I received my 5 books for church history:
1. Introduction to the History of Christianity
2. A Concise History of Christian Thought
3. The Lost History of Christianity
4. The Trinitarian Controversy
5. Saint Augustine Confessions
I still have not received the book list for Introduction to Old Testament. I think I have to wait a little longer for that.
Prayer Answered! My family has made is safe to Costa Rica where they will begin language school tomorrow. The power of prayer is amazing. I still can't get over what they are doing. I think it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. The IMB is constantly sending out Christians to make disciples as Christ told us to do. One thing I have learned before I have even started seminary is that this ride is like a snowball. It starts off and you are just rolling away, and then you build and build because you desire to take more and more on. There is only one thing on this world that matters, and that is Christ. To fully know Christ is to be willing to do anything for Him because He is Lord of your life.
Live for Christ, and you shall never want. Be His hands and wrap them around the world.
God Bless
Monday, July 27, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Registered!
I am official a registered seminary student! I went to Early Advisement, and the more I get involved with in seminary, the more it feels oh so right. We had to introduce ourselves at the session, and I found myself mentally cheering everyone on. Most of the group was young married men, with some of their wives attending seminary with them. It was really a beautiful scene though. It was people joining together for one cause for an audience of one. It was inspiring seeing young men and women making the decision to go into foreign countries to preach the word. Letting go of this world, and committing their life to a cause just as Paul. I love it.
I will only be taking two classes this semester:
Church History and Old Testament I
I am very excited, and I will post more information later. I have some work I need to get going on, but will come back with some better posts soon.
God Bless
I will only be taking two classes this semester:
Church History and Old Testament I
I am very excited, and I will post more information later. I have some work I need to get going on, but will come back with some better posts soon.
God Bless
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Surrendering Your Life to the Ministry
From what I have gathered in at the church's I have attended, there are 4 reasons to walk down the isle: 1) Pray at the alter, 2) Lord's Supper, 3) Announce your decision of faith / join church, 4) Surrender your life to the ministry. It seems that a line has drawn between becoming a Christian and Surrendering your life to the ministry. This is a horrible misconception. I discussed this at the bottom of another post, but wanted to dedicate an entire topic to this line of thought.
As I said previously, the day that I understood that Jesus Christ is my savior is the day that unbeknown to me, my Earthly flesh and desires died. This was also the day that I unknowingly surrendered my life to the ministry. It took years for me to understand this. So does this mean that I have to quit my secular job and become a pastor or a missionary? Not quite. It means that everything in my life is to be done according to God's will. Every waking moment we spend on this Earth is to glorify God.
I think the main point that I am wanting to get across is that it is just not those that work in the church of mission field that are supposed to give up what they want in life. We are to do what we are called to do. Right now, my place is in public accounting and seminary. I am to glorify God in the work I do, in my actions, in my studies, and by evangelizing whenever the situation presents itself. This also applies to all of you who are my brothers and sisters in Christ. I think that God has finally made me strong enough to accept whatever He wants me to do and wherever He wants me to do it. We all need to be ready for this.
As I said previously, the day that I understood that Jesus Christ is my savior is the day that unbeknown to me, my Earthly flesh and desires died. This was also the day that I unknowingly surrendered my life to the ministry. It took years for me to understand this. So does this mean that I have to quit my secular job and become a pastor or a missionary? Not quite. It means that everything in my life is to be done according to God's will. Every waking moment we spend on this Earth is to glorify God.
I think the main point that I am wanting to get across is that it is just not those that work in the church of mission field that are supposed to give up what they want in life. We are to do what we are called to do. Right now, my place is in public accounting and seminary. I am to glorify God in the work I do, in my actions, in my studies, and by evangelizing whenever the situation presents itself. This also applies to all of you who are my brothers and sisters in Christ. I think that God has finally made me strong enough to accept whatever He wants me to do and wherever He wants me to do it. We all need to be ready for this.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Good Stuff In...Good Stuff Out
This was a spur of the moment post that I wanted to get out. It isn't complete, and definately has some flaws. I just wanted to get the thoughts out on paper. When reading the gospels, we find that the pharisee's are always trying to catch Jesus messing up. They tirelessly ask him questions hoping for him to mess up. In the car tonight, I popped in an old CD that I have not listened to in quite some time. When I first ventured back to this CD a few years ago, I had not noticed that most of the songs written by this band, as well as most modern bands, were about losing a girl. When I listened to it tonight, I realized that these songs are desperately looking to fill a void that is being continuously filled and emptied in a never ending process with sin. Then people listen to these songs, and I strongly believe that it holds people back.
This reminded me of one of the situations with Jesus. Jesus was asked by the Pharisees why he was eating with unclean hands and with sinners. He quickly replied it is not what goes into the body, but what comes out of the body that makes a person unholy. I know for myself, my mood is very much affected by the music that I listen to. If I am listening to pump-up, workout music, I work really hard and I am very productive. On the flip side, I am very bummed out by sad music. So now, I take you to the lyrics that I heard in my car.
Linkin Park - Crawling
crawling in my skin
these wounds they will not heal
fear is how I fall
confusing what is real
there's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface
consuming/confusing
this lack of self-control I fear is never ending
controlling/I can't seem
to find myself again
my walls are closing in
(without a sense of confidence and I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
so insecure
discomfort, endlessly has pulled itself upon me
distracting/reacting
against my will I stand beside my own reflection
it's haunting how I can't seem...
to find myself again
my walls are closing in
(without a sense of confidence and I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
so insecure
So the person that is lost in sin, has it "crawling in their skin", is constantly staying in that state of mind when they keep listening to music like this. This relates to everything else we do! It draws the same parallel for me of someone that has an addiction that does not get away from the addiction. This is also no different than a new christian that never wants to advance from a new Christian (something that I want to post about tomorrow).
Bottom line, what you are surrounding yourself with is what you become. (I know this is a little contradictory to the statement I made about with Jesus' response, but it helped get me trhough to this point) You have to let Christ help you. Just by asking for forgiveness and believing in him is not going to completely do it. Yes, believing it is the first step. The next step is that you have to do your part. Good stuff in will result in good stuff out. Remember that the old you is dead, so the new you has to rethink your surroundings to make sure that you do not revert back to the old you or pick up some new sin that you had not experienced before.
Lift your chains, because Jesus holds the key. After you let him unlock them, THROW THEM AWAY.
This reminded me of one of the situations with Jesus. Jesus was asked by the Pharisees why he was eating with unclean hands and with sinners. He quickly replied it is not what goes into the body, but what comes out of the body that makes a person unholy. I know for myself, my mood is very much affected by the music that I listen to. If I am listening to pump-up, workout music, I work really hard and I am very productive. On the flip side, I am very bummed out by sad music. So now, I take you to the lyrics that I heard in my car.
Linkin Park - Crawling
crawling in my skin
these wounds they will not heal
fear is how I fall
confusing what is real
there's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface
consuming/confusing
this lack of self-control I fear is never ending
controlling/I can't seem
to find myself again
my walls are closing in
(without a sense of confidence and I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
so insecure
discomfort, endlessly has pulled itself upon me
distracting/reacting
against my will I stand beside my own reflection
it's haunting how I can't seem...
to find myself again
my walls are closing in
(without a sense of confidence and I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take)
I've felt this way before
so insecure
So the person that is lost in sin, has it "crawling in their skin", is constantly staying in that state of mind when they keep listening to music like this. This relates to everything else we do! It draws the same parallel for me of someone that has an addiction that does not get away from the addiction. This is also no different than a new christian that never wants to advance from a new Christian (something that I want to post about tomorrow).
Bottom line, what you are surrounding yourself with is what you become. (I know this is a little contradictory to the statement I made about with Jesus' response, but it helped get me trhough to this point) You have to let Christ help you. Just by asking for forgiveness and believing in him is not going to completely do it. Yes, believing it is the first step. The next step is that you have to do your part. Good stuff in will result in good stuff out. Remember that the old you is dead, so the new you has to rethink your surroundings to make sure that you do not revert back to the old you or pick up some new sin that you had not experienced before.
