New Year's Eve '12

It's New Year's Eve, and we're about to embark on a new year.   As always, I can't help but wonder what God has in store for 2013.  I just look forward to learning to LOVE GOD more, for that is the greatest commandment and is a worthy pursuit.

But before moving onto the next year, I should take some time to reflect on 2012.   It wasn't a particularly great year, since there were some major challenges and difficulties; but then, there were also some good moments as well

• Loved learning about PRAYER, and I've really had some great times of conversations with God this past year.   I do think that my prayer life is a little stronger now than it was in the beginning of the year
• "Tripped" a few times, but, just this last Sunday, I recognized that church has been a good way for me to re-align and climb back onto the path
• Had great times of Bible Study in Ezra and Nehemiah; and am looking forward to continuing what we started in Luke
• Tried new recipes and refined my cooking skills
• Could see that serving on the Selection Committee has helped me to stretch and grow
• Was able to really be a good friend and to live out the commandment of loving others, although I did experience first-hand the truth that only God does not disappoint
• Spent a couple of weeks of my Summer enjoying watching the Olympics
• Continued to face my critics, and have learned and grown stronger through the experience 
• So glad I reached my goals regarding paying off mortgage debt; and will continue to pray for good stewardship of God's resources placed in my care

Overall, I am so glad that the year ended better than it started.   While the Christmas Season was an extremely busy one, it was filled with meaningful and purposeful serving and times with family, church, and friends.

Christmas Dinner '12

This year, we didn't have a "traditional" Christmas dinner menu - we didn't even have one that was entirely correlated.  However, the food turned out pretty well... the only dish that could clearly improve would be that the rice would've been better with less water.

Following were the dishes and associated comments:

• Soup - made with chicken broth, broccoli stems and an Asian vegetable mixture of roots, bamboo shoot, tofu, etc.   It had an interesting taste and the bamboo shoot flavor was definitely noticeable
• Singapore noodles - this is almost a staple; though this time I used celery and dried mushrooms  (fresh mushrooms are always better)
• Beef Stew - cooked this for 8 hours with the typical ingredients; always good comfort food
• Marinated shredded chicken with green beans - Got good compliments on this, even though it was sort of a last minute change since I had originally intended to make cream of mushroom chicken and green beans
• Spinach Quiche - This was my first time making quiche and it turned out quite well and was fairly easy to make.   The only thing was that for one I forgot to put the cheese on the bottom first, and ended up putting the cheese on the top.   It browns more on the top with the cheese; though it actually was pretty good tasting.   Also, it's important to cover the edges so the crust does not burn.
• Yams - I added some vanilla this time along with the cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, and butter.  Also, added coconut flakes with the marshmallows on top; but, got feedback that the coconut flake texture didn't fit in so well.
• Hot Apple Cider, Rolls, and Rice 

 
 

Christmas '12

Christmas has come and gone.   Time flew even though I had taken time off work.  A lot has been packed into the last two weeks; and now I'm looking at the "tail lights" of Christmas.

In contemplating what I consider different in Christmas this year, it would be that there has been more detailed insight and meaning because of the Bible Study in Luke.

The things that have primarily been occupying my time were my friend's graduation, COA Christmas-New Years gift packages, Christmas family get-together, Christmas Eve services at Church, and Bible Study.   So, upon reflection, these are the most meaningful areas of life - serving at Church, spending time with family and friends, and showing compassion to the needy; loving God and loving others.

28-Dec:  Yesterday, we passed out the gift packages at COA.   There were many who were so happy to receive the gifts, and even put on the scarves and mittens right away, since it was cold.  There was one who said we made his day, and another who said they really liked the message.   There were also many compliments and thanks for the food.   I trust that God was able to use our serving to bless those we served.  And with the leftover packages, we are going to give some to the Yes House, and the rest we gave to the Winter Shelter that is part of the Rescue Mission.   It is need that three different charitable organizations were able to benefit from these gifts.

Luke 2

It really has been a blessing to study the Christmas story through the Book of Luke; and to be able to see things I had not really realized before.  Even with a narration as familiar as that of Luke 2:1-20, this is the first time that it sunk in that God was able to use a census decreed by a pagan ruler (Caesar Augustus) to bring about the fulfillment of prophecy from Micah 5:2 that a rule (the Messiah) would come out of Bethlehem.  Also, when the shepherds heard the good news and saw the Messiah, they reacted just as we should with all amazing good news, which was to spread the word.

And the psalm of praise by the host of angels "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests"  (the Gloria in Excelsis Deo, based on the Latin version of the first line) actually gives Glory to God in heaven, who has given peace to those on earth whom He has shown grace (or chose) through His gift of salvation.   Now, that truly is a praise!

3-Jan:   In a rare glimpse at the early life of Christ, we see that Simeon and Anna, moved by the Holy Spirit, recognize the baby Jesus as the Messiah and praised God for His salvation both to the Gentiles and to the Israelites, and for His redemption.  Both of them waiting for the fulfillment of God's promises, and it is interesting that the word used for waiting showed that they waited with expectant hope, and assurance that it would come to pass (even though they apparantly waited till they were advanced in age, similar to Zachariah and Elizabeth).  Then, when Christ is twelve, He demonstrated His recognition of God as His Father and of His coming ministry, as well as His willing submission to his earthly parents.   And He "grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on Him"  (vs 40).  He also continued to grow "in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" (vs 52).

Time Flies

Time really flies and Christmas is just around the weekend corner.  I can't even imagine what it would've been like had I not taken time off from work; although, I'm not looking forward to trying to catch up and go through all those hundreds of emails that are probably sitting in my Inbox.

I was actually quite productive the beginning of the week - started paperwork for loan payoff, brought items to the Salvation Army donation center, got some additional things for the homeless outreach gift packages, got an oil change, and had a friend over for dinner.

Then, I went with my friend and her family to her graduation in Arizona.   It was nice to meet many of her friends.   She is one who has been able to form some really meaningful friendships with godly people.   That is something that I need to do better at.

I also learned how to cook something like a fritatta.   In a large pan, fry ingredients like bell peppers, tomatoes, onion; then add egg and stir until cooked on the bottom but still uncooked on the top.   Add cheese and then put the pan into the oven to bake the rest of the way.   It is a simple but nice looking dish to serve for company.

Today, I had my parents over for lunch.   I made the broiled salmon again.  This time, I mixed the miso, ginger, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and green onions first, and then marinated the fish overnight.  I also added some hazelnut oil; and then also buttered the pan.   However, the fish came out a little too "oily", so maybe next time, I'll just forgo the oil altogether.    Also, I made a beef hot pot; but unfortunately the bbq sauce I roasted the beef with had too much vinegar; so, the broth was a little too "sour".   And, I stir fried some snow peas with tofu.   Did the tofu first with sesame oil and soy sauce.   The thicker tofu works fairly well, since the middle stays soft while the outside browns nicely.   But, I think my mom enjoyed the bakery items best - I had bought this excellent chestnut bread, and pastry desserts from Paris Baguette.   They tasted great and looked good too!

Fortunately, I had sent out most the Christmas cards I had wanted to; and finished my Christmas shopping.  So, while things continue to be busy; I can still have some time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.

Les Miserables

I finally had a chance to watch the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary video.   Les Miz is definitely one of my favorite musicals.   The story and the music is amazing.   And, I am now a true fan of Alfie Boe.   His performance of "Bring Him Home" was so heartfelt and I'm sure I'll be singing that song in my head for quite awhile.   What a beautiful prayer put to music!

29-Dec:  I just watched "Les Miserables" the movie.  Seeing it on the big screen is definitely different than on stage.  The cinematography of some of the landscape views and especially of the ship in the opening scene was quite impressive.  The stand-out performance was Anne Hathaway in her heart-rending performance of "I Dreamed a Dream".   The kids who played Gavroche (Daniel Huttlestone) and young Cosette (Isabelle Allen) were also really good.  The cast of actors were good; and it was neat to see Colm Willkinson as the Bishop.  It would be interesting to hear his thoughts on Hugh Jackman's performance as Jean Valjean.

What a wonderful and deep story by Victor Hugo that still has a great impact even today.

27-Jan:  I just came across the video of the Piano Guys playing "Bring Him Home".   Absolutely beautiful!  Piano and Cello together may be one of my favorite musical instrument duets.   And, after listening to some of their other music, I'm a fan.   I noticed that they have a "Hymns without Words" album, which I would think would be absolutely amazing to listen to!

God's Hand (Selection Committee, etc)

In the midst of this busy Christmas Season, I wanted to stop and record the demonstrations of God's Hand at work through various recent events.  

Just last night, during the Selection Committee candidate interviews, it was such a blessing once again to so clearly see God working through the selection process.   We unanimously selected the next committee member, which was confirmed by our Pastor through an email sent prior to the meeting.  I also received much encouragement on the meeting minutes I sent out, which was much needed, since I had some doubts about some things that were included.   But, it was answer to prayer that I received such positive feedback.   One thing I also noticed as I read through the meeting minutes, is that the whole meeting truly was covered with PRAYER - we started with prayer, prayed for each candidate before his/her interview, prayed before casting the ballot, and closed in prayer.  And, as a result, it was clear that the Holy Spirit moved us to select the person that He had chosen.  Amazing! 

It was also encouraging to hear that the person I nominated was one of my Pastor's top choices as well.  Last night, I realized that I had grown much through this experience of serving on the committee; and this may be because this is one of the areas of service where I was stretched the most.  It reminds me of the picture of God as the Potter molding, stretching, and forming me.  As I look back, I am glad that I have made positive contributions to the committee.   I've written the elder bios, submitted good nominations, recorded minutes, manned the tables, contributed to the interviews, etc.   I've also been blessed to get to know other leaders within the church, to be inspired by prayer warriors and true leaders.   And I have gained some confidence, being able to see that I am capable with all the background, experience, and growth through God's working in my life thus far.  I truly thank God for this experience.   And, another reason that I think the candidate we selected is an answer to prayer, is that he is capable of being chairman.   I've been praying, and do not think that I would be able to take on the additional responsibility of being chair, if asked; so, now there are two other strong possibilities for that position.   Praise God!

On Sunday was the Worship Ministry Appreciation Dinner.   One thing that stood out from what our Assistant Pastor said, was that our Worship is a reflection of our LOVE for God, which is what I plan to focus on next year.   I'm anticipating that as I learn to love God more, I will become a better worshipper.  That'll be neat!    The Dinner was nice - there were funny moments, like when we watched the comedy clips or when we matched baby pictures to names; there were encouraging moments like when our pastors talked about how much they appreciated the team; there were impressed moments like when we saw the beauty of the decorations  (we were each given an ornament - mine was made of a clear glass ornament filled with strips of music pieces).  I also enjoyed just interacting with various people-it's always been the case that some of my favorite people are those who work closely with music and worship.   And, I enjoyed the interactions with R and D.

On Saturday, I was not able to stay at the Christmas party, since a friend got into a car accident and needed my help.  So, I was only able to go in, say hello, drop off a gift, say good-bye and leave.  I assume that God had His purposes in that, since I was actually prepared for that gathering socially.   While it is never good to be involved in a car accident, we were still able to see God's Hand through it.   My friend's car was totalled, yet she did not suffer any major injury  (just some bruises and pain).   The timing was such that she was finished with her really busy period and this was kind of the in-between week before things started getting busy again; and I was available to be able to help her that evening by taking her to the ER, praying with her, etc.   I was even able to use my experiences from my burglary to relate to her feelings of shock, and was able to help point her towards processing it all based on what I had gone through.  Through all this, God has cleared my doubts and insecurities, and reassured me that I am a "good friend", one that others can rely on and call on for help.

Potter's House

Last night at the Women's Christmas Dinner at church, the guest speaker was Carole Wolaver ("potterylady.com").   She really had a nice presentation, with associating pottery and the whole process of making it to Scripture.    It was really impressive how much Scripture she was able to recite from memory, and how well it weaved into her pottery making examples.   It was also a reminder that much of the process, before we become a beautiful finished vessel for His use, most of the process is quite difficult and sometimes painful:  pulling the clay from the pit, the kneading, the forming on the wheel, the stretching, the drying, the carving, the glazing, the firing, and the scrubbing.   And, if any of those steps were cut short or ended at the wrong time, it would negatively affect the results.

Also, before the speaker, there was a reading from the "Legend of the Candy Cane".  It was a reminder that the candy cane represents the "J" for Jesus or a shepherd's crook.   And that the red stripes where the blood by which we are healed; and the white stripes represent our purity when we are saved.   The decorations were also beautiful, using peppermint sticks tied together lengthwise as vases with roses inside; and small candy canes put on top of each square cake piece for the dessert.   Really nice touches.

Also, it was good to be able to serve through running the projector.   I really try to live my life with purpose; and it's nice to be able to enjoy an event while I am serving as well.

Cooking Tweaks

It's been fun to come up with some "tweaks" to leftovers from Thanksgiving for some creative cooking:

• With the turkey breast, I made some rolls and melted swiss on turkey with some gravy.  It made nice little sandwiches.
• Also, with shredded turkey pieces, I pan fried with spinach and salsa; and then made quesadillas  (can use the same pan, and the flavors mixed with the butter add flavor to the tortilla when heated up.
• The best use of leftovers, was actually with some curry boneless pork chops that I made (pan fried with onions and garlic).   When served with the cranberry sauce, it was really good; making the curry flavors stand out.

I do thank God for his provisions and the little joys of creativity, which is merely a small reflection of the Creator.

Luke 1

I am looking forward to what God will teach me and my class this year through the Gospel of Luke.   In the first 4 verses, where Luke talks about why he writes this account, I am reminded that I can relate to Luke probably the most, out of all the Gospel writers and of how much I enjoyed his orderly and logical accounts in the Book of Acts.   My prayer for my class is what Luke wrote in vs 4b:  "that [they] may know the certainty of the things you have been taught".

