Isaiah
Chapter 13

1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.

4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.

5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:

8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.

15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.

16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.

17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

18 Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.

19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.

22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

Isaiah
Chapter 11

1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.

14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.

16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

The One Who Holds the Ember

The old storytellers say
There is a guardian who keeps
the first warmth of the world—
the spark gifted before memory,
The courage was shaped before fear learned its name.

He teaches that strength
is not the roar that scatters shadows,
but the steady breath
that steadies the trembling earth within us.
That healing is slow work.
like coaxing dawn from a night
that refuses to end.

Those who come seeking guidance
are reminded gently:
A heart is not mended by hiding it.
but by letting its fire be seen—
not to burn,
but to remember
Why was it given in the first place?

And so the elders whisper:
walk with patience,
walk with truth,
for the one who guards the ember
guards it for all of us.

Isaiah
Chapter 8

1 Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz.

2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

3 And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz.

4 For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

5 The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,

6 Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;

7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:

8 And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

9 Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.

10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

11 For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,

12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

17 And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.

22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

Here is an explanation of what the Hebrew Shabbat or Sabbath is all about. In case you would like to see it from another perspective besides - oh - that’s just their religious thing.
Lol. It’s really not about a religious obedience thing. It’s about HOPE.
In the beginning of creation according to Genesis in the Bible - all life was related and intertwined, and the crown of physical creation was, is humankind. Everyone shared the ultimate dignity of being created in the image of G-d. This world was originally meant to be a paradise. Something else happened when a snake entered the scene and convinced a human being to forgo service of others and only promote what you want for yourself. Forget this, all people are valuable, and use resources only for yourself. So what happened? Humankind believed the lies of the snake and took a different direction. The gates to paradise closed.

Creation happened within time, not within space alone. Time was involved. G-d created the world in 6 days (a metaphor of course) and rested on the 7th day. Then told his humankind to follow suit. Rest on the 7th day too and I your G-d will refresh you. Refresh us from what? From now living in a world that operates without peace. Wars, competition for resources, where before we closed the gates to paradise we had abundant resources and an untrammeled right to life with the world structured to sustain the infinite value of the human being.

Jews have suffered explosion, persecution and destruction because of all the lies believed about them.

Shabbat draws us back to believe paradise can be returned, with a hope in a redemptive fulfillment that will return humankind back to loving G-d and their neighbors in way that recovers the abundance the earth offers making life a good thing for everyone, not just the Jews.
The idea behind Shabbat- a day of rest from all kinds of working to get needs meant, from all media and the news. Phones turned off. Meals and everything else prepared ahead of time so a true rest from the cultural demands can happen. Then we get together with each other and celebrate our value, looking to our hope.

The idea behind observing Shabbat is to remember our original creation that G-d spoke into existence. Now living in a world of paradise lost, we get to create a day of remembrance and that gives us hope that what has been lost, when humanity grows up G-d will return. The Messiah will arrive and the value of a human being will be restored as all the earth and everyone on it will be able to understand G-d’s original plan, get to know G-d as the earth will be filled with the knowledge of our benevolent Creator.
Shabbat is Judaism’s central attempt to inject Hope into life. To find a way to live dialectically, accepting the world, affirming its sanctity, participating in it fully and enjoy it. Jew’s have become the prophets of permanent descent because our Biblical faith is a permanent revolution. A revolution that is moving in ceaseless steps towards justice and a messianic fulfillment.
Shabbat keeps us from a permanent dissent leading us to being sour and cynical. For dwelling on the “not yet” can rob every present moment of its intrinsic value.
Through total immersion in the Shabbat experience, Jews renew the hope and live the reality of a redeemed world in our now. There is no work to be done, no deprivation, no anxiety or bad news. The world does not yet exist in space but in time so on the 7th day we step out of time and enter a perfect world for a night and a day. As time travelers we create a reality that makes it possible for us to absorb true values and be renewed. G-d knows the end of a thing before its beginning and when G-d says take a 7th day rest He is challenging us to be in His rest of His work completed though we haven’t seen the “end” yet. It is there. We are waiting in anticipation for it. Everything G-d accomplished in person as our Messiah is on its way to fulfillment and our Messiah will arrive/ return when it is time for Him to do so. When looking outside of time the end of the beginning is seen and yes, G-d is still at work in the world accomplishing His Word while in His Throne room outside of time He says take a day of rest and know you will eventually see it had all been done. completed. It’s a gift we can experience in our now. Adapted from Rabbi Irving Greenberg’s book -“The Jewish way to living the Holidays.”

