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For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of Godnot by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10). I'm definitely not a green thumb, but I love having plants in my home, especially my favorite ...
Keep Readingin a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed (I Corinthians 15:52). Paul shares that when the trumpet sounds, all who have died will be raised from the graves with heavenly bodies. We will be changed. For Christians, that will be the most life-altering experience that...
Keep ReadingBut someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. (I Corinthians 15:35-36) Questions about the resurrection abounded in Paul's time just as much as it does today. People asked questions like, "How are the dead raised?" or "With what kind of body will they come?" I wonder ...
Keep Readingif Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins (I Cor. 15:17). Having traveled extensively across the world, I've noticed a striking diversity in religious beliefs. It is estimated that there are over 4,000 different religions that are classified into five major groups Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Judaism. What sets Ch...
Keep ReadingFor what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are...
Keep ReadingIn her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, "Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his lifeThen she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast (I Samuel 1:10-1...
Keep ReadingOn their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported allthat the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard this,they raised their voices together in prayer to God (Acts 4:23-24a). When confronting a challenge or crisis, we often experience a "hunger" of some kind. Maybe we find ourselves hungering for safety, quick and easy solu...
Keep ReadingThen Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20) When I was in...
Keep ReadingAnd pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind,be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people (Ephesians 6:18). I was recently encouraged by a friend to commit to the 45-day prayer challenge. She was prompted to do it because she had heard some miraculous stories of amazing things that God did through other...
Keep ReadingJesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. (Mark 3:13-15) Have you wished you had the power or authority to affect the spiritual environment in the places ...
Keep ReadingFor 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 (Isaiah 9:6). As I look around my living room, my house is decked out with festive Christmas decorations: A tree, nativity scene, garland, and beautiful lights. The music and movies create ...
Keep ReadingI want you to know how glad I am that it's me sitting here in this jail and not you.There's a lot of suffering to be entered into in this worldthe kind of sufferingChrist takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church's part of that suffering.When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God's way of helping me serve y...
Keep Reading"But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel." (Colossians 1:22-23a) Have you ever thought about the difference between biblical hope and just being hopeful? I may be ...
Keep Reading"For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:16) When I read through Colossians 1:15-18, I was reminded of how different God is from me. He is the great creator (v16). He is supreme over all things (v17). He ...
Keep Reading"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra's den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper's nest. T...
Keep ReadingBut Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consultedthe young men who had grown up with him and were serving him (I Kings 12:8). I Kings chapter 12 provides us with some powerful examples of how NOT to be faithful to our faithful God. It tells the story of Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Rehoboam was Solomon's son and heir to the throne. Jeroboam was a rival to the t...
Keep Reading"When they sin against youfor there is no one who does not sinand you become angry with them if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul and pray to youthen f...
Keep Reading"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.You shall have no other gods before me"The people remained at a distance,while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was (Exodus 20:2-3, 21). During my college days, I was a camp counselor at Grace Bible Camp. One of my privileges was to do cabin devotions and talk to teens about Jes...
Keep ReadingThen God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." (Genesis 1:26) Does it matter how we see ourselves? Are we evolutionary experiments or unique and special creations of God? Does unde...
Keep ReadingJesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues,proclaiming the good news of the kingdom When he saw the crowds,he had compassion on them(Matthew 9:35-36) One of the core values of Chatham Community church is being outwardly focused. Jesus lived this out every day because He truly loved people and had compassion on them. Jesus calls us to love...
Keep ReadingAll the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessionswas their own, but they shared everything they had (Acts 4:32). The Christian school that I used to teach at in Uijeongbu, South Korea, was very unique. Every teacher who worked there came as a missionary and saw their students and families as their mission field. This mindset create...
Keep ReadingTherefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here(2 Corinthians 5:17)! If we want to have a resilient core, that kind of inner strength that allows us to bounce back from difficult life events, work through emotional pain and suffering, and be able to tap into the strength that God provides, we must be transformed. Two of the...
Keep ReadingFrom him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:16). Every time I go to the theater, I'm always amazed by the never-ending movie credits. In order to make that movie happen, it took around 500 to 1,000+ people working together and contributing their individual knowl...
Keep ReadingThen he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;life does not consist in an abundance of possessions" (Luke 12:15). I remember my first teaching job after college. It was my first time living on my own, paying my bills, and managing my money. My "saver" personality wanted to save as much as I could and not waste any money. But even though sa...
Keep ReadingBut he answered his father, "Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!" (Luke 15:29-30) The world often teaches us a very different ...
Keep Reading"Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." (Joshua 3:5) When I look at Joshua, the charismatic warrior, leader, and successor of Moses, he seems so mature. He has a faith in God that is so strong, he believes God will do a miracle and doesn't hesitate to prepare for it. He tells the priests to prepare and giv...
Keep Reading"So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome." (Genesis 32:22-32) I'm...
Keep ReadingThere is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavensa time to plant and a time to uproota time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracinga time to be silent and a time to speak (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Have you ever been at a crossroads but weren't sure which direction to go? The Bible says that there is an appointed time for everything, but...
Keep ReadingBlessed are those who find wisdom She is a tree of life to those whotake hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed (Proverbs 3:13,18). Who are the wisest people you know? What makes those people wise? How do they stand out as different from others? The more I read from Proverbs, the more I am reminded of a wise woman, we called Miss Patty, who was like a second...
Keep Reading"To be counted among the wise, you must learn to accept helpful criticism" (Proverbs 15:31, ERV). I've been a fool and I've been wise. I don't think we always are one or the other. We all probably struggle between the two. There are two uncomfortable occasions in my life that helped me learn the key to wisdom, but the lessons were learned the hard way. To begin with, I r...
Keep Reading"This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exilefrom Jerusalem to Babylon:"Build houses and settle down" (Jeremiah 29:4-5) Before I was sent to the mission field, I was required to attend a pre-field orientation. Out of all the things I was taught, one piece of advice stuck with me the most. They said that we needed to unpack. I b...
Keep Reading"Blessed is the onewhose delight is in the law of the LordThat person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in seasonwhatever they do prospers (Psalm 1:1-3). Blessing sounds like such a beautiful word, but what does it mean? According to Psalm 1, blessing refers to a believer who is in a position to receive God's provisions (favor) as an exten...
Keep ReadingThe crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" ... When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" (Matthew 21:9a, 10) While living in Seoul, I remember a time when the city was so stirred up, it was literally on fire with enthusiasm. It was 2002, and South Korea was hosting the World Cu...
Keep Reading"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died.But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask. Jesus said to her,"Your brother will rise again"(John 11:21-23). At some point in our lives, we have all faced or will face an impossible situation. When we are in the midst of it, we often feel that all hope seems lost, and it c...
Keep ReadingJesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14). I've read the story of the woman at the well many times. Each time that I tried to step into the story, the account always reminded...
Keep Reading"Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him." (John 3:1-2) Is it possible to study and teach God's Word, yet still not fully understand or grasp the m...
Keep ReadingThen Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:1-4) ...
Keep ReadingThen Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him.But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You,and do You come to me?" (Matthew 3:13-14) I have read the account of Jesus's baptism many times, but this time I was struck, for the first time, by John's humility. John the Baptist truly led a supernatural life. It...
Keep Reading"We all have different gifts. Each gift came because of the grace God gave us " (Romans 12:6, ERV) Have you ever wondered why God gave us the gifts that He did? Do you think God's gifts were given to merely improve our personal lives, or could there be a more significant purpose? Paul shares that we all have different gifts that were given to us by God's grace. He said w...
Keep Reading"Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home." He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith (Mark 6:4-6). Mark reminds us that Jesus, being fully human and fully God, was raised by two earthly parents similarly to oth...
Keep ReadingOnce when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18 She kept this up for many days. Finall...
Keep ReadingJesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about himspread through the whole countryside (John 4:14). Jesus was the most Spirit-filled person to walk the earth. The Gospels regularly refer to Jesus as 'filled with the Spirit' and 'led by the Spirit.' However, we Christ-followers can live that same kind of life! We can be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led as...
Keep ReadingZechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." The angel said to him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will co...
Keep ReadingBut the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joywhich will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for youa Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10). Have you ever imagined what it would be like to encounter an angel? I believe I did once during my first year of college. On my way to an earl...
Keep Reading"And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins" (Luke 1:76-77). I wasn't raised in a Christian family, but my mom felt it was good for me to go to church. There was a volunteer from our local church who picked u...
Keep Reading"Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!" (Luke 1:45) Is it possible to have joy even in the midst of difficult circumstances? Do you think that there is a joy available that can prevail, even amidst hardship, turmoil, and even despair? I remember a time when I learned the answer to those questions. It was one of the hardest times...
Keep Reading"But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel."(Matthew 2:6) Back when I was in college, I fell in love with the Scriptures. I was still young in my faith when I read the book of Isaiah for the first time. At the time, I didn't even know it was a prophetic book...
Keep ReadingThen Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel" (2 Kings 5:15). As I was reading through 2 Kings chapter 5, I saw Naaman's story with new eyes. Naaman was a mighty army captain and warrior who worked under, and was highly respected, by the King of Aram. One o...
Keep ReadingBut in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are i...
Keep ReadingDear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us (I Peter 2:11-12). One thing that I understand well in this passage is what it means to be a foreigner. ...
Keep ReadingDo nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (Philippians 2:3-4). My first thought when I read this verse is that it's impossible to be so selfless! How can we "do nothing out of selfish ambition?" From the time we are young, we don't ...
Keep ReadingCarry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). I used to serve in a ministry for orphans and widows called Mercy Ministry. Once I was part of a team bringing rice to a widow who was very poor and disabled. The elderly woman that we were visiting wanted to visit with her friend, but it was too difficult for her to walk due ...
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