LifeChurch

When God called Abram to leave the place where he was familiar with, He didn’t tell Abram WHERE he would go, HOW long it will take or WHAT kind of place it will be.  It was the land God promised and that was good enough for him.  However, what got Abram to go was the fact that WHO was going with him.  Though his wife and nephew went with him but knowing God was with him made all the difference.  The companion made Abram to quickly pack up and leave his comfort zone.

When we travel… WHO travels with us makes our travel more pleasurable, exciting, and even comforting.  If a guide who knows the area well, then, we are in good hands.

Likewise, God called Abram and thus, Abram knew God would be with him throughout the journey.  As we begin this journey of faith in 2016, I pray that you would constantly be reminded that God is with us.  When we submit to Him and His plan, we, too, can be a channel of blessing to others as God promised Abram, “And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed”  (Gen. 12:3b).

May 2016 be a wonderful journey  of faith with God!

I heard a story once about two wealthy Christians, a lawyer and a merchant, who traveled with a group that was going around the world.  As they were visiting in Korea, they saw by the side of the road, a field in which a boy was pulling a crude plow and an old man held the plow handles and guided it.  The lawyer was amused and took a snapshot of the scene.

He turned to the missionary, who served as their interpreter and guide, and he said, “That’s a curious picture.  I suppose they are very poor.”

The guide replied, “Yes, that is the family of Jinwoo.  When the place of worship was being built, they were eager to give something to it, but they had no money, so they sold their only ox and gave the money to the church.  This spring, they are pulling the plow themselves.”

The men were silent for several moments, then the businessman replied, “That must have been a real sacrifice.”

The guide said, “They do not call it that.  They thought it was fortunate that they had an ox to sell.”

If an angel said, “Lord, sending your one an only Son for these people is a great sacrifice.”  Which I believe God would have said, “I don’t see it as a sacrifice.  I love them.”

During this Christmas season, let us be reminded of John 3 16, “For God so love the world (ME) that He gave His only begotten Son…”

Have a wonderful week!

Inside Out has become one of my favorite Pixar animated movies because how it is creative and yet captures our emotions (joy, sadness, fear, anger and disgust) so well.

In that movie, there is a character called Bing Bong who was Riley’s imaginary friend. When Joy and Sadness were accidentally ejected from the headquarter, Bing Bong tried to get them back.  However, while on their way, when Joy and Bing Bong fell into the Memory Dump, they tried to fly out on a cart because  a song give power for the cart to fly.

Unfortunately, the cart was too heavy for both Bing Bong and Joy to fly them out of Memory Dump hill.  So Bing Bong voluntarily sacrificed himself so that Riley can have Joy back.  What a beautiful reminder of Jesus.  Jesus Christ voluntarily came to this earth and died for our sin so that we may have eternal life and abundant joy.

Not only Bing Bong but there are so many reminder of Christ’s love in this season.  I pray and hope that we would recognize God’s love for us shown in Jesus Christ during this Christmas season.

Who’s the best in every way… Jesus Christ!

Have a blessed week!

Leadership Journal had an article regarding church closing on Christmas Day.  One of the mega churches, Fellowship Church in Texas, announced that she will be closed on Sunday because it falls on Christmas due to possible low attendance.  So Ed Young (Ed Young Jr.) defended his Texas congregation’s choice to encourage families to stay home on Sunday and open presents in their jammies by scheduling two dozen Christmas Eve-type services the week before Christmas.

Though there were strong criticism from others, soon after some other churches followed Fellowship Church’s practice and closed on Christmas Sunday when it fell on Dec. 25th.

As we are getting closer to Christmas, I am reminding myself why Christmas exists.  Christmas without Christ is truly meaningless.  In fact, without Christ, there is no CHRISTmas!

I am sure we can worship and celebrate the birth our Lord Jesus Christ at home with family members but how much more joyful it will be to do that TOGETHER with others.

So all of you should take time to celebrate Christ’s celebration in your local church.  If you don’t have one, you are welcome to join us on Dec. 20th @ 4:00PM because we are NOT closed!

God bless and have a blessed week!

Several years ago, I received an email for the Longs Drugs Challenge LPGA volunteer recruitment.  According to the email, “There are many benefits for volunteering, including a Longs Drugs $25 gift card, one complimentary tournament ticket to all events, meals on days worked and a volunteer appreciation party and in addition, the opportunity to see the world’s best women golfers play” said the planning committee.  Perhaps, this opportunity does provide very memorial experience for each volunteer.

Each PGA or LPGA event requires 3,000 or more volunteers during the tournament period and yet, it gets filled so quickly.  In fact, 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits have filled approximately 3,400 volunteer position more than 6 months before the actual event in August.  Those volunteers are so willing to spend time, energy and money for a “memorable experience.”

In number of Apostle Paul’s letters, he mentioned many people who served with him so sacrificially without receiving recognition, appreciation or “memorable experience.”  However, they gave up their lives “voluntarily” for God’s kingdom sake.  Maybe there are no perks like a gift card, tournament ticket or an opportunity for an autograph from PGA golfers, but God guarantees a reward for those who faithfully serve him.  To them serving the Lord itself was true “memorable experience.”  I hope for us, too!

Therefore, be quick to sign up for volunteering opportunities in your local church.  You may not be remembered by people here but God remembers!

Have a blessed week!

According to Julie Deardorff in “Unwitting Marathon Runners Go Extra Mile” of Chicago Tribune (6-3-05), many ran an extra mile.  A marathon, for most runners, seems long.  But it is always 26.2 miles.  Always with no exception… that is except for the Lakeshore Marathon held in Chicago on Memorial Day weekend, 2005.

That day the 529 runners who finished actually ran 27.2 miles, one mile more than they were supposed to, only nobody told them so at the time.  The organizers simply miscalculated where the finish line should be.  The whole race was a mess, with missing mile markers and confused directions.  One woman who had been leading early on got completely turned around. “I was so confused,” she said, “I wanted to cry.”

The organizer, a man named Mark Cihlar, issued an apology—kind of—on a website. “[Last-minute changes] caused us to miscalculate and we foolishly added an extra mile—how terrible!”

Maybe life has been like that for you past weeks or months.  It’s tough enough to get through each week, and then someone threw you a curve—or added an extra mile; an impossible deadline; another sick child; an overdue notice on a bill; or an unexpected disaster.

When you feel like you’ve been forced to run farther than anybody should have to, it helps to remember that God’s strength is sufficient, and that “those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isa. 40:31).  I am sure there are people around you who are willing to go an extra mile WITH you.  Me, too!   Let me know how I can better pray and minister to you.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor Loren

A man applied for a job as a handyman.   The prospective employer asked, “Can
you do carpentry?”  The man answered in the negative.

“How about bricklaying?”  Again the man answered, “No.”

The employer asked, “Well, what about electrical work?”  The man said “No, I
don’t know anything about that either.”  Finally the employer said, “Well, tell me then what is handy about you.”   The man replied, “I live just around the corner.”

Sometimes the greatest ability we can have is availability.  To be where God can call us, to be within whisper range of his summons, that is the beginning of a life of meaningful discipleship.   I have seen people with experience, talents, resources, and brilliant mind, but if they are not available, they are useless in the kingdom of God.  Are you available for Him?  May God bless your schedule that you may become more available for learning, serving, giving and going.

Have a great week!