From our house to yours:
Greetings!
We count it a real privilege to come into your home each month by means of this publication. Your home is one of nearly 5000 that we visit regularly. But not only is it a privilege, it is a grave responsibility.
We are responsible to God, to be faithful to His desires and purposes; we are responsible to you, to be faithful to the needs of your soul. That's why we are "determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."
It is Jesus Christ with whom God the Father is well pleased. It is Jesus Christ who is the answer to your every need, whether you are a Christian or non-Christian.
Of the early disciples it is said that "in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." And so as we visit your house by way of the printed page, we must, we are constrained by the love of Christ, to teach and preach Jesus Christ -- His precious person and His wonderful work. There is no other reason for the existence of this devotional.
So again I recommend HIM to you, no matter who you are or what your need. HE is able to completely satisfy your soul. If you are a believer in Him, then my exhortation is to keep "looking unto Jesus." If you are not a believer, then I remind you of His invitation, "Come unto me," and His promise, "I will give you rest;" "and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
Are you burdened down with anxious cares? "Cast all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." Are there fears within, foes without? "Be not afraid, only believe." "Believe in God, believe also in Me," said Jesus. "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you . . . Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Are you lonely? "He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." "And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age."
There is no greater -- no other -- Saviour. There is no better -- no closer -- Friend. He wants to come into your heart and life and home. He would be Master here. And He will not be a tyrannical Master, for He is meek and lowly in heart, His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. He will do here only what is best for you and for the glory of God.
We ever remain.
Sincerely yours & HIS,
Arthur & Marilynn Gordon
**********
"These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God . . . " -- John 20:31
**********
The third in a series on
HIS CLOTHES
"A TOWEL"
"He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel and girded himself" -- (John 13:4).
Jesus ate supper with His disciples. After supper He did a strange thing. He girded Himself with "a towel," took a basin of water, kneeled down and began to wash the disciples' feet. They were astonished. Their leader should not do such a thing. It was unheard of. This was a servant's job. But He was teaching them a lesson.
The disciples had argued one day as they journeyed through Galilee, which of them should be the greatest. James and John had their sights set on the most honored seats in Christ's coming kingdom. They had grandiose ideas. This is a disease of our human race.
Jesus explained that this is the way the world acts, but that His followers should act differently. He taught them differently. He demonstrated the difference by His own life and actions. He taught them by example on this occasion. After washing their feet He said:
"Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you."
Christ, though Master and Lord, came to serve. On another occasion He declared, "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." He performed many wonderful ministries for mankind, but the greatest when He gave His life on the cross to ransom us from sin.
Too many want to BE served, rather than to serve. We claim to be followers, but do we "follow" His example in this? "I have given you an example," says He, "that ye should do as I have done." "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye DO them."
It is not the one who is served who is greatest in the kingdom of God, but he who serves. Jesus wore "a towel" for us. May we wear the garb of servitude for others, for Jesus' sake.
**********
"BE STILL MY SOUL"
Be still my soul; the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently thy cross of grief or pain,
Leave to thy God to order and provide,
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still my soul; thy best, thy Heavenly Friend,
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake,
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice, Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still my soul; when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in this vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart.
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.
Be still my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fulness all He takes away.
Be still my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, loves purest joys restored.
Be still my soul; when change and tears are passed,
All safe and blessed, we shall meet at last.
-- Katharina von Schlegel
**********
THE MAN IN THE GLORY
"The Man Christ Jesus." I Timothy 2:5
I woke in the morning with thoughts of His love
Who is living for me in the glory above,
Ev'ry minute expecting He'll call me away,
And that keeps me bright all the rest of the day!
But the moments speed forward, and on comes the noon
Yet still I am singing, "He'll come very soon:"
And thus I am watching from morning till night
And pluming my wings to be ready for flight!
There's a Man in the glory I know very well,
I have known Him for years, and His goodness can tell:
One day in His Mercy He knock'd at my door
And, seeking admission, knock'd many times o'er.
