The march

“And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.” Numbers 10:35
Suggested Further Reading: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30
“Rise up, Lord, Father, Son, and Spirit, we can do nothing without thee; but if thou wilt arise, thine enemies shall be scattered, and they that hate thee shall flee before thee.” Will you and I go home and pray this prayer by ourselves, fervently laying hold upon the horns of God’s altar? I charge you, my brethren in Christ, do not neglect this private duty. Go, each one of you, to your chambers; shut your doors; cry to him who hears in secret, and let this be the burden of your cry—“Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered.” And at your altars tonight, when your families are gathered together, still let the same cry ring up to heaven. And then tomorrow, and all the days of the week, and as often as we shall meet together to hear his word and to break bread, cry, “Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.” Pray for your children, your neighbours, your families, and your friends, and let your prayer be—“Rise up, Lord; rise up, Lord.” Pray for this neighbourhood; pray for the dense darkness of Southwark, and Walworth, and Lambeth. And oh! If you cannot pray for others because your own needs come so strongly before your mind, remember sinner, all you need is by faith to look to Christ, and then you can say, “Rise up, Lord; scatter my doubts; kill my unbelief; drown my sins in thy blood; let these thine enemies be scattered; let them that hate thee flee before thee.”
For meditation: This call to prayer, which comes at the very end of the “New Park Street Pulpit” reminds us of some important lessons—the battle is the Lord’s, the armour is God’s, but the responsibility to pray still rests with us, God’s people (Ephesians 6:10-20).
Sermon no. 368
31 March (1861)
C.H. Spurgeon

The eye of God is ever upon us!

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(J.R. Miller)

A flower blooms no more sweetly, because it is gazed at by an admiring crowd. It would be just as lovely, if it grew in the depths of a great forest where no eye ever saw it.

The stars look down with as much brilliancy into the desert, where no one looks up at them--as into the streets of the great city where thousands behold them.

The sea breaks with as much majesty on an uninhabited shore--as where its waves kiss the feet of multitudes.

It is just so in all true Christian life and work. When one is doing any great thing, and shows by his attitude that he is conscious of it--more than half the greatness is gone from the performance. When a man knows that he is living a life that is very great in its service, when he is conscious that he is being noticed by others--much of the glory is gone from his life. We should live just as sweetly and beautifully when no one is looking upon us to see our deed and praise our life--as when all the world is beholding. The eye of God is ever upon us, and it is His approval and commendation that we should always seek to deserve.

It is said of the great sculptor, Michael Angelo, that when at work he wore a little lamp fastened on his cap, in order that no shadow of himself might fall upon his work.

Just so, we need to take care that no shadows of ourselves, of our pride, our ambition, our self-seeking--shall fall upon our work for Christ.

To labor in Christian work, that we ourselves may have the glory--is to dim and darken the beauty of all we do, and also to make ourselves vessels unfit for the Master's use. We are ready for the most sacred of all ministries--only when we are content to be nothing, that Christ may be all in all.

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets--to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:1-4

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Sovereign Grace Missionary Baptist Church 1217 Dillon Texarkana, Texas 75501 March 31, 2013             Newsletter Number 409 Brother Randy Johnson, Pastor                    Brother Ronnie Henderson, Song Director Pastor E-Mail: pastor@sgmbaptist.com          Web Site: www.sgmbaptist.com "Where The Truths Of God’s Word Have Been Taught For More Than Fifty Years”

You Were Asked To Pray For: All of Our Military, Their Family’s & All the Civilian Workers in The Middle East, Zee Mink Fuller and Family, Her son’s Bryan Armstrong and Hunter Hackie, Daughter Shannon, and Brother Philip & Sondra Thornsberry, Junior Baldridge, Frankie Baldridge and daughter, Buckie Thompson, Frank & Sonya Trusty, Frank & DawanaReigel, Andrew Preston, Larry Mollette, Larry Mollette II & Family, Kerry Pennington, Kim Poole, Danny & Nita Mollette, Wendell Henderson, Judy Dunn, Martha Gray, Joshua Kidd, Matthew Kidd, Ronnie Henderson Jr. & Children, Ricky Henderson and Family, Jacie Henderson, Velma Hammond, Charles, Don Hammond and Families, Archie & Barbara Griffin, Bro. & Sister Bob Keller, Mary Ramsey, Donna Johnson, Fay Johnson, James and Luann Reynolds, Timothy and Nathan Fails, Jacob Ramsey, Jerry Hughes, Sister Nita Bookout, Teresa Bookout, Pastor G. L. Burr, Melody Carr, Janie Capps, Imajo Tracy, Linda Hughes, Roy Lemmon, Rosie Tomlin, Lee Mollette’s Daughter & Granddaughter Kristal, Pat Abercrombie, Barbara Brewer, Donna Jones, Dale and Linda Trahan, Ricky and Margaret McCoy, Brother David O’Neal, Gina, Ryan, and Mallary Peel, Tommy Walker and family, Brother Steve McCool and the work in Canada, Brother Curtis Pugh, Brother Dan Sullivan and the work in Thailand, Brother Raul and the work in Romania, and Bro. Sergey Mochalov and the Churches in Russia.

A Thought From Our Pastor: Easter; What Is It?“And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” 1 Corinthians 15:4   You know I grew up celebrating all of the religious holidays just as most of the world does and out of ignorance had no idea what I was doing. Christmas was always about gifts and Santa Claus and Easter was always about the Easter Bunny, hiding and finding Easter eggs, and  candy. But today I find that neither one represent nor honor God. As a Sovereign Grace Pastor I have found that God is a jealous God and has no desire to share His glory or honor except with those He chooses to share it with. If we use Christ’s birth and resurrection with mythical creatures such as Santa and the Bunny then could Christ also be thought of asmythical. According to the Religionist and Arminian’s world of worship, Easter is all about the resurrection of Jesus Christ but that simply is not true; because every Sunday morning is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus rose from the grave early on Sunday morning just before the sun rose. Matthew 28:1 “ In the end of thesabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.” And the stone had been moved and the Lord had risen. This is the very reason we have the Christian Sabbath on Sunday morning instead of Saturday as the Jews did. We as Christians are not under Jewish customs therefore the Passover has nothing to do with our celebration of the Lords resurrection. Colossians 2:14 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;” Every Sunday morning is a celebration of the Lords resurrection and not just one time a year. Good Friday is nothing! This one has me totally confused. I guess if you have the weekend off then every Friday must be a good Friday. But just as Easter make no sense, Good Friday make even less. Now I’m not stupid; I understand what they (the Religionist and Arminian’s) think; but what confuses me is the math of it. The scripture conclude that “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:40 Now if Christ was in the grave for three days and nights then how did He die on Friday. Their calculators need an adjustment. In order for Christ to have been in the grave three days and nights then He must have died on Wednesday instead of Friday. Folks, church services are about worshiping Jesus Christ and nothing else. We are not to worship to satisfy the worshiper but to serve the Lord God. A proper service includes prayer, song, preaching, and more prayer and anything else is unacceptable. Worship is not about Christmas, Easter, cowboys, strong men, comedians, or etc., etc., etc. I am afraid that more places of worship are more interested in creature satisfaction than in God satisfaction. So while those that have their Easter egg hunts today, think about this and ask yourself this question, “is God satisfied”? Something looks very wrong when I think about the Apostle Paul hiding Easter eggs. I believe Paul would have been insulted to walk into a place of worship and see what most of these places are doing and calling it worship. If I ever get to the point where I need an Easter bunny to remind me of my Saviour’s resurrection, I will consider myself to have great spiritual problems. Matthew 4:10 "Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (9.) But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (7.) Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (7.) If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine."

For Our Weekly  Meditation: The Way You Must Go “And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.  Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.  And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” (Joshua 3:3-5) This is such a wonderful picture of salvation through Jesus Christ, who is the Covenant of the LORD our God. Why?  What is the revelation of the “ark of the covenant”?  Notice: “…the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat;” (Heb. 9:4b-5a)  The ark, its contents, and the mercyseat were designed to be direct types of Jesus and the way of salvation through him. The only way one must go to be saved!  “Manna” is in reference to Jesus being the bread that gives eternal life by which He said, “This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.” (Jn. 6:50)  The cut off “rod that budded” (“…shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself…” Dan. 9:26)) is pointing to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as the Branch that was cut off, yet he lives forevermore.  The “tables of the covenant” reveal Jesus, the Word, as the everlasting covenant of God.  “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.” (Heb. 13:20) Over all of this, one will find the “mercyseat” where the grace of God is gifted through the sprinkling of the blood of the Lamb.  The ungodly have never passed this way before, but God by direction has shown Jesus to be the only way one must go to reach the mercyseat.   By Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

Happy Anniversary: Danny and Sister Nita Mollette  - Friday April 05

Israel at the Red Sea

“He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.” Psalm 106:9
Suggested Further Reading: Psalm 136
How sweet is providence to a child of God, when he can reflect upon it! He can look out into this world, and say, “However great my troubles, they are not so great as my Father’s power; however difficult may be my circumstances, yet all things around me are working together for good. He who holds up the starry heavens can also support my soul without a single apparent prop; he who guides the stars in their well-ordered courses, even when they seem to move in mazy dances, surely he can overrule my trials in such a way that out of confusion he will bring order; and from seeming evil produce lasting good. He who bridles the storm, and puts the bit in the mouth of the tempest, surely he can restrain my trial, and keep my sorrows in subjection. I need not fear while the lightnings are in his hands, and the thunders sleep within his lips; while the oceans gurgle from his fist, and the clouds are in the hollow of his hands; while the rivers are turned by his foot, and while he digs the channels of the sea. Surely he whose might wings an angel, can furnish a worm with strength; he who guides a cherub will not be overcome by the trials of a worm like myself. He who makes the greatest star roll in dignity, and keeps its predestined orbit, can make a little atom like myself move in my proper course, and conduct me as he pleases.” Christian! There is no sweeter pillow than providence; and when providence seems adverse, believe it still, lay it under your head, for depend upon it there is comfort in its bosom. There is hope for you, child of God!
For meditation: You may find it easy to think like this when all seems to be going well. The Christian is still able to look up spiritually when circumstances would make him look down naturally (Romans 8:28,31,35-39).
Sermon no. 72
30 March (1856)
Charles Spurgeon

From desert to garden!

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(J.R. Miller)

In traveling to California, we passed over hundreds of miles of the dreariest desert. The hot sands glowed and burned under the sun's rays. Rain scarcely ever falls, and nothing grows on the arid wastes except straggling sagebush and wild cacti. On and on our train rolled, hour after hour, amid choking dust and unrelieved desolation.

At length, however, we began to pass into the first fringes of luxuriance, and soon we were in the midst of the garden splendors of Southern California--flowers, fragrance, and fruit, masses of roses and flowers of all kinds, orange groves, clumps of ornamental trees, vineyards, and palm trees. In an hour we had left behind us the dreary desert--and had entered the richest garden luxuriance of the world!

It is just so with many Christians, in leaving this poor world for Heaven. Here on earth are trials, afflictions, struggles, strifes, bitter tears, disappointments, injustices, hardships and cares. Life seems all desert to these desert toilers. No springs of fresh water burst up along the way to refresh them. Nothing grows in the hot arid fields, to be food for their heart hunger.

What must Heaven be to these weary ones, when they enter it--leaving forever behind them, the dreary desolation of this world? In an hour they will pass from the heat, strife, and bitterness of earthly sorrow--into the eternal blessedness, the perfect love, and the unbroken joy of Heaven!
 

"In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are eternal pleasures!" Psalm 16:11 

"No eye has seen,
 no ear has heard, and
 no mind has imagined--
 what God has prepared for those who love Him!" 1 Corinthians 2:9
 

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The snare of the fowler

“Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler.” Psalm 91:3
Suggested Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 11:1-20
It was once said by a talented writer, that the old devil was dead, and that there was a new devil now; by which he meant to say, that the devil of old times was a rather different devil from the deceiver of these times. We believe that it is the same evil spirit; but there is a difference in his mode of attack. The devil of five hundred years ago was a black and grimy thing, well portrayed in our old pictures of that evil spirit. He was a persecutor, who cast men into the furnace, and put them to death for serving Christ. The devil of this day is a well-spoken gentleman: he does not persecute—he rather attempts to persuade and to beguile. He is not now the furious Romanist, so much as the insinuating unbeliever, attempting to overturn our religion, whilst at the same time he pretends he would but make it more rational, and so more triumphant. He would only link worldliness with religion; and so he would really make religion void, under the cover of developing the great power of the gospel, and bringing out secrets which our forefathers had never discovered. Satan is always a fowler; whatever his tactics may be, his object is still the same—to catch men in his net. Men are here compared to silly, weak birds, that have not skill enough to avoid the snare, and have not strength enough to escape from it. Satan is the fowler; he has been so and is so still; and if he does not attack us as the roaring lion, roaring against us in persecution, he attacks us as the adder, creeping silently along the path, endeavouring to bite our heel with his poisoned fangs, and weaken the power of grace and ruin the life of godliness within us. Our text is a very comforting one to all believers, when they are beset by temptation.
For meditation: We should be on our guard against falling into the snare of the devil (1 Timothy 3:7), but take courage from the fact that God is able to enable us to escape from it (2 Timothy 2:26).
Sermon no. 124
29 March (1857)

C.H. Spurgeon

The cost of all truly helpful and holy living

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(J.R. Miller)

Prosperity has never enriched the world, as adversity has done. The best thoughts, the richest lessons, the sweetest songs which have come down to us from the past--have not come from the minds and hearts of those who have known no privation, no suffering, no adversity. They are the fruit of pain, of weakness, of trial.

Men have cried out for emancipation from the bondage of hardship, of sickness, of infirmity, of poverty--not realizing that the very trial which seemed to be hindering them in their career--was making whatever was noble, beautiful, and blessed in their life. The cost of all truly helpful and holy living, is pain!

We must not forget that redemption and Heaven come to be ours, only through the bitter sufferings and cross of the Son of God.

In all of life, the sweetest comforts and the richest blessings, come to us at the cost of suffering and tears. The fruit of earth's "thorns" seems bitter to the taste, but it is the wholesome food of human souls.

"For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." Hebrews 12:10-11

"Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word." Psalm 119:67
"It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." Psalm 119:71
"I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me." Psalm 119:75
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Heaven! Heaven! It is Heaven!

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(J.R. Miller)

An author tells of a French ship which had been lost for months amid storms in the southern seas. One morning land was espied from the mast-head. Passengers and crew gathered on deck, awaiting the sight of the coming shore in suspense. Vague outlines only were seen, so vague that the uncertainty almost broke the hearts of the watchers. Was it land? If so, what land? Could it be France? Was it indeed France? Or was it some strange country?

Nearer and nearer they came. Clearer and more distinct became the outlines. After some hours, hours which seemed days, the lookout cried, "France! France! It is France!" The joy of the ship's company knew no bounds. They were indeed home after all their wanderings, and all their dangers and fears!

So will it be with us believers, when, through the mists of that sea which we call death, we approach the shores of eternal life. After the dimness of dying--our eyes shall open to behold the banks of the celestial land! Then the shout will not be, "France! It is France!" but "Heaven! Heaven! It is Heaven!" The storms will all be past. We shall be in eternal glory. Then we shall have life in all its fullness. Then we shall be home forever!

"No eye has seen,
 no ear has heard, and
 no mind has imagined--
 what God has prepared for those who love Him!" 1 Corinthians 2:9

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The great revival

“The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” Isaiah 52:10
Suggested Further Reading: 1 Corinthians 14:26-40
In the old revivals in America a hundred years ago, commonly called “the great awakening,” there were many strange things, such as continual shrieks and screams, and knockings, and twitchings, under the services. We cannot call that the work of the Spirit. Even the great Whitefield’s revival at Cambuslang, one of the greatest and most remarkable revivals ever known, was attended by some things that we cannot but regard as superstitious wonders. People were so excited, that they did not know what they did. Now, if in any revival you see any of these strange contortions of the body, always distinguish between things that differ. The Holy Spirit’s work is with the mind, not with the body in that way. It is not the will of God that such things should disgrace the proceedings. I believe that such things are the result of Satanic malice. The devil sees that there is a great deal of good doing; “Now,” says he, “I’ll spoil it all. I’ll put my hoof in there, and do a world of mischief. There are souls being converted; I will let them get so excited that they will do ludicrous things, and then it will all be brought into contempt.” Now, if you see any of these strange things arising, look out. There is that old Apollyon busy, trying to mar the work. Put such vagaries down as soon as you can, for where the Spirit works, he never works against his own precept, and his precept is, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” It is neither decent nor orderly for people to dance under the sermon, nor howl, nor scream, while the gospel is being preached to them, and therefore it is not the Spirit’s work at all, but mere human excitement.
For meditation: The Holy Spirit produces self-control, not loss of control (1 Corinthians 14:32; Galatians 5:22,23; 2 Timothy 1:7).
Sermon no. 185
28 March (1858)

C.H. Spurgeon

The way to God

“No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
Suggested Further Reading: Genesis 28:10-17
From the moment when Adam touched the forbidden fruit, the way from God to man became blocked up, the bridge was broken down, a great gulf was fixed, so that if it had not been for the divine plan of grace, we could not have ascended to God, neither could God in justice come down to us. Happily, however, the everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure, had provided for this great catastrophe. Christ Jesus the Mediator had in eternity past been ordained to become the medium of access between man and God. If you want a figure of him, remember the memorable dream of Jacob. He lay down in a solitary place, and he dreamed a dream, which had in it something more substantial than anything he had seen with his eyes wide open. He saw a ladder, the foot whereof rested upon earth, and the top thereof reached to heaven itself. Upon this ladder he saw angels ascending and descending. Now this ladder was Christ. Christ in his humanity rested upon the earth, he is bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. In his divinity he reaches to the highest heaven, for he is very God of very God. When our prayers ascend on high they must tread the staves of this ladder; and when God’s blessings descend to us, the rounds of this marvellous ladder must be the means of their descent. Never has a prayer ascended to God save through Jesus Christ. Never has a blessing come down to man save through the same Divine Mediator. There is now a highway, a way of holiness wherein the redeemed can walk to God, and God can come to us. The king’s highway:

“The way the holy prophets went-
The road that leads from banishment.”

Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life.
For meditation: The crucifixion of God the Son was the opening ceremony of the way to the Father. As soon as the Son announced “It is finished”, the Father marked the occasion by cutting the veil of the temple from top to bottom (Mark 15:37,38; Hebrews 10:19,20).
Sermon no. 245
27 March (1859)
C.H. Spurgeon

True, victorious living

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(J.R. Miller)

Many of us find life hard and full of pain. The world treats us meanly and roughly. We suffer wrongs and injuries. Other people's clumsy feet tread upon our tender hearts. We must endure misfortunes, trials, and disappointments. We cannot avoid these things, but we should not allow the harsh experiences to deaden our sensibilities, or make us stoic or sour. The true aim of living, is to keep our hearts sweet and gentle amid the hardest conditions and experiences.

If you remove the snow from the hillside in the late winter, you will find sweet flowers growing there, beneath the cold drifts, unhurt by the storm and by the snowy blankets that have covered them. Just so, should we keep our hearts tender and sensitive beneath life's fiercest winter blasts, and through the longest years of suffering, and even of injustice and wrong treatment. That is true, victorious living.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

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Separating the precious from the vile

“That ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” Exodus 11:7

Suggested Further Reading: Ephesians 4:17-32

A stern rough argument might move us to be separate from the world. But once again, how is it possible for us to honour Jesus Christ, while there is no difference between us and the world? I can imagine that a man may not profess to be a Christian, and yet he may honour his master; that however is a matter of imagination, I do not know of an instance; but I cannot imagine a man professing to be a Christian, and then acting as the world acts, and yet honouring Christ. Methinks I see my Master now; he stands before me. He has more than those five blessed wounds. I see his hands running with blood. “My Master! My Master!” I cry, “where didst thou get those wounds? Those are not the piercings of the nails, nor the gash of the spear-thrust; whence come those wounds?” I hear him mournfully reply, “These are the wounds which I have received in the house of my friends; such-and-such a Christian fell, such-and-such a disciple followed me afar off, and at last Peter-like denied me altogether. Such a one of my children is covetous, such another of them is proud, such another has taken his neighbour by the throat, and said, “Pay me what thou owest,” and I have been wounded in the house of my friends.” O, blessed Jesus, forgive us, forgive us, and give us thy grace that we may do so no more, for we would follow thee whithersoever thou goest; thou knowest Lord we would be thine, we would honour thee and not grieve thee. O give us now of thine own Spirit, that we may come out from the world and be like thyself,—holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.

For meditation: Does the Lord have to ask you “Will ye also go away?” May he enable us to reply as Simon Peter did (John 6:67-69).

Sermon no. 305
26 March (Preached 25 March 1860)

C.H. Spurgeon

C.H. Spurgeon Quotes

False Profession

Posted: 26 Mar 2013 01:00 AM PDT

Let them get home to their knees and pray God to give them manliness enough at least to be damned honestly, and not go down to perdition wearing the name of Christian when Christians they are not.
C.H. Spurgeon

The volcano

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(J.R. Miller)

The volcano is quiet and silent for years. No fires and lava pour forth from its crater. Meanwhile, people venture up its slopes, and lay out their gardens, and build their villas, and plant their vineyards. And flowers bloom, and fruits hang in purple clusters, and beauty covers the once fire-swept, lava-furrowed mountain slopes. But has the volcano really been tamed? Have its fires been put out? Is all permanently peaceful in the volcano's heart?

Just so is the heart of a man, who has merely trained himself into good moral and ethical habits. What the best mere self-culture can do for a life--is no more than the planting of flowers and vineyards on the volcano's sides--while all its fires still burn within, ready to break forth again any day in all their old fury! Good manners are not saving religion. The heart must be changed. The heart of stone, must be made a heart of flesh. The heart that hates God, and holiness and purity--must become a heart that loves God, His holy ways, and His holy Word.

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." Ezekiel 36:26-27

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Paul’s first prayer

“For, behold, he prayeth.” Acts 9:11

Suggested Further Reading: Colossians 4:2-12

Whenever a Christian backslides, his wandering commences in his closet. I speak what I have felt. I have often gone back from God—never so as to fall finally, I know, but I have often lost that sweet savour of his love which I once enjoyed. I have had to cry:

“What peaceful hours I once enjoyed! How sweet their memory still!
But they have left an aching void, The world can never fill.”

I have gone up to God’s house to preach, without either fire or energy; I have read the Bible, and there has been no light upon it, I have tried to have communion with God, but all has been a failure. Shall I tell you where that commenced? It commenced in my closet. I had ceased, in a measure, to pray. Here I stand, and do confess my faults; I do acknowledge that whenever I depart from God it is there it begins. Oh Christians, would you be happy? Be much in prayer. Would you be victorious? Be much in prayer.

“Restraining prayer, we cease to fight; Prayer makes the Christian’s armour bright.”

Mrs Berry used to say, “I would not be hired out of my closet for a thousand worlds.” Mr Jay said, “If the twelve apostles were living near you, and you had access to them, if this intercourse drew you from the closet, they would prove a real injury to your souls.” Prayer is the ship which brings home the richest freight. It is the soil which yields the most abundant harvest. Brother, when you rise in the morning your business so presses, that with a hurried word or two, down you go into the world, and at night, jaded and tired, you give God the fag end of the day. The consequence is, that you have no communion with him.

For meditation: Jonah’s backsliding was accompanied by a total lack of prayer, even when pagans were trying to pray (Jonah 1:5,6,14). God sometimes resorts to drastic measures to bring the believer back to himself and to prayer (Jonah 2:1).

Sermon no. 16
25 March (1855)

C.H. Spurgeon

The infallible umpire

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(J.R. Miller)

The throne of Russia was once occupied by two boy princes. They sat side by side and gave their decisions on the gravest questions. Their judgments were so wise and just, that men marveled that princes so young and inexperienced, could know so much of statecraft, or speak with such discretion on questions so difficult. But the secret was that close behind the throne where they sat, hidden by a thin veil, was the Princess Sophia. She heard the cases which were brought to them, and she gave the decisions which they delivered. They referred every question to her, and waited until she had whispered to them the wise answer, which they gave out. 

In like manner, the Word of Christ should dwell richly in our heart. We are to refer every matter to the Holy Spirit, and wait for His decision. Then what He bids us to do--we are to do. Thus Christ will rule every thought, every feeling and every affection. He will settle every point of duty. He will sit as the infallible umpire in all questions of daily living--of duty, of relationships, of recreations, of business.

"I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation." Psalm 119:99 

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. " Psalm 119:9 

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word." Colossians 3:16 

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