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The Great Sacrifice

a prayer by Charles Spurgeon

O God our Father, we do remember well when we were called to Thee, with many sweet and wooing voices we were bidden to return. Thou didst Thyself hang out the lights of mercy that we might know the way home and Thy dear Son Himself came down to seek us. But we wandered still. It brings the tears to our eyes to think that we should have been so foolish and so wicked, for we often extinguished the light within and conscience we tried to harden and we sinned against light and knowledge with a high hand against our God.

Thou hast often brought us very low even to our knees and we cried for mercy, but we rose to sin again. Blessed was that day when Thou didst strike the blow of grace—the effectual blow. Then didst Thou wither up our comeliness and all our perfection was rolled in the dust. We saw ourselves to be slain by the law, to be lost, ruined, and undone, and then we rolled to and fro in the tempests of our thoughts and staggered like drunken men and were at our wits’ end—then did we cry unto Thee in our trouble, and blessed be Thy name forever, Thou didst deliver us.

O happy day that sealed our pardon with the precious blood of Jesus accepted by faith. We would recall the memory of that blessed season by repeating it. We come again now to the cross whereon the Savior bled. We give another look of faith to Him. We trust we never take away our eyes off Him, but if we have done so, we would look anew. We would gaze into the body of the Son of God, pierced with nails, parched with thirst, bleeding, dying, because “It pleased the Father to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief.”

Lord God, we see in Thy crucified Son a sacrifice for sin. We see how Thou hast made Him to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him and we do over again accept Him to be everything to us. This is the victim by whose blood the covenant is made through faith. This is that Paschal Lamb by the sprinkling of whose blood all Israel is secured, for Thou hast said, “When I see the blood I will pass over you.” This is the blood which gives us access into that which is within the veil. This is the blood which now to our souls is drink indeed and we do rejoice in the joy which this new wine of the covenant hath given unto our spirits.

We would take afresh the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. We would pay our vows now in the midst of all the Lord’s people and in the courts of His house, and this is a part payment of our vow that we bless the Lord Jesus who hath put away our sin. We bless Him that He hath redeemed us unto Himself not with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with His own precious blood and we do avow ourselves today to be the Lord’s.

We are not our own. We are bought with a price. Lord Jesus, renew Thy grasp of us, take us over again, for we do even with greater alacrity than ever before surrender ourselves to Thee, and so “Bind the sacrifice with cords, even with cords to the horns of the altar.” O Lord, I am Thy servant and the son of Thine handmaid. Thou hast loosed my bonds. The Lord liveth, and blessed be my Rock. Henceforth within that Rock I hide myself. For Him I live. The Lord enable all His people with sincere hearts, with undivided hearts, thus again to give themselves up to Jesus, and do Thou set in them anew the marks and tokens of Thy possession till every one of us shall say as many of us can say, “From henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

We bless Thee, Lord, for that mark to which some of us can look back with much joy. It is not in our hand, nor in our forehead, nor on our foot, nor on our heart alone. Our whole body has been buried with Christ in baptism unto death and now the whole body, soul, and spirit, by our willing consecration, belong unto Christ henceforth and forever.

Our Father, there is one prayer which has kept rising to our lip even while we have been thus speaking to Thee. It comes from our very heart. It is, Bring others to Thyself. Hast Thou not said, O God of Jacob, “Yet will I gather others unto Him that have not been gathered?” Hast Thou not given to Thy Son the heathen for His inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession? Lord, give Thy Son the reward of His travail. Give Him a part of that reward this day wherever He is preached. Oh! that some might be moved with the love of Christ.

Lord, some know not who Thou art. Convince them of Thy deity and Thy power to save. Lord, many of them do not think. They live as if they were to die and there would be an end of them. O divine Spirit, convince them of judgment to come. Set before each careless eye that day of terrible pomp when for every idle word that men shall speak they must give an account. O divine Spirit, teach unreasonable men true reason. Teach the obdurate sensitiveness. Look upon them, Jesus, just as Thou didst on those of the synagogue, not with anger, but still being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts. “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do,” and bring many, many, many this very day to the dear feet that were nailed to the cross. Oh! how we long for it. Deny us what Thou wilt, only bring sinners to Thyself.

Lord Jesus, Thou art gone from us. We rejoice that this is the fact, for Thou hast taught us that it is expedient for us that Thou shouldest go and that the Comforter should be with us, but oh! let us not miss that promised presence of the Comforter. May He be here to help and succor in all works of faith and labors of love, and may we feel that He has come among us and is dwelling with us because He is convincing the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come.

O Spirit of God, bring men to accept the great propitiation, to see their sin washed away in the purple flood whose fount was opened when the heart of Christ was pierced, and may blood-washed sinners begin to sing on earth that everlasting anthem which shall be sung by all the redeemed in heaven.

