tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51182305117869376642024-03-13T04:03:12.456-07:00The Living WordWelcome to the blog of the Living Word Korean Baptist Church Youth Ministry! The LWKBC Youth Ministry exists to exalt Christ through the bold preaching of God's Word, the accurate teaching of God's word, the diligent obedience to God's Word, the faithful transmission of God's Word, and the joyful cherishing of God's Word. Here, you will find posts by Pastor James on Sunday Sermons, Book Reviews, Announcements, etc. If you have any questions, please contact Pastor James!James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.comBlogger214125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-72431436618778558472010-02-20T18:05:00.000-08:002010-02-20T18:06:20.278-08:00My Choice<span class="z19Dle zG9tqc" id="col-z13bcpvrbsqzy5qxv04cdr1w2n33yjawqcs"><span class="zo"><span class="HgYomf"><span style="display: block;" class="QGJaM Ig">My Choice by Bill McChesney<br />Martyred at the age of twenty-eight while serving in Congo (formerly Zaire). <br /><br />I want my breakfast served at eight,<br />With ham and eggs upon the plate<br />A well-broiled steak I'll eat at one,<br />And dine again when day is done.<br /><br />I want an ultramodern home<br />And in each room a telephone<br />Soft carpets, too, upon the floors,<br />And pretty drapes to grace the doors.<br /><br />A cozy place of lovely things,<br />Like easy chairs with inner springs,<br />And then, I'll get a small T.V. -<br />Of course, "I'm careful what I see."<br /><br />I want my wardrobe, too, to be<br />Of neatest, finest quality,<br />With latest style in suit and vest:<br />Why should not Christians have the best?<br /><br />But then the Master I can hear<br />In no uncertain voice, so clear:<br />"I bid you come and follow Me,<br />The lowly Man of Galilee."<br /><br />"Birds of the air have made their nest<br />And foxes in their holes find rest,<br />But I can offer you no bed;<br />No place have I to lay My head."<br /><br />In shame I hung my head and cried,<br />How could I spurn the Crucified?<br />Could I forget the way He went,<br />The sleepless nights in prayer He spent?<br /><br />For forty days without a bite,<br />Alone He fasted day and night;<br />Despised, rejected - on He went,<br />and did not stop till veil He rent!<br /><br />A man of sorrows and of grief<br />No earthly friend to bring relief;<br />"Smitten of God," the prophet said<br />Mocked, beaten, bruised, His blood ran red.<br /><br />If He be God, and died for me,<br />No sacrifice too great can be<br />For me, a mortal man, to make;<br />I'll do it all for Jesus' sake.<br /><br />Yes, I will tread the path He trod,<br />No other way will please my God;<br />So, henceforth, this my choice shall be,<br />My choice for all eternity.</span></span></span></span>James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-2622074556616850082010-02-15T21:41:00.000-08:002010-02-15T22:00:02.733-08:00The Seriousness of Gospel LivingGalatians 5:19-21<br /><br />"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, ... those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."<br /><br />The kingdom of God here is not just an icing on the cake, something you can have that is extra to salvation. It is the culmination of redemption. To say you will not inherit the kingdom of God is to say that you are outside of God's redemptive plan. How serious must our practice, our living, be for Paul to use such language? Nothing less than salvation is on the line. However, notice that Paul does not say that those who DO NOT practice such things WILL inherit the kingdom of God. Rather, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." Those who are of the kingdom are of a different character because of the Spirit's regenerative work, not because they are attempting to gain salvation. We do not practice such things because "those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." So let us contemplate the seriousness of Gospel living, and live accordingly.James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-35581517188587149722010-02-08T07:50:00.000-08:002010-02-08T10:10:18.201-08:00For Glory and for BeautyExodus 28:2<br /><br />"You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty."<br /><br />I find this statement very interesting. It only occurs one more time in the same vein in Exodus 28:40. They were both intended for the garments of the high priest. Why would God want the garments of the high priest to be for glory and for beauty? I believe it is because the temporal high priest on this earth was a reflection of the perfect High Priest, Jesus Christ. The Israelites were to look at the garments of the high priest and see glory and beauty because Jesus Christ is glorious and beautiful. This was to prepare God's people for the coming of Jesus Christ. It was a lesson for the people. Glory leaves us amazed; beauty makes us delight. The description and purpose of the garments are in the Bible to help us understand that we must be amazed by Him and also to be delighted in Him. Let us not only sing of His glory, but also of His beauty.James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-48333962387979426422010-02-01T07:19:00.000-08:002010-02-01T07:34:19.564-08:00How Quickly We TurnExodus 24:7<br /><br />"Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, 'All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!'"<br /><br />Only eight chapters later this same crowd will build a golden calf. This should humble us. This should show us that we are unable to keep the Holy law by our own strength. No matter how many times we say "we will obey," we will still sin. Let us be honest with out hearts, confessing to God that we are unable to obey and asking of God for the strength to obey. Let us also be thankful that our eternal security does not lie in our ability to perform but in the finished work of Christ.James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-16312193707681802772010-01-25T09:05:00.000-08:002010-01-25T09:34:40.321-08:00Lex Talionis and AbortionExodus 21:23-25<br /><br />"But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth , hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise."<br /><br />This statement here has been termed the <span style="font-style: italic;">lex talionis</span>, "the law of retribution." This is not mentioned for all the laws in the Bible. One great myth that liberals like to bring up is that the<span style="font-style: italic;"> lex talionis</span> was meant for all circumstances. There are times when the law of retribution is not carried out, for instance if a man had killed someone accidentally, then the punishment will not be life for life (20:13). It is interesting to me that this law of retribution is only stated here in a case of a pregnant woman being struck so that she gives birth prematurely. The injury here could mean the injury done to the mother, but from context it seems to point to the injury done to the prematurely born baby. This tells me that God here is protecting the life of the unborn, treating the baby in the womb as a person worthy to be defended by the Divine Law. God used such descriptive language and laid out a severe punishment with such emphasis, it should be no wonder as to what God's position is concerning abortion. God protected the unborn in His Law; we should strive to protect the unborn in ours, even if it is protecting them from their own mothers.James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-12098786672684857572010-01-22T09:00:00.000-08:002010-01-22T09:30:24.214-08:00Week in Review 01/22/10<span style="font-weight: bold;">What Did Your Pastor Do This Week<br /></span>This week was the week I was supposed to get over my sickness, but the rain and few bad decisions didn't help all too much. For one thing, I was cold all the time, and the weather aggravated my throat causing me to cough more than I was coughing previously. On top of that, for some odd reason, though my body was still weak, I decided to play a full on five-on-five basketball game. Not only did my legs cramp up pretty badly, my cough got worse. I knew I should have caught up with work and relaxed instead. Still, I really did enjoy this week, and now looking forward to our Bread and Word Fellowship that we didn't have in a long time. Looking forward to a great weekend!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Interesting Happenings</span><br />A student looked at another boy's baby picture and after laughing a long time said, "Don't worry, I was once ugly too." I couldn't help but laugh a little.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Check These Links Out</span><br /><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/01/20/sproul-on-retirement/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+between2worlds+%28Between+Two+Worlds%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Sproul on Retirement</a> - Piercing, encouraging one-liner.<br /><a href="http://www.boundlessline.org/2010/01/a-prolife-idol.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+boundlessline%2Fblog+%28Boundless+Line%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">A Pro-Life Idol </a>- Heart-warming story about an American Idol contestant.<br /><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2010/01/19/i-am-nothing/">I am... nothing </a>- Ray Ortlund comparing Christ and Adad Nirari the 3rd.<br /><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/01/19/how-much-difference-would-it-make/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+between2worlds+%28Between+Two+Worlds%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">How Much Difference Would It Make?</a> - Francis Schaeffer's sobering insight.<br /><a href="http://www.boundlessline.org/2010/01/young-adults-leaving-the-church-or-not.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+boundlessline%2Fblog+%28Boundless+Line%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Young Adults Leaving Church?</a> - Interesting myth-buster.<br /><a href="http://www.albertmohler.com/2010/01/21/like-the-air-they-breathe-the-online-life-of-kids/">Like the Air They Breathe - The Online Life of Kids</a> - Sobering cultural assessment by Al Mohler.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Ever-growing Wish List</span><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dug-Down-Deep-Unearthing-Believe/dp/1601421516/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3BKWBMFWK9ANP&colid=22KUGS78LG6RU">Dug Down Deep</a> - By Josh HarrisJames Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-53588016882935511252010-01-11T11:01:00.000-08:002010-01-11T11:21:20.398-08:00The Goal of True Theology1 Timothy 1:5<br /><br />"But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."<br /><br />The true end of instruction -and in turn study- is not the accumulation of information; it is godliness. The content of instruction here is undoubtedly biblical theology. This instruction was to produce "love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." True thoughts of God lead to proper, godly living. It is as Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of your heart the mouth speaks." Are you filling your heart with true theology that overflows into obedience and love towards God? This also means that proper living without proper thoughts of God are not the intention of the Christian faith. There is no place for godless, thoughtless morality in Christianity. All our doing is to be grounded in a true knowledge of God. Do you want to be godly? Fill your minds; fill it with God.James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-47395060246578085512010-01-04T20:27:00.000-08:002010-01-04T20:31:56.248-08:00God Keeps Us from SinGenesis 20:4-6<br /><br />"Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, 'Lord, will You slay a nation, even though blameless? Did he not himself say to me, "She is my sister"? And she herself said, "He is my brother." In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.' Then God said to him in the dream, 'Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.'"<br /><br />Wow. Do you see what God is saying here? God kept Abimelech from sinning. Yet there is this wonderful harmony between Abimelech's will and God's keeping. It can be said that Abimelech lived with integrity and <span style="font-style: italic;">also</span> that God kept Abimelech from sin. God does not keep us from sinning nor does He allow us to live holy without working with our hearts and desires. No wonder Spurgeon said that God's sovereignty and human will are friends.James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-92099243789701300132009-12-28T12:40:00.000-08:002009-12-28T12:45:26.132-08:00Believe JesusJohn 14:2<br /><br />"... if it were not so, I would have told you..."<br /><br />I'm preparing for a seminar on Six-Day Literal Creation at a conference this week. I find it quite interesting that John Whitcomb, after coming to a conclusion on this issue uses this verse to challenge his readers. He is quite right. Everything that Jesus says is true. Why should we not believe Him? Why is that we cannot believe God's Word when it tells us so clearly that the earth was created in six literal days? If it were not so, he would have told us.James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-47665627595810265062009-12-25T09:00:00.000-08:002009-12-26T15:28:05.775-08:00Week in Review 12/25/09<span style="font-weight: bold;">What Did Your Pastor Do This Week<br /></span>It's Christmas today! There's a lot that has happened this week. I had the privilege of spending some fun times with my old friends this Sunday celebrating Christmas and playing a gift exchange game and mafia. I also had a painful visit to the hospital because my mom's youngest brother was diagnosed for a serious cancer. It's been years since I saw him and his family. Please pray for him as he is in very critical condition. I am spending Christmas with mom and dad in LA and will be heading back up today. Merry Christmas everybody!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Interesting Happenings</span><br />I cleaned my house. Wow!