Do We Have True Faith?

SF.5.10.2013


Do we have true faith or are we only calling it faith when it is not?
Is my faith authentic? Is it original or is it fake, only a copy but not the real thing?
Many people desire goods that are authentic but there are so many good fake products out there.
The Lord desires our faith to be real.
God gives us the real thing.
He has given us the truth, but rather than take care of what was given to us, we have made it into something else.
The people around you may not know.
But who knows?
You know and so does God.
You act as if you believe, but do you truly believe in Jesus Christ?
Are you following in the Jesus that God has sent to us, or are you only pretending to do so as someone who carries around a fake product?
The person who carries around the authentic product is confident.
But the one who carries around a fake product, when you are alone you can pretend that you are confident, but when you are faced with someone who has the real product, you are not able to look them in the eye.
Why?
Because you know that you have a fake product.
What kind of faith do you have?
What kind of faith do you bring before God?
What kind of faith is it that you say you have as you confess to Him that you believe in Him and to say that this is the faith that was given to you that you cherish and maintain?
Where do you stand?
Do I truly believe Jesus according to the Word?
Do I see, hear and follow in the truth that the Spirit reveals in the Word?
Or do I do I what I want, going off slightly from the truth, following a Jesus that fulfills my demands, having a faith that is not real, as I live this life?
Where do you stand?
If you feel good today you sing hallelujah, you give thanks and say that you will follow.
But if you feel even the slightest bit unhappy, then you abandon Jesus as if He was useless.
Are you arguing, complaining and blaming God today?
Where do you stand?
What kind of Jesus do you want to believe?
Do you choose to believe in the Jesus that God has sent, or do you choose to believe in the Jesus that the world says is acceptable?
It clearly states that when you believe in Jesus that we will suffer, be persecuted and face trial and hardships but we do not want to believe in this Jesus.
We want to receive recognition from others.
We want others to know who we are.
We want others to praise us.
I too am the same.
We like that.
We do not like to be ignored, hated and unwanted.
But the Bible teaches us to not live this way.
We are told to turn the other cheek but do you offer your other cheek?
Do you offer it?
I do not.
Why?
Because I don’t want to.
When I am full of God’s grace then I do.
But when I distance myself from God, and not standing firm in the Word, and not praying, then when I am hit on my cheek then I want to go and hit the other person on both sides of their face.
Do we not have the heart that desires to hit the other person two or three times if we are hit once?
Then how can we come before God and say that this is what I did and confess that to Him?
Can we come to God in prayer and say that I was hit on my right cheek but failed to turn the other cheek.
We cry and repent.
But the moment we leave the house of God we do the same thing.
Is that repentance?
What kind of repentance is it, what kind of faith in Jesus do you have if you say you repent but the moment you are done praying you go out and the same thing you say that you have repented of?
You say you have confessed to God.
You say that the blood of Jesus has cleansed you, but does the blood of Jesus have such little power?
Is it that powerless?
Too many desire to be washed in such a kind of blood that has little value.
Jesus gave His life.
His life is more precious than all our lives.
He is the Son of God.
He is God.
What was He lacking that He would come to die for such wretched beings as us?
The blood of Jesus is priceless.
But to us that blood has little value.
We sin and then repent, and then sin and the repent again.
We keep washing ourselves with the blood again and again as if it was there for us because we are worthy to use it in any manner we please, whenever we think we need it.
This is how we are.

We assume that the blood of Jesus must wash us no matter what we may do.
No matter how evil we act.
If we assume that the blood of Jesus must wash us no matter how we act, then can the blood of Jesus truly have the power that it is supposed to have?
The blood of Jesus is not something that has little value.
That time during which God forsook His own Son Jesus on the cross, God was so frustrated that there was darkness over the whole earth.
Though we may not know that suffering we must at least try to understand.
Those of us that have children, when our children is a little sick, we get into a frenzy.
We could care less if someone else’s child is sick, but if our child is sick even the slightest, or someone says anything to correct them, or bothers them even in the slightest, it hurts us and we die on the inside.
Children, though you do not have children you have friends, siblings, those around you.
Siblings fight amongst themselves, but if someone outside the family fights with your sibling do you not get upset?
Doesn’t it bother you?
Do you feel good when your brother or sister gets scolded?
If you do then you are trash.
God the Father sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins.
Jesus came to earth bearing the burden of the cross.
Are you going to believe in this Jesus or are you going to believe in a fake one that you have made to your liking?
God did not give us His Word for us to create Jesus to be who we desire Him to be, something close to the real thing but not, and then have the conviction to think that by saying we believe in Jesus we would go to Heaven.
Why would we need the Word if we are going to believe in any manner each of us chooses to believe?
Why would we need the Bible?
We go about speaking boldly though some of us have barely read the Bible and only know what we have heard about it.
Maybe I am missing something or not intelligent because the more I read the Bible the less I understand.
Why?
Without the Holy Spirit it is impossible to comprehend or understand the depth of God with my own mind.
When I feel like I may understand a little and dig deeper then I am left without knowing again.
When I feel like I have realized something then in the next moment I realize I haven’t.
God is too deep. He is too great. He is beyond measure.
The ocean is far beyond our comprehension but God is even further reaching and deeper than that.
The universe is vast.
Too great for us to examine thoroughly.
We cannot know this universe in its fullness.
We live on this planet and even this place we do not know fully.
This planet though great in size is but a speck in the universe.
How we think that we can understand God who keeps, and cares for all the things of this universe?
Why do we become prideful and think that we can know Him?
We say if we cannot understand God then we will not believe in Him.
We say that because I do not understand Him I will not obey Him.
That is pride.
You cannot know God.
Because we cannot know God we are to obey His commands, but rather than obey His commands we make excuses saying that we must understand in order to obey.
I have said it many time before, to understand before you obey is not obedience.
When that is the case, because you have understood then it only becomes a something that you have to do because now you know it has to be done that way.
But I have talked to many people who have said that if they can only understand then they would believe.
To understand first and then believe is not faith.
That which you understand are things that you must do and have no choice but to do.
When we teach children do they obey them because they understand the reason the parent is telling them to do something?
Do children obey because they understand?
When they do not we say that they are rebelling, it is because they do not trust the parent and therefore do not obey.
How much faith do we have in God’s Word?
How obedient are we?
How obedient are we to Him in following Him?
Our children are not born to us by our own strength, they are gifts given to us by God.
But we desire to do with them what we will.
God is the creator of this entire universe.
He is the One who opens and closes the womb.
He is the One Who gives us life and places us here.
How can we understand Him?
How can we say that we will believe Him if we understand Him, that we will obey Him when we understand Him?
How can we continue to keep making up our own Jesus?
Please do not believe in a false Jesus that you have made.
Do not follow the fake Jesus.
Do not act like you are following truth.
Follow Jesus in truth.
I am not telling you to follow me.
I teach you to read the Bible everyday.
I am asking you to read the Bible and be led by the Spirit everyday.
Everyone receives grace that is special.
If you have been deceived by the devil and led by him thinking that you are following Jesus then you have been led astray.
Why do you listen to the devil?
Why do we heed the words of the demons?
It is because we find pleasure in what they say.
It is because what they say is the same as the thoughts I have.
The devil knows all too well the things that I like.
You refuse to follow the voice of God because you claim that the devil knows you better than God and he, the devil, gives you what you want.
So that you would go in the right path, God has put before you trials, sufferings, and hardships so that you may be trained up.
But you hate it.
You think it hurts.
But the devil throws bait at you.
Like he threw it at Eve.
She ate the fruit.
He deceives you by saying, ”You know you like it.”
“You can make money this way.”
“You will be known.”
“You will have the right to judge others.”
“You can do as you like”
“You can live your life comfortably doing what you want.”
“Isn’t it difficult following Jesus?”
“I am not saying don’t believe Him, I am just saying just believe Him enough.”
“Just enough, don’t overdo it.”
In your ears this sounds like truth.
Then you pray and ask God why is the devil tempting me?
God does not allow it. It is your heart that has been given over to those things.
Then when things are not good you blame God.
When things are comfortable and then suddenly you hit a bump you question why God never disciplined you to avoid the circumstance?
No matter how many countless times God calls you to listen you never listen.
You do not follow His voice.
You say with your mouth that you will obey, you will follow.
But you go the way you stubbornly decide, according to your will, in the manner you decide which is following a false Jesus.
Believe in the true Jesus.
Remove your thought and follow God’s will.
Think the thoughts of God.
Do it God’s way.
Believe in this way.
This is the true way.
Do not believe according to your emotions.
Do you say it is difficult to follow Jesus? Then do not follow Him.
It is better for you to leave than to pretend to follow Him.
Did you not have difficulties when you lived according to the ways of the world?
When you tried to live the way you wanted were you able to so?
If so, and you found that to be good, then go do that, do not follow Jesus.
You cannot go to Heaven if you are on the fence about Him.
I have met many people and before they met Jesus their lives were not good, and they had no joy or happiness.
But when they found Jesus they were filled with joy.
There are also those who blame Jesus for making their lives difficult.
God is not making your life difficult, but He is training you up that you may be ready for His kingdom, as His bride, His servant, and His child.
Where in life is there anything that you can do without being trained for it?
In your place of work, are you there without having been trained for it?
In business, if you are not trained to do it, then you will fail.
Doctors must get an education and pass the exams to be licensed.
You do not become a pianist without practicing.
A singer who does not give all to practicing their skill will never get to the place where they want.
We are foolish to think that without any effort we can stand in faith before God.
When it comes to the things of this world, we have heard many famous actors who have confessed to giving up so much in their lives to get to where they are now.
Famous vocal artists talk about giving up everything in life to do what they do.
But you, how will you have both this world and Jesus too?
An Olympic athlete gives up everything for a chance to win a gold medal.
What have you given up?
What have you given up that is so great that you complain to God about how difficult it is?
Is it easy to give up the things of this world to attain the position that these people have attained?
The things we speak make no sense.
Yet, we say we truly believe in Jesus?
I believe in Jesus.
I only have eyes for God.
I will obey.
Then the very next day you are living in disobedience and say that you are not happy with things.
You say that things don’t make sense.
This is how you follow the fake Jesus.
What you decide to think for yourself is not faith.
God is God.
You do not believe in something that you understand.
You are believing in God who created the entire universe.
Stop believing in the manner that you think is right.
Even today God has spoken to me and has said that He is searching all over the earth to find those whose heart is one with Him.
Though He searches He says there are very few.
Though He searches for those who are obedient to Him, He says that there are very few.
He says that many speak with their lips and say they do.
Many speak with their lips and say that they believe in Jesus.
He asks why did Sodom and Gomorrah perish?
He says because there was none righteous in that place.
When we face destruction do we not claim that we are righteous and it is because others that God has brought down His wrath?
If you and I were true believers and truly righteous what would be the outcome?
Do not look at others.
Do not say that that person needs to be a better believer.
I must be a true believer.
If you want to stand firm in the Word of God in obedience, then you must go through the trial by fire.
How did Abraham become the father of our faith?
What did he do?
Did he do nothing?
Did he do nothing?
Then why do you not obey?
How hard and difficult it was for him.
We have the Bible and have been given everything and yet do not believe.
During the time of Abraham, men did not know God.
To have heard the voice of God and to follow in obedience is what makes him the father of our faith.
He is great.
But we only focus on the mistakes made by Abraham.
We say,” Oh, if had only obeyed. If he had not have Ishmael.”
Yet we commit sins far more serious than that.
We have the Word and testimony of the death of Jesus that has been given to us for 2000 years.
And we still do not believe.
When he knew nothing of God, he heard the voice telling him that he would be led by Him.
Would you follow?
Think about it.
God tells you today to leave but do you obey?
God is calling us today as He has called Abraham.
Do you each follow in obedience?
You say it is difficult.
You cause a commotion.
You say foolish things like, ”I didn’t know following Jesus would be so difficult.”
Think about Abraham.
He was told to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.
He was told to kill his son with his own hands.
We read that and it means nothing to us.
We get upset if someone says something we dislike to our own child.
He was not told to have someone else kill his son, but to offer his son as a sacrifice with his own hands.
Isaac was a young man and Abraham was old. Do you not think that Isaac could have overcome his father?
No matter how I think about it, Isaac could have overcome his father easily.
Are you obedient like Isaac?
Are you staying on the altar as a sacrifice?
Then miracles will happen.
Too many of you have the wrong idea because you see that God provided the ram as a sacrifice. You think that as soon as the test is over you can claim back what was once yours.
There are too many things that you do not understand correctly.
For example, you say that God wants you to offer up your house, and so you say Lord I give my house to you, and because you have said it you think that now you do not really have to give it to Him.
I am not telling you to offer up your homes.
This is only an example.
I am saying that this is the way that you believe.
If you say that you have offered God something then you are to give it to Him.
Isaac was dead.
Abraham had already killed Isaac.
Do not misunderstand this.
This is why Abraham became the father of our faith.
Due to his obedience, because he had given up his life in obedience, we see that Isaac was blessed, but we question, ”What did Isaac do to be blessed?”
He became a living sacrifice.
I too must be a living sacrifice.
Do not make for yourself a false Jesus and believe in that.
Believe in the true God and the one true Jesus.
Though it may be 99 percent authentic if even .01 percent is fake then it is a fake, is it not?
The fake and the authentic are now being made by the same company.
That is why much of the products are nearly the same.
They even have the same labels.
But if the company does not verify its authenticity, then it is a fake.
It is the same before God.
God wants true gold.
He does not want fake gold nor gold that is mixed with something else.
It must be 100 percent real gold.
God desires that you are true believers.
He desires that you truly believe in Jesus.
Do not be a false believer.
Confess with truth that Jesus is your Lord.
And do not say that it is difficult.
Living in this world is difficult.
Living in the Lord is much easier.
I pray that you will be victorious in faith.


Sermon by Pastor Joy Y. Lee
Translation by Miguel Park

Hearing the Voice of God and Obeying

SF.4.5.2013
Hearing the voice of God and obeying.

1 Samuel 3:8-18

This is a passage that we are all familiar with.
This is the first time that Samuel hears from the Lord.
When he was first called, he thought it was Eli calling him, for he never heard the voice of God previously.
After Eli realized it was the Lord calling Samuel he told Samuel to ask the Lord to speak and to listen to Him.
How much are we intent on hearing the voice of God, being sensitive to His voice, are we seeking to talk with Him and to follow what He is saying to us?
We say that we are talking with God.
We say we hear His voice.
There are those who do, but do you hear Him and do what He is telling you?
When the Lord speaks to you about the things in your heart are you choosing to do what you want and not doing things you do not want and saying you did not hear from Him?
Because it is not speaking as if someone were in front of us, if you say you heard from God or did not hear from Him, I cannot confirm or disagree with you.
It is only between you and God.
But there are many things that you think is the voice of God because of the desires of your heart.
Because you want something you say that God has granted it for you and you stubbornly go forth doing what you want.
There are also times when God has been clear to you, but because you think you will lose something, suffer, and because you do not want to do it, you say that you did not hear from God concerning the matter.
Where do you stand?
Are you on both sides?
When God speaks clearly to you, do you obey?
In my walk with God, usually my answers are not the ones I want to receive.
I do not normally get answers of blessings or things that God is going to do for me.
He will tell me to give someone something.
He will tell me to love someone.
He will tell me to forgive someone.
He will tell me to teach someone according to the Word.
He does not tell me to do what I want.
He does not tell me that I all I do is right.
These things are things I rarely have heard.
Where do we stand?
Do you choose only to hear what you want?
If you are a student and you pray to get into a good college and you do, then those who did pray and did not go to a good college, do they not hear God’s voice?
People who do not have a high position in work, do they not hear God’s voice?
If you do not have your requirements met then do you say that you did not hear God’s voice?
What path are you going?
The first time Samuel hear God speak, he was told that the house of Eli was disobedient to God and because Eli did not teach his children according to God’s commands they will be punished.
What about you?
You say you believe in Jesus, you come to church, you serve, you tithe, you witness.
But where is your heart as you do these things as you seek the blessings of God upon you?
Surely, God blesses us.
His blessings are indescribable.
But it is not the blessings that we are thinking about.
The blessings we want are for here on this earth.
We want it today.
For me it would be to be healthy, have no physical pain, there are other things that I want for myself and my children.
If these things happened we would describe it as having a successful ministry.
If someone is pastoring a large church we say that they have succeeded.
If someone is pastoring a small church we say that they have not achieved success.
Where are our standards?
It is those who are in church that go out and say these things.
We attend a small church so we are not successful.
We attend a large church so we are successful.
Let us say that the church is successful, it is not because of my attendance that makes it so.
But if we attend a large church and sit there for worship we think that we are a part of the success, that we have made it happen and so are blessed.
If we attend a small church we think it is our fault that nothing seems to happen, that we are unable to receive God’s love, we have failed to be blessed by God and we become weak.
Where do you stand?
When God speaks to you, you must truly see what it is that He is saying and hold onto it.
The more I come to know the Lord the more I do not understand Him.
I used to think in the past that I knew much about God.
I thought I knew more than anyone else.
I had a lot of knowledge.
But after meeting Him, and knowing Him and drawing closer to Him, I have said it before, He is impossible to know, and the more I read and study, the more I do not understand.
Honestly, there are many things in the Bible that I do not understand.
There are times I do not understand why God is giving me a certain passage in Scripture.
I have attained much knowledge of the Word.
But that is not what I am speaking of.
In the past, it was hard for me to find someone who knew more about the Bible than I.
But now, I have a hard time saying that I know a lot.
Why?
Because every time and situation is different when God uses His Word to explain what is happening.
When I am filled with the spirit, or when I am not.
When I am in sin, or not in sin.
The Word God uses to speak to me is different every time.
Though it is the same Bible verse it is revealed differently.
We think that with that which we know that we know the whole Bible, but I can only say that there is more I do not know.
This passage today, we have read it many times before and know it well.
We know it to be the time where Samuel first meets God.
Each of you has a time when you first met God.
The first time you loved God.
The first time you met Him.
The time you started to have a relationship with God.
But how much have you held onto that and come to this point in your life?
It is difficult to restore your relationship if you forget your first love.
When you date your love is hot but after you get married and time passes why do you divorce?
It is because you forgot your first love.
If you forget your first love, then at least you should live by faith and honor each other and live as husband and wives, but after the fire dies down, and we no longer have feelings we abandon them.
We betray the other but blame the other for betraying us.
Are you like this?
Those of you who are married, do you think that you have problems because of you or do you think it is your spouses fault?
We all point the finger at the other.
I used to live this way.
But when God spoke to me He let me know that it is not so.
Of course there are times that the other person is at fault.
I am not always 100 percent at fault.
But we see ourselves as 100 percent correct.
We blame the other 100 percent.
This is why we do not change.
It is because we do not know what we are doing wrong.
We think that the wrong we do is acceptable to that degree because we live here on earth.
We say “Can a person who believes in Jesus be perfect. We are only humans. There is no one who can live like the pastor preaches.” This is how we respond.
Then why did God give us His Word?
Why did He give us His Word unless we are to be different from the world?
If the world is wrong, then we are to believe Jesus the right way, and with the right faith, we are to go and change the world.
But rather than be different we live as part of the world because of the fear of being different and even though the world is headed to dark valleys and death we have no desire to change.
We think it is granted to be a part of the world for if we are not we cannot have a good job, advance in position or play with our friends.
It is foolishness.
God is sounding the warning trumpet to you as He did to Eli.
What will you do?
We see that God spoke to Eli.
Eli already knew and rather than trying to correct his children he only told them of the wrong that they did.
When you know you are in sin but do not change then God will bring His judgement upon you and that is what we see as his entire family was killed.
What will you do?
Do not raise your children according to your emotions.
Raise them according to the Word.
Rather than raise them according to the Word we raise our children by our emotions.
If we feel bad we scold our children.
If we feel good, no matter what bad they do we accept it and make excuses for their behavior and say that much is alright and blame the world for their behavior.
You say that you did the same things when you were younger.
You say it is alright for them to do it as well.
This is the way a parent approves in sending the child down the wrong path.
God does not do that in the Bible.
He tells us to teach our children.
He tells us to bind His Words to our arms and our foreheads and place them at the entry of our homes and teach our children His Word.
But parents today do not teach their children.
We think that if our children bring home good grades that our children are the best.
Then are those who do not study well are bad children?
As long as you have good grades it does not matter that the rest of your life is a mess and that is why the world is deteriorating.
Children who get good grades think that they are better than others.
Character and good grades are different.
I am not telling you not to study or do well in school.
Should you as parents and children, live your life in a manner that brings judgment on your house like Eli, or should you live your life according to the Gospel, to let it take root in your family and allow the glory of God to shine through you, and fulfill your purpose for which God sent you so that you will be commended by the Father when you stand before Him in the final day of judgement?
What path will you choose?
When I talk to you you say that you will.
You say you will obey.
But when I observe you there is no change.
Why do you write that you will but do not change your actions to follow?
God does not look only at what you have write down but He looks to see if you are doing what you say you will do.
You say you are committed but why do you not follow through with action?
Some do not make it a week, others two weeks.
If you have made a promise with me then you are to keep that promise but you do not.
Some of you do not do it for months.
You do all the things that you want to do.
Why do you not keep your promises.
Listen clearly to God’s voice.
Samuel from the time He heard God’s voice to the day he died, was a man of prayer, obedient to God, and lived according to His Word.
As the time of the prophets came to an end and foolishly raised kings in their stead, they no longer wanted to hear from God, but wanted to be ruled by a king and to this day Israel has had problems.
Should this country fall because of you?
Or should you be the reason that this country rises once again as a good country and once again lead other nations?
Should you make this country the nation it once was or will you be the reason, for your sins, that this country will fall far from where it once stood?
What will you do?
You are all citizens here.
You are told to pray for the place where you live.
Do you believe that this responsibility is in your hands?
At times I also forget.
Through one man Adam, sin was born into this world.
Through Jesus we have been given a path to life.
We know this but none of us think that we are like Adam.
We say that we did not commit those sins.
How many times are we like Adam and Eve in our everyday lives?
Wives who control their husbands and cause them to sin.
Husbands who do not lead their families as they should, that is even worse.
Men, husbands, you must be awake and lead your families the right way.
Wives have given a position of service.
You are too scared to speak up. You are tired of arguing. Time passes.
You think that eventually it will get better.
Your entire family will fall apart.
We women are more of a problem.
If we do not stand right in faith then our families will fall apart.
You say that you are not married, but you will soon be married and soon have children and have a family.
Unless your heart is changed in Jesus, unless you stand right in the Word, you plainly see where that family is headed.
You say that you will be good when you are married.
You will be good to your husband.
If you are not right now you will not be later.
You have not changed your heart.
Men are the same.
You say you do not have a family yet.
You will change when you have a wife.
Unless you live a disciplined life right now, unless you learn to live right according to the Word, do you think that later you will?
No you will not.
Truly you will not.
How was Samuel given life?
Hannah was unable to have a child.
He was born as a child of prayer and given to God.
He was not raised under his parents.
He was raised in God’s house under Eli.
He did not receive his parent’s love.
Do you think that the children of Eli would have treated Samuel well, when they did what they did with the things of God?
Would you?
You are in line to be the next priest but now there is this little child, what would you do?
He lived as a man of prayer giving his allegiance to God.
To live like Samuel and his faith.
What about you?
Do you blame you circumstance, your problems, your excuses, for why you are not living right before God?
We are all the same.
You say that he is different because he was raise in the temple.
The children of pastors have incredible hardships.
That is why I did not want to be a pastor.
I ran away because I did not want to marry a pastor.
I did not hate Jesus or hate God, but the ones who claimed to believe made life unbearable.
But in the end God called me to this place, and now I am so grateful and enjoy it so much.
There is much to give thanks for.
Individually as we live in faith, the words we speak, can hurt so many people, and scar them.
There was a testimony of a pastor’s child who hated the church so much that she ran away and became an anti-Christ.
Because of the people who had scarred them as children.
Because of the hypocrisy in the church where children can do wrong but the pastor’s children are not allowed to make mistakes.
They were judged.
I too experienced this.
If I was playing with other children and they would do something wrong the parents would come and blame me.
They would say that a pastor’s daughter should not behave that way.
I would say I did nothing wrong that it was their child, but they would say that they are only regular church goers, but that I am a pastor’s daughter and I was held to a different standard.
Do you behave this way?
There are many pastor’s children who are out in the world being shaken and rebelling.
They may have their own faults but have we also participated in making them fall away.
If we are true believers who hear His voice and follow Him, do you truly hear His voice and follow?
That is why I ran away to never be a wife of a pastor nor be pastor.
It was not because I did not want to be a wife of a pastor or be a pastor but I did not ever want to hear those things from those people at church.
I thought that I would die if I were ever in that position.
That is why I said I would never go.
But in the end God has put me here.
As pastor’s children, my children today may have it hard but it is much easier than when I was growing up.
I do not know if outside of the church they are facing persecution, but in the past they would say things to your face.
Our doors were always open.
Those scars are indescribable.
The Bible does not explain it but there probably is a reason why Eli’s children behaved that way.
But they stole from God, taking that which was given to God first for themselves.
Are we not doing the same today?
We demand to receive first.
We demand that God bless us first.
Then we will do God’s work after.
I will go and serve at the church, I will love others, I will have a heart of compassion, and for your sake I will believe in you.
Are you not believing in Him for His sake?
Are you not here just for the sake of coming out?
Are you not saying that it is your offering that allows this church to function and without it this church would not be?
Are you truly listening to the voice of God and following Him?
Are you living up to the purpose you have been called to?
When I hear God speak to me, He tells me to do for the good of his kingdom and His people that they may move as one body.
These are the requests He makes of me.
As I do His work I am blessed in return.
The more obedient I am the more He blesses me.
When I have little but God tells me to give to someone who is in much more need then He is always faithful and restores what I am lacking.
Do not think that after hearing this that you can just give away and expect God to give you more.
That is not the way.
When you do something expecting a return you will not be given.
But if you do it out of a humble and obedient heart, and do as He desires of you, He will not let you go hungry, and He will guide you everyday, as today.
What path will you choose?
I counsel many who say if only they hear His voice they will obey, but when they start hearing His voice there are not many who follow.
When the Lord asks will He find any with faith in the end it is an anguish that I feel.
There are very few who truly obey.
Truly not many obey.
Do not be found in that place.
Please go to the place of obedience.
There a too few who will enter into Heaven.
There are many who worship Jesus well with their lips.
But truly, truly, they do not believe in God the Father.
They see Him as valuable in a sense of being able to gain profit, to receive blessings, to receive health.
They see Him as a being who answers prayers.
Do you believe God to be a magical genie?
If that is how you believe God to be, then throw all those thoughts away immediately.
Go back to the beginning.
Like Samuel when he first heard God’s voice.
Forget all the times you have heard His voice.
Today, now seek the presence of the Lord and today, like Samuel, give your allegiance to Him until the end.
Do not be foolish.
Without going back to the truth, without returning back to our first love, and if we stay clothed in our filth and sin, how will we enter into Heaven when we can only do so if we are spotless?
If you are dressed in dirty clothes you will not enter into Heaven.
You cannot enter into Heaven with what you know about Jesus.
You must truly believe in God’s Word.
The Word of God must become yours.
The Words are for you.
It is not for someone who you think is disobedient, or for your spouse, or your children, your neighbor.
Do not do this.
The entirety of the Word is for me.
It has been given to me.
When we hear a sermon we think that the message if for that person.
This is a sermon for my mother-in-law.
Mother-in-laws think this is a sermon for my daughter-in-law, for our sons.
Let us not be this way.
Do these words pierce your heart?
Then change your ways so that it will no longer do so.
I need to change today.
I need to repent before God.
I need to hear God’s voice and humble myself before His presence.
It does not matter if the person next to me has heard His voice that has no bearing on my life.
A couple that shares the bed do not hear the voice of God because of the other.
Only the one who chooses to listen can hear His voice.
In the end the trumpets will sound.
It says only those who hear the trumpet sound will be raptured.
If you do not hear it you will not be able to go.
You cannot go because you hold onto someone who is going.
If I am not a believer but my husband is, and if I held onto him the moment he is raptured and I was also carried up that would be nice.
But nowhere in the Bible does it say that you will go to Heaven because someone close to you is a good believer.
Only the one who hears His voice.
The one who hears the sound will go.
If you act as though you believe.
It is possible that you can act like a good believer and fool people.
But God sees your heart to see if you truly believe or do not.
Do you truly believe, hear His voice and follow.
When Samuel heard the voice of God it was a time when hearing His voice was not usual.
Why did Samuel hear His voice and not Eli?
Are you not in a position like that of a priest?
But if you are in that position and are not able to hear His voice, then what use is it?
Eli heard the curse on his house through the child Samuel.
Would this not be a big problem if this was your home?
We must each be awake to God’s voice, His Word.
I must repent of my sins.
I must listen keenly for His gentle voice and be obedient children of God.
No one can do this for you.
Individually each must go forth to God.
I can preach to you.
But I cannot take you with me.
One Jesus Christ can lead you and take you.
But if you are not obedient to His voice He cannot take you.
No matter how many times He may call if you do not obey...
Unless you live in faith the right way you cannot go.
Your first love.
Have forgotten?
Restore your relationship.
Do you not hear God’s voice?
Repent.
Are you cold and hot in your thoughts?
Repent.
Be keen to the gentle voice of God, restore your relationship with Him, your first love, and live as eternal citizens of God’s kingdom, as His children, and as His bride as you follow Him.


Sermon by Pastor Joy Y.S. Lee
Translation by Miguel Park

True Faith In Jesus

The Lord wants to know “do you truly believe in me?” Let us examine ourselves. God seeks us out daily and asks us if we truly believe in Him. “Do you truly believe in me?” Do you truly believe God the Father? Do you believe that Jesus Christ died for me, saved me, that I have been cleansed by His blood, that all my sins have been washed away, so that I may live my life before God? The Holy Spirit speaks to us, guides us and teaches us about God, Jesus and the Spirit, but do we believe Him and live our life in obedience? Do you truly believe? Do you truly believe that God created the universe? Or is it something that you know because you have heard it? Do you believe because you believe or is it something that you think you do without truly believing? Though the world end today, though you face unthinkable trials and suffering, though you do not have money to eat today, do you still believe that God is your Father? Really? Do you truly believe? When you are in a good mood you say you believe. You say you believe that God exists. But the moment you feel down, where is God in your life? You question what has God done for you? You question why God put you on earth? You question why you have such parents? You question why you suffer when others are doing well? You question why you have to suffer your trials and not live the life you want? Is this how you live your life? We do not commune with God even if we feel bad in the slightest. If we do commune with Him it is because He lives. This is whom we argue against. This is whom we complain to. But our problem is when things are going well we forget about God. It is confusing that you blame Him when things go bad because in your life He does not live. The whole world argues with God when they are angry or frustrated. Why does God disappear from your life when things go well? Why do you take credit for your life? You blame God when things go wrong, then when things go well why do your get rid of God and take credit for it? Why did you do it all? Why do you think you are special? God is not there. Where do you stand? Do you stand on both sides? Do you stand on the side that blames God or do you stand on the side that takes credit for everything because you think you are the one to make it all happen? Are you looking for approval from people? You are responsible for your mistakes that cause you to be disapproved. You blame God when it is your fault that you fail. And when you put in a little effort and something good happens you take all the credit. You take God out of everything. Though we may act as though He does not exist He is everlasting. He has been since before Creation. He has no beginning. He is and always will be. We say we believe in Him but we have doubt. This is why He asks us “do you believe in me?” This has many different meanings. Do we believe that He exists? Do we believe that He is guiding us? Do we believe that He is with us even today? He is wanting to know if we believe that He is with us no matter how difficult our circumstance is? Do you believe? When things are difficult, in your suffering, though you may not attain that which you desire, though nothing that you want comes to pass, though the task you have been assigned may not seem like it is being accomplished, though you may have nothing in your hands, though you have nothing, do you still believe God and continue to move forward? Do you truly believe? I have nothing more to say to you. God has asked me this continuously this week. “Do you believe me?” “Do you believe that I am guiding you?” I had questions for God this week, but just like Job, rather than answer my questions He asked me His questions and wanted to know if I believed in Him. I told God that that is not the question that I was asking. I have conflict within me, I have worry, I am trying to forgive everyone and trying to love them, and in the midst of a struggle I was having this week, and rather than answering the request I was making He was asking His own question “do you believe in me?” This is what God was asking me this week. “Do you truly believe in me?” Yes, I believe you I answered. I believe that you live. I believe that I am cleansed by the blood of Jesus. I believe that He died for me. I believe that He leads me. I believe it all, but then He still asks me “do you believe in me?” I asked Him, “God what are you asking me?” It is easy for me to forgive someone I know but this past week I had a problem with someone I did not know. As time went on I hated this person more and more. I could not forgive this person as time passed on. But what did I preach? Repent, love, and bless. Then after that I preached on giving thanks and right after that message God threw this problem in my direction. In the beginning it was not a problem at all. It was a problem that had nothing to do with me. But like a snowball that you keep rolling and it gets bigger, this little thing over time over powered me to the point I could not overcome it. I told Him, “God this is what I preached on.” He said “yes.” That is why He asked “Do you believe in me?” It was the same problem. He asks me the same question though I have a different problem. I told Him you are not making sense. I told Him that is not what I am talking about. But God continued to ask me “do you believe in me?” So in the midst of my struggle and prayers God answered me. Then I found peace in my heart and I could forgive and resolved the issue. I was redeemed and now I stand firm once again in Him. Why is it like this? The question I ask and how God answers is different. My thoughts and God’s thoughts are different. I cannot move the boulder in my path. Only through the leading of the Hoy Spirit, and God being with me, and when I surrender all to Him and to the cross, the boulder is removed for me in a moment. How about for you? If I truly am alive to you. If you truly believe that I live, then what is it that can be a problem? This is what He is asking. “If I am truly your Father, then can you not forgive and let go of those things that bother you?” “If I truly live and am your Savior and you believe that I bled on the cross and died for you, the can you live your life in that manner?” This is what He is asking us. “If I am truly your Savior and your friend, is there anything that you could not do for me?” This is what He is asking us. “If you truly believe that I am with you, then should you not be joyful, glad and enduring?” God asked me, “If you believe that I am with you, then why could you not remove the pebble that was in your way, but rather make that into a large boulder that consumed you to the point you let it ruin you and make you unforgiving?” What about you? Do we forgive those we do business with when they hate us? Do you have patience to sit down with your spouse and understand them or do you get up and leave because you are angry and then act as if nothing has happened? Does this resolve the issue? I wish it was this way but it is not. When I do not remove the problem in my life, it does not go away but it only becomes bigger. We think that we can overlook a problem. A day passes. We think because we do not confront the issue that nothing will happen. We think that it is irrelevant. I had an issue that had nothing to do with my husband but that problem entered into me, and though I thought it did not matter it mattered a great deal. Because I did not remove that seed, it continued to grow in me. It became uncontrollable. Because God continued to ask me if I believed in Him I did not know how to resolve this issue. My question and God’s answer was not related. But after a couple of days in prayer and asking God again, He made it clear that if I believed that He is with me, and that I believe in Him, that He is my Father, that Jesus who died for me and bled for me is my bridegroom, and that the Holy Spirit continues to guide me today, then can I act in this manner? This is what He asked me. How about you? When you are faced with a minor problem, when you lack material blessings, you feel bad and from that moment on you get upset, you are in pain, you give up, you want to abandon everything. You want to stop believing in God, you no longer want to come to church. And then when you feel good you get excited because you hear His voice and cry out to Him. Is this not how you are? You say that He is good if something good happens. You sing that He is good. But when you are filled with worry, rather than sing hymns and pray, you give up and abandon everything and no longer want to believe in God. You question “what has God done for me?” You blame God saying that you have believed Him for so long yet He has done nothing for you. Then God asked me, “You forgave those whom you blamed for your father’s death, but how is it that you cannot forgive this person this problem?” I told Him I do not know why. I have a little history with these people. But it is not an issue that affects me directly, but I could not figure out why I could not forgive them. I struggled with this for a few days. Nothing seemed to help. Did I not pray about it? I did. I did not understand why God kept asking me the same question as to did I believe in Him? I thought about when the Lord asked Peter the same question three times. I thought about other circumstances. I questioned if maybe I really did not believe in God. May be I really did not believe in Jesus Christ. He said “you do believe in me.” Then He would ask again, “do you believe in me?” Then I realized it was something else. In that moment when He keeps asking if I truly believe that He lives, He is wanting to know why I have not resolved the matter. He wants to know why I am not resolving the matter. He is telling me to uproot it and throw it away. No matter what difficulties we encounter. Because we believe in Him does not mean that we only receive blessings. We will face hardships and trials. In all circumstances, in the midst of a storm, are we still trusting in God? When we are faced with trials and are frustrated, so God is frustrated with us when we are not right with Him. He is wanting us to put our trust back in Him, this is why He is asking us. We know that Jesus weeps for the lost souls in Heaven. He desires that many souls be embraced by the Father. God is showing me that He is concerned over each of our souls. He gets frustrated and seeks us out. But what can we offer Him? We only desire to receive blessings. We desire that He does everything we ask. We desire only happiness. We desire that He does everything we want on our terms and this is why He asks us “do you believe in me?” What about you? God loves each and everyone so much. He cherishes each of us. He desires so much that each of us stand right before Him and the Holy Spirit weeps for us. He desires that we go in the right path and daily knocks on our hearts so that we would listen. He knocks so that He can come into us to dine with us. He desires that we are one with Him and dwell together with Him. We are to let the Spirit burn in us so that it may catch fire and burn into the souls of others. But we put it out. We do not fan the flame. But the evil things we let into us and consume us unto a point we cannot overcome and are led to destruction by it. We cannot win unless we let the Spirit of God light a fire in us and love Him. I felt like dying those few days I was in that state. I could not live. There was no joy nor peace in me. I was not free. In my body though I am sick and in pain, I am with joy and peace, but when something enters me and consumes me, the painkillers do not work and my heart is bound to something that it should not be bound to and there is nothing else that matters. We are not using the fire in the right way. We fan the flame of evil. We refuse to kill it. We hate someone and it continues to grow. The Bible says that if we hate someone we are a murderer. Why? It is because we kill someone after we hate them. We do not kill someone because when we love them. When a good fire is lit, when the Spirit burns within us we are to continue to flame it and spread it to others, but this flame we put out. We are living backwards. Let us not be this way. I learned a great lesson. I learned something that I did not desire to learn. We think what a great person for having gone through what they did. No. It would be greater to put out the flame of evil before having to get to that point. But I am the one to carry that burden. In the end it was I who did not put out the fire. Do not be foolish like me. The moment an evil flame sparks inside of you put it out. And if the Holy Spirit lights a fire in you, continue to flame it a grow it and spread it to those around you so that we can live in an abundance of the Spirit. When God asks you, “Do you truly believe in me?” What will you say? As you live this week may you think about this. Sermon by Pastor Joy YoungSook Lee Translation by Miguel Park

Give Thanks.

SF.3.8.2013 Give Thanks. Let us look at what it means to give thanks. When we give thanks we first have requirements. We are grateful when we have attained something or achieved something. Then we are filled with joy, happiness and feel good. But according to God’s Word we are to be grateful for no other reason than that we are living under God’s grace according to His will. We were once dead for all eternity, but it was through the blood of Jesus in which we are allowed to stand before God. This is a miracle. This is why we are grateful. But we do not find this a reason to be grateful. Why? We take for granted that Jesus died for me. Many Jewish people do not believe that the Messiah has come. They still wait for Him to come even today. But Jesus Christ did come, He did die for us, and through His death we have been saved and given life and made a child of His kingdom, and as a bride to the Bridegroom we are to be grateful. These are the reasons we are to be grateful. We give thanks when we get to eat the food we want. We are grateful when we have the clothes or the things we want. We say we are grateful and filled with joy if we have a good job or in a higher position than others. But in God’s Word and when we live in truth, we will face suffering, hardships, and we will face discouragement and frustration. We will face persecution and though we may have done nothing wrong we will be falsely accused. Even then we are to be filled with joy and thanks. We do not do this well. It is difficult for me at times as well. Somedays it seems fine and then other days it is my inability to forgive and therefore there is no gratitude. If someone slanders me or makes my life difficult, rather than thanks I am disappointed. The reason? Because things are not going the way I want. Not according to the Word, but not meeting my satisfaction, that is why I am ungrateful. We tell God “anything but that.” We complain that the other person did me wrong so why should I be grateful. I know the the words in the Bible but because that person has acted a certain way to me I am unable to be grateful. This is how we make excuses. We are to be grateful in the Lord, not in the circumstance. We are to be grateful and joyful in the Lord because we are in Him and He in us. It is not about our circumstance or environment. We are to truly be grateful and joyful but to what extent are we truly so? How grateful are you when things that you want and desire to do are not? What about the students who are not getting the grades they want? Even then are you grateful? We are to be grateful for God’s grace. God is allowing you to face trials so that you can be prepared for greater things. If you receive a bad grade because you did not study then you deserve the bad grade. But if you did your best and studied hard and still did not get a good grade can you still be grateful? Gratitude is difficult. If you have been looking forward to a promotion but someone who you think is not as qualified gets the promotion, can you bless them and be grateful? We cannot. We compare their qualifications with ours. We consider ourselves better than them. We complain about the company and also complain to God. We ask God what is it that we have done wrong? What is it that I lack that I am unable to get promoted? What have I done so wrong? I keep the Sabbath. I tithe. I give my time for the church. I even did my best at work. What is it that I lack compared to the other person that I was not the one to be promoted? Those of us who do business. We ask God why are we not blessed when we live according to His Word when those others lie, steal and cheat in business and are doing well? We tell God that we are going to have to start doing business like they do because we need to provide for our families but with the income we have now it is not possible so we complain to God. But God does not want us to concern ourselves with what we eat and need but He desires that we first stand right before Him. He is saying to first be one with Him. But we fail to do so. Rather we put demands on our allegiance telling Him that if He grants our requests we will follow Him, whether it be good grades, passing exams, or meeting financial needs. We are doing everything in reverse. God wants us to first seek His kingdom and His righteousness. Then He will give is the things we ask for. But we first ask for the things we want and after we receive it, then we will pledge our allegiance to Him, give tithes, serve in the church, do missions and give extra in the offerings. This is backwards. God desires that we first are one with Him. He says, “accompany Me.” He desires that we walk in His path. God trains up the individuals He desires to use for His glory, but we do not want to be trained but only seek to sit in that place. God desires that we first stand before Him. He desires that we accompany Him. God desires to train us up in the manner He desires to use us. We are to face trials. Then God’s will can be known. Then we will not be ridiculed by others. Without sacrifice, no one will listen to the message we share. We are not to make sacrifices according to the world but we are to make sacrifices according to God’s will. When I look back in my life I do not really see much sacrifice. In my mind, I think that I have laid down many things and made many sacrifices, help others, love others, but in truth when we examine our hearts, we have only done so to the degree that we see as enough, never doing do to the degree that God desires because we do not have that much faith. We are not grateful. Jesus Christ gave us Himself completely. What does that mean? God the Father, gave us His one and only Son. God the Father also gave us everything. But we only want to give a little. We want to give a little and keep everything else for ourselves. My children, my family, my business, my friends, everything according to my standards. The friends we like are the ones who meet our standards, who answer us the way we like, and do our requests. We do not want to see the friends who tell us our wrongs and try to help us live right. Why? Because it is difficult for us. Because we do not have our way. Because they get in our way. They stop us from going down the path we want. We cannot be grateful. We are the same way with God. God desires we go right, but we want to go to the left because the path He shows us seems to be difficult. We tell God no and say we must go left. We tell God to wait for us because we need to go to the left and go do what we want to do today. Then when we encounter a problem we ask God why He did not stop us. God tells us that He has used may people to try and stop us and He has been patient with us. We hear this quite often. There are many testimonies of people who have converted from other religions and they all at some point ask God why did He not come to them sooner, but God responds by saying that He has sent many people, but it was they who refused to listen. Even now God is saying the same thing to us. But our response is to put the blame on someone and say that it was because of that person I could not believe in Jesus. We are believers but likewise those around us look at us and judge us. But because we are doing so much wrong that we are unable to share the gospel and the and the message cannot be delivered. But we point our fingers at them who are nonbelievers. When have you been such a great believer? God truly desires that His Gospel is spread to the ends of the earth. Unless I am dead to myself and completely obedient, love the God, grateful, and joyful the message will not be spread to the ends of the earth. We must be grateful so that we can serve God wholeheartedly. We cannot serve God without gratitude because then we are working against Him and hate Him. What must we do? We must truly get into the Word and be grateful. We are not to be grateful for having our needs met but we are to grateful simply for God’s grace. We are to be grateful because of our faith in Jesus. It is an incredible grace that we have been chosen to come before God, to fellowship with Him and worship Him. We are to be grateful. Rather we come before God with an attitude that we deserve something because we came to church while others are doing what they enjoy doing. We ask Him to bless us for having come to church. Will God accept our worship? We are to come before God in joy and gratitude and offer up our worship to Him because God the Father, sent His one and only Son, Jesus to save me, and because we are so grateful we sing praises to Him and worship Him. This is God’s will for us in our lives. Even today, God is going to ask you to do something that you will think is impossible. Die a little more. Let go more of your pride. Love and forgive those who hate you. When God asks us to do this we do not have the heart to do so. We are ungrateful and unable to be so. Do not think about anything else. God has died for me. God is always telling me to forgive someone. I tell Him that I cannot I am having difficulty doing so. Then God asks me “what happens if I do not forgive you?” He used to ask me this when early in my faith. But it is the same today. Sometimes when I have something that I am disappointed or frustrated about the Lord asks me, “what if I had not sent Jesus to you?” “what if I did not forgive you, where would you go?” He says “Forgive them as I have forgiven you.” Things got easier as I started to forgive the things that which I could not forgive in the beginning. But on days that my spirit was not right, and my heart was heavy then forgiveness became difficult. Once you have forgiven it does not last. You must keep doing so. Even small things at times are difficult to forgive. We do not have in our hearts to do so. This happens especially between spouses and parents and their children. You can choose to not see other people and when you do not see them you feel as though you have forgiven them. You did not forgive but because you do not see them everything seems fine. If we do not truly forgive the ones who are closest to us then this will be a stumbling block. Our relationship with God will not be restored. There are things that have happened between you and your children. They may think that they are going on well, but in the eyes of the parent it is not so. After a word or two you decide to just let them be. You think that they will figure it out. But there is a difference between forgiving and covering up which is not forgiveness. It is not love. God asks me, if I do not forgive my children then who will? Do you think that God is pleased with everything that you do? Does God love us and forgive us because we please Him? No. Parents are not to raise up their child to their preference. We are to raise them up in a manner that pleases God, as children of God, as workers of His kingdom, and as His servants. At times it will not be what we may like. Why? Because what God desires and what I desire are not the same things. God raises His children according to His will. But, we as parents raise our children according to our preferences. This is why we express displeasure at times. That is wrong. There are things that God is not pleased with and we must be sure to teach that to them. But there are times that the children are right. Being a parent does not mean that you are always right. But as parents we use our position of authority and demand complete obedience. This is not right. We are to still love and forgive our children. This does not mean that the child has the right to oppose and rebel against their parents in disobedience. That is not so. When the parent is wrong but you in obedience say yes, then God will move in the heart of your parent and show them what is wrong. It is wrong if a child refuses to obey because they think that the parent is wrong. If you see something that your parent is doing wrong then bring it up to them and explain. If they do not listen then pray. Pray that God will move in their hearts. We are all the same. Both parent and children. Each wants to do what they want. Do not complain behind their backs. We must truly pray. We must truly be grateful in our hearts. When we are grateful then we can forgive. We can love. We can bless. But if cannot be grateful then we cannot bless others. Even though there are people who are wrong, you cannot fix them. I have tried and could not fix people. Only God, through the Holy Spirit can people change. But there are many people who have been touched by the Holy Spirit yet refuse to change. It is true, there are too many people who refuse to change. How can you change someone who refuses to listen to the Holy Spirit. How can we try to change those who do know God’s grace when there are those who know God’s grace and yet refuse to change. It is not your power to do so. It belongs in the hand of God. If for this reason you become upset and condemn yourself and are unable to be grateful then you are the one who suffers. Do not try to change them. After you have given them a warning or two then let it be. You are only bringing down your faith. I must be joyful and grateful in the Lord. I must be grateful, I must stand first, I must live right before God so that others around me will see me and believe in God. I will be a witness. Do not look at your neighbor, but be the first to stand right before God. I must be the one to be grateful first. We have no requirements for being grateful. Please, think about being grateful daily in your lives. I am going to give you homework. Keep a daily record of the things that you are grateful for in a notebook. Try to write at least one thing down, If you find twenty or thirty things then write it all down. Even if you feel you have nothing to write, before you go to bed write at least one thing down. Then, when you first find things to be grateful for, you no longer see your neighbors faults but you begin to have a heart of love. May you live a life of victorious life in faith. Sermon by Pastor Joy Lee Translation by Miguel Park

The Cross

SF.2.22.2013 When we mention the cross what comes to your mind? The cross. To us the cross has a good meaning. The reason is because of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross, a path has opened up for us to be a child of God, a path of forgiveness for our sins. The cross means something good for us and many people even wear it on their bodies. But the original cross was for a sinner to bear and be crucified on. It was a means of torture to the one who was to be killed. But today the cross has become a symbol of adoration and holiness. The cross was originally something that was looked at with disgust and dishonor though now it carries a good meaning because Jesus died on it as a sinner. Why did Jesus have to die on this cross for me? We think that Jesus should have died for us, and that by carrying the cross ourselves we have become Christians and are now people going to Heaven. We think about these matters too lightly. The suffering on the cross is something we are not even qualified to talk about. I have never been on the cross so I do not know. I have suffered some pain, and it is only pain because I suffer. But even that at times has been difficult and unbearable. Those who were originally put on the cross were sinners convicted of crimes. But Jesus who was without sin, was nailed on the cross for me. This arouses no emotion or thought to us. It is mere information that you know that Jesus died for me. God came down into a body of a virgin whom He created and as a child grew up, and lived as us in the body and lived for thirty years before starting His ministry and then dying. We really do not know Jesus. We think we know Him and therefore experience no emotion, we have no joy in God’s sovereign power, we do not delight in Him. If we truly were grateful for His death on the cross we could not be like this. If we would focus on the Jesus and the cross when we go through our sufferings and trials we would be able to persevere and be victorious but we do not look to Him. In the walk of faith we are told to die to ourselves and carry the cross. We cry when we get a small splinter in our finger. We refuse to abandon everything and carry then cross and when it gets to that point we walk away. We like the blessed Jesus, the good Savior, the one who gives us joy, we like to know that He heals us when we are sick, provides for us when we are in need. We are focused only on the blessings and desire God who is good. When we first come into the faith we seek this good Savior, the one who gives joy, and is blessed but as our faith grows we see that there is also pain, suffering and trials, which is where our faith grows. We have grown up from childhood through our various experiences. Whether you are 10 or 20, through trials and suffering, we grow and live. Faith also is tested for maturity through spiritual trials. We do not desire to have this mature faith. The reason? Because there is pain. There is pain in bearing the cross. Because you are to raise others up. You are to forgive others. You are to love others whom you consider lower than yourself. You are to love. Our Lord tells us to love the ones we want to hate. We hate to forgive. We hate to love. We hate and look upon those whom we consider less than ourselves with disdain. We ignore others. But the Bible teaches us that these are the ones whom we are to embrace, love, forgive and walk together with as one. But we do not want to. Though they may have really wronged us, betrayed us, and abandoned us, these are the ones that God tells us to forgive, love and ultimately bless. We do not want to bless them. We do not even want to forgive them, but because we fear that God will not forgive us for not forgiving them, we do that much. We fight with God. We are like a yo-yo. When God saves to forgive we say we will not. Then when we kneel down to pray we say that we will. Then the moment we open our eyes and see the person we do not want to forgive them. We ask why we need to forgive that person when that person is the one who wronged me. There is no benefit in it for me. Then again we kneel down to pray and God tells us to forgive them. Then after fighting with God we forgive them. Then again we open our eyes and we cannot. We keep doing this until we mature in the faith and then one day we forgive. Then God tells us to love. A person we hate we can forgive when we do not see them. But now that we are able to forgive, God tells us to love. Love is not easy. Why does the Lord then love us? Are we worthy of His forgiveness? Are we worthy of His love? We are not. What does the Lord say? He tells us to love others as He has loved us. This is not easy even for me. There are times even now when it is not easy for me. Jesus Christ loved me and died on the cross for me. “Did I not die for you?” “Did I not die for your eternal salvation?” “Can you not die for me?” “Can you not forgive them and love them for me?” Our Lord is asking us. What are you going to do? We fight. We remind the Lord that we have forgiven but is it too much to ask that we do not love? We say that love is a give and take relationship but that person does not love me, why is it that I must love? This is the same with our spousal relationship and our relationship with our children. My husband is the one who does not love me, why must I love him? My wife is the one who does not love me, why must I love her? This is how we are to one another. Children are the same. He has told us to nurture our children in love. He has told the children to be obedient in love. This is very difficult for us. But He has commanded us to love others as He has loved us. We are to love the Lord and our neighbors. We are to start with loving those who are next to us. There are not many things that please us in our lives. Each of our standards are different. Someone may like “A” but the person next to them may not like it. Each of us has our own thoughts. No matter how good I am to you and you are to me, unless it meets my standards I will not be pleased. We are the same. Because we do not know the heart of people or the heart of the ones whom we interact we love according to our standards. God tells us to love and forgive according to the standard of His Word. Be it not for God’s standard there is much that I could not forgive. I never thought that others could not forgive me, I have lived up to now not being able to forgive many things. But in God’s grace I have come to know that I have been unforgiving of many people and incidents in my life, and others have not been able to forgive me and not love me for the things I have said. I will never really know their hearts. I have a hard time understanding my own heart. But we think that everyone else needs to understand us, be like us, and think like us. Our thoughts are not to be the same independently but rather it is to be one in thought, heart and purpose in Jesus Christ. That is in the Lord. In the Lord we are to be one heart and have one purpose. We each have differing thoughts and understandings but in this, God unites us and desires that we walk together as one. Once we have passed this test then the next lesson is to bless others. To pray for them and bless them. What happens when we bless them? We feel like we are losing something. We can forgive and love, but when we bless them and they do well, then we get sick to our stomachs, but still God tells us to bless them. Is this where you are at? The person who hates you, dislikes you, you are to forgive them, love them and bless them today. If they are hungry you are to take them something to eat. If they are sick you are to pray for them. If they have no money and you have some, then take it to them. We must be able to bless others so that God’s complete love can be revealed through us in accordance to the Word of God. Are you truly blessing others? Can you truly comfort the one who hates you? It is very difficult and hard to do. But we must do this to live according to the Word. God does not command us to do anything that we are not able to do. He commands us to do things that we are able. Individually you may say that you cannot do it. “I a weak.” “I am not that kind of person.” “God you know how I am.” God does know you very well. He knows you all too well. God knows me very well. God knows me too well. But still He commands us to bless them. “Yes, with you heart, your mind, your desire, you cannot bless them.” But, in whom are we to do so? In Christ. In God. We are to bless those in the will of the Father. This is a mature faith. This is living by faith. You must be people who considers other better than yourselves and bless them. Are there still things that you have not been able to forgive? Forgive. Do you still see someone who needs to die for their sins? God does not see it that way. You and I are all sinners worthy of death. But Jesus Christ came and pardoned us. Are you at a point where you are unable to love someone? Love them. You must love so that you can move to the next level. God is telling us to start blessing others. He is telling us to stop dwelling on the past and forgive, love and bless. “Did I not bless you?” He asks. “Am I not with you?” He is telling us to hold onto His hand and to move forward with Him. We must meet Him where He is so that we can go forward with Him. What can we do if we cannot forgive others? What can we do if we are not able to love? Unless we are able to bless others, we will not be able to do anything. Do you not want to receive blessings? If you want to be blessed then bless others. God is now wanting to us to move forward with Him. We must be a people who blesses others to do so. No longer look back. Are you in sin, then get up. Shed it off. Come before God and seek forgiveness. Repent. If there is someone whom you have a hard time loving then force yourself to love them in the beginning. You may think you will do so when you are ready but then you will never be ready. Forcing yourself to love someone moves you to love them. You can never prepare yourself prior to it. It is the same with forgiveness. You cannot bless them as well. Do not be fools. Do not act foolishly. Do not sit down when God is desiring to move forward. May you all be a people who receives all the blessings that God desires to give you as you move forward in your faith. Sermon by Pastor Joy Lee Translation by Miguel Park

What God Wants and What I Want

What is the difference between what I want and what God desires for me to have? Let us think about these things. The things we cherish, the things we desire to have.... We cannot let go of our treasures. What God desires is our soul. God’s thoughts and our thoughts are completely different. Our souls are most precious to God. It is not the things that we hold onto that are precious. If by holding onto these things I am unable to enter into Heaven, then everything that you are holding onto will be taken away from you. Everything that you think that you must have, if by its possession you cannot be a child of God, then it will be taken away. We think that when things are taken from us that God has stolen something from us. God did not steal it. Your soul is most important but you are unable to let it go of what you desire. Parents want to hold onto their children. It may be your husband or wife. The material possessions that you desire. It is money. It is merit. We desire to be embraced by God while holding onto all these things, but while we hold onto to these things we cannot be embraced by God. You must let go of something, you must open you hands and rid yourself of it so that you can grab a hold of the things of the Father. Rather than hold onto to God, in one hand we hold onto what we want, and the other hand we hold out to God asking Him to give us more. You cannot do this. Stop being stubborn. Stop being selfish. Why do you believe in Jesus? Why do you come before Him in His place? Is it not to enter into Heaven? Then why can you not let go? Why are you not satisfied with God alone? There is nothing that you hold onto that you can take with you when you die. They put clothes on you when you die. They bury you in the clothes that you liked when you were alive. What are you going to take with you? What is it that you think that you can take with you that you are unable to let go? What are you unable to let go of? I almost died. I could not take my children or my husband with me. Everything that I cherished I could not take with me. Why are you unable to let go of it? God has provided for our family. He is the one to feed us and clothe us. We could do nothing without Him. When you surrender everything to God who will take responsibility for you, He will not let you starve. But we calculate. Tomorrow you need a certain amount of money the day after you need a certain amount. Yes, you have to pay rent, and have many bills that you must pay every month. But even those things do not always get taken care of according to your plan. Nothing happens the way I plan. I am not sure how well you are able to plan and have everything happen the way you plan, but not many things have happened the way I have planned in my life. Even today, one of my sons is in the middle of a work project, we thought that today was going to be the end of it, but it turns out it isn’t. It does not happen as we think and as we plan. We thought that this month or at latest next month, but again today another setback occurred. Things that pertain to laws do not work to our desires, they do the things that are to their standards and their calculations. We do our own calculations. We say that we are children of God, Jesus is our bridegroom, but we do things according to our calculations. Where is God in all that? Where is He? We abandon Jesus when things do not meet our requirements. When God does not answer our prayers we turn our backs to Him and sit in discontent. Then how do we respond? We ask Him to take care of us. We tell Him to come meet us as we have our backs turned to Him, and comfort us and give us all that we ask for. This is how we are right now. How long will you behave this way? Until when? If you are even the slightest bit happy, you lift you hands in praise and you are excited and sing “hallelujah.” And when you are unhappy, where is Jesus who you say is in your heart? Where is God? Though we say we have surrendered all to God the very next day we can’t control ourselves. Today I did not feel like speaking. No matter what I say your hearts do not change. You heads get bigger as you fill it with knowledge but if you do not live according to the Word, then what use is it to listen to it daily? The greatest blessing is to obey even one command. I really have nothing to say. I am unable. I feel that I am unable to live in the manner I preach. I think that because I do not live it, you are unable to change. I lose sleep over this. I am unable to share the message. In my mind I do not want to give the message, but because the Lord says to speak I speak only as a messenger. What use is it to have a head filled only with knowledge. What will happen if you think that you are a believer because of what you know and in your folly do not enter into Heaven? “God, what would you have me do?” “What must I do to have these souls stand before you?” “What must I do to have these truly stand before you in repentance and live according to your will?” “Father, what must I do?” No matter how much I pray there is no answer. If you have something to tell me that I am doing wrong then come and tell me. I must change for you to change. What is it that I am unable to let go of? Tell me what it is you know. At this rate you and I will not be able to go on. God’s thoughts and my thoughts are totally different. Father desires our souls. He desires us from the top of our heads to the bottom of our feet. But our hearts have been sold to foolish things and we are unable to see God the Father. We are unable to let go of what is in our hands. We still do things in our stubbornness. We still desire to do things our way. It breaks my heart to see that you refuse to change what we teach you and the things that you already know. I am speechless. How much more is the heart of Jesus breaking, and how much more He is hurting. He came in the flesh, was beaten, died on the cross, yet we carry on in our own pleasure. How much do you consider the heart of God? You don’t come to church because your feelings are hurt. If you feel bad then you go to church for comfort. Where is Jesus Christ in that? I do not know God well. What little I do know breaks my heart. How much must the heart of Jesus be breaking, and how much must the heart of God be breaking when He looks upon us? But we think that we are special. We complain that God does not hear us. We complain that God does not understand us. We tell Him to wait upon us. What should He wait for? How long should He wait for you before you live according to His will? How long should He wait for you to love Him, serve Him and have you acknowledge Him and follow Him? How much material blessings will you need before you throw it all away? Why are you unable to throw away your idols? We are commanded to have not other gods before Him. There is no other God other than Him, but we serve all the other gods. We sing and confess that this body is not ours and belongs to God, but each of you are the owners of your own body. What are we to do? Really, what are we to do? The world is in a frenzy because it is the end of days. Rapture is coming. Will you be raptured believing in Jesus in this manner? If you are not raptured the persecution and suffering will be unbearable. How is it that you will survive in those days as a believer in Jesus when you are not able to do so now? Now is the time to be blessed when there is no suffering. Will you ask God to wait for you to turn to Him when the persecution begins, when it would be easier to believe now and be raptured before it all the unthinkable things happen? How will you enter into the kingdom of God if you are still here after the rapture if in this moment you are not able to overcome the hardships and trials you face today? What is it that you cannot let go of? What is it that you desire to still hod onto? What is it that you still consider yours? When my mother passed away she was able to take nothing with her. When I nearly tasted death twice, there was nothing that I could take with me. When God calls me and I stand before Him, I cannot tell Him that I will not go. No matter how much you try and resist, if God calls you tonight you will have to go. All that you hold precious will become someone else's. You may think that your body believe to you, but the moment God calls you your body returns to dust. What is precious? What is precious? Are you not here so that you will not go to Hell? If you are here to believe in Jesus Christ and to enter into Heaven, then you must obey God's commands and live according to His Word, but how will you enter into Heaven when you are not living according to His Word? There is no verse in scripture Bible that says you can live how you want and go to Heaven. No matter how I search there is no verse that says you can go to Heaven by doing what you want. There is no Bible verse that says you can enter into Heaven living in any manner that you please. It says that only those who do the will of God in obedience will enter into Heaven. What are we to do? I cannot go to Heaven according to my will. The only way to go to Heaven is to do the will of the Father. You must let go of one of the two. If you are holding onto both you will end up in Hell and suffer. You will not go to Heaven. What will you do? I have not been able to sleep these days. There is nothing I can do according to my will. Please, live the way God desires. God has given you His standard through His Word, but why do you interpret it in the manner that you want? You cannot enter into the Father's kingdom by interpreting the Word the way you want. You can only enter into Heaven when you meet God's requirements. You must meet all His requirements. We have it posted on our site, you cannot go with just 99%. Someone had written that even if you were to lack .01 percent you will not enter into Heaven. Is that person lying? We must pass the test. What is the test? It is obedience to the Word. You must truly believe in Jesus Christ. You do so with your lips. You sing praises. But your hearts are not sincere. You do not believe truly in your hearts. With your sinful lips you praise God, you lie, curse, you do it all. What about your heart? Please, stop living the way you want. To live how you want is the path to destruction. To do what you want is a curse. God's will, in His Word, His requirement is that we believe in Jesus as my Savior, but we do not. To do what you want is to not believe. It is written to obey is better than sacrifice, but how obedient are you? You do well with your offerings. You come to church and give your tithes, you attend worship, you serve others, but I have told you before that you do not have to do these things. You do not have to serve. If you do not want to give your tithes then don't. Do not give your tithes that you are not giving from the heart. Without your tithes the church will still continue and God will still do His work. Do not offer false worship. Offer up true worship. You do not have to have a beautiful voice. You can sing be off beat. But truly, truly serve God. Truly, truly obey. Now is the time to be blessed. Now is the time when suffering is less. Do not say that you will believe in Jesus if you are here after the rapture. How will you believe Him then when you cannot do so now. You do not believe now but will you believe then when you will be tortured. Revelations warns us that a time will come when we will not be able to buy or sell, but you lie and steal even now to sustain yourself. In that time it will be even more severe, then will you not deny Jesus so that you can live? We deny Jesus in this time of freedom, but to say that we will not deny Him during a time where there will be no freedom.... Follow Him now. Do not do it then, do it now. Do it when you can. Throw away your idols while you are able. When that time comes you will not be able to throw away your idols even if you want to. You will have to serve them. You will have to serve the devil so to extend your life or else die. While you are still able, awaken and believe in Jesus the right way. Truly believe in God the Father. If you are truly children of God, then listen to your parent. Listen to the Father. Is Jesus your bridegroom? Then listen to His voice. Do you truly believe that the Holy Spirit is guiding you? Listen to His voice and do not say "no." Say "amen" and obey. Then you will be embraced in the arms of the Father. This is God's will. What is your will? The things that you desire to attain. The things that you own. The things in your future. You tell God to wait a little bit longer. Later. Before I die. How nice it would be if you knew when you were going to die. No one knows. I am not sure why I think about this, but in my family we die early. That is why I thought I would die soon after I turned fifty. I think that I have lived a long time. I have lived 15 years longer than I thought I would. When I look back, though I am over sixty, time is not long. It is a short life. If in this short life you are having such difficult how will you endure eternity? We have no understanding of eternity and that is why people think that going to Hell will not be a problem. People question if it really is that bad. If this is what you think then go and see. If you think Hell is nice then go. If you want to go to Hell then stop going to church. Why suffer like this? At least enjoy yourself before you go. If you are here to truly go to Heaven as children of God, then live according to His will. Live a life that He will gladly accept. Live a life so that He will say to you "well done." You are my child. You are my slave. You are my bride. Should we not hear these words from Him? Then we will be embraced in the arms of the Father. This is to live according to the will of the Father. Which path will you choose? Which path? Decide. If you don't want this then go your way. You will not go to Heaven by walking the line between both. You will not go to Heaven because you come from a family of believers, because you have received grace, because you have experienced the Holy Spirit. You must believe until the end. You must obey until the end. You must listen to the voice of God correctly until the end. In the rapture only the ones who hear the trumpet call will go. If the rapture happened right now and the trumpets were sounding, but I do not hear it, then I will not go up. If by sitting at church, studying the Bible, or because you are a member of the church or you have attained the title of elder, deacon, or missionary or other title and by such you could enter into Heaven then I would acknowledge all of you and give you such titles. But you cannot go to Heaven with these titles. A church goer who has no title but lives in obedience to God will enter into Heaven. A pastor who does not obey the Word of God will not enter into Heaven because of His title. This is the problem. You like merit, authority, you like titles of pastor, elder, deacon. You are proud when you have attained these titles. You get upset when you are not called by your title. You will not go to Heaven because of these titles. If you could go with the title then all the churches would have to give everyone titles. If the titles were a ticket to Heaven, then all the churches would have to give everyone a title. But that becomes the strength in your shoulders, an idol, and because of it many people have not entered into the Father's kingdom. Truly believe in Jesus Christ. If you truly believe that the blood of Jesus has washed you from your sins and has turned you to repentance then you cannot live like this. You must truly repent. You must truly obey. There can be no idol before you. There can be nothing which you are unable to let go of. I am begging you. Please, let us follow Jesus and believe God the Father correctly. It is the same for me. I will not go to Heaven for preaching this message. I have only shared this as a messenger. If I do not live like this then I will not be able to enter into Heaven. Many preachers mistakenly believe that because they gave the message that they will go to Heaven. It is not so. If it is so, then why are many people being shown many pastors and their wives burning in Hell. If that is the ticket to Heaven then all of you go and be pastors. It is better to not be a pastor if you are going to be a stumbling block. God can raise up stones to preach His message. Do not let our souls be empty graves. Let your souls melt under God's grace. Please be like children. Please be humble. You cannot go to the Father's kingdom by your will. Only the Father's will. Only the Father's Word. Obedience unto God. It is impossible for us to know God. Because we do not know, it is easier to obey. We try to argue in our faith, but how can we ever know God completely. We do not know. We do not know His heart. We do not even know our spouse's heart, we do not know the heart of the one's we date, we do not know the heart of the children we have carried from our womb, then why is it that we think that we know God and act arrogantly about it? I do not understand. Because we do not know, obey. Please, obey. Please, have a gentle heart. Do not have a hard and rigid heart The Word cannot take root in a heart that is hard as stone. God's Word cannot take root in your mind if you are filled with your own thoughts. Unless you are broken you will not be able to see the Father. Clean heart, righteous heart, a poor heart. As it is written in Matthew 5. What are you taking with you? It says that you must let go of it all in order to see all that is. Unless you have faith as in Matthew 5 we will not be able to enter into the Father's kingdom. Do not think that you are special. Do not be proud. Do not say that you are special because you have received blessings, grace, or knowledge. It is blessed to not know but live in faith and obedience. Our Lord has said to Thomas that blessed are those who do not see yet believe. We live in a time of blessing. We have been given the Word and we know that The Lord has come. Do not turn this blessing into a curse. You should turn a curse into a blessing but you are turning your blessing into a curse. If you truly know Jesus Christ, then throw away all your wrong thoughts and receive the blessings that you all desire, and enter into God's kingdom which is my hope for you and the hope I pray you have for yourselves. I pray that will live a life of victory in the Word. Sermon by Pastor Joy Youngsook Lee Translation by Miguel Park

I Am Worry-Free In Jesus

SF.2.1.13 Just like the hymn we sing, we have no worries when we are in Jesus. There is no reason to be worried or anxious. Though we sing the hymns and say that we have no worries, in our hearts we are filled with worry, anxiety, and sadness. Rather than sing the hymn with joy, we sing only to sing. In the past, we used to sing this hymn quite a bit, but today many do not because they think they have no worry or anxiety. But if you look at today's youth they have many worries, filled with anxiety and high rates of suicide, and many reasons for complaining and arguing. Then why do they not sing this hymn? Why? When we are in The Lord we truly have nothing to worry about. But rather than dwell with The Lord, they seek to only satisfy themselves, and have no need to sing this hymn. If I believe that God is with us, then truly we are to be without stress, worry and anxiety. But rather than be free of it, we hold onto it and also try to be with God, while we live our lives the way we want. Truly when we are in The Lord, we are to be of one mind on the inside with joy and celebration. My life needs to be one in thought. Last week our pastor spoke about being one. Being one with The Lord. Wen we live our lives as one in Jesus, we can truly live in joy, thanks, and in peace. Then as we live our lives are we truly without anything to worry about? No. God knows that we have things that we worry about. That is our limitation. The lyrics to the hymn, when I come before the cross, and lay down all my burdens. This is how we can walk with The Lord. Rather than walk this path, and rather than give him praise and worship, I am burdened by the worries and anxieties of my life today. Or I am purposed in my decision of how I will live for God rather than start the day asking Him to show me the life He wants me to live and listening for his voice, I plan what I will do, and ask Him to answer my prayers and allow my plans to succeed. We are not living a life that in to do His will, but we are living our lives according to our plans and this is why we have no real joy in The Lord. We say that we are joyful. What kind of joy? When our demands have been answered. Is this a lasting joy? It is not. If our children did what we wanted, got into a good university, attained a good job, and married a good girl, we say that we are filled with joy. It is only for a moment. It does not a last a few days. But when we remain in our Lord Jesus Christ, though we may have pain and suffering, and face difficult circumstances, when we live a life that is in union with The Lord, we receive the strength to live our lives in joy. The Lord is with us. God is with us. We receive the strength to live our lives with joy. We do not posses this joy. Are we free from any troubles when we are with The Lord? No. There are difficulties, there is the path of the cross, there is suffering, there is pain. It is a mistake to think that because you believe in Jesus that the will never be any trouble and you will only have good things happen in your life. In life, both believer and nonbelievers alike face the same circumstances. But it is how we face these situations as believers in The Lord. We are not free from pain and suffering. We are not free from trouble. Believers of Jesus also die in auto accidents. Believers of Jesus also get sick. Believers of Jesus also do not have all their plans succeed. Believers of Jesus also fall into debt and bankruptcy. Why? God is not a genie. We think that when we put or faith in Jesus, when we come to church, that gold will fall from the heavens. There are times when we pray and are healed and also times when we pray and are not healed. There are times when believers need to go to the hospital, get surgery and take medicine. There are also times to be healed by the power of God through prayer. There is a false belief that in The Lord you will have everything according to how you desire. We think that God must answer our prayers and we have made Him our slave. This is why are unable to taste the joy of being in The Lord. I can still hear my mother sing this hymn. In a time when the elderly sang off rhythm and also did not know the words. In those times we really had nothing to eat, and experienced extreme difficulties and when we sang that "When we are in The Lord, we have no worry" with joy and overcame those circumstances. Today Korea is a wealthy nation. In Korea today, there is not much joy. They are number one in suicide deaths. Back in the 50's when things were really bad, rather than kill themselves, people really wanted to live and survived to sustain life. But today, when there is an abundance, where there is no lack, where many people are not starving to death, people are saying that they cannot live. They do not sing these hymns today. Many people say that the hymns need to change because the times are changing. They say the lyrics need to change. They may be right, but inside of our hearts, though we may be singing and worshipping in church, we do so for our pleasure. Rather than sing for God to hear, we sing for our own pleasure. We feel good because we sang our hearts out and danced. It is not worship offered up to God, rather it is just a way to release our emotions and we feel good. Too often we are like this. Praise is prayer offered up to God from our hearts. Do you sing your praises as if they are prayers? Offering to God with all your heart, mind and strength that He may receive it. "I offer up myself to You Lord." "I give You my heart, please accept it." "Though my life is burdened and difficult, because Your Son Jesus is with me, I believe and in thanks sing this praise to You." Is this the attitude of your heart as you sing your praises to Him? At times when your voice is better you sing louder. At times because you know the song you sing louder. Of course, if you do not know the song or the words you naturally sing quieter. At times it is so that others may hear your voice Has there been a time that you sang that others may hear your voice? Though you may be off key, off tempo and may get the words wrong, are you singing to God with all your heart that He may accept your praise? What kind of praise are you giving to God? We sang that the words "walking with The Lord." We sang about walking with God. Are you truly walking with God? Holding on to the hand of Jesus the groom, and walking the path with Him. Are we truly walking hand in hand with The Lord in joy as new lovers who are in love? Or like those who are married and have lost their romance, feelings for each other, who refuse to look at each other and though they may be together for obligation, their faces are filled with anger. With this attitude, because of our poor behavior, are we not also the same way with Jesus who is to be our groom? When you repair the relationship with your spouse you can also repair your relationship with God. This is why I always emphasize the importance of the relationship with your spouse. If you have a difficult relationship with your earthly father, then you also have a difficult time calling God your Father. It is because we are using the same word. This is why we have a hard time understanding God the Father, and reconciling ourselves to Him. I have seen too much of this. How should you reconcile yourself to God? Do you truly want to be with The Lord, to be free from worry and anxiety and to sing hallelujah? What kind of life do you want to live? We sing that to walk with The Lord is a joyful path. Do you truly find joy in walking with The Lord. Do you? When we feel good we are filled with joy. When we feel like we have accomplished something. When we have prayed a bit today. When we have read the Bible and witnessed to one person, we say we feel good. But to walk with The Lord, in darkness or in joy, Jesus never leaves us. But after we have abandoned Jesus we say that He has abandoned us. We say that He is pushing us away. We are the ones to let go of the hand of God our Father. When children are walking holding the parent's hand but see something they want, what do they do? They let go of the hand and run after it. And when they look for their parent and do not see them, who begins to cry? The child does. They think that the parent has abandoned them. The child is the one who let go of the hand. They wanted to see something. This is how we behave towards God our Father. We are holding the hand of The Lord, but we let go of it, and tell Him to wait for us as we go and do what we want, see what we want to see, get what we desire, and run after what we want. Suddenly we notice that we do not see Jesus. Then we start to pray asking Him "where has He gone?" "Why have you abandoned me" we ask? "Why have you abandoned me Father?" Is this not how we are? We ask Him why did He not watch over us when things were difficult for us? Why did He not protect us when we were in trouble? Why did not embrace us when we were suffering? These are the things we say. But God has always been with us, at times carried us, and held our hand. He is with us. But we do not accept this in our hearts. In walking with The Lord, no matter what happens, I must never let go of His hand. The moment I let go of His hand I begin to do what I want. We are walking a very difficult path in our lives today. Everyday we are in a spiritual war. To believe in Jesus is not a life of peace. The devil prowls around like a lion seeking to devour us. How can we think that there will be peace in our lives. The devil does not leave believers alone. If you are truly a Christian the devil will not leave you alone. If you are truly living in The Lord then your daily life is in the midst of a war. You will think peace and come to ruin. The Bible says that we are soldiers of the cross. But we do not desire to live the life of a soldier of the cross. We think we have attained peace but peace will only be when we are in the arms of the Father. It will be in Heaven. There is no peace for those here on earth if you believe in Jesus. But we desire to live in peace. Then you cannot believe in Jesus Christ. If you do not believe in Jesus then the devil will bother you less. Why? Because you have become his food. You are his. If you believe in Jesus, he will not leave you be. Why? Because he must steal the sons of God. If we are living daily in a war then we must be awake. We must not fall asleep. There is no reason to say that we are doing well toady. We are surrounded on all sides. The devil is surrounding us to try and devour us. How then can we live in peace? Until the day of victory, we must fight until the end. There is no peace in places of war. We too are living in a war. But in the midst of a war, we are walking with The Lord, together, with Him in our hearts we can have no other worry. Though in war, because I believe that God is with me, I have joy. This is the life of a soldier who believes in Jesus Christ. We worry about death when we fight in the flesh, but the soldier of God, because we are in Him, we have no reason to fear death. But in the midst of war, we must take up our weapons and fight to live. Our weapons are prayer and the Word. How can we be victorious if we do not pray, read the Bible, apply it in our lives and live according to it? We cannot be victorious. It is a lost war. We think we will be victorious by praying 5 or 10 minutes and reading a few chapters of the Bible. Can you be victorious? The Bible teaches us to pray without ceasing. It says to give thanks in all circumstances. You must be a child of God who prays without ceasing. No matter what you circumstance is, knowing that Jesus the groom is with you, we must give thanks and continue forward. Without praying or reading the Bible when we face troubles we complain to God. We really need to live in God. Little children, when they are with their parents have no clue if the is a war going on or if they have nothing to eat. Why? As long we they are holding on to their parents hand, they know that they will be fed and put to bed. They trust that the parent will clothe them. But why do we not believe that God is with us? We have no worry or anxiety when we walk with The Lord but why do we not trust Him? Why do we not believe God? When we talk to each other you say you believe. But if you look at your life it is not as you say. You live without Jesus Christ. You live without God. You do not live according to the Holy Spirit. You do as you want. After having done as you pleased you call out to God and ask for forgiveness. Wen children are young you let things go. But as they get older do you let things slide? You rebuke them. Because they do not act as they should. Spiritually, we are to mature as well. In the flesh we naturally get older as time passes. We get older even though we do not want to. But spiritually, unless I grow in faith and in the Word I will not mature. You will remain as a child. That is why you cannot eat the spiritual food and you starve to death. Though we are to be like children in thought and behavior, but we must mature in the spirit. But we misunderstand this teaching and think that our faith does not need to grow. This is not so. All our thoughts must be entrusted to God, be innocent like children, and as children when told to do, then we are to do, and when are told not to do, then as obedient children we are to not do. But in faith, as we age in the flesh, our spirit must also mature and grow. There are many people who foolishly claim to have been born into the faith since being i their mother's womb, but have yet to grow in spirit since being that of a child. It is of no value how many generations of believers are in your family. Salvation is yours alone. Faith is yours alone. You must put forth your will to get to know God through the Word and prayer and by living in obedience. We live in a time when we do not know what will happen. Things are getting more severe. But may you live your life singing hallelujah in joy and celebration because of God who lives in you. Sermon by Pastor Joy Youngsook Lee Translation by Miguel Park