Song of Solomon
Chapter 3

1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

2 I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.

3 The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

4 It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

5 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

6 Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

7 Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.

8 They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

9 King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.

10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.

11 Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

Song of Solomon
Chapter 2

1 I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.

2 As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

5 Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.

6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.

7 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.

9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.

10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

13 The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.

16 My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.

17 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.

Have a lovely weekend all in Cali lots of rain. Cali is getting a down pour in our area! Recovering from new knee surgery, Noe I have a bionic knee!
Taking it easy, breezy.
For me pain comes and goes. I can walk pretty good with a walker! Once completely healed my leg should be straight as an arrow, strong as a brick and as flexible as a rubber band.
(Ha ha - but not to flexible).

I will climb mountains, swim across rivers - in my head as I as I walk around the block.
Getting antsy now - to move it, move it, move it. ( song from my fave cartoon movie Madagascar - the Lemur.)

Song of Solomon
Chapter 1

1 The song of songs, which is Solomon's.

2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.

4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

6 Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

8 If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.

9 I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.

10 Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.

11 We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

12 While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.

13 A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.

14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.

15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes.

16 Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.

17 The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

Christian, let us say with the Psalmist, “The Lord is my portion” (Ps. 119.57). For He is our inheritance (Ps. 16:5). What more do we need?

The world seeks after material riches, after physical lusts, after power. Yet those in the world are never satisfied. This is why we are instructed to not love the world nor the things in it (1 Jn. 2:15). For the things that are in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the boastful pride of life, these things are not of God - they are of the world, and such are the things chased by those of the world (1 Jn. 2:16).

But we are not of the world; Jesus chose us out of the world (Jn. 15:19). Therefore, we are not to be like the world, but changed by our new heart, our new spirit, our new mind (Rom. 12:2). And with this change, knowing that the Lord is our portion, comes something Paul spoke of in Philippians 4: contentment.

How rich are we to have the Lord? Shall we ignore so great a treasure only to long for that which will perish? May it never be! Let us, like Paul, learn the secret of being content regardless of our circumstances (Phil. 4:12), and let our souls say, “The Lord is my portion” (Lam. 3:24).

——————
Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotion

Morning, November 16

"The Lord is my portion, saith my soul." Lamentations 3:24

It is not "The Lord is partly my portion," nor "The Lord is in my portion"; but He Himself makes up the sum total of my soul's inheritance. Within the circumference of that circle lies all that we possess or desire. The Lord is my portion. Not His grace merely, nor His love, nor His covenant, but Jehovah Himself. He has chosen us for His portion, and we have chosen Him for ours. It is true that the Lord must first choose our inheritance for us, or else we shall never choose it for ourselves; but if we are really called according to the purpose of electing love, we can sing:

Lov'd of my God for Him again
With love intense I burn;
Chosen of Him ere time began,
I choose Him in return.

The Lord is our all-sufficient portion. God fills Himself; and if God is all-sufficient in Himself, He must be all-sufficient for us. It is not easy to satisfy man's desires. When he dreams that he is satisfied, anon he wakes to the perception that there is somewhat yet beyond, and straightway the horse-leech in his heart cries, "Give, give." But all that we can wish for is to be found in our divine portion, so that we ask, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee." Well may we "delight ourselves in the Lord" who makes us to drink of the river of His pleasures. Our faith stretches her wings and mounts like an eagle into the heaven of divine love as to her proper dwelling-place. "The lines have fallen to us in pleasant places; yea, we have a goodly heritage." Let us rejoice in the Lord always; let us show to the world that we are a happy and a blessed people, and thus induce them to exclaim, "We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."

It's the #Sunday on my #InternetRadio Website, Radio America USA/Philly and Jersey #Radio!
A few shows presented, for more and live shows feed my PayPal! !!
Gather your friends and loved ones together, have your #KJV #Bibles, hear the Word of #God, then fellowship, have a meal, read the Word of God then have #prayer!! #kingjamesbible #scriptures - #donate #paypal on the left of the site, thanks for support! https://www.radioamericausa.com/

It's the #Sunday on my #InternetRadio Website, Radio America USA/Philly and Jersey #Radio!
A few shows presented, for more and live shows feed my PayPal! !!
Gather your friends and loved ones together, have your #KJV #Bibles, hear the Word of #God, then fellowship, have a meal, read the Word of God then have #prayer!! #kjv #kingjamesbible #scriptures - #donate #paypal on the left of the site, thanks for support! https://www.radioamericausa.com/

The close relationship between Bill Clinton and the King of Pedophiles is disturbing for all but the most dedicated DNC shills. In the years when Jeffrey Epstein held court like a Jay Gatsby from hell, many wealthy and celebrated people from all areas of society were drawn into the vortex, so to speak, of the International Moneyman of Mystery.

Vanity Fair, in 2003, reported: ‘Epstein is known about town as a man who loves women—lots of them, mostly young.’

THICK AS THIEVES: the Clinton and Epstein Timeline – 1993-2013
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/11/thick-as-thieves-clinton-epstein-timeline-1993-2013/

It is written that the love of money is the root of all evil. (1 Tim. 6:10)
So, if everyone, or if it at least enough people in the world quit loving money, how much of the evil we see today would vanish?
https://www.wnd.com/2023/02/unearthed-emails-show-rachel-levine-discussing-potential-revenue-child-sex-change-procedures/?utm_source=izooto&utm_medium=push_notification&utm_campaign=%27Potential_revenue%27_for_kid_sex-changes

https://www.wnd.com/2023/02/lucrative-business-child-sex-change-industry-exploding-u-s/?utm_source=izooto&utm_medium=push_notification&utm_campaign=%27Lucrative_business%27

Believer, Christ died for us, and “or this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Heb. 9:15). This inheritance is eternal, or, as Peter describes it, “imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away” (1 Pet. 1:3).

We often think of inheritance in material terms, but there is a greater inheritance. When God brought the Hebrews out of Egypt and was leading them to the land which He would give them, through Moses He said of the Levites, “they shall have no inheritance among their countrymen; the Lord is their inheritance, as He promised them” (Deut. 18:2).

How blessed to have God Himself as their inheritance!!! These priests of God needed not material wealth nor land; they had the Lord Himself! And as were the Levites, Scripture tells us that we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holly nation, a people for God’s own possession” (1 Pet. 2:9).

Notice, the inheritance from Christ’s death goes both ways - for just as God is our inheritance, so are we His! This too is seen in Deuteronomy, where Moses wrote, “the Lord’s portion is His people” (Deut. 32:9). Paul prayed that “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18). God’s inheritance is in the saints!

What then, brethren? God paid a high price for His inheritance, He purchased us “with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). Let us then “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” (Col. 1:10-12).

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

Morning, November 15

"The Lord's portion is His people." Deuteronomy 32:9

How are they His? By His own sovereign choice. He chose them, and set His love upon them. This He did altogether apart from any goodness in them at the time, or any goodness which He foresaw in them. He had mercy on whom He would have mercy, and ordained a chosen company unto eternal life; thus, therefore, are they His by His unconstrained election.

They are not only His by choice, but by purchase. He has bought and paid for them to the utmost farthing, hence about His title there can be no dispute. Not with corruptible things, as with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord's portion has been fully redeemed. There is no mortgage on His estate; no suits can be raised by opposing claimants, the price was paid in open court, and the Church is the Lord's freehold for ever. See the blood-mark upon all the chosen, invisible to human eye, but known to Christ, for "the Lord knoweth them that are His"; He forgetteth none of those whom He has redeemed from among men; He counts the sheep for whom He laid down His life, and remembers well the Church for which He gave Himself.

They are also His by conquest. What a battle He had in us before we would be won! How long He laid siege to our hearts! How often He sent us terms of capitulation! but we barred our gates, and fenced our walls against Him. Do we not remember that glorious hour when He carried our hearts by storm? When He placed His cross against the wall, and scaled our ramparts, planting on our strongholds the blood-red flag of His omnipotent mercy? Yes, we are, indeed, the conquered captives of His omnipotent love. Thus chosen, purchased, and subdued, the rights of our divine possessor are inalienable: we rejoice that we never can be our own; and we desire, day by day, to do His will, and to show forth His glory.

It's the Weekend on my #InternetRadio website, Radio America USA/Philly and Jersey #Radio!
A few shows presented, for more and live shows feed my #PayPal! #donate !!
Gather your friends and loved ones together, have your #KJV #Bibles, hear the Word of #God, then fellowship, have a meal, read the Word of God then have #prayer!! https://www.radioamericausa.com/

I LOVE THIS!!!! FINALLY!!!

Under Old Testament tradition, an elder daughter was the first in a family to be given in marriage before the younger (Gen. 29:26). Likewise, the eldest or firstborn son received the blessing of his father before any younger siblings (much like Jesus being resurrected ahead of us).

There is an order to things, as I stated, Jesus the firstborn, and we who follow. We cannot precede Him, for He has already entered into the kingdom. But there is another order that isn’t simply a matter of eldest to youngest.

In our faith, Jesus taught, “the last shall be first, and the first last” (Mt. 20:16). What does this mean that the last shall be first and the first last?

Jesus explained elsewhere, “if anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mk. 9:35). Those who serve, who put others before themselves, shall be exalted. The Christian life is one of servitude, we are called to consider others more important than ourselves (Phil. 2:3). Paul told the Corinthians that he and those with him did “not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor. 4:5).

So, Christian, are you serving? Do you treat others as more important? Or do you put yourself first, so that in God’s kingdom, you will be last? Consider your priorities, and make sure you are making every effort to be first in the kingdom.

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

Evening, November 14

"And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn." Genesis 29:26

We do not excuse Laban for his dishonesty, but we scruple not to learn from the custom which he quoted as his excuse. There are some things which must be taken in order, and if we would win the second we must secure the first. The second may be the more lovely in our eyes, but the rule of the heavenly country must stand, and the elder must be married first. For instance, many men desire the beautiful and well-favoured Rachel of joy and peace in believing, but they must first be wedded to the tender-eyed Leah of repentance. Every one falls in love with happiness, and many would cheerfully serve twice seven years to enjoy it, but according to the rule of the Lord's kingdom, the Leah of real holiness must be beloved of our soul before the Rachel of true happiness can be attained. Heaven stands not first but second, and only by persevering to the end can we win a portion in it. The cross must be carried before the crown can be worn. We must follow our Lord in His humiliation, or we shall never rest with Him in glory.

My soul, what sayest thou, art thou so vain as to hope to break through the heavenly rule? Dost thou hope for reward without labour, or honour without toil? Dismiss the idle expectation, and be content to take the ill-favoured things for the sake of the sweet love of Jesus, which will recompense thee for all. In such a spirit, labouring and suffering, thou wilt find bitters grow sweet, and hard things easy. Like Jacob, thy years of service will seem unto thee but a few days for the love thou hast to Jesus; and when the dear hour of the wedding feast shall come, all thy toils shall be as though they had never been- an hour with Jesus will make up for ages of pain and labour.

Jesus, to win Thyself so fair,
Thy cross I will with gladness bear:
Since so the rules of heaven ordain,
The first I'll wed the next to gain.

Brethren, God has no love for the double-minded, nor will such a person receive anything from Him (Jas. 1:7). For the double-minded man is unstable and unfaithful. Why would God honor such a one?

Though related, worse even than simple double-mindedness is divided loyalty. Jesus taught of this, exhorting that “no one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other” (Mt. 6:24). While Jesus explicitly tied this to money, it is true of any idol.

Consider the politician who holds dual citizenship? Can he be said truly to always have the interest of America at heart? Or are his interests, and thus, loyalty, divided? How can one serve in the Congress of the U.S. and seek that which is best for America when dealing with matters of foreign affairs that affect the politician’s country of origin?

Likewise, any idol we attempt to serve while attempting also to serve God divides our minds and our loyalty, and it will result in being cut off. For God is a jealous God (Ex. 20:5; Deut. 4:24) and promises, “I will cut off…those who bow down and swear to the LORD and yet swear by Milcom” (Zeph. 1:5).

God doesn’t want half-hearted followers. He wants all of us. As He says in Deuteronomy, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13; Deut. 4:29).

What in your life is dividing your allegiance? What pursuits are drawing you away from God instead of leading you to Him? Let us not be double-minded, but instead, “lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1).

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

Morning, November 14

"I will cut off them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham." Zephaniah 1:5

Such persons thought themselves safe because they were with both parties: they went with the followers of Jehovah, and bowed at the same time to Malcham. But duplicity is abominable with God, and hypocrisy His soul hateth. The idolater who distinctly gives himself to his false god, has one sin less than he who brings his polluted and detestable sacrifice unto the temple of the Lord, while his heart is with the world and the sins thereof. To hold with the hare and run with the hounds, is a dastard's policy. In the common matters of daily life, a double-minded man is despised, but in religion he is loathsome to the last degree. The penalty pronounced in the verse before us is terrible, but it is well deserved; for how should divine justice spare the sinner, who knows the right, approves it, and professes to follow it, and all the while loves the evil, and gives it dominion in his heart?

My soul, search thyself this morning, and see whether thou art guilty of double-dealing. Thou professest to be a follower of Jesus- dost thou truly love Him? Is thy heart right with God? Art thou of the family of old Father Honest, or art thou a relative of Mr. By-ends? A name to live is of little value if I be indeed dead in trespasses and sins. To have one foot on the land of truth, and another on the sea of falsehood, will involve a terrible fall and a total ruin. Christ will be all or nothing. God fills the whole universe, and hence there is no room for another god; if, then, He reigns in my heart, there will be no space for another reigning power. Do I rest alone on Jesus crucified, and live alone for Him? Is it my desire to do so? Is my heart set upon so doing? If so, blessed be the mighty grace which has led me to salvation; and if not so, O Lord, pardon my sad offence, and unite my heart to fear Thy name.

Ecclesiastes
Chapter 9

1 For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.

9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:

15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.

16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

I hope he applied for comradeship there, he shouldn't be allowed to set foot back in America.

https://dailycaller.com/2025/11/13/hasan-piker-love-communist-china/

Believer, are you bearing fruit? Do you struggle to do so? Perhaps it is because you are attempting not to bear fruit, but to produce it.

Christian, never forget: the branch does not generate fruit - it bears it. Growth comes from the root. An olive branch does not produce olives, nor do the canes on a grapevine. While the fruit appears on these limbs, growth begins at the trunk, sourced from that which is firmly planted in the soil.

Likewise, apart from Christ, we cannot bear fruit. It is not from ourselves that the fruit grows, though it may be seen through us. It is our root, Jesus Christ, who produces fruit in us. This is why we are instructed to abide in Him and Him in us, because “the branch cannot bear fruit of itself” (Jn. 15:4).

Jesus was very clear on this, exhorting, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (Jn. 15:5). Read that again and let it sink in: apart from Him, we can do nothing.

So consider, if you do not see fruit in your life, are you abiding in Him? Or are we, like the Jews of Jesus’ time, giving Him lip service while our hearts are far from Him?

Dear brethren, let us take honest inventory of ourselves, and if we find we are not bearing fruit, ask the question: “Are we abiding in Him? Have we been crucified with Him so that it is no longer we who live but He who lives in us?” (Gal. 2:20)

Seek with all your heart to abide in Him, that you may rest in the assurance Jesus gives, that “if you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (Jn. 15:7-8).

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

Morning, November 13

"The branch cannot bear fruit of itself." John 15:4

How did you begin to bear fruit? It was when you came to Jesus and cast yourselves on His great atonement, and rested on His finished righteousness. Ah! what fruit you had then! Do you remember those early days? Then indeed the vine flourished, the tender grape appeared, the pomegranates budded forth, and the beds of spices gave forth their smell. Have you declined since then? If you have, we charge you to remember that time of love, and repent, and do thy first works. Be most in those engagements which you have experimentally proved to draw you nearest to Christ, because it is from Him that all your fruits proceed. Any holy exercise which will bring you to Him will help you to bear fruit. The sun is, no doubt, a great worker in fruit-creating among the trees of the orchard: and Jesus is still more so among the trees of His garden of grace. When have you been the most fruitless? Has not it been when you have lived farthest from the Lord Jesus Christ, when you have slackened in prayer, when you have departed from the simplicity of your faith, when your graces have engrossed your attention instead of your Lord, when you have said, "My mountain standeth firm, I shall never be moved"; and have forgotten where your strength dwells- has not it been then that your fruit has ceased? Some of us have been taught that we have nothing out of Christ, by terrible abasements of heart before the Lord; and when we have seen the utter barrenness and death of all creature power, we have cried in anguish, "From Him all my fruit must be found, for no fruit can ever come from me." We are taught, by past experience, that the more simply we depend upon the grace of God in Christ, and wait upon the Holy Spirit, the more we shall bring forth fruit unto God. Oh! to trust Jesus for fruit as well as for life.

Keeper of Soft Footsteps

She stands where dusk drinks the last fire of the sun.
braids heavy with stories, robe painted in the colors of dawn.
A fawn rests in her arms—
new life against ancient heartbeat.

Around them, dragonflies trace prayers in the air.
and the forest leans in to listen.
No words spoken, yet every spirit knows:
Gentleness is a warrior’s first medicine.

In her silence, the earth remembers
that love is not loud,
it is steady—
a quiet promise carried
in every soft hoofprint of tomorrow.

Ecclesiastes
Chapter 5

1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

15 As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

Ecclesiastes
Chapter 3

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Believe, when you grow weary, when difficulties seem insurmountable, when you suffer attack from the spiritual or the physical, where or to whom do you turn? How blessed we are to have God as our refuge Ps. 62:8)!

Christian, do not let your circumstances distract or dishearten you. We have a resting place, an abode which is a mighty fortress in which to take refuge - He is the Lord our God (Ps. 18:2).

He gives us strength in affliction (Jer. 16:19). He is our shield and deliverer (Ps. 144:2). He is our habitation and our rock - unshakeable, unchanging, immovable (Ps. 71:3).

What have we to fear from the world, when we have so great a God? Let your faith rest in Him, and take rest in Him yourself. Cast all your anxiety on Him, for He cares for you (1 Pet. 5:7). Find in Him peace, the peace that only He can give, a peace which surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7). Abide in Him, because the eternal God is our refuge (Deut. 33:27).

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Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, November 10

"The eternal God is thy refuge." Deuteronomy 33:27

The word refuge may be translated "mansion," or "abiding-place," which gives the thought that God is our abode, our home. There is a fulness and sweetness in the metaphor, for dear to our hearts is our home, although it be the humblest cottage, or the scantiest garret; and dearer far is our blessed God, in whom we live, and move, and have our being. It is at home that we feel safe: we shut the world out and dwell in quiet security. So when we are with our God we "fear no evil." He is our shelter and retreat, our abiding refuge. At home, we take our rest"; it is there we find repose after the fatigue and toil of the day. And so our hearts find rest in God, when, wearied with life's conflict, we turn to Him, and our soul dwells at ease. At home, also, we let our hearts loose"; we are not afraid of being misunderstood, nor of our words being misconstrued. So when we are with God we can commune freely with Him, laying open all our hidden desires; for if the "secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him," the secrets of them that fear Him ought to be, and must be, with their Lord. Home, too, is the place of our truest and purest happiness: and it is in God that our hearts find their deepest delight. We have joy in Him which far surpasses all other joy. It is also for home that we work and labour. The thought of it gives strength to bear the daily burden, and quickens the fingers to perform the task; and in this sense we may also say that God is our home. Love to Him strengthens us. We think of Him in the person of His dear Son; and a glimpse of the suffering face of the Redeemer constrains us to labour in His cause. We feel that we must work, for we have brethren yet to be saved, and we have our Father's heart to make glad by bringing home His wandering sons; we would fill with holy mirth the sacred family among whom we dwell. Happy are those who have thus the God of Jacob for their refuge!

Urgent prayer request for my wife:

My beloved wife to whom I have been married for eighteen years has been afflicted with various forms of mental and physical afflictions---most of her physical afflictions being symptoms of the mental---and her mental and physical afflictions I fear are worsening and even affecting her health and even causing her body to deteriorate as she, in recent years has begun to suffer from physical afflictions that she did not use to suffer from: knee injuries that will not fully heal, (her right one worse than her left) and increasing periods of pain experienced in her hips, ankles, back, and shoulders.