#NationalSecurityCouncil
#NSC: #Press No Longer Allowed in WH Room 140 Without Appointment https://newsbusters.org/blogs/cnsnews/craig-bannister/2025/10/31/nsc-press-no-longer-allowed-wh-room-140-without

Archaeology may be vindicating the historical accounts of scripture again as words written in the name of Moses were discovered in an ancient Egyptian mine. Other findings suggest a spiritual conflict between the Israelites and their Egyptian overseers, plus inscriptions linked to Semitic peoples holding positions of power in Egypt at one time in Egyptian history which would be consistent with the Genesis account of the Patriarch Joseph who was sold into slavery and later became the vice-regent of the then-reigning Pharaoh.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14947429/First-words-Moses-inscribed-Egyptian-prove-Bible-true.html

https://www.patternsofevidence.com/2025/06/13/proto-sinaitic-inscriptions-at-the-sinai-mines/

How the Human Mind Creates Reality Out of Consciousness
https://anonymous8675309.substack.com/p/how-the-human-mind-creates-reality?publication_id=4281599&post_id=176733728&isFreemail=true&r=1maoyr&triedRedirect=true&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Freedom of conscience? Separation of powers?

https://www.westernjournal.com/senate-republicans-defect-ignore-vance-vote-block-trump-trade-strategy/

Christian, how highly do you think of yourself? Would you be above washing your brother’s feet as did our Lord for His disciples? (Jn. 13:5) If so, why?

Did you earn your entrance into His kingdom? What do you have that you have not received (1 Cor. 4:7)? Do not think more highly of yourself than is right, but instead, assess yourself honestly (Rom. 12:3). This is true humility, and from that flows a spirit of service.

As Scripture exhorts, “do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3). For this is the attitude which Jesus Himself had, setting aside His glory to be made in the likeness of man (Phil. 2:5-8), and coming not to be served, but to serve, and to offer His life as a ransom for us (Mk. 10:45).

Therefore brethren, as our Savior bowed Himself to cleanse us, let us bow before Him, and while on our knees , lift up our brothers and sisters in Christ, not looking out only for ourselves, but for the interests of others as well (Phil. 2:4).

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Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, October 24

"He began to wash the disciples' feet." John 13:5

The Lord Jesus loves His people so much, that every day He is still doing for them much that is analogous to washing their soiled feet. Their poorest actions He accepts; their deepest sorrow He feels; their slenderest wish He hears, and their every transgression He forgives. He is still their servant as well as their Friend and Master. He not only performs majestic deeds for them, as wearing the mitre on His brow, and the precious jewels glittering on His breastplate, and standing up to plead for them, but humbly, patiently, He yet goes about among His people with the basin and the towel. He does this when He puts away from us day by day our constant infirmities and sins. Last night, when you bowed the knee, you mournfully confessed that much of your conduct was not worthy of your profession; and even tonight, you must mourn afresh that you have fallen again into the selfsame folly and sin from which special grace delivered you long ago; and yet Jesus will have great patience with you; He will hear your confession of sin; He will say, "I will, be thou clean"; He will again apply the blood of sprinkling, and speak peace to your conscience, and remove every spot. It is a great act of eternal love when Christ once for all absolves the sinner, and puts him into the family of God; but what condescending patience there is when the Saviour with much long-suffering bears the oft recurring follies of His wayward disciple; day by day, and hour by hour, washing away the multiplied transgressions of His erring but yet beloved child! To dry up a flood of rebellion is something marvellous, but to endure the constant dropping of repeated offences- to bear with a perpetual trying of patience, this is divine indeed! While we find comfort and peace in our Lord's daily cleansing, its legitimate influence upon us will be to increase our watchfulness, and quicken our desire for holiness. Is it so?

Brothers and sisters, do you find yourself wrestling with sin and feeling sorrowful for it? Good! This means your conscience has not, as those who fall into deceit, been seared (1 Tim. 4:1-3).

Sin in our lives should cause us grief, as we know it causes God grief. And this grief should lead to repentance, and repentance the seeking of forgiveness. As God tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”(1 Jn. 1:9). Of course, this requires us recognizing our own sin, which should be the case with all Christians (1 Jn. 1:9).

Yet despite our sorrow, we have hope. Though Paul himself exclaimed, “wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?”, he also proclaimed that in our minds, we still serve God, and there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Rom. 7:24-8:1).

Praise God for the sorrow that brings repentance!

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Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, October 13

"Godly sorrow worketh repentance." 2 Corinthians 7:10

Genuine, spiritual mourning for sin is the work of the Spirit of God. Repentance is too choice a flower to grow in nature's garden. Pearls grow naturally in oysters, but penitence never shows itself in sinners except divine grace works it in them. If thou hast one particle of real hatred for sin, God must have given it thee, for human nature's thorns never produced a single fig. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh."

True repentance has a distinct reference to the Saviour. When we repent of sin, we must have one eye upon sin and another upon the cross, or it will be better still if we fix both our eyes upon Christ and see our transgressions only, in the light of His love.

True sorrow for sin is eminently practical. No man may say he hates sin, if he lives in it. Repentance makes us see the evil of sin, not merely as a theory, but experimentally- as a burnt child dreads fire. We shall be as much afraid of it, as a man who has lately been stopped and robbed is afraid of the thief upon the highway; and we shall shun it- shun it in everything- not in great things only, but in little things, as men shun little vipers as well as great snakes. True mourning for sin will make us very jealous over our tongue, lest it should say a wrong word; we shall be very watchful over our daily actions, lest in anything we offend, and each night we shall close the day with painful confessions of shortcoming, and each morning awaken with anxious prayers, that this day God would hold us up that we may not sin against Him.

Sincere repentance is continual. Believers repent until their dying day. This dropping well is not intermittent. Every other sorrow yields to time, but this dear sorrow grows with our growth, and it is so sweet a bitter, that we thank God we are permitted to enjoy and to suffer it until we enter our eternal rest.

Beloved brethren, we may often be tempted to focus on our faults and shortcomings. Indeed, to recognize our own need for salvation, we must admit that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).

Paul laments even his post-justification condition, bemoaning, “wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death” (Rom. 7:24)?

Yet we have reason, as did Paul, for not only hope but rejoicing! For “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). Why?

Because He “is able to…make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless” (Jud. 1:24).

Hallelujah! We were cleansed with “the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Tit. 3:5). Jesus was made a sin offering for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). When God looks upon us, He no longer sees our sinful past, but instead looking through a Christ-filtered lens, He perceives us as holy and righteous with Jesus.

How humbled we should be to know that “the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him” (Isa. 53:6). How grateful we should be that our transgression is forgiven, that our sin is covered, and that our iniquity not taken into account (Psalm. 32:1-2). How amazed we should be in knowing that our hearts have been sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, and that our bodies have been washed clean with pure water (Heb. 10:22).

Let us then, remembering our debt, sing joyfully with the hymnist:

“Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe,
sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.”

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Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, October 10

"Faultless before the presence of His glory." Jude 24

Revolve in your mind that wondrous word, "faultless"! We are far off from it now; but as our Lord never stops short of perfection in His work of love, we shall reach it one day. The Saviour who will keep His people to the end, will also present them at last to Himself, as "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but holy and without blemish." All the jewels in the Saviour's crown are of the first water and without a single flaw. All the maids of honour who attend the Lamb's wife are pure virgins without spot or stain. But how will Jesus make us faultless? He will wash us from our sins in His own blood until we are white and fair as God's purest angel; and we shall be clothed in His righteousness, that righteousness which makes the saint who wears it positively faultless; yea, perfect in the sight of God. We shall be unblameable and unreproveable even in His eyes. His law will not only have no charge against us, but it will be magnified in us. Moreover, the work of the Holy Spirit within us will be altogether complete. He will make us so perfectly holy, that we shall have no lingering tendency to sin. Judgment, memory, will- every power and passion shall be emancipated from the thraldom of evil. We shall be holy even as God is holy, and in His presence we shall dwell for ever. Saints will not be out of place in heaven, their beauty will be as great as that of the place prepared for them. Oh the rapture of that hour when the everlasting doors shall be lifted up, and we, being made meet for the inheritance, shall dwell with the saints in light. Sin gone, Satan shut out, temptation past for ever, and ourselves "faultless" before God, this will be heaven indeed! Let us be joyful now as we rehearse the song of eternal praise so soon to roll forth in full chorus from all the blood-washed host; let us copy David's exultings before the ark as a prelude to our ecstasies before the throne.

Believer, does your faith waver when your prayers appear to go unanswered, or an answer is delayed? What if the answer is no?

Are you seeking the Lord Himself or what is on His table? Would you, like the Canaanite woman, be satisfied with mere crumbs that fall from His table (Mt. 15:23-28)?

Dear brethren, it should be enough for us to sit at His feet, let alone all else He does for us. How blessed we are even to be able to come into His presence.

Remember, though we often use it for such, and we are told to “let our requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6), prayer is more about shaping us and drawing us close than it is for getting us what our flesh desires.

Has He not promised that if we abide in Him and His words in us, that He would grant whatever we ask (Jn. 15:7)? So then, if we do abide, and His words are in us, for what will we ask?

James warns us of a misguided heart when He writes, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (Jas. 4:3).

This is why the same apostle who recorded Jesus’ words about abiding in Him also exhorts that our confidence lies in knowing that “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him” (1 Jn. 5:14-15).

Therefore, let us remember that we should seek first His will in our prayers, as did even Jesus in the garden (Mt. 26:39), that we may know we are heard (1 Jn. 5:14). In this way, we can be assured of an answer, and that, an answer in the positive.

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Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, October 9

"But He answered her not a word." Matthew 15:23

Genuine seekers who as yet have not obtained the blessing, may take comfort from the story before us. The Saviour did not at once bestow the blessing, even though the woman had great faith in Him. He intended to give it, but He waited awhile. "He answered her not a word." Were not her prayers good? Never better in the world. Was not her case needy? Sorrowfully needy. Did she not feel her need sufficiently? She felt it overwhelmingly. Was she not earnest enough? She was intensely so. Had she no faith? She had such a high degree of it that even Jesus wondered, and said, "O woman, great is thy faith." See then, although it is true that faith brings peace, yet it does not always bring it instantaneously. There may be certain reasons calling for the trial of faith, rather than the reward of faith. Genuine faith may be in the soul like a hidden seed, but as yet it may not have budded and blossomed into joy and peace. A painful silence from the Saviour is the grievous trial of many a seeking soul, but heavier still is the affliction of a harsh cutting reply such as this, "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." Many in waiting upon the Lord find immediate delight, but this is not the case with all. Some, like the jailer, are in a moment turned from darkness to light, but others are plants of slower growth. A deeper sense of sin may be given to you instead of a sense of pardon, and in such a case you will have need of patience to bear the heavy blow. Ah! poor heart, though Christ beat and bruise thee, or even slay thee, trust Him; though He should give thee an angry word, believe in the love of His heart. Do not, I beseech thee, give up seeking or trusting my Master, because thou hast not yet obtained the conscious joy which thou longest for. Cast thyself on Him, and perseveringly depend even where thou canst not rejoicingly hope.

Pfizer & Moderna's Bait-and-Switch—Reverse Transcription Is the Decoy, Plasmid DNA Integration the Real Threat
https://theoburden.substack.com/p/pfizer-and-modernas-bait-and-switchreverse?publication_id=839080&post_id=174419215&isFreemail=true&r=1maoyr&triedRedirect=true&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Believer, is God unjust in His dealings with humanity? May it never be! Our God is a just God, and any penalties He imposes for sin are surely earned and absolutely justified.

Yet God is also a merciful God. In His patience, He delayed punishment for many, waiting for the appointed time when His salvation would be revealed in Christ. And so, He how shows mercy and justifies those who believe (Rom. 3:21-26).

To whom does He show this mercy? To whomever He pleases, according to His will. As Scripture says, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy…So then, He has mercy on whom He desires…” (Rom. 9:15-18). Does that make Him unjust? By no means!

As already stated, He is just and justified in condemning those who sin, for that condemnation is earned. Showing mercy to some is in not injustice - it is grace. “Where then is boasting? It is excluded” (Rom. 3:27), because our justification is not earned, it is granted.

It is God who justifies. It is God who saves. It is God who chooses, as Jesus even said to His disciples, “you did not choose Me, but I chose you” (Jn. 15:16).

Let us therefore be humbled by the fact that God is “just, and the justifier of the one who has faith” (Rom. 3:26). We have contributed nothing to our salvation except the sin that made it necessary. We do not justify ourselves, but in His mercy, God justifies us according to His will, for His glory. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

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Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, September 25

"Just, and the justifier of him which believeth." Romans 3:26

Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Conscience accuses no longer. Judgment now decides for the sinner instead of against him. Memory looks back upon past sins, with deep sorrow for the sin, but yet with no dread of any penalty to come; for Christ has paid the debt of His people to the last jot and tittle, and received the divine receipt; and unless God can be so unjust as to demand double payment for one debt, no soul for whom Jesus died as a substitute can ever be cast into hell. It seems to be one of the very principles of our enlightened nature to believe that God is just; we feel that it must be so, and this gives us our terror at first; but is it not marvellous that this very same belief that God is just, becomes afterwards the pillar of our confidence and peace! If God be just, I, a sinner, alone and without a substitute, must be punished; but Jesus stands in my stead and is punished for me; and now, if God be just, I, a sinner, standing in Christ, can never be punished. God must change His nature before one soul, for whom Jesus was a substitute, can ever by any possibility suffer the lash of the law. Therefore, Jesus having taken the place of the believer- having rendered a full equivalent to divine wrath for all that His people ought to have suffered as the result of sin, the believer can shout with glorious triumph, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?" Not God, for He hath justified; not Christ, for He hath died, "yea rather hath risen again." My hope lives not because I am not a sinner, but because I am a sinner for whom Christ died; my trust is not that I am holy, but that being unholy, He is my righteousness. My faith rests not upon what I am, or shall be, or feel, or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me. On the lion of justice the fair maid of hope rides like a queen.

Brethren, rejoice in God, for He rejoices in you. When the shepherd finds one of his lost sheep, he rejoices (Lk. 15:6). When the woman who loses a coin finds it, she rejoices (Lk. 15:9). When the estranged son returns home, the father rejoices (Lk .15:32). So it is with our Father in heaven - when one of His comes to Jesus, He rejoices!

Not only this, but He is happy to do us good. Let us not, however, be deceived at what may be the appearance of that “good.” Discipline is good (Heb. 12:7-11). Trials are good (Jas. 1:2-4). And yes, blessings are good!

Remember that our Heavenly Father “causes all things to work together for good to those who love” Him, and “who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28, emphasis mine). Therefore, let us say, as did Job to his wife, “shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity” (Job. 2:10)?

God is good, and He rejoices to do good for those who are His. So much so that He was willing to sacrifice His Son on a cross for us.

Not everything that is good appears good at the moment; but in the end, we will see how all things have worked together to produce good for us and in us, and we, along with God, shall rejoice.

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Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, September 21

"I will rejoice over them to do them good." Jeremiah 32:41

How heart-cheering to the believer is the delight which God has in His saints! We cannot see any reason in ourselves why the Lord should take pleasure in us; we cannot take delight in ourselves, for we often have to groan, being burdened; conscious of our sinfulness, and deploring our unfaithfulness; and we fear that God's people cannot take much delight in us, for they must perceive so much of our imperfections and our follies, that they may rather lament our infirmities than admire our graces. But we love to dwell upon this transcendent truth, this glorious mystery: that as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so does the Lord rejoice over us. We do not read anywhere that God delighteth in the cloud-capped mountains, or the sparkling stars, but we do read that He delighteth in the habitable parts of the earth, and that His delights are with the sons of men. We do not find it written that even angels give His soul delight; nor doth He say, concerning cherubim and seraphim, "Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, for the Lord delighteth in thee"; but He does say all that to poor fallen creatures like ourselves, debased and depraved by sin, but saved, exalted, and glorified by His grace. In what strong language He expresses His delight in His people! Who could have conceived of the eternal One as bursting forth into a song? Yet it is written, "He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing." As He looked upon the world He had made, He said, "It is very good"; but when He beheld those who are the purchase of Jesus' blood, His own chosen ones, it seemed as if the great heart of the Infinite could restrain itself no longer, but overflowed in divine exclamations of joy. Should not we utter our grateful response to such a marvellous declaration of His love, and sing, "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation?"

Christian, do you keep God at arm’s length in your life? Does He seem distant to you, or do you distance yourself from Him? Why should this be?

James tells us that we should “draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (Jas. 4:8).

What excuse are you using to not be close to Him? Are you harboring some personal desire, perhaps a hidden sin, that prevents you being intimate with Him? Is there anything in your mind or heart of which God isn’t already aware?

If something is holding you back, confess it, for He is faithful and just and will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:9). There is no sin so great it cannot be washed clean by the blood of Jesus. This is why Scripture says we should “draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22).

By the greatness of the love God has bestowed on us, we are called His children (1 Jn. 3:1). What child would not wish to be close to such a loving Father?

Beloved, be not like the Israelites of whom Isaiah wrote, or the Pharisees against whom Jesus quoted Isaiah saying, “this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote” (Isa. 29:13). Instead, “let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). He has called us to be “a people near unto Him” (Ps. 148:14).


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Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, September 15

"A people near unto him." Psalm 148:14

The dispensation of the old covenant was that of distance. When God appeared even to His servant Moses, He said, "Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet"; and when He manifested Himself upon Mount Sinai, to His own chosen and separated people, one of the first commands was, "Thou shalt set bounds about the mount." Both in the sacred worship of the tabernacle and the temple, the thought of distance was always prominent. The mass of the people did not even enter the outer court. Into the inner court none but the priests might dare to intrude; while into the innermost place, or the holy of holies, the high priest entered but once in the year. It was as if the Lord in those early ages would teach man that sin was so utterly loathsome to Him, that He must treat men as lepers put without the camp; and when He came nearest to them, He yet made them feel the width of the separation between a holy God and an impure sinner. When the gospel came, we were placed on quite another footing. The word "Go" was exchanged for "Come"; distance was made to give place to nearness, and we who aforetime were afar off, were made nigh by the blood of Jesus Christ. Incarnate Deity has no wall of fire about it. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," is the joyful proclamation of God as He appears in human flesh. Not now does He teach the leper his leprosy by setting him at a distance, but by Himself suffering the penalty of His defilement. What a state of safety and privilege is this nearness to God through Jesus! Do you know it by experience? If you know it, are you living in the power of it? Marvellous is this nearness, yet it is to be followed by a dispensation of greater nearness still, when it shall be said, "The tabernacle of God is with men, and He doth dwell among them." Hasten it, O Lord.

We read often of Jesus leaving the crowds, of seeking solitude, and at times it happened. But how often did He move on, yet throngs followed behind?

When He got into a boat with His disciples, leaving a crowd to cross the sea, other boats followed and went with Him. People followed wherever He went. It wasn't because He was attractive in any way, for Scripture tells us, "He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him" (Isa. 53:2).

People often followed because of His miracles, though some because of His teaching. As His closest disciples said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God" (Jn. 6:68-69).

Brethren, why are you following Jesus? Is it because you are seeking His miracles, what He can do for you? Or do you follow because of who He is, and because of what He has done for you?

No miracle can compare to that of being made a new creation in Him (2 Cor. 5:17). No sign can ever do more for you than God replacing your heart of stone with a heart of flesh (Ezek. 36:26) and His granting His Spirit to live within us (Ezek. 36:27; 1 Cor. 2:12; 1 Cor. 3:16).

When we are with Him, as the disciples were in the boat, and as were those who followed in other boats, He will calm our storms (Mk. 4:37-39) and give us peace (Isa. 26:3), a peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:6-7).

Follow Him, believer, and do so for who He is - the way, the truth, and the life (Jn. 14:6), and know that we will reach our final destination unscathed with Him (Jn. 5:24).

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Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, September 14

"There were also with Him other little ships." Mark 4:36

Jesus was the Lord High Admiral of the sea that night, and His presence preserved the whole convoy. It is well to sail with Jesus, even though it be in a little ship. When we sail in Christ's company, we may not make sure of fair weather, for great storms may toss the vessel which carries the Lord Himself, and we must not expect to find the sea less boisterous around our little boat. If we go with Jesus we must be content to fare as He fares; and when the waves are rough to Him, they will be rough to us. It is by tempest and tossing that we shall come to land, as He did before us. When the storm swept over Galilee's dark lake all faces gathered blackness, and all hearts dreaded shipwreck.

When all creature help was useless, the slumbering Saviour arose, and with a word, transformed the riot of the tempest into the deep quiet of a calm; then were the little vessels at rest as well as that which carried the Lord. Jesus is the star of the sea; and though there be sorrow upon the sea, when Jesus is on it there is joy too. May our hearts make Jesus their anchor, their rudder, their lighthouse, their life-boat, and their harbour. His Church is the Admiral's flagship, let us attend her movements, and cheer her officers with our presence. He Himself is the great attraction; let us follow ever in His wake, mark His signals, steer by His chart, and never fear while He is within hail. Not one ship in the convoy shall suffer wreck; the great Commodore will steer every barque in safety to the desired haven. By faith we will slip our cable for another day's cruise, and sail forth with Jesus into a sea of tribulation. Winds and waves will not spare us, but they all obey Him; and, therefore, whatever squalls may occur without, faith shall feel a blessed calm within. He is ever in the centre of the weather-beaten company: let us rejoice in Him. His vessel has reached the haven, and so shall ours.

Christians, hatred for us and our beliefs abound, and not surprisingly. Jesus told us, "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you" (Jn. 15:18-19).

Attacks from this world occur daily, but they should not be unexpected. They should, however, steel us in our convictions. We should pray along with David, "Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies" (Ps. 5:8).

Despite all attacks, we must carry on. We have our armor (Eph. 6:13-16) to protect us, and by which we may "quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Eph. 6:16). And we have our offensive weapon, our sword as it would be, in the Word of God (Eph. 6:17). This weapon is sharper than any two-edged sword, capable of dividing between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12).

So let us not repay evil for evil; for the Lord will avenge His chosen (Rom. 12:19).

This does not mean we cannot pray for justice. This is, after all, what even David did, and God called David a man after His own heart (1 Sam. 13:14). In this same Psalm where David prays to be kept in righteousness, he requests of God, "Hold them guilty, O God; by their own devices let them fall! In the multitude of their transgressions thrust them out, for they are rebellious against You" (Ps. 5:10).

God hates sin. God desires justice. We should as well. But never let our desire for justice allow us to descend into vengeance. We are to pray for our enemies (Mt. 5:44), that they would be changed by God and turned from their wickedness, or that God would exact justice upon them. You can even pray for both.

Do not let the schemes of your enemies lead you astray; instead, always let God lead you in His righteousness.

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Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, September 11

"Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies." Psalms 5:8

Very bitter is the enmity of the world against the people of Christ. Men will forgive a thousand faults in others, but they will magnify the most trivial offence in the followers of Jesus. Instead of vainly regretting this, let us turn it to account, and since so many are watching for our halting, let this be a special motive for walking very carefully before God. If we live carelessly, the lynx-eyed world will soon see it, and with its hundred tongues, it will spread the story, exaggerated and emblazoned by the zeal of slander. They will shout triumphantly. "Aha! So would we have it! See how these Christians act! They are hypocrites to a man." Thus will much damage be done to the cause of Christ, and much insult offered to His name. The cross of Christ is in itself an offence to the world; let us take heed that we add no offence of our own. It is "to the Jews a stumblingblock": let us mind that we put no stumblingblocks where there are enough already. "To the Greeks it is foolishness": let us not add our folly to give point to the scorn with which the worldly-wise deride the gospel. How jealous should we be of ourselves! How rigid with our consciences! In the presence of adversaries who will misrepresent our best deeds, and impugn our motives where they cannot censure our actions, how circumspect should we be! Pilgrims travel as suspected persons through Vanity Fair. Not only are we under surveillance, but there are more spies than we reck of. The espionage is everywhere, at home and abroad. If we fall into the enemies' hands we may sooner expect generosity from a wolf, or mercy from a fiend, than anything like patience with our infirmities from men who spice their infidelity towards God with scandals against His people. O Lord, lead us ever, lest our enemies trip us up!

Christian, we are called to be "separate," different from the world around us. It is in the definition of the Greek word translated "church" - ἐκκλησίᾳ (ekklesia), which comes from two Greek words:
ek - which means "out, or out of" and the verb kaleo, which means "to call." Thus Christians are those who have been "called out" of the world.

Believer, you are admonished by Scripture to "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Rom. 12:2).

We are but sojourners here, awaiting our departure from these earthly tents and our entrance into our eternal home (2 Cor. 4:1). Yet while we dwell here, it is our job to shine light in the darkness. We will have tribulation in this world, but be of strong heart, for Jesus has overcome the world (Jn. 16:33).

We must remember in times of trouble, when enemies are attacking, the exhortation given us by Paul:

"Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay' says the Lord. 'But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." - Romans 12:19-21

The world will hate us, for it hated Him first (Jn. 15:18).

We must remain holy for Christ's sake, because we are called to be holy as He is holy (1 Pet. 1:15). We must rise above, show ourselves different, and allow Christ to live through us so that those who are called will hear His voice and come to Him.

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Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, September 11

"Be ye separate." 2 Corinthians 6:17

The Christian, while in the world, is not to be of the world. He should be distinguished from it in the great object of his life. To him, "to live," should be "Christ." Whether he eats, or drinks, or whatever he does, he should do all to God's glory. You may lay up treasure; but lay it up in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, where thieves break not through nor steal. You may strive to be rich; but be it your ambition to be "rich in faith," and good works. You may have pleasure; but when you are merry, sing psalms and make melody in your hearts to the Lord. In your spirit, as well as in your aim, you should differ from the world. Waiting humbly before God, always conscious of His presence, delighting in communion with Him, and seeking to know His will, you will prove that you are of heavenly race. And you should be separate from the world in your actions. If a thing be right, though you lose by it, it must be done; if it be wrong, though you would gain by it, you must scorn the sin for your Master's sake. You must have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Walk worthy of your high calling and dignity. Remember, O Christian, that thou art a son of the King of kings. Therefore, keep thyself unspotted from the world. Soil not the fingers which are soon to sweep celestial strings; let not these eyes become the windows of lust which are soon to see the King in His beauty- let not those feet be defiled in miry places, which are soon to walk the golden streets- let not those hearts be filled with pride and bitterness which are ere long to be filled with heaven, and to overflow with ecstatic joy.

Then rise my soul! and soar away,
Above the thoughtless crowd;
Above the pleasures of the gay,
And splendours of the proud;
Up where eternal beauties bloom,
And pleasures all divine;
Where wealth, that never can consume,
And endless glories shine.



* yes, my intro this morning was to some degree influenced by the tragic events of yesterday

Believer, Scripture tells us that in times past, God spoke to His people through prophets, carrying them along by His Holy Spirit (2 Pet 1:20), revealing His plans so that His people might be aware; but when the time had come, He sent His Son to speak directly to us, and to save us (Heb. 1:1).

"Many prophets and righteous men desired to see" Jesus, and to hear what He came to say, yet never saw nor heard (Mt. 13:17). Yet we have His word, recorded also by men inspired of God, so that we might be taught, reproved, corrected, and trained, so that we would be fully equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Oh the wonder that God should reveal so much to us! Oh the blessing to be able to spend time in His word hearing from Him each day! Brethren, are you forsaking this time?

Yes, we are new creatures (2 Cor. 5:17), and spiritual ones at that, so we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:14-16), but we cannot simply sit and discern God's word without actually reading it.

Brothers and sisters, if you truly wish to grow in your relationship with God and His Son, Jesus Christ, spend time in His word. For it is through His word that He reveals Himself to us, and getting to know Him is crucial to our walk in the Spirit. After all, this is eternal life, that we may know God, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent (Jn. 17:3).

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Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, September 9

"I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not." Jeremiah 33:3

There are different translations of these words. One version renders it, "I will shew thee great and fortified things." Another, "Great and reserved things." Now, there are reserved and special things in Christian experience: all the developments of spiritual life are not alike easy of attainment. There are the common frames and feelings of repentance, and faith, and joy, and hope, which are enjoyed by the entire family; but there is an upper realm of rapture, of communion, and conscious union with Christ, which is far from being the common dwelling-place of believers. We have not all the high privilege of John, to lean upon Jesus' bosom; nor of Paul, to be caught up into the third heaven. There are heights in experimental knowledge of the things of God which the eagle's eye of acumen and philosophic thought hath never seen: God alone can bear us there; but the chariot in which He takes us up, and the fiery steeds with which that chariot is dragged, are prevailing prayers. Prevailing prayer is victorious over the God of mercy, "By his strength he had power with God: yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto Him: he found Him in Beth-el, and there He spake with us." Prevailing prayer takes the Christian to Carmel, and enables him to cover heaven with clouds of blessing, and earth with floods of mercy. Prevailing prayer bears the Christian aloft to Pisgah, and shows him the inheritance reserved; it elevates us to Tabor and transfigures us, till in the likeness of his Lord, as He is, so are we also in this world. If you would reach to something higher than ordinary grovelling experience, look to the Rock that is higher than you, and gaze with the eye of faith through the window of importunate prayer. When you open the window on your side, it will not be bolted on the other.

Christian, can you say with honesty that you love the Lord with all your soul? Does the verse, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deut. 6:5, Mt. 22:37) wash over you like a waterfall, or does it ring hollow for you?

If it rings hollow, set aside time to spend in His word. Read it. Pray over it. Meditate on it.

Spend time in prayer speaking to God. There is no prescription, there are no special words. Just open your heart up to Him.

One cannot have a relationship without communication. God speaks to us through His word; we speak to Him through prayer. Both take time, and this time is the only way to build and strengthen that relationship.

Even if you do feel you love the Lord with all your soul, are you taking the time to truly know Him?

If you are not already, make today the day you begin spending time with Him in reading and in prayer. In this way you will learn to love Him with all your soul.
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Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, September 3

"Thou whom my soul loveth." Song of Solomon 1:7

It is well to be able, without any "if" or "but," to say of the Lord Jesus- "Thou whom my soul loveth." Many can only say of Jesus that they hope they love Him; they trust they love Him; but only a poor and shallow experience will be content to stay here. No one ought to give any rest to his spirit till he feels quite sure about a matter of such vital importance. We ought not to be satisfied with a superficial hope that Jesus loves us, and with a bare trust that we love Him. The old saints did not generally speak with "buts," and "ifs," and "hopes," and "trusts," but they spoke positively and plainly. "I know whom I have believed," saith Paul. "I know that my Redeemer liveth," saith Job. Get positive knowledge of your love of Jesus, and be not satisfied till you can speak of your interest in Him as a reality, which you have made sure by having received the witness of the Holy Spirit, and His seal upon your soul by faith.

True love to Christ is in every case the Holy Spirit's work, and must be wrought in the heart by Him. He is the efficient cause of it; but the logical reason why we love Jesus lies in Himself. Why do we love Jesus? Because He first loved us. Why do we love Jesus? Because He "gave Himself for us." We have life through His death; we have peace through His blood. Though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor. Why do we love Jesus? Because of the excellency of His person. We are filled with a sense of His beauty! an admiration of His charms! a consciousness of His infinite perfection! His greatness, goodness, and loveliness, in one resplendent ray, combine to enchant the soul till it is so ravished that it exclaims, "Yea, He is altogether lovely." Blessed love this- a love which binds the heart with chains more soft than silk, and yet more firm than adamant!

Believer, do you trust God fully, at all times? How often do we rely upon our own intellect, emotion, resources, anything but Him? Has He not promised always to provide our needs? (Mt. 6:25-33) Is He a man that He should lie, or a son of man that He should repent? (Num. 23:19)

We are told instead to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." (Pro. 3:5-6) Such simple advice, but at times, so difficult to follow. Yet we know that He will not fail in His purpose; thus we need to remember to cling to Him, not this world which will pass away.
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Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, September 1

"Trust in Him at all times." Psalm 62:8

Faith is as much the rule of temporal as of spiritual life; we ought to have faith in God for our earthly affairs as well as for our heavenly business. It is only as we learn to trust in God for the supply of all our daily need that we shall live above the world. We are not to be idle, that would show we did not trust in God, who worketh hitherto, but in the devil, who is the father of idleness. We are not to be imprudent or rash; that were to trust chance, and not the living God, who is a God of economy and order. Acting in all prudence and uprightness, we are to rely simply and entirely upon the Lord at all times.

Let me commend to you a life of trust in God in temporal things. Trusting in God, you will not be compelled to mourn because you have used sinful means to grow rich. Serve God with integrity, and if you achieve no success, at least no sin will lie upon your conscience. Trusting God, you will not be guilty of self-contradiction. He who trusts in craft, sails this way today, and that way the next, like a vessel tossed about by the fickle wind; but he that trusteth in the Lord is like a vessel propelled by steam, she cuts through the waves, defies the wind, and makes one bright silvery straightforward track to her destined haven. Be you a man with living principles within; never bow to the varying customs of worldly wisdom. Walk in your path of integrity with steadfast steps, and show that you are invincibly strong in the strength which confidence in God alone can confer. Thus you will be delivered from carking care, you will not be troubled with evil tidings, your heart will be fixed, trusting in the Lord. How pleasant to float along the stream of providence! There is no more blessed way of living than a life of dependence upon a covenant-keeping God. We have no care, for He careth for us; we have no troubles, because we cast our burdens upon the Lord.

Believer, do you suffer with illness? So did Timothy (1 Tim. 5:23). Do you have physical limitations or incapacity? Paul experienced the same (2 Cor. 12:7-10). Some will tell you that you simply need faith, and you will be healed, citing 1 Peter 2:24 - "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."

But this speaks of spiritual illness. The context dictates, as the very next verse says, "For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." In this sense, it is true - God promises healing for every believer.

The promise of physical healing, however, may not be fulfilled in this mortal life. Paul himself did not experience it. Timothy was not miraculously relieved of his frequent stomach ailments.

While Jesus did heal a variety of ailments during His earthly ministry, these fulfilled the prophecies of such healing, as Scripture tells us: "This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: 'HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.'" (Mat. 8:17).

There is a greater purpose at work, one that is often found in infirmity. Job, when afflicted with boils from head to toe, whose wife told him to "curse God and die," instead replied, "shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" (Job 2:9-10). While also being chastised by his friends, he responded, "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him" (Job 13:15).

Paul likewise, though he prayed for his thorn to be removed, having his request denied, proclaimed that he would revel in his weakness that God might be shown to be strong!

God is glorified in our weakness when we but trust in Him and show that trust through our words and actions.

In the end, we will all be healed. For our flesh will no longer be subject to corruption. Until then, we live in a fallen world of which illness, injury, and incapacity are part and parcel. Regardless of our circumstances then, let us glorify Him!
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Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, August 30

"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed." Jeremiah 17:14

"I have seen His ways, and will heal him." Isaiah 57:18

It is the sole prerogative of God to remove spiritual disease. Natural disease may be instrumentally healed by men, but even then the honour is to be given to God who giveth virtue unto medicine, and bestoweth power unto the human frame to cast off disease. As for spiritual sicknesses, these remain with the great Physician alone; He claims it as His prerogative, "I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heal"; and one of the Lord's choice titles is Jehovah-Rophi, the Lord that healeth thee. "I will heal thee of thy wounds," is a promise which could not come from the lip of man, but only from the mouth of the eternal God. On this account the psalmist cried unto the Lord, "O Lord, heal me, for my bones are sore vexed," and again, "Heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee." For this, also, the godly praise the name of the Lord, saying, "He healeth all our diseases." He who made man can restore man; He who was at first the creator of our nature can new create it. What a transcendent comfort it is that in the person of Jesus "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily"! My soul, whatever thy disease may be, this great Physician can heal thee. If He be God, there can be no limit to His power. Come then with the blind eye of darkened understanding, come with the limping foot of wasted energy, come with the maimed hand of weak faith, the fever of an angry temper, or the ague of shivering despondency, come just as thou art, for He who is God can certainly restore thee of thy plague. None shall restrain the healing virtue which proceeds from Jesus our Lord. Legions of devils have been made to own the power of the beloved Physician, and never once has He been baffled. All His patients have been cured in the past and shall be in the future, and thou shalt be one among them, my friend, if thou wilt but rest thyself in Him this night.

Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, August 29

"All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk." Numbers 6:4

Nazarites had taken, among other vows, one which debarred them from the use of wine. In order that they might not violate the obligation, they were forbidden to drink the vinegar of wine or strong liquors, and to make the rule still more clear, they were not to touch the unfermented juice of grapes, nor even to eat the fruit either fresh or dried. In order, altogether, to secure the integrity of the vow, they were not even allowed anything that had to do with the vine; they were, in fact, to avoid the appearance of evil. Surely this is a lesson to the Lord's separated ones, teaching them to come away from sin in every form, to avoid not merely its grosser shapes, but even its spirit and similitude. Strict walking is much despised in these days, but rest assured, dear reader, it is both the safest and the happiest. He who yields a point or two to the world is in fearful peril; he who eats the grapes of Sodom will soon drink the wine of Gomorrah. A little crevice in the sea-bank in Holland lets in the sea, and the gap speedily swells till a province is drowned. Worldly conformity, in any degree, is a snare to the soul, and makes it more and more liable to presumptuous sins. Moreover, as the Nazarite who drank grape juice could not be quite sure whether it might not have endured a degree of fermentation, and consequently could not be clear in heart that his vow was intact, so the yielding, temporizing Christian cannot wear a conscience void of offence, but must feel that the inward monitor is in doubt of him. Things doubtful we need not doubt about; they are wrong to us. Things tempting we must not dally with, but flee from them with speed. Better be sneered at as a Puritan than be despised as a hypocrite. Careful walking may involve much self-denial, but it has pleasures of its own which are more than a sufficient recompense.

Saint, do you believe your salvation has anything to do with your worthiness? Or that the condemnation of others is more deserved than the condemnation you yourself have earned? Are you any more worthy than any other?

Let us be like the tax collector of whom Jesus spoke who, unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, said, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (Lk. 18:13).

By the grace of God, and the blood of Christ, we have direct access now to God's throne room. We may come before Him and present directly to Him our needs, our concerns, our desires. But let us never forget that it is by His grace, by His mercy, that we have been granted this access. It is not because of who we are or what we've done, but because of His great mercy (Rom. 9:16; Eph. 2:8,9; Tit. 3:5).
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Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, August 29

"Have mercy upon me, O God." Psalm 51:1

When Dr. Carey was suffering from a dangerous illness, the enquiry was made, "If this sickness should prove fatal, what passage would you select as the text for your funeral sermon?" He replied, "Oh, I feel that such a poor sinful creature is unworthy to have anything said about him; but if a funeral sermon must be preached, let it be from the words, 'Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.'" In the same spirit of humility he directed in his will that the following inscription and nothing more should be cut on his gravestone:

WILLIAM CAREY, BORN AUGUST 17th, 1761: DIED-
"A wretched, poor, and helpless worm On Thy kind arms I fall."

Only on the footing of free grace can the most experienced and most honoured of the saints approach their God. The best of men are conscious above all others that they are men at the best. Empty boats float high, but heavily laden vessels are low in the water; mere professors can boast, but true children of God cry for mercy upon their unprofitableness. We have need that the Lord should have mercy upon our good works, our prayers, our preachings, our alms-givings, and our holiest things. The blood was not only sprinkled upon the doorposts of Israel's dwelling houses, but upon the sanctuary, the mercy-seat, and the altar, because as sin intrudes into our holiest things, the blood of Jesus is needed to purify them from defilement. If mercy be needed to be exercised towards our duties, what shall be said of our sins? How sweet the remembrance that inexhaustible mercy is waiting to be gracious to us, to restore our backslidings, and make our broken bones rejoice!