God's Divine Plan

 This is what I wrote in Thai Lam's Comment Box on Luke18Project's Network::

It was an unbelievable time. So while I was preparing the message, I realized after rehearsing it twice, that it was at least 30 minutes. So this thought entered my mind, what if I preached during the pastor's time to preach (which has never happened ever)? But during a staff meeting which I was invited to they gave me 5 minutes to share during the announcement times. And something inside me said that I couldn't shorten it because then the full impact of it wouldn't be there.

And I guess that thought was prophetic & from God because during the pastor's sermon, about 10 minutes in, he was opening up with how when God is moving, he doesn't only talk through the pastor, but also through the members of the congregation as well. And at that moment he asked, "So does anyone have a message that they want to deliver at this time? Anyone?"

And at first I was shocked, and I hesitated, but some people around me I think knew I had something so they urged me to go up there. And I ended up sharing for about 20 / 30 minutes. There was no altar call and what not because the pastor had to finish his original message, but it was the first time I've ever "preached" I guess. And a lot of people are now fasting for the FIRST time in their life through the 40 Day TheCall Fasting & Prayer. And I think because we're doing it as a congregation, our congregation which has fallen into the spirit of compromise and complacency will begin to see God's glory shine through.

It was amazing, just another one of life's experiences that serves as a proof that a coincidence is just a misnomer for God's divine plan and appointments.

Homeless around Church

It's amazing how God divinely puts people together.

I went to church early today because I was supposed to attend the PC meeting for my college ministry. So an hour before the meeting time, 5:30pm, I headed off to McDonald's to grab something to eat. Arrived at the drive-through menu and ordered myself two double cheeseburgers with big mac sauce, a small order of fries, and a medium coke. Drove towards the nearest parking space after receiving my food and began to munch away at my lunch/dinner meal.

After I was done, I remembered the homeless guy that sat at the Broadway exit asking for money or help. After I was finished with my small meal, I headed inside McDonald's and ordered a #1 Big Mac combo large with a coke. On my way out, some random man asked me if I knew the area well enough. I said sure.

He asked me for directions to Alhambra and explained a story about how he got into the situation he was in. Intuitively I knew that the whole story was told to prove that he wasn't just some homeless dude. In the end he asked for a couple dollars for gas because that's part of the reason why he was stuck here. His name happened to be Lucky. Ha... So we say a quick prayer and we both head off in our opposite directions.

I go towards the spot I last saw the homeless man. He's not there. Oh man, what am I going to do with a large big mac combo?? I asked God to just guide me to whereever He wanted to lead me. After several turns here and there and going around the block, I end up at the 76 Gas Station because I see a homeless dude. I park my car in a parking slot, and I just observe him as he goes around from car to car asking people for money. I eventually go towards him and ask him to follow me. One of the gas pumping men said, don't give him any money because that's all he wants. The homeless man replies, ha! he's not giving me money, he's giving me food. And the older man said, well make sure you just get him food then don't give him money.

So I hand him the big mac combo and ask him if he knows the Lord. He says he does and that being homeless was just his calling. Even though he's witnessed a death of his homeless friends (his throat got ripped out) and he even met his friend's killer, he still had faith in the Lord. And he says, let me tell you something, i may never see you again on this earth, but i'll see you again in the next life. I realized all these random people I have met, whether homeless or not, all seek God for help. And all homeless I've given food to so far, just so happen to be Christians. I find out his name is kenny, but the best part is yet to come..

So as we are about to leave and we pray, one of his homeless friends comes up towards us. Him with the big red, yellow, white bag in one hand and a massive white drink in the other, looks like he just got some gifts, compared to his dark skin and dirtied clothes. And before I can say ˆanything, kenny says I'm going to share this with him.

And at that point I'm so overwhelmed. The parable of the lady with the small coin offering comes to my head. To see that, this homeless guy, who probably hasn't had a whole big meal in a while, his first instinct when he gets some is to share it with another homeless guy. This whole time as the other dude approached I was thinking of what to say, whether to tell him to share it or not. And on his own he felt compelled to share it. It struck me that a homeless dude who would probably want to eat the food all for himself is willing to share the very treasure that he has, and yet many of us, fortunate people, are so selfish and won't even share the littlest of things with others.

A homeless is willing to share the very thing that he treasures. But what struck me the hardest was the way they understood the concept of everything that they received was truly never theirs. And the quote "he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, gains what he cannot lose." And I realize us here a lot of us are stingy with not necessarily only our money, but also our time and our service to one another. Even time in this life was given to us by God, and it is something that we cannot keep. Time is something that keeps slipping through our fingers as we try to grasp it.

Anyways, take from this what you want, but the Lord created this divine adventure. Lucky & kenny, may God protect you and give you peace. May He guide you to His path and towards Him. In Jesus Christ's name I pray these things, Amen.

God is good. All the time. Hallelujah, amen.

PreCall Rally (led by Lou)

Just came back from the PreCall Rally with Lou Engle. Went with John Chong, Sarah Choi (UCLA), and met Deyvid Lam from San Francisco there! Coincidence? I think not.

As I was heading home with Sarah, I babbled off like I usually do, but like usual God used that babble to reveal those intuition things. I found myself saying:

If noone else will stand between porch and altar for the homosexuals and pro-choice endorsers than who will?

Struck me hard.

McCain/Palin & Obama/Biden

The general crowd that Obama is getting is the youth & the minorities, while McCain tends to gather around the conservative old folks & evangelicals. It's quite interesting that many celebrities and icons in America cast their support for Obama. But what intrigues me the most is when youth in the Church support Obama.

To support a man of compromise is to agree with his beliefs. Sure there is no one perfect candidate, but between choosing one who has a firm ground in his belief (McCain, although I disagree with his advertising style at the moment with all the mudslinging and making a big fuss about minute details) and one who clearly supports abortion and is willing to compromise God to be pleasing in the eyes of men, there is one clear candidate who I will vote for. Unless God brings about radical nightmares into Obama's life about babies and the reality that these babies are ALIVE, McCain & Palin can bring us closer to Him as a nation, especially with Palin's strong background. (She prayed out of Ephesians 1:17! YouTube it!)

But in the end, God is the sovereign leader of this nation and He will either bring about judgment or mercy, and the righteous must cry out for mercy to postpone God's judgment so that our loved ones may turn towards Him and return back to their first love.

In other news, I went to Disneyland, I'll post on how dark the Kid's section was. Oh so dark Disneyland is. SO corrupted. I had to pray as I went through a couple of the rides alone, to be honest.

Good morning John, How you doing today?

Good morning john, How you doing today?
Forget the Bible, just come out & play,
you can do it tomorrow, it'll be okay
Just come with me & you wont even have to pray.

Get away from me, leave me alone
I only want to be with the King who's seated on the throne
To Him I give my life cuz I know its not my own
Ill never be satisfied here cuz it isn't my home

What you talking all this jibberish for?
I can give you money & pleasures, I can give you more!
Plus all your sins your brothers are keeping score
I guarantee my side is easier so come join this side of the war

I will not set my eyes on things of this earth,
Especially if it involves you because you have no worth.
Money & pleasures were all made from dirt,
so all these things to will go back to dirt.

Look at this screen, a pretty young girl,
She can dance with you and spin and twirl,
She'll even wear less and less to please your mind,
On top of that, you can do it night after night like you hit rewind

Get away from me, in the name of Jesus Christ!
He's my #1 lover, he's the lover of my life
Godly and Holy, characteristics of my wife
If you don't get away, I'll have to unsheath my knife

Don't kill me please don't I only wish to serve you
But for all these things I just ask only one thing of you....
Give up your God and bow down to me
Hurry up time is short, get on your knees

I can't I can't, He's my VERY REASON for living,
I hurt him many times, yet he's still very forgiving.
He has something you don't and that thing is called love,
And love is better than all of the above

Fine you don't have to give him up at all,
In fact you can serve Him, even go to The Call!
But you know you can still check out girls at the mall
Look at them and lust after them, I swear you won't fall....
You don't need to continue to live this so called righteous life
Didn't you pray that one prayer where you accepted Jesus Christ?
It's okay to lie from time to time even if its going to save someone
Doesn't God want you to lie if it can save someone?

OH SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE YOU DONT FOOL ME.
God delivered me from blindness and now I can see!
The truth and the Word is what I need to live by,
So shut up and dont come back, not even for a "Hi"
In the name of Jesus Christ, get out of my head
Lord, help me forget all of the things that he's said

John John, everythings goin to be alright,
I've been watching this battle and it's quite a sight!
The persistence you have, the courage you show
I have delivered you once and I will again you know!
I created death and I conquered it too,
So I kill the devil by just saying "Shoo!"
Come with me to my palace and enjoy my gifts!
And Ill go down to you and give your heart a little kiss.