A Prayer From Two Years Ago Father, today You reminded me in Proverbs 16 that my plans belong to You. I can plan all I want. What I plan may seem right in my own eyes, but, ultimately, the answer comes only from You. Lord, You weigh my spirit to see if my plans should be established. Would You help me to commit my plans to You and You alone? What will it look like to commit my plans to You? Will it hurt? Will it cost more of my suffering, Lord? My future is blurry. I don't know what is going to happen, but You do. Help me to trust in You, God. These are the very words I wrote in my journal almost two years ago, on May 17, 2023. And what followed these words were very , very specific prayers (which I will not share here). All five prayers were answered; not a single one went unanswered! A Time of Uncertainty Why do I share this? I am in a time of absolute uncertainty. It’s a bit overwhelming that I couldn’t help but ask myself: Was this what I had prayed for? It’s a familiar pattern for me. Whenever something completely out of my control happens, I often look back at my journal and realize that I had prayed for that exact thing—something no one else but God only knew. I am reminded that even when things feel out of my control, God has always been in control. He heard my cry two years ago. And He is answering now , especially in ways that I never once anticipated. Sometimes, seeing prayers answered in this way freak me out —in a good way, of course! We do serve a supernatural God who sees, hears, and answers our cries. In Full Surrender There were moments when I had to just completely surrender to Him something in my life, and He completely delivered. If I were to sit down with you right now and tell you what God has done in my life in the last two years, you'd think I fabricated the story because of how miraculous it has been. It bewilders me to see again that God really does exist when He answers something only you made known to Him. I told Him that I'd surrender and let loose my grip on situations I could no longer control, and that wherever He led me, I would submit and follow Him even if it'd make me uncertain and uncomfortable. And throughout these last two years, some sacrifices had to be made, whether it be opportunities or even unfruitful relationships. It has been a season of learning and grasping the reality of God's sovereignty in my personal life. I can say that He has taught me what it means to truly surrender to Him. It wasn't easy. It hurt. It really  hurt. Refiner's Fire Surrendering to God came with a lot more suffering than I anticipated, but, looking back, it was all worth it because I know God is working for my good, fulfilling the prayers I once prayed years ago. He is conforming me to the image of Jesus... He is making me more like Jesus. In my uncertainty, He is working. In my surrendering, He is pruning. In my trusting, He is refining. He gets the honor. He gets the praise. Soli Deo Gloria. "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" ( James 1:2-4 ).

What is the importance of theology, and why is it crucial to the life of the church? Theology—that is, the study of God, or quite literally, God-word—helps us to understand God as He is revealed in His Word. Although theology attempts to understand God, there will never be a theology that fully understands Him, as God and His ways are infinitely greater than our finite knowledge (Rom 11:33-36). Theology is crucial to the life of the church as it teaches the Word of God when it is properly understood in order that we may glorify God through our love and obedience. What does it mean to confess that Christ is the Word of God, and how does this inform the affirmation that Christian theology must always be both propositional and personal? The Word of God was in the beginning with God and was God, becoming flesh in the person of Christ Jesus (Jn 1:1, 14). The Word of God is not merely something, but rather, Someone (Rev 19:13). This informs Christian theology in such that God has spoken to us through Christ, for Christ is the exact imprint of the divine nature of God, being the Head of the church (Heb 1:1-3; Col 1:18). The preeminent Christ is outside of the construct of time, being in both the beginning and the end, creating through and for Himself, and holding all things together (Gen 1; Col 1:15-18). What is the definition of systematic theology, and what are its particular contributions to the church’s theological vocation? Systematic theology is a coherent and orderly account of God’s Word, maintaining the consistency of Scripture as a whole while examining and evaluating the beliefs of modern Christians, and assessing Christian beliefs in accordance with their importance. Systematic theology trains believers to be good servants of Christ Jesus, teaching the sound doctrine of Scripture—that is, the words of the faith that are in Christ Jesus (1 Tim 4:6; 2 Tim 1:13). What is general and special revelation, and what is the nature of the relationship, if any, between them? General revelation is the glory of God made known to all mankind at all times and places which may be apprehended primarily through God’s work in creation, history, and human intuition (Rom 1:19). Special revelation is the knowledge of God made known to particular people in specific times and specific places through the Holy Spirit. Although general revelation reveals the glory of God, it lacks the sufficiency of knowing God personally and relationally. Thus, special revelation not only reveals Christ’s glory but also His will for sinners to be saved through the word of the Spirit-inspired prophets and apostles (Acts 16:31; 2 Pet 1:21). What does it mean to confess that Scripture is at once a truly, fully divine and truly, fully human book, the product of the Spirit’s inspiration and superintendence of human authors? All Scripture is inspired by God; thus, Scripture is truly and fully divine (2 Tim 3:16). There is not a single Scripture that comes from man’s own independent creation or interpretation or thought, for it is not by the will of man that Scripture is produced, but rather, the inspiration of the Spirit and the superintendence of the Spirit-vivified man (2 Pet 1:20-21). That is, God produces the Word as His Spirit inspires written biblical accounts with the distinctive personalities and writing styles of various men throughout biblical history. What are the theological interconnections among Scripture, Spirit, Son, and church? Because Scripture is breathed out from God through the superintendence of human authors, it has the power to convict and transform hearts (2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Pet 1:20-21; Heb 4:12). The Spirit guides the church into all the truths of Scripture, declaring the whole counsel—that is, the will of God—to the church through the past prophets and through the Son (Jn 16:13; Acts 20:27). Why is it important to confess that the church recognizes the canonical collection, but does not determine/designate the canonical collection? It is important that the church recognizes the canonical collection of the Newer Testament by the discernment of the Holy Spirit because it is not the church that determines/designates what constitutes Scripture (2 Peter 1:20-21). Such Newer Testament must testify of God’s will in the past, present, and future, being completely and absolutely in alignment and not contrary to the Older Testament, for it is simply God’s own Word. It is then at the church’s discernment to recognize if such is the Word of God or not (Jn 10:27). Why is Scripture authoritative for the church, and from whence does Scripture gain its authority? God has all authority and speaks through human authors in Scripture by the Spirit. All Scripture is inspired by God. Thus, it is authoritatively useful for the church in such teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). Scripture contains the power and authority to transform the mind of the believer that the will of God is made known, changing the believer inside out to what is good and acceptable and perfect in accords to the Word of God (Rom 12:2). What does it mean to confess that Scripture is perspicuous? Is Scripture clearly understood by anyone who reads it? To confess that all Scripture is perspicuous simply means that it is clearly comprehendible—that is, it is never unclear or too difficult to understand (Deut 6:6-7; Ps 19:7; Ps 119:130). Although one’s understanding of Scripture may be lacking, it does not mean that Scripture has a lack of clarity since the natural person perceives the Word of God as foolishness, for they are not spiritually discerned (1 Cor 2:14-16). Through the Spirit who is sent by the Father in the name of Jesus, all things in Scripture may be taught and brought to our remembrance of all of Christ’s teachings (Jn 14:26; Eph 1:17-18; 1 Cor 2:10-13; 2 Pet 3:16). What are the three primary affirmations of the confession that God is Holy Trinity, and how do they help us articulate and safeguard the mystery of God’s three-in-oneness? The first affirmation of our confession that God is Holy Trinity simply is that God is three persons—that is, God is three personal subsistences. The Father is neither the Son nor the Spirit; the Son is neither the Father nor the Spirit; the Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son (Mt 3:16; Jn 1:1-2; 7:37-39). The second affirmation is that each of the persons of God—the Father, Son, and the Spirit—are all co-equally and co-eternally God. The third and final affirmation is that all three persons of the Trinity are one in divine essence and being. Such affirmations help articulate and safeguard the mystery of the Trinity against theological novelty. What is the meaning and significance of the confession of the “homoousia” and “perichoresis” of Father, Son, and Spirit? How does this speak to the unity or simplicity of God? To confess the “homoousia” of the Father, Son, and Spirit simply means that all persons of the Trinity are of one substance—that is, the substance of God (Jn 14:1-11). To confess the “perichoresis” of the Father, Son, and Spirit simply means that each of the persons of the Trinity are not the other two. However, such confession speaks to the unity of God that the Father is in the Son, the Son is in the Father, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son, with all persons of the Trinity being completely and absolutely one (Jn 14:10; 17:20-23; Jn 16:4-15). What does it mean to affirm that Jesus Christ is functionally subordinate to the Father, while rejecting that Jesus Christ is ontologically subordinate to the Father? In His totally loving, trusting, and faithful submission to the Father, Christ is functionally subordinate to the Father (Lk 22:42; Heb 10:7). This does not mean, however, that the Son is subordinate in essence or nature to the Father. If we confess and affirm the belief that Christ is ontologically subordinate to the Father—that is, being in a lesser substance of being to that of the Father—we would tragically affirm that Jesus is not indeed God. What does it mean—in keeping with Philippians 2:7—that Jesus Christ “emptied” himself in the days of his earthly humbleness? In assuming human nature, Christ Jesus made Himself to be nothing by setting aside not His deity, but rather, His rightful privileges that are His as God (Phil 2:7). To assume that Christ set aside his glorious divinity is to falsely assume that Jesus is lesser than God. Christ Jesus had set aside not only His rightful privileges but also the fullness of His lordly self-possession (2 Cor 8:9).

The Odd Age of 23 In a few days, I will be 23. I imagine it will feel… odd. Would I say it’s a big change? Would I say it’s unnerving? Would I be able to consider myself as someone in their mid-twenties? I don’t know. Nothing is “unlocked” like a 16-year-old finally being able to get their driver’s license. Or an 18-year-old finally being able to open their first credit card. But 23? I’m sure you get the point by now.   Although turning 23 doesn’t necessarily “unlock” anything, there are many things I can look at that are more prized to me than the typical milestones of life. Many things have sculpted me and my perception of life in ways that I could not have imagined. From the myriad of challenges, experiences, and people I’ve encountered, I’ve learned 23 life lessons from my 23 years of life that I want to share with you (and, primarily, my younger self). Here it goes.   Dear Kelvin (And Readers) 1. Sometimes, Jesus won’t change your circumstances because He wants to change you instead. You will encounter things in life you won’t understand. You will be in places that don’t feel right. You will feel stuck. You won’t have every answer to every longing question. But remember this: Jesus is King. Jesus is in control. Jesus is sovereign. He knows what He is doing. He will place you in uncomfortable situations so that you can thrive spiritually and become more like Jesus.     2. Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders work in vain. You can make all the plans you want in life, but it is only the Lord who can establish your steps. Your plans may fail. Sometimes a door will close. And even sometimes, all doors will close. Perhaps, the walls alongside those doors might crumble down as well. Place your faith in Him during those vulnerable times and ask Him for a sight to see what He wants to build instead. Align your heart with His, and partner with Him.   3. J esus has brought you this far not to abandon you. There will be moments in life where you feel forsaken It will feel like your prayers are bouncing off the walls and ceilings of the room. It will feel like you can’t hear His voice in your reading of Scripture. It will feel like He is not moving in your life. I want you to realize something: His hands have been over every single life event you’ve been through. Recount His grace in your past life events. That same grace is with you today. Jesus is working out all things for your good even when you don’t see it. He is with you even when you don’t feel like He is. Strive to be in His presence and you will find Him in the secret place.   4. Jesus tests us to succeed while Satan tempts us to fail. The Devil will use whatever means he can to lead us away from Christ. He wants to see us fall into temptation. He wants us to suffer. And if those things aren’t enough to lead us astray, he will want us to prosper in worldly comfort as long as it turns us away from God. Amidst such things, Jesus turns what the Enemy meant for evil into our good. Jesus reinstates us through His Word so that we can prosper in faith.   5. Jesus is the cure for your loneliness. Everyone experiences loneliness to one degree or another. Being in the presence of many friends won’t solve that issue. Being distracted by the things of this world won’t help. Such outlets were never meant to fill the aching void that only Christ was meant to fill.     6. Jesus sees you, knows you, and understands you better than anyone else. Before the foundations of the world, God foreknew you. He knew your name. He knew your deepest afflictions. He knew your secret prayers. He knew your deepest, darkest sins, and yet, He chose to cover them with His blood even before you were born. He has seen all of you and—even though He has no need—He still wants all of you.     7. Jesus will bring you to places spiritually that are uncomfortable. It is an understatement to say that following Jesus is hard. He calls us to love when it’s the hardest to love. He calls us to forgive when we’ve been horribly wronged. He calls us to pray for those who continue to hurt us. Although it might feel impossible to do such things, we have the Spirit of Christ in us who enables us to follow in His ways. His Spirit is the Spirit of peace. Lean into the Spirit as you tread new spiritual territories.   8. Jesus doesn’t just diagnose your sin; He supplies the Remedy. You are not called just to acknowledge your sinful life. You are not left helpless in your hellhound ways. Christ became the perfect and unblemished sacrifice far greater than the lambs that Israel once sacrificed to atone for your sins. He provided Himself as the Remedy to your diagnosis of sin and death, giving you not only the bad news of your sin but also the good news of grace, forgiveness, and justification through faith in Him. Through Him, you have victory over sin and death. Look to Him as the Remedy. Now, spread not only the bad news but also the good news .   9. Although you have been saved, you are still being saved. Christ didn’t intend to just save you from the consequences of sin and death when He died on the cross and rose again. He also intends to save you from your former self today. He still delivers you from the hardships that this life brings today. And sometimes, He does so in ways that we do not expect.   10. Human love will always, always fail. Human love won’t meet your needs in ways that only God can. When you are alone, not always will someone be there. When you are misunderstood, not always will someone hear you. When you sin, not always will someone love you. Remember this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. This is love at its fullest culmination. Shift your eyes ultimately to God, not man. You won’t be disappointed because His love never fails. 11. It’s not faith that saves; it’s the object of faith that does. Everyone has some kind of faith—whether it be in Jesus, a false Jesus, another deity, nature, science, or themselves. Faith alone, in this sense, does not necessarily save. The object of your faith is what matters. In whom do you place your faith? In whom do you trust? Your salvation is contingent on the object of your faith. Let your faith object be the true Jesus Christ of the true Gospel of the true God.   12. Don’t live based on your feelings. In this postmodern world, we’re so used to the principle of “follow your heart.” However, our hearts are filled with feelings and emotions that are ever so fleeting. Our hearts are, as Scripture says, sick—filled with sin. We naturally desire things that are contrary to the will of God, and because of our sinful nature, we would do anything to achieve such desires. We will spiritually fail. Unlike our feelings, God’s Word is never fleeting, never changing, and never failing. Live based on the Word.   13. Journaling helps you to see God’s grace in your past events. This doesn’t have to be a daily thing, but you should journal about impactful experiences, whether positive or negative. It would best serve you to write down your thoughts, feelings, experiences, prayers, and praises as raw as possible. Process these things with the Lord. Be honest. Be vulnerable. And I promise you that one day when you look back at those entries, you will see how God answered your specific prayers and was with you through all of it.   14. Repentance is more than just “doing.” When you fall short and sin, you might want to run to His Word immediately. You might want to pray immediately. You might want to do more to seem approvable immediately. Doing such things won’t benefit you if your mind hasn’t shifted to see how God’s grace actually works. Repentance (in Greek: metanoia ), by definition, is a change of mind. It is a turning away from sin and turning to God. It is basing our actions on His grace rather than basing His grace on our actions. Shift your mind before “doing.”   15. Feeling unsaved is evidence you are indeed saved. There will be days you feel you cannot stop sinning even if you tried. And with these days, there will come feelings of grief, shame, and, above all, unworthiness—the feeling of being unworthy to approach His throne of grace; the feeling of being unredeemable; the feeling of being unsaved. It is in these very moments that we confidently know we are saved because we not only acknowledge our sinfulness before Jesus but also want to do something about it. He’s given you sight to see sin. Now, He gives you sight to see amazing grace. Strive for Jesus in these very moments.   16. Asking for forgiveness is much more difficult than giving apologies. Admitting our faults has never been easier. Most times, we can own up to our wrongs in an instant. Other times, we might want to say we’re sorry just to get things over with. However, if we want to seek forgiveness, we require true humility on our part. This kind of humility acknowledges our wrongdoing, the hurt it caused, and the strain it might’ve brought to the relationship. The humbling act of seeking forgiveness is costly, but it is worth it in every way.   17. How you respond to unfair treatment often reveals where your heart is. Bitterness and resentment are almost always immediate emotions we feel when we have been wronged. We are quick to respond in these ways when we have not meditated on God’s grace and forgiveness. Bitterness and resentment are slow killers if not dealt with quickly. They will corrupt your character, your view of others, and your view of God. Let the love of Christ control you to forgive just as Christ has forgiven you. Let the love of Christ set you free from the burden of resentment you weren’t called to carry. As Jesus said , he who is forgiven little loves little. Meditate on His grace and forgiveness over your many sins. Get right with Jesus.   18. Sometimes God brings people into your life momentarily to teach you perspectives eternally. The reality of life is that people come and go. Whether it be someone you once went to school with, dated, or randomly met at an event, God can use such people to teach you a new outlook on faith. There is a monumental purpose behind even the slightest events of life. Don’t take these encounters for granted and see what God is trying to teach you through those who’ve only been in your life briefly.   