New Life, you are as real as they come. When I was in the mission field, my wife called and told me that my mother would undergo an open-heart surgery. Although I wanted to come home early upon hearing the news, I had a duty to fulfill. I wept out loud in solitude. I wanted my team to cry with me, but I kept telling myself, “I am a soldier of Christ.” Should a soldier of Christ hold back his or her tears from the rest of the platoon while war is being raged? Should a solider of Christ stay focused on leading the platoon forward to accomplish their mission regardless of personal circumstances? Solomon tells us that there is a time for everyt...

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The spiritual warfare is real on the front lines of the battlefield, and you can either fight the good fight of faith or surrender and be defeated. I have seen first hand how the gospel is spreading throughout Thailand, but also the enemies are at work to counter-attack the gospel. Therefore, on the front line you can either be powerful or be powerless. The choice is yours. I met a retired principal, Elder Choi, from Korea. He is a true spiritual warrior serving in Thailand as a missionary. He came to Chiang Mai and used his retirement fund to purchase a land deep in a mountain village called “Pong Sa Mit.” The elder wanted to purchase a land ...

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“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” Isaiah 60:1 Are you thriving or spiritually stagnant? Does the fresh water seem to flow through you or has it stopped flowing? When you see the person in the mirror, do you see overflowing joy or see emptiness of joy? Often, routines of life can become very dry even in comfort. Here, we seek to find something that will stir up the stagnant soul and awaken us to a greater dream. Something from within us desires to experience our full potential and full capacity to a wonder that would capture our total being. However, in reality, we fine ourselves in spiritual ...

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Day 5: Crucifixion and the Death of Jesus Read: Mt. 27:27-56; Mk. 15:16-41; Lk. 23:26-49; Jn. 19:17-30. Last Seven Statements of Jesus from the Cross “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” “Dear woman, here is your son,” “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” “…so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’ ” Jesus said, “It is finished.” Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. Paul said, “Love never fails.” ...

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Day 4: The Betrayal Read: Mt. 26:17-35; Mk. 14:12-25; Lk. 22:7-20; Jn. 13:1-38. Living to treasure the glory of God in our hearts in order to risk our lives for the joy of others is the most worthy cause for our existence. But, the fundamental problem of a man is that the heart is twisted by the affection for the flesh. When our affection for life is satisfied by anything less than the glory of God, we are in danger of betraying the glorious splendor of His majesty. We are twisted and wicked when we become passively or intentionally become disinterested in the worship of God. We are all seeking happiness in life; and, wanting happiness is not a ...

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Day 3: A Conspiracy Against Jesus Read: Mt. 26:14-16; Mk. 14:10-11; Lk. 22:3-6. Have we abandoned Jesus when He would suffer the most for us? To abandon a friendship is to thrust a dagger into the ribs and vanish. Judas was from the tribe of Judah, the same tribe of Jesus. Also, Judas was the treasurer of the group, the most trusted one, yet he betrayed the Savior. Also, Peter proclaimed, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away” (Matt 26:33). Yet, he denied the Lord three times. Max Lucado said, “Peter was loyal from a distance. He went close enough to see, but not close enough to be seen. The problem was, Peter ...

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Day 2: The Question of Authority Read: Mt. 21:23-27; Mk. 11:27-33; Lk. 20:1-8. The chief priest and the elders challenged the authority of Jesus for doing “these things”: cleansing of the temple, miraculous healings, and teachings. They attempted to trap Jesus in His word to prove Him to be a false prophet. They asked, “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” Jesus answered their question by replying with a question designed to catch the interrogators in their own inconsistency. Paul said we were dead in sin but made alive to God; but, then, why do so many Christians feel so dead ...

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