“Some wish to live within the sound of church or chapel bell. I want to run a rescue ship within a yard of Hell.” While this seems like a bold and daring statement for one to make nonetheless it was the declaration of C.T. Studd. We live in a time where such a bold proclamation would be considered radical or extreme. Who would want to live with the ridicule incurred by such a statement? Who is really going to lay their body at the gates of hell and permit no one to pass? In this day and age the answer may be no one. However, it is the exact position God has called each of us who call upon Him to put ourselves in. You may be alone in your stand here on earth, but you have all of heaven rallied behind you sounding the victory cry. It is a journey of faith in God alone. It isn't for the nominal Christian, the partially committed, or even the cool Christian; to take this stand you must “deny yourself and take up your cross daily” Luke 9:23. There are no half-hearted commitments only full surrender to the will and nature of God.
Growing up C.T. (Charles Thomas) Studd was what you would call a nominal Christian. He went to church every Sunday, believed in God and lived a morally good life. Life in England consisted of hunting and cricket. These two things were held in high esteem in the Studd household. The year of 1877 found C.T. and his two brothers at Eton College playing cricket. Cricket became more than just a sport to C.T. it was his life. He practiced long hours every day and it showed on the field. Still religion was a Sunday only happening. That is until Mr. Studd was invited to a meeting held by D.L. Moody and Ira Sankey. Through the influence of these men Mr. Studd surrendered his life to Jesus Christ and lived a life of to...
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...o hallelujah to what Christ has done with one man’s obedience and denial of self.
The life of denial is not easy. C.T. was often separated from his family, comforts and everything familiar. Are you being called to a deeper commitment to Christ? Many a time C.T. didn’t know where his next meal was coming from, yet he never asked anyone other than God for funds. Is God calling you to live a life of faith, dependent on Him for your every need? How much are you willing to give so that others may have the same hope you possess? Do you wish to live within the sound of the church or are you ready to run a rescue ship within a yard of hell? Three principles you must live by: Deny yourself. Take up your cross. Follow Christ.
Works Cited
Grubb, Norman C.T. Studd: Cricketer & Pioneer. Christian Literature Crusade, 1994
www.pewforum.org/2011/12/19/global-christianity-exec/
Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity: A Revised and Amplified Edition, with a New Introduction, of the Three Books, Broadcast Talks, Christian Behaviour, and Beyond Personality. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2001. Print.
Edwards describes hell as being the most horrific place and how no one is immune from falling into the hollows of hell. Edwards states, “their foot shall slide in due time (Edwards).” Our lives hang by a thin thread above the pits of hell. Such a contrarian view by a preacher must be taken seriously. We can live our lives to the fullest, or we can live our lives in trepidation of being banished to hell. People of the congregation mu...
A time comes in everybody's life where they need to be "saved." When this happens a spiritual bond is formed with in that individual. In Langston Hughes' essay, "Salvation," that bond is broken because Langston wasn't saved. It is because Langston turned to Jesus, and in his eyes Jesus wasn't there. This creating a conflict within himself and the members of the church, with the end result being Langston's faith being destroyed.
C.T. Studd was born in 1860 to a wealthy man named Edward Studd. His father made a fortune in India and came to England to spend it all. His father spent the money on hunting, horse races, gambling, and on the massive immaculate estate on which C.T. lived. In 1877, C.T. Studd’s father was converted to following God after being forced to attend a evangelistic campaign in London, by D.L. Moody. Edward immediately gave up on his old lifestyle and devoted the rest of his life to hold Christian meetings in his house to preach the
McManners, John. "The Oxford History of Christianity." The Oxford History of Christianity. New York: New York Oxford Press, 2002. 28.
when we bind ourselves to Hell it is very hard to break with it. We are going
...nstalments, like many other Victorian works, by a quarterly magazine, the Cornhill Magazine, which engaged with a variety of literary forms, comprising fiction, articles and poetry. Due to the nature of such publication, there was a necessity of making the prose of the text accessible to as ample an audience as possible, so as to involve in the reading individuals belonging to different strata of society. In this context, therefore, the author’s reference to religion can be read as an attempt to enlarge the spectre of his readership and to include in the discourse elements that might interest not only scholarly minds but also exponents of the working class.
Experiencing salvation looks differently for every person; not everyone experiences salvation in the same place or at the same time. We often put human restrictions on God’s actions, saying exactly how and when Jesus will show up. As humans we do not obtain the authority or ability to say how or when Jesus will show up, only God has this power. There are many times people feel pressured into salvation or forced into religion; I believe this is something which drives people away from God and the church. Langston Hughes felt pressured into an artificial salvation, and this caused him to turn away from Jesus.
The life lessons learned from the “cosmos” that played an intense part of the development of the Wesley boys include “commitment, orthodoxy, spirituality, mission, order and scripture.” Certainly the means of grace shaped not only their family life but their spiritual development as well. The significance of prayer, scripture and spiritual discipline were not only beneficial to the Wesley family, but the influence has spread to millions of
...amine the promise Christ once made. “ I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18).
Christianity has its challenges. It places demands on us that set us apart from the rest of our world. The bible calls us a peculiar people, who navigate the challenge of living IN the world, without being OF the world. When we say ‘no’ to temptations that are enjoyed by the masses, we are labeled as self-righteous snobs, religious weirdoes, or worse. But we persevere, and we press toward that invisible line the Apostle Paul drew in the sands of time…for the high calling in Christ Jesus.
Dhanpat Rai Shrivastava was born on July 31, 1880 in the small village of Lamahi, located near the city of Banaras in India. Although born into the Hindu Kaystha caste, made up of professionals including writers, doctors and lawyers, his family was poor. His father was a low paid postal employee. His mother died when he was only eight years old. His father remarried, but Dhanpat Rai did not like his stepmother. He studied Urdu and Persian, languages used in literature and administration in 19th century North India at a nearby school. He recalles his childhood fondly in one of his stories, so it is fairly safe to assume that he was a happy and well cared for child.
The Doctrine of Salvation (Soteriology). God provides us with everything we need; we see this in Genesis where he provided Adam with everything he needed. Jesus became a man by reincarnation; a verse to support this is John 1:14 “
Class notes. Man’s Desperate Need of Righteousness and God’s Glorious Provision of Righteousness. Faith Christian University. Orlando, Florida. August 2011.
Lambert, T. (2014). A brief history of Christianity in England. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from http://localhistories.org/christian.html