Author: Charles Spurgeon

Pray with Spurgeon: Deliver us from sin

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

And now, we ask you, look upon some who are seeking salvation, but do not find it; who hear the simple gospel, but somehow cannot enter into its rest. We know that something hinders—Satan hinders. There may be in the heart of seekers whom we know, attachment to a favorite sin. Oh, deliver them from that fascination. There may be still some holding fast to evil associations some predominance of evil passions.

Oh God, help penitent souls to come to you, asking to be delivered from sin in every shape, from the sugar of sin as well as from the gall of sin. Oh, make the soul of the seeker to be weary until he is delivered from corruption. May there be none here that shall fancifully seek after a pretended salvation, which will leave them as they are; but may they know that Jesus saves his people from their sins; and, oh, that with self-loathing, and deep contrition, and earnest heart-searching, souls may come to you again and cast themselves before your face, trusting in Jesus, and crying out to be delivered from sin; and may this be the day of deliverance.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“I, John, your brother and partner in the affliction, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” (Revelation 1:9)

That is a wondrous linking, is it not, in this verse?—“the kingdom and endurance.” You must have the cross and the crown together. We get the kingdom of Christ, but not without the passion of Christ. There is the cross marked on all the treasure trove that we find in Christ. It is not genuine if it is not marked with the cross.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A Bedtime Blessing for Children

Whether your children are afraid of the dark or not, we should always encourage our children to trust God at bedtime (and at all times!). Why Do We Say Good Night? by Champ Thornton is a great God-glorifying book for kids.

The book, packed full with simple rhymes, beautiful illustrations, and even more beautiful gospel-centered theology, tells the story of a little girl who is a little scared to be left alone at night. Her mother offers her the good news that our great God, the one who made the night, is near, in control, and good.

This book is one of the favorites of our family. There have been seasons when we’ve read it every night before bedtime, and my wife and I would even get it out again after bedtime to pour over the beautiful illustrations and think more about the incredible message it offers.

Buy Why Do We Say Good Night?:

Pastor, enjoy the blessing of preaching

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

“This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:8)

It really is a grace to be permitted to preach the gospel, and it brings grace with it. Brethren in the ministry, have you not read the Bible much more because you have had to preach the blessed truths revealed in it? Have you not been driven to your knees much more because you have had to deal with anxious souls, and to lead the people of God?

I am sure that it is so; and I thank God for having a calling which does not take me away from the mercy-seat, but drives me to it. I am grateful that I have a message which I am glad to tell, glad to tell anywhere, a message which never needs to be concealed, but which brings joy to us in telling it, and salvation to our hearers in listening to it. Blessed be God that we have such a story to tell!

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe God’s use of our trials to increase our faith.

Great hearts can only be made by great troubles. The spade of trouble digs the reservoir of comfort deeper, and makes more room for consolation. God comes into our heart—he finds it full—he begins to break our comforts and to make it empty; than there is more room for grace.

THANKS FOR READING (AND SHARING!)

Brothers,

Thank you again for reading this newsletter. At this point, over 400 pastors have subscribed to get weekly encouragement from Spurgeon. I really hope it’s useful to you.

If this newsletter is useful, please share it with other pastors you know. You could even forward them this email. They can subscribe at this link.

Thank you again for reading and sharing! It is an honor!

— Doug
Creator of SpurgeonBooks

Pray with Spurgeon: Oh, victory in Jesus!

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Oh, that you would make us clean, we pray; while we pray to you, we also know that believing in Christ we are clean; we thank you that we do not doubt his justifying power. While we are now crying to him to be sanctified, may we not doubt his power to sanctify; but while crying, “O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death” (Romans 7:24) as well we may; we do nevertheless shout exultingly, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 15:56–57)

Turn now, O believer, and sing a song of triumph. “The sting of death is sin.” Through Jesus Christ that is forgiven. “The strength of sin is the law.” Through Christ Jesus that has ceased to thunder, for it has been fulfilled and has become our friend. Therefore, “thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Prepare the voice of joyous thanksgiving; make ready your triumphal hymn. Death, we now triumph over you; you have spoken, but now we will speak and answer you to your face. Death has no sting to a believer. Once death was the penalty of sin; sin being forgiven, the penalty ceases, and Christians do not die now as a punishment for their sin, but they die that they may be prepared to live. They are unclothed that they may be clothed upon with that house which is from heaven. They leave the tenement of clay that they may inherit the eternal mansion.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

You are saved from death. Don’t live like a dead man anymore.

As I was reading today’s prayer and verse of the day, I was reminded of Romans 8:13, “if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” God has set you free from sin, and he has sent his Spirit to empower you to live free of sin — to pursue holiness. You’ve been made alive. So don’t live like a dead man.

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.

I recommended The Practice of Godliness earlier this week. These are great books to read together; you can make holiness the theme of your summer reading project.

Buy The Pursuit of Holiness:

Pray with Spurgeon: More than anything, I want to be like Jesus

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Oh to be Christly! We do desire to live on earth the life of Jesus—sent into the world by him as he was sent into the world by the Father. We would closely copy all his acts, words, and spirit; for so only are we saved, when we are saved from the power of sin, and transformed into the likeness of Christ.

Let no drunkard here imagine that his life ought to be spent in a selfish endeavor to save himself from the flames of hell; but may he rather reckon that the grand object is to be saved from the power of sin, and to be consecrated unto God, and to live unto the glory of the most High. Oh Lord, we do fear that selfishness even enters into our most holy things; we mar and spoil our prayers, and preachings, and teachings, with the unwashed hands with which we go about them. Oh, that you would make us clean, we pray.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5)

What an example we have set before us in the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus is the divine example of love and self-denial, and as we hope to be saved by him we must diligently copy him. He is now exalted to the highest glory as the reward of his voluntary humiliation, and by the same means must his disciples rise to honor. We must stoop to conquer. He who is willing to be nothing shall be possessor of all things.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Spurgeon’s Earliest Sermons (And Hundreds of Other Resources)

This month, the Spurgeon Study Bible is available for 50% off for “Pray with Spurgeon” subscribers (Just use promo code SPURGEONBOOKS).

One of my favorite features of the Spurgeon Study Bible is the LOST SERMONS. Throughout the study Bible, you can find outlines of some of Spurgeon’s earliest sermons — you can even see them in Spurgeon’s own handwriting!

Up until a few years ago, they had never been published or widely read, and now there are 20 of them available right in your Spurgeon Study Bible. These sermons are saturated with rich gospel content. I know they will bless and encourage you.

The Lost Sermons are just one of the many incredible features to this Study Bible. I highly recommend grabbing one now while they’re 50% off!

Buy the Spurgeon Study Bible on LifeWay.com (Use promo code SPURGEONBOOKS to save 50%)

Pray with Spurgeon: No one can tame the tongue?

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

As we have read the charge of your word against that unruly member, the tongue; as we have heard your servant James rebuking our envy and other evil spirits that are within us, we do feel humbled under your hand, and our prayer is, Lord, kill our envy, Lord, help us to command our tongue, grant us grace to be holy: may we be kind and gentle towards our fellow-men, having that fruit of the Spirit, which follows upon purity, even peace.

Oh, that we might live for you and not for self. Slay self we pray, gracious God, whenever there is a selfish, angry disposition about us; help us to trample it out, as men put out sparks lest a fire should arise therefrom.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.” (James 1:26)

James settles that matter off very quickly. An unbridled tongue indicates a godless heart.

If religion does not salt your tongue, and keep it sweet, it has done nothing for you. If the doctor wants to know the state of your health, he says, “Let me see your tongue;” and there is no better test of the health of the mind than to see what is on the tongue. When it gets furred up with unkind words, when it turns black with blasphemy, when it is spotted with lasciviousness, there is something very bad inside the heart, you may be quite sure of that.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Get control of your tongue (and the rest of you too!)

In today’s prayer, Spurgeon prayed that God would help us tame our tongue. Our words are powerful, so getting control of our speech is an absolutely essential step towards godliness that we must all take. We prayed for this today, because we can’t do it alone — we need God the Holy Spirit to bear the fruit of self-control in our lives (Galatians 5:23).

While our growth in holiness is a miracle that only God can do, we also have a role to play in this work. You will not automatically grow in godliness — you need to pursue godliness with the strength that God the Holy Spirit gives you.

A great, practical book on growing in godliness (self-control, taming the tongue, and more) is The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges. This book won’t just tell you that something is sinful, it will actually equip you practical tools and truths from God’s Word to slay your sin and live in godliness.

Whatever pressing sin you are currently facing and want to grow in, The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges is a great resource to help you take your next steps. I hope you pick up a copy today.

Buy The Practice of Godliness:

Pray with Spurgeon: Jesus is my only hope today

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

One thing we hope we can say with confidence—that our trust is stayed where you would have it stayed, even in the work, the blood, the righteousness, the person of your dear Son. We have no confidence but in Christ, this we know; but Lord, if this be a true confidence it will work by love and purify the soul. Oh, that there might be the sweet results of faith about our secret character and public life.

