Thursday, September 30, 2010

Integrity in our Business



Would you be willing now to be made whole?

I can imagine that you say, “I want to be like Jesus, I anxiously desire it,” and yet permit me gently and affectionately to whisper in your ear that if you knew what I meant, if you knew what Jesus was, I am not so sure that your will would very vehemently incline that way... let me remind you that when a man is whole, complete, and what a man should be, there are certain evil propensities which are expelled, and certain moral qualities which he is sure to possess. For instance, if a man be made whole before God he is made honest before men.

No man can be said to be whole while he is still guilty of injustice in his trading, in his thinking, in his conversation, or in his actions towards his neighbors. Sinner, you have been in the habit of perpetrating in your business much that would not stand the tests of God’s all-searching eye. You often say in your trading things that are not true; you excuse them by the assertion that others do the same. I am not here to listen to your excuse, but I am about to ask you earnestly, “Wilt thou be made whole?” Art thou desirous to be made from this time a thoroughly, strictly, punctiliously honest man? No more lying puffs; no more exaggerations; no more overreaching, and taking of advantage; come now, what think you of this state of things? Why, there are some who could not carry on their business at this rate; “the trade is rotten, and if you do not fall into its practices you cannot make a living; the district is low and beggarly, and none can thrive in it but cheats; we should have to shut up the shop if we were perfectly honest.” “Why,” cries one, “I should be eaten up alive in this age of competition. I cannot believe that we are to be so excessively conscientious.”

I see how it is, you do not want to be made whole.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "A Singular But Needful Question," delivered October 16, 1870. Image by Richard Conlan under Creative Commons License.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Not a luxury but a necessity



Remember, my brethren, it was the Holy Spirit who first of all regenerated us. If we have indeed been born again from above, our new birth was by the Holy Ghost: “Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,” are we made this day spiritual men. If, therefore, we have not the Spirit, or it be possible that the Spirit be taken from us, the very essence of our spiritual life is gone; we are utterly dead, we are no longer numbered with the living people of the living God. The Holy Ghost is not to us a luxury, but a necessity. We must have the Spirit of God or we live not at all in a spiritual sense. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his; without the supernatural work of this divine person upon our nature we are not numbered with the family of God at all.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "A Most Needful Prayer Concerning The Holy Spirit," delivered October 9, 1870. Image by Francesco Sgroi under Creative Commons License.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Our Sins Wiped Out



In some parts of Scripture we read of sin being “wiped out,” and the expression is remarkably expressive. Sometimes the wiping out refers to the housewife’s meaning of the word — when the dish is wiped out and turned bottom upwards; so can God take our sinful souls and wipe them right out, so that they shall be perfectly clean, and the pot which was filthy and had death in it, shall be “holiness unto the Lord.” At other times the wiping out refers to the erasure of notes made upon tablets. Some writings were cleared off with a sponge; at other times, if the tablet was of wax, and the marks were made with an iron pen, or stylus, then the wax was softened and smoothed again, and all evidence of the record totally disappeared.

Though our sins be written with an iron pen, and graven with the point of a diamond upon the very horns of our altars, yet will the Lord make the record to disappear when his mercy is revealed to our faith. He blots out the handwriting, which was against us, he puts it out of the way, nailing it to the cross; he makes our sins, like clouds, to pass away for ever. God can, O sinner, wipe out your transgressions so that they shall not exist, through the precious blood of Jesus be can finish your transgressions, and make an end of all your sin.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Done In A Day, But Wondered At Forever," delivered September 25, 1870. Image by Rietje Stewart under Creative Commons License.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Serve Him with Joy and Gladness



Jesus the infinite deigned to be an infant; he who sustains all things was laid upon a woman’s breast. There is no man more a man than Jesus, and yet in no respect is he other than equal with God. Let us then accept the rule of Jesus. This is the ladder that Jacob saw, the bottom of which rests on the earth, near to you — your feeble feet may reach it; but the top doth reach to heaven, and now between earth and heaven, between man and God, there is a ladder that never can be broken, by which sinners may ascend to the glory of God. O love him, then; with all your hearts cherish the name and honor of the incarnate God, Immanuel. Because he is so unspeakably glorious and gracious, serve him with joy and gladness.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Negociations Of Peace," delivered September 18, 1870. Image by under Creative Commons License.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Weapons of the Holy War



The club of Cain may lay Abel level with the dust, but it does not silence him; from the ground the blood of Abel continues still to cry. Martyrs may be consigned to the prison, and dragged from the prison to the stake, so that to all appearance a full end is made of the good men, but “even in their ashes live their wonted fires.” At the stake they find a platform with a boundless auditory, and from the grave their teaching cries with louder voice than from the pulpit. Like seeds sown in the earth they spring up and multiply themselves. Others arise to bear the same witness, and if need be to seal it in the same fashion.

