Word Meditations

2 Chronicles 25 - A Wrong Turn!

2008-01-16T07:41:00.000-08:00

Verse 14: Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them.

When King Joash was assassinated, his son Amaziah became King over Judah. He was twenty five years old. The Bible says that king Amaziah did what was right in the sight of God, but did not have a loyal heart. We can easily fall into this trap--doing everything that we think is right, and on the same token, doing it with the wrong motive. God always looks at our hearts.

One of the wonderful things that King Amaziah did was that he spared the children of the men who assassinated his father. It was common during this time for Kings to eliminate anyone and their families who have done evil against the throne. Amaziah, however, followed Moses' teaching that says, "children shall not be put to death for their fathers." We as Christians should always filter what our society and culture tells us to do through the Word of God.

Another commendable things that King Amaziah did was that he listened to a Prophet of God. The Prophet basically told him to get rid of the 100,000 mercenaries that he had hired with 3 1/2 tons of silver, and surprisingly, Amaziah sent them home. It's always better to obey than to sacrifice. Even if you have invested your time, money and talent on the wrong things, you can always obey and turn back. It's never too late!

Here's the turning point of this story. When King Amaziah defeated the Edomites with his 300,000 men, he did the unthinkable as indicated in our key verse (14). Again, it all goes back to our hearts. If our heart is not fully dedicated and/or loyal to God, we can easily turn the wrong way. King Amaziah bowed down to these idols, and the Lord delivered him into the hands of the Northern Kingdom. At the end, Amaziah fled Jerusalem where he reigned, and was killed in Lachish. What a sad and dispirited ending!

Let us always keep our focus in our hearts on our Lord Jesus Christ!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your Holy Spirit's reign in our hearts. Help us and keep our feet from turning from you. Continue to give us the hunger for your Word, so that we will know the right way to live and obey!

2 Chronicles 21 - Honorable?

2007-12-26T23:12:00.001-08:00

Verse 20: He was thirty-two years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and, to no one’s sorrow, departed. However they buried him in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

After King Jehoshapat had died, his eldest son, Jehoram, took his place as King over Judah. King Jehoram had six younger brothers who had a lot going for them. They had silver, gold, precious things, and fortified cities in Judah. All seemed to be going well until King Jehoram killed all of his brothers, forced his people into idolarty, and did many hainus acts in the sight of God.

Unfortunately for King Jehoram, things quickly turned sour for him. The Edomites revolted against Judah. The Philistines and the Arabians also came against Judah and invaded it. They took away his possessions, his wives, and his sons, except for his youngest son, Ahaziah.

On top of all of these turmoil, the Prophet Elijah's words regarding King Jehoram's intestines came true. For two years, Jehoram suffered an incurable intestinal disease which resulted in his death. He was forty.

Because of his disobedience and cruelty, his people didn't even burn incense for his funeral. As our key verses (20) concluded Jehoram's life story, he was not even buried where Kings were buried. What a tragic story!

Anyone is susceptible to walk in Jehoram's shoes. We have a sinful nature that says, "me first." Jehoram represented a classic dictatorship model--striving for power and control, even at the expense of loved ones. We can easily succumb to these influences and negate what's important. Are we shining as lights to those around us so that they can see Jesus, or are we doing it for self-gratification and prestige?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for empowering us by your presence through the Holy Spirit. Thank you for your Word, for it is our guide in this dark and selfish world. Help us to be your agents of your love and grace. Take away any selfish motive that we have when influencing others for your Kingdom.

2 Chronicles 14 - Total Dependence

2007-12-14T23:39:00.001-08:00

Verse 11: And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!”

When King Abijah died, his son Asa became King over Judah. The first thing that King Asa did was destroyed all the idols, it's place of worship and the high places. He even built and fortified the cities within Judah. During his initial years of being King, there was peace in all sides of Judah. God allowed this time of rest and restoration, because He was pleased with His servant Asa.

Whenever we are comfortable, the Lord sometimes allows a time of testing of our faith. King Asa was tested when Zerah the Ethopian mounted a war against Judah with a million men. So King Asa had 580,000 men against Zerah's million. In the world's eye, Asa doesn't even have a chance to win.

In the midst of this inevitability, King Asa did what anyone ought to do when facing a formidable foe. He simply prayed and surrendered everything to the Lord--total dependence. That is where our key verse, verse 11 comes in.

Do you remember a time when everything seem to go against you? You try getting help from people, places, and doing things, but for some reason, everything seem to get worse. Well, this story of King Asa reminds us that we need to always look to the Lord for guidance and help. He is our salvation!

When King Asa cried out to the Lord, the Lord helped him win the war against the Ethopian King. Victory is ours when we give the Lord our all!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your power in our lives. Help us to always look to you during time of comfort and time of trial. Help us daily, moment by moment, to surrender our all to you!

2 Chronicles 13 - The Lord's Side!

2007-12-13T23:14:00.000-08:00

Verse 12: Now look, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with sounding trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper!”

King Solomon's grandson, Abijah, became King over Judah. King Abijah did evil in the eyes of God, as 1 Kings 15 tells us, but he redeemed himself in a civil war that he had with Israel (Northern Kingdom).

This particular civil war was a testament of what God can do in winning our battles for us when we look up to Him. King Abijah had assembled his 400,000 men from Judah against King Jeroboam's massive 800,000 mighty men of valor. The odds of winning was obviously against Abijah; it's a 2 to 1 ratio, and yet God won that war for Judah. King Jeroboam escaped and eventually died. Sadly, 500,000 sons of Israel fell in this battle.

Abijah's statements that God was on their side both prophetically and practically was the turning point in this war. When we look to God for help in any of our life battles, God will fight our battles and win them for us. The mistake that people often do is to go for help everywhere and seek so-called "experts" everytime, and never ask God for help through prayer and reading of His Word.

When Abijah and his men were surrounded on two fronts, one in front of them and one behind them, the only way to win was to look upward to their God. No matter what you have been through or what you will go through, always remember that if you are on the Lord's side, victory is yours!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being with us in times of joy and in times of sorrow. You understand everything that we go through and you are always there with us. Like Abijah, help us to witness and proclaim the goodnews to those that we come in contact with. Take away our fears of sharing your love to others and empower us with your Holy Spirit!

2 Chronicles 12 - Everything We Need!

2007-12-12T23:50:00.000-08:00

Verse 9: So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house; he took everything. He also carried away the gold shields which Solomon had made.

For three good years, King Rehoboam did wonderful in the sight God and his people. He had fortified the surrounding cities of Jerusalem and strengthened his military might. Economically and militarily, everything was going in the right direction and his kingdom was prospering. Unfortunately, King Rehoboam's heart started to wonder away from the Lord, because he was too comfortable in and proud of all his accomplishments. Furthermore, he had put his trust in his fortified cities for protection.

For the next two years, Egypt and its allies prepared and staged a war against Jerusalem. Under the leadership of Shishak, the king of Egypt, they came and destroyed the surrounding cities of Jerusalem and marched into Jerusalem. There, they took away all of the treasures from the temple and the king's house.

In the midst of this invasion, King Rehoboam and Judah's leaders did the right thing by humbling themselves, and sought the Lord.

God has a way of getting our attention. Sometimes, the Lord allows certain crisis and tradedy to happen, so that we can look to Him for strength. His main goal for our lives is be more like His son Jesus! That means that our character is very important to Him. He wants to mold and shape our character (even if it means allowing pain) to conform to Jesus Christ.

Like King Rehoboam, when we loose our confidence in ourselves and in our stuff, the only way to turn is upward!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your presence in our lives. Thank you for being with us and guiding our steps in this life journey that you have ordained for us. Remind us always that when we are weak, then we are stong because of you. Help us to always put you first in our minds, lives, and hearts. May we always strive to be more and more like your son Jesus!

2 Chronicles 11 - Torn to Greatness!

2007-12-11T22:12:00.000-08:00

Verse 17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

When King Rehoboam realized that his kingdom was divided, he assembled an army to attack the north and bring his kingdom back together by force. The Lord sent a prophet to Rehoboam and told him to cease mounting this war effort, because brothers should not go against brothers. Rehoboam conceded the word of the prophet and redistributed his forces to fortified Jerusalem and cities within his boundaries.

Meanwhile, King Jeroboam of the northern kingdom built himself forbidden places of worship called "high places," and appointed new priests to oversee them. This lead to many God-fearing priests to retreat to the south, where they joined King Rehoboam in worshiping the living God in the Jerusalem temple!

King Rehoboam did great following in his grandfather David and father Solomon's shoes for three consecutive years. While everything is going smoothly, he started marrying women within his clan, took for himself many concubines, and bore many sons. Abijah, perhaps Rehoboam's favorite son, was given the responsibility of being 'ruler among his brothers.'
King Rehoboam certainly had a lot on his plate, just like his grandpa and daddy!

When one thinks about why God would allowed this kingdom to be divided, one conclusion comes to mind: if He did not allow this to happen, the whole nation of Israel would have probably destroyed itself and disappear into oblivion. God was, is and will always be sovereign! He is in control and He sees the big picture!

Looking back today at Israel, we learned that the Assyrians from the north eventually destroyed the northern kingdom, but did not touch the southern kingdom. The southern kingdom is known to have the "good kings," while the northern kingdom worshipped demonic idols under the 'bad kings.' Just imagine if the whole Israel was under all the corrupted 'bad kings.' Israel would've been simply "no more....bye bye."

So the principle is this: King Rehoboam went through a split within his kingdom, and it hurt him a great deal. He sought God and God helped him by sending the priests from the north. As a result, he prospered! When you are in a hole, don't be discourage. Focus on the Lord and the Lord will provide for you. Don't be surprise, He might bless your socks off!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for watching over us. Thank you for being in control of everything that we go through. Help us to see that when our circumstances look bleak, you see a brighter tomorrow. Always Lord, help us to put our trust in you!

2 Chronicles 10 - Our Elders

2007-12-10T23:28:00.001-08:00

Verse 13: Then the king answered them roughly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders,

After King Solomon had died, his son, Rehoboam, became King over Israel. I like what Pastor John Courson said about this new King, "Rehoboam was a talented, capable, and gifted young man, but he was also cocky, conceited, and rebellious." King Rehoboam made a bad decision, which cost him half of the Kingdom.

Here's the scenario that did it for him.

For forty years under King Solomon, the nation of Israel worked hard on many building projects and paid heavy taxes. When Solomon died, they wanted this heavy yoke to be lifted, which makes a whole lot of sense to anybody and everbody. And so they came to the new King and asked him that if he lifts this burden, they will serve him faithfully.

King Rehoboam told them to come back in three days and he will have a definite answer for them. Rehoboam then asked the elders what they think. The elders, who were mature men, told him to do what they had asked and to deal kindly with these people.

Did Rehoboam do what the elders said? To the contrary, he did the opposite by listening to his friends who grew up with him. When the people came back for an answer, Rehoboam dealt with them harshly and basically told them that they haven't seen nothing yet. It's going to be tougher and stricter than before. This was the "crack in the wall" that tore Israel into two, and the rest as they say "is history."

In every society, elders are considered to be mature and full of wisdom. They have gone through many experiences and they know what not to do and what to do. People usually give respect to their elders and listen to them.

Like King Rehoboam, we have a generation today that ignores the advise and wisdom from its elders. This generation has fallen into the trap of listening to the media, MTV and its celebrities for advice, and has ignored the wisdom of its parents and grandparents. When we hear of the escalation of turmoil and troubles in our young people's lives today, know that they are a direct reflection of the types of advice they are getting from the world in which we live.

Today's problems are a symptom of what is going on in the heart of man. The heart of man is corrupt by nature, and the only remedy is to learn from our elders and the Word of God!

Prayer: Lord, help us to learn from past heroes, our elders, and your Word. Guide our steps and strengthen our minds, so that we can stand firm amidst this generation's lies. Pour your Spirit on our young people, so that they will be examples (your light) of the future.

2 Chronicles 9 - Wealth & Wisdom

2007-12-07T23:40:00.000-08:00

Verse 22: So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

So King Solomon had it all: gold, silver, success, wives, and on top it all, wisdom. His fame reached out 1500 miles from Jerusalem and touched the ear of Queen Sheba. When she heard of how great Solomon's kingdom was prospering, naturally, she wanted to see it for herself.

When she got to Jerusalem, she was astounded by all that she heard and saw. Indeed, King Solomon exceeded her expectation, and as a result, left him with lots and lots of....you guessed it, gold and spices galore.

On top of all his wealth, the Kings from Arabia and Governors of provinces gave him tons of gold and silver. Merchants and traders also generated revenue for King Solomon, because their trading routes from Egypt to Mesopotamia runs through Israel.

With all of these wealth, King Solomon turned many of his household items and eating utensils into gold. He even built himself a throne, which was "immaculate" in its design. Personally, I preferred less giant cats gold sculptures beside my seat. .......Anyway, he collected tons gold and stored multiple chariots, amassed more horses and married more women than anyone who has ever lived. In the modern slang,.... "he had it made."

Unfortunately, in this particular case, what Solomon did (example: amassed horses) ran contrary to what God had stated in the past to Israel. The reason is that people tend to trust in military might than on the power of God. Deuteronomy 17: 16&17 the Lord says, "But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself."

Well, somewhere along the latter part of his life, amidst all of his kingdom's prosperity, Solomon finally realized that all of these stuff did not mean a thing. This is when he wrote the book of 'Ecclesiastes.' King Solomon nicely summed it all up in the last two verses in Ecclesiates, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil."

From this chapter, we learn that King Solomon was an imperfect picture of Jesus Christ. With all the lavish table spreads, golden utensils, prepared foods and royal garments that adorned Solomon's guests and servants, they were all dimmed compared to what Jesus Christ is going to do with His bride-the Church, one day in glory! And as for Queen Sheba, she depicts you and I coming to Jesus Christ and giving our all to him. Do you want to dine with Jesus, then come to the table!

Prayer: Lord, help us to put our trust in you each and everyday. Help us to see that materialism and money in the bank often times stumbles us to think that we got it made. Help us to seek you first in our hearts. May we surrender our all to you every moment of our lives. Thank you that you have called and invited us to the banquet table to fellowship with you!

2 Chronicles 8 - Inside Out

2007-12-06T23:40:00.000-08:00

Verse 16 Now all the work of Solomon was well-ordered from the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was completed.

King Solomon and his kingdom flourished and prospered. He flourished economically by revamping and rebuilding surrounding cities. He even used the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites to do the hard work. (As we later will see, these Canaanites became the stumbling block to Israel by introducing idolatry).

Another bonus was that King Solomon obtained gold from India with the help of King Hiram's sailors. The amount was 450 talents of gold. Compared to what his father David acquired from war, this was puny. David's gold was 120,000 talents.

Politically, King Solomon was making many alliances. I believe that Solomon made a mistake when he married the Pharaoh's daughter. When he brought her to Israel, he had her stayed at a different place--away from the Ark of the Lord. I assume that he did this because she was an unbeliever. Whatever the case, his steps might look good to the world that he married "Pharaoh's daughter," but it certainly looks ugly in terms of not being able to treat her like his one and only wife and partner in life.

King Solomon certainly had a lot going for him and for Israel, but internally in his heart and soul, he has started walking in the wrong direction. A lot of 'compromises' have been done, and untangling them is like untangling dirty hair on a hair-brush.

Prayer: God, thank you for all that you are providing for us today. Help us to stay on the right track and never compromise our faith in you. We give you all the glory and honor! Amen.

2 Chronicles 7 - The Choice is Yours

2007-12-05T23:03:00.000-08:00

Verse 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

After King Solomon had prayed and dedicated the temple, fire from heaven came down and consumed the sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Then more sacrifices began: 22,000 bulls and 120,000 sheep over seven days. The people of Israel were filled with joy and continued to worship the Lord God.

After this grand dedication, the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time and spoke to him. The Lord emphasized that Israel did good this time, because they sought His face in all they did. The Lord was pleased with the nation of Israel. Verse 14 is the prescription of how to please the Lord and bring about renewal. But as good as that may sound, the Lord also gives everyone the freedom to choose. This is the center of what love is.......the freedom of choice. People can choose to rebel, to forget all that the Lord has done for them and go their separate ways. Unfortunately, the nation of Israel chose the latter and paid greatly for it.

America has a choice to! In 1970 at Asbury College in Wilmore Kentucky, the people chose to humbled themselves, pray, seek God's face and turned from their wicked ways. God heard their prayers and poured out the fire of the Holy Spirit and consumed their hearts. A spiritual revival and renewal broke out, later to be known as 'the Asbury Revival.' The beautiful thing was that it spread like wildfire to other states.

If only we pray like King Solomon and the college students at Wilmore..........................

2 Chronicles 6 - Stand Up!

2007-12-04T20:48:00.000-08:00

verse 12: Then he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.

After King Solomon had built the temple for the Lord, he now dedicate it to Him. The way that he dedicated the temple was a way that I would imagined his father David would have done it. He stood as a spokesman for the nation of Israel. As the people looked to their king, Solomon's arms stretched high into the heavens and proclaimed jaw dropping words toward God.

If a President of this so called 'sophisticated world' would've done this very act on Capitol Hill, CNN would be all over him like they did with Anna Nicole Smith. Bill Mahr and Jon Stewart would have a heyday. Indeed, King Solomon modeled what a King ought to do with the Creator of the Universe.

The Word of God

2007-12-04T20:45:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted a platform to do some reflections on what I have been reading, specifically on the Word of God. I heard someone said that 'the Word of God is like a deep forest with many layers that has not been explored fully.' All of the scholarly works that have been done through the centuries have only lightly touched the treetops and felt the wind blow old leaves to the bottom of this vast and magnificient forest.

Whenever I read the Bible, it shows me that I don't know much, which helps me get a glimpse of how awesome, beautiful and magestic our God is. No doubt, the Word of God is His revelation to man! It is one of two things that will last forever; the other one being, the souls of men. Praise God for even considering reaching out to us!

Holiday Season!

2007-11-23T18:29:00.000-08:00

With all the business of this holiday season, don't forget to live with an eternal perspective!

Veteran's Day

2007-11-11T14:44:00.000-08:00

We thank God for all the men and women who gave their lives to fight for freedom that we all enjoy! May the Lord continue to protect those who are serving in our military today!

Thinking Life

2007-10-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

I once had a conversation with Pastor Bob about cloning. The question that was explored was, “can humans be cloned, and if so, can they be ‘true humans’ with a soul and a spirit?”

I staunchly argued that humans can be cloned and/or created using cells, such as stem cells and other biological products. Cloned human beings will be humans in every aspect, with the respect of having a soul and spirit. Pastor Bob, on the other hand, stated that although one can mix biological elements together to form something like a human, this does not guarantee that ‘life’ will be present. He emphasized that God is the only one who gives life.

In a way, we were saying the same thing, but differ on the origin of life itself. I was convinced during that time that life is automatic if all the right biological ingredients were to be combined. In a way, I was thinking like a modern scientist with a Darwinian evolutionary mindset.

As I thought about my perspective and what Pastor Bob had told me, I am now convinced that life cannot exist, even if all the right ingredients were combined. Life can only be granted by the giver of life. I guess that is why many attempts have been made to create life with stem cells and they have always failed.

Modern science has mapped out the genome of organism and has broken down the tiniest of particles. What they have found is a hidden force connecting everything. If you know someone who is a New Age believer, he or she would probably attribute this force to that of the Star Wars movies. To connect with this force, one has to think like Master Yoda.

All star wars nonsense aside, God’s power is this hidden force! God’s Word says, “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist (Colossians 1: 15-17).

9/11

2007-09-11T18:55:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching “God’s Warrior” on CNN hosted by Christiane Amanpour. It amazes me how Muslims would kill innocent people and call it “the will of God.”

How can this be?

Six years ago on this day, terrorist hijacker crashed commercial airplanes into the Twin Towers in New York City and into a part of the Pentagon. As a result, more than three thousands innocent lives were lost.

It baffles me to know that radical Muslims will give their lives to die for a belief system which is based on pouring innocent blood. In a way, this doesn’t surprise me. Satan definitely has his hands in this religion; it’s clearly not from God. Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

May we always support our national security agencies as they protect this country from domestic and foreign enemies and strengthen our troops abroad as they defend and preserve religious freedom from these intolerant radical Islamic zealots.

While we protect our freedom as our basic human rights: may we always keep in mind that these Muslims are also lost souls--like us, who need a compassionate Savior--our Lord Jesus Christ. Unlike the crusaders of long ago, may our swords be 'the love of Christ.'

DFC in Spokane

2007-08-28T23:35:00.000-07:00

The Divisional Finance Council (DFC) came to Spokane today and met with us. We had a productive session, as we went through each program and looked at our budget for FY 2008. We had an opportunity to share with the DFC about our Corps ‘Church.’ I believe all of our goals for the Church are on schedule, and I give God all the glory and honor!

Vacation Bible School

2007-08-24T00:16:00.000-07:00

Our Vacation Bible School, which was held on 13th – 17th, went really well. Five of the Camp Gifford Staff—all from the Australian Youth Leadership School, did a splendid job in leading the VBS. A big THANKS to Katie, Grace, Luek, Jessica and Michael (Aussies), our Youth Pastor, Dave McConkey, and all of our volunteers: Tina, Richard, Nathan, Elis, Randy, and Tammy. May the Lord continue to guide, strengthen, and bless all the kids!

Our New Vision Statement!

2007-08-18T22:32:00.000-07:00

Praise the Lord for giving us His Vision for the Salvation Army Spokane Citadel Corps. The Lord spoke and we give Him all the glory!

Here's our Vision Statement: "To Passionately share God's love with all and see lives transformed into followers of Jesus."

Danial & Mallory's Wedding

2007-08-14T19:55:00.000-07:00

With Baby Nala Lyons:-)

Congratulations to Danial and Mallory's renewal of vows wedding ceremony! This celebration was held at Camp Gifford on the 11th of August.
May the Lord continue to bless their marriage and wonderful family!

Opportunities Among Us

2007-08-04T13:13:00.001-07:00

Nathan & Mary Newcomb

2007-07-31T00:21:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Nathan and Mary on their beautiful wedding on July 29th. May God continue to bless them and go before them, preparing the path for their steps as a couple! Their chosen scripture portion comes from Proverbs 3: 5-13. 5 & 6 states, "5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

Mini Carnival

2007-07-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

The Service Corps carnival was a success! There were about 8 stations setup for the kids to have fun. About 45 people came to this mini carnival. The water games were a delight considering the high temperature.

"We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done." Psalm 78:4

Congratulations to Nayomia and Austin

2007-07-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

(Nayomia, Austin and Fiela)

July 7th (07/07/07) was the second most important day in Austin and Nayomia's lives. The best day off course was when they committed their lives to Jesus Christ. The wedding ceremony and the reception went really well. Captain Terrance Masango did a great job in officiating the ceremony. He added a lot of personal touch, which made the event superb!

Everyone enjoyed themselves.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

Fire Emergency

2007-07-07T23:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (6/7) we got a phone call in the early evening that the Spokane Fire Fighters were in need of some refreshments. Thomas B, Major Chamness, Cadet Elaine, Steven, and I, with the canteen, went to the site and began handing out cold beverages to the Fire Fighters. It was such a rewarding experience!

Later on that route, Karen F pointed out that the Fire Department was also fighting another fire close by and needed our assistance. Major Chamness and Thomas B headed that way and helped out. What a day, what a job:-)

Hallelujah Roadshow Service Corps Team

2007-07-05T21:52:00.001-07:00

The Service Corps team started their ministry today in Spokane. They started out this morning with VBS, afternoon with prep-work for outreach (putting some gift bags together) and did a wonderful evangelistic outreach in the community around the Corps. A splendid job!

Our Youth Pastor, Dave M (the tallest in the picture) did a wonderful job in strategizing and plotting the course for the outreach. May the Lord use the flyers, surveys and gifts to further His Kingdom.

Happy Independence Day!

2007-07-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

The United States Declared independence from Great Britain on July 4th 1776. As a result, the Revolutionary War broke out. God's will flourished and the United States won their independence. How wonderful that out of pain and the ashes of war, true freedom was finally won. To the men and women who fought to win our freedom, "Thank You!"

"My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!" Thomas Jefferson "Happy Birthday America!"

Congratulations Robert & Christina!

2007-06-18T21:33:00.000-07:00

May God continue to bless Robert and Christina as they start their life journey as a couple.

"For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?" Matthew 19: 5

Who Is Ruth Graham?

2007-06-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

I have been to a Billy Graham crusade and loved it! I've always wondered about Billy Graham in how he has remained faithful to the Lord all these years. Some renown church leaders over the years have fell into the trap of money, power, and sex, but Billy Graham remained faithful. How has he been able to remain steadfast through the years?

Well the obvious answer is that he has consistently (moment by moment) relied in the power of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. He also has made up his mind not to compromise on his beliefs and let people question his integrity. But in the midst of his firm foundation stood his beloved wife, Ruth Graham.

When I think of Billy Graham's wife in how she supported him, I automatically think about my wife, Shoshannah. Without Shoshannah, I don't know where I would be right now. Perhaps without my wife, I would probably find myself compromising on a whole lot of things, getting lost, and morally falling apart. Billy Graham was blessed to have a wife who stood alongside of him all these years!

Today, Billy Graham's wife Ruth passed away at the age of 87. I don't know anything about Ruth Graham, but the way Billy Graham talked about her, I now have a better understanding and appreciation of her. Billy Graham states, ""Ruth was my life partner, and we were called by God as a team. No one else could have borne the load that she carried. She was a vital and integral part of our ministry, and my work through the years would have been impossible without her encouragement and support. I am so grateful to the Lord that He gave me Ruth, and especially for these last few years we've had in the mountains together. We've rekindled the romance of our youth, and my love for her continued to grow deeper every day. I will miss her terribly, and look forward even more to the day I can join her in Heaven."

Praise God for her wonderful legacy!

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverb 31: 25-31

Men's Camp

2007-06-02T23:02:00.000-07:00

(Pastor Craig & Major Hailes)

Well, I'm currently still at Men's Camp, which is being held at Camp Arnold (www.tsacamparnold.org) in Puyallup. A special "Thank You" to Major Ross Hailes and his team at DHQ for arranging this wonderful retreat and for Mark Nottle and his camp crew for hosting us!

This event has proven to be a good experience for me and Thomas Bryant. Just today in the morning session, Thomas gave his testimony in front of approximately a hundred men. What a joy to hear what God had done in and is still doing in Thomas' life.

Craig Bowler, the son of Major Dave Bowler from our church, is our speaker for this weekend. He reminded us last night that we are just like the prodigal son in Luke 15, in that, we have all gone astray from the Lord, but the Lord is always gracious to bring us back home. We also learned from this story that we are also like 'the older brother' in our self-righteousness, supressed anger, and private sins.

Craig spoke on two heart-penetrating topics: willful disobedience and anger. Using the story of Jonah, Craig showed us that we are like Jonah when it comes to our basic human tendencies of willful disobedience. As the story goes, Jonah's story ended abruptly. With this unusual ending, Craig challenged each of us to complete 'our own stories' victoriously.

During the last session, Craig explored the realities and dangers of anger. He stated that anger must not be managed, rather, it must be dealt with and be destroyed by the power of the gospel. Anger can come out in so many ways, even on a subconsious level, resulting in its contagious effects that can ruin the individual, the family unit, and even society.

As always, the afternoon hours were filled with golfing, swimming, baseball, basketball, and canoe building challenge. The highlight was the canoe challenge, where the ARC team--Pirates, won the event.

The evening session was a relaxed one, in which Rob Azmiez and Capt. Matthew Madsen shared their heart-felt music with us. Captain Rob Birks hosted a 'truth or lie' game, where three contestants tried to fool the audience. This interactive game was followed by a Q & A session, where all the questions asked dealt with one's relationship with God--very applicable.

Another highlight for me was that I got to see the Seattle White Center crew--a crew that I was a part of last year. They are the only crew that always set up a 'tent city' and barbecue good ol' yummy hot dogs:) Major Maynard Sargent is always the grill master-chef!

Praise God for this time! May He continue to change all of our lives "to be more like Jesus!"

Memorial Day

2007-05-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day, started on May 30th 1868, has been set aside to remember the men and women who gave their lives for this nation. A minute of silence at 3 p.m. on this day was observed to honor these brave soldiers.

President Bush also participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at 11a.m. at the Arlington National Cemetary. There are 368,000 buried through history at this Cemetery.

Today the President stated, "On this day of memory, we mourn brave citizens who laid their lives down for our freedom. May we always honor them, may we always embrace them and may we always be faithful to who they were and what they fought for."

I think of what Jesus said in John 15: 13, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." We remember the fallen soldiers for their sacrifice for our freedom. We also remember the greatest sacrifice that our Lord did for us to give us freedom and life eternal!

Let us always remember!

Going Against the Flow

2007-05-26T17:19:00.000-07:00

There have been many talks of late about intelligent design. Intelligent design basically teaches that living things and the universe with its vast complexities can be best explained in an intelligent cause, rather than natural selection (Darwinian theory of evolution).

Astronomy Professor Guillermo Gonzalez from Iowa State University has been denied tenure, despite his outstanding academic record, due to his beliefs in intelligent design. I guess to be accepted into academia these days, one must deny his/her belief system--at least this was the main objection the reviewing board took into consideration when they denied Dr. Gonzalez's tenure.

Obviously, some of the reviewing board faculties might have seen or heard of Dr. Gonzalez's video, 'The Priveleged Planet,' which points to intelligent design. As crazy as this unspoken objection may sound, Dr. Gonzalez never taught intelligent design in his classes nor worked on this video during his working hours at the university. This video was hailed publicly when evangelicals and christian scientists honored it for its aparent focus.
For more info: http://www.privilegedplanet.com

To deny tenure on the basis of beliefs must be reconsidered. Dr. Gonzalez has written 68 peer-review scientific papers, not to mentioned co-authoring college level astronomy text book published by Cambridge press. To qualify for tenure at the Iowa State University, a candidate had to have written 15 peer-review scientific papers. Dr. Gonzalez wrote 350% more than the requirement and was denied.

Jesus said in Matthew 10:22, "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." May God guide Dr. Gonzalez as he looks forward to his appeal. May He be filled with God's wisdom as he shares his heart, and point others to the Designer of all things, the Lord Almighty.

Pastor Bob Murphy's Visit to Spokane

2007-05-18T17:12:00.000-07:00

(pic: Dave Robinson and Bob Murphy)

Pastor Bob and I (Celestine) go back when I first came to Guam at the age of 14. Bob's son, Jonathan, and I used to hang out at Bayview Baptist church during youth group and after Sunday evening services. We were good friends (brothers in Christ) to the very end. One day in 1995 at the age of 19, God called Jonathan home.

Indeed, Bob and I go back with a bond through his son Jonathan. If you ask Bob about me, he would say that he remembered me as a young shy lad, sitting back of the crowd and just listening. It's funny in a way that I still do that now, but try to make it not as obvious as then:)

Bob came here to Spokane to visit one of his nephews, Jason, who graduated from Gonzaga University. His good friend, Dave Robinson, lives in Butte Montana also visited him. It was a wonderful reunion. Dave and his family used to live in Guam, and was an Elder in Bob's church--Yigo Baptist Church. Guam fellowships were always filled with delicious foods. As you may have heard of Baptists and their potlucks............well, there were a lot of yummies and then some (I know....."crazy:)" Simply good ol' times!

Bob has challenged me in so many levels of what it means to be a Christian. His love for the Word of God and his passion to preach the Word were great witness elements to me and in my spiritual growth. Seeing and talking to him face to face has reinvigorated my passion for my calling.

God is Good all the Time!

Conversion Within Conversion

2007-05-10T22:54:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago (5/8), Dr. Frank Beckwith's resigned from being the president of the Evangelical Theological Society (www.etsjets.org). Dr. Beckwith resigned because he stated that he had converted to Roman Catholism.

This is one of the most interesting stories that I've read to date. Conversion from sinners to saint is a common occurance, which for those of us who consider ourselves Christians, have experienced it and have turned 180 degrees from our ways and followed Christ. We knew what it was like living without Jesus Christ, and when Jesus came into our hearts, everything changed.

Conversion from being a Catholic to being a "born-again" believer is also common. I have met many people to have claimed this as part of their testimony. Converting from following a set religion with its rich history and traditions to following a much simpler form of belief system makes sense, especially in the day in age in which we are living. People, by nature, want to be more free and experience life without restrictions and/or boundaries. True Christian Teachings offer the freedom to not follow such religious traditions, rules and regulations, that often blind one to see the freedom they have in Jesus Christ. Jesus' number one enemies were the Pharisees--the most religious people in its day, with rules up to their noses. They didn't know what freedom was. Jesus said in John 8: 36, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

Having stated the obvious, it's not as common for a Christian (one who is truly free), let alone a well-renown Christian leader like Dr. Beckwith, to convert to Catholism. The distinctives of the Evangelical Churches and the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) are enormously different. Although they share a Christian foundation founded in the Holy Bible, they differ in their interpretation of it.

The RCC belief system teach that for one to enter heaven, he or she must be part of this church (baptized and/or convert into it) and follow its teachings (faith plus work). Orthodox Christian belief teaches, however, that only through faith in Jesus Christ is one saved and can enter heaven (faith only). Works or "doing good deeds" comes in only because of our gratitude that we have been saved/rescued/delivered and because of the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Deeds is only a conditional means to eternal life in heaven if one has never heard of the Good News of Jesus Christ (God sees the hearts of men and his justice is sure).

Ephesians 2: 8-10 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

I really don't know his motives, but perhaps Dr. Beckwith just wants to experience rich Church history, church traditions, and what RCC stands for in this society. I sometimes enjoy learning how Christianity through the centuries have evolved into what we have today. Above all, learning and appreciating history and traditions of men is not the same as holding fast to and practicing them so that one can somehow win God's favor.

John 8: 32 "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

May Sermon Series

2007-05-06T23:00:00.000-07:00

Today, Spokane Salvation Army Corps (SSAC) has started a new sermon series on Spiritual Growth. The message today was entitled, "The Choice is Yours." The choice is really ours when it comes to our spiritual growth.

To move from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity takes diligent effort and focus. As Christians, we must make the choice to pray (talk to God) and read the Word (God talks to us). No one can do this for us. We must carve out a time and space in our busy lives to do these two foundamental things. What do you think happens to a relationship when the communication stops?

Perhaps, to start making time in our calendar for the Lord, we have to consider stopping watching hours of T.V. I think sometimes I fall into this trap. I love my T.V. Yes, it's great that we have a DVR to record our shows, but watching five shows in a row is longer and probably even worse than watching a regular program with commercials. Hmmmm, I think It's time to rethink my priorities:-)

Indeed, spiritual growth is a choice that is commanded by God, requires diligent effort, assisted by God, and is blessed by God. Let us continue to cultivate our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by talking and communing with Him.

National Day of Prayer

2007-05-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

Today is the day where Americans unite to pray for their blessed country. God has certainly blessed America. We are a country of freedom and tolerance, but our generousity has brought us new challenges. These challenges comes in different forms, but its essence has always been the same: it's the battle of ideologies.

My prayer is that this country will experience oneness. I think of 9/11 when this county united with one mind and for one purpose. From a global perspective, it appears that a segment of our society have dropped their guards and openned up pandora's box(es) allowing subtle views from other countries to infiltrate this country's Judeo-Christian foundation. From an individual's perspective, it appears we have become more laxed and complacent in our thinking, faith, and in our stand toward those things and ideas that we know to be absolutes. All of these combined with our selfish nature and greed for materialism have resulted with us drifting apart from each other and into isolation.

We must stop living in a bubble, and start being the salt and light to this dark world! Perhaps our greatest problem as Christians is the lack of discernment.

2 Corinthians 7: 14 states, " If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

God, we abandon ourselves to the foot of your throne asking for renewal of life and for oneness in our country, starting with our neighbors who we don't agree with. Help us to instead of pointing fingers, we lend a hand. Help us to be like Jesus Christ, who is the greatest role model.

We ask that you forgive us of our sins, starting with me. Help us to live in victory everyday. Thank you for the ultimate sacrifice that you did for us on the cross through the person of Jesus Christ. As we think of your sacrifice for us, we also think of our brothers and sister's sacrifice by serving in the military. We ask that you will continue to protect them and give them your true Peace.

We ask that you will strengthen our leaders to do your will and do what is right for this country. We ask that you empower and comfort the President by your Holy Spirit; may your presence throught the Holy Spirit guide every step that he takes. Bless him and his family! Thank you for this wonderful country that we live in, and we pray that you will continue to protect us. We pray this in the authority of Jesus' name, Amen!

For more information: http://www.ndptf.org/home/home.html

Welcome to Captain's Compass Blog!

2007-04-30T00:22:00.000-07:00

When I look back in my life, I am amazed at how God has led me this far. I remembered being a child, about 8 years old, and feeling totally dependent on those who raised me. Every decision I made had to be filtered through a grown-up's perspective. "What do they think," is the thought that often comes to mind, and whatever they say was usually the descision I went with.

Over the years, I have learned to own up to my thoughts. I have learned to say, "this is what I think; this is what I believe." I guess a lot of my past stumbling block of expressing my thoughts had to do with my immaturity and a tidbit of the cultural structure that I grew up in. But whatever the case maybe, I feel comfortable today that I could share some of my thoughts and be a little transparent with you.

May God have his way in what I have to share. God bless you!