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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING
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Sunday, March 2, 2008
MORNING:
"But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to
sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and
his mattock."
-- 1 Samuel 13:20
We are engaged in a great war with the Philistines of evil. Every
weapon within our reach must be used. Preaching, teaching, praying,
giving, all must be brought into action, and talents which have been
thought too mean for service, must now be employed. Coulter, and axe,
and mattock, may all be useful in slaying Philistines; rough tools may
deal hard blows, and killing need not be elegantly done, so long as it
is done effectually. Each moment of time, in season or out of season;
each fragment of ability, educated or untutored; each opportunity,
favourable or unfavourable, must be used, for our foes are many and our
force but slender.
Most of our tools want sharpening; we need quickness of perception,
tact, energy, promptness, in a word, complete adaptation for the Lord's
work. Practical common sense is a very scarce thing among the
conductors of Christian enterprises. We might learn from our enemies if
we would, and so make the Philistines sharpen our weapons. This morning
let us note enough to sharpen our zeal during this day by the aid of
the Holy Spirit. See the energy of the Papists, how they compass sea
and land to make one proselyte, are they to monopolize all the
earnestness? Mark the heathen devotees, what tortures they endure in
the service of their idols! are they alone to exhibit patience and
self-sacrifice? Observe the prince of darkness, how persevering in his
endeavours, how unabashed in his attempts, how daring in his plans, how
thoughtful in his plots, how energetic in all! The devils are united as
one man in their infamous rebellion, while we believers in Jesus are
divided in our service of God, and scarcely ever work with unanimity. O
that from Satan's infernal industry we may learn to go about like good
Samaritans, seeking whom we may bless!
EVENING:
"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this
grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ."
-- Ephesians 3:8
The apostle Paul felt it a great privilege to be allowed to preach the
gospel. He did not look upon his calling as a drudgery, but he entered
upon it with intense delight. Yet while Paul was thus thankful for his
office, his success in it greatly humbled him. The fuller a vessel
becomes, the deeper it sinks in the water. Idlers may indulge a fond
conceit of their abilities, because they are untried; but the earnest
worker soon learns his own weakness. If you seek humility, try hard
work; if you would know your nothingness, attempt some great thing for
Jesus. If you would feel how utterly powerless you are apart from the
living God, attempt especially the great work of proclaiming the
unsearchable riches of Christ, and you will know, as you never knew
before, what a weak unworthy thing you are. Although the apostle thus
knew and confessed his weakness, he was never perplexed as to the
subject of his ministry. From his first sermon to his last, Paul
preached Christ, and nothing but Christ. He lifted up the cross, and
extolled the Son of God who bled thereon. Follow his example in all
your personal efforts to spread the glad tidings of salvation, and let
"Christ and him crucified" be your ever recurring theme. The Christian
should be like those lovely spring flowers which, when the sun is
shining, open their golden cups, as if saying, "Fill us with thy
beams!" but when the sun is hidden behind a cloud, they close their
cups and droop their heads. So should the Christian feel the sweet
influence of Jesus; Jesus must be his sun, and he must be the flower
which yields itself to the Sun of Righteousness. Oh! to speak of Christ
alone, this is the subject which is both "seed for the sower, and bread
for the eater." This is the live coal for the lip of the speaker, and
the master-key to the heart of the hearer.
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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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