2011

Summer brought hours of (voluntary) aimless lonely meandering through a dense urban jungle, sleepless nights, emptiness, hospital visits and deteriorating health. Fall semester: cue more hospital visits, dead cat, and dead friends. And the year closes again with parents completely rejecting Jesus.

Slowest year. So. Ridiculously. Heartachingly. Slow. Yet the LORD made it so! I stand encouraged! And still young! LORD, if it is your will, if you still see immaturity in me, you are free to discipline me again and again this coming year so that I may cling tighter onto you! I love you to the uttermost, LORD.

Unlike fictional couple Gordon-Levitt/Deschanel, here is collab music of a real couple.

why pursue truth anyways

It’s a wonder how I’m a stickler for correct theology when it would be bringing to light how much greater the wrath would be for my family, currently vessels prepared for destruction (Romans 9:22). Or is it that I seek to know more of God so others may know more of him too when they talk to me?

… on that note, please talk to me if you have questions (willisz@seas.upenn.edu).

Corporate World 101!

Osama bin Laden and Kim Jong Il

Both died during finals week. Hmm. HMMMMM.

Games Willis Play, #1

Players. 1 v 1, 2, or 3. Increase number of opponents as per skill level.

Background. Unanticipated conversation initiates between you and associate(s) as you walk through campus. Difficulty level gauged by longevity of previous encounter with said opposing party.

Objective. Cultivate cheery atmosphere. Force opposing party into jovial mood for the purposes of making a tactful escape, usually by collective use of winsomeness, animated banter, and/or offhand faux pas.

Current record. Daily average - 3 wins, 2 losses, 0.5 mutual forfeits.

Games Willis Play, #2

Players. 1 v ego.

Background. Game set whilst advancing adjacent to large building windows.

Objective. Correct posture (straighten back, extend legs wotwot) using window reflection within a time window just shy of complete vanity.

Current record. Undefeated record.*

*Scrimmage matches against laptop monitor reflection (the first 2 - 3 seconds where the screen is loading but otherwise black enough to check your hair) not included.

Insecure about praying

Praying aloud in group settings was seriously the bane of my faith up until sometime last year when I learned more about God’s attributes through systematic theology. I really fell in love with Jesus by poring through the doctrines of grace; his necessity and faithfulness was made abundantly clear from studying christophanies within the Old Testament to God’s present soteriological work in our walks. And I would gush about it while praying to the point where someone I wanted to bless didn’t approve of how I prayed. This stumbled me a lot and to this day I feel a wave of hesitance and insecurity as I pray for someone.

As I read more on the topic, I have felt God’s assurance and affirmation through what we see in his word. Tim Keller and John Piper have both written on the prayer in Acts 4:24-31. Things to note in their plea to bring down the Holy Spirit (from our Bible study this week hehe):

• Praying corporately and together. “It is the church gathered, not just the apostles, that pray for God to give boldness and to heal and to do signs and wonders.” People like you and me can pray for crazy stuff.
• It was more absorbed in praise and worship to God than in human requests. “If we want his fullness, we will do well to fill our minds with the truth he has revealed about God in Scripture.” These guys didn’t even ask for protection during persecution!
• With regards to Scripture, declarations from the word guided their prayer. Look! Halfway through the prayer as they meditate on God’s sovereignty, these guys were convicted that even Christ’s death was predestined so that he may be glorified (so how can we not trust God in all things??). We get revelation during prayer; it’s all a process.
• The main point was God’s glory. The requests aimed to make God known to more people.

I’m with Tozer in desiring daily experience of praising Thy glory so that we are accustomed to the glory when we enter Thy heaven to dwell with Thee there.

from the confessions of our faith

So here’s a truth that hits home for all of us. We all die. It is irreversible. You can only act like it doesn’t matter to you for so long. From the Heidelberg Catechism, we know the purpose of death for the believer:

42. Q. Since Christ has died for us, why do we still have to die?

A. Our death is not a payment for our sins, but it puts an end to sin and is an entrance into eternal life.[1]

[1] John 5:24; Phil. 1:21-23; I Thess. 5:9, 10.

This hinges on a belief that Christ died for you so that you may be satisfied. You cannot deny your times of emptiness. Whether it manifests in desperate need for attention or exceeding disappointment at failures made by ourselves or friends, our hearts without Jesus are unsatisfied.

God does not force the decision. It is entirely your choice to accept this free gift or not.

I suck at loving people

It’s not even one of those fake humility things where I’m downplaying my awesomeness. How do you know if you’re a pretty good friend of mine? We share blessing experiences together but over time I’ve neglected you and taken you for granted. You would then confront me about it and I offer my feeble apologies. This will occur perhaps multiple times.

Quick exegesis on 2 Corinthians 6:3-12:

• (verse 3) Unable to genuinely love people is a stumbling block that really hurts people, learned both from friends and cg members.
• (verse 6) Purity. Understanding. Patience. Kindness. Sincerity. These things are super foreign to me.
• (verse 12) I withhold affection as only prideful people do.

Atm, very unconcerned about the theological integrity of this post. So much so I used NIV in writing this. It’s all about that ridiculous heart for the Gospel.

Open invitation to Jeff Lee's memorial worship service tonight @7PM, Bodek Lounge

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less"

Martin Luther defined sin as “mankind turned inward.” And sadly, the way many of us think about sanctification is terribly narcissistic. We spend too much time thinking about how we’re doing, if we’re growing, whether we’re doing it right or not. We spend too much time pondering our failure and brooding over our spiritual successes. In short, we spend way too much time thinking about ourselves and what we need to do and far too little time thinking about Jesus and what he’s already done. And what I’ve discovered is that the more I focus on my need to get better the worse I actually get–I become neurotic and self-absorbed. Preoccupation with my performance over Christ’s performance for me makes me increasingly self-centered and morbidly introspective. This is the opposite of how the Bible describes what it means to be sanctified. Sanctification is forgetting about yourself.

Peter only began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on “how he was doing.” Anytime our natural fixture on self is rattled, shaken, turned from itself to that Man’s blood, to that Man’s cross, the devil runs!

When we stop narcissistically focusing on our need to get better that is what it means to get better. When we stop obsessing over our need to improve, that is what it means to improve!

— Tullian Tchividjian of The Gospel Coalition

How I can become more gospel-centered

That is, make applicable the riches of God’s grace through Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection for pathetic sinners like me:

• Take the entire Bible seriously to enhance the sweetness of the gospel message. To my shame, I have not read through the Old Testament.
• Preach the gospel to both believers and nonbelievers.
• Repent. Repent. Repent.
• Have a contagious, constant astonishment of the gospel.
• Be known to give grace; be a person skeptics and seekers would like to talk to.
• Love the person of Jesus more than doctrinal implications.

Remixed Calvinism

It sometimes feels like Calvinists first invoke the five points, then apologize for invoking the five points, then explain how the five points don’t really mean what they seem to mean and aren’t really saying what they seem to be saying. This can’t possibly be the best way to introduce people to what we believe.

Funny but true. Greg Forster offers another version of TULIP which references the three persons of God and the mechanism of salvation:

• State of man before salvation: wholly defiled
• Work of the Father in salvation: unconditional choice
• Work of the Son in salvation: personal salvation
• Work of the Spirit in salvation: supernatural transformation
• State of man after salvation: in faith, perseverance

Das cool.

What church should I attend?

From Pastor John of Good News Church I attended this summer:

1) Don't base your choice on comfort. Ever thought that, perhaps, as a sinner what you consider comfortable God may consider uncomfortable?

2) Risk-benefit analysis is ill-advised. A good church will always cost you by asking you to give yourself in committed service. In that way, it is blessing you (ref. Beatitudes).

3) Christ-centered. A good gauge whether the church is not grieving the Holy Spirit is if Christ is the chief priority (John 16:14). Not morals, practical advice, fellowship events, cool worship - other religions have those. Not personalities or movements. Just Christ.

4) Marked with humility. Philippians 2:1-11 not only on an individual level, but does the body care for the church universal and form partnerships? Does it celebrate victories of other bodies or is it absorbed in its own happenings?

Now commit.

describes my conversion to a t

But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

-1 Corinthians 14:24-25

hard truth

From Terry Virgo of The Resurgence:

Being depressed is bad witness. Self-importance dictates that I deserve to be unduly sad.

Remembering that my body and feelings are not mine. Nothing is. Humility dictates that the living Christ be the source of strength and emotion (Philippians 1:18) - and every other source is self-seeking and self-destructive! Voltorb!!

How do you *really* ask for filling of the Spirit? Read the Bible.

Found a better response to when people ask why they should read their Bibles. Credit to P.Chaz and Redeemer Presbyterian for the cool Bible study question:

Many people think that all the church needs is more of the Spirit, but the Bible never pits learning against power, truth against the Spirit.

(Acts 1:3-8) Why do you think Jesus prepares the apostles’ minds before he sends them power? What is the relationship between knowing truth and experiencing the Spirit?

• (Ephesians 1:17-19, 3:16-18) Increasing wisdom and revelation to grasp God’s excellencies empowers the spirit. Think of the Spirit as “fire” and the truth of God’s word as “firewood.”
• (John 4:24, 16:13-14) The nature of the Spirit is one of truth, not necessarily subjective emotion or experience. Above all, the Spirit’s main objective is to glorify Christ.
• (Romans 1:16) The gospel is the power of God. The Spirit’s power does not work apart from the truth.
• (Luke 24:44-49) Correct interpretation of the Bible is important to Jesus, where he opens the minds of the disciples in order to be effective witnesses. Expository preaching!! Christ and his gospel must be preached so that divine love can truly transform people.

This series is gonna be awesome.

Même en rêve

tu as le don pour enflammer chilling fields à chaque coup d’oeil non réciproque. Cependant j’espère sincèrement que tu peux vendre le bateau.

Discipleship season

is now in session.

One hand rollback, pop up, 2 babymills

Moralism produces immorality

When I thought God was hard, I found it easy to sin; but when I found God so kind, so good, so overflowing with compassion, I smote upon my breast to think that I could ever have rebelled against One who loved me so, and sought my good.

- Charles Spurgeon

Legalism actually leads to immorality, whereas a grace-centered life -> an obedient life. Think about it.

4AM trip to Atlantic City

Well, that was random.

Be sure to watch yesterday’s clip before this one.

Apart From Jesus, Gandhi's In Hell

“Some of you, God hates you."

"‘He hates the sin and not the sinner.’ That’s Ghandi, not Jesus.”

Thank you Pastor Mark for the truth.

Take care, Whiz!

"Those religious people"

When I hear pastors bring up distinctions between the aims of their own ministry and those of “religious people,” I get uneasy. These pastors claim that under “gospel-centered” and “grace-centered” banners that they “got Jesus” and everyone else is so lost. I have seen and continue to see this happen. I was one of these stupid idiots and along the way I badly hurt people I loved.

2 Corinthians 12:9 sufficiency of the lord’s grace not only applies to walking with Jesus but preaching about him. It is sufficient to preach that grace. Lose the divisiveness (James 4:1). If you really want to change/remove the legalists in your congregation, they will be offended by the good news. Any other method is not one of love.

You guys are welcomed to disagree: is it fruitful to make a deprecatory example of non-gospel-centered ministries as legalists? Also as an aside, Anberlin concert was so fun.

Been one of the most spiritually blessing weeks in recent memory, so therefore

Lord, guard my heart and keep me repentant.

My walk with Jesus is like a coupled oscillator

Taking Dynamics and Bifurcations with Dr. Ghrist this semester, and from just today we learned how to model (first-order) social fads and synchronized menstrual cycles among female friends. Joy.

One uncoupled second-order system for a brushless DC motor, seen below, routes itself into chaos.

Compare with a system with coupling, shown below with increasing coupling strength parameters.

I think this is how God aligns my will with his. With time, he allows limit k →∞. Not sure if I’m preaching a synergistic or monergistic theology, but I know he will erase the double-facedness in me. Jesus presents it better:

44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.

John 6:44-45

"They can't"

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?

And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?

And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

And how are they to preach unless they are sent?

Romans 10:14-15

Optimizing humility

Escaping linear programming for a bit. Been noticing I get annoyed when I sense people striving to take credit for work, and that could only mean that I have the same complex. People with pride quickly suspect pride in others, and humble saints suspect pride in themselves in order to esteem and give thanks to others.