But when I went to Him, and stood face to face,
And listen'd awhile to His story of grace,
How He suffer'd for sinners, and put away sin,
I heartily, thankfully welcomed Him in.
We have lived on together a number of years,
And that's why I neither have doubtings nor fears.
For my sins are all hid in the depths of the sea,
They were carried down there by the Man on the tree.
I am often surprised why the lip should be curl'd,
When I speak of my Lord to the man of the world;
And notice with sorrow his look of disdain,
When I tell him that Jesus is coming again.
He seems so content with his houses and gold,
While despising the ark, like the people of old,
And yet at His coming I'm sure he would flee,
Like the man in the garden, who ate of the tree.
I cannot but think it is foolish of souls
To put all their money "in bags which have holes,"
To find, in the day that is coming apace,
How lightly they valued the "riches of grace."
As fond as I am of His work in the field,
I would let go the plough, I would lay down the shield:
The weapons of service I'd put on the shelf,
And the sword in its scabbard, to be with Himself.
But I'll work on with pleasure, while keeping my eyes
On the end of the field where standeth the prize.
I would work for His glory, that when we shall meet
I may have a large sheaf to lay down at His feet;
That He, too, with pleasure His fruit may review;
Is the Man in glory a stranger to you?
A stranger to Jesus! what, do you not know
He is washing poor sinners much whiter than snow?
Have you lived in a land where the Bible's unknown
That you don't know the Man who is now on the throne?
Ah, did you but know half His beauty and power,
You would not be a stranger another half-hour.
I have known Him so long that I'm able to say,
The very worse sinner He'll not turn away.
The question of sin I adoringly see,
The Man in the glory has settled for me!
And as to my footsteps whatever the scene,
The Man in the glory is keeping me clean;
And therefore I'm singing from morning till night
The Man in the glory is all my delight.
-- George Cutting
**********
The third in a series on
HIS NAMES
"JEHOVAH-ROPHI"
"Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?" was the heartfelt lamentation of Jeremiah over the sad condition of his brethren in Israel. Indeed there WAS a healing balm in Gilead, a Physician there for the sin-sick people, if they would recognize it.
Following Israel's deliverance from Egypt, the Lord promised that if they would trust and obey, "I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee" -- or Jehovah-rophi. (Exodus 15:26b).
But Israel failed to trust and obey. In a word, they became sick: sin-sick, soul-sick, spiritually sick. They strayed from the Lord. Prophets were raised up to call them back to Him who alone could heal them. Some few responded, but as a whole the nation continued in its sickness.
The world today is sick with the same malady. God calls the nations through His anointed and appointed servants, preaching His Word, to return to Him who can and will heal. But as a whole the world turns a deaf ear. It will not hear nor heed. It will not come to the Fountain of healing. In fact it will not be convinced it is sick.
Not only is the world sick; the Church is sick. The one organism in the world that could help the world, by pointing it to the divine Healer, is itself in need of His healing balm. The Lord's indictment against Israel is the same for the Church in our day: "Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up . . . and hath played the harlot."
Instead of cleaving to the Lord as does a faithful wife to her husband, the Church has gone out after strange gods as a harlot after strange men. She has given herself to pursuits other than to seek her God, to pleasures other than that which pleases Him. She dabbles here and there, in this and that, and all the while her first love languishes. She is backslidden. Her God is all but forgotten.
But God has not forgotten. He calls to the Church, as to Israel. "Return, thou backslidden Israel (Church) . . . and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful. Acknowledge thine iniquity. Turn, O back sliding children." "Return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Turn, I will HEAL thy backslidings."
But, to bring this to our own doorstep, not only is the world and the Church sick, we as individuals are sick. The Bible declares, "All we like sheep have gone astray." "For all have sinned." Actually there is not much we can do about the sin-sickness of the world and the Church, that is, unless and until we do something about our own personal sin-sickness. The cure for the group lies in the curing of the individual. The world and the Church are made up of individuals. As we are healed, to that extent is the world and the Church healed.
