Reverence and Awe

Good Morning!

This morning Charles has brought us to ponder one of the great contrasts found in scripture, the contrast of darkness and light. Throughout scripture we see this contrast used as a metaphor for good and evil, for righteousness and sin. This is displayed not only through physical light we see with our eyes but also, and more importantly, by the spiritual light we receive from the Holy Spirit.

As roaches and rats scurry at the flick of a light switch so too am I able to see clearly the filth of my own sin and pride under the penetrating light of His word, or as Spurgeon says "...we behold sin in its true colours...". This revealing is a practice my own soul needs daily.

All the while knowing that if it were not for the Holy Spirit illuminating God's words to my eyes I would look upon them as gibberish unable to decipher His truths, unable to be led. What a gift He gives us in the knowledge of His truths.

May His words ever be a lamp unto our feet and a light onto our path (Ps 119:105) and may we not forget that we were once lost in darkness but have now been brought out of that darkness and into His wonderful light and are now called to walk in that light. (1Pet 2:9; Eph 5:8-14)


Good Evening!

In keeping with a "light" theme C. H. Spurgeon closes our day with some meditations about the light that God has put into believers.

Like a seal of ownership God "...sees "light" in your heart, for He has put it there, and all the cloudiness and gloom of your soul cannot conceal your light from His gracious eye."

This makes me have great thoughts about how Christ is the author and the finisher of my faith. (Heb 12:2) And though I may have times of despair and times of feeling far from God or a dryness in my spirit, He preserves the light that He had originally placed within me. Oh what great comfort that comes from knowing and trusting in an almighty God who is sovereignly in control of my salvation.

In closing I love the thought that Spurgeon ends with that "the light within is the dawn of the eternal day." This really causes me to think eternally. Knowing that there will be a day when we will see His glory and there will be no need for a sun or a moon to shine for the glory of God will illuminate the city, and the lamb will be our light. (Rev 21:23)

May the Lord bless your evening and give you rest. God bless!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Reverence, Spurgeon

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» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Mysterium tremendum! "Having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" - Romans 5:1-2. May God grant us the grace to grasp the grace He has for us this year.

Simon Peter stumbled in his walk of faith but he never stopped walking. He came to know the faithfulness of God like none of the other disciples. Following the resurrection, Christ appeared to Peter and asked him, "Peter, do you love me?" Peter certainly knew the Lord loved him, He witnessed His death, burial, resurrection and restoration but did Peter love the Lord? As I read through these devotionals I can't help thinking He is asking us the same question. Do you love me? Do you want to grow in the knowledge of Me as your Lord and Savior?

The two devotionals represent the two parties to this glorious relationship. In the evening portion Spurgeon points out that Christ, our Royal Brother knows us far better than we know Him. He never mistook His chosen but always beheld them as objects of His infinite affection. We like Joseph's brothers, until the Holy Spirit removed the veil from our eyes, withheld our hearts from Him and allowed Him no entrance to our love. Read 2 Peter 1:3-11, reflect on the eight qualities listed, ask the Lord to make them increasingly real in our lives. The final quality in the list is love.

God's love provided this wonderful grace that gives us what we don't deserve; gives us what Christ deserves and let's us go free. Paul said "I have been crucified with Christ! It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life that I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me!" Personalize that, "the Son of God loves me, the Son of God died for me!"

We love Him because He first loved us. May the Holy Spirit fan that flame of love so we eagerly accept the challenge to grow in the grace and knowledge of our wonderful Savior, surrender to His will, and find our peace with God. Spurgeon says,

"He who grows not in the knowledge of Jesus, refuses to be blessed. An increase of love to Jesus and a more perfect apprehension of His love to us is one of the best tests of growth in grace."

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

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» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning:

I will give thee for a covenant of the people. - Isaiah 49:8

Spurgeon asks us to contemplate the gift of Christ, Who is 'sum and substance of the covenant.' Could I summarize Spurgeon, who himself summarizes major points of the revelation of God about our Messiah? Extolling the manifest virtue of the Christ is a worthy task - but one that will take an eternity to even begin!

John 21:25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Could I encourage our body to read Jesus' prayer in John 17, especially verses 21-23? It shows the heart of Jesus, toward the Father, and toward us.

that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Evening:

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. - Luke 3:4

Spurgeon writes a thoughtful devotional for us here, finding spiritual application: our hearts must be prepared for the Lord as well, by the grace of God.

Luke records the exhortation of John the Baptist, as he was preaching the baptism of repentance in the country about the Jordan river. John uses the words of Isaiah the prophet from Isaiah 40:3-4. The Hebrew is worthy of careful study.

It is important to note that Spurgeon is writing to believers in Christ. He writes

The rough places shall be made smooth. Stumbling-blocks of sin must be removed.

The work of 'smoothing the rough places' is the refining work of Christ in a life (ours!) devoted to Him. Let no person read these words and say "I'm not good enough to come to Christ - I must rid my life of sin first, and then I will come to Him". For

Psalm 34:18. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

I could wish that Spurgeon had extended his commentary to include the next verse from Luke 3:6 (which is also in Isaiah 40:5):


One of the most joyful verses in the Bible!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

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» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

The Word and Prayer

The Morning and Evening devotion for today exhorts us to read the Word and pray. Not for a ritualistic endeavor or a means of salvation, but for our daily sustenance. The Gospels tell of our Lord's continual practice of prayer (Luk 5:16; Luk 6:12-16; Luk 9:18-27; Mat 14:23-33; Mat 19:13-15; Mrk 14:32-41).

Many commentators have likened the reading of the Word to the manna in the wilderness. The Jews had to accumulate their manna for the day and only for that day (except for the day prior to Sabbath on which they could acquire two days worth). The model being that we must go to the Word to feed our soul for this day. You cannot accumulate a week's worth in one day.

My observation is that many people in the Church think of prayer as primarily a means to make requests of God. And Jesus does allow for that in His model prayer for the disciples. But I believe prayer is a two way communication. It is also a method for God to speak to our hearts through the Holy Spirit, to lead us, to guide us and to comfort us among other things. I think this is most often done in conjunction with His Word. Spurgeon has combined these two aspects of Christian living in today's reading, and exhorts us to their practice.

Many people ask, "What is the will of God for me?" Often they are asking it in relation to some specific decision, hope or expectation in their life. A friend of mine would almost always answer this question with the following:

This is the will of God for you:

• Read (the Word of the LORD)
• Pray (to the LORD)
• Commune (with the saints of the LORD)

And really that is a basic answer that really seems to cover it all. I think that is what Spurgeon is trying to say here as well.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

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» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning:

Spurgeon discusses the wanderings of the Hebrews in the desert and their final attainment of the promised rest. Some have indicated that this is a model of our final rest in heaven. But I pray and hope this is not true. For once in the land, Israel had to fight to take it and to keep it. They were driven from this place of rest by the Lord, due to their sin while in the land. Ultimately Israel, as prophesied, took back the land in 1948 and, as prophesied, will some day fully turn to their Jesus their Messiah.

But if this is a model of heaven, I cringe. Once in heaven we are promised, among many other things, that there will be no more tears, total and full worship of the Lord, and effective sinless service to Him. More likely this is a model of our Christian walk here on earth. Sometimes things are going well and sometimes there are battles. When we turn to God, He fights our battles (the only battle that Joshua lost when taking the land, was when he did not consult the Lord on what he was to do). As Spurgeon notes:

"A part of the host will this year tarry on earth, to do service for their Lord." (quote from Morning)

While we are here let us joyfully serve the Lord will all our might, but knowing that our might is not what makes it happen, but as we walk in the Spirit (Rom 8:5), we are kept by Him from stumbling for the Holy Spirit to present us faultless to the LORD (Jud 1:24) .

EVENING:

As we look forward to this year, we are exhorted by Spurgeon to be glad, rejoice and joyous.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" [Phil 4:4 NKJV]

There was a book written a couple of decades ago called "The One-Minute Manager." The idea was learning to manage people in one minute increments of activity. If I were to take that idea and make myself a "One-Minute Rejoicer," how would my life change? If I were to every hour of the awakened day find something for one minute to rejoice in the LORD, I am sure things would be totally different. I know that this is unlikely, as most of our New Year resolutions are, but even to practice a part of it. Spurgeon noted:

"We will BE GLAD AND REJOICE: two words with one sense, double joy, blessedness upon blessedness. Need there be any limit to our rejoicing in the Lord even now?" (quote from Evening)

Prayer: Lord help me to each day find something in which to rejoice in You and be glad.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

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Join us as we blog through Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening devotional. Each day you will find a blog entry for that day's devotional. We also ask that you share your thoughts as well by leaving a comment on how either the devotional or the scripture referred in it, has touched your life that day.

Join us starting on January 1, 2009. You can read Morning and Evening online at the Blue Letter Bible website.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening

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