Gems for the Week
November 29 - 30
"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. Hiebert # 3172
"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. Hiebert # 3173
