Walk with Me...

Christ and his disciples on the road to Emmanus by Jan Wildens

 “The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything

he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.” 

(Genesis 39:2, NLT)

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

The morning sun wakes me up earlier each and every day. It is truly the season of summer. I can see a difference every day from our windows now, and sooner or later in July, the longest day of light will pass, which means our daylight will become shorter and shorter after the summer solstice. However, our green fields will not miss any blessings from the sunlight as they continue to grow until they reach the point of harvesting. Are we taking all the blessings from the daylight whether it is getting longer or shorter each and every day like the green fields for full harvesting?

In early June, Markesan Community celebrated June Dairy Days with music, fireworks, and parade. As you all know, this is my first year experiencing June Dairy Days since my family and I moved to Markesan last July. So, I walked to Pastor Yoder’s front yard on Manchester St. where all the Methodists were gathering to watch the parade together. 

Now guess what? As the people and parading cars passed right in front of me, they threw lots of candy and goodies. And I wondered, “Why do they throw those candies to me? Do I look like a child?” But I was so excited anyway! However, who is going to see this middle aged man with silver hair as a child? But the mystery was solved because I was sitting right next to Kendra, who loves candy. Actually, she collected two bucketfuls by herself! People threw candy to her, not to me. I learned that if you sit by yourself, you will not get anything. But to get candy during the parade, sit with the children. By the way, I enjoyed the parade and the fellowship on that day very much!

Now how about our spiritual journey? If we want to have blessings in our life, what can we do? Bible stories are not different from my parade experience. “You need to be with Someone Special!” One of these stories is about Joseph, who was sold as a slave by his jealous brothers. However, according to the Bible stories, because the Lord was with Joseph, he succeeded in everything he did, even as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. But that was not all. Even after he was thrown into the prison because of a false accusation, the Lord was still with him in the prison, showed him his faithful love, and caused everything he did to succeed... whatever he went through!

No wonder why King David later sang this song... 

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want... Yea, though I walk through the

valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod 

and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:1 & 4)

"The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want" by Jesse Seymour Irvine, 1872

Because God was with David, he did not fear anything! Instead, he was able to see blessings hidden in every situation. Now brothers and sisters in Christ, are you with the Lord in this season? Do you know our Lord is with us in every step we take? If not, Jesus invites us to join him today...

“Walk with me, I will walk with you and build the land that God has planned 

where love shines through. And when you share your faith with me and work for 

life made new, the witness of your faithfulness calls me to walk with you.” 

(TFWS 2242, “Walk with Me” by John Rice, 1988)

Join me..

Grace and Peace, 

Pastor Kyochul

Come! Holy Spirit! Come!

"Come Holy Spirit", by GMF Netherlands & Myanmar Choir

“Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, 

and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or
 tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.” (Acts 2:1-4, NLT)

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

It is a new season, the season of summer and the season of growing! Now, how’s your seed of faith which has been coming out of the power of Jesus’ resurrection going with you all in this season? As I begin to see that the green nature is breaking through the ground and begins to grow in the field, I am pretty sure that our faith is putting its big step on a totally different dimension, the field of joy and thanksgiving, filled with the Holy Spirit!

How is it so?

About two thousand years ago, as the followers of Jesus gathered together in one place, they experienced something strange but very new in their lives. It was fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection or ten days after Jesus’ ascension. We know Jesus spent his forty days with his disciples, teaching them more about the Kingdom of God and eating with them before his ascension. And as Jesus commended them, all of his followers met together and were constantly united in prayers for ten days after Jesus’ ascension, waiting for something new.

Then what happened? They received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Through this, their doubts and fears turned into the hope of the Kingdom eternal because they were able to dream dreams and vision visions. That was not all. They began speaking in other languages as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability so that Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem were able to hear about the wonderful things God has done through Jesus Christ in their native languages! It was the birthday of the Christian community, the church.

