Aug 25
Turn your Heart to Jesus
Psalm 91:1-3
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https://www.facebook.com/jin.kim.5220665
Welcome everybody in the name of Jesus. I am Dr. Jin Kim, president of California River of Life University.Our main campus is located in California, USA. We have two branch campuses in Uganda, and will have soon in South Sudan.I appreciate our dean Dr. Stephen Kayongo who is in charge of Uganda campuses works hard.
I love African people. They are so nice and kind. They love Jesus, they love me, and they love you too.Praise the Lord!
Shall we pray?
Oh Jesus, we come to you to worship you and praise you. Thank you Jesus! Because of you we still can enjoy our life even in this midst of the suffering from the epidemic plague, natural disasters, as well as financial difficulties. Because of you we can see the blessings beyond this suffering.
Lord Jesus!Let us experience your presence, and meet you personally through this worship, through this message, and especially by your Grace. Your presence is the answer of our prayer, and most valuable blessing to us. We have so many needs; spiritual needs, physical needs, as well as financial needs.
Please fill this room by your presence, and meet our needs.Please touch the people who are actively watching this worship.Thank you Jesus.
In the Name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
As you know the world is very confusing right now.Of course we are suffering from the Coronavirus.But pandemic is not the worst one, It’s just a part of it.Some people lost their loved ones and family by the severe flood, drought, wild fire, earth quakes, and horrible war.
Did you see the Afghanistan lately? It is horrible.
Some people are suffering from the lack of food, lack of medicine, and lack of drinking water.
Some people lost their jobs and became homeless.
Some people lost their health and crying out for the life.
So many people are suffering from the various reasons but the world leaders do not have solution.
The world lost a direction completely, as far as I am concerned.
It is true that we all are living in crisis.
Not just in Africa, not just in South America, but here in America too.
There is no peaceful land in this world.
There is no comfort zone in this world.
Only Jesus is the peace land. Only Jesus is the comfort zone.
However we are not just ones living in the crisis.
There are many people in the Bible lived in the crisis.
Joseph was sold out by his own brothers, became a slave in Egypt, and was in prison because of his master’s wife.
Moses suffered from the Egyptians as well as from his own people.
He saved his people but his own people attempted kill him several times.
Apostle Paul suffered from the severe persecutions from the Roman authorities as well as by his own people.
His own people hated him and even stoned him to death.
Among these great people of God in the Bible, today, I would like to introduce the King Solomon, what kind of crisis he faced and how he overcame the crisis.
Let’s read Psalm 91.
I want to share just first 3 verses.
I am reading NIV.
1. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
3. Surely He will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
According to the Targum, a Jewish Old Testament Translation explained this Psalm 91 is a dialogue between King David and his son Solomon in God’s presence.
When Solomon became a King, he was in the very difficult situation.
So it was believed that this Psalm 91 was written after Solomon received the Throne as a New King in Israel.
You may know, David had 4 wives and had many sons from these 4 women.
These sons from 4 different women fought each other to exercise their power and authority to be a next king.
When the King David became very old, his sons were anxiously waiting for their father David to retire, and choose one of them as a new King
But he did not.
Perhaps he was disappointed by his sons.
One day Amnon, the first Son from his wife Ahinoam raped Tarmal who was David’s 3rd son Absalom’s sister.
Both Tarmar and Absalom are from David’s another wife Maacah.
As a King’s first son Amnon might think that it would be alright even if he rapes any girl.
In the Law, if any man rapes a virgin the man must be stoned to death.
Or he must marry that victim and cannot divorce her forever.
Now, Absalom was so angry against Amnon because he raped his sister Tamar.
He wished his father king David kill him.
But his father David did not punish Amnon.
So Absalom was furious, and plotted to kill both Amnon and his father David.
One day Absalom opened a party, and invited all of his brothers with his father King David, but David did not come.
So Absalom killed Amnon only, and ran a way to Moab.
After a few years, King David, as a father, misses his son Absalom.
