DISCIPLE

by Charles H. Spurgeon "With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early."  Isaiah 26:9 There is, in the people of God, a principle of communion with God. For, first, this is where their spiritual life begins. "I will arise and go to my father" (Luke 15:18) was the token that the prodigal was really restored in heart. When he cleansed himself, touched himself up, joined himself to a citizen of that country, and began to work instead of wasting his substance in riotous living, it was a considerable improvement. It is always a good thing for a man to work rather than to waste his time in the indulgence of his vices; but he had not then begun to live spiritually. It was when he remembered his father that the gracious work was begun in his soul: the cry of his spirit was, "I will arise and go to my father."   Beloved, if any of your are seeking after righteousness by your own works or by your pra...

“Father, I have sinned.” Luke 15:21        It was not until the prodigal son returned repentant that the father ran out to meet him, fell on his neck and kissed him. It would not have been righteous to administer forgiveness until first there was repentance. The scriptural principle is, “...if he repents, forgive him” (Lk. 17:3) There is no record that the father sent help to the prodigal as long as he was in the far country. Actually, to have done so would have been to obstruct the work of God in the rebel’s life.      The Lord’s goal was to bring the wayward one down to the dregs. He knew that the son had to come to the end of himself, that he would never look up until first he had hit bottom. The sooner the wanderer got to the husks, the sooner he would be ready to break. So the father had to commit his son to the Lord, and wait for the crisis of extremity. This is one of the hardest things for parents to do – especially for mothers...