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Spurgeon's Morning & Evening Devotions
Morning, April 28
"Joint heirs with Christ." - Romans 8:17
The boundless realms of his Father's universe are Christ's by prescriptive
right. As "heir of all things," he is the sole proprietor of the vast creation
of God, and he has admitted us to
claim the whole as ours, by virtue of that deed of joint-heir-ship which the
Lord hath ratified with his chosen people. The golden streets of paradise, the
pearly gates, the river of life, the transcendent bliss, and the unutterable
glory, are, by our blessed Lord, made over to us for our everlasting possession.
All that he has he shares with his people. The crown royal he has placed upon
the head of his Church, appointing her a kingdom, and calling her sons a royal
priesthood, a generation of priests and kings. He uncrowned himself that we
might have a coronation of glory; he would not sit upon his own throne until he
had procured a place upon it for all who overcome by his blood.
Crown the head and the whole body shares the honour. Behold here the reward of
every Christian conqueror! Christ's throne, crown, sceptre, palace, treasure,
robes, heritage, are yours. Far superior to the jealousy, selfishness, and
greed, which admit of no participation of their advantages, Christ deems his
happiness completed by his people sharing it.
"The glory which thou gavest me have I given them." "These things have I spoken
unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."
The smiles of his Father are all the sweeter to him, because his people share
them.
The honours of his kingdom are more pleasing, because his people appear with
him in glory. More valuable to him are his conquests, since they have taught
his people to overcome. He delights in his throne, because on it there is a
place for them.
He rejoices in his royal robes, since over them his skirts are spread. He
delights the more in his joy, because he calls them to enter into it.
Evening, April 28
"He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom." - Isaiah
40:11
Who is he of whom such gracious words are spoken? He is THE GOOD SHEPHERD. Why
doth he carry the lambs in his bosom? Because He hath a tender heart, and any
weakness at once melts his heart. The sighs, the ignorance, the feebleness of
the little ones of
his flock draw forth his compassion.
It is his office, as a faithful High Priest, to consider the weak. Besides, he
purchased them with blood, they are his property: he must and will care for
that which cost him so dear.
Then he is responsible for each lamb, bound by covenant engagements not to lose
one. Moreover, they are all a part of his glory and reward.
But how may we understand the expression, "He will carry them"?
Sometimes he carries them by not permitting them to endure much trial.
Providence deals tenderly with them. Often they are "carried" by being filled
with an unusual degree of love, so that they bear up and stand fast.
Though their knowledge may not be deep, they have great sweetness in what they
do know. Frequently he "carries" them by giving them a very simple faith, which
takes the promise just as it stands, and believingly runs with every trouble
straight to Jesus. The simplicity of their faith gives them an unusual degree
of confidence, which carries them above the world.
"He carries the lambs in his bosom." Here is boundless affection.
Would he put them in his bosom if he did not love them much? Here is tender
nearness: so near are they, that they could not possibly be nearer.
Here is hallowed familiarity: there are precious love-passages between Christ
and his weak ones. Here is perfect safety: in his bosom who can hurt them? They
must hurt the Shepherd first. Here is perfect rest and sweetest comfort. Surely
we are not sufficiently sensible of the infinite tenderness of Jesus!
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Daily devotions for 04-27-2005:
Devotion: Morning and Evening
Morning Title: In Remembrance
Evening Title: Watching Always
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Morning: In Remembrance
"This do in remembrance of Me." --1 Corinthians 11:24
It seems then, that Christians may forget Christ!
There could be no need for this loving exhortation, if there were not a fearful
supposition that our memories might prove treacherous. Nor is this a bare
supposition: it is, alas! too well confirmed in our experience, not as a
possibility, but as a lamentable fact.
It appears almost impossible that those who have been redeemed by the blood of
the dying Lamb, and loved with an everlasting love by the eternal Son of God,
should forget that gracious Saviour; but, if startling to the ear, it is, alas!
too apparent to the eye to allow us to deny the
crime. Forget Him who never forgot us! Forget Him who poured His blood forth
for our sins! Forget Him who loved us even to the death! Can it be possible?
Yes, it is not only possible, but conscience confesses that it is too sadly a
fault with all of us, that we suffer Him to be as a wayfaring man tarrying but
for a night. He whom we should make the abiding tenant of our memories is but a
visitor therein. The cross where one would think that memory would linger, and
unmindfulness would be an unknown intruder, is desecrated by the feet of
forgetfulness.
Does not your conscience say that this is true?
Do you not find yourselves forgetful of Jesus?
Some creature steals away your heart, and you are unmindful of Him upon whom
your affection ought to be set. Some earthly business engrosses your attention
when you should fix your eye steadily upon the cross. It is the incessant
turmoil of the world, the constant attraction of earthly things which takes
away the soul from Christ.
While memory too well preserves a poisonous weed, it suffereth the rose of
Sharon to wither. Let us charge ourselves to bind a heavenly forget-me-not
about our hearts for Jesus our Beloved, and, whatever else we let slip, let us
hold fast to Him.
Evening: Watching Always
"Blessed is he that watcheth." --Revelation 16:15
"We die daily," said the apostle. This was the life of the early Christians;
they went
everywhere with their lives in their hands. We are not in this day called to
pass through the
same fearful persecutions: if we were, the Lord would give us grace to bear the
test; but the tests of Christian life, at the present moment, though outwardly
not so terrible, are yet more
likely to overcome us than even those of the fiery age. We have to bear the
sneer of the
world--that is little; its blandishments, its soft words, its oily speeches,
its fawning, its
hypocrisy, are far worse. Our danger is lest we grow rich and become proud,
lest we give
ourselves up to the fashions of this present evil world, and lose our faith. Or
if wealth be not
the trial, worldly care is quite as mischievous.
If we cannot be torn in pieces by the roaring lion, if we may be hugged to
death by the bear,
the devil little cares which it is, so long as he destroys our love to Christ,
and our confidence
in Him. I fear me that the Christian church is far more likely to lose her
integrity in these soft and silken days than in those rougher times.
We must be awake now, for we traverse the enchanted ground, and are most likely
to fall
asleep to our own undoing, unless our faith in Jesus be a reality, and our love
to Jesus a
vehement flame. Many in these days of easy profession are likely to prove
tares, and not
wheat; hypocrites with fair masks on their faces, but not the true-born
children of the living God.
Christian, do not think that these are times in which you can dispense with
watchfulness or with holy ardour; you need these things more than ever, and may
God the eternal Spirit display His omnipotence in you, that you may be able to
say, in all these softer things, as well as in the rougher, "We are more than
conquerors through Him that loved us."
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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