Author: Charles Spurgeon

Pray with Spurgeon: We have the joy of God

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Some of us remember our early covenant with God, when we made over to him ourselves and all that we had. Oh, in life’s last hour when we bow ourselves for weakness, may it be to bless that sacred bond and to “enter into the joy of our Lord” (Matthew 25:21).

And if you have taught us anything since then, if you have given us any virtue or any praise, may we hear you say, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown” (Revelation 3:11). Oh let no brother or sister become distinguished in grace and then decline, let none bear fruit and afterwards become barren; but may our path “shine brighter and brighter until midday” (Proverbs 4:18) It is this our spirit craves after, with strong desire, that the whole of our life, from the commencement with Christ to its ending with our being with Christ, may glorify and bring help to his Church.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’” (Matthew 25:21)

This is not the servant’s portion, but the Master’s portion shared with his faithful servants. This will be the consummation of all heavenly delights; not so much that we shall have a joy of our own as that we shall enter into the joy of our Lord.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Teach the wonders of theology to children

If you don’t teach your child good theology, who will? (Hint: It’s not the children’s ministry worker they see for 45 minutes each week). If you don’t fill your child’s mind and soul with biblical truth, the world will fill it with worldly truth.

We must take this task seriously and teach our children the wonders and joy of who God is and what he has done.

A great resource for teaching theology in a creative and deeply biblical way is The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New by Marty Machowski. This book is a collection of over 70 short devotionals to teach children (primarily ages 6-12) the wonders of God.

The book is simple enough for a 3-year-old to grasp and also deep enough for a 12-year-old to be amazed. It really is an incredible resource! I hope you’ll grab one for your family.

Buy The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New:

Pray with Spurgeon: God, all that I have is yours

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Oh, take these hearts, most glorious Lord, and keep them, for “it is the source of life” (Proverbs 4:23); and let us be the instruments in your hand, by daily vigilance, of keeping our hearts, lest in heart we go astray from the Lord our God.

Until life’s last hour may we keep the sacred pledges of our early youth. Some of us do remember our early covenant with God, when we made over to him ourselves and all that we had. We do remember when we were baptized into the sacred Name—Oh, never may we dishonor that sacred ordinance by which we declared that we were dead to the world and buried with Christ.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

Mere moralists very often forget the heart, and deal exclusively with the lesser powers. It is as if, when the reservoir was filled with poisonous or polluted fluid, some sage counsellor should propose that all the piping had better be taken up, and fresh pipes laid down, so that the water might run through fresh channels; but who does not perceive that it would be all in vain, if the fountain-head were polluted, however good the channels.

So in vain the rules by which men hope to fashion their lives; in vain the regimen by which we seek to constrain ourselves to the semblance of goodness. unless the heart be right the very best plans of life shall fell to the ground and fail to effect their design.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Being like Christ starts with your heart

Today we prayed that our entire hearts would remain dedicated to God until the very end of our lives. And we saw in God’s Word that our hearts must be right before God, not just our behavior.

Growing as a Christian is not mere behavior modification (forcing yourself to do different things or live a different way) — it’s so much bigger than that. It’s about completely changing your heart so that you love the right things and want to do the right things.

To every Christian, that sounds amazing. We all want to be more like Christ and we all want to stop sinning, but there is a lot of confusion about how that happens. How will God change our lives?

That’s the point of Matt Chandler’s book, Recovering Redemption: A Gospel-Saturated Perspective on Change. This book explains the incredible work that God is going to do in your life to redeem everything about you.

This book will fill you with thankfulness and amazement at God’s work to save you from the penalty and power of sin every day. It will also help you understand your role in fighting sin.

This is a don’t-miss book to help make you more like Jesus. I hope you’ll grab one today.

Buy Recovering Redemption:

Pastor, God himself if your power for ministry

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

If our gospel is true, it will yet come to the front, and God will work for us; therefore are we “be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work” (1 Corinthians 15:58). If we do not see souls saved today or tomorrow, we will still work on.

