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The Call of Ezekiel

This particular passage in Ezekiel 2:7 has a special significance for pastors like myself. It is the responsibility of every Christian to speak God's word to one another, but of special significance to pastors who are called to "specialize" in teaching and preaching the word of God. It is such a huge responsibility and privilege. I am reminded of that every time I preach on Sunday morning, as well as any other times I am given the opportunity to teach his Word. The danger for every pastors and believers is to "tweak" the gospel message to cater to the audience. I think this temptation is especially common in our day. Ezekiel's call was to be uncompromising and to do it whether people listened or failed to listen. I believe that is the calling of all of us and particularly of pastors. Please pray for me, that I would be uncompromising as I preach and teach everything that is in the word of God to you!

Posted by Pastor James

A Backsliding People

the passage today cuts to the heart. the prophet jeremiah uses a series of metaphors to illustrate judah's refusal to come back to the Lord. outwardly the people made a show of confessing and repenting of their sins through a series of reforms instituted by king josiah, but the Lord knew it was "only in pretence". whatever profession of faith they made was irrelevant because they persisted in their evil ways.

the warning of jeremiah is just as relevant today as it was in his own time. jeremiah was mocked, derided and abused by the people to whom he was sent to preach. he was told from the beginning of his ministry that none would return to the Lord, even as he was commanded to tell them to do so.

this is alarming. we are much too like the people of judah. like them, we have the privilege of hearing God's Word on a regular basis. we are lulled into thinking our situation before God is not that serious by the relative stability of our lives. nothing that "bad" happens--therefore we keep putting off doing the very thing that is most urgent and needful.

we will give account one day for every word we heard from God. did we repent when the word was preached, or did we ignore what we heard? Jesus states that for some, the preaching of the word leads to repentance; for others, it leads to a further hardening of the heart. the word hardened the hearts of the people in jeremiah's time. i pray that the same may not be said of us--if it is, how great and justified and right the condemnation will be on the day of the Lord's coming!

may God give us a spirit of true repentance for our sins. not outward, not temporary, but permanent, eye-opening, life-changing. may we leave our life of sin once and for all.

the Prophet's Commisioning

"Here am I. Send me" should be the attitude of every believer in Christ. Whenever a need arises, that should be the attitude with which we should serve the Lord. Most of us would rather say, "God will send someone else or someone more qualified should do it, send them". But Isaiah's response was to take personal responsibility for it. He said in essence, "I'll do it".

Yes, Isaiah 6 is well known as a missionary text but it is also a text for all Christians. We are all commissioned to proclaim the gospel; it is our duty and our privilege. One practical way to apply this text is in the ministry of the church. Whenever you see some work that needs to be done in the church, you should volunteer and take responsibility for it rather than wait until someone asks you to help them. If more people did this, working for the church would be a joy!

