When There is a Conflict Between Our Interpretation of Scripture and Natural Theology (Gordon Lewis)

Gordon R. Lewis

"Given the best efforts at adhering faithfully to sound scientific, historical, epistemological, and hermeneutical principles, we may nevertheless be confronted with contradictory assertions from nature and Scripture. When this happens, the view that is drawn from sound exegesis of Scripture and confirmed by people of varied cultural perspectives throughout the creedal history of the church is the least likely to be the one in error. Even apart from the supernatural inspiration of Scripture, linguistic statements permit greater precision in communication than nonverbal types of communication. We are less likely to misinterpret language on a subject than mere objects or events."

Integrative Theology (Volume 1, p.81)

Anti-Intellectualism is Inconsistent with Evangelicalism (J. I. Packer)

"The Evangelical is not afraid of facts, for he knows that all facts are God's facts; nor is he afraid of thinking, for he knows that all truth is God's truth, and right reason cannot endanger sound faith. He is called to love God with all his mind; and part of what this means is that, when confronted by those who, on professedly rational grounds, take exception to historic Christianity, he must set himself not merely to deplore or denounce them, but to out-think them. It is not his business to argue men into faith, for that cannot be done; but it is his business to demonstrate the intellectual adequacy of the biblical faith and the comparative inadequacy of its rivals, and to show the invalidity of the criticisms that are brought against it. This he seeks to do, not from any motive of intellectual self-justification, but for the glory of God and of His gospel. A confident intellectualism expressive of robust faith in God, whose Word is truth, is part of the historic evangelical tradition. If present-day Evangelicals fall short of this, they are false to their own principles and heritage."

~J.I. Packer
  Fundamentalism and the Word of God

The "Free Will" of Israel's Neighbors and the Sovereignty of God

 " ... no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the LORD your God." (Exo. 34:24 NIV)

 "All the men of Israel were to go up to appear before the Lord. But how could this be, when Israel was surrounded by enemies? If the pagan neighbors across the river saw the men leaving, would they not swoop down and take advantage of the situation? God promised that if Israel would be faithful in keeping His law, no one would even covet their land while they were gone. Surely this means that God has the power to stop even the internal sinful desire of covetousness. So why does God not stop all coveting, since it is obviously in His power to do so? The only answer is that He has a purpose in what He allows. And surely one must immediately ask the obvious question: What about the "free will" of the pagans that had been coveting the land, but stopped coveting it when the faithful Israelites left to go appear before the Lord? Was this not a "violation" of their "free will"? Such passages force us to recognize the difference between the biblical concept of man's creaturely will and the philosophical concept of autonomy that is held in the majority of man's religions, in Roman Catholicism, and in most non-Reformed Protestant theologies."

~ James R. White 

Tweets and Footnotes in Academic Papers

The Modern Language Association (MLA) has released a standard format for citing tweets in academic papers.

Sampol:

Piper, John (JohnPiper). “Farewell Rob Bell. http://dsr.gd/fZqmd8.” February 26, 2011, 3:09pm. Tweet.

http://edudemic.com/2012/03/how-to-cite-a-tweet-in-academic-papers/

A Weaned Child (Psalm 131:2)

"Our hearts are desirous for worldly things, cry for them, and are fond of them; but, by the grace of God, a soul made holy is weaned from these things. The child is cross and fretful while in the weaning; but in a day or two it cares no longer for the milk, and it can bear solid food. Thus does a converted soul quiet itself under the loss of what it loved, disappointments in what it hoped for, and is easy whatever happens. When our condition is not to our mind, we must bring our mind to our condition; then we are easy to ourselves and all about us; then our souls are as a weaned child. And thus the psalmist recommends confidence in God, to all the Israel of God, from his own experience. It is good to hope, and quietly for the salvation of the Lord under every trial."

Matthew Henry

copied from Sheryll's FB note

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AKO: Antoy taun na ugaw ya patsuen? (What is the age of the child to be weaned?)
NANAY:  duway  taon (2 years old)


AKO: Panun yun pinatso iray anak yu? (How did you weaned your children?)
NANAY: Pespesay bulong na palya (pinipigaan ng dahon ng ampalaya... she's refering to the nipple)


AKO: Pigaran agew antis ya napatso? (How long does the weaning process take?)
NANAY: Sakey simba (one week)


AKO: Antoy gawaen na ugaw ed satay sakey simba ey? (What will the child do for the whole week?)
NANAY: Mantaul-taul (This word I don't know how to translate; Gagamitin ng bata ang lahat ng enerhiya niya sa pag-iyak na may kasamang body language mula ulo hanggang talampakan :D)

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"Like a weaned child, no longer wanting his mother’s milk, he was content without that which used to seem indispensable. A mature believer leaves the clamor of proud ambition and rests in the Lord."

~ Allen P. Ross 

The Bible Knowledge Commentary

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"To the weaned child his mother is his comfort though she has denied him comfort. It is a blessed mark of growth out of spiritual infancy when we can forego the joys which once appeared to be essential, and can find our solace in him who denies them to us: then we behave manfully, and every childish complaint is hushed. If the Lord removes our dearest delight we bow to his will without a murmuring thought; in fact, we find a delight in giving up our delight. This is no spontaneous fruit of nature, but a well-tended product of divine grace: it grows out of humility and lowliness..."

~ Charles H. Spurgeon 

Treasury of David

Roman Catholics and Protestants Alike Have Become Respecters of Persons

"If I just quote Mother Teresa to bible-believing Christians or Catholics who tend to be conservative or traditional, and I don't tell them it's Mother Teresa, normally they will say 'Oh that's just terrible doctrine. Who taught that?.' And as soon as I say it's Mother Teresa, then all of a sudden it becomes good, true and beautiful"

Mark Michael Zima

Iron Sharpens Iron (September 30, 2008)

Tagalog and English Proficiency (1960s-1970s)

"In 1960, 44.5 percent of the population spoke Filipino while 39.5 percent spoke English and 2 percent spoke Spanish. In 1970 the Philippine census reported that 55.2 percent of the population spoke Filipino and 44.7 percent spoke English. Code-switching between these two languages was already prevalent. Various forms of bilingualism were also commonplace between regional languages and either Filipino or English, according to class."

Pangasinan—An Endangered Language?

Victoria B. Anderson & James N. Anderson