GNC Sunday Column
Every weekend, I meditate before the Sunday worship service and leave a short column through the window of my heart. The question at the end of the meditation is, ‘Who is living well?’ And each of us, including myself, living well?
I thought of a list of people who are living well. A person who is rich and long-lived, a person who knows how to give and share, a person who has wealth and honor and is even humble to be virtuous, a person who is respected and recognized for doing good, a person who has many friends with a famous reputation, religiously It reminds me of those who believed in Jesus and were saved.
Then, no matter how good the external or internal conditions are, I wondered what would happen if the party was not happy. No matter who you look at, you don't look like you, and you're fine, you're beautiful, you're pretty, but what happens if you aren't happy?
In my younger days, I remember the lyrics of Namgoong Ok-bun's “Young Man Who Eats Dreams”. 'Happiness is always in my heart / Throw all suffering into that river / Drink up all love and desire / Burn your youth for tomorrow. is in the mind.
Looking at the environment and circumstances and the meandering flow of mind over the past week, there is a combination of deeply insightful things. After the early morning prayer on the 2nd, I shared the end of my meditation and thoughts on Facebook.
Looking back on my past life, I realized that I was a happy person. The reason is that I was given happy things because I was happy, not because I was happy because I was happy. I am a blessed person, that is, a person who is happy because I have heavenly blessings. Also, I believe that happy things are given in my life today.
From the point of view of the writer living in the present today, I think that the person who lives the best is the person who lives happily. I also think that the biggest weapon that threatens this happiness is perhaps comparison. However, happiness does not seem to come from circumstances and circumstances, birth and status, or poverty or wealth. One thing I am certain of today is that happiness is in my heart. Who is the owner of that heart is probably the reason why it is important. The reason I can be a happy person is because Christ is the center of me.
Last week on YouTube, I watched bananas being harvested and transported in the Philippines under the title “Extreme Job”. I deeply realized how grateful I am to eat what I sent as a laborer for less than 80,000 won a month in Hanwha. Looking back, I think what we are enjoying now is total grace. It is because they do not have to worry or suffer over what they eat.
Since it is a world where various people live, the environment, circumstances, and thoughts will also vary. However, from a general point of view, it seems to be necessary to think about excretion rather than eating now. This is because eating and excreting according to the so-called input & output principle are inevitable. In my recent contemplation on excretion, I feel the need for healthy excretion in our souls and bodies.
When an appropriate amount of food enters our body, it must excrete large and small according to the procedures of the digestive system. My digestive system is the weakest part. But these days, thanks to the grace of the Lord, I am eating well and digesting well. The fact that your weight reached the peak of your life is proof of that. It is a time of joy and gratitude when excreting waste from the body in the bathroom.
Just as the body has to dispose of the garbage in the body, I think that our emotions or minds should also have regular excretion. In relation to the soul (Mind/Soul), the logic is that garbage accumulates in our daily lives because our minds are accompanied by emotions. This is where psychologists can help. I thought about how to deal with it wisely. I think healthy small group meetings are good. From my experience, the ranch meeting that our community has is good. This is because it is a safe place to know each other's strengths and weaknesses and to open (pour out) even the weakest parts.
Finally, like garbage in our body and mind, our spirits also thought that garbage could accumulate. Since the creation of Adam, human beings have been given life with breath. I think it may be a space given only to humans. When the Spirit of the Lord fills this place, there is peace. But when it is empty, it is empty, and when it is full of garbage, it is corrupted and sinful. It means that spiritual excretion is necessary. How? Currently, my shores are being resolved through prayer.
“Go quietly to Jesus, lay down all your burdens, and believe in the love of the Lord on the cross to receive the forgiveness of your sins.”(Hymn)
(Matthew 11:28) Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.(NLT)
I believe in miracles. Some say that all the miracles and revelations caused by the work of the Holy Spirit in the early church were over. I do not agree with that person's beliefs and theology. For he has seen, heard, and experienced in faith in Christ. Not only did he not answer everything we wanted, but he showed us more miracles than we thought.
I think that the amazing miracles shown while reading, meditating, and studying the Bible are experienced in times of hardship rather than in ordinary life. The most representative example is what the Israelites experienced in the wilderness after they came out of Egypt.
God's people, Israel, crossed a road in the sea that they could never have imagined before the Red Sea. This was possible because God set the time and time exactly, and the water split into two sides. Crossing the Red Sea Road is by no means a mere coincidence. Many miracles were accomplished in God's time and manner. You can only see it through the eyes of faith.
After crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites experienced their journey in the wilderness. The problem is that they don't know if it's a path in the wilderness because they walked. (But whoever took the first step knew it.) A road is a place where people go. It is clear that the wilderness of Midian at that time was not a path for people to walk. However, the Israelites who had left Egypt had no choice but to walk and stay. After going like that for 38 years, a road was created.
Lastly, it would be impossible to say that there is a river in the desert. If there was a river, it would no longer be called a desert. The author's interpretation is that even a very small oasis to meet while passing through the wilderness and desert will be a miracle like a river for those who are thirsty. The water that the Israelites met in the land of Midian, who had passed through the Red Sea road and the wilderness road, seems to have been a source of life like a river. Because where there is life there is a miracle
Recently, I seem to experience miracles in my daily life. Because I realized that everyday life is never taken for granted. When he opened his eyes, he seemed to see a road in the Red Sea, a road in the wilderness, and a river flowing through the barren desert. With this kind of faith, I seem to have more grace and courage to follow the path of the Lord. I think it's a miracle to walk this path.
Because people did not believe, Jesus did not perform many miracles there. (Matthew 13:58)
It was already mid 50's. I saw numerous questions, processes, and results in the journey of my life looking back. In the meantime, it seems that some of them have developed their own realization and coast.
So maybe? When the opportunity arises for the younger generation, I often see Oji-ryap who wants to say something. Even knowing that it could turn into a latte and be an interference or nagging. When I have a lot to say, I think it is wisdom to condense it into the minimum number of words at that time.
I would like to summarize the journey of my past life in three tables. These are the question mark (?), the exclamation point (!), and the period (.). There were times when I was confused with a lot of questions, and there were times when I went down the wrong path and experienced a dark experience in confusion. Especially in the younger days, the heat of wandering was even hotter as questions and questions were pruned. This phenomenon continued to the person who had the maternal faith, and his simple and natural beliefs turned into question marks and he lived like a prodigal son.
One thing is certain about this journey. The end of wandering and chaos is not only despair or failure. When the coast is opened after finding answers to countless questions and questions, God's work is experienced as a new myo-mak side. That's when you feel it. Wow! How did this happen! God is really with me! The Lord is faithful! For those who seek the truth, the truth is experientially realized that it exerts its value and becomes the true life.
When question marks and exclamation marks are experienced, there is a phenomenon that occurs naturally. It is a decision about present and future life and faith. That decision seems to have come to an end and stand as a decision. A firmness that does not waver from the chaos of the past or the regrets of the world arises. Anxiety that comes from uncertainty is also settled with boldness because of God who experienced it with an exclamation mark. The biggest point is that God is always with me. Furthermore, since the kingdom of heaven prepared after the end of this life is marked with a period, hallelujah with the period of faith~
I am a pastor There have been countless days of posting a question mark asking why the church is longing for revival and growth, and why is it not responding to our community. In the midst of this, God's heart for souls and souls were established in the ministry's journey, Amazing! saw the Lord As the question mark has been changed to an exclamation point, I hope that I can save souls that are more precious than the world and become a complete disciple of the Lord and finish as a pastor who leads the life of the saints going to heaven.
There is an example like this. One evening while reading the newspaper, her husband called her wife. “Honey, look at this. Statistics show that women talk twice as often as men! Men speak an average of 15,000 words a day, women say 30,000 words!” Upon hearing this, the wife said: “Men don’t listen, so women always say the same thing twice,” she said. So two badges!” Three seconds later her husband asked her wife.
"what?" I also often hear Finzan say to her wife, “You listen to me.”
A good counselor listens intently to the client rather than telling them what to do. The American psychologist Hans Herrman Strupp (1921-2006) said, “The one simple and indisputable truth that seems to me is that whether the problem is neurological, depression, or interpersonal difficulties, someone Confessing to someone you trust will make you feel better.” When others have complaints or conflicts, a Harvard University study shows that 90% of dissatisfaction can be resolved by simply expressing the content, even if the cause of the dissatisfaction itself is not resolved.
I actually have experience consulting with many elderly people. After listening to the elderly person for an hour and a half to two hours, later, when I ask, “How was your consultation today?” Thank you,” he replies. All I could say was, ‘You are like that’, ‘Is that so?’ ‘That’s it!’ ‘You are really amazing’, ‘You must have been really hurt.’
I read this in <Godowon's Morning Letter>. “'Listening' is listening with the heart. If you listen with your heart, your eyes will change. It shines brightly, sometimes a smile, sometimes a tear. There is sincerity in every word and every gesture. The way to win people is to listen sincerely and not to listen to them naively, but there are a lot of people who miss that.”
The Greek philosopher Zeno said, "The reason you have two ears and one eye, but one mouth, is that instead of hearing more and seeing more, speak little." There is an Arabian proverb, “If I speak, others gain, and if I listen, I gain.” There is a saying, “The mouth loses a friend, the ear wins a friend.”
The problem of communication arises from trying to emphasize and emphasize one's own existence without acknowledging the other's existence. Listening is the best way to say without words, “What you think, do and believe is very important to me.”
Although it is now gone, most churches gathered on Fridays for all-night prayers. We prayed unanimously over the common prayer topic, and later we prayed unanimously over our own prayer topic. I added it when I went to the prayer center. I prayed without giving the Lord a chance to speak. Perhaps true prayer is more about listening to the detailed voice of the Lord, who already knows our hearts and needs, rather than speaking without ceasing. The first requirement of love is listening. The first foundation of faith is also listening. Shema! Coram Deo.
“Be quick to listen, slow to speak” (James 1:19).
In my 25 years as a minister, I have met many people. What he found among so many people is that everyone is different in their individuality. It would not be an exaggeration to say that no two people are the same. It is not uncommon for a relationship to be severed when the degree of difference is serious in so many encounters.
In the midst of such a past ministry journey, “How can I understand and embrace myself and others so that we can coexist?” I think thinking is one of the biggest challenges as a pastor. In addition, in the field of that ministry, as a preacher, as a preacher, reading the same Bible every year and preaching, “How can I approach it differently? It is also one of the tasks.
In the midst of such troubles, I tried the challenge of having a change of thinking and thinking or thinking like the message given in numerous books. For example, I am right-handed, but I try to use a spoon or chopsticks with my left hand. At first, it was so awkward and uncomfortable that it was very difficult. But now it has come to be used like an ambidextrous one.
To try this as an opportunity, when taking the first step during a walk, I always intentionally changed my right foot to my left foot. I don't think this will change unless you are conscious of it. This challenge is even trying to change right-handed use to left-handed use in the bathroom. very very awkward
What I am learning today from these attempts is that it takes training in a lot of discomfort and repetition to understand and embrace others as much as I do. In other words, to coexist with someone other than the wrong person, each of us has to put in effort and time.
In the midst of such hard work and time, when thoughts change, changes in thinking occur and develop, it seems that he is also gaining wisdom to solve problems faced by reverse ideas. After that, it seems that the number of people who don't understand is decreasing around me. However, it is an unavoidable reality that there is a limit to the continuity or depth of a relationship. Nevertheless, the reverse idea given by the shift in thinking enjoys the special grace of being able to receive even the hardships and tribulations that are given to us.
I try to serve the saints with the heart that I and each other are as important as myself.
I have been living for the past 28 years since I vowed to dedicate myself to life for the Lord. It has been 25 years since I started ministry while taking a theological course. I think the most controversial and hot topics in all of that time are heaven and hell. In particular, I remember that many people dealt with heaven much more than the subject of hell. Because hell is what most people hate, whether they believe it or not.
The most frequently asked question is “Is there really a heaven?” There are a lot of people who say they don't want to talk about something that is dead or verifiable. The funny thing is that nobody really likes to hear people say “go to hell”. Once you look at the legends and stories that remain in human civilization around the world, the concepts of heaven and hell appear in common, so I think it is reasonable to at least admit it.
The next question is, if there is a heaven, “how & who does it go?”. What all religions have in common is that there are no evil people, but the righteous, that is, good people. Doing many good deeds is the common denominator. Of course, the Bible also emphasizes good works. However, the special difference is that ‘anyone can enter as a child of God’.
But to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12).
And there is a clue that practical good deeds must live according to God's will. It seems that not a few Christians overlook this part, so they are treated as those who have received 'cheap grace or cheap salvation'. The meaning of believing with your heart, resulting in righteousness, and confessing with your mouth, to be saved means that you have the right to become children by accepting Jesus with your heart and lips. The process of achieving salvation by those who have that authority is the life of living according to God's will.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)
In the era of discussing the world population of 8 billion, he deals with truly diverse people. This is probably because each person's tastes and personalities are as diverse as that. The value that each person considers important to the diversity is also different. There are, of course, three awards that are important to me.
