In the Middle of It...

 

“Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the 

glory of the Lord rises to shine on you” (Isiah 60:1, NLT).

 

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

 

Again, “Time flies!” The season of green is now switching to the season of orange and yellow. I mean the vacation season is over! Some of you might say, “Not yet!” Is that some kinds of resistance? I am not sure what you think though, it will come sooner or later! So now, are we ready to get back to normal routines, I mean, fast moving, busy working routines?

 

By the way, one day, I just heard a voice coming out of the deep conner of the house, “Oh, No! I have to go back to school in a few days!” It was more like a sound of groaning. I am pretty sure that some of you love to go back to work or school from a long break; however, it is so true that, for most of us, with little fear or little anxiety to get back to that.

 

Actually about hundred years ago, there was a man named Charles Austin Miles. He was a pharmacist. One day, however, he abandoned his pharmacy carrier and began to write gospel songs because he felt like it is better way to serve God. We know one of his songs is “In the Garden”. Its last verse goes like this if you remember.

 

“I’d stay in the garden with him though the night around me be falling, but he 

bids me go; through the voice of woe his voice to me is calling” (UMH 314).

 

I believe that he knew how comfort, how peaceful and how amazing it was when he was with the risen Lord, Jesus Christ. He might want to stay there forever with him in the garden because it’s worry free and stress free, in God’s new creation, apart from the human reality of pains and sufferings. However, he decided to go back with love and compassion because God gave him something to do.

 

This song reminds me a story of Isaiah over twenty five hundred years ago. Israel was so depressed and hopelessly down. The Bible describes it like this. “Darkness as black as night covered all the nations of the earth” (Isaiah 60:2). Can you imagine that? However, in the middle of it, they heard the voice of God, “Arise and shine!” Is that possible to rise and shine in that situation? Sure! When they obey it as they see the heart of God, I mean, the love of God, it is possible. So it is a creation story!

 

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in this coming season of orange and yellow, God calls us to rise and shine! It is in the middle of fatigue from the vacation trip; it is in the middle of fighting with the health problems; it is in the middle of the fear of new classes; it is in the middle of anxiety in front of unknown fall and new opportunities… and grief and loneliness; and even in the middle of the physical, moral, financial, relational, and spiritual construction of our life. And we are still able to arise and shine because the glory of the Lord rises to shine on us!

 

So now, I’d like to invite you to come and join us in this month of September, our journey of “Arise and Shine!” as we get back to our normal routines. It starts from getting back to church each Sunday this month! So don’t forget that we will begin our never ending journey to the Kingdom of God eternal with Jesus again and we will find the true joy together!

 

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kyochul

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