~**~**~
MORNING AND EVENING BY CHARLES SPURGEON FOR JANUARY 09, 2015
---
Morning
"I will be their God."
Jeremiah 31:33
Christian! here is all thou canst require. To make thee happy thou wantest something that shall satisfy thee; and is not this enough? If thou canst pour this promise into thy cup, wilt thou not say, with David, "My cup runneth over; I have more than heart can wish"? When this is fulfilled, "I am thy God", art thou not possessor of all things? Desire is insatiable as death, but he who filleth all in all can fill it. The capacity of our wishes who can measure? But the immeasurable wealth of God can more than overflow it. I ask thee if thou art not complete when God is thine? Dost thou want anything but God? Is not his all-sufficiency enough to satisfy thee if all else should fail? But thou wantest more than quiet satisfaction; thou desirest rapturous delight. Come, soul, here is music fit for heaven in this thy portion, for God is the Maker of Heaven. Not all the music blown from sweet instruments, or drawn from living strings, can yield such melody as this sweet promise, "I will be their God." Here is a deep sea of bliss, a shoreless ocean of delight; come, bathe thy spirit in it; swim an age, and thou shalt find no shore; dive throughout eternity, and thou shalt find no bottom. "I will be their God." If this do not make thine eyes sparkle, and thy heart beat high with bliss, then assuredly thy soul is not in a healthy state. But thou wantest more than present delights--thou cravest something concerning which thou mayest exercise hope; and what more canst thou hope for than the fulfilment of this great promise, "I will be their God"? This is the masterpiece of all the promises; its enjoyment makes a heaven below, and will make a heaven above. Dwell in the light of thy Lord, and let thy soul be always ravished with his love. Get out the marrow and fatness which this portion yields thee. Live up to thy privileges, and rejoice with unspeakable joy.
-- By Charles Spurgeon
---
Evening
"Serve the Lord with gladness."
Psalm 100:2
Delight in divine service is a token of acceptance. Those who serve God with a sad countenance, because they do what is unpleasant to them, are not serving him at all; they bring the form of homage, but the life is absent. Our God requires no slaves to grace his throne; he is the Lord of the empire of love, and would have his servants dressed in the livery of joy. The angels of God serve him with songs, not with groans; a murmur or a sigh would be a mutiny in their ranks. That obedience which is not voluntary is disobedience, for the Lord looketh at the heart, and if he seeth that we serve him from force, and not because we love him, he will reject our offering. Service coupled with cheerfulness is heart-service, and therefore true. Take away joyful willingness from the Christian, and you have removed the test of his sincerity. If a man be driven to battle, he is no patriot; but he who marches into the fray with flashing eye and beaming face, singing, "It is sweet for one's country to die," proves himself to be sincere in his patriotism. Cheerfulness is the support of our strength; in the joy of the Lord are we strong. It acts as the remover of difficulties. It is to our service what oil is to the wheels of a railway carriage. Without oil the axle soon grows hot, and accidents occur; and if there be not a holy cheerfulness to oil our wheels, our spirits will be clogged with weariness. The man who is cheerful in his service of God, proves that obedience is his element; he can sing,
"Make me to walk in thy commands,
'Tis a delightful road."
Reader, let us put this question--do you serve the Lord with gladness? Let us show to the people of the world, who think our religion to be slavery, that it is to us a delight and a joy! Let our gladness proclaim that we serve a good Master.
-- By Charles Spurgeon
~*~*~
MY THOUGHTS OF MORNING BY SPURGEON
647 a.m.
Verse is:
---
Jeremiah 31:33 New King James Version (NKJV)
33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
---
Jeremiah 31:33 New Living Translation (NLT)
33 "But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days," says the Lord. "I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
---
Jeremiah 31:33 Expanded Bible (EXB)
33 "This is the ·agreement [covenant; treaty] I will ·make [L cut]
with the ·people [L house] of Israel ·at that time [L after those days]," says the Lord:
"I will put my ·teachings [laws; instructions] in their ·minds [L innards]
and write them on their hearts [Joel 2:28–29].
I will be their God,
and they will be my people [Ex. 6:6–8].
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
---
Jeremiah 31:33 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
33 "Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days"—the Lord's declaration. "I will put My teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.i
---
658 a.m.
He is my God. I am His.
This plus Jesus equals nothing is more important.
He is my God. No one and nothing else. How does my life reflect this? How do I live this every moment?
~*~*~
HE IS MY GOD
He is my God.
Whenever my mind or actions wander, I am not focusing on Him.
He is all I need.
How do I live this each moment?
~*~*~
CROSS-REFERENCES OF JEREMIAH 31:33:
---
Hebrews 8:10 New Living Translation (NLT)
10 But this is the new covenant I will make
with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds,
and I will write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
---
Exodus 15:11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
11 "Who is like You among the gods, O Lord?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in praises, working wonders?
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
---
1 Kings 8:22-23 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. 23 He said:
Lord God of Israel,
there is no God like You
in heaven above or on earth below,
keeping the gracious covenant
with Your servants who walk before You
with their whole heart.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
---
Exodus 15:11 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
11 Lord, who is like You among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness,
revered with praises, performing wonders?
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
---
THERE ARE NONE LIKE YOU
Lord, you say:
I am Your God.
No one is like Me.
---
Exodus 15:11 Expanded Bible (EXB)
11 "·Are there any gods like you [Who is like you among the gods], Lord?
There are no gods [Who is…?] like you.
You are ·wonderfully holy [splendid/majestic in holiness],
amazingly powerful [awesome in power],
a worker of miracles [doing wonders].
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
---
Exodus 15:11 Expanded Bible (EXB)
11 "·Are there any gods like you [Who is like you among the gods], Lord?
There are no gods [Who is…?] like you.
You are ·wonderfully holy [splendid/majestic in holiness],
amazingly powerful [awesome in power],
a worker of miracles [doing wonders].
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
---
A CHAIN OF EVENTS OF THOUGHTS
MORNING by Spurgeon this morning
Leads to
Jeremiah 31:33
Leads to
Exodus 15:11
... I'm going to focus on Exodus 15:11 (EXB) today.
There is no one and nothing like God.
Period.
I should focus on the ALL-powerful, ALL-knowing, EVER-present God at all times. He deserves nothing less.
And, He is not like any other god. For, when I do, He will bless me and my life. He will love me and will guide me. He will bring me love, peace, joy, etc.
What other God does this?
All other gods judge and do not bring love, peace, joy, etc.
My God does not need me to defend His honor. He can, and does, stand on His own.
His Word never changes.
Other gods' religious texts change and do not remain the same.
My God depends on no man.
Other gods do.
My God says to love your enemy and turn the other cheek. And, belief alone is all I need to go to heaven.
Other gods say to brutally murder and commit suicide in order to go to their heaven.
The false trinity of me, myself, and I cannot save me or give me eternal life. The false trinity is not all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present.
There is no god like my God.
---
Exodus 15:11 Expanded Bible (EXB)
11 "·Are there any gods like you [Who is like you among the gods], Lord?
There are no gods [Who is…?] like you.
You are ·wonderfully holy [splendid/majestic in holiness],
amazingly powerful [awesome in power],
a worker of miracles [doing wonders].
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
---
948 a.m.
No god compares to my God.
No one compares to my God.
Nothing compares to my God.
How much do I believe this and know it?
How much do I live as though this was true--and do so unfaltering, with absolute and unshakable confidence?
---
Nehemiah 8:10 New Living Translation (NLT)
10 And Nehemiah continued, "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!"
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
---
Did you catch that?
"For the joy of the Lord is your strength!"
Nehemiah 8:10 ends in an exclamation mark.
My joy, give to me by God alone--not by people, things, or circumstances-- IS my STRENGTH.
Wow. Wonder of wonders (as my mom says).
How do I live this?
What other god offers this?
---
THINK OF ALL THE RELIGIONS AND SPIRITUALITIES OF THIS WORLD
Think of all of the world's religions, spiritualities, and beliefs.
Whose god is like my God?
No one.
The others ask for death and/or need defending.
The other gods do not talk about loving your enemy.
The others do not offer unconditional love and joy.
The other gods did not die for their people.
The other gods do not offer heaven and eternal life through belief alone. Nor do they offer this because of unconditional love.
My God would never say to murder women or children or civilians.
My God would never say to commit suicide on His behalf.
My God can stand just fine on His own--and can do so without my help.
No other god gives their people joy--which is far more than happiness.
No other god offers blessings to their people. A blessing is a gift of unmerited favor--meaning I do not deserve one of His blessings. But, He blesses me immeasurably anyway.
I do not have to work for God's blessings. I just need to believe.
There is none like my God.
My God loves me even though I make mistakes all day long. And, He forgives me because I believe in Him and turn to Him and His Word.
My God only asks of me belief. That is it. That is the bottom line. I do not have to die by commit suicide or be killed by someone to go to heaven.
My God is love and He wants me to love even my enemy.
No. There is no god like my God.
Thank God.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
No comments:
Post a Comment