Daily Archives: August 23, 2012

From “Morning and Evening” by C. H. Spurgeon

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“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.”  – Eph_3:17

Beyond measure it is desirable that we, as believers, should have the person of Jesus constantly before us, to inflame our love towards him, and to increase our knowledge of him. I would to God that my readers were all entered as diligent scholars in Jesus’ college, students of Corpus Christi, or the body of Christ, resolved to attain unto a good degree in the learning of the cross. But to have Jesus ever near, the heart must be full of him, welling up with his love, even to overrunning; hence the apostle prays “that Christ may dwell in your hearts.” See how near he would have Jesus to be! You cannot get a subject closer to you than to have it in the heart itself. “That he may dwell”; not that he may call upon you sometimes, as a casual visitor enters into a house and tarries for a night, but that he may dwell; that Jesus may become the Lord and Tenant of your inmost being, never more to go out.

Observe the words-that he may dwell in your heart, that best room of the house of manhood; not in your thoughts alone, but in your affections; not merely in the mind’s meditations, but in the heart’s emotions. We should pant after love to Christ of a most abiding character, not a love that flames up and then dies out into the darkness of a few embers, but a constant flame, fed by sacred fuel, like the fire upon the altar which never went out. This cannot be accomplished except by faith. Faith must be strong, or love will not be fervent; the root of the flower must be healthy, or we cannot expect the bloom to be sweet. Faith is the lily’s root, and love is the lily’s bloom. Now, reader, Jesus cannot be in your heart’s love except you have a firm hold of him by your heart’s faith; and, therefore, pray that you may always trust Christ in order that you may always love him. If love be cold, be sure that faith is drooping.

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From “Day-By-Day By Grace” by Bob Hoekstra

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A Precious Promise of God’s Perfecting Work

The LORD will perfect that which concerns me. (Psa_138:8)

Again, we look at one of God’s “precious promises.” (2Pe_1:4). This one pertains to His perfecting work in the lives of those who know Him and humbly depend upon Him. This priceless promise is the Old Testament antecedent of the one we recently considered from Phi_1:6. “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it.”

Think of the astounding implications of our present promise. “The LORD will perfect that which concerns me.” Our God has pledged to fully accomplish His will and His plan in every matter that pertains to our lives. Whether it is growth in biblical insight, development in godliness, progress in marriage, or whatever, “the LORD will perfect that which concerns [us] .”

If we have given even minimal attention to God’s word, we know that He wants us to grow in sound biblical understanding. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food” (Heb_5:12). If we will humbly feed on God’s word, seeking Him for spiritual insight, He “will perfect that which concerns [us] ” in this area of life.

If we care about the will of God for our overall spiritual development, we know His word calls us to godliness. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Tit_2:11-12). If we seek the Lord and trust in Him for ongoing growth in godliness, He “will perfect that which concerns [us] ” in this area as well.

With respect to family life, the scriptures reveal God’s will to be a household of mutually submissive servants, each serving the other out of reverence for the Lord: “submitting to one another in the fear of God” (Eph_5:21). The servant wife would follow the spiritual leadership of the husband. “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord” (Eph_5:22). The servant husband would love His wife with sacrificial Christ-like love. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it” (Eph_5:25). As each seeks the Lord for His transforming grace, He “will perfect that which concerns (us) ” in this area of life also.

Dear Father, forgive me for attempting to perfect myself, when You have promised to attend to it. My vain efforts only quench the work of Your Spirit of grace. Lord, please carry out Your transforming work in my study of the word, my need to grow in godliness, my relationships at home, my testimony on the job, my service of You — my entire life, in Jesus name, Amen.

From “Streams In The Desert” Charles E. Cowman

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No Solution in Sight

“He went out, not knowing whither he went” (Heb. 11:9).

It is faith without sight. When we can see, it is not faith, but reasoning. In crossing the Atlantic we observed this very principle of faith. We saw no path upon the sea, nor sign of the shore. And yet day by day we were marking our path upon the chart as exactly as if there had followed us a great chalk line upon the sea. And when we came within twenty miles of land, we knew where we were as exactly as if we had seen it all three thousand miles ahead.

How had we measured and marked our course? Day by day our captain had taken his instruments and, looking up to the sky, had fixed his course by the sun. He was sailing by the heavenly, not the earthly lights.

So faith looks up and sails on, by God’s great Sun, not seeing one shore line or earthly lighthouse or path upon the way. Often its steps seem to lead into utter uncertainty, and even darkness and disaster; but He opens the way, and often makes such midnight hours the very gates of day. Let us go forth this day, not knowing, but trusting.–Days of Heaven upon Earth

“Too many of us want to see our way through before starting new enterprises. If we could and did, from whence would come the development of our Christian graces? Faith, hope and love cannot be plucked from trees, like ripe apples. After the words ‘In the beginning’ comes the word ‘God’! The first step turns the key into God’s power-house, and it is not only true that God helps those who help themselves, but He also helps those who cannot help themselves. You can depend upon Him every time.”

“Waiting on God brings us to our journey’s end quicker than our feet.”

The opportunity is often lost by deliberation.