I read a ton.  Even when I am not in class I study.  Some may call this nerdery.  I may be inclined to agree.  But something I read today by Dietrich Bonhoeffer help me to understand why I so vigorously study theology.  It helps me to remember the reason why I am in seminary and the reason that I read and write.  When this stops being true I should stop what I am doing:

…their call to study theology consists of the fact that the subject has simply enthralled them and refuses to let them go.  Of course, it must really be theology that has captivated them.  There must be a genuine readiness to meditate on God, his word and his will; ‘their delight is in the law of the Lord day and night’. 

That is why I do what I do.  Jesus has captivated my heart.  I study theology, read old books, write, struggle through hard texts because…I like to do it. 

Author: Roger Steer

Pages: 256 pages

Publisher: Christian Focus

Price: 11.89

Genre: Biography

Quick Summary:

If you have not heard of George Müller then you need to. As described on the back of this work Müller’s name is a “by-word for faith throughout the world”. Müller built orphanages on nothing more than faith. He did not accept a salary from preaching. He refused to ask individuals for money or materials. He simply sought God in prayer. Through Müller thousands of orphans were provided for, Bibles and tracts were distributed, and the faith of England was strengthened. This book is the story of what happens when somebody sets out to show “visible proof that our God and Father is the same faithful creator as he ever was.”

What I Liked:

I have always been deeply challenged by the life of George Müller, this book was no exception. I appreciated Roger Steer’s writing style as well. He is a very apt biographer. He was not blindly defensive of Müller nor was he needlessly skeptical. The book is put together well and draws richly from Müller’s own journals. But what I like most about Steer’s writing is that he adds story and flesh to the journals of Müller.

The life of George Müller does indeed strengthen my faith. It also causes me to think and ask questions. Should you “fundraise” how he did (only on your knees) or should you be more like Hudson Taylor who made his requests known but not to specific people? Even more bold still was D.L. Moody who would ask specific people for specific things. As my seminary professor pointed out all three of these men were blessed by God. Is one means better than the others? But more than this I had to ask myself at the end of the day—do I have faith like George Müller? If I do not have such a faith I have to ask myself, why. I serve the same God; why should I not have the same faith?

What I Disliked:

I spilt water on my book. Other than that I loved everything. Perhaps it would have been nice to have a little bit of commentary on Müller’s life interspersed throughout. I tend to like Iain Murray for that reason, but Steer did a wonderful job of simply telling it like it was.

Should You Buy It?

If you are not familiar with Müller then this book and/or his autobiography would be a great place to start. Müller’s faith strengthened Charles Spurgeon—certainly it will do the same for you.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I dislike Phil Jackson just as much as any Bulls fan, but I really do not understand the uproar over his statements  concerning the Arizona Immigration Law.  Take what this guy had to say for example:

“Phil Jackson went political and that’s not his job,” said Jose Maldonado from Montclair. “His job is not governor, his job is not president, his job is not political, his job is to be a coach. When he said what he did he went political and that’s the reason I’m standing here, to protest his involvement.”

What?!?!  The whole point of the protest is that Jackson did not want to be political.  He did not want the Lakers wearing Los Lakers on their jersey.  His argument is that they are a basketball team and not a political entity.  So, because he did not take a stance—or the stance that they wanted him to take “he went political”. 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we will soon find out that this way of thinking is far more than just a sports issue.  This is the mindset of the people that we are to share the glorious gospel of Jesus to.  You can say anything religious or spiritual until you take an unfavorable stance and then you are being bigoted, narrow-minded, etc.  But the claims of Jesus are exclusive and proclaim them we must.