Gems from January 6-10, 2005
January 6
"Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to ALL THE SAINTS..." (Philippians 1:1)
How often we forget "to all the saints." How often out thoughts and prayers include only the saints in one little group, that is of special interest to us. Let us remember that God's heart, God's thought, goes out to"all the saints." When I was a child, every night and morning my father would pray for "the whole Church of God." This is as it should be: and if we are walking down here as Christ would have us walk, we will not be content that our hearts should take in any smaller circle than "all the saints." We may not be able to walk with them all, in the paths they have chosen, but we may love them, and pray for them, all. Before the Assembly at Ephesus had left their first love (Revelation 2:4): Paul could write of their "love unto all the saints." (Ephesians 1:15) (G.Christopher Willis - Sacrifices of Joy)
N.J. Hiebert # 2121
January 7
"...He will beautify the meek with salvation." (Psalm 149:4)
Once there was a brier growing in a ditch, and there came along a gardener with his spade. As he dug around it and lifted it out, the brier said to itself, "What is he doing that for? Doesn't he know that I am a worthless brier?" But the gardener took it into the garden and planted it amid his flowers, while the brier said, "What a mistake he has made, planting a brier like myself among such rose trees as these!" But the gardener came once more with his keen-edged knife, made a slit in the brier and budded it with a rose, and by and by, when summer came, lovely roses were blooming on that old brier! Then the gardener said, "Your beauty is not due to that which came out, but to that which I put into you." That is just what Christ is doing all the time with our human lives. (Mountain Trailways for Youth)
"Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,
All His wondrous compassion and purity;
By Thy Spirit Divine, may Christ from my life shine
Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me."
N.J. Hiebert # 2122
January 8
"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." (2 Timothy 1:12)
The vanity of the flesh likes to be popular and self-important and make itself prominent before the world and the saints, but in view of that day it is better to take a lowly place in self- effacement rather than a public place in self-advertisement, for then it will be found that many that are first shall be last; and the last first. (Hamilton Smith)
N.J. Hiebert # 2123
January 9
"...He will beautify the meek with salvation." (Psalm 149:4)
Once there was a brier growing in a ditch, and there came along a gardener with his spade. As he dug around it and lifted it out, the brier said to itself, "What is he doing that for? Doesn't he know that I am a worthless brier?" But the gardener took it into the garden and planted it amid his flowers, while the brier said, "What a mistake he has made, planting a brier like myself among such rose trees as these!" But the gardener came once more with his keen-edged knife, made a slit in the brier and budded it with a rose, and by and by, when summer came, lovely roses were blooming on that old brier! Then the gardener said, "Your beauty is not due to that which came out, but to that which I put into you." That is just what Christ is doing all the time with our human lives. (Mountain Trailways for Youth)
"Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,
All His wondrous compassion and purity;
By Thy Spirit Divine, may Christ from my life shine
Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me."
N.J. Hiebert # 2124
January 10
"I... sat chief, and dwelt as a king..." (Job 29:25)
"But now they that are younger than I have me in derision." (Job 30:1)
Thus it eve is in this poor, false, deceitful world. All must, sooner or later, find out the hollowness of the world, the fickleness of those who are ready to cry out "Hosanna" today, and "Crucify Him" tomorrow. Man is not to be trusted. When the prodigal had plenty to spend, he found plenty to share his portion; but when he began to be in want, "no man gave unto him." (C.H. Mackintosh)
N.J. Hiebert # 2125