19. Moving on can only be done by moving through. Choosing to mentally and emotionally invest in our past heartaches that God called us out of will ever so stumble us. Don’t just dwell on such things. Rather, process your thoughts and feelings with Jesus and His people. Embrace the heartache and the questions it may bring. Grieve. Mourn. Find healing in Jesus. There’s a reason to move forward in His will just as there’s a reason things in the past weren’t sustained, and you can only do so when you give to Him the one thing you haven't given up yet. 20. You won’t fully agree with everyone and that’s okay. Our “heroes” of the faith are humans who still fall short. Not every belief they firmly hold on to will be something you completely agree on (even though they might back it up with Scripture). Everyone is prone to have different interpretations that are heavily influenced by personal life experiences or other presuppositions. Agree to disagree, yes. But make it an effort to be known for what you’re for , not what you’re against .   21. You will feel inadequate and unqualified. Whether it’s simply sharing your testimony, the Gospel, or even serving in ministry, you will always, always feel like you are not fully equipped. If Jesus was able to use twelve young and uneducated disciples during His ministry on earth, He can use you. Embrace the reality that Jesus doesn’t call the qualified, but rather, qualifies the called. 22. Merely possessing sound doctrine and theology does not save you. Of course, without these things, we cannot have the right Christ in mind. But there comes a point when all we have is head knowledge that does not save. Theology should be a means of our participation in delighting the will of God through knowing Jesus. There’s an immense difference between knowing someone and knowing about someone. Judas heard the sermons of Jesus. Judas surrounded himself with genuine believers. Judas lived with Jesus for three years. Yet, Judas did not even know who Jesus was. In all your striving for theological excellence, seek to have Christ in view.   23. It’s okay to change perspective and reshape your beliefs. Not all is black and white. Not all theological traditions are scriptural. Not all you were taught is biblical. Weigh what you’ve held on to accordingly with God’s Word and ask for the Spirit’s guidance. Keep what is biblical. Strain out what is not.

Introduction Does God actually love you? Do you believe that Jesus loves you? These questions are often either overlooked or answered with a superficial YES. I also think that the love of Jesus for us is often minimalized or, even worse, neglected. I often see this subject easily brushed off, as if it’s something we have graduated from. But the truth is, we can never graduate from His love. To the one who feels unloved; to the one who carries the weight of the world on their shoulders; and to the one who believes that no one will love them because of their insecurities, trauma, or brokenness—this is for you. I write this as an encouragement to you. Too many times, we miss the reality that we, as believers, now live in when we forget the love that Jesus has for us. It can become dangerous when we live our lives deprived of the love of our Savior. When we forget to live in His love, we (1) lose sight of who we are as children of God, (2) lose sight of those right in front of us, (3) fail to have compassion for those in suffering, and/or (4) neglect to intentionally listen to those voicing their pain and hurt. Ultimately, we forget the ones who have not experienced the love of Christ—that is, the unsaved. During the summer, I worked at a manufacturing job doing general labor. I worked with a guy who was not the easiest to love. Many times, I just wanted to give up trying to love him. (I’m sure many of you have experienced this before in your workplace, school, or even daily life as well.) But as it was nearing my time to leave for school again, I began to think about the relationships that I built with Him and other co-workers—mind you, these are unbelievers. They had become my friends, and I began to have a great love for them. My heart began to break for them because, as people whom I held dear to my heart now, I saw that their greatest need was to know Jesus Christ and to have a relationship with Him. Our Greatest Need You see, that is something that I’ve realized when it comes to loving someone. When you love someone, you see their greatest need and do your best to fulfill it. Let me tell you something: the all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God who created the universe saw our greatest need and fulfilled it in Christ. To understand how much Jesus really loves us, we need to understand what our greatest need is. Ever since the Fall of Adam and Eve, sin and death came into the world and infected everything in its path, affecting our relationship to be in separation from God. Sin is what separates us from God because sin is in direct opposition to God and His character. To bridge the great divide between God and man, there had to be someone perfect and blameless. That person was God the Son himself, Jesus Christ, sent in the form of a human. Jesus Christ lived the perfect life we could not live and died the death that we deserved as sinners on the cross. And as He was on that cross, He took on the sins of the world and experienced the wrath of God as the punishment for our sins. On the third day, He rose from the tomb, conquered death, and defeated evil once and for all. Our greatest need isn’t in material possessions or instant gratifications; it’s Jesus Himself. In 1 John 5:12 , it says, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.” In Jesus Christ, we are able to have life! This life is free from the bondage, shame, and guilt of our sins because there is no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus Christ ( Romans 8:1 )! This is how much Jesus truly loves you, brothers and sisters, that He was willing to give up His own life for you despite your sinful ways ( 1 John 3:16 ; Romans 5:9 ). Living Into This Reality Throughout this year, God has been teaching and showing me what His love does for me as a believer. He has shown me that, when we come into a relationship with Jesus Christ, He transforms us into a completely new person—a whole new creation ( 2 Corinthians 5:17 ). I want to share with you three truths in which God’s love transforms us. 1. God is Our Loving Father God loves us so much that when we come into a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, we are no longer called His enemies but sons and daughters. “See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are!” ( 1 John 3:1 ). And because we are now God’s children, we can have no fear of condemnation since we have a Father who waits for us with His arms open wide, willing to take us in despite our brokenness and ugliness ( Luke 15:22-24 ). You see, I think so many Christians forget this part of their new life in Christ. So often when we fall into sin, we think that God is always angry or mad at us. We think that He’s going to smite us down at any moment for the sins that we have committed. But that is far from the truth! God desires for us—even when we are on the brink of giving in to temptation—to run to Him, lean on Him for strength, and find satisfaction in Him. Many Christians, including myself, have struggled to see God as our Heavenly Father because our earthly fathers have failed us. If you are struggling with this, I want you to know that I understand how you feel, and I hear your pain. I want to remind you, brothers and sisters, that while our earthly fathers have failed us, our Heavenly Father has not because He is good and perfect. Continue to live your lives as children of God who are so dearly loved by our Heavenly Father and find satisfaction in Him. 2. God is Our True Rest Some of us might be carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders or have high standards and expectations for ourselves. And when we fail, we fail hard . We won’t be able to perfectly live up to the expectations we place on ourselves because we will always fall short. I know many of you might feel this way or think this way. I struggle too. One thing God has taught me is that, in Jesus Christ, we can have true rest. “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is to bear, and the burden I give you is light” ( Matthew 11:28-30 ). We can have rest from all of these expectations that are too burdensome to carry. When we come before Jesus and lay our burdens on Him, we can have the freedom to rest in His wondrous peace and love. 3. God is Our Strength “ Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” ( 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 ). This verse has helped me through some of the darkest times in my life. It gives me life when I feel too weak to live. It gives me hope when I feel hopeless. And it reminds me of the extent of Christ’s love for me. This verse is so counter-cultural. Our society tells us to be strong and not show any weakness. But God’s word tells us to “boast” or even “take pleasure” in our weaknesses! Why is that? It is because God’s power is made perfect in our weaknesses. When Christ was on that cross dying for our sins, He was in agony, He was shamed, He was mocked, He was humiliated. But yet, through His death on the cross, our sins were paid in full. How amazing is that? That in Christ’s weakness, the power of God to cleanse us from our sins was made a reality! What we thought that made us broken is now redeemed by the blood of Christ. Brothers and sisters, some of you think that your weaknesses, traumas, brokenness, and sinfulness stop Jesus from loving you. They don’t. As a matter of fact, Jesus redeems the most broken parts of you. He is telling you that those lies you’re believing about yourself have already been redeemed, making you beautiful. The sin you are struggling with actually makes Jesus love you even deeper. It shows us how much more powerful and loving the Savior is even in our weakness. Conclusion Run to the Father. Surrender your strivings and find your rest in Jesus. Depend on Him even in your weaknesses. The God of everlasting love is with you. Jesus loves you.

