An all-round ministry by CH Spurgeon (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence Chapter 6 (Light. Fire. Faith. Life. Love.) by reading up to, but not including, Point III (Faith).
Firstly we are commended to acquire and distribute light. Spurgeon tells us:
(i) that we must first get light;
(ii) to see that we have, in a sevenfold degree, light of a higher kind;
(iii) to seek for the light of joy and cheerfulness;
(iv) to give light out;
(v) to give light out because there is a fierce attempt being made to quench or dim the light.
Secondly Spurgeon pleads with us to gather and use in our ministry much heavenly fire. We are encouraged to:
(i) take care that we have the fire burning in our own souls;
(ii) remember that our flame must be kindled from on high;
(iii) recollect that the fire which you and I need will consume us if we truly possess it.
I liked Spurgeon's encouragement to study all light: 'Get light even of the commonest order, for all light is good. Education upon ordinary things is valuable, and I would stir up certain loitering brethren to make advances in that direction. Many among you entered the College with no education whatever; but when you left it, you had learned enough to have formed the resolution to study with all your might, and you have carried it out. I wish that all had done so. It is a great advantage to a minister to commence his public life in a small village, where he can have time and quiet for steady reading; that man is wise who avails himself of the golden opportunity. We ought not only to think of what we can now do for God, but of what we may yet be able to do if we improve ourselves. No man should ever dream that his education is complete. I know that my friend Mr. Rogers, though he has passed his eightieth year, is still a student, and perhaps has more of the true student spirit about him now than ever: will any of the younger sort sit down in self-content? We shall continue to learn even in Heaven, and shall still be looking deeper and deeper into the abyss of Divine love: it were ill to talk of perfect knowledge here below. If a man says, "I am fully equipped for my work, and need learn no more; I have moved here after having been three years in the last place, and I have quite a stock of sermons, so that I am under no necessity to read any more;" I would say to him, "My dear friend, may the Lord give you some brains, for you talk like one who is deficient in that department." A brain is a very hungry thing indeed, and he who possesses it must constantly feed it by reading and thinking, or it will shrivel up or fall asleep. It is the child of the horseleech, and it crieth evermore, "Give, give." Do not starve it. If such mind-hunger never happens to you, I suspect that you have no mind of any consequence.'
The Christian is a perpetual student, even more so the Christian minister!
Conclude Chapter 6 (Light. Fire. Faith. Life. Love.).
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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