Devotionals: The Valley of Vision
LORD, Teach me the nature of a sacrament as a seal and pledge of love, that Christ is faithful to make himself a present reality to his own who are guests at his table. Assure me by it that his Word is made good to my faith, that he by sacramental union is given to […]
ReadGOD OF ALL SOVEREIGNTY, Thy greatness is unsearchable, Thy name most excellent, Thy glory above the heavens; Ten thousand minister to thee, Ten thousand times ten thousand stand before thee; In thy awful presence we are less than nothing. We do not approach thee because we deserve thy notice, for we are sinners; Our necessities […]
ReadBLESSED SPIRIT OF GOD, Four evils attend my ministry — The devil treads me down by discouragement and shame arising from coldness in private meditation. Carelessness possesses me from natural dullness and dimness of spirit; because in the past I have met with success and been highly regarded, so that it does not matter if […]
ReadLORD JESUS, True God, everlasting Life, Redeemer of sinners, I give my body, soul, intellect, will, affections to thee. I call the day, sun, earth, trees, stones, wind, rain, frost, snow, my home, bed, table, food, books, drink, clothes, to witness that I come to thee for rest of soul from the thunders of guilt […]
ReadMOST HIGH GOD, The universe with all its myriad creatures is thine, made by thy word, upheld by thy power, governed by thy will. But thou art also the Father of mercies, the God of all grace, the bestower of all comfort, the protector of the saved. Thou hast been mindful of us, hast visited […]
ReadO GOD, MY EXCEEDING JOY, Singing thy praises uplifts my heart, for thou art a fountain of delight, and dost bless the soul that joys in thee. But because of my heart’s rebellion I cannot always praise thee as I ought; Yet I will at all times rest myself in thy excellences, goodness, and loving-kindness. […]
ReadO LORD GOD, There is no blessing we implore but thou art able to give, hast promised to give, hast given already to countless multitudes, all unworthy and guilty like ourselves; Make us willing to receive the supply of our need from thy bounty. To this end convince us of sin, soften our hard hearts, […]
ReadO MY LORD, Let not my ministry be approved only by men, or merely win the esteem and affections of people; But do the work of grace in their hearts, call in thy elect, seal and edify the regenerate ones, and command eternal blessings on their souls. Save me from self-opinion and self-seeking; Water the […]
ReadSOVEREIGN LORD, Thy will is supreme in heaven and earth, and all beings are creatures of thy power. Thou art the Father of our spirits; thy inspiration gives us understanding, thy providence governs our lives. But, O God, we are sinners in thy sight; thou hast judged us so, and if we deny it we […]
ReadMY MASTER GOD, I am desired to preach today, but go weak and needy to my task; Yet I long that people might be edified with divine truth, that an honest testimony might be borne for thee; Give me assistance in preaching and prayer, with heart uplifted for grace and unction. Present to my view […]
ReadO LOVER OF THE LOVELESS, It is thy will that I should love thee with heart, soul, mind, strength, and my neighbour as myself. But I am not sufficient for these things. There is by nature no pure love in my soul; Every affection in me is turned from thee; I am bound, as slave […]
ReadO GOD OF THE OPEN EAR, Teach me to live by prayer as well as by providence, for myself, soul, body, children, family, church; Give me a heart frameable to thy will; so might I live in prayer, and honour thee, being kept from evil, known and unknown. Help me to see the sin that […]
ReadHEAVENLY FATHER, My faith is in thee, My expectation is from thee, My love goes out toward thee, I believe thee, accept thy Word, acquiesce in thy will, rely on thy promises, trust thy providence. I bless thee that the court of conscience proves me to be thine. I do not need signs and wonders […]
ReadELECTOR OF SAINTS, Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and callest to thyself. With thee is mercy, redemption, assurance, forgiveness; Thou hast lifted me, a prisoner, out of the pit of sin and pronounced my discharge, not only in the courts of heaven, but in the dock of conscience; hast justified me by faith, […]
ReadGRACIOUS LORD, Thy name is love, in love receive my prayer. My sins are more than the wide sea’s sand, but where sin abounds, there is grace more abundant. Look to the cross of thy beloved Son, and view the preciousness of his atoning blood; Listen to his never-failing intercession, and whisper to my heart, […]
ReadO MY LORD, Forgive me for serving thee in sinful ways — by glorying in my own strength, by forcing myself to minister through necessity, by accepting the applause of others, by trusting in assumed grace and spiritual affection, by a faith that rests upon my hold on Christ, not on him alone, by having […]
ReadGIVER OF ALL GOOD, Streams upon streams of love overflow my path. Thou hast made me out of nothing, hast recalled me from a far country, hast translated me from ignorance to knowledge, from darkness to light, from death to life, from misery to peace, from folly to wisdom, from error to truth, from sin […]
ReadO GOD, May I never be a blot or a blank in life, cause the way of truth to be evil spoken of, or make my liberty an occasion to the flesh. May I by love serve others, and please my neighbour for his good to edification. May I attend to what is ornamental as […]
ReadO MY SAVIOUR, I thank thee from the depths of my being for thy wondrous grace and love in bearing my sin in thine own body on the tree. May thy cross be to me as the tree that sweetens my bitter Marahs, as the rod that blossoms with life and beauty, as the brazen […]
ReadBENIGN LORD, I praise thee continually for permission to approach thy throne of grace, and to spread my wants and desires before thee. I am not worthy of thy blessings and mercies for I am far gone from original righteousness; My depraved nature reveals itself in disobedience and rebellion; My early days discovered in me […]
ReadMy God, I bless thee that thou hast given me the eye of faith, to see thee as Father, to know thee as a covenant God, to experience thy love planted in me; For faith is the grace of union by which I spell out my entitlement to thee: Faith casts my anchor upwards where […]
ReadHEAVENLY FATHER, Thou hast placed me in the church which thy Son purchased by his own blood. Add grace to grace that I may live worthy of my vocation. I am a voyager across life’s ocean; Safe in heaven’s ark, may I pass through a troubled world into the harbour of eternal rest. I am […]
ReadO GOD OF GRACE, I bewail my cold, listless, heartless prayers; their poverty adds sin to sin. If my hope were in them I should be undone, But the worth of Jesus perfumes my feeble breathings, and wins their acceptance. Deepen my contrition of heart, Confirm my faith in the blood that washes from all […]
ReadO GOD, THOU ART VERY GREAT, My lot is to approach thee with godly fear and humble confidence, for thy condescension equals thy grandeur, and thy goodness is thy glory. I am unworthy, but thou dost welcome; guilty, but thou art merciful; indigent, but thy riches are unsearchable. Thou hast shown boundless compassion towards me […]
ReadBLESSED CREATOR, Thou hast promised thy beloved sleep; Give me restoring rest needful for tomorrow’s toil; If dreams be mine, let them not be tinged with evil. Let thy Spirit make my time of repose a blessed temple of his holy presence. May my frequent lying down make me familiar with death, the bed I […]
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