A Paper Presented to

Ronald B. Allen

Dallas Theological Seminary

_______________________________

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirement for the Course
BE109OL-Ruth, Psalms, Jonah, & selected Epistles

_______________________________

by
Mike H. Lei

October 5, 2008
Box # 999

This paper will consider the context and meaning of Apostle Pauls’ words “For to me, to live is Christ…” (Phil 1:21). We will first look at why Paul made this statement. We will look at this statement in the context of the whole letter of Philippians. We will see how this statement relates to other letters of Paul. Finally we will see how this statement relates to other books in the New Testament and the Old Testament.

Paul made this statement after he greeted the Christian saints in Philippi (1:1-2). He thanked God for their participation in the gospel from the time he has known them (1:3). He is confident that they will continue to do good work in Christ through God’s help (1:6). Paul prays that their love may grow deeper in true knowledge and discernment so that they can be pure and blameless until Christ comes (1:9-10). Paul points out that his imprisonment for the cause of Christ has served to advance the gospel (1:13). He admits that some had preached Christ while he is away out of envy and selfish ambition and others out of good will (1:15). However, Paul still rejoices because the gospel is being proclaimed (1:18). He sees his rejoicing in the Lord will be the key to his deliverance which he credits to the prayers of the Philippian saints and help from the Holy Spirit (1:19). Paul has confidence that whether by life or death, Christ will be exalted in his body (1:20). To be put to shame for Paul means that he won’t have the boldness to witness for Christ. Then Paul makes the defining statement of Phil 1:21. Paul is assuring the Philippian believers not to worry about his imprisonment or the works of others who are undermining Paul’s leadership status in their church by their preaching the gospel. Paul doesn’t mind others getting converts to Christ. The most important things for him is that the gospel gets proclaimed.
This is reminiscent of Jesus’ response to John when John complained about seeing another person casting out demons in His name (Luke 10:49). John wants to prevent the person from using Jesus’ name because that person doesn’t follow along with Jesus’ disciples. Yet, Jesus replied, “Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you.”(Luke 10:50) In the same way, Paul’s life is wholly for Christ. Paul doesn’t mind others being against him. As long as they are doing work for Christ, he rejoices. Paul is telling that Philippians that his life is no longer about Paul, but is totally about Christ. As long as people are doing work for Christ, Paul is happy and cheers them on, even though their motives may be against Paul.
Paul goes on to explain the reason for the second part of his statement in Phil 1:21, “to die is gain”. He explains that the attacks he faces in life gave him a desire to depart to be with Christ, which is better than life. However, Paul is living because he sees it will be fruitful labor for him and necessary for the sake of the saints (1:22,24). For this reason Paul see that God wants him to remain on earth for the sake of other saints (1:25). He sees that if he can come visit them that would be of great benefit in their faith (1:26). He encourages them to stand firm in the faith whether he is with them or away from the. (1:27). He tells them that they should not only expect the benefits of believing in Christ, but also to expect to suffer for the sake of Christ (1:29).
Paul sees a great benefit to Christ because he is living, even though he personally desires to be with Christ by departing the world. The reason he sees such benefit in him being alive is because he knows his whole life is about Christ. Every action he makes he is making it in Christ. Thus, this kind of living will be fruitful labor for the cause of Christ. We see Paul is not sitting idle in jail. He is proclaiming the gospel in prison (1:13) and writing letters to encourage the churches. Paul sees his life can be a good example for the Philippians (1:30), which is to model the life of Christ.
Paul defines what it means to be like Christ in chapter 2 of Philippians. He described how Christ did not regard equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant (1:6-7). Christ humbled Himself by being obedient even to death, a shameful death on the cross (1:8-9). Paul shows how he also is being “poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith” (1:17). “To live is Christ” for Paul means to humble himself and empty himself and be obedient even to death as Christ.
Paul explains why he considers “to live is Christ and to die is gain” in chapter 3 of Philippians. He sees all the “gains” he had before knowing Christ such as his Jewish religious status and achievements are “rubbish” (3:8). He considers all his previous “gains” as a “loss” for the sake of Christ. All the “gains” he seeks to attain previously is the righteousness that he tried to earn. Yet, after knowing Christ, he realized that true righteousness can only come by faith in Christ (3:9). Thus, the “gain” Paul receives in Christ is the righteousness of God that he can never attain on his own. For Paul, to live is to enjoy the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, not by striving for his own righteousness. For Paul, living means having the chance to know Christ more and experiencing the power of Christ’ resurrection and sharing in Christ’ suffering (3:10). Thus Paul sees the advantage of living is to experience Christ in His resurrection power and suffering. Paul sees Christ and His righteousness as the biggest gain in his life.
Paul makes it very clear to the Philippians that they are his “joy and crown” (4:1). Thus, “to live is Christ” means that Paul can enjoy the fruits of seeing his labor in Christ- which is the church he is writing to. Since Christ is in heaven, Paul sees himself as the model of Christ for the Philippians. Thus “to live is Christ” means that Paul’s life will be a true reflection of what Christ would be like on earth to the Philippians. He said to them, “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things” (4:9). Thus, for Paul, to be living means that he can represent Christ and model Christ for the saints in Philippi.
In other letters of Paul, we also see the theme of “to live is Christ”. Paul declares in Galatians 2:20 that “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”. Thus, we can see that “to live is Christ” means that Christ is living through Paul. In Romans chapter 8, Paul explains that because we are in Christ, we are united with Christ in His death and resurrection (8:6). This means that we should consider ourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus (8:11). Here we see that as Christians we are no longer living in the bondage of sin and death, but we are being made alive to live for Christ. However, the statement in Phil 1:20 relates more to Paul’s life goal – which is not only to no longer live in sin, but to live to proclaim and serve Christ. We can see this goal of living for the cause of Christ in Romans 8:36, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 2 Corinthians 4:11 echoes this sentiment, “For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” Paul warns the Galatians, “From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus” (Gal 6:17). For Paul, “to live is Christ” means that he is experiencing death every day for the sake of the gospel. Paul credits his ability to live for Christ to the power of resurrection power of God at work in him (Colossians 1:29).
In other books of the New and Old Testament, we can find the concept of “to live is Christ”. Jesus calls the disciples to follow Him by denying themselves and taking up their own cross (Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, Matt 10:38). To live for Christ or to follow Christ means to die to self and make faith in Christ the goal of living. Thus, for Paul to “live is Christ” means to live by faith in Christ. Jesus talks about this kind of life in John 15. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4). The Book of Hebrews records the lives of Old Testament saints who lived by faith. Hebrews listed Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab and many others “who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.” (Heb. 11:1-34). Even though these people may not consider their live totally for God (Christ), their moments of faith displayed the power of God in their life. Thus Paul’s faith is a faith of consistent and constant living for Christ, thus he can say “to live is Christ”, and not “to live by faith is Christ”. The latter statement would imply the person is not living by faith all the time.
We can see that Paul is able to make the statement “to live is Christ” because he has allowed Christ to take total control of him through the Holy Spirit. Paul’s aim in everything in live is to live for Christ by becoming like Christ in His death and resurrection. Paul credits the power to live in this way through the resurrection power of Christ through the Holy Spirit. Paul lives by faith in the Son of God constantly and consistently. Paul’s purpose in life is to proclaim the gospel. He rejoices when others are doing this work, even though they may be against Paul. Thus, Paul’s life is no longer anything about Paul, but totally about his Lord Jesus Christ. We see Paul’s statement echoed in Jesus’ teaching about abiding in Him and taking up the cross. We also see Paul’s statement reflected in the faith of the Old Testament saints, even though they may not all exhibit the consistent and constant faith of Paul. If our aim is to be like Paul, “to live is Christ”, it means that our live is no longer about our needs, our desires, our rights. Our life will be totally about Christ’s desires and the proclamation of the gospel. If we choose to live consistently and constantly for the cause of Christ, we can also declare like Paul, “to live is Christ”.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gromacki, Robert. The Books of Philippians & Colossians: Joy and Completeness in Christ. Gen. Ed., Mal Couch and Hindson Ed. Chattanooga, TN: Tyndale Theological Seminary AMG Publishers, 2003.
MacArthur, John Jr. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Philippians. Chicago Moody Publishers, 2001.
New American Standard Bible. Anaheim: Foundation Publications, Inc. 1995.
Silva, Moises. The Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary: Philippians. Gen. Ed., Kenneth Barker. Chicago: Moody Press, 1988.
Walvoord, John F. To Live is Christ: An Exposition of the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians. Frindlay, Ohio: Dunham Publishing Company, 1961.

--------------------------------------------
About the Author:

Mike H. Lei worked at Fujitsu Microelectronics America in Dallas, TX as a product development engineer. Mike has been promoted to the management level now. He was also active in his churches. Mike Lei has served as a youth deacon and Chairman of the C.C.C. Mission Committee at Carrollton Chinese Church (C. C. C.). He likes to play tennis and jogging. He has been an engineer for several years. He currently works at Fujitsu Microelectronics America as a Staff of Product Development Engineer. He has submitted 7 patents dealing with forward error correction circuits while at Alcatel Telecom. Visitors and friends can reach Mike at mlei@fma.fujitsu.com.

"May they who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength," quoted the Bible, Judges 5:31. You are our destiny. We love you with sincere heart and real action!

[Dear Mom and Dad,
Thank You! God bless You!
Mike]

Congratulations! Happy Birthday!!!

Dear Mike, Great! Happy Birthday!!! The sky is beautiful. God is blessing you.

American radio and motion-picture actress and comedy star Lucille Ball quotes that, "Your birthday is a special time to celebrate the gift of 'you' to the world."

The World is celebrating September 7 "Mike Lei's Day"!

With heartily love,

Mom & Dad

[[[ Elective ASSIGNMENT 每 A SERMON
A Paper Presented to
The Faculty of the Department of Systematic Theology
Dallas Theological Seminary

In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Theology

by Mike H. Lei

May 11, 2007
Not just another Day (2 Peter 3)
A Sermon on lifestyle evangelism (ST104OL) ]]]

Introduction

It was just another day. I was in my 2nd year of college at UNLV. One evening, my brother and I went to play tennis at a park. The courts were all taken. But, we saw two little Chinese teenage girls playing tennis. The man watching them told us that one of the girls is ranked and is related to an Asian sports star. After talking with us a while, he offered to let us play with the little teenage girls. I can remember the girl＊s devious smile as they watched these 2 older guys coming to challenge them. We thought we were good. But we were beaten pretty badly by these little girls. Before they left us beaten and embarrassed, the man invited us to their youth group＊s Christmas party. And the rest is history. We went to the youth group party and saw the love there. We started going to the youth group and the church and pretty soon we became part of the Christian family there.

God＊s patience

God is patient with all of us. I became a Christian at the age of 20. Think of how patient God is to wait so long for me to come receive the gift of salvation? Can you wait 20 years to marry a girl you love? Maybe Jacob can wait 7 years and end up working 14 years for Rachel. Abraham waited 15 years for a son after God gave him the promise. How long did God wait for you? 2 Peter 3 is our text for today. Vs. 8-9 tell us, ※But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.§ God＊s desire is that all will repent and believe in His Son. Does that mean everyone will believe and be saved? Do you believe those who don＊t know Christ are really lost? Recently, I had a conversation with a person about this. The exclusive view that salvation is only through knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is hard to talk about when we try to fit into society＊s diverse views. If you were to tell people Jesus is the only way to be saved, how will people respond? Would they think you are arrogant, judgmental, and narrow-minded? John 3:18, which is rarely quoted compared to John 3:16 says ※Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God＊s one and only Son.§ I know how heavy it is for this truth to really sink in. Despite how happy, successful, or nice people can be, without knowing Christ as Lord and Savior, they can＊t be saved from their sins.

What is God＊s promise? Jesus will come back to judge the world. Vs. 10. ※But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.§ So, how should we live since we know this will happen? What should we live for? Where should our hearts be? What should be the focus of our life?

God＊s standard

What is God＊s standard? Is it just to be like everyone around us? Is it just to be a little better than people around us? So, if others say 10 bad words a today, we just say 5 bad words a day. If others say 10 bad things about others a today, we just say 2 bad things about others a day. If others do 10 bad things a day, we just do 2 bad things a day. Is that enough? Would God be satisfied with this kind of living. Vs. 11-12a says, ※Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming§ According to the Barna research group, ※The Concept of Holiness Baffles Most Americans§ Overall, three out of every four adults (73%) believe that it is possible for someone to become holy, regardless of their past. Only half of the adult population (50%), however, says that they know someone they consider to be holy. And that＊s more than twice as many who consider themselves to be holy (21%). The views of born again Christians are not much different from the national averages. Among born again adults, three-quarters (76%) say it is possible for a person to become holy, regardless of their past. Slightly more than half of the born again group (55%) say they know someone who they would describe as holy. And roughly three out of ten born agains (29%) say they are holy, which is marginally more than the national norm. When pressed to describe what it means to be holy, adults gave a wide range of answers. The most common reply was "I don＊t know," offered by one out of every five adults (21%). Other responses fell into categories such as "being Christ-like" (19%), making faith your top priority in life (18%), living a pure or sinless lifestyle (12%), and having a good attitude about people and life (10%). Other response categories included focusing completely on God (9%), being guided by the Holy Spirit (9%), being born again (8%), reflecting the character of God (7%), exhibiting a moral lifestyle (5%), and accepting and practicing biblical truth (5%). Once again, the responses of born again and non-born again adults were virtually identical. Pointing to data from several of his recent surveys on spiritual maturity in the U.S., Barna noted, "To initiate the education of people regarding holiness, we must arrest their attention and teach its importance. To align their hearts with the notion of being holy, we must move them away from a ＆cheap grace＊ theology and replace people＊s self-absorption with focus on God and His ways. To help them pursue holiness, we must help them comprehend and accept biblical theology regarding God, Satan, the purposes of life on earth, the nature of spiritual transformation and maturity, and the necessity of bearing spiritual fruit." (http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=219)

How can you speed the coming of the Lord? By living holy and godly lives. Why? If all Christian live according to the commands of Christ, we would be better witnesses to the world. Do you think being better witnesses to the world will have an impact on people coming to Christ? Think of how many godly people God used to help you in your journey to know Christ? Think of all the missionaries who went all over the world to share the love of Christ? Then, think of how many non-Christian you know who complain about the hypocrisy of Christians and the church 每 present and past. No matter what we say to them, their mind is made up. They don＊t like the hypocrisy among Christians. They like Christ, but not what they see in Christianity. What I want to talk about today is lifestyle evangelism. We live as Christ＊s witnesses, in holy fear of God, looking forward to His coming. Vs. 14 ※So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. ※

God＊s salvation

Why is God taking so long to come back? What is His purpose? Vs. 15 tell us ※Bear in mind that our Lord＊s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.§ We don＊t know when Jesus will come back. But we know that everyday he is not back yet is another day that someone can come to Christ. We must remember that everything is a day of salvation, not just special Sundays or special outreach. Each Saturday we are at the Carrollton Supermarket passing out flyers from 3:30-5pm. I hope you can come join us. How many times in a week you can invite strangers to church? You never know if someone who never went to a church comes by, sees us and started asking questions. People are looking for the meaning of life. As someone has said we have ※a God shaped vacuum in our hearts§. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says: ※He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fanthom what God has done from beginning to end.§ People may not know all of the bible, but God created them with a sense of eternity. They hoped at the end of life that this is not the end. There＊s more to it. Deep inside, we know there＊s more to life than eating and drinking and working. The Heavenly Father＊s purpose is that we may come to our senses and be restored to a relationship with Him.

Two years ago, when we were on the mission trip in Taiwan, we were eating at a restaurant. It was small family owned restaurant. They had a dog in the back too. I guess he eats all the leftovers. It was a beef soup noodle place. So, we were just sitting there, enjoying the meal, talking and laughing. The husband owner found out we are Christians. Before we left, this elderly man humbly admits to us that he needs Jesus. We scheduled a time to go visit him. I didn＊t go on that visit. But I heard he wept and accepted Christ when we shared with him the gospel. He said when he heard us laughing and talking, he has never seen such a happy group of people before. So, just being who we are fellowshipping in Christ has a powerful attractive force to the world. I remember how I was attracted to the love among members of the youth group when before I was a Christian. Last year when we were in that restaurant again, we met a young man and he also accepted Christ when we shared with him. Was it a coincidence? Are you willing to believe that God can do all things? Is there something that is hard for you to believe God can do? Are you praying and watching for God to do something everyday?

Conclusion

We see today that God＊s patience shows His desire is that all can come to repentance and know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We see God＊s standard for us is to live holy and godly lives. Our lives are part of God＊s plan to save the world. Finally, we see how great is God＊s salvation. How patient God is willing to endure our unbelief until we repent. How patient God is for us Christians to repent and live according to His ways. How He wants us to live in such a way that we can truly be witnesses for Christ. Let us not waste each Day of Salvation that the Lord gives to us. Let us pursue the holy calling and holy living of God. Let＊s pray.

------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Mike H. Lei worked at Fujitsu Microelectronics America in Dallas, TX as a product development engineer. He was also active in his church. Mike Lei has served as a youth deacon at Carrollton Chinese Church. He likes to play tennis and jogging. He has been an engineer for several years. He currently works at Fujitsu Microelectronics America. He has submitted 6 patents dealing with forward error correction circuits while at Alcatel Telecom. You can reach him at mlei@fma.fujitsu.com.

