1 Peter 1

7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Peter's talking about trials and sufferings here; God doesn't necessarily give us sufferings but allows us to go through them so that like gold and other precious metals, we'll become hardened and stronger through the fire. Whenever we're about to sing "Refiner's Fire", PaulCHOI always says how the song is nice, but the meaning is actually a pretty serious and scary thing, because when we sing that song, we're basically asking God to put us through the fire. Put us in the middle of the suffering so that in our weakness, God's glory shows.

14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.

I guess being God's child comes with the ability to recognize evil from good. The real test is, though, can we walk the walk and not just talk the talk?



HappyNewYear :)

Colossians 4

5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

This verse tells us that it's really important for us to live what we preach. Faith without deeds is dead. If we say something but it doesn't show in the way we live, then outsiders looking in would just say, "What's up with that??" Not a very good image of God.

6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

I really like this verse- i think it's up there with one of my tops. I always wondered why the bible uses the phrase 'salt & light', and then i realized it's because even the most miniscule amount can move and change. Even in the complete dark, one tiny candle can light up a room. When there's even a couple grains of salt on your lips, it leaves your taste buds all tingly and keeps your mouth smacking for more. Our conversations, our words and our actions need to be as if they were seasoned with salt. So that whenever we talk and mingle with non-believers (and nonbelievers), they'd taste that little bit and come for more.

Colossians 3

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

The five things that are so hard to do. It's hard to be compassionate in this especially dog-eat-dog world; everyone trying to get the best out of the world only for themselves. Hard to be kind, especially if you're one who seems to attract the not-so-kind people. Trying to be humble can actually make you the opposite. & most of all, being gentle and patient aren't ones immediately thought of when i think of my own characteristics. s i g hh..

Colossians 2

18 Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind.

Paul warns the Colossians to beware of people cheating God and His people by preaching false philosophy and showing false humility. We can even see this in churches today, even at home, people trying to put on this humble face but overdoing it- false humility. People may be able to buy it, but God and the Holy Spirit can see right through us when we do that.

19 They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

..because doing all that will be like growing in ligaments and sinews, like tendons and not bones. those are all easily flimsy and flexible, not hard and grounded like how bones are. To grow in the word is like growing strong bones; preaching false worldly philosophies is like nurturing fake bones. Good analogy, Paul.

21 “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? 22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

There's this link back to genesis, when Adam & Eve took a bite of that forbidden fruit. God specifically told them like in verse 21, to "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!" God knew that just one bite of that fruit will make them come back for more...likewise, today when one person takes a bite out of sin, that person's heart will try going back for more even though it'll eventually kill them. Like smokers being addicted to nicotine. There's that harsh treatment of the body even though it's hidden by a false glorious appearance.

Colossians 1

17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Being a pastor's kid taught me something pretty important very early in life, and it's that churches can't be made perfect through the power of its people. I can't even begin to count how many churches we had to move because of problems. It's so sad that the church, which is supposed to be the body of Christ can have so many problems- enough to drive the teacher out. Everyone has their own opinions about how the church should "run"..even though a church isn't supposed to be about logistics, God gives us the abilities and talents and gifts that when combined together helps. It gets in the way after a while and we start arguing about tying to run a church our own specific way. Paul here is telling Timothy (more like reminding) that underneath all he rules and regulations, God is at the head. Amidst all the fighting and bickering, and the worst of it- the dividing, there can only be reconciliation through Christ.

1 John 5

16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

I never thought about sin this way. We discussed this topic maybe some weeks ago, about the difference between some sins. Some agreed that all sin is sin regardless of "levels", while others agreed that yeah all sin separates us from God, but some aren't as bad as others. I used to think the first, but after reading this is making me regard the latter a lot more. I also feel that this passage can be dangerous for some Christians, incase it gives them the idea that they have the right to classify sin into categories of weak, mild, and strong. But, we know that it's only God who sits in that judgment seat and the only thing we can do is pray for our other brothers & sisters. Because we all struggle daily with sin.

1 John 4

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Sometimes i find myself thinking about life after death, and i'll admit- i'm afraid of death. i'm afraid of not existing after i die, of not being this soul embodying this body forever. i know that God placed us on earth only temporarily and we're going to end up in heaven, our REAL home; but i won't lie, i'm afraid. I should really take this passage into heart, because John says that if i can understand God's love, His perfect love then there'll be no fear. Even though i practically have my whole life to live, it's this thought of a temporary-ness that scares me. "The one who fears is not made perfect in love"...how it applies and translates to me is that I'm still God's work in progress- not yet perfect, but becoming in His love.

1 John 3

7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

Our instructions are straightforward. Don't sin because it's un-Godly. It's not okay to continue living in sin because it is wicked and it will be impossible to become like God if we live in un-Godly ways. Very logical, simple, and to the point. But for some reason it's completely the opposite. Even when I'm trying to read the word and spend time with God, i shut it immediately if i get angry for some stupid reason. That's because I don't want to be in a hateful mood and be with God at the same time; it makes me feel like i'm being a hypocrite and my sin is ten times worse. But it makes more sense to open the bible in those moments, so that I can lay all that hate and sin at the feet of God and be purified through Him, not my own doings.

1 John 2

 18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

This part of the passage where John warns us about the anti-christs. We need to be careful (even back then as today) about what sorts of things we listen to and choose to believe. I know especially for me, I'm pretty gullible so I tend to get tempted to start believing what sounds pretty good..but scripture downright warns us that the world is going to offer us things that we won't be able to resist but eventually will lead us to death.

1 John 1

3 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, then we live out a lie.

This is sad but truthfully happens more often than we like. It's like when people ask me "hey how's your spiritual life?" am I supposed to answer differently from my "non-spiritual" life? It's because I used to live two separate lives and had to answer separately to those kinds of questions...we're supposed to live a holy life that's different from how people of the world live. It's scary because we actually do what the bible directly says is a lie.

Scripture tells us explicitly that as long as we confess our sins it sets us apart from those who sin and live it out. Although I know this and learned it and heard countless sermons about it, I stil need constant reminders and even rebuking on living truthfully because like it or not, I'm more easily tempted toward sin and the instant gratifications it gives me rather than eternal life promised to me by God.

Hosea 14

4 “I will heal their waywardness
and love them freely,
for my anger has turned away from them.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel;
he will blossom like a lily.
Like a cedar of Lebanon
he will send down his roots;
6 his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,
his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.
7 People will dwell again in his shade;
they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom like the vine—
Israel’s fame will be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?
I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;
your fruitfulness comes from me.”

This is what God says He'll do when his people come back to him. So many times i hide from God because of all my guilt for all the bad things that i did. but that's why God sent Jesus to die for us so that i could be freed from that guilt. All these people had to do was to put down their idols and come back to a God who still loved them. It's amazing how God doesn't ever classify his people into who did worse than who..everyone is still a child in His eyes as long as we give our lives to Him.

Hosea 12

1 Ephraim feeds on the wind; he pursues the east wind all day and multiplies lies and violence. He makes a treaty with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.

kinda sounds like us as humans. Israel was always chasing after worthless things, these "bags of wind", and moved around kind of aimlessly while making allies with their enemy countries. what's so different between us and them? nothing except probably the time period. we live for a future that's temporary and make room for satan in our lives and hearts.

3 In the womb he grasped his brother's heel; as a man he struggled with God.

it's very illustrative about how human nature is so deep-rooted with sin even from conception.

8 Ephraim boasts, "I am very rich I have become wealthy. With all my wealth they will not find in me any iniquity or sin."

funny how this verse is saying the very opposite of what actually happens. with more money, people become corrupt and wicked. money can't hide you..it's more of a homing device to disclose your location.

Hosea 11

8 How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.

God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is the father who led His children out of slavery, and yet those same children use Him for bail and then just leave him. if this were the case in real life, the dad would probably beat that kid up. Despite his people's foolishness, He continued to care for them as they grew, but they grew with even more stubbornness. The past 10-11 chapters I've been reading about God and how he's going to punish those people. How much trouble they're in for living this life of sin. But this verse once again shows how wonderful God is and despite all that wrath and anger He has for those people, he's a gentle loving Father who hates to punish his children. and that's why in the next verses, God says that he's going to stop releasing his anger on them.

9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, now will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man- the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities.

Hosea 8

7 They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour. Were it to yield grain, foreigners would swallow it up.

You reap what you sow. The people of Israel were sowing wind, empty bags of nothingness. And what did they reap? Nothing. They put their time, money, and even worshipped all these nothings in the form of golden calves, and they should've expected nothing. The only way something actually of substance will grow is only if you plant seeds. Israelites didn't plant seeds; they planted wind. and so they reaped the whirlwind. These people who were once God's, sowed sin- adultery, carnal passion & desires, greed,.. and they reaped worse.

Hosea 7

1 Whenever I would heal Israel, the sins of Ephraim are exposed and the crimes of Samaria revealed. They practice deceit, thieves break into houses, bandits rob in the streets; but they do not realize that I remember all their evil deeds. Their sins engulf them; they are always before me.

Constant spiritual blindness. they keep rejecting the truth and righteousness by weaving sin in and out of their lives. although they may be able to live in denial from their sin, God still remembered all their wickedness.

9 Foreigners sap his strength, but he does not realize it. His hair is sprinkled with gray, but he does not notice.

Israel's being corrupted and worn down by sin. i'm guessing sin is the "foreigners" in this picture...the people of Ephraim, who were all once God's people are growing closer and closer to death because they're fully accepting sin in their lives.

11 Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless- now calling to Egypt, now turning to Assyria.

so apparently, doves (birds) are really stupid creatures. they look all pretty and pure, but they're incredibly dumb. they cry and cry until their predators hear them. who in this case are Egypt and Assyria- the predator nations. stupid birds. stupid Ephraim.

Hosea 6

3 Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.

It's weird how history repeats itself. I thought that was just a saying, but it's somewhat actually true! These people of Israel and Judah kept pissing God off, and then whenever God punished them they came back saying things like in this verse. Then God forgives them, and they go on about doing what they did as always.

Not unlike these people, we sin and sin and then when we start feeling a little bit of God's patience starting to wear off we come back. but just temporarily. We think of God as santa claus, who'll give us whatever we want as long as we're good. but that's not how it's supposed to be. that's why we gotta keep reading and keep pressing on so that we may know how to live and be really God's popl.

Hosea 5

15 Then I will return to my lair until they have borne their guilt and seek my face - in their misery they will earnestly seek me.

Three important themes, or points that have been coming up repeatedly in Hosea: 1) sin & judgment, 2) consequences from the sins of God's people, and 3) stumbling.

I think it's important to learn that even though we sin, making things OKAY doesn't necessarily make everything okay. We can't justify ourselves by what we think is right- our sins can't be undone by doing good right after. it has to be understood that even the smallest sin we commit has been paid for by the blood of Christ. God is continuously giving His people chances and to come back to God, but they won't do it. They're hopelessly clinging onto the wrong things.

Hosea 4

5-6 "You stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with you. So I will destroy your mother - my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.

It's understandable to be stumbling around at night, because you can't see anything. But these people were also stumbling around during the day because they rejected God's guidance. When they cast off God's restraint and knowledge, they left themselves to stumble. God also says the prophets will stumble with them. Prophets thoughts that because they were prophets, they'd be immune to sin. but...God says otherwise.

15 "Though you, Israel, commit adultery, do not let Judah become guilty."

Apparently, of the 2 kingdoms Israel was the one that fell more to sin and adultery. So God tells them not to tempt Judah with them too....it's one thing if I sin. but if i try to take someone down with me- that's like double whamm-O.

17 Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!

There's one thing worse than having God angry at you and punish the crap out of you: God just gives you over to sin. THAT does not only mean that He doesn't care anymore, but he really really doesn't care if you sell your soul to the devil. He's just gonna let you go through hell. Scurry.

Hosea 3

1 The Lord said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes."

2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. 3Then I told her, "You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you."

God first told Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman, and then when she cheats and does all that to him, Hosea is STILL to take her back and love her. God did the same, only on a whole another level. He bought us back by sacrificing His only Son's life. He nailed His only son on the cross so that he can have that relationship with us again, even though we cheated on God by having an affair with the world. Even if i try to think from a parent's point of view, there'd be no chance. No negotiation for my child's life for anything. And Jesus was God's one and only Son! The magnitude of God's love is so overwhelming.

Hosea 2

12 I will ruin her vines and her fig trees, which she said were her pay from her lovers; I will make them a thicket, and wild animals will devour them."

'Her vines and her fig trees' are symbols of a woman's fertility, and God says that He's going to take that away from her so she can stop committing adultery. Here, it sounds like God's trying to stop her from cheating on Hosea.

13 "I will punish her for the days she burned incense to the Baals; she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but me she forgot," declares the Lord.

...and then right in the next verse, it shifts so that Gomer is actually a symbol for the Israelites. Hosea's relationship Gomer is parallel to God's relationship with the Israelites. Both the latter are the adulterous, cheating wives of their faithful husbands.

15 "There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Anchor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt."

Although the Israelites committed this huge sin against God, He still loved them and called them back to Him. It's a perfect example of a perfect union between God and His church, because through Jesus' blood God is always taking back the one who turned on Him.

Hosea 1

2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, "Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord."

Can you even imagine if God told you to do that? All that saying about to not yoke with unbelievers takes on a whole different meaning when God commands you to do something. It's what that debate is even today amongst believers and non-believers, on the morality of God. Is something pious because He commands it, or does He command it because it is pious? The famous Euthyphro's Question. But it turns out that God tells Hosea to do this to illustrate His relationship with the people of Judah.

10 "Yet the Israelites will not be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'

God tells Hosea to name his children after the cities that God is going to punish, which is pretty depressing and a little humiliating. But- God is still good and He says that the punishments will not last forever, and they will be reunited with Christ once again. God does things in crazy, weird ways.

Jonah 4

But the Lord said, "You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left - and also many animals?

Jonah 4:10-11

I remember this passage being one of the most complex to read. It's because at first i couldn't understand what the point was for God to grow that plant, and have that worm eat it, etc etc....basically Jonah's PO'ed at God's compassion at these people. he tells Him, that's the reason he didn't want to go in the first place, because they were so stubborn and sinful who ran away from God, but the fact that God was having mercy on them just bugged Jonah. he's so angry to the point where he tells God to just kill him.

but to show Jonah where God's coming from, God takes away the plant that was giving Jonah the shade. Jonah gets angry at the plant for dying, and complains to God again, but this time, God explains in the passage above. Jonah is to compare his anger at something that he never cared for to God's anger at His people whom He created and loved.

it was a simple illustration for Jonah and even for us today, that God's anger and love and compassion is a million times greater than our own.

Jonah 3

6 When Jonah's warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.

God told Jonah again to go tell Nineveh of the wrath that He's going to unleash onto them if they don't turn their ways. This verse, the king heard and the first thing he does is humbling himself by taking off his earthly robes.

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

It's amazing how by one act by one person could change the heart of God. The king could've stubbornly kept his robes on, and told his people to keep on living all high and mightily. But he with his kingdom put down their old ways of living at the feet of God, and God didn't bring punishment on them. It's all about humbling yourself and admitting to your ways and coming before the Lord.

Jonah 2

Before delving into the Word, i just wanted to say..................

Happy December 1st!!!!!
Plus the first day of snow. how fitting to start the month with white fluffiness on the ground :]

{photo via atlasshrugs}

7-9 "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God's love for them. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, 'Salvation comes from the Lord.'"

Jonah, unlike the people of Judah in the book of Jeremiah, came back to God and repented all the while praising Him. I find this oftentimes to be hard to do, because once i make a mistake, i don't like to admit to it- let alone acknowledge my lowliness and God's holiness. (hey, that rhymed LOL) Yeah, Jonah was a screwup who ran from God, but who isn't? I think the thing that makes him pretty admirable is the fact that he humbled himself before God, and confessed that it's only God's love that can save him, not idols.

10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

God could've just let Jonah rot in the belly of the fish, but was moved by Jonah's repentance, confession, and praise, and ta da- all's well again for Jonah.

Jonah 1

3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for the Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.

Jonah made a pretty big mistake...he ran away from God and His command to go tell the people of Ninevah for sinning and all their evildoings.

4-5 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.

God..seeing how Jonah ran away from him, got angry and made the seas all roar and become scary and stuff. Cause & effect.

15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.

This part was kind of interesting. Jonah knowingly ran away from God because he didn't want to do what God told him to do, but then upon seeing how his disobedience put all those people in danger, Jonah willingly went overboard to make the sea calm.

Jonah knew that he disobeyed God, and he admitted to it by letting the crew throw him overboard. although just a small part of the story and the lesson to be learned, Jonah didn't try to justify his actions and fight with the men. Kind of admirable, i think. If he didn't do that, then God wouldn't have provided the big fish to swallow him and keep him 'safe' in his belly.

=]

Jeremiah 16

"But now I will send for many fishermen," declares the Lord, "and they will catch them. After that i will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks. My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes. I will repay them double for their wickedness and their sin, because they have defiled my land with the lifeless forms of their vile images and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols." - v16-18.

God says He'll use fishermen to fish out the ones who can be saved out of the sea of sin, and hunters to hunt down the evil people. The people ask God why He's doing that to them when they didn't do anything. but God tells them He's punishing them because not only their ancestors disobeyed God, but even they are doing worse things. I think the danger here is that the people didn't even know how bad they were falling from God. the thing to learn here is to stay on the Word and hear what God is saying to us because without that guidance, we can become just like these people and end up in huge trouble.

Jeremiah 15

Then the Lord said to me: "Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go! And if they ask you, 'Where shall we go?' tell them, 'This is what the Lord says: Those destined for death, to death' those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.'

In the previous passage, God tells Jeremiah not to even pray for the people of Judah, but he does anyway. and this is God's response to his prayer. to anger God so much as to Him not even wanting to answer your prayer is so scary. the rest of this passage God says how He's going to punish those people.

Jeremiah 14

Have you rejected Judah completely? Do you despise Zion? Why have you afflicted us so that we cannot be healed? We hoped for peace bu no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror. We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord, and the guilt of our ancestors; we have indeed sinned against you. For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your convenant with us and do not break it. Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, Lord our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this. - v. 19-22

These several verses are Jeremiah's prayer for Judah to God. Jeremiah prays for the people of Judah even though God tells him earlier to not even bother because no more prayer can help them. Jeremiah's relationship with God and the people of Judah is kind of interesting. He acts as a bridge between God and those people, who can see through the eyes of God but also prays for them because he considers them still his 'brothers' who don't know better.

in light of Thanksgiving

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,” - Hebrews 12:28

i have much to be thankful for. not many people are blessed with the things that God's blessed me with. it was during the drive home where i got to reflect on the past couple days, and words seriously can't express. when they say your relationship with your parents reflects (or should) the relationship between you and god, i never really knew how to connect how the latter would feel. but seeing my dad and mom giving so much and practically everything to be with us and to make us feel comfortable sorta helped.

but because i'm blessed with all these things, my disappointment is just as great. when something's off, it really hits hard because i've been spoiled. i think it's important to realize, for me at least, is that everything that i've been given is not mine and never has been. it's only been given to me from the grace of God even though i've done nothing to deserve it. this verse perfectly sums up my past week and probably the past 21 (almost 22) years of my happy little life. teehee

happy thanksgiving!

Jeremiah 13

If you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears, because the LORD’s flock will be taken captive. - v. 17

this passage is still a continuation of God's frustrations at the people of Israel and Judah. God tells Jeremiah to tell them that they're part of God's belt..wounded tight within it and they're tied down to God's wrath. and when Jeremiah tells them what God's told him, he tells them with love and sorrow, because he's sad for them for falling away and still not turning back to God.

Jeremiah 12

v1. You are always righteous, Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?
- the famous Problem of Evil. philosophers have been trying to answer why bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people. how can evil exist in the world if there's such thing as a God.

v4. How long will the land lie parched and the grass in every field be withered? Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals and birds have perished. Moreover, the people are saying, "He will not see what happens to us."
- basically the people are seeing all this evil and God not magically making life better, they've given up hope and faith in God.

v5. "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?
- "Without suffering, there is no compassion." is a quote from one of my favorite movies- A Walk to Remember. i think it can apply here too. how will your character build up without suffering? there is no such thing as an easy thing in life. just ask anyone who lives.

v14-17. in these last couple verses, God's directions are clear-cut. if you disobey God's commands, He'll punish you and take away all that's good in your life, but since He's a God of grace, He'll still bring you back. but that's because He wants you to LEARN from your mistakes. He's a God of second chances and compassion. but you keep screwing up, and He'll lose patience with you too.

