The Plan of the Lord!

‘“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”’ – Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

The context of Jeremiah 29:11-13 is that God is speaking to Israelites about their exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. However, these bible verses are being misused around the culture today. These bible verse are great encouragement from the Lord to all of us, especially to those of us who comprehend what the Lord is trying to say in those verses. We might believe that Jeremiah 29:11-13 would mean that God wants us to get incredibly rich so that we are able to live comfortable lives until the end of the age. In addition, we think Jeremiah 29:11-13 are based on God’s incredible love to all of us. If we understand these verses in this way, we misunderstand them and do not look the right picture in what God is trying to say through them. We will eventually going to create idols, instead of worshipping God until the end of the age.

Indeed, God is still loving us so much, even though we sin and have fallen down. The way that He said that He is going to prosper us is not through worldly wisdom, but through God’s wisdom. He wants us to be rich in Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus became poor, in order to make us rich in Him (2 Corinthians 8:9) The way we get rich in Christ is through faith. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10) God also wants us to rely everything on Him rather than relying on ourselves (Proverbs 3:5-8). The main reason for these are that God’s way is the righteous path to all of us (Romans 8:28). This is the exact reason that God has poured His Spirit into us, so that His Spirit is able to guide us to walk with the Lord until the end of the age (John 14:15-27). God may harm us physically and mentally when He wants to discipline us through His Spirit (Hebrews 12:4-12). There are several times that God has disciplined me through His Spirit but the one that I remember the most is through theological mind-set. I felt that I needed to remove the burden of theological mind-set of mine so I downloaded a game and I simply prayed before Him. After these, the burden was completely removed away, so I was relived. However, after a while, I had to remove the game from my laptop, due to the fact that my passion and heart was not really centered on Jesus Christ. Hence, I think that God was disciplining me to pray more often. This is because I have been trying to get the knowledge of God as much as I can through writing devotionals and reading the online devotionals and the word of God. Because of these, I did not really not have time to pray. Thus, I should my schedule, due to the fact that prayer is the one of most important things to have within our spiritual life, as prayer is the best way to have conversation with God (Philippians 4:4-7). Furthermore, I think perseverance is required to become a pray-warrior as prayer often makes us tired in a way. I used to literally be a pray-warrior, that I loved persevering when I am tired and I slept around 2am. I start to love perseverance during my praying time but I need to manage my time correctly.

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:6-10)

Usually when the Spirit of God is powerfully working within me, I love to pray before God. My prayer for devotional-writing is that what I write about really affects me as well as others for the kingdom and the glory of God. Psalm 145:18-19 states, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.” I feel like I really should write a prayer for me and you at the end of my devotionals. However, since the Lord is not calling me to write a prayer for you guys at the end, I am just going to pray afterwards, even though I love intercessory prayers. Otherwise, devotional-prayer may become a religious routine and I might become like a hypocrite (Matthew 6:5-8).

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (Ephesians 6:18)

Seeking and finding God in Jeremiah 29:13 probably means to find God’s will through the Spirit of God. I know that Christian-writing, such as devotional-writing, is the will of God for me because I often sense the Spirit’s empowerment within me to write devotionals for others. Because of this, I want to be a Christian Writer. I love the word of God so much, that I desperately want to fully explain them to others. Thus, others are able to read and understand what the word of God really means as the Spirit of God may lead and convict them. However, I really should manage my time correctly, even though I may have to change my daily devotionals into my weekly ones, because of school. When I have meetings or gatherings to go to in evenings, I feel that it is right to stay at home to keep writing my devotionals and finish them up. This is because Luke 14:26-27 is telling me that we have to love the will of God so much, that nothing else should matter to us. I have desire to do so. Nevertheless, at the same time, I want to go to meetings and gatherings as well. The main reason for this that Christians are not able to do their spiritual lives on their own. “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:4-5)  Furthermore, I should sleep early and wake up early when I go to the school as well as to write weekly devotionals. In addition, I am trying to find God’s will for me when I go to Unitec, other than just getting my permanent residency. Maybe it is about evangelism?

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. (Titus 3:3-8)

The Hope of God in Christ Jesus!

