Devotional Archives for Morning & Evening, with Charles Spurgeon
Faith triumphs in trial, finding strength and joy even in the midst of suffering, as it discerns God's love and purpose behind every affliction. By embracing trials as opportunities for spiritual growth, faith can conquer reason and fleshly sense, ultimately leading to a far greater weight of glory.
Your Lord is very jealous of your love, O believer. Did He choose you? He cannot bear that you should choose another.
As the world watches with a keen eye, Christians must be mindful of their actions and words, lest they inadvertently fuel the flames of persecution and ridicule. By living with caution and integrity, believers can avoid adding to the offense of Christ's cross and instead shine as beacons of hope in a world that desperately needs it.
As a Christian, living in the world requires a deliberate separation from its values and pursuits, instead choosing to align with God's glory and will. By doing so, believers can rise above worldly distractions and desires, ultimately finding eternal beauty, divine pleasures, and heavenly riches that never fade or consume.
The evening wolf, a metaphor for doubt and fear, threatens the faithful with insatiable unbelief, but God's great shepherd can slay these wolves and preserve His sheep in green pastures. False teachers, masquerading as harmless guides, pose an even greater danger, devouring men with their deceitful words, and it is only through conversion that such fierce persecutors can become gentle and teachable.
Jesus' call to ministry is not based on human merit, but rather on His sovereign will, and those He chooses must seek to rise to His level through constant communion with Him. By ascending the "mount of communion," believers can be ordained for their lifework and empowered to cast out devils and work wonders in the world.
The Book of Revelation describes the throne room in heaven as a place where 24 elders, representing all believers, sit in close proximity to God, symbolizing their equality and intimacy with Christ. This passage invites readers on earth to imitate the saints in heaven by cultivating a deeper relationship with Jesus, drawing closer to Him through prayer and devotion.
God alone can bear believers to heights of experimental knowledge, but prevailing prayer is the key to accessing these experiences, enabling Christians to cover heaven with clouds of blessing and elevate themselves to a higher realm of spiritual life. By opening their hearts to importunate prayer, believers can gaze through the window of faith and behold the inheritance reserved for them, transforming them into the likeness of Christ in this world.
The power of divine grace is on full display in the resurrection of Christ, demonstrating an irresistible force that can overcome even death itself. Through this same power, believers are raised to new life, living unto God and walking in the newness of life, united with Christ in a union of salvation and transformation.
The Bible teaches that true fruitfulness in Christian living comes from a deep union with Christ, as well as spiritual providence and wise husbandry under God's guidance. By recognizing the source of our fruitfulness, Christians can cultivate a deeper appreciation for God's grace and glory in their salvation.