Hot and Cold

People must not be too harsh with others who are not like them.

Some people who handle the cold weather well have a tendency of telling others who have a difficulty, “What, you cannot even endure this simple cold?”

Did you know that some people handle a cold weather well, while having a difficult time when the weather turns hot?

For people who cannot handle a hot weather well, you know that it isn’t because you are a wimp; hot weather is simply hard for you.

So, next time, when you are tempted to criticize someone who does not handle something as well as you do, please examine yourself and know there are things you do not do well, and on those things, wouldn’t you want others to be a little more gracious to you?

Do unto others, as you want them to do unto you.

Eye-drops—no bother at all

A pastor friend, who knows that I had lasik surgery for my eyes, asked me, “isn’t it too much bother to put eye drops so often?”

The way he sees it is that there is not much benefit to the lasik surgery if I have to constantly put eye drops into my eyes. In other words, for him, the trouble of putting eye drop offsets the benefit of seeing well because of the lasik surgery.

You see, this makes sense to him because his eye sight is not that bad. So, as far as he is concerned, the benefit of seeing a little better has a inconvenient price, the constant eye drops.

But, what he does not realize is that when you were nearly blind and this lasik surgery has given back your eyesight, then the constant eye drop is such a small price to pay to see again, that it is not even considered a bother.

So, the difference lies in how great the lasik surgery has done. If you think it is a small benefit, then the eye drops are too great of a bother. However, if the lasik surgery has allowed you to see again when you couldn’t before, then the eye drop comes with the territory, which is no bother at all.

Similarly, in our Christians walk, if we think that we have been forgiven little, then the price of the Christian walk, such as obedience or offering a tithe is too big of a price to pay. But, if you believe that you were dead in your sins and His new life for you is a true miracle, then the demand of the Christian life is no bother at all, it comes with the territory.

What’s in a handkerchief?

What’s in a handkerchief, you ask? In a word, expectation.

Let’s start from the beginning. On Sundays, I carry a handkerchief for couple of reasons. First, to wipe away the radiance I exude over my face (otherwise also known as oil). Unlike Moses, whose face shone with God’s radiance as he lingered in God’s presence, my face sparkles, not with His holiness, but with my oiliness. This is a fact. I do however wish that I might exude God’s radiance in my face. More than simply in my face, I want His radiance more in my life, so that I can be His fragrance to those around me. Wouldn’t it be great, if we all exude His fragrance in our lives, because our decisions, our actions and our words continue to conform into the likeness of Christ, our Lord? Let’s pray for each other much, so that we can be more like Him.

The more important reason why I carry a handkerchief to the worship is, in a word, expectation. Let me explain. I come with the expectation to meet with my God in the worship. When I see God’s people meet their holy Maker in the Scriptures, they are broken. Similarly, when I believe I have encountered the living presence of our holy God in our worship, I am broken, which usually results in a broken heartedness over my sins and a deep gratitude for His unconditional love and grace. Such experience opens up the tear gate of my eyes, and they begin to spill over. And if I am not prepared with a handkerchief to meet my tears, then I have to use my suit to wipe away my tears, which is usually not a very good look for a pastor leading in worship and preaching.

So, you see, my handkerchief is a sign of my faith, that I am expecting to meet with my God in our worship. May I ask, how do you prepare to meet with your God? Do you come to the worship expecting to meet the holy and awesome God? If you are not sure how to meet with your God, may I encourage you to bring a handkerchief to your worship of our God, expecting to meet with Him, expecting for His holiness and love to break us? It is my prayer that all of God’s people will always enter into His presence in worship with the expectation to meet with our God.

Entering worship with an expectation can change your worship and your life!

Dear EM members,
Please take good care of yourselves and your families; too many people are suffering.

For the EM men:
-May I invite you men to come to church on Sundays by 1:30pm to room A8 (check with Deacon Hyoseok for the room number), and spend time blessing each other. Will you continue with your QT sharing on the gospel of Matthew? Please seek the Lord's grace for you to complete the daily QT with Matthew, all the way to the very end. It is important for you to complete what you have begun, as the Lord always completes what He begins (what an opportunity to reflect our God). Please encourage each other, and hold each accountable, so that we can truly live as a body of Christ, holding each other up.
- For the husbands whose wives will be joining the EM ladies QT study with me, if you faithfully continue in your pace with Matthew, your wives will end their QT with John, about the same time as you would. This happens because John has much larger segments of division than Matthew. Of course, if you both finish in about similar time, then it makes it easier for both of you start something new together, for the next QT.

For the EM ladies:
- Is life tough? Are the toils of daily life a grind? Do you need some good rest? Do you want to feel good about yourself, especially where you are in your life? Do you need someone to come into your life, just to bless you? Or do you just want a little assistance for your daily QT?
- Wherever you are, if any of the above is one of your question, then the Lord heard you. The Lord has prepared a study that can do just that. It is not a magical study, where instantaneously, everything will change. No, it will require your active participation, your daily participation. But, if you are willing to follow daily, then you will see that this QT time can do much, much more than be a mere study. It can truly impact and transform your life. It can change you.Can you believe that?
- Our time will be short; time will fly. So, ladies, come to our place, this Nov-Dec, on Weds, at 7:30pm. Allow me to assist you in your daily QT. I want to see you blessed. I want to see you well. I want to see you healthy spiritually. I want to see your life rich, richer and more in Christ.
- We will enter into the gospel of John; there behold our God, fall in love with Him, and find our obedient walk with Him sweet and delightful.

Have a blessed and healthy week.

Pastor Joshua