Gems for the Week
May 23 - 26
"Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10,11)
The simplicity of the Gospel. If bread were as hard to come by as sweetmeats, or water as scarce as wine, the greatest part of men must needs famish; so if truths necessary to salvation were as hard to be understood, and cleared from Scriptures, as some others, many poor weak-hearted Christians would certainly perish without a miracle to help them. But the saving truths of the gospel lie plain, and run clear to all but those who muddy the streams with their own corrupt minds. (William Gurnall - Gleanings from the complete work published in 1665)
N.J. Hiebert # 2621
"My son, give Me thy heart and let thine eyes delight in My ways."
(Proverbs 23:26)
No sooner is a soul converted to Jesus than it should forget and turn away from everything contrary to His will; everything that would hinder us in carrying out His will should be given up. Surely, this is a fair demand from Him who gave Himself for us. His devotedness to us is complete. He kept nothing back; He gave all. He loved us and gave Himself for us. Not only His life, true and blessed as that is, but He gave Himself. Of course, the cross is the strongest expression of His love that we can ever have.
Observe especially the greatness of that gift - He gave Himself! All His qualities, all His excellencies, are given in this gift. This is love - this is devotedness - this is consecration. He keeps nothing back from us; His love is perfect. (A. Miller)
N.J. Hiebert # 2622
"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Luke 16:13)
The most splendid intellect, the most commanding genius, the most indomitable energy, if not under the direct control of the Spirit of God, are but so many instruments in Satan's hand to carry forward his dark designs. No man is his own master; he is either governed by Christ or governed by Satan. (Food for the Desert)
N.J. Hiebert # 2623
"O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee
from the wrath to come?" (Luke 3:7)
When we read the words "generation of vipers," we are unable to understand their real import, and are in danger of viewing them as the expressions of an unrestrained anger and abhorrence, except by referring to Genesis 3:15 "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel." and Psalm 91:13 "Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet." and other scriptures; where we are taught that there are two seeds, two generations; that of the serpent and the children of God, the seed of the woman. (Dr. Adolph Saphir - Christ and the Scriptures)
N.J. Hiebert # 2624
