O Lord, We commune with thee every day, but week days are worldly days, and secular concerns reduce heavenly impressions. We bless thee therefore for the day sacred to our souls when we can wait upon thee and be refreshed; We thank thee for the institutions of religion by use of which we draw near to thee and thou to us; We rejoice in another Lord’s Day when we call off our minds from the cares of the world and attend upon thee without distraction; Let our retirement be devout, our conversation edifying, our reading pious, our hearing profitable, that...

Happy New Year! Here is an God-focused prayer for the 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....

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 thousands 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...

God of all good, I bless thee for the means of grace; teach me to see in them thy loving purposes and the joy and strength of my soul. Thou hast prepared for me a feast; and though I am unworthy to sit down as guest, I wholly rest on the merits of Jesus, and hide myself beneath his righteousness; when I hear his tender invitation and see his wondrous grace, I cannot hesitate, but must come to thee in love. By the Spirit enliven my faith rightly to discern and spiritually to apprehend the Savior. While I gaze upon...

O my Lord, Let not my ministry be approved only by men, or merely to win the esteem and affections of people; But do the work of grace in their hearts, call in thy elect, seal and edify the regenerate ones, and command eternal blessings on their souls. Save me from self-opinion and self-seeking; Water the hearts of those who hear thy Word, that seed sown in weakness may be raised in power; Cause me and those that hear me to behold thee here in the light of special faith, and hereafter in the blaze of endless glory; Make my...

O Christ, All thy ways of mercy tend to and end in my delight. Thou didst weep, sorrow, suffer that I might rejoice. For my joy thou hast sent the Comforter, multiplied thy promises, shown me my future happiness, given me a living fountain. Thou art preparing joy for me and me for joy; I pray for joy, wait for joy, long for joy; give me more than I can hold, desire, or think of. Measure out to me my times and degrees of joy, at my work, business, duties. If I weep at night, give me joy in the...

O Source of all good, What shall I render to thee for the gift of gifts, Thine own dear Son, begotten, not createdMy Redeemer, proxy, surety, substitute, His self-emptying incomprehensible, His infinity of love beyond the heart’s grasp. Herein is wonder of wonders: he came below to raise me above, was born like me that I might become like him. Herein is love; when I cannot rise to him he draws near on wings of grace, to raise me to himself. Herein is power; when Deity and humanity were infinitely apart he united them in indissoluble unity, the uncreated and...

Part of my devotional reading this morning was the following prayer on how to receive reproofs with a godly attitude. It was an "accident of providence" that my reading landing on this prayer this morning. May you find it to be as convicting and encouraging as i have. When I hear of disagreeable things among 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...

Sovereign God, Thy cause, not my own, engages my heart, and I appeal to thee with greatest freedom To set up thy kingdom in every place where Satan reigns; Glorify thyself and I shall rejoice, for to bring honor to thy name is my sole desire. I adore thee that thou art God, and long that others should know it, feel it, and rejoice in it. O that all men might love and praise thee, that thou mightest have all the glory from the intelligent world!Let sinners be brought to thee for thy dear name! To the eye of reason...

Another week has gone and I have been preserved in my going out and my coming in. Thine has been the vigilance that has turned threatened evils aside; Thine the supplies that have nourished me; Thine the comforts that have indulged me; Thine the relations and friends that have delighted me; Thine the means of grace which have edified me; Thine the book, which, amidst all my enjoyments, has told me that is is not my rest,     that in all successes one thing alone is needful, to love my Savior. Nothing can equal the number of thy mercies but...

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 ever 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...

My Master God, I am desired to preach today,     but go weak and needy to my task; Yet I long that people might be edified with divine truth,     that an honest testimony might be born for thee; Give me assistance in preaching and prayer,     with heart uplifted for grace and unction. Present to my view things pertinent to my subject,     with fullness of matter and clarity of thought,     proper expressions, fluency, fervency,     a feeling sense of the things I preach,     and grace to apply them to men's consciences. Keep me conscious all the...