Morning & Evening for February 21th - Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Morning
He
hath said.
Hebrews
13:5
If we can only grasp
these words by faith, we have an all-conquering
weapon in our hand. What doubt will not be slain by
this two-edged sword? What fear is there which
shall not fall smitten with a deadly wound before
this arrow from the bow of God's covenant? Will not
the distresses of life and the pangs of death; will
not the corruptions within, and the snares without;
will not the trials from above, and the temptations
from beneath, all seem but light afflictions, when
we can hide ourselves beneath the bulwark of "He
hath said"? Yes; whether for delight in our
quietude, or for strength in our conflict, "He hath
said" must be our daily resort. And this may teach
us the extreme value of searching
the
Scriptures. There may be a promise in the Word
which would exactly fit your case, but you may not
know of it, and therefore you miss its comfort. You
are like prisoners in a dungeon, and there may be
one key in the bunch which would unlock the door,
and you might be free; but if you will not look for
it, you may remain a prisoner still, though liberty
is so near at hand. There may be a potent medicine
in the great pharmacopoeia of Scripture, and you
may yet continue sick unless you will examine and
search the Scriptures to discover what "He hath
said." Should you not, besides reading the Bible,
store your memories richly with the promises of
God? You can recollect the sayings of great men;
you treasure up the verses of renowned poets; ought
you not to be profound in your knowledge of the
words of God, so that you may be able to quote them
readily when you would solve a difficulty, or
overthrow a doubt? Since "He hath said" is the
source of all wisdom, and the fountain of all
comfort, let it dwell in you richly, as "A well of
water, springing up unto everlasting life." So
shall you grow healthy, strong, and happy in the
divine life.
Evening
Understandest
thou what thou readest?
Acts 8:30
We should be abler
teachers of others, and less liable to be carried
about by every wind of doctrine, if we sought to
have a more intelligent understanding of the Word
of God. As the Holy Ghost, the Author of the
Scriptures is He who alone can enlighten us rightly
to understand them, we should constantly ask His
teaching, and His guidance into all truth. When the
prophet Daniel would interpret Nebuchadnezzar's
dream, what did he do? He set himself to earnest
prayer that God would open up the vision. The
apostle John, in his vision at Patmos, saw a book
sealed with seven seals which none was found worthy
to open, or so much as to look upon. The book was
afterwards opened by the Lion of the tribe of
Judah, who had prevailed to open it; but it is
written first--"I wept much." The tears of John,
which were his liquid prayers, were, so far as he
was concerned, the sacred keys by which the folded
book was opened. Therefore, if, for your own and
others' profiting, you desire to be "filled with
the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding," remember that prayer is
your best means of study: like Daniel, you shall
understand the dream, and the interpretation
thereof, when you have sought unto God; and like
John you shall see the seven seals of precious
truth unloosed, after you have wept much. Stones
are not broken, except by an earnest use of the
hammer; and the stone-breaker must go down on his
knees. Use the hammer of diligence, and let the
knee of prayer be exercised, and there is not a
stony doctrine in revelation which is useful for
you to understand, which will not fly into shivers
under the exercise of prayer and faith. You may
force your way through anything with the leverage
of prayer. Thoughts and reasonings are like the
steel wedges which give a hold upon truth; but
prayer is the lever, the prise which forces open
the iron chest of sacred mystery, that we may get
the treasure hidden within.