Dr. Moen. Hi my name is Ed Harris. I am a student at Master’s in the graduate program. My area of Study is Biblical Leadership. I have an urgent request. I need prayer concerning finances. I have been unemployed for 2 years, and have exhausted all benefits. If God doesn’t intervene and send forth provisions, My wife and I will be homeless. I have diligently been seeking work, but can’t get my foot in the door. I have put my studies at Maste’s on hold, and completed a program to update computer skills, and office management skills. Could you have your family atGod’sTable pray for me. I really appreciate it.
Archive for February 12th, 2011
Prayer Request
Saturday, February 12th, 2011 | Author: Skip Moen
Category: Community Issues & Prayer Requests
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Lectures on the Foundations of Systematic Theology
Saturday, February 12th, 2011 | Author: Skip Moen
Here are six lectures based on Millard Erickson’s Christian Theology. These lectures do not discuss doctrinal issue. Instead they focus on the epistemological, hermeneutical and metaphysical issues that underlie the project of forming a systematic theology. Erickson’s work is just the springboard for these discussions.
These lectures will be useful to anyone who wonders how systematic theology is done.
Category: Articles
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A Time to Help
Saturday, February 12th, 2011 | Author: Skip Moen
I got this email from Ellen today.
This is Ellen McFarland from Clearwater.
I feel really badly for asking this, especially when you have helped me before, but my car just needed work to the tune of $900.00, and once again I can’t afford it. I am so tired of living like this, for I am a hard worker, but I never seem to get ahead. I am not one to foolishly spend money and I manage my money, but I have lost jobs the past few months through no fault of my own, and this extra expense is taking me over the edge. I borrowed $450.00 on my credit card, which I didn’t want to do, but I had to do this, and half of what I owe will be paid this way.
Is there any way you can help me. If not, than I understand.
And could you please pray that I can find a job where I can make money instead of having to give it away. It seems today that pepole with degrees are getting the jobs that used to be given to the ones who didn’t.
I live alone and have considered a roommate, but finding one that I know well and is honest is always a concern.
Thanks for the consideration.
Ellen McFarland
At God’s Table will provide help to Ellen. That’s what we do here. We (all of us) are committed to help each other – to live out our faith by being reliable as He is reliable. If you want to contribute to this need, just send a one-time donation with a note that it is for Ellen.
Go to the donate page and scroll to the bottom. Click here.
Category: Articles, Community Issues & Prayer Requests
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Emotional Wreckage
Saturday, February 12th, 2011 | Author: Skip Moen
“He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass, and He has put darkness on my paths.” Job 19:8 NASB
Walled Up – The great difference between a believer and a non-believer is perspective. The non-believer’s worldview is filled with help-myself actions. The prayers of non-believers are really attempts to get some divine entity to provide aid. These prayers may be quite a bit more sophisticated than the futile cries of the prophets of Ba’al, but they are no less motivated. Regardless of theological persuasion, people who try to bend God’s ear to their desires would never appreciate Job.
Job has a believer’s point of view. God is in charge, no matter what. We might not understand what He is doing, especially when it doesn’t fit what we want Him to do, but that doesn’t mean He has failed to meet our needs. God is good. That implies He determines what is good. Sometimes that makes it appear as if He stands in opposition to us. Steve Brown once told me that he doesn’t doubt God’s sovereignty at all, but he has a few issues with God’s benevolence. I am pretty sure that unless you have struggled with this dilemma, you haven’t yet embraced the full nature of faith. Ultimately faith is not about what I think God is doing or even what He reveals to me about what He is doing. Ultimately faith is about trusting who He is – and being content with the outcome.
Of course, contentment doesn’t come easily. Contentment is the result of struggle, not passive acceptance. This means faith is exhibited by interaction with God, even if that interaction is argument, frustration, complaint or demands. The perspective of the believer is that God is in the mix – entirely. The non-believer simply acts as if God is in the mix occasionally, whenever He is needed. In other words, the believer’s world is filled with God issues. The non-believer’s world is filled with personal issues. The believer struggles with the world because he knows God is active in everything. The non-believer struggles with the world because he thinks God isn’t active in everything.
Job knows God has walled him up. Not circumstances. Not fate. Not sin. Not mistakes. All those are simply rationalizations or diversions. The issue is God. That is always the issue. God interferes in the life of a believer. His interference isn’t always pleasant or benevolent, but it is always purposeful.
If God is interfering with you, you are in good company. If you think you need to ask for God’s interference, you probably haven’t engaged Him as you should. Take a lesson from Job. Emotional wreckage is a sign of divine involvement. Gadar (to close up, to wall off) is God therapy in action. Lie back on the couch and let Him go to work.
Topical Index: gadar, wall up, Job 19:8
Category: Today's Word
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