Category: Pray with Spurgeon

Pray with Spurgeon: Help us know we are forgiven

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Now we present ourselves before the Throne of God, in the name of Jesus Christ our great High Priest. And first, we ask for pardon through the blessed blood.

You have already pardoned some of us: give us a new sense of it. Continue to pardon us; let us feel as if we came every day to the “fountain filled with blood,” and as if the washing were every day new. But, oh, have pity upon some that have never been pardoned. Hear the cry of sinners as they seek your face; and wherever there is a penitent spirit, be pleased speedily to send it relief, and let forgiveness of sin be felt, wherever the burden of sin weighs down the spirit.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2)

Many are the exhortations to prayer, because it is much needed. The Apostle supposes that all Christians pray. This is the commencement, means, sign, help, and close of our life. Never do we get too wise, too strong, or too old to need prayer.

Faith, an essential part of a Christian, cannot develop itself without prayer. Penitence cannot make its confessions without it. Weakness and sense of need do naturally produce it.

This verse and commentary were taken from the Lost Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon (Volume 4, #220). This month only, you can get any volume in this series for 50% off — use promo code LOSTSERMONS. Click here to learn more.*

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

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

Today we prayed that God would help us know that we are forgiven of our sin. God loves to answer this prayer for assurance, and he usually does it through the promises of his Word.

One resource that’s been helpful as I’ve studied God’s Word and his promise of forgiveness is 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: Jesus saved us — we owe him everything

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Now this day, we pray, “Consider our shield, God; look on the face of your anointed one” (Psalm 84:9) and while we shelter behind him as a shield, let him stand for us, and let the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ be seen, that you may be precious to us unworthy ones.

But, O Lord, we worship with all our heart, and adore the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and Oh, most blessed Lamb of God, with all the saints before the throne, we pay you reverence—casting all that we have before you. Crowns we have none, not even of silver and gold, but such as you have graciously given, we would willingly lay at your feet, content to feel that everything is ours when it is yours, and the more ours, when we have yielded it up to you.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Consider our shield, God; look on the face of your anointed one.” (Psalm 84:9)

Here we have the nation’s prayer for David; and the believer’s prayer for the Son of David. Let but the Lord look upon our Lord Jesus, and we shall be shielded from all harm; let him behold the face of his Anointed, and we shall be able to behold his face with joy. We also are anointed by the Lord’s grace, and our desire is that he will look upon us with an eye of love in Christ Jesus. Our best prayers when we are in the best place are for our glorious King, and for the enjoyment of his Father’s smile.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Spend a year in the Psalms with Spurgeon.*

Today we prayed and studied from Psalm 84. The Psalms is one of the most incredible books in the Bible. The Psalms teach us to pray, teach us to sing, and reveal some incredible truths about who our God is and what he has done.

If you want to dive deeper into the Psalms (and, let’s be honest, who doesn’t?), you should check out Daily Treasure, a new one-year devotional through the Psalms with daily commentary by Spurgeon.

In this book, Spurgeon will guide you through all of the Psalms (every verse) throughout the course of a year. The book also features extra daily references for application and reflection.

Daily Treasure is an absolutely phenomenal book. I know that this book will help you treasure God and his Word more (plus, it’s beautiful and will look incredible in your library).

Thanks to my friends at 10 of Those, you can get Daily Treasure for 25% off — just use promo code SPURGEONBOOKS.

Buy Daily Treasure from 10 of Those for 25% off.

Pray with Spurgeon: Jesus draws us near

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Blessed God, Father, Son, and Spirit, our whole spirit would fear you; yet we have such knowledge of your goodness, that we might not be overawed with your greatness; such a sense of your nearness in the person of Jesus Christ, the Man, the Branch, that we might not be driven away with terror, but may be drawn near with filial love and holy boldness.

Lord, there was once a great gulf between us, but you have bridged that gulf; for now the Lord Jesus Christ is brother to our souls, yet is he Son of the Highest; truly man, yet truly God, he is the Interpreter, one of a thousand, the Daysman, who does this day lay his hand upon us both. Oh how we rejoice in Christ, and you do rejoice in him too. We long to glorify him, and you delight to glorify the Son. We would set him on high, and you have set him “far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given” (Ephesians 1:21).

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” (Ephesians 1:20–21)

The power of God, which works in a believer, is the same power with which he raised Christ from the dead, and set him in this pre-eminent place. Not only raising him from the dead, but lifting him up to his own right hand, and setting him there, “in the heavenly places.” It takes a great deal of grace to make a believer, and to keep a believer; nothing but the almighty power of God can do it.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A book to help you treasure Christ on every page of your Bible

Today we prayed a glorious, biblical prayer about the wonders of Christ. He has brought us near to God by his blood, and God has raised him up by his power! This Jesus is the most glorious, wonderful man who has ever lived. He is our only hope.

We always need resources that will magnify Christ to us — books that will remind us of how wonderful he is. One of those books is Christ from Beginning to End: How the Full Story of Scripture Reveals the Full Glory of Christ by Stephen Wellum and Trent Hunter. This book walks through the story of Scripture, showing how Christ is the supreme hero and the supreme hope — he is what all of the Bible is pointing to.

This book is a helpful handbook to help you read Scripture in a more faithful, Christ-centered way and a guide to help you see Christ in every page.

This book will help you treasure Christ and the Bible more. I hope you’ll grab a copy for yourself.

Buy Christ from Beginning to End:

Pray with Spurgeon: We trust God in the darkest hour

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Glorious God, it is the flower of our being to worship you: this is the crown and glory of life, to adore and worship the life-giver from whom all good things come. Worship has often been to us as a bath in heavenly pleasure, and we have come out of it refreshed and comforted, blessed, and filled with heavenly delight. Oh for the Holy Spirit’s power to help us in worship now! Breathe upon us, oh Divine Spirit, and let that breath cause us to forget the world, but bring us into the fullest life in the contemplation of God and heaven.

The Lord be pleased to be gracious unto all who trust him, and to make them trust him in the darkest hour. And now, unto the Father, the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, Israel’s one God, be glory throughout all the world.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

All good from God, all evil from ourselves. There is variableness and there is the shadow of turning in the sun, but in that greater Father of lights there is neither parallax nor tropic; he is evermore the same, and we may go to him with unwavering confidence because he is the same. Oh, what a blessing to such changing creatures as we are to have an unchanging God!

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Read Spurgeon’s earliest sermons in a beautiful series of books*

One thing many people don’t know about Spurgeon is that he started preaching when he was only 17-years-old, about a year after his conversion. Four years later, he would become the pastor of the New Park Street Chapel in London and his sermons began to be regularly published.

But what happened to the sermons he preached before his arrival in London?

Up until a few years ago, these sermons were completely unavailable for reading anywhere. But now, a new series of books is making the outlines and manuscripts of these sermons available for our enjoyment and edification: The Lost Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon.

To be honest, before I read the Lost Sermons, I wasn’t sure how useful reading sermons written by a 17-year-old Spurgeon would be, but WOW, the content is so rich.

Each book contains hundreds of outlines and sermons from Spurgeon’s early ministry, including full-color scans from Spurgeon’s personal notebooks, along with typed-out transcripts.

Everytime I pick up any of the volumes, I can’t put them down. Reading them is just such a delight.

Thanks to my friends at B&H Academic, every volume in the Lost Sermons collection is 50% off for “Pray with Spurgeon” subscribers — just use promo code LOSTSERMONS when you check out on Lifeway.com.

Buy the Lost Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon on Lifeway.com (Use promo code LOSTSERMONS to save 50%)

Pray with Spurgeon: God, redeem our nation

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

God bless our country! May faith be multiplied in the land! Preserve our nation at this juncture. Guide, we pray, the deliberations of councils and princes. May peace be preserved, and at the same time may the great purposes of God with regard to the spread of liberty and of the gospel be subserved by every decree of government.

