Charles Spurgeon - Heaven, Hell, Eternity Luke 13:24

Heaven has become a trifle to you, Hell is almost a jest, eternity an empty notion, and death but a bugbear!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"Many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able!" Luke 13:24

I do not wonder that so many are deceived, when I see the careless way in which they deal with their souls. When men have to do with their estates, they are very careful; they pay a lawyer to go back over the title-deeds perhaps for two or three hundred years. Intrade they will hurry hither and thither to attend to their commercial engagements; they would not launch into speculations, nor would they run great risks. 

But the soul, the poor soul — how men play with it as a toy, and despise it as if it were worthless! Two or three minutes in the morning when they first roll out of bed, two or three odd minutes in the evening, when they are nearly asleep — the fag-ends of the day given to their souls, and all the best part given to the body! 

And then, with what indifference do you lend your ears too often to the preaching of the Word! It is an old song; you have heard it so many times; Heaven has become a trifle to you, Hell is almost a jest, eternity an empty notion, and death but a bugbear!

Alas! it is a marvel that there are not more deceived. The wonder is that any find the gate, that any discover eternal life, when we are so, so mad, so foolish, so insane — as to trifle where we ought to be solemnly in earnest; and to play and toy — where the whole heart should be given to a work of such everlasting importance. God help us, since it is so easy to be deceived — to search, and watch, and look, and test, and try, that we be not found castaways at the last!

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it!" Matthew 7:13-14 

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you — unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2 Corinthians 13:5

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon - The Godly Man's Crosses, Losses and Sorrows

The godly man's crosses, losses and sorrows

(Charles Spurgeon, "Treasury of David")

"He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper." Psalm 1:3

Blessed is the man who has such a promise as this! But we must not always estimate the fulfillment of a promise — by our own eye sight. How often, my brethren, if we judge by feeble sense, may we come to the mournful conclusion of Jacob, "All these things are against me!" For though we know our interest in the promise, yet we are so tried and troubled — that sight sees the very reverse of what that promise foretells. But to the 'eye of faith' this word is sure, and by it we perceive that we are prospered, even when everything seems to go against us.

It is not outward prosperity which the Christian most desires and values; it is soul prosperity which he longs for. Even in adversity, there is a true prospering, for it is often for the soul's health — that we would be poor, afflicted and tried. Our worst things — are often our best things! As there is a curse wrapped up in the wicked man's mercies — so there is a blessing concealed in the godly man's crosses, losses and sorrows. The trials of the saint are a divine husbandry, by which he grows and brings forth abundant fruit.

Christian Devotional Readings

Charles Spurgeon - The Covenant of Grace

Charles Spurgeon

“The Blood of the Everlasting Covenant!” 1859

Hebrews 13:20

Long before the day-star knew its place,

long before God had spoken existence out of nothing,

long before angel’s wing had stirred the unnavigated ether,

long before a solitary song had disturbed the solemnity of the silence in which God reigned supreme

— the Father had entered into solemn counsel with Himself, with His Son, and with His Spirit — and had in that council decreed, determined, purposed, and predestined the salvation of His people!

On the Father’s part — thus ran the covenant. I cannot tell it to you in the glorious celestial tongue in which it was written. I am glad to bring it down to the speech which suits to the ear of flesh, and to the heart of a mortal. Thus, I say, ran the covenant in lines like these:

“I, the Most High Jehovah, do hereby give unto My only begotten and well-beloved Son — a people, countless beyond the number of the stars . . .

who shall be washed from sin by Him;

who shall be preserved, and kept, and led by Him; and

at last, who shall be presented before My throne without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing by Him.

I covenant by oath, and swear by Myself, because I can swear by no one greater, that these whom I now give to Christ — shall forever be the objects of My eternal love!

These, I will forgive through the merit of my Son’s blood.

To these, I will give a perfect righteousness.

These, I will I adopt and make My sons and daughters.

And these shall reign with Me through Christ eternally!”

The Holy Spirit also, as one of the contracting parties of the covenant, gave His declaration, “I hereby covenant, that all whom the Father gives to the Son —

I will in due time quicken.

I will show them their need of redemption.

I will cut off all their groundless hopes, and destroy their refuges of lies.

I will bring them to the blood of sprinkling.

I will give them faith whereby this blood shall be applied to them.

I will work in them every grace.

I will keep their faith alive.

I will cleanse them and drive out depravity from them.

And they shall be presented at last, spotless and faultless in Heaven!”

This was the one side of the covenant, which is at this very day being fulfilled and scrupulously kept.

The Lord Jesus also, as one of the contracting parties of the covenant, gave His declaration, “My Father, on My part, I covenant that in the fullness of time, I will become man. I will live in their wretched world — and for My people, I keep the law perfectly. I will work out a spotless righteousness for them, which shall be acceptable to the demands of Your just and holy law. In due time, I will bear the sins of all My people. You shall exact all their debts upon Me. By My stripes — they shall be healed. My Father, I covenant and promise that I will be obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. I will magnify Your law, and make it honorable. I will suffer all that My people ought to have suffered. I will endure the curse of Your law — and all the vials of Your wrath shall be emptied and spent upon My head! I will then rise again, and ascend into Heaven. I will intercede for them at Your right hand. I will make Myself responsible for every one of them — that not one of those whom You have given me, shall ever be lost! I will bring all My sheep of whom, by My blood, you have constituted Me the Shepherd — I will bring every one safe to You at last!”

Christ can say of what He promised to do, “It is finished!” He has paid the debts of all the elect. He has, for His people and for their redemption — suffered the whole of wrath divine. Nothing remains now, except that He shall continue to intercede for them — that He may safely bring all His redeemed to glory. All for whom Christ died, shall be pardoned — all justified — all adopted.

The Spirit shall quicken them all, shall give them all faith, shall bring them all to Heaven. And they shall, every one of them, without hindrance, stand accepted in the Beloved.

The antiquity of the covenant of grace demands our grateful attention. It is a truth which tends to elevate the mind. I know of no doctrine more grand than this! It is the very soul and essence of all Scripture! In sitting down and meditating upon it — I confess my spirit has sometimes been ravished with delight!

Can you conceive of the idea, that before all things — God thought of you? That when as yet He had not made His mountains — He had thought of you; you, a poor puny worm? Oh this cannot make us proud — but it must make us feel happy!

Charles Spurgeon Morning & Evening Psalm 138:5

"They shall sing in the ways of the Lord."—Psalm 138:5

HE time when Christians begin to sing in the ways of the Lord is when they first lose their burden at the foot of the Cross. Not even the songs of the angels seem so sweet as the first song of rapture which gushes from the inmost soul of the forgiven child of God. You know how John Bunyan describes it. He says when poor Pilgrim lost his burden at the Cross, he gave three great leaps, and went on his way singing—

"Blest Cross! blest Sepulchre! blest rather be The Man that there was put to shame for me!" Believer, do you recollect the day when your fetters fell off? 

Do you remember the place when Jesus met you, and said, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love; I have blotted out as a cloud thy transgressions, and as a thick cloud thy sins; they shall not be mentioned against thee any more for ever." Oh! what a sweet season is that when Jesus takes away the pain of sin. When the Lord first pardoned my sin, I was so joyous that I could scarce refrain from dancing. I thought on my road home from the house where I had been set at liberty, that I must tell the stones in the street the story of my deliverance. So full was my soul of joy, that I wanted to tell every snow-flake that was falling from heaven of the wondrous love of Jesus, who had blotted out the sins of one of the chief of rebels. But it is not only at the commencement of the Christian life that believers have reason for song; as long as they live they discover cause to sing in the ways of the Lord, and their experience of His constant lovingkindness leads them to say, "I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth." See to it, brother, that thou magnifiest the Lord this day.

"Long as we tread this desert land,
New mercies shall new songs demand." Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon Sermon - A Day to Remember

OBSERVE, DEAR FRIENDS when our Lord spoke this sentence to Zacchaeus. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house."— Luke 19:9
Some of us may have fancied that he said it to the objecting people, but he did not. They may have heard it, and their objection may have been answered by it, but the main purpose of our blessed Lord, in uttering those words, was not to answer objectors, but to comfort one who might feel dispirited by their murmuring remark. 
"When they saw it, they all murmured,"
7. Saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
If he had not done so, he could not have gone anywhere, for all men are sinners. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." But this man was a sinner above others, for he had sold himself to the hated Roman power, and was authorized to collect the conqueror's taxes from his own people; so, of course, in the estimation of the Jews, he was the worst kind of sinner that could be found anywhere.
8. And Zacchaeus stood,—
And he did not talk at all like a sinner,—
8. And said unto the Lord; Beheld, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor;—
Some of those saints, as they reckoned themselves, had not done anything like as much as that: "The half of my goods I give to the poor;"—
8. And if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
Which restitution was an act of justice; and when charity and justice go hand in hand, what more can we expect of men?
9, 10. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

And that day he had both sought and saved one of the lost ones, for he had found Zacchaeus up in the sycomore tree, and he had brought salvation to the tax-gatherer's house. May he do the same for many who are here!

Charles Spurgeon Sermon - A Day to Remember

https://www.youtube.com/user/stack45ny

A Plea to the Lost — Charles Spurgeon

"Remember, last of all that the Law which is so sharp and terrible to men when it only deals with them for their good, will, if you and I die without being brought to Christ, be much more terrible to us in eternity, when it deals with us in justice for our punishment! Then it will not be enshrined in the body of Moses, but, terrible to tell, it will be incarnate in the Person of the Son of God sitting upon the Throne!..He will be at once the Lawgiver, the Judge, and the Savior; and you that have despised Him as the Saviour will have to appear before Him as your Judge! And His Justice will be clear and undiluted now that His Mercy has been scorned! Oil is soft; but set it on fire and see how it burns! Love is sweet; but curdle it to jealousy and see how sour it is! ..If you turn the Lamb of Zion into the Lion of the tribe of Judah, beware, for He will tear you in pieces, and there shall be none to deliver you! Rejected love will change its hand. The pierced hands were stretched out with invitations of His Mercy; but if these are rejected!?..O Sinners, I am telling you the solemn Truth of God! Please hear it, I pray you, before I send you away! If from those hands that were pierced you will not take the perfect Salvation which He is prepared to give to all who confess their guilt, you will have to receive from those same hands the blows of that iron rod which shall break you in pieces as a potter’s vessel! Fly now and kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish from the way while His Wrath is kindled but a little! Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him! Amen."


— Charles Spurgeon, A Plea to the Lost

"Christ, to the uttermost, has satisfied divine justice; the account is settled; the handwriting is nailed to the cross; the receipt is given, and we are debtors to God’s justice no longer."
Thus out of love we seek to express our gratitude, thanksgiving, favor, and love back to God by striving to obey His Word in the power of the Spirit and the grace that He himself supplies. - Charles H. Spurgeon

Poor sinner - Charles Spurgeon

Poor sinner! ‪‎Christ‬ has not left going forth yet. And when he goes forth, recollect, he goes to Bethlehem. Have you a Bethlehem in your ‪heart‬? Are you little? Go home and ‪‎seek‬ him by earnest prayer. If you have been made to weep on account of sin, and think yourself too little to be noticed, go home, little one! Jesus comes to little ones; his goings forth were of old, and he is going forth now. He will come to your poor old house; he will come to your poor wretched heart; he will come, though you are in poverty, and clothed in rags, though you are destitute, tormented, and afflicted; he will come, for his goings forth have been of old from everlasting. Trust him, trust him, trust him; and he will go forth to abide in your heart for ever. - Charles Spurgeon

Read the Scriptures ~ Charles Spurgeon

“You cannot expect to grow in grace if you do not read the Scriptures. If you are not familiar with the Word, you cannot expect to become like Him that spake it. Our experience is, as it were, the potter’s wheel on which we revolve; and the hand of God is in the Scriptures to mold us after the fashion and image in which He intends to bring us. Oh! be much with the holy Word of God and you will be holy. Be much with the silly novels of the day, and the foolish trifles of the hour, and you will degenerate into vapid wasters of your time; but be much with the solid teaching of God’s Word, and you will become solid and substantial men and women: drink them in, feed upon them, and they shall produce in you a Christ-likeness at which the world shall stand astonished!”
~Charles Spurgeon~

Salvation lies in Jesus only - Charles Spurgeon

"True salvation is not to be found through the mere reception of any creed, however true or scriptural. Mere “head notion” is not the road to heaven. “You must be born again,” means a great deal more than that you must believe certain dogmas. The study of the Bible cannot save you! You must press beyond this; you must come to the living, personal Christ, or else your acceptance of the soundest creed cannot avail for the salvation of your soul. Salvation lies in Jesus only!"

~Charles Spurgeon~