Sunday Morning IBC. 7/27/2014. Luke 11. Praying Big and Small.

Praying Big and Small. Luke 11:5-13.
Pastor Nam Park.

Luke 11:5 Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yetbecause of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. 11 Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

Pray for Big things but also for small things.

Luke 11:5 Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;

- Ask "shamelessly" like a friend. 

- The story is told supposing that YOU are the main participant (the asker).

- ie. Lucille Ball was that ridiculous friend in "I Love Lucy"

- Hospitality was looked highly upon in Gospel times, once a host receives you into his home, he will protect and serve you (food). Key: Coming at the wrong time.

- It's a "loan" with no intention of paying back.

- Implication that they are good friends. The request is just coming at the wrong time.

Luke 11:7 and from inside he answers and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 

- Poorer families all sleep together, in one room. Key: Inconvenience.

- Importunate; Annoyingly repetitive.

- The petitioner has some gall, because he can (he's asking a friend).

- Likewise, we can ask HIM for BIG things and also for Daily Bread. You can aks the Lord and He has the right to say "No."

- We can be audacious when asking of our Lord.

- The Lord's choicest blessings are reserved for those who keep asking of Him.

- It's about the heart and the petitioner that continues to ask.

- If it's important to us, then it's important to God.

Luke 11:9 9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.

- There is a sort of promise of action on God's part.

- "you": "you all" [plural][present tense]

- Is God obligated to us? A: Somewhat yes. He obligated Himself to our good.

Luke 11:11 Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? 

- The child is requesting something of need: fish/egg.

- Human parents are generally good to their kids.

- The point isn't deception/mistake but paternal care.

Luke 11:13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

- The argument goes from the lesser to the greater.

- Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

- Why mention the HS here? A: The Holy Spirit is the highest gift. He is the hope that never fails.

Friday Night Singles' Flock. 7/25/2014. Daniel 2:1-19.

Friday Night Singles' Flock. Daniel 2:1-19.
George Park.

The King’s Forgotten Dream

Daniel 2:1 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave orders to call in the magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 The king said to them, “I had a dream and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream.”

4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic: “O king, live forever! Tell the dream to your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 5 The king replied to the Chaldeans, “The command from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses will be made a rubbish heap. 6 But if you declare the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and a reward and great honor; therefore declare to me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will declare the interpretation.” 8 The king replied, “I know for certain that you are bargaining for time, inasmuch as you have seen that the command from me is firm, 9 that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one decree for you. For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the situation is changed; therefore tell me the dream, that I may know that you can declare to me its interpretation.” 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean. 11 Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.”

12 Because of this the king became indignant and very furious and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and his friends to kill them.

14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon; 15 he said to Arioch, the king’s commander, “For what reason is the decree from the king sourgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. 16 So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king.

17 Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter, 18 so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

The Secret Is Revealed to Daniel

19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven; 

.

20 Daniel said,

“Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever,
For wisdom and power belong to Him.

21 “It is He who changes the times and the epochs;

He removes kings and establishes kings;
He gives wisdom to wise men
And knowledge to men of understanding.

22 “It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things;

He knows what is in the darkness,
And the light dwells with Him.

23 “To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise,

For You have given me wisdom and power;
Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s matter.”

.

24 Therefore, Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and spoke to him as follows: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon! Take me into the king’s presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the king.”

25 Then Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel into the king’s presence and spoke to him as follows: “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known to the king!” 26 The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered before the king and said, “As for the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the king. 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days. This was your dream and the visions in your mind while on your bed. 29 As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the future; andHe who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place. 30 But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

The King’s Dream

31 “You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. 32 The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.34 You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Set-up: We see that at the end of Chapter 1, the Lord had blessed Daniel and his friends with wisdom and understanding.

Daniel 1:20 As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm.

Visions in the Old Testament were God's vehicle for a revelation. 
Visions, many times, occurred while the person was awake. IE. Peter seeing the sheet come down from heaven. IE. John on the island of Patmos, visions for Revelations.

The Chaldeans had dream interpretation formats; it was a science.

Daniel 2:8 The king replied, “I know for certain that you are bargaining for time, inasmuch as you have seen that the command from me is firm, 9 that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one decree for you. For you have agreed together to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the situation is changed; therefore tell me the dream, that I may know that you can declare to me its interpretation.” 
- The king accuses them of stalling.
- The king is angry because he thinks they're fake wise-men.

Daniel 2:10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who could declare the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean. 11 Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.”
- These two verses set the stage for Daniel and his ability to interpret the dream (it was from God).
- The other wise men have admitted defeat and that only the Lord would be able to decipher the dream.

Note: George views the request of King Nebuchadnezzar as unreasonable.
Thought: Did the King just want an excuse to kill off the wise men?

Daniel 2:14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon; 15 he said to Arioch, the king’s commander, “For what reason is the decree from the king sourgent?” Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter. 
- a.) Discretion & Discernment. Daniel approached Arioch with a sense of calmness.
- Arioch was the chief executioner. Back in the day, all soldiers carried out their orders swiftly, else they themselves would end up being punished instead.
- Arioch actually stops at Daniel's request to explain the reason for the execution. This revealed that Daniel had a personal relationship with Arioch. People liked Daniel.

Daniel 2:16 So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he might declare the interpretation to the king. 17 Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, about the matter, 18 so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

- Daniel is given time to declare the interpretation of the dream to the king. 
- The king knows Daniel well too!... Remember in Daniel 1:20 As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm.

Daniel 2:18 so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
- b.) Daniel met with his friends.
- c.) Daniel met with God in prayer.
- Daniel's prayer was also specific. They were praying for compassion... to reveal the mystery of the dream.

[[George asks us to pray for Simon Chung and his battle with cancer. He is losing his appetite and it doesn't look like he has much longer to live.]]

Friday Night Singles' Flock. 7/18/2014. Daniel 1.

Friday Night Singles' Flock. Daniel 1.
George Park.

[[George wants us all to be prepared to share a 3-minute testimony, be prepared to share (on spot). He ideally wants to have a testimony night sometime soon.]]

Daniel means "God is my Judge."

Daniel, himself, never refers to himself as "Belteshazzar" because he wants people to remember the meaning of the name Daniel.

Daniel was highly educated and also proper (he knew how to behave well amongst nobility). Most likely he was a eunuch.

Daniel and his friends were youths probably around 13 years old.

Conquered kingdoms under Nebuchadnezzar were assimilated.

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.

- "made up his mind": aka "pay strict attention to..."

- Daniel had incredible resolve, incredible convictions.

Daniel 1:1-2. God controlled who was in reign.

Daniel 1:15. God controlled their appearance.

Daniel 1:17. God controlled their learning. (Different gifts given to different people).

Takeaway: Sovereignly speaking, You are EXACTLY who the Lord wants you to be. This should give you great comfort and JOY.

Application: Be content in your circumstances as singles. Once you're discontent, the Lord cannot use you.

- "he might not defile himself": Daniel was not going to eat the choice food because he knew the background of idol worship. 

- Example: George doesn't drink at weddings or ever because of Ephesians 5:18

Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

- This is a personal conviction that George has.

- Definition of Conviction: Taken from scripture; A stance that you can't project on someone else.

George plans to go over Daniel 2 next time.

Sunday Morning IBC. 7/20/2014. Psalms 2. Bruce Ware.

Beholding the glory of the Reigning King. Psalms 2. 
Dr. Bruce Ware.

The Reign of the Lord’s Anointed.

Psalms 2:1 Why are the nations in an uproar

And the peoples devising a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth take their stand

And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,

3 “Let us tear their fetters apart

And cast away their cords from us!”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,

The Lord scoffs at them.

5 Then He will speak to them in His anger

And terrify them in His fury, saying,

6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King

Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:

He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.

8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,

And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.

9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,

You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”

10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;

Take warning, O judges of the earth.

11 Worship the Lord with reverence

And rejoice with trembling.

12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,

For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!

Pending.

Sunday Morning IBC. 7/13/2014. Philippians 1:9-11.

Praying for Maturity. Philippians 1:9-11.
Pastor David Yu.

Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment

- "abound": abundant [love]; this love would be abundant.

- Dave prays through the membership list every Monday, because IBC is dear to his heart.

- A love directed by God's thoughts and standards.

- A love that is willing to let go of sin.

Philippians 1:10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;

- "so that you may approve": to wisely choose the better [with informed love].

- "excellent": ie. parents want the best for their children's schooling in Thailand.

- When we think of our spiritual lives, many times we think of convenience. However, we are to choose what is best for our spiritual lives: what is excellent.

- Those who love Christ, live holy. When they are in love with Jesus, you can see it in the choices that they make.

"You don't have to have your ducks in order, just live out what you know." - David Yu.

Sunday Morning IBC. 7/6/2014. Habakkuk 3:16-19.

Elements of Faith. Habakkuk 3:16-19.
Pastor Nam Park.

Commissioning of Ray & Shelley today...
In honor of Shelley: Purple tie.
In honor of Ray: Preaching from Habakkuk; Ray taught from Habakkuk and it was a vivid memory for Nam.

Habakkuk 3:16 I heard and my inward parts trembled,

At the sound my lips quivered.
Decay enters my bones,
And in my place I tremble.
Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,
For the people to arise who will invade us.
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will exult in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord God is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.

Prayer: Today we consider what it means to "walk by faith." How do we live this out in the face of uncertainty? As we send Ray and Shelley off, help us to have this faith. We thank You for men like Habakkuk, we thank You for the example of hanging on when life can get rough; so that we might find a similar courage, not because of who we are, but because of who our God is. We praise You and ask that You instruct us, by your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen.

Comic books: Favorite characters are like Superman. Yet, as you become more savvy in comic books, you start to gravitate towards heros more like you. You start to appreciate the heros more vulnerable and more than anything with unusual courage. Nam liked Daredevil: Man without fear.
The prophet that exemplifies "Man without fear" is Habakkuk.

