I got a text message from a number I did not know. It's been going on for too long and I was about to get miffed. But I think the Lord gave me an answer for those unwanted calls/texts.
I am going to share with you the exchange; forgive his language:
Texter: Whats up bud
Me: Nothing, just reading the Revelation of Jesus Christ, given by God for man to know the beginning of the end.
Texter: Thats deep and to think i thought you were just a pretty face
Me: Dude, my feet are the beautiful parts, as Isaiah said: how beautiful are the feet of them who preach good news! & I preach it all I can.
Texter: Wow i think i might have the wrong number because the guy i'm lookin for is ruthless but fine as hell
Me: I'm sure U might, but U were led by the unseen hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will lift us out of hell if we turn from sin to Him. Come to 38th Ave Church!
He never responded again. He had been texting every weekend for a month. I felt impressed to witness the next time. It was fun! Try it!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Just sayin'...
The glorious celebration of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America has come and gone. Friends and family celebrated all over the land. In fact, they were still celebrating at midnight last night where we live. Fireworks thundered around us. The dog trembled beside me; he really dislikes such noises ever since we left South America for the Southern America of the northern hemisphere. I think thunder and lightning, something he had never experienced, has a lot to do with it.
We celebrated at a lake some 90 miles north of here. It's a nice lake, with 28 miles of shoreline. My brother-in-law carried his very nice boat up there. The majority of the family climbed in it and took off for fun on the water. I remained behind to wet a hook with my Daiwa open faced spinning reel; it was the first time since 2002, or maybe '03, that I had been able to use that rig. I think a man can't claim to be a fisherman if he hasn't fished since then (don't lose that thought; I'll go somewhere with it).
My first cast in 8 years resulted in what I did not want to see: my best spinner bait flying freely across the lake and into the water. Somehow my handsome 2-year-old grandson had managed to get tangled in the line while the pole was sitting by the chair they set him in. And the line subsequently wrapped around the handle. So when I cast the line, the whip action set in motion a freedom my lure could have only enjoyed as it hurtled across the open waters. The bass sat below the surface laughing, no doubt.
Those bass later amused themselves by striking lazily at my attempts to lure them with other spinners. They do that sometimes. They do it often with me. I could almost hear their gurgling laughter below the water...
After an hour of trying different lures, I gave up and went back to the clan who had gathered under the trees where we had set up our picnic. I got there in time to see them run off for round two on the water. More of us stayed behind that time.
And then came the rains. Not just rain. Thunder and lightning. The park ranger made us get into our cars (the boaters had returned--a wise move). My grandson climbed into our car, which he claims as his. His mom's car is hers; my wife's car is hers. But my SUV belongs to Michael; he cries out when he sees it, "MY car!" He sat in my lap, hands wrapped around the steering wheel, steering wildly. I thought his actions reminded me of a taxi driver in Lima.
We were in the car to evade the lighting and rain. That's when I felt it: water, slowly soaking into my lap. You can guess why. I decided I would stand in the rain for awhile... The lightning was preferrable to the sensation of that kind of water.
We were finally driven away from the lake by the storm cells. One would end, but another would form just as quickly. We saw no break in sight.
I went home reminded of two things: sometimes someone is going to pee on you when you least expect it. That's just part of life.
But worse, if you don't fish more than once or twice in a decade, you really aren't a fisherman.
And if you don't win souls any more often than that; neither are you a soul-winner.
I'm just sayin'...
We celebrated at a lake some 90 miles north of here. It's a nice lake, with 28 miles of shoreline. My brother-in-law carried his very nice boat up there. The majority of the family climbed in it and took off for fun on the water. I remained behind to wet a hook with my Daiwa open faced spinning reel; it was the first time since 2002, or maybe '03, that I had been able to use that rig. I think a man can't claim to be a fisherman if he hasn't fished since then (don't lose that thought; I'll go somewhere with it).
My first cast in 8 years resulted in what I did not want to see: my best spinner bait flying freely across the lake and into the water. Somehow my handsome 2-year-old grandson had managed to get tangled in the line while the pole was sitting by the chair they set him in. And the line subsequently wrapped around the handle. So when I cast the line, the whip action set in motion a freedom my lure could have only enjoyed as it hurtled across the open waters. The bass sat below the surface laughing, no doubt.
Those bass later amused themselves by striking lazily at my attempts to lure them with other spinners. They do that sometimes. They do it often with me. I could almost hear their gurgling laughter below the water...
After an hour of trying different lures, I gave up and went back to the clan who had gathered under the trees where we had set up our picnic. I got there in time to see them run off for round two on the water. More of us stayed behind that time.
And then came the rains. Not just rain. Thunder and lightning. The park ranger made us get into our cars (the boaters had returned--a wise move). My grandson climbed into our car, which he claims as his. His mom's car is hers; my wife's car is hers. But my SUV belongs to Michael; he cries out when he sees it, "MY car!" He sat in my lap, hands wrapped around the steering wheel, steering wildly. I thought his actions reminded me of a taxi driver in Lima.
We were in the car to evade the lighting and rain. That's when I felt it: water, slowly soaking into my lap. You can guess why. I decided I would stand in the rain for awhile... The lightning was preferrable to the sensation of that kind of water.
We were finally driven away from the lake by the storm cells. One would end, but another would form just as quickly. We saw no break in sight.
I went home reminded of two things: sometimes someone is going to pee on you when you least expect it. That's just part of life.
But worse, if you don't fish more than once or twice in a decade, you really aren't a fisherman.
And if you don't win souls any more often than that; neither are you a soul-winner.
I'm just sayin'...
Friday, June 03, 2011
Going with the Gospel
This Sunday Night I will give a charge to a local volunteer group going on mission to the highlands of Peru. This is their second trip to this particular place. The group is composed of more than 50! I tried to persuade them to divide their teams and go 4 times in the year. They love one another's company too much for that, I'm afraid. So they have chosen to go once a year, descending upon the small villages of the Quechua peoples where they will work.
I will share 4 adverbs modifying the word "go" with them. It is a description of the Great Commission, as found in Mt. 28:19, 20; and in Acts 1:8.
I will challenge them to go obediently. This is for the entire church's consumption. The Great Commission is not just for some; it's for all of us.
I will tell the group to go expectantly. We have received the power of the Holy Spirit. We must expect him to go with us--even to be there before us--as we share.
I will teach the group to go courageously. In Acts 4 the disciples prayed for the presence of God to enable them to share the word with boldness. When political and religious figures oppose the preachers, fear can set in. They must be courageous in their witness, even if they face opposition.
And I will teach the church to go concurrently. To answer those who say, "Aren't there enough lost people around us, so that we don't need to go over "there?" I will say to them that we must go beyond our walls locally and internationally as we can. There is not a linear, systematic logic to Acts 1:8. It does not say we should be witnesses in "Jerusalem, THEN Judea, THEN Samaria, THEN the uttermost parts of the world." The conjunction is "AND." It conveys a concurrent action.
Most of all I will tell them to go.
And I will tell it to you now: go. Preach the gospel. Just go.
I will share 4 adverbs modifying the word "go" with them. It is a description of the Great Commission, as found in Mt. 28:19, 20; and in Acts 1:8.
I will challenge them to go obediently. This is for the entire church's consumption. The Great Commission is not just for some; it's for all of us.
I will tell the group to go expectantly. We have received the power of the Holy Spirit. We must expect him to go with us--even to be there before us--as we share.
I will teach the group to go courageously. In Acts 4 the disciples prayed for the presence of God to enable them to share the word with boldness. When political and religious figures oppose the preachers, fear can set in. They must be courageous in their witness, even if they face opposition.
And I will teach the church to go concurrently. To answer those who say, "Aren't there enough lost people around us, so that we don't need to go over "there?" I will say to them that we must go beyond our walls locally and internationally as we can. There is not a linear, systematic logic to Acts 1:8. It does not say we should be witnesses in "Jerusalem, THEN Judea, THEN Samaria, THEN the uttermost parts of the world." The conjunction is "AND." It conveys a concurrent action.
Most of all I will tell them to go.
And I will tell it to you now: go. Preach the gospel. Just go.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Praying for our Nation
First it was Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama--among other southern states. This week it was Joplin, Mo and towns in Oklahoma. The heartache is extensive. The death toll continues upward. One woman dropped dead when she learned her father had died in the Joplin storm.
Undoubtedly, many are crying out, "Why us?! What did we do?" The first answer that must be given is that both good things and bad things come to the good and the evil (the righteous and the unrighteous) alike. Many good Christian families were ravaged by these storms. Many morally decent people lost everything. What God will do is show himself through their godly response to the horrible storms and disasters that have now tatooed their lives.
Yes, what is inside of us comes out in the worst of times. If a professing Christ-follower gets squeezed by disaster, like a large-fisted weight lifter may squeeze the juice out of an orange, whatever is in that professing Christ-follower is going to squirt out. If he or she is full of Jesus, then Jesus gets mixed in with the tears and anguish. People around that person see it and marvel at God's peace in that person's life.
But if we profess to follow Christ, but are in fact filled with deception, anger, bitterness, explosive wrath--and the like, then that is what squirts out with our response to disaster and devastation. I would add carefully that some are either thin-skinned or so full of these negative, sinful traits that it flows out rather quickly. Like the recent volcanoes in Iceland, they spew out ash and lava, disrupting things for anyone within miles of them.
While our compatriots suffer these disasters we who are untouched are held responsible to hold them up in prayer. We must pray for the God of peace to unleash His peace in their lives. And we may need to put feet to our prayers when we say, "God bless them!"
But start with praying...
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Pray for Israel
This is Israel's anniversary. While some in the world may rejoice over this news, there are others who are angry, dismayed, and even hostile to their existence. Some protest that Israel "stole" the land on which they now live. Others claim they displaced millions when the new nation of Israel was formed. Those are they ignore the convenient fact that the land was mostly unoccupied until word got out that Jewish people were moving in. Too many are praying for their demise.
Biblically, this was their land, given to them more than 3,000 years ago. Politically, the Jewish people were reinstated into their land in 1948. So whether you look politically or biblically, Israel is a legitimate nation living within their granted territorial borders.
Our position as Christ-followers cannot be clearer than God tells us in Scripture: ours is to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. This is the place to which Christ will one day return. God blesses those who bless Israel. He curses those who will curse it. Pray for Israel. Pray for peace. Pray for their repentance and faith in the Messiah, whose name is Jesus of Nazareth.
Biblically, this was their land, given to them more than 3,000 years ago. Politically, the Jewish people were reinstated into their land in 1948. So whether you look politically or biblically, Israel is a legitimate nation living within their granted territorial borders.
Our position as Christ-followers cannot be clearer than God tells us in Scripture: ours is to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. This is the place to which Christ will one day return. God blesses those who bless Israel. He curses those who will curse it. Pray for Israel. Pray for peace. Pray for their repentance and faith in the Messiah, whose name is Jesus of Nazareth.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Pray for Congress
There is little more important to ask of anyone who reads this, who calls this nation home, than to pray for our Congress. I hope many of you paid close attention to the recent debates over the current fiscal year's budget. You probably recall that, after a few continuing resolutions to avoid a governmental shutdown, we reached a point where they pulled off a "last-minute" deal to "save" the government. Our military were held hostage to the threat of withholding their salary if Dems and Repubs did not reach a deal. Finally, our president appeared with the great announcement that a deal had been reached. All was once more safe. We could breathe easy once more.
As the ink has dried and the dust has settled, one can see the truth of the whole matter. We were played. This was not a Democrat trick; this was not a Republic con. This now appears to be a carefully orchestrated move by both parties to create a win-win situation. Dems won and so did Repubs. Why does that matter? They won, but I believe at our expense. It made both sides look good to their constituents. Repubs could say, "We tried; this was the best deal we could eke out." Dems could say, "We tried to hold ground, but we had to give up a little."
The truth is, no one gave up anything. It was an accounting trick. We were duped. They see you, the voting taxpayer, as gullible.
We must pray for these men and women who now appear to be far more concerned with keeping their jobs than with corralling their lust for a big-dollar government. Pray for a change of heart for each one. God can do what looks impossible. He can turn their hearts as easily as he turns a river this way and that. I believe we can see it happen; but I believe it must begin with those who are Christ-followers. We must lead out in prayer.
As the ink has dried and the dust has settled, one can see the truth of the whole matter. We were played. This was not a Democrat trick; this was not a Republic con. This now appears to be a carefully orchestrated move by both parties to create a win-win situation. Dems won and so did Repubs. Why does that matter? They won, but I believe at our expense. It made both sides look good to their constituents. Repubs could say, "We tried; this was the best deal we could eke out." Dems could say, "We tried to hold ground, but we had to give up a little."
The truth is, no one gave up anything. It was an accounting trick. We were duped. They see you, the voting taxpayer, as gullible.
We must pray for these men and women who now appear to be far more concerned with keeping their jobs than with corralling their lust for a big-dollar government. Pray for a change of heart for each one. God can do what looks impossible. He can turn their hearts as easily as he turns a river this way and that. I believe we can see it happen; but I believe it must begin with those who are Christ-followers. We must lead out in prayer.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Pray for Japan
News reports now place death tolls above 10,000. Some scientists fear catastrophic aftershocks. We must pray for this crushed nation.
Baptist Global Response will help you channel your donations for relief in Japan. See IMB.org for more information.
Baptist Global Response will help you channel your donations for relief in Japan. See IMB.org for more information.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Pray for Japan
Re: Japanese earthquake/tsunami - Drudge reports the death toll in one area alone will top 1,000.
We must pray and we must put into practice our Christianity and seek to minister to these suffering people. For my brothers who would be tempted to point their fingers and proclaim that this is what happens to a non-Christian society, remember this: Jesus said the rain falls on the just and the unjust alike. Don't cry judgment yet; I still see a log in some eyes....
We must pray and we must put into practice our Christianity and seek to minister to these suffering people. For my brothers who would be tempted to point their fingers and proclaim that this is what happens to a non-Christian society, remember this: Jesus said the rain falls on the just and the unjust alike. Don't cry judgment yet; I still see a log in some eyes....
Friday, February 25, 2011
Newt Gingrich Is Right
This week our president made a serious error. He chose to ignore his constitutional responsibilities because he does not like a law that was duly passed by our United States Congress. The legislature makes laws. The Judicial branch tests those laws' validity, and the executive branch administers those laws. When Mr. Obama chose to declare the Defense of Marriage Act an undefensable law, he chose to usurp both the legislative and judicial branches of our government. Newt Gingrich is correct: this is a clear violation of the presidential powers and responsibilities.
What should Christians do about this? They should do the same that all conscientious citizens should do: they should register their profound disagreement with these actions, which are possibly impeachable offenses. They should take one step beyond the common citizen; they should pray passionately for our legislature and judiciary to reprimand the president for the violation of his role. They should pray for the president to repent of his unconstitutional actions.
If Congress and the judiciary ignore this, they will run the risk of setting a very dangerous precedent. If the president can pick and choose which parts of the law and which laws he will enforce, it will be a short walk across the face of the Constitution to the Bill of Rights.
We already have one Hugo Chavez in our hemisphere. We don't need another.
What should Christians do about this? They should do the same that all conscientious citizens should do: they should register their profound disagreement with these actions, which are possibly impeachable offenses. They should take one step beyond the common citizen; they should pray passionately for our legislature and judiciary to reprimand the president for the violation of his role. They should pray for the president to repent of his unconstitutional actions.
If Congress and the judiciary ignore this, they will run the risk of setting a very dangerous precedent. If the president can pick and choose which parts of the law and which laws he will enforce, it will be a short walk across the face of the Constitution to the Bill of Rights.
We already have one Hugo Chavez in our hemisphere. We don't need another.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Do you believe in the power of prayer?
Do you believe in praying? Do you believe in the power of prayer? Better said, do you believe in the power of God who answers prayer? Consider the following humorous story, related as true. It may or may not be. But it points out a fundamental weakness that grips all of us from time to time.
[begin quoted story] TEXAS BEER JOINT SUES CHURCH over LIGHTNING STRIKE !
ONLY IN TEXAS ...
Texas Beer Joint Sues Church In Mt. Vernon, Texas. Drummond's Bar began construction on expansion of their building to increase their business.
In response, the local Baptist Church started a campaign to block the bar from expanding with petitions and prayers. Work progressed right up until the week before the grand reopening when lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground!
After the bar burning to the ground by a lightning strike, the church folks were rather smug in their outlook, bragging about ??? the power of prayer???, until the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church . . ."was ultimately responsible for the demise of his building, either through direct or indirect actions or means."
In its reply to the court, the church vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection to the building's demise.
The judge read through the plaintiff's complaint and the defendant's reply, and at the opening hearing he commented………
"I don't know how I'm going to decide this, but it appears from the paperwork that we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that now does not."
True Story. [end quoted story]
What a story! What about you? Where would stand in this story?
[begin quoted story] TEXAS BEER JOINT SUES CHURCH over LIGHTNING STRIKE !
ONLY IN TEXAS ...
Texas Beer Joint Sues Church In Mt. Vernon, Texas. Drummond's Bar began construction on expansion of their building to increase their business.
In response, the local Baptist Church started a campaign to block the bar from expanding with petitions and prayers. Work progressed right up until the week before the grand reopening when lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground!
After the bar burning to the ground by a lightning strike, the church folks were rather smug in their outlook, bragging about ??? the power of prayer???, until the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church . . ."was ultimately responsible for the demise of his building, either through direct or indirect actions or means."
In its reply to the court, the church vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection to the building's demise.
The judge read through the plaintiff's complaint and the defendant's reply, and at the opening hearing he commented………
"I don't know how I'm going to decide this, but it appears from the paperwork that we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that now does not."
True Story. [end quoted story]
What a story! What about you? Where would stand in this story?
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Faith Comes by Hearing
Yesterday (Monday) we loaded up after staff meeting and we headed to Meridian, MS to the evangelism conference. It was a longer trip that I remembered; we got there just in time to hear them dismiss us for lunch. But it was a worthwhile journey.
I stopped on the way in a town with gasoline much cheaper than in our town. To my delight, they offered ethanol-free gasoline. My vehicle despises ethanol. It burns up the plugs and plug wires. To my greater delight I met a man from Yemen. By the way he shook my hand after our conversation, I gathered that touching me was not what he wanted to do. Little did he know that I made a point of taking his hand to establish contact with him. Neither does he know that our evangelism pastor just ordered a supply of tracts in Arabic. I will be back soon to see my new acquaintance.
The next divine encounter was the joy of sitting at the feet of three very good speakers/preachers. My heart was stirred. The men held up a mirror for me to see myself. They held up God's standards. I needed to see it. I was hungry for that. Some may wonder how a preacher can possibly be hungry for preaching; after all, he hears himself each week. That is precisely the problem. We hear ourselves. If you hear yourself long enough you will become the standard by which you measure all others. Elijah fell for that. He told God he was all alone in his work and tired of it. Every preacher needs to sit at the feet of others from time to time. It does not happen often enough, in my opinion.
The more I heard, the more excited I became. Faith truly comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So be it!
I stopped on the way in a town with gasoline much cheaper than in our town. To my delight, they offered ethanol-free gasoline. My vehicle despises ethanol. It burns up the plugs and plug wires. To my greater delight I met a man from Yemen. By the way he shook my hand after our conversation, I gathered that touching me was not what he wanted to do. Little did he know that I made a point of taking his hand to establish contact with him. Neither does he know that our evangelism pastor just ordered a supply of tracts in Arabic. I will be back soon to see my new acquaintance.
The next divine encounter was the joy of sitting at the feet of three very good speakers/preachers. My heart was stirred. The men held up a mirror for me to see myself. They held up God's standards. I needed to see it. I was hungry for that. Some may wonder how a preacher can possibly be hungry for preaching; after all, he hears himself each week. That is precisely the problem. We hear ourselves. If you hear yourself long enough you will become the standard by which you measure all others. Elijah fell for that. He told God he was all alone in his work and tired of it. Every preacher needs to sit at the feet of others from time to time. It does not happen often enough, in my opinion.
The more I heard, the more excited I became. Faith truly comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So be it!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The World, or Something Like It
I am stateside now. I have not seen an international airport for over 9 months. I will travel again, but not to live in another nation.
Still, for me, the world is my parrish, much as it was for John Wesley. I find myself tormented at times over what goes on in the world. I read world newspapers (online, of course) to see what I can see about places that the Lord places on my heart. At other times I find myself rejoicing; God is still at work.
One place that has caught my mind of late, as it should have, is Egypt. I know people there. I can't and won't say who it is I know. But I find myself concerned for them. It's not a safe place these days. In spite of that insecurity, I think the Lord is up to something that will shape the final days before his great appearing.
But for the sake of those who bear the good news, often with great peril to their lives, I would ask you to pray for peace in Egypt. Pray for the safety of those believers who live there. And most of all, pray for the gospel to advance in the face of the current friction.
Still, for me, the world is my parrish, much as it was for John Wesley. I find myself tormented at times over what goes on in the world. I read world newspapers (online, of course) to see what I can see about places that the Lord places on my heart. At other times I find myself rejoicing; God is still at work.
One place that has caught my mind of late, as it should have, is Egypt. I know people there. I can't and won't say who it is I know. But I find myself concerned for them. It's not a safe place these days. In spite of that insecurity, I think the Lord is up to something that will shape the final days before his great appearing.
But for the sake of those who bear the good news, often with great peril to their lives, I would ask you to pray for peace in Egypt. Pray for the safety of those believers who live there. And most of all, pray for the gospel to advance in the face of the current friction.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
The Power of the Word of God
I just read the following from Baptist Press. I trust it blesses you as much as it did me.
Chinese woman leads dozens to Christ with 70¢ tract
By Sue Sprenkle
Jan 28, 2011
THAILAND (BP)--No one notices the young Chinese woman silently crying in the back pew. It's the only place she finds solace from her deep depression and fear of death.
She's not even sure why she sits in this church every afternoon; her communist education and Buddhist religion teach against a belief in God. Yet something keeps drawing Lily Wang* here.
She pulls a Bible from the pew. It's not in her native Mandarin, but she flips it open anyway. She learned to read a little Thai after moving to Thailand a few years ago to teach school, but she hasn't learned enough to really understand this.
So many questions cloud her mind that she finally musters enough courage to speak to a man carrying the same book. He brushes past the petite woman and goes about his business. The rejection reinforces everything she's feeling -- no one is interested in her; no one cares.
Distraught and angry, Wang walks to the foot of the cross and screams, "Are you real?
"I don't want to die. I want to live," she cries. "Please give me a way."
Wang storms out of the church, vowing never to return.
HOPE COMES
A few weeks later, Wang is sitting at her desk preparing lessons when a student rushes into her international school's classroom.
"Teacher! Teacher!" the girl exclaims. Wang jumps up, startled and concerned, until she hears, "I found your book."
The student hands her a soiled booklet. She found it in the trashcan on the playground. Wang scrunches her nose against the stench and explains it isn't hers. The girl must throw it back in the trash.
"But teacher, it must be your book," the girl insists. "It's written in Chinese."
Wang quickly scans the first page. Her heart leaps. The story is about Jesus' death and resurrection. She thanks her student for the book and sits down to read. The booklet, a tract called "Song of a Wanderer," answers every question she whispered in the church. The information is shocking. Her education since childhood taught only evolution, but this booklet claims life started from a complete human form, not a single cell.
"This has to be true," she mutters to herself.
The book opens a new world for Wang as she discovers a Creator-God. She stuffs the booklet in her back pocket and takes it everywhere, spending every spare second reading and rereading.
For weeks, her whole world revolves around the torn book. Finally, Wang decides she needs more. The booklet quotes Scripture throughout; she wants a Bible -- but she has no idea how to find one. In her home country, China, you can't just go out and buy one at the corner bookstore. Wang decides to write to the address on the tract requesting a Bible.
"No matter the cost, I will pay for the Bible," she adds to the letter, fearing the Christians might reject her again.
"I don't really believe anything will happen," she thinks, preparing herself for disappointment. "It will be just like when I prayed in the church -- nothing. God isn't interested."
Wang can't help herself, though. She watches the mail daily, but nothing arrives. Just as she's about to give up hope, a woman speaking Mandarin calls. Southern Cross Project, a Chinese Bible distribution ministry, received her letter. The woman offers to deliver the Bible in person.
Over coffee, Wang learns that as she was screaming at God months ago in the church, some American mission volunteers were distributing Mandarin Bibles and Christian literature packets to Chinese tourists. Somehow, one of these books made it across town to her.
"I'm in God's hands. He does care about me," Wang admits. "I need to accept these teachings."
HOPE SHARED
After her meeting, the teacher rushes home to call her mother in China. She excitedly recounts her new discovery and urges her mother to tell her sister.
"How can I share if I do not understand it myself?" her mother asks.
It hasn't occurred to Wang that her uneducated mother might not understand the tract. It speaks to educated Chinese, those who learned about evolution and were taught to doubt God's existence. Wang wants her family to find the same Creator-God, so, she calls everyday, reading from the tract and talking about God. By the end of the book, her mother and sister also decide to follow Jesus.
The first time Wang visits a Chinese church in her city, she notices everyone gathered around two women. The discussion about God heats up but the two remain stone-faced, unbending in their denial of God's existence.
Wang pulls the precious tract out of her purse and discreetly hands it to the women. They read parts of it together and discuss it with the young teacher. Both ask Jesus into their hearts.
Wang takes the soiled booklet everywhere she goes. Even when she travels to England to work on a master's degree, she slides it into her carry-on. While in Europe, she uses the tract to lead more than 20 people to Christ during her two years of study -- not to mention 20 others in Thailand.
When Wang goes to China for vacation, her childhood best friend, Chen Wu*, notices something different about her. Wang starts to tell Wu about the change in her life but her friend stops her mid-sentence. Wu doesn't want to hear; she thinks God is only for lucky people. Rather than argue, Wang comes up with a compromise.
"If you promise to read this book, I promise not to talk about God until you bring the topic to me," Wang says, inwardly grimacing about leaving her precious, worn-out book in China.
Her friend agrees, not really believing something that looks like a piece of trash really holds answers for her life. It's months before Wu opens the book. But when she does, Wu reads the entire thing in one sitting, then immediately calls Wang. They kneel together -- one in Thailand, the other in China -- and Wang helps her best friend invite Jesus into her heart.
"Isn't it amazing how God uses a piece of trash to call people to Him?" Wang asks her friend about the 70-cent tract. Then she adds, "Now, give me my book back!"
Wu ignores her. She now uses the booklet to tell others in China how her life changed. She's lost count of how many have prayed with her to receive Christ.
--30--
*Name changed. The next Southern Cross project, Jan. 30 to Feb. 6, will be live-blogged at www.mreport.org. You can join six volunteer teams as they pray and distribute packets of Christian literature. To learn how to get involved in the Southern Cross Project, e-mail scptravel@pobox.com. Sue Sprenkle has been travelling the globe for more than a decade as a writer and photographer for the International Mission Board. She currently resides in Southeast Asia.
Copyright (c) 2011 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press
901 Commerce Street
Nashville, TN 37203
Tel: 615.244.2355
Fax: 615.782.8736
email: bpress@sbc.net
Chinese woman leads dozens to Christ with 70¢ tract
By Sue Sprenkle
Jan 28, 2011
THAILAND (BP)--No one notices the young Chinese woman silently crying in the back pew. It's the only place she finds solace from her deep depression and fear of death.
She's not even sure why she sits in this church every afternoon; her communist education and Buddhist religion teach against a belief in God. Yet something keeps drawing Lily Wang* here.
She pulls a Bible from the pew. It's not in her native Mandarin, but she flips it open anyway. She learned to read a little Thai after moving to Thailand a few years ago to teach school, but she hasn't learned enough to really understand this.
So many questions cloud her mind that she finally musters enough courage to speak to a man carrying the same book. He brushes past the petite woman and goes about his business. The rejection reinforces everything she's feeling -- no one is interested in her; no one cares.
Distraught and angry, Wang walks to the foot of the cross and screams, "Are you real?
"I don't want to die. I want to live," she cries. "Please give me a way."
Wang storms out of the church, vowing never to return.
HOPE COMES
A few weeks later, Wang is sitting at her desk preparing lessons when a student rushes into her international school's classroom.
"Teacher! Teacher!" the girl exclaims. Wang jumps up, startled and concerned, until she hears, "I found your book."
The student hands her a soiled booklet. She found it in the trashcan on the playground. Wang scrunches her nose against the stench and explains it isn't hers. The girl must throw it back in the trash.
"But teacher, it must be your book," the girl insists. "It's written in Chinese."
Wang quickly scans the first page. Her heart leaps. The story is about Jesus' death and resurrection. She thanks her student for the book and sits down to read. The booklet, a tract called "Song of a Wanderer," answers every question she whispered in the church. The information is shocking. Her education since childhood taught only evolution, but this booklet claims life started from a complete human form, not a single cell.
"This has to be true," she mutters to herself.
The book opens a new world for Wang as she discovers a Creator-God. She stuffs the booklet in her back pocket and takes it everywhere, spending every spare second reading and rereading.
For weeks, her whole world revolves around the torn book. Finally, Wang decides she needs more. The booklet quotes Scripture throughout; she wants a Bible -- but she has no idea how to find one. In her home country, China, you can't just go out and buy one at the corner bookstore. Wang decides to write to the address on the tract requesting a Bible.
"No matter the cost, I will pay for the Bible," she adds to the letter, fearing the Christians might reject her again.
"I don't really believe anything will happen," she thinks, preparing herself for disappointment. "It will be just like when I prayed in the church -- nothing. God isn't interested."
Wang can't help herself, though. She watches the mail daily, but nothing arrives. Just as she's about to give up hope, a woman speaking Mandarin calls. Southern Cross Project, a Chinese Bible distribution ministry, received her letter. The woman offers to deliver the Bible in person.
Over coffee, Wang learns that as she was screaming at God months ago in the church, some American mission volunteers were distributing Mandarin Bibles and Christian literature packets to Chinese tourists. Somehow, one of these books made it across town to her.
"I'm in God's hands. He does care about me," Wang admits. "I need to accept these teachings."
HOPE SHARED
After her meeting, the teacher rushes home to call her mother in China. She excitedly recounts her new discovery and urges her mother to tell her sister.
"How can I share if I do not understand it myself?" her mother asks.
It hasn't occurred to Wang that her uneducated mother might not understand the tract. It speaks to educated Chinese, those who learned about evolution and were taught to doubt God's existence. Wang wants her family to find the same Creator-God, so, she calls everyday, reading from the tract and talking about God. By the end of the book, her mother and sister also decide to follow Jesus.
The first time Wang visits a Chinese church in her city, she notices everyone gathered around two women. The discussion about God heats up but the two remain stone-faced, unbending in their denial of God's existence.
Wang pulls the precious tract out of her purse and discreetly hands it to the women. They read parts of it together and discuss it with the young teacher. Both ask Jesus into their hearts.
Wang takes the soiled booklet everywhere she goes. Even when she travels to England to work on a master's degree, she slides it into her carry-on. While in Europe, she uses the tract to lead more than 20 people to Christ during her two years of study -- not to mention 20 others in Thailand.
When Wang goes to China for vacation, her childhood best friend, Chen Wu*, notices something different about her. Wang starts to tell Wu about the change in her life but her friend stops her mid-sentence. Wu doesn't want to hear; she thinks God is only for lucky people. Rather than argue, Wang comes up with a compromise.
"If you promise to read this book, I promise not to talk about God until you bring the topic to me," Wang says, inwardly grimacing about leaving her precious, worn-out book in China.
Her friend agrees, not really believing something that looks like a piece of trash really holds answers for her life. It's months before Wu opens the book. But when she does, Wu reads the entire thing in one sitting, then immediately calls Wang. They kneel together -- one in Thailand, the other in China -- and Wang helps her best friend invite Jesus into her heart.
"Isn't it amazing how God uses a piece of trash to call people to Him?" Wang asks her friend about the 70-cent tract. Then she adds, "Now, give me my book back!"
Wu ignores her. She now uses the booklet to tell others in China how her life changed. She's lost count of how many have prayed with her to receive Christ.
--30--
*Name changed. The next Southern Cross project, Jan. 30 to Feb. 6, will be live-blogged at www.mreport.org. You can join six volunteer teams as they pray and distribute packets of Christian literature. To learn how to get involved in the Southern Cross Project, e-mail scptravel@pobox.com. Sue Sprenkle has been travelling the globe for more than a decade as a writer and photographer for the International Mission Board. She currently resides in Southeast Asia.
