Daily Bible Notes: March, 30th
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
He was numbered with the transgressors.
Isaiah 53:12
Why did Jesus suffer Himself to be enrolled amongst sinners? This wonderful condescension was justified by many powerful reasons. In such a character He could the better become their advocate . In some trials there is an identification of the counsellor with the client, nor can they be looked upon in the eye of the law as apart from one another. Now, when the sinner is brought to the bar, Jesus appears there Himself. He stands to answer the accusation. He points to His side, His hands, His feet, and challenges Justice to bring anything against the sinners whom He represents; He pleads His blood, and pleads so triumphantly, being numbered with them and having a part with them, that the Judge proclaims, "Let them go their way; deliver them from going down into the pit, for He hath found a ransom." Our Lord Jesus was numbered with the transgressors in order that they might feel their hearts drawn towards Him .
Who can be afraid of one who is written in the same list with us? Surely we may come boldly to Him, and confess our guilt. He who is numbered with us cannot condemn us. Was He not put down in the transgressor’s list that we might be written in the red roll of the saints ? He was holy, and written among the holy; we were guilty, and numbered among the guilty; He transfers His name from yonder list to this black indictment, and our names are taken from the indictment and written in the roll of acceptance, for there is a complete transfer made between Jesus and His people. All our estate of misery and sin Jesus has taken; and all that Jesus has comes to us. His righteousness, His blood, and everything that He hath He gives us as our dowry. Rejoice, believer, in your union to Him who was numbered among the transgressors; and prove that you are truly saved by being manifestly numbered with those who are new creatures in Him.
Evening
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.
Lamentations 3:40
The spouse who fondly loves her absent husband longs for his return; a long protracted separation from her Lord is a semi-death to her spirit: and so with souls who love the Saviour much, they must see His face, they cannot bear that He should be away upon the mountains of Bether, and no more hold communion with them. A reproaching glance, an uplifted finger will be grievous to loving children, who fear to offend their tender father, and are only happy in his smile. Beloved, it was so once with you. A text of Scripture, a threatening, a touch of the rod of affliction, and you went to your Father’s feet, crying, "Show me wherefore Thou contendest with me?" Is it so now? Are you content to follow Jesus afar off? Can you contemplate suspended communion with Christ without alarm? Can you bear to have your Beloved walking contrary to you, because you walk contrary to Him? Have your sins separated between you and your God, and is your heart at rest? O let me affectionately warn you, for it is a grievous thing when we can live contentedly without the present enjoyment of the Saviour’s face. Let us labour to feel what an evil thing this is - little love to our own dying Saviour, little joy in our precious Jesus, little fellowship with the Beloved! Hold a true Lent in your souls, while you sorrow over your hardness of heart. Do not stop at sorrow!
Remember where you first received salvation. Go at once to the cross .
There, and there only, can you get your spirit quickened. No matter how hard, how insensible, how dead we may have become, let us go again in all the rags and poverty, and defilement of our natural condition. Let us clasp that cross, let us look into those languid eyes, let us bathe in that fountain filled with blood - this will bring back to us our first love; this will restore the simplicity of our faith, and the tenderness of our heart.
2. "My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year" by J.H.Jowett
1 Peter 2:17-25
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
18 Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all respect: not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.
19 For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience towards God.
20 For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.
21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps,
22 who didn't sin, "neither was deceit found in his mouth."
23 When he was cursed, he didn't curse back. When he suffered, he didn't threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously.
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed by his wounds.
25 For you were going astray like sheep; but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
THE VICTORY OF MEEKNESS
Then I may be not only the betrayer, but the betrayed. In my inner circle there may be a friend who will play me false, and hand me over to the wolves. What then? Just this - I must imitate the grace of my Lord, and "consider Him."
There must be no violent retaliation. "When He was reviled, He reviled not again." The fire of revenge may singe or even scorch my enemy, but it will do far more damage to the furniture of my own soul. After every indulgence in vengeful passion some precious personal possession has been destroyed. The fact of the matter is, this fire cannot be kept burning without making fuel of the priceless furnishings of the soul. "Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot that it do singe yourself."
There must be a serene committal of the soul to the strong keeping of the Eternal God. "He committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously." This is the way of peace, as this is the way of victory. If ever the enemy is to be conquered this must be the mode of the conquest. When men persecute us, let us rest more implicitly in our God.
3. "Yet Another Day - A Prayer for Every Day of the Year" by John H.Jowett
March 30th.
My loving Lord, I pray Thee to save me from all unworthy fears. May my service be kept from the
ravages of unbelief! Save me from the destruction wrought by fretfulness and care. Help me to rest in Thee.
4. "The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith" by C.H.Spurgeon.
Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6, 7
No care, but all prayer. No anxiety, but much joyful communion with God. Carry your desires to the Lord of your life, the guardian of your soul. Go to him with two portions of prayer, and one of fragrant praise. Do not pray doubtfully, but thankfully. Consider that you have your petitions, and therefore thank God for his grace. He is giving you grace, give him thanks. Hide nothing. Allow no want to lie rankling in your bosom; "make known your requests." Run not to man. Go only to your God, the Father of Jesus, who loves you in him.
This shall bring you God's own peace. You shall not be able to understand the peace which you shall enjoy. It will enfold you in its infinite embrace. Heart and mind through Christ Jesus shall be steeped in a sea of rest. Come life or death, poverty, pain, slander, you shall dwell in Jesus above every ruffling wind or darkening cloud. Will you not obey this dear command?
Yes, Lord, I do believe thee; but, I beseech thee, help mine unbelief.
5. "The Morning Message" by G.Campbell Morgan.
Keep thyself pure.
1 Timothy 5:22
We constantly attempt to comfort our hearts with the idea that we can manipulate the results of sin so as to make them less hard to bear, and then have to prove through long and bitter experience that it is not so. There is only one moment in which we can save ourselves from sin, that is before we commit it.
6. "An Evening Meditation" taken from "Searchlights from the Word" by G.Campbell Morgan.
Be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18
Much has been written about this injunction, and everything has been of value. It certainly is a central word to the saints. To men outside the Christian experience it has no meaning. For them, the first necessity is that they should be born of the Spirit, that they should receive Him. To those that have been so born, and who therefore have become temples of the Holy Spirit, the one and inclusive responsibility is that they should obey this word. The filling of the Spirit is not an event which takes place once; it is rather a continuous experience which has to be maintained. The indwelling Spirit is a spring of living water. As He is yielded to, He fills all the life, and persistently to such an extent that the rivers overflow, and running forth bring life to those beyond. This filling is hindered when any part of the life is shut up against the Spirit. Our constant responsibility is that of yielding ourselves to His inspection, to His direction, to His effective operation. As we do so, He fills, and that means He cleanses, energizes, and transforms the life; and so passes out through the life in the influences which heal and help others. It is interesting to read the words immediately following, in which the Apostle gives us two results which always follow the filling of the Spirit. The first is that of the exercise of praise, which glorifies God. The second is that of mutual submission, which ministers to the needs of others. Thus the filling of the Spirit means the end of the self-centred life; and the realization of such life as glorifies God and blesses men.
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.