Monday Hmtg at the Ards'

"So, to me it's an encouragement. First of all, it's an encouragement that someone will fight for me when I  do have the first defeat, the second defeat which brings on the third which is where he was captured by Chedorlaomer. But, on the other hand, I also have a responsibility, if someone is captured, to fight for the brother."

"... Really, that is not enjoying Christ. That's blaming and condemning which we have no authority to do. Even though Lot had done something terrible, and I agree with Randall, he knew what he was doing. He chose to go put his tent by Sodom and then eventually just ended up living right there in the city. That was his choice, so it would be easy to say, "well, it's what he chose, so just pay the consequences." But, that's not enjoying Christ. Christ's heavenly ministry fights for the brother."

"Once he separated, then it was easy to move into Sodom, and once he moved into Sodom, then if was so easy for him to be captured. Why did four kings come against the five kings? To capture Lot. In other words, if Lot had not gone into Sodom, Sodom would've not have to have four kings; four kings would've not have to come to the five kings. God arranged. God caused the four kings to capture the five kings to capture Lot. So, Abraham could have a way to enjoy Christ. ... What do you expect? If you're going this way, then you are going to get in that trouble, but that was not Abraham's thought, nor was God's. He was the one who set the four kings to capture Lot."

Last night, the home meeting covered "Enjoying Christ in His Heavenly Ministry by Fighting for the brother."It's so enjoyable both to prepare for the meal and to be with the saints in the meeting.  We are all in His body, fighting for each other.



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Today is the day I participate in Genesis bible study held by CSOS(Christian Students on Campus) at UT. Rebecca told me this morning that a group that was supposed to speak on section 2 needed our group to support since that group is not big enough. Thankfully, the section 2 [Melchizedek - Interceding for and ministering to Abraham] is exactly the same part which we were all sharing last night.


What struck me out was the title for today's reading which is enjoying Christ in His Heavenly Ministry by Fighting for the Brother. At least for me, when we're talking about enjoying the Lord, it's easy to think of eating and drinking for my enjoyment. But, here this message is telling us how to enjoy Christ when we see a brother or a sister is taken captive, and that is fighting for the brother. That's a way of enjoying Him in His heavenly ministry because according to Hebrews 7:25 Christ, the high priest, according to the order of Melchizedek in his heavenly ministry lives always to intercede for us. Today the situation is quite similar that it seems to us  that it's impossible to rescue a brother, like in Genesis 14 there were four kings against five kings to capture Lot. But, he went to fight for him by faith, and actually behind the situation was Melchizedek who is a type of Christ, interceding for him. It's so encouraging to see that there's always a someone who's gonan pray for us when we have failures, and to see that we have a responsibility to be one with Him interceding for our brother, and He is so faithful to minister Himself as bread and wine when we fight for our brother.

February 9th, 2014

@ Prophesying Meeting at the Congress hall 

People believe in God for many things. God revealed Himself to these many things; then, people believe. But not until Genesis 15:6 that it says people believed Jehovah and it accounted to him as righteousness. So, when I believe in God to meet all my needs … that does not cause me to be accounted by God as righteous. That’s a big point. Secondly, what if you believed concerning this point, you know, what God opened up this week, it was about God’s inward work in him to bring forth the seed. What that means in our Christian life is to bring forth Christ, because Christ does fulfill God’s purpose. When I believe in God to receive Christ, for Christ to live in me, for Christ to be formed in me, and for me to be built up with the brothers and sisters in Christ, that will fulfill God’s purpose … that’s the faith that makes God happy. When I believe in God to get me a job, to provide me a wife, food on the table … those are good and are all positive, but it’s not the faith that’s going to cause God to account me as righteous. Lord, Christ is in me. Christ is living in me. Christ is being formed in me, and I’m with some brothers and sisters that are experiencing the same thing. I’m even being built up with them in Christ for Your kingdom to come to this earth. That’s what makes God happy. Praise the Lord! What a revelation, brothers and sisters. May we just be continually under this kind of seeing in our Christian life and in our church life. This is the kind of faith that God is wanting from us.

Br. David 

It was Genesis chapter fourteen that Abraham went out, followed the kings and rescued Lot, and that’s where he believed in the God the Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth. It was right after the king of Sodom said to Abraham, “Give me all the people and take all the possession for yourself.” Abraham said, “No.” He says there, “I’ve lifted up my hand to Jehovah, God the Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth,” showing that he believed in God who could provide everything that he needed. It didn’t say at that point Jehovah accounted him as righteous. Then the next chapter starts with, “after these things the word of Jehovah came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid. I’m your shield and exceedingly great reward.” So, there He reveals Himself, and he’s going to take care of Abraham. The ministry points out that probably Abraham was a little bit nervous. Maybe they’re going to come back and try to get retrieval, so he is a little fearful. Then He said, “Fear not.” He takes care of his outward situation, but then he says, “I’m your exceedingly great reward,” showing Abraham a little hint, “I’m what you need,” “I’m your reward.” And then the next word out of Abraham, he didn’t say, “Wow, thank you Jehovah. You are my reward.” Abraham said to Jehovah, “what will you give me, for I’ll go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus? So, right away he goes back to his need. But here is a thing. Abraham’s need could be mingled with God’s need to fulfill God’s purpose, so here you have a marriage of Abraham’s need and God’s need to fulfill His purpose. Here’s what Abraham says, and he kind of goes back. He says, “That’s not going to be the heir. Don’t worry about that.” He revealed His purpose again to Abraham, but the word of Jehovah came to him, saying, “This man shall not be your heir, but he who comes out from your own body shall be your heir” and then talks about them being the stars and number like the stars, like it says. The point is here; it’s not until our believing is joint to God’s purpose that God says, “That’s what I want.” “I count that as righteous.” You are a mass you have all these things. But the fact, that you are going to join your faith with My purpose - That’s what I’m looking for. That’s what I want to get out of this situation and so to our situation. Many times we are going through the situation and we have needs. It’s not bad to say, “Lord, I need this, I need that.” But, it’s not until our heart somehow has a shift and it’s open and willing to believe, Lord in this circumstance gain what you’re after in me. Lord, in this circumstance produce Christ in me so that out of that could be something for the fulfillment of your purpose. It’s not until that point that God says, “righteous” That faith justifies you for My purpose.  

Br. Zick 

In the late afternoon at the Lord's table meeting, there were lots of fellowship going on about gospel trips in Edinburg and Arkansas, College Outing, and baptism. A sharing from a freshman at UT who got into a home for the first time was very touching. She said, "Thank you for being so attractive a group of people." 

Last week, what was sweet to me was a sister's testimony, ended with saying, "The Italy students love hearing that our God is romantic."

February 8th, 2014 College Outing

For the College Outing, I was in a group with Rebecca, Shield, Lydia, and Ello. First we were invited to Paula Vazquez for lunch. The house was beautifully decorated in a typical Mexican way. There, I eventually got to eat the real Mexican food, not the TexMexican. (but the funny thing was that my housemate was going to cook the real Mexican food for dinner tonight) After having lunch, we sat in a circle and started reading today's portion of ministry message which is about the God of Issac. One third of us couldn't speak English, so a bilingual sister translated after we read one or two sentences. 

I enjoyed this: In Abraham we can see God's purpose and God's demand, but we have to go beyond that. We just can't stay there because we need God's power to be up to His expectations. In Issac, we see God's power which is actually His life within us, enabling us to reach the goal. According to Genesis, Issac didn't do anything but just enjoy and receive what his father had. When we enjoy the Lord, we are infused with Himself; the life in us grows. And that life only can do something for God's purpose. 

We moved to the other home, Bergeleens' for dessert. We were talking about some random things like Jewish education and tiger mother, eating brownies with Bluebell ice cream. Introducing myself to the family, I added, "I'm studying education, and that's why I read the book which was written by a tiger mother." While people were cracking a laugh, a sister looked at me and asked if I'm the one who lives with B and C. I said yes and she said that she is the one that was talking with me on the phone about my field project which is going to be at Josline elementary school. She is teaching kids there. I was so surprised at this Lord's sovereign arrangement because I really needed to meet her to set up time for the volunteering work. I was kind of concerned about that because I didn't want to bother someone whom I've not met face to face, calling and texting. I think she recognized me because I mentioned my major. 

We continued reading the rest part of the message. I appreciated seeing the picture from the God of Abraham, the God of Issac, and the God of Jacob that first we need to know Christ and second we know ourselves to accomplish His goal. It could be paraphrased like this, we have confidence in Christ, but we lose our own confidence. 

It was such a sweet house to house time. 
Can't wait to receive the pictures taken by Lydia.  

02.04.14. Prophesy Meeting

"We just don't know how to go on. we feel like we can't go on. it's too much. we read this wonderful ministry, and it just seems impossible, but we continued on this journey. It didn't seem to matter that we had all these failures. We just continued because God kept appearing. And I just realized in the evening so often when I'm tired I just think I'm gonna quit. but somehow other in the morning the Lord appears. and You are ready to go on. and not only that but so many, that you see that it seems they stopped. They're not on the journey  .Well, it's only for a little while. but we really spent a lot of time this week praying, "Lord, appear. Appear to that one." and sometimes the Lord says call him and you appear to him. I mean if we would be ready in season and out of season to speak something they'll have God's appearing. Call somebody and just speak the truth. The Lord will appear, and they will be strengthened. Praise the Lord this is all we need. God's appearing and their speaking. Not just for us individually but for all the others. Pray and then speak."