ADVENT
Watchwoman: This year, 2011, the First Sunday in Advent began on November 27th.
Today, in this special and holy month of Advent, I want to share with you, my all-time favorite devotion based upon the Bible Scripture . . .
[Psalms 74:17] Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter. (KJV)
I look forward to reading this great devotion every year, remembering from year to year that it is there for me on the first day in the month of December, just when the days are growing darker and colder that could depress even the brightest mood. Dr. Charles H. Spurgeon puts it all into perspective for me every December 1st. I always look forward to this devotion by Dr. Spurgeon on December 1, beginning not only the Liturgical Year of Advent (in many years) but in my own personal Season of Advent. This inspiring devotion Dr. Spurgeon left us is part of his collection in a book entitled “Morning & Evening Daily Devotionals”. He was born June 19, 1834, and he went home to be with the LORD on January 31 , 1892. Regardless of which denomination you attend and what theology you ascribe, you will find that Dr. Spurgeon’s great sermons and devotionals are an inspiration and timely instruction on how to live a devoted, victorious Scriptural Life in Christ. ▬ Donna Calvin
[P. S. I want to offer a special thanks to Rick Meyers free software that I open daily making use of what I’ve downloaded free from his web site at: http://www.e-sword.net that has continued to be an invaluable source to locate Bible Scriptures, commentaries, devotionals, dictionaries and much more. — See below under “Sources”. You can download this free software too.]
(Wikipedia) Dr. Spurgeon was a British Particular Baptist preacher who remains highly influential among Christians of different denominations, among whom he is still known as the “Prince of Preachers”. He was a strong figure in the Reformed Baptist tradition, defending the Church in agreement with the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith understanding, and opposing the liberal and pragmatic theological tendencies in the Church of his day.
In his lifetime, Spurgeon preached to around 10,000,000 people,[1] often up to 10 times each week at different places. His sermons have been translated into many languages. Spurgeon was the pastor of the congregation of the New Park Street Chapel (later the Metropolitan Tabernacle) in London for 38 years.[2] He was part of several controversies with the Baptist Union of Great Britain and later had to leave the denomination.[3] In 1857, he started a charity organization called Spurgeon’s which now works globally. He also founded Spurgeon’s College, which was named after him posthumously.
Spurgeon was a prolific author of many types of works including sermons, an autobiography, commentaries, books on prayer, devotionals, magazines, poetry, hymns and more.[4][5] Many sermons were transcribed as he spoke and were translated into many languages during his lifetime. Spurgeon produced powerful sermons of penetrating thought and precise exposition. His oratory skills held throngs of listeners spellbound in the Metropolitan Tabernacle and many Christians have discovered Spurgeon’s messages to be among the best in Christian literature. (End of Wikipedia quote)
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December 1
Morning
“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 thee in the person of Christ Jesus. He who is true to his Word in the revolutions of the seasons of this poor sin-polluted world, will not prove unfaithful in his dealings with his own well-beloved Son.
Winter in the soul is by no means a comfortable season, and if it be upon thee just now it will be very painful to thee: but there is this comfort, namely, that the Lord makes it. He sends the sharp blasts of adversity to nip the buds of expectation: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes over the once verdant meadows of our joy: he casteth forth his ice like morsels freezing the streams of our delight. He does it all, he is the great Winter King, and rules in the realms of frost, and therefore thou canst not murmur. Losses, crosses, heaviness, sickness, poverty, and a thousand other ills, are of the Lord’s sending, and come to us with wise design. Frosts kill noxious insects, and put a bound to raging diseases; they break up the clods, and sweeten the soul. O that such good results would always follow our winters of affliction!
How we prize the fire just now! how pleasant is its cheerful glow! Let us in the same manner prize our Lord, who is the constant source of warmth and comfort in every time of trouble. Let us draw nigh to him, and in him find joy and peace in believing. Let us wrap ourselves in the warm garments of his promises, and go forth to labours which befit the season, for it were ill to be as the sluggard who will not plough by reason of the cold; for he shall beg in summer and have nothing.
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Sources:
Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Spurgeon
More about Charles Spurgeon: http://charlesspurgeon.org/
MUCH OF THIS POST WAS COPIED AND PASTED.
Rick Meyers – Free Downloadable Software
Rick Meyers writes:
“Freely you received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)
Jesus told us that since we’ve been blessed we should bless others. I am happy to provide a blessing to others in the form of free Bible study software!
As a Bible student and teacher I have experienced the necessary work involved in searching the Scriptures for the competent preparation of a Bible study, Sunday school lesson, or a sermon. There are volumes of books available as study tools (and the Christian community is indebted to the various authors’ perseverance and scholarship), but there is not enough time, money, or shelf space to properly take advantage of these resources. Computer software has changed the way we can study the Word of GOD. With a simple search or click of the mouse button, we now have access to these same volumes of scholarship within seconds!
e-Sword is a fast and effective way to study the Bible. e-Sword is feature rich and user friendly with more capabilities than you would expect in a free software package. The fact that e-Sword is free is just one of the blessings and does not speak of the quality of the software. I make my living writing software and I believe I have put forth my best effort in this endeavor. The real work, however, was put in by the godly men and women who devoted countless years creating the texts that have been made available for our benefit.
In His service,
Rick Meyers
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