Category: Pray with Spurgeon

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Prepare us, Lord, and keep us eagerly waiting for your coming or for our ascent to be with you. Oh, the short time that remains until we see the God with whom we speak today! In a few days, weeks, months, or years, we will cross the Jordan and each enter our inheritance. May it be so, God willing! May none of us fall short due to unbelief, but may we all be present when the roll is called, ready to answer to our names. Grant this, O blessed Lord of love.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“The earth has produced its harvest; God, our God, blesses us.” (Psalm 67:6)

He will make the earth’s increase a true blessing. People will see in his gifts the hand of the same God whom ancient Israel adored, and Israel, in particular, will rejoice in this blessing and exult in her own God. We can never truly love God until we know that he is ours, and the more we love him, the more we long for complete assurance that he is indeed ours. What name dearer than “my own God” can we give him? The bride in the Song of Solomon has no sweeter song than “my beloved is mine, and I am his.”

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.

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 reading.

Buy Spurgeon on God’s Love:

• Amazon (Paperback or Kindle editions)

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

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Our Father, we humbly ask for a great favor: that others whom Christ has redeemed may come to know him. O Lord, we live amidst millions who still lie in the clutches of the evil one, as if his embrace were their place of rest. O Savior, be exalted among humanity. Oh, that your name were as sweet to them as a fragrant ointment poured forth! May they discover the excellence of a life with you, the peace and brilliance that you bestow upon the hearts of your people.

Lord, they remain unconvinced, and even those who are convinced hesitate. They acknowledge you as the Son of God, yet their belief is incomplete. O Spirit of God, we implore you, grant them faith. Work it in the hearts of millions. Bring them to the feet of the Savior, and may this day be a day when your holy power is manifested in gathering the wanderers and strengthening those who are already with God. O Lord, many are with us, but there are multitudes who are neither with God nor with us. Change them, renew their hearts for the sake of Jesus.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“The earth has produced its harvest; God, our God, blesses us.” (Psalm 67:6)

Sin first brought a curse upon the land, and only grace can remove it. However, when the principles of true religion elevate humanity, and the dominion of Jesus is universally acknowledged, the science of agriculture will be perfected, people will be encouraged to work, industry will banish poverty, and the land will be restored to a state of fertility surpassing its previous abundance.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A Tip to Stop Distractions in Prayer*

We are often distracted by other thoughts and we find our eyes slowly drifting off of our great God and his amazing grace.

Using a prayer book can be a great way to stay focused in prayer. When you find yourself distracted, you can return to the words on the page and bring your attention back to the Lord. Recently, I’ve been really enjoying Fount of Heaven: Prayers of the Early Church.

This book compiles some incredible prayers from the first six hundred years of Christian history, so you can pray along with bold leaders who lived within a few generations of Jesus himself.

It’s such a valuable resource!

Whether you’re interested in church history or not, this book really is a valuable resource to strengthen your prayer life.

This month only: Buy Fount of Heaven and save 25%.

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

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

We find great comfort and encouragement in remembering, O Savior, that you are the “resurrection and the life.” United with you, we can never truly die. Even if we physically perish, we shall live, for there can be no dead members in your living Body.

You are the God of the living, and therefore, those who have fallen asleep are still alive. They continue to exist in fullness of life, each with their God, and he who has God possesses bliss. We draw near to you, Jesus, fleeing from the death that surrounds us, emerging from the darkness of the tomb into the radiance of your blessed presence, that we may dwell in the light, walk in it as you are in the light, and have fellowship with your Father and with you. Oh, the joy of being united with you.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Let the peoples praise you, God, let all the peoples praise you.” (Psalm 67:5)

These words are not a mere repetition but a chorus worthy of being sung again and again (cf. Psalm 67:3). The psalmist is filled with the theme of the participation of the Gentiles in the worship of the Lord, and he can hardly contain or express his joy.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Teach your kids to LOVE the Bible (not just read it)

Read it, See it, Say it, Sing it by Hunter Beless is a really fun, rhyming celebration of the Bible that will really encourage your kids (and you!) to treasure God’s Word. My kids have really enjoyed reading it, and since first reading it, the topics and phrases from the book have come up often in our conversations.

Read it, See it, Say it, Sing it will help your kids approach the Bible with excitement and creativity, so I hope you’ll grab a copy today.

Buy Read it, See it, Say it, Sing it:

• Amazon
• ChristianBook.com

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

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord, bless those who least expect it, and let your Word come to them as a marvelous wonder, like the man who plowed his field thinking only of the clods and oxen, yet stumbled upon a hidden treasure.

Comfort those who mourn, O God! Let the joy of those who have departed be so profound that grief becomes almost unnoticeable.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Let the nations rejoice and shout for joy, for you judge the peoples with fairness and lead the nations on earth.” (Psalm 67:4)

Wrongdoings on the part of governors bring about national affliction, but where the Lord rules, righteousness prevails. He does no harm to anyone. His laws embody righteousness itself. He rights all wrongs and delivers the oppressed. Justice on the throne is a cause for national exultation.

He will lead the nations like a shepherd leading his flock, and through his grace, they will willingly follow. Then there will be peace, abundance, and prosperity. It is a great act of condescension on God’s part to become the Shepherd of nations and govern them for their own good.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Should we use pre-written prayers?*

We don’t want to merely go through the motions of prayer — we need to have deep, passionate, heartfelt communication with the living God. Prayer that engages our hearts, fills our minds, and fuels our lives of love for God and others.

Some people think that using a book of pre-written prayers is incompatible with this kind of passionate prayer life.

But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Using pre-written prayers can actually lift your prayer life out of a rut (praying the same words about the same issues), giving us new things to pray for, biblical language to pray with, and different attributes of God to reflect on in prayer.

Praying with the Fount of Heaven book has really fueled my prayer life this month, and I know it will fuel your prayer life as well.

This book compiles hundreds of prayers from the early church, so you can pray along with heroes who lived within just a few generations of Jesus’ ministry.

Pray with passion, with all of your heart.
Pray with the church, with all of history.

This month only: Buy Fount of Heaven and save 25%.

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

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord, bless your people. May your grace overflow in our lives. Let us not only be believers, but fully devoted believers. Transform us into genuine saints, living wholly for God. May we rise above the ordinary masses in holy obedience, faithfully doing your will, so that we may experience your teachings in unwavering faith, embracing them and allowing God to dwell in us and us in God.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Let the nations rejoice and shout for joy, for you judge the peoples with fairness and lead the nations on earth.” (Psalm 67:4)

When people come to know God’s ways and witness his salvation, it brings immense happiness to their hearts. Nothing brings joy as quickly, surely, and enduringly as God’s salvation. Nations will never experience true gladness until they follow the leadership of the great Shepherd. They may change their forms of government from monarchies to republics, and from republics to communes, but they will remain miserable until they bow before the Lord of all.

How beautiful is the phrase “to sing for joy!” Some sing out of formality, others for show, some as a duty, and others as a mere amusement. But to sing from the depths of the heart, where overflowing joy finds expression, that is true singing.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Real Hope for All Your Fears and Anxiety

Today’s prayer featured a stunning image — God renewing his people so that we can soar, like an eagle, above all of our doubts and worries. Unfortunately, dealing with our fears isn’t always so easy, is it? We won’t grow past our fears unless we address them with solid biblical truth.

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

Reading Running Scared will give you more confidence in God and his Word that will help you deal with your own fears and to share the hope of the Bible with others too.

Buy Running Scared:

• Amazon (Paperback, Kindle, or audiobook* editions)
• ChristianBook.com (Paperback edition)

*Get the audiobook for free with a trial of Audible. Cancel anytime, but this book is yours to keep forever.

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

PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH (BY SPURGEON)

Bless us as a church and as a congregation, and continue to increase us according to your divine plan. Unite us more and more in holy love, and may the Spirit of God rest upon this place like a cloud, while within the hearts of your people, may he be like a flaming fire. Send times of revival and refreshing to all the churches. Let our entire country be blessed from on high. O Lord, we thank you for giving us the Bible, an open ministry, and the presence of the Holy Spirit among us.

Amen.

GET A FREE BOOK

Thanks to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Spurgeon College for sponsoring the Weekend Edition.

Midwestern is giving away a free ebook devotional by Charles Spurgeon. This devotional collects excerpts from some of Spurgeon’s greatest sermons, all with great application for life today. I’m so excited about this resource and know it will be a blessing to you. Click here to enter to win.

They’ve also curated some great resources, including FREE seminary-level video classes. Get all of these resources right here.

WEEKEND LONG READ (SERMON BY SPURGEON)

Speak, Lord!

The Lord speaks to us chiefly through his Word. Oh, what converse God has with his people when they are quietly reading their Bibles! There, in your still room, as you have been reading a chapter, have you not felt as if God spoke those words straight to your heart there and then? Has not Christ himself said to you, while you have been reading his Word, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me”? The text does not seem to be like an old letter in a book; rather is it like a fresh speech newly spoken from the mouth of the Lord to you. It has been so, dear friends, has it not?

Read the full sermon from the Spurgeon Center for Biblical Preaching at Midwestern Seminary.

A FREE RESOURCE FROM MIDWESTERN

How to Leave a Church

On this episode of the FTC Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss how Christians can leave a church wisely and charitably.

PREPARE FOR MINISTRY AT MIDWESTERN

What Jesus purchased is precious. We’ve made it our purpose. Midwestern Seminary exists for the Church, and we serve the church by biblically educating God-called men and women to be and make disciples of Jesus Christ. If you’re called to serve the church, train with us, for the Church.

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

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Speak, Lord, and if there is darkness, illuminate it with your Word. Address those who are slumbering and awaken them. Speak to those burdened with heavy hearts and bid them rejoice. Today, let us resound the resounding cymbals as we delight in the Lord, who is our strength and our song, “who has also become our salvation.”

Let us ascend to the lofty mountain today and rejoice in him who beckons us to climb higher and higher. May our dwelling be in the heights. Do you ask us, “Who can ascend to the hill of the Lord, and who shall dwell in His holy place?” We yearn to be of that company, drawing nearer to you. We desire to be as close to God as Jesus is, so near that we cannot be any closer.

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

Finding Scripture-saturated hope in the midst of doubt and suffering

For Christians, doubt is often associated with our own experiences of suffering. It is hard to believe in a good and powerful God when we feel so much pain in this broken world.

In the midst of suffering, it is easy to doubt God’s love for us and feel as if he has deserted us. An excellent book to help you find hope and faith through that kind of suffering is Deserted by God? by Sinclair Ferguson.

This book offers several reflections on the Psalms of lament in the Bible, where divinely-inspired authors cried out to God in the midst of their pain.

No matter what trials you are currently going through (or will go through in the future), Deserted by God? will give you the kind of Bible-saturated firm faith you need to endure. I hope you will grab a copy today.

Buy Deserted by God?:

• Amazon (Paperback edition)
• ChristianBook.com (Paperback edition)

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

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Let our nation thrive through the preaching of your Word! Bless the government and the legislative body, and grant them great wisdom in all their decisions, that everything may be done rightly to honor you and promote the welfare of the people. Let all the nations of the earth be touched by your love.

Remember the nation of Israel in times of sorrow and captivity. O God, deliver Your ancient people from the hands of cruel and unjust men. Let the day come when we all feel united in Christ, and every national distinction is erased. Have you not created all nations of men from one blood, dwelling upon the face of the earth? And may you, Messiah, Prince of Peace, Son of Man, and King and Lord of humanity, come and reign over us, you Ancient of Days, through whom all things were made. Come and receive the crown that you purchased through your shame and death, and reign eternally over the sons of men.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“… so that your way may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” (Psalm 67:2)

As showers which first fall upon the hills afterwards run down in streams into the valleys, so the blessing of the Most High comes upon the world through the church. We are blessed for the sake of others as well as ourselves. God deals in a way of mercy with his saints, and then they make that way known far and wide, and the Lord’s name is made famous in the earth.

Ignorance of God is the great enemy of mankind, and the testimonies of the saints, experimental and grateful, overcome this deadly foe. God has a set way and method of dealing out mercy to men, and it is the duty and privilege of a revived church to make that way to be everywhere known.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Prayers 1,500 years before Spurgeon*

You subscribe and read this newsletter every day because you know that praying along with voices from church history is beneficial. We can learn prayer by “eavesdropping” on conversations with God that our forefathers, like Spurgeon, have had.

But there is even more wealth to be discovered earlier in church history, in the prayer life of the early church. We have a lot to learn from the devotional life of the early church — and teachers like Augustine, Irenaeus, Ambrose, and John Chrysostom can be great examples of prayer.

I’m really excited about a new book, Fount of Heaven which carefully collects some of the most beautiful prayers from the first six centuries of the church.

Fount of Heaven has been sold out for months but it’s finally back in stock! And to celebrate, my friends at Lexham Press have a special offer for “Pray with Spurgeon” subscribers.

This month only, you can buy Fount of Heaven at a discount. (I don’t know how long this book will be in stock, so I hope you’ll grab a copy today.)

