Refresh or Delete?

It's that time of year again, right before New Year's Eve. Typically this is a time when we look back, take stock of our activities, and consider changes we want to make in the upcoming year. For too many of us, it is a time of frustration and/or regret as we realize actions we cannot undo and resolutions we were unable to keep.

We need to decide what to do with this information. Do we “refresh” or “delete” it? Anyone who has a computer is familiar with these commands. The refresh command reloads the contents of a window or a webpage with the most current data. For example, if you're on a forum and someone posts a comment, that comment will be displayed when you refresh the page.

The delete command essentially does the opposite. You use “delete” when you want to remove, cancel, erase or obliterate data. Typically you are prompted, “Do you want to delete?” Because once you hit the delete button a second time the data is gone for good.

Refresh and delete are simple operations when it comes to our computers, but can be quite complicated when we are dealing with our own memories and self-image. Too often we “refresh” when we should “delete,” and “delete” when it would be more helpful to “refresh.” Let me explain.

All of us do things we regret and wish we could change. Even though that is not possible, some of us nurse and rehearse our failures and disappointments constantly reliving the pain and humiliation. “Refreshing” our self-image this way only makes it more difficult for us to believe in a positive future and go on with hope. We need to “delete,” to be set free from our regrets and given a fresh start.

In contrast, we can also minimize our achievements, especially if we did not accomplish everything we wanted to. We downplay the positive because we are too haunted by the negative and we “delete” when we should “refresh.” We need to treat ourselves with kindness and respect even when we are not perfect. Sometimes we ignore information in our failures that could be very instructive to our future. This is another instance where “refresh” would be more helpful than “delete.”

The problem for us is that it is often difficult to determine whether “delete” or “refresh” would be more helpful. And even when we know which one is needed, we may be unable to execute the internal command. For example, no matter how hard we try, we keep beating ourself up for our mistakes.

We need wisdom and power greater than our own to assist us. We need what only the love of Father God can give us. He has the biggest “delete” button of all time. When we come to Him, repent of our wrongdoing and receive His forgiveness, He removes all our failures from us completely, as far as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12). But this is just the beginning. He doesn't just give us a fresh start; He completely obliterates our past and makes us a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

He also gives us His Holy Spirit, who refreshes us by revealing the truth of who we were created to be, and the future that Father God has for us (John 16:13).

Make this the year you stop trying to figure it out for yourself. Put Father God in charge of your “delete” and “refresh” commands and let Him transform your life!

Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, or 2:00 PM. We will have a special guest speaker, Jerame Nelson who has a prophetic word for us about the new year, 2014.

Pastor Che

The Best Gift

When it comes to gift giving at Christmas, many of us struggle to find the “perfect” gift for that special person. We want it to be something they will remember, really like and value. I try to make it easy for my family because there are only two gifts I ever really want, a gift certificate from either the Apple Store or Nordstrom’s. I take my gift certificates and cash in on the post holiday sales and really enjoy myself. But every year my family tells me that giving me gifts is “boring.”

What was the best gift you ever got for Christmas? When asked that question many people respond with a standout gift they received as a child. It might have been their first bicycle, that Nintendo console, a construction kit, cell phone or the new puppy. As parents we are likely to remember the smiles on our children's faces when they opened up the gifts they most wanted. Then of course, there are the cards and Christmas ornaments made by our children that reappear each year for their place of honor on our tree.

Some people cherish the memory of a special Christmas when their parent came home from a war zone early, or the whole family was able to gather together for the first time in many years. I remember one friend telling me that his best Christmas gift was being told by his wife that they were expecting their first child.

Most of us find our gift list with a limited number of names challenging enough, but what if your gift list included every human being on earth? How could you possibly find the best gift for all of them?

This is exactly the situation that faced Father God 2000 years ago during the first Christmas. He had an alienated family, many of whom were lost, in despair and searching for something that always kept eluding them. But Father God knew exactly what to give because He had been planning for that Christmas for an eternity before He even created the world.

He gave the most extravagant gift He could. He gave us His only Son, Jesus. He wanted us to understand how very much He loves us and how priceless we are to Him. So Jesus came to demonstrate what the Father is really like and what His true intentions are towards us. Father God gave us His best gift knowing in advance we would reject His son and put Him to death.

Father God did not retaliate against us, but actually allowed His Son to die in our place bearing the punishment we deserved. He then raised Jesus from the dead to show us that death is not the final word, and that we have nothing to fear because knowing the worst about us, Father God continues to love us anyway.

Christmas is about love and giving. Christmas is Father God's idea. He is offering you the best Christmas gift you could ever receive, life and love in His Son, Jesus Christ. Say “yes” to Him and make this the most memorable Christmas of your life!

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Come and hear about the best Christmas gift. My sermon is “Jesus, He will save His people from their sins”. There will also be a special Christmas production play entitled, “Second Chances”. I invite you to join us for a wonderful Christmas celebration, as there is something for everyone in the family.

Pastor Che

The Wonder of Christmas

I will never forget my first Christmas in the United States. My mother, older sister and I joined my father who had immigrated to the US several years earlier to accept a position as pastor of a Korean congregation located in New England. Of course, being Christian we understood what the holiday celebrated, but I had never seen so many Christmas lights and decorations in my life.

My eyes filled with wonder as we walked by store windows with twinkling lights, toys and mobile displays. There were street decorations in the cities, decorations on homes in the suburbs and Christmas music everywhere. It seemed as if the everyday world had become an enchanted place full of excitement and anticipation.

Years later as a parent, I relived that sense of wonder through the eyes of my young children as they would stare at our Christmas tree or count their presents. We would allow them to open up one gift of their choice on Christmas Eve. Eyes wide with excitement, they would scan their presents trying to pick the best one. They would keep changing their choice until we insisted they give us their final decision.

After ripping paper and squeals of delight, it was so difficult to calm them down for bedtime. And of course, they were up at the crack of dawn, hoping we would appear in the living room so they could open up their presents. I don't ever remember getting very much sleep the night before Christmas!

Even though we are no longer children, I think most of us can still feel some of the wonder of Christmas. It may be when we hear a certain Christmas carol, smell some of our favorite holiday food, see a decorated tree or reunite with family and friends.

Christmas is indeed a wonder-filled time, but in the midst of our holiday busyness and the memories of Christmas past, how many of us take time to contemplate the true “Wonder” of Christmas? The familiar carol “O Come All Ye Faithful,” describes the “Christmas Wonder” well.

            Highest most holy, Light of light eternal
            Born of a virgin, a mortal He comes.
            Son of the Father, now in flesh appearing
            Oh, come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

The real “Wonder” of Christmas is impossible to understand or describe. The God of the universe who created all that is, and sustains it by His power, literally came to this Earth in human flesh as one of us. Almighty God became helpless as a baby and lived an ordinary life in a small, rural village for 30 years. He then began a public ministry that lasted 3 years and culminated in His death and resurrection.

