The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett.

Dear Reader, 

Thank you for stopping by. 

Recently, I bought a copy of the book "The Valley of Vision", a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett, from Amazon. It is a very encouraging collection of prayers. 

The first prayer itself is entitled "The Valley of Vision" and really uplifting. Below, is what I read:

THE VALLEY OF VISION

LORD, HIGH AND HOLY, MEEK AND LOWLY,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,

    where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;

    hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox

    that the way down is the way up,

    that to be low is to be high,

    that the broken heart is the healed heart,

    that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

    that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

    that to have nothing is to possess all,

    that to bear the cross it to wear the crown,

    that to give is to receive,

    that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells,

    and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;

Let me find thy light in my darkness,

                    thy joy in my sorrow,

                    thy grace in my sin,

                    thy riches in my poverty,

                    thy glory in my valley.

Hope the above puritan prayer has been an encouragement to you, just as it is to me. Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed day! 

Best Regards,

Nancie 

28 February 2025

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

The Love of God (with Lyrics) : The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell

Dear Reader, 

I just saw the following video on YouTube for the song "The Love of God" which I love very much since I first heard it as a young Christian back in the 1990s.

I am reminded once again that it was the love of God through the Lord Jesus Christ that first touched my heart, and was used by our Lord to work in my heart to seek Him when I first heard the Gospel. I found it amazing that God could love such a one as me!

Eversince then, God has shown me and proven to me over and over again, even to this day, that His love is vast and unfailing, through all the changing scenes in my life!

I especially love the way Stanza 3 and the chorus described the amazing vastness of the love of God which is measureless:

Stanza 3

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made;

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

Chorus

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure-

The saints’ and angels’ song.

The Love of God (with Lyrics)

1 The love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell.

It goes beyond the highest star

And reaches to the lowest hell.

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled

And pardoned from his sin.

2 When hoary time shall pass away,

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;

When men who here refuse to pray,

On rocks and hills and mountains call;

God’s love, so sure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam’s race-

The saints’ and angels’ song.

3 Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made;

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

*O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure-

The saints’ and angels’ song.

Oh, may God enables all His beloved people to grow daily in our experiences and understanding of the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of His great love for us, just as the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:14-19!

Ephesians 3
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed day! 

Best Regards ,
Nancie 

20 February 2025

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

"Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me." Job 10:2 (From Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 18 Feb, Morning)

Dear Reader, 

Thank you for stopping by. I read the following recently and am reminded of God's goodness and mercies to me through the changing scenes in my life, and how He graciously and faithfully works all things to His glory and my good! The paragraphing and bold face are mine:

From Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 18 Feb, Morning 

"Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me." Job 10:2

Perhaps, O tried soul, the Lord is doing this to *develop thy graces*. 

There are some of thy graces which would never be discovered if it were not for thy trials. 

Dost thou not know that thy faith never looks so grand in summer weather as it does in winter? 

Love is too often like a glow-worm, showing but little light except it be in the midst of surrounding darkness. 

Hope itself is like a star--not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity. 

Afflictions are often the black foils in which God doth set the jewels of his children's graces, to make them shine the better. 

It was but a little while ago that on thy knees thou wast saying, "Lord, I fear I have no faith: let me know that I have faith." Was not this really, though perhaps unconsciously, praying for trials?--for how canst thou know that thou hast faith until thy faith is exercised? 

Depend upon it, God often sends us trials that our graces may be discovered, and that we may be certified of their existence. 

Besides, it is not merely discovery, real growth in grace is the result of sanctified trials. 

God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order to make us better Christians. He trains his soldiers, not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many a long mile with heavy knapsacks of sorrow on their backs. 

Well, Christian, may not this account for the troubles through which thou art passing? 

Is not the Lord bringing out your graces, and making them grow? 

Is not this the reason why he is contending with you?

"Trials make the promise sweet;

Trials give new life to prayer;

Trials bring me to his feet,

Lay me low, and keep me there."

If you are going through very difficult and distressing time, may God use the above to speak to you. He has a purpose in everything in our life. As Christians and God's people, we are sinners saved by grace and still living in this fallen world. One day the Lord Jesus Christ will bring His people, saved by His precious blood, to eternity where there is no more suffering, illnesses and tears. Meanwhile, in our life here, we will go through various kinds of challenges both good and bad, up and down times, and other experiences non-Christians are going through. The greatest difference is, God is our refuge and strength, when we trust in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour. God will never leave us not forsake us. The Lord is working all things for His glory, our good and the good of all His people. If you have not trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, do not delay. Today is the day of salvation！ 

If you are in Singapore, please come and visit my Church, Pilgrim Covenant Church, for worship and fellowship: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/

Details for worship services:  https://pilgrim-covenant.com/#view-2-service

Or you can join us online for Morning and Evening worship services: https://pilgrim-covenant.com/join-us/online-links/

Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed day! 

Best Regards,
Nancie 
18 February 2025