A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

I don’t know why I read or watch the news.  I understand that it keeps me informed about what goes on in the world today, but often times I wonder how good it really is for me.  There has only been a few times (that I recall) where I felt positive and hopeful about what’s happening.  Hopelessness, frustration, sadness resulting in deep sighs and side comments in response to news like “we all need Jesus” or “Jesus needs to hurry and come” seem to overwhelm my thoughts and emotions.  However, as I was reflecting this week, the Lord reminded me of His sovereignty.  It wasn’t a cop-out reminder for myself, a reassuring word and thought to say for me to dismiss the reality of life, but a true reminder that He has the whole world in His hands.  Isaiah 66 has come to mind often, “Heaven is His throne, earth is His footstool” – He is indeed a big, mighty, sovereign God.  If you think on the events in scripture, especially throughout the Old Testament, we see God’s power, hope, and love shine through in some of the darkest moments of Israelite history.  Imagine being in captivity for generations, brainwashed by different rulers and forced into cultures and traditions foreign to your own.  But in the midst of that, the Lord sends people to remind greater Israel that He is still God and they are still His people, if they would turn from idols and obey.   God knows all and will respond accordingly in His perfect timing.  Whether it’s in your life or in this world, He is sovereign, He is faithful, He is a mighty fortress.  I leave you with a hymn called “A Mighty Fortress is our God” by Martin Luther that has encouraged me this week:

A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and pow'r are great,
And, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His name,
From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle. And tho' this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph thro' us.
The Prince of Darkness grim�
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly pow'rs,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Thro' Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God's truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

From Pastor Keeyoung’s Heart

July 5, 2015

I went to get a pedicure with my wife Mina a couple weeks ago.  It was highly uncomfortable.  Not only because I was the only man in there and women were secretly laughing at me (I’m used to that – I get my hair cut at hair salons, have bought clothing at Forever 21, and in general, have experienced girls laughing at me, Mina included, as a daily experience) but because it feels weird to have someone touch your feet like that.  I’ve never had anyone handle my feet this way before.  The closest I have come to experience someone massaging my feet is when I try to rub my calloused toe on Mina and she punches my foot.  It’s quite soothing.
So, I had to distract myself.  I tried watching whatever was playing on TV, but it was “The Notebook”, which is probably one of the worst chick flicks ever made.  And I’m not biased against chick flicks – you are talking to the guy whose very first DVD purchase was “You’ve Got Mail” starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (Side note: you know you’re old if you hear the movie title and automatically hear the sound of dial-up.  Also, if you know what dial-up is.)  But the movie just does not do the book any justice!  (Hmmm… maybe I shouldn’t have admitted that I read the book.)  In any case, I had to resort to playing a game on my phone just so I could focus on something other than the woman handling my feet and making fun of me to her co-worker while Mina took pictures of my discomfort because my wife’s favorite pastime is laughing at my pain.
Afterwards, I thought about how we as Christians believe the washing of feet is such an intimate act.  Partially because it’s so utterly humbling – feet are disgusting things – but mostly because our Lord did this very act – he knelt down before his disciples and washed their feet: disgusting, calloused, smelly, hairy, and all.  Even the feet of Judas were wiped clean.
And I wonder how the disciples reacted.  We know that good old Peter first tried to refuse it, then asked Jesus to basically give him a backrub at a Korean spa.  But I wonder if the others responded the same.  Were they as uncomfortable as I was at the nail salon?  Were they ticklish?  Did they refuse eye contact?  Did they feel guilt or shame knowing how dirty their feet were?
The truth is, Jesus washes our feet every day.  Because every day, he forgives us our sins.  He takes the filth and grime around our hearts, our hearts that are so not used to being touched and warmed and massaged, and wipes them clean with his own blood and tears.  When I stop to think about it, that makes me just as uncomfortable as any pedicure.  But we don’t often stop and think about it, do we, church?
I have a friend who has gone to missions in India to work with the Devadasi, a group of women in Hindu culture who are trapped in their station in life as temple prostitutes.  In a society with no social mobility, girls born into the lowest caste of poverty and insignificance are dedicated to a Hindu goddess and serve the rest of their life in sex work to provide a means for their family.  At one of the conferences put together by a local missionary to encourage these women, my friend and his other short-term missionaries sat the women down and washed their feet, one by one.  At first the women protested – the caste they are in is literally called “the Untouchables.”  But soon, their protests gave way to tears as men and women from a faraway land touched their filthiest body parts with a tenderness and love that they had never experienced before.  And in that touch, many of them saw Jesus for the first time in their lives.
For women (and men) who get pedicures all the time, it’s easy to get over the discomfort of someone touching your feet.  For us, who are forgiven all the time and take grace for granted, it’s easy to forget that there was a cost to our forgiveness and mercy.  But there’s even grace for our forgetfulness.  And even better, we can share in that grace with others too.  Let’s go wash some feet, church.

From Pastor David’s Heart
June 28, 2015

Happy Father’s Day

Boy, it’s Father’s Day again it kind of crept up on the Summer.  It’s a nice idea to honor dads but as a holiday compared to Mother’s Day we are a distant second, an afterthought. Last month when the church Mission Support event was scheduled for this afternoon none of the 3 pastors (all fathers) even realized it was on Father’s Day. I think my wife pointed that out to me later, oops. So not even the Dads are paying attention to our own special day either.
I joke of course. But we fathers don’t necessarily need that kind of outward gesture of appreciation and affection. Unlike mothers we don’t automatically relate to or identify with the emotional bonds that exist, or ought to exist, with our children. It’s complicated. We’re not comfortable with the emotion of it. We were raised by a generation of fathers of a past traditional paternal role where all this touchy feely kind of close relationship was not expected.
So the modern role of the father has changed for the better but we struggle with it. Our own fathers were not that relational or affectionate and so we’ve had to find a path to our children’s lives on our own. It’s especially challenging for a father and son to be close. I love being a father to my 11 year old son Julian but I struggled early on with my own issues before he and I had a stronger relationship. I wasn’t close to my own father growing up. Oh sure I have fond childhood memories of doing lots of fun things with my father like on family vacation at the beach and going salmon fishing together.  But later on as I grew older it was more difficult to find common ground between us. And as a young adult I didn’t want to listen to my father or anyone else for advice and so my relationship with him became even more strained. So after high school and even college he and I were distant, even though I still loved him but we had no way of expressing it.
But there comes a time as we grow older that we start to know and appreciate our parents as adults and so the relationship evolves to a mutual friendship. Of course the Bible says for us to honor our parents and I think it’s a challenge for the guys especially to honor their fathers. But as time goes by we age and mature and all of those obstacles that held the relationship back before hopefully fall by the way side and what remains is the love and appreciation for one another.

