March 1
This book...shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night. Joshua 1:8
Go to God by prayer for a key to unlock the mysteries of His word. It is not the plodding but the praying soul, that will get this treasure of scripture knowledge. God often brings a truth to the Christian's hand as a return of prayer, which He had long hunted for in vain with much labour and study: "There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets" (Daniel 2:28); and where does He reveal the secrets of His word but at the throne of grace?
"From the first day," saith the angel, "that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words". (Daniel 10:12) And what was this heavenly messenger's errand to Daniel but to open more fully the Scripture to him? as appears by verse 14 compared with verse 21. This holy man had got some knowledge by his study in the word, and this sets him to praying, and prayer fetched an angel from heaven to give him more light.
- "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee." Psalm 119:11. It was not the Bible in his hand to read it, not the word of his tongue to speak of it; but the hiding it in his heart, that he found effectual against sin.
- "Quench not the Spirit, despise not prophesyings" (1 Thessalonians 5:19,20) They are coupled together; he that despises one loses both. If the scholar is too proud to learn of the usher (guide), he is unworthy to be taught by the master.
- "They shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Timothy 4:3,4). Satan commonly stops the ear from hearing sound doctrine, before he opens it to embrace corrupt doctrine. William Gurnall
N.J. Hiebert - 20235
March 2
LONELINESS
I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the housetop. Psalm 102:7
Loneliness is a very unpleasant feeling. Many who have lost loved ones know the emotion, the feeling, even many years after their loss. Such feelings were well understood by the Lord as He too passed through a deep sense of loneliness. In the latter part of Matthew the Lord foretells His coming rejection and crucifixion. He speaks of Judas's betrayal; He tells His disciples they will all forsake Him, and mentions Peter's threefold denial.
In the garden the Lord separates from His disciples to pray. Even though three are invited to follow closer, they are unable to watch with Him as sleep overcomes them, and they are not at the Lord's side either as He prays to His Father. The Lord is alone. Soon afterward, the multitude comes to take Him, and His disciples flee. During all His appearances before the authorities, He has no one at His side. He was rejected by the people, whom He had served so wonderfully--"Crucify Him, crucify Him" was their clamour: "We will not have this Man to reign over us." Those who loved Him, who stood by the cross, stood afar off.
What loneliness He felt. The Psalms very vividly describe the thoughts of His heart: "I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none." (Psalm 69:20) "Lover and friend hast thou put far from Me." (Psalm 88:18) "I am like a pelican of the wilderness...and am as a sparrow alone on the housetop." (Psalm 102:6,7)
Then the climax, the last three hours on the cross, when darkness enshrouded Him and the heart-rending cry echoed forth, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46) Yes, there are times when we are lonely and it hurts, yet there is no loneliness or sorrow comparable to His. But in all our sorrow we have One to whom we can go, One who gives comfort and support in times of deepest need, because He understands. Albert Blok
N.J. Hiebert - 20236
"But be of good cheer if your hearts are set on Christ: there is your stay, the anchor of your soul. If He is such, dear friends, stand forward for Him; be not ashamed to own your relationship to Him, your dependence on Him: be decided, cut short all expedients for deferring the bold acknowledgment of your being His; confess Him before men, and act for Him, and live for Him in an ungodly world. He is not ashamed to call you brethren; and will you be ashamed to confess Him as your Lord and Master in the face of all the world?" -John Nelson Darby
March 3
To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 2 Timothy1:2
The Apostle can address Timothy as his "beloved son (child)." What a comfort that in a day of ruin there are those to whom we can unreservedly express our affection, and to whom in all confidence we can unburden our hearts. Two leading characteristics in Timothy drew forth the love and confidence of Paul.
First, he was mindful of his tears; secondly, he remembered his unfeigned faith. The tears of Timothy proved that he was a man of spiritual depth and affection who felt the low and broken condition of the Christian profession: his unfeigned faith proved that he was able to rise above all the evil in obedience to, and confidence in, God.
Timothy may indeed have been of a timid nature and in danger of being overwhelmed by the evil that was coming into the church; as he was marked by tears and faith, the Apostle was was encouraged to instruct and exhort him knowing that he had qualities which would enable him to answer to his appeal. Nor is it otherwise today.
The instructions of this touching Epistle will find little response unless there are the tears that tell of a tender heart that can mourn over the sorrows of God's people, and the faith that can take God's path of separation in the midst of the ruin.
Paul delighted to remember in his prayers this man of tears and faith. What a cheer to any saint, broken hearted by the condition of God's people, to know that there are devoted and faithful saints by whom he is remembered in prayer. Faithfulness in a day of desertion binds hearts together in the bonds of divine love. 2 Timothy - Expository Outline - Hamilton Smith
N.J. Hiebert - 20237
"All that we can do is to walk with vigilance, but peacefully, thinking of the interests of the Lord Jesus; as to ourselves having nothing to gain and nothing to lose. The path of peace, the place of testimony, is to seek to please God." -John Nelson Darby
March 4
WHEREFORE DIDST THOU DOUBT?
