Holy Spirit – Derek Kunhee Kim (김건희 金健熙)

A Dangerous Attitude Toward Evangelism

There’s a cliché floating around that greatly concerns me.

Now let me be clear. I wouldn’t call it a heresy. I think it’s simply a misunderstanding. But misunderstandings can become plagues if not snipped in the bud.

What I’m talking about is this idea that, as Christians, we are supposed to let our actions be the utmost testimony to the world. I recently read a couple articles about two NFL quarterbacks whom adhered to this dangerous attitude toward evangelism.

“I committed my life to Christ, and that faith has been most important to me ever since. Some players get more vocal about it … some point to Heaven after scoring a touchdown and praise God after games. I have no problem with that. But I don’t do it, and don’t think it makes me any less a Christian. I just want my actions to speak louder, and I don’t want to be more of a target for criticism than I already am.”

“——- will not stand on the bleachers and shout; but he will privately live that life consistently with Jesus. I love that about him.”

While such statements bear some truth, the attitude they exhibit is not completely Biblical. Here is why.

There is a constant theme throughout the Old and New Testaments that when believers are filled with God’s Spirit, they spoke His truth. Here are just a couple examples.

“Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said,” 1 Chronicles 12:18

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me … to proclaim liberty to the captives.” Isaiah 61:1-2 (later repeated by Jesus in Luke 4)

“But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Sprit, looked intently at him and said,” Acts 13:9

And Jesus, our Lord, is the paramount example.

“And Jesus, fill of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days being tempted by the devil … And Jesus answered,” Luke 4:1-2,4

The Bible is packed with countless other examples.

People loved Jesus when He would heal the sick; the crowds flocked to His presence when He fed them. But it was His words that separated the sheep from the goats. His verbal testimony is what provoked people to pick up stones to kill Him.

Paul wasn’t beheaded because he lived a private Christian life. The Apostle James wasn’t slaughtered by Herod’s sword because he attended church. Christians in North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and India are not electrocuted, burned at the stake, and forced to watch the murder of their families simply because their behavior emits religion. Christ followers are martyred for their fearless proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that is then echoed by their lifestyle as a cornerstone.

If our actions fail to support our words, we are hypocrites. If our words don’t overflow as a result of our salvation, then we need to evaluate if we are finding our satisfaction in God alone. We will naturally talk about what–or whom–we find joy in.

This timidity may very well be rooted in a buried, bashful fear of man. Such has been an enduring struggle in my life. I need to constantly ask myself if I’m seeking the approval of man over the approval of Yahweh.

Proverbs 29:25 says the fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. I don’t like to share my faith. In fact, if I were to be blunt, I hate it. Naturally, I love the approval of man. I hate rejection. I hate the weird stigma that comes with not knowing how to start a “spiritual conversation. I am terrified of talking to people about the Gospel. I would much rather preach a message or hide behind my computer screen in a blog post. But Jesus’ Church is built on the blood of martyrs who unashamedly embraced persecution for proclaiming the Gospel. And for the rest of my life, I am going to have to make war against the flesh that desires the world’s recognition rather than hearing those words “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23).

The Bible is crystal clear. We must be bold in sharing the Gospel holistically. Souls hang in the balance.

Oh, trust me, I’m 110% for living a life that is “worthy of the calling we have received” (Ephesians 4:1). But our mission will never be complete until we speak for what we stand for.

Don’t allow crazy “preachers” at your college campus deceive you. There is a way to share your faith with others that doesn’t make you seem like a madman.

Let’s not succumb to this ineffectual attitude of American Christianity. It will prevent us from accomplishing what the Holy Spirit yearns to do in us.

“The world can do nothing to a Christian who has no fear of man. -Brother Yun”

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? Any how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! … so faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:14-15, 17

Your Friend, D.Kim
Acts 20:24
FTM

Echoes of Eternity

I stumbled across a wonderful surprise while downloading iOS7 to my iPhone.

Buried within the bog of my Camera Roll, were videos from Passion 2013 that I had failed to upload to YouTube!

So here they are. Be encouraged by the echoes of 60,000 worshiping the one true God!

