• The Matter

    Witnessing

    I’m going to start a new job soon, and I left my old job. I was sad to leave since this was my first job out of college, and I’ve grown to really like the people at my company. Before I left, I was thinking more about how I could share the gospel to my coworkers since I might not ever see them again. I could share the gospel in a speech before I leave, write notes to each of my team members, or leave gospel tracts next to some pastries that I bring for my coworkers. After all that thinking and praying about it, I didn’t do any of…

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    Rut, Rot, or Revival – Reflections

    I read this book called Rut, Rot, or Revival. It’s a bunch of sermons by A.W. Tozer compiled by James L. Snyder. I was looking to better understand what revival looked like and realized a couple of things. Let me paint the general picture of what A.W. Tozer’s sermons were trying to say, and then I’ll talk about some of the things that I learned. A.W. Tozer pointed out the problems that he saw in Christianity during his lifetime. He said that people can be in a rut where they are in bondage to being in a rote, which is doing the same thing over and over without feeling. People…

  • Picture of Egypt's pyramids
    The Matter

    Isaiah 19 – God’s Love for Egypt

    Currently, I’m reading through the book of Isaiah when I’m not doing Bible study or Sunday prep. I wanted to go through this book, because there’s a ton of prophecies where God is explicitly talking to His people and other nations. There’s also a lot of imagery of God’s wrath and His love. The most interesting chapters that I find in this book are the ones where God judges a nation for their sins but also immediately talks about His promise to restore them. It’s an interesting paradox, but it’s a very clear image of God’s love for us today. To give an example of this, I wanted to talk…

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    Romans 9-11, Part 12

    Romans 11:30-36 Delimiting the Text 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift…

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    Romans 9-11, Part 11

    Romans 11:25-29 Delimiting the Text 25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; 27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the…

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    Romans 9-11, Part 10

    Romans 11:17-24 Delimiting the Text 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God…

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    Romans 9-11, Part 9

    Romans 11:11-16 Delimiting the Text 11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation…

  • The Matter

    Qualities to Look for in a Future Spouse

    Earlier this week, my friend asked me a couple of questions regarding dating. He asked me “what are some qualities I should be looking for in a person” and “what makes a good marriage”? I thought they were good questions and sent him a short spiel. I figured that it’d be a good thing to write about on the blog since it’s something that a lot Christians think about. When I was still single, I wondered what my spouse would be like, and when I was dating, I wondered if I was doing anything right. After going through that, I realized that I should not have gotten hung up on…

  • The Matter

    EV Training – Repentance

    Welcome to what may be the last week of the evangelism class series of this blog post. This is not the last lecture of the class, but due to COVID-19, we were unable to have our last class. It’d be kind of weird for me to write about a lecture that I didn’t attend, so this will be the last one. Today I’m going to talk about repentance. (It’s more of a hodgepodge of my experiences with sharing about repentance and some points from the lecture that I could work on.) When I think about repentance relative to salvation, I think of someone praying a prayer of repentance. When I…

  • Originals

    Romans 9-11, Part 0

    I’ve put up a series of posts now (the remainder are being formatted), commenting on my studies on Romans 9-11. I hope they will be useful to anyone trying to sort out the myriad of questions that Romans 9-11 (and really, 1-8 as well) inevitably provokes. If you would like the full text in one document, please let me know and I would be happy to send you a copy. Introductory Remarks The controlling issue of Romans 9-11 is the fate of Israel. But the fate of Israel brings up a deeper question regarding the faithfulness of God. The message of salvation and the power of God was proclaimed unto…