False Jewels (See Isaiah 55:2). In the days of worldwide exploration and colonial expansion unscrupulous traders would trade with primitive tribes people, offering them cheap costume jewellery in return for artefacts they could sell back home for high profits. Satan offers the ‘glitter’ of this world, not the real life, hope and joy that can be found in Jesus.
Spiritual Athletics (See Ephesians 2:8-0). Pole vaulters can clear incredible heights with the aid of their long poles, but there is a limit to what can be achieved by human effort. Many people think they can reach heaven with the aid of their ‘poles’ of religion or good works, but only Jesus can lift us to the height of heaven.
Torchlight (See Psalm 119:105; 2 Cor 5:7; 1 John 1:7). A torch’s beam is limited in its extent. You cannot see more than a step or two ahead, but as you move forward the next step is illuminated. Christians are called to walk by faith, not by sight. The way ahead will rarely become clear until we move forward in what God has told us so far.
Safe with Daddy in Charge (John 1:12; Prov 29:25). The ‘landlubbers’ were scared stiff as the ship pitched violently in the storm. There was, however, a child among the passengers, who was resting calmly while those about him were losing their heads. “Aren’t you afraid.” Said one of the passengers. “No!” The child replied, “I can trust the captain to see us through; he’s my daddy!” Cannot we likewise trust our Heavenly Father to see us through life’s storms.
Stainless Steel (See Acts 3:19; John 15:5). Steel is a strong and durable metal made from iron, but it is subject to rust unless it goes through a process to turn it into stainless steel. The process involves taking something out of the iron (carbon) and introducing a new element (chromium). This not only keeps it free from rust but also makes it hard, so that it is not easily damaged. When we give our lives to Christ a similar process takes place. Something that causes corruption is removed (sin) and something to make us strong and not easily damaged by Satan’s guiles is added (the Holy Spirit). Note, however, that the transforming process in iron only takes place when it is in a molten state. Likewise, Christ can only complete His work in a life that is melted by repentance.
Watch Repair (1 John 1:9). If my watch were to go wrong I would be a fool to take off the back and try to repair it. I have no skill nor knowledge of watch repairs and I would probably end up making the fault ten times worse. Just so, if we try to clear up the mess created by our mistakes - perhaps by an extra lie - our interference will make things worse. Our mistakes must be taken immediately to God, Who alone can deal with them. (H. Brash Bonsall)
Carpet Design (Rom 8:28). A certain master carpet weaver made hand-woven carpets. He employed a number of apprentices. The apprentices were under strict instruction not to try and undo their weave should they make a mistake. Instead they were to report their mistake to the master. He would then take the apprentice’s place, look at the place on the weave where the mistake occurred, then continue weaving from where the apprentice had left off - again without making a correction. The result was an exclusive design that incorporated the error. God can do this with our errors. Tragedies and even our sins if we will repent and submit them to Him to do as He will. He can incorporate them in His plan for our lives. (H.Brash Bonsall)
Burned-in Design (Matt 3:11). A pattern on a vase in not only painted on - in is burned in. The flame of God’s Holy Spirit will sometimes cause a little personal distress as He burns away things you have clung to for many years. But it is His intention to burn into you the beauty and design of the character of Christ. (From ‘Every Day with Jesus,’ Crusade for World Revival)
Inverted Tub. Many a fellow is praying for rain with his tub the wrong way up. (Sam Jones)
Vomit. The Korean word for ‘confess’ means to ‘vomit.’ It is better to get it out!
Tag Wrestling. There are four contestants in tag wrestling - two against two - but only one of each team can be in the ring at the same time. When a contestant is exhausted or pinned down by his opponent, he may reach out to grab the hand of his partner at the ringside, at which the partner enters the ring and takes over the fight. Jesus is there at our ringside when we are wrestling with Satan in temptation and sin. Reach out to Him and He will wrestle for us. Satan may get us pinned down, but he is no match for Jesus!
On the Payroll. If you are interested in a particular job you have to be employed by the firm. You can’t just go and do the work and expect to be regarded as part of the establishment. You would be in for a disappointment on pay-day! You first have to be on the pay-roll. Likewise you cannot work your way into the Kingdom of Heaven. You first have to be accepted by applying in the proper way - at the Cross - then you can take up the work of the Kingdom. The rewards in heaven are only for those on the pay-roll.
