Saturday, November 19, 2011

From Obedience to Blessing

From Obedience to Blessing

From this day will I bless you. (Haggai 2:19)

Future things are hidden from us.
 Yet here is a glass in which we may see the unborn years. 
The Lord says, "From this day will I bless you."


It is worthwhile to note the day which is referred to in this promise.
 There had been failure of crops, blasting, and mildew, and all because of the people's sin.


 Now, the Lord saw these chastened ones commencing to obey His word and build His temple, and therefore He says, "From the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider. 


From this day will I bless you." If we have lived in any sin, and the Spirit leads us to purge ourselves of it, we may reckon upon the blessing of the Lord.


His smile, His Spirit, His grace, His fuller revelation of His truth will all prove to us an enlarged blessing. 


We may fall into greater opposition from man because of our faithfulness, but we shall rise to closer dealings with the Lord our God and a clearer sight of our acceptance in Him.


Lord, I am resolved to be more true to Thee and more exact in my following of Thy doctrine and Thy precept; and I pray Thee, therefore, by Christ Jesus, to increase the blessedness of my daily life henceforth and forever.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Reflection and inspiration 

from the "Prince of Preachers," 
Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Copyright Statement
This resource was produced before 1923 and therefore is considered in the
"Public Domain". 

Do you enjoy this blog ?
if you like to visit my others blogs
just click on links below. 
God bless, your day !!!
ENGLISH
http://ambassadorforjesus.blogspot.com/
SPANISH WITH TRANSLATOR TO ANY LANGUAGE
http://poderosoguerrerodejesus.blogspot..

"Avoid foolish questions."





"Avoid foolish questions."—Titus 3:9.
OUR days are few, and are far better spent in doing good, than in disputing over matters which are, at best, of minor importance. 


The old schoolmen did a world of mischief by their incessant discussion of subjects of no practical importance; and our Churches suffer much from petty wars over abstruse points and unimportant questions. After everything has been said that can be said, neither party is any the wiser, and therefore the discussion no more promotes knowledge than love, and it is foolish to sow in so barren a field. 


Questions upon points wherein Scripture is silent; upon mysteries which belong to God alone; upon prophecies of doubtful interpretation; and upon mere modes of observing human ceremonials, are all foolish, and wise men avoid them. 


Our business is neither to ask nor answer foolish questions, but to avoid them altogether; and if we observe the apostle's precept (Titus 3:8) to be careful to maintain good works, we shall find ourselves far too much occupied with profitable business to take much interest in unworthy, contentious, and needless strivings.

There are, however, some questions which are the reverse of foolish, which we must not avoid, but fairly and honestly meet, such as these: Do I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Am I renewed in the spirit of my mind? Am I walking not after the flesh, but after the Spirit? Am I growing in grace? Does my conversation adorn the doctrine of God my Saviour? Am I looking for the coming of the Lord, and watching as a servant should do who expects his master? What more can I do for Jesus? Such enquiries as these urgently demand our attention; and if we have been at all given to cavilling, let us now turn our critical abilities to a service so much more profitable.



 Let us be peace-makers, and endeavour to lead others both by our precept and example, to "avoid foolish questions."



♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Reflection and inspirationfrom the 
"Prince of Preachers," 
Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Copyright Statement
This resource was produced before 1923 
and therefore is considered in the
"Public Domain". 
Do you enjoy this blog ?
if you like to visit my others blogs
just click on links below. 
God bless, your day !!!
ENGLISH
http://ambassadorforjesus.blogspot.com/
SPANISH WITH TRANSLATOR TO ANY
http://poderosoguerrerodejesus.blogspot..

Friday, November 18, 2011

"A spring shut up, a fountain sealed."

"A spring shut up, a fountain sealed."—Song of Solomon 4:12.
IN this metaphor, which has reference to the inner life of a believer, we have very plainly the idea of secrecy.

It is a spring shut up: just as there were springs in the East, over which an edifice was built, so that none could reach them save those who knew the secret entrance; so is the heart of a believer when it is renewed by grace: there is a mysterious life within which no human skill can touch.


 It is a secret which no other man knoweth; nay, which the very man who is the possessor of it cannot tell to his neighbour. The text includes not only secrecy, but separation. It is not the common spring, of which every passer-by may drink, it is one kept and preserved from all others; it is a fountain bearing a particular mark—a king's royal seal, so that all can perceive that it is not a common fountain, but a fountain owned by a proprietor, and placed specially by itself alone. So is it with the spiritual life. 


