Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good!

 

“Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not 

know about things to come.” (Jeremiah 33:3, NLT)

Morehouse College, “We Shall Overcome!”

 

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

 

It has been quite the summer with news of hurricanes, floods, and fires in many different places in our world, even in the world of our politics, economy as well as in human relationships, fighting with unseen enemies like COVID 19 outbreak or all isms. However, we know that human reality is unavoidable and it is nothing new to us because of our sins from the beginning in the Christian understanding. I am just wondering where I am and what I am doing dealing with this reality now.

 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, how are you dealing with the same reality in the same world? 

 

First of all, we are the church, the body of Christ, that holds the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. However, what can we do as a church together who holds it?

 

“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever 

you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19b, NRSV)

 

We remember that Jesus promised Peter, calling him the Rock on which he builds his church. So now what? One thing comes to my mind. “Pray!” So, do we pray? If so, how do we pray?

 

More than two thousand years ago, the people of Israel sang a song in Babylonian exile. 

 

“O Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back 

for what you have done to us. Happy is the one who takes your babies 

and smashes them against the rocks.” (Psalm 137:8-9, NLT)

 

After they lost their country and their families, they were captured by their enemy and brought to those enemy’s land. They were not able to worship in Jerusalem anymore but had to please those Babylonians who crushed their temple and families as the war slaves. So what could they do? They prayed for revenge. 

 

I am just wondering if our righteous God listened to their prayers and crushed them like that prayer at the moment. Would those Hebrew slaves really be happy? And would it be the will of God done on earth as in heaven for justice? Maybe temporarily; however, not eternally. Why? Because they still have to deal with the reality of sin and death after their will be done on earth. So, do we still want that? No! So what is the eternal solution for those sinful mortals including us?    

 

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21, NRSV)

 

We know we are the ones who can be crushed like that by the just and righteous God because of our reality of sin and death. It is also because God listens to our prayers watching all the unjust and unrighteous things that happen among us and by us against each other. He knows them all. How can we be free from the wrath of our all-knowing God toward our unavoidable sin?

 

Only through Christ and his grace!

 

Bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit is the sign of being freed from the reality of sin and death by the grace of Jesus Christ! 

 

Join us again!

Pastor Kyochul

 

Lord, Hear Our Prayers! (The Week of August 17, 2020)

 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

“People Need the Lord” Steve Green

Hi Family!!! 

 

It has been five months already since we have fought with COVID 19 and summer is now moving toward its end and the school will begin in a couple of weeks; however, the COVID 19 has not been under control yet. Our concerns might be growing in us and we are getting tired of what we have kept for protecting each other. Then, I look back to those stories in the bible telling us how the Israelite had endured in the Land of Egypt as slaves for hundreds of years and also in Babylonian exile for over 60 years. Waiting is not easy; however, we know the day will come, the day when we are able to worship freely in gathering!

 

So, we will continually worship in spirit and truth wherever we are and take steps to God looking for the hidden treasures from heaven during those challenging times. We will build a much stronger faith foundation in Christ during those days. Through this faith, God will bring healing in our home, our community, our church, our nation and the whole world. So here they are…  

 

1. Take a little moment of meditation on Romans 11:29, “Calling of God” each day this week.

 2. Memorize Matthew 15:18 today.

 3. Sing with Psalm 133 each day this week. 

 

4. Pray with Matthew 15:27 each day this week.

5. Ask God to open my eyes to see His Kingdom from today.

6. Pray for Paul family this week.

7. Pray for the healing of our nation each day this week.

 

Now we have this week’s prayer list. Let us continue to call upon the name of the Lord as we take next steps together as one body!

 

Be clean and keep your safe distance from EVERY unseen enemy around us!!

 

Grace and Peace,

pk

Lord, Hear Our Prayers! (The Week of August 3, 2020)

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

 Still by Gospelhaus Choir

Hi Family!!! 

It is such a nice and cool summer day today! Hope you find some time to go out and enjoy this gift of summer season! Even though we are dealing with COVID 19, there are still lots to count as blessings. Also we know this battle with COVID 19 will end someday.