Obey the Physician. Faith is not only a declaration of dependence, it is also a vow of allegiance. The sick man’s faith in his physician is shown not simply by trusting him but by obeying him. Doing what the doctor says is the very proof of trust. …. Faith is self-surrender to the Great Physician and a leaving of our case in His hands. But it is also the taking of His prescription, and the active following of his directions. (A.H. Strong)
Into the Palace. A man might be able to direct an enquirer to Buckingham Palace and take us the whole way. (William Barclay)
Capital “L”. When drawing a capital “L” you draw the vertical line first, THEN the horizontal. Contact with God first, THEN others. The vertical without the horizontal is “I” - forgetting the world around. The horizontal without the vertical - forgetting God - is a dash or a blank.
(A Lindsay Clegg, in Life with a Capital “L”)
On the Tracks. Rail tracks restrict a train to follow a route that leads to its intended destination. Freed from the tracks, it is heading for disaster. God’s commandments are like tracks leading us to heaven. Rather than taking away our freedom, the commandments set us free to move forward safely to our intended destination. (Selwyn Hughes, with amendments.)
Fight Fire with Fire. When la arge bush fires get out of control, the only way to stop its spread is to burn away all that will fuel its advance by lighting fires that can be controlled. When the bush fire reaches the burned-out area it has nothing to burn, so it cannot spread further in that direction. The fire of God’s judgment preceded judgment on sinners when the fire fell on God’s Son at Calvary. If we take our stand by the Cross, we shall be safe from the coming fire. (D.L. Moody)
Computer Conscience. A computer’s output depends on its input. Feed it with the wrong information and what comes out will be wrong. Our conscience is our moral computer. It must be fed with the right information if it is going to be a correct guide to our morals and actions. The most reliable source from which to feed it is the Word of God.
Stranded Fish. At Loch Katrine in Scotland there is a series of steps along which water flows into the Loch at a depth of just a couple of centimetres. A speckled trout had somehow found its way on to the steps. It should have been in the loch, but on these steps it was out of its environment. It struggled widely to try and swim to the loch, but the water was too shallow for it to swim. Seeing the fish struggling so desperately, we onlookers wanted to get down there and help it back to where it belonged, but there was no way we could reach down to the poor creature. We humans are out of our proper environment if we are not in fellowship with God. However hard we struggle, we cannot reach Him. However, unlike us helpless bystanders observing the fish, God was able to reach down to us through Jesus Christ, and lift us to where we belong - in fellowship with Him.
Choose Yourself. (Jer 29:11 and Isaiah 30:1) A father took his young daughter, Emma, to a toy shop to buy a doll. Emma took a fancy for one of the dolls on display. “Let me choose” advised her father. But she pestered her father to buy the one she had seen; and he let her have her way. For a day or two she played with the doll she had chosen - until a friend showed Emma her doll that was not only bigger, but talked and shed tears. Sally started to shed tears herself. Her doll seemed so boring in comparison. Her father said to her “Emma. Your friends’ doll was the one I was going to choose for you, but you insisted on buying one of your own choice.” If we are not satisfied of something in life, could it be that it resulted from a choice we made ourselves, rather than letting our Heavenly Father choose? (D.L. Moody)
Dead Birds Can’t Fly. How does a bird overcome the pull of gravity? It is because it has life within it. If that life ceases the bird will drop to the ground like a stone. It is the life of Christ within a believer that enables him or her to overcome the pull of the world.
( A. Lindsay Clegg, in Life with a Capital “L”)
A Rabbit Out of Place. Thirty thousand spectators were gathered to watch the Aldershot Tattoo. Suddenly, a rabbit that had somehow got into the arena was seen to be running for its life. Every eye was focused on the creature, that was clearly out of place. If you, as a Christian are somewhere you not to be, or if there is something in your life that ought not be there, the eyes of the world will be drawn to you. (Adapted from A Lindsay Clegg, in Life with a Capital “L”)
Stopping for Strength. Camel caravans carrying heavy burdens across the Sinai desert sometimes travelled throughout the day. The camel drivers tied the burdens on the camels in the morning, as the camels knelt down. At midday the camels were instructed to kneel again, for their loads to be adjusted after they had become harder to bear as the burdens had shifted. In the evening the camels again had to kneel, for their burdens to be removed. David said he prayed in the morning, at noon and at night (Psalm 55:17) God does not relieve us of our necessary burdens, but He does help us when we kneel before Him in prayer.
