Daily Bible Notes: November, 18th
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
A spring shut up, a fountain sealed.
Song of Solomon 4:12
In this metaphor, which has reference to the inner life of a believer, we have very plainly the idea of secrecy . It is a spring shut up : just as there were springs in the East, over which an edifice was built, so that none could reach them save those who knew the secret entrance; so is the heart of a believer when it is renewed by grace: there is a mysterious life within which no human skill can touch. It is a secret which no other man knoweth; nay, which the very man who is the possessor of it cannot tell to his neighbour. The text includes not only secrecy, but separation . It is not the common spring, of which every passer-by may drink, it is one kept and preserved from all others; it is a fountain bearing a particular mark - a king’s royal seal, so that all can perceive that it is not a common fountain, but a fountain owned by a proprietor, and placed specially by itself alone.
So is it with the spiritual life. The chosen of God were separated in the eternal decree; they were separated by God in the day of redemption; and they are separated by the possession of a life which others have not; and it is impossible for them to feel at home with the world, or to delight in its pleasures. There is also the idea of sacredness . The spring shut up is preserved for the use of some special person: and such is the Christian’s heart. It is a spring kept for Jesus. Every Christian should feel that he has God’s seal upon him - and he should be able to say with Paul, "From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Another idea is prominent - it is that of security . Oh! how sure and safe is the inner life of the believer! If all the powers of earth and hell could combine against it, that immortal principle must still exist, for He who gave it pledged His life for its preservation. And who "is He that shall harm you," when God is your protector?
Evening
Thou art from everlasting.
Psalm 93:2
Christ is EVERLASTING. Of Him we may sing with David, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever." Rejoice, believer, in Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. Jesus always was . The Babe born in Bethlehem was united to the Word, which was in the beginning, by whom all things were made. The title by which Christ revealed Himself to John in Patmos was, "Him which is, and which was, and which is to come." If He were not God from everlasting, we could not so devoutly love Him; we could not feel that He had any share in the eternal love which is the fountain of all covenant blessings; but since He was from all eternity with the Father, we trace the stream of divine love to Himself equally with His Father and the blessed Spirit. As our Lord always was , so also He is for evermore. Jesus is not dead; "He ever liveth to make intercession for us."
Resort to Him in all your times of need, for He is waiting to bless you still.
Moreover, Jesus our Lord ever shall be . If God should spare your life to fulfil your full day of threescore years and ten, you will find that His cleansing fountain is still opened, and His precious blood has not lost its power; you shall find that the Priest who filled the healing fount with His own blood, lives to purge you from all iniquity. When only your last battle remains to be fought, you shall find that the hand of your conquering Captain has not grown feeble - the living Saviour shall cheer the dying saint. When you enter heaven you shall find Him there bearing the dew of His youth; and through eternity the Lord Jesus shall still remain the perennial spring of joy, and life, and glory to His people. Living waters may you draw from this sacred well! Jesus always was, He always is, He always shall be. He is eternal in all His attributes, in all His offices, in all His might, and willingness to bless, comfort, guard, and crown His chosen people.
2. "My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year" by J.H.Jowett
Psalms 18:31-39
31 For who is God, except the LORD? Who is a rock, besides our God,
32 the God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect?
33 He makes my feet like deer's feet, and sets me on my high places.
34 He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of bronze.
35 You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great.
36 You have enlarged my steps under me, My feet have not slipped.
37 I will pursue my enemies, and overtake them. I won't turn away until they are consumed.
38 I will strike them through, so that they will not be able to rise. They shall fall under my feet.
39 For you have armed me with strength to the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.
EXHILARANT SPIRITS
"He maketh my feet like hinds' feet."
I think of Wordsworth's lines, in which he describes a natural lady, made by Nature herself:
- "She shall be sportive as the fawn
That wild with glee across the lawn
Or up the mountain springs."
And it is this buoyancy, this elasticity, this springiness that the Lord is waiting to impart to the souls of His children, so that they may move along the ways of life with the light steps of the fawn.
Some of us move with very heavy feet. There is little of the fawn about us as we go along the road. There is reluctance in our obedience. There is a frown in our homage. Our benevolence is graceless, and there is no charm in our piety, and no rapture in our praise. We are the victims of "the spirit of heaviness." And yet here is the word which tells us that God will make our feet "like hinds' feet." He will give us exhilaration and spring, enabling us to leap over difficulties, and to have strength and buoyancy for the steepest hills. Let us seek the inspiration of the Lord. "It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect."
3. "Yet Another Day - A Prayer for Every Day of the Year" by John H.Jowett
November l8th.
Holy Spirit, wilt Thou bring to my remembrance the things I ought never to have forgotten? Sanctify my memory.
Quicken its hold upon the good. May it retain its treasures! May the lesson of yesterday not have to be learned over again to-day!
4. "The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith" by C.H.Spurgeon.
In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as
God, as the angel of the Lord before them.
Zechariah 12:8
One of the best methods of the Lord's defending his people is to make them strong in inward might. Men are better than walls, and faith is stronger than castles.
The Lord can take the feeblest among us and make him like David, the champion of Israel. Lord, do this with me! Infuse thy power into me, and fill me with sacred courage that I may face the giant with sling and stone, confident in God.
The Lord can make his greatest champions far mightier than they are: David can be as God, as the angel of Jehovah. This would be a marvellous development, but it is possible, or it would not be spoken of. O Lord, work thus with the best of our leaders! Show us what thou art able to do - namely, to raise thy faithful servants to a height of grace and holiness which shall be clearly supernatural!
Lord, dwell in thy saints, and they shall be as God; put thy might into them, and they shall be as the living creatures who dwell in the presence of Jehovah. Fulfil this promise to thine entire church in this our day, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
5. "The Morning Message" by G.Campbell Morgan.
He, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin ... because they believe not on me.
John 16:8,9, R.V.
The Spirit declares that the sin lies, not in the fact of passion, but in the refusal to let the Master master the passion.
6. "An Evening Meditation" taken from "Searchlights from the Word" by G.Campbell Morgan.
The Lord reigneth.
Psalms 93:1
In this brief but glorious song the one truth celebrated in the previous one, is uttered in the finest poetic language. Here is cause for praise, and here is praise which is worthy. Interpretation is almost an impertinence. Let it be done reverently. Observe, then, the facts resulting from the fact, the reign of such a One. The first two facts are those of His majesty and His strength. Therefore the world is safe; whatever disturbances there may be on it, it cannot be moved. Again, His rule is not based upon the changing conditions of a passing hour. His throne and Himself are of all ages, coming up from everlasting, that is out of that which lies concealed from the view of man. Disturbances, did we say? Yea verily, floods have lifted up their voices, and waves; but their liftings up have never reached higher than His throne, or submerged Him, for above them Jehovah is still on high, and He is mighty. His reign, as its way is revealed in His testimonies - that is, His law, His word to men, is sure. Finally, all His reign is in order to Holiness, that true health of life which is the condition for prosperity. Is all this so? Does Jehovah reign? Then let us offer the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. He is worthy to receive; and in our giving, there is also the receiving of the benefits of His reign which enrich and glorify our lives.
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.