April 2

Charles Spurgeon · Faith's Checkbook

TRUE HEART-ENERGY

   "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy
   profiting may appear to all" I Tim. 4:15

   This is, practically, a promise that, by diligent meditation and the
   giving up of our whole mind to our work for the Lord, we shall make a
   progress which all can see. Not by hasty reading, but by deep
   meditation, we profit by the Word of God. Not by doing a great deal of
   work in a slovenly manner, but by giving our best thought to what we
   attempt, we shall get real profit. "In all labor there is profit," but
   not in fuss and hurry without true heart-energy.

   If we divide ourselves between God and mammon, or Christ and self, we
   shall make no progress. We must give ourselves wholly to holy things,
   or else we shall be poor traders in heavenly business, and at our
   stock-taking no profit will be shown.

   Am I a minister? Let me be a minister wholly, and not spend my energies
   upon secondary concerns. What have I to do with party politics, or vain
   amusements? Am I a Christian? Let me make my service of Jesus my
   occupation, my lifework, my one pursuit. We must be in-and-in with
   Jesus, and then out-and-out for Jesus, or else we shall make neither
   progress nor profit, and neither the church nor the world will feel
   that forceful influence which the Lord would have us exercise.