Gems for November - wk 1
November 1
"God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5)
No language could be used to describe more forcibly God's intrinsic and absolute purity. It is a purity that admits of no degree of evil. Not only is God "light," but no "darkness" can mingle with that light. Darkness is necessarily excluded by what He is as light. And if we have been brought to God, we are not "in darkness," but "in the light." It is the place and condition into which we have been brought. We were once darkness, but now light in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8). (A.H. Rule)
N.J.H. # 3144
November 2
"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of
our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 20,21)
There are four things which we are exhorted to do; namely, "Building" - "Praying" - "Keep"[ing] - "looking." What a blessed work is here! Yes, and it is work for all. There is not one true Christian on the face of the earth who cannot fulfill any or all of these branches of ministry; indeed, every one is responsible to do so. We can build ourselves up on our most holy faith; we can pray in the Holy Ghost; we can keep ourselves in the love of God; and, while doing these things, we can look out for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. (C.H. Mackintosh)
N.J.H. # 3145
November 3
"He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." (Malachi 3:3)
Our Father, who seeks to perfect His saints in holiness, knows the value of the refiner's fire. It is with the most precious metals that the assayer takes the most pains, and subjects them to the hot fire, because such fires melt the metal, and only the molten mass releases its alloy or takes perfectly its new form in the mould. The old refiner never leaves his crucible, but sits down by it, lest there should be one excessive degree of heat to mar the metal. But as soon as he skims from the surface the last of the dross, and sees his own face reflected, he puts out the fire. (Arthur T. Pierson)
N.J.H. # 3146
November 4
"He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." (Malachi 3:3)
He sat by a fire of seven-fold heat,
As He watched by the precious ore,
And closer He bent with a searching gaze
As He heated it more and more.
He knew He had ore that could stand the test,
And He wanted the finest gold
To mould as a crown for the King to wear,
Set with gems with a price untold.
So He laid our gold in the burning fire,
Tho' we fain would have said Him 'Nay,'
And He watched the dross that we had not seen,
And it melted and passed away.
And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright,
But our eyes were so dim with tears,
We saw but the fire - not the Master's hand,
And questioned with anxious fears.
Yet our gold shone out with a richer glow,
As it mirrored a Form above,
That bent o'er the fire, tho' unseen by us,
With a look of ineffable love.
Can we think that it pleases His loving heart
To cause us a moment's pain?
Ah, no! but He saw through the present cross
The bliss of eternal gain.
So He waited there with a watchful eye,
With a love that is strong and sure,
And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat,
Than was needed to make it pure.
(Author Unknown)
N.J.H. # 3147
November 5
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by
the blood of Jesus . . .let us draw near." (Hebrews 10:19,22)
Access to God's presence and fellowship, the right and the power to make that our abiding dwelling-place, to live our life there, has been provided in Christ: let us draw near, here let us abide. God does in very deed mean that every child of His should always dwell in His presence. (Andrew Murray - Let Us Draw Near)
N.J.H. # 3148
November 6
"The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you." (1 Peter 4:14)
Mankind wants rest. They pursue it desperately and in the pursuing have even less rest. Christ offers rest to us. In matchless grace, He says, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give your rest." The dove that Noah released from the ark found no resting place for its feet. But at the Lord's meeting with John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended and rested on Christ. The same Holy Spirit dwells in us and gives us rest as we rejoice in our Saviour. (R.E. Harlow)
N.J.H. # 3149
November 7
"My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)
"Thou hast a little strength." (Revelation 3:8)
What marvelous display of love comes out to fill the soul with joy at the very time that the Lord is teaching us our own nothingness and misery. When one sees the thought of God and of Christ, in the breaking down of the flesh in us, how one should joy in Him and rejoice! Better, saith Christ, be a poor weak creature in utter weakness, than have any amount of power without "my strength." (Gleanings of G.V. Wigram)
N.J.H. # 3150
