U.S. Secretary of Education: Parents need to challenge their kids

Last week U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, shared his thought on how to improve education in the U.S. He spent a lot of time comparing our education system to that of South Korea's. I thought his message was good and something our student's families can benefit to hear. I would suggest sharing this article with parents in our ministry.

Here's an quote from Arne Duncan's speech:
"... to really help our kids, we have to do so much more as parents. We have to change expectations about how hard kids should work. And we have to work with teachers and leaders to create schools that demand more from our kids."


Here's a link to the speech:http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/remarks-us-secretary-education-arne-duncan-national-assessment-governing-board-educati

And here's a link to an article in the NY Times about the speech:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/19/opinion/sunday/friedman-obamas-homework-assignment.html?action=click&contentCollection=Arts&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&region=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article

2013 Winter Retreat Message by Francis Choi

Worship in God’s Presence

2 Samuel 6:1-23

Key Verse: 6:14-15

            “Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.”

            Good morning! Today’s passage is one of many memorable moments from the life of King David. Some of you are probably wondering why we chose to look at this passage on our last Sunday of 2013. As you know, in HBF we want to grow in a spirit of worship since this was the direction that was set for us in the fall. And to continue in this, we need to dive deep into examples of extravagant worship in the Bible. David was one such example. God called David “a man after my own heart.” This is how God knew David, because David loved to be in His presence. How does God know us? Are we young men and women marked by the presence of God? When people come to praise nights, encounter you at school, do they sense a life filled with worship of Him? Let’s pray that we may seek the Lord this year in worship. Two points I really believe are important for us in this passage are: 1. Worship is responding to God’s Word in faith. 2. Worship is rejoicing in the presence of God.

I.                    Worship is responding to God’s Word in faith.

The passage begins with David attempting to bring the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem.  For those of you who read the Daily Bread on the passage before this one in the morning, you know that David was in the process of establishing his kingdom. After having been anointed king over Israel, he conquered Jerusalem and subdued the Philistines. For David, it was now crucial to establish a central place of worship for all his people. In order to do this he needed to return the ark of the covenant which had been away for 70 years. How many of you guys know what the ark of the covenant was? We could have an entire Bible study on this, but to describe it concisely—it was the place of God’s manifest presence among His people. Four hundred years prior to David, God instructed Moses to make this ark or box which would contain the tablets of law he received on Mt. Sinai along with a jar of manna and Aaron’s rod. The ark was also covered with a gold lid which was known as the mercy seat. This was the place where God was to dwell and dispense forgiveness of sins for His people when the blood of atonement was sprinkled on top of the lid—it was a foreshadowing of Jesus’ atonement sacrifice on the cross for our sins. So this ark represented the glory, grace, and presence of God with His people. It had to be handled with the utmost care in accordance with God’s specific directions when being returned to David’s kingdom. But that’s not exactly what happened. Let’s look at v. 3-5.

“So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.”

The environment described actually seems fitting for the joyous occasion, doesn’t it? On the outside it would seem like true worship was taking place with the all the music and singing. Where the Israelites first got it wrong, however, was that they drove the ark into the city on a cart (it was probably heavy). But this was not how the ark was designed to be moved—it had to be carried, according to God’s ordinance, specifically on poles (it couldn’t be touched at all) (Ex 25:12-14). It also wasn’t supposed to be carried by anybody—it had to be carried by the Levites, the priestly clan (Num 4:15). I know it all sounds a bit technical. The thing to understand though is that the worship displayed was not according to what God prescribed; it wasn’t according to God’s Word, therefore it was not pleasing to God. It was done in convenience.  One thing we can all learn here is that true worship—I mean God-exalting, God-pleasing worship--cannot be done in convenience (according to how we just feel). How many of us at times find ourselves worshiping God this way? We think and say things like “I don’t like how the praise band is playing this song, it’s too fast, so I’ll sit this one out” or “Why do I have to pray alone in my room? You know, I just pray here and there as I go throughout the day” or “Why do I have to read the Bible when I could just listen to some nice sermons or read some good books?” Sometimes we just wait for the right moments when we “feel” like worshiping God without realizing that God-pleasing worship is day by day and according to His Word.

Now there’s a consequence for this type of worship.  Let’s look at what happened in the passage. Verses 6-7: “When the came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.”  Okay, the lesson here is not that God will strike us down any time we dishonor Him, although we all may be well-deserving of that. But it’s clear that God is genuinely displeased with irreverent worship, and He doesn’t bless us with His presence when we do this. Uzzah did something he was absolutely not supposed to do, which was physically touch the ark. He had forgotten the fear of God; He had forgotten God’s Word. This is the consequence when we worship God in such a dishonoring way, such as from convenience or our own feelings—we lose the fear of God.  We lose a sense of the awe and wonder we once had of Him and put ourselves in a place where we don’t receive revelation of Him. We become numb and cold--dry even--when we become so used to just dishonoring Him. When’s the last time you guys had a sense of God’s tender love through Christ, or a revelation of Him that really pierced your heart through prayer or in His Word? For many of you it was last night during our prayer time.  But for some of you if it’s been a long while, it might be a sign that you have gotten too used to a pattern of worship that actually isn’t pleasing God i.e. not really praying much, neglecting the Bible, making Christian life convenient, etc. God is holy. He deserves the kind of worship that honors Him. Then what is the right kind of worship?

The passage says that David was very upset after this incident occurred. He couldn’t bring in the ark like he had originally planned. So he moved it temporarily to a separate site, the house of Obed-Edom. And interestingly enough, having the ark brought blessings upon that house. But David didn’t keep the ark there forever after his failed attempt to return it to Jerusalem. What did he do? He waited 3 months. And though this passage doesn’t say explicitly what he did during those 3 months, it’s clear that he changed up things. In fact, this is recorded in 1 Chronicles 15“’It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do in the prescribed way.’ So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord.” 

David responded to the Word of God, or in other words he responded to what God said. And he responded by believing and obeying what God said. Worship that pleases God is not convenient, it’s not according to our feelings only, but it’s responding to what God says to you by believing Him. So here’s the main first point again: Worship is responding to God’s Word in faith. Are you doing that? When you open up the Bible, what does Jesus say to you? When He says to you: “By my wounds you have been healed” or “Your sins are forgiven” or “You are a new creation” or “I will never leave nor forsake you,” is the Spirit of God tugging at your heart towards belief? Or according to what many of you shared last night—that God has plans not to harm but prosper you, that you can trust in Him and He will make your paths straight, that you can fix your eyes on Jesus, that God is your heavenly Father—are you responding to all that declaring “Lord I believe”? It’s much more subtly implied in the passage, but David shows us that it’s by responding to God’s Word by believing and obeying that God-pleasing worship takes place. The Bible says that God’s Word is like a hammer, a sword, and a fire: a hammer that breaks down walls in your life, a sword that pierces your heart, and a fire that purifies. Let’s pray to respond to God’s Word as HBF this year, beginning with the key verses we’ve chosen, by declaring, believing and acting in faith. God is speaking to each of us right now through His Word. He is always knocking at the door of our hearts. He has initiated it by reaching out to you even now. But you have a responsibility to respond. What will happen if you respond in faith? Something wonderful happens when we come to a place of worship in His Word, which we will learn next.

II.                  Worship is rejoicing in God’s presence

V. 13-15 “When those who carrying the ark of the covenant had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and entire house of the Lord brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.”

\

When David heard the Word of God, and in faith responded by correctly changing the way the ark was brought into Jerusalem, something amazing happened: he experienced the presence of God. Do you know that God’s presence is very real? It’s not just some mystical idea or experience. His presence is real because His Spirit is very real. When we genuinely experience the presence of God, we cannot do anything but rejoice. David was called a man after God’s own heart. He was the psalmist who wrote “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” And when the ark was finally brought into the city--this box which meant that God was with His people always as a loving Father, that He would forgive all their sins through the blood of atonement--David expressed his love for God in dramatic fashion. Our key verses say he danced before the Lord with all his might. Was he dressed in his kingly robes when he danced? No, it says that he was wearing an ephod, which is pretty much an undergarment. So picture this moment. Here is David, a mighty king and rugged warrior who defeated Goliath and conquered the Philistines, dancing and leaping in front of the whole nation with clothes flying everywhere, doing it all in his underwear. Doesn’t this seem rather embarrassing/awkward? What if Sam or I got up here during praise and started leaping and dancing in our boxers? Sorry for the mental picture. Anyway what David did doesn’t seem like the most “kingly” thing to do. In fact, we read in v. 20 that Michal, David’s wife, despised David for displaying himself in such a seemingly ignoble and undignified manner. Part of it stemmed from the fact that David had been chosen as king instead of her father for which she probably felt a bit of resentment. But to her, this act itself just did not seem proper at all. It was not only embarrassing but was so nonsensical. How often do we respond to displays of worship like David’s wife from a critical spirit? Sometimes instead of worshiping God with our hearts, we become critical observers instead. We say things like “This praise band is not talented,” or “I don’t like this style of praise.” Or on Sundays we think “This worshiper next to me is being too emotional” or the other extreme, “This person next to me is just too rigid; he’s not raising his hands so something’s wrong with him.” I remember at a service I went to a few years back, a woman was literally high kicking during praise. In fact, she was high kicking and doing splits in the air with such fervor that she almost kicked my friend in the face as he was walking by. I think at the time we felt pretty awkward around her, to say the least. I might have actually laughed. Anyway, the point of our key verse, however, is not to say that the best type of praise is through a crazy display of passionate dancing. We don’t have to feel some unnecessary pressure now to look radical in our praise and worship, so don’t feel like you have to do that following this message. But the kind of worship that pleases God is the one that is solely before Him and not before men, the one that is childlike and free. How many of us long for such a lifestyle in which we are free to worship, free to love and adore God instead of being so insecure? David was not self-conscious in that moment of praise and adoration for God. He was 100% focused only on the beauty and majesty of God. He was rejoicing with all his heart. I know it’s difficult sometimes, but when we come to praise God in song or share our testimonies or pray to Him or give offering, etc. are we doing all these things before Him alone or before men? Worship is about living before God alone in freedom and confidence.

So here’s the second point again: Worship is rejoicing in God’s presence. Why was David rejoicing in such a passionate manner before the Lord? It was because he was so in love with the Lord; he was so awakened to the presence of God with Him. All those hours of quiet devotion, writing psalms, singing praises, and praying to the Lord came out in this moment. He also received revelation from the Lord. He understood the significance of the ark, of God’s presence with His people. This ark of the covenant was a physical box and symbol of the Lord’s presence, but only a foreshadowing of things to come. David was a prophetic worshiper and shows us that when we really encounter the presence of God, we become free to rejoice in Him. I want to suggest two reasons why this ark is so significant in its meaning for us now.

First, the ark of the covenant points to the presence of God with His people in Jesus Christ. Remember, the ark had a lid on which the blood sacrifice of animals was sprinkled so that God’s people could be forgiven of sin. But this ritual was established solely to point to the atoning work of Jesus Christ. We all have a reason to rejoice, because God has made Himself known and accessible to us through Jesus! Colossians says that the fullness of God is displayed in Christ. If you want to know God, you will do so by coming to know Jesus. Who is he? Romans 5:4: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 2 Cor 5:21: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” God has reached out to His people to display His amazing love, that no matter how sinful or weak or depressed or insecure any of you may feel, Jesus accepts you just as you are. God is not a distant God who will stay angry with you forever. He is the Father who runs to you to embrace you with His loving arms and bring you into His kingdom as a son or daughter. He has done this through the saving grace of Jesus. We have reason to rejoice because we can come to God as we are, knowing that Christ is our advocate who intercedes for us. Worship is not about coming to God putting up a guard i.e. “I need to be more spiritual before coming to God.” Worship is about coming to Him in need, in weakness, in brokenness, in honest confession because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. He will not turn you away, but He will flood your heart with His amazing grace.  

Second, the ark of the covenant points to the presence of God with His people through the Holy Spirit. The ark eventually was to be housed in a temple, which Solomon (David’s son) built. And the temple was to be the place where people could come closer to God through the Levitical sacrifices of the priests. But because of Jesus our High priest, there is now a new covenant. The curtain in the temple that separated God and men was torn when Christ died on the cross. In the new covenant, we are now the temple. We become the dwelling place for God. 1 Cor 3:16: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” If we have accepted Christ into our hearts, He fills us with His presence by giving us the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes Christ more and more real to us. He awakens us from our sleep, our spiritual slumber, to see the beauty and majesty of Christ. He makes us aware that God is our Father who has adopted us in Christ as His children. Can we all say with our hearts “Thank you Father for your love”? The Holy Spirit also empowers us to live the life that we’ve each been uniquely called to live as God’s sons and daughters. He gives us confidence and freedom to approach God as His children. Hebrews 10:19 “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith… We don’t have to make animal sacrifices in a temple anymore to come into the presence of God. In Christ we can draw near to God. Come to the throne of grace in freedom in prayer and in the Word. It is there that you will find this kind of rejoicing flowing out of your life each day, whether you’re at home or in school or with friends/family. It is there that worship doesn’t become something we do 15min. before a message on Sunday but a very way of life, remembering all that God has done for us and giving thanks. David responded to his critical wife by pointing her to what God did for him. So remember what God has done for you in Christ by believing in His love for you. Jesus said that whoever believes in Him, rivers of living water will flow from within him. This is the promise He offers you. He said “I have come so that you may have life and have it more abundantly.” You may think you’ve messed up too many times because of that one sin—whether it’s lust or anger or pride or selfishness. You may think that you’ve become so lukewarm in your faith and that God has abandoned you. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Come to Him and ask for His grace through the Holy Spirit. He will restore you with singing and dancing, with rejoicing because of your permanent dwelling in His house, in His kingdom.

Today we learned about David who danced before God as his act of extravagant worship. He was a man of many flaws; he wasn’t perfect. But he was awakened to a greater reality through the power of God’s Spirit. Are we God conscious or self conscious? I know you all are young teenagers. But the hope that we have for all of you is that your eyes may be opened to the greater reality of God’s kingdom. You are more than what the world says you are. The world says that you’re just young and naïve. Many of you have been lied to, that you’re nothing more than just a sinner, that God is only angry at you. But as we learned, God’s presence is with us in Christ even now. And His presence can be experienced through the Holy Spirit even now. God is speaking to each of you in His Word. We can respond either like David who opened his heart to the Lord, or like Michal who was only critical. This year, I hope we all can be challenged to worship the Lord in these ways—responding and believing His Word, and rejoicing because of the beauty of God’s presence with us in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Francis Chan on Rev 3:1,2

Here's a link to the sermon we watched at Praise Night on 1/4/2014.

http://www.ihopkc.org/onething/#asset/A2F1A29F-3B9B-DD1B-554C-470E28A4F820/auto/true

May God bless our new year to be full of worship and praise of our Father in Heaven!