Gems worth pondering
March 1
"Ephriam is a cake not turned." (Hosea 7:8)
In my early ministry I was inclined sometimes to be rather sarcastic. The Bible tells us that Ephriam was "a cake not turned." Pity an Ephriam in the ministry who tries to be hard-boiled to hide the fact that he is only half-baked! A few years in the oven of God's chastening will work wonders.
I have paid a great price for a new note in my preaching. When God consumes the dross and refines the gold in His children, they feel it. When He operates He does not use an anesthetic. He does not develop His saints in their sleep. We wrestle with the powers of darkness and we do not come from a wrestling match looking like we had just left a dress parade, well tailored and perfumed. Artificial flowers may look better than real flowers because they have not been exposed to wind and rain. God is not out primarily to make us happy but to make us holy - and holiness is not cheap.
There is compensation for our suffering if we are enabled to comfort others with our own comfort.
An overflowing heart if thou
Another's soul would reach;
An overflowing heart it is
That gives the lips full speech.
(Author Unknown)
One does not learn to sing or speak from the heart in the schools of men. He finds it in the school of suffering but it pays off in the joy of sharing the Saviour's ministry to heal the broken hearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and setting at liberty the bruised. (Vance Havner - Though I Walk Through the Valley)
N.J. Hiebert # 3630
March 2
"The Lord . . . will hear . . . from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand." (Psalm 20:6)
Oh, I know that my name on Thy palms is graven ,
I remember the years of Thy hand, Most High!
How it has sheltered and held and guided
'Neath clouded heaven or open sky;
I lean on Thine arm and Thy hand upholds me.
Its power protects and its strength defends;
Still it shall hide me and keep and lead me
Till home is reached and the journey ends.
(Annie Johnson Flint's Best-Loved Poems)
N.J. Hiebert # 3631
March 3
"Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps." (Job 31:4)
"There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye
hath not seen: the lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it."
(Job 28:7,8)
If you have only got faith to walk in the path of God, you will find He has a plan and counsel through it all. If our hearts have courage to do God's will, all will turn out for blessing; we do not know how, but the secret thing is going on, that faith has to get hold of. If I am walking in a straight path, the power of God is pushing me on; but if I am walking in a cross path, the power of God tumbles me over - it shows me that I am not going straight. It is a great thing to be in the path of God's will, for I have all the power of God at my disposal. If you walk in the path of God's will, God makes everything work together for your good. We cannot get a thing that is outside of the power of God, though it may be He chastens us if crossing His path. (J.N. Darby)
N.J. Hiebert # 3632