Even though Absalom is a murderer David loves him.
This is a Father’s heart.
So Army Chief Joab brought Absalom back to Israel.
But Absalom’s anger did not calm down against his father David, Absalom attempted coup d’é·tat, to overthrow David’s kingdom.
But he failed, and he was killed in the battle.
Time past, King David is very old and weak.
But still he did not appoint anyone to be a next King.
Now, David’s first son was killed by the third son Absalom.
The second son, it is believed that he died when he was young.
And third son Absalom was killed in the battle.
So, the 4th son Adonijah became the eldest son among David’s living sons.
Because of this situation, Adonijah believed that he is the right person to be a King after his father David.
So he invited the leaders in Israel including Army Chief Joab and the High Priest Abiathar.
Because they believed that King David will die soon, and Adonijah is the right person to be a legitimate king, they supported him as a New King in Israel.
Adonijah opened a big party and invited leaders including Joab and Abiathar.
When the party is getting excited, Adonijah proclaimed, “I am the new King.”
Then all of them shouted “King Adonijah! King Adonijah!”
When the prophet Nathan heard this urgent news, he rushed to Solomon’s mother Bathsheba, and visited King David with her, and talked about that critical situation.
Then, King David said to Bathsheba to take his Horse and put on Solomon on that horse and proclaim “King Solomon!!”
So she asked people, and the people put Solomon on the King’s horse, and shouted “King David appointed Solomon as a new King!
Come and Hail to the King Solomon!”
When Adonijah and his followers heard this Break News, they were terrified, because they could be punished as treason, death penalty.
So they kept on silence as if nothing had happened.
But for the King Solomon, the real problem is just started.
Because his brother Adonijah, the Army Chief Joab, and the High Priest Abiathar, still hold their authorities and powers,
even though he was a King of Israel, Solomon couldn’t do anything.
His father’s mighty soldiers turned to be his dangerous enemies.
They might assassinate him at the any time.
Because Solomon knew this fact, he said to the prophet Nathan, and both of them came to David secretly.
And he cried out to David, “Father, I am afraid of Adonijah and chief army Joab. They might come and kill me at the anytime!”
When his young son Solomon cried out for a help, David closed his eyes and prayed.
Prophet Nathan sat by them and he also prayed sincerely.
As you know king David is very anointed man of God.
Prophet Nathan and David, these two anointed men of God prayed together, the room was filled by the presence of God.
Then, David held Solomon’s hand, and started pray, saying “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty,”
It means that my dear son Solomon, dwell in the secret place of God.
Hide yourself to God, the secret place.
My son, your heart is not in God.
Your heart is in your enemies.
That is the reason you are in great fear.
Now, turn your heart to God.
As long as your heart is in God, God will hide you from your enemies.
He will protect you and will give you a peace and joy in the midst of this huge trouble.
So come to God, turn your heart to God my dear son.
In fact, David testified in Psalm 23:5, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
Yes, David knew what the life is.
He faced so many fearful crises.
Sometimes he cried out, “Oh God why I have so many enemies?”
Yes, he had many enemies including Goliath, King Saul, and even his own son Absalom.
He was almost killed by these enemies not just one time but many times.
Most of his life was in the dangerous battle.
He knew by his experience that God provides his needs and saves his life.
So he confessed that even though he walked with the valley of the shadow of death, he would fear no evil, because his heart was in God.
Even though he faced so many dangerous battles in his life,
Because his heart was in God he did not fear from his enemies.
He testified, “When I was in the battle, God brought a food and drink,
and opened a banquet for me in front of my enemies.
So, even when my enemies are in front of me and tried to kill me, but still I had a time to enjoy with a good food which God provided.
Even though I was in the very difficult situation, I still have a time to enjoy my life with God.”
So, our heart must be in God, our eyes must be in God.
In John’s Gospel chapter 8, When Jesus was teaching in the Temple
a woman who committed adultery, and was brought to Jesus.
