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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING
http://www.heartlight.org/
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Tuesday, February 12, 2008
MORNING:
"For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our
consolation also aboundeth by Christ."
-- 2 Corinthians 1:5
There is a blessed proportion. The Ruler of Providence bears a pair of
scales-in this side he puts his people's trials, and in that he puts
their consolations. When the scale of trial is nearly empty, you will
always find the scale of consolation in nearly the same condition; and
when the scale of trials is full, you will find the scale of
consolation just as heavy. When the black clouds gather most, the light
is the more brightly revealed to us. When the night lowers and the
tempest is coming on, the Heavenly Captain is always closest to his
crew. It is a blessed thing, that when we are most cast down, then it
is that we are most lifted up by the consolations of the Spirit. One
reason is, because trials make more room for consolation. Great hearts
can only be made by great troubles. The spade of trouble digs the
reservoir of comfort deeper, and makes more room for consolation. God
comes into our heart-he finds it full-he begins to break our comforts
and to make it empty; then there is more room for grace. The humbler a
man lies, the more comfort he will always have, because he will be more
fitted to receive it. Another reason why we are often most happy in our
troubles, is this-then we have the closest dealings with God. When the
barn is full, man can live without God: when the purse is bursting with
gold, we try to do without so much prayer. But once take our gourds
away, and we want our God; once cleanse the idols out of the house,
then we are compelled to honour Jehovah. "Out of the depths have I
cried unto thee, O Lord." There is no cry so good as that which comes
from the bottom of the mountains; no prayer half so hearty as that
which comes up from the depths of the soul, through deep trials and
afflictions. Hence they bring us to God, and we are happier; for
nearness to God is happiness. Come, troubled believer, fret not over
your heavy troubles, for they are the heralds of weighty mercies.
EVENING:
"He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with
you for ever."
-- John 14:16
Great Father revealed himself to believers of old before the coming of
his Son, and was known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the God
Almighty. Then Jesus came, and the ever-blessed Son in his own proper
person, was the delight of his people's eyes. At the time of the
Redeemer's ascension, the Holy Spirit became the head of the present
dispensation, and his power was gloriously manifested in and after
Pentecost. He remains at this hour the present Immanuel-God with us,
dwelling in and with his people, quickening, guiding, and ruling in
their midst. Is his presence recognized as it ought to be? We cannot
control his working; he is most sovereign in all his operations, but
are we sufficiently anxious to obtain his help, or sufficiently
watchful lest we provoke him to withdraw his aid? Without him we can do
nothing, but by his almighty energy the most extraordinary results can
be produced: everything depends upon his manifesting or concealing his
power. Do we always look up to him both for our inner life and our
outward service with the respectful dependence which is fitting? Do we
not too often run before his call and act independently of his aid? Let
us humble ourselves this evening for past neglects, and now entreat the
heavenly dew to rest upon us, the sacred oil to anoint us, the
celestial flame to burn within us. The Holy Ghost is no temporary gift,
he abides with the saints. We have but to seek him aright, and he will
be found of us. He is jealous, but he is pitiful; if he leaves in
anger, he returns in mercy. Condescending and tender, he does not weary
of us, but awaits to be gracious still.
Sin has been hammering my heart
Unto a hardness, void of love,
Let supplying grace to cross his art
Drop from above.
|-- Follow Phil as He Visits Uganda for Compassion --------|
Phil Ware is traveling with 15 other bloggers to Uganda
in an effort to increase the sponsorship of children
through Compassion International.
You can read about the trip and follow along on his blog:
|--
http://blogs.heartlight.org/phil/
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WILD AT HEART, by John Eldredge
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MORNING & EVENING from HEARTLIGHT /\/\
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Morning & Evening is the classic devotional by 19th-century writer
and preacher Charles Spurgeon. It's part of HEARTLIGHT Magazine,
the leading Christian living e-zine on the Web. Visit HEARTLIGHT
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