Faith's Checkbook · C. H. Spurgeon

A promise for 29 May

Spurgeon's reading from Faith's Checkbook for 29 May.

And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men

Mark 1:17
In the Berean Standard Bible“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17)

See this in Story: Mark 1

Only by coming after Jesus can we obtain our heart's desire, and be really useful to our fellow men. Oh, how we long to be successful fishers for Jesus! We would sacrifice our lives to win souls. But we are tempted to try methods which Jesus would never have tried. Shall we yield to this suggestion of the enemy? If so, we may splash the water, but we shall never take the fish. We must follow after Jesus if we would succeed. Sensational methods, entertainments, and so forth—are these coming after Jesus? Can we imagine the Lord Jesus drawing a congregation by such means as are now commonly used? What is the result of such expedients? The result is nothing which Jesus will count up at the last great day.

We must keep to our preaching as our Master did, for by this means souls are saved. We must preach our Lord's doctrine, and proclaim a full and free gospel; for this is the net in which souls are taken. We must preach with His gentleness, boldness, and love; for this is the secret of success with human hearts. We must work under divine anointing, depending upon the sacred Spirit. Thus, coming after Jesus, and not running before Him, nor aside from Him, we shall be fishers of men.

C. H. Spurgeon, Faith's Checkbook (1888). Public domain. The verse under the quotation is from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain).