Category: <span>thoughts by Charles Spurgeon</span>

Published February 3, 2010

Last Place

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon. Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2008.

“They will set out last, under their standards.”
Numbers 2:31

Winter BeachThe camp of Dan brought up the rear when the armies of Israel were on the march. The Danites occupied the hindmost place, but their position didn’t matter, since they were as much a part of the group as any of the other tribes. They followed the same fiery cloudy pillar, ate the same manna, drank from the same spiritual rock, and journeyed toward the same goal. If you are last and least, take heart; it is your privilege to be a part in the army.

After all, someone must be last in honor and esteem. Someone must do menial work for Jesus, and why shouldn’t I? In a poor village, among the uneducated, in a back street, or among deeply sinful people, I will pledge to work on.

The Danites occupied a very useful place. Stragglers have to be picked up while we march, and lost property has to be gathered from the field. Some will run forward over unexplored paths to learn fresh truth and win more souls to Jesus. But some who are more conservative will serve by reminding the church of her traditional faith, and caring for those falling behind. Every position has its duties, and the slowly moving children of God will find their duty one in which they may be a blessing to the whole group.

Take note: The rear guard is a place of danger! There are foes behind us as well as in front of us. Attacks may come from any side. We read that Amalek fell upon Israel, and killed some of those nearest to the back. The experienced Christian will find much work for his weapons in aiding those with doubts, who are hindmost in faith, knowledge, and joy. These must not be left unaided, and therefore it is the responsibility of those strong in their faith to encourage and lead those who are falling behind. My friend, if you are strong, do keep an eye out to help those who are weak in their faith.

Question: How can we overcome the temptation to complain when we aren’t “first”?

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/02/03/cs_last-place/

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Thoughts by All thoughts by Charles Spurgeon Thoughts by Men

Published January 11, 2010

Heaven

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon. Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer 2008.

“… the hope that is stored up for you in heaven …” Colossians 1:5

Our hope in Christ for the future is the ultimate source of our joy here and now. This joy will set our hearts on fire to think of heaven, since all that we could ever want is promised there.

Here we are tired and run-down, but there lies the land of rest where the worker will no longer sweat with work, and fatigue will forever be banished. To those who are weary and spent, the word “rest” is full of heaven. We are always in the field of battle; we are so tempted within, and so tormented by enemies without, that we have little or no peace. But in heaven we will enjoy the victory, when the flag shall be waved high in triumph. The sword will be sheathed, and we shall hear our Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Here we may suffer sorrow after sorrow, but we are going to the land of the immortal where graves are unknown things. Here sin is a constant discouragement to us, but there we will be perfectly holy, for there will be no way for any impurity to enter into the kingdom. Death cannot flower among the heavenly fields.

Isn’t it a wonderful truth that you are not to be banished forever, that you will not live eternally in the wilderness, but instead will soon inherit the beautiful promised land? Nevertheless, never think that we are dreaming about the future and forgetting the present! In fact, we should let our hope for the future help us to focus on the present.

Through the Spirit of God the hope of heaven is the most powerful force for development of virtue. It is a fountain of joyous effort and the cornerstone of cheerful holiness. Anyone who has this hope in them does their work with vigor, for the joy of the Lord is their strength. Such a person fights against temptation, for the hope of the next world repels the fiery darts of the devil. We can therefore labor even when we do not see immediate rewards, for we look forward to a reward in the world to come.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/01/11/cs_heaven/

Thoughts by All thoughts by Charles Spurgeon Thoughts by Men

Published October 25, 2009

Preserved by God

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2009.
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“For I will give the command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, and not a pebble will reach the ground.�  Amos 9:9

Every sifting comes by divine command and permission. Satan must ask before he can lay a finger on Job. In some sense our siftings are directly the work of heaven, for the text says, “I will sift the house of Israel.� (Amos 9:9)

Satan may hold the sieve, hoping to destroy the corn. But the overruling hand of the Master is accomplishing the purity of the grain by the very process which the enemy intended to be destructive. You, who are the precious, much sifted corn of the Lord’s floor, be comforted by the blessed fact that the Lord directs everything to His own glory, and to your eternal benefit.