The first is a table that no one can deny or deny. If you ask me what is the best thing in this world, I will answer that it is a table that gives survival and happiness. The table takes precedence over Nobel Prizes or honors. The food my mother made when I was young was the best, and the food my wife made after marriage was the best. The table given in the morning and the table given in the evening are the source of sustaining life's decisions that are not shameful in a given life.
The second is the impression we all see and live. I think that a person's face contains that person's heart and life. As a Christian, I do not accept contemplation. But I am not ignoring it. This is because it reflects the data shown by the shape of the face over many years. When I see people, I tend to look at their faces a lot. It is also true that a good-looking and pretty person looks good and gives an easy heart. A person with a good impression speaks well and speaks well. Also, he has a warm heart and seems to embrace and understand even his angular neighbors.
The third is everyday life that is natural, but never taken for granted. Years pass and I am in my mid-50s, and I confess that waking up in the morning and sleeping at night are not simple. In particular, after being quarantined for the past two years of corona and confirmed cases, I became convinced that the daily life of New Zealand, which seemed boring in the past, is by no means taken for granted. I realized that the best reward was to eat together, to gather in one place, to talk, to sit in the chapel, to praise and worship.
Gold, Silver, Bronze, Grand Prize, etc. I have never received such an award. In my lifetime, I have been living with the honor of being exempt from scholarships for too long. Nevertheless, he is receiving a meal with the grace from heaven, and he is living by hearing that he is impressed with the great grace. Above all else, I am living my daily life, which is the most outstanding blessing, even at this time. I believe that I am a happy person and the son of God who has received the highest award.
What award is most important to you reading this? I give to you a house of thought.
My family is receiving a lot of benefits from the advanced civilization in 2022. The church car was replaced and it was a new world, and a smart TV came into the house and it became a different world. In particular, smart TVs seem to take more of our couple's time. Above all else, Netflix takes me to a new level. Even so, it is at a level that is tempting for a writer who likes videos rather than reading books.
During the self-quarantine period due to the last Omicron, there is a cooking contest program called “the Final Table” that I saw impressively. Competing for food from 9 countries, the contest will select the 10th person to sit alongside the 9 top chefs. It was really exciting and we got to see a lot of high-end food that you can find in a special restaurant.
Remember, this program was made over 10 weeks. After watching the episodes for 1 to 4 weeks, I was very curious about who would be number one. So, I did a quick look using the smart function, but I was not satisfied with that, so I watched the last 10 weeks of the show and saw the final winner. I think it is one of the special benefits brought by the smart era. There was no longer any reason to be frustrated.
In the meantime, there are some things that come to my mind. It reminded me of watching weekend dramas or daily dramas before digitalization. There was a time when I waited with tension, anticipation, curiosity, and imagination for this broadcast, which had only one chance unless there was a rebroadcast. In particular, the choice of broadcasters was very limited, so there was not much room for concern.
But now, as we move from the digital era to the smart era, there are a variety of channels that we can see, hear, and know. Moreover, if you go to Google and search for anything you are curious about, you can find answers coolly. In this cutting-edge era, I feel anxious and regretful. This is because this flow also appears in the believers who deal with the Word. This is probably because it shows a life of faith that seems to know everything with only the teachings and interpretations of the Bible without the process of reading, meditating, thinking, and practical life.
Just as the body without a soul is dead, so faith is dead without works. (James2:26)
I believe that I belong to the category who spends a lot of time thinking, meditating, and studying relatively. Research is mainly done while preparing a sermon, and meditation seems to be done while doing Quiet Time. And then, thoughts dominate in the related and life history. In particular, for the past few days, I have been writing a gratitude journal, and I am grateful that there are many good people around me. After thinking about it, I came to admit that there were also bad people around me. No, to be more precise, there is no difference at all from ordinary people.
But why do I think there are so many good people? I consulted at the end of my thoughts, I came up with a brief summary. It is concluded that good people and bad people will be determined by the thoughts of the judge and the results of life. In the case of myself, through mental filtering, when I think of bad people objectively, I see them not as bad people, but as people who are blind to the immediate interests and have a short and ignorant view of life. So I'm sorting out someone who needs help.
On the other hand, there is a point of view that distinguishes good people. They don't seem to be much different, but they know their own weaknesses, can see life from a distance, and they know how to be considerate of others and yield. Although his own interests are important, he seems to be a person who knows how to consider the interests of the community and others. Of course, we all have shortcomings. But among them, I think that I am a good person because I see and cherish the wonderful and exemplary parts.
Based on this principle, we are trying to voluntarily try and change our thoughts and meditations to turn the recent hardship caused by the corona into a reversal. For the past two years on the planet Earth, which rotates endlessly, all of us have groaned in pain with our whole body. Corona is definitely a bad virus for us like that. However, it is my thesis that if we have a reversal of thinking together, the adversity will become an opportunity for reversal.
Not long ago~ There was a time when it rained with a storm in Auckland. I went to the Ferry Wharf near the church to clear my mind, which was atrophied by strong winds for a few days. I saw a man windsurfing on the windy sea (when the water level is at its highest). He was the only one enjoying the rough waves and the harsh wind. The eyes of faith seemed to ride the surf.
Good people, good weather, good conditions, it all seems to depend on the person who will reverse.
For the past few months, my wife and I have been having regular weekly meetings on the study of a life of godliness. About 50 years ago, the spiritual training and growth of Richard Foster, who was no comparable to a spiritualist, was the main fellowship.
We have spiritual training with one main topic each week. The role of a spiritual leader in the last subject, “training to be led,” is very memorable. The author says It is summarized as “the instrument of God that opens the way to the inner teachings of the Holy Spirit.” To me, it sounded like the words the Lord gave through Pastor Richard.
The author's core message is that when the Holy Spirit works, he gives the law of unity rather than the rule of majority. I think it will be helpful, so I will quote some of the contents of the book as it is. “The Holy Spirit can lead in the opposite direction to the given fact, or he can lead in a direction consistent with it. When the right path is chosen, the Holy Spirit instills a spirit of unity, and when we do not properly hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, it afflicts us with anxiety.”
And then he goes on to say: “The unity of the Holy Spirit is more than a simple agreement. It is the recognition that we have heard the voice of God.” I believe that believing in Jesus and living as a Christian means pursuing a spiritual life. There is no doubt that God's guidance is very important in such a spiritual life.
While meditating on the path of our church community to receive God's guidance in a healthy and healthy way in such a spiritual life, I wanted to share the learning and realization I was given with the members of the Lord, so I summarized it this way. Most of all, I want to be faithful to the role of a spiritual guide centering on the message given to me.
A spiritual leader is what perfects the saints, and I think it should be possible to help them live according to the inner teachings of the Holy Spirit in their daily lives, encourage them, and, above all, be able to accompany them. Anyone who shares this article... I hope that you remember that we are brothers and sisters, united by the law of unity according to the unity of the Holy Spirit.
There is a book I have been reading recently. It is a short booklet called “God Heals the Wounds of Rejection”, but the content is not simple and has a significant impact. It seems that we all have at least one or two aspects of ourselves that we don't want. The core content is that there is a scar of rejection (reject/refuse) at the root of its appearance.
If such a wound is at the root, I think that it will appear in some form on the trees, branches & fruits that grow on it. I believe that the more you read the book, the better you will know. Among these meditations, what kind of comfort do we really need today?
After the sermon last week, I have been thinking over and over again for a week.
It has been 27 years since I got married at the age of 27 and have lived as a married couple with my wife who is smarter and better than me. Still looking back over the past 27 years, my husband and I are just as different as people who migrated to Earth from Mars and Venus. I think that we are making each other wonderful and beautiful as a married couple as we each met Jesus on this earth and are in that great grace. Of course, from my point of view.
When we look back at our different appearances soberly, it does not seem that our original character, personality, or values have changed significantly. The only thing I feel is that the breadth of understanding each other has broadened. It means that the vessel to tolerate, accept, and understand the color of personality or the habit of speaking has grown.
There were numerous clashes, quarrels & podiums in order to widen the vessel of the mind brought from each planet. We saw each other's weaknesses on the battlefield of such a life, and we seem to have learned to comfort each other. My husband and I are aware of each other's hardship/trouble. And I know the pain/agony in the given life and ministry.
Looking back over the past years, I have come to realize that the truly necessary comfort can only be comforted by recognizing and acknowledging the other person's hard work and pain. Of course, it would be ideal if you could solve it. There are times when I, too, have toil and pain that cannot be explained or acted upon in words. In such a case, my wife, who understands me silently without saying anything, seems to be the best comforter.
Looking at the weather these days, it seems that midsummer has passed and autumn has arrived. There are days when there is a cool breeze, so there is the pleasure and benefit of taking an afternoon walk while preparing a sermon or after completing daily life. In particular, there was one observed from a recent walk.
As I was walking, I looked closely, and many houses had gardens. Also, the management is different. It was as if each garden represented the level of wealth, sensitivity, and sincerity of the people who lived there. A memorable home's garden is truly enchanting and motivates you to stay there. Conversely, some gardens are so unsightly that one wonders why they were made.
I too have been living here in New Zealand for 21 years, and I am living in a rental house for the rest of the year, except for about 3 years. When I bought a rental house, I took care of the lawn and small garden all the time by myself. Therefore, even a sloppy garden must be managed on its own. However, I have no interest or talent in that area, and I manage the house with minimal tidying and live in a rental house.
Then, why are the many gardens I saw on my walk, the garden in my house, and the gardens of other houses different from each other? I thought about it with questions and curiosity. With that in mind, I honestly looked at my posture when managing my current house. result? The details of how he approached with the mind and attitude of wasting time with limited management as a tenant rather than the owner's mind was revealed.
On the other hand, I thought that the beautiful garden, well maintained and well-maintained, would have been carefully cared for by the owner of the house who loved and cared for the house. You can feel the unique weight of the owner. Our family, our business, our church community, and even a country~ When I think of various areas, I come to think that there is a difference between the attitude of ownership and the attitude of a tenant.
After such a little time, I look back at the church community to which I belong, and am I really managing the garden beautifully for the purpose of ‘making the saints whole’ as a mission with a sense of ownership in the heart for the community? I consulted shame prevailed. So what do you do? In the midst of thinking, I actually decided to take more careful care of each of the church buildings, offices and educational centers, especially the alumni.
Our ancestors, Adam and Eve, who were the first humans, ate the forbidden fruit from the forbidden fruit. As a result, we humans are bound by the chains of sin because we have DNA as their descendants. From our point of view, this is very unfortunate. In any case, that sin exposes each of us to a lust for control.
We believe that the way to deal with sin is that we have found a definite answer through a long Bible study and ministry of the Word. I think it means “obeying the word.” In the Old Testament, the Pentateuch tells us to obey the Word, the history books tell us to obey and the results of disobedience, and the prophets call us to return from disobedience. And the poetry is seen as the wisdom and praise of those who obeyed and lived according to the Word.
The perfect way to deal with sin is to live a life of obedience to the Word. I think there are three modes that are absolutely necessary to control sin more specifically with this DNA. It can be applied as a setting mode like an autopilot (Cruise). Here's how to deal with the sin of temptation and delusion in your daily life.
First, "Tree of Good and Evil Free mode" Like Smoke Free or Sin Free, TGE Free should be set. So that you can't even come close. Approach should be withheld, in order not to fall prey to the delusion that is pleasing to the eye and tasty and wise.
Second, it is "loving each other mode". All those who have the authority to rule try to rule the other side individually. In marital relationships, social life, and even within the church community, the original meaning of ruling seems to be forgotten. The final core of the law is 'love of God and love of neighbor'. The new commandment given above this is “love one another” (John 13:34).
Finally, "New Heaven and New Earth mode" We came from dust, and to return to dust is the result of Sin. However, the children of the Lord have the promised new heaven and new earth. We believe that in the life of believing and following the cross of the Lord's redemption, this can be given to our present life as well. It is living today in the promised heaven through faith. I think it is very difficult for sin to have a place in such a life.
In order to control Sin in today's life, I am determined to live according to the Word of God.
Is There Hope for Korean Churches?
There are people who say that Korean Christianity is not on the decline, but that it has already fallen and is only taking time to become visible. It hurts my heart, but I can't help but agree with this diagnosis. Many people try their best to stop the downfall, but it doesn't seem to be working. Now, I think all that is left is to make “10 righteous people from Sodom and Gomorrah”.
In Genesis, an angel of the Lord appears to Abraham and foretells the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham pleads for both cities. As a result, he received the promise that the city would not be destroyed if there were only 50 righteous people, and even received the concession that if there were only 10 righteous people, he would not be destroyed, but in the end Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. It means that there were not even ten righteous people.
I think that the reason the Korean church is going down now is because they forgot the mission of their calling, just like Israel did. I think that the same wrath of God that came on Israel was coming because they ignored the mission the Lord gave to restore the world broken by sin to God. I think the only way to stop this wrath is to build a church that corresponds to the 10 righteous people of Sodom and Gomorrah. A biblical church where pastors do biblical ministry, saints live a biblical life, and churches are faithful to the purpose of their calling. - Senior Pastor Youngki Choi of Houston Seoul Church
Not long ago, I heard sad news from a neighboring church. My heart was heavy because I wondered if the churches would collapse like this. My husband and I, who do not have the skills, offered a warm meal and leisurely tea time to give us gentle comfort. Following the spirit of the elder pastor who wrote the above, I wish to belong to 10 churches recognized by God. The driving force to wish for this is because there are still quite a few churches around us who are struggling to save souls and make disciples according to the will of the Lord along with the spirituality of prayer. As long as there are God's people who have God's love in their souls and hearts, they have a wish and supplication that nothing like Sodom and Gomorrah will fall apart.
Those who believe in Jesus are called Christians. After meeting the Lord personally, I am living as a believer. I do not use the word “religious person” because it is likely that I will be classified as a person who lives a religious life. I think people live by what they believe. After being born again 28 years ago, he has been living as a pastor, especially following the mission of the evangelist. Seeing the many people I met in the life of a pastor, I seem to have my own point of view and insight. Hopefully, every morning I set myself up before the Lord so that it doesn't become my stereotype. There are three types of faith that have been organized for me in the past pastoral journey.
The first is If Faith. As ‘if’ faith, if God does this or that, I will believe. I will respond. I will obey by works. It is the faith that Jacob of Genesis will serve as his God if he allows him to safely return to this place in Bethel (Rus). New believers in the church are stepping on such a rudimentary faith. The second is because of faith. It can be said that ‘because’ is faith. I believe that we are grateful for what the Lord has done in our years of faith and enjoy joy. It is a faith that responds with thanksgiving by being promoted through prayer, receiving material blessings, or freeing from great dangers or crises. It seems extremely normal. Perhaps Zacchaeus' reaction is a representative aspect of his faith. It is considered to be a faith that is sustained and maintained because of the grace given.
Finally, it is In Spite of Faith. Nevertheless, it speaks of faith. Daniel's three friends confessed to the belief that God would save him, and the faith that his heart toward God would not change even if he didn't. I believe that this “in spite of” belief is a belief that can be reversed. It seems that now is the time for us believers to upgrade from faith ‘because’ to ‘despite’ faith. for the reverse Even if there are no fruit on the fig tree and the vines, even if there are no cattle in the pen and in the stalls, the prophet Habakkuk's determination to rejoice in the Lord God, and the faith of Daniel's three friends even if he does not do so, I reflect once again in my heart.
I went to VTNZ for my second driver's license renewal about 15 days ago. I was too embarrassed to pass because there was a problem in the eyesight test. The glasses I replaced last year seemed to be the problem, so I complained to the optician in a somewhat excited state and had an eye exam. In the meantime, I have realized and learned something I would like to share. The crux of the problem was presbyopia. It would not be an exaggeration to say that all of us are experiencing for the first time in our lives. It was also the first time I experienced presbyopia. In fact, looking back, I have already heard of many cases around me, and I know there are many things I have seen through my seniors in my life 10 years above. When reading a newspaper, taking off your glasses, turning your eyes upside down, wearing a magnifying glass, etc.
Moreover, it was late to understand what the optometrist had been saying several years ago. Experts already knew and predicted signs and responses, suggesting step-by-step corrections. I confess, I couldn't hear it very well at the time. In particular, when I went to get a certificate of vision correction for license renewal a few days ago and listened to the explanation, I understood it very concretely. Because I think I came to know it after experiencing it myself and struggling with mental shakes.
In the process, I realized something deeply. When the preacher himself preached in front of the saints, I tried to apply it to the fact that all the church members could not understand it. The word of truth does not change anytime, anywhere. However, since we who listen are affected by time, space, environment, and circumstances, the degree to which we hear and understand will vary according to each situation. Our religious life seems to be experiencing everything for the first time just like life. Like a child born with a new life, our soul will be born again, grow, grow, and mature. In such a time, I think that what is heard and understood will be different according to each period and time. After thinking like this, I feel a little less burdened as a preacher and depend on God the Holy Spirit. Because I think that each of the saints will be given spiritual guidance and enlightenment according to God's timing. In His Time~
I have acrophobia. Even when walking on the transparent floor in the Sky Tower, it is a small heart that loses strength in the legs. After reaching the middle of the 100-year-old era, I experience a phobia at a cliff-like place in my life. There is a symptom that the strength of the legs is relieved just by looking down steeply from the top of the cliff. However, if you have a strong rope, you will feel scared and scared, but you will be able to descend by relying on the rope. In some cases, you might even fall into the water under a cliff, relying on a 50:50 chance of survival.
However, the rock walls you encounter in life are very different stories. It is not the fear we feel from looking down, but when we look down as we go up, I think that the fear we will have from above is weakening ourselves. There will be no rope to rely on, so you will have to install your own safety rope halfway through the climb. The rope will be your lifeline if you fall. Therefore, I think it will be fixed carefully and firmly.
In fact, I don't think most people, myself included, like cliffs or rocks. However, in our lives and in our religious lives, even when we see that even Jesus was threatened by being pushed to a precipice (Luke 4:29), it seems that we too have to face it.
I decided to take a new leap and in the new year of the 21st year, I was determined to face (encounter) and climb the rock wall that I had been bypassing or giving up all along. Because the cliff that seemed to fall on the journey of my past life trained me through hardships and adversity. At times, when I couldn't do anything because of a sense of helplessness, it seems that I had the training to endure and survive.
As of 2022, a year has passed, and still looking back on the past year, the confession and realization that life and faith life must have the power or energy that the Lord gives them has not changed. With the power the Lord gave, David defeated Goliath, and Moses and the Israelites were able to cross the Red Sea. What they had in common was that they faced the rock wall that appeared in front of them without running away or backing away. And it is clearly confirmed that God is the savior.
When you hear “Reward,” there is a word that comes to mind. In the line that Bang-Won Lee (Jung-Jae Lee) gave in the movie “Contemplation”, “Am I the image to be king?” Song Kang-ho, who plays the role of a contemplative artist, still has an afterimage of his embarrassed expression in front of the question. Because that view is so important...
No matter what anyone says, I think the most important prize is the dining table. Without this, it seems impossible to live and an impossible life seems impossible... The only award I received when I was a child, especially at an elementary school (in the past: a national school), is the Achievement Award. Another thing I received was an award for doing well in the lab report in the natural subject with the help of my homeroom teacher in the 5th grade.
At the last Song Gu-Young-Shin worship service, each member of the church uploaded a prayer topic for 2022 with faith. What caught my eye while organizing the prayer topics was the wish that the children of the community to which they belonged would receive a prize at the end of the year. At the end of the year, I want to be recognized as an award as a fruit, and I want to glorify God with excellent results. I think it would be good to receive any awards except for idols.
But let's not forget what's really important. Our daily life, which we tend to take for granted, will be the most important to those who have life. Now, after experiencing the past two years of Corona, that conviction is even stronger. Before the corona virus, we recall how we were bored with the ordinary or had a sense of relative defeat in the high-speed civilization.
We come to realize how precious and precious the ordinary and daily life are to us living today. I miss the days when I met people in my daily life and had a friendly conversation over a table together. Of course, I also think positively that Corona may have played a role in giving us an opportunity to appreciate the value of everyday life.
I hope that the daily life in the previous ordinary day will be given as a reward soon. So every morning I pray to the Lord. “Lord, please end this corona virus quickly. If your will is more lasting, give me spiritual eyes, ears, and wisdom to discern your message during this time.”
Reverse Idea - Pastor Chang-beom Koh When an Arab rich (rich) is about to die, he decides to divide his fortune in a ratio of 3:2 to his two sons, and he says he will decide who gets 3 and who gets 2 in a race across the desert on horseback. However, he said that if his horse arrives first, he will receive 2, and if his horse arrives late, he will receive 3. In other words, if the horse arrives first, the race is lost.
So the brothers tried to get each other's horse to arrive late, but as they tried to go late while looking at each other, there was no progress at all. However, when a passing sage told him what to do, the brothers did the exact opposite and made the horse run faster. How did the sage tell you?
The solution? switch horses If you arrive first, it is the 'horse' that loses, not the 'person'. The older brother can win by arriving the younger brother's horse first, and the younger brother by getting the older brother's horse to arrive first to win. I think we need wisdom to get out of the trap of problems.
As another example, Gangnam Style, the biggest hit of 2012, was actually made through a reverse idea. Because the composer slightly twisted his compositional style, the composer himself was also anxious, and as a result, he became a world-famous star beyond the mega-bak level.
There is a phrase that is often talked about on the Internet. Reading 'Suicide' backwards becomes 'Let's live', reading 'adversity' backwards becomes 'career', reading 'Relationship' backwards becomes 'lover', and reading 'My hardship' backwards becomes 'Everyone is strong'. . In addition, if you put a dot on Impossible, you can say I'm possible.
I believe that it is the mind that controls our thoughts. It is because I have experienced in my life that thoughts move when the mind is set. Life is riding a bicycle and constantly pedaling. I am still busy with pedaling. In that life, adversity is true. But now I know that adversity has turned into a career. I believe that my character, character, and abilities today are built upon this career. I look forward to the next story that this career will create.