Bible Gems

September 28

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."  (Proverbs 3:5,6)
 
- It is one thing to rest in God's blessings, and another thing to rest in Himself.
- It is one thing to trust God, when I have before my eyes the channel through which the blessing is to flow; and quite another thing to trust Him when that channel is entirely stopped up.
- God looks for reality, and honours it where He sees it.
- Without trial we can be but theorists, and God would not have us such; He would have us entering into the living depths that are in Himself.
- Faith can do without every one and everything but God.
(Food for the Desert)
 
N.J. Hiebert # 3476

September 29

"Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty."  (Judges 5:23)
 
The word about the inhabitants of Meroz, has a stirring message for us all.
 
- "Curse ye Meroz", said the Lord.
- What has Meroz done?  "Nothing."
- Why then is Meroz to be cursed?
- Because Meroz did nothing!
- What ought Meroz to have done?
- Gone to the help of the Lord.
- Could not the Lord do without Meroz?
- The Lord did do without Meroz.
- Did the Lord sustain any loss?
- No, but Meroz did.
- Is then Meroz to be cursed?
- Yes, and that bitterly.
- Is it right that a man should be cursed for doing nothing?
- Yes, when he ought to be doing something.
 
In contrast to the people of Meroz:
 
- We ought to do all the good we can,
- By all the means we can,
- In all the ways we can,
- In all the places we can,
- At all the times we can,
- To all the people we can,
- As long as ever we can.
 
And let us remember that now is the accepted time for the exercise of these sacred ministries.  (Winsome Christianity - Henry Durbanville)
 
N.J. Hiebert # 3477

September 30

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."  (2 Timothy 3:16)
 
    If the Bible had been written by one individual, or even two, the argument we are about to adduce would not be so powerful, but when we reflect that the Bible is not one consecutive Book, but is composed of sixty-six books, and that in spite of that fact it is indeed one Book, each contribution fitting like stones shaped and polished into a symmetrical whole, each contribution complementary of the rest, we are obliged to believe that there is a Master mind behind it, in short that the Bible is God-breathed, inspired, that God Himself is its Author.
    Bind together sixty-six medical works, or political works, or even theological works, and you would find one writer affirming what another denies; one writer praising what another blames; one writer stating what he believes to be exalted truth, another denouncing it as utter folly.  (Why I Believe the Bible - A.J Pollock)
 
N.J. Hiebert # 3478

October 1

"Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice."  (Psalm 55:17)
 
TIME TO PRAY
 
I got up early one morning
And rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish,
That I didn't take time to pray.
 
Problems just tumbled about me
And heavier came each task;
Why doesn't God help me I wondered?
He answered, "YOU DIDN'T ASK."
 
I wanted to see joy and beauty,
But the day toiled on gray and bleak;
I wondered why God didn't show me.
He said, "BUT YOU DIDN'T SEEK".
 
I woke up early this morning,
and paused before entering the day;
I had so much to accomplish.
That I had to take time to pray.
(Submitted by a reader (T.R.)of the "Gems.")
 
N.J. Hiebert # 3479

October 2

"Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered Him and said, Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water."  (Matthew 14:27,28)
 
    This was scarcely presumption, or his Master would not have said, "Come."  It was rather the ardour of affection.  For a while Peter walked the sea as securely as the Lord Himself; but presently noticing the roughness of the wind, his heart failed him, and he began to sink.  Our safety to-day lies in "looking unto Jesus" (Hebrews 12:2).  This keeps the heart serene in the midst of life's stormiest billows.  Peter could not have traversed the most placid sea apart from divine aid; but this was amply sufficient to uphold him in safety upon the  wildest sea.
    In his distress Peter appealed to the Lord alone.  "Lord, save me."  Let us imitate the devoted apostle in this.  Are any in distress concerning their sins, and fearful of the wrath to come?  Are others in perplexity and need as to the affairs of daily life?  Let us turn to Christ alone, who is indeed the only Mediator between God and men.  No one has such a heart to care as He; and certainly no created being can furnish us with even a modicum of needed grace.  Our souls are absolutely shut up to Christ for blessing of every kind.  To know Him is to trust and adore Him.  The incident closes with the disciples worshipping at His feet, exclaiming "of a truth Thou art the Son of God" (Matthew 14:33).  That night at sea yielded to them its blessings for eternity.  (W.W. Feredy - Peter the Apostle)
 
NJ. Hiebert # 3480

October 3

"As thou goest step by step, the way shall open up before thee."
(Proverbs 4:12, Hebrew Version)
"And the Lord shall guide thee continually."  (Isaiah 58:11)
 
A father and his son were camped in a wooded area a little ways from the nearest village.  The father had a letter which needed mailing and asked his son to take it to the post office in the village.  The father took his son to the edge of camp and showed him the trail which led to the village.  "But father," said the little boy, "I don't see how that path will ever reach town."  The father took his hand in his and pointed explaining, "See down the trail to that big tree where the trail seems to come to an end?"  "Oh, yes, I see that the path goes that far; but the village is not there!"  "Well, when you get to that big tree, you will see further on around the bend and down the trail.  Just go to the tree and then follow the trail until you come to the next corner, then look ahead and follow it some more until you see some houses.  When you come to the houses, you will see the post office.  There you can mail my letter!"
 
I know not when or where I go from this familiar scene;
But He is here and He is there, and all the way between.
And when I pass from all I know, to that dim, vast unknown,
Though late I stay or soon I go, I shall not go alone.
  
The love of God quite as often withholds the view of the entire distance of the winding path through life.  He reveals it to us step by step and from corner to corner.  Hence it is necessary to trust Him to lead, for He can see around the bend in the road.  He knows what lies ahead, and whether we can cope with the situation now or later.  He consults our wants, not our wishes, like a wise and loving Father.  His corners are not the end of the way.  Corners discipline faith, teach us patience to walk step by step, and fit us for blessing.  Because our vision is limited, it causes us to continually seek His guidance.  (Selected)
 
N.J. Hiebert # 3481