Ask Spurgeon: Recent Episodes
Dave Holdt
A podcast drawing answers about faith, life and eternity from the great Victorian preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
Salvation is a work of God entirely!
But how can I know that He has done that work in me? How can I be sure that God has effectually called me unto salvation?
email: dave@askspurgeon.com
Do you have loved ones or friends who you long to be saved, and yet whose hearts are as hard as stone?
There is hope, for when God calls effectually, they shall be saved!
Email: dave@askspurgeon.com
We take for granted that every time we pray, God will give His ear to hear?
But if we gave any real thought to this, we might wonder that he is ever ready and willing to listen and respond.
Do you sometimes question God's response to your prayers?
Or what appears to be a lack of response to your prayers?
And yet, how often do you pause and wonder that He should answer our prayers at all?
Why do some churches perform infant baptism, and others, believers baptism?
Which baptism is most clearly taught in the Bible?
Why is it important?
Are you convicted about hypocrisy in your life?
Are you looking for something that might help you be cured from it?
The words of Spurgeon to this answer are hard, but true...and very helpful!
“Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:2)What was that joy?
Will you ever be free from sin?
Will there ever be a day when that which has plagued you all your life, will be fine forever?
Are you troubled by the fact that, while responsible before God for your sin, you find yourself incapable from keeping from it?
What are you to do?
Is there any hope?
There's a fierce battle raging in the life of every believer in Jesus: The battle between the old and new nature!
It's easy to take for granted...so little is said or preached about it.
But, it's a battle which we must recognise and understand, and apply every spiritual resource available for the spiritual gain and victory of the new nature.
Have you sometimes said, with the Apostle Paul, "O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death?"
Have you found yourself despairing at your sin, and wonder why?
Does it bother you that, though a believer in Jesus, your sin and temptation upset you so m much?
Do you somehow wonder whether this is the normal state of the believer?
Do other believers feel their sin and temptation as deeply as you do?
Have you ever wondered why God saved you?Did He like what He saw in you?
On the other hand, there may not be much that YOU see in you!
Well, God's Word makes clear that it has nothing to do with you. Take a listen...
We are all prone to self-dependence. We like the idea, and the reward, of doing things on our own.
But when it comes to our faith, our right standing with God, such an attitude is completely out of place. To rely on self for salvation is to remain in sin...and lost forever!
Christian, are you confidant that when you die, you will find yourself welcomed into the presence of God?
How can you be sure?
There are often times when, in our walk with God, our faith comes under attack.
We begin to question God's faithfulness and wonder whether there is anything that we can do to earn it back.
Are you afraid about what tomorrow may bring?
Many reasons may be behind such anxieties. When our future intimidate us, where can we hope to find peace?
We are seeing more and more professors of faith publicly renounce their faith in Jesus! Heresy in one time faithful denominations is as a wildfire!
Our faith in Jesus seems under severe attack!
It can be terribly discouraging! What are we to make of it?
The world's increasing animosity toward our faith in Jesus can be intimidating.
This is not the free world, unless we embrace it's secular world-view!
What are we to do?
Nobody likes confrontation!
Sometimes the best way to deal with it is to find some kind of compromise.
But if we are going to be true to God's Word, we will find, as we are finding, confrontation with the world.
Can we compromise that Truth for the sake of peace?
Have you ever lamented the weakness of your love toward God?
Have you ever wondered what you could do to strengthen that love?
How is it that someone comes to love God?
Do they love God because they have been struck by the beauty of what they have seen in creation?
Is love for God something that springs out of human nature? Or is love for God a choice that man makes, a determination of his will?
Do you hope that the blood of Jesus shall save you, or are you absolutely confident?
It's an important question!
There are a variety of reasons why the sinner doesn't come to Jesus.
One of those is the belief that their sin is so great that they could never find forgiveness. Is that you?
Is there hope for such a one...is there hope for YOU?
Do you sometimes find yourself doubting your salvation on the basis of your sin, or weak faith, or lack of repentance, or lack of love, or...?
The list could go on!
Do you need these things together with the blood of Christ to be saved? Or is the blood of Jesus ALL that you need?
The world says there are many ways to heaven, many ways to be saved. No one holds exclusivity in this matter.
Is that so?
What does the Bible have to say? Is there any other way than Jesus?
What is it about the blood of Jesus that gives the believer such confidence in his salvation?
Why does Jesus blood have such power?
Where is our hope in sharing the gospel message, when the effect thereof is completely out of our hands?
To what can we appeal?
Have you ever wondered about how to explain the gospel in such a way that it will be simple, clear and effective?
When Jesus calls us to Himself, He follows that call with many a trial and difficulty.
Why?
Why does following Jesus not make things easier for me, either for my finances, my health and my overall prosperity?
It's almost impossible to avoid the temptation!
But with God's help, we must resist it fiercely.
It is so easy too be caught up and tempted to trust in the offerings of people and this world.
The reason: What is offered seems so good?
But is it wise?
Where does it end?
Being sensitive to our sin means being sensitive to the weaknesses attached to it. And these weaknesses can prove immensely discouraging.
