DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)
Prosper all the churches of Jesus Christ. May what we seek for ourselves also be realized among them. Strengthen missionaries through your Spirit, and may there come a day when people’s hearts are better prepared to receive the gospel. May the Kingdom of Messiah come, leading to the downfall of her who sits on the seven hills (Revelation 17:9) and the fading away of Mohammed’s moon, bringing the end to every idol, so that Christ alone may reign. Our whole heart joins in this prayer. Reign, Immanuel, reign! Sit upon your lofty throne, ride on your white horse, and let the armies of heaven follow you, conquering and to conquer. Come, Lord Jesus; even so, come quickly.
Amen.
VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)
“He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6–7)
See how Paul’s language grows and swells and rises as he proceeds! Just now, we read of “God, who is rich in mercy;” now the apostle speaks of “the exceeding riches of his grace,” exceeding expression, exceeding comprehension, exceeding even sin itself, though that is all but infinite. “The exceeding riches of his grace” are infinity itself; but they all come to us “through Christ Jesus.” Paul will speak of nothing good except that which comes “through Christ Jesus.” This is the one conduit-pipe through which the streams of living water flow to the dead in sin; God’s grace comes to us “through Christ Jesus,” and through him alone.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE
How to (actually) have daily family devotions this school year
As our kids go back to school, we should be reflecting a lot on what we are teaching them (not just what others might be teaching them). This school year, imagine how great it would be for your family if you made a commitment to read the Bible together EVERY DAY?
Here are FIVE SIMPLE TIPS to (actually) make family devotions a daily habit this school year:
- Keep It Simple — If family devotions have a lot of extra elements, they will be too difficult to plan and too long to practice every day.
- Plan a Rhythm — Pick a time and place and STICK with it. Don’t expect family devotions to just happen — plan WHEN they will happen.
- Habit Stacking — Attach family devotions to a daily habit that your family already has. This makes it harder to forget and easier to actually do.
- Prioritize It — Make the commitment that you WILL have family devotions, even if it interrupts other activities (like bedtime routines).
- Get a Guide — You don’t need to plan your family devotions from scratch every day.
Family devotionals from God Centered Family give you everything you need to teach your kids the Bible in TEN MINUTES each day.
There are two ways to get started:
- Subscribe to GodCenteredFamily.org — Get unlimited access to a growing library of devotionals and other family resources.
NEW: Buy the new PAPERBACK devotional — 12-week devotional on Paul’s Letters available now — more coming soon.