Bible Gems

October 20

" . . . the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys."
(Exodus 40:36)

Spend and be spent would we,
While lasts life's brief day;
No turning back in coward fear,
No lingering by the way.
Onward we press in haste,
Upward our journey still;
Ours is the path the Master trod,
Through good report and ill.
The way may rougher grow,
The weariness increase;
We gird our loins and hasten on,
The end, the end is peace.
(AUTHOR UNKNOWN)

N.J. Hiebert - 3863

October 21

"God is faithful" - 1 Corinthians 1:9

"God is faithful." - 1 Corinthians 10:13

This short, yet profound, phrase occurs twice in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. The first time in chapter 1 reminds us that God was faithful in calling us. But, lest we get discouraged by the hardships of the Christian life, we are later encouraged by the fact that He remains faithful throughout all of life's trials. He has not abandoned us, nor will He allow any trial to become "too difficult." Let us thank Him today for His continued interest and faithfulness in each of our lives. (CHOICE GLEANINGS - C. MARK HOGAN)

Oh, you that are sad, take heart again!
You are not alone in your hour of pain;
The Father stoops from His throne above
to sooth and comfort us with His love.

N.J. Hiebert - 3864

October 22

"And Jesus, which is called Justus . . . these only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me." (Colossians 4:11)

Jesus, or Justus. Paul gave him his full title - Justus the just one. That man's outstanding characteristic was that he was a just man. That is not to be despised. We should all seek to be just. If there is anything that should characterize a Christian, it is moral integrity.

- Downright honesty,
- By the grace of God to speak the truth and be men of our word,
- To be those that can be trusted,
- Those upon whom our neighbours can look as honest men,
- Men who pay their debts,
- Men who have no unfulfilled obligations.
(C.H. BROWN - WHEN HE WRITES UP THE PEOPLE)

N.J. Hiebert - 3865

October 23

"We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves."
(Romans 15:1)

Pleasing our selves, directly condemned in Romans 15:1, is a common form of seeking our own. It is seen in great and little things - in our choice of work for the Lord, in our choice of residence, of companions, of dress, of occupation, and in many petty ways in which we daily indulge, instead of denying ourselves. Oh, how ashamed we feel when we just sit awhile and think of our dreadful self-pleasing in little things - always looking out for number one. So contrary are we in spirit to our beloved Lord. (PLAIN PAPERS FOR YOUNG BELIEVERS - A.T. SCHOFIELD)

N.J. Hiebert - 3866

October 24

"Them that honour Me I will honour."
(1 Samuel 2:30)

Every breathing of our hearts by the Spirit of God is precious in His ear; every cup of cold water given in His name; every service rendered to His saints; every sigh over that which grieves Him; every thrill of joy for what brings glory to Him; every step trodden, or word spoken in furtherance of interests dear to His heart is written with an eternal pen and treasured in the archives of heaven; nor will He fail to requite even those who think upon His name (Malachi 3:16)

Children of sorrow we may indeed be, of whom the world has no record, and knows neither whence we come nor whither we are bound; but if our hearts be in the secret of the Lord, we are not only of the royal line, like Jabez, but, like Jabez, also of the line of faith; our requests are answered, our record is on high for eternity, heavenly resources are ours in their richest plentitude, and an opened heaven will soon receive us into its bosom. Then shall be fully displayed what only faith accepts now - the immutability of that word, "Them that honour Me I will honour." (W.R.)

N.J. Hiebert - 3867

October 25

"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart." (Deuteronomy 6:6)

Check Your Blind Spots

When I was in high school, I had a driving instructor who gave me some sound advice. "You think by looking in the rearview mirror you know what is on your left side, but your vision is limited," he said. "Always look over your shoulder before changing lanes. There may be another car in your blind spot." His wise instruction has kept me out of more potential wrecks than I care to think about.

Moses had some wise instruction for the people of Israel. They were to make the study and contemplation of God's commandments an integral part of life. Moses said, "And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up" (Deuteronomy 6:7). In short, God's words were to permeate every aspect of their lives.

