DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)
O God, you are our God. Early in life many of us were brought to put our trust in you, and since then you have been our God in many and many an experience. We have been in troubles often, but you have always been our Helper. We have been in danger, but he who keeps Israel has neither slumbered nor slept. We can truly say this morning, “Because you have been my help, therefore in the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.”
What a God you have been to us in our experience—so tender over our weakness, ever teaching us little by little as we have been able to bear it; so long-suffering with our follies, chastening only in measure, and comforting without measure.
Amen.
VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)
“Summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.” (Matthew 10:1)
See the way of making apostles. They were first disciples, and afterwards teachers of others: they were especially his, and then they were given to be a blessing to men. They were “called unto him”; and thus their higher call came to them. In the presence of their Lord they received their equipment: “He gave them power.” Is that so with us in our own special office?
Let us come to him, that we may be clothed with his authority and girded with his strength. Their power was miraculous; but it was an imitation of their Lord’s, and the words applied to it are very much the same as we have seen in use about his miracles of healing. The twelve were made to represent their Lord. We, too, may be enabled to do what Jesus did among men. Oh, for such an endowment!
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE
See Jesus with more clarity, and love him for it.
This weekend, I’m preaching on Hebrews 1, teaching about how Jesus is the Son of God. And while I’ve heard this title applied to Jesus a lot, I’ve never heard anyone attempt to give a clear definition for it. So this week I read, Jesus the Son of God by D.A. Carson.
This book is really incredible. Carson, a New Testament scholar, approaches the question, “What does it mean for Jesus to be the Son of God?” in an incredibly logical, thoroughly biblical way. Carson masterfully categorizes and explains a huge amount of biblical data, in a short, accessible book.
I will say that this is not the most exciting book you will read (the writing is pretty dry), but the journey is worth it. I walked away from this book with greater love and deeper amazement at the wonders of Christ, the Son of God.
If you’ve ever had questions about what it means for Jesus to be the Son of God, or if you need some solidly biblical fuel for your love for Christ, this book will be a blessing to you. I hope you’ll buy a copy today.