21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Being with God
For school we had to spend 30 minutes listening to God. Later on I'll have to do a 24 hour retreat outside of home. That's hard to do when your usually pressed on time. But it's refreshing to hear from God especially when I've been absent for so long. Anyway, here's a short meditation..
Friday, January 21, 2011
Our Daily Bread
A hotel in Singapore introduced an express buffet, eat all you can in 30 minutes and pay just half the price! After that experience, one diner reported: "I lost my decorum, stuffing my mouth with yet more food. I lost my civility... and I lost my appetite for the rest of the day, so severe was my heartburn."
Sometimes I think in our devotional reading we treat God's Word like an express buffet. We wolf it down as fast as we can and wonder why we haven't learned very much. Like physical food, spiritual food needs chewing! For those who have been Christians for a long time, we may have a tendency to speed-read through the passages we've read many times before. But in doing so, we miss what God is meaning to show us. One sure sign of this is when we learn nothing new from that passage.
Sometimes I think in our devotional reading we treat God's Word like an express buffet. We wolf it down as fast as we can and wonder why we haven't learned very much. Like physical food, spiritual food needs chewing! For those who have been Christians for a long time, we may have a tendency to speed-read through the passages we've read many times before. But in doing so, we miss what God is meaning to show us. One sure sign of this is when we learn nothing new from that passage.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
What If We Treated Our Bibles Like Our Cell Phones?
If we treated our bibles like our cell phones we would have a stronger relationship with God. We would know God's heart and know Him more intimately. We would constantly check God's Word every time He had something to text us. We would be updated with divine messages meant for us to hear throughout our day.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Withdrawn
It's been obvious to me that I have been idle and withdrawn from living for God. The last 6 months of school have been so crazy that i basically pushed God to the side. Every moment of free time was used to recover from the stress of school. Instead of turning to God to find rest in Him, i turned to idols. I filled my mind with media, flooding it with movies, television and other mindless games. I felt like a sluggard, doing nothing meaningful. I resorted to doing easy things and avoided anything that required work. I felt useless to God. I wasnt purposeful. I found myself making excuses and putting blame on distractions, when it was really the condition of my heart.
Monday, December 27, 2010
2011 Resolutions
This is about the time of the year when people make new year's resolutions. I've already been convicted about which goals, disciplines, and resolves I am to prioritize for this coming year. These goals have been the same goals for a few years now. Ever since seminary, it seems my determination, commitment, focus, and consistency of these goals have dwindled. I pray that now more than ever, God would empower me with the strength of His Holy Spirit to continue to grow in these areas. I know when you make goals, it's best to be specific and have realistic time frames of measurement. I tend to be successful for a short while, then tend to give up completely on keeping them daily.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Reflection of 2010
Moving up to California was a big transition.
This year had many trials.
I went through a time of depression
but was strengthen by fellow peers, classmates, counselors, and the church body
I faced a tough living environment, which lead to daily frustration
But was also able to forgive and approach the situation in love
I became defeated, discouraged and extremely stressed out at times
But was lifted and encouraged by God
My first year at Talbot just finished today, and I realized that God has been growing and strengthening me through these trials
This year had many trials.
I went through a time of depression
but was strengthen by fellow peers, classmates, counselors, and the church body
I faced a tough living environment, which lead to daily frustration
But was also able to forgive and approach the situation in love
I became defeated, discouraged and extremely stressed out at times
But was lifted and encouraged by God
My first year at Talbot just finished today, and I realized that God has been growing and strengthening me through these trials
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Church as a Family
One thing ive been learning is seeing the Church as a family. The best terms Jesus gave us for seeing other believers in the church were brothers, sisters, and mothers. Usually our priorities are God first, the family, the church, and the world. However, the service of God is never separated from serving God's people.
My teacher, Joesph Hellerman, who wrote "The Church was a Family" argues that we are to put a greater emphasis on treating the body of the church as our family. 57 times, Paul says "our God" and only once writes "my God." We normally see our sanctification and spiritual growth as a very personal experience. Even at our conversion of justification we have seen it as a very personal and individual relationship with God. However, when a believer steps into faith, he or she in a sense has become part of a new family. We find a relationship with God, but don't have the view of giving our lives to the church and the gospel.