We do hope and long for that day when they shall be no more, but until then, is there hope in the midst of them in the present day?
Faith is a wonderful gift of grace!
Yet having been given, it needs to grow, and we have a responsibility in that matter.
How...how do we grow and strengthen our faith?
Do you sometimes find that your despair in a world so full of sin and hatred towards God makes you want to give up?
Do you need motivation to maintain your witness and carry on?
We cannot escape it, either as an experience we face in the loss of loved ones and friends, or as the inevitability of life itself.
Is there any hope?
It is terribly unsettling to be found doubting our faith, or our love for Jesus.
Have you ever known this?
What can we do to counter it?
Let's face it: There are dark clouds rising on the horizon, clouds that threaten ever increasing persecution towards God's people!
And such threats do not require living in a communist or muslim country.
Persecution in the West is increasingly ominous!
We live in a post-Christian world?
And with this, a world whose animosity toward Biblical Christianity has increased to almost. hysterical levels!
What are we to do? How ought we to react?
One of the greatest of spiritual dangers is a presumed faith based upon our own efforts. To die with such a confidence is catastrophic.
But what if that's you? What are you to do?
Start over again?
Jesus made very clear that it is impossible for a sinner to come to Christ outside of the Father's drawing (Jn 6:44).
The problem is with the sinner's nature. It's opposed to Christ!
How then does the Father draw the sinner to Christ?
Jesus said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him.” (John 6:44)
In other words, neither my will nor my efforts are enough to carry me to Christ. Try as hard as I will, unless the Father draws me to Christ, salvation is utterly impossible.
But why?
Surely, the greatest, most astonishing event in all of history was the coming of the Lord Jesus.
And He came with a very specific purpose...He came for a people!
Who were those for whom He came into the world?
There are many stunning titles that Jesus might have used to refer to himself. And yet the one that He chooses above all is "The Son of man".
Why?
In Luke's gospel, Jesus spoke of the reaction of the angels over every sinner who comes to repentance and saving faith: They rejoice?
And of this rejoicing, they never seem to tire: Every sinner saved gets the same reaction!
Have you ever wondered why they are so overwhelmed with delight over the sinners salvation?
You WILL NOT find the word "Trinity" in reference to God anywhere in Scripture!
Why do Christian's believe it then?
It's a word we come across frequently in the New Testament epistles, as well as a word we frequently hear within Christian circles.
But is it possible that we hear it so often that we lose sight of the wonderful fullness of the truths packed in to this six letter word!
The child of God is called to embark on what the Apostle Paul describes as "a race" to heaven. This race is not easy!
Many have embarked on it, only to tragically give up along the way.
When we feel like giving up, what can we hold on to to keep us running?
The apostle Paul compares the Christian life to running a race, and then says that the believer ought to run so as to obtain the prize at the end of it?
Have you ever given much thought to this race and this prize?
Our world is filled with need, so much of which cries out for a practical response: Food for those in famine, medicine for the sick, comfort for the bereaved, peace for those in war torn lands.
Where do we begin?
Surely, we begin with what they need most. What is that?
One of the great doctrines of the Christian faith is the providence of God.
This truth ought to have a profound effect on the way the Christian lives his/her life.
Take a listen, and be encouraged!
The true revival of God's people is not an everyday occurrence. But when it happens, it is remembered for years.
So, what is it that happens when God is pleased, in the powerful outpouring of His Spirit, to revive His people?
The world is in a desperate state, morally and spiritually.
We are ripe for one of two things: Judgement or REVIVAL!
For many Christians, revival is the great longing of their souls. But what causes it?
The surface answer seems easy enough to give: He gave His life!
Indeed, yet that is about as great an understatement you can give: The price Christ paid for our sins can perhaps never be appropriately described.
Listen, as Charles Spurgeon digs deep into the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.
Those who possess the peace of God in the heart know a fullness that is hard to explain. Charles Spurgeon says:
"...this peace with God and you will keep your heart full to the brim."He goes on to say the the measure of the fullness of the heart will prove the measure of the fullness of life.
Listen to Spurgeon as he ministers some of the wonderful truths about this peace.
Sometimes in our lives, we lose the sense of peace we once had with God?
In this episode, Charles Spurgeon offers some practical insight into how we might gain it back.
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The peace of God is extraordinary! It is in fact, out of this world, divine.
It's powerful when seen in the lives of others; it's wonderful when experienced in the life that is your own!
Praise God for His offer of peace to sinful rebels such as we all are!
It is a marvellous mystery that the One offended should extend an offer of peace to those who have so offended Him. Indeed, it passes understanding!
And then, to those who receive His offer of peace, through Jesus Christ, He surrounds them with peace through all their days.
Philipians 4:7 says, “The peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”You probably know it!
Take a moment now to consider some of the most wonderful truths to be gleaned from these words of the Apostle Paul to the church in Philipi.
God knows and sees all things, and when He looks at you and me, He is able to see into the very depths of our hearts!
