Author: Charles Spurgeon

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Now this day, be pleased, in infinite mercy by Christ Jesus, to visit your people. Give us first a sense of perfect pardon. May there be nothing between any child of yours and yourself, great Father, that could mar the perfection of communion. May we know that you have forgiven us for Jesus Christ’s sake.

And as for anything in us that would grieve your Spirit, take it away at once, and then let your Spirit bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of God (Romans 8:16). Oh, now give us the spirit of adoption. If indeed we are yours, by your Fatherly love to us, we do beseech you, breathe into every child of yours a sense of love, a sense of your near presence.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Romans 8:15)

We did receive the spirit of bondage once. We felt that we were under the law, and that the law cursed us. We felt its rigorous taxation, and that we could not meet it. Now that spirit has gone, and we have the spirit of freedom, the spirit of children, the spirit of adoption.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE*

A little book to help you understand what it really means to be a Christian

One of the most rich books I’ve ever read is A Little Book on the Christian Lifeby John Calvin. This book is a beautiful (and short!) treatise on the Christian life of self-denial.

A Little Book on the Christian Life is short enough to read slowly, leaving ample time for reflection. This is valuable because the book is so packed with biblical truth and life-changing application — it’s worth reading slowly and carefully!

This is a great book to read for the new year, to remind you what it means to live as a Christian.

Buy A Little Book on the Christian Life on Amazon in paperback or Kindleformats.

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord God, you have made us see the vanity of the most substantial things on earth. Behold we walk as in a vain show, and we disquiet ourselves in vain. All things are but shadows but you, you are the eternal All.

Casting our anchor upon you, we are steadfast, and fixed, and safe; but all things else are quicksands. We cannot—dare not—find comfort, nor make a hope of them. You, Lord, are all our expectation, all our salvation, and all our delight; and this morning, in the act of public devotion, we would cry, “Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from him” (Psalm 62:5).

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from him.” (Psalm 62:5)

The soul is apt to be dragged away from its anchorage, or is readily tempted to add a second confidence to the one sole and sure ground of reliance; we must, therefore, stir ourselves up to maintain the holy position which we were at first able to assume.

Be still silent, O my soul! Submit yourself completely, trust immovably, wait patiently. Let none of your enemies’ imaginings, consultings, flatteries, or maledictions cause you to break the King’s peace.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE*

Spurgeon’s battle with depression

Many people don’t realize that Spurgeon was plagued with crippling depression throughout his life and ministry.

A great book on Spurgeon’s struggle with depression is Spurgeon’s Sorrows: Realistic Hope for Those Who Suffer from Depression by Zack Eswine. This book isn’t just a biography of Spurgeon — it describes lessons that we can learn from his real battle with depression.

Spurgeon’s Sorrows is a great resource for anyone who struggles with depression, and it’s a great Christ-centered Christmas gift that you can buy for someone else.

Buy Spurgeon’s Sorrows on Amazon in paperback or Kindle formats.

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord, we bless you for ever teaching us the way of faith; for enabling us to cast our guilty souls upon the Divine propitiation, made in Christ Jesus; for peace, like a river, has streamed into our spirit ever since. We bless you for the power to trust you with everything else; for time, as well as for eternity.

We are sure we never live except as we live by faith; that all else is but death and the counterfeit of life. Lord God, you have written death before our eyes on all the creature; you have made us see the vanity of the most substantial things on earth.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.” (Psalm 84:5)

The man, who throws his whole heart and soul into his worship of the Lord, and his service for the Lord, is the man who gets the greatest blessing out of the holy exercises in which he takes part. Half-hearted worshippers are an insult to God, but blessed is the man whose strength is in the Lord of hosts, and whose heart is in his ways.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE*

Read Spurgeon’s classic gospel-saturated book this month.

Start the year by rooting yourself in God’s grace with this new audiobook of Spurgeon’s classic All of Grace. This book will surely encourage you to trust God and rejoice in his abundant grace to you.

A portion of every sale of All of Grace will support the work of Hope Ithemba, a pro-life crisis pregnancy center in South Africa. When you purchase All of Grace, you’re getting gospel encouragement for yourself AND supporting an important ministry in South Africa. It’s a win-win!

Listen to a free sample of All of Grace on Audible.

Click here to listen to a free sample on Audible.

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Oh, that the time would come when war shall cease, when drunkenness shall be put away, when all cruelty shall be abolished, when every superstition shall come to an end, and all oppression of man by man.

When shall it be, save when he comes, whose right it is to reign? At the very thought of his coming our spirits begin to glow and burn with lofty hopes. Come quickly; even so, come quickly Lord Jesus. Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“I call to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” (Psalm 57:2)

Do you pray like that, my brother, my sister? I hope you do “cry to God most high;” but do you pray to him as the One “that performs all things” for you — not merely who can perform all things for you, but who is actually doing it at the present moment working out your lasting good by everything that is transpiring around you?

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE*

Want to read more books in 2021? Start here.

I’ve heard a lot of people (Myself included!) who want to read more books in 2021. One tool to make reading more books an attainable goal is audiobooks.

One of the best audiobooks I’ve listened to recently is All of Grace by Charles Spurgeon. This book is a beautiful presentation of the gospel of grace. It’s a clear invitation to non-believers and an encouraging refreshment for believers.

Get the new audiobook edition of All of Grace on Audible.

Click here to listen to a free sample on Audible.

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Bless this our beloved church. Remember all other churches with an even greater blessing. Let all the churches of Jesus Christ on the continent, as well as in this island, and far away in America, and in all our distant colonies, all be revived and refreshed.

Yes, and those that speak not our tongue—those advanced posts among the heathen; remember them favorably and visit them graciously.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“My heart is confident, God, my heart is confident. I will sing; I will sing praises.” (Psalm 57:7)

Let the lions open their cruel mouths, and roar; and let wicked men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword, do their worst against me; let my every footstep be among the nets and pits that they have set and dug to catch me; even in the midst of danger, “my heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE*

Start 2021 with a reminder of God’s glorious grace.

One of Spurgeon’s most-loved books is All of Grace, a glorious picture that our salvation comes, not by works, not by religious activity, but by grace and grace alone.

There’s a new audiobook edition of All of Grace available on Audible. With high-quality narration and beautiful musical interludes with classic hymns, this new audiobook will be a refreshing reminder of God’s grace in Christ.

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Editor’s Note: In today’s prayer, Spurgeon prayed for three of the ministries he led and supported. What ministries and activities are taking place in your local church that you can you pray for today?

Bless the dear orphan children, let them all be yours. Help us in the building of new houses for orphan girls, and provide for our necessities in that matter.

Bless the dear sons of this church, trained at our own side, who go forth to preach the gospel: whether they be in the College, or whether they are preaching outside of it, let the blessing of the Lord be with every one of them.

And all those who go from house to house with books, seeking to speak a word in season to the neglected;  help them, and make this church still to be the fruitful mother of children. Yes, make every one of us useful to your glory.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6)

This life begins here, for this earth is but the lower part of God’s house; and when the time shall come for us to leave this earth, we, who are the Lord’s own children, shall only go upstairs to the higher rooms, to “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

This, then, is the portion of the children of God; but there are some to whom David’s language will seem strange. They cannot sing this sweet Psalm, for their life is as restless as the waves of the sea. No quiet pastoral poem could set forth their joy, for the sound of war is heard in the streets of their city of Mansoul. If any such souls are seeking rest and peace, let them hearken to the voice of God

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE*

New Year Resource Round-Up

I wanted to remind you of all the New Year resources I’ve recommended over the past few weeks:

Daily Devotionals by Spurgeon:

• Morning and Evening
• Chequebook of the Bank of Faith

Daily Prayer Guide for the Nations:

• Pray for the World

A Great Book to Help you Grow by God’s Grace in 2021:

• The Discipline of Grace

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

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Now, Lord Jesus, we have a thousand things to ask of you, and of your Father; but you know what we have need of before we ask (Matthew 6:8). Give to each one of your own, that special gift most needed: we may not even know what it is, but according to your own wisdom and prudence, deal out of your treasury things new and old, for the enrichment and comfort of your people.

Bless our beloved church: keep them still in unity and earnestness of heart. In all fresh advances that we hope to make, be with us and help us.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me  all the days of my life…” (Psalm 23:6)

Not merely now and then, but all my days — my dark days as well as my bright ones — these heavenly messengers will never forsake me.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE*

Expand Your Prayer List in 2021

I get emails every day from readers of this newsletter, saying that their top struggle for prayer is not knowing what to pray for. I want to recommend a resource that will help you pray for God’s glory throughout the whole earth in 2021.

Pray for the World is a great resource for understanding and praying for the cause of Christ throughout the world. The book features a short profile of every nation and how you can pray for missionaries or Christians in that country.

The book also includes a plan for praying through the entire world in a calendar year. Praying for God’s glory to spread throughout the whole earth is a great way to spend 2021.

Buy Pray for the World on Amazon.

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

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord, make us useful to your own children who have backslidden. May we be as Peter was, to whom you said, “when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32). O Lord, make us useful among backsliders—this very day may some of us be enabled to work somewhat toward the fetching up of the rear guard, of those that loiter and linger, that the whole army of Christ may quicken its pace and march to victory.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6)

There are no ifs, no doubts, no fears about the matter: “Surely.” These two holy angels shall watch over my footsteps, and track me wherever I go;—“goodness” to preserve me, and “mercy” to pardon me!—“goodness” to supply my needs, and “mercy” to blot out my sins.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE*

A 2021 Bible Reading Plan for Your Kids

Are you planning to read the Bible in 2021? Bring your children along for the journey with David Murray’s Exploring the Bible, a daily Bible reading plan workbook for ages 6–12.

Help your kids grasp the glorious big story of the Bible. Exploring the Bible is a great resource to make reading through the Bible a more accessible journey for kids. The workbook also has space for sermon notes and encourages prayer, Bible memory.

Buy Exploring the Bible on Amazon.

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)
Lord, help us to speak a word in season to him that is sad of heart.When your arrows stick fast in the conscience, may we know how to apply the balm of Jesus’ wounds.

Make us ready to tell out the sweet gospel which has been so precious to our own souls; and as men that have newly come ourselves from the presence of a pardoning Savior—men but newly washed in that dear blood which makes us white as snow, may we go and tell to our fellow men, all black as they are, how they also can be made whiter than snow

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5)

He receives a fresh anointing for new service, even the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

I have all I want, and even more than I need, so that others, not so favored as I am, may come and catch some of the droppings from my overflowing cup. It is so full, O Lord, that it cannot hold all that you give me! Till you enlarge my capacity, I shall still have to say, “My cup runneth over.”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE*
Another Classic Daily Devotional from Spurgeon

Yesterday I recommended Spurgeon’s classic devotional, The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith, which contains 365 readings, one for each day of the year.

Another much-loved daily devotional by Spurgeon is Morning and Evening, which contains two readings for each day, so that you can start and end every day of the new year in God’s Word.

Morning and Evening is a masterpiece. It will encourage and guide you throughout the year.

Buy Morning and Evening on Amazon (Hardback updated edition by Allistair Begg, leatherbound edition, or imitation leather edition).

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)
Now we are asking you to let your love be revealed to us, in all its sweet influences; and we ask also that our love to you may be fervent, we pray that you make us useful to our brothers and sisters. O Lord, we would not live unto ourselves; make us serviceable in gathering in the lost sheep. Make us wise that we may go after them in their devious wanderings, and discover them.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5)

How calmly the psalmist writes! He realizes that he has enemies, yet he means to sit down to a feast; he is not going to snatch a hurried mouthful or two, but “a table” is “prepared” for him as though for a banquet. His enemies may look on while he is feasting, but they cannot take away his enjoyment of the feast.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE*
Spend the New Year with Spurgeon, trusting God’s promises

Spurgeon frequently said that God’s promises are like checks. And because God is never lacking in resources, his account is always full and his checks never bounce.

Spurgeon’s classic devotional, The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith, contains 365 readings (one for each day of the year) to help you trust and treasure God’s promises.

Reading through The Cheque Book in 2021 will definitely encourage you.

Buy The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith on Amazon (journal edition or leather bound edition).

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*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.