Gems for March - wk 2
March 8
"(Paul) said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives."
(Acts 27:10)
It is easy to imagine how unpopular this warning of the Apostle Paul was to those on Julius' ship who did not find Fair Havens an appealing place. Is that how you react when dad or mom, or other Christians lovingly seek to warn you about your life and ways? Remember that the truth of God is for your safety and protection, though it will not always sound like those good words and fair speeches which deceive the hears of the simple. (Romans 16:18). The world looks more inviting, but how much better to be safe than sorry! (D.N. - The Journey of Life)
N.J.H. # 3271
March 9
"That in all things He might have the preeminence." (Colossians 1:18)
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
What proportion of your moments do you think enough for Jesus? How many for the spirit of praise, and how many for the spirit of heaviness? Be explicit about it, and come to an understanding. If He is not to have all, then how much? Calculate, balance, and apportion. You will not be able to do this in heaven - you know it will be all praise there; but you are free to half your service of praise here, or to make the proportion what you will.
Yet - He made you for His glory.
Yet - He chose you that you should be to the praise of His glory.
Yet - He loves you every moment, waters you every moment, watches you unslumberingly, cares for you unceasingly.
Yet - He died for you!
Shall you or I remember all this love, and hesitate to give all our moments up to Him? Let us entrust Him with them, and ask Him to keep them all, every single one, for His own beloved self, and fill them all with His praise, and let them all be to His praise! (Francis Ridley Havergal - Kept for the Master's Use)
N.J.H. # 3272
March 10
"Peter therefore was kept in prison; but prayer was made without
ceasing by the Church unto God for him." (Acts 12:5)
"Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed
earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by
the space of three years and six months." (James 5:17)
The prayers of Scripture all glow with the white heat of intensity. Remember how Jacob wrestled, and David panted and poured out his soul; the importunity of the blind beggar, and the persistency of the distraught mother; the strong crying and tears of our Lord. In each case the whole being gathered up, as a stone into a catapult, and hurled forth in vehement entreaty. Prayer is only answered for the glory of Christ; but it is not answered unless it be accompanied with such earnestness as will prove that the blessing sought is really needed. (F.B. Meyer)
Pray to be delivered from coldness and formality in prayer. Be watchful against prayer drifting into a lifeless mechanical operation. It is the effectual
fervent prayer of a righteous man that availeth much.
N.J.H. # 3273
March 11
"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed,
shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
bringing his sheaves with him."
(Psalm 126:6)
Paul in Acts 20:19 states, "Serving the Lord with humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations (trials)." Here, no doubt, we have one secret of his success. Some one has said that "prayer and temptation, the Bible and meditation, make a good minister of Jesus Christ." Whitfield, we are told, scarcely ever preached without weeping. And the Psalmist informs us of this in Psalm 126:6 quoted above. Such manner of preaching is largely out of fashion to-day, and probably has little attraction for either preachers or hearers of this century. But if a better way has been found than the Apostle's, there is at least one fact which cannot be denied: the same results are not manifest. If the weeping is not there, neither is the rejoicing over the sheaves. A man who is so affected by his message or by the need of his hearers that he can weep, is not likely to preach in vain. Anyway, Paul was not ashamed to shed tears, nor to speak of it, and his trials were great. What trials may do for a servant of the Lord, the effect they may have upon him and consequently upon his ministry, no one can tell. (Russell Elliott - Break of Day)
N.J.H. # 3274
March 12
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long
patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also
patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord
draweth nigh." (James 5:7,8)
(Note also 1 Peter 1:7,13; 2 Peter 3;
1 John 3:2; Revelation 3:11; 22:7,12,20.)
Although these are only some of the scriptures which might be adduced (on the coming of the Lord), it will at once be seen how largely the subject is dealt with in the word of God; and on examination it will be discovered that this is because it is bound up, interwoven, with the very essence of Christianity. Take away the hope of the Lord's return, and you at once rob Christianity of its true character. It cannot be too strongly asserted, that it is not a doctrine to be accepted or rejected at pleasure, but that it is a part and parcel of the truth itself, connected with the calling and place of the believer, his relationship to Christ, and his future blessedness. Hence, indeed, Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they were converted to wait for God's Son from heaven; and every believer now is converted for the same thing. To be without this hope and expectation, therefore, is to be ignorant of the believer's portion in Christ. (Edward Dennett - The Blessed Hope)
N.J.H. # 3275
March 13
"We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, a against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12)
This world was never more unattractive than today. These hurrying throngs of strangers with not a familiar face in the crowd - what a heartless world it can be for who knows or cares! I never wanted to leave it like I do this afternoon but my time is not yet so I breathe a feeble prayer and recruit my limited resources. ". . . my strength is made perfect in weakness," God has said (2 Corinthians 12:9) and I say, ". . . when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10) By that rule I should be a colossus now for I've never been weaker. I do not question my Father who is making all things work together for good to those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) And what is that purpose? To be conformed to the image of God's Son, to be made like Jesus. It takes a lot of time and doing to make such stubborn, faulty lumps of clay into a vessel that He can use.
The new hilarious brand of Christianity is only a better way to have a good time. Fun seems to be the objective but wrestling with powers and principalities doesn't sound much like fun
. Wrestling isn't fun to start with and when the foe is the devil it is not exactly recreation. The new breed of Christians knows little of the power of His Resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, and conformity to His death, (Philippians 3:10) the very things Paul wanted to know. (Vance Havener - Though I Walk Through the Valley - Written after the death of his wife.)
N.J.H. # 3276
March 14
"The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked
shall be put out." (Proverbs 13:9)
The Christian, like a star in the heavens, wades through the cloud, that for a time hides his comfort; but the hypocrite, like a meteor in the air, blazeth a little, and then drops into some ditch or other, where it is quenched.
Sincerity enables the Christian to do two things in affliction which the hypocrite cannot - to speak good of God, and to expect good from God. (William Gurnall - The Christian in Complete Armour - 1665)
N.J.H. # 3277
March 15
"He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." (Malachi 3:3)
Years ago a few ladies who met together in Dublin to study the Scriptures came, in their reading, to the third chapter of Malachi. They were struck with the expression in verse 3: "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." One of the ladies promised to call on a silversmith to get any information which she could on the subject. She went, accordingly, and without telling the object of her errand, begged to know from him the process of refining sliver, which he fully described to her. "But, sir," said she, "do you sit while the work of refining is going on?" "Oh yes, madam." replied the silversmith, "I must sit, with my eyes steadily fixed on the crucible, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree the silver is sure to be injured." At once she saw the beauty, and comfort too, of the expression: "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." Christ sees it needful to put His children into the furnace, but He is seated by the side of it; His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying; and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for them. Their trials do not come at random; the very hairs of their heads are all numbered. As the lady was leaving the shop, the silversmith called her back, and said he had still further to mention that he only knew when the process of purifying was complete, by seeing his own image reflected in the silver. (George Henderson - Heaven's Cure for Earth's Care)
N.J.H. # 3278