Anyway, have we found any treasure from heaven or bear some fruit of the spirit this week? So far, those fruits are “a Love that breaks the wall; a Joy of the Lord, our strength; a Hope filled patience; a Peace like a river; and a miracle making Kindness! However, those are not all in this season of growing and we will continue to journey with Christ Jesus taking steps each day for bearing more fruits. So here they are! I will…

1. Take a little moment of meditation on Matthew 14:18, “Bring them here to me” each day this week.

2. Memorize Ephesians 4:32 today.

3. Sing with Psalm 17:1-7 each day this week. 

4. Pray for the tender heart from today.

5. Show kindness to two people each day this week.

6. Witness the miracle making kindness of Jesus from today.

7. Pray for our Trustees this week.

Now we have this week’s prayer list. Let us continue to call upon the name of the Lord as we take next steps together as one body!

Especially, we want to keep Lebanon in our prayer this week.

Also we feel bad for all those who are not able to join our in-person Sunday worship due to their difficulties wearing masks but we encourage you to worship online continually if you are not able to come.

Be clean and keep your safe distance from EVERY unseen enemy around us!!

 

Grace and Peace,

pk

A Compass of Christ's Heart!

“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,

 

As the weather gets hotter, the conversations among people are also getting hotter in such a time as this.  However, it is kind of surprising for me to see that one of the hottest subjects among us is about a simple practice of wearing masks dealing with COVID 19 whether it is medical issue, political issue, emotional issue or psychological issue.

 

Then, it has been developed into the issue of human rights, the freedom of choice. Interestingly, its starting point was to find how to keep each other safe from this unseen enemy, COVID 19, until we find the better solution. It was recommended by the medical experts who can guide common people like us with their knowledge and wisdom from their experiences. 

 

However, not everyone accepts these experts recommendation because of the mistrust in the flood of information. Even now we read some people’s response: “I’d rather die with COVID 19 instead of wearing mask giving up my freedom. Nothing will change me!” Actually, the direction of the conversation changes from the battle with COVID 19 to the battle with human rights. Then we are jumping into the realm of politics of the world. So where do we go as followers of Jesus Christ at such a time as this? As politicians for the Kingdom of God, we can say, “We need politics of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom!”

 

One day, when I started my car and saw the direction for the compass, NE, I wondered, what if this direction is wrong; what if the sign of NE is not really NE but SE because the compass in my car is malfunctioning. However, we know it won’t happen because the compass always points North and South. Why? Because it is what it is! So we call it a compass like water is water, trees are trees and God is God, Jesus Christ is Jesus Christ, and Christians are Christians.

 

As we feel lost together, do we have a compass we can rely on? And what kind of compass do we have? Many people long before us prayed fervently in such a time as this...

 

“Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me 

to your holy mountain, to the place where you live” (Psalm 43:3, NLT)

 

So now, brothers and sisters in Christ, what does God send us now as our light and our truth at a time like this? 

 

“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:2, NIV).”

 

We will truly do this through fixing our eyes on Jesus! However, how can we do that? In the month of August, we will continue to practice it with the stories of fruit bearing life. Come and join us... and find what to do growing with the Holy Spirit!  

 

Seeking His Kingdom first,

Pastor Kyochul

 

Lord, Hear Our Prayers! (The Week of July 27, 2020)

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

“God and God alone” Nederland Zingt

Hi Family!!! 

 

We are now in the deep summer season waiting for the new month of August. Time flies! No matter what happens in our life, time moves without stopping. And as long as we take air in and air out, we all have twenty four hours a day. There is no exception. God who created heaven and earth must be fair!

 

So in these summer months dealing with COVID 19, how do you use your time? Do you sleep well? Do you eat well? And do you breathe well? If not, we will take a few minutes now to stretch our arms and wiggle our shoulders, left and right and front and back, up and down! And if yes, you can still do that with me.

 

Anyway, have we found any treasure of heaven or bear some fruit of the spirit this week? If not sure, we will continue to journey with Christ Jesus taking steps each day again. So here they are! I will…

 

1. Take a little moment of meditation on Matthew 13:44 “Treasure hidden” each day this week.

2. Memorize Romans 8:28 today.

3. Sing with Psalm 105:1-11 each day this week. 

4. Pray for the peace of the world this week.

5. Be an instrument of god’s peace from today.

6. Be still in the presence of God from today.

Now we have this week’s prayer list. Let us continue to call upon the name of the Lord as we take next steps together as one body!

Be clean and keep your safe distance from EVERY unseen enemy around us!!

Grace and Peace,

pk

Lord, Hear Our Prayers! (The Week of July 20, 2020)

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

 

“Like Perfume to Your Feet” by Sister Erin O'Neill

Hi Family!!! 

 

Make hay while the sun shines. I think today is the day! However, it began with a little gloomy sky this morning. What a change! We learn something every day from God’s creation. Actually, God reminds us of something new each and every day. Even though it might not look very good in the beginning but its ending might be totally different! So we don’t lose hope, especially in God.

 

Now, how’s your week going so far? This year’s corn looks taller than last year. And believe it or not, our hottest season is almost over? So have we found any treasure of heaven or bear some fruit of the spirit this week? If not sure, we will continue to journey with Christ Jesus taking steps each day. So here they are! I will…

 

1. Take a little moment of meditation on Matthew 13:30 each day this week.

2. Memorize Romans 8:24-25 today.

3. Sing with Psalm 139:1-24 each day this week. 

4. Pray for the school, teachers, staff and students preparing Fall Semester in a month.

5. Take one step at a time with hope filled patience from today.

6. Share god’s hope with two people this week.

  

Now we have this week’s prayer list. Let us continue to call upon the name of the Lord as we take next steps together as one body!

 

Be clean and keep your safe distance from EVERY unseen enemy around us!!

 

Grace and Peace,

pk

Lord, Hear Our Prayers! (The Week of July 13, 2020)

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

“There Is Power in the Blood”, Angela Primm

 

Hi Family!!! 

 

Have we found any treasures of heaven this week? There are always hidden treasures when we encounter some challenges in our life. It has been about four months since we have reacted to the challenge from COVID 19. Actually, we reacted to God when this challenge came to our life because He is the only one who can really help us. Have we found any treasure of heaven so far? I believe we might have a much stronger and deeper relationship with Jesus Christ than four month ago! This stronger and deeper relationship will help us to be fruitful in our life.

 

So now we will continue to journey with Christ Jesus taking steps each day this week. So here they are!

 

1. Take a little moment of meditation on Matthew 13:9. “Some Hundredfold” each day this week.

2. Memorize Romans 8:2 today.

3. Sing with Psalm 119:105-112 each day this week.  

4. Pray for the joy of my heart this week.

5. Look for the joy of God each day this week.

6. Cultivate my spiritual soil from today.

 

Now, for the reminder, due to the temperature in the building and the health concerns of many people who are not able to wear masks during worship, we will limit our singing hymns and responsive readings and shorten our service.

 

Still, wearing a mask is strongly recommended when you come into the building and also keeping social distance in the building at least 6 feet away from each other is very crucial practice for protecting each other.

 

Also you will be usher out after worship and I will greet you outside of the building.

 

Please also remember that if you are not comfortable to come to the in-person worship or wearing masks during worship hour, you can continue to worship online.

 

This is quite a challenging time for everyone. However, this is also a good time to test our faith in God to see where we are in our journey to the Kingdom of God eternal. We will truly grow in faith bearing much fruit of the Holy Spirit. And the day will come, the day when we can freely worship in singing and praying in full fellowship with God and each other counting many blessings from God.

  

Now we have this week’s prayer list. Let us continue to call upon the name of the Lord as we take next steps together as one body!

 

Be clean and keep your safe distance from EVERY unseen enemy around us!!

 

Grace and Peace,

pk