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Check These Links Out</span><br /><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/12/18/charity-who-cares/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+between2worlds+%28Between+Two+Worlds%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Charity: Who Cares? </a>- Some interesting statistics.<br /><a href="http://bibchr.blogspot.com/2009/12/monday-music-o-holy-night-rest-of-story.html">O Holy Night</a> - Dan Phillips explains its history.<br /><a href="http://bibchr.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-music-god-rest-ye-merry.html">God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen</a> - One of my favorite renditions of one of my favorite Christmas songs.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Ever-growing Wish List</span><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Marketing-Evil-Pseudo-Experts-Corruption-Disguised/dp/1581824599/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261762406&sr=8-1">The Marketing of Evil</a> - By David KupelianJames Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-90276044354086623092009-12-21T11:16:00.000-08:002009-12-21T11:30:23.077-08:00The Veil and Christmas1 Corinthians 3:12-16<br /><br />"Therefore having such a hope, we use boldness in our speech, and not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read,a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away."<br /><br />It's Christmas week so why not a meditation on something... Christmasy? Well, it's because I believe this verse has everything to do with Christmas. There isn't only a veil over the hearts of the Jews, but over every heart. The Lord has graciously taken that veil away for us that we might His glory in the face of Christ. Without this unveiling, we would not be able to see the true worth of Christmas. Let us rejoice that the veil is gone so we can celebrate Christmas truly! God bless and Merry ChristmasJames Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-22019719844237124032009-12-18T10:00:00.000-08:002009-12-18T10:31:59.460-08:00Week in Review 12/18/09<span><span style="font-weight: bold;">What Did Your Pastor Do This Week<br /></span>He got his orange belt! It was quite an interesting experience. Now that I'm an orange belt, they let me do some sparring and grappling. I had to do a grappling match this week along, and so they taught me the basics along with how to do an arm bar and a kimodo lock. I never thought I'd enjoy Karate so much!<br /><br />AS for CCS, it's the last week before Christmas so things are getting pretty jolly. Presents are being given, parties are being held; it's quite some fun. I also had the privilege of speaking at our Middle School chapel. That was a blessing. I'm praying that <a href="http://lwyg.blogspot.com/2009/12/121309-sermon-review.html">the message </a>will really hit home for the students. I never received so many gifts before in my life. I am very, very thankful. I think I have gift cards that total to around $100 in cash value.<br /><br />This weekend will be some more fun as well as there will be our church's Christmas service as well as a party at the Lee's! Looking forward to a wonderful Christmas season!<br /><br /></span><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Interesting Happenings</span><br /></span>One of the students at CCS gave all the other teachers chocolate, but he gave me Chinese Tea. Hm...<br /><span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Check These Links Out</span><br /><a href="http://www.truewoman.com/?id=911">Should She go to Med-School</a> - Some good advice from godly, wiser women.<br /><a href="http://www.challies.com/archives/churchmerch/rich-daddy-god.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+challies%2FXhEt+%28Challies+Dot+Com%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Rich Daddy God </a>- Tim Challies' light and funny review about a weird board game.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Ever-growing Wish List</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.ligonier.org/blog/john-new-reformation-trust-publishing/">John</a> - By RC SproulJames Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-87270951143471951112009-12-16T07:00:00.000-08:002009-12-17T11:45:23.993-08:0012/13/09 Sermon Review<span style="font-weight: bold;">Questions to Ask about Christmas</span><br />Matthew 16:13-17; Hebrews 10:5-10<br /><br />Christmas is a wonderful time. As one song will put it, "it's the most wonderful time of the year." I will gladly agree. For some reason, everything feels a bit jollier. I love Christmas music, and I love gathering with families. I love the break that I get from school, and I love the gifts that I give and receive. But we all know that Christmas is much more than these things. Central to the Christmas season is the Christmas story. It is a marvelous story, and for us to forget the main idea of the story would mean we have failed Christmas. As some of my students would say, it would be an "Epic Fail." And it's not just an epic failure, it is an eternal failure since the main idea has consequences for your eternal destiny.<br /><br />The Christmas story is not a mystery. The events and the details are there for us to see clearly in Scripture. But so often as we look into the story of Christmas, we get caught up in the periphery while neglecting the center. How little we contemplate on the true Christmas Day is reflected in our shallow reverence to the Christmas story. We make the Christmas story about Mary and Joseph, about how they endured trials. We make it about the lowly shepherds who were visited by angels. We make it about the wise men from the Orient who came to see little baby Jesus. We make it about Herod and how wicked of a man he was.<br /><br />All those side-stories are great stories indeed, but they are not the main pillar of the Christmas story. Then what is? John Macarthur puts it well: "So the glory of the Lord was the angelic focus at the birth of Christ. The glory of the Lord was the aura that invaded the scene. It isn't imposed upon the Christmas story, it is the Christmas story." It would do us well to remember this day is called <span style="font-style: italic;">Christ</span>mas. This story is about Christ and His glory. This story is about the baby who sleeps on a manger on Christmas eve.<br /><br />If we want to to understand Christmas therefore, we need to ask ourselves this important question: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Who is this baby?</span> And the best answer I've found comes from the lips of man thirty years after Jesus' birth. His name is Peter, and to Jesus' piercing question, "Who do you say that I am?" he replies, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." No man ever answered the question better, and Jesus gives Peter His approval.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Messiah</span> - I've already preached a sermon covering the details of what this term means so I won't go into much detail. It suffices to say that the Messiah has a threefold role: Prophet, Priest, and King. To say that Jesus was the Messiah is the He is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises who will deliver Israel and all men from their sins. His kingdom will know no end.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Son of the Living God </span>- The statement "Son of God" does not mean that Jesus came into being at a certain point in time, that he was second to God. Actually, this term means that Jesus' nature was that of God! Take for instance the phrase "Son of Man." The phrase is not trying to say we came into being after a certain "Man," but that our nature is that of a man. The phrase "Son of God" when used of Jesus means to say that Jesus' nature was that of God. Everything God is, Jesus is.<br /><br />If this is the case, if this is who this baby really is, then we need to ask ourselves another question. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Why in the world is He here?</span> Why in the world is this Messiah-God in a dirty manger in a baby's body?<br /><br />He is in perfect existence as a Spirit with no restriction to form and omnipresent; yet here He is in a finite, human body and this for all eternity. He is God almighty, ominpotent and able to do whatever He so desires; yet here He is, a defenseless baby. He is God omniscient who needs no counselor or teacher, who declares the end from the beginning; yet here he is, a baby who cannot even mutter a single word. He is Creator and Provider who owns the cattle on a thousand hills and says, "If I were hungry I would not ask you"; yet here He is, a dependent baby who needs His mother to feed Him. He is a king whose throne is heaven and who can say earth is His footstool. Nothing can house his grandness! Yet here He is in a stable because no one would house Him.<br /><br />Why would someone so exalted, in such an elevated position humble Himself to such a degree? Why would he want to become human? Well we know it definitely wasn't because becoming human was in anyway adding to His glory. It wasn't so that He could train disciples and teach good moral principles. Why did He become a man? As I search the Scriptures, I find one clear answer. <span style="font-weight: bold;">So He can die</span>.<br /><br />There is much that Jesus did for us during His earthly life that He could have done if He were not a man. But there's one thing He could not have done: He could not have died. He becomes like us to die for us. A spirit does not have hands and feet to be pierced. A spirit does not have a head on which to lay a crown of thorns. A spirit does not have a side to be pierced or a back to be scourged. A spirit does not have a body to give up as a bloody sacrifice. But that is exactly what God required of His Son for the salvation of His people. So Jesus obeyed (cf. Hebrews 10:5-10, Philippians 2:5-11).<br /><br />Do you see your sin so great and sinful that God would demand such a price? It is an absurd demand. Yet Jesus, for the glory of His Father and the salvation of His people, met such a demand. And God did not spare Him. He let Him taste every bit of His wrath. And so, Jesus became our propitiation. Arthur Pink writes, "How hateful must sin be to God for Him to punish sin to its utmost deserts when it was imputed to His Son." The more you reflect on this, the more you realize your sinful nature and the more you come to love and cherish the Cross of the Gospel. And then it puts Christmas into perspective.<br /><br />Now you know why I love Christmas. It is a reminder that my God came to die for me, undeserving as I am. It is reminder that He paid the full price by tasting God's wrath on my behalf. We do not celebrate Jesus' humanity on Christmas day because it's a feel good story about how we should all be humble. We celebrate it because it looks towards the cross, it looks towards His death. And in so doing brings us back to the Gospel which is the power of God for salvation.James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-77175822983948377712009-12-14T07:45:00.000-08:002009-12-14T07:46:57.452-08:00God the Son Becomes ManLuke 2:7<br /><br />"And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."<br /><br />The image of Jesus here is so strikingly human. He is described as a firstborn son, wrapped in cloths, laid in a manger. The language makes it clear that God the Son was a baby in the fullest sense dependent on his mother. Here is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Alpha and Omega, God Almighty, the Truth, the Way, the Life, and He is a baby, a human. Do you not find this weird? Why would someone so exalted stoop so low? What comes next is even more absurd: There was no room for them in the inn. Wow! Would it not be normal to send out those who are at the inn so you may give lodging to the King? You might offend the one, but you will have counted more precious your Lord. Yet this is not what happens. O how low did our God stoop! And why? So that He might bear the weight of our sins. God the Son becomes the God-man. Let us not take such a truth lightly. But let us do as Mary did; she "treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart" (Luke 2:19).James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-83934840200116031832009-12-11T09:40:00.000-08:002009-12-11T09:43:48.370-08:00Week in Review 12/11/09<span><span style="font-weight: bold;">What Did Your Pastor Do This Week<br /></span>I had a lot of fun this week resting and reading. It feels so good to read after not being able to. I picked up an old book called "Attributes of God" by Arthur W. Pink. So far it has been an extremely edifying read. I also had the joy of partaking in Evangel Bible Church's Wednesday night service. There is something so awesome about hearing in person the preaching of the Word. I was thrilled since I do not get the opportunity as often as I would like. This weekend, I will be taking my belt test for Karate. Hopefully, I will be able to skip the yellow belt and get an orange one! Looking forward to a great weekend!<br /><br /></span><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Interesting Happenings</span><br /></span>I actually saw my roommate every night this week. RARE... Not only that, we actually talked a lot. Super RARE.... It was quite edifying!<br /><span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Check These Links Out</span><br /><a href="http://trevinwax.com/2009/12/07/9-examples-of-the-internet-changing-our-world/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wordpress%2Ftrevinwax+%28Kingdom+People%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">9 Examples of the Internet Changing our World</a> - Interesting thoughts by Trevin Wax.<br /><a href="http://www.challies.com/archives/articles/my-top-9-books-of-09.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+challies%2FXhEt+%28Challies+Dot+Com%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">Top 9 Books of '09</a> - Challies' list well worth looking into.<br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8391000/8391345.stm">One Cool Plant</a> - The Alsomitra vine seeds.<br /><a href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1944604,00.html">Top 10 Religion Stories of 2009</a> - A list by Time's Magazine. Interesting read.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Ever-growing Wish List</span><br /><a href="http://www.wtsbooks.com/product-exec/product_id/6690/?utm_source=jtaylor&utm_medium=jtaylor">The Trellis and the Vine</a> - By Colin Marshall and Tony Payne<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music&field-keywords=Christmas&x=0&y=0">Christmas music!</a> - By various artsistsJames Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-74620200859540376772009-12-09T18:00:00.000-08:002009-12-09T18:07:16.814-08:0012-05-09 Sermon Review<span style="font-weight: bold;">Remember Your Benefits Part 2</span><br />John 14 15:31<br /><br />Recently I heard someone say that there is hope in the unknown. We can have hope in the future because our future is unwritten. This isn't really hope in the biblical sense. This is merely wishful thinking. The Bible has much more to offer for comfort than simply the "unknown." Jesus, preparing His disciples for the coming trials, comforted them with things that are <span style="font-style: italic;">certain</span>. We will continue on from <a href="http://lwyg.blogspot.com/2009/12/11-29-09-sermon-review.html">last week's sermon</a> searching out all the benefits we have that are revealed in our text. I pray that as we look at them, you will be blessed, comforted, and encouraged to face the world we live in today.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We live because Christ lives.</span> "Because I live, you also will live." This is an amazing statement considering that it comes from someone who is about to be crucified. Jesus could not "die." He is "the life" as stated in vs. 14. The blessing is that our life is contingent upon Christ's life. We do not need to depend on dead men for life but on the eternal living One.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We are united with Christ.</span> "In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." What does it mean that Christ is in us and we in Christ? It means that when the Father sees us, He sees the perfect image of His Son. It means that we have intimate fellowship with Christ. It means that we will never be separated from Christ. Being united with Christ is a blessing we do not deserve.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We are loved by the Father and the Son. </span>"And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him". This statement means much more than letting us know our relationship with the Father and the Son. This statement means that the Father will actively show His love towards us. I work at an elementary school. I do not doubt that our parents love their children. But for some parents, their love is undeniable because of their actions. This kind of undeniable love that matches heart and action is the kind of love the Father has towards us. We are dearly loved.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We are show the glory of the Son. </span>"And I will love him and manifest myself to him." The more you understand the beauty of Christ and our former blindness to this glory, the more you will cherish this statement. His glory is absolutely enchanting. His glory is so wondrous.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We are the Father and the Son's home. </span>"If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." Do you believe this statement? Do you see how magnificent these words are? Consider that the prophet Isaiah recounts God saying, "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?" (Isaiah 66:1).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We are taught all truth by the Spirit of truth.</span> "But the Helper, the Holy Sppirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." This verse says much about the inspiration of Scripture, but it also says much about our current leading by the Spirit. How wonderful it is that the Spirit directs us to the truth in the midst of an age of lies. He reminds us constantly of the God's Holy Word.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We have a divine peace. </span>"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you." My friend, Matt Hauck, wrote an insightful comment on these words: "Can anyone less than the King grant peace when the King is the one who was offended?" The offer of peace comes directly from the King Himself. Let us rejoice!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We have a patient Teacher who wants us to grow. </span>"And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe." Why did Jesus say all these things. Not just for comfort, but also for growth and faith. The disciples should have already known these things. However, our Teacher is ever patient and continues to teach until we get it. Our Teacher will not give up on us until we are glorious, perfect, whole before the Father.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We have a strong Lord.</span> "I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has not claim on me". Satan may be strong. He is even called the ruler of this world. But this being has nothing on our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan could not take Him down. Death could not take Him down. He rose victorious over all things. He is one able, strong, and mighty Lord. Take heart, for this Lord is our Savior.<br /><br />I pray these meditations through Jesus' words of comfort to His own disciples were a comfort to you as well. I pray you will continue to remember and hold on to all your benefits. This is a much better hope than a hope in the unknown. Let us trust and rejoice in our Savior, Jesus the Christ! God bless!James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-89550126026246526962009-12-07T07:21:00.000-08:002009-12-07T07:46:32.090-08:00Preaching the Word2 Timothy 4:2<br /><br />"Preach the word".<br /><br />There is no mystery to this statement. We are to <span style="font-style: italic;">preach</span>, and we are to preach the <span style="font-style: italic;">word</span>. It is a very sad thing to see many giving an appearance of preaching while simply tickling the ears of their hearers. These men seem to be biblical preachers since they quote the Bible, but they quote the Bible only as a springboard to whatever else they want to talk about. Their commitment to the Bible is merely superficial. They have a veneer of biblical preaching overlaying their shallow sermons. It is even sadder that many in the pew are not discerning of these things. It is the listener who accumulates for himself preachers who tickle his ears. The preacher must remain faithful to the text; the congregation must keep him accountable to do so. Let us not take lightly the value of biblical preaching. Let us through the shallow preaching of men. Let us gather for ourselves men who will "preach the word"!James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-79853145972944948152009-12-02T20:51:00.000-08:002009-12-02T22:40:11.567-08:0011-29-09 Sermon Review<span style="font-weight: bold;">Remember Your Benefits</span><br />John 14:15-31<br /><br />John Piper last week wrote a short post on why someone should want to be a Christian. He gives one reason. I'm sure he'll agree with me though, that there isn't just one reason why someone should want to become a Christian. They are myriads upon myriads of blessings as a believer. John Piper simply boils it all down to one. It is good however, to take our time and consider the benefits we have in Christ. Psalm 103:2 commands, "forget none of His benefits." It will do us well to contemplate all that we have in Christ.<br /><br />The passage today lends itself to such meditations. We find it in the context of Jesus comforting His disciples preparing them for what they are about to experience. He comforts them by way of reminder and promises. These are truly comforting not only for the disciples, but also for us since their benefits are also ours. Though this may seem like overkill, please bear with me as we look at fourteen blessings in Jesus' comforting words. Today, we'll only look at five of them, and we'll finish the rest next week.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We are driven by love to live the Christian life.</span> Jesus starts off this passage with the words, "if you love me" Why should we live the way Jesus calls us to? Because we love Him! Christianity is not simply about God loving us but also about us loving God. We are not driven to obey because of a great fear of punishment but rather because of a great love for Jesus. Remember that Jesus did not say, "If you fear me" but, "If you love me".<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We have a perfect and good Law.</span> "If you love me, you will obey my commands." This presumes that Jesus had given them commands. Have you ever been at job where they never told you what you should be doing? It's quite fun until your boss comes around and tells you that you're fired because you didn't get any work done. But Jesus has given us His commands. We do not need to guess what our Savior desires from us! These commands are perfect and good. They are complete because they address all of life. They are good because it comes from the only good God for the benefit of our souls. Let us rejoice that we have a perfect and good law to obey!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We have a great High Priest.</span> "I will ask the Father." Do you find this statement delightful? I do. I find this delightful because it is an apt picture of grace! We as sinners have no right to come before the Father. We are banned from His presence. However, Jesus asks the Father on our behalf! The son pleads on the behalf of those who have infinitely offended His Father. Do you see grace? His High Priestly role allows us to experience all the blessings we have from the Father. We should not fear approaching the Almighty for we have a great High Priest who will plead our case before the Father.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We have a Helper forever.</span> "He will give you another Helper, that He may be with your forever". What is so great about this Helper? Let us first address how this Helper helps us. The word <span style="font-style: italic;">parakletos</span> used here was specifically used to refer to a legal defender. We are so often plagued with doubt concerning God's promises. Are we really children of God? Are we really going to see Jesus? I'm such a sinner, how could I ever expect to see Christ? The Spirit, our Helper defends us against these thoughts. He testifies to our spirits that we are indeed children of God and brings confidence for us in God's promises (cf. Romans 8:16, 17). What a blessing to have a constant, eternal Helper!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We are not deserted orphans.</span> "I will not leave you as orphans." Do you feel deserted here on earth? Where is Jesus? Where is the hope of His coming? Day after day passes by, and yet He is not here. Well rest assured for our Lord will definitely return. He loves us so and though He be away, He cares for us and is intimately concerned with all our breath and life. We have a joyous reunion with our Maker and our Lord awaiting us in the future. What hope we have in Christianity!<br /><br />I pray these five points have been a blessing for you. Next week we'll look at nine more. Count your blessings. Do not forget what you have in Christ. Declare it in the morning, meditate on it at night. God bless!James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-17304283550595248852009-11-30T22:42:00.001-08:002009-12-04T09:15:31.689-08:00Week in Review 12/04/09<span><span style="font-weight: bold;">What Did Your Pastor Do This Week?</span><br />This week was a definitely trying. Getting back into work after Thanksgiving with a final on Wednesday is truly difficult. On top of that, having students you love express hate towards you is quite saddening. However, there has been a lot of good that makes the week joyful. I did do well on my Hebrew Final, and I am progressing in my Karate. I am excited for the seminary quarter to be over so I can start reading my own books. Next Saturday, I will be testing for my orange belt skipping yellow belt. This weekend, we'll be having our TYGT planning and vision-meeting. Please pray for us. God bless!<br /><br /></span><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Interesting Happenings</span><br /></span><span id="profile_status"><span id="status_text">While I was helping out a second-grader with his sparring in our Karate After School program, I was hit unexpectedly in my privates by a roundhouse kick. I was letting the student hit my hands with his kicks for practice, and I looked away to give some advice to another student. I guess the student didn't think we stopped and through one more kick. I never thought I'd experience such pain as a grown adult inflicted by a second-grader. It was the weirdest feeling of "Did this really just happen to me?" It was truly a humbling experience. </span></span><br /><span><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Check These Links Out</span><br /><a href="http://firstimportance.org/2009/11/30/what-binds-us-together/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OfFirstImportance+%28Of+First+Importance%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">What Binds Us Together?</a> - A nice quote by D.A. Carson.<br /><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/11/30/sproul-what-is-the-biggest-upcoming-theological-battle/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+between2worlds+%28Between+Two+Worlds%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">What Is the Biggest Upcoming Theological Battle?</a> - R.C. Sproul's answer, and a good one at that.<br /><a href="http://www.shepherdsfellowship.org/pulpit/posts.aspx?ID=4452&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PulpitMagazine+%28Pulpit+Magazine%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">The Spirit's True Work</a> - Make sure to read the entire series of posts by John MacArthur.<br /><a href="http://www.loupriolo.com/catalog/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45&Itemid=18">Free Lou Priolo Audio</a>- Great resource on counseling issues.<br /><a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/zeitgeist2009/index.html">The Google Zeitgeist</a> - Interesting Statistics.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Ever-growing Wish List</span><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music&field-keywords=Christmas&x=0&y=0">Christmas music!</a> - By various artsistsJames Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-33522132112398605672009-11-30T10:00:00.000-08:002009-11-30T10:03:18.364-08:00We Delight in Being CreatedPsalm 139:13-14<br /><br />"For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well."<br /><br />I asked my small group at CCS today, "Do you know what you are?" They answered, "Human." But what is a "human"? They had no answer. It reminded me that it is of great importance for us to understand our own existence. We are <span style="font-style: italic;">created beings</span>, not autonomous entities that exist by chance or by our own power. Humans are also wonderfully created. Only when we realize that we are created can we rightly understand ourselves and delight in what we are. The idea that we are created does not discourage us. It actually reminds us of God's power and glory thereby delighting us. It arouses thankfulness and wonder. Let us delight in being created by a gracious, merciful God. May that delight extend into thanksgiving to our Maker.James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-82766337609183099492009-11-27T12:18:00.000-08:002009-11-27T12:18:41.621-08:00Week in Review 11/27/09<span><span style="font-weight: bold;">What Did Your Pastor Do This Week?</span><br />What a wonderful Thanksgiving! Great food, great times, great friends, great relatives! And who can forget, our Great God who allows us to experience all these blessings. I pray you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!<br /><br /></span><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Interesting Happenings</span><br />Saw around 20 small animals (the size of a raccoon or small fox) dead on I-5 on my way down to see my parents in Southern California.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Check These Links Out</span><br /><a href="http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2009/11/does-mutual-consent-eliminate-evil-in.html">Does 'Mutual Consent' Eliminate the Evil in Gambling?</a> - By Phil Johnson.<br /><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/nov/22/working-women-husbands-housework">Useless Stay-at-Home Men a Myth</a> - Interesting article on women in the workforce and how it affects the home.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Ever-growing Wish List<br /></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B002M3SHTO/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance">COLLISION</a> - Debate DVD between Christopher Hitchens and Doug WilsonJames Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-59457287077914274572009-11-25T07:00:00.000-08:002009-11-25T07:00:06.458-08:0011-22-09 Sermon ReviewIt's been awhile since we've had sermon reviews. But I will be starting them up again starting this week.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What Does It Mean to Give Thanks?</span><br />Various texts<br /><br />Thanksgiving is an essential, natural part of Christian life. Throughout the New Testament believers are told to pray with thanksgiving, receive with thanksgiving, make requests with thanksgiving, sing with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving permeates all our doing to the point that Paul can say, "in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). However, Christians do not seem to understand the biblical idea of thanksgiving. I want to address four characteristics of thanksgiving so that we may give thanks with a biblical understanding of thanksgiving.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thanksgiving is a response. </span>We are not told to give thanks without precedent. On the contrary, we are told to give thanks because giving thanks is exactly the proper response for what God has done for us in our lives. Thanksgiving is the fitting response for the recipient of grace, and that is what we are. If we do not "feel like giving thanks" it is because we do not understand grace. It is because we are blind to everything God has done, is doing, and will be doing for us. We do not understand <span style="font-style: italic;">how much we have in light of our unworthiness</span>. It only takes one look at the cross of Jesus Christ to remind us the immeasurable grace we have received. It is in response to this gift that we give thanks. There is always a precedent for thanksgiving.<br /><br />It is possible therefore to make thanksgiving a simple gesture rather than a response. For instance, a teacher might say thank you to a student who turns in their homework. The teacher might feel happy that the student turned in his homework for he could have easily done otherwise, but the thanksgiving is a gesture, not true thanksgiving, since the student was obliged to turn in his homework. We see this in Luke 17 in Jesus' parable about the master and the slave. Jesus explains that the master does not thank the slave when the slave finishes what he is commanded. This is because the slave has the obligation to fulfill his duties. The master does not thank the slave. And so, we make thanksgiving a gesture of politeness and not true thanksgiving when we look at all that we have and <span style="font-style: italic;">think we deserve it</span>. Thanksgiving is a response to grace, and grace by definition is something undeserved and unmerited. Too often we take God's gifts as our rights and by doing so obligate God to do good to us. No. He is our God, our gracious God who is free to do as He pleases. He has chosen to be gracious with us; so let us give thanks.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thanksgiving is relational.</span> The Bible shows that thanksgiving is an idea that occurs between two persons. Since thanksgiving is a response to grace, it presupposes that there is a giver. The idea of thanksgiving is a <span style="font-style: italic;">response towards the giver</span>, not primarily a feeling we have inwardly. The question we must ask this thanksgiving is not primarily "What are we thankful for?" but rather "To whom should we give our thanks?". Many men feel thankful; few give thanks. Only when the Giver is recognized can we understand the value of what we have in our hands. Paul writes over and over again in his epistles that he gives thanks <span style="font-style: italic;">to God</span>. Have we thanked God for all that He has given us? We commit idolatry every time we rob God of the thanks He deserves by not properly acknowledging Him as the Giver of all good things and directing our thanks elsewhere.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thanksgiving is an action.</span> Interestingly, the Hebrew word group for "thank" is derived from the Hebrew word for "hand". It is also translated as "confession" or even "choir". The Jews considered thanksgiving as primarily an action and <span style="font-style: italic;">not a feeling</span>. Instead of stressing <span style="font-style: italic;">being</span> thankful, we need to stress <span style="font-style: italic;">giving </span>thanks. This is not to say that being or feeling thankful is not important. It is. However, simply being or feeling thankful is not the biblical directive of giving thanks. Thanksgiving is an action that you take. We say "Thank You" instead of saying "I am thankful." It comes out as confessions before God. It comes out as praises to His name. It comes out as trust in His character and obedience to His will. This is the biblical idea of thanksgiving.<br /><br />Lastly, <span style="font-weight: bold;">thanksgiving is rooted in joy</span>. Thanksgiving does not exist where joy does not exist. It is impossible to give thanks without being joyful. It is no wonder that the word "thanksgiving" is found mostly in the psalms and in the context of joyful praise towards God. Joy is defined as exceeding delight caused by something good. It is the inward pleasure we feel for receiving grace. Thanksgiving is an extension of that joy going back to the Giver. Joy shows that you recognize what God gave you is good. Thanksgiving brings back the glory to God. Joy shows that you are delighted. Thanksgiving shows that you are more delighted in the Giver than the gift.<br /><br />But have we not heard that we should give thanks in everything? Doesn't that mean we need to give thanks to God even when we don't feel the joy? God wants us to give Him the proper thanksgiving He deserves. When we feel that God has not been good to us and when there is no joy to beam out into thanksgiving towards God, we are in sin. We do not see the world as God sees it. We are blind to grace. We do not confess that what God's Word says about our situation is true. If we do not feel the joy, it is because we are sinful and blind. Do not play the hypocrite by giving God empty thanksgiving. Be honest with God and tell Him that you are in sin by not recognizing and embracing what He has given you and where He has placed you as a wonderful gift for your good. Do not mask your bitterness towards God with empty Thank You's. He sees right through you. Deal with your wrong thinking, your wrong perceiving, and then come to give thanks. As you repent of this sin, God will give you the joy you desire which will spring forth into the thanksgiving you long to give.<br /><br />This Thanksgiving, I pray that we may all give thanks to God as He deserves. May He be so gracious as to let us continue in such thanksgiving all our days. God bless!James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-43691320432417147842009-11-23T07:13:00.000-08:002009-11-23T07:50:14.431-08:00Know the One Whom We Should Thank<span style="font-weight: bold;">James 1:17</span><br /><br />"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."<br /><br />This Thanksgiving, let us consider not only the things we are thankful for, but also the One whom we should thank. Let us not only acknowledge the gifts, delighting in their goodness, but also the Giver who lavishes these perfect gifts on us. Only when we can see that every good thing we have has been given by the Father of lights to undeserving sinners can we truly appreciate them. To give thanks to God requires great humility for it compels us to confess that what we have we did not earn and what we received we did not deserve. There is no closure in the heart of man for this feeling of thankfulness until it has thanked the true Giver. It is the heart of idolatry to rob God of the thanks He deserves to give them to others who deserve it not. Christian, let us humble ourselves and give thanks to God.James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-76042131516281150132009-11-20T09:15:00.000-08:002009-11-20T09:18:32.211-08:00Week in Review 11/20/09<span><span style="font-weight: bold;">What Did Your Pastor Do This Week?</span><br />This week was quite a joyful week! I started taking a Karate class nearby the school that I work. I would never start such a class, but the instructors teach in my After School Program, and they gave me 3 months for free! I couldn't pass up on that deal! I enjoyed it a lot; it's quite a good work out. However, it has drained me of energy and made me quite sore. As a result, I lost ground in my seminary classes and work at CCS. This will be a very busy weekend for me!<br /><br />I had also the privilege of grabbing dinner with one of my closest friends from college. He is now a medical school student near my seminary. It was a blessing to discuss all that God is doing in our lives and to see how things change while God does not change. Such conversations and times spent together with believers truly are uplifting, and I pray you are growing to appreciate these moments as well.<br /><br /></span><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Interesting Happenings</span><br />Four ladies at CCS who have daughters my age were asking if I wanted to get married to their daughters. It was all fun but a bit awkward.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Check These Links Out<br /></span> <a href="http://www.masswepray.com/">Mass We Pray</a> - A new... game... Unbelievable.<br /><a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,662092,00.html">Climate Change Takes a Time-Out </a>- Interesting article on global warming.<br /><a href="http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2009/11/gambling-vs-faithful-stewardship.html">Why Gambling is Sin</a> - Phil Johnson summarizes this controversial issue.<br /><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/10millionwords/2009/11/20/misconceptions-about-reading/">Misconceptions about Reading</a> - Some good thoughts by Tim Challies.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Ever-growing Wish List</span><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Who-Made-Searching-theory-everything/dp/0852347073/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258477453&sr=8-1">Who Made God?</a> - By Edgar Andrews BSc, PhD, DSc, FInstP, FIMMM, CEng, CPhys. Yes I know, that's pretty crazy; I do not even know what they stand for...James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5118230511786937664.post-65493983678189546362009-11-16T08:59:00.001-08:002009-11-16T09:09:38.304-08:00Flee! ... But Also Pursue!2 Timothy 2:22<br /><br />"Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."<br /><br />Our job is not done if we have only fled from temptations. Pursuing is just as important as fleeing. I have found that fleeing from lusts without pursuing righteousness, faith, love and peace usually ends in failure. Though the man might flee, his heart still desires his lusts. Such a man will always, no matter how far or how strongly he flees, turn back to his lusts. That is why Paul writes to Timothy, "pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace". Only when our hearts have set our sights on something more valuable and worthy can we truly "flee" from our lusts. I am thankful that we are not called to fight this battle ourselves.James Honghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17175466602396184533noreply@blogger.com0