No More Lone Rangers!

Back in the early days of television, unlike now, only two superheroes dominated the screen: Superman and the Lone Ranger. Siding with good, the Lone Ranger was independent, operated on his own agenda and wandered belonging to no particular community. He wore a mask and would slip in and out of town anonymously.

Increasingly today, many Christians are adopting the Lone Ranger lifestyle. They visit various churches and attend numerous conferences and events. But they don’t become involved in a local church community and so remain on the fringes, unknown, unsupported and underutilized.

For these Lone Ranger Christians, retaining their independence and keeping their options open as they feel “led by the Spirit” is highly important, but they are missing a foundational understanding of their calling in Christ. We are not called to be nomadic Lone Rangers for Christ on a solitary journey. Abba God knows we need loving support, and He calls us to be interdependent servants in the community of believers under properly aligned apostolic authority.

The writer of Hebrews exhorts us not to forsake the assembly, in other words, the local church (Hebrews 10:25). Then in Hebrews 13:17, we hear this message: “Submit to your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.” Thus Scripture helps us understand that the Christian life is a community life.

It is also a life lived through proper apostolic alignment. In his letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul explains, “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

“Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching… Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-15).

Abba God's plan for each of His children is that we would fully embrace the fivefold ministry of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. As we come into this alignment, mutually submitted to authority and to one another, we will be built up in the unity of our faith. This is the only way that we can become mature in Christ. Without this alignment, the Lone Ranger Christians remain alone, struggling to mature, wandering from one teaching to the next. They do not have the support they need to grow in unity to their fullness in Christ.

The last prayer request Jesus made before His crucifixion was that all of His followers would come into unity in Him. Psalm 133 explains that submission to properly aligned authority brings unity and blessing to everyone. Discover the blessings of unity in your own life. Personally give yourself over to the lordship of Jesus Christ, and commit to become an active member in a local church that is aligned with all five of the ministry offices in full operation.

Please join us this Sunday, as we will have a special guest speaker, Winkie Pratney, sharing at our 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. services.

A New Wineskin

“New wine is never put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved” (Matthew 9:17).

Jesus gave this reply when He was asked why His disciples didn’t fast as the disciples of other teachers commonly did. His response indicates that a profound change was occurring, one that would need a whole new way of thinking about how to obtain righteousness with God. In essence He was saying to them, “You are still approaching God based on your merit, but I am introducing you to a whole new way of living in right relationship with God.” In other words, “The change I am bringing is so profound, you can't simply fit it into your current ways of understanding and doing things.”

Last week I sent a personal letter indicating that God is doing a new thing. Our local church, HRock, our international apostolic network, HIM, and our seminary and training center, WLI, are merging into Harvest Apostolic Center (HAC). Being an apostolic center is not a form of reorganization; it is a new wineskin, an entirely new way of being the Church and advancing God's Kingdom.

An apostolic center represents a new model of kingdom authority. It provides a new structure for advancing God's kingdom culture to every sphere of influence in society and to every nation. It carries a fresh vision of how the Church is delivering the gospel to a world that has become a global community. It does not replace the local church, but it does differ in several important ways.

Typically a local church focuses on growing the individual members of the church and providing outreach to the surrounding community. An apostolic center focuses on equipping, launching and empowering the church to fulfill its destiny of advancing God's Kingdom, even if it is outside the local community. The emphasis in the local church is on fellowship and personal ties between members, while the members of an apostolic center share a common vision for social transformation and their role in promoting it.

The local church conducts most, if not all of its activities within the cultural sphere of religion and instructs members how to support the church and its mission. The apostolic center targets all seven mountains of culture (media, arts and entertainment, family, government, business, religion, education). Apostolic centers equip members to fulfill their God-given destiny in all these areas.

The local church normally has people operating in the offices of pastor and teacher, and possibly evangelist. The apostolic center will have the five-fold ministry in full operation: apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists. The apostolic center is led by an apostle, while the local church is led by a senior pastor or lead pastor. The local church is governed by a board of elders or the congregation (depending on how the church is structured). The apostolic center is guided by an apostolic council.

Apostolic centers are actually hubs for an apostolic network of churches that may cover a region, a nation or even the entire world. The network is relational, built on Spirit-led connections between apostolic leaders. In contrast, the local church is likely to be affiliated with a denominational network governed by legal and organizational boundaries. Some local churches are being called through a transformational process to become apostolic centers. Many local churches retain their call to continue as local churches.

Both apostolic centers and local churches are necessary to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus to go into all the world and preach the gospel of God’s Kingdom.

Please join us this Sunday as we will have a special guest speaker, David Gyertson, Headmaster of Maranatha High School, share at the 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. services.

God Is Doing a New Thing!

Can God, who never changes, also do a new thing? Although this is not a trick question, the answer initially may not be that obvious. Throughout Scripture, God reassures us that no matter what we do, He remains constant and changeless (Malachi 3:6-8). What He is telling us is that His essential nature never changes. We may fail Him, but He will never fail to keep His promises to us. He will always love us, deliver us from trouble and provide for our needs.

Although who He is and His purposes toward us never change, the ways He accomplishes His purposes can and do change. God works through His Spirit, frequently breaking out of old established patterns. For example, in Isaiah 43:15-21, God tells His people, “I am about to do a new thing. Now it springs forth. Do you not perceive it?”

When God pronounced this to Israel, they had been exiles in Babylon for decades. They were demoralized and had lost sight of their call to be God's chosen people. They remembered an earlier time in their history when they were in bondage in Egypt, and they longed for God to deliver them again in a mighty way. God was telling them, “Pay attention! I am going to do something new and do it in a very short time.”

God was about to deliver them in a way they never would have suspected. Instead of raising up a new Moses, He would act through a pagan ruler, Cyrus, the King of Persia, who would conquer Babylon and allow the Jewish people to return to their homeland. God was going to do something totally new, something His people had never experienced before. They would have to watch, be open and listen for it. They would need to be ready for the new way that God would act as His Spirit worked among them.

Another powerful example of God doing a new thing was seen in the ministry of Jesus Christ. The Pharisees were dedicated to keeping the Law and had developed a complex system of rules they thought helped them do this. But Jesus consistently violated their rules. The Pharisees were convinced that Jesus was breaking the Law, but He repeatedly told them, “I have not come to destroy (misinterpret) the Law, but to fulfill (correctly interpret) it” (Matthew 5:17). Jesus interpreted the Law to them, trying to help them understand that the essence of the Law was heart motivation, not a set of external behaviors (“You have heard it said, but I say to you…”).

The Pharisees never understood the new thing that God was doing in their midst through Jesus. In their blindness and inability to be open to God's Spirit, determined to maintain the status quo, they finally crucified Jesus, convinced that they were ridding themselves of a dangerous heretic.

When God does a new thing, it frequently catches people off guard and upsets them. But we must remain open to the move of His Spirit among us as He does something new. Two days ago, I sent a personal letter informing you of the transformation of HRock Church, HIM and WLI into Harvest Apostolic Center (HAC). This is much more than reorganization or a name change. God is doing something new in our midst, calling us into a new way of being His Church and bringing His Kingdom to the world.

In the weeks ahead, I will be explaining this new work of being an apostolic center and what God is calling you to as He does this new thing!

Come join us this Sunday at 9:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. I will be teaching on “The Harvest Is Young,” Part 2 of our current series on “Reaching the Harvest.”

Where's Your Head Pointed?

When I was in middle school, my best friend had a brother, Christopher, who was four years younger than us. He would often tag along and could be very annoying, but one thing I remember about him always brings a smile to my face. If we spotted something interesting, like a Great Dane in the park, and started talking about it, Christopher would begin to whine, “Where is it?” We would point, but if he still couldn't see it, he would tell us, “Point my head!” We would then physically turn his head until he spotted the topic of our conversation.

It's an amusing memory, but it's actually an illustration of an important principle in our adult life. Where we point our heads—that is, what we choose to focus our minds on—determines the reality we live in daily.

Think for a moment: Where has your head been pointed this past week? If you focused on the news, your mind is probably full of thoughts about the possibility of an Ebola pandemic or World War III beginning in the Middle East, a new Cold War with Russia, wildfires raging out of control in the Northwest or the impact of two hurricanes currently bearing down on Hawaii. These thoughts can leave you feeling overwhelmed and out of control, for there are no easy answers, no quick fixes for these problems.

As Christians, we are commanded to remember that we are citizens of another realm, a heavenly one (Philippians 3:20). Like ambassadors, we dwell in a foreign country, but we represent our home, the Kingdom of God, to those who are not yet heavenly citizens. Therefore, it is important for us to keep our heads pointed to the things that are taking place in God's Kingdom. Colossians 3:2 urges us, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on the things of the earth.”

I like the way The Message interprets Colossians 3:2: “Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up and be alert to what is going on in Christ—that's where the action is. See things from His perspective.”

We can't accurately represent God's Kingdom if we are unaware of what is happening there. For example, did you know that Christianity is advancing more rapidly today than at any other time in history? Cities, and even nations, are being transformed as people groups embrace Christ and the good news of His Kingdom. Indonesia, the most Muslim country in the world, is converting to Christianity at an unprecedented rate. Currently 35 percent of the population is Christian.

Incredible signs and wonders are occurring around the world, especially in places that are not open to free expression of the gospel. Everywhere God's Kingdom is advancing. This week at HRock Church, we are hosting our annual LeaderShift Conference. We bring together leaders from Harvest International Ministries (HIM), our worldwide apostolic network, and they are informing us about what is happening in God's Kingdom around the world.

For the next few weeks, I will be sharing conference highlights and discussing the implications of what God is telling us as citizens of His Kingdom. Get your head pointed in the right direction! Join me in discovering how God is moving now and what your role is in His expanding Kingdom.

Please join us this Sunday at both of our services. We will have two special guest speakers, Steve Springer at 9:30 a.m. and Bruce Lindley at 11:30 a.m.

Life Lessons from Justice: Total Trust

As a Christian, I understand that Abba God wants me to live a life of faith. But just what is faith? I often find that when I'm seeking to understand fundamentals in my relationship with God, I learn most by turning to a resident expert, my grandson, Justice.

You see, Justice lives a life of faith. He walks in faith all the time. I first realized this when Justice and I were at a kiddie park. There was a small slide, and Justice felt so accomplished being able to climb up the few stairs and slide down on his own. But then he saw an older boy climb the stairs and run down the slide, and he determined to do the same. When he reached the top of the slide, I held out a hand, intending to grasp his and help him run down.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he threw himself off the top of the slide in my direction. I realized that he had interpreted my outstretched hand as an invitation to come. Without any hesitation, Justice completely abandoned himself to that invitation, totally trusting that I would safely catch him. In that moment, the Lord quietly spoke to my heart, "Ché, this is how I want you to trust Me all the time."

After that, I began seeing many examples of Justice’s life of faith. The moment Justice sees me, his whole face becomes a smile, and he runs toward me, yelling "Papa!" He fully anticipates that I'm just as happy and excited to see him, for he has complete confidence that he is important to me and that I love him. If I'm eating something that he wants, he reaches for it persistently with his mouth open, convinced that I will share. He has no doubts that I will answer his request.

When I give him a present, Justice has no difficulty receiving it: He tears off the wrapping and starts playing right away. He accepts without questioning that I want to give him good things. His total trust is the best gift he could ever give me. It warms my heart and motivates me to love him all the more.

Our Abba God is a good and loving Father who wants us to totally trust His love for us. All too often, we hesitate, aware of our failures, convinced He can’t possibly be excited and overjoyed to see us. Abba God repeatedly reassures us to "fear not." Yet despite the fact that it is His good pleasure to give us life in His Kingdom (Luke 12:32), and to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19), we often doubt that He will say yes to our request.

Our timidity and uncertainty grieve Abba God's gentle and loving heart. He longs for us to abandon ourselves to Him, totally trusting His promises and resting securely in His acceptance of us. If we forget how to do this, we need only observe the resident experts around us: young children, who naturally live a life of faith. "Calling to Him a little child, Jesus put him in the midst of the adults and said, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of God’" (Matthew 18:2–3).

Come join us this Sunday at 9:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. I am beginning a new series on "Reaching the Harvest." My first sermon is titled "The Harvest Is in Your House."

Morning Is Breaking

They sat in stunned silence. Once there had been so much hope and excitement, but now only paralyzing disbelief and despair. The dream that had seemed so attainable now lay shattered. They had given up everything for it, but it was gone, and all their sacrifice was for nothing. Worst of all, He was gone, and they felt utterly alone in a world that didn't care.

This is how I imagine the disciples felt the day after Jesus was crucified. Everything they had hoped for, a wonderful new day of glory and deliverance for Israel, dissolved as He suffered and died. Now He lay in a tomb. Obviously it was over. The dream had turned to dust.

Often as I travel, I encounter people who, like the disciples, are mired in discouragement. After 20 years of giving their best to the company, they receive a layoff notice. The kids are grown and gone, and so is the love they committed to so long ago. Divorce seems to be the only solution. The lab report comes back with the shocking diagnosis of a life-threatening disease. A young graduate’s dream of a fulfilling career becomes a nightmare as the rejection letters from prospective employers pile up.

How can we hold onto hope in the face of discouragement? I’d like to share three important actions I take when all seems lost and I’m tempted to give up. (Yes, pastors can get discouraged too!)

I find the most important way to pull out of discouragement is to focus on the answer, not my questions. When everything is falling apart, our mind is full of questions. Why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this? Will it ever end? Will things ever be good again? Focusing on our questions only intensifies despair because we may never figure out the answers.

I focus on The Answer instead. God’s word contains a promise for every situation. I find a few promises for my situation to anchor my hope to. Then when I’m tempted to look for answers to those endless questions that crowd my mind, I focus on His promises (The Answer) instead. As I do this repeatedly, peace and encouragement fill my heart.

Secondly, I remember that no matter how strong the feelings of discouragement are, they are subject to change. When we feel down, it’s easy to give in to the temptation to live by how we feel. The truth is that circumstances don’t dictate our feelings. We actively determine our feelings by how we respond to circumstances. Psalm 42:5 reminds me to take charge of my feelings: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him.”

Finally, I choose to maintain an attitude of thanksgiving. I remember times God has come through for me. I review prophetic words of encouragement I’ve received. Each evening I jot down three ways the Lord has blessed me that day. As my gratitude grows, my discouragement shrinks, and life becomes “doable” again.

The disciples felt hopeless that day after Christ was crucified. However, as morning was breaking the next day, their discouragement turned into incredible joy as they saw their risen Savior! Abba God promises us in Psalm 30:5b, “Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Your morning is coming! It may even be that your morning is breaking today!

Please join us this Sunday for our services at 9:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. We have two special guest speakers, Loren Cunningham, the founder of YWAM, at 9:30 and Andrew Byrd at 11:30.

Family Matters

Every year I log hundreds of thousands of miles as I travel the globe, but there is one trip I always look forward to with great anticipation. Although the destination, Kauai, is gorgeous, what makes this trip so special are my priceless traveling companions, my family. You see, every year my entire family travels with me to Kauai for our family vacation..

As I sit here on the balcony of our timeshare, gazing at the pristine beach and crystal-blue surf, I feel the warm air with a slight breeze. My mind travels back years ago before Sue and I were married. We made the decision to order our life priorities under God’s direction: the Lord first, then our marriage, then our children and family, and last our ministry and careers.

We haven’t always done it perfectly, but we stuck to that commitment because we know that family matters. Long before we were taking family vacations to Hawaii, we started the habit of spending time together as a family. We established routines such as a family devotional time, family meals and a family council where we discussed important decisions we needed to make as a family.

We created a tradition of family rituals around holidays, birthdays and special events like graduations. We made small happenings special, like celebrating a winning soccer game by going out for ice cream. We realized that our relationships would not survive and thrive just on quality time; they needed quantity time as well. We found ways to make time with each of our children through one-on-one “date times,” selecting different children to accompany us on errands and making use of car time for special conversations.

You can tell what people value by what they make time for. Today our four children are grown, three are married and two are parents, making us proud grandparents of our grandson, Justice, and our granddaughter, Annabelle. We still make time together a priority, gathering one night a week for a family meal, sharing pictures and catching each other up on the latest news. We continue our family traditions on holidays and celebrations, and we rally around and mutually support each other in challenging times.

Today I am so blessed as I watch our children choose priorities that make their families matter. I am reminded that family was originally God’s idea. He created us to live, grow and find our identity and purpose in the context of family. He reminds us that He is always thinking of us. In fact, He tells us that His thoughts of us are as numerous as the sands of the sea (Psalm 139:17-18). How’s that for establishing a priority?

Abba God’s family matters to Him, and He has invited all of us to become members.  “See what a great love the Father has towards us, that we should be called the children of God. And that is what we are! We have received the Spirit of sonship, whereby we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (1 John 3:1; Romans 8:15b–16). So never forget that God has a family where you matter!

Please join us this Sunday at 9:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. We will have special guest speakers at each service.

Going the Distance

This past week, my wife, Sue, and I, have been celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary with a second honeymoon cruise in the Greek islands. Being alone together, we've been able to look back over our marriage and reminisce about the good times and challenges. In retrospect, we realize that we made some important decisions and established some early habits that enabled us to keep going the distance as a married couple.

The groundwork for a resilient marriage began well before our wedding day. Sue and I were fortunate to attend a church with a strong premarital counseling course that focused on practical issues that grounded us when romance alone might have kept us star-crossed lovers. We were encouraged to discuss our personal values and the influence of our cultural and family backgrounds as well as our visions for the future and the destiny we felt called to. This also included discussions about attitudes to finances, child rearing and how realistic our expectations were in regard to marriage.

Probably the single most important understanding we gained during that time was that marriage, as God intended it, is a covenant, an irrevocable commitment between husband and wife for life. Sue and I prayerfully made the decision that we would embrace our wedding vows as a covenant and that divorce would never be an option.

Early in our marriage, we established maintenance habits that we stuck with even in challenging times when we were tempted to pull back. Some of the most important were having a date night each week, praying and reading Scripture together daily, regular sexual intimacy and commitment to transparency by participating in a monthly marriage accountability group with other pastors. This practice kept us honest, and when we hit a particularly rough spot, we were able to recognize that we needed help and then seek marital counseling from a Christian professional.

Over the years, we have learned that two can never become one, only three can. That is, a man and a woman can never truly become one, unless they each willingly and wholeheartedly submit to a third-party, to Jesus Christ. Sue and I have found that as we each freely put ourselves under obedience to the Lord, we will lovingly lay down our lives for one another in mutual submission.

Personally, I begin each day by asking the Holy Spirit to fill me afresh, for I know that only His love working in me can transform me into the servant-leader He calls me to be. Instead of monitoring Sue’s behaviors, I focus on my heart and my actions, readily asking for and extending forgiveness when we have misunderstandings. These are the attitudes and practices that keep our marriage fresh and vital and allow us to keep going the distance.

I realize that many of you reading this are not currently married, but as Christians, we are all the Bride of Christ. In Ephesians 5:21-33, the relationship of a man and woman in marriage is compared to our union with Christ. When we said “yes” to Christ, we entered into a covenantal relationship with Him, an irrevocable commitment.

We maintain our commitment by daily spending time with the Lord in prayer and meditation on Scripture, desiring deepening intimacy with Him. When we lose focus and drift from Him, we keep short accounts by reconnecting as soon as we discover the breach. And we enjoy the Lord by inviting Him into every area and activity of our lives. These are all important keys to help us keep going the distance in our relationship with Him.

We invite you to our 9:30 AM or 11:30 AM service this Sunday. Pastor Karl Malouff will be giving the message. His sermon is entitled, “Choose Life.”

The Other Unalienable Rights

Happy Fourth of July Weekend!

As we celebrate the founding of our great country with picnics, barbecues and fireworks, we commemorate the date that the Continental Congress approved the final draft of the Declaration of Independence. Many of us can quote the most famous part of that document which begins in the second paragraph. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

Just what is an unalienable right? Thomas Jefferson wanted to make sure it was abundantly clear that the Creator God has given every human absolute rights that cannot be taken away or denied by any government. Therefore they are permanent rights just as the Creator who gave them is permanent.

We are all familiar with the three famous unalienable rights contained in the Declaration of Independence: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. But did you know that God has given us other unalienable rights? He makes the following unalienable rights available to anyone who will receive them.

The right to be loved and cherished by God. “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

The right to receive God's grace, His unmerited favor.  “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we who are in Him may receive mercy and find grace to help in times of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

The right to the guidance of God's Holy Spirit.  “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit Whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things I have said to you.” (John 14:26)

The right to be righteous and in right standing with God.  “For our sake God made Jesus Christ who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthian 5:21)

The right to contain the character of God.  “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

The right of citizenship in God's kingdom.  “Blessed are those who are humble in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

The right to health and personal wholeness.  “The Lord God forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.” (Psalm 103:3)

The right to be adopted into God's forever family.  “See how great a love Abba God has given to us, that we should be called the children of God, and so we are.” (1 John 3:1)

The right to have all your needs provided.  “God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

The right to have the wisdom of God.  “Who can know the Lord's thoughts? Who knows enough to instruct Him? But we have been given the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16)

This weekend as we celebrate our country’s independence and the freedoms that are ours, let's take time to remember the other unalienable rights that God has given to us. He promises us in John 1:12: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His name.”

If you have never received Christ, say “yes” to Him right now, and step into all your unalienable rights!

Please join us this Sunday at 9:30 AM or 11:30 AM. My son, Pastor Gabriel Ahn will be speaking, and his message is entitled, “Coming into Your Convergence.”

I want to take this opportunity to invite all of you to our annual Fourth of July picnic on Sunday, July 6 from 11:30 AM until 3 PM on the lawn adjacent to Ambassador Auditorium. Come enjoy delicious barbecue, a classic car show and special treats and surprises for the kids. Tickets available for purchase after both services on Sunday.

Pastor Che

Created…… For What?

John and Mary have been married 3 years and are now having one of the most important conversations of their life together. Let's listen in.

John:  You know, Mary, we've done well these past 3 years. Everything is going according to our plan. We both have good jobs and we paid off our cars last year. This year we moved into our new dream house. I think it's time we get a servant to help us clean and cook.

Mary:  That's a great idea John! Let's have a child! They will obey our commands and serve us all the days of their life.

John:  We will feed, clothe and shelter them and in return, every day they will thank us and sing songs about how wonderful we are!

Mary:  We will keep track of their faults and failures and be sure to point them out, so they can improve their performance over time. Having a child will be great!

How would you like to be John and Mary's child? Born to serve. Expected to be thankful for every scrap of food, every night of shelter. Constantly examined for errors, faults and mistakes. Is this why people have children?

Think for a moment. For what reason do most people have children? If you are a parent, for what reason did you have your children? When asked this question, researchers found that the vast majority of parents responded that they had a child for joy, as an expression of their mutual love and from the desire to give life to another. Parents also look forward to being able to instill values in their children and to love and provide for them.

Anyone who has children knows that being a parent is more about giving than it is receiving. Children are expensive. They can break a parent’s heart. They are frequently frustrating and often don't appreciate the sacrifices parents make for them. Yet, in spite of this, parents find plenty to love in their children.

There is the joy of watching their children grow and develop their own skills and unique personality, and on occasion, the glimpses parents see of themselves in their children. There are those moments when they see their children imitating mommy or daddy's behaviors out of admiration. Then, of course, there are the smiles, the hugs and the laughter which lights up the room frequently.

As human parents we understand these things but, strangely, when we consider Abba God, we tend to see His motives more like John and Mary. He created us to obey and serve Him, to worship and praise Him and to be corrected by Him when we fall short. But is this really what God created us for?

Genesis 1:26 states that God created us in His image to be like Him. He wanted us to share His nature and the quality of His divine life with Him. He wanted us to prosper, to spend our life in a loving community He called family and to experience the responsibility and mastery of taking care of the rest of creation.

Revelation 4:11 tells us: “For You created all things, and they exist because You created what pleased You and what You wanted.” Bottom line, Abba God wanted you to come into being, and loving and providing for you gives Him joy!

Come join us this Sunday at 9:30 AM or 11:30 AM as we conclude our series on “Father God Really Loves You!” My sermon this week is titled “Abba God Desires to Bless His Children!”

Pastor Che

All By Myself

I can never forget that sinking feeling I had as a child every report card day. You see, my older sister excelled in academics, but as hard as I tried, I could never measure up. Clutching my report card, I'd approach my father's study with my stomach in tense knots. It was difficult to breathe around the large lump that was already closing my throat. Even before I saw his disapproving scowl, I was fighting back tears.

As my father criticized and berated me for being ignorant and lazy, I felt so utterly alone, like emotionally I was falling off a high cliff. The emptiness of nowhere to go and no one to turn to left me comfortless and deserted inside. Those intense “all by myself” moments dug a deep pit of insecurity within that followed me well into midlife.

I learned to cover up my inner vulnerability with a veneer of self-sufficiency. When I felt all by myself in a situation, I would tough it out and bluff my way through, For years I kept my sense of deep aloneness hidden from others. They looked so confident, I was sure they never experienced “all by myself” moments. After working for years as a pastor dealing with people at many crisis points in life, I now know that we all have repeated times when we feel profoundly “all by myself.”

It may have started when we were the new kid in class being introduced by the teacher, staring at all the other kids and wondering, “Who will be my friend here?” It might have been the time we missed the critical opportunity to shoot the winning hoop or kick the winning field goal, and knew that we alone had let everybody else down.

As adults it may be the moment we come home to divorce papers or have to deliver an important business presentation and don't feel we measure up. May be we are passed over and that job promotion goes to someone else. Some “all by myself” moments are universal, like before surgery when we are waiting to be wheeled into face the knife, or if as an older parent we wait for the birthday phone call that never comes.

Although they really don't work well, we all develop coping mechanisms to deal with those “all by myself” moments. We distract ourselves and try not to think about how we feel. Once the moment has passed, we push back its memory and try to bury it, but it always resurfaces eventually making us uneasy. To compensate, we become as self-sufficient as we possibly can, never realizing we are forging an armor that wards off our reception of love as well as providing protection from feeling vulnerable.

Our attempts to achieve inner security through self-effort will never be successful. “All by myself” moments will always leave us vulnerable because we were not created to be alone. We were created to be loved by Father God, who wants each one of us, His children. He tells us repeatedly, “Fear not!” and assures us that He will never leave or forsake us. “I have called you by name and you are Mine.” (Deuteronomy 31:6; Isaiah 43:1)

To experience the security of His love, we must drop our false sense of self-sufficiency and let Him in. Jesus addressed the superficially self-sufficient church of Laodicea in Revelation by exposing their actual insecurity and urging them to receive His love. “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone will hear My voice and open the door, I will come into him and sup with him and he with Me.”

We are not “all by myself.” We are not orphans. But we must believe Father God's promises and let Him in.

Come join us this Sunday at 9:30 AM or 11:30 AM. We are continuing our series “Father God Really Loves You.” My sermon this week is, “You Are My Child!”

Pastor Che

Fathers Wanted!

Increasingly, the present young generation is a fatherless generation. Some fathers disappear before their child is born, and their identity is unknown. Other fathers are alienated through divorce and disappear over time. Still others are emotionally distant or unavailable due to preoccupation with careers or other personal interests. In some families, fatherlessness is 2 and 3 generations deep.

Here is the legacy of fatherlessness:

• 43% of US children live without their father
• 90% of runaway children are from fatherless homes
• 71% of pregnant teenagers lack a father
• 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes
• 85% of youth with behavioral disorders are fatherless
• 71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes
• 85% of youth in prisons are fatherless

These are the voices of fatherless children, now adults looking back:

“My father left when I was 4 or 5. He took that walk for the cigarettes and never came back. We had to go on welfare and eat government food. You know the huge containers of Velveeta cheese.”

“I never went to the park or played games with my dad. In fact, I never did anything with him. He took me 2 weekends a month because my mom insisted, but he didn't want me. I sat in his apartment watching TV, while he was downstairs at the community pool partying with his friends.”

“You can take risks for yourself, but you don't take risks and gamble with your children. I don't think we have the right to take risks with our children.”

“This is the most important job a person can have, that of being a father. Any man lucky enough to have children has got to understand that.”

The punk band, Everclear, has captured the plight of the fatherless in their song “Father of Mine.”

Father of mine
Tell me where you have been
You know I just closed my eyes
My whole world disappeared…
You had my world inside your hand
But you did not seem to know…
Tell me what do you see
When you look back at your wasted life and you don't see me…
My dad he gave me a name
Then he walked away

The lead singer from another punk band, PennyWise, offers this advice to those men who are now fathers, but still struggle with the effects of their own fatherlessness. “If you're from a broken home, it's easy to cling to all that anger. But learn over time to take the anger and make it something positive. We can raise better kids by being more attentive fathers. Maybe that's the way we can create a better world out there, by being better fathers.”

As we celebrate Father's Day this Sunday I encourage every father to remember, no matter the age of your child, they want and need their father. Regardless of how long it's been or what may have happened between you, take the opportunity this Father's Day to reach out and make contact. If you are a fatherless child and you know where your father is, let him know how important he is to you.

Father God knows how important it is for fathers and children to be restored to each other. He tells us in Malachi 4:6 that His desire is to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers in order to save society from destruction. Fathers, you are wanted!

Come join us this Father's Day Sunday at our new service times of 9:30 AM or 11:30 AM. We are continuing our current series, “Father God Loves You,” and my sermon is entitled, “Father God Is Love.”

Pastor Che

Becoming Ourselves

Adolescence is widely recognized as a time when the young search for themselves and try to discover their identity. This process usually includes trying on different identities by changing things like dress, hair style and color, behavior, language, music, career goals, peer group etc. Some of these shifting identities are welcomed by parents, many are not, and parents often breathe a sigh of relief when “that stage is over.”

Usually by the time we reach early adulthood, we have established an identity based on factors such as gender, race, nationality, body type, career goals, religion, family loyalties etc. This identity gives us a sense of personal meaning and an understanding of our place in the world. We perform actions consistent with our identity based on our own ideas and others expectations of us. We may refine our identity over time, but seldom radically change it.

While most of us would like to change aspects of our identity, today there are an increasing number of people who are seeking total identity transformation by becoming someone else. Some people are victims of abuse by spouses, parents, family or community members, and a new identity is essential to their survival. Some people seek relief from their indebtedness, legal problems or criminal convictions. Still others like transgenders have so radically altered themselves that their old identity no longer is functional.

There are multiple sites on the Internet that provide information on how to legally obtain a name change, new Social Security number, birth certificate or driver’s license. Some sites give pointers on how to start over from scratch with a new identity by offering people strategies for how to get around difficulties like the absence of personal references, education, employment and credit information.

Other sites urge identity changers to “practice lies” such as using their new name when introducing themselves, and reciting confabulated family, personal and employment histories. They instruct identity changers to adopt new styles of dress, mannerisms, hair color, eye color, engage in a new field of work, cut off all contacts with family and friends, and move to a distant location.

These strategies are time-consuming and costly, requiring intense and sustained effort. Frequently they are only marginally successful, because changing identity is more than an external process. It requires that we become someone new, that is, we change the definition of ourselves and our beliefs about who we are. This inward, psychological change is much more difficult to achieve.

If you are unhappy with aspects of your current identity, Father God has an identity transformation process that is free, complete and doesn't require you to move, abandon your employment or give up contact with those you love. Best of all, it's not a rearranging of external information, but an unveiling of your true identity. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Everyone who is in Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone: a new life has begun!”

Father God offers each of us the opportunity to become ourselves by accepting His invitation to receive His love and become a member of His eternal family. He longs to give us our true identity that He established for us from eternity past, before anything else existed!

Please join us this Sunday at our new service times of 9:30 AM or 11:30 AM. Our Special Guest, Jerame Nelson will be speaking on The Baptism of The Fire of God’s Love.

Pastor Che

Odd Ducks

Within the past few weeks, an unusual video about a cat and some ducklings has gone viral. It tells the story of a young couple on a small farm in Ireland who wanted to add some ducks to their other animals. They purchased several fertilized duck eggs, but when they hatched, after searching extensively, they couldn't find the ducklings.

Finally after six hours, they saw a duckling in the mouth of their cat. Assuming the cat was going to eat the duckling, they tried to chase it down, but then they noticed that the cat was very carefully holding the duckling, not hurting it. As they watched, the cat took the duckling to its bed in the barn and deposited it with two other ducklings that were already there. Then the cat protectively surrounded the ducklings, covering them with her paws and nestled with them, purring contentedly.

The couple discovered that there were three tiny kittens sharing the cat bed with the ducklings. The mother cat had apparently just given birth to a small litter, when she discovered the ducklings. With the surge of mothering hormones following the birth of her own kittens, the mother cat’s instincts told her to nestle and protect any small, warm furry creatures. So she adopted the ducklings.

What was even more amazing, the couple discovered that the ducklings had latched on to the mother cat’s nipples and were actually nursing. Since ducklings are born ready to be independent and forage for food, and mother ducks do not nurse their young, this behavior was most unusual. It can only be assumed, that in nestling with the mother cat, the ducklings found a new food source and adapted to it.

The mother cat was not ready for the more independent behaviors of her precocious “yellow kittens.” She was constantly chasing after them, holding them in her mouth and bringing them back to her bed to take care of them. After several weeks, the ducklings were half-grown, but still following their adopted mother cat everywhere.

As I watched this beautiful story of an unusual love bonding between animals that normally have an antagonistic relationship, I realized that it is a powerful parable of how God calls us to love one another. At the Last Supper with His disciples, Jesus told them: “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people are to know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34–35)

 Father God does not expect us to manufacture this type of love on our own. Scripture assures us that the love of Father God has been shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5), and we have a supernatural ability to love others, even the “odd ducks” we find in our midst. We are reminded that in loving one another, we are to bear each other's burdens. (Galatians 6:2) That is, we are to be patient with the faults we find in others, not judgmental.

They may differ from us in dress, hairstyle, the way they worship or the type of music they like. They may have doctrinal differences or hold political views we feel are wrong. They may be struggling with various forms of addiction, engaging in sexual immorality or struggling with broken relationships. Like the mother cat patiently loving her “odd yellow kittens,” we are to love these “odd ducks,” and allow the power of God's love to produce Christlike changes in their hearts and in ours as well.

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM or 1:00 PM. We are beginning a new series entitled, “Father God Loves You!” My sermon this week is, “The Call to Love.”

Pastor Che

Shadow Christians

I was fascinated by my shadow when I was young. No matter how hard I chased it, I could never catch it. Throughout the day it changed shape from being long and stretched out to being short and squat, and then became tall again. And of course it disappeared when the clouds came out. My shadow’s behavior was unpredictable and mysterious, very different from a real person.

It had the general outline of my body, but if you took a picture of my shadow you would never know it was me. You couldn't identify my face or see any details because on my shadow they were obscured by darkness. I often played with my shadow, but there was no way I could ever know or touch it, for it had no substance.

Sadly today, many believers in the body of Christ are “shadow Christians.” Like shadows, they are hard to chase down, and virtually impossible to intimately know. It's difficult to understand what they believe, because they seem torn between opposing views and uncertainty. Their theology can change depending upon what group they are part of. You rarely hear them speak with boldness and conviction about their beliefs, and when faced with adversity their faith seems to evaporate.

If you attempt to really know them, you frequently run into a wall of spiritual platitudes, words that sound right, but seem to lack real conviction. If you remind them of a promise in God’s word, they're likely to smile and say, “I hope so.” They often seem doubtful, but seldom discuss their difficulties candidly with anyone. Apparently keeping up appearances is all-important, and admitting any vulnerability is just too threatening.

Some of them are event attenders and conference hoppers, constantly seeking “the deeper things of the Lord.” They frequently return excited, but their enthusiasm rapidly drains until they find another opportunity to sit under a new anointing. Others seem content with the status quo and may actually resist a fresh wind of God's Spirit. It's as if any type of change threatens their spiritual equilibrium.

It would be easy to dismiss these “shadow Christians” as nominal believers, but I think that would be a mistake. Most of them are sincere believers who have made a true decision for Christ and want to do the works Christ said would follow believers, but it isn't happening in their lives.

What is hindering them? I think for many it is a deep sense of unworthiness, often fed by guilt and shame. They trust these negative feelings more strongly than they believe what Father God tells them about their identity. He wants to give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Himself. He longs to enlighten the eyes of their hearts so that they can know the hope to which He has called them, and what are the riches of their glorious inheritance in the saints. He wants them to know the immeasurable greatness of His power to them if they will only believe His word... (Ephesians 1:18–19)

James 1:17 assures us: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadows.” Father God is not a “shadow God.” He means exactly what He says and He values you so much that He has reserved a glorious inheritance just for you!

Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM or 1:00 PM. Our own Pastor Sue Ahn will be discussing our true identity in Christ. Her message is entitled, “Remember Who You Are.”

Pastor Che

The Invisible Homeless

Every year the US department of Housing and Urban Development puts out a report on the state of homelessness in our nation.  We have all seen the homeless, those living on the street who have fallen on hard times, lost their jobs and homes, or are chronic drug addicts, alcoholics and the mentally ill. There has been a small decrease in the incidence of homelessness since 2007, but still well over half a million Americans are homeless, and a quarter of them are children under the age of 18.

But there is another type of homelessness that is increasing in epidemic proportions. I call it “the invisible homeless.” You can't pick them out in a crowd. In fact they may have all the signatures of success: a luxury car, the right address and clothes labels, the most up-to-date tech toys. But deep inside they are wandering, feeling alienated and alone. They can't identify “home”; people and a place where they know they are accepted, welcomed and wanted, not for what they can perform or produce, but simply for themselves alone.

Many are young and unmarried, carrying painful memories of their own parents’ divorce and fearful that marriage commitment will expose them to the risk of another home evaporating. Many are single again, separated or divorced, returning every evening to an empty dwelling full of bittersweet memories. All their hopes for a true home have disintegrated. Still others are estranged from family members, trapped in an impenetrable emotional wall reinforced by years of silence. Some are old or ill, and have been shoved aside to live their lonely lives outside of the community's collective awareness.

All of them struggle within their internal void longing to see a familiar face light up when they enter a room and hear warm words welcoming them. Their invisible homelessness is a daily reality that they deal with in quiet desperation. They see no hope for a true home, but they can't stop longing for it either.

We were created to find our identity and purpose within the context of home and family. The Godhead itself is a family: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God's intention in creating the human race was to extend His family infinitely. We were created in God’s image as a family and told to multiply and fill the earth with family. (Genesis 1:27–28; 2:24)

We can never stop the longing inside to be family for it is encoded into our very spiritual DNA. And Father God feels the alienation and pain of our invisible homelessness, for He longs to see His fragmented family restored and whole. His whole purpose in sending His son Jesus Christ to live among us and die for us on the cross, was to provide an avenue of reconciliation that enables us to join our spiritual family and rediscover our eternal home.

“God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do and it gave Him great pleasure.” (Ephesians 1:5) Father God never intended for you to be homeless. Receive His gift of reconciliation and become His adopted child today!

Please join us for services this Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM or 1:00 PM. Our guest speaker at all 3 services is Dawna DeSilva, who is highly experienced in the Sozo deliverance and inner healing ministry.

Pastor Che

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle…

Normally I use this space to share insights about various topics as the Lord leads, but today I'd like to do something a little different. I'd like to share the inspired insights of others in paying tribute to the most powerful and often most overlooked occupation: Motherhood. All of us have been shaped and influenced by a mothering person in a way that follows us for the rest of our lives.

I dedicate the following to every mother:

“Motherhood is more than a stage–it is a lifelong calling from God.” (Unknown)

“Making a decision to have a child–it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” (Elizabeth Stone)

“Mothers write on the hearts of their children what the world's rough hand cannot erase.” (Unknown)

“All I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. I remember my mother's prayers and they have always clung to me. They have followed me all my life.” (Abraham Lincoln)

“My mother made a brilliant impression upon my childhood life. She shone for me like the evening star.” (Winston Churchill)

“The future destiny of the child is always the work of the mother.” (Napoleon Bonaparte)

“The mother is the one supreme asset of national life. She is more important by far than the successful statesman, businessman, artist or scientist.” (Theodore Roosevelt)

“Only God Himself appreciates the influence of the Christian mother in molding the character of her children.” (Billy Graham)

The apostle Paul also remarked on the influence of Christian mothers and grandmothers 2000 years ago: “Timothy, I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. I know how from your childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.” (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15)

This one is to make you smile: A second grade teacher gave a science lesson about magnets. To see how much the children had learned, she asked her class the question: “Name something that picks up things and begins with the letter “M”. In unison all the children yelled: “Mom!”

I want to close with this stanza from a classic poem:

“They say that man is mighty,
He governs land and sea,
He wields a mighty scepter,
Over lesser powers that be.

But a mightier power and stronger,
Man from his throne has hurled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle,
Is the hand that rules the world
(William Rose Wallace)

Please join us this Mother's Day Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM or 1:00 PM. We will be honoring mothers and my sermon is “The Sacrificial Love of a Mother.”

Pastor Che

Happily Ever After?

It's the last line of so many fairy tales, “and they lived happily ever after.” In fairytales it all seems so simple. Find the right person, fall in love and you too can “live happily ever after.”

We live in Pasadena, just a stone's throw from the fairytale capital of the world, Hollywood. There's not a week that goes by that the rumor mill doesn't cycle fresh gossip on who's seeing who, who’s living with who or who's engaged to who. The text is accompanied by candid snaps of the lovers beaming as together they make a hasty exit from an exclusive restaurant or trendy night spot.

Inevitably in the following weeks more information leaks about the extravagant engagement ring, the lavish wedding plans, the possible destination wedding setting and of course which guests are on the “A–list.” Fans eagerly lap up details on everything from color schemes to wedding favors. Often, celebrity weddings easily cost more than the average American home.

I confess this type of knowledge would never have registered on my radar except for the fact that my son just got married. Our whole family became acutely aware of the wedding industry and the pressure it can exert to do the fairytale right. So many major and minor decisions had to be made on everything from chair covers (yes or no) to entrées (vegetarian option?) centerpieces, printed programs, meaningful wedding mementoes etc. I was shocked to learn that the tab for the average no celebrity American wedding today is around $28,000.

There seems to be an increasing need to create the perfect fairytale wedding almost as if that will ensure the perfect fairytale ending. But does one lead to the other? That happy, loving Hollywood couple all too often reappears several years post-wedding as two estranged, completely miserable, singles exiting divorce court. Unfortunately, many will repeat the same cycle again with a new partner.

As I watched my son make his covenantal vows of marriage, I found myself praying that he would find happiness and fulfillment. The wedding was lovely, but I knew that no matter how “fairytale right” it appeared to be, that it was simply window dressing. We all long to live happy lives, but we will never find “happily ever after” in the wedding details, no matter how perfect they are.

There is a path to real happiness that God offers to all of us. Ephesians 2:10 tells us: “For we are God's own workmanship, re-created in Christ Jesus that we may do those good works that God has planned for us before hand, and that we may take paths which He has prepared for us ahead of time so that we should walk in them and live the good life which He has prearranged and made ready for us to live.”

Father God has prepared a wonderful life of happiness and fulfillment for you, but you will never find it by trying to create fairytale perfection. Make a decision to step out of the fairytale and start living a real life, the one God has established for you.

Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM or 1:00 PM. Our Lead Pastor, Karl Malouff will be giving the message.

Pastor Che

When Two…… Become One

This is a week of incredible celebration for my wife, Sue and I. Right now we are in the middle of our annual Revival Alliance Conference, enjoying a beautiful move of the Holy Spirit. We are also celebrating the 20th anniversary of HRock Church, and this Saturday, April 26, our son Gabriel will marry the love of his life, Monica Chang. Monica is everything we have prayed for in a mate for Gabe, and we couldn't be happier for him!

As I anticipate their wedding, my mind is full of joy and hope that they will find a timeless love and a lifelong companionship in their marriage relationship. This news story, that broke a few days ago, is a beautiful illustration of just that type of relationship.

Kenneth and Helen Felumlee from Ohio recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. They were inseparable since meeting as teenagers, and were still so in love that they held hands every morning at breakfast. Helen, 92, died of old age on April 12, and Kenneth, 91, died 15 hours later. The couple are survived by their 8 children, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

One daughter commented, “Those two were so close, they were really one. We knew when one went, the other was going to go. Twelve hours after Mom went, Dad quickly began to fade. He was ready. He just didn't want to leave Mom by herself.” She stated that 24 close family members and friends surrounded her father's bedside and sang his favorite hymns, read Scripture and prayed with him. Throughout their lifetimes both of her parents taught Sunday school and were actively involved in the local Methodist Church. Their story of committed love has received nearly 5000 comments.

As I contemplated their love and dedication to each other, the Lord said, “This is a picture of the relationship I always wanted between Me and you.” He reminded me that when He created Adam, He breathed the life of His very own spirit into Adam, and Adam became one spirit with Him.

However when Adam sinned, he was separated from God. None of us will ever realize the depth of grief that separation brought to God as He mourned the loss of His relationship with us. He chose to join us in death, taking our sin upon Himself and raising us up together with Him in His resurrection. In that action, God offers to join Himself to us again in spirit, if we will only say “I do” to His love proposal.

Father God makes it clear that just as two become one in marriage, we become one with God when we say “yes” to Him. (Ephesians 5:31–32) So next time you attend a wedding, remember that God offers all of us the opportunity to join ourselves to Him. When we become one with God, everything He has is ours, including His promise of eternal love. He can never leave or forsake us, for we two have become one.

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM or 1:00 PM. We have two outstanding speakers and a special event! Dr. Hong will be speaking at 9:00 AM and Dr. Mark Chironna at 11:00 AM.  The 1:00 PM service this week is the graduation ceremony for our School of Supernatural Ministry (SSM). Everyone is welcome to attend.

Pastor Che

“Love… as I have Loved”

I think we can all agree that the last words a person speaks are very important, perhaps the most important words they have ever spoken. Today we remember the final hours of Christ's life before He was crucified. Scripture tells us that the night before He died, “Jesus knew that His time had come to leave this world and return to His Father. He had loved His disciples during His ministry on earth, and now He loved them to the very end.” (John 13:1)

In His final moments with His disciples, Jesus took one last opportunity to give them His most important object lesson, and leave them with His most important commandment. He became their servant by washing the feet of each one of them and he told them, “Love one another, even as I have loved you.” (John 13:34–35)

Of all the things Jesus could have done and said, why did He leave them with this action and these words? I think the key lies in the statement, “… and now He loved them to the very end.” He wanted to leave them with the very best that love could provide… the Truth that would set them free. He was demonstrating to them what real love is, how real love acts.

Real love is selfless. It empties out itself in the service of others, and understands that abundance in life is obtained through giving, not getting. Real love experiences the peace and joy that comes by focusing on the needs, rights, and feelings of others and living to see them fulfilled.

Real love understands that self-centeredness is a cancer in the soul that consumes our personality and wastes our life. Just like cancer in the physical body, the cancer of self-centeredness crowds out everything and everyone else. It has a voracious appetite that can never be satisfied, no matter how many toys we have, how much fame, power or wealth we may acquire. In the end, just like physical cancer, self-centeredness will feed on our life until it destroys us.

Jesus wanted to show His disciples a more excellent way, a path to perfect freedom and complete life. He understood this way because He has lived it throughout eternity in the community of the Godhead. He knew that only selfless love could release His disciples to live forever free and be forever blessed with the riches of an abundant life beyond anything they could imagine.

He knew that in our own strength of character, none of us could attain this type of love, so he went to the cross, bore our weaknesses and failings, and gave to us the gift of real love. Through His death, we are all invited to die to our own self-centeredness and come alive to the reality of selfless love. In His sacrifice, we can all be set free from preoccupation with our needs, rights and feelings, and be filled to overflowing with life, joy, peace and contentment.

If you have never said “yes” to Jesus Christ, I encourage you on this Good Friday to take a few minutes and ask yourself, “Is my life consumed with me or am I fulfilled with real love?” If you're being consumed by the cancer of self-centeredness, come to the cross and allow Christ to immerse you in His death and fill you with His real love.

Come join us this Easter Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM or 1:00 PM. We have a powerful theatrical presentation, “What Did I Do with the Cross?” My message is, “Resurrection Life.”

Are You Bugged?

For those of us who depend on the Internet, the question “Are you bugged?” has become a very serious one in the last few days. It turns out that the lock that signals to us that a website will keep our information secure has actually left our private data unsecured for more than 2 years. The encryption technology that's supposed to keep us safe has been compromised by what is being called “the heartbleed bug.”

It isn't a virus that attacks your computer; rather it's a breach in the way the encryption system on websites works which can allow personal data such as passwords and credit cards to be compromised. Since the majority of Internet websites employ the compromised security system, hundreds or even thousands of websites may have been affected. The “bug” leaves no trail, so it's impossible to know if your information has been “bugged.”

The only thing that users can do is wait for websites to clear the bug from their systems, and then change all passwords on those sites that have our confidential information. It is also suggested that users monitor credit card statements and bank account information carefully for possible irregularities. Virtually everyone who uses the Internet has probably been affected, but it is impossible to tell how much personal data might have been compromised.

Awareness of the existence of the bug and vigilance, to determine if any of your information has been compromised is your best protection from possible damage by the heartbleed bug.

While this latest computer security breach is certainly serious and demands our attention and protective action, there is an even more widespread and pernicious “bug” that we are all exposed to, but few of us realize. It is called “spiritual warfare” and it is a battle that takes place in our minds.

Scripture warns us that we are fighting, not with other people, but with spiritual principalities and powers that are called “strongholds” and “high and lofty imaginations.” We are urged to tear down these forces that come against us, but many of us do not recognize them, for they are cleverly disguised, and like the “heartbleed bug” they don't leave a clear trail for us to detect.

Our best protection is first to remember that this warfare takes place in our minds. The spiritual forces “bug” us with thoughts that we automatically assume are our own. We find ourselves trapped with repetitive ideas of worry or fear. Our minds recycle memories of personal hurt that keep our anger and agitation stirred up. Our inner calm is disrupted, we are restless and have difficulty focusing or maintaining a positive outlook.

We need to remember that when we have negative thoughts we can't shake, our minds may very well be “bugged.” We can “debug” our minds by filling them with God's word. Meditating on God's promises of love, provision and protection is the most effective way to eradicate the “bugs” of spiritual warfare.

Are you bugged? Start spending time in God's word everyday. Focus on what He is saying to you, and those troublesome thoughts will stop bugging you!

Come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM or our new afternoon service time at 1:00 PM. I will be discussing God’s wonderful promises available to us through our covenant in Christ Jesus. My sermon title is “Shadow and Substance.”

Pastor Che

From Dream to Destiny

Over 30 years ago as a young pastor, I received two powerful visions from the Lord. The first was the promise of my call to Southern California being followed by a great harvest of souls, and the second was establishing an apostolic base from which we would reach all the nations. I had many ideas about how and when these two visions would happen, but weeks turned into months and months turned into years and still my visions remained unfulfilled.

After several decades of patient obedience through times of blessing and times of discouragement, I have come to understand more fully that our visions are really bits and snatches of God's dream for us. His dream is so wonderful and vast that we are told, “No one’s eye has ever seen, no one's ear has ever heard, and no one's heart has ever imagined all the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

God does not deliberately hide His plans from us, but He can only reveal bits at a time because our minds and our hearts cannot contain the totality of His dream. We must progressively mature into a more complete and fuller understanding, so He reveals step-by-step how we are to proceed as He takes us from dream to destiny.

I've learned that reconciliation is at the heart of God’s dream. Through His mercy and loving kindness in Christ, He calls His human family back into a restored relationship with Himself, reversing the curse our sin brought upon us. In that reconciliation, He restores to us the blessing of our original dominion and prosperity. He also reconciles us to one another restoring family and community relationships. Finally, He reconciles us to ourselves, giving us His peace and making us whole physically and emotionally.

If we are obedient to follow His leading, He plots our course and fixes the path of our life so that we enter into the destiny He calls us to. Our destiny in the body of Christ is to co-labor with Him in His great dream. He gives to us the incredible privilege of representing Him to the rest of the world in His ministry of reconciliation.

“All things are from Father God, who through Christ has reconciled us to Himself, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. In Christ, God is reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us this message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:18–20a)

At HRock Church an important next step in our destiny as co-laborers with God in His ministry of reconciliation is to become an apostolic reformation center. We are to train, equip and support an apostolic network that will reach the nations with the transforming power of God's call to reconciliation.

This Sunday, HRock Church will celebrate its 20th anniversary. We will have only two services, a morning service from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM and an afternoon service from 1 PM to 3 PM. We invite all of you to join us for a celebration reception from 11:30 AM to 1 PM. Some special guests will also join us, including His Honor, Bill Bogaard, Mayor of Pasadena. I will be speaking on our destiny as an apostolic reformation center. My sermon is “From Dream to Destiny.”

Pastor Che

Be Still…… And Know

“Are you busy?” It’s a simple question we frequently ask each other multiple times every day. It can be the way we start a phone conversation, an impromptu meeting in the hallway at work, even an exchange with a family member at home. Usually the reply is something like, “No, what's up?” Actually, I think if we were honest we would reply, “Yes, I'm busy, so make it short.”

For too many of us, multitasking has become a way of life. We eat meals while driving and talking on the phone. Standing in line, we are checking our e-mail, texting responses, or doing online banking. We are instantly accessible, virtually anywhere in the world and some of us even sleep with our smart phones. There are well over a million mobile applications available today.  They allow us to do everything from establishing goals for our day, to setting up a personal fitness program, checking current data on any sport we follow, or having an alarm remind us it's our wedding anniversary.

Often we must check with our phone before we can commit to anything or anyone. The technology supposed to provide us with more convenience and access to information, in many ways has become a ball and chain that tethers us to our incessant busyness.

I was reminded of this recently when we had guest speaker Bob Hartley give HRock Church a prophetic word for our upcoming 20th anniversary in April. He said, “Busyness devoid of life must cease. We must learn to stay at the table and commune longer with Father God in order to go to the next level of intimacy with Him. We don't get birthed into His love to get more busy.”

He went on to say that we are entering a new season in which Father God wants to expand our wisdom of Him by giving us a whole new level of insight into His ways and purposes. But we must be still and wait upon Him in order to get above the clouds of our activity long enough to understand what He is doing. If we don't get out of our busy reactive mode long enough to understand that He has another way to accomplish His plans, we may well construct something prematurely that we will only have to tear down later.

It's time to be still… and know our identity, whom we are in Christ, and what gifts He has given us to fulfill the destiny He calls us to. Father God wants to bless us in every way, and He wants us to take His blessing into the places where we spend our life and bless others by giving them a future and a hope. He tells us in 1 Peter 4:10, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.”

In Psalm 67, Father God instructs us to pray, “Be gracious to us and bless us. Make Your face shine upon us that Your way may be known upon earth, Your saving power among all the nations.” God's way to accomplish this is not by increasing our busyness, but by taking us to a new level in the knowledge of Him and His ways. We can only do this if we will “Be still… and know.”

Please join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Dr. Okawa, pastor of the largest charismatic church in Japan, will be our guest speaker and he will be speaking on "The Keys to Everything" at the 9 and 11 AM services. Our own Pastor Linda Wallace and my daughter, Mary Ahn will be sharing at the 2 PM service.

Pastor Che