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This short book on prayer by R.C. Sproul packs a wallop. Some paragraphs featured a great thought in every sentence. For some reason-I was effected by the chapter on the prohibitions on prayer in which R.C. writes on the following verses:
All the verses have the same theme:
Psalm 109:7-7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
and may his prayers condemn him.
John 9:31-31We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.
Proverbs 15:29-29 The LORD is far from the wicked
but he hears the prayer of the righteous
Proverbs 28:9- 9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law,
even his prayers are detestable.
Sproul goes on to write that this is about confession. "Without confession there is no forgiveness of sin." (p. 64) These verses are not telling us to sin more but that an "integral part of prayer is confession."
Perhaps the foremost book in my life is the Holy Bible. It is a book that I need to read more of. A friend of mine is going through the Bible, started two days ago, and hopes to finish in a year. He is blogging his thoughts.
I have a ton of books that I want to read. I am hoping to better use this blog in those efforts.
On the road with me are the following books:
And I brought along with me a few other books...perhaps another case of "my eyes are bigger than my stomach".
The Greek book is not the text from my class but I found it to be a good primer, and since class ended yesterday, I need to review for the coming semester.
"UnChristian" and "Radically Unchurched" -I am curious about the role of the church in society today.
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I would've brought along a trunkload of books ..(I am hungering to read some theology books, hermeneutics, and preaching)... but realistically, I only bought along one preaching book. Which is:
I also want to tackle the following:
For one of my classes, I was to write a sermon on salvation. So I decided to revisit "Sinners In the Hands of an Angry God." I found it in paper back form, making for a quick read. Not sure if they still read this in high school, but oh 20 some odd years ago, we read a snippet. Just enough to make people think, hmmm, Christianity sucks.
I guess one needs to read things in context. They say that in Texas-Bible coureses will be offered in the public schools...just wondering how that will come across...
I've tried to read this several times before, but somehow this time I was really convicted to read it...and it made much more sence to me than in the past. I don't recall but perhaps I read an Amercanized version? I mean an updated version...but this last time reading through it, I was struck by Edward's logic. I also heard a sermon that mentioned that he merely read his sermon...and people were convicted by the Holy Spirit. IT never occurred to me what that Edwards' sermon was a skillful, systematized argument on the state of man (sinful) and his need for salvation.
I was thinking that I would update "Sinners" for todays audience but I think Paul Washer already has. (I turned in my sermon and I rushed...but anyhoo more on that in another post perhaps on my Xanga (see sidebar))...
After school finishes, I tackling "Knowing God" by J.I. Packer and John Piper's "Don't Waste Your Life" which I read once but decided to revisit....
This is one of three "militant" athiest works out there. I recently went to see "Expelled". Which linked Darwinism with militant athiesm...(David Berlinski lectured at SWBTS, he was featured in Ben Stein's movie.) I was curious to see what he had to say...althought when it first came out, I didn't like the tone. But a part of me felt that we Christians need to know what our detractors are thinking...although I can guess what they are thinkging.
The interesting thing about Harris' book is that he sees a threat in Islam, and it seems like he realizes he can reason with Christians, yet not Muslims.
Harris doesn't address this, but we have many flavor of Chrisitanity. I heard it once, that there are Cultural Christians, Conterfiet Christians, and actual (forgot the 'c' word) Christians. When one looks at the bible, the title of Christian was given as a form of derision. Now 2000 years after Christ died on the cross, Christianity has spread almost around the world. We have seen the church become territorialized (State churches), and denominationalized...what is next? But throughout the ages, the church survives. How much of what people think of Christians is influenced by people who are not actual Christians? But I think that regardless, people will hate Christ simply because the world hates Christ. (and the ruler of this world). In Texas there is this Mormon cult (FLDS). They are abusing their children...and someone says on the news, "Why don't Christians practice what they preach?" They give Christians a bad name..." -sigh (sort of like the end of Malcolm X, where the lady confuses Malcolm X's religion).
I hear that Ravi Zaccharias has a new book answering Harris, and Dawkins...I am looking forward to seeing what he says. "Letter.." is short, its timely. Makes me wonder what Bertrand Russell wrote (which I have only heard about). The issues Harris raises challenges us as Christians to live by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Christian witness to the world would be that more powerful...
I am curious what Postman would have said about the internet and blogging. His son does write an essay to reintroduce the book to us.
I was captivated by chapters on media's (t.v.) on religion. Postman dissected the major players in the televangelist realm (even comparing them with great evangelist from the past)...who did incur much scrutiny in the 80's. Surprisingly Postman seems to have something against Billy Graham, as he quotes Graham in other venues. Would Postman use the words of a television commercial a few years back? This ad had its spokesman say, "With billions of dollars put into this vast global infrastructure (?something like that) all we can find to do with it is go surfing."
Postman uses the juxtaposition of an Orwellian world with a Huxleyian world. He argues that we inhabit a world closer to Huxley. Interestingly enough our cold war enemies are Orwellian...and I would say that beyond the Communist countries, some Muslim countries are probably pretty Orwellian.
Well, that is just to begin my thoughts...more later.
Well in the last month, I've been away, I was in Vancouver and in L.A. Now I'm back in school and should be studying Greek.
But I've been reading this Michael Frost book. Something I don't agree with, somethings make me think.
In a way I'm in limbo. School keep me pretty busy, yet I want to do more in terms of helping people out but yet I also need to work for a living.
One of the issues that "Exiles" brings out is the idea of work. Frost writes how the church seems to exalt ministry. Like you aren't doing God's work unless your working in church. He attempts to break down these views and calls for a better understanding of vocation. We should not think of our lives as being compartementalized.
