Reverence and Awe

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

As we enjoy the company of our family and friends this morning; opening gifts and drinking lots of coffee (if you're like me) or lots of Diet Coke (if you're like Pastor Jim) may we not lose sight of who is at the center of our joyous celebration. Christ our Savior, the Word become flesh, Emanuel, the perfect Lamb of God, our propitiation and our righteousness.
May we heed Spurgeon's timely exhortation this morning...

Let us reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory; and let us pray that He may be formed in us, the hope of glory.

Let us listen to the wisdom of Spurgeon and end our Christmas day by washing anew in the cleansing fountain of the blood of Christ. May it be the beginning of a habitual meditation on the glory of our Redeemer.

The precious blood of the Lamb slain removes the guilt, and purges away the defilement of our sins of ignorance and carelessness. This is the best ending of a Christmas-day—to wash anew in the cleansing fountain. Believer, come to this sacrifice continually; if it be so good to-night, it is good every night. To live at the altar is the privilege of the royal priesthood; to them sin, great as it is, is nevertheless no cause for despair, since they draw near yet again to the sin-atoning victim, and their conscience is purged from dead works.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is "The Son of God Came Down". I love it because it magnifies the perfection found in God's redemptive plan. That God would send His own Son not simply to be born of a miraculous virgin birth (though He was)... but to die, on a cross, to reconcile God to man, received freely by grace! If that isn't good news, then there's no such thing!

The Son of God came down and laid aside His crown
Born without great renown, this Sovereign One
All holiness and might, all glory shining bright
Have come to earth this night in Mary's son
O come, let us adore

O Christ the Lord, our hope and Savior
Son of God yet made like us
O Christ the Lord, our King adored
Born a child, our Lord Jesus

Messiah born so small, asleep in cattle stall
Come to redeem our fall, nailed to a tree
This tiny, helpless child
Through death would reconcile
The holy God and vile, His grace so free
O come, let us adore

Merry Christmas RBC!! May the Lord bless you and keep you!!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning: "Come unto me." - Matthew 11:28

Evening: "Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened." - Isaiah 48:8

Wow, God really blessed me today! I've been studying this Scripture, Matthew 11:28-30, for a month or so now. Studying it, because the Lord has been ministering it to my heart, urging me on to rest in His wonderful yoke.

And now I get to share my musings on it - what a treat!

May I be bold for a second, and disagree a bit with Mr. Spurgeon? I don't agree that the law was a dispensation of terror. The law, and our inability to follow it to perfection, points us with an inerrant finger to Christ, the mediator of a better convenant, and so it is wonderfully good! As good as the honest friend that witnessed to you your need for Christ.

The new convenant with Christ is better because it is based on God's promises - He says in Jeremiah 31:31-34, talking about the coming new convenant, "I will", whereas the old covenant was based on our performance, where God says in Exodus 19:5 "If you will". [Guzik]

We fail, if we try to follow the law, because of our sin nature. God is so good to bring a new covenant by the death of His only Son Jesus, our Messiah! But blaming the old covenant would be like going skydiving, and forgetting to pack a parachute, and blaming the Law of Gravity for your demise on the way down. And on the way down, that failed parachutist will quickly learn to pray, if he didn't know how already. The Law of Gravity (as used by God) drew him toward the Lord as inexorably as it drew him to the ground. [I have heard the testimony of a Christian who gave his life to the Lord, as He drew this young man to Him, on his way falling off a cliff!]

But I'll be the first to agree with Mr. Spurgeon that we all, none more than I, needed a new convenant desperately! I needed to rest from my own hopeless labors, and enter into the glorious rest of my Redeemer. He says "Come!" "Take My yoke upon you!".

Jesus is my Governor! Let me explain what I mean. In Isaiah 9, we read:

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - [Isa 9:6 NKJV]

The government will be on His shoulder. This is both a prophecy of His future kingdom, but also the nature of His lordship over His church, the body of Christ. 'Shoulder' in Hebrew, is 'shekem'. This the the part of the body that bears the burden, that carries the yoke. We are invited by Christ to be guided by His yoke, to wear His yoke and follow Him. And the Lord draws us to Him by reminding us of the glorious rest that comes by surrendering our lives to Christ!

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light." - [Mat 11:29-30 NKJV]

He is the good Governor, who tends His yoke-bearers! He took off of us the yoke of the Law, and gave us His gentle yoke! He says, in Hosea 11:

I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped [and] fed them. - [Hsa 11:4 NKJV]

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

I am often blown away at Spurgeon's use of imagery in his writing. This morning is one of those times. I'm not sure I could encourage other believers to rejoice in God's infinite grace.... from Ezra 7:22. It's masterful how he reads about King Artaxerxes giving prescribed limits on different ingredients to Ezra but telling Ezra that there is no limit to the amount of salt that can be used... and then proceeds to discuss the glories of God's limitless divine grace. Well, I am encouraged this morning. May you also be encouraged to meditate this morning on Christ's limitless grace.

Believer, go to the throne for a large supply of heavenly salt. It will season thine afflictions, which are unsavoury without salt; it will preserve thy heart which corrupts if salt be absent, and it will kill thy sins even as salt kills reptiles. Thou needest much; seek much, and have much.

I don't know about you... but this evening's devotion makes me long for my heavenly home. I no longer want to see dimly, I long for the day I'm bowing before my crucified and risen Savior and beholding all of His glory. Without my sin and shame and fear and pride and many other things getting in the way. We can persevere in this race because He is our great reward! We can look around at the sin and despair in this fallen world and smile because we know our Redeemer lives and reigns from on high!
As Spurgeon said, "We thank God for what we have, and long for more."

