Psalm 38

O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath!
For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has come down on me.
There is no soundness in my flesh
because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
because of my sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

My wounds stink and fester
because of my foolishness,
I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
all the day I go about mourning.
For my sides are filled with burning,
and there is no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and crushed;
I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

O Lord, all my longing is before you;
my sighing is not hidden from you.
My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
and my nearest kin stand far off.

Those who seek my life lay their snares;
those who seek my hurt speak of ruin
and meditate treachery all day long.

But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
I have become like a man who does not hear,
and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

But for you, O LORD, do I wait;
it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
For I said, "Only let them not rejoice over me,
who boast against me when my foot slips!"

For I am ready to fall,
and my pain is ever before me.
I confess my iniquity;
I am sorry for my sin.
But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
Those who render me evil for good
accuse me because I follow after good.

Do not forsake me, O LORD!
O my God, be not far from me!
Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!

(ESV)

Man's true purpose

I was just looking through my blog and found this post I wrote two years ago on Winter Break, but didn't post. As I'm reading The Slumber of Christianity (Dekker), Mere Christianity (Lewis), and Desiring God (Piper) my mind is once again drawn to this subject but with even more clarity and this post becomes current in my mind again.

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Why does man suffer? Or, why do we not find answers to why we have suffering for different reasons?

I think this all goes back to the purpose of man.
All people are created with purpose. The need for a purpose is easily visible in people today throughout our nation. Many people make this purpose out to be the old "American Dream" of wealth and independence. Some people take the apparent morals which are popular in society today such as a happy family or the advancement of mankind. While not bad, these purposes are not the ultimate purpose of man which he was created to fulfill. This purpose, I believe is to glorify God through the means which God has provided and through the plan which conforms to His will or plans for our lives.

Is man's purpose to fulfill his desires, to be happy for happiness' sake, to have knowledge for knowledge's sake? This brings up another question: Ultimately, what fulfills man's desire for happiness, and joy. Is it being free from pain? Or is it from being healthy? Or, does material wealth give ultimate happiness and fulfillment?

A look around: There are wealthy people that commit suicide in every generation. How can wealth bring happiness? It would appear that it does not. According to the scriptures, it does not. In Ecclesiastes 2:1-10, Solomon, one of the richest and most wise men ever to walk the earth talks about how he thought wealth and material possession was his fulfillment. He talks about how through hard work he built up wealth and possessions for his enjoyment, but in verse 11 he says "Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun." He explains more in the rest of the chapter, but that seems to answer that question.

Another look at today's people shows that people with health and wealth alike are equally not happy and bring themselves to bitter and untimely ends. How can health alone bring happiness? We see people that are in some of the worst of physical cases with the happiness not found in ten people around at a glance.

Does knowledge bring happiness? Do we have knowledge today? As my Prof. Mr. Phillipps said in class "knowledge for knowledge's sake is not knowledge at all. Knowledge for the Lord's sake is true knowledge." (that's a paraphrase since my notes are still in my dorm) With the invention of the internet we have knowledge galore. Everyone's knowledge is everyone else's knowledge. Again from Solomon we hear "For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow." (Ecc 1:18). Knowledge has not fulfilled man ultimately.

If the ultimate purpose of man is not fulfilled with health, wealth, or knowledge what brings ultimate fulfillment of man's purpose? Ultimately nothing can be as great or as noble as bringing glory to the creator of man. Bringing glory to God, the creator of the universe and mankind is the greatest purpose mankind can ever have.



All people are created with purpose, or the need for one. The need for a purpose is easily visible in people today throughout our nation. Many people make this purpose out to be the old "American Dream" of wealth and independence. Some people take the apparent morals which are popular in society today such as a happy family or the advancement of mankind. While not bad, these purposes are not the ultimate purpose of man which he was created to fulfill. Those without purpose become enslaved with depression and self-loathing because of the lack of purpose, the disillusionment that is cast by the thought that one is useless and worthless. This purpose which is ultimate fulfillment, I believe, is to glorify God through the means which God has provided and through the plan which conforms to His will or plans for our lives. Bringing glory to God is the greatest purpose.

~Yokanchi

Fall 2008

Well, this has been quite the semester. My friend and next-door neighbor eloped and dropped out of school, I was put on chapel probation without even going over the 6-miss limit, my roommate and good friend graduated this semester, I had a new boss, and I punched someone in the face while I was asleep.

Learning all along the way, I feel that I've matured greatly in the school of life, with my grand God the presiding head professor.

The most important lesson I feel I've learned this semester is how to let go of strong feelings impeding godly behavior like anger and resentment as well as feelings stemming from desires for revenge and stress from various things, not excluding homework, work, roomates and other trials of life.

God has shown me my innermost thoughts can be revealed when I least expect it, and therefore the importance of developing the right mindset brought about by correct beliefs in truth, and evidenced by correct attitudes, producing ultimately right, godly actions in my life.

Though I haven't reacted perfectly and maybe not even in the best way, I feel that overall God has brought about these situations, and sometimes even trials, while providing me the strength in maturity and discernment to have come about through each of these things having provided an adequate and righteous reaction. In this way I feel that my experience, knowledge and wisdom have been increased this semester in a visible way, and for this I thank my almighty Creator for His providence, wisdom and loving care towards my soul through these times.

I also want to tahnk all my friends and professors fora ll the things you've done for me and taught me, Thanks for being there for me. Whatever happens in the future, whether I see you all again or whether your path in life departs from where God has led you to in my life. I pray that God would heap blessing upon your life and bring prosperity and joy more and more into your life!

Thanks friends!

Till next post.
Your faithful typer,
Billy A.

Something I found

Two things I request of You

(Deprive me not before I die):

Remove falsehood and lies far from me;

Give me neither poverty nor riches-

Feed me with the food allotted to me;

Let I be full and deny You,

And say, "Who is the Lord?"

Or lest I be poor and steal,

And profane the name of my God.



-Proverbs 30:7-9





Till next post.
Your faithful typer,
Yokanchi

My Simple Guidebook to life - Abridged

This here is my simple guidebook to the good life. I guess alot of it is thigs I've learned throughout 19 years of my life. I wanted to make this more comprehensive, but I'm going to have to post more later if I get around to it.
If you want to see more, or if you have questions, holler.

There's more than one way to skin a cat, but this is the simple guidebook. That means that it is summarized and each solution to something or advice to remember is the easiest or most convenient while still being most effective. Think of it as an optimum mix of fuel and oxygen for the engine avaliable. If you don't like that analogy you can just be sad, because I'm not coming up with another one.

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General

#1 Go do it yourself.

#2 Don't be a slave.

#3 Don't be controlling.

#4 Don't be uneconomical. This goes for alot of things, but if you can afford to be uneconomical in whatever it is, and you feel like it then go right ahead. Just don't tee people off while you do it (very much).

#5 Share. This doesn't go for everything. Be polite. But share your interests, share your stuff. That's basically it.

#6 Don't be selfish (see number five for more information)

#7 Loyalty with friends is gold.
Have it, don't let it go.

#8 Fun. Have it, share it, remember it's like money, you can't always have it.

#9 Be happy, and relax. If you're a Christian that is, if not I would worry and figure out how to get to heaven. If you're wondering just ask, any Christian knows and any Christian is dying to tell you.

#10 Remember you can't always be happy, but even when you're in the dumps, don't go dumpster diving.

#11 Be crazy, but don't get in trouble. There's a million ways to accomplish this, without getting in trouble, trust me.

#12 Remember, your influence reaches alot farther than you probably think. People notice how many times you blink. You are watched and you effect.

#13 Advice is helpful, experience is life-changing. (of course I have to note that the wise learn from Advice, but remember the people who do so have probably learned from experience)

#14 Have real conversations to sift away the silt or you will become shallow.

#15 Always use your time for something productive. (refer to number four)

#16 Sometimes things are the way they are. Keep that in mind and know when to realize that.

#17 Change is good

#18 Change is bad

#19 Paradoxes are everywhere, deal with it.

#20 Too much of something good is often not good.

#21 Collect maturity within yourself, and be patient with those that have less and don't seem to be trying.

#22 Pray often.

#23 Don't quit on what is important. Read your Bible everynight no matter what. Don't fast your eyes from it!

#24 If there is a problem Don't worry about it, just keep it in mind, and try to fix it most efficiently and

#25 Summarize everything, unless people don't get it. Worse than not unerstanding something is understanding and not being able to do it, because someone won't stop explaining it to you.

#26 Don't take everything too seriously (This includes your self, you can cry if it helps you get over it). See the humor in everything but don't get hung up on it and miss the big picture.

#27 Bluntness can be a useful tool in communication, just like a hammer is useful. You can't always use the diplomatic chisel to get your point across, but don't forget hammers aren't pretty and they don't make things pretty. Blunt honesty is just one tool, not your toolbox.

Health

(these are a little longer, the human body is more complex and diverse and that's just the way it is)

#1 If you want to lose weight, drink lots of water and avoid fatty foods (aka foods with fat in them) and processed sugar (aka anything that doesn't come out of a fruit or vegetable). The more strictly it is followed the faster you lose weight and the slower and more loosely the harder it will be. Of course some type of excercise must be involved weekly preferrably at a minimum of two times a week.

#2 To stay extra healthy. First of all, lose some extra weight (refer to #1) and follow instruction number one easily. Second, get more and more excercise. This means excercise consistantly at least every other day.

#3 If you want to grow more muscle. The best start is to do a bite size se of pushups every night. Something that pushes you a little beyond your limits. Most important to this tip is to continue faithfully. Try 25 pushups a night or something. You'll be looking better before you know it. After that you can expand all kinds of ways. Don't push too hard, but don't back off.

#4 If you're having problems with your moods (which is part of your body, do not forget) or any other health problem don't worry about it, just keep it in mind, and try to fix it by being more healthy in the particular way that directly effects the problem you have.

#5 Don't forget to relax. That can be very bad for you.

#6 Eating dead animal is never really good for you even if there may be some benefits.

#7 The dairy companies have lied to you, milk is not really that good for you. It's not worth the benefits they advertise. Just take calcium vitamins or something. Sorry to pop your bubble.

People

#1 Talk to people. No one likes being too shy. It's boring.

#2 Don't talk too much. Some people have this problem. Trust me I know some. If you keep saying dumb things or things you wish you hadn't, try talking less often.

#3 Listen to people. This doesn't mean stop talking, it means be patient and understanding when people talk to you.

#4 Be easy-going. That is the polar opposite of being anything people don't like. Don't forget, too much of a good thing is not a good thing (so to speak) so don't take anything, including this, too far.

#5 Laugh at people's jokes even if they're not always funny.

#6 If someone is never funny or thinks they're funnier than they are you can cool the polite laugh for a while and give them a chance to go have their fun on their own. If they still like it, good for them. They may find themselves short of people to hang out with.

#7 The opposite sex (boys or girls, whichever you may someday date or marry): Relax. Don't get so uptight. Their weird, but they're still human.

#8 Don't have too few friends, don't have too many.

#9 Have a good variety of friends. It's good for you.

#10 Be unselfish. The Bible says alot about this, but this is the simple version, go find it yourself.

#11 Don't get all uptight about annoying people. Especially if you're related.

#12 Don't be a wet noodle around annoying or obnoxious people. If they're running head on, let them run into you sometimes, but don't be a roadblock.

#13 Don't be so shallow you can't talk to friends about deep things.

#14 Always remember that what you say (or do, or write, etc...) can have unintended consequences no matter what it is.

#15 People are stupid.

#16 Keep in mind you aren't going to find many unselfish people.

#17 Keep in mind everyone is selfish but how much depends on how mature they are.

#18 Along with 17, people aren't perfect. Even if you don't see a thing wrong with them, remember something is there. Everyone has issues. Expect it, deal with it, forgive, forget, heal, help, and be unselfish and loving overall.

#19 Remember everyone is proud of themselves, whether you see it at first or not.

#20 Finesse in communication should be key over all. If you've got other problems it can be a cure or point towards what you're looking for so get some practice and get good at it.

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Till next post.
Your faithful typer,
Yokanchi

PS Hopefully I will be able to add to this. Especially more sections. If you want me to do a particluar section, holler.

Paradoxes and stuff

Dual post!!

I came up with some more stuff I just wanted to get out there right after I posted that. Just some things I've been studying and thinking over throughout life and lately and in my devos.

First about the paradoxes in the Christian life. I'm so amazed all the time about the paradoxes found in the Christian life/faith. It's amazing. I would have to say it makes the Christian's life so much more interesting and sometimes complicated.
Like the way that Christ's death brings us life and not only life, but eternal life!
Or the way that we are supposed to die to self to come alive. Or how in 1 John 4:18 John says;

"There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath punishment; and he that feareth is not made perfect in love."

And then at the same time we are best off having a fear of God (thus the phrase God fearing folk, or whatever).


Gen 20:11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place. And they will slay me for my wife's sake.

Psa 61:5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.

Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, And find the knowledge of God.

Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.


Another paradox I've always found interesting and particularly emphasised specially well is where Paul is talking about the struggle within ourselves against the sin nature.



Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.


Rom 7:15 For that which I do I know not: for not what I would, that do I practise; but what I hate, that I do.

(This is one of my favorite verses depicting what I'm sure many Christians feel all the time, the battle between the will to be righteous and the temptation of the flesh to sin)

Rom 7:16-18 But if what I would not, that I do, I consent unto the law that it is good. So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not.


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Second Section

One thing I really wanted to write about and have everyone read is what I'm going to type about next. I really would hope everyone would read this or pay attention now if nothing else is read or gained in this post.

One thing I've been studying lately is the "love passage" as some like to romanticize it up as, 1 Corinthians 13. Specifically the first half and middle especially, emphasizing verses 4, 5, and 6.


1Co 13:1-3 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.


1Co 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.


1Co 13:8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.


Doesn't fail,
didja catch that? It doesn't. Remember that, you'll need some of that stuff some day (scratch that, you'll need it every day!).


This is so very key and important I cannot emphasize it enough through the words I possess and so I will say this:

PAY ATTENTION!!!!

Basically the point I really want to get across is how important it is for every single Christian on this planet needs to read this because it has soo much information about how we need to love every Christian with a "Christian love"

The information is clear, the hard part is remembering it. Problem solved, your assignment, memorize it, NOW. I'm joking, but you really should memorize this if at all possible unless you've already got this covered 100% (so basically you better start memorizing)

Numero Uno (number one for those who aren't as incredibly bilingual as I am):
Love is patient and, is kind. We gotta put up with people, but the sentence doesn't end there. Don't be narrow minded! AND is kind! We can't just put up with people in our church or life. The Christians around us. We have to put up with them KINDLY! Remember that. I forget often.
2. Love does not envy or boast. Not too hard. Don't be jealous. Only God can do that and we aren't allowed to take his job. Remember that one angel of light (Lucifer) who tried that? Didn't turn out so well. But also, remember this; love doesn't boast. So often I think that's just that pride that is oh so prevailing in every person I know (so much the more myself). Love doesn't boast, when you serve or show love in anyway, it is not for boasting. In ANY way.
3. It is not arrogant or rude. This isn't really hard to grasp. Simple to grasp and hard to do. Easy for you to say, as some people might put it but remember it, always. When you're interacting in anyway with people you should be showing love, remember to kill the arrogance or rudeness. Just get rid of the hostility. It's not needed within the Christian family.
4. Does not insist on it's own way. This is another one that is not so hard for us to grasp. It's just something that we forget occasionally and we should be on the look out for in everything, not just the little stuff.
5. It is not irritable or resentful. This can come up all the time, especially within family relations. But, of course as a Church is so much like a family problems can arise. Moods, opinions, or disagreements are not to be affecting our love towards others making us irritable or resentful towards them, We are told to put away grudges.
6. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with truth. Another seemingly no-brainer, but this one needs to be watched out for especially in close friendships. At least for myself. We should look to see that we are not exalting wrongdoings (even small ones, perhaps breaking the speed limit or making fun of people?) between each other and only rejoicing in the truth. Take that along with the first one of course. Tolerate with kindness!

And finally, Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. A great summing up of the feeling of how we should be loving each other. Remember that loyalty towards any other believe or friend. These statements exhibit in all reality a type of naive love that needs to be shown to each other. Don't be doubting or second-guessing each other. And please keep faith in each other. Every person on this planet has shortcomings and that should be kept in mind even for our fellow Christians. Remember that though they are not perfect they are trying their best, or at least we must have the attitude that they are and love serve and respect them and encourage faithfulness to our great God.

Keeping all this in mind is something that is vital to Christian life, as a good Christian life calls for fellowship with other believers. Show the Godly love to each other all the time. Perpetually. Write these verses in your heart (or on your forehead, whichever is most convenient) and remember to actually DO IT!
This I believe is one thing that is absolutely essential as the eggs in a good cake are to hold a Christian body such as a Church together. And much more to be remembered in interpersonal relations, where this is to be put to use.

Till next post.
Your faithful typer,
Yokanchi

(all quotations unless noted from ASV)

Death

Here's a cool post I found in my notebook I had been meaning to post. I wrote this some time ago. I think during chaper. The speaker probably said something that made me think of this or maybe was talking about it in the first place. In any case here it is in the entirety. I did minimal editing. That's usually what I try to do when I find something I wrote before to try and capture exactly what I was thinking then and it's usually more powerful when I wrote it all in one go.
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Why do people fear death? They stay away from even the subject of death, giving the conversations and things related to it a negative reference calling it morbid or depressing. Should it be different for a Christian? People's ideas of death always seem so similar. A funeral is almost never happy whether Christian or not. When a person dies we call it "passing away". People don't often say someone "died" but refer to it as "passing away". If you really think about it though, in reality, unless the person was a Christian that phrase is not accurate at all. When a Christian dies he is only passing to heaven, moving out of earth. When you say "he passed away" referring to an unbeliever the only way that is correct is that they are passing away from earth to Hell. Which is really just the same as death. Of course, this isn't something we like to think about, but nevertheless bring the painful reality to mind and think about it for a moment. All things considered, referring to the death of an unbeliever as just that is really the most accurate expression. A person that didn't accept Christ as savior before death really has "died". A Christian in all reality never dies, they only pass from death to life. The unbeliever in death really does lose his earthly life or body, but going to Hell really is the literal death of the soul.

Till next post.
Your faithful typer,
Yokanchi

~
"The world was made round so that we would never be able to see too far down the road."
- Isak Dinesen
~

Proverbs

Here’s some of the truths I decided to write down while listening to proverbs 11-20
These are paraphrased. I wrote down the ones that I thought I might forget or are very important to me in the things that I’m going through.

• By knowledge the righteous are saved.
• He who is trustworthy keeps a thing covered.
• He who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.
• Be assured the evil will not go unpunished.
• One gives freely but grows all the richer.
• Evil comes to him who searches it.
• Whoever captures souls is righteous.
• Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge.
• An excellent wife is like the crown of a husband.
• A man is commended according to his good sense.
• Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast.
• He who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
• The work of a man’s hand comes back to him.
• Those who plan peace have joy.
• Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord.
• The hand of the diligent will rule.
• The slothful will be put to forced labor.
• Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word encourages him.
• By insolence comes nothing but strife.
• Good sense wins favor.
• Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise.
• Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord.
• You get what you sow.
• The evil bow down before the good.
• Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner.
• Whoever presses the poor insults his maker.
• The helper of the poor is blessed.
• A soft answer turns away wrath.
• The eyes of the Lord are in every place watching the good and the bad.
• Whoever ignores instruction despises himself.
• A whisperer separates close friends.
• The lot is cast into the lap, but every decision is from the Lord. (speaking of which, Have you ever tried praying and then using dice to decide what to do when you are feeling awfully indecisive?)

That’s all for now.

Till next post.
Your faithful typer,
Yokanchi

~
"Consistency isn't always good especially if you're consistently wrong."
~

He who finds it will lose it.

I was just listening to a John Reuben song and it sounded like it was talking about the concept Jesus talks about in Matthew 10:39.
I had never really understood what Jesus siad in this verse: "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."

In the song Reuben says something like: if you live your life for things that don't really matter in the end and you die. Then really you had nothing all along.

It made me realize what Jesus meant. If you live your life to the 'fullest' as some people call it. Living for yourself and wasting your time. You may have lots of fun, but in the end you will lose your life. But whoever leaves his life to serve others and make the name of Christ great, then for losing your life at death you will have saved it.

It was kind of cool how it just clicked in my mind.

Till next post.
Your faithful typer,
Yokanchi

~
"Trouble with grammar have I, yes."
- Yoda
~

Truth & Life Conference

So the first week of being here we are just supposed to go to conferences in the morning and at night. Tonight's speaker was really really good and one part of what he said really struck me.

If people are leaving the church or the youth group it is because we have not made the story of the cross brilliant, compelling, or clear enough. It is not because the church/youth group is not 'cool' enough or does not have contemporary enough music or media. This is a very adolescent look at it/ If people are leaving it is because we have not proven Christ to be worth more than money, power, sex, drugs, friends, or materialism.

Our speaker was Art Azurdia. He was really amazing. I think he was my favorite speaker so far.