Gems for the Week
November 26 - 28
"Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.
And He said, 'Come.'" (Matthew 14:28-29)
It's a little more comfortable to stay, but if you're going to walk on water, you'll need to get out of the boat. Our life storms arise suddenly and without warning. Grief, depression, failures and family trouble tend to keep us cowering in the boat. Step onto the water; Jesus will be there with you; He will not let you sink. Peter may have failed that night, but the others didn't even try. Success had nothing to do with Peter and sinking had nothing to do with the storm. By faith we too can walk on the roughest waters of life. (R.M.B.)
He didn't bring us this far to leave us,
He didn't teach us to swim to let us drown.
He didn't lift you up to let you down.
(J. CLEVELAND)
N.J. Hiebert # 3169
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:31)
The fact is that God is a God of love - He is love, and has so loved the world as to give His Son. And what has man done? Spat in His face and crucified Him, mocking Him as He died. Is this a small sin? But people today may say, We did not do that. Yet each one has taken sides either for Christ or against Him.
The proudest will must bow. It is no use "to kick against the pricks." (Acts 9:5)
No one need be lost in hell, for God has provided a Saviour for all. Only man must bow, repent, and believe the gospel. Saul of Tarsus had to yield and own that he was the chief of sinners, though outwardly his was a blameless life.
The only place we can adequately measure sin is at the cross of Christ. By comparing ourselves with one another we get very poor ideas of what sin is. The greatest crime that could be committed was the murder of the Son of God, and we must remember that each one of us belongs to a world that has cast God out of it when He came in grace and love.
All the human reasoning as to the inconsistency between a few years of sin and everlasting punishment is folly. The fact is, men love sin and hate Christ more than they fear hell. (A.H. Barry)
N.J. Hiebert # 3170
"Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
The labouring and the heavy laden are called to hearken to the most touching, gracious, winning word, "Come!" Every weary, burdened heart, every crushed and broken spirit is invited to come to Jesus, who alone is able and willing - willing as He is able, and able as He is willing - to give rest. What a soothing word is "rest!" How it falls upon the poor heart like showers upon the parched and thirsty ground! (Christian Truth - Vol. 23 - September 1970)
N.J. Hebert # 3171
