For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation. Luke 2:30
The story of Simeon unveils the graphic photo of a man living for one thing. He was waiting for the Messiah of Israel. Then one day Mary entered the temple carrying a baby and the Messiah was there.
Simeon's arms embraced Christ the Lord; his eyes beheld the Light and Lamp of God, the Saviour of the world. How glorious for this godly man to end a long life with his arms encircling the promised Lamb of God and his lips extolling the greatest Person to visit planet earth. Is this our heart's desire as our life progresses, to be near to Christ and praising His name? Les Rainey
Lord of glory, we adore Thee! Christ of God, ascended high!
Heart and soul we bow before Thee, glorious now beyond the sky:
Thee we worship, Thee we praise--
Excellent in all Thy ways.
Anointed King, with glory crownéd, rightful heir and Lord of all!
Once rejected, scorned, disownèd, E'en by those Thou cam'st to call:
Thee we honour, Thee adore--
Glorious now and evermore.
Lord of life! to death once subject; Blesser, yet a curse once made;
Of Thy Father's heart the object, yet in depths of anguish laid:
Thee we gaze on, Thee recall--
Bearing here our sorrows all.
Royal robes shall soon invest Thee, royal splendours crown Thy brow;
Christ of God, our souls confess Thee King and Sovereign even now!
Thee we reverence, Thee obey--
Own Thee Lord and Christ alway. Richard Holden
N.J. Hiebert - 20325
May 31
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5
The first word, "Let", can be interpreted "Permit"; the thought being that there might be some hindrance to the mind of Christ being very active in us. It is important to realize that from the moment we are saved; having taken the Lord Jesus as personal Saviour, we are indeed possessors of the "mind of Christ". But, sad to say, the habits and responsibilities of life, to say nothing of passions or goals, often crowd out the "voice" of the mind of Christ from being discerned and acted upon.
It is like many of the spiritual blessings, ours from day 1 of our salvation, that are so little appreciated or put into practice, because we are so taken up with the ordinary pattern of life, and the effect it can have in blunting or diminishing the power and benefits of living according to our spiritual blessings. We may know just what those spiritual blessings are, but we do not even begin to appreciate them unless and until we work them into our daily walk.
The children of Israel were told, in Joshua 1:3, that a great territory could be theirs, way beyond the current boarders of Israel, but they first had to walk upon the whole of it; clearing out God's enemies as they went by taking strength from Him. They had some success but, in those historic times, never took it all.
That will actually come about in a future time when the Lord Jesus, in all His power and glory, will obtain the whole territory for Israel, and go on to see that the entire world is under His dominion and benevolent reign.
Lorne Perry (PART 1)
"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and, things under the earth..." Philippians 2:10
N.J. Hiebert - 20326
June 1
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God...made Himself of no reputation...was made in the likeness of men...He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross...God also hath highly exalted Him...that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow...and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:5-11
The mind of Christ has been described for us in very concise terms in the verses above. They trace the Lord's path from the Father's home above, into this world in the form of a man, walking in lock-step with the will of God, being obedient to the judgmental sacrifice of Himself on the cross, concluding with His triumphant resurrection, ascension and return to reign. It is in view of what marvels He accomplished for God and for us that we are instructed and encouraged to take on this same character, living daily according to how He lived.
There are two fundamental ways in which this spirit should be seen in our lives. The first is to demonstrate brotherly love and kindness to our brothers and sisters in the Lord. The second is to reach out beyond that circle to those around us who still need to learn of their need of a Saviour; who He is and what He has done to prepare a way for them to inherit eternal life. The Lord also showed how dependent He was on God, His Father, and how often He was in prayer giving Him thanksgiving and praise. And this becomes another grand way we can act on the Spirit of Christ within us to magnify our Lord and exalt God, who is His and our Father.
Mark 10:13-16 tells of mothers desiring to bring their little children to Jesus. But there was a hindrance. Some of His disciples tried to turn them away so they wouldn't bother the Lord. But Jesus saw them and said "Suffer (or let) the little children to come unto Me". The message is that we need to clear away the difficulties or interruptions that hinder the work of blessing the Lord is ready to do through us. Most often, these difficulties are within ourselves. To let the Lord work through you, "Get out of the way!" Lorne Perry (Part 2)
N.J. Hiebert - 20327
June 2
My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9
Such words lead straight to a land where there is gold, and the gold of that land is good. Gold--the word recalls Job's affirmation, "When He hath tried me I shall come forth as gold"; and Peter's "That the trial of your faith, being much more perisheth than of gold though it be tried with fire" (1 Peter 1:7); and the quiet word in (Malachi 3:3) "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
I have often thanked God that the word is not gold there, but silver. Silver is of little account in the East, and we feel more like silver than gold. But he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, so who need fear?
This picture of the Refiner is straight from Eastern life. The Eastern goldsmith sits on the floor by his crucible. For me, at least, it was not hard to know why the Heavenly Refiner had to sit so long. The heart knows its own dross. Blessed be the love that never wearies, never gives up hope that even in such poor metal He may at last see the reflection of His face. "How do you know when it is purified?" we asked our village goldsmith. "When I can see my face in it," he answered. Rose From Briar - Amy Carmichael
N.J. Hiebert - 20328
June 3
RESTORATION BY CHASTISEMENT
He restoreth my soul . . . Psalm 23:3
Chastisement is one of our unpleasant blessings. In the exercise of it God reveals "the graver countenance of love". Correctly to understand its purpose and meaning and value, however, we must remember that it is not always or necessarily the result of sin. It is quite true, as the history of the ages solemnly testifies, that "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7); that, as one of our poets expresses it,
". . . Sorrow follows wrong, as echo follows song,
And every guilty deed holds within itself the seed
of retribution and undying pain."
But, admitting all this, the fact remains that retribution does not exhaust the purposes of God in chastisement. He has also lessons of education and soul-culture to teach by its means--lessons which, when learned, will issue in "the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby" (Hebrews 12:11). It is for this reason that we are exhorted to "despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of His correction: for whom the Lord loveth He correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth" (Proverbs 3:11,12).
Assured, then, that chastisement may be educative as well as retributive, and that in either case it is the evidence of a love which ever has our profit in view, we turn to consider the classic passage which deals with it--(Hebrews 12:5-11). And if we examine that passage carefully we find that chastisement has always one of three effects upon us; we either despise it, or faint under it, or are exercised by it. The Pearl of Psalms - George Henderson
N.J. Hiebert - 20329
June 4
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