Do Not Let Your Heart be Troubled!

Fire authorities in California found a corpse in a burned out section of a forest while assessing the damage done by a forest fire. The deceased male was dressed in a full wet suit, complete with scuba tanks on his back,  flippers, and a facemask. A post-mortem revealed that the person died, not from burns but, from massive internal injuries.

Investigators then set about to determine how a fully clad diver ended up in the middle of a forest fire. It was revealed that on the day of the fire, the person went for a diving trip off the coast some 20 miles from the forest. The firefighters, seeking to control the fire as quickly as possible, called in a fleet of helicopters with very large dip buckets. Water was dipped from the ocean and then flown to the forest fire and emptied.

You guessed it. One minute our diver was swimming in the Pacific, the next he was doing the breaststroke in a fire dip bucket 300 feet in the air. Apparently he extinguished exactly 5'10" of the fire. Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed.
[This article was taken from the California Examiner, March 20, 1998.]

Are you having a bad day? Do not worry! Disciples of Jesus shouldn’t allow worry to creep into their lives. Followers of Jesus must deal with worry differently. Do not fret, do not fear! There is only one fear that ought to exist in our lives; the fear of God. Guilt and shame are not from God. So instead of worrying, we ought to find our greatest joy and confidence in moments of despair in Jesus!

The word ‘worry’ stems from an Old English word ‘wrygan’, which means to ‘strangle someone to death.' Worry literally does that to our souls. Like a silent killer, it kills us slowly but surely! Worry rips our dreams and hopes into pieces. While you worry, your character starts to lose focus and our dreams and hope start to get diluted and muddied; and you lose the capacity to function!

What causes worry? Worry stems from our desire to control. We worry because our plans, our strategies, our hopes and dreams are not taking shape as we expect them to.  But you and I know, there are only a few things that are truly within our control. When we think deeply and hard, we realize that, in fact, nothing is in our control! So we must make the decision to stop the insanity of worrying. Life is not in our control. Nothing is resolved by worrying!

As followers of Jesus, let’s look at worry with a different lens. When we worry, we ought to remember that it is an opportunity for us to take the first step towards change, towards a better future and towards a greater dream. Worry is like a dark cloud that signals an imminent rain. Worry should be a reminder for us that there is an opportunity to be had, a door to open for us to step into! This is the first step. We must realize, when we think we have failed in something, there is a  God who is turning all things for His glory!

The story of Jacob comes to my mind as I think about failure and worry. Jacob loved Rachael. So he worked for 7 years in order to have her as his wife. When the seventh year was over, Laban, Rachael’s father, gave to Jacob Leah instead of Rachael. Laban lied and ‘forced’ Jacob to marry Leah! Jacob ended up marrying someone he was never attracted to. This was outside of his plans! Was this a failure? To him, perhaps.  But the Bible says it was through Leah that Judah is born. And it was through Judah, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would bring forth a new hope in the world!

Did you want gold but all you have in your hands are rocks? Don’t despair. 

Job declared in times of his trouble: Job:23:10 | But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

David living in the brink of ‘shadow of death’, proclaimed: Psalm 57:2 | I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me.

Paul, who did nothing wrong, was thrown in a dungeon, beaten and humiliated! Paul wrote: Romans 8:28 | And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Jesus who was betrayed by his closest friends said: John 14:1 | “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.

Disciple Church, as we approach 2013, do not worry. Instead of worrying about the future, give the future and your worry to the Lord! Enter the new world with new hope and a new dream to be used by God for His glory as we continue to carve our future together here at Disciple Church. May 2013 bring much blessing from God in you and your family! I am stoked to see what God will do through us in the coming year! Blessings!

My Grace is Sufficient!

People shy away from sharing their weaknesses; instead they like to highlight their strengths. But true strength is revealed in the midst of our weaknesses. Everyone has at least one or two weaknesses. And weaknesses can be anything. Having too much money can be a weakness; yet, having too little money can be a weakness as well. Having a diseased body can be a weakness; but a healthy body can be a weakness as well. Character can become a major area of weakness if we allow our lives to grow into thistles and brushes without any discipline. Television can be a weakness. It is safe to say, everyone struggles with at least one weakness in their lives.

Many people see their weaknesses as something that hinder them from finding their life’s success. They think to themselves, “I can’t be successful because of this or that. I am miserable because of this or that.” But the reality is that most successful people are people who have learned to use their weaknesses as an opportunity to move forward and challenge themselves to grow!

Napoleon Bonaparte, a French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the latter parts of the French Revolution, was known as one of the greatest military commanders. He led his army in impossible wars but with his military genius, he always found ways to victory. His military strategies are still studied by military academies to this day.

Yet, Napoleon was a short man who suffered from epilepsy for all his life. While in the military academy, he consistently found himself in 42nd place out of 51 students. Napoleon was teased by other students! He never learned to spell properly. But this lead him to become a voracious reader; he became a life time learner due to his weakness.

Russian novelist, Tolstoy suffered from STDs throughout his life due to his immoral living before accepting Jesus as his Lord! But out of his sufferings and regrets for the life he lived and sicknesses he dealt with, emerges his masterpiece, Crime and Punishment!

Abraham, lied twice to save his own life by ‘selling’ his wife to Pharaoh. He lacked ‘manly’ disposition to protect his beloved wife. But God used this man’s weakness in order to lift him up to become the father of faith! 

Moses had anger management issues. He had fits of rage now and then. One day he saw a fellow Hebrew man arguing with an Egyptian man. Moses went over and killed the Egyptian man because of his uncontrolled anger. After receiving the Ten Commandments on top of Mt. Sinai, Moses came down the mountain and saw the Israelites dancing and worshipping an idol. Moses burned with anger and he shattered the plates of rock on which the Ten Commandments were written! On a different occasion, God told Moses to speak to a rock so water would gush out of it. But again, Moses was so angry at the complaining attitude of the Israelites, he ended up striking the rock instead. Nevertheless, God used him and at the end, called him the ‘meekest man on earth.’

Should we try one more? Let us consider King David who was a “man after God’s heart’. He forcefully took Bathsheba, wife of one of his most royal subjects, Uriah. And when he could not hide his sin of adultery, he asked another commander to put Uriah in the frontline of a fierce battle to deliberately kill him. David would carry this sin with him to his bed. Imagine the countless sleepless nights as he cried over his own wickedness! But out of his defeat and weaknesses of life, emerged a life of repentance and humility; his heart and soul healed by God, from which erupts songs and poems of praise and worship unto the Lord.

Our weaknesses should not deter us from moving forward! When we give our weaknesses to the Lord, God can turn them into jewels! Our weaknesses are what God uses to empower us to make a difference in others. God uses people who are not haughty or prideful, rather he enables those who are humble and acknowledge their need of God. 

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:9 | But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

As we close 2012, let us acknowledge our weaknesses before the Lord and declare, “God, your grace is enough! May your power rest upon me!” Perhaps Christmas is God’s way of saying, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Perhaps Christmas is God’s way of saying, that’s why Jesus came so that grace can be poured over you! Do not worry about your weaknesses, focus on Jesus and let his power rest over you this season!

Rejoice In All Circumstances...

On February 1, 1831, in a small town in the Vogtland region of Saxony, a little boy was birthed. At age 22, with $80 dollars given to him by his uncle, he boarded a ship in Bremen and docked in Hoboken, New Jersey. He arrived penniless and with no knowledge of English. His first job at a small grocery store in Ohio paid him four dollars a week. Soon, he decided to move to Cincinnati, where he became part of the city’s large German immigrant population. His first job in Cincinnati was as a door-to-door salesman. The owner of the store allowed him to sleep in a packing crate on the premises, and allowed him to save a dollar a week. His next job was at Heidelbach & Seasongood Bank in Cincinnati. He earned about eight dollars a week. Here he slept in a loft over the bank office and continued to save all he could.

One day he saw some musical instruments that were for sale which reminded him of how he and his friends back in Germany used to make such instruments. So, he sent his life's savings of $700 to his friends in Germany and had them ship a supply of their instruments. The first shipment sold very quickly. He sent for more and was on his way to becoming a successful businessman.

The business this boy eventually started manufacturing pianos, organs, music boxes, and player pianos. It became a multimillion dollar business. The boy's name? Rudolph Wurlitzer.

If Rudolph Wurlitzer did not start out lonely and penniless, chance are, he would not have done what he did. His harsh circumstances generated the motivation that moved him to become successful businessman. 

At times we find ourselves thrown into a difficult situations; and we must make decisions. Often these circumstances are so impossible, it is easy to give up!

One of the oldest books in the Bible is the book of Job. The Bible says Job was loved by people due to his righteous acts before men and God. He helped the poor, widows and the down cast whenever he had the opportunity. He had wealth and integrity. He had a great family. But one day, he lost all that he had. All his riches disappeared like the morning dew. Immediately after, a great wind killed his 7 sons and 3 daughters. Furthermore, his body was covered with boils and blisters as yellow puss oozed out of his body.

Perhaps, even worse than losing his wealth and health was his beloved wife coming to him and saying, “Just curse God and die!” She was literally saying, “Give up! What is the point of living in this condition? Just die! This God is not trustworthy. All your life, you gave and did good deeds, is this how he repays you? Curse God!” Is there a more painful moment than to have your beloved backstab you in this way? This was such a painful experience for Job he utters words of pain and grief!

Job 3:11-12, 24 | “Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire? Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? ... For my sighing comes instead of my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water.”

But this was not the end for Job. Job ends in chapter 42!

Job 42:5 | I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;

Job 42:10 | And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

I am told, that the Chinese have two characters for the word "crisis". One means danger; the other, opportunity. How right they are! In every crisis there is a danger of being defeated or the opportunity for growth.

Life's like that. Difficult times, economic hardships, business setbacks, sicknesses, sorrows, and heartbreaks rush in on our lives unexpectedly. When they do, we often feel like we've struck out and have failed. However, the only real failure in life is when we fail to pick ourselves up. During this Christmas, undoubtedly, life will come in from all angles. And in 2013, life will come from all angles. Remember who your God is and how he has redeemed you! Will he not continue to cover you with his grace and love? So trust in him and place your hope in him! 

In the book of Philippians, Paul writes one of the most encouraging words in the Bible. He encouraged the disciples of Jesus to not give up! He encouraged them to live in joy and to rejoice in the Lord always! He did not write to them from the comforts of his home. No, he wrote the encouraging words from the dark and damp dungeons of a Roman prison. He was imprisoned, not for a crime of murder or stealing, but for sharing the good news of Jesus! He could have complained about his life but rather, he makes an intentional choice to trust in the Lord; and he begins to worship God with Silas, his ministry partner. 

He writes, “10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” Philippians 4

And he caps the statement with: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Amen! Friends, may we find our greatest joy and pleasure in God! So that, whether we have much or little, we may bring glory and honor to him who died upon the cross for us. May our year end in such confidence in God. May our 2013 start with such confidence in Him who gave his only Son for us! Blessings!

Greatest Victory!

"For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories"~ Plato

D. L. Moody was one of the greatest evangelists during the 19th century. Hundreds of people were impacted and transformed through his ministry. One day, a person came to Moody and asked, “Who has been your biggest obstacle in the ministry? Let me know, and I’ll take care of him."

Moody replied, “The biggest obstacle in my ministry has been D. L. Moody.”

In life, you will always have obstacles, preventing you from reaching your dream and vision. But one of the biggest obstacles is not ‘something’ but it’s often nothing other than yourself. A follower of Jesus will always seek to conquer oneself before trying to impact others.

In the 80s, one of the great preachers of the time was a televangelist named Jimmy Swaggart. His sermons on TV reached millions people around the world. Some thought he would take the place of Billy Graham. Jimmy Swaggart’s fame and popularity reached the heavens; but in a single moment, all of the fame and influence collapsed into rubbles. He had been a part of a sex scandal. Who destroyed him? Who sabotaged his life? It was none other than himself.

One of my favorite writers is Gordon MacDonald, who wrote a wonderful book called Ordering Your Private Life. Gordon MacDonald was a rising star among the biblical teachers and writers, yet his life was ruined. He could not conquer his own devils inside of him and eventually yielded to disobedience. With God’s grace and forgiveness, he turned his failure into an opportunity to make his life right the second time around; and today he has gained greater fame and influence than before. He encourages and pleads with people to bring order to their private life!

Apostle Paul, in his attempt to bring order in his inner world writes: “I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave...” [1 Corinthians 9:27]. And he calls the disciples of Jesus to do whatever it takes to bring order to their private life as well.

Friends, as followers of Jesus, we must find ourselves before our Lord each day to reflect and come honestly to take care of our inner private world. Without hesitation let us go to a place of solitude to meet with Jesus who will encounter us to shape and encourage us to keep on keeping on in carving our future in Him. 

Read the first chapter of Mark and see how busy Jesus was every day. He woke up early in the morning and he did not lay his head until late at night. Yet, Jesus always found Himself alone in a solitary place before His Father. He sought a place of solitude to reflect and pray for his vision and purpose in order to continue His journey as the Christ. Nothing could hinder Him from spending moments of solitude with His Father. 

In solitude, He met with His Father. He did the work of self-discipline, self-control, and self conquering in the presence of God as He reflected on His purpose!

Let us find ourselves before the Father each day as we follow Jesus. Jesus is our guide and He will lead our path. Start with a bit of scripture each day and meditate on the voice of God through the Word. Friends, when you prepare yourself in the Lord, God will lay opportunities to set you up for success. It all starts in solitude with Him! As we approach Christmas, as we continue our journey through this month with our service focusing on Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, and Love All, let us truly see where God wants us to give materially and relationally! And most importantly, let’s do them as he guides our thoughts and hearts. Blessings.

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" ~ I Corinthians 15:57

"In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!" ~Romans 8:37

** check the following website out to get started: http://www.duranno.com/livinglife/english_su06.asp?mag=f

God Confidence!

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us...” ~ Tale of Two Cities

Israel for many years enjoyed the best of the best through the leadership of the prophet Samuel and King Saul, who defeated enemy after enemy as he rampantly enlarged Israel’s territory over the Middle East. But the war with Goliath marked one of the worst moments for King Saul as he retreated and shuddered with fear because of this godless general from Philistine. But what appeared to be  the worst of times for Saul, would be an opportunity for the son of Jesse to display his confidence in God before all of Israel.

Young David was instructed to take some food to his brothers who were in the frontline getting ready to battle against the Philistines. When Goliath stepped forward from the ranks of the Philistine army, Saul’s army scattered to the mountains to hide in the rocks and caves. When the young shepherd boy, David, witnessed the situation, his blood boiled on behalf of God. Who was this godless Philistine that the army of God would hide like a scared child? David made up his mind, to fight Goliath, not for his own glory but for the glory of God! David’s brothers opposed what seemed to be a foolish decision! King Saul tried to stop the young boy from making this foolish mistake but to no avail. 

Goliath was a seasoned Philistine general; David was a simple shepherd boy from a small town of Bethlehem. Goliath adorned himself with the best armor. He held a powerful spear, 12 feet  long with an 18 pound polished brass point gleaming in the sun. And his shield was made specifically for someone of his size and stature. David came with a sling and a few stones. No armor. No spear. No shield. Who would win? The picture is so silly why would one bother to entertain such question? But the result is unexpected! The mighty Goliath fell before the young shepherd boy.

1 Samuel 17:45-47 | 45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

Where does he get such confidence? How could he stand before the shadow of this giant and utter such confident words? God! David’s confidence stemmed from his confidence in the God of Israel, the Maker of the universe. David wanted everyone to know that the battle was not won by shields and spears but by God! God gives victory [Deuteronomy 20:4] and David knew it!

Friends, who stands before you today? What does your Goliath look like? Remember, the victory is the Lord’s! Do not be afraid of “Goliaths” that stand before your God-given destiny. Goliath is an annoyance. A small hurdle. Have confidence in God, who gives you victory.  

Goliath was self confident. His confidence was in his body! His confidence came from his experience, spear and shield. But David’s confidence originated from the Lord of the universe! Do not fear. God is your bodyguard! 

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” 

My friends in Disciple Church, what have you done this week to show the love of Jesus to the world? How has this world been impacted by your work and life this week? Is our city better because we exist? Is your work place better because you are there? You and I are the dwelling place of God! Have confidence in Him! What has God placed in your heart to accomplish lately? Go and do it, knowing that God is with you; He will lead you to victory! To those who follow Jesus, failure is an opportunity to display the glory of God!  

Isaiah 41:10 | So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Traffic Jam

In the book, The Present by Spencer Johnson, the main character of the story recollects the lessons he learned from a very wise man from his hometown. These lessons were given so the young man can find joy and happiness in life.

As the main character explores life and grows older, he experiences many failures in life. Every time he collides with life’s storms, he recollects what the wise man shared with him about the most precious gift in the world. He discovers that the greatest gift is...

1. If you want to live a happy and successful life, you must live in the present.
2. If you want a better future, you must learn from the past.
3. If you want to change your present, you must plan for a better future.

In other words, the greatest present in your life is your present... this moment. There is no greater gift then your present! Don’t dwell on your past. You can’t change it. Don’t dwell on your mistakes you just might miss the present! Learn from your past but live in the present!

In the Old Testament, there is a strong and gifted man named Samson. He was strong. No one could match his strength. He was given this strength by God. He did not pump iron. He did not spend hours in a gym. No, his strength was supernaturally infused into his body, supernaturally by God. And Samson was responsible to keep the secret behind the source of his strength. But because of his weak constitution towards lust, he eventually revealed the secret of his strength to a prostitute, Delilah. Philistines captured him. Treated him like an animal and gouged his eyes out [Judges 16:21]. He was blind to what was behind him. He was blind to what was ahead of him. He lost discernment. Each day, chained to a millstone, pulled the stone like an animal!

To me this is the picture of Christians who have lost sight of the Lord’s command, “to make disciples of all nations.” This is the picture of Christians who are neglecting the greatest responsibility given to us. Some how people have narrowed down Christianity to one hour on Sunday morning abdicating the great adventure and joy which God wants us to live today!

Friends, you were born with a special gift from God. It’s your life. It’s unique. It can’t be repeated. And when you have Jesus in your life, this special gift called life gets infused with a supernatural gift to build the church [1 Corinthians 12]. 

Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” John 20:21

Samson ultimately returns to God, the source of his strength, and find life again. Let us go to God today.

We dream of Disciple Church that has no walls. We dream of Disciple Church that will cause traffic jam because the presence of God is here. We dream of Disciple Church where people are loved and accepted for who they are! We dream of Disciple Church where I am not okay, you are not okay, but that is okay because God is our God! We dream of Disciple Church where laity is awaken through discipleship training to impact the world... starting from Milpitas!

Give Thanks...

People are forgetful. People look for keys all over their house just to realize that they’ve been carrying them in their back pocket. Have you done this? You dash into your room to get something and the moment you set your foot in the room, you forgot why you were in there. And you back step hoping it’ll remind you? We are forgetful people. 

God once told Israelites not to forget Him once they settle in the “land flowing with milk and honey!” But as you know, it will not take them long before they needed a reminder, and I am afraid that we need it as well.

In the Psalms, God often tells the whole earth to make a joyful noise to the Lord. The message of thanksgiving is so wide and deep, it applies to every human being in every era in the every life stage! When we give thanks together to God, it breaks down barriers between people and brings about unity.

