Category: Devotional reading

Thoughts to Take Us into a New Year

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As we come to the end of 2016 and look ahead to 2017, I thought I’d share this poetic prayer from The Valley of Vision.

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 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.

Most of the New Year messages we see offer wishes for health, success and prosperity, and that there be no troubles or sorrows in the year to come. This poem reminds me that, no matter what “If’s” I may anticipate in the coming year, my sovereign, loving Father has ordained it for my good, to sanctify me, and will take me through it for His glory. I pray that if you are His child, this will serve to comfort you as well.

christmas

 

A Godly Person is a Thankful Person: The Godly Man’s Picture

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The Godly Man’s Picture Drawn with a Scripture Pencil by Thomas Watson

“Praise and thanksgiving is the work of heaven and he begins that work here which he will always be doing in heaven…None but the godly can praise God aright.”

 

WATSON-Thomas
A painting of Watson by Gustavus Ellinthorpe Sintzenich

The Puritan preacher/writer Thomas Watson (1620-1686) is considered one of our church’s honorary elders (in absentia), since we enjoy reading and referencing his books and sermons so much. A few years ago, we went through his book The Godly Man’s Picture at our monthly ladies’ breakfasts at my church, because of course the term “godly man” in the book’s title doesn’t refer just to the male species but is relevant to women as well. The book was very profitable and stimulated good group discussion about what it means to be a godly person. Although written some 350 years ago, the topic and illustrations are still quite valid and applicable to the Christian life today. Watson is a master illustrator, and as the title of the book states, he uses the Word of God to draw in some detail a portrait of what a godly person looks like, as well as what he or she is not like. Continue reading “A Godly Person is a Thankful Person: The Godly Man’s Picture” →

Who is Jesus? Taking a Closer Look

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Knowing Christ bookcoverKnowing Christ by Mark Jones

“Put all the pleasures of life such as family, job, recreation music, sports, entertainment, cuisine, and technology in one…Such joys pale in comparison with the delight of knowing Jesus and basking in communion with his person, not just his work!”
 

In his introduction of Knowing Christ, author Mark Jones states that his purpose for the book is, “to look at the person of Christ and give readers — particularly those in the church — a reason to love him more. We can only love him more by knowing him better,” and by knowing is meant a relational, personal knowledge, not merely intellectual acquaintance. His book is almost like a biography and character study of Jesus, examining the person, qualities, and work of Jesus Christ, both in his divine nature and his human nature. Continue reading “Who is Jesus? Taking a Closer Look” →

Nuggets Dug from the Psalms Goldmine

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Daily Treasure prepared by James M. Renihan

“Among the godly Israelites the biography of their nation was preserved by oral tradition, with great diligence and accuracy…The main point of the history transmitted from father to son was the work of God; it is the core of history, and therefore no man who is a stranger to the Lord’s work can write history accurately…Those who are taught to see God in history have learned a good lesson from their fathers, and no son of believing parents should be left in ignorance of so holy an art.”  – Charles Spurgeon


Daily Treasure is a collection of daily readings on the Psalms, excerpted from The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon. The Treasury of David is a commentary on the Psalms and is a useful resource for pastors and preachers, or a good study aid if you really want to delve into a deep study of the Psalms. Dr. Renihan has done a wonderful job of mining out gems from Spurgeon’s work and editing and compiling them into a collection of daily devotional readings. Renihan observes regarding The Treasury of David,

The whole range of sanctified emotions may be found in the Psalms, and in this work Spurgeon has helped to make them accessible to every believer. Drawing from the vault of his unique wisdom and experience, as well as his superb gifts as an expositor,… he has constructed an almost unending source of benefit for devotional mediation.

Continue reading “Nuggets Dug from the Psalms Goldmine” →

Comprehending the Incomprehensible: The Attributes of God

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The Attributes of God by Arthur. W. Pink

attributes of God“The spiritual and saving knowledge of God is the greatest need of every human creature.”

 

“The ‘god’ of this twentieth century no more resembles the Supreme Sovereign of Holy Writ than does the dim flickering of a candle the glory of the midday sun” – Pink


With so many religions and “winds of doctrine” that surround us,  it’s crucial that we understand well who God is in order to prevent falling into doctrinal error. God can best be understood, not by his actions or his (apparent) emotions, but by His attributes as revealed to us in Scripture. One of the best books on this topic is The Attributes of God by A. W. Pink.

We recently began a study of Pink’s book in our adult Sunday School class as a result of a theological issue that came to the surface and became a point of serious discussion and debate within our church association. Apparently the subject is one which has actually been compromised within evangelicalism in decades past. Continue reading “Comprehending the Incomprehensible: The Attributes of God” →

Crucifixion and Resurrection

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From The Valley of Vision

Empty TombO LORD,
I marvel that thou shouldst become incarnate,
+be crucified, dead, and buried.
The sepulchre calls forth my adoring wonder,
+for it is empty and thou art risen;
+the four-fold gospel attests it,
+the living witnesses prove it,
+my heart’s experience knows it.
Give me to die with thee that I may rise to new life,
+for I wish to be as dead and buried
+to sin, to selfishness, to the world;
+that I might not hear the voice of the charmer,
+and might be delivered from his lusts.
O Lord, there is much ill about me — crucify it,
+much flesh within me — mortify it.
Purge me from selfishness,
+the fear of man, the love of approbation,
+the shame of being thought old-fashioned,
+the desire to be cultivated or modern.
Let me reckon my old life dead
+because of crucifixion,
+and never feed it as a living thing.
Grant me to stand with my dying Saviour,
+to be content to be rejected,
+to be willing to take up unpopular truths,
+and to hold fast despised teachings until death.
Help me to be resolute and Christ-contained.
Never let me wander from the path of obedience to thy will.
Strengthen me for the battles ahead.
Give me courage for all the trials,
+and grace for all the joys.
Help me to be a holy, happy person,
+free from every wrong desire,
+from everything contrary to thy mind.
Grant me more and more of the resurrection life:
+may it rule me,
+may I walk in its power,
+and be strengthened through its influence.

The Valley of Vision is published by Banner of Truth.

May you know the blessed truth and experience the reality of Christ’s resurrection this Easter and throughout the year!