Color & Emotion

There are some processes - or parts of a process - that must happen in hiddenness, or they don't happen at all: a photograph develops in a dark room; a pearl is made by covering an irritant with a substance that layers into elegance. In thinking about my personal process of discipleship with the Lord, I was reflecting on a hiddenness that I initially resented, but have come to value as very precious. I am coming to delight holy hiddenness the way God does. 

"but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." ~ 1 Peter 3:4

« Suggested Scripture Reading :: 

• Matthew ch. 6 
• John ch. 12
• 1 Peter ch. 3 {and Proverbs 31} 
•  Colossians ch. 3
• Habakkuk ch. 3

~ Patient endurance is what we need now. Take heart. ~ 

safety is a myth, so you might as well live. but what does it look like to live as a honest human while seeking first the Kingdom of God? 

» suggested scripture readings «
~ Mattew ch. 6, v. 33
~ Romans ch. 14, v. 17
~ Mark chaper 8, verses 31-38
~ Mark ch. 10
~ Ezekiel ch. 18, v. 24
~ James ch. 4
~ Psalm ch. 112
~ Matthew ch. 5, v.9 
~ Romans ch. 12, v. 18
~ Psalm ch. 32, v. 8; ch. 103, v. 7
~ John ch. 17, v. 3
~ John ch. 7, v. 37-39
~ John ch. 4
~ Galatians ch. 5

*correction ::  the Holy Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness where satan subsequently questions His identity and tempts Him; I was distracted by my google search and misspoke, ha. 

a reflection for the day of atonement ::

» This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant ... He holds the priesthood permanently, because He continues forever ... For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those [former] high preists, to offer sacrifices daily, first for His own sins [He has none] and then for the sins of the people, since He did this once for all when He offered up Himself. // see Hebrews ch. 7-9

~ Patient endurance is what we need now. Take heart. ~ 

more thoughts about process, and the story of a song

« scripture references :: 
» Isaiah ch. 30, 1 Chronicles ch. 10, v 13-14
» Matthew ch. 13, v 24-30

« for context, ha. ~ St. Augustine is a Christian philosopher who came to faith later in life, after having been licentious in his youth. He shares his testimony in the autobiographical work, 'Confessions'.

« listen to 'inchoate' on youtube :: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXXMOsb6HYQ

~ Patient endurance is what we need now. Take heart. ~ 

another chunk of thoughts pertaining to God and His covenant(s)

suggested reading :: all of Romans • Deuteronomy Ch. 4,5,6 • all of Hebrews

~ Patient endurance is what we need now. Take heart. ~ 

a few thoughts on the authority & authenticity of Jesus 

Mark ch. 11

2 Corinthians ch. 1

~ Patient endurance is what we need now. Take heart. ~ 

"...  Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." ~ James 4:4

† consecration, discernment, & discipleship† 
~ Acts ch. 14, 17 
~ 1 John ch. 2
~ Hebrews ch. 6, ch. 12
~ 2 Tim ch. 3
~ John ch. 15
~ James ch. 4
~ Ephesians ch. 5
~ Jude 
~ Titus ch. 2 
~ Ephesians ch. 3

† being kept & rescued through trials of various kinds † 
~ Psalm  ch. 34, 37, 147, 35
~ 1 Peter 
~ Mark ch. 4, 6, 8, 9 
~ Matthew ch. 24
~ 1 Peter ch. 4
~ 2 Peter ch. 2, v. 9 

Doomedest Darkness • original scripture song by Rebekkah The Band

~ Patient endurance is what we need now. Take heart. ~ 

God intends for His wonders to cause the people who worship Him to rest. When we live through hard things, we can experience emotional recovery through remembrance, and allow the experiences to produce confidence in God, rather than resentment towards Him and anxiety about what He may or may not allow us so live through. 

The primary exhortation of this episode is for us to worship God for who He is, regardless of when we are, even as we are aware of and sober-minded about the age in which we live; to remember what He has done; and to remember what He asks, encourages, and calls us to do. 

:: verses pertaining to all the things I've been thinking :: 

† worship & remembrance as emotional recovery † 

~ Ephesians 1

~ Genesis ch. 8-10 

~ Exodus ch. 14-15 

~ Psam ch. 78, 95 

~ 1 Samuel ch. 17 

† being kept & rescued through trials of various kinds † 

~ Psalm  ch. 34, 37, 147, 35

~ 1 Peter 

~ Mark ch. 4, 6, 8, 9 

~ Matthew ch. 24

~ 1 Peter ch. 4

~ 2 Peter ch. 2, v. 9 

† consecration, discernment, & discipleship† 

~ Acts ch. 14, 17 

~ 1 John ch. 2

~ Hebrews ch. 12

~ 2 Tim ch. 3

~ John ch. 15

~ James ch. 4

~ Ephesians ch. 5

~ Jude 

~ Titus ch. 2 

~ Hebrews ch. 6 

~ Ephesians ch. 3

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.  ~ Isaiah 26:3 

~ Patient endurance is what we need now. Take heart. ~ 

A chat on artistry and Christian discipleship with my Singaporean friend, Justin ZhongHeng Teo! Among other gems, he shares the ways in which a liminal season brought depth to his relationship with the Lord, and maturation that prepared him for exciting new pursuits. 

One of my personal take-aways was Justin's statement that "creating is not so much about doing something that would be celebrated, but coming to a place where we bring art to this life and it's experiences; of capturing the moment and the feelings and displaying that to the world in a way that feels most true ...  "

You can keep up with Justin's creative journey on Spotify & Instagram :: 

Jiakpng :: (Fart In The Room) https://open.spotify.com/artist/31VwfBtXax1zwQbiETVLJY

Justin ZhongHeng Teo :: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5vrNVS0XKRywws3XjS5IHl

IG Handle :: https://www.instagram.com/jiakpngjustin/

*We did have a bit of trouble with the internet connection, which led to just a touch of editing to remove the sound of re-dialing and waiting to connect.* 

~ Patient endurance is what we need now. Take heart. ~ 

Knowing when we are should not lead us to passivity or despair, but inspire and encourage us towards wholehearted purpose as we delight in our capacity to fulfill irreplaceable desires in the heart of God ... the song I referenced will be uploaded to my youtube channel, The Turf Shack

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside very weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." ~ Hebrews 12:1-3

" The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him. Yet is is actually not far from each one of us ..." ~ Acts 17:24-27

"But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." ~ Matthew 24:13-14

~ Patient endurance is what we need now. Take heart. ~ 

a few thoughts on the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, accountability, and intimacy with God. 

» referenced scriptures
« Luke chapters 12, 17
« Ephesians chapter 1
« Acts chapts 8, 19

~ Patient endurance is what we need now. Take heart. ~