"You have heard that the law of Moses says, `Do not commit adultery.' But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye--even if it is your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand—even if it is your stronger hand--causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” (Matthew 5:27-30 NLT)

In today’s media, we see many dangerous activities are going around the world. We have heard that many teenagers have already decided what they would like to do with their futures. We have heard many rumors of crises among families throughout the media.

In Matthews 5, Jesus taught a lesson about adultery to the multitude of people. He gave them a warning about having sexual sins in their lives. Even today, some churches take this teaching seriously, because our bodies are only for God and not for the world. But, nowadays, some of us take this warning too lightly and would have decided to take some opportunities to go into exploration with the strangers outside the marriage.

As we continue studying with the Book of Proverbs by each verse, Solomon gave his children a warning about adultery. In Proverbs 2:16-19, he gave his children a brief lesson to stay away from unfaithful wives, who would try to lead them to commit adultery.

If you are a man, it is very important to know and understand about the world’s ways to have sexual intercourse. In Genesis 1, God gave a man to have a dominion over everything on the earth and not the woman. (See Genesis 1:26.) Paul said to Timothy that there are different rules among men and women according to God’s creation. (See I Timothy 2.) Unfortunately, some church leaders would refuse to teach to the congregation. Nowadays, we see that more women are going to workplaces outside their homes than the men.

It is important to listen and understand what the Bible has to say about sexual life inside and outside the marriage. Sexual relationship is only made from inside the marriage. The Book of Hebrews says, “Marriage should be honored by everyone, and husband and wife should keep their marriage pure.” (Hebrews 13:4a.) The word pure means having nothing do with sin and committing adultery.

The first marriage was held in the Book of Genesis, between Adam and Eve. As we read in Genesis 2, “So a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one body. The man and his wife were naked, but they were not ashamed.” (Genesis 2:24-25.) God gave Adam a partner, Eve, from his bone. (Genesis 2:23.) We read from these verses that God allowed Adam and Eve to have a sexual relationship with each other inside the marriage. And we understand that they weren’t ashamed or embarrassed with each other being naked until we read Genesis 3, when they broke God’s convent because of the serpent.

As we read the first two verses in Proverbs 5, Solomon told his child to listen to his words of wisdom fully, so he would not fall into the sin of adultery. “My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen to my words of understanding. Be careful to use good sense and watch what you say.” (Proverbs 5:1-2.)

Remember that Solomon had experienced the sin of adultery when he ruled over the land of Israel. (See I King 11:1-14.) “He had seven hundred wives who were from royal families and three hundred slave women who gave birth to his children. His wives caused to turn away from God.” (I King 11:3.) That was how his problem seriously occurred. He would have about 1,000 kisses to his 1,000 women a day. We don’t know how Solomon survived with his wives. Only God brought him out of this adultery.

So, Solomon wrote these proverbs on “warning of adultery” to his children.

Even today, many men are very attracted by the women. Most women are trying to have their sexiest style appearances at public communities. As Solomon said, “The words of another man’s wife may seem sweet as honey; they may be smooth as olive oil.” (Proverbs 5:3.)

If we examine the women in the world, we see how they dressed by their appearances. Today, many music channels (MTV, BET, VH1, etc.) show how the women are by how they appeared in the TV and their words in many songs. Even on the radio, the women would try to make men attention to them. “But in the end she will bring you sorrow, causing you pain like two-edge sword. She is on the way to death; her steps are headed straight to the grave.” (Proverbs 5:4-5.)

What is the adultery means? Quoting from the Holman Bible Dictionary, "ADULTERY is the act of unfaithfulness in marriage that occurs when one of the marriage partners voluntarily engages in sexual intercourse with a person of the opposite sex other than the marriage partner."

Even you, man, are falling in love with your woman, she might bring you to many pains in physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This goes for opposite sex as well. The person may not concern for her partner’s needs. She only knows what she/he needs. Even you are not married with your partner; your mate may have the lack of interest in you.

If you have wife or girlfriend, you need to consider yourself with spending the time with your partner; otherwise, she means nothing to you. “She gives little thought to life. She doesn’t even know that her ways are wrong.” (Proverbs 5:6.)

Much adultery contains with homosexual diseases, HIV, cancer, AIDS, and other diseases that are related to the sexual relationship with opposite sex. Unfortunately, many of us, even we are called “Christians,” encourage ourselves to learn about having sexual relationship without going through marriage. We can learn these activities from TV, movies, Internet, merchandises, and even from children’s toys.

We even can see that many marry women are working full-time as employment outside the houses. About 80 percent of the women are working at their churches or at their workplaces. That’s why the most of men are depending on their housewives or women to charge at their homes.

Paul wrote, “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” (I Timothy 2:8-15.)

In Proverbs 5:7-14, Solomon told his children about how they need to bewared having women in their lives. He didn’t want let the women to lead his children to adultery. Solomon said, “Now, my sons, listen to me, and don’t ignore what I say.” (Proverbs 5:7.)

If you find a woman that you desired, but, later on, you might find out that her plan is hurting you. She may plan to abuse you in sexually, emotionally, physically, and/or spiritually. There are many ways to abuse each other. The world contains this virus to fight among the people.

Even today, we heard that the priest from the Catholic Church abuse the children. Look in Revelation 2:18-29 and see how does Thyatira Church relate to that particular Christian denomination and their sexual practices. “The Church of Thyatira is known by Bible scholars as the Pagan Church—A.D. 606-End of Tribulation. This Church is also known as the Roman Catholic Church. It was at this time that many, many pagan practices were brought into the Church, "Christianized", and then called Christian and Biblical. If you read the verses [Revelation] 2:19-26, you will see that Jesus is calling this church a whore, a prostitute, and He says that He shall throw her into her bed and kill her and her children!” (Article: Did You Realize that Jesus Christ Commended the Church of Philadelphia for Being Fundamental? It's Absolutely True!“ from Cutting Edge Ministries.)

Abortion. Now, the women have the right to kill their own baby before the child is about to come out from the mother’s womb. God clearly said that you “must not murder anyone” and you “must not be guilty of adultery.” (Deuteronomy 5:17-18.) These commandments are from the Ten Commandments that God gave to the people of Israel. These commandments are that we should keep in our lives with the rest of eight commandments. But what our Supreme Court and ACLU do? They give women the right to murder unborn child. They let the school students learn the sexual behaviors in their public classrooms, which they also learn how they abuse each other sexually.

Solomon said, “Stay away from such a woman. Don’t even go near of her house, or you will give your riches to others, and the best years of your life to some cruel. Strangers will enjoy your wealth, and what you worked so hard for will go to someone else. You will groan at the end of your life when your health is gone. Then you will say, ‘I hate being told what to do! I would not listen to my teachers or pay attention to my instructors. I came close to being completely ruined in front of a whole group of people.’” (Proverbs 5:8-14.)

Are you in troubled in your marriage? Are you afraid that what your church leaders are doing to your family members? Nor are you afraid what our state government is doing? Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The teaching that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30.)

If you want that load in your life that Jesus likes to offer you, just give up all you have to Jesus Christ by trusting Him. Do you have your personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Do you want the gift of wisdom that God is waiting to give you? If you are willing to deny yourselves to God, then pray this prayer in your heart, “Dear Lord Jesus. I am sorry for my sins. Now, I know You died for my sins because You love me so much; and You raised on the third day to be with me for eternity. Lord, I confess my sins to you and want to have my personal relationship with You. Lord, now I want to trust You as my Savior and King and walk with You in all the way of my life. I prayed in the name of Jesus, Amen."

“Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed.” (Proverbs 3:16-18 NIV.)

Do you have a faithful wife or faithful girlfriend in your life? The Roman Catholic Church is an example of what your unfaithful spouse could do to you and your family. But I do believe that God may bring some of His children out from the Catholic Church to show the truth and the light of His kingdom. In that same way for your own wife, he may use both of you to reach the people.

Man, be “faithful to your own wife, just as you drink from your own well.” (Proverbs 5:15.) Be patient with her when she is having a rough time with you. Listen to her complain and give her some advice to live a godly life. “…husband, you don’t know; maybe you will save your wife.” (I Corinthians 7:16b.)

Don’t give yourself to another woman if you sincere love your first wife or girlfriend. Solomon said, “Don’t pour your water in the streets, don’t give your love to just any woman. (Proverbs 5:16.) If I have sex with another woman, for example, and being still bond with my true woman, then those HIV, AIDS, or other virus (that the second woman has) transfer to her life. More than that, I would just destroy the relationship with my true woman. Having a relationship with your woman must be private from the outside your home. This is just for you, your woman, and God inside the marriage. “These things are yours alone and shouldn’t be shared with strangers.” (Proverbs 5:17.)

In Proverbs 5:18-20, Solomon gave his sons a good advice to have a great marriage. To have a good marriage, you and your spouse must have similar interests, be happy in your marriage, have a biblical foundation in your relationship, and have encouragement to help each other. Finally, we must not be cheated each other with adultery. If you are married or non-married with your girlfriend, you need to have this warning of adultery in your personal life. Since Sodom and Gomorrah committed adultery (see Genesis 19), today’s America has been played alone with sexuality in the public community. Now, it’s nation wide to play this addiction and have not awake from the day of Sodom and Gomorrah.

“The LORD sees everything you do, and he watches where you go. An evil man will be caught in his wicked ways; the ropes of his sins will tie him up. He will die because he does not control himself, and he will be held captive by his foolishness.” (Proverbs 5:21-23.)

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Wisdom is the most important thing; so get wisdom. If it costs everything you have, get understanding. Treasure wisdom, and it will make you great; hold on to it, it will bring you honor. (Proverbs 4:7-8)

Witchcraft. Magic. Henry Potter. Occults. Religions. These are some of the belief systems are happening to the world today. Many people or some Christians believe that these practices are the only way to get happiness. They put these practices for their entertainment. What they valued have nothing do with God, but upon themselves. Is their wisdom coming from these or more practices? What is the Bible has to say about the importance of wisdom?

Today, many children are learning about good and bad in their schools. What the schools are teaching have nothing do with wisdom of God. Even today, many youngsters have already learned to enjoy to have the sexual relationship with their friends or learning about witchcraft by reading the Henry Potter books. There are historical documents behind the Henry Potter books and have nothing do with fun reading and English class after you learned the background and the biblical viewpoint of witchcraft.

In Proverbs 4, Solomon gave his children advice about how they could have successful life with receiving wisdom of God. “My children, listen to your father’s teaching; pay attention so you will understand. What I am telling you is good, so do not forget what I teach.” (Proverbs 4:1-2.)

Solomon is about to announce the lesson from his own childhood. His lesson is important to give his children, so they could apply to their lives and pass it to their children and grandchildren. It is the legacy that could last to many generations. Unlike the period of Solomon, we miss opportunity to teach our family member the legacy that our Heavenly Father taught. The legacy that Jesus taught, we have forgotten to pass His words to our family members, love ones, friends, and neighbors. Now, we come with our new legacy, legacy that comes from our media, Satanism, occult, and even from our own denominational churches. It is sad thing that some of us do not apply Jesus’ legacy to our lives.

Solomon wrote “When I was a young boy in my father’s house and like an only child to my mother, my father taught me and said, ‘Hold on to my words with all your heart. Keep my commands and you will live. Get wisdom and understanding. Don’t forget or ignore my words. Hold on to wisdom, and it will take care of you. Love it, and it will keep you safe. Wisdom is the most important thing; so get wisdom. If it costs everything you have, get understanding. Treasure wisdom, and it will make you great; hold on to it, and it will bring honor. It will be like flowers in your hair and like a beautiful crown on your head.’” (Proverbs 4:3-9.)

What if that was coming from Jesus to you? Are you going to listen to Him? Jesus said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you will eat with me.” (Revelation 4:20.)

God wants let us to have happy and long life while we are still living in this physical planet. But we need to listen to Him and accept what He has to say to us. “My child, listen and accept what I say. Then you will have a long life.” (Proverbs 4:10.) Unlike those days, we would miss to listen and accept what our Sovereign Father has to say about us. Instead, we feel go to what our pastors said about God’s Word on Sunday morning.

Does God say that He is guiding us from the darkness of the world? Listen what Isaiah wrote about the people of Israel, “Before those people lived in darkness, but now they have seen a great light. They lived in a dark land, but a light has shined on them. God, you have caused the nation to grow and made the people happy. And they have shown their happiness to you, like the joy during harvest time, like the joy of people taking what they have won in war.” (Isaiah 9:2-3.)

God is a God who leads us into right direction of the life. The psalmist wrote, “Your word is like a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105.) God is not a God of laziness, but He is a God who leads us to the truth of the gospel of the living God. The Bible is our manuscript to live a holy life with Him. It’s a foundation of the book that leads us to the successful life that God wants. “I am guiding you in the way of wisdom, and I am leading you on the right path. Nothing will hold you back; you will not be overwhelmed.” (Proverbs 4:11-12.)

Are you let God leads you to the abundant life that He wants you to have for eternality? Or are you following your own agenda and/or your own religious system (Buddhism, Muslim, Judaism, Catholicism, Baptist, or other religions or Christian denominations) that leads you to the happy life? Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10b NKJV.) Today, Jesus is knocking your door of your heart and wants to show you the road to the life.

Even today, many of us are trying to earn ourselves the glory. Our world system teaches us how to guard our lives to ourselves. We learned the world histories and cultures that could lead us the cultural life and not according to God’s plan. The children learned that practicing of the magic is having something to do with their entertainment; and their parents are allowing them to practice the magic tricks, watch the TV programs, and read the books that contain the witchcraft.

What Solomon is trying to accomplish with his children is having nothing do with witchcraft that God hates, but having to do with their successful lives. Solomon wrote, “Always remember what you have been taught, and don’t let you go of it. Keep all that you have learned; it is the most important thing in life.” (Proverbs 4:13.)

What have God taught you in your personal walk with Him during the last 10 or more years of your life? God has shown me what I can do to glorify Him through the gift of prophecy (teaching) and making some Disciples of Christ. He has taught me the purpose of my disabled life through the difficult circumstance. I believe what Apostle Paul says about God’s power: “With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.”(Ephesians 3:20.)

Even though I am disabled, God can do anything with my life. Even though I am disabled, He has provided me to continue to have the life on earth to reach the people to Him. Even though I can’t make true friendship before November 2000, He provided for me before I arrived to Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center.

If you are in the situation where you cannot find the purpose of your life, stop doing your own ways and begin your life with Jesus Christ. “Don’t follow the ways of the wicked; don’t do what evil people do. Avoid their ways, and don’t follow them. Stay away from them and keep on going, because they cannot sleep until they do evil. They cannot rest until they harm someone. They feast on wickedness and cruelty as if they were eating bread and drinking wine. The good person is like the light of dawn, growing brighter and brighter until full daylight. But the wicked walk around in the dark; they can’t even see what makes stumble.” (Proverbs 4:14-19.)

God may say to you, “Pay attention, my child, to what I say. Listen carefully. Don't lose sight of my words. Let them penetrate deep within your heart, for they bring life and radiant health to anyone who discovers their meaning. Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do. Avoid all perverse talk; stay far from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe. Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.” (Proverbs 4:20-27.)

What are you going to do with His Word? The choices are yours.

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. Do you learned and received from me, what I told you, and what you saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)

"Whenever you are able, do good too people who need help." (Proverbs 3:27.) Whenever you are free, what are you going to do when you see the poor in the street? Are you going to ignore the person who asks for money or to help the person to meet his/her needs?

Do what is good in the eye of God. If we hate what's poor, then God will hate our actions. "If you have what your neighbor asks for, don't say, 'Come back later. I will give it to you tomorrow.' Don't make plans to hurt your neighbor who lives nearby and t6rusts you." (Proverbs 3:28-29.)

This is true. We do not need to make our love ones or neighbors feel bad or hurt their feelings. When I hurt to my love ones, she would feel bad about me. In this passage, Solomon is talking about how we need to be watchful when we meet and talk to the other people. In Proverbs 3:28, we do not need tell other people that they need to come bake here or there later to pick up something. No. Instead, we must help them with God's love.

As we see on the media, we heard about the war is going on from person to person, nation to nation, and country to country. Recently, we heard about abusing a child from the one of the church leaders and it brought attention to the nation wide. The most hateful act was brought to this time of period that God hates.

"Don't make plans to hurt your neighbor who lives nearby and trusts. Don't accuse a person for no good reason; don't accuse someone who has not harmed you." (Proverbs 3:29-30.) Instead, we share the love of Jesus Christ and share each other's problems and solve them with His love.

If I am being jealous that my friend has weapons in his side pocket, do I need to ask him where he got them from? I might decide to buy a gun to show who I am. It's show down.

God's Word said we must stay away those who use violence, mistreatment, and misusing sex to show off to the world. It's easy that we see the other person who has much greater idea than ours. Then, we may decide to put them into the competition. The world teaches us that we need to protect ourselves and we need to have power, wealth, and fame. The world also leads us that we need to have more political leaders and economic systems to survive our lives in this country. We so often forget what Jesus said to have the eternal life and would decide to follow the world occults' ways of living.

"Don't be jealous of those who use violence, and don't choose to be like them." (Proverbs 3:31.) If we decide to follow and love them, than we are waiting for God's punishment. This is the most God hate to punish us, but we are making Him to do in us. If God say to me no to sex before my marriage, but I decide to do it anyway, then I'm being trouble. "The LORD hates those who do wrong, but he is a friend those who are honest." (Proverbs 3:32.)

Yes, God allows let's us to decide what we like to do, but He can't take our serious mistakes. Instead, He may call us to take out from our mistakes or He maybe waiting for us to be realized what we did wrong.

‘'The LORD will curse the evil person's house, but he will bless the home of those who do right. The LORD laughs at those who laugh at him, but he gives grace of those who are not proud. Wise people will receive honor, but fools will be disgraced." (Proverbs 3:33-35.)

Are you be in right with God? If you are unsure, ask Him to come to your life by repenting your sins in your private room or home.

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

My child, hold on to wisdom,… Don't let them out of your sight. (Proverbs 3:21)

What would we do when we have pressure of worry? What would you do when your life turns to disaster? What would you do when you face with your financial problem? What would you do if your spouse or your sweetheart decides to cheat on you by having another mate? Are you going to make the things worse or just giving up?

The world does teach us to make the choice to create more problems in our lives rather than holding onto the faith and wisdom of God. If I decide to break my relationship with my woman because I found a greater woman in my life, then I just have made crisis, for instance, and the problem is getting worse because I cheated on her. She has two choices to resolve this problem. She could walk away from me or could hold on to the faith of God and wait for God to heel this problem. What if this was your situation or mine?

God says, "My child, hold on to wisdom,… Don't let them out of your sight." (Proverbs 3:21.) He knows you will go through difficulties. He knows the problems that you have will go pass away as sweep through wind. It's not just holding on to wisdom, but has a good sense. Read Proverbs 3:21 again and discover that God wants us to have a good sense to the problem. Make the solutions, as God wants to be. That is having a great victory over the darkness.

Paul said, "You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize. All those who compete in the games use self-control so they can win a crown. That crown is an earthly thing that lasts only a short time, but our crown will never be destroyed. So I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something-not just the air. I treat my body hard and make it my slave so I myself will not be disqualified after I have preached to the others."(I Corinthians 9:24-27.)

Then if you hold onto God's wisdom and faith, you will have a good and long lasting life. "They will give you life and beauty like a necklace around your neck. Then you will go your way in safety, and you will not get hurt." (Proverbs 3:22-23.) We know that most of our daily lives are hacked days. We might be ready and go for our work by between 6 and 8 a.m. Then we might have a lot of papers work in our offices. The papers work may need to be done by 5 p.m. of the day. In the meantime, we might have something else to do and papers work; and we are getting really dizzy with all the assignments. What else to do when we would have heavy load of the office work?

The answer: Hold onto God's wisdom and faith. Trust Him. "Trust the LORD with all your heart, and don't depend on your understanding." (Proverbs 3:5.) We can trust God to take away our heavy barriers. Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28.) You can trust your money, but it can't help you to rest rather than creating more issues. You can trust your religion system, but it might give you more religious rules rather than comfort. But you can trust and follow Jesus to give you the rest from all of your worries. He is the only one who can give you the answer to your needs.

"God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life." (John 3:16.) In this context, Jesus isn't talking about the world in this planet, but is talking about His kingdom (the New Jerusalem and the new earth). Are you stepping out your faith and trust God's wisdom? "When you lie down, you won't be afraid; when you lie down, you will sleep in peace. You won't be afraid of sudden trouble; you won't fear the ruin that comes to the wicked, because the LORD will keep you safe. He will keep you from being trapped." (Proverbs 3:24-26.)

"Lord, whoever read this message and want to turn to You fully, I pray that You touch them and may Your Word to touch their lives. I don't know what kind of troubles they are facing. But You know their sufferings and what they desired. I pray that this message may flow through their hearts. I prayed in Your name, amen."

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5 NKJV)

The first book of the Bible, Genesis, explains us how the earth and heavens were formed. The Book of Genesis, which is the first book of Moses or Torah, tells us that in "the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2 NKJV.) This is the scientific evident is that the most scientists are trying to prove that there was an existence of Big Bang Theory. Of course, we may don't believe the Big Bang Theory. Instead, we may believe what the Bible say about the creation.

In Genesis 1, it shows the evidence that there was someone created the heavens and the earth. That someone was God. "In the beginning God…" Not Jim. Not someone who was popular person in the world over the last decade. It was God who created the universe in the six days (Genesis 1:3-31). He is the Author of the creation of the world. He also created us in His image.

Let's look at the couple passages on God is the Creator:

In Prophet Nehemiah described that He created everything of this world and outside of the earth. "You are the only LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, with all the stars. You made the earth and everything on it, the seas and everything in them; you give life to everything. The heavenly army worships you." (Nehemiah 9:6.)

In Job 26:7 describes that God stretch everything out over the empty space. "He stretches out the north over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing." (NKJV.) He didn't left out anything of His creation.

In Psalms 102:25 says, "In the beginning you made the earth, and… the skies."

Now Solomon says, "The LORD made the earth, using his wisdom. He set the sky in place, using his understanding. With his knowledge, he made springs flow into rivers and the clouds drop rain on the earth." (Proverbs 3:19-20.)

God created the heavens and the earth. These are the foundations of His image since the beginning of the earth time. Also, He created us in His image. Even today, the earth and universe are still belonging to Him. We cannot change the founder of the Creator. Yet, most people cannot find who made the heavens and the earth and the living beings. Instead, most of them find the theory of the creation evolution as the foundation of the earth. Yes, I believe that we need to believe the both science and Bible to see the whole picture of the creation, but we need to go more toward to God's Word than what we should think or believe.

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (II Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV)

The Bible that we are holding, God wrote it through His people. It is the book throughout many generations. Now, about many thousand years later, the Bible is still the number one best-selling book around the world.

I don't know Moses wrote all the first five books in the Bible. But it gave us some insights how the Lord was working through His people. Only God through His chosen people wrote all the 66 books.

In II Timothy 3:16, Paul said that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. This means that the Bible is the perfect written by Him for us. The Word of God inspires us in our lives. Not only God's words tell us what happened in the past or what will be happening in the future, He also tell us what we should do now. In fact, some of us would think that the Bible hasn't anything to do with our religion or us. That answer is fault.

Do we know why many of us decide not to read the Bible?

The first reason, I believe, is the words are too difficult to understand. The Bible was published in early AD and has been translated into many their original languages over years. Many people tried to understand the Bible but they had really difficult to read it. Nowadays, many Christian authors tried to come up with better words to understand the Bible.

The second reason is simply the lack of their faiths in Jesus Christ. Read with me what Paul said, "Now the Holy Spirit clearly says that in the later times some people will stop believing the faith. They will follow spirits that lie and teachings of demon. Such teachings come from the false words of liars whose consciences are destroyed as if by a hot iron." (I Timothy 4:1-2.) Some people may reject Christ because they like to do their ways of life. Or some people are called themselves as Christians, although they decide to follow the religious rituals and laws that aren't appeared in the Bible. Or some Christians would decide to give up to follow Jesus because it has too many rules and disciplines.

Yes, God has rules and has desired to discipline His children. But God knows we don't remember all the rules that He made, He tells us to remember only one law. That is loving Him and each other. "'Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?

‘'Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. 'All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.""'" (Matthew 22:36-40 NLT; See also from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.)

When God disciplines us, He loves us so much that He wants us to come to Him. His Word is not only for love, but He also wants to discipline us. If we don't have discipline, it means that God doesn't care about us. Also, it means that the Bible is teaching us that God is a liar.

"My child, do not reject the Lord's discipline, and don't get angry when he corrects you. The LORD corrects those he loves, just as parents correct the child they delight in." (Proverbs 3:11-12)

If you are seeking for happiness in your life, search for the wisdom that will be lasted long time. Do not get so wrap into the world. Paul said, "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2 RSV).

If you are seeking for happiness through finding your mate, invite Jesus Christ in your life. He loves to have you in His kingdom. Many of us may search for someone to love. This could have to do with sex, self-interest, self-happiness, and lack of faith.

Solomon said that we only could find the happiness through the wisdom of God.(See Proverbs 3:13-15.) There is no other way to find the happiness except having your personal relationship with Christ. Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." (John 15:1-8 NKJV.)

Do you have your personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Do you want the gift of wisdom that God is waiting to give you? If you are willing to deny yourselves to God, then pray this prayer in your heart, "Dear Lord Jesus. I am sorry for my sins. Now, I know You died for my sins because You love me so much; and You raised on the third day to be with me for eternity. Lord, I confess my sins to you and want to have my personal relationship with You. Lord, now I want to trust You as my Savior and King and walk with You in all the way of my life. I prayed in the name of Jesus, Amen."

"Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed." (Proverbs 3:16-18 NIV.)

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Honoring the LORD with your wealth and the firstfruits from all your crops. Then your burns will be full, and your wine barrels will overflow with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10)

One of the most important laws in the Old Testament is the Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20) that God gave to Moses after the Israelites freed from the Egyptian. The laws tell us to obey and respect God and people. But we have taken His-given laws too lightly. As we see today's world, many of us have disrespected God in our homes and communities.

In Exodus 20, God tells us that we must not have any other gods in our lives. (Exodus 20:3.)

Why?

He is a jealous God. "Do not make idols of any kind, whether in the shape of birds or animals or fish. You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god! I do not leave unpunished the sins of those who hate me, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations. But I lavish my love on those who love me and obey my commands, even for a thousand generations." (Exodus 20:4-6 NLT.)

God is a God of love, but He also is a God of justice. Some churches may teach us that He is the Creator and a loving God. But not on justice. If God only love us, why He sent Jesus to us?

As we see today's media, we see many people want to honor themselves. We can see their actions don't toward God. They have nothing to do with God. It's sad to see such people are seeking for other gods for their pleasures. Even it's also makes us sad that some of us like doing the same reactions to create the other religions rather than give the honor to the Creator.

One of the days, we all will face the judgment of the throne of God. He will judge us not according to our sins, but according to our salvation and faith. What we do with our salvation and faith?

Some of us may give honor to God by inviting someone to Jesus. Or some of us may give honor to God by sending e-mail the gospel of Jesus Christ. Whatever you are doing, give the honor to God.

Yes, God is a loving God, but He is also a God of justice.

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Trust the LORD with all your heart, and don't depend on your understanding. Remember the LORD in all you do, and he will give you success. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Remember when your parents give you some good advice to you between what is not good thing to do and what is good thing to do in your life? Why your parents give you good advice? Why is that? "My child, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in mind." (Proverbs 3:1)

You might think that your parents would try to control your life. You might say, "Do I have to?" The rules that our parents give us are not that they try to control over our lives. We have a freedom to choose whether to obey our parents or not. If I decide not to obey my parent, then my future will not be good. I would waste my time to hang with gangs or I would do not know what to do with my life problems. Think about what your future life will be if you decide to disobey your family's advice and going with your life. In Proverbs 5, Solomon talked about adultery. He gave a lot good advice to his son about finding a right woman for his son's life.

Since Adam and Eve disobeyed God, our lives become limit. (See Genesis 3:17-24.) "Our lifetime is seventy years or, if we are strong, eighty years. But the years are full of hard work and pain. They pass quickly, and we are gone." (Psalm 90:10)

God has a promise for you and me if we choose to obey Him and our people. If we obey God, He will let us live a long time, and our lives will be successful. (Proverbs 3:2.) God knows and controls our lives. He knows when we would die. Remember when King Uzziah chose to refuse God; He struck him with a skin disease. (See II Kings 15:1-7; II Chronicles 26:1-23.) Uzziah choose to die by disobeying the Lord. God gave us some choices how we need to live until He calls us to go to our eternal home.

That's why we need to remember the word from our parents and from our God. "Don't ever forget kindness and truth. Wear them like a necklace. Write them on your heart as if on a tablet. Then you will be respected and will please both God and people." (Proverbs 3:3-4)

Jesus said in Luke, "If you cannot be trusted with worldly riches, then who will trust you with true riches? And if you cannot be trusted with things that belong to someone else, who will give you things of your own?" (Luke 16:11-12.) Who will you trust to meet your need?

Our lives seem to be tough when we face our difficulties. We may have problems occurred when we have a lot of the financial needs. Or we may have crisis in our families weather we share the gospel of Jesus Christ with unsaved love ones or in family situations. It is hard to solve the problems when the issues are big.

There are many of us who search for the answers to the problems. For example, some people may decide to enjoy the Psychic Hotline to look for the answers. In fact, God gave us a warning of these psychic friends in Deuteronomy 13:

"Suppose there are prophets among you, or those who have dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, and the predicted signs or miracles take place. If the prophets then say, `Come, let us worship the gods of foreign nations,' do not listen to them. The LORD your God is testing you to see if you love him with all your heart and soul. Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. The false prophets or dreamers who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of slavery in the land of Egypt. Since they try to keep you from following the LORD your God, you must execute them to remove the evil from among you.

"Suppose your brother, son, daughter, beloved wife, or closest friend comes to you secretly and says, `Let us go worship other gods'--gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known. They might suggest that you worship the gods of peoples who live nearby or who come from the ends of the earth. If they do this, do not give in or listen, and have no pity. Do not spare or protect them. You must put them to death! You must be the one to initiate the execution; then all the people must join in. Stone the guilty ones to death because they have tried to draw you away from the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery. Then all Israel will hear about it and be afraid, and such wickedness will never again be done among you. Suppose you hear in one of the towns the LORD your God is giving you that some worthless rabble among you have led their fellow citizens astray by encouraging them to worship foreign gods." (Deuteronomy 13:1-12 NLT.)

So whom could we be trusted on? Read with me in Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust the LORD with all your heart, and don't depend on your understanding. Remember the LORD in all you do, and he will give you success."

If we want to be happy in our lives, then don't depend on our own interest or our own religious rules. Trust God and He will give us what we need for our earthly living. If you want to receive what He has a plan for your life, trust God with all your heart.

When we face the trials in our lives, are we trying to solve problems by our own ways? Sometime, we may like to depend on ourselves to solve the crisis. I know I do like to try to depend myself. Are we trying to be totally independent by ourselves while we are in human formed?

"Don't depend on your own wisdom." (Proverbs 3:7a) Our lives are not for ourselves. The life that we have is all about Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me." (John 14:6.) He is the Alpha (beginning) and the Omega (end). (See Revelation 1:8.)

"Respect the LORD and refuse to do wrong." (Proverbs 3:7b.) If you want to follow Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord, to do His will and refuse to do your own power. Again, the Christianity is not about learning all the rules and rituals, but having your personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.." (I Timothy 2:5-6 NKJV.)

"Then your body will be healthy, and your bones will be strong." (Proverbs 3:8.) Not just your body and bones that God will give you the strength, but He will also give you the strength of your spiritual body. That spiritual body is inside of you.

Although I am disabled man, God is working with me through many hardships. God does not see us outside of us, He sees us inside of us as the shadow of Jesus' cross. All of us have sinned and God knows we are struggling with sins these days. Although we are not worthy called as His children, He has provided the way. That is through Jesus Christ. We love because God loved us first.

If you have been turned away from God for while and have decided to go back to track with Him, or if you are new to the Christianity and would like to receive His salvation in your heart, then He has a great plan for you. If you want to accept Him as your personal Savior, I like to invite you to pray this prayer in your heart:

"Dear Lord Jesus. I am sorry for my sins. Now, I know You died for my sins because You love me so much; and You raised on the third day to be with me for eternity. Lord, I confess my sins to you and want to have my personal relationship with You. Lord, now I want to trust You as my Savior and King and walk with You in all the way of my life. I prayed in the name of Jesus, Amen."

If you have invited Jesus in your life, then you have the personal relationship with God. "...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9 NKJV.) Now, if you like to grow in faith through Jesus Christ, then go and find the local church friends who are strong believers in Jesus and His Word and tell them about your salvation. They may be able to help you in growing through faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Start your relationship with God by reading the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Bible. This book is God's letter to you.

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." (Matthews 8:7-8 NKJV)

Have you seeking for the wisdom from God? If so, have you listened to what God say to you? We can receive the wisdom from Him if we are willing to listen and obey Him.

As we are studying Proverbs 2, Solomon began to open with the call of attention. "My child, listen to what I say and remember what I command you." (Proverbs 2:1.) In the previous chapter of Proverbs, Solomon said to his son to listen to him. (Proverbs 1:8.) Solomon might to say, "Listen to my advice what I am going to say. This might be useful to you." He said this because he cared of his son's life.

That is what exact God is doing for our lives today. He cares and loves us to make us attention to Him. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 NKJV.) In 2000 years ago, God brought Jesus to this planet for us. He wanted to be with us. But what we did to Jesus? Were we followed Him all the way? He came to the world that was his own, but his own people did not accept him. (John 1:11.)

Throughout Jesus' life, He experienced the painful moment of His earthly living because of all our sins. He had to die because His people were sinners. If He didn't resurrect after His crucifixion, are we living for God today? Are we going to be His people? Probably not. If Jesus didn't resurrect, we still have sins in our lives as our own idol. If He didn't resurrect, we still have experienced many sufferings in our lives.

So what is the solution?

Listen carefully to the wisdom… (Proverbs 2:2a.) Hear the words of the wisdom. Not only to hear the wisdom carefully, but listen to what God has to say. …set your mind on understanding. (Proverbs 2:2b.) Set your mind on above from the earth. We can focus on the earthly things carefully. Do our minds are on God as well?

If you want the wisdom of God, cry out for wisdom and beg for understanding. (Proverbs 2:3) God will hear to your cry and your desire. He knows what you want, but He may have much bigger plan for your life.

Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." (Matthews 8:7-8 NKJV.) If you want wisdom in your life, then search for it like silver. (Proverbs 2:4.) Then you will understand respect for the LORD, and you will find that you know God. (Proverbs 2:5.) That is what I want for my life. That is what God is expecting from you. "Only the LORD gives wisdom; he gives knowledge and understanding. He stores up wisdom for those who are honest. Like a shield he protects the innocent. He makes sure that just is done, and he protects those who are loyal to him." (Proverbs 2:6-8.)

Wisdom will teach us how to be honest and fair to your spouse and to your people. God is willing to give the wisdom as your reward. According to Proverbs 2:9-11, Solomon pointed out what the wisdom can do your life. "Wisdom will come to your mind, and knowledge will be pleasing to you. Good sense will protect you; understanding will guard you." (Proverbs 2:10-11.)

God knows that we cannot protect ourselves from the enemies of Christ. He knows where are our weak spots in our lives. Sadly, we try to cover our weakest strengths to ourselves. We learned that the pride can help us to cover from sadness. We learned that having our sins is the only way to survive. Sometimes, we would be like Lucifer. "You told yourself, 'I will go up to heaven. I will put my throne above God's stars. I will sit on the mountain of gods, on the slopes of the sacred mountain. I will go up above the tops of the clouds. I will be like God Most High." (Isaiah 14:13-14.) As a result, we fail to do our wills.

Wisdom also protects us from evil ones. "It will keep you from wicked, from those whose words are bad, who don't know what is right but what is evil." (Proverbs 2:12-13.) Are you turn away from wicked ones and listen and accept the wisdom that God giving you? Read the verses 14 and 15 and try to enjoy the activity. Are you happy with your life? If I am in this situation, I would be happy with my life until I die. When I meet Christ on the judgement seat, then I cannot go to His palace because of my sins, for instance. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23 NKJV.) If you are new to the faith, take a moment to recognize God's love. He loves us very much that He died for our sins.

Let me ask a question. Do you have a faithful or unfaithful spouse (including boyfriend or girlfriend) in your life? If the person is faithful to you in relationship, then you have a good solid foundation in your intimacy relationship with God. God is at the top of triangle relationship. You can have a good relationship with your spouse if God is the center of both of your life.

If your wife is unfaithful to you, to your children, and to God, don't make easy for yourselves by signing the divorce paper. God hates divorce from the relationship. Instead, use God's advice. To stay in relationship with your wife is not easy unless you would give your problem to God's hands. "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (I Peter 5:6-7 NKJV.)

Read the proverbs from the Bible before you would decide to engage and submit to your girlfriend or boyfriend. Solomon said, "It will save from the unfaithful wife who tries to lead you into adultery with pleasing words. She leaves the husband she married when she was young. She ignores the promise she made before God. Her house is on the way to death; those who took path are now all dead. No one who goes her comes back or walks the path of life again." (Proverbs 2:16-19)

The wisdom that God gives us will help us to equip our actions toward Him. It is His wisdom that we have the purpose of our lives. Have you decide which road you on? Do you need the wisdom of God to decide what is right thing to do in your life?

Read the last three verses in Proverbs 2 and think about how is going with your personal relationship with Christ. There is no other gods who can give you the wisdom rather than through Jesus Christ.

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God's sight. (James 1:19-20 NLT)

Have you hear the wisdom voice that is in your heart? If so, what advice does the wisdom give you?

In Proverbs 1:20, King Solomon describes the wisdom as a woman shouting in the street. Have you feel like you want to cry out something? Sometimes, I want to cry out to God while I'm in the devotion with God or when the message from the Sunday service touches through my heart. Or even I cry when I talk to someone who is special to me.

Does the wisdom do that?

I believe so. But it's the wisdom from God, who knows you and me before we came out from our mothers' wombs. It's God who gives us the wisdom. As we read Proverbs 1:20-21, we hear that the wisdom wants to something to say to us. But are we going to allow the wisdom to speak to us?

It's not fair that we prevent God to speak to us. Look in the world, there are so many things going on that we usually don't hear God's voice. We see that our economic system becomes great that we don't pay any attention to God. As we saw what happened on September 11, 2001, God gave us the warning to avoid worshipping our own idols. The destruction in World Trade Center and Pentagon might be just a sign of what He will be doing at the end time. Look what happened to the children of Israel when they turned against God:

"Heaven and the earth, listen, because the LORD is speaking: 'I raised my children and helped them grow up, but they turned against me. An ox knows where its owner feeds it, but the people of Israel do not know me; my people do not understand. How terrible! Israel is a nation of sin, a people loaded down with guilt, a group of children doing evil, children who are full of evil. They have left the LORD; they hate God, the Holy One of Israel, and have turned away from him as if he were a stranger." (Isaiah 1:2-4)

Are you listening to the wisdom that God gave you? Try to listen to the wisdom as you are listening to God, because the wisdom is from Him.

In Proverbs 1:22-27, King Solomon gave advice what God would do those who make fun of wisdom and hate knowledge. "You fools, how long will you be foolish? How long will you make fun of wisdom and hate knowledge? If only you had listened when I corrected you, I would have told you what's in my hear; I would have told you what I am thinking." (Proverbs 1:22-23)

Have God say to you to listen to what He's going to say, but you decide to ignore Him? You might say, "Not now, but can You put Your message on the recorder?" It's easy to what the other people say, but not to God. What if God says to us that He has a good plan for us? Do we choose to listen to Him or the opposite? We may turn on the rock music or the TV and make ourselves to be happy. Or we may shut every down and open our Bibles to begin to have conversation with God. God says, "…I know what I am planning for you… I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

It's hateful act not to listen to God. It's disobedience. It took the people of Israel 40 years to make to the promise land because of their disobedience acts. God has called them to turn to Him, but they decided not to listen to Him. "I called, but you refused to listen; I held out my hand, but you paid no attention. You did not follow my advice and did not listen when I corrected you. So I will laugh when you are in trouble. I will make fun when disaster strikes you, when disaster comes over you like a storm, when trouble strikes you like a whirlwind, when pain and trouble overwhelm you." (Proverbs 1:24-27)

What are you going to about it?

When we realized that we have been sinning while God was trying to call us to stop, is He going to accept our repentance? When we would keep sinning and after we realized that we have been sinning against Him, is He going to accept the forgiveness of our sins?

God knows when we would give ourselves up to Him after we finish to play with sins. For instance, when you decide to lie to your spouse that you arrived home late because of your work rather than tell the truth that you were dating with another woman/man. When your spouse find out that you have been lying, then there is a long solving process. I don't know that you might go through court process or talking things out. Think about what God did to the people of Israel when they were against Him and they realized that they needed Him. Did they think God forgive their sins easy? They might think that God forgive their sins after they played with their toys; and would decide to play them again later.

The answer is that there is a consequence of many sins. God is not just being easy with our repentance of sins. No. God knows when we would give up our sins completely. That is when we are going through hard time. The Lord said, "Then you will call to me, but I will not answer. You will look for me, but you will not find me. It is because you rejected knowledge and did not choose the LORD. You did not accept my advice, and you rejected my correction. So you will get what you deserve; you will get what you planned for others. Fools will die because they refuse to listen; they will be destroyed because they do not care. But those who listen to me will live in safety and be at peace, without fear of injury." (Proverbs 1:28-33)

God will answer us to our needs if we listen to Him. But He will let those are non-listeners experience the painful moment of their lives. God didn't create the disease in our lives but we did ourselves.

"Today you may be bombarded by people giving advice-talk show hosts, psychics, psychologists. Take more time to listen to God than to television. At the end of the day, assess which of wisdom you applied (or should have)."

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

What if your parents say to you, "My child, if your sinners try to lead you into sin, do not follow them." (Proverbs 1:10.)

You might think who are the sinners around me. What they would do with me if they lead me into sin?

There is no person in the world that is a perfect human. We all have sinned and are not good enough for God's glory. Everyday, we are living with problems. Nowadays, many children are learning some of the bad behaviors from the wrong crowd. The crowd of the people with bad attitudes. The crowd would say, "Follow me and I will make you happy." Or the crowd would think of you and make you into a trap. Listen to what Solomon say about that person:

"They will say, 'Come with us. Let's ambush and kill someone; let's attack some innocent people just for fun. Let's swallow them alive, as death does; let's swallow them whole, as the grave does. We will take all kinds of valuable things and fill our stolen goods. Come join us, and we will share with you stolen goods.'" (Proverbs 1:11-14)

These words may sound awesome to you. But you may know these actions are the most hateful acts and you decide to quit the team. It's not easy to overcome these traps with in nicer ways.

Today in the world, many teenagers are involved with sexual activities. They learned that having a sex is good. The most danger activities are on the Internet. Like what Solomon wrote, the Internet can trick you and separate away from your relationship with God. We also see that the people want to be happy by murdering someone.

If you are teenagers, listen to what your parents say about sex and other dangerous spots at outside your home and school. Try to avoid when the people say, "Come with me…" in a loving way. Instead, listen to the good advice from your family, friends, and neighbors. Read Proverbs 1:8-19 and reflect to your daily life.

"I know my life is tough. I have to follow the right choice of my life. But I don't know which road is the right path for me." Have you feel that way? Have you puzzled these thoughts? These thoughts are the tough to answer.

There are two ways to live our lives. One is the godly life and another one is wicked life. Life with godly respect is the one who follows God's ways. But the wicked ones is filled with confusions and sicknesses of your life. Listen to what the psalmist has to say about two ways of living:

"Happy are those who don't listen to the wicked, who don't go where sinners go, who don't do what the evil people do. They love the LORD's teachings, and they think about those teachings day and night. They are strong, like a tree planted by a river. The tree produces fruit in season, and its leaves don't die. Everything they do will succeed.

"But wicked people are not like that. They are like chaff that the wind blows away. So the wicked will not escape God's punishment. Sinners will not worship with God's people. This is because the LORD takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed." (Psalm 1)

What if God say to you, "My child, do not go along with them [Paraphrase: who are trying to fool you]; do not do what they do." (Proverbs 1:15.) Are you willing to obey His command or refuse His voice and decide to follow the wrong crowd? It's so easy to listen to the people around you. It's so easy to like the people as you see what they do. But have you hear the voice of God to warn you something?

In Proverbs 1:15-19, Solomon gave some good advice to his son-not to hang around those who are gangsters. He wanted his son to be wise with God's wisdom. This would be the first advice that you may give your teenagers or your best friends. It's consideration to give the advice what your children need. Look at the today's media, many high school students are trying to make their own rules. Even before their marriage or not graduated from the schools, they are beginning to fall in love and decide to marry, because they have the lust to love. Their loves are not for God, but for themselves.

Also in verse 16, they are eager to do evil. In the last decade, we saw many people had desired to do what God says wrong. Again, they wanted to do whatever necessary to be happy themselves. "It is useless to spread out a net right where the birds can see it. But sinners will fall into their own traps; they will only catch themselves! All greedy people end up this way; greed kills selfish people." (Proverbs 1:17-19)

Are you in the situation which road can take you through your circumstances? Life is not easy. We see the tragedies that people are having. Only Jesus can walk with you through tragedies if you surrender your life to Him. Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." (Mark 8:34 NIV.) Take His blood and rely on Him as you live your daily life on this temporary home, Earth.

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Knowledge begins with respect for the Lord, but fools hate wisdom and self-control. (Proverbs 1:7)

Why we have to learn from the other person or from our mistakes? What do we learn from our lifestyles? One of the questions from my mind is this: What God wants from us? Some of us may think this is a silly question to have in our lives. But it is true that we need to know what God wants from us.

We cannot have the knowledge unless we know and respect God. Look at today's world. We have forgotten who God is in this country. Since the government rules the country, we begin to follow their ways and their rules. Many public schools and state courts have refused to put the Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5) in their communities. They put the prayer out from the schools. Now, the schools are saying that it is okay to teach the sex to the children, but it is not okay to have the Christian fellowship in the public communities. Why these things happened? We have been so desired for our own plan and have forgotten who created this world.

We have the knowledge of knowing everything. We have the knowledge to respect our people. Do we have the knowledge to respect God and His creations? "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." (Genesis 1:1-2 NKJV)

Think about what if there is no beginning of the universe. What if there is no God, than we wouldn't be existed in this planet. No God. No angels. No human and living creature.

"Knowledge begins with respect for the Lord, but fools hate wisdom and self-control." (Proverbs 1:7)

God wants us to have the knowledge to think, to care, and to respect others and Him. Knowledge is the part of wisdom that He gave us. We cannot have God's wisdom unless we know and understand Him first. He wants us to decide which ways we should live. For example, we might see that the high school students choose to have sexual relationship before their marriages. We might see some young and adult people want to commit suicide. Or young couple would decide to follow God's way and respect Him for their lifestyles. They may think they need the wisdom from Him. Not from the world or Satan. God's wisdom.

His wisdom is greater than ours. His ways are greater than ours. We always can depend on Him. But God also wants to think to have the knowledge to live life. Listen to Joshua's model:

Then Joshua said to the people, "Now respect the LORD and serve him fully and sincerely. Throw way the gods that your ancestors worshipped on the other side of the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD. But if you don't want to serve the LORD, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve. You may serve the gods that your ancestors worshipped when they lived on the other side of the Euphrates River, or you may serve the gods of the Amorites who lived in this land. As for me and my family, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:14-15)

If you would like to have the knowledge as Joshua, then put your trust on God. There is no greater gift than to receive the knowledge and the wisdom from God. That's what He wants from each of us-respecting Him as our Father to us.

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EDT

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

They make the uneducated smarter and give knowledge and sense to the young. Wise people can also listen and learn; even smart people can find good advice in these words. Then anyone can understand wise words and stories, the words of the wise and their riddles. (Proverbs 1:4-6)

Have you think the young children are smarter than the adults do? Sometimes, youngsters have knowledge of good advice from what they've learned. Not long ago, I received a book called Journey through Heartsong on Christmas. It is written by a 11-year-old boy, Mattie Stepanek, who born with muscular dystrophy. As I read his book, his words of the poetry were amazing. Amazing that how God could use this boy in the best-selling author of the book. If God can use Mattie, how come the world doesn't know about the movement of weakness people?

"God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and he chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose what the world thinks is unimportant and what the world looks down on and thinks is nothing in order to destroy what the world thinks is important. God did this so that no one brag in his presence." (I Corinthians 1:27-29)

In Proverbs 1:4, Solomon pointed that the Book of Proverbs is also for those uneducated people. This also means that the Bible is both the poor and rich people, and Christians and non-Christians. God's Word is for everybody.

Look in the verse 4 again. Listen to Solomon's advice. Not only for the people to read, but they also give knowledge and sense to the young. Sense to the young would probably means to be active to learn as children. Children go to the school to learn the value of living. Even as we are adults, we still need to learn the value of godly living.

We need to have the knowledge and faith for our daily walk with Jesus Christ. This part of the Bible section will lead us into what God wants from us-our personal relationship with Him.

I believe God choose Mattie Stepanek to write a poetry book on wisdom from Him. Wisdom is the precious gift from God. Proverbs will teach us that wisdom-God's wisdom. Even those who are well-educated and smart people can learn from the Book of Proverbs (Proverbs 1:5). Then anyone can understand wise words and stories, the words of the wise and their riddles. (Proverbs 1:6)

Take a moment to read the chapter of Proverbs from God's own perspective. It will encourage you daily to stand against your daily problem.

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

These are the wise words of Solomon son of David, King of Israel. (Proverbs 1:1)

King Solomon, David's son, wrote the book of Proverbs. He was a third king of Israel after his father's death. These are the words of Solomon (Proverbs 1:1) after his experiences with his painful moments of his life.

King Solomon begins in his book with how the proverbs can apply to our daily life. In Proverbs 1:2, he told us the proverbs teach us "wisdom and self-control." They provide wisdom and guidance for obedience life. They "will help us to understand wise word."
It is important to us to learn wise words from these proverbs. Without understanding wise words, how can we go with our lives with tough decisions? We have challenged in our daily life, such as making a tough decision.

Everyday, I face a lot physical challenges. I have to drive my wheelchair and communicator to go around the school campus. Or I have to decide what kind of housing and accommodations I need after I would finish my training at Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center.

We all need wisdom and self-control because they will help us to understand many wise words. The Bible, for example, has a lot of wise words. As I open the Word of God, I am reading many wise words from my Teacher. The book is not for the only professional Christians, because there are none in the world. The only perfect human in the world history was and is Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, the Book of Proverbs provides us advice for our livings.

What if we don't have guidance for our livings, then what would happen to us? What if we don't know how to be honest with our families, friends, and people? What if we don't know how to be fair and right?

The book of Proverbs will teach us how to be wise and self-controlled, and will teach us to do what is honest, fair, and right (Proverbs 1:3). This book will teach us many aspects of having right living with God while we still live in this planet. King Solomon was actually talking to his son as he wrote these proverbs.

In Proverbs 1:3, King Solomon had mentioned five view points that the book of Proverbs will teach us. Let's look through each of them.

This particular part of the Bible is all about wisdom. The wisdom doesn't come from the world, but from God. We cannot earn the wisdom from our own works. Nor we cannot add wisdom to our own life. Only God can give us the wisdom. James said, "...if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it." (James 1:5a.) There is no person in the earth who could give us the wisdom rather than God. Look at Solomon when he asked God for wisdom (see I Kings 3), he didn't ask for more than wisdom for his leadership. He was self-control. He was honest, fair, and right with God. What God did to Solomon? God gave him wisdom that was beyond his request. (See I Kings 3:10-14.)

Also, King Solomon had self-control when he requested his need to God. He didn't blow his temper to God nor gave up upon Him. He was patient with God. James also told us that we need to "be patient until the Lord comes again." (See James 5:7a.) Unlike Solomon, we sometime ask God for our needs without just to be patient. For example, I often want to have my work need to be done immediately. Nor we would want to have our needs to be met fast. Otherwise, we would burn to ourselves and not to God. His timeline is not like ours. He has his own time to give us the answers to our situations.

Not only the book of Proverbs will teach us how to be wise and self-control, but they also teach us how to be honest, fair, and right when we would use the wise words to the other person. They teach us important advice when we would use the wise words from any kinds of relationships or problems. They will help to build up our relationships, such as in marriage, workplace, counseling, and more, rather than tearing them down. For example, if you have a marriage problem with your spouse, don't break down each other apart. Instead, talk about the issue and solve them with your spouse by being honest, fair, and right. You cannot solve your marriage problem by grieving or arguing each other.

God hates divorce. We will look into relationship in further later of the book of Proverbs.

If you cannot think about wise words to say to your family, co-workers, friends, then read the book of Proverbs and apply to your daily life.

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Have you been discouraged when you were in your youth from your parents, peers, friends, and teachers? Or did you have a good time while you were in youth?

As we continue studying this series on “God’s Calling for Younger Generation,” I would like to bring the subject on seeking God in early life. Why I bring out this subject? As we read about the life of Jeremiah, God called him to be one of His chosen prophets before his arrival from his mother’s womb. And God called him to bring out the people of Israel and lead them into Him. Even though Jeremiah received some negative responds from his people in his young age, he continued to do God’s will.

Although to be in youth age, God called children to rejoice in their lives. Read with me Ecclesiastes 11:9-10.

Rejoice, O young man, in your youth,
And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth;
Walk in the ways of your heart,
And in the sight of your eyes;
But know that for all these
God will bring you into judgment.
Therefore remove sorrow from your heart,
And put away evil from your flesh,
For childhood and youth are vanity.

Being in the first 16 years of life that children are in is great point of start life. Yet, after children reach the age of 18, the word youth will become useless in their lives, because they are in adulthood. From ages 1 day to 2-years old, the child will get a lot of attention from mommy and daddy. From 3 to 5, they would begin to learn ABC, counting the number, and will have little responsibility. As they get older, they will have more responsibilities as they are in the care of their parents. Of course, they will have a lot of free time of doing many activities while they are in home and schools.

Also, the children are in good ages to seek the community and variety of touching and looking at materials and other people around them. But we also want let our young people to know who brought them into this world. When the baby comes out from his mother’s womb, he will first hear the words, momma and dada. As the child starts to learn the first two words, he uses to using these simple words throughout his infant stage.

We also need to teach the child the name of Jesus or God. Most time, in a Christian family, people fail to teach the child the name Jesus in his early life. Most people would think that they brought the children into the world themselves and don’t teach them the word Jesus to them. For example, in Catholicism, many believers worship Mary, the mother of Jesus; because they believe that she received a divine power from God to bring Jesus into this world as coequal to God; instead of, God called Mary to bring His Son to this world to take care Jesus for Him until He would depart from her to reunite with His Father after His mission.

If we devote to teach the child about the Word of God before he/she would become adulthood, that child will have fully walked with Jesus Christ throughout his/her life. Deuteronomy 11:19 says that we need to teach our youngsters what God had done in our lives, not for our sake but His. As the child receives the Word of God in his hearing, that child will continue to desire for God in his life.

Now let me to talk with youths and young adults. Being in young generation in your life is not easy. Although some of you live with your family, there will be new responsibilities and challenges to take care yourself and your family. Couple years ago, one of young women came to me and shared with me about how she wanted to live her own, to get out from her family, so she could have easy life. If she likes to live her own without further planning, she would have great deal of problems in her life. Being independent living is not easy, she still have responsibility to live with. I’m living independently with personal assistant now, but I’m still struggle with my life. Being in government financial assistant doesn’t help much with living expenses. I still struggle to meet my bills deadline. DEADLINE is ugly word in our vocabulary, because we need to pay bills by such date. If we don’t meet deadline, bill collectors will add about 1.5% more from previous bill amount.

Even though God tells youths to enjoy their lives while in their ages, they need to know that God will judge them according to what they would have done. He will be either as their Savior or Judge. Although they are young, it doesn’t mean that they’d be freed from the judgment according to God’s book.

And we also need to encourage young people and to help them to understand the way of God. If we let our youngsters do according to our wishes, they would feel corruption. But if we suggest them, they would feel much safe to do their accomplishments.

If you are youth or young adults, don’t feel like that you are useless, when other people say to you that you cannot do it. You are precious child to God. Just as Jeremiah, God knows you what you can do or you cannot do. Even though you hear all the negative things about you, there is only one person who will not let you down. That is God. God, who created you. God, who knows everything about you before you were born. If your parents decide to disown you because you have found the truth from the Word of God, you still have your Father in you—God. He will never forget you or forsake you, unless you’d decide to follow other ways to live life.

MTV will not help you, but they will make you more miserable. Playing lottery tickets will not help you to get $1 million, but they would make to loose that money. Trying to reach more success will not help you to gain more business achievements rather than they will make you apart from God, family, and friends.

Hold what you have accomplished while you were in schools, with family and friends who were devoted to God. Don’t make yourself to be in jail bar. Paul says in I Timothy 4:12, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

What do you have in your hand to avoid from going to Satan’s traps? What do you have in your hands to reach others with the love of Jesus Christ? What do you have in your hands to pass your senior year of high school? What do you do if your parents do not have Jesus Christ in their lives?

Although these questions may make you confuse, God knows what you can accomplish. Even though you cannot make your parents come to Christ, God will work on your behalf to continue knocking their hearts. You only need to trust Him and do whatever you are doing.

Are you saved? Are your love ones and friends saved in the grace of God through Jesus Christ? The purpose of this study is to help you to become closer relationship with Jesus Christ. As Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3.)

If you are lukewarm in your relationship with Jesus Christ and want to know Him as your personal Savior and Lord of your life, please consider asking Him to forgive your sins and invite Him into your life. Paul says, "That if you confess with your mouth, `Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believed and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:9-10.) If you have done in your private room or workplace, then you need to tell to your friends or love ones about what you have done, so they may rejoice with you and want to have that relationship with Christ in their own life. There are many occults in the world, which do not know the love of God and His great plan for those who believe in Him. As it is written in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Since Adam and Eve felt into the temptation of the serpent, Satan has overcome to control the world that God created. Jesus said, in John 14:30, before He would face His death by His people, "I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me."

In previous message, we brief studied on bad and good sides of the young people that they have impacted in this world. Before we would look more into the good side of the young people, we study on the bad side. If you miss the first part of this message, please feel free to read it on MGJC Home Page at mysite.verizon.net/jrappkor.

Satan loves to attack our young people, so they wouldn't become children of God. He would love them if they learn to hate everything that God provided for them, so he could control them and send them into his kingdom, Hell. Even Satan loves to attack infants. In fact, they are two historic records that he killed infants.

Before we look into the two passages, please don't get mix up when God dealt His people by murdering their infants. Although God did these acts toward to His chosen people to lead the nation, He did this for reason: He disciplined His people to turn back to Him from the pagan gods and sins.

Read with me Exodus 1:8-22:

⁸Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. ⁹And he said to his people, "Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; ¹⁰come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land." ¹¹Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. ¹²But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. ¹³So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. ¹⁴And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage--in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.

¹⁵Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; ¹⁶and he said, "When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live." ¹⁷But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. ¹⁸So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, "Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive” ¹⁹And the midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them." ²⁰Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. ²¹And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them. ²²So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, "Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive."

In this passage of Exodus is where the new King Pharaoh began to have jealous on the Israelites, because he may don't know who Joseph was or the previous King Pharaoh, who gave Joseph to be the governor of Egypt (Gen. 41:37-57). However, this new King Pharaoh would probably took over the land of Egypt many years after Joseph's death. And he didn't know about what Joseph had done.

Now, let me read the study note of Exodus 1:8 from The MacArthur Study Bible. Sometimes, we would need to look different view to get more information of Scripture, but not too often.

Now let's read the note of Exodus 1:8: "This king is either to be identified as one of Hyksos kings during the period of political disintegration, or as Pharaoh Amose I, founder of what archeologists have designed as the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom period in Egyptian history. It is probably best to take this new king, who knew not Joseph, as a Hyksos ruler. Furthermore, the term "rose" signifies "rose against," which accords well with a foreign seizure of the Egyptian throne. The Hyksos (ca. 1730-1570 BC) came from outside Egypt (cf. Acts 7:18)."

So, now we read that this new king did not have relationship with the previous King Pharaoh, and did not know about Joseph and Hebrew people. As we read in Exodus 1:8-22, we see that this new Egyptian leader wanted to have contest against the Hebrew nation, so that his nation would become much stronger.

Ok, we'd understand that King Pharaoh had an issue with Hebrews, but why he wanted let Hebrew women to kill their boys and not girls. We would probably think this was the strangest thing that ever heard. But, if we read throughout the Bible, God choose His men to lead their lands, families, and businesses. King Pharaoh wanted girls to be alive, because they are weaker than boys and more beautiful than boys; and if they are married, women would become men's partners or supporters. But, this king would probably want let women would become his servants while men are working hard at the hot sun.

In the New Testament, King Herod wanted to kill children, so he can find the Messiah to kill Him and let him to be the ruler of Israel (see Matthew 2).

In both cases, we see that Satan was involved with these two kings, so that he can control God's people. Unfortunately, he lost the war. By the time Satan tried to use two different era kings to kill the young people, God already saved His children.

Now let's go to our generation, which is right now.

Our society has become more like disastrous world. If we look through the past history, we would see that America was built by Christianity and by founding our national fathers, who’d believe that they were firm believers in Jesus Christ. Before the mid 20th-century, American was built by Christian. We heard that students had the freedom of prayer and reading God’s Words in their schools, which the court/ACLU set up. Many children TV programs were probably had less violence for them to watch. Now we come to the 21^st-century and look what we have done to make our young people miserable.

We still carry King Herod’s legacy, which we call “abortion.” Now, the court/ACLU released the freedom of right to kill the unborn child before he/she would come out from the woman’s womb. In the entertainment industries, producers create more action TV programs and movies for children to watch that contain violence, sex, alcohol, and occultism. In schools, our government gave the right for children to learn what the others produced in the entertainment industries. “Thus, un-Godly influences aimed directly at our young children are pouring in daily through TV, movies, videos, magazines, books, and tapes. However, one of the most important avenues by which Satan is trying to capture children's hearts and souls is through our public school system.” (See Cutting Edge Radio Transcript on “Our Children in the New World Order” at http://www.cuttingedge.org/ce1010.html.)

Why is Satan attacking our young people through the public school system?

The Cutting Edge Radio Transcript continues, “The first step is to destroy the old system, which in America is based on Biblical Evangelical Christianity. This system permeated all aspects of society, especially the Family and the Schools. Children received foundational home instruction in religion, morals, discipline, and normal person-to-person relationships as modeled in the home. The child came to school with this protective and sustaining foundation, and was thus ready to receive an academic education. Parents supported the education of their children in all these ways. Without this parental involvement and support, no child could properly learn.”

The Goal: Satan wants to destroy our young people’s souls. Thus, they cannot see the light from the darkness of sins.

Not we only need to blame these disasters on our young people to our public school and court systems and to our enemy, Satan; we also need to concern what we teach our youngsters in their own family and church family. The hardest thing for kids to have is on showing bad examples from their own parent(s). For instant, if the children see that their parents would decide to divorce from each other, they will start to collect unpleasant emotions and confusions in their lives. As they would get older, kids would follow the same methods of living as their parents, but their problems would get worse than what their parents dealt with.

Divorce within a family is the number one of America issue today. Most of them are from the Christian family. Why? Even though we hear more messages on the Christian family from our pastors, we may not hear often on how we need to live our lives as Jesus lived. Messages on family, money, and Christian life may seem great, but there is more to how we need to live a Christian life. We need to go to meat of the Christian life as we would lead our youngsters, whether we are married or not, have kids or not in our homes, to the next generation of their lives. Thus, leading them into Jesus Christ by demonstrating them our examples of how we need to live as Christ did. That doesn’t mean we need to die at the cross or speak in different language to them. Instead, we need to bring God’s Words into reality in their lives by loving and caring to our young people’s needs as Jesus did for us.

If you don’t have children as yours or you’re young adult, you still can reach into other children, teenagers, or other young adults into Jesus Christ with His love and care.

Are you saved? Are your love ones and friends saved in the grace of God through Jesus Christ? The purpose of this study is to help you to become closer relationship with Jesus Christ. As Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3.)

If you are lukewarm in your relationship with Jesus Christ and want to know Him as your personal Savior and Lord of your life, please consider asking Him to forgive your sins and invite Him into your life. Paul says, "That if you confess with your mouth, `Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believed and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:9-10.) If you have done in your private room or workplace, then you need to tell to your friends or love ones about what you have done, so they may rejoice with you and want to have that relationship with Christ in their own life. There are many occults in the world, which do not know the love of God and His great plan for those who believe in Him. As it is written in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

This week topic is on for those are in younger generation. If you are under age 30, this message may give some inside of what God has planned for you.

As we see in today's world, many TV programs that young children, teenagers, and young adults watched have impacts on violent, drug, and any kind of addictions that pull themselves from God. As we see in movie theaters, there are more PG-rated movies than G-rated movies. Or we hear about some teenagers would decide to set up a false bomb thread alarm in the school to make everybody would be frighten. I had been in this situation before while I was in high school and rehabilitation center. It was not fun at all.

Is there hope for children, teenagers, and young adults from all the destructions in their lives? When children become teenager years, they started to make many hard choices in their lives. They will listen to many advices from their peers, friends, parents, and teachers as they are going through transaction period. Overall these, is there any hope that they can survive throughout their lives? If we are single young adults, is there any way to escape from loneliness, depression, and sadness? What we, as single adults, can help the other people who are younger than us?

Read Jeremiah 1:5 with me:

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

The Book of Jeremiah is about how God used this young man, Jeremiah, as a prophet of God to lead the nation. Throughout his life, Jeremiah cried out to the people to bring them to God. Most of Jeremiah's speeches were harsh to the people of Israel. Because of his harsh words, many people, even his own family, hated him without knowing that his words came from God. Some of Jeremiah's obstacles are death threats (see Jer. 11:18-23), isolation (see 15:15-21), stocks (see 19:14-20:18), arrest (see 26:7-24), and challenge (see 28:10-16).

If we, as single young adults, face these or more challenges in our lives, what we do to protect ourselves from harm? Some of us decide to look for drug, sex, or violent activities to get the solution to the problem. As we see on the news, MTV, and other mass Media, we see that many teenagers and young adults are killing themselves in the spiritual round. Satan is controlling our young people through many television, radio, toys, and movie industries--pulling them from God.

As Christian young adults, we first need to understand that our physical bodies are not just bodies, but they are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). We bought at a price (I Cor. 6:20). Jesus didn't just die for our sins, but He died for us with His compassion, love, and care for us, so we could be saved. If we destroy with alcohols, having sex outside the marriage, committing crimes, and putting tattoo on our bodies, we actually are destroying God's House.

We need to build ourselves with the strong foundation rather than what the world offers. What are they? How we build strong foundation in our lives as young generation?

1) Establishing relationship with Jesus Christ. As we read about Jeremiah's life, he faced many obstacles in his life, from his youthful age to adult. Although he had many challenges, Jeremiah didn't give up the problem. He was going to give up once (Jer. 1:6a), but God kept give him encourage and hope in his life to do difficult assignment. God didn't just give him encouragement, He walked side with him during the difficulty. God said in Isaiah 43:2, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; ad through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you."

If we have the relationship with Jesus Christ, we can accomplish anything in His name.

2) Don't say I am too young to do the will of God. God always choose young people to accomplish His plan. In Genesis, God choose Joseph to bring out His people from the seven years of famine. In 1 Samuel, God choose young David to lead the nation of Israel, which it leads to the promise of the coming of Messiah.

Why? Why He choose the young people to accomplish His plan?

The Bible tells us that God loves us as His children. He knows us before we were born (see Jer 1:5). He created us, so that He can have relationship us. He calls us to show example of obedience of God's children to others, so they can be citizens of His family.

Paul says in I Timothy 4:12-16, "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you."

As we close in this portion of topic, ask yourselves with this question: What God has planned for me with this young age? Don't say you are too young to be on the missionary field. Or if you are adult, don't just say you're too old to reach to the needy. God can use any of us to accomplish His plan.

Are you saved? Are your love ones and friends saved in the grace of God through Jesus Christ? The purpose of this study is to help you to become closer relationship with Jesus Christ. As Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3.)

If you are lukewarm in your relationship with Jesus Christ and want to know Him as your personal Savior and Lord of your life, please consider asking Him to forgive your sins and invite Him into your life. Paul says, "That if you confess with your mouth, `Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believed and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:9-10.) If you have done in your private room or workplace, then you need to tell to your friends or love ones about what you have done, so they may rejoice with you and want to have that relationship with Christ in their own life. There are many occults in the world, which do not know the love of God and His great plan for those who believe in Him. As it is written in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Who do we depend on when we would face some difficulties in our personal life? Some of us may depend on family members, church councils, friends, and co-workers. It is good to have somebody to help and encourage you when you are lonely, depressed, sad, and happy in your life situation. King Solomon said, “If one falls down, his friend can help him up.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10a NIV.) Is that a reason to have a friend?

Over the past two years, Kelly, my personal assistant, has been one of my best friends while I have been living my life independently. Although she has a limitation of the Personal Assistant Services Program, Kelly has been willing to take the risk to help me to learn how I can live more independently, such as community outing, job seeking, errands, enrolling in college, and more. She has been faithful and willing to trust me to work on our life problems together.

When one of us may have an awful day, we share the problem and give advice to each other to solve issue. Although she considered as my employee, I considered her as my friend and one of God’s family members. In this case, we have experiences with our lives and have a chance to understand our individual character more as we meet each day.

We may not see this kind of friendship from our work environment because our duties are to maintain the business. Nor do we need to take care of our family. People can find friends if they can see beyond somebody’s physical and inner being of character. To have a friendship with the other person is to have willingness to any situation that he or she may have and help him or her out during the circumstance. A friendship should be willing to take risk, to love, to care, and to have faith in the other person. Not only would that person be willing to take these four qualities to find a friend, he or she should be willing to be with you all the time, no matter what is going on in that person’s life.

Even today, some of us may find having a friend difficult. Sometimes, we may find the person is hard to trust. Trusting a friend is very important to have a friendship in our lives. Is he or she willing to take you through some difficult situations and bring you into the light path? Or is he or she not going to go through some situations with you?

If we have friends that can last long, we receive more health into our souls and physical beings. The only way that we would have unhealthy physical and inner being is not having any fellowship with the other people in the community. I have discovered myself in this situation in the past. But I have gained more health to my physical and spiritual life through development of friendship. When I did not have a friend around me at my apartment, it was depressing and lonely. Sometimes, I had a headache of being lonely. I had not much to do around my apartment except look at the four walls of the house. But when I found a friend, my life has totally changed from depression, sadness, and loneliness to happiness and enjoyment. I have a hope that I can go through any situation with the help from my friend.

Anybody can have a friend, no matter what the person looks like, or his or her sex, or religious background, or where the person came from. You could find some friends in home, community, church, school, or workplace. Do you have some friends in your life? To grow physically and in your inner life is to have friends around you.

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

What if you die today, what would you be doing? What if you die this moment and come before God, and He asks you, "Why I let you into My place?" About 78 percent of American people said and believed that they are going to Heaven. If 78 percent of the people believe in Heaven, do they know how they will go to there? Maybe they go to the church and religious activity; they might think that God will let them.

Turn to John 14 as we conclude the message series. Heaven is a real place, but we cannot just enter into the place. It is a place for those who truly accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. If those who are not accept Christ and will face Him at the great white throne, they choose to go to Hell. Hell is a real place and it's reality. Jesus talked about Hell as twice as much than Heaven. But where you go after this life? That's the question. Please read the first four verses in John 14:

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many room, if it were not so, I have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." (John 14:1-4.)

In the Book of Revelation, Heaven has many angels that we can't count (5:11). There will be the New Earth and New Jerusalem when we die and live for eternity. Jesus said there will be many rooms in Heaven. On the final day, God will bring the New Jerusalem to the earth to prepare as a wedding ceremony (21:2). He will call all His glooms, the Church, to celebrate with Him. New Jerusalem will be 1,400 miles in length and as wide and high as it long (that is about 2,200 km) and 144 cubits thick by man's measurement (that's about 65 meters or 200 feet). There will be no more pains, tears, problems in our lives. There will be no more handicapped. The land will be altogether and it will not be separated. For now, we are living on this physical world with 30 percent of the land in whole earth, but in haven there will be 100 percent of the land. There will be fruits, food, and drink that we never will be hunger and thirsty again. There will be a lot activities are going on that we never will get tire and worry from them. All the problems which we are experiencing now will be disappeared when we enter the Heaven gate.

But there will be only few of us enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 7:14). Although Jesus doesn't like to hear that many people will find wide gate and spend the eternality in Hell, He does have no choice to send them to Hell. In Heaven, there will be no more sins. Sins cannot enter the Heaven, because God wants us to be peace, enjoy, and loved our lives each other in His place. He knows our struggling against sins in this moment of the time. He knows that we want to be saved by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. He knows that some of us want to be saved by our own deeds and He lets them go until they would come to Him, but He is still calling him/her to lead into the right direction. Jesus said that we do not let our hearts be troubled and be trusted in God and in Him (John 14:1-2). He didn't to go back to the Heaven, so that we could have many pains. No. He went back to the Heaven to prepare a place for us to rest and enjoy our lives for eternality. While we are living on this earth, God wants to have the personal relationship with each of us. James said, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (1:2-4).

There will be a rapture of the Church before the Antichrist would appear on the mass of Media. There will be many believers will be disappear at the twinkle of eyes. Airplane pilots will be disappeared because they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Out of the streets, there will be many people will be left behind and will have many confusions and sadness, because they miss the opportunity to repent their sins and go with Jesus Christ to His place. There will be the second rapture of the Church during the Great Tribulation. But the people will experience many pains and sufferings before Jesus comes again to those are left behind.

When we stand before God, the book of life will be opened to us. This book will be determined to spend our eternal life. John wrote, "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books." (Rev 20:11-12.) If God can't find any of us in the book of life, then He will throw that person to the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:14-15). To understand the place is called the Lake of Fire, we cannot put the fire out, because it's very hotter than the earthly heat. In Luke 16, Jesus described the Hell as torment. Even the rich man is in the torment and is called for help; God doesn't change His mind to take him out from burning furnace.

But God gave us the second chance to repent our sins while we are physically living. He brought His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us, 2000 years ago, to demonstrate that He loves and cares us, so we may have the eternal life with Him.

Are you saved? Are your love ones and friends saved in the grace of God through Jesus Christ? The purpose of this ministry is to share with you how much God loves you and me and wants to come in our own life to take us through any obstacles in our daily life. As Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3

If you are lukewarm in your relationship with Jesus Christ and want to know Him as your personal Savior and Lord of your life, please consider asking Him to forgive your sins and invite Him into your life. Paul says, "That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believed and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:9-10.) If you have done in your private room or workplace, then you need to tell to your friends or love ones about what you have done, so they may rejoice with you and want to have that relationship with Christ in their own life. There are many occultisms in the world, which do not know the love of God and His great plan for those who believe in Him. As it is written in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Posted by MGJC Web Ministry at 12:01 AM EST

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink