Readings for Sun 14–Sat 20 Jun: S 1991. “Sitting By” M 1992. Song for the Free, and Hope for the Bound T 1993. Driving Away the Vultures from the Sacrifice W 1994. Sweet Peace for Tried Believers Th 1995. *The Heart: A Gift for God* F 1996. Public Testimony: A Debt to God and Man Sa 1997. God’s Longsuffering: An Appeal to the Conscience #readingSpurgeon #Spurgeon

Of all the devils in the world I hate a roaring devil least; but a fawning devil is the worst devil that ever a man meets. When the world pretends to love, understand that it now hates you more cordially than ever, and is carefully baiting its trap to catch you and ruin you. Beware of the Judas kiss with which the Christ was betrayed, and with which you will be betrayed unless you are well upon your guard. In the world and from the world ye shall have tribulation. #Spurgeon #s1994

“In the world”—not merely in this present state, but in this ungodly world—we shall have tribulation. Worldlings will not gather round you to admire your excellence and assist your piety. If they did I should think that either the world had changed, or else it had made a mistake about you. #Spurgeon #s1994

The cross is the best piece of furniture in your house, though you have sometimes wished it was not there. It shall always work your good: it does work it now. #Spurgeon #s1994

Peace of the deepest, truest, most constant, most emphatic kind is only found in Jesus. Peace in all seasons, and in all difficulties; peace for ever: all this is in him, and in him only. #Spurgeon #s1994

I believe, and then I get peace. I believe and am sure: then is my peace like a river, and my righteousness like the waves of the sea. Luther tells us how he found peace when one said to him, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins.” Oh, if one did but believe what he professes to believe! I mean believed it fully! That way lies peace—in believing up to the hilt. The child-like way of sitting at Jesus’ feet, and receiving his words—this is the path of peace. All the outgrowth of quibbling and cavilling may be summed up as thorns and briers, tearing the flesh and rending the spirit. These things had Christ spoken, that they might believe in him, for well he knew that the victory which overcomes trial is faith, and not doubt. Believing, and not questioning, is the King’s highway. #Spurgeon #s1994

The great object of some men seems to be to find in the Bible something which they cannot believe: for my part I am delighted with what I do believe. #Spurgeon #s1994

“He so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.” Christ is not the cause of divine love, but the sweetest and best fruit of it. #Spurgeon #s1994

The love of God the Father is a treasure-house of peace. The Father himself—not moved by the importunities of his pleading Son, but himself, of his own accord, loveth you. O Father God, how hast thou sometimes been slandered, as though thou wert backward to love us, and thy Son must needs persuade thee! Nay, it is not so. God loved his people, and, therefore he sent his Son to redeem them. #Spurgeon #s1994

Beloved, if you want peace think much of the divine Comforter. You are not left alone. You are not left without the tenderest sympathy of One who knows how to cheer the heaviest heart. You are not left without a friend more able than all other friends to enter into your secret griefs, and administer to you the most potent consolations. Think much of the Holy Ghost in his office as Comforter, and the meditation will foster peace within your spirit. How ill we treat the Holy Spirit by our few and superficial thoughts of him! Let us henceforth adore him with deeper love and reverence. #Spurgeon #s1994

The God who is better to you than all your fears, yea, better than your hopes, perhaps intends the affliction to remain with you until it lifts the latch of heaven for you, and lets you into your eternal rest. #Spurgeon #s1994

The Lord has made some of his children fond of the cross. It was so with Rutherford. He said at last that he was half afraid lest the cross, which had become so sweet to him, might rival Christ himself. I never feel any fear of that myself, for pain is very much dreaded by my coward flesh; but I suppose that there are saints who have come to feel that the bitter is so beneficial, that they would prefer its tonic to the sweetest cup that was ever mingled. It is an acquired taste, no doubt, but he that hath it will be at peace about trouble. It shall help you greatly to attain peace if you expect rough treatment while you are a sojourner in this present evil world. #Spurgeon #s1994

If this island be your dwelling-place, you cannot look for the climate of India; neither ought you to complain of winter and frost, for these are a part of a Briton’s inheritance. You must take the rough with the smooth. #Spurgeon #s1994

Learn then that one way for you to gain peace is to reflect upon it that trial is promised you, that trial is in the covenant, that persecution and the ill-will of an ungodly world are evils which you are bound to endure. They are guaranteed to you by the very fact of your being of the seed of the woman whose heel must be bruised; and they will come to you in your measure. Expect trials as you look for clouds and rain in the English climate. #Spurgeon #s1994

Oh, that we could learn from Christ the art of peace! He desires that we should have it. Then we should not be so often up and so speedily down, to-day so brimming over and to-morrow so empty, one moment so fast and another so slow, unduly exhilarated at one moment and at the next so needlessly depressed. We ought not to be movable as waves, but fixed as stars. #Spurgeon #s1994

we are quite certain that our Lord Jesus does not desire his disciples to be depressed. To some the fit colour for piety seems to be grey, drab, or full mourning. But it is not so: the saints are arrayed in white linen, which is the emblem of gladness as well as of purity. The Saviour does not wish his disciples to go through the world as through a twilight of sadness, whispering in fear, because of judgments to come, and suppressing all joy because of the evils with which they are surrounded. No, brethren, Jesus wishes us all to be happy in himself, with a quiet peacefulness like his own. He was no laughing maker of merriment, but still he was serenely confident, and he would have us keep to his pitch, and be at peace. “These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.” #Spurgeon #s1994

Our Lord Jesus Christ delights to see his people firm, calm, happy. I do not think that he is so pleased to see them excited, although we have those around us who seem to think that great grace can only display itself by raving and raging. The religion of the quiet Jesus was never intended to drive us to the verge of insanity. #Spurgeon #s1994

One calm and quiet man has sometimes spread peace through what else would have been terrified company. One Paul standing in the sinking ship saves all from ruin by the majesty of his immovable courage; and one Christ—such a Christ as ours—in the midst of a church turns a horde of cowards into an army of heroes. His infinite peace breathes peace into our vacillating spirits. We rest because we see how he rests. #Spurgeon #s1994

It is worthy of careful consideration that in Jesus himself there was ever present an abiding peace. He had peace. If he had not himself possessed peace, we could not have had peace in him. But what a holy calm there was upon the spirit of our divine Master! Read his life through, and dwell upon any one delightful characteristic, and you will find him perfect; but if you study it carefully in order to remark upon his manliness, his self-possession, his calm and peaceful bearing in the midst of turmoil and provocation, you will find him to be a master of the art of peace. Truly in patience he possessed his soul. Never man had more to disturb him, but never man was less disturbed. He could not be turned aside from anything which he had resolved to do, for he set his face like a flint; and in the doing of it he could not be excited or discouraged, for his spirit was not of this changing world. Men might oppose him, but he endured great contradiction of sinners against himself with marvellous longsuffering. When his eager and foolish disciples would push him forward, or would hold him back, he was moved neither in the one direction nor in the other by any of them; but he steadfastly held to the even tenor of his way, his soul abiding in God, giving glory to God, and resting in the eternal Power and Godhead which he knew to be always at his side. The background of the life of Christ is the omnipresence of the Father. Wherever you see him—if you see him quite alone when every disciple has forsaken him—you see this text expounded, “Ye shall leave me alone, and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” #Spurgeon #s1994

You never find in the Master’s speaking a single sentence spoken for what orators use to call “effect.” He never introduces a pretty bit here and there to let men see how poetical his mind could be. He never goes a little aside to introduce a something which was quite unnecessary to the display of the subject, but very necessary to the display of the orator. Nothing so little, so self-seeking, ever governs the mind of Jesus. Far from it. His soul goes with his subject, and he has no second object: he would convey his meaning to his hearers, and his mind is concentrated on that aim. He keeps hard at it, steadily driving at his point, and he speaks ever with the one desire, that the truth should go home to the heart, and should be blessed to the hearer. #Spurgeon #s1994

Drive those doubts away, and those fears of death. You are going home; do not be afraid. Jesus is coming to meet you, therefore dismiss every fear. #Spurgeon #s1993