The only way to repel Satan's subtlety is by acquiring true wisdom. Again I repeat it: man has none of that in himself. What then? Herein is true wisdom. If we would successfully wrestle with Satan, we must make the Holy Scriptures our daily resort. Out of this sacred book we must continually draw our armor and our ammunition. We must lay hold on the glorious doctrines of God's Word--make them our daily meat and drink. So will we be strong to resist the devil and joyful in discovering that he will flee. ~ Spurgeon Study Bible, Genesis, Genesis 3:1
When the Lord Jesus Christ intended to save us and to give us a sense of pardon of our sins, he began by convincing us of our iniquity. He dealt heavy blows at our self-righteousness. He laid us in the dust and seemed to roll us in the mire. It seemed as though he delighted to tread on us and to crush our every hope and destroy every fond expectation. It was all to wean us from self-righteousness, to pull us up by the roots, to prevent our growing and taking fast hold on the earth, to compel us to rest in his blood and righteousness and to seek our soul's life entirely from him. That great blessing of salvation is often preceded by thick clouds and tempests. Spurgeon Study Bible, Genesis 42:23-26
From the first moment when the love of God is revealed to us, right on to the hour when we will be in the presence of the Father in glory, we may depend on it that there is infinite love in every act of God in taking from us, just as much as in giving to us. ~ Spurgeon Study Bible, Job 1:21
One who is in Christ has Jesus as his nearest kinsman. Even closer than a brother, this kinsman participates in every pain that pierces our hearts. He is nearer to us than the nearest earthly relative can possibly be, for he enters more fully into the whole of our lives. Spurgeon Study Bible, Job 19:25
The Christian's sympathy should always be of the widest character because we serve a God of infinite love. Spurgeon Study Bible, Job 30:25
God still has a great many unwise children. You can easily find one if you look in the right place--I mean the mirror. Spurgeon Study Bible, Jonah 4:1-2
Love no one else and nothing else as you love God; but give him your whole body, soul, and spirit. Humble yourself before him. Come also with a firm reliance on his unchanging mercy, believing that though you have often forsaken him, he has never forsaken you. Spurgeon Study Bible, Amos 4:12
Faith is as vital to salvation as the heart is to the body. Therefore the javelins of the enemy are mainly aimed at this essential grace. Your faith is peculiarly obnoxious to Satan and to the world. If you had no faith, they would not be your enemies. Faith is that blessed grace that is most pleasing to God and, therefore, most displeasing to the devil. By faith God is greatly glorified, and by faith Satan is greatly annoyed. He rages at faith because he sees in it is own defeat and the victory of grace. ~ Spurgeon Study Bible, James 1:3
To see ourselves as God would have us see ourselves in the mirror of Scripture is something. But we must afterwards go to Christ for washing or our looking is superficial work. ~ Spurgeon Study Bible, James 1:24
The first link between my soul and Christ is not my goodness but my badness, not my merit but my misery, not my standing but my falling, not my riches but my need. ~ Spurgeon Study Bible, Matthew 1:21
When Christ calls us by his grace, we ought not only to remember what we are, but we ought also to think of what he can make us. It is, "Follow me, and I will make you." We should repent of what we have been but rejoice in what we may be. It is not, "Follow me, because of what you are already." It is not, "Follow me because you may make something of yourselves," but "Follow me because of what I will make you." ~ Spurgeon Study Bible, Matthew 4:19
"Our Father in heaven" -- I am a child away from home.
"Your name be honored as holy"--I am a worshiper.
"Your kingdom come"--I am a subject.
"Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"--I am a servant.
"Give us today our daily bread"--I am a beggar.
"And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors"--I am a sinner.
"And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one"--I am a sinner in danger of being a still greater sinner. ~ Spurgeon Study Bible, Matthew 6:13
"Love your neighbor as yourself." There are three important questions to consider regarding this command. First, whom are you to love? By the word "neighbor" we are to understand any person who is near us. Second, what are you to do to your neighbor? Love him. It is a hard thing--to love someone. It is not enough for you to say you do not hate your neighbor; you are to love him. It is not a negative command; it is a positive command. Love is not in the not doing; it is the doing. True, you must not injure him, but you have not done all when you have simply refrained from harming him. You ought to love him. Third, how are you to love your neighbor? This answer is "as yourself." How much does one love himself? None of us too little; some of us too much. You may love yourself as much as you please, but take care that you love your neighbor as much. Spurgeon Study Bible, Matthew 19:19
A humble heart is the key to profitably hearing the gospel. The soul-saving Word is not received except with meekness. A stiff back makes for a bad gleaner. What the gleaner gathers she keeps. If she dropped one ear to find another, the result of her day's work would be but meager; she is as careful to retain as to obtain. How often do I forget all that I hear; the second truth pushes the first out of my head, and so my reading and hearing end in much ado about nothing. Do I understand the importance of storing up the truth? Hunger helps make the gleaner wise; if she has no corn in her hand, there will be no bread on her table. My need is even greater, Lord; help me feel it, that it may urge me onward to glean in fields that yield to diligence a plenteous reward. ~ Spurgeon Study Bible, Ruth 2:17
© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible
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