Missionary Anecdote
Sat, Mar 27 2010 04:51 | philosophy, readings | Permalink
I read this account in Outgrowing the Ingrown Church. I thought it highlighted some good missiological principles that are applicable to every church and every Christian.
"Vednayakam Samuel Azariah became [the Anglican] bishop of Dornakal, the smallest diocese in the subcontinent. By the time he died at the end of World Warr II, the diocese had become the largest in all India.
What made the difference? Many things. Azariah stressed the importance of Bible knowledge being systematically imparted in all the churches. He focused on leadership training, regular evangelism, crusades after the harvests, and the use of native Indian cultural forms of worship and music. But he did something else that was supremely important. He insisted that every congregation and every church member get their [sic] identity straight. He stressed continually that each congregation was Christ's and distinct from the world . . . Often Azariah would dramatize the need for outgoing witness when he arrived in a congregation by asking every Christian in the church building to stand up and put his or her hands on their heads and say, "I am a baptized Christian. Woe is me if I preach not the gospel!"
Comments
Emotions Underlying Evangelistic Outreach
Tue, Mar 23 2010 03:39 | Bible, philosophy | Permalink
I was arrested recently by Paul's claim to have incredibly deep feelings for the Jews (Rom 9:1). Although I've read the passage before, the Spirit would not leave me alone about this passage. As a result of my meditation, I organized a lesson that I taught twice this past weekend. I left the last 10-15 minutes open for discussion that really helped me along in my thinking. The result of my meditation and the contributions of the classes I taught are below:
I. Paul's emotional response to lost Jews
A. Paul's claim is really pretty remarkable. He claims that he felt great sorrow or heaviness such as the sorrow one might feel when he learns that a close friend is moving far away (Jn 16.6), when a woman approaches labor (Jn 16.21), when a person is excluded from a community he desires to be included in (2 Cor 2:7), and when a person learns of the death of a loved one (Philippians 2:27). As I meditated on this claim, I realized how appropriate the KJV's "heaviness" is as a translation. Paul is saying that he has a great big cloud hanging over him. And that cloud is an emotional pain. Paul also claims that he is continually feeling agony emotionally. The same word is used in Luke 16 to describe the pain of the wealthy man who woke up in hell. So, to summarize, Paul has a continual sense of emotional pain and agony over the lost state of the Jews.
B. Paul recognizes that this claim is difficult to believe. That is why he starts off with a three-fold affirmation of the truthfulness of his claims. He says that he speaks the truth in Christ, he is not lying, and the Holy Spirit actually bears witness with his conscience. So I am left with no choice but to believe that Paul is describing his actual feeling.
C. Paul spells out what kind of attitude grows out of this deep feeling of sorrow and agony: self-sacrifice. And not just the desire to lose sleep and undergo discomfort for the sake of the lost. Paul actually has the attitude that he is willing to forego the bliss of eternity with God so that the Jews could enjoy that bliss.
II. Paul's lifestyle backs up his claims with a life of sacrifice.
To some extent, I am a product of the enlightenment. So I tend to be skeptical. I can just imagine that if I claimed to feel this type of deep sorrow and continual emotional pain for a people, some would say "prove it." So I looked in Acts to see if Paul's lifestyle matched his claims. This is what I found:
| Passage | Activity | Result |
| Acts 9:20, 23 | Proclaimed in the synagogues in Damascus | Plot to kill him; he escapes to Jerusalem |
| Acts 9:29 | Preached, disputed with Greek speaking Jews in Jerusalem | Plot to kill him; he escapes to Tarsus |
| Acts 13:5 | Preached in synagogue in Salamis | |
| Acts 13:14, 45, 50 | Spoke in synagogue in Antioch in Pisidia | Contradicted, reviled, persecuted, driven away |
| Acts 14:1, 2, 5 | Spoke in synagogue in Iconium | Stirred up and poisoned Gentiles, attempt to mistreat and stone |
| Acts 14:19 | In Lystra | Stoned Paul to pt of death |
| Acts 16:3 | Circumcised Timothy for Jews’ sake | |
| Acts 16:13 | Preached on Sabbath in Philippi | Attacked and imprisoned |
| Acts 17:1-3, 5 | Reasoned in synagogue in Thessalonica | Jealousy; mob, riot, attack |
| Acts 17:10, 13 | Gave word in synagogue in Berea | Agitation and riot |
| Acts 17:17 | Reasoned in synagogue in Athens | |
| Acts 18:4, 6, 9-10, 12 | Reasoned in synagogue in Corinth | Opposed, reviled, threatened, sued |
| Acts 18:19 | Reasoned in synagogue in Ephesus | |
| Acts 19:8-9 | Reasoned in synagogue in Ephesus | Spoke evil of the way |
| Acts 20:3 | | Plot made by Jews in Greece |
| Acts 21:26, 30-32 | Paul purifies self and pays for other’s vows for Jew’s sake | Seized, dragged, almost killed, beaten |
| Acts 23:1, 10 | Spoke to council of Jewish leaders | Violence that threatened to tear Paul apart |
| Acts 28:17, 23 | Calls together local leaders of Jews in Rome teaching morning till night | Some believed and some did not. |
When I look at these passages, I see that I cannot gainsay what Paul claimed. I mean, how many times do you have to get beaten and driven away by the Jews before you think, "Perhaps this isn't the best method?" What made him go back again and again? It was his love for the Jews. It was this deep, emotional, sorrow and pain he felt for the Jews.
As I look at this passage and think it through, I see three concrete aspects of Paul's life that grow out of his feelings:
1. Prayer. His feelings provoked him to pray (Rom 10:1).
2. Proactive evangelism. The chart above shows that Paul pursued the Jews. When he arrived in a town, he sought out the synagogue. He did not have a GPS or the yellow pages. He had to find them. In Acts 16, we read that he found the Jews and God-fearers praying at the river on the Sabbath. How did he know they would be there? He found out where the Jews met, joined them, and spoke up about the gospel.
3. Persistence in the face of rejection. Paul never stopped going after the Jews. Even after we've read of time after time of Paul's being kicked out, reviled, beaten, and even stoned, we find that Paul's first act after arriving in Rome is to call the local Jewish leaders to him to reason with them from morning to evening for the gospel's sake. Real sorrow of heart grows into persistence.
III. Application
I am forced to confess that my life does not match up with Paul's. I am likewise forced to admit that my emotions do not either. Why not? The following reasons are the ones that I and others thought of:
1. Self-focus: all I care about is what is going on with me, my family, my church, etc.
2. Self-righteousness: I am actually irritated and frustrated by the ungodly because I think so highly of myself
3. Self-dependence: Paul's tenacity and persistence grew out of his dependence upon God. In my experience, it takes only a few rejections (pretty mild when compared to Paul's) to make me timid.
4. Isolation from the lost. This can be physical isolation that grows out of spending all of our discretionary time with other believers, all of our discretionary time as a family, etc.
5. Thoughtlessness. These deep emotions aren't the result of five minutes of meditation and prayer. They grow out of prolonged, regular meditation on truth.
Gracious Rewards
Wed, Mar 10 2010 06:13 | philosophy | Permalink
This past weekend I taught SS on the topic "For the sake of his name." My outline was:
1. What is the meaning of "for the sake of his name"? (answer = advance Christ's interests)
2. How does missions advance the interests of Christ?
3. What might it cost to advance the interests of Christ?
4. What are the rewards for advancing the interests of Christ?
This last point is a contested point, but I think we glorify the Lord when we believe what he says. So I take these remarkable promises at face value:
1. Matthew 19:29: "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or fathers or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life" (ESV).
2. Luke 18:29-30: "And he said to them, 'Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life" (ESV).
The promise for multiplied returns in the present is what staggers me. Does emphasizing these promises produce mercenaries? I don't think it has to. I italicized two phrases in the verses above because I believe they provide the necessary guards against pushing a self-centered message of rewards. Jesus simply says that he will take care of the interests of those who seek his interests above their own. So, for people who pass up on the opportunity to own a home, live close to family and friends, seek a retirement etc., Jesus promises to make sure they have multiple homes to live in, family members wherever they are, etc.
In our own experience (not that we've given up much really), we've found that we have houses to live in in multiple states. All we have to do is call and people open their homes to us for the Lord's sake. By the Lord's grace we have people who are as dear as brothers, sisters, parents, and grandparents all over the Eastern US. (Just this past weekend Viviane referred to a man in the church we were visiting as her grandfather.) Because of the Lord they have welcomed us into their families. We would have missed this incredible joy if we ignored the Lord's leading in our life to forsake owning a house of our own and living near family and friends. Have we earned or merited this favor? No. Whatever little we have left for the Lord has not been left in perfect obedience. We've had our fair share of self-centered pity parties. My conclusion is that the Lord has show himself gracious to us. We are experiencing his promise of rewards as a grace.
Thank God for such a gracious, loving Lord.
More from Schnabel
Fri, Jan 8 2010 05:43 | Missions, philosophy | Permalink
Schnabel summarizes Paul's missionary goals as:
1. Preach the message of Jesus Christ (Rom 1.1; 1 Cor 2.2)
2. Preach gospel of Jesus Christ to Gentiles “that is, to polytheists who worshiped other gods” (32; Rom 1.14, 16; 1 Cor 1.23)
3. Reach as many people as possible (Rom 15.19, 23-24)
4. Lead individuals to believe in the one true God and in Jesus—Christ, Savior, Lord (1 Thess 1.9-10; 1 Cor 1:18-2:5)
5. Establish new churches, communities of followers
Schnabel on Missions
Thu, Jan 7 2010 07:35 | Missions, philosophy | Permalink
Eckhard Schnabel defines mission as the "activity of a community of faith that distinguishes itself from its environment in terms of both religious belief (theology) and social behavior (ethics), that is convinced of the truth claims of its faith, and that actively works to win other people to the content of faith and the way of life whose truth and necessity the members of that community are convinced” (Paul the Missionary: Realities, Strategies and Methods, 22).
After looking at three important aspects for understanding missions--intentionality and movement, the nature of missionary work in the NT, and the reality of the apostolic method--he summarizes the work of a missionary as follows:
“missionaries establish contact with non-Christians, they proclaim the news of Jesus the Messiah and Savior (proclamation, preaching, teaching, instruction), they lead people to faith in Jesus Christ (conversion, baptism), and they integrate the new believers into the local community of the followers of Jesus (Lord’s Supper, transformation of social and moral behavior, charity)” (29).
Seek the Father in the Son!
Mon, Sep 15 2008 05:20 | Bible, philosophy | Permalink
A majority of French people question the very existence of God. If, however, a Frenchman allows for the existence of a "God," most likely he will be an agnostic, questioning whether it is possible to know that God. The question "Can I know God?" is not a bad one, if one asks it because one knows that sin separates him from God. In essence, no matter why one asks the question, the answer remains the same. Yes, God can be known in His Son, Jesus!
These thoughts arise from my consideration of Hebrews 1. What a mercy that God has revealed himself to us! What an opportunity we have to direct men's attention to the only One who can reveal God the Father to sinful men! What a joy to explain that the Son has made it possible for sinners to approach God safely!
John Owen writes the following concerning the self-revelation of God in Christ. It is, of course, difficult to digest, but wading through the quotation is worth the effort because it is encouraging and convicting.
"Would we come to that acquaintance with the nature, properties, and excellencies of the Father, which poor, weak, finite creatures are capable of attaining in this world,--which is sufficient that we may love him, fear him, serve him, and come unto the enjoyment of him? would we know his love and grace? would we admire his wisdom and holiness?--let us labour to come to an intimate and near acquaintance with his Son Jesus Christ, in whom all these things dwell in their fullness, and by whom they are exhibited, revealed, unfolded unto us; seek the Father in the Son, out of whom not one property of the divine nature can be savingly apprehended or rightly understood, and in whom they are all exposed to our faith and spiritual contemplation. This is our wisdom, to abide in Christ, to abide with him, to learn him; and in him we shall learn, see, and know the Father also" (Commentary on Hebrews, 3:100).
Now, if only I can express that in French.
These thoughts arise from my consideration of Hebrews 1. What a mercy that God has revealed himself to us! What an opportunity we have to direct men's attention to the only One who can reveal God the Father to sinful men! What a joy to explain that the Son has made it possible for sinners to approach God safely!
John Owen writes the following concerning the self-revelation of God in Christ. It is, of course, difficult to digest, but wading through the quotation is worth the effort because it is encouraging and convicting."Would we come to that acquaintance with the nature, properties, and excellencies of the Father, which poor, weak, finite creatures are capable of attaining in this world,--which is sufficient that we may love him, fear him, serve him, and come unto the enjoyment of him? would we know his love and grace? would we admire his wisdom and holiness?--let us labour to come to an intimate and near acquaintance with his Son Jesus Christ, in whom all these things dwell in their fullness, and by whom they are exhibited, revealed, unfolded unto us; seek the Father in the Son, out of whom not one property of the divine nature can be savingly apprehended or rightly understood, and in whom they are all exposed to our faith and spiritual contemplation. This is our wisdom, to abide in Christ, to abide with him, to learn him; and in him we shall learn, see, and know the Father also" (Commentary on Hebrews, 3:100).
Now, if only I can express that in French.
Arresting Caveat
Mon, Sep 1 2008 01:43 | hesselgrave, philosophy | Permalink
David Hesselgrave issues this startling warning against impatience in understanding the mindset of one's target audience:
"The missionary who takes the Fall seriously, then, must stop to define his terms. Which terms? Those terms indicated by the distance between divine truth and cultural error. The definitional process must proceed by comparison and contrast. If this process seems too painstaking for the Western missionary who is used to instant everything--from instant cake to instant coffee--so be it. But he should know that to build Christian conversion on non-Christian foundations is like building skyscrapers on sand. The mission fields are well populated with men and women who have been ushered into the heavenlies without knowing why they got on the elevator. Once back on earth they have no intention of being taken for another ride" (Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally, 151-51).
Ziegenbalg and Plutschau
Sat, Aug 23 2008 04:25 | philosophy, mission history, book | Permalink
I've been reading Stephen Neill's A History of Christian Missions off and on for months now. Although the book is relatively short (478 pp.), Neill offers a good bit of detail concerning past efforts to evangelize the world. He attempts to trace the evangelistic efforts of Christendom as a whole, so he includes Roman Catholic and Orthodox missions. Although the book is a history and therefore supposedly interested only in relaying fact, I wish Neill would more forwardly express the fact that the erroneous views of the gospel held by the Roman and Orthodox churches compromise and eventually invalidate identifying their work as Christian missions.
That said, I want to turn to the focus of this post. While I have enjoyed reading about past missionary endeavors, I have especially appreciated the fact that Neill sometimes includes the principles which guided these historic efforts. His treatment of Bartholomew Ziegenbalg and Henry Plutschau is one example. These men were Pietistic Germans sent out by the King of Denmark in 1705 to south-east India. They also happen to be Europe's first non-catholic missionaries to India. Neill records 5 principles that these men followed in their attempts to make disciples (pp. 194-97). I will include all five even though the first two do not directly apply to our mission to France.
1. "Church and school are to go together." That is, people must be able to read the Bible, so the mission must provide education.
2. "If Christians are to read the Word of God, that word must be available to them in their own language."
3. "The preaching of the Gospel must be based on an accurate knowledge of the mind of the people." I think this principle applies to our mission to France. At the most basic level, such efforts may contribute to building a rapport with our target audiences because it will hopefully communicate the sincerity of our desire to know and help them. Beyond that, however, it will help us know where to begin our presentation of the gospel. In light of the fact that a majority of the French are practically atheists or agnostics, our starting point will very often have to be the assertion that God exists and rightfully demands their devotion. This assertion must be presented as the Bible's claim and supported by evidence from science, etc. Third, a knowledge of the French worldviews will also show us what terms we need to carefully define so that we do not unwittingly cloud the gospel by carelessly using words that carry unbiblical connotations in the French culture. Fourth, understanding the mindset will help us know which ideas we should emphasize. For instance, a pervasiveness of the belief in the goodness of man necessitates a focus on man's inherent sinfulness and guilt, but to those convinced of their guilt, a greater emphasis on the good news of reconciliation instead of sustained emphasis on sin and guilt would be appropriate. Fifth, acquiring this knowledge will help us remove as many stumbling blocks as possible. The gospel itself is a stumbling block to the natural man. We do not want to add other stumbling blocks simply because we are ignorant of the French way of thinking.
4. "The aim must be definite and personal conversion." In the setting faced by Ziegenbalg and Plutschau, this emphasis was not due to the danger of mass conversions, but of professions based on the desire to profit materially from the missionaries. The gospel is attractive to those who are in some sort of need. Self-sufficient and self-reliant people aren't looking for help outside themselves. But the down and outers need outside relief. We must be careful to avoid communicating any hint of the health/wealth perversion of the gospel. We cannot present Jesus and his gospel as a way out of suffering and misery on this earth. The effects of the gospel may deliver us from some of the results of our sin, but the gospel also may be the reason we enter into persecution, etc. So we need to make sure that we are careful to present the gospel call as a call to follow Christ in his suffering. We also must take pains against creating an atmosphere that inclines people to "convert" for the purpose of obtaining our material help.
5. "At as early a date as possible, an Indian Church, with its own Indian ministry must come into being." Obviously, for our purposes, the desire is for a French church with French leaders. We are committed to the establishment of French churches in France. We do not desire to set up little ecclesiastical kingdoms over which we are the heads. Our desire is that God will raise up men among the French believers to lead his church. Actually, both Tim and I have undergone extensive training for the purpose of teaching others to lead the French church. Nor do we desire to import the forms of Southern American Christianity into France. A church whose outward forms are consistent with the French way of thinking (and the Bible, of course) will be far more effective in winning the French people. The best way for that to take place is for French men to take the reigns of leadership. Finally, we want to instill within the French a feeling of responsibility for French churches. We do not want to establish churches that are dependent upon the "free" labor of the missionaries or on gifts from supporting churches. Although we aim to spend ourselves in beginning churches and training leaders for those churches, our goal is for French believers to view themselves as the primary means by which the church is established, maintained, and grown. We also desire that they feel responsible to give of themselves and their finances for the purpose of being the primary supporters of their pastors and the needs of the church.
That said, I want to turn to the focus of this post. While I have enjoyed reading about past missionary endeavors, I have especially appreciated the fact that Neill sometimes includes the principles which guided these historic efforts. His treatment of Bartholomew Ziegenbalg and Henry Plutschau is one example. These men were Pietistic Germans sent out by the King of Denmark in 1705 to south-east India. They also happen to be Europe's first non-catholic missionaries to India. Neill records 5 principles that these men followed in their attempts to make disciples (pp. 194-97). I will include all five even though the first two do not directly apply to our mission to France.
1. "Church and school are to go together." That is, people must be able to read the Bible, so the mission must provide education.
2. "If Christians are to read the Word of God, that word must be available to them in their own language."
3. "The preaching of the Gospel must be based on an accurate knowledge of the mind of the people." I think this principle applies to our mission to France. At the most basic level, such efforts may contribute to building a rapport with our target audiences because it will hopefully communicate the sincerity of our desire to know and help them. Beyond that, however, it will help us know where to begin our presentation of the gospel. In light of the fact that a majority of the French are practically atheists or agnostics, our starting point will very often have to be the assertion that God exists and rightfully demands their devotion. This assertion must be presented as the Bible's claim and supported by evidence from science, etc. Third, a knowledge of the French worldviews will also show us what terms we need to carefully define so that we do not unwittingly cloud the gospel by carelessly using words that carry unbiblical connotations in the French culture. Fourth, understanding the mindset will help us know which ideas we should emphasize. For instance, a pervasiveness of the belief in the goodness of man necessitates a focus on man's inherent sinfulness and guilt, but to those convinced of their guilt, a greater emphasis on the good news of reconciliation instead of sustained emphasis on sin and guilt would be appropriate. Fifth, acquiring this knowledge will help us remove as many stumbling blocks as possible. The gospel itself is a stumbling block to the natural man. We do not want to add other stumbling blocks simply because we are ignorant of the French way of thinking.
4. "The aim must be definite and personal conversion." In the setting faced by Ziegenbalg and Plutschau, this emphasis was not due to the danger of mass conversions, but of professions based on the desire to profit materially from the missionaries. The gospel is attractive to those who are in some sort of need. Self-sufficient and self-reliant people aren't looking for help outside themselves. But the down and outers need outside relief. We must be careful to avoid communicating any hint of the health/wealth perversion of the gospel. We cannot present Jesus and his gospel as a way out of suffering and misery on this earth. The effects of the gospel may deliver us from some of the results of our sin, but the gospel also may be the reason we enter into persecution, etc. So we need to make sure that we are careful to present the gospel call as a call to follow Christ in his suffering. We also must take pains against creating an atmosphere that inclines people to "convert" for the purpose of obtaining our material help.
5. "At as early a date as possible, an Indian Church, with its own Indian ministry must come into being." Obviously, for our purposes, the desire is for a French church with French leaders. We are committed to the establishment of French churches in France. We do not desire to set up little ecclesiastical kingdoms over which we are the heads. Our desire is that God will raise up men among the French believers to lead his church. Actually, both Tim and I have undergone extensive training for the purpose of teaching others to lead the French church. Nor do we desire to import the forms of Southern American Christianity into France. A church whose outward forms are consistent with the French way of thinking (and the Bible, of course) will be far more effective in winning the French people. The best way for that to take place is for French men to take the reigns of leadership. Finally, we want to instill within the French a feeling of responsibility for French churches. We do not want to establish churches that are dependent upon the "free" labor of the missionaries or on gifts from supporting churches. Although we aim to spend ourselves in beginning churches and training leaders for those churches, our goal is for French believers to view themselves as the primary means by which the church is established, maintained, and grown. We also desire that they feel responsible to give of themselves and their finances for the purpose of being the primary supporters of their pastors and the needs of the church.
Self-testing on the Mission Field
Wed, Aug 20 2008 02:08 | Christian life, philosophy | Permalink
"When we realize a constant enemy of the soul abides within us, what diligence and watchfulness we should have! How woeful is the sloth and negligence then of so many who live blind and asleep to this reality of sin. There is an exceeding efficacy and power in the indwelling sin of believers, for it constantly inclines itself towards evil. We need to be awake, then, if our hearts would know the ways of God. Our enemy is not only upon us, as it was with Samson, but it is also in us. So if we would not dishonor God and His gospel, if we would not scandalize the saints of God, if we would not avoid our own conscience and endanger our own soul, if we would not grieve the Holy Spirit, then we must stay alert to our own danger" (John Owen, Sin and Temptation, 7).
As I ponder this quotation, I realize how necessary self-examination will be once in France. (Not that it isn't important now in the US, but I am thinking of our mission to France.) I need God to search me now while I have a church family to support me. I will definitely need God to search me in France when I will lack a strong church to encourage and help me. In France, the Bible will be one of the primary means by which God checks my spirit. (Thank God I will also have a good wife and the Bixbys while in France.) Recently I have especially thought of self-testing along the lines of Proverbs 2:1-4. I think of these verses as providing something I call the 3E test. The first test of my condition has to do with my Estimation. I must ask myself if I value wisdom (the skill to please God) above all things or if my pleasure or will rank above God's. The second test of my spiritual state involves my Emotions. What do I love? What moves me to action? If it is not God and his ways, then I am off base. The final test has to do with Energy. What am I putting my strength into? If I find myself spending more energy on my pleasure, pet projects, entertainment, etc. then it is time to repent and ask God for a reallignment.
It is scary to think that there remains within me a bent away from God. The enemy within wants nothing to do with the conversion of the French. It will undermine all my intentions with selfishness and pride. Thank God for his Word that can pick out and suppress my remaining corruption. Thank God for the Spirit who strives against my flesh. Thank God for the hope that in Christ Jesus he can keep me from falling until the final day!
As I ponder this quotation, I realize how necessary self-examination will be once in France. (Not that it isn't important now in the US, but I am thinking of our mission to France.) I need God to search me now while I have a church family to support me. I will definitely need God to search me in France when I will lack a strong church to encourage and help me. In France, the Bible will be one of the primary means by which God checks my spirit. (Thank God I will also have a good wife and the Bixbys while in France.) Recently I have especially thought of self-testing along the lines of Proverbs 2:1-4. I think of these verses as providing something I call the 3E test. The first test of my condition has to do with my Estimation. I must ask myself if I value wisdom (the skill to please God) above all things or if my pleasure or will rank above God's. The second test of my spiritual state involves my Emotions. What do I love? What moves me to action? If it is not God and his ways, then I am off base. The final test has to do with Energy. What am I putting my strength into? If I find myself spending more energy on my pleasure, pet projects, entertainment, etc. then it is time to repent and ask God for a reallignment.
It is scary to think that there remains within me a bent away from God. The enemy within wants nothing to do with the conversion of the French. It will undermine all my intentions with selfishness and pride. Thank God for his Word that can pick out and suppress my remaining corruption. Thank God for the Spirit who strives against my flesh. Thank God for the hope that in Christ Jesus he can keep me from falling until the final day!