SELF

Dear Friend,
How are you? Hope you had or are having a good day today?
 
One day in my Singapore church, my pastor said to the congregation that when we are selfless, supernatural power comes. I took his words in my heart and I took a note of it. At that time, I was longing for the supernatural power from the Lord, thinking He might give me the gift of healing. As time went by, though, I realized that becoming selfless actually needs His supernatural power. Without His intervention, it would be absolutely impossible to be selfless. I learned that many times self is a god, the idol in the hearts of many believers. Everything is self-centered. Even ministers put their ministries before Jesus.
 
One of the stories I like the most in Corrie ten Boom’s real story, “The Hiding Place” was Betsie, her sister’s story on sharing her vitamin oil with the sick in the prisoners camp in Germany. Betsie herself was sick and needed the vitamin oil the most.  Yet, she shared the oil in the small bottle with other sick ladies in the camp. Corrie was worried about her sister’s health and wanted to save it for the very weakest.  Yet, Betsie and Corrie shared the vitamin oil from the little bottle with a dozen of others. Strangely, the bottle continued to produce drops until the supply of vitamin oil bottles was provided by Corrie’s friend who was assigned to the hospital! Do you believe the miracle of five loaves and two fishes is still for real even today? When we are selfless and share ours with others by His love, His supernatural provision comes.
 
Last year, I was listening to a Korean pastor’s sermon online. He was talking about the late elder in my Seoul church who went to the Lord last year. The elder used to be the first president of a newly founded Christian university many years ago. At that time, the devil stirred up some people to file a suit against the late elder, the president of the university. For a certain period of time, the elder had to be imprisoned due to the false accusation. Later, he was vindicated and released from the prison. In the sermon, the pastor talked about the time when the elder was in the middle of going through the difficult season related to the false accusation and legal suit. One day, his wife was worried about him a lot, after attending a meeting in the courtroom.  Later, she prepared dinner for him, and she was surprised to see him eat dinner well as if nothing had happened.  And he had a sound sleep.  In the next morning, she said to him, “How could you be so calm and have such a good sleep, as if nothing had happened, after you went through the humiliation in the court?” And he said to her, “I already died on the cross. Why not calm when dead?” I felt he did live up to his learning from Jesus that we must take up our cross to follow Him.
 
I wrote about being Number Two and being in order in home, school, nation and so forth. I believe being Number Two who carries someone else’s bag and being obedient to parents, husbands, bosses, and authorities are in line with His teaching that “self” is crucified on the cross.
 
The world is saying to us, “Live for yourself! Your rights and your entitlement are more important than anything else! Be the top! Have more!” Isn’t this familiar to you? I think it’s all about “Me, Me, Me” when we watch commercials on TV, social media and even in some churches. I think that the voice already took many Christians’ thoughts and their lives and it made them powerless churches.
 
Dear Friend,
Do you like to reduce your time in front of TV or your smart phone and help your mother or your wife in the kitchen and give her some rest? Do you like to give a few dollars to the needy, cutting off your daily coffee or holding your plan to shop something nice for you? Are you willing to share your foods, face masks, hand sanitizers or toilet papers with those in need when supply is short? I pray that you and I choose to crucify ourselves and invite Jesus into the center of every aspect of our lives. May His supernatural power change us to be selfless and we become the channels of His power and blessings to many, in Jesus’ name!
 
Have a bliss!
Yunee

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For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:3~6)