November 23
"But he that received one (talent) went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money." (Matthew 25:18)
A Christian once said to John Wesley. "My talent is to speak my mind." "Well, brother," replied the great preacher, "The lord would not mind if you buried that talent."
"Speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15) is much better. (TCN - 1983)
N.J.H. # 3166
November 24
"Love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave."
(Song of Solomon 8:6)
Does death take a strong hold of its victim? Oh, how strong! - what a hold! - such is the strength - the hold of the Saviour's love. Think of the grasp - the hold which death takes - think of the almighty grasp, the eternal hold of the Saviour's love. The similitude is appalling - overwhelming - the reality, consoling, comforting, refreshing, and strengthening, beyond all measure. Oh! the deep, vast, profound, immeasurable, untraceable, glories of the Saviour's love! - No Equal (Selected)
N.J.H. # 3167
November 25
"Think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)
- The age of responsibility is when we put our own will in opposition to God's will.
- If we're honest with ourselves, what we want is our own way - and our own way is what always gets us into trouble. The blessing comes from God's will.
- The worst thing that could happen, once we're saved, is to be allowed to go our own way. We are always in His sovereign will; let us seek to be in His directive will.
- God always desires grace and peace for His family. Peace is always in the measure in which we understand and appreciate grace.
- There can be no communion without self-judgment, and no worship without communion.
- Holiness is the abhorrence of evil, with delight in good. (Things to Think About - Sep-Oct. 1983)
N.J.H. # 3168
November 26
"Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.
And He said, 'Come.'" (Matthew 14:28-29)
It's a little more comfortable to stay, but if you're going to walk on water, you'll need to get out of the boat. Our life storms arise suddenly and without warning. Grief, depression, failures and family trouble tend to keep us cowering in the boat. Step onto the water; Jesus will be there with you; He will not let you sink. Peter may have failed that night, but the others didn't even try. Success had nothing to do with Peter and sinking had nothing to do with the storm. By faith we too can walk on the roughest waters of life. (R.M.B.)
He didn't bring us this far to leave us,
He didn't teach us to swim to let us drown.
He didn't lift you up to let you down.
(J. CLEVELAND)
N.J.H. # 3169
November 27
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:31)
The fact is that God is a God of love - He is love, and has so loved the world as to give His Son. And what has man done? Spat in His face and crucified Him, mocking Him as He died. Is this a small sin? But people today may say, We did not do that. Yet each one has taken sides either for Christ or against Him.
The proudest will must bow. It is no use "to kick against the pricks." (Acts 9:5)
No one need be lost in hell, for God has provided a Saviour for all. Only man must bow, repent, and believe the gospel. Saul of Tarsus had to yield and own that he was the chief of sinners, though outwardly his was a blameless life.
The only place we can adequately measure sin is at the cross of Christ. By comparing ourselves with one another we get very poor ideas of what sin is. The greatest crime that could be committed was the murder of the Son of God, and we must remember that each one of us belongs to a world that has cast God out of it when He came in grace and love.
All the human reasoning as to the inconsistency between a few years of sin and everlasting punishment is folly. The fact is, men love sin and hate Christ more than they fear hell. (A.H. Barry)
N.J.H. # 3170
November 28
"Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
The labouring and the heavy laden are called to hearken to the most touching, gracious, winning word, "Come!" Every weary, burdened heart, every crushed and broken spirit is invited to come to Jesus, who alone is able and willing - willing as He is able, and able as He is willing - to give rest. What a soothing word is "rest!" How it falls upon the poor heart like showers upon the parched and thirsty ground! (Christian Truth - Vol. 23 - September 1970)
N.J.H. # 3171
November 29
"So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of Jonas lovest thou Me more than these?'" (John 21:15)
The moment the Lord seized for this question appears to carry a great lesson for us. Supposing a brother gets astray, and backslides a little, do you know the way to restore him? Would you go and tell him he has slipped away? That will not do him much good. Very likely if you were to say to him "Brother, come and have a cup of tea with me," and then talk to him about the Lord, that would help him. What had the seven disciples been up to till now? Cold and hungry; out all night they had caught nothing, and were disappointed. What does the Lord do? He says, "Come and dine." They get both warmth and food. Do you know a spiritually cold and, consequently, hungry brother? Feed him, warm him up. Give him food, spiritually I mean. The great thing for you and me to do is to warm him. He wants cherishing and nourishing, warmth and food. It is always thus put in Scripture. "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church" (Ephesians 5:29). What is the nourishing? Food. What is the cherishing? Warmth. (Selected)
N.J.H. # 3172
November 30
"Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in (love),
in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)
We can present Christ to the hearts of men in our lives as well as by our words. We may not be able to explain a single passage of scripture, but we can live Christ. You may teach a Sunday school, or visit among the poor, and that is all right and good, but there is something far better - live Christ, present Christ. (Edward Dennett)
N.J.H. # 3173