The Georgia Dome at full capacity is but an iota compared to the forthcoming praises of the elect in Heaven. Indeed, as C.S Lewis said, for the believer, there are far greater things ahead than any we leave behind.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who you out of darkness into his marvelous light. – 1 Peter 2:9

Your Friend, D.Kim
Acts 20:24
FTM

The lifeline of my quest to become an author

The desire to change the world is not evil; the desire to be known for it is.

For where jealously and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. – James 3:16

This has been a struggle for me.

As many of you know, I have been writing a book since I graduated from high school – an encouragement to high school saints to “take the narrow road” and be uncommon for Christ (Matthew 7:13-14). My project is almost finished. I am in the editing process, and the manuscript will soon be sent to publishers and literary agents (tentatively, the end of September). The journey has been grueling, mainly because a novel’s process is obscure amidst the legion of edits and late nights. You put so much time, so much effort, and sacrifice into something, yet the finish line is unseen. Thus, my flesh has been tempted to latch onto other masquerades of motivation: the prospect of fame, money, a new identity. Hence, delighting in Jesus as the cornerstone of my endeavor has sustained me. He’s so stable, so firm, so unshakeable, and so reliable while the cancers of the world give way.

I have asked myself, “Would I be content if I didn’t sell a single novel?” “Would I still have joy if my name wasn’t on the cover?” Is Jesus truly the sole fuel behind the engine of my thoughts?

I must accredit John Piper’s works, which have been so uplifting in this journey. Piper teaches that God is the only being in the universe whose self-exaltation is loving. God is the gospel. For us to exalt ourselves is hateful. If the odor from our actions reeks, “Look at me! Look at me! Me! Me!” we are being evil. However, for God to exalt Himself is love, because God is love. He is our joy! Not his love, kindness, grace, or mercy! HIM! Scripture is dominated by the idea that the greatest gift God could give us is Himself.

Jesus is wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Jesus is truth. (John 14:6)

Jesus is love. (1 John 4:8)

Jesus is glory. (Colossians 3:4)

Jesus is Lord. (Romans 10:9, Philippians 3:20)

So with every word, every paragraph, every click of the keyboard, my aim is to see Jesus a bit more clearly through my Christian hedonism.

And fortunately, delighting – being happy – in Jesus is not a suggestion, but a command.

Your friend, D.Kim
Acts 20:24
FTM

Beware of Freedom

Freedom is a curse to those who do not know how to rightfully handle it. It’s the reason why criminals are confined in prisons with electric fences, steel bars, and concrete barriers. A campfire that is not attended to in a dry forest will quickly spread into a blazing inferno. Unchecked freedom will create chaos both in nature as well as the lives of human beings.

No where is this more evident than in the average life of us, who live in America. We have rights that many foreign nations do not. I have witnessed this single hand as I have traveled around the world and seen how abominable a government can treat it’s people. Despite our freedoms, we use freedom’s luxury to live selfishly or to pass the blame onto someone else. We slip into patterns of self-indulgent living in a affluent society.
This 4th of July, as we enjoy the family barbecues and the fireworks, let’s sit down and be thankful for the liberties we have. I hope that as the year progresses, we would learn to use freedom not for personal benefit, but as a gift to help those who are not as fortunate. Liberty should be a blessing rather than a curse, it’s our decision if we will fall into the pattern or start a new path for others to follow.

“Like a raging fire, freedom without limits is dangerous. But when controlled, it is a blessing to all.” -Dennis De Haan

My (Heavenly) Father’s Birthday Present

During the last week of 2012, I celebrated the birthday of both my earthly and Heavenly fathers. For those who know me well, you know that my relationship with my father has shaped me more than any other relationship in my life. It has been far from perfect, but the word of God has reconciled our relationship.

I have decided to share the letter I wrote to my dad for his 47th birthday. Some may ask why I am sharing something so personal. My response is simple. Galatians 5:1 says that Christ has set us free to set others free. I firmly believe that everything we experience is not only for our benefit, but also for the benefit of others (Philippians 2:4). I have my dad’s permission to share this, all for the sole purpose of magnifying Christ and his faithfulness to his children.

No other relationship will influence your view of the Heavenly Father as much as your relationship with your earthly father. I pray that through my father’s birthday present, you would grow closer to your Heavenly father.

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