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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING
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Thursday, February 21, 2008
MORNING:
"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:
"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.
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Morning & Evening is the classic devotional by 19th-century writer
and preacher Charles Spurgeon. It's part of HEARTLIGHT Magazine,
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