tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1493589959521419662.post5854305038575413212..comments2023-10-31T08:40:38.320-04:00Comments on Few There Be That Find It. . .: SinsectsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1493589959521419662.post-60154128478957988872009-09-17T00:28:04.837-04:002009-09-17T00:28:04.837-04:00POWERFUL! Thank you, J!POWERFUL! Thank you, J!Nikihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03958599024478442906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1493589959521419662.post-84776272411196609142009-09-16T13:34:56.028-04:002009-09-16T13:34:56.028-04:00I looked up Hudson Taylor on wikipedia and this qu...I looked up Hudson Taylor on wikipedia and this quote from a letter of his struck me: "If I had a thousand pounds China should have it- if I had a thousand lives, China should have them. No! Not China, but Christ. Can we do too much for Him? Can we do enough for such a precious Saviour?"<br /><br />Pretty amazing guy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1493589959521419662.post-3037085885883403382009-09-16T08:21:58.661-04:002009-09-16T08:21:58.661-04:00Wilkerson had this on his blog today:
I have been...Wilkerson had this on his blog today:<br /><br /><i>I have been greatly impacted by the biography of Hudson Taylor. Taylor was one of the most effective missionaries in history, a godly man of prayer who established churches throughout China’s vast interior. Yet he ministered for years without joy. He was downcast over his struggles, agonizing over secret longings and thoughts of unbelief.<br /> <br />In 1869 Taylor experienced a revolutionary change. He saw that Christ had all he needed, yet none of his own tears or repenting could release those blessings in him. Taylor recognized there was only one way to Christ’s fullness: through faith. Every promise God had made with man required faith. So Taylor determined to stir up his faith, yet even that effort proved vain. Finally, in his darkest hour, the Holy Spirit gave him a revelation: faith comes not by striving, but by resting on the promises of God. That is the secret of tapping into all of Christ’s blessings.<br /> <br />Taylor forgave himself for the sins that Christ had said were already cast into the sea. And because he rested on God’s promises, he was able to become a joyous servant, continually casting all his cares on the Lord.</i>FewThereBeThatFindIthttp://ftbtfi.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1493589959521419662.post-7706646281917002462009-09-15T15:01:16.761-04:002009-09-15T15:01:16.761-04:00Well - maybe "sociopathy" is a strong wo...Well - maybe "sociopathy" is a strong word to use, but you get the drift. -- SilasAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1493589959521419662.post-47179904736136931832009-09-15T14:59:44.318-04:002009-09-15T14:59:44.318-04:00You ain't alone in that boat, brother!
I'...You ain't alone in that boat, brother!<br /><br />I'm met certain people in my lifetime - <i> few and far between, of course </i> - that seemed...well...disinclined towards malice or any other serious transgressions..."Prince Muishkins" of the world, ya know. They probably had their hidden flaws, like the rest of us, but I imagine those blessed few come as close to "goodness" as our fucked-up, morally-damaged natures will allow.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I have never been one of those people. Hell...at times, I think my emotional detachment from others borders on sociopathy, or whatever "borderline" personality term they use these days. It takes a helluva strong jolt to move me, but hey, I've just always been like that<br /><br />Weak, immoral, greedy - you've got most of us pegged in a nutshell!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1493589959521419662.post-58863972528298234122009-09-15T13:54:55.557-04:002009-09-15T13:54:55.557-04:00Bukowski may have said it best on his gravestone w...Bukowski may have said it best on his gravestone with, "Don't Try."<br /><br />I can't help it and my "repentance" is likely a Judas like repentance cloaked in the drag of something legitimate. . . . but then again, I've long had a soft spot for Judas.<br /><br />Weak, immoral, greedy, regretful. . . . add Thomas and it's probably me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1493589959521419662.post-9678219439556612292009-09-15T09:23:27.212-04:002009-09-15T09:23:27.212-04:00Unfortunately, our modern Christendom has confused...Unfortunately, our modern Christendom has confused regret with repentance. <br /><br />Repentance means having a new mind. . .a completely different frame of reference.<br /><br />What most of us Christians now practice as repentance is just the repentance of Judas. Judas regretted what he had done, he felt so terrible, he killed himself. But he did not have a new mind. He still had doubt about Christ. . .he had no faith in Christ as the redeemer. . .he tried to pay his own sin debt by sacrificing himself. . .his faith was in himself, not Christ. This is the kind of repentance most Christians practice today.<br /><br />As for trying to do better, if we have to try, then that tells us everything, no?<br /><br />As the great prophet Isaiah observed, all our good works are as filthy rags.FewThereBeThatFindIthttp://ftbtfi.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1493589959521419662.post-38043436427507983502009-09-14T22:00:04.437-04:002009-09-14T22:00:04.437-04:00Maybe it's my think skull. . . . and believe y...Maybe it's my think skull. . . . and believe you me, I understand at least some of what you are saying with this post. . . . but there is this thing where I really despise my acts (and myself, unfortunately) because I KNEW/KNOW BETTER!!!<br /><br />Within that feeling of "I KNEW/KNOW BETTER!!!" is some true repentance. Some true regret. And neither of those are predicated by being "caught" or whatever. We're all caught anyhow.<br /><br />Some of it can be explained as vanity, yes. Vanity and Pride, I believe, are my two greatest shortcomings. Not that either are a bad thing, but the extreme I've taken it to is disgusting.<br /><br />But I truly believe I'm sincere when I think of something (I'm serious here) I said to an elder or friend or enemy years ago and feel anguish because of my cruelty.<br /><br />The only true renewal is through Christ and we will always fall short. Perhaps it is my pride speaking but I believe we should always strive to do better. To try.<br /><br />Without Christ, there is nothing, that is sure. He is Numero Uno. Giving up is almost impossible for me.<br /><br />Again, maybe that's the pride talking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1493589959521419662.post-65419623650673651132009-09-14T12:15:47.693-04:002009-09-14T12:15:47.693-04:00And we have the same problem with *repentance,* to...And we have the same problem with *repentance,* too. People mistake an emotional reaction of sorrow and a few apologies plus a pledge to *try harder* for repentance. . .but their mind remains the same. They have the same attitude. Only God can grant true repentance, the 180 degree mind shift. . .<br /><br />A few tears (and not from the hurt caused to others, but the hurt of being caught) and a few 'I'm sorries' are worthless. . .an empty ritual performed by all, believer and unbeliever alike.<br /><br />Christianity has become theater. . .the believer has to *act* a certain way. . .<br /><br />Christianity is dead in Europe, and dying in America, because it is in word only. . .just a script followed by the pew-warmers.FewThereBeThatFindIthttp://ftbtfi.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1493589959521419662.post-29111233336186910282009-09-14T10:58:44.253-04:002009-09-14T10:58:44.253-04:00You know, one of the biggest misconceptions I see ...You know, one of the biggest misconceptions I see out there is the sort of thing you talk about in this post: folks think that a simple act of willpower, of human effort can change those fundamentals flaws. Just look at all those "rugged individualists" who think that anybody who can't pull themselves out of a shitpool is a total waste. They don't realize how effete the human will can really be...that the only legitimate renewel comes from HIM.<br />--SilasAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com