A great sermon again from Spurgeon. It is called “A Wise Desire”. And it is based on Psalm 47:4. “He shall choose our inheritance for us.” For a Christian God shall choose our inheritance, what we live on this earth, in heaven and everything will be chosen by God for us. The circumstance which we are in now, the circumstance which is past, the tough situations all were chosen by God for us to bring us to this point and to guide us into the future where God wants us to be. Nothing happens in our life by chance. When Joseph’s brothers plotted evil against him, when the potiphar’s wife slandered him, when he was forgotten by the cook, nothing ever looked good, but that was God preparing the way for him to be ruler over Egypt. So even the bad circumstances of our life come by God’s providence and we should be thankful that “He shall choose our inheritance for us.”.

Now Spurgeon’s own words This actually shows how foolish we are when we think our life should have been different from the way it is now and that we wish that we were like someone else, all when God has ordained things to happen in our life for a particular reason.

God in his wisdom may have made one man rich. “Ah!” says he, at night, “would God I had not all this wealth to tease my mind and worry me. I believe any peasant who toils for me has far more rest than I have.” Another who is a poor man wipes the hot sweat from his brow, and says, “O my Father, I have asked thee to give me neither poverty nor riches; but here am I so poor that I am obliged to toil incessantly for my bread, would God I could have my mercies there among the rich.” One has been born with abilities. He has improved them by education, and this improvement of his natural powers has entailed upon him fearful responsibilities, so that he has to exercise his thoughts and his brain from morning till night. Sometimes he sits down and says, “Now if I am not the most hard worked of all mortals. Those who keep a shop can shut it up; but I am open it all times, and I am always under this responsibility. What shall I do and how shall I rest myself?” Another who has to toil with his hands is thinking, “Oh! if I could lead such a gentlemanly life as that minister. He never has to work hard. He only has to think and read, of course that is not hard work. He has perhaps to sit up till twelve o’clock at night to prepare his sermon, that is not work of course. I wish I had his situation.” So we all cry out about our mercies, and want to choose our allotments. “Oh!” says one, “I have health, but I think I could do without that if I had wealth.” Another says, “I have wealth, but I could give all my gold to have good constitution.” One says, “Here am I stowed away in this dirty London; I would give anything if I could go and live in the country.” Another, who resides in the country, says, “There is no convenience here, you have to go so many miles for the doctor, and one thing and the other, I wish I dwelt in London.” So that we are none of us satisfied with our mercies. But the true Christian says, or ought to say, “Thou shalt choose my inheritance for me;” high or low, rich or poor, town or country, wealth or poverty, ability or ignorance, “Thou shalt choose my inheritance for me.”

Again, we must leave to God the choice of our employment. “Oh!” says the preacher—and I have been wicked enough to say so myself—”how would I like to have all my employment in the week that I might sit in the pew on the Sabbath and hear a sermon, and be refreshed?” I am sure I should be glad to hear a sermon; it is a long time since I heard one. But when I do attend one, it always tires me—I want to be improving on it. How would I like to sit down and have a little of the feast in God’s house myself, instead of always being the serving man in God’s household. Thank God! I can steal a crumb for myself sometimes. But then we fancy, O that I were not in that employment! O that like Jonah we might flee to Tarshish, to avoid going to that great Nineveh. Another is a Sabbath-school teacher. He says, “I would rather visit the sick than sit with those troublesome boys and girls. And then the teachers do not seem to be so friendly with me as they should be.” The Sunday-school teacher thinks he can do anything better than teach; but there is his friend who visits the sick coming down the stairs, and he says, “I could teach little children, or preach a little; but really I cannot visit the sick. There is nothing so hard, and that requires so much self-denial.” Another says, “I am a tract distributor. It is not easy work to have your tracts refused at this door, and then at another; and persons looking at you as if you came to rob them; could stand up before the congregation and speak, but I cannot do this.” And so we get selecting our employments. Ah! but we ought to say, “Thou shalt choose my inheritance for me;” and leave our employment to God. “If there were two angels in heaven,” said a good man, “supposing there were two works to be done, and one work was to rule a city, and the other to sweep a street crossing—the angels would not stop a moment to say which they would do. They would do which ever God told them to do. Gabriel would shoulder his broom and sweep the crossing cheerfully, and Michael would not be a bit prouder in taking the scepter to govern the city.” So with a Christian.

But there is nothing that we oftener want to choose than our crosses. None of us like crosses at all; but all of us think everybody else’s trials lighter than our own. Crosses we must have; but we often want to be choosing them. “Oh!” says one, “my trouble is in my family. It is the worst cross in the world—my business is successful; but if I might have a cross in my business, and get rid of this cross in my family, I should not mind.” Then, my beloved hearers, in reference to your mercies, your employments, and your afflictions, say—”Lord, thou shalt choose my inheritance for me! I have been a silly child; I have often tried to meddle with my lot. Now I leave it. I cast myself on the stream of Providence, hoping to float along. I give myself up to the influence of thy will.” He that kicks and struggles in the water, they say, will be sure to sink; but he who lies still will float—so with Providence. He that struggles against it goes down; but he who resigns everything to it, will float along quietly calmly, and happily.

You sit down to-morrow and you read the life of some eminent servant of God: perhaps the life of David Brainerd, and how he gave up his life for his Master in the wilderness, or the heroic life of Henry Martin, and how he sacrificed all for Christ: and as you read you say within yourself, “I will endeavor to be like this man; I will seek to have his faith, his self denial, his love to never-dying souls” Try and get them, beloved, and you will soon find your own weakness. I have sometimes thought I would try to have more faith but I have found it very hard to keep as much as I had. I have thought, “I will love my Saviour more,” and it was right that I should strive to do so; but when I sought to love him more I found that perhaps I was going backward instead of forward. How often do we find out our weakness when God answers our prayers!

“I ask’d the Lord that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of his salvation know
And seek more earnestly his face.

I hop’d that in some favor’d hour
At once he’d answer my request,
And by his love’s constraining power,
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this he made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart,
And let the angry power of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

‘Lord why is this?’ I trembling cried
‘Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?’
‘Tis in this way,’ the Lord replied;
‘I answer prayer for grace and faith.’”

That is, the Lord helps us to grow downward when we are only thinking about growing upward. Let any of you try to grow in grace, and seek to run the heavenly race, and make a little progress, and you will soon find, in such a slippery road as that which we have to travel, that it is very hard to go one step forward, though remarkably easy to go a great many steps backward.

That was a part from Spurgeon’s sermon. “As thy days so shall strength be”.  The poem was written by John Newton and I really love what it says. How true it is that when we try to grow in grace the Lord shows the inner evil of our hearts so that we will run back to him. How weak we are and how much we have to lean on God.  We are as weak as water if God shall leave us alone. The older Christians get in their faith, the less they become in their own esteem, the more they feel their own weakness, and the more entirely they rely upon the strength of God.

There was once a poor man called Jack in

a small country town who had not all the sense people usually have, but he had sense enough to be a great drunkard and swearer but as God would have it, he once listened to a poor woman, who was singing—

“I’m a poor sinner and nothing at all
But Jesus Christ is my all in all”

Home he went, repeating these words, he put his trust in a crucified Saviour, and was really converted. Soon Jack wanted to join the church, and although he was a pedlar, and always travelling about, he said, “I want to join your church.” They, remembering his sinful way of life, required some great evidence of a change before they received him, “O!” says he, “I must come in,” “But you have been such a great sinner, and you are unconverted,” added the elders. “Well,” said poor Jack, “I don’t know if I’m unconverted, and I confess I am a great sinner—but

“I’m a poor sinner, and nothing at all;
But Jesus Christ is my all in all.”

They could not get from him any other testimony save this. He would only say—

“I’m a poor sinner, and nothing at all;
But Jesus Christ is my all in all.”

They could not refuse him, and therefore accepted him for fellowship. After this he was always happy. When a Christian man said to him “But you always seem so happy and pleased, John; how is it?” “Well” said he, ” I ought to be happy, for—

“I’m a poor sinner, and nothing at all;
But Jesus Christ is my all in all.”

“Well but,” said the gentleman, “I can’t see how you can be always so happy and sure. I sometimes lose my evidences.” “I don’t,” said Jack,

” I’m a poor sinner, and nothing at all;
But Jesus Christ is my all in all.”

“Ah,” said a friend, “I am at times miserable because I remember my sad sinfulness even since conversion.” “Ah!” said Jack, “you have not begun to sing,

“I’m a poor sinner, and nothing at all.
But Jesus Christ is my all in all.”

“Oh!” said the friend, “how do you get rid of your doubts and fears? My faith frequently fails, and I miss my sure hope in Christ. My frames are so variable and feelings so contrary, what do you think of that?” “Think,” said poor Jack, ” why master I have no good things to care about—

“I’m a poor sinner and nothing at all,
But Jesus Christ is my all in all.’”

There is one thing which makes me rejoice even when I’ m sad and troubled and makes me happy that I indeed have to through them.. More often that not, I’m very sensitive to small pains and hurts, whereas I find most of the people around me not having the same problems as me. Let me not at the least say that others don’t have problems. But I have the tendency to feel that in spite of trusting God and loving him more I still sometimes am worse off than them. But the fact of the matter is that unless I go through such troubles and sorrows, God’s promises would never have been so sweet for me and his presence so dear. So were it not for my troubles and sorrows I would have not had such moments when I feel God’s love more. So in them I thank God for making his presence known and even for allowing me to go through this sorrow. Thats the time when I feel the words of God as the words of the hymns more sweet to me.. There are many songs which are sweet to me, but I’ll just mention one here..

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

The words become the song of my soul. I seek Refuge only on God and help from him alone. I want him to be with me and comfort me in my troubles and sadnesses..  So there is no wonder that for a christian, achild of God, the troubles of this world can be his blessings in disguise.. And when my heart is close to God I want to be more of his true child, to drive all my iniquities away and be his child in every aspect. May God grant me the strength to keep his statuetes and to walk in his way.

God has created the entire Universe out of Nothing.  When we consider the whole Universe, our Galaxy, the Milky way is nothing but like a drop of water in the whole ocean, And when we consider our Galaxy the Milky Way, our own Earth is again like a drop of water in the whole ocean and when we consider the Earth, how much more insignificant are we? Billions of people have lived in the years past, died, killed, cried, laughed and yet have turned back to dust. Yet in our own eyes how significant we are! Aren’t we vain enough to think that our own lives, are something great? Don’t we demand from God what we want, and don’t we feel angry if we feel God is too harsh? Yet again, when we consider the heavens, the whole universe, the earth and then ourselves, we find and feel that we are less than nothing in front of God.

The Psalmist also must have thought along these lines when he said

“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;  What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” Psalms 8.

Yet God is ready to consider us. He listens to our prayers, hears our concerns and cares. Yet we rebel against him as sinners , and still his love is there for us and he cares and chastens us. How much we should love our God for these great mercies.

I am forever thankful to God for having saved me out of my sins, and also for continually loving me in spite of my weaknesses. I am more than glad that he listens to my prayers and I know and trust that he will perfect me in my faith in the end!

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. ” Jude 1:24

This is the title of a nice old hymn.. And sometimes when I feel I hardly have a true friend in the world, this song reminds me again and again of how sweet a friend Jesus is. Though I am a sinner and always keep falling and sometimes sinning, yet he is there with me all the time, meeting my smallest needs. He is indeed a true friend. In fact he is the only true friend of sinners!

“He was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”—Isaiah 53:12.

When we were far away from God Jesus came to us, became one of us, took our sins and brought us with his precious blood and redeemed us. Now just as we can call Jesus, the friend of sinners, we can also call ourselves the friends of God because Jesus was ready to be known as the friend of sinners. And its amazing how true  a friend he is.. I pray that the Lord always keep me trusting and loving him and never ever to betray him even unknowingly!!

Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! what a Strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him.
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my Strength, my victory wins.

Jesus! what a Help in sorrow!
While the billows over me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort, helps my soul.

Jesus! what a Guide and Keeper!
While the tempest still is high,
Storms about me, night overtakes me,
He, my Pilot, hears my cry.

And not in the amount of talent which we have displayed.. I read this article from some time back .. Many a time people say.. this man was used to bring millions of souls to Christ, so he will be exalted most highly in heaven. I knew that this was never right. Because God’s commendation to the one who was given 2 talents and to the one who got 5 talents was the same because they both used it faithfully. God has has made men with few talents and God has made men with lots of talents. Even the one who uses his few talents faithfully to glorify God will be exalted as much or more than the one who was given more talents and as a result had more fruit. So when we reach heaven we can see that many people whom we thought hardly did any cause to the kingdom of the Lord will be exalted than others whom we thought did much, because the ones with less talents would have used them more faithfully. I read this sermon by Spurgeon called “The two talents“. There are some really good portions in the sermon which I would like to add here. Its an example how some humble and lowly people will be exalted when God rewards them..

You say, when such a man dies, who stood in the midst of the church, a triumphant for the truth, the angels will crowd to heaven’s gates to see him, for he has been a mighty hero, and done much for his Master. A Calvin or a Luther, with what plaudits shall they be received!—men with talents, who have been faithful to their trust. Yes, but know ye not, that there is many a humble village pastor whose flock scarcely numbers fifty, who toils for them as for his life, who spends hours in praying for their welfare, who uses all the little ability he has in his endeavor to win them to Christ; and do ye imagine that his entry into heaven shall be less triumphant than the entry of such a man as Luther? If so, ye know not how God dealeth with his people. He giveth them rewards, not according to the greatness of the goods with which they were entrusted, but according to their fidelity thereunto, and he that hath been faithful to the least, shall be as much rewarded, as he that hath been faithful in much….

The man with two talents came to his Lord with as great a confidence as the man that had five. ….

Furthermore, and to conclude, you will notice there was no difference in his Master’s commendation—none in the reward. In both cases, it was “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful in a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Here comes Whitfield, the man who stood before twenty thousand at a time to preach the gospel, who in England, Scotland, Ireland, and America has testified the truth of God, and who could count his converts by thousands, even under one sermon! Here he comes, the man that endured persecution and scorn, and yet was not moved—the man of whom the world was not worthy, who lived for his fellow men, and died at last for their cause; stand by angels and admire, while the Master takes him by the hand and says, “Well done, well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord!” See how free grace honors the man whom it enabled to do valiantly. Hark! Who is this that comes there? a poor thin-looking creature, that on earth was a consumptive; there was a hectic flush now and then upon her cheek, and she lay three long years upon her bed of sickness. Was she a prince’s daughter, for it seems heaven is making much stir about her? No, she was a poor girl that earned her living by her needle, and she worked herself to death!—stitch, stitch, stitch, from morning to night! and here she comes. She went prematurely to her grave, but she is coming, like a shock of corn fully ripe, into heaven; and her Master says, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful in a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” She takes her place by the side of Whitfield. Ask what she ever did, and you find out that she used to live in some back garret down some dark alley in London; and there used to be another poor girl come to work with her, and that poor girl, when she first came to work with her, was a gay and volatile creature, and this consumptive child told her about Christ; and they used, when she was well enough, to creep out of an evening to go to chapel or to church together. It was hard at first to get the other one to go, but she used to press her lovingly; and when the girl went wild a little, she never gave her up. She used to say, “O Jane, I wish you loved the Saviour;” and when Jane was not there she used to pray for her, and when she was there she prayed with her: and now and then when she was stitching away, read a page out of the Bible to her, for poor Jane could not read. And with many tears she tried to tell her about the Saviour who loved her and gave himself for her. At last, after many a day of hard persuasion, and many an hour of sad disappointment, and many a night of sleepless tearful prayer, at last she lived to see the girl profess her love to Christ; and she left her and took sick, and there she lay till she was taken to the hospital, where she died. When she was in the hospital she used to have a few tracts, and she used to give them to those who came to see her; she would try, if she could, to get the women to come round, and she would give them a tract. When she first went into the hospital, if she could creep out of bed, she used to get by the side of one who was dying, and the nurse used to let her do it; till at last she got too ill, and then she used to ask a poor woman on the other side of the ward, who was getting better, and was going out, if she would come and read a chapter to her; not that she wanted her to read to her on her own account, but for her sake, for she thought it might strike her heart while she was reading it. At last this poor girl died and fell asleep in Jesus; and the poor consumptive needle-woman had said to her, “Well done”—and what more could an archangel have said to her?—”she hath done what she could.”

See, then, the Master’s commendation, and the last reward will be equal to all men who have used their talents well. Ah! if there be degrees in glory, they will not be distributed according to our talents, but according to our faithfulness in using them. As to whether there are degrees or not, I know not; but this I know, he that doeth his Lord’s will, shall have said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

My God! when I survey the boundless fields of space, and see those magnificent spheres rolling through it all–when I consider how vast are your dominions–so wide that an angel’s wing might flap to all eternity and never reach a boundary–I marvel that you should look on insects so obscure as man. I have looked into my microscope and seen the short lived tiny insect on a leaf, and I have called him small. I will not call him “tiny” again: compared with me, he is great, if I put myself in comparison with God. I am so little, that I shrink into nothingness when I behold the almightiness of Jehovah–so little that the difference between the microscopic animal and man dwindles into nothing, when compared with the infinite chasm between God and man.

Oh! it is a glorious fact, that prayers are noticed in heaven. The poor broken hearted sinner, going into his bedroom, bends his knee, but can only utter his mournful cry in the language of sighs and tears. Look! that groan has made all the harps of heaven thrill with music; that tear has, been caught by God, and put into a vase made especially for tears, to be perpetually preserved. The tearful praying Christian, whose distress prevent his words, will be clearly understood by the Most High.

The very fact that you have troubles is a proof of His faithfulness; for you have got one half of His legacy, and you will have the other half. You know that Christ’s last will and testament has two portions in it. “In this world you will have trouble:” you have got that. The next clause is, “In Me you may have peace.” You have that too. “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” That is yours also.