Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

 February 21– Evening

by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“Do you understand what you are reading?” 

—Acts 8:30

We should be abler teachers of others and less liable to be carried about by every wind of doctrine if we only sought to have a more intelligent understanding of the Word of God. But the Holy Spirit is the Author of the Scriptures, and he alone can enlighten us to rightly understand them; so, we should constantly ask for his teaching and guidance into all truth.

When the prophet Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, what did he do? He set himself to earnest prayer that God would open up the vision. The apostle John in his vision at Patmos saw a book sealed with seven seals which none was found worthy to open. It was later opened by the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who had prevailed to open it. But it is written first that John “wept much.” The tears of John were his liquid prayers and became the sacred keys by which the folded book was opened.

Therefore, profit yourself and others by desiring to be “filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” Remember that prayer is essential to your study. Like Daniel, you will understand the dream and the interpretation thereof when you have sought God; and, like John, you will see the seven seals of precious truth unloosed after you have wept much. Stones are not broken except by an earnest use of the hammer, and the stonebreaker must go down on his knees. So too, use the hammer of diligence, and let the knee of prayer be exercised, and there is not a stony doctrine in God’s revelation that will not be opened to you under the exercise of prayer and faith.

You may force your way through anything with the leverage of prayer. Thoughts and reasonings are like the steel wedges that take hold of truth, but prayer is the lever which forces open the iron chest of sacred mystery that we may get the treasure hidden within. [M&E]