(Emergency Post, No. 6, 1978.)
Hidden Weeds. A landscape gardener obtained some clay from engineers digging a tunnel. He used it to lay a watertight lining to a pond. The finished pond looked magnificent - at first! In the Spring, however, the pond was full of weeds and had to be emptied and relined. The clay had contained seeds that needed the right environment to germinate. While we are still living in the flesh, our fallen nature does not go away when we become Christians - but it can hide away. Old habits and desires can lie dormant, with the risk of coming to the surface if we take our eyes off Jesus. (A. Lindsay Clegg, in Life with a Capital “L”)
Lapidary. Lapidary is the art of polishing stones. They are tumbled together in a drum for about three weeks until they knock off their rough edges and smooth off the roughness against one another and against the drum. Something crude and rough becomes something of shining beauty - but only after the friction treatment. The art of lapidary is knowing exactly how much friction a stone needs to make it shine. God knows how much friction in the trials of life, and in our relationships with others, we need to make us shine. (Rom 8:28; 1 Pet 2:4-9)
(Christine Wood, in Decision magazine October 1978.)
Stressed Joint. Craftsmen who make a joint will put the joint under severe stress to test its firmness. God tests our faith and commitment by the stresses He allows us to endure.
(Romans 5:3-4, James 1:3)
Look Down to Look Up. The ceiling in Tewkesbury Abbey is a beautiful arrangement of beams and structures. A visitor could get a crick in the neck trying to look up to see it. Wisely, a mirror has been placed in the nave. The easiest way to appreciate the ceiling is to look down at the mirror. There are those who get theological cricks in the neck trying to understand God by looking up with the mind in theological and philosophical speculation. Yet God has provided a way to reveal Himself - by looking down at His Son. Born as a baby. (Bob Telford)
Compass Direction. The magnetic needle in a compass follows the direction of the magnetic field in the world. The Holy Spirit within the believer follows the Holy Spirit in the world.
(Dennis Bennett, in the Holy Spirit and You.)
It’s Not My Pigeon. Some scoundrels once tied a note to the leg of a homing pigeon, threatening harm if the pigeon was not sent home with money tied to its leg. The intended victim held the pigeon and called the police. The police tied a red ribbon to the pigeon and followed its flight by helicopter. They called at the house to which the pigeon had returned. The owner denied responsibility, saying “It’s not by pigeon”. We cannot escape personal responsibility: Our sin IS our pigeon (Numbers 32:23). (Bob Telford)
Fish Bones. Suppose I am eating a a very nice piece of fish; and suppose I come across a bone. What do I do? I don’t fling the whole piece of fish away. I just put the bone at the side of the plate and leave it there and go on with the rest of the fish. If there are bits of the Bible which are really too difficult, it is best just to leave them aside - some day they will become clear - and go on with the bits you can understand. (Charles Haddon Spurgeon)
Burden or Bridge. An ant was struggling to carry a piece of straw, far bigger than himself. He came to a crack in the concrete that was too wide for him to cross. He turned his trouble into a blessing by laying the straw across the crack and using it as a bridge. What may seem to be a burden may become a blessing if we use it as a bridge to lead us to God.
(Emergency Post, No. 6, 1978.)
Here be Dragons. In the old days, when much of the world was unexplored, men wrote on unknown regions of their maps “Here be dragons,” or “Here be fiery sands.” The Christian can take the map of life and write across every part of it “Here be Christ.”
(William Barclay, Letters to the Seven Churches.)
Trust the Guide (Jude 24). A blind person has to have absolute trust in his guide dog: to lead him, to keep him from falling over things, to bring him safely to the end of his journey. This is the type of faith we are to have in the Lord Jesus.
Not my Wallet. A candidate for baptism by total immersion learned in the preparation classes that all that went under the water came under Jesus’ control. He held his wallet out of the water when the time came for immersion. He wasn’t ready for that to happen.
