Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Do Not Fear Evil Tidings

Psalm 112:7
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings.


Christian, you ought not to dread the arrival of evil tidings; because if you are distressed by them, what do you more than other men? Other men have not your God to fly to; they have never proved His faithfulness as you have done, and it is no wonder if they are bowed down with alarm and cowed with fear: but you profess to be of another spirit; you have been begotten again unto a lively hope, and your heart lives in heaven and not on earthly things; now, if you are seen to be distracted as other men, what is the value of that grace which you profess to have received? Where is the dignity of that new nature which you claim to possess? Again, if you should be filled with alarm, as others are, you would, doubtless, be led into the sins so common to others under trying circumstances. The ungodly, when they are overtaken by evil tidings, rebel against God; they murmur, and think that God deals hardly with them. Will you fall into that same sin? Will you provoke the Lord as they do? Moreover, unconverted men often run to wrong means in order to escape from difficulties, and you will be sure to do the same if your mind yields to the present pressure. Trust in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Your wisest course is to do as Moses did at the Red Sea, "Stand still and see the salvation of God." For if you give way to fear when you hear of evil tidings, you will be unable to meet the trouble with that calm composure which nerves for duty, and sustains under adversity. How can you glorify God if you play the coward? Saints have often sung God's high praises in the fires, but will your doubting and desponding, as if you had none to help you, magnify the Most High? Then take courage, and relying in sure confidence upon the faithfulness of your covenant God, "let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Devotional by Charles Spurgeon

10 comments:

Denise said...

Very comforting.

LivingforGod said...

I love Spurgeon. Thanks for sharing this wonderful devotional! I just finished reading Fearless by Max Lucado not long ago. Fear cripples people. We need to focus on God's attributes, instead of circumstances. Through fire and storm, may we never lose the opportunity to glorify Him.

Laurencita said...

Amen! Thanks for sharing.

Cherdecor said...

Spurgeon's devotional is so true. If we fear, how are we so different from those who have no hope? Thanks for sharing.

Deborah said...

Just what I needed to read! Thanks Cathy.

Karen said...

Beautiful devotional...thanks for sharing!

LivingforGod said...

Cathy, here's the link to my poem again: http://bornagainandblessed.blogspot.com/2009/08/complete-in-christ.html . The title of the poem is "Complete in Christ." It was posted on August 9, 2009. Hope you can find it this time :).

SmilingSally said...

God is in control, and we should trust Him.

Anonymous said...

What an encouraging devotional! Thanks for sharing, Cathy!

Have a blessed weekend!
Sharon

Maxine said...

As far as I'm concerned, there's a lot of bad tidings these days. " Trust in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." That we must do. Thanks again, Mr. Spurgeon.