Our Willing and Generous Abba God

“He said to them, “Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,’ and he from within will answer and say, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give it to you’? I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.

“I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won’t give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he asks for an egg, he won’t give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”” (Luke‬ ‭11:5-13‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

Why do we need to be persistent in prayer when God is so willing to give good gifts to us?

God does everything under Heaven according to appointed times and seasons—a system of divine order.

While you are waiting for the time to arrive, He will prepare your heart and mouth to come into alignment with His plans, believing and speaking those things into manifestation.

So we pray persistently not because God is reluctant, but rather we are preparing ourselves for God’s appointed times and seasons.

Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking…until the appointed time of deliverance arrives.

“But I’ve been praying for years and nothing has changed!” This statement shows unbelief. Sometimes people pray one thing and confess another. They declare they believe God has healed them but they complain to others how they are feeling so sick and in pain. The apostle James said that a double-minded man who does not ask in faith cannot expect to receive anything from God.

Is the manifestation not here yet? That means the appointed time has not arrived yet, so keep on praying. Abraham was promised a son, but it was only many years later that the fulfillment happened. I am not saying that your manifestation will take years, but there is a right time that only God knows.

In the meantime while you are waiting, meditate on the passage above and get a sense of how generous Abba God is towards you. He loves you and supplies your good heart’s desires through His Spirit.

If an unwilling friend will reluctantly give you what you keep asking for because of your persistence, then all the more Abba God will exceedingly and abundantly answer your prayer requests. Believe this and wait for the appointed time!

Learn how to flow with God’s system of times and seasons by which He plans every purpose under Heaven. You will experience unceasing fruitfulness and restful increase when you apply the revelations in “God’s Appointed Time”:
https://bit.ly/god-appointed-time

📜 [專欄新文章] Gas Efficient Card Drawing in Solidity

✍️ Ping Chen

📥 歡迎投稿： https://medium.com/taipei-ethereum-meetup #徵技術分享文 #使用心得 #教學文 #medium

Assign random numbers as the index of newly minted NFTs

Scenario

The fun of generative art NFT projects depends on randomness. The industry standard is “blind box”, where both the images’ serial number and the NFTs’ index are predetermined but will be shifted randomly when the selling period ends. (They call it “reveal”) This approach effectively solves the randomness issue. However, it also requires buyers to wait until the campaign terminates. What if buyers want to know the exact card right away? We’ll need a reliable onchain card drawing solution.

The creator of Astrogator🐊 isn’t a fan of blind boxes; instead, it thinks unpacking cards right after purchase is more interesting.

Spec

When initializing this NFT contract, the creator will determine the total supply of it. And there will be an iterable function that is randomly picking a number from the remaining pool. The number must be in range and must not collide with any existing ones.

Our top priority is accessibility/gas efficiency. Given that gas cost on Ethereum is damn high nowadays, we need an elegant algorithm to control gas expanse at an acceptable range.

Achieving robust randomness isn’t the primary goal here. We assume there’s no strong financial incentive to cheat, so the RNG isn’t specified. Implementers can bring their own source of randomness that they think is good enough.

Implementation

Overview

The implementation is pretty short and straightforward. Imagine there’s an array that contains all remaining(unsold) cards. When drawIndex() is called, it generates a (uniform) random seed to draw a card from the array, shortens the array, and returns the selected card.

Algorithm

Drawing X cards from a deck with the same X amount of cards is equal to shuffling the deck and dealing them sequentially. It’s not a surprise that our algorithm is similar to random shuffling, and the only difference is turning that classic algo into an interactive version.

A typical random shuffle looks like this: for an array with N elements, you randomly pick a number i in (0,N), swap array[0] and array[i], then choose another number i in (1,N), swap array[1] and array[i], and so on. Eventually, you’ll get a mathematically random array in O(N) time.

So, the concept of our random card dealing is the same. When a user mints a new card, the smart contract picks a number in the array as NFT index, then grabs a number from the tail to fill the vacancy, in order to keep the array continuous.

Tweak

Furthermore, as long as the space of the NFT index is known, we don’t need to declare/initialize an array(which is super gas-intensive). Instead, assume there’s such an array that the n-th element is n, we don’t actually initialize it (so it is an array only contains “0”) until the rule is broken.

For the convenience of explanation, let’s call that mapping cache. If cache[i] is empty, it should be interpreted as i instead of 0. On the other hand, when a number is chosen and used, we’ll need to fill it up with another unused number. An intuitive method is to pick a number from the end of the array, since the length of the array is going to decrease by 1.

By doing so, the gas cost in the worst-case scenario is bound to be constant.

Performance and limitation

Comparing with the normal ascending index NFT minting, our random NFT implementation requires two extra SSTORE and one extra SLOAD, which cost 12600 ~ 27600 (5000+20000+2600) excess gas per token minted.

Theoretically, any instantly generated onchain random number is vulnerable. We can restrict contract interaction to mitigate risk. The mitigation is far from perfect, but it is the tradeoff that we have to accept.

ping.eth

Gas Efficient Card Drawing in Solidity was originally published in Taipei Ethereum Meetup on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

👏 歡迎轉載分享鼓掌

One Sacrifice for Sins Forever

“then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He takes away the first, that he may establish the second, by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins, but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews‬ ‭10:9-14‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

Once for all.

One sacrifice for sins forever.

By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

The Holy Spirit inspired the writer to repeat the “one sacrifice for sins forever” idea three times.

He must have foreseen that many people would be trying to offer their own additional sacrifices to earn their salvation; that many would be afraid of somehow committing an unpardonable sin and losing their salvation.

Some believers use the same chapter, Hebrews 10, to show how believers can lose their salvation, but actually Hebrews 10 shows us how perfectly saved and forgiven we are.

You have been sanctified and forever perfected by the one-time offering of the blood of Jesus.

To explain it clearer, you have been born again through the Holy Spirit to become a new creature in Christ that still lives in the body of flesh you were first born with.

““Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

Your spirit inside has passed out of death, into eternal life. You can no longer be under the Old Covenant of the Law because you have been set free from it through sharing in Jesus’ death at the cross.

You were also raised from the dead as a new creation in Christ, and you entered into the New Covenant of Grace. This means you are adopted into God’s family as His child, seated with Christ in Heaven. When God looks at you, He sees Jesus because you are a member of His body—you are “in Christ”.

Just as Jesus is seated at the right hand of Abba God, waiting for His enemies to be put under His feet as a footstool, so are you seated there as Him because you are in Him.

The posture we ought to live by is not as the Jesus that was tested by the devil in the wilderness and humiliatingly beaten by men on the way to the cross.

We are now living as the Jesus who is seated in Heaven next to Abba God, far above all principalities, powers, and every dominion in existence.

“and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians‬ ‭1:19-23‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

Now what we are waiting for is the last part of our redemption, which is the salvation of our body. When Jesus returns for His saints, our mortal bodies will be transformed into immortal glorified bodies, and our outward perfection will match what has already happened in our spirit. This is what all Christians ought to be focusing on and waiting for. It is our blessed hope!

Declare: “Just like Jesus, I am forever perfected and sanctified, seated at the right hand of Abba God, far above all principalities and powers. I have passed out of death into eternal life, and I am just waiting for Abba God to put every enemy under my feet as a footstool. The last enemy to be abolished is death, and that will happen when Jesus returns, and my mortal body is transformed into an immortal body. I am not waiting for death, but looking forward to eternal life in a new body. Thank You Abba God for this blessed hope. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

God has equipped us with mighty spiritual weapons in Christ. When we know how to use them, we can emerge victorious over every spiritual warfare. Discover all about this in “Silencing the Serpent”, and also be set free from long-time Satanic strongholds, yokes, and bondages through the revelations and prayers within:
https://bit.ly/silence-the-serpent-now

#外婆的發票 #林逸欣 #雲端發票
誰捨得～～
立刻幫外婆申請雲端發票一波！

手機條碼線上辦：https://www.tax.ntpc.gov.tw/sp-phbc-declare-1.html
----------------------------------------------------------
上個月去外婆家，又看見外婆戴著老花眼鏡拿著放大鏡，
一張張發票仔細對著號碼，
果不其然花了整個下午還是一張都沒中啊Ｔ＾Ｔ
決定跟外婆好好介紹一下什麼是雲端發票，
方便高效又好處多多，再也不用怕漏掉中200萬的那張啦！
有什麼好處呢？趕緊聽歌就知道了╰(*°▽°*)╯

*更多詳情請上FB搜尋「稅不著-呼叫暗光鳥」

▶《戀愛無名氏2》7月23日上架，繼續為愛奮不顧身：https://bit.ly/2VmdYmf

勇敢地對抗世界、守護自己喜歡的人。
從出櫃的掙扎到做自己的綻放，
這首歌獻給曾經因為愛情而面臨種種拉扯的每一個靈魂。

《戀愛無名氏2》劇情簡介：
Marco 在得知 Bas 的遭遇後，持續鼓勵、陪伴著他，兩人的感情逐漸升溫。另一方面，James 和 Ait 也沉浸在熱戀期的甜蜜當中。正當他們團結一致要揭露BL戲劇圈黑暗面時，一位意想不到的人出現了...

《戀愛無名氏2》主題曲【當我們的手勇敢緊握 Sensitive】由知名音樂人劉偉德擔綱製作，他曾替A-Lin、李玟、蔡依林等歌手創作許多膾炙人口的作品。在理想混蛋主唱雞丁的詮釋下，不僅豐富了【當我們的手勇敢緊握 Sensitive】的情感與層次，其中歌詞「那天你來到我的天空，趕走烏雲後畫上彩虹」、「全世界跟你作對的時候，不管多難也要一直走」由公開出櫃的雞丁娓娓唱出，更替【同志音樂愛情故事 Queer Up The Volume】的創作初衷做了最溫暖的註解。

【當我們的手勇敢緊握】▶ 各大數位平台已正式上架： https://www.soundscape.net/a/16530

【當我們的手勇敢緊握 Sensitive】

有沒有人懂我
Does anyone get me
有沒有人在乎我
Does anyone even care
當我用盡力氣去做
when I give it my best
想像中完美那個我
to be that perfect me

我沒那麼成熟
I’m not that mature
偶爾也會手足無措
sometimes I’d be unsure
渴望自由卻一直閃躲
I’ve longed to be free, but have let my fears take over
害怕只能繼續做夢
and all I could do was dream on forever


直到
Until
那天你來到我的天空
You came into my sky
趕走烏雲後畫上彩虹
drove away dark clouds and brought rainbows to my life
滿天的星空開始閃爍
And then the stars had started to shine
當我們的手勇敢緊握
when we held each other tight

有一天 當你發覺
If, one day
全世界跟你作對的時候
the world turns against you
要記得
remember me
原來的我
for who I am
美麗地綻放花朵
for the blossoming flowers
而我們的愛
Our love,
我要大聲地說
I shall boldly declare
不管多難也要一直走
It would be as strong as ever
多難也要一直走
as strong as ever

不再逃避忍受
No more running away
不再選擇沈默
No more silence
不再對愛放手
No more letting go
再次錯過 迷失了自我
I will not lose you again, nor lose myself

演唱 Vocal：邱建豪（理想混蛋 雞丁） Kidding of Bestards
作曲 Composer：Jocelyn 9.4.0
作詞 Lyricists：凱文 Kevin
製作人 Producer：劉偉德 Victor Lau
編曲人 Arranger ：劉偉德 Victor Lau
和聲 Backing Vocals：邱建豪 Kidding Chiu／劉偉德 Victor Lau
錄音師 Recording Engineer：劉偉德 Victor Lau／雍巧筠 Qiao Yun Yong
混音師 Mixing Engineer：劉偉德 Victor Lau
錄音室 Recording Studio：當道音樂 Downtown Music

#理想混蛋 #雞丁 #當我們的手勇敢緊握 #戀愛無名氏2 #同志音樂愛情故事 #GagaOOLala

【當年今日】
這是最好的時代，也是最壞的時代。
有人說我們的社會撕裂，但我卻感受到香港人史無前例的團結。

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
Some said social cleavages emerged in our city,
but what I witnessed was an unprecedented unity of HongKongers.

2019年6月16日，香港經歷有史以來最大規模的示威遊行活動。多達200萬人參與遊行，抗議政府修訂《逃犯條例》草案。除撤回修訂逃犯條例外，不少民眾要求行政長官林鄭月娥​下台。身穿黑衣的示威人潮迫滿街頭，令港島一帶馬路宛如「黑海」。亦有不少人手持白花，紀念日前在太古廣場墜樓的「梁烈士」。示威者手持不同的標語表達訴求，當中包括「學生沒有暴動」、「釋放被捕人士」、「追究警暴」等等。當首批遊行人士抵達金鐘添馬公園終點的時候，仍有不少遊行人士在維多利亞公園等待出發。儘管香港在當年暑假發生了一連串的事件，特首林鄭月娥要到9月初才正式撤回備受爭議的《逃犯條例》修訂草案。

毋忘，勿諒。?

0:00 On 16 June 2019, Hong Kong experienced its largest protest in history.
0:05 As many as 2 million people demonstrated against the controversial extradition bill.
0:09 Many called for Chief Executive Carrie Lam to step down.
0:12 Protesters wearing black clothes filled streets and turned roads into a sea of black.
0:16 Many also mourned “martyr” Marco Leung, who fell to his death at Pacific Place the day before.
0:22 Demands reflected in placards included "Students are not rioters", "Release detained protesters" and "Investigate police brutality".
0:29 When the first group of marchers arrived at the march's endpoint, Tamar Park in Admiralty, there were still protesters waiting to leave Victoria Park in Causeway Bay.
0:35 Despite the infamous 721, 831 incidents throughout the summer, Carrie Lam did not declare full withdrawal of the controversial bill amendment until early September.

0:41 Never forget. Never forgive. ?

#兩年前 #二百萬零一人 #香港人加油

References:
【616遊行全紀錄】周一早晨示威者商議後轉往添馬公園集結，金鐘夏慤道重新開放
https://theinitium.com/article/20190616-hongkong-extradition-bill-protest-live/
Hong Kong Timeline 2019-2021: Anti-Extradition Protests & National Security Law
https://www.hrichina.org/en/hong-kong-timeline-2019-2021-anti-extradition-protests-national-security-law
Hong Kong protest: 'Nearly two million' join demonstration
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-48656471