WHEN I SAY, "I AM A CHRISTIAN"

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not shouting, "I've been saved!" I'm whispering, "I get lost! That's why I chose this way"

When I say, "I am a Christian," I don't speak with human pride, I'm confessing that I stumble-needing God to be my Guide.

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not trying to be strong, I'm professing that I'm weak and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not bragging of success, I'm admitting that I've failed and cannot ever pay the debt.

(The debt of Christ's death on the Cross).

When I say, "I am a Christian," I don't think I know it all. I submit to my confusion asking humbly to be taught.

When I say, "I am a Christian," I'm not claiming to be perfect. My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I'm worth it.

When I say, "I am a Christian," I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartache which is why I seek His Name.

When I say, "I am a Christian," I do not wish to judge. I have no authority--I only know I'm loved.


Copyright 1988 Carol Wimmer


Fellowship of the Unashamed

We are part of the fellowship of the unashamed: We have Holy Spirit power. The dye has been' cast. We have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. We won't look back, let up, slow down, or back away. Our pasts are redeemed. Our present makes sense and our futures are secure. We are finished and done with low living, slight-walking, small planning, lame division, mundane talking, colorless dreams, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. We no longer need pre-eminence, position, promotion, plaudits, or popularity. We don't have to be first! We don't have to be right! We don't have to be recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded! We live by faith, lean on his presence, walk with patience, lift by prayer and labor by power. Our pace is set, our gait is fast....Our goal is heaven. Our road is narrow, our way is rough, our companions few, our guide reliable, and our mission clear! We cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. We will not flinch in the face of sacrafice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. We won't give up, shut up or let up until we've stayed up, prayed up, paid up and preached up for the cause of Christ. We are diciples of Christ. We must go 'til He comes! Give 'til we drop! "Preach" 'til all know, and work 'til He stops us! When He comes for His own, He won't have any trouble recognizing us. Our banner will be clear.

written by an African pastor shortly before
he was martyred.

DYING TO SELF

When you are forgotten,
or neglected,
or purposely set at naught,
and you don't sting
and hurt with the insult
or the oversight,
but your heart is happy,
being counted worthy
to suffer for Christ.

THAT IS DYING TO SELF

When your good is evil spoken of,
when your wishes are crossed,
your advice disregarded,
your opinions ridiculed,
and you refuse to let anger
rise in your heart,
or even defend yourself,
but take in all in patient, loving silence.

THAT IS DYING TO SELF

When you lovingly and patiently
bear any disorder, any irregularity,
any impunctuality,or any annoyance;
when you stand face-to- face
with waste, folly, extravagance,
spiritual insensibility-
and endure it as Jesus endured.

THAT IS DYING TO SELF

When you are content with any food,
any offering, any climate, any society,
any raiment, any interruption
by the will of God.

THAT IS DYING TO SELF

When you never care to refer
to yourself in conversation,
or to record your own good works,
or itch after commendations,
when you can truly love to be unknown.

THAT IS DYING TO SELF

When you can see your brother prosper
and have his needs met and
can honestly rejoice with him in spirit
and feel no envy, nor question God,
while your own needs are far greater
and in desperate circumstances.

THAT IS DYING TO SELF

When you can receive correction
and reproof from one of less stature
than yourself and can humbly
submit inwardly as well as outwardly,
finding no rebellion or resentment
rising up within your heart.

THAT IS DYING TO SELF

Are you dead yet? In these last days,
the Spirit would bring us to the cross.

http://www.christiangoth.com/bluerosesociety.html

If God has called you
to be really like Jesus
He will draw you into
a life of crucifixion and humility,
and put upon you
such demands of obedience,
that you will not be able
to follow other people,
or measure yourself by other Christians,
and in many ways
He will seem to let other people do things
which He will not let you do.
Other Christians and ministers
who seem very religious and useful,
may push themselves, pull wires,
and work schemes to carry out their plans,
but you cannot do it,
and if you attempt it,
you will meet with such failure
and rebuke from the Lord
as to make you sorely penitent.

Others may boast of themselves,
of their work, of their successes,
of their writings,
but the Holy Spirit will not allow
you to do any such thing,
and if you begin it,
He will lead you into some deep mortification
that will make you despise yourself
and all your good works.
Others may be allowed
to succeed in making money,
or may have a legacy left to them,
but it is likely
God will keep you poor,
because He wants you to have
something far better than gold,
namely,
a helpless dependence upon Him,
that He may have the privilege
of supplying your needs
day by day out of an unseen treasury.
The Lord may let others be honored
and put forward,
and keep you hidden in obscurity,
because He wants to produce
some choice fragrant fruit
for His coming glory,
which can only be produced in the shade.
He may let others be great,
but keep you small.
He may let others
do a work for Him
and get the credit for it,
but He will make you work
and toil on
without knowing how much
you are doing;
and then to make your work
still more precious
He may let others
get credit for the work
which you have done,
and thus make YOUR REWARD
TEN TIMES GREATER WHEN JESUS COMES.
The Holy Spirit
will put a strict watch over you,
with a jealous love,
and will rebuke you
for little words and feelings
or for wasting your time,
which other Christians
never feel distressed over.
So make up your mind
that God
is an Infinitely Sovereign Being,
and has a right
to do as He pleases
with His own.
He may not explain to
you a thousand things
which puzzle your reason
in His dealings with you,
but if you
absolutely sell yourself
to be His love slave,
He will
wrap you up in Jealous Love,
and bestow upon you
many blessings
which come only to those
who are in the inner circle.
Settle it forever then
that you are to DEAL DIRECTLY
WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT,
and that He is to have the privilege
of tying your tongue,
or chaining your hand,
or closing your eyes,
in ways that He does not seem
to use with others.
Now, when you are so possessed
with the living God that you are,
in your secret heart,
pleased and delighted
over this PECULIAR, PERSONAL, PRIVATE,
JEALOUS GUARDIANSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OVER YOUR LIFE,
then you will have found
the vestibule of Heaven

Hudson Taylor
http://christusemptor.today.com/archives/15
http://www.answers.com/topic/hudson-taylor