Favor

"My favor will never leave you." Jesus Christ

Ephesians 1:7-8, In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us.

I will pour water on him who is thirsty

I will pour water on him who is thirsty,

I will pour floods upon the dry ground;

Open your heart to the gift I am bringing,

While you are seeking, I will be found.

Unknown

We pray for all people everywhere.

”We pray you now, O most gracious God and merciful Father, for all people everywhere. As it is your will to be acknowledged as the Savior of the whole world, through the redemption wrought by your son Jesus Christ, grant that those who are still estranged from the knowledge of him, being in the darkness and captivity of error and ignorance, may be brought by the illumination of your Holy Spirit and the preaching of your Gospel to the right way of salvation, which is to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3).”　John Calvin

They must see self-sacrifice

“It is not mere preaching the Gospel which will do what needs to be done… Our life must be one of visible self-sacrifice.

There is much sacrifice in our lives of which the Chinese cannot know. God knows all about it, and we can well afford to wait for His declaration of it and His award. There is much that we have left for the Chinese which they have never seen. That will not suffice.

They must see self-sacrifice in things which they cannot but understand… We may reckon our life by loss instead of gain- we may safely account that what we lack and lose and suffer are our most prized facilities for bringing home to the hearts of this people the glorious Gospel of the grace of God.”

Hudson Taylor

Who Am I?

Who am I? They often tell me I stepped from my cell’s confinement Calmly, cheerfully, firmly, Like a squire from his country-house. Who am I? They often tell me I used to speak to my warders Freely and friendly and clearly, As though it were mine to command. Who am I? They also tell me I bore the days of misfortune Equally, smilingly, proudly, Like one accustomed to win.

Am I then really all that which other men tell of? Or am I only what I myself know of myself? Restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage, Struggling for breath, as though hands were compressing my throat, Yearning for colors, for flowers, for the voices of birds, Thirsting for words of kindness, for neighborliness, Tossing in expectation of great events, Powerlessly trembling for friends at an infinite distance, Weary and empty at praying, at thinking, at making, Faint, and ready to say farewell to it all?

Who am I? This or the other? Am I one person today and tomorrow another? Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others, And before myself a contemptibly woebegone weakling? Or is something within me still like a beaten army, Fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved? Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.

Whoever I am, Thou knowest, 0 God, I am Thine!

March 4,1946

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The Christian way of life is no fairytale

"The Christian way of life is no fairytale; in the power of the Spirit, it can be lived. Countless Christians through the ages have shown us how. The fruit of worship and Bible study and prayer and obedience to the Word, is a joy, a peace, an unshakable hope that the world cannot give or take away." Elizabeth Achtemeier

Secondary causes...

To be quite honest, I have been struggling recently. The main of it comes from being anxious over 'secondary causes.' A Buddhist sect which is known for it's strong opposition to Christianity, is putting up a fancy edifice in our area of town. We are loosing English students, our 'primary' source of income. We are getting very little real assistance from Japanese Christians. We have had misunderstandings with a people that are very dear to us. I feel at times an object of strong 'hatred' in our town.

I read this recently, however. "The secret of Hudson Taylor's rest of heart amid tempests of hate was his refusal to look a second causes... He believed it was with God, and God alone, he had to do." (Green Leaf in Draught-Time) *Hudson Taylor was a key human ingredient in the calling and support of thousands of missionaries to China.

I pray the Psalms almost daily and I noticed these and similar words repeated through out the Psalms. Psalm 44:11, "

You have made us like sheep for slaughter

and have scattered us among the nations." Also, Psalm 33:10, "

The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;

he frustrates the plans of the peoples."

John Piper writes, "From the smallest thing to the greatest thing, good and evil, happy and sad, pagan and Christian, pain and pleasure - God governs them all for his wise and just and good purposes."

John Piper points out that "Job did not get comfort from looking at secondary causes. He got comfort from looking at the ultimate cause." Job 2:10,"Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?”

In the center of the circle

Of the will of God I stand,

There can be no second causes,

All must come from His dear hand,

When dark clouds obscure my vision,

And the way I may not see,

I will trust Him in the darkness

For I know He pilots me.

Arthur Mathews

Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

I refuse to look at secondary causes, whether they be people or circumstances, but I in faith look to Him who is both sovereign and good, He who in amazing love sovereignly sent His Son to die, rise, and reign even for a sinner like me.

The Lord will have His way in this town, and beyond. I will love Him who loves me so. I will love my 'enemies' and, if He wills, I will continue to sow the gospel seed here.