Inspire, Fall 2005

Fall 2005 E arlier this summer, I was sitting in the Louvre admiring the stele engraved with the Code of Hammurabi. The object, constructed in Babylon 18 centuries before Christ, spoke incredible historical and theological truths. Several people stood spellbound, taken in by the significance before them. Most people, however, trudged by, not even giving a first glance toward the seven-foot-tall black pillar. There was no pop or sizzle in the display. Who was this Hammurabi guy, anyway? In fact, the museum teemed with thousands who shuffled past objects from the past that beckoned each person to stop, reflect, and learn. The celebrity objets d’art — the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo — got the most attention from the crowds. They were not so much admired as they were backdrops for “look where I was” photographs. Sometimes I think a lot of people trudge through life the same way. Today’s Postmodern culture tries to fool us into thinking that the past has little relevance for the present. But we know better. We must not ignore the monuments of our own past and miss their importance to our present. Admittedly, as we get older we look back sometimes with thoughts of nostalgia, sometimes with hearts of thankfulness and sometimes with memories of pain. Cedarville University is filled with all of these. Of course, there are no pillars impressed with ancient codes, but there are life stories that reveal deep truths at work. God was present. God was at work. Some stories are sad and reflect lost dreams and forgotten commitments. Others are accounts of joy and triumph. But behind them all is the reality that God’s story of love is written as the underlying script for all of our lives. In this issue of Inspire , we listen to some of the stories of lives that were touched years ago through Cedarville University. They are not artifacts to be admired but living examples of God’s faithfulness. They inspire because they remind us that Jesus Christ is the same “yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). So, let’s pause to reflect and rejoice. President’s Pen Dr. Bill Brown President Who is God? Holy, holy, holy. Who am I? Ordinary. Where am I going? Heaven. What’s God doing in my life? Training and disciplining me. How can I see more of God in my life? Keep offering God something to pour His Holy Spirit into. These questions and answers were the core of pastor/teacher Dr. James MacDonald’s messages during the 2005 Cedarville University Fall Bible Conference. Dr. MacDonald used these phrases as a framework to emphasize the holiness of God, expose identity lies that humans propagate, envision the realities of heaven, appreciate the discipline of the Lord, and learn about ways God works. Dr. MacDonald is the founding and senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. A sought-after conference speaker, he has authored five books, including his recent release Gripped by the Greatness of God . His teaching, which emphasizes the precise exposition of God’s Word and its practical life application, can be heard on his national daily radio broadcast “Walk in the Word.” Cassettes, CDs, DVDs, and MP3s of the 2005 Fall Bible Conference can be purchased through CDR Radio at 1-800-333-0601 or online at http://bookstore.cedarville.edu/mediaministry . God is Holy; I’m Ordinary