• The Matter

    EV Training – Motivation

    For the past few weeks, I have been attending an evangelism training class at my church. Evangelism is the act of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and to evangelize is to share the good news. Some people call it “EV” for short. While I was in college, my Christian fellowship had weekly outreach events that people would call “random EV”. It was called that, because we would walk around campus and talk to random people and try to share the gospel with them. It’s intimidating to say the least. I’m an engineer, and I’m really bad at pitching anything to people. I get nervous sharing my personal interests…

  • The Matter

    Testimony

    Today is Valentine’s day. You know what would be a good thing to write about today. Love and dating and marriage! I can also talk about how I tried to buy flowers at Ralphs last night at 9pm, because I couldn’t make it in time to get it at Trader Joe’s. Then I didn’t, because the flowers were super expensive. So I bought chocolate instead.. Yeah.. I’m not going to do that even though that’s the whole story. Maybe another time.. Anyways, I will share my personal love story of how I came to know Christ and how I continue to live as a Christian. Fair warning, it’s kind of…

  • Originals

    Romans 9-11, Part 3

    Romans 9:19-23 Delimiting the Text 19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the…

  • Originals

    Romans 9-11, Part 2

    Romans 9:6-13 Delimiting the Text 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had…

  • Originals

    Romans 9-11, Part 1

    Romans 9:1-5 Delimiting the Text 1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all,…