SCRIPTURE:
“I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.” (Philippians 4:10, NIV) 

OBSERVATION:
I asked myself what stuck out in Philippians 4:10?
The word 'concern' stood out.

INTERPRETATIONS:
I asked myself the significance of 'concern' standing out in this verse?
I see Paul rejoicing greatly in the Lord because of the Philippians concern for him even though they had no opportunity to show it at the time.

IMPLICATIONS:
I saw important implications for my own life. This reminded me about the importance of being concerned for others and looking for opportunities to show it. I need to look for opportunities to show that I am concerned for others.

HOW GOSPEL GIVES ME TESTIMONY REGARDING C.O.N.C.E.R.N:
Years ago, I was terribly burdened, moving stuff by myself from Shadyside to Sq. Hill and yet I did not want to burden any of the students that I was serving so I decided to do it on my own. I did not even ask for their help to move but to pray. Without me knowing, the students I ministered to at Pitt  showed up at my doorstep because they were deeply concerned for me. They cancelled their Bible study on 'service to others', so they could become a service to me. When I think about that encounter, I still get 'tears of joy' for what they did especially in the circumstances. It is one thing to help out when asked for help and another thing to help out when no help is asked but knowing that person needs help. I fell in the second category.

It was around finals weeks and they showed up at my doorstep to help me not only pack, but clean out my apartment, and move all the stuff to Squirrel Hill. I insisted they leave because I did not want to burden them but they wanted to carry my burden. They stayed for almost 3 hours from 8:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. to clean out my apartment and pack everything. Then two of them came back the next day to pack everything into a truck, transport them to Sq. Hill, and unloaded all of them.

My Chinese roommate who was moving too was utterly shocked. He told me it was so nice of them to help me like that and asked me where they all were from. When I told him InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, he remarked, 'NO WONDER'

Being the staff volunteer for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) at the time, I wanted to be the one concerned for the welfare of the students but they turned the tables around and unexpectedly showed concern for me their staff worker in the most practical way that I can never forget. They showed what the love of Jesus Christ acted out in a daily life means and put into effect everything they learned from me about small group community that loves Jesus so much can do.

For me, Sara (the president of PITT-IVCF),  Jonathan (the vice-president of PITT-IVCF, Becky (the former VP of PITT-IVCF),  Josh (Worship leader of PITT-IVCF, and David (Bible study leader of PITT-IVCF) embodied some of the elements of the signature passage of IVCF small groups from Acts 2:42-47:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

There was time when I had fainted in Schenley Cafeteria after looking for Sara's ID in the dumpster and cutting myself. Both Sara and Becky who were roommates took me to their guest suite and attended to my needs as Sara was studying nursing and Becky for studying OT. They made sure I did not leave the guest room until morning. I am so blessed to have led these students in ministry for 4 years with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship who put small group values into practice day after day.

As I thought about these events, I am reminded of Pastor Ed's sermon on Acts 2:42-47 that he gave yesterday, August 30, 2009 at Oakland International Fellowship (OIF). I was blessed by the sermon because it became so personal to me and took me back to the moving day.

Pastor Ed remarked that when we carry other people's burdens, we have to feel the weight of it, otherwise we have to ask ourselves are we really carrying their burdens. I know Sara, Becky, Jonathan, David, and Josh felt the weight literally how they helped me out.

Few years ago, I know the weight Kamella, Amigo, Luke, and Jeremy of OIF carried when they helped me out at the Pitt Activities Fair even with their hectic school/work schedule. They showed concern in tangible ways.

Sometimes we want to help so much but may not have the opportunity to do so just as Paul wrote to the Philippians but even the desire to help out without the opportunity gave Paul joy.

Yesterday, I needed help badly at the Pitt-Activities Fair but did not ask for help so I did it on my own. It would have been such a blessing to receive help when not asked but that takes a special kind of concern that I saw in those 5 students years ago. That is how I want to be and pray others I know can be like that. I rejoice in the Lord for Edwin who showed such concern for me that he gave me ideas regarding how to handle the Pitt activities fair even though he did not have the opportunity to be there. His advice and my time there became such a blessing to me. He even offered to make copies of all my surveys for me :)

I see how much Pastor Hugo, Edwin, and Marie constantly show care in my life. That type of discernment and concern can be rare when we help others out even when they don't ask for help but we know they need help.  When Edwin and Marie took me grocery shopping, that was a great help too because I would not have been able to carry all that in the bus.

When my dad was in the ICU, I remember how much Ryan Li of OIF was there for our family almost everyday becoming like a son to my mom as she thought of him.

I want the Lord Jesus to help me discern the concerns of others even when they don't ask but need help and help them out. I want Acts 2:42-47 to be a reality in my own life so others can see that I am Living Acts because of Jesus Christ and all He has done for me. 

For that to happen, I need to love the Lord Jesus so much and be in a community of believers who love the Lord Jesus so much that they care, share, and pray for one another. In multiple areas, I found that in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in all my years there as a student, student-leader, staff volunteer and staff worker. In certain areas, I have found that right now in Oakland International Fellowship, the English congregation of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland and know I will continue to find that at OIF with the Lord's work in all of our lives. Praise the Lord.

I want to show concern for others time after time even when they do not express their burdens to me because they are either ashamed, self-conscious, don't want to burden others, etc.  I want to do that in a community setting instead of a lone-ranger. All the IVCF-student leaders who helped me did it as part of the PITT-IVCF community but especially as the body of Christ. I want the OIF community to remind me of what happened to me at IVCF. I know it can because of the Lord Jesus Christ's help that will spur us to love one another and put into application the sermon Pastor Ed gave. It  already started happening!

Oh how much then I can make Acts 2:42-47 a reality in my own life when I am in a community of those who love Jesus so much that they Proclaim the Truth and Live the Truth. That was our vision of PITT-IVCF when I staffed.

Just yesterday, I was really touched to see the concern of congregation members of Oakland International Fellowship who prayed for me when I was not at church yesterday. After they prayed, I showed up and that made them really excited. I thank the Lord for those there that prayed for me: Matt, Pastor Ed, Edwin, Marie, Rachel, Cathy, Elias, Jaron, Jeremy, Andrea, Jason, Steve, Zela, Vicki, Pastor Bucknell, Christy, Liz, Allison, Daniel, Katherine, Yewfi, Brian, Brian,  Sharon, Calvin, Elise, and anyone I missed cause cannot remember all that were there.

I am especially excited that Andrea and Jason Huang go to our church and head the Asian-InterVarsity chapter at Pitt. As IV staff, they are all too familiar with Acts 2:42-47 which is the core of small group ministry values. It is one thing to know something and another thing to practice it. I have not always practiced Living Acts but I know with the Lord's help, I can and they will.

Recently, OIF members helped out a wheel-chair bound small group member with getting him up in the morning, dressing him, providing meals for him for more than 2 weeks. This is proclaiming the Gospel by words but living the Gospel by deeds.

I joined OIF because it reminded me so much of when I was in IVCF in terms of the small group community, inductive Bible Study, etc. Now, I am busy working full-time and doing ministry through the paper for now. Student ministry is still a passion of mine and will help out anyway the Lord Jesus wants me to help out in different areas. Thank you Jesus!

It is so wonderful to have a new organization at Pitt called Asian-Pitt InterVarsity which emphasizes small groups of brothers and sisters coming together to love the Lord Jesus Christ, love one another, and love the community which is so similar to what OIF puts an emphasis on: Small Group Ministry where we love the Lord Jesus Christ, love one another, and love the community, that Jesus placed us in.

Right now, Pitt-Asian InterVarsity meets at Wednesday nights starting Sept 9 in Posvar Hall 5400 at the University of Pittsburgh.

Right now, Pitt-InterVarsity meets on Thursday nights starting Sept 3 in Posvar Hall 5400 at the University of Pittsburgh.

Right now, our church small groups meet on Friday nights! We have three wonderful small groups: Abundant Life, Adoye, and Living Acts (of which I am part of when I am not working on Fridays). We meet at 7:00 p.m. at different locations.

If interested in any of these, please do call me at 412-720-4579 or email me at reddy4HisGlory2004@yahoo.com

I want to care for you all and show concern for each one of you so please do not hesitate to ever call me or email me if you need prayer, someone to talk to, listen to, or study the Word of God with. I will make time available to meet with any of you on Pitt campus or at the church.

It is amazing to be cared for, prayed for, and sharing of the life with one another. It all starts with Jesus Christ. It is because of Jesus Christ and His love for us for what He did to redeem us from the power of sin and death that we can be a loving community that lives by its acts.

I ASK YOU NOW:
I ask you now dear friend, how do you show C.O.N.C.E.R.N for others in life?
Dear friend, you too can do that when you have so much love for Jesus that His concerns and the things He has a burden for, will become your concerns and burdens. Jesus has such a concern for the lost and wants to use you and me to bring others to Jesus. Also, Jesus has such a concern for the poor, the downtrodden, the captives, etc. And that is why Jesus came!

"Jesus said, 'The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.'" (Luke 4:19-20, NIV)

People are lost everywhere and people are so concerned but we have the opportunity to alleviate that concern when we have Jesus Christ in our own lives and put Christ into action as we depend on the Holy Spirit to give us His grace to have the power, purpose, peace, and promises to accomplish all He set us out to do. This happens first and foremost because we have been pardoned by Him by His blood and given the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.

Jesus died for our sins on the cross of Calvary and came back to life to save us. It is because of the Resurrection of Christ, we have the power over sin and death.

I do not know who the Lord Jesus has placed a concern in your heart for but take that concern daily to the Lord in prayer and have Him work in your life. You very well maybe the person that someone needs right now.

As Dwight Smith, a missionary reminded us at OIF, we need to take our opportunity the Lord Jesus gives us because missed opportunities prevent us from being a blessing to others. You and I can be that blessing when we ask the Lord Jesus to show us who to be concerned for in our sphere of influence and act upon that concern. There are a lot of people that need our help.

Working in a campus community, I see the concerns of different students and my heart goes out to them. Some have concerns with food allergies, others with their relationship with the Lord, with family, friends, others with their education, etc.

These are concerns that the Lord is concerned about to and has given us opportunities to alleviate other people's concerns. You can be the one to do that as times with just PRAYER if you do not have opportunities to directly help out.

Paul was ministered to those he had ministered too and the IVCF- student leaders ministered to me who I had ministered to all because of Jesus Christ.

Speaking of ministry, you may have someone in your life that has ministered to you but now they need ministering too. Take that opportunity to minister to them. There are so many who do ministry and then there are those who specifically have ministered to you personally. It is those that you can let know that you are concerned and care for them. It could be a family member who has ministered to you, a friend who has ministered to you, a pastor who has ministered to you, etc. You could be on the receiving end a lot but you have the wonderful opportunity to let that person/s know that you are concerned for them and their ministry. It can be a caring kind of concern.

When we are concerned about someone, we look for solutions to help them. In that way, they are helped and it relieves our own concern for them as we see them being helped.

I do not know who you are concerned about! Whoever it is, you can take it to the Lord in prayer for guidance and help. Each of our concern for other people actually does make an impact in their lives even if we cannot directly show it. Paul rejoiced greatly in the Lord even in prison because he knew people were concerned for him.

Friend won’t you be the one to show concern for at least one person this week who has been instrumental in your growth in the Lord or just someone who needs your help?
It could be anybody who has ministered to you directly or indirectly. It can be someone who is in dire need of help. That’s what I want to do. Concern can be shown in different ways through financial giving for their cause, through prayer, through giving a hand, etc.

As I think about being concerned, Jesus Christ concerns about us and wants us to walk with Him. We can do that with His help. May we walk with the Lord Jesus Christ and show His concern in other people’s lives! Amen!

"Compassionately Offer Now Care Emphasizing Redeemer's Nurture! (C.O.N.C.E.R.N)/”How do you show concern for others in life?”

PRAYER:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for helping me to learn about concern and caring. Lord, help me to care and show concern for others in need of help even when they are not comfortable asking. Help me to minister to those that have ministered to me. I pray those that are troubled can know that you are concerned for them. Please use me in other's lives to make an impact for your honor and glory. Help me and others be part of a community that embodies biblical values and lives out Acts 2:42-47. Thank you so much Jesus. I thank you Lord for being concerned for us to the point that you went to the cross to deliver us from our bondage to sin. Thank you that we can find deliverance in you. Thank you for carrying our burden. Hear us Oh Lord and please answer us. I pray for the one that is going through a lot that your hand will be upon them. Lord, help our concern not to just be to those that minister to us but also those we see/know that are not doing well. Help us to help them. I thank you Jesus for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Lord Jesus, You are my all in all. You are my Prince of Peace, Rock, Savior, and Friend. You are my Holy Father guiding me through to live a life of righteousness, holy righteousness. Oh God, I need you more than ever. I need to feel your hands around me holding me tight. I need your love to surround me so that you can glow in my life. Help me please Jesus. I desire in your presence. Thank you for guiding me to live a life of righteousness. Oh God you love me more than ever. You hear my voice when I cry out to you. When I seek your face, you fill me up. You are my all in all. Thank you Jesus so much for your help no matter what I face, your grace is available and you take my case. Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN! (Most of the prayer is from a vineyard song called “All in All”)

You don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and give you peace to LIVE out your actions.

How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?

One of my pastors, Pastor Hugo SHARED this example one Sunday at the RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:

If you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no peace.

But  as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.

Yes, friend God is aLIVE and wants to bring a transformation in your life through the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and LIVE with us.

Yes, friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE & LIVING GRACE.

When we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive us and RESTORE us to Him and we will find peace in Him.

^"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)

Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.

"For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

Come to Jesus as you are and pray this prayer to accept Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior. He will transform your life around! Praise the Lord! You don't have to have all the answers! You can come as you are!

If you want to be a soldier in the Lord's army, you can become it right now. Now is the time of Salvation! You do not have to wait but can pray this prayer and give your life to Christ to serve Him daily! There is no draft but coming to Christ is voluntary. He loves you so much and wants you to come to Him! He will take care of you, guiding you and leading you!

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, I love you. Thank you for loving me so much and thank you for choosing the cross to die for me. You became the Son of Man and lived here on earth. Then you humbled yourself and became obedient to death-even death on the cross. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. You died on the cross so that I can be covered in your blood and cleansed by your blood as I acknowledge that I need you and cannot enter Heaven without you being my pathway. So, Jesus I confess all my sins to you and all the ways I have tried to get into Heaven when you already provided the means and the Way. Thank you for all that you have done for me. "The cross is the place, a wonderful place where accused and condemned find mercy and grace. Thank you Jesus, it is at the cross where the wrongs we have done and the wrongs done to us were nailed at the cross. Thank you Jesus, at the cross you died for our sins and at the cross you gave your life for us." I thank you for that and thank you for coming back to life to save us. Thank you Jesus for being there for me! Thank you for loving me. I love you Jesus! Please take me as I am and make my life into something that you will be proud of. I surrender my life to you and need your help to live for you. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me and I can never repay you. I want to live for you and need your help. Help me Jesus please. I thank you Jesus for saving me! Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me. Whatever your will give me the willingness and strength to bear it. Thank you Jesus! I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior! In Your Name I Pray precious Jesus! Amen!