The chosen of God were separated in the eternal decree; they were separated by God in the day of redemption; and they are separated by the possession of a life which others have not; and it is impossible for them to feel at home with the world, or to delight in its pleasures. 


There is also the idea of sacredness. The spring shut up is preserved for the use of some special person: and such is the Christian's heart. It is a spring kept for Jesus. Every Christian should feel that he has God's seal upon him—and he should be able to say with Paul, "From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Another idea is prominent—it is that of security. 


Oh! how sure and safe is the inner life of the believer! If all the powers of earth and hell could combine against it, that immortal principle must still exist, for He who gave it pledged His life for its preservation. And who "is He that shall harm you," when God is your protector?


♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Reflection and inspirationfrom the 
"Prince of Preachers," 
Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Copyright Statement
This resource was produced before 1923 
and therefore is considered in the
"Public Domain". 
Do you enjoy this blog ?
if you like to visit my others blogs
just click on links below. 
God bless, your day !!!
ENGLISH
http://ambassadorforjesus.blogspot.com/
SPANISH WITH TRANSLATOR TO ANY
http://poderosoguerrerodejesus.blogspot..

Thursday, November 17, 2011

"To whom be glory for ever. Amen"

"To whom be glory for ever. Amen"—Romans 11:36.

TO whom be glory for ever." This should be the single desire of the Christian. 


All other wishes must be subservient and tributary to this one. 
The Christian may wish for prosperity in his business, but only so far as it may help him to promote this—"To Him be glory for ever."


 He may desire to attain more gifts and more graces, but it should only be that 
"To Him may be glory for ever." 


You are not acting as you ought to do when you are moved by any other motive than a single eye to your Lord's glory. 


As a Christian, you are "of God, and through God," then live "to God."
 Let nothing ever set your heart beating so mightily as love to Him. 


Let this ambition fire your soul; be this the foundation of every enterprise upon which you enter, and this your sustaining motive whenever your zeal would grow chill; make God your only object. Depend upon it, where self begins sorrow begins; but if God be my supreme delight and only object,

"To me 'tis equal whether love ordain
My life or death—appoint me ease or pain."

Let your desire for God's glory be a growing desire. 

You blessed Him in your youth, do not be content with such praises as you gave Him then.

 Has God prospered you in business? Give Him more as He has given you more.
 Has God given you experience? Praise Him by stronger faith than you exercised at first. 

Does your knowledge grow? Then sing more sweetly. 
Do you enjoy happier times than you once had? Have you been restored from sickness, and has your sorrow been turned into peace and joy? Then give Him more music; put more coals and more sweet frankincense into the censer of your praise. 

Practically in your life give Him honour, putting the "Amen" to this doxology to your great and gracious Lord, by your own individual service and increasing holiness.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Reflection and inspirationfrom the 
"Prince of Preachers," 
Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Copyright Statement
This resource was produced before 1923 
and therefore is considered in the
"Public Domain". 
Do you enjoy this blog ?
if you like to visit my others blogs
just click on links below. 
God bless, your day !!!
ENGLISH
http://ambassadorforjesus.blogspot.com/
SPANISH WITH TRANSLATOR TO ANY
http://poderosoguerrerodejesus.blogspot..

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.”

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.”
[Psalm 126:5]


Hence, present distress must not be viewed as if it would last for ever: it is not the end, by any means, but only a means to the end. 

Sorrow is our sowing, rejoicing shall be our reaping. 
If there were no sowing in tears there would be no reaping in joy. 

If we were never captives we could never lead our captivity captive. 

Our mouth had never been filled with holy laughter if it had not been first filled with the bitterness of grief.

 We must sow: we may have to sow in the wet weather of sorrow; but we shall reap, and reap in the bright summer season of joy. 

Let us keep to the work of this present sowing time, and find strength in the promise which is here so positively given us. 

Here is one of the Lord's shalls and wills; it is freely given both to workers, waiters, and weepers, and they may rest assured that it will not fail: “in due season they shall reap.”


From The Treasury of David, by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, exposition of Psalm 126.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Reflection and inspirationfrom the 
"Prince of Preachers," 
Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Copyright Statement
This resource was produced before 1923 
and therefore is considered in the
"Public Domain". 
Do you enjoy this blog ?
if you like to visit my others blogs
just click on links below. 
God bless, your day !!!
ENGLISH
http://ambassadorforjesus.blogspot.com/
SPANISH WITH TRANSLATOR TO ANY
http://poderosoguerrerodejesus.blogspot..

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

"The Lord is my portion, saith my soul."

"The Lord is my portion, saith my soul."—Lamentations 3:24.


IT is not "The Lord is partly my portion," nor "The Lord is in my portion"; 
but He Himself makes up the sum total of my soul's inheritance. 

Within the circumference of that circle lies all that we possess or desire. 
The Lord is my portion.

 Not His grace merely, nor His love, nor His covenant, but Jehovah Himself. 
He has chosen us for His portion, and we have chosen Him for ours.

 It is true that the Lord must first choose our inheritance for us, or else we shall never choose it for ourselves; but if we are really called according to the purpose of electing love, we can sing—

"Lov'd of my God for Him again
With love intense I burn;
Chosen of Him ere time began,
I choose Him in return."

The Lord is our all-sufficient portion. God fills Himself; and if God is all-sufficient in Himself, 
He must be all-sufficient for us. 

It is not easy to satisfy man's desires. 
When he dreams that he is satisfied, anon he wakes to the perception that there is somewhat yet beyond, and straightway the horse-leech in his heart cries, "Give, give." 

But all that we can wish for is to be found in our divine portion, so that we ask, 
"Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee." 

Well may we "delight ourselves in the Lord" who makes us to drink of the river of His pleasures. 
Our faith stretches her wings and mounts like an eagle into the heaven of divine love as to her proper dwelling-place. 

"The lines have fallen to us in pleasant places; yea, we have a goodly heritage." 
Let us rejoice in the Lord always; let us show to the world that we are a happy and a blessed people, and thus induce them to exclaim, "We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."


♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Reflection and inspirationfrom the 
"Prince of Preachers," 
Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Copyright Statement
This resource was produced before 1923 
and therefore is considered in the
"Public Domain". 
Do you enjoy this blog ?
if you like to visit my others blogs
just click on links below. 
God bless, your day !!!
ENGLISH
http://ambassadorforjesus.blogspot.com/
SPANISH WITH TRANSLATOR TO ANY
http://poderosoguerrerodejesus.blogspot..



Tuesday, November 15, 2011

"The Lord's portion is His people."


 "The Lord's portion is His people."—Deuteronomy 32:9.


HOW are they His? By His own sovereign choice. 
He chose them, and set His love upon them. 


This He did altogether apart from any goodness in them at the time, or any goodness which He foresaw in them. 


He had mercy on whom He would have mercy, and ordained a chosen company unto eternal life; thus, therefore, are they His by His unconstrained election.

They are not only His by choice, but by purchase.

 He has bought and paid for them to the utmost farthing, hence about His title there can be no dispute. 


Not with corruptible things, as with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord's portion has been fully redeemed. 


There is no mortgage on His estate; no suits can be raised by opposing claimants, the price was paid in open court, and the Church is the Lord's freehold for ever. 


See the blood-mark upon all the chosen, invisible to human eye, but known to Christ, for "the Lord knoweth them that are His"; He forgetteth none of those whom He has redeemed from among men; He counts the sheep for whom He laid down His life, and remembers well the Church for which He gave Himself.


They are also His by conquest. What a battle He had in us before we would be won! How long He laid siege to our hearts! How often He sent us terms of capitulation! but we barred our gates, and fenced our walls against Him.


 Do we not remember that glorious hour when He carried our hearts by storm? When He placed His cross against the wall, and scaled our ramparts, planting on our strongholds the blood-red flag of His omnipotent mercy? Yes, we are, indeed, the conquered captives of His omnipotent love. 


Thus chosen, purchased, and subdued, the rights of our divine possessor are inalienable: we rejoice that we never can be our own; and we desire, day by day, to do His will, and to show forth His glory.


♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Reflection and inspirationfrom the 
"Prince of Preachers," 
Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Copyright Statement
This resource was produced before 1923 
and therefore is considered in the
"Public Domain". 
Do you enjoy this blog ?
if you like to visit my others blogs
just click on links below. 
God bless, your day !!!
ENGLISH
http://ambassadorforjesus.blogspot.com/
SPANISH WITH TRANSLATOR TO ANY
http://poderosoguerrerodejesus.blogspot..

