He Is The Pledge: A Prayer

I love you, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. (Psalm 18:1-3)
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As we call upon your name oh LORD, we invite you to be in our midst. Quieten our minds and soften our hearts to the voice and guidance of your Holy Spirit who knows and searches us.

Thank you heavenly Father for the Easter season that passed by us a few weeks ago, and that the sadness and heaviness of Friday turned into joy and gladness on Sunday, when your Son Jesus arose and conquered sin and death.

Thank you that our faith in Jesus is not in vain, but that by your grace, through faith in Him, our sins are forgiven, and we are reconciled back to you. We praise you heavenly Father, for just as you raised your Son Jesus from the dead, so too one day you will raise us, and we look forward to the day when we can worship you in heaven. We are grateful that you work in our lives through the preaching of your word. May what we heard tonight serve to strengthen our faith and may it draw us closer to you.

We confess that we often times don’t get things right. We don’t delight in your good ways, but instead, we place ourselves at the centre of our lives. We are selfish and proud, and we give in to the traps laid out before us by the evil one. Centre our lives on you LORD, and help us to discern what is good and right in your eyes. Give us strength and discernment; so that we may faithfully walk the path you have set before us.

Lord, in your Mercy, hear our prayer!

Thank you for the city of Vancouver, and the many privileges we enjoy as a result of living here. Spring, warm weather, and sunny days give us more opportunities to go outside and enjoy the goodness of your creation. The mountains, the ocean, and the blooming flowers remind us of the words you spoke after you created the heavens and the earth and all that is in it: “and it was good.”

Help us to love the people of this city. Grant us boldness to share the name of your Son Jesus with our neighbours, and when our motivations are misguided, we ask that by your grace you would still use these situations to further your purposes for this city.

We also pray that local government and business leaders would acknowledge you as the source of all good things, and that they would conduct their affairs in ways that are according to your righteous ways.

Lord, in your Mercy, hear our prayer!

We are grateful for your church, and we rejoice with the many people all over the world who are coming to know your Son Jesus. Thank you for growing your church, and for raising faithful people who are eager to share the good news, even if at their own peril. Teach us, oh LORD, to lay aside the many things that distract us from sharing the gospel.

We pray for the church in Canada, and we ask that your Holy Spirit would perform mighty acts in this land. May there be a spiritual renewal grounded in faithfulness to Holy Scriptures and the accomplishment Jesus obtained on the cross.

We are also grateful for the work you did in our church during Easter through the services, the Bach Cantata, and the talks on the Da Vinci Code. May the word that was preached be like the seed that fell on good soil: may it yield much fruit, to the glory and honour of your name.

We ask that you would supply leaders for the upcoming Christianity Explored course here and for the Women @ 10 group. May people who are hungry for your truth have the courage to come to this course, and we pray for humility on our part to provide genuine hospitality.

Thank you for protecting the Artizo team that went to Calgary earlier this week, and for using your servants David and Eric to build up the future leaders of your church. We pray that you would lead all of our church leaders in truth and grace.

And finally, as we begin a new week, we silently entrust to your loving care those people you’ve placed on our hearts and minds.

Lord, in your Mercy, hear our prayer!

We love you Lord, for you are our strength, our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer. We take refuge in you, for you have saved us. Your name is worthy to be praised forever and ever.

Amen.

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Evening Service Prayer at St. John's Shaughnessy Anglican Church, based on I. Corinthians 15:12-20, and Psalm 18:1-3

Soap Opera

Who needs daytime soap operas when you can be in ministry and experience the same thing .. except, for real.

Last night, a few hours after I returned from the preaching conference in Calgary, a friend of mine called me. She's Christian, married, and she recently shared with me that she is suspecting her husband, also a Christian, is cheating on her.

She called me yesterday to confirm that her suspicions have been confirmed. Not only is her husband cheating on her, he's married to another woman, and has a child with her. What more, he's left my dear friend here, in order to be with the other woman who lives in the Philippines.

It angers me, that we (men) can be so fucking selfish, so diabolically arrogant and proud that we would betray women in such manner. It seems to me that cowardice is one of our core character flaws. I see it everyday in myself, and in other men.

Her life - at least for the next 3-5 years - is going to be one big, long, unending, nightmarish hell.

Human corruption never ceases to amaze me.

Lord have mercy!

Chirst have mercy!

Lord have mercy!

Done

I just finished my last paper for this term. How appropriate .. because it's a gloriously sunny day today. I'm sure the angels are celebrating too!

This afternoon I'm off to Calgary for a preaching conference. Back on Friday. Yay!

Burp

Today I made 3 bad decisions:

1- I drank beer. I don't like the taste of it, but I had a left-over bottle in my fridge from a few months' ago, so I cracked it open.

2- I combined beer with a Kenyan dinner: super spicy, super hot. Bad combination.

3- After dinner, I drank coffee. Decaf. Pathetic.

For the rest of the evening I found myself burping (once I even blurted out the entire alphabet in one burp .. immmmmmmmmmmmpressive!). I also felt like throwing up all night long.

Lesson learned.

Bye Bye Mark

Tonight we had a super fun going-away party for our dear friend Mark, who is graduating from Regent. It was good to spend some time with him and a few others, as we gathered for a bbq dinner, sharing, prayer, and games.

Over the past 1.5 years, Mark has - along with James - become a faithful and trustworthy friend at school. I rarely meet people who are as real and genuine as these two friends. Truly I'm lucky!

Now he's off to Idaho to get married, before moving to Italy with his wife Leah. I plan to attend his wedding in July, a week after I get back from Europe. I'm also trying to convince him to start blogging. Guess to be fair, I'm gonna have to give him my URL also. :)

Anyways, here are some pictures I took last night:

Everyone (minus Terri, Alison, and Alicia)















Terri & Alicia (a welcomed addition back into my life!)

Food!!!

Mark & Terri

Mark & Friends

Misfire

I just came back from a date with a lovely woman who shall remain nameless (for now .. and who knows, maybe for good). I've been out with her six times now, and things have been pretty good.

But tonight was terrible. Utterly terrible. Men are from Venus. Women are from Mars.

I think I'll become a monk.

7 More Days...

...until this semester is done.

Yesterday I wrote my History final exam. I wrote two essays in my exam:
* The 2nd Wave of British Spiritual Renewal, 1785-1835; and
* The Rise of Christianity in China in the 19th & 20th century

This Friday (4.21.06) I write my Anglican History/Theology Final exam. The exam will also be essay format. I'm preparing to write one historical essay, and 3 theological essays. Here are the topics I'm preparing for:
* History - The English Reformation (16th century)
* History - The Puritans (16th-17th century)
* Theology - Evangelicals (18th-19th century)
* Theology - High Churchmen --> Caroline Divines, Anglo-Catholicism (17th, 19th century)
* Theology - Modernists, Liberals (19th-20th century)

Finally, next Tuesday (4.25.06) my Anglican History/Theology paper is due. I'm writing on Richard Hooker, Sola Scriptura and Tradition.

Five-O-Clock Shadow

I took this picture about a week ago. I thought it was a rather clever picture, and the title of the journal entry is quite clever too I must say. ;)

By the way, the picture was taken at 6:36pm.

Coffee .. Again!!!

Yay! Lent is finished, and I can enjoy coffee again!

Although, I'm thinking of limiting coffee-intake to 4 days a week. Another option is to only drink coffee on special occasions, or only drink good quality coffee (that would eliminate pretty much half of my coffee intake, as well as my heartburns!).

Not drinking coffee for the past 6 weeks has been a good discipline, and it seems wise to continue it, even if perhaps in a less stringent format.

Discipline is a good thing.

Nigra Sum

I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem:

The King hath rejoiced in me, the King hath brought me into His very own chambers.

He spake unto me: Rise up, my fair one, and come away,

Lo, for the winter is past and gone, and the rain is over and gone.

The flowers appear on the earth and the time of renewal is come.

Alleluia!

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Song composed by Pablo Casals

Wait for the Lord

Wait for the Lord, whose day is near.

Wait for the Lord, keep watch, take heart!

Wait for the Lord, whose day is near.

Wait for the Lord, keep watch, take heart!

Wait for the Lord, whose day is near.

Wait for the Lord, keep watch, take heart!

Why Have You Forsaken Me?

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me from the words of my groaning?

O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,

and by night, but I find no rest.

Yet you are holy,

enthroned on the praises of Israel.

In you our fathers trusted;

they trusted, and you delivered them.

To you they cried and were rescued;

in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

But I am a worm and not a man,

scorned by mankind and despised by the people.

All who see me mock me;

they make mouths at me;

they wag their heads;

"He trusts in the LORD;

let him deliver him;

let him rescue him,

for he delights in him!"

Yet you are he who took me from the womb;

you made me trust you at my mother's womb

you have been my God.

Be not far from me,

for trouble is near,

and there is none to help.

Many bulls encompass me;

strong bulls of Bashan surround me;

they open wide their mouths at me,

like a ravening and roaring lion.

I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like wax;

it is melted within my breast;

my strength is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to my jaws;

you lay me in the dust of death.

For dogs encompass me;

a company of evildoers encircles me;

they have pierced my hands and feet -

I can count all my bones -

they stare and gloat over me;

they divide my garments among them,

and for my clothing they cast lots.

But you, O LORD, do not be far off!

O you my help, come quickly to my aid!

Deliver my soul from the sword,

my precious life from the power of the dog!

Save me from the mouth of the lion!

You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

I will tell of your name to my brothers;

in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

You who fear the LORD, praise him!

All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,

and stand in awe of him all you offspring of Israel!

For he has not despised or abhorred

the affliction of the afflicted,

and he has not hidden his face from him,

but has heard when he cried to him.

From you comes my praise in the great congregation;

my vows I will perform before those who fear him.

The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;

those who seek him shall praise the LORD!

May your hearts live forever!

All the ends of the earth shall remember

and turn to the LORD,

and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.

For kingship belongs to the LORD,

and he rules over the nations.

All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;

before him shall bow all who

go down to the dust,

even the one who could not keep himself alive.

Posterity shall serve him;

it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;

they shall come and proclaim his righteousness

to a people yet unborn,

that he has done it.

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Psalm 22. English Standard Version.

Ah, Holy Jesus

Ah, Holy Jesus, how hast thou offended

that man to judge thee, hath in hate pretended?

By foes derided, by thine own rejected,

O most afflicted.

Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?

Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.

'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee;

I crucified thee.

For me, kind Jesus, was thine incarnation,

Thy mortal sorrow, and thy life's oblation;

Thy death of anguish and thy bitter Passion.

For my salvation.

Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,

I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee;

Think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,

Not my deserving.

V. Agnus Dei

Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.

Grant us peace.

***

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,

miserere nobis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,

miserere nobis.

Dona nobis pacem.

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5th movement, Mass in B Minor, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).

IV. Sanctus

Holy, holy

is the Lord God of Hosts.

Heaven and earth are full

of his glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he that cometh

in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

***

Sanctus, sanctus,

Dominus Deus Sabaoth.

Pleni sunt coeli et terra

gloria ejus.

Osanna in excelsis.

Benedictus qui venit

in nomine Domini.

Osanna in excelsis.

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4th movement, Mass in B Minor, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).

III. Credo

I believe in God,

the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth,

and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only-begotten Son of God,

begotten of the Father before all worlds,

God of God,

Light of Light,

very God of very God,

begotten not made,

being of one substance with the Father,

by whom all things were made,

who for us men

and for our salvation

came down from heaven.

And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost

of the Virgin Mary,

and was made man.

He was crucified also for us;

under Pontius Pilate

he suffered and was buried.

And the third day he rose again,

according to the Scriptures,

and ascended into heaven.

He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father,

and he shall come again with glory

to judge both the quick and the dead,

whose kingdom shall have no end,

And in the Holy Ghost,

the Lord and giver of life,

who proceedeth from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son together

is worshipped and glorified,

who spake by the Prophets,

And in one holy, catholic

and apostolic church.

I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.

And I look for the resurrection of the dead

and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

***

Credo in unum Deum,

Patrern omnipotentem,

creator coeli et terrae,

visibilium omnium et invisibilium.

Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum,

Fillum Del unigenitum,

et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula,

Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine,

Deum verum de Deo vero,

genitum non factum,

consubstantialem Patri,

per quem omnia facta sunt,

qui propter nos homines

et propter nostram salutem

descendit de coelis.

Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto

ex Maria Virgine,

et homo factus est.

Crucifixus etiam pro nobis:

sub Pontio Pilato

passus et sepultus est.

Et resurrexit tertia die,

secundum Scripturas,

et ascendit in coelum.

Sedet ad dextram Dei Patris,

et iterum venturus est cum gloria

judicare vivos et mortuos,

cujus regni non erit finis.

Et in Spiritum Sanctum,

Dominum et vivificantem,

qui ex Patre Filioque procedit,

qui cum Patre et Filio simul

adoratur et conglorificatur,

qui locutus est per Prophetas.

Et unam sanctam catholicam et

apostolicam ecclesiam.

Confiteor unum baptisma

in remissionem peccatorum,

Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum

et vitam venturi saeculi.

Amen.

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3rd movement, Mass in B Minor, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).

II. Gloria

Glory be to God in the highest,

and on earth peace

to men of goodwill.

We praise thee,

we bless thee,

we worship thee,

we glorify thee.

We give thanks to thee

for thy great glory.

Lord God, heavenly King,

God the Father almighty:

O Lord, the only-begotten Son,

Jesu Christ most high:

Lord God, Lamb of God,

Son of the Father:

Thou that takest away the sins of the world,

have mercy upon us.

Thou that takest away the sins of the world,

receive our prayer.

Thou that sittest at the right hand of the Father,

have mercy upon us.

For thou only art holy,

thou only art the Lord,

thou only art the most high,

Jesu Christ:

With the Holy Ghost

in the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

***

Gloria in excelsis Deo,

et in terra pax

hominibus bonae voluntatis.

Laudamus te,

benedicimus te,

adoramus te,

glorificamus te.

Gratias agimus tibi

propter magnam gloriam tuam.

Domine Deus, Rex coelestis,

Deus Pater omnipotens:

Domine Fili unigenite,

Jesu Christe altissime:

Domine Deus, Agnus Dei,

Filius Patris:

Qui tollis peccata mundi,

miserere nobis.

Que tollis peccata mundi,

suscipe deprecationem nostram.

Qui sedes ad dextram Patris,

miserere nobis.

Quoniam tu solus sanctus,

tu solus Dominus,

tu solus Altissimus,

Jesu Christe:

Cum Sancto Spiritu

in gloria Dei Patris.

Amen.

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2nd movement, Mass in B Minor, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).

I. Kyrie

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

***

Kyrie eleison.

Christie eleison.

Kyrie eleison.

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1st movement, Mass in B Minor, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).

Mass in B Minor

Tomorrow I'm going to a performance of Johann Sebastian Bach's Mass in B Minor. This piece is my favourite of all.

We're nearing the end of Lent Season, and are approaching Passion Week, beginning with Palm Sunday a few days from now. It seems very appropriate to usher in this Holy Easter Week with the text of Bach's great masterpiece.

I will devote the next five days to journaling the text of Bach's great work. Here are the movements of the piece:

I. Kyrie
II. Gloria
III. Credo
IV. Sanctus
V. Agnus Dei

Musically, I find Bach's Mass to be a work of passion - which makes honouring this piece during Passion Week that much more appropriate. It resonates with a heaviness of soul, as it foresees Christ's Passion.

The liturgical layout of this piece is brilliant too. The Kyrie and Agnus Dei are both classics that begin and end the work. In the middle is a word for word rendition of the Nicene Creed, the creed millions of us followers of our Lord Jesus Christ recite on a weekly basis. This creed has been the central confessional creed of the church since the fourth century. Talk about a perseverance of the Saints! As the middle movement of Bach's work, the Creed separates the Gloria from the Sanctus.

Praise be to you, God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Dinner

Vivid

Today I worked really hard on my research paper, from 7:30am until 5:30. It was torture for two reasons: 1- my back hurts like hell; and 2- it was sunny out there, and I sure felt like going out there and enjoying it.

But after I studied, I rewarded myself by going for a walk. I went to the breadstore, as well as the grocery store. On my way, here are some pictures I took.

I couldn't help but notice the richness of spring: whites, blues, greens, purples. I think that's why spring is such a special season. The vivid colours breathe life into my soul.

Hexenschuβ

I woke up this morning and noticed that I'd slept in a really awkward position.

I got up out of bed and went straight into the shower. After showering, I grabbed for my towel, and then, I felt it: PINCH. My nerve in my lower back pinched me so hard I just about fell over right there. I hate getting pinched nerves, I get them about once a year.

My dad always calls them Hexenschuβ, which is the German equivalent. It means "witch shot," and gives the impression of being "shot by a witch." That expression seems appropriate to me, because I certainly feel like I was shot by a witch. I'm so sore I can barely move!!!

To make matters worse, Tuesdays are my worst days. I had no less than 4 "appointments" (ie - classes, meetings) which I couldn't miss. All day long I walked around moaning and groaning like an old man.

Better stop there, before I get accused of being a whiner.

Note to self: next time you wake up after sleeping in an awkward position, stay in bed all day.

In Love

I finally met the woman of my dreams. The search is over....!