Christian | BLOG OF DAN

@READINGSPURGEON: PSALM 47:4 (NPSP1S33)

February 2, 2021 by dan

@ReadingSpurgeon: Psalm 47:4 – A Wise Desire (NPSP1S33)

C. H. Spurgeon in his sermon on Psalm 47:4 – “He shall choose our inheritance for us” – wants us to know that “He who redeemed us, He who ransomed us, He who loved us, He shall choose our inheritance for us.”

“If one man has his “inheritance in heaven,” it will be because Christ chose his inheritance for him. And if another man has his place in hell, it will be because he chose his inheritance himself. We do need someone to choose for us in that matter.”

He had two points:

I. A Glorious Fact

“It is a great truth that God does choose the inheritance for His people.”

For the Christian, God chooses his inheritance for him. He “is engaged in overruling, ordering, altering, working all things according to the good pleasure of His will” for us.

II. A Prayer

“It is not the doctrine which helps us, it is our assent to the doctrine.

Spurgeon wants us to say in our prayers, “You shall choose my inheritance for me.”

To pray this in reference to our mercies, our employments, and our afflictions.

It is not only good for us to offer this pray, it better for you to pray this prayer than to control yourself.

“It was a true faith that made the Psalmist say he relied upon God. He knew Him to be worthy of his trust, so he said, “You shall choose my inheritance for me.” And again, it was true love, for love can trust affection, can put confidence in the one it loves, and since David loved his God, he took the unwritten roll of his life and he said, “Write what You will, my Lord.” “You shall choose my inheritance for me.”

If you were always to pray this prayer, “it would bring a holy calm continually” and “would so relieve your mind from anxiety that you would be better able to walk as a Christian should.”

@READINGSPURGEON: ISAIAH 26:9 (NPSP1S31)

January 31, 2021 by dan

@ReadingSpurgeon: Isaiah 26:9 – The Desire of the Soul in Spiritual Darkness (NPSP1S31)

C. H. Spurgeon in his address on Isaiah 26:9 – “With my soul have I desired you in the night” – speaks to two types of persons as he seeks to explain the meaning of the text.

These two persons are addressed under each of his headings.

I. The Confirmed Christian

“The Christian… has seasons of darkness and of light.”

The Christian life does not always feel like walking along green pastures or by the side of still waters. “The best of God’s saints have their nights. The dearest of His children have to walk through a weary wilderness. There is not a Christian who has enjoyed perpetual happiness.”

These dark times play a useful role. We need them “to exercise our faith, to cut off self-dependence, and make us put more faith in Christ and less in evidence, less in experience, less in frames and feelings.”

There are other times when the whole church goes through a time of darkness, “seasons when we do not hear the clear preaching of the Word.”

It could a temporal distress in the life of a Christian that causes the darkness over their soul. “He may have had a misfortune, as it is called – something has gone wrong in his business or an enemy has done something against him, death has struck down a favourite child, bereavement has snatched away the darling of his bosom, the crops are blighted.”

Then there are the feelings of darkness that comes from an awareness of our sin and corruption. “I should not have so many corrupt imaginations, filthy desires, hard thoughts of God, so much pride, so much selfishness, and self-will. I am afraid I am none of His.”

But “a Christian’s religion will keep its colour in the night.” For the confirmed Christian, all they need in the night is their God. “With desire have I desired you in the night,” and there are times when all they can do is desire.

II. The Newly Awakened Soul

How am I to know that my desires are proofs of a work of grace in my soul?

You may tell whether you desires are of God by their constancy, their efficacy, and by their urgency.

“The true desire is now… He who wants Christ really, will cry, “Now!”

But, if I have desired God, why have I not obtained my desire before now?

“In the first place, you have hardly a right to ask the question. For God has a right to grant your petition or not as He pleases.”

“Perhaps it has already come. I think some of you are pardoned and you do not know it. I think some of you are forgiven, though you are expecting something wonderful as a sign which you will never receive.”

Will God grant my desire at last?

“Yes, poor soul, verily He will. It is quite impossible that you should have desired God and should be lost, if you have desired Him with the desire I have described.”

“Do you suppose that God would give His Son to die for sinners and yet would not save sinners? It is written in the Scriptures that, “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners,” and you are a sinner. You feel that you are a sinner, you know it. Then He came to save you. Only believe that.”