U in Church. Someone doing a crossword puzzle had the first two and last letters of a six-letter word: CH-RCH. “I’ve got it,” he said, “It takes ‘U’ to make it ‘Church’”. (Charles H Spurgeon)
Murillo’s Masterpiece. A work of art by the 17th Century artist Bartolomé Murillo, which hangs in Seville Cathedral, is regarded as one of the greatest paintings of the world. The great artist was in a monastery when he felt inspired to paint. The only canvas available to him was some rough, brown canvas, little better than sacking. Murillo stretched the canvas across a board and proceeded to paint, producing a world masterpiece. Some of our lives are rough and ugly material, yet the Lord would paint His own likeness on such lives and in our souls. (A Lindsay Clegg, in Life with a Capital ‘L’)
Tin of Paint. The Word of God is like a tin of paint. The value of the Word of God lies in its application.
Cucumber in a Bottle. Have you ever seen a cucumber in a bottle? The neck of the bottle is too small to push the cumber through, so how did it get there? The answer, of course, is that it grew there. The bottle had been placed around the young fruit when it was small enough to fit through the bottle neck but as it was still attached to the plant, which was rooted in the soil, it grew until it was trapped inside the bottle. It could now be freed only if someone broke the bottle. Bad habits that are grown when we are young can grow until, in later life, it becomes impossible to be free of them unless someone can break the bottle. Jesus is able to ‘break the bottle’ and set us free (Rev 1:5). (Emergency Post No. 8, 1984 (revised))
Radiators. There are three parts of a central-heating system:
1. The source of heat - the power behind the system.
2. The water to carry the heat to the radiators.
3. The radiators to spread the heat in the room.
This resembles the life of the Spirit-filled Christian:
1. The source of power is God.
2. The means by which God fills the Christian is the Holy Spirit. The Christian must be filled to be effective, just as a radiator must be filled with water.
3. The Christian spreads the love and Gospel to those around, as a radiator spreads the heat.
Additional thought: sins are like air-locks, stopping the flow of the Spirit as air-locks stop the flow of water.
Cutting Away. I was driving along a quiet road when my passage was blocked by a felled tree, lying across the entire carriageway. A team of men were already in place to remove the obstruction, but I anticipated a long wait since the tree was far too large for a dozen strong men to list, let alone the team of four. However, two of the men were equipped with chainsaws. They proceeded to cut off branches one at a time, which the other two men dragged to the side of the road. I continued by journey in five minutes or less. What was impossible to remove in one go, was easily possible when pieces were taken away one branch at a time. Satan will work this way if he cannot shift a believer from his faith. He’ll chop away at various sub-branches of the faith - one at a time, until there is nothing left of the victim’s faith that cannot be removed with ease.
In the Bottle. How can a Christian be in Christ but Christ be in the Christian? It’s not difficult really: If I submerge an open, empty bottle into water it will fill with water. The bottle will be in the water but water will also be in the bottle. In practice there is a difficulty. Any air inside the bottle will prevent the bottle completely filling with water. Sin in the heart will prevent Christ from completely filling the Christian.
Chimney Pots. A critic once challenged Charles Haddon Spurgeon concerning his insistence on Salvation through faith and not by good works. “Don’t you believe in good works?” The critic asked. “I do believe in good works,” Spurgeon replied, “I also believe in chimney pots but I wouldn’t use them for the foundations.” (See 1 Cor 3:11 and Eph 2:8-9)(C.H. Spurgeon)
Spiritual Aerodynamics. The law of gravity cannot be broken. But aeroplanes seemingly defy gravity. The law of gravity is still in operation but aeroplanes are designed to make use of another law - the law of aerodynamics, which is a stronger law than the law of aerodynamics. The law of sin and death (Romans 6:23) cannot be broken. But there is a stronger law that can supercede that of sin and death. It is the law of Grace and the Spirit of Life (Rom 8:2). (Billy Graham, amended)
TV Aerials. If you notice television aerials on chimney pots, or satellite dishes on walls of houses in any locality, they will all be pointing in one direction. This is because, to get the clearest signal, they must be in line with the signal coming from the transmitter. Get them out of alignment, not only will they receive less of the signal strength, but they might pick up unwanted signals from elsewhere. There are so many ‘signals’ coming to us from all quarters - Satan, secular society, human philosophies and others, that we must align ourselves accurately with the Word of God so that we we can discern His voice and shut out the distractive voices that might lead us astray.
