Mission Blessings is a daily devotional to bring a blessed day for viewers.

MISSION BLESSINGS

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 
 
Hebrews 11:1-3, 6-10 
 
 
11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 
 
6 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. 
 
7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. 
 
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 
 
 
Today’s title is "To Believe is to See" 
 
One of the most universally accepted maxims is " to see is to believe". Why is it so? In my opinion, people think so because we normally get the most information through seeing. Although we gather information and knowledge in many different ways, nothing really compares to the amount of information we get through our vision. Some say that more than 90% of the information we get comes through our eyes. I believe that's why people can't believe anything unless they see it. We fully understand such human attitudes. But is it really true all the time? Most people of faith will definitely say “No” to the question. Although they didn't deny that we gather most information through seeing, they knew that our ability to see with our physical eyes are very limited. They believed what we see is indeed a tip of the iceberg of what really is in and around our life. Anyone with a reasonable mind can agree to it. The famous writer Ernest Hemingway even said that "Those who do not believe something just because they have not seen it are fools". In life, there are so many things that we don’t see and can’t see. To deny the fact is a fool. Even though we are a wonderful creation of God, we have clear limits. Our intelligence and strength are limited. Our time is limited. Our boundaries of living are limited too. We just can't see everything there is. Our eyes can also be easily misguided for our mind is corrupted. We tend to see what we want to see only, not what really is there. The Bible says that God is fundamentally invisible, for He is Spirit. No one can see Him unless He reveals Himself to us. Like God, many invisible things are more fundamental in our life than visible things. The invisible aspects of life such as love and trust are much more important than visible things. This is why our faith comes before seeing. We can see many more things when we believe, not the other way around. How about you? Is still seeing is believing for you? I really don't want you to be trapped in the foolishness of "seeing is believing". Believe! Then you will see. That's what Abraham and Noah did. That's how many believers lived throughout history. Are you ready to follow the footsteps of the faithful?

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1-3, 6-10


11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.  3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

6 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.

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived i

To Believe is To See  (Hebrews 11:1-3, 6-10)  Mission Blessings

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones 
 
Ezekiel 37:1-10 
 
 1 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth by among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” 
 
I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” 
 
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 
 
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 
 
9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army. 
 
 Today’s title is “ From Dry Bones To A Vast Army” 
 
 Have you ever wandered around the cemetery? What did you feel? Many people would say that they feel gloomy and somber or even spooky. Someone will even say more bluntly, “This is a place of the dead. What else can you expect? ” How about you? Do you agree with them? Being a pastor, I went to cemeteries countless times. I presided the countless number of funerals in many different cemeteries. I know that a cemetery is really a sad place for some. For them, death means the end of all life and all hope. No matter how colorful the life of the dead might have been, it is all stopped here and now forever for them. But for some others, the cemetery has a totally different meaning. Yes, it is a sad place where they have to bury their own loved ones. However, it is also a place of hope and faith like none other. It is a place where we could look beyond death and beyond this world. One of my favorite graveside sermons is what Jesus said and did at the death of His beloved friend Lazarus. I am not going to elaborate on what happened thereafter. In short, Lazarus died and was lying buried in the grave for four days. But Jesus called out Lazarus from the grave. The dead walked out of the grave at the command of Jesus. A lot of people witnessed the miracle. Many of them could not believe it even though they saw it with their naked eyes. There are many who still do not believe it. But Jesus knew what He was doing. And God foretold what would happen through His Son Jesus Christ several hundred years ago. We see it in today’s passage. When the breath of God entered into dry bones, the bones turned into a vast army at the valley of death. As God has shown the vision to the prophet, He breathed into the Israelites that were dead in trespasses and revived them again. When Jesus called out Lazarus with His breath, Lazarus came into life. Now He is ready to breathe into your dry bones. What are your dry bones that make you absolutely hopeless? God is asking the same question that He asked Ezekiel to you, “Son of man, can these bones live?”. What is your answer? Yes, your dry bones can turn into a vast army when the Spirit of the Lord comes into you. Let us just earnestly pray that the spirit of the Living God falls afresh on us. Amen!

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones

Ezekiel 37:1-10

  1 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth by among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a

From Dry Bones To A Vast Army (Ezekiel 37:1-10)  Mission Blessings

And if the prophet is enticed to utter a prophecy, I the Lord have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel. 
 
Ezekiel 14:9-11 
 
9 “‘And if the prophet is enticed to utter a prophecy, I the Lord have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel. 10 They will bear their guilt—the prophet will be as guilty as the one who consults him. 11 Then the people of Israel will no longer stray from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’” 
Today’s title is “Enticed as Guilty as Enticer” 
 
 Eve was enticed by the serpent to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve ate the fruit and gave it to Adam too. Adam and Eve both sinned against God who clearly forbade them not to eat the fruit. As sin crept into the hearts of Adam and Eve, two things happened. First, both of them felt guilt. Second, they wanted to blame it on someone else. So when they were confronted by God about it, Adam blamed the women who gave the fruit to him. Eve blamed the serpent. What was God’s verdict to them? The serpent received the most severe verdict for the temptation. But God didn’t acquit Adam and Eve completely from their sins. They had to bear their share of guilt. I believe the two things still happen to every sinner including us. When we sin, we wish we could blame it on someone else and go scot-free. But the most ancient principle of each bearing own share of guilt still stands strong. There were a lot of false prophets and shepherds at the time of Ezekiel. They misled the people of Israel away from God and to idolatry. When God confronted them, the people of Israel blamed the false prophets and shepherds. “We were just following what they have said. We thought they were sent from you, God.” People of Israel might have said something like this to God as an excuse. But they could not escape from their own guilt. God’s verdict is clear and consistent. If any prophet is wrong, God will punish him for what he has done. But that doesn’t make the people of God who consulted him any less guilty. Prophets, shepherds, and pastors are all supposedly servants of God. God wants His people to have a proper relationship with these servants of God. But people’s relationship with the servants of God can never replaces God’s relationship with the people. We are God’s people, not the people of the servants of God. Have respect for the servants of God. Maintain a proper relationship with them. But be always mindful that they are as vulnerable as you are. It is your responsibility to make sure whether they are true to God or not. It may sound difficult for innocent people of God. But a sheep that hears the voice of its genuine master every day can never fall into the voice of a faked one. A baby who is constantly nourished by his own mother can never miss his own mother’s voice. So let’s just walk daily with God and rest in Him. You will never fall into the enticement of a fake one. Amen!

