Some Quotes from Hudson Taylor's Autobiography

With God all things are possible, and no conversion ever takes place save by the almighty power of the Holy Ghost. The great need therefore of every Christian worker is to know God.

Sometimes it may be that while we are complaining of the hardness of the hearts of those we are seeking to benefit, the hardness of our own hearts, and our own feeble apprehension of the solemn reality of eternal things, may be the true cause of our want of success.

The use of means ought not to lessen our faith in God; and our faith in God ought not to hinder our using whatever means He has given us for the accomplishment of His own purposes.

(This last quote followed a story where he refused to put on a life-jacket in the middle of a storm because he felt it evinced a lack of faith in God)

The cold, and even the hunger, the watchings...[list of his hardships]...were well and wisely chosen, and tenderly and lovingly meted out. What circumstances could have rendered the Word of God sweeter, and the presence of God so real, the help of God so precious?

The reply of Chinese convert upon hearing that the gospel had been in England for hundreds of years:

What! Is it possible that for hundreds of years you have had the knowledge of these glad tidings in your possession and yet have only now come to preach it to us? My father sought after the truth for more than twenty years, and died without finding it. Oh, why did you not come sooner?

Perishing China so filled my heart and mind that there was no rest by day, and little sleep by night, till health broke down.

A Vision of Maturity

Do you want to see if you are mature in your faith? Examine how you love others. Are you patient when you meet with opposition? Are you kind when you receive un-kindness? Examine how you treat the weak and helpless, even dumb creatures. Are you gentle when others are slow?

Remember what love is...patient and kind. Do these qualities mark all of your interactions with others? Are you slow to anger?

The inner work of sanctification emerges in our dealings with others. It is easy to be holy to yourself, for holiness for the creature is humility, and we like to think of ourselves as humble.

You will see what is hidden if you watch a man deal with opposition, even the trivial opposition of slow lines.

If you want to be holy, study I Corinthians 13, memorize it even.

(Anyone who knows me knows that I fall painfully short of my own measure here)

The Missionary Call

(from Hudson Taylor's autobiography)

My soul is not at rest,
There comes a strange and secret whisper to my spirit
Like a dream of night,
That tells me I am on enchanted ground.

The voice of the departed Lord, Go, teach all nations
Comes on the night air and awakes my ear.

Why live I here?
The vows of God are on me and I may not stop to play with shadows
Or pluck earthly flowers,
Till I my work have done and rendered up account.

And I will go,
I may no longer doubt to give up friends
And idol hopes,
And every tie that binds my heart to thee, my country.

Henceforth then it matters not
If storm or sunshine be my earthly lot, bitter or sweet my cup,
I only pray,
God make me holy and my spirit nerve for the stern hour of strife.

And when one for whom
Satan hath struggled as he hath for me has gained at last
That blessed shore
Oh how this heart will glow with gratitude and love.

Though ages of eternal years my spirit never shall repent
That toil and suffering once were mine below.

Quick hit Christmas Eve thoughts

1. Saying over and over again that you are not going to complain, is very similar to complaining.

2. Put out cheese and it is hard for me to resist. Even if it means ruining my appetite.

3. The wife who continues to laugh at the husband's jokes is somewhere in Proverbs 31, isn't it? At any rate, it should be. Dave and Mary are awesome.

4. Fake Christmas tree? Really? Some things do change.

5. Books books books. I love them.

On Holding a Nephew

Bentley is a good guy...I love him. My first time meeting him and holding him.

Also, a selection from John Hodgman's "Jokes that have never gotten a laugh"

A man goes into a bar. He has a dog with him. The dog is wearing an eye patch. The man says to the bartender, "Ask me about my dog." Unfortunately, the bartender does not hear him, because he went deaf in one ear as a child. He serves a woman at the other end of the bar. When he comes around to the man with the og again, the man orders an imported beer. He forgets what he was going to say about the dog.

On Antiquated Technology

I am at my Uncle and Aunt's place in Denver. Tonight, a few of us are going out to listen to some jazz at a local jazz club. My aunt asked me to make reservations. The closest phone was a land line.

First, I started to dial the number without the "1." This obviously did not work. I was surprised, so I tried again, this time without the area code (this took some memory searching). This also didn't work. So I redialed, this time with the one and the area code. Success! But as I was looking for the button to send, I heard someone speaking.

Technology is so confusing.

On Word Usage

Words are powerful things, evocative things. The importance of words are seen throughout the Scripture. Jesus is referred to as the Word. Romans x.16--Faith comes through hearing the message and the message is heard through the Word of Christ. It is words that communicate, and through words, the Holy Spirit works. John Owen says that we are enlightened by the Holy Spirit through the Words of Scripture as our intellect reasons and understands.

Why do I bring this up? Because just as the Holy Spirit can work mightily through our words, so also the Devil can use the power in words for his own purposes. Words are evocative; they bring to mind immediate emotional responses, images, memories, etc. When I say the word "Interlochen," immediately I experience an emotion, and as I meditate on the word images, smells, and eventually, memories flood my mind.

Therefore, words that are used to communicate spiritual content in the Bible must be used for the same ends that they are used in the Bible. Otherwise, we are manipulating familiar words in order to serve our own purposes. This is especially potent in those generally familiar with these words.

Today, during a session on evangelism, three phrases were used. "Sowing the seed," "watering the plant," and "reaping the harvest." These are very familiar phrases in an evangelism context. Two familiar passages are referenced by these. The parable of the sower, and I Cor iii.

Let us compare the way these phrases were being used, and the way they are used in Scripture.

"sowing the seed"--initiating a intentional relationship, or having a stimulating conversation with a non-believer.

"watering the plant"--Unclear usage, but presumably continued intentional contact, probably by a different person from the "sower."

"reaping the harvest"--Someone coming to Christ.

Now, in Scripture:

"sowing the seed"--The proclamation of the Word, or delivery of the gospel

"watering the plant"--presuming conversion (sincerity not determined), encouraging and exhorting towards fruitfulness.

"reaping the harvest"--Variable. Sometimes as conversion (harvest is plentiful, workers are few), sometimes the end of days in which fruitful plants are separated from the chaff.

The goal of this seminar was to give us a vision for "relational evangelism" which doesn't involve "proclamational" content.

Summit

I am going to Summit tomorrow. I am very excited. It has come very fast. I won't return to this sweet place until January.

From William Gurnall

My favorite thing about the Puritans is their ability to articulate and organize. Here is some thoughts that I found very illuminating from William Gurnall's The Christian in Complete Armor. I am paraphrasing from memory, by the way.

On Righteousness

We can distinguish from the Scriptures three types of righteousness.

1) There is a legalistic righteousness. This is the righteousness of the law, of which Moses says, "the man who does these things will live by them." Through perfect obedience, a man may obtain life through legalistic righteousness. It is a righteousness actually performed by the man who possesses it. Because no man can perform this, no man will be justified, or declared righteous by it.

2) These is an imputed righteousness. This is the righteousness of our justification, referred to in Romans as "the righteousness of God," because it is performed not by us, nor in us, but for us. This righteousness God ordained to be performed by Christ and reckoned, or counted, or imputed onto us. It is not inherent in us, as are the other two.

3) There is an imparted righteousness. This is the righteousness of our sanctification, which is wrought, through Christ by the power of the spirit, in us. It is acceptable to God as a crown to his work only so far as it proceeds from our life in Christ, that is, only so far as it is by faith.


Isn't that all freaking brilliant? So helpful.