The winds will never waft the story; but they must waft us...

Recalling an experience, the pain of which could never be forgotten, Mr. [Hudson] Taylor went on to tell of a Ningpo convert who, full of joy in his new-found faith, had inquired: "How long have you known this good news in your country?" "We have known it a long time," was the reluctant answer; "hundreds of years." "Hundreds of years," exclaim the ex-Buddhist leader, "and you never came to tell us!" "My father sought the truth," he added sadly, "sought it long, and died without finding it. Oh, why did you not come sooner?" "Shall we say that the way it was not open?" continue the speaker. "At any rate it is open now...What are we doing to bring them the tidings of Redeeming Love? It is no use singing as we often do: 'Waft, waft ye winds the story.' The winds will never waft the story; but they must waft us. The Lord Jesus Christ commands us, commands us each one individually – 'Go,' He says, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.' Will you say to him, 'It is not convenient'? Will you tell Him that you are busy...or for other reasons cannot obey? Will he except such excuses? Have we forgotten that 'we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ,' that every one may receive the things done in his body. Oh, remember, pray for, labour for the unevangelised millions...or you will sin against your own soul!" ~Hudson Taylor and the China Inland Mission: The Growth of a Work of God, excerpt from chapter 1

It Is Not Convenient

Hudson Taylor and his unsaved Chinese translator, Peter, were traveling by native junk to the town of Ningpo to preach and to distribute tracts: "Mr. Taylor in his cabin was startled by a sudden splash and cry that told of a man overboard. Springing at once on deck he looked round and missed Peter. 'Yes,' exclaimed the boatmen unconcernedly, 'it was over there he went down!' To drop the sail and jump into the water was the work of a moment; but the tide was running out, and the low, shrubless shore afforded little landmark. Searching everywhere in an agony of suspense, Mr. Taylor caught sight of some fishermen with a dragnet - just the thing needed. 'Come,' he cried as hope revived, 'come and drag over this spot. A man is drowning!' 'Veh bin' was the amazing reply: 'it is not convenient.' 'Don't talk of convenience! Quickly come, or it will be too late.' 'We are busy fishing.' 'Never mind your fishing! Come - only come at once! I will pay you well.' 'How much will you give us?' 'Five dollars! only don't stand talking. Save life without delay!' 'Too little!' they shouted across the water. 'We will not come for less than thirty dollars.' 'But I have not so much with me! I will give you all I've got.' 'And how much may that be?' 'Oh, I don't know. About fourteen dollars.' Upon this they came, and the first time they passed the net through the water brought up the missing man. But all Mr. Taylor's efforts to restore respiration were in vain. It was only too plain that life had fled, sacrificed to the callous indifference of those who might easily have saved it...We condemn those heathen fishermen. We say they were guilty of the man's death - because they could easily have saved him, and did not do it. But what of the millions whom we leave to perish and that eternally? What of the plain command, 'Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature,' and for the searching question inspired by God Himself, 'If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; if thou sayest, Behold we knew it not; doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it? and He that keepeth thy soul doth not He know it? And shall He not render to every man according to his works?'" ~Hudson Taylor and the China Inland Mission: The Growth of a Work of God, excerpt from chapter 1

A Real Waste

"And people who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives and when the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted." - Nate Saint, martyr

Lift Up Your Eyes

Yesterday I was talking to the pharmacist at Wal-Mart. She said, "Your insurance called and said you all need a 6 month supply of Andrew's eye drops because you are leaving the country this month." I said, "yes" and then she asked where we were going. I told her Cameroon, and she asked how long we would be visiting. I told her that is where we live. That is where Drew and his siblings grew up. I told her we have lived there more than 13 years. She just stood there with her mouth open. I am glad nobody was in line behind me and her assistant was just wrapping up with another customer. I briefly told them Drew's story and gave them each one of Drew's Gospel tracts. They were both thankful and promised to read them. As we walked away, Drew and I looked back and saw them both standing there reading their tract. "...Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." ~Jesus (John 4:35-36)

"Lord, help me."

