Ok to Hide to Preach Again
Here is an article dealing with Jesus’ example when He was faced with persecution in some cirumstances and how He dealt with it. We need to keep this in mind when dealing with the temptation to allow the fear of persecution to keep us from doing ministry.
John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Jesus clearly tells them who He is! He said, before Abraham was “I am!” The Jews want to stone Jesus. Jesus hides and then walks out through them. He will go on obviously to do ministry!
The lesson here is that when you know you are about to be killed for doing ministry there is no problem hiding so you can preach again. We should be bold in the gospel. We should be ready to die when the time comes but until then we do not play the fool. We keep going to preach some more!
What a wonderful example God gives us of how Jesus did ministry! He is a worthy example, of course!
Escaping Again
John 10:39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
Once again just a couple of chapters later Jesus escapes out of their hand. He is not afraid to die. He has come to die. It simply is not time to die yet.
As our missionaries travel the world and preach in very insecure places it is wise to know how to handle the ministry. Jesus did not let fear keep Him from the ministry. He was out, about, and doing ministry. He would preach and they would attempt to take Him.
He never allowed them to stop His ministry but He would escape to preach again somewhere else. A preacher today shouldn’t be foolish enough to go to either extreme. To intentionally want to get caught and harmed would be foolish. To allow the fear of getting caught to keep you from doing anything that might cause you to get harmed would be foolish also.
Jesus did ministry. Jesus escaped. Jesus continued doing ministry and did it again!
Source: www.austingardner.net
08.16.11
Happy to be Persecuted
Here is a timely article from my pastor on persecution. He has been a great help and encouragement to us. I wholeheartedly agree with his thoughts below. Enjoy!
Matthew 5:1-12 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
This is so opposite of what we think. We are blessed when we get persecuted. We are happy when we get persecuted if we know that they are persecuting us for doing right.
God has promised to reward us in Heaven. We know that when they persecute us we are just another in the long line of so many that have gone on before us.
So what should our attitude be when our missionaries are arrested for preaching the gospel in a closed country (where it is illegal to preach the gospel)?
Some would question whether or not we should even be there but I must remind you that we were commanded to take the gospel to the whole world.
Others would err on the side of too much caution. They want to avoid persecution so they make up good “spirit;” excuses for being quiet and hiding their light under a bushel.
Others question whether they should support such a missionary and what do we do when they get kicked out of the country. Which is better, to get kicked out for preaching, or to not preach and get to stay.
What do you think Jesus would have done? Would He have risked death to do the job He was sent to do? Would Paul have tried not to get into trouble or would He have rushed in where few would dare to go?
Jesus said that if we get persecuted for preaching that we are blessed, happy, and rewarded. How can you argue with that?
Source: austingardner.net
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Roosevelt, Missionaries, China & Willingness
If you haven’t already noticed by now, I have a thing about putting out quotes that reference China and missions. A friend recently wrote an article on his blog and included a quote about missionaries and in specific missionaries in China. Thus, not only a repost of the quote but the whole post was great and I thought that I would share it with you. Enjoy!
All they which dwelt in Asia heard…
Acts 19:8, “And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.”
President Roosevelt said:
“Since becoming President, I have come to know that the finest of Americans we have abroad today are the missionaries of the Cross. I am humiliated that I am not finding out until this late day the worth of foreign missions and the nobility of the missionaries. Their testimony in China, for instance, during the war there, is beyond praise. Their courage is thrilling and their fortitude heroic.”[1]
Our desire is that the whole earth would know Who the true and living God is! The only Way to the God is through Jesus Christ. In this passage (Acts 19:10) all of Asia hears the truth of God’s Word. In other parts of Scripture (Colossians 1) every creature is said to have the Gospel preached to them. May God help us to see that HE is able to do this through us in OUR GENERATION. Here is one of four thoughts that will be coming out:
BE WILLING AND OBEDIENT (Acts 19:8)
Boldness comes from our prayer life (Acts 4), but here this boldness is seen in the fact that “…he went“! I personally cannot speak as the the specific location that God would have you to be in this world. There is much to be done in America to train leaders and much that needs to be done to encourage the cause of Christ worldwide; but I must be willing to go where the Lord would have me to go, and so do you! For the world to be reached, we must have a generation that is willing to go unto the ends of the earth! Do not simply ask God a generic request, but ask Him to help you to be made willing.
[1] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.
If you enjoyed that article I encourage you to check out Max Fernandez’s blog. Max is the Associate and Youth Pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Middletown, Ohio. We enjoyed getting to know him and his family a little while we were on deputation and we are excited to see how the Lord is blessing their ministry. Also, we are looking forward to seeing him and a few others when they visit China this fall.
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“Fear not”
“During the Boxer Rebellion, when the workers with the China Inland Mission were experiencing great suffering, the founder James Hudson Taylor, then in his late seventies, said to some colleagues, “I cannot read; I cannot think; I cannot even pray; but I can trust.” “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
“Fear not” is the word of assurance that the Lord gave to many of His servants: to Abraham (Gen. 15:1), Isaac (26:24), Jacob (46:3), Moses and the nation of Israel (Ex. 14:13), Joshua (Josh. 8:1; 10:8), King Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 20:17), the Jewish remnant returning to their land (Isa. 41:10, 13–14; 43:1, 5; 44:2), the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezek. 3:9), the Prophet Daniel (Dan. 10:12, 19), Joseph (Matt. 1:20), Zacharias (Luke 1:13), Mary (1:30), the shepherds (2:10), Paul (Acts 27:24), and the Apostle John (Rev. 1:17). You and I can say with these spiritual giants, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear” (Heb. 13:6).”
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be committed. An Old Testament study. Ruth and Esther (45–46). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.
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Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting
“The story is told of Hudson Taylor, missionary statesman to China, in the terrible days of the Boxer uprising there. As one report followed another of mission stations being destroyed and missionaries massacred, Taylor remained quietly at his desk, singing softly these words that he loved so dearly:
Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art; I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart. Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee, and Thy beauty fills my soul, for by Thy transforming power Thou hast made me whole.
Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, I behold Thee as Thou art, and Thy love, so pure, so changeless, satisfies my heart—Satisfies its deepest longings, meets, supplies its ev’ry need, compasseth me round with blessings. This is love indeed!
Ever lift Thy face upon me as I work and wait for Thee. Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus, earth’s dark shadows flee. Brightness of my Father’s glory, sunshine of my Father’s face, keep me ever trusting, resting; fill me with Thy grace.”
Osbeck, K. W. (1990). Amazing grace : 366 inspiring hymn stories for daily devotions (287). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications. {Emphasis added by me.}
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Chinese Bible Reading
Have you ever thought what it would be like to read the Bible in Chinese? Ok, probably not. But I thought I would give you a taste anyways. My colleague (over at the Gospel in China blog) has been preparing Chinese Bible Reading Lessons to assist those who are learning Chinese (or wanting too). They have been a great help to me. If you are interested in learning Chinese you can find the whole lessons by clicking here.
Here is Mark 1:1-2, enjoy!
1. Shén de érzi, yēsū jīdū fúyīn de qǐtóu,
Shén (God) + de (showing possession)1+ érzi (son) = shén de érzi (God’s son)
Yēsū (Jesus)+ jīdū (Christ)+ fúyīn (Gospel) = yēsū jīdū fúyīn (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) 2
Fúyīn (the Gospel)+ de (showing modification) 3+ qǐtóu (beginning) = (the beginning of the Gospel)1 ‘de’ has several uses, but its most simple is to show possession, as ‘’s’ in English
2 words that are closely related are sometimes connected more directly in Chinese than English
3 ‘de’ here shows modification, or in other words, it answers the question: ‘which one?’; eg. the beginning – which beginning? The beginning of the Gospel2. Zhèngrú xiānzhī yǐsàiyà shū shàng jì zhe shuō:“Kàn na, wǒ yào chāiqiǎn wǒ de shǐzhě zài nǐ qiánmiàn, yùbèi dàolù.
Zhèng (just, precisely)+ rú (as, like) = zhèngrú (just like, just as)
Xiānzhī (prophet)+ yǐ sài yà (Isaiah)+ shū (book)+ shàng (on) 1 = xiānzhī yǐsàiyà shū shàng (in the book of the prophet Isaiah)
Jì (write, record)+ zhe (showing continuation) 2+ shuō (say, speak) = jì zhe shuō (it is written, saying)
Kàn (look)+ na (showing exclamation) = kàn na (look!)
