What I’m posting here is a message I sent today to one of our church members in our church. When you read, maybe you can relate too. We should always be reflecting ourselves.
Hello Beloved (so and so)
First, we want you to know that we love you and (. ) from the deepest part of our hearts. You guys are our family. Please read the message as it is, for I(or we) will be more straightforward with you, and it is coming from a place of love.
The message is long.
We’ve always wanted you and (..) to prosper spiritually and physically. We always hope for the best for you guys. There is not even one person who we want fail in the church. We have the heart of parents towards our church members; parents always want their children to become successful. Parents love them unconditionally.
Whether church members make mistakes, fail, argue, and do good or bad, the love we have does not change. We don’t suddenly hate or disown them just because they don’t obey or made a mistake. We will always be there for them, love them, and pray for them.
But it does not mean we do not discipline, train, teach, and guide. If you love your children, you will have to do these. You don’t just give whatever they want or give into the things that may not be good for them. But If children run away and bluntly come against their parents, parents may need to step back and wait for them. They may have to learn the lesson hard way.
We believe you have unresolved hurt and wounds from the past. I truly believe it is between you and your father. (Although it could be someone else)
I don’t know if you realize how you speak to us when things between us do not go smoothly. The way you speak expresses your longing to be recognized, proven, understood, accepted, and loved. Your last statement from the last message said something like, “Do you judge me in any way?” and “I’m sorry I disappointed you.”
Since we don’t judge you in any way and since we were not disappointed in you, the way you speak and your relationship with us(mainly pastor Steve) started from the state of your unhealed heart’s condition.
I truly want you to look at your past and deeply think about it, your relationship with your father, any negative relationship you had with anybody, your past hurt, wounds, betrayals, being unloved (perhaps by your parents), maybe your father was not there for you (maybe your mother too), maybe your father spoke down on you or maybe your father never (or rarely) complimented you for anything you did.
I want you to understand that no one can disappoint us because we know everyone will make mistakes. If we become disappointed with everyone in the church, we will not be able to carry on this ministry.
Even we (P. Steve and I), as humans, make mistakes and learn. God does not say to us, “I am so disappointed in you,” But Rather, He will tell us, “That’s alright. Just do right. Just get up and walk again.” God told Cain to “choose to do what is right” when his way was not accepted.
Genesis 4:7
‘You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” ‘
As long as we do not knowingly sin, God will always let it go and encourage us. But even if we sin, only if we truly repent and start doing what is right will God accept the work we do. But if we continue to insist on our way, sin is ready to pound on you.
(So and so), There will be certain situations you must think about before you speak, even if you think the other person is wrong and even if you were unfairly treated. You still need to respect and seek ways to find peace, especially with your authorities.
As we’ve already testified before, we’ve had countless situations where we were wronged, framed, unfairly judged by others, and rebuked by Bishop Kim, but we did not know the reason for the rebuke or discipline. If we said whatever we wanted to say to Bishop Kim every time things got tough with him, do you think we would be where we are today? Do you think our spiritual and physical blessings and rewards have been granted like magic?
Whether we were wronged, framed, unfairly judged, rebuked, or disciplined by Bishop Kim for whatever reason, like how Jesus did not open His mouth, we did not open our mouths. Whether we thought he was right or wrong, we received everything he had to give to us. We reflected, thought about it, and prayed to get things right. We did not pray and think about the situations with him to get back to him, or how to argue in resentment. When resentment tried to rise in me, I did everything I could possibly do to cast it away or kill it. I had set my mind and determined to kill it no matter what. I had to rule over it.
You call this killing your flesh. As long as your flesh is alive, you will never have the promised land life that God prepared for you. As long as your flesh is alive, your relationship with your spouse and children and their relationship with them won’t get better, even at your job, there won’t be advancement or promotion, your spiritual condition won’t advance, and your physical life will always be stuck at the same level.