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” – Psalm 43:5 NIV

We often hope for specific things to happen in our lives, such as receiving good results from exams or job interviews. Because of this, we, sometimes, cannot concentrate on anything else and just wish things to happen for the best. Nevertheless, if they did not go as we expected, we believe that whole life is ruined and we think that there is no point of living our lives anymore unless we find other things to pursue on, in order to have our satisfaction come alive again. I watched Korean drama for a little while and there was an example of having no hope in the drama. The boy falls in love with the girl but this girl does not like the boy. Because of this, he would not eat anything, due to the fact that he is so desperate and kind of obsessed over the girl, I believe.

However, the truth is that every satisfaction that we have right now is only for temporary unless our satisfaction is God. 1 John 2:15-17 urges us not to love the world nor things in the world since the world is going to fade away with the worldly satisfaction that people crave, but for those of us who pleases the Lord is going to live forever. The main reason that whoever pleases Him lives forever is that God is the source of the eternal life (John 3:16-18; John 11:25-26). Therefore, we need to put God as our ultimate satisfaction, such as wanting to know (John 17:3), pursue Him (Hebrews 11:6), believe in Him (Proverbs 3:5-8) and wanting to do His will until the end of the age (Matthew 7:21). This is how we are designed because we actually have been created by God (Genesis 1:27). In fact, everything belongs to God and for Him (Colossians 1:16-20). This is probably the reason that Colossians 1:21-23 states, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel…”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

I have known Colossians 1:15-23 quite well but once the burden of theological mind-set was upon me, I felt I needed to remove that burden by downloading one of the Pokemon games that I never played before and by praying before God. Suddenly, that burden was removed right away after I had done those things. Nevertheless, after a while, I just deleted the game. The main reason for this is that my life was not centred in Jesus Christ. I realised this when one of my favourite worship songs came up in the church, which was “Jesus At the Center” by Darlene Zschech. As soon as I listened one of the worship songs that I have on Spotify after I deleted the game, the presence of the Lord was hovering within me and I thought the burden of theological mind-set was the way that God was disciplining me through the Spirit (Hebrews 12:4-11). Yesterday night, since this devotional takes two days to complete, I have decided that I should stop from watching television as well. The main reason for this television usually makes me tired and I thought ‘if I am tired from watching television, how can I focus on Jesus Christ and do His will?’ These do not mean that every followers of Jesus Christ should ban games and television. I have banned them because I might lose my focus from Jesus Christ because of them.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)   

Standing Firm in Christ Jesus!

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV

Following Jesus Christ until the end of the age can be hard, especially if we are logic-minded. Jesus Christ is the Lord and the Savour to those of us who believe in Him but He is a person, who we cannot see. In fact, He is God—the Creator who has made the Heavens and the Earth (Genesis 1:1) and the Everlasting Father who is continually loving us so much and who sacrificed Himself for our sins (Ephesians 1:3-7)—since He is the perfect image and representation of God (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). In addition to this, Jesus Christ came to our hearts as the Spirit of God, to those who have opened our hearts for Him (Revelations 3:20). The  main reason for this is that He is able to guide us in walk with God until the end of the age (John 14:15-27), due to the fact that we cannot do everything in our own strength (Isaiah 40:29-31). This does not mean that we suddenly become infinitely powerful, that we start to have no weakness physically and spiritually, when we are walking with the Lord spiritually.

The text of Matthew 5:3 is “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” and this verse is telling me that God comes to those who have not much wisdom to continually live our lives. I experienced this yesterday night, even though Matthew 5:3 just popped out of my head. I was having too much theology in my head, that I felt my head is going to explode. At that moment, I was not able to read and listen the Bible before I slept. Because of this, I downloaded a Pokemon game to play later on as my spirit was leading me and I simply prayed. When I did these things, the burden of my theological mind-set was completely gone. Now, I realise that I do not have to become extremely holy and pure, in order to be approved by God. I was kind of having gospel-religious mind-set. The main reason for this was that I have wanted to follow the truth (John 14:6). However, all of us do not have to be extremely wise right away for God, for we are becoming perfect in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:14) and wisdom of God takes time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). This does not mean that we do not have to receive any knowledge of God from the Bible at all, as we have to make every effort to be fully mature in Christ by putting the word of God into practice (Luke 6:46-49). The main point is that we need the Spirit of God to do everything that God wants us to do (2 Peter 1:3-11).

Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do. (Philippians 4:13)

Because of this reason, I really need to pray before our heavenly Father that I need more wisdom to follow Him until the end of the age through the Spirit of God (James 1:5-8). He is more than willing to pour His Spirit upon us for the first time and continually as Jesus declares, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:11-13) The main reason for this is that God wants to have intimate relationship with us (Colossians 1:21-23). One of the names of God are Provider (Romans 8:32) but He only gives us things that are based on His will (Philippians 4:19). 1 John 5:14-15 states, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” Hence, all of us need to transform our worldly minds into the mind-set of the Spirit (Romans 12:2). The main reason for this is that the desires of the Spirit is contrary to the worldly desires (Galatians 5:17). This is probably the reason that James 4:4-5 says that we become an enemy of God, due to the fact that we are actually stopping the Spirit from working powerfully within us.

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. (Galatians 6:7-10)

Nevertheless, followers of Jesus Christ always have to be confident, even though our spirit is not aligned with the Spirit of God. I have trouble with this sometimes because my main focus has always been about approaching God through faith in Jesus Christ, for I want to enter the kingdom of heaven with confidence at the end of my physical life, and whenever my spirit is not aligned with the Spirit, I feel that I am really disorientated. However, we need to trust God in everything that we do (Proverbs 3:5-8) and put our hope in God until the end of our physical lives (Psalm 43:5).

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Furthermore, we should combine our spiritual lives with physical lives so that they can be one (Ephesians 2:14-16). I think this is ultimately important. If they are not combined, we may approach God with religious motives, that we have to do deeds in order to be approved by God. The another reason why the combination of two kinds of lives is important is because we are not in Jesus Christ and take part of His body unless we combine them together. If they are not combined, there is really no point of following Jesus through faith. This does not mean that we should care only about our spiritual lives. Self-righteousness is one of the main mistake that Christians make. For instance, I was kind of self-righteous. Luke 14:26-27 means that we have to love the will of God so much to the point that we care about nothing else. Thus, I was only focusing on writing devotionals, even when my mum told me to shower before she comes home from work many times. Nonetheless, the love of God is one of the most important commandments of God as well, even through to ones who have lower faith in Jesus Christ than us (1 John 4:7-8). 1 John 4:12 says that showing love of God is the illustration of being light of Jesus. Because of this, I was not becoming a true light of Him (Matthew 5:14-16) to my mother, as well as to my father because he told me to exercise by taking a walk few times and I obeyed him eventually but I did not always do it. I did it when I had headaches since oxygen refreshes our brains. It is hard for me to do devotionals late as I want to be obedient to God. At the same time, I want to be obedient to my parents as well, for obeying our parents is actually the first commandment of God with a promise (Ephesians 6:1-3). In addition, breaking one commandment of God is actually breaking the whole law of God (James 2:10).

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:8-10)

We need to have a strong theological mind-set that is according to the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ by reading, listening and meditate on it repeatedly. However, at the same time, we need to have a teachable spirit as well because we may learn more how it works through our personal lives from others. I have a teachable spirit so I have learned how to connect between the Bible and the culture world. In fact, when I first started to write devotionals, I was kind of connecting the Bible and the culture world but I stopped of having a connection between these two worlds. I thought that if I only used my theological mind-set and used the Scriptures as the supporters, I thought that everyone is going to eventually understand. Nevertheless, my spiritual teacher and mentor, who helps me from time to time, kept telling me that I do not have a bridge between the Bible and the culture world, that non-believers may not understand my devotionals. Thus, she lent me a book about having a creative mind-set and I relised that I had closed my teachable spirit within me. Because of this, I opened it up again and read that book. Suddenly, I began to know how to make a bridge between these two worlds but I still want to learn more. Thus, for this reason, I think that I am going to ask specific church members, whether they could be my spiritual mentors and teachers if all of them have same and equal level of the knowledge of God and making the bridge. This is because I heard that it is good to have two or three counselors from one of the sermons. Furthermore, online devotionals are helping me to make it as well. I realised this when I did not read any online devotionals for a while because I was losing how to use the mind-set of creativity. Jesus Christ, even, used His creative mind-set in the parables to draw attention to the Kingdom Life.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22)

