Author: Charles Spurgeon

Pray with Spurgeon: We must believe in Jesus — our only hope

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Now we put up most fervent and earnest prayer for such who, as yet, do not know you. O Spirit of God, convince men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come (John 16:8); and especially convince the human heart of the sin of not believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, make this to be very clear to the heart, that not believing in Jesus is the highest act of enmity against God. The rejection of God, when he became man and dies, out of infinite love—surely this is the highest crime and misdemeanor against the great King.

Oh that this might strike, like an arrow, into the heart of some. If they cannot accuse themselves of any gross sin of the body, yet may this grossest of all sins be laid, like a millstone, upon their conscience, that they have refused the Son of God and done despite to his precious blood: and how shall they escape if they neglect so great salvation (Hebrews 2:3)!

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment…” (John 16:8)

The Holy Spirit attested the life of Christ, the teaching of the apostles, and all the grand truths that were contained therein, by what he did in the way of miracle, and by what he did in the way of enlightening, impressing, and subduing human hearts. Henceforth man is accused, and rebuked by the great Advocate; and all who remain in opposition to the Lord Jesus, remain so in defiance of the clearest proofs of his mission. He who rejects human testimony when it is true is foolish; but he who despises the witness of the Holy Ghost is profane, for he gives the lie to the Spirit of truth. Let him beware lest he so sin against the Holy Spirit as to come under the most terrible of curses; for it is written of him that speaks against the Holy Spirit, “never has forgiveness” (Mark 3:29).

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A kid’s book to teach the importance of evangelism

Today, we prayed that God would bring sinners to know him. By God’s design, this usually happens when one Christian shares about his hope with a non-believer. Evangelism is a crucial topic in the Christian life that we need to teach others, including our children.

Lately my family has been loving a new book that focuses on “How God uses people to save people.” It’s called The Prisoners, the Earthquake, and the Midnight Song by Bob Hartman, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri. This book tells the story of Paul and Silas while they were in prison in Philippi for proclaiming Christ, and encourages children to proclaim Christ with the same kind of boldness.

The book is incredibly creative (without sacrificing faithfulness to the biblical text) and the illustrations are stunning. It’s a ton of fun and children under ten will love it. Your kids will be amazed at the story of Paul, Silas, and the incredible work that God did in Philippi.

This isn’t just a cheap Bible story — this is a great book full of rich theology, an incredible (true!) story, and an important message. It will encourage kids of all ages to boldly proclaim Christ, no matter the cost.

I hope you’ll add this book to your family’s library!

Buy The Prisoners, the Earthquake, and the Midnight Song:

Pray with Spurgeon: God, save me from anxiety

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

The Lord deliver his people from anxiety and care; and, indeed, from caring about themselves! Oh, for power to roll our burden upon our God, and to sing all day long because we are the Lord’s, and he is ours.

O Lord, make us a holy and a happy people. Help us to live the separated life, and to tread it with firm and brave step. Help us, while we wrestle not with flesh and blood, to fight with principalities, and powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places; and may it be ours to be made, by your Spirit, to triumph in every place, being led in triumph by you from strength to strength, from time to time, from age to age, until the history of your whole church shall be one long triumph for the conquering Lord. Glorify yourself in us, we pray, even in these mortal bodies, and in our spirits which are yours.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Our great fight is not against our fellow men. As Christians, we go not forth armed with sword and shield to fight against “flesh and blood,”— But against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Our battle is against evil wherever it is to be found, against evil in every shape and form. Evil is as much in the world today as it was in Paul’s time, and we must fight against it everywhere. We are not to shut our eyes to it, or try to patch up a compromise with it. Christians are bound to fight against evil principalities, evil powers, the evil rulers of the darkness of this world, and wicked spirits in high places.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Real Hope for All Your Fears and Anxiety

Today we prayed that God would heal us of our worry and anxiety by teaching us to give all of our burdens to him. Unfortunately, dealing with our anxiety isn’t always so easy, is it? We won’t grow past our worries unless we address them with solid biblical truth.

