My Shepherd

I heard this song on another blog. I really like it so I got the video version to share here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892

Charles Spurgeon. I knew the name. I knew he was a preacher who lived a long time ago. That's really all I knew about him. Then I discovered a book that Randy Alcorn recently wrote called We Shall See God. This is when I found out more about Charles Spurgeon.

Charles Spurgeon lived from 1834 until 1892. He was England's best known preacher for most of the second half of the 19th century. He served for 30 years at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, and it is estimated that during his lifetime he preached to more than 10 million people. His collected sermons fill sixty-three volumes and remains one of the best selling series of writings in history. I say WOW WOW WOW! And that without rapid transportation, modern audio speaker systems, TV or internet.

Charles Spurgeon preaching at Metropolitan Tabernacle in London.

Now, back to Randy Alcorn's book. This is a small book but packed with lots of good stuff. He has taken excerpts from some of Spurgeon's sermons on heaven and given his thoughts and comments about them. I intended to share something from that book in this post, but now I'm thinking I will save it for the next post. There are a lot of things in the book that I would like to share. Are you familiar with Randy Alcorn's book called Heaven? I think it is one of the best books I've ever read. If you haven't read it, you really should. You will probably have a whole new perspective on the subject. I know I did.

I'm sharing this for Spiritual Sundays. Click HERE to go to that blog to find links to many inspirational posts. You may want to share a post on your own blog by linking it there.

THE VOICE

We recently got yet another translation of the New Testament. This one is called The Voice and is written in story form. I found it easy to read and I decided I would share just a little of it on my blog. Since last Sunday was Easter, the resurrection is still on many people's minds. As it should be - not only on Easter, but every Sunday and actually not even just on Sundays.

We pick up after Jesus had appeared to the two men on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection.  Luke 24:33.

33So they get up immediately and rush back to Jerusalem―all seven miles―where they find the eleven gathered together―the eleven plus a number of others. 34Before Cleopas and his companion can tell their story, the others have their own story to tell.

Other Disciple: The Lord has risen indeed! It's true! He appeared to Simon!

35 Then the two men report their own experience―their conversations along the road, their moment of realization and recognition as He broke the bread. 26At that very instant, as they're still telling the story, Jesus is there, standing among them!

Jesus: May you have peace!

     You might expect them to be overjoyed, but they aren't.

37They're startled and terrified, they think they're seeing a ghost.

Jesus: 38Why are you upset? Why are your hearts churning with questions? 39Look―look at My hands and My feet. See that it's me. Come on; touch me; see for yourselves. A ghost doesn't have flesh and bones, as you can see that I have!

[40Then He shows them His hands and His feet.]

41Now their fear gives way to joy; but it seems too good to be true, and they're still unsure.

Jesus: Do you have anything here to eat?

42They hand Him a piece of broiled fish, 43and He takes it and eats it in front of them.

Jesus: 44I've been telling you this all along, that everything written about Me in the Hebrew scriptures must be fulfilled―everything from the law of Moses to the prophets to the psalms.

45Then He opens their minds so they can comprehend meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Jesus: 46This is what the Scriptures said: that the promised Anointed One should suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47that in His name a radical change of thought and life should be preached, and that in His name forgiveness of sins should be preached, beginning in Jerusalem and extending to all nations. 48You have witnessed the fulfillment of these things. 49So I am sending my Father's promise to you. Stay in the city until you receive it―until power from heaven comes upon you.

50Then He leads them out to Bethany. He lifts up His hands and blesses them, 51and at that moment, with His hands raised in blessing, He leaves them and is carried up into heaven. 52They worship Him, then they return to Jerusalem, filled with intense joy, 53and they return again and again to the temple to celebrate God.

~  ~  ~ 

I like the way this new translation of the New Testament reads almost like the script for a play. It is inexpensive too. The paperback edition which we have is only $6.99. 

Thank you for letting me share this with you. You will find links to lots of inspiring posts by clicking HERE. That's the Spiritual Sundays blog, of course.

HE IS RISEN

Mark 16

Jesus Has Risen

 ¹ When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

 ⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

 ⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

 ⁸ Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.^[a]

   [The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20.]

   ⁹ When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. ¹¹ When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

   ¹² Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. ¹³ These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

   ¹⁴ Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

   ¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow. And I like what one little child said when told the resurrection story, "Goody goody goody. They didn't keep him dead."

Please visit Spiritual Sundays for links to lots of inspirational posts.