Bible Gems

June 21

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."
(Genesis 1:1)

Sir Isaac Newton had a friend who, like himself, was a great scientist; but he was an infidel, while Newton was a devout believer.  They often locked horns over this question, though their mutual interest in science drew them much together.

Newton had a skillful mechanic make him a replica of our solar system in miniature.  In the center was a large gilded ball representing the sun, and revolving around this were smaller balls fixed on the ends of arms of varying lengths, representing Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, in their proper order.  These balls were so geared together by cogs and belts as to move in perfect harmony by turning a crank.

One day as Newton sat reading in his study with his mechanism on a large table near him, his infidel friend stepped in.  He was scientist enough to recognize at a glance what was before him.  Stepping up to it he slowly turned the crank, and with undisguised admiration watched the heavenly bodies all move in their relative speed in their orbits.  Standing off a few feet, he exclaimed, "My!  What an exquisite thing this is!  Who made it?"

Without looking up from his book Newton answered, "Nobody!"  Quickly turning to Newton the infidel said: "Evidently you did not understand my question.  I asked you who made this thing?"  Looking up now, Newton solemnly assured him that nobody made it - that the aggregation of matter so much admired had just happened to assume the form it was in.  But the astonished infidel replied with some heat, "You must think I'm  a fool!  Of course somebody made it.  He is a genius, and I'd like to know who he is."

Putting his book aside, Newton arose.  Laying a hand on his friend's shoulder, he said: "This thing is but a puny imitation of a much grander system whose laws you know.  I can't convince you that this mere toy is without a designer and maker; yet you profess to believe that the great original from which this replica is taken has come into being without either designer or maker.  Now tell me by what sort of reasoning do you reach such an incongruous conclusion?"

No word of argument did the infidel offer.  Instead, as a simple believer, at last he owned that "The Lord [Jehovah] , He is the God" (1 Kings 18:39).

"All things were made by Him: and without Him was not any thing made that was made."
(John 1:3)    

(CHRISTIAN TRUTH - Vol.22 - July 1969)

N.J. Hiebert # 3742 

June 22

"That your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment."
(Philippians 1:9)

Paul has prayed that the Philippian believers' love would abound yet more and more.  But he places a corollary on his request.  This love he speaks of is not some erratic emotion, but a maturing love based on biblical knowledge and spiritual discernment.  He expands his concept even more as his prayer progresses.
It is:

- A love that discerns and approves things that are excellent (1:10),
- A love that is sincere and never offends (1:10
- A love that is the key to being filled with the fruits of righteousness (1:11),
- A love that brings glory and praise to God (1:11).

Keep yourselves in that love.  (M. HAACK)

N.J. Hiebert # 3743

June 23

"As thy days, so shall thy strength be."
(Deuteronomy 33:25)

One day at a time with its failures and fears,
With its hurts and mistakes, with its weakness and tears,
With its portion of pain, and its burden of care;
One day at a time we must meet and must bear.

One day at a time to be patient and strong,
To be calm under trial and sweet under wrong;
Then its toiling shall pass and its sorrows shall cease,
It shall darken and die, and the night shall bring peace.

One day at a time - but the day is so long,
And the heart is not brave, and the soul is not strong,
O Thou pitiful Christ, be Thou near all the way;
Give courage and patience and strength for the day.

Swift cometh His answer, so clear and so sweet:
'Yea, I will be with thee, thy troubles to meet;
I will not forget thee, nor fail thee, nor grieve;
I will not forsake thee; I never will leave.'

Not yesterday's load are we called on to bear,
Not to-morrow's uncertain and shadowy care;
Why should we look forward or back with dismay?
Our needs, as our mercies, are but for the day.

One day at a time, and the day is HIS day;
He numbered its hours though they haste or delay;
His grace is sufficient, we walk not alone;
As the day so the strength that He giveth His own!

(Annie Johnson Flint)

N.J. Hiebert # 3744

June 24

"For God so loved the world, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16)

When Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930), the Norwegian explorer and oceanographer, tried to measure the depth of the ocean in the far North, he used a long measuring line, and then discovered that he had not touched bottom.  He wrote in his record: "Deeper than that."  The next day he tried a longer line, only to write again:  "Deeper than that."  Several times he tried till, finally, he fastened all his lines together, and let them down; but his last record was like his first: "Deeper than that."  He left without knowing the depth of the ocean at that point, except that it was deeper than so many thousand feet.

Have you noticed that in their attempts to explain the transcending love of God for man, the writers of the Bible take up all the sweet human relationships?  They compare it,

- To a bridegroom's affection for his bride (Ephesians 5:25)
- To a father's pity for his boy (Psalm 103:13)
- To a mother's love for her baby. (Isaiah 49:15-16)

Bind all these relationships into one, and multiply them by infinity, and you will still have to use Nansen's phrase "DEEPER THAT THAT;" It passes knowledge  (Ephesians 3:14-19)   (George Henderson - In Pastures Green)

N.J. Hiebert # 3745

June 25

"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us:
we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
(2 Corinthians 5:20)

In this day of grace God would have all men to be saved, and hence we have to beseech - not denounce - all men.  You cannot feed souls with denunciations - even though the things denounced are errors.

A poet said "Refute error by the statement of the truth" so the presentation of Christ will expose evil and build up the hearers.  (EDWARD DENNETT)

N.J. Hiebert # 3746

June 26

"Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth."
(John 17:17)
__________________________________

By Thy truth and Spirit guiding,
Earnest He of what's to come,
And with daily strength providing,
Thou dost lead Thy children home.

The simple child of God receives the word as certainly as Christ gives it.  Reliance on God's word is the only sure ground.  How can you be certain?  God has said it.  If God's speaking requires proof, I must have something more sure and true than God. . . . If God cannot speak so as to claim authority, without another to accredit what He says, there is no such thing as faith.  (J.N. DARBY)

N.J. Hiebert # 3747