You just never know what the person you rub shoulders with is going through... Sometimes on Wednesday nights (if we are in Chattanooga), Becca and I plan a date night after church. We come home, we spend time together as a family in prayer and Bible reading, and then we send the kids to bed. I run out for a pizza from our favorite local pizza joint, and Becca and I spend the rest of the evening hanging out. I recently gave Mark, the manager, one of Drew' Gospel tracts. When I entered his store last night, the cooks were leaving and the assistant was stacking chairs and sweeping the place out. Mark handed me my pizza and said, "I read your son's story, and was deeply touched. I needed that, Mr. Ben. Thank you for sharing that." He went on to open up his heart. He shared some of his struggles, desires, and life issues. As my pizza cooled and the store closed, Mark and I discussed life, the Bible, and the answers found in Jesus Christ. Mark assured me that he was a believer, but admitted that he was not where he wanted to be spiritually. I asked Mark if I could pray for him, his wife and his 2 children. He looked surprised, but immediately said, "sure." Right there, on either side of the counter, Mark and I entered the throne room of heaven and worshiped the Lord like the Canaanite women I read about this morning in Matthew 15:25 who said, "Lord, help me." With emotion brimming in his eyes, Mark and I shook hands, and I headed home. I don't know what God has planned, but I am looking forward to following up with Mark when possible. I share this story to encourage you to keep your eyes lifted up today. Lift up your eyes on high (Isaiah 40:26), and then lift up your eyes on the harvest (John 4:35). Every person we meet today needs Christ or could use some encouragement. Share Christ with others today. :) Kingdom first!

If any man will come after me...

I saw in a dream that I was in the Celestial City – though when and how I got there I could not tell. I was one of a great multitude which no man could number, from all countries and peoples and times and ages. Somehow I found that the saint who stood next to me had been in Heaven more than 1,860 years. “Who are you?” I said to him. (We both spoke the same language of heavenly Canaan, so that I understood him and he me.) “I,” said he, “was a Roman Christian; I lived in the days of the Apostle Paul, I was one of those who died in Nero’s persecutions. I was covered with pitch and fastened to a stake and set on fire to light up Nero’s gardens.” “How awful!” I exclaimed. “No,” he said, “I was glad to do something for Jesus. He died on the cross for me.” The man on the other side then spoke: “I have been in Heaven only a few hundred years. I came from an island in the South Seas – Erromanga. John Williams, a missionary, came and told me about Jesus, and I too learned to love Him. My fellow-countrymen killed the missionary, and they caught and bound me. I was beaten until I fainted and they thought I was dead, but I revived. The next day they knocked me on the head, cooked and ate me.” “How terrible!” I said. “No,” he answered, “I was glad to die as a Christian. You see the missionaries had told me that Jesus was scourged and crowned with thorns for me.” Then they both turned to me and said, “What did you suffer for Him? Or did you sell what you had for the money which sent men like John Williams to tell the heathen about Jesus?” And I was speechless. And while they both were looking at me with sorrowful eyes, I awoke, and it was a dream! But I lay on my soft bed awake for hours, thinking of the money I had wasted on my own pleasures; or my extra clothing, and costly car, and many luxuries; and I realized that I did not know what the words of Jesus meant: “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34). ~Original Source Unknown

William Haslam

You remember when William Haslam, that English clergyman, was converted. He preached with such power that he won every member of his perish to Christ. There was not a person living in the Baldhu section of Cornwall who had not confessed the Lord. Then he became greatly concerned about his neighbors, so he began preaching in adjoining parishes and winning souls there. The other ministers became upset over it, and sent in their objections to the Bishop, saying, "Mr. Haslam is interfering with our work. He is poaching in our parishes, telling our people that they have to be converted and need to be born again." The Bishop sent for William Haslam and said, "I understand you are preaching all the time. You don't seem to be doing anything else." William Haslam replied, "My lord bishop, I assure you I preach only two seasons of the year." "Oh," said the Bishop, "I am glad to know that. And what seasons are they?" "In season and out of season," replied William Haslam. That is the charge that comes to everyone of us if we really know Christ. It is not just for official proclaiming of the Word, not just for pastors and elders, but for all Christians. Let us be instant in season and out of season in winning precious souls to the Lord Jesus Christ. ~H.A. Ironside in his commentary on 1 Timothy through Philemon, page 160.