living

People who live for tomorrow die wishing. People who live for yesterday die discouraged. People who live for today have no regrets for they are living the very moment.

-Joni Eareckson Tada

forgiven little?

For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.

Luke 7:47

post-it #9 (final post-it)

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ." -Philippians 1:6

post-it #8

"The great design of God's way of salvation is to magnify His glory and bring down human pride." -John Piper

post-it #7

"Most assuredly, if I had merely served man, this would have been a poor recompense; but it is my happiness that I have served Him who never fails to reward his servants to the full extent of His promise." -John Calvin

Practicing Affirmation

I'm reading through Practicing Affirmaiton by Sam Crabtree. He reminds us to make affirmation in such a way where God is glorified. Be thankful for people but to God. I'm kind of simplifying what he says. Loving and giving is easily done with expectations, wanting some sort of reward or reciprocation. But there's more joy when they're done without expectations. This gave light to the way I try speak encouraging things. Pretty straight forward.

What is flattery? Like other corruptions, it starts out rooted in a good thing, but ends up putting a corrupt twist on that good thing. For example, fornication puts a corrupt twist on the God-given desire to express intimacy sexually. Gluttony puts a corrupt twist on the God-given practice of eating, which can be a wholesome interaction between stomachs and food, both given by God as good things. Gossip takes God-given things like truth and speech and puts a corrupt twist on them so that they become meddlesome and defaming. Similarly, affirmation is good, but flattery puts a corrupt twist on it. In order to avoid folly and corruption, how shall we distinguish flattery from affirmation? While affirmation commends virtues, flattery exaggerates them, glosses over flaws, offers excessive input, and is insincere, not chiefly interested in building up the recipient in Christlikeness, but interested chiefly in obtaining some kind of direct favor. Healthy affirmation does not exaggerate or schmooze. Having affirmed, the affirmer can walk away with no expectation of receiving anything from the recipient. A good affirmer, just as the giver of a cup of cold water, looks to God for his reward. In contrast, there is a thread of seduction in flattery. The flatterer is after something from the flattered. While affirmation is a free gift with no strings attached and trusts God to bring about whatever good harvest he wishes to bring from the seed planted, flattery is a bribe, and a direct return is expected—soon. Godly affirmation approves of Christlikeness and disapproves of anything contrary, whereas the flatterer approves anything—Christlike or not—that may achieve the desired response.

post-it #5 and 6

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Matthew 5:6, 8

post-it #4

"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh..." -Ezekiel 36:26-27

post-it #3

"We accept and thank God for what is given, not allowing the 'not given' to spoil it." -Elisabeth Elliot

post-it #2

"My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace, nor even blessing, but Himself, my God." -Oswald Chambers

post-its

Post-its is such a great invention. I've used it for reminders, write letters, kill bugs, stick on people, etc. The first journal I got was from my sister and in it she stuck post-its and wrote little encouragements through my journey in my journal. I wish I kept those post-its. But someone else did a similar thing too in a journal she gave me a couple years ago. I remembered to keep these. On them are quotes and verses.

Post-it #1:

"Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." -Revelations 4:11

a sweet reminder

See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we would be called children of God and such we are.

1 John 3:1

simply to love

"One of the lessons Jim felt that he his "renaissance" experience had taught him was expressed in a later letter to me:

'One of my renaissance experiences was to get among kids who were on a different spiritual level than my own, and enjoy fellowship with them. I found a very subtle snare in so doing. I sought their fellowship in order that I might minister to them, 'be a help,' you know, to the 'weaker' ones. What a rebuke came when I sensed my real motive - that I might minister. Love hacks right at this, for she refused to parade herself. I learned to recognize no 'spiritual planes,' but simply to love, purely, in every group. Trying to 'be a help' even has a smell of good works in it, for it is not pure. Our motive is only to be - do nothing, know nothing, act nothing - just to be a sinful bit of flesh, born of a Father's love.'"

-Shadow of the Almighty

in the secret of His presence

In the secret of His presence
How my soul delights to hide!
Oh, how precious are the lessons
Which I learn at Jesus’ side!
Earthly cares forever vex me,
all my trials lay me low;
But when Satan comes to tempt me,
To the secret place I go.

When my soul is faint and thirsty,
‘Neath the shadow of His wing
There is cool and pleasant shelter,
And a fresh and crystal spring;
And my Savior rests beside me,
As we hold communion sweet;
If I tried, I could not utter
What He says when thus we meet.

Only this I know: I tell Him
All my doubts and griefs and fears;
Oh, how patiently He listens!
And my drooping soul He cheers;
Do you think He ne’er reproves me?
What a false friend He would be,
If He never, never told me
Of the sins which He must see.

Would you like to know that sweetness
Of the secret of the Lord?
Go and hide beneath His shadow;
This shall then be your reward;
And whene’er you leave the silence
Of that happy meeting-place,
By the Spirit bear the image
Of the Master in your face.

http://grooveshark.com/#/search?q=in+the+secret+of+his+presence

sung by Sandra McCracken
by Ellen Goreh

Total Devotion

Total Devotion was the name of my youth fellowship back during high school, but we always just called it TD. I had forgotten that it stood for "total devotion". I'm thankful for that reminder that life isn't about "kinda devotion", "sometimes devotion", but "total devotion". But I know that as long as I am still on earth, I won't be. This makes me long for heaven. How wonderful would it be to be totally devoted to my God - all my affections, cares, service, worship, my entire being

But much of my devotion, enjoyment, pleasure are towards things, entertainment, myself, people... apart from the Lord. Yet, God says to delight in Him, do all things for His glory, proclaim the good news, and love Him. He wants a totally devoted life.

pray and wait

Someone showed me this quote. I think this goes along with prayer, that we pray and wait expectantly. The waiting for an answer is just as important as how the Lord answers. How do you wait on the Lord? Such as a missionary preparing himself for the mission field and if he dies soon after like Jim Elliot, was it a waste? The process of it was still what God desired. More and more difficulties are welcomed because God will shape us in ways we never thought would happen, and somehow our prayers are answered.

"But waiting on God isn't like this at all. Waiting on God isn't about the suspension of meaning and purpose. It's part of the meaning and purpose that God has brought into my life. Waiting on God isn't to be viewed as an obstruction in the way of the plan. Waiting is an essential part of the plan. For the child of God, waiting isn't simply about what I'll receive at the end of my wait. No, waiting is much more purposeful, efficient, and practical than that. Waiting is fundamentally about what I'll become as I wait. God is using the wait to do in and through me exactly what he's promised. Through the wait he's changing me. By means of the wait he's altering the fabric of my thoughts and desires. Through the wait he's causing me to see and experience new things about him and his kingdom. And all of this sharpens me, enabling me to be a more useful tool in his redemptive hands." -Paul Tripp

heart of a praying life

"Learned desperation is at the heart of a praying life."

- Paul Miller, A Praying Life

thankful that i got to end my college years like this =) plus we got to go to california academy of science for freeee. i like it when things are free.

The Lord has brought me thus far, and though my life seems quite ordinary, I believe one thing God has shaped me more through these past years is how to think. As we learned in ET2 (apologetics), we are to love the Lord not just with all our hearts, but also with all of our mind.
I am so glad that through struggles, He has given me a mind to understand His ways and softened my heart. People come and go in our lives, we go in and out of people's lives. I very much disliked that at first. Sometimes I still whine about that. We seek to love and be loved. Yet through this the Lord has revealed more of His faithfulness. Although people do come and go, God remains. We still are able to love and be loved, but this is from God and not from people. God uses different people at different times to reveal Himself. Who is greater?

i'll never forsake you

These simple lyrics, someone says, "'packages' so well promises that the Lord has for us in His Word".


O soul, are you weary from wave upon wave
Of grief and affliction whom no man can save?
Has sickness surrounded, or unending night?
Uncertainty stolen your joy and your might?

O doubting, o fearful– remember His care,
The helpless and hopeless need never despair
For from your afflictions His glory shall spring–
The deeper your sorrow, the louder you’ll sing!
Remember your Father– His promise, His love:

Chorus:
“I’ll never forsake you, this pain will not break you,
For I will remake you for unending joy;
My promise is faithful though now it is painful;
No power can trample my covenant love.”

Remember your Savior– His grief and His pain,
The lonely affliction, unmerited shame.
Though you had betrayed Him, He died in your place;
The joy set before Him He offers by grace.
Remember your Father– His promise, His love:
by David Ward


http://www.reformedpraise.org/songs/modernhymns/ill-never-forsake-you/

ebcb 2011

i am blessed

four years already?? surely God has been faithful to us

the accomplishment of atonement

I'm reading Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross again and it's still so good. I guess a repeated theme for this past semester or year is the victory I can and do have in Christ despite my struggles, failures, and anxieties. I tend to compare myself in all areas spiritually, emotionally, intellectually... I'm like a little weakling. (oh and for sure physically I'm quiteeeee weak too...)

But this is what Arthur Pink says.

"It is finished." What was finished? The work of atonement. What is the value of that to us? This: to the sinner, it is a message of glad tidings. All that a holy God requires has been done. Nothing is left for the sinner to add. No works from us are demanded as the price of our salvation. All that is necessary for the sinner is to rest now by faith upon what Christ did. "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23). To the believer, the knowledge that the atoning work of Christ is finished brings a sweet relief over against all the defects and imperfections of his services. There is much of sin and vanity in the very best of our efforts, but the grand relief is that we are "complete" in Christ (Col. 2:10)! Christ and his finished work is the ground of all our hopes.
Upon a Life I did not live,
Upon a Death I did not die,
Another’s death Another’s life
I cast my soul eternally
Bold shall I stand in that great day,
For who, aught to my charge can lay?
Fully absolved by Christ I am,
From sin’s tremendous curse and blame.

Maybe we're all weaklings. haha

praise God for His finished work on the cross

rejoice!

Think about the disciples during the time of Jesus' death. It must've been confusing and saddening when he died. But His resurrection was a sign of victory. He is the Savior. Their hearts must have been beating fast. Their hearts of doubt became hearts of rejoicing. Then Jesus commands them to spread the news of Himself, they must have been ecstatic and eager to tell the world about Him.
What if that happened today? Do I feel the same? Do I get ecstatic for the hope I know is good news? Does it feel like Christ ascended yesterday and is alive in my heart? It makes me think differently about homework, studies, papers as I am a student right now. Do I just do it to get it done? Is it for the temporal satisfaction or for the furthering of God's kingdom?

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! 
Philippians 4:4

not doubting His love when i sin

For a Q&A session with the youth group, one of the teachers answered the question on why Christians feel an internal struggle between knowing and doing what is right. As he went over why sin still exists in the life of a believer, it melted my heart. When I sin, when I struggle with it, I doubt God's love. Why would God keep me in the state of frustration? Can't He just make me overcome sin quickly? But we learned that possibly it is to humble us, make us thankful, cultivate compassion, look to Jesus, long for heaven... God does love us. He doesn't love me less because I sin. The gospel is the best and only remedy. I want to be "good", "mature", "holy", but if I want to fight my impatience by being patient, my bitterness by being not bitter, I will surely fail.
God wants me to look to Christ.

Desperate

I believe

God, Maker of heaven and earth

Has demanded perfection

Yet I am worlds away from that

How can the Holy One find favor in me?

He makes no mistakes

He is all powerful

I am unworthy

I am weak

Such foolishness losing sight of what is true

Looking at myself at pleasures of the world

His goodness and His faithfulness I forget

I try hard to do what is right

But all my attempts are futile

I run here and there

I beat my chest in anguish

Where is my hope?

Who will set me free?

My soul is in need of a savior

Look to Christ

Look at what He has already done

I am no longer bounded by sin and its power

No longer dead, no longer condemned

From children of wrath to heirs with Christ

He has set me free

In Christ we have life and victory

My soul clings to Christ

I cling to Christ

Rejoice for what was lost has been found

Mercy and grace God has shown upon sinners

I rejoice

"prayer"

Prayer by Simri Davis, Jeff Berry

Thou hast said to walk on water

But I stumble in the sand

Oh, to run and not grow weary

Jesus come and hold my hand

Promise me Thou won’t forsake me

For my life depends on Thee

Engrave it on my heart reminding

That Your truth has set me free

For I believe, yes I believe

Please help my unbelief

For I believe, yes I believe

Oh Lord,

Please help my unbelief

Thou art great and full of light

That no eye can yet unpeel

Please give to me only through your might

A heart that longs to kneel

what are your affections being spent on

"The question is what are your affections being spent on. All of us use our affections, inclinations, aspirations. We use them in one of three ways - lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. You will use your affections to get something, to want something which you will never satisfy you. Nothing you ever bought has satisfied you nor will it... The lust of the flesh does not satisfy you. Person after person who has fallen in immorality and wants the experience of immorality... it didn't cure it, it only made it worse. Pride of life. You can orient your life to get everyone around you to appreciate anything about you and all that will do is feel a greater desire to be appreciated by others. These affections were meant for Jesus. He's perfectly revealed Himself tons to match His glory, His revelation, and our affections in a perfect faith and when that happens He discloses Himself to us and you begin to see, "wow what a savior." You begin to sing in ways you've never sung before. The words are dancing on your soul as you sing them. People are trying to talk to you when you are singing and you just say "please leave me alone!" Why would not everyone join in the worship Jesus from the affections. It's not that Jesus lack any excellence or attractiveness or beauty, but because they are blind to His excellence, deaf to His word, even dead to His spirit. Taste and see the Lord is good."

Rick Holland Resolved 2010 "Experiencing Christ"