John Stott: In his own words

Evangelical statesman and giant, John Robert Wamsley Stott died 27 July 2011. He was 90 and lived a full life for Christ impacting and influencing many worldwide for the Kingdom. He has no less an impact in my own life. I have heard and met him in person, heard him on tape and certainly read his many books. He is one person whose one thing in life was for the glory of God and left a blazing trail for us all to follow after.

Here's Uncle John (as he is affectionately known as) recounting how he came to the throne of grace:

"As a typical adolescent, I was aware of two things about myself, though doubtless I could not have articulated them in these terms then. First, if there was a God, I was estranged from him. I tried to find him, but he seemed to be enveloped in a fog I could not penetrate. Secondly, I was defeated. I knew the kind of person I was, and also the kind of person I longed to be. Between the ideal and the reality there was a great gulf fixed. I had high ideals but a weak will. . . . [W]hat brought me to Christ was this sense of defeat and of estrangement, and the astonishing news that the historic Christ offered to meet the very needs of which I was conscious.

Whether you are estranged from Christ or walk with Him, may this memorial site be used by God to draw you to the only source of life for us all, Jesus Christ."

(extracted from John Stott Memorial site)

What Would I Say of the Lord?

Amidst all the strife, conflicts and natural disasters around the world, this is what I can say of our Lord:

You give rest to the weary
You bring strength to the weak
As they wait in your presence
There is grace for their need.

So Iʼll wait... Iʼll wait
Yes Iʼll wait... Iʼll wait for you
I will say of the Lord “He is my refuge”
I will say of the Lord “He is my strength”
I will say of the Lord “He is my shelter”, my hiding place

You can come in the silence
You can come in the noise
Bringing peace in a moment
Bringing comfort and joy

I will say of the Lord “He is my refuge”
I will say of the Lord “He is my strength”
I will say of the Lord “He is my shelter”, my hiding place
I will come to the source of all creation
I will drink from the well that never dries
I will draw from the one who wonʼt grow tired, the Lord of all


Lou & Nathan Fellingham and busbee
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music/The Livingstone Collective

Billy Graham on Aging, Regrets, and Evangelicals | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

This interview with Billy Graham is, similar in nature to what Jesus prayed in John 17 and what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians. There are many words of wisdom to us who may be much younger than him but nevertheless will one day have to face and deal with. Especially worth noting is the final section where he restates what is really important for us as persons in Christ and as a people of God, the church. May we as persons in Christ be wholly centred in God and may the church always remember its calling to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. What a powerful witness we would be if all of us are able to remember our primary calling as His children!

Q & A: Billy Graham on Aging, Regrets, and Evangelicals | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Suffering Displays God's Strength through Our Weakness

God never wastes suffering, not a scrap of it. He redeems all of it for His glory and our blessing. The classic Biblical reference for the concept that suffering displays God's strength through our weakness is found in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, where we learn that God's grace is sufficient for us, for His power is perfected in weakness. Paul said he delighted in weaknesses, hardships, and difficulties "for when I am weak, then I am strong."

Our culture disdains weakness, but our frailty is a sign of God's workmanship in us. It gets us closer to what we were created to be—completely dependent on God. . My weakness made me more like a fragile, easily broken window than a solid brick wall. But just as sunlight pours through a window but is blocked by a wall, I discovered that other people could see God's strength and beauty in me because of the window-like nature of my weakness! Consider how the Lord Jesus was the exact representation of the glory of the Father—I mean, He was all window and no walls! He was completely dependent on the Father, choosing to become weak so that God's strength could shine through Him. And He was the strongest person the world has ever seen. Not His own strength; He displayed the Father's strength because of that very weakness.

Sometimes our suffering isn't a consequence of our actions or even someone else's. God is teaching other beings about Himself and His loved ones—us—as He did with Job. The point of Job's trials was to enable heavenly beings to see God glorified in Job. Sometimes He trusts us with great pain in order to make a point, whether the intended audience is believers, unbelievers, or the spirit realm.

Joni Eareckson Tada, no stranger to great suffering, writes, "Whether a godly attitude shines from a brain-injured college student or from a lonely man relegated to a back bedroom, the response of patience and perseverance counts. God points to the peaceful attitude of suffering people to teach others about Himself. He not only teaches those we rub shoulders with every day, but He instructs the countless millions of angels and demons. The hosts in heaven stand amazed when they observe God sustain hurting people with His peace."

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Asking the Wrong Questions?

Wasn't it F.W. Faber (1814-63) who said:

"Thrice blest is he whom is given,

The instinct that can tell

That God is on the field when he

is most invisible."

Oftentimes we ask of God, "Where are you?" when actually He has been with us all along?

And isn't it true that it's hard to turn our thoughts to God when everything is going well with us?

Oh, such selfish and self-centred people we are!

Forgive us for so often asking the wrong questions...

You have already promised us in Matt. 28 that you'll be with us always to the end of the age.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is ours!

Light of God

A dedication to our great and mighty God who was, is and remain faithful in His covenant to us using the beautiful lyrics of Keith & Kristyn Getty's song, Light of God:

Light of God

Come dwell within Your people

As intended

From the dawn of time

Make Your goodness

Echoed through creation

Our desire

Joy of the divine

Holy Spirit

Break through our darkness

Holy Spirit

Breathe through our lives

Light of God come

Radiant and glorious

Perfect wisdom

In this world today

Light of God come

To Your fallen people

As we follow

In the steps of Christ

May Your fragrance

Beautify Your people

As we mirror

Our Creator's light

Light of God come

Claim Christ's stolen glory

Burn the shadows

With the flame of truth

May Your church rise

Stars within the darkness

Giving glory

To the Lord of light

Light divine come

Father of all beauty

Son of goodness

Spirit of all truth

Move us, use us

People of Your vision

As we wait for

Our returning King

Keith & Kristyn Getty

Copyright (c) 2005 Thankyou Music