Jeremiah 11

v8. But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts. So I brought on them all the curses of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep.
These people broke the covenant that they made with God, so God naturally cursed them. and part of the curse was to let them over to their sins.

v11. Therefore this is what the Lord says: 'I will bring on them a disaster they cannot escape. Although they cry out to me, I will not listen to them.'
It's scary to believe that God was this angry with His own people one time. they were that stubborn so God had no choice but to be this tough with them.

v14. Do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their distress.
God specifically tells Jeremiah to tell the Israelites to not even bother praying because God's just not gonna listen.

Jeremiah's Prayer

"I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. Correct me, Lord, but only with justice- not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing. Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the peoples who do not call on your name. For they have devoured Jacob; they have devoured him completely and destroyed his homeland."

Jeremiah 10:23-25

I really love this prayer because Jeremiah's not praying out of or for vengeance but for God's justice. Only the Lord can direct a man's steps, whether or not that man is too stubborn to listen to God. He's praying for Israel, even though they've fallen so hard and so deep, God would judge them in His righteous nature and not anger. For me this is really hard to do because when i see someone who's fallen so much and doesn't want to come back to church or God, me, in my self-righteous nature starts thinking that they don't deserve God's divine justice but wrath and pure anger. but who am i to judge? you can never know what God has in store for them until things start changing, or even maybe until we get into heaven. Jeremiah includes in his prayer that Israel doesn't know what they're doing, and the more sick you are the more healing and gentleness you need.

Jeremiah 9

v23-24. This is what the Lord says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord.

we have no right to boast about anything that we have or can do. like how i said yesterday, Boethius was miserable because he thought he lost his good fortune. but his justification technically didn't work because nothing was his in the first place, everything was given to him by God. in the same way, God gets angry and displeased when we become prideful of our blessings because God can take them away in a second. who are we to think that we obtained all those things by our own power? it's only by God's grace that we are given these things. and when we boast in how great God is, then He becomes pleased.

v25. "The days are coming" declares the Lord, "when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh [...] for all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart."

what these people were doing was acting all holy and righteous (circumcised only in the flesh), but God knew how dirty they were. like white-washed tombs...they were rotten and evil and sinful all on the inside. for them to act holy like that externally while they're stained with sin is like straight up lying to God.

Jeremiah 8

v13. "I will take away their harvest, declares the Lord. There will be no grapes on the vine. There will be no figs on the tree, and their leaves will wither. What I have given them will be taken from them."

A medieval philosopher named Boethius was once one of the most prominent figures in the western world. He held this position called the consul, and it was considered the 2nd most powerful under the king. But one day, he lost all that and was practically exiled and thrown into a mangy old prison for preaching his Christian theology/philosophy, and while he was in prison he wrote "Consolations of Philosophy", which he basically complains how bitter his life turned out to be. He says that his fortune turned to misfortune, and that it's not fair that he got screwed over even though there was nothing he did wrong. But how lady Philosophy consoles him is by saying how he never had anything to begin with. Everything that he had, was given to him and was never fully 100% all completely his.

In this passage, i think God's saying the same thing as lady Philosophy. God led you out of Egypt and slavery, He led them into this promise land, He gave them everything...and when God takes it away because they were falling into sin and never repented, they groaned saying that it was unfair. But God's not being unfair; THEY were. Doesn't make sense to go stab someone in the back after giving you everything you've ever asked for. God is a God of grace and mercy, so much more than we can ever imagine. And to piss him off like this, the people of Judah really must have messed up. God got so angry that he took everything away from them. He had their worst enemies plan and go attack them, pillage their houses and farmland, and even broke apart families. When 'misfortune' happens, we shouldn't grumble about how unfair life is; instead, we should really check how sinful we are and maybe this is what we deserve instead of all the blessings from God.

Jeremiah 7

v9-11. "Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, 'We are safe'-safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching!" declares the Lord.

God sounds really angry and frustrated at the people of Judah here. Joe talked about this briefly in his message on Sunday, how we take God's grace and the blood of Jesus for granted. Because we know that we are saved through the blood of the Lamb, we sin whenever we want to, like these Israelites. It's true that we are safe from all evil and we can take refuge from sin, but that also doesn't mean for us to go out and sin whenever we want to. I think people back then, and even now, misunderstand and justify their evil wrongdoings with God's grace. It's a terrible thing to do, and everytime we do that, we're nailing Jesus on the cross again.

v24. But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward."

Here, God is saying how He brought those people out of Egypt. He told those people not how to give sacrificial offerings as thanks to the Lord, but also to follow and obey God's commands. But these stubborn people didn't. God says that He watched them go backward and not forward.

In my personal walk with Christ, I can't even count how many times i might've done that to God. And everytime, I know I've been washed clean but that doesn't justify my actions, attitudes, words. I need to be really conscious of how I live because most of the times i give in to the stubbornness of my selfish desires and I forget to listen to God.

Jeremiah 6

v11. But I am full of the wrath of the Lord, and I cannot hold it in. "Pour it out on the children in the street and on the young men gathered together; both husband and wife will be caught in it, and the old, those weighed down with years."
- God's wrath and judgment will come first on the young and then the old. God was so angry with them, that He not only punished the offenders, but their children and their children.

v30. They are called rejected silver, because the Lord has rejected them.
- Those people are worthless, they can't be made into anything good. Rejected silver or any other metals are useless, and nothing good can be made from them. Likewise, because those people's hearts were so hardened and stubborn to obey God, He rejected them. We need to follow God's words and obey him as we live our lives. Because we don't want Him to reject us like how He did to them. We want God to use us constantly for furthering His kingdom.

Jeremiah 5

v1. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.
- Israel was being this bad, it was like a wager to see if there actually would be one righteous person in the city. Even the title of this section of the book is called "Not One Is Upright"..

v10. Go through her vineyards and ravage them, but do not destroy them completely. Strip off her branches, for these people do not belong to the LORD.
- God doesn't completely destroy them. He cuts off whatever that does not produce fruit. We should do the same. Cut off any infected, rotten, bad parts because God doesn't create bad. He only created good because He is love.

v23. But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away.
- Having a stubborn heart is dangerous, because it makes it easy to ignore guilt and feelings of shame. And those, to some extent, helps us really see how sinful we are and how much we are in need of God's love and grace to come back. It's so amazing how bad we are but how much God still wants to love us.

v25. Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good.
- Sins deprives us of good...that's because we can't be good AND bad at the same time.

scapegoats...

12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

Hebrews 9

This passage is talking about how Jesus' blood for us is more and permanent and everlasting than the blood of any sacrificial animal. In the olden days, people killed animals and burnt them as sacrificial offerings for our sins to God. But after God sent Jesus to die on the cross, there was no more need for that anymore. We were released from the bondages of having to continuously spill blood to atone for our sins, because Jesus had paid the ultimate price. this got me thinking, how fortunate and lucky we are. Could you imagine having to catch a lamb, slit its throat, and offering that up to God on Sundays? Christ offered himself unblemished to God to cleanse our consciences that would lead to death..... that is some powerful doing. It was the ultimate sacrifice that freed us, the blood and death of the purest and most innocent of all lambs.

Jeremiah 4

4v1. 'If you, Israel, will return, then return to me,' declares the Lord.
- Our God is more than willing to accept whoever wants to him. They just need to throw away their idols, and repent humbly before the Lord.

4v10. Then I said, 'Alas, Sovereign Lord! How completely you have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, you will have peace, when the sword is at our throats!'
- So they're in turn accusing God when they're the ones who turned away and God gave them grace? God loves his people, but that doesn't mean he's not going to pass judgments, especially on those who fell away.

4v19. Oh, my anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain. Oh, the agony of my heart! My heart pounds within me, I cannot keep silent. For I have heard the sound of the trumpet; I have heard the battle cry.
- The trumpet sounds are resonating in their hearts and they can't fight it. They know what's coming, God's wrath is about to be unleashed. It was painful for them? Imagine how God must have felt, unleashing all this wrath and anger upon those people.

4v30. What are you doing, you devastated one? Why dress yourself in scarlet and put on jewels of gold? Why highlight your eyes with makeup? You adorn yourself in vain. Your lovers despise you; they want to kill you.
- Jerusalem is being addressed as an adulterous wife. She fell away by betraying her husband to be with another. Jerusalem abandoned God and had an affair with the world and evil. God still loves Jerusalem, and that is why He is releasing his unrelenting wrath-so that she'll come back and repent.


Lesson to learn: REPENT.

Jeremiah 3

3v3. Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen. Yet you have brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to blush with shame.
- We're still on how bad Israel is being to God..God withheld the showers..God has reversed his gracious response to those people. That's a scary thought...being so bad and displeasing God so much that it makes God NOT rain down.

3v12. 'Return, faithless Israel,' declares the Lord, 'I will frown on you no longer, for I am merciful,' declares the Lord, 'I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt - you have rebelled against the Lord your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me,' declares the Lord.
- Even amidst all that lawlessness and evil, God still loves Israel. He still tells them to repent and come back to Him, because they are His children whom He loves.

3v20. How gladly would I treat you like sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation. I thought you would call me Father and not turn away from following me. But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me, O house of Israel, declares the Lord.
- God's our Father who gives us gold instead of rocks. As Rachel wrote in her blog the other day, a woman who's in a marital relationship commits to her husband and only her husband. It's lawless to cheat on him (and him on her). But this is what Israel did to God..they cheated on God. but unlike a ruthless husband, God still loved Israel and was willing to forgive and love them because He is God. God is jealous and merciful.

Jeremiah 1 & 2

1v5. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.
- God knew us by name and who we were to become long before we were made. So what are we to defy Him and not obey? To be stubborn and live the way we want instead of how He wants is selfish and stupid.

1v8. "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the Lord.
- It's not the strong and mighty He chooses to do His work; it's the weak and humble. a Paradoxical God.

2v5. What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.
- This part's at the beginning of what God tells Jeremiah to say to Israel..and frankly, God sounds sad. He's sad at the people whom He rescued for abandoning Him. Israel took advantage of God..asking him for deliverance and everything else, and then worshiping idols instead of Him.

2v13. "My people have committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
- According to the study bible, a broken cistern is a plaster to hold water...there's parallelism between idols and cisterns...both will eventually break and always fail their worshipers. God, provides an abundant and unfailing life.

2v27. They say to wood, 'You are my father,' and to stone, 'You gave me birth.' They have turned their backs to me and have not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, 'Come and save us!'
-That even just sounds ridiculous. They're guilty of only calling out to God when they're in trouble or in desperate need. I think many times we're guilty of that too..we only USE God when we need Him. Our prayers become shopping lists instead of conversations.....

God is capital-A Awesome. whaddup

Joshua 23:14-16

God is always faithful and keeps to His word. Pastor Jeynes said that He works at His own time. In this scripture, Joshua is basically preaching/warning/saying goodbye to the leaders of Israel because he knew his time was almost up. He tells Israel to stay faithful to God and not to turn their heads towards sin. He reminds them that God rescued them from Egypt and led to them to freedom, and our God deserves all praise and glory. He also says, just as God was gentle and merciful, He is also a jealous and angry God who does not tolerate sin. So basically, he tells them to watch it. His last words are about how God will fulfill all His promises, even if it does not happen in your lifetime. As we heard from Rev. Bill Jeynes (i think everyone liked him..he was a huge hittt), even though we may not be around to see God answering our prayers, He still fulfills them. Because God is capital A AWESOME. whadddddup.

God is gooood.

currently listening to...

this song is so strangely addicting.
i love brooke fraserrrr :]



brooke fraser-something in the water

First Snow!

{photo via whitekitchenfood}

doesn't look QUITE like this..but..nonetheless. despite the coldness, snow makes me happy! that and God. and peppermint mochas from starbucks. :D

{photo via whitekitchenfood}

and also my friend Alice's gingerbread cookies.


God is GOOD.

in the zzzooonnneee.

I don't know why, or if it's just me, but whenever i'm writing a looong huge big paper or studying for a really important exam, i go through like those hills of good-study moments, and then some not-so-good-study moments.

so last night, as i was writing my paper, i was on a role! yeeeuh. i woke up from my hour nap and started working on that paper again @ 3am, and i was pounding on this keyboard- thoughts were pouring out of my head and down into my fingertips. this went on for like...a good 30 minutes? (typing that long constantly for 30 minutes is pretty long...) i was writing writing writing, and my page limit was coming closer....and then, i was like "Okay, time for a study break." i'm sad to say, that this happened more often than i could count. =(

where am i going with this?

sometimes i'm in the zone with my spiritual life. i'm diligently reading, QTing, praying, and i feel pretty good. but that should be a red flag right away, right? we don't do this to please ourselves or to make it something to be proud of...well, when this happens, i just wanna take a "spiritual break". i already know i'm 'on the right track', so i should be able to take a break for a little bit, right? WRONG. wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong. you don't take a break from God. this relationship is a full-committal, 1000% deal. and if you break it, then you break it. of course God's a lot more compassionate and merciful than i am. but nothing in scripture exists that allows us a little freebie, or some Me-time. God should always be in every single aspect of my life, even during 'breaks'.

why is it that whenever we get closer to advancing, or taking the next step up, we decide to stop? i mean even if it is just temporary. just because i'm doing "well spiritually" (i don't really like that phrase but ohwell) doesn't mean i deserve a break. because the better and more mature we become, then it's that much more dangerous and becomes more prone to falling away. which, is something i don't want.


k..long day.....paper, lab, quiz, exam....nap time.
see ya~ =)

too tired

i feel so drained.............
physically, mentally, ACADEMICALLY,...and of course spiritually.
i am so tired that my jaws are even aching from chewing my sandwich...but i gotta eat so i can keep my strength up and finish what i need to get done. same way with QTs..i don't wanna do it sometimes, but it's not a question of wanting or not wanting to do it. God didn't just feel like having His Son die on the cross for us that day...He did it because He had to for us. Although it's not exactly worthy of comparison, same way with QTs. you're tired? weaksauce. God works 24/7.

i wanna take a look @ Ezekiel 3 for today. God is so upset with Israel..they are so stubborn and hard-headed, they won't listen to God. so He orders Ezekiel to go prophesize to them...the great thing about this part is that God don't just order His servant, but He also enables him and gives him what he needs. "I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people." -v9. He makes Ezekiel just as stubborn as the Israelites so that he'll be strong enough.

