Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

June 26– Morning

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

“Have you become like the rest of us?” 

—Isaiah 14:10

How terrible it will be when the souls of those who profess to know God actually have to appear naked before his judgment. How terrible to hear that voice say, “Depart from me, you cursed; you have rejected me, and I reject you. You have been unfaithful to me and have departed from me; I also have banished you forever from my presence and will not have mercy upon you.” How great will the humiliation be when this hypocrisy is unmasked before the assembled multitudes?

Perhaps all the sinners in Hell (who never professed to know Christ) will lift themselves up from the beds of fire to point at him. “There he is!” says one. “Will he preach the gospel in hell?” “There he is!” says another. “He scolded me for cursing and was a hypocrite himself!” “Aha!” says another, “here comes that song-singing church-goer; he was at every Church meeting and boasted of having everlasting life; and here he is!” Satan’s tormentors eagerly wait to drag the hypocrite’s soul down to hell.

Do you claim to know Christ? Then examine yourself, and consider whether you are truly in the faith. Look well into the condition of your heart. It is easy to give a lenient verdict when judging yourself; but O, be just and true here. Be just to all, but be rigorous to yourself. Remember if the house is not built on the rock, it will surely fall, and the fall will be great.

May the Lord give you sincerity, constancy, and firmness; and, no matter how evil the day may become, may you never be led to turn away from Christ who is your only hope. [M&E]