Tag Archives: service of god

Charles Spurgeon, Uncategorized

Charles Spurgeon – Five fears

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CharlesSpurgeon“Yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him.” Ecclesiastes 8:12

Suggested Further Reading: Luke 12:4-12

Fear may be yoked into the service of God. True fear, not fearing, but believing, saves the soul; not doubt, but confidence, is the strength and the deliverance of the Christian. Still, fear, as being one of those powers which God has given us, is not in itself sinful. Fear may be used for the most sinful purposes; at the same time it may be so ennobled by grace, and so used for the service of God, that it may become the very grandest part of man. In fact, Scripture has honoured fear, for the whole of piety is comprehended in these words, “Fear God”; “the fear of the Lord”; “them that fear him.” These phrases are employed to express true piety, and the men who possess it. Fear, I have said, may ruin the soul. Alas! It has ruined multitudes. O Fear, you are the rock upon which many a ship has been wrecked. Many a soul has suffered spiritual destruction through you, but then it has been not the fear of God, but the fear of man. Many have rushed against the thick bosses of the Almighty’s shield, and defied God, in order to escape the wrath of feeble man. Many through fear of worldly loss have brought great guilt into their consciences; some through fear of ridicule and laughter have not had the boldness to follow the right, and so have gone astray and been ruined. Yea, and where fear does not work utter destruction it is capable of doing much damage to the spirit. Fear has paralysed the arm of the most gigantic Christian, stopped him in his race, and impeded him in his labours. Faith can do anything, but fear, sinful fear, can do just nothing at all, except prevent faith from performing its labours.

For meditation: The one you seek to please is the one you fear (Galatians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:4).

Sermon no. 148

23 August (1857)

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; C.P. – Divine Dependability

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When European settlers came to North America, they didn’t come to an unsettled land. Millions of indigenous people were already there. Many of the newcomers treated these people fairly. Many did not. Many of the native people reached out in friendship. Many did not. But as the government of the United States became stronger, promises were broken to the native people. God is not like that. He never breaks a promise. He’s always good, right and holy. He’s the same yesterday, today and forever.

A merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God. Hebrews 2:17

Jesus came to Earth to reconcile all people to God (Revelation 5:9, Romans 14:11). God the Father’s desire is to be in loving fellowship with His creation. That’s why He sent His Son and then sent His Holy Spirit (John 3:16, Luke 11:13). The promise is to all people who believe. “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)

Unlike humans, God never breaks promises. Come to the merciful and faithful high priest, receive His help and forgiveness, and pray for the leaders of this nation to treat all people with fairness and justice.

Recommended Reading: Hebrews 13:1-8

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Charles Spurgeon – Elijah’s appeal to the undecided

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“How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: if Baal, then follow him.” 1 Kings 18:21

Suggested Further Reading: John 13:12-19

I insist that it is your bounden duty, if you believe in God, simply because he is God, to serve him and obey him. I do not tell you it is for your advantage—it may be, I believe it is—but that I put aside from the question; I demand of you that you follow God, if you believe him to be God. If you do not think he is God; if you really think that the devil is God, then follow him; his pretended godhead shall be your plea, and you shall be consistent; but if God be God, if he made you, I demand that you serve him; if it is he who puts the breath into your nostrils, I demand that you obey him. If God be really worthy of worship, and you really think so, I demand that you either follow him, or else deny that he is God at all. Now, professor, if thou sayest that Christ’s gospel is the only gospel, if thou believest in the divinity of the gospel, and puttest thy trust in Christ, I demand of thee to follow out the gospel, not merely because it will be to thy advantage, but because the gospel is divine. If thou makest a profession of being a child of God, if thou art a believer, and thinkest and believest religion is the best, the service of God most desirable, I do not come to plead with thee because of any advantage thou wouldst get by being holy; it is on this ground that I put it, that the Lord is God; and if he be God, it is thy business to serve him. If his gospel be true, and thou believest it to be true, it is thy duty to carry it out.

For meditation: Four things God will not accept—hypocrisy (Luke 6:46), half-heartedness (Luke 9:59-62), double-mindedness (James 1:6-8) and lukewarmness (Revelation 3:15,16).

Sermon no. 134

31 May (1857)

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Charles Spurgeon – Holy violence

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“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of God suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” Matthew 11:12

Suggested Further Reading: Genesis 32:22-32

Frequently complaints are made and surprise expressed by individuals who have never found a blessing rest upon anything they have attempted to do in the service of God. “I have been a Sunday-school teacher for years,” says one, “and I have never seen any of my girls or boys converted.” No, and the reason most likely is, you have never been violent about it; you have never been compelled by the divine Spirit to make up your mind that converted they should be, and no stone shall be left unturned until they were. You have never been brought by the Spirit to such a passion, that you have said, “I cannot live unless God bless me; I cannot exist unless I see some of these children saved.” Then, falling on your knees in agony of prayer, and putting forth afterwards your trust with the same intensity towards heaven, you would never have been disappointed, “for the violent take it by force.” And you too, my brother in the gospel, you have marvelled and wondered why you have not seen souls regenerated. Did you ever expect it? Why, you preach like one who does not believe what he is saying. Those who believe in Christ, may say of you with kind partiality, “Our minister is a dear good man;” but the careless young men that attend your ministry say, “Does that man expect to make me believe that which he only utters as a dry story, and to convince me when I see him go through the service with all the dullness and monotony of dead routine?” Oh, my brethren, what we want today in the churches is violence; not violence against each other, but violence against death, and hell, against the hardness of other men’s hearts, and against the sleepiness of our own.

For meditation: Do you mean business with God or do you just go through the motions? It can make all the difference (2 Kings 4:31-35; Mark 9:28,29).

Sermon no. 252

15 May (1859)