The Holy Spirit

The Given-up People

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, prayer, promises, salvation, Sovereignty of God, The Holy Spirit Leave a comment

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. – John 11:25

Martha had done everything (for her sick brother) and nothing seemed to be of the least use. None of the medicines she applied seemed to soothe the sufferer. Her brother grew worse and worse, until she saw that, though she had nursed him back to health the last time he had been ill, she was now utterly powerless. Then he died. Yet, even though things had gone as far as that, she had faith in Christ. In like manner, your case is beyond your skill; can you not even now feel that you shall find that word true, “He shall not fail”? Christ never did fail yet, and He never will. When all the doctors give a patient up, the Great Physician can step in and heal.

Perhaps you are in a worse plight still. The case has been given up. I think I hear one kind, gracious soul, whose hope has been crushed, say, “Well, sir, that is just what we have come to about my boy. We held a little family meeting and said we must get him to go away to Australia, if we can. If he will only go to America, or somewhere abroad, it will be a relief to have him out of our sight. He keeps coming home intoxicated and gets brought before the magistrates. He is a disgrace to us. He is a shame to the name he bears. We have given him up.” Martha had come to this. She had given her brother up and had actually buried him; yet she believed in the power of Christ. Ah, there are many people that are buried alive! I do not know that such a thing ever happens in the cemetery; but I know it happens in our streets and homes. Many are buried morally and given up by us before God gives them up. And, somehow, it is often the given-up people that God delights to bless. Can you believe that even now, even now, prayer can be heard; that even now the Holy Ghost can change the nature, and that even now Christ can save the soul? Believest thou this? I shall rejoice if thou canst, and thou too shalt rejoice ere long. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2249.cfm

Even Now

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, prayer, promises, salvation, The Holy Spirit 1 Comment

Therefore, the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”…So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was…”But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” John 11:3,6,22

I hope that there are a great many persons here who are interested in the souls of those around them. We shall certainly never exercise faith concerning those for whose salvation we have no care. I trust, also, that we are diligent in looking after individuals, especially those who are amongst our own family and friends. This is what Martha did; her whole care was for her brother. It is often easier to have faith that Christ can save sinners in general, than to believe that He can come into our own home and save some particular member of our household. But, oh, the joy when this comes to pass; when we are able to kneel beside some of our loved ones and rejoice with them in being made alive by the power of the Holy Ghost! We cannot expect to have this privilege, however, unless like Martha we send our prayers to Jesus, and go to meet Him, and tell Him of our need. In the presence of Christ it seems very natural to trust Him even at the worst extremity. It is when we are at our wits’ end that He delights to help us. When our hopes seem to be buried, then it is that God can give a resurrection. When our Isaac is on the altar, then the heavens are opened, and the voice of the Eternal is heard. Art thou giving way to despair concerning thy dear friend? Art thou beginning to doubt thy Saviour, and to complain of His delay? Be sure that Jesus will come at the right time, though He must be the judge of which is the best time for Him to appear.

Believe that Christ can save even now. You believe, perhaps, that Christ can save. I want you to be persuaded that He can save…even now; that is to say, at this exact hour and minute, going by the clock, while you hear these words, even now, Christ can forgive; even now, Christ can save; even now, Christ can bless. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2249.cfm

Rebellion

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, Sovereignty of God, The Holy Spirit 8 Comments

He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. – Ecclesiastes 11:4

So you will not sow unless God chooses to make the wind blow your way; and you will not reap unless God pleases to drive the clouds away? I call that revolt, rebellion. An honest subject loves the king in all weathers. The true servant serves his master, let his master do what he wills. Oh, dear friends, we are too often aiming at God’s throne! We want to get up there, and manage things,-

“Snatch from His hand the balance and the rod,
Rejudge His judgments, be the god of God.”

Oh, if He would but alter my circumstances! What is this but tempting God, as they did in the wilderness, wishing Him to do other than He does? It is wishing Him to do wrong; for what He does is always right; but we must not so rebel, and vex His Holy Spirit, by complaining of what He does. Do you not see that this is trying to throw the blame of our shortcomings upon the Lord? “If we do not sow, do not blame us; God did not send the right wind. If we did not reap, pray not to censure us; how could we be expected to reap, while there were clouds in the skies?” What is this but a wicked endeavour to blame God for our own neglect and wrong-doing, and to make Divine Providence the pack-horse upon which we pile our sins? God save us from such rebellion as that! ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2264.cfm

Jesus is Indeed All for Us, All to Us, All in Us

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, The Holy Spirit Leave a comment

Christ is all and in all. – Colossians 3:11

Christ is all for us, the surety, the substitute in our stead to bear our guilt; “For the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” “The chastisement of our peace was upon Him.” “He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” He is also the worker standing in our place to fulfill all righteousness for us. He is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. All that God requires us to be, Christ is for us. 

And this day He is all to us. We trust wholly in Him. I often question myself upon many Christian graces, but there is one thing I never can doubt about, and that is I know I have no other hope but in the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Christ is all in us, and so He is. Whatever there is in us that is not of Christ and the work of His Spirit, will have to come out of us, and blessed be the day in which it is ejected…Wood, hay, stubble, are quick building, but they are also quick burning; only that which belongs to “Christ formed in me the hope of glory,” will prove to be gold, silver, precious stones, this may seem slow building, but it will abide the fire. O Christian, pray much and labor much to have Christ in thee, for He is all that is worth having in thee. He is only the husk of a Christian who has not the precious kernel of Christ in his heart. Christ on the cross saves us by becoming Christ in the heart. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1006.cfm

Brought into a Living, Loving, Lasting Union

Sherry Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, The Holy Spirit Leave a comment

For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. – Ephesians 5:30

He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked. – 1 John 2:6

We must take care that the love that was round about Christ’s feet, is always shining on our path. We must go about doing good, following in the steps of our Lord. It would be giving the lie to this doctrine (of our union with Christ) if we lived in sin; for, if we are one with Him, then we must be in this world even as He was; and being filled with His Spirit, must seek to reproduce His life before the world. As we delight our hearts in the glorious truth that “we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His “bones,” may we determine to live as those who are this closely joined to the Lord of life!

“Lord Jesus, are we ONE with Thee?
Oh, height! Oh, depth of love!
With Thee we died upon the tree,
In Thee we live above.

“Oh, teach us, Lord, to know and own
This wondrous mystery,
That Thou with us art truly ONE,
And we are ONE with Thee!”

Our heaven lies in our union with Him. Ay, and sometimes when we realize our oneness with Christ, we can hardly think that we should be happier in heaven than we are now! May you all have this enjoyment! “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near.” If you seek Him with all your heart, you will surely find Him; and very soon you also will be brought into “living, loving, lasting union” with Christ. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2244.cfm

Everlastingly One with Christ

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, The Holy Spirit Leave a comment

“For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.”- Ephesians 5:30

Paul here speaks only of true believers. Men who are quickened by divine grace and made alive unto God. Of them, he says, not by way of romance, nor of poetical exaggeration, but as an undisputed matter of fact, “We are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” That there is a true union between Christ and His people in no fiction or dream of a heated imagination. Sin separated us from God, and in undoing what sin has done, Christ joins us to Himself in a union more real than any other in the whole world.

This union is very near, and very dear, and very complete. We are so near to Christ, that we cannot be nearer; for we are one with Him. We are so dear to Christ, that we cannot be dearer. Consider how close and tender is the tie when it is true that Christ loved us and gave Himself for us. It is a union more intimate than any other which exists among men; for “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” We were His enemies when Christ died for us, that He might save us, and make us so one with Himself, that from Him our life should be drawn, and that in Him our life should be hid. It is, then, a very near and dear union which Christ has established between Himself and His redeemed; and this union could not be more complete than it is.

Even the incarnation of Christ is not more wonderful than His living union with His people. It is a thing to be considered often; it is the wonder of the skies; and is chief among those things which “the angels desire to look into.” On the surface of this truth, you may not see much; but the longer you gaze, and the more the Holy Spirit assists you in your meditation, the more you will see in this wonderful sea of glass mingled with fire. My soul exults in the doctrine that Christ and His people are everlastingly one. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2244.cfm

God Seeks Holy Hearts

Sherry Character of Jesus, Christian Life, prayer, repentance, Sovereignty of God, The Holy Spirit Leave a comment

Stop bringing useless offerings. Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons and Sabbaths, and the calling of solemn assemblies— I cannot stand iniquity with a festival. I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals. They have become a burden to me; I am tired of putting up with them. – Isaiah 1:12–13

If you are hypocrites, if your hearts are not right with God, you may multiply your church-goings, and your chapel-goings, and your sacraments; but all these are only a provoking of God to anger. There is nothing in it all that He could possibly accept; He cannot endure it. He says, “It is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.”

When men are committing crimes, when they are oppressing the poor, when they are living in the daily practice of injustice, when they indulge in secret drunkenness, when their whole life is a lie, they may do what they will, but God will not hear their prayers. While we keep sin in our hearts, it is in vain for us to stretch out our hands unto God. He is a holy God, and He seeks holy hearts and holy lives; and nothing short of these can be acceptable to Him.

(Lord), when our church gathers next, we ask that we may be in the Spirit, and know the fullness of His quickening power. May we do nothing after the dead manner of formality. May there be no dead hymn, nor dead prayer. Lord, give the preacher life. Oh, give the hearers life. Oh! may we know living worship, not the bowing of heads alone, but of hearts, and the closing not alone of the eyes to things that can be seen, but the closing of the eyelids of the thought to everything worldly. Amen. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://spurgeonbooks.com