Gems for the Week
September 20-26
"And when the woman (Eve) saw
that the tree was good for food,
and that it was pleasant to the eyes,
and a tree to be desired to make one wise,
she took of the fruit thereof and did eat,
and gave also unto her husband (Adam)
with her; and he did eat." (Genesis 3:6)
Something, Nothing and Everything
Three things fallen man looks for:
The lust of the flesh - doing something
The lust of the eyes - having something
The pride of life - being something
(Genesis 3:6, Matthew 4:1-10, Luke 4:1-13, 1 John 2:16)
But the believer is nothing, "For if a man think himself to be something , when he is nothing , he deceiveth himself." (Galatians 6:3)
Knows nothing, "And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. (1 Corinthians 8:2)
Can do nothing "Without Me ye can do nothing." (John 15:5)
Apart from Christ Who is everything, "Christ is all and in all."
(Colossians 3:11)
(Michel Payette - Le Lien Fraternel - Meditation 113)
N.J. Hiebert # 2377
"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."
(1 Corinthians 12:27)
An old lady, who late in life accepted Christ as her Saviour, was always praising God and talking about her Saviour. One day a friend said, "You seem pretty confident about this Saviour of yours! I wouldn't be too sure about it, if I were you. Suppose the Lord should let you slip through one of His fingers!"
"But" said the old lady, "I am one of His fingers."
She was indeed a member of Christ. We would not dare say such a thing if it were not openly told us in Scripture. And we are reminded of it each time we partake of the loaf which is "the communion of the body of Christ." (1 Corinthians 10:16) (The Christian Newsletter - # 64)
N.J. Hiebert # 2378
"And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein. And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us,
we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;" (Acts 27:6,7)
Julius was not happy with the progress his ship was making. Deciding it was time for a change, he chose a ship that came from a city in Egypt (let's remember that in the Bible, Egypt usually pictures the world). Changing ships however, did not change the contrary winds for Julius.
Perhaps this is where you are right now in the voyage of your life. You haven't been satisfied with Dad and Mom's religious ways - nor with the contrary winds they have encountered (see 2 Timothy 3:12). Perhaps you've decided to change ships - to reach out to the world and find a more comfortable, easy way to get through this life. You may think that the winds will be less contrary if you follow the ways of the world rather than the ways of God that you have been taught in your home and assembly. Be assured that you will not be long finding the winds are still contrary. No one finds that things always go just the way they want in life. It just doesn't happen that way! The answer to these difficulties will not be found in adopting a different ship,a different manner of life characterized by the easy, carefree and Godless attitude of the world. The only safety for life's journey is found in fully obeying the Word of God. (The Journey of Life)
N.J. Hiebert # 2379
"In the assembly I desire to speak
five words with my understanding
that I may instruct others also,
rather than ten thousand words
in a tongue." (1 Corinthians 14:19)
It is wonderful to mark the way in which, at times, some brief sentence or clause will lay hold upon the heart, penetrate the conscience, or occupy the mind. Occurrences like these convince us beyond all question of the divinity of the Book in which it stands. It is important to delight in such things, especially today when the enemy of God is seeking in varied ways to cast a slur upon the inspired volume.
The grand end of speaking in the assembly is the edification of the hearers and this can only result if what is said is understood. The speaker must speak in an intelligible language, in an audible voice, and he must have something the Lord has given him to say. When God has given us only "five words," let us utter the five words and sit down rather than fill the time with ten thousand!
Let us be simple, earnest, and real. An earnest heart is better than a clever head, and a fervent spirit better than an eloquent tongue. When there is a genuine, hearty desire to promote the real good of souls, it will prove more effectual than the most brilliant gifts without it.
Finally, let us remember the following simple rule, "Do not look for something to say, because you feel that you have to speak; but speak because you have something that ought to be said." Let the teacher or preacher attend diligently to his ministry, let him cultivate his gift, let him live in the spirit of prayer, and let him breathe the atmosphere of Scripture. Then his words whether "five" or "ten thousand," will surely glorify Christ and edify men. (C.H. Mackintosh)
N.J. Hiebert # 2380
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7)
Finishing the Course
There are two prerequisites to finishing our Christian course or race. The first is that we start on it and secondly that we continue on.
Paul started his course when he met up with the Lord on the way to Damascus. Have you started your Christian course? If not, then take immediately to heart the pleading of God from 2 Corinthians 5:20-21. Receive the Lord Jesus as your personal Saviour and make Him Lord of your life, just now.
Paul pursued his course through manifold trials and strong opposition. He let nothing stop him, having his eyes on the Lord (Hebrew 12:1-2) and he finished the course (2 Timothy 4:7). Are you continuing on? Or has something come up to stop you in your tracks. Something had stopped the Galatians who were running well till they stopped (Galatians 5:7) - in their case it was because of very bad doctrine. Have you stumbled on things, too many of them perhaps making an extra heavy load to carry slowing you down, perhaps even to a halt? Or have you been stumbled by another believer or believers? Whatever it might be, set it aside and get up and go - the race is only to finish when the Lord comes or when we depart to be with Him. You will be sorry if you have given up. It is not too late now to resume the race. If you are slowing down, look up and see the Lord's delight in your running after him (Song of Solomon 1:4), the joy of the Lord will renew your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10, Hebrews 12:2). Go, go, go. . . . (Michel Payette - Le Lien Fraternel - Meditation # 32)
N.J. Hiebert # 2381
"And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, 'There is a noise of war in the camp.'
But [Moses] said: 'It is not the voice of those who shout in victory,
nor is it the voice of those who cry out in defeat,
but the voice of those who sing that I hear.' " (Exodus 32:17-18)
Deceived By the Noise
Lost in the jungle, a man sought desperately to find his way to safety. His strength was ebbing fast. Suddenly he heard what he thought was a bell tolling in the distance. Surely civilization must be near by. Valiantly he struggled on, but never seemed to draw closer to the sound. Finally he fell to the ground exhausted, never to rise again. The uncanny call of the South American bellbird, which sounds like a reverberating "toll," had struck again. Instead of offering the weary traveler promised safety, it lured him to his death.
Joshua made a similar mistake. When he heard the sounds of shouting, his military mind immediately assumed he was hearing the sounds of battle. But Moses, experienced in the ways of human nature, realized it was something even more sinister. What Joshua mistook for the sounds of potential physical danger, Moses recognized as the sure sounds of serious moral danger. Instead of war, it was the noise of debauchery and immorality.
Satan is a skilled noisemaker, and he loves to disguise the reality of sin with deceitful noise. He cloaks his wicked ways with words that sound lofty and noble. he hides his lies and deceit beneath raucous laughter, emotional appeals or apparent sincerity. The consequences, however, are spiritual disaster or even death.
Don't be fooled by the noise. Always take what you hear back to the Word of God. If it's not consistent with the Bible, take no heed to it no matter how good it sounds.
Check out the words you hear by the Word you trust. (Provided by Richard Gorgas - September 12, 2004)
N.J. Hiebert # 2382
"Ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in You? If any man defile the temple of God,
him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy,
which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16,17)
We read that in the days of Hezekiah it took sixteen days to clear out the temple, because it had not been daily cleansed . Take heed that there is not an accumulation on the conscience of those who are "the temple of the living God" that must first be cleared out before the living God can be worshipped. (Anon)
N.J. Hiebert # 2383
