True Worshippers
Topic: Worship

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24 KJV)

What it means to become a true worshipper? The word worship has a deep meaning than just raising our hands during the Praise and Worship services. It means to give honor or devote to God. Only God deserves to be worshipped from us. Not to anyone else.

When we worship to our King, our relationship with Him will become stronger. When I worship Him through music, reading His words, praying, or to be active in my community, I want to spend more time with Him. Do we know why many people have faced many problems in their lives? They worship wrong things that would contradict with their spirit men. For example, person wants to gamble to be a multibillionaire, such as Bill Gate, Tiger Wood, and Michael Jackson. Even though Michael Jackson was the famous pop star during his lifetime, he chose to follow the death road by taking wrong medicines and decided to change his physical image to please the world. Bill Gate, a multibillionaire for Microsoft program, is famous but does he have his personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Even though Tiger Wood confessed his mistakes to the world, he and his wife decided to file for divorce. As we see, these people only wanted to please the whole wide world rather than please God.

We cannot please the world and God. We have to make a decision who we want to serve. Some churches are broken their covenants with God because they left their first love and decided to please the world. When we left our first love, our worships will become useless to God. Nowadays, many churches sell their products in order to make themselves multibillionaire churches, such as Paula White Ministries, Lakewood Church, TD Jakes, Kenneth Copeland, and Trinity Broadcasting Network. God exposed Paula White to the media because she used God’s ministries for wrong purpose. CNN Larry King Lives exposed who Joel Osteen really was, even though Larry didn’t know what he was doing. Joel Osteen didn’t tell the whole truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. During his interview, he proclaimed that there are many ways to Heaven.

We need to worship God in right way. We cannot be double minded in order to please both worlds. We cannot be lukewarm Church as one of seven churches in Asia.

Paul said in Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Do you like to become a true worshipper of Jesus Christ? If so, please give your whole life to Him by confessed that you are sinner and ask Him forgiveness of your sins and invite Him to your life.

Leadership Position
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10 KJV)



Today, I’d like to continue to discuss on the leadership from several months ago. If you’d like to read any previous messages on leadership, please feel free to visit MGJC Web Ministry and click on MGJC Weekly Scripture Thought link. I want to stretch this subject to you because it is very important for the church to step up and proclaim the truth of God. As we see in our nation, we begin to see the rebirth of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19). Recently, the District of Columbia decided to live in homosexual lifestyle. Now, many America citizens have the legal right to have gay/lesbian marriage in the churches.



Our president is not doing anything to turn this nation to God, except he is trying to please everybody in the world. Matthew 6:24 said that we cannot serve both God and mommon (world wealth). We must choose whom we want to serve (Joshua 24:15)—God or the world. We cannot be in two places to live godly life. Many Christian churches have neglected the true testimony of the Words of God. We see that some churches recognize Roman Catholic Church as the one of Christian church denominations. In fact, many churches celebrate Christmas and Easter Sunday as the major Christian holidays, even though these holidays arrive from Paganism through Catholicism.



We use many Bible versions to understand God’s Words, which it brings us more confusion. If we’d careful exam today’s Bible versions, we’ll find many twisted words/phrases from the original version, KJV Bible in 1611.



It is the time for us to stand up and represent for citizens of this nation as Christian nation. We need to stand up with Israel to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to lost souls and not tear down. Even though President Obama and his administrations are trying to make us no good with Israel, we need to defend against this attack with prayers.



We need to pray for this nation to return to God. Now, it is the time for churches of Jesus Christ takes action. Are you ready?

King Me
Topic: Nation

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. (I Samuel 8:4-8 KJV)

Today’s message title may seem unrealistic sermon, but it is important for us to hear why our nation becomes so much of My Needs Generation than Giving Glory to God. Just like the people of Israel, our nation is looking for someone who would lead us to peace. I understand our nation needs government leaders, but we first need God to lead our nation. Without God’s direction, our nation would become deeply in trouble.

If we look on the history of Presidents, we would see many of their failures to be in leadership under God and lead the nation. For example, our former President Bush (Jr.) explained that he is the part of Satanic culture by inviting Ozzy Osbourne into White House Ball on Saturday, May 4, 2002. Currently, President Obama is trying to push for the Health Reform legislation, even though Americans reject his idea of leading this universal health coverage. If you read his plan, you will find out that the health coverage is controlled by government, which it would lead us into One World Government. Last year, former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, proclaimed that he pointed President Obama to be the world dictator, which he can lead us to Antichrist. Wow! This is why President Obama received the Nobel Prize, even though he just began his presidency.

Our nation has astray from God for years, because we trust on our political leaders only. This is why the Church must involve in political process. We do not need to belong to the one particular political party, except Christendom.

Let God to be our President, King, and Lord. The Bible said that His government will last forever. We will reign with Him for eternity.

Deny the Truth
Topic: Truth

And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. (Luke 1:17-20 KJV)

Have you deny the truth from words of your friend? Even though deny the truth is not a sinful thing, it sometimes hard to accept the truth of your spouse, your friend, or family member. As long as we’d waver the truth, it is hard to accept the truth.

Look at Zacharias. Even though he was a high priest of Israel, he had a hard time to accept the truth from Gabriel. Why? He either hard to believe that Gabriel was the angel of the Lord or that he hadn’t seen the angel physically in his lifetime until eight decades later. Whatever his reason was, he waved the words of Gabriel, which they came from God.

We need not to play believing or not with God’s words. Otherwise, there would be consequences to accountable our actions.

Holiday Gift Exchange
Topic: Holiday

 

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36-37 KJV)

December 25^th is the Christmas that everybody in the world can celebrate as whole. Some people celebrate this religious holiday as the mark of the birth of Jesus Christ, even though there is no biblical reference to His birth on December 25, 3 BC.

Exchanging gifts on this holiday season is good. But exchanging your soul to other things is not pleased to God. The month of December has filled with holidays, mostly relate to Christmas (Catholic term for Christ-Mass). We often so caught up with Christmas shopping, Christmas Eve Services, Christmas list for Santa Clause, and other things that don’t necessary relate to worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, we often hear that many churches are trying to save Christmas from the secular world viewpoint. Even Jack van Impe said that the world doesn’t anything to do with Christ’s birth on Christmas. Even though I am against the secular world view on any subject, I would go for this, because Jesus Christ was born on springtime and not on the winter and the first Christmas was on couple hundred years later after Jesus ascent to Heaven.

However, we can give one precious gift that we can share with our community during this holiday (Holy Day) season. We can share the gift of the salvation that God gave it to us. God brought His Son, Jesus Christ, to the world to pay our debts of sins for us. Even though He didn’t deserve to die, He died on the cross because He loved us so much (Romans 5:8) and resurrected on the third day (full 72 hours) to demonstrate that we can have relationship with Him for eternality.

We don’t need to have Christmas to celebrate Jesus’ birth because it is useless to His kingdom and does not associate with His birthday. But God has a gift to give for those who would accept it. The gift is the gift of salvation.

What Do You Thank For?
Topic: Thanksgiving

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5-7 KJV)

What do you think for? We have a lot of thank for that we received in our lives, such as material things. But sometimes, we often forget to give thank to our God. The word blessing is misinterpreting in Christian churches.

Too many televangelists use the word “blessing” is to get something from God rather than just satisfying things we have. Israelites blamed God and Moses after they escaped from Egyptians. They wanted to receive comfortable life rather than working out their problems. They did not like to listen to Moses because it was too long process to follow God’s direction to make to the Promise Land. Instead, they made themselves the golden image of god to make a new religion.

This is the time for the holiday season. Many people are busy to get ready for holidays. It is so easy for us to busy ourselves to be ready for holidays. We may have to buy Christmas tree and decorations and gifts for our people. Without realizing that most Christian holidays arrived from the pagan religion, we would begin ourselves busy to celebrate this holiday with our families and churches.

As we are celebrating this holiday season, we should thank God for everything that He had done for us. What He had done for you in this year? Take a moment to thank God for everything He had provided in your life.

Turn Our Hearts to God
Topic: Living Life

And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. (Luke 1:14-16 KJV)

Jesus didn’t come to the earth to just save us from the darkness, but to have relationship with us. In Luke 1:14 says that many shall rejoice at His birth. Of course, this verse has to do with John the Baptist. He was the forerunner for Jesus Christ. His job description was to prepare a way for Jesus would come to save His people, including us.

Many Christian churches have slowly departed from the faith today. We often translate that having a revival meeting is for sinners to repent. Even though this is a part of it, revival means to restoration or reenergize. We, as the body of Christ, need to refresh our spirits with God, so we can do the work of God. We can reach to the lost souls and bring them to Jesus Christ.

Verse 15 says that John will be filled with the Holy Spirit. I know that some churches don’t believe in Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit has the ability to bring us to remember what God told us. He was in Genesis 1. John 14:26 says, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John the Baptist was the last prophet before Jesus would take over his job. Many of the people of Israel shall turn to God, because the revival was breaking out to restore the children of God.

When was the last time your church had a revival? If your church’s revival meeting would be for saving the lost souls, it will not be your church to reestablish your relationship with Jesus Christ.

An Angel Promises the Birth of John to Zacharias IV
Topic: John the Baptist

But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. (Luke 1:13-14 KJV)

It has been long time ago since we started the series on Birth and Preparation of Jesus Christ. Now, I’d like to keep discuss on the birth of John the Baptist in Luke 1. As we studied verses 5-12, we see that an angel visited Zacharias to give him surprising news. That message was he and his wife are going to have child.

Now, as we read in verse 13, an angel told him not to fear the great news. Why? God heard his prayer. How many of us think God is taking His time to answer our prayers? He doesn’t. We think God delays our prayers, but, actually, we are taking our time to receive His answers. God is not lazy.

In the next three verses, we read an angel of the Lord explained what this great news was about. First, Zacharias and Elisabeth shall rejoice upon their newborn. In their old ages, God gave them a gift that brings joy into their lives and community, even to worldwide. That gift was Jesus Christ. We have gift that would bring rich to our souls, Jesus Christ. Nearly 2000 years, God brought His Son to the earth to pay our sins at the Cross. If you are born-again, you received the free gift of salvation from God. But that doesn’t mean we are totally set free. There is a price for us to pay. We need to choose what to do with our free gifts. We can produce it by sharing the gospel to other people or keep it to ourselves. We can rejoice when we’d want to share the gospel to him.

The birth of joy begins when we’d accept Jesus Christ as our Savior.

What Does the BIBLE Means to Us?
Topic: Word of God

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:2 KJV)

There is another word for BIBLE, which is the “Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth.” Our Holy Bible is not just history book. It’s more than that. Revelation 1 tells us the book is contained past, present, and future events. All the words in the Bible have not failed.

We think the Bible has errors. Why? First, we have made many versions of the Bible that would omit sins as possible. Many modern-day bible versions have misleading us about God’s Word. Because the KJV Bible is too old, it doesn’t mean that we need to come with some new versions. One of myths that some of us may believe is that we would have better understanding on God’s Words if we’d have NKJV, NIV, NCV, or TEV. This is totally lie from hell. We do not need better Bible to understand, but we need to invite the Holy Spirit to teach us on God’s Words.

Most American churches became fame because they were compromising on the Words of God. We should not compromise His Word to the world. We need to embrace the truth to our Father’s words.

Great Persecution
Topic: Persecution

And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. (Acts 8:1-3 KJV)

There was a Pharisee named Saul, who killed the first Christian evangelist, Stephen, and began persecuting other believers in Jesus Christ. As we see, Saul (later became known as Paul) was like other Pharisees in Jesus’ days. Even though he thought he was doing God’s work, Saul’s mission was killing Christians. But God did not stop caring for Saul. Instead, He made Saul turn his life 360 degree.

As we see today’s world, we often hear about Christian persecution in the other parts of the world, especially in Moslem nations. I read many terrifying stories from the Voice of Martyrs magazines, who experienced pains and agonies from the other religious leaders, because of their faiths in Jesus Christ. We cannot imagine how they can survive from all their tribulations. If our country wasn’t founded by God, who can help the persecuted Christians and Jews? However, the stories don’t end there. Because of the persecution, many people started to call Jesus and brought revival in their villages.

I know our country is facing most difficult time with our economy system. Even though we are very fortunate with our Christian foundation, we also see that many citizens are suffering because of our legal choices. We let the churches to be silenced on homosexual agenda, abortion rights, legalizing same-sex marriage. Currently, President Obama is trying to make universal healthcare as legal. Listen: governments will control the universal healthcare. This also could lead us into New World Order System, system of Antichrist, and it is seriously dangerous.

Are you going to give your identity to antichrist when the government would introduce to us new technologies to serve the world? Or are you not giving your faith up for Jesus Christ? Choices are yours.

World Religious System
Topic: End of the Age

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:26-27 KJV)

Even though the Word of God founded this country, America has turned away from the Creator and turned it to the day of Gomorrah and Sodom. People have been confused who God is. Although the September 11, 2001 tragedy woke this country up, it didn’t mean that people have fully committed to surrender to Jesus Christ.

We have adopted so many religions to this country over the years that some of us have died from the faith. We created many church denominations that we hardly agree on all the doctrines from the Word of God. If we are in Roman Catholicism, for example, we couldn’t interpret the Scriptures without priest’s approval. However, I Peter 2:9 says that we all are priests when we would save by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. We should give our worship to Jesus Christ only. I understand this theology conflicts with Roman Catholicism, because they added Virgin Mary as coequal with God.

Christianity was originally from Jewish root. Paul tells us that we are seeds of Abraham (Galatians 3:20-29). Before God called Abraham as forefather of the nation, all human beings were non-Jews. Noah was considered as gentile, even though he was the great-great-grandfather of Abraham.

Now, we have top four greatest religions that would form the New World Order in near feature. They are Roman Catholicism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Right now, the United Nation is trying to make President Obama and Prime Minister of European as permanent world dictatorship, which they could lead us to Antichrist, One World Government, One World Currency, and One World Religion.

Christianity is not just a world greatest religion, but it’s about personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Virgin Mary, Buddha, or Zeus cannot do that. There was no other gods who resurrected themselves from graves, except Jesus Christ. If you want to know Jesus Christ personally, I’d like to encourage you to invite Him into you life now. Let go all the gods you have and grab Jesus’ garment and ask Him to come into your life.

The Resurrection of Saints
Topic: Resurrection
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18 KJV)



Will you be when Jesus would come today to take His Church to Heaven? In this passage of the Scripture, Paul described the Rapture of the Church. Of course, we may hear on this subject from dozens of Christian authors, such as Hal Lindsay, David Breeze, Peter LeLeon, and Jack van Imp. But what God says about the Rapture of the Church?



The word “rapture” doesn’t appear in the Bible. But there are some Scriptural references that the rapture is existed in the Bible. The first rapture appears in the New Testament was when Jesus died on cross (Matthew 27:51-53), which it referred to the dead will rise first. These verses also mean that Jesus was working at underneath of the earth after He died on the cross. This was when the people were in paradise. Also, this place was when the people were at the mid-point between the Hell and earth crust.



I believe there will be couple raptures of saints during the seven-year of tribulation time. But where you would be when the event will take place? If you are not sure where you’d spend eternality, I’d like to encourage you to give your life to Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.

Flesh vs. Spirit
Topic: Living Life

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. (Ezekiel 36:26-27 KJV)

Today, I’d like to share with you on what God has been showing me lately. I believe that we are the last generation of the Book of Acts and Book of Revelation that will be fulfilled in our lifetimes.

The Book of Acts has never been finished because it’s ongoing process, even to this day. As we see in our society, the churches have been growing since the time of Jesus. However, there are many warfare going on within churches. And we are beginning to see some pastors expose to the world. Even though TBN and CBN are the most popular Christian Networks in America, some churches have been reported to the news media on their business tax deductions, such as Kenneth Copland and Joyce Meyer. Pastor Joel Osteen exposed his true identity of his ministry through CNN King Larry Live in June 2005. According to his interview, Pastor Joel Osteen doesn’t believe the doctrine of sin, divine judgment, hell, and false teachings. In fact, he believes that there are many ways to Heaven, just as Dr. Billy Graham told on nationwide while he was on Larry King Lives.

We need to be right with God. We cannot be double minded to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our current president is beginning to expose to the world as he’s heading to the development of the New World Order Plan. If the U.S. and the rest of the world would sign the microchip treaty by 2017, it would be ready for the Antichrist would come to the scene. But, those who are truly born-again Christian, we would be gone to be with our Heavenly Father before the appearance of Antichrist.

Are you ready for Jesus’ return? If not, I’d like to encourage you to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior today.

An Angel Promises the Birth of John to Zacharias III
Topic: John the Baptist

And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. (Luke 1:10-12 KJV)

Have you been in fear of the Lord? The word “fear” in this passage is trembling or did something wrong. As we read in Luke 1:10-12, we see that Zacharias was deeply in trouble. We may not understand why he felt like if God would judge him terribly when the angel of the Lord appeared to him. But it was a good sign.

We need to learn to fear in our lives. We need to have reverence for God. Fear teaches us how we need to be right with God. It also teaches us how we need to avoid our evil thoughts and actions against God and our people. Paul said that we are in war against the rulers of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12). Fear in the Lord helps us to avoid all the tempt that Satan would try to deceive us and begin to rely on God.

Zacharias’ fear wasn’t the sacrifice, but it was about giving our praises to Him. Without fearing of the Lord, we would not able to know where we’d spend eternality.

Watch Out for False Teachers
Topic: End of the Age

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. (I Timothy 4:1-3 KJV)

Today, there are many Christian leaders, who proclaim to be truly born-again, trying to reach out to the world to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, there are some preachers on the media for wrong reasons. One of my friends shared with me about Noah and the ark. It was interesting to me how one TV evangelists believe that Noah built an ark for testing his faith that God gave him to do, and not for rain, according to my friend said. This is what we call half-truth and half-false or double minded.

According to Genesis 6-9, God told Noah to build an ark because He will bring a worldwide flood for 40 days and 40 nights. Also, He said to bring some animals into the ark. Yes, it did rain for 40 days and nights. To approve this theory, look at the world. We’d have about 70 percent of the earth that covers with water due to the worldwide flood that God brought. I believe that the earth began with perfect condition before the flood. About less than 70 percent of the earth covered with water. How do I know this? In Genesis 1 and the last chapter of the Book of Revelation, we can see that the new earth will be in perfect condition. All the lands will be putting back together as one huge land. God will settle His government on earth forever.

 

We suppose to be aliens of this world. It’s not good to hear smooth messages from pastors on the pulpit. This would make us to go further away from God. Even though pastors are to be shepherds of the Churches, we are suppose to be checked their sermons with the Bible, because it comes from God and not from humans that has many scars from our sins.

A Better Day Ahead
Topic: Living Life

An Angel Promises the Birth of John to Zacharias II
Topic: John the Baptist

And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. (Luke 1:7-9 KJV)

As we continue to study on the birth of John the Baptist, we note another thing about his parents. Zacharias and Elisabeth were advanced their ages. What thru can do in their old ages? I’d know when the people would reach 65, it is the time for retirement.

As we read today’s passage, we read that Elisabeth and Zacharias were still in labor. They might feel tire, but they had God in their lives. We will see how this couple received a child from God. I think that believers in Christ should keep working for God until their time to be with Him.

It is interesting that there is a retirement plan for the young adults; even they haven’t experienced full adult lives. We see there is a life insurance plan for toddlers. Having a retirement plan is not against God’s will, but we should be kept working for Him until He’d call us top enter our eternal home.

An Angel Promises the Birth of John to Zacharias I
Topic: John the Baptist

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. (Luke 1:5-6 KJV)

Here, we begin the message series on the birth of John the Baptist. Please don’t confuse with the Gospel writer John. As we read in the first half portion of John 1, we read that John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus. His job was to prepare a road for Jesus to walk to His peoples’ lives (see Mark 1:1-2). He baptized them with the water (John 1:31), but Jesus came to baptize them with the Holy Ghost (John 1:33). We will study more in-depth on baptism of the Holy Ghost (Spirit) later on.

But, let’s focus on Elisabeth and Zacharias for the next several messages. The named Zacharias is a Greek form of Zechariah, which means “memory of the Lord.” First part of the name refers to the prophet whom the Jews stoned (Matt. 23:35; Luke 11:51). Some believe this prophet to be identical with Zechariah [11] or [16], though it is possible the reference is to an unknown prophet. Then there is a priest, father of John the Baptist (Luke 1).

Then there is a woman name Elisabeth, God is swearer; oath of God, the wife of Zacharias and mother of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5–57).

As we read, Zacharias and Elisabeth lived during the depression time by King Herod. Just as we are facing the economic system issue, the people of Judea faced taxes that were forced by this pagan ruler. Also, in Luke 1:5, we see that Zacharias was from the descendant of Aaron, who was the priest for the people of Israel.

They were righteous before God, even though there were some doubts. Do you know that God will still bless us, even though we’d doubt His words? Thomas doubted on Jesus’ resurrection until he touched Jesus’ palms. I know there are some people in the world who doubt on their children with severe disabilities. Even you’d have a child with disabilities, it doesn’t mean that your family is in generation curse. You have to release the negative thoughts on your mind and begin to trust on God that He can do anything possible. As we see on our civil rights, they would begin to turn our laws to negative effect to this Christian nation. The problem is not on our money, but it’s on our sinful acts against God. Our previous and current presidents have led our nation astray from God, because we did not fight against abortion, same-sex marriage, teen’s pregnancy, homosexual rights agenda, and so on. It is the time for the churches to make noises against on these issues. We need to stop our doubts on God and begin to trust on Him.

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ II
Topic: Jesus Christ

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:1-3 KJV)

The birth of Jesus did not begin with Virgin Mary, but it was the seed of Abraham. Matthew 1:1 says, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” It also means that we are the seed of Abraham through Jesus Christ.

The Book of Genesis indicated that Abraham did not begin his life as Jew, but as the Gentile. This is so important fact about Abraham and Jesus. The foundation of the Jewish nation began with Jacob. Of course, God continuous carried His covenant since He made it with Abraham. Galatians 3:28-29 says, There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

We need to have knowledge of the Old Testament for us to understand about the New Testament. I know that there are some people would think the Bible has two gods—judgmental god in the Old Testament and the lovely god in the New Testament. We must understand that there is ONLY one God in the Bible, who created this universe and us, who came to the earth and paid our sins for us by dying on the Cross. That Person is our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is why the Bible recorded so many lists of geologies. We need to understand the pagan religion began with Babel, then to one of Noah’s sons, and then to Abraham’s father. Then finally to Abraham’s first son, Ishmael. This is why we have so much conflict with Islam. Even though Islamic, Jewish, and Christianity proclaim to be the seed of Abraham, yet, we have made so much of chaos from each other. This is why Jesus didn’t die only for Jews, but for the sins of everybody in this world.

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ I
Topic: Jesus Christ

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham… So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:1, 17 KJV)

The Bible has filled with genealogies. The word “genealogy” is from Middle English genealogie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin genealogia, from Greek, from genea race, family + -logia -logy; akin to Greek genos race. This word has been used since 14^th century. This term is an account of the descent of a person, family, or group from an ancestor or from older forms; or regular descent of a person, family, or group of organisms from a progenitor or older form.

This term “genealogy” is very important in both Jewish and Christian life. It tells us about where did our Christianity from. It tells us about who Jesus is. Without the understanding of our Christianity with Jewish root, we may not have Christianity. We are from the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:17), which God promised to him in Genesis 12.

Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38 tell us that Jesus came from the seed of Abraham. In fact, Luke goes down to seed of Adam. Even though Jesus was with God in the beginning (John 1), He arrived to this world through the womb of Virgin Mary. This does not mean that Mary received the divine power and coequal with God, which the Roman Catholicism teaches. Jesus came to the world just as any human being born, so He can be related with us in every way.