But the question is: Is there ever a time when He's not paying attention, when I can get away with vice, rebellion or hypocrisy?
God is omniscient: He sees and and knows all things!
He even sees into our hearts!
But what does He see when He looks into our hearts?
Is there any part of me that God cannot see or know?
Is there anything that I can hide from Him?
Is there any place in my heart that is out of His reach?
Yesterday, today and forever, Jesus is the same. He does not change...ever!
What does this truth about His immutability have to bear upon His Word?
Is Jesus ready to receive the sinner who comes to Him in repentance to find mercy and grace? Even the greatest sinner?
He's done it before, many times over!
And He is unchanging, the same yesterday, today and forever...so why not again!
The writer to the Hebrews affirms (13vs8), Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever!
It is a wonderful truth!
But we do ourselves a disfavour if we don't pause to consider its implications, and in this case, for His people?
Are you confidant of your standing before God?
Are you sure that you are right with God?
There have been many who, having reached the end of their lives, thinking that they were right with God, have stood before the bar of God's justice only to find that they have been found wanting.
Paul, writing to the church in Corinth, says "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves." (2 Cor 13:5)
To have the Spirit of God within is to have life?
Do you have Him in yours?
How do you know?
It's writing dates back thousands of years, but its truths are eternal. It has within the power to equip us for life and to transform us for eternity.
Its benefits cannot be underestimated.
In this episode, Charles Spurgeon considers only three of those benefits, of which there are countless more.
Take a listen...
What is the most comforting truth in the face of the sometimes very uncomfortable, even painful discomfort of God's discipline of His children?
Why does God discipline His children?
To this, someone might answer, "Because He is their Father!"
Now, while this may be true, it is only true in part.
What is the whole answer to the question?
A faithful father will not allow his children to persist in doing wrong; neither will God!
What are some of the things that He seeks to purge from us as He disciplines us?
In Revelation 3:19, we read these words, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten?"
If you belong to the Lord, rest assured, this rebuking and chastening will be a part of your spiritual journey.
How does our heavenly Father do this?
How can we be sure that all things work together for our good?
It's so hard to believe in the face of those toughest of trials that we sometimes face!
Listen to Charles Spurgeon draw yet again on those wonderful words in Romans 8:28...
It's perhaps one of the best known verse in the Bible, that is, Romans 8:28:
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to HIs purpose."But the question we sometimes ponder in our hearts and minds is: How?
What is it that turns a heart of enmity towards God, to a heart of love?
Is it something that comes from within the heart of man, or from within the heart of God?
Listen to Charles Spurgeon uncover the the Bible's wonderful answer to this great question.
We all know what it is like to experience fear!
But God's Word to His children is "Fear not...!
Those words are a call to trust Him, and trusting Him, to do mighty things for the sake of His glory and honour.
Listen to these words of Charles Spurgeon, be encouraged, and...Fear not!
To recognise our own weakness is the first qualification required for serving God!
Yet, how can we possibly serve Him, if we are so weak?
Every follower of Jesus recognises that they are called to serve the Shepherd King, who gave His life to ransom us from our slavery to sin and Satan.
For most of us, that service may be in the detail of our everyday life, whether at work or at home. For others, it may be a sense of something very specific.
What is the first qualification required for serving God with any amount of success?
Jesus called it the first and greatest commandment:
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength."Do we?
The first hurdle in the pursuit of righteousness according to the law seems to be the highest!
Is it possible to keep it? If not, then what?
It's a command: "You shall love me..."
But it doesn't end there: "You shall love me with all your heart, soul, mind and strength."
God's claim on our love is a claim for every ounce of it!
Does He have a right to such a claim?
Jesus said, "This is the first and greatest commandment, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength."Why does Jesus call it the FIRST commandment?
Why does Jesus call it the GREATEST commandment?
We all face moments when our hearts are filled with fear and doubt!
Will God protect?
Will God provide?
To which the Psalmist says, "My soul, wait you only upon God."
Listen to Charles Spurgeon share some of His thoughts on this matter.
We've all been there: Facing the need to make a decision!
Sometimes it's about a job opportunity, or about ministry, or a relationship, or how to spend our money.
Where can we find wisdom to decide on these?
Have you ever been let down? By people? By circumstances?
You placed your confidence in a person, and they failed you. You depended on the advice given you, and it proved foolish. Your whole life was invested in your husband/wife/children, and they have been taken from you.
Listen to Charles Spurgeon remind us of One who never fails, who is entirely trustworthy...
Our minds are often times plagued with worries and concerns. Sometimes these are legitimate, sometimes not.
What are we to do with them?
The apostle Paul said, "For me to live is Christ..."
His only objective was Christ. In pursuing Christ, he forsook fame, fortune, respect, acclaim.
What advantage did he get from it? Imprisonment, turture, death!
Was it worth it?
Is there any advantage to be gained from making God our only objective?
How often do we pause to consider the full extent of the meaning "perish", as it relates to those who die outside of Christ?
Seldom to we hear it mentioned from the pulpit, and seldom does it serve as fuel for sharing the gospel with loved ones and friends.
It's serious!
The Corona Virus pandemic that has raged across the globe for almost a year now has destroyed economies, thrust many into unemployment and taken the lives of almost 2 million people, some of whom have been our loved ones and friends.
What does God have to say to His people in the midst of such sorrow, anxiety and uncertainty?
Listen as Charles Spurgeon speaks from almost 200 years ago, into these times today, with the timeless Word of God.
There are times when trials seem so severe, or perhaps so extended, that the only conclusion we can come to is that God is against us.
Can God be against His children? Or is He perhaps busy with us, preparing us, sanctifying us, humbling us?
There are countless advisors who would instruct church leaders and pastors on how to grow their churches.
The answer is a significantly more simple than you might have imagined, yet in todays day and age, requiring great courage.
There should be no debate here: What should the preacher's greatest theme be?
And yet, the average pulpit today is void of this it completely!
Listen to Charles Spurgeon make a clear and compelling case for THE PREACHER'S GREATEST THEME!
Crucifixion was never meant to promote glory; it was meant to promote shame!
And yet, Jesus declared, "And I, when I am lifted up, will draw all men unto myself", or to put it differently, "When I am crucified, I will be glorified."How could this be?
Have you ever shared the gospel with someone, perhaps a friend or loved one, only to be told that the time wasn't right?
Or perhaps that's you: Someone who cared for you bid you accept God's offer of free grace, but you felt that at the present time, it just wasn't the right time.
Listen...
A person can, by their own efforts or with the help of others, reform themselves: They can change bad habits for good, forsake destructive behaviour for good.
But to be regenerated, to be born again, this is an entirely different matter...
What does it mean to "see the kingdom of heaven"?
Does that have to do with entry, or does it have to do with appreciation and enjoyment?
Listen to Spurgeon as he provides the answer, and shows how absolutely necessary it is for any who enter there, to be born again.
To fully appreciate the grace of God, we need to appreciate how far we have fallen...not some, but all!
The natural condition of the soul, that is, the state of the soul pre-grace, is worse than we could ever imagine.
Listen to Charles Spurgeon as he gives us a little bit of a closer look than we are prone to make ourselves...
It is a very important question: Having been given the GIFT of gifts, why are we so prone to discouragement and sadness?
Perhaps we need to spend more time considering the GIFT, meditating on the Saviour, becoming amazed with Jesus.
Listen to Charles Spurgeon encourage us from sadness to joy!
Those who have known Jesus as a friend, will make the assertion: I know the answer. He is the answer?
But what has made Him so?
Listen to Charles Spurgeon give a most wonderful answer to the question: Who is the Friend that sticks closer than a brother?
There is something organic about sin: It grows!
While sin in its infant stage may be held close to the chest, out of ear and eyeshot of others, it will grow to the point where it is impossible to be kept discreet.
To assume a secret sin today is to assure an amplified sin in the not too distant future!
Listen to Charles Spurgeon as he highlights some of the terrible dangers of secret sins.
To harbour secret sin, is the worst of all sins because, says Spurgeon, it makes one a "practical Atheist".
Have you ever considered yourself an atheist because of secret sin?
What does Spurgeon mean? Is this true of you?
Is it possible to hold on to sin secretly, and achieve happiness at the same time?
Or put differently, is it possible to hold on to happiness, while harbouring secret sin?
Are there sins in your life that you like to keep under wraps, sins which, you hope, nobody knows about?
To make the assumption that you can keep your sin/s secret is to make a terrible error.
You see, secret sins are not secret at all, as todays Ask Spurgeon episode makes very clear...
On face value, there would seem to be many an obstacle that stands in the way of the sinner being saved: The Law of God...the Conscience...the Devil.
Each of these stand as a witness to the sinfulness of us all, and that the only thing we really deserve is God's judgement.
Using a powerful illustration, Charles Spurgeon shows clearly in this episode how the truth of our guilt is met with the Mercy and Grace of our God through the Lord Jesus Christ!
It's a question we far too easily take for granted, and yet, the answer may surprise us.
Does God save us because we ask Him? Does He save us for anything that we may have to offer Him? Does He save us on the basis of what we have or haven't done?
Why does God save?
Listen to Charles Spurgeon's God-centered answer...
Who does God save?
Does His favour tend towards the wise, the good , the lovely? Does he save the prayerful, the loving, the holy and the deserving?
Praise God that His mercy is not dependent on our being good, but on HIs amazing grace!
Listen to Spurgeon articulate this wonderful truth.
Yes, the Lord Jesus is the Saviour of sinners! But to say so is not ALL the truth. Does that surprise you?
Think for a moment!
Are there not other Persons involved in the process too?
It is a wonderful thing that God, by His grace, is convicting sinners of their sin, every day. But having done so, many a sinner responds with the question, "Why would He save me?"
Listen to this wonderful answer from Charles Spurgeon as he makes clear that the motive for creating the temporal, is the same for the eternal.
From the moment when, by grace, we began our journey to follow Jesus, we entered a spiritual war.
This war can be fierce at times, and temptations may arise to lower our guard, or even to give up.
We need encouragement, we need motivation, to stay the course, to stand our ground...
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The call to Christ is a call to war!
That's been the focus over the past few episodes. However, this is not war in the conventional sense.
Our battle is not against flesh and blood and therefore, the MEANS to wage this war are not weapons made of steel or wielded in our hands.
What then are the MEANS of the Christian's warfare?
It's not something we often hear from the pulpit these days, but to heed the call to follow Jesus is to heed the call to war...not a conventional war for that matter, but something quite different, yet equally severe!
What is this war we wage...and who are the enemies?
There is a great battle being waged for God and for His truth against the enemies of the cross of Christ.
This battle is fierce, it is dangerous and it is unlike any other.
In Isaiah 63:1, the Lord Jesus is described as coming from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah. When questioned who He is, he replies, “It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
How do we know? How can we prove it?
It is hard enough for the children of God to experience those seasons and times of our lives where we feel we cannot pray.
But for those who are seeking God, who feel that the weight of their sin is too great for an audience with a holy God, that feeling can be overwhelmingly desperate.
Is that you?
Not all prayers are the same: There are some that God seems to infuse with a certain divine power which, when prayed, almost echo with thunder.
Job believed that God is pleased to give power in prayer. Have you ever wondered what happens when He does?
When we take possession of something, does it change how we behave? In many cases it does, for better or for worse.
If we are saved, not only have we become His, but He has become ours. What effect has this had on our lives?
I cannot tell what possessions you may have, how many you have, or how much you may value them. What I can say is that you will need to leave them all behind one day.
But if you are a believer, you will never have to leave behind your greatest possession. What is that?
Of all the sin we can be guilty of, there is perhaps nothing more monstrous than pride.
Spurgeon says, “It has nothing lovely in it, nothing in proportion, but everything in disorder. It is altogether the very reverse of the creatures which God has made, which are pure and holy.”
What can we do to get rid of it in our lives?
LISTEN and SHARE this answer from Charles Spurgeon.
In Psalm 29:4, the Psalmist describes the voice/word of God as “full of majesty.”
There’s a lot there!
What can we draw from that statement?
How can we understand what the Psalmist, under the divine influence of the Holy Spirit, was attempting to communicate with that short phrase concerning the majesty of the Word of God?
There are some aspects of the evidences of a believers faith that are perhaps less explicit than others. They are those aspects that are more known to God and the individual than to others.
God's Word provides one such aspect, hidden in a wonderful promise to His children:
"They that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing." (Ps 34:10)In this episode, Charles Spurgeon draws on those 5 words that present a beautiful description of the true Christian.
What is the reason for God's people persevering until the end? Does it have anything to do with themselves?
If not, where does the staying power come from?
Listen to this answer from Charles Spurgeon, as he lifts our eyes away from ourselves to that grace that saves and that grace that sustains.
It's an age old question: Can you lose your salvation?
Listen to Charles Spurgeon tackle this question, and embrace the wonderful assurance that his answer, from Scripture, provides.
There are many who are coming to Christ who, aware of their weaknesses, and discouraged by past failures, are afraid that they will not persevere in their faith, that they will fall away. What do we say to these to help them as they begin their Christian journey?
In Acts 5:31, we read that Jesus “is exalted to give repentance and forgiveness of sins.” This seems to indicate that repentance is as much a gift of God’s grace as is forgiveness.
But isn't repentance something that I do?
How are we then to understand it as something that Christ gives?
What would appear to be a contradiction is clearly explained by Charles Spurgeon in this episode of "Ask Spurgeon"
While the grace of God is the most amazing news to the sinner, it is not a free pass to continue in sin!
Listen to Charles Spurgeon explain the absolute necessity of repentance if there is to be forgiveness.
It is right that Christians should meditate regularly on the cross of Christ, at that place where we see our sin and guilt dealt with once and for all by the Lamb of God. But it is also very important to regularly cast our minds on that empty tomb, and on the truth that Jesus is alive.
Listen to Charles Spurgeon express the importance of regularly meditating on the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
If the new birth is entirely the work of God, completely outside the reach if man, why is it that God commands man to DO something…to believe?
Listen to Charles Spurgeon answer this question from his classic, "All of Grace".
You may find yourself asking whether there is anything that you can do to nurture an increase in faith, so that you may believe.
Here, Charles Spurgeon provides an answer that is both wise and practical. LISTEN and SHARE.
Have you ever said to yourself, "I want to believe, but I just can't." Or perhaps you know someone who has said that. Trying to believe will never ignite faith...but there is something that will!
Listen to Charles Spurgeon share this wonderful news...
Why is it that faith is God's chosen channel though which we receive His grace?
Listen to Charles Spurgeon provide the wise answer, and SHARE his wisdom with others.
There are many descriptions of faith, but not all of them are helpful in giving us a better understanding of what is. But the answer to the question, “What is faith?” is very important.
Listen to Charles Spurgeon provide a simple yet comprehensive answer to this most important question.
Have you ever asked questions like: “How does faith fit into the giving of God’s amazing gift of grace?” or, “If faith is so important, does the measure of my faith determine my experience of grace?”
In Ephesians 2:8 we read, “By grace are ye saved, through faith.”
Listen to Charles Spurgeon share how FAITH fits into God's exercise of GRACE!
Every Christian is called to holiness. We cannot assume to have Christ as Saviour and sion as pocket-change. Sin will steal our joy, remove our rest and keep us from growing in grace. We must be rid of it, but how?
Listen to the answer from Charles Spurgeon
It is a stunning fact that God forgives what we might consider unforgivable, that He pours out His grace on wicked sinners. But how can He do this?
Listen to this answer from Spurgeon as he explains how God can be just, while justifying the sinner.
Salvation is all of grace; it is for free, requiring no payment from us. It does not require goodness from the recipient, just faith. But what if our sins are many, or there is sin in our lives that we deem too great to be forgiven. This begs the question: Is there a limit to God’s forgiveness of sin, is there a limit to the gift of grace?
Salvation is all of grace; it is for free. It does not need to be earned nor requires any payment from you or me. But, does it at least require me to be a good person, of good character, someone who has steered clear of sinful behaviour?
Listen to Charles Spurgeon provide an answer to this question, and SHARE it with those who may need to hear it.
The Christian message repeatedly states that salvation is All of Grace? But what does that mean? Listen to todays answer, drawn from the Spurgeon classic "All of Grace".
In Revelation 14vs1, we come across these words:
“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads."Have you ever wondered who those 144,000 are?
Listen as Charles Spurgeon gives a clear answer to what has perhaps been a troubling thought in your mind.
When we get to heaven, what a joy it will be to see what God has prepared for His children there. But there is no doubt as to what shall be the main attraction: The Lord Jesus Himself. To see our Saviour, to run toward Him, to fall at His feet and worship and adore Him.
But does the Bible give any indication of how we can expect Him to appear when we get there?
Do you ever think about heaven? Perhaps, from what you read in the Bible, about the gates made from pearl, or the streets of gold. Do you think about who you will see there, an already departed loved one, or a character from the Bible narrative. Heaven, to the believer, will be filled with wonders.
But none of these can compare to the greatest wonder of them all...
The Bible plainly states that salvation is impossible without faith. We have seen already that faith involves knowledge of the truth, believing in that truth and leaning on the truth, taking hold of it as being ours and resting on it for salvation.
But why is faith so necessary to salvation?
Listen to Charles Spurgeon as he provides a clear answer to this question.
As believers, it's quite easy to take for granted that we understand the meaning of faith. On the other hand, we might feel that while we don't know what it is, we know we have it.
Are you sure? Is that good enough?
In this episode, Charles Spurgeon gives a clear answer to the question, "What is faith?" by looking at it from three very important angles. LISTEN to it, SHARE it!
To go in faith, to Calvary, and linger for a while there, is to discover marvels that are more stunning than might be found on the summit of any other mountain; to gaze upon Christ at Golgotha, is to gaze upon a scene so full of magnificent discovery that eternity could not give enough time for every jewel to be found there. And so, for this episode, we remain a little longer, gazing upon that demonstration of divine love.
The most STUNNING aspect of the demonstration of God’s love to mankind is that it was Christ who died for us. That it was the everlasting Creator, the Master, the Infinite, the Almighty, God the Son, who became man, to die for us.
There’s something else…from the stunning to the SURPRISING!
By way of His Word, God has declared His love for His people. There, we also read that this very God is defined as Love. But beyond this, we find that God has demonstrated His love:
“God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8)As it stands, this is astonishing! And, within the radiance of this astonishing fact is something quite stunning. Listen as Charles Spurgeon draws our minds into seeing and meditating on it.
We tend to consider comfort as something we receive when we become the centre of someone else’s tender attention. But the Bible would have us consider that the best comfort comes not when we are the centre of attention, but when we place the enthroned Christ at the centre of our attention.
Many a professing believer has no problem with talking about God as being sovereign. It sounds right! God is king! He is on the throne! But when we speak of God as being sovereign in salvation, suddenly, there is tension.
Charles Spurgeon discusses this tension, and shows just how vital this doctrine is to our faith.
If Jesus is able to save the sinner to the uttermost who goes to God through Him, what is the measure of Jesus ability to save those who already belong to Him?
There are many who feel that they have gone beyond the limits of salvation, that as far as grace is concerned, they have no hope at all. Here, Charles Spurgeon shares how great is the grace of God to greatest of sinners, just how much He is able to save to the uttermost, those who come to Him through Christ.
It is not uncommon, though it be infrequent, for non-Christians to pray. The question is: Are they heard? When is it that an unbeliever can be without doubt that God has heard his prayer and will act?
Salvation is God's free gift of grace to all who come to Him rightly. But coming to Him rightly is the critical factor. In this episode, Charles Spurgeon articulates the only right way to come to God and partake of this free gift of grace.
It is perhaps one of the greatest challenges that every Christian faces: Worldliness! That is, the temptation to acknowledge Jesus as Saviour, to involve oneself in certain Christian- type activities, while at the same time making no effort to live any differently from an unbelieving world.
Is it possible to be right with God on the one hand, while being worldly on the other?
We are living in incredibly uncertain times. The unknown can be a source of tremendous anxiety, and yet, the Christian has hope in the midst of it all. How can we face the uncertainties of tomorrow?
Is there anything more that needs to be done to make us right before God? Has Jesus really finished the work? Is it true that all that remains is to trust Him as Lord ad Saviour?
Listen to Charles Spurgeon draw on Hebrews 10:12-13 to provide rock-solid reason to believe that indeed, "It is finished!"
As we journey through this life and make our way to heaven, we will encounter sections along the way where we feel spiritually weary and tempted to indulge in a little spiritual sleep. Following on from the previous episode (37), Charles Spurgeon provides some very practical measures to help us to 'stay awake' at such times and continue to progress on our way.
If you've read Bunyans classic, The Pilgrims Progress, you might remember a very dangerous section of Christian's journey to the Celestial City: The Enchanted Ground. It was a place where pilgrims on the way typically found themselves overwhelmed with sleep and tempted to drift off. Yet it was enemy territory, and being asleep made the pilgrim very vulnerable.
There are times when Christians become weary on the way, and may fall into a spiritual sleep, a time of great danger to their souls. In this episode, Charles Spurgeon wisely diagnoses the state of spiritual sleep that Christians may experience, with a solemn warning!
It's the kind of question that doesn't really need to be asked: We know that when we get to heaven, there will be no doubt as to who our Saviour, Jesus, is! But the thought of seeing Him for the first time, and in that moment, recognising Him for who He is, is a glorious one. Listen to Charles Spurgeon as he gives his thoughts on that most precious of moments.
There is surely no greater question to ask than this, the answer of which carries no higher stake. "How can I be saved?" Charles Spurgeon draws from the same passage of Scripture that broke down the walls around his own heart at the age of 15, to share with us that the key to the answer rests in a simple, four letter word.
When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem, they asked where they might find the One who had been born, King of the Jews. They knew what they were asking, though we all too easily miss it: A royal child had been born, not as prince but as King. This was unprecedented! Listen to Charles Spurgeon as he unpacks the significance of a baby, born King!
It's hard to imagine that heaven has ever known anything other than supreme joy. And yet, when we meditate on heaven's separation from the Prince of Glory, the Lord Jesus, when embarking His mission of redemption, we can perhaps imagine that moments of sadness overcame heaven's inhabitants. In this episode, Charles Spurgeon briefly unpacks this thought, leading our hearts to a place of gratitude and worship.
Like the church, it is so easy for the individual Christian to lose sight of the Rock of our salvation, and begin to put our hope in other things. We forget the biblical principle of living by faith and not by sight.
In this episode, Charles Spurgeon helps to identify some of those things, and redirects us to the Truth that is a strong shelter and great hope for the children of God in this life.
The prophet Jeremiah prophesied against Jerusalem for trusting in the strength of her city wall for protection, as opposed to trusting in God. The church today is also sometimes guilty of trusting in certain "walls" of security and not God. Charles Spurgeon helps to expose what some of those "walls" can be, and directs us back to God alone.
To be loved by God is the greatest blessing anyone could know! To enjoy the privilege of being His child, purchased with the blood of His Son, Jesus, is beyond measure. But to belong to Him also means that there will be painful trials this side of glory. They cannot be avoided; they are part and parcel of belonging to Him. Why is that?
God's Word is clear: The children of God, when they see Him, will be transformed into his likeness. Have you ever wondered what that likeness will be like? Listen to Charles Spurgeon as he gives thought to this wonderful truth and articulates this for us as we look forward to seeing His face one day.
Do you ever give thought to the fact that one day you will see the face of God? Have you ever wondered what that will be like? How does it make you feel?
Listen to Charles Spurgeon as he gives us, from a sinful, human perspective, a stunning hint of what that will be like!
It is becoming increasingly intimidating to openly profess faith in Christ. A faithful witness of the Lord Jesus or an open profession of the truths of the Bible can have serious consequences, not only if living in an Islamic or Communist State, but in the West, where religious freedom was at one time considered a pillar of democracy. But, as always, when God's children suffer oppression from the world, God is at work.
Do you feel your sin to be too great for God to ever be able to show you mercy? Do you feel the weight of your sin to be too heavy to be lifted from your shoulders? Perhaps you feel that you don't deserve anything less than God's judgement and wrath.
Listen to Charles Spurgeon as he answers todays very important question about the mercy of God.
It's a striking statement: There are some things that God cannot do!
He cannot lie. He cannot forsake his people. He cannot disown his covenant.
But what about forgetfulness? Can God forget, or is that impossible?
It's the longing of every follower of Jesus: To be like Him! But how? Are there any practical steps we can take to be fashioned more and more into His likeness?
From the moment we are born, we begin a journey whose finish ends under a certain banner, "DEATH". It is life's greatest, inescapable inevitability! Is there any hope in the face of it?
Do you sometimes find yourself questioning whether or not you are saved? You are not alone. But why does this happen? Listen to Charles Spurgeon carefully diagnose the problem, and clearly articulate the antidote to this heart problem.
In every day and age, there are those who genuinely believe that they are able to bring about the demise of the Christian faith and those who follow it, whether such are the attempts of the Communist Party in China, or the Islamic State in the Middle East. But will they ever succeed? That is the question we pose to Spurgeon in this episode...
It's an intense challenge for the Christian: Faced with the challenges of a very enticing world, to remain steadfast and uncompromising in faith! How do we do it?
Listen to Charles Spurgeon explain a very important faith principal for being victorious in the face of the siren calls of the world.
In God's sovereign purpose for our lives, he sometimes brings us into spiritually barren places, where the light of His grace is dim, perhaps absent altogether. In this episode, we ask Spurgeon why it is that God sees this as a necessary experience in the lives of His children.
The journey of the Christian through life is one of highs and lows, of mountains and valleys. There are times when it feels like we are soaring. God's Word is a delight, and prayer is sweet. And then there are times when the wings seem to break and we plummet to the ground. God's Word is like the chewing of bark, and prayer as a drought stricken terrain. Does God have a purpose in this 'barren land'? More so, is He in some way responsible for it? What is the extent of His sovereignty over the darkness of my soul?
In Isaiah 45 vs 7, God says, "I form light and create darkness." From the context of Isaiah, God seems very much to be saying, "I create, establish, bring to bear, dark and trying times in my peoples lives." In this episode, we consider God's sovereignty over suffering and ask the question, "Just how much is God responsible for it in the lives of HIs children?"
We may not understand it, but we cannot deny it: The Bible identifies three distinct persons of the Godhead! We see the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, three Persons, One God.
Why is a firm grip on this Bible truth so important for every Christian?
Our best comforters are those who understand our pain, those who can truly say, "I've been where you are?" Jesus is the sinners friend; no, more than that, the Bible says that He is our brother, our Shepherd, our Saviour and our King. But when we face discouragement, need, pain, persecution and even death, can He comfort us as One who can tenderly say, "I've been where you are?"
It's quite possible lament the poor leaders who govern our countries in the world today. Whether these are corrupt, arrogant, despotic or plain foolish, it's hard to find wise national leaders today, a fact that easily leads to discouragement.
But is there reason to be encouraged, to be hopeful, to be at peace in the midst of it all?
In Matthews gospel (chapter 12), Jesus speaks of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, the sin of which can never be forgiven. This is elaborated on by the writer to the Hebrews (chapter 6). We recognise this as the continual resistance of the individual to heed the conviction of the Holy Spirit to embrace God's gift of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. In this episode, Charles Spurgeon identifies another sin for which there is no atonement provided.
Having made clear that unbelief in the non-Christian is a sin of serious proportions, Charles Spurgeon breaks down WHY it is so serious a sin. He also discusses unbelief as it arises in the hearts and minds of Christians.
We generally accept that sin is the exercise of our bodies, hearts and minds in a direction that is an affront to the law of God. But is unbelief, or to put it differently, when someone says, "I don't believe in God" a sin?
Jesus deserves our constant thought of Him, and yet, there are tremendous benefits to be gained were we to fix our minds more readily on Him. Here, Charles Spurgeon articulates four very powerful benefits for remembering Christ.
It's hard to keep Christ from being absent from our daily thoughts and attention when there are so many distractions and temptations. Here, Charles Spurgeon encourages us to frequently cast our memories on very specific events in the ministry of Jesus to help our minds to be more often caught up with Him.
Are you prone to forget Christ too easily? Yes, you have your quiet time, you give thanks at every meal, you attend Christian gatherings at various intervals through the week, but you grieve the fact that Jesus is all too easily lost from your mind. Is this common? Why does it happen? Listen as Charles Spurgeon diagnoses the problem.
There are well over 3000 promises of God in the Bible. Can we rest on each of them, assured that He will fulfil every one?
The ability to change plans can be liberating. When one plan fails, we have the opportunity to change it for one that brings the success or achievement we hoped for. Does God ever change plans? Does he ever need a new plan if one didn't quite work out as He had hoped or anticipated?
When we talk about God's attributes, we speak of things such as His power, His wisdom, His love etc. In this episode, Charles Spurgeon hones in on God's attributes and explains how wonderfully, God's attributes have remained unchanged through the ages, and shall remain so for all eternity.
It's hard to imagine that anything or anyone can exist without changing over time. And yet, the message of the Bible is that God, who has existed for all eternity, is absolutely unchangeable. In this episode, Charles Spurgeon takes a look at one aspect of God's being, His essence (those qualities that are at His very core) and shows how they are the same, yesterday, today and forever.
Spurgeon answers this question by highlighting the great benefits of a growing knowledge of the Almighty God.
In one part of the New Testament, it says, "Many are called but few are chosen" while in another part it appears that all who are called must be chosen. How are we to understand this apparent contradiction?