Monday, November 14, 2011

"I will cut off them that worship and that swear by the Lord,

"I will cut off them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham."—Zephaniah 1:5.


SUCH persons thought themselves safe because they were with both parties: they went with the followers of Jehovah, and bowed at the same time to Malcham. 


But duplicity is abominable with God, and hypocrisy His soul hateth. 


The idolater who distinctly gives himself to his false god, has one sin less than he who brings his polluted and detestable sacrifice unto the temple of the Lord, while his heart is with the world and the sins thereof.


 To hold with the hare and run with the hounds, is a dastard's policy. In the common matters of daily life, a double-minded man is despised, but in religion he is loathsome to the last degree.


 The penalty pronounced in the verse before us is terrible, but it is well deserved; for how should divine justice spare the sinner, who knows the right, approves it, and professes to follow it, and all the while loves the evil, and gives it dominion in his heart?


My soul, search thyself this morning, and see whether thou art guilty of double-dealing. 


Thou professest to be a follower of Jesus—dost thou truly love Him? Is thy heart right with God? Art thou of the family of old Father Honest, or art thou a relative of Mr. By-ends?


 A name to live is of little value if I be indeed dead in trespasses and sins. 
To have one foot on the land of truth, and another on the sea of falsehood, will involve a terrible fall and a total ruin.


 Christ will be all or nothing. 
God fills the whole universe, and hence there is no room for another god; if, then, He reigns in my heart, there will be no space for another reigning power. 


Do I rest alone on Jesus crucified, and live alone for Him? Is it my desire to do so? Is my heart set upon so doing? If so, blessed be the mighty grace which has led me to salvation; and if not so, O Lord, pardon my sad offence, and unite my heart to fear Thy name.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥


Reflection and inspirationfrom the 
"Prince of Preachers," 
Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Copyright Statement
This resource was produced before 1923 
and therefore is considered in the
"Public Domain". 
Do you enjoy this blog ?
if you like to visit my others blogs
just click on links below. 
God bless, your day !!!
ENGLISH
http://ambassadorforjesus.blogspot.com/
SPANISH WITH TRANSLATOR TO ANY
http://poderosoguerrerodejesus.blogspot..

Sunday, November 13, 2011

"The branch cannot bear fruit of itself."

"The branch cannot bear fruit of itself."
—John 15:4.

HOW did you begin to bear fruit? 
It was when you came to Jesus and cast yourselves on His great atonement, and rested on His finished righteousness.


 Ah! what fruit you had then! 
Do you remember those early days? Then indeed the vine flourished, the tender grape appeared, the pomegranates budded forth, and the beds of spices gave forth their smell. 


Have you declined since then? 
If you have, we charge you to remember that time of love, and repent, and do thy first works.


 Be most in those engagements which you have experimentally proved to draw you nearest to Christ, because it is from Him that all your fruits proceed.


 Any holy exercise which will bring you to Him will help you to bear fruit.
 The sun is, no doubt, a great worker in fruit-creating among the trees of the orchard: and Jesus is still more so among the trees of His garden of grace. 


When have you been the most fruitless? 
Has not it been when you have lived farthest from the Lord Jesus Christ, when you have slackened in prayer, when you have departed from the simplicity of your faith, when your graces have engrossed your attention instead of your Lord, when you have said,
 "My mountain standeth firm, I shall never be moved";
; and have forgotten where your strength dwells—has not it been then that your fruit has ceased? Some of us have been taught that we have nothing out of Christ, by terrible abasements of heart before the Lord; and when we have seen the utter barrenness and death of all creature power, we have cried in anguish, "From Him all my fruit must be found, for no fruit can ever come from me." 


We are taught, by past experience, that the more simply we depend upon the grace of God in Christ, 
and wait upon the Holy Spirit, the more we shall bring forth fruit unto God. Oh! to trust Jesus for fruit as well as for life.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Reflection and inspirationfrom the 
"Prince of Preachers," 
Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Copyright Statement
This resource was produced before 1923 
and therefore is considered in the
"Public Domain". 
Do you enjoy this blog ?
if you like to visit my others blogs
just click on links below. 
God bless, your day !!!
ENGLISH
http://ambassadorforjesus.blogspot.com/
SPANISH WITH TRANSLATOR TO ANY
http://poderosoguerrerodejesus.blogspot..