Conviction vs. Condemnation

I think one of the hardest things to overcome is the voice in the head that always says things like, “You aren’t doing enough,” “You’re failing,” “You’re not doing anything of worth,” etc.  Think about those voices though.  Are any of them beneficial or loving?  No.  They are words of condemnation.  Romans 8:1-2 make it very clear that there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  We have to understand that condemnation is clearly not thrown upon us from God but rather is a tool of evil spirits to hinder and burden God’s people. 

Conviction on the other hand is what leads us to true repentance (Romans 2:4).  It not only reveals the areas that need work within us, but also directs us to the way that is right.  Conviction is given to us through the Holy Spirit.

As different devotionals say, “Conviction shows you the answer (the blood of Jesus, which washes away sin), while condemnation shows you the problem (the sin, the past and your failures). Condemnation shows you the problem, but conviction shows you the answer.”  Conviction leads you in a way to find freedom from your shackles.  Condemnation only serves to further beat you down and suffocate all life from you. 

It’s important for us, especially in the church, to be aware whether the voices we are hearing (and using ourselves) are voices of love and conviction, or voices of harness and condemnation.  Conviction will always bear good fruit.  Condemnation will only induce depression and despair. 

God bless!

Basketball Tournament

A worker at my home signed up my basketball boys for a community 3 on 3 tournament at a local high school.  Kids from all around the area attended.  While both my junior high boys and high school boys lost their first game, they gave a good effort and I know it was a good experience for them. 

All the boys involved

Chae Hyun posing before his game… all the boys were a bit nervous

My junior high boys

Some of their shots were pretty bad, but thankfully they laughed it off

My high school boys (I had more, but only 4 were allowed to play per game)

Dae Chul hadn’t played in months because of night classes, but he still tried hard

Myung Mook looking good dribbling

Handshakes afterward

Enjoying snacks after the game

My boys weren’t dejected from losing, but rather motivated.  Here they are practicing in a hallway after their games…

God bless!

The Testing of Dreams and Prophecy…

I’ve noticed in my life that the clearer the dreams and particularly the more direct the words of prophecy usually require greater testing and faith than the dreams and prophetic words that are simple or not fully clear.  Why is this?  I believe it is because God never wants to be our fortune teller or our slave master.  He wants to have a relationship with us.  So many people want God to give them a clear sign or dream or prophetic word about their future, but in doing so sometimes they can mistakenly treat God as if He is far off or not interested in them.  And so God allows such people to go through a time of testing and refining in order for them to grow closer to the Lord, see how faithful He is in the small things, and grow enough faith to fully achieve the plans God has for them.

Psalms 105:17-19 (NKJV… the NIV butchers verse 19) – He sent a man before them–Joseph–who was sold as a slave.  They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons.  Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him.” 

Joseph got two super clear dreams when he was young that he would be royalty and would be exalted.  But his life seemed to show nothing of that.  But rather than forsake the dreams or demand more of them, Joseph remained faithful in the small things and saw God work around him, even in his time as a slave and as a prisoner. 

What I have found in my life is that as long as I am walking close with God the signs, the dreams, and the clear words of prophecy almost never catch me way off guard or surprise me.  I know God is with me and He is already directing me within.  The closer I am with him, the steadier the compass within me directs me. 

If there is a super strong, directive word of prophecy given, it is critical to keep close to the Lord and wait on Him.  There can actually be an expectation and understanding that Satan will try and throw smokescreens to make you disbelieve that direct word, but it is important to never lose faith or intimacy with God.  Let God test you and refine you.  His timing is perfect.

Blessings!

Relays and a Song for Teachers

Instead of pictures I bring you videos this week.  The first is a video of my kids doing a little relay race for fun after dinner.  They love relays, especially the youngest kids!  This was just before we had our daily dodgeball game (with more kids coming out to join us).  And don’t worry about the boy who fell over at the end of the race (Myung Soo), he was completely fine.  =)

Here my kids are practicing to perform in front of their teachers from their elementary school.  I was encouraged by how unified the kids were in singing.  It was only the dorm mom on the piano, our home’s cleaning lady, and myself there with the kids.  It was fun to cheer them on.  Sorry the sound is a little muffled.

God bless!

The Orphan Spirit and Memory Loss…

While serving at the home now and then my kids will have a tough moment and completely lose it.  Rebellion, anger, refusal to listen, just plain disrespect and disobedience.  It is shocking to me because some of these kids I’ve been especially close with over the past five and a half years.  I usually first have to discipline them by having them leave the room or go some place solitary.  They need time to cool off and so do I.  After I’ve prayed and calmed back down I will go to the kid and try to communicate as clearly as possible what the problem is.  But if the child is still in a bad state, all I do is work on their memory loss and gently say things like, “I’ve been teaching you for five years now.  Remember this…?  Remember that…?” and then give them more time alone.  Suddenly all the lies attacking the kid causing him or her to act in rebellion and hate gradually start losing their power.  They begin to remember they are loved.  And soon (although for some teenagers it may take a while) they return to me and apologize.  I speak reassuring of my love for them and they shed some tears.  They had forgotten that love over time, so as they remember it hits them deep. 

Throughout the Bible God over and over and over tells His people to remember… to remember Egypt… to remember the signs and wonders… to remember God’s faithfulness… to remember all that God has done for them.  Whenever a man of God made an altar or a monument to God in remembrance of something He had done for them it was recorded in the Bible.  Why?  I believe because God wanted to highlight the acts to further press into our minds the need to remember.  God knew that it is so easy for us to become insecure and worry.  Particularly those who have been rejected and carry an orphan spirit, there is a defense mechanism within them that causes them to reject discipline or love or a relationship the moment there is any warning or strong feeling of insecurity.  It causes the person to only look after himself and to be paranoid or judgmental of the other.  There is memory loss of the past. 