Where the Sun Waits for Our Names

They stand at the edge of tomorrow,
not asking what comes next,
but listening for the echo
of a promise older than breath.

The water keeps their reflections.
The earth keeps their footsteps.
the flowers keep their stories —
each bloom a memory
that chose color over silence.

They do not speak of destiny.
for they know:
The future is not a path to follow.
but a seed to tend,
watered by gratitude,
rooted in lineage,
opened by song.

And when the sun lowers its voice
to the hush of evening,
it will find them still there—
four hearts, one heartbeat,
holding the world in place
the way love always has:
quietly,
together,
enough.

Isaiah
Chapter 6

1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

12 And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.

13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

Dr. Stella | Revelation 13 & Daniel 2 Being Fulfilled? "There will ultimately be billions of humanoid robots on Earth. Probably 4 to 1 relative to humans." - Musk (11/14/25) + “Money Will Stop Being Relevant In the Future.”
https://rumble.com/v720sz6-dr.-stella-revelation-13-and-daniel-2-being-fulfilled-there-will.html

Christian, whom do you serve? Jesus said you cannot serve two masters (Mt. 6:24).

Are you serving men? Yes, we are called to do so in a proper manner, but our service to others is an extension of our service to God.

Are you serving money? Being consumed by a desire for material wealth leads to grief (1 Tim. 6:9-10). God promises if we seek first His kingdom, He will provide our needs (Mt. 6:33), and with that, Paul teaches, we should be satisfied (1 Tim. 6:8).

Are you serving self? This is the most difficult master from whom to separate. Yet Jesus exhorts that, in order to follow Him, one must deny himself (Lk. 9:23)

It is Christ we are to serve (Col. 3:24), and God through Him. We are to be steadfast in this, abounding in the work of the Lord, not working as though for men, but for God (Col. 3:23). We have no excuse to do otherwise. God provided what we need to be fully equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16). Let us by faith, therefore, set about the good works for which God called and saved us, which He prepared beforehand for us that we might walk in them (Eph. 2:10).

——————
Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, December 11

"Ye serve the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:24

To what choice order of officials was this word spoken? To kings who proudly boast a right divine? Ah, no! too often do they serve themselves or Satan, and forget the God whose sufferance permits them to wear their mimic majesty for their little hour. Speaks then the apostle to those so-called "right reverend fathers in God," the bishops, or "the venerable the archdeacons"? No, indeed, Paul knew nothing of these mere inventions of man. Not even to pastors and teachers, or to the wealthy and esteemed among believers, was this word spoken, but to servants, ay, and to slaves. Among the toiling multitudes, the journeymen, the day labourers, the domestic servants, the drudges of the kitchen, the apostle found, as we find still, some of the Lord's chosen, and to them he says, "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." This saying ennobles the weary routine of earthly employments, and sheds a halo around the most humble occupations. To wash feet may be servile, but to wash His feet is royal work. To unloose the shoe-latchet is poor employ, but to unloose the great Master's shoe is a princely privilege. The shop, the barn, the scullery, and the smithy become temples when men and women do all to the glory of God! Then "divine service" is not a thing of a few hours and a few places, but all life becomes holiness unto the Lord, and every place and thing, as consecrated as the tabernacle and its golden candlestick.

"Teach me, my God and King, in all things Thee to see;
And what I do in anything to do it as to Thee.
All may of Thee partake, nothing can be so mean,
Which with this tincture, for Thy sake, will not grow bright and clean.
A servant with this clause makes drudgery divine;
Who sweeps a room, as for Thy laws, makes that and the action fine."

Isaiah
Chapter 5

1 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

8 Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

9 In mine ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant.

10 Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah.

11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.

13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.

14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:

16 But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.

17 Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.

18 Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:

19 That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!

20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:

23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

25 Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:

27 None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken:

28 Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:

29 Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.

30 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.

Luke
Chapter 24
1-28
1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

8 And they remembered his words,

9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;

23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

Brethren, God is faithful. He is not a man that He should lie; what He says, He does, and what He promises, He brings to pass (Num. 23:19). Do you truly trust this?

Herein lies our confidence. Not only that He will bring prophecy to fulfillment, but that He will fulfill His promises to us. Most important of those promises is, of course, our salvation. And part and parcel of that salvation is our sanctification.

Paul affirms this for us when He exhorts his confidence that “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). Just as with salvation, we do not bring about our own sanctification - God does. It is He who is working in us “to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).

Read that again. It is God who works in us both to will and to do. This does not mean that He makes puppets out of us; but He transforms us. This is why Paul was able to say that it was no longer he who lived, but Christ lived in Him (Gal. 2:20), as we should also.

If you do not see this yet playing out in your life, do not despair. Pray. Surrender yourself. Put the flesh to death (Rom. 8:13), or as Christ said, daily deny yourself (Lk. 9:23). Because “faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring [your sanctification] to pass” (1 Thes. 5:24).

——————
Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, December 11

"Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:24

Heaven is a place where we shall never sin; where we shall cease our constant watch against an indefatigable enemy, because there will be no tempter to ensnare our feet. There the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. Heaven is the "undefiled inheritance"; it is the land of perfect holiness, and therefore of complete security. But do not the saints even on earth sometimes taste the joys of blissful security? The doctrine of God's word is, that all who are in union with the Lamb are safe; that all the righteous shall hold on their way; that those who have committed their souls to the keeping of Christ shall find Him a faithful and immutable preserver. Sustained by such a doctrine we can enjoy security even on earth; not that high and glorious security which renders us free from every slip, but that holy security which arises from the sure promise of Jesus that none who believe in Him shall ever perish, but shall be with Him where He is. Believer, let us often reflect with joy on the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, and honour the faithfulness of our God by a holy confidence in Him.

May our God bring home to you a sense of your safety in Christ Jesus! May He assure you that your name is graven on His hand; and whisper in your ear the promise, "Fear not, I am with thee." Look upon Him, the great Surety of the covenant, as faithful and true, and, therefore, bound and engaged to present you, the weakest of the family, with all the chosen race, before the throne of God; and in such a sweet contemplation you will drink the juice of the spiced wine of the Lord's pomegranate, and taste the dainty fruits of Paradise. You will have an antepast of the enjoyments which ravish the souls of the perfect saints above, if you can believe with unstaggering faith that "faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it."

LUKE
CHAPTER 23
VS 32-56

And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,

37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:

51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.

The Moon-Gold Wolf Spirit

Wrapped in the blue of midnight
and the gold of ancient suns,
the Wolf Spirit sits in stillness—
a guardian shaped by wind,
mountain breath,
and the echo of old songs.

Its eyes, bright as frozen stars,
see far beyond the world of men—
into memory,
into truth,
into the quiet places
where the ancestors whisper.

Golden marks across its face
shine like sacred constellations,
mapping the path
for wandering souls
who have forgotten
the direction of their own heart.

The wolf does not roar,
nor demand to be feared.
Its power is gentler, deeper—
the kind that guides rather than rules,
that protects without chains,
that teaches without words.

It speaks to the spirit:
“Walk with clarity.
Honor your instincts.
Listen to the earth beneath your feet,
for it remembers you
even when you forget yourself.
And know—
you are never alone.”

For wherever the Moon-Gold Wolf stands,
the night softens,
the path brightens,
and the people remember
that courage lives quietly
inside them
like a steady flame.

Christian, do you long for Christ’s return? If you do not, you should ask yourself why.

Are you so attached to this material life that it matters more to you than being in His presence? Paul though he understood his need to remain here for a time, for the sake of those he was discipling, preferred to depart this life to be with Christ (Phil. 1:23-24).

He explained to the Corinthians that, while here, home in the body but absent from the Lord, we are of good courage; yet we prefer to be “absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:6-8).

Where is your focus? What is your true desire? Is it for this life or for the One who saved you? Jesus exhorted that “whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for [Jesus] sake will find it” (Mt. 16:25). There is nothing this world can profit us that is worth more than the eternal life Jesus provides.

Let us therefore seek to hasten the coming of the day of God (2 Pet. 3:12). For then, we will know fully, as we are fully known (1 Cor. 13:12). Then we will be changed from perishable to imperishable (1 Cor. 15:52-54). Then, “we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thes. 4:14-17).

Believer, if you long to be with the Lord, as you should, set aside your attachment to this world, and pray today as did the apostle John, “come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).

——————
Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, December 10

"So shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Even the sweetest visits from Christ, how short they are- and how transitory! One moment our eyes see Him, and we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, but again a little time and we do not see Him, for our beloved withdraws Himself from us; like a roe or a young hart He leaps over the mountains of division; He is gone to the land of spices, and feeds no more among the lilies.

If today He deigns to bless us
With a sense of pardoned sin,
He tomorrow may distress us,
Make us feel the plague within.

Oh, how sweet the prospect of the time when we shall not behold Him at a distance, but see Him face to face: when He shall not be as a wayfaring man tarrying but for a night, but shall eternally enfold us in the bosom of His glory. We shall not see Him for a little season, but

Millions of years our wondering eyes,
Shall o'er our Saviour's beauties rove;
And myriad ages we'll adore,
The wonders of His love.

In heaven there shall be no interruptions from care or sin; no weeping shall dim our eyes; no earthly business shall distract our happy thoughts; we shall have nothing to hinder us from gazing for ever on the Sun of Righteousness with unwearied eyes. Oh, if it be so sweet to see Him now and then, how sweet to gaze on that blessed face for aye, and never have a cloud rolling between, and never have to turn one's eyes away to look on a world of weariness and woe! Blest day, when wilt thou dawn? Rise, O unsetting sun! The joys of sense may leave us as soon as they will, for this shall make glorious amends. If to die is but to enter into uninterrupted communion with Jesus, then death is indeed gain, and the black drop is swallowed up in a sea of victory.

The Quiet Lineage

Here,
in the warm breath of morning,
A mother bends to her child.

No grand teaching—
only presence,
steady as the earth beneath them.

She shows her
how to listen,
how to carry sorrow gently,
How to hold kindness
without letting it fall.

The child,
in her small silence,
learns the old truth:
strength begins
in the soft place
where love is given
without question.

Their shadows touch,
and something eternal
passes between them—
a promise
older than words,
carried forward
one heartbeat
at a time.

Luke
Chapter 21

1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,

6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.

38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.

Another major solar flare has just occurred and is heading our way. 7.6 earthquake in Japan. More and more birth pains that the Bible tells us will happen as the Day of the Lord grows closer. I think the solar flare is why my tinnitus is louder today and why I'm in a very rotten mood.

Brethren, God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than ours (Isa. 55:9). Nothing in the world can compare to Him. Thus, even His foolishness is wiser than the wisdom of men, and men’s wisdom is as foolishness to Him (1 Cor. 3:19).

As such, He is able to use those things the world believes foolish to accomplish what He in His wisdom has ordained (1 Cor. 1:21).

Paul exhorts that we should consider our calling (1 Cor. 1:26). We you wise when He called? Noble? For God has chosen that which is foolish to shame the wise, that which is weak to shame the strong, and the base things of the world, those which are despised, so that no one has room for boasting (1 Cor. 1:27-29).

We are in Christ by His doing (1 Cor. 1:30), as Ephesians tells us, we were saved by grace through faith, not of ourselves, not according to any works we’ve done, so none of us may boast (Eph. 2:8-9).

Let us therefore be humble in our salvation, remembering the condition from which God lifted us when by His Spirit He called to us and drew us to Christ (Jn. 6:44). For like the world, we were dead in our sin, walking according to the ways of this world; but God, in His mercy, while we were yet dead in sin, made us alive together with Christ.

Be sure to spread this good news of God’s good work in you, and do so with humility, that others to whom God calls may also be drawn to Christ.

——————
Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, December 7

"Base things of the world hath God chosen." 1 Corinthians 1:28

Walk the streets by moonlight, if you dare, and you will see sinners then. Watch when the night is dark, and the wind is howling, and the picklock is grating in the door, and you will see sinners then. Go to yon jail, and walk through the wards, and mark the men with heavy over-hanging brows, men whom you would not like to meet at night, and there are sinners there. Go to the Reformatories, and note those who have betrayed a rampant juvenile depravity, and you will see sinners there. Go across the seas to the place where a man will gnaw a bone upon which is reeking human flesh, and there is a sinner there. Go where you will, you need not ransack earth to find sinners, for they are common enough; you may find them in every lane and street of every city, and town, and village, and hamlet. It is for such that Jesus died. If you will select me the grossest specimen of humanity, if he be but born of woman, I will have hope of him yet, because Jesus Christ is come to seek and to save sinners. Electing love has selected some of the worst to be made the best. Pebbles of the brook grace turns into jewels for the crown-royal. Worthless dross He transforms into pure gold. Redeeming love has set apart many of the worst of mankind to be the reward of the Saviour's passion. Effectual grace calls forth many of the vilest of the vile to sit at the table of mercy, and therefore let none despair.

Reader, by that love looking out of Jesus' tearful eyes, by that love streaming from those bleeding wounds, by that faithful love, that strong love, that pure, disinterested, and abiding love; by the heart and by the bowels of the Saviour's compassion, we conjure you turn not away as though it were nothing to you; but believe on Him and you shall be saved. Trust your soul with Him and He will bring you to His Father's right hand in glory everlasting.