And if the prophet is enticed to utter a prophecy, I the Lord have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel. 

Ezekiel 14:9-11  

9 “‘And if the prophet is enticed to utter a prophecy, I the Lord have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel. 10 They will bear their guilt—the prophet will be as guilty as the one who consults him. 11 Then the people of Israel will no longer stray from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins. They will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
Today’s title is  “Enticed as Guilty as Enticer”

              Eve was enticed by the serpent to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil.  Eve ate the fruit and gave it to Adam too.  Adam and Eve both sinned against God who clearly forbade them not to eat the fruit.   As sin crept into the hearts of Adam and Eve,  two thi

The Enticed As Guilty AS Enticer (Ezekiel 14:9-11 )  Mission Blessings

Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me. Then the word of the Lord came to me: 
 
 
Ezekiel 14:1-5 
 
 
14 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me. 2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? 4 Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. 5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.’ 
 
 
 Today’s title is “Woes for the Divided Hearts” 
 
 
 Jesus was meek and gentle as He Himself said. He expressed great compassion for all those who suffer either from diseases of poverty. He wasn’t judgmental toward any kind of sinners. He accepted them as they are. But Jesus showed His anger expressively toward the religious leaders of His time such as high priests, Pharisees, and Sadducees. We see such an example of His anger in Matt 23:33. He says to the teachers of laws and Pharisees “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?”. We see here the completely different side of meek and gentle Jesus. But that was a rather consistent attitude of God toward the religious leaders whose hearts are not wholeheartedly devoted to God. They usually have a pretense of faith but no genuine fear and love for God. Their hearts are preoccupied with different idols other than God. God has expressed the greatest anger and frustration toward such hypocritic minds throughout the bible. Today’s passage is one of such examples that God expressively reveals His abomination against the hypocrisy of religious leaders. Some of the elders came visiting Ezekiel apparently asking for God’s wisdom and blessings. They obviously had the outward appearance of piety. But God knew what’s in their hearts. They set up multiple idols in their hearts. What were they thinking? Did they think that God would not know their idolatry? Did they think God would not mind if they serve God and idols together? Either way, God takes it as a great insult to His power and integrity. Such divided hearts is worse than a flat denial of God. Indeed such hypocrisy of religious leaders at the time of Jesus rejected and crucified the Son of God. No wonder why God is so furious against such hypocrisy. Unfortunately one of the prominent spirits of our time is such hypocritic multiplicity of religion. Those who want to keep the biblical purity of faith are often criticized as “narrow-minded or old-fashioned”. We might be compelled to compromise and go with the flow from all directions. But God is looking down and searching if there is anyone whose heart is wholeheartedly devoted to Him. It will be wonderful if He found in us such wholehearted devotion to Him. Are you keeping purity and integrity of your faith in God?

Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.  Then the word of the Lord came to me: 


Ezekiel 14:1-5   


14 Some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me. 2 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? 4 Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. 5 I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.’


                             Today’s title is  “Woes for the Divided Hearts”


         Jesus was meek and gentle as He Himself said.   He expressed great compassion for all those who suffer either from disea

Woes To Divided Hearts  (Ezekiel 14:1-5 )   Mission Blessings

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing’ 
 
Ezekiel 12:21-25 
 
 
21 The word of the Lord came to me: 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing’? 23 Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.’ Say to them, ‘The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled. 24 For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations among the people of Israel. 25 But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, you rebellious people, I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord.’” 
Today’s title is “False Visions and Flattering Divinations” 
 
 God says that we have no excuse to deny Him. Romans 1 says that His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. But many people still deny God with one excuse or another. Such a stubborn flat denial of God will incur the wrath of God in due time. What’s equally horrible to God are excuses of God’s people who claim to believe in God. God expresses anger against such virtual unbelief of people of God. We see a good example of such unbelief of people of God in today’s passage. God brings prophet Ezekiel’s attention to a very popular proverb among the Israelites at the time. The proverb says, “The days go by and every vision comes to nothing.” 
Does this sound familiar to you? Surprisingly I hear similar expressions very often in our own time too. The proverb justifies and promotes unbelieving trend of the time. When people say the proverb to one another, they are in a way encouraging people not to believe what God has promised. God expresses great anger toward such a proverb. He says that He will put an end to the proverb. The bible says that God’s words are never empty. Numbers 23:19 says, “ God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? In short, God’s words never return in vain. Then what was the problem? God knew what was wrong. At the time of Ezekiel, there were many false prophets who spoke false visions or flattering divinations that are not from God. At the same time, the rebellious hearts of the people that are more attracted to the false and flattering messages contributed to such an ungodly trend. I believe this is very true in our time too. We are flooded with a lot of sermons and teachings that are not firmly grounded on the genuine word of God. A great many messages are just cajoling the people. People are attracted to them. They even demand it. The combination of irresponsible supply of unbiblical messages and outright demand of the people of the messages that would tickle their ears is the perfect recipe for disaster. How living and active is the word of God for you? How much is it getting fulfilled in your daily life? If you diligently seek the genuine voice of God, it shall be fulfilled without delay. We just need to hunger and thirst for the pure and genuine voice of God. Amen!

The word of the Lord came to me:  “Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing’

Ezekiel 12:21-25   


21 The word of the Lord came to me: 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing’? 23 Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.’ Say to them, ‘The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled. 24 For there will be no more false visions or flattering divinations among the people of Israel. 25 But I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. For in your days, you rebellious people, I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
Today’s title is  “False Visions and Flattering Divinations”

         God says that we have no excuse to deny Him.  Romans 1 says that His eternal power and divine nature hav

False Visions and Flattering Divinations (Ezekiel 12:21-25) Mission Blessings

through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 
 
 
2 Corinthians 6:8-10 
 
8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 
 
 
Today’s title is “Dying yet we live on” 
 
 There is a great paradox in Christian life. They have two very contrasting characteristics that may often lead others to misunderstand. Some non-Christians belittle Christians as weaklings or cowards. They think that Christians have so much fear of life and death that they try to rely on the imaginary power of unreal God. What would be your answer to such accusations? I would say "They are absolutely wrong." Christians are neither weak nor coward by any human standard. I wouldn’t deny that Christians have some fears and weaknesses. But who does not have such fears? All people have similar fears and weaknesses. The difference is that Christians admit them humbly and honestly while others either hide or ignore them. The more crucial difference of Christians from others lies in that they personally know living God. Genuine Christians not only know God through the bible but they have constant personal interactions with Him daily. God is not a wishful being as some outsiders think. He is real, He is powerful. He is so loving. Knowing such God personally makes Christians live differently than others. Knowing God, they live Humbly, reverently and trustingly on the one hand, but joyfully, peacefully, and thankfully on the other hand. On the surface, they may look so insignificant, very modest, and somewhat selfless. But inside they have the joy unspeakable, the peace unheard of, and power and riches that the world never knew. I believe this is the paradoxical nature in a genuine belief that Apostle Paul is talking about in today’s passage. While he was preaching the good news of the kingdom of God, he was persecuted, imprisoned, and frequently beaten badly. He was even regarded as impostors by those who had no way of knowing what’s truly inside of him. Apostle Paul didn’t have any anger or hatred against the accusers and persecutors. He was rather at peace and joy. All that he prayed in the middle of constant waves of suffering and persecution was that they would someday share the same grace and joy of salvation that was inside of him. That must have been exactly what was on the heart of Jesus too. Jesus had nothing good or adorable outside in human eyes. He was despised and rejected. He was even crucified as a criminal. We now know what happened thereafter. The cross brought life to the dying world. It saves the whole world including many of those who accused and despised Him. It filled people's hearts with peace and love. How does your life appear to people? Does it embarrass you and frustrate you? But what’s inside in your mind? Do you have the joy, peace, and riches of God inside of you? Then you are more blessed than anyone. That’s what really matters in eternity. Be at peace with yourself. Share eagerly what’s in you with others. People are desperately in need of it.

through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors;  known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed;   


2 Corinthians 6:8-10

8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

           
Today’s title is “Dying  yet we live on”

      There is a great paradox in Christian life.   They have two very contrasting characteristics that may often lead others to misunderstand.     Some non-Christians belittle Christians as weaklings or cowards.   They think that Christians have so much fear of life and death that they try to rely on the imaginary power of unreal God.   What would be your answer to such accusations?   I would say "They are absolutely wrong."   Christians a

Dying Yet We Live On!   (2 Corinthians 6:8-10)  Mission Blessings

Next Abimelek went to Thebez and besieged it and captured it. Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women—all the people of the city—had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof. 
 
Judges 9:50-54 
 
50 Next Abimelek went to Thebez and besieged it and captured it. 51 Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women—all the people of the city—had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof. 52 Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, 53 a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull. 54 Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that they can’t say, ‘A woman killed him.’” So his servant ran him through, and he died. 
 
 Today’s title is “Proud King or Humble Servant” 
 
 The era of Judges is very similar to our time. The new generation after Joshua forgot somehow completely who God is and what God has done. They didn’t have godly leaders like Moses and Joshua. Therefore, the basic principle of life in the era of Judges was “Do whatever you like”. As a matter of fact, that was the conclusion of the book of Judges. It says, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit (Judges 21:25).” Don’t you think that you have heard sayings like this somewhere? Yes, you have heard it every stage of current public education starting from kindergarten. The underlying philosophy of current so-called democratic education is pretty much the same as the time of Judges. Abimelech was one of the firm believers of the principle. He was one of the many children of Gideon who saved Israelites from the Midianites. Israelites wanted to make Gideon their king. Gideon, however, humbly declined it. His son, Abimelek was very different. His name “Abimelek” means “my father is a king.”. Even though Gideon didn’t become a king. Abimelek proudly asserted himself as a son of the king. Unlike other children of Gideon, he gathered people around him and have them make him a king. He was arrogant and ruthless. He slaughtered seventy of his brother except one. He defeated many of his enemies and destroyed them mercilessly. He spared no one who dared to stand against him. He was a very confident and able warrior. He was confident about his own power. Even in today’s episode, he besieged and captured the city of Thebez. All the people fled to the tower in the city. They were at the mercy of Abimelech. The ruthless and confident Abimelek would never spare them. He was about to set a fire to it. Then a woman dropped a millstone from the top. It cracked Abimelek’s skull. There’s some humor in the story. A big macho guy who was so confident of himself got his skull cracked by a nameless woman. I chuckle inside whenever I read this. But it was indeed God who did all this. He wanted to teach us a lesson. The lesson is clear. We are no kings. We have the true king whom we have to depend on. Our true king humbled himself to become a servant. He died for us. Which of the two should we follow, proud king Abimelek or humble servant Jesus? The choice must be obvious. What scares me is that I run into many contemporary Abimelek in our time. Whether they say it or, their lifestyle completely ignores God. They indeed act as they saw fit. How about you? Are you following the proud king or the humble servant?

Next Abimelek went to Thebez and besieged it and captured it.  Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women—all the people of the city—had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof. 

Judges 9:50-54

50 Next Abimelek went to Thebez and besieged it and captured it. 51 Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women—all the people of the city—had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof. 52 Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, 53 a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.   54 Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that they can’t say, ‘A woman killed him.’” So his servant ran him through, and he died. 

                Today’s title is “Proud King or Humble Servant”  

     The era of Judges is very similar to our time.   The new generation

Proud King Or Humble Servant  ( Judges 9:50-54)  Mission Blessings

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 
 
Matthew 13:44-48 
 
 44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. 47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 
 
 Today’s title is “The Hidden Treasure” 
 
 One of the greatest characteristics of the gospel of Jesus Christ is its free offer of salvation. Such a free offer of salvation was totally unprecedented. All the other religions so far offered salvation based on some merits. So the gospel of Jesus Christ set free people completely from the heavy burden of merits. It made salvation available to everybody. It seemed that the salvation of all mankind became finally a realistic goal now. But in reality, not everybody gets saved. Why is it so? Some refuse such a generous offer of salvation as something unreal. Others would take it mindlessly without really appreciating its value. Jesus did not oversight it. His gospel was offered freely not because it lacked in value but because nothing of man can measure up to the value. Indeed, the freely offered salvation of God was purchased at the costly sacrifice of the most precious blood of the Son of God. Although we receive salvation freely by grace, we need to be aware of the value of the gospel. Otherwise, we may never fully enjoy the true power of the salvation. Today’s passage contains three short anecdotes. All three anecdotes are really focusing on one very crucial point. How do you treasure the gospel of Jesus Christ and His kingdom? How do you appreciate God’s grace and love? It is the most precious gift with matchless values. Out of many earthly possessions, it is the only thing that will remain forever. But most people do not eagerly accept the free offer of salvation. Some who accepted the offer does not seem to really appreciate it in Jesus ‘time. Jesus must be greatly concerned about such an attitude of the people. Unfortunately, we see the same attitude of people in our time too. The gospel of the kingdom of heaven is being preached everywhere. But not many people heed to it. Some just take it half-heartedly. As a result, they never get to know the true joy and peace of the gospel. How about you? Are you truly appreciating the gospel of the kingdom of heaven? Are you truly enjoying the joy, peace, and power of the gospel? Then, you have the most precious treasure hidden in your soul. You have the finest pearls of heaven and earth. But what about the others? Are you filled with compassion about them like Jesus? We should. Amen!

