Psalm 80:3  Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

“Turn us again, O God.” It is not so much said, “turn our captivity” but turn “us.” All will come right if we are right. The best turn is not that of circumstances [...]]]> Notes by Charles Spurgeon:

Psalm 80:3  Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

“Turn us again, O God.” It is not so much said, “turn our captivity” but turn “us.” All will come right if we are right. The best turn is not that of circumstances but of character. When the Lord turns his people he will soon turn their condition. It needs the Lord himself to do this, for conversion is as divine a work as creation; and those who have been once turned unto God, if they at any time backslide, as much need the Lord to turn them again as to turn them at the first. The word may be read, “restore us;” verily, it is a choice mercy that “he restoreth my soul.” “And cause thy face to shine.” Be favourable to us, smile upon us. This was the high priest’s blessing upon Israel: what the Lord has already given us by our High-priest and Mediator we may right confidently ask of him. “And we shall be saved.” All that is wanted for salvation is the Lord’s favour. One glance of his gracious eye would transform Tophet into Paradise. No matter how fierce the foe, or dire the captivity, the shining face of God ensures both victory and liberty. This verse is a very useful prayer. Since we too often turn aside, let us often with our lips and heart cry, “Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.”

Psalm 80:7  Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

“Turn us again, O God of hosts.” The prayer rises in the form of Its address to God. He is here the God of Hosts. The more we approach the Lord in prayer and contemplation the higher will our ideas of him become.

Psalm 80:19  Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

“Turn us again, O Lord of hosts.” Here we have another advance in the title and the incommunicable name of Jehovah, the I Am is introduced. Faith’s day grows brighter as the hours roll on; and her prayers grow more full and mighty. “Cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” Even we who were so destroyed. No extremity is too great for the power of God. He is able to save at the last point, and that too by simply turning his smiling face upon his afflicted. Men can do little with their arm, but God can do all things with a glance. Oh, to live for ever in the light of Jehovah’s countenance.

Will you do me a favor? I asked it once, and it was blessed to the conversion of several. Will you take a little time alone this evening, and after you have weighed your own condition before the Lord, write down one of two words? If you feel that you are not a [...]]]> Charles Spurgeon:

Will you do me a favor? I asked it once, and it was blessed to the conversion of several. Will you take a little time alone this evening, and after you have weighed your own condition before the Lord, write down one of two words? If you feel that you are not a believer, write down Condemned. And if you are a believer in Jesus Christ and put your trust in Him alone, write down Forgiven. Do it, even if you have to write down the word Condemned.

We received into church fellowship a young man who said, “Sir, I wrote down the word Condemned, and I looked at it. There it was. I had written it myself — Condemned.” As he looked, the tears began to flow and the heart began to break. And before long he fled to Christ, put the paper in the fire, and wrote down Forgiven.

This young man was about the sixth who had been brought to the Lord in the same way. So I ask you to try it. Remember, you are either one or the other — condemned or forgiven. Do not stand between the two. Let it be decided. And remember, if you are condemned today, yet you are not in hell. There is still hope!

John 3:16-21 For  God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  (17)  For  God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  (18)  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of  God. (19)  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  (20)  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  (21)  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in  God.

Some people say, “We belong to such-and-such a church, but we don’t approve of its teaching or its practice.”

What! You belong to it, yet you do not approve of its principles? Out of your own mouth you are condemned. If I unite with a church whose creed I do [...]]]> Charles Spurgeon on church membership:

Some people say, “We belong to such-and-such a church, but we don’t approve of its teaching or its practice.”

What! You belong to it, yet you do not approve of its principles? Out of your own mouth you are condemned. If I unite with a church whose creed I do not believe, I am guilty of my own share in all the error that is there. It is no use for me to say, “I am trying to undo the mischief.” I have no business to be there.

2Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?