The Pundit's Folly by Sinclair B. Ferguson

School at New Tribles Bible Institute has allowed for careful study of big chunks of God's word, which I will use for the rest of my life. I am so thankful to be able to continue to sit under godly, carefully-discerning teaching before I train specifically for whatever career I'll take. My church elder/gracious Sunday lunch host Kevin Bridges lent me this book upon my lament of not knowing some Old Testament books that well, such as Ecclesiastes. (I think we take Ruth/Song of Solomon/Ecclesiastes in one six-week class our senior semester, since they are shorter books and the later ones before all the prophets, Isaiah through Malachi.) I have adopted a format for Bible reading where I read the whole selection in one sitting without stopping to write notes so I can see the overhanging, general idea. Then I take short notes from beginning to end, mostly concerning personal application and questions I may have regarding the interpretation or the backgrounds.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole mater: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NKJV

February 22, 2009 the book of Ecclesiastes / chapters 1-2
Ecclesiastes Notes Read first: 7:08 P.M.- 8:30 P.M.
(It took so long because I had to have a session of heart-cleansing before I opened up the word for God to teach me, so I would be able to penetrate His truth on His foundation rather than my own. Good thing I did so I wouldn't just take my fallible word for what is written, and so I wouldn't feel like even more of a helpless jerk than it made me feel even after my assurance of God's forgiveness.) God's word spoken through weary King Solomon has so many ties to the epistles I'm studying that I had never thought about before. Solomon's continual theme that popularity does not last past death especially struck me - I constantly catch myself scheming ways to elevate thing myself in others' eyes, rather than thinking of how to honor God for how highly He values me. My flesh must delight in all the readily-available opportunities for me to act self-absorbed:
comparing myself to other people's pictures on Facebook being in a dorm environment where the music I play and the books I read are easily visible
So yes, that's one thing that particularly impacted me from the whole book of Ecclesiastes. I have not read The Pundit's Folly by Sinclair B. Ferguson yet. After I do, I will continue this post with further notes on the whole of Ecclesiastes and specific notes from the "commentary."

Still Listening

I had decided my blog's name long before I figured out a decent Third Day song was talking about the same passage of Scripture. It's "Still Listening" from their Come Together album. Maybe the efficacy of the words is aided by the bluesy guitars and singers, but now you can see the expanded version of my banner up on top of this page.

There was a time when I thought that I had You figured out
I told You before and I’ll say it once more
Now and then I have my doubts
I’ll never pretend to know what You are doing
It’s true that You move in mysterious ways

I looked for You in
The fire and in the wind
But You weren’t there as far as I could see
I thought I’d hear You shout
But then I figured it out
That all along You’re whispering to me
And I’m still listening

Just when I thought that I had caught a glimpse of who You are
You taught me a lesson I needed to learn
Right from the very start
I never will be the man that I quite need to be
But that’s alright ‘cause You’re enough for me

Here's the passage of Scripture it's based on. I chose one with a story format so our minds wouldn't float elsewhere, since it's kind of a long historical account. I strongly recommend sinking your eager-beaver teeth into the context in a Hebrew-to-English literal translation here.

For the background, I wish you all had the benefit of sitting under our Old Testament History expert Dave Hodgon's passionate teaching. (Hey, I'll insert a plug for New Tribes wherever I can!) From my memory, man's sin nature was manifested big-time in Israel splitting into two kingdoms, after almost all the rulers and commonpeople just stopped trusting in God and started looking to their own routines and desires. One particularly scary ruler was the northern division's Queen Jezebel, the domineering wife of fearful, corrupt king Ahab. She reeeeally liked Baal-worship, and of course our old hero Elijah wasn't going to stand for that harlotry against Israel's true love, the Lord. So Jezebel sent people to look for Elijah and kill him like all the other prophets of God at that time. So, did he boldly duke them out in a swordfight or find a big group of people who still loved God? Nope. All the better for God to show it's HE who solves the problems, not us. Read on, friend.

1 Kings 19:1-18 (New Living Translation)

Elijah Flees to Sinai
When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”
Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.
Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”
So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai,the mountain of God. There he came to a cave, where he spent the night.
The Lord Speaks to Elijah
But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. Then anoint Jehu son of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”

Beauty | Inside Out

Hello, everyone! I hope this post finds my friends and family, and their friends who peeked over here, healthy and well. I am so thankful to God for my teachers, classmates, and fellow believers all around. Sure, there are a lot of financial worries and a lot of sin nature I have to bring to the cross, but I can't imagine being in any other place than NTBI.

Well, for your checking back here without the slightest guarantee of a post with substance, why don't I try to help edify you? A couple of weeks ago, I had to do an expository study on I Peter 3:3-4. This study included reading the passage several times (I also read the near-context with it a few times), reading I Peter once through, defining all the big terms, and making an expanded version of the passage. Later I'll write more on what I learned God expects from women living under His grace, and the other wonderful truths He showed me from I Peter. For now, here's the expanded version.

E X P A N D E D I P E T E R 3 : 3 – 4 :
“Your way of arranging and making yourself orderly must not be merely on the outside, meticulously intertwining the hair as an ornament; wearing jewelry for confidence and a status symbol and intrinsic value, of gold which I have compared earlier in this letter to your very soul being refined; or merely by reaching into your drawer every morning and putting on nice-looking dresses or functional clothes.


“But, sisters in Christ scattered from persecution, let your way of arranging yourself be focused on the part that people can’t see even if they stare at you, the hidden person of the heart, the wellspring of your spiritual life that was wicked but was influenced by the Divine. Make that heart something that you would normally see as pretty strong, but in this case better – it simply can’t be broken or tarnished. What kind of disposition should your heart have, the unseen part of you? And why would you want to change it when your outside is a lot easier to manage? I’ll tell you the ‘what’ and ‘why.’ You should have a heart that doesn’t count its emotions as the final authority on how to react to situations. It should have passion, but restrain it in front of people, especially unbelievers. The reason for going to the trouble of changing it, of holding back and holding on when you don’t feel like it, is that that kind of heart is the heart Christ our Maker had before God the Father. That’s the best status symbol you can ask for, and even the bleakest pauper can have it.”

You Could Be a Hero

A post my cousin composed about Jesus' birth reminded me of an important issue today. In chapel, a guy from my school reminded us to do what we can for the lives of unborn children. Please take a second to sign the petition against the Freedom of Choice Act at http://www.fightfoca.com. This organization's open letter to our president-elect is so sad; I wish it were not representative about the abuse that goes on behind the scenes.

The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down. The LORD shall reign forever—Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

- Psalm 146:8-9, a verse in a great chapter about God's supreme character

This argument may sound cliched, but I will ask you anyway: what if you were aborted? I remember my old classmate Lindsey Setzer saying her mom was considering not having another child... until she consented to hear Lindsey's heartbeat. I admired Lindsey so much as an outgoing, athletic, intelligent girl even at 12. I couldn't imagine her life just being erased. Even if you don't think of the fetus as a growing person, (1) do some objective medical research, and (2) at least remember that hardly any woman has come out of having an abortion feeling upright or free, whether she had fitting circumstances for the child or no help.

Drowning Man

1. Put your iTunes on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag 10 friends who might enjoy doing the memo as well as the person you got the memo from.

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
"It's Killing Me" - dcTalk
WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
"Man in Black" - Johnny Cash (hahaha!)
WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"I Can Only Imagine" - Mercy Me
HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"Trampled Underfoot" - Led Zeppelin
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
"Lord, You Have My Heart" - Delirious
WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
"All I Ask of You" - Andrew Lloyd Webber (Phantom of the Opera the movie)
WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"Full Circle" - Christopher Gordon (Master and Commander movie soundtrack)
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
"Plain" - ZoeGirl
WHAT IS 2+2?
"One Thousand Apologies" - Demon Hunter (wow, a number and a cool song!)
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
"We Have All Been Blind" - Andrew Lloyd Webber (Phantom of the Opera soundtrack)
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Boogie With Stu" - Led Zeppelin
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"We Fall Down" - Passion Worship Band
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"Hotel California" - the Eagles
WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"May Your Wonders Never Cease" - Third Day
WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"Definitely Maybe" - FM Static
WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
"So High" - Calvary Chapel Music
WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
"Good Vibrations" - Beach Boys
WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
"The Temples of Syrinx" - Vitamin String Quartet (cover of Rush's song)
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
"Ocean Floor" - Audio Adrenalin
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"Head On Collision" - Hawk Nelson
WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU?
"I've Got You Under My Skin" - Frank Sinatra
HOW WILL YOU DIE?
"In My Room" - Beach Boys (I swear I didn't do that on purpose! Yikes. And that song is so happy within context.)
WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
"All Creatures of Our God and King" - David Crowder Band
WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
"Go" - Mercy Me
WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
"Promise of a Lifetime" - Kutless
WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
"Mind's Eye" - dcTalk (so I guess I will in my mind's eye...)
WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
"Daniel" - Elton John
DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
"Lonely People" - Jars of Clay
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
"Begin the Beguine" - Glenn Miller orchestra
WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
"The Song Remains the Same" - Led Zeppelin
WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
"Drowning Man" - U2

Do Not Go On Weeping

In my study of the life of Christ, I just noticed something I did not catch before.
The story in Luke 7 of Jesus raising the widow's young son from the dead is probably familiar to most Christians. Can most say, though, that they were impacted by the tenderness of the Man of Sorrows?

"When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, 'Do not weep.' And He came and touched th ecofin; and the bearers came to a halt."

--Well, there was something that was a huge no-no in Jewish culture. Dead bodies were unclean by Mosaic law; by the Pharisees' overdone Mishna traditions, erected at first to combat the onslaught of Hellenism during the 400 silent years, the further away you were from a dead body or leper, the more righteous you are. Jesus did not follow their man-made traditions, but the heart of God. He demonstrated His authority over life and death as the Christ, the Deliverer; and He demonstrated God's compassion for our grief as one who would experience the deepest grief.
Continuing:

"And He said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise!'

The dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back t his mother. Fear gripped them all [the crowd of mourners in that city, Nain, a bit southwest of Capernaum], and they began glorifying God, saying, 'A great prophet has risen among us!' and 'God has visited His people!'

This report concerning Him went out all over Judea and in all the surrounding district."

I wonder how this felt for the Jews at this time. They were probably sick of the Persians, Syrians, Egyptians, and now Romans who made themselves their authority. They probably felt the sting of the punishment for their idolatry during the times of the prophets like Jeremiah. They thought their wailings and prayers would be answered if only God would see they were righteous enough to enter His promised earthly kingdom of peace and righteousness... they did not get the fact that there was something even better they needed to ask for, justification from God since they could never measure up to His perfect law on their own! Blood was required as payment for their sins, and they desperately needed - we desperately need - a permanent substitutionary payment, a removal of debt while still satisfying the holiness and justice of God the Father.
They didn't have to cry and worry about death anymore. Their Mediator had arrived to offer them the kingdom and the means to attain righteousness for it. I think it must be so fulfilling for tribal missionaries to see the animistic tribes break their cycle of living in fear that the spirits would strike them!
"Ruined sinners to reclaim - Hallelujah! What a Savior."

This is the beginning of a series of posts on what I have learned at Bible school.

So I Downloaded GIMP 2.0...

Some time after this semester I'll have time to do more than two things with a photo editor.:)

This last one is probably my favorite. It's my nephew Chance and me in August, all giggly after walking to the grocery store and stopping at Baskin Robbins on the way.:)

Things to Draw

1. Lilliputian Nintendo - collage of the famous parts of Nintendo games featuring the ability to grow tiny
   * Minish Cap Link
   * Dottie on Super Paper Mario
   * Tiny on Donkey Kong 64
   * Mini Mushroom on Mario Party/New Super Mario Bros.
   * Poison Shroom on Luigi's Mansion
   * Poision Shroom on Super Smash Bros.: Melee and Brawl
   * Minimize attack on Pokemon
   * Olimar, Louie, and the Pikmin
2. Circle Trilogy - favorite characters
   * Kara with Thomas - siblings!
   * Rachelle Hunter
   * Chelise
   * Monique D'Raison and her father
   * Carlos Missarian and Johan
   * Gabil, Michal, and the angels Michael and Gabriel
3. Surveys - favorite books, Super Smash Bros., Zelda
4. Verses
   * Isaiah 40:8
5. Bible Stories
   * Women in the lineage of grace