Interpretation Learning - Dec 2020

1.  逆境adversity
2. 顶嘴talk back
3. 惯例usual practice
4. 岗位post
5. 吃亏 Loss Out/Disadvantage
6. 越野赛跑 Cross Country Racing
7. 恶要很恶，善要亲近 Hate what is evil; cling to what is good

The MAWL (Discipleship) Process

 

The MAWL Process

(M) Model : I do; you watch

(A) Assist  : We do

(W) Watch  : You do; I watch

(L) Leave  : You do; someone new watches 

(the process begins again)

Interpretation Learning - Nov 2020

1. It can only be caught and cannot be taught 只可意會不可言傳
2. Going Through Motion 敷衍了事 （乏味）
3. Hindrance (Hebrews 12:1) 缠累 
4. Conducted Successfully 圆满举办
5. Prominent 显著
6. Specifically 具体
7. Pattern of Sin 罪的形式

8. Plural 复数

9. Acronym 首字母缩写

10. Crescendo (the highest point reached in a progressive increase of intensity) 逐渐加强

11. Lion's Den 狮子坑

12. Gethsemane 客西马尼

13. Character of God 神的属性

14. Refine 炼净

15. Chaired Meeting 主持会议

16. Elect- 候任

Interpretation Learning - Oct 2020 (2)

1. 任性 Capricious/Wayward/immature/reckless

2. 离开父母，成为一体  Leaving parents and becoming one flesh

3. 专一 Exclusive/single-minded

4. 金牛犊 Golden calf

5. 发誓 Swear

6. 妄称 Take the name of God in vain/make false or improper claim

7. 货不对板 Mismatch from expectation

8. 烦 Annoying

9. 总纲 General principles

10. 精打细算 Budget carefully

11. 细心 attentive to details

12. 成圣 sanctification

13. 分别set apart

Interpretation Learning - Oct 2020

1. 不配 undeserving

2. 受教 teachable

3. 冲突 confrontation/conflict

4. 保持 maintain

5. 容忍 tolerate

6. 彼此尊重 mutual respect

7. 国会议员 member of the parliament

8. 一帆风顺 smooth sailing

9. 否认 Deny

10. 放弃/撤回信仰 Recant Faith 

Interpretation Learning - Aug 2020

1. 感性 sensibility
2. 字里行间 Between the lines
3. 后盾 Backed Up
4. 互相担待 Take care of each other
5. 累死 Exhausted
6. 持守 hold on
7. 彼此欠债 indebted to each other

Interpretation Learning - July 2020

1. 約翰福音 14:20 到那日，你们就知道我在父里面，你们在我里面，我也在你们里面。 John 14:20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
2. 分裂 Division
3. 千方百计 Do everything possible
4. 跺下脚下的尘土 Stomping the dust under your feet
5. 尼尼微 Nineveh [NIN] + [I] + [VUH] 饿
6. 抗拒 Oppose/Resist
7. 宗教改革 Reformation 
8. 信徒皆祭司 Priesthood of all believers
9. 顺服神不顺服人是应当的 We must obey God rather than human beings!
10. 馬太福音 10：30 就是你们的头发也都被数过了。 Matthew 10：30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
11. 神是我们的避难所 God is our Refuge
12. 山寨 Fortress
13. 看顾他，保护他，如同保护眼中的瞳人。 He guarded him as the apple of his eye
14. 孤军作战 Fighting alone
15. 有一句话这么说 There is a saying
16. 上司 Superiors
17. 逃命 On the run
18. 双轨 Double Tract (二者并行 Both in parallel)

Sermon - No Compromise (Daniel 1)

Sermon Audio: https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/ebbesaudio/2010/031010_Suresh_Menon_No_Compromise!-Daniel_1_Be_distinctive_and_different.mp3#new_tab

Sermon Text:
Okay, as we begin to look tonight at Daniel chapter 1, I want you in your mind’s eye (in one's imagination) to consider this question: Is there anything that you would be prepared to die for? Just think about that seriously for a moment. Is there anything that you would be prepared to die for?

