Lately, I’ve been doing my daily Bible reading on my iPhone via E-Sword; part of that is warming up on Spurgeon’s devotional.
Today, he emphasized two very common problems: compromise, in his morning thoughts; and calling in his evening thoughts.
Since he was such an excellent biblical preacher, his words are very worth considering.
As I read the morning thoughts, I thought of all the compromise with the world that the church is doing these days: CRT and LGBTQ are the latest worldly examples of heretical movements that have been occurring one after another since the days of the apostles. Then there is the liberalism of 100 years ago….
Spurgeon was a defender of the church against the liberalism of his day in his ‘downgrade controversy’ writings. See MacArthur’s thoughts on that at the following link via an 11-minute video in this blog; his part 2 discussion is linked at the bottom of that post:
His evening thoughts basically inform the new believer about calling after conversion. He addresses the common error of new converts thinking they have to become a pastor, missionary… to serve the Lord; they are to do the Lord’s work where they are at when converted, unless….
June 27
Morning
“Only ye shall not go very far away.” — Exo_8:28
This is a crafty word from the lip of the arch-tyrant Pharaoh. If the poor bondaged Israelites must needs go out of Egypt, then he bargains with them that it shall not be very far away; not too far for them to escape the terror of his arms, and the observation of his spies.
After the same fashion, the world loves not the non-conformity of nonconformity, or the dissidence of dissent; it would have us be more charitable and not carry matters with too severe a hand.
Death to the world, and burial with Christ, are experiences which carnal minds treat with ridicule, and hence the ordinance which sets them forth is almost universally neglected, and even condemned.
Worldly wisdom recommends the path of compromise, and talks of “moderation.” According to this carnal policy, purity is admitted to be very desirable, but we are warned against being too precise; truth is of course to be followed, but error is not to be severely denounced. “Yes,” says the world, “be spiritually minded by all means, but do not deny yourself a little gay society, an occasional ball, and a Christmas visit to a theatre.
What’s the good of crying down a thing when it is so fashionable, and everybody does it?”
Multitudes of professors yield to this cunning advice, to their own eternal ruin. If we would follow the Lord wholly, we must go right away into the wilderness of separation, and leave the Egypt of the carnal world behind us.
We must leave its maxims, its pleasures, and its religion too, and go far away to the place where the Lord calls his sanctified ones. When the town is on fire, our house cannot be too far from the flames. When the plague is abroad, a man cannot be too far from its haunts. The further from a viper the better, and the further from worldly conformity the better.
To all true believers let the trumpet-call be sounded, “Come ye out from among them, be ye separate.”
Evening
“Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.” — 1Co_7:20
Some persons have the foolish notion that the only way in which they can live for God is by becoming ministers, missionaries, or Bible women. Alas! how many would be shut out from any opportunity of magnifying the Most High if this were the case.
Beloved, it is not office, it is earnestness; it is not position, it is grace which will enable us to glorify God. God is most surely glorified in that cobbler’s stall, where the godly worker, as he plies the awl, sings of the Saviour’s love, aye, glorified far more than in many a prebendal stall where official religiousness performs its scanty duties.
The name of Jesus is glorified by the poor unlearned carter as he drives his horse, and blesses his God, or speaks to his fellow labourer by the roadside, as much as by the popular divine who, throughout the country, like Boanerges, is thundering out the gospel.
God is glorified by our serving him in our proper vocations.
Take care, dear reader, that you do not forsake the path of duty by leaving your occupation, and take care you do not dishonour your profession while in it.
Think little of yourselves, but do not think too little of your callings. Every lawful trade may be sanctified by the gospel to noblest ends.
Turn to the Bible, and you will find the most menial forms of labour connected either with most daring deeds of faith, or with persons whose lives have been illustrious for holiness.
Therefore be not discontented with your calling. Whatever God has made your position, or your work, abide in that, unless you are quite sure that he calls you to something else.
Let your first care be to glorify God to the utmost of your power where you are. Fill your present sphere to his praise, and if he needs you in another he will show it you. This evening lay aside vexatious ambition, and embrace peaceful content.