Our Lord and our God... may You cause us to live today as citizens of heaven. May You continue to sanctify us so that we see "the altogether lovely One" clearer and clearer. May we grow in our love and adoration of You... grateful for what we have, yet longing for our eternal home. Not by might, nor by power but by Your Holy Spirit... Amen.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

So it took me a little while to get past the fact that apparently the jails in Spurgeon's time were filled with guys like me... what's wrong with running into a guy at night with "heavy over-hanging brows"? Seriously though... my heart was filled with praise as I was reminded this morning of God's election and grace in the life of the believer. I was reminded that my redemption, paid for by the blood of Christ, was no small thing. His blood is precious and my sin is horrendous! Christ did not simply die for some bad "choices" we've made in our lives. He did not hang on a cross and bear the weight of our sin because we were "down" and needed a little boost. No... the death and resurrection of the perfect Lamb of God has and continues to save sinners from eternal judgement and to eternal glory!!

Redeeming love has set apart many of the worst of mankind to be the reward of the Saviour's passion. Effectual grace calls forth many of the vilest of the vile to sit at the table of mercy, and therefore let none despair.

I am encouraged this morning that I have a reservation, guaranteed by the Holy Spirit, at His table of mercy!


I was challenged as I read this evening's devotion. Challenged to evaluate the priority I place on the Gospel and it's power to save sinners. Encouraged by the example Paul left as a Christian saturated with an "undying zeal for the souls of men".

Paul's great object was not merely to instruct and to improve, but to save. Anything short of this would have disappointed him; he would have men renewed in heart, forgiven, sanctified, in fact, saved. Have our Christian labours been aimed at anything below this great point? Then let us amend our ways, for of what avail will it be at the last great day to have taught and moralized men if they appear before God unsaved?

May this be what we at RBC are about collectively and individually.

Have a blessed day as you worship the Savior!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

A reflection based upon this morning's reading:

The one prayer of sinners that we know the LORD will answer, is the repentant prayer for salvation, based upon saving faith in Jesus Christ. That seems to be the context of the text for this morning's reading (Mat 7:7). The Lord uses this promise in the context of talking about the narrow gate to eternal life and the broad path to destruction.

As well, whatever the believer needs along the path of eternal life, is promised by Jesus. We can ask in faith that He will provide for our needs. Of course, the issue is what do we really need versus what we want. He promises to give us the desires of our heart, when our heart is fully devoted to Him.

Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. (Psa 37:4-5 NKJV)

Let us today ask the LORD what might be blocking us from delighting ourselves in Him, and to help us change whatever is necessary in our lives, so that we might be able to find our delight in Him.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

This evening's reading is such an exhortation to us to be looking forward to the return of our Lord Jesus. Looking forward to that point where our adoption process is culminated, by seeing our Adopter face to face!! I can remember as a kid just after Thanksgiving looking forward to Christmas. Seems time appropriate to today's post! Sometimes it seemed agonizingly slow, for those few weeks until my parents gave those those Christmas gifts. In most cases, the gifts were already purchased, hidden in the house for awhile, then ultimately under the tree. Our adoption is not in question, we are just waiting for Him to come take us home.

As Christians we long for our ultimate Christmas gift, to see our Lord, our Savior, our Redeemer. Sometimes the process can seem slow, especially for believers who are going through persecution, or troubling times. But our exhortation today... the second "Christmas" is coming! Our Lord is coming for us. He is coming to receive His people, His adopted, His bride, His redeemed...us!

We love You Jesus...Maranatha!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

Good Evening Everyone. I pray that you had a blessed day as I did and am praising Him for all He has done.

If your day didn't go as planned or you are battling sin, my prayer is that you will find comfort in tonight's reading.

Spurgeon writes "we rejoice in Him whose faithful word is sweeter than honey or the honeycomb. In every trouble we should first seek to realize God's presence with us." We see throughout the book of Job the trials and tribulations that he faced. Spurgeon points out that in Job's extremity he cried out after the Lord. I am so blessed by Spurgeon's next comment. "The longing desire of an afflicted child of God is once more to see his Father's face."

I was reading tonight's prayer update regarding our team in Vietnam, and was blessed to hear that things were going so well and excited to hear how God is blessing the people. They have and are experiencing grave trials yet have found comfort and refuge in Him. But how easy is it to run the other way from God? It is our sinful nature to run from His affliction, yet I am thankful that as a believer I find shelter in Him. As Spurgeon puts it, "God's children run home when the storm comes on. Have you ever been so boastful when things are going great? We get all puffed up sometimes and think we are doing it. We don't need anyone else's help. We are doing just fine. Nothing can stop us. And then bam!!! Out of nowhere our whole world is picked up and shaken upside down. Oh what a blessing that I can cry out to my Lord and savior.

Oh that I might know where to find Him that I might come to His seat. - Job 23:3

Amen

Labels: Morning and Evening, Reverence, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning: "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul." - Lamentations 3:24

A sweet devotional. I really like the hymn that Spurgeon uses:

"Lov'd of my God for Him again
With love intense I burn;
Chosen of Him ere time began,
I choose Him in return."

Spurgeon quotes from Psalm 16, my favorite Psalm, where David also describes the Lord as his portion.

5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.

And hence Spurgeon's exhortation to us:

Let us rejoice in the Lord always; let us show to the world that we are a happy and a blessed people, and thus induce them to exclaim, "We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."

Lord God, please help us walk with You, and delight in You, and witness You to a world that needs You. Please use us to drawn near to You all that You have chosen.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible


"... the branch cannot bear fruit of itself..." John 15:4

How did you begin to bear fruit? It was when you came to Jesus and cast yourselves on His great atonement, and rested on His finished righteousness.

These words feed my soul more than I think I understand. I cannot hear them enough... this morning in particular. These past couple of months have been unusually difficult in ways not altogether familiar to me. It's not that I can't identify the causes of these trials... they're actually quite common in my life. My struggles rest more in understanding the motivations of my heart as Christ, by His Spirit, leads me through them. It's a funny thing being a sinful human being... it's seems all to easy to confuse understanding truth with practicing truth. Perceiving what is right and good and true... and at times, deceiving myself into believing that my actions replicate my knowledge. This is why God's Word and Spurgeon's devotion this morning feeds my soul. Is there anyone reading this post that has a better solution to their sin and lack of fruitfulness than casting themselves "on His great atonement"?! Anyone want to rest in their own determination and hard work... rather than resting "on His finished righteousness"?!

