Saturday, May 23, 2009
Morning and Evening: 5/23
Saturday, May 23, 2009—posted by Jim Milligan
» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible
A guest posting from Trevor Wright.
MORNING: Divine Confidence
For this morning’s devotional I found it profitable to meditate on the examples that Spurgeon gave as to what the psalmist did NOT say, and then think about WHY he did not say such things. Here are my thoughts and I pray that they would be edifying to you as you start your day.
Spurgeon: He did not say, “I have grace enough to perfect that which concerneth me”
He did not say this, because he knew that the work of sanctification, God constantly bringing us to become more and more like Christ, is entirely the work of the Lord. He knew that all of our life is grace. We haven’t been given a push start by the grace of God, the grace of God is pulling us along every sanctifying step of the way—sometimes kicking and screaming. So this morning I thank God for His constant love and concern for me.
Spurgeon: He did not say, "My faith is so steady that it will not stagger."
He did not say this, because he knew well how prone we are, as frail human beings, to be carried away by our flesh into utter ruin. Without the Lord our faith is not steady it is non-existent, and we would not only stagger without the constant grace of our Lord, we would be rendered immobilized by our sin. So this morning I thank God for the gift of faith, and ask Him to increase the faith that He has given.
Spurgeon: He did not say, "My love is so warm that it will never grow cold."
He did not say this, because he knew that the Lord is the only true source of love, and that if we are ever to have a warm love then we shall need to depend on the only true source of heat—the Lord. This morning I thank my God for His example of true love, so that I may know how, and be enabled, to love properly.
Spurgeon: He did not say, "My resolution is so firm that nothing can move it."
He did not say this, because he knew that if he didn’t have the immovable rock of ages, that is our Lord who is our salvation, then we would be left with no sure footing at all, and our resolution wouldn’t even find ground to stand on. I thank God this morning that he has caused me, a shakable sinner, to find rest on an immovable rock of salvation.
Something that Spurgeon said in this morning’s devotional made me think about a math problem. If you don’t take all the right steps to solve it you’ll end up with the wrong answer, it has to be perfect—close isn’t good enough. So too, if we ever think that we are the one’s progressing ourselves, or that we are something special, then we’ve missed something big time. We need something perfect and we aren’t it. Have full assurance of faith in the God of your salvation, he began a good work and He will finish it!
EVENING: "Of thine own have we given thee."
In one of my favorite songs Keith Green says this in regards to giving to God: "there is nothing new I could give to you." That’s so true! Everything belongs to God, there is nothing I could possibly give to Him that would add to who He is or what belongs to him. Often times we are deceived into thinking that since we worked hard for something it is rightfully ours and when we give it’s often a bitter sweet experience. A part of us wants to hang on to what is being given, but I think that Spurgeon has given us the answer to that thought in this evenings devotion. First we have to overcome the barrier to giving: entitlement. "I’m entitled to keep this or that for myself, I’ve worked for it!" We are entitled to nothing before our God, and all we have is a gift. We may have worked, but we were enabled to work—it is by God’s grace that we could work at all. But even though the very gain is given God allows us to keep a portion of what is given—something that He is in no way obligated to do. Out of this grace God breeds love into the heart of the believer and that believer is made happy to give back what is already rightfully Gods. And God looks down on that believer with a heart full of joy. May our love for God increase! And with it may our hearts be brought to count the entire world as nothing compared to the glorious grace we have in our heavenly Father.
A guest posting from Trevor Wright.
MORNING: Divine Confidence
The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me.–Psalm 138:8
For this morning’s devotional I found it profitable to meditate on the examples that Spurgeon gave as to what the psalmist did NOT say, and then think about WHY he did not say such things. Here are my thoughts and I pray that they would be edifying to you as you start your day.
Spurgeon: He did not say, “I have grace enough to perfect that which concerneth me”
He did not say this, because he knew that the work of sanctification, God constantly bringing us to become more and more like Christ, is entirely the work of the Lord. He knew that all of our life is grace. We haven’t been given a push start by the grace of God, the grace of God is pulling us along every sanctifying step of the way—sometimes kicking and screaming. So this morning I thank God for His constant love and concern for me.
Spurgeon: He did not say, "My faith is so steady that it will not stagger."
He did not say this, because he knew well how prone we are, as frail human beings, to be carried away by our flesh into utter ruin. Without the Lord our faith is not steady it is non-existent, and we would not only stagger without the constant grace of our Lord, we would be rendered immobilized by our sin. So this morning I thank God for the gift of faith, and ask Him to increase the faith that He has given.
Spurgeon: He did not say, "My love is so warm that it will never grow cold."
He did not say this, because he knew that the Lord is the only true source of love, and that if we are ever to have a warm love then we shall need to depend on the only true source of heat—the Lord. This morning I thank my God for His example of true love, so that I may know how, and be enabled, to love properly.
Spurgeon: He did not say, "My resolution is so firm that nothing can move it."
He did not say this, because he knew that if he didn’t have the immovable rock of ages, that is our Lord who is our salvation, then we would be left with no sure footing at all, and our resolution wouldn’t even find ground to stand on. I thank God this morning that he has caused me, a shakable sinner, to find rest on an immovable rock of salvation.
Something that Spurgeon said in this morning’s devotional made me think about a math problem. If you don’t take all the right steps to solve it you’ll end up with the wrong answer, it has to be perfect—close isn’t good enough. So too, if we ever think that we are the one’s progressing ourselves, or that we are something special, then we’ve missed something big time. We need something perfect and we aren’t it. Have full assurance of faith in the God of your salvation, he began a good work and He will finish it!
EVENING: "Of thine own have we given thee."
Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money.—Isaiah 43:24
In one of my favorite songs Keith Green says this in regards to giving to God: "there is nothing new I could give to you." That’s so true! Everything belongs to God, there is nothing I could possibly give to Him that would add to who He is or what belongs to him. Often times we are deceived into thinking that since we worked hard for something it is rightfully ours and when we give it’s often a bitter sweet experience. A part of us wants to hang on to what is being given, but I think that Spurgeon has given us the answer to that thought in this evenings devotion. First we have to overcome the barrier to giving: entitlement. "I’m entitled to keep this or that for myself, I’ve worked for it!" We are entitled to nothing before our God, and all we have is a gift. We may have worked, but we were enabled to work—it is by God’s grace that we could work at all. But even though the very gain is given God allows us to keep a portion of what is given—something that He is in no way obligated to do. Out of this grace God breeds love into the heart of the believer and that believer is made happy to give back what is already rightfully Gods. And God looks down on that believer with a heart full of joy. May our love for God increase! And with it may our hearts be brought to count the entire world as nothing compared to the glorious grace we have in our heavenly Father.
We are His, and all that we have, for He has purchased us unto Himself—can we act as if we were our own? O for more consecration! And to this end, O for more love! Blessed Jesus, how good it is of Thee to accept our sweet cane bought with money! Nothing is too costly as a tribute to Thine unrivalled love, and yet Thou dost receive with favour the smallest sincere token of affection!
Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon
posted by Jim Milligan|
1 Comments
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1 Comments:
Trevor... that was great, I loved your insights! I was blessed by meditating on what Spurgeon did NOT say.
Thanks for your encouragements, that was a blessing!!
Pastor Matt
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