Author: Charles Spurgeon

Pray with Spurgeon: I belong to Jesus

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Oh, bring every one of us now to believe in Jesus Christ with our whole heart unto eternal life, that we may belong to Jesus, that he may have a portion with the great. But even those who have believed in Christ have need to put up the same prayer. Our Lord and Master, Redeemer and Savior, come and take entire possession of us. We are yours by right; but you must take by force what you have purchased, or you will never have it.

By force of arms, the arms must be those of love, will you capture our willful, wayward spirit? Come and divide the spoil with the strong in us, we pray. Take every faculty and use it, overpower and sanctify it. Every moment of our time help us to employ for you; every breath may we breathe out to your honor. We feel that there is unconquered territory in our nature yet. Subdue, Lord, we ask you, our corruptions; cast them out, and in our spirit rule and conquer.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:27)

This shows us how vain is all hope of escape from God. Where can we fly? Where can we hide? What will we do? We have provoked him. “The Lord will never leave the guilty unpunished” (Nah 1:3). This is the solemn side of the matter.

But there is a bright side to this great truth of God’s nearness. If God is not far from each of us, then how hopeful is our seeking of him! If I seek God and he is not far from me, I will surely find him. I do not have to climb to heaven or to dive into the abyss, for he is near. Where I sit, or stand, I may come to him. Omnipresence yields good cheer to those who are panting for God. If the Lord is near, there is no reason he should not grant pardon right now to all who seek it. God is near, and therefore hope is near.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Will you surrender everything to God?

Today we prayed that God would rule our whole lives — that every bit of rebellion and unwillingness to serve him would be removed, because we recognize that we belong to Jesus, our creator and savior.

An excellent book to help you consider how you can serve God with more boldness and surrender is Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt.

The idea of the book is simple to understand, but bold to live out. In a world that tells us to live for ourselves, we need to hear the counter-cultural message of Jesus with clarity: “Take up your cross.”

This book will challenge you and give you specific practical guidance to give your all in service to Jesus. I know this book has encouraged many in the past and I know it will encourage you as well. I hope you’ll buy a copy today.

Buy Radical:

Pray with Spurgeon: I trust in Jesus ALONE

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Now we have a prayer to put up to you, Great God, and it is this, that in us your dear Son may see some portion of the travail of his soul. Lord, let him see a reward for his sufferings, in all of us being repentant for sin, and trusting in God, and confessing his name. We fear there are among us this morning some who still indulge in the sins which brought Christ to death, some that still are trusting in their own righteousness and so are despising his; because if theirs will suffice, then his were superfluous. O God, we ask you, bring men away from all their false trusts to rest in the great sacrifice of your dear Son. Let not one person here be so callous to the merit of Christ as not to love him, or so indifferent to the efficacy of his blood as not to desire to be cleansed in it.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY AUGUSTINE)

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)

Paul says that he is sure, not merely that he is of the opinion… that neither death nor the promise of temporal life nor any of the other things he lists can separate the believer from God’s love. No one can separate the believer from God; not someone who threatens death, because he who believes in Christ shall live even if he dies, nor someone who offers earthly life, because Christ gives us eternal life. An angel cannot separate us, because “if an angel comes down from heaven and tell you something other than what you receive, let him be anathema” (Galatians 1:8–9). Nor can a principality, i.e., an opposing power, because Christ has vanquished them in himself.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Study the whole Bible with Christianity’s greatest teachers*

There’s a special bonus included in today’s newsletter. The commentary in the “Verse of the Day” section usually comes from Spurgeon, but today I wanted to share an excerpt from Spurgeon’s forefather, Augustine, that I found while reading the Ancient Faith Study Bible.

The Ancient Faith Study Bible is an incredible resource — it places commentary from the greatest pastors and theologians from the early church right alongside the text of Scripture, so that you can benefit from their wisdom as you read the Word.

And all of the commentary is so glorious and gospel-centered, just like the Augustine excerpt above.

So if you want to benefit from 2,000 years of Christian wisdom as you read your Bible, check out The Ancient Faith Study Bible. This study Bible will increase your confidence that our faith is ancient and unchanging. This study Bible will help you read, study, understand, and apply God’s Word to our modern life.

This month only, my friends at Lifeway are offering the Ancient Faith Study Bible at steep discounts. AND “Pray with Spurgeon” subscribers can save an extra $5 on any purchase above $30 by using code ANCIENTFAITH5.

I hope you’ll grab one today!

Buy the Ancient Faith Study Bible from Lifeway.com

Pray with Spurgeon: God’s love is shown to us in Jesus

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

We adore you, O Father, for your great love in the gift of Jesus: we equally adore you, most blessed Jesus, for resigning your life for our sakes: and then we adore the Blessed Spirit who has led us to know this mystery and to put our trust in Jesus. Unto the one God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, do we pay our reverent homage this morning; only we see him yet more clearly than the patriarchs of old did; for God in the face of Jesus Christ is seen in the clearest light that mortal eye can bear.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14)

Genuine faith in Christ turns a person from darkness to marvelous light and transforms him into light in the Lord so that the light pours forth from the windows so as to be seen by others. The believer is appointed to be a lighthouse to others, a cheering lamp, and a guiding star. His light will be increased as he learns more of Christ. He will be able to impart more instruction to others when he has received more. But even while he is a beginner, his faith in Jesus is in itself a light.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Do you understand how amazing Jesus really is?

Today’s prayer focused on the wonders and the greatness of our God, supremely revealed in Jesus, the clearest light. When we see Jesus for who he really is, in all of his beauty as the King of all Ages, we have to fall to our faces in worship. We must lay everything on the table in submission to this great king.

We always need resources that will magnify Christ to us — books that will remind us of how wonderful he is. One of those books is Christ from Beginning to End: How the Full Story of Scripture Reveals the Full Glory of Christby Stephen Wellum and Trent Hunter. This book walks through the story of Scripture, showing how Christ is the supreme hero and the supreme hope — he is what all of the Bible is pointing to.

This book is a helpful handbook to help you read Scripture in a more faithful, Christ-centered way and a guide to help you see Christ in every page.

This book will help you treasure Christ and the Bible more. I hope you’ll grab a copy for yourself.

Buy Christ from Beginning to End:

Pray with Spurgeon: The gospel still brings us joy

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

We lie in the very dust before you in utter shame, to think that we have sometimes heard the gospel story without emotion, and even told it without tenderness. The theme truly has never become stale to us. We can say in your presence that the story of Christ’s death still brings joy, and makes our hearts to leap.

But yet, Lord, it never has affected us as we could have expected it would. Give us more tenderness of heart, give us to feel the wounds of Jesus till they wound our sins to death. Give us to have a heart pierced even as his was, with deep sympathy for his griefs, and an all-consuming love for his blessed person.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“He will bless those who fear the LORD— small and great alike.” (Psalm 115:13)

This is a word of cheer to those who are of humble station. Our God has a very gracious consideration for those of small property, small talent, small influence, small weight. God cares for the small things in creation, and even regards sparrows in their lighting upon the ground. Nothing is small to God, for he makes use of insignificant agents 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 to be a happy one.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Theology is for everyone — and this devotional will help bring it to life for you

Theology isn’t supposed to be boring. It’s supposed to be a glorious adventure into the depths and wonders and riches of who God is and how he has worked in the world. When we think about theology, it should fill our hearts with awe and drive us to worship our great God.

The best books about theology help us along that journey — they cause us to love God more, rather than bore us or make our brains feel bigger. One book like that is Concise Theology by J.I. Packer.

Concise Theology is a collection of short (3–4 page) explanations of crucial Christian doctrines. This book is approachable for any reader. It can be a great introduction to theology or a resource to help you teach theology to others.

When I read Concise Theology, my heart is filled with love for God and amazement at his works. I know this book will help you worship him as well, so I hope you’ll grab a copy today.

Buy Concise Theology:

Pray with Spurgeon: God loves us so much that he didn’t even spare his own Son

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Christ died for sinners! It would have seemed blasphemy to have suggested such a thought; yet you have done it. Your grace has almost out-graced itself; your love has reached its height: love to rebels; so much love, that even your Son could not be spared. O God, we are afflicted in our hearts to think we do not love you more, after such love as this. Oh, were there not a stone in our hearts, we should melt in love to you; we should account that there was no thought fit to occupy the mind but this one stupendous thought of God’s love to us: and henceforth this would be the master-key to our hearts, that should unlock or lock them at your will—the great love wherewith you have loved us.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?” (Romans 8:32)

What do I want today? I have only to ask for it. I may seek earnestly, but not as if I had to use pressure, and extort an unwilling gift from the Lord’s hand; for he will give freely. Of his own will, he gave us his own Son. Certainly no one would have proposed such a gift to him. No one would have ventured to ask for it. It would have been too presumptuous. He freely gave his only-begotten; and, O my soul, can you not trust your heavenly Father to give you anything, to give you everything? Your poor prayer would have no force with Omnipotence if force were needed; but his love, like a spring, rises of itself, and overflows for the supply of all your needs.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Study the Bible with the Early Church*

Christianity is not new. One of the incredible things about studying the early church is to read sermons and books written by people who believe the same gospel and the same doctrines that we believe — 2,000 years ago. While the world has changed, cultures have changed, kingdoms have fallen and risen, the Christian message is unchanged.

Because we believe the same gospel, we have a lot that we can learn from leaders of the early church. And that’s why I love the Ancient Faith Study Bible — a resource that places commentary from early church leaders right alongside the text of Scripture.

This resource gives you valuable insight from leaders and theologians like Augustine, Origen, Tertullian, and more.

Whether you know all about those leaders or you’ve never heard their names, I’m confident that the Ancient Faith Study Bible will grow your faith and deepen your love for God and his Word.

There are hundreds of study notes from early church leaders, articles by ancient and modern authors, 25 short biographies that will inspire you to serve Christ with boldness, and more.

This month only, my friends at Lifeway are offering the Ancient Faith Study Bible at steep discounts. AND “Pray with Spurgeon” subscribers can save an extra $5 on any purchase above $30 by using code ANCIENTFAITH5.

The Ancient Faith Study Bible and grow your understanding of Scripture and your confidence in God’s unchanging gospel. I hope you’ll check it out.

Shop for Ancient Faith Study Bibles on Lifeway.com

*Sponsored advertising Contnet

Pray with Spurgeon: God has shown his love for us in Jesus

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Gracious God, we praise you with our whole hearts for the wondrous revelation of your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. We think every day of his passion, for all our hope lies in his death: but as often as we think upon it, we are still filled with astonishment that you should so love the world as to give your only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life; that heaven’s eternal darling should come to earth to be made a man, and in manhood’s form to be despised and rejected of the very men whom he came to bless; and then should be made to bear the sin of many and to be numbered with the transgressors, and, being found in that number, to die a transgressor’s death, a felon’s death upon the gibbet of the cross. Oh, this surpasses all belief if it had not indeed been actually so: and if the sure word of prophecy had not of old declared it, we could not have imagined it.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16)

There was no necessity for Christ to come here to condemn us, for we were condemned already by our sin. Why, then, did Jesus come? He must have come upon an errand of mercy, to bring salvation to the lost. It is even so; God sent him for that very purpose, that he might give eternal life to as many as believe on him. Oh, the glorious freeness of this precious gospel! Surely they deserve the deepest hell who will not have heaven upon such terms. They must for ever perish if they reject life when it is set before them in this truly gracious manner.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Celebrate Lent and Easter with Spurgeon and Others

Today is the first day of Lent. For thousands of years, Christians have prepared their hearts to worship the risen Christ at Easter through the season of Lent.

If you benefit from hearing Spurgeon’s prayers and Bible commentary in this newsletter each day, I know you will benefit from the daily devotional An Ocean of Grace: A Journey to Easter with Great Voices from the Past by Tim Chester. Each devotional features a passage of Scripture, a brief reflection, and a prayer from church history (diverse vocies from Augustine to Spurgeon).

As you read this book every day between now and Easter, you will find yourself overjoyed with hope that God has loved you in Christ.

I hope you’ll grab a copy and prepare for Easter — this book is a treasure!

Buy An Ocean of Grace by Tim Chester:

Pray with Spurgeon: Have mercy upon us that we do not do more for you

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Look, at this time, we ask you, upon us as a church, and give us greater prosperity. Add to us daily. Knit and unite us together in love. Pardon church sins. Have mercy upon us that we do not do more for you. Accept what we are enabled to do. Qualify each one of us to be vessels fit for the Master’s use; then use each one of us according to the measure of our capacity. Will you be pleased to bless the various works carried on by the church; may they all prosper. May all faithful ministries throughout the world be richly refreshed, and bring forth a great harvest for God.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“‘Follow me,’ he told them, ‘and I will make you fish for people.’” (Matthew 4:19)

When Christ calls us by his grace, we ought not only to remember what we are, but we ought also to think of what he can make us. It is, “Follow me, and I will make you.” We should repent of what we have been but rejoice in what we may be. It is not, “Follow me, because of what you are already.” It is not, “Follow me, because you may make something of yourselves,” but, “Follow me because of what I will make you.”

It did not seem a likely thing that humble fishermen would develop into apostles, that men so handy with the net would be as much at home in preaching sermons and in instructing converts. One would have said, “How can these things be? You cannot make founders of churches out of peasants of Galilee.” That is exactly what Christ did, and when we are brought low in the sight of God by a sense of our own unworthiness, we may feel encouraged to follow Jesus because of what he can make us.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A simple read to help you (and others!) love your church more

Today we prayed, thanking God for our own churches. Whether your church is thriving, as Spurgeon’s was when he prayed this, or if your church has been in a season of difficulty, we all need to grow to love our local church family more.

And a great resource for helping you along the way is Love Your Church by Tony Merida. This is a new book that outlines eight great things about being a church member. I’m so thankful for the book’s faithfulness to Scripture and practical application.

Because the book is short, it’s a great resource to give to someone else to help them grow their own love for the church. If you know someone who you long to see more connected to the church, I encourage you to grab a copy of this book for them.

The book is simple and short. I promise you, if you will read this book and apply it’s lessons to your own local church, you will grow in love for your church family and grow in godliness as a result.

Buy Love Your Church:

Pray with Spurgeon: Joy in God that can never be stopped

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Oh, to delight in God with a holy overflowing rejoicing that can never be stopped; so that we might live to glorify God at the highest bent of our powers, living with enthusiasm—burning, blazing, being consumed with the indwelling God who works all things in us according to his will!

Thus, Lord, would we praise and pray at the same time; confess and acknowledge our responsibilities; but also bless the free, the sovereign grace that makes us what we are. O God of the eternal choice, O God of the ransom purchased on the tree, O God of the effectual call, Father, Son and Spirit, our adoration rises to heaven like the smoke from the altar of incense. Glory and honor and majesty and power and dominion and might be unto the one only God, forever and ever, and all the redeemed by blood will say, Amen.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“So take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me.” (Acts 27:25)

Paul’s firm faith was grounded in revelation. Nothing is so sure as the revelation in God’s inspired book. The person who quibbles with the revelation of the Word of God has given up the foundation of faith. We should boldly proclaim what God has said. Paul’s faith went on to a conviction of the absolute certainty of that revelation. We can apply this to whatever promise God has made. Whatever declaration he has set forth in his Holy Word, it will be just as it was told. Here is the joy and certainty of the believer.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Tired of praying the same way about the same things?

It’s so easy for our prayer lives to fall into a rut — we pray the same words about the same problems day after day, and that’s boring. When we’re bored in prayer, it’s hard to pray with any kind of consistency or passion. But the Bible has a solution to our prayer problems — praying the Bible.

Praying the Bible is praying God’s own words back to him. When we use God’s Word as the foundation and starting point for our prayers, we pray in a more God-centered way about more God-centered issues.

I was first introduced to praying the Bible several years ago in a short book, Praying the Bible by Donald S. Whitney. This book is a short, approachable explanation of why and how to praying the Bible (and how to teach others).

Praying the Bible has absolutely revolutionized my prayer life. I hope you’ll grab a copy of Praying the Bible and enjoy the benefits of building your prayer life on God’s unchanging Word.

Buy Praying the Bible:

Pray with Spurgeon: A Prayer for Ukraine

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

We ask you once more that you would, by some means, cause peace to be re-established throughout the earth. Grant that this nation may not be drawn into war. We have been foolish once over it, grant that we may not be so again; but Oh, let your Kingdom come without the use of the sword. Oh, angel of war, will you not rest! Oh, sword of the Lord, put yourself into your scabbard and be still; for the sake of the great Prince of Peace we ask it.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“He will settle disputes among the nations and provide arbitration for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plows and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not take up the sword against nation, and they will never again train for war.” (Isaiah 2:4)

At present the nations are heavily armed, and are inventing weapons more and more terrible, as if the chief end of man could only be answered by destroying myriads of his fellows. Yet peace will prevail one day; yes, and so prevail that the instruments of destruction shall be beaten into other shapes and used for better purposes.

How will this come about? By trade? By civilization? By arbitration? We do not believe it. Past experience forbids our trusting to means so feeble. Peace will be established only by the reign of the Prince of Peace. He must teach the people by his Spirit, renew their hearts by his grace, and reign over them by his supreme power, and then will they cease to wound and kill. Man is a monster when once his blood is up, and only the Lord Jesus can turn this lion into a lamb. By changing man’s heart, his blood-thirsty passions are removed. Let every reader offer special prayer today to the Lord and Giver of Peace, that he would speedily put an end to war, and establish concord over the whole world.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A Testimony of Bold Gospel Hope and Clear Gospel Witness in Ukraine

This update from a Ukrainian pastor is incredibly important and moving:

“We have decided to stay, both as a family and as a church. When this is over, the citizens of Kyiv will remember how Christians have responded in their time of need.

And while the church may not fight like the nation, we still believe we have a role to play in this struggle. We will shelter the weak, serve the suffering, and mend the broken. And as we do, we offer the unshakable hope of Christ and his gospel.”

Read more on the Gospel Coalition.

Pray with Spurgeon: I love you God, I want to love you more

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

And now, Lord, we ask you to accept of us this morning whatever offerings we can bring. We bring our hearts to you, full of love for you for what you have done; full of gratitude, full of faith, full of hope, full of joy. We feel glad in the Lord. But we do confess that if there be anything acceptable in these our offerings, they are all first given us of you.

Well may we lay those fruits at your feet that were grown in your garden, and that gold and silver and frankincense which your yourself gave us: only first give us more! Oh, to love the Savior with a passion that can never cool! Oh, to believe in God with a confidence that can never stagger! Oh, to hope in God with an expectation that can never be dim!

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:24)

Parents sin when they omit religion from the education of their children. Perhaps the thought is that their children cannot be converted while they are children, and so they think it is of small consequence how we teach them in their tender years. We will reap what we sow. Let us expect our children to know the Lord. Let us from the beginning mingle the name of Jesus with their A B C. Let them read their first lessons from the Bible. It is a remarkable thing that there is no book from which children learn to read so quickly as from the New Testament: there is a charm about that book which draws forth the infant mind. But let us never be guilty, as parents, of forgetting the religious training of our children; for if we do we may be guilty of the blood of their souls.

Editor’s Note: Parents, you know that you have a responsibility to teach your children the Bible, and I want to help you along the way. I’ve created a new resource — GodCenteredFamily.org, where you can get a family devotional every day. Teach your kids to know and treasure the Bible in just ten minutes each day.
Download a free family devotional at GodCenteredFamily.org.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

How does God’s unfailing love allow suffering and evil?

Today, we prayed, asking God to deepen our faith. For some of us, this kind of prayer is challenging to pray. Our experience tries to drown out the truth of Scripture. Surely a God who allows so much suffering cannot really be worthy of our unending love?

Grappling with questions like “If God is love why do bad things happen?” can increase your amazement at the wonders of God’s love. And so wrestling through those questions is important.

One great resource for helping you tackle those questions is The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D.A. Carson. This short book explains God’s love in a thoroughly biblical way that will leave you amazed at God’s grace and more eager to love others.

I know this book will increase your confidence in God — I hope you’ll grab a copy today.

Buy The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God: