Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

June 26– Evening

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

“Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 

—2 Peter 1:4

Put away forever any thoughts of indulging the flesh if you want to live in the power of your risen Lord. It is sick for one to think that a man who is alive in Christ can possibly dwell in the corruption of sin. “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” said the angel to Mary Magdalene. Do the living dwell in graves? Is the divine life housed in the prison of fleshly lust? How can we partake of the cup of the Lord and yet drink the cup of worthlessness?

Surely, believer, you have been delivered from flagrant lusts and sins; but have you escaped from its more secret and delusive traps? Have you conquered the lust of pride? Have you escaped from slothfulness? Have you been delivered from fleshly security? Are you seeking day by day to live above worldliness, the pride of life, and the ensnaring vice of greed? Remember, it is for this that you have been chosen by God and loved by him; don’t waste the lavish treasures of grace! Instead, follow after holiness; it is the Christian’s crown and glory. An unholy church is useless to the world and is held in low esteem among men. It is an abomination; it provokes both hell’s laughter and heaven’s abhorrence. Some of the worst evils that have come upon the world have been brought upon her by an unholy church.

O Christian, the vows of God are upon you. You are God’s priest: act like it! You are God’s king: reign over your lusts. You are God’s chosen: don’t waste it on nothing. Heaven is your portion: live like a heavenly spirit and prove that you have true faith in Jesus. There cannot be faith in the heart unless there be holiness in the life.

“Lord, I desire to live as one who bears a blood-bought name,
As one who fears only grieving You and knows no other shame.” [M&E]