The Bible is our instruction manual from God for navigating life's journey. But merely owning a copy is not enough. It must be studied, applied, and passed on to others.

Just as checking our blind spot should become an automatic response while we drive, applying God's Word should be our natural response as we encounter the hazards of life. It will help us avoid a spiritual crash. (DENNIS FISHER)

The bible will transform our lives
And turn us from our sin,
If we will read it and obey
God's principles within. (SPER)
__________________________________________________________________
The Bible will tell you what is wrong before you have done it! (MOODY)

Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries, Copyright (2005), Grand Rapids, MI. Printed permission.

N.J. Hiebert - 3868

October 26

"For a good work we stone Thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God."
(John 10:33)

So men thought. But actually, the reality was just the opposite. He was eternally God (John 1:1), yet became a Man (John 1:14).

- It was as a Man that He was born at Bethlehem,
- That He passed through youth and young manhood.
- It was as a Man that He was condemned to death on Calvary.
- And as a Man that He died for our sins and was acknowledged as righteous by the centurion (Luke 23:47).
- It is as a Man that He now mediates with the Father (1 Timothy 2:5) (GARRY W. SEALE)

Jesus is God! The glorious bands of golden angels sing,
Songs of adoring praise to Him, their Maker and their King.
He was true God in Bethlehem's crib, on Calvary's cross true God,
He who is heaven eternal reigned, in time on earth abode.
(F.W. FABER)

N.J. Hiebert - 3869

October 27

"Ye are the salt of the earth."
(Matthew 5:13)

"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt."
(Colossians 4:6)

With Grace

I have just read a statement of a Christian writer to the effect that the salt of the earth needs to be applied - even if it smarts.

I have heard and read many developments of this same theme. The outline usually runs the same course: salt seasons, purifies and preserves. But somebody ought to remind us that salt also irritates. Real living Christianity rubs this world the wrong way. "The world hath hated them, because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world" (John 15:19). Godly living is in itself a rebuke to this age, and this world resents the light that exposes its corruption.

We are going to a lot of trouble these days developing a brand of Christianity that will not irritate this world. The only salt that will not irritate is "salt without savour," and our Lord said such salt, whether table salt or spiritual salt is "good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men." (SELECTED)

N.J. Hiebert - 3870

October 28

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4:7)

When you have a need, instead of worrying and fussing about it, you need to present your need to our Father right away. Stop what you are doing; get on your knees and pour your heart out to the Father. Our loving God and Father is waiting and wants to hear all about it. He will not always say yes, but He will always give us His peace. If we will but trust Him and put our cares before His heart, He will put His peace into ours.

"It is a wonderful thing to be so satisfied with the Lord Jesus' company, that we can be tranquil about everything. You will often find that it is the one of the most anxious temperament who finds most in Him, when such an one begins to know Him. I remember when I used to think that I should be happy beyond conception if I were able to say, 'I will fear no evil,' 'my heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.' In order to reach this, you must find Him enough, without anything else. We all say that He is enough, but it is quite a different thing to know it practically. You can never prove the worth of anyone, until you are absolutely dependent on him." -J.B.S.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5).
(Submitted by a reader - S.L.)

N.J. Hiebert - 3871

October 29

"What is in thine hand?"
(Exodus 4:2)

Let us examine honestly whether it is something which He can use for His glory or not.  If not, do not let us hesitate an instant about dropping it.  It may be something we do not like to part with; but "the Lord is able to give thee much more than this," and the first glimpse of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord will enable us to count those things loss which were gain to us.

But if it is something which He can use, He will make us do ever so much more with it than before.  Moses little thought what the Lord was going to make him do with that rod in his hand!  The first thing he had to do with it was to cast it on the ground, and see it pass through a startling change.  After this he was commanded to take it up again, hard and terrifying as it was to do so.  But when it became again a rod in his hand, it was no longer what it was before, the simple rod of a wandering desert shepherd.  Henceforth it was "the rod of God in his hand" (Exodus 4:20), wherewith he should do signs, and by which God Himself would do marvelous things (Psalm 78:12). (OPENED TREASURES - FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL)

N.J. Hiebert - 3872