Help from those who have gone before us...

I realize I don't blog as often as I should but there are times where my mind just wanders. I should have been blogging everyday since I am a writer, but who really cares that it's not everyday, it keeps my mind fresh and the thoughts that just pop into my head from the day to day happen to end up being talked about on my blog. Today was a blessed day. I had a ton of good things happen to me today. I really have developed a routine for myself. I am blessed beyond words.

Here was my day.

Got up, went to breakfast with my roommate, got bread from the bread ministry at the RAC, worked (had a productive day, learned more about my boss), worked out, went to my hall parents house to had pizza, did laundry, doing homework right now, and taking some periodic mental breaks trying to gather myself together. I needed to blog just because I will literally lose my mind if i can't write about stuff.

I am writing this out today, praying earnestly for my precious girlfriend Donna. Baby, I want you to know how much you encourage me, and I am praying that God's will would be revealed to you in the midst of this trouble you are facing. I pray that you feel better, and I see you smiling at me again.

I wrote the title "Help from those who have gone before us" because basically I am going to include my actual homework assignment, because I don't feel like typing this again. This is from my class for Baptist Heritage, and you are reading about stuff in chapel from this past Tuesday and Thursday (more specifically from Thursday)

Having been around a seminary environment for the past 4-½ years, chapel is nothing new to me. I go because I have to go. (truly a poor attitude to have on my part with all due respect) But once in a great while, there comes a message that brings such serious conviction and encouragement, it has to be mentioned. First of all, I am a missions major. I am planning to go to the field, so hearing anybody talk about missions in general, particularly the father of missions like William Carey gets me excited. Secondly, Dr. Michael Haykin teaches at Southern Seminary (attended Boyce College for undergrad) so it’s nice to hear people from a place where you are familiar.

History is a serious topic. It can be hard to hear it, and it can also be very rewarding. Stories about missions in general weren’t always easy to hear, because people would give their lives in order to spread the gospel. I was encouraged in the regard of talking about friendships. The power of the blood of Jesus Christ saturates everything in the life of a believer. Your mindset is focused on the gospel, and its power to redeem you from what should have sent you right where you deserve to be (in Hell), and then there are the things in life that you really do need to have.

#1 – you need Salvation, you need Jesus

#2 – you need food and water, physical sustenance

#3 – you need sustenance for your soul (friendship)

Haykin referred to friendships that existed between those involved with the reformation in the 1500s being like someone being “knit to someone’s soul”. I have wondered in many respects about the friendships that I develop here at seminary. How many of the people that I have become friends with can I call up 15 or 20 years from now, and have a long conversation with? Friendships are vital in ministry and discussing it from the perspective of people who have lived centuries before us is vital to our lives today in the 21st century as believers. It’s funny that Haykin talked about friendship between the radical reformers after hearing Dr. Steven Smith talk about forgiveness on Tuesday; both of those messages went hand and hand, I had personally felt convicted about forgiveness in the sense it was discussed during the message on Tuesday and followed through, and then hearing what the line of history does to express the value of friendship made me see how serious seminary is. I was blessed and encouraged to hear what history teaches us in even the SMALLEST of details in life. We learn from it, that’s the plain and simple truth I took away from this chapel, we learn from history.

GRACE AND PEACE!

More to come soon.