The Spirit of Jesus

From time to time I like to dedicate a little space to post a prayer from the compilation of Puritan prayers called "The Valley of Vision." These are some of the greatest prayers I have read and encourage me to pray for more than health and travel safety, but for things of eternal value.

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 engraven in 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 thyselfe 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 strenth 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,
greive him by my cold welcome,
resist him by my hard rebellion.

Answer my prayers, O Lord, for thy great name's sake.

Year's End

From time to time I like to dedicate a little space to post a prayer from the compilation of Puritan prayers called "The Valley of Vision." These are some of the greatest prayers I have read and encourage me to pray for more than health and travel safety, but for things of eternal value.

O LOVE BEYOND COMPARE,

Thou art good when thou givest,
        when thou takest away,
        when the sun shines upon me,
        when night gathers over me.
Thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world,
         and in love didst redeem my soul;
Thou dost love me still,
         in spite of my hard heart, ingratitude, distrust.
Thy goodness has been with me during another year,
         leading me through a twisting wilderness,
         in retreat helping me to advance,
         when beaten back making sure headway.
Thy goodness will be with me in the year ahead;
I hoist sail and draw up anchor,
With thee as the blessed Pilot of my future as of my past.
I bless thee that thou hast veiled my eyes to the waters ahead.
If thou hast appointed storms of tribulation,
         thou wilt be with me in them;
If I have to pass through tempests of persecution and temptation,
         I shall not drown;
If I am to die,
         I shall see thy face the sooner;
If a painful end is to be my lot,
         grant me grace that my faith fail not;
If I am to be cast aside from the service I love,
         I can make no stipulation;
Only glorify thyself in me whether in comfort or trial,
         as a chosen vessel meet always for thy use.

New Beginning

Each Sunday I would like to dedicate a little space to post a prayer from the compilation of Puritan prayers called "The Valley of Vision." These are some of the greatest prayers I have read and encourage me to pray for more than health and travel safety, but for things of eternal value.

INCOMPREHENSIBLE, GREAT AND CLORIOUS GOD,

adore thee and abase myself.
I approach thee mindful that I am less than nothing,
   a creature worse than nothing.
My thoughts are not screened from thy gaze.
My secret sins blaze in the light of thy countenance.
Enable me to remember that blood which cleanseth all sin,
   to believe in that grace which subdues all iniquities,
   to resign myself to that agency which can
      deliver me from the bondage of corruption
      into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.
Thou hast begun a good work in me
   and canst alone continue and complete it.
Give me an increasing conviction of my tendency to err,
   and of my exposure to sin.
Help me to feel more of the purifying, softening influence of religion,
   its compassion, love, pity, courtesy,
   and employ me as thy instrument in blessing others.
Give me to distinguish
   between the mere form of godliness and its power,
   between life and a name to live,
   between guile and truth,
   between hypocrisy and a religion that will bear thy eye.
If I am not right, set me right, keep me right;
And may I at last come to thy house in peace.

Humiliation

Each Sunday I would like to dedicate a little space to post a prayer from the compilation of Puritan prayers called "The Valley of Vision." These are some of the greatest prayers I have read and encourage me to pray for more than health and travel safety, but for things of eternal value.

I also realize this is not Sunday and I have fallen behind on these so I am starting back up again.

hen clouds of darkness, atheism, and unbelief come to me,
I see thy purpose of love in withdrawing the Spirit that I might prize him more,
in chastening me for my confidence in past successes,
that my wound of secret godlessness might be cured.
Help me to humble myself before thee by seeing the vanity of honour
as a conceit of men’s minds,
as standing between me and thee;
by seeing that thy will must alone be done,
as much in denying as in giving spiritual enjoyments;
by seeing that my heart is nothing but evil,
mind, mouth, life void of thee;
by seeing that sin and Satan are allowed power in me that I might know my sin,
be humbled, and gain strength thereby;
by seeing that unbelief shuts thee from me,
so that I sense not thy majesty, power, mercy, or love.
Then possess me, for thou only art good and worthy.

Thou dost not play in convincing me of sin,
Satan did not play in tempting me to it,
I do not play when I sink in deep mire,
for sin is no game, no toy, no bauble;
Let me never forget that the heinousness of sin lies not so much in the nature of the sin committed,
as in the greatness of the Person sinned against.
When I am afraid of evils to come, comfort me by showing me that in myself I am a dying, condemned wretch,
but that in Christ I am reconciled, made alive, and satisfied;
that I am feeble and unable to do any good,
but that in him I can do all things;
that what I now have in Christ is mine in part,
but shortly I shall have it perfectly in heaven.

A Convert's First Prayer

Each Sunday I would like to dedicate a little space to post a prayer from the compilation of Puritan prayers called "The Valley of Vision." These are some of the greatest prayers I have read and encourage me to pray for more than health and travel safety, but for things of eternal value.

My Father,

I could never have sought my happiness in thy love,
unless thou had’st first loved me.
Thy Spirit has encouraged me by grace to seek thee,
has made known to me thy reconciliation in Jesus,
has taught me to believe it,
has helped me to take thee for my God and portion.
May he grant me to grow in the knowledge and experience of thy love,
and walk in it all the way to glory.
Blessed for ever be thy fatherly affection,
which chose me to be one of thy children by faith in Jesus:
I thank thee for giving me the desire to live as such.
In Jesus, my brother, I have my new birth,
every restraining power,
every renewing grace.
It is by thy Spirit I call thee Father,
believe in thee, love thee;
Strengthen me inwardly for every purpose of my Christian life;
Let the Spirit continually reveal to me my interest in Christ,
and open to me the riches of thy love in him;
May he abide in me that I may know my union with Jesus,
and enter into constant fellowship with him;
By thy Spirit may I daily live to thee,
rejoice in thy love,
find it the same to me as to thy Son,
and become rooted and grounded in it as a house on rock;
I know but little-
increase my knowledge of thy love in Jesus,
keep me pressing forward for clearer discoveries of it,
so that I may find its eternal fullness;
Magnify thy love to me according to its greatness,
and not according to my deserts or prayers,
and whatever increase thou givest,
let it draw out greater love to thee.

The Saviour

Each Sunday I would like to dedicate a little space to post a prayer from the compilation of Puritan prayers called "The Valley of Vision." These are some of the greatest prayers I have read and encourage me to pray for more than health and travel safety, but for things of eternal value.

THOU GOD OF ALL GRACE,

Thou has given me a Saviour,
produce in me a faith to live by him,
to make him all my desire,
all my hope,
all my glory.
May I enter him as my refuge,
build on him as my foundation,
walk in him as my way,
follow him as my guide,
conform to him as my example,
receive his instructions as my prophet,
rely on his intercession as my high priest,
obey him as my king.
May I never be ashamed of him or his words,
but joyfully bear his reproach,
never displease him by unholy or imprudent conduct,
never count it a glory if I take it patiently when buffeted for a fault,
never make the multitude my model,
never delay when thy Word invites me to advance.
May thy dear Son preserve me from this present evil world,
so that its smiles never allure,
nor its frowns terrify,
nor its vices defile,
nor its errors delude me.
May I feel that I am a stranger and a pilgrim on earth,
declaring plainly that I seek a country,
my title to it becoming daily more clear,
my meetness for it more perfect,
my foretastes of it more abundant;
and whatsoever I do may it be done in the Saviour's name.