God is Good, All the Time.

Finding some time to update you on my final days in South Korea. The last week has been a frantic schedule of party after party with church staff, English students, bible study members and friends. I can't put into words the amount of love and blessing that has come my way in these remaining days. God has truly overwhelmed me with his pleasure and generosity.



The Korean people hold a dear place in my heart. They really live their lives as a living sacrifice to the Lord and have taught me what it means to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. It has been an honor to worship, pray, eat and live with them.



Tomorrow I'm going to have the opportunity to get up in front of the church and sing a song in Korean and give a short farewell speech. I'm grateful for the chance to express my gratitude to the church for their incredible support.



Please be praying for me in my remaining days and my flight back home. I'll be leaving for Canada on Monday and will begin a new season of sharpening my axe in Bible school.

There is no other explanation of my accomplishments in Korea other than the grace and power of God. I look back with amazement, He has been so faithful through and through and has supplied all my needs. What a privilege to follow Jesus and obey his Word.



God is good. All the time. All the time. God is good

Striving for More of Him

A few days ago we began a prayer initiative in Dream church called "Daniel Prayer." Every morning at 5am for the next 21 days we will be gathering together to seek the Lord's heart and mind for the future of our lives, church, city, country and world.

Daniel was a prophet during the time of Israel's captivity to Babylon. Daniel lived in the midst of an ungodly people yet made it his responsibility to fervently seek the Lord for the favor and mercy of his people Israel. It was through the humble dependence of God in prayer that God responded to Daniel and revealed to him his heart and vision for their future as a nation.




To give you some context for such an initiative it would been worthwhile to share a little more about the Korean Church. The best concise description I could give you about the Korean church is that it is intense. No other Christian culture that I've been able to observe or hear about shows half as much of the religious zeal than the Christians here in Korea. From morning prayers, into-the-wee-hour-of-the-night worship and prayer services. The atmosphere is one of submission and passion. It is a beautiful sight.



God's grace has been sufficient in my time here and I have found great freedom in joining in the passionate cries of prayer and worshiping the way Koreans worship. Even while I don't know the words to the songs in Korean or the content of the sermon I could choose to posture my heart in submission and praise.



God has left our relationship with Him in our court. This means that we can go as deep as we want with him. The Koreans have challenged me in how deep I'm willing to go in my relationship with God. I've really grown to respect the level of dedication they possess and the holy discontent in never settling for what they know about God. They want more!

To be honest, my prayer life before coming to Korea was fairly hit and miss and has never really solidified into a spiritual discipline. I learn from Daniel and the Korean people that prayer is our humble dependence on God. It shows that we need him, that through the sacrifice of our time and energy, God responds and acts. I'm convinced prayer is not simply informing God of what he already knows but is also for the edification of our own hearts. It reminds us of what God cares about and thus partnering with him as a cooperative agent of his will in the world.



It's a privilege to be able to pray, to partner with God in seeing His power released in the world and in our own lives.

May we partner with God and pray as Daniel did with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength and strive to know more of Him.

Humbled and Learning.
That I might Know more of Him.

Jer



Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. Daniel 10:12

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. Philippians 3:10


Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Ministry, A Character Position

Joseph
Someone asked me today about who my favorite character in the bible is. I want to share with you a man whose life I often look to in my journey of faith. He was a man of integrity who feared God and took responsibility for the call God placed on his life.



The Call
At a young age he began to have dreams about the extraordinary call on his life to be a great leader. Consequently, apart from his own Father, his family loathed him for what they felt was selfish ambition and pride. I think there was something about Joseph that was different and that his brothers knew it. In a dog eat dog world, we are constantly under pressure to perform, to rise to the top even if that means pushing others aside along the way. When someone genuinely possesses a gift or potential to succeed we become jealous and vindictive. Joseph, being the youngest son had the call of God on his life. Something we will see that man cannot disrupt or discontinue. God would have his way as Joseph walked faithfully in obedience.

A Child of the Light
When the opportunity came for his older brothers to do away with the Joseph threat, they seized it and did the unspeakable evil of selling him to a caravan of Midianite vendors for 20 shekels. The bible often teaches that jealousy, pride and selfish ambition are default modes of the human heart. These boys allowed the evil inside them to take over, exposing their true motivations and insecurities. The reality is that anyone who is willing to take hold of the calling of God on their life will inevitably confront opposition. The world hates people who choose to live a blameless life because it exposes their folly and pride. As the bible informs us, darkness has no relationship with light. Darkness hates light because light allows us to see everything as it truly is. Joseph was a man of the light, unwilling to allow corners of darkness in his life. He didn't allow this devastating event to harden his heart or blame God.



God will protect his people.
Joseph was then send to be a slave in Egypt at a man named Potiphar's house. It says that Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph and so he delegated him the highest of responsibilities and became the attendant. He found favor with God and began to prosper. He did not compartmentalize his life but knew that service to God would also consist of service to people. I believe he continued to remember God's call on his life and wondered at times what God was doing by putting him in this situation as a slave. Regardless, he didn't believe that God owed him anything, his life was one of open arms, taking responsibility of whatever God had entrusted him to.


"When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant"

Those that Love God Hate Sin
Joseph feared God. When temptation came in form of Potiphars wife offering him sex, he literally RAN in the opposite direction. If you are a man reading this, this would not be our first reflex. The temptation of lust is as strong one and more often then not can be the stumbling block in a mans life. We are weak! But through the power of God and right decision making there is the ability to overcome such a temptation. He ran! Can you see the passion and urgency of this reaction? RUN JOSEPH RUN!



Sin breaks our relationship with God, numbs our spiritual ears, breaks relationship with people and compromises the calling of God on our lives. Joseph understood that God's calling on his life included refusing temptation. We are a product of the decisions we make and Joseph was a man of integrity because he made the right decisions. I hope to run away from sin as he did as if it were a burning building, a toxic poison, a plate of mushrooms. Take your pick..

Consistency
Joseph continued to face opposition and was wrongly accused of taking advantage of Potiphars wife. Watch out for needy women Joseph! He was then thrown in jail and immediately began taking responsibility for the people in the jail. Again he was lifted up as a leader in the jail, serving the inmates and being a light in a dark place. Regardless of location, situation or condition, Joseph's character was consistent. He served well wherever God put him. He made a choice in his heart, that he wouldn't self-deprecate and feel sorry for himself. He chose to serve.



The Call to Ministry
God has been undeniably clear to me of the way he wants to use my life in becoming a pastor. I have felt the weight of this call and often become overwhelmed in considering the implications of such a responsibility. Thankfully, God has provided me stories of men like Joseph that I can learn from as I continue on my faith journey.

A Servant Leader
I learn from Joseph that ministry is not about title but is a character position. God needed 22 years of character development in order to mold in him the man he was to become. I learn that it isn't how compelling my preaching is or how knowledgeable I am in the Word but the condition of my heart towards God. Do the words I speak, preach and teach reflect the life I live. Reputation is what people think of you, integrity is who you are when no one is looking.

Worldly Success
Jo took every situation as an opportunity to develop a deeper relationship with God and to serve others. Often we put a worldly definition of success that often involves results; how many people get saved, how big my church is, how many ministries I'm involved in, how many people respect and love me, my title and position...



Success on God's terms.
Fortunately, God's definition of success is different then ours. Success in the eyes of God is a faithful obedience in every and all situations. Joseph didn't just check out from faithful service, waiting to be rescued out of his horrible situation but allowed God to use his hands, feet and mouth as a tool wherever he was. He was a useful tool.

Ministry is a call to hate sin!
He did not swerve from the truth or compromise even when he could have gotten away with it. To a common slave, adultery with Potiphers wife might have seemed like a goldmine of an opportunity but Joseph was not a common slave. He was a slave to God and knew he wasn't accountable to only Potiphar but to the Lord. His first impulse was to run away from temptation and sin, a fantastic response to the true identity of sin. Sin is against God, against his nature and his dominion, against his love and his design. Those that love God, for this reason hate sin. A strong foundation in the truth, an intimate relationship with Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit protects us from sin and gives us the proper perspective of what sin truly is.

The Promise
Like always, the real hero in the story is God. God's favor was over Josephs life and all he had to do was walk faithfully and turn away from evil. Living under the promises of God means trusting in faith that he is in control of our future. Our future is something God controls, our character is what we control.

Joseph went on to become the second most powerful man in the world at that time. His character was unshakable.



And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Tangible Hope

As you may know, much of my time spent in Korea is teaching English mostly to middle-aged women from around the community. After each morning class my students like show their appreciation by taking me out for lunch, usually to various, expensive restaurants. I've been incredibly blessed by their generosity and care for me as a missionary.

Today some of my students took me to 'Trump World', a very new and affluent apartment complex here in Daegu. While sitting in a restaurant on the bottom floor of this apartment complex there began to be a stirring of people outside. One of my students went outside to scope out the situation and see why people seemed to look troubled. I was completely disturbed by her report that someone had jumped from their high-rise apartment balcony and that there was a dead body laying outside on the pavement.




Apart from the pit in my stomach that took away any previous appetite, the Holy Spirit began breaking my heart for Korean people of whom I love. Unfortunately this was not an isolated event but seems to be a common news topic in Korea. Since being here for over a year I've heard about several famous people who have taken their lives recently. From the former President of Korea to pop singers to soccer players to famous actors. Even the other day while having coffee with a friend who broke down and shared with me how her father had committed suicide a few years back.

In recent years suicide has become a pandemic in South Korea where an average of 33 people a day will kill themselves. The government attributes this horrible pattern to a surge in social conflicts, including feuds between the sexes, economic hardship and domestic violence.



"The more I gain, the more lonely it is."

"Mad depressed and overworked."

"I can't begin to fathom the countless agonies down the road,"

..These are just a few samples of the thousands of suicide notes that are left behind for family and friends.

As the world comes up with its physical, psychological and social implications for such a phenomenon a Christian cannot deny the spiritual reality of the war that is being waged on this side of heaven. Jesus was clear with us that there is a deceiver named Satan who is alive and well in the invisible and if we allow him, will implant lies into our mind with the sole purpose of causing our self-destruction. (John 10:10)

I'm not going to sit here and explain away more of the agonizing details of a broken world but hope to exhort us in being a tangible messenger of hope in the lives of others. Our lives are usually in constant community and interactions yet we rarely see the internal throbbing pain of the human souls around us. The reality is that often people are lonely and need a friend. Don't be deceived by the exterior smiles of 'togetherness' but lets make a conscious effort to encourage, love and accept others. We don't know where people are at.



May my life, my actions, words and aura be a broken record of the message of the gospel. There is rest, peace, joy, hope and life in the man Jesus Christ who lived, died and rose again to save us from ourselves.

Please be praying with a passion for the people of South Korea.

Because his love is better than life,

Jer

"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us" 2 Cor 5:20

"...you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in thee." St. Augustine

The Simplicity of Grace

Another day in the ever-rising humidity level city of Daegu. At the end of almost every day I walk to the gym at around 9pm where students in their school uniforms roam the streets. When I get out the gym at around 11pm and walk home, still to find young students around the ages of 8 to 16 just coming home from a full day of school.

Daegu is widely known as the biggest education city in South Korea. There are several large Universities and usually everywhere you look in the crowded, lighted streets are Math and English Academies. This city is a factory, mass producing brilliant young machines to build the booming economy of SKorea.



In my experience of hanging out with young people here, they have shared with me some of their rigorous weekly schedules that often included extreme early mornings, full-day schooling with up to 2 academies in the evening for desert. Oh and then when they get home at around 11pm, they are to finish their homework and prepare for the next day.

One would hope that the church would be a great opportunity for these young people to find rest for their minds, encouragement for their hearts and fuel for their souls but unfortunately this, more often then not isn't the case. Church seems to be just another boring academy where we try to pump them with information, often disconnecting the Christian life with real-life challenges and pains.

I for one have had to break through this strenuous, machine-like mentality of the church. As a missionary and staff of Dreem Church I have built up quite the weekly list of services to this church. Without making this sound self-serving, that I somehow am more spiritual on the basis of how much I give (which is a tendency!), I constantly have to keep my relationship with Jesus in check. It is all too easy to float through just another week of church work, teaching and preaching the bible, teaching non-christians English and leading worship with enthusiasm. These days I've discovered my auto-pilot in ministry.



Thankfully, God is a good Dad who keeps reminding me that its all about relationship with him. I'm convinced this is really why I was sent to Korea in the first place, that I would grow deeper in love, truth and intimacy with my Creator, Savior and Dad. I was not called to a people or to a place, I was called to a person. His name is Jesus.

Its too easy to judge the church and I sometimes I hate my critical spirit. I guess I just really want to see the church be all that Jesus intended it to be. I want people to come into the church and feel the freedom and grace that is freely offered. Often we come with hands full rather then hands empty in need of receiving. It is when I come in my nothingness and humility that I experience the simpleness of church. A group of rebellious and often religious children with a good Dad. A bunch of sheep in desperate need of a faithful Shepherd.



Please be praying for the church in South Korea. We have the religious zeal here but lack the simplicity of grace that sets us free from the guilt and condemnation that comes from religiosity. I can't tell you how many people have said to me "I feel God is mad at me" after sinning or even just missing church. The beauty of grace is that it is free, we all don't deserve it because we're all flawed and incomplete. God accepts us because we accept that Jesus took our sin upon himself. This results in a wonderful freedom and a community of excited people.

Oh that we might be this people!

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16

P.O.W.

The pace has picked up considerably since my return to South Korea. I'm now teaching 10 English classes a week and broadening my range of influence in the church and community of non-believers. The majority of my classes are middle-aged women and the rest range from Elementary to High School ages. It's been no walk in the park but I'm enjoying the challenge and new relationships!

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Today I was walking home from the gym after an afternoon workout and witnessed a terrifying moment. As I stood at the crosswalk waiting amongst many other Koreans on the busy street I saw a little Korean boy accidentally drop his balloon. Since today was a windy day this balloon began to drift right into on-coming traffic.



I watched as the boy ran to retrieve his balloon and foresaw the worst-case scenario. My mind immediately began screaming "SAVE HIM" yet my body remained immobile. Before the boy took one more step his mother swooped in to save him just as a city bus careened by.
Apart from being frustrated at my unwillingness to act, my heart was gripped by the passion of the little boy's mother. As I look back at that moment I have no doubt that this mother would have sacrificed her life for her son if needed be. Its the same kind of impression I have when I see my sister with her boys. If their lives were at risk in any way the motherly instinct of protection would rise up in her.



This morning as I was reading God's Word it said that "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us". I remembered that 2000 years ago a fatherly instinct rose up in God the Father for his children who were also in danger. The love of the Father acts. God thought it more important to slaughter His Son then to see his children blindly run into traffic.
The ultimate reality in this is that many people will go to hell as the implication of their rejection of Christ. This is God's just, eternal judgment for those who chose to not to believe. As insane as it seems to me that people would reject this truth, the fact is that we have enemy whose sole purpose is to kill and destroy the intended union we should have with our Father in Heaven.



When we commit to being a disciple of Christ we commit to the mission of rescuing P.O.W's (Prisoners of War). We commit to the same life Jesus had, denying ourselves for the purpose of God's plan.
My prayer for myself and the church is that we would lay our lives down. We wouldn't be so busy with 'ministry' that we miss Jesus' continuous rescue mission for mankind.

May the love of Jesus cause in us a willingness to step in front of the bus for another.



I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Language

>My Korean teachers wedding


I've been back & settled in South Korea for just over three weeks now. Its been good to be back minus the struggle of fighting off a cold for the last few weeks. Nevertheless, I am enduring as a good soldier :)

This year I've committed to teaching nine English Classes, a bible study as well as leading the Worship Service on Sundays. God has truly blessed the English ministries & has allowed me a wider range of influence with the community members of this area of Daegu. My hope is to continue to fuel the desire for my students to grow in the International language & build a community that encourages life growth.

I have to say that teaching English is no small task to a people whose language is so intricately different. I've been thinking lately about the Tower of Babel & how God distorted the languages of man so that they were unable to unify under one power.

I won't pretend to fully understand this passage but what I do know is the pride of mans heart, to turn away from the worship of God on to ourselves. Still, I do sometimes wonder why God had to break us all off like he did. Not that I don't appreciate the diversity & beauty that culture brings, I just know that Jesus' prayer was that we would be "one." Why would he put so much separation in between us if he desired we would be One? (John17:11)


This is something frustrating about missions work. It seems like so much more work could get done globally for the gospel if we could just simply communicate effectively.

This is one of my struggles as I try to break down the language barrier in South Korea. Please be praying that the Holy Spirit might translate the Truth of the gospel in a way that my words fail to do.

May the love of Jesus continue to break down barriers impossible to man!

'Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God; he directs it to whatever ends he chooses.'Prov 21:1