This is the first encounter between Sugar and this Chih-Wa-Wa. How curious and eager she wants to be friend with the little one.

It is the Memorial date weekend get together. Praise the Lord, it is the first time that Melissa's mother was introduced to us. Cousin Ken & Lupita, Wai Fun and Keung Gor was here. Although Teddy is not around during dinner, praise the Lord it is a good start for rebuilding the relationship among our family again.

I believe that God's hands is in my lives. Although my circumstances changed; my season of life changed; God tells me, "I the Lord do not change" (Malachi 3:6) "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17)

Thank God for each blessings He place in my life, I will continue to place myself and family in His care and I trusted that the salvation will come upon Teddy and Melissa, Jenifer and Rafael, little Terrance, and other family members.

Building God into Our Lives

After last week's sermon, I am still thinking about the incident of the Miss California contest. We are in the a world that are surrounded with people that are without God in their hearts. The whole U.S. seems on the verge of losing its unique identity. The identity that we stated more than 200 years ago,"In God We Trust". The Christian belief, and religious heritage is slipping away.

It is scary to think about it. Can I stand firm in this surrounding? Can I be bold and courageous to express my religious belief in front of all the non-belivers? Our Lord always give me answer thru' His Word in the Bible.

Daniel is an excellent example that God show me thru' His Book. His commitment to God remained strong and steady even though Daniel is in the foreign land, rule by non-Christian. Daniel politely refused the food and drinks that was used for sacrificed to idols from the guard. Later, when Daniel read some strange writing on a wall, he turns down the gifts and rewards offered from an ungodly king because of his devotion to God. Finally, Daniel survives a night on the verge of death in the lion's den. He doesn't complain about the king created this deadly experience, but instead honors the king and focuses on God. Daniel builds God into his lives. God is the priority and no others.

Unlike the people of Israel and Judah, for years they let other people take priority over their worship of God and attention to his Word. To a point they almost lost the knowledge of the law and God's Word. Not until Nehemiah helps to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and Ezra, the priest recited the Word of God back to them. God didn't force himself on them, rather he let them walk away and stay away for a long time. Only by experiencing life without God would they remember who they really needed and wanted.

What about me? Who and what have I built into my life?
I am building security around me and forget that you are the one who provides peace.
I am building control over my family, my ministry, my work and forget that you are in control.
I am building walls for protection and forget that you are the shepherd that protect His sheep.
I am building relationship for a few and forget you are the love for all.

Lord, thanks for reminding me :
to rebuild my life, to rebuild this temple of yours
to put priority into your own Words
to make appointment with you as often as my daily meals.
to treat your Word as a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

When I sing “this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it,” I will recognize the fact that myLord is in control of my experience each day. My life is rebuild with God in it. What a blessing it is!!!

A Time for Everything

It is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.

This Sunday is our Senior Appreciation Sunday at church, so this is .......

a time to build, a time to laugh, a time to embrace, a time to keep, a time to love and a time to speak.

Keys to Becoming Wise

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps 111:10). It helps when we developed a close relationship with the Lord. More, to follow God's guidance for living should be the first step in moving from unwise to wise.

In the Book of Proverbs King Solomon also affirms that , " the Lord gives wisdom" (Pro 2:6) The key in gaining wisdom, the first involves humility. "With humility comes wisdom" (Pro 11:12) . Solomon also writes about accepting advice and correction: "Wisdom is found in those who take advice" (Pro 13:10) The way we interact with people in our lives provides another key to wisdom. " A wise man's heart guides his mouth" (Pro 16:23)

Lord I definately needs your guidance to unlock the door to wisdom when.......
you see that I am always promoting myself,
I am concerning about elevating myself in the eyes of others,
I aim to determine my own destiny rather than letting God determine it,
I actually tell myself, "I'm humble",
I am not willing to accept advice and criticism from others,
I just casually spouting off with negative words.

Lord I need to place my energy and commitment in you. I need to place my interest and focus back on you. In doing this I can move further toward wisdom.

Blessings....

Losing Sight of God

King Solomon, is famous for his wisdom and wealth. He had built the most magnificent place for God to dwell. The Lord loves him and has chosen to bless Israel through Solomon's leadership.



The Lord said the king must not acquired great number of horses for himself and not take many wives, because his heart will be led astray. Solomon would not listen, he imports horses from Egypt. He takes 700 wives and nearly half as much mistresses. In addition, he accumulates more silver and gold than any other kings.



When the nation grows wealthy, it will lose its sense of need for God. They will turn to its own power rather than to God for victory. When the king surrounds himself with foreign wives, many of whom remain loyal to false gods, his heart will turn toward their loyalties.



Solomon, who had heard from God himself and possessed more wisdom than anyone else, was gradually drifting "back that way again". It is easy to lose sight of God: when I am getting comfortable in this world; when I am admiring my ability in work; when I am enjoying the growth in ministry; when I am indulging on God's gifts in me and begin to believe that it is solely because of me not God Himself; when I am counting on my good health; God alerts me.....



Father, thanks for watching over me, help me to be an obedient child of yours. Help me not to go back to a self-satisfying mode. Teach me actively seeking your present in my daily walk with you.

Amen.

Enjoying His Presence

Psalm 139 is one of my favorite psalm. It said:

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord
You hem me in - behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. ...........
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

God is always with us. He's always focused on us, always thinking about us, always aware of what we're doing, thinking and feeling. Never for a second does he turn his attention from us. And all of his attention flows from a burning, passionate love for us that never grows cold, never tires.

The Psalm does reveals the intimacy and reassurance that God provides for me. It is a step of faith, a path to lead me from an obsession with myself to the actual presence of God.

Only, if I make God the center of my attention, I can be in a continual love relationship with Him that will give me perspective on everything in life and fill the deepest needs of my soul.

Lord, help me understood and experience your constant presence in whatever circumstance I am encountering.

Amen.

The Goodness of God

Psalm 103:

Praise the Lord, O my Soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name ......

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteouness with their children's children-with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

I really like this Psalm, especially when we sing thru' songs. It remains me of the unmeasurable love of God. Two weeks ago, Cumberland celebrate its 115 years of ministry among the Chinatown community.

Wow what a blessings for me to share the fond memories of the past, present and future.

The picture has a lot of representation.

Although not all the memories are positive, just like what the Psalm reviews, the church might have dark times. The Lord understands our weakness and transformed all those dark times into history and help the congregations to pull through. God has always kept his promise to love His church and people and this is a sign of God's grace to Cumberland.

Praise Him for His Goodness!