Morning and Evening with Charles Spurgeon

“The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.” — Proverbs 16:33 If the disposal of the lot is the Lord’s whose is the arrangement of our whole life? If the a simple casting of a lot is guided by Him, how much more the events of our […]

“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.” — Proverbs 27:23 Every wise merchant will occasionally hold a stock-taking, when he will cast up his accounts, examine what he has on hand, and ascertain decisively whether his trade is prosperous or declining. Every man who is wise […]

“Rend your heart, and not your garments.” — Joel 2:13 Garment-rendering and other outward signs of religious emotion, are easily manifested and are frequently hypocritical; but to feel true repentance is far more difficult, and consequently far less common. Men will attend to the most multiplied and minute ceremonial regulations — for such things are […]

“I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” — John 10:9 Jesus, the great I AM, is the entrance into the true church, and the way of access to God Himself. He gives to the man who comes to […]

“I remember thee.” — Jeremiah 2:2 Let us note that Christ delights to think upon His Church, and to look upon her beauty. As the bird returneth often to its nest, and as the wayfarer hastens to his home, so doth the mind continually pursue the object of its choice. We cannot look too often […]

“Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened.” — Isaiah 48:8 It is painful to remember that, in a certain degree, this accusation may be laid at the door of believers, who too often are in a measure spiritually insensible. We may well bewail ourselves […]

“Come unto me.” — Matthew 11:28 The cry of the Christian religion is the gentle word, “Come.” The Jewish law harshly said, “Go, take heed unto thy steps as to the path in which thou shalt walk. Break the commandments, and thou shalt perish; keep them, and thou shalt live.” The law was a dispensation […]

“And lay thy foundations with sapphires.” — Isaiah 54:11 Not only that which is seen of the church of God, but that which is unseen, is fair and precious. Foundations are out of sight, and so long as they are firm it is not expected that they should be valuable; but in Jehovah’s work everything […]

“Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her.” — Ruth 1:14 Both of them had an affection for Naomi, and therefore set out with her upon her return to the land of Judah. But the hour of test came; Naomi most unselfishly set before each of them the trials which awaited them, and bade […]

“I am crucified with Christ.” — Galatians 2:20 The Lord Jesus Christ acted in what He did as a great public representative person, and His dying upon the cross was the virtual dying of all His people. Then all His saints rendered unto justice what was due, and made an expiation to divine vengeance for […]

“They go from strength to strength.” — Psalm 84:7 They go from strength to strength. There are various renderings of these words, but all of them contain the idea of progress. Our own good translation of the authorized version is enough for us this morning. “They go from strength to strength.” That is, they grow […]

“I will make thy windows of agates.” — Isaiah 54:12 The church is most instructively symbolized by a building erected by heavenly power, and designed by divine skill. Such a spiritual house must not be dark, for the Israelites had light in their dwellings; there must therefore be windows to let the light in and […]

“Salt without prescribing how much.” — Ezra 7:22 Salt was used in every offering made by fire unto the Lord, and from its preserving and purifying properties it was the grateful emblem of divine grace in the soul. It is worthy of our attentive regard that, when Artaxerxes gave salt to Ezra the priest, he […]

“They have dealt treacherously against the Lord.” — Hosea 5:7 Believer, here is a sorrowful truth! Thou art the beloved of the Lord, redeemed by blood, called by grace, preserved in Christ Jesus, accepted in the Beloved, on thy way to heaven, and yet, “thou hast dealt treacherously” with God, thy best friend; treacherously with […]

“His ways are everlasting.” — Habakkuk 3:6 What He hath done at one time, He will do yet again. Man’s ways are variable, but God’s ways are everlasting. There are many reasons for this most comforting truth: among them are the following — the Lord’s ways are the result of wise deliberation; He ordereth all […]

“Ye serve the Lord Christ.” — Colossians 3:24 To what choice order of officials was this word spoken? To kings who proudly boast a right divine? Ah, no! too often do they serve themselves or Satan, and forget the God whose sufferance permits them to wear their mimic majesty for their little hour. Speaks then […]

“Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:24 Heaven is a place where we shall never sin; where we shall cease our constant watch against an indefatigable enemy, because there will be no tempter to ensnare our feet. There the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are […]

“Whose heart the Lord opened.” — Acts 16:14 In Lydia’s conversion there are many points of interest. It was brought about by providential circumstances. She was a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, but just at the right time for hearing Paul we find her at Philippi; providence, which is the handmaid of […]

“So shall we ever be with the Lord.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Even the sweetest visits from Christ, how short they are — and how transitory! One moment our eyes see Him, and we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, but again a little time and we do not see Him, for our […]

“My people shall dwell in quiet resting places.” — Isaiah 32:18 Peace and rest belong not to the unregenerate, they are the peculiar possession of the Lord’s people, and of them only. The God of Peace gives perfect peace to those whose hearts are stayed upon Him. When man was unfallen, his God gave him […]

“Therefore will the Lord wait that He may be gracious unto you.” — Isaiah 30:18 God often DELAYS IN ANSWERING PRAYER. We have several instances of this in sacred Scripture. Jacob did not get the blessing from the angel until near the dawn of day — he had to wrestle all night for it. The […]

“Thou, O God, hast prepared of Thy goodness for the poor.” — Psalm 68:10 All God’s gifts are prepared gifts laid up in store for wants foreseen. He anticipates our needs; and out of the fulness which He has treasured up in Christ Jesus, He provides of His goodness for the poor. You may trust […]

“Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.” — Revelation 3:4 We may understand this to refer to justification. “They shall walk in white”; that is, they shall enjoy a constant sense of their own justification by […]

“I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” — 1 Corinthians 9:22 Paul’s great object was not merely to instruct and to improve, but to save. Anything short of this would have disappointed him; he would have men renewed in heart, forgiven, sanctified, in fact, saved. Have […]

“Base things of the world hath God chosen.” — 1 Corinthians 1:28 Walk the streets by moonlight, if you dare, and you will see sinners then. Watch when the night is dark, and the wind is howling, and the picklock is grating in the door, and you will see sinners then. Go to yon jail, […]

“Girt about the paps with a golden girdle.” — Revelation 1:13 One like unto the Son of Man” appeared to John in Patmos, and the beloved disciple marked that He wore a girdle of gold. A girdle, for Jesus never was ungirt while upon earth, but stood always ready for service, and now before the […]

“As is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.” — 1 Corinthians 15:48 The head and members are of one nature, and not like that monstrous image which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. The head was of fine gold, but the belly and thighs were of brass, the legs of iron, and the […]

“And the Lord shewed me four carpenters.” — Zechariah 1:20 In the vision described in this chapter, the prophet saw four terrible horns. They were pushing this way and that way, dashing down the strongest and the mightiest; and the prophet asked, “What are these?” The answer was, “These are the horns which have scattered […]

“Ask, and it shall be given you.” — Matthew 7:7 We know of a place in England still existing, where a dole of bread is served to every passerby who chooses to ask for it. Whoever the traveller may be, he has but to knock at the door of St. Cross Hospital, and there is […]

“Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” — Romans 8:23 This groaning is universal among the saints: to a greater or less extent we all feel it. It is not the groan of murmuring or complaint: it is rather the note of desire than of […]

“I have much people in this city.” — Acts 18:10 This should be a great encouragement to try to do good, since God has among the vilest of the vile, the most reprobate, the most debauched and drunken, an elect people who must be saved. When you take the Word to them, you do so […]

“The Lord mighty in battle.” — Psalm 24:8 Well may our God be glorious in the eyes of His people, seeing that He has wrought such wonders for them, in them, and by them. For them, the Lord Jesus upon Calvary routed every foe, breaking all the weapons of the enemy in pieces by His […]

“There is no spot in thee.” — Song of Solomon 4:7 Having pronounced His Church positively full of beauty, our Lord confirms His praise by a precious negative, “There is no spot in I thee.” As if the thought occurred to the Bridegroom that the carping world would insinuate that He had only mentioned her […]

“Behold, all is vanity.” — Ecclesiastes 1:14 Nothing can satisfy the entire man but the Lord’s love and the Lord’s own self. Saints have tried to anchor in other roadsteads, but they have been driven out of such fatal refuges. Solomon, the wisest of men, was permitted to make experiments for us all, and to […]

“Thou art all fair, my love.” — Song of Solomon 4:7 The Lord’s admiration of His Church is very a wonderful, and His description of her beauty is very glowing. She is not merely fair, but “all fair.” He views her in Himself, washed in His sin-atoning blood and clothed in His meritorious righteousness, and […]

“O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men.” — Psalm 107:8 If we complained less, and praised more, we should be happier, and God would be more glorified. Let us daily praise God for common mercies — common as we frequently call them, […]

“Thou hast made summer and winter.” — Psalm 74:17 My soul begin this wintry month with thy God. The cold snows and the piercing winds all remind thee that He keeps His covenant with day and night, and tend to assure thee that He will also keep that glorious covenant which He has made with […]

“Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels.” — Revelation 12:7 War always will rage between the two great sovereignties until one or other be crushed. Peace between good and evil is an impossibility; the very pretence of it would, in fact, be the triumph of the powers […]

“And amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.” — 2 Chronicles 25:9 A very important question this seemed to be […]

“Spices for anointing oil.” — Exodus 35:8 Much use was made of this anointing oil under the law, and that which it represents is of primary importance under the gospel. The Holy Spirit, who anoints us for all holy service, is indispensable to us if we would serve the Lord acceptably. Without His aid our […]

“Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people … Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.” — Leviticus 19:16, 17 Tale-bearing emits a threefold poison; for it injures the teller, the hearer, and the person concerning whom the tale is told. Whether the […]

“Seeking the wealth of his people.” — Esther 10:3 Mordecai was a true patriot, and therefore, being exalted to the highest position under Ahasuerus, he used his eminence to promote the prosperity of Israel. In this he was a type of Jesus, who, upon His throne of glory, seeks not His own, but spends His […]

“For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.” — 3 John 3 The truth was in Gaius, and Gaius walked in a the truth. If the first had not been the case, the second could never have occurred; and […]

“The forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” — Ephesians 1:7 Could there be a sweeter word in any language than that word “forgiveness,” when it sounds in a guilty sinner’s ear, like the silver notes of jubilee to the captive Israelite? Blessed, for ever blessed be that dear star of pardon […]

“Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord.” — Zechariah 3:1 In Joshua the high priest we see a picture of each and every child of God, who has been made nigh by the blood of Christ, and has been taught to minister in holy things, and enter into that which is […]

“They shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel.” — Zechariah 4:10 Small things marked the beginning of the work in the hand of Zerubbabel, but none might despise it, for the Lord had raised up one who would persevere until the headstone should be brought forth with shoutings. The plummet […]

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” — Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do,” refers to works that are possible. There are many things which our heart findeth to do which we never shall do. It is well it is in our heart; but if we would be eminently […]

“For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” — Romans 9:15 In these words the Lord in the plainest manner claims the right to give or to withhold His mercy according to His own sovereign will. As […]

“To preach deliverance to the captives.” — Luke 4.18 None but Jesus can give deliverance to captives. Real liberty cometh from Him only. It is a liberty righteously bestowed; for the Son, who is Heir of all things, has a right to make men free. The saints honour the justice of God, which now secures […]

“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.” — Proverbs 24:33, 34 The worst of sluggards only ask for a little slumber; they would be indignant if they were accused of thorough […]