The History Behind Look Unto Me
Look unto me,
and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth:
for I am God, and there is none else.
Isaiah 45:22
“Sell all [the books] you have...and buy Spurgeon.”
These are the words of the noted 20th-century German theologian Helmut Thielicke (1908-1986). Including Spurgeon’s 140 books and 25,000 sermons, he has some 25 million words in print, more than any other Christian author, living or dead.
Spurgeon’s Conversion
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (June 19, 1834-January 31, 1892) finished writing Morning by Morning (now expanded, indexed, and updated as Look Unto me) when he was only 31 years of age in 1865—an amazing work for such a young man! By that time, however, he had been a pastor faithfully expositing God’s Word 14 years, for he was called to the ministry at the early age of 17. Ultimately, he would leave this earth at the age of 57, having spent 40 years as a preacher, pastor, and author, as well as a founder of a pastor’s college and an orphanage.
The Lord saved him at the age of 15 on January 6, 1850. The following is his salvation account in his own words:
It pleased God in my childhood to convict me of my sin. I lived as a miserable creature, finding no hope or comfort; thinking, surely God would never save me. But I resolved to visit every place of worship in town to find the way of salvation. I was willing to do anything, and be anything, if God would only forgive me.
I set off, going to all the places of worship, and though I dearly venerate the men who occupy those pulpits now, and did so then, I must honestly say I never heard them once fully preach the gospel. I mean by that, they preached truth, great truths, many good truths that were fitting to many of their congregation—spiritually-minded people—but what I wanted to know was, “How can I get my sins forgiven?” And they never told me that. I wanted to hear how a poor sinner, under conviction of sin, might find peace with God.
At last, one snowy day—it snowed so much I could not go to the place I had determined to go—I was forced to stop along the road, and it was a blessed stop to me. I found an obscure street and on that street was a little chapel—a place I did not know. I entered and sat down, but no minister came. Finally, a very thin-looking man came to the pulpit and opened his Bible and read these words: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth” (Isa. 45:22 KJV). Then, setting his eyes upon me, as if he knew my heart, he said: “Young man, you are in trouble.” Well, I was, sure enough. He continued, “You will never get out of it unless you look to Christ.” And then, lifting up his hands, he cried out, “Look, look, look! It is only look!” I saw at once the way of salvation. Oh, how I did leap for joy at that moment! I don’t know what else he said—I did not take much notice of it, for I was so possessed with that one thought. I had been waiting to do fifty things, but when I heard this word “Look!” what a charming word it seemed to me. Oh, I looked until I could almost have looked my eyes away! And in heaven I will look on still in my joy unspeakable.
I now think I am bound never to preach a sermon without preaching to sinners. I do think that a minister who can preach a sermon without addressing sinners does not know how to preach.
Thus began a life fully surrendered to the Lord and His Word.
Spurgeon’s Love of Education
Although Spurgeon never finished college or attended seminary, it would be a mistake to consider him uneducated. His personal library consisted of more than 12,000 books, most, if not all, he had read, typically reading 6 books per week. He shares his lack of formal seminary training with the likes of Augustine (354-430), John Calvin (1509-1564), Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899), Arthur Pink (1886-1952), D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981), Billy Graham (1918-), and many other renowned preachers. Spurgeon’s own writings have been so widely read and distributed that there are few pastors or seminarians around that world not having at least one of his books on their bookshelf.
This is not intended to cast aspersions on formal theological training, for Spurgeon surely supported it—as long as it was biblically sound. Nevertheless, the church should remain open to Spurgeon’s brand of training, or we may miss the next preacher with his exceptional insight into God’s Word. In fact, Spurgeon spent much of his life training new candidates for the pastorate through The Pastor’s College, which he founded in 1856, early in his career. He once described the professors of the college in these words: “The Lord has sent us tutors who are lovers of sound doctrine and zealous for the truth. Heresy in colleges means false doctrine throughout the churches, for to defile the fountain is to pollute the streams.”
Why “From the pen of Jim Reimann” daily segments?
I admit that taking on an update of Charles Spurgeon is a humbling experience. Yet my purpose in updating his language is the same as my purpose in previously updating My Utmost for His Highest (Oswald Chambers) and Streams in the Desert (Lettie Cowman)—to make these great works from the 19th and early 20th centuries accessible to today’s readers.
In Look Unto Me (formerly published as Morning by Morning), however, I also have added my own comments to supplement Spurgeon’s thoughts. One purpose is to shed further light on the Scriptures based on my own life-long study of the Scriptures. The Lord called me to teach His Word more than 25 years ago and 10 years ago led me into a Bible-teaching ministry offering pilgrimages to Israel. Since then my wife Pam and I have been privileged to travel there nearly 20 times, studying and teaching. Many of my comments have come from insights gleaned in what I consider to be the world’s greatest seminary—Israel!
Another purpose, and my primary one, is to get people into the Word of God itself, not simply another devotional book, for the true power lies in His Word! You will soon discover that most of my comments consist of sharing additional verses of Scripture to consider, or giving the reader the context of Spurgeon’s Scripture text for greater understanding.
Spurgeon’s Influence on Oswald Chambers and Lettie Cowman
It never ceases to amaze me that the writers of the bestselling devotionals of all time, My Utmost for His Highest (Chambers) and Streams in the Desert (Cowman), have obviously been greatly influenced by the ministry of Charles Spurgeon. In fact, Oswald Chambers was saved as a 14-year-old teenager immediately after hearing Spurgeon preach at his church in London, while visiting there with his father. And after having spent many years reading both Morning by Morning, Evening by Evening, and My Utmost for His Highest, I can attest personally to the theological influence Spurgeon had on Chambers.
Lettie Cowman appears to have been greatly impacted by Spurgeon as well. Her Streams in the Desert is a compilation of more than 250 contributors who influenced her life, and Spurgeon is quoted 30 times, far more than any other contributor. And as I said in the introduction to the updated edition of Streams in the Desert, there is also a tie between Oswald Chambers and Lettie Cowman, because the Cowmans, who were missionaries to the Orient, once invited Oswald Chambers to minister with them in Japan.
There is thus a historic tie between all four of these enduring devotionals: My Utmost for His Highest, Streams in the Desert, Look Unto Me (formerly Morning by Morning), and Hear My Voice (formerly Evening by Evening—coming Fall 2010).
Spurgeon’s Enduring Legacy
Spurgeon once described his approach to preaching with these words: “I take my text and make a beeline to the cross”—making his message timeless! A personal friend of his once wrote:
The work done by C. H. Spurgeon cannot die, for I once heard him say, “I beseech you to live not only for this age, but also for the next. I would fling my shadow through the eternal ages if I could.” He has done it. His work is an imperishable as the truth of God. His memory shall not fade like a vanishing star, nor his works be forgotten like a dying echo. He will shine on, never ceasing to brighten human lives by the truth he preached, the work he accomplished, and the stainless life he lived.
Spurgeon has been called the greatest preacher since the apostle Paul and has come to be known as “the prince of preachers.” My prayer is that you, the reader, will gain insight into God’s Word through Spurgeon’s work, expanded, indexed, and updated in Look Unto Me, and that new generations of readers will discover the timeless truths brought together by Spurgeon—God’s uncompromising servant.
Like Abel, Charles Spurgeon “offered God a better sacrifice,” and although he passed into glory 116 years ago, “by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead” (Heb. 11:4).
To God be the glory!
Jim Reimann
August 2008
(Reader’s comments are welcome at www.JimReimann.com.)
Excerpt from Spurgeon’s Original Preface, December 1865
Morning devotions have always been dear to enlightened, heaven-loving souls, and it has been their rule, never to see the face of man till they have first seen the face of God. Thus, the first fresh hour of every morning should be dedicated to the Lord, whose mercy gladdens it with golden light.
If you do not have time to read both the morning devotional and at least one chapter of Scripture, I earnestly entreat you to dispense with this book, for I would be greatly grieved to know that anyone read the Word of God less on my account. I have had it in my heart to lead my friends to search their Bibles more than ever, and therefore I have culled passages out of corners and nooks of Scripture, that curiosity might lead to a search for their context; I will be disappointed indeed, if, after all, I frustrate my own purpose by diverting one moment of time to the perusal of my remarks that ought to have been given to searching the Word of God itself.
With many prayers for Heaven’s blessing upon this labor of love, and with earnest requests for the prayers of the faithful, this work is humbly dedicated to the honor of the Triune Jehovah, and respectfully presented to the Christian Church.
Release Date 10/01/2008