God will take away what you trust or rely over HIM

1 Chron 21:14 So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel, and 70,000 people died as a result.

David was moved to take a census of his army and as a result angered God. The Lord sent the prophet, Gad, to King David to give him three choices of judgment. The first judgment was three years of famine, the second was three months of war and destruction by the enemy, and lastly, the third was three days of severe plague. What would you have chosen if you were in King David's shoes. 

King David chose option number four. He humbled himself and gave up his choice to God. The Lord chose the plague and 70,000 Israelites died. King David was very remorseful as his sin had caused others to die. 

Why did 70,000 Israelites pay the price of King David's sin? Why wasn't King David punished personally?

Rather than continuing to totally depend and trust on God, King David had in his heart to reply on his amry. He was relying on people and the strength of people for his future victories. He was now depending on people over God. King David was moving by sight rather than faith. 

If God told us to build a church, rather than listening to HIM in faith, 

we may be taking a census by determining how much money, how many people, and how capable we are before deciding to build the church. If there are only two people, would we not build the church HE has commanded us too if we only look at the number of people? 

If God told us to move to another city or country to do HIS Work or to move to another church, rather than moving in faith, we may start to assess the job market, the cost of living, and the physical requirements to move to determine if we have enough money or resources for the move. Assessing the physical ability would be our census to determine if we should move rather than just moving in faith. 

If God told us to go and fulfill HIS calling in our life, rather than moving in faith, if we listen to our spouses and not go or if we decide that our children's future is more important than God's command, then the word of our spouses or the importance of our children's education or future is our census. 

Why did 70,000 Israelites pay the price of King David's sin? Because King David was relying on people, God took what King David was relying on. God took the people or the object of King David's trust. 

If you put anything or anyone above God or if you rely on anything or anyone over God, HE will take the object or the people away from you as your punishment or discipline. 

To stop the angel of Death from continuing, King David had to buy the threshing floor and offer peace and burnt offerings. In order to stop the spiritual bleeding from your sin, it will cost you something valuable and you will have to offer to God burnt and peace offerings. The burnt offering is of yourself. God requires you to dedicate your lives to HIM. 

The peace offerings can be monetary or of something you need to sacrifice of yourselves. Nevertheless, it will cost you. You will have to lose or give up something. 

The threshing floor is where the altar is built. The altar or church is a place in which you are to be crushed, winnowed, and broken for God. HE will take anything away from you that comes between you and God and HE will use such discipline to CRUSH and humble you. 

Our God is a jealous God and HE is a consuming Fire! May you know and Fear HIM and give HIM the Glory and Praise HE deserves. 

Pastor Steve Yong Kim

Happy Thanksgiving to our God

On this American holiday of Thanksgiving, it should be a day to reflect our gratitude to Father God and to remember what HE has done for us. Give honor to HIM. The focus is on HIM and not on the turkey. If your turkey does not turn out good, you still have much to rejoice! 

We are gathering to HONOR HIM. It is not a gathering just to see family members you have not seen for a long time. We are gathering for HIM.

1 Chronicle 16:8-14 

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.

9 Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.

Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.

10 Exult in his holy name;

rejoice, you who worship the Lord.

11 Search for the Lord and for his strength;

continually seek him.

12 Remember the wonders he has performed,

his miracles, and the rulings he has given,

13 you children of his servant Israel,

you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

We must not forget how HE has saved us and where we come from. Our salvation and the road in which we have traveled are signs, wonders, and miracles. Out of HIS mercy HE is changing many of us into HIS likeness and character. This is a miracle! May you continue to grow in HIS Grace moving from Glory to Glory as you come to the fullness of our KING.

Yes, Glory to HIM. Happy Thanksgiving to our God. This day we HONOR YOU our KING. 

Pastor Steve Yong Kim

I have a good plan for you

Why do Christians become frustrated? Why do we become so anxious and restless? Christians become frustrated because they are always trying to change their environment, their lives, the lives of others, and they perceive their own solution that are best for themselves. If we are God's children, then HE is in full control of our lives yet it is us who are always wrestling with God.

