Just thought I'd share 3 messages on missions! Three killer messages at that by John Piper, David Sitton, and David Platt! Whether you aim to be a missionary overseas on not, I encourage you to check out these messages; and I pray that he will stir your hearts for His glory to be displayed to the ends of the earth!
David Sitton
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/conference-messages/missionary-martyrs-fools-for-jesus-for-the-nations#.TmzkJ-6hdfU.facebook
John Piper
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/conference-messages/doing-missions-when-dying-is-gain
David Platt
http://t4g.org/media/2012/05/divine-sovereignty-the-fuel-of-death-defying-missions-2/
I do hope that these messages are a blessing and encouragement to you my brothers & sisters!
May His glory be displayed through His people to the ends of the earth!
grace & peace,
Joshua A. Taylor
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Oh How I Abhor Sin!
Enter Cathy, a lady in her mid to late 60's and her 7 year old granddaughter Ariana from Missouri, who me and a friend talked and shared Christ with while down in Florida last week. Our conversation with Cathy was about 2 hours long, and it mainly her sharing about her life story. She shared about her rough upbringing of abuse and such....in detail. Then she proceeded to share with us how she's seeing history repeat itself with her granddaughter. I dare not even share in detail what Ariana has to and is going through; all I can say that pierced my heart. It just absolutely to hear about what both Cathy and Ariana have to and still are going through. My heart aches for them.
Then there's been a recent tradgey. A family friend (especially one to my 20 yr old brother) took his own life. I won't share his name in order to respect and honor his family. I didn't know the kid all too well, but well enough for his death to prick my heart. My heart goes out to his family & friends.
My heart is torn over these 2 instances. Seeing the pain, sorrow, animosity, hate, bitterness, brokenness, and so on has led me to just burn with anger. Yes, my heart burn with a righteous anger over sin; over all that is evil and wicked! I state with sincereity from my heart along with the apostle Paul," Abhor what is evil;" (Romans 12:9). The things that I listed above are of the effects of sin; either from yourself or from others. I've been burning and disgusted with sin and the way it perverts, destroys, and kills! Oh, how I just want this world to rid of sin, and of all that is evil and wicked!
Yet, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! There is a hope that I hold onto! Oh, yes there will be an end to pain, suffering, brokenness, evil, and sin! That because Christ Jesus who came to crush the curse of sin and power of the grave by the substitutionary death at Calvary is coming again to bring utter restoration. To right what has be wronged; do away with Satan, His angels, sin, and death once and for all! This familiar passage in Revelation 21 gives comfort, hope, and a glimpse of that day.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,"Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." ~Revelation 21:3-4
Thanks be to God through Christ Jesus our Lord! Yes, let us praise God for the perfect life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ who has set in motion, with a bang, the restoration of all things! So we cry out along with the apostle John,"Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev 22:20).
Then there's been a recent tradgey. A family friend (especially one to my 20 yr old brother) took his own life. I won't share his name in order to respect and honor his family. I didn't know the kid all too well, but well enough for his death to prick my heart. My heart goes out to his family & friends.
My heart is torn over these 2 instances. Seeing the pain, sorrow, animosity, hate, bitterness, brokenness, and so on has led me to just burn with anger. Yes, my heart burn with a righteous anger over sin; over all that is evil and wicked! I state with sincereity from my heart along with the apostle Paul," Abhor what is evil;" (Romans 12:9). The things that I listed above are of the effects of sin; either from yourself or from others. I've been burning and disgusted with sin and the way it perverts, destroys, and kills! Oh, how I just want this world to rid of sin, and of all that is evil and wicked!
Yet, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! There is a hope that I hold onto! Oh, yes there will be an end to pain, suffering, brokenness, evil, and sin! That because Christ Jesus who came to crush the curse of sin and power of the grave by the substitutionary death at Calvary is coming again to bring utter restoration. To right what has be wronged; do away with Satan, His angels, sin, and death once and for all! This familiar passage in Revelation 21 gives comfort, hope, and a glimpse of that day.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,"Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." ~Revelation 21:3-4
Thanks be to God through Christ Jesus our Lord! Yes, let us praise God for the perfect life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ who has set in motion, with a bang, the restoration of all things! So we cry out along with the apostle John,"Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev 22:20).
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Beauty & Glory
Oh Father
Lord of all glory
I come before You
Asking You to
Increase my desire
For more of You
That me hunger & thirst
For You will intensify
To seek after You
Relentlessly & agressively
And behold Your
Beauty & Glory
Open my eyes wid7er
Everyday
As I open Your Word
To see and behold
Beautiful, majestic, and glorious things
Give me grander vision
Of You
Your greatness, majesty, glory, and holiness
That I may be humbled and in awe
Of You my God
Yes, reaveal more
Of Yourself to me
So that my love & affections
For You would increase
More & more
Also that I would long to know You
More deeply & intamately
Counting all things as filth
Compared to the surpassing worth
Of knowing You
And that the things of this world
Would fade away
In the light
Of the beauty & glory
of You face, my God!
Amen!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Reaching the Unreached-- Garre
According to www.joshuaproject.net the Garre is one of the top 10 unreached in the world. What's even more crazy is that they're not only an unreached people group, they are an unengaged people group. This means they currently have no access to the Gospel; no literature, no surrounding christians trying to reach the with the Gospel.....nothing. You can check out more about them here: http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?rog3=SO&peo3=19613
Please pray that the Lord would stir the hearts of His saints to go and labor among the Garre, and that the Gospel invade and consume the hearts of the Garre!
When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples,"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." ~ Matthew 9:36-37
Please pray that the Lord would stir the hearts of His saints to go and labor among the Garre, and that the Gospel invade and consume the hearts of the Garre!
When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples,"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." ~ Matthew 9:36-37
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Reaching the Unreached -- Somali
For those who don't know I aim to be a missionary to the unreached; first and foremost to the Somali people. Yes that means the people of Somalia (duh right?). Why the Somali people? Well that for another blogpost; or you can hit me up and ask me why :)
With courtesy of www.joshuaproject.net, here's a list of countires where Somali people can be found.
Somalia- 7,991,000
Djibouti- 358,000 (Somali, Issa)
Eritrea- 4,900
Ethiopia- 5,504,000
Kenya- 2,443,000 (Somali)
- 186,000 (Somali, Ajuran)
United Kingdom- 94,000
Yemen- 1,014,000
Italy- 54,000
Canada- 37,000
United States- 79,000
So with the field being ripe for harvest, pray to the Lord of the harvest to raise up laborers to go labor with the Gospel to the Somalis. Pray as well that the Lord would open the door and led me to where He want me to go to reach the Somalis! Thank you!
~Joshua A. Taylor
With courtesy of www.joshuaproject.net, here's a list of countires where Somali people can be found.
Somalia- 7,991,000
Djibouti- 358,000 (Somali, Issa)
Eritrea- 4,900
Ethiopia- 5,504,000
Kenya- 2,443,000 (Somali)
- 186,000 (Somali, Ajuran)
United Kingdom- 94,000
Yemen- 1,014,000
Italy- 54,000
Canada- 37,000
United States- 79,000
So with the field being ripe for harvest, pray to the Lord of the harvest to raise up laborers to go labor with the Gospel to the Somalis. Pray as well that the Lord would open the door and led me to where He want me to go to reach the Somalis! Thank you!
~Joshua A. Taylor
Friday, October 19, 2012
Chi-Town Preach!
Well, this may be early to share, but I'd like to share anyways.
Earlier this year for springbreak, me and 2 dear friends of mine went down to Florida (Pensacola and Panama City Beach) to go around on the beach (and other places as well) sharing the Gospel with a plethora of college students, who were of course down there to party it up. Beach Preach is what we called it. To sum up how it went- God did work in us and through us! He blessed us with great fellowship with one another, and oh so many awesome gospel conversations. It was, hands down, one of the best weeks of my life for sure!
My friends, Austin and Andrew, and I knew that we wanted to repeat the trip for springbreak next year, but sadly it won't happen, since Andrew being a RA this year at Purdue won't be available for half of the week. Booo. Nonetheless me and Austin have come up with a different route, a different idea that has me just as excited!
Chicago Preach! Yes! Me, Austin, and some other possibly will spend about 4 days or so during spring break next year in Chicago, hitting the streets preaching the Gospel! The rest of the week we plan on camping. I love this, and am even stoked just thinking about it!
So why do I share this with ya'll? Well a couple reasons:
Join us.
We'll if you're on spring break that week, or will be free that week, and would love to join us in invading downtown Chi-town with the Gospel, then let me know. Hit me up on facebook, twitter, or email and I'll be in touch with details as the dates of the trip get closer.
Pray!
About.....2 months or so before we left for Beach Preach we shared with tons of people about it, and asked them to partner with us in prayer, and I know the Lord answered those prayers! So I don't think it's to early to ask to start praying for this trip! We expecting the Lord to bless this trip; every nook and cranny of it. So yes, if you don't mind, please begin to pray today. How can you be praying? Here's how:
- Pray that the Lord would bless us with great fellowship throughout the whole trip, drawing and knitting our hearts together in love.\
- Pray that the Lord would bless and anoint the preaching
- Pray that we would have our confidence in the power of the Gospel, and the working of the Spirit
- Pray that the Lord would work, even now, on the hearts of those He will lead us to share with. That their hearts would be open by the power of Spirit to receive and obey the Gospel, like He did in Lydia's heart (Acts 16:14).
- And pray that the Lord would draw us closer to Himself, causing us to grow in the fear & knowledge of Him, and our affections for Him!
Thanks brothers and sisters! Keep fighting the good fight, and seeking first the kingdom!
~Joshua Aaron Taylor
Earlier this year for springbreak, me and 2 dear friends of mine went down to Florida (Pensacola and Panama City Beach) to go around on the beach (and other places as well) sharing the Gospel with a plethora of college students, who were of course down there to party it up. Beach Preach is what we called it. To sum up how it went- God did work in us and through us! He blessed us with great fellowship with one another, and oh so many awesome gospel conversations. It was, hands down, one of the best weeks of my life for sure!
My friends, Austin and Andrew, and I knew that we wanted to repeat the trip for springbreak next year, but sadly it won't happen, since Andrew being a RA this year at Purdue won't be available for half of the week. Booo. Nonetheless me and Austin have come up with a different route, a different idea that has me just as excited!
Chicago Preach! Yes! Me, Austin, and some other possibly will spend about 4 days or so during spring break next year in Chicago, hitting the streets preaching the Gospel! The rest of the week we plan on camping. I love this, and am even stoked just thinking about it!
So why do I share this with ya'll? Well a couple reasons:
Join us.
We'll if you're on spring break that week, or will be free that week, and would love to join us in invading downtown Chi-town with the Gospel, then let me know. Hit me up on facebook, twitter, or email and I'll be in touch with details as the dates of the trip get closer.
Pray!
About.....2 months or so before we left for Beach Preach we shared with tons of people about it, and asked them to partner with us in prayer, and I know the Lord answered those prayers! So I don't think it's to early to ask to start praying for this trip! We expecting the Lord to bless this trip; every nook and cranny of it. So yes, if you don't mind, please begin to pray today. How can you be praying? Here's how:
- Pray that the Lord would bless us with great fellowship throughout the whole trip, drawing and knitting our hearts together in love.\
- Pray that the Lord would bless and anoint the preaching
- Pray that we would have our confidence in the power of the Gospel, and the working of the Spirit
- Pray that the Lord would work, even now, on the hearts of those He will lead us to share with. That their hearts would be open by the power of Spirit to receive and obey the Gospel, like He did in Lydia's heart (Acts 16:14).
- And pray that the Lord would draw us closer to Himself, causing us to grow in the fear & knowledge of Him, and our affections for Him!
Thanks brothers and sisters! Keep fighting the good fight, and seeking first the kingdom!
~Joshua Aaron Taylor
Monday, September 10, 2012
Salvation is of the Lord!
"I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him."- Ecclesiastes 3:14
Oh my goodness! What a verse! This verse has been rockin' me for the past couple days! So mind blowing for sure! Although this verse says "WHATEVER God does....", I can't but help to let this verse personally gravitate me to meditate on it in regards to the redemption and salvation of sinners. Especially my salvation and redemption through the blood of Christ! So here's what come to mind when I meditate on this passage.
That salvation is of the Lord.
That He who began a good work in me will complete it at the coming of Christ.
That I've been saved by grace through faith; with nothing I could've done to contrubute, and in turn boast about it.
That it's impossible to undo the work that the Lord has already done.
That nothing separate me from Him and the love that He has for me .
That I may make my boast in Him alone.
That I walk in a manner that worthy of and pleasing to Him.
That I may stand in awe and worship Him.
These are just some of things that come to mind as I meditate on this dandy and stellar passage. I pray that these truths and this passage encourage and bless you as well.Yes! Praise God for what a GREAT salvation He has given us!
Oh my goodness! What a verse! This verse has been rockin' me for the past couple days! So mind blowing for sure! Although this verse says "WHATEVER God does....", I can't but help to let this verse personally gravitate me to meditate on it in regards to the redemption and salvation of sinners. Especially my salvation and redemption through the blood of Christ! So here's what come to mind when I meditate on this passage.
That salvation is of the Lord.
That He who began a good work in me will complete it at the coming of Christ.
That I've been saved by grace through faith; with nothing I could've done to contrubute, and in turn boast about it.
That it's impossible to undo the work that the Lord has already done.
That nothing separate me from Him and the love that He has for me .
That I may make my boast in Him alone.
That I walk in a manner that worthy of and pleasing to Him.
That I may stand in awe and worship Him.
These are just some of things that come to mind as I meditate on this dandy and stellar passage. I pray that these truths and this passage encourage and bless you as well.Yes! Praise God for what a GREAT salvation He has given us!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)