One of the things that I am trying to do more of this year is read more books. I specify books, because I already do more than my share of reading on the computer. I get most of my news and reviews from the Internet and various blogs. However, there is a pert of me that feels a bankruptcy in the virtural world that makes reading an actual book with paper and ink feel richer somehow. (I say that while at the same time hoping you’ll read our spot on the world-wide-web often!)
In anycase, while we were in the States I re-read a biography written by Mrs. Howard Taylor (Grand-daughter of J. Hudson Taylor) about
J.O. Fraser called “
Behind the Ranges”. Those who know me, know that the life of Hudson Taylor has had tremendous influence on my thinking about Christianity, missions and spirituality. His biography (also written by his grandaughter) is second only to the Bible as to the impact it’s had on my life.
That said, I must also highly recommend this little volume about another of the great men of faith who labored with the China Inland Mission, if you can get your hands on it (it’s out of print). There is something quiet and powerful about the life of this man, who labored among the Lhisu people without visible fruit for years. He was a man of faith and a man of prayer ... and it was the insight into his prayer life that was most powerful to me in this book. The chapter entitled “
The Prayer of Faith” (which was also released as a small book on prayer several years ago - but also out of print) may be one of the most important treatise on prayer written in modern times. Here are several quotations from the book which I found helpful, and my prayer is that you might find them helpful, as well.
Concerning Language Study:
The temptaion is is to be content to use words which nearly express your meaning, but not quite.
Concerning Prayer:
(Our) work does not exist in curio exhibitions, lantern lectures, interesting reports, and so on. Good as they may be, these are only the fringe, not the root of the matter. Solid, lasting missionary work is done on our knees.
Concerning opposition:
I know enough about Satan to realize that he will have all his weapons ready for determined opposition. He would be a missionary simpleton who expected plain sailing in any work of God.
Also concerning opposition:
I have given way to discouragement, dark discouragement, far too much in the past. Now I know rather better, and thoroughly agree with the assertion ‘all discouragement is of the devil’. Discouragement is to be resisted just like sin.
Concerning pragmatism:
Do we spend much time waiting on God to know his will before attempting to embark on His promise?
Concerning Spiritual Power:
Every time you take the earth standpoint - think as men think, talk as men talk, look as men look - you take a place below the powers of darkness. The mastery of them depends upon your spirit abiding in a plane above them, and the place above them means knowing God’s outlook, God’s view, God’s thought, God’s plan, God’s ways - by abiding with Christ in God.
Again, concerning prayer (and opposition):
The aim of Satanic power is to cut off communicaiton with God.
I found these quotes coupled with the story of his life challenging, as well as encouraging. I commend this book to all of our readers, if you can get your hands on a copy.
Also you might check out the
docu-drama on the life of Fraser put out by the good folks at
OMF. I haven't seen it, but think it looks intriguing!