Happy Father’s Day!

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
June 21, 2015

Back when my wife was 8 months pregnant with our son, Andrew, we were living in Sacramento, California. I had come home from the church office on a Thursday late afternoon. We had an appointment to take a tour of the hospital that we were planning to go to have our baby. This was before we even knew we would be moving to VA and having Andrew here. We were running a little late, so my wife made a makeshift dinner. We sat down to eat, and there in the middle of the table was a plate of what I thought was sautéed red onions. So I started eating it along with rice and the rest of the side dishes of meat and kimchi. As I was eating the red onions, something just did not seem right. It seemed raw and uncooked. Rather than questioning her cooking, I said “This tastes good!” and kept on eating it. I just thought maybe this is how people eat red onions in Korea nowadays. I don’t know if some of you have ever had raw red onions, but the taste and smell is so strong. Some of the pieces brought tears to my eyes from the spiciness, but I kept on chomping away and ended up finishing the whole plate.
After we quickly ate, we rushed out the door and started driving to the hospital. The smell of onions was beginning to take over the car. I tried everything. Driving with the windows down. Blasting the AC. Closing my mouth. But nothing worked. Just as it was getting unbearable, we arrived at the hospital. We signed in for the tour and waited in the lobby. Slowly, the lobby was getting filled with other people who were taking the tour. The onion smell reeked. There was absolutely nothing I could do to stop it. What made it worse was for parts of the tour we had to pack into the elevator. It was a short trip up and down, but if felt like an eternity for us and the people packed in that confined space with the stench of onions as our only source of air. I don’t think I have ever smelled so bad in my life. I don’t think I will ever smell so bad in my life.
Towards the end of the tour, we were walking behind the rest of the group (it was the least I could do to help them deal with my stink), and my wife turns to me and says “You really smell bad!” I replied “Yea, I know, it’s from those red onions.” To which she said “I didn’t want to tell you that I had forgotten to cook them and that you were eating raw onions because you seemed to be enjoying them so much!” We both just bust out laughing. We were laughing because I stunk so much. We were laughing because all these people were suffering because of me. We were laughing because they knew I was the source of the smell. We were laughing the whole car ride home. Needless to say, I was so happy to rinse my mouth and brush my teeth when I got home. I’ve also become more careful with my onion consumption after this had happened.
That day, I literally experienced what Jesus meant when he said “Nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean. It’s what comes out of a person that makes a person unclean.” in Mark 7:15. Although, we may not be able to “smell” things like cursing, blasphemy, pride, judgement, condescension, envy, lewdness, and other things that can come out of our mouths, I’m sure that it probably smells worse than the smell of red onions coming from my mouth. Let’s not take lightly what comes out of our mouths. Instead, let’s watch our stank!

From Pastor Eugene’s Heart
June 14, 2015

As Summer begins, I’m sure many families are planning out family vacations. I grew up in a family culture where a family vacation was not on our family calendar of events. I don’t remember going on any vacations growing up in Korea and even when we moved to the States, we didn’t have the luxury of going on family vacations. My parents, just like any other immigrant families, were always busy working so I can’t really recall a time when our whole family went on a family vacation. However, things are different now with my kids. We’ve already been to a couple of family vacations in the past so the kids are looking forward to going on a family trip over the summer. I was just doing a random search on “taking vacation” on google and came across an article titled “Take a vacation, or die?” The article basically talks about how taking vacations is needed to be physically and mentally healthier. They refer to studies that link health problems for people who fail to take annual vacations. So make sure you plan a vacation over the summer, you deserve it!
There are many of us who have served in ministries for so many years without any breaks in between. I say this very carefully because I don’t want all teachers and volunteers to step down from serving all at once, but you should know if you are due for a “vacation” to refuel and to be replenished to be able to continue in your calling that God has given you. If you are serving out of duty and responsibility rather than the joy of serving God’s people or if you simply are overwhelmed with too much “workload,” you may want to ask God for His wisdom and guidance in taking necessary steps to have the passion and the joy of serving restored before you completely get burnt out. I recently started reading a book called “Leading on Empty” by Wayne Cordeiro. It’s a book that deals with “burnouts” among church leaders and those who are actively involved in ministry. Not that I didn’t know about the potential burnout that I could face in ministry, the book is reminding me to take preventive measures to avoid the same mistakes that the author made which eventually took him longer to recover from. Just as a family vacation takes a lot planning to make it happen, a spiritual “vacation” needs to be well thought out, planned and has to be followed by God’s clear prompting. Please discuss with your spouse and talk with your ministry leaders and pray together to find creative ways to make it happen if you are suffering from burnout.
So start planning your vacation now if you have not done so! It doesn’t have to be a week long vacation in Hawaii or Cancun. A short trip to ocean city or even a day trip to a nearby location will do. However, when you plan your vacations, try to avoid missing Sunday services if you can work around it. Maybe I have an old school mindset but Sunday service is something that we should value as Christians. And the children have to grow up learning that coming to church on Sunday and worshipping together with the church family is very important. However, I know that missing one or two Sundays due to a well-deserved family vacation is needed and very understandable.  Just make sure to attend a nearby church service if you happen to travel on a Sunday and if you go to a place where you can’t find a church, I suggest a family service. For those who may not feel comfortable leading a service and sharing the Word with your children, there are “Online or LIVE STREAM” worship options available on many church websites as well so don’t let a Sunday go by without coming together to worship wherever you are! =)

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
June 7, 2015

Are You Graduating?

Congratulations to all graduates; you’ve done it! Congratulations on your outstanding achievement! I know it must have been a very proud moment for all of you. Two of my own children, Peter and Grace, graduated from graduate school and college this year. I was proud just watching them as their names were called to receive their diploma. Of course, I couldn’t enjoy the moment peacefully because my wife gave me a mission to take pictures. For a moment, I was reminiscent about their first day of school, as they got on the school bus for the first time in their life. Indeed, the time has passed so quickly. Now they are ready to move out into the world. So… all graduates, are you ready for the next phase of your life?
We all know college graduation is not the end - it's only the beginning! School was never meant to teach you everything you needed to know. It merely equips and prepares you. An education is meant to give you all the necessary tools and skills you will need to dig out the deep treasures of life. Still, you must do the digging. That’s why they call graduation, “commencement.” To commence means “to begin.” Now you must use the tools and skills you’ve acquired to find the richness of life, and it’s going to take much patience and great endurance.
Mark Twain is often quoted for his "insight" on teenagers. He said, "When I was 14, I thought my father was the most ignorant man in the world, but when I was 24, I was amazed how much the old man had learned in ten years." If you have a teenager, hang in there. If you are a teenager, hang in there too. Patience is a virtue. It takes time to learn and grow in life.
So… what do you want to do with your life? There was once a guy who didn’t like what he was doing, so he tried medicine. After four years of that, he tried law. Then he wanted to be a teacher, but he couldn’t stand kids, so he tried theology. But he didn’t like dealing with people’s problems all the time, so he decided to sell cars. Of course, he wasn’t very good at that either… So you’ve got the idea where I’m going with this.
Be sure the area you enter is where God wants you, not where you want to be. Then when you get there, stay there and stick it out. Become excellent at it. Anything is possible when you just believe in God and in yourself. Step into the future with a prayer in your heart and you'll soon reap the fruits of your efforts and hard work! The true meaning of a christian's life is to commit to God in whatever you do and your plans will succeed. 
Jesus said, “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). Jesus can give you an education that lasts forever.

Continue to study God’s Word to know what His will for your life is. Don’t just know some facts about the Bible, but get to know Him so you can understand Him. Then, step by step God will show you the life path you need to walk on. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust the Lord with your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” God bless and congratulations!

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
May 31, 2015

This Monday is Memorial Day.   This Federal holiday is said to have its origins in honoring soldiers killed in the American Civil War back in 1866.  Since then American soldiers have fought in many wars, both at home and abroad, and on Memorial Day we are to honor all who died while serving in the military.  I do have to confess, however, that I spend more time thinking about the Memorial Day cook-out and the beginning of summer than remembering those who paid the ultimate sacrifice so we can enjoy freedom, comfort, and joy of life in this great nation.  As I started thinking about Memorial Day, I became curious as to how many US soldiers have died in various wars over the years and found the following data (Sources: US Army Military History Institute; iCasualties.org):

*These numbers reflect only reported war deaths and do not include those wounded and/or missing.

It’s quite ironic and all the more tragic that more US soldiers died fighting against their own countrymen on their own soil than fighting enemies abroad.  To this Korean-American mother, however, the 36,516 soldiers who lost their lives during the Korean War, while defending South Korea from the communist North Korea and China, stand out the most.  So many mothers had their hearts broken over their child’s death on the Korean peninsula!  It’s one thing to lose your child in defending your own country, but have your her child sacrificed for a small obscure country thousands of miles away?  These soldiers, however, certainly did not die in vain.  Because of their sacrifices, South Korea has remained a free, democratic country and has experienced exponential growth in all areas of society, becoming one of the world’s leaders! On a per capita basis, South Korea sends out the most missionaries in the world.  If it had not been for the US and other allies that fought against the communist forces, there probably would be no South Korea today. Instead, there likely would be a unified Korea, but under a communist regime similar to that of today’s North Korea.  Just to think about that horrible possibility gives me chills.  I certainly wouldn’t be who I am or where I am if that had been the case!  I certainly wouldn’t be writing this column this day!

So this Memorial Day on behalf of all the freedom-enjoying people of South Korea, I’d like to express my sincere thanks to all who lost their lives during the Korean War as well as the veterans for sacrificing so much for our freedom.  That priceless, but not free, freedom has led many of us to our ultimate, eternal freedom in Jesus Christ, and for that we will indeed be grateful forever.  I do hope to see many of them in heaven someday and give them a heartfelt salute!

From Pastor Sara’s Heart

May 24, 2015

I’ve been re-assessing my understanding of what “ministry” entails.  The typical understanding of ministry is associated with a calling, a calling that falls only to a specific group of people (think pastors, missionaries, campus ministry workers, etc).  When you’re “called into ministry” it’s usually, in the eyes of many Christians, a holy calling that requires a 3-year masters degree or the equivalent in experience of doing things pastors do.  If that’s the case, are all the other occupations that Christian’s have a less-holier calling, especially if “ministry” is not in their job title? Has “ministry” been pigeonholed to the office of pastor, preacher, teacher (of the Bible), shepherd, prophet, etc? 
In 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, Paul writes to the church in Corinth of how faith in the work of Christ on the cross destroys the old creation and that a new creation is born.  Immediately after, he states in v. 18:
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation
He uses the word “ministry” and the ministry of reconciliation given to believers is a direct result of what Christ did for us.  The few times “ministry” is used in scriptures, whether in Hebrew or in Greek, it is often translated as “service” with no higher or holier definition attached.  Ministry is service to and loving God and people (Matthew 22:36-40), those called into ministry serve, and that seems like a fairly broad statement to all believers.  Furthermore, if ministry of reconciliation (or the service of reconciliation to Christ) is a direct result of Christ’s work, for those who call on Christ for salvation, the ministry is a gift to them – another broad statement to all believers.
Friends, God desires for us to be reconciled through his Son.  He also desires to give us and for us to be a part of the ministry of reconciliation, the job title graciously given to all believers whether your occupation has a holy title or not.  This ministry of reconciliation enables us to share in the joy that the good Father has when people come to the saving knowledge of Jesus.  Simple put, ministry is loving God and loving people and that is a high calling that we all need to be engaged in.
Knowing this, how are you engaged in ministry?  Who are the people in your life that you are serving and loving to point them to Jesus? 
Pray for opportunities wherever you spend your time – with your family, workplace, school… anywhere and everywhere.  That is the heart and call of God for those who know him.

From Pastor Keeyoung’s Heart
May 17, 2015

Moms love unconditionally.
Moms are patient.
Moms know what’s best.
Moms know how to make skinned knees feel better.
Moms have eyes in the back of their head they know what you’re up to before you do.
Moms forgive.
Moms encourage.

I started to make this list of things Moms have a great knack for doing. I know Moms aren’t always perfect but we remember them with fond memories of our childhood of always being there when we needed them the most. Moms have a special relationship with their children more so than Dads I think when it comes to nurturing and caring for their children.  Children will always seem to turn to the Mom. The bond is strong between them whether she’s the traditional stay-at-home Mom or if she works outside of the home. Moms really can do it all. They just seem to find the inner strength to juggle all the roles of mother and homemaker. The children still yearn for the kind of maternal affirmation only a mother can provide. I recall that with my own mother and now see it between my wife and son. And so Moms will always carry that role of providing the emotional support their children need in order to face the challenges of life as they grow older.
The list of things Moms do well for their children may seem to just apply to childhood, especially the part about them having eyes in the back of their head. But as I look at the list I realize the mothering instincts didn’t stop once we grew up. As we grew older and then left the home hopefully we started to appreciate them more for the ways they continually encouraged and supported us. As we matured into adulthood our relationship also matured as we interacted with our Moms as adults and the relationship went from mother/child and became something of a mutual friendship as well. That friendship was a new dimension that I always appreciated with my Mom. She’s always supported and encouraged me even when I haven’t always kept in touch on a regular basis.
But we never want to let go of the nurturing our mothers provide us even as we age. It’s a lesson of grace and love passed down to us that we can strive for ourselves. Amen to that.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
May 10, 2015

Suffering has dominated the headlines this past week.  Whether it was the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal that has claimed over 6,000 lives and 130,000 homes or the massive protests occurring in Baltimore as well as other cities, the news cycle has had no shortage of heart-wrenching messages to deliver.  So much so that the disgusting work of ISIS in the Middle East continuing to murder, kidnap, rape, torture, and sell fellow human beings has gone largely unmentioned.
It’s easy to despair in situations like these.  I’m not sure what kind of person you are, but I’m a pessimist and a realist at heart.  My first thoughts upon hearing terrible news like Nepal or Freddie Gray is to ask God, “Lord, why did this have to happen?  When are these things gonna change?”  And it’s really easy for me to get down and feel like there’s nothing I can do to change the world.  What can I do to help people thousands of miles away who have literally lost everything they own and have no idea where their next meal is coming from or where they will sleep tonight?  What can I do to break down a system of racism and indifference towards people of a certain color and socioeconomic background that has been established by the very political and social infrastructure of this country?  What can I do to change the world?
One answer is – not much.  As an individual, there’s not a lot that this simple man can do.  I have no power.  I have no authority.  I can barely manage my own life – how am I supposed to fix anyone else’s?
But there’s another answer to that question if we call ourselves Christians.  And that answer is to save the world.  As Christians, we believe in a living God who loves His creation and desires for the reconciliation and restoration of all things.  We believe in a God who will “wipe every tear from [our] eyes” (Revelation 7:17).  We believe in a God who commands us to “not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).  We believe in a God who says that “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).  This is the God we follow, this is the God who will save this world.
Education will not save this world.  We are more educated now than we have ever been.  Politics will not save this world.  Look at the rise and fall of all the empires, political movements, and even the current state of affairs in the United States to see what politics has done to improve the world.  There is literally nothing that can save this world from itself other than the redeeming, restoring, reconciling, revealing love of Jesus Christ evidenced by the cross.
Of all the news coverage I saw online of the chaos going on in Baltimore, one of the most striking was when a reporter asked a pastor who was surveying the aftermath of his church’s community service buildings being burned down, “What do you see?”  And the pastor replied “I see revival.  I see the opportunity to rebuild from the ashes.  I see a Church that's been resilient… I see us coming back even bigger and better than before.”  This is who we are.  We are the church.  We are literally the body of the resurrected Christ in the world today.  We are the ones who bring the kingdom of heaven wherever we go.  We are the ones who have the power of the Holy Spirit flowing out of us to touch the lives of everyone we know.  This is who we are.  The task we have is clearer today than ever before.  Will we meet the challenge?
There is a Jewish proverb that states, “I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders.”  Thank God for the shoulders of Jesus Christ that were broad enough to be stretched upon a cross for our sins.  Thank God for the shoulders of the church that are broad enough to be stretched across the world to save it.  Thank God for our shoulders that, though they may seem small, are doing what God has given us the strength to do, whether it be to give sacrificially, pray unceasingly, and love inconveniently.

From Pastor David’s Heart
May 3, 2015

The NFL draft is coming up this Thursday, and it is definitely one of the things that I look forward to each year. Not only because I am curious as to who the Cowboys will be drafting, but maybe more importantly, it means we’re just that much closer to the start of the NFL season. It’s a part of my personal countdown to September that starts with free agency and the draft followed by OTAs, rookie minicamp, training camp, and the preseason. This year’s draft is particularly more exciting for me because the Cowboys have a huge hole to fill at running back. I’m still hoping that AP will get traded to the Cowboys, but in the event that that doesn’t happen, I want to know who they will be drafting.
Every year before the draft, all the NFL teams go through a process of evaluating the college players. They come up with a board that ranks all the players at each position. They even have an overall board, where they rank who they think the best players are regardless of position. I believe this year, the best player overall is supposed to be quarterback Jameis Winston from Florida State. In order for each team to come up with these boards, they go watch players at the NFL combine and even invite certain players for something called a Pro Day. They watch the players run through drills which vary depending on the position that they play. They interview the players, and they watch their college game films. You can just imagine how much work they put in to evaluate hundreds and hundreds of players, and I’m sure each board will have similarities and differences among the different teams. Then on draft day, they use that board to decide who to pick based on what players are taken and what players are remaining. I can imagine it’s a lot of headache and pressure trying to pick players who they think will be successful in the NFL. If they miss on a pick that means time and money is wasted, and they’ll have to deal with a lot of angry fans.
Which really got me thinking, why would these coaches and scouts put in all this effort to make sure that they picked the “right” players? I conclude that it’s because we are imperfect human beings. Since we are imperfect, we need to find the best in order to succeed. For NFL teams to win the Super Bowl, they need a team filled with as many good players as possible. I don’t think there ever was a team that won the Super Bowl with a bunch of no-name scrubs. There was never a team that won with a lot of “Mr. Irrelevants” on their team. Mr. Irrelevant is the nick name given to the last player chosen in the draft.
On the flip side, we see in the Bible that God didn’t have to put in a lot of effort and research to find the best servants for Him to use. He didn’t have a servant board that ranked everyone from best to worst. He was able to use anyone even the most unqualified. God doesn’t have to stress because He is perfect. He can take a team of imperfect people and make them successful. Jesus had the first football team, the 11 disciples (Judas doesn’t count). They were a bunch of no-name scrubs. They all ran away when Jesus died on the cross, and yet God used them to build the church. God used them to spread the good news. God used them to really change the world!
When it comes to serving, it’s not about our worth. It’s not about our skills or talents. It’s about God’s perfection. It’s about Him. God can use Mr. Irrelevants like you and me to do great things.

From Pastor Eugene’s Heart
April 26, 2015

During Spring Break, my family went down to Orlando, Florida for our very first “legit” family vacation. By legit, I mean it was more than just a one day trip to Ocean City. My wife and I always wondered when would be a good time for our kids to go on a long trip and we felt like the kids were old enough and ready for one this year. Plus, to make things a little easier, my wife’s best friend recently moved down to Orlando so Kyunghwa was looking forward to reconnecting with her friend. And of course, the kids were super excited about riding the airplane for the first time and visiting Disney World. On the other hand, I was such a party pooper all along because I usually don’t enjoy going away to far places, especially to a super crowded place like Disney World. However, thanks to my wife’s “gentle nudge,” I eventually came to my senses and left with a happy heart.
On the second day of vacation, we visited Disney World. The kids were so hyped up for the very first hour but as soon as we started lining up to get into different rides, they weren’t so happy anymore. With the help of the Fastpass app, the kids were able to enjoy a couple rides without waiting in long lines but the majority of the time was spent walking around the park and waiting in lines. So our family’s first experience at Disney World was not so great after all. When people asked the kids about their favorite part of the trip, they don’t mention anything about Disney World. Both kids say that spending time at the beach was the best part of the trip. Oh well, at least my wife and I can cross it off on our list of things to do with the kids. If I were to pick the best or worthwhile moment at the Disney World, I would pick the parade that the kids got to sit up close and see all the Disney Characters in real life.
Other than the day spent at Disney World, we thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the time we spent together as a family. It was great not having to worry about giving rides, packing lunches and other work duties. On the last day of the trip, my wife’s friend took us to a local barbeque restaurant called “4 Rivers Smokehouse.” You might have been to this place if you traveled to Florida. It’s a family-owned company run by Christian owners. Their sign said “closed on Sundays” and their mission statement on their website is very powerful as well. “Our mission is simple – to use our God-given gifts to support the local community, schools, and charity organizations. At the foundation, the 4Rivers brand is exceptional products, community support and uncompromised honesty, integrity, and respect (4rsmokehouse.com). Not only was I impressed to find a well-established restaurant that advertises Christian values, I just fell in love with the food they served. If you ever visit Florida, you have to try eating out at one of the “4 Rivers Smokehouse” restaurants, this place was amazing! You know the saying “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” is definitely true. I would love to go back to Orlando just to eat at that place again and show my support for a great company that brings honor to God through quality service to the local community. And on top of their great food, they even had a separate dessert stand within the restaurant with amazing s’more brownies and huge cupcakes.
It was such a great ending to a busy and stressful vacation. What’s amazing is that despite all the bad experiences that I wrote about our time in Orlando, the pictures say otherwise. As I scroll through the pictures I only see the times of laughter, doing many “first time” activities together as a family and enjoying each other’s company. I’m looking forward to many more family trips in the years to come!

From Pastor Brian’s Heart

April 19, 2015

According to the journal, Social Indicators Research, Americans appear to be more depressed now than they have been in years.  Researchers examined data from 6.9 million teens and adults in the U.S., and found that contemporary Americans report more symptoms of depression that affect the body, such as trouble sleeping and concentrating, than people typically did in the 1980s.  This study also shows an increase in symptoms most people don't even know are connected to depression, which suggests adolescents and adults really are suffering more.
Today's teenagers are 38 percent more likely to report problems with memory compared with their 1980s counterparts. They are also 74 percent more likely to have trouble sleeping and twice as likely to have seen a specialist for mental health issues. Contemporary college students in the study were 50 percent more likely to admit that they felt overwhelmed, while adults were more likely to say that they were restless sleepers, had a poor appetite and that, on top of that, everything else was an effort. All of these issues are often manifestations of depression.
"Despite all of these symptoms, people are not any more likely to say they are depressed when asked directly, again suggesting that the rise is not based on people being more willing to admit depression," a psychology professor said.
It sounds pretty depressing, doesn’t it? Is there a remedy other than the use of antidepressants which has doubled since the 1980s? The medications may have helped people with the most severe problems, but they have not stopped a rise in depression symptoms.
Well…  According to the survey done by the Barna research Group, there is a remedy other than taking medication.  Those who read the Bible say they feel peaceful (45 percent), encouraged (41 percent), and hopeful (35 percent), according to a phone survey of 1,012 Americans and an online survey of 1,024 Americans conducted by the Barna Research Group.
Are you living a discouraged and depressed Christian life or hope-filled and upbeat, exciting life?  Are you depressed because you don’t know who you are?  Ephesians 1:4-6 says that God chose you and adopted you as His child and made you equal to Jesus.  And He loves you dearly.  Are you depressed because you feel like you’re stuck? Paul said (v. 7) Jesus paid the price with his life to set you free, and He will show you the way out.  Are you depressed because you don’t know the clear purpose of your life?  Jesus gave you a new plan for your life according to God’s will (v. 9), and God wants you to claim it and enjoy it.  Are you depressed because you lack influence or power?  Paul says Jesus gave you the Holy Spirit (v. 13) because you’ve been baptized with the Holy Spirit the moment you came to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and this power is guaranteed, and it neither can be revoked nor canceled! (v. 14)  The lists can go on and on.
So why don’t people read the Bible more often?  Does it seem like you’re doing your best, only to have one crisis after another come upon you?  Do you feel like the world is crashing on you, and there’s not much you can do about it?  Do you just want to give in?  God’s Word has plenty to say about discouragement and depression and how to deal with them.  Jesus said (John 15:11), “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”  Jesus is the only One who can bring you out from your discouragement or depression completely.  The Bible says it so.

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
April 12, 2015

Remember a time where you experienced heightened joy and happiness.  I’m talking about a memory where you spent hours talking, laughing, enjoying the company of loved ones and the experiences you had with them.  How do you feel now as you think on this moment?  Now remember a time where you experienced the depth of sadness and despair.  A time where you felt there was no possibly reason to rejoice and no hope for the future, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.  How did you feel now as you think on this moment?
Memories invoke the heights and the depths of the range of emotions that make the situations and circumstances you remember a part of who you are and how you became that person.  The idea of remembering is the foundation for the season of Lent, Passion Week, Good Friday, and Easter – and this is not a new idea, especially for God.  During this time, we remember the sacrifice of Jesus, as the perfect and spotless Lamb of God, who died to reconcile man to God and to proclaim freedom for the broken.  We remember with contrite hearts the pain and suffering He had to endure for our sake.  But we also remember the glory of the resurrection, that though death seemed to have had a moment of victory, Christ in His power resurrected from death to life, giving us hope and freedom from sin.  He was victorious over death and gave us that victory.  We have hope because there was resurrection!  Thousands of years later, we remember this time, but the beauty of remembering did not begin post resurrection.  It began with God long ago.
When the Israelites were in captivity in Egypt, we are told in scriptures that God heard the groans of His people and He “remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob” (Exodus 2:24).  This memory, which was never a distant memory but one that He kept near and dear to His heart, was the first step to the great “exodus”, or the deliverance of His people, and the establishment of relationship between God and a group of people.  God remembered His promise to Abraham that his people would be a great nation and a blessing to all peoples.  God establishes the Law through Moses, laws specifically tailored to keep righteousness or relationship between God and the Israelites.  History shows that the laws were broken time and time again and consequently a broken relationship between God and man.  The future of the relationship seems pretty hopeless, other than a few glimmers of prophetic words, but enter Jesus into the story.
Why did Jesus have to come?  The simple answer is to atone our sins.  But that points the subject of the story to humans, and we know in scripture the subject is the glory of God (which we get to be a part of!).  Jesus came because God remembered.  God remembered His promise to Abraham that His people would be a great nation and for that to happen, because of the sin of man, an ultimate price had to be paid.  For God so loved the world (blessing to the nations, promise of Abraham!) He gave His Son. 
As God remembered His people in the book of Exodus, He had the world in mind.  He remembered His promise, saw the sin of man, and for Him to keep this promise Jesus had to come.  This season we remember with heavy hearts the sacrifice of Jesus.  But mourning turns to joy!  We remember and celebrate today, Easter Sunday, that we have life!  We have joy!  We have victory because Jesus is risen!
I pray that today, and everyday of our lives, the joy of Easter would resonate in our lives and we would never be the same.
 
From Pastor Keeyoung’s Heart
April 5, 2015

This past week I attended a fundraiser banquet sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship® (CEF) of Northern Virginia.  Under the theme of “Send the Light,” the banquet sought to raise awareness of the awesome opportunity to minister to the children of Northern Virginia and raise the funds necessary to expand the work of CEF NOVA through Good News Clubs® (GNC). Good News Clubs provide children in public schools (yes, public schools!) an opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and learn how much God loves them.  The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2001 (in Good News Clubs v. Milford Central School District) that Good News Clubs can meet in public schools after school hours on the same terms as other community groups with parental permission.  
Studies have shown that from 60 to 85 percent of all Christians make the decision to follow Jesus Christ before reaching the age of 12.  The 2001 Supreme Court decision helped open the doors to teach God’s Word to tens of thousands of children in this age group.  And in Northern Virginia alone, children from more than 80 different ethnic backgrounds attend public schools, effectively turning public schools into a mission field ready for harvest.  Good News Clubs indeed provide an awesome opportunity to get involved in “overseas” missions without having to travel overseas!  
Good News Clubs meet once a week in the public schools during the school year for about 90 minutes. They are led by a team of three to four volunteers who love children and desire that they come to know Jesus Christ personally and grow in Him.   Over 5,000 Good News Clubs are being held in public elementary schools across the USA.  In Northern Virginia, 28 schools (out of about 330 public elementary schools) have Good News Clubs, reaching close to 900 children each week. In Maryland, Good News Clubs are in over 70 schools (out of 900 elementary schools). This means there still remain over 1000 public elementary schools in Northern Virginia and Maryland without Good News Clubs, having forfeited the opportunity to reach children who may never hear the Gospel otherwise.
To get a GNC in every public school may seem like an impossible task, but it can happen if more volunteers and churches are involved.  I don’t have the exact numbers, but I believe if every church adopted one nearby elementary school, all the remaining schools will be covered.  We at NCFC spend thousands of dollars take the Gospel “to the ends of the earth” through overseas short-term missions, and we should.  But how about ministering to the children from the ends of the earth and are living right in our own backyards as well?  If you cannot volunteer your time, you can help other volunteers through your tax-deductible donations so necessary supplies and snacks can be purchased.  Do you know if your child’s school already has a GNC? If so, would you be willing to volunteer your time?  If not, would you be willing to prayerfully consider starting one?
Several members of NCFC Virginia Campus have also attended the CEF banquet, and I am super excited that a few of them are prayerfully considering adopting an elementary school in the Ashburn area.  Jesus has said, “It is not my heavenly Father's will that even one of these little ones should perish.”  I pray that NCFC members become more active in preaching the Gospel to the children in our “Jerusalem” first, and then be His “witnesses in all Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
March 29, 2015

“Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:14
There is a documentary movie in theaters now called The Drop Box. It’s about a South Korean pastor who has constructed a specially made drop off receptacle at his home entrance in Seoul where unwanted babies born with special needs or to unwed mothers can be anonymously dropped off. Day or night, when a baby is dropped off a bell tone sounds and this pastor and his staff rush to gather the infant child in their arms to pray over and begin the long and arduous journey of providing a lifetime of care and love. It’s both beautiful yet heart-breaking to see.
A month ago I had seen a news clip on the internet of this extraordinary Christian and the saga of his amazing devotion to these children. I didn’t realize it was a documentary movie that would be released in the US until it was mentioned at church staff lunch last week that people had recently seen it. My wife and I had already talked about this story because it has somewhat of a connection to me personally. When I had visited Seoul for two months back in ’96 on a law school internship it was the first time I had returned there since being adopted when I was about 2 years old. My wife (whom I had met that Summer!) had accompanied me to the Red Cross facility there in Seoul where I was prior to adoption to the US. To my surprise they actually had a record of me in their archives from 1969 (wow, I’M OLD!). There wasn’t a lot of information but it did indicate that I had been dropped off at the Red Cross station by a grandmother.
Many of the unwanted Korean newborns aren’t afforded at least this consideration. They are often abandoned on the street by the birth parents or simply disposed of. So much so that this Korean pastor felt compelled to devise this doorway drop box to rescue these precious lives. By grace he did not seek to condemn others but to simply save lives. Every nation struggles with this challenge of providing for unwanted pregnancies, including the US (for example, laws in many jurisdictions allow unwanted babies to be dropped off at police/fire stations without threat of criminal prosecution). However, these Korean children have very little support domestically. Furthermore there have been more than 150,000 international adoptions of Korean babies over the years.
There is obviously something about the culture and social mores that makes it difficult if not impossible for these children to survive and be accepted in their own country, by their own people. The strict adherence to family honor and bloodlines no doubt contributes to this tragic dilemma where lives deemed unfit by the very society that produced them are rejected outright. But there is hope. God’s will cannot be denied. Could it be that the steadfast unyielding work of faithful servants of the Lord such as this pastor will witness to a nation? There is still work to be done. Slowly but surely in God’s own timing may there come a day when God’s unconditional love will prevail over every tribe and nation. Lord willing, hearts and minds will be transformed to transcend cultural identity to an identity in Christ Jesus. Amen to that.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
March 22, 2015

I’ve been traveling a lot for work these days.  When I was younger, I used to enjoy it.  Spend a night in a random city, stay in a clean hotel room where you don’t have to make your bed, order room service, call it a night.  I used to even prolong business trips and leave in the morning so I could sneak in an extra night of free room service.  Now that I’m older and I have a family, I hate traveling and would much rather just be home.  Besides, I don’t make my own bed at home anyway!
It’s funny how priorities change as we get older.  Though I don’t see myself as very old (Timothy may disagree), I also don’t see myself as very young (Destiny may disagree).  But one thing that’s become clear is how different the things I care about have become.  Instead of expensive expensed meals, I’d rather be picking leftover food off my son’s plate as my wife chases him around the house trying to get him to finish his dinner.  Instead of staying up late watching movies ordered to my hotel room, I’d rather watch my kids sleep through the grainy images of a camera monitor.
I wonder if my faith has changed as well.  Everything I read about the movers and shakers of the Christian faith, be it in missions or in culture, seems to hinge around the younger generation.  David Platt became the youngest senior head pastor of a mega church at the age of 26.  Hudson Taylor first went to China as a missionary at the age of 21.  The Student Volunteer movement was an organization founded in the late 1800s that sent hundreds of college students and recent graduates into the missions field and was a huge part in shaping how missions exists in the world at large today.  And this is even true biblically.  King David is believed to have been 12-16 years old when he was anointed King of Israel by the prophet Samuel.  Samuel himself was dedicated to the Lord at the tender age of 12.  Thus, it’s clear that God definitely uses and moves in the heart of our young people to build His kingdom. 
So what does this mean for our church?  For the younger people, it’s obvious – go out and live radically for Jesus!  There will never be another time in your life like now, where you will have the maximum amount of freedom and passion to chase after God.  But for those of us who trend towards the older group, does this mean we’re done living passionately for God?  Are we simply supposed to be satisfied with growing older and taking care of our families and keeping up with the Jones’s?
Heck no.  There’s nothing wrong with taking care of your family and raising up godly children who love the Lord.  But I believe if we feel that’s our ONLY role in the kingdom of God, then we are selling God, and ourselves, very short.  Even though God certainly uses the younger generations to do great things for His kingdom, I believe that He’s got plenty for us older folks as well.  Abraham was 75 years old when he departed Haran for the Promised Land.  Elizabeth is believed to have been 88 when she gave birth to John the Baptist.  And if you’re looking for something a bit younger, this guy named Jesus is believed to have started his earthly ministry at the age of 33.
So, church, let’s not lose ourselves in the world and the rat race.  Rather, let us focus on God and “let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)  I challenge you, if you had dreams as a young man or woman but have given up on them since you’ve gotten older, dream again.  Ask for greater vision.  Pursue deeper intimacy with the Lord.  Even though my priorities may have changed, one thing I know to be true is still the same: God has big things for all of us but we have to be willing participants in HIS story to make HISTORY.

From Pastor David’s Heart
March 15, 2015

By now everyone has heard the things that are going on with ISIS. Couple weeks ago, they beheaded 21 Christian men. They also kidnapped 100 Christians in Syria last week. Why is this happening? Why are so many Christians being persecuted in the Middle East? Is there anything that we can do to stop it?
I believe that this is a call to wake us up. We have it too easy here in the US. We don’t know what it’s like to face persecution. In fact, the most “persecuted” that we might experience is someone laughing at our faith. We have it too comfortable here. I believe this has caused us to be apathetic. We lost the passion and fervor. Coming to church has become a routine on Sunday. Being able to focus during worship has become a struggle. Showing up for Morning Prayer every day has become a struggle (myself included). My whole life, I thought that Morning Prayer was specifically a Korean thing. It makes sense because I grew up in a Korean church. I would ask my non-Korean friends if their church had Morning Prayer, and they would look at me like I was crazy. You do what? That early?
My eyes were opened when I saw that the Spanish church here at NCFC VA campus has Morning Prayer! Wow! Are they like half-Korean? No, they’re not. It was then that I realized that Morning Prayer wasn’t a cultural thing. It was a desperate thing. It was a desperately seeking God thing. The American church used to have Morning Prayer as well, but as America had become blessed, our desperation had faded. We’ve grown too comfortable. We’ve become too complacent. We’re not desperate any more.
When I read about the 21 Christian men who were beheaded, and how they were proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ with their last breath, I was so challenged.  They were so passionate. All they cared about was giving God the glory and having His name be known. They were willing to die for that. I believe that God is calling Christians in America and around the world to our knees. To be a people who are praying with desperation. We know that God is in control of the situation with ISIS and when His timing comes, ISIS will fade away. In the meantime, we need to pray. We need to wake up from our slumber. We need to be ready for the coming of Christ. We need to be alert!
We need to pray for the Christians who are being persecuted around the world. That God would use them to bring people to Him. I believe that God could use Christians to bring members of ISIS to God. If Apostle Paul met God and believed in Him, even though he went around killing Christians, then so can these guys. They need to know that what they’re doing is wicked and evil. The Bible tells us not to repay evil for evil but to overcome evil with good. We can try all we want to defeat ISIS with evil, but nothing can change their hearts except the love of Christ found in the gospel.
Everything begins and ends with the gospel. For us who have lost our passion and zeal for God, meditate on the gospel. As we do that, our relationship will be restored. We’ll be hungry and passionate for Him. Why? Because we realize that we need Jesus. For those who have yet to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, meditate on the gospel. Why? Because you will realize that you need Jesus. The gospel is simple enough for the nonbeliever to come to Christ, and it is deep enough to sanctify the believer. I believe God is using ISIS to give us a wakeup call. The question is: how will we respond?

From Pastor Eugene’s Heart
March 8, 2015

America is a Giving Nation

Charitable giving statistics in the U.S. were reported as follows for 2013:
  - 95.4% of households gave to charity.
  - Americans gave $335.17 billion which is a 4.4% increase from 2011.
  - Corporate giving held steady at $16.76 billion.
  - Foundation giving increased to $50.28 billion--a 5.7% increase from 2011.
  - The largest source of charitable giving came from individuals at $241.32 billion,

     or 72% of total giving; followed by foundations ($50.28 billion/15%), bequests ($26.81 billion/8%),

     and corporations ($16.76 billion/5%).
  - The majority of charitable dollars went to religion (31%), education (16%), human services (12%),

    and grant-making foundations (11%).

Charitable giving dipped a little bit in 2008, but giving is back on track again.  I truly believe our nation is a very generous and giving nation because the nation was founded on biblical principles.  Who said our nation is losing our grip on our faith in God?  Our nation is still staying strong in our faith in God because our giving is strong.
We just finished a series on biblical finance from God’s perspective, and have learned that God loves people who share their wealth with others because God cares about our attitude in giving.  Giving and sharing is very important to God.
One of the ways God evaluates our faith is on the basis of our giving and sharing attitudes. In Matthew 25:34-45, Jesus teaches one of the most exciting and yet sobering truths related to giving. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
Giving to the needy was a core part of Jesus’ teaching. Jesus always personally identified himself with the poor.  What it means is that when we share with the needy, we are actually sharing with Jesus, and it becomes an act of worship, an expression of our love to him, and gratitude for his faithful provision.
So how are you doing with your giving and sharing with others?  Are you still waiting until you have enough to give and share?  It’s not about what I could give if I had $10,000 in savings later; rather it’s about what I could give with the $100 I have now.  You can always begin with a small amount.
Jesus wants us to be like him who was that of an unselfish giver.  Giving is one essential way that will enable us to become like Jesus. The more faithful you are in giving and sharing, the deeper the intimacy in your relationship with Jesus. And it doesn’t end there. Also in God’s economy, the benefit of the giver outweighs the receiver’s. The Apostle Paul said in Acts 20:35, “Remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”  You would think you would lose when you give away what is rightly yours for the sake of others; rather, the opposite happens when you give to others. You would actually gain more. That’s the way God’s economy works! Have faith, and try it and see what happens…

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
March 1, 2015

I’ve been enjoying reading through the book of Genesis as part of the M’Cheyne reading. One important message that God taught me this time around is that Abraham was not only a man of faith who lived a life of obedience, but a good father to Isaac who cared for his son’s spiritual well-being. As his death was near, Abraham asked his servant to do two things (Gen 24):  One, never allow Isaac to marry a local Canaanite woman. Two, never take Isaac back to the hometown, even if he finds a good person. The “wife to be” had to agree to leave her hometown to come live with Isaac. Why did Abraham make such requests? Abraham was more concerned about his son’s spiritual wellbeing (holiness) and carrying out God’s calling rather than marrying a good wife and living a happy life without God. In doing so, Abraham wanted to leave a rich heritage of faith for the next generation. This really made me think about how I am raising my children. What kind of values am I modeling and planting in their lives? Will they live to worship and serve God like their grandparents’ and parents’ generation? With these questions in mind, I came across a good devotional by Charles R. Swindoll that I wanted to share with the church. Enjoy!
A curious phenomenon has plagued families for as long as there have been families.  It's that age-old problem of second-generation fallout that breaks the hearts of godly moms and dads. The scenario goes something like this. A man and woman fall in love and get married.  They also love Christ and desire to serve Him with all their hearts. As their children come along, they teach and train and pray that God will get hold of their little lives and use them for His glory. But what about the now-grown kids? Ah, there's the rub. Somewhere along the way God got pushed way down on their list of priorities. Disciplines like prayer, church attendance, tithing, serving, and serious Bible study got lost in the shuffle.
I recently stumbled upon one of those father-son stories that still speaks volumes. The dad was Hezekiah, a king who took the throne when he was twenty-five and reigned until he was fifty-four. All the while, his heart remained warm toward his God, and God prospered him. What a man! When Hezekiah was forty-two, he and his wife, Hephzibah, had a son, Manasseh. But you'd never know he came from Hezekiah stock. According to the inspired historian's account, he seduced the people of Judah "to do evil more than the nations whom the LORD destroyed" (2 Kings 21:9). What went wrong? Why didn't Hezekiah's righteousness and passion pass to his son? I believe there are at least three reasons:
First, Manasseh had a will of his own as we all do and with that will he stubbornly and deliberately refused to respond to the Lord (2 Chron. 33:10). Second, he was weak-willed and overly influenced by ungodly and wicked associations (2 Kings 21:3, 6). And third, he was neglected by his preoccupied, busy father. The king was at the zenith of his reign when Manasseh was born, and there is every indication that the prince saw little of his father during the formative years of his life. Hezekiah simply never took the time.
Sound familiar at all? While you still have your children under your roof, take time to talk together, to play together, to relax together . . . just to be together.It is amazing how powerful first-generation presence can be when it comes to curing the second-generation plague.
Devotional is from: http://www.insight.org/resources/devotionals/second-generation-fallout.html?ga=homepage-intro#sthash.ZPL1iltj.dpuf

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
February 22, 2015