A look into the text messages of Joseph Choi

[11:51:00AM]There are korean people all over the cafeteria…and some of them have hi-tops on, think i’m gonna be sick…

[12:14:43PM]I’ve never seen so many blond/red haired asian men in one room, if a single one is a bboy i will never speak speak another word of korean again…

[1:40:13PM]Affirmative alpha raccoon leader will update on proceedings asapwee

[1:56:44PM]Dang man, when trains are this late, i start thinking about my feelings and how lonely i am, and how i long for human companionship and how i’m misunderstood

[2:27:28PM]Have boarded train to philly racoon leader, house men spotted feeding off the purity of young male, swat team notified

[11:10:43PM]Duuude, njtransit is retarded…i’m stuck at the scariest train stop i’ve ever seen

[11:17:36PM]I’m literally scared for my life, could you try to find out when the next train to trenton is from north philadelphia?

[4:45:59PM]Dude, there’s a couple holding hands in front of me, now i feel so lonely T_T

"You Are In Danger"

You can't get any more clear than that.

Christ the creator

The Savior hanging on the cross also upholds the cross on which which he hangs (Colossians 1:16-20).

Let that sink in.

Now worship.

common grace

When I look back as to how I first became Christian - “Christian” not in the sense of enacting a legitimate repentant lifestyle, but at least the beginnings of a faith journey - I am encouraged by Scripture attesting to its validity. Simply put, I was struck by my ugliness after hearing the Law, then struck by his kindness and blessings throughout my life (Acts 14:17) and could not help but give praise to God (Romans 2:4).

And isn’t this how a lot of people start out? This is why God does not extinguish the entire earth now in its incredible corruption! He delays wrath, shows grace and pleads for people to come to him!!

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live (Ezekiel 33:11)

God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4)

irony

If you think members of Christ’s church are really boring, the problem is probably you and not them.

Conviction that the spirit struck me with today. Been spending time with more nonchristians lately in trying to get more excited about things; then I read James 4:4.

Note: not saying don’t be friends with nonchristians - I pray neo-Calvinistically that Christians would stop being in a bubble!!!

cage stage

| noun | demonstrating wild and possibly deranged excitement over the seventeenth century pronouncements of the Synod of the Canons of Dordt in the Netherlands. These pronouncements are often referred to as the five points of Calvinism and, once a person becomes convinced that these five points are true, he or she enters the dreaded “cage stage.” The novice Calvinist is considered “armed and dangerous” during this period, which has been known to extend to six months, but in more serious cases can last up to ten years or longer.

Symptoms include: high fever that results in delirious incoherence of thought and speech; vomiting spasms brought on when anyone mentions “free will” or “asking Jesus into their heart” or the dreaded philosophy of Jacob Arminius; restlessness, especially during church services, when the sufferer goes more than an hour without hearing the TULIP’s five bells ringing in their ears; and diahrrea of the mouth, where uncontrollable spasms of verbal nonsense put everyone within earshot at risk.

The recommended treatment is complete isolation, restriction of movement and speech, until the symptoms pass. Unfortunately, this treatment is rarely sought by the afflicted person, so family and friends are often left to suffer silently. The only person who can reach the cage stage victim is a more experienced Calvinist, because the victim’s state of mind does not permit trust in any others. Please DO NOT attempt intervention without consulting an expert.

now the trick is not becoming cage-staged in anti-cage-staging.

Doubt is different than unbelief

This fact blew my mind, and it was a treat to hear it from CJ Mahaney this morning.

What is the difference? Unbelief is complete defiance and rejection of the fundamental relationship between someone and their savior, Jesus, whereas doubt is uncertainty in God’s purposes or promises. It is sinful and serious, but not a betrayal of the faith.

Thus, Jude 22-23 calls us to reach out to those brothers and sisters hurting and doubting God’s goodness, instead of reproaching them outright. CJ Mahaney put on quite a spectacle when delivering the gospel, emphatically exhorting how recieving mercy leads us to be merciful. Very reformed.

So the question becomes “How can I help?” instead of “How could you??” Listed below are some different forms of doubt surfacing as a result of externals (from Os Guinness’ God in the Dark):

• Doubt from ingratitude
• Doubt from a faulty view of God
• Doubt from weak foundations
• Doubt from lack of commitment
• Doubt from a lack of growth
• Doubt from unruly emotions
• Doubt from hidden conflicts

I’ve recently been struggling with doubt when I look at my lack of growth and passion this semester, which I owe to the fact of certain project-intensive classes. However, this is of course a heart issue. Now I remember the Lord loves (v.1) and keeps (v.24) me…and I no longer have to hide my doubts from the community, but rather, desperately seek prayer for them.

Charles Spurgeon had a quote saying that doubt testifies to the presence of belief, akin to when Driscoll comforted his audience when talking about election and affirming that “if you’re worried whether you’re elect or not, that probably means you’re part of the elect.” I’m not sure if these guys are depicting God’s grace rightfully or not, but I’ll give God the benefit of the doubt.

Stumbling block

On one hand you do super-practical things like work on projects for third-world countries and secure a job for the summer. On the other, you do useless things like pray, read Bible, and dance.

I don’t get it, there’s no middle ground with you.

- Mom

Mercy triumphs over judgment, because mercy comes through judgment.

Agree or disagree?

Context is James 2:13. I think the original quote refers judgment in the first clause as wrath, and in the second it refers to Calvary. Semantics.

I like books that are secretly calvinist

In our frenetic free-for-all in nabbing as many books as possible, Moses suggested A Vision for Missions by Tom Wells for reading. Like me, a first glance at the cover causes one to think, "You serious? This looks so cheesy."

In actuality, this book is startling me in its theological richness (and practicality!) Each page screams to me soli Deo gloria. Two theses are presented for the heart of a missionary (read: Christian) -

• God is worthy to be known and proclaimed for who he is. This is the motive and message of missions.
• Those who know the most about God are the most responsible and best equipped to tell of Him.

William Carey's emphasis on prayer before doing anything also spoke to me as our fellowship is preparing for our outreach event at the end of the month.

This shows us what sort of workers are needed. Those who know the most about God...A first qualification is belief in prayer. If our attitude is, 'Let us get to work at once!', we are suspect. The man who knows the greatness and glory of God cannot say that first.
....
You can do more than pray after you have prayed; but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed!

There is a correlation between knowing God and submitting to His sovereignty. A more sovereign God = more powerful prayers!

Misconceptions about community

Community is not:

• a place where people must know everything about me
  @misguided attempts at deep friendships in MRHS
  
  
• finally accomplished when there's a potluck
  @many a college fellowship event
  
  
• a place to lose your mind
  @Bethel youth group
  
  
• an avenue to control people's lives (Matthew 11:9)
  @small group leading
  
  
• optional (Proverbs 18:1)
  @people overwhelmed by other events during school

In the past couple days, Dr. Eric Mason shared many interesting truths on gospel community as it relates to urban ministry, and these misconceptions have all struck a chord with me on some level. By thinking these things, I reduce the extent of transformational gospel love and grace.

God's grace by forming His community effectively shatters the dreams and ambitions of the individual members. No longer do we juggle our lives and community separately, but only for its edification do we execute any decision in our lives.

The cherished promise? Christ will enable his church to be a well-oiled Voltron machine (Romans 12:5, Revelation 3:21).

Spiritual growth

Currently reading through a book titled The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg. Before being alarmed at how dangerously self-help the title sounds, the scriptural basis is founded on the fallen nature of man and how our deep spiritual need and desire is to be connected again to God.

Ok? Now that that’s out of the way, I would like to share some convictions. I was encouraged by the author affirming that spiritual growth is not measured by commitment to spiritual disciplines, but in the end, measured by increased love in God and people (which then should dictate the former).

Good probing questions, aka heart-gauges:

• Am I spiritually inauthentic? (Matthew 23:25)
• Am I becoming judgmental/exclusive/proud? (Matthew 23:6)
• Am I becoming less approachable? (Matthew 23:7)
• Am I growing weary of pursuing spiritual growth? (Matthew 23:4)

With all the trappings of Rick Warren pragmatism, the thing I would add to this work is an emphasis on Christ sufficiency. If you have the book, I’m the dude on p.184-185.

As Ortberg writes, preserving my spiritual life is the same as preserving my life. Read: spiritual as an adjective relates to the Spirit and nothing else (no mysticism or abstract higher thinking), so yes, I should always check if I am [S]piritual in that I am always submissive to Christ (John 16:14, Romans 8:9).