As Pharaoh’s mighty hosts could not combat with the hail and the lightnings which plagued the fields of Zoan, and as all their chivalry could not put to flight the darkness that might be felt, even so when God sends his truth with power upon a land, battleaxe and buckler are vain in the opposers’ hands. Our appointed weapons of attack are not carnal, neither can they be withstood by shield or armor; our bowstrings cannot be broken, or the edge of our sword blunted. Let but the Lord furnish his ministers, as he did at Pentecost, with wondrous words instead of shields, and spears, and swords, and these weapons of the holy war will prove themselves to be irresistible. Fight on, O preacher; tell forth the story of the cross; defy opposition and laugh persecution to scorn, for, like thy Master, thou shalt, as his servant, ascend above all thine enemies, lead thy captivity captive, and scatter good gifts among the sons of men.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Unrivalled Eloquence of Jesus," delivered September 18, 1870.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Opportunities



Let seed unsown be this day steeped in tears of deep regret. The old Covenanters used to tell with joy the story of Mr. Guthrie, who lost his way one night on a moor. His companions went on, and he missed them. When he at last rejoined them, having found the way, he showed them that it was a blessed piece of providence. Said he, “I wandered across the moor till I came to a little cottage where was a sick and dying woman. The priest was just administering to her extreme unction, and when he went out I went in. She was troubled in mind, I told her the gospel, and she believed in Jesus. I found her in a state of nature, I preached the gospel to her until I saw her in a state of grace, and when I came away I left her in a state of glory.”

Yes, God will make us miss our way that souls may find theirs. He will put us into positions where we may find out his banished ones. He will bring them into contact with his earnest people in ways which will conduce to the saving result. Let us be on the look-out. He who observes his opportunities will find them plentifully given him. God devises for us, and we have but to follow the trail of providence.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Means For Restoring The Banished," delivered September 11, 1870. Image by Forest Wander under Creative Commons License.

Monday, September 20, 2010

His perfect justice



...[H]e so arranges all things, that apparently without effort the government of providence embraces all interests, wrongs none, but yields justice to all. Men are so little in the way of God that he never finds it needful to perpetrate an injustice even on a single man, and he has never caused one solitary creature to suffer one unnecessary pang. Herein is his greatness, that it comprehends all littlenesses without a strain: the glory of his wisdom is as astonishing as the majesty of his power, and the splendours of his love and of his grace are as amazing as the terror of his sovereignty. He may do what he wills, for none can stay him; but he never wills to do in any case aught that is unjust, unholy, unmerciful, or in any way inconsistent with the perfection of his matchless character. Here let us pause, and worship. I at least must do so; for my soul’s eyes ache, as though I had been gazing at the sun.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Unconquerable King," delivered September 4, 1870. Image by Forest Wander under Creative Commons License.

Friday, September 17, 2010

The mercies of God




Everything in God is on a grand scale. Great power — he shakes the world; great wisdom — He balances the clouds. His mercy is commensurate with his other attributes, it is Godlike mercy! Infinite mercy! You must measure his Godhead before you shall compute big mercy. My soul, think for awhile, thou hast drank out of this exceeding great and wide sea, and it is all thine to drink from for ever. Well may it be called “abundant,” if it be infinite. It will always be abundant, for all that can be drawn from it will be but as the drop of a bucket to the sea itself. The mercy which deals with us, is not man’s mercy, but God’s mercy, and therefore boundless mercy....

God’s mercy is always special, but his mercy in Christ is specially special. I know not how else to describe it. His mercy in nature is bright, his mercy in providence is conspicuous, but his mercy in his dear Son, his mercy in the incarnate God, his mercy through the perfect sacrifice, this is mercy’s best wine kept to the last, mercy’s “fat things full of marrow.” When I see Jesus descending from heaven to earth, Jesus bleeding, Jesus paying all the debts of his people, I can well understand that the mercy of God in Christ must be abundant mercy.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "A String Of Pearls," delivered August 28, 1870. Image by Forest Wander under Creative Commons License.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

In the beauty of holiness




“O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”

This is the only beauty which he cares for in our public services, and it is one for which no other can compensate. Beauty of architecture and apparel he does not regard; moral and spiritual beauty is that in which his soul delighteth. Worship must not be rendered to God in a slovenly, sinful, superficial manner; we must be reverent, sincere, earnest, and pure in heart both in our prayers and praises. Purity is the white linen of the Lord's choristers, righteousness is the comely garment of his priests, holiness is the royal apparel of his servitors. “Fear before him, all the earth.” “Tremble” is the word in the original, and it expresses the profoundest awe, just as the word “worship” does, which would be more accurately translated by “bow down.” Even the bodily frame would be moved to trembling and prostration if men were thoroughly conscious of the power and glory of Jehovah.

Men of the world ridiculed “the Quakers” for trembling when under the power of the Holy Spirit; had they been able to discern the majesty of the Eternal they would have quaked also. There is a sacred trembling which is quite consistent with joy, the heart may even quiver with an awful excess of delight. The sight of the King in his beauty caused no alarm to John in Patmos, and yet it made him fall at his feet as dead. Oh, to behold him and worship him with prostrate awe and sacred fear!

From The Treasury of David, by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, exposition of Psalm 96:9. Image by chantrybee under Creative Commons License.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Simply put



A person may be very industrious indeed in what he does, but if he follows a method which never can produce the result he desires, he must not be surprised when he is disappointed. You are a seeker, and I am glad you are; but if you will not put your trust in Jesus, and lay your burden down at the cross where he offered the great sacrifice, it is no marvel if you continue to seek in vain. It will be a great sorrow, but it will not be a great wonder, if you become at last despairing, and are shut up in the iron cage. O man, O woman, break away from this. May God’s Holy Spirit come to your rescue now! Give up thine own ideas of how to get peace, take God’s method of salvation, and lay hold on eternal life by trusting in the Savior slain.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Seeking For Jesus," delivered August 21, 1870. Image by Luis Argerich under Creative Commons License.

Monday, September 13, 2010

The Trumpet Shall Sound



How does Paul put it? ““Absent from the body;”” but you have hardly said that word, when he adds, ““present with the Lord.”” The eyes are closed on earth and opened again in heaven. They loose their anchor, and immediately they come to the desired haven. How long that state of disembodied happiness shall last it is not for us to know, but by-and-by, when the fullness of time shall come, the Lord Jesus shall consummate all things by the resurrection of these bodies.

The trumpet shall sound, and as Jesus Christ’’s body rose from the dead as the first-fruits, so shall we arise, every man in his own order. Raised up by divine power, our very bodies shall be reunited with our souls to live with Christ, raised however, not as they shall be put into the grave to slumber, but in a nobler image. They were sown like the shrivelled seed, they shall come up like the fair flowers which decorate your summer gardens. Planted as a dull unattractive bulb, to develop into a glory like that of a lovely lily with snowy cup and petals of gold. Sown like the shrivelled barley or wheat, to come up as a fair green blade, or to become the golden ear. ““It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.””

Come, my soul, what a promise is given thee in God’’s word of the life that is to come! A promise for my soul, did I say? A promise for my body too. These aches and pains shall be repaid; this weariness and these sicknesses shall all be recompensed. The body shall be re-married to the soul, from which it parted with so much grief, and the marriage shall be the more joyous because there never shall be another divorce. Then, in body and in soul made perfect, the fullness of our bliss shall have arrived.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Profit Of Godliness In The Life To Come," delivered June 19, 1870. Image by Luis Argerich under Creative Commons License.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Quick to Criticize?



We shall, as we ripen in grace, have greater sweetness towards our fellow Christians. Bitter-spirited Christians may know a great deal, but they are immature. Those who are quick to censure may be very acute in judgment, but they are as yet very immature in heart. He who grows in grace remembers that he is but dust, and he therefore does not expect his fellow Christians to be anything more; he overlooks ten thousand of their faults, because he knows his God overlooks twenty thousand in his own case. He does not expect perfection in the creature, and, therefore, he is not disappointed when he does not find it. As he has sometimes to say of himself, ““This is my infirmity,”” so he often says of his brethren, ““This is their infirmity;”” and he does not judge them as he once did.

I know we who are young beginners in grace think ourselves qualified to reform the whole Christian church. We drag her before us, and condemn her straightway; but when our virtues become more mature, I trust we shall not be more tolerant of evil, but we shall be more tolerant of infirmity, more hopeful for the people of God, and certainly less arrogant in our criticisms.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Ripe Fruit," delivered August 14, 1870. Image by Georges Nijs under Creative Commons License.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Christ Our Intercessor



Now our Lord Jesus Christ not only prays for those whom we pray for, but he prays for those we never thought of praying for. There are some whom he mentions before the eternal throne whom we have never mentioned, who have never yet been observed by any interceding Christian, whose cases have never impressed a single godly heart, yet Jesus knows them: and does he cry to God for them, and shall there not come to them grace in due season? Ay, my brethren, I rejoice in this, that where through ignorance or through the narrowness of my charity my prayer has never stretched itself, the prayer of the great High Priest who wears the Urim and Thummim can yet reach, and the salvation of God shall come to such. I doubt not Jesus might well have said to Paul, ““I have prayed for thee, and therefore thou shalt be mine,”” and in many other cases the like is true.