Why did He do it? He so loves us that He wanted to demonstrate that love in a way that we could comprehend, a way that would be meaningful to us.

Jesus Christ is the true “Wonder” of Christmas. His birth signaled the greatest miracle of all time, the infinite God becoming one of us in order to love us back into relationship with Him. This year, take a little time to contemplate the true “Wonder” of Christmas!

Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, or 2:00 PM. I will be speaking on the dilemma that Joseph faced in my sermon, “Joseph’s Encounter with God.”

Pastor Che

The Biggest Holiday Bargain

Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2013 are now history. While Cyber Monday produced a significant increase in sales over last year, Black Friday disappointed with a 3% drop in sales. Where did Americans find their best bargains? According to analysts, Walmart, Amazon and Best Buy led the pack. What type of bargains were Americans looking for? Mostly big-ticket electronics like big-screen TVs, digital cameras, computers and tech toys like Xbox One.

Unfortunately, the annual shopping frenzy once again resulted in violent confrontations and some injuries at stores throughout the country. There was even a stun gun fight between customers at one Philadelphia mall. The belief that Black Friday contains the best bargains of the year encouraged over 2 million shoppers to spend most of Thursday night in lines outside big-box retailers waiting for the doors to open. Many Americans even compromised their Thanksgiving celebration to capture bargains at stores opening earlier on Thursday evening.

Just what kind of bargains did shoppers find? Actually, often the bargains were more apparent than real. Retailers used a number of ploys to make bargains look more attractive. Benchmarking is one commonly used practice in which products are repriced with a higher original price tag, then sold at the regular price marked as a bargain. Off-brand and second rate quality merchandise is frequently offered at rock-bottom prices. Ample supplies of merchandise are often advertised as “limited quantities” to pressure customers into impulse buying.

All too often the true, deeply discounted bargains advertised prior to Black Friday are extremely limited in quantity and disappear within the first few minutes of the sale. Most shoppers never bag the really big bargain they were looking for, and many return home with items they never intended to buy.

All this commercialism is impacting the attitudes of Americans toward Christmas. While 71% say it is still one of the most important holidays of the year, 81% don't want to hear Christmas music or see decorations before Thanksgiving and a whopping 45% say they would like to skip Christmas altogether.

Increasingly, many Americans apparently feel forced to participate in a holiday that has less meaning for them with each passing year. This is really unfortunate because Christmas actually is a celebration of the biggest bargain ever offered in the history of mankind.

On a clear, starry night, Angels announced the bargain in song: “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth, peace to those with whom God is pleased.” Then an angel made the following announcement: “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior of humankind has been born this day in Bethlehem.” (Luke 2:10–12)

What the Angels were announcing was that God had sent His only Son here to earth to be born as a human being and live among us. Through His teaching and acts of compassion, He demonstrated Father God's love for us. In His death and resurrection, He canceled the debt of our sin and paid for our complete restoration as children of God. In doing this, He offered us the biggest bargain of all time.

Regardless of how successful you were this past Black Friday, you can still gain the biggest holiday bargain, an eternal relationship with Father God. Accept His Son, Jesus Christ as your personal Savior today!

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM or 2:00 PM. One of our pastors, Matt Dunn will be speaking on “Immanuel: Our Eternal Hope.”

Pastor Che

God's Thanksgiving List

At HRock Church, we always have a service on Thanksgiving morning, and I give people an opportunity to publicly offer thanks for the good things that have happened in their lives over the past year. Of course, I am also able to share my own Thanksgiving list.

This year, five events were Thanksgiving stand outs for me: the birth of my granddaughter Annabelle on January 25, my grandmother's centennial birthday party in Korea in March, my youngest daughter Mary receiving her Masters degree from Pepperdine, celebrating our 34th wedding anniversary, and my son getting engaged in October.

We also had many exciting events in our local and international ministries, including some important breakthroughs, especially in China. But for me, personal family happenings struck the deepest cord of Thanksgiving. As we survey the past year, I think most of us would find that our Thanksgiving lists are full of special relationship moments with family and friends. Accomplishments and acquisitions often bring momentary joy, but meaningful times shared with those we love produce lasting thanksgiving in our hearts.

Traditionally we use this season of the year to pause, reflect on God's goodness and offer Him thanks, but have you ever thought about what's on God's Thanksgiving list? You see, Father God is thankful for many things. In fact that's where we get our ability to be thankful. When we are full of joyful thanksgiving, we are behaving like our heavenly Father.

So just what kinds of things are on God's Thanksgiving list? Scripture provides us with many examples. Father God takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servants (Psalm 35:27b). Father God created all things for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11). He takes pleasure in our worship (Psalms 69:30–31), when we obey him and love one another (Jeremiah 9:24, Deuteronomy 30:9–10), and when we reverence Him and hope in His mercy (Psalms 147:11).

Notice a common theme in what God takes pleasure in and gives Thanksgiving for? The common theme is us and our relationship with Him. Zephaniah 3:17 states that Father God rejoices over us with joy and singing. Ephesians 1:4–5 describes what tops God's Thanksgiving list. “Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. And this gives Him great pleasure.”

Like us His most meaningful events center around our relationship with Him. So this Thanksgiving season as you reflect on everything you are thankful for, take a moment and realize that you're on God's Thanksgiving list. In fact, make His day and top His list by saying “yes” to His love and becoming a member of His forever family!

Please join us this Sunday at one of our three services at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM. We are entering the Christmas season and my message this Sunday will be “Christmas Peace.”

Pastor Che

Giving is Contagious!

“Giving Is the Best Communication” is a heart-warming video on flixxy that has gone viral. It's the story of a small restaurant owner in Thailand who comes to the aid of a young boy caught stealing painkillers from an alleyway pharmacy. The boy is stealing them for his mother and the restaurant owner pays for the painkillers and also gives the boy some vegetable soup.

Years later the restaurant owner, who is still giving handouts to the needy, collapses and is hospitalized. His daughter is faced with an enormous medical bill and in despair puts his restaurant up for sale. But then she receives a second medical bill that states, “All medical expenses paid 30 years ago with 3 packages of painkillers and some vegetable soup.” The doctor providing for the man’s medical care was that little boy that he helped so long ago, and the doctor has cleared the bill. (You can view the video at: http://www.flixxy.com/giving-is-the-best-communication.htm)

The video has the reassuring message that a person's acts of generosity will return to bless him, but you may question does that happen in real life or just in heart-warming stories?

Last month in late October a phenomenon began breaking out across the United States called the “drive-thru pay it forward” response. In a number of states at various fast food drive-thru's, people began paying for the order of the car behind them. These are not isolated incidences but chains of “pay it forward” actions sometimes 50 to70 cars long. And it seems to be catching on as the incidence of “pay it forward chains” is growing in frequency.

What might be causing this behavior? One participating driver stated: “It's such a nice thing to have happen to you. It makes you want to do it to someone else.” Another commented: “It's fun! It's a nice way to make a positive impression on another person’s life.”

You see, whether we realize it or not, giving is actually contagious. Jesus declared that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). He wasn't saying that it's blessed to give because you will get something in return. He was stating a far deeper principle that it's actually more personally fulfilling to give than it is to receive.

Endless generosity characterizes the heart of Father God. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). Since He didn't spare even his own son Jesus Christ, but gave him as a sacrifice to set us free from sin, we are assured that Father God will also freely give us all other things (Romans 8:32).

Since we were originally created in Father God's image, like Him our hearts are the most fulfilled when we experience the blessing generosity brings through our acts of giving to others. In giving, we become conduits of God's love to others, and they respond positively to that love. Experience for yourself how giving is contagious. Let your generosity flow to others, and watch how your giving encourages them to do likewise!

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM or 2 PM when we will continue our current series “The Keys to Prosperity.” My message this week is “The Grace of Giving.”

Pastor Che

Prosperity: Beyond a Blessing

There is actually an exclusive club that you don't want to belong to. It's the “Busted Lottery Winners Club,” and unfortunately it has a lot of members. The statistics vary, but in general, around 50% of winners run through their entire windfall in under 5 years. Follow-up studies of people who acquire sudden wealth indicate a 90% probability that all that wealth is gone by the 3rd generation. That means that even if they had multiple millions, nothing will be left for their grandchildren to inherit.

Why do so many winners go broke? Two reasons appear most common. They lack financial savvy in how to handle money and they often spend lavishly on themselves, family and friends without any long-term planning. They have become very prosperous, but there is no purpose in what they do with their prosperity. They are susceptible to pressure from family and friends and are often seduced into ill-advised investments and outright scams.

Some of them even call winning the lottery “a curse,” and wish they had torn up their ticket. Many get divorced, alienated from family or friends, involved in drugs, and some even commit suicide. Their prosperity obviously did not bring them happiness.

Prosperity is Father God's idea, and from our creation He intended that we would prosper and be blessed (Genesis 1:27–28). But His prosperity has a larger purpose than simply blessing us. He wants to prosper us so we can be a blessing to others. He wants us to partner with Him in establishing His kingdom here on earth. This is His purpose for us, and it gives meaning to everything we do, including how we handle our personal prosperity.

If we will see beyond prosperity as simply a personal blessing, we can enter into an exciting life that is much larger and more rewarding than accumulating stuff could ever be. We can help establish God's kingdom by supporting the spread of the gospel through sending missionaries, planting churches, establishing training centers, even going on short-term mission trips ourselves.

We can use our prosperity to implement God's will on earth by caring for the sick, the poor, the destitute and homeless. We can feed and educate orphans, build schools and universities, construct homes for the homeless, teach people skills and trades and help them start businesses, erect and staff medical clinics and provide disaster relief when needed.

Father God promises us that if we will partner with Him in establishing His kingdom and justice here on the Earth, He will make sure that we have a constant supply of everything we need (Matthew 6:33). We can see that not only does God want to prosper us, but that our prosperity is absolutely essential if we are to fulfill our God ordained purpose here on earth. He wants to continually bless us, so that we can be a blessing to others. This is life with purpose. This is life with meaning.

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 AM when I will be speaking on “Breaking the Spirit of Poverty,” part of our current series, “Keys to Prosperity.” Our weekly healing service is at 2 PM.

Pastor Che

The Poverty Pit

I'd like to introduce you to several couples. You may even recognize one or more of them.

You'd never guess by the way they talk that Michael and Michelle Mizer are both successful professionals. Michael can tell you where to get the best deal on just about anything, and he always knows which gas station has the cheapest prices. Michelle knows which restaurants have the two-for-one specials, where to get off-season bargains, and which stores have double coupon days. They live frugally and seem proud of it.

Frank and Frances Fierful can't seem to save enough for a rainy day. Although they have a stable, comfortable income, they are constantly aware that “life can change in an instant.” All too often they are hounded by thoughts of “what if.” What if we have a catastrophic accident, what if our business goes bust, what if the stock market crashes again?

Randy and René Rashunal like quality and can afford it, but seem to have difficulty enjoying it. When complimented on his new top-of-the-line leather briefcase, Randy shrugs it off by saying, “I'll get years more wear out of this than I would from a lower quality one, so it's actually a cost-effective purchase.” Renée is quick to explain to a friend that their annual Hawaiian vacation is really done on a shoestring budget because Randy's parents have a timeshare and they use their frequent flyer miles.

Then there's Peter and Pat Poore. They've been struggling ever since the economic downturn in 2008. Peter lost his job and hasn't been able to find comparable employment, so he's doing odd jobs. Pat’s hours were cut, but since she has the stable income, she feels stuck in her current position. Actually, even before the recession Peter and Pat were just making ends meet. Financial hardship has been an ongoing problem in their lives.

Although only Peter and Pat are living in actual poverty, all four couples are in what I call “the poverty pit.” They are living their lives under the influence of a spirit of poverty. None of them understand God's perspective on prosperity and the truth of His promises to abundantly bless them.

All of them are focused on their own efforts to gain security by living modestly and strictly controlling their finances. Without realizing it, they are trusting in their ideas and persuasions about how to have financial security instead of believing God's words and promises. In effect they are worshiping poverty, for they are giving the fear of it control over much of their lives.

The spirit of poverty seeks to deceive those in the poverty pit by encouraging them to focus on finances as the source of their security, and to trust in their own ability to accumulate and protect their prosperity. They're all so caught up in this pursuit that they can't even enjoy the prosperity they do have!

The only way out of the poverty pit is to know and believe that Father God wants each of us to prosper. This prosperity includes both spiritual and material blessing. Philippians 4:19 assures us that: “God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Proverbs 10:22 promises: “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and He adds no trouble to it.” Jesus echoed this when He said: “I am come that you might have life and have it in abundance.” (John 10:10b)

Father God wants us to focus on Him as our provider and the source of our security. Only He gives us the wisdom that brings lasting prosperity.

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. We are beginning a new series, “The Keys to Prosperity,” and I will be speaking on “Prosperity and Righteousness.” Don't forget our afternoon healing service now begins at 2:00 PM.

Pastor Che

Fact Faith Feeling

Back in the early 70s when I first became a Christian, Campus Crusade put out a little booklet called “The 4 Spiritual Laws.” It was designed to explain the plan of God's salvation in simple terms that anyone could understand. One graphic that was really powerful for me displayed a train with an engine, a car and a caboose labeled in order: Fact-Faith-Feeling.

The booklet explained that God's word and His promises are always the Truth. They are Fact whether we believe them or not, and no matter how we feel about them. Faith results when we are persuaded of the truth and choose to put our trust in God's promises. It is wonderful when we have powerful feelings that accompany our decisions of faith, but this doesn't always happen. We can never base the truth of a situation on how we feel about it. Truth is always based on the Fact of God's word.

Most Christians understand and accept the Fact-Faith-Feeling paradigm as it applies to forgiveness of sin and acceptance of Christ as Savior and Lord. However, when it comes to divine healing, we often get the cars on the train out of order.

Many people put Feeling first. They may not realize it, but they are operating by the principle of “seeing is believing.” If they don't immediately feel a change, they think that nothing has happened and that they are not healed. This is in direct contradiction to God's word that instructs us, “for we live by believing (faith) and not by seeing.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) In fact, faith is defined as “the confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Another common mistake people make is putting Faith first. They try to work up enough faith to strongly believe so that healing will happen. They fall into a type of magical thinking that if they simply say something, like quoting a Scripture enough, they can make it happen. Their faith becomes a performance they do to move God to do something He hasn't already done (i.e., to heal them).

They have the order backward. They fail to understand that faith can only appropriate what God has already done. Faith begins by accepting God's word as Fact above anything else. Faith ignores Feeling and chooses to trust in God's word and promises alone. Actually, God's promises are so powerful that even a tiny amount of faith (i.e., the size of a mustard seed) is enough to activate them.

Mark 11:23-24 instructs us to believe that we receive what we ask in prayer, regardless of what we see or feel, and we will have it. God assures us that by the stripes of Jesus we were healed (i.e., an accomplished Fact). As we focus on this Fact of God's word, Faith builds within us and through faith we know it is true no matter how we feel.

This type of steadfast faith will always produce results, but often we get pulled in two directions at one time. We strongly hope God's promise of healing is true, but we feel no change and fear that nothing has happened. The book of James tells us that when we do this, we are like a wave being tossed back and forth. We have not made a firm decision to believe and release our faith, and therefore nothing happens.

To avoid this wavering, we must keep the train in order. God's Fact is first. It is the Truth we base our Faith upon. Our Feelings can vary moment to moment and we need to ignore them when they don't line up with God's Fact. If we keep our train in order, healing will result!

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM when we will have a special guest speaker, Andy Comiskey. Please note that our afternoon healing service will now begin at 2 PM. Don't forget to turn your clock back as we go off daylight savings time this weekend!

Pastor Che

A Life Well Loved

Last week, I wrote about the connection between divine health and having a prosperous soul. At the time, I never anticipated that one of the most prosperous souls I have ever known, my father-in-law, Dr. Primo Roxas, would quietly slip into eternity on Saturday, October 19, 2013.

My father-in-law was like a second dad to me, always positive and encouraging. His own early life had not been easy. Born into a large family in the Philippines, he put himself through medical school and immigrated to the United States as a young man. He was dedicated to his profession as an anesthesiologist, but was able to maintain a healthy balance between his career, his marriage and his family.

Somewhat unusual for his generation, Dad valued and respected his wife's career as a pediatrician as much as he did his own. Together they made a comfortable living, but rather than amassing wealth, Dad put his resources to work blessing others. He helped numerous family members immigrate to the United States, made sure his own four children and all of his grandchildren were able to obtain college educations, and took the extended family on wonderful vacations.

He had many interests outside his professional life that he pursued with enjoyment. He loved fishing, playing cards (especially bridge), traveling, music (he played the ukulele and piano), and was always up for trying new foods. “Mom” was the love of his life. They were competitive square dancers and married nearly 60 years this December.

Dad's relationships were characterized by honesty, integrity and respect for others. He was generally an even-tempered person who readily forgave an offense rather than nursing bitterness or anger. His attitude toward challenges in life was positive and he was an ongoing source of encouragement to those around him.

He successfully battled two bouts with cancer and in the end simply died peacefully without illness or suffering. In remembering him this week, one way I could best describe him is “a life well loved.” He loved all of us, but he loved his own life as well, and we all certainly loved him.

Proverbs 13:22 states, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children.” Dad left his family and friends with a rich legacy of wonderful memories, opportunities for education, travel, life in a new country, and the example of a prosperous soul.

Father God intends that each one of us should have a full, abundant life overflowing with love and blessings. It is a life characterized by a prosperous soul that avoids strife and envy and keeps short accounts with anger. Father God tells us: “Do not harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, you find disorder and every evil work.” (James 3:14, 16) “See to it that no one misses the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness grows up to cause trouble.” (Hebrews 12:15)

Current medical research confirms that physical, emotional and social stress all have a negative impact on our health. We need to follow Father God's instructions for a prosperous soul. I encourage you today to decide to live a life well loved.

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM when our own Pastor David Oh will be speaking on “The Believer's Authority and Healing.” Don't forget our healing service that begins at 2:30 PM on Sunday.

Pastor Che

Beyond Healing

It's a beautiful summer's day at the beach with a light wind, perfect for sailing. As you look out over the marina, you see numerous sailboats taking advantage of the conditions. You notice one sailboat that appears to be having difficulty. In the bow of the boat several people are bailing water furiously, while in the stern, a man with an axe appears to be chopping a hole! As fast as the people can bail the water out, it is rushing in. They are keeping the boat afloat, but just barely!

I think anyone watching this scenario would agree that someone needs to address the man with the axe, not just keep bailing the water out. In ministering healing to people, I frequently see “returnees.” These are people who have received healing of one condition and are now returning for healing of a different condition. They are like the sailboat bailing water. They need more healing, but lack understanding that they can live in divine health.

Through the life of Jesus Christ, Father God demonstrates that His will is to provide healing for us. However healing is not His ultimate intention. He wants to give us something beyond healing, something that is much better, and that is a life of health. God established this desire when He promised Israel that if they would follow Him He would make their lives disease-free (Exodus 15:26). His plan was that people would enjoy perfect health all their lives.

Now you may be thinking, “What about growing old? Everyone seems to have some health issues as they grow old.”

You certainly are stating modern day reality, but Father God has always intended a better life for His children, a life of divine health. For example, Caleb was one of the 12 spies who originally went into Canaan when Israel came out of Egypt. He trusted God's promise and believed that Israel could conquer Canaan, but was overruled by 10 other spies who thought the task would be impossible.

Father God maintained Caleb's health and strength so that 40 years later, when he was 85, Caleb was as strong and fit as any young man. Scripture says that he was able to fight like any young warrior in taking the land of Canaan (Joshua 14:10–11).

Okay, we've all heard of someone who is older who isn’t aging like other people; but in the end you have to die of something, don't you? Actually, no, you don't. Although we all must die at some point, Father God wants to make this transition easy. The death of Moses is an excellent example of how God wants His children to leave earth and come to Him.

When Moses was 120 years old, God told him that it was time to leave earth. We are told that Moses’ vision was not dim and that he was still physically strong. So strong that he climbed a mountain where God gave him a glimpse of the promised land of Canaan. Then Moses quietly breathed his last. He wasn't sick. He didn't suffer. He simply left earth and entered the spirit realm.

There's more emphasis on healing in the church today, and more people than ever are getting healed. But I think it's time we understand there's something better beyond healing, and that is walking in divine health. The apostle John prayed for this understanding when he wrote, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” (3 John 2)

Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM when we will consider what it means to have a prosperous soul. My sermon is “Healing and a Prosperous Soul”. You are also invited to attend our 2:30 PM healing service.

Pastor Che

Feelings Aren't Free

I still remember it like it was yesterday. I had just finished teaching at a conference and asked people who needed healing to come up for prayer. A middle-aged woman was there in obvious pain. She moved stiffly using a walker and her hands were twisted.

Through tears, she explained she had suffered from arthritis for many years, seen many specialists and tried many medications, but the arthritis only got worse. She voiced conviction that God's healing power was available to her through Jesus Christ. I put my hands on her shoulders, began praying and immediately felt the power of God being released. But just as quickly, I felt it return to me. It was as if it hit a brick wall and bounced back.

I was puzzled. Here was a woman who obviously wanted to be healed and voiced a belief in healing. Why wasn't the power of God penetrating her? Sometimes I feel led to ask people details about their illness. I was curious, so I asked: “When did the arthritis first begin?

Her expression immediately changed from sadness to anger. “It was 12 years ago. The worst year of my life! I found out that my husband had been having a long-term affair with his secretary and shortly after that I got the arthritis.”

Through clenched teeth she started to tell me about confronting her husband and the extreme hurt she had felt. Her anger was so intense that I asked her, “Have the two of you been able to resolve that situation?”

“Heavens no!” she replied. “He died 8 years ago of heart disease and good riddance! I hate what he did to me and I hate him!”

Suddenly the mystery was solved. She was encased in a wall of anger and bitterness that now held her prisoner. There was no doubt in my mind it was blocking her healing and may have even been instrumental in causing the arthritis to begin with. I briefly explained to her the need for forgiveness and how to renounce her anger and bitterness.

I led her in a short prayer of forgiveness and she relinquished the anger she had held against her husband for so many years. I prayed again for her healing and she began smiling. “There is less pain!” she told me. During the next few days her condition continued to improve. By the end of the conference she was walking confidently unassisted.

That encounter has remained a vivid one for me, but it is not isolated. In praying for the sick over many years I have learned that negative emotions like anger, resentment, and bitterness can actually hinder healing. The feelings may be connected to very real wrongs we have suffered, but we don't have the luxury to indulge in them. When it comes to healing, feelings (negative ones) are not free. They carry a high price tag often paid in physical suffering. This is equally true of negative feelings we have about ourselves such as guilt, shame, self-pity, self-condemnation, etc.

If you are suffering from a long-term illness, or have sought prayer for healing and have not had a breakthrough, ask yourself if you are holding negative feelings against anyone, including yourself. If you are, I invite you to forgive the other person (or yourself) and release the negative emotions. You can do this on your own or you do it with a friend who can agree with you in prayer. Don't wait a day longer to free yourself from costly negative feelings!

Please join us at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM this Sunday when my good friend Cindy Jacobs will be our guest speaker. Please remember our 2:30 PM healing service every Sunday.

Pastor Che

Thy Kingdom Come

As I travel internationally, I get asked the same questions repeatedly about healing. People acknowledge that Christ spent a lot of time healing the sick in His ministry, but wonder does God still want to heal everyone today? People question if someone can be too old to expect God to heal them. Is God concerned with “minor” problems like a sore throat or bunions, or does He reserve healing for “serious” illnesses like cancer and heart disease? Can a person be “too big a sinner” to be healed? What about illnesses that are self-inflicted? For instance, will God heal lung cancer in a lifelong cigarette smoker?

My answer is always the same. I direct the person to the prayer that Jesus Christ taught His disciples, commonly known as the Lord's Prayer. It says, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Although widely known and repeated by many people, it's true meaning is often not clearly understood.

God's desire is that His kingdom would invade Earth with the same conditions that exist in heaven. There is no sickness or disease in heaven, whether minor or major. Father God wants to set humanity free from all the disastrous results of our fall into sin. That includes healing every type of physical problem as well as healing emotional hurts, relationship problems and mental disorders. Anything that does not belong in heaven, God wants to eradicate here on earth.

When Jesus healed all who came to Him, He was demonstrating the reality of God's kingdom coming to earth. If we want to understand how God wants to work in the world today, all we have to do is look at the ministry of Jesus. We never read that He refused to heal anyone, regardless of what type of sickness or disease they had, how old they were, how much they had sinned or how they acquired their illness. Over and over again we read, “and He healed them all.” Jesus put no qualifiers of any type on healing.

And in case His disciples thought that healing was something reserved for Jesus’ ministry alone, He commanded them to go into all the world preaching the good news of God’s kingdom to everyone, and to lay hands on the sick and they would recover.” (Mark 16:15, 18b)

In fact, while most people regard “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven,” as a request made in prayer to God, it actually is a command. In His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus restored to humanity the dominion on earth that we lost to Satan in the fall. He told His disciples that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him and commanded them to go in His authority and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18–19)

So actually, when followers of Christ pray the Lord's Prayer, they are commanding, “God's kingdom, come! God's will in heaven be done on earth!” Healing the sick is one sign of God's kingdom invading Earth.

Does God want to heal everyone today? The answer is a resounding YES!  Thy Kingdom come!

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM as we continue our current series on “Healing the Sick.” I will be speaking this week on “The Kingdom of Heaven and Healing.” We also invite you to attend our 2:30 PM healing service every Sunday.

Pastor Che

Hidden Hurts

In the last few weeks, a fresh collection of tragedies have confronted us. There was the middle-aged couple in Colorado, talking through forced smiles about the loss of their home to a mudslide. “It only took 10 minutes to wipe out a lifetime of work and memories. But we will rebuild!”

An older woman in Washington DC spoke about the death of her husband at the naval yard. “He could have retired 7 years ago, but he really loved his job.” Fighting back tears she added, “He always said, ‘Goodbye beautiful. See you soon,’ when he left in the morning. I was truly lucky and blessed to find the human being I found in him.”

A father from Kenya described how he and his 2 young daughters were able to survive the mall siege in Nairobi by hiding under their car in the parking structure. A grenade landed several feet from them but fortunately didn't explode. “They were throwing grenades like maize to chickens. We're just happy to be alive.”

Their news stories are tragic and vivid, but fleeting. They become pictures of brave faces, voicing hope, frozen in time. The rest of us move on, but do they? By the time we've been on this planet 2 or 3 decades, most of us have experienced some loss or tragedy and know that healing takes time. We learn too, that often healing is incomplete and we continue to live with “hidden hurts.” We are survivors, but with scars of the heart that continue to affect the decisions we make and the way we relate to others, often for the rest of our lives.

We've discussed that physical healing was provided by God through Christ's death on the cross, but did you know that emotional healing was provided as well? Isaiah 53:4 states, “surely He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows…” Father God placed all of our emotional pain on Jesus because He wants to heal that for us too. He is moved by our hidden hurts.

On one occasion, Jesus saw a large crowd of people coming to him and “he felt compassion for them, for they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) Another time, Jesus was passing by the town of Nain, and came across a funeral procession. A widow, a complete stranger, was burying her only son. Seeing her grief, Jesus was moved with compassion and raised her son from the dead. When his friend Lazarus died, Jesus was so moved by the grieving of Martha and Mary (sisters of Lazarus) that he wept openly.

You may be thinking, “Well I can see how God would care about the emotional suffering of innocent people, but I am hurting about some big mistakes I've made. I can't blame anyone but myself, and that just makes it hurt more. My hurts are really hidden because I deserved them. I can't even share them with others.”

The emotional healing of your “hidden hurts” is just as important to Father God. No matter how much self-blame and remorse you may feel, Father God wants to heal you too. Jesus demonstrated this when He reached out in compassion to a woman caught in adultery and a hated tax collector. He offered each of them the opportunity of a new life free from past regrets. Their emotional healing was important. Father God wants to set you free from those hidden hurts that have scarred your heart, however they may have occurred.

Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM as we continue our “Healing the Sick Series,” and focus on emotional healing. My son, Pastor Gabriel Ahn will be speaking on “A Beautiful Mind”. You are also invited to our 2:30 PM healing service every Sunday.

Pastor Che

Faith Not Fear

“Come on Che, you can do it! Just jump!” My older sister called to me from the other side of the swimming pool. I stood on the diving board, my toes curled over the edge, staring at the water below. My stomach churned with butterflies. I bent my knees to spring forward, but immediately a wave of fear shot through me and I straightened up.

“Don't be a chicken, Che. It's fun! I'll get you. JUMP!” For another moment I teetered between excitement and fear, and then I just let go and jumped. For a split second, terror took over as I felt the water surge over my head, and then suddenly I bobbed to the surface. Dog paddling fiercely I yelled to my sister, “I did it! I dived!” I must have jumped off that diving board at least 100 more times that afternoon, each time reliving the thrill of conquering my fear.

All of us have experienced situations where we want to proceed, but hesitate with apprehension. In that stressful moment we decide if our future course of action will be determined by trust in the desired outcome or whether fear will dominate and back us down.

The apostle Peter faced such a moment one night on Lake Galilee. He was in a boat with the other disciples, and they saw Jesus walking toward them on the water. Something in that situation excited Peter, and he wanted to experience walking on the water himself. When Jesus told him to come, Peter overcame his fear and boldly stepped on that water and began walking to Jesus. But there was a lot of wind, and Peter became afraid and began to sink. Jesus reached out and saved him, asking: “Peter, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:22–33)

We frequently retell this story emphasizing the fact that Peter lost his focus on Christ and began to sink. But I wonder how Peter relived that event. Did he always feel like a failure because he sank or did he remember the exhilaration of boldly stepping on the water and walking?

A few years later we see a completely different Peter outside the Temple gate with the apostle John. He saw a lame man begging, and without hesitation firmly told him, “I do not have any silver or gold to give you. But what I do have, I give you. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” However, Peter didn't stop there. Boldly he reached out, grasped the man's hand and pulled him up, fully expecting him to be healed and walk. And that's precisely what happened! (Acts 3:1–26)

I wonder if his earlier experience in walking on water helped Peter understand how to confidently choose faith not fear. Father God calls all of us to live life boldly in faith, overcoming our fears. He commands us to do things that require complete trust in Him. Oftentimes we must defy our reason, ignore the fear that hounds us, and like Peter on the Galilee, step forward boldly in faith when we hear Jesus say, “Come!”

One such command is to lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. We seldom see this practiced in the church today. Too many Christians are afraid of being embarrassed and failing. But if we never risk stepping out boldly and trusting Father God's word, how will we ever experience the exhilaration of seeing someone healed?

Please join us this Sunday morning at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. We are continuing our series on “Healing the Sick,” and my sermon is “Creating an Atmosphere of Faith Part II.” You are also invited to our 2:30 PM healing service where we give everyone an opportunity to pray for the sick.

Pastor Che

Believing Is Seeing

"What in the world have I done?"

I can't believe my current predicament. My mind races back to when it all began about 12 years ago. I was so happy, married to a prosperous merchant who provided me, and our 5 children, a comfortable living.

It was vague at first, just feelings of fatigue and some unpleasant cramping. I went to the doctor who prescribed medication, reassuring me that I would feel better. But over time things just kept getting worse. The fatigue became so great there were days I couldn't get out of bed. I often felt dizzy, nauseated and had constant abdominal pain.

For the first few years, my husband was very concerned and took me to numerous specialists. I went through a variety of treatments, some so unpleasant I don't like thinking about them. This became very expensive and a drain on our finances. Eventually I was so weak that relatives cared for our children, and I saw them infrequently.

We had to sell our lovely home, and move into a much smaller dwelling. The increasing stress was too much for my husband, who divorced me, leaving me destitute and alone. At times I despaired and thought of taking my life.

But then I heard stories about a man who was having great success healing people with challenging medical conditions. I had exhausted what doctors could do for me, and besides I had no more money. This man was my last hope.

Somehow, I managed to get out of bed and get dressed this morning. I don't remember walking to the town square, but I'm sure it took me a long time. All I knew was that this man was in town and I had to get to him. There were so many people around him, that in sheer determination I fell to my knees and began crawling. I knew if I could just reach him, that he would help me.

Despite my weakness, I pushed through that crowd and momentarily touched him. Suddenly, something incredible happened. I felt a strange warmth go through my body and knew I was healed. I haven't felt this good in 12 years!

But now he is asking, "Who touched me?" The crowd has parted, and here I am still on my knees. All eyes are on me, and to make matters even worse, the leading town official is with him. "What on earth have I done?" You see, I have broken the law, for I'm not supposed to go out in public in my condition. I realize my actions may get me into serious trouble now.

In apprehension, I look up at the man. He has the kindest eyes. He smiles at me, stretches out his hand and lifts me up. Through tears, I tell him my story. He puts his arm around me and says softly, "Return to your home. Your faith has made you well."

This is an actual account of a woman's healing by Jesus. She is known as the woman with the issue of blood, and her story was so compelling that Matthew, Mark and Luke all record it. (Matthew 9:20–22; Mark 5:25–28; Luke 8:43–48)

Jesus attributed healing to her faith. She not only believed He could heal, but that He would heal her. Faith is simple trust in God and what He says. Our human tendency is to wait and see, and then believe. But faith believes first, before it sees. Jesus tells us in Mark 9:23 that all things are possible to the person who believes. Can you believe Him before seeing?

Come join us this Sunday at 9 AM or 11 AM. We are continuing our series on Healing the Sick, and my sermon is, "Creating an Atmosphere of Faith." You are also invited to our new healing service every Sunday at 2:30 PM.

Pastor Che

The Lost Gift

Mary Smith was frail and elderly when she was visited by the priest of the local parsonage. It was the late 1800s in Britain and Mary was living in a small cottage that was literally falling apart. Years earlier she had been an upstairs maid at the estate house of the local nobility.

Happy to have a visitor, Mary recounted her years of service at the “great house,” and the many kindnesses shown to her by Lady W. There was always a Christmas bonus and she lived downstairs in comfortable maid’s quarters taking her meals in the staff kitchen.

As she talked, the priest noticed a single picture frame hanging on the wall. “Oh yes,” Mary replied when asked about it. “When Lady W died 20 years ago, there was no further need of my services. They gave me a wonderful gift of 20 pounds and that lovely certificate. So I framed it and hung it on my wall.”

Upon close inspection the priest discovered that the “certificate” was actually a legal document bequeathing to Mary Smith a generous annual living allowance. He asked Mary if she had ever read her “certificate.” “Why of course not, Father, for I never learned to read. But it's a beautiful certificate so I wanted to hang it.”

Mary had been living in abject poverty for 20 years while a document hung on her wall that would have provided her with a comfortable home and everything she needed. But being illiterate, she had lost the gift through ignorance.

Over the years, I have run into various versions of this story. My guess is there never was a Mary Smith, but the story illustrates a great point. It is possible to lose an important gift simply because we are not aware of its availability.

Unfortunately, for many years the Church lost an important gift provided by Christ's death on the cross. We knew that Jesus died for our salvation, but we took only part of that gift. We were taught that salvation provides for the forgiveness of our sins and reconciliation with Father God. But many Christians still don't realize that salvation also provides for our physical healing as well. They have lost an important gift because they have never understood everything that was included in their salvation.

Isaiah 53:4–5 gives this account of the gift of salvation. “Surely Jesus has borne our griefs, sicknesses, weaknesses and distresses, and carried our sorrows and pains of punishment. Yet we ignorantly considered Him stricken, smitten and afflicted by God. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement necessary to obtain peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes that wounded Him we are healed and made whole.”

This passage describes salvation as providing not only for forgiveness of sins, but for the healing of our bodies and emotions as well. It's a total package, but too often we have received only part of this gift. Christ demonstrated the total gift as He both forgave sin and physically healed people. Large crowds followed him and 22 times in the gospels we are told that “Jesus healed them all.”

At HRock Church, we are determined to receive the whole gift of salvation, including physical healing. Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM for a continuation of our series on Healing the Sick. My sermon this week is “How to Effectively Pray for the Sick.”

We also invite you to our new service on Sundays at 2:30 PM in which we are specifically focusing on the ministry of physical healing. Come and learn how to recover the lost gift!

Pastor Che

Breaking Walls - Building Bridges

It never ends. Every night on the news we hear about more conflict and increasing death tolls. Right now, Syria and Egypt are currently divided with religious and political factions killing one another. But before Syria and Egypt there have been a myriad of other conflicts. In fact it seems there is always a conflict somewhere destroying human lives.

Think about your own life and the lives of people you know. How often does conflict damage relationships, break apart families, destroy dreams and leave people feeling angry, alienated and alone? Why as human beings are we so prone to conflict? Is there any way to stop conflict and regain harmony and peace?

Scripture confronts us with the uncomfortable truth about conflict. “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don't have so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them.” (James 4:1–2) Jealousy, envy, feeling slighted, overlooked, taken for granted, or denied something we want, all these lead to conflict.

Our unrequited desires and hurt feelings build inside us and we want to strike back, seek revenge, make things “even.” These feelings can engulf us in overwhelming negativity, depression and even despair. Must we stay trapped? Is there no way out, no way to regain a sense of peace and harmony with ourselves and others?

Jesus Christ came to open the way for lasting reconciliation between people. Ephesians 2:14–16, 18 states: “For Christ Himself has brought peace to us. He united all of us into one people when, in His own body on the cross, He broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He made peace between us by creating in Himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled us to God by means of His death on the cross and our enmity toward each other was put to death. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.”

Those are nice words, but what do they really mean? Shadia Qubti and Dan Sered understand the meaning first-hand for they are living it. Shadia is an Arab Palestinian and Dan is an Israeli Jew, but both have found reconciliation through their faith in Jesus Christ. Shadia, a Christian Palestinian, says, “Christ is able to do what the world can't do.”

They are part of a growing number of Palestinians and Israelis who are actively seeking an end to centuries of conflict through reconciliation to one another in Jesus Christ. Dan, a messianic Jew describes it this way: “One by one as Jews and Arabs come to Christ, we are seeing more and more reconciliation and peace between them. It is because of the reconciliation power of the gospel of Christ. As we first and foremost seek personal reconciliation between ourselves and God, He transforms us within, giving us the ability to reach out in love toward our former enemies.”

What Shadia and Dan have discovered is true for all of us. Only Christ can break the wall of conflict that divides us from others, and only He can build a bridge of reconciliation between us through His Holy Spirit.

Come and join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. My sermon this week is “There Is Always More.” I also want to invite you to a new service we are starting this Sunday at 2:30 PM. We will follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in worship and in ministry to those who need healing. Gather with us as we break down walls and build bridges together!

Pastor Che

When Least is Most

The following story recently went viral on the social media.  Perhaps you’ve seen it.

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church where he was soon to be the new head pastor. Only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food - NO ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit in the back.

As he sat in the back of the church, the elders said, "We would like to introduce you  to your new Pastor, Jeremiah Steepek." The homeless man stood up and started walking down the aisle. The clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him.

He walked up to the altar and recited, “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father; …For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? …..’

'The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” The story goes on that many people hung their head for shame, and some even cried. Pastors Steepek then challenged them, “Today I see a gathering of people, not the Church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples. When will YOU decide to become a disciple?”

Many, maybe even most people initially took this story literally as factual. As it turns out, the story was fabricated as a modern-day parable. Unfortunately, probably the reason that many people believed it was true is that they could easily envision it happening in church today.

I want you to think for a minute about what kinds of people are the “least” to you. By “least” I mean the hardest to relate to, the people you usually avoid. Like this story, it may be the disheveled homeless person, or it might be the elderly person with Alzheimer's, the disfigured burn victim, the person with a disability, or the mentally retarded. Maybe it's the obese person sitting across from you on a bus or train, an ethnic minority, or the socially backward techno-geek in your class. All of us have people we are uncomfortable with, and if we are honest, we would admit that we feel they are beneath us.

Jesus spent most of His time ministering to the “least.” He saw them as valuable and worth the investment. In this way, He demonstrated to His disciples what love looks like, and encouraged them to imitate Him. He told them, “The greatest among you must be the servant of all. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:11–12)

By loving and serving the “least,” Christ offers us the opportunity to do the “most.” He makes it clear that when we lovingly serve those whom we consider “least,” we are actually loving and serving Him.

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM when we will finish our current series on “What Love Looks Like.” One of our own pastors, Linda Wallace, will be giving the sermon that is entitled “Regeneration.”

Pastor Che

At Your Service

I recently read an article describing what Europeans like and dislike about America. Typically, they find Americans friendly and helpful, and they enjoy our cultural diversity and the fact that America has so many different types of activities to do and places to see.

Interestingly, one of the most frequently mentioned dislikes was service in restaurants. Typical European complaints were: “It was terribly annoying having a waiter interrupt me every 3 minutes to ask me if everything was okay. It's not about genuine interest in serving the customer, but seems to be a subtle reminder that the waiter expects to receive a tip. There is definitely a sense of what can I get out of serving you.”

I think it may have more to do with the type of restaurant. In upscale American restaurants, the waiters are highly knowledgeable about menu items, including how ingredients are prepared, cooked and served. They are ever present, immediately providing refills to empty glasses, placing a napkin in your lap, replenishing the bread tray, etc. without your ever having to make a request. It's almost as if they can read your mind and yet they do it unobtrusively, never interrupting your conversation or activity.

I remember one specific incident when I was stirring my after dinner coffee. A little spilled over the rim of the cup onto the doily and saucer. Without a moment’s hesitation, from out of nowhere the waiter dipped in, quietly said, “Let me take care of that for you sir,” and replaced the saucer and soiled doily. The action was so low-key that it drew no attention to my spill or to the waiter’s presence. But I certainly felt like I was the focus of his service.

People can have very different motivations in providing service to others. They may serve to be noticed or to build a positive reputation. They may serve for an anticipated future payback. They may serve out of a sense of duty, but actually resent it.

Jesus demonstrated a different kind of service to His disciples. He showed them what service looks like when it is motivated by love. On His last night, knowing He would be crucified the next day, Jesus took a towel and basin and washed each of the disciple’s feet. He was their leader, their master teacher and yet He performed a service that ordinarily would be supplied by the lowliest house servant.

After washing their feet, He said, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash each other's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:14–15) He further clarified this when He told them, “I have not come to be served but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

Jesus calls each one of us to service motivated by love. We serve, not for what we can get, but for what we can truly give to others. Serving their needs is our focus and our reward. For in a strangely wonderful way, it is in this type of giving service that we in turn receive the deepest personal fulfillment.

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. Our current series is: “What Does Love Look Like?” and my sermon topic this week is “The Mindset of a Servant.”

Pastor Che

The Many Faces of Love

LOVE…….. It's one of the most popular and widely used words in our culture. We love everything from food to cars to sports teams to movies, songs, baby animals, hairstyles, athletic shoes, holiday destinations, tech toys and on and on. You name it; we love it.

Our everyday language is filled with love phrases such as, “love ya,” “I love it to bits,” “ya gotta love it,” “I just love…” When it comes to our attraction to each other, there’s “first love,” “puppy love,” “lovestruck,” “true love,” “blind love,” “love at first sight,” and “falling in love.” When things aren't going so well there's “no love lost between us,” “unrequited love,” “love and lose,” “love them and leave them,” and “tough love.” For the truly determined and optimistic there's always “sacrificial love,” “a labor of love” and “love conquers all.”

Love wears many faces in our culture. We seem to be constantly “in love” with something or someone. In fact we use the word “love” so frequently that we have to wonder if we aren't in danger of losing its significance altogether. Surely we don't mean that we love our spouse, children or romantic partner in the same way that we love pizza!

We only have one word for “love,” but in Greek there are four words for love. Storge is love of the familiar and comfortable and is often applied to family members. It's the kind of love we mean when we describe our favorite ice cream flavor or vacation spot. Eros is romantic or sexual love, and we know it as erotic love. Philia is the steady love of friendship. All these words represent types of love that we are all familiar with and engage in all the time.

But the fourth Greek word for love, “agape,” is generally reserved for God alone. This is a changeless love that is self-giving without expecting anything in return. It is a love that is freely chosen and given even to the unlovable. It has little to do with emotion and much to do with giving and self-sacrifice. It seeks to serve the other person and promote their good and well-being.

Romans 5:8 describes God's agape love for us: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” When we cared nothing about God and had no love for Him, He loved us so much that He gave His own Son to die for us to show us His love. This is giving and self-sacrifice beyond comparison.

Jesus constantly showed and taught His disciples agape love. He told His disciples, “Whoever wants to be first among you must be the servant of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.” His final command to the disciples was to love each other even as He had loved them.

The apostle Paul reminds us of this in Philippians 2:2–4: “Have the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Jesus calls us beyond the many faces of love we know, to learn the freedom and true joy that is found only in the face of agape love.

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. We are beginning a new series, “What Does Love Look Like?” My sermon this week is “Through Love, Serve One Another.”

Pastor Che.

The Loneliest Generation?

“I'm in my early teens and I am just so unhappy with my life. Everything seems so pointless.”

“I'm 15 and my teen years have been hell so far. I haven't had a single friend since elementary school. The past two nights I stayed up crying all night.”

“I feel like every day is just routine, nothing meaningful happens. I'm just so bored with my life. I can't remember the last time I was genuinely happy. Sometimes I feel so alone. I hate it. I just don't know what to do.”

These are random tweets from teenagers talking about their feelings. The American Medical Association reports that mental disorders have become the leading disability in our children, and that depression is at the top of the list. Close to 25% of US children suffer from significant depression at some point.

The recent death of “Glee” star, Cory Monteith from an overdose is a grim reminder that too often depression is claiming the lives of our young. In the past decade successful young entertainers like Brad Renfroe, Heath Ledger, Amy Winehouse and Kurt Cobain have all died of suicide or drug overdose. And we currently seem to be producing a new crop of young potentially self-destructive personalities: Justin Bieber, Amanda Bynes, Miley Cyrus, Paris Jackson and Bobbi Kristina Brown come to mind. Several of them have already been hospitalized for drug problems, suicide attempts or psychological disturbance.

What's wrong? Why is this happening to our young? Psychologist James Garbarino from Loyola University in Chicago states, “The social world of children has become poisonous to their development. The lack of adult supervision and time spent doing constructive cooperative activities with adults are key aspects of this toxic social environment today. Children home alone are more vulnerable to every type of negative cultural influence they encounter than they would be if backed up by adults.”

In short, our children are lonely, not so much for meaningful peer relationships as for meaningful relationships with adults. They may be the loneliest generation ever. While peer relationships are important for teens, they cannot provide the stability and security needed to emotionally support them as they search for their identity and sense of personal worth. Unfortunately, many parents are overworked and overscheduled, and have little time to enjoy a fulfilling family life.

Those of us who are in the body of Christ must take seriously the last command given to us by Jesus Christ, “Love one another, even as I have loved you.” We need to make a conscious choice to become involved with the children around us by conversing with them, taking an interest in what they're doing and listening to their ideas and opinions. We need to give them opportunities to demonstrate their creativity and ability to meaningfully contribute in the life of the church.

We would do well to remember that God told the prophet Jeremiah when he was only a youth, “Before you were formed in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 1:5; 29:11) God entrusts the mission of encouraging and empowering young people to us. Let's not let Him or them down.

Please join us at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM this Sunday morning. We will be concluding our first Women’s Conference, Heirs Designed to Reign, and our guest speakers Patricia King and Faytene Grasseschi will be preaching.

Pastor Che