Reverence and Awe

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

John 14:6 "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Ephesians 2:8 "For it is by grace [that you can be] saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."

Romans 10:9 "if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

“Can the rush grow up without mire?”

Lord, let me find my life in thee, and not in the mire of this world’s favour or gain.

This should be our prayer as we find ourselves so prone to wander and so quick to leave the God we love. I am reminded of Paul when he says how he has learned to be content in all situations. It is a thought like that which demonstrates our hope and joys are based in the Lord alone. I am so grateful that God is so quick to show us and remind us of where are true joys are. He is faithful to us and will continue the work. Lord, let us not be as the rush but as a firm branch rooted in you.

“And the Lord shall guide thee continually.”

You have infallible wisdom to direct you, immutable love to comfort you, and eternal power to defend you. “Jehovah”—mark the word—“Jehovah shall guide thee continually.”

I think we need to hear this everyday and place all that we do into the thought that God is directing and leading us every step of the way. It totally reminds me of a verse in Psalms where it says that the Lord never slumbers. He stays up all night working on our behalf. The Lord never gets tired or never sleeps and does all things for our good and joy. Our mentality needs to be that the Lord works for us and not the other way around. Even Paul understood that though, he worked as hard as He could, it was the Lord who worked through him and never left his side in all his life. Thank God that he is for us always and will never leave us.

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

As we enjoy the company of our family and friends this morning; opening gifts and drinking lots of coffee (if you're like me) or lots of Diet Coke (if you're like Pastor Jim) may we not lose sight of who is at the center of our joyous celebration. Christ our Savior, the Word become flesh, Emanuel, the perfect Lamb of God, our propitiation and our righteousness.
May we heed Spurgeon's timely exhortation this morning...

Let us reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory; and let us pray that He may be formed in us, the hope of glory.

Let us listen to the wisdom of Spurgeon and end our Christmas day by washing anew in the cleansing fountain of the blood of Christ. May it be the beginning of a habitual meditation on the glory of our Redeemer.

The precious blood of the Lamb slain removes the guilt, and purges away the defilement of our sins of ignorance and carelessness. This is the best ending of a Christmas-day—to wash anew in the cleansing fountain. Believer, come to this sacrifice continually; if it be so good to-night, it is good every night. To live at the altar is the privilege of the royal priesthood; to them sin, great as it is, is nevertheless no cause for despair, since they draw near yet again to the sin-atoning victim, and their conscience is purged from dead works.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is "The Son of God Came Down". I love it because it magnifies the perfection found in God's redemptive plan. That God would send His own Son not simply to be born of a miraculous virgin birth (though He was)... but to die, on a cross, to reconcile God to man, received freely by grace! If that isn't good news, then there's no such thing!

The Son of God came down and laid aside His crown
Born without great renown, this Sovereign One
All holiness and might, all glory shining bright
Have come to earth this night in Mary's son
O come, let us adore

O Christ the Lord, our hope and Savior
Son of God yet made like us
O Christ the Lord, our King adored
Born a child, our Lord Jesus

Messiah born so small, asleep in cattle stall
Come to redeem our fall, nailed to a tree
This tiny, helpless child
Through death would reconcile
The holy God and vile, His grace so free
O come, let us adore

Merry Christmas RBC!! May the Lord bless you and keep you!!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning

The swaddling baby, the Lord of Hosts and Ruler of all things created, came by way of virgin and under law. It was at this specific time in history that our Lord was born and positioned himself for a short while a bit lower than the angels so that we “the poor and guilty, should receive of His fulness grace for grace”.

Perfection through grace had reached out and touched man so that he may receive the righteousness of Christ and behold all of His glory. This fellow reader, is one of those truths that we will never fully grasp still in the flesh. For OUR sakes he became poor although we wanted nothing to do with him but desired the darkness rather than the light.

Our position by the fall, apart from the covenant of grace, made it as impossible for fallen man to communicate with God as it is for Belial to be in concord with Christ.

We were so vile and filled with sin that He had to impute all of His blessing upon us so that we may be admitted into the “palace of glory”. It has been purely done by perfect love, so that He may bring honor unto Himself.

Rejoice this Christmas Eve for the fullness of the time has come.

Evening

“On whose side are you” Spurgeon ends his exhortation. It is heaven or hell, glory or fire, pure happiness or eternal wrath, a son of God or His enemy. Which side are you on? A simple question with a simple answer, but yet this truth is rejected by most and thought of as a fools belief and a poor man’s hope.

“We know that the world and all that is therein is one day to be burnt up, and afterwards we look for new heavens and for a new earth”. We know it will come to pass one day and that this first earth shall pass away and swallow up the sea with it. I see the economic and political turmoil in the world and so many Christians worrying about what is going to happen. We know what is going to happen though, it has been clearly written in the word of God and what we are witnessing today is the fulfillment of prophecy before our eyes. Have faith and hope in His word and promises to His people.

Let us rejoice together and sign with the angels for the Lord will reign forever.

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible
Before I launch into the devotional I want to praise God for 31 wonderful years of marriage to Bev, my Proverbs 31 woman! I Love You Bev!

"Grace, grace, God's grace, grace that is greater than all my sin." What an uplifting devotional we have this morning. We start on our face as trembling sinners aware of our depravity and by the grace of God, by the work of the Holy Spirit we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We move from fear to reverence until we boldly enter into the presence of our "Abba, Father" and receive His infinite love, goodness, and unlimited mercy. It's then that we know beyond a shadow of doubt that we are accepted in the beloved.

Right now my soul soaring. It is impossible for me to understand or know why He chose to bestow such grace on a wretch like me but I accept it. Further to know that grace is progressive and eye has not seen, nor ear hear what God has in store for me! Wow!! "So may we go from strength to strength, and daily grow in grace, till in thy image raised at length, we see thee face to face."

Meditate on this: "Your eyes watch us like the stars and Your arms surround us as the band of planets belt the sky". "The eternal watcher observes His saints and overrules the shades and shadows of midnight for His people's highest good." I am so thankful that I can trust His everlasting faithfulness. I experience those "gloomy seasons of religious indifference and social sin"; it's reassuring to know that even those are not exempt from the divine purpose. The Purposes of God will not be disappointed!

In two days we celebrate the birth of Jesus, God's gift of salvation! Merry Christmas and God Bless You!

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible
God's omnipotence and faithfulness reassure us that nothing is impossible for Him. When I contemplate the universe that God measured with the span of His hand, I am amazed! As the Psalmist said, "It is high I cannot contain it, such knowledge is too wonderful for me!" Spurgeon challenges us to consider "While He is able to uphold the universe, do not dream that He will prove unable to fulfill His own promises". "Will He who created the world grow weary?" "He hangs the world on nothing, will He be unable to support His children?" I am blessed by the fact that I'm called His child and the boundless reservoir of His Grace can never be exhausted and the overflowing storehouse of His strength can never be emptied or plundered.

I know that I am His child because His Word says "to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God". "Christ appeared as my shepherd; I received Him; I believed Him; I trust Him. I'm prepared to follow Him and the infallible mark of my regeneration and adoption is the faith I have in my appointed Redeemer. "Nothing can separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus, my Lord." My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus and His righteousness. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. I'm confident that what Jesus says He will do; He will do!

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

God has indeed made a covenant with me. I definitely got the better end of the deal. I received forgiveness of my sins, a change in my nature and an eternal inheritance...He got me.

Here Spurgeon drives home the point that God's covenant is very personal for each believer. What an awesome thought it is to understand that God, who spoke the universe into existence, has thought it appropriate to make a covenant with me.

"Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant.... For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people... .In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete." Hebrews 8:7-13

"Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant." Hebrews 7:22

Spurgeon's words seem to be written for contemporary times as he writes, "How sweet amidst all the uncertainties of life, to know that "the foundation of the Lord standeth sure," and to have God's own promise, "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips."

This Christmas season let us ponder this celebration of God's faithfulness, the fulfillment of prophecy. It is the beginning of Christ's ministry as a man on this earth that culminated in the first covenant being made obsolete...for me. Thanks be to God.

(2 Peter 1:10-11 NKJV) "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; (11) for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."


On a regular basis, we should examine our lives and our hearts to see if it is consistent with the Christian faith. I believe wholeheartedly in the wonderful doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. Our salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone and in Christ alone. We are secure my the merits of Christ, not anything we are able to muster up on our own. In those times of examining my salvation, I ask myself, "Who is my hope in for salvation?" If my answer is "In the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross" I know that my hope is in the only source of salvation. My confidence is not in my faithfulness, but in His faithfulness. My hope is in Christ alone.

At the same time, if my profession was completely inconsistent with my life, I must question why it is that God has not chastened me, "for He chastens those He loves." I live in a state of conviction of personal sin, a desire for holiness, a passion to worship Him, and a heart that is filled with love for Him. I know that I could not experience these sanctifying inclinations apart from the Holy Spirit regenerating me.

As we look at our devotion today, examine your heart and see if the fruit of your life is the result of the Spirit of God regenerating your heart...and let's make our calling and election sure!

"Rend your heart, and not your garments." — Joel 2:13

It is possible for us, as Christians, to show incredible remorse for our sin before man and ourselves, but not have godly sorrow in our hearts. As an act of openly grieving, within Jewish culture, man would tear his garment to show the extreme anguish he was experiencing. Our Lord is exhorting us to show the magnitude of our sorrow within, before God, and not merely on the outside.

There may be times when we think that we were repentant, but this verse is a wonderful verse to reveal the depth of our sin even in the midst of repentance. In this morning's devotion it is important to catch the source of true repentance--the Holy Spirit. Our prayer ought to be that the Lord would show us our sin in the light of His righteousness. Pray that He would reveal to us why our sin is to be hated and wept over. Pray that the Lord would move upon us in such a way that our repentance would cause us to rend our hearts...and may we never count it repentance if it does not reach that place of godly sorrow.

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning: "Come unto me." - Matthew 11:28

Evening: "Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened." - Isaiah 48:8

Wow, God really blessed me today! I've been studying this Scripture, Matthew 11:28-30, for a month or so now. Studying it, because the Lord has been ministering it to my heart, urging me on to rest in His wonderful yoke.

And now I get to share my musings on it - what a treat!

May I be bold for a second, and disagree a bit with Mr. Spurgeon? I don't agree that the law was a dispensation of terror. The law, and our inability to follow it to perfection, points us with an inerrant finger to Christ, the mediator of a better convenant, and so it is wonderfully good! As good as the honest friend that witnessed to you your need for Christ.

The new convenant with Christ is better because it is based on God's promises - He says in Jeremiah 31:31-34, talking about the coming new convenant, "I will", whereas the old covenant was based on our performance, where God says in Exodus 19:5 "If you will". [Guzik]

We fail, if we try to follow the law, because of our sin nature. God is so good to bring a new covenant by the death of His only Son Jesus, our Messiah! But blaming the old covenant would be like going skydiving, and forgetting to pack a parachute, and blaming the Law of Gravity for your demise on the way down. And on the way down, that failed parachutist will quickly learn to pray, if he didn't know how already. The Law of Gravity (as used by God) drew him toward the Lord as inexorably as it drew him to the ground. [I have heard the testimony of a Christian who gave his life to the Lord, as He drew this young man to Him, on his way falling off a cliff!]

But I'll be the first to agree with Mr. Spurgeon that we all, none more than I, needed a new convenant desperately! I needed to rest from my own hopeless labors, and enter into the glorious rest of my Redeemer. He says "Come!" "Take My yoke upon you!".

Jesus is my Governor! Let me explain what I mean. In Isaiah 9, we read:

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - [Isa 9:6 NKJV]

The government will be on His shoulder. This is both a prophecy of His future kingdom, but also the nature of His lordship over His church, the body of Christ. 'Shoulder' in Hebrew, is 'shekem'. This the the part of the body that bears the burden, that carries the yoke. We are invited by Christ to be guided by His yoke, to wear His yoke and follow Him. And the Lord draws us to Him by reminding us of the glorious rest that comes by surrendering our lives to Christ!

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light." - [Mat 11:29-30 NKJV]

He is the good Governor, who tends His yoke-bearers! He took off of us the yoke of the Law, and gave us His gentle yoke! He says, in Hosea 11:

I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped [and] fed them. - [Hsa 11:4 NKJV]

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

MORNING:

“The youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.”

I don't know about you guys but as I get older, though I be only 21, I've seen the truth in this more and more as years go by. Those who depend upon God seem to have an abnormal amount of resolve-- back up boosters if you will; we can only get so far on our own efforts. There's a time when we must come before the throne of grace and throw ourselves down into the mercy and grace of our God. I've gotten so tired before and it was because I thought it was all about me and my efforts instead of God's display of strength and love in me when I was weak. I pray that God would show me, and the entire church, that it's not about how strong we can be, but that God's strength is revealed in us when we admit we are week, and come humbly to His throne of grace--that's where true strength can be found.

EVENING:

“I am dead; the law has slain me, and I am therefore free from its power, because in my Surety I have borne the curse, and in the person of my Substitute the whole that the law could do, by way of condemnation, has been executed upon me, for I am crucified with Christ.”

Free at last. It doesn't get much better than this. We have been crucified with Christ, and just as Christ died, so too we died. Just as Christ was raised, so too we were raised. Just as death can no longer have any power over Christ since he has been raised from the dead, so too the power of death through sin no longer has any power over us. We have died with Christ and we have been raised with Christ. Sin is done away with, and a new creation has been produced through the blood and payment of Jesus Christ: This is the power of the cross.

REJOICE!!

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

I am often blown away at Spurgeon's use of imagery in his writing. This morning is one of those times. I'm not sure I could encourage other believers to rejoice in God's infinite grace.... from Ezra 7:22. It's masterful how he reads about King Artaxerxes giving prescribed limits on different ingredients to Ezra but telling Ezra that there is no limit to the amount of salt that can be used... and then proceeds to discuss the glories of God's limitless divine grace. Well, I am encouraged this morning. May you also be encouraged to meditate this morning on Christ's limitless grace.

Believer, go to the throne for a large supply of heavenly salt. It will season thine afflictions, which are unsavoury without salt; it will preserve thy heart which corrupts if salt be absent, and it will kill thy sins even as salt kills reptiles. Thou needest much; seek much, and have much.

I don't know about you... but this evening's devotion makes me long for my heavenly home. I no longer want to see dimly, I long for the day I'm bowing before my crucified and risen Savior and beholding all of His glory. Without my sin and shame and fear and pride and many other things getting in the way. We can persevere in this race because He is our great reward! We can look around at the sin and despair in this fallen world and smile because we know our Redeemer lives and reigns from on high!
As Spurgeon said, "We thank God for what we have, and long for more."

Our Lord and our God... may You cause us to live today as citizens of heaven. May You continue to sanctify us so that we see "the altogether lovely One" clearer and clearer. May we grow in our love and adoration of You... grateful for what we have, yet longing for our eternal home. Not by might, nor by power but by Your Holy Spirit... Amen.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning

1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14 - And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. – John 1:1; 1:14

Christ, our rock of ages, from everlasting to everlasting. As sure as the waves will crash upon the seashore, so will He be Lord of all. The immutability of the Lord is a safe harbor for believers where we can go and take comfort, knowing that if He loved us and gave us grace yesterday, that He will do the same today as well. How difficult it would be to serve a god whose plans would change yearly and as quick as the culture we live in. But thank Him that His ways are never changing.

We can seek His counsel from the Holy Word because we know that it is true, right and just as relevant in today’s society. The unbeliever will say “nonsense, how do you live your faith with a book thousands of years old”! But we children of God say look at what has come to pass, the prophecies and promises that have been fulfilled. We have been now comforted by the Holy Spirit and He has brought to light His counsel and will for our lives. Nonsense? Absolutely not for we have a sure and steady hand guiding us through this roller coaster of life.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever

Evening

A wake up call and a sad truth which is brought to light from this evening’s devotional. So many times we have had our prayers slurred and short. “Instead of heavenly mindedness” Spurgeon declares we have carnal cares, worldly vanities, thoughts of evil, disobedience, lukewarmness, petulance, confidence in an arm of flesh, cowardice and desertion to a very shameful degree.

