Gems for the Week
January 27 - 31
"Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." (1 Corinthians 3:5-7)
You enter your room, and find the fire all but out, there seems scarcely a trace of vitality. The fire-irons are there, all polished and laid in order; but what could they do? Nothing! A thousand sets of the most splendid fire-irons could not produce a single spark. There must be a living hand to move them, or they will lie there motionless and powerless.
What is to be done? You seize the poker, rake out the ashes, and introduce a current of air; then you stir up the almost dead lumps of coal; and, in a few moments, you have a brilliant and beautiful fire. Who thinks of praising the poker? Who would say, "What a marvelous poker!" It is not the lifeless poker, but the living hand that does the work. True, the hand uses the poker; but the poker is useless without the hand.
Now, there is a fine moral lesson here for all who are, in any little way, used in the Lord's blessed work. We have ever to bear in mind that the works that are done upon the earth, God is the doer of them. If He deigns to use us, let us never forget that we are but mere instruments, just as helpless and powerless as the poker. No doubt, we have enjoyment in the work; but we are not now dealing with the question of enjoyment, but ability. If any real work is done, God is the doer of it. To Him be all the glory. (C.H. Mackintosh - February 14, 1889) (Submitted by a reader.)
N.J. Hiebert # 2505
"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think; of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)
A right estimate of oneself will always be a humble estimate, and will be confirmed in the realization of the fact that, whatever we are and whatever we do that is pleasing to God, comes from God. (W.E. Vine)
N.J. Hiebert # 2506
"What if God, willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath . . ."
(Romans 9:22)
Longsuffering is that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation, which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish; it is the opposite of anger, and is associated with mercy. "Despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Romans 2:4) (Selected)
N.J. Hiebert # 2507
"Ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith."
(Jude 20)
These words evidently set forth the responsibility of all true Christians to be found together instead of being divided and scattered. We are to help one another in love, according to the measure of grace bestowed and the nature of the gift communicated. It is a mutual thing - "building up yourselves." It is not looking to an order of men, nor complaining of our lack of gifts, but simply doing each what we can to promote the common blessing and profit of all. (C.H. Macintosh)
N.J. Hiebert # 2508
"By HIM were all things created . . . all things were created . . . for HIM . . . HE is before all things . . . by HIM all things consist . . . that in all things HE might have the preeminence." (Colossians 1:16-18)
If you have Christ, you have all; without Christ, you have nothing. You can be happy without money, without liberty, without parents, and without friends, if Christ is yours. If you have not Christ, neither money, nor liberty, nor parents, nor friends, can make you happy; liberty without Christ, is a chain. Christ without anything is riches; all things without Christ is poverty indeed. (Extract - Christian Truth - December 1969)
N.J. Hiebert # 2509