That’s the point of Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest by Ed Welch. This book offers a biblical perspective on fear and worry in general, and then zooms in to offer biblical hope for some of the most common fears (e.g., fear of money, fear of people, fear of death, etc.).

Reading Running Scared will give you more confidence in God and his Word that will help you deal with your own fears and to share the hope of the Bible with others too. I know this book will encourage you to trust God — I hope you’ll grab a copy.

Buy Running Scared:

Pray with Spurgeon: Destroy all our sin; comfort us when we suffer

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord, purify us! You have pardoned; now purify, until every sin shall be destroyed within our hearts. We pray, hear the prayers of you children who also ask for strength and help in their time of need. O Spirit of God help our infirmities. If we be pressed down with a load of sorrow; if we are in perplexity and know not what to do; if we are slandered and persecuted; if we in any way are made to feel the weight of the cross, help us, we pray.

Let not our weakness be staggered by that portion of our estate which comes under the head of tribulation. May we rather rejoice in infirmities, because the power of God does rest upon us; and may we glory in tribulations also, because these work in us, by your good Spirit, all manner of holy graces to your glory.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.” (1 Peter 5:10)

It must be after you have suffered awhile. You cannot be perfected except by the fire. There is no way of ridding you of your dross and your tin but by the flames of the furnace of affliction. Your folly is so bound up in your hearts, you children of God, that nothing but the rod can bring it out of you. It is through the blueness of your wounds that your heart is made better. You must pass through tribulation so that through the Spirit it may act as a refining fire to you, so that, pure, holy, purged, and washed, you may stand before the face of your God, rid of every imperfection and delivered from every corruption within.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Cultivate a Christ-centered spirit this Christmas.

Did you know that Christmas is just 50 days away? Before you start worrying about all the shopping, party-planning, and travel arrangements, make a plan to cultivate a Christ-centered celebration this Christmas. How will you remember the reason for the season?

A few years ago, I started a tradition of reading Spurgeon’s Christmas sermons out loud to my family. This has been such a helpful practice to help us focus on Christ throughout the holiday season.

If you want to read Spurgeon’s Christmas sermons this year, I created a compilation book of some of his best — Spurgeon on Christmas. These sermons are beautiful and I know that they will help you focus on Christ this Christmas.

I pray that Spurgeon on Christmas is a blessing to you. And buying a copy is a great way to support this ministry, so I can continue sending out this daily prayer newsletter!

Buy Spurgeon on Christmas now on Amazon.

Pray with Spurgeon: We are children of God, not the devil

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Now, Lord, next to this, give each one of your children power to become the sons of God in their actions. May we become more and more like the Firstborn; may we begin to exercise our sonship by conquering ourselves. Help us to put down sin. May every sinful thought be driven out, and every thought be brought into captivity to the Spirit of God. Oh help us to be perfectly consecrated to your service, because we are the children of God. May we not live like children of the devil, neither serve him, nor serve our affections and lusts.

And, oh, grant us also to become sons by reason of the spirit of boldness that we shall feel. Give us not again the spirit of bondage that we may fear; but give us, we pray, more and more of the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba, Father.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age.” (Titus 2:11–12)

Christians are not to run out of the world, as monks and hermits sought to do, but to live “in the present age.” Yet, while in the world, we are to be godly, that is, full of God. That kind of life which is without God is not for Christians. Those worldly desires, the pride and ambition, which are common to worldly men, are not to have power over us; we are to deny them, and to live soberly. This word relates not only to eating and drinking, but to the general sobriety of a man’s mind.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

God’s grace will grow you. Here’s a practical guide.

Today we prayed that God would make us more like himself — that we would live as his children instead of children of the devil. This is our goal, to know our Father and become more like him every day. And the reason we pray for this, is because we can’t grow in godliness without God’s help.

God didn’t just start your salvation, he’s going to complete it as well. And the path to true growth is not just trying harder, but by pressing deeper into the truths of God’s saving, sanctifying grace.

That’s the point of Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners by Dane Ortlund. In this book, Dane (author of Gentle and Lowly) offers a beautiful, biblical picture of what it looks like to actually grow in godliness. The teaching is incredibly practical and will leave you amazed at the wonder of God’s grace to change you.

I hope you’ll grab a copy of Deeper and use it to slay sin in your life, by God’s grace.

Buy Deeper:

Pray with Spurgeon: Cleaned by the blood of Jesus, I will never be destroyed

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Our Father, we earnestly ask that every believer here may feel the power of the sprinkled blood most vividly and consciously. May we hear Jesus say by it, “he is completely clean” (John 13:10); and may we have a sense of entire security, because you have yourself said it—“When I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exodus 12:13). This is the blood of our passover, and no destroying angel can touch us.

Now, Lord, next to this, give each one of your children power to become the sons of God in their actions. May we become more and more like the Firstborn; may we begin to exercise our sonship by conquering ourselves. Help us to put down sin.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” (Exodus 12:13)

My own sight of the precious blood is for my comfort; but it is the Lord’s sight of it which secures my safety. Even when I am unable to behold it, the Lord looks at it, and passes over me because of it. If I am not so much at ease as I ought to be, because my faith is dim, yet I am equally safe, because the Lord’s eye is not dim, and he sees the blood of the great Sacrifice with steady gaze. What a joy is this!

Now rest we in calm security. We have God’s Sacrifice and God’s Word to create in us a sense of perfect security. He will, he must, pass over us, because he spared not our glorious Substitute. Justice joins hands with love to provide everlasting salvation for all the blood-besprinkled ones.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Find deeper joy in the God who saves you and keeps you

Today’s prayer and Scripture passage reminded us that we are surely saved by the blood of Christ. Even when we don’t feel it, we know that God has saved us and will keep us to the end. This is our only hope and joy. If we continue to reflect on God’s grace in his Word, we will see this hope and joy increase.

A great resource to help you focus on the wonders of God’s grace is PROOF: Finding Freedom through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistible Graceby Timothy Paul Jones. This book is a a great, thoroughly biblical approach to unpacking God’s sovereignty in salvation — the wonderful truth that God is in control of all things, so that we know he will definitely save his people!

Whether the doctrine of God’s sovereignty has been precious to you or if you’re hesitant to embrace it, PROOF will encourage you as it takes you on a stunning journey to reflect on God’s Planned, Resurrecting, Outrageous, Overcoming, and Forever grace.

I know that PROOF will deepen your joy and confidence in God, so I hope you’ll grab a copy today.

Buy PROOF: Finding Freedom through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistible Grace:

Pray with Spurgeon: Every heart is open before God

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

O God, we stand, therefore, now in your immediate presence, and our very heart speaks to you, and we rejoice that you who searches the heart, know what our heart would say; and if these lips should fail to speak out the heart’s utterances, you will interpret what is written in every bosom; and if no lip this morning should express the desire of some of your saints, because their groanings are such that they cannot utter them themselves, and, therefore, cannot expect anyone else to do it, yet you will read every heart; for every heart is open before you as a book, and you read the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.” (Psalm 7:10)

Oh, how good to have a true and upright heart. Crooked sinners, with all their craftiness, are foiled by the upright in heart. God defends the right. Filth will not long abide on the pure white garments of the saints, but shall be brushed off by divine providence, to the vexation of the men by whose base hands it was thrown upon the godly.

When God shall try our cause, our sun has risen, and the sun of the wicked is set forever. Truth, like oil, is ever above, no power of our enemies can drown it; we shall refute their slanders in the day when the trumpet wakes the dead, and we shall shine in honor when lying lips are put to silence. O believer, fear not all that your foes can do or say against you, for the tree which God plants no winds can hurt.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Understanding the Roman Catholic Church

Yesterday was Reformation Day, the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to the church door at Wittenberg — an event that sparked the Protestant Reformation.

Today, more than 500 years later, the Reformation is not finished. It’s just as important now that we seek to understand and engage our Roman Catholic neighbors. A great resource for starting (or continuing) your study on this important issue is 40 Questions about Roman Catholicism by Gregg Allison.

I received a review copy of this book, and I’m incredibly thankful for the thorough, biblical, honest, and fair approach to Roman Catholic theology and practice that the book takes.

Many Protestants have an unfair, simplistic view of Roman Catholic theology, based on a few erroneous doctrines. This book takes a big-picture approach to understanding what Catholics believe and makes them different from Protestants. The question-and-answer format makes the book easy to read and accessible to reference.

Reading 40 Questions about Roman Catholicism will fill you with love for God’s Word and God’s gospel, rejecting any counterfeits, like Roman Catholicism. This book will equip you to better understand Roman Catholic theology and more faithfully engage your Catholic neighbor in evangelism.

Buy 40 Questions about Roman Catholicism:

Pray with Spurgeon: Sin necessitates death. Jesus died.

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

We would in spirit now pass into that inner place, into which the High Priest of Israel dared not come but once a year, and then not without blood. We bless you that the veil is torn; and now every believer is made a priest, and permitted to come into the Holy of Holies, and to draw near unto the mercy-seat, all blood-besprinkled, without fear of being regarded as an intruder, or smitten down like Nadab and Abihu.

O God, we stand, therefore, now in your immediate presence, and our very heart speaks to you, and we rejoice that you who searches the heart, knows what our heart would say.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“But Christ has appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:11–12)

The sacrifice presented by our Lord was unique. He offered his own blood—blood from the veins of a man. But what a man! He was without spot. In his birth he received no taint of original sin. He was pure and holy. Therefore he was able to bear the sin of others since he had none of his own. The sacrifice of our Lord was, in the highest sense, substitutionary. Sin necessitates death. Jesus died. The Lord Jesus Christ did not come to earth to make reconciliation by the holiness of his life, or by the earnestness of his teaching, but by his death.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Know how you were forgiven — be freed from pride and despair.

Today we reflected, in prayer and Bible study, on Jesus’ work as high priest — he entered the most Holy place, gave himself for our salvation, and rose again. Oh, what a glorious truth!

Over the summer, my church preached through the Book of Exodus together and I was able to preach on the construction of the Tabernacle in Exodus 25–26. This passage shows us these same themes — The Holy God will dwell with his people, but sin separates, so God saves.

You can listen to this sermon here. I hope it encourages you!

Pastor, style can never replace substance in preaching

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

We must cultivate a cogent as well as a clear style in preaching; we must be forceful. Some imagine that this consists in speaking loudly, but I can assure them they are in error. Nonsense does not improve by being bellowed. God does not require us to shout as if we were speaking to three millions when we are only addressing three hundred. Let us be forcible by reason of the excellence of our matter, and the energy of spirit which we throw into the delivery of it. In a word, let our speaking be natural and living.

I hope we have forsworn the tricks of professional orators, the strain after effect, the studied climax, the prearranged pause, the theatrical strut, the mouthing of words, and I know not what besides, which you may see in certain pompous divines who still survive upon the face of the earth. May such preachers become extinct animals before long, and may a living, natural, simple way of talking out the gospel be learned by us all; for I am persuaded that such a style is one which God is likely to bless.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the power of sharing your testimony.

The Samaritans believed because of what the woman told them concerning Jesus. Many of our beliefs arise out of the testimony of others. I believe that there is such a country as Japan; I never saw it, and yet I believe that there is such a place because others have been there. I believe that I shall die; I have never died, but a great many have done so whom I once knew, and therefore I have a conviction that I shall die also.

The testimony of many convinces me of that fact. Listen, then, to those who tell you how they were saved, how they were pardoned, how they were changed in character. If you will look into the matter you will find that somebody just like yourself has been saved.

THANKS FOR READING

Brothers,

It is so tempting to attempt to impress in our preaching. Friends, this is not a performance — it is a sacred trust from God himself. May God humble us and exalt himself in our pulpits this weekend.

