Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 19, 2011

Heavy Duty Shoes

Your sandals shall be iron and bronze; as your days, so shall your strength be.

~ Deuteronomy 33:25

  "Here are two things provided for the pilgrim: shoes and strength.
  The shoes: We shall not go barefoot; this would not be suitable for princes of the royal blood. Our shoes shall have soles of durable metal, which will not wear out even it the journey be long and difficult. We shall have protection proportionate to the necessities of the road and the battle. So let us march boldly on, fearing no harm even though we tread on serpents, or set our foot upon the dragon himself.

  The strength: It shall be continued as long as our days shall continue, and it shall be proportioned to the stress and burden of those days. This day we may look for trial and for work, which will require energy, but we may just as confidently look for equal strength. Let us rise to the holy boldness, which it is calculated to create within the believing heart."
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 18, 2011

Wilderness Communion

"I will allure her, bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her."

~ Hosea 2:14

We are to pray to our

Lord, night and day.

We are to pray for His

Truth to be released

into our hearts so that

we may hear Him and

to be able to talk with

Him daily. It is our place

to remain faithful to Him. 

  "Do we not remember when the Lover of our souls first cast a spell upon us and charmed us away from the fascinations of the world? He will do this again and again whenever He sees us likely to be ensnared by evil.
  He promises to draw us apart, for there He can best deal with us. This separated place is not to be a paradise, but a wilderness, since in such a place there will be nothing to take our attention from our God. In the deserts of affliction, the presence of the Lord becomes everything to us, and we prize His company beyond any value that we set upon it when we sat in the society of our fellows.

God leads us from the land that we

once new to a place where He can

talk and walk with us without any

one or any thing distracting us.

  When thus allured and secluded, the Lord speaks to our hearts. Allured by love, separated by trial, and comforted by the Spirit of truth, may we know the Lord and sing for joy!"
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 17, 2011

 Valiant for Truth

"The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits."

 ~ Daniel 11:32

"The Lord is a man of war" (Exod. 15:3). Those who enlist under His banner shall have a Commander who will train them for conflict and give them both vigor and valor. The times of which Daniel wrote were of the very worst kind, and then it was promised that the people of God would come out in their best colors: they would be strong and stout to confront the powerful adversary.

  Oh, that we may know our God - His power, His faithfulness, His immutable love - and so may be ready to risk everything on His behalf. He is One whose character excites our enthusiasm and makes us willing to live and to die for Him. If we dwell with Him we shall catch the heroic spirit, and to us a world of enemies will be but as the drop of a bucket. Be valiant for truth in this day of falsehood."

(By: Charles He. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 16, 2011

A Word to the Lame

"I will save the lame."

                                                                     ~ Zephaniah 3:19

  "There are plenty of people who are lame in their spirit. They are on the right road, and exceedingly anxious to run in it with diligence; but they are lame and make a sorry walk of it. One the heavenly road there are many cripples. The Lord can never make good soldiers of people like this. Yet, He will save us. In saving us, He will greatly glorify Himself. Everybody will ask how came this lame person to run the race and win the crown? And then praise will all be given to the Almighty.

  Lord, though I halt in faith, in prayer, in praise, in service, and in patience, save me! Lord, gather up by Your grace the slowest of Your pilgrims, even me. He has said that it shall be so. Therefore, like Jacob, prevailing in prayer, I go forward though my sinew be shrunk."
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 15, 2011

 The Mourner Comforted

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

                                                                                     ~ Matthew 5:4 

Jesus Comforts the mourner

  "By the valley of weeping we come to Zion. One would have thought mourning and being blessed were in opposition, but the infinitely wise Savior puts them together in this beatitude. Mourning for sin - our own sins, and the sins of others - is the Lord's seal set upon His faithful ones. By holy mourning we receive the best of our blessings. Not only shall the mourner be blessed at some future day, but Christ pronounces him blessed even now.

The Holy Spirit comforts

the mourners.

  The Holy Spirit will comfort those hearts that mourn for sin. They shall be comforted by the application of the blood of Jesus, and  by the cleansing power of the Holy Ghost. They shall be taken up to dwell forever in the glorious presence of their Lord."

(By: Charles H. Spurge on ~ One Minute Devotions)                

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 14, 2011

 Burdens Cast on Him

Cast your burdens on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

                                                                                   ~ Psalm 55:22

  "If is a heavy burden; give it to God. It is your burden now, and it crushes you; but when the Lord takes it, He will make nothing of it. If you are called to bear it, "He shall sustain you." You will be so upheld under it that the burden will be a blessing. Bring the Lord into the matter, and you will stand upright under that which in itself would bow you down.

  What about the present moment? Are you going forth to this day's trial alone? Are your shoulders again to be galled with the oppressive load? Be not so foolish. Tell the Lord about  your grief, and leave it with Him. Don't cast your burden down and then take it back up again; but roll it on the Lord and leave it there. Then you will walk as a joyful and unburdened believer, singing the praises of the great Burden-bearer."

(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 13, 2011

 Implicit Trust

"I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me." says the Lord.

                                                                                ~ Jeremiah 39:18

Trust and faith are powerful things

when used in the proper way.

Believing in God for your every

need is such a wonderful thing. Not

only are you being blessed by God,

but He is being blessed by you, just

because you believe in Him and are

putting all your trust in Him for your

every need. 

  "Behold the protecting power of trust in God. The great men of Jerusalem fell by the sword, but the poor Ebed-melech was secure, for his confidence was in Jehovah. Where else should a man trust but in his Maker? No one ever did trust in the Lord in vain, and no one ever shall.

Dying to self and

putting your life

 in God's hands is

truely a blessing.

  "I will surely deliver you." Mark the divine surely. Under His sacred wing there is safety, even when every danger is abroad. Can we accept this promise as sure? Then in our present emergency we shall find that it stands fast. We hope to be delivered because we have friends, or because we are prudent, or because we can see hopeful signs; but none of these things are one-half so good as God's simple "because you have put your trust in Me." Try this way and you will keep to it all your life. It is as sweet as it is sure."
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions) 

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 12, 2011

                                                                                          Whom, When, How to Deliver

The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day  of Judgment.

                                                                                        ~ 2 Peter 2:9

  "The godly are tempted and tried, but they are delivered out of their trials - not by chance, or by secondary agencies, but by the Lord Himself. He personally undertakes the office of delivering those who trust Him.

  Sometimes their way seems to be a labyrinth, and they cannot imagine how they will escape. But the Lord knows whom to deliver, when to deliver, and how to deliver. He delivers in the way  that is most beneficial to the godly, most crushing to the tempter, and most glorifying to Himself. We may leave the "how" with the Lord and be content to rejoice in the fact that He will, in some way or other, bring Hiw own people through all the dangers, trials, and temptations of this mortal life."
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 11, 2011

                                                                                     Never Separated from God

"whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

                                                                                 ~ John 11:26

  "Yes, Lord, we believe it; we shall never die. Our soul may be separated from our body, but our soul shall never be separated from God, which is the true death. We believe this most assuredly, for who shall separate us from the love of God? We are members of the Body of Christ; will Christ lose parts of His body? We are married to Jesus; will He be bereaved and widowed? It is not possible.

  There is a life within us that is not capable of being divided from God. The Holy Spirit dwells within us, and how then can we die? The reward of righteousness is life everlasting; therefore we can claim the very highest reward. Living and believing, we believe that we shall live and enjoy. Therefore we press forward with full assurance that our life is secure in our living Head."
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 10, 2011

                                                                                                   Love the Church

You will arise and have mercy on Zion; for the time to favor her, yes, the set time, has come. For Your servants take pleasure in her stones, and show favor to her dust.

                                                                               ~ Psalm 102:13-14

  "Yes, our prayers for the church will be heard. The set time in come. We are bound in heart to all the people of God, and can truly say,
    

           "There's not a lamb in all Thy flock
            I would disdain to feed;
           There's not a foe before whose face
           I'd fear Thy cause to plead."

If this is the general feeling, we shall soon enjoy times of refreshing from the Lord. Our assemblies will be filled, saints will be revived, and sinners will be converted. We are called upon to expect it. Let us love every stone of our Zion, even though it may be fallen down. Let us treasure up the least truth, the least believer. When we favor Zion, God is about to favor her. When we take pleasure in the Lord's work, the Lord Himself will take pleasure in it."
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 9, 2011

                                                                                            Faithful and Useful

My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with Me; he who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve Me.

                                                                            ~ Psalm 101:6

  "If David spoke thus, we may be sure that the Son of David will be of the same mind. Jesus looks out for faithful men, and He fixes His eyes upon them, to observe them, to bring them forward, to encourage them, and to reward them. Let no true-hearted man think that he is overlooked; the King Himself has His eye upon him.
  There are two results of this royal notice. First we read, "that they may dwell with Me." Jesus sets the faithful in His palace; He makes them His companions; He delights in their society. We must be true to our Lord, and He will then manifest Himself to us.

  Next, He says of the sincere man, "he shall serve Me." Jesus will use for His own glory those who are faithful to Himself and His Word. These shall be in His royal retinue, the honored servants of His Majesty. Communion and usefulness are the wages of faithfulness."
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 8, 2011

                                                                                                  An Angel Encampment

The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.

                                                                                    ~ Psalm 34:7

  "We cannot see the angels, but it is enough that they can see us. There is one great Angel of the Covenant whose eye is always upon us, both day and night. He has a host of holy ones under Him, and He causes these to be watchers over His saints and to guard them from all ill. If devils do us mischief, shining ones do us service.

  Note that the Lord of angels does not come and go, and pay us transient visits, but He and His armies encamp around us. Sentineled by the messengers of God, we shall not be surprised by sudden assaults, or swallowed up by overwhelming forces. Deliverance is promised in this verse, deliverance by the great Captain of our salvation. That deliverance we shall obtain again and again until our warfare is accomplished and we exchange the field of conflict for the home of rest."
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 7, 2011

                                                                                            A Mountain Choir

Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, and will have mercy on His afflicted.

                                                                                 ~ Isaiah 49:13

    And the mountains sing

    praises to the Lord

 And the mountains and hills

 sing out praises to the Son

 of the True Living God!

  "So sweet are the comforts of the Lord that not only the saints themselves may sing of them, but even the heavens and the earth take up the song. It takes something to make a mountain sing; and yet the prophet summons quite a choir of them. May we not also make mountains of difficulty, trial, and labor become occasions for praise unto our God? "Break out in singing, O mountains!"

And the valleys and meadows

sing out praises to the Son

of the True Living God!

  This word of promise, that our God will have mercy upon His afflicted, has a whole peal of bells connected with it. Hear their music, "Sing!" "Be joyful!" "Break out in singing." The Lord would have His people happy because of His unfailing love. He would not have us sad and doubtful. He cannot fail us: why should we sigh or sulk as if He would?"
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 6, 2011

                                                                                His Love, His Gift, His Son

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

                                                                                          ~ John 3:16

  Jesus as Healer

  and Teacher

 Birth of Jesus

  "Of all the stars in the sky, the pole star is the most useful to the mariner. This text is a pole star, guiding souls to salvation.

  Several words in it shine with peculiar brilliance. Here we have God's love, with a "so" to it, which marks its measureless greatness. Then we have God's gift in all its freeness and greatness. This also is God's Son, that unique and priceless gift of a love that could never fully show itself till heaven's Only-begotten had been sent to live and die for men.



             His Death

         His Resurrection

  Then there is the simple requirement of believing, which graciously points to a way of salvation. This is backed by a wide description, "whoever believes in Him." Then comes the great promise, that believers in Jesus shall not perish, but have everlasting life. This is cheering to all. We believe in the Lord Jesus, and we have eternal life."(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)



    Him ascending into

    heaven to the Father, 

    to sit at the right

    hand of God. 

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 5, 2011

                                                                             Complete Deliverance

"I will deliver you in that day," says the Lord, "and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid."

                                                                                ~ Jeremiah 39:17

  "When the Lord's faithful ones are suffering for Him, they shall have sweet messages of love from Himself. Ebed-Melech was only a despised Ethiopian, but he was kind to Jeremiah, and so the Lord sent him this special Promise. Let us be ever mindful of God's persecuted servants, and He will reward us.

  Ebed-melech was to be delivered from the men whose vengeance he feared. He was a humble black man, but Jehovah would take care of him. Thousands were slain by the Chaldeans, but this lowly servant could not be hurt. We, too, may be fearful of ones who are bitter against us; but if we have been faithful to the Lord's cause in the hour of persecution, He will be faithful to us. No cup of cold water given to a despised prophet of God shall be without its reward; and if we stand up for Jesus, Jesus will stand up for us."
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 4, 2011

                                                                          The Word, Necessary Food

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

                                                                                                               ~ Matthew 4:4

  "If God so willed it we could live without bread, even as Jesus did for forty days; but we could not live without His Word. By that Word we were created, and by it alone can we be kept in being. Bread is a second cause; the Lord Himself is the first source of our sustenance. Let us not be too eager after the visible, but let us look to the invisible God.

  We must have the Word of the Lord. With this alone we can withstand the devil. Our souls need food and there is none for them outside of the Word of the Lord. All the books and all the preachers in the world cannot furnish us a single meal: it is only the Word from the mouth of God that can fill the mouth of a believer. Lord, evermore give us this bread. We prize it above all."
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 3, 2011

                                                                                            A Guide All the Way

                                                                            He will be our guide even to death.

                                                                                  ~ Psalm 48:14

Through life He

guides us.

  "We need a guide. Often we are willing to do right, but we do not know which road to follow.
  The Lord promises to serve as our guide. He knows the way and will pilot us till we reach our journey's end. Surely we do not desire more infallible direction. Let us place ourselves absolutely under His guidance and we shall not miss the right road of life, provided we lean upon Him every step we take.

Through death He guides us.

  Our comfort is that, as He is our God forever, He will never cease to be with us as our guide. "Even to death" will He lead us. This promise of divine guidance involves lifelong security: salvation at once, guidance unto our last hour, and then endless blessedness. This day let us look up for guidance before we trust ourselves out of doors."
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 2, 2011

                                                                                           Refreshing Sleep

                                                                                 He gives His beloved sleep.

                                                                             ~ Psalm 127:2

  "Ours is not a life of anxiety but of happy faith. Our Father will supply the wants of His children, and He knows what we need before we ask Him. If we have learned to rely upon Him then we shall not lie awake with fear gnawing at us; but we shall leave our care with the Lord, and He will give us refreshing sleep.

  To be the Lord's beloved is the highest possible honor. He who has it may feel that ambition itself could desire no more, and therefore every selfish wish may fall asleep. What more is there than the God's love? Rest then, for you have all things.

  Jesus is our peace, our rest, our all. On His bosom we sleep in peace, both in life and in death.

  "Sprinkled afresh with pardoning blood,

 I lay me down to rest

As in the embraces of my God,

Or on my Savior's breast."

(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

July 1, 2011

                                                                                God with Us

                                                                          God will be with you.

                                                                                                ~ Genesis 48:21

  "When Jacob's hour came to depart from this world he assured his son, "God will be with you." When our dearest relations or friends are called home by death, we must console ourselves that the Lord is not departed from us, but abides with us forever.
  If God be with us, we are in ennobling company and have all-sufficient strength, for nothing is too hard for the Lord. If God be with us, we are always safe, for none can harm those who walk under His shadow. What joy is here! Not only is God with us, but He will be with us. The very name of Jesus is Immanuel - God with us. Let us be diligent and joyously hopeful. Our cause must prosper; the truth must win, for the Lord is with those who are with Him.
  All this day, may this sweet word be enjoyed by every believer. No greater happiness is possible."
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)

Faith's Checkbook (By: C.H. Spurgeon)

June 30, 2011

                                                                                              Back, Then Forward

"Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you."

                                                                                   ~ Ezekiel 16:60

  "Notwithstanding our sins, the Lord is still faithful in His love to us.
  He looks back. See how He remembers those  early days of ours when He took us into covenant with Himself, and we gave ourselves over to Him. He rather looks to His covenant with us than to our covenant with Him. How gracious is the Lord to look back in love!

  He looks forward also. He is resolved that the covenant shall not fail. If we do not stand to it, He does. He solemnly declares, "I will establish an everlasting covenant with you." He has no mind to draw back from His promises. Blessed be His name! He rests in His covenant engagements. "He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself" (2 Tim. 2:13).
  O Lord, lay this precious word upon my heart, and help me to feed upon it all this day!"
(By: Charles H. Spurgeon ~ One Minute Devotions)