Pastor's Corner

July, 2001

Have you ever wondered how unappreciative we are with the things we possessed until they are taken away from us? We don’t take good care of our health until we are sick. We don’t cut down on salt intake until we are diagnosed with hypertension. We don’t stay away from fatty food until our cholesterol level is dangerously high. Why? We take good health for granted.

But I think the most ignored privilege we have is our freedom. We take freedom for granted, and at times, we abuse this privilege. We live in this “Free Country,” but I wonder how many people realize what it costs this country to gain Independence from Britain over 200 years ago. There were fifty-six men who signed the Declaration of Independence. Have you ever wondered who these men were and what they had to do to gain Freedom from the British? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants; nine were farmers and large plantation owners. They were men of means, well educated. They knew full well that if they signed the Declaration of Independence, they would be penalized by execution if they were captured by the British authority.

What happened to these men? Five were captured and were tortured before they died, labeled as traitors. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine fought and died from wounds or hardship of the War. Many others had lost everything they own and died in poverty. Many of their families were broken because the men had to run for their lives. They had wealth and security. Why would they do such a thing to risk everything they had? They saw something bigger than worldly security; they saw Liberty. Freedom is never free! It costs! In celebrating Independent Day this year, let’s not forget our root—a rich culture and great heritage that gives us a unique moral value as Asians, and at the same time, not to forget the men of honor who served this country and gave us so much for our liberty.

Before I sign off, it serves us well as Christians to remember that it cost Jesus’ life to set us free from the bondage of Sin. Therefore, let’s not abuse our freedom, but rather, utilize it to glorify God and to help one another. If you have yet trusted your life in Jesus, I urge you to consider Him, who can set your life free from eternal uncertainty and present worries.

Pastor Larry

Pastor's Corner by Larry Tong

January 2007

I was captivated by the caption on the front page of Time Magazine earlier last month: “Why we worry about the wrong things”. I thought it was an intriguing article. It showed how Americans were displacing their priorities. In the article, it provides for us some of the comparisons. For example, it reads, “We agonize over avian flu, which to date has killed precisely no one in the U.S., but have to be cajoled into getting vaccinated for the common flu, which contributes to the deaths of 36,000 Americans each year. . . Shoppers still look askance at a bag of spinach for fear of E. Coli bacteria while filling their carts with fat-sodden French fries and salt-crushed nachos.” Risk taking is part of human’s behavior. Everyone knows the real danger of smoking, yet there are still 20% of adults who still smoke, and I think the number is not any lower for teenagers. This article explains this strange phenomenon in term of The Emotional Brian that reacts to danger—to fight or to flight.

To say the least, I think human’s mind is complicated and difficult to analyze. Some people like to take risks while others are paranoid if anything is out of the ordinary. People look at “Risk” and “Fear” very differently, and will respond according to their temperament. The title of this article, “Why we worry about the wrong things” led me to think that many people do have their priorities switched. When priorities are displaced, they will eventually bring more harm than good. When we pursue instant pleasures and ignore their consequences, we will certainly reap disaster.

When you read this newsletter, 2006 was part of your history. If you had a good year, you can savor fond memories, and build on your successes. If you had a bad year, you need to know that you can’t “forget” the past, but you can replace the bad memories with good ones. Learn to erase mistakes by improving yourself.

2007 is ahead of us. Anytime we face “tomorrow”, there is a certain mystery that goes with the unforeseen future. There are always certain risks we have to take. Unless we have set a proper priority, we may worry about the wrong things for the wrong reason. What do you think is your top priority in life at this moment? This is a soul-searching question you want to spend some time thinking. Is it your career? Your family? Your relationships? Your God? Jesus said, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” This is definitely the priority we should consider.

Before I sign off, I wish all of you a successful year in 2007. I would also like to encourage you to build stronger relationships with God and your family because that will determine your well-being. Happy New Year!

