Affliction was Necessary to Me

I want to share the following, written by my friend Denny Hartford, the director of a terrific organization I highly recommend, Vital Signs Ministries (FYI, that's not Denny in the picture, it's Martin Luther). Denny works in the ministry with his wonderful wife Claire.

Books on Preaching, Managing Time, and Sports Nanci and I Watch: Part 2 of a Q&A

In Charles Hummel’s booklet Tyranny of the Urgent, which I read as a young Christian thirty-five years ago, he said that what is urgent is often not important, and what is important is typically not urgent.

Charles Spurgeon Meets Shai Linne

Rapper Shai Linne has produced a masterful musical biography of Spurgeon. I love it, and I love that people from different countries and different times and with different styles of communicating can be one in Christ and elevate the Word of God.

Charles Spurgeon on Security

This devotional is from Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening: Daily Readings. There’s hardly any man outside of Scripture itself who speaks to me like Spurgeon does. I highly recommend Morning and Evening as a daily dose of great theology. You can also sign up to receive them each day by email.

“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”
                     — 1 Thessalonians 5:24

Charles Spurgeon Praising the Divine Architect

Charles Spurgeon preached to something like ten million people in his lifetime, sometimes speaking ten times a week at various locations. His sermons were transcribed as he spoke. In those days of telegraph, his messages became available across the Atlantic, in America, within days, and around the world within a week. Besides his amazing quantity of sermons, he wrote an autobiography, the massive The Treasury of David, 3 Volumes  on the psalms, books on prayer, the classic devotional Morning and Evening, and produced a magazine, The Sword and the Trowel. Some argue that no author in history has more material in print than Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

The Eyes of Faith

When we view life through the eyes of faith, we can say, “Things appear one way, but my God is sovereign, loving, merciful, and kind. Through his grace and empowerment, I will cling to him."

Let Us Be As Daniel

I appreciated this passage from a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Daniel Facing the Lions' Den."

Act on the outset as a Christian should. What if employers should frown, or customers be vexed, or friends fail? Bear it! It will be the best policy in the long run.

A Man from Heaven: How would he spend his money?

Recently I was working on a book project that involved my reading through messages Charles Spurgeon preached on Heaven. I was delighted to come across a passage in which he affirms some of the same teachings I lay out in my books The Treasure Principle and Money, Possessions and Eternity. While writing those books years ago, had I been aware that Spurgeon had said what follows, I certainly would have quoted from him!

A Simple Sound Check and the Power of Christ

In We Shall See God, I share a remarkable story that Spurgeon told about an experience early in his ministry:

In 1857, a day or two before preaching at the Crystal Palace, I went to decide where the platform should be fixed; and, in order to test the acoustic properties of the building, cried in a loud voice, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

Some of my Spiritual Heroes—who are yours?

I have only one Lord, but many spiritual heroes. I'd love to hear about some of yours. Here are seven of mine.