We beseech Thee now, Lord, to look upon all Thy people and grant everyone a blessing. Some are in great trouble. Deliver them, we pray Thee. Others may be in great peril, though they have no trouble. The Lord save His people from the evils of prosperity. It may be some of Thine own people find it hard to worship because of cares. May they be able, like Abraham, when the birds came down upon the sacrifice, to drive them away.

O Spirit of God, make us all more holy. Work in us more completely the image of Christ. We do long to be as the Lord Jesus Christ in spirit and temper, and in unselfishness of life. Give us the character of Christ, we pray Thee. Redemption from the power of sin is purchased with His blood and we crave for it, and pray that we may daily receive it. Let the whole militant Church of Christ be blessed. Put power into all faithful ministries. Convert this country. Save it from abounding sin. Let all the nations of the earth know the Lord, but especially bless those nations that speak our own dear mother tongue, where our same Lord and Christ is worshipped this day after the same fashion.

The Lord bless His people. Bring the Church to break down all bonds of nationality, all limits of sects, and may we feel the blessed unity which is the very glory of the Church of Christ. Yea, let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Our prayer can never cease until we reach this point, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Nothing less than this can we ask for. And now hear us as we pray for the Sovereign and all in authority, and ask Thy blessing to rest upon this land, and let Thy blessing extend over all the family of man. We ask it for Christ’s sake. Amen.

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When a Million things can bring You down, find One reason to keep You up.

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I Love this time of year. It’s so beautiful with the changing of leaves We All could use some positivity with a good outlook considering our environment we are All in together. Take a walk, or a drive through the country side or the city you live & enjoy God’s beautiful creation. #stillwaters #autumncolors #autumnvibes🍁 #leaveschanging #naturesbeauty #creatorgod #fallcolors #psalms23

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Genesis 15:4”-5 “ And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness”. Abram wasn’t called Abraham at the time, God hadn’t changed his name yet. Later, when Abram was 99 years old, God promised that He would “multiply thee exceedingly.” God changed his name from Abram, meaning “exalted father,” to Abraham, meaning “father of a multitude” Abraham was called the Father of many nations whom in his line Jesus Christ would come. I Believe Abraham got it. God was showing him how Faithful he was & then Abraham finally got the revelation, Faith to believe what God said was True.

Don’t be a doubting Thomas, who didn’t believe Jesus was resurrected. Jesus appeared before him & presented himself to prove him wrong. Faith like when Abraham finally got it, God did & still can do amazing wonders to those that Believe. #faith #goddoesntchange #faithingod #believe #ibelieve #revelation #istillbelieve

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Jeremiah and the Potter’s House

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6 He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.

11 “Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.’ 12 But they will reply, ‘It’s no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.’”

13 Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“Inquire among the nations:    Who has ever heard anything like this? A most horrible thing has been done    by Virgin Israel. 14 Does the snow of Lebanon    ever vanish from its rocky slopes? Do its cool waters from distant sources    ever stop flowing? 15 Yet my people have forgotten me;    they burn incense to worthless idols, which made them stumble in their ways,    in the ancient paths. They made them walk in byways,    on roads not built up. 16 Their land will be an object of horror    and of lasting scorn; all who pass by will be appalled    and will shake their heads. 17 Like a wind from the east,    I will scatter them before their enemies; I will show them my back and not my face    in the day of their disaster.”

18 They said, “Come, let’s make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let’s attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.”

19 Listen to me, Lord;    hear what my accusers are saying! 20 Should good be repaid with evil?    Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember that I stood before you    and spoke in their behalf    to turn your wrath away from them. 21 So give their children over to famine;    hand them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives be made childless and widows;    let their men be put to death,    their young men slain by the sword in battle. 22 Let a cry be heard from their houses    when you suddenly bring invaders against them, for they have dug a pit to capture me    and have hidden snares for my feet. 23 But you, Lord, know    all their plots to kill me. Do not forgive their crimes    or blot out their sins from your sight. Let them be overthrown before you;    deal with them in the time of your anger. — Jeremiah 18 | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®  All rights reserved worldwide. Cross References: Genesis 6:6; Deuteronomy 29:19; Leviticus 26:32; 1 Kings 9:8; 1 Samuel 2:30; 1 Samuel 13:13; 1 Samuel 15:33; 1 Samuel 19:4; Nehemiah 4:5; Job 5:13; Job 27:21; Psalm 106:45; Psalm 119:85; Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 45:9; Isaiah 57:14; Isaiah 62:10; Isaiah 64:8; Isaiah 66:8; Jeremiah 1:10; Jeremiah 19:1-2; Jeremiah 31:28; Lamentations 3:59; Matthew 20:15; Acts 26:20; Romans 9:20-21

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What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings. They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭84:5-7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I, like many have endured times of weeping. It’s not welcomed, and at times unexpected.

My strength comes from the Lord. He is my portion & my right hand. Nothing in this Life will overwhelm me or bring me down cause I know the One who keeps me. I Love my Lord & shout it from the rooftops. #goodmorning #autumnrains #valleyofweeping #butgod #trustinthelord #godismyrefuge #godismystrength #faithfulone

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Been slacking in this area. I always said there should be no excuses for your health & well being. When your body is running on all cylinders so to speak you can conquer anything that’s put in front of You. Need to stay committed in this area. Mental wellness & physical wellness are strengths none of Us should live without. So don’t turn your Back on it. #motivation #motivationmonday #goodmorning #starttoanewweek #haveagreatday #stayhealthy #staystrong #staycommitted #smile #blessed

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Daniel 6

Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”

The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. Daniel was Faithful to God in the midst of a rebellious government.

What may seem impossible for Man, is Possible with God. Have a trial or impossible task before you? I’ve learned that no matter what I face in life if I’m trusting in God, abiding in his word & his presence & walking in obedience God is Faithful t do his part. Daniel is a good example of the faithfulness of God. Daniel never comprised his Faith, his convictions, but always Trusted that God would bring the breakthrough. Don’t put your Trust in Man, but God- He is Faithful

Isaiah 26:3” You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” 😁#faithmovesmountains #godisincontrol #godisfaithful #danielofthebible #obedience #trustgod #miracleworkinggod

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For such a time as this... The Church needs to discern the times we are living in. The World is filled with Fear, Chaos, Uncertainty, Lawlessness. With major players involved. Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”. Jesus himself warned about the coming age, the End times when he said in Matthew 24“ Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for [a]all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, [b]pestilences, ( PLAGUES, VIRUSES emphasis added) and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. There’s nothing to Fear if you are in Christ, born again Believer. Knowing these things will for to pass, but also the tribulation & the 7 year reign of the Antichrist upon the Earth. Bible prophecy will be fulfilled. #plagues #thanks #endtimes #godisincontrol #fearnot #judegementiscoming #bornagain #bible #discernment #takecourage

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Love, the strongest emotion in our World & in our beings. Love is mentioned In the Bible 551 times — 319 times in the Old Testament and 232 times in the New Testament. Love brings people together & heals families, friendships & nations. In a World spiralling in chaos, Love is the only things that will hold us All together. I need to do more of it, this is for me also. One of my favourite verses on Love is found in

1 Corinthians 13:1

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth”.

LOVE KEEPS NO RECORD OF ANY WRONG!! May I ask you, are you keeping something against someone ? Is there bitterness, anger, unforgiveness in your Heart? Bring healing, peace to your Soul forgive that person whether they’ve passed on or still remain alive today. Maybe even reach out & contact them if your able. You’ll find a Peace in your heart when you do !! 😊

#love #mercy #grace #truth #loveyourself #loveothers#lovealwayswins #forgiveness #healing #restoration #leadwithlove #lovethyneighbor ❤️

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What suppose to be a Sunday morning gathering together as Church Family, most of Us are still isolating until local & Government allows Churches to reopen.

A memory taken few years ago at Church rehearsal for a Drama presentation converted to cartoon image. It’s so elegantly frozen in time so to speak as everyone is pictured in their roles preparing for the song & dance presentation. So beautiful if you can see it from your Heart. Miss my Church Family dearly. #sunday #churchfamily #churchdramaministry #elijahcompany #memories #forourking #happysunday #godisgood #keepcalmandtrustgod

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It’s been a few LONG months since I’ve been able to get a Workout in. Setting up a home Gym not quit there, but’s it’s coming together. Hope Ya’All are staying safe, healthy & happy. Keep Praying for Peace & that Love would lead us ALL through this. Blessings 🤗#goodmorning #tuesdayvibes #workoutathome #homegym #bodyboss #leadwithlove #lovethyneighbor #prayfortheworld

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I don’t know where you find yourself this morning. With All the calamity around us, medically, economically & socially, whom are you secure in? God’s word is comforting to All whom Trust in Him. Looking for Hope in the Midst of Hopelessness. With everything going on in the World, God has not abandoned You if you Trust In Him. Psalms 18:28-30 “ For You will light my lamp;

The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him”. If your walking alone, do you have peace in this shaken world ?

Habakkuk 2:4” Behold the proud,His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith”. Knowing God Lives, that’s he’s not some Angry Authoritarian God, but Loves You & sits upon the Throne in full control of what’s going on in the World.

Habakkuk 2:20 “ But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him.”

If we abide & Walk with God knowing him as Savior, listening to every word that proceeds from his breath, Peace, Rest & Comfort fills your being, Despite what’s going on around you.

Mathew 17:5 ( NASB)

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; LISTEN TO HIM”.

