Reflecting on Legalism - Most Christians commit legalism without even realizing or in denial. When you fall into legalism, you are actually declaring that you are worshipping a limited God.
Gardening: From MiddlesexCountyNJ.Gov, listened to composting lecture today, but I stupidly hit "Abort" instead of "Stop" when it's done, thereby losing 1:30 hour worth of video. There should be recordings of all their videos here: https://tinyurl.com/rcevids
On Captain America: They had done it with Superman, the supposedly American Hero, but they worshipped and trampled on their own god, not by Kryptonite, but by Lois Lane, in various versions - from Lex Luther's involvement to her death. For now, they are leaving Steve Rogers alone, in the new series of The Falcon and the Winter Soldiers by Disney, who bought MARVEL in 2009 for $4 billions, Rogers' replaced by John Walker, a soldier trying to do the right thing, the only difference, no, not the lack of Rogers' supernatural strength, but the struggling of self identity, self dignity. Rogers didn't came from a comfortable background either, so there's not much use blaming in Walker's upbringing, if there's any hardship. They had to use the Afghanistan war as an excuse of Walker's mishap. Abraham Cho of Redeemer loved the contrast, but what he failed:
John Walker: "I don't care what anyone says, I know I'm right. I am Captain America after all. I will not allow any government to tell me what I can or cannot to do because they cannot be trusted. Only I can be trusted. I will not submit to accountability because they are wrong. Instead I will do whatever it takes to be true to my best friend. "Us: "Ugh, he's the worst!" Steve Rogers: "I don't care what anyone says, I know I'm right. I am Captain America after all. I will not allow any government to tell me what I can or cannot to do because they cannot be trusted. Only I can be trusted. I will not submit to accountability because they are wrong. Instead I will do whatever it takes to be true to my best friend. "Us: "Yay, he's the best!" ~ Abraham Cho Facebook Friday, 4/16/2021 7:56pm
was that Rogers possessed a very selfless goal in everything he does, minus the part where he hooked up with his love Peggy Carter, in which case, he's out of the game, once he put himself in the picture, thereby, avoiding all collateral damages deep enough for him to care about. Walker wanted to follow the same heroic path, but his dignity was overwhelmed by failures and he gave up. Rogers did not have any role model to follow, there's no destroying his dignity as he's given it up for others. Thus, such selfless act is precious, you cannot tarnish it. Now my question would be, if everyone's a Steve Rogers, then who do we help? Each other? Then it is ultimately who we serve. Rogers serves something unknown, you may call it God, America, the people, as long as he avoids involving his pride and dignity in it, he'll probably be fine, but it's heading towards vanity. It's there, the Buddhist denied it, the one Whom we all serve.
I've doing it the hard way...using a farmer's fork. Very tiresome. I may not be able to afford this Sod-cutter but there are other tools like a sod knife, etc. Principle's the same, cut the perimeter of the lawn to be removed to certain depth and removal should be easy.
Too Good to Go: So there's this new app I've been using for a couple of weeks now. But actually, just 3 times among 2 restaurants so far. It's a good idea, I think I may have thought of it before. Restaurants, food shops, especially in America, love to throw away their left overs, and they are a lot, fresh too. So the goal of the app is to help them make some $ out of it at cheap price. I tried first Delmonico Gourmet Food, at 375 Lexington Ave., not bad, for $6, the staff picked the buffet meal for me, I think I could insist on my choices, but I was easy. The second restaurant was New Open Kitchen, which I loved it at first...went a second time, but the third...bad. The first two times, I was allowed to go pick the buffet myself. Food's not bad as well. But on the third time, they prepacked the food for us, I would rate it lower than even Delmonico. But I think they were cheaping out on my...all of them, both restaurants. Because it's supposed to be of $18 value. Time to look for another restaurant, or delete this app.