As I type this post... I am becoming increasingly grateful for my redemption. And I am confident in His Word when he says "you did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain..." John 15:16
Our God keeps his promises... so I will strive to live today for His glory knowing that whatever fruit He produces and I bear... will remain!

... the more simply we depend upon the grace of God in Christ, and wait upon the Holy Spirit, the more we shall bring forth fruit unto God. Oh! to trust Jesus for fruit as well as for life.

Soli Deo Gloria!!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

The text for this Morning's Reading, comes again from Deuteronomy 33:27. A different phrase from Deuteronomy 33:27 was used for the text for yesterday's Morning Reading as well.

Let's take a look at the verse in a greater Scriptural context.

There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to help you, And in His excellency on the clouds. The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, 'Destroy!' Then Israel shall dwell in safety, The fountain of Jacob alone, In a land of grain and new wine; His heavens shall also drop dew. Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, The shield of your help And the sword of your majesty! Your enemies shall submit to you, And you shall tread down their high places.—(Deu 33:26-29 NKJV)

We are in the everlasting arms of the LORD. He is our Security! He is our Refuge! He is our Protector! He is our Avenger! He is our Strength! He is our Fountain of Living Water! He is our Savior! He is our Shield! He is our Help! Praise God for all the He is!

And then let us consider this section of Scripture from Romans 8:35-39:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Whatever we are going through today, whatever the circumstances of our life today, the above promise is true and alive. Nothing can separate us from the love of our Savior!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

I really enjoyed the imagery that Spurgeon gave us with respect to the word refuge in this Morning's reading. That provoked me to go to the BLB and look up the root word for refuge in Gesenius's Lexicon. And the result made me chuckle. Gesenius also, specifically for Deuteronomy 33:27, uses the word asylum. Now Asylum has many meanings, one of them flew into my head. But, I thought I should take this a step further.

So I looked at Merriam-Webster for the definition of the word asylum. Here was their definition:

1 : an inviolable place of refuge and protection giving shelter to criminals and debtors: sanctuary
...
4 : an institution for the care of the destitute or sick and especially the insane

Now this I knew related to me. "For all have sinned..." (Romans 3:23). Prior to justification by faith, I was a debtor, a criminal according to God's Law. But now, after justification, He is my refuge. He has paid my debt. He has imputed His righteousness to me! Jesus is not a refuge for the perfect...He's a refuge for sinners, who come to Him by faith.

And apart from Christ I am destitute. Apart from Christ, I am nothing (maybe less than nothing), and can do nothing of eternal good.

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."—John 15:5 NKJV

Thank You Jesus for being my refuge! Thank you for Your everlasting arms that shield me, protect me and keep me.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Reading this day's morning and evening devotions, I came to realize that in my own personal life I tend to "thank the LORD" far more often than "praising the LORD." I do thank Him for all that He has provided for us in the way of salvation, indwelling our spirit, making us one with the Father, making the way for us to be adopted as 'sons of God', and of course the temporal things He provides.

But I find myself at a lower rate of frequency praising God for just the pure worship of praise. Praising Him for the essence of His being in all of His attributes. Sunday morning and Wednesday I can get into it, along with the rest of you. So I felt I needed a way to encompass both aspect of these things into my praise life. And the LORD led me to some Scripture to assist me. Here are two verses of Psalms that show me that I can easily combine both my thanksgiving and my praise together. And in the process "Magnify Him!"

I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving. (Psalm 69:30 NKJV)

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Psalm 100:4 NKJV)

My Prayer: LORD, the disciple's prayed to you to help their faith. I ask you to help my praise. Please infuse into me a discernment to give praise for the magnificent Being that You are and to give thanksgiving for the merciful, compassionate and gracious things You do for us! I thank You for Who You are, the LORD Creator of the Universe. I thank you that as the LORD Creator of the Universe, you decided to humble Yourself and die on a cross for me. Thanks and Praise to You, my LORD and Savior. I pray that this has magnified and blessed Your Name. Amen.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning: "Will ye also go away?" - John 6:67

I had a tough time laying hold of Spurgeon's thoughts this morning - Spurgeon is asking us to reason, as believers, remembering Christ's friendship, comfort, and love, and conclude that there is no good reason to leave Him.

I can think of plenty of reasons to leave Jesus - all bad reasons, and all because of my sin nature: hardness of heart, rebellion, selfishness, etc.

But when I am in sin, those are exactly the times when I am least likely to use reason to stay with the Lord. If my walk depended on my own reasoning ability, I, and all of you dear readers, would fail miserably, and fail often.

What then shall we do? Rejoice! Our walk depends not on confidence in our reasoning, but on the goodness of God, who redeems us and causes us to walk in newness of life as we surrender our lives to Him, with faith only in His merits!

Paul says "walk worthy" in Ephesians 4:1, not by virtue of our reasoning ability, but by virtue of the power of the resurrection of Christ, which put all things under His feet, giving Him to us, His church, to be head over all things. Paul calls this the hope of His calling, in Ephesians 1, and He calls it our inheritance as adopted sons of God.

Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:21 that it is Christ who will transform us, conforming us to Him, by His resurrection power, by which He subdues all things to Himself.

He sudues all things! Hey, I'm one of those "all things". You are one of those "all things". Christ is subduing you, and me. We are being gifted by the Father with obedience to follow Christ, because of His great love for us. It is the love of Christ which compels us. And He, and His love, are faithful, even when I am not! It is not my love of Christ, but His love!

This is my great hope! I've been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13), who guarantees my inheritance!

I rejoice in this, and I want to follow Christ and walk worthy, with all my confidence in Him!

