Author: Charles Spurgeon

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Come near, our Father, and draw close to your children. Some of us are weak in body and faint in heart. Soon, O God, lay your right hand upon us and say, “Do not fear.” If any of us are being drawn towards the world, come near and extinguish the influence of the world with your superior power.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

Thank God for this: “Your word is truth.” It does not say, “Your word contains truth mixed with error” or “Your word has some truth in it.” No, it says, “Your word is truth.” Not only is it true, but it is truth itself—the essential truth.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

How knowing what Jesus is doing NOW will strengthen your faith and give you joy

We know in our heads that Christ is alive today… but what is he doing? After Christ rose again, he ascended into heaven. And he is doing some astounding work there right now for your good.

To better understand what Christ has been doing since he rose from the dead, you should check out The Ascension of Christ by Patrick Schreiner. This book is an accessible introduction to an often-neglected doctrine.

I know that reading it will bring you a lot of joy as you reflect on Christ’s present ministry for you. Grab a copy and read it this summer.

Buy The Ascension of Christ:

• Amazon (Paperback or Kindle)
• ChristianBook.com (Paperback or ebook)

Get a prayer from Spurgeon in your inbox every day. Subscribe to the Pray with Spurgeon newsletter for free.

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

O you who are the King of kings and Lord of lords, we worship you. Before the Lord’s awe-inspiring throne, we bow with sacred joy. We can truly say that we delight in God. There was a time when we feared you, O God, with the fear of bondage. But now, we revere and love you equally.

The thought of your omnipresence was once dreadful to us. We wondered, “Where shall we flee from your presence?” and it seemed to make hell itself more horrifying, as we heard the voice saying, “If I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there.” But now, O Lord, we desire to find you. Our longing is to feel your presence, and it is the heaven of heavens to know that you are there. The sickbed is soft when you are there. The furnace of affliction grows cool when you are there, and the house of prayer, when you are present, is none other than the house of God and the very gate of heaven.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:15–16)

Christ and his people did not go together out of the world all at once; that would have been to leave the world in an utterly forlorn condition, without any help whatever.

You cannot make Christ a worldling; do what you will with his character, twist it as you like, you must see that there is something unworldly, otherworldly, about him. So let it always be with his people.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Delight in God. Live for God.

You were created, not to build your own Kingdom, but to seek God’s. And it’s only when we live for THAT Kingdom, that we really start to live.

I’ve been really helped (and challenged) while reading A Quest for More: Living for Something Bigger than You by Paul Tripp. This book will invite you to living an incredible life, serving alongside Jesus, that will set you free from worry, legalism, and more.

Serving God isn’t about giving up your freedom — it’s about being set free to live the amazing purpose that God has for you.

This is an incredible life-giving book that will fill you with desire to know God and serve him with your all.

I hope you’ll buy a copy and read it this summer!

Buy A Quest for More:

• Amazon (Paperback or Kindle editions)
• ChristianBook.com (Paperback edition)

Get a prayer from Spurgeon in your inbox every day. Subscribe to the Pray with Spurgeon newsletter for free.

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Send, we pray, seasonable weather for the harvest of the earth’s fruits, but above all, send a time of harvest to your church. May your Kingdom come and your will be done. Fulfill the promise of the Father that you have made to your Son—”They shall be called a people who were not a people, and her beloved who was not beloved. And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they shall be called sons of the living God.”

Oh, draw them today; save them today. May this midsummer season be a day in which many fruits ripen for Christ. Lord, save the people; save all of your people. We ask this in the name, the mighty Sovereign name, of Jesus.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“I have given them your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14)

This does not look like trying to please the world, to adapt our method to the spirit of the age, to come as near to the world as ever we can, to dabble in its politics, and join in its schemes. This has to me a very different tone in it from all that.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A resource to help you share your faith (AND help others too!)

Today we prayed that God would bring people that we know to saving faith in Christ. The incredible thing is, we get to be a part of this!

Evangelism can be daunting for some, but it doesn’t have to be complicated! The most effective thing you can do with a non-Christian friend is to read the Bible together.

And to help you do that, I’ve created a resource called Know Jesus. This is a simple, easy-to-use Bible study. It’s designed for a Christian to take a non-Christian through 15 passages in Mark’s Gospel.

I worked really hard to create a resource that was as easy-to-use as possible, because we are called to share Christ with others.

The best part: 100% of the profits from this book are given to purchase copies for evangelism in Washington, DC, where I live and minister. (One copy purchased = one copy for a non-Christian in the nation’s capital).

So I hope you’ll buy two copies (one for you and one for a non-Christian friend) and start a fall Bible study with someone that you know.

Buy Know Jesus on Amazon (Paperback)

Get a prayer from Spurgeon in your inbox every day. Subscribe to the Pray with Spurgeon newsletter for free.

PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH (BY SPURGEON)

Lord, we ask for your blessings to be upon our dear friends who cannot gather in your house. You remember them, and so do we. May you send your blessings to them in their chambers. Oh, may the places where they reside be filled with the presence of their Lord. Restore the sick among us, and for those in our fellowship who are appointed to face death, may the Lord be solemnly present with them.

Amen.

WIN (A LOT OF) FREE BOOKS

Thanks to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Spurgeon College for sponsoring the Weekend Edition.

This month, its #MBTSBooks Month. Midwestern is giving away a book written by their faculty EVERY DAY. They’re also giving away one complete set of the Lost Sermons of C.H. Spurgeon (7 incredible volumes).

Learn everything you need to know right here.

WEEKEND LONG READ (SERMON BY SPURGEON)

The Power of Christ Illustrated by the Resurrection

God is able then to cause that the same body which on earth we wear in our humiliation, which we call a vile body, shall be fashioned like unto Christ’s body. No difficulties, however stern, that can be suggested from science or physical law, shall for a single instant stand in the way of the accomplishment of this transformation by Christ the King.

Read the full sermon from the Spurgeon Center for Biblical Preaching at Midwestern Seminary.

A FREE RESOURCE FROM MIDWESTERN

Incomprehensibility

Our finite human minds, apart from divine grace, are utterly incapable of knowing God as He is in Himself. Yes, God has manifested his “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature… in the things that have been made,” such that all people “clearly perceive” His existence and cosmic creativity; and yet, “Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” The rhetorical response to Paul’s famous question is clearly, “No one.”

PREPARE FOR MINISTRY AT MIDWESTERN

With all the hardships and headwinds Christian ministers face in a post-Christian world, along with the growing reality of ministry burnout, this year’s For The Church National Conference seeks to remind ministry leaders and saints alike of the glorious calling of everyday ministry. There may be days filled with difficulties and loss, yet being a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ is worth every pain, every worry, and every tear.

Join us in Kansas City on September 11-12 to remember why everyday ministry matters for the glory of God and the good of the Church.

Get a prayer from Spurgeon in your inbox every day. Subscribe to the Pray with Spurgeon newsletter for free.

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

O God, our Father, as we pray for the entire church, we do not want to overlook any one of your saints. There is not a single lamb in your flock that we would disdain to feed. Bless those who are weary and tired! Some have loved ones who are very sick and suffering, and we ask for your comfort and sustenance for them in the midst of great trouble. Remember those who are facing temporal difficulties and those who are themselves ill. But above all, help those who are burdened in spirit. Among your people, there are those who grow in the shade. Remember the individuals with sorrowful spirits and sad hearts. Lift up the light of your countenance upon your people and let their sadness be no more.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy completed in them.” (John 17:13)

While he drank the cup of sorrow to its dregs and approached the agonies of the cruel cross, he desired his disciples to have his joy fulfilled in them. May they be completely filled with his joy.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Last Day: Save on Fount of Heaven prayer book*

TODAY is the final day to get Fount of Heaven at a discount. This beautiful book compiles dozens of Scripture-soaked prayers from the early church into one incredible volume. I know this book will fuel your prayer life.

Here’s what to expect:

• Prayers written by heroes of church history (like Irenaeus and Augustine)
• Organized by topic to help you find the right prayer for every moment
• Awesome binding that will look great in your library
• Beautiful layout to help you pray without distraction

This book is a really invaluable resource filled with prayers for forgiveness, protection, help with ministry, thanksgiving, growing our love for Jesus, and more.

Fount of Heaven has helped my prayer life, and I know it will help yours too! I hope you’ll grab a copy today.

This month only: Buy Fount of Heaven and save 25%.

Get a prayer from Spurgeon in your inbox every day. Subscribe to the Pray with Spurgeon newsletter for free.

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord Jesus, remove anything that hinders the closest communion with God. Take away any desires or wishes that might hinder us in prayer, we implore you. Erase any memories of sorrow or cares that might obstruct our affections from fully focusing on our God.

What do we have to do with idols anymore? You have seen and observed us. You know where the difficulty lies. Help us overcome it, and may we now approach boldly, not only into the holy place but into the holiest of all, where we would not dare to enter if our great Lord had not rent the veil, sprinkled the mercy seat with his own blood, and invited us to come.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“While I was with them, I was protecting them by your name that you have given me. I guarded them and not one of them is lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled.” (John 17:12)

The Scripture was fulfilled in the preservation of his own and also in the destruction of the traitor. God’s Word will be fulfilled in any case. Oh, may it be a source of life unto life for us, keeping us safe. May it not become a source of death unto death, as it was for Judas, who was blinded by the very light that shone upon him! The intense light that surrounded the King of kings fell upon him, and it blinded him eternally. God save us from such a dreadful fate!

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

God has called you to not fall away; and he is holding onto you.

Today we prayed with confidence that God remove idols from our lives and preserve our faith. We know this to be true — you were saved by grace, you are being kept by grace, and one day, you will be brought home by grace.

And yet, the Bible is full of warnings to not fall away and commands to hold on. Why are we commanded to do what God has promised to do for us? What is the relationship between our persevering and his preserving?

A great book for answering questions like that is Run to Win the Prize: Perseverance in the New Testament by Tom Schreiner. This is an incredible book that will fill you with the hope of Christ and encourage you to stay faithful to him until the very end.

If you are ever worried about losing your salvation, this book will comfort you.
If you are tempted to sin, this book will challenge you.

I know this short, practical, faithful book will encourage you, so I hope you’ll grab a copy today and read it this summer.

Buy Run to Win the Prize:

• Amazon (Paperback or Kindle editions)
• ChristianBook.com (Ebook edition)

Get a prayer from Spurgeon in your inbox every day. Subscribe to the Pray with Spurgeon newsletter for free.

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Our Father, we are exceedingly weak. Most of all, we are wicked when left to ourselves, and we easily fall prey to the enemy. Therefore, help us. We confess that sometimes, even in prayer when we are closest to you, evil thoughts or wicked desires intrude upon us. Oh, what poor simpletons we are. Lord, help us. We feel compelled to draw even nearer to you now, to hide under the shadow of your wings. We wish to be completely lost in God. We pray that you may live in us, that we may no longer live, but Christ may live in us, revealing himself through us.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“While I was with them, I was protecting them by your name that you have given me. I guarded them and not one of them is lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled.” (John 17:11)

When God protects us, he keeps us unified. Our divisions are not the result of his work. When we stray from his protection and depart from his Word, we become separated in our hearts from him and from one another. But by his protection, he keeps his children united.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

How Christ offers hope in the darkest valleys

Today was prayed for an end to war. This has become an urgent request over the last few months, as we’ve seen chaos unfold in Ukraine. It’s been increasingly obvious that we live in a world that is broken and we need Christ to redeem us.

I love the book Christ and Calamity: Grace and Gratitude in the Darkest Valleyby Harold L. Senkbeil. This book offers simple, short, biblical devotions to help you grapple with suffering in your own life and in the world with the hope of God.

Christ does not run from your suffering — he runs towards you with hope and compassion, ready and able to help you and sustain you.

Buy Christ and Calamity:

• Amazon (Paperback, Kindle, or audiobook* editions)
• ChristianBook.com (Paperback or ebook editions)

*Get the audiobook for FREE

Get a prayer from Spurgeon in your inbox every day. Subscribe to the Pray with Spurgeon newsletter for free.

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Now, as we draw close to you, to the light that shines between the wings of the Cherubim, we speak with you as a person speaks with their friends. Our God, we belong to you. You belong to us. We are now engaged in a single purpose, united for one battle. Your battle is our battle, and our fight is yours. Help us, we pray. Just as you strengthened Michael and his angels to cast out the dragon and his angels, help us, poor flesh and blood, so that the word may also be fulfilled in us: “The Lord will crush Satan under your feet shortly.”

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one.” (John 17:11)

We also know that we, too, are in the world. We have good reason to feel it and sometimes mourn it.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Help children see the wonder of Jesus’ healing miracles

A huge chunk of each of the four Gospels is dedicated to telling true stories about Jesus’ healing the sick. There’s a reason for that: these stories have a lot to teach us. They reveal an incredible picture of Christ as God incarnate; his words have authority over all.

With so many healing stories in the Gospels, it can be hard for children to understand what the point of them all is. One book to help you explain the wonder of Jesus’ miracles to your children is The One O’Clock Miracle by Alison Mitchell, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri.

This book tells the story of Jesus healing the official’s son (John 4) in a delightfully fun and faithful way. It will help children be amazed at Jesus’ astounding work in healing the sick.

Buy The One O’Clock Miracle:

• Amazon (Hardback edition)
• ChristianBook.com (Hardback edition)

Get a prayer from Spurgeon in your inbox every day. Subscribe to the Pray with Spurgeon newsletter for free.

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Our Father, come and grant rest to your children now. Remove the helmet from our brows, take off the weight of our heavy armor for a while, and allow us to experience peace, perfect peace, and be at rest. Oh, help us, we pray, in this moment. Just as you have already cleansed your people in the fountain filled with blood and made them clean, now wash us from any defilement in the water. O Master, wash our feet once again. It will greatly refresh us and prepare us for intimate fellowship with you. Just as the priests washed before entering the holy place, we too desire to be cleansed.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine, and I am glorified in them.” (John 17:10)

Every true child of God brings glory to Christ. If you cannot say that you are glorifying Christ, you should question whether you truly belong to him. If you are his, this statement holds true for you: “And glory has come to me through them,” not just by them but through them. “Through their patient suffering, through their diligent labor, through their faith, through their trust in me, ‘glory has come to me.'”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Fight unbelief with the truths of faith

Today we prayed for an end to our unbelief and doubt. Asking questions is not a bad thing — we just need to labor to answer our questions in a faith-filled, biblical way. There ARE answers available for even the toughest questions about the Bible — do you know those answers?

A great resource for being equipped to defend your faith is Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion by Rebecca McLaughlin. This book gives practical, biblical, and winsome answers to some of the world’s most pressing objections to the gospel.

Be equipped to answer questions like “Isn’t Christianity homophobic?” and “How can you say there’s only one true faith?” with Bible-centered wisdom and Christ-centered hope.

Confronting Christianity will bolster your own faith and equip you to be a bold witness for Christ. I hope you’ll buy a copy today and read it this summer.

Buy Confronting Christianity:

• Amazon (Hardback, Kindle, or audiobook* editions)
• ChristianBook.com (Paperback or ebook edition)

*Get the audiobook for free with a free trial of Audible (The audiobook will be yours to keep, even if you cancel your free trial)

Get a prayer from Spurgeon in your inbox every day. Subscribe to the Pray with Spurgeon newsletter for free.

PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH (BY SPURGEON)

Our Father, if there are any who are mourning and hanging their heads in sorrow, we ask you to lift up the light of your countenance upon them and bring them gladness. On this Day of the Lord’s Resurrection, may no soul be left in the gloom of the tomb. May all the saints rejoice in their risen Lord today, rising with him, seated together with him in the heavenly realms, and sharing in the fullness of his joy.

Amen.

GET A FREE BOOK

Thanks to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Spurgeon College for sponsoring the Weekend Edition.

Midwestern is giving away a free ebook devotional by Charles Spurgeon. This devotional collects excerpts from some of Spurgeon’s greatest sermons, all with great application for life today. I’m so excited about this resource and know it will be a blessing to you. Click here to get this devotional now.

They’ve also curated some great resources, including FREE seminary-level video classes. Get all of these resources right here.

WEEKEND LONG READ (SERMON BY SPURGEON)

The Father’s Will

We desire to abound in good works; we desire to destroy every vice, and forsake all falsehood and all evil; but we cannot depend on these things, we cannot mix them up with the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. Our one hope lies here, that Jesus died

Read the full sermon from the Spurgeon Center for Biblical Preaching at Midwestern Seminary.

A FREE RESOURCE FROM MIDWESTERN

Getting On the Train: A Testimony of God’s Strength in Grief

If we anticipate suffering, whether it be through stoicism or anxious ruminations, we refuse ourselves the margin for mourning. And if we do not mourn, how can we be comforted? The nearness and comfort of our Father is good, and it is what makes us blessed.

PREPARE FOR MINISTRY AT MIDWESTERN

With all the hardships and headwinds Christian ministers face in a post-Christian world, along with the growing reality of ministry burnout, this year’s For The Church National Conference seeks to remind ministry leaders and saints alike of the glorious calling of everyday ministry. There may be days filled with difficulties and loss, yet being a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ is worth every pain, every worry, and every tear.

Join us in Kansas City on September 11-12 to remember why everyday ministry matters for the glory of God and the good of the Church.