glorycloud's Diaryland Diary

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the generosity of Israel's God has trumped any obligation to the gods of Rome

It is 1:01 PM Wednesday afternoon. I am back from picking up a coconut cream pie to eat for lunch today and also eat some tomorrow. On the way from getting the pie I mail something for Carol and checked out a thrift shop to see if they had any used books. I found these two used books for the book heap---

"The Portable Oscar Wilde" The epitome of a brilliant and tortured wit (I have this book but I like the cover of this old paperback plus it was only twenty-five cents)

"Always The Young Strangers" a autobiography 1953 by Carl Sandburg (an old hardback edition)

After the thrift store I drove out to Van Raalte Farm to walk in the woods. Now I am home talking to myself eating coconut cream pie. Carol has gone to bed for the day. She is trying to catch up on her rest before going back to work tomorrow night.

I do not know what I will do this afternoon to keep myself in the land of the living? I suppose I will some more of a book titled "We Preach Not Ourselves: Paul on Proclamation" by Michael P. Knowles. Even though I am not working as a Teaching Elder in the Body of Christ I still buy and read books on gospel preaching. The Lord Jesus Christ was a preacher. "From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt. 4:17; "And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach to the poor." Luke 4:17,18a.

I thought I was called to be a preacher so I went to Bible College and Seminary to educate myself to feed the flock of God. But I must have been wrong, because right now I am retired (made a decision to not work anymore but stay home and wait for the Second Coming or my home coming) writing in my diary listening to rock n roll eating pie with a cold mocha having a some doubts but we must live by faith. Is a true believe ever free from doubts? I am praying for perfect assurance of salvation. "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." Eph. 1:13,14.

I am ready to be preach or teach anytime the Lord opens a door of gospel service. But I know I am called to stay home and pray. I know too much to be of service in the american evangelical movement. I am in the cloud of unknowing and can not find any place the american religious establishment. I am outside the camp bearing the reproach of Christ.

My model for a preacher is the Apostle Paul. That is why I am reading today "We Preach Not Ourselves: Paul on Proclamation" by Michael P. Knowles. This book by Knowles is an expostion of Second Corinthians chapters 1:1 through 6:13. Second Corinthians is one of my favorite Pauline Epistles. I collect commentaries on Second Corinthians and other materials. Years ago as a minister intern I taught an Adult Sunday School class on the Second Epistle of Corinthians. My spiritual life was powerfully effected by studying Second Corinthians, especially my understanding of gospel preaching and the Torah (read 2 Corinth. chapter 3).

It is 1:41 PM Wednesday afternoon. So even though I am not a gospel preacher I still read books on preaching, biblical interpretation and hermeneutics.

Here is a list of Christian books I have recently bought to read and ponder outside the visible Church---

"We Preach Not Ourselves: Paul on Proclamation" by Michael P. Knowles

"Slave of Christ: A New Testament Metaphor For Total Devotion To Christ" by Murray J. Harris [New Studies In Biblical Theology]

"Father, Son, and Spirit: The Trinity and John's Gospel" by Andreas J. Kostenberg & Scott R. Swain

"The Mystic Way of Evangelism: A Contemplative Vision For Christian Outreach" by Elaine A. Heath

"In The Image And Likeness Of God" by Vladimir Lossky

"Beginnings: Ancient Christian Readings of the Biblical Christian Narratives" by Peter C. Bouteneff

"Scripture's Doctrine and Theology's Bible: How the New Testament Shapes Christian Dogmatics" Edited by Markus Bockmuehl & Alan J. Torrance

"Seeing The Word: Refocusing New Testament Study" by Markus Bockmuehl [Studies in Theological Interpretation]

"Spirituality Old & New: Recovering Authentic Spiritual Life" by Donald G. Bloesch

"The True Image: The Origin And Destiny Of Man In Christ" by Philip Edgcumbe Hughes

"The Holy Spirit" by F. LeRon Shults & Andrea Hollingsworth [Guides To Theology]

"Ancient & Postmodern Christianity: Paleo-Orthodoxy in the 21st Century" Essays In Honor Of Thomas C. Oden Edited by Kenneth Tanner & Christopher A. Hall

"An Old Testament Theology: An Exegetical, Canonical, And Thematic Approach" by Bruce K. Waltke with Charles Yu

I could list more books but they are down in the basement-the above books are in my upstairs main study for me to read and reflect on. Well I need to close to read and rest my brain.

Van Raalte Farm 11/26/08

music: Joseph Arthur & The Lonely Astronauts "Temporary People"

2:12 p.m. - 2008-11-26

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