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. - [1Jo 3:2-3 NKJV]

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

This Evening's Reading deals with one of those subjects that is often misunderstood, in two extremes. I am speaking of obedience under the New Covenant. Some take the commands to obey to the point that your salvation is dependent upon your obedience (we would call this legalism). Others take it to the other extreme that emphasizes that we are under grace not the Law, and therefore we don't need to worry about it (we call this anti-nomianism-from the Greek meaning lawless).

Neither extreme has it right, in my opinion. It it true that we are commanded over and over again in the New Testament to obey the commands of God. For example:

But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?—Luke 6:46 NKJV

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.—Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV

But clearly Scripture also tells us that salvation is by faith and not by works.

...knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.—Galatians 2:16 NKJV

So the LORD does call us as a matter of daily Christian living to follow Him. That includes obeying Him. But the beautiful thing about the New Covenant is that Christ gives to the regenerate believer the Holy Spirit to indwell us, to empower us to live that Christian walk.

Desire to obey God, yes! Choose to obey God, yes! But always call upon the gift of the power of God (through the Holy Spirit) to accomplish these things. How do we do that? Well I think the Morning Reading gives us a good start. Prayer to the LORD and communion with Him! Let our paths be dropping with the fatness of prayer and communion with our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given [us] everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.—2Thessalonians 2:16-17 NKJV

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

Today's devotion is a very practical one that we all need to review and live by. I know in my own life, I don't always look at the small sins, as much as I do the big ones. The big ones seem to be easier to see and shy away from, but it is the little sins that nip at us every second, and we may just look them over as if they are not important. Spurgeon writes, "we shall shun it—shun it in everything—not in great things only, but in little things, as men shun little vipers as well as great snakes."

"Godly sorrow worketh repentance." — 2 Corinthians 7:10

It is important to know that no repentance is sustainable without the working of the Holy Spirit. We can not do this by our own power. Have you ever tried to fight some sort of sin on your own? The result for me is always failure. When we fix our eyes upon our Savior who died for all of our sins, it should bring us to a point of great reverence and love for Him for what he has done. His love for us should cause us to not want to disappoint Him and to fall more in love with Him, thus causing us to run from our sins.

I am deeply comforted by knowing what Spurgeon writes that, "Sincere repentance is continual. Believers repent until their dying day." We see this as believers, and find comfort that though we are not perfect, God is. We all fall short of the glory of God, but He sent His son for us, to die for all of our sins and transgressions, past, present and future. My prayer for all of us today is that we continually come to the throne of God to ask for forgiveness and for the strength to overcome our perils. Have a blessed day. Amen.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning: "Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens." - Lamentations 3:41

Evening: "Whom He did predestinate, them He also called." - Romans 8:30

The act of prayer teaches us our unworthiness, which is a very salutary lesson for such proud beings as we are.

The most healthy state of a Christian is to be always empty in self and constantly depending upon the Lord for supplies; to be always poor in self and rich in Jesus

Lots of food for thought in Spurgeon today. And yes, prayer can be very humbling. I put the word "can" in italics because it highlights one of my (many) prideful problems. Prayer can be, but often isn't. Sometimes my prayers are humble - I feel unworthy to approach the throne of God, when I'm feeling most miserable about my sinful nature. Yet, where else can I turn, as a miserable sinner, than to the throne of God? This reminds me of Peter's cry to the Lord:

But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. [John 6:68]

In the midst of my sorrow over my sin, I can cry to the Lord - 'to whom shall I go?', and I know there is no where else - only the Lord has the words of eternal life!

And He is good to hear my prayers, because I come to Him, not in my own righteousness, but wrapped in the righteousness of Christ, wearing the banner of Jehovah Nissi over my tattered rags.

And those other times - how often do I approach of throne of God complacent about my walk, comfortable with myself, ready to inquire of the Lord, seemingly satisfied to come to the throne of grace with my own merits, my own cheap wares on display? Sad but true, I sometimes do.

I am so thankful for those humble times, when I feel so unworthy to approach the Lord in prayer, because that is the way I should always come to God in prayer.

It is "an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace."

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

I don't know about you when you read this Morning's Reading, but I said "Wow!" This is a perfect example of why they called Spurgeon the "Prince of Preachers." What a beautiful representation of the Spirit-filled, Spirit-led life in Christ. Spurgeon really tests us and causes us to ask, "Am I all-sufficiently filled and fulfilled in Christ. Is Jesus my all-in-all? This was my favorite line in the reading

The true saint is so completely satisfied with the all-sufficiency of Jesus that he thirsts no more—except it be for deeper draughts of the living fountain.

The section of Scripture from which this morning's text is drawn, (John 4) serves to remind us that Jesus is the Refreshment of Life. I am also reminded of the Scripture in Revelation describing the future Heavenly City and the river of water flowing from the throne of Christ.

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. (Rev 22:1-4 NKJV)

Let us be fully satisfied and refreshed today by the person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! I long for the day I will see you face-to-face!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

As I read the Morning's Reading about trusting in the Lord for our needs, I was reminded of the verse in Hebrews:

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.—Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

That is a pretty strong statement! It is IMPOSSIBLE to please God without faith. Each and every day we are to seek Him and recognize that He is the One Who rewards us, even I believe with the parts of life that we take for granted. Even if King Artaxerxes had assigned a large army to accompany the people of Israel back to their land, if their faith had been in the army and not in the LORD, He would have been displeased with them. Whether there was or was not any army was not the issue. What their faith was resting in, was the issue.

The only battle that Joshua lost in taking Canaan, was when Joshua did not inquire of the LORD as to what to do. Joshua attempted to act upon his own wisdom rather than inquire of God and rely upon Him. Let us not make that mistake today. Let us walk in the power of the Spirit and seek Him diligently.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.—Romans 8:1 (NKJV)

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

"The liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." — Galatians 5: 1

In this chapter the Apostle Paul presents the doctrine of Christian liberty in a final effort to persuade the Galatians to give up the nefarious doctrine of the false apostles. To accomplish his purpose he adduces threats and promises, trying in every way possible to keep them in the liberty which Christ purchased for them. -commentary on the Epistle to the Galations by Martin Luther http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/gal/web/gal5-01.html

What a great passage that we can find so much comfort in. Christ is our Messiah, our redeemer and yes he has really set us free. It is because of Him we are no longer in bondage to the legalistic rituals of the past. Our works do not set us free. Christ is our saviour and we are justified by Him alone. More importantly we are saved by the wrath of God. Christ's liberty is given to us not by the Law, and certainly not by our rightousness, but freely by Christ's sake.

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
-John 8:36

Indeed this is a liberty worth falling down on our knees and worshiping Him for. The Lord our God is our Friend and He is merciful and He has welcomed us as a "guest at the table of promises."

We should find comfort that no matter what, God will not depart from us. Whether our lives are falling apart, or we are having struggles with our wives, our children, our jobs, or falling into sin, we can look to the promises that God has bestowed upon us. Spurgeon writes, "Come in faith and you are welcome to all covenant blessings. There is not a promise in the Word which shall be withheld." It is not a superficial freedom, but a freedom that we can count on. We are free to access it at all times, through scripture, through prayer, whenever, wherever. Praise God.

How awesome is it that we are free to call upon our God for anything and I could quote the whole last part of Spurgeon's writing, but in sum, I will finish with this quote from our devotion.

"It matters not what thy need is, for there is fulness of supply in Christ, and it is there for thee. O what a "freedom" is thine! freedom from condemnation, freedom to the promises, freedom to the throne of grace, and at last freedom to enter heaven!" Amen

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Our readings for today give us two distinct views of God (among many others in Scripture) First, God is jealous (Nahum 1:2) and second, God is merciful (Psalm 116:5). In my life I have given God many opportunities to be jealous. The times I have put other things above God is too numerous to dwell upon. But thankfully, I can easily dwell on the fact that God is also full of mercy, compassion and grace. As with the Psalmists, let us declare the mercy of the Lord forever. I pray for you and for myself, that this day we would give God His rightful due!

He is glorious.

He is gracious.

He is loving.

He is sitting at the right hand of the Father, interceding for you and me this very moment.

He is jealous even of our own salvation. We cannot save ourselves, it is a gift that He provides to us.

C.S. Lewis wrote in his book Mere Christianity,

[Salvation] is the change from being confident about our own efforts to the state in which we despair of doing anything for ourselves and leave it to God.

I know the words "leave it to God" can be misunderstood, but they must stay for the moment. The sense in which a Christian leaves it to God is that he puts all his trust in Christ; trusts that Christ will somehow share with him the perfect human obedience which He carried out from His birth to His crucifixion: that Christ will make the man more like Himself and, in a sense, make good his deficiencies. In Christian language, He will share His "sonship" with us..."

Let us give praise to the Lord that we have been saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9).

Let us give praise to the Lord that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:35-39).

AMEN!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning:"Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar." - Psalm 120:5

Well, its early in the morning, and I'm a bit late starting my blog-day, and it seems like I've never seen these Scriptures before! Kind of scary. But then I realized - Hey! If I'm clueless as to what these mean, then I'll have to pray to God, and He will get the glory, and I'll learn something and be blessed! So here goes! Pray...pray...pray...pray!!

I really love this:

Let your goodness be the only fault they can discover in you. Like Daniel, compel them to say of you, "We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God."

I don't think people can say this about me, for two reasons:

1) I have plenty of faults! Today I was screaming at other drivers so much, that my sweet wife wanted to go home on the way to breakfast! She was willing to give up Bacon and French Toast because my whining was so bad! Then this evening, one of my daughters fined me $20 for my impatient outbursts at other drivers ($5 per infraction is the going rate in my household).

2) I tend to hang out around (only) other Christians, so it is hard to find people around me that don't like "the law of my God".

Fortunately, both faults can be remedied throught the grace of God! I have repented (again!) of my bad whiny/impatient character, and I am asking the Lord to help me overcome this!

Secondly, this exhortation from Spurgeon is making me realize how insulated my life has become, and I praise Him that He will help bring me into contact with unbelievers that I may witness to, with my NEW non-whiny personality!

Evening:"Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea?" - Job 38:16

When I was five years old I told my Dad that I knew most everything, and was ready to figure out everything else on my own. I've been unlearning everything I thought I knew ever since. The older I get, the less I seem to know, and that's a very good thing. I'm finally figuring out how unreliable my tired old brain is. It is good to be humbled!

Our world is being humbled as well. The more Science learns, the less it knows. The number of stars in the universe varies year-by-year (by so-called scientific knowledge) up and down, a thousand-fold, or a billion-fold, and Science doesn't even blink an eye and say "pardon me".

The same is true in the Social Sciences. If man can so easily obtain World Peace, on his own, as many claim, then why are there so many dozens of Organizations For World Peace? I mean, if they can't even agree amongst themselves as to how to organize and strive, what hope do they have for the rest of us?

Paul Krugman, a recent Nobel Prize winner in Economics, stated a few days ago in the New York Times that the field of Economics is in a state of complete disarray, having mistaken beautiful theories for Truth, full of schisms between Universities, where the various sides on theoretical issues disrespect each other completely. And now both sides have been proven wrong by the recent economic decline.

Spurgeon hits the nail on the head:

Let me not strive to understand the infinite, but spend my strength in love. What I cannot gain by intellect I can possess by affection, and let that suffice me.

Spurgeon was a brilliant man, and he never left his brains at the door of any building he entered. Yet he labored not in vain, in Christ (1 Cor 15:18).

May we, like Spurgeon, possess by affection, by the grace of God, that which HE wishes to edify us with - growing in knowledge of Him!

