DEVOTION for February 21st *A.D. 2024
Written and calendared by Charles H. Spurgeon.

PRAYER 10, Part 3 of 9: THE MUSIC OF PRAISE.

ANECDOTE 204: The Returning Prodigal.

FAITH’S CHECKBOOK: February 21 BLESSING ON LITTLENESS

-He [God] will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great- Psalm 115:13

MORNING: "He[God] hath said. " —Hebrews 13:5

EVENING: "Understandest thou what thou readest?"

[Do you understand what you are reading]? — Acts 8:30

A SINNER’S PRAYER

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PRAYER 10, Part 3 of 9

THE MUSIC OF PRAISE.

[Father] We wish we knew how to do something for Thee. We pray that we may be helped to do so ere [before] we die; yea, that every flying hour may confess that we have brought Thy Gospel some renown; that we may so live as to extend the Redeemer’s kingdom at least in some little measure; that ours may not be a fruitless, wasted life; that no faculty [ability] of ours may lay by and rust; but to the utmost of our capacity may we be helped of the Divine Spirit to spend our whole life in real adoration. We know that

he prays that serves,

he praises that gives,

he adores that obeys,

and the life is the best music.

Oh! set it to good music, we pray Thee, and help us all through to keep to [on] each note, and may there be no false note in all the singing of our life, but all be according to that sacred score which is written out so fully in the life music of our Lord.

We beseech [implore] Thee to look down upon Thy children, and cheer us. Lord, lift us up. Come, Holy Spirit, like a fresh, bracing wind, and let our spirit, through Thy Spirit, rise upward toward God. [In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ] Amen.

(Attachment: PRAYER 10.doc)

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ANECDOTE 204: The Returning Prodigal.

Picture the case of the prodigal son when he went home. Suppose when he reached the house the elder brother had come to meet him. I must suppose that the elder brother had sweetened himself, and made himself amiable; and then I hear him [the elder brother] say, “Come in, brother, welcome home !” But I see the returning one stand there with the tears in his eyes, and I hear him lament [say apologetically]

“I want to see my father. I must tell him that I have sinned and done evil in his sight.”

An old servant whispers,

“Master John, I am glad to see you back. Be happy, for all the servants are rejoiced to hear the sound of your voice. It is true your father will not see you, but he has ordered the fatted calf to be killed for you, and here is the best robe, and a ring, and shoes for your feet, and we are told to put them upon you.”

All this would not content the poor penitent. I think I hear him cry

“I do not despise anything my father gives me, for I am not worthy to be as his hired servant; but what is all this unless I see his face, and know that he forgives me?

There is no taste in the feast, no glitter in the ring, no fitness in the shoes, no beauty in the robe unless I can see my father and can be reconciled to him.”

Do you not see that in the case of the prodigal son the great matter was to get his head into his father’s bosom, and there to sob out,

“Father, I have sinned.”

The one thing needful was the kiss of free forgiveness, the touch of those dear, warm, loving lips, which said,

“My dear child, I love you, and your faults are blotted out.”

That was the thing that gave his soul rest and perfect peace; and this is the mystery we come to preach to you, God himself drawing near to you in Christ Jesus, and out of His great beneficence [abundant grace] forgiving you all trespasses.

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FAITH’S CHECKBOOK February 21 BLESSING ON LITTLENESS C.H. Spurgeon

-He [God] will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great- Psalm 115:13

-Bendecira a los que temen a Jehova; A chicos y a grandes - Salmos 115:13

This is a word of cheer to those who are of humble station and mean [low] estate. Our God has a very gracious consideration for those of small property, small talent, small influence, small weight. God careth [cares] for the small things in creation, and even regards sparrows in their lighting [where and when they touch] upon the ground.

Nothing is small to God, for He makes use of insignificant agents [means] for the accomplishment of His purposes.

Let the least among men seek of God a blessing upon his littleness, and he shall find his contracted sphere [little world] to be a happy one.

Among those who fear the Lord there are little and great. Some are babes, and others are giants. But these are all blessed.

Little faith is blessed faith. Trembling hope is blessed hope. Every grace of the Holy Spirit, even though it be only in the bud, bears a blessing within it. Moreover, the Lord Jesus bought both the small and the great with the same precious blood, and He has engaged to preserve the lambs as well as the full-grown sheep.

No mother overlooks her child because it is little; nay, the smaller it is, the more tenderly does she nurse it. If there be any preference with the Lord, He does not arrange them as -great and small,-[from great to small] but as -small and great [but from small to great]-.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that You bless us all, from small to great and will guide us continually as we stretch ourselves to meet the needs of the poor. Help us to be generous and to find peace, comfort and joy in You, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

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MORNING February 21

"He [God] hath said. " —Hebrews 13:5

─ Él dijo. — Hebreos 13:5

IF we can only grasp these words by faith, we have an all-conquering weapon in our hand. What doubt will not be slain by this two-edged sword? What fear is there that will not fall with a deadly wound before this arrow from the bow of God's covenant [divine promise]? Will not the distresses of life and the pangs of death, will not the corruptions within and the snares [traps] without, will not the trials [testing of faith] from above and the temptations [of eye and flesh] from beneath all seem but light afflictions, when we can hide ourselves beneath the bulwark [of]:

"He hath said"?

Yes; whether for delight in our quietude [quietness], or for strength in our conflict,

"He hath said"

must be our daily resort [defense]. And this may teach us the extreme value of

searching the Scriptures [Bible].

There may be a promise in the Word which would exactly fit your case, but you may not know of it, and therefore you miss its comfort.

You [we] are like prisoners in a dungeon with one key in the bunch that would unlock the door and you might be free; but if you will not look for it, you may remain a prisoner still, though liberty is so near at hand.

There may be a potent medicine in the great pharmacopoeia [medicine chest] of Scripture, and you may yet continue [to be] sick unless you will examine and search the Scriptures to discover what

"He hath said."

Should you not, besides reading the Bible, richly store your memory with the promises of God? You can remember the sayings of great men, and you treasure up the verses of renowned poets; ought you not to be profound in your knowledge of the words of God, so that you may be able to quote them readily when you would solve a difficulty, or overthrow a doubt? Since

"He hath said"

is the source of all wisdom, and the fountain of all comfort, let it dwell in you richly, as

"A well of water, springing up unto everlasting life."

In this way you will grow healthy, strong, and happy in the divine life

[in Christ Jesus].

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EVENING February 21

"Understandest thou what thou readest?"[you read]? — Acts 8:30

─Mas ¿entiendes lo que lees? —Hechos 8:30

WE would be better teachers of others and less liable to be carried about by every wind [force] of doctrine, if we sought to have a more intelligent understanding of the Word of God. Since the Holy Spirit, the Author of the Scriptures, is He who alone can enlighten us rightly to understand them, we should constantly ask His teaching, and His guidance into all truth.

When the prophet Daniel wanted to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream, what did he do? He set himself to earnest prayer that God would open up [explain] the vision.

The apostle John, in his vision at [the Island of] Patmos, saw a book sealed with seven seals which none worthy was found to open, or so much as to look upon.

The book was afterwards opened by the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who had prevailed to open it; but it is written first

"I wept much."

The tears of John, which were his liquid prayers, were, so far as he was concerned, the sacred keys by which the folded book was opened. Therefore if, for your own and others' profit, you desire to be

"filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,"

remember that

prayer is your best means of study:

like Daniel, you shall understand the dream and the interpretation thereof when you have sought God; and like John you shall see the seven seals of precious truth unloosed, after you have wept much.

Stones are not broken except by an earnest use of the hammer, and the stone-breaker must go down on his knees. Use the hammer of diligence, let the knee of prayer be exercised, and there is not a stony doctrine in revelation that is useful for you to understand, that will not fly into splinters under the exercise of prayer and faith.

You may force your way through anything with the leverage of prayer. Thoughts and reasonings are like the steel wedges which give a hold on truth; but prayer is the lever, the prize that forces open the iron chest of sacred mystery, so we may get the treasure hidden within.

A SINNER’S PRAYER: … FOR WHOSOEVER: [One and all]
Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21
Call on the name of the Lord Jesus and be saved … pray like this, won’t you?

“Lord Jesus, I’m a lost sinner and without You I am hopeless. I can’t save myself. Without your death on the cross for my sin debt I would be condemned to spend eternity condemned to Hell. I have been self-centered from birth. Please forgive me.

I realize that doing my best, being as good as possible, or being better than other people can never save me. . I’m guilty and sorry for each and every sin I have done and look to You to forgive me of them all.
I look to You, alone Lord Jesus to save me.
I call on You, Lord Jesus, right now to save me. You died on the cross for me, because of my sin and You say, “It shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21.

Right now, just as I am, I call on You, Lord Jesus to save me, I trust You, to be my Lord and Savior from now on.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You have forgiven me of all my sins. I ask You to abide in me and give me the desire to always follow You.
You paid the price for all of my sins by dying on the cross. Even the sins of the whole world.

Thank you, Lord Jesus that You loved me and died for me even before I was born and that You still love me now. I love You too.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, that You have called me away from sin and death into the Life everlasting in Your only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank You, Heavenly Father that you raised Jesus from the dead. He is ALIVE and in Him we are victorious over sin, death and the grave. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [Holy Ghost, The Comforter, The Spirit of Truth]

Thank You for saving me heavenly Father. With all my heart, thank you Father for saving me in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Allow us to share the joy of your new birth with heaven. Won’t you? Heaven rejoices over each redeemed sinner. Luke 15:7

The John Mark Publishing Company, P.O. Box 21, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92693, U.S.A. or e-mail: dailyspurgeon@aol.com. Write us, won’t you?

You too can cast your cares on the Lord…

Call on Him. As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me.. ...Psalm 55:16
Trust Him. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass ... Psalm 37:5
Come to Him. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.. Matthew 11:28
Give Him the burden. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22]

MISSION STATEMENT:

Our aim is to be Christlike. We desire to fulfill the Great Commission in taking the GOOD NEWS of Salvation by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ [The Messiah] to every creature, making and baptizing disciples in the name of God the Father, Jesus the Christ and the Holy Ghost.

The Published Titles from Spurgeon that are included exclusively each day in the Devotion are:

· C.H. Spurgeon Prayers

· Spurgeon’s Illustrative Anecdotes

· Faith’s Checkbook

· Morning & Evening

These titles are selected from the inspired body of work created from the preaching and writing of Charles Haddon Spurgeon 1834-1892. He created an excellent legacy of gospel preaching and exposition and is known as the “Prince of Preachers”. Spurgeon has been and is today widely read with great benefit from the 1800’s to this present time. He is the beloved founder of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England (Still thriving TODAY through the faithful preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.) [Click to live-stream current gospel preaching in real time each Sunday from London by Dr. Peter Masters, Metropolitan Tabernacle pastor since 1970.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, please bless Your disciples toward the winning of many souls, and help us to be loving and compassionate toward all who are in need, especially those in the household of faith. I pray this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and for His sake, Amen.

Disclaimer: The John Mark Publishing Company does not praise or exalt Charles H. Spurgeon beyond the honor due him. He didn’t need or want it when he was on earth and would have no need or desire for it now. Our aim is to lift up and glorify the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and to preach HIM and Him crucified.

Precaution: These Messages and prayers alone will not substitute for continual fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Neither do they replace personal reading, meditation, prayer and fasting over God's divinely preserved and eternal Word. (The King James version (KJV), known also as the Authorized Version (AV), is the preferred English Bible because its accuracy and fidelity to the Greek Textus Receptus [received text] and the Hebrew Masoretic Text) avoid doctrinal and editorial weaknesses found in many contemporary editions.

Prayer Selection by Spurgeon must not be offered as a substitute for personal, intimate fervent, heart-felt, prayer. It is intended rather, to warm the hearts of those who are in prayer seeking a season of authentic two-way, heart-to-heart fellowship and prayer with the Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit. Read from the NT Book of Romans Chapter 8.

Preaching Preparation: Use these links to find a sermon by Charles H. Spurgeon from the same scripture(s) of the sermon you’re now preparing.

New Testament

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Old Testament

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Prayer for all Preachers and visitors: Dear Father, please lift up, build up, encourage and draw to Yourself all who visit this website. Bless the preaching of the Gospel and be glorified in your all sufficient, atoning grace that redeems all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ [Messiah], in Your name, Lord Jesus, Amen.

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Editorial Support: [Bracketed additions] clarify words and expressions that are unfamiliar or not in contemporary (USA) English use today. No changes other than spelling differences between the UK and the United States English (USA) have been made to Spurgeon’s original, unabridged text. Scripture references are blue hyperlinks that open The full Bible text. (English: AKJV, Authorized King James Version]; Spanish: Reina Valera/Gomez) The mailing list is strictly confidential and will not be used or distributed in any way for any purpose other than to send this daily message.

Copyright: Prayers, Anecdotes, Faith’s Checkbook and MORNING & EVENING, by C.H. Spurgeon are public domain. Please copy and share freely with anyone who comes to mind. Your partnership in this work is acknowledged with joy and gratitude.

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The Authorized King James Bible
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https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/King-James-Version-KJV-Bible/

The above link is to search for specific words or Scripture references in the King James Bible (KJV) inerrant and infallible English Bible because it is providentially protected and preserved by GOD Himself through the only translation into English by faithful brethren from the established majority text MT from which the Greek Textus Receptus [received text] manuscripts of the New Testament was taken and the Hebrew Masoretic Text of the Old Testament (Jewish Tanakh). These manuscripts are providentially protected, and frequently give greater glory to God when compared to variant readings of all modern translations from Modern Critical Texts based on inferior Greek manuscripts.

The established majority manuscripts avoid doctrinal error, inaccuracies in translation, uninspired editorial notations, variant or ambiguous readings taken from Codices Vaticanus, or Sinaiticus.

Copyright: The King James Version is distinguished by the requirement of Great Brittan that all King James bibles be printed by the Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s authorized printer. No one other than the Crown’s printer, is allowed print, copy or import the King James Bible into Great Brittan by order of the Crown.

In the United States there is no Copyright protection and the KJV is deemed Public Domain. If a new publication changes at least a 10% of an existing publication a lucrative Copyright can be granted. Therefore the NKJV and many other copyrighted translations. Only the King James Version New Testament is unique from among the over 100 English translations that follow modern textual criticism and only the King James is translated from the superior Greek Textus Receptus as its Primary time tested and self-authenticating Greek text Source.

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DEFENDINGTHE KING JAMES BIBLE by Millennium Bible Institute

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https://youtu.be/RL1px3GRfo4

This is fact filled video to present the essential truth for those who seek to learn about and use the providentially protected, preserved and immutable Holy Bible that is both inerrant and infallible and gives God the utmost praise, and the greatest glory due to GOD, HIMSELF, alone. Praise and worship are rightfully insisted upon and commanded in God’s inspired [God-Breathed (Spoken) Word from God himself. HOLY WORDS that were given by God through the Holy Ghost, word by word, to His Holy Prophets and Apostles and comprise all eternal (Matthew 5:18) Holy Scripture.

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HOW HAS THE MAJORITY TEXT AND THE TEXTUS RECEPTUS BEEN PROVIDENTIALLY PROTECTED AND PRESERVED?

THE INSPIRED, GOD BREATHED, IMMORTAL WORDS, WERE UTTERED, WORD-BY-WORD, TO THE HOLY PROPHETS AND APOSTLES, WHO WERE MOVED BY THE HOLY GHOST ARE PROTECTED AND PRESERVED IN HOLY SCRIPTURE THAT WAS WRITTEN WORD-FOR-WORD IS IMMUTABLE, INERRANT, AND INFALLIBLE AND IS FOR EVER SETTLED IN HEAVEN BY GOD HIMSELF IN THE SELF AUTHENTICATING WORD OF GOD, ITSELF.

Authorized (King James) Version:

ל Lamed

89 For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.

Psalm 119:89

Authorized (King James) Version:

21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2 Peter 1:21

Authorized (King James) Version:

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1

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Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort

URL:
https://www.febc.edu.sg/v15/article/def_the_inside_story_of_westcott_and_hort

In 1870, The Anglican Church of England passed a resolution to revise the English Bible. The New Testament revision committee which finally consisted of 25 scholars (though only about 16 eventually attended the meetings) which included Westcott and Hort. The committee worked for ten years in the Jerusalem chamber, and these two scholars swept the Revision Committee along with them after work commenced. In fact, the “Cambridge trio” (Westcott, Hort and Lightfoot) colluded with others to dominate the meetings with their views of the text and to defeat any who opposed them. Their *letters reveal this conspiracy:

* Letters from close relatives are quoted in the Inside Story above

The only voice defending the Textus Receptus was Dr Scrivener, probably the foremost scholar of the day in the manuscripts of the Greek New Testament and the history of the Text. But he was systematically outvoted by the Cambridge trio and outdone by Hort’s powerful debating skill. When the revision was completed, the revision committee had altered the Greek Text in 5,337 places,

thus violating the original rule that had been set for the committee of not altering the Greek Text unless absolutely necessary to do so.

Link above, for The complete Inside Story of Westcott and Hort.
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CONCLUSION

In conclusion, let it be said that no matter how good any modern version of the New Testament is in other ways, it is clearly blemished if the work of Westcott and Hort is present in it. The presence of their work means that it is based on a defective text. Those who want to honor the Word of God must not promote the use of any of these versions by the church, not because the content of the version is evil in itself, but because the attitude of being contented to use a blemished version rather than an existing unblemished one, dishonors God. If God has taken the trouble to preserve for His people a good Greek text of the New Testament for 18 centuries, how dishonoring it would be to Him if His people now chose instead to change over to a version that is based on a defective text.

Let the biblical story of Nadab and Abihu be a lesson to all:

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp. So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said. And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled” (Lev 10:1–6).

– Published in The Burning Bush, Volume 4 Number 1, January 1998

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For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.
-Psalm 119:89 Authorized (King James) Version

1 Corinthians 14:33 Authorized (King James) Version

33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

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