A good starting place to the story of the greatest life ever lived is given in chapter 1 where Luke starts by telling to story of John the Baptist, the one who prepares the way for the Messiah, Jesus Christ.   Even though Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous and served God, there was still one area of their life that was considered a "reproach", and that was that they were childless.   Though they had prayed for a child for years, that prayer was still not answered until they were advanced in years.  Yet, when God answers, Zechariah is unbelieving.

What this shows me, is a reminder that God has His Timing, and that when He chooses to answer, He may answer in ways that are above and beyond what we could ever imagine.  Not only did God grant this childless couple a son, but, this son was to be considered "great in the sight of the Lord", will bring joy to many, and will prepare the way for the Lord!    And when God answers prayer, I need to be ready for the answer no matter what.   And Zechariah is a good example of one continued to serve the Lord, even while waiting for His answer to prayer.

I would like to think that something like this could happen in my own life.  That though I am advanced in age, God may one day provide a husband who will be "great in the sight of the Lord", above and beyond what I could ever imagine.

4-Dec:  The angel Gabriel then announces to Mary that she will give birth to Jesus (the Annunciation).  "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (vs 32-33)  In humility, Mary accepts the pronouncement despite the expected challenges she will face.  She received affirmation and encouragement, likely as she needed, when she went to visit Elizabeth.  Then she burst out in Psalm (her Magnificat), glorifying God for fulfilling His Promises (vs 46-55).  When she was affirmed by the truth of it all, she could not help but WORSHIP God; and that is a good example of what our response should be when we fully realize the amazing truth of God becoming man to save and deliver us.  Amen.

14-Dec:  John is born as promised by God through the angel, and as foretold, many did rejoice at his birth.  With the circumstances surrounding his birth, word spreads and many are in anticipation of what God will do.   The first thing that Zechariah does when he is able to speak again, is to PRAISE GOD!   God must have been working in him through his time of discipline and silence; and when the Holy Spirit fills him, he praises God and prophesies of the coming of the Messiah, the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant, his son, and God's mercy (his Benedictus).   He clearly speaks of the "salvation through the forgiveness of their sins" and the light that will "shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace".   May we, like Zechariah, after times of discipline and silence, only strengthen our faith and be able to be used by God more afterwards.  The birth of John was miraculous for Elizabeth, Zachariah praises God, and John will be great; but, behind it all, is really the Hand of God at work.   It is His Plan, the fulfillment of His promises, the filling of the Holy Spirit, and expression of His redemptive Love.

Loving God

This coming year looks like it'll be a year of going back to the essential basics.   We'll be studying the Gospel of Luke in class; and I was pointed toward focusing on "Loving God" next year.  

There are a few things that led to this.   As I was preparing for the Introduction to Luke, I was reminded that Luke focused on Christ as the Son of Man, full of compassion as shown through his ministry and teaching.   Chuck Swindoll wrote that the Gospel of Luke was like listening through the physician's stethoscope for the heartbeat of our Lord.   That's a beautiful picture.    And that spoke to me, that with such a loving God, I should not be able to help but LOVE HIM even more.   And isn't that the greatest commandment anyways?

Also, we had just finished a series on Love in our community group, looking at 1 Corinthians 13 in the 40 days of Love series and going through The Relationship Principles of Jesus book.

This is actually something that I can especially do as a single, for I can have "undistracted devotion to the Lord".  I do love the LORD with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  But, hopefully, by focusing on "Loving God" next year, it will help me to love HIM even more and to rekindle that "first love", passion, and intimacy with my LORD.   Amen.

Thanksgiving '12

Thanksgiving is really here already.   I'm glad we have a day set apart to THANK GOD for all HIS abundant blessings and provisions, and to spend time with family and friends.

I am grateful for salvation, my church, my family, friends, my job, areas of ministry, my health, my home, and for all that He has taught me and guided me through this past year.   It has been a fairly difficult and challenging year, and I am thankful that God was with me throughout.  I am thankful for what He has shown me in the area of PRAYER this year; and it is that and our elections that has pointed me to the "If My People" 40-day Prayer Guide, which I will be giving to my class this year for Christmas.

I am also grateful that in these tough economic times, that God has provided and I'm even moving another step forward in eliminating debt.  I am glad I have been able to really be a good friend this year.

I do, however, have some mixed emotions about not hosting this year.   It's been strange to not be so busily planning the menu and preparing for the food.

Overall, I am just thankful that HE is GOD of my life!   Amen!

29-Nov:  It takes a lot of work to put together a Thanksgiving get-together; but, unfortunately, it doesn't take much to "ruin" it.    Everything was fine and enjoyable right up till dessert.   Then one guest changed everything and when asked how my Thanksgiving was, just because of that, I am not able to say "good", like I usually do.

Catching Up

This is kind of the "catch all" entry to write about things I've been meaning to, but just haven't had the chance to get around to it the past month.   Things have been extremely busy at work with the additional issue-laden projects I've been assigned.   However, I am grateful that we have been able to make progress as issues do get resolved one-by-one.  With all the busy-ness, though, time does fly; and we are already into the Holiday Season.   I do wish, however, that retailers wouldn't just jump right to Christmas, and just about bypass Thanksgiving.    I actually think that because Thanksgiving IS less commercial, that it can be more meaningful to celebrate; for, the true meaning of Christmas is often so difficult to keep in the forefront with so many other competing attentions.  Still, this is one of my favorite times of the year.

One of the things I did want to write down, was a story told by the worship leader during service.  A missionary went to talk to an orphan child after one service, and found that the child did not even know his name because he lost his parents at such an early age and no one around knew what they had named him.    The missionary was then inspired to write the song "He Knows My Name".  What a beautiful and wonderful encouragement it is to that orphan boy to know that even though he didn't know his given name, but, GOD knew his name!

I also wanted to write about the Fish Women's Night Out event.   This time, it was a little different, in that it focused on various ministries; and the speakers were representatives of those ministries sharing some of the stories of their outreach.  It was interesting to hear, and I was particularly impressed with the story of how 31 bits was started and the work they are currently doing in helping women in Uganda.   Also, when I heard that Joni Eareckson Tada also had to recently fight breast cancer, on top of all that she has suffered with being a quadraplegic, I can only say that it shows what an amazing person she is that God feels that she can handle so much.

Also, we had a guest speaker a couple of Sundays ago.  He is a brain surgeon, and  I was impressed with how he is able to use his knowledge and experience from work as practical examples or evidences of truths in Scripture.  His message was on Compassion - that self-compassion was more effective than self-criticism in helping us to maintain self-control.   It is physiologically shown that we can reach depletion of our self-control when bombarded, and we need to recognize the signals of our limits.  Also, that our critical voice fails us when we start to feel bad, because we want to feel good again; so focusing on the benefit is a more effective source of motivation.   Guilt can actually be healthy in helping us recognize that we have made a mistake, leading to confession.  However, guilt is not the same as shame, which makes you think that you are a mistake instead.  We can deal with failures through confession, receiving forgiveness, and then using that to be more compassionate and understanding toward others.

