love, first

heb 12:18-28 The mountain of fear and the mountain of joy

emyang — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:20:31 +0000

18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”

community

emyang — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:31:17 +0000

in this season of community, i’ve begun to rediscover what it means to go deep. it’s not all flowers and daisies when people come forward and simply offer up themselves. we humans are not pretty people on the inside. but it’s most of all humbling. sometimes my 7 or 8 or 9 years of being a Christian is nothing in the face of my frustrations and weaknesses. it begs the question– how deep can someone dig to find your flaws? when all else fades, what is there left?
we are called to be Christ-imitators, just as much when we are in community as when we are by ourselves. sometimes when the unbelieving world is not watching, things seem to slide more easily. but it’s our brothers and sisters, the ones running by our sides, that we ought to love so extravagantly because we are in so many ways one body. maturity means laying down our lives for our friends. what does it mean to lay down your life– your likes and dislikes, your pet peeves, your discomfort? how much is the community God has called you to worth to you?

nuggets

emyang — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:35:15 +0000

“All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it” Isaiah 40:6-7

The breath of God– not even His touch, but just the mere knowledge of His presence. Life itself. Did you know that the breath of the Lord literally causes all the loveliness and beauty of this world to fade? In the presence of true Life, our flesh withers and dies and literally looses its relevance. It is in even a fraction of His presence that everything takes its rightful place, and the Holy Spirit has His way.

starting over again

emyang — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:33:56 +0000

i would like to start writing in this blog more frequently. i really actually appreciate writing as a means of expressing myself, and as a means of expanding and sharing the thoughts and experiences God has given me. most of all, it’s about God, and it’s about me. It’s about God working in my life. It’s about me realizing that it’s about God. perhaps.

there’s restraint i feel on mediums like facebook and tumblr. it’s as if the whole world knows what i am writing, and i really just want to write to those people who care enough to want to read about my thoughts sometimes. even if it is just typing in a simple url. i would like my thoughts and convictions to fall upon ears that are desiring to hear.

the other day i was running (regretfully for the second time this semester), reflecting on this season of my life– a season of endings, of new beginnings, of seemingly big decisions that might have been quite scary had they been presented to me just a year ago. i ran against the most breathtaking sunset that covered the expanse of the big berkeley skyline. the sun set in an explosion of passionate, vibrant colors, against which everything else took its place. the city quieted, and all that fell beneath the skyline faded in submission. it was beautiful. some of the most beautiful things in life are endings.

the last semester of college comes with so many different liberties, so many different expectations. and at then end of my college career, one of two very different paths could follow. regardless, i want to finish with no regrets, holding nothing back. i’m gonna give everything i am to the tasks which the Lord has called me to in this season of “endings”. a sunset may be a fairly unique part of the day, but it is distinguishable because of its beauty. i’m claiming this last semester of college to be the same–i want to live out my identity and victory in Christ in such a way that sets it apart from the rest. and even beyond these next 6 months, i want that same promise. there is so much in each season, and each new thing that the Lord is doing. there is so much to take in each and every day. i want to go from glory to glory; the sunrise just as glorious as the sunset; each day just as breathtaking as the last.

my summer summed up

emyang — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:56:41 +0000

“You are crying to me to do a big work among the Lisu; I am wanting to do a big work in you yourself.” -James Fraser

emyang — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 10:48:18 +0000

1. we are too easily pleased by the things of this world.
2. these next few days will be hard.

emyang — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:06:31 +0000

“The men [and women] that will change the colleges and seminaries…are the men [and women] that will spend the most time alone with God. It takes time for the fires to burn. It takes time for God to draw near and for us to know that He is there. It takes time to assimilate His truth. You ask me, How much time? I do not know. I know it means time enough to forget time.”
-John R Mott

besides prayer…

emyang — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 17:52:46 +0000

honestly, it’s not much. but Jesus let these notes go out with annointing and love.

mm

emyang — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:14:51 +0000

it’s the kind of feeling you wanna shout from the mountaintops…

teach me how.

at the end of the day (revised)

emyang — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:35:16 +0000

i dont know what to say… but that i haven’t loved nearly enough.
if there are 44 people here for me to love, then i have been just wasting my time.
but that isn’t even the whole story.
there will be ~100 next year. 100, that God is calling me to love.
really God?
i can’t even imagine what that will be like. i’m excited, thrilled, restless. but i’m really anything but prepared…
if i can’t step up to the present, how will i claim the dreams He has for me in the future?
i need new standards Lord. i need you to take me outside of myself.
it’s not all about me.
Give me your eyes, your heart. what do you want to do through me? what do you see?

11 more days.