Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 7th)

Gift of Strength; Peace to Bless

The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace — Psalm 29:11

David had just heard the voice of the Lord in a thunderstorm, and had seen His power in the hurricane whose path he had described; and now, in the cool calm after the storm, that overwhelming power by which Heaven and earth are shaken is promised to be the strength of the chosen. He who wings the unerring bolt will give to His redeemed the wings of eagles; He who shakes the earth with His voice will terrify the enemies of His saints, and give His children peace. Why are we weak when we have divine strength to flee to? Why are we troubled when the Lord's own peace is ours? Jesus, the mighty God, is our strength; let us put Him on and go forth to our service. Jesus, our blessed Lord, is also our peace; let us repose in Him this day, and end our fears. What a blessing to have Him for our strength and peace both now and for ever!

That same God who rides upon the storm in days of tempest will also rule the hurricane of our tribulation, and send us, before long, days of peace. We shall have strength for storms, and songs for fair weather. Let us begin to sing at once unto God our strength and our peace. Away, dark thoughts! Up, faith and hope!

#faith #bible #christian

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 6th)

"Through" Not Engulfed

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee — Isaiah 43:2

Bridge there is none: we must go through the waters, and feel the rush of the rivers. The presence of God in the flood is better than a ferry-boat. Tried we must be, but triumphant we shall be; for Jehovah Himself, who is mightier than many waters, shall be with us. Whenever else He may be away from His people, the Lord will surely be with them in difficulties and dangers. The sorrows of life may rise to an extraordinary height, but the Lord is equal to every occasion.

The enemies of God can put in our way dangers of their own making, namely, persecutions and cruel mockings, which are like a burning fiery furnace. What then? We shall walk through the fires. God being with us, we shall not be burned; nay, not even the smell of fire shall remain upon us.

Oh, the wonderful security of the heaven-born and heaven-bound pilgrim! Floods cannot drown him, nor fires burn him. Thy presence, O Lord, is the protection of thy saints from the varied perils of the road. Behold, in faith I commit myself unto thee, and my spirit enters into rest.

#faith #bible #christian

Me! I grew up where it was filmed. Didn't become a fan until after I moved away.

“The great thing about salvation is that we’ve been restored to know God in His glory and remember that we are but nothing in His sight and we exist to serve Him.”

Greg Bahnsen

#faith #bible #christian

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 5th)

High Places of Defense

He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure — Isaiah 33:16

The man to whom God has given grace to be of blameless life dwells in perfect security.

He dwells on high, above the world, out of gunshot of the enemy, and near to Heaven. He has high aims and motives, and he finds high comforts and company. He rejoices in the mountains of eternal love, wherein he has his abode.

He is defended by munitions of stupendous rock. The firmest things in the universe are the promises and purposes of the unchanging God, and these are the safeguard of the obedient believer.

He is provided for by this great promise, "Bread shall be given him." As the enemy cannot climb the fort, nor break down the rampart, so the fortress cannot be captured by siege and famine. The Lord, who rained manna in the wilderness, will keep His people in good store even when they are surrounded by those who would starve them.

But what if water should fail? That cannot be, "his waters shall be sure." There is a never-failing well within the impregnable fortress. The Lord sees that nothing is wanting. None can touch the citizen of the true Zion. However fierce the enemy, the Lord will preserve His chosen.

#faith #bible #christian

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 4th)

Covered and Protected

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler — Psalm 91:4

A condescending simile indeed! Just as a hen protects her brood and allows them to nestle under her wings, so will the Lord defend His people, and permit them to hide away in Him. Have we not seen the little chicks peeping out from under the mother's feathers? Have we not heard their little cry of contented joy? In this way let us shelter ourselves in our God, and feel overflowing peace in knowing that He is guarding us.

While the Lord covers us we trust. It would be strange if we did not. How can we distrust when Jehovah Himself becomes house and home, refuge and rest to us?

This done, we go out to war in His name and enjoy the same guardian care. We need shield and buckler, and when we implicitly trust God, even as the chick trusts the hen, we find His truth arming us from head to foot. The Lord cannot lie; He must be faithful to His people; His promise must stand. This sure truth is all the shield we need. Behind it we defy the fiery darts of the enemy.

Come, my soul, hide under those great wings, lose thyself among those soft feathers! How happy thou art!

#faith #bible #christian

Oh boy. A guy I follow has bought into flat earth. Watch his video. Are you convinced? Ep. 8 The Firmament, the Flat Earth, and the Glory of God https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpy9XGUEGzA

#faith #bible #christian

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will pursue me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of Yahweh forever.

— Psalm 23:6

Rejoice today at the beginning of the Advent season! The promised seed of the woman, Jesus Christ, crushed the head of the serpent. He was wounded but rose from the dead on the third day. He is God with us, the Lord almighty in the flesh.

And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her seed;

He shall bruise you on the head,

And you shall bruise him on the heel.--Genesis 3:15

#faith #bible #christian #advent

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (December 1st)

True Walking Posture

He that walketh uprightly walketh surely — Proverb 10:9

His walk may be slow, but it is sure. He that hasteth to be rich shall not be innocent nor sure; but steady perseverance in integrity, if it do not bring riches, will certainly bring peace. In doing that which is just and right we are like one walking upon a rock, for we have confidence that every step we take is upon solid and safe ground. On the other hand, the utmost success through questionable transactions must always be hollow and treacherous, and the man who has gained it must always be afraid that a day of reckoning will come, and then his gains will condemn him.

Let us stick to truth and righteousness. By God's grace let us imitate our Lord and Master, in whose mouth no deceit was ever found. Let us not be afraid of being poor, nor of being treated with contempt. Never, on any account whatever, let us do that which our conscience cannot justify. If we lose inward peace, we lose more than a fortune can buy. If we keep in the Lord's own way, and never sin against our conscience, our way is sure against all comers. Who is he that can harm us if we be followers of that which is good? We may be thought fools by fools if we are firm in our integrity; but in the place where judgment is infallible we shall be approved.

#faith #bible #christian

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 30th)

God Is in the Front Line

The Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed — Deuteronomy 31:8

In the presence of a great work or a great warfare, here is a text which should help us to buckle on our harness. If Jehovah Himself goes before us, it must be safe to follow. Who can obstruct our progress if the Lord Himself is in the van? Come, brother soldiers, let us make a prompt advance! Why do we hesitate to pass on to victory?

Nor is the Lord before us only; He is with us. Above, beneath, around, within is the omnipotent, omnipresent One. In all time, even to eternity, He will be with us even as He has been. How this should nerve our arm! Dash at it boldly, ye soldiers of the cross, for the Lord of hosts is with us!

Being before us and with us, He will never withdraw His help. He cannot fail in Himself, and He will not fail toward us. He will continue to help us according to our need, even to the end. As He cannot fail us, so He will not forsake us. He will always be both able and willing to grant us strength and succor till fighting days are gone.

Let us not fear nor be dismayed; for the Lord of hosts will go down to the battle with us, will bear the brunt of the fight, and give us the victory.

#faith #bible #christian

New article in the local paper by my pastor: Same law governs king and people.

"Israel wandered in the wilderness for a full generation (40 years) without a king, at the beginning of its national history.

In fact, in the first giving of the law, which occurred at Mount Sinai, there was no provision given for a king in Israel at all. Moses was certainly the leader of the new nation, but his governmental function was to serve as the judge of Israel’s supreme court. The law created an appeals court system, with Moses as the court of last appeal. He was not their king.

Under that arrangement, which we call the Old Covenant, God himself was the king of Israel. Again, initially there was no allowance for a human king.

A generation later, the nation stood on the banks of the Jordan River, about to cross over into the land of Canaan. God directed Moses to give the law a second time. This is our Bible book of Deuteronomy. The name combines two Greek words: “deutero” (or, second) and “nomos” (law).

This is not a bare repetition, but contains some expansion here and there, with some additional statutes. Halfway through, we finally get a set of rules for a future, human king over Israel. This is at the end of chapter 17. Israel would make no use of those guidelines, however, for hundreds of years, until the book of 1 Samuel.

It’s noteworthy, at least, that when they took the step of seeking a king, God was not pleased. It represented a rejection of his own rulership over them. However, since he is a God of grace and mercy, he gave the king rules to follow, for the sake of keeping him from becoming the sort of tyrant we all fear, and which, paradoxically, we keep voting into office every four years.

A couple of those commands were meant to remind everybody that the king was accountable to keep the same laws as everyone else. As far as the law was concerned, he didn’t occupy a privileged status. He was bound by all the same rules.

Just because you’re in office, you don’t get special powers or rights. If we can’t do it as citizens, then neither can you as part of the government. I can’t coerce money from my neighbor and call it taxation. You can’t either. No one has that right. Consequently, since that power doesn’t belong to any of us, we can’t get together and give that right to someone else. It’s not ours to give.

This is the point at which our democratic republic has turned idolatrous. We think we, like little gods, can appoint representatives to do our bidding, even if that bidding is flatly immoral. We don’t care: we voted for it, after all, so it’s legal, which means it must be moral.

But there is no magic to putting a man in office. He doesn’t then fall under a different scheme of morality. That official will have his or her own date with judgment and eternity, like the rest of us. And the basis of the judgment will be the same: Did we obey God, or find excuses for going our own way?"

Gordan Runyan is pastor of Tucumcari’s Immanuel Baptist Church and author of “Radical Moses: The Amazing Civil Freedom Built into Ancient Israel.” Contact him at: reformnm@yahoo.com

https://www.qcsunonline.com/story/2023/11/29/opinion/same-law-governs-king-and-people/25363.html

#faith #bible #christian

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 29th)

Know How to Wait

He that believeth shall not make haste — Isaiah 28:16

He shall make haste to keep the Lord's commandments; but he shall not make haste in any impatient or improper sense.

He shall not haste to run away, for he shall not be overcome with the fear which causes panic. When others are flying hither and thither as if their wits had failed them, the believer shall be quiet, calm, and deliberate, and so shall be able to act wisely in the hour of trial.

He shall not haste in his expectations, craving his good things at once and on the spot; but he will wait God's time. Some are in a desperate hurry to have the bird in the hand; for they regard the Lord's promise as a bird in the bush, not likely to be theirs. Believers know how to wait.

He shall not haste by plunging into wrong or questionable action. Unbelief must be doing something, and thus it works its own undoing; but faith makes no more haste than good speed, and thus it is not forced to go back sorrowfully by the way which it followed heedlessly.

How is it with me? Am I believing, and am I therefore keeping to the believer's pace, which is walking with God? Peace, fluttering spirit! Oh, rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him! Heart, see that thou do this at once!

#faith #bible #christian

“Wherever Christ ceases to be man’s savior, there liberty perishes as the state again asserts its messianic claims.” — R J Rushdoony.

#faith #bible #christian

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 28th)

Doing What God Can Bless

The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto — Deuteronomy 28:8

If we obey the Lord our God He will bless that which He gives us. Riches are no curse when blessed of the Lord. When men have more than they require for their immediate need, and begin to lay up in store-houses, the dry rot of covetousness or the blight of hard-heartedness is apt to follow the accumulation; but with God's blessing it is not so. Prudence arranges the saving, liberality directs the spending, gratitude maintains consecration, and praise sweetens enjoyment. It is a great mercy to have God's blessing in one's iron safe, and on one's banking account.

What a favor is made ours by the last clause! "The Lord shall bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand unto." We would not put our hand to anything upon which we dare not ask God's blessing, neither would we go about it without prayer and faith. But what a privilege to be able to look for the Lord's help in every enterprise! Some talk of a lucky man: the blessing of the Lord is better than luck. The patronage of the great is nothing to the favor of God. Self-reliance is all very well; but the Lord's blessing is infinitely more than all the fruit of talent, genius, or tact.

#faith #bible #christian

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 27th)

Rest in All Thy Goings

And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest — Exodus 33:14

Precious promise! Lord, enable me to appropriate it as all my own.

We must go at certain times from our abode, for here we have no continuing city. It often happens that when we feel most at home in a place, we are suddenly called away from it. Here is the antidote for this ill. The Lord Himself will keep us company. His presence, which includes His favor, His fellowship, His care, and His power, shall be ever with us in every one of our marchings. This means far more than it says; for, in fact, it means all things. If we have God present with us, we have possession of Heaven and earth. Go with me, Lord, and then command me where thou wilt!

But we hope to find a place of rest. The text promises it. We are to have rest of God's own giving, making, and preserving. His presence will cause us to rest even when we are on the march, yea, even in the midst of battle. Rest! Thrice blessed word. Can it ever be enjoyed by mortals? Yes, there is the promise, and by faith we plead it. Rest comes from the Comforter, from the Prince of Peace, and from the glorious Father who rested on the seventh day from all His works. To be with God is to rest in the most emphatic sense.

#faith #bible #christian

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 26th)

Heavenly Alchemy

Your sorrow shall be turned into joy — John 16:20

Their particular sorrow was the death and absence of their Lord, and it was turned into joy when He rose from the dead and showed Himself in their midst. All the sorrows of saints shall be thus transmuted; even the worst of them, which look as if they must for ever remain fountains of bitterness.

Then the more sorrow the more joy. If we have loads of sorrow, then the Lord's power will turn them into tons of joy. Then the bitterer the trouble the sweeter the pleasure: the swinging of the pendulum far to the left will cause it to go all the farther to the right. The remembrance of the grief shall heighten the flavor of the delight: we shall set the one in contrast with the other, and the brilliance of the diamond shall be the more clearly seen because of the black foil behind it.

Come, my heart, cheer up! In a little while I shall be as glad as I am now gloomy. Jesus tells me that by a heavenly alchemy my sorrow shall be turned into joy. I do not see how it is to be, but I believe it, and I begin to sing by way of anticipation. This depression of spirit is not for long, I shall soon be up among the happy ones who praise the Lord day and night, and there I shall sing of the mercy which delivered me out of great afflictions.

#faith #bible #christian

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 25th)

Mountains Turned to Plains

Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it — Zechariah 4:7

At this hour a mountain of difficulty, distress, or necessity, may be in our way, and natural reason sees no path over it, or through it, or round it. Let faith come in, and straightway the mountain disappears and becomes a plain. But faith must first hear the word of the Lord - "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." This grand truth is a prime necessity for meeting the insurmountable trials of life.

I see that I can do nothing, and that all reliance on man is vanity. "Not by might." I see that no visible means can be relied on, but the force is in the invisible Spirit. God alone must work, and men and means must be nothing accounted of. If it be so, that the Almighty God takes up the concerns of His people, then great mountains are nothing. He can remove worlds as boys toss balls about, or drive them with their foot. This power He can lend to me. If the Lord bids me move an Alp I can do it through His name. It may be a great mountain, but even before my feebleness it shall become a plain; for the Lord hath said it. What can I be afraid of with God on my side?

#faith #bible #christian

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 24th)

Pardon and Forgiveness

He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever — Psalm 103:9

He will chide sometimes, or He would not be a wise Father for such poor erring children as we are. His chiding is very painful to those who are true, because they feel how sadly they deserve it, and how wrong it is on their part to grieve Him. We know what this chiding means, and we bow before the Lord, mourning that we should cause Him to be angry with us.

But what a comfort we find in these lines! "Not always" will He chide. If we repent and turn to Him with hearts broken for sin and broken from sin, He will smile upon us at once. It is no pleasure to Him to turn a frowning face toward those whom He loves with all His heart: it is His joy that our joy should be full.

Come, let us seek His face. There is no reason for despair, nor even for despondency. Let us love a chiding God, and before long we shall sing: "Thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me." Begone, ye dark forebodings, ye ravens of the soul! Come in, ye humble hopes and grateful memories, ye doves of the heart! He who pardoned us long ago as a judge, will again forgive us as a father, and we shall rejoice in His sweet, unchanging love.

#faith #bible #christian

Spurgeon's Faith's Checkbook (November 23rd)

Acquiring Perseverance

The Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little — Deuteronomy 7:22

We are not to expect to win victories for the Lord Jesus by a single blow. Evil principles and practices die hard. In some places it takes years of labor to drive out even one of the many vices which defile the inhabitants. We must carry on the war with all our might, even when favored with little manifest success.

Our business in this world is to conquer it for Jesus. We are not to make compromises, but to exterminate evils. We are not to seek popularity, but to wage unceasing war with iniquity. Infidelity, popery, drink, impurity, oppression, worldliness, error; these are all to be "put out."

The Lord our God can alone accomplish this. He works by His faithful servants; and, blessed be His name, He promises that He will so work. "Jehovah thy God will put out those nations before thee." This He will do by degrees, that we may learn perseverance, may increase in faith, may earnestly watch, and may avoid carnal security. Let us thank God for a little success, and pray for more. Let us never sheathe the sword till the whole land is won for Jesus.

Courage, my heart! Go on little by little, for many littles will make a great whole.

#faith #bible #christian