The remedy is readily available. It is God Himself -- Jehovah-rophi, "the Lord that healeth thee." "With His stripes we are healed." "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities."
When Israel found herself at the waters of Marah in the desert, just after her exodus from Egypt, she found the waters bitter and unfit for drinking. Moses prayed "and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet." And the people drank to their fill.
There is a "tree' for the healing of the nations today: the Cross upon which Jesus died . . . "who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree" . . . "by whose stripes we are healed." "Ye WERE as sheep going astray; but are NOW returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."
Is there no balm for the healing of the sins of the nations, the backslidings of the Church, the iniquities of the people? Is there no physician here? Certainly there is a Physician, Jehovah-rophi, the Lord Jesus Christ, and there is spiritual health for every soul who comes to Him by faith.
"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest be in health."
**********
I SHALL NOT WANT
Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want for rest -- for He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
I shall not want for refreshment -- for He leadeth me beside the still waters.
I shall not want for forgiveness -- for He restoreth my soul.
I shall not want for guidance -- for He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake.
I shall not want for companionship -- Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death -- Thou art with me.
I shall not want for comfort -- for Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.
I shall not want for sustenance -- for Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.
I shall not want for joy -- for Thou anointest my head with oil and my cup runneth over.
I shall not want for anything in this life -- for surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
I shall not want for anything in the life to come -- for I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
(From "Things Concerning Himself.")
**********
SOMEONE DIED FOR YOU!
By Henry G. Bosch
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. -- Romans 5:8
Many years ago a young mother was called upon to die heroically in order to save her only child -- then but a little girl of three. When the youngster grew old enough to understand, she was told of the wondrous self-sacrifice that was needed to preserve her life. Deeply moved she asked to see a picture of the one who had saved her. It was back in the days before many photographs were taken and, sad to say, the only which had ever been made of her mother was in the hands of a distant friend.
After some investigation, she located this aged acquaintance and asked about the photograph. Taking the young lady to an upstairs room, the elderly one pointed to a picture hanging on the wall and said, "That, dear, is your mother!" Bursting into tears the young girl exclaimed, "I live, because she died!" It was a touching scene, underscoring the height of human self-sacrifice. There is a greater story of love than that, however; it is the love of God not for His friends, but for rebellious sinners.
A study of the Scriptures reveal that the Lord Jesus died to expiate human guilt and to make reconciliation for the sins of mankind. He died for us as a sacrifice -- a ransom -- a substitute, that He might redeem us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God" (I Peter 3:18).
Have you ever believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and appropriated His grace? Can you testify with Paul: "He loved ME, and gave himself for ME?" There is no other way to peace, than this. Christ is the divine, loving, almighty "Someone" who died for you!
(From "Our Daily Bread," copyright 1963 by Radio Bible Class, Grand Rapids MI.)
**********
GUEST SERMON
THE FAITHFUL GOD
(Part 2)
Rev. Herbert L. Roush
GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IN OUR SINS
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9).
Think of the great weight of sin that was lifted from your heart when you came to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. All of the years that the locust and the cankerworm had eaten were restored by the faithfulness of God in the blood of the everlasting covenant. Your sins that were once scarlet were made white as snow, and though they were red like crimson, they were made as wool. All were cast behind His back, carried as far as east is from west from His presence never to be remembered against you again.
But, dear reader, think of the times since you were saved, that you have come to Him for forgiveness of sins in your heart and life. Day after day and night after night, and still He forgives you and cleanses you without a word of condemnation.
The great faithfulness of God in the forgiveness of sins is seen in the picture of the Lord Jesus rising constantly from His place of communion to lay aside His garments and take a towel to gird Himself like a slave, that He might take the water of His Word to wash the defiled feet of His own! See Him now, as He wipes them with the same towel wherewith He was girded, that they might have a continual fellowship with Him.
