Gems for the Week
April 21 - 25
"God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."
(James 4:6)
The humble man may have Satan at his right hand to oppose him; but be sure the proud man shall find God Himself there to resist him. We must either lay self aside or God will lay us aside. . . . A proud scholar and a humble master will never agree; Christ is humble and lowly, and so resists the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. (William Gurnall - 1665)
N.J. Hiebert # 2589
"The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd." (Ecclesiastes 12:11)
There are two ways of learning the emptiness of the world and the true character of sin. One, and by far the commonest way, is to tread the thorny path each for himself. To do so is to taste to the full the bitterness of departure from God. The only right way is to learn it all in His presence, accepting His word regarding it; and thus enabling the obedient disciple to say, "Concerning the works of men, by the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer." (Psalm 17:4) (H.A. Ironside - Notes on Proverbs.)
N.J. Hiebert # 2590
"He is the rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment (righteousness): a God of truth (faithfulness) and without iniquity (deceit), just and right is He." (Deuteronomy 32:4)
It was when Satan succeeded by his lies in making Eve believe that God was withholding something good from her, something that she felt to be desirable, that she began to distrust God. She thought she knew better what was desirable than He. God had said of the forbidden fruit, "The day that thou eatest of it thou shalt certainly die" (Genesis 2:17). But Eve looked at the forbidden tree and judged it to be "good for food, and that it was a pleasure for the eyes, and the tree was to be desired to give intelligence." (Genesis 3:6) She relied upon her own judgment instead of God's. And what unhappiness she plunged herself into by doing so and not confiding in God!
This is still the root cause of all the unhappiness in the world today. Get this fact clearly in mind and face it squarely. If you want happiness and peace of heart and mind, you must begin right here. Deal in your own life with this root of all unhappiness, this lack of confidence in God's wisdom and goodness towards you. Stop thinking you know better than He what is needed to make you happy, confiding in your own judgment and thoughts instead of His. Are you unwilling just to yield to Him and let Him have His own way? His infinite knowledge assures you that He knows what is the very best for you, and His infinite power guarantees His ability to bring it to pass for you if you are willing to yield to Him with simple confidence in His love, wisdom, and power. (E.C. Hadley)
Have Thine own way, Lord! have Thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!
(A.A. Pollard)
N.J. Hiebert # 2591
"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." (Ephesians 6:16)
An unsatisfied heart is a source of danger, and a divided heart is the continual cause of inconsistency of walk. On the other hand, when Christ possesses and engrosses the affections we are superior to every temptation of the enemy. (Edward Dennett)
N.J. Hiebert # 2592
"And they remembered His words." (Luke 24:8)
How much mischief do we get into by not remembering God's words! When the Lord Jesus was tempted He had the word of God at hand, and by that simple word He could claim the victory in the battle. (J.G. Bellett)
N.J. Hiebert # 2593