Introduction How many times have you attempted to look up answers in the Bible to satisfy your curiosity on a topic, yet, to your unsatisfactory surprise, found ambiguous narratives and principles that may or may not apply to our situation? Some of these questions are complex, and some are practical. Some questions that you may have thought of are: How should Christians love and serve the LGBTQ+ community? Should I date or marry a non-believer if I am a Christian? What kind of church should I go to? Is God real, and is the Bible really the final authority? How is the world going to end? Zombies? Robots? What is my purpose in life? Believe it or not, you are already interacting with systematic theology! We all engage in theology in some way, either by discussing trivial things like music and clothing or asking big questions about God and the challenges around us. But have you considered the benefits of diving into this pursuit wholeheartedly? It's like anything in life—if you're already doing it, why not do it well? What is Systematic Theology? Imagine you're curating a playlist of your favorite songs. Whether you’re a Swiftie, Belieber, country fan, old soul, or rockstar, you have a curated list of songs sectioned off into their particular places on your digital shelf. Every song you’ve added to a playlist is located perfectly according to your preferences. And each playlist is crafted within categories that are extensions of your realities, life lessons, and eras. What if I told you that just as you meticulously organize songs to tell a story, there's a way to thoughtfully structure your faith to deepen your understanding of God? Drum roll Enter systematic theology! Definition . The term "theology" comes from two Greek root words: Theos , meaning God, and logos – which can be summarized as “study of." Of course, with the word “systematic” that precedes it, systematic theology in its simplest form can be defined as “the organized study of God.” But what makes this discipline different from general theological studies generally? The English theologian and philosopher Richard Hooker, helpfully uses a three-legged stool as a metaphor to exemplify how theology can work. Some have adapted his model; for our purposes, we can categorize three legs on the stool as (1) Scripture, (2) Tradition/History (3) Reason/Culture. All three “legs” are leveraged to contribute to principles of the faith and practical Christian living. In other words, systematic theology is the categorized study of God, His Word, and the world for today. It’s important to note that theologians have often ordered the study of systematics in various ways. But it usually comes down to two major categories, God and man . If we want to be more thorough, the big “ology” words that encapsulate the normative topics within systematic categories are Bibliology, Theology Proper, Christology, Pneumatology, Anthropology, Hamartiology, Soteriology, Angelology, Ecclesiology, and Eschatology. Categories are helpful for humans because we are finite beings with limited capacities. Therefore, compartmentalization helps us avoid dissonance in our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Much like your carefully crafted playlists, our faith is a compilation of our learnings that resonate with our spiritual journey. Think of each song as a different aspect of your faith—a belief, a teaching, or a principle. Why “do” Systematic Theology? Systematic theology aids us by providing language and systems to better comprehend biblical truth. Just like a well-crafted playlist enhances your connection to music, a well-considered understanding of systematic theology enhances your relationship with God and His truths. Creating an incredible playlist requires more than just randomly throwing songs together. You want the pieces to flow smoothly and be true to their rightful category. Likewise, when trying to discern the meaning of God’s truth and consider how to best play our part in accordance with it, we can’t just throw Bible verses around, hoping that they’ll somehow address the current situation. We must organize our beliefs about God as if they were learned songs we’ve added to each “ology” playlist as we learn more about God as the ultimate Artist. Similarly, we “do” systematic theology because it expands our view of God and our compassion for others. My husband is a major country music fan, but I was always an RnB and rap kind of gal (Surprise! Haha). Could I really say I am musically savvy without expanding my horizons to other ways music has spoken to others? Definitely not. On a similar thread, take a survey of your playlists. Imagine if your playlists were only break-up songs, and none mirrored other seasons of life. I bring this up because solely exposing yourself to one genre of Scripture, one era of Church History, and one point of culture can be crippling to your view of God and your compassion for others. Systematic Theology acts as your playlist curator , ensuring your beliefs sync up beautifully, providing a soundtrack to a deeper, more profound relationship with God. Think of it this way – if your playlist is disorganized, with songs clashing and ideas conflicting, your musical experience might be jarring. What if a Chris Tomlin song suddenly appears in your Taylor Swift Eras playlist? That’d be odd and entirely out of place! Similarly, your view of the world could feel fragmented and disconnected without a systematic approach to knowing God. There must be a level of consistency and organization in your thoughts about God if you want to mature in your intimacy with Him. What does it have to do with you? Systematic theology has everything to do with you. It’s the kind of theology you’re already most involved in through your summation of (1) Scripture, (2) Tradition, and (3) Reason/Culture. Choosing what to wear is a theological choice, discerning the kind of music you listen to is a theological endeavor, and deciding what kind of church you go to requires intellectual work built on the principles of systematic theology, etc. Systematic theology is for your personal formation and for the edification of the Church. For you: Friend, it’s no secret that the world is corrupt. We see the reality of this through the news channels, TikTok, and within our own circles. The world around us is decaying at an unprecedented pace, presenting us with new ethical challenges and complex moral dilemmas. The question we must ask is: How do we, as Christians, navigate these uncharted waters? The answer requires you to act. How can you act? By equipping yourself with the right tools and methods to serve the Kingdom of God. As we grapple with issues that demand moral clarity, Christians must be at the forefront of the line, ready to love and eager to learn . We can only do this if we grow in our love for God by understanding Him, His Word, and the world, as this will enable us to purposefully navigate how we can be seasoned agents of change. For the Church: Systematic theology helps us articulate our beliefs internally and externally. Part of our ever-growing spiritual formation involves maturity in our faith that overflows into areas outside of ourselves. As we are being sanctified, and if we are indeed in Christ, we begin to look more like Jesus; which means our minds are renewing ( Romans 12:1-2 ), and our character mirrors Jesus all the more. It also means we continue the ministry of God, inviting others into this family. In doing so, we can begin to help others answer hard questions like: “Where is God when I need him? Can I really trust that He is real?” or , “Who do I marry?” or , “How do I love my gay neighbor while still holding to my convictions of God’s design for intimate relationships?” or “What is my purpose in life?” Conclusion Just like a playlist serves to arrange our music, systematic theology functions as an organizational structure that enables an organized awareness of our beliefs. This endeavor matters because it intentionally organizes God's story and works and gives insight into how we can better love Him. Act and respond by taking the intellectual step to consciously interact with systematic theology to help you navigate complex issues and faithfully serve God. Survey what you know about God and explore the blind spots within normative systematic categories. In our world plagued with uncertainty and moral challenges, take the challenge to add to your current playlists so you can become an agent of truth and love within a world that yearns for truth and purpose. Resources to begin your systematic theology journey: Link to helpful systematic theology books here . Read more about Richard Hooker's metaphor on Kayla’s blog here .

