I Will Fear No Evil

Ok, I know it has been a whole week since my last blog. And, based upon my title, some may think that I am trying to muscle in on our "Pilgrim Ponderings" (a ministry of Hope CBC delivering daily quotes from great men and preachers of the faith right to your email - http://www.xlministries.org/pilgrimponderings.php - hosted via the web-site of a like-minded ministry). However, as the pastor I have heard about a lot of trials and sufferings this week on the part of the people. I have been in prayer, in tears and in utter dependence upon God, beseeching Him to encourage and satisfy His people.

This afternoon, as I came into my office to make some final revisions to my message, I happened to read Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening," April 8th pm. I could not believe how much it spoke to me as well as addressing some of the issues that many of this flock are facing. Therefore, I submit this to you all for your encouragement and edification. May God use this to bring joy to your soul:

"I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me." (by Charles Spurgeon)
Psalm 23:4

Behold, how independent of outward circumstances the Holy Ghost can make the Christian! What a bright light may shine within us when it is all dark without! How firm, how happy, how calm, how peaceful we may be, when the world shakes to and fro, and the pillars of the earth are removed! Even death itself, with all its terrible influences, has no power to suspend the music of a Christian's heart, but rather makes that music become more sweet, more clear, more heavenly, till the last kind act which death can do is to let the earthly strain melt into the heavenly chorus, the temporal joy into the eternal bliss! Let us have confidence, then, in the blessed Spirit's power to comfort us.

Dear reader, are you looking forward to poverty? Fear not; the divine Spirit can give you, in your want, a greater plenty than the rich have in their abundance. You know not what joys may be stored up for you in the cottage around which grace will plant the roses of content. Are you conscious of a growing failure of your bodily powers? Do you expect to suffer long nights of languishing and days of pain? O be not sad! That bed may become a throne to you. You little know how every pang that shoots through your body may be a refining fire to consume your dross - a beam of glory to light up the secret parts of your soul. Are the eyes growing dim? Jesus will be your light. Do the ears fail you? Jesus' name will be your soul's best music, and His person your dear delight. Socrates used to say, "Philosophers can be happy without music;" and Christians can be happier than philosophers when all outward causes of rejoicing are withdrawn. In Thee, my God, my heart shall triumph, come what may of ills without! By thy power, O blessed Spirit, my heart shall be exceeding glad, though all things should fail me here below.

And now, let me follow this up with this Scripture:

Psalm 5:11-12
11 But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You. 12 For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him with favor as with a shield.

Please let me know if this has ministered to you.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Ed