May 13. At the bottom of it all. In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ,

according to the purpose of His will. Ephesians 1, 4, and 5.

The experience of Charles Spurgeon is not beyond the ability of any ordinary Christian.

Spurgeon, who lived from 1834 to 1892, was a contemporary and friend of George Mueller and Hudson Taylor. He served the

Metropolitan Tabernacle in London for over 30 years as the most famous pastor of his day.

His preaching was so powerful that people were converted to Christ every week. His sermons are still in print today, and he is held up by many as a model soul winner.

He recalls an experience when he was 16 that shaped his life and ministry for the rest of his days.

When I was coming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought

the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me.

I do not think the young convert is at first aware of this.

I can recall the very day and hour when I first received those truths, the doctrines

of sovereign overcoming grace in my own soul, when they were, as John Bunyan says, burnt into my heart

as with a hot iron. And I can recollect how I felt that I had grown from a babe into a man, that I had

made progress in scriptural knowledge through having found once for all the clue to the truth of God.

One weeknight, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher's sermon, for I did not believe it.

The thought struck me, how did you come to be a Christian?

I sought the Lord.

But how did you come to seek the Lord?

The truth flashed across my mind in a moment.

I should not have sought him unless there

had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek him. I prayed, thought I. But then I asked

myself, how came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the scriptures. How came I to read the scriptures?

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