The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

and

The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but the victory belongs to the LORD.

The wisdom that can be drawn out seems to say: be diligent, make plans and most of the time you'll see abundance and victory; but ultimately God is in control and will rule the outcome.

I find it reassuring in considering these verses to remember that our God is not only fair and just but he is also good.

In my last post I talked about how having the right type of weakness allows God's power to be perfected in our lives, but when you stand back and take a hard look at the elements needed for God to be perfect, what he does to be perfect and when/how is power is perfected; you can only conclude that his power is perfect as often as he is. Which is all the time isn't it.

Therefore God is glorified and shown to be perfect whether it is through my weakness or my pride. His power working through me or against me is perfect no matter what I do. How's that for predestination?

I guess it just comes down to the question of wanting God to work through you and be perfect through you or against you and perfect against you.

So here it is… the theological tie in. You knew it was coming. This is so much like the spiritual life! When we are weak then we are strong and that sort of thing.

2 Cor 12:9-10 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (ESV)

The trick comes in attaining the right kind of weakness so that you can have that elusive supernatural strength, because as experience tells us not all weakness leads to added strength.

When I am in false pride having a pity party about how hard my life is I don’t think that God’s power is being made perfect. When I am in weakness giving in to sin, God’s power is definitely not being made perfect.

But when I am in humility striving to obey what I know but yet struggling in hardship and trial while enduring not for my own good image but for the glory of God and his kingdom, I am small and all of his bigness, his omnipotence, the very power that raised Christ from the dead rests upon me.

Pride, fear, sin, thinking more highly of myself then I ought… all that puffs up – the bigness – is truly my weakness.

Now if only I could find one of those mushrooms that makes you invincible to enemies…

It was a wonderful day... that day, April 19th 1986.
It was the day that I accepted Christ as my savior, friend, father and God.

It's been a wild ride since then.

Pain, suffering and death. My prayers go out to the family and friends of those killed and wounded in Virginia. It was not right, it was not moral, to do such a thing and there is no argument with that. It is natural to feel outrage and sorrow from the injustice of murder.

Walking around Lake LaVerne this morning I considered such a terrible event happening here. It was very sobering. My mind wandered to the upcoming VEISHEA celebration and the masses of people who would be soon flocking to campus intent on doing what Americans do: feed and entertain themselves.

We try and distract ourselves from the reality of death. Are you ready to see everyone around you die? Of course not. But the truth is this: every person you see is in a sense on their deathbed. Every person you talk to is mortal and has death in their near future. For some death is nearer then others and for us who are young it can seem a long way off, but we are so very fragile.

I know of a truth that can remove the sting of death and diminish it to mere absence for a time. What chances will I take this weekend to interrupt the feeding and entertaining of a few to catch them on their deathbed and provide a chance to hear the truth and love?

No, I am no longer debating. At the risk of offending or even damaging some, those near to death must be interrupted, convicted and offered true life in exchange for death.

I will share the gospel.

Yellow The Glory of God - God, His person character and attributes.
Green Grace - All gospel verses but also for all aspects of grace.
Red Blood - Anything about the death, sufferings and blood of Christ.
Blue Holy Spirit – Anything about the person and work of the Holy Spirit.
Brown Judgment, punishment, sin, temptation, etc.
Purple Prayer – The royal privilege. Promises, examples, instructions, etc.
Orange Word of God – Anything that mentions the Word, Scriptures, Promises, etc.

To effectively use this method, color only the word or phrase that mentions the subject. You may have two or more colors in a verse. Use pencils with soft leads and not pens because they will bleed through.

Advantages:

1. You must concentrate on the verses in order to know what color to use. This concentration enables you to gain more understanding of the verse.


2. There is a greater retention of what you are reading. Many times I have read a passage and then asked myself, “What did I just read?” Coloring is one form of meditation.


3. There is a greater ability to recall. I have found many passages as I looked for the colors.


4. Coloring is often a prelude to further meditation and study. As you think about its meaning you are often stimulated to think and reflect further.