Last of all, we need to do everything in love but all for the sake of the glory of God. The main reason for this if we are not doing everything in love, then we have a legalistic point of view, such as having a religious side. For instance, I used to be one of the volunteers of setting the church up in LifeChangers,  which is now combined with Equippers Church, I believe. I loved volunteering and helping others as contributing in any way creates joy within me, but I was in the religious side. This is because I loved people as I am a people-person but I was doing everything for them and not for God, due to the fact that I closed my heart to Jesus Christ. After few years, God told me to get to know Jesus better. Because of this, I became a true Christian while I was in New York. Thus, I volunteered in my New York Church to be a greeter and an usher. When I greeted people over there, I sensed that I was doing all for the glory of God. When I took a specific place in the ushering team, I strongly felt that I was building the kingdom of God. Moreover, I volunteered in writing devotionals for others as I wanted to have a try at late 2013. This volunteering job became my ministry, due to the Spirit’s empowerment. Because of the Spirit’s empowerment, I want to become a Christian Writer other than just writing devotionals. Nevertheless, I am still writing devotionals for others and I, now, have six different social-networks. I am also using an e-mail marketing called MailChimp for sending devotionals to others. Other than doing my devotionals, reading online devotionals and the Bible, I really need to discipline myself into prayer and reading Christian books. This is because prayer is the best way to fellowship with God in Jesus Christ since prayer is the way to have communication with Him (Philippians 4:6-7). Christian books are really important for me, I believe, since I want to become a Christian Writer and I can see how to write more effectively. I also have to discipline myself in loving others more. I cannot love my family as the church members because I cannot really see the spiritual aspects in my family and the desire between me and them is different.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

Jesus Christ, the Life!

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.” – Philippians 1:20-26 NIV

The context of Philippians 1:12-26 is about Apostle Paul’s advancement for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the chains. Nonetheless, as I concentrate and meditate on Philippians 1:20-26, there is so much to learn from God through Apostle Paul, especially on Paul’s momentum of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love that he is very serious about preaching it in everywhere that he possibly could. Although I do not get ultimate persecution for writing devotionals, I need to suffer in Christ as well from tiredness and fatigue, especially after I have eaten breakfast or brunch. This is because suffering in Christ makes us co-heirs with Christ of having eternal life (Romans 8:17). I am often willing to suffer my fatigue while I am writing devotionals but I always fail by not taking into practice. My Japanese friend, Taka Ino, reminded me the verse about weakness, which is 2 Corinthians 12:9. When Apostle Paul is becoming proud that he is better than everyone, God gave him a thorn—a messenger from Satan, to torment him. When Paul pleaded three times with the Lord to take it away from him, God said to him that His power is made perfect in weakness. Thus, Paul declared, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) Hence, I should delight in my weakness too, so that Christ’s power can rest on me. However, I hope that I can overcome my fatigue through perseverance, especially when I am writing devotionals. 2 Peter 1:3-11 states that perseverance is required to do the will of God. It is the process to make us love the will of God—up to the point that sufferings do not matter to us. The main reason that we have to do the will of God is because of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus Christ declares, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

Although I am kind of wanting to depart from this world to the kingdom of heaven as well, I literally want to live on this world until the end of the age because of Christian-writing. Christian-writing, such as devotionals, is so important to me as I am able to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and about the kingdom of God through writing to everyone who has internet access. I know that writing devotionals is the will of God for me because I always sense the Spirit of God is empowering me to do so (Acts 1:8). In addition, 1 John 4:15 states, “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” Because the Holy Spirit is working powerfully within me, I have decided that I am going to put my every effort and try my best to become a Christian Writer (2 Peter 1:3-8). Furthermore, when I write devotionals, I write with enthusiasm, that I really want to make the word of God alive and to help others understand the Gospel—even though this is part of the Holy Spirit’s job (Hebrews 4:12) and my job is to simply point others to Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:11-21). 

The Labor in the Lord!

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” – 1 Corinthians 15:56-58 NIV

Most of us work and labor for financial gain, in order to provide for us and others. If we have enough money, then we would like to go vacations or to buy things that we want or what we really need. It is nice to do these things for us and other people but we have to think why we work and think how God will be glorified through us. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10) I was really obsessed with money several years ago since my parents always have provided money for me when I needed money. I am really thankful for my parents but I, sometimes, feel uncomfortable with it. Because of my feelings, I really have wanted to work but there is not much things that I can do. Long time ago, I keep telling them that there must be some kind of a job that I could do, and I was kind of frustrated. Since they have more experience than me with jobs, I am willing to trust them, even though I still want to provide money for myself.  In addition, when I have a job or career, I am going to provide for my family, who have supported me financially.

Luke 16:19-31 tells us a story of the rich man and Lazarus, the beggar. The rich man, who was dressed in purple and fine linen, lived in luxury everyday and had all things that he wanted. Nonetheless, Lazarus was probably really poor that he could not care of himself (verse 20-21). When they both died, Lazarus was in Abraham side, which was the kingdom of heaven, but the rich man was in Hades, where the place of torment was. Because of this, the rich man probably regretted how he lived in the world. This story is telling me that we have to care for one another. Mark 10:17-23, even, tells about caring for others above ourselves. This is because Mark 10:17-23 is a story about the rich man, who want to have eternal life. Since Jesus told him that he has to sell everything that he owned to the poor, in order to inherit the eternal life, he went away from Him sad because he did not want to lose his wealth. Hence, Jesus Christ declares, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:24-25)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:19-24)

Volunteering ministry work  seems to be pointless in a worldly perspective, due to the fact that we cannot earn money from them. However, volunteering matters to God so much if we do them wholeheartedly and do them in a way that glorifies God, such as doing them out of the love of God. For instance, I was quite busy in my New York Church because of volunteering on Sundays. I had to come to the church at 10:30am for volunteering in the Healing Camp ministry, which was like Korean church ministry for various people who have disabilities. After Healing Camp, I served as a greeter and an usher in Promise International Fellowship, the English Ministry for the church services, from 12:45pm. I had several jobs to do in Promise International Fellowship. In addition, I served as a volunteer coordinator in Powehouse ministry, the Christian ministry for serving kids through various sports, on Saturdays. However, I know that I did not serve any of these volunteering jobs in vain and do not regret any of them at all, because I was doing them for the glory and the kingdom of God. Furthermore, while I was writing devotionals for others when I was in New York, I sensed the Spirit of God all the time when I write. Because of this, I have decided that I am going to be a Christian Writer other than just writing devotionals.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

The Commandment of God!

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35 NIV

A disciple is a follower, who is being taught better ways to do a specific thing that they wanted to be mentored in for free. Thus, we go to someone who has more experience than us, to do a particular thing. For instance, Elijah Cho was my chess disciple, even though it was for little while. He used to always come to the chess fellowship that I created in the church when I was in New York, as he wanted to learn how to play chess well. After several chess practices, he finally beat me in chess. The another example of this might be that I am being Jesus Christ’s disciple on spreading His gospel and His word to others by writing devotionals. I started to write devotionals from late 2013 and I do not tend to quit in devotional-writing unless I am really busy, such as going to school and doing my school assignments. Because of writing devotionals for others has impacted me spiritually, I have decided that I am going to be a Christian Writer.

Nevertheless, Jesus Christ calls His every followers His disciples. Not only spreading His gospel and His word is important, loving one another is also important for us to do everyday to be disciples. I think loving others is so important, that Jesus Christ preferred it to be the second greatest commandment of God (Mark 12:30-31). The main reason for this is that love comes from God and love is God. Hence, if we love one another unconditionally, then we are basically spreading His light (1 John 4:7-12). This does not mean that we have to love everyone unconditionally that we have to become a pimp or a prostitute because loving others in this way is sin (1 Corinthians 6:12-20). Loving one another unconditionally in God’s way is to care for them to the point that we highly value them above ourselves and we sacrifice ourselves for their sake (Philippians 2:1-8).

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:9-17)

God has loved us so much that He willingly sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ as an image of Himself, into the world to take away from  our sins by crucifying Himself on the cross, in order to give us eternal life (John 3:16-17; 1 John 4:9-10). Our sin has always been about falling in short of the glory of God because of the world. Thus, Jesus Christ was the evidence that there always has been better life than our worldly nature. He declares, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) I believe the reason why we are on this earth has always been knowing about intimately (John 17:3) because our primary sin has always been getting the knowledge of good and evil. God has wanted us to depend on Him for everything. I think that was why God urged Adam not to eat the fruit in the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:8-3:11). Thus, how can we be filled with the knowledge of God in the presence of the Lord right away if God takes us to the kingdom of heaven?

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel… (Colossians 1:15-23)

Since the power of love transforms us, why do not we spread His love and His light by doing good works in Him (Matthew 5:13-16)? The main reason for this is that Jesus Christ is the way of the truthful life to God, since He is the perfect image of Him (John 14:6-7). The power of Christ’s love has an amazing ability, that we are able to forget all transgressions and sins that were committed (1 Peter 4:8). It is like worldly love but if other partner or spouse got angry of something, then partners and spouses are not able to restore their love to each other very easily. However, I believe that many Christian couples are able to endure their love to their partners or spouses because Jesus Christ is the main source of love. Nonetheless, every followers of Jesus have to spread the love of God to not only those who is willing to return this love back but to everyone, including their enemies (Luke 6:27-36), in order to make eternal unity and peace with each other (Colossians 3:12-15; Romans 13:8-10) and to make Jesus Christ known to the world (1 John 4:7-21).

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13)

​God, the Righteous Judge!

“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.” – Galatians 6:7-10 NLT

Although God created the world, the world became sinful world through Adam’s disobedience. Adam is the first man that God had created and his disobedience was that he did not protect the tree of the knowledge and good and evil, due to the fact that God strictly warned him not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Nevertheless, he ate the fruit and he blamed on his wife because she gave him to eat it (Genesis 2:15-3:12). I believe the reason why God commanded him not to eat the fruit from there is that God wanted to create intimate relationship with human beings, that they can depend and rely on Him for everything, because the original intention was to make them to be His image (Genesis 1:27). Nowadays, the world strongly urges us to be our own Lord and Saviour.

Because of this, God willingly sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ as an image of Himself (Hebrews 1:3), into the world to crucify Himself on the cross for our sins. In addition to this, God has made eternal life available to those who would follow Jesus and believe in Him until the end of the age (John 11:25-26), due to His steadfast love (1 John 4:9-10; John 3:16-18). “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) He cannot give eternal life to those of us who are disobedient in Jesus, such as not living for His glory, because He has to be the righteous Judge (James 4:12) as well as the righteous Father (Proverbs 23:24). For instance, if one wicked person goes to the kingdom of heaven at the end of the age and plan to be very selfish to have the kingdom of heaven all by himself with God, will other righteous children of God rejoice in their Father? If this happens, Revelations 21:1-8 is wrong, and there would be no point in living our lives for the glory of God. In fact, all determined followers of Jesus would be most pitiful because they believe that the kingdom of heaven is the wonderful, peaceful and everlasting place and they sacrifice everything for it, but if God is not righteous Judge, then it would not be.

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—He did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)

Nevertheless, God is the forgiving Father, always is gracious and is willing to His compassion and love, especially to those who is willing to be obedient to Him until the end of the age. In fact, if we are obedient to Him enough, He is willing to remove every transgressions that we have committed (Psalm 103:8-12), including ignoring who we actually are and ignoring the power of God that is at work within us.  The main reason for this is because of Christ’s atonement at the cross (1 John 1:8-2:2). Furthermore, God has poured His Spirit into all of us, so that we are able to discern what the will of God is through the Spirit (Ephesians 5:15-18). In other words, the Spirit is able to guide us in the right direction that God wants us to be at (John 14:15-27). However, we have to open our hearts to Him to receive Jesus as the Spirit of God (Revelations 3:20). Luke 11:13 states, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Moreover, the Christ-centered repentance is not only the repentance that we have to confess Jesus as the Lord and Saviour from beginning of our spiritual journey, but it is the continuous repentance that we acknowledge our mistakes to live for the glory of God as we strive towards it. When we have decided to live our lives for the glory of God (Colossians 1:16-23), we have to sacrifice and deny ourselves and worldly nature (Mark 8:34-38), and live our lives through the Spirit of God (Romans 12:1-2). As for me, I find difficult to manage my time throughout the weekdays and Saturdays—up to the point that I do not know what the will of God is. One side of me is telling me to do weekly devotionals, rather than daily ones because I think that if I do only write devotionals, then I cannot be a successful Christian writer. Nonetheless, the another side of me is telling to persevere in getting up early to write daily devotionals. I want to suffer my fatigue in Christ, but I have no energy. Because of this, I always close my eyes for a little while and continue to write it. At the same time, I always get a conviction that I need to persevere my tiredness, especially after I have eaten my breakfast or brunch. Thus, I am willing to write daily devotionals until I go to Unitec from March and see if what happens if I write weekly ones if I have time, of-course.    

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life 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, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

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, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 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 whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:3-11)

Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd!

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” – John 10:14-18,27-30 NIV

I had a couple of dreams or a quite long dream last night or from this early morning. My dream was about the last days of my life. I, somehow, got cancer or something. Thus, I had to say farewell to my New Zealand church family. When the Pastor Amanda Pilbrow hugged me with the tears on her eyes, she told me that she loved me as a brother in Christ Jesus I think, and she told me that she will remember me forevermore. This was probably because she knew my services for God and what I had done for His glory. In addition, Emily Hamill or someone nudged her because she thought that Amanda was making the situation more sad. Amanda’s compassion made me cry and burst into tears. Furthermore, when I woke up and turn my laptop on to write a devotional, I have been strongly impacted about eternal life as John 10:28-30 is Youversion’s verse of the day for today.

Nevertheless, the eternal life is available for everyone as long as we have faith in Jesus Christ (John 11:25-26). “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10) The main reason why we are able to have eternal life is that God has already exchanged our final and eternal from the death to the life by sending His beloved Son, as an image of Himself, into the world to crucify Himself on the cross for our sins (Romans 6:23; Hebrews 2:14-15). God has desperately wanted to restore us back to His kingdom, due to His steadfast love, since sin has separated us from there (John 3:16-18; 1 John 4:9-10). This is because all of us actually have been created by God to be His image (Genesis 1:27) and His children (Ephesians 1:4-6). Furthermore, knowing Jesus Christ intimately is eternal life, basically, due to the fact knowing Him intimately is biggest part of believing in Him (John 17:3). How can we believe in Jesus Christ intimately if we do not know Him at all? This is part of the reason why we have to read and listen to the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it is centered on Him and the Kingdom Life (Psalm 119:1-3). “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) In addition, the reason why I am writing devotionals and wanting to be a Christian Writer is that not only they are the will of God for me, it is because I want others to understand the word of God and take it seriously as the word of God helps us to build the relationship with God (Philippians 1:27-28). “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. (Romans 3:21-31)

All of us are able to live physical lives on our own if we wish them to but they can be ultimate hard and a great burden for us. However, if we want to produce our spiritual lives, then all of us have to be together until the end of the age, as we are able to carry each other’s burdens and if somebody is caught in a sin, we are able to restore them gently (Galatians 6:1-2). Proverbs 27:17 states, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” The main reasons why we have to be together until the end of the age are each one of us take a part of body of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) and the temple of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:19-22). “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:4-5) Furthermore, every follower of Jesus should take the Great Commission seriously (Matthew 28:18-20)—to evangelize who Jesus Christ is on God’s behalf (2 Corinthians 5:11-21). It is our work to preach the gospel of Jesus to others and then it is God’s work to make them convincted through the Spirit of God. Although I do not know how to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in a person, I preach it through writing. Because of this, I am very grateful (1 Peter 4:10-11). I remember the fact that I used to sleep very late or wake up very early to write devotionals for others. Jesus Christ has wanted us to unite with one another so much. Because of this, He prayed,

“My prayer is not for them [Jesus’ disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (John 17:20-26)

Although believing in Jesus Christ is the primary key to have spiritual and eternal life, we also should surrender our lives to God (Romans 6:3-23). The main reason for this is that everything actually belongs to Him (Colossians 1:16-20). I know that surrendering every part ourselves is difficult, especially those of us who has not born in Christian families. Unless we do our surrendering part, the devil crawls over us, somehow, to ruin our spiritual lives—to make us worldly-centered and to make us to turn away from God (1 Peter 5:8-9).  When we become worldly-centered, we automatically become enemies of God, due to the fact that we may stop the power of the Spirit of God to work within us (James 4:4-5). For instance, I was kind of worldly-centered by having an addiction of television because I knew that I had something else to do for God’s glory, instead of watching television a couple of times. Thus, I repented before God, saying “Break me from television!” However, my repentance did not work a couple of times, due to the fact that I did not put it into practice until I chose to crucify from the passion of watching television. The main reason why I chose to crucify it is that I want to live for God’s glory forevermore and wanted to be an obedient child of God until the end of the age.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

The Compelling Love of God!

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” – 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NIV

When we love someone wholeheartedly, we naturally want to give our lives to them. Moreover, we want to sacrifice everything for them, even if they are our desires. The main reason for this is probably because we want them to have joyous life around us. I do not have a girlfriend yet but I trust that God is providing a right girlfriend for me, who put God as the first priority and who can respect my work for God (Ephesians 2:10). Nevertheless, the love of God compels me all the time to be close in relationship with the church members as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, that I can share almost everything to them. This is because church is actually followers of Jesus Christ and I cannot be the church all by myself. I need some encouragement from others, even though I am a Christian or Devotional Writer who tries to encourage others powerfully from the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:19-22).

It is same with Jesus Christ, who is the perfect image of God (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). God has loved us so much that He sent Himself, as Jesus into the world. to crucify Himself on the cross for our sins. In addition to this, God has exchanged our eternal and final destinies from the death to the life. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) The main reason for this is that God has desperately wanted to share His kingdom with us (John 3:16-17; 1 John 4:9-10). To be honest, we do not deserve any of this since all of us have sinned by falling short of the glory of God but it is because of God’s love, mercy, and grace that we are saved spiritually (Romans 5:6-8), especially to those who believe in Jesus Christ “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. (Romans 3:21-31)

Not only we should start to believe in Jesus Christ through repentance (Acts 2:38-39; Acts 3:19-20), we also should surrender and give our lives to Him (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). This is probably the reason why 2 Peter 3:8-9 declares, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” The main reason for these is that everything actually belongs to God (Colossians 1:16-20), including us since we have been created by Him to be His image (Genesis 1:27). Therefore, sacrificing and denying ourselves is necessary to be true worshipers of God and followers of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:24-27). I have the conviction of sacrificing myself to write devotionals in the mornings if I stay at home, but I really cannot write them throughout the week except Sunday because of my fatigue. Because of this, I really have to sleep early, in order to wake up early to write devotionals. I do not only just have to do devotionals throughout the week, I have to read devotionals, the word of God and listen to my podcasts, which is filled with sermons or audio devotionals, and I also have to pray and do theology course(s). This does not mean that I am a religious person, but I am doing all these things to gain knowledge of God and I want to express what my faith of Jesus Christ really looks like to God. In other words, I am doing all these things for the glory of God. Lastly, when I go to school, I will become more busy regardless of my changing schedules. “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

God, the Source of Wisdom!

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” – James 1:5-8 NIV

All of us make mistakes throughout our lives. It is normal because we do not have infinite wisdom that are able to see future visions, whether we are Christian or not. I made a several mistakes in the past, such as not studying when I was teenager. Nevertheless, my biggest mistake, in a view point of now, would probably be not reading story books and novels at all when I was teenager. I did not know that reading them was so important in education, and I thought they were completely useless. Now I can see why my parents urged me to read. The main reason for this is that I need to develop my reading skills—skimming and scanning. I recently found out this through free online theology course because theology courses have so much reading to do. In addition to this, when I was in New York, I asked how much difficulty reading is in theology classes to one of my friends who has been at a Bible College. He said, “some of it is pretty heavy but if God's leading you to do it, don't let workload stop you.” Secondly, my biggest spiritual mistakes would be repenting before God but not putting it into practice. I did this several times. I hate the way I repent and not putting it into practice because I am one of God’s children (1 John 3:1-3) and nothing is hidden from God (Hebrews 4:13).

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:1-10)

To get right wisdom, we should come to Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28-30), the perfect image of God (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3), and ask God by praying to Him intimately. This does not mean that all of us should come to God, just to get wisdom. We should first believe in Jesus Christ intimately, then we are able to ask Him for the wisdom. In fact, He is the source of wisdom (Psalm 111:10) because He is omniscient God, which means He knows everything, even the future (Romans 11:33-36). Because of this, He is the beginning and the end as Revelation 1:8 tells us in New Living Translation. In addition, He is willing to give His Spirit when we only just ask Him (Luke 11:13). To tell the truth, the Spirit of God is basically the wisdom of God, who is able to guide us in walking with God until the end of the age (John 14:15-27). This is because the Spirit of God is the Spirit of the truth (John 16:7-15) and the Spirit of the righteousness (Romans 8:1-17). Not only the Spirit is the truth and the righteousness, He is the Spirit of the life (John 6:63-65), the holiness (John 14:26-27), and the freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. (John 14:6-10)

Our only effort is to live our lives according to the gospel of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:27-28) and the word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). ‘For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”’ (Romans 1:17) This is because the wisdom of God only comes to us if we are mature enough in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 2:6-10), and the Spirit is going to give the wisdom in His own timing (Ecclesiastes 3:1)  This is the part of the reason why we should believe in Jesus Christ intimately.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8)