Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

May 12– Morning

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

“And I will manifest myself to him.” 

—John 14:21

 

The Lord Jesus gives special revelations of himself to his people. Even if Scripture didn’t tell us this outright, many children of God have testified of this in their own experience. They have had manifestations of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in a peculiar manner, in a way that mere reading or hearing cannot explain. In the biographies of eminent saints, you will find many instances recorded in which Jesus has been pleased in a very special manner to speak to their souls and to unfold the wonders of his person. On these occasions, their souls have been steeped in happiness as if they had gone to Heaven itself, for, after all, when Jesus manifests himself to his people, it is Heaven on earth.

When special manifestations of Christ are given, a holy influence on the believer’s heart remains, and the first effect is humility. If a man says, “I have had such-and-such spiritual communications, I am a great man,” he has never had any communion with Jesus at all; for “God pays attention to the humble, but he keeps the proud at arm’s length.”

Another effect is sheer happiness, for in God’s presence there are pleasures forevermore.

Of course, holiness will be sure to follow. A man who has no holiness has never had a manifestation of Christ. Some men profess a great deal, but we must not believe any one unless we see that his deeds are in line with what he says.

These three effects always result from being near to Jesus– humility, happiness, and holiness. May God give them to you, O Christian, as you seek hard after him today. [M&E]