March, 1938
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wants you! He is eagerly looking into your face for the reflection of His own charac ter. The work He gave you is yours only in the sense that it is used by Him as a means of changing you into His likeness. In other respects the work is His. You are an instrument in His hands. W h y so troubled about your weakness? Does not the Master know how to use His tools? Why so disappointed in environments and people? Does He not know how best to bring out His likeness in you? — A n n a J. L indgren . ' “ Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). Christ is, or ought to be, nearer to us today in all that constitutes real nearness, in our apprehension of His essential char acter, in our reception of His holiest influ ences; than He ever was to them who walked beside Him on the earth. But that presence is of no use at all to us unless we daily try to realize it by the turning of our hearts to Him, and by the contempla-- tion of Him amidst all the bustle and the struggle. Do you feel His nearness and try to keep the feeling fresh and vivid, by oc cupying heart and mind with Him, by re ferring everything to His supreme con trol ?— A lexander M aclaren . Oh, the face of Christ is fairer Than the fairest dream of men, APRIL 6 Centered in Him “I f any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” ( Lk. 9:23). Our Lord never bribes His disciples by promising them ways of sunny ease. He does not buy them with illicit gold. He does not put the glittering crown upon the entrance-gate, and hide the cross behind the wall. No, on the very first stage of the sacred pilgrimage there falls “the shadow of the cross.” . . . And yet, the Lord’s blessing is hidden in the apparent curse. In the act of bearing the cross, we increase our strength. That is the heart ening paradox of grace. Virtuous energies pass from our very burdens into our spirits, and thus “out of the eater” comes forth meat. W e bravely shoulder our load, and lo! a mystic breath visits the heart, and a strange facility attends our goings! The dead cross becomes a tree of life, and a secret vitality renews our souls. — J. H. J ow ett . APRIL 8 He Hath Said “Hath he said, and shall he not do it?” (Num. 23:19). And its wonders ever widen As we gaze and gaze again; Brightest beauty dies in darkness, Gloom and glory waver dim, At the breathless contemplation Of the loveliness of H im ! —E. M argaret C larkson . APRIL 7 Not Easy, but Blessed
D A IL Y Devotiona l Readings A M E S S A G E FOR EVERY D A Y O F THE M O N T H
with the broken pinion never soars as high again.’ As if we did not all have a broken w ing! For most of us, both wings are broken, and both legs, and our necks!” So let us just give up this notion that it is the “broken pinion” that is going to keep us from soaring as high as some victorious life Christians can soar. One thing is cer tain: the bird without a broken pinion is never going to know victory. . . . God makes no offer of victory to strong people, people who have not failed, and failed utterly. But for sinners He has a gospel. — C harles G. T ru m bu ll . Let us cleave unto God in the spirit of children with humility and confidence, be lieving in His gracious presence, worship ing Him who is thus present with us, loving Him; committing ourselves entirely to H im ; in a word, holding fellowship with Him, as our God, and our best Friend who is all-sufficient for us. If we act thus, and when He perceives that our only aim is to please Him in the best manner pos sible, He comes to our aid, and works in us substantial virtues and a thousand blessings, according to our need . . . In short, he that only exercises himself, with childlike simplicity, in this important point, may rely upon it that the Lord will pro vide for him wonderfully.— T ersteegen . APRIL 5 God’s Tools "W e should be to the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:12). God’s command is not do but be. Soul, all tired out by much doing and striving, and accomplishments of small effect, will you not listen and make this thought yours: “ The worker is more than the work.” God APR IL 4 Our God and Father “Like as a father” (Psa. 103:13).
APRIL 1 Uncovered by Affliction “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried” (Dan. 12:10). There is a mountain in Scotland called Cairngorm— literally, “ the blue mountain” — and on it are found valuable rock crys tals. The way in which the Highlanders gather the stones called Cairngorms is this: when there is a sunburst after a violent shower, they go and look along the whole brow of the mountain for certain sparkling spots; the shower has washed away the loose earth, the sunbeams light upon and are reflected from the stones, and thus they are detected. It is just God’s way of bringing forth His own—His “jewels.” Affliction lays them bare .—Christ Life. "Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:17). The mighty Holy Spirit moves to mighty prayer. This prayer is continually round us, like a shield which nothing can pierce; it is behind us, with immense driving power. When we go on our Master’s er rands, we are consciously enabled, con sciously uplifted; often we know that some thing not to be accounted for by the little we could do, has been done. — A m y W ilson C arm ich ael . APRIL 3 Soaring with Broken Wings “ Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Rom. 5:20). I remember a flash of righteous indig nation that swept over Dr. Scofield’s face once as he said, “ People talk about the bird with the broken wing— ‘The bird APRIL 2 Borrowed Power
M an y T ea rs Have
- - = = Been W ip e d A w a y ! T HE main objective o f this Mission is to materially help the distressed believers in Soviet Russia. Wives, children, parents, brothers and sisters o f imprisoned, exiled and deceased Christians have received help for several years from the Russia Inland Relief Mission. Many tears have been wiped away, com fort has been brought to those in distress, bright hopes have been kindled in many families and homes where large parcels or substantial sums o f money have come unexpectedly from this Mission. All of this has been made possible by your generous gifts . . . gifts that represent a spirit of Christian brotherly love for these suffering and persecuted human beings. And we must not forget the blessings which have been showered upon us in response to your reverent and fervent prayers in behalf of these Russian brethren. There are still thousands of Christian people in Russia who are undernourished and in sore need o f simple, everyday clothing. And we shall continue to send them food, clothing and cash to relieve their want. In the name of Christ . . . we urge you to please help generously. Your gifts will be promptly and gratefully acknowledged and will be used at once to aid believers in Soviet Russia. RUSSIA INLAND RELIEF MISSION, A CORP.. Rev. John Johnson, Founder and General Director 1265 Broadway Room 610-K New York, N. Y., U. S. A.
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