how HE loves us

How do you know you know?

“We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.  The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him.  This is how we know we are in him: 

WHOEVER CLAIMS TO LIVE IN HIM MUST WALK AS JESUS DID.”

- 1 John 2:3-6

For His Glory.

PS: Thank you Jesus for 40 faithful years at Hyung Jae Church.  You are worthy to be praised!

An Island Getaway

We are all working towards something.  In the corporate structure, people are trying to get to the top of the food chain, trying to be someone’s boss instead of being ordered around.  You start as a waiter, or even a garbage man, with dreams of one day becoming the head chef yelling out orders.  Athletes train day and night to accomplish that world record time, or to bring home that trophy.

But what happens when you finally reach that peak?  Do you have a 401K plan?  A vacation home in the Bahamas to run away to?  Family that will take care of you and cherish you when your business is all said and done?

How appealing does this look?  To many people, their dream is to live in this “island paradise”, free from the struggles and stresses of this world..

But is this what we should be seeking?  Is this really worth all those long hours, lectures from your boss, stressing out about deadlines?  Just to sit in the sand and not have to worry for a few years?

I’m not trying to hate on vacation hotspots or anything.  Don’t get me wrong, I love going to the beach and soaking in some sun.  But the point is…what are we working towards?

In my opinion, it’s about living up to the challenge set before us, persevering and working for the unseen, and wrapping our arms around that grand prize…and the prize that is waiting for us is something that we can’t even perceive.  The beauty of this treasure, this paradise…it can’t be drawn on a canvas, designed in Photoshop, conceived in our wildest imagination.  

Think about the most beautiful thing you’ve ever laid your eyes on…now multiply its beauty by 834762394, then square it, and it still won’t come close to what’s in store for those that are faithful to the command set for all: Matthew 28:19-20

Don’t settle for anything less.  No matter how extravagant an item may be, no matter how many zeros are in your offered salary, no matter how legit of a location your future vacation home may be resting on, it can’t compete with the reward waiting for us when HE returns.

Don’t just strive for the inconsistant comfort that worldly things bring you, but fervently pursue a relationship with the one who can guarantee the only eternal vacation spot.

“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.” - 2 Peter 3: 13

Follow the Instructions

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

It may be long, but this is only half of it.  Please read on.

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge,self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

Why?

“For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But if anyone does not have them, he is near-sighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.”

So what?

‘Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.  For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 1:3-11

So, to put it simply: FAITH + GOODNESS + KNOWLEDGE + SELF-CONTROL + PERSEVERANCE + GODLINESS + BROTHERLY KINDNESS + LOVE = NEVER FALLING AND RECEIVING A RICH WELCOME INTO THE ETERNAL KINGDOM.

Though it may take me a lifetime, and put me through many trials and tough sacrifices, I long, I desire, I will pursue to make this equation real in my life.  

For His Glory

Urgent Notice

“The end of all things i near.  Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.  Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” - 1 Peter 4:7-8

For His Glory

(Btw- 1 Peter is an amazing, concise, and straight in your face book of the Bible.  Read it.)

A Little Note

Father…

How do you do it?

How do you love those that this world despises?

How is it that you sacrificed something so dearly precious to you for people filled with something that you so deeply hate?

The fact of the matter is…you have already forgiven us.

Us…we…who are so disturbingly disgusting with such an innate, sometimes undetectable longing… to be comfortable in this world, to receive instant gratification, to fulfill our own selfish ambitions…

Ambitions. To gain our own wealth.  To lean and rely on our own understandings.  To believe in the knowledge and logic of this world.

Father.

i may never understand how you love us, how much you love us, how much of a sacrifice it was for you…

but thank you. words cannot express my gratitude.

sincerely,

an imperfect servant.

p.s.- i love you

FOR HIS GLORY

Sincerely, Deeply…

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.”

Fearful

I am ashamed to admit that I am fearful.

Fearful of foolish, and worldly things.  Fearful of heights, of my family dying, of being financially unstable, of being completely isolated from friends, of bad grades, of how other people may think of me, of being disapproving to the community, of a terminal disease…and this list goes on and on, longer then I ever thought it could be.  

For this, Father, i must repent.  Please forgive me Lord, of fearing such nonsense.

I came across this verse recently: “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers.  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” - James 1:16-18

Then I came to realize…can you imagine if we didn’t have a God that sent down blessings of love and perfect gifts?  Can you imagine what this world would be like without the love, faith, and hope that is Christ Jesus?  

I struggle so much with being idle.  Too many nights I just lay in bed, thinking that I have tomorrow to grow in the Word, next week to pray…and yet I know this generation is having the same struggle.

Many times I fear that God will tell me something that I won’t like to hear, so I refrain from reading anything Christ-related.

I know…HOW FOOLISH RIGHT?

Satan can attack any part of our lives…but with the power of Christ, there isn’t any attack that we can’t stand up to.  

There is no challenge for our Father!  There is no overcoming our Savior!  He promises to never leave us, and never forsake us.  And although our own doubtful, foolish, uncertain, unfaithful, weary sinful natures may try to tell us otherwise…

CHRIST IS VICTORIOUS IN OUR LIVES, AND WE MUST SUBMIT TO HIM!

Only after realizing these things can we truly live without fear.  And whether we like it or not, it is most definitely NOT going to be easy.  It will be a grueling battle from start to finish.

BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE THE RICHES OF THE KINGDOM THAT IS WAITING FOR US?!?

For His Glory