Reflection

Why We Need the Puritans by JI Packer

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Horse Racing is said to be the sport of kings. The sport of slinging mud has, however, a wider following. Pillorying the Puritans, in particular, has long been a popular pastime both sides of the Atlantic, and most people's image of Puritanism still has on it much disfiguring dirt that needs to be scraped off.

Foolish Device of My Own

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Refuge

O Lord,Whose power is infinite and wisdom infallible, order things that they may neither hinder, nor discourage me, nor prove obstacles to the progress of Thy cause.

Stand between me and all strife, that no evil befall, no sin corrupt my gifts, zeal, attainments.

May I follow duty and not any foolish device of my own.

Permit me not to labour at work which Thou wilt not bless, that I may serve thee without disgrace or debt.

Let me dwell in Thy most secret place under thy shadow, where is safe impenetrable protection from the arrow that flieth by day, the pestilence that walketh in darkness, the strife of tongues, the malice of ill-will, the hurt of unkind talk, the snares of company, the perils of youth, the temptations of middle life, the moumings of old age, the fear of death.

I am entirely dependent upon Thee for support, counsel, consolation.

Uphold me by Thy free Spirit, and may I not think it enough to be preserved from falling, but may I always go forward, always abounding in the work Thou givest me to do.

Strengthen me by Thy Spirit in my inner self for every purpose of my Christian life.

All my jewels I give to the shadow of the safety that is in Thee-my name anew in Christ, my body, soul, talents, character, my success, wife, children, friends, work, my present, my future, my end.

Take them, they are Thine, and I am thine, now and for ever.

Taken from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett.

http://www.eternallifeministries.org/prayers.htm#The%20Valley%20of%20Vision

Spiritual Growth

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Fellow wanderer, do you know who you are? And is that person who you want to be?

You and I are spiritual beings. We live in physical bodies, but we are more than just a collection of cells. Our essence is something invisible, intangible, something many of us call “spirit.”

Spirits are not static; they grow and change—for better or worse. God gives us tools to help direct that growth, but too many of us are missing out, because we don’t see the tools or know how to use them.

At TheSpiritLife.net, we want to shine a light on these “facets” of spiritual growth so we can learn to use the tools that God has given us, and use them wisely. We don’t believe that God designed spiritual growth to happen by accident. His goal is for us to become—not just act—more like Jesus. In our experience, we are best equipped to do so when we approach spiritual growth whole-heartedly, with intentionality and discipline.

Letting Go of Old Hurts

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One of the hardest things in life is to let go of old hurts. We often say, or at least think: "What you did to me and my family, my ancestors, or my friends I cannot forget or forgive. ... One day you will have to pay for it." Sometimes our memories are decades, even centuries, old and keep asking for revenge.

Holding people's faults against them often creates an impenetrable wall. But listen to Paul: "For anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation: the old order is gone and a new being is there to see. It is all God's work" (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). Indeed, we cannot let go of old hurts, but God can. Paul says: "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not holding anyone's fault against them" (2 Corinthians 5:19). It is God's work, but we are God's ministers, because the God who reconciled the world to God entrusted to us "the message of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:19). This message calls us to let go of old hurts in the Name of God. It is the message our world most needs to hear. - Henry Nouwen

Visit HenriNouwen.org for more inspiration!

Where Do We Start?

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When people initiate relationships, where do we start? Workers craft resumes; employers advertise the benefits of working for their companies. Sellers use elaborate print ads and commercials to tout what their product does, and why the customer should buy this particular item from this particular seller. Hopeful people and those around them put together program and award applications listing activities and achievements. Political candidates brag about their own accomplishments and point out opponents’ failings.