Advent

Merry Christmas! In December, Christmas is celebrated across the world in remembrance of Jesus Christ’s birth. From December 3, the period of Advent begins. At our church (IBF), we prepare 5 candles. In the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas, we light one new candle per week in anticipation of December 25. On the big day, we light the fifth candle as well. At IBF, we light the first candle to symbolize and commemorate the light of the world who was born, Jesus Christ. The second candle, lit on the second week, commemorates the humility of Christ. He set aside his high and divine position as God and was born

Asia Covenant Conference 2017

The Asia Covenant Conference is a gathering of churches from the Evangelical Covenant denomination that meets every few years. Christians gather to share reports of their ministries and how God has worked in their countries.   The conference takes place in a different host country each time. This year, Japan played host. The conference took place at the National Olympic Memorial Youth Center in Shibuya, Tokyo, November 1-3, 2017. Delegates came from several countries: Thailand, Philippines, India, Nepal, Taiwan, China, Japan, and the U.S.   In addition to giving conference reports, the foreign guests enjoyed cultural activities. They experienced a koto concert, and some participated in a traditional tea ceremony

1 Kings 11 sermon, Part 2 of 2

From a sermon series on 1 Kings by See Huang Lim, a missionary at IBF. Intro Just 2 months ago, there was a nation-wide alarm when North Korea fired its missile across Hokkaido. Everyone wondered what Kim Jong-Un is thinking. Would he truly be willing to engage in war? More recently, people in Japan were preoccupied with the national elections. It is not just Japan, but all over the world, people worry about who will take control of their country. Or they wonder how long a bad situation will last in their country. For Christians, it’s natural to wonder: Is God going to make things better in our country? Today,

1 Kings 11 sermon, Part 1 of 2

From a sermon series on 1 Kings by See Huang Lim, a missionary at IBF. Intro The first 10 chapters of the book of 1 Kings talk about the rise and success of King Solomon. God blessed him with wisdom and wealth. The nation of Israel prospered under him and enjoyed peace. Then comes chapter 11. Everything sweet begins to turn sour. Today, we’ll read about the reason behind Solomon’s decline. [Read 1 Kings 11:1-13] There are 3 topics I want to focus on today: 1) the gradual tragedy of Solomon; 2) affairs of the heart; and 3) God’s jealousy. Main A Gradual Tragedy Solomon’s decline wasn’t overnight. Verse 4

1 Kings 10 sermon, “Solomon and His Wealth”

From a sermon series on 1 Kings by See Huang Lim, a new missionary at IBF. Intro Today, we will read 1 Kings chapter 10. It is the last happy chapter in Solomon’s story before his decline as king of Israel. I would like to reflect on 3 topics from this chapter: (1) the source of wealth; (2) attitudes towards money; and finally, (3) what we can learn from the Queen of Sheba. [Read 1 Kings 10] Israel was doing very well economically. The details in this chapter are meant to impress the reader. 10 times, the word “gold” is mentioned. Imagine you’re a tourist visiting Solomon’s palace. Everything is