The intercession of our Lord is a mighty power, and as it wins gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious also, apostles, and preachers, and teachers, are called forth by divine grace. Not our colleges, our councils, our societies, or our conferences, but the intercession of Jesus is the mainstay of our strength, the secret cause of the calling of men into the mystery of the gospel.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "An Encouraging Lesson From Paul's Conversion," delivered August 7, 1870. Image by Luis Argerich under Creative Commons License.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Working with Him



My brother, if thou shalt win a soul by thy work, it is God’’s work; if thou shalt instruct the ignorant, thou dost it, but it is God that doeth it by thee if it be rightly done. Learn to acknowledge the hand of God, and yet do not draw back thine own. Learn to put out thine own hand, and yet to feel that it is powerless unless God make bare his arm. Combine in thy thoughts the need of the all-working God and the duty of thine own exertion.

Do not make the work of God an excuse for thine idleness, neither let thine earnest activity ever tempt thee to forget that power belongeth unto him. The Savior is a model to us in putting this just in the right form. It is God’’s work to open the blind eye; if the eye has been sealed in darkness from the birth no man can open it, God must do it; but yet the clay and the spittle must be used, and Siloam’’s pool must be resorted to, or the light will never enter the sightless eye.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Spur," delivered July 31, 1870. Image by Luis Argerich under Creative Commons License.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

He made an end of sin



Some hope much from the mercy of God, but the law knows nothing of clearing the sinner of guilt by a sovereign act of mercy - that cannot be done; for then God’’s justice would be impugned, his law would be virtually annulled. He will by no means clear the guilty. Every transgression must have its just recompense of reward, so that the absolute mercy of God as such is not the way out of the guilt of sin, for that mercy is blocked up by avenging justice, and over the face of that star of hope called absolute mercy there passes an eclipsing shadow, because God is righteous as well as gracious.

There is no way by which a sinner can escape from the guilt of sin but that which is revealed in Jesus Christ. God has sent forth his Son, his only Son. The Word was made flesh and came under the law: upon that mysterious being who combined both Godhead and manhood in one person, the Lord has laid the iniquity of us all. By imputation the transgressions of his elect have been laid upon their Covenant Head, so that he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many. He voluntarily undertook to be the substitute and covenant surety of his chosen; and in this way, by the transferring of sin from the sinner to Christ, the sinner ceases to be regarded as a sinner, and his guilt is removed. Here is the way for that sinner to approach the Father. His sin is laid upon Christ, who became the substitute for all sinners that ever have believed or ever shall believe on him, and he himself is clear....

Now, where is the sin of his people? He hath cast it into the depths of the sea. By bearing its punishment he has caused it no more to exist; it is as though it had never been; it is annihilated, it is gone, if it be searched for, it cannot be found. Jesus Christ by his taking the sin and then discharging all the liability that was due to God from that sin, has for ever finished transgression —— mark the word, made an end of sin, and brought in everlasting righteousness for his people. Now, sinner, if thou wouldst get away from thy sin, Christ is the way; this is the way by which thou canst escape from it.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Way," delivered July 24, 1870. Image by Kevin Dooley under Creative Commons License.

Monday, September 6, 2010

His Great Patience



Reflect again, my brethren, upon the unevangelical spirit which these apostles often showed. On one occasion even John, as mild and gentle a spirit as any of them, asked to be permitted to call fire from heaven to destroy certain Samaritans who would not receive the Savior because his face was set towards Jerusalem. Jesus the friend of sinners calling fire from heaven! This might suit Elias, but was not after the manner of the meek and lowly Prince of Peace. It would have been quite foreign to all his purposes, and contrary to his entire spirit; yet the two sons of thunder would hurl lightning on their Master’’s foes. He might well have spoken to them as bitterly as David did to the sons of Zeruiah, when in their hot rage they would have slain their leader’’s foolish foes; he might have said, ““What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zebedee?”” But he merely said, ““Ye know not what spirit ye are of.””