The Lord Jesus will surely use the fan which is in His hand, and will divide the precious from the vile. All are not Israel that are of Israel. The heap on the barn floor is not clean food, and hence the sifting process must be performed. In the sieve true weight alone has power. Husks and chaff, being devoid of substance, must fly before the wind, and only solid corn will remain.

Observe the complete safety of the Lord’s wheat: Even the least grain has a promise of preservation. God Himself sifts, and therefore it is stern and terrible work. He sifts them in all places, “among all the nations�. He sifts them in the most effective manner, “like as corn is sifted in a sieve�. And yet during all this, not even the smallest, lightest, or most shriveled grain is permitted to fall to the ground. Every individual believer is precious in the sight of the Lord, and as a shepherd would not lose one sheep, and a jeweler will not lose one diamond, nor a mother one child, nor a man one limb of his body, nor will the Lord lose one of His redeemed people.

However insignificant we may sometimes feel, if we are the Lord’s, we can always rejoice that we are preserved in Christ Jesus.

Question: If you died today, would you go to heaven? How can you be sure?
http://www.thoughts-about-god.com/biblestudies/spiritfilledlife.htm

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/10/25/cs_preserved/

Thoughts by All thoughts by Charles Spurgeon Thoughts by Men

Published July 29, 2009

Reborn as Descendants of the King of Kings

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon,
Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2009.
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“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”
1 Peter 1:23

RoyaltyPeter most earnestly urged the scattered saints to “love one another deeply, from the heart,” and he wisely obtained his argument, not from the law, from nature, or from philosophy, but from that high and divine nature which God has given His people.

In the same way that a wise teacher of a prince might try to foster in them a kingly spirit and dignified behavior based on the prince’s position and descent, so too Peter says to us: “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Peter 1:22-23)

Peter says this as he looks on God’s people as heirs of glory, princes of the royal blood, and descendants of the King of kings, earth’s truest and oldest aristocracy. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, in the spirit of humility, we recognized the true dignity of our reborn nature, and actually lived up to it?

What is a Christian? If you compare him with a king, they add priestly sanctity to royal dignity. The king’s royalty often lies only in his crown, but with a Christian it is infused into their inmost nature. A Christian is given a truly honored position through their new birth.

We ought to carry ourselves, in every way, as people who are not merely “commoners“, but chosen out of the world. We should be distinguished by sovereign grace, written among “the peculiar people” and who no longer grovel in the dust, and no longer live purely for the material things of this world.

Let the dignity of your reborn nature, and the brightness of your future, compel you to yearn for and cling to holiness, and to avoid all appearances of evil.

Question: What does it mean to be a descendant of the King of Kings?

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/07/29/cs_king/

Thoughts by All thoughts by Charles Spurgeon Thoughts by Men

Published July 25, 2009

Fellowship with God

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon,
updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2009
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“If we claim to have fellowship with him [God] yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.” 1 John 1:6

WalkingWhen we are united to Christ by faith, we are brought into such complete relationship with Him that we are made one with Him. We share every one of His interests in common and have fellowship with Christ in His love. What He loves, we love. He loves his people: So do we. He loves sinners, including his people: So do we. He loves the poor perishing race of humankind, and longs to see the dry desolate Earth transformed into the garden of the Lord: So do we.

We relate to Him in His desires. He desires the glory of God: We also yearn for the same. He desires that the saints may be with Him where He is: We too desire to be with Him. He desires to drive out sin: We strive mightily for holiness under His guidance. He desires that His Father’s name be loved and adored by all His creatures: We pray daily, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10, ESV)

We have fellowship with Christ in His sufferings. We are not nailed to the cross, nor do we die a cruel death, but when He is insulted, we are insulted. And it is a very sweet thing to be blamed for His sake, to be despised for following the Master, to have the world against us. The disciple should not be above their Lord. (John 13:16) To the degree we are able, we work with Him in His labors, ministering to others by the word of truth and by deeds of love. Our food and drink, like His, is to do the will of Him who has sent us.

We also share with Christ in His joys. We are happy in His happiness, rejoicing in His exaltation. My friend, have you ever tasted that joy? There is no purer or more thrilling delight to be known this side heaven than that of having Christ’s joy fulfilled in us, so that our joy may be full. His glory awaits us, for His Church will sit with him on His throne, as His well-beloved bride and queen.

Question: Where and how do you have fellowship with God?

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/07/25/cs_fellowship/
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Thoughts by All thoughts by Charles Spurgeon Thoughts by Men

Published May 29, 2009

Holiness for Evangelism

Originally, written by Charles H. Spurgeon. Updated to modern English, by Darren Hewer 2009.
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“Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!”  Psalm 120:5

As a Christian you presently live in an ungodly world, and it’s little use to cry “Woe is me.” Jesus did not pray that you would be taken out of the world, and what He did not pray for you do not need. It’s far better to, in the Lord’s strength, meet the difficulty, and glorify Him through it.

Satan is always watching to detect any flaws in your actions. Therefore, be holy. Remember too that the eyes of all non-Christians are also watching you, and more is expected from you than from other people. Strive to give them no reason to accuse you. Let your goodness be the only “fault” they can discover in you. Like Daniel, make them to say about you, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.” (Daniel 6:5)

Seek to serve God as well as to have ethical conduct. Perhaps you might think, “If I were in a more favorable position I might serve the Lord, but I can’t do any good where I am.” But the worse the people are around you, the more they need you to share God’s love with them. Those who are near yet not with God, and those who are far from Him, all need someone like you to turn their proud hearts to the truth.

A doctor should be where there are many who are sick. (Mark 2:17) Likewise, the place for a soldier is in the midst of the battle. And when you are tired of all the sin and struggle that seems to meet you at every turn, consider that all God’s saints through the ages have endured the trials too. They were not carried on soft beds to heaven, and you must not expect to travel any more easily. They risked their lives, and you will not be crowned until you have endured hardship as a valiant servant of Jesus Christ. Therefore, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13, TNIV)

Question: How does holiness affect your witness to others?

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/05/29/cs_holiness/

Thoughts by All thoughts by Charles Spurgeon Thoughts by Men

Published October 21, 2008

Jesus Talks About Jesus

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon: Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2008.
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“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Luke 24:27

The two disciples on the road to Emmaus certainly had an unexpectedly rewarding journey! Their companion and teacher was the best of tutors. His interpretation was better than all others, and in his thoughts hide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The Lord Jesus humbled himself to become a preacher of the gospel, and He was not ashamed to preach before an audience of two. Today, he’s still willing and able to do the same, and won’t refuse to become the teacher of even a single individual!

This unrivaled tutor used as His textbook the absolute best of all books. Although able to reveal fresh truth, He preferred to explain the old truths. He knew the most instructive way of teaching, and by starting with Moses and the prophets, He showed us that the surest road to wisdom is not speculation, reasoning, or reading human books, but meditation on the Word of God. The way to be spiritually rich in heavenly knowledge is to dig in this mine of diamonds. When Jesus wanted to enrich others, He mined the quarry of Holy Scripture.

The pair on the Emmaus road were led to consider the best of subjects, for Jesus spoke of Jesus, and “explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27) The diamond cut the diamond, and what could be more admirable? The Master of the House unlocked His own doors, and led his guests to His favorite table. Our Lord spoke naturally about the sweetest of topics, and He could find none sweeter than His own divine identity and work.

We should always take the time to search God’s Word, for there we will find the Lord Jesus, who is at the same time both our teacher and our lesson!

Question: Have you been spending much time in God’s Word lately? If not, how can you make time or find a better place or way to study God’s word?

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2008/10/21/cs_about-jesus/

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Thoughts by All thoughts by Charles Spurgeon Thoughts by Men