Now two thousand years after, it is us who hold this hope of eternal Kingdom of God filled with the Holy Spirit. Is this true to us all? And are we still experiencing this Holy Spirit of God each and everyday?

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, 

and to sharing in meals including the Lord’s Supper, and to prayer... performed many 

miraculous signs and wonders... met together in one place and shared everything 

they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those 

in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s 

supper and shared their meals with great joy and generosity.” (Acts 2:42-47, NLT)

A couple of months ago, during the confirmation class, we talked about this particular event in the bible. But our best interest was how they did after the birth of the church through the Holy Spirit because we want to be a church like that. Then, we found that all those things are still possible now through our willingness to be faithful to God and to the church, meeting together regularly for worship, study and prayer as well as bringing our true offerings to God to support the ministry of the church. However, there is one thing we cannot do by our willingness or by our decision unless the Holy Spirit gives us. It is to perform many miraculous signs and wonders! We asked ourselves, “Do we want to have that?”

"Holy Spirit Come to Us" from Taize Community

Now brothers and sisters in Christ, do we dream dreams and vision visions like this early church believers two thousand years ago? And do we want to be a church like that, taking the steps that the early church followed with the Holy Spirit? If we do, we will continue to ask, seek and knock until we receive, until we find and until it is opened to us through this season of Pentecost, the season of growing! Then everything will be turn into the joy and thanksgiving on earth as in heaven.

Join me..

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kyochul

My Spirit Filled Faith

Christ is risen, he is risen indeed!

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

A few days ago, I had a special plan with my family for attending an out of town event, and I heard about Winter Weather Warning for that particular day. It said that we might have several inches of snow all through the afternoon. However, it did not bother me much because we are already in the springtime waiting for the summer! Winter has lost its power and the spring has won the victory! 

"Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" by Charles Wesley

“Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!

Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!”

(written by C. Wesley, UMH 302, v.3)

Now it is truly the season of celebrating our Risen Lord. Around us, I can still hear Wesley’s resurrection hymn, “Christ the Lord is risen today”, and I cannot resist joining the chorus whenever it is heard. What a joy! What a power! And what a victory! Who is able to take these “Alleluias” from us now? I dare say “No one!”.

But two thousand years ago, in the same place, where he had called his disciples before he turned water into wine in the wedding at Cana (John 1:43), he visited and called them again after he was resurrected from the dead. Now, this risen Lord, who is visiting each one of our lives through this season, is inviting us to join the new journey with him and with his disciples in a new dimension with the same words.

“Follow Me.” (John 21:19, NRSV)

This means, the Christ’s resurrection was not the ending but the new beginning! I wondered, “how am I following him as my new beginning?”. Without hesitation, I can say, “It is with our unshakable spirit filled faith”. Why? Because those disciples, who got called by Jesus a second time, began their new journey with that faith, even after Jesus ascended into heaven. Which means they did that without Jesus because the Holy Spirit enabled them to heal, teach, and live like Christ Jesus. 

In other words, Jesus was always there as they kept that unshakable faith, and it made them grow in Christ filled with the Holy Spirit without fears or doubts anymore, but with joy even boldly confronting all the dangers of their life. But I wonder again, “Can I do the same?” and “How do I have that?” 

According to the stories of the disciples, they have witnessed the power that they held, the spirit filled faith. And it has continued until now two thousand years later on the other side of the world, in Wisconsin. So we follow Jesus like them.

Now brothers and sisters in Christ, here are what they hold in their hearts, the spirit filled faith, unshakable, as they followed him in a new dimension. 

Can we hold this spirit filled faith, unshakable, in us together now? If so, let us begin our new journey with Christ holding this together. We will truly find a joy eternal!

Join me..

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kyochul

2nd Symphony "Auferstehung" , Finale by G. Mahler 

Die Auferstehung

(5th movement)

Rise again, yes, rise again,
Will you My dust,
After a brief rest!
Immortal life! Immortal life
Will He who called you, give you.

To bloom again were you sown!
The Lord of the harvest goes
And gathers in, like sheaves,
Us together, who died.

by Freidrich Klopstock

O believe, my heart, O believe:
Nothing to you is lost!
Yours is, yes yours, is what you desired
Yours, what you have loved
What you have fought for!

O believe,
You were not born for nothing!
Have not for nothing, lived, suffered!

What was created
Must perish,
What perished, rise again!
Cease from trembling!
Prepare yourself to live!

O Pain, You piercer of all things,
From you, I have been wrested!
O Death, You conqueror of all things,
Now, are you conquered!

With wings which I have won for myself,
In love's fierce striving,
I shall soar upwards
To the light which no eye has penetrated!

Die shall I in order to live.
Rise again, yes, rise again,
Will you, my heart, in an instant!
That for which you suffered,
To God shall it carry you!

by Gustav Mahler

Leap!

“Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see.” 

(Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

Dance Battle from "Leap"

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

Now we have a whole different color of the season, winter into spring, not fancy yet though. Like the world prepares the new season of life, we are also preparing to celebrate the Christ’s resurrection through this season of Lent. I mean, we are preparing our new life in the power of the resurrection of Christ Jesus! 

Are we ready for that?

Anyway, it is now much easier for us to drive because we don’t have to worry about the snowy icy road for a while. So I can enjoyably look around the field while I am driving. I can see that the seasonal birds are coming back and singing in our deck and playing in the lake - still it is partly icy though. The shy greens are starting to show their faces in our front and back yard coming out from the ground. Of course, deer and turkeys near and far, I can see. 

But in a moment, I was kind of surprised by the fact that I was able to see those living things in a distance while I was driving because it was not possible for me to see that when I moved to Wisconsin about twenty years ago. So when someone pointed the deer in a far distance in the field, I was amazed of their ability. So I thought, they had a hunter’s eye because I did not see any. 

So what did I do? I sang in prayer, “O Lord, open my eyes that I may see!”. In other words, “Lord, give me that hunter’s eye because I am going to live in Wisconsin and I want to see those while I am driving”.

Now, somewhat I have that hunter’s eye. I wonder “How?”. 

I am guessing that it is not because I become a hunter but because I become a Wisconsinite. I am getting to realize more what is happening around me, many living things moving, crawling and growing in the fields - as you all know I grew in a big city covered by the cement and asphalt. So I dare to say I have an eye of a Wisconsinite now. My prayers were answered! How great our God is!

How about our spiritual life now moving from the season of Lent to the season of Christ’s resurrection? Do we see something amazing things that God has prepared for us, something unseen? But not sure? So I sing again in prayer, “Open my eyes that I may see, O Lord!”

“Open my eyes to see the wonderful truth in your instructions!” (Psalm 119:18, NLT)

As I read Psalm one day, I realize that I was not the only one who sang that song, “Open my eyes that I may see!”. Israel people, several thousand years ago, sang that song because they wanted to see something more, something beyond where they were. It was  the wonderful truths! 

Israel people are well known people of following the law, the words of God, because they delight in the law of the Lord meditating on it day and night. Why? Because they wanted to see something more, something hidden from the law. It was the wonderful truths!

Now people were able to see that through the eyes of Jesus Christ, so called faith. How come? 

Two thousand years ago, Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Hebrews who were struggling with having a new eye so called faith. Those Hebrews wanted to see something more from God’s instruction, the Law of Moses. And they began to ponder about those followers of Jesus Christ who had that new eye because even when they were in prison, they were filled with joy and thanksgiving. Even when they were persecuted because of their faith, they prayed for those who persecuted them. Why? Because they were able to see something more, the wonderful truths, whatever situation brought them. No wonder why those Hebrews wanted to have that long time even before that in Psalm. And it was their prayers.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, do we see something that Apostles could see when they were in prison? Do we see something that those Hebrew followers of Jesus could see when they were persecuted by Romans, the wonderful truths? Or do we want to have their eyes to see that truths that save lives, bring healing, bring restoration and bring victory? Of course we do. 

So now join me, our new journey with faith in Christ who suffered and died but resurrected. We will have that new eye!  

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kyochul

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return..

"A joyful heart is good medicine! But a crushed spirit dries up the bones” 

(Proverbs 17:22, ESV)

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

    As we enter into the new month, March, how's your heart working now? I just assumed that we could begin to talk about spring since we had a Groundhog Day in Feb already. However, from the outside, I see snow is still falling… snow on snow on snow. And my neighbor’s two big dogs in a distance are jumping back and forth with joyful hearts tasting the white stuff from above in a wide open field.

I know they don’t have to shovel the snow to clear their side walk. They don’t have to drive with the semi trucks splashing salty ice water over us and they don’t have to walk on the icy hills worrying about falling. It is no wonder why they can keep joyful hearts with snow. What a good life and what a good medicine!

As you all know... that white stuff, the snow flakes, don’t have any taste because they are just a combination of two hydrogen atoms with one oxygen atom. In other words, it is a kind of water! With my playful heart, I try to count them like a child.. and after a few seconds, I realize that it is not possible because they are infinite to me. 

However, can you believe all those infinite numbers of snowflakes are different to each other in size and shape? It is due to the differences in surrounding temperature and saturation as they are formed in the sky. Amazingly, God created them all one by one for certain days like today. Believe it or not, so also humans in this world! Even God can count all the numbers of hairs in our heads. It sounds like infinite numbers though...

“...the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; 

you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” (Luke 12:7, NLT)

Some years ago, an apostle named Paul, one of those people in God’s creation, shared his heart with us. However, it is rather strange at first because he sounded like he had a crushed spirit that dried up his bones.      

"Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is 

dominated by sin and death? (Romans 7:24, NLT)

I wonder what kind of snowflake he was. I am pretty sure he was formed like that by the surrounding environment, some hardships in his life caused by the human reality of sin and death. He is a truly unique snowflake, one and only in human history like all of us here on earth in the 21st century. However, he shared one element that all of us should realize. 

It is Jesus Christ, the image of God in him! So his ending was totally different as he found the answer through that image! So he has a new heart even under the same reality of sin and death. This is his song of a joyful heart after he found it.

“Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:25a, NLT)

Worthy Is the Lamb by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are now entering into the season of Lent as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is God’s searching journey through us as we spend our time for fasting and penance, instead of me searching, because as we let God search us through this season, God will renew our heart to celebrate the new life, full of joy and thanksgiving! Are we now ready to let God search us as we enter into the season of Lent together and find the answer like Paul did? Yes, we are! Join me..

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kyochul

Praise to Our God

Today, I vision visions...

 Gadol Adonai  from Praise to Our God Concert

Great is the Lord

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!

In the city of our God, in His holy mountain,

 I will come to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy.

I will bring the fruit of my lips as an offering before You.

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!

In the city of our God, in His holy mountain,

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men

 they shall be His people

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

There shall be no more death, pain, nor crying.

Hallelujah for the Lord our God reigns!

Hallelujah for the God Almighty reigns!

Let us rejoice and be glad and honor Him!

Hallelujah for the Lord our God reigns!

Hallelujah for the God Almighty reigns!

transcribed by Isa Camson of NIHOP

†

Immanoel  from the worship at Cave Church, Egypt

Immanuel

Your people declare their faith, holding onto your promises.

 You are our shepherd and precious, covering us in your grace.

Immanueul, Immanuel, God with us!

Whenever war toughens on us, Your Spirit’s manifestation is in us.

 You are ours, and who could satisfy us But You, our Savior?

Immanueul, Immanuel, God with us!

You teach us your word, a Lamp to our feet.

Your Spirit in us comforts us, and enlightens our eyes.

Immanueul, Immanuel, God with us!

†

Dona Nobis Pacem by St. Olaf Motet Choir with Congregation



Grant Us Peace....