and additionally...

And tacking on to that last post, I'm gonna say:

"My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power."
- 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

And... read the funniest 2 verses of my life today:

"The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her."
- Judges 14:6-7

Really? "He liked her"? So anticlimactic...

be a laughingstock

Often, I find myself really frustrated because I can't understand the gospel, nor can I convey it in a way that makes sense.

But I want to be a laughingstock. For if it made sense to the world, then this would not be true:

"This is why I speak to them in parables:
'Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.'"
- Matthew 13:13

Right this moment, I'm okay with it not making sense to me or to the world.

Knowing God is the best thing in life. God loves us more than we can ever know, because He sent His Son to die for us, so that we could be free from ourselves, the desires of the world, and the sin that will keep us from God. He died to make a way back to the Father, by being our righteousness and defense. He died so that the chains of sin would be broken. He died as our ransom to the kingdom of darkness, so that we could be free to serve the kingdom of light. He died so that we could receive Him and trust in Him to change our hearts to return to Him. And so I turn to love and seek Jesus, because He's my hope for change, He's the only good thing on my permanent record, and because nothing in this world can satisfy me like the presence of God.

And this morning, Psalm 71 really spoke to me. I'm really thankful because I've been anxious and confused the past week. God is faithful - if we wait on Him, He will not let us be put to shame.

"My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
of your saving acts all day long -
though I know not how to relate them all.
I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD;
I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your mighty acts to all who are to come."
- Psalm 71:15-18

when you're in love...

A few excerpts from Francis Chan's Crazy Love, Chapter 6 ("When You're in Love"):

"'The critical question for our generation - and for every generation is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?'"
- John Piper, God is the Gospel

"The fact is, I need God to help me love God. And if I need His help to love Him, a perfect being, I definitely need His help to love other, fault-filled humans. Something mysterious, even supernatural must happen in order for genuine love for God to grow in our hearts. The Holy Spirit has to move in our lives."

"When you are pursuing love, running toward Christ, you do not have opportunity to wonder, Am I doing this right? or Did I serve enough this week? When you are running toward Christ, you are freed up to serve, love, and give thanks without guilt, worry, or fear. As long as you are running, you are safe."

"In reality, not one of us will ever be worthy. It is useless to attempt earning it; you will never feel ready. It is unknown and uncomfortable. But there really is a God who forgives everything and loves endlessly."

I love this chapter. This is all that matters in life, when you're in love. Loving God is the greatest joy in life - sometimes we don't believe it, but we need God for that. And Jesus died so that we could be set free from sin to experience that joy.