Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

November 5– Morning

 by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“No weapon that is formed against you will be successful.” 

—Isaiah 54:17

On this fifth day of November, Christians in England are reminded of two occasions when God accomplished great acts of deliverance. The first of these happened in 1605 when it was discovered that those loyal to the Roman Church were planning to destroy our Houses of Parliament.

The second occasion was in 1688, when King William III landed at Torbay and squashed the Roman Church’s ascendancy and religious liberty was secured for all.

This day, then, ought to be celebrated, by the songs of saints. Our Puritan forefathers most devoutly made it a special time of thanksgiving. There are records in existence that record the annual sermons preached by Matthew Henry on this day.

Our Protestant heritage and our love of liberty should make us regard anniversaries like this with holy gratitude. Let our hearts and lips exclaim, “We have heard with our ears, and our fathers have told us the wondrous things you did in their day, (O Lord).” You have made this nation the home of the gospel; and when enemies have risen against her, you have kept her safe. Help us to offer repeated songs for repeated deliverances.

May the Lord give us hearts to hate everything opposed to Christ and hurry the day when all of his opponents will be extinguished. Until then we believe the promise, “No weapon that is formed against you will be successful.” Shouldn’t everyone who loves the gospel of Jesus on this day plead for the overturning of false doctrines and the extension of divine truth? And shouldn’t we challenge our own hearts to turn away from any leaning toward self-righteousness that may still lie concealed within? [M&E]