So they he goes and Ezekiel says that he "went in bitterness and in the anger of [his] spirit"-v14. There's something amazing going on here. So God didn't only equip him with the tools, but He also enabled Ezekiel to see through his eyes. through the eyes of God. it's such a powerful thing! Ezekiel was able to see through God's eyes, and he witnessed the depth of God's wrath and anger at those people. "I sat among them for seven days-deeply distressed." v15. I truly believe that if we pray and obey God and please Him just as Ezekiel did, we would be so close to His presence that we'd start seeing through God's eyes.

no such thing as learned helplessness

There is this phenomenon called 'learned helplessness' in psychology, and it's when an animal is exposed to aversive situations but nothing it does can affect it. So eventually, it'll learn that its behavior can't control the occurrence of an aversive event. So picture 2 dogs that an experimenter puts in a box. Both receive shocks, but one can press a lever to get out and avoid it, while the other just can't. Which one do you think learns this phenomenon?

Lots of times, especially with humans, learned helplessness has been linked to depression. Some even say that it's at the root of depressions...but thank God that Christianity isn't like that!

As we live this life, things are bound to happen that are completely out of our control. People with an external locus of control are more likely to accept it..they attribute whatever happens as out of their control. Trying to live like Jesus sort of helps us to avoid experiencing learned helplessness...Once we learn that whatever we do can't change or affect anything, that's when we turn to God. They don't tell you in textbooks that learned helplessness can be avoided by turning to God..this is all based on faith.

Like i wrote about Solomon a couple days ago, he didn't fall into this trap that so many do and give up hope on life. Instead, he put his trust in God and acknowledged that he, as a human, is nothing and God everything. Be it a spiritual desert, academic hole, unemployment... don't think you're like the 2nd dog and you can't get out...we're all bound for some shocks here and there. But instead of trying to push a lever that won't even open the door, why not open our eyes towards heaven and asking God?

why's it so hard

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

I hope when Jesus spoke this, he also includes burden and weariness from myself. I've kind of let it get to me how i let some people use me shamelessly but never say anything. Even though it's unfair to me, i can't let the anger keep me down. It's pulling me down like an anchor, and i've become slave to it. Jesus says to learn from his humble and gentle heart..could i really do that? If i pray, i wonder if all that will go away. i love serving other people and being there for them, don't get me wrong. But when is too much too much? If Jesus was here, what would he say to me? i don't know. i've kinda let it all go..i'm just gonna take this verse as a lesson for now.

You are more than faithful

I love Brooke Fraser's songs because she sings about stuff that are real, and not just cliche, sing-songy stuff. it's real things that happen as we walk this Christian life, and she can put it into words with pretty melodies that only can be a gift from God. but neway..this song kinda puts into words how i should think when i feel a void instead of God's presence.

There's distance in the air and I cannot make it leave
I wave my arms' round about me and blow with all my might
I cannot sense you close, though I know you're always here
But the comfort of you near is what I long for

When I can't feel you, I have learned to reach out just the same
When I can't hear you, I know you still hear everyword I pray
And I want you more than I want to live another day
And as I wait for you maybe I'm made more faithful

All the folly of the past, though I know it is undone
I still feel the guilty one, still trying to make it right
So I whisper soft your name, let it roll around my tounge,
knowing you're the only one who knows me
You know me

Show me how I should live this
Show me where I should walk
I count this world as loss to me
You are all I want
You are all I want

'tis ALMOST the season..^^

i love this weather! i love the chilliness and the layering up and the colors changing. i once heard someone tell his daughter that autumn is when God comes down to earth and paints the trees. =) God is so good!

Footprints in the sand

One night a man had a dream.

He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, You said that once I decided to follow you, You would walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times of my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed You most You would leave me."

The LORD replied, "My son, My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.

{photo via Josie's Blog}

A great place to be

7 "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

1 Kings 3

***

Poor Solomon is all scared because God gave him the huge responsibility of leading a nation. aaand, to follow in the footsteps of King David is a huge task. Instead of carrying his head all high and thinking he could do it, he realizes the magnitude of this task and that he probably won't be able to do it all on his own. This puts him in a place where God exactly wants him to be. Solomon humbles himself and asks God for help and guidance, and it's genuine.

In this world, especially this country, everyone prizes individuality. There are plenty of ads about self-made men/women, and those people are virtually set as our examples. But it seems, as so many other times, that God wants the exact opposite. He wants us to figure out that this world is too big and we are nothing, and we need the power and help of someone like God. And this is why He sometimes puts us in places where we feel like there's nothing else that we can do, and then that's when we enlist the help of God. A prayer of "God, i don't know what I'm doing. I need your help. Your wisdom."

a kind of a weird cycle

But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. - Romans 8:9

There's some going back-and-forth here...i thought humans were born into sin. After the fall of Adam & Eve, humans were all condemned to sin after them. People are innately bad..intrinsically evil...that also supports the theory that every person has a desire to do something crazy but is suppressed by our ego (Freud's id, ego, and superego....the ego's the rational part that makes you feel guilty). but Jeremiah's saying something completely different here, and i like that.

Dual nature of the human spirit...we are sinful because of the great fall of mankind, but at the same time God wants to be with us, so He sends us the Holy Spirit to keep us holy and separate from the sinners who are really doomed. There's hope and reason to keep loving God and reading the word. because He loved/loves us enough to fish us from being lifeless souls.

one for all, all for God.

This book came for me in the mail today...i think i might've clicked on the "Send me my free copy" link on those ads on biblegateway.com...haha and it came! Who knew..

The author, Richard Wurmbrand, is an atheist-turned-Christian, and he wrote this book only 3 days after captivity during which he was tortured. I haven't really read it yet, but in the first couple pages was this line that kind of stuck out at me: "But these Nazi times had one great advantage. They taught us that physical beatings could be endured, and that the human spirit with God's help can survive horrible tortures." It's sort of off-topic, but this kinda reminded me of leaders' meeting last saturday, when we had to do physical punishments for each other. There was plenty of grumbling and huffing, but if i look at it from this standpoint, then there's really nothing to grumble about. We 'suffer' because if one brother falls, then we all fall.

Hahah..this is so far from what the book is probably talking about and what Wurmbrand (and countless other martyrs) went through, but. still. Accountability. :)

the story of faithful love

I wish i could be like ruth. (not my boss Ruth, the biblical Ruth, hahah). The book is really short, but the story is filled with so much love and makes you feel all warm inside when you're done.

Ruth left her hometown and her parents to be with her husband, but after her husband dies, Naomi, her mother-in-law tells her, to go back to her family since there is nothing left for her. While her sister-in-law moves back, Ruth resolves to stay with Naomi. She stayed despite losing her husband and being in a foreign land. Then she meets Boaz, a relative of her husband and thus technically the "next-of-kin" to marry her, who treats her super nicely. Because of her faithful love and undying will to be good to her "new" family (aka. Naomi), God blesses her with a man who'll love her even more.

That's just the gist of the entire book..but the message is all the same. She stayed and persevered and was joyful despite all her hardships. I could imagine losing your husband is devastating enough; but to remain in a foreign country is another. Ruth teaches us to persevere with her faithful love through hard times and God will deliver.

Don't be such a worry-wart...

Matthew 6.
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

There are so many concerns and worries over next year, as usual. Of course it's all natural; people leave at the end of the year, and the ppl who're staying behind are left to worry about the upcoming years & so forth. But i wonder if God was standing here face to face with us, what would He say? Would He throw this verse back at us? Yeah, worrying can be helpful; even psychologists say that worrying helps prepare for the future. But for the mind to be constantly thinking about that stuff? i'm pretty sure God doesn't like that either...

Didn't we learn that we should live each day as it comes, be grateful and thankful to God for each day and each moment? At this point amongst all this stress and worries about who's left to do what or etc, is taking away from the first and real reason of why we are who we are, and who God is to us.

God, is that you?

During prayer meeting yesterday, i was falling in and out of sleep during prayer time because i'd had a rough week/day, and sleep was easily coming to me.. and as i laid my head against the wall and let myself drift off to sleep, i felt like someone turned on the lights. it was interesting; inside my eyelids, there was a huge bright light, and so i opened my eyes, bcus it was pretty uncomfortable. yet warm. but neway, i woke up and started to pray...i think it was God nudging me to stop stopping and keep praying. so that's what I did. and, i can't remember what i prayed about, but i was with God. or should i say God was with me.

I think one of my biggest faults is guilt. i tend to feel guilty about everything, and God's love is one of them. but, He also tells us that's a sin. i can't help it though, my subconscious is always going towards the guilt bcus i don't deserve God's love, but you're supposed to not do that! how do you fight with your own subconscious? Christopher Nolan should make another movie about that...

we suck at pedaling

the cutest video...

i feel like this is how we are sometimes! like the little girl on the tricycle, we strive and strive to go forwards. but the i guess the wind was too strong for her? she sorta lost her momentum and she started pedaling backwards. like her, life's gusty winds might make us go in the opposite direction and we won't be able to stop it, but her dad was with her every pedal-of-the-way. encouraging and loving her, and continuously filming her even though she was throwing that lovely tantrum, "STOP GOING BACKWARDS!!!", all because she was his daughter and he still loved everything about her, all the while her going in the wrong direction. it's your heavenly father-child relationship.

Godislove.

me vs. the desert

"Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life."
Ezekiel 37:4-5

this spiritual dryness is so unbelievably taking a toll on me. i feel constantly parched spiritually, and even physically i've been drinking so much water, my hands look funny. i can definitely feel myself being stretched and tested beyond anything this dry period. sometimes, when i'm by myself, i constantly feel anger just rising from stuff that's happened in the past, which sounds ridiculous but is very very true. Alice even wrote in her blog how this is the period when God tests and trials you, to see if you are growing and maturing in the Word.

i know that I'm supposed to seek God for help because these past couple days has clearly shown me that i can't do it alone. when Ezekiel is put into a desert filled with dry bones, God tells him to prophesy to them to cry out to the Lord, and he does and the bones have life breathed into them by God, and they become alive into an army.

we are just a pile of old rattling bones, all dusty from the lack of spiritual water. but i believe crying out to God like that verse will reach His ears and He'll send us the living water to replenish us and liven us up again.

helping those who don't want to be helped

So i started on Ezekiel (i'm coming back to Isaiah..it's too hard to read!) and this is another prophetic book. chapter 3 tells the story of God talking to Ezekiel; He commands him to go prophesize and warn the Israelites because they keep screwing up and sinning. basically God tells him to o tell them to not sin anymore, because if he warns them but they still don't stop what they're doing, their death is by their own sin and Ezekiel is off the hook, but if he doesn't, then Ezekiel is just as guilty as well.

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and ive them warning from me. When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself." Ezekiel 3:17-19

I guess that's why we have accountability partners. maybe it's what God had in mind too way back then? who knows. but what i wanna know is how do you know when to stop? it seems stopping after just once or twice or just a couple times is too 'soon', but after a million tries, then is it enough? i think that's why 'wise' people advise against missionary dating. dating someone with the mindset of bringing someone to salvation is ludicrous because YOU can't do the saving. it's GOD,..and that's why God tells us in 2 Corinthians to not yoke with nonbelievers. it's because our hearts are going to naturally fall to sin instead of bringing that nonbeliever to God.

I can't wait to go to heaven and see God, i have so many questions to ask Him.

Desert Song

"Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life." - Ezekiel 37:4-5


***
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

This is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame

I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

This is my prayer in the harvest
When favour and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow

the day after whenever

So i'm awake at 4am watching The Day After Tomorrow because i can't sleep. and let's face it, that won't really change after the movie's over bcus it's a crazy movie.

but neway,

the girl, Laura, is talking with jake gyllenhal's character, and they talk about "adjusting" to the things that are happening to them. you know, the entire climate shifting and practically the world ending..and she says this haunting line: "how am i supposed to adjust, sam? everything i've ever cared about, everything i've worked for, was for a preparation for a future that no longer exists. it was all for nothing."

we're supposed to make the best of whatever God's given to us, because that's what He tells us to. even with the parable of the talents, He scolds the man who buries it all in the ground to "preserve" it. but what good does that do? he was unlike the other guys, who invested it or used it for something.

everyone has their priorities. reaching the top in school, working hard towards pharmacy school, whatever. and yeah, you shouldn't waste your time as a student- you should work as hard and best as you can to become the best you could be, because otherwise you'd sorta be spitting in God's face. but when is it too much?

I'm just afraid that so many people right now are focusing too hard on a future that is temporary. i think this is why i'm not the best student, i'm hardly an average student, and i barely make the grades because i spend my time in church. my sacrificing of time of school for God is i guess my preparation for a more permanent future.


k, now that i've scared myself even more..i'm gonna finish the movie.
toodles~

You'll Come.

i guess this is song-week for me..heh.
the lyrics pretty much sums up how i'm feeling this week, so i'll just post that up.


***
I have decided I have resolved
To wait upon you Lord
My rock and redeemer shall not be moved
I'll wait upon you Lord

As surely as the sun will rise
You'll come to us
As certain as the dawn appears

You'll come let your glory fall
As you respond to us
Spirit reign flood our hearts
With holy fire again

We are not shaken we are not moved
We wait upon you Lord
Our Mighty deliverer my triumph and truth
I'll wait upon you Lord

Chains be broken
Lives be healed
Eyes be opened
Christ is revealed

we the redeemed.

during our little prayer meeting tonight, a couple of us were sharing about how we were going through dry seasons in our spiritual life. there's so much to worry and think about in this world, we don't "have the time" to sing to God like this. i wish i could forget about everything and see the light in the bad, and just worship God without any worries. it's foolish to waste my energy stressing about the stressors this world gives me.

but. back to the seasonal dry period..

there's this line here: this is the song of the redeemed rising up to praise the king our hope is in You

even living amongst the craziness in this world, God has redeemed us by sending His son to die on the cross. sooo..i say enough with the stressing and the huffing and puffing, and more with the praising.


***
There is nothing like Your love
No exchange for all You gave
To be welcomed into life
So I can know the love that saves

Now forever to belong
To walk with You for all my days
Theres no greater love than this
You are the Author and the Way

This is the sound of the redeemed
Rising up to praise the King
Our hope is in You
This is the sound of the redeemed
Rising up to praise the King

Singing glorious glorious One You have saved us
Honor and Power and Praise to the Savior.

You are the Answer You are the Answer

You come with power come with fire
As we lift Your name on high
And join with all the saints to sing
In bringing Honor to the King.

We the redeemed
Hear us singing
You are Holy
You are Holy

life's nasty recipe.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

i know that there's lots of times when i'm unhappy with something. if there is someone i know or something that's happened that just leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, then i'm more likely to avoid them/it and just curse it. buttttt, this verse is telling me the opposite. of course it's not with every single little detail of my life, but i can still try to abide by it. there might be things happening that is hard to try to fit into life that might be in "accordance with God's will", but isn't God bigger than life itself? it should be elementary knowledge by now that God's great enough to have things happen to us that we might not understand. but we only see that once we look back. we only see how constructive those struggles were once we've passed the hurtle. i think Paul was trying to tell us that even though something might smell/look/taste fishy in life, God uses all things for his work and for the good.

loss of words.

i'm not gonna lie..i've been neglecting the Word and spending time with God. I don't know why, but whenever I want to pray or prepare my heart to spend some quiet time with God, my heart feels suppressed and i end up doing something else. this happened just in this past week too..i know i've been praying more this semester, and i'm pretty sure my series of nightmares are a part of that too. demons trying to attack me in my sleep, you know.. all that good stuff. i can really tell there's a spiritual warfare going on right now, and not just with me personally but with everything else that's going around me. sometimes, when I want to pray for the church, i feel an enormous weight just pushing down on my chest and heart, and then i just get silent in the middle of prayer because i don't know how/what to say. but then, this is when we ask the Holy Spirit to intervene and help us to pray. because like it or not, satan is actually kinda stronger than us, and he can zip our mouths too if he doesn't want us to pray. but if we truly and wholeheartedly ask God for the gift of the HOly Spirit to come down on us and help us pray, i'm pretty sure we'll be okay.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."
Romans 8:26

Isaiah 15-16

16v10. Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards; no one sings or shouts in the vineyards; no one treads out wine at the presses, for I have put an end to the shouting.

- I see some major symbolism here..at least i think..the grapes are trampled on with no mercy, all the joy and gladness are taken away. And yet the juice pours out "into the wine vat", says the translation. So..God can take our joy and gladness away, or we can experience it through the world, but it still produces fruit? in the end, the good juice pours out and there is an end to the shouting.

these chapters are so confusing...

PUSH.

...pray until something happens.

Isaiah 14

v3-4. On the day the Lord gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!

- The king of Babylon was strong and mighty and pretty arrogant in his days, but he's gonna end up just like every other earthly king- in the ground.

v7. All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing.

- Babylon was such an oppressive nation, so once they fall everyone will breathe and live easily.

v12. How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

- Is this verse talking about Satan? Because wasn't he an angel who fell out of the sky..either that or Babylon. Both the big bad guys.

v25. I will crush the Assyrian in my land; on my mountains I will trample him down. His yoke will be taken from my people, and his burden removed from their shoulders.

- Another prophecy but this time against Assyria. No matter what, God will take down any evil, bad nation who disobeys Him and oppresses His children.

v26-27. This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

- God is all-powerful, all-knowing. His sovereign purpose regarding Assyria and Babylon will be carried out.

v32. What answer shall be given to the envoys of that nation? "The Lord has established Zion, and in her his afflicted people will find refuge."

- This entire chapter was kind of scary with all the prophecies about destruction against those nations, but the last verse brings peace and puts the mind at ease. God's wrath and anger is evident throughout the entire chapter, as He's so pissed off at Assyria and Babylon, but He is still good and loves His children. He promises a safe haven for those who need it...a breath of relief.

Godis♥

Isaiah 12-13

12v2. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

- These are all praises from the nation which God punished..they know they needed to be straightened out, and even though it took turmoil and war to do it, they realized that God knew what He was doing. We can really apply this today, we need to take our punishment and take it as something that would help us, not knock us down. God knows what He's doing.

12v4. "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted."

- A perfect mentality to be in after being scorned. Tell everyone about how good God is.

13v3. I have commanded my holy ones; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath - those who rejoice in my triumph.

- So now Israel has been punished, God is going to use Israel to punish her enemies. See, God wasn't just bringing all that chaos to Israel to punish them, but also to strengthen them into His army. You can find some comfort in there...

13v7. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man's heart will melt.

- The study bible says that "courage will fail." This chapter is another prophecy of God's wrath against Babylon...yeah they have a pretty darn good army, but strength and numbers and definitely courage won't help them. It's them against God. do the math.

13v9. See, the day of the Lord is coming-a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger- to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it.

- God's doing all this to destroy and punish the sinners. Sin's bad, so all sin must be terminated..?

13v11. I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sings. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless.

- See, God doesn't like sin and evil and arrogance. They're going down like a clown charlie brown.

13v16. Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be looted and their wives ravished.

- Why would God do such a thing? Well apparently, it's so that these "evil" people won't breed anymore "evil" people. Major punishment here...the husbands are all away at war (getting slaughtered by God's wrath) and the women are taken captive as slaves, prostitutes, etcc..not a pretty picture.

13v19. Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians' pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.

- They should've obeyed God's commands and been good, not living all selfishly and satisfying their carnal needs.

Godis♥