Sermon Notes "5/23/2010" Dr. San Young Lee

To listen to the audio or watch the video of the sermon please go to http://hopepowerline.blogspot.com/ 

Sunday’s guest speaker was Dr. San Young Lee, dean at Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary in the Philippines.  The scripture reading was Psalm 121, which starts out “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord.” 

Dr. Lee told us she was a product of Nazarene Missions: her father was converted at the age of 12 under the ministry of Missionary Donald Owens.  He became a Nazarene pastor, father of 9 children, and planter of 5 churches—four in Korea, one in San Diego CA.  She said that as a pastor, her dad didn’t make enough money to educate his children. But their mother prayed constantly about it, and trusted God, and all 9 of their children received their education, and are serving the Lord.  Dr. Lee worked—as a babysitter, in a factory, waiting tables—studied, and went to church. She said she was too busy to get a ring.

The Psalmist who asked the question “Where does my help come from?” knew he couldn’t solve his problems on his own.  He looked to the hills, the high places where people thought the gods lived, but knew his help didn’t come from there; he looked to God who made the hills.  Dr. Lee challenges her students to look to God for real help—it takes faith to experience God’s providence, to experience His provision first-hand.  Seminary is a place to experience God, not just learn about Him.  The students learn to thank God for everything they have.

How about you?  Do you look to the hills (false gods), or to God?

Christians live in the midst of suffering.  Sometimes we feel like God has abandoned us.  We are affected by the things we suffer, but we are not crushed.  And sometimes there is blessing in our suffering—things that we think are bad turn out to be good.

Dr. Lee told us that the school (APNTS) is suffering in this global financial crisis, and asked for our support—in prayer as well as financial support.  God is our help, according to Psalm 121, and He keeps and protects us.