Gems for December - wk 4
December 21
"What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation." (Psalm 116:12-13)
If someone is very wealthy - in fact owns everything - whatever could you give him? This was the Psalmist's dilemma with the Lord. He concluded that the only thing he could do was to enjoy - and to be thankful for - His generosity (J.B.N., Jr.) He drew me out, He bade me live, When I had nothing in return to give - What shall I render unto Him? From Him salvation's cup I'll take, And serve Him gladly for His own dear sake, This will I render unto Him. (Wm. Blane)
N.J.H. # 2832
December 22
"Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere. . . then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan. . . Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent towards Sodom." (Genesis 13:10-12)
Satan tempts the saints to imitate Lot when they ought to imitate Abraham - to have earthly affections in place of heavenly affections. People say, "What harm is there in the well-watered plains of Jordan? Are not they also a gift of Providence?" I answer, "The devil planted Sodom in their midst." What is done in the flesh is not to the glory of God; it may, thanks to His powerful intervention, turn in the end to His glory; but so far as concerns us it is worth absolutely nothing. A Christian is a being purchased at a great price, and who has nothing else to do than to glorify God. (Christian Truth - Vol. 21 - June 1986)
N.J.H. # 2833
December 23
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2)
Sorrow............... Looks back.
Worry................ Looks around.
Faith.................. Looks up. (From "Truth For Young Christian")
N.J.H. # 2834
December 24
"Men ought always to pray, and not to faint." (Luke 18:1)
Pray like Samuel in childhood.
Pray like Timothy in youth.
Pray like Simeon when old.
Pray like David in the early morning.
Pray like Daniel at noon.
Pray like Paul & Silas at midnight.
Pray like Peter in danger.
Pray like Hannah in sorrow.
Pray like Job in suffering & sickness.
Pray like Stephen while dying.
Pray like Eliezer when you start any work.
Pray like Solomon when you finish any work. AND Pray like Jesus at all times. (Taken from "Gems for the Singing Pilgrim" - Dick Gorgas)
N.J.H. # 2835
December 25
"For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little and, there a little." (Isaiah 28:10)
"Little foxes" (Song of Solomon 2:15) that "spoil the vines." (fruitfulness for the Lord and our joy in Christ - John 15:1-5)
Lot wanted to stay at "a little city" (Zoar) - a little bit of the world. (Genesis 19:20,22)
Sometimes we are guilty of "a little folly." (Ecclesiastes 10:1)
We need to be careful with the "little member. (The tongue - James 3:5)
We need to be careful of "a little leaven." (1 Corinthians 5:6, Galatians 5:9) (Contributed by Bill Brockmeier)
N.J.H. # 2836
December 26
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (or, "every good work").
(Timothy 3:16,17)
All or every scripture is then divinely inspired, given by the operation of the Holy Ghost through human vessels as a revelation of the divine mind (see 2 Peter 1:21), and the Apostle in another place claims this inspiration for the words in which he delivered his message: "Which things also we speak," he says, "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which [in those which] the Holy Ghost teacheth" (1 Corinthians 2:13).
It is not only therefore that the Scriptures contain, but they also are the truth; and they are thus absolutely infallible and, as such, have attached to them God's authority because they are the expression of His own mind. They are therefore to be received, unquestioningly received, as the voice of the living God to our souls; and thus the only proper attitude to be taken up when they are read is that of Samuel, who said, "Speak, for thy servant heareth." (Edward Dennett)
N.J.H. # 2837
December 27
"The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, I am the Lord: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee. And Moses said before the Lord, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?" (Exodus 6:29,30)
The man who shrinks from responsibility on the ground of his own feebleness, is in great danger of calling in question the fullness and sufficiency of God's resources. (Selected)
N.J.H. # 2838
December 28
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
(2 Peter 3:18)
In his book The Call, Os Guinness tells a story about Arthur Burns, chairman of the US Federal Reserve Board during the 1970s. Burns, who was Jewish, became part of a Bible study held at the White House at that time. One day, those in the group listened in surprise as Burns prayed, "O God, may the day come when all Jews will come to know Jesus." But an even bigger surprise came when he prayed for the time "when all Christians will come to know Jesus." Burns hit on a profound truth we all need to wrestle with.
Even if we claim the name of Jesus Christ, it may not be evident to others that we really know Him. Do we have a personal relationship with Him? If so, are we striving, praying, and working to know Jesus more intimately each day? Peter, a man who knew Jesus well, said that "the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord" will bring us multiplied "grace and peace" (2 Peter 1:2). Knowing Jesus gives us "all things that pertain to life and godliness" (v.3). And knowledge of Jesus will help us develop character traits that show the world that we are connected to Him (vv.5-8).
Can you and I honestly say, "I know Jesus better today that I did yesterday"? (Dave Branon) No knowledge gained through arduous quest Has made my heart so free As this great fact of time and space - That Jesus died for me! (D. De Haan) The better you know Jesus in your heart, the more the world will see Jesus in your life. (Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries, Copyright, 2005, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted permission.)
N.J.H. # 2839
December 28
"A Lamb as it had been slain." (Revelation 5:6)
So wondrous is the Person of the Lord Jesus that every device of human language is used to describe Him. He is presented as everything from the Lily for purity and beauty, to the Lion for power and authority. But it seems that, before our wondering eyes, Christ will be seen as the Lamb forever. As the Lamb He will be remembered as having washed us from our sins and be worshiped by every creature. As the Lamb He will illumine the capital city of Heaven and the beneficent rays of His shadowless light will ever remind us of the price He paid to redeem us. (J. Boyd Nicholson)
Every knee in Heaven is bending to the Lamb for sinners slain;
Every voice and harp is swelling, "Worthy is the Lamb to reign."
N.J.H. # 2840
December 29
