Pastoral Letter (436)                                                                       March 11, 2012

  When We Cannot See What’s Ahead  

There are many people who complain about the bad economy that prevents them from seeing

what’s ahead. When the business doesn’t go well yet the payments are due, how frustrated might

one be?  However, humans gain the strength to proceed forward when there is hope for a better

tomorrow.  But there are times when the future looks bleak and even less promising that it is

today.  What should we do in these instances?  

There is a woman named Fanny Jane Crosby.  She became blind when she was 6 months old.

Her intelligence shined even in her childhood and she composed many poems and sang well. 

However, the reality of blindness impaired her from fully using these abilities.  And she spends

her time in darkness for a very long time because of the helplessness that came from her disability.

The year she turned 30, she attended a mission conference in New York and sang a hymn.  As she

sang “How is this that the Lord died for me?” tears ran down her face; she had realized the grace of

the Gospel.  She had come to believe that Jesus actually died for her with all her heart and soul.

In that moment, the tears she shed washed away her past darkness.  And she decides to live a new

life.  She questions the following in the lyrics of the hymn;”All I have to give You is my body so

I give it all to You.”  “Lord, could I also work for You?”  And the Lord gives her the answer,

“Did I not give you talent?  Can you not write poetry and songs?”  “Yes, Lord.  I will write

poems and compose songs for You.”

And since then, her life changed from a helpless life to a life like a burning fire.  If we look at the

hymn book we use, we can see the composer’s name.  Some of the hymns she wrote are Jesus

Shed His Blood for Me(144), When Jesus comes to Reward His Servants( 163), Blessed Assurance

(204), I am Thine, O Lord, I Have Heard Thy Voice (219), If I come to Jesus (300), Pass me not O

gentle Savior (337), Savior, more than life to me (424), All the way my Savior leads me (434),

A Wonderful Savior is Jesus My Lord (446), ‘Tis the blessed hour of Prayer (480), Thou, my

everlasting portion (492), and others.  She composed a total of 8,000 songs until she was 95 years

old.

How was this possible?  It was all from the moment she met living Jesus in person.  After she

met Jesus, her body was the same but her soul changed.  She confirmed the wonderful truth that

God loves her, and gave her a mission in life.  In one of my personal favorites of her hymns, 204,

the lyrics are as the following.  “Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and

blest; watching and waiting, looking, above, filled with His goodness, lost in His love.”  Let us not

become depressed even when we cannot see what’s ahead and live with Jesus as our visual.

Brother living in the Lord, Ki Beom Lee

  Sermon note (A happy home, A joyful church life 10)                                Mar 11, 2012

  ( Matthew 24: 10 ~ 13 )

Jesus told us “Do not fall into temptation.”  Jesus says in (Matt 26:41) “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”  Moreover, near the end things will happen more often to believers in an attempt to deceive them and lead them away from God.  Modern people often say that this is the “End Times”.  When they see horrible crimes that should never be committed and seem to lead to the destruction of humanity they say this must be the end.  When they see crimes, like the rape of children committed by people who feel no remorse, they say this is the end.  We are shocked to death when we see people who are supposed to be devoted to the education of children with disabilities instead turning them into sexual prey.  We feel fear of the near destruction of the world when we see children kill their parents who ‘nag’ them out of concern, like about game addiction.  We worry about how far humanity can fall when we see those who believe in and fear God lie and cheat like they are eating rice.

We can’t say that these extreme cases are the only examples of temptation.  We often fall into temptation in our daily lives.  Even unconsciously we start to hate people.  Sometimes we hate our spouse for no good reason.  We even begin to hate our children.  Sometimes we feel like our church family is filled with hypocrites.  Why is that?  Because we fell into temptation.  We cannot simply say that this is due to depression.  It is not due to the weather or my mood.  Sometimes people just turn aggressive.  Sometimes a person with an harmonious and gentle character can act strange and completely against common sense. 

Jesus said that near the end one of the typical signs will be the destruction of humanity.

The Apostle Paul describes this phenomenon in more detail.  Homosexuality will occur more often due to the corruption of sexual morality.  Instead of worshiping God people will worship their own individual idols.  People will appear who are filled with immorality, depravity, avarice and viciousness.  Full of envy, murder and evil mindedness they are gossipers.  They are backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents.  Undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful: who knowing the righteous judgement of God practice such things that are worthy of death and approve of others who practice them. (Romans 1:18-32)

Today we hear these words and need to reflect on whether or not we have fallen into temptation.  If I hate someone, If I’m critical of someone rather then praying for him, If I don’t want to go to church, If I’m lazy about praying, If I’ve lost my desire to learn with a humble heart then we have fallen into temptation.  What should we do?  Jesus teaches us;

1. Do not swerve to the right or the left, if you (                 ) hearing only one side then you have fallen into temptation.

2. Do not hate anybody.  Directly against the  (                 ) of God is temptation.

3. Even in difficult circumstances when someone causes you worry, think about Jesus and be (                     ).

(Correct answer)

1.     Judge   2.  Nature    3. patient

  Sermon note (A happy home, A joyful church life 10)                                Mar 11, 2012

  ( Matthew 24: 10 ~ 13 )

Jesus told us “Do not fall into temptation.”  Jesus says in (Matt 26:41) “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”  Moreover, near the end things will happen more often to believers in an attempt to deceive them and lead them away from God.  Modern people often say that this is the “End Times”.  When they see horrible crimes that should never be committed and seem to lead to the destruction of humanity they say this must be the end.  When they see crimes, like the rape of children committed by people who feel no remorse, they say this is the end.  We are shocked to death when we see people who are supposed to be devoted to the education of children with disabilities instead turning them into sexual prey.  We feel fear of the near destruction of the world when we see children kill their parents who ‘nag’ them out of concern, like about game addiction.  We worry about how far humanity can fall when we see those who believe in and fear God lie and cheat like they are eating rice.

We can’t say that these extreme cases are the only examples of temptation.  We often fall into temptation in our daily lives.  Even unconsciously we start to hate people.  Sometimes we hate our spouse for no good reason.  We even begin to hate our children.  Sometimes we feel like our church family is filled with hypocrites.  Why is that?  Because we fell into temptation.  We cannot simply say that this is due to depression.  It is not due to the weather or my mood.  Sometimes people just turn aggressive.  Sometimes a person with an harmonious and gentle character can act strange and completely against common sense. 

Jesus said that near the end one of the typical signs will be the destruction of humanity.

The Apostle Paul describes this phenomenon in more detail.  Homosexuality will occur more often due to the corruption of sexual morality.  Instead of worshiping God people will worship their own individual idols.  People will appear who are filled with immorality, depravity, avarice and viciousness.  Full of envy, murder and evil mindedness they are gossipers.  They are backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents.  Undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful: who knowing the righteous judgement of God practice such things that are worthy of death and approve of others who practice them. (Romans 1:18-32)

Today we hear these words and need to reflect on whether or not we have fallen into temptation.  If I hate someone, If I’m critical of someone rather then praying for him, If I don’t want to go to church, If I’m lazy about praying, If I’ve lost my desire to learn with a humble heart then we have fallen into temptation.  What should we do?  Jesus teaches us;

1. Do not swerve to the right or the left, if you (                 ) hearing only one side then you have fallen into temptation.

2. Do not hate anybody.  Directly against the  (                 ) of God is temptation.

3. Even in difficult circumstances when someone causes you worry, think about Jesus and be (                     ).

(Correct answer)

1.     Judge   2.  Nature    3. patient

Pastoral Letter (435)                                                                               March 4, 2012

  Family Is a Museum of Memories  

The founder of the world renowned organization <l’abri>, Edith Schaeffer, said,

“Family is a museum of memories.”  Home is the most special place and the place

 where most memories are developed.  Our first interaction occurs at our home,

and our last good-bye is also with our family. The parent and the child make

beautiful memoirs together.  And when these memoirs build up, our creativity

also develops.  And we overcome trials and hardships with these beautiful

memories. 

Further on, we are able to have confidence that’s needed to break through

the protest and objection.  However, we do not only have happy memories

of our family.  Because it is our family, there are scars that we cannot talk to

others about, and have to deal with it on our own.  It can not only be a museum

 of memories, but also a museum of anger and curse.  Therefore, we have

the delegation to beautify our God-given family.  Memories depend on

what I do today. God gives wisdom to someone who is determined to

‘make good memories.’

The author of the book, [We became Parents], Su-woong Park, spent

 ‘special days’ with his family for a while.  During his immigration time in America,

he said that he spent the busiest days. He also confessed that he raised

his children with force because of his awareness of his authority as

a father.  Then, he started to open his eyes to ‘what a father is?

And what does the children want from their father?’ in a family seminar

 in America.  And he started to make time to spend time with his kids,

at the children’s level, and tried to communicate with them. 

This was the start of <special days>. 

It is a monthly event in which he went on a date with one of his three kids.

The date was like the following. 

First, he and his child eat in a restaurant of the child’s choice.

After the meal, he listens to whatever the child wants to talk about; school,

relationship with friends, things that happened at home…. 

The factor to watch out for is that he never scolds or castigates the child. 

This is because that day is the <Special Day>.  If even on this day, the father

scolds the child for doing what he did, the child might close the door of

his heart against the dad.

So on this day, the father carefully listens to what the child has to say

and acknowledge that he understands.  And lastly, he said that he bought

his child a present of his wish.  Only, he said,  “As I have told you earlier,

the present has to be within 20 dollars.” (pg. 144-151)

As I read this book, I wished that Sunday could be a Special Day. 

A day when there are no complaints, a day to spend time with our children,

to make memories, be happy, and a day to wait for; wouldn’t not only

our children but also God be delighted by this?

                                                                 God’s happy child, Ki Beom Lee

   Sermon note (A happy home, A joyful church life 9)                                                Mar 4^th 2012

( Nehemiah 8: 1 ~ 12 )

Human beings need a mirror by which we reflect ourselves. We need a mirror, which is not only reflecting our faces, but also reflecting entire our lives. How would our hearts and souls be considered from the God’s perspective?  What about our characters? How would God evaluate us? I remember some of comments from the evaluation of me by teachers of an elementary school I attended. A few years ago, I visited South Korea and received a medical examination. I remember the doctor’s diagnosis and comments. But I think we should know that the most important evaluation about us would come from our God.

David was evaluated by God like this. “For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s command all the days of his life— except in the case of Uriah the Hittite”(1 King 15:5).

It is Abraham Lincoln who is one of the most revered presidents in the history of America. He found the Bible the most reliable source for his decision and judgment. After he had been elected as a President, he had to leave Springfield for Washington D.C.. Thousands of people were waiting for Lincoln at the train station to say good-bye to him. At the station, Lincoln told his life time supporters of a legion of people, “Without the help of the God, who has been always taking care of me, I would not be successful. I am sure to be successful thanks to God’s help. With his help, it is impossible for me not to be successful. I am sure that everything is fine with our God, who exists wherever for the righteousness, being always together with me and with you as well.   

David and Lincoln are those who fear God. They cherished God’s words most dearly. They made it a habit to reflect themselves on the words of God. I really hope that all the people of Spokane love God and reflect themselves, contemplating on His words. Who do you think are the wisest? It is they who follow God’s path and His heart. How do we know His heart toward us? God gave us the Bible as a present for us. The Bible is a wonderful guide for us to understand His character, His will, and His plan for us. It is also a spiritual mirror which enables us to face our true inner selves.

Those who love God and His words are obedient to God. God would give them His grace. Those who are given God’s grace might as well change into the ones with integrity. People with integrity are honest, transparent, and sincere. They are not harsh. They are not arrogant. They are humble. Such a perfect example is Jesus Christ.

Today’s scripture is about Israeli who reconstructed the castle as well as their hearts and souls.

1.  God’s words expose our sins and make us (            ) into tears.

2.  God’s words reveal His (         ) toward us and make us say Amen.

3.  God’s words make (             ) change into better persons.

       [ answer ]              1. repent    2. love    3. us

    (A happy home, A joyful church life 8)                                                                               Feb 26th, 2012

( Matthew 26: 36 ~ 46 )

Now Jesus tells us to pray.  Prayer is not always comfortable, but is often a terrible struggle.  Those who come to early morning service each day to pray will have experienced this.  There is always the temptation to sleep in.  It feels as though someone is saying “Let’s take the day off and get some rest!”  In prayer there is worry.  In your mind there is a taut tug of war between the desire to serve God with all your heart and to rely on Him or to merely rely on your own resources (Your skills, your experience, your effort).

How do you pray these days?  Do you wake up early, put on clean clothes and come to church to pray?  Do you come regularly on Sunday morning to pray for others?  Or do you just pray before meals? 

It is not an exaggeration to say that a successful life of faith is dependent upon our prayer life.  The more mature Christian prays for God’s will not just self-centered prayers of needs and wants.  He prays keeping in mind God’s word, will and desires.  Those who prayerfully read the bible verse by verse lead their hearts toward God.  People who pray for God’s will are answered and walk through life filled with the Holy Spirit.

People with lots of worries need to pray more often to God.  The person who criticizes others needs to pray to God with all his strength and mind.  A person full of self-pride needs to break his proud mind through prayer.  People for whom everything is going smoothly and according to their expectations need to remember to pray.  People who are in the depths of despair and feeling worthless need to pray and hold on to God with all your heart.  For those who are depressed or full of self-pity there is no other way but to pray with all your heart.

Peter fell asleep even though Jesus asked him to watch and pray.  Even after Jesus asked him a 2^nd time, Peter could not stay awake.  Peter used a sword to protect Jesus and proudly proclaimed he would never betray Him, but in the end denied even knowing Jesus.  What is the reason for this?  He failed to pray.  A man serving the church without praying for guidance is like a drunk driving a bus.  People who attempt to help the church, but do not pray for God’s guidance, will lead the church to the brink of failure.

Jesus prayed at a place called Gethsemane and after praying decided he had to die.  Because of Jesus’ prayer we are saved.  We are able to be reborn as children of God.  Jesus’ victory is attributable to this prayer which for him was a terrible struggle.  The morning of the resurrection is a direct result of Jesus’ victory over his personal desires through prayer.  Jesus told us to pray if we want to be successful believers.  Can we stand up and through prayer overcome inertia in our life and walk with the Lord?  How do you walk with the Lord?  What should you do?  Jesus teaches us.

1. Overcome the difficult  (                   ) which keep us from prayer

2. Forgive others and pray for your (                   ) to be discarded

3. Decide to (                  ) and walk with the Lord

[ correct answer ]

1. tests       2. greed        3. die

Pastoral Letter (434)                                                                    February 26, 2012

  Three Things to Do During Lent  

First, it is to repent daily.  Someone who realized how much God loves him also thinks of how

“I hurt God’s heart.”  We have all concerned God individually.  My own self was in Jesus’ prayer

 list.  We were the people that made the Holy Spirit concerned.  However, God still loves us. 

And the Holy Spirit is not trying to scold us or provoke guilt among us.  It is because we need to

repent our ‘weakness and distorted thoughts’ in order to become enlightened and grow. 

I repented about how I didn’t deeply comprehend and pray daily with for burning passion for our

church members.  I am repenting for not being able to share the inner thoughts of the church

members that are shedding tears from pain, loneliness, scars and weakness, as a pastor. 

I reflected on how I only thought of my own pains but ignored the scars that I gave to others.

 “You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt?

For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.” (Romans 14:10)

Second, it is to read God’s word.  It is also to listen to God’s voice and obey it. Our God is a creator

that cannot be compared to any other godly figures on earth.  It is only our God that replies to our

prayers, and save us from our sins and death.  We need to keep close God’s word in order to love

God solely and with all our strength.  We need to set a reading goal daily, and take it in and act it

out with our body.  I pray one wish for my only daughter concentrically; to become a person that

loves God with all her heart. Also, the prayer that I had for the past 10 years for our church

members was to ‘develop a habit of doing QT.  Further on, I prayed that our church members

could start the day with gratitude towards God, and listen to His voice.  What is success?  Isn’t it

to depend on God?  And what is wisdom?  Isn’t it to fear the Lord?  Also, what is humility?

Isn’t humility to ask God and obey Him?  Lastly, what is happiness?  Isn’t it to receive God’s

leadership?

Third, it is to love one soul and lead it to God.  Jesus said the following.  “For the Son of Man

came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)  Victorville, California is a small city of 150,000

in population.  High Desert church has an attendance of 12,000 people.  This means that 8%

of the city’s population goes to the same church.  The even more surprising fact is that for more

than 60% of its church members, it is their first time in contact with the gospel.  The mission of

this church is to save souls. From little children to elders, over 8,000 people participate in the church’s duty.  They all work with the pride that ‘someone can get to know Jesus through me.’ 

I ask you to join in this act that brings the highest glory and joy to our Lord?

Meditating on the Lord’s sufferings,

Ki Beom Lee

Sermon note (A happy home, A joyful church life 6)                                                 Feb 12^th 2012

( Luke 15: 13 ~ 24 )

Celebrities and sports stars feel happy in the adoration of their fans, yet at the same time they feel pain and stress from critical and hateful anti-fans.  Does this happen only to celebrities and famous athletes?  Do you have a hard time with people who hate you or with people you hate?  We all have those we love and those we hate.  There are suicides among young people today because of alienation by their peers.  In our hearts and minds feelings of love and hate coexist.  Surrounding us are not only positive people who encourage us, but also negative people who discourage us.  If you don’t go to church because you feel someone there hates you or because you hate someone there, then you are the unhappy one.  The bible says anyone who hates his brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15)

Every day we have good and bad feelings.  Some things we do make us feel good about ourselves, other times we act in ways that are cruel and intolerable.  It is no exaggeration that dark sinking feelings, boiling anger, mental tension and stress are a part of our everyday lives.  In the past agricultural society our suffering was primarily due to physical exhaustion.  How hard was it to work in the rice paddies or to plow the fields?  In modern society mental pain supercedes physical pain.  Then again, most of us are dominated by negative thinking as opposed to positive thinking.  Many relationships end because we focus on the bad rather than the good.  Many people are drawn into spiritual stagnation and deep depression.

We forget some important facts.  We unconsciously speak to ourselves in our minds.  Everyone has a certain impression of himself which is self-image.  The self-talk that we all do is our way of interpreting events and how we respond to them.  Our feelings and responses to stimuli as well as old habits and actions have been developed non-stop since childhood.  As a result, we hear our interpretation of facts rather than the facts themselves.  These interpretations can change in place and time.

Kathy is a woman who says, “I want to die.  There’s no hope.  If I die at least my 6-month old daughter will have a new opportunity.  Someone can adopt her daughter, raise her well, and give her a better life.”  Is she really better off dead, as she says?  Will her parents be happier with her dead?  Is there really no hope in her situation?  No.  This is not the absence of hope, just a painful and difficult situation.

Jesus tells us of a man who had fallen on desperate times, of the negative emotions he felt, and how he overcame his circumstances.  This is our story!

1. Overcome pessimism and (                            ).

2. Shake off feelings of rejection and (                            ).

3. Nail to the Cross the (                     ) of punishment

and an uncertain future.

[ answer ]

1. emptiness    2. Loneliness    3. fear

   Sermon Note                                                                                                                                  Feb. 5, 2012

(Isaiah  40:25 ~ 31)

There was a married couple in a church, who are very obedient. People regarded them as docile to the extent that they can live even without laws. The couple had a seven-year-old son, who was a headache to Sunday school teachers. The teachers could not control the easily angered and recalcitrant boy, who became aged 8. The parents struggled to make him a good child, sometimes coddling, admonishing, and punishing him with a rod. They earnestly prayed for their child. Then one day, the mother confessed that God made her reflect on herself.  

She said,“I found myself exhausted with the circumstances where my husband had been unemployed five years and I had to take care of my mother who became ill. Unlike the images my neighbors superficially had about me, I discovered that I had been too aggressive to my child and hurt him with verbal harassment. Do on your own way! How come you cannot do such a small thing! Do you really think that I teach you one by one, step by step? Disconnected from intimate relationships with the parents, the child felt denied and rejected from his parents. He naturally became frustrated and the anger accumulated in his heart increased. I realized that the anger resulting from my problem transferred to my child. This realization made me painful. The thought that my child got wayward partly because of my own problem made me excruciating. I felt hopeless.”  

In a process of our growth, we might want to live like our parents. On the other hand, we might think that we would never live like our parents. So after marriage, we have various kinds of fears raising our children. We have fears that we would have a quarrel with a partner instead of solving problems with conversations. We also fear that we might hurt our children instead of giving them infinite love.

The lives of immigrants are full of tensions and anxiety. We immigrants have difficulties with language and economy. We are very likely to feel overburdened by the harsh reality surrounding us. We often feel discouraged because of our relationships with other people.

It is common that most immigrants struggle adapting to new world. So they are very likely to have unusually high expectations on their children. According to surveys done to immigrants, most of them responded that their biggest joy of life comes from their own achievements, social or economic, or the academic achievements of their children. But we should keep in mind that the bigger our expectations on our children, the higher the level of stresses and pressures our children would have felt. Our children must be hurt and despaired because of parents who would not embrace who their children really are, disappointed with them.  

God is telling us that 'who our children are and what the missions of parents are'. God is explaining to us“The principles of education of children”. Many acclaimed psychologist and educators discovered the profoundly universal principles through the study of human and education. The analysis of such principles reveals that those principles are the ones God already mentioned in the Bible. Then what are the biblical principles in educating our children?

1.  Parents should  (                            )  first.

2.  Who are parents? Remember that parents are (                           ) of children.

3.    (                     ) about your children. What are their thoughts,

    pains,  and characteristics?

[ Answers ]

1. change     2. stewards      3. Study

Pastoral Letter (428)                                                                                                                               Jan 15, 2012

If we have a severe headache, we go to the drugstore and buy medication.  If our body is sick, we receive an examination from the doctor, and in severe cases, the doctors perform surgery.  However, the troubles in our lives are not as easy to solve as these.  In the root of every problem is spiritual emptiness.  It is because our souls have lost its way when we turned our backs from God.  We may think that our lives were ruined because of financial problems, but we know that even in financial abundance our lives can be in a mess.  Isn't it a more of a problem that my soul is lost without a master then the problem of our crushed moral values and cultural clashes?

As a cancer patient on his last stage will die if a medication is not found, if we cannot find medication that will treat our souls, we will also die.  If we cannot find the treatment for our souls, human nature's corruption will accelerate.  So is there a solution?  The solution is nothing else but Jesus Christ who made us.  If it wasn't for His love for us at the cross, our souls could never be filled completely.  As the society's misfortunes have been reported through news to this date, so it will continue to report even more shocking news in the future.  Even the words of "no possible solution" and enervation might be said as a conclusion.  So will humankind be defeated and come to an end in that way?

What is Jesus like?  This question is the one that not only me but other dedicated Christians have pondered about for their lifetime.  Jesus is the God who won victory.  He is the savior of mankind.  The Almighty God who heals our darkness, troubles and wounds.  The world's light. The Terminator of conflict. The perfect Healer of all wounds.  Only Jesus is the original figure of humanity, and is in God's true form.  We cannot live like Him but we can accept our Lord as our master.  We are not the Lord, but we can be connected to Him and bear fruits.  The Lord is the vine, and we are His branches (John 15:4).

The history of mankind has been interconnected with problems that seemed unsolvable.  The problems of eating, financial problems, environmental problems, nuclear bomb problems, ..... And in the center of these problems were always humans.  Problems always follow us in our family, church, school, work place, and every place where humans exist.    "Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”   All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD. "(2 Chronicles 20: 12-13) .....  He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.'" (2 Chronicles 20:15)  

We find the solutions to our problems in God's words.  It is the work to pray for God's intervention with all our hearts.  At this moment, what is your God like?  Is He the God that was there yesturday, is ther today and will be there forever in the future?
 

                                                                                                           A Hopeful Brother, Ki Beom Lee

  Sermon Note                                                                                                       Jan. 15, 2012

( Romans 1: 24 ~ 27 )

Presently, gay issues are in the forefront in the United States.  This is occurring not just in the church, but within the US social system as well.  What rights to give gays is one of the main concerns in the US today.  In American society, each of the 50 states has its own legal system and individual laws. The federal government also has a legal system and laws of its own.  Federal law takes precedent over state law.  If there is no federal laws, however, each state can determine its own laws. If a state passes a law concerning gay issues it does not become a US law.  It stays within the state. 

During the 2009 Miss USA pageant, Miss California Carrie Prejean, was asked by by openly gay pageant judge, Perez Hilton, whether she believed every state should legalize same-sex marriage. She responded that she did not. The pageant Hilton gave her the zero point. The front-runner before that, Prejean lost the competition as the result. According to the Gallup report done in May, 2009, opponents of legalizing same-sex marriage outnumbers supporters in the United States, by 57% to 40%.

PCUSA, which we belong to, has been discussing the issue of gays within the church and the positions they can hold for the last 20 years.  Even though they debated the issue a long time, the general assembly has been unable to conclude whether or not gays should be ordained within the church.  The general assembly determined that further argument over this issue could damage the church so it ceded the final decision to each individual presbytery. In 10-A of the church constitution the standard of ordination was mitigated.  However, these mitigation measures have led to serious concerns in most evangelical churches. Their main concern is the possibility of their presbytery accepting these changes.  This would then lead to churches changing presbyteries regardless of area to fit their beliefs. 

So last May 11^th the NCKPC (the Korean presbytery) had to make a statement.  In my pastor’s letter of June 19^th 2011 I shared this statement with our church.  The essence of this statement is the Korean church is in agreement with the evangelical churches concerns.  We will not ordain gays in the church and will not recognize the ordination of gays in other churches.  It also reaffirmed a determination to maintain a more biblical approach.  Inside our church the evangelical churches held a meeting called The Fellowship of Presbyterian.  They determined we can no longer bow to fundamental changes in standards of ordination and other dangerous changes leading to the potential crippling of the bible’s authority.  For more detail you can go to www.fellowship-pres.org . 

The evangelical churches have 3 possible moves.

1. Affiliate with other like-minded individuals and congregations by joining The Fellowship of Presbyterians while remaining in your current presbytery or continuing to explore some form of differentiation within the PC(USA).

2. Differentiate more completely under the umbrella of The Fellowship by pursuing a union relationship (congregation or presbytery) with both the PC(USA) and the new Reformed body.

3.Separate from the PC(USA) by joining the new Reformed body, while maintaining important relationships and creating new ministry partnerships under the umbrella of The Fellowship of Presbyterians.  The Fellowship is meeting Jan 18-20 in Orlando, FL to discuss new challenges to the church.  Also, NCKPC will be activating a task force to discuss these same challenges.

The bible does not mention homosexuality often.  Just six times. (1)Genesis19:1-29 (2)Leviticus18:22, 20:13 (3)1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (4)1 Timothy1:10  (5)Acts15:28-29  (6)Romans1:18-32.  

God says "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable."(Leviticus 18:22)

Christian ethics can ask the following questions.

(a) Should the church support civil rights for homosexuals?

(b) Can homosexual persons be members of the Christian church?

(c) Is it Christianly appropriate for Christians who experience themselves as having a homosexual

     orientation to continue to participate in same-sex erotic activity?

(d) Should the church sanction and bless homosexual unions?

(e) Does this mean that persons of homosexual orientation are subject to a blanket imposition of celibacy

     in a way qualitatively different from persons of heterosexual orientation?

(f) Should homosexual Christians expect to change their orientation?

(g) Should persons of the fate homosexual orientation be ordained?

           Today God tells us very clearly in Romans the answer to this question.

        Sermon note (A happy home, A joyful church life 2)                                   Jan 8^th 2012

( Mark 12: 28 ~ 34 )

‘How shall we live? If God permits me to have only one week to live on this world, how should I live for that one week without regret? What does it mean to live a wise life?’ Today, Jesus gives us the answers about such questions.

In exercise, study, working life, home life, health care, human relations, and religious life, we would rather succeed than fail. We want to be confident of a successful life. We want to get along well with friends than to be left alone. Above all, we want to be happy. However, it is not easy for people to live this way. There is a great difference between the ideal and the real. Therefore, we worry.

Even though we succeed in all fields of our life, if we failed to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves, what would our life be like?  Even though many others envy and respect you, if you cannot confirm that you are a child of God, what will your soul become? On the contrary, even though you have had a pitiful life that you could not show off in all fields of your life, if your soul knows God’s love and you feel happy due to God’s love, can you say that your life was a failure?

Rick Warren, regarded as a representative of American religious circles today, said, “The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now.”

Even though someone has lost money and lost friends, if he has experienced God’s love and enjoyed it every single day, he is a happy person. And if he has a warm heart that loves his neighbor as himself, can’t we call him a successful person?

Today, Jesus tells us that we should at least become successful in the works that we love. Love that Jesus teaches us is about love of God and love of our neighbor. It is called  <Two commandments of Love>.

Although the Korean Church has completed reviving and growing by faithfully following the great commission of Matthew 28, the mission order to bear testimony of the Gospel to the very end of earth, it has been criticized for paying no attention to the Two Commandments of Love.

Then, to obey to this order of God and become those who love God and love their neighbors, what shall we do? God tells us.

1.     Jesus loves me with all his (       ).

2.      Those who love (          ) are joyful, touched, cured and consoled.

 3.  To love your neighbor as yourself, you have to (         ) from Jesus every single day.

[ Correct Answers ]

1. soul

2. Jesus

3. learn

Pastoral Letter (427)                                                                                                                               Jan 8, 2012

Korean churches have replied faithfully to the command of Jesus Christ on earth (Matthew 28, spread the gospel to the ends of the earth).  So in result, Korean churches have grown tremendously over the past 100 years and held the world's attention at its feet.  However, during that time of development, many scars were created and were not healed, and Korean churches received the criticism that the churches were not healthy.  It gave effort to spreading the gospel and missionaries, but neglected the "Dual Commandment of Love"(Mark 12).

The Dual Commandment of Love is Jesus Christ's lesson to "love God and your neighbor."  We need to implant His words deep into our hearts.  Where specifically the love for God and neighbors would be practiced in life?  It is at <home> and at <church>.  To love your family and to love your neighbors.  If we witness to others when we are at a state in which these are not properly practiced, our faith can only be perceived as false.  So this year, our church plans to actively practice loving God and our neighbors through happy families and joyful church life.  To obey Him.

Starting this Wednesday the Wednesday worship service will change to <Training for Family Ministry and Counseling>.  Ministers, teachers, elders, deacons, and kwonsas who can attend are planning to read a book ahead of time and share their thoughts.  Also, they will be hearing lectures on Family Ministry,  We wish to realize the importance of family ministry, for the Holy Spirit to give us a vision on "happy family and joyful church life" while we pray and devote together, and for church life to become even more joyful.  We plan on having <Wednesday Praise Convention> every first Wednesday of each month.

An immigration church preceded a questionnaire among its 482 people on, what troubles do you have the most?  The answer choices were: (1)Child problems (2)bruised souls (3)problems with faith (4)problems with business (5)future courses (6)problems with marriage (7)immigration (8)menopause problems (9)relationships.  23% of the responses said that <consultation> was needed.  Reasons for not consulting when there's a problem?  (1)I want to figure it out on my own (2)I don't trust the counselor with my private secrets (3)I'm too exhausted (4)embarrassment (5)no time.  What help have you tried?  (1) prayed alone or endured it (2)family member or a friend (3)pastor or a professional (4)leader or a member in their section. 

What programs do you wish to have in our church?  They replied: (1)Program for relationships (2)class for success in marriage (3)mental health education (4)training class for helping a family member (5)training for parenting (6)preparation class for marriage (7)preparation for re-marriage (8)class for overcoming a divorce (9)test for depression.  In a healthy family, a healthy church can be established.  Let us pray to God sincerely for a even healthier family this year.  This is because Satan longs for destruction in families and separation in church.  I wish for God to be with us through (1)7 weeks of Bible study (2)1 night 2 days program for married couples (3)counseling (4)common service for families (5)family service that connects the family together (6)Sunday afternoon family communion program (7)family ministry book exhibit (8)family ministry celebration seminar(April).

I bless those who have read this letter,

Pastor  Kibeom Lee

   Sermon Note(Gospel and Healing 23)                                                                                  10/ 16 / 2011

( 1 Cor. 10: 23 ~ 33 )

In the essay by Han Biya, 『This, is love』 There are two stories that really touched me. First was the story of Father Pierre of France. He was picked the top humanist of France for 8 years running, and he was named the top most respected person in France for 8 years straight. There was a episode where he begged to withdraw his nomination because of the fact that he wanted someone else to receive the award. During the Second World War, he was a leader of the Resistance, he became a National Assembly member after the war, dedicated to easing the plight of the poor. After realizing that politics alone cannot solve this problem, he stated a movement to create homes for the orphans of the war. He was born into affluence, but he gave up all his rights to wealth, and he gave everything he had to create a world where everyone could live happily.

Another person, is the Venezuelan musician Jose Abreu he is a 71 year old man who spend the last 30 years with 400,000 impoverished children teaching them music. He was the Minister of Culture and a doctor of economics, and a pianist. He started teaching music to street children to give them hope. He looked for a way to profit everyone using 100% of his talents. He gave wings to the lives of many students.

What is the similarity between the two people? Whenever they achieved something, and found success, they were applauded by a multitude of people. They did not have the view of success as delivering failure to others. Their success brought joy, happiness, and benefit to others.

Who is God? He sacrificed himself on the cross and succeeded his mission so that the whole humanity could be saved. Today, the movie Dogani, is popular (Yi), despite committing acts of brutality to disabled people, prays with the bible before his trial asking for a not-guilty verdict.

God tells us to lead virtuous lives through today’s passage. How should we live then, in order to be the light and salt of the world?

1. Even though we are free to pursue other things,

     seek the  (                            ) of others.

2. Do not be questioning, but be grateful whether you eat

 or drink, do it for (                        ).

3. Do not simply go through the motions

 but spread (                 ).

[ Answer ]

1. Benefit

2. God

3. Joy

   Sermon (Gospel and Healing 22)                                                                                             10/ 9 / 2011

( Gal 3: 28 )

What is the biggest wish of our lives? What is the biggest problem of our lives? What is the thing that can quench our thirst? What is the desire that we cannot fill? This is becoming oneness. Knowing another person, and letting someone know you. Understanding another person, and receiving understanding in turn. Loving someone, and receiving love. Oneness is acceptance of another person without conditions. This is how God loves us today.

The vision of God towards us was that we become one. People were originally one. God was one, a man and a woman were one, and a child and parent were one. We were all God’s family. All people regardless of skin color, economic status, education levels, abilities, and appearance are one. “ There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

When did people lose oneness? When did people become segregated? It began at the moment of sin towards God. Even now, sin divided the relationship between God and people. With the entry of sin into our lives, people began to put their focus on differences rather than similarities. When sin enters a couple, their relationship fails. When sin enters, relationships between parents and children fail. When sin enters a church, the church receive scars or is broken up.

Then why does sin enter our communities? It is because of human fallibility and arrogance. It comes with the doubt of the fact that we were created to live with God. Humans have limitations to love, ability, and energy. When we do not realize our limitations, but falsely believe that we are strong and capable, then arrogance enters our lives. However, we learn how wrong arrogance is through our lives. Arrogance invites ruin, and we realize that we cannot live our lives well. Arrogant people become lonely and sad.

What is the prayer of Jesus towards us? For us to become one. “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21)

The biggest problem of the world today is not based on nuclear weapons, economic depression, or environmental degradation. The biggest problem today is the loss of humanity. South and North Korea must become one. America has a problem with oneness as well. Americans must achieve racial harmony in order for oneness to take place. The task for American leadership is to bring the world together. We must worship the creator, love each other, and be stewards of the earth. How do we fix our relationships? How do we restore our trusting hearts? How do we rise again after failures?

God tells us how today.

1. What is God? People are (   Collectives  ) just as God is one.

 God is the Father, Son, and the Spirit. God is by nature one, and the three Godheads are equal. “ Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,  and over all the creatures that move along the ground.  So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; 
   male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26-27).

Whether it is the Father, or the Spirit, or the Son, none act independently. The way that God exists is through a collective. Therefore, God created human beings as a collective that cannot live alone. When two people meet, marry and become one body, the true intentions of God are achieved. God loves us and that love is infinite. God has created many categories for us. This great universe testifies to this fact. The universe is vast, no matter how human population increases, civilization advances, people will always form a collective. The universe is a collective. God is one vast collective.

What about the family? The family is a collective of people. The church is a collective of people as well. The earth is a collective of different tribes. We need each other to survive.

During the Civil War, along the Potomac river, the North and the South set up their camps. During the night, both sides sung war songs. At one point, one side started on a song called “Home sweet home.” And the other side followed suit. The two sides that have met in war, had the same heart of mind to miss home, and desire to go back. Are we two separates? No, we are one.

Let us not focus on our differences, but our similarities.

2. We can become one, when we emulate Christ’s ( Character ).

How can two people who differ in thoughts and culture become one? We can accept Christ into our hearts, and ask Christ to renew us every day.

Jesus’ character is humble and gentle. The sinless Christ was captured by soldiers of the High Priest. When one of the Disciples cut off an ear of a soldier,

Jesus reattached it, and told the Disciple the following.  “ But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.” (Luke 22:51)

Is there any of us here today who cannot repress anger? Is there anyone who are angry, saddened, and mad? Are there any of us who are at their wit’s ends? Then Jesus tells us, “Enough of this.”

We can become one if we become humble. We must become gentler, we must endure long pains, we must accept the other person, and forgive. Jesus is my God, and he leads us.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.”

(Ephesians 2: 13-14).

3. Who is my owner?

    When our owner changes our (  lives  ) change.

There was a rice farmer in southern China. One day he saw a neighbor steal water from his rice field. The farmer was a Christian, and he filled the field back up with water without talking. However, this happened again and again. What could he do? Then he came to church and prayed on it, and talked to a pastor about it. The pastor responded, “Brother, you have no faults, I think you should complain, and protect your property.”

When the farmer came back, he prayed, and finally he went to his field, and voluntarily channeled water to his neighbor’s field. He did this for many days, until his neighbor came to him and asked why he was voluntarily doing this. The farmer responded, “My owner commanded me.” “Who is your owner?” Then the farmer told his testimony to his neighbor, and the neighbor came to Christ.

Who is the owner of our lives? God tells us one more time: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28).