Copyright (c) 2011 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press
901 Commerce Street
Nashville, TN 37203
Tel: 615.244.2355
Fax: 615.782.8736
email: bpress@sbc.net
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Why Was Jesus Born?
The sound and the fury of the Christmas holiday is mostly over where I live. The cold rains fall slowly outside; the paper from the few gifts we bought has been collected and placed into a bag. Music about Christmas (some carols, some not) caresses the sound waves in the background, muffled by hair dryers as my ladies prepare for our next event--a brunch with family.
With all the activities around us, it is so easy to forget what Christmas is truly about; why exactly Jesus was born. He came to put a stop to things like the murder-suicide just north of us. When Jesus rules, insane acts like this one are dispelled. But it is more than that....
2,000 years ago, about ten miles from Jerusalem, in the tiny town of Bethlehem, a baby was born that would change the world. He was given two names: one was Jesus, meaning Jehovah Saves; the other, Emmanuel, meaning God with us. Both names bring great news and great promise.
God is with us in all of life. He is with us today. He is with us in the hard times; he is with us in the good times.
God is with us in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end of our lives. God with us.
That, neighbor, is what this season is all about.
That is why Jesus was born.
With all the activities around us, it is so easy to forget what Christmas is truly about; why exactly Jesus was born. He came to put a stop to things like the murder-suicide just north of us. When Jesus rules, insane acts like this one are dispelled. But it is more than that....
2,000 years ago, about ten miles from Jerusalem, in the tiny town of Bethlehem, a baby was born that would change the world. He was given two names: one was Jesus, meaning Jehovah Saves; the other, Emmanuel, meaning God with us. Both names bring great news and great promise.
God is with us in all of life. He is with us today. He is with us in the hard times; he is with us in the good times.
God is with us in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end of our lives. God with us.
That, neighbor, is what this season is all about.
That is why Jesus was born.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Faith Giving
This one is to the point: we set a missions offering goal in our church of 13 thousand dollars. We surpassed that goal by more than 3 thousand today.
Do you think God will not bless this group for their generous spirit? I tell you that he will give back so much more that they won't know what to do with the blessings!
How Great Is Our God!
I challenge you to give, as well. Give of those blessings so that others may hear. We are not yet where we need to be in sharing the gospel. God is calling out men and women to go; but many cannot because we have not given to our potential.
Be generous today.
Do you think God will not bless this group for their generous spirit? I tell you that he will give back so much more that they won't know what to do with the blessings!
How Great Is Our God!
I challenge you to give, as well. Give of those blessings so that others may hear. We are not yet where we need to be in sharing the gospel. God is calling out men and women to go; but many cannot because we have not given to our potential.
Be generous today.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Reality Check
I read some amazing headlines today:
"VIDEO: Crazed shoppers stampede at TARGET..." "Marine stabbed at BEST BUY..." "Shopper arrested after packing gun in belt; knives, 'pepper grenade'..."
I promise you, I was not motivated to go out and join the throngs. A friend said she went to the "other" discount chain that much of America shops, only to see women tussling over toys, cursing one another; men pushing back and forth, battling for position in the aisles. This kind of insanity baffles me beyond words.
It's time for a reality check, ladies and gents. This sense of desperation and anger is not a healthy sign. In the last days, Paul said, perilous times will come. Men will be selfish and godless. They will think more of pleasure than they do of God. They will have a some kind of godliness, but not the kind you get by knowing the Lord Jesus Christ.
This time of the year is supposed to be about the Lord Jesus, first; then it is about showing our families their love. I hope you find that true in your life.
"VIDEO: Crazed shoppers stampede at TARGET..." "Marine stabbed at BEST BUY..." "Shopper arrested after packing gun in belt; knives, 'pepper grenade'..."
I promise you, I was not motivated to go out and join the throngs. A friend said she went to the "other" discount chain that much of America shops, only to see women tussling over toys, cursing one another; men pushing back and forth, battling for position in the aisles. This kind of insanity baffles me beyond words.
It's time for a reality check, ladies and gents. This sense of desperation and anger is not a healthy sign. In the last days, Paul said, perilous times will come. Men will be selfish and godless. They will think more of pleasure than they do of God. They will have a some kind of godliness, but not the kind you get by knowing the Lord Jesus Christ.
This time of the year is supposed to be about the Lord Jesus, first; then it is about showing our families their love. I hope you find that true in your life.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
A Tale of Two Pastors
I read today two news articles about two pastors. One has chosen to turn away from the truth, perverting it to fit his life. The other has chosen to teach the truth, letting the truth of God's word sway the men in his community.
Yes, Mr. Swilley, of Conyers, Georgia, has chosen to come out of that proverbial closet. He grew tired of hiding his sin. But instead of repenting and renouncing sin, he has reveled in it. Mr. Swilley's motivation, according to the article, was the death of a student from Rutgers U. He ignores Scriptures like 1 Cor. 6:9, 10. He attributes to God what God attributes to our fallen nature.
Are you not amazed that it is always God's fault when sin overtakes us? I am! David said in Psalm 50:21 that the evil man thinks God is completely like him, because God kept silence while the evil mann sinned. Know this: the day is coming when God will no longer be silent about any sin.
Equally amazing to me is the fact that this man was married for 20 years, or so, and that his former wife still attends and works in the church where this man is allowed to be pastor. Heaven weeps today.
A few hundred miles away, in Jackson, MS, Pastor Dwayne Pickett stands before 5,000 congregants each Sunday to preach the gospel. His church grew from less than 200 to this great number as Pastor Dwayne gave himself to teach the truth of God's word to the men of his community. He taught them that sin was sin, not to be tolerated in one's life. Today, 45% of his church members are men he has won to Christ. Heaven also rejoices today over men like Pastor Dwayne.
What a contrast. One man circumvents the Word to live in sin. The other man proclaims the Word to liberate from sin. It is the best of times, it is the worst of times...
Yes, Mr. Swilley, of Conyers, Georgia, has chosen to come out of that proverbial closet. He grew tired of hiding his sin. But instead of repenting and renouncing sin, he has reveled in it. Mr. Swilley's motivation, according to the article, was the death of a student from Rutgers U. He ignores Scriptures like 1 Cor. 6:9, 10. He attributes to God what God attributes to our fallen nature.
Are you not amazed that it is always God's fault when sin overtakes us? I am! David said in Psalm 50:21 that the evil man thinks God is completely like him, because God kept silence while the evil mann sinned. Know this: the day is coming when God will no longer be silent about any sin.
Equally amazing to me is the fact that this man was married for 20 years, or so, and that his former wife still attends and works in the church where this man is allowed to be pastor. Heaven weeps today.