When you don’t remember or reflect, you can easily lose your identity and try and find it in the moment, or just in your pain or fears.  I have seen friends and kids suddenly act really irrational because of something they are worried about or because of a simple disagreement.  They had forgotten how well they have been provided for and protected in the recent years and are losing control.  Even a simple disagreement can cause paranoia or judgment that would have seemed ridiculous to ever consider just before the simple disagreement.  But with some work on the memory loss, appreciation, honor, security, and love are able to return. 

Please don’t ever forget what others have done for you and the close relationships you have.  And especially when there is a disagreement or misunderstanding, choose to remember the altars/monuments in the relationship and don’t let the current difficult moment cause memory loss. 

God bless!

Dodgeball and Food

The weather in Seoul has been amazing lately, so the kids and I have been having some great play times after dinner each night.  Dodgeball is one of our favorite games… but food comes first…

Min Ho

Min Ho and Hyun Bin

Sun Ah

Kyung Min

Dodgeball time! (Korean dodgeball rules)

Do Kyoon action shot

Hae Ran

Min Seung delighted because she caught the ball^^

Min Seung’s hair… intimidating!

Even better is Seung Hwan in the background (his pose after throwing the ball)

God bless!

Yoga and New Age

Years ago I read a book called “Running Against the Wind” by Brian Flynn.  He was a former student of yoga who got deeper and deeper into it.  In practicing yoga, as you progress through the stages you learn breathing exercises and are taught a mantra (a phrase you repeat over and over) to use.  By doing these things you are able to “get in touch with your inner man and your spirit guides.”  As Brian met his spirit guides they began to provide him with information about people and things, soon enabling him to become a practicing psychic.  His wife also progressed in yoga and became a psychic as well.  While their spirit guides seemed friendly and beneficial early on, they soon discovered their spirit guides were destroying their friendships, their finances, and even their own marriage.  Thankfully, some friends of Brian were able to lead him to Christ and he was able to discover that the spirit guides were in fact demons he had invited in.  He repented and renounced of his new age practices and wrote that book about his own personal journey and about the dangers of new age today.  It’s a good read.

Recently on the Sid Roth show a former yoga guru, Mike Shreve, was interviewed.  While Mike did not get in as deep as Brian Flynn in terms of spirit guides and psychic practices, he was just as familiar with the dark side of yoga as Brian was.  Here is an excellent link outlining five clear reasons why Mike Shreve encourages Christians to avoid yoga…

Five Reasons To Not Practice Yoga

I personally was surprised to find that it was mainly the Beatles who brought yoga to America after their own drug filled spiritual journey to India.  Yoga and new age are steeped in Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, and other eastern religions.  While doing healing and deliverance ministry I have personally seen the dangerous effects of yoga, acupuncture, and other new age practices on people and have had to lead through repentance, renouncing, and healing.  My personal belief is that New Age is the end times religion that will consume every religion outside of Christianity.  If you read the book Running Against the Wind your eyes will be opened to just how prevalent new age practices and teaching have infiltrated society.

Please be aware and be wise.  God bless!

Cute Little Ones

Here are a few pics of the littlest ones of the home…

Ji Oon

Little ones playing with Sun Hee dorm mom

Pastor Chae with the twins… they’ve noticed he has something in his hands

Like little baby birds^^

Yoo Rim

Little ones enjoying the sun

Hyun Woo and Ji Oon

Yoo Rim and Yoo Bin… their mother is a North Korean refugee who had them in China before making it to South Korea

God bless!

Power of Parents…

While watching the documentary “They Sold Their Soul For Rock and Roll” I couldn’t get over the fact that so many rock and roll bands from the 60′s and 70′s had a vision to stir up rebellion among the youth, specifically against their parents.  Their satanic goal was to destroy the authority of parents, and in doing so to release all sorts of immorality.  The family would have to be destroyed first, and then the immorality and wickedness would be free to infiltrate society.  Why was the focus on parents so much?

Proverbs 20:8 (NKJV) – A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his eyes.

Satan knows the power of authority and he also knows the authority God has given fathers and husbands (Numbers 30).  Fathers have the authority, if they choose to use it, to break off every vow and curse their children may come under.  Husbands have the same authority over their wives.  But sadly, so few fathers and husbands are exercising their authority.  Many of them are fighting with their children and their wives, rather than fighting in the spirit and disallowing any dissension and immorality to get in. 

So often when I do healing and deliverance sessions and I find someone had suddenly fallen hard in the occult or into sexual sin at a young age, I can usually correctly presume that the person’s father had either left the family at that time of their life or had always been passive and never clear about love or authority.  And that had left the person wide open to the enemy, resulting in so much horrible bondage. 

These days it has become “normal” for the father to either be absent or to not be that involved in his kids’ lives.  And that “normal” has also made for sex trafficking, drug and alcohol abuse, immorality, and depression to also become more and more “normal” for society.  Sadly, what the satanists and much of the rock and roll genre desired in the 60′s and 70′s is now coming true for society today.  The effects of a family divided and parents powerless have opened up so many doors for the enemy. 

But look at Proverbs 20:8 once again.  There is still so much hope.  We need to pray for the fathers and husbands of today, including the spiritual fathers, to learn who they truly are before God and to sit on their thrones (Ephesians 2:7) and exercise authority.  As we sit upon our thrones and exercise the authority we have been given in the spiritual realm for justice, evil will be scattered just by the look of our eyes.  But if we remain passive, the world is going to continue to fall into darkness, including some of our loved ones we are meant to protect.

Rise up!  Ask God for revelation of who you are in Him and the authority He has given you.  Begin fighting injustice in the spirit (through prayer), specifically targeting your family and those whom you have authority over, and watch the evil scatter. 

God bless!