The right start
Acts 1:1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach.
Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #292 I Could Not Do Without Thee (#415 in previous version)
Even though we are God’s children who have received salvation, we still face difficulties. If our life improves a little, we get busy by being jealous of others or competing with others. When we fall behind in the competition, we blame ourselves for our inability or give excuses, saying, “Because of so and so” or “Because of my circumstances.” We want to start again. How can we do it?
1. Satan’s strategy
Deceived by Satan, man committed the original sin of being separated from God. Once separated from God, man was taken hold of by Satan and came to walk the path of destruction. Because man cannot resolve this problem, God came to this earth as Christ. And He is none other than Jesus. However, Satan plants in our heart resentment, jealousy, grudges, illusions and excuses and robs us only of the covenant of Jesus Christ, which is the most important thing for us. If we are aware of Satan’s strategy, we must not be deceived.
2. One and only goal
At every age when the Israelites suffered from slavery and captivity, God’s established disciples rose up and future generations arose. They realized Satan’s strategy and placed in their hearts the one and only goal to save their age. While everyone else was busy trying to earn a living and resented God, they grabbed hold of individual goals, field goals, church goals, and evangelism and missions goals of sharing the Gospel with people. When we grab hold of the goal that God has given to us, we can be born again to live the life of being used by God.
3. Disguise of problems and crises
Are we indeed God’s children who have received salvation? If so, then all we need to do is not be deceived by Satan in the face of problems and crises. God reveals the power of Jesus Christ in the midst of problems and crises. We must not be hasty but pray with thanksgiving with regard to problems and crises. Through the Sunday worship and daily quiet time, God will unveil the disguise of problems and crises. And behind the disguise is awaiting the true blessing of Jesus Christ.
- Satan robs us only of the covenant of Jesus Christ by planting in our heart resentment, jealousy, grudges, illusions and excuses. Let us open our spiritual eyes and spend the day with thanksgiving for Christ alone in all circumstances and problems. LA Evangelism Conference Lecture 1 / 2012.2.28