Just getting back in the house from my monday night bible study. It was really solid. The girl that opens up her house to host it invited one of the pastors from her church to speak on the topic of God's will.
We spoke about the decretive will of God (like...decreed in the Acts 2:23 sense "this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God...") and the preceptive will of God (like...precepts/laws...in the 1 thess 4:3 sense "this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality...").
We also spoke about the nebulous "will of God" that a lot of christians seek. This will of God is something that is manmade...not found in scripture at all. The Lord has given us his word, he has admonished us to seek counsel and wisdom...end of story.
The fellowship was truly a blessing. Most of the people that attend go to the baltimore county sister church of a church that i've visited a few times in the nyc area named "Trinity Baptist Church"
----
I've been dragging my feet on preparing my business school application. I've been using the time that i have left before january 5th to figure out exactly what it is that I want to do with myself and what I can do to best present myself. I've got good ideas, but i know that i need to compile a solid application to get into my top (and only choice). In case you're wondering...I do have every recommender lined up. All i need to do is take the gmat and finish my essays/applications.
In my defense, i have been doing a lot of informational interviews and research.
----
I went on my church's men's retreat this past weekend. It was really a blessing. I completely disagreed with the unanimous counsel that was given to an anonymous questioner on the issue of alcohol. So much so that i almost considered not taking communion because of the bitterness that built up in my heart. I actually spoke with my pastor (who was on the panel) and prayed with him during the time after the panel and before communion.
I was surprised that i let a minor issue bother me so much (reminds me that i'm sinful). It was probably because i decided to hold my peace and not say anything for the sake of the young (and anonymous) believer that asked the question.
I really need to make a concerted effort to sit down with my pastor. I've got a lot of doctrinal concerns. Some more weighty than others. It is very easy to brush things under the rug and wait for them to figure themselves out, but i don't believe that to be a wise manner with which to resolve these issues by any means.
I'll probably give him a call tomorrow morning.
----
I played two events with the christian band that i'm in this past friday. One was a gospel concert, the other was a youth lock in. Both events took place at traditional black churches. So i had some expectations going into each event and all were met. The most bothersome aspect was the gospel invitation given at the concert that lacked a gospel message. To give the church the benefit of the doubt, they were inviting people up to the front of the church to "talk to people on the evangelism team at the church"...but the setting was one that was all too familiar. What usually happens is that the person gets invited up, the person leading the invitation recites a prayer that the person repeats. The prayer includes the phrase "Jesus, I welcome you into my heart" and the person is then declared a christian at the end of the prayer. No one came up during the invitation.
----
OH!!! and i made some really good curry chicken yesterday.
Comments (4)
hey jason - shot in the dark here, but was it a pastor from trinity baltimore that spoke? and if so, was it pastor hartland? i recommend a series he did called "decisions, discernment and the will of God". AWESOME stuff - i think i listened 3 times and should again!
even if it wasn't him at the study, those sermons are worth getting.
praying for you guys on this election day - may our God have great mercy!
hey bro ... good to hear you had a good time at the men's retreat. yeah, there are a lot of people who make the alcohol issue what Scripture doesn't. but i think you should really examine your heart if it's that bothersome ... i think issues related to christian liberty should be something our hearts grasp loosely. if our anger pops up on these issues, it's a reflection that we may be clutching those liberties too tightly. that's why i don't even discuss the alcohol issue to any real extent. we all know what scripture does and doesn't say. i will try not to cause people to stumble (though i recently assumed on this issue with a person i went to dinner with recently, and that wasn't good) and leave it at that.
as for the GMAT ... dude, are you saying you haven't taken it yet? how has your prep been going?
@rcteach03 - It was a guy named steve hartland!!! What a small world!! Are you from the baltimore area? Steve is from Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in baltimore county...it differs from trinity baptist in NJ only in name and location.
hey jason... how was your curry chicken? I tried making Panang chicken... it ended up becoming Panang/yellow curry chicken coz I had to tone down the heat.