Joseph (continued)

Since I'm so far behind in keeping up with writing about the sermon series on Joseph, I just thought I'd start a new post and include all the ones I missed.

21-Oct:  Jacob had many reasons for trusting God, but when crisis hit, he exhibited a lack of faith, being filled with self-pity, depression, and continuing to play favorites.  He responded with blame and deception.  However, we learn that successful spiritual leadership involves:

• Facing problems, for God does not give us more than we can handle (1 Corinth 10:13)
• Remembering that no problem is bigger than God (Rom 8:35-37)
• Being honest
• Putting faith and facts ahead of feelings (Heb 11:1)
• Accepting responsibility (James 4:17)
• Claiming the unlimited wealth of God's promises (2 Pet 1:4)
• Trusting God (Isaiah 41:13)

"Though the mountains be shaken
    and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
    nor my covenant of peace be removed,”    says the Lord, who has compassion on you."   (Isaiah 54:10)

28-Oct:   Joseph's brothers must have experienced much self-examination considering their circumstance.  Guilt cannot be eradicated by human measures but can only be redeemed by God's answer to it.  When reunited, Joseph was so filled with emotion that he had to force himself to remain calm.   But, during emotional earthquakes, we can remember that God is always there (Psalm 56:8). Other interesting points in the passage were that in Gen 43:32-34, when the brothers "looked at each other in astonishment", it was because they didn't know how they were able to be seated in order by age not knowing at the time that Joseph was their brother; and also, in vs 23, when Joseph's Egyptian steward said “It’s all right”and referred to God, he using the words "Shalom" and "Elohim".

 11-Nov:  Two qualities that made Joseph a great leader by God's standards are:

• He trusted God over a very long and very troubling period of his life
• He demonstrated a gracious and magnanimous attitude toward others who had sinned against him

Faith overcomes the past, gives peace for the present, and secures the future.  It's not so much the troubles and trials that make it our worst day, but it would be if we fail to trust God.  "God doesn't just give us grace, but also Jesus, the Lord of grace."

18-Nov:  In Genesis 45:7,8  Joseph provides perspective for what he has suffered though the words "BUT God..."     God allowed the temporary suffering and injustices to happen, BUT behind it all, God was able to use it "to save.. lives by a great deliverance".

25-Nov:  In moving from Canaan to Egypt, Jacob stops at Beersheba where the covenant was previously made.  God reassures him and promises their return and His preservation. 

2-Dec:  A five-step leadership plan from the example of Joseph (Gen 46:31-47:12):

1. Use position and influence to help, not harm, a situation
2. Mentor those following you to speak and behave rightly before they get into the moment
3. Apply godly wisdom to each circumstance and pray when wisdom is lacking
4. Honor God first
5. Follow through on promises, just as God does 

 9-Dec:  Like Joseph, we are to be productive for His Plan and follow his example of leadership with wisdom, integrity, compassion, and creativity  (Gen 47:13-31)

16-Dec:  Jacob passed his legacy through his dying wish to be buried w/his forefathers (Gen 47:29-31).  This shows that he was looking forward to the fulfillment of God's Promise, and is the only clear verse on Jacob's faith and worship.

23-Dec:  The series on the life of Joseph wraps up with parallels shown between Joseph and Jesus (e.g. father's love, hated by brothers, tempted, taken to Egypt, robes taken, falsely accused, placed w/two prisoners - one saved other lost, exalted after suffering, forgave those who wronged him, saved their nation, etc).  Overall, through all his years of suffering, Joseph did not see the final outcome of God's plan of deliverance, but he did not complain, was steadfast in his love for his family, and faithfully trusted God.
 

Nehemiah 13 and Conclusion

This Sunday in class, we study the last chapter in Nehemiah, and draw to a conclusion yet another Bible Study series.   Looking back, it has really been a good study, in which many truths were reviewed or revealed.

In this last chapter, it is a reminder of how important it is to remain vigilant against the natural inclinations of our sinful nature.   Nehemiah had returned to serve King Artaxerxes, as agreed upon in chapter 1.  Yet, when came back to Jerusalem after some time, he found that the people of Israel had once again disobeyed in the very same areas that they had previously committed to in their renewed covenant:

• Being set apart (no foreign alliances or marriages) - broken in vs 4-9 and 23-29
• Giving Offerings (not neglecting the House of God) - broken in vs 10-14
• Keeping the Sabbath holy (along w/Sabbath year and year of Jubilee) - broken in vs 15-22

This shows that we often fail in our same areas of weakness that we continually struggle with.  Those are the areas we need to especially protect.

In keeping with the godly leadership abilities he has shown all along, for each of these situations, Nehemiah rebuked those involved, particularly the leaders; took action to reform or correct; and PRAYED.  

Overall, to conclude, we have seen the Wall Restored (Chp 1-6) and the People/City Restored (Chp 7-13).  The following 4 P's summarize some of the key points in the whole series:

• PRAYER - Throughout the book, Nehemiah was an example of a man of PRAYER, seeking God's will, confessing the sins of the nation, requesting help, or committing his actions to God.   And in Chp 9, the Levites led the people in an amazing PRAYER of confession and worship recounting Israel's history and the revealed attributes of God
• PREPARATION - The PREPARATION that went into restoring the Wall (e.g surveying damage, obtaining materials, or organization of the rebuilding) and restoring the people (e.g. registering the people or reading God's Word) were effective in leading to the completion of the wall and revival among the people
• PROBLEMS - Examples were given on how PROBLEMS (e.g. opposition from enemies, challenges, sin, or opression) were effectively dealt with
• PASSION - Nehemiah was PASSIONATE about God's people and his calling to restore the city and the people.  Then, starting with the reading of God's Word, the Israelites' PASSION for God was renewed (e.g. revival, covenant, or dedication)

Motions

Since the first time I heard Matthew West's song "The Motions", the words very powerfully reflected what I wanted to say.  I'm sure I've even written about it before; for truly, I don't just want to go through the motions but instead I want to live my life passionately for God! 

Just this weekend, I heard Matthew West give an example of how this song changed the life of one person he met.   That person was a businessman climbing the corporate ladder; and one night at about 4AM when he was traveling for work and could not sleep, he turned on the hotel room radio to search for a Christian radio station.   When he heard the song, he really felt it was talking to him.  When the song finished, the DJ came on and said that he felt God telling him to play the song again for someone out there who needed to hear it again.   As the song played, the businessman felt a tug on his heart and prayed that if the song came on one more time, he was going to change his life and do something about it.   Thinking he was "off the hook", since there could be no way the song would be played three times in a row; he heard the DJ say at the end of the song once again, that maybe the listeners might get mad at him, but he felt that he should play the song one more time.   Well, that very night, the businessman tendered his resignation; and when he was telling the story to Matthew West, he said that he is now the pastor of the church that Matthew was singing in.  Now, THAT is a wonderfully amazing story!

Nehemiah 12

The restoration of the Wall was completed, the people had gone through a Revival and renewed their convenant with God, and some started resettling in Jerusalem.  So, now they were ready to DEDICATE the Wall to the LORD. 

This passage started with a listing of the Priests and Levites from the time of the first group that returned from exile.  This is likely because the Priests and Levites had such major roles in the Dedication, leading the people in thanksgiving, celebration, and worship.  In the listings of the Levites, particularly in vs 8-9 and vs 25, they seem so similar to those listed in other chapters in Nehemiah; that it seems to indicate that many of those who returned with Zerubbabel were those who were still serving in the time of Nehemiah, which is what vs 26 seems to allude to as well.  Given the timeline, that would mean that many had to have been very young at the time of their return from exile; and were quite advanced in age at the present time with Nehemiah.

At the Dedication, they purified themselves, sang and gave thanks, offered sacrifices, and rejoiced.   They sang their hearts out, such that "the sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away." (vs 43b)

Then they appointed men to be in charge of the storerooms for the offerings that had committed to giving in their Covenant.  And they continued purification and consecration.

This Dedication was truly one of thanksgiving and giving praise to God.   They may not have been able to celebrate as joyfully and fully if they had not gone through the revival and the renewing of the Covenant, which helped prepare them for Worship and Thanksgiving.

The Gospel According to Luke

So, for the next Bible Study series, I was actually led to study the Book of Luke.  Typically, I am somewhat reluctant to go through one of the Gospels, since those are probably the most familiar books in the NT and maybe even the whole Bible.   However, on the other hand, because it IS one of the Gospels, and I can't even remember when I went through any of them verse by verse, it would be great to go back to study the foundation of the Life of the Person Who it is all about.  

So, that's why I decided to go with simply the title that is used in many Bibles, "The Gospel According to Luke"; because that is what I want to focus on - the GOSPEL.    So, the outline of the series is the timeline of the Life of Christ:  Birth, Early Life, Baptism, Temptation, Rejection, Ministry, Teaching, Death, Burial, RESURRECTION, and Ascension.  Of course, the pinnacle and the central theology of our faith is the RESURRECTION; and that is what the whole study will lead up to.

The timing of it all works fairly well also, since we start with the story of His Birth in December during the Christmas Season.  It would have been timely to study the Death, Burial, Resurrection chapters at around Easter as well; but, it will actually take quite a bit longer than that... really, to the end of September.

I could've gone with Mark, a shorter Gospel; but, I can relate to Luke.   He is an analytical writer who pays attention to details.   And having gone through Acts, it just pointed me to Luke as the natural choice, since we are now familiar with his narrative writing style.    Also, John is a lot more theological and could pose more of a challenge with my critics in class; and I also would relate to the more Gentile perspective of Luke over the more Hebrew perspective of Matthew.    I may study Matthew whenever I reach the point when I'm ready to tackle the Book of Hebrews.

So, I'm excited to see what God will teach me through this series.   One of the biggest challenges I may face is to ensure that I try to look at these familiar passages with "new eyes"; that I don't just fall into taking the easy road of just repeating what I had learned throughout my life, but that I will allow the Holy Spirit to reveal new "nuggets" of TRUTH that I may never have noticed before; or that He will help me to apply known TRUTHS in a fresh new way.  Amen.

Nehemiah 11

The problem that was identified in Chp 7 of too few people living within Jerusalem at the time, which God put it on Nehemiah's heart to resolve, was now ready to be addressed in this passage.  First, leaders of the people set the example to SETTLE IN THE HOLY CITY.  Then by casting lots, 1/10th of the people were chosen to move to Jerusalem.   And there were even some who volunteered to live there.

Those listed as resettling in Jerusalem included descendants of Judah, descendants of Benjamin, Priests, Levites & Gatekeepers, and temple servants (vs 21).  While the other Israelites chose to live on their ancestral properties in surrounding areas instead, those listed in this passage as RESETTLING IN THE HOLY CITY were commended and honored for being willing to move out of their "comfort zones" and be part of the solution to a problem.

This serves as a challenge to me to consider whether or not I am willing to move out of my "comfort zone" for God's purposes?  As a leader, do I set the example for others?

I do think that I have at times taken steps outside of my comfort zone and followed God's leading.   And I would like to think that I live as an example for others also.

Cooking This Week

While in a spurt of efficiency cooking for the week, there were a couple of dishes worth noting:

• Sweet and Sour Chicken - prepared the diced chicken breast cornstarch and salt.   Then pan-fried the chicken with red onion, bell peppers, cut up pineapple, and sauce.  It was quite tasty and the chicken was not overcooked.
• For the brussel sprouts, asparagus, and brocolli, just roasted with olive oil and salt/pepper (in some cases, and herbed pepper).   The brussel sprouts turned out quite well - they were cooked well enough to be soft inside with some of the outer leaves were slightly crispy.

Strong Enough

Just watched Matthew West's music video for "Strong Enough", and was inspired to write about it.   It really highlights well the verse in Philippians 4:13 "I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me."  What a wonderful reminder whenever we feel like the troubles and difficulties of this world are overwhelming us.
Lyrics:

You must think I'm strong
To give me what I'm going through

Well, forgive me if I'm wrong
But this looks like more than I can do
On my own

I know I'm not strong enough to be
everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not stong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough
For the both of us

Well, Maybe that's the point
To reach the point of giving up

Cause when I'm finally at rock bottom
Well, that's when I start looking up
And reaching out

I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not stong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough

Cause I'm broken
Down to nothing
But I'm still holding on to the one thing
You are God
and you are strong
When I am weak

I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength
And I don't have to be
Strong enough

Fall Shows

Since the TV shows for the new Fall Season have started, just on a whim, I thought it'd be fun to put down some thoughts about some shows thus far.   There aren't any shows that I would group under "must-see TV" or would be majorly upset to miss; but, following are the ones that I would watch if I happen to find some available time:

• Project Runway - It's funny, but this 10th season has already concluded.  However, I did once again enjoy watching the fashion creations that went down the runway this season.
•  Once Upon a Time - It's "cute" to see storybook characters "come to life" and be woven into the show's story line; and the show still maintains the general ideals from children's stories of good over evil, true love, etc.  And it does not hurt that this show has more than its fair share of very good-looking characters.
• Hart of Dixie - I actually didn't start watching this show during it's first season; but, just caught it as I was reviewing episode videos online.   However, I like this light-hearted romantic comedy; and the casting of the main characters in the show fit well. 
• The Voice - I was wondering why I preferred this show over all the other singing competition shows out there.   I think the format is interesting, but more importantly, I like the judges on this show better than on the others.  These judges/coaches seem to genuinely care about their team members.
• Emily Owens M.D. - Again, there are so many medical shows out there; but, I seem to prefer this one probably because I can somewhat relate to the main character.   
• Elementary - I've never really been big on dramas, especially police-related dramas.  But, I like the actors on this show; and seeing how the "mysteries" on the show get solved is interesting.
• Arrow - I generally like superhero-type shows, mainly because good often prevails over evil; and this one is no different.   
• ANTM - My interest in this show has waned over the years, since each season seems very similar year after year.   This year, the format and judging has changed; but, some of the elements introduced may not be for the better.
• Nikita - I was surprised that I liked this show when the first season came out; but, I think my interest has dropped, even though the new organization may be better now than it was before

Overall, I would say that I tend to prefer shows that don't overtly offend my values and ideals.  I am also more drawn to the shows where the main characters or judges are likeable and have a sense of integrity.  And, typically, I would prefer romantic comedies over dramas, especially the action-packed kind.

Nehemiah 10

In this passage, the details of the Israelites' renewed Covenant with God were provided.  First, those who sealed the covenant are listed:  Nehemiah the governor or civil leader; the priests and Levites or spiritual leaders; and the leaders of the people or heads of families.

Then people separated themselves and took an oath with a curse "to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord".

Specifically, they pledged obedience in the following areas:

• PERSONAL - Being set apart (no foreign marriages)
• BUSINESS - Honoring the Sabbath (not working on the Sabbath day) and the Year of Jubilee (forgiving debts)
• SPIRITUAL - Giving offerings so that they would "not neglect the house of our at God"

Of all the commands they could've chosen to specify in the covenant, these were most likely included because they were areas in which they had been disobedient, and were now taking actions to commit to obey through renewing their Covenant.

If I were to renew my covenant with God and put it in writing to be sealed, I would commit to Love God and to Love Others; and I would pledge that my faithful service would be a fragrant offering to Him.

28-Oct:   As I was thinking about why it was important to renew the covenant, I realized that at the core, it's really about their relationship with God.  It was not so much about obeying the laws and commands, even though those are a reflection of Who God IS.   But, when they disobeyed, it was likened to adultery, like breaking the marriage covenant.  Renewing the covenant is like renewing marriage vows - reaffirming that most intimate of relationships.

Fish

I tried a fish recipe today that I would definitely use again.   It was a broiled miso tuna that did not leave my house smelling fishy afterwards.  And, it could be used with other types of fish as well, especially salmon.   I marinated the fish with miso, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and sesame oil.   Then broiled it on aluminum foil until it was done.  

It can be topped with green onion at the end.     Next time, I might not use sesame oil, because it seemed like it wasn't as good at the high temperatures.   And wine could probably be used instead of vinegar; and brown sugar instead of honey if preferred.   Overall, I didn't taste a lot of the miso flavor; but, the fish tasted and looked good.

Books

I'm in the middle of reading several different books right now; and I just wanted to make a note of a few of the highlights I have come across.   The two books I've been using as part of devotions are "The One Year Book of Psalms" and "Knowing God's Purpose for Your Life" by J.I.Packer.  And the book that is supplemental reading for my community group study is "The Relationship Principles of Jesus" by Tom Holladay.

Most recently, in my devotional books, God has been clearly reminding me that my character is being refined through the suffering process.   A few of the quotes that have stood out are:

• "God's will is not that I should every moment feel happy, but that I should every moment be holy."  (Heb 12:7,11)
• "As a Christian believer, I can expect to suffer"  (ref. Phil 1:29)
• "Suffering is a natural and necessary part of the Christian life"  (ref 2 Corinth 4:17)
• "God's grace does not shield me from sorrow" (ref John 16:33)
• "God promises that I will not be overcome by suffering"  (ref 1 Corinth 10:13)
• "My suffering can make me a channel of God's life"  (ref 2 Corinth 1:3-4)
• "Patience accepts trials as opportunities for growth"  (ref Heb 6:12)

God is GOOD; for He knew that these truths were what I really needed to be reminded of.   And, from Psalms, as I read Psalm 119, I was struck by how much the Psalmist really loved God's Word.   Coupled with the study in Nehemiah, seeing the revival that came with reading God's word; and the amazing prayer that led to confession and worship, I am compelled to renew my passion for Scripture.

I also gained much comfort from Psalm 121:
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

 As families traveled to Jerusalem for the annual Feasts, they often had to travel through territory that was not so safe.   Psalms of ascent like this one would give them comfort for safety, as well as generate excitement for going to worship and celebrate in Jerusalem.   All these years later, I too gain comfort for safety from these words, and am excited that I am able to worship HIM, who watches over my life!

Weekend Reflections

As reflected in the class lesson today, God is truly amazing with His multi-faceted attributes.   He has truly been gracious and compassionate in all the ways that He has been working in my life.

I've been experiencing "healing" through the clear lessons that He has been showering me with:

• I am not alone - He is always with me
• God is just and I can entrust justice into His Hands
• We can grow the most through our adversity and suffering, which will also build our character

Another reflection of the "healing" is that I was able to buy a watch which somewhat replaces what was lost; and this one actually has "Walk by Faith" on the face, which is in line with my life verses.

This weekend was fairly encouraging.  This morning I woke up being drawn to pray for worship, especially as I serve on the AV Team.   And during the devotional today, I was asked to pray; similar to last time.  We sang "Christ the Lord is Risen Today", for our Assistant Pastor was inspired to sing about the resurrection as he read 1 Corinthians 15.  Class also went well, as we reflected upon the attributes of God. 

Afterwards was the DESIGN seminar, similar to other spiritual gifts lessons I've taken or even taught.  DESIGN stands for:

• D - Desire
• E - Experience
• S - Spiritual Gifts
• I - Individual Style
• G - Growth Stage
• N - Natural Abilities

These together would point us to where we would be most effective serving in the Body of Christ.  What I learned through taking the class today is that in my earliest spiritual gift surveys, often my strongest gifts were Helps and Serving.  Yet, the last one that I took showed that my gifts were Teaching, Helps, and Giving.  And then today,  they were Teaching, Preaching, Giving, Knowledge, and Discernment.   I think what this shows me, is that early on, I may have had more experience with Helps and Serving.   But, as I have grown and developed my gifts, I find that my stronger gift is Teaching, which has also helped develop areas that are related, like Preaching, Knowledge, and Discernment.  

In terms of Individual Style, in the DISC survey, of the different styles: (D)ominance, (I)nfluence, (S)teadyness, (C)ompliance; it appears that my Introvert nature comes out clearly, so, I scored highest with S and C.   Just reading the styles itself, I came out as expected, with Steadyness highest.   However, on reading it more closely, it said that I was more Indirect than Direct and People-Oriented than Task-Oriented.  That's not what I would've guessed; but, it is possible that once again my serving in Teaching and in Leadership has changed me to grow in being more People-Oriented.  As for a Indirect, while I appreciate more when others are Direct with me; but, because I try to be diplomatic and not cause conflict, it is possible that I am more Indirect.

The areas that contribute to Growth are:  Bible Study, Prayer, Fellowship, and Trials.   Here again, I'm reminded that Trials can help me to grow.  In terms of Natural Ability, I thought of writing; and strengths as being detail-oriented, reliable, and balanced.

Overall, I think that Teaching is what I am called to do right now, and where I am able to serve effectively.  Also, in terms of Giving, our church is launching the next steps of expansion, Advancing God's Vision.   I have prayed about what God would want me to pledge, and the amount I settled upon is interestingly related to the "healing" process I've been going through.

It's neat to see God at work and Him using me.  Amen.

After the class, one of the people (someone I had never met before) said to me that my smile reflected JOY. That was a nice and encouraging thing to hear.

Nehemiah 9

After celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles and reading God's Word throughout, the people gathered together once again, this time to fast, mourn, to be set apart, and to confess sins.  As they read more of God's Word, they continued to CONFESS and WORSHIP. 

In this passage, the Levites led them in a beautiful and amazing PRAYER listing many of the characteristics of God as He revealed Himself through events in Israel's History from Creation, the Abrahamic Covenant, Egypt and the Red Sea (Deliverance) to the Wilderness and Mt Sinai (Ten Commandments).  Some of the characteristics of God shown in this passage are that He is:  Eternal, Glorious, Exalted, LORD (the I AM), Creator, Life (Giver and Preserver), Worshipped, LORD God, Sovereign (Chooses), Omniscient (sees the heart), Covenant-Maker, Promise Keeper, Righteous, Compassionate, Omnipotent (powerful with signs and wonders), Guide, Light, Omnipresent, Word, Law-giver, Just & Right, Good, Holy, Provider, Giver, Bread (of Life), Water (Living), Forgiving, Gracious, Patient (Slow to Anger), Love/Kind, Faithful, Teacher, and Sustainer.  What an amazing awesome God He is!

In reading God's Word and reflecting upon events in our history, CONFESSION would naturally follow from recognition of who we are in light of Who God is, which should then lead to WORSHIP.

16-Oct Update:  As the Prayer continued, Israel's history through the rest of the OT to their present time was recounted, which included the Promised Land, the Judges & Kings/Prophets, and the Exile/Captivity & Return.  The attributes of God revealed through these time periods were that He is a Giver, a God of Order, Life, Promise Keeper, Omnipotent, Goodness, Admonisher, Just, Compassionate, Merciful, Deliverer, Patient, Gracious, Great, Mighty, Awesome, Love, Faithful, Law-Giver, and Good.  After the conclusion of this amazing prayer of CONFESSION and WORSHIP, the people were moved to make a written binding agreement sealed by the leaders, Levites, and priests to renew their covenant with God.

More Cooking

I cooked for most of the day today, and am pleased with the results.   The dishes made were:

• Salmon - fan-fried and then simmered in a miso-wine-vinegar-soy sauce marinade with green onions, garlic, and ginger.    It was pretty tasty; but, next time, I'd like to be able to bring out the miso taste more somehow; and also make it less salty.  Should be pretty good served over the garlic spinach that I made.
• Pad Thai - the sauce is not the most flavorful  (I bought another bottle of a different kind, which hopefully will make it even better next time); but the dish turned out quite well.   I cooked the rice stick noodles (it took longer than the package said; and would've been better with more water).  Then I pan fried eggs, mixed in bean sprouts and tofu  (should've added the matchstick carrots at this time, but forget, and just added it at the end which was still okay) with green onions, ginger, and garlic, and some fish sauce and some of the Pad Thai sauce.  Then, set aside.  Then, pan-fried the noodles with the Pad Thai sauce, and mixed the other ingredients back in.   Then topped it with peanuts crushed using a mortar and pestle.
• Chinese Rice Noodles - the rice stick noodles actually are similar to the fresh rice noodles we can buy at the stores.  So, since, I didn't need the whole package for the Pad Thai, I just the rest for a Chinese Rice Noodle dish.   Made a mixture of mock abalone meat, baby corn, and some fresh romaine lettuce; along with seasoning sauce (soy, oyster, etc).   Then added to noodles to it.
• Enchiladas - Made enchiladas with this almost-chili mixture (tomatoes, corn, black bean, and chili beans).   It had enough sauce in it, that I decided not to use an enchilada sauce.   Filled the flour tortillas, rolled them, and topped with more sauce and cheese.  Then baked.    I like the corn tortillas better; and dipping it first in the enchilada sauce is better as well.   But, this is simpler and cleaner; and turned out fine.
• Kale chips - Baked kale until it was crispy.  It simply had olive oil, seasoned pepper, and a seasoned herb mixture.   However, it came out a little salty; so, I definitely will not add salt next time.   

WDCH

I was finally able to go to the Walt Disney Concert Hall on Thursday.  My friend and I have been wanting to go since it was built, which makes it nine years.   It did not disappoint.   The building architecture is beautiful, Gustavo Dudamel the conductor was great, Beethoven's Piano Concerto #1 performed by Leif Ove Andsnes was good, and the LA Phil sounded wonderful.  It truly was a special evening and a memory to cherish.

Parking in the WDCH parking garage was convenient ($9).  We had dinner at Noe Restaurant in the Omni Hotel; which was less than a half mile walk.   It was even a pleasant walk when  going through California Plaza past the Museum of Contemporary Art.  The restaurant had a nice view of parts of the downtown LA skyline; and the decor is elegant.    The food is French Cuisine with a touch of Japanese influence.   I had the salmon, served over vegetables fresh from the hotel garden.  And for dessert, we had the house-made ice cream.   The meals were $25 each and dessert was $8.   At Patina, the WDCH restaurant, dinner probably would've been about twice as much; though, it has gotten reviews as one of the best in the world.   Maybe one day......

We had parked at about 5:30PM, and we just made it to the pre-concert talk at 7-7:45PM.   That gave us just enough time to find our seats by 8PM for the concert.   We had seats in the center of the back row of the balcony.   I actually liked our seats.   There was no one behind us; the balcony seats all have railings in between them, and there is room for people to walk by, without having to stand up.    And the back of the center section actually opens to a walkway so there is air circulation and even a view of part of downtown.  I might actually even prefer these over the seats in the terrace and orchestra where there were no railings in between the rows, even if they are stadium-type seating in most places.   And the seats behind the orchestra don't even have armrests in between.  The balcony seats were $63 each + $8 ticket handling.

I liked the Largo movement of the Piano Concerto the most, over the Allegro con brio and the Rondo:  Allegro scherzando.   The slower movement was just more poignant.   The acoustics in the concert hall are so good that it picks up every sound.  So, between the first and second movement for late seating, it actually took awhile before they were able to start up again; and at one point, the pianist even closed the piano lid and humorously crossed his arms to wait till everyone found their seats and it quieted down again.  And between the Piano Concerto and the "Eroica" (or Heroic) Symphony, Leif Ove Andsnes surprised us with an  encore, even though it was not the end of the concert, though it was the end of his part in it.   He played the last movement in another one of Beethovan's pieces; and it was utterly beautiful and impressive.  That was a nice added surprise.

Then, for the Symphony, it was well performed.   For most of it, I was watching Dudamel as he conducted.   He is so expressive and really gets into some parts of it, where it's almost like he is dancing.  I enjoyed all movements - the Allegro con brio, Marcia funebre:  Adagio assai, Scherzo:  Allegro vivace, and the Finale:  Allegro molto.

What a special evening.   My friend said that it inspired her; and also made her miss playing in orchestra.  I look forward to going to another concert; and maybe it'll be within this season.   My enthusiasm must have been evident when I was talking about it to my parents, for they also expressed an interest in going as well.  What a blessing to have had the opportunity to go.   I read in the playbill that Dudamel's contract has been renewed until the 2018/19 season,, which will be the 100th anniversary of the LA Phil.

Spiritual Leadership

"Spiritual Leadership" by J Oswald Sanders comes highly recommended by my Assistant Pastor as the "Bible" on this topic.  I will be embarking on a self-study course through this book this year as part of my church's L.E.A.D University curriculum. 

In the meeting on Sunday, it was pointed out that all problems are spiritual.  There are not two separate buckets, one spiritual and the other not; so, we should deal with issues in a spiritual way.  We also talked about what hurts ministries (e.g. lack of commitment, ego/pride, lack of communication, etc) and what helps them be successful (e.g. prayer, unity, care for one another, etc).   And a principle that we were left with was that when we encounter issues, we should first try to work it out with the person, then bring others in, if if needed bring it up with the oversight elder.   God expects His leaders to make unresolved conflict a priority, for there is a relationship between our worshipping God and our relationships with others.  True worship is enhanced by better relationships between those who come to worship. 

We were given a diagram illustrating how we can approach spiritual leadership  (naturally, we should strive for RR):

     RR     |       RW
--------------------------
     WR    |       WW

(RR = Right Things, Right Way; RW = Right Things, Wrong Way; WR = Wrong Things, Right Way; WW = Wrong Things, Wrong Way)    

Following were the concluding points:

• God will bring things to mind when we spend time in His Presence
• Ask the LORD for a teachable attitude
• Get eyes off myself and listen to what's going on with others   (when we have eyes on others, we get distressed; eyes on myself, we get depressed, but eyes on God, we are blessed)
• If we are a leader that ministers to people, be willing to have our rights violated, in the Philippians 2 sense
• Trust God for the outcome
• Be clear on the goal

Joseph

My Pastor started a series on Joseph, and there have been many great lessons taught.  Three points that have stood out so far are:  1) No matter what our immediate circumstances, God often has a bigger Plan that we may not see yet; and 2) No matter what, the phrase often repeated in Scripture was that the LORD was with Joseph, and 3) Suffering is the indispensable foundation and framework for a noble character.

In the first lesson, we see that Joseph as the favorite and privileged son, becomes the despised brother; and is sold to the descendents of Ishmael for the price of a slave.  This displays some of the dangers of favoritism.   Often the other children will either be so discouraged that they give up, or they will try to outperform to overcompensate.   "Sweeping things under the carpet makes for a lumpy living space", so it is better to confront the matter and move on.   Petty jealousies can ruin our lives and lead to shameful behavior.  It is good to remember that an injustice suffered is not the end of the story, and we can entrust our uncertain future to God.

In the next lesson, Joseph's brother Judah may have been "on the run from his family" due to his plan to sell Joseph.   Genesis 38 describes a thoroughly wicked story in the life of Judah, as he stepped outside of his faith and into the world of the Canaanites.  Yet, in Matthew 1:3, we see that God's grace was greater than all the wickedness, and His Plan prevailed.   Despite what happened, the amazing epilogue was that from the line of Judah came the Messiah.

In Genesis 39 is the story behind the picture for this entry.  In vs 2,3,21,& 23, it is repeated that the LORD was with Joseph.  We don't hear him complaining through his circumstances, even when it seems to take a turn for the worse, with Potiphar's wife falsely accusing him.  Life is often not fair while we are here on earth.  Also, God's silence can be as important as His loudest commands.  We see in Joseph's story that though he is thrown into prison unjustly, God ultimately had a plan of redemption his nation through using Joseph.  And, of course, this passage illustrates the need to flee (a continual command) temptation.   The dangerous progression of temptation is:  thought > act > heart > life > eternity.   There is a battle for our moral purity in this polluted world.  So, the strategy to deal with sin is:

• S - Stay away from tempting places
• T - Turn off any rationalizations to sin
• O - Offend your own feelings and focus on responsibilities
• P - Practice the presence of God in your life

The message on Joseph's time in prison was so timely.   In times like these when life doesn't seem to make sense and isn't fair, Joseph is a great example of courage in the face of injustice.   To illustrate that one way to heal is to minister to others, Joseph helped his fellow inmates the baker and the cupbearer while he was in prison.  He told the truth no matter what, even when it was not so favorable (like the outcome of the baker's dream).  And, we do sometimes face big letdowns, like when the cupbearer forgot Joseph; although we know that God did not forget him (God knows, cares, and understands).   Still, Joseph ended up waiting 2 years in prison.  We just need to remember that God has a purpose in all our difficulties - trust Him for He has a plan in the big picture.  Some life lessons from this passage:

• God uses disappointments and injustices to bring us to a place where we trust only in Him  (Psalm 42:5)
• Injustice can be a turn-around moment or a downturn moment - we can choose either to receive iron in our soul and steel in our character; or to let disappoint destroy us  (Gal 6:9)
• God is still in control even when on the surface it appears to the contrary (Romans 8:28-29)
• Circumstances may be cruel and unfair, but God is always loving and just (1 Peter 4:12-13)
• God's promises are guaranteed but His timing and methods are beyond human understanding (Romans 11:33)
• You are responsible for your own attitudes and behavior, not someone else's (2 Corinthians 13:5)
• God's grace is sufficient to get you through any trial (2 Corinthians 12:9)

7-Oct:  As my Pastor continued the series on Joseph, focusing on his "Upward Journey from Prison to Palace", he pointed out that God's Plan sometimes is not to change the circumstances, but to change us in the circumstances.  God can use our pain to mold and shape us.  In Genesis 41, Joseph's character is revealed in that he consistently gives God the glory, and even the pagan king recognizes that the Spirit of God in Joseph (vs 38).  And, in vs 42, he is given an even better robe than before.  This passage is a reminder that:

• The school of suffering is God's indispensible method of refining you for greater things (1 Peter 2:21)
• Waiting on God's timing is not wasted (Isaiah 40:31)
• God opens closed doors for those who trust in Him (Revelation 3:8)
• Give God the credit when you get a break and rise to success (1 Corinth 10:31)
• Economic policy either can make or break a nation (Prov 22:7; Deut 15:6)
• You are given success b/c God has greater purposes in mind for you to do for others (Luke 12:48)  -> Greatness comes not from us, but from God; use it for HIM

As believers, we have actually already experienced the rags to royalty story; all because Jesus died for our sins and enabled us to be adopted into the family of God, the King of Kings.

14-Oct:  As Prime Minister in Egypt, Joseph was able to secretly provide for his family.  Rather than harbor bitterness toward his brothers for what they had done to him, Joseph moved on, as shown in the names for his sons:  "Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, 'It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.' The second son he named Ephraim and said, 'It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.'"  (Gen 41:51-52)  And when they came to Egypt begging for food b/c of the famine, he didn't rub their noses in the fulfillment of the dream he had as a boy; but rather, tested to see that they had changed and then showed them much grace.