Joy  7 

 

About midnight Paul and Silas were 

praying and singing hymns to God, 

and other prioners were listening to them. Acts 16:25

               ♪ Today's scripture to mutter with

                   thanksgiving and love

​The Creator God created everything good to see. 

He wis​hed to have loving and joyful fellowship

with mankind after he created them

in the image of God. 

But mankind chose to believe God is 

unfaithful with them by the temptation of Satan. 

Therefore they betrayed God. 

God's love and joy disappeared from their hearts.

The shame, fear, the feeling of lose, suffering

and death were replaced in their hearts instead. 

The offspring of mankind have been agonized 

themselves to retrieve the love and joy of God.

Money, power, authority, sex, entertainment

they purse, and they toil working, sweating,

being good, all were in vain.  

Life has been a silent despair to mankind.

All is going to only death, 

then they do not know what will be.

Thus even a wiseman compromises, 

just living fervently and doing good not

considering life.

The joy regardless situation in life 

should be dealt only imagination.  

And even a person like me as God's worker

who has been living in Jesus' joy for

long by extraordinary God's grace is

being challenged with fear and worries.

In my case there are 2 major situations.

The first, 

The crisis that I am unable to deal with. 

It was like the 2 or 3 million Israelites 

faced the Red Sea, behind the Egyptians'

great army pursuing them.

It was like Korea now facing communists.

It is like fear and despair causing you to 

lose your mind.  

Though muttering God's words and

proclaiming them, the present situation

is a fatal crisis. 

The joy seems to be losing power in my heart

and leaving the place. 

The price that the Apostle Paul drove out 

demon from a poor young woman was severe 

flogging and being kept in chains in deep prison. 

Tomorrow execution could be sentenced.

It was happened soon after arrival the big city 

Philippi in Europe to share the Gospel; 

he and his team did not have enough opportunity

to share it though they certainly came by 

the calling of the Holy Spirit's. 

In the middle of the night Paul and Silla

praying and praising God, what would

the other prisoners hearing them think?  

God's children, especially God's workers 

face the situation like in prison

Paul and Silla were and like Israelites

before the Red Sea at times.

There is nothing that men could do. 

Escaping the prison or constructing ships

are not possible. 

Fear, despair and even doubts about God

Satan tempts them with. 

Nevertheless, there is one thing that 

God's workers can do; "Praying and Praising".

We know well then what God himself did.

The prison doors were wide open and 

all prisoners became founding members of

the first European church and Europe

the first Christian continent.  

The Red Sea gave the road for them. 

People who pray are the God's children

giving the situation to God; therefore 

they are praising children,

joyful children.  

I also have lived over 30 years in the area 

where hostility toward Christianity was great

yet as a combat soldier in the front line

and faced such crises. 

Before fear and failure I felt at times

my mind was gone.

Finally by the help of the Holy spirit, 

mind resumes "Pray and Praise to the Lord!" 

The Lord Jesus says "Do not lose your joy."

He did not say "do not lose my joy" but

clearly said your joy:

It is your joy, it is yours for

I gave it to you. 

Now with my joy there is only my choice

matters to continue it or give up.

It has been 10 years since Korea has been 

infiltrated by communists and is before falling;

there is only fear, despair and grief have been 

overtaking the nation with no more analysis of 

the situation or signatures against it.   

Many patriarchs lose their health.

The moment my realization that I could fall too,

I turned the Youtube news off.  

I accepted the situation that now

sovereign God only can do.

Starting "9 o'clock evening prayer for the country"

I sent the prayer list to coworkers to praise 

our God and pray together for our failing country.  

A few days later, Supreme Court judged the head of 

the socialist party, Presidential candidate is 

committed the crime.

One the immediate danger was passed.

Praise the Lord! 

My such a familiar joy emerged.  

New strength followed gradually.