We do sin, the Lord grant we may never leave off grieving because of sin, never may we be contented with ourselves, never fancy that we have reached a point where we may rest and be thankful, and that there is nothing more for us to do in seeking to be more than conquerors of ourselves.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4)

The prophet Habakkuk is the one who first uttered these words, “The righteous one will live by his faith.” I wonder whether he fully understood them himself? It is always pleasant to see whether a doctor takes his own medicine and whether a preacher practices his own precepts. I think this is how Habakkuk understood these words.

Here is his practical exposition of them, in the last verses of his prophecy. “Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no herds in the stalls, yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!” (3:17–18). This is a hymn, is it not—the hymn of a man who saw his bread going, the meat going, the oil going, and everything going, and yet he rejoiced in the Lord. This is what living by faith meant—a faith that does without anything—a faith that can take nothing and be content with it because it finds everything in God—faith under the worst conceivable conditions. This is how the just are to live.

This verse and commentary were taken from the Spurgeon Study Bible. This month only, you can get the Spurgeon Study Bible for 50% off — use promo code SPURGEONBOOKS. Click here to learn more.*

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A great book for summer reading — be reminded of God’s incredible salvation

I can’t think of anything better to reflect on this summer than the person of God and the astounding work he has done to save us in Christ. That’s the subject of The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler. This book is deep, but intensely practical. If your summer plans keep you from reading for a few weeks, you’ll be able to put the book down (although I don’t think you’ll want to put it down!).

I first read The Explicit Gospel over a summer shortly after its release. I was so amazed by the stunning picture the book paints of God’s greatness and his amazing grace.

This book will really encourage you this summer. Grab a copy of the book to read on vacation or grab the audiobook to listen on your summer road trips or commute.

Buy The Explicit Gospel:

Pray with Spurgeon: Are you really saved? (You CAN know for sure)

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

A large number of us have put on Christ by open confession of his name. Oh, Searcher of hearts, are we really in Christ? Have we been born again by his spirit? Will you be pleased to search our hearts, that this question may be put beyond all suspicion.

Help us to be very diligent in self-examination, observing whether our spirit be the spirit of your children, whether our griefs be the griefs that tear repenting hearts, whether our joys are the joys of faith or the delusions of presumption. May we make severe trial of ourselves often and often putting ourselves into the balances of the sanctuary, to see whether we be full weight or no.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test.” (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Dear fellow believers, observe that you can know whether you are saved or not: assurance, yes, full assurance is within your grasp; but it is only to be obtained by a simple faith, and by a sincere and thorough examination of yourselves.

You are not to take it for granted that you are saved if you do, you may be sadly mistaken. The Spirit of God by the mouth of the apostle bids us “examine ourselves.” Of course we are to examine our lives, but he goes further, and says, “Examine yourselves.” Sin within will ruin even if it be not seen in act. Of course we are to examine our doctrines, but even more we are to examine ourselves. Heart error is more deadly than head error. Self-examination has not to do with garments but with the man himself. Yes, you did pray very prettily; but was that prayer out of yourself? Yes, sir, it was an admirable sermon and apparently very earnest, but is it your soul’s utterance, or only a parrot lesson? “Examine yourselves,” your own real persons, as in the presence of the Most High.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A Book to Help You Test Yourself and Have Full Assurance

Today’s prayer and verse are very heavy: we have prayed that God would help us examine ourselves and we have been commanded by the Apostle Paul to examine ourselves. Here’s a resource to help you examine yourself: Am I Really a Christian? by Mike McKinley.

This book is a short Bible study on seven ways that the New Testament describes all Christians. If these things are true of you, praise God, you can have assurance that you are born again. If these things are not true of you, then come to the cross in faith and find life in Jesus’ resurrection.

This book is a great resource for any Christian struggling with assurance. It is also a great book to read with a non-believer who claims to be a Christian — buy two and read it with a nominal Christian you know this summer.

I hope you’ll take seriously the call to examine yourself, and I know that this book will be a helpful tool in the process.

Buy Am I Really a Christian?:

Pastor, God has the power you need for ministry

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ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

Brethren, our faith discerns upon our side unseen agency. While we are at work, God also is at work. We do not reckon that the forces engaged upon our side are confined to the pulpit; we know that, all the week long, God is, by care, and affliction, and trouble, and sometimes by joy and consolation, making the people ready to receive what he has charged us to teach them.

We look upon our congregations, and perhaps are ready to cry in our unbelief, “Master, what shall we do?” but our eyes are opened, and we see horses of fire and chariots of fire round about the prophet of the Lord; mysterious agencies are cooperating with the ministry of grace.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

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

A man has a letter given to him: he puts it in his pocket, and does not open it. He goes out tomorrow for his day’s pleasuring, and he promises himself that he will open the letter on Tuesday, when the Bank Holiday is over.

Suppose in that letter there should be a warning of some plot against his life, or information of his mother being at the point of death, or of the sudden illness of a favourite child. What will he say to himself if he opens that letter too late?

The Bible is to many a man God’s unopened letter. Alas, how little do men search the Scriptures! If they do read them, they do it mechanically, and do not think over their warnings.

RESOURCE FOR PASTORS

There is more confusion surrounding theology of the body/human embodiment than most doctrines today. Our culture’s confusion about sexuality, gender, and the sanctity of human life — as well as “acceptable” sins against the body (lust, gluttony, laziness) — are rooted in bad theology.

We need a better understanding of what our bodies are and how we live as embodied image bearers in a fallen world.

There’s a great new resource available to help you better understand theology of the body and how to teach this important doctrine to your church: Embodied: Living as Whole People in a Fractured World by Gregg Allison.

This book is a valuable resource to the church — it will be well worth your time to read this summer. I studied under Allison in seminary and have benefited tremendously from his instruction on theology of human embodiment. This book will make you love your body and thank God for his glorious design.

Buy Embodied:

Pray with Spurgeon: God, bind my wandering heart to you

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

 Lord, we do confess that our nature is at enmity with you. The fallen corrupt nature of Adam has revolted and gone aside from God; and though we hope that by your free grace you have renewed us, yet the old rebellions come up at times, and the evil nature urges us still to oppose you.

Therefore our prayer this morning is that we may not only extol you with our words, as we do now, but by the entire submission of our hearts in loyal reverence to you, we may pay you the truest homage. But, Lord, lest we should not have done this, or thinking that we have done so, should still have failed, we will make this the burden of our morning prayer.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23–24)

The sense of the term justified is, in this place and in most others, to declare a person to be righteous. A person is put on trial and brought before the judge. One of two things will happen: either he will be acquitted, or else he will be condemned. We all essentially stand before the judge, and we are at any given moment either acquitted or condemned. It is not possible that any one of us should be acquitted on the grounds of our not being guilty, for we must all confess that we have broken the law of God thousands of times. The Lord has provided a way by which he can be righteous and yet declare the guilty to be righteous. Simply stated, this is the way of substitution and imputation. Our sins are taken off of us and laid on Christ Jesus, the innocent substitute.

This verse and commentary were taken from the Spurgeon Study Bible. This month only, you can get the Spurgeon Study Bible for 50% off — use promo code SPURGEONBOOKS. Click here to learn more.*

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:

Pray with Spurgeon: All my joy is in God

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Through the rebellion of our flesh we cannot delight ourselves in your ways, because they are hard and afflictive apparently; yet we do delight in you, and we will at all times rest our souls in the excellence and goodness and lovingkindness of the Most High.

As you have revealed yourself in Christ Jesus, you have now become to your people the object of inexpressible delight. You have bidden us to delight in you, promising to give us the desire of our hearts. We trust we can, many of us, truly say that you are our exceeding joy; the thought of God does bring exceeding pleasure to our soul. Our soul exults in her God: He is our God and we will extol him, he is our fathers’ God and we will glorify him (Exodus 15:2).

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” (Exodus 15:2)

The heart is prompted by gratitude to think of doing something for God. It thinks of preparing him a habitation; but what habitation shall we prepare for him whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain? All that we can possibly do is too little for the greatness of his grace and his glory.

“You did well that it was in your heart,” said the Lord to David, though he might not prepare God a habitation. It is well that it is in our heart today to do some little thing for the glory of God. As an old Puritan says, we give for love-tokens a cracked sixpence, or a flower that soon fades. It is accepted as a love-token, not for its intrinsic value, but as an emblem of what our heart feels, and would do if it could. Even so it is with the Lord and the service his people seek to render to him. He takes our trifles, and makes much of them.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Find freedom by fearing God.

The fear of God is a troubling and confusing phrase for many. We know that it appears all over Scripture, but we don’t know what it means. We know it means more than basic “respect” or “reverence.” But we also don’t feel right running scared from our loving Father.

A new book, Rejoice and Tremble: The Surprising Good News of the Fear of the Lord by Michael Reeves is a beautifully helpful guide to understanding and applying the fear of the Lord.

Reeves shows that the fear of the Lord is not a negative fleeing from God, but a wonder-filled joy in God and all that he is. The fear of God is the path to freedom from all anxiety. Reading this book filled my heart with joy and love for the God who must be feared, and I know that it will do the same for you. 

Buy Rejoice and Tremble: