“The Guidebook for Crossing the Desert of Life” (Psalm 1)

"Follow a Compass, not a Map”

Steve Donahue is a professional speaker and consultant. In 1977, as a young man, Steve successfully crossed the Sahara Desert overland from north to south. Based on his desert adventure he wrote a book entitled Shifting Sands: A Guidebook for Crossing the Deserts of Change. He provides six guidelines how to cross a desert. The first rule he describes is this: “Follow a compass, not a map.” He had spent the night studying his map, but it was useless because he did not know his position. In the desert most of the time maps are useless. If you named a sand dune, the map would be out of date before the ink was dry because the sands constantly shift. And you may be lost. We often start crossing our deserts of life with maps. We read books, listen to advice, and we use benchmarking. They are beneficial, but the thing is they are too soon outdated. In the desert of life what we need is a compass, not a map. In the book the author reiterates that we must follow our inner compass. This morning I will show you how to find and follow your inner compass to cross the desert of life successfully.

The Path of Righteousness (v. 1)

Psalm 1 clearly says that an inner compass is the word of God. The Bible says there are two ways of life: one is the way of the righteous, and the other is the way of the wicked. The difference between the two is whether they have the word of God in their hearts. When we have a right inner compass, that is the word of God, it gives us at least three great benefits. First of all, the word of God guides us in the right direction. Verse 1 says, “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers” (NRSV). In many cases, we commit a sin not because we don’t know it’s wrong, but because we love the sin. We know it is wrong to be addicted to pornography. We know it is wrong to evade taxes. We know it is wrong to steal. But we cannot help doing it, because sin is attractive, desirable, and powerful in appearance. But when we have the word of God in our hearts, then we are able to escape from the enemy’s trap and we come to hate the sin more and more. In Psalm 119:9-11, the psalmist says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word… I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” The word of God is our one and only true compass. This inner compass keeps us from following the way of the wicked and guides us in the path of righteousness.

Joy (v. 2)

Secondly, the word of God gives us joy. Verse 2 says, “But their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night” (NRSV). What kind of delight is this? What kind of pleasure is this? It is not pleasure from mere study or intellectual knowledge of the Scriptures. But it is pleasure from obeying the Word of God. So, New English Translation clarifies verse 2 as follows: “Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the LORD's commands.” In Ps 119:34-35, the psalmist says, “Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.” When we have the Word of God and follow it day and night, we will find great pleasures from above.  

George Muller was a pastor in England. At that time people were going through the Industrial Revolution. Many of them lived from hand to mouth, and even little children had to work. Many people left church to work on Sundays. Muller preached and exhorted the people with Exodus 16, “If you rest on Sunday by faith, you will gather twice as much on Saturday.” But the people answered, “Pastor, we know the word of God, but we live in the real world. We have to work on Sundays for a living.” And they left. Muller decided to put the word of God into practice in his own life. He had no money with him, but he set up and run an orphanage by the faith that “God is the Father of orphans. He will provide.” He made it a rule not to ask people for help, but to pray to the Lord. In his life he cared for 10,024 orphans, and his children never skipped a meal even a single day. Every morning he meditated on the word of God and applied it to his life, and he experienced tremendous joy. For instance, one day Muller and all the children had no food for breakfast. But he had the children sit at the table, and he gave thanks for breakfast, even though there was nothing to eat in the house. As they finished praying, the baker knocked on the door with sufficient fresh bread to feed everyone, and the milkman gave them plenty of fresh milk because his cart broke down in front of the orphanage. In his spiritual journal, he said, “Now I saw, that the most important thing I had to do was to give myself to the reading of the Word of God and to meditation on it… How different when the soul is refreshed and made happy early in the morning, from what it is when, without spiritual preparation, the service, the trials, and the temptations of the day come upon one!” The word of God is our inner compass. It guides us in the right direction, and during the journey it gives us unspeakable joy when we obey it.

  

Prosperity (v. 3)

Thirdly, the word of God makes us prosperous. Verse 3 says, “They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.” But the word “prosperity” here should not be confused with worldly success, fame, wealth, good health or long life. Biblical prosperity is closely linked to intimacy with God. In Genesis 39 Joseph was taken to Egypt and became a slave, but the Bible says, “The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered…” And again, Joseph was falsely accused and put into prison, but the Bible says, “The Lord was with him and whatever he did, he prospered.”

After the death of Moses, Joshua was desperate. Now he had to lead the people of Israel. He had to cross the Jordan River and conquer the Promised Land. But he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know where to start. He was hard pressed on every side, so he wanted to have some kind of practical guidance from God. Do you know what God’s answer was? In Joshua 1:8, the Lord says to Joshua, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” When we are lost in the desert of life, the best solution to find the way is to go back to the word of God.

One Year Bible Reading Plan

In Psalm 119:105 the Psalmist says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” In today’s term the Word of God is our spiritual GPS. I don’t know about you, but I always use GPS even when I drive in Houlton. What I like about GPS is when I take the wrong way, immediately it recalculates the best way from where I am to my destination. In the same way, the word of God diagnoses our spiritual health today. It shows us truth, exposes our rebellion, corrects our mistakes, and trains us to live God’s way (2 Tim 3:16). Saint Augustine was an early Christian theologian, and he is an inspiration to many who struggle with a particular vice or habit they long to break. Before his conversion he used to wander spiritually for many years. He spent his life in wicked living and in false beliefs. His inner compass was pride and worldly pleasure. One day Augustine was full of bitter sorrow, he went out into the garden and cried out to God, "How long more, O Lord? Why does not this hour put an end to my sins?" Just then he heard a child singing, "Pick up and read! Pick up and read!” He picked up the Bible and read Romans 13:13-14, “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” That word of God changed his life. He wrote, “at once, with the last words of his sentence, it was as if a light of relief from all anxiety flooded into my heart. All the shadows of doubt were dispelled” (Confessions 8:12). The word of God is able to show us the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus and to change our hearts and lives. 

Starting on January 1, 2015, we as a church will start a Bible reading program. This year we will read the New Testament first and then the Old Testament. It may sound childish, but quarterly I am planning to reward those who would complete the assigned reading. From January to March we will read the entire New Testament. For me personally my New Year’s resolution No.1 is to write the entire Bible in a year. My prayer is that as we read, mark, study, recite the Bible together, we may turn around from our ways, walk in God’s way with joy, and live a victorious life. Pick up and read, and you will live! Amen. 

“Elizabeth’s Question” (Luke 1:39-45) - Hope Is on the Way III –

Pope Fransis

Christianity Today magazine from this month covered Pope Francis on the front page. From secular journalists to charismatic Christians so many people are taken with Pope Francis. If you ask 100 random people about the Roman Catholic Church, you will see a few thumbs up, and many will express their ambivalent feelings. Some will be hostile. But if you ask about Pope Francis, the responses will be overwhelming positive. Why so many people thrill to the new pope? It is because people see that he takes his faith beyond words to a life of action. His preaching is simple and straightforward. He lives out what he preaches. He pursues the joy of poverty. He is the first pope to have taken Francis of Assisi’s name, who chose the path of poverty. Pope Francis does care about the poor. He consistently offers himself as a servant. When he was an archbishop, he took the bus to work. Since his election, he has refused the papal crown, apartment and red leather shoes. Of course, these decisions are symbolic, but symbols matter. We find authenticity in his words and deeds. We find the joy of servanthood in his gestures of poverty.

The Joy of Elizabeth

In the Bible there are many people who found the joy of servanthood in their lives. Elizabeth was one of them. In today’s scripture she is filled with joy when Mary comes to see her. Elizabeth knows she plays just a supporting role, not a central role, in God’s plan, but she is full of joy not because of her own baby John but because of Mary and her baby Jesus. Elizabeth says to Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!” (v. 42) Then, she asks herself, “Why am I so favored?” (v. 43) Elizabeth knows well who she is. She knows she is just a humble beneficiary of God’s grace. She knows she is called as a servant of God, she is content with her identity, and she rejoices in the Lord. This is the joy of servanthood!

The Joy of Servanthood

The enemy says to us, “Be the master of your life and captain of your soul!” This is not a new message. Satan has always said, “If you want, you can be like God” (Gen 3:5). But this is the great deception of Satan. And we know the result of this. When Adam and Eve tried to become like God, it immediately broke the relationship with God and took away the joy of fellowship with him. True joy abides with God, and it comes down from God. We have this joy only when we have a right relationship with God. We have this joy when God is our Master and we are his servants. We have this joy when God is our Shepherd and we are his sheep. The word “JOY” itself tells us the secret of true joy: “Jesus first, Others second, and You third.”

One time I heard a story from one pastor. A man came to the pastor and said, "I don't know what's wrong with my life, but that first Christian joy I knew has passed by. I still live a moral life. I go to church. But how can I recover the lost radiance of my faith?" His pastor said, "This is what you should do: go to the store and buy a big basketful of groceries and go to an address of a poor family I will give you. Then when you have given your gift, you sit down with them to find out what they need. Let them know that you are interested in them and that you are their friend. Then lead them in the Lord's Prayer before you leave, and the radiance will come back." 

We are called as servants of God and all people. In 2 Corinthians 4:5 Paul says, “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” Joy overflows when we know who we are and get back to our place in God’s plan. After Jesus begins his ministry, all the people are flocking to him. John’s disciples are not happy about this and one of them says to John the Baptist, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan – the one you testified about – well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” Yes, from a human point of view, John the Baptist is in decline. He is brought into sudden prominence but in less than a year he is now fading into the mists of history. He must be confused whether he is on the right track or not. He must be confused about his own identity. But against all expectations he says to the disciples, “You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:29-30). At this crisis of his life he finds his identity in the word of God and puts God first in his life. Then, he experiences full of joy. This is the joy of servanthood.

The Joy of Servanthood in Suffering

An everlasting joy does not come from our circumstances. It comes down from God. It comes down from perfect submission to God. Jesus is our perfect example. Although he was God himself, he didn’t come to be served but to serve God and his people. He submitted to God in perfect obedience and rejoiced in him. And he said to his disciples to follow his example for them to experience his joy. He said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). Jesus said this on the night he was betrayed. When God is the Master of our lives and we are his servants, we can have joy in the midst of bad circumstances, in the midst of suffering, because that joy comes from something bigger than our circumstances. When Apostle Paul was in prison in Rome, he said to the Philippian Christians, “Rejoice and rejoice with me!” (Phil 2:18) How is it possible that the person in prison is able to say, “Rejoice” to those outside of it? It is possible because although Paul’s body was bound with fetters, his spirit was free in the Lord. He was able to rejoice in suffering because he was in the right place where he should be as a God’s servant.

One of the deep sources of inspiration that I found was a German pastor-theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I was taken with him not because of his preaching or theology, but because of his life. I found the joy of servanthood in his life. He was brilliant and courageous. When Hitler began to take power, Bonhoeffer saw the danger immediately and spoke out clearly. But eventually he was too threatening, so his international friends advised him to flee. He fled to the United Kingdom and the United States, but his conscience troubled him. On July 7, 1939 with war clouds gathering over Europe, he returned to Germany on the last scheduled steamer, and he wrote to his friend, Reinhold Niebuhr, “I have come to the conclusion that I made a mistake in coming to America. I must live through this difficult period in our national history with the people of Germany. I will have no right to participate in the reconstruction of Christian life in Germany after the war if I do not share the trials of this time with my people.” When he got back to Germany, he began an underground seminary. He was caught, arrested, and put in concentration camp. During that time he ministered to other prisoners and guards. During the Advent of 1942, just a few months before he was arrested, Bonhoeffer distributed his final letter to his friends. In the letter he talks about “the joy of God”: “A sort of joy exists that knows nothing at all of the heart’s pain, anguish, and dread; it does not last; it can only numb a person for the moment. The joy of God has gone through the poverty of the manger and the agony of the cross; that is why it is invincible, irrefutable. It does not deny the anguish, when it is there, but finds God in the midst of it, in fact precisely there; it does not deny grave sin but finds forgiveness precisely in this way; it looks death straight in the eye, but it finds life precisely within it.” Bonhoeffer clung to this joy after his arrest and during his 18 months in Nazi interrogation prison. He suffered from the loneliness of separation from his family. He suffered from illness. But this invincible joy from God preserved his life to the end.

The Joy of God

Christ's joy was made complete when he became a servant and redeemed us through his obedience even unto death. Joy does not come from getting stuff, but it is from giving up self. We are made to have joy when we put God first, others second and ourselves third. The greatest joys in life are in serving God and others. In this blessed season of Advent let us not just wait for Christ our joy; rather, let us go out to him, let us go out to the places where we are called to serve. And the joy of God, invincible joy will be ours, and our joy will be complete. Amen. 

“Mary’s Question” (Luke 1:26-38) - Hope Is on the Way II –

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

One time I had a chance to read about the traditional Native American’s coming-of-age celebration. When a boy turns to 13, his father teaches the son how to fish and hunt. On his 13^th birthday evening the boy is brought to the middle of the dense forest and left alone throughout the night. He ought to spend the whole night alone. Whenever the wind rises and makes noises, he gets overwrought. After a never-ending night passes, as morning dawns, the boy watches the sun come up. Now he begins to see trees and flowers around him one by one. And then he finds one man who stands with bow and arrow in hand only a few feet away. The man is the boy’s father. In fact, the father did spend the whole night with his son. The son was not alone. The father was there with him all night!

Sometimes we feel like God is silent. We feel like God has moved away. We even feel abandoned in our trial. But the truth is, no matter how we feel, God is here with us always. He watches over our lives from the beginning to the end. Advent is a time to remember this truth. Almighty and everlasting God broke into our lives by making himself nothing and becoming human. He came into our lives to live among us and to save us from our distress, ultimately from sin and death. God did come to us and become our hope. This is the Gospel: “Immanuel,” “God with us.” John Wesley’s final words were these: “The best of all is, God is with us!” This is an eternal truth. Our question is: How do we experience this Immanuel God in our lives, especially in our distress? Mary is a right person to answer this question.  

Humility: Mary’s Question

In today’s scripture, Mary says only two words. But those words reveal Mary’s noble character. Her first words are the question to the angel. When she hears the announcement, instead of doubting or mocking the impossible, she humbly asks in verse 34, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” She was ready to believe that she might give birth to the Christ, but that she might give birth as a virgin was beyond comprehension. But her attitude was humble and open. She knew that she came from humble and agrarian roots in Nazareth. She was asking herself, “Who am I to hear this great news?” The first thing that we need to experience the Immanuel God is humble of heart. St. Augustine said, “If you should ask me what are the ways of God. I would tell you that the first is humility, the second is humility, and the third is humility.” We cannot have faith without being humble first. We ought to ask the same question that Mary did, “What am I?” “Who am I?” The answer is that we are human beings who desire perfect happiness, but we cannot achieve it because of our limitations. We need someone who is above us to give us the power to achieve that goal. Lydia and Abe know they need a father to guide them to ride a bike, to bring them to school, to give them food to eat, and to survive. We must see ourselves as nothing without him. Humility is nothing more than seeing reality. Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Mary knows that she is honored by God not because of her own merit or because she has done anything, but simply because she is the chosen vessel only by God’s grace. In verse 47-48 she praises, “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.” Mary’s “humble” state here may refer to her social or financial status. But more fundamentally, it refers to her spiritual status. Mary did hunger and thirst for righteousness. She was poor in spirit. The gospel is for everyone. But there is one condition. We need to be humble. Jesus Christ came to the world as a Savior of all people. But, those who claimed themselves to be healthy and righteous rejected him, and only those who admitted they were sick and broke received Christ (cf. Mk 2:17). How is your soul today? The Bible says the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. God does not despise a broken and humble heart (Ps 51:17). In Isaiah 66:2 the Lord says, “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.” Are you poor in spirit, you are blessed! Do you feel like your heart is cold and dry? Then, let us pray fervently: “Lord, I need you! Come, give me a broken and humble heart!” Without being humble we cannot experience God.

  

Faith: Mary’s Answer

Mary is not only the humble mother of Jesus, but also an example of faith. Her second words are the answer to the angel. In verse 38 she says, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” Here Mary is saying, “Lord, use me as you will. I will not refrain from serving because I do not feel qualified or it’s possible.” Faith is not feeling but willing. True faith rests upon the character of God and asks no further proof. It is enough that God said so. Peter was a professional fisher man. He was fishing for a living. All through the night he caught nothing. But Jesus said to Peter, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” And let us pay attention to Peter’s response. He said, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets” (Luke 5:5). This is true faith. And the Bible says when Peter did so, he caught such a large number of fish that his nets began to break. Without faith we cannot please God. Without faith we cannot experience God (Heb 11:6).

John Wesley is another good example of faith. In his early years of ministry he did not have saving faith. One day he seriously considered leaving off preaching. He asked his mentor, Peter Bohler whether he should leave it off or not. Peter said, “By no means!” Wesley asked, “But what can I preach?” Peter said, “Preach faith until you have it; and then, because you have it, you will preach faith!” Wesley was reluctant to do it, but he began to preach faith. He preached salvation by faith alone to a prisoner under sentence of death and many others. Later, one evening he encountered the living God. In his spiritual journal he said: “I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” Wesley now experienced God not simply intellectually, but also in terms of his tempers and affections. His heart as well as his mind now belonged to the Immanuel God. Pastor A.W. Tozer, in his book “Man: The Dwelling Place of God” points out that the complacency of Christians is the scandal of Christianity today. He exhorts us how to experience God in our lives. He says, “Strive to get beyond mere pensive longing. Set your face like a flint and begin to put your life in order… Begin to tithe; institute family prayer; pay up your debts as far as possible…; make restitution as far as you can; set aside time to pray and search the Scriptures; surrender wholly to the will of God. You will be surprised and delighted with the results.” Faith is a verb. When we do the word as well as hear the word, we will experience the Immanuel God.

Christ Reborn

Recently I read one poem about Christmas written by Germen Poet Angelus Silesius. I would like to share it with you:

“Though Christ a thousand times

In Bethlehem be born,

If He’s not born in thee

Thy soul is still forlorn

The Cross on Golgotha,

Will never save thy soul;

The Cross in thine own heart,

Alone can make thee whole!”

Yes, indeed! Even if such a wonderful and mighty Savior were born a thousand times in Bethlehem, unless He is born in us, our soul is still abandoned, desolate, lost, barren, and alone! The birth of Christ must become our personal experience. Mary helps us to learn how to experience this. So let us conclude where Mary does, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said!” With humility and by faith, let us say, “Lord, I am your servant; take me; use your almighty power to put me where you want me, when you want me there, doing what you want me to do!” And let us live what we say. Then, the Christ will be truly reborn in us and dwell within us, and we will experience God each and every day. Amen.  

“Zechariah’s Question” (Luke 1:5-20) - Hope Is on the Way I –

“Zechariah’s Question” (Luke 1:5-20)

- Hope Is on the Way I –

“I Was Still Eating Sugar”

There is a story told about Mahatma Gandhi. One day a lady brought her son and said to Gandhi, "Sir, my son eats too much sugar. Would you please tell him to stop?" Gandhi answered, "Please, bring your child back next week." So, the next week she brought the child again. Gandhi said to her son, “Stop eating sugar child.” And the child did. A month later the mother came back and asked Gandhi, “My child has done what you asked, but why could you not have spoken to him the first time I came?” Gandhi answered to the woman, “A week earlier I was still eating sugar." Gandhi needed at least a week to prepare himself.

Advent: A Time of Preparation

Advent is a time of preparation. Today we meet a man who needed nine months to prepare his heart. His name is Zechariah. He was a priest. He was upright and blameless before God and observed all God's laws. In today's terms, he was a good Christian. But, there was one great concern for him. He and his wife had no child through old age. That brought great disappointment and disgrace in their lives (v.25). So, Zechariah prayed hard to have a baby for a long time. One day an angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, "Your prayer has been heard. You will have a child." His prayer is heard. This is great news. Zechariah’s proper response should be, "Amen! Thank for hearing my prayer. Praise the Lord!” But in reality it was not. He doubted and said, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years" (v.18). This good news was too much for him to accept as the truth. This good news uncovered his reality, his lack of faith. When God calls, we should respond. God’s call always invites us to reorganize our former way of life. But, Zachariah was not ready. He was not ready to bring up a prophet. He was not ready to bring up a martyr. Many faithful believers are in the same boat. We know God's will is always good, pleasing, and perfect. But we often forget his call is also radical and beyond understanding. When God reveals his will, many of us say, "Lord, please slow down. I know what you mean. But, it is too much for me. I am happy with where I am spiritually, so I will follow you at my own pace." This is exactly what Zechariah said to the angel. He needed more time to be prepared. God graciously gave a special time for him to reflect. For about nine months Zechariah became mute. For nine months he had a quiet time with God alone. For nine months he set aside himself to study, mediate, and pray to see if the Scriptures really supported what the angel said.

Advent: A Time of Transformation 

Advent is a time of preparation. It is also a time of transformation. After nine months had passed, Zachariah’s wife, Elizabeth gave birth to a son. On the eighth day the relatives and neighbors came to celebrate and circumcise the baby, and according to the Jewish tradition they were going to name the baby after his father's name. But, his mother said, "No! He is to be called John!" So, they asked his father. Zechariah wrote on a tablet, "His name is John!" Then, immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak and praise God. His attitude totally changed. He became a different person. So, something must have happened in the meantime. What happened to Zechariah? The answer is, Zechariah found the “Incomparable Christ.” As he believed and received this Christ, it became a life-transforming experience. In the same way, as we receive the same incomparable Christ, Advent can be a time of life-transformation. In particular, we meet the Christ whom Zachariah found in his prophetical praise written in vv. 68-75.

Jesus Christ, the Savior (vv.68-75)

Zechariah found the Christ who was Savior – his personal Savior and the Savior of the world. For nine months Zechariah was able to see a desperate and hopeless state of his soul and Israel. In the past he thought he was ok, but when God came to him and opened his spiritual eyes, he was then able to see the truth. The truth was that Israel and he himself were living in darkness and in the shadow of death. Then, he saw the light, the rising sun, who was Jesus Christ, the Savior, would come to shine upon them and to guide them to the path of peace. The strategy of the enemy is always to keep us from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2Co 4:4). In particular, the strategy of the enemy in our culture is to dilute the gospel with many other virtues and make the gospel powerless and lifeless. But salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only Jesus Christ our Lord (Acts 4:12).

There are countless people who accept Jesus as Savior and surrender their lives to him. All of them have one thing in common. They acknowledge Jesus Christ to be at the center of their conversion experience. Sundar Singh is one of many examples. He was born in 1889 into a rich family in India, and he grew up to hate Christianity as a foreign religion. He even expressed his hostility at the age of fifteen. He publicly burned a Gospel book. But three days later he was converted through a vision of Christ, and in his late teens, he determined to become an itinerary preacher. On one occasion Sundar Singh visited a Hindu college, and a professor accosted him aggressively and asked, “What have you found in Christianity that you don’t have in your old religion?” Sundar Singh replied, “I have Christ.” The professor continued impatiently, “Yes, I know, but what particular principle or doctrine have you found that you did not have before?” Sundar Singh replied, “The particular thing I have found is Christ.” What we must have is Christ, not institution or doctrine. What we must preach is good news of salvation through Christ, nothing more nothing less.

My Child, the Voice of One Calling in the Desert (vv.76-79)

Zechariah found the incomparable Christ, and it transformed his life. Probably, for Zechariah the child used to be the first priority in his life. But, when he found the Christ, he surrendered his child, his precious, to the Lord. In verse 80 the Bible says, “And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.” How would any parents want their child to live in the desert? But, when Zechariah found the Christ, he was willingly able to reorganize his former way of life and to surrender his child without reserve.

Two Questions

We can learn important spiritual lessons from the story of Zechariah. Sometimes righteous people do have disappointments in life. Sometimes the answer to their disappointment is not clear. Whether it be the absence of a child, a financial collapse, a fatal disease, or an unfortunate accident, the hard times are not always self-explanatory. We must not see struggles in life as evidence of the consequences of sin. God never guarantees that life will come without pain and disappointment. The central issue is how we handle it. God gave Zechariah nine months to reflect on his lack of faith. Zechariah did not take this period of time as a punishment but as a honeymoon period with God. In spite of his personal disappointment, he faithfully served God and waited patiently on him. And finally in God’s time, his eyes saw God’s salvation.

It is well known that professional mountain climbers climb high mountains around or after midnight. It is obviously against our common sense. Around midnight our physical condition is worst. But for high mountain climbing midnight is the prime time because snow is frozen hard and it reduces the risk of avalanches the most. Perhaps you are going through the valley of disappointment in life. Perhaps you are getting weary and tired of enduring life. But in God’s eyes this hard time might be a golden opportunity for you to find the Christ in special ways. Advent begins today. It is a special time to check our relationship with Christ. It is a time of preparation. And it is also a time of transformation. As we wait on Christ and receive him, Advent can be a life-transforming experience. As we enter this Advent season, I would like to ask you two questions. (1) Have you received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? If you have not, wouldn’t you like to receive Him into your life, to make a transforming difference for you? (2) If you have received Christ, how would you renew your commitment to Him? When Christ comes to our lives, we cannot remain the same. My prayer is that all of us in this room may find this incomparable Christ and experience transformation of life in this season of Advent. Amen.

“My Utmost for His Highest” (Daniel 6:10) - The 2014 Thanksgiving Service –

“My Utmost for His Highest” (Daniel 6:10)

- The 2014 Thanksgiving Service –

Three Levels of Thanksgiving

According to Open Doors USA’s report, North Korea ranks first where Christian persecution is most severe in the world for the 12^th consecutive year. About 50,000 to 70,000 Christians suffer daily in political prison camps. One time Pastor Eric Foley, founder of Seoul USA mission organization, had a chance to meet North Korea underground Christians for the first time. He said to them, “Oh, how difficult it is! How can I pray for you?” Their answer really surprised him. They said, “We always rejoice and give thanks to God. We don't ask God to deliver us from persecution. We pray we'll stay strong and faithful in the midst of this suffering.”

The Bibles gives us three levels of thanksgiving. The first level teaches us to be thankful in the most basic sense. “Thank you, Lord, for all your blessings!” Then there is the second level of thankfulness that truly thanks God for more specific things. It is an intentional effort to find something for which to thank God in everyday life. “Thank you, Lord, for your guidance!” But then there is another level of giving thanks. This is the kind of thanksgiving in every situation, even in the most challenging of circumstances. It is a thankfulness that trusts God and is even grateful for the bad things. “Lord, I thank you because you are faithful and trustworthy!” This morning we meet one person who does his very best in thanking God in the worst of circumstances. His name is Daniel. Daniel 6:10 says, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days” (NKJV). What a wonderful verse of scripture on thanksgiving! And what a challenging verse to all of us! Daniel gave thanks to God at the risk of his life. The question is now – how is it possible? What caused Daniel to give thanks to God even in that situation? There are at least three main reasons behind.

His Convictions

First of all, it is because of his convictions. Daniel already knew that the decree had been signed (v.10a). The enemies slyly deceived the king and published the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except the king, shall be thrown into the lions den. Daniel knew it was the enemies’ scheme to destroy him. But, he resolved to continue to pray and give thanks to God at the risk of his life. He could have compromised. He could have shut his windows and pray in secret and in silence for the next thirty days. But no, Daniel had the windows open wide and gave thanks to God, not once, but three times a day! He knew that in times of trouble the only way to live was to run and take refuge in God. When he was young, he saw how Israel collapsed because of idol worship. So after he was exiled into Babylon, he resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food because that food had been offered to idols first. It was not simply a matter of food. It was a matter of worshipping the true God or worshiping false gods. It was a matter of life and death. And Daniel always chose God.

During the 2nd century there was a devout Christian named Polycarp who was a bishop of Smyrna at that time. He was arrested for his faith and sentenced to be burned at the stake. Many tried to persuade him to change his convictions, but he answered, “For 86 years I have served Christ, and He has never done me wrong; how then can I now blaspheme my King and Saviour?” Pastor Eric Foley says, “If we carry a cross daily in public, it will be impossible to avoid being noticed.” Not only under persecution, but in everyday life there comes a time when we must choose whether we act up to our convictions or compromise in essentials. We need more godly men and women like Daniel.

His Consistency

Daniel gave thanks to God at the risk of his life because of his convictions. He also continued to pray and give thanks because of his consistency. That is the second reason. The Bibles says, “… Daniel prayed and gave thanks before his God (three times a day), as was his custom since early days” (v.10c). The year was 539 B.C. when Darius took over the kingdom. At this time Daniel would have been approximately eighty-one years old. Someone estimated that if Daniel was 81 years old and had prayed three times a day for those most of his life, he had perhaps prayed over 88,000 prayers. Daniel was a man of prayer. He was a man of thanksgiving. He started each day with a time of prayer and thanksgiving. At the middle of the day he stopped what he was doing and took a moment to pray to refocus on God and seek his guidance. And again he returned at the end of the day, meditating on God’s goodness and giving thanks to him!

The author of Psalm 119, the longest single chapter in the Bible, is unknown, but most scholars agree that it was written by David, Ezra, or Daniel. Whoever it was, in Psalm 119:164, the author says, “Lord, seven times each day I stop and shout praises for the way you keep everything running right!” (Message) This practice was retained by the early and later monks. Seven times a day they interrupted their activities and had a time of prayer. Whether it is three times or seven times a day, it doesn’t matter. The essentials are the same: it is to cultivate a personal authentic relationship with God in our daily lives. Daniel was able to pray and give thanks at the most difficult times because he already had an intimate relationship with God since his youth.

His Confidence

There is a third reason why Daniel did what he did. It is because of his confidence. Daniel believed that God answered prayer. The Bible says, “And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day…” (v.10b). Then, why did Daniel pray before an open window toward Jerusalem? To answer this question we need to go back to 2 Chronicles 6, “Solomon’s prayer.” After Solomon had built the temple in Jerusalem, he prayed to God in this way: “If your people Israel pray about their troubles or sorrow, raising their hands toward this Temple, then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive. Give your people what their actions deserve, for you alone know each human heart” (6:29-30, NLT). After this prayer, God answered his prayer as follows: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices… if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land”(7:12, 14, NIV).

Daniel believed there was power in prayer. That’s why he had been praying that same prayer in the same manner for seventy years: Prayer for revival! Daniel was convinced that when he prayed God would surely hear him and work for him. In his upper room Daniel prayed and resolved not to defile himself with the king’s food (1:8). Then, God did hear his prayer and soften the official’s heart and deliver him. In his upper room, Daniel prayed for mercy concerning King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (2:19). And then, God revealed the mystery to him in a vision. So here’s why. Today during the height of the crisis, Daniel went to his upper room as usual. He had windows opened facing Jerusalem. He had confidence that when he prayed God would work. David had the same confidence. When he volunteered to go and fight Goliath, Saul said, “No way!” But, David gave Saul grounds why he was able, saying, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine!” (1 Sam 17:37). David had confidence that the God who delivered him up to this day would work for him today as well. A waterfall begins with only one drop of water. The more we experience God in prayer even in small things, the more convinced we become that God will surely come and help us even in the worst of circumstances.

My Utmost for His Highest

However, that does not necessarily mean that God takes away our troubles when we pray. Instead, he gives us strength to take the bull by the horns, and he gives us peace during that time. The Bible says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:6-7, NIV). In 1974, North Korea communists uncovered one of the hiding places of the underground Christians. These Christians were told to lie down on the road, and the officials ordered a steamroller to run over the prostrate Christians. To maximize the pain, the steamroller started by rolling over their feet and then up toward their heads. While the Christians were waiting for their death, one of them began to sing praises, and soon the others joined their voices: “내 구주 예수를 더욱 사랑, 엎드려 비는 말 들으소서. 내 진정 소원이 내 구주 예수를 더욱 사랑, 더욱 사랑!” (“More love to thee, O Christ, more love to thee! Hear thou the prayer I make on bended knee. This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to thee; more love to thee, more love to thee!”) They prayed and gave thanks to God. And God did come and help them. He gave them strength to finish the race and peace to keep the faith until the last moment.

What gift can we bring this Thanksgiving? God is not after our begrudging sacrifice. He is after our heart, particularly our grateful heart. You may find a “Thanksgiving Post-It” in your bulletin. During the offertory please take a moment to ponder over what the Lord has done for you and what you are thankful for over the past year. Write it down and post it to “Thank You Lord” board after the service. In joy and in sorrow let us trust in God and give thanks to him with conviction, with consistency, and with confidence. That’s the most pleasing sacrifice of thanksgiving in God’s eyes. Amen.

“Thank God Today!” (John 11:38-44)

“Thank God Today!”

(John 11:38-44)

Experiencing God

William Wilberforce was an English politician, and he was a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. He had a conversion experience when he was 26 years old. He was also a close friend of William Pitt. Pitt was a youngest Prime Minister, and he was a man of great capabilities. One Sunday Pitt and Wilberforce went to church together. That Sunday a pastor preached on “How to be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Wilberforce thought that it was the best sermon that he had ever heard. So after the service, he was about to share his thoughts about the sermon, but his friend Pitt started a conversation first. He said to Wilberforce, “Did you understand what the pastor said this morning? I tried hard to pay attention to him, but I couldn’t understand what he was talking about.” Wilberforce was shocked by what his friend said. He realized that not all people would understand the word of God and experience God in their lives. Today’s scripture teaches us how to experience God in our lives today.

In today’s Scripture we meet three main characters – Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. They were close friends of Jesus. They were like an extended family for Jesus. So, when Lazarus was getting sick, his sisters knew where Jesus was, and immediately they sent word to him, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” They had confidence that as soon as Jesus heard the news, he would drop everything and come running to them. But, against all expectations, Jesus didn’t come to them right away. Instead, he stayed where he was two more days. I think that must have hurt them badly. They might have felt forsaken by Jesus. I think even their faith would be severely shaken. However, the Bible clearly affirms Jesus’ love for these three siblings. Verse 5 says, “Jesus loved (egafa) Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” Here in verse 5 Apostle John uses the word, “agafao,” which means unconditional love. Jesus unconditionally loved these three people. But in verse 3, when Martha and Mary sent word, “Lord, the one you love (fileis) is sick,” they used the word, “fileo” which means a friendship-like love. They loved Jesus as a friend, but Jesus loved them more than himself. In other words, Jesus loved them much more than they thought. The more striking fact is that in Greek manuscripts between verse 5 and 6 there is a conjunction (“woon”) referring result or consequence. In other words, Jesus loved Lazarus, “so,” “therefore,” he stayed two more days (ex. ESV, NET). Jesus waited until Lazarus had died. Why? Jesus answers his disciples the question in verse 15, “For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.” Jesus had to wait until God’s time, so that the three siblings, the disciples and all the people there might experience the God of today.

God of Yesterday

When Jesus arrives in Lazarus’s house, Lazarus has already been in the tomb for four days. Both Martha and Mary say to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (vv. 21, 32). They are saying, “Lord, it’s too late. Now there’s nothing you can do. It’s over.” They believe in “Jesus of yesterday,” but they don’t believe in “Jesus of today!” All of us in this room have our own testimonies. We have our own experiences, healing experiences, and love stories with Jesus at some point of our lives. We believe that Jesus died for our sins. We believe that Jesus was raised from the dead to make us righteous. We believe in Jesus of yesterday. But sometimes, we think that there is nothing even Jesus can do in front of our endemic problems that we have “today.” We think, “It is too late,” “Even Jesus cannot do anything at this point!” However, today Jesus comes to Martha, and he says to her, “Your brother will rise again today!” (23)

God of Tomorrow

Then, Martha answers, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”(24) Now she believes in “Jesus of tomorrow,” but she still doesn’t believe in “Jesus of today!” She has an abstract belief in the far future resurrection of the last day. But she doesn’t have a present experience with Jesus Christ. She doesn’t have a personalized belief in him who is at work in her life here and now. So, Jesus says to Martha, “I AM the resurrection, and I AM the life today!” (25)

I could see myself in Martha. I was born into a pastor’s family. I have experienced miraculous divine healings several times. I had a saving faith. But I didn’t have faith in God of today. I started to serve a local church as a youth pastor since 2006. But after a year I had to resign from the position because I was burnt out. The most serious problem was that I didn’t have faith in God who is at work today. Although I read the Bible, it was just a history, poetry, and narrative. The Bible story was just a pie in the sky. Although the word of God is almighty, it was almost powerless in my life because I didn’t take God at his word. Since that time, my top prayer request was to experience the living God of today. God is faithful. He answered my prayer. In December 2008 Joyce and I attended the intercessory prayer conference. During the conference he healed my wounded soul. He showed me my broken relationship with my father. On the surface there was no problem, but in a deeper level I had damaged emotions. But God touched me and healed my broken heart. That night I also received the gift of tongues. I had been praying for 17 years, and God did answer my prayer. That experience was very meaningful to me in my spiritual journey because it took away the stone of my doubts and unbelief whether God was really at work in my life. Since that time, God started to open my eyes to see and experience the God of today one by one.

God of Today!

Now Jesus says to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? (26) In a word, “Do you believe in the God of today?” And she says, “Yes, Lord” Then, Jesus says to her, “Then, take away the stone” (39). She is shocked and says, “But, Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” In Jewish tradition, if someone is buried in a tomb for 4 days, then people consider a person dead completely. So, from a man’s perspective, Lazarus is completely dead. But now, Jesus says, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? Take away the stone!”(40) So the people take away the stone. In the same way, Jesus is asking each of you in this room, “Do you believe in the God of today?” “Do you believe that I am able to solve your chronic problems today?” If you answer “Yes, Lord,” then he will ask you “Take away the stone!” Jesus wants us to expand our faith by putting it into practice. He wants us to believe with our heart. He wants us to confess with our mouth, and he wants us to put it into practice before we see the result.

In August 2010 I went on a mission trip to China with the church members. One of the members was pregnant at that time. The mission trip schedule was heavy, and we had to move a long distance each day. One night she discharged blood heavily and had several other symptoms of miscarriage. One member said, “My wife had exactly the same symptoms like this, and finally she had a miscarriage. So we have to prepare for the worst.” As I heard what he said, my heart was so heavy. I didn’t know what to do. The word, “miscarriage” was ringing in my ears. The next morning I had a personal devotional time before starting a day, and the word of God came to me. It was Psalm 27:12-14, “Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” As soon as I read that passage, I knew that God would make the baby alive and keep both the mother and the baby safe from all harms and dangers. So, immediately, I wrote down that scripture and gave it to the baby’s mother before she went to the hospital that day. While we were waiting for the result, we had a prayer meeting. In the meeting I shared my testimony and read Psalm 27, and then we earnestly prayed all together. By faith all of the members took away the stone of our doubt and unbelief, and then we did see the glory of God. Both the mother and the baby had no problem at all. Everything was ok. Finally, the baby was born healthy and completely normal. Praise the Lord!

Thank God Today!

Now Jesus stands in front of the tomb. Everyone is weeping. Everything seems to be over. But Jesus looks up and says, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me!” (41) Jesus completely trusts in the God of today. And he calls in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” Then, the dead man, Lazarus, does come out. The God, in whom we believe, gives life to the dead and creates new things out of nothing (Rom 4:17). God wants us to believe in the God of today as well as the God of yesterday and the God of tomorrow. He wants us to experience him today. And he says to us, “If you really believe that I am at work in your life today, take away the stone.” What is your stone? It might be the stone of sins, doubts, unbelief, prejudice, wounds, pride, or fear. Whatever it is, by faith let us take away our stone and thank God today. And we will see the glory of God and experience the God of today! Amen.