The Servant in Battle

O Lord,

I bless you because the issue of the battle
   between yourself and Satan
      has never been uncertain
      and will end in victory.
Calvary broke the dragon's head,
   and I contend with a vanquished foe,
      who with all his subtlety and strength
      has already been overcome.
When I feel the serpent at my heel
   may I remember him whose heel was bruised,
      but who, when bruised, broke the devil's head.

My soul with inward joy extols the mighty conquerer.

Heal me of any wounds received
   in the great conflict
      if I have gathered filthiness
      if my faith has suffered damage
      if my hope is less than bright
      if my love is not fervent
      if some worldly pleasure occupies my heart
      if my soul sinks under the pressure of the fight.
O you whose every promise is balm, every touch life,
   draw near to your weary warrior,
   refresh me, that I may rise again
      to wage the warfare,
   and never tire until my enemy is trodden.
Give me such fellowship with you that I may defy Satan
      unbelief, the flesh, the world,
   with delight that comes not from a creature
   and which a creature cannot mar.
Give me a drink of the eternal fountain
   that lies in your unchangeable, everlasting love and decree.
Then shall my hand never weaken,
   my feet never stumble,
   my sword never rest,
   my shield never rust,
   my helmet never shatter,
   my breastplate never fall,
      as my strength rests in the power of your might.

Humility in Service

Mighty God,

I humble myself for abilities I have misused,
   opportunities I have neglected,
   ill-advised words I have spoken.
I repent of my folly and inconsiderate ways,
   my broken resolutions, untrue service,
   my backsliding steps,
   my vain thoughts.
O bury my sins in the ocean of Jesus' blood
   and let no evil result from my fretful temper,
      unseemly behavior, provoking pettiness.
If by unkindness I have wounded or hurt another,
   would you apply the healing salve of heavenly comfort?
If I have turned coldly from need, misery, grief,
   please do not forsake me in your just anger:
If I have withheld relief from poverty and pain,
   do not withhold thy gracious bounty from me.

If I have shunned those who have offended me
   will you keep open the door of your heart to my need?


Fill me with an over-flowing ocean of compassion
   the reign of love my motive,
   the law of love my rule.


O God of all grace, make me more thankful,
   more humble;
Inspire me with a deep sense of my unworthiness
   arising from
      the depravity of my nature, my omitted duties,
      my unimproved advantages, your commands
         violated by me.
With all my calls to gratitude and joy
   may I remember
      that I have reason for sorrow
         and humiliation;
O give me repentance unto life;
Cement my oneness with my blessed Lord,
   that my faith may cling to him more immovably,
   that my love may entwine itself around him more tightly,
   that his Spirit may pervade every fibre of my being.
Then send me out to make him known
   to my fellow-men.

Things Needful

Thou Eternal Source,

Author of all created being and happiness
   I adore you for making man capable of faith,
   that he may be taught to say:
      "Where is God, my Maker, who gives
         songs in the night?"
But depravity has spread over our human race,
   turning glory into shame,
   making us forgetful of you.
We know it is your power alone
   that can recall wandering children,
   can impress on them a sense of divine things,
   and can render that sense lasting and effectual;
From you proceed all good purposes and desires

   and the spreading of holiness and happiness.

You have knowledge of my soul's secret ways,
   and are aware of my desire to spread the gospel.
Make me an philanthropist to give your
   bounties to the impoverished,
   comfort to the mentally ill,
   restoration to the sin-diseased,
   hope to the despairing,
   joy to the sorrowing,
   love to the prodigals.
Blow away the ashes of unbelief by your Spirit's breath
   and give me light, fire, and warmth of love.
I need spiritual comforts
   that are gentle, peaceful, mild, refreshing,
   that will melt me into conscious lowliness before you,
   that will make me feel and rest in you
      as my All.

Fill the garden of my soul with the wind of love,
   that the aroma of the Christian life may be
      wafted to others;
   then come and gather fruits to thy glory.
So shall I fulfil the great end of my being -
   to glorify you and be a blessing to men.

Service and Provision

O God of my end,

You have given me a fierce resolve

   to go forth and spend my life for you;

If it be your will let me proceed in it;

   if not, then take away my intentions

All I want in life is such circumstances

   as may best enable me to serve you in the world;

To this end I leave all my concerns in your hand

   but let me not be discouraged,

      for this hinders my spiritual fervency;

Enable me to undertake some task for you,

   for this refreshes and animates my soul,

      so that I can endure all hardships and labors,

      and willingly suffer for your name.

But, O what a death it isto strive and labor,

   to be always in a hurry and yet do nothing!

Alas, time flies and I am of little use.

O that I could be a flame of fire in your service,

   always burning on in one continual blaze.

Equip me for singular usefulness in this world.

Equip me to exult in distresses of every kind

   if they but promote the advancement of your kingdom

Equip me to give up all hopes of the world's friendship,

   and give me a deeper sense of my sinfulness.

Equip me to accept from you as a friendly foe

   any trial that may befall me.

Equip me to be totally resigned to the denial

   of earthly pleasures I desire,

   and to be content to spend my time with you.

Equip me to pray with a sense of the joy of divine communion,

   to find all times happy seasons to my soul,

   to see my own nothingness,

   and wonder that I am allowed to serve you.

Equip me to enter the blessed world 

      where no unclean thing is,

   and to know you with me always.

God's Cause

Your cause, not my own, engages my heart,
   and I appeal to you with greatest freedom
   to set up your kingdom in every place
      where Satan reigns;
Glorify yourself and I will rejoice,
   for to bring honor to your name is my sole desire.
I adore you that you are God,
   and I long that others should know it, feel it, and rejoice it.
O that all men might love and praise you,
   that you might have all glory
      from the world of mankind!
Let sinners be brought to you for your dear name!
To the eye of reason everything regarding
   the conversion of others is as dark as midnight,
But you can accomplish great things;
   the cause is yours,
   and it is to your glory that men should be saved.
Lord, use me as you will
   do with me what you will
      but, O, advance your cause,
   let your kingdom come,
   let your blessed cause be advanced
      in this world!
O do gather great numbers to Jesus!
   let me see that glorious day,
   and help me to seek for multitudes of souls;
   let me be willing to die to that end;
   and while I live let me labor for you
      to the utmost of my strength,
      spending time profitably in this work,
      both in health and in weakness.
It is your cause and kingdom that I long for,
      not my own.

O, please grant my request!

Sincerity

To the One who chooses us to be his,

The one who you choose and call to yourself is so blessed.
With you is found mercy, redemption, assurance, forgiveness;
You have lifted me, a prisoner, out of the pit of sin
   and declared my release from that jail
      not only in the courts of heaven,
      but also in my heart of hearts;
   You have pronounced me "not guilty" simply because I put my trust in you,
      you have made peace between me and yourself
   and you have caused me to enjoy glorious freedom as your child.
Save me from the false hope of thinking I am something when I'm not;
May I never suppose I am in Christ
      unless I see change in my life as a new creation,
   never think I am spiritually reborn
      unless I heed the things of your Spirit,
   never rest satisfied with professions of my belief
      and outward practices and services,
         while my heart is not right with you.
May I measure my sincerity of my faith
   by my fear to offend you,
   my concern to follow your will,
   my willingness to say no to myself.
May nothing cause me to forget of your glory,
   or turn aside from your commands,
   or shake my confidence in your promises,
   or offend you children.
Please don't let my temporary pursuits hurt my spiritual goals
   or the cares of my life make me neglect the one thing that is most needed.
May I not be inattentive to the design of your dealings with me,
   or unaware of your rebukes
   or unresponsive to your calls.
May I learn the holy art of resting in you,
   of being in the world and not of it,
   of structuring everything in my life to be not only consistent with my profession of belief
      but helpful to it.

Calvary's Anthem

Heavenly Father,

You have led me singing to the cross where I fling down all my burdens
      and see them vanish
   where my mountains of guilt are flattened to a plain
   where my sins disappear, even though they are the worst ones in the world,
      are are more in number than the grains of fine sand;

For there is power in the blood of Calvary
   to destroy sins too numerous to count
      even if it were committed by one of the choir of heaven.
You have given me a hill-side spring
      that washes clear and white,
         and I go as a sinner to its waters
            bathing without restraint
               in its crystal streams.

At the cross there is free forgiveness
      for poor and meek ones,
   and ample blessings that last forever;
The blood of the Lamb is like a great river
      of infinite grace
   with never any diminishing of its fullness
      as thirsty ones without number drink of it.

O Lord, forever will your free forgiveness live
   that was gained on the mount of blood;
In the midst of a world of pain
   it is a subject for praise in every place,
      a song on earth, and anthem in heaven,
         its love and virtue knowing no end.
I have a longing for the world above
   where multitudes sing the great song,
   for my soul was never created to love the dust of the earth.
Though here my spiritual state is frail and poor,
   I shall go on singing Calvary's anthem.
May I always know
   that a clean heart full of goodness
      is more beautiful than the lily,
   that only a clean heart can sing by night
      and by day,
   that such a heart is mine when I abide
      at Calvary.

The Grace of the Cross

O my Savior,

I thank you from the depths of my being for your wondrous grace and love,
   in bearing my sin in your own body on the tree.
I pray that your cross may be to me
   as the tree that sweetens my bitterness,
   as the rod that blossoms with life and beauty,
   as the bronze serpent that calls for the look of faith.
By your cross crucify my every sin;
Please use it to increase my intimacy with you;
Make it the ground of all my comfort,
   the liveliness of all my duties,
   the sum of all your gospel promises,
   the comfort of all my afflictions,
   the vigor of my love, thankfulness, graces,
   the very essence of my faith walk
And by it give me that rest without rest,
   the rest of ceaseless praise.
You have also chosen a cross for me to take up and carry,
   a cross before you give me a crown.
You have chosen it to be my portion,
   but my selfish love hates this cross
      my sinful mind doesn't accept it;
   without the grace of patience I can't bear it,
      or walk with it, or benefit from it.
O blessed cross, what mercies you bring with you!
You are only counted as hateful by my rebel will,
   and only heavy because I refuse to bear your weight.
Teach me, gracious Lord and Savior,
   that along with my my cross of suffering you send promised grace
      so that I can bear it patiently,
   that my cross is your yoke which is easy,
      and your burden which is light.