DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)
O Father, we have a thousand wants, and we have but few words in which to express them; but you know them altogether. Our Father, who art in heaven, we want to love you more! Sometimes we feel the spirit of adoption, and we can cry “Abba Father;” but there are times when this world creeps in, and when gloomy doubts prevail, and we fear to call you ours. Strengthen our faith, that our love may be strengthened too.
You know all things; you know that we love you. Oh for grace to love you more! And we want to have a greater longing, and hungering, and thirsting after Christ. We would not be indifferent to his charms. He has given himself to us. Oh let us not live as though we were destitute of such a Treasure. He is, we hope, dearer to us than all our senses are, our limbs, our passions, or our eyes. Oh let us live nearer to him, or, when absent, let us mourn as the dove that laments for her mate. If we may not drink of him, give us at least grace to hunger and thirst after him.
Amen.
VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)
“Then he touched their eyes, saying, ‘Let it be done for you according to your faith.’” (Matthew 9:29)
throws the whole responsibility upon their confidence in him. Again he arouses their faith; and this time he throws the whole responsibility upon their confidence in him. He touched them with his hand; but they must also touch him with their faith.
The word of power in the last sentence is one upon which he acts so continually, that we may call it, as to many blessings, a rule of the kingdom. We have the measuring of our own mercies; our faith obtains less or more according to its own capacity to receive. Had these men been mere pretenders to faith they would have remained blind. If we will not in very truth trust our Lord, we shall die in our sins.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE
A Bible-saturated plan to grow in godliness
Today we prayed that God would help us grow to love him more. We don’t want to be controlled by worldly passions anymore — we want to live for God.
While our growth in holiness is a miracle that only God can do, we also have a role to play in this work. You will not automatically grow in godliness — you need to pursue godliness with the strength that God the Holy Spirit gives you.
A great, practical book on growing in godliness (self-control, taming the tongue, and more) is The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges. This book won’t just tell you that something is sinful, it will actually equip you practical tools and truths from God’s Word to slay your sin and live in godliness.
Whatever pressing sin you are currently facing and want to grow in, The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges is a great resource to help you take your next steps. I hope you pick up a copy today.