Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. - Romans 5
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Thursday, June 26, 2014
I don't know.
I don't know why, but Hunter X Hunter episode 135 was one of the most beautiful moments I've ever watched. There is something mysterious and elegant about that episode, the last moments of Meruem and Komugi playing their last games of gungi, some form of shogi and go mix.
Their dialogue. So...soothing. So...sad.
How the most powerful creature in the world can be reduced to someone so caring, so desperate, so gentle.
To be called by someone you hold dear, that is something.
I don't know why, but Hunter X Hunter episode 135 was one of the most beautiful moments I've ever watched. There is something mysterious and elegant about that episode, the last moments of Meruem and Komugi playing their last games of gungi, some form of shogi and go mix.
Their dialogue. So...soothing. So...sad.
How the most powerful creature in the world can be reduced to someone so caring, so desperate, so gentle.
To be called by someone you hold dear, that is something.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Worship and Pizza
Making music and singing all of worship doesn't make sense.
It's like calling dinner = pizza night, even when you aren't eating pizza. Don't
get me wrong, I like pizza, just like I like singing and making music to God to
glorify Him, but that is not the whole picture of worship at all. Too much
pizza will make you sick and does not make for a balanced and healthy diet. So
in the same way, our worship should be balanced and healthy as well.
When I hear "lets worship" in church, it almost
always means singing and music. But let us stand back a little. Where is
worship even defined? It is all defined in the Bible right? Where does the Bible ever
equate music and singing as worship? There is never a direct 1-to-1 correlation
ever mentioned in the Bible at all, at least I haven't found one and I've
looked pretty hard (http://www.openbible.info/topics/singing). Whenever music
and singing is mentioned, whether it is David singing in the Psalms or playing
with his lyre, the Israelites singing after a victory, angels making music with
heavenly instruments, or when Paul and Silas bust out of prison with their
voices (Acts 16:16-40), in ALL of these cases the Bible uses the word praise.
Now praise is a form of worship (http://www.gotquestions.org/difference-praise-worship.html), and it is a form
that is intertwined with beauty and creation (God created humans with voices to
sing and intelligence to craft instruments that make beautiful sounds
correlating to natural harmonics and overtones), and we definitely ought to
praise God. But it isn't the only form of worship out there, and we shouldn't
call it as such. Again, dinner shouldn't be called pizza night (unless you are
a TMNT) nor should you only eat pizza.
That is why back in the day, musical worship was called singspiration, because
you sing and...get inspired (I guess). Another pastor called it pre-worship, explaining that worship is everything that comes afterwards. Many churches and
services are starting to call worship team as praise team (worship team leaders
as praise team leaders). Actually, a few churches are going a step further and
calling the pastor the worship team leader, because well...isn't that the
truth? Heck, the entire congregation should be called the worship team, instead of just a group of people at the front, because that's what Church means.
I always stress this, but our entire lives ought to be a continuous
act of worship (Romans 12:1). Our prayers are a form of worship (Matthew 6:9-13). Reading the Word
and living out the Gospel are forms of worship (Colossians 3:14-17). Listening
to a sermon is also a form of worship (Colossians 3:14-17). Helping the poor,
giving to the needy, encouraging our brothers and sisters, and preaching the
good news to non-believers are all forms of worship (too many verses). Even eating food can be
worship (1 Cor. 10:31). Anything and everything that we do that glorifies God
and recognizes Him as sovereign can be called worship.
I write this blog post because I'm just sincerely worried. I worry that the epidemic of Biblical illiteracy is just gonna get worse. I worry that the average Christian is spending more time in musical worship than all other forms of worship combined. I'm worried because I've heard people are suggesting to eliminate sermons (as if teaching wasn't also worship) to increase more musical worship time in church. Should I be worried?
I write this blog post because I'm just sincerely worried. I worry that the epidemic of Biblical illiteracy is just gonna get worse. I worry that the average Christian is spending more time in musical worship than all other forms of worship combined. I'm worried because I've heard people are suggesting to eliminate sermons (as if teaching wasn't also worship) to increase more musical worship time in church. Should I be worried?
Sing to the LORD, all
the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his
marvelous deeds among all peoples. For
great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all
gods. For all the gods of the nations
are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling
place. Ascribe to the LORD, O families
of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength, ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.
Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his
holiness. Tremble before him, all the
earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be
glad; let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!" - 1
Chronicles 16:23-31
More resources:
http://churchworksmedia.com/blog/13807401/idolizing-worship
http://www.intervarsity.org/blog/worship-pleases-god
http://ctkblog.com/2013/12/05/why-switchfoot-wont-sing-christian-songs/
http://www.laughyourway.com/blog/attention-all-worship-leaders-musicians-and-singers/
http://vimeo.com/25055177
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcVt7M9Ofik - Chris Tomlin on Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBD0r4AO_GI - Mark Driscoll on Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdwCFuj40VY - More Mark Driscoll on Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuYoVjp33zk - Worship montage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGqlgWxoFCA - Another Worship montage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7KeeM9lcgE - Francis Chan on Worship
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgcworship/2013/10/11/what-is-worship/
http://www.gotquestions.org/true-worship.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJshg1uFKhg - Tim Keller on Worship
More resources:
http://churchworksmedia.com/blog/13807401/idolizing-worship
http://www.intervarsity.org/blog/worship-pleases-god
http://ctkblog.com/2013/12/05/why-switchfoot-wont-sing-christian-songs/
http://www.laughyourway.com/blog/attention-all-worship-leaders-musicians-and-singers/
http://vimeo.com/25055177
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcVt7M9Ofik - Chris Tomlin on Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBD0r4AO_GI - Mark Driscoll on Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdwCFuj40VY - More Mark Driscoll on Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuYoVjp33zk - Worship montage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGqlgWxoFCA - Another Worship montage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7KeeM9lcgE - Francis Chan on Worship
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgcworship/2013/10/11/what-is-worship/
http://www.gotquestions.org/true-worship.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJshg1uFKhg - Tim Keller on Worship
Saturday, June 14, 2014
What is a difference between deciding not to date a girl you are attracted to (because of her physical beauty, personality, maturity, and kindness) because she isn't a Christian, and deciding to date someone because you are attracted by their love for God?
This is what I tell myself whenever I see a pretty (asian) girl walk by on the street.
This is what I tell myself whenever I see a pretty (asian) girl walk by on the street.
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