C. H. Spurgeon's Morning & Evening Devotional: 09/11/PM
Bible software
For a complete Bible study software package with over one million cross-references
combined, try SwordSearcher.
SwordSearcher has tens of thousands of topical and encyclopedic entries
all linked to scripture, fully searchable and indexed by both topic and
verse reference, and includes Spurgeon's Morning and Evening devotional.
Also, try Daily Bible and Prayer to keep track of your prayer list, do a daily devotional from C. H. Spurgeon's Faith Checkbook, and make Bible reading plans.
Back to Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotional index
"Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies."
--Psalms 5:8
Very bitter is the enmity of the world against the people of Christ. Men will forgive a thousand faults in others, but they will magnify the most trivial offence in the followers of Jesus. Instead of vainly regretting this, let us turn it to account, and since so many are watching for our halting, let this be a special motive for walking very carefully before God. If we live carelessly, the lynx-eyed world will soon see it, and with its hundred tongues, it will spread the story, exaggerated and emblazoned by the zeal of slander. They will shout triumphantly. "Aha! So would we have it! See how these Christians act! They are hypocrites to a man." Thus will much damage be done to the cause of Christ, and much insult offered to His name. The cross of Christ is in itself an offence to the world; let us take heed that we add no offence of our own. It is "to the Jews a stumblingblock": let us mind that we put no stumblingblocks where there are enough already. "To the Greeks it is foolishness": let us not add our folly to give point to the scorn with which the worldly-wise deride the gospel. How jealous should we be of ourselves! How rigid with our consciences! In the presence of adversaries who will misrepresent our best deeds, and impugn our motives where they cannot censure our actions, how circumspect should we be! Pilgrims travel as suspected persons through Vanity Fair. Not only are we under surveillance, but there are more spies than we reck of. The espionage is everywhere, at home and abroad. If we fall into the enemies' hands we may sooner expect generosity from a wolf, or mercy from a fiend, than anything like patience with our infirmities from men who spice their infidelity towards God with scandals against His people. O Lord, lead us ever, lest our enemies trip us up!
Entry taken from Morning and Evening, by Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892). Morning and Evening is available in print and is part of SwordSearcher Bible Software.
Next reading: 09/12/AM