"IF I PERISH, I PERISH"

I SHALL AIM TONIGHT, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,

TO SAY SOMETHING TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR MONTHS,

BUT AS YET HAVE NOT RECEIVED IT; WHO HAVE GONE ON THEIR KNEES,

PERHAPS FOR MONTHS, WITH ONE EXCEEDING GREAT AND BITTER CRY, BUT AS YET

KNOW NOT THE WAY OF PEACE.

THEIR SIN STILL HANGS LIKE A MILLSTONE ABOUT THEIR NECK; THEY SIT IN

THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH; NO LIGHT HAS DAWN UPON THEM, AND

THEY ARE WRINGING THEIR HANDS IN MOANING, "HAS GOD FORGOTTEN TO BE

GRACIOUS?

HAS HE SHUT HIS EAR AGAINST THE PRAYERS OF SEEKING SOULS?

WILL HE BE MINDFUL OF SINNERS, PITEOUS CRIES NO MORE ?

SHALL PENITENTS' TEARS DROP UPON THE EARTH AND  NO LONGER MOVE

HIS COMPASSION ?

SATAN, TOO IS TELLING YOU, DEAR FRIENDS, WHO ARE NOW IN THIS STATE OF MIND,

THAT GOD WILL NEVER HEAR YOU, THAT HE WILL LET YOU CRY TO YOU DIE,

THAT YOU WILL PANT OUT YOUR LIFE IN SIGHS AND TEARS, AND THAT AT

THE END YOU SHALL BE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.

I LONG TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU SOME COMFORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT.

I WANT TO URGE YOU TO CRY MORE VEHEMENTLY;

TO COME TO THE CROSS AND LAY HOLD OF IT, AND VOW THAT YOU WILL

NEVER LEAVE ITS SHADOW TILL YOU FIND THE BOON WHICH YOUR SOUL COVETS.

I WANT TO MOVE YOU, IF GOD THE HOLY GHOST SHALL HELP ME,

SO THAT YOU WILL SAY WITHIN YOURSELVES, LIKE QUEEN ESTHER,

"I WILL GO UNTO THE KING, AND IF I PERISH, I PERISH", AND MAY YOU ADD

TO THAT THE VOW OF JACOB,

" I WILL NOT LET YOU GO, EXCEPT THOU BLESS ME!"

CHARLES H. SPURGEON, FROM THE BOOK; SURGEON'S SERMONS ON PRAYER. MAY THESE WORDS ENCOURAGE YOUR MOST INNER MAN THIS DAY.