*•"" J Conf Pam 12mo #685
#(e85
No. 107.
A HELP TO SELF-DEDICATION.
"I, the Lord, will make an everlasting covenant with you." — Isa. lv., 3.
"One" shall say, I am the Lord's, and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord." — Isa. xliv, 5.
Lord God of hosts, thou didst enter into covenant with Abraham, as he waited beside the sacrifices which he had prepared (Gen. xv, 18), and thou art now graciously- waiting beside Jesus, the sacrifice which Thou hast pre- pared, in order that sinners may enter into covenant with thee (2 Cor. v, 19). Father, I have^inned acainst Heaven, and in thy sight, and 1 am no more worthy to be called thy child; but thou, in thy rich mercy, art willing to receive me, and I, through thy grace, am willing to be thine. I lay all my sin, the sin of my nature, the sin of my heart, the sin of my life (Job xxxiii, 27), the sin of my lips, my secret sins — I lay all my sins, and iniquities, and unrighteousnesses, and trans- gressions, upon Jesus the Lamb of God; and, cleansed by his blood, and made acceptable in his righteousness, I desire now to give myself to thee in an everlasting covenant, never to be broken.
I am not my own, I am thine. My heart is not my own, it is thine; I will endeavor to keep it for thee, and to make it a Bethel, a temple for the Holy Ghost. My thoughts are not my own, they are thine; I will cul- tivate godly and heavenly meditations. My words are not my own, they are thine; I will avoid all idle, unpro- fitable, vain-glorious, flattering, uncharitable discourse; and I will seek to have my conversation always savor- ing of Christ and heaven. My eyes are not my own, they are thine; I will withhold them from looking upon sin and vanity. My wealth is not my own, it is thine; I am only thy steward ; I will, therefore, lay it out pru- dently and faithfully for thee, avoiding all unnecessary expense upon myself. My time is not my own, it is thine; I will employ it for thee, doing all i do as unto the Lord, striving every day to grow in grace and in knowledge, and to make myself useful to my fellow- men; I will redeem my time from too long or needless
HELP TO hlKLl'-DIlDICATIOX.
visits, idle imaginations, fruitless discourse, unnecessary sleep, and more than needful care about my worldly affairs I desire to commit all I have to thee* my friends, my family, my health, my business, my esteem in the world. 1 am willing to receive what thou givest, to want what thou wilhholdest, to relinquish what thou takest, to suffer what thou infli.ctest, to be what thou requirest, and to do what thou commandest.
Lord God of hosts, 1 desire deliberately, cheerfully, and with full purpose of heart, thus to surrender myself wholly and for ever to thee ; L feel that this is my duty, my interest, my privilege, my glory; 1 believe that thou wilt receive what I thus give, I believe that thou wilt keep what I have thus committed to thee; I will trust in thee for temporal provision; I will trust in thee for support under daily cares and labors; I will trust in thee for pardon of daily sins; I will trust in thee for growth and fruitfulness; I will trust in thee for strength in the hour of death (lsa. xliii, 2). If I sin, may I grieve without despair ; if I walk uprightly, may I re- joice without pride.
Lord Jesus, I take thee for my Prophet, my Priest, my King, my Life,* my Light, my Rest, my Joy, my Glory, my All in All.
Spirit of Adoption, that proceedest from the Father and the Son, I desire to receive thee into my soul, that thou mayest abide with me. Convince me of sin. Convince me of judgment Guide me into all truth. Take of the tilings of Christ and show them unto me. Be as the dew and rain of heaven to my soul, causing the word of life to take root, and grow, and bear the fruits of peace, joy, love, gentleness. Enable me to mortify the flesh with its affections and lusts. When the enemy comes in like a Hood, do thou lift up a standard against him. Be in me as a well of living water. Be in me as the. earnest of the inheritance, u< the first fruits of heaven — sealing me unto the day of redemption. Holy and Blessed Spirit, help me to distinguish between thy voice and the voice of the evil one — between thy suggestions and the im- pulses of the flesh — between thy leadings and the fro- wardness of my own heart. 1 will labor not to resist, nor grieve, nor dishonor, nor quench thee; but with a
A HELP TO SELF-DEDICATION.
humble, broken, mortified, self-denying spirit, will en- deavor to fall in with thee in all things, and to think, and speak, and act in thee.
THE FULNESS OF JESUS.
I Jay my sins on Jesus — Lev. xvi, 21.
The spotless Lamb of God; Heb. ix, 14. He bears them all, and frees us Heb. ix, 28.
From the accursed load. Gal. iii, 13.
I bring- my guilt to Jesus, Acts xiii, 38, 39.
To wash my crimson stains Rev. vii, 14. White in his blood most precious, 1 Pet. i, 19.
Till not a spot remains. Eph. v, 27.
I lay my wants on Jesus ; 1 Pet. v, 7.
All fulness dwells in Him, Col. i, 19.
He heals all my diseases, Psal. ciii, 3.
He doth my soul redeem. Gal. iv, 4, 5.
I lay my griefs on Jesus, Heb. iv, 15.
My burdens and my cares ; Psal. Iv, 22.
He from them all releases — Isa. Ixiii, 9.
He all my sorrows shares. Heb. iv, 15, 16.
I rest my soul on Jesus — Deut. xxxiii,27.
This weary soul of mine; Matt, xi, 28.
His right hand me embraces, Cant, ii, 6.
I on his breast recline, John xiii, 23.
I love the name of Jesus, 1 John iv, 19.
ImmanueJ, Christ, the Lord ! Matt, i, 23.
Like fragrance on the breezes, Cant, i, 3.
His name abroad is poured. Phil, ii, 9, 10.
I long to be like Jesus — 1 John iii, 2.
Meek, loving, lowly, mild; Matt, xi, 29.
I long to be like Jesus — 1 Pet. ii, 21.
• The Father's holy child. Acts iv, 27.
I long to be with Jesus, Phil, i, 23.
Amid the heavenly throng, Rev. vii, 9.
To sing with saints his praises, Rev. v, 13.
To learn the angels' song. Rev. xiv, 3.
A HELP TO SELF-DEDICATION
THE SERVICE OF THE LORD.
How blessed, from the bonds of sin
And earthly fetters free, In singleness of heart and aim,
Thy servant, Lord to be ! The bardest toil to undertake
With joy at thy command ! Tin1 meanest office to receive
With meekness at Thy band !
With willing heart and longing eyes,
To watch before Thy gate, Ready to run the weary race,
To bear the heavy weight; No voice of thunder to expect,
But follow calm and still, For love can easily divine
The One Beloved's will.
Thus may I serve Thee, gracious Lord !
Thus ever Thine alone, My soul and body given to Thee,
The purchase Thou bast won : Through evil or through good report
Still keeping by Thy side, By life or death, in this poor flesh
Let Christ be magnified !
How happily the working da
In tin's dear service fly ! How rapidly the closing hour,
The time of rest, draws nigh ! When all the faithful gather home,
A joyful company, And ever where the Master is,
Shall His blest servants be.
PUBLISHED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA TKACT SOCIETY Printed by Evans & Cogswell, 3 Broad street, Charleston, S. C.
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