Pastor Larry

Pastor's Corner by Pastor Larry

January, 2006

I had a chance to watch a documentary film entitled “Beyond the Gates of Splendor” a couple of weeks ago. It was about five young married men: Nate Saint; Jim Elliott; Ed McCully; Pete Fleming; and Roger Yonderian. These men went to an Indian tribe, Waodani, in the Amazon as missionaries. This tribe was excluded from any kind of civilization, and was known to be hostile to potential threat, especially foreign invasion. The tribe’s cultural motto was “must spear and live or be speared and die.” With apprehension, they went to the jungle, not knowing what they could do or whether they could return home safely. They went to befriend this tribe. They were successful in the beginning until one day all five of them were speared to death.

As I watched the film, it struck me that these five men didn’t accomplish anything in today’s standard of “performance.” They didn’t bring anyone to Christ; they didn’t translate the Bible in the tribal language; they didn’t even develop any kind of long lasting friendship. All they did was to be kind to a few natives who later turned on them. Could they have done more if they were to visit a more “civilized place” to do missionary work? From our shortsighted human perspective, the answer probably is, “Yes.” Living in a culture of impatience, we often instantly look at the “bottom line.” As you look back at 2005, how do you evaluate the past year? What have you built? Did you build a stronger relationship with God and with your families? Or did you just provide short-lived materialistic means to satisfy your desires or comfort your conscience? If we are too focused on the immediate future, we will lose sight of the true value of life.

This movie also shows the power of forgiveness. After some time of grieving, some of the martyred missionaries’ wives and children decided to return to the tribe and continued with the work their husbands started. When it’s all said and done, they turned the hostile culture around to a peaceful environment. Wonders never cease with the power of forgiveness.

One thing that took me aback from this documentary is how this country has changed in these fifty years. This story happened in the 1950’s. When the country heard the news about the families who lost contact with the five missionaries, the whole country got behind them and prayed for their safe return. Today, we can’t even teach God or pray in public classrooms. The Federal Court in Pennsylvania passed a law a couple of weeks ago, prohibiting public schools to teach “Intelligent Design” as an alternative to “Evolution,” which educators still maintain as a theory. I think it’s sad to see this once-great country so blessed by God to have moved so far away from the Almighty. As we look ahead to 2006 and beyond, watch where you stand lest your “Faith” be watered down by the culture. I recommend you to watch this documentary, and on January 20th, another movie about this story entitled “End of the Spear” will be coming to a theater near you.

Before I sign off, I pray that you will stand firm in God’s absolute and eternal Truths. If you haven’t come to know Jesus as your personal Savior, I pray that you would do so and experience the power of His forgiveness. Have a blessed year.

Pastor Larry

Pastor's Corner

January, 2005

The year 2004 will soon be a blurry memory. Regardless of our age, each of us has gone through yet another year of growing. In the process of growing, most of us have experienced growing pains. It is a part of life. Another fact of life is that there isn’t anything we can do about the past. Good or bad, we can’t go back to start 2004 again. Life isn’t a game in which we can push the “restart” button to play it over again or turn off the game in frustration. We must keep going. Like most people, your 2004 probably consisted of ups and downs, peaks and valleys. But whatever you did, good or bad; no matter what choices you made, right or wrong; you will start with a clean slate. Part of growing is to learn to leave the past behind. If you have victories, don’t savor them for too long because past successes don’t guarantee future gain. If you have defeats, don’t dwell on them because it would only cause you to lose heart.

Well, all that brings us to 2005, a year of new frontier, new challenges, new adjustments, and new unknowns. True, life may seem the same, in the big picture, like going to work everyday, taking vacation to catch a breather from time to time, or going to school, for those who are still in school and longing for breaks. But then, it will not be the same as previous years because you have changed, and people around you have changed as well. Whenever there are changes, we are demanded to adjust and adapt to the changes. Otherwise, we will be frustrated, and the “growing pains” would be unbearable.

No doubt, we will be facing plenty of unknowns in the upcoming year. You may find yourself many a time standing at a crossroad. Which direction will you take? If you look to the right or to the left, it would distract you from moving forward. If you look down, there isn’t much on the ground to help you. You can look back, and certainly your past experiences may help you muster enough courage to move forward. May I suggest to you to look back and bring to mind how God had led you through those difficult situations in the nick of time, and to those unexpected surprises from Him. God told the Israelites to erect monuments for this particular reason. Then, you should look up into the heavens and see the glory of God. Bring to mind a question and answer of the old, “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Ps. 121:1-2) Take courage and move forward into the exciting mystery called future.

Before I sign off, I wish you a blessed new year. May God bring home to you a sense of safety in Christ Jesus! May He assure you with the sense of peace secured by His nail-pierced hands and whisper in your ear His promise, “Fear not, for I am with you.”

Pastor Larry

Pastor's Corner

January, 2004

2003 is behind us, and a new page of history is going to unfold before our eyes. I couldn’t help but wonder what is going to happen in the world? As I was writing this, the US government raised the national threat level to “orange,” indicating a high risk of terrorist attack. In fact, we are seeing more and more “suicide bombings” all over the world—Middle East, Russia , Europe , and Asia . As serious as this problem presents, the world is divided on what to do. What kind of a world will 2004 and beyond brings us? Do you ever wonder where we are heading in history? I do.

Major issues in this country also continue to confront us. There are still opposite opinion on whether or not we should be at war with Iraq . Is economy on the rise? Are we re-defining family? Can homosexuals be legally married? Will abortion be made available with the “Day After Pill” without a prescription? Sex and violence are the center of movies and TV screens. Without either one or both, the “show” will not sell. Deception and half-truths are norms in the corporate and political world. I believe the scandals we’ve been hearing are only a tip of an iceberg. It makes you wonder whether you can survive if you don’t play along with them. Where did all our “moral values” go? Truthfully, as I look ahead to the future, I see a clear picture, but this picture isn’t a promising one. It is bleak. My bleak outlook is not intentional, but sometimes, we do need to face the facts head-on.

Abraham Lincoln once said these words, “we have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven. We have been preserved these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, and no nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us! It behooves us, then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our sin and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.” Can you imagine he said that in 1863? What a prophecy! Or maybe not; maybe it is a fact. When people push God away, they are pushing God’s protection and provision away as well. We have come to be so independent from God that we have made ourselves gods without knowing it. This didn’t happen overnight. It is not an eruption. It is a corrosion.

Before I sign off, I encourage Christians to stand firm in your belief of God and reliance in Him. Don’t go with the “flow,” because it will lead you to destruction. If you are still seeking for meaning and purpose of life, remember that this world doesn’t provide an eternal purpose. I hope 2004 is a year of awakening for you, your family, and the country.

Pastor Larry

Pastor's Corner

January, 2003

Another year has escaped us. When I look back, Year 2002 seemed like a flash—now you see it, now you don’t. I have heard someone said, “Life is like a coin; you can spend it any way you wish, but you can only spend it once.” It is so true! The choice on how to spend our time is ours to make. Most of us know we should choose good and shun evil. The choice to avoid evil acts is relatively easy. But the choice between the good and the better, and the better and the best, on the other hand, is not as easy as it seems. Those choices are closely related, and we’ll find most of them satisfying. But in the final analysis, it’s our choice that determines how meaningful our lives have been in the sight of God.

As we enter a new year. I’m sure we will be facing new challenges and stepping on new frontiers. With the grace and strength of our God and our courage, there will be no mountain too high to climb and no valley too deep to descend. But in order to do that, we need to learn how to set our priority. You don’t need to look too hard or too long to see Jesus’ teaching on priority. “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” (Matt. 6:33a) According to Jesus, that is the best choice! To make choices that reflect seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness means we need to have a paradigm shift in looking at our priority. To ask questions like: “Where is God in my life at this moment?” “What are the things I am gripping tightly?” “Why am I doing what I am doing?” is helpful.

