Category: Pray with Spurgeon

Pray with Spurgeon: We make our humble pleas to God

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

O God, we feel the hands of your love holding us fast, and the cords of your love drawing us towards yourself. Let every one now truly make humble pleas to you. May there not be one wandering heart, nor one spirit that does not now draw near to God.

We have many things to ask of you, but we will not ask them now. Only do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask, or even think, for Jesus’ sake.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20–21)

Not above some things that we ask, but “all;” not above some of our dimmer conceptions, our lower thoughts, but above “all” that we think. Now just put together all that you have ever asked for. Heap it up, and then pile upon the top thereof all that you have ever thought of concerning the riches of divine grace. What a mountain! Go on! go on! It is no Babel tower you build, and yet its top will not reach unto heaven. High as this pyramid of prayers and contemplations may be piled, God’s ability to bless is higher still.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Last year, Melissa Kruger put out an incredible children’s book, Wherever You Go, I Want You To Know. The book is really fun (with great illustrations and rhymes) with an eternal message: No matter what direction their life takes, no matter what kind of work they do, our biggest dream for our children is that they follow Christ.

I know I’ve recommended this book before, but I just got a new copy because my family has completely worn through our copy (we’ve read it so many times that it literally fell off the spine). This time around, the Good Book Company sent me the new board book edition so that our kids can continue to enjoy it for years to come.

This book has been a favorite in our house and I hope it will be a blessing to your family!

Buy Wherever You Go, I Want You To Know:

Pray with Spurgeon: God is able to forgive the guilty

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

O God, have mercy upon those people we know who never had mercy upon themselves. There is the blasphemer, who scarcely speaks without an oath. Forgive him Lord. Give him a new heart, and help him to live in your fear. Here are those that never pray, and they may soon die, and then prayers will be too late. Lead them to see their state by nature. Let their desperate danger be set before them in its true colours. Bring them to the Savior. Wash them in his blood. Save them with his great salvation.

Our soul pleads with you for the dying sons of men. Jesus, is not your blood able to cleanse? Spirit, have you not power to change the heart? Now, even now, let the sinner live to the praise and the glory of your grace.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

The hard heart does not love the Redeemer, but the renewed heart burns with affection towards him. Many are the privileges of this renewed heart: It is fitted to receive every spiritual blessing, and every blessing comes to it. It is prepared to yield every heavenly fruit to the honor and praise of God, and therefore the Lord delights in it. A tender heart is the best defence against sin, and the best preparation for heaven. A renewed heart stands on its watch-tower looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus. Have you this heart of flesh?

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

God is going to save non-Christians you know

Today we prayed that God would save sinners – would cause rebels to trust in Christ and be saved. You have non-Christian friends that came to your mind while you prayed this morning, and I believe that YOU have everything you need to lead them in an evangelistic Bible study.

Evangelism can be daunting for some, but it doesn’t have to be complicated! The most effective thing you can do with a non-Christian friend is to read the Bible together.

And to help you do that, I’ve created a new resource, Know Jesus. This is a simple, easy-to-use Bible study. It’s designed for a Christian to take a non-Christian through 15 passages in Mark’s Gospel.

I worked really hard to create a resource that was as easy-to-use as possible, because we are ALL called to share Christ with others.

The best part: 100% of the profits from this book are given to purchase copies for evangelism in Washington, DC, where I live and minister. (One copy purchased = one copy for a non-Christian in the nation’s capital).

So I hope you’ll buy two copies (one for you and one for a non-Christian friend) and start a fall Bible study with someone that you know.

Buy Know Jesus on Amazon (Paperback)

Pray with Spurgeon: God is able to raise the dead

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Lord, if you see any of us dead and cleaving to the world, you can lift us up. This is our comfort, that we cannot be so dead that you cannot quicken us. Let the hand of love that drew us first, draw us now. Jesus, if you are mine, assure my conscience of her part in your most precious blood. If our lips can only lisp “Abba Father,” may the Spirit of adoption be with us now.

Hide not yourself from your own flesh, our divine Husband. You who are the Head of your Body, be not strange to the members of your frame. Reveal yourself to us, for you will make us all that we should be. Your love can make us loving; your presence can make us joyous; your example can make us holy.

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, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!” (Ephesians 2:4–5)

This is a wondrous truth, that God loves the sinner even while he is dead in sin. This love is not caused by any goodness in him, for he is dead, he is wrapped up in the cerements of his sins. There is nothing lovable about him; yet God, “for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.”

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How God’s grace helps you grow

Today we confident prayed that God is able to raise us from the dead, no matter the extent of the sin we are stuck in. We ask God to help us grow in holiness, because we know that God’s grace doesn’t just save us from sin, it also gives us the power that we need to slay sin. The work of growing in godliness is a work of cooperation between us and God’s grace.

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

If you’ve read this newsletter for a while, you know that I recommend this book all the time, because it’s one of my all-time favorites and completely changed my life.

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

Buy The Discipline of Grace:

Pray with Spurgeon: We must never be lukewarm again

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Let the divine attractions of infinite affection and love lift each one of us up from the world. Oh, you have loved us with a love surpassing thought. You have redeemed us with a price beyond all price; and can we be cold and indifferent towards you? Come, blessed Spirit, come, and fire us with heaven’s own flame! Oh that we may be filled with such love as seraphs know, with more than a seraph’s delight and more than a seraph’s energy.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)

The love of Christ in its sweetness, its fulness, its greatness, its faithfulness, passes all human comprehension. Where shall language be found which shall describe his matchless, his unparalleled love towards the children of men? It is so vast and boundless that, as the swallow but skims the water, and dives not into its depths, so all descriptive words but touch the surface, while depths immeasurable lie beneath.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Cultivating passion for God (by enlarging your view of God)

Today we prayed, lamenting that our faith and love is often cold. As we confessed, we know that this is unreasonable, but sometimes we have a hard time commanding our feelings. It isn’t always easy to “throw logs on the fire” and increase the heat of our love for God.

But for most of us, what we need isn’t an exciting event or life-changing experience — what we need is to get a better view of who our God really is, in all of his splendor and majesty.

A great book for increasing your view of God is Not God Enough by JD Greear. Greear writes that “the secret to a robust, passionate faith isn’t getting all the right answers about God, but seeing God as the awesome, glorious, and infinite presence that he is.”

Enlarging your view of God will enlarge your love for him, so grab a copy of Not God Enough today and see from God’s Word how majestic our God really is.

Buy Not God Enough:

Pray with Spurgeon: God will comfort the weary and forgive the sinful

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Some of the people have been much in trouble. May they get ease from every care, and relief from every anxiety, while they behold their Savior offered up for them. Some of your people we know, are getting cold in heart and backsliding. Grey hairs are upon them here and there, and perhaps they know it not. May they be brought back to that first heat of youthful piety, when first they knew the Lord.

It may be that there are some here who have backslidden very much. They have come to forget the assembling of themselves together. Prayer has been neglected; the closet is not often entered; it may be that family prayer is almost given up. There may be some in your presence who have even fallen into outward sin; may they come as mourners. May they hear you say, “Return unto me, for I am married unto you” (Jeremiah 3:14).

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

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

Do not live as men of the world do. Do not follow the customs, the fashions, the principles of the world. It is not enough to be nonconformists. Be transformed ones, altogether changed into another form.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

The (not-so-surprising) cure for anxiety

Today’s prayer ended with a beautiful cry of hope, that God will be with us until “all the shadows flee away.” This is good news — no matter what trials we face today, we know that God is with us through it all. And that’s why pride is often the source of our worries.

The path to a peaceful life, free of anxiety, starts by laying down your pride, by relying on the Savior instead of yourself. If you want peace in your life, start by growing in humility.

That’s the point of Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson. This book discusses Christ’s call to humility and practical steps to walk in it. It will definitely encourage you, shape you into Christlikeness, and fill you up with peace.

Buy Humble Roots:

Pray with Spurgeon: God hears our prayers (and he always will)

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

O Lord, many feel weary today. Will you, however, give so much of the blessed Spirit, that, notwithstanding the weakness of the flesh, our spirit may have fellowship with God.

As we cry to you you upon one or two accounts, and we trust that we may be heard in heaven, your dwelling-place. We know that many of your people have been lifting up their hearts in prayer. Let our united supplication bring a blessing upon the congregation, and out of the many who listened to us, may a large number be brought to Christ.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Answer me when I call, God, who vindicates me. You freed me from affliction; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.” (Psalm 4:1)

Good men want to be heard when they pray; they are not satisfied with merely praying, they must have God’s answers to their supplications. See how David pleads the past mercy received from God. Cannot my own heart look back to God’s lovingkindness to me in days gone by? Oh, yes! Since he is the same God, what he has done in the past is an argument for what he will do in the future.

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Learn more about prayer from Spurgeon

I’ve been sending this newsletter every day for almost three years, and I’m still learning a lot about the power and importance of prayer from Spurgeon. Which is why, earlier this year, I compiled some of his best sermons on prayer into a book, Spurgeon on Prayer.

I’ve made this book available for free to all subscribers of the newsletter, but you can also purchase physical or Kindle copies on Amazon to support this ministry.

Sending this newsletter is a labor of love — I LOVE having an excuse to read Spurgeon every day, and I love hearing your feedback that it’s helpful for growing your own prayer life. I hope you’ll support this ministry so I can continue to send the newsletter for many years to come.

Get Spurgeon on Prayer:

(Also available, Spurgeon on Suffering and Spurgeon on Christmas)

Pray with Spurgeon: Whatever you ask in Jesus’ name, he will do it

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Our Father, come to us now. We have often asked wrongly we know, but you will forgive the error of it. But we love asking through Jesus Christ, and you cannot deny us. Lord, we believe. We would not waver; we shall have nothing of the Lord if we waver. We believe that you will bless us. We believe that souls shall this morning be saved, and that our souls shall be stirred up. We ask it again, believing that we shall receive it, for his dear sake, to whom, with you and the blessed Spirit, be glory forever.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:14)

It does not mean that every prayer will be answered. The power to ask a thing in Christ’s name is not given to everybody. It is not merely to say at the end of your prayer, “for Christ’s sake.” It is another thing; it is to be able to feel that, as Christ stood in your place, so you dare stand in Christ’s place; and what you have asked, you have asked in his name, feeling that what you have asked is such that Christ would have asked it. Now, when you can feel that, and can feel that Christ puts his seal on what you have asked, then you ask in his name.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Asking God to Save Our Children

Keeping our children safe and healthy can NEVER be our top concern (because we aren’t powerful enough to do that anyway!) — our chief concern as parents should be to teach our children to know and treasure Christ above everything else.

We need to teach our children the Bible. Because if we don’t, who will?

This is why I’ve created GodCenteredFamily.org, which provides parents everything they need to teach their kids the Bible in just ten minutes each day.

These daily family devotionals are simple, interactive, and flexible. They have age-appropriate activities for every child in your family and simple discussion questions to help your kids understand AND apply the Bible.

When you subscribe ($6 /month), you’ll get unlimited access to our full (growing!) library of family devotionals and other discipleship resources.

Give it a try today — download a free sample, which is a seven-day family devotional through the Old Testament book of Micah.

Pray with Spurgeon: May the light of God’s glory spread

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Bless our country, and bless it through the ministers of the gospel. May they begin to preach with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven. Restore to us the Revival, the skirts of whose departing presence we begin to see. Take not your blessing from our nation; extinguish not her candle; put not out her light.

Men have been warned and called, and entreated, and this city has had its day of visitation. Oh take not that day away forever, but return, blessed Spirit, return. And first return to my local church, and let a new season of wonderful revival begin in this house of prayer, and then spread from house to house, and from country to country, until the whole land shall be covered with its divine light.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

I pray that you would… “know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)

He intended another kind of knowledge. I know many people—that is to say, I have seen them in the streets and they tip their hats to me, and I do the same to them. And thus I know them. This is a slender form of knowledge, yet I fear it is the kind of knowledge most people have of Christ. Even such a knowledge as comes by trembling faith is a knowledge that saves. But I will tell you the people I know best. They live with me in my own house. I see them every day. I am on the most familiar terms with them, and this is the knowledge here intended.

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 and the beauty of God’s glory would spread throughout our land. 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:

Pray with Spurgeon: May we never mindlessly pray

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Father, we want to feel this morning that we are in the Spirit. We are afraid that too often we sing, and it is but a form; that we pray and it is but an utterance of words. Bring every one of us into the Spirit today. Let us be over-shadowed by him, baptized in him, until there shall be no room for any thought or emotion but concerning things divine. Let us feel as we have sometimes felt: “Surely God is in this place, and I did not know it” (Genesis 28:16). Oh come now and spread the skirts of your covenant love over us, and you shall have the glory.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:7–8)

To repeat a form of prayer a very large number of times has always seemed to the ignorantly religious to be a praiseworthy thing; but assuredly it is not so. It is a mere exercise of memory, and of the organs of noise-making. It is absurd to imagine that such a parrot exercise can be pleasing to the living God.

God does not need us to pray for his information, for he “knows the things you need;” nor to repeat the prayer over and over for his persuasion, for as our Father he is willing to bless us. Therefore let us not be superstitious and dream that there is virtue in “many words.”

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A book to teach kids about our prayers and God’s grace.

Today we prayed, confessing that we often pray as a heaping-up of many words, instead of truly coming to God by faith. And we saw in God’s Word the foolishness of coming to God, expecting to be heard by our “many words.”

We need to teach our kids this truth about prayer as well — God hears us, not because our prayers are good enough, but because he is so wonderfully merciful!

Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer by Laura Wifler and illustrated by Catalina Echeverri is a great book that walks through the story of Scripture, showing how our sin separates us from God, how Jesus came to bring us back, and how we can communicate with this holy God through prayer all along the way.

The book will fill pre-school/early-elementary-aged kids with wonder as we think about the grace of God to allow us to pray.

I hope you’ll add it to your family’s library today and grab a copy for a friend as well!

Buy Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer:

Pray with Spurgeon: God, hear us because Jesus died in our place

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

O Jesus, we cannot pray as we would, but our hearts are full of bursting with an anxious desire to see men saved. Father, hear our cry. We have one argument that you will hear: It is that Jesus died. Behold we set his bloody sweat before your eye, his flagellations, his piercings on the mount of doom. Remember Jesus, O mighty Father. Look with eyes of love on him, and then with eyes of pity look on us. Can you deny us? Will you not hear us when we have such a plea as this?

O Thou mighty God, we cannot let you go until you bless us. As Jacob laid hold upon the Angel and wrestled with him, so lay we hold upon the Covenant Angel now. We must have a blessing. What shall our hearts do if you do not hear us? Our soul cries to you; out of the depth of our nature we cry unto you. Oh give us this day souls to our ministry, and souls for our hire.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Here is the gracious invitation of the gospel in which the Savior’s tears and smiles were blended, as in a covenant rainbow of promise. “Come.” He drives none away. He calls them to himself. His favorite word is “come.” Not “go” to Moses but, “Come to me.” To Jesus we must come by a personal trust. Not to doctrine, ordinance, or ministry are we first to come but to the personal Savior.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Know (and enjoy) the God who gives all grace

Today we prayed that God would hear us — not because of our own goodness, but because of the blood of his Son Jesus Christ. This prayer reminds us that salvation by grace alone is a work of the Triune God alone. We don’t play a part, but each member of the Trinity does.

An excellent book for growing to enjoy the glorious God who gives grace is Experiencing the Trinity: The Grace of God for the People of God by Joe Thorn. This book is fifty, very short devotionals, each covering one aspect of God’s character and salvation. The book is divided into three sections: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, with each devotional reflecting on a different aspect of that person’s glory.

This daily devotional is a breath of fresh air — add it to your daily reading and you will grow your knowledge of God and your love for God. I hope you’ll grab a copy today.

Buy Experiencing the Trinity: