March 2nd Morning

0:00You are listening to Morning and Evening, a daily devotional work by Reverend Charles Spurgeon. This reading is brought to you by the Spurgeon Study Bible, available in the original King James Version, or the Christian Standard Bible, at SpurgeonStudyBible.com. Good morning, today is March the 2nd. But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his share and his coater and his axe and his matic, 1 Samuel 13 verse 20. We are engaged in a great war with the Philistines of evil. Every weapon within our reach must be used.

1:00Preaching, teaching, praying, giving, all must be brought into action, and talents which have been thought to mean for service must now be employed. Coater and axe and matic may all be useful in slaying Philistines. Half tools may deal hard blows, and killing need not be elegantly done, so long as it is done effectually. Each moment of time, in season or out of season, each fragment of ability, educated or untuted, each opportunity, favourable or unfavourable, must be used for our foes or many and our force but slender. After our tools run sharpening, we need quickness of perception, tact, energy, promptness, inner word, complete adaptation for the Lord's work. Practical common sense is a very scarce thing among the conductors of Christian enterprises.

2:03We might learn from our enemies if we would, and so make the Philistines sharpen our weapons. This morning, let us note enough to sharpen our zeal during this day by the aid of the Holy Spirit. See the energy of the tapests, how they compass see and land to make one proselyt. Are they to monopolize all the earnestness? Mark the heath and devotees, what torches they endure in the service of their idols? Are they alone to exhibit patience and self-sacrifice? Have the prince of darkness, how persevering in his endeavors, how unabashed in his attempts, how daring in his plans, how thoughtful in his plots, how energetic in all? The devils are united as one man in their infamous rebellion, while we believers in Jesus are divided in our service of God and scarcely ever work with unanimity. Oh, that from Satan's infernal industry, we may learn to go about like good Samaritans,

3:09seeking whom we may bless. May love and faithfulness never leave you, may they be bound around your neck and written on the tablet of your heart this day.