Read the ninth chapter of Luke, which is full of the failings of the disciples, and notice how John and the rest forbade the man who was casting out devils in Jesus’’ name. With the true spirit of bigoted monopoly that will not tolerate anything outside the pale of orthodoxy, they said, ““We saw one casting out devils in thy name;”” and instead of rejoicing that there were some beyond our company who were assisted by the Master’’s power, and were glorifying the Master’’s name, ““we forbade him because he followeth not with us.”” Their Lord, instead of angrily upbraiding their intolerance, gently chid them with the sentence, ““Forbid him not, for he that is not against us is for us.”” Remember, also, how the disciples put away the mothers of Israel when they brought their tender offspring to receive the Savior’’s blessing; this showed a very unevangelical spirit. They would not have their Lord interrupted by the cries of babes, and thought the children too insignificant to be worthy of his consideration. But, though our Lord was much displeased with the disciples, yet he only said, ““Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.””

But, my brethren, it must have wanted great patience for our dear Lord and Master, who himself would not break a bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, to bear with these rough men who pushed the little ones on one side, who would gag the mouths of those who were doing good in their own way, and who would even call fire from heaven upon poor ignorant sinners. Admire much his patience with their impatience, and see how ““Like as a father pitieth his children, so he pitied them,”” because he knew they feared him in their hearts, and their faults were rather infirmities than rebellions.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Tender Pity Of The Lord," delivered July 17, 1870. Image by tylerdurden1 under Creative Commons License.

Friday, September 3, 2010

An update for our email subscribers



We're happy to let our email subscribers know that our mailings will now feature the actual title of the message instead of simply saying "The Daily Spurgeon" every day. This should make it easier for you to save and find emails you like. A number of you had requested this feature and I'm glad we could make it work for you.

Be sure to set up your spam filters so that you don't miss any mails from our address, which is spurgeon@kingdomengine.com.

Have a great weekend and a wonderful Lord's Day!

The way of Jesus



Courtesy is not inconsistent with faithfulness. It is not needful to be savage in order to be sanctified. A bitter spirit is a poor companion for a renewed heart. Let your determination for principle be sweetened by tenderness towards your fellow men. Be resolute for the right, but be also gentle, pitiful, courteous. Consider the meekness as well as the boldness of Jesus. Follow peace, but not at the expense of holiness. Follow holiness, but do not needlessly endanger peace.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Winnowing Fan," delivered July 10, 1870. Image by O Palsson under Creative Commons License.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

If not for His Blood...



“If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” (Psalm 130:3)

If Jah, the all-seeing, should in strict justice call every man to account for every want of conformity to righteousness, where would any one of us be? Truly, he does record all our transgressions; but as yet he does not act upon the record, but lays it aside till another day. If men were to be judged upon no system but that of works, who among us could answer for himself at the Lord's bar, and hope to stand clear and accepted? This verse shows that the Psalmist was under a sense of sin, and felt it imperative upon him not only to cry as a suppliant but to confess as a sinner. Here he owns [admits] that he cannot stand before the great King in his own righteousness, and he is so struck with a sense of the holiness of God, and the rectitude of the law, that he is convinced that no man of mortal race can answer for himself before a Judge so perfect, concerning a law so divine.

Well does he cry, “O Lord, who shall stand?” None can do so: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Iniquities are matters which are not according to equity, what a multitude we have of these! Jehovah, who sees all, and is also our Adonai, or Lord, will assuredly bring us into judgment concerning those thoughts, and words, and works which are not in exact conformity to his law. Were it not for the Lord Jesus, could we hope to stand?

From exposition of Psalm 130 by Charles Haddon Spurgeon in "The Treasury Of David." Image by Michael Osmenda under Creative Commons License.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Let us not forget His mercies!



Our aptness to forget God’s mercies, is, alas! too conspicuous. It has been said that the annals of a prosperous and peaceful country are singularly uninteresting; does this arise from the fact that we do not make memoranda of our mercies, or at least if we do they are far more readily blotted out than the record of our sorrows? We trace our joys in the sand, but we write our afflictions on marble. We forget the streams of mercy, never ceasing, which flow so continually parallel with our pathway. If we thus ungratefully forget, it should cause us serious reflections, when we see that God does not forget.

Here in this Book he brings to his people’s memories all the mercies they have received, because they were always present before his own mind. The child may forget the kindness of its mother, but the mother doth not forget what she bore, and what she has sacrificed for her child. The friend may forget what he has received, but it is not likely that the benefactor will forget what he has bestowed. If God’s memory therefore records all that he has given me, let me be ashamed to let my memory suffer these things to slip. What God counts worthy of his divine recollection let me record on the pages of my memory, and often let me peruse the record.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Pilgrim's Grateful Recollections," delivered July 3, 1870. Image by Dino Quinzani under Creative Commons License.