Occupied

In the past little while, things have been fairly quiet here on sixsteps.org. On numerous occasions, I have begun posts in response to various things currently happening in the church (locally and at large), but by God’s grace, I have been able to refrain from posting anything on impulse or in the heat of the moment. Such discipline and restraint is certainly from the Lord, as I am striving to walk in obedience to Christ — especially in terms of humility.

There are numerous things I want to write about, but at the present time, I am too self-conscious of my personal character growth, as well as the feelings of those reading. In a nutshell, my silence is due to a strong desire not to say anything that is not encouraging or edifying. However, I feel like the time is coming soon that words will arrive on my computer screen from my heart — words which I hope would serve you and build you up in Christ. So, look out for some interesting posts coming up.

Meanwhile, I am getting ready for work: I am starting (to) work (FINALLY) at the campus store at Southern Seminary (”5th & Broadway) tomorrow/Monday, and so I will be occupied for the next phase of my seminary life with a blessed part-time job from God.  I will also be taking Introduction to Biblical Counseling with visiting professor Paul David Tripp (!!) the week of July 7th, so I have been reading up for that; it’s certainly looking to be a wonderful course to take with the renowned biblical counselor

Preoccupied

Aside from that, I have been preoccupied (in a good way!) by a certain sweet, young lady from church whom God has given me the privilege of courting. I will certainly say more about that (and her) in the future, but for now, I have been re-reading many of my own posts on relationships and am realizing how different it is to be on the other side of the relationship fence. I find myself analyzing myself and re-examining my mindset, motives and behavior with this sister in Christ, and simply checking to see if I’ve lived up to my own preaching. Reading to myself my own words has a very challenging affect on my life, personally convicting exhortations that are on par with the challenges to holiness that my girlfriend gives me.  God has been very good to me, to us, and I only pray that we would be as grow in Christ-centeredness.

In all these things — whether things I’m occupied with or preoccupied with, I am desperately dependent on the Holy Spirit, eagerly expecting Him to move, and humbly responding to Him as He works. And for all that God has already done, I only pray for more grace to be poured out upon my life.

–SDG

What are the myths and facts about global warming?  Read on…

MYTH
The science of global warming is too uncertain to act on.

FACT
There is no debate among scientists about the basic facts of global warming.

The most respected scientific bodies have stated unequivocally that global warming is occurring, and people are causing it by burning fossil fuels (like coal, oil and natural gas) and cutting down forests. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences, which in 2005 the White House called “the gold standard of objective scientific assessment,” issued a joint statement with 10 other National Academies of Science saying “the scientific understanding of climate change is now sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action. It is vital that all nations identify cost-effective steps that they can take now, to contribute to substantial and long-term reduction in net global greenhouse gas emissions.” (Joint Statement of Science Academies: Global Response to Climate Change [PDF], 2005)

The only debate in the science community about global warming is about how much and how fast warming will continue as a result of heat-trapping emissions. Scientists have given a clear warning about global warming, and we have more than enough facts — about causes and fixes — to implement solutions right now.

MYTH
Even if global warming is a problem, addressing it will hurt American industry and workers.

FACT
A well designed trading program will harness American ingenuity to decrease heat-trapping pollution cost-effectively, jumpstarting a new carbon economy.

Claims that fighting global warming will cripple the economy and cost hundreds of thousands of jobs are unfounded. In fact, companies that are already reducing their heat-trapping emissions have discovered that cutting pollution can save money. The cost of a comprehensive national greenhouse gas reduction program will depend on the precise emissions targets, the timing for the reductions and the means of implementation. An independent MIT study found that a modest cap-and-trade system would cost less than $20 per household annually and have no negative impact on employment.

Experience has shown that properly designed emissions trading programs can reduce compliance costs significantly compared with other regulatory approaches. For example, the U.S. acid rain program reduced sulfur dioxide emissions by more than 30 percent from 1990 levels and cost industry a fraction of what the government originally estimated, according to EPA. Furthermore, a mandatory cap on emissions could spur technological innovation that could create jobs and wealth. Letting global warming continue until we are forced to address it on an emergency basis could disrupt and severely damage our economy. It is far wiser and more cost-effective to act now.

Read the rest of this entry »

I received this in an email last week, and I thought that y’all should know what’s going on, since I previously announced that I would be back in the Toronto area for a preaching invitation on July 27. As per this last communique, the preaching invitation has been rescinded due to the church’s policies on guest speakers:

It was so good to see you the other Sunday when you showed up. It was really a pleasant surprise. I shared the thought of inviting you to preach at our Mission church with the senior pastor of our mother church __Baptist Church and he told me that it is not the church policy to invite seminarian student who has not finished the second year and without taking any homolietic course(s) to preach at our worship services. Knowing that I have invited you, he suggested that we can still have you to come on that sunday to give a testimony/sharing on how you have become a Christian, or how you have changed over the years, or how God called you to the ministry… The time of the sharing is about 10 minutes. And we will arrange another speaker to preach. I am sorry for not knowing all the __Baptist Church policies re. worship speakers, but at least I have found out by now! Hope you will forgive me. I really want you to come on that Sunday and give a testimony so that people will get to know you more.

I am disappointed that I will not get to preach at that church, and am amply frustrated at the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec for letting their churches have such policies. Nevertheless, I am trying to accept the fact that such policies are in place for good reasons — reasons of which I do not yet fully comprehend. I am praying for more doors to be opened by the Lord for me to gain experience in preaching His Word, and I know that he will work this situation out according to the purpose of His will. As of this moment, I do not know exactly if or when I will return to Toronto after the summer semester is finished (July 18). I’ll be sure to announce this within a week’s time, as I need to give the housing office 30days notice.

Psalm 125

A Song of Ascents.

1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
Peace be upon Israel!

Psalm 128

1 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.

5 The Lord bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!
6 May you see your children’s children!
Peace be upon Israel!

In a recent assignment for my Hermeneutics class, I wrote the following about the theme of the Bible:

The Old Testament is God’s Word about Christ, for the message of the New Testament is that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament – all of God’s promises to Jacob, Isaac and Abraham, as well as the royal line of King David. The covenantal promises that were made by God in the Old Testament finds its fulfillment in the New Testament testimony of Jesus Christ.

For in the past few years, I felt like I was in the inter-testamental period — the so-called 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments when it seemed like God was not speaking or working in Israel. God had promised his people a land to possess, a King who would rule over them, a Savior who would save them from their enslavement to the Greco-Roman powers.

In that time, the Scriptures do not tell of the faith of the Israelites, but it was there. In the silence, God was working. In the silence, God was working out his plan to redeem a people for himself. Those people and those generations probably struggled very hard to keep their faith and their Jewish religion: for without the Temple they were stripped naked of all that made them Jewish — except for the “boundary markers” of Sabbath, circumcision and food laws. Four centuries is a long time of silence, and nothing compared to the 3 years that I have experienced.

And despite the difficulty in keeping the faith, I now know that God had never forsaken me. He has kept the promises that he has made 100%. In these first days in my own so-called “new testament”, the means of salvation is the same as it was in the old: faith in God alone. In the New Testament, the way God saves his people has never changed, and is the same as it was in the Old Testament and Inter-testamental period: sola fide. Read the rest of this entry »

My new Moleskine notebooks (large, ruled, in Red!) failed to arrive on time from Barnes & Noble today. UPS had a mess up…

Exception Reason: INCORRECT ROUTING AT UPS FACILITY

Exception Status/Resolution: THE PACKAGE WAS MISSORTED AT THE HUB. IT HAS BEEN REROUTED TO THE CORRECT DESTINATION SITE (RESOLUTION)

UPS: You have never failed me in the past. We’ve always had a very amicable relationship… but this was just unacceptable! I love you… but this is strike one :@ ARGGGH!!