Free Bird

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  “. . . A light broke in upon my brain,—  It was the carol of a bird;  It ceased, and then it came again,  The sweetest song ear ever heard,  And mine was thankful till my eyes  Ran over with the glad surprise,  And they that moment could not see  I was the mate of misery.  But then by dull degrees came back  My senses to their wonted track;  I saw the dungeon walls and floor  Close slowly round me as before,  I saw the glimmer of the sun  Creeping as it before had done,  But through the crevice where it came  That bird was perched, as fond and tame,  And tamer than upon the tree;  A lovely bird, with azure wings,  And song that said a thousand things,  And seemed to say them all for me!  I never saw its like before,  I ne’er shall see its likeness more;  It seemed like me to want a mate,  But was not half so desolate,  And it was come to love me when  None ...

“What Is The Best Way To Serve Christ?”

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“There are some dear people whom I must encourage to be a little more bold. We have some friends, here and there, to whom I could hint, only very gently, that they are quite forward enough, but there are many good people who always keep in the background. They might do so much for Christ if only they had a little courage! Do, dear Friends, break through the ice this year! If you have felt that you ought to do something for your Lord, and yet have never begun to do it, begin at once!

Do you ask, ‘What is the best way to try to serve Christ?’ Well, I think the best way is to do it! ‘But how should I begin?’ Well, I would begin by beginning! ‘When shall I begin?’ Begin now! This very hour. ‘But in what way?’ In the first way that comes to hand—‘whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,’ for our text says, ‘Arise, shine.’ If you have the light, emit it, distribute it, scatter it somehow or other!

Have pluck—that is a plain English word, but I do not know how to put my meaning better. Have pluck enough to come out and be a Christian—do not always be like a rat behind the wall, but come out and acknowledge yourself on Jesus’ Christ’s side and promote the everlasting Gospel wherever you have the opportunity!”

(C.H. Spurgeon, Sermon #2617, Volume 45—Shining Christians)

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