But there is also a real danger in this season of how we determine our thanksgiving, on the basis of how much we have.

“Do I have enough turkey? Do I have enough money? Am I healthy? Is my car okay? How much bonus did I get this year? Am I getting a raise?” And we let these things determine whether we are or aren’t thankful. 

But we are reminded in the word of God that these things are fleeting. They come and go. As Job once said, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes...” The only thing that we have for sure is our relationship with the Lord and the relationship we have with the brothers and sisters in Christ.

Alex Haley, the author of Roots, had an unusual picture hanging on his office wall. It was a picture of a turtle on top of a fence post. When asked, “Why is that there?” Alex Haley answered, “Every time I write something significant, every time I read my words and think that they are wonderful, and begin to feel proud of myself, I look at the turtle on top of the fence post and remember that he didn’t get there on his own. He had help.”

That is the basis of thankfulness to remember that we got here with the help of God, and that he provided every blessings we have.

This year as we close this month of thanksgiving, let us remember the Lord who provided all things for us. Let us remember people who enriched our life and give meaning in the daily grinds of life. Count your blessings and give thanks to God and to each other.

Psalms 50:14 | “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay your vows unto the most High.”.

Longing for Connection | Pt. 2

One of the great truths in the Bible declares that God, the all powerful-creator of the universe, loves you.

King David once asked, “Who is a man that you are mindful of him?” He could hardly believe that the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God of the universe would love and care for someone as insignificant as him. How can this awesome God, King of kings, Lord of lords love me? The answer is worth repeating... LOVE! God is love and He loves you!

Tell yourself, “God loves me. Jesus loves me.” Repeat that phrase and soak in the implication of this great truth! God loves you; and it is not based on your performance but it is unilaterally given! God loves you as you are, with all the nicks and warts and all! So learn to embrace your imperfections. Be kind to yourself and then to others. Imperfections make you human. As long as you hide from who you really are, you cannot become who you were meant to be!

People see vulnerability as something that is uncomfortable, excruciating, and painful; yet without vulnerability, we will not initiate love, take a risk on worthwhile things, nor try new things in fear of failure. Vulnerability allows people to invest in relationships that may or may not work out. Vulnerability is fundamental to deep and intimate human relationships.

Most people try to numb out unpleasant feelings and emotions, but it is humanly impossible to selectively numb out negative emotions such as hurt, shame, grief, fear and disappointments without numbing out other emotions such as love, joy, happiness, and gratitude.

When Adam first saw Eve, he said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.” There was longing for him to have a deep human relationship, that he exclaims "at last!"  I think in today's language, he may have said: “Eve, you are so beautiful. You were taken from my body but you are the part of me I love the most! I can’t believe God would do this for me!"

Can a man say anything more beautiful to a girl? But once sin fundamentally changed Adam from the inside out, he pointed his finger at Eve and referred to her as “that woman”. What a tragic change from his first loving words!  There is distance, a chasm, in that statement. He says, “You are not a part of me. You are you and I am me. Get away from me because it’s your fault that we are in this mess .” Adam blamed Eve! Instead of confessing to God and being vulnerable, he blamed Eve! Instead of embracing his imperfections, he chose to cover up the mess by blaming Eve.

Friends, you are not perfect, so learn to embrace your imperfections. Accept Jesus, who has done for you what you could not do for yourself. He lived a perfect life, so take His perfection upon yourself by believing in Him. Live in His perfection. Soak in His love and live in it! His love is not based upon your behavior or performance; but His love is based solely upon His own love for you. Do you think the nails kept Jesus on the cross? No way! It was love! 

 Abandon yourself to His love, and share your life with others knowing that you are loved regardless of how people react to you. Through sharing our lives, by risking being known, we release the numbness that exists in our heart. Openly share, be vulnerable, open your heart's door to greater love and intimacy with yourself and others.

Stop pretending you have it all together. The more you pretend, the more you will feel miserable and lonely! The more you feel miserable and lonely, the more you pretend. It’s a never ending cycle. And in the midst of pretending, the evil one points his accusatory finger towards you and hisses, “You are not what you pretend to be. You are a fake. What if people found out about you. They will know that you are a mistake. You are no good. You are a _______."

Be grateful for vulnerability, because it means you are still alive. Believe that Jesus is enough and you don’t have to pretend like you have to be perfect. You’ll start listening instead of screaming. You’ll be kinder and gentler to the people around you, and especially to yourself. 

I believe a relationship in Jesus is one in which you deliberately accept each other where you are -- imperfect, unfinished and mortal! As Leonard Cohen, a singer-songwriter, once said, “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” Share your imperfections and let the light of Jesus shine through! Amen!

Longing for Connection | Part 1

Are you like me? Someone happens to share 50 great things about you and one bad thing, yet all you can think about is that one negative comment.

Maybe this is why when we ask people about love, the first thing they tell you is  their heartbreak experience. And when you talk about belonging, people share their most excruciating experience of being left out. And when you ask about connections, they tell you stories about disconnections.

When God created Adam and Eve, the ‘imageness’ of God, was the ability to connect and relate with Him, with each other and with the surrounding world. This is the reason why we have such a fierce desire to be connected! That’s the ‘imageness’ of God in us. Connections are the reason why we are here. Connections gives us purpose and meaning in our lives. We are wired for connections. God wants us to be connected with Him and with others, for He is the true source of joy and happiness. And he desires that we live in joy and happiness [1 Thess. 5:16].

But when sin entered the world, along with disobedience, came shame! Shame can be defined as fear of disconnection - is there something in me, that when revealed, will cause others to distance themselves from me?

It’s universal, we all have it! The only people who don’t experience shame are people who are dead or have lost the capacity to feel human empathy. We all have it but no one wants to talk about it. And the less you talk about it, the reality is that you have more of it! The undergirding thought behind ‘shame’ is ‘I’m not good enough,” “I am not smart enough," "I am not beautiful enough," etc

What is the solution to this? How can we embrace our imperfection so that we can connect as God desires for us to connect?

The Bible reveals that the solution is found in vulnerability. When God asked Adam ‘where are you,’ it was not an issue of God not knowing Adam’s position factually. He wanted Adam to come out and be vulnerable. He wanted Adam to move from shame to vulnerability so that in authenticity, he can once again restore the ‘imageness’ of God!