O God, we ask you, ease the world of the sway of every evil principle. Let the day come, when all classes of men shall study the interest of others as well as their own, when the various nations shall yield to the one scepter of Christ and, like kindred tribes, shall melt into one. Yes, hasten his coming and his reign when the shout shall go up to heaven, that the “Lord God omnipotent reigns.”

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“LORD, you have searched me and known me.” (Psalm 139:1)

No pretended god knows anything about us; but the true God, the Lord, understands us, and is most intimately acquainted with our persons, nature, and character. How well it is for us to know the God who knows us! The divine knowledge is extremely thorough and searching; it is as if he had searched us, as officers search a man for contraband goods, or as pillagers ransack a house for plunder. Yet, the Lord knows all things naturally and as a matter of course, and not by any effort on his part. Searching ordinarily implies a measure of ignorance which is removed by observation; of course this is not the case with the Lord; but the meaning of the Psalmist is, that the Lord knows us as thoroughly as if he had examined us minutely, and had pried into the most secret corners of our being.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

God’s plan for reaching all nations

Today, we prayed for our own nation and its leaders. Today, it is so easy (and tempting) to be distracted by politics and the latest news scandal. We often forget that God’s plan for reaching the world isn’t social reform or political power, but local churches preaching the hope of the resurrected Christ.

Churches are really important. But, what is a church, anyway? Every Christian has an answer to that question. But is your answer biblical, or is it merely defined by your own experiences (whether good or bad)?

God designed the church, so he knows how it can work best. The good news is, we don’t have to guess at God’s design for the church; it has been clearly revealed to us in the pages of Scripture.

This new short book, The Church: An Introduction by Gregg Allison is a great resource for deepening your understanding of the church. This book is short and approachable. It will drive to your knees in worship and gratitude for God’s wisdom in his plan for your church.

Buy The Church: An Introduction:

Pray with Spurgeon: God, please save the people I know

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Now today, will you lead others to trust you. Oh, be so revealed by our conversations today that men may come to you and live. Oh that the people that we meet today might not one of them go away unbelievers. If they have been indifferent to these things, and have never studied the ground of the believer’s confidence, may they see it clearly this morning, and accept of it as the rock on which they shall build.

Oh, if anyone we see today is living to trust in their wealth, or their talents, or their position in life; or who are trusting in nothing, but raising their building without a foundation at all; Oh, bring them this day to see, that there is nothing worthy of an immortal soul’s confidence except the immortal and everliving God, and may they come by Christ Jesus to the Father. May many a heart end all its weary wanderings, and sit still at Christ’s feet, and see the salvation of God.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22)

The passion for saving sinners is for God’s glory. To change sinful people so they pant after an increase of holiness, to render stubborn wills eager for the spread of obedience, and to make wandering hearts earnest for the establishment of the abiding kingdom of the Redeemer—these are mighty feats of the divine grace of God and bring all glory to him.

But, also, this passion is most of all for the good of the individual possessing it. Work for Jesus keeps us strong in faith and intense in love to him. Soul-winning keeps the heart lively and preserves our warm youth in Christ. It is a mighty refresher to decaying love. Love for souls will, in the end, bring to all who have it the highest joy beneath the stars—the joy of knowing that they have been made the spiritual parents of others.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

A kid’s book to teach the importance of evangelism

Today, we prayed that God would use us to bring others to know him. Evangelism is a crucial topic in the Christian life that we need to teach others, including our children.

Lately my family has been loving a new book that focuses on “How God uses people to save people.” It’s called The Prisoners, the Earthquake, and the Midnight Song by Bob Hartman, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri. This book tells the story of Paul and Silas while they were in prison in Philippi for proclaiming Christ, and encourages children to proclaim Christ with the same kind of boldness.