Ours is not the unrequited toil of Sisyphus rolling uphill a stone which will rebound upon us, nor that of the daughters of Danaus who sought to fill a bottomless vessel. We are laboring for eternity, and we count not our work by each day’s advance, as men measure theirs; it is God’s work, and must be measured by his standard. Be well assured that, when time, and things created, and all that oppose themselves to the Lord’s truth shall be gone, every earnest sermon preached, and every importunate prayer offered, and every form of Christian service honestly rendered, shall remain embedded in the mighty structure which God from all eternity has resolved to raise to his own honor.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe God’s preservation of his people.

Some talk of our being in grace and out of it, as if we were like rabbits that run in and out of their burrows: but, indeed, it is not so. The Lord’s love is a far more serious and abiding matter than this. He chose us from eternity, and he will love us throughout eternity. He loved us so as to die for us, and we may therefore be sure that his love will never die.

Pray with Spurgeon: God, I want to know you (and be like you!)

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Teach us, O Lord, to know the reason of the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15), and to be able to defend the faith against all who come. Plough deep in us, great Lord; and let the roots of your grace strike into the roots of our being, until it shall be no longer I that live, but “Christ that lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

Holiness, also, of life we crave after. Grant that our speech, our thoughts, our actions, may all be holiness, and “holiness unto the Lord.” We know that there be some that seek after moral virtue apart from God. Let us not be of their kind; but may our desire be that everything should be done as unto the Lord, for you have said, “Walk before Me, and be blameless” (Genesis 17:1). Help us so to do, to have no master but our God, no law but his will, no delight but himself. 

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“…but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” (1 Peter 3:15)

We want Bible students as Christians—men who not only believe the truth, but have good reasons for believing it. We want men who can meet error with the argument, “It is written,” and can maintain the truth at all hazards, using weapons taken from the armory of God’s inspired Book. Oh, that we had among us more who were fit to be teachers! May we grow in grace so that, when the question is asked, “Who is this?” we may be able to answer it.

Covet earnestly this spiritual gift of knowledge, and give yourselves diligently to the search after it, that you may become fully established in the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. What a blessing you will be to others if you have much knowledge of the things of God!

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Know, understand, apply, share, and defend Bible truth

Today we prayed that God would help us grow in knowledge and holiness, so that we are better equipped to defend the faith and teach others. The study of theology is an important discipline for all Christians. It will always be well worth your time to think and study about who God really is (and not just who the world says he is).

A great resource for getting started with the study of theology is 50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith: A Guide to Understanding and Teaching Theology by Gregg Allison. This book offers a quick, biblical explanation of fifty crucial doctrines.

Each doctrine covered in the book is explained and defended biblically, and then applied to our own lives — how does this truth change the way we live and follow God?

This is also a great book for those further along in their study of theology, serving as a quick reference and teaching guide for every doctrine (The book also shares tips for teaching these doctrines to others).

I hope you’ll grab a copy of 50 Core Truths and be equipped to “give a defense” for your hope.

Buy 50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith:

Pray with Spurgeon: I want to love God more

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

We trust we can say also that we love the Lord, but oh that we loved him more! Let this blessed flame feed on the very marrow of our bones. May the zeal of your house consume us; may we feel that we love the Lord with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, with all our strength; and may there be about our life a special consecration, an immoveable dedication unto the Lord alone.

O Lord Jesus, deepen in us our knowledge of you. You have made the first lines of your likeness upon our character; go on with this work of sacred art, until we shall be like you in all respects. We wish that we had greater power in private prayer, that we were oftener wrestling with the covenant angel. We would that the Word of God were more sweet to us, more intensely precious—that we had a deeper hunger and thirst after it. Oh, that our knowledge of the truth were more clear, and our grip of it more steadfast.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons because zeal for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” (Psalm 69:8-9)

Zeal for God is so little understood by men of the world that it always draws down opposition upon those who are inspired with it; they are sure to be accused of sinister motives, or of hypocrisy, or of being out of their senses. When zeal eats us up, ungodly men seek to eat us up too, and this was pre-eminently the case with our Lord, because his holy jealousy was pre-eminent. With more than a seraph’s fire he glowed, and consumed himself with his fervor.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A resource to deepen your love for God

Today we prayed that our love for God and his Word would increase — that we would be more fully dedicated to him. Oh, isn’t that always true of us? Don’t we always long to know God more dearly, to worship him more truly, and to serve him more fully?

I’ve read one book that has fanned the flame of my love for God more than any other in the past year, it’s called Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund. This book is an absolutely stunning picture of God’s grace to us in Christ. You know that Christ died for you, but do you know why?

I’ve been moved to tears several times while reading this book and seeing the stunningly beautiful and biblical picture of Christ’s love for his people. The book is great reading for any sinning and suffering Christian (which is all of us!)

I hope you’ll grab a copy and read it this summer. I promise that you won’t regret it!

Buy Gentle and Lowly:

Pray with Spurgeon: May my heart belong to God alone

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Now, Lord, we ask you, hear the voice of our cry. Your people would first of all ask you to deepen in us all the good works of your grace. We do repent of sin—give us a deeper repentance! May we have a horror of it, may we dread the very approach of it, may we chastely flee from it and resolve, with sacred jealousy, that our hearts shall be for the Lord alone.

We have faith in Jesus, blessed be your name, but oh strengthen and deepen that faith! May he be all in all to us; may we never look elsewhere for ground of rest, but abide in him with an unwavering, immutable confidence, that the Christ of God cannot fail nor be discouraged, but must forever be the salvation of his people.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5)

What a blessed thing it is that, when troubles are shed abroad outside us, the love of God is shed abroad inside us; when we are tried without, we are comforted within; and so we are made strong, and we have no cause to fear.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

How God’s grace helps you grow

Today’s prayer was a desperate cry that we would dedicate our entire lives to God, but also a confession that Christ 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 you from sin, it also gives you the power that you 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.

Buy The Discipline of Grace:

Pray with Spurgeon: Hold onto God more firmly than ever before

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

O Lord, we would cling to you more firmly than ever we have done: we would say, “Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. For you, LORD, rescued me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling” (Psalm 116:7–8). We would this morning “take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord” (Psalm 116:13). We would “I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people” (Psalm 116:14).

Blessed be the name of the Lord, we have been brought low, but the Lord has helped us; we have oftentimes wandered, but he has restored us; we have been tried, but he has preserved us; yes, we have found his paths to be “paths of pleasantness” and all the ways of His wisdom to be “ways of peace.”

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“How can I repay the LORD for all the good he has done for me?” (Psalm 116:12)

He wisely leaves off fretting about man’s falsehood and his own suffering, and directs himself to his God. It is of little use to be harping on the string of man’s imperfection and deceitfulness; it is infinitely better to praise the perfection and faithfulness of God.

The question of the verse is a very proper one: the Lord has rendered so much mercy to us that we ought to look about us, and look within us, and see what can be done by us to manifest our gratitude. We ought not only to do what is plainly before us, but also with holy ingenuity to search out various ways by which we may render fresh praises unto our God. His benefits are so many that we cannot number them, and our ways of acknowledging his blessings ought to be varied and numerous in proportion.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A Beautiful Book to Help Children Understand Loss

Today, we prayed that we would remember God’s goodness and faithfulness, even in the midst of great suffering. The God that we pray to is control of all things. And even when the most unimaginably horrible circumstances come against us, we can trust that he is good.

That’s the theme of The Moon is Always Round by Jonathan Gibson. This book for kids of any age tells the story of a family grieving the loss of their baby. This book encourages children (and parents) to trust in our good God, no matter what our circumstances tell us to believe.

Even if the worst of trials come against us, the moon is always round, and God is always good.

This book is absolutely beautiful. It is simple enough for kids to understand and wonderful enough to move parents to tears. Really, this book is an incredible resource.

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

Buy The Moon is Always Round:

Pray with Spurgeon: God’s love endures forever

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Blessed God, our heart does praise you, our inmost soul exults in your name, for the Lord is good, and his mercy endures forever. Your people praise you, O God, for all that you have been to them, and we can all set bring you worthy praise by reason of our personal experience of your goodness.

You have dealt well with your servants, O Lord, according unto your word. We bless you for teaching us from our youth; for some of us have known you, even from our childhood, and your word was precious to us even in our earlier days, when, like young Samuel, we were spoken to of the Lord. Now you have carried us these years in the wilderness with unchanging love and goodness. You have made us and you do carry us; you do not forsake the work of your hands. “His faithful love endures forever,” and let your praise endure for ever also.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His faithful love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1)

Thanks are the least that we can offer, and these we ought freely to give. The inspired writer calls us to praise the Lord for all his goodness to us, and all the greatness of his power in blessing his chosen. We thank our parents, let us praise our heavenly Father; we are grateful to our benefactors, let us give thanks unto the Giver of all good.

“For he is good.” Essentially he is goodness itself, practically all that he does is good, relatively he is good to his creatures. Let us thank him that we have seen, proved, and tasted that he is good. He is good beyond all others; indeed, he alone is good in the highest sense; he is the source of good, the good of all good, the sustainer of good, the perfecter of good, and the rewarder of good. For this he deserves the constant gratitude of his people.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

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

Today, we praised God for his gracious, merciful, unending, never changing love. 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 infinitely loving?

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 hope you’ll grab a copy and read it this summer.

Buy The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God:

Pastor, you are sent by Christ himself. Go with confidence.

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

Suppose that, this morning, after reading this letter, an angel should meet you, and lay his hand upon you, and say, “The Lord God Almighty has sent me to commission you to preach the gospel henceforth.” Brother, you would feel a burden laid upon you, and yet you would feel renewed confidence and ardor. But no mere angel’s hand has touched you, brother; the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who redeemed you with his most precious blood, has laid this “necessity” upon you.

The pierced hand, which gave you healing, has appointed you to your Lord’s service, and made you a chosen vessel to bear his name. Hear afresh from His lips the commands, “Feed my sheep” and “Feed my lambs,” even as Peter did by the Sea of Galilee.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

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

If indeed the name of the Eternal God is named upon us, we are secure; for, as of old, a Roman had but to say, “Romanus sum, I am a Roman,” and he could claim the protection of all the legions of the vast empire, so every one who is a man of God has omnipotence as his guardian, and God will sooner empty heaven of angels than leave a saint without defense. Be braver than lions, for God is with you.

Pray with Spurgeon: God, be glorified in my life

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Bless, we pray, all city missionaries, all visitors from house to house, all those who seek to reclaim fallen women or orphans among the children. Let the philanthropic work that is done in our city, ever be under your eye, and be upheld by your gracious hand. Our ragged schools, and especially our Sabbath schools, do look upon with favor, and grant them ever to be a nursery for the Church of God.

The Lord bless all that in any way seek to make known the taste of the name of Jesus. Oh, give the humblest tongue that tells of Christ to speak with fire, and where the multitudes are gathered together, there give fervor and earnestness, sincerity and depth of power to bring sinners to Jesus.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Let the peoples praise you, God; let all the peoples praise you.” (Psalm 67:3)

Cause them to own your goodness and thank you with all their hearts; let nations do this, and do it continually, being instructed in thy gracious way. May every man bring his music, every citizen his canticle, every peasant his praise, every prince his Psalm. All are under obligations to you, to thank you will benefit all, and praise from all will greatly glorify you; therefore, O Lord, give all men the grace to adore your grace, the goodness to see your goodness.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Followers of Christ speak about Christ

Maybe the reason so many Christians don’t do the work of evangelism is because they don’t understand it. Evangelism isn’t meant to be an unnatural, guilt-motivated task that Christians carry out with dread and fear — it’s meant to be a natural overflow of our life in Christ.

Marks of the Messenger by Mack Stiles is a short book on evangelism that has the power to transform your life. In the book, Stiles shows that evangelism isn’t motivated by fear, guilt, or pragmatism, it’s simply to be motivated by who Christ is and our faith in him.

This summer, as many places and events re-open after a season of quarantine, will be full of opportunities for evangelism. God wants to do a work through you this summer — get prepared and motivated by reading Marks of the Messenger.

Buy Marks of the Messenger: