My Journal

I find the back and forth Mandarin & Indonesian interpretation is very distracting. Also, it shortens the time of the sermon. It really is unnecessary. I gather that this is probably due to the need to accommodate spouses who understood only one and different languages that's worshipping at the same time. If it must, then have the interpretation done in a different channel, I'm sure they have enough professionals to do that. Of course, the con of this would be that Tong wouldn't get the chance to correct wrong interpretations or vice versa (sometimes Tong makes minor errors in scriptural quotes, etc.)

整个世界需要互相怜悯的伦理。

Foundation of the atheists: Wishing God does not exist.

Westminster Abbey had great people's cemetery behind: Handel, Shakespeare, Elizabeth Browning, etc.

Russian literature is deeper than English literature, why? Because they suffered more.

Fyodor Dostoevsky's Brothers of Karamazov: If there is no God, I am free...

Scary.

Romans 13:1 All authority is from God (not Romans 14)

Epicurus' trilemma: If God is almighty, then he is not all good and vice versa, so he cannot be both. For evil exists.
My answer: But the fact that we can say that, shows that God must be so good and so almighty that he allows this to be possible. (Sound bite version)
Defense: If you are given the same premises except there is no evil, how can you actually say them anymore? Since there is no more evil and you know not evil.

Lead us not into temptation, but delivery us from evil: Proofs that there can be hope which leads to prayer. However, one cannot just be stuck on hoping. When actually fell, there can be prayer for delivery as well.

So I paid $400 + $50 (donation due to their inconvenience of processing online payment) for my first course, first cohort discussion.

I'll try my best to read up, watch up all required videos, lectures, notes, etc.

Questions will be jotted down here as well. Hopefully, I would be able to take full advantage of this opportunity to talk with the likes of Tipton, since a one-on-one appointment is possible with this cohort.

What an amazing grace.

Recently, a pastor from a former church that is anti-Gospel-centered which I attended, asked me to help out in setting up Zoom for their retreat. I offered to help train before hand, but refused to be part of the crew.

Of course, this has to be an act of righteousness and nothing personal.

Was I dealing with cults? Not at all. Hopefully not. Prayerfully not. Scriptural verses such 1 Kings 13, 1 Corinthians 3:12 immediately come to the rescue. For actively pursuing a Gospel-Supporting-only vision, Rev. Lin has become anti-Gospel-Centered. This is why the children/youth ministries never really care much about the importance of the Biblical centered life, some of the elders holding on to Universalism, etc. Despite the work making sure that the public witness proper theological statements are being made by the church, as well as a few heavy supports on ministers such as Stephen Tong, etc.

Nevertheless, for the sanctity of my salvation and that of my wife's, a distinction had been made of our connection with this church and the pastor's vision and goal. The direction it's heading, it wouldn't be surprise if the church end up as a cult. Hopefully not, prayerfully not. As the best churches in the first century did not last anyway. Therefore, not by man, but by God, Soli Deo Gloria.

This of course, doesn't mean that I do nothing. Leaving that church has proven this. Never been more free, never been more clear minded in serving God, in learning under His precepts. Had we stayed in that church, we maybe in trouble with God as God has shown and taught me plenty throughout my life what to stay away from and what to pursue. This may not be same for others, but each would have to answer to God per their own decisions.

Now I can only pray and provide sufficient care for Rev. Lin's church. So that they may still taste the grace of God. But would not fall into supererogation nor their idolized praise of men.

No other religions in the world teach how to pray.

By capitalism, the countries produces very very rich folks who monopolized the majority wealth of the countries; By communism, poverty tramples upon human rights.

North America (Protestants) vs. South America (Roman Catholics):
High tax upon the rich, used for good social services vs. corruption in relationships.

Brazil president made citizens work, thus many infected with COVID-19.
The U.S. is too proud, thus now more than 180k death from COVID-19.

China's 3 richest, all facing problem. Jack Ma's whole family of 4 all contracted cancer of different types.

Tong: by every word of God, thus, this church preaches in expository, not topical.

Recalled the story of Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty. His uncle Zhu Di wishes to kill him for the throne.

King Henry VIII advised his son Edward to kill those who wish to usurp his throne.

No one has no enemies. Everyone offends each other due to different goals, standards, etc. Vengeance of machiavellianism.

First systematic theology (influenced by the baptist Hopkin Strong's systematic theology) in China, by Jia YuMing: 神道，不是神学。The organic relationships of all things from God to all things and among all things, is theology.

Why should God forgive you according to your way (that you forgive others)? As if God obeys you. So God forgives us first, we learn how to forgive others. But if you do not forgive, you will never receive God's continuous forgiveness.

To be continued on Lead us not INTO temptation, but delivery us FROM evil...next time.

For 8/16/2020:

Not much sermons in the world on Christ's prayer to the Father.

Without a body, one cannot be saved, because we sin in the flesh. Thus, angels have no salvation because they sinned in the realm of eternity, not temporal.

Christ's wish to pass the cup is not about Crist being afraid of death. In the 4th statement on the cross, Christ said: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. Only God and man can separate, God cannot separate from God. Thus, not "My Father, my Father..." So Christ wasn't separated from God as God, but as man. Martin Luther failed to understand and thus asked "who can understand God leaving God".

Jesus taught us how to pray in John 17:
When pray, pray as "our", instead of "my father", shows that prayer is not being selfish.

This is for the 8/23/2020 sermon:

Intro to the Lord's prayer, Matthew 6.

God has two kinds of children: 1. The only Son, 2. The sons of God.

The Creation of God:
The living creatures.
The angels (elect vs. bad angels) Only one place mentioned Elect angels (1Ti 5:21)

Augustine: The number of Christians will be the same as the number of the fallen angels.

To recognize the attributes of God when praying.

Our prayers to God, PROVE that He provides.

The need of prayer:

1. Material need (Daily Bread)
2. Relationship need (Forgiveness)
3. Lead not into temptation
4. Grant me the power to deal with Satan.

The prayer of men would not go beyond the above 4 points.

1. Material Need. Not for the greedy. Praying for wealth - useless.

Tong: Nose never rest.
Me: Technically, nose, which serves only as a gateway of air and filtration, doesn't really work. The lung and the diaphragm are the ones that work for air intake.

The economy of profit: if one profit, the other must lose. But everyone wants to profit. Where does the profit comes from? The Lord.

Eat What you need; do not eat what you want.

There is no need for much wealth nor food in a person's life.