Let me continue to share my knowledge of being a Christian.*1

I stress the importance of being saved, because it is the only way a
person can have the new life of a believer. Otherwise, no matter how
"good" the person can be, he will still be condemned for eternal punishment
(hell).

Once you are a Christian, does that mean you suddenly become perfect
and you don't sin anymore? Obsolutely not! No one will be perfect until
Jesus comes back and give us new sinless bodies. Our current physical
bodies are naturally sinful. But if we are saved, we have inside this
sinful body the Holy Spirit that helps us to obey God. In God's eyes, a
Christian is both a sinner and a saint. A sinner because he sins, but a
saint because of the blood of Jesus Christ.

However, God promises a believer that He will make him more and more
like Christ. It's a promise, so it will happen. If it is not happening,
then the person has to examine himself to see if he is really a
believer. If a person is struggling with a sin and tries to change, but still
fails, he should be comforted that he is saved, because a person who is
not saved would not even be aware of his sins. This doesn't mean that
everyone who feels guilty about something they did wrong is saved. A
person must have genuine faith in Jesus Christ to be saved.

Can someone be a true Christian and still live like other people in the
world - prideful, greedy, etc...
Well, God says once you are saved, nothings can take away your
salvation. But if a person continues to follow his own ways, it may show that
the person is 1) not really saved or 2) he is saved, but needs to repent
and go back to God. God will discpline his children.

Christians should obey God because we belong to Him when we made Jesus
our Lord and Savior. But the wonderful thing is that God helps us to
obey Him. He clears our conscience when we fail and ask Him to forgive
us. God is not against us, but is for us when we trust in Christ. He no
longer have wrath for us. Now, in love, He will discipline us and help
us to follow His commands.*2
[Written on 24 Feb 2000.]

--------------------------------------------
References

*1. Lei, Mike H. 'Re: Raining,' "An e-mail from Mr. Mike H. Lei to WBTI," (May 9, 2007), Dallas, Texas: Mike Lei's Study Desk.
*2. Ibid.

Not just another Day (2 Peter 3)
Sermon on lifestyle evangelism
3/19/07

I. Introduction

It was just another day. I was in my 2nd year of college at UNLV. One evening, my brother and I went to play tennis at a park. The courts were all taken. But, we saw two little Chinese teenage girls playing tennis. The adult watching them told us that one of the girls is ranked and is related to an Asian sports star. After talking with us a while, he offered to let us play with the little teenage girls. I can remember the girl�s devious smile as they watched these 2 older guys coming to challenge them. We thought we were good. But we were beaten pretty badly by these little girls. Before they left us beaten and embarrassed, the man invited us to their youth group�s Christmas party. And the rest is history. We went to the youth group party and saw the love there. We started going to the youth group and the church and pretty soon we became part of the Christian family there.

II. God�s patience

God is patient with all of us. I became a Christian at the age of 20. Think of how patient God is to wait so long for me to come receive the gift of salvation? Can you wait 20 years to marry a girl you love? Maybe Jacob can wait 7 years. Abraham waited 15 years for a son. How long did God wait for you? 2 Peter 3 is our text for today. Vs. 8-9 tell us, �But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.� What is the God�s promise? Jesus will come back to judge the world. Vs. 10. �But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.� So, how should we live since we know this will happen? What should we live for? Where should our hearts be? What should be the focus of our life?

III. God�s standard

What is God�s standard? Is it just to be like everyone around us? Is it just to be a little better than people around us? So, if others say 10 bad words a today, we just say 5 bad words a day. If others say 10 bad things about others a today, we just say 2 bad things about others a day. If others do 10 bad things a day, we just do 2 bad things a day. Is that enough? Would God be satisfied with this kind of living. Vs. 11-12a says, �Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming� According to the Barna research group, �The Concept of Holiness Baffles Most Americans� Overall, three out of every four adults (73%) believe that it is possible for someone to become holy, regardless of their past. Only half of the adult population (50%), however, says that they know someone they consider to be holy. And that�s more than twice as many who consider themselves to be holy (21%). The views of born again Christians are not much different from the national averages. Among born again adults, three-quarters (76%) say it is possible for a person to become holy, regardless of their past. Slightly more than half of the born again group (55%) say they know someone who they would describe as holy. And roughly three out of ten born agains (29%) say they are holy, which is marginally more than the national norm. When pressed to describe what it means to be holy, adults gave a wide range of answers. The most common reply was "I don�t know," offered by one out of every five adults (21%). Other responses fell into categories such as "being Christ-like" (19%), making faith your top priority in life (18%), living a pure or sinless lifestyle (12%), and having a good attitude about people and life (10%). Other response categories included focusing completely on God (9%), being guided by the Holy Spirit (9%), being born again (8%), reflecting the character of God (7%), exhibiting a moral lifestyle (5%), and accepting and practicing biblical truth (5%). Once again, the responses of born again and non-born again adults were virtually identical. Pointing to data from several of his recent surveys on spiritual maturity in the U.S., Barna noted, "To initiate the education of people regarding holiness, we must arrest their attention and teach its importance. To align their hearts with the notion of being holy, we must move them away from a �cheap grace� theology and replace people�s self-absorption with focus on God and His ways. To help them pursue holiness, we must help them comprehend and accept biblical theology regarding God, Satan, the purposes of life on earth, the nature of spiritual transformation and maturity, and the necessity of bearing spiritual fruit." (http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=219)
How can you speed the coming of the Lord? By living holy and godly lives. Why? If all Christian live according to the commands of Christ, we would be better witnesses to the world. Do you think being better witnesses to the world will have an impact on people coming to Christ? Think of how many godly people God used to help you in your journey to know Christ? Think of all the missionaries who went all over the world to share the love of Christ? Then, think of how many non-Christian you know who complain about the hypocrisy of Christians and the church � present and past. No matter what we say to them, their mind is made up. They don�t like the hypocrisy among Christians. They like Christ, but not �Christianity�. What I want to talk about today is lifestyle evangelism. We live as Christ�s witnesses, in holy fear of God, looking forward to His coming. Vs. 14 �So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. �
IV. God�s salvation
Why is God taking so long to come back? What is His purpose? Vs. 15 tell us �Bear in mind that our Lord�s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.� We don�t know when Jesus will come back. But we know that everyday he is not back yet is another day that someone can come to Christ. We must remember that everything is a day of salvation, not just special Sundays or special outreach. Each Saturday we are at the Carrollton Supermarket passing out flyers from 3:30-5pm. I hope you can come join us. You never know if someone who never went to a church comes by, sees us and started asking questions. People are looking for the meaning of life. God created as a person says, �a God shaped vacuum in their hearts�. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says: �He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fanthom what God has done from beginning to end.� People may not know all of the bible, but God created them with a sense of eternity. They know at the end of life that this is not the end. There�s more to it. Deep inside, we know there�s more to life than eating and drinking and working. The Heavenly Father�s purpose is that we may come to our senses and be restored to a relationship with Him.
V. Conclusion
We see today that God�s patience shows His desire that all can come to repentance and know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We see God�s standard for us is to live holy and godly lives. Our lives are part of God�s plan to save the world. Finally, we see how great is God�s salvation. How patient God is willing to endure the our unbelief until we repent. How patient God is for us Christians to repent and live according to His ways. How He wants us to live in such a way that we can truly be witnesses for Christ. Let us not waste each Day of Salvation that the Lord gives to us. Let us pursue the holy calling and holy living of God. Let�s pray.