If man, in faithfulness to his brother, is to forgive his sin 70 times seven in this world, how much more will the faithfulness of God be seen in the forgiveness of the sins of His people? How precious to know that every morning His compassion for us poor sinners is as new as it was the first day we came to the Lord Jesus for salvation; and the blood on the mercy seat in heaven as fresh as though it was sprinkled there today! This is the sure promise of the Word of God. (Lamentations 3:23, Hebrews 10:19-20) and the certain evidence that God is faithful to Himself and to us.
Dear reader, is your heart made heavy by the conviction of sin? Come boldly to our Father by the precious blood. He is faithful. He will receive you. He is faithful and just to forgive you your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Cast yourself upon His great faithfulness, crying with the poet:
Here I rest, forever viewing,
Mercy poured in drops of blood:
Precious drops, my soul bedewing,
Plead, and claim my peace with God.
GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IN OUR UNBELIEF
"If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself." (I Timothy 2:13).
When nothing whereon to lean remains,
When strongholds crumble to dust,
When nothing seems sure but that God still lives,
This is the time to trust.
But what if the heart can't trust? What if the heart is filled with unbelief and the promises of God seem empty and meaningless? What if we cannot find it in our poor wretched hearts to believe God, claim His promise and rest in His faithfulness? What then? Who shall deliver us? Thank God, He will!
A few years ago, during a serious illness, I passed through troubled waters that were new to me. For the first time in my Christian experience, I could not pray, for no words came, and worst of all, there seemed to be no desire in my heart toward God. I tried to read God's Word and the promises were empty and there seemed to be not a word of personal hope for me. My wife could not comfort me, the counsel of brethren was meaningless, and I felt myself slipping lower and lower into a bottomless pit of spiritual despondency.
For days I was sure that this was the end of my ministry. I was sure that I could never teach or preach again. To add to my sorrow, my wicked heart convinced me that if I couldn't pray, read God's Word, teach or preach, then my blessing, joy, and fellowship in the Lord would be denied me.
I cannot explain to you how He did it; but in spite of this cesspool of unbelief, the Lord restored my soul, comforted me with His rod and staff, anointed my head with oil until my cup ran over, for the faithful Shepherd could not deny Himself. Had He not promised me: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee?"
Now, hear the testimony of God's Word on this subject. Israel murmured in unbelief against the Lord. Certain that the Lord meant to kill them in the wilderness, they would have gladly returned to Egypt if they could have found a leader. But, the faithful God, who could not deny Himself, rained manna from heaven every morning and brought water from the flinty rock, watched over them at night by a pillar of fire and led them by day in the cloud. He destroyed their enemies, bore them up on eagle's wings, and brought them unto Himself, and all of it in spite of their unbelief.
Read the thrilling story of the Emmaus disciples. Here were two disciples who could not find it in their hearts to believe the Word of God. Jesus called them "fools and slow of heart" because of their unbelief. See them going down the road of life, sad, trying to comfort one another, not conscious of the Lord's presence, and wrongly accusing Him of being a stranger to their problems, and ignorant of the things that so burdened them. If restored fellowship depends upon their faithfulness, they are destined to walk the lonely road to Emmaus forever without the joy of His presence. But the faithful Shepherd, who cannot deny Himself, meets them in their need and in their unbelief. He ministers the precious Word of God until faith is kindled anew, and they are brought into new communion with Jesus in the breaking of bread.
See them now! With eyes opened that they might know Him, and hearts burning within, they rise up the same hour and go out to tell others that they have seen Him and that He has made Himself known to them. They had not prayed, read the Word, not confessed their sins; but the faithful God, who called them into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ, delivered them from the blindness of unbelief by the faithful ministry of the Lord Jesus in their lives. Were it not for this faithful ministry of our faithful God in our times of doubt and unbelief, we would never trust Him again.
We often testify to the deliverance of God in our lives in response to our prayers. I often wonder if God is really glorified, or our faith instead. It is true, thank God, that He has often heard my supplication, and answered in response to my cry for help; but it is also true, bless God, that He has more often answered in response to my unbelief. When I could not cry, He has answered. When I could not believe, He has been faithful.