Wǒ (I)+ yào (want, will)+ chāiqiǎn (send, dispatch) = wǒ yào chāiqiǎn (I will send)
Wǒ (I )+ de (showing possession) + shǐzhě (messenger) = wǒ de shǐzhě (my messenger)
Zài (at) + nǐ (you)+ qiánmiàn (in front, ahead, before) = zài nǐ qiánmiàn (before you)
Yùbèi (prepare)+ dàolù (way) = yùbèi dàolù (prepare the way)1 ‘on’ is used sometimes to describe a location that English-speakers would call ‘in’
2 ‘zhe’ shows that an action was continued in a certain condition for a length of time
| Posted in Amazing Journey, Chinese Christianity, Devotionals, Language Learning, Resources, Training | 2 Comments »
My Strength is Made Perfect in Weakness
“The Christian often tries to forget his weakness: God wants us to remember it, to feel it deeply. The Christian wants to conquer his weakness and to be freed from it: God wants us to rest and even rejoice in it. The Christian mourns over his weakness: Christ teaches His servant to say, ‘I take pleasure in infirmities; most gladly will I glory in my infirmities.’ The Christian thinks his weakness his greatest hindrance in the life and service of God: God tells us that it is the secret of strength and success. It is our weakness, heartily accepted and continually realized, that gives us our claim and access to the strength of Him who has said, ‘My strength is made perfect in weakness.’”
Andrew Murray
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“No Bible—no breakfast!”
“The Word of God is certainly central in spiritual growth. I have yet to meet a strong, fruitful Christian who ignores his Bible. We must daily spend devotional time in the Word, seeking the mind of God. We must also study the Word regularly, in a disciplined way, so that we better understand what it teaches. The gifted Chinese preacher, Watchman Nee, used to read through the New Testament once a month. This becomes apparent when you read his books, for you are struck with his wonderful insights into God’s Word. The members of the Chinese church used to have a saying, “No Bible—no breakfast!” If we followed that motto in America, I wonder how many Christians would go hungry.”
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Jud 20). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.
“The knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord”
This was a blessing to me as I read it today. So I wanted to share it with you and encourage you, as I was encouraged, to love and know the Saviour more and more everyday!
Spurgeon’s Morning Devotional | October 14th | Philippians 3:8
“I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.” - Philippians 3:8
Spiritual knowledge of Christ will be a personal knowledge. I cannot know Jesus through another person’s acquaintance with Him. No, I must know Him myself; I must know Him on my own account. It will be an intelligent knowledge–I must know Him, not as the visionary dreams of Him, but as the Word reveals Him. I must know His natures, divine and human. I must know His offices–His attributes–His works–His shame–His glory. I must meditate upon Him until I “comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.” It will be an affectionate knowledge of Him; indeed, if I know Him at all, I must love Him. An ounce of heart knowledge is worth a ton of head learning. Our knowledge of Him will be a satisfying knowledge. When I know my Saviour, my mind will be full to the brim–I shall feel that I have that which my spirit panted after. “This is that bread whereof if a man eat he shall never hunger.” At the same time it will be an exciting knowledge; the more I know of my Beloved, the more I shall want to know. The higher I climb the loftier will be the summits which invite my eager footsteps. I shall want the more as I get the more. Like the miser’s treasure, my gold will make me covet more. To conclude; this knowledge of Christ Jesus will be a most happy one; in fact, so elevating, that sometimes it will completely bear me up above all trials, and doubts, and sorrows; and it will, while I enjoy it, make me something more than “Man that is born of woman, who is of few days, and full of trouble”; for it will fling about me the immortality of the everliving Saviour, and gird me with the golden girdle of His eternal joy. Come, my soul, sit at Jesus’s feet and learn of Him all this day.
-C. H. Spurgeon
{underline and bold added by me for emphasis}
09.12.10
What do you do when you are persecuted in one city?
What do you do when you are persecuted in one city?
By Austin Gardner on Sep 10, 2010 in Devotionals“Matthew 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
Jesus knew that His people would be persecuted. He gave them permission to escape for their lives. They were not to quit witnessing they would just change venues. They would be attacked on every side. People would be after their lives.
They were to simply get to another place where they could continue preaching the gospel.”
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