The book is incredibly creative (without sacrificing faithfulness to the biblical text) and the illustrations are stunning. It’s a ton of fun and children under ten will love it.

This isn’t just a cheap Bible story — this is a great book full of rich theology, an incredible (true!) story, and an important message. It will encourage kids of all ages to boldly proclaim Christ, no matter the cost.

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

Buy The Prisoners, the Earthquake, and the Midnight Song:

Pray with Spurgeon: Faith in God is our happiness and strength

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

We now commit ourselves again to your keeping, O faithful Creator; to your keeping, O Savior of the pierced hand; to your keeping, O eternal Spirit, who is able to keep us from falling, and to sanctify us wholly that we may be made to stand among the saints in light.

O God, we can trust you, and we do. Our faith has gathered strength by the progress of years. Each following birthday, we trust, confirms us in the fact that to rely upon God is our happiness and our strength, and we will do so, though the earth be removed and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. We will not fear, since God abides fast forever, and his covenant cannot fail.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“May the LORD bless you and protect you;” (Numbers 6:24)

The happy God would have us happy in the enjoyment of his blessing. Our God has appointed one above all others to bless his people, even our great high priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. He began his ministry with the Sermon on the Mount and with the word “blessed.” His whole life was a stream of blessing, for “he went about doing good” (Acts 10:38).

When he rose to heaven, having completed his ministry, it was as he lifted up his hands and blessed them. When he returns, he will bring blessings with him, even gifts for people. In the name of the triune God, the Lord Jesus, from the highest glory, effectually blesses us today.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

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

Today we celebrated, in prayer and in God’s Word, the glorious truth that our great God blesses us and keeps us. This is our surest hope and our greatest joy. If we continue to reflect on God’s grace in his Word, we will see this hope and joy increase.

A great resource to help you focus on the wonders of God’s grace is PROOF: Finding Freedom through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistible Grace by 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: Our faith will never fail (even in suffering)

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

It may be that you have appointed for us great torrents of tribulation, but you will be with us if we pass through the river. Perhaps you will permit us to go through blazing fires of persecution or temptation, but we shall not be burned; for you have assured us it shall be so, that we shall go through the fires unhurt, since you will be with us.

Perhaps, it is written in the tablets of your eternal purpose, that we shall soon end this mortal life and die. Well, be it so, we shall the sooner see your face, the sooner drink eternal draughts of bliss. But if you have appointed for us grey hairs, only grant us grace that, by infirmity, our faith may never fail us; but when the windows are darkened, may we still look out to see the hope that is to be revealed; and when the grasshopper becomes a burden (Ecclesiastes 12:5), still let our strength be as our days, even to the last day.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

From the mouths of infants and nursing babies, you have established a stronghold on account of your adversaries in order to silence the enemy and the avenger.” (Psalm 8:2)

The power of God is displayed in human weakness—strength out of babies’ mouths—the way he glorifies himself by using the least and causing them to show forth his praise to the confusion of his adversaries. There is a glory of God to be seen in creation, but in redemption there are peculiarly bright manifestations. In creation there was no opposition.

When God framed this world, there was no opposing force to fight against him. He spoke and it was done. Absolute nothingness was no hindrance to the creation. In the sphere of moral and spiritual things “the enemy” is met with, and here is a labor worthy of God—to overthrow this enemy and still the evil voice that curses the sons of men. In conquering the opposition of the powers of evil, God displays a glory more remarkable than what he obtains by the greatest feats of creative power.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Teaching kids that God is always at work, even in scary circumstances

Today we prayed that God would preserve us and even grow us through any fiery trials that we might face. This is an important lesson for us all, including our kids. We should teach our kids that God is big enough to protect them through any scary thing they might face.

A great resource for teaching this crucial truth to kids is Esther and the Very Brave Plan by Tim Thornborough. I received a review copy of this new book and I was so thankful for this faithful, fun retelling of Esther.

The book focuses on how, even when it looked like he wasn’t going to save his people, God was “working, working, working” out his incredible plan to save Esther. This will give your kids the framework they need to trust God in the midst of whatever trials might come their way in the future.

My family has been loving Esther and the Very Brave Plan and I hope your family will love it too!

Buy Esther and the Very Brave Plan:

Pray with Spurgeon: God, help me trust you

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Save your people from unbelief, save them from confidence in the creature. Bring us one and all to be, as to the world, even as a weaned child. May we have done with these things; and as to you, O Lord, may we with strong desire seek after yet more of you, and cling to you as our sure confidence forevermore.

As for the future, we desire to bless your name that you have covered it from our eyes; nor would we wish to lift even a corner of the veil which hides from us the things that are to be; but we delight to feel that he who has ruled all things for our good changes not.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “‘I do believe; help my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:24)

There were within him two men, as it were—a believing man, and an unbelieving man, and the two struggled for mastery; “Lord, I do believe; but there is so much unbelief in me, I pray that you would drive it out, that I may believe in you wholly.”

There was faith, even though it was mixed with unbelief. It was a faith that made him pray and the Lord Jesus Christ found out where the faith was. He had, as it were, broken the great black lump of dead coal that looked to be nothing but unbelief, and there was the living light of faith burning in the very center of it.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Preach the gospel to yourself (here’s how)

Today we prayed that God would strengthen our faith and drive out our unbelief. One of the ways we work to strengthen our faith is preaching the gospel to ourselves. We must t constantly remind ourselves of the work that Christ has done to suffer, die, and rise again for sinners — for me. Spurgeon called those reminders “preaching the gospel to yourself.” This is an important discipline that we have to cultivate to stay rooted in God’s grace.

One tool to help you preach the gospel to yourself is Note to Self by Joe Thorn. This book contains 48 short devotions that are formatted as simple notes written for your own heart. Read them to yourself, preach them to yourself, knowing that you need these truths to live.

Note to Self is a great tool for remembering that your only hope is Christ, not your own works. I know these short devotions will encourage you and increase your love for him.

Buy Note to Self:

Pray with Spurgeon: God, we trust you with everything

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DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)

Some of us are in perplexity, others are in actual suffering of body. Some are sorely cast down in themselves, and others deeply afflicted with the trials of those they love, but as for all these burdens, our soul would cast them on the Lord—in quietness and confidence shall be our strength, and we would this morning, all without exception who are tried and troubled, take up the place of sitting still, leaving, with quiet trust, everything in the hands of God.

Great Captain, you shall steer the ship, and we will not be troubled. By your grace, we will leave everything most sweetly in your hands. Where else should these things be left? and we will take up the note of joyous song, in anticipation of the deliverance which will surely come.

Amen.

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“You will be delivered by returning and resting; your strength will lie in quiet confidence. But you are not willing.” (Isaiah 30:15)

It is always weakness to be fretting and worrying, questioning and mistrusting. What can we do if we wear ourselves to skin and bone? Can we gain anything by fearing and fuming? We are sinking by our struggles when we might float by faith.

Oh for grace to be confident in God! We may make sure that every word of his will stand though the mountains should depart. Come, my soul, return to your rest, and lean your head upon the bosom of the Lord Jesus.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Pray like God really hears (and really will act)

Today we prayed that God would preserve us and we saw in his Word that he always will. This should give us great hope and confidence as we pray — our God keeps a watch over us!

A great, refreshing book to help you infuse your prayer life with more hope is A Praying Life by Paul Miller.

A Praying Life is a great, encouraging book on Christian prayer. Reading this book has cultivated Scripture-saturated prayers of childlike faith in my life. Miller describes prayer in a way that is thoroughly biblical and incredible desirable.

I hope A Praying Life will help you deepen your prayer life this summer.

Buy A Praying Life: