Latest Gems
October 14 - 16
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
(Philippians 4:13)
He that is down need fear no fall,
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.
(John Bunyan)
N.J. Hiebert # 2765
"In me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing." (Romans 7:18)
It is better to be thinking of what God is than of what we are. This looking at ourselves at the bottom is really pride, a want of the thorough consciousness that we are good for nothing. Till we see this we never look quite away from self to God. . . . In looking to Christ, it is our privilege to forget ourselves. True humility does not so much consist in thinking badly of ourselves, as in not thinking of ourselves at all. I am too bad to be worth thinking about. What I want is, to forget myself and to look to God, who is indeed worth all my thoughts. Is there need of being humbled about ourselves? we may be quite sure that will do it.
(J.N. Darby)
N.J. Hiebert # 2766
"He being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. . . . they cast him out of the city . . . and they stoned Stephen (who) calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." (Acts 7:55-59)
The question that occupies us is that of the death of Stephen; and we notice that he literally went through death to go to the Son of man standing at God's right hand. His speech began with "the God of glory" and endd with "the glory of God;" and he went through the volleys of stones, superior to all suffering up to his very last breath, seeing with quickened perception the heavens opened and what they contained.
His part was there! But he must go through death to get there. The dying martyr's eyes closed upon the beloved city which had cast him out; the whole earthly scene faded before him as he passed through death. It is no stretch of imagination to see the battlements of Zion and the earthly temple grow dim and vanish, and the spirit freed to rise to the Son of man standing at God's right hand, where the glory of God illuminated the heavenly place. (Edward Lawrence Bevir)
N.J. Hiebert # 2767
