Daily Bible Notes: December, 5th
The following daily bible notes for every day of the year, are taken from six public domain sources:
- "Morning and Evening" by Charles H.Spurgeon
- "My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year" by John H.Jowett
- "Yet Another Day - A Prayer for Every Day of the Year" by John H.Jowett
- "The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith" by Charles H.Spurgeon
- "The Morning Message" by G.Campbell Morgan
- An Evening Meditation from "Searchlights from the Word" by G. Campbell Morgan
1. "Morning and Evening" by C.H.Spurgeon
Morning
Ask, and it shall be given you.
Matthew 7:7
We know of a place in England still existing, where a dole of bread is served to every passerby who chooses to ask for it. Whoever the traveller may be, he has but to knock at the door of St. Cross Hospital, and there is the dole of bread for him. Jesus Christ so loveth sinners that He has built a St. Cross Hospital, so that whenever a sinner is hungry, he has but to knock and have his wants supplied. Nay, He has done better; He has attached to this Hospital of the Cross a bath; and whenever a soul is black and filthy, it has but to go there and be washed. The fountain is always full, always efficacious. No sinner ever went into it and found that it could not wash away his stains. Sins which were scarlet and crimson have all disappeared, and the sinner has been whiter than snow. As if this were not enough, there is attached to this Hospital of the Cross a wardrobe, and a sinner making application simply as a sinner, may be clothed from head to foot; and if he wishes to be a soldier, he may not merely have a garment for ordinary wear, but armour which shall cover him from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. If he asks for a sword, he shall have that given to him, and a shield too. Nothing that is good for him shall be denied him. He shall have spending-money so long as he lives, and he shall have an eternal heritage of glorious treasure when he enters into the joy of his Lord.
If all these things are to be had by merely knocking at mercy’s door, O my soul, knock hard this morning, and ask large things of thy generous Lord.
Leave not the throne of grace till all thy wants have been spread before the Lord, and until by faith thou hast a comfortable prospect that they shall be all supplied. No bashfulness need retard when Jesus invites. No unbelief should hinder when Jesus promises. No cold-heartedness should restrain when such blessings are to be obtained.
Evening
And the Lord shewed me four carpenters.
Zechariah 1:20
In the vision described in this chapter, the prophet saw four terrible horns.
They were pushing this way and that way, dashing down the strongest and the mightiest; and the prophet asked, "What are these?" The answer was, "These are the horns which have scattered Israel." He saw before him a representation of those powers which had oppressed the church of God.
There were four horns; for the church is attacked from all quarters. Well might the prophet have felt dismayed; but on a sudden there appeared before him four carpenters . He asked, "What shall these do?" These are the men whom God hath found to break those horns in pieces. God will always find men for His work , and He will find them at the right time. The prophet did not see the carpenters first , when there was nothing to do, but first the "horns," and then the "carpenters." Moreover, the Lord finds enough men . He did not find three carpenters, but four ; there were four horns, and there must be four workmen. God finds the right men ; not four men with pens to write; not four architects to draw plans; but four carpenters to do rough work. Rest assured, you who tremble for the ark of God, that when the "horns" grow troublesome, the "carpenters" will be found. You need not fret concerning the weakness of the church of God at any moment; there may be growing up in obscurity the valiant reformer who will shake the nations: Chrysostoms may come forth from our Ragged Schools, and Augustines from the thickest darkness of London’s poverty.
The Lord knows where to find His servants. He hath in ambush a multitude of mighty men, and at His word they shall start up to the battle; "for the battle is the Lord’s," and He shall get to Himself the victory. Let us abide faithful to Christ, and He, in the right time, will raise up for us a defence, whether it be in the day of our personal need, or in the season of peril to His Church.
2. "My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year" by J.H.Jowett
1 Chronicles 17:1-15
1 When David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, "Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the LORD's covenant is in a tent."
2 Nathan said to David, "Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you."
3 That same night, the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
4 "Go and tell David my servant, 'The LORD says, "You shall not build me a house to dwell in;
5 for I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tent to another.
6 In all places in which I have walked with all Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people, saying, 'Why have you not built me a house of cedar?' " '
7 "Now therefore, you shall tell my servant David, 'The LORD of Armies says, "I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel.