From the dawn of creation, God instilled in us to abide in Him, for He is love, truth, and life—beyond anything we can ever possibly fathom. Indeed, His grace abounds so much so that even in our ignorance and hostility, He surrendered His begotten Son to die for us as an invitation into His eternal embrace. That the moment we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that He is Lord and Savior, He welcomes us into Him.  Through Him, Heaven is freely given to anyone. But doesn’t that sound too good to be true? Is the kingdom of God really that  easy to get into? Yes… indeed the kingdom of Heaven is free but it will cost you everything —relationships, time, money, and even your life. But how can that be? Why would it cost us everything ?  The Cost of Heaven: Christ  To understand the price of salvation, we must look at what life is like without Christ. We see a sinful and fallen nature that ravages against the cosmos, a self-destructive incurvatus in se , and most of all a foolish attempt to usurp God. When sin entered the world, it mutilated all of humanity and branded us with an atrocious sinful nature. Sin distorted our relationship with God and others, twisting our desires into the worship of self rather than the worship of God . Sin became a parasite that fed off the desires of the flesh, piloting its host (i.e., us) into sure death.  As Paul so sincerely professed, we were dead in our sins and transgressions ( Ephesians 2:1 ). There is nothing we could have ever done or will do that can save us from God’s righteous judgment. But God—in His love and grace—sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to save and redeem us sinners ( John 3:16 ). Yet, those whom He came to save had scorned Him and unrightfully sentenced Him to a shameful death on the cross as if He were the most heinous criminal. Through His death on the cross, Jesus tore the veil, revealing that He is the only Way to Heaven ( John 14:6 ). And through Him, all are granted an invitation to eternal communion with God through their own personal faith. What greater love can be shown than the giving of oneself, let alone, to their transgressors? It was there on the cross that Jesus—the perfect Lamb of God—paid the immeasurable price for our sins; This was the ultimate sacrifice to end all other sacrifices. Through Him, we are given a "free pass" into Heaven. In Him, we are invited into eternal fellowship with the saints and hosts of Heaven. To Him, we must surrender our sinful desires and open ourselves back up to receive His tender embrace. For Him, we die to ourselves so that He lives in us. It is because Christ paid the due penalty that we receive Heaven. That is, salvation is paid in full for us by Christ. It Will Cost You Everything But what about us? Isn’t there a price we must pay to get into Heaven? Must we live a perfect life of obedience? Does this mean that after we accept Christ, we continue to remain stagnant and complacent? By no means! Yes, it was Christ who paid the ransom for us. But now, He calls us forth to a new life for Him. This is where you may willingly sign, not just your name, but your entire life  on that dotted line in Jesus’s book of eternal life. As He has chosen us for salvation, we must also choose to follow hard after Him ( Romans 8:28-30 ; Mark 8:34 ). What will it look like? Consider this truth. A life in Christ urges for a total and utter surrender to Jesus: To pick up our crosses daily ( Matthew 16:24-26 ), to die to ourselves ( Romans 6:6 ), and to offer ourselves as living sacrifices unto Him ( Romans 12:1-2 ). To know Christ and make Him known is our ambition. To believe in Him and follow His commandments is our desire. To love Him above all other desires is our passion. We don't do these things to earn Heaven, but rather, we do them because Christ has already freely given Heaven to us. We won't be perfect, but we won't need to worry because Christ is already perfect. We Must Die to Ourselves We must die to our old selves, so that it is no longer we who live but Christ in us ( Galatians 2:20 ). For who are we but vapors in the mist, dust surging the earth abound, and withering blades of grass? If it'll cost us our lives to follow Christ, let His will be done in us, for we would be nothing without the Father, Son, and Spirit. Only then, when we choose to deny our sinful desires, will a new passion and calling develop, thrusting us into the hills and valleys of the faith. We must freely forfeit our lives just as John the Baptist did when he joyfully professed, “He must increase, but I must decrease” ( John 3:30 ). Nothing in this world could ever come close to tipping the scales of His rich salvation and tender love, for "to live is Christ, and to die is gain" ( Philippians 1:21 ). As we lose ourselves in Him, we find eternal life in Him. We Must Pick Up Our Cross Daily As Jesus profoundly proclaimed, to follow Him is not to only deny ourselves but to also pick up our cross daily ( Matthew 16:24 ). That is, not only must we physically deny ourselves from the “pleasures” of life like the lusts of money, sex, addiction, and false worship, but we must also remain grounded in Christ when persecution and suffering comes.  Jesus was brutally tortured, yet carried His cross to the hill of Calvary for us. His journey to the peak was not an easy walk, so what makes us think ours will be easier? Our crosses may be heavily laden and riddled with splinters, and our flesh may be weak, but for the astronomical advancements of God’s kingdom, we endure. As a relentless pursuit that is face-to-face with the agonies of life, we must choose to pick up our crosses, pick up our bibles, and pick up our feet  to continue to run the race He has set before us. Let us fight the good fight of the faith.   We Must Be a Living Sacrifice There is no greater sacrifice than Christ! What greater life can there possibly be than to surrender ourselves as a living sacrifice unto Him as He gave himself for us? The honor of bearing His name as Christ -ians should strike and invoke in us a fervorous hunger and thirst that is all for Him. Whether that is to abandon our old natures and take on a new life in Him, or to forsake the fleeting fleshy pleasures of the world, let His will be done in us! Let us take the Gospel into the descents of human depravity, and scale the mountains of sins in contrast to the glorious redemption we have in Christ. Every millisecond of our vindicated lives should be for the glory of the One who has secured us in Him for eternity!  Purchased by Christ In the Christian walk, too often do we hear the message of the cross but forget its heftiness. Imagine how much greater our ministries, relationships, and lives would be if we remembered that the cross was where Christ paid the insurmountable ransom of His life for us to freely enter Heaven. It was there that the holy and almighty Son of God bled, suffered, and died the death that was supposed to be ours.  Left to our own devices, we would have never tasted the festive banquet of Heaven. However, because of God's love for us, He paved the way for eternity in Christ. Consequently, we, as believers, should not consider this life as ours, but rather, one purchased and utterly reserved by and for Christ. We ought to die to ourselves and pick up our crosses daily, offering ourselves as living sacrifices for our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. Peace and glory unto His name. Amen.

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” ( John 5:39-40 ).   This passage was shared with me by a friend who I will forever cherish in my heart. Its words will be with me for the rest of my life until I see Jesus face-to-face. If it were not for this friend—whom I firmly believe God had sent into my life for this very specific purpose—I would not have recognized that I had traditionalized Christianity with man-made religion just like the scribes and Pharisees.   Before That Day A few months before that day, I was theologically narrow-minded and thought all things were black and white. I was spiritually prideful because I thought I knew enough about God’s Word. I held on to one perspective of Christianity so firmly that I was unable to grasp the reality of Jesus’ love and grace. Those two things were so hard for me to accept because I was so fixated on earning favor from God with my own self-righteousness.   I loved Scripture and theology so much to the point where I studied God’s Word for the sake of studying God’s Word. I had gained all sorts of insight from well-known Bible teachers who fed my craving for knowledge. I was puffed up, blind to my own sin of idolizing theology. I knew the gospel. I had “sound doctrine.” I had “right theology.” All of this was in the head, and none of it ever made it to the heart. I had totally missed the point. Jesus was not in view, theology was.   Everything in my life had begun to falter. My spiritual walk with God had gone cold. My heart was hardened like stone. I had no grief over my sins. I felt no convictions from the Spirit. These things led me to do all the more I could just to try and hear His voice again. I read and read but I couldn’t hear Him. I prayed day in and day out but the words went nowhere. I, for once in my life, was genuinely stuck and did not know what else I could do to fix my spiritual problem.   It wasn’t until one day that I read again two passages in Scripture. In Luke 5 , the soon-to-be disciples struggled to catch fish all night. Jesus commanded them to cast their nets to a specific area and they did so, resulting in a miraculous catch of many fish. Immediately, Simon Peter, realizing Jesus was the Christ, fell to his knees and cried before Him: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” To this, Jesus replied: “Do not be afraid.”   Reading this passage felt fresh for some peculiar reason. Although I had read it dozens of times, it felt like this was my first. I began to see my sin again. I felt unsaved . I thought I was unworthy to be in the presence of Jesus. It felt as if my eyes had finally begun to open again, almost like scales falling from my very eyes. I began to see the beauty of Christ once again.   I then flipped over a few pages from this passage and read John 21 —a passage that shared great and real-life parallelisms with Luke 5. The narrative is as follows: The disciples struggled to catch any fish all night, Jesus commanded them to cast their nets to a specific area, and the disciples made another great catch. Before this, the disciples didn't know that this was Jesus because He was recently crucified; They thought He was dead. But when this miracle had happened—the same  miracle performed at their initial calling—the disciples immediately knew it was the risen Lord. Jesus had all the right to rebuke the disciples for abandoning Him and denying Him at the cross, but He didn't. Instead, Jesus appeared to them, prepared breakfast for them, and re-established them.   Reading these passages brought two words to my mind: love and grace . The Lord had shown me that I didn’t need to do anything to earn His favor. He had revealed to me that I just needed to sit under both His love and grace because the work of God was already finished. Instead of relying on my own self-righteousness, I was to trust in Him and His finished work on the cross. The burden was lifted. The deafening obstacles were removed. My heart of stone had become a heart of flesh. I was revitalized .   The Asbury Revival A few weeks later, news broke out about the Asbury Revival drawing in thousands of people from all over the nation. Every day that I went on social media during that time, all I could see was the disgust, bitterness, and hypocrisy of many professing Christians— many, I would even say, from my own theological camp— shaming the Asbury Revival and its attendees. A revival that sprung from a typical college chapel service had somehow been attributed with false and discouraging narratives by many Christians all over the nation who were not even present at the event.   Mockery ran rampant. And no, I’m not only talking about the mockery of other Christians but of God . Professing Christians were mocking the almighty God, restricting Him to natural and theological limitations, saying that if God was truly reviving souls at Asbury, He would be doing so everywhere else.   Asbury didn’t have crazy strobing lights, reckless fog machines, or nonsensical things going on. If anything, all that Asbury had were long periods of song and prayer—two acts of worship mightily displayed throughout the Psalms. It may not have been perfect, but I can assure you that it glorified God in ways that we cannot imagine. Even if God’s own people were not pleased, God was . And that mattered most.   Seeing the outlash of many professing Christians made me profusely upset. When God chooses to reveal Himself to others in ways we don't expect, His own people are mad and skeptical to a new degree. The scribes, the Pharisees, and the brothers of Jesus were all like this. Why are we like this?   I shared these thoughts and feelings with my friend, and they were surprised that I felt this way because they actually expected me to be extremely skeptical, like most, due to my theological narrow-mindedness. Hearing this, I was captivated by profound thought. My friend was right. I was usually skeptical of any big event that bore God’s name. Why have I suddenly changed?     That’s when I realized God was doing something to me. He was changing me. He was deconstructing me of false beliefs I held on to for so long in life. He had shown me that theological traditions—although good—can only get us so far. I began to see that not all beliefs in my theological tradition were scriptural and I had to strain them out, weighing them accordingly with God’s Word. I began to see that God, within a biblical framework, was not meant to be kept in a man-made, finite, and theological box. God is not a natural God after all; God is a supernatural God.   The Culmination of It All All of these things had accumulated to that very moment when my friend shared the passage in John 5 with me. Not all things were as black and white as they seemed. I had made Christianity legalistic. I had made theology my god. I had made Jesus everything without grace and love . I had searched the Scriptures because I thought that in them I had eternal life, but I was wrong.   Like the Apostle Paul , whatever gain I had, I counted as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus, so that I can be found in Him, not with a righteousness that comes from the Law, but from God through faith in Jesus. The day I fully deconstructed my beliefs was the day when I embraced the liberating truth that eternal life is found in Christ alone, not in Scripture nor theology.

Don't let the Enemy steal your peace. One of Satan's greatest tactics is using anxiety over God's chosen people. The Enemy wants to fill believers' hearts with insecurity, doubt, and worry. His goal is so that believers would be led astray—burdened with the worries of this world and losing faith in God ultimately. As Jesus people, it can be so easy for us to be overwhelmed with all kinds of worry. For some, we might fear that we haven't been meeting our employer's standards. Maybe we fear we haven't been getting the grades we expected in school. Maybe we fear that our once-cherished, broken relationships might not be restored. Overthinking thoughts become overflowing anxieties. All these worries entangle us with a fear of what the future holds for us. We might want to do something about it, but no matter how hard we try we can't. We feel stuck. Maybe even we are simply moving through the motions, distracting ourselves from the heartache of it all. But despite all efforts, such burdening worries will eventually continue to haunt us in the night of day. There is a truth that I believe will set you free: You weren't made to carry such anxieties alone. In fact, you weren't made to carry them at all . As I observe what the Apostle Paul says in Philippians, I am reminded that the Lord is "at hand." This means that Jesus is near to us! Of all the reasons in the world to not worry, Christ being near to His beloved is the best. Jesus understands you are fearful of what the future holds because He is walking with you through it all. He is not leaving you helpless. He is not distant from you, unable to hear your cries. He is with you! Because Jesus is near to you, don't take His presence for granted. Run to Him. Lean on Him. Embrace Him. Let Him hear your cries. Let Him carry your burdens. Let Him deal with your endless thoughts. Let loose your grip on situations that are beyond your control by restraining yourself from constantly monitoring them. Cast to Him your anxieties, because He loves you and cares for you ( 1 Peter 5:7 ). I promise you this: The peace of God will guard your heart and mind ( Philippians 4:7 ). The peace of God will shield you from the Enemy's firey darts. This peace is unlike any other because this peace is a promise made to you through your entrusting of Jesus. You no longer have to fear what the future holds because God is already there, just as He is with you now. There are far greater things ahead that await you in the Lord. Will you lean on Him as your source of strength and your source of hope? Release and receive today.

Suffering is a means to knowing Christ more deeply and personally. I’ve been journaling for about six years now, and as I look back at my past journal entries, I recognize a common theme behind all of them: God’s hand was over every single detail of my life experiences—especially those of suffering . Although it isn’t necessarily God’s will for us to suffer, He is very good at turning what the Enemy meant for evil into our good ( Genesis 50:20 ). What that means is this: Satan tempts us to fail, but God tests us to succeed. God can use our suffering for our good, bringing us to know and experience the suffering of Christ and the faithfulness of God the Father. If it weren’t for such heartaches, I would not have known such comfort. If it weren’t for such hurt, I would not have known such healing. If it weren't for such sorrows, I would not have known such joy. If it weren’t for such discouragements, I would not have known such encouragement. If it weren’t for such betrayals, I would not have known such faithfulness. If it weren’t for such hatred, I would not have known such love. If it weren't for such evil, I would not have known such goodness. If it weren’t for such sins, I would not have known such forgiveness. If it weren’t for such losses, I would not have known such gain. If it weren’t for such sufferings, I would not have known such Christ. I’m thankful for the scars.

Anxiety is pounding at the door of my heart. Restless thoughts await me in the bed of night. The worries of this world alarm the deep of my soul in the morning. For all my days, I am hopeless. I am doubtful. And even maybe, I am utterly depressed. The pain, sometimes, is too much to bear. It seems far too immeasurable to even comprehend. And sometimes, I wonder if this heartache will ever go away. How do I surrender things that are out of my control and learn to trust in You, God? This has been a question I’ve been wrestling with for weeks and months. I’ve talked to pastors, mentors, and friends about the experiences of heartache that I have. Almost all of them said they have never experienced what I had experienced before. Almost all of them said they have never felt what I had felt before. Honestly—although, it wasn’t their fault—hearing these things made me feel like I was even more alone because I felt like I had no one who could sympathize with me in all my suffering. I felt like no one could understand me and my pain. I Couldn’t Bear My Sufferings I felt like I couldn't catch a break at all because it was trial after trial after trial. It seemed like I couldn't live my life without something always coming up. The suffering was far too much to bear for me, and I couldn't take it anymore. I asked the Lord to take my life away. I wanted to die. I really wanted to die. Here’s the thing, too. I knew all the Christian answers that most professing Christians might throw at me for feeling this way. I knew that I was supposed to "trust in Jesus." I knew that I was supposed to "have more faith." But I also knew that, because of my faith being sealed by the Holy Spirit, I wanted to depart and be with God because that was far greater than the sufferings of this world, just like Elijah and Paul had wanted ( 1 Kings 19:4 ; Philippians 1:22-23 ). However, I had to remember that it isn’t God’s will for me to choose to stay in my feelings of despair and hopelessness. It isn’t God’s desire for me to be stuck in the past, dwelling on my wavering emotions and thinking about what should’ve happened instead. It most definitely isn’t in God’s pleasure to see me in my suffering or to even die. He Has Good Plans In my fleshly instinct, I wanted to bicker and complain to the Lord about why He would allow such things to happen to me. In anticipation of setting my hopes high, I constantly monitored what I couldn’t control. In my wavering emotions, I fed myself with songs that affected my mental health for the worse. Maybe, right now, you are struggling to trust in God because of your heartache, too. Maybe you’re replaying the hurtful words someone said to you in your head. Maybe you’re constantly imagining what life would look like if your loved one was still alive today. Maybe you're questioning if you shouldn’t have made the commitment in the first place before everything fell apart. And even maybe you’re choosing to stay in your hurt to flesh out all of your thoughts and emotions for long periods of time. The truth is, these things will only keep us in what I like to call the “gloominess of life.” They aren’t helpful; they’re rather destructive. While we should process and express how we feel in times like these, we shouldn’t linger in our emotions and feelings, lest the Enemy uses such means to bring about discouraging (and even harmful) thoughts. You must hold such thoughts and emotions captive to Christ. Bring your sufferings to Christ and have a high perspective of such heartaches by setting your gaze on the unseen where the promises of Christ are yours today. No amount of suffering could ever compare to the glory you have ahead in Jesus. Let me remind you of such truths about God while you might be in your suffering. He is near you ( Psalm 34:18 ). He hears your cries ( Psalm 18:6 ). He understands you ( John 11:33-35 ). He gives you peace ( John 16:33 ). He is for you ( Romans 8:31 ). He loves you ( Romans 8:38-39 ). He comforts you ( 2 Corinthians 7:6 ). He sustains you ( Psalm 55:22 ). He values you ( Matthew 10:31 ). He saves you ( John 10:28-30 ). You must remember that God’s not done with you, yet ( Philippians 1:6 ). Though you might not see what He is doing right now, He is working all of these things for your good ( Romans 8:28 ). Our good God has good plans for you. His heavenly promises await you. His peace that surpasses all understanding is available to you when you place your trust in Him during these times of uncertainty. It is even in our uncertainty that we can have certainty in God. God does not play dice with your sufferings. Everything that came to pass in your life has a purpose simply because God is in control. The sufficient grace of God will sustain you, just as it did for Elijah with his depression and Paul with his thorn . Keep persevering and count it joy, for the testing of your faith will produce even more steadfastness in the Lord ( James 1:2-4 ). Depend on Him. Abide in Him. Knowing that He has good plans for you, how can you surrender to the Lord the things you cannot control and trust in Him today? What should you do? What must you do? Praise Him and Sing to His Name God hasn’t abandoned you in the past when you encountered trials like these. God hasn’t brought you this far to abandon you. God is still with you in your heartache. God will provide a breakthrough far greater than you can imagine. Bring to your remembrance past deliverances and provisions. Bring to your remembrance Christ’s love for you on the cross. Bring to your remembrance how He came through for you when you had a trial like this and didn’t think you’d make it. Remember these things and praise Him—not only for what He’s done but also for who He is. Again, He is your Comforter; He is your Wonderful Counselor; He is your Sustainer; He is your Savior. Sing praise to His name. Cast Your Anxieties on Him Surrender your thoughts, feelings, and emotions to Him. Linger no more in such things by watching what you intentionally feed yourself. The kind of music you listen to matters because it affects you emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. For example, if you are trying to heal from a breakup, it would be wise to not listen to so many heartbreak songs. While these songs excellently express what we aren’t able to fully put into words ourselves, it isn’t healthy for us to dwell on the full extent of our feelings and emotions through such means. Trust me—I know because I am guilty of this. We must move forward and exchange our sorrows for His joy through the reception of His Word and prayer. What have you been listening to? Have you been confiding in unhealthy songs? Have you been confiding in worldly wisdom? Confide in the Lord who cares for you, and let Him know your heartaches by praying to Him in your vulnerability ( 1 Peter 5:7 ). He understands you better than the heartbreak songs you’ve been listening to. He gives you something that heartbreak songs can’t; He gives you peace! Live in Communion with Other Believers Suffering may prompt us to live in complete isolation, but we must remember that we are not called to be isolated beings. Even in our heartaches, our brothers and sisters in Christ will weep with us who weep ( Romans 12:15 ). Be in constant fellowship with other believers so that they can spur you on in the encouragement of Christ to keep you firm in your faith ( Hebrews 3:13 ). Have others point you to Christ when you cannot do so for yourself, especially in these vulnerable times. I’ve also realized that, in my heartache, my mind isn’t as sober as I’d like it to be sometimes. I might not make the wisest decisions because I am so greatly influenced by the whims of my feelings and emotions. Other believers can provide godly guidance as you navigate your life in this season of heartache. Their very presence can also be a comfort to you, reminding you that you are not alone or abandoned. They are willing to suffer with you even if it seems like they might not be able to fully sympathize. I’ve come to acknowledge that, although they might not be able to sympathize with me in my sufferings, they have the Spirit who is able. Dare Anxiety Come Should anxiety bang at the door of my heart, should restless thoughts intrude my night, should my worries interrupt my waking breath… I will choose to trust in God and rest in His peace because I know He has good plans for me . I will praise His name. I will cast my anxieties on Him. I will live in communion with the saints. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” ( Philippians 4:4-7 ).

What does it mean to speak of Christ’s atonement for us? God sent His one and only Son to die for our sins because of His love for us (Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn 4:10). Jesus Christ—God the Son—was a perfect and unblemished sacrifice who had known no sin but became sin for us and died on the cross for our justification (Rom. 4:25). The atonement of Christ on the cross displayed both the wrath of God for sin and the love of God for His people (Rom. 3:21-26; 5:8-10). What is meant by Christ’s active and passive obedience, and how does his obedience benefit us? Christ came down to earth ultimately to fulfill the will of the Father (Mt 5:17; Jn 8:29). Christ’s active obedience means that Christ had faithfully submitted to the will of the Father despite being acquainted with grief and other human emotions, learning obedience through suffering (Mt 4:1-11; 26:36-46; Is 53:3-4; Heb 5:7-10). Christ can sympathize with our weaknesses as He was tempted in every way like us but was without sin (Heb 4:15-16). Christ’s passive obedience means that Christ had voluntarily offered Himself to the Father through His death on the cross to redeem His people from the curse of sin that came through the Torah law by becoming a curse for us (Gal 3:13). The obedience of Christ, then, benefits us in such a way that Christ is our legal substitute, being our righteousness and our salvation (1 Cor 1:30; 1 Pet 3:18). What is the atoning death of Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ gave Himself as an unblemished sacrifice to the Father and had taken the stead of sinners, bearing their sin and shame. Thus, Christ became alienated and condemned to death, satisfying the demands of the Holy Father so that sinners–namely, those who believe in Christ through faith–may be in right standing, being forgiven and reconciled back to God. It is my belief that Christ bore the sins of the world and was slain as the unblemished lamb, however, such atoning death is only efficacious to God’s elect people (Jn 10:15; Is 53:8, 11-12). With this belief, I would then also assume the Penal Substitution Theory and Definite Atonement positions. What saving benefits accrue to us because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ? When Christ was resurrected, He enabled believers to also experience resurrection through faith in Him as Lord and Savior so that they could receive eternal life (Jn 11:25; Eph 2:8). This eternal life consists of a life that is united in Christ forever (1 Jn 5:11-12). There is victory over sin and death for the believer, as Christ, in His resurrection, conquered the forces of spiritual darkness after three days in the tomb (1 Cor 15:55). Believers get to participate in His ascension to newness of life (Eph 1:15-23; Rom 6:4). What is the significance of the ascension of Christ for our salvation? The ascension of Christ signifies that Christ, our great High Priest, now sits on the throne at the right hand of the Father so that we can have access to the Father for mercy and grace (Heb 4:13-14, 16). His ascension also fulfills the promise of our Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to enable us to participate in the resurrection life with Christ, share in His exaltation, and have victory over spiritual darkness (Jn 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; Eph 1:20-21). What significance does land play in salvation? Land signifies a locus for a relationship with God. Originally, humans walked with God, living in His presence in the Garden of Eden (Gen 1-2). However, when sin entered the world, both Adam and Eve were banished from the land of the Garden of Eden, ultimately, being cast away from the presence of God (Gen 3:23-24). Salvation through Christ grants a land of redemption where God will gather His people from all lands into one land, making God have His own people and the people having God (Ezek 36:24, 28). It is in the land of God where believers have their inheritance and portion which is the Lord only (Num 18:20). When the new heaven and earth are created, there will be the tree of life in the midst of God’s people in the land of God (Rev 2:7). To whom does the election of God’s people in Jesus Christ refer? The election of God’s people in Jesus Christ refers to those who have been chosen by God before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4-5). All of those who are elected in Christ Jesus are drawn to Jesus by the Father, being predestined for God’s ultimate purpose and will of salvation (Jn 6:44; Eph 1:11). The elect, then, refers to those who were given grace and purpose before the foundations of the world through their faith in Christ Jesus by the unsolicited love of God, not being based on works, but rather, on God’s unconditional election (2 Tim 1:9; Eph 2:6; Rom 8:29).

For whom is the saving death of Christ efficacious? The saving death of Christ is efficacious only for God’s people, as Christ was slain for God’s people in all times and places throughout the world, and bore their sins as He died on the cross (Is 53:8, 11-12). Christ, the Good Shepherd, laid down His life voluntarily to save God’s people, His sheep, from their sins (Jn 10:15). It is only efficacious for the elect—that is, the people of God who were chosen and predestined before the foundations of the world (Eph 1:4). May God’s saving grace be finally resisted/repudiated? God’s saving grace is only efficacious for the elect (Eph 1:4). Those who receive God’s saving grace are saved according to the mercy of God as they are being renewed by the Holy Spirit—the third Person of the Trinity who never fails to bring salvation to sinners who are called to Christ by the Father (Jn 6:37-40, 44; Titus 3:5). Thus, saving grace cannot be resisted because it is a gift that is not based on works but rather on the mercy of God through the regeneration that the Holy Spirit brings (Eph 2:5, 8; Ps 3:8). Does God preserve those included in Christ to the end, growing them to maturity in and conformity to himself, or are the redeemed able to fall away from (i.e. ‘lose’) salvation? Once God saves a believer, they are always saved. The Spirit is the seal and guarantee of the salvation of a believer at the moment when He indwells them (Eph 1:13-14; Jn 14:17; Rom 8:9). God preserves those who are included in Christ to the end by the power of the Holy Spirit as He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and will never forsake those who are His (Heb 13:5, 8). Nothing can separate the believer from God’s salvation because of the security of the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30; Jn 10:28-29; Rom 8:38-39). Of what does saving faith consist? And why do we say that faith is ‘saving’? Saving faith consists of three things: knowledge, assent, and personal trust in Christ Jesus. Saving faith consists of knowledge of the true Jesus Christ of the biblical Gospel, differentiating Him from mere superstitions and error (Acts 17:16-34; Rom 10:13-17). It also consists of our assent, or agreement, to the biblical truths that define God and us. Lastly, it consists of personally trusting in Jesus as the Savior who will fulfill His promises to His believers (Rom 4:20-25; Heb 11). What is the relationship between salvation and union with Christ? Salvation can only be obtained through union with Christ, for in Christ all who believe will be made alive because He is the true Vine (1 Cor 15:22; Jn 15:5). In Christ, believers have redemption through His blood for the forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7; Col 1:13-14). Christ is the cornerstone of our salvation, and we are the living stones built upon Him (1 Pet 2:4-7). As we are in union with Christ through our faith, we obtain an imperishable inheritance—that is, eternal life. What is the saving benefit of justification? God, in His just mercy, declares believers righteous by having judged our sins in Christ Jesus on the cross and imputed His own righteousness to us (Rom 4:5-8). Justification is appropriated by faith—that is, believing in the Lord through faith is what justifies the believer to be in right standing before God (Gen 15:6). It is not based on works that believers are saved, but rather, on their faith in Christ Jesus for the remission of the penalty of sin where God’s favor is restored (Rom 3:23-24; Eph 2:8). What is the benefit of adoption? God, in His love, declares believers a member of His family by loving us as He had unfailingly loved Christ the Son (Rom 8:31-39). Believers are given the privilege to call upon and trust God as Father (Mt 6:5-13, 25-34). Believers are given an eternal inheritance and a desire to live obedient, holy lives for God as children of God (1 Pet 1:4; Rom 8:13-14; Gal 4:5). As adopted children of God, we can receive the Holy Spirit who consoles and assures us of our identity as sons and daughters of the Most High God our Father (1 Jn 3:1; Rom 8:15). What is the benefit of sanctification? God, in His union with believers, conforms the hearts of believers to be like the heart of Jesus—that is, conforming us to the image of the Son as He is delivering us from our depraved natures (Eph 5:25-27). Because believers are justified, believers are to be sanctified through the enablement of the Holy Spirit by being holy as Jesus is holy. Sanctification, then, is a restoration of God’s people to the original image of God that they were originally created in and intended to be (Gen 1:26-27).