The problem is that we hate vulnerability. Vulnerability says I am not perfect!  Vulnerability says, “I have to deal with the shame and junk that are deeply rooted in my life.  How can someone love me with all this junk in me?"  As a result, we shrink and hide instead of being authentic and open in our relationships. The word "courage" comes from Latin word COR, which means heart. The original definition of courage was "to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart."  Friends, we must have the courage to tell the story of who we are with our whole hearts. Connections take place as a result of authenticity. You must be willing to let go of who you think you should be in order to be who you are, a necessity for genuine connections!

So let’s stop pretending we are perfect, we are not. We live in a society where people take fat from their butts and inject it in their faces in order to look perfect. We are not perfect. Instead of pretending, let us embrace our imperfection. As I end, let me share with you something I learned in art school.

Have you heard of ‘wabi sabi’? It’s a Japanese philosophy that celebrates beauty in what’s natural - flaws and all. If you’ve been to a Japanese restaurant and sipped hot green tea out of a lopsided, cracked, asymmetrical tea cup, you know wabi sabi. The tea cups are handmade and irregularly shaped, with uneven an glaze, cracks and, yet, are absolutely beautiful in their deliberate imperfection! Learn to prize the drips and cracks in your messy lives! 

As we launch, may Disciple Church embrace the imperfections we see in each other. Instead of judging and criticizing, let us love and trust one another, as Jesus has done for us. This is why our growth groups are so important!  Let us come together, be vulnerable with one another, love one another and connect with one another!  Love the cracks and drips, until Jesus “who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus!” 

Make a Decision!

I took my daughter, Esther, to Fry’s Electronics on Tuesday night. If you love electronics, this is your earthly electronic heaven. Aisles after aisles are filled with electronic parts, computers, coolers, graphic cards, candies, and other merchandise. You name it, it’s there! Yet, with so many products comes a dilemma.  Have you ever found yourself standing before a wall of options and choices and all you can do is scratch your head because you couldn’t get yourself to make a decision? That’s exactly what happened to me this week.

Our world is a world of choices! So many choices flood our life that we are often paralyzed by the myriad of options. And as one wrong decision often leads to another, we are trapped in fear of making a bad decision. So we often make no choice at all.

I want to share with you today, don’t worry about making the wrong decision, worry about not making any decision at all!

Make a decision! William James, a psychologist and philosopher, once said, “When you have to make a choice and don’t make it, that in itself is a choice.”

Decide! A wrong decision is better than indecision! If it turns out you’ve made a wrong choice, learn from the experience, say ‘sorry’ to anyone you’ve hurt, and make a new choice and move forward! In fact, there is no such thing as a wrong decision! Wrong decisions help you identify better decisions, which will lead you closer to your desired outcome!

Mark 5 tells a story of a woman who encounters Jesus. The incident takes place on a narrow twisted street packed with a crowd of excited people. The crowd is there to get a glimpse of Jesus. People in the crowd speak of him with deep affection. The beggars and prostitutes whisper his name softly. He is known to heal diseases. He is known to spend time with the sick and the downtrodden. His name is Jesus.

He is on His way to heal Jairus’ dying daughter. And the crowd is following Him to see a miracle. People are fascinated by him. But perhaps some were doubting him. Maybe some were saying, “He can do this.” Possibly others were countering with a doubtful head shake. 

But Jesus’ walk is interrupted by a very sick woman. Her face is marred with lines of agony. Her body is racked with pain. Who is she? For twelve long years she had suffered from bleeding. She wanted relief. She wanted restoration. She wanted  health and life. She decided to try Jesus!

Now you must know that this woman had searched for a healer for the last twelve years.

Mark 5:26 | She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.

I am sure some of these doctors took advantage of this woman’s situation and used every option they could conceive to take her money. Often she must have felt used and abused. But she did not allow her previous decisions to deter her from making a new decision. For twelve years, she made decision after decision, often leading her to people who cared more about her money than her. 

Mark goes on... 
27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

All of her previous decisions led her to Jesus. All her choices lead her to healing. What if she had stopped after the seventh year saying “Oh, there is no cure for this. I give up!” She would have missed the physical healing but more importantly she would have missed the spiritual healing! She would have missed Jesus. Her persistent decisions led her closer to her solution - Jesus!

Friends, as we look forward to the launch of Disciple Church, what decisions are you hesitating on making?  Perhaps inviting a friend or a family member?  Perhaps coming and praying for the launch during our Upper Room prayer meetings?  Perhaps merely showing love to that coworker who is hard to bear?  As we live, let us not live with a spirit of fear but a spirit of power, love and self-control (2 Timothy 1.7)!  Let us live, not with regrets of not moving, but with actions and boldness!  Yes, we may stumble, but our God is faithful to pick us up again.  Let us move and decide for the Kingdom of God! 

Emptied and Filled

In the heart of the Hawaiian islands is the island of Molokai. According to the locals, Molokai is blessed with stunningly beautiful nature, and is cursed with human ignorance.

About 130 years ago, Molokai, despite its beauty, was considered cursed because it once housed a colony of lepers in an area called Kalaupapa. People with leprosy were thrown away in this area like garbage in a dumpster. Lepers would arrive by ship and were commanded to jump overboard and swim for their lives to the shore. Sometimes, a strong rope was run from the anchored ship to the shore, and the lepers pulled themselves painfully through the high, salty waves.  

No one cried for them. No one buried them. This was an island, even with all its beauty, which had no hope and carried only despair. No buildings, shelters nor portable water wer available on the island. Lepers dwelled in rock enclosures, caves and in the most rudimentary shacks, built of sticks and dried leaves. The dead lepers and fallen body parts were food for the dogs and pigs. It was hell on earth!

In 1873, Father Damien deVeuster, aged 33, arrived at Kalaupapa. No one forced him to the island!  Rather, he went to the leper colony on his own. Father Damien desired to share the love of Jesus and the value of life in Jesus. He wanted to share about the new life through Jesus! But no one would listen to him! All the talk of the kingdom of God where there are no tears, pain or sickness, fell on deaf ears!

Leper victims sneered at Father Damien, “Do you know what it’s like to be a leper? Do you know the pain of losing your finger, your nose and your arm? You talk of this grandeur place of hope but we have no hope! Do you know what it’s like to live without hope?”

Father Damien thought to himself, "Unless I get closer to them, I will never reach them with the gospel of Jesus." So he started to rub shoulders with them. He moved into their colony. He started to eat with them. He even built a small chapel in the middle of the colony that they may worship together. And he continued to share about the life in Jesus and the hope of the future.

Eleven years after Father Damien arrived in Molokai, he spilled a pot of boiling water over his legs. Immediately, his skin started to boil up with blisters under the boiling water; but he did not feel anything. Father Damien had unfortunately, become like one of the lepers.

The next day, during chapel, he started his message with... “We are leprosy victims...” Those who realized what had happened to Father Damien started to well up and cry! And the ‘cursed’ island of Molokai started to transform into an island of love and joy. People began caring for each other. Those who were once left to die in agony were cared for so they could die with dignity. And the temperament of the whole colony started to change. It became a foretaste of heaven as people started to act and behave like the beauty that surrounded them.Eventually, Father Damien's face became unrecognizable as the disease took its toll. However, until his death in 1889, he cared for the lepers and was buried among the lepers!

Father Damien reminds me of Jesus. Why did Jesus come to this world knowing that it was full of pain and suffering? Why did Jesus house himself in the frailty of a human body to enter a world that back stabs with a kiss? People long to become a god, but why did Jesus, who is God, gave his divinity a hold? Instead of coming with the pomp and circumstance of angels and the crown of Israel upon his head, Jesus came quietly through a poor couple who could only afford a stable. Why?  Jesus who was without sin became sin on the cross. Why?  While Jesus had all, he gave it all up. Why?  For you and me! He emptied himself so that you and I might be filled with Him! He became like us so he could restore us to God!

Today, as we look forward to the launch of Disciple Church, God is calling us to do the same for the friends who surround us! He wants us to be like Father Damien! He wants us to enter our world to share the good news of Jesus! Like Jesus, he wants us to empty ourselves to invite our friends into an intimate relationship with Jesus. Let us respond to that call! I guarantee you, you will have an adventure far more exhilarating than anything else! As we give ourselves in service to the world, you’ll discover the joy that was in Jesus as he carried his cross.

Smile, Jesus Loves You!

Who can resist the sound of laughter? It’s more contagious than any sneeze or cough. When laughter is shared, it brings people together and increases happiness and intimacy. It’s fun to laugh. It’s free to laugh. And it’s easy to use! No 500 page instruction booklet needed! Laughter helps you to put things in perspective. If you learn to play and laugh more, you’ll not only feel better but everyone else around you will feel more at ease as well.

Did you know studies show that humor and laughter help people live longer, happier; be more creative and productive? Laughter reduces stress, fear, embarrassment, and anger! Laughter even has healing power! When a person laughs, blood pressure decreases, the heart rate increases, the blood releases endorphins and depression declines. In fact a good laugh has a lasting effect, even until the next day! 

Proverbs 17:22 | A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Dr. Paul. E McGhee writes, “Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good health.” All these great and wonderful effects at the fraction of the cost of popping a pill in your mouth. In fact, it’s free! It’s God’s gift to humanity!

Did you know, on average, kids laugh 400 times a day, while grown ups only laugh about 15 times? What’s wrong with this picture? Adults have forgotten something along the way. I think we take ourselves too seriously! G.K. Chesterston once said, “angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.”

As we grow older, we get far too serious. Watch kids play! They don’t need expensive toys to entertain themselves. Adults mess it up by providing the expensive toys! Everything is fun. Everything is funny! Kids are spontaneous. Only when we get old do we get bored! Maybe when Jesus said, “Unless you become like a child you can’t enter the kingdom of God”, He meant being able to enjoy and laugh in the will of God. If you can’t laugh and enjoy God here and now, you will be bored out of your mind when you go to heaven!

God has a great sense of humor! God was in joy with a big smile on His face when He made Adam and Eve! Otherwise why would He declare, “It is VERY good!” He was so happy, He rested the next day, enjoying the creative processes and products of the six days work! Did you know ‘Eden’ means "rejoice," "happy," "delightful," and "pleasure?" You get the sense He really enjoyed creating Eden!

God made an old couple who could not bear a child laugh out of their minds. Genesis 21:6 | Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” Okay, maybe not out of their minds, but it was contagious enough for Sarah to say, “Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” Infectious!

At a middle Eastern wedding party, laughter was gasping for air because the wine jars were empty. Along came Jesus and the joy and the laughter was restored by Jesus turning water into wine. Imagine the facial expression of Jesus after the water was turned to wine. Is He frowning? Is He full of anxiety and worry? Is He stern and serious? Or do you see Him smile and rejoice along with the wedding party? Jesus turns mourning to laughter.

Victor Frankl wrote, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

What will you put in ‘that space’? Worries, anxieties, stress and depression or laughter, humor, smile and joy? 

Apostle Paul wrote, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”[1 Thessalonians 5:16-18] What is God’s will? For his children to find happiness and joy in all circumstances!

Friends, fix your funny bone and teach yourself to see humor in all of God’s creation.  Are you a follower of Jesus? Are you a disciple of Jesus? Smile, Jesus loves you!

Fresh Start

Everyone would love to have a fresh start! People make mistakes in their life. They experience many setbacks and failures throughout their lives. Sometimes they allow these mistakes, these setbacks and failures to enslave them; so they never enjoy the full Christian life that God has given them to enjoy.

John 10:10 is one of my favorite verses. It says, “...I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

But the devil comes to “only to steal and kill and destroy.”

The Devil will remind us of our past in order to keep us from enjoying the life that God gave us. The Devil does not want you to have a fresh start in life.

But God says, “I want you to have a fresh start in life. I want you to have a new beginning. I want to do something new in your life.” God wants to do something new in your life. 

Isaiah 43:18 says, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing...”

God wants to do something new in your life! That's a great news! And as we start Disciple Church together, God wants to do something great in our church. I am excited for this fresh start. It is a fresh start for me as well as for you. No matter how great our past is, the future will be greater. No matter how bad our past is, the future is brighter! 

I am glad we get to start fresh today. May we carve our future through Jesus Christ. My prayer is that God will use us to train devoted disciples of Jesus Christ who will impact the world... starting from Milpitas, California!

Someone said, “No one can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” 

Today is the beginning of a new and glorious future...

“No eyes has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has for those who love Him...” 1 Corinthians 2:9

[one of the earlier articles written for Disciple Church bulletin]

Love Your Wife

A kindergarten teacher asked his students, “What is the strongest and fiercest animal?”
All the students shouted in unison, “Lion!”
“Then what do lions fear the most,” their teacher asked.
As the kids contemplated on the answer, one of the students shouted, “The lioness!”
“Why the lioness?” asked the teacher.
The student replied, “Well, the king of my house is my dad, but the one he fears the most is mom!”

What I noticed over the years in marriage is that people plan for their wedding day months ahead. For some women, they think and ponder about their wedding day all their life. They dream of their “happily ever after”. But rarely, have I encountered couples who think to plan for the day after their wedding. There's lots of strategy laid out for the wedding day but none for the day after.

Couples need strategy. Husbands need strategy to make their wives holy and beautiful before Jesus. Wives need strategy to help their husbands live out their passion with courage.

“People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

Make up your mind to be happy together. Have a strategy that will get you there!

Strategies for Wives:

1. Serve Your Husband Like a King
   You might be thinking, “What? No way!” But think about it. If you serve your husband like a king, you become a queen. But if you treat your husband like a pauper, you are a pauper’s wife.
   
   The Bible says that Sarah called her husband Abraham “Lord”. Now this does not mean you become his slave. No, you become his helper for that is the original intention of God towards women; to help men become all they can be! Treat him like a VIP!
2. Fan the Flame in Your Husband’s Heart
   Men give up their life for vision and purpose. If they see something worth dying for, they will jump right in. Men will give up their lives for their families. Ladies, if you pour into their heart reasons and motives to live with passion, they will go all out for you and for your children. Take care of your husband like a child from head to toe! Otherwise their hearts will grow stale and indifferent.
3. Praise Your Husband
   I once read a woman said this to her peers, “Turn in your pink slip if you are not praising your husband.” Her point was that a wife who does not praise her husband is not worthy to have the husband whom God has appointed to her.
   
   Make a habit of praising your husband. Form a habit and later that habit will form you. Life is a continuation of habits. What we say is often out of habit. Praise is also a habit. Form a good habit to say good things to your husband and your children. Husbands will live in strength and passion when they eat your praise each day! Try it and see if I am wrong!
   

Strategies for Husbands:

1. Show Love
   Men are ambitious creatures. Women are loving creatures. Women do not overcome loneliness as men overcome loneliness. Women “wither” inside when love is not received. So Paul writes in Ephesians 5, “Love your wife!” Your love must be shown! Love must show up in your words, in your hearts, and in your actions.
   
   If your wife gives you a death stare, kiss her eyes. If she gives you pouted lips, kiss her lips. If she turns her back to you, hug her back! Become a strong yet soft, steady yet flexible husband.
   
   Here is the full verse to the husbands from Ephesians 5:25: “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” In other words, just as Christ died for the church so husbands are called to die for their wives! And the only way to die for her is to die to yourself! 
2. Become Her Friend
   Over the years I realized that what moves people is not how much you know! People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you love and care for them. Speak to her as an equal. Speak to her with tenderness. Speak to her with love. Lead her gently. Lead her to peace. You are the head of the family. You are called to lead your family; not as a dictator but as a God-fearing, God-loving person. So this calls for you to walk intimately with Jesus so that His love can pour out through you.
   
   When you stand before God some day, God will not ask your wife concerning the state of your family. The responsibility of a good family is directly given to the husbands. You are responsible for the spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical temperature of your family. 
   
   Become a warm, understanding, fun person... like her friend.
   
   Happiness is not elusive. God desires for each one of us to be happy. And happiness is only possible in Him! So plunge into the vastness of God for in His presence are pleasures forever!

Let me end with the following quote:
 “People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.  If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.  For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” ~ Mother Teresa

** Singles may think, this article does not concern them but I beg to differ. Often singles look for people who are better than them. They are looking for someone who will “complete” them. But the key to finding a right person is to become the kind of person you want to attract! Opposites attract people say! That may be true but similarities keep people together! Instead of spending all your energy trying to find someone, spend the energy in becoming a man/woman of God! Blessings! 

Christ has set you free!

Job 3:25 | What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.

I want to share my quiet time from last week out of the Living Life, which is the book I use for my time with the Lord. 

If you were to read Job 3:25 and sit on it, meditate on it, and reflect on it, you get the sense that Job lived in constant fear and tension. There was no freedom in him. He was a man who was doing everything he can to please God so nothing would happen to his family! His own words tell us that he lived in fear, in anxiety and in dread! God honored his intensions but I believe God wanted to move Job from life of anxiety and tension to a life of freedom in Him!

Tension and anxiety filled life goes against what Jesus gives us [John 10:10]. 

For those of us who are taking my discipleship... find freedom as we study the word together. The goal of discipleship is not for you to live in tension and anxiety but to set you free to live intimately with Jesus, our beautiful Savior! The homework, reading, Q.T., and other things I share with you will build a framework which will help you to do this but do not let it trap you and enslave you!

There is a story of Jesus going to the Pool of Bethesda. Surrounding this pool are hundreds of diseased and sick people waiting to get healed. But Jesus steps over all of them and healed only one. Then he left! What? I personally think that most Christians will stay around that pool until the sunset and they'll call people to bring more lights around the pool so they can heal more people! Then they will go to bed exhausted, thinking they did God's work by meeting the needs of people. But when I read the Bible Jesus had no problem with just healing one that day. I believe, Jesus went to bed in peace that night. 

Here is the key: Do not move because of need but move because of call! 

Jesus said that he only does what the Father tells him to do; which is to say unless the Father prompts him, he will do nothing. Another way of putting this is if you were to do something Father did not prompt you, that would be done in flesh and that would be sin! I hope that makes sense. I’ve seen Christians do this. Does Father want me to do that? Heal him? Heal her? Constantly moving in tension! No, the Bible promises abundant life! Living in constant tension is not abundant life; it's a life lived in fear! 

This is the reason why living intimately with Jesus is most essential aspect of our life. We move because Jesus prompts us through the Holy Spirit! We walk and talk because of the prompting of His voice! Friends, have compassion for the lost, the sick and the down trodden but move in the call of God not on the base of need!

Galatians 5:1 | Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law [NLT].

Paul says you are free in Christ! In fact Christ came to set you free from the law! And Paul goes on to say, “Make sure that you stay free!” Why? Cause we have internal mechanism that is messed up; and this mechanism presses us to do things so God would love us more. So we end up doing everything 'we' think we ought to do, yet still find ourselves out of sync with Jesus. We have lots of activities without intimacy! 

Here is an illustration I heard recently that made lots of sense to me.

Imagine going to a upscale restaurant. You watch the waiter and waitresses working really diligently to get the orders. Everyone of them were in perfect sync with the customers as they served food. In your eyes, everyone is doing a great job! But let's say for our illustration sake, one of the waiters was told by his boss to take care of the restroom all night; making sure the restroom is clean and smell good. But because the waiter did not like to deal with the restroom, he wonderfully bussed tables all night! Did he do a good job? Of course not! In our eyes perhaps, but in the eyes of his boss, he was not doing his job at all! He was resisting his boss.

God wanted to move Job from this life of tension and fear to the life of freedom! Job’s fear comes from his misunderstanding of God! God wants to make sure Job knows that He is God of love who does not consume us; whose compassions never fail! Not only for a day but this love is renewed every morning! And this love is not dependent on you and I but it’s all on God! Oh how faithful is our God! So move in the Spirit and leave the rest to the Father!

I pray as we spend time reading, writing, learning and growing in the discipleship class; we will learn to move in greater freedom! Blessings. Share your thoughts...

Commitment

As I reflect to write this article, I am deeply moved by you.
Each Sunday at 8 am our Host Team huddles together to pray and cast vision. And then they survey and clean the church to make certain that the worship room is clean  and everything is set to receive everyone.  The coffee set up by our host team and the pastries baked by one of our own Jr. High girls are ready to welcome you by 8.30 am.   And as the praise team is getting ready for worship, the sound of music from the sanctuary envelops me in the presence of God before the “official” 9 am worship starts! I often find myself drowning in the worship songs as they practice. Thank God!
After worship, I walk through the halls to see how our growth groups are doing. I let out a short prayer here and there that everyone may share with honesty and transparency because only in genuine sharing can there is be genuine transformation. Last week I saw people tearing up while sharing that brought joy to my heart because I know that there is transparency, which gives God room to shape and mold the group.
Wednesday and Friday nights are joy to me because of our discipleship classes. Physical tiredness drowns in the joy of being with my brothers and sisters in the Lord! Last week, I heard their testimonies about Jesus. Oh my! Blessings galore! As each member shared his or her encounter with Jesus, my heart was jumping with joy... I thought I was going to explode!!! Thank you all for sharing! What joy!
How can we forget about the BBQ last month. Homemade hamburgers, soup, lettuce, tomatoes [Ben’s favorite],...etc. And David Kim, our new youth pastor, was there as well! What blessings.
Why do we do this? Why wake up so early to prepare on Sunday? Why come to Discipleship after a long work day? Commitment!  Committed to awaken the laity by training devoted disciples of Jesus to impact the world!
Nothing happens until a commitment is made. No one has ever become a success by giving half effort! 
I read a story a while ago about the Alps in Europe. Half way up the mountain is a nice "half way" house. Climbers are encouraged to stop and rest there before they continue to the top. It is meant to be a resting place before the climbers continue. But many people come to the halfway house and remain there. The enticement of the warmth of the fire place, a cup of hot coffee and the view is to die for! This midpoint is such a warm cozy and enticing place that many people come to the half way house and relinquish their original goal of reaching  the top... they are half way committed. 
I imagine, people are laughing and singing and sharing stories for the first hour in the half way house. But then the whole place is silenced as they look to the top and wonder what it would have been like to reach the top. Soon they may start to see the first group that made it to the top coming down with laughter and stories of what they saw and the whole half way house with warmth of the fire, hot coffee and the view become quiet, uneasy, and dissatisfied! Why? Because people who once had a vision for the top settled for the half way house!
Commitment is an indispensable character that keeps us keeping on when the going gets tough. Commitment keeps us studying while our friends play ball. Commitment wakes us up in the wee hours of the morning when others are sleeping. Commitment makes a junior higher bake cakes for the church. Commitment makes us set up to welcome the new comers to the church. Commitment keeps us up all night to prepare for the worship set! Commitment is a quality we cannot do without. Commitment helps us to find satisfaction and love in life when others are wondering what it would have been like!
Someone once said, “The way to success is built on a hill, no place is provided for a stop, it requires less effort to remain at the bottom but you will see so much more at the top!”
People say, “I am too busy for this or that.” I see lots of people busy doing nothing. Or if they are doing something, it’s not worth anything, which is basically nothing! 
Martin Luther King Jr. once stated "if a man has been called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep the street even as Beethoven played music and Michelangelo painted, he should sweep the street until all the host of heaven and earth will stand and say 'here lived a street sweeper.'"
Are you committed to give your best for the glory of the One who is the best? Today we celebrate communion. Let us remember Jesus, who was committed to each one of you. 
“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

What was Jesus’ joy? To glorify the Father first and foremost and to see you and I enter the fullness of joy in Him! May our commitments in life bring the greatest glory to Him and blessings to those around us!

Power of Restraint

Have you heard of the Marshmallow Test conducted by Stanford University Researchers in the last 1960s? Researchers submitted hundreds of four-year-olds to a little test of willpower:  the kids were put in a small room with marshmallows, each had one marshmallow in front of them. They were told they could either eat the treat now, or, if they could wait for another 15 minutes until the researcher returned, they could have two.

Some kids waited while others failed to resist the whirlpool of temptation for even a minute. Many others struggled a little longer before eventually giving in. The most successful kids were the ones who figured out how to distract themselves from the marshmallow’s seduction - by facing in different direction, closing their eyes, or kicking something...etc. - and delayed gratification for the full 15 minutes.

What’s interesting is that these kids who waited for 15 minutes were significantly more successful in life than the kids who gave in. Even the SAT scores were an average of 210 points higher among those who waited 15 minutes. 

The strength to achieve a goal and accomplish a dream come from self-control! People who are on the path to destruction are people gives in to their impulse. But the path of success is found in those who are able to manage their impulse through self-control. Self-control is indispensable in order to live in peace and in harmony. It’s the power to live according to what we know to be true and right over impulsive living. 

Researchers have estimated that we make over 2,500 choices every day. Therefore having the self control to choose to live according to the principles in God’s Word is the most important decision you can make. A Christian who lacks self control is like driving a car down hill with a broken break system.

Bible says “Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him” in a open field. 

Genesis 4:6 | “The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?”

When self control is out of control, people kill. 

Proverbs 12:16(NLT) | A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.

Victor Frankl, the Jewish psychologist who spent time in a Nazi concentration camp in Germany wrote, "They stripped me naked. They took everything -- my wedding ring, watch. I stood there naked and all of a sudden realized at that moment that although they could take everything away from me -- my wife, my family, my possessions -- they could not take away my freedom to choose how I was going to respond.”

What is love? It is the power to be patient. It is the ability to bear all thing in all circumstances. There is a reason why the fruit of the Spirit found in the book of Galatians starts with love and ends with self-control. Love without self-control turns to unrestrained lust. Self-control without love is cold and brash. But with the balance of love and self-control, there is power and strength to make a difference! May you and I live our lives in such a way love and self-control enables us to impact this world as disciples of Jesus. Have a blessed week!