Full Sermon Text:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XcWHiXH-5DX2aNO2ITr6B9rMAwHlmu5e/view?usp=sharing

Interpretation Learning - June 2020

1. 亲切 warmth/kind/accommodating
2. 和合本 Chinese Union Version (CUV)
3. 新译本 New Chinese Version (NCV)
4. 接待 hospitable
5. 肢体语言 body language
6. 环环相扣 closely linked/connected to one another
7. 规条式 Ritually/Regulative
8. 履行公事 routinely
9. 偶然 accidental
10. 偶尔 occasionally
11. 整全 wholly/fully/completely
12. 荣誉 Honorary 
13. 荣誉执事 Honorary LCEC

Biblical View of Communication for Christian Family

Biblical View of Husband's & Wife's Roles

Interpretation Learning - May 2020 (5)

1. preoccupation 先占据/全神贯注
2. Finally, i lifted from my mind the constant preoccupation with military problems. 最后，我终于丢开了萦绕脑际的军事问题。
3. procreation 生殖
4. pristine 原始的 (I found a pristine copy of the novel ' s first editions)
5. condone 宽恕/纵容
6. slyly 狡猾地

Interpretation Learning - May 2020 (4)

1. interdependence 相互依存
2. Council of churches 教会理事会
3. Caribbean 加勒比海
4. Atlantic 大西洋
5. Canary Islands 加那利群岛
6. Knock-on Effect 连锁反应
7. Faroe Islands 法罗群岛
8. Jamaica 牙买加
9. Bail out 纾困 (解救)
10. moratorium 延缓偿付期
11. repayments 偿还
12. Cyclone 旋风 (Indian Ocean 印度洋, Water)
13. Typhoon 台风 (Pacific 太平洋, Water)
14. Hurricane 飓风 (Atlantic 大西洋, Water)
15. Tornado 龙卷风 (Land)
16. Arctic ocean 北冰洋
17. Southern Ocean 南冰洋
18. lethal [ 'li:θəl ]  致命/死

Interpretation Learning - May 2020 (3)

1. 惆怅 （Chóuchàng）(伤感; 失意) melancholy/miserable 
2. 同心祷告 Pray in One Heart
3. 洞见 Sight
4. 对比 Contrast
5. 巴结 flatter/try hard to please 
6. 真材实料 True Capability
7. 比下去 Better off/Advantage over
8. 侵蚀shí  erosion/eat away
9. 疮 Sore 
10. 溃烂 festered （Wounds festered in the damp, they never healed/伤口在潮湿中溃烂，永远也不能愈合）
11. 脓 discharge pus
12. 痔疮 haemorrhoids
13. 窃窃私语 Whisper
14. 臭味 stink/foul odor/foul smell
15. 压制  Suppress
16. 迎接 Receive (Welcome)
17. 施法 Cast
18. 落空 come to nothing; fail; fall through; disappointment 
19. 医院院长 director of a hospital
20. 中国四大名著 The Four Great Classic Chinese Novels
21. 西游记 Journey to the West
22. 水浒传 Water Margin
23. 后楼梦  Dream of the Red Chamber
24. 三国演义 Romance of the Three Kingdoms
25. 照妖镜 monster-revealing mirror/magic mirror
26. 唐山藏 The monk Tang Sanzang
27. 孫悟空 Sun Wukong/Monkey King
28. 猪八戒 Zhu Bajie/Pigsy
29. 沙僧 Sha Wujing/Sandy 
30. 负债累累 Debt-laden/Heavily in debt
31. 遮盖 Cover
32. 浮现 Emerge
33. 放过 Let go
34. 同行 Peer/fellow/colleague 
35. 损坏 damage
36. 大块 Mass/Chunk
37. 红红 Reddish
38. 衣裳 Garment (Cloth)
39. 矛盾 contradiction
40. 混乱 confusion
41. 不起眼 Insignificant/Lowly/Humble
42. 更不用说 Needless to mention
43. 使无效，废弃，毁弃 Nullify （Arguments caused by nullifying employment contract/如何合法解除劳动合同）
44. 乃缦的麻风犹如把他的权力，地位和财富都比下去了 Naaman's leprosy is like nullifying all that he has (status, power, wealth)
45. 众人面前 Publicly/In front of the crowd 
46. 乡下 Small Village
47. 小护士 Junior Nurse
48. 小镇 small town 
49. 有(…的)味道 Relish （Hunger gives relish to any food/肚子饿了什么都好吃。）

Interpretation Learning - May 2020 (2)

1. 伦理 Ethics
2. 掌握 master/know well
3. 抵挡 withstand
4. 缺乏 lack of
5. 甲骨文 Oracle Bone Inscription
6. 楷书 Regular Script/Writing 
7. 误会 Misunderstand
8. 牵手 Hold Hands
9. 气到半死 So angry/furious
10. 七窍生烟 fume with anger
11. 老家 Hometown
12. 争家产 fighting over family property/assets 
13. 路加福音9:58
14. 耶稣对他说：“狐狸有洞，天空的飞鸟有窝，人子却没有枕头的地方。Luke 9:58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.
15. 白事 funeral affairs
16. 红事 happy occasion
17. 帛金 traditional money gift at a funeral
18. 不尽人意 not understanding/dissatisfactory
19. 呈献 Present
20. 骨灰 Bone Ashes
21. 火化 cremated
22. 遗体 remains
23. 对比 Comparison
24. 反面/负面 Negative/Passive
25. 讨神喜悦 It is pleasing to God
27. 摩西五經 Pentateuch/Torah 
28. 對抗，對立 confrontation

Interpretation Learning - May 2020

1. 神的属性 Attribute (Not characteristic)
2. 带着信心 With faith
3. 保惠师 Counselor
4. 撒玛利亚 Samaria
5. 感触 Sentimental
6. 翻版 Pirated/Reproduction
7. 吃亏 Loss Out/Disadvantage
8. 世界的潮流 Keep up in worldly things
9. 长沙发椅 Couch/Sofa
10. 烤面包片 Toast/Roti Bakar
11. 不好听 Not nice
12. 夸张 Exaggerated
13. 罗马 Rome
14. 祭物 Sacrifice
15. 停留在原地 Stay Put
16. 恐惧 Terrified
17. 同质、同荣、同尊、同权 One/Equal in essence, glory, honor, powe
18. 焦点锁定 Focus/Zero in
19. 血肉之躯 flesh and blood
20. 祸哉 woe to me
21. 主啊,离开我,我是个罪人 “Go away from me, Lord,” he said, “for I am a sinful man.”
22. 污秽 Stain
23. 我还算不错了 I am not too bad
24. 尊贵的神 Honorable God
25. 不平等条约 Unequal treaty
26. 圣歌，赞歌 Anthem
27. 短诗/圣诗 Short Songs/Hymns
28. 转告 Pass a message
29. 程序 Program
30. 打破 To break/To overcome
31. 眷顾 Show concern/care for
32. 各人心里想捐多少就捐多少，不要勉强，不要为难。因为捐得甘心乐意的人才是上帝所喜爱的 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
33. 直播 Live broadcast
34. 转播 broadcast
35. 施恩典 bestow grace
36. 无所不能 Omnipotence
37. 无所不在 Omnipresence
38. 无所不知 Omniscience

选择在家 Home by Choice

有另外一种母亲 – 她们是很大一群人 – 她们选择在家，天天把她们的爱给予孩子。这些母亲留在家里，因为她们知道，能够给她们孩子最好的教育，和一个家的感觉的最佳人选，是她们自己，不是别人。她们知道在母亲的面前，孩子会欣欣向荣，而母亲长时间不在孩子身边，却使他们受苦。（第5页）

我不会为了放弃事业而难过。我如果有事业，没错，我是在发展我的自我，而孩子们却是在受苦。我的孩子如果不快乐，我永远也不会觉得好过的。（第14页）

在第一年当中，特别是六个月到十二个月大的时候，每个孩儿都会先和他的母亲，然后是和母亲形成亲密的相连感或依附关系…在孩子二岁以前，当他不高兴时，他通常是笔直地向妈妈走去…父亲和母亲扮演的是不同的角色：父亲是经由游戏成为孩子重要的依附对象，而母亲则扮演养育着。（第29页）

一个孩子需要至少一个人是他可以信任，并且他感觉那个人是在统管的一切。这个人是孩子的“试金石” – 是他在生病、害怕或伤心时可以投靠的。其他所有的人都是次要的。（第35页）

孩子需要妈妈。他们的头几年需要妈妈，远超过第二份薪水可以换得的保姆、玩具或物质的享受。（第41页）

当我们把很年幼的孩子交给别人抚养时，不只是他们对我们的依附产生问题，而是以后我们对他们的影响力会有问题。（第54页）

孩子们不会想把事情说两遍。我解释说，她们不可能带着受伤的感觉等几个小时，或按捏住与兴奋的事不说。但当母亲不在家时，情形正式如此，孩子们于是学着把感觉藏在心里。（第103页）

我相信一个母亲能给孩子最有价值的礼物之一，就是那种她真心关心孩子的感觉， 以及让孩子知道孩子所关心的就是她所关心的。（第104页）

如果父母六点钟匆匆赶回家，又累又饿，孩子一面吵一面等着被满足，一家人是不可能悠闲地在饭后一起朗读的。而且谁有心情去找一本书来念？生活必须平静、规律，才可能做到像每晚朗读这样一件简单的事。（第107页）

她花时间和家人在一起（这是她首要的事），而不花时间去找客户，但她发现“每一次我们需要钱，就会有工作找上门来。” （第121页）

我的工作其实没有什么真的魅力，因为我已经失去太多一个母亲可以经验的东西。（第134页）

由于母亲的工作时重复、单调，有时令人沮丧的，我们每星期需要有时间去发展自己的天赋。（第139页）

当我们三人搬去伦敦，我碰到了沮丧的解毒药 – 支持的力量。我和几个妇女建立了亲密的友谊…太太欣然同意这次的搬迁，却惊讶地发现她是这么沮丧 – “搬家等于重新开始”。（第150页）

---------------------------------------------------------

Selma Fraiberg 创立了一个广受重视的干预模式，专门帮助受伤的母亲 – 她们的婴孩有发育不良的情形。在这个模式中，一个受过训练的治疗师去拜访一个母亲。一开始先针对这发育不良的婴儿，看他有何需要。之后，治疗师开始同时对婴儿及母亲进行治疗，而这时候母亲通常能谈论自己贫瘠的同年。而当她因自己所受到的不足的照顾忧伤时，其实她已开始走向治疗之路，而变成一个较好的母亲。

当Selma Fraiberg写道一个小男孩，名家比利，他被介绍到密西根大学的婴孩心理健康计划来，因为他饿坏了。比利五个月大，每次喂完就会吐，三个月来体重没有增加。他出生时有八磅重，到五个月时有十四磅。他很紧张、愁眉苦脸、神情阴暗、像一个“小老头”。

治疗师去他家拜访，并看着比利17岁的母亲凯西把比利和奶瓶放在地板上。比利爬到奶瓶旁，抓起来就喝，很饥饿的样子，凯西说：“喜欢那样。他喜欢自己在地上喝奶。”凯西不单括住了比利该有的教育，她还把比利的脸朝洗手台抱着，免得他喝完奶吐到她身上。这就是为什么比利的体重无法增加，而且一直处饥饿状态。

治疗师知道，如果好好照顾凯西，最后她会让凯西成为一个较好的妈妈。但一开始治疗师只专心於教导凯西如何喂比利，及喝完奶后如何帮助比利打嗝。然后她帮助这个无动于衷的小比利，开始和母亲有眼光的接触，因为比利老是不看凯西。

为了达到这个目的，治疗师很聪明地问凯西，她有没有讲过故事给比利听。她说没有，于是治疗师用声音变化的方法讲了三只熊的故事。Fraiberg写道：“比利和妈妈都很喜欢这个故事。比利开始笑，而且眼光接触治疗师和母亲，因为她们都在看着比利。凯西自己也很喜欢这样，她即像小孩子又像母亲，然后她也开始给比利讲故事，当然，比利很快就有了反应”。

不久，治疗师鼓励凯西谈谈痛苦的过去。凯西以“很深的哀伤”来谈论她与母亲间的关系。显然凯西永远无法取悦她的母亲，母亲常常公然拒绝她。凯西一面哭一面骂：“母亲从来听不见我的哭泣和需要”。以后的拜访中，当凯西企图走出她自己的痛苦，说出没有被满足的需要，她变得更能满足和安慰儿子。Fraiberg写道：“当凯西的哭泣被治疗师听见时，她开始对自己婴孩的哭泣有反应”。

凯西的故事，对那些年幼没有受到足够母爱的母亲们而言，是个有力的榜样。如果一个幼年未受养育的母亲，可以找到一个会关心她，能了解她的人，使她能得到滋养，她受伤的心灵也许会得到安慰。（第168页）

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孩子们问起父母：“你/妳最喜欢的孩子是谁？”时，父母会很有技巧地回答说：“我最喜欢的就是生病的那一个，直到他的病好了，我最喜欢的，就是出门的那一个，直到他回家和大家在一起。（第206页）

这是父母可以给予子女的遗产：家的观念，或是无家的感觉。只有当我们把子女的幸福放在优先次序的首位 – 并愿意做重大的牺牲 – 我们才能把这项丰富的遗产传给他们，使他们终其一生足以珍爱的记忆。（第210页）

与其说是自我牺牲、放弃理想留在家里：正确的解答应该是她选择留在上帝的心意中，单单讨祂的喜悦，选择了一条蒙祝福的道路。（第220页）

Source: 选择在家 Home by Choice, 作者： 白安德．亨特博士 (BRENDA HUNTER)

Interpretation Learning - April 2020 (3)

1.       感触 sentiment/sensation/strong feelings
2.       调整 Adjustment
3.       拿八 Nabal
4.       亚比该 Abigail
5.       污点 stain
6.       讽刺 irony
7.       得罪神 Sin against God
8.       奸淫 Adultery
9.       计谋不得逞 Fail in an attempt
10.   计谋 Scheme/Plot
11.   设计陷害 Set up/devise/use tricks for getting another in trouble
12.   不知不觉 unknowingly/unconsciously
13.   陷入 Fall into/Trap into
14.   动了杀人的念头 Thought to kill               
15.   香水很浓 The perfume is very strong
16.   眼神 Eyes
17.   总之不管我的事 In any case/anyhow
18.   小说 Novel
19.   心电图 ECG
20.   可怕 Terrible
21.   陷入不义 to frame someone / Fall into injustice
22.   延申 Extend
23.   引发 Trigger
24.   一国之君 King of a country
25.   大胆 Bold
26.   微服出巡  dressed as a commoner and mingled among people/make a tour in disguise
27.   情节 Plot
28.   前线 Front Line
29.   最前部，最前线 Forefront
30.   把柄 Basis/Have a hold over
31.   政权 Regime
32.   敬三分 Fearful/Respectful
33.   押yā沙龙 Absalom
34.   难以控制 hard to control
35.   恶性循环 Vicious Circle
36.   思念的人 Miss someone
37.   念念不忘  bear in mind constantly/Continual
38.   有智慧/技巧地 Tactfully
39.   挽回 Redeem
40.   挑剔 Picky
41.   矛盾 in conflict/contradiction
42.   愿人都尊你的命为圣 Honor/Hallowed be your name
43.   Hallowed  被尊为神圣的
44.   冷漠 Indifferent
45.   定罪 Condemn
46.   观察打全中的最佳位置/瞄准具校正 Zero in (Take Aim/Focus)
47.   看重 Take one seriously/value
48.   因小失大 won the battle but lost the war
49.   箴言 Prov 4:23
你 要 保 守 你 心 ， 勝 過 保 守 一 切 （ 或 譯 ： 你 要 切 切 保 守 你 心 ） ， 因 為 一 生 的 果 效 是 由 心 發 出 。
Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
50. 失戀 jilted (I hear your girl jilted 甩 you)
51. 忠诚loyal/ loyalty
52. 幸免spare
53. 漩涡whirlpool
54. 违背violate

Seven Characteristics That Distinguish Generation Z (Birth Year 2001-2018)

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Interpretation Learning : Apr 2020 (2)

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Charles Spurgeon: The Prince of Preachers

The saved people lived the saved life. By their fruits ye shall know them. (pg. 15)

“There are many opinions as to the secret of your great influence. Would you be good enough to give me your own point of view?” After a moment’s pause, Spurgeon said, “My people pray for me.” (pg. 20)

Spurgeon had no sympathy with the easygoing theology that seemed to regard conversion as little more than a change of opinion. (pg. 33)

Spurgeon knew enough of the history of the Church to convince him of the value of layman’s testimony. The early Church was a church of witnesses. (pg. 49)

There is no way of learning to preach which can be compared with preaching itself. If you want to swim, you might get into the water, and if you at first make a sorry exhibition, never mind; for it is by swimming as you can that you learn to swim as you should. We ought to be lenient with beginners, for they will do better by and by. If young speakers in Cambridge had been discouraged and silenced, I might not have found my way here, and therefore I shall be the last to bring forth a wet blanket for any who sincerely speak for Christ, however humble may be their endeavors. The fear of there being too many preachers is the last that will occur to me. (pg. 50)

When asked how he secured such vast congregation, Spurgeon said, “I did not seek them. They have always sought me. My concern has been to preach Christ and leave the rest to His keeping.” (pg. 90)

Do not make minor doctrines main points. For instance, the great problems of sublapsarianism and superlapsarianism, the trenchant debates concerning eternal filiation the earnest dispute concerning the double procession, and the pre- or post- millenarian schemes, however important some may deem them, are practically of very little concern to that godly widow woman, with seven children to support by her needle, who wants far more to hear of the loving-kindness of God or Providence than of the mysteries profound. If you preach to her on the faithfulness of God to His people, she will be cheered and helped in the battle of life. But difficult questions will perplex her or send her to sleep. She is, however the type of hundreds of those who most require your care. Our great master theme is the good news from heaven; the tidings of mercy through the atoning death of Jesus, mercy to the chief of sinners upon their believing in Jesus. (pg. 100)

Spurgeon believed it was better to unveil the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ than to solve problems of scriptural harmony. He recognized no knowledge of God except through the scriptures. His idea of the spiritual use of the Bible placed it beyond the scope of historical criticism. He would say, “It is not for us to sit in judgement upon the Word but to let the Word judge us.” (pg. 101)

To Spurgeon it would have been as silly to question the promises of the New Testament as to question the value of sunlight. (pg. 102)

Theoretically, there were limits to redemption but practically, the barriers were all taken down. Spurgeon’s doctrine was: Whoever will, let him come. Other preachers ingeniously created limits and restrictions but Spurgeon saw God’s mercy to be as wide as the sea. (pg. 104)

For him, the raw material of religion was: ”Trust n the Lord and do good.” (pg. 104)

It must have been a great day for Spurgeon. He had been in London only a few years, and he was acclaimed as the most popular preacher, probably the most popular man, in the country. But he had not forgotten the voice he had heard: “Seekest thou great things for thyself? See them not.” (pg. 106)

Spurgeon introduced a new element into preaching. His lectures on preaching are among the best. His ideal was that of the fisherman. He lowered his net to catch fish; he baited his hook, not for decorative purposes but to secure souls.

“Sermons,” Spurgeon wrote, “should have real teaching in them, and their doctrine should be solid, substantial, and abundant. We do not enter the pulpit to talk for the talk’s sake.” He insisted the preacher much proclaim Christ always and everywhere. Christ’s Person, offices, and work must be “our one great all-comprehending theme. The world still needs to be told of its Savior and of the way to reach Him.”

Spurgeon insisted from the first that nothing could compensate for the absence of teaching. He insisted on practicality. Some think in smoke and preach in clouds; Spurgeon was concerned that the people understand his meaning. Clear expression is not a natural gift; it comes with practice, and the price of preachers was continually clarifying his thought.

He admonished his students that no matter what their genius might be, nothing would make up for the absence of personal study. Fluent speech and impromptu wit were to be regarded as dangerous. “If you seek these gifts as pillows for an idle head, you will be much mistaken, for the possession of this noble power will involve you in a vast amount of labor in order to increase and retain it.” (pg. 138)

Our sermons should be our mental lifeblood – the outflow of our intellectual and spiritual vigor; or, to change the figure, they should be diamonds well cut and well set, precious intrinsically and hearing bearing the marks of labor. God forbid that we should offer to the Lord that which costs us nothing.

Spurgeon paid great attention to his sermons’ opening passages. He valued the first sentence as setting out what he purposed to do, indicating the road along which he would lead the thought of the congregation. His opening usually placed his hearers in the very center of the subject. Unnecessary words were eliminated. (pg. 140)

Prayer is the avenue by which the conscious life of God is entered. It is not simply waiting on the Lord, making confession or giving praise; to Spurgeon it was abandoning oneself to the consciousness of the Presence.  (pg. 144)

Social service may be divided into two parts: talking and doing. There are those who become eloquent about the condition of slum dwellers and old people. There are the others who serve; they may have little gift of speech but they do the work. Spurgeon believed in doing what he could to change conditions by changing individuals. His theory was that the changed life transforms the circumstances.

What is now familiarly known as social service, was from Spurgeon’s point of view, the ordinary expression of Christian character. He firmly believed the best description of pure religion was that given by the apostles James: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (pg. 151)

The attitude toward money is an acid test of religion. (pg. 204)

 Source: Charles Spurgeon: The Prince of Preachers, Heroes of the Faith (1997), by Dan Harmon