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him [be] the glory both now and forever. Amen. - [2 Peter 3:18 NKJV]

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning: "On mine arm shall they trust." - Isaiah 51:5

Evening: "If we walk in the light, as He is in the light." - 1 John 1:7

Spurgeon makes the point that we should praise any trials or circumstances that cause us to lean on the Lord, and trust in Him. When there is nothing else left to trust, in the midst of dispair, we can still trust in God - only in God.

Dishonour not thy Lord and Master by unworthy doubts and fears; but be strong in faith, giving glory to God.

Spurgeon, in the above quote, sees correctly the problem in doubting God. I agree that this is a problem. I've got a bigger problem than doubting God! My bigger problem is trusting in myself!

When we trust in ourselves, we are our own worst enemy, and no friend to God. We are like that blacksmith in Isaiah 44,

The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, Fashions it with hammers, And works it with the strength of his arms. Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails; He drinks no water and is faint. - [Isaiah 44:12 NKJV]

Earlier, Isaiah points to the Holy Spirit as the Living Water:

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring; - [Isaiah 44:3 NKJV]

Isaiah sees those that trust in the Lord, and rely on Him, as being Spirit-filled, and who give glory to God by being witnesses of Christ's work in their lives:

One will say, 'I am the LORD's'; Another will call himself by the name of Jacob; Another will write with his hand, 'The LORD's,' And name himself by the name of Israel. - [Isaiah 44:5 NKJV]

Wherease that poor blacksmith, trying vainly in his own strength to do all the work himself - well, his strength fails, and his testimony is only of himself, not the Lord!

... their precious things shall not profit; They are their own witnesses; ... - [Isaiah 44:9a NKJV]

Let us trust in the righteous right hand of the Lord! Let us walk in His marvellous light, and may He get all the glory due His name!

Fear not, for I [am] with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' - [Isaiah 41:10 NKJV]

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Some thoughts from this Morning's Reading of Spurgeon:

We being finite beings cannot know the glory of God. However, we can get glimpses of it from creation and from God's revelation of Himself. In His revelation we have the glory of God revealed in His names, His majesty, His power, His works, His Holiness. However, I think the most important revelation of His glory is of course, His express image, Jesus Christ.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (Col 1:15 NKJV)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 NKJV)

So I was wondering what are a few glimpses of God's glory that I can see in/through/from Christ?

• He is God, yet a servant (Phil 2:5-8)


• He has contol over sickness (Mark 8:22-29)


• He has control over creation and nature (see a list of His miracles)


• Every knee will bow to Him as Lord (Phil 2:9-11)

Those are just a few, because...well the list is as infinite as is His glory! If you have never had the opportunity to take a detailed class in Christology, I strongly suggest it. To learn about Jesus Christ, is to learn of His glory. Here's a free class on Christology. It is the most popular class on the Blue Letter Bible Institute, over 20,000 students have enrolled in the course.

Also, Happy Birthday Connor! I cannot believe you are 7 years old already! I pray that God will have His hand on you not only this next year, but your entire life!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

I don't really know a lot about spiders' webs, so I just leave the Morning's Reading untouched. But the text for the Evening's Reading is one that should give us hope.

Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things [are] possible to him who believes." (Mark 9:23)

I believe that Mark 9:23 has been misinterpreted by the "word of faith" movement. They say this text shows that we can have whatever we want if we have enough faith. And stripped out of its surrounding context, it might be possible to read it that way. But within context (reading both before and after the verse) we see differently. We can see from Mark 9:28-29, that the disciples were having trouble casting this demon out of the boy. And the boy's father was likely having some doubt about these disciples' abilities. Then Jesus comes along and the father in essence says to Him, "They cannot do it, can You?"

Jesus responds (in the JIMv paraphrased version), "Yes, I can. All things are possible, under the condition that you believe." You see I think Jesus is saying it is My will to heal this boy, but I am going to use you as an example. If you believe, I will do the humanly impossible thing, and heal the boy. Sometimes Jesus healed people and faith was NOT a condition. He just did it...because He wanted to do it that way. Other times, He asked people to exhibit some exercise of faith. But always, the power to heal came from the person of Christ, based upon His will.

I believe this is an example of Jesus showing His will in a person's life and asking that person to call upon Him for the power to follow His will. Jesus ask us to pick up our cross and follow Him.

Then He said to [them] all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. (Luke 9:23)

We cannot due that in our own strength and power. We need God's empowerment to do it. This episode, with the father and boy, was as much about the father as it was about the boy. What I am encouraged by is the father's response,

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24)

I believe Jesus...but please help my unbelief. There is a kernel of faith, a mustard seed. But there is also unbelief, please dear God, help me in removing my unbelief. Clearly, it wasn't this man's great show of faith, for simultaneously, he declared his faith to be small. It was his small faith in our GREAT LORD. The miracle...the power is in our LORD and in His willingness to help us when we call upon Him.

He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I [will be] with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. (Psa 91:15)

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

Morning:

FLEE! Clearly this is one piece of advice that I wish I had always listened to and acted upon faithfully. Paul uses the word exclusively to tell us to flee from immorality.

1 Cor 6:18 NKJV - Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

1 Cor 10:14 NKJV - Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

1Ti 6:11 NKJV - But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

2Ti 2:22 NKJV - Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Is there anything today that you should be fleeing from? I would pray that the LORD would give you and I the strength and wisdom to do such. Clearly it isn't always easy. And sometimes it still has consequences,as it did in Joseph's life. But clearly, it is always God's will in our life, as He has told us to do so, over and over again!

EVENING:

Jesus indicated that the good shepherd will leave the flock to go and get the one lost sheep. I fully believe that the overall teaching of Scripture tells us that if we are His sheep, He will bring us back to the flock. In the case of Paul, God pursued Him to the point of knocking him off a horse and temporarily blinding him, on the road to Damascus. The context of Hosea 5:15, the text for this Evening's reading, is that the LORD will also remove the perception of His presence. In this case it is referring to Israel. And by doing so, it will cause them to seek the LORD and return to Him.