It sorrows me to think of what Christ has done for me and the sacrifice that was paid but yet I deal with Him treacherously. Praise God that He is never changing as this morning discussed. Although we betray Him and forget the blessings He has bestowed upon us, He is so gracious to forgive and He holds us up with His righteous right hand, forgiven our sins past, present and future so that we might be joined with Him in eternal bliss and will no more deal with Him treacherously.

May we ask for forgiveness with a humble heart and know that we belong to Christ.

1. He has made us securely his, and we can enjoy that security here and now
2. It is Him we serve in this life, so in all things, as we do them, we do them as though it were unto our Lord, our God.

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning: "Therefore will the Lord wait that He may be gracious unto you." - Isaiah 30:18

Evening: "My people shall dwell in quiet resting places." - Isaiah 32:18

Matthew Henry, writing 150 years before Spurgeon, does a nice job in expressing God's goodness found in this morning's passage of Scripture:

The prophet, having shown that those who made Egypt their confidence would be ashamed of it, here shows that those who sat still and made God alone their confidence would have the comfort of it. It is matter of comfort to the people of God, when the times are very bad, that all will be well yet, well with those that fear God

Spurgeon expresses comfort to those who seem to experience a delay by God, in answering prayer, and provides various examples of how God may be glorified further by the delay we experience in (seemingly) unanswered prayer.

In this passage of Isaiah, the reason for the delay is evident: the Children of Israel are not trusting in God - rather they are trusting in the horses and chariots of Egypt. David had learned this lesson:

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. - [Psa 20:7 NKJV]

In this way, God gets the glory. Let us be like David, men and women after God's own heart.

Paul recounts the story of David to people of Antioch, in Acts 13:16-23:

And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.' From this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior--Jesus-- - [Act 13:22-23 NKJV]

God raised up a Savior. He raised Him on a pole, on a cross of shame, that all who look on Him will be saved! We remember Jesus's words to Nicodemus:

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, - [Jhn 3:14 NKJV]

In Spurgeon's key Scripture, Isaiah 30:18, he only quotes the first half, shown at the top of today's blog. But what comes next is just as important:

Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him. - [Isa 30:18 NKJV]

In the Blue Letter Bible, there is perhaps a better English translation of this verse, by Darby:

And therefore will Jehovah wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he lift himself up, that he may have mercy upon you; for Jehovah is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

This is perhaps a better translation of the Hebrew in Isaiah 30:18, for the Hebrew word is Ruwm, Strongs number 7311. Ruwm can be translated 'exalted', but also 'lifted up', as you can see yourself by following the link above. And in the first Four Books of Moses, you'll see it used in reference to an offering to the Lord.

Christ is our offering to the Lord, that He may be just in forgiving us, when we turn to Him. This Jesus did willingly for us, suffering the shame of being lifted up on a cross, that all who turn to Him will be saved.

Then I said, 'Behold, I have come-- In the volume of the book it is written of Me-- To do Your will, O God.'... By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all]. - [Hbr 10:7-10 NKJV]

Christ submitted His will to the Father, suffering shame and death on the cross. Yet He lives, our risen King! Let us follow His example, in His strength, and exalt Christ as Lord. Let us enter into His rest, and be as still as a banner on a hill (Isaiah 30:17). God will wait patiently for us, that He may be gracious to us! Let us be His people, that dwell in quiet resting places, as we are exhorted in the evening passage.

Morning:

This mornings reading was amazing. We will one day walk with the Lord in heaven in fullness of Joy. No sin, and therefore no guilt to burden us, and fellowship with God forevermore. That is fullness of joy, and the hope of that eternal reality which awaits us as Christians is sanctifying us now, and therefore we now must fight for robes of white--in a non-positional sort of way--we run the race. Run hard fellow soldiers, and look forward to true joy as we will see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ!

