National Exam? Bring it on!!!

Dear twelve-grader students,

Unfortunately, you have reached the peak; the last minutes of school program. Every single moment passed will not remain in vanity. Every happiness, every sorrow, every contrition, every boast done will form you unto the perfection. Tomorrow, 15 April 2013, everything gained in these 15 years has to be written in a piece of filmsy paper. Allow me to exhort and give you some discourses and admonishments.

DO NOT BE ANXIOUS!
God holds tomorrow!
Philippians 4:6-7; "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Horatio Spafford is a widespread-existence seventeen-century Christian hymn author and a prominent

attorney. He, concomitant with his family; his wife and his only begotten son, loved God so much. Furthermore, he is also a friend of D.L. Moody which is prevalent as the most influential ecclesiastes -he who made the fifth revival- of all time. Spafford is also a well-prosperous man; he had everything with.

Everything happened counter-productively. Initially, he lost his only begotten son infected by Pneumonia at age of four. It injured him a lot. Precisely a year after the tragedy, he invested his most enormous welfare in one of Chicago's real estate. Simultaneously, in the same year, the Great Fire of Chicago tragedy licked his investment to the ashes.

Two years after, they decided to had their holiday in England. For some reasons, he could not go together with his family, so he sent them -his wife, and four children- over. Alas, something happened. His boat collided the other boat, and his four children lost their life. Few years after that pandemonium tragedy, he again got three children. Similar with tragedy happened before, he lost one of his son caused by Scarlatina fever.

Eventually, he got mental trouble and started crazy. No wonder, why could he get crazy; he acted ostentatious strong, he thought that as a Christian, he may not sad, he may not lament, he should be strong; as strong as an iron, instead wrote a song "It is Well with My Soul", whereas this is intolerable false! God created you as an ordinary human that posses human nature. Moreover, emotion is entitled to glorify God, lest human become a robot. Realize it!

In the verse written, Paul did not say that we have to be a 'robot' prohibited to experience human weakness - Jesus he himself had ever been anxious (c.f. Mat 26:37) -. Paul did not speak frivolously when he wrote the phrase "stop worrying"; he did not say about imaginary trouble or phantom anxiety. That in fact, Paul was echoing and recite the things done by David (c.f. Psalm 55:22) aiming to exhort Phillipians' church afflicted by dozens troubles. He also did not give fake idiot hope the church, like "God always eases, always lightens your trouble", yet he aimed to say "God is greater than all troubles!" (c.f. II Chor 11:23-31, I Chor 7:32, I Pet 5:7); it, therefore he said not to anxious.

It brought me to ponder more profound. How to be not anxious? Nearly entire of Paul's epistle stresses at "PRAY"; "the way to be anxious about nothing was to be prayerful about everything". More than this, prayer must be based on "GRATITUDE". Karl Barth defined that "Thanksgiving means giving God the glory in everything, making room for him, and casting our care on him."

In the verse 7, it can be perceived that Paul expounded the implication of the verse 6, that is "the peace of God." Herein, he did not speak about "peace with God" or "peace of soul that come from God."  Meanwhile, the God he himself is eternal peace "surpassing human understanding" (c.f. NIV, RSV, KJV, and TEV translation) that able to annihilate human anxiety which is unable to be erased by human effort including intellectual efforts.

Humans are more likely hold their own intelligence firmly causing increment in anxiety. John Calvin said "There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence." Human total depravity embraces intelligence (Westminster's Creed). Human intelligence has been bondage in sins and transgressions eliciting the skyrocket of anxiety.

At the end of the epistle, Paul stressed that "peace of God" itself gives "protection" to man. The word "protection" is derived by word "fronresei" in Greek associating with Hellenic culture designating the "soldiers" which is "standing guard over". The protection surpassing everything that can annihilate man's anxiety. Peter T. O'Brien explained that no other path to gain those divine attributes, unless "those who are in Jesus Christ that achieves the redeeming love". Westminster shorter catechism said "man chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever."; in accordance with these, Augustine said "love, and do what you wilt."

If a man love God, he does God's will (c.f. John 14:15). By doing God's will, he will bear a fruit which one of the fruit is "peace" (c.f. Gal 5:22-23). It is obvious that bear fruit is differed with repent and reborn. Reborn is aorist imperative passive (occurred in the past, only single time, and man is totally passive; totally God's work). On the contrary, in this case, man is obligated to endeavour; man has to make efforts to gain those divine attributes. It is by preserving the intimacy with God.

To conclude, let us not act ostentatiously strong like Spafford. Moreover, if you have a problem, you have to express it. However, do not let the problem enthrone, and enslaves you. Nevertheless, surrender all things to God with prayer and gratitude. Keep active by studying hard to face tomorrow's national exam. Barth said that one of the sins that was not removed after reborn is "laziness". Hence, stand-firm in God, be prayerful.

YOU CAN!!!

ORA ET LABORA

Best regards,
Jerren

Camaraderie

Hi readers,

Talk about "camaraderie", it reminds me when I stepped inside a restaurant, a simple-vogue restaurant. Meanwhile, a classy-flossy poster in the corner of it captivated my eyes to. I walked to the corner, then I saw a quote:

"Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies." (Aristotle)

Nothing to react, unless a lukewarm smiled. Let it be the preliminary of these.

"And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." (I Samuel 18:1, KJV). As I said, friendship is the one making me conceive the efficacy of love that surpasses everything in this despicable world. "Love", frankly, I am still unable to explain it hitherto. Saint Augustine of Hippo said that "Love is the beauty of the soul". It is hard for me to expound the verse written.

My brother, Andreas' birthday

Moreover, sometimes the love between camaraderie is surpassing the sexual love. "I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women." This verse causes dozens exegesis to the extent that one of those is the book written by Tom Hagner - Jonathan Loved David, Homosexuality in Biblical Time - I am not going to expound the verse nor refute this book. The most prominent thing that I forcefully assert is the greatness of love that alters everything. The man like David, who is mentioned as "playboy" (II Samuel 5:13; I Chronicles 3:1-9) loved his best friend, Jonathan more than women love.

2009

Analogically, RELATIONSHIP is like a FIRE. It produces WARM; the INTIMACY of a relationship. For some reasons, fire will not exist without OXYGEN. It indicates the DISPUTE in a relationship; indeed, fire need oxygen supplies. However, if it is too much, the result is counterproductive; it means in a relationship, indeed, it needs dispute building the existence of fire. Meanwhile, if u could not manage the dispute, it will not build you anymore, yet it acts counterproductive (for the worst, implies dispersion).

Inevitably, fire produces the LIGHT. The beauty of light indicates the AFFECTION in your relationship; how profound your love is. Sometimes, when the oxygen supplies are too much, the light blinks. It means, in some cases, the disputes will affect the affections in your relationship. It is not a problem; a natural phenomenon.

Moreover, the most important is the MEDIA. Fire certainly will not exist without the media.Whether your relationship is built on DRIED LEAVES, which the fire is excessively huge, then it alters quickly to be nothing, or your relationship is built on CANDLE. Indeed the fire is not huge, stagnant, eminent. However, it will slowly be burnt, until the end of the candle's axis. Yeah, it is the end of the TIME entitled.

By and large, there are three types of obstacle in a relationship (Harris, 1969); 1) I am OK - You are not OK; expression of prejudice, ego-centristic, curiosity, judgmental, feels of self-righteous, 2) I am not OK - You are OK; expression of inferiority, unmet desires of mercy, envy, 3) I am not OK - You are not OK; expression of awry, apathetic, suicide (Susabda, 2009). According to my opinion, the best circumstance is "I am OK - You are OK". This circumstance appears when you well-recognize yourself and others. It can be generalized, recognition is one of the most significant thing in a relationship which can be built only by trustworthiness.

Second, about the relationship itself. I had three friends; 1) I treated him as my best friend, he did not, 2) He treated me as his best friend, I did not, and 3) I treat him as my best friend, he does. I used past tense for number one and two and present tense for number three no other than because my relationship with the "one" and "second" has been decay, but for the "third", we keep building our relationship hitherto, and we love each other. To generalize, camaraderie occurs when you both treat each other as the part of your life, then your soul knit together; that is the best relationship!

My tip is; love and appreciate your camaraderie. I have ever been forsaken, and it was very hurt. That grief was terrorizing me for about two months. It caused an unprecedented remorse. Unpredictably, after two years, my friend forgave me and we could restart our relationship. Alas, second chance is a grace, and not everyone could get that grace. Thanks for this awesome relationship, fellas.

Best regards,
Jerren

Introduction!

Hi readers,

This is the first time I write a blog. Firstly, allow me to introduce myself. I am Jerren, I was born in Jakarta, 2nd November 1996 as the youngest lad of three brothers. I am having my education program in IPEKA Sunter (exactly since I was kindergarten, and I am now ten-grade). Now, I live in Sunter, North Jakarta. I have been living here since I was in my mother's belly.

Everyone is born with passions and talents entitled and stemming on. Likewise me, I love reading and teaching. I am an amateur Biology and English teacher. I have been teaching Biology since I was grade seven. Unfathomably, my students predominantly are my seniors, like: I taught grade eleven when I was grade eight. However, I forcefully asserted not to perceive me as a bookworm, benevolent and anti-social! I love my friends and also a crazy person.


I have dozens best friends. Nevertheless, indeed it is only a few of them are really able to betroth my heart and made me conceive the efficacy of love that surpasses everything in this despicable world. They are Andreas the metrosexual, Meliana the fatty oldie, Giordie the impudent gecko, Sara "tektek" and Kevin April the 'cukong', Nadya or "Tita". Inevitable, there are fluctuations in the relationship. Meanwhile, for me it is not a problem! The main problem is that how you manage the dispute, lest it worse.

My life's motto is "matheteusate panta ta ethne", it means "making disciple of nations". Yes, it leads you to the second. I am Christian, from Reformed-Evangelical-denomination church (to paraphrase, it is more general to be mentioned by the governmental system; presbyterian synodal church). I was baptized in GKY Sunter. Hitherto, I have been fostered there for 8 years. However, concomitantly in 2013 I do not belong in it anymore for some reasons. I am now still finding an adequate church for my spiritual-growth, it therefore I am now going to Dynamic Worship of GKJ Kartini.

I also love Theology, Psychology, Physical Activities, and Music. My life's philosophy is "intellectual". There are thousands people object this. I refute them with two-integrated mainstream notions; 1) Theological notion and 2) Philosophical notion. Just by and large, in Gen 1:1 (the most initial part of scripture); "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." (KJV) It has been presupposed that 1) God exists and 2) God is the creator. Those both presuppositions are the first "acknowledgement" that should be trusted, and it is prohibited to be expounded frivolously; if you do not trust it, you are entirely not a Christian.

Cited in Westminster Shorter Catechism; "Man chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." Ontologically, you will not enjoy something unless you know how enjoyable it is; you will not glorify something unless you know how magnificent is it. Eventually, it departs on a juncture that Jesus said "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15), also from Old Covenant "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of the knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Proverb 1:7). The author contrasts they are who "knowledgeable" and "fools". It can be seen from the words "commandments" and "instruction" are more likely have a parallel-collocation, and he the author stressed that fools (who has knowledge about nothing) despise the "instruction".

To be pondered, can we love the immanent God by despising the instruction (commandments) ? It must be deceit-blunder or delusion by disagreeing this notion. Epistemologically, God loves being listened speak (obey); to generalize, you cannot glorify, enjoy, moreover love HIM unless you know what he demands (again, it is about knowledge); "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (knowledge)" (Romans 10:17) - principium internum cognoscendi! Whence faith comes otherwise the work of Spirit by the word of God? This is just my particular standpoints that still inadequate and flawed, and need to be consummated.

Final part, is about my dream. The first thing appeared on my head is "I will chase my dream, despite being killed by." It is shocked me when Andreas, my best friend said "Do you know what is your prominence?" I said "what is that?", he answered me "your immortal spirit that everyone does not belong." Again, it strengthens and reinforces me. Yes, my dream is to build a school, repair and enhance Indonesia's Education System. I hope I could take my Biotechnology bachelor degree in a prevalent university, USA. Although it looks almost impossible; only 150/4000 applicants accepted every years. However, I am sure in the Name of God, I can!

If there is an opportunity, I will take my further education (my post-baccalaureate education) also in USA. I will dig up the knowledge as profound as I can. Finally, I will be back to Indonesia and build my lovely country. Impossible? "Words do not harm you, unless you let it to" (Purnama, 2012). Especially thanks to Andreas once again that recalled my 'immortal' spirit. No one will overturn my dream!!!

Finally, I think I have introduced all about me. Allan Nevins, a historian said "Although when we use the word history we instinctively think of the past, this is an error, because history is actually a bridge connecting the past with present, and pointing the road to the future." I have introduced my past, my present, also my future (dream). My introduction is done! Thanks for reading my blog, godspeed and God Bless! Soli Deo gloria!

Best regards,
Jerren