Scripture at Sunrise 03.28.2023

“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:6-7

No care but all prayer. No anxiety but much joyful communion with God. Carry your desires to the Lord of your life, the guardian of your soul. Go to Him with two portions of prayer and one of fragrant praise. Do not pray doubtfully but thankfully. Consider that you have your petitions, and therefore thank God for His grace. He is giving you grace; give Him thanks, Hide nothing. Allow no want to lie rankling in your bosom; “make known your requests.” Run not to man. Go only to your God, the Father of Jesus, who loves you in Him.

This shall bring you God’s own peace. You shall not be able to understand the peace which you shall enjoy. It will enfold you in its infinite embrace. Heart and mind through Christ Jesus shall be steeped in a sea of rest. Come life or death, poverty, pain, slander, you shall dwell in Jesus above every rolling wind or darkening cloud. Will you not obey this dear command?

Yes, Lord, I do believe thee; but, I beseech thee, help mine unbelief.

[from Faith’s Checkbook by Charles H. Spurgeon]

Scripture at Sunrise 11.08.2022

“My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” -2 Corinthians 12:9

Our weakness should be prized as making room for divine strength. We might never have known the power of grace if we had not felt the weakness of nature. Blessed be the Lord for the thorn in the flesh, and the messenger of Satan, when they drive us to the strength of God.

This is a precious word from our Lord’s own lip. It has made the writer laugh for joy. God’s grace enough for me! I should think it is. Is not the sky enough for the bird and the ocean enough for the fish? The All-Sufficient is sufficient for my largest want. He who is sufficient for earth and heaven is certainly able to meet the case of one poor worm like me.

Let us, then, fall back upon our God and His grace. If He does not remove our grief, He will enable us to bear it. His strength shall be poured into us till the worm shall thresh the mountains, and a nothing shall be victor over all the high and mighty ones. It is better for us to have God’s strength than our own; for if we were a thousand times as strong as we are, it would amount to nothing in the face of the enemy; and if we could be weaker than we are, which is scarcely possible, yet we could do all things through Christ. 

[from Faith’s Checkbook by Charles H. Spurgeon]

Scripture at Sunrise 06.02.2022

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. -2 Corinthians 12:9

“The only reason that we are ever scared of the will of God is because we cannot see the grace that will be there.” -Elisabeth Elliot (via Twitter)

Scripture at Sunrise 05.18.2022

“What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!” -Romans 6:15

“Grace does not grant permission to live in the flesh; it supplies power to live in the Spirit.” -John MacArthur

Scripture at Sunrise 04.21.2022

“And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” -2 Corinthians 12:9

“The promise is ‘My grace is sufficient’ (2 Cor 12:9), not ‘My grace will abolish your thorns.’” –Elisabeth Elliot

Scripture at Sunrise 03.23.2022

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” -Romans 6:14

“Grace does not grant permission to live in the flesh; it supplies power to live in the Spirit.” -John MacArthur

Scripture at Sunrise 03.22.2022

“He giveth grace unto the humble.” -James 4:6

Humble hearts seek grace, and therefore they get it. Humble hearts yield to the sweet influences of grace, and so it is bestowed on them more and more largely. Humble hearts lie in the valleys where streams of grace are flowing, and hence they drink of them. Humble hearts are grateful for grace and give the Lord the glory of it, and hence it is consistent with His honor to give it to them.

Come, dear reader, take a lowly place. Be little in thine own esteem, that the Lord may make much of thee. Perhaps the sigh breaks out, “I fear I am not humble.” It may be that this is the language of true humility. Some are proud of being humble, and this is one of the very worst sorts of pride. We are needy, helpless, undeserving, hell-deserving creatures, and if we are not humble we ought to be. Let us humble ourselves because of our sins against humility, and then the Lord will give us to taste of His favor. It is grace which makes us humble, and grace which finds in this humility an opportunity for pouring in more grace. Let us go down that we may rise. Let us be poor in spirit that God may make us rich. Let us be humble that we may not need to be humbled but may be exalted by the grace of God. 

[from Faith’s Checkbook by Charles H. Spurgeon]

Scripture at Sunrise 11.24.2021

“Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!” -2 Corinthians 9:15

Sin blinds our eyes to all the undeserved blessings in our lives. Grace opens our eyes and makes us thankful. -Paul Tripp via Twitter

Scripture at Sunrise 02.09.2021

“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried; they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.” -Zechariah 13:9

Grace transmutes us into precious metal, and then the fire and the furnace follows as a necessary consequence. Do we start at this? Would we sooner be accounted worthless, that we might enjoy repose, like the stones of the field! This would be to choose the viler part—like Esau, to take the pottage and give up the covenant portion. No, Lord; we will gladly be cast into the furnace rather than be cast out from Thy presence!

The fire only refines; it does not destroy. We are to be brought through the fire, not left in it. The Lord values His people as silver, and therefore He is at pains to purge away their dross. If we are wise, we shall rather welcome the refining process than decline it. Our prayer will be that our alloy may be taken from us rather than that we should be withdrawn from the crucible.

O Lord, Thou triest us indeed! We are ready to melt under the fierceness of the flame. Still, this is Thy way, and Thy way is the best. Sustain us under the trial and complete the process of our purifying, and we will be Thine forever and ever.

[from Faith’s Checkbook by Charles H. Spurgeon]

Scripture at Sunrise 01.14.2021

“Remember the wondrous works that He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He uttered,” -Psalm 105:5

Rather than starting the new year, beating yourself up for what you failed to do, start by building yourself up by remembering what God has done for you. Honest confession comes easier when you’re basking in God’s unrelenting grace. -Paul Tripp via Twitter