@READINGSPURGEON: 1 CORINTHIANS 10:12 (NPSP1S22)

January 22, 2021 by dan

@ReadingSpurgeon: 1 Corinthians 10:12 – A Caution to the Presumptuous (NPSP1S22)

In this sermon on 1 Corinthians 10:12 – “Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” – C. H. Spurgeon is speaking against unholy presumption.

He has 3 headings.

1. The Character

The character of the presumptuous man who thinks he stand is that he has continued worldly prosperity, light thoughts of sin, low thoughts of religion, ignorance of what they are and where they stand, and pride of talent, grace and privileges.

2. The Danger

“He who thinks he stands is in danger of a fall. The true Christian cannot possibly suffer a final fall, but he is very much disposed to a foul fall. Though the Christian shall not stumble so as to destroy his life, he may break his limb.”

Why is a man who thinks he stands more exposed to the danger of falling than any other?

Because in the midst of temptation he will be sure to be more or less careless, he will not be careful to keep out of the way of temptation, will not use the means of grace, and quench and grieve the Spirit by their self-confidence.

3. The Counsel

“Christian, the counsel of Scripture is, “Take heed.”

Take heed because so many have fallen.

Take heed because a fall will damage the cause of Christ.

“But what can I do unless, with due care and caution, you yourselves walk guardedly? Oh, my brethren, be much more in prayer than ever. Spend more time in pious adoration. Read the Scriptures more earnestly and constantly. Watch your lives more carefully. Live nearer to God. Take the best examples for your pattern. Let your conversation be fragrant of heaven. Let your hearts be perfumed with affection for men’s souls. So live that men may take knowledge of you that you have been with Jesus and have learned of Him.”

“Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Whosoever here will now cast himself as a guilty worm, flat on Jesus, whoever will throw himself into the arms of everlasting love, that man shall be accepted. He shall go through that door justified and forgiven, with his soul as safe as if he were in heaven, without the danger of ever being lost.”

@READINGSPURGEON: ACTS 4:13 (NPSP1S21)

January 21, 2021 by dan

@ReadingSpurgeon: Acts 4:13 – Christ’s People – Imitators of Him (NPSP1S21)

“It would be a happy thing for this world and a blessed thing for us” if people would look us and conclude that “we had been with Jesus,” just like they did in Acts 4:13 – “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” – the text of this sermon from C. H. Spurgeon.

Making 4 points, Spurgeon wants “to stir up your minds by way of remembrance and urge you so to imitate Jesus Christ, our heavenly pattern, that men may perceive that you are disciples of the holy Son of God.”

I. What he should be

“A Christian should be a striking likeness of Jesus Christ… We should be pictures of Christ,” so that it can be said of us, “He has been with Jesus. He has been taught of Him. He is like Him. He has caught the very idea of the holy Man of Nazareth, and he expands it out into his very life and every day actions.”

Though we will not be able to perfectly exhibit all the features of our Saviour, we should still desiring to be conformed more and more to His image.

What are some of the way we should be like Christ? We should be like Him in His boldness, in His loveliness, in His humility, in His holiness, and by forgiving your enemies. These are some of the ways we are to be like Christ.

II. When he should be so

“At all times and in every place let the Christian be what he professes to be.”

We are to be like Christ in public and in the church. “But most of all, take care to have religion in your houses.”

Make sure you imitate Jesus as well in secret. “When no eye sees you except the eye of God… Take care of your secret life.”

III. Why he should be so

We should be like Christ for our own sake. It is how we keep away from sin and are preserved from going astray.

We should be like Christ for religion’s sake. “If you love religion, for her own sake, be consistent and walk in the love of God. Follow Christ Jesus.”

We should be like Christ for Christ’s sake. “It is the argument of love and affection. Be like Christ since gratitude demands obedience.”

IV. How can he be so

How can we be transformed into the image of Christ?

“Do not seek to copy Him until you are bathed in the fountain filled with blood drawn from His veins. It is not possible for you to do so.”

Then study Christ’s character. “I behold Christ and I become like Christ. Look at Him, then.”

Then, “correct your poor copy every day… Let us rather examine ourselves each night and see wherein we have done amiss, that we may reform our lives.”

Finally, “seek more of the Spirit of God, for this is the way to become Christ-like.”

“Test yourselves by Christ. If you are like Christ, you are of Christ and shall be with Christ.”