A few hundred miles away, in Jackson, MS, Pastor Dwayne Pickett stands before 5,000 congregants each Sunday to preach the gospel. His church grew from less than 200 to this great number as Pastor Dwayne gave himself to teach the truth of God's word to the men of his community. He taught them that sin was sin, not to be tolerated in one's life. Today, 45% of his church members are men he has won to Christ. Heaven also rejoices today over men like Pastor Dwayne.
What a contrast. One man circumvents the Word to live in sin. The other man proclaims the Word to liberate from sin. It is the best of times, it is the worst of times...
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Those Choices We Make
Saturday afternoon the University of Southern Mississippi football team stood tall in Central Florida University's stadium. The Golden Eagles soared away with a big win. The team was beside itself. The coaches were elated.
Sometime later, an undetermined number of those young men made a choice that will live with them for the rest of their lives. They visited a local "club." That is a cover name for a place of raucous behavior. Reports reveal that as many as 1,000 people will visit this "club" on Friday and Saturday nights. It's an accident waiting to happen.
And it did.
But it wasn't an accident.
Three of those young men found themselves at odds with an unidentified individual. For whatever reason (very few of them could be good reasons in a place like that), he wanted to put them in their place. Security personnel sent them out into the parking lot. The unidentified person pulled a gun, aimed it at the three young men and pulled the trigger. One is now paralyzed. One's vocal chords were severed. One was hit in the chest.
Thankfully, all will live. Sadly, all three lives have been changed. One, barring a miracle from the Lord Jesus, may never walk again. One, barring that same miraculous presence, may never speak again.
I pray for the miracles.
I grieve for the young men and their families.
I also grieve for the choice that motivated them to follow their passionate desires and to visit a place like that.
I grieve for the nation that has created the expectation that, if it is fun, it must be okay to do. So choose "fun," whatever form it takes.
I grieve for the expectation that we must sow those wild oats, as they were once called. So choose to sow those wild oats.
Those choices we make have consequences. Many of the consequences are good. Some are bad. Some lead to tragedy.
Pray for these three unnamed (by me) young men. Pray for the next choice to be one that brings them under the care of the Great Shepherd.
Sometime later, an undetermined number of those young men made a choice that will live with them for the rest of their lives. They visited a local "club." That is a cover name for a place of raucous behavior. Reports reveal that as many as 1,000 people will visit this "club" on Friday and Saturday nights. It's an accident waiting to happen.
And it did.
But it wasn't an accident.
Three of those young men found themselves at odds with an unidentified individual. For whatever reason (very few of them could be good reasons in a place like that), he wanted to put them in their place. Security personnel sent them out into the parking lot. The unidentified person pulled a gun, aimed it at the three young men and pulled the trigger. One is now paralyzed. One's vocal chords were severed. One was hit in the chest.
Thankfully, all will live. Sadly, all three lives have been changed. One, barring a miracle from the Lord Jesus, may never walk again. One, barring that same miraculous presence, may never speak again.
I pray for the miracles.
I grieve for the young men and their families.
I also grieve for the choice that motivated them to follow their passionate desires and to visit a place like that.
I grieve for the nation that has created the expectation that, if it is fun, it must be okay to do. So choose "fun," whatever form it takes.
I grieve for the expectation that we must sow those wild oats, as they were once called. So choose to sow those wild oats.
Those choices we make have consequences. Many of the consequences are good. Some are bad. Some lead to tragedy.
Pray for these three unnamed (by me) young men. Pray for the next choice to be one that brings them under the care of the Great Shepherd.
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Life, or Something Like It
Amazingly, keeping up with current news and doing things like blogging is becoming more and more challenging. I find myself occupied with a great calling. And it is great.
This past Sunday was a very stirring time for me, personally. I listened to an "M" to Oaxaca, Mexico challenge us to reach the lost with the gospel so that all nations may glorify God. His words carried great authority, far more than he realized in the moment (he had told me he was not good at public speaking). The conviction of the Holy Spirit swept over our congregation.
Then Sunday night I shared from Mt. 24. If I could preach on the return of Christ each week and keep it fresh, I would. The greatest news we can share is that Christ came, that he died for us, that we can be redeemed and forgiven in His name; but also that he is coming again. As the hymn says it, the skies will roll back like a scroll and Jesus will step from eternity into time once again.
Then came last night--Monday. What is special about Mondays? Nothing, really; but last night we saw fruit from our outreach ministry, called "Beyond Our Walls." Close to ten of us went beyond our walls and we were able to share the gospel. My associate pastor for youth has a great group he calls his E-Team. They converge on one of the two university campuses and witness to the students there. Last night one of those students repented and believed the gospel. I mention him because I am acquainted with him. What are the chances that our E-Team would find one out of 16,000 that I have seen and spoken with in another town? It was a divine encounter. Before the team left him, the young man was giving his life to Christ. My heart soared when I heard the great news. I was a half mile away with another team when this encounter took place. I thought I heard thunderous praise from the angels in heaven...
One more now stands with arms outstretched, hands raised towards heaven, singing hallelujahs to the King of kings.
And now we are looking at Tuesday. Aside from enjoying the presence of the Lord, I find that life goes on. Dishes are still staring back at me in the sink. The dog still stinks and needs grooming. And I ran out of Oreos, an all-important staple in this household's daily life. Now THAT comes close to a crisis...
This past Sunday was a very stirring time for me, personally. I listened to an "M" to Oaxaca, Mexico challenge us to reach the lost with the gospel so that all nations may glorify God. His words carried great authority, far more than he realized in the moment (he had told me he was not good at public speaking). The conviction of the Holy Spirit swept over our congregation.
Then Sunday night I shared from Mt. 24. If I could preach on the return of Christ each week and keep it fresh, I would. The greatest news we can share is that Christ came, that he died for us, that we can be redeemed and forgiven in His name; but also that he is coming again. As the hymn says it, the skies will roll back like a scroll and Jesus will step from eternity into time once again.
Then came last night--Monday. What is special about Mondays? Nothing, really; but last night we saw fruit from our outreach ministry, called "Beyond Our Walls." Close to ten of us went beyond our walls and we were able to share the gospel. My associate pastor for youth has a great group he calls his E-Team. They converge on one of the two university campuses and witness to the students there. Last night one of those students repented and believed the gospel. I mention him because I am acquainted with him. What are the chances that our E-Team would find one out of 16,000 that I have seen and spoken with in another town? It was a divine encounter. Before the team left him, the young man was giving his life to Christ. My heart soared when I heard the great news. I was a half mile away with another team when this encounter took place. I thought I heard thunderous praise from the angels in heaven...
One more now stands with arms outstretched, hands raised towards heaven, singing hallelujahs to the King of kings.
And now we are looking at Tuesday. Aside from enjoying the presence of the Lord, I find that life goes on. Dishes are still staring back at me in the sink. The dog still stinks and needs grooming. And I ran out of Oreos, an all-important staple in this household's daily life. Now THAT comes close to a crisis...
Friday, October 22, 2010
A Thought for Ministers of the Gospel
A friend sent me the following from Charles Spurgeon's historic and holy works. Nothing more needs to be said than is said below:
Excerpted from INCENSE AND LIGHT, March 11, 1883
I desire, in the third place, to show SOME SPECIAL PRACTICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE INCENSE AND THE LAMP. Let us read the text again: "And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it." So, then, there should be prayer especially at the dressing of the lamps: that is to say, when preparing our minds for that ministry by which we enlighten the people among whom we dwell we should be specially earnest in prayer.
Preparation for preaching and teaching is most important: God's work is not to be done carelessly as boys shoot arrows at random in their play. We must prepare both by reading and pleading: we must, like the apostles, give ourselves to the word of God and prayer. We are told by ancient Rabbis that when the priest who was appointed for that office went into the holy place he took with him the golden snuffers and the golden snuff dishes, and a vessel full of pure olive oil and by the help of these be attended to the trimming of the golden lamp. There were seven lamps on the candelabra:
some of these might have gone quite out during the night; he would have to take away whatever of snuff remained, wipe out the lamp, place a new wick, fill up with fresh oil, and then kindle the flame anew. In another lamp it may be the light was still burning but feebly: he might have simply to snuff it, take away the "the superfluity of naughtiness" in the golden snuff dish and make all things clean and right. Sometimes the light might be burning well and nothing was needed but to replenish it with oil. Thus all was set in order for another day. The like was done in the evening. In the process of trimming lamps there is a measure of offense: snuffs do not give forth a very dainty perfume, and the smear and smelt of oil are not altogether of sweet savor; therefore, before he trimmed the lamps, the priest kindled the incense. No snuff would then be offensive, for the overpowering fragrance of the incense killed it all and prevented the prevalence of any odour unfit for the house of God. When we go into our studies to try and trim our lamps let us remember that our first business is to pray. Alas, we have much of smoking wick about us; much negligence, much ignorance, many mistakes and errors; and thereby we shall grieve the Lord if Jesus is not called in to cover all. When we are preparing in secret to serve the Lord in public we shall make poor work of it if we do not beforehand draw near to God in prayer. We need that our garments should be made to smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia by being covered with the merit of Jesus, or else we shall offend even while engaged in the holy act of preparing to spread abroad the light of divine truth. You have to trim your lamps, brethren, and sisters, when you go into the Sunday-school - at least, I hope you do. I hope you do not run into your class with anything which first comes to hand: if you do not snuff your candles and fill your lamps with fresh oil your children will sit in darkness before a lamp which does not shine. No, there ought to be careful preparation, according as your time and ability will allow, and above all the pouring in of the holy oil of the Holy Spirit, by fresh fellowship with Jesus. In that process one of the chief elements is prayer. Dr. Adam Clarke used to say to young ministers, "Study yourselves dead, and then pray yourselves alive again"; and that is an excellent rule. Work in your study as if it all depended upon you, and then go forth and speak, trusting in God because all depends upon him.
Remember that the chief part of all study of God's word must be prayer.
This is the boring-rod and the powder by which we burst open the great rocks of truth. "To have prayed well is to have studied well," said Martin Luther, and so most certainly it is; therefore let none of us when we dress the lamp forget the incense.
Excerpted from INCENSE AND LIGHT, March 11, 1883
I desire, in the third place, to show SOME SPECIAL PRACTICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE INCENSE AND THE LAMP. Let us read the text again: "And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it." So, then, there should be prayer especially at the dressing of the lamps: that is to say, when preparing our minds for that ministry by which we enlighten the people among whom we dwell we should be specially earnest in prayer.
Preparation for preaching and teaching is most important: God's work is not to be done carelessly as boys shoot arrows at random in their play. We must prepare both by reading and pleading: we must, like the apostles, give ourselves to the word of God and prayer. We are told by ancient Rabbis that when the priest who was appointed for that office went into the holy place he took with him the golden snuffers and the golden snuff dishes, and a vessel full of pure olive oil and by the help of these be attended to the trimming of the golden lamp. There were seven lamps on the candelabra:
some of these might have gone quite out during the night; he would have to take away whatever of snuff remained, wipe out the lamp, place a new wick, fill up with fresh oil, and then kindle the flame anew. In another lamp it may be the light was still burning but feebly: he might have simply to snuff it, take away the "the superfluity of naughtiness" in the golden snuff dish and make all things clean and right. Sometimes the light might be burning well and nothing was needed but to replenish it with oil. Thus all was set in order for another day. The like was done in the evening. In the process of trimming lamps there is a measure of offense: snuffs do not give forth a very dainty perfume, and the smear and smelt of oil are not altogether of sweet savor; therefore, before he trimmed the lamps, the priest kindled the incense. No snuff would then be offensive, for the overpowering fragrance of the incense killed it all and prevented the prevalence of any odour unfit for the house of God. When we go into our studies to try and trim our lamps let us remember that our first business is to pray. Alas, we have much of smoking wick about us; much negligence, much ignorance, many mistakes and errors; and thereby we shall grieve the Lord if Jesus is not called in to cover all. When we are preparing in secret to serve the Lord in public we shall make poor work of it if we do not beforehand draw near to God in prayer. We need that our garments should be made to smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia by being covered with the merit of Jesus, or else we shall offend even while engaged in the holy act of preparing to spread abroad the light of divine truth. You have to trim your lamps, brethren, and sisters, when you go into the Sunday-school - at least, I hope you do. I hope you do not run into your class with anything which first comes to hand: if you do not snuff your candles and fill your lamps with fresh oil your children will sit in darkness before a lamp which does not shine. No, there ought to be careful preparation, according as your time and ability will allow, and above all the pouring in of the holy oil of the Holy Spirit, by fresh fellowship with Jesus. In that process one of the chief elements is prayer. Dr. Adam Clarke used to say to young ministers, "Study yourselves dead, and then pray yourselves alive again"; and that is an excellent rule. Work in your study as if it all depended upon you, and then go forth and speak, trusting in God because all depends upon him.
Remember that the chief part of all study of God's word must be prayer.
This is the boring-rod and the powder by which we burst open the great rocks of truth. "To have prayed well is to have studied well," said Martin Luther, and so most certainly it is; therefore let none of us when we dress the lamp forget the incense.
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