I’m sure that this method won’t work for everyone. It’s just a tool to help you and I study the Bible. Honestly when I first heard about this method I was really skeptical because it seems so “Sundayschool-ish” but I’m going to give it a try. Hey, it helped Herschel get through somewhere around 50 years of life as a Christian so it probably help me!

For some reason I have had an unfounded confidence in my own intellect since my childhood. This is where pride enters our narrative. It is possible that my confidence springs from the all-American instilment that “you can do anything that you set your mind to”. Whatever the case, I find myself looking at the obstacles, challenges and even men before me and think they are all conquerable if I but had the time and desire. I realize the complete folly of such a vain way of thinking but this conceited reasoning is not my end. My point is in my education and general knowledge of the world I have encountered nothing as truly mind blowing as encountering God himself. Again working from the assumption that all that I have learned in my almost 27 years from professors, parents and public television about the natural world can be pulled apart and reduced to simple and comprehendible trifles and is an accurate subset of all that can be known in the universe is admittedly arrogance but has carried me deeper into faith.

To know that the created universe in its vastness and terrible complexity is but a water drop in comparison to the ocean of this infinite and intricate God beckons not only join him but surrender all to his unimaginable power, intellect and utter love even for me.

“We trust not because ‘a God’ exists but because this God exists.” – C.S. Lewis, “On Obstinacy in Belief”

Claire kissed his cheek carrying a striped glove holding a steaming pot as Tom traversed from the garage through the kitchen and into the bright dinning room. Sean glanced up with a screwed up look to his face in reaction to the creamed peas his mother was adding to the crowded table. Then from his seat opposite the window Sean looked out towards a young man ambling by on the street. For but a moment our worlds touched. Then I was off walking down the block as they continued into dinner.

(Inspired by The World's Last Night - C.S. Lewis)

Editor's Note: In the latest issue of RELEVANT, we got the chance to ask seven leaders about seven big questions facing the Church. Here's an excerpt from their responses. To read more, be sure to check out the January/February issue of the mag.

What trends in church and worship styles do you see? Are they positive or negative?
Mark Driscoll: I'll be happy when we have more than just prom songs to Jesus sung by some effeminate guy on an acoustic guitar offered as mainstream worship music. Right now most worship music is still coming from the top down through such things as Christian radio and record labels. But the trend today in a lot of churches is writing your own music to reflect your culture and community, and I pray this trend of music from the bottom up continues.

What is a negative tendency of this generation as it relates to the faith?
Efrem Smith: I'm very concerned about the continual influence of consumerism Christianity and a Christianity that is very self-centered. Even in some of the social justice initiatives that I see, I wonder at times if it's really about social change and kingdom advancement or if it's about the sense of accomplishment and adventure one gets from the experience. Christian television (even with its good side) seems to push consumerism, capitalism and individualism. It's not that these traits are so sinful as much as it limits the Gospel message and keeps us from kingdom community and reconciliation.

What positive tendency do you see in this generation?
Lauren Winner: I look around me, and see people willing to name and sit with doubt. I see people taking seriously our charge to steward the earth. I see people questioning culturally specific gender roles that have been, in an earlier generation, presented as holy writ. I see people who sense that the Gospel is not a call to compartmentalization, but a call to love that encompasses all of our life.

What do you see as the greatest challenge for a young Christian in the next 10 years?
Frederica Mathewes-Green: I am afraid that every Christian is going to be increasingly challenged by violent Islam in ways that will be harder and harder to tacitly ignore. Ironically, much of what Islam hates about America are things that Christians ought to likewise resist: gluttonous consumption, recreational shopping, celebrity culture, trashing of the environment, the trivializing of sex, the sexualizing of children, the killing of unborn children, artificializing women's bodies, depriving boys and men of a coherent and worthy identity, jingoism, any belief that being "American" takes precedence over membership in the body of Christ. If we are going to face the threat of death for what we believe (as Christians have been doing for 1300 years in Africa, Asia and the Middle East), let it truly be for what we believe, and not for Angelina Jolie, the "4th Meal" and extra cupholders.

How should Christians be involved in the political system?
Rob Bell: At our church we bring out the fact that the Gospel is obviously political, yet we are aggressively non-partisan. We are interested in being a voice for those who have no voice. Too often the party line becomes, "If you're a Christian, then of course you're voting like us," and that's crazy. As the people of God, our postures should be aggressively non-partisan and always veering toward the oppressed and the marginalized and those who have no voice, as opposed to the endless self-preservation and protection.

How can a Christian fulfill a passion for social justice as a middle-class American?
Rick Warren: The Bible teaches that pursuing social justice isn't an option for a follower of Jesus. We must care about what God cares about most—and that is bringing lost souls home to Him. But our ministry is to the whole person, not just His spiritual emptiness. Clearly, God cares about His creations—the billions of people He's placed on this planet who now suffer at the hands of injustice, not only spiritual emptiness, but also egocentric leadership, poverty, disease and inadequate education. You may not be able to personally make a difference for everyone, but you can make a difference for someone.

Where and how do you feel Christians can have the most impact on culture?
Erwin McManus: We are presently in a cultural tide pool: music, fashion, art, film, church. Culture is in an imitative frenzy. Imitation is good as long as it moves us to emulation, which should move us to innovation, which is where we begin to express and experience our uniqueness. It is time to risk and create the future. This is where we can have the greatest impact on culture. We can choose to create a compelling future. There is never simply one future being created. There are always competing futures at play. The ones that are most powerful and compelling become magnetic and create a force of human momentum. That's how movements start. Someone decides there needs to be a tear in human history. The past as we have known it needs to come to a close and a new future must be created. And isn't this the ultimate calling of the Church: To create the future?

NT575: New Testament Theology (http://www.biblicaltraining.org/class.php?id=191)

Speaker: Dr. Frank Thielman (http://www.biblicaltraining.org/index.php?page=speakers&id=25)

Description, goal, and objectives
Our goal in this course, simply put, is to understand the basic theological message of the New Testament both in its diversity of expression and in its fundamental conceptual unity. To accomplish this goal, the course will pursue three objectives. We will begin by laying a historical and philosophical foundation for our understanding of the theology of the New Testament. We will then examine the major theological themes of the three parts of the New Testament canon. We will, finally, study the theological themes that bind the entire New Testament together as a conceptually unified book.

Textbooks
Hengel, Martin. The Four Gospels and the One Gospel of Jesus Christ. Harrisburg, Penn.: Trinity Press International, 2000.
Thielman, Frank. Theology of the New Testament: A Brief Account.
Westerholm, Stephen. Perspectives Old and New on Paul: The “Lutheran” Paul and His Critics. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2004.
Wilken, Robert L. The Christians as the Romans Saw Them. New York: Yale University Press, 1984.

11/29/06
Lecture: Historical Foundations for the Study of New Testament Theology - An overview of the history of New Testament Theology as a discipline, emphasizing the role of the Reformation. (40 min. 27 sec.)

Notes:
There is an area of mystery in the theology of the New Testament where people differ in their opinion. We will explore the tension between diversity and unity.

(He uses ESV)

Secondary Main Textbook
I. Howard Marshal New Testament Theology – Many Witnesses One Gospel >>Apparently he want’s to use this book and not the one’s that he listed earlier in the syllabus.
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0830827951/dealtime-books-20/ref=nosim)

Who has gone before us and what they did. What they believed.
Foundations for the Study of New Testament Theology
Part 1
I. The History of New Testament Theology as a Discipline: Biblical theology as a product of the Reformation
  A. Luther – appealed to the bible. Saw a great deal more in the church tradition then in the bible. Called into question selling of indulgences. 1521 Diet of Worms – asked to give an account but said that he would detract if it was out of harmony with the scripture. Luther thought that all children should be taught the scripture
  B. Melancthon – Same year (1521) published “Fundamental Theological Themes” in Latin. Significant work – took letter to the Romans and supplied discussion of important theological themes in book. Before this the gospel had been organized primarily in a logical theme instead of a biblical theme. He wrote first biblical theology. Subject rose from bible instead of speculation about what the bible said. He brought in other texts to support it but the themes and outlines where from Romans itself. Raised scripture to a place of primacy in what people believed about humanity and about God.
  C. Protestant Scholasticism (late 1500’s on) (Similar to systems of Thomas Aquinas) Example: Precepts that Christians ought to believe including footnotes to scripture Belgic Confession of 1561 Westminster Confession 1647 according to rationality to describe and speak of what is found in scripture. They begin with the authority of scripture and the infallibility of it. Don’t provide organizing principle like Melancthon but instead provided proof text.
  D. Two developments, however, worked against this tendency:
    1. German Pietism – 17th century in reaction to the over concern the details and cerebral nature of systematic theology and how ministers where trained in German Lutherans. Philip Jacob Spener – “Pia Desideria” advanced 6 points for reform. 1st point was renewed reading of whole bible. Wanted to encourage everyone to read the bible because of the emphasis of thelogical system of the church … Anton Frederick Bushing1758 complained that the theological education of seminaries disqualified ministers from leading churches. Forgot about the primacy of scriptures. His book “Thoughts on the nature and advantage of biblical dogmatic theology over the old and new scholasticism”. Protestants had fallen into the same trap as the reformation had tried to draw them out of. Overall, deeply committed Christians who believed that God makes himself know through scripture and that God changes hearts and lives and were concerned with seminaries.
    2. English (and German) Rationalism – (1600 and 1700’s enlightenment) Human reason became very important for epistemology. John Locke wrote on Paul’s Letters. Believed that God revealed to us what cannot be known by reason. We can know truth by two ways; reason and the bible. Also reason and revelation do not conflict. John Toland (1670-1722) Only those parts of scripture that passed the test of reason could be accepted as valid. Elevated reason above revelation. J.S. Semler (1725-1791) Scripture was not inspired and disagreed with Locke about inerrancy. Scriptures are mistaken and cannon was a product of fallible human decisions and no Christian should be bound to it. Christian should be free to pick and choose what you feel is the word of God. Scripture should be studied historically and critically to find what is acceptable and rational according to modern criteria. Overall, where critical in scripture and that reason and human rationality should take precedence over anything that the church has handed down as scripture. All considered themselves as Christians.

These two developments had in common a desire to deal with the scriptures themselves and intense study of the word of God in a move away from scholasticism.
    3. Coming out of the mix of these two developments is the first Biblical theologies and the first New Testament theologies.
      a. Gotthilf Traugott Zachariä (1729—1777) 1st know biblical theologist. Similar to what Melancthon has done only in a much more detailed way. He was not a rationalist and was sympathetic to German Pietists. He recognized that it was important to read the bible in its historical context.
      b. Georg Lorenz Bauer (1755—1806) 1800-1802 published 1st New Testament Theology and in it stated that the bible should be read in historical context, it should not merely be mined for systematic theology against Belgic and Westminster Confessions where people had made theological statements and then searched through the bible to find texts that proved it. We should examine each book to find the pure biblical truth that is valid for all times and places. What cannot be brought into the modern age should be stripped off and the kernel of truth can be transferred over to modern times and can produce a biblical theology.

Turns out I had a large recently deceased yet moist cricket in my shoe.
Mmm Mmm Tasty!

So we are looking for help to get the place ready to move into.

It should be a lot easier to paint before we get furniture in there and we need to do some cleaning before we paint so even though it's not our house quite yet we are hoping to clean it on Saturday.

So please email us or call us if you can help!

Negotiations continue. Which basically means that she's not going to chop twelve thousand dollars off the price like we asked her to.

Stand by for more news and keep praying!