Pray with Spurgeon

Daily Newsletter from SpurgeonBooks

VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials…” (James 1:2)

 Do not be sorry about it, be thankful for it. The gold should be glad to be put into the crucible; the Christian should rejoice to be tested and tried.

PRAY FOR THE NATIONS

This week, we’re praying for the Imragen in Western Sahara.

The Bible has never been translated into Hassaniyya, the language that the Imragen speak. Scripture is so precious to us, so we should really care that people don’t have it. 

Pray that qualified and faithful Bible translators would bring God’s Word into the Imragen.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

This week Pray with Spurgeon is focusing on joy and rejoicing in God. As a parent, one of the greatest earthly sources of joy to me is my kids. This is a good way to feel, for children are a blessing (Psalm 127). However, our kids can often disappoint us. Proverbs 10:1 puts it this way: “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son, heartache to his mother.”

If your children have brought you “heartache” this week, know that no temptation has come to you that is not common among men. Fathers and mothers have been experiencing heartache since Cain rose up against his brother (Genesis 4). In our fallen world, parenting has always been emotionally tumultuous.

What does this verse say is the remedy for the heartaches of parenting? A wise son. Our children’s foolishness is what breaks our hearts, and wisdom will free us (and them). Wisdom is not merely knowing more facts, but seeing the world the same way that God does, and it begins with “the fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 1:7).

Our parenting heartaches aren’t caused by our children’s bad behavior, but their separation from the Lord. What our children need more than anything is God, in his grace, to work in their hearts. And, friends, he loves to do that.

Wise sons will fill your heart with joy — so teach them true wisdom by reading the Bible to them every day. The family devotionals from God Centered Family will give you everything you need to lead your kids to follow Christ.

Learn more and get started today.

FAITH’S CHECKBOOK

Spurgeon’s classic devotional, The Chequebook of the Bank of Faith, contains a promise of God for every day of the year. Pray with Spurgeon Plus subscribers receive the daily readings every weekday.

If you want to strengthen your faith in God’s promises (and support this ministry!), subscribe to Pray with Spurgeon Plus here.

“‘They will be mine,’ says the LORD of Armies, ‘my own possession on the day I am preparing.’” (Malachi 3:17)

A day is coming in which the possession of our great King will be counted to check he has received everything which his Father promised to give him. My soul, will you be among the precious things of Jesus? You are precious to him if he is precious to you. You shall be his on the last day if he is yours today.

The preceding verse says that “At that time those who feared the LORD spoke to one another. The LORD took notice and listened. So a book of remembrance was written before him for those who feared the LORD and had high regard for his name” (Malachi 3:16). In the days of Malachi, the chosen of the Lord were so accustomed to talk with each other that their God himself listened to their talk. He liked it so well that he took notes of it; yes, and made a book of it, which he lodged in his official records. Pleased with their conversation, he was also pleased with them. Pause, my soul, and ask yourself: If Jesus were to listen to your talk would he be pleased with it? Does it glorify him and build up the church? Speak, my soul, and be sure you speak the truth.

But what will the honor be for us poor creatures to be counted by the Lord as his own possession! All the saints have this honor. Jesus not only says that “they are mine,” but, “they will be mine.” He bought us, sought us, brought us in, and has begun to shape us into his image; in the same way, he will fight for us with all his might.

Something to think about today if you’re feeling alone or rejected: Christ has made you his own possession.