Lift your chains, because Jesus holds the key. After you let him unlock them, THROW THEM AWAY.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Satan and Demons
In respect to 1 Corinthians 14:20, "Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature/" I am going to be wrapping up my study of Spiritual Warfare soon and move on to other topics to avoid falling victim to being obsessed with our battles against demons. However, I did want to talk about what I have been learning over the past few days.
My dad brought home a book for me to read, Spiritual Warfare, by Jerry Rankin. Dr. Rankin is an alumni of Southwestern Seminary, former missionary, and currently president of the International Mission Board. When he speaks of encounters of Spiritual Warfare, this is an individual that has most certainly seen it. I am about halfway through his book, and it is a MUST READ for all Christians. I almost want to say that before you agree to pray for a missionary, you should look into reading the book. I will dive into that a little bit more later.
In order to supplement Dr. Rankin's writings, I read the chapter in a Systematic Theology book on Satan and Demons....Spiritual Warfare. I won't go into all of the detail of what I read, but I do have a few facts that I want to point out:
1. Satan and Demons (fallen angels) exist.
As you read through the Bible, you will find scripture that discuss satan and demons. The serpent that tempted Eve, Satan failing to tempt Christ, demons being present in various individuals and Christ / others casting the demons out, etc.
2. Not all evil and sin is from Satan and Demons, but some is.
We need to accept our own responsibility obey the Lord and not to shift blame for our own misdeeds onto some demonic force. That being said, there can be influence, but we have dominion over that influence and chose to succumb to it. Not all sin is caused by Satan or demons, nor is the major influence or cause of sin demonic activity, but demonic activity is probably a factor in almost all sin and almost all destructive activity that opposes the work of God in the world today.
These are two very basic points, but I only wanted to arrive to the point that anything that goes against God and the Great Commission is worldly and of sin. Dr. Rankin points out that if this world can't stop the missionary him/herself from going, then it will go to the next person in line...family in friends. I'll go ahead and throw myself under the bus. When I found out, I was angry. I wanted to know why my family was moving away from me. Why was my family making the choice to take my sisters into Mexico. I did not get my answers right away, but I did get my answer. To simply show the Glory of God and to fulfill the Great Commission.
Everything that we do in this world is to glorify our Lord. Satan knows that he can't win this war. Jesus Christ rose from the dead and out of the tomb his scarred hands were the equivalent of victorious trophies. I can not think of a game that draws a parallel, so I have to change the rules of one to make it work. Imagine in football, if you could arrive to the point that the game can not be lost. However, you have to drive the ball down to the end of the field one last time for the game to be over. I imagine that is what we are doing right now. We are trying to get the ball to the end one more time, and Satan knows that if we do, his reign is over. Therefore, he is going to do everything he can to delay us from completing that goal.
As Christians, we are ALL to give our lives to the Lord. That is not a prayer just for those who want to go into the ministry as their careers. EVERYTHING that you do, you are to do in the Lord's name. If you are setting out for the day to do something that does not glorify His name, ask yourself if you should even go do it. I am an auditor, so my daily job is not preaching. However, I go to work everyday to glorify the Lord, and pray that the opportunity will present itself that I may be the light that people may see Jesus Christ. If the Lord calls me to do something else in the future, I must remember that Earthly James no longer lives. He died. Christ lives in this Earthly body that writes to you now, and this body has no say in the argument of what it does in this world. He is just supposed to listen and be a soldier of Christ.
As I close, I want to circle back to my statement that you might want to read Spiritual Warfare before accepting the responsibility to pray for a missionary family. For some of you, you have not made that conscious decision to live your life for the advancement of Christ. Keep in mind that praying for a missionary is declaring war against Satan.
Do not fear, for you have been given strength against sin, and you have armor! It is my hope that these thoughts have not scared anyone. We need not to be scared, because we have the Great Protector. We do need to be alert. Satan does not want us to make to the the end of the field, but I like many others would like to get this game over with so we can go home.
I came across this song on my iPod as I finish this post. This is a great example of what our lives in this world are:
Lord of the Dance, Steven Curtis Chapman
On the bank of the Tennessee River
In a small Kentucky town
I drew my first breath one cold November morning
And before my feet even touched the ground
With the doctors and the nurses gathered 'round
I started to dance
A little boy full of wide-eyed wonder
Footloose and fancy free
But it would happen, as it does for every dancer
That I'd stumble on a truth I couldn't see
And find a longing deep inside of me, sayin'
I am the heart, I need the heartbeat
I am the eyes, I need the sight
I see clearly that I am just a body
I need the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But who'll give purpose to chance
I am the dancer
I need the Lord of the dance
The world beneath us spins in circles
And this life makes us twist and turn and sway
But we were made for more than rhythm with no reason
By the one who moves with passion and with grace
As He dances over all that He has made
I am the heart, He is the heartbeat
I am the eyes, He is the sight
And I see clearly, I am just a body
He is the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But He gives purpose to chance
I am the dancer
He is the Lord of the dance
And while the music of His love and mercy plays
I will fall down on my knees and I will pray
I am the heart, You are the heartbeat
I am the eyes, You are the sight
And I see clearly, I am just a body
You are the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But You give purpose to chance
I am the dancer
You are the Lord of the dance
*Most of the doctrinal statements made in this post came from Grudem, W. A. (1994). Systematic Theology : An introduction to biblical doctrine (422). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
My dad brought home a book for me to read, Spiritual Warfare, by Jerry Rankin. Dr. Rankin is an alumni of Southwestern Seminary, former missionary, and currently president of the International Mission Board. When he speaks of encounters of Spiritual Warfare, this is an individual that has most certainly seen it. I am about halfway through his book, and it is a MUST READ for all Christians. I almost want to say that before you agree to pray for a missionary, you should look into reading the book. I will dive into that a little bit more later.
In order to supplement Dr. Rankin's writings, I read the chapter in a Systematic Theology book on Satan and Demons....Spiritual Warfare. I won't go into all of the detail of what I read, but I do have a few facts that I want to point out:
1. Satan and Demons (fallen angels) exist.
As you read through the Bible, you will find scripture that discuss satan and demons. The serpent that tempted Eve, Satan failing to tempt Christ, demons being present in various individuals and Christ / others casting the demons out, etc.
2. Not all evil and sin is from Satan and Demons, but some is.
We need to accept our own responsibility obey the Lord and not to shift blame for our own misdeeds onto some demonic force. That being said, there can be influence, but we have dominion over that influence and chose to succumb to it. Not all sin is caused by Satan or demons, nor is the major influence or cause of sin demonic activity, but demonic activity is probably a factor in almost all sin and almost all destructive activity that opposes the work of God in the world today.
These are two very basic points, but I only wanted to arrive to the point that anything that goes against God and the Great Commission is worldly and of sin. Dr. Rankin points out that if this world can't stop the missionary him/herself from going, then it will go to the next person in line...family in friends. I'll go ahead and throw myself under the bus. When I found out, I was angry. I wanted to know why my family was moving away from me. Why was my family making the choice to take my sisters into Mexico. I did not get my answers right away, but I did get my answer. To simply show the Glory of God and to fulfill the Great Commission.
Everything that we do in this world is to glorify our Lord. Satan knows that he can't win this war. Jesus Christ rose from the dead and out of the tomb his scarred hands were the equivalent of victorious trophies. I can not think of a game that draws a parallel, so I have to change the rules of one to make it work. Imagine in football, if you could arrive to the point that the game can not be lost. However, you have to drive the ball down to the end of the field one last time for the game to be over. I imagine that is what we are doing right now. We are trying to get the ball to the end one more time, and Satan knows that if we do, his reign is over. Therefore, he is going to do everything he can to delay us from completing that goal.
As Christians, we are ALL to give our lives to the Lord. That is not a prayer just for those who want to go into the ministry as their careers. EVERYTHING that you do, you are to do in the Lord's name. If you are setting out for the day to do something that does not glorify His name, ask yourself if you should even go do it. I am an auditor, so my daily job is not preaching. However, I go to work everyday to glorify the Lord, and pray that the opportunity will present itself that I may be the light that people may see Jesus Christ. If the Lord calls me to do something else in the future, I must remember that Earthly James no longer lives. He died. Christ lives in this Earthly body that writes to you now, and this body has no say in the argument of what it does in this world. He is just supposed to listen and be a soldier of Christ.
As I close, I want to circle back to my statement that you might want to read Spiritual Warfare before accepting the responsibility to pray for a missionary family. For some of you, you have not made that conscious decision to live your life for the advancement of Christ. Keep in mind that praying for a missionary is declaring war against Satan.
Do not fear, for you have been given strength against sin, and you have armor! It is my hope that these thoughts have not scared anyone. We need not to be scared, because we have the Great Protector. We do need to be alert. Satan does not want us to make to the the end of the field, but I like many others would like to get this game over with so we can go home.
I came across this song on my iPod as I finish this post. This is a great example of what our lives in this world are:
Lord of the Dance, Steven Curtis Chapman
On the bank of the Tennessee River
In a small Kentucky town
I drew my first breath one cold November morning
And before my feet even touched the ground
With the doctors and the nurses gathered 'round
I started to dance
A little boy full of wide-eyed wonder
Footloose and fancy free
But it would happen, as it does for every dancer
That I'd stumble on a truth I couldn't see
And find a longing deep inside of me, sayin'
I am the heart, I need the heartbeat
I am the eyes, I need the sight
I see clearly that I am just a body
I need the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But who'll give purpose to chance
I am the dancer
I need the Lord of the dance
The world beneath us spins in circles
And this life makes us twist and turn and sway
But we were made for more than rhythm with no reason
By the one who moves with passion and with grace
As He dances over all that He has made
I am the heart, He is the heartbeat
I am the eyes, He is the sight
And I see clearly, I am just a body
He is the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But He gives purpose to chance
I am the dancer
He is the Lord of the dance
And while the music of His love and mercy plays
I will fall down on my knees and I will pray
I am the heart, You are the heartbeat
I am the eyes, You are the sight
And I see clearly, I am just a body
You are the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But You give purpose to chance
I am the dancer
You are the Lord of the dance
*Most of the doctrinal statements made in this post came from Grudem, W. A. (1994). Systematic Theology : An introduction to biblical doctrine (422). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Battle Hymn of the Republic
This is one of my favorite songs to sing in church. As our country celebrates independence from tyranny and oppression, we too can celebrate our freedom from the chains and bondage of sin. We had an amazing day today. A few families came over and we spent the entire day together, eating amazing food, and just having a great time. I can not think of a better way to spend a day. There were so many times that I found myself looking around at everyone at various times and just thinking to myself that this is what life is all about.!
Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage
Where the grapes of wrath are stored
He has loosed the fateful lightening
Of His terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on
I have seen him in the watch-fires
Of a hundred circling camps
They have builded him an altar
In the evening dews and damps
I can read his righteous sentence
By the dim and flaring lamps
His day is marching on
I have read a fiery gospel
Writ in burnish`d rows of steel
As ye deal with my contempters
So with you my grace shall deal
Let the hero, born of woman
Crush the serpent with his heel
Since my God is marching on
He has sounded forth the trumpet
That shall never call retreat
He is sifting out the hearts of men
Before His judgment-seat
Oh, be swift, my soul
To answer him be jubilant, my feet
Our God is marching on
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
His truth is marching on
Mine eyes have seen the glory
Of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage
Where the grapes of wrath are stored
He has loosed the fateful lightening
Of His terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on
I have seen him in the watch-fires
Of a hundred circling camps
They have builded him an altar
In the evening dews and damps
I can read his righteous sentence
By the dim and flaring lamps
His day is marching on
I have read a fiery gospel
Writ in burnish`d rows of steel
As ye deal with my contempters
So with you my grace shall deal
Let the hero, born of woman
Crush the serpent with his heel
Since my God is marching on
He has sounded forth the trumpet
That shall never call retreat
He is sifting out the hearts of men
Before His judgment-seat
Oh, be swift, my soul
To answer him be jubilant, my feet
Our God is marching on
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
Glory, glory, hallelujah
His truth is marching on
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)