Neither be ye of doubtful mind. Luke 12:29
We are to believe without doubting. "Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not..." Matthew 21:21 "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." (1 Timothy 2:8) Obey without doubting. (Acts 11:12).So much of our faith, our praying, our obedience, comes to naught because it is clogged with doubt, diluted with unbelief. Doubt puts the brakes on, takes all the assurance out of our hearts, makes us wavering disciples, driven by the wind and tossed. (James 1:6)
When our Lord appeared after His resurrection, some believed but some doubted and one feels that chill in many a gathering of Christians. In questionable matters, "And he that doubteth is (condemned) if he eat" (Romans 14:23) and the underground principle is "whatsoever is not of faith is sin". We believe or we doubt and if both are mixed let us earnestly pray, "Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief." (Mark 9:24) To the extent we are believing, we are not doubting and, if we are doubting, to that extent we are not believing. Beware of a doubtful mind. All the Days - Vance Havner
Ere you left your room this morning. Did you think to pray? In the name of Christ, our Saviour, did you ask for loving favour, as a shield today?
When you met with great temptation, did you think to pray? By His dying love and merit did you trust the Holy Spirit as your guide and stay?
When your heart was filled with anger, did you think to pray? Did you plead for grace, my brother, that you might forgive another who has crossed your way?
Oh, how praying rests the weary! Prayer will change the night to day; so when life seems dark and dreary, don't forget to pray. (Mary Kidder - 1820 to 1905)
N.J. Hiebert - 20238
March 5
Be ye reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20
Reconciliation is one of the great spiritual blessings imparted to us by God, on the basis of our acceptance of the Lord Jesus as our personal Saviour. It speaks of bringing two opposing forces together in harmony - on the one hand, the unchanging will of God, and on the other, our own wills which are naturally inclined to oppose His will. This was only possible through Christ.
1. An Act of God - If reconciliation depended upon us to any degree, it could never happen. The wonder is that it was all up to God who came out to us in love, giving His only Son to be the perfect sacrifice for sins. And it was by His Spirit that we actually took notice, listened and accepted the message. (Isaiah 1:18). Salvation is entirely His work.
2. Knowing, Compared to Believing - It is one thing to know that Jesus came to earth, died and rose again, and quite another to actually believe that it was for me, and effective in me, for eternity. (John 17:3). fruit of our reconciliation.
3. Believing Leads to Telling - There are some believers who keep their experience to themselves, and thereby deprive other needy souls of hearing the good news of salvation. (Mark 16:15).
4. Ultimate Reconciliation - to be face to face with our blessed Lord and Saviour is anticipated day by day. Then we will be carried to the Father's home to dwell there forever. Since reconciled means "brought together", our promised future will be its complete fulfillment. (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
Past - The moment we were saved, we were reconciled forever.
Present - For all of our Christian life we are being reconciled, in manner of life, to our Saviour's.
Future - Finally, when we are with the Lord in glory, we will be reconciled in body as well as in soul and spirit. Lorne Perry
N.J. Hiebert - 20239
March 6
Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and sinners for to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This Man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. Luke 15:1-2.
When publicans sat down to eat with the Lord, the scribes and Pharisees found fault: "Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? and Jesus answering said unto them, they that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:30-32) The Lord replied the physician seeks the sick rather than those who thought they needed Him not. (Luke 5:27-32).
The "gospel" according to the Pharisees--"This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them"--was spoken when "publicans and sinners drew near to hear Him" (Luke 15:1-24). Then our Lord spoke those inimitable parables of the lost things and their finding. The ways of the Lord were always ways of grace and truth. He never sought the approbation of men. In a proud world among a proud people, the Son of God walked a path of unprecedented lowliness and grace.
When the impotent man was healed at the pool of Bethesda (John 5), the Jews interrogated the happy, healed man carrying his bed home on his back, "What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed and walk?" (John 5:12). The man did not even know His name! It says, "Jesus had conveyed Himself away, a multitude being in that place" (John 5:13). How unlike the ways of men who crave all the publicity which exploits will bring to them.
God had said of old, "My ways are not your ways" (Isaiah 55:8). It was true of the Lord Jesus; the ways of men were not His ways. Men thought little of God in heaven or of what would be pleasing to Him. This was everything to Christ our Lord. He did everything that pleased the Father. The Father's Name, the Father's kingdom, and the Father's will were the great dominating motives of the life of our Lord. He cared for nothing else. Leonard Sheldrake
N.J. Hiebert - 20240
March 7