To be prideful is folly (Proverbs 27:2), may the spirit give me a habit of noticing, encouraging, and helping others.

Philippians 2:

Do nothing can I erase ALL selfishness? out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. can I serve friends even more selfish than me? ⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
did not consider equality with God I delude myself in personal sense of justice instead of God’s perfect justice something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross! do I wish myself accursed for the sake of lost friends? Romans 9:3

Funny shirts this sister showed me.

Westminster Catechism Rap by Voice feat. Dr. DA Carson

wow.

Also, Lecrae is more theologically sound than most American pastors.

The Law is more useful than Romans 8:3 makes it out to be

Besides civil, didactic, and pedagogical uses, the Law is also most importantly reflective:

The Law reveals a glimpse of the perfect righteousness of Christ.

As we stagger under the lengthy, weighty mass of Scriptural imperatives, breathlessly gasping our own depravity, let us also find the answer to the question “How perfect is Jesus’ righteousness imputed to us?” with "This perfect.” (And more perfect still.)

This is probably what heaven looks&sounds like JUST SAYINN’ WOWOW.

John Calvin is the man

Nothing will more effectively preserve us in a straight and undeviating course in this economy of the crippling yen, euro, and dollar? hahaha than a firm persuasion that all events are in the hand of God.

...

It is wrong to infer from prosperity that God is favorable toward us, and from suffering that God is angry. For God does not consider in chastening the faithful what they deserve but rather what will be useful to them in the future. He fulfills the office of a physician rather than of a judge. Suffering often brings us to the end of our rope, so we will look to God in Christ for our safety.

We must never forget that there is no tribunal so magnificent, no throne so stately, no show of triumph so distinguished, no chariot so elevated, as is the cross on which Christ has subdued death and the Devil. His whole life was nothing but a kind of perpetual cross. The cross of Christ always contains in itself the victory. But like the disciples at Golgotha, we flee the cross—both Christ's and our own. We imagine that somehow we deserve prosperity. But prosperity often inebriates people, so that they take delight in their own vanities. Instead of leading to gratitude, God's indulgent liberality is abused; prosperity easily becomes its own kind of prison that deprives us of God's greatest gifts.

...

Our salvation and reconciliation to God in Christ is more important than any present happiness. It is far better for the children of God to be blessed, though mutilated and half-destroyed, than to desire that peace in which they shall fall asleep. Our ultimate security and prosperity is found only in Christ and will be fully realized only in glory.

- from The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Without the gospel everything is useless and vain; without the gospel we are not Christians; without the gospel all riches is poverty, all wisdom folly before God; strength is weakness, and all the justice of man is under the condemnation of God.

...

It follows that every good thing we could think or desire is to be found in this same Jesus Christ alone. For, he was sold, to buy us back; captive, to deliver us; condemned, to absolve us; he was made a curse for our blessing, sin offering for our righteousness; marred that we may be made fair; he died for our life; so that by him fury is made gentle, wrath appeased, darkness turned into light, fear reassured, despisal despised, debt canceled, labor lightened, sadness made merry, misfortune made fortunate, difficulty easy, disorder ordered, division united, ignominy ennobled, rebellion subjected, intimidation intimidated, ambush uncovered, assaults assailed, force forced back, combat combated, war warred against, vengeance avenged, torment tormented, damnation damned, the abyss sunk into the abyss, hell transfixed, death dead, mortality made immortal. In short oh yeah, REALLLL short John, mercy has swallowed up all misery, and goodness all misfortune.

For all these things which were to be the weapons of the devil in his battle against us, and the sting of death to pierce us, are turned for us into exercises which we can turn to our profit. If we are able to boast with the apostle, saying, O hell, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? it is because by the Spirit of Christ promised to the elect Ephesians 1:14 baby!!!, we live no longer, but Christ lives in us.

- from a preface to the New Testament in Olivétan's French Bible Translation

Are there any prefaces in your Bible that are this nice??

To my peeps who don't understand the Bible

honestly, I sometimes don't really either.

"Why is homosexuality a sin?" Well, it doesn't really bother me so I'm not quite sure.

"Why should wives submit to the headship of the husband?" Because the Bible said so?

If someone offers "because the Bible says so" as an answer to your question, you are free to write that person off as someone who has no clue what they're talking about. Silver or gold or humanist rationale I do not have, but what I have I give you. And that is an amazing redeemer who has shown himself in human history to fulfill these rules - which were graciously given to me like a father telling his child to not step out into the middle of the road. His perfect record made him the only one suitable sacrifice to clean my record of constant disobedience.

I deserve hell but instead I am getting Jesus. A story about a people deserving wrath but instead are given mercy? That love is on every page of the Bible.

Middle-aged black ladies

I love them soooo much.

Whether they call me “honey,” “baby,” “handsome,” or “sugar,” they make me feel like the most desirable male on the planet. Every night I’ve been making 30-second conversations with one cafeteria server, Flora. However, between the good weather and random local block parties, I’m soon going to run out of topics to bring up.

What else can I talk to her about - just short of asking her out this weekend?

Actually, what a great idea.

So blessed like wow!!

No drastic events transpiring to come to this conclusion, per se. God's just been allowing my heart to explode with joy more frequently. Victory is at hand in the nonphysical realms!

Life in New York is very tiring and it's been hard to motivate myself to read scripture when it seems like the city has enough things to superficially fill the holes in my heart. Stumbling into recurring emptiness, however, tells me that's not the way to go.

God works tho! He listens to prayers. He strengthens me. He keeps his promises.

I am useless. But Jesus made himself a curse for me. Why??? Because God was pleased to deliver me to himself. Dang, so happy!!!

Christians have funny conversations sometimes

me:

dustin and i be spreadin' your notoriety in nyc

more girls here

Pastor Dan:

??

hahaha

what have you been saying?

me:

"we have this cool pastor in philly"

"he's good with kids. he's currently saving people in guatemala"

that's like +100 brownie points

Pastor Dan:

HAHA

show them pics i just posted

on google plus

---------------------------------------------------------------

me:

jenjen

Jennifer:

yea

me:

you want to be stumbled?

Jennifer:

ok

me:

LOL

wow

Jennifer:

wait

SORRY

i read that as HUMBLED

it registered weirdly

wow

me:

YEA YEA

Jennifer:

sorry

omgosh

no

really

me:

MHM

Jennifer:

i'm very committed to my God and my bf

me:

AWW

Social constructs

Dude, when there's music playing in public, I don't understand what's with people stepping out-of-beat when they're walking past. Really? Nothing in you demands to step in-time with the percussion? Are you deaf???

The difference between Joel Osteen and Jesus

Healing seldom comes out of a change in situation, but rather through a situation.

"F is for friends who do stuff together"

I can be a better friend. Things to think about:

• “I’m an empty vessel ready for you to pour your love and affirmation and curiosity into me.”Ask questions about other people.
• "My opinion holds more weight than your opinion. And I'll share all my opinions." Silence beats belittling my neighbor. Less criticism, more empathy.
• "It's not worth the effort to invest in people that won't invest back." Do not withhold blessing from someone when given the opportunity to bless them.
• "Being loud, stupid, and politically incorrect is funny." Not following cultural norms of politeness is sin. Oh snap.

Stifling

Hey, to the mom that scolded her son for asking too many questions after church:

Please answer the questions and love your child the way Jesus loves you.

We don't need another kid growing up into a Rob Bell.

Gospel in the OT

Scripture taken simply as an instruction manual would probably be one of the most discouraging self-help books this side of the resurrection. All of scripture will point you to Christ and his love for you :)

From an interview with Dane Ortland:

Where is the gospel in Proverbs (or James)?

There is no magic formula to ‘find’ the gospel in Proverbs. Rather, if we read Proverbs as wise words from a father who loves his children too much to let them ruin their lives through ignorant folly, we will receive it as God means us to, and be strengthened in a way that is grace-flavored.

And remember, from a macro-perspective, Jesus is the ultimate wise man. Paul said that Jesus "became for us wisdom" (1 Cor. 1:30). Jesus is the wise man, and we fools, united to him by faith, share in that wisdom.

Where is the gospel in Leviticus?

All over the place. Leviticus is an elaborate accounting of the sacrificial system that God mercifully instituted for Israel, to atone for their sins. It is virtually impossible to plunk down into a random place in Leviticus and not see God’s gracious provision of a way out for filthy people.

And Jesus himself brought that entire sacrificial system to fulfillment. The New Testament tells us Jesus was not only the priest who offered the sacrifice, he was also the sacrifice itself, the lamb—and he was even the temple in which the priest offered the sacrifice. As we read Leviticus as Christians, then, we can be ever mindful of what all those bloody sacrifices were anticipating.

Where is the gospel in Ecclesiastes?

Ecclesiastes insists that the good things of life—food, work, sex, wealth, honor—cannot serve as the ultimate things in life, and that if we make this mistake (as Solomon did) we will come to the end of life exhausted, frustrated, and disillusioned. Only God satisfies.

Jesus really had it all, even more than Solomon. He had unbounded wealth and honor in heaven. He had everything Solomon chased after. To an infinite degree. And he emptied himself and gave it all up and came to earth and suffered and died. Why? So that you and I, wayward sinners, can have real wealth, real riches, real honor, in the new earth, forever.

The answer really is, as we say in BYG, God'sRedemptivePlan.

To my accountability partners:

Evan Chen, you write mad long texts deeeeeeeeeeeemmmmmm!!!!!!

Dustin Shung, watch this video.

:) <3

Witty NYC public transportation advertisements

NYC traffic is not a nightmare. Nightmares are shorter.

Broadway is not all that broad.

Gospel = past, present, and future amazingness

Malachi 1:1-5

The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob's brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lordof hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’” Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

1 Corinthians 15:1-2

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

God will probably admit with us that things aren't perfect now. At the present we struggle to be spiritually pure and we suffer much in light of the sin within us and around us. But that struggle is indicative of something greater at work: daily resurrection power.

The gospel gives historical assurance of God's love on the cross -> breathtaking anticipation of eternal basking in his love.

It be crazy encouragement mang.

So yea, that end-of-the-world thing..

I don't know whether to smh or curb-stomp that Harold Camping guy. On some level, he's certainly made it harder to witness to people. He's given legitimate ammunition for my dad to scold me on large checking account funds going to seemingly seedy Christian organizations, which to him are all akin to Camping's agenda.

On the other hand, Camping's publicity raised questions in my sister's head, making it possible to talk about Biblical teaching on Jesus' return to my sister. Which means, basically, my sister got to know more about the Bible. いいよ!

Saving you the trouble of buying books...

Sike, go frequent the bookstore and read.

These days, doctrine is often derided by the people who view it as divisive and unnecessary to living the Christian life. Some people pride themselves on not being concerned with the specifics of what they believe about salvation, sin, the work of the Spirit, and other doctrinal issues. A friend who attended a large conference for youth workers told me that the host started the event by walking onstage declaring, 'It's not about doctrine! It's about Jesus!'

I consider this a sad and misleading statement. We don't have to choose between caring about doctrine and loving Jesus. The two pursuits are not opposed to each other. In fact, they are inseparable! We can only grow in our love for our Savior as we learn more of who He is and what He has accomplished for us. A concern for truth doesn't take us away from a deeper relationship with Him. It leads us closer to Him, in greater worship, adoration, and obedience.

Joshua Harris, Stop Dating the Church

—

You must still be tried on this earth and tested in many things.

Consolation will sometimes be given you, but the fullness of it will not be granted.

Take courage, then, and be valiant in doing things that are repugnant to nature as well as in suffering them.

You must put on the new self, and be changed into another self.

Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

—

Jesus could have told the man, 'I am the glory of God in human form. Purify your heart, confess all your sins, get rid of all your doubts and your double-mindedness. Once you have surrendered to me totally and can come before me with a pure heart, then you can ask for the healing you need.'

But Jesus doesn't say that - not at all. The boy's father says, 'I'm not faithful, I am riddled with doubts, and I cannot muster the strength necessary to meet my moral and spiritual challenges. But help me.' That's saving faith - faith in Jesus instead of in oneself... You must admit that you are not righteous, and that you need help. When you can say that, you are approaching God to worship.

Tim Keller, King's Cross

—

Another saying of Jesus, and a most disturbing one, was put in the form of a question. "How can ye believe, which receive honor of another, and seek not the honor that come from God only?" (John 5:44) If I understand this correctly, Christ taught here the alarming doctrine that the desire for honor among men made belief impossible. Is this sin at the root of religious unbelief?

I believe it may be. The whole course of the life is upset by failure to put God where he belongs. We exalt ourselves instead of God and the curse follows.

A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

Holy = boring

Something I've been doting on for awhile...

The more sanctified I'm becoming, the more boring I am. Compared to who I was before.

Lord, if I could write my own version of 1 Corinthians 3:19, help me to confess that what the world deems as "exciting" is "boring" to you, and vice versa. In a world where we all sell out to satan and our flesh, open my eyes to see the indieness and hipster appeal in being as violently meek as Christ.

14

is the number of guy friends that got dumped by girls over this past year.

For my dudes, cling hard to the supremacy of God. What's the first thing you think of when you wake up? It better be: "It cost Jesus getting dumped by the Father to save me."

Use the time to live for his interests and nothing else (1 Corinthians 7:32-35). Love you all, let's talk sometime.

Jesus, why???

The more I see you, the more I really am able to love this very ungodly coworker of mine.

My flesh hates the fact that I'm growing attached and caring for this person's needs. Your spirit rejoices and feeds on Christ's redemptive truth. That is, you saved me in my ungodliness and you desire to save her too.

And that's all I need to know.

The most discouraging people

are the ones who promise greater commitment to God in your face then proceed to fall off the face of the planet spiritually and, more often than not, socially. Reaching out to these people is a draining process and wreaks havoc on other relationships you are trying to sustain. Monergism never felt so barren.

And yet, I’m this discouraging person.

Gospel in disguise

My dad told me today that he’s very proud of me and that I’m a very good son. I’m actually not a very good son. Still blown away.

Two other gospel-esque quotes that have stuck with me, delivered from one friend to another in times of emotional vulnerability:

• “It’s OK to be inadequate.”
• “Even if I found out something terrible about you, I’ll still be your friend.”

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

Preaching the gospel is easy

in English.

Because my Chinese is so bad, I've probably had to establish 8 different theological distinctives (relative to the Westminster Catechism) in order to deliver the gospel. That's like 5 new denominations. I really hope God doesn't bring this up (1 Timothy 6:20).

Among these are:

• "Half of your heart wants to do bad things. Half of your heart wants to listen to God."
• "Jesus will save you from superficial Buddha worship and college entrance exams."
• "I now obey my parents because Jesus likes this."
• "Being Christian is not intelligent vs. ignorant. Or Eastern vs. Western. It is true vs. false."

HK cultural notes

For the expats.

• A cute boy and/or cute girl got your eye? They are most likely taken. Everyone here with a decently symmetrical face is in a relationship. Things are looking grim if you're over 25 and haven't fathered/mothered a child yet.
• If you want to make it as a street performer, you will not recieve any claps. Just saying.
• See that red streak down your neck and back? Those are from bed ticks. RAAAAAAAAAGGGGGEEEEEE.

• At a restaurant, you WILL sit next to a complete stranger. No empty spot is left untaken!
• Have a government department in need of a symbol? How about a cute animal mascot? Doesn't even have to be real. Just cute.

• Nothing's open til 10:30. But when things are open, be sure to get the nice old man downstairs to break the lock the TSA forgot to undo.

• Best game: try complimenting someone - shirt, shoes, whatever - and watch what they'll do. People here do not know how to take compliments and will probably run away.
• If you do manage to start a conversation with someone, don't expect a goodbye at the end.
  

I'm on overseas missions!

LOL I might as well be.

At my maternal grandma's house, I found a couple of interesting books. "有一位關心人的造物主嗎?" "帶來永生的知識?" "和平安全:怎樣才能獲致?" As I was decoding these titles I was playing songs like Starfield's "Great in all the earth" and "I will go," so I felt like a wannabe of the the first overseas missionaries lololol.

Given we were at a Buddhist temple today, the conversation went as followed:

婆婆: "你妈说你喜欢基督教."
歪歪: "...不懂."
婆婆: "你洗了礼吗?"
歪歪: "对."
婆婆: "所以你是基督徒!"
歪歪: "对...可是我还有罪恶.每个人都是罪人.觉得你也是吗？"
婆婆: "毋啊！要吃粥呢？"

Mannnnn.