Formal Definition of God

God is One and is the Creator of all things. [i] In the Bible, God revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. [ii]The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. The 3 Persons are in 1 Godhead (we called this the triune God or Trinity), each having the same attributes of God. [iii]

Attributes of God
God is personal, triune, self-existent, self-sufficient, and free. [iv]God is perfect and unchanging. [v] He is infinite and eternal, both inside and outside of time. [vi] God knows all things past, present, and future, and everything else. [vii] He is all powerful. [viii] God is present in every part of His creation, yet distinct from His creation. [ix] God is forever beyond, separate, and distinct from His creation. [x] God is the absolute truth, the standard for all knowledge. [xi] He designs the perfect ends and achieves those ends by the perfect means. [xii] God is holy, just, good, faithful, love, and merciful. [xiii]

The Father
He is God. He is Father of Christ [xiv], Israel[xv], angels[xvi], and all believers[xvii]. He is the source of all that comes from God. [xviii] He is the Almighty[xix], Maker of heaven and earth[xx], Sovereign Ruler[xxi], Judge[xxii], not begotten nor proceeding[xxiii], and ultimately the all in all. [xxiv]

The Son
He is God[xxv]. He is Creator, Sustainer[xxvi], came to earth born of a virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit, God with us[xxvii]. He is the Son of God/Most High[xxviii], Alpha and Omega[xxix], Savior[xxx], Redeemer[xxxi], Holy One, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Mighty God, Father of Eternity[xxxii], eternally begotten not made[xxxiii].

The Holy Spirit
He is God[xxxiv]. He took part in creation[xxxv], inspiration of scripture[xxxvi], generation of Jesus in flesh on earth[xxxvii]. He ministers to all believers, regenerating, baptizing, sealing, and living in believers[xxxviii]. He gives us spiritual gifts[xxxix]. He is the Spirit of the LORD, of the Father and of the Son[xl]. He is the ※other Counselor§ [xli].

J.S. Horrell, ※Attributes of God§, In Syllabus Supp., Class Notes & Class Readings ST102 Trinitarianism.

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ENDNOTES

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[i] J.S. Horrell, ※Attributes of God§, In Syllabus Supp., Class Notes & Class Readings ST102 Trinitarianism. Seen in Gen. 1:1, Deut.6:4, Isa. 42:5.

[ii] Ibid. Matthew 28:19 shows this clearly.

[iii] Ibid. Seem in bible and agreed by Council of Nicea (325AD) and Chalcedonian Defintion (451AD).

[iv] Ibid. We see evidence of God＊s self-sufficiency in Acts 17:24 and self-sufficiency in Isa. 40:12-14.

[v] Ibid. For example, Mal. 3:6.

[vi] Ibid. For example, Gen. 21:33.

[vii] Ibid. For example, Isa. 46:10

[viii] Ibid. For example, Isa. 46:10

[ix] Ibid. For example, Psalm 139:7

[x] Ibid. For example, Isa. 40:25

[xi] Ibid. For example, Isa. 45:19.

[xii] Ibid. For example, Isa. 46:10.

[xiii] Ibid. For example, Rev. 19:11, 1John 4:16, Rev. 4:8, Heb. 10:23, Mark 10:18.

[xiv] Ibid. For example, 1 Peter 1:3

[xv] Ibid. For example, John 7:41, John 14:1.

[xvi] Ibid. For example, Job 1:6.

[xvii] Ibid. For example, Eph. 3:14.

[xviii] Ibid. For example, Eph. 3:15.

[xix] Ibid. For example, Gen. 17:1.

[xx] Ibid. For example, Psalm 121:2.

[xxi] Ibid. For example, Gen.15:2.

[xxii] Ibid. For example, Isaiah 40:10.

[xxiii] Ibid. For example, Isaih 43:10.

[xxiv] Ibid. For example, Eph 4:6 .

[xxv] Ibid. For example, John 1:1.

[xxvi] Ibid. For example, Col. 1:16.

[xxvii] Ibid. For example, Luke 1:35.

[xxviii] Ibid. For example, Luke 1:35.

[xxix] Ibid. For example, Rev. 1:8.

[xxx] Ibid. For example, Titus 3:4.

[xxxi] Ibid. For example, Isaiah 49:26.

[xxxii] Ibid. For example, Isaiah 9:6.

[xxxiii] Ibid. For example, John 3:16.

[xxxiv] Ibid. For example, 2 Cor. 3:17.

[xxxv] Ibid. For example, Genesis 1:2.

[xxxvi] Ibid. For example, 2 Ti. 3:16.

[xxxvii] Ibid. For example, Luke 1:35.

[xxxviii] Ibid. For example, Romans 8:2, Romans 8:8, Eph. 4:30.

[xxxix] Ibid. For example, 1 Cor. 12:1, Romans 8:27, 2 Cor. 1:4.

[xl] Ibid. For example, Isaiah 11:2, Acts 16:7, John 14:16.

[xli] Ibid. For example, John 14:16.

Today is St. Patrick's Day. Here is an article from wikipedia about the history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick's_Day#History

History

Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born, probably in Roman Britain, about AD 385, and was originally called Maewyn.
At the age of 16, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. Having been a pagan before, he became closer to Christianity during his captivity.
He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for a period of twelve years. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity.
He wished to return to Ireland and to convert the native pagans to Christianity, but his superiors instead appointed St. Palladius. However, two years later Palladius transferred to Scotland. Patrick, having adopted that Christian name earlier, was then appointed as second bishop to Ireland.
Patrick was quite successful at winning converts which upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion of the Irish country to Christianity.
His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. After that time, Patrick retired to County Down. He died on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since.
Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick's Day. Some of this lore includes the belief that Patrick raised people from the dead[2].He also is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. No snakes were ever native to Ireland[3], some scholars think this is a metaphor for the conversion of the pagans. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday.
One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. This stems from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day.
The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737, the first year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated, in Boston, Massachusetts.
Today, people celebrate the day with parades, wearing green, and drinking beer

12/23/06
Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for these couple of days of vacation. Since I came to San Jose , CA , you�ve blessed the time with my parents and my brother. I asked them a lot of questions about relationships. I tried to hear your voice through their feedbacks. My devotions have been pretty good. I got from your word that I need to be more disciplined next year. I want to be more disciplined in my thoughts, my words, my use of time, my work, my service. I need to slow down and not rush. If I can�t do something, just hold off doing it. Thank you I can send the Christmas gifts to my cousins overseas. May you bless them with these Christmas presents.

Thank you for the safe trip to Tahoe Donner yesterday. Thank you for letting me win the drawing to have the company condo this weekend. We almost missed the turn in the cold and icy dark night, but just as we were making a U-turn at the street, we saw that was the very street we were looking for. If we had given up earlier and made the turn, we would be more lost and probably won�t find the house for another hour or more. Thank you for your mercy to us. Thank you for nice neighbors here to point out the condo. Thank you for keeping us safe as we walk in the dark icy ground.

It�s almost like you were waiting for us at the condo. The moment we turned on the stereo in the condo, we heard a worship song. The station was KLOV, a local Christian music station. We thank you for the previous residents who must love you also. I didn�t realize there were others who love you who work in my company. Thank you Lord! Thank you for the nice meal of rice porridge my mom made last night. Even though we didn�t eat at a fancy restaurant, this is most enjoyable meal for all of us.

Thank you Lord for today. We made sledding tracks by the house and had a ton of fun sledding in the snow. Even my Dad joined in the fun. In the past, he wouldn�t do anything that looks risky. But, Lord, since he have grown spiritually you have changed him a lot. I saw him helping with the chores and volunteering to help. These are some things he wouldn�t do before. Praise your name! He seemed so much more fun-loving and alive than before. Hallelujah!

We saw the Donner Lake and took pictures together. Thank you for bringing us together for this trip. Again, I thank you that my Dad has become so fun-loving and excited to do new things.

Thank you for the hot-tub in the condo. As I relaxed in the bubbling water, I thank you for being so good to me. I feel guilty for enjoying the nice treatment because I know I don�t deserve all your goodness. But I know this thought is not from you. You love me so much, you want me to have the best. I want to suffer more for you in return for all your goodness to me. But, I know that is up to you. I know you want me to live by your grace and love. You ways are much better than my ways. Hallelujah!

12/24/06
Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for this Christmas Eve I can spend with my family, Angie and her mom. We had a blast last night playing monopoly until 1am with John, Angie, mom, and me. I�m so glad you provided such a nice sister in Christ for my brother. Thank you for the worship service this morning. We had it here in the condo and I shared Pastor Wang�s Christmas sermon. I still have a lot to improve sharing your Word, but somehow you gave me these opportunities despite my lack of readiness. Please help me develop my speaking skills in 2007 that I can be more effective to serve you.

Thank you for devotions this morning on the balcony overlooking the misty snowy sun-rise landscape. I�m reminded in Prov. 24 not to judge impartially. I know I tend to judge differently depending on the person. Help me to have integrity to judge rightly no matter who the person is.

We had some scary fun sledding by the house. I strained my neck in a scary downhill slide. Please heal my neck muscle pains. Thank you for protecting us all today while we sled, especially my Dad. He was so brave today to try sledding and had some moments that scared us too. Praise you again for giving him the faith to trust you to try new things, even daring things.

9/28/2006 12am LA time

Dear Heavenly Father,

I pray this prayer journal will capture what went on this trip. Thank you for letting Pastor Wang, Sandy, Anli, me, and Sophia and her sister-in-law to meet at the DFW airport and even go on the same flight. Even though Sophia and her sister-in-law are going on a different plane to Taiwan, we see each other already. You gave us more time together to develop as a team. Lord, I just ask this trip we will all experience your abundant grace and the power of your Holy Spirit. Thank you for letting me read Dr. Chaffer�s Systematic Theology chapters on grace and law. I got insight on how different it is for Christians to live by grace, instead of law. Hallejujah, praise the Lord for the Spirit-empowered grace living we have in Christ. Thank you for DTS chapel speaker�s message about calling. Thank you for helping me see more and more clearly my primary call to offer myself as a living sacrifice and my functional call to use the gifts you have given me in the body of Christ. As I write this, I�m at the LA airport waiting for the flight to Taipei. I feel more relaxed on this trip than previous trips. May you bless the brothers and sisters back home who are praying for us. Thank you we had a chance to talk with Auntie Cui before the trip. May you strengthen her body and faith. Lord Jesus, may you be glorified through her life. May our presence and soft singing here in the airport be fragrant offering to you. Thank you for letting us meet 2 sisters in Christ from Hong Kong. You have put your people everywhere. May more receive your salvation through our trip. Thank you Lord we got on the plane. We almost missed it because we thought the departure time was the boarding time.

