Fine authors like Spurgeon and Chambers seem to have ruined me for most contemporary devotionals. No regrets at all; my friend Annette has largely sworn off anything written in the last century-I'm not there yet, but there's plenty of reinforcement for her position. My snobbery would be more justifiable were I at all disciplined in my reading. ( Read more... )

What a serene and quiet life might you lead if you would leave providing to the God of providence!

-Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Morning and Evening (6 January, Morning)

Was about to post an excerpt from tonight's Morning and Evening only to discover I posted it last year. I still need to be reminded of the same things because I still need the same things.

This was too good to edit:

“The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me.”

-Psalm 138:8

Most manifestly the confidence which the Psalmist here expressed was a divine confidence. He did not say, “I have grace enough to perfect that which concerneth me-my faith is so steady that it will not stagger-my love is so warm that it will never grow cold ( Read more... )

Ah! poor religion, thou hast been sorely shot at by cruel foes, but thou hast not been wounded one-half so dangerously by thy foes as by thy friends. Who made those wounds in the fair hand of Godliness? The professor who used the dagger of hypocrisy. The man who with pretences, enters the fold, being nought but a wolf in sheep’s clothing, worries ( Read more... )

( Spurgeon on the power to fight our sins )

Come in, O strong and deep love of Jesus, like the sea at the flood in spring tides, cover all my powers, drown all my sins, wash out all my cares, lift up my earth-bound soul, and float it right up to my Lord’s feet, and there let me lie, a poor broken shell, washed up by his love, having no virtue or value; and only venturing to whisper to him ( Read more... )

Tell me where you lost the company of a Christ, and I will tell you the most likely place to find him. Have you lost Christ in the closet by restraining prayer? Then it is there you must seek and find him. Did you lose Christ by sin? You will find Christ in no other way but by the giving up of the sin, and seeking by the Holy Spirit to mortify the ( Read more... )

When a Christian grasps a promise, if he does not take it to God, he dishonours him; but when he hastens to the throne of grace, and cries, “Lord, I have nothing to recommend me but this, ‘Thou hast said it;’” then his desire shall be granted. Our heavenly Banker delights to cash his own notes. Never let the promise rust. Draw the word of promise ( Read more... )

As it is necessary to repair the waste of the body by the frequent meal, so we must repair the waste of the soul by feeding upon the Book of God, or by listening to the preached Word, or by the soul-fattening table of the ordinances. How depressed are our graces when means are neglected! What poor starvelings some saints are who live without the ( Read more... )