Soli Deo Gloria

O MY SAVIOR,
Help me. I am slow to learn, so prone to forget, so weak to climb; I am in the foothills when I should be on the heights; I am pained by my graceless heart, my prayerless days, my poverty of love, my sloth in the heavenly race, my sullied conscience, my wasted hours, my unspent opportunities. I am blind while light shines around me: take the scales from my eyes, grind to dust the evil heart of unbelief.

Make it my chiefest joy to study Thee, meditate on Thee, gaze on Thee, sit like Mary at Thy feet, lean like John on Thy breast, appeal like Peter to Thy love, count like Paul all things dung. Give me increase and progress in grace so that there may be more decision in my character, more vigour in my purposes, more elevation in my life, more fervour in my devotion, more constancy in my zeal.

As I have a position in the world, keep me from making the world my position; may I never seek in the creature what can be found only in the Creator; let not faith cease from seeking Thee until it vanishes into sight.

Ride forth in me, Thou King of kings and Lord of lords, that I may live victoriously, and in victory attain my end.

From Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers

Devotional

SOVEREIGN GOD,
Thy cause, not my own, engages my heart, and I appeal to Thee with greatest freedom to set up Thy kingdom in every place where Satan reigns; Glorify Thyself and I shall rejoice, for to bring honor to Thy name is my sole desire.

I adore Thee that Thou art God, and long that others should know it, feel it, and rejoice in it. O that men might love and praise Thee, that Thou mightest have all glory from the intelligent world! Let sinners be brought to Thee for Thy dear name! To the eye of reason everything respecting the conversion of others is as dark as midnight, but Thou can accomplish great things; the cause is Thine, and it is to Thy glory that men should be saved.

Lord, use me as Thou wilt; but, O, promise Thy cause, let Thy kingdom come, let Thy blessed interest be advanced in this world! O do Thou bring in great numbers to Jesus! Let me see that glorious day, and give me to grasp for multitudes of souls; let me be willing to die to that end; and while I live let me labour for Thee to the utmost of my strength, spending time profitably in this work, both in health and in weakness.

It is Thy cause and kingdom I long for, not my own. O, answer Thou my request!

From Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers

Devotional

LORD JESUS CHRIST,
Fill me with Thy Spirit that I may be occupied with His presence. I am blind – send Him to make me see; dark – let Him say, ‘Let there be light’! May He give me faith to behold my name engraved on Thy hand, my soul and body redeemed by Thy blood, my sinfulness covered by the life of pure obedience.

Replenish me by His revealing grace, that I may realize my indissoluble union with Thee; that I may know Thou hast espoused me to Thyself forever, in righteousness, love, mercy, faithfulness; that I am one with Thee, as a branch with its stock, as a building with its foundation.

May His comforts cheer me in my sorrows, His strength sustain me in my trials, His blessings revive me in my weariness, His presence render me a fruitful tree of holiness, His might establish me in peace and joy, His incitements make me ceaseless in prayer, His animation kindle in me undying devotion.

Send Him as the searcher of my heart, to show me more of my corruptions and helplessness that I may flee to Thee, cling to Thee, rest on Thee, as the beginning and end of my salvation.

May I never vex Him by my indifference and waywardness, grieve Him by my cold welcome, resist Him by my hard rebellion. Answer my prayers, O Lord, for Thy great name’s sake.

From Valley of Vision – a Collection of Puritan Prayers

Devotional

O MY SAVIOR, 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 serpent that calls forth the look of faith. By Thy cross crucify my every sin, use it to increase my intimacy with thyself, make it a ground of all my comfort, the liveliness of all my duties, the sum of all Thy gospel promises, the comfort of all my afflictions, the vigor of my love, thankfulness, graces, the very essence of my religion, and by it give me that rest without rest, the rest of ceaseless praise.

OH MY LORD AND SAVIOR, Thou hast also appointed a cross for me to take up and carry, a cross before Thou givest me a crown. Thou hast appointed it to be my portion, but self-love hates it, carnal reason is unreconciled to it, without the grace of patience I cannot bear it, walk with it, profit by it. Oh blessed cross, what mercies dost thou bring with thee. Thou art only esteemed hateful by my rebel will, heavy because I shirk thy load. Teach me, gracious Lord and Savior, that with my cross Thou sends promised grace so that I may bear it patiently, that my cross is Thy yoke which is easy, and Thy burden which is light.

From Valley of Vision – A Collection of Puritan Prayers

Devotional

O LORD GOD,
Thou art my protecting arm, fortress, refuge, shield, buckler. Fight for me and my foes must flee; uphold me and I cannot fall; strengthen me and I stand unmoved, unmoveable; equip me and I shall receive no wound; stand by me and Satan will depart; anoint my lips with a song of salvation and I shall shout Thy victory; give me abhorrence of all evil; as a vile monster that defies Thy laws, casts off Thy yoke, defiles my nature, spreads misery.

Teach me to look to Jesus on His cross and so to know sin’s loathsomeness in Thy sight. There is no pardon but through Thy Son’s death, no cleansing but in His precious blood, no atonement but His to expiate evil. Show me the shame, the agony, the bruises of incarnate God, that I may read boundless guilt in the boundless price; may I discern the deadly viper in its real malignity, tear it with holy indignation from my breast, resolutely turn fro its every snare, refuse to hold polluting dalliance with it.

Bless the Lord Jesus, at Thy cross may I be taught the awful miseries from which I am saved, ponder what the word ‘lost’ implies, see the fires of eternal destruction; then may I cling more closely to Thy broken self, adhere to Thee with firmer faith, be devoted to Thee with total being, detest sin as strongly as Thy love to me is strong, and may holiness be the atmosphere in which I live.

From Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers

Devotional, The Gospel

“… and behold, a voice out of heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17

Oh the grace of our God! Not only did God demonstrate His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ came and died for us but even here at the baptism of our sin Substitute God graciously offer words of grace and comfort to the ears that will hear. I agree with Martin Luther that these words of Scripture and the spoken words of God from heaven were not for the benefit of Christ. Christ needed no encouragement of His sonship – that has been a reality for all eternity and forever will be. There is no doubt that these glorious words are for those who heard and for us today to remind us and assure us of glorious truths.

God is pleased in Himself. Only His righteousness can satisfy His holy requirements. Because of His perfect holiness, anything less than His righteousness demands punishment for it falls short of the His glory. Perfect righteousness is the requirement for God – nothing less. Oh to hear the sweet words from heaven that there in that water is God in the flesh – very God in whom the Father is well pleased. There is no spot or blemish in Jesus Christ.

To be married with Christ – to be found in Him through repentance and faith allows our hearts to hear the same words from the Father. That through the miracle of regeneration and adoption into the kingdom through Christ we are seen by God as having His absolute perfect righteousness. A true believer can also share in the heavenly herald of “in whom I am well pleased” because of that glorious union with Christ. The believer becomes and will always be well pleasing to the Father only because of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. For “He made Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf so that we may have the righteousness of God in Him”. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Oh to rejoice in the doctrinal truths of Scripture! Do we truly take the time to simply meditate on the glorious truth that “God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son”? A world that hates God and covered with sin. And when we come to the reality that one sin against God is infinitely worse than all worldly tragedies combined the magnitude of Christ choosing to come to save His bride is astounding. Isn’t it time we truly put amazing back into grace?

May we rejoice that in Christ we are safe and secure. The cross is truly the “double cure” as the hymn writer sings. Christ’s life, death, resurrection and ascension not only save us from the penalty of sin, which is God’s wrath and eternal damnation but also from the power of sin – a changed life being progressively sanctified to be made more and more into the image of the very One who saved us. Because of Christ, and all because of Christ God is well pleased. There is peace between God and those who trust in Christ only because of the atoning propitiating death and perfect merit of the Lamb who was worthy to be slain.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Devotional, Scripture, The Gospel

Contrary to the popular teachings of prosperity preachers rampant on tv, radio and the bookshelves of most “christian” bookstores, here is John MacDuff (1818 – 1895) writing on true, Biblical prosperity from his sermon The Rainbow in the Clouds. May the Lord open our eyes to the true teachings of Holy Scripture and may we be granted discernment in what we allow to enter our minds, eyes and ears in most of so called “christian” teaching today…

“The Lord has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” Psalm 35:27
What is “prosperity?” Is it threads of life weaved into a bright outcome? a full cup? ample riches? worldly applause? an unbroken circle? No, these are often a snare; received without gratitude; dimming the soul to its nobler destinies. Often spiritually it rather means God taking us by the hand into the lowly Valleys of Humiliation; leading us as He did his servant Job of old; out of his sheep, oxen, camels, health, wealth, children; in order that we may be brought before Him in the dust, and say, “Blessed be His holy name!”
Yes! The very reverse of what is known in the world as Prosperity (generally) forms the background on which the Rainbow of Promise is seen. God smiles on us through these rainbows and teardrops of sorrows! He loves us too well. He has too great an interest in our spiritual welfare to permit us to live on in what is misnamed “Prosperity.” When He sees duties languidly performed, or coldly neglected; the heart deadened, and love to Himself congealed by the absorbing power of the present world, He puts a thorn in our nest to drive us to the wing, and prevent our being grovelers forever!

I may not be able now to understand the mystery of these dealings. I may be asking through the tears, “Why this unkind arrest on my earthly happiness? Why so premature a lopping of my boughs of promise? Such a speedy withering of my most cherished gourd?” The answer is plain. It is your soul’s prosperity He has in view. Believe it, your true Ebenezers will yet be raised close by your Zarephaths (the place of furnace).

His afflictions are no arbitrary appointments. There is righteous necessity in all He does. As He lays His chastening hand upon you, and leads you by ways you know not, and which you never would have chosen. He whispers the gentle accents in your ear, “Beloved I wish above all things that you would prosper, and be in health.”

Rest in the quiet consciousness that all is well. Murmur at nothing which brings you nearer His own loving Presence. Be thankful for your very cares, because you can confidently cast them all upon Him. He has your temporal and eternal “prosperity” too much at heart to appoint one superfluous pang, one needless stroke. Commit therefore, all that concerns you to His keeping, and leave it there.

Daily Walk, Devotional

ALMIGHTY GOD,
I am loved with everlasting love, clothed in eternal righteousness, my peace flowing like a river, my comforts many and large, my joy and triumph unutterable, my soul lively with a knowledge of salvation, my sense of justification unclouded.

I have scarce anything to pray for; Jesus smiles upon my soul as a ray of heaven and my supplications are swallowed up in praise. How sweet is the glorious doctrine of election when based upon Thy word and wrought inwardly within the soul! I bless Thee that Thou wilt keep the sinner Thou hast loved, and hast engaged that he will not forsake Thee, else I would never get to heaven.

I wrong the work of grace in my hear if I deny my new nature and my eternal life. If Jesus were not my righteousness and redemption, I would sink into nethermost hell by my misdoings, shortcomings, unbelief, unlove; if Jesus were not by the power of His Spirit my sanctification, there is no sin I should not commit.

O when shall I have His mind! When shall I be conformed to His image? All the good things of life are less than nothing when compared with His love. and with one glimpse of Thy electing favor. All the treasures of a million worlds could not make me richer, happier, more contented, for His unsearchable riches are mine.

One moment of communion with Him, one view of His grace, is ineffable, inestimable. But O God, O could not long after Thy presence if I did not know the sweetness of it; and such I could not know except by Thy Spirit in my heart, nor love Thee at al unless Thou didst elect me, call me, adopt me, save me. I bless Thee for Thy covenant of grace.

From Valley of Vision – A Collection of Puritan Prayers

Devotional

As we approach Christmas Eve and Christmas Day may our hearts not only be captivated by the glorious incarnation of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ but also rejoice and rest in knowing that the King of kings and Lord of Lords reigns forever and ever. Hallelujah to the Lamb who was worthy to be slain and may our prayer this Christmas be not only for our eyes and hearts to be opened to the glorious truths of Scripture but also for the second advent of our King to come in the glory of God with all the angels of heaven in flames of fire. Enjoy this outstanding performance of the Hallelujah chorus by the late Anthony Burger who God gifted to play the piano like none other…

Devotional

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:2

See what little cause believers have to fear death when it brings such glorious benefits. Is it not a blessed thing to see God, to love God, and to live forever in the bosom of divine love? Is it not a blessed thing to meet our godly relations in heaven? Why should the saints be afraid of their blessings? What hurt does death, but take us from among fiery serpents and place us among angels? What hurt does it do, but to clothe us with the robe of immortality? Has he any wrong done him that has his sackcloth pulled off and has cloth of gold upon him? Fear not dying, you cannot live but by dying.

You, whose hearts are purified by faith, spend much time in musing upon those glorious benefits which you shall have by Christ at death. We should contemplate the celestial glory, when we shall see God face to face! A true saint every day takes a turn in heaven: his thoughts and desires are like cherubim flying up to Paradise. Can men of the world delight in looking upon their bags of gold and fields of corn, and shall not the heirs of heaven take more delight in contemplating their glory in reversion? Could we send forth faith as a spy and every day view the glory of the Jerusalem above, how would we rejoice, as it does the heir good to think of the inheritance to be in his hand shortly?

- Thomas Watson (1620-1686)

Devotional

O God whose will conquers all,
There is no comfort in anything apart from enjoying Thee and being engaged in Thy service, thou art All in all, and all enjoyments are what to me Thou makest them, and no more.

I am well pleased with Thy will, whatever it is, or should be in all respects, and if Thou bidets me decide for myself in any affair, I would choose to refer all to Thee, for Thou art infinitely wise and cannot do amiss, as I am in danger of doing. I rejoice to think that all things are at Thy disposal, and it delights me to leave them there. Then prayer turns wholly into praise, and all I can do is to adore and bless Thee.

What shall I give Thee for all Thy benefits? I am in a strait betwixt two, knowing not what to do, I long to make some return, but have nothing to offer, and can only rejoice that Thou dots all, that none in heaven or on earth shares Thy honor; I can of myself do nothing to glorify Thy blessed name, but I can through grace cheerfully surrender soul and body to Thee, I know that Thou art the author and finisher of faith, that the whole work of redemption is Thine alone, that every good work or thought found in me is the effect of Thy power and grace, that Thy soul motive in working in me to will and to do is for Thy good pleasure.

O God, it is amazing that men can talk so much about man’s creaturely power and goodness, when, if Thou didst not hold us back every moment, we should be devils incarnate. This, by bitter experience, Thou hast taught me concerning myself.

From Valley of Vision – a Collection of Puritan Prayers

Devotional

Lord Jesus,
I am thankful for Your hand upholding all things by the word of your power. (Heb. 1:3) Upholding the very gravity that keeps things in place. I am thankful for your love and perfect obedience to the Father in humbling Yourself to become a human (Phil 2:8) and becoming sin on our behalf so that we may have the righteousness of God in You. (2 Cor. 5:21) Thank you for opening our eyes to the amazing truth that You will always and forever be the God-Man (Acts 1:9) sitting at the right hand of the Father interceding (Heb. 7:25) and ruling in power and waiting for Your enemies to be made a footstool to your feet. (Heb. 10:13) I am thankful for the gift of the Holy Spirit. He is not only our pledge and down-payment for eternal life (2 Cor. 1:22) but He also is our comforter and teacher – constantly opening our eyes to the glorious truths of Scripture. (John 14:25-26) I am thankful for Your promise that You will return to make a new heaven and a new earth and that we will see your face. (Rev. 22:4) I am so thankful for Your becoming flesh (John 1:14), living a life of perfect obedience (Heb 4:15), dying the death I deserve in my place (Rom. 5:4; John 3:16) and rising from the dead proving Your deity and assuring our salvation. (Rom. 4:25) Lord, may I constantly be reminded that the very air I breath is a gift from You and every beat of my heart is provided by Your goodness. Give me the grace to live for You and die for You. All glory, honor and praise to the Lamb who was worthy to be slain. (Rev. 5:12)

Soli Deo Gloria

Devotional, The Gospel