Wednesday Chapel!!!

Yesterday was another gift from God that was greatly appreciated!
God spoke clearly and powerfully at 1:15 English chapel through Pastor Young-Ho. The topic for chapel this semester is "Vocation/Calling".

Here are some of the gems from the sermon:

Our first calling is salvation (belonging to God).

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions, and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 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, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:1-10)

But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming. That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:8-15)

Our second calling is living everyday for God.

3rd-Only then does it make sense to ask for a SPECIFIC call on your life. If you believe in Christ and are living your life before Him, it doesn't matter where you go. It also follows that if you don't really believe in God and aren't saved, it won't matter what you do or where you go!

The single most important question in life is "ARE YOU SAVED?"

Assurance of salvation should be as natural as assurance of a relation with someone. (Not "I think I am saved.") Some people are so WANTING to be saved that they THINK they are saved but may not be...

False assurance is more dangerous than having no assurance!!!!

Why should God accept you? Because you attend church?! (A fly attends church-Is it saved?!)

Salvation is not a thing, a ticket nor an isolated experience, but a real, personal, ongoing relationship of faith, hope and love with the living God. (through faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.)

Some of you think salvation is a feeling or state of emotion. God is not just a feeling. Do you obey Him?

You know you're a real Christian or not when you go through suffering. Do you think "God I deserve better. This is not fair." or do you think "Your will be done God".

(The pastor gave an example of a Columbine father who lost his son during the shooting there. When asked "Aren't you angry at God?", he answered, "No, my son was a gift from God and I'm grateful that I had him for 16 wonderful years."

"Ongoing"-if it's not ongoing, you're probably not saved! It is a faith-trust relationship, not a past experience only.

Salvation is in THREE tenses: (Saved FROM WHAT and TO WHAT you ask?)

PAST-I must have been saved FROM the penalty of sin through Jesus TO forgiveness, acceptance and adoption.

PRESENT-I am now saved. I am being saved FROM the power of sin TO holiness, character and fruit of the Holy Spirit.

FUTURE-I will be saved FROM the presence of sin. I will be saved TO glory.

HOW CAN WE BE SAVED?

Again, looking at the verses in Ephesians, we see that it is BY GRACE we are saved. (God's Riches At Christ's Expense) It says that we were DEAD in sin. (Not "sick", "drowning" or "needing a little help"-DEAD!) We must humbly go to God and ask (confess) for His help and accept/believe the sacrifice of Christ on the cross was for you personally. HOW? Confess your sins, Ask, Believe and Receive.

Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name

He gave the right to become children of God-(John 1:12)

As we see in the Romans 10 passage: ANYONE WHO CALLS UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED!

Have you called upon the name of the Lord to be saved?! If you don't know or can't remember, DO IT TODAY!! Don't do it tomorrow ("but I have a hot date Saturday-Let's talk on Monday"...) God demands a PERSONAL response to the salvation He has provided for each of us and "THERE IS NO BETTER TIME THAN NOW"!!

(If you are interested in listening, check it out at: http://203.252.97.12/church/news/5/050413_eng_wed_256k.wmv

An inside look at Hyoam Chapel

Slowly but surely the students start rolling into chapel for 1:15pm English service. (Korean service is at 3pm on Wednesdays.)

The always entertaining Mark Buzby!!! (posing with his "team pew" at chapel) (and yes ladies, he is single! :-))

Mark Buzby's team with pastor Hwang Young-Ho in the front right corner!

Mark Buzby's team!! (including my buddy Daler from Uzbekistan with glasses in the back who is an MNEer-"Mission iN English" member)

Craig Smith's "team" at chapel. (including 2 of my students, Seung Ji (2nd from left in back) and the charming Seong-Hee. (wearing glasses) Looks like a fun group!

2 lovely ladies:Yoo-Mi and BinNa just outside Wednesday English chapel service at 1:15pm

One of my fantastic composition students, Ji-Hoon. I saw him while having lunch. Asked him why he was so dressed up today...class presentation! Keen sense of fashion!

Great photo of some great people! (back:Daniel & M.S. front:Ki-Jin & Hyo-Jin)

"After lunch photo" with translation department graduate students Wed. April 13th.

Jake Lee!! (Korean name-"Youn Chul") Overworked and underpaid but one of the best attitudes around! Content in all situations-That's Jake!

Joanna Fama (Peter's wife) and Lee Hyo-Eun spreading joy in the DLE office.

Foreign Faculty Well-care Coordinator, Hyun Turnmire!!! (wife of Kirk and friend of all!)

Cho Joon Mo! (Professor Extraordinaire and Former head of the DLE Department. He is also a well-known CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) artist in Korea.)