Hitting Rock

I recently completed a 21 day fast with my church.  During that time some great guest speakers/gifted ministers visited the church and we had some powerful times together.  I had plenty of ministry opportunities myself and God’s Spirit has moved mightily.  But despite the ministries I’m involved in going well and despite doing the fast and being ministered to by some great men of God, my personal time with the Lord lately hasn’t been as stellar.  I’ve been trying to be a little more creative in how I spend my time with God… emphasizing praise more, trying to listen more, even going different places to pray or trying different ways.  But since it has all been new, it hasn’t been that easy or comfortable.  I’ve also struggled a bit more with keeping disciplined since I’m trying new things and not keeping routine.  It hasn’t been easy, and when I’ve been alone and not doing ministry I haven’t felt as close with the Lord. 

One of the prophetic words given to me during the fast (from someone very gifted) was that the person saw me wearing a miner’s hat with a light on it and that I’m called to go deep in the things with God.  Interestingly enough, a friend of mine who has a prophetic gift gave me the very exact word a whole year earlier… miner’s hat, called to go deep with God.  Both went into a little more detail than what I’m giving, and both words lined up exactly.  Hearing the word again was almost a discouragement since my personal time hasn’t been as strong lately and I don’t know what to do to “go deeper.” 

Then a friend of mine encouraged me with these words, “I feel like you’ve hit some rock.  That can happen as you try and go deeper.  You’ll soon break through it and you’ll find yourself much deeper with the Lord than before.”  I’m claiming that word, and I really believe it.  Sometimes I think we go through seasons where we almost feel like we’re failing or we’ve grown distant with God, but the truth is that He is calling us to go deeper and we have to break through whatever is holding us back.  God wants us to grow in perseverance and faith.  He chooses not to always stay in the same place because He desires a fluid relationship… not one that is based on routine or is robotic.  I’m looking forward to the next breakthrough.  I know as I keep seeking Him the rock will suddenly break open and I’ll be brought into deeper realms with Him. 

Proverbs 25:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search them out.

God bless!

The Super Fabulous Picture Update!

Okay, the truth is these are just a ton of different pictures taken on my phone, with half of them taken by my kids.  But they are still super fabulous… or fantabulous, if you prefer.  Apparently fantabulous is a word, although my spell check begs to differ.  Hope you enjoy!

Celebrating Do Kyoon’s birthday with Hae Ran

Happy Do Kyoon

I think there is something on my back…

Eun Suh slurping in some Korean spaghetti (ketchup and kimchi amidst that sauce…)

Now that’s a beautiful face…

Ji Woo showing off her reading skills

Young Eun surprisingly allowed this picture

Sun Ah

Se Min… the table is too high… grow Se Min, grow!

Ji Oon

Little ones

In Korean this reads, “JM Dentist.”  Some of my younger kids saw this picture and really believed the building was mine… cute kids…

Hope you enjoyed!  God bless

An Effect of the Glory (an excerpt from my message, “Hosting His Glory”)

 

In 1Samuel 19 King Saul is trying to pursue David to kill him, but he runs into the prophet Samuel.  The glory of God falls upon him, and something interesting happens…

 

1Samuel 19:23-24:  And he (King Saul) went there to Naioth in Ramah.  And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah.  And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night.  Thus it is said, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’

 

Bizarre, right?  The word “naked” in the text doesn’t necessarily mean he was completely stripped, but can also mean that he was only in his undergarments.  Still, what is going on? 

 

In 2Samuel 6 we have another story of a king removing his robes.  It is the account of King David bringing the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem amidst much celebration.  King David is so overjoyed that he takes off his kingly robes and dances in a linen ephod, a priestly garment, before the people.

 

While Scripture is not clear in saying it, I believe the glory of God was present both times.  And an effect of the glory of God is that it causes us to realize our true standing before God.  God is glorious.  He is to be revered.  He is awesome and marvelous.  Saul could not wear his kingly robes before God.  Even though Saul was living in disobedience, being under the glory of God he had to humble himself and strip of his royal attire before the Lord.  King David on the other hand already knew his identity in God and was not ashamed.  During the glorious parade of bringing back the ark, David made sure that all glory was given to God rather than himself. 

 

I believe as we prepare ourselves to be better hosts of His glory that we are going to experience the weight of His presence like never before.  And I believe that as the weight of His presence falls in King Bar and around this area, that many who were once stubborn and hardhearted before the Lord will suddenly realize their true standing before Him.  They will see both how lost they are and how worthy God is of our worship.  The prostitutes, Muslims, homosexuals, and others in this area will begin removing their identities in this world and taking on their true identity in Christ.  The glory of God will do this.  Amen!

 

**If you’d like to all of the message, e-mail me at beckerjm@gmail.com.  Also, open iTunes and do a search for “New Philadelphia Church.”  Select “New Philadelphia Church 2010.  You’ll see a ton of great sermons you can choose from.**

Pizza Pictures

Recently a pizza company came to our home with an oven and a large container or all sorts of toppings and ingredients for making pizza.  While the pizza people made the dough, they let the kids come over and choose the toppings and make the pizzas for themselves.  It was really cool!  Enjoy the pics!

Soo Ah about to get started making her pizza

Ji Hoon at work

About halfway there… they let the kids go all out with the toppings…

Koreans like corn on their pizzas… and I actually enjoy it as well

Kids and Tak Kon Groundskeeper enjoying some pizza… I like Min Ho’s expression on the left

Hae Hyun focused on devouring…

Min Ho enjoying it

Too hot for Da Heen

Ji Hoon’s pizza finally coming out… he wrote his name on it using sweet potato sauce… Koreans like sweet potato and regular potato on their pizzas as well… I can’t say I’m a fan of that though…

Jung Hyun watching the pizzas cook

Kids ready to pounce on the freshly cooked pizza

God bless!

Identity #33 – I Am Filled With Joy (John 17:13)

Jesus makes joy a priority for His disciples and tells them, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11).  Many Christians miss or ignore Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit, who Jesus promised would bring them great joy.  Their lives tend to be dry and they tend to become more self centered since they are unaware of the Spirit pointing them towards God’s perfect will.  Many other Christians view their life as a constant battle with Satan where there are sometimes victories and sometimes defeats and they always feel they are in a battle.  Some of the most passionate Christians have this mindset, but outside of the times of clear victory, there is little joy in their lives.  

But 1Thessalonians 5:16 is a command, and it reads: “Rejoice always.”  Of the fruit of the Spirit, the second listed right after love is “joy.”  Joy is to be a fruit of every Christian’s life.  And that joy is to be constant, no matter the circumstances.  Even during the worst moment of his life, Job managed to worship and proclaim, “Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).  Amidst all the terror around him, Job still knew God was in control and that God is good.  And so Job was still able to find joy and worship.  It doesn’t mean that Job didn’t mourn over his lost children and lost possessions, but amidst the sadness Job knew God is above all and that anything we receive here on earth is a gift from Him.  Job knew to choose thankfulness for what he had rather than bitterness for what he lost. 

Our love is not to be dependent on our day to day circumstances.  We are called to love always.  And in the same way, our joy isn’t to be dependent on our day to day circumstances.  Both love and joy are choices, not responses or emotions.  If we choose to focus on things in the physical realm and think mostly about ourselves, we will find ourselves both lacking in love and lacking in joy.  But when we focus on the things of God and the things His Spirit reveals to us, we are captured by His love and we realize just how awesome God is and just how privileged we are to know Him.  How could we not love?  And how could we not be overjoyed? 

This is another identity that we have to claim in order to truly experience in our lives.  As we set our thoughts and our words upon Him, who He is, and every gift He has given us, we cannot help but express joy.  And as we learn to walk according to the way of His Spirit and seek the things of God, we experience a joy incomparable (John 16:24).  Please repeat after me, “In Christ, I am filled with joy!”  Amen.

Hope Room Girls…

The following are some good pics taken from my friend Semy a while ago while she was visiting Hope Room… enjoy!

Jung Ho, Eun Ji, Hae Hyun, and Ji Woo

Eun Suh

Jung Ho and Eun Suh

Chae Yun and Ji Woo

Jung Ho

Hae Hyun (with Eun Suh)

I love this pic

Eun Ji and Soo Ah

Korean kids know the cute poses…

Hae Hyun

God bless

Learning to be a Good Host…

I’ve read and heard recently that three men who God has used to bring great revival in the past few decades (Derek Prince and Bill Johnson being two of them) spend about 80-90% of their time in prayer worshiping God.  So for every ten minutes of prayer, about eight of those minutes are praising, thanking, and reflecting on God.  Their mindset is that once you’re in the presence of God, petition flows much easier and faith is much higher.  Rather than pushing through a laundry list of needs every prayer time, they instead choose to worship and let His presence invade.  In a love relationship, what percent of conversation is petition anyway?  Don’t get me wrong, it is important, but if it dominates the conversation then the relationship probably isn’t healthy. 

Psalm 22:3 (KJV) says God “inhabits the praises” of His people.  Other precise translations like the NASB and ESV say God is “enthroned upon the praises” of His people. 

“Revival is all about an invasion of the presence of God, when He is enthroned in our lives.  God’s presence is stewarded best when we have a heart for worship.  Everything that we do for Him is to be an overflow of our relationship with Him.  Anything can happen when God is welcomed.  We are called to host His presence.  A good host will not neglect a guest.  A guest only stays however long he or she is honored.  If the guest is ignored then the guest will feel prompted to leave” (part of a Bill Johnson interview on the Jesus Culture’s Consumed CD). 

I’m continuing to learn how to be a better host for His presence… to be prepared and make His presence welcome, to acknowledge Him and declare His character, to thank Him, listen to Him, and be expectant.  His love is better than life and I want more of Him! 

God is continuing to bring shifts in my walk with Him.  He is good! 

Identity #32 – In Christ I am Satisfied (Jeremiah 31:14)

Most of society thrives upon materialism and the “need for more,” whether it is something simple like the desire to buy the latest product, eat another good meal, or to watch another movie… or it’s something deep like the need for more alcohol, drugs, or a way to fulfill sexual desires.  In the moment of achieving their desires, most people would say they are satisfied.  But shortly after the thrill passes, the emptiness sets back in and there is need again to satisfy oneself.  Often times what once satisfied us before is no longer good enough, so we search for something bigger, better, or more intense.  This is how addiction starts.  Pornography, drugs, alcohol, money, and other outlets are never the answer.  There might be temporary satisfaction, but there is always a need for more.  They don’t satisfy. 

Jesus told the woman at the well, “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again” (John 4:14).  The apostle Paul, a man who had endured beatings, whippings, stoning, prison, and even ship wrecks wrote, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11).  He no longer found his emotions based upon the highs and lows of life, but rather on the constant love, joy, and strength of God.  In Christ, we are truly satisfied.

This identity is critical to claim when temptation tries to creep in.  Everything that tempts us on earth will be absent in heaven.  Why?  Because they don’t fully satisfy.  Only a relationship with God can truly satisfy us.  As we set our sights on Him and on the things of heaven, the temptations we face gradually lose their allure.  Our minds become renewed and no longer find their fulfillment in the things of this world.  Our satisfaction is found in God.  In Christ, we are truly satisfied.