From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Immediately Present
December 22
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
A help that is not present when we need it is of small value. The anchor which is left at home is of no use to the seaman in the hour of storm; the money which he used to have is of no worth to the debtor when a writ is out against him. Very few earthly helps could be called “very present”: they are usually far in the seeking, far in the using, and farther still when once used. But as for the Lord our God, He is present when we seek Him, present when we need Him, and present when we have already enjoyed His aid.
He is more than “present,” He is very present. More present than the nearest friend can be, for He is in us in our trouble; more present than we are to ourselves, for sometimes we lack presence of mind. He is always present, effectually present, sympathetically present, altogether present. He is present now if this is a gloomy season. Let us rest ourselves upon Him. He is our refuge, let us hide in Him; He is our strength, let us array ourselves with Him; He is our help, let us lean upon Him; He is our very present help, let us repose in Him now. We need not have a moment’s care or an instant’s fear. “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”
From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: absent, afraid, against, almighty, already, altogether, always, anchor, array, ask, attacks, battles, believers, bill, blessings, called, care, Christ, Christians, closer, clother, comfort, Comforter, courage, Death, debtor, Depression, earthly, effectually, Elohim, enjoyed, Faith, faithfulness, far, farther, Fear, few, foreclosure, forever, forgotten, found, friend, friendship, gloomy, God, God of Jacob, God's aid, God's people, God's Son, Great Physician, guide, happiness, have, healing, Heavenly Father, help, helper, helps, hide in, Holy Spirit, home, hope, hour, illnesses, instant:s, Jehovah, Jesus, joy, lawsuit, lead, left, Life, Lord, Lord of Hosts, Lord our God, lost, Mediator, misused, moment's, money, nearest, need, never, not, now, once, oppression, ourselves, patience, persecution, Pray, prayer, present, protect, protector, provide, Provider, refuge, repose, rest, Sadness, Savior, seaman, season, seek, seeking, self-help, self-trust, shelter, small, sorrow, still, storm, strength, struggles, sympathetically, sympathy, trials, tribulations, trouble, trust, trustworthy, upon, use, used, using, usually, value, very, worth, writ, Yahweh, Yeshua
From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Afflictions, But No Broken Bones
December 19
He keepeth all his bones; not one of them is broken. (Psalm 34:20)
This promise by the context is referred to the much afflicted righteous man: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” He may suffer skin wounds and flesh wounds, but no great harm shall be done; “not a bone of him shall be broken.”
This is great comfort to a tried child of God, and comfort which I dare accept; for up to this hour I have suffered no real damage from my many afflictions. I have neither lost faith, nor hope, nor love. Nay so far from losing these bones of character, they have gained in strength and energy. I have more knowledge, more experience, more patience, more stability than I had before the trials came. Not even my joy has been destroyed. Many a bruise have I had by sickness, bereavement, depression, slander, and opposition; but the bruise has healed, and there has been no compound fracture of a bone, not even a simple one. The reason is not far to seek. If we trust in the Lord, He keeps all our bones; and if He keeps them, we may be sure that not one of them is broken.
Come, my heart, do not sorrow. Thou art smarting, but there are no bones broken. Endure hardness and bid defiance to fear.
From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: accept, aching, afflicted, afflictions, all, almighty, attacks, battles, before, bereavement, bid, bone, bones, broken, bruise, came, care, character, Child of God, Christ, Christians, come, comfort, Comforter, Compassion, compound, context, damage, dare, defiance, deliverance, delivers, Depression, destroyed, done, Elohim, endurance, endure, energy, experience, Faith, far, Fear, flesh, fracture, frees, gained, God, God's people believers, God's Son, great, handicaps, hardness, hardships, harm, have, healed, Healer, healing, heals, heart, Heavenly Father, help, Holy Spirit, hope, hour, hurting, hurts, illnesses, injuries, Jehovah, Jesus, joy, keep, keeps, knowledge, Lord, losing, lost, love, man, many, more, mourn, much, neither, no, not, oit, one, opposition, oppression, overcome, overcomer, pain, pains, patience, persecution, Physician, Pray, Promise, protection, protector, protects, Provider, provides, provision, real, reason, referred, righteous, savees, Savior, scars, secures, seek, shall be, sickness, simple, skin, slander, smarting, sore, sorrow, stability, strength, struggles, suffer, suffered, sufferings, trials, tribulations, tried, trust, worry, wounds, Yahweh, Yeshua
From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Heavenly Alchemy
November 26
Your sorrow shall be turned into joy. (John 16:20)
Their particular sorrow was the death and absence of their Lord, and it was turned into joy when He rose from the dead and showed Himself in their midst. All the sorrows of saints shall be thus transmuted, even the worst of them, which look as if they must forever remain fountains of bitterness.
