Urls of Bible studies have changed. The links on the left navigation menu are correct and updated. Please update your links and bookmarks to these new urls. Thank you.
Charles Spurgeon's Daily DevotionalThis morning devotional prepared for May, 23th.
"The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me."--Psalm 138:8
Most manifestly the confidence which the Psalmist here
expressed was a _divine confidence_. He did not say, "_I_ have
grace enough to perfect that which concerneth me--my faith is so
steady that it will not stagger--my love is so warm that it will
never grow cold--my resolution is so firm that nothing can move
it; no, his dependence was on the Lord alone. If we indulge in
any confidence which is not grounded on the Rock of ages, our
confidence is worse than a dream, it will fall upon us, and
cover us with its ruins, to our sorrow and confusion. All that
Nature spins time will unravel, to the eternal confusion of all
who are clothed therein. The Psalmist was wise, he rested upon
nothing short of the _Lord's_ work. It is the Lord who has begun
the good work within us; it is He who has carried it on; and if
he does not finish it, it never will be complete. If there be
one stitch in the celestial garment of our righteousness which
we are to insert ourselves, then we are lost; but this is our
confidence, the Lord who began will perfect. He _has_ done it
all, _must_ do it all, and _will_ do it all. Our confidence must
not be in what we have done, nor in what we have resolved to do,
but entirely in what _the Lord_ will do. Unbelief insinuates--
"You will never be able to stand. Look at the evil of your
heart, you can never conquer sin; remember the sinful pleasures
and temptations of the world that beset you, you will be
certainly allured by them and led astray." Ah! yes, we should
indeed perish if left to our own strength. If we had alone to
navigate our frail vessels over so rough a sea, we might well
give up the voyage in despair; but, thanks be to God, He will
perfect that which concerneth us, and bring us to the desired
haven. We can never be too confident when we confide in Him
alone, and never too much concerned to _have such_ a trust.
This afternoon devotional prepared for May, 23th.
"Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money."--Isaiah 43:24
Worshippers at the temple were wont to bring presents of
sweet perfumes to be burned upon the altar of God: but Israel,
in the time of her backsliding, became ungenerous, and made but
few votive offerings to her Lord: this was an evidence of
coldness of heart towards God and His house. Reader, does this
never occur with you? Might not the complaint of the text be
occasionally, if not frequently, brought against you? Those who
are poor in pocket, if rich in faith, will be accepted none the
less because their gifts are small; but, poor reader, do you
give in fair proportion to the Lord, or is the widow's mite kept
back from the sacred treasury? The rich believer should be
thankful for the talent entrusted to him, but should not forget
his large responsibility, for where much is given much will be
required; but, rich reader, are you mindful of your obligations,
and rendering to the Lord according to the benefit received?
Jesus gave His blood for us, what shall we give to Him? 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!
Thou dost receive our poor forget-me-nots and love-tokens as
though they were intrinsically precious, though indeed they are
but as the bunch of wild flowers which the child brings to its
mother. Never may we grow niggardly towards Thee, and from this
hour never may we hear Thee complain of us again for withholding
the gifts of our love. We will give Thee the first fruits of our
increase, and pay Thee tithes of all, and then we will confess
"of Thine own have we given Thee."
Subscribe to the C Zine and get a devotional in your email every week!(it's FREE)
Study Again?
|
|