I would like to give you a few suggestions to start this year on the right foot:
1. Examine your priorities. You must determine, on your own, what is important to you. No one can do it for you. Until you are convinced what is important, you won’t follow through.
2. Decide your Guidepost. Everyone needs a standard to live by. You can either use the culture or use the Word of God as your guidepost. If you do choose the Word of God, make effort to study it every day.
3. Loosen your Grip. Everyone needs earthly resources to survive, but nonetheless, things of this world are temporary. If you grip on them too tightly, it will only cause more pain when God pries them open. Balance your saving with your giving.

There are other ways, like investing in people, choosing an attitude of gratitude, or sharing God’s goodness with others. I’ll just leave it for you to think them over and set your own priority.

Before I sign off, I pray that you will have a rewarding year; that you will experience God in a deeper and more personal way. If you have yet believed in this loving God, I pray that this is the year that you will come to know Him in a personal way, and accept Jesus as your Savior. Have a blessed New Year.

Pastor Larry

Pastor's Corner

January, 2002

I read a funny story in Aesop Fables recently. Two men were traveling together when a bear suddenly met them on the path. One of them climbed up quickly onto a tree and concealed himself in the branches. The other, realizing he could be attacked, fell flat on the ground. When the bear came up and felt him with his snout and smelt him all over, he held his breath and pretended to be dead as much as he could. The bear soon left him, for it is said that bears will not touch a dead body. When the bear was gone, the other traveler came down from the tree and curiously asked his friend, “What did the Bear whisper in your ear?” He replied, “He gave me this advice: Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the approach of danger.” This story is very much in line with an old Chinese idiom that says, “Adversary shows true Friendship.”

For anyone who has lived a few years will testify that true friendship is a rare commodity. Just like the story above, a true friend doesn’t dessert you and have you face adversary on your own. He will be there even if it seems that there isn’t anything he can do. A true friend doesn’t criticize you without showing empathy and providing constructive advice on how to improve as a person or better the situation. A true friend doesn’t ignore your sins and despise you for that. He would lovingly point them out with tact and help you overcome them. A true friend is one who laughs and cries with you when the situation calls for it. The list may go, on for there are many good descriptions of true friendship. William Penn, in Fruits of Solitude, wrote, “A true friend unbosoms freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably.”

True friendship is like fine wine. It takes time to cultivate. In this fast paced society with so many “instant” things around us, we often lack patience to develop something worthwhile. In this world of busyness, we often lack time to do things with friends that enhance our relationship. In this New Year, may we take the time to re-connect with our friends and cultivate a true friendship.

Before I sign off, I would like to share with you a great truth: Jesus wants to be your friend. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Not only did Jesus lay down his life for you, He did it while you disregarded Him as your friend. The Bible says, “While we (you) were still sinners, Christ died for us (you). What a friend we have in Jesus! It is my hope that you would accept His true friendship. For those who have received Jesus as your Savior, take time to cultivate your friendship with Him. Finally, I wish you a Happy New Year!

Pastor Larry

Pastor's Corner

January, 2001

It seems like it wasn’t too long ago when we had to content with the Millennium bug, and by the time you read this newsletter, Year Two Thousand is history. Whether you had a successful or failing experience, last year is a thing in the past. Since there isn’t any "crystal ball" that see clear into our future, we probably won’t have any idea what is awaiting us in the future. Year Two Thousand One is a mystery. Therefore, we step into this new-year with very much the same attitude we had last year—don’t really know what to expect.

