Do Not Sleep
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
"Let us not sleep, as do others." --1 Thessalonians 5:6
There
are many ways of promoting Christian wakefulness. Among the rest, let
me strongly advise Christians to converse together concerning the ways of the Lord.
Christian and Hopeful, as they journeyed towards the Celestial City,
said to themselves, "To prevent drowsiness in this place, let us fall
into good discourse." Christian enquired, "Brother, where shall we
begin?" And Hopeful answered, "Where God began with us." Then Christian
sang this song--
"When saints do sleepy grow, let them come hither,
And hear how these two pilgrims talk together;
Yea, let them learn of them, in any wise,
Thus to keep open their drowsy slumb'ring eyes.
Saints' fellowship, if it be managed well,
Keeps them awake, and that in spite of hell."
And hear how these two pilgrims talk together;
Yea, let them learn of them, in any wise,
Thus to keep open their drowsy slumb'ring eyes.
Saints' fellowship, if it be managed well,
Keeps them awake, and that in spite of hell."
Christians
who isolate themselves and walk alone, are very liable to grow drowsy.
Hold Christian company, and you will be kept wakeful by it, and
refreshed and encouraged to make quicker progress in the road to heaven.
But as you thus take "sweet counsel" with others in the ways of God,
take care that the theme of your converse is the Lord Jesus. Let the eye
of faith be constantly looking unto Him; let your heart be full of Him;
let your lips speak of His worth. Friend, live near to the cross, and
thou wilt not sleep. Labour to impress thyself with a deep sense of the
value of the place to which thou art going. If thou rememberest that
thou art going to heaven,
thou wilt not sleep on the road. If thou thinkest that hell is behind
thee, and the devil pursuing thee, thou wilt not loiter. Would the
manslayer sleep with the avenger of blood behind him, and the city of refuge before him? Christian, wilt thou sleep whilst the pearly gates
are open--the songs of angels waiting for thee to join them--a crown of
gold ready for thy brow? Ah! no; in holy fellowship continue to watch
and pray that ye enter not into temptation.
The King is Coming
(Bill Gaither)
Praise God, He's coming for me
The marketplace is empty, no more traffic in the street
All the builder's tools are silent, no more time to harvest wheat
Busy housewives cease their labor, in the courtroom no debate
Work on earth has been suspended as the King comes through the gate
Happy faces line the hallway, those whose lives have been redeemed
Broken homes He has mended, those from prison He has freed
Little children and the aged hand in hand stand all a-glow
Who were crippled, broken, ruined, clad in garments white as snow
Chorus:
The King is coming, the King is coming
I just heard the trumpet sounding and soon His face I'll see
The King is coming, the King is coming
Praise God, He's coming for me
I can hear the chariot's rumble, I can see the marching throng
And the flurry of God's trumpet spells the end of sin and wrong
Regal rolls are now unfolded, heaven's grandstands all in place
Heaven's choir is now assembled, start to sing "Amazing Grace"
Repeat Chorus (x2)
Praise God, He's coming for me, for me, for me
(Bill Gaither)
Praise God, He's coming for me
The marketplace is empty, no more traffic in the street
All the builder's tools are silent, no more time to harvest wheat
Busy housewives cease their labor, in the courtroom no debate
Work on earth has been suspended as the King comes through the gate
Happy faces line the hallway, those whose lives have been redeemed
Broken homes He has mended, those from prison He has freed
Little children and the aged hand in hand stand all a-glow
Who were crippled, broken, ruined, clad in garments white as snow
Chorus:
The King is coming, the King is coming
I just heard the trumpet sounding and soon His face I'll see
The King is coming, the King is coming
Praise God, He's coming for me
I can hear the chariot's rumble, I can see the marching throng
And the flurry of God's trumpet spells the end of sin and wrong
Regal rolls are now unfolded, heaven's grandstands all in place
Heaven's choir is now assembled, start to sing "Amazing Grace"
Repeat Chorus (x2)
Praise God, He's coming for me, for me, for me
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