Imitation: Dwight L. Moody

"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith" (Hebrews 13:7).

The best way to learn is by imitation.

The first nine years of my life in Christ were on active duty in the U.S. Navy. There were not many men there whom I could imitate in order to be more like Jesus, although there were a few for which I am grateful. In 1951, I discovered the BIOLA Bookstore in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Two of the books I bought there were C. T. Studd’s Cricketer and Pioneer and David Brainerd’s diary. Since then, I have been imitating men who are already with the Lord by reading their biographies and learning from them. Some of my favorites are Hudson Taylor, George Mueller, James Fraser, and Paget Wilkes. I encourage you to read such books and imitate these kinds of men.

The book I’m reading right now is a biography of Dwight L. Moody published in 1900. Moody was a great evangelist of the 19th century. He also started three colleges: a women’s college, a men’s college, and Moody Bible Institute. I have learned a lot from his life, both in evangelism and in prayer.

Comments

pat langness said…

I have learned how to write better from Jim Wilson. If Jim has a question about the Word he reads on to the next verse. This, I think, is called the inductive way of studying the Bible, which is Jim's forte. This inductive method has helped me answer questions that come up while I am writing. Thanks, Jim, for teaching me how to listen to God.

4:50 PM

Getting Old

This is a post for those who are getting old or considering themselves old, from 65-100. Right now, I am 91.* I will be 92 in October. I have my own house, but I cannot live in it alone because of my physical inability to move around. One of my sons lives with me. All of us will have to make some adjustments. That includes money, relatives, your own ability and willpower to stay independent, etc. My advice is if physically and financially you can live independently, you should certainly do that. If you do, you will still need to have visits from your family frequently. You need your family. Even if you don’t need them to take care of you, you need them for the fellowship. The more fellowship you have, the longer you’ll live. If you can stay independent do it, but only if friends and relatives can see you often. In my case, I can’t walk, and I can’t do much physically. So, whether I like it or not, someone else has to get me up, get me showered, and get me dressed. I am blessed to have

Why Is Obedience So Hard?

There are several reasons why obedience seems hard. I will comment on some of them and then speak positively on how obedience is easy. We think: 1) Obedience is an infringement on freedom. Since we are free in Christ, and obedience is somehow contrary to that freedom, we conclude that obedience is not good. Yet we know it is good. Thus, we become confused about obedience and are not single-minded. 2) Obedience is works. We who have been justified by grace through faith are opposed to works; therefore, we are opposed to obedience. 3) We have tried to obey and have failed—frequently. Therefore, the only solution is to disobey and later confess to receive forgiveness. It is easier to be forgiven by grace than to obey by effort. 4) We confuse obedience to men with obedience to God. Although these are sometimes one and the same (see Romans 13, 1 Peter 2-3, Ephesians 5-6, Colossians 3, and Titus 2), sometimes they are not the same (see Colossians 2:20-23, Mark 7, 1 Timothy 4:1-5, a

Constant Victory

I came across the following poem (prayer) and devotional in Amy Carmichael's book Edges of His Ways : Before the winds that blow do cease, Teach me to dwell within thy calm; Before the pain has passed in peace, Give me, my God, to sing a psalm. Let me not lose the chance to prove The fulness of enabling love. O Love of God, do this for me; Maintain a constant victory. Before I leave the desert land For meadows of immortal flowers, Lead me where streams at thy command Flow by the borders of the hours, That when the thirsty come I may Show them the fountains in the way. O love of God, do this for me; Maintain a constant victory. "This prayer was written for the ill, and for the tired. It is so easy to fail when not feeling fit. As I thought of them, I also remembered those who, thank God, are not ill and yet can be hard-pressed. Sometimes in the midst of the rush of things, it seems impossible to be victorious, always to be peaceful,

Roots by the River

Search This Blog