#whereisyourpeace #cornavirus #pandemic2020 #2ndwavecoming #spiritualawakening #battleforyoursoul #godisincontrol #trustingod #dailybread #dailyinspiration #itsallaboutjesus #godwillmakeaway #restinhim

Can’t start my day without Jesus & Coffee. It’s what gets me pumped & motivated for the day ahead. Coffee awakens me, Jesus, Gods word catapults me to bring on the day that lays ahead. Can’t have one, without the other. #goodmorning #coffeetime #coffeewithjesus #freshstart #weekahead #canthaveonewithouttheother #itiswell #mondaymotivation #smile

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The Prodigal Son story is one of my favourites of All. Going through the study a few years ago received some “ mighty healing “ that only Abba Father can do. Going through another study recently with another Brother & even seeing my own daughter having her struggles, All I can say Gods timing is always perfect. No matter where you find yourself, where you’ve been, what you’ve done, or even what someone else has done or failed to do, I’m hear to testify that God the Father forgives You, is always there to welcome You with his arms stretched wide, without accusation, blame or even mentions your sins & shortcomings. His Love for you is Relentless, never failing, always present & he himself Loves You SO much that he sacrificed his only Son, so that YOU may have life now & for All Eternity. Don’t blame yourself, dust yourself off, the Father runs to You taken the shame that you deserve upon himself. His door is always open, he always leave a light on, waiting for you to come home. #abbafather #goodgoodfather #prodigalson #sonoftheking #daughteroftheking #restoration #healing #forgiving #nojudgement #godsarmsarealwaysopen #godsarmsareopenwide #noshame

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Charles Spurgeon's "Morning & Evening"

Devotions for April 12

MORNING

“The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.” - Judges 7:20

Gideon ordered his men to do two things: covering up a torch in an earthen pitcher, he bade them, at an appointed signal, break the pitcher and let the light shine, and then sound with the trumpet, crying, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon! the sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!” This is precisely what all Christians must do. First, you must shine; break the pitcher which conceals your light; throw aside the bushel which has been hiding your candle, and shine. Let your light shine before men; let your good works be such, that when men look upon you, they shall know that you have been with Jesus. Then there must be the sound, the blowing of the trumpet. There must be active exertions for the ingathering of sinners by proclaiming Christ crucified. Take the gospel to them; carry it to their door; put it in their way; do not suffer them to escape it; blow the trumpet right against their ears. Remember that the true war-cry of the Church is Gideon’s watchword, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!” God must do it, it is his own work. But we are not to be idle; instrumentality is to be used-“The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!” If we only cry, “The sword of the Lord!” we shall be guilty of an idle presumption; and if we shout, “The sword of Gideon!” alone, we shall manifest idolatrous reliance on an arm of flesh: we must blend the two in practical harmony, “The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon!” We can do nothing of ourselves, but we can do everything by the help of our God; let us, therefore, in his name determine to go out personally and serve with our flaming torch of holy example, and with our trumpet tones of earnest declaration and testimony, and God shall be with us, and Midian shall be put to confusion, and the Lord of hosts shall reign for ever and ever.

EVENING

“In the evening withhold not thy hand.” - Ecclesiastes 11:6

In the evening of the day opportunities are plentiful: men return from their labour, and the zealous soul-winner finds time to tell abroad the love of Jesus. Have I no evening work for Jesus? If I have not, let me no longer withhold my hand from a service which requires abundant labour. Sinners are perishing for lack of knowledge; he who loiters may find his skirts crimson with the blood of souls. Jesus gave both his hands to the nails, how can I keep back one of mine from his blessed work? Night and day he toiled and prayed for me, how can I give a single hour to the pampering of my flesh with luxurious ease? Up, idle heart; stretch out thy hand to work, or uplift it to pray; heaven and hell are in earnest, let me be so, and this evening sow good seed for the Lord my God.

The evening of life has also its calls. Life is so short that a morning of manhood’s vigour, and an evening of decay, make the whole of it. To some it seems long, but a four-pence is a great sum of money to a poor man. Life is so brief that no man can afford to lose a day. It has been well said that if a great king should bring us a great heap of gold, and bid us take as much as we could count in a day, we should make a long day of it; we should begin early in the morning, and in the evening we should not withhold our hand; but to win souls is far nobler work, how is it that we so soon withdraw from it? Some are spared to a long evening of green old age; if such be my case, let me use such talents as I still retain, and to the last hour serve my blessed and faithful Lord. By his grace I will die in harness, and lay down my charge only when I lay down my body. Age may instruct the young, cheer the faint, and encourage the desponding; if eventide has less of vigorous heat, it should have more of calm wisdom, therefore in the evening I will not withhold my hand.

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The stone is removed not to let the supernatural out, but so the People would see. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has Risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’” - Luke 24:6-7 #heisrisen #heisrisenindeed #rollawaythestone #resurrectionsunday