This book is really beautiful and it’s been extremely beneficial for strengthening my prayer life. I’m confident that it will benefit your prayer life as well.

This month only: Buy Fount of Heaven and save 25%.

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

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

O Father in heaven, remove from us all the weariness of the past week’s journey. Now, may we cleanse ourselves and approach your altar, O God. Deliver us from anything that obstructs and hinders the free movement of the revived spirit within us. May we run without growing weary, soar on wings like eagles, walk without fainting, and may this day be filled with great joys and supreme delights. And if it involves earnest effort and Christian labor, may it all be part of the delight. May we live for your pleasure, for we live for you.

Now, forgive us, accept us, revive us, and bless us. We ask all this in the name of the Beloved One.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“May God be gracious to us and bless us; may he make his face shine upon us” (Psalm 67:1)

It begins at the beginning with a cry for mercy. Forgiveness of sin is always the first link in the chain of mercies experienced by us. Mercy is a foundation attribute in our salvation. The best saints and the worst sinners may unite in this petition. It is addressed, to the God of mercy, by those who feel their need of mercy, and it implies the death of all legal hopes or claims of merit.

Next, the church begs for a blessing; “bless us”—a very comprehensive and far-reaching prayer. When we bless God we do but little for our blessings are but words, but when God blesses he enriches us indeed, for his blessings are gifts and deeds. But his blessing alone is not all his people crave, they desire a personal consciousness of his favor, and pray for a smile from his face. These three petitions include all that we need here or hereafter.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

FINAL DAY TO SAVE: CROSS CON24*

Tonight (midnight EST), registration prices for CROSS CON24 will increase. You don’t want to miss this conference, so register now to save.

At CROSS CON24, 18–25 year-olds will learn about what it really looks like to lay their lives down to serve Jesus. Speakers like David Platt, John Piper, Kevin DeYoung, Brooks Buser, Mark Dever, and more will help you understand God’s purposes in the world (and the unique part that YOU can play in his plan).

I am PUMPED about CROSS CON24, and I hope to see you there. You’ll be amazed at what God does in your life as you learn about his undefeated, undefeatable mission to spread his glory to all of the earth.

Prices increase TONIGHT, so register now to save.

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

DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

We implore you, Lord, to transform us into your likeness in every aspect. Once, we were focused on doing; now, we are much more concerned with being. We would rather sit with Mary and simply learn, than be burdened with excessive busyness like good Martha. Lord, some of us sometimes feel that we cannot do any more than we already know, or else we would do it; yet now we desire to serve you better.

We pray that we may do so with a pure motive, with a sincere heart, and with deeper devotion to Christ. We not only want to live and work but also to have Christ living within us, and for our lives to be mere tributaries flowing from the mighty river of Christ’s life. Lord, make us like the firstborn among many brethren. He is the true example for the family. Make us like him, O our Father, for the glory of your name.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11–12)

Persecution of the tongue is more common, but not less cruel than that of the hand. Slander is unscrupulous, and indulges in accusations of every kind: “every kind of evil” is a comprehensive phrase. No crime is too base to be laid at the door of the innocent; nor will the persecutor have any hesitation as to the vileness of the charge. The rule seems to be, “Throw plenty of mud, and some of it will stick.”

Under this very grievous trial, good men are to be more than ordinarily happy, for thus are they elevated to the rank of the prophets, upon whom the storm of falsehood beat with tremendous fury. The honor of suffering with the prophets, for the Lord’s sake, is so great, that it may well reconcile us to all that it involves.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Fight unbelief with the truths of faith

Today we prayed for an end to our unbelief and doubt. Asking questions is not a bad thing — we just need to labor to answer our questions in a faith-filled, biblical way. There ARE answers available for even the toughest questions about the Bible — do you know those answers?

A great resource for being equipped to defend your faith is Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion by Rebecca McLaughlin. This book gives practical, biblical, and winsome answers to some of the world’s most pressing objections to the gospel.

Be equipped to answer questions like “Isn’t Christianity homophobic?” and “How can you say there’s only one true faith?” with Bible-centered wisdom and Christ-centered hope.

Confronting Christianity will bolster your own faith and equip you to be a bold witness for Christ. I hope you’ll buy a copy today and read it this summer.

Buy Confronting Christianity:

• Amazon (Hardback, Kindle, or audiobook* editions)
• ChristianBook.com (Paperback or ebook edition)

* Get the audiobook for free with a free trial of Audible.