Daily Bible Notes: July, 24th
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
Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.
Exodus 14:13
These words contain God’s command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. He cannot retreat; he cannot go forward; he is shut up on the right hand and on the left; what is he now to do? The Master’s word to him is, "Stand still." It will be well for him if at such times he listens only to his Master’s word, for other and evil advisers come with their suggestions. Despair whispers, "Lie down and die; give it all up." But God would have us put on a cheerful courage, and even in our worst times, rejoice in His love and faithfulness. Cowardice says, "Retreat; go back to the worldling’s way of action; you cannot play the Christian’s part, it is too difficult. Relinquish your principles." But, however much Satan may urge this course upon you, you cannot follow it if you are a child of God. His divine fiat has bid thee go from strength to strength, and so thou shalt, and neither death nor hell shall turn thee from thy course. What, if for a while thou art called to stand still, yet this is but to renew thy strength for some greater advance in due time. Precipitancy cries, "do something. Stir yourself; to stand still and wait, is sheer idleness." We must be doing something at once - we must do it so we think - instead of looking to the Lord, who will not only do something but will do everything. Presumption boasts, "If the sea be before you, march into it and expect a miracle." But Faith listens neither to Presumption, nor to Despair, nor to Cowardice, nor to Precipitancy, but it hears God say, "Stand still," and immovable as a rock it stands. "Stand still"; - keep the posture of an upright man, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the directing voice; and it will not be long ere God shall say to you, as distinctly as Moses said it to the people of Israel, "Go forward."
Evening
His camp is very great.
Joel 2:11
Consider, my soul, the mightiness of the Lord who is thy glory and defence. He is a man of war, Jehovah is His name. All the forces of heaven are at His beck, legions wait at His door, cherubim and seraphim;, watchers and holy ones, principalities and powers, are all attentive to His will. If our eyes were not blinded by the ophthalmia of the flesh, we should see horses of fire and chariots of fire round about the Lord’s beloved. The powers of nature are all subject to the absolute control of the Creator: stormy wind and tempest, lightning and rain, and snow, and hail, and the soft dews and cheering sunshine, come and go at His decree. The bands of Orion He looseth, and bindeth the sweet influences of the Pleiades. Earth, sea, and air, and the places under the earth, are the barracks for Jehovah’s great armies; space is His camping ground, light is His banner, and flame is His sword. When He goeth forth to war, famine ravages the land, pestilence smites the nations, hurricane sweeps the sea, tornado shakes the mountains, and earthquake makes the solid world to tremble. As for animate creatures , they all own His dominion, and from the great fish which swallowed the prophet, down to "all manner of flies," which plagued the field of Zoan, all are His servants, and like the palmer-worm, the caterpillar, and the cankerworm, are squadrons of His great army, for His camp is very great. My soul, see to it that thou be at peace with this mighty King, yea, more, be sure to enlist under His banner, for to war against Him is madness, and to serve Him is glory. Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, is ready to receive recruits for the army of the Lord: if I am not already enlisted let me go to Him ere I sleep, and beg to be accepted through His merits; and if I be already, as I hope I am, a soldier of the cross, let me be of good courage; for the enemy is powerless compared with my Lord, whose camp is very great.
2. "My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year" by J.H.Jowett
Psalms 84
1 How lovely are your dwellings, LORD of Armies!
2 My soul longs, and even faints for the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
3 Yes, the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young, near your altars, LORD of Armies, my King, and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house. They are always praising you. Selah.
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on a pilgrimage.
6 Passing through the valley of Weeping, they make it a place of springs. Yes, the autumn rain covers it with blessings.
7 They go from strength to strength. Every one of them appears before God in Zion.
8 LORD, God of Armies, hear my prayer. Listen, God of Jacob. Selah.
9 Behold, God our shield, look at the face of your anointed.
10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and a shield. The LORD will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly.
12 LORD of Armies, blessed is the man who trusts in you.
LOVE OF THE SANCTUARY
Gracious is the strength of this man's desire for the holy place. He covets the privilege of the very sparrow which builds its nest beneath the sacred eaves! When he is away from the Temple its worship and music haunt his mind and soul. It wooes him in the market-place. Its insistent call is with him by the fireside. Yes, "in his heart are the highways to Zion!"
And the permanency of this devotional mood transfigures every place. It turns "the valley of weeping" into "a place of springs." The colour of any place is largely determined by our moods. It is surprising what treasures we find when our soul is full of light. What discoveries old Scrooge made when the Christmas mood possessed his own heart! When we carry about the spirit of the sanctuary, we convert every spot into rich and hallowed ground.
"I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." Better to have the temple-spirit, even as a menial, than the unhallowed heart in the glittering high places of sin. "God's worst is better than the devil's best."
3. "Yet Another Day - A Prayer for Every Day of the Year" by John H.Jowett
July 24th.
My Father, may some glimpse of larger truth be given to me to-day! May I not be contented with yesterday's revelation!
May my windows be opened towards the East, that I may catch the dawn of new days and the coming of new light!
4. "The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith" by C.H.Spurgeon.
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment.
Revelation 3:5
Warrior of the cross, fight on! Never rest till thy victory is complete, for thine eternal reward will prove worthy of a life of warfare.
See, here is perfect purity for thee! A few in Sardis kept their garments undefiled, and their recompense is to be spotless. Perfect holiness is the prize of our high calling, let us not miss it.
See, here is joy! Thou shalt wear holiday robes, such as men put on at wedding feasts; thou shalt be clothed with gladness, and be made bright with rejoicing. Painful struggles shall end in peace of conscience, and joy in the Lord.
See, here is victory! Thou shalt have thy triumph. Palm, and crown, and white robe shall be thy guerdon; thou shalt be treated as a conqueror, and owned as such by the Lord himself.
See, here is priestly array! Thou shalt stand before the Lord in such raiment as the sons of Aaron wore; thou shalt offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and draw near unto the Lord with the incense of praise.
Who would not fight for a Lord who gives such large honours to the very least of his faithful servants? Who would not be clothed in a fool's coat for Christ's sake, seeing he will robe us with glory?
5. "The Morning Message" by G.Campbell Morgan.
Jesus ... manifested his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
John 2:11, R.V.
He was a soul so sublime, that He turned the mountain into a sanctuary, until His communion made it flame with the glory of transfiguration. So sweetly simple was the Christ as to utter words which children for nineteen centuries have learned and loved.
6. "An Evening Meditation" taken from "Searchlights from the Word" by G.Campbell Morgan.
I overflow with joy in all our affliction.
2 Corinthians 7:4
What a wonderful and glorious word this is! Observe the circumstances, and the experience. The former were those of affliction. Already in this letter we have seen much of the sufferings of this man. Immediately following this declaration he referred to other phases of them; the flesh with no relief; fightings without, fears within. Surely there was nothing in circumstances to cause joy. Yet notice the experience. It was not that of stoical indifference. It was more than that of calm resignation. It was even more than that of quiet content. "I overflow with joy." It is the language of a happy, and even exultant heart. What was the reason of such joy amid such circumstances? It was that of the manifestations of true Christian character in the children of God. Titus had visited him and told him the effect produced in the Corinthian Christians by the letter which he had sent to them. That letter had been one of rebuke, a letter calculated to produce sorrow and repentance, and all the things of a true Christian experience had been manifested in them. This was the reason of his over-flowing joy. And it is ever so. John, writing to Gaius the beloved, said: "Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth." This is the present reward of all who, "working with God" ... commend themselves as His servants. No circumstances of personal affliction can dim the gladness of seeing souls grow in the grace of the Lord Jesus.
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.