Only a prayer meeting - Spurgeon - XVII - 'Trespassers, beware!' & 'The silent steam-roller'

Required reading
Only a prayer meeting by Charles Spurgeon (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read the chapters entitled 'Trespassers, beware!' and 'The silent steam-roller'.

My summary
This week Spurgeon gives us some reflections from two signs that he saw.

Firstly, Spurgeon tells us he saw a sign that said 'Trespassers will be prosecuted. No dogs allowed in these waters'.  Spurgeon says that this sign is in stark contrast to the sign of the kingdom of God: 'Frequently, we are warned that "trespassers will be prosecuted;" but  there is no sentence of the Gospel which breathes such a spirit.  You cannot trespass there, for the rule is, "Whosoever will, let him come."'

Secondly Spurgeon tells us that he saw a sign that said 'Beware of the steam-roller'.  Spurgeon compares the steam roller to the church which has need of:
(i) fire (which is prayer);
(ii) weight (which is doctrine).

What grabbed me
I love hearing Spurgeon ask his church to pray for him: 'As for me, I beg a special interest in your prayers that I may be sustained in the tremendous work to which I am called. A minister must be upheld by his people's prayers, or what can he do? When a diver is on the sea-bottom, he depends upon the pumps above, which send him down the air. Pump away, brethren, while I am seeking for my Lord's lost money among the timbers of this old wreck. I feel the fresh air coming in at every stroke of your prayer-pump; but if you stop your supplications, I shall perish. When a fireman climbs upon the roof with the hose, he can do nothing if the water is not driven up into it. Here I stand, pointing my hose at the burning mass. Send up the water, brethren! Send up a continual supply! What will be the use of my standing here with an empty hose? Every man to the pump! Let each one do better still, let him turn on the main. The reservoir is in Heaven; every saint is a turncock; use your keys, and give me a plentiful supply. What I ask for myself, I seek for every true minister of Christ. Let not one be left to himself. We all cry with one voice, "BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US."'

God's people must unite with their pastor in his labours - in particular they must pray for him.

Next week's reading
Read the chapters entitled 'The steam-roller and the stone-roller' and 'Two common dangers'.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.