Tuesday, February 27th, 2007
been listening to the class lectures on the life of francis and edith schaeffer. interesting how God can use a man and a woman to do wonders for His kingdom. speaking the truth in love… compassion for the poor and neglected… being obedient to God’s call… a life walking with the Lord. wow…
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Monday, February 26th, 2007
snowed in this sunday so we decided to worship at home. sermon came from the first question of the westminster shorter catechism.
what is the chief end of man? man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
“chief end” refers to our main purpose in life… “to glorify” does not mean to make God more glorious, because God already is glorious… it means that we are to reflect the glory of God… we will reflect the glory of God in both our obedience and disobedience. in our obedience, the mercy of God is revealed… in our disobedience, the wrath and justice of God is revealed…
“to enjoy Him forever” means that every aspect of our life is an enjoyment of being in Him. we cannot escape the all encompassing love and presence of God. He is there. He is here. enjoy Him.
1 Corinthians 10:31…
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Thursday, February 22nd, 2007
one technique from a sermon on avoiding gossip or a gossiper… ask two questions: 1) am i the problem? 2) am i the solution? if your answer is no to both questions… then its none of your business and you don’t need to go any further…
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Monday, February 12th, 2007
been reading a bunch because of a long metro train ride… books i’ve read so far (will have reviews soon):
- Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (classic, one of my favorites… book on Christian fellowship) ****
- Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (another one of my favorites… when Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die) **** 1/2
- The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out by Brennan Manning (another re-read, I first read in 1998… an extravagent God pouring out His love to ragamuffins) ***
- On Being Black and Reformed: A New Perspective on the African-American Christian Experience by Anthony Carter (a look into the struggles of African Americans and the need for a reformed perspective) **
- Pursuing the Pearl: A Comprehensive Resource for Multi-Asian Ministry by Ken Fong (a look at the struggles of multi-generation, multi-asian ministries) **
- Invitation to Lead: Guidance for Emerging Asian American Leaders by Paul Tokunaga (Intervarsity presents a look into the Asian American culture) **
- The Westminster Shorter Catechism: For Study Classes by G. I. Williamson (a foundational book on Reformed doctrines… God, man, Order of Salvation, worship, the law, Ten Commandments, Prayer, The Lord’s Prayer) *****
Currently reading:
- God Who Is There by Francis A. Schaeffer (an analysis of philosophies, presuppositions, and the current development under “the line of despair.” written from an apologetics point of view pointing towards the need for an absolute/unified system of beliefs or ending up living in great tension between the reality that is and an optimistic/relativistic reality that we try to create for ourselves… book was given to me in 1998 by IV staff worker) *****
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Monday, February 5th, 2007
Both Cain and Abel came from the same parents, with the same upbringing, the same God… both knew God… both gave offerings to God…
“The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.” Genesis 4:4-5.
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”
God does not leave Cain in his sin. God graciously rebukes Cain, but even with this grace, Cain rejects the living God to pursue his own interests. This is humanity at its lowest.
The story of Cain and Abel represents two sides of the human condition. Dignity and depravity. We know the good we ought to do but so easily choose that which is depraved. Why? Why? why? We are deceived, we are selfish, we are depraved… we are dead spiritually… we know God, but we choose to reject him…
Why? because we chose to.
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