If this newsletter is encouraging, please share it with another pastor. You can forward this email to a pastor you know.

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Blessings to your ministry,

Doug H.
Creator of SpurgeonBooks

Pray with Spurgeon: Jesus has made us new

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Our Father, we bless you that we dare use that name without a question; for many of us feel the Holy Spirit bearing witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. We thank you that we have passed from death unto life, and have been born again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. He who sits on the throne, and makes all things new, has made us new, and called us into newness of life, and made us to feel a life within us which must outlast the ages, for it is the life of God.

Our Father, we do not crouch before you, like slaves before a tyrant, but feel the spirit of adoption, which shall draw us into familiar intercourse with you; though still with holy trembling, for you are God in heaven, and we are still but men upon the earth, and at the very sight of you we feel a trembling coming over us; yet is there joy with it; and you have taught us to rejoice with trembling.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)

It is joy to have heaven; it is joy to possess a new life to fit me for heaven. But the greatest of all is to have my God, my own Savior’s God, my Father, my own Savior’s Father, to be all my own. God Himself has said, “I will be for them as God, and they will be to me as a nation” (Ezek 37:27). He has not given you earth and heaven only, though that would be much; he has given you the heaven of heaven—himself. Herod spoke of giving “half of his kingdom” (Mark 6:23), but the Lord has not given you half of his kingdom, nor even the whole of his kingdom only, but the blessed God has in covenant made over his own self to you.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Teach your children the truth (or the world will teach them lies)

Parents, our most important task is teaching our children the truth about who God is and what he has done.

God has called you and equipped you to disciple your children, to train them in the fear and instruction of the Lord.

The God-given solution to keep your children from falling prey to the sinful influences around them is simple: daily exposure to God’s Word.

I’ve created a new resource to help you do that — to open the Bible with your kids in a fruitful, fun, engaging way — every day.

GodCenteredFamily.org is a daily interactive Bible reading plan for parents and kids of any age. I hope it will be a blessing to your family.

You can learn more and download a free sample at GodCenteredFamily.org.

Pray with Spurgeon: May Jesus’ name be lifted high

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord, there is a great tumult in the world just now: we pray that you would overrule it for your glory. Grant that the best ends of progress, of truth and righteousness may be served; and may it be seen still, that the Lord reigns. Even though the people should riot and rebel against the truth, yet you advance your cause; even by disaster and defeat, if so it must be, or by success and prosperity.

Let your kingdom come, good Lord; let your kingdom come and let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and our hearts shall sing with the angel choir, and be glad with all the ransomed before the throne, because God is glorified. This is our soul’s grandest object, that Jesus’ name be lifted high, and his throne be set up among the people, to the praise of the glory of his grace. And now unto the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, be glory, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the LORD and his Anointed One.” (Psalm 2:1–2)

However mad the resolution to revolt from God, it is one in which man has persevered ever since his creation, and he continues in it to this very day. The glorious reign of Jesus in the latter day will not be consummated, until a terrible struggle has convulsed the nations. His coming will be as a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap, and the day thereof shall burn as an oven.

Earth loves not her rightful monarch, but clings to the usurper’s sway: the terrible conflicts of the last days will illustrate both the world’s love of sin and the Lord’s power to give the kingdom to his only Begotten. To a graceless neck the yoke of Christ is intolerable, but to the saved sinner it is easy and light. We may judge ourselves by this, do we love that yoke, or do we wish to cast it from us?

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

The (not-so-surprising) cure for anxiety

We know that we have nothing worth boasting about in ourselves. When we forget that reality and try to boast in ourselves, we put too much pressure on ourselves and that always leads to anxiety.

The path to a peaceful life, free of anxiety, starts by laying down your pride, by relying on the Savior instead of yourself. If you want peace in your life, start by growing in humility.

That’s the point of Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson. This book discusses Christ’s call to humility and practical steps to walk in it. It will definitely encourage you, shape you into Christlikeness, and fill you up with peace.

Buy Humble Roots: