I’m working on memorizing Romans 3:21-31, as it will be on my Intro to NT II mid-term next week:

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

In the future, when I get to teach Sunday School again, I am definitely going to be making this kind of lengthy Scripture memorization mandatory for all my students!

These are the books I’m reading for the Spring 2008 semester at Southern Seminary:

I am very glad I took Personal Spiritual Disciplines with Dr. Don Whitney this past semester. He is a very passionate, heart-felt, genuine Christian first and foremost, and his ability to convey all that he has learned and experienced in God is astounding. I got the chance to talk to him briefly while he was sitting beside me in the Founders Café earlier this semester… I only remember asking him about the mystical extra-biblical disciplines of lectio divina and the labyrinth, and that he simply answered me with things he already mentioned in class before – that we always need to turn to God’s Word in order to meet with Him. Whitney was really frank and honest with me, and I’m glad I was able to hear that from him directly. Even despite his finely groomed white beard, he is pretty down to earth and approachable; I am so glad that Southern has such a communicable man of God!

From taking this class, I was encouraged to be more disciplined in my Bible reading and meditation. Whereas before I would be just meditating and reading through one epistle or gospel at a time, I’ve been inspired to be disciplined in following a Bible Reading plan. I am trying to follow the reading plan at the back of my new Literary Study Bible, but this intense week of studying for finals has made me slip a bit from my schedule. Nevertheless, I am glad I am reading a chapter a day from each of the four sections of the Bible (the History/Pentateuch, the Chronicles/Prophets, the Poetry books, and Gospels/Epistles). It’s just amazing to see all in one sitting the promises of God and how they’re made, how He is patient with Israel despite her sin, and how in these last days He has fulfilled all His promises and given us His son. The study notes in my Literary Study Bible are of great help as a precursor to each day’s text, outlining each section I would be reading too.

The other significant thing that this class has given more life to is my time of prayer with God. I’ve been motivated to pray more, and well, more specifically to be honest. I am asking God, verbally, for anything and everything that comes to my mind in terms of my needs, not holding anything back. However, as I am reflecting on this, I am scared of what many of my unanswered prayers mean – has God really said no, or is He just waiting for the right time to give me an answer? I need to spend more time thinking over this, so I don’t know…

I think I’m still a bit cessational in this, whatever that means. I have not ever in my life heard the actual “acoustic” voice of God Himself, but through His Word especially and through Christian friends secondarily the Holy Spirit has re-affirmed many truths that He has already said. I’ve never found God to be speaking contrary to or separate from His Word, so that much remains to be true about my own theology. With more and more prayer, I just can’t wait to hear God speak to me through His Word and through the Psalms of the Day! I’ve tried praying on the phone with my mom while going through a Psalm, and I think she almost got tired and yawned at my long-winded prayer to God about everything LOL! I guess it’s really getting engrained into my prayer life, this praying through Scripture method. I am glad I learned it, and at the same time, very surprised that my pastor back home has not mentioned it to me before:P

Attending Chapel worship has been a great experience this first semester at Southern. Before I came here, I listened ever so often to the sermons online that were from big name pastors like John MacArthur and John Piper. However, being able to be apart of the time of worship is completely different. At first, I was really wowed by the worship atmosphere. It is completely different from what I get at my home church, or even here at Immuel Baptist.

When we sing hymns during the chapel, accompanied by the orchestra and choir, it is truly an amazement experience. I really hear the chapel hall echo with the voice of the seminary community all singing together with one voice, praising the name of the one who alone is worthy of all our praise. And further, to see some students lifting up their hands as an outward display of their inward affections towards God were also quite a sight at first. I didn’t think that was a norm down here, especially during the singing of traditional hymns, but boy were my preconceptions blown to pieces! It’s amazing that people can connect with God so well through hymns – I’m glad my parents brought me up in a church that loves hymn… I yearn to sing songs every week that are at the cutting edge of the 18th century!

Here’s a few pics took tonight during the Annual Kickoff Festival at the SBTS: