Our strength or God's strength?

One of the most common things I hear chucked around in Christian circles, and I have been saying it to people too, goes along the lines of "Are you doing it on God's strength or your own strenth?"

But is this even a valid question? God hasn't yet revealed that to me biblically - would anyone like to use examples from scripture of characters who tried to do stuff on their own strenth versus with God's empowerment? Is this a New Testament thing?

I would love to hear people's opinions about this statement. What exactly does it mean? Is it biblical theology? How do we know when we are doing something in God's strenth? Isn't everything we do in God's strength - I heard someone else say that "We're only alive because God is keeping us alive", which sounds pretty true to me since God brought us into existence in the first place.

Does the question simply entail being filled with the Spirit? If so, how full do we have to be of the Spirit to be doing something in God's strength? And again, how can we be sure?

The big 1/4

Yes!!! I'm 25% of the way done support raising. What a milestone! 6 weeks into support raising for Student Life - it's been a rollercoaster of a time so far, but it's paying off. I'm going to need some serious prayer and help and butt-kicking to raise the rest in the 9 remaining weeks I have. God can do it! If he could pay levites to burn animals and eat them full-time, then I'm sure he will provide for a fisher of men. Don't you love my reasoning?

Progress

Support raising efforts are at 20% pledged, but I've had a number of people who say they will support me, but haven't decided on an amount - therefore I can't add them to my calculation. Things have been pretty up and down, and I feel a bit like I've been stuck inside for too long and my light has been put under a basket instead of on a lamp stand. Starting to remember that balance in life is important :-)

I've realised that I'm inherently a calvinist in my beliefs, but that those beliefs don't always live out in practise - especially when witnessing. They are more the underlying big picture as seen more from God's eyes than my own. Being down here on earth where we have an apparent free will, and can't see God working in people, it's a bit of a different story - it comes to obeying God then (esp. praying and preaching). Hmmm what an interesting mindset to try and define, but I think I just did.

I've been getting into some inductive bible study recently. It's been awesome! I've been pressing deep into God, and he's been drawing closer to me. I'm definitely an intellectual. It's slow study, but the depth is way worth it - I find I remember scripture way easier. I don't have to intentionally memorise it when I study inductively - I just understand it so well that I can use it in context when talking to people (I think that's how it works). Praise the Holy Spirit of truth! Oh, there's a good book we got given in new staff training about the technique (it seems to me like deriving your own study notes and chapter and book titles & themes). The book is called "How to study your bible" by Kay Arthur. It's pretty cheap on amazon.. highly recommended.

That's it for now, God bless and have a Merry Christmas! Remember to take time this Christmas to remember Christ and what he did for us - and how gracious the Father was to send Him. We don't deserve Him at all, but God in his love lavished the riches of His grace upon us! (Eph 1:7,8)

Status Report

Well, I'm going to try and keep blogging to hold myself accountable to learning. While support raising efforts are maxed out, I'm not necessarily growing spiritually anymore. This is pretty critical; actually, I believe it to be the most important thing on earth. So I need to do it.

I was a little put off by blogging because I know that I will be judged more strictly if I teach. And so I don't want to teach wrongly! But recently I've discovered two awesome words. Exegeses and Eisegeses. Both are ways of interpreting scripture.

Exegeses: always good. you start with the passage of scripture, and go outwards from the meaning of that.

Eisegeses: generally bad because you have a concept and you try and find scripture to back it up (you usually always can too - but it's not the complete picture). This isn't systematic and can lead to heresies, because it's not representing "what does this scripture actually say".

Well, if I ensure my hermeneutics are based on exegeses, then I should in theory be able to share sound theology. God willing, I will be able to do it in practise. Now that we've got the big words out of the way, I'll share something a little more tangible:

Support Raising Status: Currently 8% (pledge received). God is providing, and it's great to see people get excited about what God's doing on campus. However, I'm starting to feel the burn, and am getting quite tired. I've started having afternoon naps even though I've been eating pretty well, exercising, and sleeping regularly and properly. I'm gonna try iron suppliments as recommended by Beth's mum (it always takes a mum), and maybe slow down the pace just a tad.

If you are reading this please pray for me now. It's hard work! God bless you all.

Full-time with Campus Crusade

Well, I've officially been accepted on staff as a missionary for Campus Crusade for Christ for 2008, and I'll be placed at the University of Waikato!

Student Life is actually what we call ourselves on campus in New Zealand - the other name doesn't go down well with muslims and the like. I'm busy support raising, and I'm looking for a team of prayer and financial supporters. I'm trusting God to raise about $3450 per month at the moment before I can start on campus next year - a huge amount, I'm just hoping he can trust me with it! I'm really excited about this, so if you're keen on supporting me in any way, shoot me an email at rocifier@gmail.com

Stuff that we do on campus are outreaches to students like hot chocolate giveaways in the middle of winter, 1 on 1 discipleship, group bible studies, help serve students at the halls by moving them in, evangelism training, actively sharing on campus every day, give away free magazines and share the gospel with those who are interested, and prayer & praise at the chapel. We also have a weekly meeting which is a less daunting place to bring friends along to than church - where we have people giving testimonies and a guest speaker each time.

Incase you're wondering why so much per month? Well, finances go toward: ministry resources, training, travel, phone calls, conferences and retreats, admin, office supplies, money for me to live, an overseas trip, and more.

Please get in touch if you'd like to help fulfill the great commision on campus. Students are strategic - they graduate and go all over the world to leadership positions where they have an influence. We can't just let them pass through without having the opportunity to say yes to Jesus! God bless.

Learn theology from credible professors for free online

I've stumbled across one of the most sound theological resources on the internet. After seeing so much crap out there by people with no qualifications whatsoever, I finally found a website which has recorded whole courses at leading seminaries and divinity schools around the world. The website http://www.biblicaltraining.org/ is funded by donations alone, and is costing tens of thousands to finish (they want a proper curriculum up).

Every speaker on the website has a doctorate in theology. As an academic, this is particularly important for me. There are so many people out there with their own interpretations of the bible (my blog is probably one of them). Having a qualification in theology means you at least have knowledge of what sound evangelical doctrines are. It's important to be discerning in these end days. I've looked over their in-depth statement of faith and it sounds excellent too. Finally, I can go to harvard divinity school without leaving my bedroom! Stoked!!! The only thing is, I'll be getting the knowledge without getting the qualifications... hmmm..

Can some other people please check it out and let me know your opinions about it (reply to this post). It almost seems too good to be true. Please do check it out properly though instead of writing it off as just another free online source.

The purpose of music

You know, I've been thinking a lot lately. One thing I've been thinking about is the whole music pirating issue. Why does it not feel like stealing when I download music that would normally cost me a small fortune?

Why does it naturally seem so right that music should be shared? And without putting holes in our pockets...

Why is music pleasing to our brains? What possible reason do we have to enjoy music - rythmic beats and melodies?

Music exists for worship. We are supposed to play music for our God and others, and the feelings we get are a side-effect blessing of listening to the music ourselves. What other possible reason do we have to enjoy music so much, and even depend on it in our lives sometimes? Why does our conscience tell us that music should be a free thing, and that music companies shouldn't be making billions off sales? I agree that some people take up some process of producing music as a job, and they deserve their pay, but is a new album really worth $30NZD+ for a copy? Shouldn't we be free to sing or play songs that others have written? What's with all the copyright crap? Would you pay money to listen to the radio? Why does everyone wish they could sing if they don't think they can in their eyes?

I believe something has gone wrong with music over the centuries. Instead of worshipping the Lord with our music, we have turned it around and we now worship good musicians as idols.

Taking the most popular two views of existence, the reason we are able to connect with music so well doesn't make sense for either of them except in the circumstance of worship:

Evolution: How could we evolve to enjoy music? Or better yet, why?? If you follow natural selection, why would the better of us be the ones who can understand music? Is music really that critical to our survival?

Special Creation: If God created us in his image, why would he create us to enjoy music? Does God enjoy music?

God enjoys the music of our hearts. Audio is one way of expressing our love for God, and as mentioned in the bible it is an important one. Why do we sing at every church service no matter what sort of church it is? It's just normal right. Imagine if we had to pay to worship Jesus at church. Hah! The bible has hundreds of verses about people singing to the Lord; singing with all their voice and all their heart. There's even a whole book (Psalms) in the bible containing just songs in the original hebrew language it was written in. But there's no book in the bible about selling music.

There are so many verses I could list to sum up this post, but I'm going to just pick 1 - one of my favourite. It's Ephesians 5:19,20 from the NIV:

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

So let me encourage you. If you are singing for God, it doesn't matter if you don't sound perfect in your own eyes. If your heart is right with God, then to Him it sounds just like what you were made for. The longer I live, the more I come to the conclusion that the reason for our existence is to glorify God.

I'd love to hear your comments on this. If you agree, please let me know by posting a comment. If you disagree, I'd love to hear too!