O Thou Most High,  Creator of the ends of the earth, Governor of the universe, Jodge of all men, Head of the church, Savior of sinners;

thy greatness is unsearchable, thy goodness infinite, thy compassions unfailing, thy providence boundless, thy mercies ever new.

We bless thee for the words of salvation.  How important, suitable, encouraging are the doctrines, promises, and invitations of the gosple of peace!

We are lost: but in it thou hast presented to us a fell, free and eternal salvation; weak: but here we learn that help is found in one that is mighty  poor: but in him we discover unsearchable riches  blind: but we find he has treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

We thank thee for thy unspeakable gift.

Thy Son is our only refuge, foundation, hope, confidence;

We depend upon his death, rest in his righteouosness, desire to bear his image;

May his glory fill our minds, his love reign in our affections, his cross inflame us with ardour.

Let us as Christians fill our various situations in life, escape the snares to which they expose us, discharge the duties that arise from our circumstances, enjoy with moderation their advantages, improve with diligence their usefulness,

And may every place and company we are in be benefited by us.

Christ is All

O Lover to the Uttermost,  May I read the meltings of thy heart to me in the manger of thy birth,  in the garden of thy agony, in the cross of thy suffering, in the tumb of they resurrection, in the heaven of thy intercession.

Bold in this thought I defy my adversary, tread down his temptations, resist his schemings, renounce the world, am valiant for truth.

Deepen in me a sense of my holy relationship to thee, as apiritual bridegroom, as Jehovah’s fellow, as sinners’ friend.

I think of thy glory and my vileness, thy majesty and my meanness, thy beauty and my deformity, thy pruity and my filth, thy righteousness and my iniquity.

Thou hast loved me everlastingly, unchangeably, may I love thee as I am loved’

Thou has given thyself for me, may I give myself to thee;

Thou hast died for me, May I live to thee, in every moment of my time, in every movement of my mind, in every pulse of my heart.

may I never dally with the world and its allurements, but walk by thy side, listen to thy voice, be clothed with thy graces, and adorned with thy righteousness.

Praise and Thanksgiving

O My God,  Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects, my heart admires, adores, loves thee, for my little vessel is as full as it can be, and I would pour out all that fullness before thee in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with thee–ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up, ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed, ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart, crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless thee for the soul thou hast created, for adorning it, sanctifying it, though it is fixed in barren soil; for the body thou hast given me, for preserving its strength and vigour, for providing senses to enjoy delights, for the ease and freedom of my limbs, for hands, eyes, ears, that do thy bidding; for thy royal bounty providing my daily support, for a full table and overflowing cup, for appetite, taste, sweetness, for social joys of relative and friends, for ability to serve others, for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities, for am able to care for my fellow-men, for opportunities of spreading happiness around, for loved ones in the joys of heaven, for my own expectation of seeing thee clearly. 

I love thee above the powers of lanuage to express, for what thou art to thy creatures.

Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity.

O Father of Jesus,

Help me to approach thee with deepest reverence, not with presumption, not with servile fear, but the holy boldness.

Thou art beyond the grasp of my understanding, but not beyond that of my love,

Thou knowest that I love thee supremely, for thou art supremely adorable, good, perfect.

My heart melts at the love of Jesus, my brother, bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, married to me, dead for me, risen for me;

He is mine and I am his, given to me as well as for me;  I am never so much mine as when I am his, or so much lost to myself until lost in him; then I find my true manhood.

But my love is frost and cold, ice and snow’  Let his love warm me, lighten my burden, be my heaven;

May it be more revealed to me in all its influences that my love to him may be more fervent and glowing;

Let the mighty tide of his everlasting love cover the rocks of my sin and care;

Then let my spirit float above those things which had else wrecked my life.

Make my fruitful by living to that love, my character becoming more beautiful every day.

If traces of Christ’s love-artistry be upon me, may he work on with his divine brush until the complete image be obtained and I be made perfect copy of him, my master.

O Lord Jesus, come to me,

O Divine Spirit, rest upon me,

O Holy Father, look on me in mercy for the sake of the well-beloved.

New Year

O Lord,

Length of days does not profit me except the days are passed in thy presence, in thy service, to thy glory.

Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour, that I may not be one moment apart from thee, but may rely on thy Spirit to supply every thought, speak in every word, direct every step, prosper every work, build up every mote of faith, and give me a desire to show forth thy praise, testify thy love, advance thy kingdom.

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year, with thee, O Father, as my harbour, thee, O Son, at my helm, thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.

Guide me to heaven with my loins girt, my lamp burning, my ear open to thy calls, my heart full of love, my soul free.

Give me thy grace to sanctify me, thy comforts to cheer, thy wisdom to teach, thy right hand to guide, thy counsel to instruct, thy law to judge, thy presence to stabilize.

May thy fear be my awe, thy triumphs my joy.

Year’s End

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.

Living for Jesus

O Saviour of Sinner,

Thy name is excellent, they glory high, thy compassions unfailing, thy condescension wonderful, thy mercy tender.

I bless thee for the discoveries, invitations, promises of the gospel, for in them is pardon for rebels, liberty for captives, health for the sick, salvation for the lost.

I come to thee in thy beloved name of Jesus; re-impress thy image upon my soul; Raise me above the smiles and frowns of the world, regarding it as a light thing to be judged by men; My thy approbation be my only aim, thy Word my one rule.

Make me to abhor that which grieves thy Holy Spirit, to suspect consolations of  worldly nature, to shun a careless way of life, to reprove evil, to instruct with meekness those who oppose me, to be gentle and patient towards all men, to be not only a professor but an example of the gospel, displaying in every relation, office, and condition it’s excellency, loveliness and advantages.

How little have I illustrated my principles and improved my privileges!

How seldom have I served my generation!

How often have I injured and not recommended my redeemer!

How few are those blessed through me!

In many things I have offended, in all com short of thy glory;

Pardon my iniquity, for it is great!!

Kept by God

Jehovah God,

Thou creator, upholder, proprietor of all things, I cannot escape from thy presence or control, nor do I desire to do so.

My privilege is to be under the agency of omnipotence, righteousness, wisdom, patience, mercy, grace.

Thou art love with more than parental affection; I admire thy heart, adore thy wisdom, stand in awe of thy power, abase myself before thy purity.

It is the discovery of thy goodness lone that can banish my fear, allure me into thy presence, help me to bewail and confess my sins.

When I review my past guilt and am conscious of my present unworthiness I tremble to come to thee, I whose foundation is in the dust, I who have condemned thy goodness, defied thy power, trampled upon thy love, rendered myself worthy of eternal death.

But my recovery cannot spring from any cause in me, I can destroy but cannot save myself.

Yet thou hast laid help on One that is mighty, for there is mercy with thee, and exceeding riches in thy kindness through Jesus.

May I always feel my need of him.

Let thy restored joy be my strength;

May it keep me from lusting after the world, bear up heart and mind in loss of comforts, enliven me in the valley of death, work in me the image of the heavenly, and give me to enjoy the first fruits of spirituality, such as angels and departed saints know.

Christ-likeness

Father of Jesus,

Dawn returns,  But without thy light within no outward light can profit;

Give me the saving lamp of thy Spirit that I may see thee, the God of my salvation, the delight of my sou., rejoicing over me in love.

I commend my heart to thy watchful care, for I know its treachery and power;

Guard its every portal from the wily enemy,

Give me quick discernment of his deadly arts,

Help me to recognize his bold disguise as an angel of light, and bid him begone.

May my words and works allure others to the highest walks of faith and love!

May loiterers be quickened to greater diligence by my example!

May worldlings be won to delight in acquaintance with thee

May the timid and irresolute be warned of coming doom by my zeal for Jesus!

Cause me to be a mirror of thy grace, to show others the joy of thy service,

May my lips be well-turned cymbals sounding thy praise,

Let a halo of heavenly-mindedness sparkle around me and a lamp of kindness sunbeam my path. 

Teach me the happy art of attending to things temporal with a mind intent on things eternal.

Send me forth to have compassion on the ignorant and miserable.

Help me to walk as Jesus walked, my only Saviour and perfect model, his mind my inward guest, his meekness my covering garb.

Let my happy place be amongst the poor in spirit, my delight the gentle ranks of the meek.  Let me always esteem others better than myself, and find in true humility an heirdom to two worlds.

Image by mysza831 via Flickr

Morning

Compassionate Lord,

Thy mercies have brought me to the dawn of another day,

Vain will be its gift unless I grow in grace, increase in knowledge, ripen for spiritual harvest.

Let me this day know thee as thou art, love thee supremely, serve thee wholly, admire thee fully.

Through grace let my will respond to thee,

Knowing that power to obey is not in me, but that thy free love alone enables me to serve thee.

Here then is my empty heart, overflow it with thy choicest gifts;

Here is my blind understanding, chase away its mists of ignorance.

O ever watchful Shepherd, lead, guide, tend me this day;

Without thy restraining rod I err and stray;

Hedge up my path lest I wander into unwholesome pleasure, and drink tis poisonous streams;

Direct my feet that I be not entangled in Satan‘s secret snares, nor fall into his hidden traps.

Defend me from assailing foes, from evil circumstances, from myself.

My adversaries are part and parcel of my nature;

They cling to me as my very skin;

I cannot escape their contact.

In my raising up and sitting down they barnacle me;

They entice with constant baits;

My enemy is within the citadel;

Come with almighty power and cast him out, pierce him to death, and abolish in me every particle of carnal life this day.

May not the inadequacy of much of our spiritual experience be traced back to our habit of skipping through the corridors of the Kingdom like children in the market place, chattering about everything, but pausing to learn the value of nothing.   –A.W. Tozer

Regeneration

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 they holy war; manifest they might power, and make me thine for ever

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

Thow hast loved me, espoused me, received me, purchased, washed, favoured, clothed, adorned me, when I was wrokthless, vile, soiled, polluted.

I was dead in iniquities, haveing 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 e from thy sympathy, for thou has drawn me with cords of love, and dost forgive me daily, hourly.

O help me then to walk workth of they 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 hence forth I may be salt of the earth and a blessing to all.

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GOD THE ALL

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 bidst 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 they 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 doest all, that none in heaven or on earth shares thy honour;  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 they power and grace, that thy sole 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.

MORNING DEDICATION

ALMIGHTY GOD,  As I cross the threshold of this day   I commit myself, soul, body, affairs, friends, to thy care; Watch over, keep, guide, direct, sanctify, bless me.  Incline my heart to thy ways;  Mould me wholly into the image of Jesus, as a potter forms clay;  may my lips be a well-tuned harp to sound thyy praise;  Let those around me living by thy Spirit, trampling the world underfoot, unconformed to lying vanities, transformed by a renewed mind, clad in the entire armour of God, shing as a never- dimmed light, showing holiness in all my doings 

Let no evil this day soil my thoughts, words, hands.  May I travel miry paths with a life pure from spot or stain.  In needful transactions let my affection be in heaven, and my love soar upwards in flames of fire, my gaze fixed on unseed things, my eyes open to the emptiness, fragility, mockery of earth and its vanities.

May I view all things in the mirror of eternity, waiting for the coming of my Lord, listening for the last trumpet call, hastening unto the new heaven and earth.

Order this day all my communications according to thy wisdom, and to the gain of mutual good.

Forbid that I should not be profited or made profitable.

May I speak each word as if my last word, and walk each step as my final one.

If my life should end today, let this me my best.