When she looked at the people, there was no hope, nothing but death.
They have a stone in their hands, and they are ready to kill her.
They shouted to Jesus, “How do you say about this woman?
By the Law she must be stoned to death, shall we kill her now?”
Because she was so afraid of these people, she naturally turned her face to Jesus.
Then, surprise! There was a life and peace.
When she looked at the people it was hopeless, helpless, and death.
But when she turned to Jesus there was a life, love, hope, and peace.
So, if anyone suffering from the serious problems, running away from your enemies, serious financial problems, suffering from the dreadful disease,
turn your face to Jesus.
Put your heart in Jesus.
Then He will hide you from your enemies, and will give you a life and peace.
When the old king David prayed and said to Solomon, Put your heart in God,
Solomon replied: “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in him will I trust”
Yes Father, my heart is in God now, and my eyes are in God now!
Because God is my refuge He will provide my shelter to rest and food to eat.
I saw refugee camp in South Sudan.
It looks bad.
I don’t want to live in the shelter in the refugee camp.
But here this shelter is not the shelter you saw in refugee camp.
This shelter is better than best hotels in the world.
When I went to Kigali, I saw the most expensive Hotel in Rwanda.
I was curious, so I went to that hotel to see how it looks like.
In front of the gate the guards came to me and checked everything everywhere in my body.
I asked the security guards why you guys are doing this, and why this hotel is so expensive.
They said, because there is a president office and his rooms in this hotel, these rooms are the most luxurious room in Rwanda.
Wow!
Because the president stays in this hotel, this hotel is the most luxurious hotel in Rwanda.
Then, how about God who created the whole world stays in this hotel?
It should be the most luxurious and expensive hotel in the whole world.
Yes, the refuge in this Psalm 91 is the God’s dwelling place, which is better than the best hotel in the whole world.
So if we are in Him we do not need to worry about anything.
Even if we are facing serious problems if we put our heart in Jesus still we can enjoy our life.
So check your heart right now where your heart is.
Turn your heart to Jesus.
Come, come to Jesus. Come close to Him now.
Jesus will take you to the most luxurious hotel in the whole world.
So put your heart and eyes in Jesus!
He will not check your body like the guards did to me in Kigali.
He will not ask you where you from?
He will not ask your ID card or passport.
He will not ask you to pay the room.
His servants will come to you, “Welcome Madam, Welcome sir!
Your room and food are paid. Enjoy!”
Amen! Praise the Lord!
Solomon continuous – Yes He is my fortress.
Yes, as long as I am in God no one can harm me because He is my fortress.
God will build the fortress for me in front of my enemies.
God will bring the finest soldiers, the cherubim angels to kick my enemies out.
Even the most powerful missiles, even an atomic bomb hydrogen bomb cannot destroy this fortress, Because God built it.
So I will hide myself in God until He build a fortress for me.
Yes.
So, Put your heart in God and be still.
Do not let your heart be troubled.
Don’t say I am afraid. Don’t blame anybody. Don’t complain.
Be still.
The Lord will fight for you.
The Lord will remove your enemies, your troubles in front of your own eyes.
So be still, and watch how God fight for you and rescue you.
Amen!
After Solomon said his heart is in God, the old King David prayed for his young son Solomon in Verse 3 says, “Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.”
God will save you from the fowler’s snare.
Yes, your brother and Joab may set the snares like the fowlers do.
But God will save you from their snares.
Surely God will rescue you from their deadly snares.
David experienced snare many times.
King Saul used his own daughter to kill David.
Absalom was a murderer, so he must be stoned to death.
But David saved his life and forgave him.
But Absalom tried to kill him.
So David was weeping and running away with a bare foot.
Snare! We cannot avoid it.
I have several snares in my life.
Unfortunately, most of them are from Christians, especially from pastors.
I was trapped several times, and that really hurt me, made my life miserable.
Because I could not stay at my home, I went to the prayer mountain, woke up in the middle of the night, and cried out hours and hours.
Then one day, it was January 3 of year 2009, Jesus came to me.
He led me to the different world which I cannot describe in my word.
Then I realized that I received His anointing and spiritual gifts including the Word of Knowledge and Gift of Healing.
That made my ministry, my life changed completely.
When I was so hurt and felt miserable, I went to Uganda in year 2015 to change my life.
I stayed in Kyengera, Uganda for a week.
I In the middle of the night I went out from the hotel room.
It was completely dark, I cannot see anything.
So I just walked a few steps.
I look at the sky as if Abraham looked at the stars in the sky.
There were so many stars, and they looked very close to me.
I pray, “Oh God, Tell me something like you said to Abraham!”
Then, all of the sudden I saw in vision that Jesus was praying for me.
That moment I felt that Jesus knew my situation, He knew my suffering. I am not forgotten in His heart.
I was weeping and kept on saying “Thank you Jesus, Thank you Jesus” several hours.
Of course the things are not changed, but He changed my heart to accept the suffering and gave me strength to endure.
In year 2016 I went to Uganda, the same place, Kyengera.
At that time I was trapped by the snare, and it was really hurt.
I wept and wept, and fasted in the hotel room.
Some of you may remember, when I led a revival in Nsangi in 2016, the work of the Holy Spirit was so strong.
So, fowler’s snare is not always bad.
It filters out our sin, refine our faith, and push us to come close to Jesus.
So when you trapped by fowler’s snare, cry out to God, and God will rescue you with an anointing and spiritual gifts.
King David continuous says, “God will save you from the deadly pestilence.”
Yes, God will save us from the Pandemic.
In 2Samuel chapter 24 shows that David did the census.
It displeased God, and God sent a plague, the pandemic.
And 70,000 people died by this pandemic in 3 days.
Then King David felt great guilty and begged to the LORD, “I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. I am the one who committed sin. Let your hand fall upon me and my family.”
When David repented like that, God forgave David, and removed the Pandemic.
I believe that if the world leaders repent like David did, and pray like David did God will stop the pandemic.
I believe, if the nation’s president repents like David did, pray like David did the pandemic will stop.
I believe, if we all stand up and repent like David did, and pray like David did; the whole world will be changed to be like the Garden of Eden.
Pastors!
Let’s repent like David did, and pray like what David did.
Then God will stop the disasters in your church, in your family, and God will bless your church.
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus!
It doesn’t matter whether you are the pastor or lay person.
Stand up in front of God and repent, and pray like the king David did.
Then God will forgive you, stop the disasters in your family, and will bless your family.
Because David’s God is my God.
David’s God is your God. Amen! Amen!
Like Solomon, sometimes we also face a very difficult time.
Sometimes the problem is too dangerous to face it like Solomon had.
Sometimes the problem is too heavy, too difficult to handle!
Sometimes we are surrounded by the huge enemies like Solomon had!
But the biggest enemy is “Fear in your heart”
So trust in God, and hide yourself to God, and take a rest in Him.
Let God fight for you.
Let God win for you.
Give our God Jesus a chance to win the battle for you.
My dear sisters and brothers in Jesus!
Do not fear!
Do you have a fear like Solomon had?
Don’t be discouraged, don’t be afraid of it.
If you have a faith like Solomon had, you will defeat your enemies in the name of Jesus.
So if you are in trouble, do not fear!
Do not give up!
Just one step behind from that trouble, and kneel down to Jesus, and prayerfully wait.
Let Jesus fight for you!
Let Jesus win for you!
Let’s bow down to the Lord Jesus!
Oh, Jesus!
You are the only place I can hide myself from this trouble.
Please give me a stronger faith, so that I can depend on you more and more.Please help me to move my heart from the problem to you.
Thank you Jesus!
Because of you Lord Jesus, No one, no disease, no trouble can put us down.Because of you we can proclaim the victory in the middle of the sufferings.
Thank you Jesus!
In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
