Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, August 4

"I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands." Haggai 2:17

How destructive is the hail to the standing crops, beating out the precious grain upon the ground! How grateful ought we to be when the corn is spared so terrible a ruin! Let us offer unto the Lord thanksgiving. Even more to be dreaded are those mysterious destroyers- smut, bunt, rust, and mildew. These turn the ear into a mass of soot, or render it putrid, or dry up the grain, and all in a manner so beyond all human control that the farmer is compelled to cry, "This is the finger of God." Innumerable minute fungi cause the mischief, and were it not for the goodness of God, the rider on the black horse would soon scatter famine over the land. Infinite mercy spares the food of men, but in view of the active agents which are ready to destroy the harvest, right wisely are we taught to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." The curse is abroad; we have constant need of the blessing. When blight and mildew come they are chastisements from heaven, and men must learn to hear the rod, and Him that hath appointed it.

Spiritually, mildew is no uncommon evil. When our work is most promising this blight appears. We hoped for many conversions, and lo! a general apathy, an abounding worldliness, or a cruel hardness of heart! There may be no open sin in those for whom we are labouring, but there is a deficiency of sincerity and decision sadly disappointing our desires. We learn from this our dependence upon the Lord, and the need of prayer that no blight may fall upon our work. Spiritual pride or sloth will soon bring upon us the dreadful evil, and only the Lord of the harvest can remove it. Mildew may even attack our own hearts, and shrivel our prayers and religious exercises. May it please the great Husbandman to avert so serious a calamity. Shine, blessed Sun of Righteousness, and drive the blights away.

Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, August 4

"The people that do know their God shall be strong." Daniel 11:32

Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they are said to "have an unction from the Holy One," and it is the Spirit's peculiar office to lead them into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge strengthens love, as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait then we love Him, we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree. If we know but little of the excellences of Jesus, what He has done for us, and what He is doing now, we cannot love Him much; but the more we know Him, the more we shall love Him. Knowledge also strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its existence? Hope may be the telescope, but till we receive instruction, our ignorance stands in the front of the glass, and we can see nothing whatever; knowledge removes the interposing object, and when we look through the bright optic glass we discern the glory to be revealed, and anticipate it with joyous confidence. Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ, and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us? Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important, then, is it that we should grow not only in grace, but in the "knowledge" of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Moon Sister, Wolf Brother

She stood in the tall grass as the golden moon rose behind her, not as a stranger to the land — but as part of its song.

Her name was Ahyoka, meaning “she brings happiness.” But tonight, her spirit was solemn. It was the night of the Long Moon, when stories walked on wind and ancestors whispered through fur and feather.

Beside her stood the great wolf, eyes reflecting the same fire that burned in hers. He was not a pet, not a beast, but her brother in soul — the one who taught her to listen with silence and move with knowing.

Together, they watched the horizon. The world did not speak in words, but in breath, in shadow, in pulse. Her braid carried prayers, her skin carried symbols, her heart carried promise.

And the wolf?

He carried the wild. The truth. The bond that could never be broken.

They did not need to speak.
The moon had already told them everything.

#nativeamericanwisdom

Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, July 31

"And these are the singers... they were employed in that work day and night." 1 Chronicles 9:33

Well was it so ordered in the temple that the sacred chant never ceased: for evermore did the singers praise the Lord, whose mercy endureth for ever. As mercy did not cease to rule either by day or by night, so neither did music hush its holy ministry. My heart, there is a lesson sweetly taught to thee in the ceaseless song of Zion's temple, thou too art a constant debtor, and see thou to it that thy gratitude, like charity, never faileth. God's praise is constant in heaven, which is to be thy final dwelling-place, learn thou to practise the eternal hallelujah. Around the earth as the sun scatters his light, his beams awaken grateful believers to tune their morning hymn, so that by the priesthood of the saints perpetual praise is kept up at all hours, they swathe our globe in a mantle of thanksgiving, and girdle it with a golden belt of song.

The Lord always deserves to be praised for what He is in Himself, for His works of creation and providence, for His goodness towards His creatures, and especially for the transcendent act of redemption, and all the marvellous blessing flowing therefrom. It is always beneficial to praise the Lord; it cheers the day and brightens the night; it lightens toil and softens sorrow; and over earthly gladness it sheds a sanctifying radiance which makes it less liable to blind us with its glare. Have we not something to sing about at this moment? Can we not weave a song out of our present joys, or our past deliverances, or our future hopes? Earth yields her summer fruits: the hay is housed, the golden grain invites the sickle, and the sun tarrying long to shine upon a fruitful earth, shortens the interval of shade that we may lengthen the hours of devout worship. By the love of Jesus, let us be stirred up to close the day with a psalm of sanctified gladness.

we will see or not--i have been taught not to trust my government ...yep--lesson learned.

THIS "RESTAURANT" IS IN PHOENIX ARIZONA

a.perfect.imperfection.2
https://www.tiktok.com/@a.perfect.imperfection.2/video/7528596330793471262?_r=1&_t=ZP-8y9xwK5W2kY

Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, July 18

"Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path." Joel 2:8

Locusts always keep their rank, and although their number is legion, they do not crowd upon each other, so as to throw their columns into confusion. This remarkable fact in natural history shows how thoroughly the a Lord has infused the spirit of order into His universe, since the smallest animate creatures are as much controlled by it as are the rolling spheres or the seraphic messengers. It would be wise for believers to be ruled by the same influence in all their spiritual life. In their Christian graces no one virtue should usurp the sphere of another, or eat out the vitals of the rest for its own support. Affection must not smother honesty, courage must not elbow weakness out of the field, modesty must not jostle energy, and patience must not slaughter resolution. So also with our duties, one must not interfere with another; public usefulness must not injure private piety; church work must not push family worship into a corner. It is ill to offer God one duty stained with the blood of another. Each thing is beautiful in its season, but not otherwise. It was to the Pharisee that Jesus said, "This ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone." The same rule applies to our personal position, we must take care to know our place, take it, and keep to it. We must minister as the Spirit has given us ability, and not intrude upon our fellow servant's domain. Our Lord Jesus taught us not to covet the high places, but to be willing to be the least among the brethren. Far from us be an envious, ambitious spirit, let us feel the force of the Master's command, and do as He bids us, keeping rank with the rest of the host. Tonight let us see whether we are keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace, and let our prayer be that, in all the churches of the Lord Jesus, peace and order may prevail.

Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, July 18

"They shall go hindmost with their standards." Numbers 2:31

The camp of Dan brought up the rear when the armies of Israel were on the march. The Danites occupied the hindmost place, but what mattered the position, since they were as truly part of the host as were the foremost tribes; they followed the same fiery cloudy pillar, they ate of the same manna, drank of the same spiritual rock, and journeyed to the same inheritance. Come, my heart, cheer up, though last and least; it is thy privilege to be in the army, and to fare as they fare who lead the van. Some one must be hindmost in honour and esteem, some one must do menial work for Jesus, and why should not I? In a poor village, among an ignorant peasantry; or in a back street, among degraded sinners, I will work on, and "go hindmost with my standard."

The Danites occupied a very useful place. Stragglers have to be picked up upon the march, and lost property has to be gathered from the field. Fiery spirits may dash forward over untrodden paths to learn fresh truth, and win more souls to Jesus; but some of a more conservative spirit may be well engaged in reminding the church of her ancient faith, and restoring her fainting sons. Every position has its duties, and the slowly moving children of God will find their peculiar state one in which they may be eminently a blessing to the whole host.

The rear guard is a place of danger. There are foes behind us as well as before us. Attacks may come from any quarter. We read that Amalek fell upon Israel, and slew some of the hindmost of them. The experienced Christian will find much work for his weapons in aiding those poor doubting, desponding, wavering, souls, who are hindmost in faith, knowledge, and joy. These must not be left unaided, and therefore be it the business of well-taught saints to bear their standards among the hindmost. My soul, do thou tenderly watch to help the hindmost this day.

https://everout.com/portland/articles/queer-owned-bars-and-restaurants-we-love-in-portland/c5994/

Portland is going the way of San Francisco!

So. Now President Trump is allowing the illegals to stay, WTH what about WTP that Need these jobs... grrr

Trump Directs ICE to Stop Raids in Agriculture, Hotel and Restaurant Industries — Focus Only on ‘Criminal’ Aliens
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/06/trump-directs-ice-stop-raids-agriculture-hotel-restaurant/

He's such a tough guy!

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/06/watch-tough-guy-gavin-newsom-taunts-trump-just/

arrest the SOB:

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/06/arrest-me-lets-go-governor-newsom-taunts-border/

Luke 11:1
And it came to pass, that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, LORD, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
#MondayMotivation

The University of Texas-Austin Trombone Choir performed the works of James Kazik, David Faleris, Steven Verhelst, Kevin Day, Christian Guillen, Manny Albam, Madeline Lee, and Michael Davis, and featured Evan Williams from the National Symphony Orchestra and TSgt. David Gonzalez & MSgt. Darren Workman from the USAF Band at The U.S. Army Band 2025 American Trombone Workshop; Dr. Nathaniel Brickens, conducting. #UTAustin #UTA #Longhorns #HookEm #NationalSymphony #NSO #USAFBand #AirForceMusic #TromboneChoir #Trombone #ATW2025 #ATW #Music

The National Tenor Trombone Solo Competition Finals for Division III featured Ryuto Hibino, Josh Stout, and Darren Brady performing Bluebells of Scotland by Arthur Pryor at The U.S. Army Band 2025 American Trombone Workshop. #TianjinJuilliardSchool #Juilliard #UTAustin #UTA #Longhorns #HookEm #EastmanSchool #Eastman #Rochester #GoJackets #TenorTrombone #Trombone #ATW2025 #ATW #Music

The National Tenor Trombone Solo Competition Finals for Division II featured Jace Byrd, London Broussard, and Richard Horne performing Red Sky by Anthony Barfield at The U.S. Army Band 2025 American Trombone Workshop. #UTAustin #UTA #Longhorns #HookEm #CSU #GoCSU #GoCougars #SouthernMiss #USMMusic #SMTTT #TenorTrombone #Trombone #ATW2025 #ATW #Music

So I went out this evening to my favorite Mexican restaurant to celebrate Cinco de Mayo but when go there it was closed. The sign on the door said they were closed to celebrate Cinco-de-Mayo.