After Solomon, the kingdom was divided in half. Northern kingdom was made up of 10 tribes, called "Israel."  Southern kingdom was made up of Judah and Benjamin, called "Judah" and out of the Southern kingdom came the line of David (out of Judah). 
- Most kings were wicked.
- In this time period, before Judah is taken into captivity by Babylon... we find Habakkuk ministering to the Southern kingdom.
- Other than that, we know nothing of Habakkuk than what is written here in these few pages.
- Unsung hero that does his task, and then disappears.

One of the most significant contributions is found here:
Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, as for the proud one,

His soul is not right within him;

But the righteous will live by his faith.

- Paul uses this phrase in the new testament
- Faith is the means by which righteousness is accomplished
- Habakkuk himself demonstrates this fireproof faith.
- Inevitable that we will encounter calamity. In that moment, can we look to the fireproof faith of Habakkuk; a faith courageous to endure all.

Such a faith Submits to the plan of God. A Loving trust.
Habakkuk 3:16 I heard and my inward parts trembled,

At the sound my lips quivered.
Decay enters my bones,
And in my place I tremble.
Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,
For the people to arise who will invade us.
- "inward parts:" physical demonstration of nervousness.
- Certain things make Habakkuk anxious (based on what he has heard; what God has spoken, concerning the things to come)

Habakkuk 1:2 How long, O Lord, will I call for help,

And You will not hear?
I cry out to You, “Violence!”
Yet You do not save.
3 Why do You make me see iniquity,
And cause me to look on wickedness?
Yes, destruction and violence are before me;
Strife exists and contention arises.
4 Therefore the law is ignored
And justice is never upheld.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore justice comes out perverted.

5 “Look among the nations! Observe!
Be astonished! Wonder!
Because I am doing something in your days—
You would not believe if you were told.
6 “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,
That fierce and impetuous people
Who march throughout the earth
To seize dwelling places which are not theirs.

- The question: How long are You, God, going to let your people sin?
- Answer: Not much longer, in fact, the Chaldeans/Babylonians (~586B.C.) are being raised up even now.
- Habakkuk is questioning God: How can you use a more wicked people to reprove God's people. Why look with favor on those that are wicked (Chaldeans/Babylonians).
- Habakkuk is like us, he just doesn't get God's plan.
- God's answer: No one gets away with any sin, but will be judged in their own time. God will punish all the wicked.

Habakkuk 3:16 I heard and my inward parts trembled,

At the sound my lips quivered.
Decay enters my bones,
And in my place I tremble.
Because I must wait quietly for the day of distress,
For the people to arise who will invade us.

- Struggling for things of war that will take place. Habakkuk knows the distress about to come.
- Suggests that Habakkuk probably died with the people there.
- "wait quietly": not just not being audible, but rather "settled" in a certain place like concrete. I will choose to submit to the sovereign will of God. I will sit in confidence that I am rescued by my God. The righteous will walk by faith, submitting to the plan of God.

Habakkuk 2:19 “Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’

To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’

And that is your teacher?

Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,

And there is no breath at all inside it.

20 “But the Lord is in His holy temple.

Let all the earth be silent before Him.”

- Let all idols "shut-up" because they are not real.

- Let the righteous live by faith in a submissive trust in the plan of God.

Rejoice in God's Person.

Habakkuk 3:17 Though the fig tree should not blossom

And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,

- This is the example of fireproof faith.

- What if you had no figs??? A: that's okay. 

- What if there is no fruit on the vine??? A: that's a bit more serious. No sanitation for drinking water.

- What if you had no olives??? A: more serious, the oil that is used to cook. The oil used to light their lanterns at night.

- What if there's no food??? A: famine.

- No sheep: Wool for clothing. Primary source of meat.

- No cattle: And all other large beast of burden. These animals were essential to planning for the future. AKA: No hope for the next generation.

Habakkuk 3:18 Yet I will exult in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

- Habakkuk is expressing the VOLITIONAL CHOICE of how he will react. 

- Faith, lived out, in the midst of calamity.

- It's a big deal, I might die, but I will CHOOSE to exult/proclaim the greatness of the Lord.

- I will not curl up in a ball, but REJOICE in the God of my salvation.

- Thought: How I go up in this life, is up to Him.

Life Guards: If they drag the life guard under, knock the person unconscious and then bring them in. Thousand have been rescued in this manner. They will ultimately be thankful that they were knocked out, because they were saved.

Lean on His Provision.
Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord God is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.

- Small Caps: GOD. Stands in place of YWYH.

- Emphasis: He is in control.

- No one is getting away with anything, they will each pay for their wickedness: either themselves or with the blood of Christ.

- Male deers are called "harts" and Female deer are called "hinds" and they hop on cliff-like surfaces. Hinds are able to balance and even hop in treacherous places. I can then get to the top of the mountain.

His sovereignty becomes our sanity.