Friday, October 29, 2010
Weeping for North Korea from Desiring God Blog
Tonight for the first time in my life I wept for North Korea.
On the second night of the Third Lausanne Congress taking place in Cape Town, South Africa, an 18 year-old girl from North Korea shared her story.
She was born into a wealthy family, her father an assistant to the North Korean leader, Kim Jong II. Eventually her father’s political fortunes shifted, and after being politically persecuted by the North Korean government, he, his wife, and his daughter escaped to China.
In China a relative brought her family to church where her parents came to know Jesus Christ. A few months later, however, her pregnant mother died from Leukemia. Her father started to study the Bible with missionaries and eventually the Lord gave him a strong desire to become a missionary to North Korea. But in 2001 he was reported as a Christian, was arrested by the Chinese police, and was returned to North Korea. Forced to leave his daughter behind in China, he spent three years in prison. During this time the girl shared that it only "made my father’s faith stronger” and that he “cried out to God more desperately rather than complain or blame Him.
After three years he was able to return to China where he was briefly reunited with his daughter. Soon after, however, he gathered Bibles having resolved to return to North Korea to share Christ among that hopeless people. He was given the opportunity to go to South Korea, but he turned them down.
In 2006 he was discovered by the North Korean government and was arrested. There has since been no word from him. In all probability he has been shot to death publicly for treason.
In 2007 this girl, who at the time was not a Christian, was given the opportunity to go to South Korea. While still in China waiting at the Korean Consulate in Beijing to go to South Korea, she saw Jesus in a dream. Jesus, with tears in his eyes, called her by name and said, How much longer are you going to keep me waiting? Walk with me. Yes, you lost your earthly father, but I am your heavenly Father and whatever has happened to you is because I love you.
She knelt and prayed to God for the first time and realized that “God my Father loves and cares for me so very much that he sent his Son Jesus to die for me.” She prayed, “God here I am. I just lay down everything and give you my heart, my soul, my mind, and my strength. Please use me as you will.”
Now God has given her a great love for North Korea. She shared that, Just as my father was used there for God’s kingdom, I now desire to be obedient to God. I want to bring the love of Jesus to North Korea.
She closed with the following words:
I look back over my short life and see God’s hand everywhere. Six years in North Korea, 11 years in China, and a time of being in South Korea. Everything that I experienced and love, I want to give it all to God and use my life for His kingdom. I hope to honor my father and bring glory to my heavenly Father by serving God with my whole heart.
I believe God’s heart cries out for the lost people of North Korea. I humbly ask you, my brothers and sisters, to have the same heart of God. Please pray that the same light of God’s grace and mercy that reached my father and my mother and now me will one day come down upon the people of North Korea… my people.
How many of us so easily choose the path of comfort and safety. The path that is our answer to the question, “What is best for me?” But so many of those whom God has used to make some of the greatest Kingdom impact have been those who have not made decisions based on "what is best for me?" (at least “best” in a worldly sense). They made decisions, or perhaps for some it seemed like there was really no decision to make at all, based on an undeniable, unshakable, "illogical", "foolish" passion for Jesus Christ and for His kingdom glory among the lost.
For this girl's father there was a “safe” path before him. The door was open for him to go to South Korea where there was political freedom and religious freedom, where he and his family could have been safe. No prison, no persecution, no pain. Instead he chose the path of danger that led him, Bibles in hand, back to North Korea, the homeland that he loved.
And now his daughter has determined to follow that same path.
Paul wrote the following words in 2 Corinthians 5:13-21.
If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
May God grant us the grace to serve with undeniable, unshakable, illogical, and foolish passion for Jesus Christ and His Kingdom glory among the lost. And may we discover the joy in knowing that such a life is a part of the glorious answer to the question of what is truly best for me.
Dr. Michael Oh is president of CBI Japan and serves on the board of the Lausanne Committee on World Evangelization. Dr. Oh spoke at the 2009 Desiring God Pastor’s Conference on “Missions as Fasting.”
On the second night of the Third Lausanne Congress taking place in Cape Town, South Africa, an 18 year-old girl from North Korea shared her story.
