How long, O Lord, Until You Restore Me?

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do and he will show you which path to take” 

(Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT).

 

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

Wow! Can you believe that it is already in August? Time flies! So, how’s your vacation time with Jesus going with you in this season so far? Now, wheat is harvested; corns, beans and peas are growing; hay is dried; and we are REFRESHED! Is that true to you all?  

 

We are actually having a very interesting summer around here in Markesan. One day in July, right after I came back home from my trip to Korea, I came to the church taking the road that I used to take before. But when I took a confident turn, a big sign said, “Road Closed!” It looked like there was some kind of road construction going on: black top was gone, the bare dark brownish soil was shown, and there were lots of plastic pipes, concrete pipes and construction equipment on the blocked road. 

 

So what could I do? I turned around and took a different road which was not blocked. However, it was truly a bumpy road, so on my way to be back home, I took another road on the other side of the church. However, it was also bumpy road because the smooth black top was all gone for the construction. So I asked our Mayer, “Is there any smoother road that I can find here around the church?” The answer was “No! Not for a while until the construction is finished!” So I asked him again, “How long, O Mayor, how long?” “Two more months until September!” “Two more months?”

 

“I am sick at heart. How long, O Lord, until you restore me?” (Psalm 6:3, NLT).

 

Thanks be to God for it is ONLY two months!

 

We know we are not the only one who asks “How Long?” when we hit the bumpy road in our life… or even when we walk in the dark valley, when we are blocked by the gigantic mountainous challenges, when we are shaken by the storms or fall into the deep pit of our life that we are not able to do anything but fear and tremble and learn helplessness like David, Asaph, Moses, Solomon and all other unknown writers of those psalms. However, those psalms end in singing “Hallelujah!”

 

“Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!” 

(Psalm 150:6, NLT). 

 

I wonder “why?” When we read them all, we know that it was because God showed them which way that they need to take for the safe arrival even taking all those bumpy roads as they seek his will in all they did, I mean as they look at God instead of all those bumpy roads ahead of them. 

 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, during this season of summer, as we ride on those bumpy roads to the church, I mean to God’s salvation, to His Kingdom eternal, and to the Promised Land, to be a blessing for the world, we will continue to sing “Hallelujahs” because we are standing on the way, the truth and the life through Jesus Christ.

 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation” (Psalm 27, 1a, NLT).

 

So now, I’d like to invite you to come and join us in this month of August, our bumpy road to the kingdom of God with Jesus alone! You will find true joy eternal!

 

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kyochul

He Leads Me Besides Still Waters!

“Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, 

sat down by the well. It was about noon.” (John 4:6, NIV).

           

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

As the summer is getting deeper, the temperature goes up. However, it is not all. Every morning, the gas price surprised us because it also goes up with the temperature. Hmm! We don’t want to be overheated, do we?   

 

So every time, when we fill up the gas tank, we expel the hearted sighing steam from our nostrils to cool us down for a moment. However, is that enough? Then, what else can we do in this season of heated summer? It’s taking a little break from our heated routines, I mean, from the hard work! In other words, it is a vacation season. We all deserve it, don’t we? Hallelujah! 

 

I believe most of you have some sort of vacation plans during this summer, even for a couple of days of getting away time from the busyness of your life, even for a half-day. And if you do, may our living God bless your time for the refreshing and renewing of your minds, bodies and souls for tomorrow!

“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me besides still waters.

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his

name’s sake” (Psalm 23:2-3, ESV).

 

However, do you know that it is a long time biblical tradition as God rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done, I mean from the creation story in Genesis? This tradition has not stopped yet and will never because it has a very important role in our journey with God. It’s God’s design!

 

Two thousand years ago, one day, Jesus and his disciples came back from their trip to Jerusalem. It means, they were all tired. They needed a break because their journey would go on. So, when they arrived in the village named Sychar in Samaria, Jesus sat down by the well to rest while his disciples went to prepare their lunch because it was around the noon time. In other words, everyone in the village took a break from their work too like Jesus and his disciples. 

 

However, there was a woman who came to draw water alone, not to be seen by others. Warnings! Just wondering why this woman worked while all other people in town took a break for lunch? Their must be some bad stories about her, I presume. Maybe some stories that she wanted to hide from others? However, her life changed totally as she had a little time with Jesus by the well. In other words, her life was renewed and she found confidence of her life again. She got a perfect vacation even when she came to draw water while others took a break because she spent time with Jesus!

 

“But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.

The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling

up to eternal life” (John 4:14, ESV).

 

That is what she got, “a spring of water welling up to eternal life!” from that very short vacation! Do we need that kind of vacation in this season of summer as all the trees and plants around us are continually growing up for fruits for the next season? Yes, we do! The true time with Jesus filled up by the living water he provides for the truthful, faithful, and fruitful life!

 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, during this season of summer, a season of vacation, we will continue our journey to the Kingdom of God eternal together as we come and sit down by the well where Jesus is waiting like this Samaritan woman. In other words, we will have a perfect vacation time in this month of July with Jesus. 

 

Join us! 

 

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kyochul

His Branches Run Over the Wall!

 

     “The Lord Bless and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be 

gracious to you; the Lord lift up his continuance upon you and give you peace” 

(Numbers 6:24-26, NRSV).

 

Isn’t this wonderful to begin our new day with this blessing? A biblical scholar, who lived in Israel some years ago, shared his experience with an orthodox Jewish people in Jerusalem. According to him, they love to bless others with that blessing. And when someone does, they stand firm and respond with threefold amen like “Amen, Amen, Amen!” I mean, “truly, truly, truly!” Seems like they are all eager to receive that blessing. I wonder why? 

 

By the way, greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

Now, it is all green around us! And it is so amazing to see those colors of green getting richer every day in this season. Lots of birds are resting, singing, birthing, and recuperating there! What a blessings! As those trees are growing, all those around are growing with them. What a blessings too!

 

It reminds me the image of the trees planted by the riverbank in the Bible that yield their fruits in each season and their leaves do not wither but prosper (Psalm 1:3). It’s truly a blessed life! But why? I dare to say, “To bless all those around!”

 

Actually, the Bible is full of those stories of blessings from the beginning to the ending! How come? Let’s visit the creation story from Genesis. As God created the heavens and the earth, He blessed them.

 

“Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the 

earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, 

and all the animals that scurry along the ground’” (Genesis 1:28, NLT).

 

However, it was not all. God even blessed the seventh day, I mean “the time”, after He created everything and rested. And He declared what he blessed holy. And it does not end there. Later time at the end of the book of Genesis, Jacob blessed Pharaoh, a foreign king, twice as he visited him. And before he died, he also blessed all of his children, twelve of them. Particularly, his blessing for Joseph was very impressive.

 

“Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; 

his branches run over the wall” (Genesis 49:23, NRSV).

 

Can we see the image of God in those stories? God blessed so he blessed, I mean Jacob! Then what? “So we bless!”

 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, as we look around, our life is truly a series of blessing as the Bible describes. However, are we receiving this fully when the blessing is knocking on our doors to fill our life abundantly like the trees along the riverbank? Our Lord Jesus is right there to bless us eternally right now in this season. Would you like to open your heart and receive it?

 

Some years ago, Billy Graham prayed with people who wanted to accept this blessing from God like this.

 

“Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior. In your Name, Amen.”

 

We truly want to respond to that firmly saying threefold amen, “Amen, Amen, Amen!” Why? Because we want to bless others like Jacob, like Joseph, like trees by the riverbank, and like Christ Jesus! So in this month of June, we will experience the full blessings from God to bless others. Join us!

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kyochul

 

“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes 

in me will live, even after dying” (John 11:25, NLT).

 

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

It has been our joy to look around and see how God is painting in this new season for us! But how long have we waited for this under the cold rains and chilly winds even after all the snow was gone?    From time to time, someone came and asked me, “Pastor! Our summer is getting shorter in Wisconsin! Do something for us!” Then, what can I do as a small powerless creature? “Pray and wait!” Even though it was slow, God never disappoints us because God hears our prayers! So here we go! Maybe little more than that?

 

“There the Lord will display his glory, the splendor of our God” (Isaiah 35:2b, NLT).

 

One day, I just got out of my office and drove about 100 yards down the hill. But I had to stop my car because I noticed something on the ground in someone's front yard. There were bright spots covered with little tiny sky blue flowers called Early Snow Glories. How can I miss that moment? So I took out my smartphone, got out of the car, and took several pictures of it. Then someone came out of the house. So I praised him, “Oh! You are the gardener! It’s so beautiful!” Then, for a while, we talked about God’s ecosystem in the street!  

 

“Even the wilderness and desert will be glad in those days. The wasteland 

will rejoice and blossom with spring crocuses” (Isaiah 35:1, NLT).

