readings

Inspired by a friend to commit things I’ve been reading to memory. Partly made this blog for that purpose, but I’ll probably be sharing some other things as well! Feel free to peruse thru my posts. Might be a bit dry though. :) CL

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encouragement

"Give yourself to the longest, hardest work you've ever known, with the dream that someday, on the other side, God's gonna do more than you ever thought he could..." - John Piper

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Statement to Myself: Why I Chose Medicine

Having the ability to help someone/make them feel better is a privilege

It's fascinating and challenging

I didn't like most other subjects

God opened this path for me

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Peace, Joy

May the God of hope grant you all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope.

Romans 15:13

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Medicine

"My ministry calling is to free people from the bondage of their illness and disease."

Dr. Ted Fenske

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1 Timothy 6:6

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

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Suffering

There's so much suffering everywhere. Makes me want to go back to Vancouver. And makes me realize how self-focused I've always been and am. There's always the tendency to just focus on my own life and my own needs. How can I have missed so many opportunities?

But rather, this is the Lord's charge:

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

(1 Tim. 6:17-19)

And as part of the Body of Christ, we are called to this lifestyle:

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

(Gal. 6:2)

May the Holy Spirit transform me to have the strength and the heart for that calling, and may the Lord use me for such a purpose. 

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Hunger

And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. 

Deut. 8:2-3

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Nothing I Hold On To / Climb (Will Reagan) Cover by Sarah Lee

Getting back to the essential things

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As the Father has loved me

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. John 15:9-10

Abide in my love.

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full.

John 15:11

that your joy may be full.

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"a helmet, the hope of salvation"

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

(1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)

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Matthew 4:19

And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Following Jesus, abiding in His love, obeying His commandments ... that's our part and the first step.

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1 Thessalonians - Ch.4

Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 

(v.1)

Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more...

(v.9,10)

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1 Thessalonians

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

(1 Thessalonians 1:2-3)

Gotta imitate Paul's example: remembering the saints, my brothers and sisters, "constantly mentioning you in our prayers."

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John 13:34-35

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will known that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

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13/08/22 - Christ

all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

(Colossians 1:16,17)

"All things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

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Wisdom

Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:33

These words have been resounding in me more and more in the past year and even these past few weeks. Sometimes I worry about whether I'm doing the right thing, whether I'm choosing the right way to go. But He says, 

do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:34

But rather, He commands us to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." Whatever we're seeking, whatever we're working at, don't worry about the result but, as the first priority, seek first 1) the kingdom of God and the building up of that kingdom in your community and in the world and 2) his righteousness, your sanctification. 

So when I worry about whether I'm supposed to do something this way or that, Jesus tells me to return to what's of first importance: His Kingdom and my sanctification. Return to sharing the gospel, to spending time in His word, to a prayer-filled life, to growth alongside the body of believers. "And all these things will be added to you." And whatever else I'm seeking, it will work out. Jesus calls me to chase after Him first, even while I am chasing after other dreams. 

For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

(Matthew 6:32,33)

"Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness..."

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Reflections on a Francis Chan Sermon: The Love of God

The reason I do not hold onto His promises, the reason for the times I fall short and wander away from Him is that I do not fully know what is the extent of His love for me. I don't fully understand what it truly means that God so loved me that He would give up His son. 

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.

John 15:9

For if I truly understood, I would truly sell all my possessions to take hold of this love. I would truly forfeit the present things of this world in order to gain this love. I would truly leave the tin promises of my flesh to dwell in this love. I would truly give up my life, to pursue this love.

Paul, praying for the Ephesian church:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14-19

Time to start praying for myself in this as well as those in my life who need to be granted, through his Spirit, a strength to understand what is the love of Christ.