The Call of Ezekiel

This particular passage in Ezekiel 2:7 has a special significance for pastors like myself. It is the responsibility of every Christian to speak God's word to one another, but of special significance to pastors who are called to "specialize" in teaching and preaching the word of God. It is such a huge responsibility and privilege. I am reminded of that every time I preach on Sunday morning, as well as any other times I am given the opportunity to teach his Word. The danger for every pastors and believers is to "tweak" the gospel message to cater to the audience. I think this temptation is especially common in our day. Ezekiel's call was to be uncompromising and to do it whether people listened or failed to listen. I believe that is the calling of all of us and particularly of pastors. Please pray for me, that I would be uncompromising as I preach and teach everything that is in the word of God to you!

Posted by Pastor James

A Backsliding People

the passage today cuts to the heart. the prophet jeremiah uses a series of metaphors to illustrate judah's refusal to come back to the Lord. outwardly the people made a show of confessing and repenting of their sins through a series of reforms instituted by king josiah, but the Lord knew it was "only in pretence". whatever profession of faith they made was irrelevant because they persisted in their evil ways.

the warning of jeremiah is just as relevant today as it was in his own time. jeremiah was mocked, derided and abused by the people to whom he was sent to preach. he was told from the beginning of his ministry that none would return to the Lord, even as he was commanded to tell them to do so.

this is alarming. we are much too like the people of judah. like them, we have the privilege of hearing God's Word on a regular basis. we are lulled into thinking our situation before God is not that serious by the relative stability of our lives. nothing that "bad" happens--therefore we keep putting off doing the very thing that is most urgent and needful.

we will give account one day for every word we heard from God. did we repent when the word was preached, or did we ignore what we heard? Jesus states that for some, the preaching of the word leads to repentance; for others, it leads to a further hardening of the heart. the word hardened the hearts of the people in jeremiah's time. i pray that the same may not be said of us--if it is, how great and justified and right the condemnation will be on the day of the Lord's coming!

may God give us a spirit of true repentance for our sins. not outward, not temporary, but permanent, eye-opening, life-changing. may we leave our life of sin once and for all.

the Prophet's Commisioning

"Here am I. Send me" should be the attitude of every believer in Christ. Whenever a need arises, that should be the attitude with which we should serve the Lord. Most of us would rather say, "God will send someone else or someone more qualified should do it, send them". But Isaiah's response was to take personal responsibility for it. He said in essence, "I'll do it".

Yes, Isaiah 6 is well known as a missionary text but it is also a text for all Christians. We are all commissioned to proclaim the gospel; it is our duty and our privilege. One practical way to apply this text is in the ministry of the church. Whenever you see some work that needs to be done in the church, you should volunteer and take responsibility for it rather than wait until someone asks you to help them. If more people did this, working for the church would be a joy!

Posted by Pastor James

Proverbs-

As I endure a season of suffering, I am coming to terms of God's answer to my plight. It's not a soft and comforting answer but a humbling revelation of God's truth and the truth of the reality I'm living in now. After I read pastor James' entry about Job, I was reminded of how little comfort Job received from God when God first answered Job's cries. As a man of extraordinary faith, perhaps Job was comforted with God revealing and asserting His authority and His all-powerful reign over everything and every situation. As for me, I begin seeking comfort in the lines of sympathy and empathy-God acknowledging my pain and my right to be indignant. I would want God to let me know that He understands what I'm going through and that He will guide me through it. I think Job certainly was a man who deserved this kind of comfort especially in the light of how little he deserved his time of suffering. I was puzzled at how God did not approach Job with a soft hug but a powerful revelation of who He is.
I think a soft hug can do a lot of good at the right time and place but I realized that for me to seek a soft hug at this particular time of hardship is to seek what you can call cheap grace. It feels good while it lingers but it will fade sooner or later. I think the process of being humbled by God is what helped calm Job's inner turmoil and allowed him to fix his attention on what really matters. It is a process of turning from focusing on one self to focusing on God. I think this is the process of repentance. Incidentally, I think God is leading me to repent from being a sluggard.
As I was lamenting my job at my aunt's cleaners I came to reflect on how I got stuck in this awful situation. I came to realize that indeed, this must be God disciplining me for being a slacker. Ti's true, for when my uncle passed away this pass summer, I was the only slacker that was free to help my aunt. I was immediately obligated to help her out. At first i was very willing because I was very sympathetic. I even defended her request against disapprovals and warnings from my close friends and family. But now, I'm crying out to God to please deliver me! I truly am suffering; God please save me! I grow impatient and resolve to act on my own behalf. But then, I am lead to reflect on Christ's love. I then lament on how I really don't know enough about Christ's love. I "know" because I've learned and felt happy about it in church but I don't "know" how it can help me as I suffer through this particular situation! I cry and continue lamenting my lot of suffering. Then from one small thread of thought blooms a truth about how God loved us without expecting anything in return. I know this truth could not have come from my mind. I am fully convinced and testify that this was God's answer to my plight. It's not the answer that I was hoping for at the time but now, I can't imagine anything else better. Christ gave His life, His all. No one can match that price-ever. Yet He paid the price for my eternal salvation, eternal forgiveness. No one can return the favor and nor does He expects us to. He gave so freely and willingly so that we can freely recieve- only if we are willing. It humbled me and it stomped out my lamenting and made me focus on being more like Christ. To be honest, I never thought about Christ's love this way. Perhaps i should say, i never experienced the power of Christ's love this way. The doctrine of Christ's love is very deep and complex to me. I am often too lazy to even dip my toes in it. (I use to say I was too intimidated but I learned today that irrational intimidation and fear is like the sluggard that lamented about a lion outside his house.) And God, knowing my woeful state, rebuked my whiny heart by revealing Christ's love to me in a new way. It enabled me to do what I was unwilling or unable to do on my own.
But it's still so hard working there! This week was even harder to bear! Much like last week, the end of this work week was the most stressful but this week, I keep my ears open and wait on God to speak to me again. Before I reminded myself about today's blog, I was again lamenting what I was suffering through and I reflected on the slacker theory again and decided I was suffering God's poetic justice. Be caught being a slacker and get pulled into slaving your days away. Ha ha very funny God. I think the humor was suppose to help me deal with not having a clear message from God. But i think it was God preparing me for the poetry in Proverbs. The verses i read were not soft nor lovely-nor were they funny. Last week my will was rebuked and humbled but I was comforted because God spoke. After I read the blog on Job, I realized I was waiting more for the aspect of comfort than for the fact that God spoke. God spoke and He revealed His Glory. I realized it is in this revelation we can find comfort and joy for God does not speak to give out cheap grace. In light of this, I was able to hear God say in response to my lamenting this week, "this is what happens if you live in the ways of a sluggard." It's a hard blow to my pride. I'm still digesting it but i accept it as true.

Job's Comforters

The story of Job has always intriqued curiosity. He went from having everything to nothing then back to everything. But through it all his relationship to God has always remained the same. Even in the midst of great pain and sorrow, he did not blame God... although he was close to doing that or maybe he did "indirectly" when he questioned God's wisdom in creating him. But there's no doubt that Job knew his place in relation to God... that God was God and he was a mere creature! Whether good or bad, he would worship God. I wonder why we worship God?

What always amazes about this story is the story behind the story... the main story (God vs. Satan) behind the lesser story (Job and his three friends). And what the main story is about is the wager between God and Satan. God believes that Job will worship him even if it involved the greatest suffering. Satan doesn't think so! God believes that Job loved him because He was God and not for some lesser, self-interested reason, like saving his skin or getting material blessings. I suppose nothing brings out the true intentions of our hearts like suffering does, especially unjust suffering like Job experienced. When we go through suffering whether as a result of someone's decision or our own, will we worship God? Suffering exposes us to where we are weak and shows us where we need the grace of God the most. Our weakness is where God wants us to concentrate our effort. Let us all stand fast on the true grace of God

Posted by Pastor James

the wisdom of solomon

in the light of the upcoming election, i find solomon's request for wisdom to rule over his people with justice particularly interesting. when God tells solomon in a dream to ask for whatever he wants, he asks for neither wealth nor fame, neither long life nor victory over his enemies, but wisdom to govern rightly.

God is very pleased with this request, and it is noteworthy that not only did He grant solomon his request, but "all the other things were added" as well.

thinking about this gave me a clue as to how to pray for our political leaders, most especially the current president and the incoming president.

we ought to pray for the president that God would give him "the wisdom to govern the people rightly". i know our current political system does not allow for the absolute power that solomon enjoyed.

but God's justice and righteousness are the foundations for any successful government. we should pray that the president would have the heart of solomon and desire the wisdom to govern rightly and justly, whatever his religious convictions might be.

i wonder then if "all the other things" (military victory over our enemies, national wealth, and fame (that is, international renown) would be added to him and to the country as well.

a president who has the humility to recognize that he can't do it alone is the kind of president this country needs in these troubled times.

The Covenant God

From today's reading, I learned several things. First, the God of the Bible is a covenant making God. He comes to us, he seeks us, and offers to make a covenant with us. We did not seek God, but God sought us and offers his promises. Second, a covenant is accompanied with a sign. For the Jews it was circumcision, but for us it is baptism. The sign (baptism) points to the reality of the covenant and outwardly displays that we are part of the covenant people of God. Third, every covenant involves obligation. For the Jews, it was the Ten Commandment; for the Christians, the Ten Commandment is reduced to two, loving God with everything and loving our neighbor as ourselves. And finally there are blessings and curses. If we kept God's command, the Holy Spirit will so work in our lives to bless us, but if we break the commandment, the Holy Spirit is grived and discipline is inevitable.

Posted by Pastor James

Honor your father and your mother, ...

There was a time in my life when I was able to lift my parents up on a high pedestal and look up to them as I would look up to God. They held a position very similar to what Stott described: people that "stand in the place of God and mediate His authority to us. When I was young, this was true. They were the highest tangible source of authority of which I wanted to obey. So much so that I was convicted by the idea that I loved my parents more than I loved God. I was troubled but later comforted by the realization that I am not called to love my parents less but that I am to grow to love God more. So much more that my love towards my parents would seem like hatred compared to my love for God. That was the ideal I began to look up to. Unfortunately, what followed was not a greater love for God but a greater love for myself. What is worse is that my love for my parents had not merely remained as it is but had diminished. I attributed this change of heart to growing up. I had grown mature enough to view my parents objectively-as human beings. And, as you get older, you grow to know more and more how faulted and imperfect human beings are-even your beloved parents. I began to question their judgements, criticize their ways, and even began to dislike certain parts about them. As I grew to become more and more independent, I grew more and more disobedient. I realize now what a long journey it has been growing so far from my parents. I have forgotten what it is like to lift them up on that high pedestal.
I guess change is inevitable. My view of the world, myself, and my parents have changed a lot since I was a minor and I don't think it is always wrong to change. What is important is that I remember what I am commanded to do by God. I may no longer lift my parents up on a pedestal but I should also keep from being so critical or judgemental. Though I no longer adore them, I can honor my parents by approaching them with a loving and compassionate heart. And though we are all grown adults now, I am convicted to never forget that I came from my mother's womb and it is by the food my father put on the table that I have grown up on.

The Call of Moses

"so go now . . . I am sending you". (exodus 3:10)

the call of moses reminds every one of us that there is something God is calling us to do. we all know in the back of our minds what it is.

it could be something big or small. it could be helping out someone who needs help; it could be witnessing to someone; it could be showing kindness to someone who is lonely; it could be some kind of reconciliation with an estranged brother or sister; it could be some unfinished business to tend to; it could be taking care of our finances. whatever the case, we all know there is something God is calling us to do.

but like moses, we have endless excuses. we are afraid of failure, reluctant to start, or just too self-consumed with our own lives to obey. very often, the bottom line is that we don't want to do it.

in the case of moses, God accomplished the liberation of over a million people through his obedience, however reluctant.

it makes me wonder how much God could accomplish through our own obedience, however imperfect, however small the task.

the story is a great reminder of the importance of obedience. God knows what He is asking of us, and He knows our weaknesses and limitations better than we know ourselves. whatever our reservations are, we ought to trust in the One who "will make our paths straight".

Birth of Isaac: A Promise Fulfilled

The most incredible fact about Isaac's birth was that it was promised 30 years before it happened. It took thirty years! This is no short period, seen from the human perspective. Abraham was 70 years old when God made the promise. What does that tell us about God and about his promises? It tells us at least two things. First, God keeps his promises period! God has never broken to come through on his promises and that should be encouraging to all of us as we read of his promises in the Bible. Second, God's promises are not always fulfilled 'right away'. And this tells us that God's plan, particularly in terms of timing, is not our way. God has a plan to fulfill his words of promise at a specific time and it won't happen until then. So if it seems that God is 'slow' in fulfilling his words, just wait, be patient.

Posted by Pastor James

Where are you?

The most amazing aspect of our text in Genesis 3:8-9, is the voice of the Almighty God calling out to Adam and Eve, "Where are you?" Here we are given a portrait of the heart of God for sinners. It was God who was seeking out Adam, calling out to him. And this act of mercy on the part of God is the most compelling reason why God is worthy to be loved and worshipped.

God has all the reasons to reject us and judge and condemn us and yet despite our disobedience and rebellion, like a father, he is calling us to come back to himself. 2 Peter 3:9 puts it this way, "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." This call of God, "where are you", is like an open door, an invitation by God to find mercy and grace, when we come to him.

"Where are you?" is the first word of grace that came from God when Adam disobeyed and fell in the Garden. When Jesus said, 'the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost', he was doing just what God did initially in the Garden, calling humanity to himself... "where are you... stop hide from me... come back to me." May these words help us to remember that we are serving a most gracious and loving God!

Posted by Pastor James

the first necessary step to salvation

"then the eyes of both of them were opened".

today's passage comments that adam and eve's eyes were opened to their guilt the moment they sinned against God. mr. stott puts it this way: "they now saw with clarity the folly and wickedness of their rebellion against God".

as terrible as that moment must have been for adam and eve, how much better to feel guilt and "the folly and wickedness of our rebellion against God" than to have such a hardened heart as to feel nothing at all!

it is the first necessary step to our salvation.

all our lives, even as we acknowledge in some general way that we are sinners, we make endless excuses and rationalizations for our sinful behavior,

but it is truly a horrific moment the very first time our "eyes are really opened" and we see with clarity the extent of our "folly and wickedness of our rebellion against God."

guilt, shame, remorse, failure, fear, terror are inadequate terms to describe the person who for the first time realizes in a personal way their sinfulness before the living God.

that moment is as terrible for us as it surely must have been for adam and eve. like them, all we want to do is to hide, to forget, to run as far away from His presence as we can.

but it is only when we realize the extent of our sinfulness that we are driven to Jesus Christ, to plead with Him for mercy, grace, forgiveness.

i fear that too many times these days, when we sin against God, we feel nothing at all, ingenious as we are in rationalizing our behavior and shifting blame to others.

having "our eyes opened" is an unpleasant and wretching experience, but how necessary if we are ever to come to the Lord and receive His salvation! would we come to Him otherwise?

if you sin against the Lord and feel nothing, pray for "eyes to be opened", a tender conscience and a broken heart.

as terrible as it is, it is a gift, a mercy of God, this ability to feel.

Denying God's "Otherness"

This age old trick that the devil uses to tempt man to be "Like God" originates all the way back to the Garden. It is scary how this "lie' has manifested itself through the ages and today we find ourselves right there facing the same lie and refusing to acknowledge the 'otherness' of God... as Stott puts it.

Today's new age message like books from Eckhart Tolle, connecting with you inner 'spirit' and all of the other things that are blasted on television and fill the shelves at Borders or Barnes may look like a harmless, self-help messages...a message of self cultivation but it is really the same "lie" told by the serpent in the garden and man falls for it again and again.

Even as I profess to be a Christian, I am constantly having to guard my very proud, weak and sinful heart because I can easily find myself immersed or begin to turn an ear to these messages out there that are masked so well...and then the mind begins to think... and that can lead to scary things. Makes me so thankful for the GRACE of salvation.

Man as Male and Female

"The Lord God Said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him" [or "as his partner" Genesis 2:18

Hello all,

I've thought about this a bit today after reading today's study. I was trying to see what creative things I could share here but I came to a conclusion that it might actually cause more issues. Therefore, I'll just share that... I thank God almost every day for my wife Kwi Jung Grace Ryu. Definetely, my life will not be complete without her so I'm very grateful for God's blessings in our marriage.

True Freedom

It's interesting how freedom and obedience is so closely related in Stott's entry on "True Freedom". It seems that obedience to God is synonymous to freedom. We often think that to be obedient to a person or a set of rules puts you under submission to him/her or it. It contradicts the idea of freedom but I think when we change our perspective to see God's law not just as a set of rules but as truths to live by, it is easier to see how obeying God's law gives us true freedom and rest.
I think that whether we realize it or not, we are bound by certain laws and rules that overshadow all parts of our lives. The laws of gravity is one example. You may not choose to abide by it and jump off a cliff but there will be a consequence. Even if you decide to to create a device that can help you defy gravity, that law still stands. It does not mean you are imprisoned by it, you can live with it, build your life around it.
God created this world and all the things it holds according to His own ways/laws/rules-whatever you want to call it. As the Master builder, He knows best how we can best live.

Unfortunately, humanity is marred by disobedience to God and we are still living with the consequences. We are bound by the laws of sin. Yet, in His love and mercy, God has made a way for us to defy sin's reign over us. Jesus calls us to take His yoke, and He promises us that He will give rest for our souls. Isaiah 57:20 says that we are like the tossing sea, casting up mire and mud. Without Christ, we are restless like the tossing sea, and there is so much "mire and mud" we cast up from our sinful hearts. Who can break the laws of the sea and make it stop tossing? Is it not Jesus Christ? Who can break the laws of sin and give rest to our souls? Again, the answer is Christ- if only you would choose to heed His call.

Caring for Creation

I remember once heard on the radio station saying that over population humanity is destroying the earth. I’m not really sure how over populated we are, but I believe that we are living healthier than before with today technology and we are using greater sources from this earth than before. And with limited sources we have in this earth, someday we are going to run out of our very sources. I think somewhat it’s happening already, rising gas price, Glover food shortage and critical weather changes from unbalanced ecosystem.

Living in North America, rising gas price is most concern for me than other things. Because there is still plenty of food to go around and weather is not too bad with well built house. Through The Bible explains that what God has given us is a delegated and responsible stewardship towards to his gift. As a person who has more access and control over goods, we need to take part of our responsibility, rather than pointing false towards to God’s greatest gift humanity.

Collaborating with God

Sorry for blogging so late.
It is so true that all of us drag to go to work or school after 2 days of resting. I remember when I was little, I hated Monday. Once a while I pretended I was sick so I could stay home. Rarely my plans were successful but also I had to pay the consequences of lying to my parents.
As I was reading the reflection today, the last paragraph that Stott wrote stood out for me. He said," our work becomes a privilege when we see it as collaboration with God." It is a great honor to be part of God's team. It is like far more privileged than appointed by US president. One thing I want to add to Stott's comment is that We are privileged and honor to be used by God by knowing us who we are in relation to Who God is. God can do everything alone. Remember God created this universe without even moving His finger. We will never fathom the magnitude of who God is therefore we are overwhelmed by the fact that He wants to share His work with us. Moreover in God's eyes there is no insignificant work as long as our hearts are right with Him and we do for the glory of God. Just to share what happen today related to our devotion today. Caleb started school last week and Jacob will start his preschool after the labor day. Before when they both attended school same days and same times, I enjoyed couple hours of ME time twice of week. Now because they attend different schools, ME time is pretty much gone. I have been in complaining mood and tired from taking care of them. Anyways, I took the kids to the play ground for late afternoon after playing a baseball with Jacob for over an hour. As I was pushing swings that Caleb and Jacob were on, I lifted up a little prayer for the boys and asked God's strength. God graciously filled me with inconceivable joy at the moment. It is truly God that granted Il and me with the wonderful gift and invited us to share in His work by raising them to be a man and a woman of faith.
I am looking forward to spending time with children because I am partnering up with God to raise Nina, Caleb, and Jacob to be the followers of Jesus Christ.

The Creation's Worship

The pictures that is painted in Revelation 4 is difficult to imagine and understand -- who are the living creatures, the twenty-four elders, etc.. But clearly John is given this revelation so that we might see that the focus of heaven is centered on the glory, and greatness of God. And the message that came out of the throne room in heaven is our meditation text: "You are worthy, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being." God is worthy of our worship simply by the fact that he created us. You and I, by our sheer dependence on God for our very lives owes God praise and honor. Just as good parents are worthy of honor by their children, so God, in whom we move, and have our being, is worthy of greater honor and praise. But the question needs to be asked, 'in what ways are we honoring' God? The answer I believe is obedience. Just as children honor their parents by their obedience so we are to honor our heavenly Father through our obedience. Are we obeying the Lord?

Posted by Pastor James

holding the keys of the kingdom

"what He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open"
(Revelation 3:7)

i have to respectively differ from mr. stott's understanding of this passage, in which he sees the open door as the door of opportunity for missions. i took it to mean the door to eternal life.

Jesus describes Himself as the One "who is holy and true, who holds the key of David". what is that key? i wonder if it meant the key to the kingdom of david, namely, God's kingdom, namely, eternal salvation.

"what He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open" (verse 7).

right now, Jesus says to the church in philadelphia, "See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut". Jesus alone has the power and the authority to open the door to salvation. it is an open invitation to the philadelphian church to enter into eternal life, to persevere in the work of God, "to endure patiently" (verse 10).

the door will not be open forever. no one else can shut it but Jesus, but once He shuts it, no one else will ever be able to open it.

i understood this passage as both an encouragement and a warning. the time to enter eternal life is now while the door is open. there will be a time, however, when the door will be decisively shut and no amount of pleading, weeping and gnashing of teeth will induce Him to open it.

The Letter to Pergamum - Truth

The church of Pergamum stood strong amidst the paganism, satanic influences and false teachings surrounding them. Today's reflection is a good reminder on how as a church we need to stand strong for truth even amidst everything that is going on in the world around us --especially today where truth is so 'relative' in today's society. The congratulations that they received from Jesus is something we should stive for too. That one day we can also receive congratulations that we 'fought the good fight!' together. :)

Faith and works

There is always the danger of emphasizing one truth over another, to be imbalance in our spiritual life. And this is the case with regards to the issue of the relationship between faith and works. Some will rest content with the fact that they believe in Jesus and that is just about all they think they need to do. While others will rest on their works, whether that work is done at church or some social or missional organization. But what God desires from us is that our relationship to Him be characterized by both faith and works. Both are needed but for different reasons. The way I like to look at the relationship between faith and works is like that between belief and evidence. If we truly believe in Christ, the evidence for this is that our faith will produce works of love. Let us all ask ourselves this question with regard to our relationship to Jesus Christ: Are there evidences in my life, works that I do for Christ, which shows that my faith and love for him is genuine and true?

Resisting the Pressures of the World

Evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned.

2 Timothy 3:13~14

In today's scripture reading (2 Timothy 3:1~17), Paul urges Timothy to continue in the same path as he learned and knows to be "profitable" because there will be terrible times in the last days.

All the things mentioned in the first part of the reading are happening all around the world, even within ourselves as we speak. I know I'm guilty of most of them if not all. More and more I realize that I'm being sucked into the pressures of the world, I feel the need to meditate on God's word because I remember in my short walk of faith that I had less fluctuation when I read the bible regularly. I slowly drifted away from that habit and I find it extremely difficult to get back into it.

My walk of faith has had a lot of ups and downs so although I know it is about time for me to stay consistent and I feel that I'm almost taking advantage of the fact that God's grace is free, but I also know that God will never stop intervening and never completely neglect his own. Now you may argue that this is doesn't justify anything and yes, I agree, but that's who He is and all I'm saying is that I refuse to make the mistake of convincing myself and think that I drifted too far and there is no way that God will forgive me AGAIN.

Although I won't bet on the fact that God will take me back because that's entirely upto Him, but I will desperately continue to hold onto the truth and acknowledge the undeniable fact that He is my Lord, my Savior and my Father.

RE: Christianity is Christ

Stott's comments on Philippians 1:21 is a much needed reminder to us all in that what's needed in the Christian life is for us to know the "surpassing value" of Jesus Christ. The key that unlocks the door to all that God has for us, is to keep growing in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The profit-loss example helps us to see what's really at stake. The comparision is Jesus Christ vs everything. And for Paul, it was Jesus Christ hands down! In fact he goes on to say that compared to Jesus Christ, "everything" is dung! And I believe, he wasn't exaggerating either.

In fact Paul entire life after his conversion was wholly devoted to proclaiming Christ. As I've said in my message on Sunday, it all comes down to whether the gospel is precious, a gospel that is everything about Jesus Christ -- his birth, his life, his ministry, his suffering, his example, his teachings, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, his glory, his promises, etc. Let us join with Paul in praying, "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."

Posted by Pastor James

Spiritual Gifts

I've read this passage many times before and always read it as spiritual gifts to an individual rather than the church as a whole. For some reason, when I read Stott's entry and 1 Corinthians 12:1-13 today, I read it differently as the body encompassing all of the churches in the world.

There are so many different denominations and types of churches today. Some are mega churches, some are small churches, there is traditional and now contemporary forms of worship, there is baptist, methodist, presbyterian, non-denominational the list goes on and on and on...kind of like the factions of the Corinthian church.

This always seems to be a divisive issue for man but perhaps God is saying here that all of these very different churches exist for the 'common good' and according to his purpose. These were my thoughts as I read this passage today.

1 Corinthians 12: 7-11 reads:

7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

Church A, they may be a very charismatic church and gifted with speaking in different tongues or perhaps the gift of healing.

Church B may not be at all like this and have been given the message of knowledge or wisdom.

Church A might think Church B is all wrong and vice versa...

Both churches are very different but bound by the same spirit and they are both vital to the body of Christ. The differences shouldn't divide... they should make the body stronger, no? Thoughts?

God's plan for Jews and Gentiles

OK.... this is second time around I have to write a blog about Jews and Gentiles. Last one was how certain group of Christian Jews insisted on Gentiles being circumcised in order to be complete their salvation. We read that the conflict between Christian Jews and Gentiles were on going and significant enough for Paul to step out and address the issue. Stott mentioned that there are two reasons why Jews as a whole rejected Jesus as the Messiah. One is that God hardened hearts of people so that the elect can receive God's mercy. Another reason is result in Israel's own disobedience and unbelief. Stoot points out that these two reasons, one is "divine election and human rebellion" contradict from humanly perspective. However he urges us to accept both truths even if we may not fully comprehend. Stott goes on to say that God's mercy has granted to both Jews and Gentiles. Illustration of chapter 11 also gives warnings to both Jews and Gentiles. At last the doxology that ends this chapter is the heart-felt outpouring of Paul's praise to God, whose wisdom and knowledge bought forth His great plan of the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles.

The Steadfast Love of God

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

From The Message (Romans 8:28-39) - this version really helped me better grasp these verses.

The Fruit of the Spirit

1Opposing forces are constantly battling: good (Holy Spirit) and bad (our sinful nature)
2Opposing lifestyles:
-Acts of sinful nature – 4 categories; sex, religion, society, drink (not clear on this last one but I’m assuming getting drunk)
- God’s way: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control
3Opposiing Attitude: We are to reject our sinful desires and surrender to Holy Spirit

Stott mentions that our attitude must be decisive, complete and continuous. Since these are spiritual fruits, we’re talking about making them grow.

So how do we make all this happen. Well, I guess most of us already took the first and easy step in believing Jesus as our lord and that he died for our sins.

Next is our sanctification process. I tihnk this is the hardest part of the Christian life. I don’t think there is any magic or a quick solution here. Most of us already know the answer. Stott reminds us: make the best of Sunday worship, daily devotion, public worship, participation in Lord’s supper, and involvement in Christian services are some of the key things that will help us grow in our Christian walk.

This is definetely much easier said then done. I struggle every day with all of the above. This is probably an excuse but sometimes I feel that I could do much better if I had 32 hrs a day. Nah.. i probably just need to plan my day and life little better. Plan, prioritize, and execute. We'll see how it goes...

the two shadows of the cross

it is interesting that the apostle paul states in romans 3:25 that God sacrificed His Son to die on the cross, "to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished".

this is a remarkable statement. every one of the countless sins that had been committed from the beginning of creation until the time of Jesus's death on the cross, had been, in the words of paul, "left unpunished".

of course, these people endured the natural consequences of their sinful actions, and had succumbed to natural death, but their sins had never been atoned for in a way that appeased God's terrible justice and righteous anger. they had been left "unpunished".

God could not possibly be just or righteous if He left these sins unpunished, much like an earthly judge would be unrighteous if he let a murderer go free without having him pay for his crime.

in this way, if Jesus had never died on the cross, God could be accused of being "unjust", in just "letting" sins go without punishment.

but when Jesus Christ suffered the punishment for these sins, He satisfied through His death the perfect and terrible justice that these sins demanded.

thus the cross is not only a demonstration of God's perfect love. the cross is equally a demonstration of God's perfect justice.

this glorious truth proves 3 very important points:

1) only when God's perfect justice was satisfied by punishing His own Son for the sins of the world was God in any position to forgive sinners. He could not have forgiven us if our sins had not been atoned for.

2) just like we, 21 centuries removed from the crucifixion, look back at Jesus's death on the cross with faith, believing that He died for our sins, those who lived before the time of Christ looked forward to Christ in faith for their redemption. they died in faith, trusting that God would enact their salvation through some future action. they could not have imagined that their salvation would be achieved through God sending His own Son to die.

3) it shows us that Jesus's motivation to finish the work on the cross was not only His great love for sinners, though it was that. it was also to satisfy the terrible justice of God, lest any accuse God of being unjust for leaving past sins unpunished. His great concern was for the honor of His Father in heaven.

"whoever is wise, let him heed these things

and consider the great love of the Lord" (psalm 107:43).

Metaphors of Ministry

Lynn started the blog today but got busy at work and asked me to take her spot.

In today's scripture we learn about Paul's view on ministry and how he personally ministered to the early christians at Thessalia. He uses four metaphors to speak about his ministry. First with stewardship, being entrusted by God with the gospel. Second like the gentle sacrificial care of a mother. Third as a father figure teaching via both word and action. Finally he talks about the boldness of a herald. Stott explains that these actions can only occur through truth and love as a result of the Holy Spirit and we have people in our lives who perform these actions every day. Today I wanted everybody to remember the staff at EKPC who have been sent to us as our shepards, who sacrifice to guide us and teach us the gospel.

Metaphors of Ministry

From these...we learn two major responsibilities of those who are called to pastoral ministry... responsibility to the word of God... responsibility to the people of God."

"... the two chief marks of pastoral leaders should be truth and love in combination. how is this possible? Only by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, for he is the Spirit of truth, and the first of the Spirit of friut is love.

Although Stott focuses on pastoral care in examining the characteristics of authentic ministry, I there is something to be learned as sheeps who benefit from our shepherds who are in pastoral ministry. Stott describes the four characteristics:"The faithfulness of a steward, the gentleness of a mother, the encouragement of a father, and the boldness of a herald." He then narrows in on " the two chief marks of pastoral leaders...truth and love in combination." More importantly, Stott shares how the responsibilities in ministry can be carried out- "the indwelling of the Holy Spirit". Just as our pastors are, everyone who is a Christian are called to be filled with the Holy Spirit. And we have been taught that faith comes by hearing the Word

Placarding Christ Crucified

When Paul preached the cross, he was met with persecution.

In 2008, the cross is popular in the worst kind of way. It hangs on rear view mirrors of cars, worn on t-shirts and tattooed on body parts. The meaning is lost and people are hostile to hearing the truth about it.

“Placarding Christ Crucified.”
How do we do that in this day and age? Practically speaking what does it look like for us to take Christ crucified into our work places and classrooms?

When you choose daily to be faithful, to live out the truth of what God has accomplished on the cross through His Son… I think you become a kind of a placard for Christ.

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6:14

Authentic Freedom

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm... and do not let yourself be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." (Gal 5:1)

Two things jump out from this verse. First, this verse is teaching us that Christ has set us free. But what kind of freedom is Paul talking about? In Gal 5:13 Paul says, "But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature." So clearly freedom is opposite to sinning. We are not set free so that we can sin all we please. Rather, I believe true freedom is the ability to do what we were created originally to do, which is to love and obey God. As Christians we now have that power through our new nature and by the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The second thing this verse is teaching us is that we must not believe in the lie of sin's slavery. When Paul says "and do not let yourself be burdened by a yoke of slavery", he's basically saying that we must not believe the lie that we are not free. Sometimes the influence of sin is so great, the temptation so irresistible that we feel imprisoned in our sins. But if we are truly Christian, this verse is basically telling us "don't let yourself be fooled into believing the lie"; Christ has set us free!

All true believer have been set free from the bondage of sin and therefore has the power to live a life pleasing to God. It's just that we are so use to the old way of indulging in sin that we find it so hard at times to break out of the old way and to believe that we've been set free from the power of sin. But we have been set free and Paul is telling us to stop believing in that lie that we are in bondage to sin.

So let us not make any more excuses. Next time we're tempted, let us remind ourselves that Christ through his death has broken the power of sin and given us the Holy Spirit to resist and overcome all temptations. Let us cry out to Christ in our moments of temptation!

Posted by Pastor James

"Paul in Jerusalem"

-Although Paul was told not to go to Jerusalem, he decided to go anyways to see James. Considering the problems that could have occurred due to their differences, I thought it was brave of Paul to do what he did. Although Paul represented the Gentiles and James represented the Jewish Christians they were able to praise God together. They welcomed each other with open arms and showed each other respect and kindness for the good works they were doing for the Lord.

I believe this passage challenged me to think about my openess to Christians outside of our church or my realm of friends. If I were James, would I have welcomed Paul with open arms considering our differences? How can we learn to put our differences behind and consider the more important issues that bring us all together?

Posted by Esther Kim

Paul the Witness

Paul sure took advantage of every opportunity to share the gospel. Even though he had been held on false charges for several years, when he stands before the king, his primary aim is not for his own release through gaining the king’s favor, or to “ingratiate himself with the authorities", but for the king’s conversion.

Paul had a plan as a missionary and years in prison was not part of it. Yet he didn’t lose sight of his purpose as a missionary, and still preached the gospel wherever he happened to be. When our lives are thrown off course – maybe for years – will we be able to trust God’s plan and that he would give us “words and wisdom” in any situation?

doing the loving in the all the right places

"all the jews and greeks who lived in the province of asia heard the word of the Lord" (acts 19:10).

in today's reading, mr stott makes an interesting observation when he states that religious people are best evangelized in religious buildings, but secular people are best evangelized in secular buildings.

i guess there's something to be said about sharing the gospel with unbelievers but not necessarily in a church setting, where "religious" culture and language may be unfamiliar and intimidating and off-putting.

we need to be culturally "sensitive" even when we relate to people who are of the same culture as we are.

we can all learn from the apostle paul who was the master evangelist. he was wise enough not to feel that persuading non-religious people into the synagogue just to hold dialogue with them was the most important thing.

instead he met them where they were most comfortable. by argument, by persuasion, by irrefutable evidence, and surely by the example of his own life, he proclaimed the message of salvation.

he is the example and pattern for our own evangelism. it is inspiring to think that by this strategy, "all the jews and greeks who lived in the province of asia heard the word of the Lord" (acts 19:10).

Mission in Macedonia

One thing that really stuck out to me regarding this reading was when the author described how the Gospel united people across racial, social, and psychological lines. It makes you think of how far apart some Christians are from one another while still proclaiming the same God.

I thought the way John Stott explained the different attitudes of those willing to hear the reason of the Scriptures versus those who adamantly rejected it also offered a clear remedy for some of our own shortcomings and obstacles. We need to adopt a more "serious attitude to the Scriptures," as the Jews in Berea diligently did. The power of the Scriptures is lifechanging and has shown itself to be the most effective conversion method for unbelievers and the spiritual sustenance for all Christians. The ending quote of my passage was fitting that I thought everyone should have a chance to reflect on.

" A characteristic of the true religion is that it suffers itself to be examined into. " --Bengel

The Jerusalem Council

By reading of today's reading, we can see glimpse of what struggles and issues that early churches had to face in planting and expanding of churches in worldwide. We see there was a group of people who insisted the gentile converts to conform to the law of Moses, mainly circumcision, to be saved. I do appreciate how the issue had been handled by and among apostles and the Council. Stott mentioned that it was the combination of prophetic witness ( Book of Amos) and apostolic experience (Peter's ministry to the Cornelius', Paul and Barnabas' ministry to the gentiles)to convince the council. We know the result by reading of Act 15:19-29. The Gospel of grace is for everyone, the circumcised and the uncircumcised.
Like Stott said, through this ordeal, God taught not only our forefathers but to us that Gospel of grace is for everyone who put his or her faith in Christ. We don't need any additional laws and rituals to complete our salvation.
Another aspect the brought forth a positive outcome was that the Council created guidelines not to enforce Jewish law on the gentile converts to avoid any conflicts in fellowship with one another.

Philip and an Ethiopian Leader

As Christians we should have that desire to share the gospel with others. But even though God pushes us into places or to people the opportunities just pass us by and our encounters with others are ‘short and sweet.’ I feel Philip was open, obedient, and patient to be led by God.

While reading the passage I thought about this verse:
"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Stephen's Martyrdom

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:59~60)

As the leadership group is preparing for mission trip this summer, I think the message is very appropriate and relevant to us. According to the writer, Stephen’s martyrdom played a vital role “in the development of the worldwide Christian mission” because his brutal death was a manifestation of today’s Christian essentials, God’s promise to his people that Jesus will always be with us and His words, the scripture, will never pass away. I think buildings and traditions as mentioned in the text can impede God’s mission in the world when we as Christians and ones who are called to carry on the Great Commission hold on to today’s worldly standards and fail to incorporate the value system taught by the scripture.

Philip in Samaria

Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. Acts 8:5

At first, this passage is confusing and you wonder why the Holy Spirit did not come upon the Samaritans as they were being saved. GOD chose to wait until the apostles Peter and John arrived to have the Holy Spirit come upon the people so that the Jews and Samaritans could witness this event together and to show they needed to depend on each other and show the oneness in the body in Christ. Had this not happened, the two groups would most likely have continued to be separate even within the Christian community.

For me, this reading emphasizes the sovereignty of GOD and that though we don't always know why things are happening a certain way, GOD always knows, it is always according to his plan, and it is all good. This is something that I need to remember more in my daily life.

Sorry for the late post.

Stephen's Witness

Stephen was an important deacon in the early church. He was one of the seven deacons chosen to take care of the daily distribution of food among the widows. He was chosen because of his character and godliness. He is described as a man full of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, faith, grace, and power. (see Acts 6:3,5,8) Here was a man who was so bold and courageous in his witness for Jesus Christ that he got himself into trouble. I'm sure people told him to calm down, perhaps to lay low for a while when things got heated with the religious leaders. But Stephen would not back down. In witnessing for Jesus Christ he made enemies and while this may not look good in the eyes of the world, I'm sure that God was very pleased.

I am reminded from Stephen's powerful testimony that we must not just wait for an opportunity to witness for Christ, but that we need to actively create opportunities to witness for Jesus Christ. We need to be bold and courageous in the face of indifference and even opposition to the gospel message. What is lacking in today's Christian witness is that Christians are playing it "too safe" and falling prey to the "sensitivity" game of our tolerant culture -- we are told to be sensitive to the feelings of others. Well, what about God's feelings; what about obedience to God's command! We are timid and not bold, safe and not audacious in our witness for Christ. Some of us may even be embarrassed.

Let us all repent of our failings in this area. I feel this is the great weakness of the Christian church today including our own. We have a message that is true and rational, a message that can stand up to the scrutiny of any rational and fair minded human being. Truth in on our side to anyone who wants to know the truth, but we need to get it out. When I look at our church, this is the area we all need to work on, not by waiting for an opportunity, but by first praying and then putting our head together and creating opportunities for witness. Too many of people are concerned mainly with their "jobs" or "career" and/or "education" opportunities when in fact, God is calling every believer in Christ, to put him first. How are we putting God first in our lives, even before our career or our studies? Let's all examine ourselves and by the grace of God make the necessary correction.

Posted by Pastor James

A Problem and It's Solution

I thought the reflection on this reading was enlightening and relevant to those who read it today. Odd to think that Satan could use something as banal as administrative work to sidetrack the mission of the Church. But thinking about it more shows that it’s not so strange after all. This point helped me to realize that it is absolutely central to stick to the bottom line of the church; that is the fellowship of believers worshipping God and expanding His Kingdom for others. I feel that I cam continually reminded of the fact that a church who falls behind her core purposes of worshipping through God’s truth is destined to fail. I don’t want to be the kind of believer who is attracted to the pews because of any other type of fringe benefits, though as a sinner- I admit that I am

I’m glad the wise fathers of our faith were keen and spirit filled enough to identify the problem and find a solution. It’s encouraging to know that despite the same kinds of problems we may encounter today, God always had a plan to help us through and become victorious, in all the ages..

No matter how many times I read the story of this couple, Ananias and Sapphira, it's always been a mind bothering to me personally. It's so hard for me to grasp the fact that their punishment was way to severe for their act. They weren't given a chance to repent of their sins and make it right before God. It's not just physical death but perhaps eternal condemnation in result of their sin. I do understand that it was nothing wrong to keep back of their belongings if they chose to do so, rather they were punished because they lied. They wanted the credit for their generosity and they were willing to lie for their own glory and gain. They mocked God. They deceived God. With their hypocrisy and deceit brought forth God's wrath upon themselves.
According to Stott, there were reasons why this particular incident in the history of early church had to be recorded. There were lessons to learn and Stott mentioned clearly in the book.
What I learned from the passage addition to Stott's comment?
Who are we to put degree of level on our own sins as well as others! I believed that Ananias and Sapphira thought that what they were about to do wouldn't be so bad. What they said was half true and half lie. They thought they were only dealing with someone who was standing right in front of them. However, Peter said "You have not lied to man but to God" (Luke 4:3-4).
Everything we do is accountable. Moreover,God knows every detail of conditions of our hearts and hidden motives. There is absolutely nothing we can hide from God.
Question is that even knowing this truth, can we still live like Ananias and Sapphira? I think we all need to exam our hearts today!

Continuance of Persecution

He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian...
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say, "These wounds I had on Crispin's day."
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day; then shall our names...
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd...

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother...
And gentlemen in England now abed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us...
Henry V

Peter's second sermon

In sharing about Christ I often fear that I might start sounding like a Bible nerd or a dogmatic preacher. I might try to share on a more personal level but feel the danger of displaying Christianity as some self-help lifestyle in which you choose Jesus to be God and your best friend or, as the solution that changed you from a so called "sinner" to a "good" Christian person.
I was sobered by how Peter called out to the crowd to declare Jesus as the Christ. As Stott pointed out, Peter spoke with " outspoken courage". Stott goes on to also point out the "Christ-centeredness" of Peter's sermon. Peter did not focus on the miracle or his testamonies of how He met Jesus, nor did he play on the heart strings of the people. Peter was bold and proclaimed the truth. There was no sugar coated message of how Jesus is the answer to all your problems...He's a friend in time of need...your personal shepherd whom God sent because He loves you so much. Please don't get me wrong, it's just sobering and refreshing on how Peter declared Jesus as the Christ, convicted people of their mistake and called them to repent. It is a call to righteousness. It is not a call to come and save yourself by trusting in Jesus.
As I read Peter's sermon, I was also convicted of not meditating enough on the attributes of Jesus such as the ones Peter shared. Instead, I think I focus a little too much on the attributes of Jesus that serve me.
I realized once again that I must spend more time meditating on the Christ as He is revealed in the holy Scripture because there is the danger of letting my relationship with Him become stagnate and crowded with my personal feelings and views on Him- and God. I realized that in order to give a true witness to Jesus you must truly know Him better.

Evangelism

Survey saids... the most popular reason for not evangelizing is not because we feel lacking Bible knowledge or feel ill equipped but because most of us feel that our lives are not a good witness.

Stott sees evangelism as the outreach that balances the church's interior life of study, fellowship, sharing and worship. Three things are noted:
1) only Jesus can open the eyes and ears of one's heart
2) salvation and church membership go together
3) evangelism is a daily task

Personally, I am greatly relieved and that it is the Lord who does the work of witness. And that he can use even an imperfect vessel like me. As members of the body of Christ, we are instruments of the perfecting work of Jesus... encouraging and correcting one another. So, let us walk daily, looking for opportunities to be used by God.

The Marks of a Living Church

There's a saying, "if you find a perfect church, don't join it, because you'll ruin it." No perfect churches exist in the world, not even during the apostolic period. The church is composed of sinners, so it would be illogical to expect perfection of any kind. Rather a church should be a place where sinners are able to learn about Jesus Christ and yes even make mistakes and forgiven and loved -- where the gospel message is being living out. In today's reading Stott points out the four marks of a living church. I suppose we should ask whether our church at ODM is characterized by them: biblical teaching, caring fellowship, humble worship, and compasionate outreach to the world. Well, is it?

Now it's easy to criticize and say what is wrong with our church or some other churches. The hard thing to do is to ask whether our paticipation in the life of the church helps to strengthen the church or whether we weaken it. Are we a giver or a taker? Do we like to serve or be served? Is our presence encouraging or discouraging others? Does our presence elevate or weaken people's desire to live godly lives? Apply these questions to the four marks of a living church and we'll know where we are!

I for one am very encouraged by the humble leadership in our church body. We are not perfect but we have good people who are committed to the work of the Lord. And I'm very thankful that I have had the privilege of serving the Lord with you. Yet like many of you, I'm not satisified with where we are and by God's grace we all need to push ahead to be better servants of the Lord's work for Christ's sake.

Posted by Pastor James

Worship

In the reading, it touches on two aspects of worship and that is the joy in worshiping and the worship that exist in our formal/informal settings. In the scripture for this reading, the first word that processed in my head was the word "devoted". When defining the word "devotion", I related that word to words like "affectionate" and "selfless". These synonyms can't function or apply alone, but requires other bodies to complete it's meaning. I agree that worship in Church is as important and ought to happen as much outside of Church on Sundays as well. Breaking off into smaller groups and sharing allows us to engage with one another as that group, or body. As people relate and encourage one another, I feel the worship occurs when we devote ourselves to God through that body. Now from an intimate setting to a bigger body, we can come to Sunday worship with prepared hearts and attitude. For example, a football team during the weekdays train/focus in smaller groups. Offense and defense are coordinated by coaches of that section of the team. Once the weekend comes, they come together as one team to fight for that victory every week. Throughout the season, the individual players work hard on the different areas of their weaknesses, but not alone because the team and its organization is there to support each individual to become that stronger body. We on the other hand are guaranteed that victory in the end promised by God. (1 Cor 15:57 "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.") Because of this truth, it is a no brainer that we should come feeling outbursts of joy every Sunday morning when we worship. I know that if I surrender myself and place my pure utter dependency on Him, victory will always follow my footsteps into the endzone. Just like how those athletes celebrate with a touchdown dance, or putting up their hands, I feel I should be compelled to respond as well having felt victory and celebrate with joy through the act of worship. I'll have to think of a victory dance now. Perhaps, everybody should have one now that softball seasons coming up... hehe. I thought it was amusing that the reading mentioned how worship can be easily mistaken for a funeral service. Those football games on Super Bowl Sunday I'm sure won't have a single seat with somebody standing like a zombie falling asleep, because of their passion, love, and devotion to/for the game. Just like how its mentioned in the reading, if we came on Sundays with wonder and humility, that defines what we call worship. I believe if we can continue to come together as a body, formally and informally with exuberant joy, we would also have a better understanding of the word that we take on and proclaim in our everyday lives, known as "devotion".

Study

I'm reminded once again that the authentic and true church must be firmly founded in the word. Like the new converts in Acts 2, we too must devote ourselves to the Apostle's teaching which is conveniently written out for us in a book called New Testament. Everything else like a awesome praise band, cozy cafe, many fun and intriguing activities must come after. It's sad to say, but many churches have given into the selfish desires of men and made the teaching of the word to be the last priority. Let's make sure that our church does not fall into the temptation of pleasing men but instead be in the business of pleasing God.

Sharing

All Things Considered, March 20, 2008 · Does money buy happiness? Researchers and bar-goers alike have long debated this slippery question.
The verdict is far from clear. Studies show that money does make people happier, but only up to a point. Beyond a certain level, additional income yields hardly any additional happiness. The United States, for instance, is four times wealthier than it was in 1950 yet Americans report being no happier than they were half a century ago.
A new study, published today in the journal Science, suggests that what matters most is not how much money we have but, rather, what we do with it. Spending money on others, it shows, can boost our own happiness.
The researchers first asked a group of college students how happy they were. They then gave the participants money — either $5 or $20. Half were told to spend the money on themselves. The others were told to spend it on others, such as giving a gift to a friend or making a charitable donation. That evening, the researchers again asked the students to gauge their happiness.
It turns out that the participants who spent money on others reported a much greater happiness boost than the ones who spent money on themselves. And, surprisingly, the amount of money the students were given didn't seem to matter at all. It was how they choose to spend it that determined their happiness levels.

Interesting research! Isn’t it?

I thought that we are more tending to share our goods, when we have our portion first. Like, what if some of the people need help right now? I guess they have to wait till I am ready to help, because I’m not happy with what I have now. That is how my thinking usually works. If I’m happy, I usually think I can make others happy. But that’s not research telling us it’s the other way around.

Fellowship

"If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another" 1John 1:7

Initially, it seems simple, I'd read it something like this: if we read the Word, do our best to live by it, we will have happy relations with God and with others in Him.

But then, why are there areas of broken fellowship - even among Christian brothers and sisters?  And what does it look like to "walk in the light"?

   

John Piper helps to dig deeper here (ooop, i cheated!)

Here's roughly what I gathered:

• Light - truth and God = Light, therefore God is the source of all that is true and walking in the light is the same as walking in truth and, ultimately, walking in God. 
• In God, there is no darkness: he knows all things and all is exposed; no hidden agenda, no small print
• To walk in the light is to have desires that align with those of God: It is the darkness that causes us to desire things that are not good for us.
• note "WALK" - it is a process, a way of life rather than a moment
• in order to have fellowship, both parties must walk in the light

John 3:10 says "the light has come in to the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil."  ..there is a willfulness to remaining in darkness.  So if there is any brokenness in fellowship, there must be some area where I am CHOOSING to remain in darkness, where I am controlled by the desires of the world rahter than desires for God...

    

Maybe, If we turn from the darkness and walk in the light, "selling [our] possessions and goods, [and giving] to anyone as he had need." would not be such a 'disturbing' idea.

Jesus’s Exaltation

Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. Acts 2:36

Today's text reminds me of the words we recite in the Apostle’s Creed. We say that ‘we believe in God and his only son who suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried. ….. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.’

Why does the Apostle’s Creed put such importance on Jesus’s exaltation?

Jesus had to be both Lord and Christ so that he is a special sacrifice. He is not just one of many sacrificed animals mentioned in the Old Testament. It’s amazing that Jesus died yet resurrected, He was both Lord and the anointed Messiah who will die for our sins. Jeus was a special, non-imaginable, God-anointed sacrifice.

Wednesday devotion: "Jesus's Resurrection"

Sorry for the delay but I would like to take this last minute stand in as an opportunity to share a little on Wednesday's devotional. Please feel free to contribute your own thoughts and comments.
Wednesday:
Today's devotional focuses on Peter acting as a witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and Stott points to the Biblical references Peter employs to support his testimony. Though I lack the appreciation Stott has towards the "written predictions of the prophets...", I am drawn to the person Peter has become as a witness to Jesus Christ.

We all know that Peter was the disciple who had denied knowing Jesus but eventually, as it is recorded in the book of Acts, Peter became a powerful witness for Jesus Christ. Not only that, Jesus approached Peter on an intimate level to reinstate Peter and to personally charge Peter to take care of His sheep. And so for me, more than the verses Stott points to in Peter's testimony, knowing the background of Peter puts weight on the credibility of his testimony. I am glad for people like Pastor James and John Stott to explain the significance of the Old testament. For like Peter, I too am a commoner with such little knowledge of Scripture but I am in awe of Peter's ability to wield the holy texts as a powerful tool to witness...to evangelize. It reveals the presence and empowering of the Holy Spirit to use Peter's words and actions which testifies to the "facts" he has witnessed of Christ-even of His resurrection.
Stott points out that the disciples came to read the Old Testament Christologically. It seems that once they realized that Jesus is the Christ, they recognized Him mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. Their eyes were able to see and perceive what they could not before knowing Christ. More importantly, their lives also converged to the "character and purpose" of the Old testament- to bear witness "to Christ, especially to His death, resurrection, and world wide mission."
In Peter's case, he bore witness to Christ even by the kind of death which he glorified God. I'm can't say that we too are called to follow Christ just like the way Peter did but there is much to learn from Peter as to the kind of disciple and witness he was for Jesus Christ.

Jesus's Death

I thought this reflection was a good opportunity to think of the origins of the doctrines that we all believe in and stand on. This is something that I have personally found myself really immersed in over the past year.

I thought it was really neat, to say the least, that the first fathers of the church preached not only on what they witnessed through the life of Jesus but also with an unshaking faith in God's plan for salvation after the ascension of Jesus.

Another really blessing point was when John Stott went over how God is able to "forward his purposes even through the wickedness of men."

It reminded me of how sovereign God is in all of our lives and much more beyond.

Jesus's Life and Ministry

By reading the devotional book, it caused me to think about different ministries that I am being involved and reflect upon what my true motives and attitude are when it comes to doing work for God.
The core of the gospel is Jesus. Apart from the name of Jesus in the context, it's a dead message no power nor meaning. Stott mentioned that 'the wise evangelist keeps bringing the conversation back to the person and work of Jesus Christ.' Many pastors preach so called "feel good" messages on Sundays. Jesus is not the main ingredient of their message but nothing but a supplement. For many Christians are interested in God's blessings rather than knowing and having a relationship with Him.
I do afraid and exam constantly about my attitude and motives. Even we often involve of lots of ministries and activities supposedly for God and His glory, perhaps our true motives and agenda are nothing but based on selfish or prideful to gain benefits for ourselves. We push Jesus to the side to be on the spotlight whether we consciously know or not.
I think when we serve Jesus with right attitude and motives, it will bring joy.
Someone said once to me JOY stands for
J: Jesus
O: Others
Y: You

Peter's Quotation from Joel

What struck me most about this passage were these verses:

"I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams. "

I recall the testimonies of both Ravi Zacharias and a missionary who recently visited us sharing that a predominant reason of former Muslims converting to Christianity is a result of receiving a vision from Jesus while sleeping. Initially I was skeptical, but after obsessively researching this I have encountered numerous accounts all testifying to the same thing.

Too often we assume Jesus is far off in a distant place and will return someday and that we need to hold down the fort till then. But I'm beginning to believe that he's a lot closer than we think - and that is both exciting, and terrifying.

"They say Aslan is on the move - perhaps has already landed."

waiting and praying

"they all joined together constantly in prayer."

i love this picture of the early church. we are told that the 120 believers "all joined together constantly in prayer". mr. stott states that they prayed because a) Jesus had commanded them to pray and b) Jesus had promised the Holy Spirit.

the interesting thing is that Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit, then commands the believers to pray for the gift. the promise is essentially given before the command to pray.

i suppose herein lies the secret of the power of prayer: the command to pray and the promise.

Jesus knows exactly what is going to happen to us; He knows all the difficulties and sorrows that we will go through in our lives. consider this most amazing verse from psalm 139:16: "all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to pass".

before (sometimes years before) He delivers us from these evils, He gives us the faith and the inclination to pray--that's the command to pray.

when rescue and deliverance comes--that's the promise fulfilled.

whenever you have been given the inclination, the desire, and the faith to pray--it is the prelude, the assurance of the promise fulfilled.

i suppose the lesson is that we are never to give up praying--the answer is on its way.

waiting and praying is the story of the early church, and it is the description of the lives of faithful believers in Christ.

The Promise of the Spirit

Today's reading comes rather timely when our country is knee deep in the presidential election season. I think the 3 errors that Stott points out in the apostles' question is something that we can all relate to on some level.


It is easy to submerge ourselves into worldly issues (politics, cultural issues of the day etc.) and fight these mini-battles as Christians and forget that God has charged us with a higher calling to further his kingdom. This is not to say that Christians should not have a voice and that we SHOULD do our part to vote responsibly---we should.


However, this is a great leveling and perspective changing passage that reminds us of what God has charged us to do and that he has equipped us with the power of his Spirit to carry out his great commission. Spread his word and his love to the ends of the earth.

The significance of the book of Acts

As John Stott alludes in the introduction to the post-resurrection events... the book of Acts is a crucial element in the Christian story. Not only does it explain what happened after the resurrection but it also explains the expansion of Christianity and puts many of the NT epistles into it's proper context. Without it our knowledge of the beginning of Christianity would be next to nothing.

This makes the study of the book of Acts quite exiciting. Here we are given a glimpse into how the early church under the leadership of the apostles faced the cultural pressures and challenges of their day. Here we are given a model church, not because it was perfect but because despite it's weakness, God raised up the most unlikely of people like Peter and Paul and Barnabas and Luke and Timothy and many others to build and strengthen his church. In the next several weeks, we'll be studying the book of Acts so I encourage you to read along and do the extra readings prayerfully. I know that I'm always encouraged in reading this book!

Posted by Pastor James

World Mission

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations." Matthew 28:18-19

What if these verses were left out of the Gospel?

Of course, God's plan is perfect and there really is no "what ifs" in his plans. And yet the enormous significance of this one sentence in the history of our world is simply amazing. I am not speaking about the realm of Christians only. Judeo-Christian ethics, laws, and value has penetrated every significant economies of this world. It has continued its expansion for two millenia and will continue its dominance into foreseeable future.

For Non-Western Christians like us, this verse is even more significant. This really is the only explicit validation of our own existence as Christians. For us, the verse 19 is like a portal to the only Truth that matters. I wish there were more references of people in foreign countries like us in the Bible. But in its absence, I thank our Lord Jesus Christ for this new Mission; to make disciples of all nations, to seek out all human races and enlighten them with the Truth. That God created all things including myself, gave me life and the choice to fall away from him, then sent his Son to death and resurrection in order to save me from my own fatal choices.

I thank those early missionaries who took His command to heart and reached out to our people. And I pray that I too have the courage and spiritual strength to continue His Mission.

Our Living Hope

Hello everyone!  Sorry this post is so late.  I had some issues but, like Dave said in his blog, no excuses...Please bare with me cuz this is the first time I've ever done this...^-^

Today's passage comes from 1 Peter 1:3 and it says that "In his great mercy God has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."  

I think the author is trying to focus on the fact that the Gospel is our living hope and thru that living hope comes the promise of the resurrection of the body but this living hope also promises the "renewal of the universe" or a new heaven and new earth.  What this means is that God will not only purify our bodies but also the world that He created from the evils of the fallen world.   I never really thought about this because, like everyone in the world, I'm self-centered and only focus on the new body promise and never really thought about the cleansing of the world part.  The author even mentions that, "we Christians tend to think and talk too much of the ethereal heaven and too little about the new heaven and the new earth." But now that I think about it, it's like when we die or if Christ comes again, we will recieve our new bodies but where will we live with these bodies?  God takes care of that because, through his great mercy, He gives us a new and better heaven and earth where it is purge of all the sin and evils that it once was tainted by sin. 

This got me to thinking how we forget that this world is evil because it is full of sin.  We should remember that it's the people that make it evil too because of the evilness in their own hearts.  The world was created by God.  It's a gift.  But we tend to forget that and love the creation more than the Creator and try to horde it all for ourselves.  I'm also reminded of what Dulla smn once told me that the common world view is that people are born good and fight the evils of this world with that goodness but that's a wrong way of thinking.  In the Christian world view, it should be understood that people are born evil because they've inherited sin.  So throughout their Christian lives, they aren't fighting the evil/sin with their goodness but they recieve goodness from God so they can fight their own evilness with it.  And that goodness is the Gospel. 

Bottomline is the Gospel is good and our living hope. We shouldn't only focus on the promise of the renewel of the body but also to the new heaven and earth that God will give.  Sorry for rambling but that's it. Thanks for reading and see you Sunday!

The Resurrection of The Body

Hi everyone.
So sorry for writing this a day late. I have no good excuse so feel free to punch me in the arm when you see me. The reading I went over was a pretty cool one for me because it gave me an opportunity to really see our long term future in pretty clear terms. And I mean wayyy long term.

Usually, I always wonder how it's going to be like. I imagine how heaven might be or what it will seem like standing with all the saints throughout history. Sometimes I can picture it so clearly and other times my lack of faith gets in the way and it's difficult to take in fully.

But I really liked today's reflection because it paints a vivid picture of how the resurrection of our bodies will be like by using the promise of scriptures and the example of Jesus.

It also makes me reflect that God made my body and the way that I am with and for a purpose so that He could be glorified through it. It's amazing how detailed and intricate our Father is. Louie Giglio put it best when he said, "Though we are but a vapor, we are marked by majesty."

I won't lie. It kind of makes one feel special and unique but not in that arrogant way. More in that thankful kind of way.

One last thing and I would love an opinion about this... All my friends have tattoos and I always wanted to get one for some reason. But ever since I've been a Christian, I've come to believe in the resurrection of the body as Stott illustrates and I've been afraid to get any kind of tattoos because I don't want it to be with me forever. Pastor James...Do you have an opinion on this small matter??

The Conquest of Death

Today's reading made me think about death. I believe that everyone fears death. Some people are more so than others. Death is inevitable. Whether you are Christian or not death visits everyone. however for Christians who have been resurrected with Christ, death is not loss of life but gaining of eternity with Christ. We have been reading the passages regarding Jesus appeared to various people after he resurrected. Jesus appeared to his loved ones and empowered them with same power that resurrected Christ. Jesus Christ conquered the death. Whoever believe the risen Lord, death has no authority over them nor power to put them in captive.
Reading John 11:17-44, famous story about Lazarus, I put myself in Lazarus'shose. I was Lazarus died in my transgression. But Jesus called out, "Come Out" I am no longer a lifeless corp but through power of Christ I am alive. Jesus breathed in me a new life. This new life will continue on 'til eternity.

Symbol of Power

Last night I caught back-to-back episodes of "Intervention" on A&E. Each episode featured an individual in a seemingly hopeless situation due to addictions and the family's efforts to intervene and save the individual from self-destruction. As the show progresses, you follow a life spiraling out of control finally reduced to a state of living to appease a perceived need literally minute-to-minute. Naturally, it can be unnerving to witness the depths of how far one's life can plummet.

The show is aptly named as in both situations, it was not the individual's own dissatisfaction that instigated a change but a demonstration of love and the conveyance of the hurt by the family that served as the biggest motivation for a reversal of the situation.

After reflecting on today's devotional, I realized that our stories were not very different, the primary difference being the timeframe in which we reach our fate respectively. Because of the accelerating effects of their physical addictions, the intensity of their downward spiral is amplified as their lives are compressed into a shorter period of time - something not as obvious over a "normal" lifespan.

Living to appease ourselves minute-to-minute isn't really an exaggeration. We may not all be addicted to narcotics, but we find other ways to medicate our insecurities and self-focused desires, ways that have become so commonplace that we don't even flinch.

Jesus says "whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." Its a confusing proposition that has no appeal to any part of our nature. Yet nothing that we've been able to do on our own in history has ever proven otherwise. That's the real power of the Cross, self-sacrificial love. God has intervened on our behalf with the ultimate expression of love to begin the reversal of this dark vicious cycle we are born into. Likewise, each one of us is called to find our true life, not by focusing on ourselves, but to propogate Christ's example and organically build the Kingdom of God.

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

The Assurance of Forgiveness

I think we all
- read the bible
- heard numerous messages
- heard someone pray
- or prayed
about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins and being raised from the dead by conquering death and sin.

This is the main bases of our Christian faith so what if it's not true..
- we will be in some serious dew dew
- those apostles are all liars or was delirious
- we'll still be unforgiven sinners
- our faith is futile, we're helpless, with no power of holy spirit
- no life after death, we'll just perish or reincarnate as a flower or something
- we would be gentiles forever without any hope (can we convert to Jew?)

Fortunately for us, I believe that God did accept Christ as a perfect sacrifice for our sins and that he was raised him from the dead to be with God.

Now, I need to believe and continuously remind myself each moment of my life that His death was real and He was sacrificed for my/our sins.

Sunday reading: Verdict reversed

This week, Stott leads us to reflect on the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sunday's reading led me to think that even with all the scriptural references in the old testament of the Savior, people really didn't know who or what to expect. It seems that only in hindsight after the death and resurrection of Jesus that all those references came together like pieces of a puzzle to reveal and confirm Jesus as " Son of God and Savior".
There are countless scriptural references pointing to the coming of the Messiah. Isaiah 53 gives us a glimpse of what the Savior would be like"...He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him,...He was despised and rejected by men,....But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities...." Micah 5:2 even points ahead to where the "ruler over Israel" would be born. Jesus Himself gives a reference back to Moses on how he lifted up the snake to save those who would only believe and look up to it. Jesus said" Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life". Yet, no one was able to figure out who this Savior would be and how He would "save" Israel. Even His own disciples doubted and stumbled over their own lack of understanding.
Even Simeon who held baby Jesus in his arms and worshiped God for allowing his eyes to behold the Savior- could he have known that the baby Jesus would grow up to be crucified then resurrected from the dead? Perhaps the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was a thought that was too lofty and too high for any human mind to grasp. And yet, as Stott stated, it is by resurrecting Jesus Christ from the dead, God "validated Him as truly the Son of God and Savior".
And now, it is for us to fully realize who Christ is and what He has come to do in our lives and through our lives. We as believers are the ones to whom the "arm of the LORD has been revealed" We too have heard and read from the scriptures what the disciples have witnessed as the fulfillment of the Old Testament. Do we fully understand and believe?
Perhaps by meditating on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ- the full meaning and significance, we too can have any false notions or misunderstanding of Jesus Christ "reversed" in our lives. And by getting to know better the "true Son of God and Savior", we can better worship Him, fellowship with Him, better Love Him.