My teacher, Joesph Hellerman, who wrote "The Church was a Family" argues that we are to put a greater emphasis on treating the body of the church as our family. 57 times, Paul says "our God" and only once writes "my God." We normally see our sanctification and spiritual growth as a very personal experience. Even at our conversion of justification we have seen it as a very personal and individual relationship with God. However, when a believer steps into faith, he or she in a sense has become part of a new family. We find a relationship with God, but don't have the view of giving our lives to the church and the gospel.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
"The ultimate goal of life is that God be displayed as glorious because of all that he is and all that he has made and done, especially the grace he has shown in the work of Christ. The way we glorify him is by knowing him truly, by treasuring him above all things, and by living in a way that shows he is our supreme treasure." -John Piper
Monday, September 13, 2010
Jesus Christ
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."-Acts 4:12
"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:1-2
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning...
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." 1 John 1:1-2, 14
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 6:23
"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." -Romans 10:9-13
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." -Ephesians 2:1-10
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." -Eph 3:14-21
O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me." -Psalms 63:1-8
Stoner considers 48 prophecies and says, "We find the chance that any one man fulfilled all 48 prophecies to be 1 in 10157, or 1 in 10,00,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 000,000,000."
The estimated number of electrons in the universe is around 1079. It should be quite evident that Jesus did not fulfill the prophecies by accident. He was who He said He was: the only way (John 14:6).
"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John 2:1-2
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning...
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." 1 John 1:1-2, 14
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 6:23
"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." -Romans 10:9-13
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." -Ephesians 2:1-10
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." -Eph 3:14-21
O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me." -Psalms 63:1-8
The Mathematical Odds of Jesus Fulfilling Prophecy
"The following probabilities are taken from Peter Stoner in Science Speaks (Moody Press, 1963) to show that coincidence is ruled out by the science of probability. Stoner says that by using the modern science of probability in reference to eight prophecies, ‘we find that the chance that any man might have lived down to the present time and fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 1017." That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. In order to help us comprehend this staggering probability, Stoner illustrates it by supposing that "we take 1017 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man."Stoner considers 48 prophecies and says, "We find the chance that any one man fulfilled all 48 prophecies to be 1 in 10157, or 1 in 10,00,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 000,000,000."
The estimated number of electrons in the universe is around 1079. It should be quite evident that Jesus did not fulfill the prophecies by accident. He was who He said He was: the only way (John 14:6).
Friday, September 10, 2010
"Listen, O heavens, and I will speak;
hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge." -Psalm 62: 5-8
hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
Let my teaching fall like rain
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants.
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants.
I will proclaim the name of the LORD.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he." -Deuteronomy 32:1-4
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he." -Deuteronomy 32:1-4
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people;he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge." -Psalm 62: 5-8
Friday, September 3, 2010
Random Thoughts
Finding myself in Starbucks attempting to get homework done..
I pulled a "forgot to bring my earphones to starbucks"
Ran into a blogging mood
This semester I'm taking Old Testament Survey, Spiritual Formation, Exegesis, and Intro to Field Education.
Bummed cuz I hadta drop Patristic and Medieval Theology, cuz Exegesis is way too hard.
Ive been very stressed out with trying to form a comfortable school schedule. I musta switched my schedule 3-4 times, and I'm still not very satisfied with it.
I sense that this semester will be overwhelming, largely due to greek class.. i put 4 times more energy into that one class than for the others and still have a hard time
I find myself impatient and fidgety at times. i realize that my hands are normally playin with something
I had jack in a box today for the first time in 10 months
My roommate made me ice cream on top of a warm chocolate cookie, best desert ever
I would like to become more consistent with my disciplines and goals
Although I am trying to conserve money, I am spending money that I dont have
I have been somewhat absent from exercising and eating healthy, but tryin to get back into it
I am realizing how deceitful my heart is when I try to rob glory from God
I am realizing that my vocabulary, spelling and reading skills are that of a 7th grader.
I would like to be more intentional with relationships. I am seeing a deeper need to evangelize, disciple, listen, and love.
I would like to work on becoming a stronger leader by being a sacrificial servant
it's hot outside! 100 degree weather is no fun
I want to swim and play more basketball
I like shooting zombie games
I want to trade my cat in for a dog
In humanity, truth and love are seldom combined
Obedience to God should be a product of Faith and not Legalism
Sin is an inadequate way of trying to satisfy an adequate need
Conform your desires to God's desires, synchronize your heart to His values and His principles
I am diligently trying to grow spiritually mature, but finding myself greatly distracted by the idol of academics, knowledge, and theology
I want to change my perspective of enjoying the blessing of education.
I need to slip away in secret prayer more often, and grow in my hunger for God's Word
God's grace is sufficient
The purpose of Christian doctrine is not merely to make us more knowledgeable but to make us more mature as followers of Jesus Christ, to make us more like him
Although I have a productive mentality, I find myself worrying about things i need to do, rather than actually accomplishing them
So now I'm blogging instead of studying
I really have to pee, but dont want a risk a bathroom run, in fear of someone jacking my precious mac laptop
I want to go see scott pilgrim again
I really like veggie chips, so addicting!
This week i have a 5 day weekend! i gotta make the most of it!
You never, never, never, never, outgrow the need to preach to yourself the gospel
I always look forward to my 24 hr fitness cycle class
I am enjoying the great fellowship at church, home, and school
I need to get back to doing homework.
"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul." -Deut 4:29
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." -Deut 6:4-9
"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." Deut 7:9
"He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." -Deut 8:3
"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." James 3:18
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at this face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." James 1:22-24
"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead....You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did." James 2:17, 22
"We love because he first loved us." -1 John 4:19
I pulled a "forgot to bring my earphones to starbucks"
Ran into a blogging mood
This semester I'm taking Old Testament Survey, Spiritual Formation, Exegesis, and Intro to Field Education.
Bummed cuz I hadta drop Patristic and Medieval Theology, cuz Exegesis is way too hard.
Ive been very stressed out with trying to form a comfortable school schedule. I musta switched my schedule 3-4 times, and I'm still not very satisfied with it.
I sense that this semester will be overwhelming, largely due to greek class.. i put 4 times more energy into that one class than for the others and still have a hard time
I find myself impatient and fidgety at times. i realize that my hands are normally playin with something
I had jack in a box today for the first time in 10 months
My roommate made me ice cream on top of a warm chocolate cookie, best desert ever
I would like to become more consistent with my disciplines and goals
Although I am trying to conserve money, I am spending money that I dont have
I have been somewhat absent from exercising and eating healthy, but tryin to get back into it
I am realizing how deceitful my heart is when I try to rob glory from God
I am realizing that my vocabulary, spelling and reading skills are that of a 7th grader.
I would like to be more intentional with relationships. I am seeing a deeper need to evangelize, disciple, listen, and love.
I would like to work on becoming a stronger leader by being a sacrificial servant
it's hot outside! 100 degree weather is no fun
I want to swim and play more basketball
I like shooting zombie games
I want to trade my cat in for a dog
In humanity, truth and love are seldom combined
Obedience to God should be a product of Faith and not Legalism
Sin is an inadequate way of trying to satisfy an adequate need
Conform your desires to God's desires, synchronize your heart to His values and His principles
I am diligently trying to grow spiritually mature, but finding myself greatly distracted by the idol of academics, knowledge, and theology
I want to change my perspective of enjoying the blessing of education.
I need to slip away in secret prayer more often, and grow in my hunger for God's Word
God's grace is sufficient
The purpose of Christian doctrine is not merely to make us more knowledgeable but to make us more mature as followers of Jesus Christ, to make us more like him
Although I have a productive mentality, I find myself worrying about things i need to do, rather than actually accomplishing them
So now I'm blogging instead of studying
I really have to pee, but dont want a risk a bathroom run, in fear of someone jacking my precious mac laptop
I want to go see scott pilgrim again
I really like veggie chips, so addicting!
This week i have a 5 day weekend! i gotta make the most of it!
You never, never, never, never, outgrow the need to preach to yourself the gospel
I always look forward to my 24 hr fitness cycle class
I am enjoying the great fellowship at church, home, and school
I need to get back to doing homework.
"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul." -Deut 4:29
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." -Deut 6:4-9
"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." Deut 7:9
"He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." -Deut 8:3
"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." James 3:18
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at this face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." James 1:22-24
"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead....You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did." James 2:17, 22
"We love because he first loved us." -1 John 4:19
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