Author: Charles Spurgeon

Pray with Spurgeon: Never forget God’s amazing grace

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord, forgive us all our sins. May your forgiven ones experience a renewed awareness of their acceptance in the Beloved. If any clouds obscure you from any believing eyes, dispel those clouds. If, as we journey through this world filled with mire, there are stains upon us, cleanse our feet with that blessed foot-washing, then declare to us, “You are clean, every bit of you.” May we know it as truth, that there is no condemnation, no separation. Sin has been removed, both its power to separate and to destroy.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me.” (Psalm 51:3)

Here, he recognizes the multitude and multitude of his sins and openly confesses them. It’s as if he’s saying, “I openly admit to them all.” This confession doesn’t serve as his plea for forgiveness, but rather as unequivocal evidence of his need for mercy, with no alternative source of aid to turn to. His admission of guilt prohibits him from appealing against the sentence of justice.

Lord, I must throw myself upon your mercy, do not reject me, I implore you. You have made me willing to confess. O, extend this work of grace with a complete and free pardon!

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Another GREAT missionary biography for littles

I haven’t been quiet about the fact that I LOVE the Do Great Things for God series of kids’ books from The Good Book Company, which tells the stories of brave Christian women who lived radically for God’s glroy. And the latest book in this series is no different.

Maria Fearing: The Girl Who Dreamed of Distant Lands by K.A. Ellis tells the story of a former enslaved woman who used her freedom to travel to Congo and serve as a missionary. This book is an inspiring story of faith and sacrifice. It also deals with some unique themes of justice and evil, inviting our children to live out Christlike compassion.

Maria Fearing will be a great addition to any family’s library. I hope you’ll grab a copy today.

Buy Maria Fearing:

Pray with Spurgeon: God can wash our sin away

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Our hearts are filled with a constant melody; we would retrieve our harps, if they had been hung aside, and play every string to offer the sweetest melody of praise to the Lord our God. However, Lord, we cannot conclude with just praise, for we are compelled to come before you with humble confession of our sins. We are undeserving of even the smallest of these blessings. We cannot say, “I am deserving of this,” but rather we are entirely undeserving. Your gifts are bestowed according to the riches of your grace, for which again we give you praise.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.” (Psalm 51:2)

It is not enough to blot out the sin; his person is defiled. He longs for God himself cleanse him, for none but he could do it actually. The washing must be thorough, it must be repeated, therefore he cries, “Multiply to wash me.” The dye is in itself immovable, and I, the sinner, have laid long in it, until the crimson is ingrained. But, Lord, wash, and wash, and wash again, till the last stain is gone, and not a trace of my defilement is left. The hypocrite is content if his garments be washed; but the true suppliant cries, “wash me.” The careless soul is content with a nominal cleansing, but the truly-awakened conscience desires a real and practical washing, and that of a most complete and efficient kind.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

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

Today we prayed that the good news of God’s grace. God’s grace really is wonderful and really does save sinners!

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:

* Get the audiobook for free (yours to keep) right here!

Pray with Spurgeon: God is able to keep us and restore us

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

O God, we extend gratitude for guarding us until this day, and for the unwavering assurance that you will never let us go. Some among us can declare, “He restores my soul,” for they had strayed, but you brought them back. Lord, keep us from straying, and then we shall proclaim, “To him who is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us faultless before his presence with exceeding joy.”

Bless the Lord, our inmost soul blesses the Lord. Blessed be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Triune God. Blessed be the Lord for every role undertaken by each divine Person and for the divine grace that flows through each title worn by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Be gracious to me, God, according to your faithful love; according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion.” (Psalm 51:1)

The sight of mercy is good for eyes that are sore with penitential weeping. Pardon of sin must ever be an act of pure mercy, and therefore to that attribute the awakened sinner flies. Act, O Lord, like yourself; give mercy like your mercy. Show mercy such as is congruous with your grace.

My revolts, my excesses, are all recorded against me, but Lord, erase the lines. Draw your pen through the register. Obliterate the record, though now it seems engraven in the rock forever: many strokes of your mercy may be needed, to cut out the deep inscription, but then you have a multitude of mercies, and therefore, I beg you, erase my sins.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

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

Today, we began a new series through Psalm 51 in the “Verse of the Day” section of this newsletter. As we read this beautiful psalm together with Spurgeon over the next few weeks, I hope you’ll find greater confidence that our sins are forgiven, to help us know that we are forgiven of our sin by the great mercy of Christ.

If you want to continue to study Psalm 51, I highly recommend 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:

Pray with Spurgeon: God’s immeasurable love will never give up on you

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

We thank you, Lord, for the love that chose us before the world’s foundation, for the immeasurable love that established a covenant for our redemption, for the unfailing love that manifested in the person of Christ and accomplished our salvation, for the love that remains constant even in our wanderings; a love that endures when we prove faithless.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Nothing without Christ Jesus, you see. The mark of the pierced hand is on everything: “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.”

God has decreed that he will have a holy people. This is his purpose, his ordinance, to which he will always stand. He will make it good. He will make sinful people holy, and disobedient people obedient to the faith.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Teach your kids the Bible’s big story

Our kids need more than simplistic moral stories from the Bible — they need to see for themselves that the whole Bible tells one magnificent story that points to Jesus. They need to hear (and believe) every Word of Scripture. They need to treasure Christ — the great reward of Scripture.

The fall is a “reset” for many families. As kids go back to school and more routine comes back into our lives, we have an opportunity to evaluate our current habits and cultivate new ones.

I really want to challenge parents — make family devotions a DAILY habit this school year.

To help you, I’ve created a series of family devotionals to help you dive into God’s Word with your kids — God Centered Family.

There are three things that make these devotionals unique:

1. They cover the WHOLE BIBLE.
(Because kids NEED the whole Bible, not just a few favorite stories)

2. They are INTERACTIVE.
(Because kids need to HEAR the Bible, not just sit through it)

3. They are for ALL AGES.
(Because the whole family needs the Bible)

I want to give you everything you need to teach your kids the Bible… in just TEN MINUTES every day.

There are two ways to get started:

Pastor, preach the Bible (don’t just read it)

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)

Some brothers are done with their text as soon as they have read it. Having paid all due honor to that particular passage by announcing it, they feel no necessity further to refer to it. They touch their hats, as it were, to that part of Scripture, and pass on to fresh fields and pastures new. Why do such men take a text at all? Why limit their own glorious liberty? Why make Scripture a horsing-block by which to mount upon their unbridled pegasus? Surely the words of inspiration were never meant to be boot-hooks to help a Talkative to draw on his seven-leagued boots in which to leap from pole to pole.

RESOURCE FOR PASTORS

Special thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring the Pastor’s Note newsletter. The CSB is both accurate and readable. So that you (and your flock) can read God’s Word with confidence, clarity, and precision.

Click here to learn more about the CSB (and request a free CSB Bible).

SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)

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

There are some people, who seem as if they would not be converted unless they can see some eminent minister. Even that will not suit some of them; they want a special revelation from heaven. They will not take a text from the Bible,—though I cannot conceive of anything better than that;—but they think that, if they could dream something, or if they could hear words spoken, in the cool of the evening, by some strange voice in the sky, then they might be converted.

Well, brothers and sisters, if you will not eat the apples that grow on trees, you must not expect angels to come and bring them to you. We have a more sure word of testimony in the Bible than we can have anywhere else. If you will not be converted by that Word, it is a great pity; and it is much more than a pity, it is a great sin. If your Lord and Master condescended to receive consolation from an angel whom he had himself created, you ought to be willing to gather comfort from the feeblest speech of the poorest person, from the least of the people of God when they try to cheer you.

THANKS FOR READING

Brothers,

Thanks for reading the newsletter this week.

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
Preaching Pastor of Pillar Church of Washington DC

Pray with Spurgeon: Jesus has rescued us from dark despair

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Dear Savior, we place ourselves under your sacred protection. Advocate with the Father, plead for us today, and intercede even for the transgressors. We yearn to praise the name of the Lord with our entire being, we who have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Truly, you have rescued us from the abyss of dark despair where we miserable sinners were trapped. You have lifted us out of the pit of destruction and the miry mud. You set our feet upon a firm foundation, and the new song you’ve placed within our mouths, we are determined not to silence. Instead, we shall bless the Lord whose mercy is everlasting.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9)

“Oh!” said one to me just now, “the man who is saved by his own righteousness cannot do much in the line of praising.” “No, my dear brother,” I replied, “except he praises himself, and he can generally do that pretty well.” Your self-made man usually worships his creator very earnestly; and your self-saved man glorifies him that saved him.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

God’s love is an ocean. Dive in with Spurgeon.

A major theme in Spurgeon’s preaching (and all of Scripture!) is the incomparable love of God. God’s love provides for us, serves us, helps us, forgives us. God’s love, seen supremely at the cross of Christ, is our only hope in life and death. It’s important that we continually remember and reflect on the greatness of God’s love.

To help you continue to enjoy God’s love, I put together a new book, Spurgeon on God’s Love. This book compiles twelve sermons by Spurgeon, all reflecting on the glorious reality of God’s unchanging love and unfailing grace.

These sermons have really encouraged me over the last few months and I know that they will encourage you! Plus, buying a copy is a great way to support this ministry, so I can continue to send this newsletter every day.

I hope you’ll grab a copy for yourself (and another one for a friend!) and reflect on God’s love in your summer/fall reading.

Buy Spurgeon on God’s Love:

Pray with Spurgeon: May God draw near to us

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord, we humbly approach you, yet we earnestly ask you to draw near to us. Pull us close, and we shall eagerly follow you. Blessed Spirit, assist our weaknesses, for we confess our uncertainty in knowing how to pray as we should. Holy Spirit, we implore your presence to guide our thoughts and words rightly, so that in our communal prayers, each of us may feel a personal connection. We are grateful, remembering that if the minister in the sanctuary cannot intercede for any one of us, there is one who carries the names of all his redeemed upon his breast and shoulder. He will lovingly safeguard the interests of his own.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—” (Ephesians 2:8)

We have this expression, “by grace are you saved,” twice over in this chapter. Paul knew that he needed to repeat himself, or people would forget what he taught. At bottom, all the wanderings from the faith at the present day amount to this, salvation by works instead of salvation by grace. The battle of the Reformation has to be fought over again. Men are justified by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. All the enmity of natural men is against that truth. They want to be saved by their own morality, and all sorts of things that they put instead of salvation by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Reflecting on the promises of God with your kids

Lately, I’ve been posting a lot about the family devotionals that I am writing to walk kids through the entire Bible. While NOTHING can replace reading the actual text of Scripture to your kids, Bible storybooks can also be incredibly helpful resources. And I’m really excited about a new Bible storybook.

God’s Big Promises Bible Storybook by Carl Laferton is a new Bible storybook available for pre-order right now. I was thankful to receive a review copy, and I am BLOWN away by the quality of this book. Over 400+ pages, the book re-tells 92 foundational Bible stories to show kids (ages 2–8) the big story of the Bible.

As the title suggests, the book focuses on tracing God’s promises through all of Scripture. The book has special, bright colored icons that mark every time God makes a promise AND whenever he keeps that promise — its a tangible illustration to your kids that God is trustworthy and faithful.

I’m REALLY thankful for this resource. I know that my family will read it often for YEARS to come and I hope you’ll buy a copy for your family as well.

Pre-Order God’s Big Promises Bible Storybook:

Pray with Spurgeon: Bring an end to every idol; Jesus alone is king

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Prosper all the churches of Jesus Christ. May what we seek for ourselves also be realized among them. Strengthen missionaries through your Spirit, and may there come a day when people’s hearts are better prepared to receive the gospel. May the Kingdom of Messiah come, leading to the downfall of her who sits on the seven hills (Revelation 17:9) and the fading away of Mohammed’s moon, bringing the end to every idol, so that Christ alone may reign. Our whole heart joins in this prayer. Reign, Immanuel, reign! Sit upon your lofty throne, ride on your white horse, and let the armies of heaven follow you, conquering and to conquer. Come, Lord Jesus; even so, come quickly.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6–7)

See how Paul’s language grows and swells and rises as he proceeds! Just now, we read of “God, who is rich in mercy;” now the apostle speaks of “the exceeding riches of his grace,” exceeding expression, exceeding comprehension, exceeding even sin itself, though that is all but infinite. “The exceeding riches of his grace” are infinity itself; but they all come to us “through Christ Jesus.” Paul will speak of nothing good except that which comes “through Christ Jesus.” This is the one conduit-pipe through which the streams of living water flow to the dead in sin; God’s grace comes to us “through Christ Jesus,” and through him alone.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

How to (actually) have daily family devotions this school year

As our kids go back to school, we should be reflecting a lot on what we are teaching them (not just what others might be teaching them). This school year, imagine how great it would be for your family if you made a commitment to read the Bible together EVERY DAY?

