Weekly Message: The Signs of Lord’s Coming by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Weekly Message : The Signs of Lord’s Coming

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce 4/2/2025

 Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel Music

Ø    Matthew 24:3-15 reading

 The disciples came to Him privately, asking, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming and of the Consummation of the age? “      

 Jesus answered and said to them, see that no one leads you astray. For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray. (vv.4-5) And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for it must happen; but the end is not yet. (v.6). For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.(v.7)  All these things are the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations because of My name. (v.8-9) And at that time many will be stumbled and will deliver up one another and will hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and will lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be multiplied, the love of the many will grow cold.  (vv.10-12)

 But he who has endured to the end, this one shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come  (vv.13-14). Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him who reads understand) (v.15)

Ø     Scripture's interpretation and insights

 The disciples’ question concerned three matters,

1) The time when these things would take place, including not only the destruction of the temple. But also the things mentioned in 23:32-39.

2) The sign of Christ’s coming and

3) The sign of the consummation of the age. The Lord’s word from 24:4--25:46 answered the disciples question concerning these three matters.

The Lord’s coming Greek parousia means presence. Christ’s coming will be His presence with His people. This presence will begin with the rapture of the man-child (Rev.12:5) and the rapture of the first fruits (Rev.14:1-4) and will end with His appearing on the earth with the saints. During the period of His parousia there will be the great tribulation ( v.21; Rev.9:1-21;11:14;16:1-21), which will begin with supernatural calamities (Rev.6:12-17;8:7-12); Christ’s descending to the air (Rev.14:14); the rapture of the majority of the believers to the air (1Thes.4:15-17); the judgment seat of Christ (2Cor.5:10); and the marriage of the Lamb (rev.19:7-9).

The Lord’s answer has three sections: the first section (vv.4-13) concerns the Jews, who are the chosen; the second (v.32-25:30) concerns the church; and the third (25:31-46) concerns the Gentiles (the nations). The first section, concerning the Jews should be interpreted literally, whereas the second section, concerning the church, should be interpreted spiritually, because it is spoken in parables for the reason given in 13:11-13. For instance, the winter in v.20 is the actual winter, but the summer in v.32 is a symbol signifying the time of restoration. The third section, concerning the gentiles, also should be interpreted literally.

Wars, here denotes all the wars from the first century to the present. They are signified by the red horse of the second seal in Rev.6:3-4. The end denotes the consummation of this age (v.3; Dan.12:4, 9, 6-7), which will be the three and a half years of the great tribulation. Although vv.6-9 and 14 are in the section concerning Israel, the tribulations and the preaching of the gospel mentioned in these verses take place generally, in the whole world, from the time of Christ’s ascension to the end of this age. Verse 15, immediately following v.14, speaks concerning the beginning of the great tribulation (v.21), which is the time when Antichrist will set up his image in the temple of God, which image will thereby become the abomination of desolation.

   Nation denotes the people, the Gentiles; kingdom denotes an empire. Famines issue mainly from war. According to history, war has often brought famine, signified by the black horse of the third seal in Rev.6:5-6. Since Christ’s ascension, earthquakes have been occurring throughout all the centuries and will be intensified at the end of this age (Rev.6:12;8:5;11:13,19;16:18).  Birth pangs here refers to all the tribulations in the New Testament age, including wars, famines, earthquakes, afflictions, and persecutions, as mentioned in vv.6-9 and 21. The birth pangs, here are suffered only by the New Testament believers for the Lord’s sake, whereas the travailing in birth in Rev.12:2 refers to all the travailing suffered throughout the generations by God’s people in both the old testament and the New Testament. These tribulations, along with the preaching of the gospel (v.`14), are used by God to produce His many sons so that He can constitute the church in this age, accomplish the kingdom in the coming age, and produce the New Jerusalem in eternity as the ultimate consummation of the church and the kingdom that He may have an eternal expression in eternity future. Galatians 4:19 and Rev.12:2 and 5 confirm this viewpoint.  

         The gospel of the kingdom, which includes the gospel of grace (Acts20:24), brings people not only into God’s salvation but also into the kingdom of the heavens (Rev.1:9). The gospel of grace emphasizes forgiveness of sin, God’s redemption, and eternal life, whereas the gospel of the kingdom emphasizes the heavenly ruling of God and the authority of the Lord. This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age. Therefore, that preaching signified by the white horse of the first seal in Rev.6:1-2, will be a sign of the consummation of this age. The gospel of the kingdom is a testimony to all the nations (Gentiles). This testimony must spread to the whole earth before the end of this age, the time of the great tribulation.

 

 Bibliography,

King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

 

 

Biblical message: With God all things are possible by Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Weekly message: With God all things are possible                                                    2/7/2025

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel music

 

          With man this is impossible but not with God, all things are possible with God. (Mark 10:27). Everything is possible for him who believes (Mark 9:23). 

Believe when you pray, and the manifestation will come. But when you bow down to pray if there is someone you haven’t yet forgiven, unforgiving is a thief of life and a thief of faith, you must forgive the person so that your prayer will not be hindered.  “When ye pray, believe” – you must release your faith when you pray.

 There are few factors that you need to apply it in your prayer life,

   First, pray with the Word of God; declare, claim that God’s promises, for the Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.” (Psalm 145:13-14) 

 Second, Knowing God’s will is a key to answer prayer – Don’t pray if it is God’s will for him to be healed?  Or if it is God’s will for them to be prosperous?  Pray as Jesus’ teaching “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name, thy kingdom come, and Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matt6:9-10). Let’s ask ourselves what it is like in heaven? Is there any poverty there? Is there any disease in heaven? No. Jesus taught disciples to pray that the will of God be done on earth as it is in heaven. Pray in this way that is the will of God. His will is that it be on this earth as it is in heaven.

 Third, listening what the Words of God says, following in obedience, absolute surrender to Jesus-Son of God, believing what appears impossible, and submission to Jesus’ words in obedience will bring the full blessedness of the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit into your prayer life.

 Fourth, Yield to the Lord in simple trust to the unseen so your faith will pass from the invisible to the visible.  

          When Jesus said, “Let us go over to the other side."(Mark 4:35), the disciples listened, but the words didn’t abide in the disciples' hearts in faith, a furious squall came up and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Disciples listened to the devil say, “We would all drown”; “Teacher, don’t you care If we drown?” (Mark 4:38).  Jesus rebuked the winds and said to the waves. “Quiet! Be still!” then the wind died down. (Mark 4:39). Jesus ceased the storm. Did Jesus destroy the work of His father? No, Jesus destroyed the work of the devil – “storm”.

 Satan used the elements of the earth and atmosphere to destroy Job’s cattle, lighting was what killed Job’s cattle. The King James Version calls it “fire from heaven” then Job said, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away”. But Job was not under the anointing when he said it. He was deceived, he thought it was God, but you can clearly read in the book of Job chapter 1 that it was the devil who had caused Job’s problems. God didn’t send affliction, illness, and disaster upon Job; it was Satan the devil caused him to suffer.

          Affliction and sickness don’t come from God, it’s the enemy that puts it on you. Therefore, resist the devil, it will flee from you. Maybe your doctor diagnoses you as heart failure, diabetic or any kind of sickness, don’t possess it, nor retain it, your body is the temple of God, the Holy Spirit dwells in you, resist sickness, and don't accept sickness as normal. Don’t let the enemy put heart disease on you, or diabetic on you.  God can do that the physicians cannot do; God can do and breathe on you that the medicines cannot do.  In the Book of Ezekiel Chapter 37 God told Ezekiel to prophesy the dead bones come to life as Ezekiel said,  

“So, I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, “This is what the sovereign Lord says: Come. From the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet a vast army.” (Ezekiel 37:7-10).

   In the New Testament book of John11, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (John 11:43-44).  Lazarus’ resurrection testimony needs people surrounding him to believe Jesus’ words and untie him, take off the grave clothes from him. So often, unbelief, lacking faith, and distrust unseen are the obstacles that block us to see the glory of God. As Martha, Mary’s sister who said, “By this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” when Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” (John 11:39).

             My friends, believe that by Jesus stripes you are healed. By the superpower of God breathes on you, and looses you, you can be free from the pain and sickness. “Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak, nor his strength gone.” (Deuteronomy 34:7).  God can do this to Moses, he can do the same to us. Learn to pray and declare the Word of God, “Jesus, by Thy wounds I am healed; " or " By Thy strips we have been healed”; “Thy plan, plan to prosper us, not going to harm us, but give us hope and a future.  Devil comes to steal, destroy and kill, but Jesus comes to give us abundant life, even to eternity. Our God,

Yaweth Adonai is a God who saves; from the sovereign Lord comes escape from death. (Psalm 68:20). Jehovah Rapha our God is a God who heals and Jehovah Shalom our God is a God who gives us peace. "With man this is impossible but not with God, all things are possible with God." (Mark 10:27). “Everything is possible for him who believes. Amen!” (Mark 9:23).

Bibliography,

     King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company

    Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

Rev. Katherine's Thanksgiving Notes-2024

 Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce (M.Div. & M.A.) Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music                       Email: Christianartsministry@ymail.com or KatherineLiuBruce2014@gmail.com            www.biblicalprecepts.blogspot.com     www.youtube.com/c/KatherineLiuBruce    www.pinterest.com/KatherineLiuBruce

 

                                                   Rev. Katherine's Thanksgiving Notes-2024                                                     Nov.1,2024

 

                 Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name, let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced. (Psalm 105:1-5). It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts. (Psalm 92:1-5)

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever. He sent forth His word and healed them. He rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men. (Psalm 107:1, 20-21). He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3). Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in His unfailing love. (Psalm 147:7, 11).The fear of the Lord is the begging of wisdom, all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. (Psalm 111:10). Those who fear the Lord shall lack nothing. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. (Psalm 146:2).

        My husband Robert had chest pain, shortness of breath, swelling legs and Hemoglobin is low due to the side effects of medicine “Farxiga”. He entered ER Advent Health Hospital East and was hospitalized on July 26, 2024. Cardiology Dr. Martinez discovered his right heart artery had 99% blockage and 70% blockage in the middle artery because of former stents had done in 2005. On August 1, he had angioplasty surgery and put two new stents in his right artery. On September 4 he entered the ER again at Advent Health Hospital East. Due to unstable angina; Cardiology did a second angioplasty and put one more stent in his middle artery on September 5, 2024. Unfortunately, the nurse injected him with a medicine named “Benzodiazepines”, he was allergic, it resulted in respiratory arrest. Robert had Cardiac arrest at 5 pm, and then entered ICU4111. ICU doctor Martin Cearras used a temperature pad to keep his body low temperature in order to protect his brain, however, it caused him to have a seizure and had Cardiac arrest a second time at 8 pm. Due to twice Cardiac arrest resulted in the fracture of multiple rids of both sides, and fracture of sternum. Doctor put him in Medical Induced Coma and observed him for 5 days and put a ventilator and feeding tube into his mouth to support him.  

ICU Dr. Cearras said, “During these 5 days, keep talking to him, wake him up, and if there are any families or friends who want to see him, this is the time to come and visit him.” My heart was so anxious about his life, in the sleepless nights I fasted and prayed to lift him up. In my distress, the Word of God comforted me, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.” (Isaiah 41:10,13).  I started to call and texted my former church pastors, church friends, and Robert’s siblings, and his friends to pray for him. I also called CBN Israel (700 club) twice to pray for a healing miracle. For I have been supporting CBN Israel. On September 8, 2024, Sabbath day, while I worshipped, sang out “Faith”, “Yahweh”, “Jehovah Jireh” and served our weekly Holy Communion, Robert was awake, opened his eyes, and looked at me, I was so amazed that God’s healing miracle. On September 11, 2024, Respiratory Doctor removed the ventilator and feeding tube from his month, however, on September 12 reinstalled it again, for his breathing was too fast and failed to pass the respiratory test. Doctors put him in Medical Induced Coma again until September 18, 2024, removed the ventilator and feeding tube. Robert passed the feeding test and started to drink liquid. He was discharged from ICU to regular patient room on September 21 and September 27, 2024, he was discharged from Advent Hospital East.   

      During his hospitalization in the ICU4111 Advent Hospital East, he was treated chronic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, kidney injury superimposed on CKD, Chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia, anemia of chronic disease, Aspiration pneumonia, benign hypertensive kidney disease w/ chronic kidney disease, mixed hypertension. He had been hospitalized 23 days resulting in a wound in his perineum area. He was continually treated by a Nebulizer compressor breathing treatment and Oxygen compressor to keep his SpO₂ normal at home. Home Care came to do wound care, physical therapy and O.T. from Sept 28, 2024, to Oct. 4, 2024.   

         On Oct 4, 2024, at midnight Robert was having difficulty breathing while he lay down on the bed, so he sat up, fell to sleep, and fell from the bed, and injured his face. On Oct 5, 2024, I called 911 and sent him to the ER at Orlando Health –ORMC (Orlando Regional Medical Center). In the ER doctor discovered the fluid in his lungs and heart, and Pneumonia MRSA tested positive. Thank God, he had no injuries on his head. From Oct 5 to Oct 19, 2024, Robert received BIPAP treatment, Bumex and Lasix (Water pills) to drain the fluid out of his lungs and heart and Antibiotics –Vancomycin and Cefepime to defeat MRSA in the ICU. There was a time, Robert had no appetite to neither eat nor drink, and his blood pressure was down to 75/30 -71/ 29, he was sent to CCU on October 13, 2024. I couldn’t hold my tears when I called CBN (700 Club) a third time to pray for a healing miracle. Meanwhile, I texted my former pastors, church friends, Robert’s siblings and church friends to pray for Robert.     

       Thank God for miraculously answered the prayers, the fluid had drained out of his lungs and heart. And his blood pressure had been controlled well by Norepinephrine (NE). Robert regained his appetite, respiratory rate remained normal, and he was discharged from Orlando Health (ORMC) at 5pm, Saturday on October 19, 2024. Thank God for ORMC and Freedom health insurance supported Robert with a medical bed and a noninvasive ventilator in order to help him breathe and sleep better at night, for he had sleep apnea and an Oxygen compressor kept his SpO₂    in normal level. After being discharged during these weeks, Robert has been regaining appetite and strength. With physical therapy helped, he was able to stand up, sat on the recliner on Oct 28, 2024. Today, Nov.1, he is able to stand up, sit on the wheelchair, visit the primary doctor in order to do the Lab.  We are so thankful and look forward to celebrating Robert’s 67^th birthday on November 6. 

We give thanks to the Lord for He is good. Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.” O Lord, I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation and my song.  The Lord confirmed His words, “Blessed is he who has regarded for the weak, the Lord delivers him in times of trouble. The Lord will protect him and preserve his life; He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” (Psalm 41:1-3).  Every day early morning, I humbly bowed down to pray for Robert, anointed his head with fine oil, played guitar, keyboard and worshipped the Lord in ICU and each patient room that he was hospitalized, lifted him up to the Lord and declared Psalm 118:17 upon him, “I (he) will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.” For the Word of God says, “Everything is possible to those who believe”. Jesus’ healing miracle to Lazarus in the book of John 11 is the same yesterday, today, forevermore.  Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40) and “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4). The word of God is trustworthy. The Lord affirmed, “I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.” (Jeremiah 33:6) And Jeremiah 30:17 & 19 says, “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds. Declares the Lord... From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing.

As Thanksgiving is approaching, with a thanksgiving heart, I write this letter in order to give thanks to all of you who have been faithful to pray for Robert and I. We give thanks from the bottom of our hearts, thanks for your sincere love, care, concerns, prayers, comfort, and encouragement.  

1) Giving thanks to CBN (700 club) for the prayers support.

2) Giving thanks to my former pastors of Taipei International Church- Pastor Beyer and Martha couple; Pastor Kim & Stephanie Cruchfild couple and his church; Pastor Mike and Pam couple and his church; Paula and David Perkins couple; Fred & Paula couple; and Brother David Chou and his church for the prayers support.

3) Giving thanks to my ministry’s supporters - Brother Han, Gem Juo & Erica family came to visit Robert; Mrs. Lin (Wang Xin); Mr. & Mrs. Wang Wu & Fung-Ping couple ; Tina Chen family; Mr. & Mrs. Chen couple; Kiki (Kuei- Xin) Liu family; Lena & Alfred Prekaj couple;  for y’all financial support and added gas on my tank.

4) Giving thanks to Robert’s siblings- Julia & Chuck couple and Terry & Amelia couple came to hospital to visit Robert and prayed for Robert, Clack Bruce, cousin Bonnie Bruce, cousin Larry & Sylvia Lunsford couple and cousin Ben Waller for the prayers support.

5) Giving thanks to our friends – Bill & Candy and her church, Property management specialists- Debbie Alder, Terri, Carlo, Rebecca, and landlord Evelyn Bush. Carlyn, Jason Smith for the prayers support.

6) Giving thanks to Robert’s friends and RMA classmates - Chip & Pam David couple came to hospital to pray for Robert and thanks for his church prayers support.  Jon & Christie Dunwell couple; Glenn Stepp II; Jeff Harper; David Myer; Mark & Katy Lunetta; Chris Doss; Alan Christopher; Woody Cartis; Robbie Patterson; Gerald Glynn William; Eric Webb; Mike Wyatt; Chuck Fields; Harry Austin; Bill Shillington; Doug Sulivan; and Jim Zirkel for the prayers support.

7) Giving thanks to all the physicians and nurses who were assigned to take care of Robert during his hospitalization.

Thank God for prolonging Robert’s life, rescued him, delivered him, healed him and saved him. This circumstance draws us closer to God, humbly lean on His divine resurrection power, and surrender our life to His sovereignty. We acknowledge God’s love, mercy, and faithfulness endures forever. Most importantly, God changes our hearts to love deeply and cherish life, for each breath is the gift of God. He delights us to love each other and puts our hope in His unfailing love.

My friends and families, by y’all faithful prayers support and financial support which enabled us to grasp the grace of God, and His loving-kindness.  Today, we are home to celebrate Robert’s birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our hearts fill with joy and thanksgiving. As Psalm 103 says, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits who forgiving all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Ps. 103:1-5). Thank God for His compassion, unfailing love, healing, mercy and faithfulness. His words are trustworthy as Psalm 91: 9-16 says,

“If you make the Most high your dwelling even the Lord, who is my refuge. Then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. (Psalm 91:9-16).

  May the Lord bless y’all with a peaceful, delightful, and bountiful thanksgiving and Christmas!   May the Lord bless you and increase you so that you can bless more people. To God be the glory in all He has done.  

 

Prayerfully Yours!

The Bruce Family,        

 Robert and Katherine    

 

My condolences for the loss of Dr. Doris Brougham, a message to ORTV's friends and families

Dear ORTV sisters and brothers in Christ, friends and families                               August 16, 2024 

                                      

          Peace be with you all! Greetings from Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce and Robert W. Bruce in Orlando Florida, USA. We have heard the story of Doris Brougham who passed away on August 6, 2024, one day after her 98^th birthday due to multiple organ failure. We are grieving for the loss of Doris, yet inwardly we believe that she is with the Lord. Her soul is entering into heavenly Jerusalem, the city of living God, the thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly. (Heb.12:22). Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26). It indicates that although she dies physically, yet, she shall live spiritually and eternally. Whoever lives physically and believes in Jesus will never die spiritually and eternally. Therefore, we are rejoicing that she has clothed with her heavenly dwelling and at home with the Lord without pains.  

Apostle Paul also encouraged the church, “we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. (1Thessalonians4:13-18).  God has made everything beautiful in His time. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…(Ecclesiastes 3:11:1-4).

                I thank God for her love and passion for Christ, and the great impact on the people in Taiwan. I praise God for her commitment and persistence to serve the Lord. The last conversation we had through the Facebook messages, she texted, “I just want to go out to be strong for the Lord.” Today, she rests in the arms of the Lord, my prayers and thoughts go out to her – a great spiritual mother, a passionate missionary and minister. It is Taiwan’s blessing to have her part of historical events and heroes spiritually, economically, educationally, and politically. More than 70 years, Doris devoted wholeheartedly to the Lord, worked unto the Lord and officially recognized as a citizen of Taiwan and received a passport of Taiwan from Taiwan's president Tsai En-Wen. As servants of God and Children of God, we rejoice that we are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household. (Eph.2:19) In Christ, we are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.      

                  I personally adore her, love her and thank her for her love, encouragement, and blessing to me. When I shared with her that “I am going to get married.” She responded, “It’s time to give God glory.” She came with Daniel Hsieh and Paula Perkins; she planned my wedding ceremony, music, reception and had a heavenly melody team and TIC elders to participate in the wedding. That was my greatest honor and blessings that she gave me. I am thankful that God led Doris into my life. It’s my honor to serve the Lord together with Doris at Taipei International church from Dec. 1999 to March 2004 as Stephen minister, also praising & worshiping leaders’ team. Her trumpet sounds had led us to triumph all the procession through Christ strengthened us.  "The Journey of love" each page illustrates her commitment to serve the Lord, obedience to God’s call, the legacy of faith, hope and love will remain in many people’s hearts in Taiwan.  

Today, she received her crown of life as reward, and Jesus’ final acknowledges, “Well done, good and faithful servant”.  Let us sing to the Lord with thanksgiving, make music to our God, and praise the Lord for her sacrificial love and life. Surely, she had fought a good fight of faith. May her legacy continually impact Taiwan’s young generations to come! May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

           Please accept my condolences and a check of USD $100 for Doris’s memorial fund. I am sad and feel sorry that I cannot be there to participate in Doris' final memorial concert on Sept.20, because my husband just discharged from hospital on August 3rd, and he had done angioplasty surgery on August 1st, and Cardiology will do second angioplasty surgery on September for him. And follow up the appointment with Cardiology, Nephrology, GI doctors, and Cardiac Rehab. Therefore, we are unable to attend, because my husband’s medically unable to travel.         

             However, God is “Immanuel”. He is with us, and His promise is “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) and Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans: I will come to you.” (John 14:18). The peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27). “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.” (1 John4:18-19). Please be strong for the Lord! Be strong!

 

Weekly Message: Is not religion but Jesus Christ

 Ø  The mystery of believing 

            When Saul of Tarsus met Jesus “And he said, who are Thou, Lord?” (Acts.9:6)

 By the powerful light of Christ and miracle of Redemption Saul of Tarsus was turned in one second from a strong-willed, intense Pharisee, persecutor into a humble, devoted slave of the Lord Jesus.

 There is nothing miraculous about the things we can explain. We command what we are able to explain. It is not natural to obey; nor is it necessarily sinful to disobey. There is no moral virtue in obedience unless there is a recognition of a higher authority in the one who dictates, (or orders, rules).

 It is possibly an emancipation, liberation to the other person if he does not obey. If one man says to another “you must” or " you shall”, he breaks the human spirit and unfits it for God. A man is a slave for obeying unless behind his obedience there is a recognition of a holy God. Many souls begin to come to God when he flings off or throws away being religious, because there is only one Master of the human heart, and that is not religion but Jesus Christ.  

But woe be to me if when I see Him I say – I will not. He will never insist that I do, but I have begun to sign the death warrant of the Son of God in my soul. When I stand face to face with Jesus Christ and say- I will not, He will never insist; but I am backing away from the recreating power of His redemption. It is a matter of indifference to God’s grace how abominable I am if I come to the light; but woe be to me if I refuse the light (John 3:19-21).

Ø  Mastery over the believer—

Jesus said, “Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I AM.” (John 13:13)

 Our Lord never insists on having authority; He never says- Thou shalt.  He leaves us perfectly free- so free that we can spit in His face, as men did; so free that we can put Him to death, as men did; and He will never say a word. But when His life has been created in me by His Redemption, I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over me. It is a moral domination –“Thou art worthy…” . It is only the unworthy in me that refuses to bow down to the worthy.

If when I meet a man who is more holy than myself, I do not recognize his worthiness and obey what comes through him, it is a revelation of the unworthy in me. God educates us by means of people who are a little better than we are, not intellectually but “Holily,” until we get under the domination of the Lord Himself, and then the whole attitude of life is one of obedience to Him.

If our Lord insisted upon obedience He would become a taskmaster, and He would cease to have any authority. He never insists on obedience, but when we do see Him we obey Him instantly, He is easily Lord, and we live in adoration of Him from morning till night. The revelation of my growth in grace is the way in which I look upon obedience. We have to rescue the word “Obedience” from the mire.

 Obedience is only possible between equals; it is the relationship between Father and Son, not between master and servant. “ I and My Father are one.” “Though He was a Son, yet, learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” The Son’s obedience was as Redeemer, because He was Son, not in order to be Son.  

Bibliography,           

 Chambers, Oswald. My utmost for His highest, NY: Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc. 1935.   

             King James, The Holy Bible, Cleveland, OH: The world publishing company