What we enjoy spiritually and physically today is the result of the heavy price we have paid and are still paying. We were trampled many times. We’ve faced many small and big tests. We’ve gone through many heart-aching moments. We shed tears when no one saw us. We had to make countless difficult choices. We had to kill our flesh and be numb to it. Only when we die to our flesh will God raise and use us in many different areas. Otherwise, you will be fighting, resenting, arguing, and so on. In such a condition, God can’t trust you.
I hope you understand the point I want to deliver. I thought about letting you be because I did not want to upset you more or possibly stumble you. But I prayed about it and had to tell you that you need to correct yourself to have a blessed life.
We love you guys, and will be praying for you 🙏💜
Senior Pastor Yoojin Kim
———
Comments from Senior Pastor Steve Kim
If you are a couple who constantly and consistently argues and fights a lot with each other, then you are holding a lot of unforgiveness and resentment in your hearts from the past. The old has yet to become new.
If you are an individual who argues and fights a lot with others and cannot get along easily, then you are holding a lot of unforgiveness and resentment in your heart from the past. The old has yet to become new.
If you are a person who has a hard time with any type of authority and argues, fights a lot, and cannot fully submit due to a lack of trust, then you are holding a lot of unforgiveness and resentment in your heart from the past. The old has yet to become new.
The old wine sack which can represent your heart cannot handle the new teachings, paradigm, or new order and will explode and continue to collide until you eventually leave or submit.
There will only be two choices: explode and leave in offense as others have, or come to full surrender and submission.
The Rock is either your stumbling block or one that crushes you into ashes for beauty. Either way, the old cannot stay. The old is carnal in nature and is not allowed to inherit. The old is slavery, while the new is life.
What comes from your hearts shows whether you are still old or new?
Old person:
“This is so unfair!”
“Why can’t they understand me?”
“Life sucks!”
“I married the wrong person!”
“God, do you not love me?”
“God, why was I born?”
“You wronged me!”
“I’m sorry that I suck!”
“This is too hard!”
“I don’t care anymore!”
“Fine! I can’t do anything right!”
All such statements are carnal and fleshy in nature. They are manipulative words to make God or people react to their self pity and control. These are clear signs of disorder. But the person with such words is very deceived.
When we realize how evil we are, then your eyes may begin to see. Jesus told the pharisee, you are blind because you claim to see and therefore guilty. The Pharisees were the ones actually judging.
People come thinking they have already been crushed, so no need to be disciplined any further. Therefore, they think further discipline is abuse and unnecessary. But it is the opposite. You came abused by the world, but still need to be crucified and crushed at the threshing floor, which is now the altar.
People think they need healing from their abuse. No, you need to be burned by His Fire, crushed, and started over. God does not use the old and make repairs. He starts over!
Jeremiah 18:4, 11-12 NLT
“But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.
11 “Therefore, Jeremiah, go and warn all Judah and Jerusalem. Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am planning disaster for you instead of good. So turn from your evil ways, each of you, and do what is right.’”
12 But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires.”
Two options: allow God to start over with you, OR stubbornly continue your own desires, which is defined as evil.
Unless you become the new, the old cannot inherit the new. The old will continue to experience the old which are the fruit of the flesh such as bitterness, anger, regrets, self pity, lust, greed , and the likes.
The old struggles with lust and greed because it has not found one’s rest nor fulfillment. When we are filled, will we be hungry manifested as greed or lust? Will we be hungry manifesting as needing approval and attention?
No, once we know our identity as sons and daughters of God, then there is no more fear, as we have come to know we are beloved.
No use calling each spouse beloved and then next day call each other f…ing A..holes. That is a counterfeit trying to be authentic but gets caught as a fraud. Then what shall we do? Understand the principle of your surrender. You are a surrender nation who need to just be thankful and submit to all circumstances.
Joseph came to Egypt under Potiphar as a spoiled, arrogant, and prideful youngster. But under the death threat from the system of Egypt, he could no longer be the old to talk back and say “this is unfair” or even, “No,” to Potiphar.