December/Advent Bible Reading

It's Advent, and as we remember the great faithfulness of God, let us have hope, joy, peace and love in our Lord Jesus Christ!

Let us read, reflect, pray, and praise the Lord in faith!
Enjoy! Jesus delights in you!

-Pastor Paul!

December/Advent 2010 Bible Reading Schedule

Please go to:

www.paliyouth.blogspot.com

For this month please follow the reading schedule. You can follow the following format.

On Your Own

-Pray. Take this time to pray for this time of hearing God speak through the living Word of God.

-Read. Underline, highlight or take note of any words, phrases, verses that stand out or confuse you. You will eventually develop your own way.

-Ask yourself these three questions as you read through the text. You may have to read the text a few times.

o What does the passage say? Read it at least once and, if necessary, compare different translations.[1]

o What does it mean? What did it mean to the person who first wrote it and those who first read [and heard] it? Extra reading (like commentaries or articles on this text) may help here. Write down questions, items to note, etc.

o How does it apply to me, my family, my [school] or work, my neighbors, the society around me? …It is when we see the relevance to our own lives that Bible reading becomes so exciting and we become conscious that we are hearing God’s voice? Think also about the words, phrases that really stood out to you. Why do you think they stood out? Is God saying something to you?

Sundays will be a day of rest as you hear the Word of God by Pastor Rana or Pastor Paul. However, please think about the Word that day as you worship Him!

- 12/1/10: Psalm 146

- 12/2/10: Isaiah 1:10-20

- 12/3/10: Psalm 5

- 12/4/10: 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13

- 12/6/10: Isaiah 4:2-6

- 12/7/10: Psalm 148

- 12/8/10: Psalm 5:11-12

- 12/9/10: Luke 21:29-38

- 12/10/10: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-12

- 12/11/10: Psalm 16

- 12/13/10: Psalm 37:1-18

- 12/14/10: Isaiah 7:10-25

- 12/15/10: Isaiah 8:1-15

- 12/16/10: John 3: 22-30

- 12/17/10: 2 Peter 1:1-11

- 12/18/10: Isaiah 9:1-7

- 12/20/10: Mark 1:1-8

- 12/21/10: Matthew 3:1-12

- 12/22/10: Matthew 11:22-14

- 12/23/10: Luke 3:1-9

- 12/24/10: Ephesians 6:10-20

- 12/25/10: Psalm 61

- 12/27/10: Revelation 20-21:8

- 12/28/10: Luke 1:26-38

- 12/29/10: Luke 1:39-56

- 12/30/10: Luke 1:69-80

- 12/31/10: Isaiah 55

---

[1] Italics from Gumbel, Nicky. Alpha-Questions of Life, Deerfield, IL: Alpha North America, 2003, 95.

Friday Setlist - do in korean and english

Palisades Junior High- NOVEMBER: the Word is GOOOOD!

Hey Junior Highers!
You are all high flyers!
Here's the Bible reading for November!
This is the Word, God wants you to remember!
Have a great week and see you soon!

In all seriousness, please check out November's Bible reading!

And also come out next Friday, November 5th, with some goodies, toys, pencils, pens as we make OPERATION Christmas Child boxes for the children around the world!

November 2010 Bible Reading Schedule

For this month please follow the reading schedule. You can follow the following format.

On Your Own

-Pray. Take this time to pray for this time of hearing God speak through the living Word of God.

-Read. Underline, highlight or take note of any words, phrases, verses that stand out or confuse you. You will eventually develop your own way.

-Ask yourself these three questions as you read through the text. You may have to read the text a few times.

o What does the passage say? Read it at least once and, if necessary, compare different translations.[1]

o What does it mean? What did it mean to the person who first wrote it and those who first read [and heard] it? Extra reading (like commentaries or articles on this text) may help here. Write down questions, items to note, etc.

o How does it apply to me, my family, my [school] or work, my neighbors, the society around me? …It is when we see the relevance to our own lives that Bible reading becomes so exciting and we become conscious that we are hearing God’s voice? Think also about the words, phrases that really stood out to you. Why do you think they stood out? Is God saying something to you?

Sundays will be a day of rest as you hear the Word of God by Pastor Rana or Pastor Paul. However, please think about the Word that day as you worship Him!

- 11/1/10: Genesis 18:1-15

- 11/2/10: Genesis 18:16-33

- 11/3/10: Genesis 19:12-26

- 11/4/10: Genesis 20

- 11/5/10: Genesis 21

- 11/6/10: Genesis 22:1-19

- 11/8/10: Genesis 23

- 11/9/10: Genesis 24

- 11/10/10: Psalm 15

- 11/11/10: Psalm 16

- 11/12/10: Genesis 25:19-34

- 11/13/10: Genesis 26:17-33

- 11/15/10: Genesis 27

- 11/16/10: Genesis 29:1-30

- 11/17/10: Genesis 31:1-29

- 11/18/10: Genesis 31:30-55

- 11/19/10: Genesis 32

- 11/20/10: Genesis 33

- 11/22/10: Psalm 16

- 11/23/10: Psalm 17

- 11/24/10: Proverbs 10:22-32

- 11/25/10: Proverbs 11

- 11/26/10: Genesis 34

- 11/27/10: Genesis 35

- 11/29/10: Genesis 37:1-11

- 11/30/10: Genesis 37:12-36

---

[1] Italics from Gumbel, Nicky. Alpha-Questions of Life, Deerfield, IL: Alpha North America, 2003, 95.

Seek His face, live in God's Grace!
- p. paul

Sr. High Bible Reading - Matthew 9

Pick one of the following to focus on for today.

(1) vv. 1-7
When Jesus heals the paralytic he asks the scribes the question... "Which is easier to just say 'Your sins are forgiven' or to tell the guy to get up and walk?"

Obviously, it is the former... because anyone can say it.. and they were accusing Jesus of blasphemy for saying something only God should say..

And then to prove that they may know that Jesus does have the authority to say that - he makes the paralytic to walk.

It's kind of like an "in your face" kind of thing.

Jesus is not setting for us an example to be "in your face" Christians. Not the kind of Christians that act righteous and better than the rest of the world because it is obvious in the very next part, as Jesus was sitting with the tax collectors (remember these guys are traitors that are working for the Romans to cheat the Jews, their own people - so, yes the worst) and other sinners, Jesus is not interested in being self-righteous. Jesus attracts believers by his life. People want to follow him. People want to be around him.

How can we live that kind of life - of an attractive Christian? People look at us and wonder "Man, what's going on there? I want that."


(2) vv. 8-13
In v. 13 "I desire mercy and not sacrifice" comes from Hosea 6:6 which is in the context of how Israel doesn't seem to get it. They do all the rituals - the worship service, the offerings, coming and doing the "duty" but God wants something else. Another wording for "mercy" is "steadfast love". God wants to be in a love relationship with us and desires that for all of us. This is not a relationship of duty but of love - that comes from our willingness.

The contrast here is with the high religious leaders being criticized are the ones caught up in the work of religion - prayers, services, dressing a certain way- everything external and outwardly. They are compared and contrasted to the weak, sinners that have really messed up in life, those that have been deemed "unclean" because of their sickness and outcast in society, and the Gentiles.

And where does this love relationship begin? Verse 13 - Jesus says, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

We begin as sinners, recognizing our need for our Lord Jesus. Chasing after him, following him, going where he goes -- as these people are for the miracle in their lives. They are desperate for his saving power and love.

The question is - are you desperate? Or, is this just the convenient choice?

(3)vv. 20-22
Talk about desperation and faith. This woman in v. 20 was desperate. She had nothing left. During these times "bleeding" especially of the womanly kind made you unclean. No one could be near you, touch you, etc. So imagine if you had this for twelve years. Can you imagine twelve years of being completely alone because some religious law told you - you were unclean and so must be cast out of society?

Well, this woman was desperate. She managed to get near the crowds somehow. Probably she tried her best to conceal herself and keep herself under the radar - thus she did the least she could do -- not confront Jesus in front of everybody and gather attention to herself but just TOUCH THE FRINGE of his garment.

It's hard to relate to this kind of desperation that leads to this kind of faith in our society. We're comfortable. We have all we need so being "desperate" for Jesus kind of doesn't make sense. Think about it. What do these people have because they are desperate? What are we missing out on?

(4) vv. 35-38
The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
This is a perpetual truth the church is faced with. There is always more work to be done than workers to do them. Right now our church is in need of a shepherd, a pastor. And Jesus's command is simple: pray earnestly.
We must pray earnestly that a true shepherd who will protect, serve, nurture and guide his sheep will come to our church.

Sr. High Bible Reading - Matthew 8

YES! We are reading in Matthew for now. I wasn't sure where to start because everyone is at different place in Matthew so we'll start with Matthew 8.

Matthew 8 follows a very important huge CHUNK of teaching in Matthew 5-7. Those are known as the "teaching" chapters.

Now we're heading into the MIRACLE chapters (Matthew 8-9). Remember Matthew didn't organize this gospel chronologically. He made sections.

So what are you supposed to do?
Well..
1) keep a journal. Date it, write down the scripture passage you read that day. Write down any questions, thoughts... take a moment to pray and write down what God is saying to you. Sometimes you might not hear anything but let the word stay on your heart and mind all day and come back to your journal at the end of the day. Bottom line is... this is a discipline and it won't come naturally. But, I do pray and hope that you will have a desire to do so..
2) Comment on this blog with questions and/or comments. I'll be sure to address them to the best of my ability. This will help our community engage in the Word of God together.

Let's get started...
Notes:
vv.1-3 Note the leper's attitude towards Jesus. "If you will.. (volition, want)" He doesn't demand to be healed but humbly asks. He knows that Jesus is a person of extraordinary authority and power.
v 4 "Show yourself to the priest" - it's to get cleared so that this leper is no longer considered "unclean" and thus outcast from society

vv. 5-13 The Roman Centurion's faith...
Here we see another person (this time a Gentile) whose humble attitude towards Jesus is quite evident. Note verse 8 - "Lord, I am not worthy to have you..." A centurion was a man of power in the Roman empire who had command of more than a hundred men. Yet, this man (a man of much pride and power) comes to Jesus humbly to ask to heal his servant. It probably wasn't an easy thing to do.
Jesus notes this man's faith..that this man's faith trusted that Jesus can heal even from a distance. All he needed was His word.

vv. 14-16 Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-law..
Immediately as the mother-in-law is healed, she begins to serve him.. (things to just note)
v. 17 Matthew does his signature "This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah" Remember, Matthew's audience is the Jewish people and he is trying to make a connection to the Hebrew Bible to what Jesus is doing and fulfilling.

So..what is all this healing for??
FAITH.

And we come to a sort of PAUSE moment where Matthew takes a break from all the miracles and talks about the COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS.

So, if you want to follow this amazing Jesus who can heal the sick and calm storms - you've got to commit. Are you willing to put God first before even your family? Your reputation? Your pride? Your desires?

Busy Sunday (Oct 24) ahead... Rev. Taehoo Lee and LiNK

This Sunday, October 24 is packed...
The first event is at 9:45 AM and we will pick you up if your parents cannot bring you earlier. You should not miss this! Please reply to your email or text.
1.
Speaker: Rev. Taehoo Lee (Inner City Philadelphia Missions - Summer 2011 Project)
Oct 24- 9:45 AM, Room 201
With hopes of participating in Philadelphia missions in Summer 2011 - Rev. Taehoo Lee will come and speak at our 9:45 AM Korean Youth Group Retreat. He will speak in both English and Korean. He will share about his ministry which is awesome...
Below is a clip of one of the many projects he is involved in. You can learn more about justice missions work in the inner city by going to the following website:


There is also a book by Shane Claiborne (his most popular is below)




2.
LiNK's (Liberty in North Korea) first documentary... Hiding..
Oct 24 - 12:30 PM - Room 011

LiNK is a non-profit organization started in 2004 by young people in their 20s that felt a burden to educate the world about the atrocities in North Korea. They began sharing in colleges and now they work with governments, non-government organizations (NGOs), and now directly with North Korean refugees. This documentary is about their work with these refugees.
Please come for the screening of this documentary at 12:30 PM in Room 011.

LiNK Documentary "Hiding" Trailer

LiNK (Liberty in North Korea) will visit Palisades Church on Sunday, October 24th to do a screening of their first documentary. Please invite your friends, family -- anyone. Spread the word.
Date: Sunday, October 24, 2010
Time: 12:30 PM
Where? Room 011 (Our worship room)

Hiding Teaser I from LiNK Global on Vimeo.

Hiding Teaser II from LiNK Global on Vimeo.

Palisades Junior High- Bible Reading is BACK!!!

Hey Junior Highers!

In building wise habits as young, growing Christians, what better way to grow our faith, than reading what God has revealed to us in His Word and talking to Him in prayer! I hope that as we start again this important discipline, that we meet the Lord in an intimate way and feel his love every day. LET US THINK ABOUT GOD EVERYDAY!

As you read the passages.

-Pray. Take this time to pray for this time of hearing God speak through the living Word of God.
-Read. Underline, highlight or take note of any words, phrases, verses that stand out or confuse you. You will eventually develop your own way.
-Ask yourself these three questions as you read through the text. You may have to read the text a few times.


* What does the passage say? Read it at least once and, if necessary, compare different translations
* What does it mean? What did it mean to the person who first wrote it and those who first read [and heard] it? Extra reading (like commentaries or articles on this text) may help here. Write down questions, items to note, etc.
* How does it apply to me, my family, my [school] or work, my neighbors, the society around me? …It is when we see the relevance to our own lives that Bible reading becomes so exciting and we become conscious that we are hearing God’s voice? Think also about the words, phrases that really stood out to you. Why do you think they stood out? Is God saying something to you?
(Gumbel, Nicky. Alpha-Questions of Life, Deerfield, IL: Alpha North America, 2003, 95.)

10/8- Psalm 1
10/9- Romans 8:31-39
10/10- Genesis 1:1-2:3
10/11- Genesis 2:4-25
10/12- Genesis 3
10/13- Genesis 4:1-16
10/14- Matthew 3:13-17
10/15- Psalm 46
10/16- Proverbs 2:1-15
10/17- Genesis 6:8-22
10/18- Genesis 7
10/19- Genesis 8
10/20- Genesis 9:1-17
10/21- Genesis 11:1-9
10/22- Colossians 3:9-17
10/23- Psalm 49:1-9
10/24- Proverbs 3:1-26
10/25- Genesis 12:1-9
10/26- Genesis 12:10-20
10/27- Genesis 13:1-13
10/28- Genesis 15:1-21
10/29- Psalm 14
10/30- Proverbs 10:1-10
10/31- Genesis 16

"Think about them every day and night so that you will be sure to obey all of them. For only then will you succeed. Yes, be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" Joshua 1:8b,9

Have a blessed time!

October 2010 Permission Slip

October 2010 Letter

Welcome PASTOR PAUL HWANG!
We would like to welcome our new Jr. High Pastor Paul Hwang. He is a New Jersey native and currently resides in Cresskill, NJ.


OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS!
Junhyun An (10/9)
Tony Kim (10/11)
Sarah Song (10/20)

Annual Jr. High Field Day 2010
We had a great 2nd annual Jr. High Field Day this year on Saturday, October 2. Lots of games and flag football… and great food! Thank you to our PTA and Deacon Elaine Cooke. Next year, we’ll win!

LiNK (Liberty in North Korea)
LiNK will come and do a special screening of a documentary about North Korean refugees on Sunday, October 24th at 12:30-2:00 PM Please join us in our youth worship room and learn about what you can do for North Korean refugees.

Operation Christmas Child - November 14, 2010
We will be sending gifts to children around the world again. Please take a look at the enclosed brochure and prepare a gift for a needy child. Gift boxes are due November 14, 2010 (Sunday)

SAVE THE DATE!
Save the Date – Winter Retreat is FEBRUARY 19-21, 2011 (not December)
**JAMA 2011 is July 6-9, 2011
**Summer Missions also TBA for July 2011

Fridays (7:30-9:45 PM):
October 1 – Flag Football Practice (Cancelled due to weather) Worship and Fellowship
October 8 – Worship and Bible Study (Worship together, Bible Study separate)
October 15 - Worship and Bible Study (Worship together, Bible Study separate)
October 22 – Bowling at Montvale Lanes
October 29 – Holy Win Preparation (Helping Out our Younger Elementary Students)

Important Sunday Items:
-Bible, Offering prepared in envelope
-Schedules: Sunday Worship begins promptly at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 12:30 p.m. Bible study is from 12:30-1:15 pm. Please wait for your son/daughter and refrain from calling their cell phones until 1:15 pm.


Pastor Paul Hwang (Jr. High)
hwangph@gmail.com
Cell: 201-638-2507

Pastor Rana Park (Sr. High)
Ranap927@gmail.com
Cell: 213-500-3750

Sunday Servants Schedule

August 31 - 2 Samuel 24

Please share your insight, questions...

August 30 - 2 Samuel 23

Please share your insight, questions...

August 29 - 2 Samuel 22:47-51

Please share your insight, questions...

August 28 - 2 Samuel 22:34-46

Please share your insight, questions...

August 27 - 2 Samuel 22: 26-33

Please share your insight, questions...

August 26 - 2 Samuel 22:8-25

Please share your insight, questions...

August 25 - 2 Samuel 22:1-7

Please share your insight, questions...

August 24 - 2 Samuel 21

Please share your insight, questions...

August 23 - 2 Samuel 20

Please share your insight, questions...

August 22 - 2 Samuel 19:16-43

Please share your insight, questions...

August 21 - 2 Samuel 19:1-15

Please share your insight, questions...

August 20 - 2 Samuel 18

August 19 - 2 Samuel 17

Please share your insight, questions...

August 18 - 2 Samuel 16

Please share your insight, questions...

August 17 - 2 Samuel 15:13-37

Please share your insight, questions...

August 12 - 2 Samuel 11

The story of David and Bathsheba...

We all know how this one ends but where and how did it start...

V. 1. spring is a time for kings to go out to battle but what was King David doing? He wasn't doing anything. One day he was just walking around and eventually something caught his eye....a woman. He sinned.
King David did not do what he was supposed to do and eventually he ended up doing something else...committing adultery which eventually will lead to murder and lying (fabrication of stories to cover up the lie).

In stark contrast - Uriah the Hittite is much the opposite. Even when he was brought back from battle he refused to go home because he knew his fellow soldiers are out fighting and this is not a time for resting but fighting. And, Uriah did have a beautiful wife. I'm sure he would've wanted to see her.

There is a season for everything.
During the season for fighting and staying alert, David did whatever he felt like doing. Uriah knew what to do during that season. It wasn't a time to enjoy your wife. It was a time for fighting and he remained true to that.

This is not a season to just lay low and chill. It is a time to be alert especially this is the time the devil seeks to devour and destroy...at a time when we just want to sit, relax and enjoy the summer.

What can we do to be more alert?
How can we live so that we do not fall into the same traps that David did?

August 10 - 2 Samuel 9

Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Saul. As it is clearly stated, he was lame, unable to walk.

David out of his love for Jonathan and Saul - searches for the remaining descendants of Saul. He treats Mephibosheth as he would Jonathan or Saul... He restores what belonged to the father and grandfather.

This says something about the relationship and privilege of a child. A child is entitled to everything the father has. What does this say about our status as children of God. If God is our Father - then what are we deserving of?

Do we live as children of the Almighty God?

August 9 - 2 Samuel 8

Verse 13 "And David made a name for himself...And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went."

How does it feel to live a life where God is truly with you? Is it impossible to live victoriously every single day?
It's not the kind of victory where you win everything - but rather you are victorious over the things that God wants you to be victorious over. With God's help you are able to overcome the obstacles in your life. With God's strength your struggles with sin are slowly diminishing. With God's power you are able to live each day with excitement and purpose.

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y

Live today to taste the victory of the LORD.
May the LORD be with you today and may you be victorious because of HIM.

August 6 - 2 Samuel 6

What's happening? 2 Sam 5 - Jerusalem has been captured and made the new capital of Israel. The nation was divided before and Jerusalem was right there in the middle making it a most obvious choice for the capital.
The next task is getting the ark of the covenant to a safer place in Jerusalem away from enemy hands. And, this task is accompanied by 30,000 of the best soldiers, with songs and celebration.

The Ark of the Covenant. What is it? It is a vessel that contains various items that signify Israel's relationship with God like the Ten Commandments. It represented the very presence of God.

In this chapter we find that when it rested at Obed-edom's house - they were blessed for the three months it was there.

When God's presence is with us - we are blessed.
David and the Israelites treasured this relationship with the LORD. They revered His presence among them. They celebrated His presence. And when the moved the ark of the covenant to a safe place - they were protecting this most valuable relationship.

How do we "value" our relationship? How do we PROTECT our relationship with God?
What are the things that try to break our relationship with God? How can we protect it?

August 5 - 2 Samuel 5

v. 10 "And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him."
v. 12 "...And David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel..."
v. 19 "And David inquired of the LORD..."
v. 23 "And David inquired of the LORD..."

Are we seeing something here?
What does it mean to be with God? Or, God with you?
What does it mean to constantly be in prayer at all times?
What does it mean to walk with God?

David gives us some answers to the above questions.
Do we take the time to recognize the ways God has blessed us or the ways He truly is with us?
Do we ask God what we should do before we do it?

Simple ways..
Reflect on your own life. Do I walk with God? Or, do I just walk to Him when I need something?

August 4 - 2 Samuel 4

You're reminded of the account in the first chapter of 2 Samuel when you read this chapter. And, David's response is the same.

But, remember that just because David did it doesn't mean he did the right thing. We know that David was not allowed to build the temple of God because he shed so much blood in all his killing. Yes, David was wise in his response to these murderers who cowardly killed a righteous man in his own home -- but, his response did not have to be to shed more blood.

How could he have responded to these men - in a different way?

August 3 - 2 Samuel 3

2 Sam 3:36 "...as everything that the king did pleased all the people."

David was not a people-pleaser but what he did pleased the people. Joab acted out of revenge and murdered Abner. When David interacted with Abner (a former foe) he was able to send Abner away in peace. He did not hold anything against him and far be it from him to act in judgment towards him.

David acted not to please himself but to please God. And it pleased God to forgive others and to accept them.

Simply, when you live to please God naturally people will be pleased with you as well.

If you pleased God in all your schoolwork, housework, relationship with family -- then your family, including your parents, will be pleased with you.

Please the Lord first - then the rest will follow.
"Seek first His kingdom..." Matt 6:33

August 2 - 2 Samuel 2

The throne is now empty - a new king must be enthroned. Saul's descendants are hard at work to seize the throne and so is David.

David has been waiting in a secret, safe place (Ziklag) and now makes a strategic move.

Do we seek after the things of God as David did?

What is God setting before you in your life? How will you pursue the things of the kingdom of Heaven that God has purposed for you?

August 1 - 2 Samuel 1

When we read 1 and 2 Samuel, we must read it as one book as it was originally just one book - books, chapters and verses added much later.

If you read 1 Samuel 31 quickly, you find that the account of Saul's death in 1 Sam 31 is different from the one in 2 Samuel 1. Most likely this is because the 1 Sam 31 is the true account and the 2 Samuel 1 is a story made up by this Amalekite in order to gain David's favor... instead of favor, this man gets punished for claiming to have killed one of the Lord's anointed.

We would all be surprised at David's response. Saul tried to kill David. David had opportunities to kill the man who was making his life a living hell.. and he did not take them but spared Saul's life. What is going on in David's head? How does he see Saul? What does he see in Saul?

David understands what it means to honor the Lord's anointed. Just because you're anointed doesn't mean you won't make mistakes. Moses was anointed. He murdered someone. Abraham was anointed. He was a cowardly liar. David was anointed. He murdered and committed adultery. Saul was anointed. His inner struggles eventually became his downfall.

And this is how David honors Saul. He mourns for Saul. He calls him beloved and lovely. He remembers the days of his great reign.

Why? Is David one to exalt himself over Saul? Nope. Not really.

Nor are we called to exalt ourselves over others in judgment.
No. We are called to honor.

June 15 - Acts 11:19-20

"And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians."

As a church they gathered together, shared their faith and grew as Christians.
Prophecies were also told at this time of a famine so they sent relief as they were able...
Christians don't come together in a church for no reason. The Holy Spirit brings them together. God leads Barnabas to find Saul and go to Tarsus. It is by the Holy Spirit that they are there for a year to teach the new Christians there and it is by the Holy Spirit that they are made aware of the famine.

How much credit do we give the Holy Spirit? He leads us. He makes everything happen. He opens our minds and hearts to understand the Word of God. He changes us. As He worked in the church at Antioch, He still works today.

June 14 - Acts 11:1-18

Remember Peter is a Jew who believes in Jesus... and this passage is about salvation for the Jews (the chosen ones) and the Gentiles. God is making it clear in this very strange vision that salvation is for all. The Gentiles are not "unclean".

We like to place labels on people and we like to keep certain types of people away.

The Jews had their own way of doing things, their own community, their God - and now they are being told to share this salvation with the Gentiles (people who they considered to be "unclean")

Who do we consider "unclean" today? What kind of people make us think.. "ewww..."?

Let's bring up a really controversial issue. What if a Jr. High student came "out" and said that he was gay? How would you respond? Would you be able to worship with a gay student next to you? Is being gay a greater sin than your sin of lying? Are you struggling with your sin of lying (for example) just as this student is struggling with this sin of homosexuality? How do you love those you are not comfortable with loving? How do you share the salvation of Jesus Christ with those that you consider "unclean" or even unworthy?

Think about it...

June 10 - Acts 8:4-40

Simon the Magician saw that the apostles had a special power and he wanted it. He even offered them money for it. But, he got it all wrong. Power for Simon meant the ability to attract and impress people. Power for a lot of people means the ability to control something.

Yet, Holy Spirit power has nothing to do with control. A Christian life is about surrender and we are given the Holy Spirit not so that we can become superhuman beings. We are given the Holy Spirit so that we can be a channel of God's power. We are not the actual power source. We are the power lines that transmit this power. And power lines don't
say when it is time to turn the power on or off.

Without the Holy Spirit we are like useless powerlines or cables just laying in the dirt.
what would you want to be? Connected or just a pile of unused cables?

June 9 - Acts 7-8:3

As Stephen recounts the history of the Israelites - mainly as they have rejected God and His messengers, the prophets, over and over again - the people are enraged.

And here we see another servant of God fall at the hands of angry men.

The message from God isn't a happy message. The biggest hurdle for unbelievers is the very fact that they are sinners. Many are offended that they would be called such a thing for they consider themselves so good. But until this very fact is recognized, there can be no salvation.

Yet, for Stephen - even as death was fast approaching - looked into the heavens and saw Jesus... and it was as if Stephen fell fast "asleep" before he even felt the pain of the stoning.

Stephen had crazy faith. He spoke the truth with boldness and even suffered the consequences of it.

And we also find a small section on Saul (who will later become Paul). Saul is just as faithful and passionate but in the opposite direction - towards persecuting the church.

Stephen and Saul - two men who lived passionately.. eventually Saul's passion will be redirected towards Christ and he too will die a martyr's death.

passion. courage. boldness. faith.

June 8 - Acts 6

Sometimes you can fix things and sometimes you can't. We are given two scenarios here:
1) the Greeks or Hellenists are trying to make ministry difficult by complaining about what the disciples aren't doing (here, neglecting the widows). So the disciples responded accordingly by appointing some to minister by preaching and others by serving.

2) Of the preachers, Stephen really stood out. He was so full of the Holy Spirit and so influential that many started to spread rumors about him, even set up false witnesses and they bring him before the council to be put on trial. And even then his face was like the face of an angel (v. 15). We'll find out soon enough that he will be stoned... for nothing. He really did nothing wrong. He actually was the complete opposite.

There are some situations we can control and there are others we cannot. Some situations we can fix and some we cannot. The point here isn't to fix everything and also that not everything will be fixed. The point here is to maintain our place as children of God and act accordingly.

Are there some situations you are unable to control? Can you surrender that to God?

June 4 - Acts 4:1-31

It's interesting to note that the "boldness" of Peter and John is seen as uneducated (almost foolish) (v. 14). In Korean we can describe their boldness as "gum-bang-juht-suh".. like when young people rebel against elders, etc...

Yet, it is also notable that they had nothing to say because of the "notable sign", the healed man standing beside them. They were bold like crazy and they could back it up...

When was the last time you went all out, you were bold, you got real noisy and even arrogant.. and you backed it up.

And this boldness is from the Holy Spirit, this healing power is from the Holy Spirit -- can you imagine what it must've felt like to experience this kind of awesome power - like when you're praying the place starts shaking because of the power of the Holy Spirit.. crazy stuff..

Let us pray for the boldness of the Spirit and the "notable sign" to back it up... that when our friends try to make fun of the name of Jesus, they've got nothing to say in opposition just like these religious leaders...

June 3 - Acts 3

What are healing miracles for?
How come God doesn't heal all the time?

Here we find the answer. After this man is healed, Peter offers another opportunity to witness God's power and repent. Their ignorance prevented them from believing previously and here we find another opportunity.

sometimes God sends us little or big hints to repent and make a change in our lives. What are the little or big hints in your life?

June 2 - Acts 2:22-47

Being filled with the Spirit of God, Peter preaches a message -- not impressive in its style or delivery. It's the very simple, basic message about Christ delivered with the power of the Holy Spirit brought at least 3,000 to Christ that day.

People were so moved they asked Peter and the rest of the apostles -- "What do we do next? How can we be a part of this?"

Today there is so much to get excited about but it's just a fad like those silly or zany bandz. There is no substance, it's a momentary bliss like your favorite singer or group. They won't offer you much yet we get excited about it -- we ask how can I get on the bandwagon... And many trendy bandwagons like fads.. fade away.

And this is the real deal. There is no glitz or glamour to attract people. Just the plain powerful message of Christ. It is in itself POWER.

Please comment by responding to any of the following questions or adding your own.
How come people are not as attracted to this TRUE power?
How do you want to experience this power?

June 1 - Acts 2:1-21

Day of Pentecost is fiftieth day after Easter (or, rather, the Passover or Exodus) as it is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the day God gave the ten commandments to Moses at Mt. Sinai.

The Day of Pentecost gains new significance as it is the day when the disciples were gathered in one place (v.1) and the Holy Spirit came down like a "mighty rushing wind."
As a demonstration of the descent and filling of the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in tongues.

People questioned if this was real and said that they were drunk instead of being filled with the Spirit...

Think about it -- Try to imagine what these people looked like. Yes, it can happen.

Peter goes on to explain and reads from prophet Joel (minor prophet).

And from this point on - the work of the Church filled with the Holy Spirit begins. How exciting!

June 2010 Bible Reading Schedule

Click to enlarge.

May 28 - Ephesians 6:1-4

Logically, it makes sense to move on from a discussion of husbands and wives to children.
The important phrase in the first verse is "in the Lord." Sadly, there are bad and foolish parents that deal with their children in ungodly ways. And this is Paul's one, very clear statement -- as long as it is "in the Lord" then children are to obey their parents. And, most likely if your parents are not letting you hang out with friends at the mall because they want to protect you from the bad things of this world (which you'll see plenty of in the future) -- then most likely that is in the Lord because hanging out at a mall isn't something God explicitly states as something that is beneficial to you.. You get what I mean.

This obedience does not come without a promise - you will enjoy a long life (whether that means figuratively or literally because some don't live long even when they obey their parents) - it basically means you will enjoy life (every bit of it) even more.

Then he moves onto parents - "Fathers, don't exasperate your children." Parents are commanded to not make their kids angry as in oppress, abuse, mistreat them. Parents are to bring them up and train them in the Lord (which sometimes does make kids angry sometimes).

A short story: My son is 10 months old now and as much as we are proud of him in so many things - he is developing a sense of self. In other words, he understands that he can express dislike, push away food when he doesn't want it. He realized he has opinions and he can express it. Now, if just because he hates broccoli and pushes it away and throws a tantrum every time - and I go along with it so I don't make him angry isn't for his own good. Because I am trying to train him to like healthy foods and feed him good food - I am going to do certain disciplinary things to make him eat. Yes, he will cry for an hour straight and he will be very angry -- but this is what we are called to do - to discipline and train in the right way. And the right way isn't always the easy, nice way.

May 27 - Ephesians 5:22-33

The marriage relationship between a husband and a wife is like the relationship of Christ to His church. What does that say about marriage and family today?

Marriage (the union of man and woman before God in covenant) is the reflection of God's love for the church. Love is perfected and demonstrated in marriage. So, how do we perfect love? Well.. the sayings goes practice makes perfect... and there's another saying - practice makes permanent. People say that in order to make something a habit - you have to do it at least 21 times.. If you did a bad thing 21 times, then the bad thing becomes a part of you.

How do we practice love so that we can experience the fullness of God's perfect love? Practice rightly.

Marriage has become a joke recently. People get married because they "feel" something and when that feeling is gone - they get a divorce.

What are your views on marriage? How has this world taken something so sacred that God has created - and made it into something that is no longer sacred?

What can you do to protect marriage for what God has created it to be?

Even further, how can we learn more about what marriage is about in the way Jesus loves us?

May 26 - Ephesians 5:1-21

What does it mean to be an imitator of God?
Paul gives us some examples:
v. 2 walk in love just like Christ did by sacrificing himself for others. That's walking in love..
v. 4 no foolish talk or crude joking but rather thanksgiving
Why waste your words on foolishness? Today sarcasm, making fun of one another is cool. People like witty banter but usually it's just hurtful talk that doesn't benefit anyone except for get a few momentary laughs.
v. 5 Sexual purity.. This is not just what you do but what enters your mind. What you watch.. what you hear...
v. 7 take no part in darkness.
Do you have friends that are doing deeds of darkness? Do you take part in it? Are you standing by as they do the deed? You're still just standing by.. but not exposing the wrongdoing. (v. 11) - If you're just standing by allowing it then you are not being the light. We are called to be the light and expose these things with the truth.
v. 16 make the best use of your time - live wisely.. even a single moment in foolishness is a single moment that could've been used for the glory of God.
v. 21 Submit, serve one another... Why? Because we respect God.

Lots of examples. What other examples do you see or want to share?

May 25 - Ephesians 4:17-32

v. 26 "Be angry and do not sin..."
You can be angry because anger is an emotion but that anger can lead to sin..
What are some things we do out of anger?
-gossip aka vent
-revenge
-lose it

This is where our emotions begin to control us..
"Don't let the sun go down on your anger" and especially don't the devil an opportunity.
Wouldn't he be happy if you lost it and did something that is not of the image of God?

At the end of the day - what's the score?

May 24 - Ephesians 4:1-16

The mission of the Church (The family of God) is simple:
Reflect the Image of God (Show His love)
1) in community, as the church that bears His name - to grow in love to reflect God's love more clearly (Becoming one church united in faith and love)
2) in sharing God's good news and love to the local community (local missions)
3) in sharing God's good news and love to the ends of the earth (world missions)

Reflecting the beauty, love, the joy, hope of God as a church is our goal. where "We all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity.. (v. 13)
The opposite is being like children - where every single little issue is up for debate and arguing, deceitful schemes and people's harmful plans shake us up every single time (v. 14)

Instead - a mature community - speaks the truth in love where the whole body is joined together and each person is properly equipped, with each part working properly...

Can you imagine a church where every single person is able to share their gifts? Where everyone is joyfully serving? Where everyone is appreciated?
And, where God's love is obviously displayed...

A loving body where Christ is the head - this is our goal as a church.

May 23 - Ephesians 3:14-21

Can you believe vv. 14-19 is one sentence? Divide it up, use the prepositions as your clue to understand.

(v. 16) God will grant you His strength through the Spirit according to God's riches. And his riches are beyond what we think is rich.
WHY?
(v. 17) SO that Christ can dwell in your hearts through faith - more specifically, you being grounded in love in all you do
WHY?
So that you can experience just like the saints that went before you - how BIG, DEEP, LONG,HIGH, WIDE God's love really is.

You're probably thinking to yourself - why was Paul so crazy into God? What made Him that way? Maybe you don't think that's a big deal.. but being into God isn't like a fad. You don't just get into it because you think it's cool. Actually in a lot of ways it's not the coolest thing..
You get into it because of His love.
God shows you how big His love is for you.
And because He loved us first - it's like automatically we want to respond back to Him in love. It's like automatically we want to praise Him.

So, the first step isn't what can I do to become more crazy about God. It's more like - how can you stand still or sit still in His arms and let Him love you. Can you sit still in His presence long enough, still enough that you can hear Him speaking words of love to you?

Be still my child. Listen, for I am speaking of my love for you.
I love you.
-God

May 22 - Ephesians 3:1-13

Verse 8: "To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ..."

The school year is now coming to an end and most likely you've voted for your "Most likely to..." succeed, Best laugh, etc.
Well, Paul was probably the Most Likely to Persecute Christians.. He was probably one of the meanest, most legalistic (like really RULE-based), scary guys.

Paul was most likely the least likely to become a representative of Christ But I guess that's where God's humor lies. He always finds a way to surprise us. There are so many "What?" moments in the church. Things you'd never expect like that total bad boy becoming so changed...

And, that is what's so amazing about the power of the Holy Spirit. That is what's so amazing about His grace.

God can do amazing, surprising things.. especially where you'd least expect it. So let go of what you think you know about this world, about people, about God - because God will surprise you.

May 20 - Ephesians 2:1-10

"For by grace you have been saved..."
Whenever you see a "for" at the beginning of a sentence, you should look at the sentences prior to see WHAT "for".

There are a lot of things going on here.
1. FACT: We are naturally, in our nature, sons and daughters of wrath - of sin. We were all dead because of our sins (v.1).
2. BUT - God because of his mercy and great love (v.4) raised us up and made us alive with Christ. He took away the sin that made us dead...
3. WHY? So that he might show us his immeasurable riches of his grace (v. 7). He might show us how amazing He really is.
4. CONCLUSION: "For by grace you have been saved through faith." This is a gift of God - not as a result of works, so we have nothing to show off or be arrogant about.

God has done all these things. He saved us because of His mercy and love. This is called grace. It's a gift to us - so that we can begin to experience how amazing God really is. We are all sinners saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus.

We were all sinners bound for death but now we are sinners saved by grace, being cleansed by Him and experiencing His glory.
Praise the Lord!

May 19 - Ephesians 1:15-23

Do you know how amazing it is to know Christ? This is what Paul is talking about.. I hope that the "eyes of your heart" may be enlightened.. Do you really get how amazing it is to know the Creator of this world, this universe - you and me - so intimately?

Not only do we get to inherit all the riches of the God of the universe, but we can experience His power now.
Because we are His church. We are his body.

Do you know how it feels to be a part of a winning team? To be under the leadership of a great coach, a great leader? It's like - as long as you follow his/her lead - you know you'll experience greatness.

It's like the stuff of movies.. Coach Carter, We are Marshall, Glory Road

We are the Body! We are a great leader! Let's live like it.. May the eyes of our hearts be opened.. May we truly realize how awesome it is to be with Jesus!

How do we spend more time unplugging from the distractions and being still before God?
Memorize a verse... and let it just sit on your tongue, on your mind, on your heart for hours and hours... see what happens.

May 18 - Ephesians 1:1-14

According to one author, William Barclay, Ephesians is considered the "Queen of the Epistles." The main theme of Ephesians is the fact that unity can only be found in Christ and the one goal and ministry of the church is to reconcile the world to God (bring people back to God).

Ephesians 1 sounds pretty familiar - and sometimes we gloss over passages that sound familiar but look deeper.

-He chose us and adopted us..
Adoption - When we think about adoption today we think of orphans being adopted through a lot of paperwork. Adoption in the Roman times was a huge deal. A father would release his son/daughter and once that release happened it was a complete disconnect. Even the debt you may have owed is all cleared -- you start on a clean slate. And your new adoptive parent would bring you in as his own. You get the inheritance and enjoy every privilege of being a true son/daughter in that family. we become new people.
When we are adopted into God's family - the former life is gone and a new life begins. The debts, the regrets of the former life are all cleared and you start on a clean slate.

As Christian brothers and sisters - there is no need to bring up each others faults from the past because if God doesn't hold it against them, why should we?


How are you doing with your 30-Hours of "Being Still" and unplugging before God...
Some ideas:
-Leave your iPod or the music function on your cell phone off for this week
-Take a walk and just marvel at God's creation -- lots of trees and pollen floating around this week.
-Sit down in silence..
-As you do your homework, constantly ask yourself this question: How did God do that? How did He bring all of this together?
It doesn't mean you have to spend 30 hours doing something -- it's actually the opposite -- just unplug. If you're going to do your homework.. just do it - unplug from all the distractions.. try to just enjoy the studying part, the learning part, the part that involves amazing facts entering your wonderful brain.
If you're going to eat, enjoy it - the wonderful flavors, the conversations with family and friends..
It's really 30 hours of enjoying everything you're doing and not multitasking.
I hope you enjoy!

Just do one thing at a time... :)

May 14 - 2 Corinthians 11:16-33

Do you think you can one-up Paul?

jailed, flogged, beaten up, shipwrecked - the list goes on... yet, the biggest suffering Paul endures is seeing a brother or sister deceived or fall to sin.
This is his biggest concern.

Paul had credentials. He was "successful" in many ways but this is not what he boasts about. His boasting is in his sufferings. His "glory" is in his sufferings. He even suffers with the brothers and sisters that suffer at the hand of sin. The church at Corinth were more impressed with preachers that came by with impressive speeches, demonstrations, gifts..

Paul doesn't come in a fancy suit. He doesn't preach sermons that make people feel good about themselves. He doesn't come to win the people's favor. His only concern is that he wins them to Christ. His boasting is in his sufferings.

If you look back at your life - what do you boast in?
Do you boast in the worldly successes?
Or, do you boast in the times your friends mocked you for praying in public? Or, when they thought you were stupid for fasting?

Do we boast in our sufferings? Do we give suffering the credit it deserves?

May 13 - 2 Corinthians 11:1-15

The heart of a pastor, a shepherd, even a parent who cares for you...

Paul is sometimes a bit harsh, a bit blunt -- but he says so out of love. He made sure that he didn't ask for any offering from the Corinthians. He sacrificed his time, energy so that he can come to the Corinthians to deliver this message and win them to Jesus...

Try to imagine Paul's heart. You've poured your energy, your time, your money into a person's life - only to find them deceived by the devil... How would you feel?

This is Paul's heart. This is the heart that we are called to have towards the people we are called to minister to.. whether it be our friends, family - and in the future, our own children.

May 12 - 2 Corinthians 10

Much criticism comes to leaders. They're in the spotlight... but honestly, who are we to judge. What standard do we judge others by? Our standards?

Verse 12 says that when we measure ourselves by our own standards- we're not wise.

How do leaders stand and continue their work in the midst of expected criticism?
How does Obama keep going when every single day he is literally graded by the public and scrutinized in every move?

How do ministers, servants in the Lord keep going even in the midst of criticism by people judging by their own opinion and standards?

Well, Paul knows something --
Verse 18 "For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends."

If you're feeling opposition or if you're the one opposing -- ask yourself: Would the LORD GOD be proud of you and support you?
Would He place His seal of approval on you or the person in question?

Really, that's all that matters.

May 11 - 2 Corinthians 9

Background: The Corinthians and those in the nearby Achaia(Achaea) region have expressed a desire to support the more needy Christians in Macedonia. Here's Paul keeping them to their word.
He not only reminds them of their commitment but sets a plan to send people to make sure the project/offering goes as planned.

A lesson in giving..
We're not just talking giving donations or offering. We're talking giving in life. When you put a lot of hours into a project, a test -- you expect the same return. It doesn't make sense that if you put in little that you get a lot back.
In the same way -- put in your best efforts, put in your best - and you will get the best. If you didn't give your best then don't expect the best results.

In giving to God - God loves a cheerful giver. Don't give just because you have to.. The flip side is that some people just never give because they don't feel as if they're just quite "cheerful" enough to give. Sometimes we have to "train" ourselves to give in the beginning and keep that in check so that we're not giving out of obligation or even of habit -- make sure that our giving to God is new every day... That is why it's so important to be thankful everyday for everything. It keeps us "cheerful" in our giving.

Give a lot and your best in all things... and let's do it cheerfully.

If you've got that homework or that test to study for.. give a lot and do it cheerfully..

we've got that 30-hour famine.. give a lot and give cheerfully.
:)

May 10 - 2 Corinthians 8:16-24

What a joy it is to have partners, brothers, sisters, friends as we pursue God and His kingdom together...

There is strength in numbers.. Bad attitudes can spread but also good attitudes can spread also. If you think you're alone pursuing the kingdom of God - know that God is the one who places desires in our hearts and brings us together.

May we run this race together because God has brought us together.

Encourage one another as we seek Him with the things He has placed on our hearts. You are not alone.. God always sends people to walk with you.

Game Time!

May 9 - 2 Corinthians 8:1-15

After tragedy hit the people at Macedonia - their true colors came through in the midst of adversity...
In the worst of times, your true colors show through...
During this time of hardship - what colors are we showing through - those of forgiveness, generosity, mercy -- or that of anger, resentment and bitterness..

May beautiful colors shine through during this time and may we keep at it by the strength that comes from the Holy Spirit.

May 8 - 2 Corinthians 7

Paul was so upset with the Corinthians, he wrote a very harsh letter criticizing the Corinthians. He was concerned about how the Corinthians might respond so Paul sent Titus to Corinth to check out how things were, how they responded to the letter. But, Paul did not hear anything from Titus. So, while Paul was awaiting word from Titus in Macedonia he was deeply distressed, even depressed..and this is the pain that he is speaking of.

But, Paul was comforted by finally seeing Titus and even moreso hearing Titus' message - that the Corinthians received the letter well- and they were even looking forward to seeing Paul...

How would you react if someone came into our church and told us how messed up we were? Most people would get defensive... Would we respond in agreement like the church in Corinth did?
Because the grief and sadness caused by Paul's "pointing out of their sin" -- actually led to a realization of their sins and then towards repentance...
So, godly grief-- sometimes getting down in the dumps.. sometimes a church going through bad stuff is a good thing -- because it finally makes us repent.

If we never suffered as a church we may never realize our sinfulness and we may never repent.

There are times where a church may be revealed for its sinfulness. It is embarrassing. It is sad.. Sometimes we are shocked -- "our church messed up?"

But remember, godly grief leads to repentance that leads to salvation.

sometimes grief and sadness -- a down period with God is a good thing.

May 7 - 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers... when we're talking "yoked" we're speaking of a contraption used to bring the strength of two oxen together when using animals to pull a cart. If you're going to be "yoked" together or attached together you would like for the two oxen to move in the same direction. If each ox has a different belief system, then it is very hard to move at all and basically, you'll end up just arguing about moving at all - and never really get to moving towards something.

Can I date non-Christians? The answer here would be NO. Why?
What is dating for? To find a spouse (marriage)
If you have no interest in marriage then you shouldn't date (yet).
Can people find their future spouse while in high school? Yes. But they are few.. it's takes a lot of maturity to figure out who you are and who you are compatible with.. even people in their 20s have a hard time with that.

When you are "yoked" together, you're carrying a burden together and walking together? Think about it -- what kind of a person would you want to be "yoked" to?

May 6 - 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

"open wide your hearts also..."
NOW is the time...
Verse 12 speaks of restricting ourselves.. Sometimes we restrict ourselves so that we cannot experience the fullness of God.

And, when we talk of fullness of God, really experiencing God - it's not all pretty. Paul describes it: beatings, hunger, sleeplessness- but also purity, patience, genuine love...
It's this amazing place where it doesn't really make sense. verses 8b on..
"We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything."

People think we're suffering, dying - but really we're not. We may seem to have nothing - but yet we really have everything. It's a completely different way of seeing life, thinking about life, living life..

Now is the time.. so open wide your hearts. Don't restrict what God is desiring to do in your life...

May 5 - 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

When Jesus died for our sins and gave us new life - a life that no longer leads to death nor is bound by death - we live no longer for ourselves but for the one who gave His life for us.

And so, this ministry of reconciliation is not so much people being reconciled to one another but people being reconciled to God. And who are the people called to do that? US. No, not the United States - you and me, us. We are called to be Christ's ambassadors, His representatives to tell them of a new relationship, a new life that is possible through Jesus Christ. From there, reconciliation is bound to happen between people - but what is most important is that people, God's very creation, are reconciled to their Maker.

What is the difference between charitable works and missionaries? Charitable works, social justice work focuses on people and relies on the goodness of people. Missions work involves people being reconciled to God. When any relationship involves God, things are going to happen. When relationships only involve sinful, making mistakes people -- well, other things are going to happen and sometimes it gets ugly.

Doing good isn't the only important thing... being good (as in right standing with God, the judge) through the blood of Jesus Christ matters eternally.

May we participate in the ministry of Reconciliation - reconciling our friends, families and neighbors to God.