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Pr. Charles Haddon Spurgeon
August 04 - Morning
"The people that do know their God shall be strong." (Daniel 11:32)
Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this
spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers
are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord;
they are said to "have an unction from the Holy One," and it is the Spirit’s peculiar office to lead
them into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge
strengthens love, as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our
Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that
portrait then we love Him, we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree.
If we know but little of the excellences of Jesus, what He has done for us, and what He is doing
now, we cannot love Him much; but the more we know Him, the more we shall love Him. Knowledge also
strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its existence? Hope may be the
telescope, but till we receive instruction, our ignorance stands in the front of the glass, and we
can see nothing whatever; knowledge removes the interposing object, and when we look through the
bright optic glass we discern the glory to be revealed, and anticipate it with joyous confidence.
Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have patience unless we know something of
the sympathy of Christ, and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly
Father sends us? Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be fostered
and brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important, then, is it that we should grow not only
in grace, but in the "knowledge" of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
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