Snippets of Spurgeon - Evening January 12th

Evening, January 12 

“I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.”

Job 36:2

We ought not to court publicity for our virtue, or notoriety for our zeal; but, at the same time, it is a sin to be always seeking to hide that which God has bestowed upon us for the good of others. A Christian is not to be a village in a valley, but “a city set upon a hill;” he is not to be a candle under a bushel, but a candle in a candlestick, giving light to all. Retirement may be lovely in its season, and to hide one’s self is doubtless modest, but the hiding of Christ in us can never be justified, and the keeping back of truth which is precious to ourselves is a sin against others and an offence against God. If you are of a nervous temperament and of retiring disposition, take care that you do not too much indulge this trembling propensity, lest you should be useless to the church. Seek in the name of him who was not ashamed of you to do some little violence to your feelings, and tell to others what Christ has told to you. If thou canst not speak with trumpet tongue, use the still small voice. If the pulpit must not be thy tribune, if the press may not carry on its wings thy words, yet say with Peter and John, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee.” By Sychar’s well talk to the Samaritan woman, if thou canst not on the mountain preach a sermon; utter the praises of Jesus in the house, if not in the temple; in the field, if not upon the exchange; in the midst of thine own household, if thou canst not in the midst of the great family of man. From the hidden springs within let sweetly flowing rivulets of testimony flow forth, giving drink to every passer-by. Hide not thy talent; trade with it; and thou shalt bring in good interest to thy Lord and Master. To speak for God will be refreshing to ourselves, cheering to saints, useful to sinners, and honouring to the Saviour. Dumb children are an affliction to their parents. Lord, unloose all thy children’s tongue.

Christian Classics Ethereal Library

*Gasp* Only 59 Psalms Yesterday

Not so productive on the Bible reading front but very productive in reading the C.S. Lewis novel, Out of the Silent Plant, till around 1am. I hadn't picked the book up for a few days and I decided I needed a little break from my other reading. I think I will do a review when I finish it.

Something I was pondering whilst reading the Psalms: 

Often, very often, David makes mention of his righteousness; that he has kept God's law etc. It got me thinking about the differences between Law and Grace. In some ways we get it easy, but with ease, laziness and selfishness swiftly swoop.

I know we must be careful not to get legalistic, and we must be careful not to become grace-abusers.
"Being careful" all the time can in itself become an issue. One may become paranoid, anxious, depressed etc.

On the one hand, God's mercy and grace towards us should be overwhelmingly consumable. Being fully wretched we have no rights before  the pure and perfect God of the Universe; if we ever had any rights in the first place! You man, even before sin occurred in the world, were but an instrument, to be wielded by the Almighty. Have you no shame? Why then do you think it befitting for man to be free in his will; when now his will is to do naught but pure, unadulterated evil? Worms, we are worms, but we are His precious worms; fully justified, and being progressively sanctified, all for His glory and honour.

On the other hand, God's mercy and grace towards us should give us passion and vivacity; even the most melancholy of personalities cannot help but feel a joyous appreciation towards his Lord. That is not to say that we are ridiculous in our behaviour, as some of our brethren are, but that we have a calm, thankful attitude before the Lord. When you are grateful, do you not feel inclined to smile, and to show your feelings outwardly  in an enthusiastic manner?

A little etymology side note: enthusiasm = ἐνθουσιασμός
From ἔνθεος
ἐν = in
θεός = God
Literally 'Possessed by God'.

We still feel grievances and sorrows, but we have a hope. If we had a choice we would turn the other way, every single time. We were in a 'loving' bondage to our sins, but because of God's will, we now are in truly loving bondage to our Lord Jesus Christ.
(And that is how you place two conjunctions together and call it a sentence.)

We are free from the Law but we are not free from God!

Overcoming Coldness in Prayer

"A brother recently asked me what was the best way to overcome coldness of heart and a 'bound' spirit when he sought to pray. I told him to begin praising the Lord as soon as he dropped upon his knees, and if he could think of nothing else, to commence by thanking him that he was not already in Hell. I read recently of a handsome young man who returned from the war minus his right arm. His friends and relatives gathered together to commiserate him and were bewailing his loss. He turned to them and said, 'Help me to praise God that I still have my left arm!'"
-A.W. Pink, Letters of Arthur W. Pink

