Hudson Taylor, a missionary in China, had three important beliefs concerning prayer: first, you can work without praying, but it is a bad plan; second, you cannot pray in earnest without working; and third, do not be so busy with work for Christ, that you have no strength left to pray. True praying requires strength. Warren Wiersbe wrote, “Prayer is not an escape from responsibility; it is our response to God’s ability. True prayer energizes us for service and battle.” Augustine said, “Pray as though everything depended on God, and work as though everything depended on you.” --Warren Henderson
O how praying rests the weary! Prayer will change the night to day;
So, when life seems dark and dreary, don’t! forget to pray. --M. A. K.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Will I pray?
Sometimes I have so much to do
I think it must be done.
I'll work so very, very hard
From morn till set of sun,
But there is something I have found;
This really doesn't pay.
I've always found I've weaker grown
If I have failed to pray.
Sometimes 'twas something for myself,
Sometimes it was for God,
Sometimes it was for other folks
That many steps I trod.
But 'tis no matter who 'twas for,
I truthfully must say,
My faith and trust had smaller grown
Because I failed to pray.
So I am trying hard to learn
That nothing's really great
If it must take my praying time,
So praying has to wait.
It's praying, makes me fit for work;
It is my staff and stay,
And work will never be the best,
If I have failed to pray.
Author unknown
I think it must be done.
I'll work so very, very hard
From morn till set of sun,
But there is something I have found;
This really doesn't pay.
I've always found I've weaker grown
If I have failed to pray.
Sometimes 'twas something for myself,
Sometimes it was for God,
Sometimes it was for other folks
That many steps I trod.
But 'tis no matter who 'twas for,
I truthfully must say,
My faith and trust had smaller grown
Because I failed to pray.
So I am trying hard to learn
That nothing's really great
If it must take my praying time,
So praying has to wait.
It's praying, makes me fit for work;
It is my staff and stay,
And work will never be the best,
If I have failed to pray.
Author unknown
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
God's Thoughts and Mine
The Hammer thoughts
That pound and shatter peace;
The Rodent thoughts
That gnaw and will not cease;
The Brier thoughts
That pull and prick and scratch;
The Rover thoughts
That I can never catch;
The Serpent thoughts
That leave their lairs at night;
The Shadow thoughts
That dim the new day's light;
These are my thoughts;
Oh, take them, Lord, I pray,
Out of my heart,
And cast them far away;
And in their stead
Give me those thoughts of Thine,
So crystal-clear,
So holy, high and fine,
That I shall grow
By their pure grace enticed,
Worthy to think
The lovely thoughts of Christ.
Annie Johnson Flint
That pound and shatter peace;
The Rodent thoughts
That gnaw and will not cease;
The Brier thoughts
That pull and prick and scratch;
The Rover thoughts
That I can never catch;
The Serpent thoughts
That leave their lairs at night;
The Shadow thoughts
That dim the new day's light;
These are my thoughts;
Oh, take them, Lord, I pray,
Out of my heart,
And cast them far away;
And in their stead
Give me those thoughts of Thine,
So crystal-clear,
So holy, high and fine,
That I shall grow
By their pure grace enticed,
Worthy to think
The lovely thoughts of Christ.
Annie Johnson Flint
Honour thy father...
And Shem and Japheth took the upper garment and both laid it upon their shoulders, and went backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father. And their faces were turned away, that they saw not their father's nakedness. - Genesis 9:23
Have always been struck by the way in which these two sons protected the honour of their drunk father. Am reminded of it again. No complains about how shameful Noah's behaviour was. No arguments about whether or not they should do what they did and the effects of Noah's doing on the family. No doubts about their duty to honour their father. Had they chosen not to cover Noah's nakedness, they could have argued that he asked for it, they could have reasoned that he deserved it or they could have rationalised that he had it coming to him. Instead, not only did they cover him so that others would not see his nakedness but they themselves refused to take a glimpse of their father's bareness and vulnerability, refusing to allow their father's flawed character to influence the degree of honour they should give him. Is it not said that love covers all trangressions?
Taking it a step further, here's a father who is but human, weak and sinful, like all earthly fathers. We may give the excuse that they make it difficult for us to honour them. But we who know the perfect Father in heaven, what excuse do we have not to honour Him in our lives? And if we say we honour Him, then wouldn't we honour our earthly fathers as He commanded us to?
Have always been struck by the way in which these two sons protected the honour of their drunk father. Am reminded of it again. No complains about how shameful Noah's behaviour was. No arguments about whether or not they should do what they did and the effects of Noah's doing on the family. No doubts about their duty to honour their father. Had they chosen not to cover Noah's nakedness, they could have argued that he asked for it, they could have reasoned that he deserved it or they could have rationalised that he had it coming to him. Instead, not only did they cover him so that others would not see his nakedness but they themselves refused to take a glimpse of their father's bareness and vulnerability, refusing to allow their father's flawed character to influence the degree of honour they should give him. Is it not said that love covers all trangressions?
Taking it a step further, here's a father who is but human, weak and sinful, like all earthly fathers. We may give the excuse that they make it difficult for us to honour them. But we who know the perfect Father in heaven, what excuse do we have not to honour Him in our lives? And if we say we honour Him, then wouldn't we honour our earthly fathers as He commanded us to?
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Show Us Thy Grace
Show us our need, O Lord; how lost, how hopeless,
How poor, how sunk in sin our carnal hearts;
Show us how vain to change our sad condition,
Our best endeavor and our utmost arts;
Show us how weak we are, and how dependent,
How multiplied defeats our pride abase;
And then -- O Lord, lest we despair too wholly --
Show us Thy grace!
Show us Thy grace, the great, the all-sufficient,
Infinite riches for our poverty,
Mercy of God for uttermost salvation,
Weapon that turns defeat to victory;
Gladness unspeakable and full of glory,
Beyond our needs, a vast unmeasured space.
Lord, as we never yet have seen or known it,
Show us Thy grace!
Annie Johnson Flint
How poor, how sunk in sin our carnal hearts;
Show us how vain to change our sad condition,
Our best endeavor and our utmost arts;
Show us how weak we are, and how dependent,
How multiplied defeats our pride abase;
And then -- O Lord, lest we despair too wholly --
Show us Thy grace!
Show us Thy grace, the great, the all-sufficient,
Infinite riches for our poverty,
Mercy of God for uttermost salvation,
Weapon that turns defeat to victory;
Gladness unspeakable and full of glory,
Beyond our needs, a vast unmeasured space.
Lord, as we never yet have seen or known it,
Show us Thy grace!
Annie Johnson Flint
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