Author: Charles Spurgeon

Pray with Spurgeon: We don’t live for worldly things anymore

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord, forgive us that death in life, in which so many of our years were spent, when we found something in the world apart from you; and were content with the things of the hour, the vile shadows, transient gusts of things which truly are not, for you alone are all in all.

We have repented, as you know, through your grace, most bitterly of that time of death in which we tried to live; and now, you have given us to see our pardon in the wounds of Jesus, and our soul does put her trust in him. God incarnate is the ground of our hope that we are accepted and forgiven, notwithstanding that previous life of ours.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

It is strange but yet true that God’s people have ever been inclined to lose their nationality and become as the world. So now we ever need to hear the cry, “be not conformed.” We must stand by our Bible, never giving way, not following the religion of the multitude.

The mind must be renewed every day. Backsliding will bring us to the world, but growth in grace will separate us more.

This verse and commentary were taken from the Lost Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon (Volume 4, #223). This month only, you can get any volume in this series for 50% off — use promo code LOSTSERMONS. Click here to learn more.*

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Discover freedom from guilt and deeper joy in Christ

Today we prayed, lamenting of our former life and asking for God’s forgiveness. It can be easy for many Christians to feel a constant sense of guilt from our past sins. And while it’s good to feel remorse over our sin, God has called us to live in freedom and joy with a clear conscience.

A great (and very short!) book to help you understand your conscience, repentance, and freedom from guilt and shame is The Art of Turning by Kevin DeYoung. This short book unpacks the “conscience” and encourages you to turn from Christ sin every day.

This book is so incredibly life-giving. If you read it, you will find freedom from guilt and increased desire to know Christ. I hope you’ll pick up a copy today.

Buy The Art of Turning:

Pray with Spurgeon: Don’t doubt God — he always keeps his promises

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Glorious Lord, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, you have not changed: you are still a covenant God, and you keep that covenant to all your people; you do not permit a single word of it to fall to the ground. All of your promises are yes and amen in Christ Jesus, to your glory by us; and we believe those promises will be fulfilled in every jot and tittle: not one of them shall want its mate, not one of them shall fall to the ground like the frivolous words of men.

Have you said, and will you not do it? Have you commanded, and shall it not come to pass? We are utterly ashamed, and full of confusion; because we have to confess that we have doubted you. Many of our actions have been atheistic. We have lived at times as if there were no God. Lord, forgive us.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“For every one of God’s promises is ‘Yes’ in him. Therefore, through him we also say ‘Amen’ to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

The Scriptures do, in effect, come to us from Christ. Every promise of this blessed book is a promise of Christ, “For every one of God’s promises is ‘Yes’ in him.” They all come to us through Christ; God speaks them to us through him as the mediator. Indeed, we may regard the whole of the sacred Scriptures, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation, as being the word of Christ.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Don’t be content with a shallow love for God*

Today we prayed, praising God for always keeping his promises. We repented of our doubts in his promises and asked him to help us. We all want to grow in our knowledge of God and our love for God, but do you have a plan in place for actually growing in faith? What practical steps will you take to increase your knowledge of God, your love for his glory, and your desire for his Word?

One great step to take is reading The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer. This is a great resource to equip you for fanning the flame of your love for God.

There’s a new audiobook of The Pursuit of God available now from Goodwill Audiobook Classics Library. I know that listening to Christ-centered audio during your daily tasks will encourage your faith and help you grow in grace.

If you’re content with a shallow love for God, you can ignore this book. But if you’re ready to dive deeper than ever, check out The Pursuit of God. I hope you’ll grab the audiobook and listen. It will amaze you at God’s greatness and leave you with no choice but to pursue him with everything you are.

Buy The Pursuit of God Audiobook Now.
(Print and Kindle editions also available, which feature two bonus chapters by Spurgeon)

Pastor, want to be a better preacher? Trust God.

Get wisdom encouragement for Spurgeon in your inbox every week. Subscribe to the The Pastor’s Note newsletter for free.

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

Faith cries, “Trust me, my son, to make you preach better. Have more enterprise. Be more daring. Do not fight your own battle in the church-meeting, leave it to your God; trust all with him. Do not be afraid to go and speak to that foul-mouthed man; I will give you the right word to say to him. Trust me, and go with prudence but with zeal into the darkest haunts of vice. Find out the worst of men, and seek their salvation. There is nothing you cannot do if you will but trust in God.”

Brother, your failure, if you fail, will begin in your faith. The air says to the eagle, “Trust me; spread your broad wings; I will bear you up to the sun. Only trust me. Take your foot from off yon rock which you can feel beneath you. Get away from it, and be buoyed up by the unseen element.” My brethren, eaglets of heaven, mount aloft, for God invites you. Mount! You have but to trust him. An unknown glory rests upon Him, and the radiance thereof shall come upon you if you only know how to trust Him.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the importance of work.

We must have done with daydreams, and get to work. I believe in eggs, but we must get chickens out of them. I do not mind how big your egg is, it may be an ostrich’s egg if you like; but if there is nothing in it, pray clear away the shell. If something comes of your speculations, God bless them; and even if you should go a little further than I think it wise to venture in that direction, still, if you are thereby made more useful, God be praised for it!

THANKS FOR READING

Brothers,

God really is at work through your preaching. Your preaching this weekend is his plan to teach your people, grow the saints, call the lost, build the church, and glorify his Son. Any of those tasks are far too great for us, but not for our God. He loves to do the impossible in and through our ministries. Have confidence — he will empower you.

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

If someone forwarded this email to you, sign up to get another one every week. Click here to subscribe.

Blessings to your ministry,

Doug H.
Creator of SpurgeonBooks

Pray with Spurgeon: The holy God is our only hope

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Our Father, blessed be the grace and love which have taught us to use that dear familiar name—“Our Father, who art in heaven,” and therefore highest and most exalted, and worthy to be breathed with awe and reverence by all that draw near to you.

“Hallowed be your Name.” Oh, that all the earth would ever reverence it! As for ourselves, enable us by your grace to use it with awe and trembling; and may a consideration of the glorious character which is intended by your gracious name, ever lay us in the very dust before you, and yet lift us up with holy joy, and with an unwavering confidence. We come before you this morning, through Christ Jesus, to express our entire confidence in you. We believe that you are, and that you are the rewarder of those who diligently seek you.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.” (Matthew 6:9)

We pray as children to a Father, and we pray as brothers, for we say, “Our Father.” “Our Father” is a familiar name, but the words “which art in heaven” suggest the reverence due unto him. Our Father and yet in heaven: in heaven and yet our Father.

May his name be treated reverently, and may all that is about him—his Word and his gospel—be regarded with the deepest awe! It is for us so to walk before the Lord in all lowliness, that all shall see that we reverence the character of the thrice-holy One. Then can we truly pray, “Hallowed be your name”, when we hallow it ourselves.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

What was Spurgeon like as a teenager?*

It’s always interesting to think about what major leaders and thinkers were like as kids — how their thinking developed and how they rose to prominence. And Spurgeon is no different.

Shortly after his conversion, Spurgeon entered into the ministry and began preaching. And he kept careful, hand-written notes for each of his sermons in notebooks.

Up until a few years ago, these notebooks (and the early sermons they contained) weren’t available to the general public.

Now, you can check them out for yourself in The Lost Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon — a beautiful collection of books that will give you a unique look into Spurgeon’s early ministry.

Each volume in the series is a reproduction of Spurgeon’s actual notebooks, complete with full-color scans and stunning covers.

These books won’t just help you love Spurgeon, they will help you love Christ, because the sermons are full of gospel-centered, Christ-exalting content.

This month only, you can get any volume in the Lost Sermons collection for 50% off — just use promo code LOSTSERMONS when you check out on Lifeway.com.

Buy the Lost Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon on Lifeway.com (Use promo code LOSTSERMONS to save 50%)

Pray with Spurgeon: God’s mercies are new EVERY morning (including today)

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Make the whole of your people to be full of life and vigor; and may the day come, when the missionary spirit shall be more fully caught by the church at home, and they that have gone forth shall bring tens of thousands, to be built into the temple of God.

O Lord, we wait upon you now, and ask the over-shadowing of your presence! Jesus of Nazareth, pass by just now! Divine Spirit, rest upon us now! Holy Father, look upon your children now; and make this place to be glorious at this good hour! We ask it in the name of the Well Beloved.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Because of the LORD’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!” (Lamentations 3:22–23)

Bad as our state is, we are not yet in hell; we are not yet beyond the reach of hope. We had new mercies this morning, and we will have fresh mercies this evening. God has not forgotten us. The very breath in our nostrils is a proof of his goodness to us; let us, therefore, dear friends, still hope for yet further favors from him.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

New Book: Study Every Verse of the Psalms with Spurgeon*

Spurgeon knew the importance of getting into God’s Word every day, which is why he created several daily devotionals. I’m really excited about a new daily devotional that has been crafted from Spurgeon’s writings: Daily Treasure is a 366-day devotional on the Psalms.

This devotional will guide you to read all of the Psalms in the course of a year, accompanied with daily reflections from Spurgeon.

The readings from Spurgeon are taken from his timeless commentary, “The Treasury of David,” and are so incredibly valuable. As I’ve read “Daily Treasure,” I’ve found myself absolutely ASTONISHED at the greatness of our God. He really is our supreme treasure.

I promise you — this book will drive you to praise our great God, along with David and Spurgeon. (Not to mention, the book itself is absolutely stunning!)

This book is an incredible resource! I hope you’ll grab a copy and start a breathtaking journey through the Psalms with Spurgeon.

Thanks to my friends at 10 of Those, you can get Daily Treasure for 25% off — just use promo code SPURGEONBOOKS.

Buy Daily Treasure from 10 of Those for 25% off.

Pray with Spurgeon: May the gospel spread all across our land

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Standing before the throne of God without fear, we would humbly ask you to bless our country. Oh, that you would look upon this nation which has sorely sinned, which has turned away from the path of peace to seek the ways of glory and of blood. O Lord, be pleased to turn its course aright again.

We ask you, bring us out of the disasters which we have been made to suffer, and let the nation lie penitent at the feet of God. Oh, that the Christian cause in this realm might prevail—that the Church of God might have a little influence over the worldly mass. Oh, that the time were come when the salt shall more completely flavor all the masses, and the glorious leaven shall work until all the measures of meal are leavened.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“The slacker says, ‘There’s a lion outside! I’ll be killed in the public square!’” (Proverbs 22:13)

When someone does not diligently attend to his business, he is committing great wrong to himself and to others. When a man is slothful as a servant, he is unjust to his employers, and when he is in business on his own account, idleness is usually a wrong to his wife and family.

“There is a lion outside” and therefore the man judges it to be quite right that he should keep his bed, or that he should sit leisurely indoors and should not give himself too much trouble or run any risks, but all this is mere makeup to screen his loathsome vice. No Christian ought to be slothful in his ordinary work.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Give Godly Role Models to Your Children

I’ve been really excited about a new series of kid’s books from The Good Book Company — Do Great Things for God. Each book in this series features a short child-friendly biography of a Christian woman.

I recently received a copy of Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman with a Big Dream and I was blown away by the compelling story of this little-known missionary’s life and service. The storytelling is enjoyable for kids of any age (and their parents!), the illustrations are approachable and beautiful, and the lesson is amazing: Gladys was able to do great things, because her God is great!

I’ve loved reading this biography to my daughter and I’m praying she’ll find great, faithful heroes like Gladys that will point her to a greater and more faithful God.

I hope you’ll grab a copy of Gladys Aylward for your family today.

Pre-order Gladys Aylward:

Pray with Spurgeon: Make us fit for heaven (and then bring us there!)

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

O Lord, we do ask you to make us fit for heaven. We hope it is not long before we shall be there. We have sometimes had glimpses between the gates of pearl; we have had such foretastes of the “place prepared,” that sometimes we are in haste to be gone; the flavor of the grapes of Eschol is in our mouths, and we long to be where all the clusters grow.

But we are conscious of unfitness for that state as yet. Oh, go on most blessed Spirit, with your patient work, until you shall have made us heavenly, and then we shall be caught up to the “heavenly places,” to see the face of our Beloved.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)

Now, if our text said that, without perfection of holiness, no man could have any communion with Christ, it would shut every one of us out, for no one, who knows his own heart, ever pretends to be perfectly conformed to God’s will. This holiness is a thing of growth. It may be in the soul as the grain of mustard-seed, and yet not developed; it may be in the heart as a wish and a desire, rather than anything that has been fully realized — a groaning, a panting, a longing, a striving. As the Spirit of God waters it, it will grow till the mustard-seed shall become a tree.

When we find many imperfections and many failings in ourselves, we are not to conclude that, therefore, we have no interest in the grace of God. This would be altogether contrary to the meaning of the text. Those who are not condemned may reasonably draw some comfortable inferences as to their own pursuit of this inestimable grace.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Pursue holiness like your life depends on it.

Today we prayed for God to bring holiness about in our lives, and we saw from his Word that this kind of holiness is required in each of our lives. In this pursuit of holiness, we need a lot of help along the way, don’t we?

One of the most motivating and empowering books on personal holiness that I have ever read is The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges. This book will show you the high calling of holiness that God has laid on all of his people (and why it’s so important) while also giving grace-fueled practical guidance on actually pursuing holiness in your own life.

This book will equip you and empower you to pursue holiness. I hope you’ll grab a copy and be blessed by it.

Buy The Pursuit of Holiness:

Pray with Spurgeon: Jesus, conquer the power of sin in m

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

This is the final newsletter for the week (we’ll be back on Monday.)

Thanks to 10 of Those for sponsoring the newsletter this week. This ministry wouldn’t be possible without their support.

Check out Daily Treasure, a new one-year devotional by Spurgeon. This book is an absolutely beautiful study in the Psalms with daily commentary from Spurgeon himself.

You can get the book for 25% off when you use promo code SPURGEONBOOKS. Click here to learn more.*

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

We ask you to subdue our iniquities. Lord, conquer the power of sin in all of us. Grant us power to live above it; let not the passions of the flesh, nor the lustings of the mind, bring the spirit into subjection; but may our spirit rule over mind and body; and may Christ rule over our spirit, and so may we know the “freedom for which Christ makes us free” (Galatians 5:1).

Next, we ask for perfect consecration, that everything we are and have may be the Lord’s, not in name, but in deed and in truth.

And then, we ask for fruitfulness. Oh, help us to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit to the glory of God. May our character get more beautiful every day. If there are any traces of Christ’s artistic work upon us, may he go on with that Divine pencil, until he shall have produced in us a perfect character, and we shall be among men copies of the perfectness of our Master.

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 this present world.” 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.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

How God’s grace helps you grow

Today’s prayer was a desperate cry that Christ would set us free from sin, knowing that he is our only hope and our only salvation. We ask God to help us grow in holiness, because we know that God’s grace doesn’t just save us from sin, it also gives us the power that we need to slay sin. The work of growing in godliness is a work of cooperation between us and God’s grace.

One of my all-time favorite books is The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges. This book explains how God’s grace empowers Christians to slay sin and grow in godliness. It is one of the helpful, practical, and encouraging books that I have ever read! If you want to grow in godliness, start with The Discipline of Grace.

Reading The Discipline of Grace will definitely help you grow in holiness. I hope you’ll grab a copy today.

Buy The Discipline of Grace:

Pastor, God is real. He really will help you.

Get wisdom encouragement for Spurgeon in your inbox every week. Subscribe to the The Pastor’s Note newsletter for free.

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

Faith in God enables many of you, I know right well, to bear much hardship, and exercise much self-denial, and yet to persevere in your ministry. My heart rejoices over the many brethren here whom God has made to be winners of souls; and I may add that I am firmly persuaded, concerning many here present, that the privations they have undergone, and the zeal they have shown in the service of their Lord, though unrewarded by any outward success, are a sweet savor unto God.

True faith makes a man feel that it is sweet to be a living sacrifice unto God. Only faith could keep us in the ministry, for ours is not a vocation which brings with it golden pay; it is not a calling which men would follow who desire honor and rank. We have all kinds of evils to endure, evils as numerous as those which Paul included in his famous catalogue of trials; and, I may add, we have one peril which he does not mention, namely, the perils of church-meetings, which are probably worse than perils of robbers. Underpaid and undervalued, without books and without congenial associates, many a rural preacher of the gospel would die of a broken heart, did not his faith gird him with strength from on high.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe saving faith.

Faith occupies the position of a channel or conduit pipe. Grace is the fountain and the stream; faith is the aqueduct along which the flood of mercy flows down to refresh the thirsty sons of men. It is a great pity when the aqueduct is broken. It is a sad sight to see around Rome the many noble aqueducts which no longer convey water into the city, because the arches are broken and the marvelous structures are in ruins.

The aqueduct must be kept entire to convey the current; and, even so, faith must be true and sound, leading right up to God and coming right down to ourselves, that it may become a serviceable channel of mercy to our souls.

THANKS FOR READING

Brothers,

In the last few weeks, I’ve felt the pressing demands of planning Sunday-after-Sunday weigh heavy on me. In the daily grind of ministry, it can be easy to lose focus on the supernatural power of God that equips us for ministry.

Don’t allow yourself to be distracted from God’s power — he is at work in you and through you. He will preserve you to the end. Trust him, and walk by faith through whatever trials of life and ministry he sends.

May Romans 12:12 describe our lives as sinful, suffering pastors: “Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.”

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

If someone forwarded this email to you, sign up to get another one every week. Click here to subscribe.

Blessings to your ministry,

Doug H.
Creator of SpurgeonBooks

Pray with Spurgeon: Help us know we are forgiven

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Now we present ourselves before the Throne of God, in the name of Jesus Christ our great High Priest. And first, we ask for pardon through the blessed blood.

You have already pardoned some of us: give us a new sense of it. Continue to pardon us; let us feel as if we came every day to the “fountain filled with blood,” and as if the washing were every day new. But, oh, have pity upon some that have never been pardoned. Hear the cry of sinners as they seek your face; and wherever there is a penitent spirit, be pleased speedily to send it relief, and let forgiveness of sin be felt, wherever the burden of sin weighs down the spirit.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2)

Many are the exhortations to prayer, because it is much needed. The Apostle supposes that all Christians pray. This is the commencement, means, sign, help, and close of our life. Never do we get too wise, too strong, or too old to need prayer.

Faith, an essential part of a Christian, cannot develop itself without prayer. Penitence cannot make its confessions without it. Weakness and sense of need do naturally produce it.

This verse and commentary were taken from the Lost Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon (Volume 4, #220). This month only, you can get any volume in this series for 50% off — use promo code LOSTSERMONS. Click here to learn more.*

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A devotional to help you run from sin and cling to Christ

Today we prayed that God would help us know that we are forgiven of our sin. God loves to answer this prayer for assurance, and he usually does it through the promises of his Word.

One resource that’s been helpful as I’ve studied God’s Word and his promise of forgiveness is Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy by Paul Tripp. This book features 52 short devotionals (one for every week of the year) on Psalm 51. This is an incredible resource to help you remember the horrors of your sin and the wonders of God’s amazing grace.

You could read the book over the next few months with just five minutes a day, or read one devotional each week for the next year. I can’t think of a better way to spend your time than reflecting on God’s mercy towards broken sinners like us.

I hope you’ll buy a copy and enjoy mediating on God’s unending mercy with me.

Buy Whiter Than Snow: