Mission Monday IV

(for this session, I will simply transfer my notes.)

08/06/2009

Speaker: Paul Park

• There is a missions strategy to target major cities.
• The idea is that you change the city, you change the nation.
• Jerusalem is key.
• The general path of the Gospel: Jerusalem -> Europe -> America -> Korea -> China -> ...
• For a long time it has been stagnant within China.
• All the world's biggest religion's are concentrated there.
• There is a deep rooted history in the Middle East.
• Islam was a local religion, but now it is all over the world.
• Evangelism has a direction. It's not random. The Gospel is piercing through strongholds of the enemy. It's on its way back to Jerusalem (around the world). Once it does, history will end.
• It's not about doing well or going out on your own. God works in community. Teamwork.
• "Do something about it."
• "Change history."

-------

And the world turns right side up.

Pop

The Chinese missionary said,

"A vision without mission is just a dream."

And then my mouth dropped.

Word

Show me a Bible that is falling apart, and I'll show you a man who isn't.

- D. L. Moody (something like that)

I am sitting in a comfortable lean-back chair. The table is just the right distance and has just the right amount of space for all my books to spread their wings. Travis Cottrell is playing in my ears through the netbook on which I am typing. I am contemplating whether I should finish chapter 4 of Introduction to Biblical Interpretation or call it a day and head home before my eyes shut down. I say biblical canon and translation is rather interesting, but not as interesting as my bed right now. We'll see how long I can keep up.

I was introduced today as "the excited freshman" and that pretty sums up what I am right now as well as where I am right now. To get straight to the point, there is only one reason why I'm so excited, and that's because I'm studying the WORD. As I begin to study more and more (it's only been a week and a half or 3 days of classes) I'm reminded of one thing clearer than before. READ THE BIBLE. The past few weeks, every sermon, every passage, every meeting, every small talk, and everything in between seemed to be screaming, "SHUT UP AND READ YOUR BIBLE FOO!" PT was telling me to read. PJ in his sermons all week long was telling me to read. Multiple sermons on the radio were telling me to read. The cef bible camp theme was finalized to be B2B, Back to Bible or Back to Basics. All my classes were telling me to read, read, and read again (unfortunately not just the Bible). And all that is in me was clawing at the whitewashed walls to escape the dry and thirsty well within me. Let it reign. I am convicted to my core at how little of the Scriptures I know, not as one whose profession depends on knowing the word, but as one who puts his faith in the Word that became flesh and the Word that gives me life eternal.

It takes only 3 chapters a day to read the whole bible in one year. If I say I'm a Christian, a child of God, a follower of Jesus Christ, and I can't even count how many times I've read His Word.... just think about it. I could go as far as saying, "I'm not willing to give God even 20 minutes (at most for 3 chapters) of my day by reading his Word."

To know the Bible is not an option for those who want to know true inwardness. No one stays at the table long who does not study Scripture. Mystics without study are only spiritual romantics who want relationship without effort.
- Calvin Miller

As PT put it, "If you're not addicted to the Word, then you're most definitely addicted to something else." True that. "The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible," is what D.L. Moody would say. And finally, in the words of the psalmist, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word."

So here's to a Josiah moment. Here's to a wake up call. Here's to discovering and rediscovering the sweetness of Jesus Christ revealed. Here's to a rekindled passion for knowing and obeying God's Word. Here's to a life full of Life.

Reporting live from the Biola library.

P-ride to P-2

It's like when the game asks me what level (speed) I want to start on. It's also like when I'm building up the tetris blocks all high and mighty and waiting for that one stick to clear it all. When it never comes, I'm left with a crumbling high rise with no elevator as I desperately try to climb down the stairs with "T"s and "L's." A sentence with no period. A clock with no hands. A table with no feet. A heart with no blood. A love with no sacrifice. "Putting your eggs in one basket" as they say. "Putting my worth in myself" as I say.

An incredible man once asked a boy on a tricycle, "Well, what are you waiting for?" Then the boy answered unnervingly, "I don't know. Something amazing, I guess."

Me too, kid. Me too. I'm waiting for amazing grace to sink deep and catch me once again. In the meantime, I'll have my daily bread.

Back to level 0.

This is a good place to start again.

Philippians 2:1-11

New Chap

Yesterday, I took noon to the new students banquet at Talbot. Three course meal. Praise. Introduction. Student body. Faculty. Word. The dean gave us encouraging words to bear the marks of Christ. Be steadfast, immovable leaders who stay the course of the Gospel. The professors shared as well. My passion is in theology that moves the heart.

Walking through the new campus felt surreal. I was actually getting light-headed trying to process this new chapter in my walk with Jesus. It was a deep, profound, spiritual experience as I saw the new buildings and the new faces. I kept thinking: "Why are there so many Asians here?" No worries though. I'll fit right in whenever I play ball on campus.

On the way to school and back, the dread of commuting turned into joy of listening to sermons... hm. actually, I'm still dreading the commute. If you got good mixes, send 'em over please.

Simply said, I am excited God is good.

More than words.

More than life.

More than enough.

Mission Monday III - 2

"Jesus Christ is more precious than life."

The world has its own standards for a qualified person. For example, at Samsung, one of the largest companies in Korea, applicants must meet certain qualifications that will place them well over their competition. They must be top in their class, be polite, be a quick thinker, and the list goes on. On the other hand, God's kingdom has just one qualification: humility in Jesus Christ. In fact, He lists this quality in 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.

"Not many of you were wise by human standards... But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise... so that no one may boast before him..."

Think back to when God calls out to Moses through a burning bush. What if God called Moses with something more impressive than a little bush such as... a giant red oak! In our worldly standard the red oak is a mighty symbol of strength and power. (Imagine a humongous burning red oak calling out, "MOSES! Get those rainbows off yo feet!") However, God chose the small bush to move Moses into changing the history of a nation. When Moses appeared before Pharaoh as a lowly shepherd there was a fire in him that didn't consume him but consumed the land of Egypt. There was a confidence in knowing that God is the One to receive all glory.

Now think back to when the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus like a dove. What if God decided to show 'em up with something more impressive than a little dove such as... an eagle! In our worldly standard the eagle soars high above other animals and is a symbol of strength and power. (Imagine an eagle soaring down to Jesus, *eagle sound*). However, God chose a peaceful dove, which back in those days was the poor man's sacrifice (for those who couldn't afford the other animals). When Jesus appeared before His people as a carpenter and a Nazarene he was to be the Prince of Peace and bring redemption through his blood, forgiveness of sins, and true reconciliation between God and man. There was peace in knowing that God's will would be done.

The world will remind you of your looks, hair, height, materials, grades, money, success, your past, your unchanging present, your bleak future, lack of passion, how you cannot do it, how you have failed before, how you can live with no sacrifice, no cross. But God shows us through Jesus Christ the ultimate picture of humility. He uses the humble and contrite heart to reveal Himself so that no one may boast save in Christ alone.

Dying to the world and living in Christ. God didn't save us so that we can just be good church attenders. If that was true, then we would be living in our own wisdom. He saved us so we may serve Him and be a true witness of His love. Truly the small, humble fire he puts in our hearts has the power to change one forgiven sinner let alone a nation. If you follow Jesus, you'll lose the world. The one who can change the world is the one who has been abandoned by the world to be completely abandoned to God.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18

Dream King