September 25 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 10:6–13

Devotional

It is a strange, but true, fact that there is such a thing as being proud of grace. One says, “I have strong faith, I will not fall; someone with weak faith may, but I never will.” Another says, “I love the Lord fervently, I will stand; there is no danger of my going astray.”

He who boasts of grace has little grace to boast of. Some who do this imagine that their graces can keep them, not realising unless the stream flows constantly from the fountain head, the brook will soon dry up. If a continuous supply of oil does not come to the lamp then, even though it may burn brightly today, tomorrow it will smoke and stink to high heaven.

Watch out that you do not glory in your graces. No, let all your glorying and confidence be in Jesus Christ and his strength, for only in this way can you be kept from falling. Be much more in prayer. Spend longer time in holy adoration. Read the Scriptures more earnestly and constantly. Watch your life more carefully. Live more nearly to God. Take the best examples for your pattern. Let your conversation smell of heaven. Let your heart be perfumed with love for people’s souls. Live in such a way that others may recognise that you have been with Jesus, and that you have learned from him. And when that happy day comes, when he whom you love shall say, “Friend, move up to a better place” (Lk. 14:10), may it be your happiness to hear him say, “You have fought the good fight, you have finished the race, you have kept the faith. Now there is in store for you the crown of righteousness, which will not fade away” (2 Tim. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:4).

Press on, Christian, with care and caution! Press on, with holy fear and trembling! Press on, with faith and confidence in Jesus alone, and let your constant petition be, “Sustain me, my God, according to your promise” (Ps 119:116). He, and he alone, is “able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy” (Jude 1:24).

[March 14, morning]

Extracted from C. H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening (public domain), language modernized by Larry E. Wilson.