A note on being a tool

I made this somewhat a point in my message to my disciples, but it should be one's aim in life not to be a tool for women. While reading at Columbia, I literally witnessed a Korean fob with designer jeans and frames sit down and have long coffee chats with two different women, with an hour of separation in-between. He propped his feet up on the chair, made the girls squeal "oppa~" a couple times, and smiled at his own occasional cleverness. Tool, tool, and super tool. And yet I observed these things while intermittently exchanging sentimental messages to my girlfriend on my phone. I conceded we're all entrapped by similar things.

Why is it I'm writing this? Because I realize I'm growing. Yes, I'm pronouncing a judgment on him here on the internet (there is a purpose for that, namely, I don't want to see you guys doing shady stuff too). But it didn't stop there. I prayed for the guy, for his future marriage, that he would learn the emptiness of his boyish ways, and even prayed for the gift of tongues - for God to somehow endow me with Korean so I could befriend him. I prayed for my brothers to stand countercultural and love fellow sisters by loving God more than their egos. I earnestly wanted those prayers answered. We must all learn that the mark of manliness may indeed be how many marks we've left on fellow men, and not scars on women. LORD, forgive me all my wrongdoings; I am a worm, but what makes it all worthwhile is that I am your worm.

To be fair about painting pictures of certain people groups, there was a group of very loud and vulgar Chinese FOBs on the other side so I much preferred the Korean couple(s). Also, to the Korean brethren, if you could supply translated phrases along the lines of, "Have you ever heard of covenantal theology?" I'd be most thankful! I surmised it would have been fun to see what this guy felt about covenants, both with God and with other people. Apologies, I'm inextricably going through my 5th relapse into cage-stage Calvinism.

Week #33

• NYC with +Lucy Song +Dustin Kim +Jason Choi +Kun He Lee 
• Fellowship Thursdays
• Flushing High School career program +John Sung 

Week #32

• @ja_ciao +Kevin Lee 
• Covenant of Faith +Macky Lee 
• Yelp! Helps Brooklyn +Liana Lau +Michelle Kwak +Eunice Lee
• Summer Streets +Lucy Song +Victoria Hu +Veronica Kim +Christian FNU 

Biblical theology

It’s important! When actual counseling situations arise - as they have - and you need to explain what Jesus means when he’ll separate the wheat from the tares or goats from the sheep, what system of biblical narrative could you offer in that moment? The one that makes arbitrary xyz fruit the underpinning of one’s standing with God? Or the one that stresses preaching the truth of the gospel to believer and nonbeliever with equal, unyielding emphasis?

These are the implications of one’s biblical theology. Or a new believer wants to know the significance and purpose of the sacraments, i.e., baptism and the Lord’s supper. Your understanding of the covenants, the continuity or newness of them, will let them know how each sacrament edifies the believer and community of believers. Extremely practical stuff.

Don’t stop at systematic theology. Know the Bible as one huge chunk: how is the gospel (the coming kingdom of God) heralded throughout the ages? Doing so, at the very least, will edify your private worship of God as one whose sovereign hand cannot be hindered in blessing his people. And the best thing you can do for your church is increase your private worship.

Specifically, you can start at any number of systematic buckets (end-times, sacraments, covenants) and compare each biblical theologies’ (covenantal or dispensational) treatment against the Bible’s own hermeneutic (hinted in John 5:39, Luke 24:27). Personally, the hermeneutical lens I prescribe to is the one that magnifies the Father’s sovereignty, Christ’s sufficiency, and the spirit’s consistent, unthwarted execution of a masterful redemptive plan.

On moral relativists

“Suppose we think of a man made of water in an infinitely extended and bottomless ocean of water. 

Desiring to get out of water, he makes a ladder of water. 

He sets this ladder upon the water and against the water and then attempts to climb out of the water.

So hopeless and senseless a picture must be drawn of the natural man’s methodology based as it is upon the assumption that time or chance is ultimate. On his assumption his own rationality is a product of chance. On his assumption even the laws of logic which he employs are products of chance. The rationality and purpose that he may be searching for are still bound to be products of chance.”