Walking the Wall. There are few things less compelling to young children that a low wall along which they can walk. I must have walked a good few hundred metres along the top of low walls in my childhood. If I had a mind to it, there is no reason why I couldn’t manage to walk along a wall of, say, 10 centimetres or less in height, today, without fear. But extend that wall to 10 metres and nothing would tempt me to walk it at any price. What has happened to the faith I had in my ability to stay securely on the wall without falling off? Will our faith trust God only when the risk is small, or will it extend to trusting Him in the more ‘risky’ endeavours?
Peace in the Storm. A prize was once offered for the picture that best illustrated the subject of peace. Artists painted rural scenes, when all was still and tranquil. But the artist who won the prize had depicted a raging storm in full fury. At first site the picture seemed far from representing peace, but on closer examination could be seen a bird’s nest in the shelter of a cliff, with the mother bird sheltering the young under her wing. The picture was entitled “Peace in the Storm.” Jesus does not offer us a life free from the cares of the world, but He does offer us peace within the storms of life. (John 14:27)
An Heir’s Elation. The heir of a great estate, while a child, thinks more of a few coins in his pocket that of his inheritance. So a Christian is often more elated by some frame of heart than by his title to glory. (John Newton - amended)
Nail for a Fuse. A fuse is there for a purpose. It is intended to break when the current is too high and would burn up the wiring or appliance. It is no good trying to avoid the inconvenience of replacing a fuse by substituting it for a wire nail. The only thing to do do is to investigate the fault that is causing the high current and to correct the fault or remove what is causing it. God has given us a conscience to act in the same way as a fuse. The conscience can be ignored - but each time it is ignored it has the effect of strengthening the fuse until, like the nail in the fuse box, conscience no longer protects from serious damage to the soul. The only safe course when conscience is damaged is to remove or rectify the sin that is causing the conscience fuse to blow.
Directivity. Drive or walk through a housing estate, especially one that is low lying, and observe the TV aerials or satellite dishes. Notice they are all pointing in the same direction. That is because they are set to be in line with the source of the signal. Turn them even slightly away and the picture, and possibly the sound, will be distorted or missing entirely. They might even pick up unwanted signals from another transmitter. When so many ‘signals’ are coming to us from multiple sources in the world around, it is important to have our spiritual ‘aerials’ in perfect alignment with God’s will so that we receive it undistorted and from Him alone.
Grieg’s Song. Dr Grieg, the famous Norwegian composer, was one day sitting in a hotel in Oslo when in a room nearly someone singling one of his songs. As he listened, he became so impressed that he burst into the room exclaiming, “That is how my songs should be sung.” As we look at …. the life of our Lord we see something similar as God exclaims, “That is how my life should be lived.” (Every Day with Jesus 5th Sept 74)
Broomstick Arms. In one of the Italian wars of many years ago, the recruiting band was marching through the villages gathering young volunteers as it went, who brought their weapons …. from their houses and fell in at the end of the procession. At one place an old woman, stirred by the martial music, (brought from her house) a broomstick and joined the march. Her fellow villagers laughed! What could this silly old woman do for the war? She hurled at them her spirited reply “I don’t care so long as you know whose side I’m on!”
(Guy King, “To My Son”, Chapter 3)
By What Authority. A man from the electricity board told a farmer he was going to build a pylon in his field. “Oh no you’re not” said the farmer. “Yes I am” the official replied, waving a piece of paper, “See I have my authority here.” The farmer crossed the field and opened a gate, from which a ferocious bull emerged. The official turned on his heels and ran. The farmer called to him “Where’s your authority now?” There are two words for authority in the Bible. The first is is the Word of Authority - the promise - the standing: like the official’s piece of paper. The second is the authority of Pentecost - the ability to produce the promises given in the Word - the state. That’s what the official lacked when under pressure. Faith is needed to change the standing into the state. (The Apostolic Churches Convention August 1974)
Soap and Water. Confession and repentance are the soap and water of the conscience.
