What if?

Consider this:

20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. (John 17)

and this:

10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." 13Is Christ divided? (I Corinthians 1)

and this (from Hudson Taylor as he gathered the first team of missionaries that ventured into inland China)

“To those who have never been called to prove the faithfulness of the covenant-keeping God, it might seem a hazardous experiment to send twenty-four European evangelists to a distant heathen land “with only God to look to”.....

The work they were undertaking was far too great to be limited to any one denomination. The fact that the Mission offered no salaries was in itself enough to deter all but those whose experience made them sure of God, and such souls possess a union in more than name.

We had to consider (Mr. Taylor continued) whether it would not be possible for members of various denominations to work together on simple, evangelistic lines, without friction as to conscientious differences of opinion. Prayerfully concluding that it would, we decided to invite the co-operation of fellow believers, irrespective of denominational views, who fully held the inspiration of God’s Word and were willing to prove their faith by going to inland China with only the guarantees they carried in their Bibles.”

I ask you;

What He might do on and for this planet, if only the children of God would look to Him, realize our oneness and come together?

Love is Strength

Love alone is great in might,
Makes the heavy burden light,
Smoothes rough ways to weary feet,
Makes the bitter morsel sweet;
Love alone is strength!

Might that is not born of Love
Is not Might born from above,
Has its birthplace down below
Where they neither reap nor sow;
Love alone is strength!

Love is stronger than all force,
Is its own eternal source;
Might is always in decay,
Love grows fresher every day;
Love alone is strength!

Little ones, no ill can chance;
Fear ye not, but sing and dance,
Though the high-heaved heaven should fall
God is plenty for us all;
God is Love and Strength!

George MacDonald

Old School

It is rare for me to drive our mini-van to work, but I did so on Friday. Our mini-van was built in 1996 and offers musical enjoyment only through the means of an audio-casette player. I soon found myself listening to dc Talk's JesusFreak.

I truly believe that JesusFreak is one of the best Christian compilations of all time (Truly, I don't know whether to call it an album, tape, or cd....for brevity's sake, let's call it a cd). It is definitely in my top five cd's of all time. It really is a very deep, yet incredibly fun collection of songs. Where else can you find such a potpourri of lyrical topics....drug addiction vs. God addiction, race relations, advocacy of fearless and unapologetic Christianity, daily fellowship with God, legitimate and genuine fear of losing the band's Christian identity, rea; forgiveness, and walking in the light as He is in the light. Not to mention that they just had a great sound. I know it's 2008, but I still say that JesusFreak is worth acknowledging as a great piece of music. Agree of disagree?

So, I've provided one of my top five cd's (and yes, the rest of them are actually from the 21st century)...anybody else care to share your top five list or one of your top five?

A Fresh Beginning

On Monday at work, I typed on my computer these words:

Lord Jesus, what do you want me to do?

My inquiry related to work so the reply was a little unexpected, but I typed it anyhow.

"Get up at 6:00 am and spend time with me."

"What would we do?" was my typed reply. I sensed "Read Taylor, MadDonald and Brand."

For three days straight, I've been getting up a little earlier to spend time with Jesus. Nothing earthshaking...I've followed the plan and the time really has meant something to me (and I suspect to Him as well). I confess that I really need encouragement to continue in this way. It's not easy going to bed early (I really should be in bed now) and its not easy getting up so early, but it has been soooo worth it. I know its not essential but more and more, I reallly would like to become a man of prayer...intentional prayer. Even now, its easy to read in the morning but not so easy to pray. In fact, reading Hudson Taylor's life story has stoked my prayer fire even more. Oh, how I want to be a man of prayer as he was! I feel like I'm at a place where the Lord wants to take the next step in regard to prayer in my life. I love that! I love that He is never satisfied and is always calling us to more encounters with Him!

Lately, I'm constantly feeling this sense of urgency that life is short and there is so much of Him to take in and so much of Him to share with others. I think the "how" of the longings of my heart somehow begins with prayer. How I need to keep going in the mornings with Him! I encourage any of you to encourage me in this. I don't want to be legalistic about it, but as I said before, these times have meant something to me (and I suspect to Him as well).

More from Uncle Hudson

As I'm reading along in this book, I'm finding that this brother's faith is just so encouraging. His words and life make me want to go on with Jesus all the more. Here's an example.

For God is no man's debtor, and here in his solitude, Hudson Taylor was learning something of what God can be to the one who follows hard after Him. In these days of easy-going Christianity, is it not well to remind ourselves that it really does cost to be a man or woman whom God can use? One cannot obtain a Christlike character for nothing, and one cannot do a Christlike work save at great price.

I pulled this statement from a subsequent chapter that seems to shed more light on the above::

"I never made a sacrifice," said Hudson Taylor in later years, looking back over a life in which that element was certainly not lacking. But what he said was true, for the compensations were so real and lasting that he came to see that giving up is inevitably receiving, when one is dealing heart to heart with God.

Chapter 4 of this book is magnificent! This chapter's essential message is that when we are faithfully obedient and take steps that God calls us to take, He always comes through and will never leave us holding an empty bag. His testimony to this fact as told in Chapter four really is inspiring. One of the best book chapters I've ever read, and that's no exaggeration.

She's Perfect for Me

I'm so grateful to the Lord Jesus Christ for the precious gift of my beautiful wife Maria. She is a precious expression of His goodness and faithfulness to me. The above is one of my favorite pictures. You can find her blog at www.centeredonjesus.blogspot.com. The link is forever posted as "My Favorite Blog" and identified by the tremendously appropriate title of "Expressions of a Child of God." It really does give you a sense of who she is and who she loves. She loves Jesus and loves me, and I love her.

Fun at Floyd Casey

Thanks to Rishi for taking this great picture of our sons playing on the turf at Floyd Casey Stadium. Just prior to the picture being taken, Ben and Ellis had tackled me to the ground and the photo shows them taunting me and keeping me from getting up off the turf. Thanks also to my dad for going with us and siding with me in who should start for Baylor at QB next year. His name is Robert Griffin and even though he is a freshman, he looked fantastic and should be the starter for the next four years. We don't care what Rishi says, do we dad? We all agreed that the Bears looked better than years past; not great, just better. By far the best part was being with our boys and watching them have a terrific time. Ben and Ellis are so different, but so much fun in their own way. Lots of laughs and lots of joy! Thanks boys!

Hudson Taylor

Hudson Taylor lived from 1832 to 1905 and is considered by most to be largely responsible for opening China to the ministry of Jesus Christ. He was a remarkable man who founded the China Inland Mission. Hudson Taylor's son wrote a book called Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret and Dr. Howard Taylor described the secret to his father's amazing life as follows:

What was the secret, we may well ask, of such a life? Hudson Taylor had many secrets, for he was always going on with God, yet they were but one--the simple, prfound secret of drawing for every need, temporal or spiritual, upon the fathomless wealth of Christ. To find out how he did this, and to make our own his simple, practical attitude toward spiritual things, would solve our problems and ease our burdens, so that we too might become all that God would make us.. We want, we need, we may have, Hudson Taylor's secret and his success, for we have Hudson Taylor's bible and his God.

Preceeding these words was written this simple poem, which I presume is from the perspective of our precious Lord:

Bear not a single care thyself, One is too much for thee;
The work is mine, and mine alone;
Thy work---to rest in Me.

I'd like to claim this man as a blood relative (same last name) but I, naturally, have no proof. Of course, if I ever get proof, many of you will be the first to know! Does anyone see a family resemblance?