Believer be encouraged today

Charles Spurgeon Morning Devotion, May 28

"Whom he justified, them he also glorified."
- Romans 8:30

Here is a precious truth for thee, believer. Thou mayest be poor, or in suffering, or unknown, but for thine encouragement take a review of thy "calling" and the consequences that flow from it, and especially that blessed result here spoken of. As surely as thou art God’s child today, so surely shall all thy trials soon be at an end, and thou shalt be rich to all the intents of bliss. Wait awhile, and that weary head shall wear the crown of glory, and that hand of labour shall grasp the palm-branch of victory. Lament not thy troubles, but rather rejoice that ere long thou wilt be where "there shall be neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." The chariots of fire are at thy door, and a moment will suffice to bear thee to the glorified. The everlasting song is almost on thy lip. The portals of heaven stand open for thee. Think not that thou canst fail of entering into rest. If he hath called thee, nothing can divide thee from his love. Distress cannot sever the bond; the fire of persecution cannot burn the link; the hammer of hell cannot break the chain. Thou art secure; that voice which called thee at first, shall call thee yet again from earth to heaven, from death’s dark gloom to immortality’s unuttered splendours. Rest assured, the heart of him who has justified thee beats with infinite love towards thee. Thou shalt soon be with the glorified, where thy portion is; thou art only waiting here to be made meet for the inheritance, and that done, the wings of angels shall waft thee far away, to the mount of peace, and joy, and blessedness, where,

"Far from a world of grief and sin,
With God eternally shut in,"
thou shalt rest for ever and ever.

Right Goals and True Success

The new year always begins with resolutions or goals. Goals may be to read a book every month, lose weight, keep in touch with friends consistently, read the Bible every day, exercise regularly, learn a new skill, paint your house, get out of debt, etc. While all of these goals can be good they can be done without the right motive and with the wrong "success measuring tool".

I recently read an article about defining true success. Within that context, the author was pointing out that we can succeed for our own glory or for God's glory. She told a story of a girl who excelled at everything she did, graduating at the top of her class and being class valedictorian yet her success was empty. Why? Because she sought glory for herself and it was never enough. Then the author told another story about a man who chose to work hard while he was at work but when it was time to go home to his family, he did so. He lived his conviction to be a man of God and keep his family as his top priority after his Lord. Worrying about the outcome of this decision was not his focus, being obedient to God was.

In both cases there were goals and success. For the girl, the goals were accomplished and the success left her prideful yet empty. For the man, he accomplished what God called him to do as a man, employee and husband which was his goal. While he received earthly rewards, God was glorified by his obedience and faith - that success brought peace, fulfillment, and a lifestyle of humble dependence on God.

Which scenario best represents our lives? Are we characterized by a life that follows hard after God and His plans or by a life that is always seeking for more and more of what the world has to offer (at whatever price the world exacts)? It is my prayer that we are becoming ever increasingly more like Christ, seeing goals and success through His eyes.

In the article I mentioned, this wonderful hymn by Frances Brook was shared. Here I am sharing stanzas one and two. Enjoy!

"My Goal is God Himself"

My goal is God Himself, not joy, nor peace,
Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God;
'Tis His to lead me there- not mine, but His-
At any cost, dear Lord, by any road.

So faith bounds forward to it's goal in God,
And love can trust her Lord to lead her there;
Upheld by Him, my soul is following hard
Till God hath fulfilled my deepest prayer

The heavens declare the glory of the Lord

"Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and marked off the heavens by the span, and calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, and weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in a pair of scales?...

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

"It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in....

"Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing." Isaiah 40:12,21-22,26

God spoke the heavens into place, calls all of the stars by name, and measures the universe with the span of His hand. As you gaze into the night sky, give praise and glory to the One Who is the Author of it all. He is worthy!