Father’s Voice. Jean Darnell was once walking with some friends on a mountain trail. A fall into the valley below would be fatal. Thus their alarm when a young child broke away from the parents and ran towards a slippery precipice. If the adults ran after the child, he would probably run faster, thinking they were playing, and soon he would be running too fast to check his descent. But the boy’s father suddenly and sharply called “STOP!” The boy recognised the authority behind his father’s voice and obeyed, as he had been trained to do -stopped, and returned to his father. God, the Father, is calling his erring children to stop their flight from Him, which will lead them to certain death. Only if they obey and return to Him and His care will they be safe. (Jean Darnell, abbreviated)
Rails and Steam. On a railway we should find steam of little use without the iron rails firmly laid down. The former is power by which we move, the latter the direction. It is needless to add that the rails would be of little use without the steam. Two things are needful to a course of steady and consistent action, viz the Holy Ghost, as the power of action, and the Word to give proper direction. (C.H. Mackintosh, Notes on Genesis)
“That’s Living!” A wealthy Texan willed that he should be buried in his Cadillac. He died, and his wish was carried out. He was seated in his car, a cigar lodged in his mouth, the speedometer set at 60 m.p.h. As the strange coffin was lowered, an associate of the deceased was heard to remark, “Boy, that’s living!”
That’s NOT living, neither for the man being buried nor for anyone living that kind of existence where materialistic pleasures are the sole object: that’s DYING! Paul said “For me to live is Christ” (Phil 1:21; Matt 16:26).
(Heard from Rev Rodney Sawtell in March 1975. Original source unknown)
Crossing the Border. The border between two countries might be obvious: one knows as he crosses the border that he has arrived in the new country. On occasion, however - say crossing a mountain range - there is no distinct border: one becomes aware of his arrival in the new country as he progresses further into it and notices the differences in culture, language, etc. as he meets others. Having become aware of the differences he has no doubt that he is in the new country. So it is with conversion: Most will be sudden, distinct, to which a time can be put. Some will be unclear - just a growing awareness that one has ‘arrived’ without knowing at which point one crossed the border between death and life.
(Frank Nelson, Birmingham Bible Institute 1974.)
Electrocuted Monkeys. An electric fence was erected as an experiment to keep monkeys from straying. Three species of monkey were observed to see their reactions. The gorillas touched the fence once, then ambled away, never to return. The chimpanzees clung on to the fence, squealing with pain but not letting go. The fence had to be turned off. When later it was turned back on, the chimpanzees returned and did the same thing. The orangutans touched the fence and quickly let go, but kept returning, eventually making sparks with their finger nails. Which animal do you think was the most sensible? What is our reaction to temptations? Do we turn away from them and stay away? Do we play the harmful and dangerous game of clinging to them, embracing them, and not taking the way of escape (1 Cor 10:13)? Or do we welcome them as an amusement, a challenge, and play games with them? Are you a gorilla, a chimpanzee or an orangutan? (Rev Rodney Sawtell, Cranbrook Baptist Church, April 1975)
Radiators. There are three parts to a central heating system: (1) The source of heat - the power behind the system, (2) The water to carry the heat to the radiators, (3) The radiators to spread the heat. This resemble the life of the Spirit-filled Christian: (1) The source of power, which is God, (2) The means by which the power fills the Christian - the Holy Spirit, (3) The radiators - the witnessing Christians.
Additional thought: Air Locks stop the flow of water within the radiator; likewise sin stops the flow of the Spirit within the heart.
Pardon Rejected. George Wilson was condemned to death by the U.S. Supreme Court for crimes he had committed. Shortly before his execution however, he was pardoned by the president. But George Wilson would not accept the pardon. The case was brought before the Supreme Court, which made the following decision: ‘A pardon is a deed to the validity of which delivery is essential: and delivery is not complete without acceptance … We have discovered no power in a court to force it on him.’ George Wilson was then executed, because he did not accept his pardon. Pardon for sin has been offered by our gracious God, but it has to be accepted to become effective. The penalty still stands for those who do not accept the pardon offered - the penalty of death. (Source: Fact and Faith film: Red River of Life)
Caught Up. The rapture of Christians at Christ’s second coming will be like the pieces of steel caught up in a suspended magnet, whilst the pieces of copper and wood remain.
(H. Brash Bonsall)
The Elephant. Four blind men were trying to find out what an elephant was like. One felt his side and described it as like a wall; another his leg and said it was like a tree; the third felt his ear and thought it was like a fan; the last his trunk and reckoned it to be like a snake. All were right, but had different descriptions because they encountered different aspect of the whole. Likewise, descriptions of the Kingdom of Heaven in the Bible differ, but only because they are pictures of different aspects of the whole. (H. Brash Bonsall)
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