Pray with Spurgeon

Daily Newsletter from SpurgeonBooks

This week, our prayers and Scripture readings each day will focus on the new year. Invite a friend to pray with you by sending them this link.

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VERSE OF THE DAY (COMMENTARY BY SPURGEON)

“Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.” (Psalm 90:12)

People are led by reflections upon the brevity of time to give their earnest attention to eternal things; they become humble as they look into the grave which is so soon to be their bed, their passions cool in the presence of mortality, and they yield themselves up to the dictates of unerring wisdom. This is only the case when the Lord himself is the teacher; he alone can teach to real and lasting profit.

It is fitting that the heart which will so soon cease to beat should be regulated by wisdom’s hand. A short life should be wisely spent. We do not have enough time at our disposal to justify us in misspending a single quarter of an hour. Neither are we guaranteed enough life to justify us in procrastinating for a moment. If we were wise in heart we would see this, but mere head wisdom will not guide us rightly.

PRAY FOR THE NATIONS

This week, we’re praying for the Abkhaz of Turkey.

The Abkhaz are one of the oldest post-Christian cultures in the world. In the fifteenth century, they converted to Islam after the Ottoman empire took over their region. Now, 500 years later, they are a culture of 150,000 people with, as far as we know, zero Christians among them.

Pray that God would send missionaries to the Abkhaz.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

In 2026, point your kids to Jesus

Every day, there are thousands of voices speaking into our children’s lives — telling them what to live for, what to love, and how to find real beauty in a broken world. As parents, we can’t leave the formation of our children’s hearts up to chance. We have to actively work to point them to Jesus.

Every Christian parent agrees with this, but most Christian parents don’t ever actually make a plan to disciple their kids.

Failure to plan is planning to fail.

We won’t consistently point our kids to Jesus if we don’t make a plan. (Because we’re just as easily distracted as they are!)

But our family discipleship plan doesn’t need to be complicated (in fact, it should NOT be complicated). That’s why I’m once again challenging parents to make a commitment before the New Year — read the Bible to your kids every day. Make 2026 a Year in the Word.

I can’t even begin to express how impactful this simple habit (10–15 minutes each day) will be on your kids (and their parents too 😉). God is at work through his Word, so let’s make his Word LOUD and prominent in our homes.

I’ve put together some free resources to help you (including six steps to actually read the Bible to your kids every day — even if you’ve never done it before) — find them right here.

Also, if you want your time in the Word to be more intentional, check out God Centered Family — my series of family devotionals that walk through the whole Bible. These family devotionals will give you everything you need to teach the whole Bible to the whole family. Lay a foundation of faithfulness in 2026 that your kids will build on for the rest of their lives. Learn more here.