Then the more sorrow, the more joy. If we have loads of sorrow, then the Lord’s power will turn them into tons of joy. Then the bitterer the trouble the sweeter the pleasure: the swinging of the pendulum far to the left will cause it to go all the farther to the right. The remembrance of the grief shall heighten the flavor of the delight: we shall set the one in contrast with the other, and the brilliance of the diamond shall be the more clearly seen because of the black foil behind it.
Come, my heart, cheer up! In a little while I shall be as glad as I am now gloomy. Jesus tells me that by a heavenly alchemy my sorrow shall be turned into joy. I do not see how it is to be, but I believe it, and I begin to sing by way of anticipation. This depression of spirit is not for long; I shall soon be up among the happy ones who praise the Lord day and night, and there I shall sing of the mercy which delivered me out of great afflictions.
From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: absence, afflictions, almighty, among, anticipation, battles, begin, behind, Believe, bitter, bitterness, black, brilliance, cause, cheer, Christ, clearly, come, Comforter, contrast, day, dead, Death, delight, deliverance, delivered, Depression, diamond, Elohim, faithful, far, farther, flavor, foil, forever, fountains, glad, gloomy, go, God, God's Son, grief, happy, heart, heavenly, Heavenly Father, heighten, Holy Spirit, illnesses, Jehovah, Jesus, joy, left, little, loads, long, look, Lord, Lord's power, mercy, midst, more, night, one, other, particular, pendulum, pleasure, power, praise, Promise, protector, Provider, remain, remembrance, resurrection, right, risen, rose, saints, Savior, seen, set, shall, short, showed, sing, sorrow, Spirit, struggles, sweeter, swinging, tons, transmuted, trials, tribulation, trouble, turned, up, way, while, worst, Yahweh, Yeshua, your
From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Walk in Light
March 10
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. John 12:46)
This world is dark as midnight; Jesus has come that by faith we may have light and may no longer sit in the gloom which covers all the rest of mankind.
Whosoever is a very wide term: it means you and me. If we trust in Jesus we shall no more sit in the dark shadow of death but shall enter into the warm light of a day which shall never end. Why do we not come out into the light at once?
A cloud may sometimes hover over us, but we shall not abide in darkness if we believe in Jesus. He has come to give us broad daylight. Shall He come in vain.’ If we have faith we have the privilege of sunlight: let us enjoy it. From the night of natural depravity, of ignorance, of doubt, of despair, of sin, of dread, Jesus has come to set us free; and all believers shall know that He no more comes in vain than the sun rises and fails to scatter his heat and light.
Shake off thy depression, dear brother. Abide not in the dark, but abide in the light. In Jesus is thy hope, thy joy, thy heaven, Look to Him, to Him only, and thou shalt rejoice as the birds rejoice at sunrise and as the angels rejoice before the throne.
From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: battles, Believe, darkness, Depression, Faith, gloom, God, happiness, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, hope, Jehovah, Jesus, joy, light, Lord, mankind, overcome, Promise, Sadness, trials, tribulation, troubles, trust, World
From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Never Despair
February 1
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings. (Malachi 4:2)
Fulfilled once in the first advent of our glorious Lord, and yet to have a fuller accomplishment in His second advent, this gracious word is also for daily use. Is it dark with the reader? Does the night deepen into a denser blackness? Still let us not despair: the sun will yet rise. When the night is darkest, dawn is nearest.
The sun which will arise is of no common sort. It is the Sun — the Sun of Righteousness, whose every ray is holiness. He who comes to cheer us, comes in the way of justice as well as of mercy, comes to violate no law even to save us. Jesus as much displays the holiness of God as His love. Our deliverance, when it comes, will be safe because righteous.
Our one point of inquiry should be — “Do we fear the name of the Lord? Do we reverence the living God and walk in His ways?” Then for us the night must be short; and when the morning cometh, all the sickness and sorrow of our soul will be over forever. Light, warmth, joy, and clearness of vision will come, and healing of every disease and distress will follow after.
