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

Sing acapella Psalm 24:7-10 Scottish Metrical Psalm

Dear Readers,

Psalm 24 is a very encouraging Psalm. It is one of my favorite Psalm. 

Psalm 24 from the King James Bible (KJB / KJV)
1 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

Below, is the singing of Psalm 24:7-10 from the Scottish Metrical Psalter using the tune "Edinburgh".

 Psalm 24:7-10

   7  Ye gates, lift up your heads on high;
         ye doors that last for aye,
      Be lifted up, that so the King
         of glory enter may.

   8  But who of glory is the King?
         The mighty Lord is this;
      Ev'n that same Lord, that great in might
         and strong in battle is.

   9  Ye gates, lift up your heads; ye doors,
        doors that do last for aye,
      Be lifted up, that so the King
         of glory enter may.

  10  But who is he that is the King
         of glory? who is this?
      The Lord of hosts, and none but he,
         the King of glory is.

  

Another video on the singing of Psalm 24:7-10 is:

 

Thanks again for stopping by. Hope you enjoy the singing of Psalm 24:7-10. 

Take care and have a blessed day!

Warm Regards,

Nancie 

3 December 2024

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/

God is our Protector : The Lord mighty in battle. (Psalm 24:8)

Dear Reader, 

Thank you for stopping by.

I would like to share with you the following encouraging writing by CH Spurgeon in his devotional "Morning and Evening" for 3 Dec, Evening, that I read:

"The Lord mighty in battle." Psalm 24:8

Well may our God be glorious in the eyes of his people, seeing that he has wrought such wonders for them, in them, and by them. 

For them, the Lord Jesus upon Calvary routed every foe, breaking all the weapons of the enemy in pieces by his finished work of satisfactory obedience; by his triumphant resurrection and ascension he completely overturned the hopes of hell, leading captivity captive, making a show of our enemies openly, triumphing over them by his cross. 

Every arrow of guilt which Satan might have shot at us is broken, for who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect? 

Vain are the sharp swords of infernal malice, and the perpetual battles of the serpent's seed, for in the midst of the church the lame take the prey, and the feeblest warriors are crowned.

The saved may well adore their Lord for his conquests in them, since the arrows of their natural hatred are snapped, and the weapons of their rebellion broken. 

What victories has grace won in our evil hearts! 

How glorious is Jesus when the will is subdued, and sin dethroned! 

As for our remaining corruptions, they shall sustain an equally sure defeat, and every temptation, and doubt, and fear, shall be utterly destroyed. 

In the Salem of our peaceful hearts, the name of Jesus is great beyond compare: he has won our love, and he shall wear it. 

Even thus securely may we look for victories by us. 

We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 

We shall cast down the powers of darkness which are in the world, by our faith, and zeal, and holiness; we shall win sinners to Jesus, we shall overturn false systems, we shall convert nations, for God is with us, and none shall stand before us. 

This evening let the Christian warrior chant the war song, and prepare for to-morrow's fight. 

Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.

The full verse is:

"Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." Psalm 24:8

(Excerpts from: CH Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, 3 December, Evening. The paragraphing are mine.)

Thank you for stopping by.  Have a blessed day! 

Best Regards,

Nancie 

3 December 2024

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/