Thursday, November 14, 2013

a troubling question about prayer from Charles Spurgeon

Here is a convicting excerpt from a Charles Spurgeon sermon:

“If the Son of Man were to come into this world, would He find pure faith among His disciples?”

He then gives an example of how people in his church responded when God answered a man’s prayer:

“Mr. Muller, of Bristol, believes in God for the support of his benevolent institution—and God supplies him with all his needs. But whenever you speak about him you say, "What a wonderful thing!"

And here’s where it gets convicting:

“Has it come to this, that in the Christian Church it is accounted a marvel for Christians to believe in the promises of God, and something like a miracle for God to fulfill them? Does not this wonderment indicate more clearly than anything else how fallen we are from the level of faith at which we ought constantly to live? If the Lord wants to surprise His people, He has only at once to give an answer to their prayers! No sooner had they obtained their answer than they would say, "Who would have thought it!" Is it really surprising that God should keep His own promise? Oh, what unbelief! Oh, what wretched unbelief on our part! We ask and we receive not because we do not believe in God!”

Why is it such a shock to us when God answers prayer? That’s a troubling question.

(from sermon no. 3546, entitled “Assurance Sought”)

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