Evening:

Wow, this evenings text is just as good as this mornings. God is sufficient for our lives, and that in every aspect. We have a God who not only knows what we need, and has everything that we will need, but in Jesus Christ we have a God who felt those needs and can sympathize with us. God works all things together for our good, and His good. We can trust that in any situation, no matter how bleak, God will supply us with what we need to be used by Him for His glory, and that is our hearts cry in every situation. Find rest in the God of grace this evening, for He cares for you.

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

So it took me a little while to get past the fact that apparently the jails in Spurgeon's time were filled with guys like me... what's wrong with running into a guy at night with "heavy over-hanging brows"? Seriously though... my heart was filled with praise as I was reminded this morning of God's election and grace in the life of the believer. I was reminded that my redemption, paid for by the blood of Christ, was no small thing. His blood is precious and my sin is horrendous! Christ did not simply die for some bad "choices" we've made in our lives. He did not hang on a cross and bear the weight of our sin because we were "down" and needed a little boost. No... the death and resurrection of the perfect Lamb of God has and continues to save sinners from eternal judgement and to eternal glory!!

Redeeming love has set apart many of the worst of mankind to be the reward of the Saviour's passion. Effectual grace calls forth many of the vilest of the vile to sit at the table of mercy, and therefore let none despair.

I am encouraged this morning that I have a reservation, guaranteed by the Holy Spirit, at His table of mercy!


I was challenged as I read this evening's devotion. Challenged to evaluate the priority I place on the Gospel and it's power to save sinners. Encouraged by the example Paul left as a Christian saturated with an "undying zeal for the souls of men".

Paul's great object was not merely to instruct and to improve, but to save. Anything short of this would have disappointed him; he would have men renewed in heart, forgiven, sanctified, in fact, saved. Have our Christian labours been aimed at anything below this great point? Then let us amend our ways, for of what avail will it be at the last great day to have taught and moralized men if they appear before God unsaved?

May this be what we at RBC are about collectively and individually.

Have a blessed day as you worship the Savior!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

Morning

One of the most glorious results of redemption is that of our unbreakable union with Christ. Are heavenly Father who sits upon the throne of grace and who dresses Himself with righteousness has given us everlasting life. For although we are dead to the world we can be assured that we are alive in Christ. This mortal tent of sin will soon be washed away and we will cry Abba, Father without the struggle of flesh. Remember that even though we live in this world we have been separated by the loving fetters of Christ.

The Head of the church seeks out and finds His sheep which are the members. Each one has a use and is vital to the holy Catholic Church. Although a great wave of believers are oceans away we all come together for the glory of the cross and each one has received “the body of pure gold” for “the head be pure gold”. If we find ourselves lacking joy and in anguish, remember that you are one with Christ. He can lift you up for He has risen from the dead. It is not a dead faith that we act upon but one that is living and pours grace upon us daily. Let us never forget that we children of God have “this heavenly honor of union with Christ”.

Evening

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places – Ephesians 6:12

Every time the topic of spiritual warfare comes up I always find myself reading from one of my favorite books opening paragraphs.

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight. - C.S. Lewis The Screwtape Letters

The whole armor of God is vital for defense against Satan, but this evening Spurgeon has spent time focusing on the midsection, which is the girdle of truth. If we are to ever be successful in our battles against the enemy we must first realize that we have absolutely no power within ourselves but it is all from the supernatural power of our Lord Jesus Christ. We must fully submit to Him and die to ourselves so that Christ may reign in us. “Our Lord presents all His people with an example” and the only way we are to know how He wore His golden girdle is by the scriptures. We must keep His word tight around us so that we can defend against the enemies of the cross.

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

A reflection based upon this morning's reading:

The one prayer of sinners that we know the LORD will answer, is the repentant prayer for salvation, based upon saving faith in Jesus Christ. That seems to be the context of the text for this morning's reading (Mat 7:7). The Lord uses this promise in the context of talking about the narrow gate to eternal life and the broad path to destruction.

As well, whatever the believer needs along the path of eternal life, is promised by Jesus. We can ask in faith that He will provide for our needs. Of course, the issue is what do we really need versus what we want. He promises to give us the desires of our heart, when our heart is fully devoted to Him.

Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. (Psa 37:4-5 NKJV)

Let us today ask the LORD what might be blocking us from delighting ourselves in Him, and to help us change whatever is necessary in our lives, so that we might be able to find our delight in Him.

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible

This evening's reading is such an exhortation to us to be looking forward to the return of our Lord Jesus. Looking forward to that point where our adoption process is culminated, by seeing our Adopter face to face!! I can remember as a kid just after Thanksgiving looking forward to Christmas. Seems time appropriate to today's post! Sometimes it seemed agonizingly slow, for those few weeks until my parents gave those those Christmas gifts. In most cases, the gifts were already purchased, hidden in the house for awhile, then ultimately under the tree. Our adoption is not in question, we are just waiting for Him to come take us home.

As Christians we long for our ultimate Christmas gift, to see our Lord, our Savior, our Redeemer. Sometimes the process can seem slow, especially for believers who are going through persecution, or troubling times. But our exhortation today... the second "Christmas" is coming! Our Lord is coming for us. He is coming to receive His people, His adopted, His bride, His redeemed...us!

We love You Jesus...Maranatha!

Labels: Devotional, Morning and Evening, Spurgeon

Good Morning!
(click to hear this morning's devo)
(click to hear this evening's devo)

Good Morning,
Charles takes us this morning to the Song of Solomon. A book that many can be confused reading as there is much poetry. The verse he has brought us to this morning is regarding Christ's view of the church, it's people, his spouse. We remember that throughout the bible Christ is the bridegroom of the church and it's people. So in Solomon's words here we see a description of a husbands love for his wife with regard to it's beauty.

The wonderful thought here is that Christ views us as having no spot or blemish as we might think. And I love how Spurgeon points out that there are many things that the Holy Spirit could have written here regarding out purity/beauty in the eyes of Christ like being without cancer, or without balding... but instead goes to the most simplistic of degradations and says a spot. Blemish we might think. This is reflecting on Christ's love for his spouse - Us. That his adoration is not marred by our ugly sin or quenched by our fallen nature. Rather our faults do not effect his love for us, His love for us is unconditional!

What an amazing truth to steep our mind on this morning and today. I think of my new daughter Lilyana Joy who sings to my heart even in her sheerest of cries and screams. Yet my love for her will fail at times though it's had for me to imagine right now. Then to think how Jesus' love for me is unconditional and never failing.
Amazing Love!


Good Evening!
Great thoughts for downtrodden sinners. "The Lord mighty in battle." This quote from Psalm 24 is mighty in meaning. We are quick to think our Lord mighty in battle against our every foe but in this thought foe is usually and almost always defined as our enemy - they guy who wishes to do harm to me, or persecute me for my faith, or harm me because of striving to live righteously which is true however, Charles reminds us this evening of a deeper application of his might and a deeper definition of our foe.

"The Lord mighty in battle" against our sinful nature and our every turning hearts. Us, yes we too are the foe. We seek the fleeting joys of this world more than the righteousness of Christ yet He is mighty in battle to keep us. We who were haters of God He has won the battle of our bitterness and given us hearts of flesh that we might be lovers of God.

The arrows of their natural hatred are snapped, and the weapons of their rebellion broken.

Oh sinner - let us rejoice tonight that we broken and corrupt fall into the mighty and graceful arms of our savior who's battles are won against our sinful hearts.

This evening let the Christian warrior chant the war song, and prepare for tomorrow's fight. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.

God bless!
-jeff paisano

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible


How I need these reminders of who I am and where I stand in Christ. Spurgeon emphasizes the utter perfection that God sees when admiring the church. As one considers who they are and the battle that rages in their hearts and minds this devotion should take on a special meaning.

True perfection is something that I think is beyond our limited capacity to even comprehend; we throw the word about with reckless abandon calling things perfect that, in reality, are riddled with imperfection.

God however, being the true standard for perfection, knows it when He sees it; He views the church without fault. When Jesus died on the cross, each one of us who believe in Him died with Him. Our sins were laid upon His head and now we have Christ's perfection laid on us.

I pray that your love for Him increases as you consider what Christ has done for you throughout the day.

» Today's reading at Blue Letter Bible