22 Jul Search and Look

Last Sunday, Pastor Will Jackson preached from Revelation 2:12-17 and pointed us to the truth that we are our brother’s keeper. As the people of God, Jesus expects our collective faithfulness to His Word and calls us to restore one another to faithfulness when we fall away into sin.

Read: Revelation 2:18-29

This Sunday, Pastor Ken Lewis will preach from Revelation 2:18-29 and will exhort us to heed Jesus’ call to the church at Thyatira to not tolerate sin and false teaching among ourselves by clinging to God’s grace. As you prepare for our Sunday gathering, let this devotional from Spurgeon encourage you to regularly practice self-examination before the Lord, that by his grace you may address any lies you are believing and sin you are practicing through repentance and renewed faith.

Reflect: “Search and Look”

“Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds.”
(Proverbs 27:23)

Every wise businessman will occasionally hold a stock-taking, when he will examine his accounts, consider what he has on hand, and determine clearly whether his trade is prosperous or declining. Every man who is wise in the kingdom of heaven will cry, “Search me, O God . . . Try me” (Psalm 139:23); and he will frequently set apart special seasons for self-examination, to discover whether things are right between God and his soul.

The God whom we worship is a great heart-searcher; and in the past His servants referred to Him as “I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you as your works deserve” (Revelation 2:23). Let me encourage you in His name to diligently search and solemnly test your spiritual state, for fear you should come short of the promised rest. This is what every wise man does, and what God Himself does with us all.

I exhort you to do the same yourself this evening. Let the oldest saint examine the basics of his piety, for gray heads may cover evil hearts: And the young professor should not despise the word of warning, for the greenness of youth may accompany the rottenness of hypocrisy. Every now and then a spiritual giant falls. The enemy still continues to sow tares among the wheat.

It is not my aim to introduce doubts and fears to your mind; I rather hope that the rough wind of self-examination may help to drive them away. It is not security but fleshly security that we would kill, not confidence but carnal confidence that we would overthrow, not peace but false peace that we would destroy.

By the precious blood of Christ, which was not shed to make you a hypocrite, but rather that sincere souls might declare His praise, I urge you to search and look, for fear that in the end it will be said of you, “Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting” (Daniel 5:27).

“December 18, Evening Reading,” in Morning and Evening, by C. H. Spurgeon

Sing: Song List for Sunday

1. “Only a Holy God,” by CityAlight
2. “Lamb of God,” by Vertical Worship
3. “Come Thou Fount (Above All Else),” by Shane & Shane
4. “Jesus, Your Mercy,” by Sovereign Grace Music