From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Spurgeon's Morning & Evening Devotions
Morning, February 6
"He hath said." - Hebrews 13:5
If we can only grasp these words by faith, we have an all-conquering weapon in
our hand. What doubt will not be slain by this two-edged sword? What fear is
there which shall not fall
smitten with a deadly wound before this arrow from the bow of God's covenant?
Will not the distresses of life and the pangs of death; will not the
corruptions within, and the snares without; will not the trials from above, and
the temptations from beneath, all seem but light afflictions, when we can hide
ourselves beneath the bulwark of "He hath said"? Yes; whether for delight in
our quietude, or for strength in our conflict, "He hath said" must be our daily
resort. And this may teach us the extreme value of searching the Scriptures.
There may be a promise in the Word which would exactly fit your case, but you
may not know of it, and therefore you miss its comfort. You are like prisoners
in a dungeon, and there may be one key in the bunch which would unlock the
door, and you might be free; but if you will not look for it, you may remain a
prisoner still, though liberty is so near at hand. There may be a potent
medicine in the great pharmacopoeia of Scripture, and you may yet continue sick
unless you will examine and search the Scriptures to discover what "He hath
said.
" Should you not, besides reading the Bible, store your memories richly with
the promises of God? You can recollect the sayings of great men; you treasure
up the verses of renowned poets; ought you not to be profound in your knowledge
of the words of God, so that you may be able to quote them readily when you
would solve a difficulty, or overthrow a doubt? Since "He hath said" is the
source of all wisdom, and the fountain of all comfort, let it dwell in you
richly, as "A well of water, springing up unto everlasting life. " So shall you
grow healthy, strong, and happy in the divine life.
Evening, February 6
"Understandest thou what thou readest?" - Acts 8:30
We should be abler teachers of others, and less liable to be carried about by
every wind of doctrine, if we sought to have a more intelligent understanding
of the Word of God. As the Holy Ghost, the Author of the Scriptures is he who
alone can enlighten us rightly to understand them, we should constantly ask his
teaching, and his guidance into all truth. When the prophet Daniel would
interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream, what did he do? He
set himself to earnest prayer that God would open up the vision.
The apostle John, in his vision at Patmos, saw a book sealed with seven seals
which none was found worthy to open, or so much as to look upon. The book was
afterwards opened by the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who had prevailed to open
it; but it is written first-"I wept much." The tears of John, which were his
liquid prayers, were, so far as he was concerned, the sacred keys by which the
folded book was opened.
Therefore, if, for your own and others' profiting, you desire to be "filled
with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,"
remember that prayer is your best means of study: like Daniel, you shall
understand the dream, and the interpretation thereof, when you have sought unto
God; and like John you shall see the seven seals of precious truth unloosed,
after you have wept much. Stones are not broken, except by an earnest use of
the hammer; and the stone-breaker must go down on his knees. Use the hammer of
diligence, and let the knee of prayer be exercised, and there is not a stony
doctrine in revelation which is useful for you to understand, which will not
fly into shivers under the exercise of prayer and faith.
You may force your way through anything with the leverage of prayer. Thoughts
and reasonings are like the steel wedges which give a hold upon truth; but
prayer is the lever, the prise which forces open the iron chest of sacred
mystery, that we may get the
treasure hidden within.
==========================================
Daily devotions for 02-04-2005:
Devotion: Morning and Evening
Morning Title: Love at Last
Evening Title: City of Refuge
Do you enjoy this devotional? Send it on to a friend!
Morning: Love at Last
"The love of the Lord." --Hosea 3:1
Believer, look back through all thine experience, and think of the way whereby
the Lord thy God has led thee in the wilderness, and how He hath fed and
clothed thee every day--how He hath borne with thine ill manners--how He hath
put up with all thy murmurings, and all thy longings after the flesh-pots of
Egypt--how He has opened the rock to supply thee, and fed thee with manna that
came down from heaven. Think of how His grace has been sufficient for thee in
all thy troubles--how His blood has been a pardon to thee in all thy sins--how
His rod and His staff have comforted thee. When thou hast thus looked back upon
the love of the Lord, then let faith survey His love in the future, for
remember that Christ's covenant and blood have something more in them than the
past. He who has loved thee and pardoned thee, shall never cease to love and
pardon. He is Alpha, and He shall be Omega also: He is first,
and He shall be last.
Therefore, bethink thee, when thou shalt pass through the valley of the shadow
of death, thou
needest fear no evil, for He is with thee. When thou shalt stand in the cold
floods of Jordan,
thou needest not fear, for death cannot separate thee from His love; and when
thou shalt come into the mysteries of eternity thou needest not tremble, "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 creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord." Now, soul, is not thy love refreshed? Does not this
make thee love Jesus? Doth not a flight through illimitable plains of the ether
of love inflame thy heart and compel thee to delight thyself in the Lord thy
God? Surely as we meditate on "the love of the Lord," our hearts burn within
us, and we long to love Him more.
Evening: City of Refuge
"Your refuge from the avenger of blood." --Joshua 20:3
It is said that in the land of Canaan, cities of refuge were so arranged, that
any man might reach one of them within half a day at the utmost. Even so the
word of our salvation is near to us; Jesus is a present Saviour, and the way to
Him is short; it is but a simple renunciation of our own merit, and a laying
hold of Jesus, to be our all in all. With regard to the roads to the city of
refuge, we are told that they were strictly preserved, every river was bridged,
and every
obstruction removed, so that the man who fled might find an easy passage to the
city. Once a
year the elders went along the roads and saw to their order, so that nothing
might impede the
flight of any one, and cause him, through delay, to be overtaken and slain.
How graciously do the promises of the gospel remove stumbling blocks from the
way! Wherever there were by-roads and turnings, there were fixed up hand-posts,
with the inscription upon them--"To the city of refuge!" This is a picture of
the road to Christ Jesus. It is no roundabout road of the law; it is no obeying
this, that, and the other; it is a straight road: "Believe, and live." It is a
road so hard, that no self-righteous man can ever tread it, but so
easy, that every sinner, who knows himself to be a sinner may by it find his
way to heaven. No sooner did the man-slayer reach the outworks of the city than
he was safe; it was not necessary for him to pass far within the walls, but the
suburbs themselves were sufficient protection.
Learn hence, that if you do but touch the hem of Christ's garment, you shall be
made whole; if you do but lay hold upon him with "faith as a grain of mustard
seed," you are safe.
"A little genuine grace ensures, The death of all our sins."
Only waste no time, loiter not by the way, for the avenger of blood is swift of
foot; and it may
be he is at your heels at this still hour of eventide.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Mailing List Jesus-Net Ministry Indonesia - JNM -
Daftar : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Keluar : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Posting: [email protected]
Bantuan Moderator : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jesus-net/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