 

This is the season! However, it is not that simple if we look closer to it because I know that those little tender tiny plants had to endure in the dark frozen soil all throughout the winter season and to break out the hard soil to bring forth their beauty. But how could they do it? Because it is life, I mean the power of life! There is nothing bigger than life, nothing stronger than life, and nothing can block the power of life! No wonder why Jesus had to say two thousand years ago,

 

I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes 

in me will live, even after dying” (John 11:25, NLT).

 

We know several hundred years before Jesus showed that divine reality by himself, I mean death is swallowed up in victory through His resurrection, a prophet named Isaiah shouted out the hope of life, I mean the power of life that God has put in us from the beginning which has been covered by the sins of this world. There is nothing that can defeat death but life! And this life is with us now and forever, I mean with each one of us! So what are we going to do from now on?

 

“Yes, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy!” (Isaiah 35:2a, NLT).

 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, have you received this life through Christ’s resurrection in this season?; do you believe in this divine reality for you?; or do you want to live in this power forever? It is not too late to accept it, even today!   Some years ago, Billy Graham prayed with people who wanted to accept this power of life. So pray with me.

 

“Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior. In your Name, Amen.”

 

Then, there will be an abundance of flowers and singing and joy! Our new life is ahead of us. Join us!

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kyochul

Joy to the World the Lord Is Come!

“No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to 

make His blessings flow far as the curse is found” (Isaac Watts, UMH 246).

 

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

One day, for a certain reason, a song that I sang last Christmas came to my mind and it made me hum  all day long. “Hm Hm Hum Hum Hum Hum Hum Hum”, I mean, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King…” Believe it or not, outside, there was snow! 

 

I remembered someone told me, “Spring will not come until July in Wisconsin.” However, I could not let it be. So I hummed more. “Hm Hm Hum Hum Hum Hum Hum Hum”, I mean, “and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing…” Then, guess what? All the snow was gone in the afternoon! Can you believe that because I hummed? Actually, no matter what, spring is here even in Wisconsin!

 

So how’s your soul today? It is well with my soul?

 

By the way, some years ago, computer scientists created artwork that changes all the time according to how the viewer feels. Actually, the computer program analyzes the position and shape of the viewer's mouth, the angle of eye brows, and the openness of the eyes, and other several facial features to determine the viewer’s emotional state. Then, based on the viewer’s mood, it alters. It is a kind of emotional mirror. So if joy is seen on the face, the artwork will show up in bright colors but if there’s a scowl, the image will become dark and somber.

 

Just wondering what kind of image it will show if I stand in front of that artwork.

 

However, two thousand years ago, there was a different kind of artwork on the cross, named Jesus Christ. Whatever he saw, he showed only one thing. When people treated him badly, mocked him, spat on him, and gambled on his clothes, he showed only one thing. When people nailed him on the cross, and even when they betrayed him and abandoned him, he showed only one thing.

 

“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34a, NLT).

 

What is it? It is God’s love that broke the chain of our sin and death and moved us into the life of eternal joy! 

 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who 

believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16, NRSV).

 

Because he is full of this kind of love, it overflows from him no matter what! And if we are touched by that love, everything changes! Even our curse becomes a blessing! How can we not sing, “Joy to the World” all day long… I mean, forever?

 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, have we touched by his love yet? We need it, don’t we? So now, in this month of April, I would like to invite you to join us on this new journey letting this love fully touch us so that we can hum “Joy to the World” all day long without ceasing! Join us!

 

 

Grace and Peace,  

Pastor Kyochul

 

 

Lord! Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace!

“Make Me a Channel of Your Peace, 

Where There is Hatred, Let Me Bring Your Love…” (TFWS 2171).

 

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

How’s your soul today? It is well with my soul? 

 

For the last several months, I could not use the left side of my teeth very well because of the pain it brought. And even drinking water was not very easy for me. So one day, I went to see my dentist to repair a decaying and infected tooth. Actually, it ended up with a root canal. It sounded complicated though, the procedure was just to remove the pulp to treat that particular tooth. 

 

So what did they do first? 

 

They put me on a very comfortable chair… which was a good part. But, as soon as I was situated on it comfortably, they covered my eyes with dark colored sunglasses and then fixed my mouth with some unknown plastic blocks, to keep it open and then they placed a sheet of robber around that tooth. 

 

Which means, I could not talk. Actually, I could not do anything when they cleaned it up, filled it up and covered it up! However, now I am able to drink and chew without pain! The beauty of the root canal! So, it is well with my soul now!

 

Anyway, through this month of March, we are entering into the season of Lent, forty days of preparation to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Historically, Lent began as a period of fasting and preparation for baptism by new believers in Christ and then became a time for penance by all believers. 

 

In other words, it is now time for having a root canal done… for our spiritual tooth if there is any infected or decaying one. I'm pretty sure we all do.  However, it doesn’t sound easy, does it? 

 

But why? Because we might have to deal with some areas, hidden, abandoned, ignored and blinded spots, deep inside of our hearts, that caused some pains of our life or made our life stinky. 

 

And it might make us uncomfortable when we deal with that directly. So, not many people want to go there freely and honestly, I mean, our reality of sin and death. However, as we let God work through us in trust during this Lent, we will experience a total freedom from that bondage of pain, I mean, the power of Jesus’ resurrection! It is the beauty of Lent!

 

So now are we ready for this forty days of Lenten Journey together, I mean, for having a spiritual root canal?

 

Actually, for us, it is little more than a spiritual root canal because, during Lent, our living God… not only cleans us and fixes us but also makes us into a certain instrument for His purpose, I mean a totally different one. 

 

Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles 

and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15, NLT).

 

We know Saul, a Pharisee of Pharisees, who persecuted Christians before he met Christ on the way to Damascus. But later on, he became Paul, an apostle. After he had his spiritual root canal done… by the hands of God, he became God's chosen instrument. It is a beauty of God’s hands! 

 

Once He touches, everything becomes new, with a new identity, with a new purpose, and with a new meaning… for a new way of life! 

 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, are we looking for that… through this Lenten season, a new identity, a new purpose, and a new meaning? 

 

In this month of March, we will experience how God makes us as his chosen instrument of His peace. As we let God touch us, cleans us, mold us and fill us, we will take small steps in trust! This will be another exciting and exhilarating month trusting God alone! So, now I would like to invite you to join us on this new journey of spiritual root canal! Join us!

 

Grace and Peace,   

Pastor Kyochul

“Don’t be afraid. I am here!” (John 6:20b, NLT).

 

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

Now, we are stepping into our second month of this year already! In January, our first month of this year, we just checked the water temperature and the condition of the water in a shallow water near the land before we move into the deeper water. So, as we move into much deeper water this month, we might be able to enjoy the water more, the beauty of God’s creation in a new way; however, we might experience some strong wind storms too. Are we ready to take all those boldly now, whatever it comes?

 

Some years ago, after Jesus fed thousands of people with five barley loaves and two fish, I mean after he made an incredible miracle in front of people, Jesus’ disciples got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. 

 

Actually, they waited for Jesus to join them; however, until darkness fell, Jesus did not show up. So they decided to cross the water in darkness by themselves. But in the middle of the lake, a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. So they tried very hard to move on in darkness in the middle of the lake. But suddenly, they saw Jesus walking on the water toward that struggling boat. They were terrified because they did not know what it was. We know what happened after that. Jesus said, “Hey! Don’t be afraid! It’s me!” They might say happily, “Oh! Jesus, come in please!” Actually, they did!

 

“Then, they were eager to let him in the boat and immediately 

they arrived at their destination” ( John 6:21, NLT). 

 

It means, they were able to move across the lake safely!

 

When I was driving one day, I saw the snow covered lake, I mean a frozen lake. They are all around us now. Then, something came to my mind, “Wow, everybody can walk across the lake like Jesus in our winter time, even though it is on the ice.” 

 

There might be many ways to move across the water like through swimming, taking a boat, or walking on the frozen water, even driving on it. However, what is the safest way to move across the water? Just think about it! The depth of the water might be a problem, and unpredictable movement of the water below, and the weather like a strong gale, and furthermore, in darkness?

 

However, we witness that the safest way to cross the water is walking with Jesus, no matter what!

 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in this month of February, as usual, we will talk about how to wade in the water, I mean in the relational water which is sometimes peaceful, sometimes roaring, fluctuating, swirling, shaking, and sometimes frozen, muddy, or clear like the water in the lake. How can we cross the water together safely no matter what? The answer is the same! With Jesus alone!  

 

Another exciting and exhilarating month journeying with Jesus! So, now I would like to invite you to join us this new journey of wading in the water together with Jesus! Join us!

 

Grace and Peace,  

Pastor Kyochul