As seen on Calvinistic "Quotes" 23/09/2010

Self-Abnegation

“Our self-abnegation is thus not for our own sake but for the sake of others. And thus it is not to mere self-denial that Christ calls us but specifically to self-sacrifice, not to unselfing ourselves but to unselfishing ourselves. Self-denial for its own sake is in its very nature ascetic, monkish. It concentrates our whole attention on self—self-knowledge, self-control—and can therefore eventuate in nothing other than the very apotheosis of selfishness. At best it succeeds only in subjecting the outer self to the inner self or the lower self to the higher self, and only the more surely falls into the slough of self-seeking, that it partially conceals the selfishness of its goal by refining its ideal of self and excluding its grosser and more outward elements. Self-denial, then, drives to the cloister, narrows and contracts the soul, murders within us all innocent desires, dries up all the springs of sympathy, and nurses and coddles our self-importance until we grow so great in our own esteem as to be careless of the trials and sufferings, the joys and aspirations, the strivings and failures and successes of our fellow-men. Self-denial, thus understood, will make us cold, hard, unsympathetic—proud, arrogant, self-esteeming—fanatical, overbearing, cruel. It may make monks and Stoics, it cannot make Christians.”

B. B. Warfield, “Imitating the Incarnation,” in The Person and Work of Christ (Grand Rapids, 1970), page 574.

Colossians 3:12

About Spiritual Growth

"The man whose soul is “growing” takes more interest in spiritual things every year. He does not neglect his duty in the world. He discharges faithfully, diligently, and conscientiously every relation of life, whether at home or abroad. But the things he loves best are spiritual things. The ways, and fashions, and amusements, and recreations of the world have a continually decreasing place in his heart. He does not condemn them as downright sinful, nor say that those who have anything to do with them are going to hell. He only feels that they have a constantly diminishing hold on his own affections, and gradually seem smaller and more trifling in his eyes. Spiritual companions, spiritual occupations, spiritual conversation, appear of ever-increasing value to him. Would any one know if he is growing in grace? Then let him look within for increasing spirituality of taste."

J.C. Ryle, Holiness

Be out of favour with those who hate Him.

If we enjoy the favor of the Lord, it is certain that we will be out of favor with those who hate Him. He has plainly warned, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:19). It is useless to suppose that, by acting prudently and circumspectly, we can avoid this. “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). It is only by unfaithfulness, by hiding our light under a bushel, by compromising the Truth, by attempting to serve two masters, that we can escape “the reproach of Christ” (Hebrews 11:26).

- A. W. Pink

1886 – 1952

(As seen at Calvinistic "Quotes" 08/12/2010)

A Jabbing of the Conscience

Well at church on Sunday the main thrust was end times – what we should be doing and how we should be behaving now and for Jesus’ return.

These are the verses mentioned:

Luke 21:5-28

2 Timothy 3:12 & 2 Timothy 4:1-5, 8.

Malachi 4:1-2

Hebrews 3:12-14, 9:27 & 10:19-25

Romans 12:9-21 (Although I think right from verse 1 is great because it fits with the theme.)

Titus 2:11-15

John 13:34-35

Acts 1:9-13

Matthew 22

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

2 Corinthians 5:8-11

1 John 3:2-3 & 2:28-29

1 Corinthians 15:50-52

Genesis 5:24

2 Kings 2:11-12

Well I called this post “A Jabbing of the Conscience” because it didn’t stop there...or rather God didn’t stop there.

My friend Mike, a brother in Christ, has a couple of blogs (Let Us Repent and Believe & Calvinistic "Quotes"), and on the latter he made four posts which fit in well with the theme.

Sunday November 21^st 2010

How do truly spiritual people behave?

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.(Romans 12:9-21 ESV)

Monday November 22^nd 2010

Whatever it takes, make me like Christ

I'll Be Honest: Father, whatever it takes, make me like Christ. - He will always answer this prayer, and it will hurt, but the joy's of knowing the Lord more and more are worth it all. To be broken is to be fixed, to be lost and unable to find yourself is to be found in Christ.

Patience to live

John Flavel: "Most men need patience to die, but a saint who understands what death admits him to should rather need patience to live." 

Tuesday November 23^rd 2010

Do nothing that you would not like God to...

J.C. Ryle: "Do nothing that you would not like God to see. Say nothing you would not like God to hear. Go no place where you would not like God to find you. Never spend your time in such a way that you would not like God to say, 'What are you doing?'" 

Even if you’re not a “Calvinist” I think you would enjoy Mike’s blogs. They are God-honouring and edifying.