Screwtape on the Southern Baptist Convention

Trevin Wax has posted a satire on the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) here. Written in the style of Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, he has the diabolical Screwtape addressing his nephew Wormwood on how they can thwart the Enemy's [God's] plan for the SBC. As I read it, I think it holds lessons for the churches back in Singapore as well. We need to, in repentance and humilty, focus on God's work for His Kingdom rather than unknowingly in our pride and arrogance do the devil's work for him.

HT: TW

--------
Grace and Peace
Ollie
Mar 2009

Richard Baxter on Education of Youths

I've been reading the Reformed Pastor by Richard Baxter. In in, he writes about what it means to be faithful ministers of the Gospel. In particular, there is a section where he addresses those who have ministry or oversight over youths. Baxter writes,


Again, therefore, I address myself to all who have the charge of the education of youth, especially in order to preparation for the ministry. You, that are schoolmasters and tutors, begin and end with the things of God. Speak daily to the hearts of your scholars those things that must be wrought unto their hearts, or else they are undone. Let some piercing words fall frequently from your mouths, of God, and the state of their souls, and the life to come. Do not say, they are too young to understand and entertain them. You little know what impressions they may make. Not only the soul of the boy, but many souls may have cause to bless God, for your zeal and diligence, yea, for one such seasonable word. You have great advantage above others to do them good; you have then before they grown to maturity, and they will hear you when they will not hear another. If they are destined to the ministry, you are preparing them for the special service of God, and must they not first have the knowledge of him whom they have to serve? Oh think with yourselves, what a sad thing it will be to their own souls, and what a wrong to the Church of God, if they come out from you with common and carnal hearts, to so great and holy and spiritual a work!
- Richard Baxter, Reformed Pastor (First published 1656, reprinted 2007 by Banner of Truth Trust), p. 60 (Emphasis mine).


Although Baxter writes with the preparation of youths for the Ministry of the Gospel in mind, his encouragements still are valid for our work with all youths in general . We are to:

1. Teach them from beginning to end the things of God;

2. Teach them about God, their state of their souls and the life to come and not seek to just entertain them; and

3. Ensure that the youths have a knowledge of God even before they serve.


A good reminder from Baxter of the direction and purpose for youth ministries.


--------
Grace and Peace
Ollie
March 2009

Southern Seminary Haiku

Southern Nights, Bright Lights
Cool Breeze, Beautiful, I'm Pleased
Thank God for delights

-----
Grace and Peace
Ollie
March 2009

Ministry Manifesto

Dan Dumas, the Senior Vice President for Institutional Administration of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary once asked John MacArthur over a game of golf, what he as a young pastor should give priority to. He expected perhaps a long discussion through the rest of the game, but MacArthur replied a matter of factly: "Study. Your people are starving for the Word of God. Study to feed and nourish them well."

With that Dumas started his sermon from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 titled Ministry Manifesto. He drew from the letter and life of Paul to detail four Gospel Ministry Imperatives. They are:

1. Tenacity for the advancement of the Gospel in the midst of opposition (v. 1-2)
- There is a need for fearless proclamation and "thick-skin"; suffering is a part of ministry. Paul demonstrated that there is a personal cost for Gospel Ministry.

2. Commitment to Integrity and Authenticity in your Gospel Proclamation (v.3-4)
- Watch your life, your motives must match what you teach and preach. Paul worked to please God not man.

3. Devotion to gentle and sacrificial care of others (or your congregation) (v.5-8)
- There has to be a balance of grit and grace. Preaching and Pastoral ministry both are important; share your life with the body of Christ. Paul shared his life with the Thessalonians.

4. Zeal for fatiguing and exemplary exhortation (v.9-12)
- It is tough to wield the truth. Work hard to exhort your congregation. Conduct yourself blamelessly. Paul worked night and day coupled with blameless conduct to exhort the Thessalonians.

And the end goal and purpose? So that the body of Christ you are ministering to can walk worthy of God and glorify Christ.


For the full sermon from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Chapel Service dated 19 March 2009 on MP3, it is available here.


________
Grace and Peace
Ollie
March 2009

D A Carson on the "Biblical Gospel"

Justin Taylor over at Between Two Worlds has just put a post on D A Carson writing on what is the Biblical Gospel. The post which summarizes the main ideas is found here. The entire article available as a PDF document is available off the Gospel Coalition website here.


In the article, Carson says,

Thus the gospel is integrally tied to the Bible’s story-line. Indeed, it is incomprehensible without understanding that story-line. God is the sovereign, transcendent and personal God who has made the universe, including us, his image-bearers. Our misery lies in our rebellion, our alienation from God, which, despite his forbearance, attracts his implacable wrath. But God, precisely because love is of the very essence of his character, takes the initiative and prepared for the coming of his own Son by raising up a people who, by covenantal stipulations, temple worship, systems of sacrifice and of priesthood, by kings and by prophets, are taught something of what God is planning and what he expects. In the fullness of time his Son comes and takes on human nature. He comes not, in the first instance, to judge but to save: he dies the death of his people, rises from the grave and, in returning to his heavenly Father, bequeaths the Holy Spirit as the down payment and guarantee of the ultimate gift he has secured for them—an eternity of bliss in the presence of God himself, in a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. The only alternative is to be shut out from the presence of this God forever, in the torments of hell. What men and women must do, before it is too late, is repent and trust Christ; the alternative is to disobey the gospel (Romans 10:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Peter 4:17).


HT : Justin Taylor

________
Grace and Peace
Ollie
March 2009

More coffee Haiku

Hectic day, takes toll
Coffee and friends, make day whole
Empty cup, soothed soul

- Linda Leach, Coffee Haiku winner @ Green Mountain Coffee

(:
________
Grace and Peace
Ollie
March 2009

Coffee Haiku

coffee
in a paper cup--
a long way from home

- Gary Hotham, "Coffee," in Breath Marks: Haiku to Read in the Dark

(:
________
Grace and Peace
Ollie
March 2009

For Such a Time as This?

²⁶And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, ²⁷that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.

- Acts 17:26-27 (ESV)

³²Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command.

- 1 Chronicles 12:32 (ESV)

¹⁴For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

- Esther 4:14 (ESV)

Yes Lord, I shall go serve in Louisville Chinese Christian Church.

_____
Grace and Peace
Ollie
March 2009

A Heart That Trembles at God's Word is Precious in God's Eyes

But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble
and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
Isaiah 66:2b

I have been reading Jeremiah Burroughs in Gospel Fear. In it he writes:

What is it, then, that will please him [God]? He tells you in this second verse: "But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My Word.... Here we have three qualifications of one whom God will look at and have regard unto. "Will you know what I [God] respect? Him who is poor, of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My Word. Here is one whom I look to, with whom I delight to dwell, and in whom I take pleasure. First, in a poor spirit, second, in a contrite one, and in him who trembles at God's Word.... Doctrine: A heart that trembles at God's Word is very precious in God's eye.

How often do I tremble in reverence when I hear or read God's Word? How often do we tremble in awed respect to God's Word being preach or taught? I often catch my thoughts drifting off thinking about errands to run and responsibilities to fulfill; or worse still, to critique the teacher or preacher in my pride. Even the times where my thoughts are preoccupied with Ministry is no excuse. Do I recognize that this is God's Word being declared? If so, do I tremble at God's Word?

_____
Grace and Peace
Ollie
March 2009

Lanterns lighted, we miss the view of the stars

When the prosperous man on a dark but starlit night drives comfortably in his carriage and has the lanterns lighted, aye, then he is safe, he fears no difficulty, he carries his light with him, and it is not dark close around him. But precisely because he has the lanterns lighted, and has a strong light close to him, precisely for this reason, he cannot see the stars. For his lights obscure the stars, which the poor peasant, driving without lights, can see gloriously in the dark but starry night. So those deceived ones live in the temporal existence: either, occupied with the necessities of life, they are too busy to avail themselves of the view, or in their prosperity and good days they have, as it were, lanterns lighted, and close about them everything is so satisfactory, so pleasant, so comfortable -
but the view is lacking, the prospect, the view of the stars.

- Soren Kierkegaard quoted in V. Eller, The Simple Life

But seek first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness,
and all these things will be added to you.

- Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

________
Grace and Peace
Ollie
Mar 2009

How Then Shall We Fight for Joy?

Footprints in the Snow - What are we Walking Towards?

Reading John Piper's Desiring God as part of my class assignments was a delightful task. I had read parts of the book and the condensed booklet version The Dangerous Duty of Delight before, and seating down to read and savor the book in its entirety was not an assignment but rather an opportunity. An opportunity to read, think, reflect and pray on what was written and to live it out.

It is sometimes apparent how God in his providence will work as it is in this instance (I believe God will providentially work out all things, just that sometimes it is not so apparent at that point in time). Contrary to what many believe, attending seminary is not escaping to a little slice of heaven on earth. True, it is a privilege and a joy but a joy that have to be fought for. Seminary education takes place in a real world with real people. So we will still encounter stresses, fatigue, disappointment, illness, irritation, discouragement in the midst of the joys and delights. We have bills to pay, deadlines to meet, expectations to live up to, people (both pleasant and unpleasant) to interact with, and fears to overcome. I think this is a universal principle as we still live in a fallen world where God's Kingdom is here and not yet fully here. It applies to my friends in schools, at work and in ministry. How then should we fight for Joy?

In Piper's book, Desiring God, there is an appendix that is helpful. It gives 15 guidelines as to how we can walk towards the goal of Joy in God. The outline of "How Then Shall We Fight for Joy" is as follows:

1. Realize that Authentic Joy in God is a Gift;
2. Realize the Joy must be Fought for Relentlessly;
3. Resolve to Attack all Known Sin in your Life;
4. Learn the Secret of Gutsy Guilt: How to Fight like a Justified Sinner;
5. Realize that the Battle is Primarily a Fight to see God for Who He is;
6. Meditate on the Word of God Day and Night;
7. Pray Earnestly and Continually for Open Heart-eyes and an inclination for God;
8. Learn to Preach to Yourself rather than Listen to Yourself;
9. Spend time with God-Saturated People who help you see God and Fight the Fight;
10. Be Patient in the Night of God's Seeming Absence;
11. Get the Rest, Exercise, and Proper Diet that your Body was Designed by God to have;
12. Make a Proper Use of God's Revelation in Nature;
13. Read Great Books about God and Biographies of Great Saints;
14. Do the Hard and Loving Thing for the Sake of Others - Witness and Mercy; and
15. Get a Global Vision for the Cause of Christ and Pour Yourself out for the Unreached.

- John Piper, Desiring God

_____
Grace and Peace
Ollie
Mar 2009

The Gospel - God's means of saving us totally

Graeme Goldsworthy has written a few good books on Biblical Theology. I've been reading According to Plan, and he wrote about how the Gospel is God's means of saving us totally. Goldsworthy said,

As we begin the Christian life by placing our whole trust in the Christ of the gospel event, so in the same way we continue in the Christian life. The Gospel not only brings us to new birth and faith as Christians; it is God's means of saving us totally. The Gospel is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16), and this means the whole of salvation for the whole person. Thus the gospel converts us, the gospel sustains us in the Christian life and brings us to maturity and the gospel brings us to perfection through our resurrection from the dead.
- Graeme Goldsworthy, According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible.

Again I am reminded of the need to preach and teach the whole Gospel, and not truncate it to mere "decisionism" or an event - getting people to make a commitment or say a prayer to receive Jesus and to leave them at that. The Gospel is God's means of saving us totally; it means we have to communicate the whole Gospel to whole persons for the whole of life.

____
Grace and Peace,
Ollie
March 2009

Romans 12:1

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. - Romans 12:1 (ESV)

I read Jerry Bridges Discipline of Grace recently, and in the book, he quotes John Calvin's Commentary on Romans 12:1. He writes,

Paul's entreaty teaches us that men will never worship God with a sincere heart, or be roused to fear and obey Him with sufficient zeal, until they properly understand how much they are indebted to His mercy.... Paul,... in order to bind us to God not by servile fear but by a voluntary and cheerful love of righteousness, attracts us by the sweetness of that grace in which our salvation consists.

As the old hymn by John Newton goes, "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound." Our worship of God and sacrifice for God should be motivated by the sweet grace of the Gospel of Salvation which Paul laid out in Romans 1-11.

_____
Grace and Peace
Ollie
March 2009

Resolved -1-

"Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die."
- Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards, the renown 18th Century American preacher, theologian, and pastor, early in his ministry made resolutions as to how he would live his life. He made 70 resolutions which he continued to review as it guided the course of his life and ministry. His 17th resolution states that he resolved to live such that when he dies, he would have no regrets before God (my paraphrase).

On my 37th Birthday, I too resolved to live my life such that when I come before the face of Jesus, I will have no regrets.

-----
Grace and Peace,
Ollie
March 2009

Medieval Tech Support