December 2011
2 posts
Triple Reverse Psychology by The Nehemiah Band
My friend showed me this band
Quite real.
http://www.facebook.com/theNehemiahBand
I wish that people’s speech wasn’t always so complicated I wish the vision of my heart wasn’t so near-sighted I wish that I could discern my passion from my pride I wish that I was immune to self-motivated lies I wish that I could be an overcomer in the struggle of Trying to decipher these...
So I was looking at a WestBoro Twitter
And frankly, they aren’t stupid. Often times, it’s easy to disregard them as ignorant blubbering fools who parade all day long, but if they get one thing about God right, it’s his ability to judge. There will be fags going to hell. And God will hate those fags. But there will also be plenty of straight people going to hell as well. And God will hate those…straights.
The...
November 2011
7 posts
Page CXVI Blog: Joy →
When I first wrote, or I should say re-wrote, “Joy” I had no idea the wave it would make. I have received countless emails, questions, and comments on this one song, several with the similar theme of “she sure does not sound joyful to me!” I’ve even had people tell me that they did not…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z7Mjc78LdU
It’s odd. Joy.
Screwtape Letters
The Dedication, I thought, could be useful.
”The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of
Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn.”—Luther
”The devill . . the prowde spirite . . cannot endure to be mocked.”—Thomas More
The Great Divorce
“No doubt you’ll tell me why, on your view, I was sent [to Hell]. I’m not angry.”
“But don’t you know? You went there because you are an apostate.”
“Are you serious, Dick?”
“Perfectly.”
“This is worse than I expected. Do you really think people are penalised for their honest opinions? Even assuming, for the sake of...
What's on my mind
I’m fake, insincere and, frankly, am not dealing with the issues in my life.
I feel like God is not the God in my life, rather, simply a high priority.
what does it look like to pursue after God? I wish I had a role model, someone to follow.
I wish I had someone perfect.
(The answer is Jesus).
After further reflection
I think I’ve realized how big of a hypocrite I am. I think I’ve realized how pharisee-ish I am. How could I not love?
And then I thought, where is the church? Why have I never loved like this before?
Why is this not apparent in the church?
How can we hope to spread the Gospel without spreading love first?
Jesus himself did not go around saying that He is the Son. He instead loved...
Oh Hai Dere.
Let me give a quick summary of what happened today:
Went to Parish(?) Square. Gave free sandwiches to two world war two veterans. Talked to them for about an hour and a half. Went to Skid Row. Talked to one guy. Just watched people. Went back to USC. Helped my friend pack gifts for Operation Christmas Child. Celebrate my friend’s birthday.
So this overall day have been eyeopening and...
I don't really want to put this up.
I’ve been doing poorly lately.
I’ve doubted Christianity, have I really heard from God? Or if I have, have I heard from him recently?
Is God really a personal God, who dwells with me and is compassionate, and is he really affecting me today?
The thing about faith is that a mustard seed faith is so easy to crush.
I can love others.
I can’t seem to love God.
At the very...
October 2011
6 posts
God's Silence -- Then What?
When He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was —John 11:6
Has God trusted you with His silence— a silence that has great meaning? God’s silences are actually His answers. Just think of those days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything comparable to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still asking Him for a...
Closing your eyes takes trust. Without trust comes...
Daniel Chen
I’ve decided to just make my own blog, so this is Joseph’s now. Follow me at danielchen93.tumblr.com
Thanks(:
Joe: I think I've figured it out, but it's hard to...
Where to begin.
I think that it starts with youth group since 6th grade.
I viewed David Ing as a model leader. I saw that he cared for other people. And he would do it so willingly. And other people would love him back.
I wanted to be in that position to think that I would care for others, and others were care for me.
And that was my goal for a while. I placed a lot of my identity in that. I...
Joe: The meaning of life is to be as happy as you...
So says a paraphrased John Piper.
But the key part of that is as you can be.
Don’t settle for something that doesn’t make you fully happy.
“The great problem with human beings is that we are far too easily pleased. We don’t seek pleasure with nearly the resolve and passion that we should. And so we settle for mud pies of [drink and sex and ambition] instead of infinite...
Joe: Brain Fart
I’m tactless.
Surprised? You shouldn’t be. My track record ain’t so great.
I think I’m dealing with lack of God in my life.
I don’t feel him/know him as well as I should.
I’ve spent 3 days trying to write this post, trying to figure out myself. And, I haven’t figured it out.
WHAT IS THIS POST EVEN TALKING ABOUT? ITS AS SCATTERED AS MY BRAINS.
Okay.
...
September 2011
11 posts
Daniel: Heart
In my previous post I mentioned my Pharisaical mindset for a moment. I’m gonna expand on that and what God has been teaching me about it
I tend to get very concerned about the law. About what is right and wrong, and what I can do and cannot do. How I should be above reproach in everything.
I’m starting to learn what it means to really be above reproach. What it means to love the way that...
Daniel: Purpose
I was really lonely for the first few days of welcome week. My suitemates are really friendly and chill, and I hung out and kept myself busy pretty much all day, but there was nothing of substance in what I did. No people that I could really talk to, no schoolwork or purpose to really follow. I felt so empty.
All of my suitemates, and most of my friends went out to party most nights, but my...
Joe: Retreat
I went to a retreat over the weekend with Intervarsity. Ever since I read 1 John last last friday, God has really been laying it on my heart to love others. 1 John 3:16 says:
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
Love = Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ went to hell and back for us. He was willing...
Joe: Sweet Aromas
I felt paralyzed today. I felt like I had a calloused heart. I felt like I was becoming desensitized to the sin in my life, and I just didn’t care anymore.
Today’s IV message was about purpose. Jesus came here to reverse the power of death.
I feel more or less liberatedish.
It’s relieving.
Here’s a thought for someone who reads this:
God is happy when you have a quiet...
Joe: Another dream
I had a dream 6 months ago: all I can remember is sitting in a van driving down the street and someone said “I’m going to NOISE” I asked him what Noise was.
N___O____I____Soulful Expression. That’s all I could remember for the acronym.
Night of Intentional Soulful Expression?
Maybe something like that.
Anyway ,this dream came true a couple days ago. I had another...
Joe: Prayer Requests
Grace Mi:
Man, she always puts up a wall. Whenever I poke that wall, she says “you’re being weird Joe.” Or maybe I’m just being weird. She’s honest. She’s real with me. I think she has a lot of baggage. I think she’s homesick.
What type of Christian would she be? This thought is so strange to me. She would be revolutionary.
Lily Hao:
She puts me in my...
Joe: Rebuke
I was talking to one of my friends Dylan. I was just trying to self justify my actions in sharing the gospel all the time. I remembered he had a verse that said basically, we are to share the gospel always.
I wanted that verse to be God’s end all be all.
He told me he thought it was in 1 John.
It was not in 1 John. This is 1st John.
Love. Love Love. Show as much love as you can. You can...
Joe: Yesterday
Yesterday I was informed by my friend lily about what some of the nonchristians on campus think of me.
“Joe is so eccentric. If you want a speech on religion, you know who you should talk to? Joe.”
Hmm. Is this good or bad? I was sitting there thinking, shoot Am I messing up? Am I being a bad example of christ?
I was pondering over this question and then it occurred to me that I...
Daniel: Learning to be satisfied with God's...
I pray that You will always remind me that Your grace is enough for me in everything
Joe: When you are real with God, God will be real...
God, I know that a part of me doesn’t want to hear your voice, knowing that I will have to completely change, and that it will hurt. Part of me knows that most of the time when I read the Bible, I don’t change my life, and then, when that happens, I become less willing to read the Bible.
God let me delve into your word without the fear of inadequacy, without the fear of failure.
God,...
Joe: marginal rate of substitution
Jonathan Edwards: “Repentance is a sweet sorrow, so that the more of this sorrow, the more pleasure.”
August 2011
5 posts
Joe: Previously at USC,
Me and my suitemates went together (we’re kind of like a family like that) to Cru. In small group they talked about the Gospel. Afterward my suitemate Isaac and I went to a Christian Fraternity for a Worship Night.
Isaac annoys me. He’s a pastor’s kid, but is far from the Gospel. He does things that are…questionable.
I judge him. I don’t say anything, but I do. In...
Daniel: The Christian's Assurance of Salvation →
Please watch! This was a great encouragement and conviction to me.
J&D: As the Ruins Fall by CS Lewis
All this is flashy rhetoric about loving you.
I never had a selfless thought since I was born.
I am mercenary and self-seeking through and through:
I want God, you, all friends, merely to serve my turn.
Peace, re-assurance, pleasure, are the goals I seek,
I cannot crawl one inch outside my proper skin:
I talk of love —a scholar’s parrot may talk Greek—
But,...
:Joe
People at USC are mostly not Christian. Some report themselves as Christian, but it’s a mask easily seen through. Most people don’t really know why they’re here, they don’t really know what their life is supposed to be about. They’re here for money, or for thanking their parents, or another temporary goal, but it’s pretty clear they’re lost. It breaks my...
