LifeChurch

In the previous blog, I have asked WHO would you accept as the son-in-law of the princess if you were the king and WHY?   I have promised to share the decision the king has made… so he it is.

The king chose the third brother as his son-in-law.  Here is the reason why:  the first and the second brother will still have their magical items (telescope and carpet) even after the princess got well.  On the other hand, the third brother had no longer his magic apple because the princess ate it.  Thus, the king decided to give his daughter to the one who gave EVERYTHING to save the princess.

It reminded me again of how God wants EVERYTHING of us not just SOMETHING of us.  Jesus even told a ruler in Luke 18:22, “Sell everything you have give to the poor.”  I believe the key is not giving to the poor but sell EVERYTHING!  Following Christ requires EVERYTHING of our lives.

I gladly give my apple to the LORD!  ^_^

Talmud had a story about a king who had a beautiful princess.  He loved her so much but the princess was at a verge of death due to an illness.  Many doctors prescribed and applied all kinds of medicines but none worked.  Becoming very desperate, the king proclaimed that whoever heals the princess will marry the princess and will eventually become the next king as the reward.

Three brothers who lived far away from the palace heard of the news of the princess being ill and discussed to find a way to heal her.  Each of these brothers had a magical item: the first brother had a magic telescope that can see anywhere; the second brother had a magic carpet that can fly anywhere; and finally the third brother had a magic apple that can heal any illness.

So they verified the proclamation with the magic telescope, and then they flew out to the palace on the magic carpet and gave the princess the magic apple.  The princess got better immediately.

The king threw a banquet on behalf of these three brothers and to celebrate the princess’ recovery.  As he wanted to announce the person who will marry the princess at the banquet, he had a dilemma.  The king couldn’t decide which one to give his daughter to because they all took part in healing her.

Knowing this the first brother reasoned, “Unless I saw the proclamation, none of us could have known about this reward and thus, I am the one who deserve to marry the princess.”  Then, the second brother argued, “Even if we found out, without my magic carpet we couldn’t get here in time to heal her and so I should be the one.”  Finally, the third brother jumped in and said, “True, but without my magic apple, how can the princess be healed and thus, I am the one who should marry her.”

Here is the question, WHO would you accept as the son-in-law of the princess if you were the king and WHY?  You are welcome to post your comments here.  I will share the King’s decision in a few days.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

I will post how the king decided on the next blog but do want to give you some time to think.

The story is told that one day a beggar by the roadside asked for alms from Alexander the Great as he passed by.  The man was poor and wretched and had no claim upon the ruler, no right even to lift a solicitous hand.  Yet the Emperor threw him several gold coins.

A courtier was astonished at his generosity and commented, “Sir, copper coins would adequately meet a beggar’s need.  Why give him gold?”

Alexander responded in royal fashion, “Cooper coins would suit the beggar’s need, but gold coins suit Alexander’s giving.”

This story reminded me of how grace and mercy that I receive everyday fits God’s character.  I don’t deserve it and yet, He gives and gives… that’s who He is!

Lord, today I beg for wisdom because you promised, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault”  (James 1:5). 

Life Church people… beg God for your needs!

Seat belts were only in the front seats when the U.S. National Highway Safety Bureau  automobile manufactures require to install seat belts in 1968.  Today, we have seat belts in the front and back as well as airbags for safety.  However, the problem is that not many people were using seat belts until state laws were passed.  Once people were pulled over for not wearing a seat belt and ticketed, more people started to buckle up.  Therefore, California even had, “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign in 2005 which brought 92%+ people buckling up.  The fine could add up to minimum of $142 (fine and processing fees) to several hundreds of dollars.

What is the meaning and purpose of seat belt?  A seat belt is probably the most important safety feature in a automobile.  Nevertheless, often people are casual about the use of a seat belt and more often than not, they put it on to avoid citation worth $150 or so.  What was created to provide possible life-saving safety is considered a citation-preventing task.  People were driven to put on seat belt in order to avoid fine and driven by safety!

I am guilty of this, too.  I get into my car and buckle up because I don’t want to get pulled over NOT that I want to keep myself safe in case of accident.

I wonder if we are doing the same thing with our worship and walk with God.  Do we come to worship on Sunday because that’s what Christians do and to avoid being labeled as mediocre Christian?  I hope and pray that Life Church people will come to worship and approach God because He is life-giving, unconditionally-loving, and source of our strength, wisdom and hope and NOT merely trying to avoid guilt and discipline.

So when you buckle up… remember to “buckle up” in God’s grace and love, too!
Have a wonderful week!

Pastor Loren

For the Christian, marriage ought to be like the couple that had been married 39 years. They’d been through some stormy times, but in their tenth year marriage came the bout to end all bouts.  The wife got so mad she pulled her suitcase out of the bedroom closet and started packing.

“What are you doing?” her husband demanded.

“I’m leaving.”

So without a word he got his suitcase and started filling it with his clothes.

“Now, what are you doing?” his wife asked, bewildered.

“If you’re leaving,” he told her firmly, “I’m going with you.”

Not only marriages but every relationship is difficult and challenging.  Thus, I am going speak on relationship based on the book of Philemon starting this Sunday (Oct. 21st).  I hope all of you would join us at Life Church and benefit from very short letter from Apostle Paul  in developing a long, productive, and lasting relationships.  

Did you know that pigs cannot look up and see the sky?  Structurally, pigs neck bones are directed downwards and even if they move the head up, they can lift enough to be level with their backs.  Therefore, they CANNOT see the sky!

This made me think about how often we act like pigs and only look down as we only focus on see what is in front of us.  Psalmist says, “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?”  (Psalm 121:1).  As we look up and see the vast sky, it should remind us of our Creator who gives us hope, strength and wisdom.  Thus, the following verse 2 says, “My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Although pigs are not structurally impossible to “look up,” there is one way they can see the sky and that is when pigs fall back on their back, overturned.  It’s only when pigs are on their back, they can see the sun, moon, stars and blue sky.

Likewise, when we OVERTURN, humble ourselves, we can see a different world otherwise we can’t see.  Structurally we are able to look up.  Thus, let’s do so often and all the more when we are down on our back.  I hope ythis pastor’s corner will remind us to look up and see where our help comes from.

Have you ever seen a tailor or laundry cleaner places a piece of absorbent paper over a spot of grease and press down on it with a hot iron?  One can easily spray some chemicals on the spot and dry clean or wash it.  However, here is the reason why he does that.  The heat melts the grease, and the paper absorbs it.

Real love absorbs the spots in the lives of others, making them feel the warmth of our own hearts for them.  Don’t wait too long for the stains and spots to “permanently” set in.  1 John 4:11 says, “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”   So let’s go and love people as Christ loved us and melt their pain, hurt, and loneliness away.

Two words that don’t go together is known as oxymoron such as “working vacation, plastic glass, exact estimate and jumbo shrimp.”  Well, how about “casual worship”?  Yes, we come to church “casually” dressed for worship and the order of the worship service is not “traditional” as known but “casual worship” doesn’t and shouldn’t mean our attitude of worship.

Jesus said in John 4:24, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”  Our worship is an encounter and entering in the presence of  the living and holy God.  Moses took off of his sandals, Isaiah was in fear, and Job kept quiet because of being in presence of God.  Thus, can we worship God “casually”?  Absolutely NO!

So you can attend Life Church casually dressed but but keep in mind that our Life Church is NOT casual worship since we are worshiping the living God!

We invite you to come and join our “non-casual” Life Church worship!  ^_^

How would you feel if your friend was admiring the i-phone 5 you’ve just bought but put a big crack on it by dropping it?  Let it go or ask to replace it?

Leonard Sweet in Out of the Question … Into the Mystery tells a story of Tom Wiles whose new truck got dented by his neighbor’s basketball post that fell on his truck.  The question asked was, “How are you going to have your neighbor pay for it?”

This is how Tom replied, ”  “After a lot of soul-searching and discussions with my wife about hiring an attorney, it came down to this: I can either be in the right, or I can be in a relationship with my neighbor.  Since my neighbor will probably be with me longer than this truck, I decided that I’d rather be in a relationship than be right.  Besides, trucks are meant to be banged up, so I got mine initiated into the real world a bit earlier than I expected.”

What a wonderful attitude and approach to life.  Instead of demanding my RIGHT or doing the “RIGHT” thing, sometimes choosing the RELATIONSHIP is far more important.  God’s love is illogical and so should our love be… and often!

Have a blessed week!

June 6th, 1994 of Our Daily Bread had this story:

According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys.  He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such frivolous activity.

Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and placing it on the ground. Then he said to the critical Athenian, “Now, answer the riddle, if you can.  Tell us what the unstrung bows implies.”

The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make.  Aesop explained, “If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it.”

People are also like that.  That’s why God had given up a time to rest even before we began our work in Gen. 2:2-3.  As Pastor Dennis Marquardt said, “work-ethic” comes from “worship-ethic.”

We should take time to relax physically and renew ourselves emotionally and spiritually in God.  Jesus said in Matt. 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  So take time to loosen the bow.