She was born into a wealthy family, her father an assistant to the North Korean leader, Kim Jong II. Eventually her father’s political fortunes shifted, and after being politically persecuted by the North Korean government, he, his wife, and his daughter escaped to China.
In China a relative brought her family to church where her parents came to know Jesus Christ. A few months later, however, her pregnant mother died from Leukemia. Her father started to study the Bible with missionaries and eventually the Lord gave him a strong desire to become a missionary to North Korea. But in 2001 he was reported as a Christian, was arrested by the Chinese police, and was returned to North Korea. Forced to leave his daughter behind in China, he spent three years in prison. During this time the girl shared that it only "made my father’s faith stronger” and that he “cried out to God more desperately rather than complain or blame Him.
After three years he was able to return to China where he was briefly reunited with his daughter. Soon after, however, he gathered Bibles having resolved to return to North Korea to share Christ among that hopeless people. He was given the opportunity to go to South Korea, but he turned them down.
In 2006 he was discovered by the North Korean government and was arrested. There has since been no word from him. In all probability he has been shot to death publicly for treason.
In 2007 this girl, who at the time was not a Christian, was given the opportunity to go to South Korea. While still in China waiting at the Korean Consulate in Beijing to go to South Korea, she saw Jesus in a dream. Jesus, with tears in his eyes, called her by name and said, How much longer are you going to keep me waiting? Walk with me. Yes, you lost your earthly father, but I am your heavenly Father and whatever has happened to you is because I love you.
She knelt and prayed to God for the first time and realized that “God my Father loves and cares for me so very much that he sent his Son Jesus to die for me.” She prayed, “God here I am. I just lay down everything and give you my heart, my soul, my mind, and my strength. Please use me as you will.”
Now God has given her a great love for North Korea. She shared that, Just as my father was used there for God’s kingdom, I now desire to be obedient to God. I want to bring the love of Jesus to North Korea.
She closed with the following words:
I look back over my short life and see God’s hand everywhere. Six years in North Korea, 11 years in China, and a time of being in South Korea. Everything that I experienced and love, I want to give it all to God and use my life for His kingdom. I hope to honor my father and bring glory to my heavenly Father by serving God with my whole heart.
I believe God’s heart cries out for the lost people of North Korea. I humbly ask you, my brothers and sisters, to have the same heart of God. Please pray that the same light of God’s grace and mercy that reached my father and my mother and now me will one day come down upon the people of North Korea… my people.
How many of us so easily choose the path of comfort and safety. The path that is our answer to the question, “What is best for me?” But so many of those whom God has used to make some of the greatest Kingdom impact have been those who have not made decisions based on "what is best for me?" (at least “best” in a worldly sense). They made decisions, or perhaps for some it seemed like there was really no decision to make at all, based on an undeniable, unshakable, "illogical", "foolish" passion for Jesus Christ and for His kingdom glory among the lost.
For this girl's father there was a “safe” path before him. The door was open for him to go to South Korea where there was political freedom and religious freedom, where he and his family could have been safe. No prison, no persecution, no pain. Instead he chose the path of danger that led him, Bibles in hand, back to North Korea, the homeland that he loved.
And now his daughter has determined to follow that same path.
Paul wrote the following words in 2 Corinthians 5:13-21.
If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
May God grant us the grace to serve with undeniable, unshakable, illogical, and foolish passion for Jesus Christ and His Kingdom glory among the lost. And may we discover the joy in knowing that such a life is a part of the glorious answer to the question of what is truly best for me.
Dr. Michael Oh is president of CBI Japan and serves on the board of the Lausanne Committee on World Evangelization. Dr. Oh spoke at the 2009 Desiring God Pastor’s Conference on “Missions as Fasting.”
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
1 Samuel 15
First time reading Samuel. This is some crazy stuff. God does not mess around.
1 Samuel 15
The LORD Rejects Saul as King
1 Samuel said to Saul, "I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. 2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy a]">[a] everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.' "4 So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. 5 Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. 6 Then he said to the Kenites, "Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.
7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. 8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves b]">[b] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.
10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11 "I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the LORD all that night.
12 Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, "Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal." 13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions."
14 But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?"
15 Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest."
16 "Stop!" Samuel said to Saul. "Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night."
"Tell me," Saul replied.
17 Samuel said, "Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.' 19 Why did you not obey the LORD ? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD ?"
20 "But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal."
22 But Samuel replied:
"Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
"Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
he has rejected you as king."
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I violated the LORD's command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. 25 Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD." and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
he has rejected you as king."
26 But Samuel said to him, "I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!"
27 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you. 29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind."
30 Saul replied, "I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God." 31 So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
32 Then Samuel said, "Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites."
Agag came to him confidently, c]">[c] thinking, "Surely the bitterness of death is past."
33 But Samuel said,
"As your sword has made women childless,
so will your mother be childless among women."
And Samuel put Agag to death before the LORD at Gilgal.
34 Then Samuel left for Ramah, but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the LORD was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.
Monday, October 25, 2010
1 Samuel 12:22
"For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself."
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Like a Lion
Let love explode and bring the dead to life
A love so bold
To see a revolution somehow.
Let love explode and bring the dead to life
A love so bold
To bring a revolution somehow
Now I'm lost in your freedom
This world I'll overcome.
My God is not dead!
He's surely alive!
He's living on the inside
Roaring like a lion!
Let hope arise and make the darkness hide
My faith is dead
I need a resurrection somehow
Let Heaven roar and fire fall
come shake the ground
with the sound of revival
Colossians 1:3-14
"We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
In need of Him
Healing Is In His Hands - Christy Nockels
No mountain, no valley
No gain or loss we know
Could keep us from Your love
No sickness, no secret
No chain is strong enough
To keep us from Your love
To keep us from Your love
How high? How wide?
No matter where I am
Healing is in Your hands
How deep? How strong?
Now by Your grace I stand
Healing is in Your hands
Our present, our future
Our past is in Your hands
We're covered by Your blood
We're covered by Your blood
How high? How wide?
No matter where I am
Healing is in Your hands
How deep? How strong?
Now by Your grace I stand
Healing is in Your hands
Sing this in faith
In all things we know that
We are more than conquerors
You keep us by Your love
Sing it out in all things
In all things we know that
We are more than conquerors
You keep us by Your love
You keep us by Your love
How high? How wide? Oh, Lord
No matter where I am
Healing is in Your hands
How deep? How deep is Your love?
How strong? How strong is Your love?
Now by Your grace I stand
Healing is in Your hands
No mountain, no valley
No gain or loss we know
Could keep us from Your love
No sickness, no secret
No chain is strong enough
To keep us from Your love
To keep us from Your love
How high? How wide?
No matter where I am
Healing is in Your hands
How deep? How strong?
Now by Your grace I stand
Healing is in Your hands
Our present, our future
Our past is in Your hands
We're covered by Your blood
We're covered by Your blood
How high? How wide?
No matter where I am
Healing is in Your hands
How deep? How strong?
Now by Your grace I stand
Healing is in Your hands
Sing this in faith
In all things we know that
We are more than conquerors
You keep us by Your love
Sing it out in all things
In all things we know that
We are more than conquerors
You keep us by Your love
You keep us by Your love
How high? How wide? Oh, Lord
No matter where I am
Healing is in Your hands
How deep? How deep is Your love?
How strong? How strong is Your love?
Now by Your grace I stand
Healing is in Your hands
Friday, October 15, 2010
Martin Luther writes in The Freedom of a Christian:
Although the Christian is thus free from all works, he ought in this liberty to empty himself, take upon himself the form of a servant, be made in the likeness of men, be found in human form, and to serve, help, and in every way deal with his neighbor as he sees that God through Christ has dealt and still deals with him. This he should do freely, having regard for nothing but divine approval.
He ought to think: “Although I am an unworthy and condemned man, my God has given me in Christ all the riches of righteousness and salvation without any merit on my part, out of pure, free mercy, so that from now on I need nothing except faith which believes that this is true. Why should I not therefore freely, joyfully, with all my heart, and with an eager will do all things which I know are pleasing and acceptable to such a Father who has overwhelmed me with his inestimable riches? I will therefore give myself as a Christ to my neighbor, just as Christ offered himself to me; I will do nothing in this life except what I see is necessary, profitable, and salutary to my neighbor, since through faith I have an abundance of all good things in Christ."
Thursday, October 14, 2010
life.
Dunkin Donuts helps?
It's cold.
It will be over soon.
Jesus is still good no matter the circumstance I am in.
It will be over soon.
Jesus is still good no matter the circumstance I am in.
He's here.
PRESS ON!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Quotes
"Even if the present age condemns me, maybe the judgment of future generations will be better" Martin Luther
"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." - John Piper
"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." - John Piper
"It was and is God’s wisdom that we remain in God’s favor through confidence (faith) instead of attainment or victory by our own effort."
Monday, October 4, 2010
This is So True
"Adversity is the companion of every Christian on his (or her) way to paradise." AW Tozer
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Coveting: The Acceptable Sin
by The Resurgence on Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 3:00am
As Christians, we easily come down on whatever sins have made our list of “unacceptable”— anything from getting drunk, sleeping around as a single, and cheating on one’s spouse to various addictions. Then there is another list that we turn the other way on and sweep under the carpet—gossip, anger, judgmentalism, and the one I want to address today: coveting.
Coveting starts with comparing. It’s been a problem and a temptation for me for as long as I can remember. In high school I was often guilty of it. I got my sense of self-esteem, self-worth, and self-identity by comparing myself with others. How was I looking, how was I doing, and how was I being viewed by others?
In the leadership realm, comparing/coveting is a huge issue. I have been to more leadership meetings than I care to remember where coveting was obvious, painful, and embarrassing to watch.
Comparing & Coveting
When pastors from the same denomination or leaders from the same organization have their periodic meetings, the “comparing/coveting games” begin in earnest. In most leadership meetings, it is not uncommon to have “Mr. Successful” become the poster child for what I should be like and be experiencing. It usually depresses me. We compare and then covet others’ buildings, budgets, attendance, worship, technology, influence, popularity, blog and web traffic, and on and on.
Recently I read Acts 20, which covers Paul’s last meeting with the Ephesian elders. Verse 33 caught my attention: “I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel.” My journal entry for the day read as follows:
Jesus, to be content with who I am, where I am, what I’m doing and what you’re doing. To covet nothing but a dynamic and anointed walk and work with you. To cling to you and you alone.
As I have been thinking more on this, here are two other verses that came to mind:
- Luke 12:15: “Take care and be on your guard against all covetousnesss.”
- 1 Corinthians 4:7: “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?”
Seek Contentment
Comparing almost always leads to coveting and competing. It is a slap in the face of God. I am essentially telling him that he is doing a lousy job. Also, it is missing the sovereign hand of God in my life and in my work.
Coveting silver, gold and apparel, status, popularity, fruitfulness, and influence is an acceptable sin in too many leadership cultures, but is disgusting in the eyes of God. Living in a celebrity-worshiping culture doesn’t help either. Some successful leaders are viewed as rock stars with their cult-like following.
Whatever happened to godly contentment? As leaders, have we replaced contentment with coveting? Fellow leader, is there anything you need to confess?
Friday, October 1, 2010
Awakening - Chris Tomlin
In our hearts, Lord, in this nation
Awakening
Holy Spirit, we desire
Awakening
For You and You alone
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing
For the world You love
Your will be done, let Your will be done in me
In Your presence, in Your power
Awakening
For this moment, for this hour
Awakening
Like the rising sun that shines
From the darkness comes a light
I hear Your voice and this is my
Awakening
Awakening
Holy Spirit, we desire
Awakening
For You and You alone
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing
For the world You love
Your will be done, let Your will be done in me
In Your presence, in Your power
Awakening
For this moment, for this hour
Awakening
Like the rising sun that shines
From the darkness comes a light
I hear Your voice and this is my
Awakening
"Christians are always finding things to add to Jesus: Jesus+something = NOTHING There is nothing you can add."
"Real slavery is living to gain favor. Real freedom is living your life because you have favor (from God)."
"The Gospel liberates by showing us that our identity is in Jesus, not in what we can do or become."
"Real slavery is living to gain favor. Real freedom is living your life because you have favor (from God)."
"The Gospel liberates by showing us that our identity is in Jesus, not in what we can do or become."
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