Posted by Pastor James

Proverbs-

As I endure a season of suffering, I am coming to terms of God's answer to my plight. It's not a soft and comforting answer but a humbling revelation of God's truth and the truth of the reality I'm living in now. After I read pastor James' entry about Job, I was reminded of how little comfort Job received from God when God first answered Job's cries. As a man of extraordinary faith, perhaps Job was comforted with God revealing and asserting His authority and His all-powerful reign over everything and every situation. As for me, I begin seeking comfort in the lines of sympathy and empathy-God acknowledging my pain and my right to be indignant. I would want God to let me know that He understands what I'm going through and that He will guide me through it. I think Job certainly was a man who deserved this kind of comfort especially in the light of how little he deserved his time of suffering. I was puzzled at how God did not approach Job with a soft hug but a powerful revelation of who He is.
I think a soft hug can do a lot of good at the right time and place but I realized that for me to seek a soft hug at this particular time of hardship is to seek what you can call cheap grace. It feels good while it lingers but it will fade sooner or later. I think the process of being humbled by God is what helped calm Job's inner turmoil and allowed him to fix his attention on what really matters. It is a process of turning from focusing on one self to focusing on God. I think this is the process of repentance. Incidentally, I think God is leading me to repent from being a sluggard.
As I was lamenting my job at my aunt's cleaners I came to reflect on how I got stuck in this awful situation. I came to realize that indeed, this must be God disciplining me for being a slacker. Ti's true, for when my uncle passed away this pass summer, I was the only slacker that was free to help my aunt. I was immediately obligated to help her out. At first i was very willing because I was very sympathetic. I even defended her request against disapprovals and warnings from my close friends and family. But now, I'm crying out to God to please deliver me! I truly am suffering; God please save me! I grow impatient and resolve to act on my own behalf. But then, I am lead to reflect on Christ's love. I then lament on how I really don't know enough about Christ's love. I "know" because I've learned and felt happy about it in church but I don't "know" how it can help me as I suffer through this particular situation! I cry and continue lamenting my lot of suffering. Then from one small thread of thought blooms a truth about how God loved us without expecting anything in return. I know this truth could not have come from my mind. I am fully convinced and testify that this was God's answer to my plight. It's not the answer that I was hoping for at the time but now, I can't imagine anything else better. Christ gave His life, His all. No one can match that price-ever. Yet He paid the price for my eternal salvation, eternal forgiveness. No one can return the favor and nor does He expects us to. He gave so freely and willingly so that we can freely recieve- only if we are willing. It humbled me and it stomped out my lamenting and made me focus on being more like Christ. To be honest, I never thought about Christ's love this way. Perhaps i should say, i never experienced the power of Christ's love this way. The doctrine of Christ's love is very deep and complex to me. I am often too lazy to even dip my toes in it. (I use to say I was too intimidated but I learned today that irrational intimidation and fear is like the sluggard that lamented about a lion outside his house.) And God, knowing my woeful state, rebuked my whiny heart by revealing Christ's love to me in a new way. It enabled me to do what I was unwilling or unable to do on my own.
But it's still so hard working there! This week was even harder to bear! Much like last week, the end of this work week was the most stressful but this week, I keep my ears open and wait on God to speak to me again. Before I reminded myself about today's blog, I was again lamenting what I was suffering through and I reflected on the slacker theory again and decided I was suffering God's poetic justice. Be caught being a slacker and get pulled into slaving your days away. Ha ha very funny God. I think the humor was suppose to help me deal with not having a clear message from God. But i think it was God preparing me for the poetry in Proverbs. The verses i read were not soft nor lovely-nor were they funny. Last week my will was rebuked and humbled but I was comforted because God spoke. After I read the blog on Job, I realized I was waiting more for the aspect of comfort than for the fact that God spoke. God spoke and He revealed His Glory. I realized it is in this revelation we can find comfort and joy for God does not speak to give out cheap grace. In light of this, I was able to hear God say in response to my lamenting this week, "this is what happens if you live in the ways of a sluggard." It's a hard blow to my pride. I'm still digesting it but i accept it as true.

Job's Comforters

The story of Job has always intriqued curiosity. He went from having everything to nothing then back to everything. But through it all his relationship to God has always remained the same. Even in the midst of great pain and sorrow, he did not blame God... although he was close to doing that or maybe he did "indirectly" when he questioned God's wisdom in creating him. But there's no doubt that Job knew his place in relation to God... that God was God and he was a mere creature! Whether good or bad, he would worship God. I wonder why we worship God?

What always amazes about this story is the story behind the story... the main story (God vs. Satan) behind the lesser story (Job and his three friends). And what the main story is about is the wager between God and Satan. God believes that Job will worship him even if it involved the greatest suffering. Satan doesn't think so! God believes that Job loved him because He was God and not for some lesser, self-interested reason, like saving his skin or getting material blessings. I suppose nothing brings out the true intentions of our hearts like suffering does, especially unjust suffering like Job experienced. When we go through suffering whether as a result of someone's decision or our own, will we worship God? Suffering exposes us to where we are weak and shows us where we need the grace of God the most. Our weakness is where God wants us to concentrate our effort. Let us all stand fast on the true grace of God

Posted by Pastor James

the wisdom of solomon

in the light of the upcoming election, i find solomon's request for wisdom to rule over his people with justice particularly interesting. when God tells solomon in a dream to ask for whatever he wants, he asks for neither wealth nor fame, neither long life nor victory over his enemies, but wisdom to govern rightly.

God is very pleased with this request, and it is noteworthy that not only did He grant solomon his request, but "all the other things were added" as well.

thinking about this gave me a clue as to how to pray for our political leaders, most especially the current president and the incoming president.

we ought to pray for the president that God would give him "the wisdom to govern the people rightly". i know our current political system does not allow for the absolute power that solomon enjoyed.

but God's justice and righteousness are the foundations for any successful government. we should pray that the president would have the heart of solomon and desire the wisdom to govern rightly and justly, whatever his religious convictions might be.

i wonder then if "all the other things" (military victory over our enemies, national wealth, and fame (that is, international renown) would be added to him and to the country as well.

a president who has the humility to recognize that he can't do it alone is the kind of president this country needs in these troubled times.

The Covenant God

From today's reading, I learned several things. First, the God of the Bible is a covenant making God. He comes to us, he seeks us, and offers to make a covenant with us. We did not seek God, but God sought us and offers his promises. Second, a covenant is accompanied with a sign. For the Jews it was circumcision, but for us it is baptism. The sign (baptism) points to the reality of the covenant and outwardly displays that we are part of the covenant people of God. Third, every covenant involves obligation. For the Jews, it was the Ten Commandment; for the Christians, the Ten Commandment is reduced to two, loving God with everything and loving our neighbor as ourselves. And finally there are blessings and curses. If we kept God's command, the Holy Spirit will so work in our lives to bless us, but if we break the commandment, the Holy Spirit is grived and discipline is inevitable.

Posted by Pastor James

Honor your father and your mother, ...

There was a time in my life when I was able to lift my parents up on a high pedestal and look up to them as I would look up to God. They held a position very similar to what Stott described: people that "stand in the place of God and mediate His authority to us. When I was young, this was true. They were the highest tangible source of authority of which I wanted to obey. So much so that I was convicted by the idea that I loved my parents more than I loved God. I was troubled but later comforted by the realization that I am not called to love my parents less but that I am to grow to love God more. So much more that my love towards my parents would seem like hatred compared to my love for God. That was the ideal I began to look up to. Unfortunately, what followed was not a greater love for God but a greater love for myself. What is worse is that my love for my parents had not merely remained as it is but had diminished. I attributed this change of heart to growing up. I had grown mature enough to view my parents objectively-as human beings. And, as you get older, you grow to know more and more how faulted and imperfect human beings are-even your beloved parents. I began to question their judgements, criticize their ways, and even began to dislike certain parts about them. As I grew to become more and more independent, I grew more and more disobedient. I realize now what a long journey it has been growing so far from my parents. I have forgotten what it is like to lift them up on that high pedestal.
I guess change is inevitable. My view of the world, myself, and my parents have changed a lot since I was a minor and I don't think it is always wrong to change. What is important is that I remember what I am commanded to do by God. I may no longer lift my parents up on a pedestal but I should also keep from being so critical or judgemental. Though I no longer adore them, I can honor my parents by approaching them with a loving and compassionate heart. And though we are all grown adults now, I am convicted to never forget that I came from my mother's womb and it is by the food my father put on the table that I have grown up on.

The Call of Moses

"so go now . . . I am sending you". (exodus 3:10)

the call of moses reminds every one of us that there is something God is calling us to do. we all know in the back of our minds what it is.

it could be something big or small. it could be helping out someone who needs help; it could be witnessing to someone; it could be showing kindness to someone who is lonely; it could be some kind of reconciliation with an estranged brother or sister; it could be some unfinished business to tend to; it could be taking care of our finances. whatever the case, we all know there is something God is calling us to do.

but like moses, we have endless excuses. we are afraid of failure, reluctant to start, or just too self-consumed with our own lives to obey. very often, the bottom line is that we don't want to do it.

in the case of moses, God accomplished the liberation of over a million people through his obedience, however reluctant.

it makes me wonder how much God could accomplish through our own obedience, however imperfect, however small the task.

the story is a great reminder of the importance of obedience. God knows what He is asking of us, and He knows our weaknesses and limitations better than we know ourselves. whatever our reservations are, we ought to trust in the One who "will make our paths straight".

Birth of Isaac: A Promise Fulfilled

The most incredible fact about Isaac's birth was that it was promised 30 years before it happened. It took thirty years! This is no short period, seen from the human perspective. Abraham was 70 years old when God made the promise. What does that tell us about God and about his promises? It tells us at least two things. First, God keeps his promises period! God has never broken to come through on his promises and that should be encouraging to all of us as we read of his promises in the Bible. Second, God's promises are not always fulfilled 'right away'. And this tells us that God's plan, particularly in terms of timing, is not our way. God has a plan to fulfill his words of promise at a specific time and it won't happen until then. So if it seems that God is 'slow' in fulfilling his words, just wait, be patient.

Posted by Pastor James

Where are you?

The most amazing aspect of our text in Genesis 3:8-9, is the voice of the Almighty God calling out to Adam and Eve, "Where are you?" Here we are given a portrait of the heart of God for sinners. It was God who was seeking out Adam, calling out to him. And this act of mercy on the part of God is the most compelling reason why God is worthy to be loved and worshipped.

God has all the reasons to reject us and judge and condemn us and yet despite our disobedience and rebellion, like a father, he is calling us to come back to himself. 2 Peter 3:9 puts it this way, "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." This call of God, "where are you", is like an open door, an invitation by God to find mercy and grace, when we come to him.

"Where are you?" is the first word of grace that came from God when Adam disobeyed and fell in the Garden. When Jesus said, 'the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost', he was doing just what God did initially in the Garden, calling humanity to himself... "where are you... stop hide from me... come back to me." May these words help us to remember that we are serving a most gracious and loving God!

Posted by Pastor James

the first necessary step to salvation

"then the eyes of both of them were opened".

today's passage comments that adam and eve's eyes were opened to their guilt the moment they sinned against God. mr. stott puts it this way: "they now saw with clarity the folly and wickedness of their rebellion against God".

as terrible as that moment must have been for adam and eve, how much better to feel guilt and "the folly and wickedness of our rebellion against God" than to have such a hardened heart as to feel nothing at all!

it is the first necessary step to our salvation.

all our lives, even as we acknowledge in some general way that we are sinners, we make endless excuses and rationalizations for our sinful behavior,

but it is truly a horrific moment the very first time our "eyes are really opened" and we see with clarity the extent of our "folly and wickedness of our rebellion against God."

guilt, shame, remorse, failure, fear, terror are inadequate terms to describe the person who for the first time realizes in a personal way their sinfulness before the living God.

that moment is as terrible for us as it surely must have been for adam and eve. like them, all we want to do is to hide, to forget, to run as far away from His presence as we can.

but it is only when we realize the extent of our sinfulness that we are driven to Jesus Christ, to plead with Him for mercy, grace, forgiveness.

i fear that too many times these days, when we sin against God, we feel nothing at all, ingenious as we are in rationalizing our behavior and shifting blame to others.

having "our eyes opened" is an unpleasant and wretching experience, but how necessary if we are ever to come to the Lord and receive His salvation! would we come to Him otherwise?

if you sin against the Lord and feel nothing, pray for "eyes to be opened", a tender conscience and a broken heart.

as terrible as it is, it is a gift, a mercy of God, this ability to feel.

Denying God's "Otherness"

This age old trick that the devil uses to tempt man to be "Like God" originates all the way back to the Garden. It is scary how this "lie' has manifested itself through the ages and today we find ourselves right there facing the same lie and refusing to acknowledge the 'otherness' of God... as Stott puts it.

Today's new age message like books from Eckhart Tolle, connecting with you inner 'spirit' and all of the other things that are blasted on television and fill the shelves at Borders or Barnes may look like a harmless, self-help messages...a message of self cultivation but it is really the same "lie" told by the serpent in the garden and man falls for it again and again.

Even as I profess to be a Christian, I am constantly having to guard my very proud, weak and sinful heart because I can easily find myself immersed or begin to turn an ear to these messages out there that are masked so well...and then the mind begins to think... and that can lead to scary things. Makes me so thankful for the GRACE of salvation.

Man as Male and Female

"The Lord God Said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him" [or "as his partner" Genesis 2:18

Hello all,

I've thought about this a bit today after reading today's study. I was trying to see what creative things I could share here but I came to a conclusion that it might actually cause more issues. Therefore, I'll just share that... I thank God almost every day for my wife Kwi Jung Grace Ryu. Definetely, my life will not be complete without her so I'm very grateful for God's blessings in our marriage.

True Freedom

It's interesting how freedom and obedience is so closely related in Stott's entry on "True Freedom". It seems that obedience to God is synonymous to freedom. We often think that to be obedient to a person or a set of rules puts you under submission to him/her or it. It contradicts the idea of freedom but I think when we change our perspective to see God's law not just as a set of rules but as truths to live by, it is easier to see how obeying God's law gives us true freedom and rest.
I think that whether we realize it or not, we are bound by certain laws and rules that overshadow all parts of our lives. The laws of gravity is one example. You may not choose to abide by it and jump off a cliff but there will be a consequence. Even if you decide to to create a device that can help you defy gravity, that law still stands. It does not mean you are imprisoned by it, you can live with it, build your life around it.
God created this world and all the things it holds according to His own ways/laws/rules-whatever you want to call it. As the Master builder, He knows best how we can best live.

Unfortunately, humanity is marred by disobedience to God and we are still living with the consequences. We are bound by the laws of sin. Yet, in His love and mercy, God has made a way for us to defy sin's reign over us. Jesus calls us to take His yoke, and He promises us that He will give rest for our souls. Isaiah 57:20 says that we are like the tossing sea, casting up mire and mud. Without Christ, we are restless like the tossing sea, and there is so much "mire and mud" we cast up from our sinful hearts. Who can break the laws of the sea and make it stop tossing? Is it not Jesus Christ? Who can break the laws of sin and give rest to our souls? Again, the answer is Christ- if only you would choose to heed His call.

Caring for Creation

I remember once heard on the radio station saying that over population humanity is destroying the earth. I’m not really sure how over populated we are, but I believe that we are living healthier than before with today technology and we are using greater sources from this earth than before. And with limited sources we have in this earth, someday we are going to run out of our very sources. I think somewhat it’s happening already, rising gas price, Glover food shortage and critical weather changes from unbalanced ecosystem.

Living in North America, rising gas price is most concern for me than other things. Because there is still plenty of food to go around and weather is not too bad with well built house. Through The Bible explains that what God has given us is a delegated and responsible stewardship towards to his gift. As a person who has more access and control over goods, we need to take part of our responsibility, rather than pointing false towards to God’s greatest gift humanity.

Collaborating with God

Sorry for blogging so late.
It is so true that all of us drag to go to work or school after 2 days of resting. I remember when I was little, I hated Monday. Once a while I pretended I was sick so I could stay home. Rarely my plans were successful but also I had to pay the consequences of lying to my parents.
As I was reading the reflection today, the last paragraph that Stott wrote stood out for me. He said," our work becomes a privilege when we see it as collaboration with God." It is a great honor to be part of God's team. It is like far more privileged than appointed by US president. One thing I want to add to Stott's comment is that We are privileged and honor to be used by God by knowing us who we are in relation to Who God is. God can do everything alone. Remember God created this universe without even moving His finger. We will never fathom the magnitude of who God is therefore we are overwhelmed by the fact that He wants to share His work with us. Moreover in God's eyes there is no insignificant work as long as our hearts are right with Him and we do for the glory of God. Just to share what happen today related to our devotion today. Caleb started school last week and Jacob will start his preschool after the labor day. Before when they both attended school same days and same times, I enjoyed couple hours of ME time twice of week. Now because they attend different schools, ME time is pretty much gone. I have been in complaining mood and tired from taking care of them. Anyways, I took the kids to the play ground for late afternoon after playing a baseball with Jacob for over an hour. As I was pushing swings that Caleb and Jacob were on, I lifted up a little prayer for the boys and asked God's strength. God graciously filled me with inconceivable joy at the moment. It is truly God that granted Il and me with the wonderful gift and invited us to share in His work by raising them to be a man and a woman of faith.
I am looking forward to spending time with children because I am partnering up with God to raise Nina, Caleb, and Jacob to be the followers of Jesus Christ.

The Creation's Worship

The pictures that is painted in Revelation 4 is difficult to imagine and understand -- who are the living creatures, the twenty-four elders, etc.. But clearly John is given this revelation so that we might see that the focus of heaven is centered on the glory, and greatness of God. And the message that came out of the throne room in heaven is our meditation text: "You are worthy, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being." God is worthy of our worship simply by the fact that he created us. You and I, by our sheer dependence on God for our very lives owes God praise and honor. Just as good parents are worthy of honor by their children, so God, in whom we move, and have our being, is worthy of greater honor and praise. But the question needs to be asked, 'in what ways are we honoring' God? The answer I believe is obedience. Just as children honor their parents by their obedience so we are to honor our heavenly Father through our obedience. Are we obeying the Lord?

Posted by Pastor James

holding the keys of the kingdom

"what He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open"
(Revelation 3:7)

i have to respectively differ from mr. stott's understanding of this passage, in which he sees the open door as the door of opportunity for missions. i took it to mean the door to eternal life.

Jesus describes Himself as the One "who is holy and true, who holds the key of David". what is that key? i wonder if it meant the key to the kingdom of david, namely, God's kingdom, namely, eternal salvation.

"what He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open" (verse 7).

right now, Jesus says to the church in philadelphia, "See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut". Jesus alone has the power and the authority to open the door to salvation. it is an open invitation to the philadelphian church to enter into eternal life, to persevere in the work of God, "to endure patiently" (verse 10).

the door will not be open forever. no one else can shut it but Jesus, but once He shuts it, no one else will ever be able to open it.

i understood this passage as both an encouragement and a warning. the time to enter eternal life is now while the door is open. there will be a time, however, when the door will be decisively shut and no amount of pleading, weeping and gnashing of teeth will induce Him to open it.