8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a name like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.
9 I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more. The children of wickedness will not waste them any more, as at the first,
10 and from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I tell you that the LORD will build you a house.
11 It will happen, when your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your offspring after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
12 He will build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.
13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will not take my loving kindness away from him, as I took it from him that was before you;
14 but I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom forever. His throne will be established forever." ' "
15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.
THE SECOND-BEST FOR GOD
So the best was for man, and the second-best for God! The cedar for self-indulgence, and the curtains for the home of worship! It is a marked sign of spiritual awakening when a man begins to contrast his own indulgences with the rights of God. There are so many of us who are lavish in our home and miserly in the sanctuary. We multiply treasures which bring us little profit, and we are niggardly where treasure would be of most gracious service.
"I dwell in a house of cedar," and yet I am thoughtless about God's poor! For I must remember that the poor are the arks of the Lord. "I was naked, and ye clothed Me not."
"I dwell in a house of cedar"; my liberties are many and spacious; and yet there are tribes of God's people held in the tyranny of dark and hopeless servitude. I dwell in England, but what about the folk on the Congo? I dwell in a land of ample religious freedom, but what about Armenia? Do my sympathies remain confined within my cedar walls, or do they go out to God's neglected ones in every land and clime?
3. "Yet Another Day - A Prayer for Every Day of the Year" by John H.Jowett
December 5th.
My Father in Heaven, I would remember those whom in prayer I am inclined to forget. I pray for those whom I dislike.
Defend me against my own feelings. Change my inclinations. Give me a heart of pity. Give me the purity of heart which finds Thine image everywhere.
4. "The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith" by C.H.Spurgeon.
He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
Isaiah 33:16
The man to whom God has given grace to be of blameless life dwells in perfect security.
He dwells on high, above the world, out of gunshot of the enemy, and near to heaven. He has high aims and motives, and he finds high comforts and company. He rejoices in the mountains of eternal love, wherein he has his abode.
He is defended by munitions of stupendous rock. The firmest things in the universe are the promises and purposes of the unchanging God, and these are the safe-guard of the obedient believer.
He is provided for by this great promise, "Bread shall be given him." As the enemy cannot climb the fort, nor break down the rampart, so the fortress cannot be captured by siege and famine. The Lord, who rained manna in the wilderness, will keep his people in good store even when they are surrounded by those who would starve them.
But what if water should fail? That cannot be, "his waters shall be sure." There is a never-failing well within the impregnable fortress. The Lord sees that nothing is wanting. None can touch the citizen of the true Zion. However fierce the enemy, the Lord will preserve his chosen.
5. "The Morning Message" by G.Campbell Morgan.
The Author and Perfecter of our faith.
Hebrews 12:2
The word "Author" literally means a file-leader, the man in front, who makes a track through the forest in which all that come after Him shall walk in safety. His exodus was to be a passing through death into life, through the baptism of passion in the infinite spaces of His Father's Kingdom.
6. "An Evening Meditation" taken from "Searchlights from the Word" by G.Campbell Morgan.
Repent, and do the first works.
Revelation 2:5
In the first chapter of this book the Lord was unveiled before our eyes in all the glory of His Person. He was disclosed as to the eternity of His Being; as to the wonders of His official position; and as to the infinite grace and tenderness of His attitude toward men. In this chapter and the next He passes before us in the wisdom, grace, strength, and august majesty of His relationship to His Church, as it is composed of different churches. To each one He says "I know," and on the basis of His knowledge He commends or condemns. He is the faithful and true Witness. To each one also He reveals the way of escape from those things which He condemns. To each one He speaks of the possibility of overcoming, and promises fitting rewards to such as do so. The words we have chosen constitute His call to the first of these churches, that at Ephesus. There was much in this church which gained His commendation, but it had one serious failing. It had lost its first love. It had lost the freshness and enthusiasm of its early devotion. It was still loyal and true, but the loyalty lacked passion, and the truth was devoid of flame. This is always a grave condition, because it so easily passes on into other phases. How was it to be remedied? By a return to the very starting-point, that of repentance and faith.
Note: To the best of our knowledge we are of the understanding that the above material, all published before 1926 and freely available elsewhere on the internet in various formats, is in the public domain.