mouth closed, otherwise it will get dry. "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, . . . this man's religion is vain." James 4:26 Oh, what trouble a backbiting tongue causes! It is a sad fact that so many people who once ran so well have got their mouth wide open, as they lag behind. Their tongues are very much like a wasp's sting and leave the poison the devil has given them, wherever they touch. Yes, put the bridle of self-restraint in your mouth, and keep your mouth tight shut.
The third is--never look behind. I have seen races lost by the man turning round to look behind him to see what the other racers were doing. As the man turned he has lost his step; it has been but a little, but the man with his eye straight before him has just caught up and passed him.
The runner, if he be wise, will "forget those things which are behind." Having his eyes fixed upon the goal, he will see that all that irrevocable past, really repented of, is under the blood, and he will "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14,15)
(The Christian Athlete - George Clarke 1887)
N.J. Hiebert - 9881
March 14
March 15
No comments:
Post a Comment