We are anxious and restless because we think we need to be somewhere else. We think we need to be doing something else. We think someone who is in our lives need to change rather than seeing the need to be changed ourselves. 

Many Christins do not perceive their own deception nor sin. God is constantly trying to cleanse us of our idols as HE Loves, disciplines, and orders our steps. But since many do not know HIS ways, we end up wrestling with HIM. We end up resisting the Holy Spirit. We must first, as HIS people, learn to know how to be still in HIM. We must learn to be still and know HE is God. 

Many Christians are in situations in which they perceive it as not God's will for their lives. But if HE is in full control, then HE is in full control and we must learn to be still. 

In the book of Jeremiah, HIS people were full of sin and idols as they broke HIS Sabbaths. After much warning, HE had exiled much of HIS people to Babylon. There was severe judgment on the land as HE said they would be so hungry they would even eat their own children. But yet through HIS mercy and grace, HE would still leave a remnant. But this remnant had to obey HIS Will. What was HIS Will? 

Today is no different. Many of God's people are in great sin full of idols as they break the 4th commandment. But we are not sent off in physical exile. However, we may be in a spiritual exile. Even in a spiritual exile, we are still able to attend church and worship HIM. But our lives may feel as though we are stuck. Our lives may feel there should be more, especially with the things of God. But breakthrough seems difficult to reach. 

God's people must learn to know how to wait for HIM. As we wait for HIM, we acknowledge and submit to HIS soverignty over our lives. It is not about our time. It is about HIS Time for HE is the King. 

When HIS people were sent off to Babylon, HE had an appointed time for them to be held captive. HE said they must stay there for 70 years. But in the meantime, HE told them to settle down, get married, have a life, farm (work), and pray for the warefare of Babylon. The welfare of Babylon would determine the welffare of their own lives. If they slandered and complained about Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar, then their own complaints would bring difficulties. Are today Christians praying for the welfare of our secular leaders and saying good things about this land or are Christains slandering through their self righteousness? King Nebuchadnezzar was their enemy but God was telling them to pray for him and his country. 

Jeremiah 29:4-7 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 5 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. 6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

Whatever situation God has for you. Whether you are experiencing an abusive unloving husband or wife, persecuting family, economic hardship, health issues, or whatever hardship, God wants you to be still instead of trying to change everyone around you. Why do we want to change everyone using God's name? In reality, it is for our own comfort as we use God's name to try to change people. You cannot change anyone. God is trying to change you through those difficult people and circumstances. Know the ways of the Lord. Know the way of the Cross. Be Still and know HE is God. HE says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." 

In the midst of all your storms, be still and keep your eyes on HIM which means just spend the quality time with HIM as you get in HIS Word, Pray, and Worship. Endure the time. Stop worrying about everything that is occuring around the world. In Jeremiah's time, the false prophets were those who preached peace rather than judgment and warning. Today, the false prophets are those who constantly preach about judgement and puts fear in God's people about the end of the world. They even claim to have visions of God giving them a map of the USA and how it will be destroyed. They been preaching like this since the 1980s. Yes, one day the Day of the Lord will come but HE even promised us that in the midst of destruction, HE will greatly bless HIS people. Then why should we have fear? The Day of the Lord will come on an individual basis for many of the false prophets and those that follow them. Repent and come back to your senses! 

Many of us may have to go through the spiritual 70 years of exile as we wait for HIM. This may not necessary mean a physical 70 years. Our spiritual 70 years may be different for each of us. But we must first learn to be patient, build our foundation in HIM and only as we are changed, then HE will change and save those you are praying for. 

Stop looking at your difficult circumstances. Stop being so impatient. Be Still and know HE is God. 

At the end of the 70 years of captivity, God promised HE would answer their prayers. But during the 70 years, they had to sow in prayer, HIS Word, and worship and wait for that appointed time. Do not let your spiritual labor go in vain by giving up. Continue to persever and endure for HE is coming for YOU! 