The Legacy Standard Bible, from John MacArthur's group. It is supposed to be very literally translated from the original text: i.e. YHWH will not be translated as LORD, all doulos will be translated as slave. There are discussions on PuritanBoard, 2, 3. Some said it's unnecessary, etc. To me, it's just a quick reference, especially for those who don't want to take the time to study/refer to Hebrew/Greek text. I would add it to my E-Sword if there's a module.
Listened to the latest William Lane Craig's Podcast, again with the Middle Knowledge. The methods not the means to believe, but are decorative backgrounds for believe as means to His glory. So God does not need to setup a situation for a person of His "elect" whereby he will come to faith on his on volition. Let's say there are two identical situations where by two people are given the same upbringing, mindset and environmental background, WLC's Middle Knowledge is going to cast the same result for both of them. Not true, God could just elect and and not the other, because it's not about fairness, it's not about options, but the act of the Spirit upon the dead soul.
Rev 2:1 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 'The words of him whoholds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. Rev 2:2 "'I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. Rev 2:3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. Rev 2:4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Rev 2:6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Rev 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'
Rev 2:8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. Rev 2:9 "'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Rev 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. Rev 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.'
Rev 2:12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 'The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword. Rev 2:13 "'I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. Rev 2:15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Rev 2:16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. Rev 2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'
Rev 2:18 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: 'The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. Rev 2:19 "'I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. Rev 2:20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. Rev 2:21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Rev 2:22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, Rev 2:23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will knowthat I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. Rev 2:24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Rev 2:25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. Rev 2:26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, Rev 2:27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. Rev 2:28 And I will give him the morning star. Rev 2:29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
Rev 3:1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him whohas the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. "'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Rev 3:2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Rev 3:3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Rev 3:4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. Rev 3:5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. Rev 3:6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
Rev 3:7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: 'The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. Rev 3:8 "'I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Rev 3:9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie--behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that I have loved you. Rev 3:10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. Rev 3:11 I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. Rev 3:12 The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. Rev 3:13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'
Rev 3:14 "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. Rev 3:15 "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! Rev 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Rev 3:17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Rev 3:18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Rev 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Rev 3:21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Rev 3:22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"
I shall start a chart on the 7 churches, which are evidence also today.
Tong: Beware of preachers who do not look after the poor.
Why God allowed Israelites to fail to Balaam's trick. The sin is from self. Musuh di geraja di dalam gereja.
Don't count on your ancestry for God's blessings.
Don't be like Thomas, who failed to come to church.
Those who believe without miracles, greatest blessing (First class Christians). Those who believe via miracles = secondary blessing (Second class Christians).
v. 17: new names on the white stone: Jacob becomes Israel, Simon becomes Peter.
"I only know I am Stephen Tong today, one day, God will himself tell me what my name is. I await that day." We are in the process of the journey.
So we don't use that anymore at SPG. I upgraded the Letterhead Wizard to use the new javascript add-in instead of the old VB script done by someone predates even Al, I think. However, those lingering with the 32bit VB script in their Word would get disrupted every time they open Word with the pop up saying the Letterhead Wizard add-on shortcut cannot be found.
I tried removing the Normal Template from: AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates, but that won't do. Not even going into Word > Options > Add-in > remove all letterhead related matters.
Church steeples are fashioned after military watchtowers starting AD 600. It appears that lots of OPC churches are structured with a steeple. Steeples are usually enclosure (belfry) for bells, a fashion adapted by Islam's minarets. A steeple could contain a lantern section between the spire and belfry.
Some churches have little or big cross on the spire (sharp pointy top part) of the steeple. The Mormons usually place a stature of their angel Moroni on it.
It's mainly a symbolic display of heaven pointing significance after the tradition of European and mainly British church architecture custom.
The OPC churches call what others refer to clergy house as manse. More commonly known as rectory elsewhere.
China leading ahead USA. According to my dad's favorite New York Youtuber, Mr. You:
It seems that this is based on the number of billionaires between Beijing and New York City. NYC (99) lost to Beijing (100) in 2020.
Stephen Tong in his recent sermon has already warned young people (or parents) against studying/moving abroad to USA, due to the failing Christendom there.
Seeing dying fish on the beaches in our area had puzzled me for around a year now. I thought they were shads. But according to the news, they are menhaden. Apparently it wasn't a mystery just for me, many had wondered if it had to do with low oxygen levels in the water, but scientists are saying that the Vibrio bacteria is to be blamed. This makes me fear more of our nearby water, definitely not fishing here until I tested the water myself or something. I feel sorry for those still fishing by the water fronts. Perhaps they did it just for sports, not for food.
After one week of hiatus from swimming, I'm back to LA Fitness this morning (Thursday), first day I am able to work it out with Greg to just come into office twice, instead of thrice a week, while work the rest of the days from home, like the others. That's at least $380-$212 = $168 NJ transit train savings. Now I just have to work it out with Nadia's Flexpass (the Transit's new pandemic deal of 20 tickets for 20% off for 30 days), to save even more. If I could reduce it to just one day in office a week, not only would I save (roughly $212-$106=$106) more, I may actually be able to get my desk station back because Rudy wouldn't need to be there on the day I come in (Social Distancing). But Greg was right, we need a way to retain a backup in case one goes off for vacation. Oh well, I guess as IT, one still can't fully work from home (WFH). Well, at least I get to improve my butterfly stroke today. My lesson in the dolphin stroke had been interrupted when I was little while being trained in USM. Why? I don't remember, perhaps just a matter of late timing. My only tutor in this favorite stroke of Michael Phelps is Youtube. It is indeed to most exhausting stroke. There is kick twice per arms dive/swing method that works, but I think I should pursue kick-swing-kick-swing method as well. Thus far, I clocked my records at: 20 secs for 25m
Made me looked up the USM swimming pool (50m x 25m). Ah what memories I had, my parents would bring me and my brother, we would bring a large thermos of hot Milo, which tasted 10 times better after an exhaustive swim (or water play), we would drink it by the stair-bench on the left shown below:
The USM pool definitely looks smaller than I imagined. Yup, like my dad said, when you grow up, things you used to remember will seem smaller.
I have rekindled my interest in Astronomy yet again, after trying out the EVScope a few months ago and then stopped due to cold weather and not able to get out of Bortle scale high than 6, 7. I'll just do it with my binoculars for most parts for now. Astrophotography will have to wait a bit, though it is not too distant away, I hope. So below is the Spring sky of 4/8/2021 around 10PM in our backyard in South Amboy:
Backyard Observation, 4/8/2021, around 10PM, South Amboy, NJ. Labeled ones are seen by naked eyes, unlabeled ones are found via binoculars, i.e. the stars in Corona Borealis.
When some trashed Ravi Zacharias' books after the slander becomes real, I thought like what most with some brain think, that you listen to what they preach you don't do what they do. Even that, I thought, that any minister who love writing books more than preaching (real life confrontation) already have problem. Now, I look at these kinds of books burners as idol worshippers. I don't buy books to show support or admiration, unlike them.
Crucifixion Darkness mentioned. The length of it therefore. I read that the Mormons believe that it's 3 days of darkness in the New World at the time.
Most artists painted the Crucifixion without wounds, except for: Mathias Grünewald
John & Peter Running towards the Sepulcher Painting by Eugene Burnand shown. 1898. https://www.artbible.info/art/large/49.html
Many artists based on this for their works. But I found an earlier piece by Valentine Green, 1784, Mezzotint:
Facial expressions are the only differences I could analyze.
Threat of life can force someone to tell the truth or lie. Lie, because the truth one stands on was not valuable than his own life. But such treat cannot make someone a liar, when the truth he stands for is more valuable than his life. So the what is the truth, is important here. If the truth is mere pride, then it's useless, despite steaking one's life on it.
As a side note, I suddenly thought of if Tim Keller had a bad impression of Stephen Tong due to Tong's criticism of him in KL 2020, thus fell for the most common trap of “Who do you think you are, criticism me without knowing me first". We often never take kindly to stranger's criticism, be it right or wrong. Also we often do not criticize those whom we know/close to as hardly. Bringing this before Christ, I reflect upon who, what type, Christ rebukes. It appears that strong criticisms upon those taking the role of a teacher: Pharisees, Mary mother of Jesus when she asked Jesus to perform miracle, Peter when he rebuked Jesus out of loyalty.
Where will you be when Jesus comes. Rev 6:16 "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!"
Psa 2:12, mentioned first time in the OT, kiss the son. In NT, only one person mentioned that kissed the son, Judas. Fake kiss. Your worship is useless if you mouth is close to Christ but your heart far. Who can stand before Christ when he appears? Kiss him now!
A Japanese conductor who is reformed, Masaaki Suzuki, loves to listen to Tong's sermons in Singapore.
This song was mentioned, regarding someone local cello player in his concert hall, so I just searched Youtube for a random player of this piece:
新派的用头脑认识上帝，越想越离开上帝。
在各各他，只有一个看不见智慧，看不见神迹，却得到更大的智慧，神迹。
各各他是上帝把他的心破开给全人类看的一个地方。
各各他是上帝把完全没有爱临到却从那边产生了爱的源头，供应每个人需要的一个地方。
Two things when man sins he does not realize: 1. When he is proud, he knows not his pride - He would never say "Look I am being proud now" 2. When he is jealous, he does not realize he is being jealous.
There are other sins as well that is not realized, such as when we misunderstood others, etc.
Thus, Luke 23:34. Upon which the thief on the cross reflected. Contrasted his position with Christ's.
Some listen and think. Some listen but never think.
Jesus' last breath was unique, for it was a loud command. No one does that when they die.
Though we learned from Paul in Romans that God raised Christ from death, The Holy Spirit raised Christ. But in the book of John Chapter 10, Jesus has authority to give and take back his life.
So I got my Pfizer vaccine first shot today, well, 4/1, at Mount Sinai. Took a day off from SPG. Went there around 1:30pm. Line's not bad, about 3 people before me. The only negative part, slightly, was after signing in, I went through a survey process with a young chubby black lady who's rather slow or having issue with her computer. But her work attitude wasn't great either, it was as if she really didn't want to be there. But I kept my bright attitude to hopefully encourage her. The rest of the staffs are great. I didn't feel anything wrong after the shot. It's 1:51AM now, and if I touch my left arm where the shot was, I could feel something, similar to that of a slight contusion and that's about it for now. My wife said that the real deal is after the second shot, so let's see. Mine's on 4/20, supposedly 3:10pm, but I don't know what this lady did because I got 9:15AM on my MYCHART app instead. Can't make it that early, just need to bring this 3:10pm appointment paper to show as proof then.
The Covid19 is a time of trial God revealed what we hide in our hypocrisy. When churches in America refused to wear masks or laugh at the policy setup for the pandemic, they reveal themselves to actually be lack of caring, despite what care missions they try to promote verbally, not to mention the apparent care in evangelism. Individual freedom over true care, is what it is.
Good Friday, listened to GRII Stephen Tong. I thank God for such blessing. After much reflection, I can firmly say, in all seriousness, if I ever have to respond to CCCNY's Laura Lin's (林美云) action FOR me (such as given me this or that title, or introducing me to this or that person), this is my response: 我对乌撒的手段没兴趣。The work of God, requires the LOVE of God, the LOVE FOR God. Not the pride of status, not the pride of humility, not the unholy solutions to sins. If God does not struck her, that means He is still using her. Her title as pastor still stands, that means God in His mysterious ways worketh in CCCNY, that I cannot deny, never had, never will. How can I turn the LOVE of Christ into such blasphemy? No. May God forgive me, even for the slightest and unrealized derailment from His holy precepts.
