Monday, July 6, 2009

HEARKEN WARRIORS TO WISDOM!



Here are two exhortational devotions from Charles Spurgeon's own "Morning and Evening" devotional
that I wanted to share with all of you. They are entirely fitting for such days as these in which we live, and encourages in a way that few like Spurgeon can convey.


If you don't have this devotional, but would like to benefit from its daily readings, you can do so online from the Blue Letter Bible:



Recently we had a teaching at church in ROMANS ch. 8 and as this is an incredible source of encouragement, so I would like to post that here for us to meditate upon before we venture into these two passages from Spurgeon (one from 1 CHRON 5:22; the other from PROV 1: 33.

ROMANS 8:1-39


"There fell down many slain, because the war was of God." — 1 CHRON 5:22
Warrior, fighting under the banner of the Lord Jesus, observe this verse with holy joy, for as it was in the days of old so is it now, if the war be of God the victory is sure.

The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh could barely muster five and forty thousand fighting men, and yet in their war with the Hagarites, they slew "men, an hundred thousand," "for they cried to God in the battle, and He was entreated of them, because they put their trust in Him."

The Lord saveth not by many nor by few; it is ours to go forth in Jehovah's name if we be but a handful of men, for the Lord of Hosts is with us for our Captain. They did not neglect buckler, and sword, and bow, neither did they place their trust in these weapons; we must use all fitting means, but our confidence must rest in the Lord alone, for He is the sword and the shield of His people.

The great reason of their extraordinary success lay in the fact that "the war was of God." Beloved, in fighting with sin without and within, with error doctrinal or practical, with spiritual wickedness in high places or low places, with devils and the devil's allies, you are waging Jehovah's war, and unless He himself can be worsted, you need not fear defeat.


Quail not before superior numbers, shrink not from difficulties or impossibilities, flinch not at wounds or death, smite with the two-edged sword of the Spirit, and the slain shall lie in heaps. The battle is the Lord's and He will deliver His enemies into our hands.


With steadfast foot, strong hand, dauntless heart, and flaming zeal, rush to the conflict, and the hosts of evil shall fly like chaff before the gale.

Stand up! stand up for Jesus!
To him that overcometh,
The strife will not be long;
A crown of life shall be;
This day the noise of battle,
He with the King of glory
The next the victor's song:
Shall reign eternally.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~


"Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." — PROV 1:33

Divine love is rendered conspicuous when it shines in the midst of judgments. Fair is that lone star which smiles through the rifts of the thunder clouds; bright is the oasis which blooms in the wilderness of sand; so fair and so bright is love in the midst of wrath.


When the Israelites provoked the Most High by their continued idolatry, He punished them by withholding both dew and rain, so that their land was visited by a sore famine; but while He did this, He took care that His own chosen ones should be secure.

If all other brooks are dry, yet shall there be one reserved for Elijah; and when that fails, God shall still preserve for him a place of sustenance; nay, not only so, the Lord had not simply one "Elijah," but He had a remnant according to the election of grace, who were hidden by fifties in a cave, and though the whole land was subject to famine, yet these fifties in the cave were fed, and fed from Ahab's table too by His faithful, God-fearing steward, Obadiah.

Let us from this draw the inference, that come what may, God's people are safe. Let convulsions shake the solid earth, let the skies themselves be rent in twain, yet amid the wreck of worlds the believer shall be as secure as in the calmest hour of rest.

If God cannot save His people under heaven, He will save them in heaven. If the world becomes too hot to hold them, then heaven shall be the place of their reception and their safety. Be ye then confident, when ye hear of wars, and rumours of wars.

Let no agitation distress you, but be quiet from fear of evil. Whatsoever cometh upon the earth, you, beneath the broad wings of Jehovah, shall be secure. Stay yourself upon His promise; rest in His faithfulness, and bid defiance to the blackest future, for there is nothing in it direful for you.

Your sole concern should be to show forth to the world the blessedness of hearkening to the voice of wisdom.

yours in the battle,


NIKAO AIONIOS A.V.R.A.S.!


James Fire
Look forward to an indepth study on: The Spiritual Warfare of the Believer and Armor Suitable for the Challenge!

1 comment:

A.M. Kisly said...

Hey James,

Great words!

Isn't wonderful to know that God is on our side, that nothing will befall us without our Father knowing.

What He does allow, He allows for our growth, for our equiping and our strengthening so that we might come into maturity, and that He might show His mighty power on our behalf because of His love and faithfulness to us.

Looking forward to your next article.

Blessings,
A.M. Kisly