Gems worth reading
December 22
"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour . . ." (Romans 13:10)
You may have heard of the boy whose home was in a wood. One day he thought he heard the voice of another boy not far off. He shouted, "Hello, there!" and the voice shouted back, "Hello there!" He did not know that it was the echo of his own voice, and he shouted again: "You are a mean boy!" Again the cry came back, "You are a mean boy!"
After some more of the same kind of thing he went into the house and told his mother that there was a bad boy in the wood. His mother, who understood how it was, said to him:
"Oh, no! You speak kindly to him, and see if he does not speak kindly to you."
He went to the wood again and shouted; "Hello, there!" "Hello there!" "You are a good boy." Of course the reply came, "You are a good boy." "I love you." "I love you," said the other voice.
This little story explains the secret of the whole thing. Some of you perhaps think you have bad and disagreeable neighbours; most likely the trouble is with yourself. If you love your neighbours they will love you. Love begets love. (Dwight L. Moody - Moody's Anecdotes)
N.J. Hiebert # 3561
December 23
"Pilate then went unto them, and said, what accusation bring ye against this man? They answered and said unto him, if He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him unto thee."
(John 18:29,30)
What an answer! Why did they not judge Him according to their law? It was because their hate outweighed their national pride. "It is not permitted to us to put any one to death" (John 18:31). Not stoning, therefore, as was prescribed by the law (Leviticus 24:16), but the accursed tree, the cross, was the "departure which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem" (Luke 9:31), "that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled which he spoke, signifying what death he should die" (John 18:32; 3:14; 12:32, 33). Everything serves to fulfill the Scriptures, even these humanly crafty but unworthy dealings. While the governor seeks a way of escape, they are ready to do anything in order to carry out their abominable plans.
Thus their accusations here are of a different style than before the Sanhedrin; in Luke we find more precise detail recorded about this. "We have found this man perverting our nation" (Luke 23:2). How could the Lord ever have done this or have had such intentions? "And forbidding to give tribute to Caesar." We know from the mouth of the Lord that exactly the opposite was the case (Luke 20:22). "He stirs up the people," they say later, "teaching throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee even on to here" (Luke 23:5). False were the witnesses, and false were the accusations now; but they were not only false, they were all well considered. The chief priests and the elders had religious accusations ready for a religious court of justice, and political accusation for a political tribunal. (Fritz Von Kietzel - Behold the Lamb of God)N.J. Hiebert # 3562
December 24
"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee." (Psalm 119:11)
1. God speaks through His Word - take time to listen.2. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
3. Prosperity may be a greater test of character than poverty.
4. Revenge imprisons us; forgiveness sets us free.
5. If you seek wise counsel, you multiply your chances for sound decisions.
(R.K. - Some Thoughts to Consider)
N.J. Hiebert # 3563
