Daily Bible Notes: March, 1st
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
Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.
Song of Solomon 4:16
Anything is better than the dead calm of indifference. Our souls may wisely desire the north wind of trouble if that alone can be sanctified to the drawing forth of the perfume of our graces. So long as it cannot be said, "The Lord was not in the wind," we will not shrink from the most wintry blast that ever blew upon plants of grace. Did not the spouse in this verse humbly submit herself to the reproofs of her Beloved; only entreating Him to send forth His grace in some form, and making no stipulation as to the peculiar manner in which it should come? Did she not, like ourselves, become so utterly weary of deadness and unholy calm that she sighed for any visitation which would brace her to action? Yet she desires the warm south wind of comfort, too, the smiles of divine love, the joy of the Redeemer’s presence; these are often mightily effectual to arouse our sluggish life. She desires either one or the other, or both; so that she may but be able to delight her Beloved with the spices of her garden. She cannot endure to be unprofitable, nor can we. How cheering a thought that Jesus can find comfort in our poor feeble graces. Can it be? It seems far too good to be true. Well may we court trial or even death itself if we shall thereby be aided to make glad Immanuel’s heart. O that our heart were crushed to atoms if only by such bruising our sweet Lord Jesus could be glorified.
Graces unexercised are as sweet perfumes slumbering in the cups of the flowers: the wisdom of the great Husbandman overrules diverse and opposite causes to produce the one desired result, and makes both affliction and consolation draw forth the grateful odours of faith, love, patience, hope, resignation, joy, and the other fair flowers of the garden.
May we know by sweet experience, what this means.
Evening
He is precious.
1 Peter 2:7
As all the rivers run into the sea, so all delights centre in our Beloved. The glances of His eyes outshine the sun: the beauties of His face are fairer than the choicest flowers: no fragrance is like the breath of His mouth.
Gems of the mine, and pearls from the sea, are worthless things when measured by His preciousness. Peter tells us that Jesus is precious, but he did not and could not tell us how precious, nor could any of us compute the value of God’s unspeakable gift. Words cannot set forth the preciousness of the Lord Jesus to His people, nor fully tell how essential He is to their satisfaction and happiness. Believer, have you not found in the midst of plenty a sore famine if your Lord has been absent? The sun was shining, but Christ had hidden Himself, and all the world was black to you; or it was night, and since the bright and morning star was gone, no other star could yield you so much as a ray of light. What a howling wilderness is this world without our Lord! If once He hideth Himself from us, withered are the flowers of our garden; our pleasant fruits decay; the birds suspend their songs, and a tempest overturns our hopes. All earth’s candles cannot make daylight if the Sun of Righteousness be eclipsed. He is the soul of our soul, the light of our light, the life of our life. Dear reader, what wouldst thou do in the world without Him, when thou wakest up and lookest forward to the day’s battle? What wouldst thou do at night, when thou comest home jaded and weary, if there were no door of fellowship between thee and Christ? Blessed be His name, He will not suffer us to try our lot without Him, for Jesus never forsakes His own.
Yet, let the thought of what life would be without Him enhance His preciousness.
2. "My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year" by J.H.Jowett
Luke 21:25-36
25 There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves;
26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 But when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near."
29 He told them a parable. "See the fig tree and all the trees.
30 When they are already budding, you see it and know by your own selves that the summer is already near.
31 Even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that God's Kingdom is near.
32 Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things are accomplished.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.
34 "So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly.
35 For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth.
36 Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man."
OVERCHARGING THE HEART
Here is a great peril. Our hearts may be "overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares." Our mode of living may send our spirits to sleep. Yes, we may so ill-use our bodies that the watchman sleeps at his post! We can over-eat, and dim our moral sight. A man's daily meals have vital relationship with his vision of the Lord. If I would have a clear spirit I must not overburden the flesh.
And therefore am I bidden to "take heed" to myself. I must exercise common sense, the most important of all the senses. I must put a bridle upon my appetite, and hold it in subjection to my Lord.
And I must "watch!" The devil is surpassingly cunning, and, if he can, he will mix an opiate even with the sacramental wine. He will lure me among the winsome poppies, and put me into a perilous sleep.
And I must "pray!" I have a great and glorious Defender! Let me humbly yet confidently use Him, and I shall be delivered from the snares of appetite, and from the benumbing influence of all excess.
3. "Yet Another Day - A Prayer for Every Day of the Year" by John H.Jowett
March 1st.
My Father, teach me how to be grateful. May I see Thy mercies everywhere, and so be moved to give thanks without ceasing!
Save me from the spirit of complaint.
4. "The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith" by C.H.Spurgeon.
Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be
glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
Isaiah 66:5
Possibly this text may not apply to one in a thousand of the readers of this little book of promises; but the Lord cheers that one in such words as these. Let us pray for all such as are cast out wrongfully from the society which they love. May the Lord appear to their joy!
The text applies to truly gracious men who tremble at the word of the Lord. These were hated of their brethren, and at length cast out because of their fidelity and their holiness. This must have been very bitter to them; and all the more so because their casting out was done in the name of religion, and professedly with the view of glorifying God. How much is done for the devil in the name of God! The use of the name of Jehovah to add venom to the bite of the old serpent is an instance of his subtilty.
The appearing of the Lord for them is the hope of his persecuted people. He appears as the advocate and defender of his elect; and when he does so, it means a clear deliverance for the God-fearing and shame for their oppressors. O Lord, fulfil this word to those whom men are deriding !
5. "The Morning Message" by G.Campbell Morgan.
The grass witherth, the flower fadeth, because the breath of Jehovah bloweth upon it.
Isaiah 40:7
He brings death as a process and a necessity. The pitiless east wind has in it the breath of health.
Welcome, wild Northeaster!
Shame it is to see
Odes to every zephyr,
Ne'er a verse to thee.
Through the black fir forest
Thunder harsh and dry,
Scattering down the snowflakes
Off the curdled sky.
Come, and strong within us
Stir the Viking's blood,
Bracing brain and sinew;
Blow, thou wind of God.
C. Kingsley
6. "An Evening Meditation" taken from "Searchlights from the Word" by G.Campbell Morgan.
For the word of the Lord is right; and all His work is done in faithfulness.
Psalms 33:4
This Psalm is patently a sequel to the preceding one. It is a response to the call to praise with which that closes. It starts exactly upon the same note, and continues to the end upon the same strain. In these words the reason for praise is inclusively declared, and everything which follows is in illustration of the truth so declared. The reason, then, for praise is that of the perfection of God in word and in work. His word is right: and His work is ever in faithfulness - that is, it is consonant with His word. That idea persists throughout the song. The illustrations cover a wide area. First, there is reference to the principles of His government (verse 5). Then to the might and majesty revealed in creation (verses 6-9). Then to His active overruling in national affairs (verses 10, 11). Then to His special government of His own people (verses 12-22). In all this we find the true secret of our confidence, and so of our joy. The word and the work of God are ever one. His word never returns to Him empty - it accomplishes that which He pleases; it prospers in the thing whereto He sends it. How significant it is that amid the sacred mysteries connected with the Incarnation, the Angel said to Mary concerning the birth of Jesus and of John: "No word from God shall be void of power!" God has given us His word. Let us never forget that His work will be according to that word. To rest in that assurance is to be perpetually inspired to praise.
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.