Daily Bible Notes: June, 2nd
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
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.
Galatians 5:17
In every believer’s heart there is a constant struggle between the old nature and the new. The old nature is very active, and loses no opportunity of plying all the weapons of its deadly armoury against newborn grace; while on the other hand, the new nature is ever on the watch to resist and destroy its enemy. Grace within us will employ prayer, and faith, and hope, and love, to cast out the evil; it takes unto it the "whole armour of God," and wrestles earnestly. These two opposing natures will never cease to struggle so long as we are in this world. The battle of "Christian" with "Apollyon" lasted three hours, but the battle of Christian with himself lasted all the way from the Wicket Gate in the river Jordan. The enemy is so securely entrenched within us that he can never be driven out while we are in this body: but although we are closely beset, and often in sore conflict, we have an Almighty helper, even Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, who is ever with us, and who assures us that we shall eventually come off more than conquerors through Him. With such assistance the new-born nature is more than a match for its foes. Are you fighting with the adversary to-day? Are Satan, the world, and the flesh, all against you?
Be not discouraged nor dismayed. Fight on! For God Himself is with you; Jehovah Nissi is your banner, and Jehovah Rophi is the healer of your wounds. Fear not, you shall overcome, for who can defeat Omnipotence?
Fight on, "looking unto Jesus"; and though long and stern be the conflict, sweet will be the victory, and glorious the promised reward. "From strength to strength go on; Wrestle, and fight, and pray, Tread all the powers of darkness down, And win the well-fought day."
Evening
Good Master.
Matthew 19:16
If the young man in the gospel used this title in speaking to our Lord, how much more fitly may I thus address Him! He is indeed my Master in both senses, a ruling Master and a teaching Master. I delight to run upon His errands, and to sit at His feet. I am both His servant and His disciple, and count it my highest honour to own the double character. If He should ask me why I call Him "good ," I should have a ready answer. It is true that "there is none good but one, that is, God," but then He is God, and all the goodness of Deity shines forth in Him. In my experience, I have found Him good, so good, indeed, that all the good I have has come to me through Him. He was good to me when I was dead in sin, for He raised me by His Spirit’s power; He has been good to me in all my needs, trials, struggles, and sorrows. Never could there be a better Master, for His service is freedom, His rule is love: I wish I were one thousandth part as good a servant. When He teaches me as my Rabbi, He is unspeakably good, His doctrine is divine, His manner is condescending, His spirit is gentleness itself. No error mingles with His instruction - pure is the golden truth which He brings forth, and all His teachings lead to goodness, sanctifying as well as edifying the disciple. Angels find Him a good Master and delight to pay their homage at His footstool. The ancient saints proved Him to be a good Master, and each of them rejoiced to sing, "I am Thy servant, O Lord!" My own humble testimony must certainly be to the same effect. I will bear this witness before my friends and neighbours, for possibly they may be led by my testimony to seek my Lord Jesus as their Master. O that they would do so! They would never repent so wise a deed. If they would but take His easy yoke, they would find themselves in so royal a service that they would enlist in it for ever.
2. "My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year" by J.H.Jowett
John 16:7-14
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don't go away, the Counsellor won't come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
8 When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgement;
9 about sin, because they don't believe in me;
10 about righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you won't see me any more;
11 about judgement, because the prince of this world has been judged.
12 "I still have many things to tell you, but you can't bear them now.
13 However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.
14 He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine, and will declare it to you.
OUR SPIRITUAL GUIDE
"When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth."
How great is the difference between a guide-post and a guide! And what a difference between a guide-book and a companion! Mere instructions may be very uninspiring, and bare commandments may be very cold. Our Guide is an inseparable Friend.
And how will He guide us? He will give us insight. "He will guide you into all truth." He will refine our spirits so that we may be able to distinguish "things that differ," and that so we may know the difference between "the holy and the profane." Our moral judgment is often dull and imperceptive. And our spiritual judgment is often lacking in vigour and penetration. And so our great Spirit-guide puts our spirits to school, and more deeply sanctifies them, that in holiness we may have discernment.
And He will also give us foresight. He will enable us to interpret circumstances, to apprehend their drift and destiny. We shall see harvests while we are looking at seeds, whether the seeds be seeds of good or evil. All of which means that the Holy Spirit will deliver our lives from the governance of mere whim and caprice, and that He will make us wise with the wisdom of God.
3. "Yet Another Day - A Prayer for Every Day of the Year" by John H.Jowett
June 2nd.
My risen Lord, may I know Thy resurrection power to-day? May I be lifted above the ways of the world! May I live the
lofty life! And so may my influence be elevating and inspiring!
4. "The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith" by C.H.Spurgeon.
For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.
Nahum 1:13
The Assyrian was allowed for a season to oppress the Lord's people, but there came a time for his power to be broken. So, many a heart is held in bondage by Satan, and frets sorely under the yoke. Oh, that to such prisoners of hope the word of the Lord may come at once, according to the text, - "Now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder."!
See! the Lord promises a present deliverance: "Now will I break his yoke from off thee." Believe for immediate freedom, and according to thy faith so shall it be unto thee at this very hour. When God saith "now," let no man say "to-morrow."
See how complete the rescue is to be; for the yoke is not to be removed, but broken; and the bonds are not to be untied, but burst asunder. Here is a display of divine force which guarantees that the oppressor shall not return. His yoke is broken, we cannot again be bowed down by its weight. His bonds are burst asunder, they can no longer hold us. Oh, to believe in Jesus for complete and everlasting emancipation! "If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." Come, Lord, and set free thy captives, according to thy word.
5. "The Morning Message" by G.Campbell Morgan.
Let each one of us please his neighbour for that which is good, unto edifying.
Romans 15:2, R.V.
No man can deny his accountability for a share in the development or destruction of the race. The solidarity of humanity is more than a dream of visionaries. It is an indisputable fact. Every life is contributing its quota of force to the forces that make or mar. All are hindering or hastening the perfect day.
6. "An Evening Meditation" taken from "Searchlights from the Word" by G.Campbell Morgan.
Let them bring me ... Then will I go.
Psalms 43:3, 4
That Psalms 42 and 43 are intimately related, is conceded, and is perfectly patent. Indeed, there are those who treat them as one song. A comparison of verses 5 and xx in the first, with verse 5 in the second, reveals the thrice-repeated refrain in which the singer challenges his soul as to its sorrow, and affirms his confidence in God. Yet there is a distinction. The first reveals a need and a confidence. The second reveals the supply, and shows the way to its appropriation. The way to the realization of hope is, first, that of the leading of light and truth shining forth by the action of God; and second, that of the going of the soul in such light and truth. The going of the soul in light and truth is described as a going first to the altar, and ultimately to God its exceeding joy. The way to God is ever the way of the altar. The way to the altar is opened by the sending out of light and truth from God. The spiritual illumination of this singer of the olden times fills us with wonder. For us, all has its interpretation in the One Who of Himself said: "I came forth from God," "I am the Light," "I am the Truth." This cry of humanity in its sorrow, voiced by the Hebrew Psalmist, God answered when He sent out Light and Truth in His Son. He erected for us the altar by which we find God, and so find exceeding joy.
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.