I thank our gracious God for the fact that He continues to work out in our lives what is necessary for us to turn to Him. Of course, if I consistently applied Spurgeon's lesson from the morning reading, i.e., flee from the lust of the flesh, I am sure that I wouldn't have to go the the painful experiences that are necessary to bring me back to Him. If I would only learn!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning: "Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." — Exodus 14:13

In this era of high speed life we sometimes seem to think “it must have been much easier in the past. The people of forgotten generations must have not had to deal with the everyday trials that we 21st century Christians have to face”. But we can see that this is not the case. Spurgeon clearly calls out that the enemy has in time past and always is constantly trying to pull us away from intimate communion with Christ using things as Despair and Cowardice. When we are stressed at work and cannot get finances off our minds, we must look upward to Christ. When we feel that things are not going our way it is God who we must hand it over to. When we are faced with trials that test our faith we are to pray for the Holy Spirit for divine wisdom and strength. He will never steer us in the wrong direction and if we take the time to listen and stand still we will see His perfect providence each of our lives. It is in the quite times that we come near to God.

Friends, do not let the busyness of our days get in the way of our time with Christ. Stand still is His command for it is there we listen to His guidance, we can ponder His wonderful creation, think upon His perfect sacrifice and can gather our daily strength to go forward as children of light.

Evening: "His camp is very great." — Joel 2:11

Complete and perfect providence is what first came to my mind.

"Space is His camping ground, light is His banner, and flame is His sword."

Every star that shines is in His control and every wave that crashes upon the shore is within His plan. He is the overseer of all and His power is endless and incomparable to anything else on this earth. We are so blessed to know that we serve a God who is in control of everything at all times.

I think of what Os Hillman wrote when speaking about Gideon and how his army originally consisted of 10,000 men but was dwindled away to 300 against the enemies 100,000. “He would not allow Gideon to fight with this many soldiers, because the temptation would still remain to believe that it was the strength of his army that won the victory. God told Gideon to pare down his army to a mere 300. This would ensure that God would receive total credit for the victory. This is a law in the Kingdom of God. All glory must go to Him.”

It is a frightful thing to not be on the Lord’s side and to not be a solider of grace and truth. We children of God can be confident that His is the larger and greater camp and He will and always has been victorious.

"for to war against Him is madness, and to serve Him is glory."

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

Even thou wast as one of them- Obadiah 1:11

How often can we say this of ourselves? This is a battle daily that I fight in my own life, oh how sweet it is to be delivered from my sins. When we sin as Christians, Spurgeon points out that "we sin with an emphasis; ours is a crying offence, because we are so peculiarly indulged." Peculiarly indeed. We should know better, right? "Much forgiven, much delivered, much blessed, much instructed, much enriched, much blessed," by our Savior Jesus Christ, so then, "shall we dare to put forth our hand unto evil? God Forbid!"

Ah yes, easier said than done, isn't it? Praise Him for his mercy upon our souls. Just because we are Christians doesn't make us exempt from these peculiar indulgences. But if we strive to love Him with all of our souls and all of our might and lean upon His strength and not upon ours, this indulgence will certainly become less and less, or at least we will become more conscious of our behavior, through our understanding of how Great our God is.

"Be honest with thine own soul, and make sure that thou art a new creature in Christ Jesus..." We don't want anyone to say that we are as one of them. We are saved by His grace and are destined to spend eternity with Him. We don't want to share in the unbelievers fate, so why do we act like them here, in this life? My prayer for all of us today is that we side with eachother and lift one another up and not fall on the side of the world. Have a blessed day!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning:

The first thing that I thought of after reading this morning’s devotion was this quote from George Whitefield: "We are immortal until our work on earth is done." That means that until God calls us home we aren't going anywhere, and that when He does call us home it won’t matter because we will be in eternal bliss. If God has work for us to do on earth then He will not call us home prematurely, for we were created in Christ Jesus to do those good works. We need not fear, nor have anxiety about what the next step should bring, because we have God, a mighty, and eternal King who loves us and cares for us.

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Rom. 8:31


Evening:

As I read this evenings devotion I couldn't help but imagine how many times these truths have helped those going through the rough seasons of life. I'm almost brought to tears imagining how beautiful these words are to the mother who has lost a child, to the child who has lost a parent, to those whose loved ones are sick, and to those experiencing various kinds of depression and despair. Take heart this evening child of God, for you have all spiritual blessings through your Lord Jesus Christ, and will experience infinite ecstasies as you gaze into His face forevermore. This is our hope, this is our joy, and this is our God.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

I like the corollary aspects of this Morning's and Evening's Readings. Spurgeon calls us to consider our election by God, our belief in God, and our sanctification by the power of God. All the glory goes to God (as it should), because He is the initiator and power behind our salvation.

In one of Spurgeon's sermons, he spoke the following that is related to today's readings:

Examine yourselves, dear friends, then, by this. I do not ask you whether your hearts are perfect-they are not; I do not ask you whether your hearts never go astray, for they are prone to wander; but I do ask you: Is your heart resting upon Jesus Christ? Is it a believing heart? Does your heart meditate upon divine things? Does it find its best solace there? Is your heart a humble heart? Are you constrained to ascribe all to sovereign grace? Is your heart a holy heart? Do you desire holiness? Do you find your pleasure in it? Is your heart bold for God? Does your heart ascribe praises to God? Is it a grateful heart? and is it a heart that is wholly fixed upon God, desiring never to go astray? If it be, then you have marks of election. (Sermon 638, July 9, 1865)

The question Spurgeon asked 144 years ago are still valid questions today. Let's give the LORD thanks for His election of us, for the gift of faith to believe in Him and for the power of the Holy Spirit to walk day-by-day in His power.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

I really enjoyed this excerpt from the Evening Reading:

But notice how Christ revealed Himself to this sorrowing one—by a word, "Mary." It needed but one word in His voice, and at once she knew Him, and her heart owned allegiance by another word, her heart was too full to say more. That one word would naturally be the most fitting for the occasion. It implies obedience. She said, "Master."