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.   “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.

Matthew 13:44-48

    44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.  45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.   47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.

 Today’s title is “The Hidden Treasure”  

          One of the greatest characteristics of the gospel of Jesus Christ is its free offer o

Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44-48)  Mission Blessings

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end 
 
Ecclesiastes 3:11-14 
 
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing was taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. 
 
 Today’s title is “Everything Beautiful in its time” 
 
 I used to know an old couple who were in their seventies. They were married in their twenties and have lived together for fifty years. One day I asked the couple when was the best time in their marriage. I expected an answer like the thirties or forties if not twenties. Surprisingly their answer was "it is now. Now is the happiest time for us." Yes, they looked happy even though they had all the aging problems like everybody else. I couldn't fully understand it at the time. "Do they really mean it?" I thought to myself. But now as I am getting older myself, I understand them. As the couple is getting older, their love must have gotten deeper. They appreciate each other much more. They might not have the youthful energy that they used to have. But they had something more beautiful between them. I believe this is what God has meant when He said: "He has made everything beautiful in its time." There's beauty in infancy, childhood, and youth. But there's beauty in old age too. Sunrise is gloriously beautiful. But the sunset has its own beauty too. So what? What does it have to do with our life? It has a great deal with our life. First, enjoy each period that God has given to you, finding out the beauty of the time.. Do not waste them away. Stay humble but be filled with greater hope for future and for eternity. God made everything beautiful in its own time for you to enjoy and to appreciate God at the same time.Gods made everything beautiful. If the world corrupted by sin can be beautiful as we often see, how much more beautiful the heaven will be. It indeed will be awesome! The worldly people lament as they get old. But if you are in God, you can expect the wonderful beauty of God in every period of your earthly life. Most of all, you will be filled with greater hope for the glorious eternity. Isn't it awesome? Praise the Lord who made everything beautiful in its time. Amen!

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end

Ecclesiastes 3:11-14

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing was taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

                                    Today’s title is “Everything Beautiful in its time” 

      I used to know an old couple who were in their seventies. They were married in their twenties and have lived together for fifty years. One day I asked the couple when was the best time in their marriage. I expe

Everything Beautiful In Its Time (Ecclesiastes 3:11-14)  Mission Blessings

After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, 
 
 Joshua 23:1-6 
 
 
23 After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, 2 summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them: “I am very old. 3 You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. 4 Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 The Lord your God himself will push them out for your sake. He will drive them out before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you. 6 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. 
 
Amen! Today’s title is “Hero’s Farewell” 
 
 I admire a person who completes his mission well. No matter how big or small the task might be, it isn’t always easy to finish well. We are constantly tempted to quit. We know it well through our own experience. But godly people generally finish well. Abraham, Moses, and David finished well. They all had challenges and temptations to quit. Sometimes they blew it all up. But they persevered and finished well. Joshua is certainly one of the men who accomplished his mission and finished well. He started timidly. When he succeeded Moses, he didn’t know what to do. With the great weight of the mission to conquer the promised land after Moses, he must have been filled with fear. But God assured His constant presence with Joshua. he did accomplish the mission faithfully trusting in the Lord. What was even better, his good faith grew even greater when he accomplished the mission. This isn't always the case with great achievers. With the great feat in the conquest, he became a war hero whom all the Israelites adored. Despite the overwhelming adorations and praises of the people, he remained humble. Why? We see the reason from his own words. It was because "he has seen it all". He has seen that everything that was done was fundamentally done by God. God initiated the conquest of the promised land from the time of Abraham. God went ahead of Israelites to conquer the land that He promises to Abraham and His descendants. He fought for them and with them. Indeed the conquest was all done by God. Having seen what God has done, Joshua couldn't brag about what he did. All he could do was loving God more and trusting Him more. He was looked upon as a hero by many Israelites. But he knew he is not. He didn’t pretend to be. He wanted that all glory and honor go to God only. His mind as such was clearly shown in his farewell message. In his farewell address, there is no mention whatsoever of what he himself has done. All he talked about what God has done and how the people should continue to "carefully" obey and love God. I believe this should true to all who really have seen God working in his or her life. I personally feel the same way. I have seen God working marvelously in my life. How about you? Have you seen what God has done in your life? Of course, you have. So what can be your farewell message to your loved ones? I am sure it will be the same as Joshua’s farewell message. “Love God and trust God. He will keep His promise to you. He will fight for you and work for you. He will make you more than a conqueror.” I pray that we all can give such a hero’s farewell message to our loved ones. I also pray that all our loved ones keep the message in their hearts and followed the Lord faithfully. What better inheritance can there be? Amen!

After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, 

                     Joshua 23:1-6
 

23 After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, 2 summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them: “I am very old. 3 You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. 4 Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 The Lord your God himself will push them out for your sake. He will drive them out before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you.  6 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of

Hero's Farewell  ( Joshua 23:1-6 )  Mission Blessings

Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 
 
 
Exodus 33:7-14 
 
 
7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. 12 Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” 14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 
 Today’s title is “My Friend From Above” 
 
 
 What is your relationship with God like? The Bible describes man’s relationship with God in many different ways. God is the creator. We are a creature. God is the Father. We are His children. God is king. We are His people. But my favorite description of the relationship between God and man is that God and man are friends. Friendship is the most casual and open relationship among men. It is the best horizontal relationship. We can level with friends about anything. Can we level with God who is our creator, lord, and king as a friend? Yes, only if God first lower Himself and levels with us. The good news is that God did. Today’s passage shows vividly what went on at the tent of meeting at the time of Exodus. Whenever Moses went into the tent of meeting, God came down from above to meet Moses. When Moses went in the tent of meeting to meet God, the pillar of the cloud came down and stay at the entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. Inside the tent, the Lord would speak to Moses' face to face as one speaks to a friend. What a sight! So all the people of Israel stood in awe watching the friendly gathering between God and man. Young Joshua who was then the servant of Moses couldn’t leave the place long after the meeting between God and Moses was over. I can understand why. That was really some sort of heaven on earth! What were God and Moses talking about there? We have a brief excerpt of the conversation between God and Moses in verses 12-14. It is not a typical conversation between God and man as we expect. It’s indeed a typical dialogue between friends. . Look at the last sentence of verse 13. Moses says to the Lord, “Remember that the nation is your people ( not mine, if I may add).” Then the Lord yields to Moses saying, “(ok, ok! ! If I may add) I will go with you. I will give you rest.” Can you feel the intimacy of the relationship between God and man? Whenever I read this passage, I wish I were Joshua then and there. Perhaps you have the same wish. If so, you and my wish have come true. Jesus came and told us “ 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.” And our friend Jesus died for us saying, “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.” What a friend! I have some good friends. But I call Jesus my best friend. I am always reverently thrilled and exuberant whenever I think about His friendship for me. I know not any friend like Jesus. How about you? I wish you have many good friends. But never, never miss the wonderful unearthly friendship with God. There’s nothing like it.

Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp.


Exodus 33:7-14


7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the te

My Friend From Above  (Exodus 33:7-14)  Mission Blessings

Song of Songs 8:5-7 
 
5 
Who is this coming up from the wilderness 
 leaning on her beloved? 
Under the apple tree I roused you; 
 there your mother conceived you, 
 there she who was in labor gave you birth. 
6 
Place me like a seal over your heart, 
 like a seal on your arm; 
for love is as strong as death, 
 its jealousy unyielding as the grave. 
It burns like blazing fire, 
 like a mighty flame. 
7 
Many waters cannot quench love; 
 rivers cannot sweep it away. 
If one were to give 
 all the wealth of one’s house for love, 
 it. would be utterly scorned. 
 
 Today’s title is “The Love Stronger than Death” 
 
 The Bible is a book of love. Did you ever ask why? The answer is rather simple. It is because the author of the Bible is God of love. The God who is love created man after His own image. So love is the very foundation of human life. Man cannot live without love. That is why people are so desperate for love. Today’s passage says that life without love is a land without water, namely the wilderness. That was where we were before we met true love which is in Jesus. When sin enters our life, we were driven out of the true love of God into the wilderness. Living in the wilderness, everybody cried out for love. We all were hungry and thirsty for love. I still see so many people are desperately hungry and thirsty for love. They need to find out the true love to free themselves from the pursuit of empty love. In God’s appointed time, came Jesus the son of God who is love. The first thing He did was to go to the wilderness to rescue those who were hungry and thirsty for true love. He poured out His love for those who came to Him. He still opens His arms and holds them in love. This is pretty much the spiritual background of the scene in today’s passage. With the true love in f God restored through Jesus, we can now live leaning on the arms of love every day. God never wants us to lose that love again. So He says “place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm.” He wants us never to lose Him again. The absence of love between Him and we must have been as painful to Him as it was to us. He wants to seal His love once and for all now. How does He do that? With the cross where He died but rose again breaking the grave. Now the true love cannot be taken away or stolen. True Love cannot be sold away for it is sealed with the death of the Son of God. The love has been poured out for you forever. This is how we have the true love of God. As Jesus said, it will never depart from us. How do you appreciate it? How do you treasure it? Our life will be still in the wilderness without this love of Christ. Thank God for it. Rejoice in His true love now and forever. Amen!

Song of Songs 8:5-7

5 
Who is this coming up from the wilderness
    leaning on her beloved?
Under the apple tree I roused you;
    there your mother conceived you,
    there she who was in labor gave you birth.
6 
Place me like a seal over your heart,
    like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
    its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
    like a mighty flame.
7 
Many waters cannot quench love;
    rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it. would be utterly scorned.
 
   Today’s title is “The Love Stronger than Death”

      The Bible is a book of love. Did you ever ask why? The answer is rather simple. It is because the author of the Bible is God of love.  The God who is love created man after His own image. So love is the very foundation of human life. Man cannot live without love. That is why people are so desperate for love.  Today’s passage says that life without love is a land

Love Is Stronger Than Death  (Song of Songs 8:5-7) Mission Blessings

Ecclesiastes 9: 11-12 
 
11 I have seen something else under the sun: 
 
The race is not to the swift 
or the battle to the strong, 
nor does food come to the wise 
or wealth to the brilliant 
or favor to the learned; 
but time and chance happen to them all. 
12 Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come: 
As fish are caught in a cruel net, 
or birds are taken in a snare, 
so people are trapped by evil times 
that fall unexpectedly upon them. nor knowledge nor wisdom. 
 
 Today’s title is “competition or compassion” 
 
 There's fierce competition among men in this world. We take it as undeniable fact of life. So we try to train ourselves and our children to compete with others and win from a very early age. Someone called it the survival of the fittest. He says that only who proves to fit in the world survive like in the animal kingdom. What do you think? Do you agree? You might say that it's a fact of life whether I agree or not. Is it really so? Today's passage raises an issue about the notion of the survival of the fittest which we generally accept as a fact of life. It does not flatly deny the argument for the survival of the fittest. There's some truth in it. Who would deny it? But the survival of the fittest is not the original design of God. Can you imagine that people compete to survive in the garden of Eden? Absolutely not! The competition or survival of the fittest is not God's idea at all. It all came into humanity with sin and corruption. With sin and corruption came human greed and pride. Greed and pride brought the ungodly competition in our life. So it's not hard and fast rules. It is a somewhat twisted reality of the sinful world. So you shouldn’t bank on it. That’s the warning and precaution from the Wiseman inspired by God. God's original idea for men was to love each other and help each other as we see in Adam and Eve. before the fall. I am not saying that you should avoid competing with others under any circumstance. We have to admit the reality of life as it is. You should train yourself to work better. You should study hard. But God wants to make your motivation straight. Work hard and study hard, not to compete with others but to build others up in love. That's the original design of God. People somehow lost the original design of God in pursuit of greed and pride. The result is that we fall into the trap of the world like fishes or birds. That’s the warning and precautions from God. God shows us how to avoid such a restless and fatal path of life. To put it simply, do not follow the path of competition and self-glory but follow the path of love and compassion as Jesus showed through his life. That’s the true path of eternal life and glory. Are you following His footsteps? So, beloved children of God, be wise not to fall into the trap of the world but to follow the footsteps of Christ. Amen!

Ecclesiastes 9: 11-12

11 I have seen something else under the sun:

The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all.
12 Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:
As fish are caught in a cruel net,
or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times
that fall unexpectedly upon them. nor knowledge nor wisdom.

 Today’s title is “competition or compassion”

        There's fierce competition among men in this world. We take it as undeniable fact of life. So we try to train ourselves and our children to compete with others and win from a very early age. Someone called it the survival of the fittest. He says that only who proves to fit in the world survive like in the animal kingdom. What do you think?  Do you agree? You might say that it's a fact of life whether I agree or not. Is it really so? Today's passage raises an issue about the 

Competition Or Compassion (Ecclesiastes 9: 11-12)  Mission Blessings

Joshua 14:9-12 
 
9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’ 10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” 
 
Today’s title is “Give me this hill country” 
 
 Christians should be nice and gentle. We want to be like Jesus who was meek and gentle. Christians should not be greedy. That is true too for we set our eyes on heaven, not on earth. Christians willingly laid down their wealth for the needy and the kingdom of God. Does that mean we Christians do not care for wealth and possessions? Shouldn’t we try to increase our wealth? Absolutely not! The patriarchs of the Bible such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all rich. Job, whom God praised as “the most righteous in the east”, was a man of great wealth. Being rich or having great wealth is very often considered as being blessed in the bible. God’s blessings can very often be material as well as spiritual. Yes, there are times that we should lay down our possessions for the kingdom of God. But there are also times that we have to ask God for possessions and positions for the kingdom of God. God gladly grants the request of His people. Caleb was a very godly person. He was one of the only two scouts who gave good reports on the promised land in faith and obedience to God. He followed the Lord wholeheartedly. Today we see him boldly demanding the hill country of Judaea as Joshua allots the conquered land to the tribes of Israel. We don’t exactly know why Caleb chose the hill country of Judaea. It was not the best land to conquer. The highly combatant Anakites were residing there in the fortified cities. But he is making a bold request of it to Joshua reminding Joshua of the promise of Moses. Joshua gladly grants his request. I believe Caleb’s action shows a good example of active and even aggressive nature of the Christian mind when it is for the kingdom of God. We shouldn't be greedy. But when it comes to the blessings that God has promised, we can and we have to actively lay our request before God. As far as I know, that doesn’t bother God at all. Jacob is not a praiseworthy person by any standard. But God blessed him mightily. Why? He had a strong desire for God’s blessings. He even wrestled with God for it. I believe that’s why God transformed him into Israel with abundant blessings upon his later life and his children. What do you want from God according to His promise? How firmly and strongly are you laying a request for it before God? God never forgets what He has promised. He is not bothered by bold and persistent requests of it. He will happily grant it. He just wants us to be another Caleb who wholeheartedly followed Him through young and old ages alike. Amen!

Joshua 14:9-12 

9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’   10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”

Today’s title  is “Give me this hill country”

     Christians should be nice and gentle.   We want to be like Jesus who was meek and gentle.    Christians should not be greedy.  That is true too for we set our eyes on heaven

Give Me  This Hill Country (Joshua 14:9-12 )  Mission Blessings

Job 14:1-5 
 
 
Mortals, born of woman, 
 are of few days and full of trouble. 
2 They spring up like flowers and wither away; 
 like fleeting shadows, they do not endure. 
3 Do you fix your eye on them? 
 Will you bring them before you for judgment? 
4 Who can bring what is pure from the impure? 
 No one! 
5 A person’s days are determined; 
 you have decreed the number of his months 
 and have set limits he cannot exceed. 
 
 
Today’s title is “mortals, born of woman” 
 
 
 What do you feel when someone says to you, “You are mortal!”? Obviously, it depends on the context in which the word “mortal” is used. But in general, we wouldn’t feel good about the direct address to our mortality. Some would even feel offended at such an expression. Why is it so? We all know that we are mortals. There is nothing secret about it. Then why does the mere mention of mortality bother us? I believe it bothers us because our mortality hurts us deep inside of us. It feels like a fatal disease that we want to deny that we have it. People want to get rid of it. But they know they can’t. So a lot of people try to avoid reality as much as possible. They think that the issue of mortality better is not talked about. What do you think? What is your attitude toward your own mortality? Do you ever talk about it? The biblical characters show a very different attitude from those people. They do not eschew the issue of their own mortality. They openly and frequently talk about human mortality. What does make the difference? The difference lies in how they view mortality. The worldly people avoid the issue because they think that they would never escape from the formidable power of mortality. But the believers do not hide from the issue because they know that they can overcome the fatal power of mortality. In fact, knowing and admitting the mortality in us is the beginning of liberation from it. Once convinced that you are free from mortality, you can overcome any challenges and hardships. I am sure that was why Job brought up the issue of mortality in his defense against the accusations of friends. He is saying that he knew that he was mortal. His hope was not on his own might or righteousness. His only hope was in his redeemer. He knew that his redeemer lives and that in the end, He will stand on the earth. He said, “And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh, I will see God; (Job 19:26). Year-end is a good time to be sober about our mortality. Yes, we are mortal, born of woman. But what really matters is not the mortality but whether you know the redeemer or not. Do you know the Redeemer? Then rest and rejoice even at the end of the year!

Job 14:1-5


Mortals, born of woman,
    are of few days and full of trouble.
2 They spring up like flowers and wither away;
    like fleeting shadows, they do not endure.
3 Do you fix your eye on them?
    Will you bring them  before you for judgment?
4 Who can bring what is pure from the impure?
    No one!
5 A person’s days are determined;
    you have decreed the number of his months
    and have set limits he cannot exceed.


Today’s title is  “mortals, born of woman”


      What do you feel when someone says to you, “You are mortal!”?   Obviously, it depends on the context in which the word “mortal” is used.   But in general,  we wouldn’t feel good about the direct address to our mortality.  Some would even feel offended at such an expression.   Why is it so?   We all know that we are mortals.  There is nothing secret about it.  Then why does the mere mention of mortality bother us?   I believe it bothers us because our mortality hurts us deep inside of us.   It feels like a fat

Mortals, Born of Woman (Job 14:1-5)  Mission Blessings

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 and 11-13 
 
1 There is a time for everything, 
 and a season for every activity under the heavens: 
2 a time to be born and a time to die, 
 a time to plant and a time to uproot, 
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, 
 a time to tear down and a time to build, 
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, 
 a time to mourn and a time to dance, 
 
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Today’s title is “There is time for everything” 
 
 We envy people with great gifts and blessings. We wish we could only get a small portion of their blessings. But the Bible shows multiple reasons that we should not be so envious. One of such consolations comes from the life lessons of Solomon. Solomon had great wisdom He acquired great wealth and glory. But he had his own share of pain and agony. There was a time that He felt the bottomless emptiness of life. He wasn’t exempted from the bitterness of life at all. Today’s passage is one of such reflections on his life. He says that there’s time for everything. Then he goes through the vicissitude of things such as birth and death, mourns and dance, weeps and laughs. So what does this reflection suggest for us? I believe it tells us to be humble, not proud at any time. Our success and glory can easily go away. It also suggests us not to lose hope in the face of loss and setbacks. They will not last forever either. But the ultimate purpose of all this reflection is for us to seek and trust in God. The vicissitude of different things shows the brevity of human life. When people come to know the brevity of their life, they will look for ways to gain eternity. The pursuit of eternity will eventually lead us to God. The awareness of emptiness and hopelessness drives us to look for the true meaning of life and true hope. We can find them only in God. When we look at all things from the perspective of God, everything has meaning and all things are beautiful. How was your life in this passing year? What do you hope for the coming year? We all have wishes and hopes for the new year. But we really never know what the future holds. However, if you have God and eternity in your hearts, then it surely will be all beautiful. Amen!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 and  11-13

1 There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.







Today’s title is  “There is time for everything” 

      We envy people with great gifts and blessings.    We wish we could only get a small portion of their blessings.   But the Bible shows multiple reasons that we should not be so envious.   One of such c

There is time for Everything  (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 and  11-13) Mission Blessings

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. 
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 
 
 
 
 
 The Gift of Christmas (1): The New King and The Kingdom 
 
 
Good morning! Here is today’s word of blessings for you. 
 
 
Isa 9:6-7 
 
 
6 For to us a child is born, 
 to us a son is given, 
 and the government will be on his shoulders. 
And he will be called 
 Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 
 Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace 
 there will be no end. 
He will reign on David’s throne 
 and over his kingdom, 
establishing and upholding it 
 with justice and righteousness 
 from that time on and forever. 
The zeal of the LORD Almighty 
 will accomplish this. 
 
 
Today’s title is “The True Gift of Christmas (1): The New King and The Kingdom” 
 
 
 We share gifts at Christmas. That surely is one of the joyous things in the Christmas season. The bible never discourages us from it. The Magi from east gave three gifts to the newborn baby Jesus. There is nothing unbiblical or unethical in sharing gifts in Christmas. What concerns me though is that people tend to overlook the true gifts of Christmas caught in the fever of giving and taking gifts among ourselves. God gave the greatest gift of all to us through Christmas that does not compare to any earthly gift. He gave us His Son. The Son is an all-inclusive gift. In the Son are the great heavenly gifts that do not compare to any worldly treasure. Such gifts are not imaginary but real. Such gifts actually bring joys and happiness to us daily like none other. In fact, we find everything we need on earth and in heaven in the Son. The first of such gifts from heaven is “New king and the New Kingdom”. One of the most repeated expressions in relation to the birth of Jesus Christ is that a king was born. Magi followed the bright star that God has sent to them. The star led them to the royal palace of Israel. There they asked, “Where is the baby born as the King of Jews?”. Prophet Isaiah prophesied that He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom. So with Christmas, we received the new king! What kind of king is he? That’s what really matters. We people are fed up with many kings or rulers or leaders who wreaked great havoc to the people and became a cause of great pain and sorrow. People have been longing for one great king who really saves them from tyranny and cares for them. God sent the great king that we all have anticipated. He is just and righteous. He is all-powerful and all-wise. But at the same time, He is humble and compassionate. He is the healer and comforter. He rejoices with those who rejoice. He mourns with those who mourn. The king wipes out the tears of people with his own hand. Isn’t this the king that you have been longing for? When the new king was given, the new kingdom was also given. The new kingdom is the imperishable kingdom of God. In the new kingdom, God reigns directly with His mighty power and love. That was why Jesus declared that the kingdom of heaven has come as He started public ministry. Whoever receives the king and kingdom becomes the citizen of the new kingdom. And all other gifts will be added unto it. Oh, what a marvelous gift is it! Do you have this gift of Christmas, the king, and the kingdom? You must. Then it will be a truly merry Christmas for you.

6 For to us a child is born,     to us a son is given,    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.




 The  Gift of Christmas (1):  The New King and The Kingdom


Good morning!  Here is today’s word of blessings for you.


Isa 9:6-7


6 For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
    will accomplish this.


Today’s title is “The True Gift of Christmas (1):  The New King and The Kingdom”


    We share gifts at Christmas.  That surely is one of the joyous things in the Chri

Gift of Christmas 1:  king and kingdom (Isa 9:6-7)  Mission Blessings

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 
 
Luke 1:5-14 
 
5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. 
8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth 
 
 Today’s title is “Joy To the Hopeless” 
 
 Living with faith is a wonderful thing. But it doesn’t solve all the problems of life as one would hope for. It can even create more problems for some faithful people. Zechariah and his wife were very faithful. Their family had a long-standing tradition of piety. Zechariah was a priest. His wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Mose’s brother Aaron. Both of them were righteous and blameless in the sight of God. But they were without a child. Zechariah did not give up on it. Even when it was almost biologically impossible for Elizabeth to conceive a child, Zechariah prayed for a child. A child was a sign of God’s blessings in Israel. But Zechariah had a more pressing reason to have a child. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth were earnestly longing for the kingdom of God. Someone has to make a way for it to break the darkness of the Herodian age. They want their child to do it. They had faith. But they were losing their hope at the face of reality. The Lord broke the silence. He sent His angels to Zechariah with the answer that he so desperately hoped for. The miracle of Christmas started there. This can happen to anybody. You once had great hope that could change not only your life but also the lives of many. But your hope might be losing its steam by and by. You are getting weaker. The barrier is getting higher and higher. What can turn around the tide? You need the miracle of Christmas that breaks the shackles of hopeless reality. That is exactly why the Son was given to us. Isaiah prophesied, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned (Isa 9:2). “ For to us a child is born, to us, a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6). What is the hope that has made you down over and again? What is the hope that now almost seems hopeless in the face of reality? God gave us Christmas to save us from the dark reality. It turned around the history of humanity that was doomed. It surely can change your darkness into light, your frustration into peace, your hopelessness into joy. Merry Christmas!

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 

Luke 1:5-14

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11 Then an ang

Joy  To The Hopeless (Luke 1:5-14) Mission Blessings

There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing 
 
Proverbs 30:29-31 
 
 
 
29 “There are three things that are stately in their stride, 
 
 four that move with stately bearing: 
 
30 a lion, mighty among beasts, 
 
 who retreats before nothing; 
 
31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat, 
 
 and a king secure against revolt. 
 
 Today’s title is “Majestic You!” 
 
 I love animals from tiny ones like ants to the gigantic animals like giraffe. They are just so adorable. Do you know why? I think it’s because every God’s creation has God’s fingerprint on it. Look at the unspoiled pristine nature. They are gorgeous as it is. Just looking at it impresses us so much that we often stand amazed at the sight. In Proverbs 30: 24-28, we see God’s wisdom embedded in four small creatures such as ants, hyrax, locust, and lizard. How marvelous they survive and thrive in the seemingly hostile environment. We see God’s wisdom in them. But God ‘s wisdom is not only revealed in little and tiny ones. God’s wisdom is also revealed through glorious and majestic creatures. Just by looking at them, we can see God’s wisdom which is both remarkably artistic and powerful. Today’s passage shows us three that are stately in their stride. Through these stately animals, God shows how we can stately walk in our lives. A lion is so strong and so stately in their stride. It’s not afraid of anything. A mere appearance of it makes other creatures tremble. How can we become stately like a lion? You can have the heart of a lion if you have Jesus in your heart. Jesus was called the lion of Judah. Whoever has the spirit of Jesus can have a heart of lion and can walk stately without any fear. A greyhound is a hunting dog that gallops like a horse. The sleek body movement of it is so graceful. But what makes the dog most valuable is its obedience to its master. When the master commands, it does not hesitate a bit. Our walk will be graceful and stately if we walk in simple obedience to the Lord. The he-goat usually is the head of a family. A he-goat is not so noticeable in an ordinary environment. But when a he-goat leads his family along the path of stiff mountains and cliffs, the he-goats are fearlessly brave. If we exercise godly leadership in times of trouble with faith in the Lord, our walk will be stately like the he-goat. Finally, a king rules many people with authority and power. When the king moves along, no one dares to stand in his way. This is how God leads His people. God makes His people holy nation and royal priesthood. God gave them strength and power as well as wisdom and knowledge that they may stately stride without jittery fall. We can also stride stately if we live with fearless faith in the Lord and faithful execution of His words. In God’s grace, may you all stride stately on the path of your life. Amen.

There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing

Proverbs 30:29-31

  

29 “There are three things that are stately in their stride,

    four that move with stately bearing:

30 a lion, mighty among beasts,

    who retreats before nothing;

31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat,

    and a king secure against revolt.

                       Today’s title is “Majestic You!” 

         I love animals from tiny ones like ants to the gigantic animals like giraffe.   They are just so adorable.   Do you know why?   I think it’s because every God’s creation has God’s fingerprint on it.  Look at the unspoiled pristine nature.  They are gorgeous as it is.   Just looking at it impresses us so much that we often stand amazed at the sight.   In Proverbs 30: 24-28,  we see God’s wisdom embedded in four small creatures such as ants, hyrax, locust, and lizard.  How marvelous they survive and thrive in the seemingly hostile environment.   We see God’s wisdom 

Majestic You (Proverbs 30:29-31)  Mission Blessings

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. 6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, 
but an enemy multiplies kisses. 
 
Proverbs 27:5-6, 9-10 
 
5 Better is open rebuke 
than hidden love. 
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, 
but an enemy multiplies kisses. 
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, 
and the pleasantness of a friend 
springs from their heartfelt advice. 
10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, 
and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— 
better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away. 
 
 
 Today’s title is “The True Friendship” 
 
 Our happiness greatly depends on a healthy relationship with other people. Friendship brings joy and happiness like perfume and incense. Life without good friends can be dull and tasteless. Friends provide help and support in times of need. It is true that a friend in need is a friend indeed. Friends, more than anything else can open hearts to one another. They even share things that are not easy to share with family members. To have such a friend is a blessing. It is a gift of God. You should thank God for it and treasure it. But true friendship cannot be formed by superficial niceties toward another. True friendship comes from pure love based on mutual trust and sacrifice. In the Old Testament, we see a good example of true friendship between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. Jonathan willingly abdicates his right to succeed his father King Saul knowing that God has chosen David. On the other hand, David kept his faithfulness toward Jonathan. David caringly took care of Jonathan’s family even after Jonathan died. But we see the epitome of the good friendship in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus lowered Himself from the highest throne to the lowly place to become the true friend to wretched sinners like us. He said, “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.” Jesus not only has made known to us everything that He learned from His Father but also He Himself died for us to prove His true friendship to us. I personally have some good friends. But I must confess that to me no friendship is like the friendship with Lord Jesus. I can literally level everything of my life with Him. Jesus knows every ups and down of my life. He shares my joy and sorrow like no other. He rebukes me when I go awry. But He still accepts me as I am. He helps and comforts me like no other. I can truly sing "What a friend we have in Jesus! " with all my heart. I pray that you all have a friendship like this because I know how precious it is to have such a friend. Such a friend is surely the most precious gift to our life. The good news is that Jesus wants to be your friend with an open arm and an open heart. That was why He came down here leaving the highest throne. He is just waiting for you to open your hearts and accept the greatest offer of friendship. Are you ready to do it? Let the greatest friendship of your life begin now. Amen!

Better is open rebuke than hidden love.   6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.

Proverbs 27:5-6, 9-10

5 Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of a friend
springs from their heartfelt advice.
10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.


               Today’s title is  “The True Friendship”  

     Our happiness greatly depends on a healthy relationship with other people.    Friendship brings joy and happiness like perfume and incense. Life without good friends can be dull and tasteless. Friends provide help and support in times of need. It is true that a friend in need is a friend indeed. Friends, more than anything else can open hearts to one another. They even share things that are 

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