letter from Seoul 3

I have never appreciated the connect journal more.This really helps me to track my thoughts and still connect myself with Word of God, and it motivates me when I imagine all others who are pondering upon the same verses with me. I feel as if we are studying the Bible together from afar. I never missed a day of connect journal, and after I came here, the lines in this journal are not enough to jot down all my thoughts.

2/3 of my Holiday in Seoul is gone. I can’t wait to go back honestly speaking, many times in my heart I’m asking myself ‘What am I doing here?’ The life here is easy and convenient, yet, man.. something is missing, the most important thing. Because of that I feel the big hole no matter what I may doing here.

This must be the lie of Satan who has been assigned over the land of Seoul. “Don’t care about God’s kingdom. You just live your life. You got to be more successful, be richier, be prettier, enjoy whatever you deserve to enjoy. Church? You can go on sundays, that’s enough. Let others who are crazy and religious do the rest of it. Too much is always no good. How much is too much? Whenever you don’t want to do it yet someone tells you to do it, that’s ‘too much’. No one has a right to tell you what to do. You are the master of your own life. What I want is what I will do, because there is no TRUTH, no definate answer, no obedience to others. Serve yourself.

You will be surprised to know how effectively Satan has deceived the people into such thoughts through media, movies, songs and dramas. This morning Today’s devotion verses read “God will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. we want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. we don not want you to become lazy..”

The truth sets us free. We know for sure we are called to do the work of God, to help his people grow, to complete the mission which is given to us from Jesus. No matter what may happening in the world out there, it will be still the same everywhere we go.  Yes, to serve God isn’t always easy, yet we should not give up because it’s difficult. We should not give up because our personal life pressures us. To set the priority right is the must, and the rest of the small stones will fall into its own places.

When we have such sure hope and conviction about what we do, then we truly have the strength to rely on God. When the study is getting tougher, when the family pressure rises, when the relationship doesn’t go the way we wanted, when Satan tells us that we are missing out so much while we are serving God, we can fight against those lies by showing the scriptures in confidence.

My parents persist that I come back and live with them. The way of life here can be very tempting, convenient and beautiful, yet one thing is enough for me to give that up easily. God called me by name, to Brisbane, to Daniels, in such a time as this. So that’s what I will do and where I will be. Period.

Why, I was living here for many yrs yet had no joy in my heart? I have tried such a life that Satan offered, and I know there is nothing in it. NOTHING. I am patiently waiting to go back home, and to my beloved spiritual family, and to be fully devoted to the work that I’ve been called to do in the kingdom of God. Because, to serve the God Almighty is my Purpose of LIFE, and to serve the Daniels is my Joy of spirit.

Chris_Esther

letter from Seoul 2

Yoido Full Gospel Church.

While I was living in Korea for 23 years, I was never interested in attending the FGC.  But today, I’ve spent nearly 3 hours by bus and metro subway, to attend the Yoido Full Gospel Church 3rd service of the day (they have 7 church services on sunday, 3 services on wednesday night and all night worship service on friday nights). It was huge, I mean, HUGE. The size of eveything they do amazed me. There were hudreds of greyhound looking church buses delieving people to and fro nearby train stations. The ushers in white suit with ‘hallellujah’ band around their body were all over the street directing and guiding people at least from 5 km away.

for sake of learning, I sat on specially arranged seat for the foreigners. On each chair was the radio device and headset that translates 8 different languages through each channel.( kor, eng, chi, jap, french, spanish, russian and indonesian) Even in a glampse, the choir looked more than 100 people, in full traditional colorful costume called Han-Bok. They were stunningly beautiful. In front of the choir was the complete set of Orchestra, seems included every musical instruments exist in the world.

One thing amazed me was the response of the people, whenever the pastor Cho reads the bible verse or says his punch line, they loudly responded ‘A~MEN!!’ in one voice, the sound of it was like that of multitudes of army. In that building itself could fit 10,000 people.  So for the better sight of the stage there were many huge screens in every angle, I was watching one of the big screens. The familiar face of Ps Cho appeared on the screen with bright smile. He preached with such passion for about 40 mins or so, on title of “comfort and encouragement the apostles received”. During the alter call of salvation, literally hundreds of them stood up for the decision to be a christian. I heard my jaw dropped on the floor!

 They had weekly water baptism ceremony happening, and a week later they are having the ‘prayer for the repentance and revelation’ meeting at Olympic stadium, which is the literally the biggest place to hold a meeting in entire S korea, one of the 3 speakers was Benny Hinn. Theie own prayer mountain was running 24/7 and the bus to and fro prayer mountain opperates ‘every hour’ from 7am to 9pm! This church is literally is making a history in S korea.

The story of Ps Cho is always inspiring to hear, with this one man who started the church service with 5 people including himselfback on 1958, after 49 yrs now this church has 800,000 members in S Korea! their domestic aim is to build 500 churchs only in korea during next 10 yrs. – I am not sure of their international numerical goals yet -

the bulletin says, < he taught positive thinking and active faith saying ‘We can do it! We can achieve it! Let’s try!” eventually YFGC grew to become the church with the largest membership in the world today> Here, you might be thinking what I am thinking. Does it sounds familiar to us? Yes, It does! It sounds very much like “It can be done, it must be done, it will be done!” to me. God has decided to bless and use those who are so eager to be used for his kingdom. Now I see the same anointing that is over the Hope movement when I see how this church has grown to be the major instrument of God.

Yes we think globally, and we act locally. I am more conviced that what I do in where I am is not merely for the momentary achivement, but for the future glory and victory that generations after generations will be influenced and touched by. No matter how small it may look to you of what you are doing, be conviced that you are moving mountains, together with other saints working together for sake of the name of Jesus.

Chris_Esther.

<<For more pictures, please click here>>

 

PS. I forgot to bring adapter Aus-Kor, my mobile is turned off at the moment. Also to save the battery, I haven’t take many pictures. On sunday I will meet Karen Sim from NG2 who are currently in Korea, and attend Hope Seoul together. Stay tuned for the update. I miss you all!

letter from Seoul 1

I was counting the churches. Someone once said if we can look down seoul from the sky it looks like one huge cemetry, because there’s  one church  literally in every 10 steps, with red neon cross on top of the building. I don’t doubt even a bit of it when I walk around the street of Seoul. In the past, the desperacy of Koreans has made their heart soft towards God and in result, they have enjoyed much blessing from God. This was the first thought came to my mind in the bus home with mom, which took us 5 hours from the airport – their actual distance deserves only an hour of driving though.

The first thing I did after reached home, was to fill up the bath tub with hot water. I played with wrinkly fingers and toes. Mom prepared the dinner with very authentic Korean food. I used to think I CAN cook, but I should confess that I am a liar. I absolutely salute mom for her outstanding cooking skills, I added ‘to learn cooking’ into my to-do list. When dad came home, he did his usual entrance thing- rubbing his face for 10 mins until my cheek nearly bleeds! His beard must be growing so fast during the day. It really hurt, no kidding. I experience difficulty explaining things to mom and dad due to my deteriorated korean, anyway we talked and talked until 12.30am.

In the morning I did my connect journal, with Quest bible I usually use for devotion. It’s big and heavy, made me hesitate to bring at first, but then again, NO. Daniels, Continue your connect journal, and have fun tomorrow in the connect meeting!

I spent the whole day with the dentist. he said nearly all of my teeth needed to be fixed up. he pulled off my wisdom tooth, and so many other things in my mouth. I was drooling helplessly with my mouth wide open. It’s 4.30pm and I haven’t eaten anything, and still biting this cotton piece. I wanted to do so many things from the day 1, but maybe God was determined to give me a rest.  so here I am, obeying God.

I roamed my mobile phone, so my number is still the same. If you call me, i am to pay for it, so if anything don’t hesitate to contact me.

Chris_Esther.

28 birthdays

 

yesterday was my birthday, again.

It comes around every year, yet I have noticed something different about this year. People are suddenly being very careful about saying my age, discribing me as ‘21+’. I find this phenomenon rather interesting. This reflects on our negative perception on aging and positive attitude on ‘being young’, as 21yrs is considered as ideal age people wants to stay on.

When I was 21, I didn’t know much , sunday christian with no relationship with God. I was compromising on my faith in many areas of my life and surely wasn’t living a very examplary life. God brought me back into his light after I came to Australia and joined the HOPE church. After that my life has never been the same. Jesus has totally captivated my heart and I am lost in his love until this very day.

In my age of 28 I can tell anyone so confidently, I would not exchange past years of serving and knowing of the Lord with ANYTHING ELSE, I am glad that I have served the Lord with undivided heart, and he has protected me in this area. I would have missed out on such blessings I am experiencing right now, if I have once again compromised my conviction and gave in to many temptations came along over the years.

The thing is, I will be 30, 40s, 50s, 60s, and surely, 70s, depends on when God calls me up. Howeverold I may be, one thing is sure, I will be serving God from wherever I am.  I maybe one day be placing in the working group, or family group, or seniors group, and in my deathbed, yet my prayer is that my love for the Lord will be steadfast, getting deeper and maturer as each year passes me by. Many bible charaters who had such intimate relationship with God were old in age, because their experiences of life in the Lord has made them so.

Father, this is the day that I celebrate of your grace upon my life. You have saved me from near abortion, picked me up from that deep hopeless darkness, and clothes me with your shining glory, I am so undeserving, yet you have loved me so.. I have hurt you much and I still do each day, but here is one desire. I haven’t got much to give you, but this life is for you. Use me for your kingdom. May my life in earth be the blessing to your people, and when I see you face to face in heaven, let me hear you saying ‘my good and faithful daughter..’

28 yrs, In Love with Jesus