Wednesday, May 27, 2009

What does it mean to think “theologically"?

I had friends who said to me before, "We do not need to study Theology; we only need the Bible." That in itself is already a theological statement. Theology or the study of God, is Faith seeking Understanding, as we seek to understand all of God's Truth as revealed in the Bible and how they apply to all areas of life. A oft repeated statement made by one of the Professor at Southern Seminary is that what we think about God impacts how we think about everything else. Listen then to another Pastor, Harry Reeder from the Gospel Coalition, as he explains what does it mean to think "theologically"?




--------
Grace and Peace
Ollie
May 2009

Monday, May 25, 2009

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Weakness as Primary Qualification for Serving God



“For my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
— 2 Corinthians 12:9


A primary qualification for
serving God with any amount of success, and for doing God’s work well and triumphantly, is a sense of our own weakness. When God’s warrior marches forth to battle, strong in his own might, when he boasts, “I know that I shall conquer, my own right arm and my conquering sword shall get unto me the victory,” defeat is not far distant. God will not go forth with that man who marches in his own strength. He who reckoneth on victory thus has reckoned wrongly, for “it is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” They who go forth to fight, boasting of their prowess, shall return with their gay [joyous] banners trailed in the dust, and their armour stained with disgrace. Those who serve God must serve him in his own way, and in his strength, or he will never accept their service. That which man doth, unaided by divine strength, God can never own. The mere fruits of the earth he casteth away; he will only reap that corn, the seed of which was sown from heaven, watered by grace, and ripened by the sun of divine love. God will empty out all that thou hast before he will put his own into thee; he will first clean out thy granaries before he will fill them with the finest of the wheat. The river of God is full of water; but not one drop of it flows from earthly springs. God will have no strength used in his battles but the strength which he himself imparts. Are you mourning over your own weakness? Take courage, for there must be a consciousness of weakness before the Lord will give thee victory. Your emptiness is but the preparation for your being filled, and your casting down is but the making ready for your lifting up.

“When I am weak then am I strong,
Grace is my shield and Christ my song.”

- Spurgeon, Charles H., Morning and Evening: Daily Readings, Complete and unabridged, New modern edition (Peabody, MA : Hendrickson Publishers, 2006).



--------
Grace and Peace
Ollie
May 2009

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Time for Chilling

I noticed this squirrel outside my window during my finals week - it was chilling and sleeping on the branch while balancing precariously only as squirrels can.

It was a tough but good finals; I think on one day I sat down and worked for 15 hours (with time out for meals and bio-breaks). It was a good opportunity to push and discipline myself. Learned heaps.

Anyway it is chilling time. I watched the latest Star Trek Movie last Friday midnight; attended a flute recital by a young virtuoso on campus on Saturday afternoon; had a good dinner and fellowship at a friend's home in rural Louisville Sunday evening; and finally watched the Louisville Bats Baseball game on Monday evening (my friends wanted me to experience authentic America, and they maintained that you cannot get more American than Baseball!).

I'm hoping to walk some in Cherokee Park, visit downtown Louisville (Speed Art Museum, Fourth Street, and Waterfront Park) and to spend a lazy afternoon chilling at the Blue Dog Cafe over a cup of aromatic coffee and a good book, before heading up to Philadelphia for a couple of days. There I will meet Kim Meng, Beow Kheng, Caleb and Daphne, attend Caleb's graduation and walk around Philly for a couple of days (maybe visiting the Amish community outside Philly) before heading back to good old Singapore and home! Looking forward to getting back to Grace Baptist Church and meeting up with the younger ones! (:

--------
Grace and Peace
Ollie
May 2009