Spurgeon Meditations

 

Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge, etc.

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If thou wouldest enjoy the eminent grace of the full assurance of faith under the blessed Spirit's influence and assistance do what the Scripture tells thee Givediligence. Take care that thy faith is of the right kind--that it is not a mere belief of doctrine but a simple faith depending on Christ and on Christ alone. Give diligent heed to thy courage. Plead with God that He would give thee the face of a lion that thou mayest with a consciousness of right go on boldly. Study well the Scriptures and get knowledge; for a knowledge of doctrine will tend very much to confirm faith. Try to understand God's Word; let it dwell in thy heart richly. When thou hast done this Add to thy knowledge temperance. Take heed to thy body: be temperate without. Take heed to thy soul: be temperate within. Get temperance of lip life heart and thought. Add to this by God's Holy Spirit patience; ask Him to give thee that patience which endureth affliction which when it is tried shall come forth as gold. Array yourself with patience that you may not murmur nor be depressed in your afflictions. When that grace is won look to godliness. Godliness is something more than religion. Make God's glory your object in life; live in His sight; dwell close to Him; seek for fellowship with Him; and thou hast "godliness"; and to that add brotherly love. Have a love to all the saints: and add to that a charity which openeth its arms to all men and loves their souls. When you are adorned with these jewels and just in proportion as you practise these heavenly virtues will you come to know by clearest evidence "your calling and election." "Give diligence if you would getassurance, for lukewarmness and doubting very naturally go handin hand.% 07/27/AM Exceeding great and precious promises." --2 Peter 1:4 If you would know experimentally the preciousness of the promises and enjoy them in your own heart meditate much upon them. There are promises which are like grapes in the wine-press; if you will tread them the juice will flow. Thinking over the hallowed words will often be the prelude to their fulfillment. While you are musing upon them the boon which you are seeking will insensibly come to you. Many a Christian who has thirsted for the promise has found the favour which it ensured gently distilling into his soul even while he has been considering the divine record; and he has rejoiced that ever he was led to lay the promise near his heart. But besides meditating upon the promises seek in thy soul to receive them as being the very words of God. Speak to thy soul thus If I were dealing with a man's promise, I shouldcarefully consider the ability and the character of the man whohad covenanted with me. So with the promise of God; my eye mustnot be so much fixed upon the greatness of the mercy--that maystagger me; as upon the greatness of the promiser--that willcheer me. My soul, it is God, even thy God, God that cannot lie,who speaks to thee. This word of His which thou art nowconsidering is as true as His own existence. He is a Godunchangeable. He has not altered the thing which has gone out ofHis mouth, nor called back one single consolatory sentence. Nordoth He lack any power; it is the God that made the heavens andthe earth who has spoken thus. Nor can He fail in wisdom as tothe time when He will bestow the favours, for He knoweth when itis best to give and when better to withhold. Therefore, seeingthat it is the word of a God so true, so immutable, so powerful,so wise, I will and must believe the promise. If we thus meditate upon the promises and consider the Promiser we shall experience their sweetness and obtain their fulfillment.


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