Has Jesus risen upon us? Let us sit in the sun. Has He hidden His face? Let us wait for His rising. He will shine forth as surely as the sun.
From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: accomplishment, advent, ailment, care, comfort, coming, darkness, Depression, Fear, God, handicap, healing, help, hope, illness, Jehovah, Jesus, joy, judgment, Lord, name, Promise, Sadness, sickness, Son of God, Sun of righteousness
From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Tears Shall Cease
January 28
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 21:4)
Yes, we shall come to this if we are believers. Sorrow shalt cease, and tears shall be wiped away. This is the world of weeping, but it passes away. There shall be a new heaven and a new earth, so says the first verse of this chapter; and therefore there will be nothing to weep over concerning the Fall and its consequent miseries. Read the second verse and note how it speaks of the bride and her marriage. The Lamb’s wedding is a time for boundless pleasure, and tears would be out of place. The third verse says that God Himself will dwell among men; and surely at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore, and tears can no longer flow.
What will our state be when there will be no more sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain? This will be more glorious than we can as yet imagine. O eyes that are red with weeping, cease your scalding flow, for in a little while ye shall know no more tears! None can wipe tears away like the God of love, but He is coming to do it. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Come, Lord, and tarry not; for now both men and women must weep!
From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: believers, blessing, Bride of Christ, Depression, Earth, Eyes, God, happiness, Heaven, Heavenly Father, Hurt, Jehovah, Jesus, Jesus the Groom, joy, Last Days, Lord, loss, love, Marriage Supper of the Lamb, pain, Promise, Rapture, Sadness, sorrow, Tears, trials, tribulation, weeping
From Charles Spurgeon’s “Faith’s Checkbook”
Immortal Till Work Done
October 31
I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. (Psalm 118:17)
A fair assurance this! It was no doubt based upon a promise, inwardly whispered in the psalmist’s heart, which he seized upon and enjoyed. Is my case like that of David? Am I depressed because the enemy affronts me? Are there multitudes against me and few on my side? Does unbelief bid me lie down and die in despair-a defeated, dishonored man? Do my enemies begin to dig my grave?
What then? Shall I yield to the whisper of fear, and give up the battle, and with it give up all hope? Far from it. There is life in me yet: “I shall not die.” Vigor will return and remove my weakness: “I shall live.” The Lord lives, and I shall live also. My mouth shall again be opened: “I shall declare the works of Jehovah.” Yes, and I shall speak of the present trouble as another instance of the wonder-working faithfulness and love of the Lord my God. Those who would gladly measure me for my coffin had better wait a bit, for “the Lord hath chastened me sore, but he hath not given me over unto death.” Glory be to His name forever! I am immortal till my work is done. Till the Lord wills it, no vault can close upon me.
From the Faith’s Checkbook Mobile Devotional Android app – http://www.LookingUpwardApps.com/fcb
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: assurance, attack, case, David, Depression, Devotional, die, enemies, enjoy, God, Jesus, live, Lord, Psalmist, whisper, works
This is a poem of mine that was published in the 2005 Who’s Who in Poetry. It won an Editor’s Choice Award, and was one of 3 specially featured in the book. To preface it, I had written it during a week long downpour of rain and storms, which reminded me of how during the worst times in my life how my own soul felt like a storm. The sunshine that finally calmed those storms is Jesus Christ, who is my Lord and Savior. Here is the poem.
The Darkness of the Soul
The darkness of the sky
Reflects the inner me,
Beyond the smiling face
Where no one else can see.
With each drop of rain that falls,
With every thundercloud that roars,
The darkness spreads the Earth,
Hiding the sun forevermore.
The aching heart cries out
For freedom and for hope,
But the storms of life
Keep things bound by painful ropes.
I long for the peace
Of a sunny summer day,
Praying that the wind
Will blow storms and pain away.
I want to feel the breeze,
And the warmth of rays of sun,
Clearing out the sadness
And the weeping I have done.
By: Bonita L. Ledzius Copyright 2005
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: Christian, Depression, Emotions, Faith, Jesus, Poem, Poetry, Sadness, Storms, weather
forhisgloryandpraise 
You must be logged in to post a comment.