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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING http://www.heartlight.org/
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Saturday, June 6, 2009
MORNING:
"Behold, I am vile."
-- Job 40:4
One cheering word, poor lost sinner, for thee! You think you must not
come to God because you are vile. Now, there is not a saint living on
earth but has been made to feel that he is vile. If Job, and Isaiah,
and Paul were all obliged to say "I am vile," oh, poor sinner, wilt
thou be ashamed to join in the same confession? If divine grace does
not eradicate all sin from the believer, how dost thou hope to do it
thyself? and if God loves his people while they are yet vile, dost thou
think thy vileness will prevent his loving thee? Believe on Jesus, thou
outcast of the world's society! Jesus calls thee, and such as thou art.
"Not the righteous, not the righteous;
Sinners, Jesus came to call."
Even now say, "Thou hast died for sinners; I am a sinner, Lord Jesus,
sprinkle thy blood on me;" if thou wilt confess thy sin thou shalt find
pardon. If, now, with all thy heart, thou wilt say, "I am vile, wash
me," thou shalt be washed now. If the Holy Spirit shall enable thee
from thy heart to cry
"Just as I am, without one plea
But that thy blood was shed for me,
And that thou bidd'st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come!"
thou shalt rise from reading this morning's portion with all thy sins
pardoned; and though thou didst wake this morning with every sin that
man hath ever committed on thy head, thou shalt rest to-night accepted
in the Beloved; though once degraded with the rags of sin, thou shalt
be adorned with a robe of righteousness, and appear white as the angels
are. For "now," mark it, "Now is the accepted time." If thou "believest
on him who justifieth the ungodly thou art saved." Oh! may the Holy
Spirit give thee saving faith in him who receives the vilest.
EVENING:
"Are they Israelites? so am I."
-- 2 Corinthians 11:22
We have here A PERSONAL CLAIM, and one that needs proof. The apostle
knew that his claim was indisputable, but there are many persons who
have no right to the title who yet claim to belong to the Israel of
God. If we are with confidence declaring, "So am I also an Israelite,"
let us only say it after having searched our heart as in the presence
of God. But if we can give proof that we are following Jesus, if we can
from the heart say, "I trust him wholly, trust him only, trust him
simply, trust him now, and trust him ever," then the position which the
saints of God hold belongs to us-all their enjoyments are our
possessions; we may be the very least in Israel, "less than the least
of all saints," yet since the mercies of God belong to the saints AS
SAINTS, and not as advanced saints, or well-taught saints, we may put
in our plea, and say, "Are they Israelites? so am I; therefore the
promises are mine, grace is mine, glory will be mine." The claim,
rightfully made, is one which will yield untold comfort. When God's
people are rejoicing that they are his, what a happiness if they can
say, "SO AM I!" When they speak of being pardoned, and justified, and
accepted in the Beloved, how joyful to respond, "Through the grace of
God, SO AM I." But this claim not only has its enjoyments and
privileges, but also its conditions and duties. We must share with
God's people in cloud as well as in sunshine. When we hear them spoken
of with contempt and ridicule for being Christians, we must come boldly
forward and say, "So am I." When we see them working for Christ, giving
their time, their talent, their whole heart to Jesus, we must be able
to say, "So do I." O let us prove our gratitude by our devotion, and
live as those who, having claimed a privilege, are willing to take the
responsibility connected with it.
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=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE: 50 PRAISE & WORSHIP SONGS, by The Maranatha Singers
You'll be lifting your hands and your voice while enjoying this
collection of praise & worship classics performed by the Maranatha
Singers---available only from CBD.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?153
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
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MORNING & EVENING from HEARTLIGHT /\/\
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http://www.heartlight.org/spurgeon \/
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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