In Mark 4:35-41, we have the account of the storm that endangered the ship in which the disciples and the Lord Jesus were sailing. The original text hints at a hurricane that arose. The waves beat against the ship and soon began to fill it with water. The disciples, seeing this danger, awakened the Lord Jesus, who had been sleeping on a pillow, to accuse Him of not caring whether they perish or not. What bitter, black unbelief!
Had not His word been, "Let us pass over unto the other side?" Here, under the spell of unbelief, these disciples were afraid, not aware of His presence with them, and they boldly slander His love for them by accusing Him of caring not whether they live or die. Dear reader, you and I have done as much against the blessed Lord and, thank God, He has done as much for us as He did for them.
I call your attention to the fact that He was awakened and stirred to undertake for them in response, not to their prayer of faith, but, to their cry of unbelief!! He plainly said they had no faith and were fearful, yet He delivered them by rebuking the hurricane, muzzling the sea, bringing a great calm into their hearts and lives, and demonstrating for us His faithfulness in meeting the unbelief of our hearts with His grace.
My heart has been blessed by the story in John 21, of the unsuccessful night of fishing engaged in by Peter and six others, including John. The original language of this account leads us to believe that their intention was to desert the Lord and return to the fishing business permanently. Only a few days away from Calvary, and here they were, ready to return to the old life in unbelief and discouragement. They went fishing in the flesh, and accomplished just what flesh can accomplish . . . nothing!
As they approached the shore next morning, an apparent stranger directed them to cast their net on the right side of the ship. They did, and were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. They soon recognized the Lord and came to shore to find . . . what? Jesus, ready to deny them of their needs in punishment for their unbelief and disobedience? No., miracle of grace that it was, they found a fire of coals to warm them in their coldness, and the dear Lord Jesus fixing breakfast to meet their hunger, and Himself standing ready with His fellowship to restore their wayward hearts!!
"Come and dine," the faithful God cries, and withholds not a single blessing from His erring children, for He is faithful and cannot deny Himself. Only eternity will fully tell this blessed story; for, when we are come to Zion's shore to meet the Lord Jesus in the morning, we shall not only find that He waits to warm us, feed us, and to fellowship with us forever. but like the disciples of old, we shall also find that we have brought fruit with us that we did not catch ourselves, but which was placed in our nets by the faithful hand of the Shepherd. With Peter, we shall be forced or constrained to say, "Lord, thou knowest that I love thee!"
One day, dear reader, heaven will be opened and the Lord Jesus Christ will be revealed to the world in all the glory of His Father. His eyes will be as a flame of fire, and on His head will be many crowns. His vesture will be dipped in His own blood (now on heaven's mercy seat), and out of His mouth will go a sharp two-edged sword, as He rides triumphantly upon His white horse. His name is called the "Word of God," but Revelation 19:11 assures us that some will call Him "Faithful and True."
Those who call Him by this precious name will be the armies of heaven that follow Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen white and clean. Their very presence will testify to the faithfulness of God who brought them to such a high and holy calling. Surely the word of the Psalmist was prophetic, when he wrote: "Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds." (Psalm 36:5).
In that day His faithfulness shall be fully known. We shall realize for the first time that, throughout all our days here below, it was He who met our every want, made us to lie down in green pastures, led us by the still waters, restored our souls, led us in paths of righteousness, took our fear away in the valley of the shadow of death by His presence, comforted us by His rod and staff, prepared a table before us in the presence of our enemies, anointed our heads with oil of His Spirit, caused our cups to overflow with His joy, followed us all the days of our life with His mercy and goodness, brought us into the house of the LORD to dwell forever, and did it all FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE!
Surely heaven shall resound with the doxology of the saints, as they shout, "Great is thy faithfulness!"
(Brother Roush pastors The Gospel Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, Parkersburg, WV)
**********
