Visiting Lixia

On December 15-18th, I visited my friend Lixia in New York City.  She lives in Queens with her husband Chenghui and daugther, XinXin.  She was converted two years ago and I am very excited about her growing faith in Christ.  Here are some photos I took on my journey:

  

I Was Glad...

Jesus, I'd rather spend one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.  I was glad when they said unto me, enter into the house of the Lord on Sunday, December 25th!

Peanut Sesame Noodles

I made peanut sesame noodles, adapted from Nigella Lawson's recipe.  Modifications: nixed the beansprouts, fresh coriander/cilantro and garlic oil, sauteed the vegetables with olive oil and crushed garlic, used crunchy peanut butter and green onions instead of spring onions, a tiny bit of ground coriander, frozen cilantro, and measured everything by eye.  I got great deals on the ingredients from Grand Asia Market and Trader Joes.  Next time I will try julienned green beans instead of snow peas.

Gospel-Centered Marriages for a Glorious Church, 4/4

Hope Baptist Elder, Dan Horn spoke on the role of romance and emotions.  The message was intertwined with great historical context – Reformation, Scholasticism - “the mind is not fallen” [NOT], Romanticism and more.  Here are points from this talk:

• The purpose of every righteous courtship is to find God's will and prescription for marriage.
• Man acting in a heroic way is what it means to be romantic NOT “how will he swoon over me??!!!1111" Romantic scenes – 1 Samuel 18:25-27; Joshua 15:16-17
• Jesus Christ was about big things, don't let your marriage be about small things.
• Desires can be evil: Colossians 3:5  / Desires can be good: 2 Tim. 3:12, Luke 22:15
• James 1:13-16 – fight against the perversion of a desire into something unrighteous; be careful about the violating the 10th commandment
• God is not weak, weeping... “I love you so much!!!” [I'm crazzzy for you!] He said conquer, come along beside me minister.
• Jesus came and died to do his Father's will, [and rose] to glorify.
• Jeremiah 12:5 - self-control; 1 Corinthians 7:9; Jeremiah 29
• "GROW UP!" 

Here are points from his talk on unequal yoking:

• Deuteronomy 22:10; Romans 8:28
• Process of courtship: understand who God would match together to do work for the service of God
• Equal yoking in the context of dominion, furthering the work of God  – 1 Cor. 22:7; 1 Cor. 7:8-9
• More worthy – “I will give my life for you to spend.”
• Marriage – no aggravation, but covering of weaknesses, not just matching strengths
• Theology (agree on the majors) & How to determine major or minor: Can you overlook it?
• Is this a match that glorifies the Kingdom of Heaven?

There you have it!  These conclude my notes from Gospel-Centered Marriages for a Glorious Church.  There were around 30 messages presented there.  A set of MP3s or CDs from the conference can be purchased here.

Gospel-Centered Marriages for a Glorious Church, 3/4

Paul Washer spoke at a session called “Principles of Courtship.”  The complete message is available for download at Sermon Audio.

Here are some points from the talk:

• We are living in a culture where everyone is encouraged to do what is right in their own eyes (Judges 17:6)
• Do you believe the Bible is sufficient and inerrant for every aspect of life?
• Live to the glory of God; study God's will revealed in the scriptures and seek to submit every aspect of life to them.
• In courtship for singles: Elders can take the place of neglectful parents.
• Recreational dating meets self-centered, selfish desires
• Timing of courtship: when a young person awakens to desire the opposite sex, it is not time to participate, but to prepare.
• Sign of male maturity – unaided devotion to God; moral fortitude (Jeremiah 12:5)
• Sign of female maturity – could I manage a home?
• “Society is falling is apart because the family has become a sitcom.”

Principles:

• Relationship is initiated by the man: trust in prayer & sovereignty of God
• Carefully examine/evaluate motives - are you attracted to Biblical beauty or sexuality? To virtue or winsome personality?
• 1 Timothy 3 / Titus 1 – mature man

Simple Meals

I was looking through some old photos recently and came across a picture that brought back such warm memories of hospitality.  In 2006, I spent five weeks in Panajachel, Guatemala with the Ramirez Family as a part of a study abroad experience. Doña Juanita prepared simple and delicious meals for me, her husband, Don Rodolfo and their three young children.

Breakfast: hot tea, homemade salsa, boiled eggs and homemade corn tortilla.

Gospel-Centered Marriages for a Glorious Church, 2/4

Joel Beeke gave a great historical overview on Puritan marriage at the Gospel Centered Marriages for a Glorious Church conference. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a Puritan as “a member of a 16th and 17th century Protestant group in England and New England opposing as unscriptural the ceremonial worship and the prelacy of the Church of England.”

Thanks to high school literary curriculum and historical revisionism, my view of the Puritans before the faith came was skewed. I still have some unlearning to do, and I look forward to learning more about their belief that Scripture was sufficient for every area of life.

Beeke talked about the Puritans' positive attitude toward families and marriage. He read the Anglican and Puritan marriage vows. Both vows are wonderfully scriptural, but they are ordered differently. He pointed out that the Puritan vows list “marriage for the mutual help and comfort” (according to Malachi 2:15 and 1 Corinthians 7:3) first, while the Anglican vows place it last.

Beeke mentioned a Puritan author by the name of William Gouge. I was seated beside my friends Chuck and Sarah during the talk. They have been married for two years and they shared that Gouge's book, Of Domestical Duties, has been a great help to them.

Puritan Marriage Procedures:

1. Getting to know/like/love each other under supervision
2. Contract of espousal [engagement]
3. Contract formally announced for three successive Sundays
4. Public solemnization of vows
5. Civil celebration
6. Feasting, tasteful riddles
7. Consummation (when marriage is considered official)

Puritan Criteria for Suitable Mates:

• Wisdom in walking in Christ
• Leadership skills, demeanor
• Submission
• Mature & properly motivated
• Fairly equal in class & cultural resources
• Somewhat attractive to each other

The minimum Puritan marriage age was 12 for girls, 14 for boys - in the 16^th and 17^th century they were attending Yale, Harvard and/or had full-time jobs by age 9. The average age people actually married was 17 to 21; life expectancy at that time was 45 years.

Other Points:

• Husbands love absolutely, purposefully, realistically & sacrificially
• Mutual duties - love, fidelity, joy
• Understood the covenantal principle/covenant theology [would there be as many divorces, or even marriages, if people truly understood and took covenants seriously today?]
• 1 Timothy 4:1-3 prophesies one of the many fallacies of Catholic doctrine (forbidding priests to marry)
• A wife: a helpmeet in business, troubles, sickness, content with husband's work, social standing and financial status, always joy to see him, thrifty without being miserly, sober, modest
• Children were viewed as gifts of God
• Children brought up early on in the nurture and admonition of the Word
• Everyday singing in home up to the glory of God - Psalm 118:15