Choose the Comforter Over Comforts
Prioritize God above all earthly comforts and find sufficiency in His word for a fulfilling life.
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the transient nature of earthly comforts and urges believers to prioritize their relationship with God over material possessions. He warns against placing too much value on worldly comforts, reminding us that they are temporary and should not be the foundation of our lives. Instead, Spurgeon encourages us to seek God in all circumstances, whether in abundance or loss, and to recognize that true sustenance comes from God's word. He calls for gratitude towards God for our comforts while maintaining a perspective that values Him above all else.
Text
To sum up the whole, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, look not at the things which are seen. Do not look upon your comforts as if they were enduring. Do not dote upon them. Do not think of them as if you had them otherwise than on loan, or as if you had any right to them. Be thankful to God for them; but, because they will so soon pass away, do not set much store by them. Build not your nest on any of these trees, for they are all marked for the axe, and ere long they will all come down. Say not of any mortal man, or woman, or dear child, or worldly possession, or knowledge, or pursuit, or honor, "This is much to me." Let it be little to you. Put the gifts of God far down in the scale compared with himself.
Try, when you have your comforts, to find God in all; and, when you lose your comforts, then just change the words, and try to find all in God; for, remember, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God shall man live."
From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Vanities And Verities."
Sermon Outline
- The Fleeting Nature of Comforts
- The Importance of Prioritizing God
- Finding God in All Things
- The Sufficiency of God's Word
- Man shall not live by bread alone
- Man lives by God's word
- Do not set store by fleeting comforts
Key Quotes
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God shall man live.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- Recognize the fleeting nature of earthly comforts and prioritize God above all else.
- Find God in all things, whether in comforts or trials, and make Him the center of your life.
- Make God's word the foundation of your life and recognize its sufficiency for spiritual nourishment.