DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)
We know that Christ has suffered so that we may not suffer and has taken upon himself our griefs so that we may be filled with joy. Yet, let the shadow of his blessed grief fall over our spirits now. May that shadow begin in our souls the consciousness of the darkness, the blackness, the heinousness of sin. May we see it in its true colors and loathe ourselves to think we ever loved the wages of unrighteousness and the pleasures of transgression. What pleasure can there be in disobeying our Father, in revolting against One who loves us so infinitely?
Amen.
VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)
“He turns… fruitful land into salty wasteland, because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.” (Psalm 107:34)
If we will not yield the Lord a harvest of obedience, God may forbid the soil to yield us a harvest of bread, and what then? If we turn good into evil can we wonder if the Lord pays us in kind, and returns our baseness into our own bosoms? Many a barren church owes its present sad estate to its inconsistent behavior, and many a barren Christian has come into this mournful condition by a careless, unsanctified walk before the Lord. Let not saints who are now useful run the risk of enduring the loss of their mercies, but let them be watchful that all things may go well with them.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE
God is real (and that is really, really good news)
Today’s prayer reminded us that there is no joy to be found in sin. Sin and unbelief rob us of joy by bringing us to doubt that God really is there (or really is good). But when we embrace him in faith, we see that he really is perfect, loving, kind, and real.
A great resource for growing your own faith and ending your unbelief is Jesus or Nothing by Dan DeWitt. This book doesn’t just help us see that God exist, but it shows that God’s existence is really, really good news.
Because God (as he’s revealed himself in the Bible) is real, our life has meaning and joy is possible. If there isn’t a God, nothing has any meaning.
I know that this book will strengthen your faith and equip you to share your faith with others. Jesus or Nothing is an incredible, faith-strengthening, life-giving, joy-producing, Bible-saturated book. I hope you’ll grab a copy.