Gems for May - wk 2
May 9
"But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering." (James 1:6)
There is nothing so heart-searching as the prayer of faith. It teaches you to discover and confess, and give up everything that hinders the coming of the blessing; everything there may be not in accordance with the Father's will. It leads to closer fellowship with Him who alone can teach to pray, to a more entire surrender to draw nigh under no covering but that of the blood, and the Spirit. It calls to a closer and more simple abiding in Christ alone. (Andrew Murray)
N.J.H. # 2971
May 10
"And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
And he cried unto the Lord." (Exodus 15:24,25)
How much better this than to rebuke the people, or to threaten to throw up his appointment, or to sit down in despondency as utterly out of heart! The disciples when they had buried John the Baptist, went and told Jesus. And in all ages the servants of God have been glad to turn from their discouragements and the ingratitude of those for whom they would gladly have laid down their lives, to Him whose heart is open to every moan, and whose love is over all, and through all, and in all. . . .Ah, fellow-workers, let us not carry the burdens of responsibilities arising out of His work. Our one thought should be to be on His track, and to be living in union with Himself. We may leave all the rest with Him. (F.B. Meyer)
N.J.H. # 2972
May 11
"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)
To wait upon God is to be silent that He may speak, expecting all things from Him, and girded for instant unquestioning obedience to the slightest movement of His will. That is waiting upon God. All the spiritual senses alive, alert, expectant; separated unto Him His servant and soldier - waiting. It is not the waiting of an idler, it is not the waiting of a dreamer. It is the quiet waiting of one who is girt and ready, One who looks upon life as a battlefield and a sphere for service, who has one Master and but one, to whom he looks for everything, from whom alone he expects anything. This is waiting upon God according to the Scriptures. (C.I. Scofield)
N.J.H. # 2973
May 12
"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come." (1 Corinthians 11:26)
"When blood from a victim must flow,
This Shepherd by pity was led
To stand between us and the foe,
And willingly died in our stead."
If saints on earth had been left to conjure up some method of remembering Him, some might have set up ways that only the rich could keep - as with Mary, whose precious ointment would cost about a year's wages for a workman. Most of us could not do such a thing. Caste and society might have entered into it in other cases. But to take a loaf - that which unbroken reminds us of His body now composed of all true believers on earth, Himself the Head in heaven, and when broken reminds us of His body, the body prepared for Him, in which He suffered on the accursed tree - and thus remember Him in His body given for us is the simple way He ordained. And to take the cup, that which reminds us of His precious blood that flowed from His wounded side as the cost of our redemption, is blessedly simple and not costly. (Paul Wilson)
N.J.H. # 2974
May 13
"As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you."
(Isaiah 66:13)
Mother's Day is here and though we attach no spiritual significance to it, it is well that we be reminded of the blessings of godly motherhood. Is your mother alive? How long has it been since you found time to visit her? Today pay a visit to mother - or if the distance is too great, give her a call on the phone. The cheapest thing one can do is just sending a card written by others. Why not write a personal letter to her today? Think of all the sacrifices she has made for you - doing without that you might have!
A teacher asked little Katie a question in fractions. She said, "If your mother made a pie and there were ten at the table: father, mother, and eight children, how much of the pie would you get?" She replied, "One-ninth, teacher. "Don't you mean one-tenth, Katie? Don't you know your fractions?" "Yes," said she," I know my fractions - but you don't know my mother. She would say, I'll do without - I don't care for any tonight." (Selected)
No one knows the work it makes To keep the home together;
Nobody knows the steps it takes, Nobody knows but mother.
Nobody knows the lessons taught Of loving one another;
Nobody knows the patience sought, Nobody knows - but MOTHER!
(ANON)
N.J.H. # 2975
May 14
"These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." (1 John 2:1)
Flesh ought never to work; your life ought never to be an expression of the flesh, but the obedience of a child. The youngest child in Christ cannot walk as a father in Christ, but he can walk in the obedience of a child with Christ. I have the flesh; but if I am in the light practically with God I know all about the flesh; then all that I am is judged. A child of two years old can be as obedient as a child of twelve years. It is not a question of age, of strength, but obedience. We have the pattern of Christ at twelve years old. He was obedient to His father and mother, and went home with then, being subject unto them. (J.N. Darby - Nine Lectures on the First Epistle of John)
N.J.H. # 2976
May 15
"When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear
with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:4)
The new nature longs, especially in view of the very near coming of the Lord, to be morally more detached from earth and the things of earth. What will produce this?
- "Dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world."
- "Risen with Christ."
- Your affection (mind) set "on things above."
- Your life, "Hid with Christ in God."
- The "blessed hope" of His coming.
- The certain prospect of appearing "with Him in glory"
These, if anything, will produce that detachment the renewed nature desires. (Christian Truth - Vol. 20 - 1967)
N.J.H. # 2977