— Cornelius Van Til, The Defense of the Faith (P&R, 1972), p. 102, writing on the inconsistencies present for moral relativists. What makes your ethical opinion hold water?

Pray without ceasing

And don’t put that added pressure of “it doesn’t work until I’m broken because that’s when it’s most passionate” as if you’ve discovered some formulaic approach to 2 Corinthians 12:9-11. Brokenness is not a matter of the circumstantial or existential, but the spiritual reality is that we’re all broken. Right now. Status quo. Baseline. It is just a matter of realizing it.

It doesn’t matter who you are. Where you’re from. What you did. You are broken. Heed not the line, “I’m a good man, with a good heart” from John Mayer’s Shadow Days when your flesh is still bent and inclined towards destruction. How many other song references can I make lol.

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere (2 Corinthians 2:14). Prayer is effective so long as our hearts sincerely have the Matthew 6:9-13 posture.

:]

"Surprised by God"?

Perhaps I’m not a fan of the semantics that involve the word “surprise,” but in the contexts where worshippers ask God to execute something they would deem miraculous, it is almost like Satan putting God to the test (Matthew 4:7). Having written before about God’s will being abundantly clear in order that we be effective disciples, the Christian life is not about “surprises” but an everlasting, sustainable joy. Surprises, therefore, connote some vacillation of that joy.

Let’s take this presupposition: if you are a Christian, then you would agree it takes more “faith” not to believe in God than to believe, because God’s presence is much more obvious than his absence. Therefore, you are never really surprised when God answers prayers. I wasn't surprised on the mission field. Yes, there occurred many amazing coincidences and providential acts that brought much joy, because the God we prayed to was looking out for his name being famous (Psalm 115:3, Colossians 1:16). The Christian prays with the heart of making God famous and nothing else (Luke 6:9).

I’m not knocking on prayer for miracles, but oftentimes our definition of a miracle can be so man-centered. A restored limb benefits one person; a changed heart can transform communities and generations. Is not joy the ultimate goal? And is not joy consummately found in Christ? We have not because we ask not (Matthew 7:7-12).

Can we as a people celebrate at the end of our prayers even when nothing has occurred? David certainly did amidst his betrayals (Psalm 3:8). And have we not greater assurance than David - for the historical death and resurrection of the LORD Christ is rock-solid security that God will deliver us from the hands of our enemy!

:]

Week #31

• Philadelphia with +Charles Shin +Charles Han +Edward Suh +Joon Y. Lee +Christopher Pham +Mandy Scull +Judy Chan +Hon Lui +Megan Lui 
• Grand Central apt +Peter Wu 
• Columbia U +Liana Lau +hoa pham
• AMI Ignite +Veronica Kim +Jessica Feng 

Week #30

• Finally learned double strum
• Lock-in prep with +Oliver Wei +Gabriel Au +Allen Lee +Connie Chen +Allan Peng +Timothy Liang +Jeremiah Tsang +Knashka Underwood +Jonathan Tsang 
• NYC move-in +Yolanda Z 

Week #29

• OCA conference with +Yolanda Z +Connie Chen +James Chen
• Backflip, sideflip, front flip, elbow track, rollback one hand, gainer with +Kevin Tran +Joseph Choi 
• Assateague Island 

Not a mite

At the Flushing Chinese church I attended yesterday, there were some special needs children in attendance. These precious children were tended to as they fidgeted, uttered sounds, and stared off during the worship service.

O LORD! How wonderful a depiction you’ve given us of our helpless estate - at every moment. Not a mite of my own doing, my own efforts, have added to the blessing of knowing you. Nay, it was me that constantly hesitated to run to you, made sharp complaint, or looked to lesser rust-friendly pleasures. I was especially handicapped (read: dead), and so only your extravagant love has buttressed our relationship. You embraced me when I fought back, my rebellion putting you on that cross. You interceded amidst my shout to “crucify him," groaning on my behalf as I pierced you. As I looked to free Barabbas, you looked to the joy set before you in expectation of bringing me into your kingdom. It’s all so one-sided.

Had two communions yesterday. Emotionally wrecked during both.