Spurgeon Blog

“I am the Lord, I change not.” – Malachi 3:6

It is well for us that, amidst all the variableness of life, there is One whom change cannot affect; One whose heart can never alter, and on whose brow mutability can make no furrows.  All things else have changed – all things are changing.  The sun itself grows dim with age; the world is waxing old; the folding up of the worn out vesture has commenced; the heavens and earth must soon pass away; they shall perish, they shall wax old as doth a garment; but there is One who only hath immortality,of whose years there is no end, and in whose person there is no change.  The delight which the mariner feels, when, after having been tossed about for many a day, he steps again upon the solid shore, is the satisfaction of a Christian, when, amidst all the changes of this troubous life, he rests the foot of his faith upon this truth – “I am the Lord, I change not.”

The stability which the anchor gives the ship when it has at last obtained a hold-fast, is like that which the Christian’s hope affords him when it fixes itself upon this glorious truth.  With God “there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”  Whatever His attributes were of old, they are now; His power, His wisdom, His justice, His truth, are like unchanged.  He has ever been the refuge of His people, their stronghold in the day of trouble, and He is their sure helper still.  He is unchanged in His love.  He has loved His people with “an everlasting love;” He loves them now as much as ever He did, and when all earthly things shall have melted in the last conflagration, His love will wear the dew of its youth.  Precious is the assurance that He changes not!  The wheel of providence revolves, but its axle is eternal love.

“Death and change are busy ever;

Man decays and ages move;

But His mercy waneth never;

God is wisdom, God is love.”

“The Church in thy house.” – Philemon 2.

Is there a Church in this house?  Are parents, children, friends, servants, all members of it?  Or are some still unconverted?  Let us pause here, and let the question go round – Am I a member of the Church in this house?  How would father’s heart leap for joy, and mother’s eyes fill with holy tears, if from the eldest to the youngest all were saved!  Let us pray for this great mercy until the Lord shall grant it to us.  Probably it had been the dearest object of Philemon’s desires to have all his household saved; but it was not at first granted him in its fulness.  He had a wicked servant, Onesimus, who, having wronged him, ran away from his service.  His master’s prayers followed him, and at last, as God would have it, Onesimus was lead to hear Paul preach; his heart was touched, and he returned to Philemon, not only to be a faithful servant, but a brother beloved, adding another member to the Church in Philemon’s house.  Is there an unconverted servant or child absent this morning?  Make a special supplication that such may, on their return to their home, gladden all hearts with good news of what grace has done!  Is there one present?  Let him partake in the same earnest entreaty.

If there be such a Church in our house, let us order it well, and let all act as in the sight of God.  Let us move in the common affairs of life with studied holiness, diligence, kindness, and integrity.  More is expected of a Church than of an ordinary household; family worship must, in such a case, be more devout and hearty; internal love must be more warm and unbroken, and external conduct must be more sanctified and Christ-like.  We need not feat that the smallness of our number will put out of the list of Churches, for the Holy Spirit has here enrolled a family-church in the inspired book of remembrance.  As a Church let us now draw nigh to the great Head of the one Church universal, and let us beseech Him to give us grace to shine before men to the glory of His name.

“Renew a right spirit within me.” – Psalm 51:10

A backslider, if there be a spark of life left in him, will groan after restoration. In this renewal the same exercise of grace is required as at our conversion.  We needed repentance then; we certainly need it now.  We wanted faith that we might come to Christ at first; only the like grace can bring us to Jesus now.  We wanted  a word from the Most High, a word from the lop of the loving One, to end our fears then; we shall soon discover, when under a sense of present sin, that we need it now.  No man can be renewed without a real and true manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s energy as he felt at first, because the work is as great, and flesh and blood are as much in the way now as ever they were.  Let they personal weakness, O Christian, be an argument to make thee pray earnestly to they God for help.  Remember, David, when he felt himself to be powerless, did not fold his arms or close his lips, but he hastened to the mercy-seat with, “Renew a right spirit within me.”  Let not the doctrine that you, unaided, can do nothing, make you sleep; but let it be a goad in your side to drive you with an awful earnestness to Israel’s strong Helper.  O that you may have grace to plead with God, as though you pleaded for your very life – “Lord, renew a right spirit within me.”  He who sincerely prays to God to do this, will prove his honesty by using the means through which God works.  Be much in prayer; live much upon the Word of God; kill the lusts which have driven your Lord from you; be careful to watch over the future uprisings of sin.  The Lord has his own appointed ways; sit by the way-side, and you will be ready when He passes by.  Continue in all those blessed ordinances which will foster and nourish your dying graces; and, knowing that all the power must proceed from Him, cease not to cry, “Renew a right spirit within me.”

“I will praise Thee, O Lord.” – Psalm 9:1

Praise should always follow answered prayers, as the mist of earth’s gratitude rises when the sun of heaven’s love warms the ground.  Hath the Lord been gracious to thee, and inclined his ear to the voice of they supplication?  Then praise Him as long as thou livest.  Let the ripe fruit drop upon the fertile soil from which it drew its life.  Deny not a song to Him who hath answered they prayer and given thee the desire of they heart.  To be silent over God’s mercies is to incur the guilt of ingratitude; it is to act as basely as the nine lepers, who, after they had been cured of their leprosy, returned not to give thanks unto the healing Lord.  To forget to praise God, is to refuse to benefit ourselves; for praise, like prayer, is one great means of promoting the growth of spiritual life.  It helps to remove our burdens, to excite our hope, to increase our faith.  It is a healthful and invigorating exercise, which quickens the pulse of the believer, and nerves him for fresh enterprises in his Master’s service.  To bless God for mercies received is also the way to benefit our fellow-men; “the humble shall hear thereof and be glad.”  Others, who have been in like circumstances, shall take comfort if we can say, “Oh!  magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together; this poor man cried, and the Lord heard him.”  Weak hearts will be strengthened, and drooping saints will be revived, as they listen to our “songs of deliverance.”  Their doubts and fears will be rebuked, as we teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.  They too shall “sing in the ways of the Lord,” when they hear us magnify His holy name.  Praise is the most heavenly of Christian duties.  The angels pray not, but they cease not to praise both day and night; and the redeemed, clothed in white robes, with palm-branches in their hands, are never weary of singing the new song, “Worthy is the Lamb.”

“After this manner therefore pray ye: our Father, which art in heaven,” &c. – Matthew 6:9

This prayer begins where all true prayer must commence – with the spirit of adoption.  ”Our Father.”  There is no acceptable prayer until we can say, “I will arise and go unto my Father.”  This child-like spirit soon perceives the grandeur of the Father “in heaven,” and ascends to devout adoration - “Hallowed be Thy name.”  The child lisping, “Abba, Father,” grows into the cherub crying, “Holy, Holy, Holy.”  There is but a step from rapturous worship to the glowing missionary spirit, which is a sure outgrowth of filial love and reverent adoration – “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  Next follows the heartfelt expression of dependence upon God – “Give us this day our daily bread.”  Being further illuminated by the Spirit, he discovers that he is not only dependent, but sinful; hence he entreats for mercy - “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors:” and being pardoned, having the righteousness of Christ imputed, and knowing his acceptance with God, he humbly supplicates for holy perseverance - “Lead us not into temptation.”  The man who is really forgiven, is anxious not to offend again; the possession of justification leads to an anxious desire for sanctification.  ”Forgive us our debts;” that is justification.  ”Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;” that is sanctification in its negative and positive forms.  As the result of all this, there follows a triumphant ascription of praise - “Thine is the kingdom, the power, and glory forever and ever.  Amen.”  We rejoice that our King reigns in providence and shall reign in grace, from the river even to the ends of the earth, and of His dominion there shall be no end.  Thus from a sense of adoption, up to fellowship with our reigning Lord, this short model of prayer conducts the soul.  Lord, teach us thus to pray.

“I have chosen you out of the world.” ~ John 15:19

Here is distinguishing grace and discriminating regard; for some are made the special objects of divine affection.  Do not be afraid to dwell upon this high doctrine of election.  When your mind is most heavy and depressed, you will find it to be a bottle of richest cordial.  Those who doubt the doctrines of grace, or who cast them into the shade, miss the richest clusters of Eschol; they lose the wines on the lees well refined, the fat things full of marrow.  There is no balm in Gilead comparable to it.  If the honey in Jonathan’s wood, when but touched, enlighten the eyes, this is honey which will enlighten your heart to love and learn the mysteries of the kingdom of God.  Eat, and fear not a surfeit; live upon the choice dainty, and fear not that it will be too delicate a diet.  Meat from the King’s table will hurt none of His courtiers.  Desire to have your mind enlarged, that you may comprehend more and more the eternal, everlasting, discriminating love of God.  When you have mounted as high as election, tarry on its sister mount, the covenant of grace.  Covenant engagements are the munitions of stupendous rock behind which we lie intrenched; covenant engagements with the surety, Christ Jesus, are the quiet resting-places of trembling spirits.

“His oath, His covenant, His blood,

 Support me in the raging flood;

When every earthly prop gives way,

This still is all my strength and stay.”

If Jesus undertook to bring me to glory, and the Father promised that he would give me the Son to be part of the infinite reward of the travail of His soul, then, my soul, till God Himself shall be unfaithful, till Jesus shall cease to be the truth, thou art safe.  When David danced before the ark, he told Michal that election made him do so.  Come, my soul, exult before the God of grace, and leap for joy of heart.