DAILY PRAYER (BY SPURGEON)
We praise the God of the eternal council chamber and the everlasting covenant. But where can we find words suitable enough to praise the One who bestowed grace upon us through Christ, his Son, before he adorned the starry sky?
We also bless you, O God, as the God of our redemption, for you loved us so deeply that you gave your beloved Son for us. He surrendered himself, even his own life, to redeem us from all iniquity and set us apart as his special people, eager to do good works.
Amen.
VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)
“Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with a jubilant cry.” (Psalm 47:1)
The most natural and enthusiastic expressions of joy should be used in response to the victories of the Lord and his universal reign. This joy should extend to all nations. Israel may lead the way, but all the Gentiles should follow in this triumphant procession, for they share equally in the Kingdom where there is no distinction between Greek or Jew, but Christ is all and in all. Even now, if they knew it, it is the greatest hope for all nations that the Lord rules over them. He is such a great King, such an excellent rule, and such joyful subjects.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE
Understanding the Roman Catholic Church
Later this month, we’ll celebrate Reformation Day, the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to the church door at Wittenberg — an event that sparked the Protestant Reformation.
Today, more than 500 years later, the Reformation is not finished. It’s just as important now that we seek to understand and engage our Roman Catholic neighbors. A great resource for starting (or continuing) your study on this important issue is 40 Questions about Roman Catholicism by Gregg Allison.
I’m incredibly thankful for the thorough, biblical, honest, and fair approach to Roman Catholic theology and practice that the book takes.
Many Protestants have an unfair, simplistic view of Roman Catholic theology, based on a few erroneous doctrines. This book takes a big-picture approach to understanding what Catholics believe and makes them different from Protestants. The question-and-answer format makes the book easy to read and accessible to reference.
Reading 40 Questions about Roman Catholicism will fill you with love for God’s Word and God’s gospel, rejecting any counterfeits, like Roman Catholicism. This book will equip you to better understand Roman Catholic theology and more faithfully engage your Catholic neighbor in evangelism.