Here are FIVE SIMPLE TIPS to (actually) make family devotions a daily habit this school year:

  • Keep It Simple — If family devotions have a lot of extra elements, they will be too difficult to plan and too long to practice every day.
  • Plan a Rhythm — Pick a time and place and STICK with it. Don’t expect family devotions to just happen — plan WHEN they will happen.
  • Habit Stacking — Attach family devotions to a daily habit that your family already has. This makes it harder to forget and easier to actually do.
  • Prioritize It — Make the commitment that you WILL have family devotions, even if it interrupts other activities (like bedtime routines).
  • Get a Guide — You don’t need to plan your family devotions from scratch every day.

Family devotionals from God Centered Family give you everything you need to teach your kids the Bible in TEN MINUTES each day.

There are two ways to get started:

NEW: Buy the new PAPERBACK devotional — 12-week devotional on Paul’s Letters available now — more coming soon.

Pray with Spurgeon: Keep us safe from anger and all sins

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord, keep us from sin. Teach us to walk circumspectly. Help us guard our minds against doctrinal errors, our hearts against wrong feelings, and our lives against evil actions. May we never speak rashly or give in to anger. Above all, keep us from covetousness, which is idolatry, and from malice, which is of the devil. Grant us to be full of sweetness and light. May love dwell within us and reign over us. May we not focus solely on our own interests but also consider the needs of others. Help us live for Jesus, for there is no life like it. Assist us in becoming men and women of Christ, wholly belonging to him. May every aspect of our lives reflect the light we receive from him.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

God “made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!” (Ephesians 2:5)

This accounts for everything: “together with Christ.” When we get “together with Christ,” then are we made alive, then are we saved. Are you, my dear hearers, “quickened together with Christ?”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Teaching kids to handle anger with Jesus’ help

Today, we prayed that we would “never speak rashly or give in to anger.” Anger is a particularly painful sin (for us and those around us) but it can also be extremely difficult to actually address. We need to have solid, biblical strategies for putting off anger.

But we also need to teach our kids how to handle their anger (and other “big feelings”). For that, I was really thankful to receive a review copy of a new kids book, Count Yourself Calm: Taking Big Feelings to a Big God by Eliza Huie. This book is unique because it tells children the truth about anger AND gives them some practical steps to not be controlled by it.

This book will really grow with your kids. The youngest toddlers can enjoy the illustrations, younger kids (kindergarten–early elementary) can start to apply some of the simpler steps outlined for addressing anger (e.g., taking a deep breath and counting to five), while older kids (later elementary–middle school) can use more detailed tools for putting off anger.

Count Yourself Calm is a great resource for discussing and addressing anger from a biblical perspective in your home. I hope you’ll add a copy to your family’s library today.

Buy Count Yourself Calm:

Pray with Spurgeon: God saves sinners

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

O God, our God, do not let the efforts of our church, the preaching of evangelists, or our own personal sharing be in vain. Bring forth conversions. We cry out this prayer from the depths of our hearts, and yet we also sing it, for you have already heard us abundantly, and our hearts rejoice in God the savior, who works so graciously among the children of men.

We are astonished as we witness the Holy Spirit falling even upon the chief of sinners, bringing those who were far from God into his embrace. But, Lord, do even more of this among us. Let us see greater things than these. Where we have witnessed one person saved, may we see a hundred, all to the praise of your glorious name and the Beloved.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us,” (Ephesians 2:4)

God loved us even when wo were dead in sins. His love does not depend upon what we are; it flows from his own heart. It is not love of something good in us; it is love of us because of everything good in him. Here you see the greatness of his grace, in that “he loved us, even when we were dead in sins.”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Teach your kids the BIBLE this school year

We do A LOT to help our children learn and thrive each school year. What are you doing to help your kids grow spiritually this year? Are you more invested in your kids’ education than their discipleship?

This school year, let’s all commit together to making FAMILY DEVOTIONS a daily habit.

No matter how old your kids are, whether they’re in public school, private school, or homeschool, they ALL need God’s Word.

At God Centered Family, I’ve written family devotions for 40 books of the Bible, and I have three convictions:

  1. Kids need God.
  2. God is revealed in his Word.
  3. Parents, YOU are better equipped than ANYONE to teach your kids the Bible.

You CAN do this — and your kids need it! They are eager for you to lead them on a Bible-saturated journey to discover who God is and what he has done.

I write family devotionals to HELP YOU do what God has already called and equipped you to do. These resources are just to help you be confident as you teach your kids the Word.

These devotionals give you EVERYTHING YOU NEED to teach your kids the Bible in just ten minutes each day.

There are two ways to get started: