 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? Isaiah 53:1
Each day we get to choose to be present and to show up fully, prayed up and speaking life into our circumstances and the people we meet. Today we are the host that is sent out to spy the land. What will be our report? Will it be one of faith and victory or will it be fear and failure. Either we will see the world around us through the lens of our hope in Christ or our perspective will be tainted by our unbelief. Either we will speak death or life today. We get to decide. Spurgeon wrote, “Beloved brethren and friends, to put the parable as simply as I can, I am about to make out every Christian man and woman here to be a spy who has entered into the good land of religion, and who by his conduct and conversation brings either an evil or a good report of this good land, and either moves the world to murmur at and to despise Christ, [or either draws men and women to the throne of grace.] How we live matters. It is our testimony to the world. We will not draw anyone to Christ with our head and heart trodden down and complaining but will through a life of praise and victory. What will be our report today? GiGi❤️
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 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” Luke 6:45.
When we respond or react to someone we draw from what is in us. A fruitful response requires us putting in the time and work to prepare the heart for good works so that God can bring it back to our remembrance. The absence of doing the work means we keep rendering an unfruitful response and getting the same results. People learn what to expect from us because, how we act and what we say define who we are, “For every tree is known by its own fruit,” Luke 6:44. At the center of every response is what’s actually in our hearts. It reveals to us who we really are and is a metric to determine who we want to be. Let’s do the work today! GiGi❤️  “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)
We are often confronted with challenges, coupled with thoughts that God cannot fix it for us, such as, “God can’t heal me,” “God can’t deliver me,” “It works for other people but not for me.” Yet, we must counter these messages with our faith, the Word of God, and through fervent prayer because, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair.” (2 Corinthians 4:8) Let us discard despair and exercise our faith today. We need to be at the edge of the river when God opens it. We need to be ready to walk out of prison when he opens our jail cell. We need to be able to climb the mountains when He makes our feet like hinds feet. It’s not enough to say it or sing about it. Faith requires us to live it. GiGi❤️  “Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” (1 Peter 5:7)
Much of our striving and discontentment is related to not trusting our Lord for the provision. We don’t need a lot to have our needs met satisfactorily. It does not have to be gold plated or larger than life. When we seek the Lord for our provision, it is our relationship with Him that will cultivate our expectations. The heart that is after the things of God is oh so satisfied and trusts oh so readily. “ What a serene and quiet life might you lead if you would leave the task of providing to the God of providence! With a little oil in the cruse, and a handful of meal in the barrel, Elijah outlived the famine, and you will do the same. If God cares for you, why need you care too? Can you trust Him for your soul, and not for your body? He has never refused to bear your burdens, He has never fainted under their weight. Come, then, soul! Have done with fretful care, and leave all your concerns in the hand of a gracious God.” (Charles Spurgeon) Help us, dear Lord, to understand more and more that you are our provision. GiGi❤️  The Bible is full of scriptures that admonish us to measure our words:
“Reckless words pierce like swords” (Proverbs 12:18) “The one with knowledge uses words with restraint” (Proverbs 17:27) “A soft answer turns away wrath.” (Proverbs 15:1) It is challenging to respond harshly to someone who speaks softly or respectfully. We might not like what was said but it was delivered with such kindness and consideration we couldn’t resist hearing it. Also, the words we use can build up or tear down. Therefore, it is not just the letter but the spirit in which those words are spoken. Spurgeon stated that the closer we get to God the more we see our imperfections. That increased awareness serves us well when it helps us to slow down and consider the words we use when we speak and how they are spoken. Remember, there is life and death in the power of the tongue. Words have life! GiGi❤️  “It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)
A young woman was very ill and had suffered for many days. After praying and seeking all day, every day for her healing, on the fourth day she surmised, “I would be grateful for just 10 minutes reprieve from the pain.” Soon she found herself sleeping for that 10 minutes, eventually 1 hour, and would in a few days time be able to stand and walk again. Charles Spurgeon stated, “First stands the fact that however deep may be our present affliction, it is of the Lord’s mercy that we are not consumed. This might not be a very great comfort for some, but when a very weak man is at the bottom of the pyramid, if he is ever to climb it, you must not set him a long step at first. Give him but a small stone to step on, the first time, and when he gets more strength, then he will be able to take a greater stride. Now, consider, you sons of sorrow, where you might have been!” Sometimes our deliverance is exercising one moment, one day, one step at a time faith. New Mercy Every Morning! GiGi❤️  “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)
Perseverance is defined as completing a task despite difficulty or challenges. The enemy will throw everything at us, including the kitchen sink, to get us to quit. He understands the power of the man, woman, or child who is committed to Christ. It shows up in everything we do. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “We are mixed up with the world; we are compelled to associate with the ungodly. To a great degree, we must, at least six days in the week, walk in an atmosphere that goes against our nature: we are compelled to hear words which will never provoke us to love and good works, and to behold actions whose example is obnoxious. We are exposed to temptations of every sort and size, for this is the lot of the followers of the Lamb. Satan knows how useful a consistent follower of the Savior, and how much damage to Christ's cause an inconsistent professor may bring, and therefore he empties out all his arrows from his quiver that he may wound, even unto death, the soldier of the cross. It is convenient to the enemy when we are inconsistent and are quick to throw in the towel. It is the persistent believer that is a threat. “But as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities.” (2 Corinthians 6:4) We stick! GiGi❤️  “Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ (Luke 13:9)
The parable of the fig tree, Luke 13:6-9, is an object lesson. Charles Spurgeon likens the fig tree to the individual who appears to be “strong in faith, joyous in hope, loving in spirit yet, indifferent to truth! He is a talker, quoter of scripture, yet he has never entered the kingdom by the new birth, never been taught of God and the gospel has come to him in word only, a stranger to the work of the Holy Ghost. For why did God make such a great sacrifice but that he might sanctify for himself a people.” This individual is a tree with leaves but no fruit. He proposes that the “Spirit of God is grieved at our conduct if we do not show his praises by godly actions.” He prays, “Oh, that our prayer might rise to heaven: Jesus, Master, come and cast your searching eyes on me, and judge whether I am living right! Allow me to see myself as you see me, that I may correct my ways. Lord, help me to be what I profess to be; and if I am not already, convict me of my error, and begin a true work in my soul.” Let’s bear fruit. GiGi❤️  “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him.” (1 John 2:3-5)
If we expect everyone to adhere to the Word of God we will be often disappointed. The Word of God is available to everyone, but its words only have meaning to the believer. To the unbeliever they are empty words and stories. Imagine that before you is a “will and you begin to read it; but you do not find it interesting: it is full of words and terms which you do not take the trouble to understand, because they have nothing to do with you; but should you, in reading that will, come upon a clause in which an estate is left to you, I warrant you that all of a sudden the words would become important to you. You will be anxious now to understand the terms, and to make sure of the clauses, and you will even wish to remember every word of the clause which refers to yourself.” We are drawn to the Word of God because we desire the things of God. Yet, the truth is in us if we, not only read it, but keep His commandments. “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” (Psalm 37:5) GiGi❤️  “If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (1 John 4:11)
Our love ought to follow the love of God in one point, namely, in always seeking to produce recon- ciliation. It was to this end that God sent His Son. Has anybody offended you? Seek reconciliation. “Oh, but I am the offended party.” So was God, and He went straight away and sought reconciliation. Brothers and sisters, do the same. “Oh, but I have been insulted.” So was God, all the wrong done towards Him, yet He sent His Son. “Oh, but the person is so unworthy.” So are you, but “God loved you and sent His Son.” Love should flow out of your heart because God has made it to flow into it. Go forth at once and try to make reconciliation, not only between yourself and your friend, but between every man and God. Let that be your objective. GiGi❤️ Taken from: A SERMON DELIVERED ON LORD’S-DAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 18, 1883, BY C. H. SPURGEON, AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON. |
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