time & money

This excerpt from A.W. Tozer's That Incredible Christian is a fitting and revealing summary following the recent Seminar on Godly Stewardship of Time & Money:

He calls he "Rules for Self-Discovery." (In other words, your answers to these questions will reveal a lot about you and your spirituality.)

1. What we want most
2. What we think about most
3. How we use our money
4. What we do with our leisure time
5. The company we enjoy
6. Who and what we admire
7. What we laugh at

Care to take the test?

killer turkey

I have little affection for political humor, but this is hilarious:

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) - In a potentially embarrassing situation for the Obama White House, a turkey pardoned by President Obama earlier this week went on a three-state killing spree on Thanksgiving Day, killing nine.

While authorities were still piecing together the motivation behind the recidivist fowl's homicidal rampage, a chorus of Republican critics complained that pardoning the feathered killer was symptomatic of the Obama administration's misguided policies...

Only in America...

D&M Seminar Quiz

Here's a little quiz to see who actually remembers what we learned!

=)

We spoke of 12 Tests of "Love or Infatuation."

Test of S__________________

Love is centered on only one person. Infatuation can happen with more than one person and cause to be attracted to a lot of different person.

God's Prescription for Lasting Relationships:

1. B________ the Right Person
2. Walk in Love
3. F______ your H________ on God and seek to please Him through this relationship.
4. If failure occurs, repeat steps 1, 2, 3.

Godly Relationships: Dating & Marriage

Here's a chance to share what you've learned & gained during our rather extensive seminars on Dating & Marriage this past Sunday.

Since we had separate seminars for men & women, let's be appropriately sensitive in our comments. But feel free to share not only your comments & reflections, but also your questions, and to respond to others' posts.

Here's an important truth to think about:

If you attempt to build intimacy with another person before you've done the hard work of becoming a whole and healthy person, every relationship will be an attempt to complete the wholeness that you lack and end in disaster.
(Parrott, L. & L., Relationships, p.20, emphasis mine)

upcoming sat seminar topics

1. Godly Career & God’s Calling

a. Why should I study? What’s the point of studying?
b. Does God really want me to spend so much time and money on study?
c. How do I balance work and study?
d. How do I study?
e. What study and career should I pursue? Does it matter?
f. How does my secular study coincide with God’s calling on my life? Is it supposed to?

2. Godly Stewardship of Time & Money

a. What is stewardship?
b. How does God expect me to spend my time & money?
c.What am I expected to do in times of great time and money shortage? Is it really all about faith?
d. How do I discipline myself to make most of my time & money?
e. How do I prioritize the use of my time & money?
f. Is it wrong to have my own time & money to spend? Why do I feel guilty when I do? Am I supposed to feel guilty?

3. Godly Relationships

a. Godly Dating & Marriage

i. How do I choose the one right for me? How do I discern if he/she is a true believer? What are the guidelines to determine if he/she is “the one”?
ii. Is it wrong to date? Is it wrong to “try out” different “prospects”?
iii. What’s going “too far”?
iv. What is a godly courtship?
v. How do I know I am ready for a relationship?
vi. How do I prepare to be a godly spouse?
vii.How do I reconcile my past failures in relationships? How does it impact my future relationships?
viii. How do I remain pure in an impure world?

b. Godly Son & Daughter

i. How do I live as a Christian and a son or a daughter to “difficult” parents?
ii. How do I obey my parents when it collides with God’s commands?
iii. When can I claim independence and move out?

c. Godly Friendship

i. Is it possible for a girl and a guy to be good friends without being mixed up in a more intimate relationship?
ii. What is God’s view of a godly friendship?
iii. How do I make godly friends?

d. Godly Fellowship

i. What is expected of me in this EM?
ii. How do I become part of this Ministry in a way God desires?
iii. What does a godly fellowship look like?
iv. How do I speak the truth in love to my brothers and sisters in Christ?

The seminars will begin this Saturday (10/3, 10 a.m.) and will run for a few weeks.
Please post any additional questions on comments.

Review of Sat Seminars

Here's a review of what we learned on Sat Seminars from 7/18 to 9/19 on "Out of the Shallows, Into the Deep" - a series of studies based on Chip Ingram's Holy Ambition.

We began with understanding and assessing your "Spiritual GPS" - to "locate" where you are spiritually.

Based upon 2 Chr 16:9a" For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him," we looked into the life & ministry of Nehemiah to find principles behind how to develop a Holy Ambition, to live a life that counts toward eternity.

1. A Dislocated Heart

Holy Ambition begins with a Dislocated Heart. God never does something great through us, until He does something significant in us.

2. A Broken Spirit.

A Broken Spirit begins with a High View of God. A Dislocated Heart is overwhelmed by a problem or a need. A Broken Spirit is overwhelmed by God.

What comes to our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us... The most portentous fact about anyone is not what he is doing at a given time, what he may say or do, but what in his deep heart conceives God to be. - A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy

A Broken Spirit leads to an Accurate View of ourselves, which leads to Renewed Commitment.

3. A Radical Faith.

Faith is not an emotional response. Faith it simply believing what God said and acting on the basis of what He said, because of His character and because He gave you a specific promise. The key to having great faith is having a big God; if you have a big God, life's obstacles look small. Radical Faith is choosing to step out to fulfill God's clearly-defined Will at possible great personal risk and sacrifice. Radical Faith is not a faith you just have; it's a faith you practice.

4. A Strategic Plan.

A Strategic Plan begins with a Vision: a God-given burden to see what a person, a place, or a situation could become if the grace of God and the power of God were unleashed on them. A vision is a picture of the preferred future, and is birthed in Silence, Secrecy and Solitude.

5. A Personal Commitment.

A Commitment is a pledge or a promise. It is dedication to a stated course of action, relationship, project, or cost, and is sustained by Mutual Accountability.
A Personal Commitment is made and maintained by:

- Principle of Cooperation:

We will never get beyond how we're getting along.

- Principle of Coordination:

The combined effort of the Group is far greater than the Sum of its parts.

- Principle of Motivation:

The value of the project to the worker will determine the value of the worker to the project.

6. A Courageous Soul.

It is a noble act to step out and long to accomplish a great work for God. It is a foolish attitude to think that just because you do, things are going to be smooth, great, and wonderful in your life.
Four Causes of Discouragement:

- Loss of Strength
- Loss of Vision
- Loss of Confidence
- Loss of Security

Wrong and Worst response to Discouragements: Distractions.
Four Key Ways to Overcome Discouragement:

- Be Proactive: watch out for "Gray Zones"
- Remember the Lord: remember the faithfulness of God
- Fight, fight, fight!: difficulties reveal the depth of our faith
- Never fight alone

give us this day our daily Bread

PRAYER OF DEPENDENCY

- Physical Need:
- A confession that we are dependent upon God for all our needs (Dt 8:17-18)
- It is good and right to ASK, but ask RIGHT!
- Refers not only to physical food, but also to all things necessary for our lives

PRAYER OF SUFFICIENCY

- Spiritual Need:
- In the same way we don’t pray the prayer for provision and sit under an apple tree with our mouths open waiting for God to give us everything, for our spiritual provision, we must open His Word

- 3 Problems:

- We ask God to speak to us, but never bother reading His Words;
- We ask for discernment and guidance, but we set up idols in our hearts that keeps us from hearing His voice clearly,
- And even if we hear, we refuse to obey

- Illustration of Inquiring after God's will with idols in heart (Jer 42-43):

- After killing the rebel leader Ishmael, who murdered Gedaliah (governor appointed by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon), Johanan and the remnant in Judah turn to Jeremiah the prophet asking for God's will regarding their fearful situation.

- This prayer is a prayer against setting up IDOLS in our hearts
- Thus, we are saying to God: All our needs are met by You, not by us

PRAYER OF COMMITMENT

- DAILY bread:
- i.e., day to day, not for the whole lifetime, year or even a month or week, but daily (Prov 30:7-9)

- Jesus called Himself “Bread of Life” (Jn 6:35)

- Does He sustain You? Are you fed, nourished and sustained by life of Christ?

Listen to Pastor Leonard Ravenhill recount the story of Anointing.

EM 3rd Year Anniversary

I uploaded the presentation we used into pictures.
To see the words more clearly, you can view them here.

Also, we recorded the entire service and I finally finished editing it.
For many reasons, I cannot put the video in it's entirely here. (length of video/size, copyright infringements, etc.)
But I can burn it onto a DVD-R if you like a copy.
Just email me or ask me at church. =)

I've uploaded the sermon as a preview of the video:

July 16, 2006

The very first EM Sunday Worship Service was attended by four people, including me.

It began small but was filled with hope and a great sense of anticipation and longing.

I would not have believed, much less imagined, the long road God would lead me and this EM if someone had told me three years ago...

The 2PM Sunday Worship Service Message was entitled "Longing Fulfilled: A Sudden Good Break" taken from Proverbs 13:12:

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."

MSG: "Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around."

I found it interesting that my very first sermon 3 years ago and my "last" sermon closing the three full years (Sunday, July 12, 2009) both dealt with hope:

Isaiah 40:27-31 Why do you say, O Jacob,and complain, O Israel,"My way is hidden from the LORD;my cause is disregarded by my God"? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

I. Those without hope (v.27)

A. Lose Sight of God
B. Has Distorted View of God

II. Those With Hope (v.31)

A. Will Renew their Strength
B. Will Soar on Wings like Eagles
C. Will Run and Not Grow Weary
D. Will Walk and Not be Faint

1 John 3:3 "And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."

My handwritten first EM sermon ends with hastily written (which usually means the thoughts came quickly and urgently) "Hope purifies our motives, intentions, burns away our own agendas... purifies our thoughts, desires, needs, words and action."

This ministry began with a simple but powerful promise of God: "If they come, I will bless them."

And God has done just that in more ways than I had dreamed of or imagined...

His yoke has been easy, His burden light.

The Lord's Prayer

Unlike most of my messages, I will be teaching out of NAS version of the Lord's Prayer in Mt 6. I thought a summary outline which will be used for this series on the Lord's Prayer would be of help:

'Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.' (Mt 6:9-13, NAS)

Entering the Presence of God

(v.9) “Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your Name…”

Relationship & Identity

Living in the Power of God

(v.10) “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”

Hope & Confidence in the Will of God

Fulfilling the Purpose of God

(v.11) “Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Trust & Love

Maturing to Perfection in God

(vv.12-13) “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, for ever. Amen. ”

Trials & Maturity

Worship: Offended Worshiper

Asaph KNEW what it was to worship God – his entire life was focused on worship; he was a worshiper, but a stumbled or offended worshiper in Psalm 73.

ASAPH WAS A TROUBLED WORSHIPER (vv.1-16)
A Troubled Worshiper is plagued by 3 things:

Finitude of Dogma (vv.1-3)
We need to realize FINITUDE of ANY truth we encounter – NOT because God is finite, but because our understanding of God is finite. Asaph's Problem was that his “personal dogma” about God did NOT match up with what he saw with his eyes.

Frustration of Doubt (vv.4-12)
Asaph sees all around him CONTRADICTIONS of God’s justice & ways because he is seeing with HIS EYES – observing from worldly perspective. (e.g. Old Man & his White Horse)

Futility of Discipline (vv.13-16)
Question: what does the injustice Asaph is seeing have anything to with his pursuit of godliness? His confession of how his pursuit of godliness was in vain revealed his "Silent Rebellion" against God.

ASAPH BECAME A TRUE WORSHIPER (vv.17-28)
A True Worshiper is NOT one who has never had troubles & trials of the heart; but one who encounters God through his trials.

Revelation through Encounter(vv.17-20)
“When I entered the sanctuary of God…” Asaph is referring not to just a specific building, but the very presence of God - a place where God dwells (Ex 25:8). NOTHING changed by Asaph’s revelation EXCEPT Asaph himself.

Repentance (vv.21-23)
Revelation of God always leads us to REPENTANCE.

Restoration(vv.24-28)
Restoration of trust & confidence in God: Restoration always leads to Revelation for OTHERS – “I will tell of all your deeds” (v.28)

~ from March 1, 2009 Nakwon EM Sunday Worship Sermon

*No audio is available for this message.

Greatest Victories - The Lord Will Fight for You

What does it mean and how does God fight for us? Exodus 14:1-14 chronicles the story of Moses of how the Lord delivered his people from the Egyptians. In these verses the Lord shares with Moses that He will fight for them.

1. God Who Engineers
   The Lord engineers every facet of our circumstances. Through this, not only does He your faith in Him, but also His faithfulness. In the Exodus 14, the Israelites was shown the strength of their faith when their circumstances found them facing a seemingly impossible situation. Often when we are faced with our storms and trials we fail to honor God. We fail because of our unfaithfulness and our forgetfulness. We forget how true and faithful the Lord is to us because we compartmentalize. We read His words but are quick to judge them as irrelevant in our predicaments. Do not forget what God has brought you out of. When we look back at our previous storms, our memory falters us. The suffering of our current circumstances causes us to distort our perspective and fool ourselves into believing we were better off without Him. How important is God's faithfulness in your life?
2. God Who Fights
   God is always after more than your victory. He is after your complete surrender which will ultimately lead you to your complete deliverance. Through out the bible the Lord constantly reminds us "Do not be afraid." The Lord always has our best interest at heart, even if we fail to perceive it. Do you see God working in your life? When God delivers, He deliver thoroughly.

"Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today."

--from Nakwon EM Janurary 5th 2009 Sunday Worship Service

Complete healing = ragged clothes?