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wonderwhy03
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Name: Michael
Location: South Carolina
Birthday: 12/19/1984
Interests: Bible, history, english, missions, guitar, piano, basketball
Occupation: Student
Message: message me
Member Since:
4/20/2005
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| When I was a little kid in Sunday School, we used to sing
the spiritually hollow but physically engaging song "I'm in the Lord's
army."
Of course there was the main verse listing all the
army-related things that we would act out--march in the infantry, ride on the
cavalry, shoot the artillery, etc.
But I also remember other versions, like Mexican style or
Cowboy style. These versions had their own stanzas with their own motions
(e.g., "I may never wear a big sombrero, ride a donkey oh so slow, eat a
cheesy taco...").
If you have sung it before, I'm sure you can finish it for
me. But perhaps we all could use some
brushing up on the words and motions for American style prayer. It's familiar,
so I’m sure you will all recognize it.
What everyone needs to know to pray American
style:
1. Stay distracted. Continually strive to
reduce your miniscule attention span by constantly letting your mind chase
rabbit trails so that you forget that you were even praying and then suddenly
realize it 10 minutes later.
2. Pray on the go. If you miss the time
when you had planned to pray, try to make it up while driving and apply the
same ADD techniques from step 1.
3. Be brief. This is integral to praying
American style. Try to do it in less than a minute. If it's a confession,
remind yourself that asking for forgiveness or repenting is all you need to do
to restore fellowship, and that those who are too heavenly minded are of no
earthly good--and you sure have a lot of earthly good to do.
4. Don't think of anything doctrinally
demanding. This takes too much time and effort.
5. Avoid listing or rehearsing
characteristics of God. This generally applies to any of the -tion words as
well. But this is not an absolute. Just make sure that if you use them, don't
explain them, rehearse them, or remind yourself of what they mean.
6. Ask for things. You obviously have
needs or at least you always need something. And you definitely know someone
who is sick. These can be a quick prayers. Make these count for your daily
prayer.
7. Use archaic words that sound good to
you. Cliches are great. Choc your prayers full of them.
Read the rest at my other blog
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| Hey everyone
I just got a site from my friend Ben, so you are welcome to my new blog home. It's http://www.bensfriends.com/juniata | | |
| Hudson Taylor
(if you are in a hurry, just read the last paragraph of this entry)
I have been often encouraged by Christian missionary stories,
especially the stories including the missionaries' personal struggles.
Those are often more helpful than the stories of great victory; seeing
only great deeds or great faith often makes me despair of my own lack
and heroize the person. But seeing the missionary's humanity encourages
me that God can still use me despite my sinfulness, and he can grow me
and change me just as he did those missionaries.
This is a brief exerpt from Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret. I
find myself returning to the last paragraph in this portion--Hudson's
letter to his sister. After writing these letters, he went on to be a
missionary to China for 51 years, founding China
Inland Mission and spreading a fire for missions to countless
Christians. Taylor personally established 20 mission stations (there
were 205
by the time of his death in 1905), brought 849 missionaries to China,
trained nearly 700 Chinese believers, and translated the New Testament
into the Ningpo dialect. Praise God for the great work done through his
life...but Taylor was human. I hope the following selection makes this
clear.
~
"After an interview with one of the
secretaries of the Chinese Evangelization Society [Hudson Taylor] wrote to his
mother:
"Mr. Bird has removed most of the difficulties I have been feeling,
and I
think it will be well to comply with his suggestion and at once
propose
myself to the Committee. I shall await your answer, however, and
rely
upon your prayers. If I should be accepted to go at once, would you
advise me to come home before sailing? I long to be with you once
more,
and I know you would naturally wish to see me; but I almost think it
would be easier for us not to meet, than having met to part again
forever.
No, not forever!
“A little while: ‘twill soon be past!
Why should we shun the promised cross?
Oh let us in His footsteps haste,
Counting for Him all else but loss:
Then, how will recompense His smile
The sufferings of this little while!”
I cannot write more, but hope to hear from you as soon as possible.
Pray
much for me. It is easy to talk of leaving all for Christ, but when
it comes
to the proof — it is only as we stand “complete in Him” we can go
through with it. God be with you and bless you, my own dear Mother,
and give you so to realize the preciousness of Jesus that you may
wish for
nothing but “to know him”... even in “the fellowship of his
sufferings.”"
And to his sister:
"Pray for me, dear Amelia, that He who has promised to meet all our
need
may be with me in this painful though long-expected hour.
When we look at ourselves, at the littleness of our love, the
barrenness of
our service and the small progress we make toward perfection, how
soul
refreshing it is to turn away to Him; to plunge afresh in “the
fountain
opened for sin and for uncleanness”; to remember that we are
“accepted in
the beloved”... “who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness,
and sanctification, and redemption.” Oh! the fullness of Christ, the
fullness of Christ."
(Biographical information for this entry comes from Life and Ministry of James
Hudson Taylor. by Ed Reese. and J. Hudson Taylor.
Short biography by Fred Barlow. Both can be found at http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/biorptaylor.html)
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Every year the College Age Sunday School class goes to Bald Rock for an
evening worship service. Here are a couple pictures of a few of us who
stayed after it was over to sing some more.
Psalm 19:1-6
1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4 Their measuring line goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
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Some friend he was...
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