9/30/2006 4am Taiwan time

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for this quiet moment to write to you. I�m sitting across from my brother Daniel, who is also up early. Thank you for bringing the whole team safely to Yilan. What a delight to see Flora, Mary, James, Mrs. Lee, and Knot (Pauline�s little brother). What a joy to see Pastor Liu, brother Chang, and others in Yi-Lan. You let us eat at the same place we met the owner who accepted you. Now, his wife is there and is also a believer. At the restaurant, we met a 19 year old young man there who James and I started talking to. We found out he had a serious car accident 4 years ago, was paralyzed and but now he can walk and talk. What a miracle Lord! The biggest miracle was after Pastor Liu shared the gospel with him, he said he want to accept Christ. Wow! Next thing I know, she asked me to lead brother Sung in prayer to accept Christ. I looked around and tried to pass this wonderful privilege to others. Lord, I am so rusty, haven�t done this in a while. I trust that brother Sung has eternal life not because how well I lead him in the prayer, but because of your grace and love. Oh Lord, please let him be able to come to church this afternoon. Guard his faith in Jesus. Please help me, O Lord, remember who I am in Christ, my role here, and not let my self-doubt hinder me from serving you to spread the gospel. Yet I know you are faithful even when I�m faithless. I saw a clearer picture of your grace to let me participate in Your work. Lord, I ask you may let Knot know You also.

What a joy to see Kelly and Sophia and brothers Wu and Lee from Operation Dawn when we got off the plane. Both brothers Wu and Lee showed their life is a testimony of your grace � drug addicts to full-time Christian ministry. We went to Miao Li drug rehab center first. Lord, thank you for letting me come back to visit this place. I feel more familiar this time. You allowed all of us to have opportunity to serve you there. I pray for brother Chen who would like to move to the middle-journey house so he can start working and make transition back to society. Help this brother be able to successfully finish his time at this drug rehab center. Next, we went to Chinese Lutheran Seminary, where we went Sophia�s brother-in-law, Pastor Pan, his wife, and his mother. Thank you for letting me see Isaac�s parents (Pastor Pan and his wife) and his grandmother and see their life and service to you. Most amazing is You let Pastor Wang meet Pastor Ann from Norway who helped them during spiritual struggles and helped Pauline in her decision to go into full-time ministry. What a pleasant surprise and blessing for me to see this Norwegian lady who have touched so many lives and continue to serve you so joyfully and humbly in Taiwan.

I finally met Pastor Liu Ming He, who is a seminary buddy of Pastor Wang, and founder of the Operation Dawn Christian drug rehab ministry in Taiwan. Well, Lord, here is a former drug addict turned Pastor who have helped lead so many drug addicts to You over the years. He is not ashamed to tell everyone his story of being addicted to drugs for 10 years and how he is using his experience to help others to find freedom through Christ. Next we visited a new AIDS drug rehab center, up in the mountain. What a wonderful view from the center of the mountains and even Taipei 101. We saw such a beautiful rainbow there. What reminder of your faithfulness!

10/2/06 8:20am, 12am, 10pm

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you yesterday for all the wonderful things and getting me through some physical difficulties. We had good devotions, lead by Sandy. We then went to do visitations. First we met Mrs. Lai, an old lady. She accepted Christ, but find it difficult to come to church and listen without dozing off. Kelly helped with translation. We encouraged her and Pastor Wang prayed for her. You inspired Anli to go pray with her. We saw how you inspired Pastor Wang to baptize both Mrs. Lai and Anli there. We were all in tears to see how you showed your love and mercy to them. Afterwards, we went to visit another elder sister whose grandson has altruism, but she trusted in You because she saw how you helped her grandson after he believed in you. Even though she couldn�t get up because of intense back pain when we first visited her, we saw how you gave her faith and strength to get up later. We praised you for this miracle. We visited a sister who we lead to Christ last year. She is a single mom. Her children come to church, but she is too busy to come because of work. Lord, may you help her be able to come to church in the future. I experienced some swollenness in my arms. But, I feel better after drinking a lot of lemon tea. Lord, please give me a clear mind to depend on You moment by moment. I thank you for bringing brother Sung back to church after we met him at dinner the first night. We all are so happy to see his heart to learn more about You.

Thank you for this morning�s worship service. James went to pick up brother Sung and Daniel went to pick up Sister Lai. We saw how you raised up Kelly to do the Taiwanese translation on this trip. Thank you for revealing how you gifted each one of us on this trip. We had wonderful devotion lead by Mrs. Lee. She used the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to teach us the spiritual principles of faith, humility, put off hindrances, and hard work to spread the gospel. We heard message about the 3 types of servants at church and how we need to accept each other and regard others as better than ourselves. Lord, it�s so good to see the brothers and sisters all so excited and learning so much on this trip. May you continue to give us strength. I need your strength, purify my heart, please renew my zeal for You O Lord. Help my body be able to handle all the food, weather, and activities. We heard testimonies from Sophia and Anli. We presented bibles to Sisters Lai and Anli for their baptism. We had Communion today.

We visited Su-ah beach for lunch and went by the sea. We bought a lot of seafood home to cook. Pastor Wang was the chef. Lord, we saw how Pastor Wang gave his all to you, leading us to baptize Anli by water immersion at the cold spring, and then came back and started cooking the whole afternoon. You saw the more than 10 dishes they cooked. I just thank you for Pastor Wang and all the sisters who helped to cook this feast. Lord, your love abounded among us today. I feel tired, not being able to help much. Yet, Lord, you grant me energy tonight to go over the English lessons tomorrow. Even though we don�t feel prepared, Lord, please give us the love, joy, peace to share with the children and teachers tomorrow. We need to get up early at 5:30am. Please help us all be ready. O Lord, this will be our first ministry in a non-Christian environment. Help us step out and be with us. Please help everyone get good night rest.

10/2/2006 4:30pm

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for helping us teach at the 2 elementary schools today. We all had a lot of fun. People shared good testimonies about interactions with the children. Mary heard 3 kids who said the God who she was telling them about is Jesus. They told her they learned this from another teacher. Thank you for showing us the fruits of the labor of others. The school principals also gave us good feedbacks. One teacher told me the kids hoped to meet some �real Americans�. Well, Lord, I lift this to you for next year. Well, Lord, some of us are tired and have some pains. Please help us to stay healthy and pain free. We will do visitation tonight and teach at another school tomorrow morning before leaving for Tajia. Lord, seems like each day we are so full of activities, yet I see so much of your love among us. I know today everyone expanded a lot of energy teaching the kids at the 2 elementary schools � one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Thank you for our team member�s dedications � even the elderly and those who are weak physically gave all they got to play games with the kids and teach them. I just give you thanks today for all You did and all You let me see in others. Thank you for helping me do my part today. The English camp has been something I�ve been nervous about. Yet, Lord, You are always faithful.

10/3/06 2:10pm

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for giving me this time on the train to Ta-jia to write this journal. Even though I feel bad I missed a good opportunity to tell the students about Jesus, I thank You that we can forget the past and keep moving forward towards the goal. There are a lot of good things that happened so far and many more opportunities to share the gospel on the trip. Help me be bold to tell others about Jesus. I trust You did more than we hope or imagine today at the school. May you help these elementary school kids hear more about Jesus.

Thank you last night for the visitation to Shu-sia�s home. Even though her husband was drunk again, but he is now a believer. Last year, he was so angry when we came that we left without saying a word. Through prayer and praise singing, we saw your Spirit again moving him to repentance. Help him quit his drinking problem. Thank you he was willing to pray the sinner�s prayer again and receive baptism right there. We also talked to his daughter who have stopped coming to church. Thank you she was willing to listen to us and was touched in her heart. May you heal the hurts in her heart. Thank you we also lead his son � Kobe to Christ last night. We pray for her whole family for cleansing from all the sins and darkness from all the years. Help them remove all the idols from this home.

10/4/06 7:45pm

Dear Heavenly Father,

This trip was difficult in thinking clearly and handling my emotions. Thank you for all the brothers and sisters� love and understanding. Thank you for letting us finish the teaching at Yilan and go to Ta-jia last night. Thank you for whole day of serving today and tomorrow. We went to the first elementary school and the dean of students were very happy to let us teach the English class. We have 4 different time slots to teach English tomorrow. I really want to teach tommorrow, but I want to meet my relatives and also a new friend�s family tomorrow. What big conflict in my heart! Please let me just submit to Your guidance. We went to the 2nd elementary school and visit Pastor Liu�s cousin, who is also a dean of students there. After Pastor Ma and Pastor Wang and Pastor Liu shared with him different aspects of the gospel, and Daniel and Anli shared their testimony, he prayed to accept Christ. Praise You! We were so happy You let us see another miracle. Our new brother was touched when we all went to hug him afterwards. We went to the 2nd elementary school to teach in the afternoon. Thank you for the 33 students who volunteered to be there. Thank you we spend 2 hours teaching them songs, playing games, and share with them our thoughts. We thought our teaching is over in Yilan, yet You give us more and more opportunities to share. Father, we lift up to You a sister who is not feeling well physically. Please heal her Lord. Thank you for hearing our prayers.

I was going to go visit my relatives, but decided it was too rushed, so I decided to stay at church to rest. I didn�t go with the others to visit 3rd sister�s husband who has cancer. Well, I didn�t know You would give me something good out of this. I saw a group of high school students just finished with their cram class. They were playing ping-pong. I saw they were learning electronics, so I took my evangecube, box of moagi, and bible to share with them the gospel. Thank you Lord, I can have something common to share with them because I work as an electrical engineer. I asked them if they have any questions about being electrical engineers in the future. Even though the group dispersed when I started to share the evangecube, 2 people remained. Praise Your name O Lord! I feel like Gideon who You took away the soldiers until only a few remained. One is called Kuro and the other is called Owen. I shared with them the gospel and ask them if they want to learn how Christians pray the sinner�s prayer. They agreed and prayed with me. I asked them how they felt afterwards. They said they feel more peaceful. Thank You Lord! I�m not sure if this is their moment of salvation, but I trust You did something. I still have a lot to learn about sharing the gospel. Please help me keep improving my evangelism skills so I can reach more people and do it better next time. Please watch over Kuro and Owen and don�t let the Evil One steal away the seed planted in their hearts.

10/4/2006 9am

Dear Heavenly Father,

I pray for Pastor Wang, Daniel, Sandy, Sophia, Kelly, and Anli as they are at the elementary right now teaching the kids. Thank you for giving us 4 more class time to teach (morning and afternoon). We also had chance to share with the teachers this morning. Lord, I trust You will help them, even though they are less than the whole team. Grant them all strength beyond their own abilities to teach these kids. I know it will be very tiring for them. Grant them strength O Lord. I also pray for Flora and Mary that they can share with Flora�s relatives the gospel and for their open hearts. I pray for my uncle, grandma, aunt, and cousin who are coming to pick me up today. I pray they will have a chance to hear the gospel and be touched by Your Spirit today. I pray for my trip to Kaosiung today to meet someone and her family. Well, Lord, grant me Jesus� heart in this that Your name will be glorified. I pray for her Dad who is not a believer yet that I may be able to share about You.

Lord, I pray for those of us leaving for China tomorrow and those who are staying in Taiwan. May You continue to be with us.