By Scripture Alone!  By Faith Alone!

”We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

              As we welcome this new year 2015 let us turn to others and say to them “Happy New Year!”  Our church New Year motto is “By Scripture Alone!  By Faith Alone!”  And the theme verse for year 2015 is 2 Corinthians 5:7 – “We live by faith, not by sight”.  Today, based on 2 Corinthians 5:7, the title of the message is “By Scripture Alone!  By Faith Alone!”.  I would like to think about 3 things:

              First, let us devote ourselves more in reading, listening, studying and meditating the Word of God in this New Year 2015. 

               I want to encourage all of you to read the whole Bible, from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation, in this year 2015.  And let us devote ourselves diligently in listening to His Word, especially during the Sunday worship.  We must study the Bible.  Let us devote ourselves in learning His Word.  Especially in this year, I want all of us to focus on meditating the Word of God.  This is what Psalms 1:2 says: “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night”.  I would like all our church members to be the blessed men and women of God.  And in order to be ones, we must meditate His Word diligently.  I hope and pray that not only all of us meditates His Word but also share your Q.T.s with other fellow brothers and sisters in Christ so that we may have true fellowship in the Lord.

            Second, it is my hope and prayer that in this New Year 2015, all of our faith continually grows.

           This is what the Bible the Book of Romans 10:17 says: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”  The first thing that God wants us to do is the work of God.  Then, what is the work of God?  Look at John 6:29 – “Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."  Let us devote ourselves in believing in Jesus.  How can we do that?  We must devote ourselves in getting to know our Lord Jesus Christ.  We must grow in the knowledge of Him.  In order to do that, we must read the Bible.  Also, we need to hear the message of Jesus Christ so that our faith can grow more and more.  Let us listen to the Word of God diligently so that our faith can grow more and more.  Especially, as we faced this New Year 2015, I hope and pray that all of our faith grow more by reading. Listening, studying and meditating His Word.  When our faith grow, then we will not “waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God”(Rom. 4;20).  Instead, we will be strengthened in our faith and will give glory to God (v.20).

           Last, I hope and pray that all of us may walk by faith confidently and not by sight in this New Year 2015.

           Look at 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 – “Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.  We live by faith, not by sight.  We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”  Dear friends in the Lord, I hope and pray that in this year 2015, all of our faith may grow so that we may walk by faith and not by sight.  Let us walk in faith confidently.  We can do so because we have sure hope in the Lord.  And that sure hope is that we will be at home with the Lord (v.8) forever.  With that living hope, let us please our Lord by walking by faith in this New Year 2015.  May God go with you.

By Scripture Alone!  By Faith Alone!

Pastor James Kim

(January 5, 2015)