Imagine, Jesus saying my name. The manner in which a name is said can speak volumes. When my mother spoke "James Patrick," well I knew what was coming was generally NOT going to be good. When her voice said "Jimmy" (don't get any ideas), well that was totally different, since it was an invitation for communication—not rebuke.

I can only imagine what it will be like when my Master speaks my name. Not of condemnation, nor rebuke, for He already paid the price for my sins. But rather a name spoken to a loved servant from a loving Master, to a friend from the Friend, and to an adopted brother from the only Begotten One.

Not only will He call me by name, but He promises to confess my name before the Father.

He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (Rev 3:5 NKJV)

Not only will He confess my name before the Father, but He promises to give me my own special new name, that only the LORD and myself will know.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives [it]. (Rev 2:17 NKJV)

What's in a name? So very much!

And all of this should lead me to the private effectual prayer of a worshipping heart that Spurgeon speaks of in the Morning Reading. As I continually realize, that all of salvation, all that salvation will provide in the future (which is still unimaginable), all of that is mine solely based upon the grace of God.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible


Morning:"If thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it." - Exodus 20:25

The Lord alone must be exalted in the work of atonement, and not a single mark of man's chisel or hammer will be endured.

This is Spurgeon's exhortation to us this morning, asking that we not add to the finished work of Christ on the cross, in the same way that the Father exhorts us not to try to chisel, or dress, the stones on the alter to the Lord.

Would we try to take Christ, the chief cornerstone, and chisel Him to our own designs? We, the clay, would we try to fashion the potter into some concept of our own making?

you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." Therefore, to you who believe, [He is] precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone," and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. - [1 Peter 2:5-8 NKJV]

Christ was scourged already for us during His earthly life - Let us not attempt to scourge Him again to make an easier or more convenient doctrine.

This is the saddest of strivings, when we attempt to fashion our own little gods.

Isaiah warns us against this in Isaiah 44:

Who would form a god or mold an image that profits him nothing? - [Isaiah 44:10 NKJV]

This section of Isaiah tells the story of a blacksmith that strives to make a god of his own imagining.

The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, Fashions it with hammers, And works it with the strength of his arms. Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails; He drinks no water and is faint. - [Isaiah 44:12 NKJV]

When we strive in our own vain labors, we are striving against God's Holy Spirit. Even if our strivings produce some fruit, it is not the fruit that comes from abiding in Christ:

Those who make an image, all of them [are] useless, And their precious things shall not profit; They [are] their own witnesses; They neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed. - [Isaiah 44:9 NKJV]

Our only witness is of ourselves! How terrible to be successful in this endeavor! Far better for us to fail at any enterprise in which we are striving in our own strength.

This is in direct contrast to the encouraging exhortation at the beginning of Isaiah 44:

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring; ... One will say, 'I [am] the LORD's'; Another will call [himself] by the name of Jacob; Another will write [with] his hand, 'The LORD's,' And name [himself] by the name of Israel. - [Isaiah 44:3-5 NKJV]

Let all our fruit be fashioned through abiding in Christ, and none of our own making.

We labor not in vain in the Lord!

Evening:"As it began to dawn, came Magdalene, to see the sepulchre." - Matthew 28:1

A good exhortation from the life of Mary Magdalene: seek Him patiently, eagerly, hungrily, boldly, faithfully, earnestly. And seek Him only!

Mary Magdalene sought thus because she loved much. Let us arouse ourselves to the same intensity of affection; let our heart, like Mary's, be full of Christ, and our love, like hers, will be satisfied with nothing short of Himself. O Lord, reveal Thyself to us this evening!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

And God divided the light from the darkness. - Genesis 1:4

While reading this devotion, I think of my struggles daily as sinner, and I praise Him for letting the light into my heart. Spurgeon writes that a believer must contend with two principles. Before God let the light in, we were only filled with darkness. Because of the light coming in it is now in disagreement with the darkness of our hearts. It doesn't mix. It is that battle between good and evil that is tugging at our hearts, at our minds and rips at us any chance it gets.

Paul writes in Romans 7:21 and 22, "I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members."

So then, we are all wretched sinners and who then will deliver us from our sins? Praise God- Jesus Christ will deliver us and has delivered us from our sins.

I look at oil and water, two liquids that do not mix very well. If you start with a glass of water and take some oil and pour it in, the water around it will want to push the oil to the surface. God is the water, the light. Our sins are the oil, the darkness, that try and mix into the light. Without God and Jesus as our savior, the sin would just sit there and continue to take us into the depths of darkness.

Spurgeon writes that if there be a division within the individual Christian, there is certain to be division without. Let us pray that we will desire the things above and that God will continue to separate the light from the dark within us. May we separate ourselves from the things of this world and be satisfied in the gospel of Christ.

"He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners; and, as He was, so we are to be nonconformists to the world, dissenting from all sin, and distinguished from the rest of mankind by our likeness to our Master."

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning:"Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." - Proverbs 1:33

Spurgeon's exhortation to us this morning is to dwell on the character of God, rather than on our circumstances. And His character is of love.

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. - [1 John 4:16 NKJV]

We see His character exhibited in so many ways, none more so than Christ dying on the cross for us. We see His love demonstrated as well, in the way He desires fellowship with us, and draws us to Him. A few examples from scripture - cherish your own favorites:

'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' - [Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV]

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find [Me], when you search for Me with all your heart. - [Jeremiah 29:12-13 NKJV]

But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find [Him] if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul...(for the LORD your God [is] a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them. - [Deuteronomy 4:29,31 NKJV]

Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." - [Psalms 50:15 NKJV]

The LORD [is] near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. - [Psalms 145:18 NKJV]

Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. - [Isaiah 55:6 NKJV]

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. - [Luke 11:9-10 NKJV]

Can we doubt the character of God, His love for us, when we see how He desires us to come to Him? Be comforted!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon