Archive for the ‘Puritan Prayers’ Category

Assurance

Posted: June 30, 2013 in 12 Step, Acceptance, Christ, Christology, Devotionals, Endurance, Hope, Jesus Christ, Passion for God, Perseverance, Poetry, Puritan Prayers, Resilience, Self Help, Serenity
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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!

LockedDoorWithLight

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 heart
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 favour.

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, I 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 all unless thou didst
elect me,
call me,
adopt me,
save me.

I bless thee for the covenant of grace.

(from “The Valley of Vision” devotional)

The Infinite and the Finite

Posted: December 2, 2012 in Christ, Devotionals, Endurance, Hope, Jesus Christ, Perseverance, Puritan Prayers, Resilience, Serenity, Suffering, Theology, Vision
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Thou great I Am,
Fill my mind with elevation and grandeur at the thought of a Being
with whom one day is as a thousand years,
and a thousand years as one day,
A mighty God, who, amidst the lapse of worlds,
and the revolutions of empires,
feels no variableness,
but is glorious in immortality.

May I rejoice that, while men die, the Lord lives;
that, while all creatures are broken reeds,
empty cisterns,
fading flowers,
withering grass,
he is the Rock of Ages, the Fountain
of living waters.

PolarSea

Turn my heart from vanity,
from dissatisfactions,
from uncertainties of the present state,
to an eternal interest in Christ.

Let me remember that life is short and
unforeseen,
and is only an opportunity for usefulness;

Give me a holy avarice to redeem the time,
to awake at every call to charity and piety,
so that I may feed the hungry,
clothe the naked,
instruct the ignorant,
reclaim the vicious,
forgive the offender,
diffuse the gospel,
show neighbourly love to all.

Let me live a life of self-distrust,
dependence on thyself,
mortification,
crucifixion,
prayer.

DakotaTerritoryTrails_BenClareUnitedMethodistChurch(from “The Valley of Vision” devotional)

Christian Calling

Posted: November 7, 2012 in Christ, Christology, Devotionals, Endurance, Hope, Jesus Christ, Perseverance, Poetry, Puritan Prayers, Resilience, Serenity, Suffering, Theology, Vision
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O Lord God,

The first act of calling is by thy command
in thy Word,
‘Come unto me, return unto me’;

The second is to let in light,
so that I see that I am called particularly,
and perceive the sweetness of the command
as well as its truth,
in regard to thy great love of the sinner,
by inviting him to come, though vile,
in regard to the end of the command,
which is fellowship with thee,
in regard to thy promise in the gospel,
which is all of grace.

Therefore, Lord,
I need not search to see if I am elect, or loved,
for if I turn thou wilt come to me;

Christ has promised me fellowship if I take him,
and the Spirit will pour himself out on me,
abolishing sin and punishment,
assuring me of strength to persevere.

It is thy pleasure to help all that pray for grace,
and come to thee for it.

When my heart is unsavoury with sin, sorrow,
darkness, hell,
only thy free grace can help me act
with deep abasement under a sense
of unworthiness.

Let me lament for forgetting daily to come to thee,
and cleanse me from the deceit of bringing
my heart to a duty
because the act pleased me or appealed to reason.

Grant that I may be salted with suffering,
with every exactement tempered to my soul,
every rod excellently fitted to my back,
to chastise, humble, break me.

Let me not overlook the hand that holds the rod,
as thou didst not let me forget the rod that fell
on Christ,
and drew me to him.

(from “The Valley of Vision” devotional)

Regeneration

Posted: October 24, 2012 in Acceptance, Christ, Current Events, Devotionals, Hope, Jesus Christ, Poetry, Puritan Prayers, Recovery, Resilience, Self Help, Serenity, Suffering, Theology, Vision
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O God of the highest heaven,
occupy the throne of my heart,
take full possession and reign supreme,
lay low every rebel lust,
let no vile passion resist thy holy war;
manifest thy mighty power,
and make me thine forever.

Thou art worthy to be
praised with my every breath,
loved with my every faculty of soul,
served with my every act of life.

Thou hast loved me, espoused me, received me,
purchased, washed, favored, clothed,
adorned me,
when I was a worthless, vile soiled, polluted.

I was dead in iniquities,
having no eyes to see thee,
no ears to hear thee,
no taste to relish thy joys,
no intelligence to know thee;
But thy Spirit has quickened me,
has brought me into a new world as a
new creature,
has given me spiritual perception,
has opened to me thy Word as light, guide, solace, joy.

Thy presence is to me a treasure of unending peace;
No provocation can part me from thy sympathy,
for thou hast drawn me with cords of love,
and dost forgive me daily, hourly.

O help me then to walk worthy of thy love,
of my hopes, and my vocation.

Keep me, for I cannot keep myself;
Protect me that no evil befall me;
Let me lay aside every sin admired of many;
Help me to walk by thy side, lean on thy arm,
hold converse with thee,
That I may be salt of the earth
and a blessing to all.

(text from “The Valley of Vision” devotional)

Resting On God

Posted: September 1, 2012 in Acceptance, Christ, Devotionals, Endurance, Hope, Jesus Christ, Perseverance, Puritan Prayers, Recovery, Resilience, Serenity, Suffering, Vision
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O God Most High, Most Glorious,
The thought of thine infinite serenity cheers me,

For I am toiling and moiling, troubled and distressed,
but thou art for ever at perfect peace.

Thy designs cause thee no fear or care of unfulfilment,
they stand fast as the eternal hills.

Thy power knows no bond, thy goodness no stint.

Thou bringest order out of confusion,
and my defeats are thy victories:
The Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

I come to thee as a sinner with cares and sorrows,
to leave every concern entirely to thee,
every sin calling for Christ’s precious blood;

Revive deep spirituality in my heart;
Let me live near to the great Shepherd,
hear his voice, know its tones, follow its calls.

Keep me from deception by causing me to abide in the truth,
from harm by helping me to walk in the power of the Spirit.

Give me intenser faith in the eternal verities,
burning into me by experience the things I know;
Let me never be ashamed of the truth of the gospel,
that I may bear its reproach,
vindicate it,
see Jesus as its essence,
know in it the power of the Spirit.

Lord, help me, for I am often lukewarm and chill;
unbelief mars my confidence,
sin makes me forget thee.

Let the weeds that grow in my soul be cut at their roots;

Grant me to know that I truly live only when I live to thee,
that all else is trifling.

Thy presence alone can make me holy, devout,
strong and happy.

Abide in me, gracious God.

(from “The Valley of Vision” devotional)

Need of Jesus

Posted: August 21, 2012 in Acceptance, Christ, Christology, Devotionals, Endurance, Hope, Jesus Christ, Perseverance, Poetry, Puritan Prayers, Recovery, Resilience, Serenity, Suffering, Theology, Vision
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Lord Jesus,
I am blind, be thou my light,
ignorant, be thou my wisdom,
self-willed, be thou my mind.

Open my ear to grasp quickly thy Spirit’s voice,
and delightfully run after his beckoning hand;
Melt my conscience that no hardness remain,
make it alive to evil’s slightest touch;
When Satan approaches may I flee to thy wounds,
and there cease to tremble at all alarms.

Be my good shepherd to lead me into
the green pastures of thy Word,
and cause me to lie down beside the rivers
of its comforts.

Fill me with peace, that no disquieting worldly gales
may ruffle the calm surface of my soul.

Thy cross was upraised to be my refuge,
Thy blood streamed forth to wash me clean,
Thy death occurred to give me a surety,
Thy name is my property to save me,
By thee all heaven is poured into my heart,
but it is too narrow to comprehend thy love.

I was a stranger, an outcast, a slave, a rebel,
but thy cross has brought me near,
has softened my heart,
has made me thy Father’s child,
has admitted me to thy family,
has made me joint-heir with thyself.

O that I may love thee as thou lovest me,
that I may walk worthy of thee, my Lord,
that I may reflect the image of heaven’s first-born.

May I always see thy beauty with the clear eye of faith,
and feel the power of thy Spirit in my heart,
for unless he move mightily in me
no inward fire will be kindled.

(text from “The Valley of Vision” devotional)

Mercy

Posted: June 18, 2012 in Devotionals, Hope, Perseverance, Puritan Prayers, Recovery, Vision
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God of the Publican,
be merciful to me a sinner;
this I am by nature and practice,
this thy Word proclaims me to be,
this I hope I feel myself to be;

Yet thou hast not left me to despair,
for there is no ‘peradventure’ in thy grace;
I have all the assurance I need
that with thee is plenteous redemption.

In spite of the number and heinousness of my sins
thou hast given me a token for good;

The golden sceptre is held out,
and thou hast said ‘Touch it and live’.

May I encourage myself by a sense of thy all-sufficiency,
by faith in thy promises,
by views of the experience of others.

To that dear refuge in which so many have sheltered
from every storm
may I repair,

In that fountain always freely open for sin
may I be cleansed from every defilement.

Sin is that abominable thing which thy soul hates,
and this alone separates thee and me.

Thou canst not contradict the essential perfections
of thy nature;

Thou canst not make me happy with thyself,
till thou hast made me holy like thyself.

O holy God, make me such a creature as thou canst take pleasure in,
and such a being that I can take pleasure in thee.

May I consent to and delight in thy law after the inner man,
never complain over the strictness of thy demands,
but mourn over my want of conformity to them;
never question thy commandments,
but esteem them to be right.

By thy Spirit within me
may my practice spring from principle, and
my dispositions be conformable with duty.

(from “The Valley of Vision” devotional)

The Trinity

Posted: April 10, 2012 in Beggar's Bread, Devotionals, Endurance, Hope, Perseverance, Poetry, Puritan Prayers, Theology, Vision
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Three in One,
One in Three,
God of my salvation,

Heavenly Father,
blessed Son,
eternal Spirit,
I adore thee as one Being,
one Essence,
one God in three distinct Persons,
for bringing sinners to thy knowledge and to thy kingdom.

O Father,
thou hast loved me and sent Jesus to redeem me;

O Jesus,
thou hast loved me and assumed my nature,
shed thine own blood to wash away my sins,
wrought righteousness to cover my unworthiness;

O Holy Spirit,
thou hast loved me and entered my heart,
implanted there eternal life,
revealed to me the glories of Jesus.

Three Persons and one God,
I bless and praise thee,
for love so unmerited, so unspeakable,
so wondrous, so mighty to save the lost
and raise them to glory.

O Father,
I thank thee that in fullness of grace
thou hast given me to Jesus, to be his sheep, jewel, portion;

O Jesus,
I thank thee that in fullness of grace
thou hast accepted, espoused, bound me;

O Holy Spirit,
I thank thee that in fullness of grace thou hast
exhibited Jesus as my salvation,
implanted faith within me,
subdued my stubborn heart,
made me one with him for ever.

O Father,
thou art enthroned to hear my prayers,

O Jesus,
thy hand is outstretched to take my petitions,

O Holy Spirit,
thou art willing to help my infirmities, to show me my need,
to supply words, to pray within me,
to strengthen me that I faint not in supplication.

O Triune God,
who commandeth the universe,
thou hast commanded me to ask for those
things that concern thy kingdom and my soul.

Let me live and pray as one baptized into the threefold Name.

Adapted from “The Valley of Vision” devotional 

Weaknesses

Posted: March 12, 2012 in 12 Step, Acceptance, Devotionals, Endurance, Hope, Perseverance, Poetry, Puritan Prayers, Recovery, Resilience, Self Help, Serenity, Suffering, Vision
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O Spirit of God,
Help my infirmities;

When I am pressed down with a load of sorrow,
perplexed and knowing not what to do, slandered and persecuted,
made to feel the weight of the cross,
help me, I pray thee.

If thou seest in me
any wrong thing encouraged,
any evil desire cherished,
any delight that is not thy delight,
any habit that grieves thee,
any nest of sin in my heart,
then grant me the kiss of thy forgiveness,
and teach my feet to walk the way of
thy commandments.

Deliver me from carking care,
and make me a happy, holy person;

Help me to walk the separated life with firm and brave step,
and to wrestle successfully against weakness;

Teach me to laud, adore,
and magnify thee,
with the music of heaven,

And make me a perfume of praiseful gratitude
to thee.

I do not crouch at thy feet as a slave before a tyrant,
but exult before thee as a son with a father.

Give me power to live as thy child in all my actions,
and to exercise sonship by conquering self.

Preserve me from the intoxication that comes
of prosperity;

Sober me when I am glad with a joy that comes
not from thee.

Lead me safely on to the eternal kingdom,
not asking whether the road be rough or smooth.

I request only to see the face of him I love,
to be content with bread to eat,
with raiment to put on,
if I can be brought to thy house in peace.

(from “The Valley of Vision” devotional)

The Valley of Vision

Posted: January 23, 2012 in Devotionals, Endurance, Hope, Perseverance, Poetry, Puritan Prayers, Resilience, Suffering, Vision
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Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,

Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold
thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter
thy stars shine;

Let me find thy light in my darkness,
Thy life in my death,
that every good work or thought found in me
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty
thy glory in my valley.

“Monument Valley” by Frank Wilson

 (from “Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions” edited by Arthur Bennett)