Bible Tempe Az

Last thursday (Oct. 28) Missionary David Kim Sr. successfully finished a liver transplant. THE Lord Provided for him everything including the right liver donor fitting his body.

David is a humble caring man. Let us pray for his complete recovery.

After waking up from surgery he wrote an email stating:

"Dear M. Issac & Rebecca. Kim. I did surgery on Thursday right after I texted to you. Dr. said, this liver is very fitting to me and I got a good liver.  Dr.  Just stopped by and said my transplant was very successful and I'm doing excellent. Not much pain & no nausea Dr. exampled All lab result fine & new liver is already working . and discontinue nasogastric tube, Foley, Atrial line, two central line and moving to general floor. Yeah!!  I am in Intensive Care unit now and recovering. I have no cancer in my body!!!! My prayer topic is: 1) to fight any kind of infection, 2) my new liver to adjust my body . It's another big challenge but God is able & we believe he will take care of it. We always thank for your prayer support. May you find good Heath & Holy Spirt in daily living in the love of Jesus!!

Indebted yours, Ruth & David Kim."

Praise the Lord!

Bible Nocal

Today we had a Bible study with Jeff.

We sang the hymn "O Wonderful Savior my Lord" and read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.

After the study Jeff shared a sogam saying, "The Risen Jesus appeared to Paul who says is the least of all. So in Jesus even the least can be a great apostle."

So please pray that Jeff may grow and be used as a great servant of the Lord."

Jesus, the rejected stone became the capstone (Prophecy 101)

In a news brief dated October 1, 2015 the Al Jazeera reports as top stories:

* Kremlin: Syria air strikes target "a list" of groups
* Reports: Iranian troops in Syria for joint offensive
* Hadi loyalists claim capture of key Yemen strait
* Afghan forces fight to push back Taliban from Kundus
* Palestine 'no longer bound' by agreements with Israel
* Iran nearly doubles its death toll from Hajj stampede
* Fresh 'revenge' blast rocks southern Chinese town
* Floods hit the US Eastern Seaboard
* Palestinians celebrate hoisting of flag at UN

Many arose to prophesy about the end times nearing. Some predict the U.S. will be hit with major disasters due to her abandoning Israel via striking the Iran nuclear deal. Another says finally the stage is set for the lawless man to appear, causing the rapture of the saints and the arrival of the Savior to become imminent etc. and so forth. Listening to them make already confused people more confused.

The reason for the confusion and loss of the peace of mind lies in the lack of clarity on the will of God. God is God. He is the God of plan and purpose. And He is in control. Nothing happens without it being consistent with the will of God. And God's will purpose and plan are all clear, as crystal clear as the light of the day.

How then can one know/understand the will purpose and plan of God? There are many Scriptures that reveal God's will, but of all, stands out the word of our Lord Jesus when he spoke to the religious leaders of his day before his suffering, where Jesus quoted from Psalm 118, "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes." 22, 23

In our days there arise builders trying to build their kingdom according to their own will. They include folks like Jihadists, Zionists, political leaders like Putin, Iranian leaders, leaders in Israel, politicians of the U.S. like Obama, Hillary Clinton or nowadays Donald Trump. All of them are playing their own cards to promote their own agenda according to their own will and purpose. It was the same with the people of Jesus' day.

When Jesus the Savior and God over all came to the land of Israel, the builders of the world such as the religious leaders of Jesus' day or the governors of the Gentiles (Romans) rejected Jesus, yet God rejected their rejection and in turn made the rejected stone the cornerstone.

Knowing that Jesus is the plan that will stand, (meaning all other plans that are inconsistent with Jesus will be set aside, coming to nothing), what should one do?

We find the answer to the question in what Jesus added: "Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed." Matthew 21:44

Everyone is a builder, building this or that, some as a politician some as the so called leader of a church organization or some declaring atheist.

But all builders ought to attend to what Peter says: "As you come to him, the living Stone - rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to  him-- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1Pe 2:4,5

You might be tempted to say, "Oh, I do not want to have anything to do with Jesus. I eat my own bread, mind my own business, live my own life." But remember: you cannot avoid Jesus for He is THE Stone. He is THE Builder. So there are only three possibilities: You either are built into Him (THe Plan of God), fall on this stone, or the stone falling on you. If you fall on this stone you will be broken to pieces. If the stone falls on you you will be crushed. So we better repent and turn to Him, so we be built into Him, the Living Stone. Otherwise, you will end up learning all of your pursuits especially 'yourself' earning nothing but eternal destruction.

And this is true both on a collective level (like the deal on Syria or Palestine vs. Israel deal) as well as a personal level.

Tim Staples vs. Mike Gendron

What is Pope Francis Up To?

Grow me up, Lord!

Once Benjamin Franklin said, "Without...continual growth such words as improvement or achievement means nothing."

Question becomes: how does a man grow up?

According to the Scriptures man grows up as his faith in the (grace and) knowledge of the Lord grows. (2Th 1:3; Col 2:19; 1:10; Eph 4:14,16)

For this reason the Apostle Peter says straightforwardly: "Grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18 And he exhorted fellow siblings in the Lord to grow by eating (craving) the word of the Lord (pure spiritual milk) (namely the Bible).

To grow up the slave nation Israel out of slavery onto his greatness the Lord revealed himself to his children so that they might come to the knowledge of him as the Lord (Jehovah) God stated through Moses:

'I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. [And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.' ” Exodus 6:6-8

The Lord revealed himself to them so he could dwell among them and make them holy. Exodus 29:46; 31:13

When Jesus came he expressed the same purpose saying in effect, "on that day you will know that I am in the Father, the Father in me, you are in me and I am in you." So all three (God the Father who sent Jesus, Jesus the Son, and you, his child/brother/friend) are in one, so God would be "all in all." (JOHN 14-17; 1 Co 15)

So growth comes through (the growth in the faith in the) knowledge of  Christ maturing in and to the full knowledge of the full measure of His greatness.) Col 4:13; Eph 1:28

Biblical Concept of Man (Man 101)

Once upon a time, King David said, "What is man that you are mindful of him (so much)?" Psalm 8:4
What then is man? There is a pictorial answer to this question, illustrated in Exodus 1-4.

In calling Moses to go and save the slave nation Israel, the Lord said, "This will be a sign to you - the sign that it is I who sent you: "After you have brought the people out you will worship God on this mountain."

God created man in His image. By worshiping God man can thrive functioning like Him, so that man would be like God serving Him as His child enjoying the fellowship with Him, taking care of His creation.

The Israel of Moses' day fell short of this glorious state. The downward trip began with Abram and eventually all of his 70 going down to Egypt where its ruler began to treat the people Israel as slaves. After about 4 centuries the Lord heard their cry. Through Moses the Lord chose to recover them back to the original state, that is, the life that worships and serves God, deriving from the fellowship with Him the full life and thriving onto His infinite beauty.

No creatures were endowed with this feature, that is, the image of God and the feature to worship Him. Only human beings were created in His image, not even angels. No wonder that the devil also known as Satan grew jealous that through the serpent tried to tempt man causing his downfall and since then continually attempting to pull him down. But still the Lord God chose to save man back to the original state of glory. Speaking of this restoration the Lord God said, "Here on this mountain you (Yes, even you yourself Moses) will worship God!

Man worships God in spirit and in truth. Spirit and truth refer to the Living Word that comes from the mouth of the Living God. After giving Moses the sign for him, the Lord performed three miracles: staff turning to snake, hand turning leprous, water turning to blood. While the three miracles of snake, leprosy, and blood address the way/power of redemption, it denotes the Lord God being holy, who alone is set apart, in that he alone is self-sufficient, so that under His holy wings man though in and of himself self-deficient can stand perfect in righteousness, holiness, and redemption, becoming fully sufficient through God-sufficiency.

Speaking of this truth the Apostle Paul states, "Now if we are children, we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with the Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings, in order that we also may share in his glory." Romans 8:17 [For those who live by faith in the Lord, participating in His sufferings for His name's sake represents opportunities to experience His glory.]

The Biblical definition of sleep

You  say "I sm going to go and sleep." Then you go to your room fall down on the bed and sleep, or lie down in a couch for a night's sleep.

What then do you mean by sleep?

Here is the answer: to go to the Lord (Jesus Christ) and rest in His arm and find rest in Him.

This definition is true for in the true sense of the word sleep it represensts finding rest in it and this rest is found only in the Lord. 

In this world there is no rest. There you are made only restless. This is seen in the book of Exodus 1 where while the Istarlites were in Egypt they were made restless, for Pharaoh put slave masters over them who in turn drove them to work work and work but no rest. 

Understanding their restlessness the Lord says: come TO ME all of you who are weary and burdened. I will give you rest." King David heard the Lord went to him and found rest (or sleep) in the Lord so he says "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not be in want."

For the same reason John says: do not love the world and anything in it, for if you do love of the Father is not in you. 

This command may sound hard to practise for you say, "the world offers so much but I don't see the Father." Then you need to understand this: all that are in the world came from the Father." 

So which one woud you rather choose? The world that is seen or the Father who is unseen? Further "Why is it said "God chose the things that are not to nullify the things that are"? Or why did Jesus say to Martha: "Lazarus is not dead but asleep?"

The Faith of God

Launching pad for a Zip Line at the Pinecrest

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants—not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all... Romans 4:16

From August 18 to 26 I and Rebekah visited Vietnam. We came back home on August 27. After a few hours of sleep in Redding, the next morning we flew down to LAX via San Francisco Airport, to attend the LA UBF Summer Bible Conference.

The conference took place at the Pinecrest Presbyterian Christian Conference Center in Big Bear Mountain.

Pinecrest added an archery

I was sick with stomach flu, so I could not attend the first night evening service. Apparently Robert Fishman served a message, "You will be a blessing" Genesis 12:1-9.

Lying in bed sick, I meditated on the Bible passage.

One word, "God's faith" came to mind. It deeply moved my heart. The days of Abram were wicked, so wicked that the Lord God had to wipe out through the Flood all peoples on earth except Noah's family. But the problem of idol worship did not go away, but only mushroomed. Joshua 24:2

Apparently Abraham's father Terah talked with Noah and Noah's son Shem. Abraham knew Shem 150 years. Noah died 2 years before Abraham was born. Isaac knew Shem 50 years. (Source: Agape Bible Study at http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/charts/Generations%20Adam-Moses.htm) In other words Abraham is in the line of believing family. Yet how come did he too worship idols? Too sad!

Yet, in faith God visited Abram and called him with the promise of blessing: I will make you into a great nation; I will bless you; I will make your name great!; You will be a blessing; all peoples on earth will be blessed through you!

If you are unsure you do not use the word 'will', but with absolute faith God said, "I will" repeatedly.

Abram at the time of God's calling, Abram had every reason to regard himself as hopeless. For one thing he was 75 years old. He was childless. Perhaps his health also started deteriorating.

Yet, God called him out with a great promise: I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

When I put myself in Abram's position, I doubt whether or not the promise of such great blessings would come true of me. But when I thought about God who believed in what he was saying, faith arose within me, so I too could believe.

I think when this great calling came upon Abram first, he too must have doubted. But I am confident that Abram too was moved by God's faith, so he too believed. Thus he left and go. And as he went along, he built an altar to God and called on the name of the Lord.

The same promise is guaranteed to all who share the faith of Abraham. Thank and praise be to the Lord who had absolute faith in Him that he gave us wonderful promises believing that we too would believe in Him, that all who put trust in Him and his promises would see the promises becoming a reality in each of us beginning here and now! Amen! 

Viva Vietnam

God chose things that are not to nullify the things that are. 1 co 1:28

August 21 Friday Abe Lee checked us in at the 5 star Somerset Hotel at #49 Hai Ba Tung Stress, Hanoi.

After a short journey to a food market through the old city we (jacob esther i and rebekah) spent the night at the hotel.

Next morning (saturday) we moved to Halong Bay where we spent a night at the cabin of the cruise line.

A BIG THANK You to Abe for your generosity giving us a royal treatment paying for "everything". 

It has been said "The Korean War is the first war the US lost." But the Vietnam War is the war both the US and Korea (among other nations) fought but lost."

The question becomes, "Why?"

 The next day as I was heading back to Hanoi from the Ha Long Bay on the cruise line "Bhaya 7" 1 Co 1:28 came to mind: 

people here are lowly in spirit, humble and  kind, poor yet friendly. And her land comes with tons of beauties. The Lord preserved the land and her people for his good purpose.

Sunday we moved back to the hotel. MSN jacob served a message entitled "Fix your eyes on Jesus".

Monday morning along with Jacob and Esther we visited One pillar pagoda, Ho Chi Min Museum,  and Literature Court.

At the Ho Chi Min museum I met Uncle Ho who loved and fought for his people like a father. Once his general Giap  (who was 20 years youger than he) got tangled up in a scandal with a dancer, so was on the virge of getting purged. But instead of purging Giap he solved Giap's "marriage problem" by introducing to him a daughter of noble origin. Since then Giap stood and fought for him till he died at the age of 102 leaving two kids.

Dedicated to the cause of independence and freedom of his people and nation uncle ho did not marry. He died at the age of 79 without seeing the nation freed and united. He died poor leaving a pair of sandals and a pistol. 

People of Vietnam are happy to have a father figure who loved them.  So they call him "Uncle Ho". This coming Sept. 2 they celebrate the 70 years of independence so streets, government buildings and stores were adorned with banners bearing the number 70.

Tuesday evening the last night of our stay in Saigon Abe took us to one of the best restaurants in town located at a highrise building. There I could see saigon becoming a boom town like Kangnam of Seoul.

(After occupying the land first in the north and then south they tried the communist idiology but quickly learned that it is a prescription for emptiness, so they quickly trashed it out and went for western thoughts like "the poor can become rich the rich richer". )

Books to read: 

# The sorrow of war by frank palmos

# Ho chi minh thought on the military, ministry of national defence

# People's war people'army by vo nguen giap

# vietnam war by stanley karnow

# Ho Chi Minh' biography by Chu Duc Tinh Phd

♡ Quotable quotes:

(In an interview conducted by Stanly Karnow in 1946, Ho Chi Minh was asked:

"How long would you have gone on fighting against The United States?" 

HO said, "Another 20 years, maybe a hundred years, as long as it took to win, regardless of cost.")

Uncle Ho Inspecting People's Army

SUN rises on Vietnam

Unlike other Asian nations like Japan or Korea, Vietnam today has far more kids/young gens than oldies.

In Saigon highrise buildings are going up like crazy. Streets are filled with young people going somewhere.

Jesse Young teaches English to college students. He looked younger than I last saw him a few years ago. At a dinner fellowship Jessee met Abe and struck friendship with him.

Vitnamese people have a keen sense of art. In one of the places we visited they presented the Korean folk song

 "Arirang".

Abe Lee has 2 sons (Josiah and Jacob) and 1 daughter (Samantha). His wife is expecting another son (Joshua) soon.

Yesterday he took us to an authentic Vietnamese restaurant. There we ate like kings and queens. Thank you Abe

View from Abe Lee's Riverside Apt.

The Lips of Children and Sucklings

King David says "From the lips of children and sucklings you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger." Psalm 8:2

When Jesus came about a thousand years later he quoted David to his opponents saying, "Have you never heard, "From the lips of children you have ordained praise?" Matthew 21:16 This way Jesus silenced those who attempted to smother the sound of children shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David". 

Centuries ahead David saw the Savior coming to Jerusalem. By quoting David on his coming, Jesus reminded people of him coming as the Savior (or Messiah in Hebrew). 

What is interesting here is that it was from the "lips" of the children (as well as) "sucklings" (or infants) that God ordained praise. What is so special about the "Lips of the Sucklings"? The answer is obvious: although no one teaches infants (in total trust) know how to feed from mother's breast. They have innate knowledge to use lips and suckle and thereby secure nutrition for life. 

We do not know exactly who taught the children to shout at the moment of Jesus' (triumphal) entry to Jerusalem. Perhaps no one taught them to do so. People were wondering about who Jesus is so in bewilderment they turned to each other asking, "Who  is this?" But somehow kids figured it out and shouted, "Hosanna in the highest; Hosanna to the Son of David (the Savior King)".  

This episode reminds me of what the Apostle Paul said: "Since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -  his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen - being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20 It appears that the kids who shouted at the time of Jesus' entry "understood" Jesus' divine nature, so they said, "Hosanna in the highest!" 

Jesus used what came from the mouth of the infants as a stronghold to defend himself (and his ID as the Savior). 

It is interesting to note that despite his great intelligence and great knowledge of the Scriptures a man named Rambam died (in the year of 1204 AD) without knowing Jesus the Savior. Based on Psalm 8, Rambam formulated a set of guidelines leading to the loftiest accomplishments to which man can aspire -- the love and fear of God. (P. 121, Tehillim, published by Mesorah Publications, Ltd.) He is known as a great scholar, a physician, a Talmudist, the author of Mishneh Torah, a code of Jewish Religious Law. Yet, he died still waiting for the Savior. 

Why is it that a group of people such as infants and sucklings of Jesus' day believe in Jesus, the Savior, whereas people of great intelligence like Rambam finish their lives unbelieving? 

I think the Apostle Paul already answered the question in 1 Co 1:27-30, that is, God's choice: God chose the foolish and weak things to shame the wise and the strong, the  lowly, the despised, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are. 

Why did God choose that way? Answer: that no one can boast before him (Jesus Christ). 1Co 1:31; Eph 2:9 

Why no boasting? Solomon answered the question: Pride goes before destruction. Pro 16:18 In the first place, it was due to pride that Adam and Eve fell. But a child, an infant, a baby suckling from the mother's breast is not proud, just as David said, "My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty... I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me." Psalm 131:1.2

Louisa M. R. Stead formulated the words/lyric of the hymn song, "'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus" saying, "Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus, just from sin and self to cease, just from Jesus simply taking Life and rest, and joy and peace."