Castles and Stewardship
My wife and I recently discovered that we like castles. We like to study their architecture and the purpose(s) behind each aspect of each castle. We also like to study their histories and castles have very long histories, often spanning hundreds of years. To put it simply, castles are built beautifully, they are built to perform a function and they are built to last.
Some things are like that; beautiful, useful and time-tested. And that is the idea behind the Good Steward Books series. If you’re like me you are disheartened whenever you walk into your local Christian bookstore and find that almost everywhere you go you are surrounded with softcover, inexpensive and rather formulaic books on how to be a better Christian, etc. While there may be some value in some of these, most that are purchased will be read once (if at all) and then shelved never to be used again. Let’s face it, most books have limited usefulness and lack staying power. One could spend a fortune just looking for the precious gems amongst the throng of words.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Some works are timeless (for a further commendation of classic works, click here). Some works are triumphs that have led believers to a deeper understanding of the Lord God and to a closer walk with Him for generations. These works are the castles of Christian literature. They are beautifully written, theologically sound and worth visiting over and over again.
So below is the first recommendation in this series. It is not a review because these works have been reviewed countless times by better men than myself and can be trusted to strengthen us in the faith. If you begin your Christian library with these works you may find that you needn’t spend your God-given resources on the latest buzz-worthy bestsellers. As an added bonus, I would suggest purchasing solid, hardcover versions of these that you can pass along to your children.
Without further ado…
Good Steward Book: The Treasury of David
Written by Charles Haddon Spurgeon and originally published over a twenty year period in The Sword and the Trowel, Spurgeon’s magnum opus was then released volume-by-volume until the seventh and final installment was published in 1885. This is without doubt Spurgeon’s finest work and perhaps the best exposition on the Psalms ever recorded. Each Psalm’s main theme is summarized, its divisions shown and then it is expounded upon by the Prince of Preachers. A true treasure! And if you are a preacher or a Sunday School teacher (or if you lead your family in Bible studies), Spurgeon includes tips and outlines for teaching the Psalms.
This is a resource that serious students of the Bible will come back to again and again as they seek to understand the objective truths found in God’s Word. There are more sound doctrines and useful instructions in this one collection than in most entire home libraries. Like the Psalms themselves, C.H. Spurgeon deals with distinctions between the righteous and the wicked, with the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus upon the cross, with His eventual return in glory and with the wonderful peace that comes from knowing God and resting in Him. A Baptist classic.
If this work isn’t in your collection, it should be. Especially consider purchasing a hardcover edition of The Treasury. One of these in long lasting hardcover form is most likely on your pastor’s shelf and with well-worn pages. It should be on your shelf as well and the pages should be in the same condition.
Tip: If you’re strapped for cash, the collection is available for free and well-formatted here.
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