The Valley of Vision A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions - Purification

Lord Jesus, I sin. Grant that I may never cease grieving because of it, never be content with myself, never think I can reach a point of perfection. Kill my envy, command my tongue, trample down self. Give me grace to be holy, kind, gentle, pure, peaceable, to live for You and not for self, to copy Your words, acts, spirit, to be transformed into Your likeness, to be consecrated wholly to You, to live entirely to Your glory.

Deliver me from attachment to things unclean, from wrong associations, from the predominance of evil passions, from the sugar of sin as well as its gap; that with self-loathing, deep contrition, earnest heart searching I may come to You, cast myself on You, trust in You, cry to You, be delivered by You.

O God, the Eternal All, help me to know that all things are shadows, but You are substance, all things are quicksands, but You are mountain, all things are shifting, but You are anchor, all things are ignorance, but You are wisdom.

If my life is to be a crucible amid burning heat, so be it, but sit at the furnace mouth to watch the ore that nothing be lost. If I sin wilfully, grievously, tormentedly, in grace take away my mourning and give me music; remove my sackcloth and clothe me with beauty; still my sighs and fill my mouth with song, then give me summer weather as a Christian.

Let This Mind Be in You,Which Was also in Christ Jesus

by John Angell James

"Let this mind be in you, which was 
also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5

You know full well, that the seat of all true religion is in the soul; and that it forms the character and guides the conduct by the power of an inward principle of spiritual life. True godliness is, in short, being right-minded. A question, however, arises as to what a right mind really is, and what kind of prevailing disposition the gospel requires in those who profess to believe it. This is answered by the apostle, where he says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus," Phil. 2:5-9. 

And he then goes on to show what Christ's mind was. This whole passage deserves your closest attention, both on account of its doctrinal truth and its practical bearing, for it shows in a very striking manner the intimate connection between Christian truth and Christian practice—and how the truth is employed by the sacred writers to enforce Christian practice. The most sublime doctrines of our holy Christian religion, are all practical in their design and tendency—they are not mere theory or academics—but are all of them "the truth which is according to godliness." 

If there is any mystery of religion which is great and high above the thoughts of men and angels, it is, without doubt, the incarnation of the Son of God; and if there be any place where this important truth is clearly and magnificently represented, it is this passage. The terms are at once so sublime and majestic, that it is impossible anything more sublime or majestic could be said; the meaning is so noble and so well established, that nothing more powerful could be imagined.

God is Love

James Smith, 1842

"God is love!" 1 John 4:8

Believer, the author of your present affliction, is Jehovah (Amos 3:6); it comes at the command of the Lord Almighty, who is excellent in counsel and wonderful in working. But though He afflicts you, His heart is not, and cannot be turned against you — for He has revealed himself in His word, as LOVE. He does not merely tell you that He loves you, but that He is LOVE ITSELF — infinite, eternal, unchangeable love. Fury has no place in Him; His anger is turned away from you, by the sacrifice of Jesus; and He has sworn by himself, because He could swear by no greater — that He will not be angry with you; but in blessing, He will bless you. His love is immutably fixed upon every sinner who . . .
looks to Jesus for salvation; 
relies upon His precious promises; 
and trusts in His glorious propitiation.

You have . . .
loved His name; 
adored His perfections; 
aimed at His glory; and 
endeavored to do good to His people.

These are evidences of your love to Him. You have loved Him — because He first loved you.

Your present affliction flows from His love; though occasioned by your sin — or called for by the circumstances in which you are placed. For He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve His redeemed children without cause. But while He puts you to pain, while He lays His rod upon you — He loves you with an inconceivable love! There is nothing but love in His heart toward you! Every affliction is absolutely necessary, and could not be dispensed with. He must afflict you — or neglect you. He will never fail you nor forsake you, and therefore he lays His rod upon you. The discipline may be sharp — but the design is truly gracious. He seeks your good — the good of your immortal soul; and designs only your welfare — even your sanctification.

Do not think that He has turned against you, or that He never loved you — these are unworthy thoughts. He intends to . . .
remind you of your follies, 
bring you to reflection, and 
lead you back to himself from whom you have probably wandered.

Or else He intends to prevent your falling into some real evils, to which you were fast hastening. He intends, in a word . . .
to conform you to Jesus; 
to answer your prayers; and 
to show you, your absolute need of His presence, power, and love.

It was Divine love which chose the trial. It was Divine love which sent it. And the God of love is waiting to hear your confessions, your prayers, and your complaints.

Believe that He is love; believe that your sickness flows from love; and go to Him with this assurance, and entreat Him to sanctify it — and then remove it. But seek its sanctification before its removal.

Sanctified afflictions are among our choicest blessings! They . . .
wean our hearts from earth, 
direct our affections above, and 
give energy and fervor to our prayers.

Many have had to say, "It is good for me, that I have been afflicted! Before I was afflicted I went astray — but now I keep your precepts." The Lord watches over you in love, while you are in this furnace — He is about your bed. Do not forget the God of love is present with you — present to . . .
hear your groanings, 
number your pains, 
mark your tears, 
listen to your prayers, 
and bless you indeed.

You may not have the comfort of His presence — but you have the benefit of it. Endeavor to realize that God is with you — with you as a kind and gracious Father, watching over you to do you good.

By this affliction, He calls you . . .
to self-examination; 
to surrender yourself afresh to Him; 
to seek your happiness alone in Him; 
to cast all your cares upon Him; 
to make known your request to Him!

He says, "I will be very gracious unto you at the voice of your cry. When I hear you — I will answer you." His eye is fixed upon you for good! He is full of compassion, and plenteous in mercy unto all who call upon Him in truth. Call then upon the Lord, in this day of trouble; He will deliver you — and you shall glorify Him.

Beware of indulging hard thoughts of Him, or of conceiving of Him otherwise than He has revealed Himself to you in His word. He says to you, "I AM LOVE!" Dare not then, to indulge any thought of Him which would contradict Him; but believe His word, and expect Him to illustrate and confirm this truth in His dealings with you.

The characteristics of the modern Christian pulpit!

J. C. Ryle

"John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him: You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath! Produce fruit in keeping with repentance!" Luke 3:7-8

Well would it be for the Church of Christ, if it possessed more plain-speaking ministers like John the Baptist.
  A morbid dislike to strong language;
  an excessive fear of giving offence;
  a constant flinching from directness and plain speaking — 
are, unhappily, too much the characteristics of the modern Christian pulpit!

Uncharitable language is no doubt always to be deprecated. But there is no 'charity' in flattering unconverted people — by abstaining from any mention of their vices, or in applying smooth names to their damnable sins!

There are two texts which are too much forgotten by Christian preachers. In one it is written, "Woe unto you — when all men shall speak well of you!" (Luke 6:26)

In the other it is written, "Obviously, I'm not trying to be a people pleaser! No, I am trying to please God. If I were still trying to please people — I would not be Christ's servant." (Galatians 1:10)

Our Attitude Toward God’s Sovereignty – Part5

One of Godly fear.

Why is it that, today, the masses are so utterly unconcerned about spiritual and eternal things, and that they are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God? Why is it that even on the battlefields multitudes were so indifferent to their soul's welfare? Why is it that defiance of heaven is becoming more open, more blatant, more daring? The answer is, Because "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:18). Again, why is it that the authority of the Scriptures has been lowered so sadly of late? Why is it that even among those who profess to be the Lord's people, there is so little real subjection to His Word, and that its precepts are so lightly esteemed and so readily set aside? Ah! what needs to be stressed today, is that God is a God to be feared!

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 1:7). Happy the soul who has been awed by a view of God's majesty, who has had a vision of God's awesome greatness, His ineffable holiness, His perfect righteousness, His irresistible power, His sovereign grace. Does someone say, "But it is only the unsaved, those outside of Christ, who need to fear God"? Then the sufficient answer is that the saved, those who are in Christ, are admonished to work out their own salvation with "fear and trembling." Time was, when it was the general custom to speak of a believer as a "God-fearing man"—that such an appellation has become nearly extinct—only serves to show where we have drifted. Nevertheless, it still stands written, "Like as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him" (Psalm 103:13)!

When we speak of godly fear, of course, we do not mean a servile fear, such as prevails among the heathen in connection with their gods. No! we mean that spirit which Jehovah is pledged to bless, that spirit to which the prophet referred when he said, "To this man will I (the Lord) look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My Word" (Isaiah 66:2). It was this the apostle had in view when he wrote, "Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king" (1 Peter 2:17). And nothing will foster this godly fear—like a recognition of the sovereign Majesty of God.

What ought to be our attitude toward the Sovereignty of God? We answer again,

By: Arthur Pink

Our Walk in Spirit and Identity in Him

Neil Anderson’s devotional for December 2 is interesting and took me back to the old days. I can also see how anyone who knows God can take this devotional and develop it into an essay because there are many fascinating points one can make, but, I will keep it short today.

He is right when he said in the second paragraph that we do not have an identity problem, but a walk problem. Although we need to KNOW our identity in Him, to claim it and live it out as we live IN HIM, but, often times our problem is not one of identity in Christ but of a walk problem. When God was teaching me how to walk in the spirit, my leaders kept telling me that all Christians at the moment of Salvation, walk in the Spirit. God taught me that is a lie, one that is poisoning the Church. It is a lack of knowing God personally and a lack of Spiritual insight.  Think about it, if indeed we walk in Spirit automatically at the moment of Salvation, then we are saying, the mess that has become Christianity is the Holy Spirit’s fault. Furthermore, In Galatians 5:16 Paul gave a command to the Galatians to walk in the Spirit. Because I have been taught the steps that I took in between to learn to walk IN HIM as I found my identity in Him, I can see more through Neil Anderson today’s Devotional. Underneath it all, what he is not spelling out for us is that there is a span of time in between the walk in spirit to claiming our identity in Him and take a stand on it and never let go.

 Please understand that I am not criticizing Neil’s devotion. I am just deciphering what I know he is saying in between.

The up and down spiritual existence Neil talks about in the first paragraph are something that I lived the first five to six years of my Christian walk, and I knew through His grace, there was something wrong with it. When I complained, the Spirit of God told me to surrender. Then, a few months after I surrender, I was about seven years in the Christian life, all hell broke loose and my life has never been the same again as God turned it Topsy turvy. My point here is that, an up and down spiritual existence is not what we are called to live as Christian.

Yes, it is true, we become saints at the moment of Salvation, but, as we walk the walk we find that our sainthood is like an embryo germinating in the mother’s womb slowly to become a full formed fetus. I do not want to use a different example, because that is the one God used, to show me, most of the time, how He is working out our Salvation through us.  So, the point here is that if we do not walk in the Spirit to go forward knowing the victorious life where we stop having an up and down spiritual existence, we are like embryo between the first stages of a pregnancy, complete, but not developed.

Here is something to ponder…. What happen when an embryo remains at the same stage of an embryo and never developed throughout the pregnancy terms?

HERE IS NEIL ANDERSON'S DEVOTIONAL FOR DECEMBER 2

December 2

We Are Saints

 

Romans 1:7 

To all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

 

Have you ever heard a Christian refer to himself as "just a sinner saved by grace"? Have you referred to yourself that way? What do sinners do? They sin! If you are no different from a non-Christian, or even if you perceive yourself as no different, what will happen? Your Christian life will be mediocre at best, with little to distinguish you from a non-Christian. Satan will seize that opportunity, pour on the guilt, and convince you that you are doomed to an up-and-down spiritual existence. As a defeated Christian you will confess your sin and strive to do better, but inwardly you will admit that you are just a sinner saved by grace, hanging on until the rapture.

 

In Scripture, believers are called "brethren," "sons of God," "sons of light," and "saints." You are not a sinner; you are a saint who sins. "For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8). According to that passage, we don't have an identity problem; we have a walk problem.

 

We become saints at the moment of salvation and live as saints in our daily experience as we continue to believe what God has done and as we continue to affirm who we really are in Christ. If you fail to see yourself as a child of God, you will struggle vainly to live like one, and Satan will have little trouble convincing you that you are no different from who you were before Christ and that you have no value to God or anyone else. But appropriating by faith the radical transformation of your core identity from sinner to saint will have a powerful, positive effect on your daily resistance to sin and Satan.

 

Prayer:

Lord, open my eyes that I may see myself as You see me. Then enable me to walk as a child of light.

COURTESY OF:  http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/dailyinchrist/

Our Attitude Toward God’s Sovereignty – Part4

Our Attitude is One of Adoring Worship.

It has been well said that "true worship is based upon recognized GREATNESS, and greatness is superlatively seen in Sovereignty, and at no other footstool will men really worship" (J. B. Moody). In the presence of the Divine King upon His throne—even the seraphim 'veil their faces.'

Divine sovereignty is not the sovereignty of a tyrannical Despot—but the exercised pleasure of One who is infinitely wise and good! Because God is infinitely wise—He cannot err; and because He is infinitely righteous—He will not do wrong. Here then is the preciousness of this truth. The mere fact itself that God's will is irresistible and irreversible—fills me with fear; but once I realize that God wills only that which is good—my heart is made to rejoice!

Here then is the final answer to the question of this chapter—What ought to be our attitude toward the sovereignty of God? The befitting attitude for us to take is that of godly fear, implicit obedience, and unreserved resignation and submission. But not only so—the recognition of the sovereignty of God, and the realization that the Sovereign Himself is my Father, ought to overwhelm the heart and cause me to bow before Him in adoring worship! At all times I must say, "Even so, Father, for so it seems good in Your sight." We conclude with an example which well illustrates our meaning.

Some two hundred years ago the saintly Madam Guyon, after ten years spent in a dungeon lying far below the surface of the ground, lit only by a candle at meal-times, wrote these words,

"A little bird I am,
Shut from the fields of air;
Yet in my cage I sit and sing
To Him who placed me there!
Well pleased a prisoner to be,
Because, my God, it pleases Thee.

Nothing have I else to do
I sing the whole day long;
And He whom most I love to please,
Does listen to my song!
He caught and bound my wandering wing
But still He bends to hear me sing.

My cage confines me round;
Abroad I cannot fly;
But though my wing is closely bound,
My heart's at liberty!
My prison walls cannot control
The flight, the freedom of the soul.

Ah! it is good to soar
These bolts and bars above,
To Him whose purpose I adore,
Whose Providence I love!
And in Your mighty will to find
The joy, the freedom of the mind."