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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING
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Thursday, October 4, 2007
MORNING:
"At evening time it shall be light."
-- Zechariah 14:7
Oftentimes we look forward with forebodings to the time of old age,
forgetful that at eventide it shall be light. To many saints, old age
is the choicest season in their lives. A balmier air fans the mariner's
cheek as he nears the shore of immortality, fewer waves ruffle his sea,
quiet reigns, deep, still and solemn. From the altar of age the flashes
of the fire of youth are gone, but the more real flame of earnest
feeling remains. The pilgrims have reached the land Beulah, that happy
country, whose days are as the days of heaven upon earth. Angels visit
it, celestial gales blow over it, flowers of paradise grow in it, and
the air is filled with seraphic music. Some dwell here for years, and
others come to it but a few hours before their departure, but it is an
Eden on earth. We may well long for the time when we shall recline in
its shady groves and be satisfied with hope until the time of fruition
comes. The setting sun seems larger than when aloft in the sky, and a
splendour of glory tinges all the clouds which surround his going down.
Pain breaks not the calm of the sweet twilight of age, for strength
made perfect in weakness bears up with patience under it all. Ripe
fruits of choice experience are gathered as the rare repast of life's
evening, and the soul prepares itself for rest.
The Lord's people shall also enjoy light in the hour of death. Unbelief
laments; the shadows fall, the night is coming, existence is ending. Ah
no, crieth faith, the night is far spent, the true day is at hand.
Light is come, the light of immortality, the light of a Father's
countenance. Gather up thy feet in the bed, see the waiting bands of
spirits! Angels waft thee away. Farewell, beloved one, thou art gone,
thou wavest thine hand. Ah, now it is light. The pearly gates are open,
the golden streets shine in the jasper light. We cover our eyes, but
thou beholdest the unseen; adieu, brother, thou hast light at
even-tide, such as we have not yet.
EVENING:
"If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous."
-- 1 John 2:1
"If any man sin, we have an advocate." Yes, though we sin, we have him
still. John does not say, "If any man sin he has forfeited his
advocate," but "we have an advocate," sinners though we are. All the
sin that a believer ever did, or can be allowed to commit, cannot
destroy his interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, as his advocate. The
name here given to our Lord is suggestive. "Jesus." Ah! then he is an
advocate such as we need, for Jesus is the name of one whose business
and delight it is to save. "They shall call his name Jesus, for he
shall save his people from their sins." His sweetest name implies his
success. Next, it is "Jesus Christ"-Christos, the anointed. This shows
his authority to plead. The Christ has a right to plead, for he is the
Father's own appointed advocate and elected priest. If he were of our
choosing he might fail, but if God hath laid help upon one that is
mighty, we may safely lay our trouble where God has laid his help. He
is Christ, and therefore authorized; he is Christ, and therefore
qualified, for the anointing has fully fitted him for his work. He can
plead so as to move the heart of God and prevail. What words of
tenderness, what sentences of persuasion will the anointed use when he
stands up to plead for me! One more letter of his name remains, "Jesus
Christ the righteous." This is not only his character BUT his plea. It
is his character, and if the Righteous One be my advocate, then my
cause is good, or he would not have espoused it. It is his plea, for he
meets the charge of unrighteousness against me by the plea that he is
righteous. He declares himself my substitute and puts his obedience to
my account. My soul, thou hast a friend well fitted to be thine
advocate, he cannot but succeed; leave thyself entirely in his hands.
/--- THE LIGHT EN ESPAÑOL! -----------------------------\
The wait for a Spanish language Heartlight is over!
Come enjoy Today's Verse in Spanish, with many more
features already in development. Heartlight is
now reaching even more people around the world with
the positive message of Jesus Christ. Praise God!
\----------------------- http://www.laluzdelalma.com ---/
Content-type: text/html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
THE SECRET MESSAGE OF JESUS: UNCOVERING THE TRUTH THAT COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING, by Brian McLaren
Unafraid of controversy or the uncomfortable gray areas of life,
McLaren's quest is to find the essential message of Jesus' life - even
if it overturns our conventional ideas, priorities, and practices.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?253
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MORNING & EVENING from HEARTLIGHT /\/\
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Morning & Evening is the classic devotional by 19th-century writer
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