http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords These are selected from Bible ministry gems sent out by N.J. Hiebert (njhiebert@sympatico.ca) en soundwords soundwords Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:53:12 +0200 daily 1 " What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  Yea a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works ."  (James 2:14-18)         A rich farmer, during his prayer at family worship one day, petitioned God long and earnestly that help for their bodily needs might be sent to a poor family living nearby.  His small son was observed to be in deep thought afterwards, and at last he ran to his father with a bright face. "Daddy," said the child, "you can answer your prayer for the poor Smiths, yourself, can't you?"  That is a modern... Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:53:12 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Bible-gem/5481/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Bible-gem/5481/ August 29   "And the Lord called Samuel again the third time.  And he arose and went to Eli, and said, here am I; for thou didst call me.  And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child.  Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down:   and it shall be, if He call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth."  (1 Samuel 3:8,9)       Sometimes a person, especially a younger person, brings a problem to someone that they can reply upon, and a true friend will be able to see their viewpoint and, without rebuking, unless it was necessary.  I believe that this is quite often the case, that one who wants to be a help, especially to younger ones, that they try to see their viewpoint , because if you are judging from your own viewpoint , you are not helping them at all.     You may have to bring... Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:04:20 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5480/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5480/ August 26 "And He said, Abba Father, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from Me: nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt."  (Mark 14:36)   "The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?"  (John 18:11) You know how the four Gospels tell the story of Gethsemane.  Each is a little different, but all are true.  They fit into one another and make a picture that, if you ever have to suffer, will mean everything to you.  I will take words from only two gospels (Noted above).     You will have no peace until you pass from those first words to the second.  But this may not come in a day.  Be patient.  He who prayed in an agony that the cup might be removed will be patient with you, for He understands just what you are feeling.  Yet He will not rest until He brings you to the place where He stood when He said, "The cup which My Father has... Tue, 26 Aug 2008 02:06:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5479/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5479/ August 24 "When I see the blood, I will pass over you."  (Exodus 12:13)     The Israelite was saved by blood alone , and not by his thoughts about it .  His thoughts might be deep or they might be shallow; but, deep or shallow, they had nothing to do with his safety; he was not saved by his thoughts or feelings , but only by the blood .  God did not say, "When you see the blood, I will pass over you."   No; but, "When I see. . . . "   What gave an Israelite peace was the fact that Jehovah's eye rested on the blood.  God saw it, and that was quite enough.     The application of this to the question of a sinner's peace is very plain.  Christ's blood has been shed as a perfect atonement for sin, and God's testimony assures the believer that everything is settled  on his behalf .  All the claims of justice have been fully answered, and the full tide of redeeming love rolls down from the... Sat, 23 Aug 2008 21:57:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5478/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5478/ August 22 " Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour."  (Ecclesiastes 10:1) This earth could be a wonderful place for those who have plenty of money, if it were not for the flies of death in, ". . . the apothecary's ointment."   So-called " Death Valley Scotty" lived out there in comparative luxury for years, but the one thing that ruined his outlook was the fact of death at the end of the road.  His valley was well named, " Death Valley."  Another man, Mr. Randolph Hearst, built himself a palace in California.  He spent a million dollars a year in entertainment (1961), but was always embarrassed at the thought that at the end of his good time was death .  He was offended if anyone mentioned that word " death " in his hearing.  His close friends knew this and avoided the dreaded word.  It was the end of the way that troubled him.  I believe he... Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:03:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5477/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5477/ August 19 "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."  (Matthew 10:29-31)      "Two sparrows sold for a farthing."  A farthing was an infinitesimal coin; yet two sparrows, dressed and spitted, were sold in the markets for this amount.  They were used as food by the poorest of the people.  Nevertheless, God took note of every sparrow's fall.     "The very hairs of your head are all numbered."   Nothing is too insignificant for God to note, and His care extends to the minutest detail of our lives.     "Of more value than many sparrows."   God cares for all His creatures, but man has a special place in His heart, and is valued above all other... Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:06:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5476/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5476/ August 17 "Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."  (Revelation 3:10)  "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him."  (Psalm 89:7) (IS NOT THAT A WORD TO THE HEART AND CONSCIENCE OF ALL THOSE THAT THAT LOVE THE BLESSED LORD!) You know this is a day of lawlessness, and increasing lawlessness - a day of disregard of all authority, and all source of authority.  It is just the forerunner of what is coming, and coming in a dreadful form, when a vast part of this world will be under the dominion of a man who knows no will but his own; he will do according to his will; he will exalt himself above all that is called God - that is what is... Sat, 16 Aug 2008 17:05:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5475/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5475/ August 14 "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God."  (Job 19:25-26) Job was devastated.  He had lost all his children and his earthly possessions.  His health was gone, and he sat covered in boils from head to foot.  His wife told him to "curse God and die!"   Job's salvation was to see beyond this life, to lay hold on eternity.  By faith he affirmed, "I know that my Redeemer lives.  I shall see God."   Being sure of a wonderful future kept him from sin and suicide.  Are you discouraged today?  Take Job's view.  Every believer in Christ has a similar hope.  One day you too will see Him.  (David Croudace)    N.J. Hiebert # 3431 August 15 "Preach the Word; be instant (prepared) in season,... Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:17:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5474/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5474/ Aug 11 "Yea the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle (dove) and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but My people know not the judgment of the Lord.  How do ye say, we are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made He it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them ."  (Jeremiah 8:7-9)    Would you for a moment say that the instinct of a bird is more sure than the words of the Saviour?  As this world's winter approaches, let us then dwell on the words of Jesus.  He cannot fail to fulfill His promise.  We may not know where the swallows go; but Jesus says to us, "In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for... Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:18:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5473/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5473/ August 9 ". . . receive him as myself.  If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account ."  (Philemon 17,18)     It doesn't make any difference what our past has been, if the grace of God comes into our lives, all the privileges that belong to any children of God lie before us.  We can appropriate them.  Don't be discouraged by thinking how bad you have been.  Onesimus certainly had a bad name.  Probably they said some very harsh things about him where he came from, but here the Spirit of God is pleased to record, "Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother." (Colossians 4:9)   His name means "profitable."      He certainly had not lived up to his name in the early part of his life.  He had been unprofitable.  He had been a liability to his master (Philemon).  Now he goes back - no longer unprofitable, but profitable.  I wonder how the Lord would write you up - as... Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:27:50 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5472/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5472/ August 6 "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."  (Colossians 3:1) We have been taken up from the depths of our ruin, and set among the princes of God's people.  Should we not, therefore, love our Master? should we not desire to see His face? should we not regulate our present conduct by constant reference to Him?  Would that we were more like Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 19:24,30) .  But we are all too well disposed to minister to our odious (old)  nature - too ready to walk in the unchecked enjoyment of the things of this life - its riches, its honours, its comforts, its refinements, its elegancies, and the more so because we imagine we can do all these things without losing our enjoyment of the name and privileges of Christians.  Vain, detestable selfishness!  Selfishness, which shall be put to the blush in the day of... Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:41:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5471/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5471/ August 3 "Believe ye that I am able to do this?"  (Matthew 9:28) God deals with impossibilities .  It is never too late for Him to do so, when the impossible is brought to Him, in full faith, by the one in whose life and circumstances the impossible must be accomplished if God is to be glorified.  If in our own life there have been rebellion, unbelief, sin, and disaster, it is never too late for God to deal triumphantly with these tragic facts if brought to Him in full surrender and trust.  It has often been said, and with truth, that Christianity is the only religion that can deal with man's past.  God can "restore . . . the years that the locust hath eaten"  (Joel 2:25) ; and He will do this when we put the whole situation and ourselves unreservedly and believingly into His hands.  Not because of what we are but because of what He is .  God forgives and heals and restores.  He is "the God of all grace."   Let us... Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:48:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5470/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5470/ August 1 "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8)       A young man, the son of a wealthy Christian gentleman, had become wayward and extravagant in his habits.  Finally, after quarreling with his father because he refused him the money he demanded, he left home in anger, and gave himself to a reckless life.  For a long time he continued an abandoned wanderer, eventually finding himself in financial straits.  Being brought to the verge of desperation, he determined to break into his father's house in the absence of the family, thinking that he could find means to relieve his necessity.     He succeeded in entering the house and breaking open the safe.  He searched among some valuable papers and found his father's will.  With curious eye he began reading it, and to his utter astonishment he found his name among the heirs, and a large bequest set against it.  At... Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:41:02 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5469/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5469/ July 29  " Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God ." (Daniel 6:5)      What a testimony from his bitterest enemies!  Would that it could be said of all of us!  He had never taken a bribe, he had never been connected with a "ring."  Ah, how his name shines!  He had commenced to shine in his early manhood, and he shone right along.  Now he is an old man, an old statesman, and yet this is their testimony.    Character is worth more than money.  Character is worth more than anything else in the wide world.  I would rather in my old age have such a character as that which Daniel's enemies gave him than have raised over my dead body a monument of gold reaching from earth to sky.  (Selected)     N.J. Hiebert # 3415 July 30  "Launch out into the deep, and let down your... Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:13:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5468/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5468/ July 24 "Which is the first commandment of all?"  (Mark 12:28)     In other words, the scribe raises the ever recurring question - the question that every devout soul puts up in a more or less articulate way, at some time or other, What does God require of me, What is the one thing I am to seek?  What is the supreme good?      We need to observe the way in which our Lord begins His answer.  Today, theology is at a discount.  We are told it is not a question of how we think of God or Christ, or a matter of creed or doctrine, but of life.  Theology need not concern us, say these Modernists.  Our Lord overturns at one stroke all such reasoning.  He begins by stating a theological proposition, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One Lord." (Mark 12:29)     The necessity of this is obvious.  Wrong thoughts about God will give us wrong thoughts about what He requires.  Moreover, if to love Him is the supreme... Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:56:21 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5467/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5467/ July 17 "To obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams." (1 Samuel 15:22)     The first and most important point in the training of children is to teach them the blessedness of obedience.  They must learn obedience to properly constituted authority, which is the foundation of all moral excellency, not only in childhood, but all through life.  If a child never learns to be obedient at home to the God-given authority of its parents, it will be disobedient to authorities of the Government.              Obedience to God is the very essence of a happy Christian life and if we would desire our children to be converted and be obedient Christians, we must teach them obedience at home from the very beginning.  A child that has never learned obedience to its parents will seldom be an obedient Christian, if ever converted.  Obedience to parental authority is essential to subjection to God's authority. ... Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:56:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5466/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5466/ July 14 "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts."  (Zechariah 4:6)  I have heard finely educated men in prayer-meeting talk in sentences of Miltonic affluence, yet their words fell dead upon the meeting; but when some poor, uneducated man arose, and said,  "I suppose you fellers think that because I don't know nothing, I haven't no right to speak.  But Christ has converted my soul, and you know I was the miserablist chap in town; and if God will pardon me, He will pardon you.  Come to Jesus!  Come now!" - The prayer-meeting broke down with religious emotion. (T.De Witt Talmage) NJ. Hiebert # 3400 July 15 " I will lead on softly , according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure."  (Genesis 33:14) What a beautiful picture of Jacob's thoughtfulness for the cattle and the... Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:10:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5465/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5465/ July 8 "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."  (Matthew 24:12)     "The love of many shall wax cold," and no wonder when self-love waxeth so hot.  It was foretold also by the apostle (2 Timothy 3:1,2), "In the last days . . . men shall be lovers of their own selves";  and what a regiment follows this captain, sin!  If once a man makes self the whole of his aim, farewell loving or praying for others: charity cannot dwell in so narrow a house as the self-lovers heart; yea, it is opposed to it: "Love seeketh not her own."  (1 Corinthians 13:5)   (William Gurnall 1665) N.J. Hiebert # 3394 July 9 "Be still , and know that I am God"  (Psalm 46:10) There is immense power in stillness .  A great saint once said, "All things come to him who... Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:41:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5464/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5464/ July 4 "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."  (Revelation 19:10)     The scripture above, is a deeply interesting statement.  It is one of the few sentences in Scripture which can be reversed.  We can say equally well, "The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus."     It brings out a thought dear to every Christian who understands that prophecy has in all its parts a relation to Christ.  This is true, whether the prophecy is direct or indirect as to Christ, whether it has to do with the Church, which is His body; the Jews, who are  His earthly people; or the Gentiles over whom He will rule eventually as Son of Man .  HE is the Centre of prophecy, and all its predictions are related to that Centre.   That being so, how absorbingly interesting the prophetic word becomes.     Alas! the misuse of prophecy is not uncommon.  Its details are too often discussed simply as appealing to the... Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:43:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5463/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5463/ June 30 "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."  (Galatians 4:6,7) "Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."  (Galatians 3:26)   If you are a believer, He has sent the Spirit of His Son into your heart, whereby you cry Abba, Father.  The heart gets its blessed rest in sonship simply by believing in Christ Jesus.  The Spirit of His Son in the heart enables its happy throbbings to be expressed, crying this wondrous new name, unknown to the Jews, of Abba, Father.  God has set me in His presence as a son, and life flows down to me, so that I can look up and contemplate there the delight which the Father has in His Son; I can have communion and sympathy with the joy of the Father's heart in that Son: and it is this which gives the church its... Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:12:00 +0200 http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5462/ http://www.blogigo.co.uk/soundwords/Gems-for-the-Week/5462/