One thing that may help us go through times of uncertainty is to maintain a "level-head." In order to do that, we try not to let past successes go to our "head," nor should we allow defeat master our "mind." Either approach would lead to a roller-coaster type of emotion, pending our circumstances. If you had successful encounters, you should thank God for His gracious provision and timely guidance on top of your smart decisions. If you felt defeated, you should face the reality with courage and try to learn from it. In life, there are always lessons to be learned. When we cease to learn, we cease to grow.

Another way that may help us go through times of uncertainty is to maintain a positive attitude. Since we don’t know the immediate future, there is no reason to think negatively. It will only lead to depression. People are emotional beings. The more negative a person is, the less motivated he becomes. When people are in this kind of mood, they would look for trouble, even if there were none in sight. When problem does arise, they would not have any energy to work through it, let alone overcome it. Then, negative psychology confirms the false believe—bad things always happen, and you can't do anything to battle it. That is a wrong approach in life.

A verse came to my mind. It was a personal experience from the one whom we think was "Mr. Tough." He was a spiritually strong man and had gone through many difficult obstacles, but still maintained a "level-head" and a positive attitude. He was the Apostle Paul. He told us to embrace weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties. Paul said, "That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (II Cor. 12:10) This is our Christian’s approach of overcoming uncertainties. If you are going through life with Christ, there is nothing "you" can’t handle!

Before I sign off, I would like to remind you that the Bible is a wonderful book. Not only is it the "key" to unlock the mystery of Salvation, it is also the "key" to life on earth. Therefore, don’t forget to read it if you want to have a better handle of your life. May this be your New Year’s Resolution!

Pastor Larry

Pastor's Corner by Pastor Larry

February, 2006

A few months ago, President Bush took the initiative to ask the Federal Supreme Court to examine the legitimacy of Physician Assisted Suicide in Oregon. On Tuesday (Jan. 17), the Supreme Court upheld the right of Oregon’s state law. It states that it is legal for physicians to assist patients with terminal illness to commit suicide. At this moment, Oregon is the only state that permits physicians to prescribe medication to end a patient’s life if certain criteria are met. With the Supreme Court’s decision, it is believed that the door is opened for other states to pass similar legislation this year. This issue has been circling the political arena in California during recent times. It will not be surprising if this is presented on a voting ballot within the next couple of years.

Euthanasia has been a “hot-topic” in society, as well as in the Christian circle recently, probably second only to “same-sex marriages.” Euthanasia is a highly emotionally charged topic because it involves pain and suffering which people want to avoid at all costs, in addition to the dignity of human beings from a theistic and an atheistic view, and financial obligations from the involved families and society, just to name a few. In this short newsletter, I will not attempt to dissect this complex issue, but rather to simply say that although it is morally wrong and biblically incorrect to actively take someone’s life whether it is by homicide or suicide, it is not wrong to passively let someone die without using any mechanical device to prolong life. Within these two spectrums is a gray area in which more discussion is needed.

At the time this newsletter is being written, Judge Alito is to be voted by the full Senate to be a Supreme Court Judge. His confirmation is believed to pass. What does this mean? Does that mean Christians will win by adding one more conservative judge on the bench? Hardly! While the conservatives celebrated the appointing of Judge Roberts as Chief Justice, thinking that with his conservative views, some of these “border-line” issues, such as physician assisted suicide and abortion rights, would be overturned. The latest Supreme Court decision was a rude awakening. I’m not here to criticize the outcome because I don’t know enough of the decision process in the legal system, though I’m a little disappointed. In the end, I’m once again reminded by the words of God that we shouldn’t rely on men because they are inconsistent at best. I feel that sometimes Christians, with good intention, put too much faith on the leaders. It is futile to put our faith in people, no matter how dynamic or conservative the person is. Our Christian worldview must be grounded on God who is still in control. At no time in history did God lose control of the world’s direction, and neither will He lose control of your destiny.

Before I sign off, I want to say that the world will run its course, and in the end, a new heaven and a new earth, where there is no politics, will be established for those who believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is inviting you to come along with us to this beautiful place.

Pastor Larry

Pastor's Corner

February, 2005

It has been exactly one month since the tsunami hit South Asia resulting in over 150,000 deaths. More deaths are expected from the aftermath from the spread of various diseases. What a horrible natural disaster! Though it is not the worse disaster ever recorded, at no time before this have the affected areas been so widely spread. Satellite pictures show the tremendous destructive forces of the waves traveling about 500mph slamming into the land, destroying structures and carrying people and debris to the depths of the ocean.

After the initial shock, one of the first questions many people asked was, “Is this an act of God or is it an attack of Satan?” It is difficult for us, who are near-sighted and limited by time and space, to answer such a profound question. However, the Bible provides some answers to this complex question. First of all, everything that happens in the world is permitted by God. This is not a sign showing Satan as the victor. The Bible tells us that God has set the cosmos on its course and it will not stop until its course is finished. This cosmos is infested and affected by the presence of Sin. From this kind of disaster, we cannot disagree with what the Bible says about the world. It says, “the whole creation has been groaning as in the pain of childbirth.” (Rom. 8:22) What do we know about childbirth? It means a new life is coming. The Bible tells us that God is recreating a new heaven and a new earth. Permitting natural disasters is one facet of the process. We may disagree with how God brings about the new cosmos, but the authority belongs to God for He is sovereign. He does not need our permission. If He did, we would be His god. Until we accept that God has all sovereignty, we will always struggle with issues like what He can or cannot do.

Second of all, we need to know that disaster like this is not a reflection of God’s punishment. Though I am unable to substantiate what I think, I believe there are “good” people, or even Christians were among the dead. Certainly, there are many innocent children. If it were God’s punishment, many would protest, “What have they done to deserve it?” But what this incident tells us is that physical death and afflictions is part of life. It is inevitable. This is a misery that is brought by the presence of Sin. The Bible says, “The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” The process of purifying is most painful. Who suffers from the fallen world? We all do! God not only knows that misery in this fallen world is inevitable, He also experienced it on the cross. He identifies with what we go through. He weeps as we weep. When disaster strikes, we see God’s sovereignty balanced with His mercy. What Jesus Christ did on the cross paved the road for those who choose to believe Him to get away from the misery of the presence of sin, and into the sin-absent environment we so look forward to. The difference between Christians and non-Christians is that we have a hope for the glorious future in the new heaven and earth.

Finally, natural disaster serves as a warning or an alarm, so to speak, to wake people up. Since the tsunami, scientists have been scrambling to find new data to “predict” future disasters. It took six hours for the undersea earthquake to hit Sri Lanka. The conclusion is that if there had been a warning system in place, many lives would have been saved. I believe it’s true, but would people have believed its destructive power? The Bible tells us that in the Endtime, more devastation will occur. “Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.” (Rev. 16:18) Would people believe these warning signs as a precursor of the coming “Big One”? Why does God give us these warnings? It is His love for us. His compassion for us is beyond our comprehension. With His sovereignty, He could bring about the final destruction without any warning. But the warnings are there to wake up those who are still lost. Do you believe in the warnings?

Before I sign off, let me reiterate that I’m not writing this from a pure theological view without having any feeling towards those who suffer. My heart goes out to those who have lost their loved ones and their homeland. My eyes were damp when I saw the pain and helpless faces through the television screen. Let me say this, “Pain is pain, no matter how it comes about.” If there is anything we can do, like praying for them, supporting the rescue missions by being there or sending money, we should. If there is any consolation at all, God has a special heart for the innocent children who have died. They are now at God’s presence. For those who had never heard the gospel, God who is sovereign, just, and compassionate, will know how to judge. But most important of all, if you have yet to come to accept Jesus Christ as the only way to God who is never out of control, this is the time to do it. Everything around us points to one undeniable truth—the Bible is trustworthy. In it, you will find Eternal Life. I pray you will come to God today!