Valley of Vision: Reproofs

The Banner of Truth Trust ^ | 1975 | Arthur Bennett

[Gamecock]

Reproofs

O merciful God,

When I hear of disagreeable things amongst

Christians,

it brings an additional weight and burden

on my spirit;

I come to thee in my distress and make lamentable

complaint;

Teach me how to take reproofs from friends,

even though I think I do not deserve them;

Use them to make me tenderly afraid of sin,

more jealous over myself,

more concerned to keep heart and life

unblameable;

Cause them to help me

to reflect on my want of spirituality,

to abhor myself,

to look upon myself as unworthy,

and make them beneficial to my soul.

May all thy people know how little, mean,

and vile I am,

that they may see I am nothing,

less than nothing,

to be accounted nothing,

that so they may pray for me aright,

and have not the least dependence upon me.

It is sweet to be nothing and have nothing,

and to be fed with crumbs from thy hands.

Blessed be thy Name for anything that life brings.

How do poor souls live who have not thee,

or when helpless have no God to go to,

who feel not the constraining force of thy love,

and the sweetness of communion?

O how admirably dost thou captivate the soul,

making all desires and affections centre on thee!

Give me such vivacity in religion,

that I may be able to take all reproofs

from other men

as from thy hands,

and glorify thee for them

from a sense of thy beneficent love

and of my need to have my pride destroyed.

[Gamecock]

This prayer is taken from a collection of Puritan works titled "The Valley of Vision."

First published in 1975 by Arthur Bennett, the book has been used by many Christians for prayer, as a devotional, or just plain reflection.

I plan to post one each day and hope that each of you will benefit from a brief glimpse into the mind of the Puritans.

If you would like on or off of this ping list please let me know.

And remember, no flaming, cussin' or wagering.

[Gamecock]

VoV Ping

Puritan Quote of the day:

" I can hardly recollect a single plan of mine, of which I have not since seen reason to be satisfied, that had it taken place in season and circumstance just as I proposed, it would, humanly speaking, have proved my ruin; or at least it would have deprived me of the greater good the Lord had designed for me. We judge of things by their present appearances, but the Lord sees them in their consequences, if we could do so likewise we should be perfectly of His mind; but as we cannot, it is an unspeakable mercy that He will manage for us, whether we are pleased with His management or not; and it is spoken of as one of his heaviest judgments, when He gives any person or people up to the way of their own hearts, and to walk after their own counsels."
John Newton (1725-1807)

[Gamecock]

VoV Ping

[Frumanchu]

Morning, January 31

"The Lord our Righteousness."

-Jeremiah 23:6

It will always give a Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace, to think of the perfect righteousness of Christ. How often are the saints of God downcast and sad! I do not think they ought to be. I do not think they would if they could always see their perfection in Christ. There are some who are always talking about corruption, and the depravity of the heart, and the innate evil of the soul. This is quite true, but why not go a little further, and remember that we are “perfect in Christ Jesus.” It is no wonder that those who are dwelling upon their own corruption should wear such downcast looks; but surely if we call to mind that “Christ is made unto us righteousness,” we shall be of good cheer. What though distresses afflict me, though Satan assault me, though there may be many things to be experienced before I get to heaven, those are done for me in the covenant of divine grace; there is nothing wanting in my Lord, Christ hath done it all. On the cross he said, “It is finished!” and if it be finished, then am I complete in him, and can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, “Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” You will not find on this side heaven a holier people than those who receive into their hearts the doctrine of Christ’s righteousness. When the believer says, “I live on Christ alone; I rest on him solely for salvation; and I believe that, however unworthy, I am still saved in Jesus;” then there rises up as a motive of gratitude this thought—“Shall I not live to Christ? Shall I not love him and serve him, seeing that I am saved by his merits?” “The love of Christ constraineth us,” “that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them.” If saved by imputed righteousness, we shall greatly value imparted righteousness.

C.H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening