Wednesday, April 02, 2008

What am I most excited about?

Image of The Epistle to the Philippians Image of The Epistles to the Thessalonians Image of The First Epistle to the Corinthians Image of Second Epistle To The Corinthians
Image of The Gospel of Matthew Image of The Gospel According to Mark Image of Studies In Matthew Image of Stories With Intent
Image of Hearing the Old Testament in the New Testament Image of Contours Of Christology In The New Testament Image of Built upon the Rock Image of Our Father Abraham
Image of Give God the Glory Image of The Use of the Image of The Text of the Old Testament Image of The Way According to Luke

I am officially on a 6-months-fast from buying any more books. These books are the result of my latest book binge via STM Book Services through its yearly Eerdmans special order.

And I must quote BK who just posted that: Martyn Lloyd-Jones provides a great caution against the danger of living "a kind of second hand spiritual life on books ... We may do this for years without realising that we are living on books instead of living on Christ." A timely and important reminder.

I am currently listening to Carson on his exposition of the book of Jeremiah. The message that came through to me is this: what am I most excited about in life? It must be none other than the Gospel of Christ - his saving grace, his act of atonement, the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb. If anything else were to eclipse this fundamental crux of life - I have committed idolatry.

pearlie
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19 comments:

  1. M SIBATWednesday, April 02, 2008

    Are you really, truly, super sure you will take up book fasting? Really? Truly? Well, I have one tip for you, which I gave my friend when we visited Borders the other day. To avoid impulse buying, bring just RM1 in your pocket. You can only drool over the books but not buy them. [Using credit card in this case is cheating!]

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  2. Kar YongWednesday, April 02, 2008

    Pearlie - 6 months fasting? - I will buy you dinner if you are true to this! We can "break fast" together....Let's see

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  3. pearlieWednesday, April 02, 2008

    Melissa,
    The RM1 in pocket is not a problem - I sometimes inadvertently land myself in that situation anyway. Like I park my car in a mall only to realise I have no cash for parking! Or drive my car and head towards the toll!! AHHHH!!!!

    But not to carry credit cards? Almost impossible ... haha! I will have withdrawal symptoms if I go cold turkey!

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  4. pearlieWednesday, April 02, 2008

    Kar Yong,
    You are on! You can call Canaanland, Evangel and Sufes for verification come 30 Sept 2008.

    This means I have to live with what I have for CT2 in June, Intro to NT in Jul and Parables in Sept! NT and Parables, possible but CT2 a bit susah. I pinjam lor ;)

    pn

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  5. SusanWednesday, April 02, 2008

    That's saying it like it is!!!
    Susan

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  6. Kar YongWednesday, April 02, 2008

    dont forget...evangel is having its sale in May - next month woh....very good deals one leh....

    hahahaha

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  7. JewelsThursday, April 03, 2008

    Pearlie, I don't know what this means:
    "a bit susah. I pinjam lor ;)"

    You can do it. Just read what you have!

    I have the Our Father Abraham book. A friend picked it up for me at the warehouse here in GR for $6 in 1999. Some things you never forget.

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  8. SATheologiesThursday, April 03, 2008

    Good selection and interesting titles.

    Well, God made cold shower not for nothing. Whenever you feel tempted to buy books, get a shower and cite the Lord's prayer for 3 times :)

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  9. M SIBATThursday, April 03, 2008

    i tried to avoid saying this in my first comment, but seriously, are you really going to do book fasting? and for six months at that? books woh ... not meals, books ... i repeat, six months without buying books. not a single one. for six months. but anyway, if you really can do it, i'll give you a book if you can complete this crazy fasting of yours. books ... not meals ... books ... think again ...

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  10. pearlieThursday, April 03, 2008

    Susan,
    I am not good with phrases - what did you mean? :)

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  11. pearlieThursday, April 03, 2008

    Kar Yong,
    You are bad ...

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  12. pearlieThursday, April 03, 2008

    I can really hear your evil laughter from here ...

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  13. pearlieThursday, April 03, 2008

    Julia,
    Apologies :) I get carried away with Manglish (Malay+English) sometimes.

    A bit susah = A bit difficult
    I pinjam lor = I borrow lor

    lor is a colloquial utterance, it's not even a word, usually used by the Chinese, that gives the phrase a sense of giving-in. e.g. we'll say "ok lor" = "ok, i agree" or "ok, i'll do it" depending on context. I hope this is a fair explanation - so much to say for a non-word :D

    I think I can do it :) I know I can do it!

    How did you find the book? Wow ... $6 ... that'll be about RM20! Excellent buy.

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  14. pearlieThursday, April 03, 2008

    Sze Zeng,
    Good idea - 'cept that I am so used to hot showers that a cold one would make me totally forget the Lord's Prayer let alone reciting it 3 times! :D

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  15. pearlieThursday, April 03, 2008

    Melissa,
    Wow ... this is getting interesting ... I now have a dinner and a book gift to keep me going on this fast! BUT it is ONLY the THIRD of April! AAHHHHH!!! LOL

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  16. Kar YongThursday, April 03, 2008

    If the Lord's paryers does not work, try Kyrie eleison...kyrie eleison...kyrie eleison...

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  17. Vitali ZagorodnovSunday, April 06, 2008

    You got a nice blog here too! And, by the way, I have the same problem with books too, by much more than I have time to read. Fast is good.

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  18. pearlieSunday, April 06, 2008

    Hi Vitali,
    Thanks for dropping by :)
    The book-fast is a mighty hard thing to do -- the past pre-orders are coming now and I am baving a hard time to deflect them in a good way.

    ReplyDelete
  19. pearlieMonday, April 07, 2008

    Kar Yong,
    Latin words when I take my shower? My husband will think that I have been demon possessed!! (he watched one too many horror movies)

    ReplyDelete

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