Jeremiah 29:10-14 This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

Pastor Steve Yong Kim 

Fire of God Church

We must reach deeper intimacy

Exodus 29:42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tent of Meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you to speak there to you. There I will meet with the Israelites, and the Tent of Meeting shall be sanctified by My glory [the Shekinah, God’s visible presence].44 And I will sanctify the Tent of Meeting and the altar; I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons to minister to Me in the priest’s office.45 And I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.46 And they shall know [from personal experience] that I am the Lord their God, Who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them; I am the Lord their God.

The Tent of Meeting was a temporary temple in which the Israelites would break down and put up as they moved from place to place. This temporary temple was sanctified and where the altar was located. It was a place God would dwell amoung HIS people. This word, "dwell" is translated to "settle down or shakhan", from which is derived the rabbinic word shekhinah (literally, "that which dwells"), the light on the mercy-seat which symbolized the Divine presence.

But now, we are the temple of God, we are the place God desires to settle or dwell. The Tent of Meeting was where the Lord would come to speak to Moses and HIS people. Through the work of the Cross, God is now able to speak to all of us and we are able to know HIM on a greater and personal level as we experience HIM through our relationship with HIM.

When we are first saved, He comes into our heart to dwell in us. But because of our idols, He is not able “to sit down” or “settle down”. God is not able to peacefully rest in us due to our unchanged, stubborn and idolaterous hearts. Our hearts may be full of jealousy, envy, unforgiveness, hurt, bitterness, lust, addictions, bondages, and etc.

Yes, He maybe in us but many of us are still in the betrothal stage and never coming to the consummation stage of deeper intimacy. Many are learning and reading the Word and listening to preaching and praising but as scripture says in 2 Tim 3:7, there are many who still never come to the Truth.

2 tim 3:7 [These weak women will listen to anybody who will teach them]; they are forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth.

Many are taught and expect to marry HIM when HE comes for us but HE has come for many now. Yes, HE will come for us when HE returns but HIS presence seeks us now on a deeper level.

As we are betrothed to HIM, HE is observing us to determine if our faith is genuine and if we are committed to following and obeying HIM. Just as Esther who was prepared for one year to see the King, we must be spiritually prepared and cleansed before we are able to meet the King. We cannot enter the Holy of Holies unless we are cleansed from our idols and sins. Has the Bride prepared herself through sanctification?

Revelation 19:7 (AMP) Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself.

In the ancient traditional Jewish marriage, as a symbol of this new covenant (or contract) the bridegroom pours the bride a cup of wine. If she drinks from the cup that he has offered, she is consenting to marriage. But if she does not accept it but refuses, she is at liberty to reject the bridegroom by rejecting the cup.

This principal applies to us. We, as His bride can still end up rejecting Him with our own free will. It is our choice. It is our choice through our actions of obedience or rebellion.

Titus 1:16 AMP They profess to know God [to recognize, perceive, and be acquainted with Him], but deny and disown and renounce Him by what they do; they are detestable and loathsome, unbelieving and disobedient and disloyal and rebellious, and [they are] unfit and worthless for good work (deed or enterprise) of any kind.

Even as we are alive and waiting for the Lord, we need to get to the stage as the love story of the book Song of Solomon. It is a heart aching love story between His beloved bride and her bridegroom. When we are saved, it does not just stop there. We must come to the fullness of our God. We must come to a higher level of intimatacy. When we are first saved, we are but baby Christians and need milk. We must choose to grow up as we spend time with HIM and being cleansed of our idols and sins. When we have reached such intimacy, HE will call us HIS Bride and HE will call us HIS Friend. It is when we are called Bride or Friend, you will be given the higher revelation, secrets, higher power and anointing, and the abundant blessings of physical and spiritual life. It is when you are HIS Bride and Friend, whatever you ask in HIS Name, HE will grant it to you. It is when you are HIS Bride and Friend, HIS Shekinah Glory will manifest and radiate from you.

Fire of God Church 

Pastor Steve Yong Kim

Bride or Whore?

When Jesus had come to die for HIS people, HE had come to a nation of Jews/Israel which constituted Pharisees, Sadducee, scribes, tax collectors, harlots, fishermen, temple guards, soldiers, farmers, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, religious, leopards, those feared HIM, the sick, the healthy, rich, poor, and other typical lay believers. In a nut shell, this was the church. God's people constituted all kinds and types of believers. 

In those days, the Pharisees, Sadducee, and scribes were the religious teachers, pastors, and ministers. Just as many believe today, in those days, they all thought they were saved as they had said they were the seed of Abraham. They had believed their salvation was so assured. Today is no different, all Christians basically believe their salvation is so assured. 

The bible describes the Kingdom of God through many parables. The bibles describes the church constituting of wheat, tares, sheep, goats, hardened soil, rocky soil, thorny soil, and fruitful soil. The bible describes the church as the bride of Christ but yet the bible also describes the church as being a harlot. 

Basically, all believers believe they are the Bride of Christ and as many are led to believe HE is personally returning for them even though many do not know HIM personally and as many are still living in SIN. All believers whether their faith is retarded or in error, they all believe they are all going to be saved. This is the same thinking as the Pharisees had as they all believed they were the seed of Abraham. 

Are all the Bride of Christ? No, all are not the Bride of Christ. In fact, the Holy Spirit has taught us that many are considered whores. Many want to be the Bride of Christ but many continue to cheat and use God and thus are whores. Many are but baby Christians who complain and throw tantrums at God. 

When a person becomes saved, are they automatically the Bride of Christ? When a person is physically born, are they ready to be married? No, a baby must grow to physical and mental maturity to be married off. A baby or child does not have the physical capacity to marry or consummate the marriage. A baby or child would not understand the intimacy between two lovers. A baby or child must first learn and receive the Father's love. A baby or child must grow, be fed, be nurtured, and bask in the Father's bosom as the Father prepares the child to be wed off one day. 

Spiritually, this is the same concept. Baby and childish Christians cannot comprehend intimacy with Christ until they grow up in Christ which takes time, healing, cleansing, praying, worshiping and feeding of the Word. But the general Church attempts to marry off a baby Christian in which they do not have the spiritual capacity and thus many become frustrated, confused and lost. Many self proclaimed internet "prophets" put fear into the the baby Christians as each year they claim the Lord's Return through their false prophecy. The baby Christians who are not even of spiritual age go into panic mode and many of their faith are stumbled. Many baby and adolescent Christians are trying to prepare for the wedding but they are not part of the Bride as they do not have the spiritual capacity to understand spiritual intimacy. Can a physical baby or child understand physical intimacy as two mature lovers are able too?

As we read the whole bible, there is a timeline and we see God treating HIS people as one person or one body. There was a birth, youth, growing, and then at the end there will be a marriage. As the nation grew and at certain times, the child or body was given information. There was an appointed time when the law was given. There was an appointed time when Grace would come. And now there is also an appointed time for the marriage of the Lamb. God was a Father to HIS people at first. When we grow to spiritual age and maturity, HE will call us friend. When we are called friend, there is a promise in the bible that whatever we ask in HIS Name, HE will grant. This is why many Christians cannot get their higher prayers answered as they are not at the level of friendship but still on milk. If my small child ask me to buy them a vehicle to drive, will I answer such request? Of course not and a spiritual child cannot ask for higher spiritual  things for they are not able to handle it. If I bought my child a car to drive, it would be disastrous. God may not answer our prayers for our own good.

Jeremiah 3:19 “I thought to myself, ‘I would love to treat you as my own children!’ I wanted nothing more than to give you this beautiful land— the finest possession in the world. I looked forward to your calling me ‘Father,’ and I wanted you never to turn from me.

Why are so many pastors, their wives, and other Christians in Hell? Many pastors are trying to marry off baby Christians when they need to be fed milk, nurtured, loved, healed, and prepared for the marriage. Baby Christians need to be discipled which means they need time to grow in Christ through Word, prayer, worship, be cleansed, and healed. But rather, they are fed confusion, not loved, not nurtured, and rushed to be married to Christ with idols of hurt, unforgiveness, lusts, rejection, and etc. As baby and adolescent Christians try to find intimacy with Christ, since they do not have the capacity to know intimacy because of their spiritual age, rather than coming to know Father's Love, they come to use HIM. They come demanding things. They come with tantrums. They do not come to KNOW HIM but have come to use HIM. They come with their sinful nature of selfishness, coveting, lusts, and their prayer requests cannot be answered because their motives are considered evil. As a result, rather than becoming the Bride of Christ, they have become Whores. 

Romans 9:27 (AMP) And Isaiah calls out (solemnly cries aloud) over Israel: Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, only the remnant (a small part of them) will be saved [[a]from perdition, condemnation, judgment]!

The current church is spiritual Israel. We must examine ourselves and discern what types of spirits may be lurking in our hearts. Do we have a Pharisee spirit? Do we have a leopard spirit? Do we have harlot spirit? Do we have a religious spirit? When Jesus does return and HE looks at the pool of believers, how will HE consider YOU? Will you be the remnant HE saves or will you be the tare, goat, or whore? 

If you know you are a baby Christians, rather than trying to grow up so fast, learn to just feed on milk, be content and ask for a Thanksgiving heart, be nurtured and healed by the Holy Spirit, read, worship, and pray without ceasing. Do not be in so much fear of the Lord's Return and being not ready. Do not be in such a hurry to do God's work. You must first grow in HIM and come to spiritual maturity. Slow down, be still, and come to know the Father's Love first. 

Pastor Steve Yong Kim

Have salt within yourself

2 Kings 2:19 And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, inhabiting of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad and the locality causes miscarriage and barrenness [in all animals].20 He said, Bring me a new bowl and put salt [the symbol of God’s purifying power] in it. And they brought it to him.21 Then Elisha went to the spring of the waters and cast the salt in it and said, Thus says the Lord: I [not the salt] have healed these waters; there shall not be any more death, miscarriage or barrenness [and bereavement] because of it.22 So the waters were healed to this day, as Elisha had said.

What does the water represent? In the bible, the water can represent the Word of God. Many churches, ministries, families, or individual Christians can represent the land. Their lives can be full of spiritual miscarriages and barreness. Other translations have it as the crops are unproductive. It is a land where crops cannot grow due to the water. The water is bad and or polluted. In verse 19, the men of the city said to Elisha that the city is pleasant but the water is bad. Many Christians believe they are saved. Many western churches, ministries, families, or individuals can have the perception that their lives are pleasant. After all, they are still alive. They are able to go to church. They may have good jobs or businesses. They may have good families. Many are on Facebook thinking they are spiritually contributing. They occassionally read, pray, and worship. They have health care if they get sick. They believe they are good with the Lord. But yet, many Christians are stuck. Their spouses may be religious or their relationship may not be very intimate with each other. There are miscarriages and barrenness in the land. Even though, the lives of most Christians are relatively easy, many are but only professing the joy of the Lord. However, they are not living the joy of the Lord. Many profess to love God and one another. But many are not walking and living in HIS Love. Many speak of God's love and peace yet if you see their faces, so many Christians have tired faces. Many are spiritually tired and wornout.

Miscarriages bring sorrow and saddness. Birth of new borns bring joy and happiness. Many Christians are still going to church and many are no longer attending. Many know a lot of the Word in respect to knowledge and many know very little of the Word. But in today's religious atmosphere, the land may look pleasant. Many churches and ministries have large building and people. Many are finanically prosperous. But there are no spiritual birth of the new life. The water is bad. The water which represents the Word of God is polluted and tainted. As it is given to God's people, rather than bringing life as it was intended, it is bringing spiritual miscarriages and barreness.

What was the solution? Elisha told them to bring him a bowl of salt. What does salt represent? Salt represents the power of God. Without the Spirit in the Word, the Word will only be a letter that brings death. Those who feed God's people must be seasoned with salt and must have salt within the Word.

Colossians 4:6 (AMP) Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome), seasoned [as it were] with salt, [so that you may never be at a loss] to know how you ought to answer anyone [who puts a question to you].

Mark 9:50 Salt is good (beneficial), but if salt has lost its saltness, how will you restore [the saltness to] it? Have salt within yourselves, and be at peace and live in harmony with one another.

Salt in us can only be achived by the power of God as we die to ourselves and apply the principal of the Cross which is self denial. As we follow the new commandment in loving one another, when we feed God's people HIS Word, we will be speaking with salt in our spirit and conduct as we are pleasant, winsome, peace, and living in harmony one another.

Luke 14:34 Salt is good [an excellent thing], but if salt has lost its strength and has become saltless (insipid, flat), how shall its saltness be restored?

Those who know God's Word in knowledge can still preach but without salt, it will be dried and dull. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit and HIS anointing, the service is but in vain. Without salt, the Word which is to bring life and revival will actually be used to kill rather than bring life. It will bring miscarriages rather than the new birth or new creation. You can be in a service where there is no joy nor life of God. The land may look pleasant but the water may be bad.

Psalm 51:11 Cast me not away from Your presence and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Without the Presence of the Holy Spirit, there is no joy. We must desire to know HIM more. We must seek HIS Face and HIS Presence rather than what HE can give us. No matter how big your storms are, we must lay down our selfish interest and desires at the foot of the cross and just desire to know HIM. Too many of us only know about HIM. We must humble ourselves and repent for going after other idols. We must repent for using HIM for going after spiritual and physical things for our own selfish glory. We must ask for a heart that only desires HIM for HE is our reward. We must be seasonsed with salt. We are called to be the salt and light of the world.

May HE grant us a pure heart so that our lives would honor HIM. May we come to the fullness of our King so that HE completely reigns in us. May we continue to die to ourselves becoming nothing so that HE may become everything in us.

Pastor Steve Yong Kim
Fire of God Church
Fremont, CA USA

What is the New Commandment to love one another?

1 John 2:6-8 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.

What is the new commandment? The new commandment that Jesus gave us was to love one another. Yet, it is also an old commandment. Why is it old and new?

The old commandment of loving one another represents the knowledge of knowing that we need to love one another. The old commandment represents the saints having the law to know we are to love one another. Today, many Christians still hold on to the Old Commandment. They know they need to love but to do is another matter.

The New Commandment to love one another is now do it in action. HE came to show us. Before Jesus came, God's people knew they had to love one another and they more or less preached and talked about it. Now, Jesus was telling them to live, breath, and walk in it. Love came and love fulfilled the law. HE came and set the example. In verse 6, it states "those who live in God should live their lives as Jesus did."

John 14:12 (AMP) I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father.

The New Commandment is that if we steadfastly (continuously) believe in HIM, then we will do what HE did and even greater. We will speak like HIM. We will be gentle as HIM. We will be meek as HIM. We will be able to forgive as HIM. We will be able to endure people like HIM. We will be able to pray and intercede like HIM. We will be able to die like HIM if necessary. We will be able to wash the feet of others like HIM. We will be able to love those who hate, betray, and slander us like HE loved them. We will be able to LOVE like HIM. This is the New Commandment to love one another. It is to love and follow HIM and live our lives as HE did.

Many Christians say they cannot stop sinning. This is a deception of the enemy and of religion. Jesus said if we believe in HIM, we can even do greater. HE knew no sin and if HE lives in us and we in HIM, then as the bible states, we need to come to the fullness of God in us. Then as our conscious and hearts are cleared, we will have no feelings of guilt or condemnation but rather confidence in approaching HIM and thus we can ask anything and know HE will answer us because HE knows we love HIM. HE knows we love HIM as we practice what HE commands. We live our lives as HE did.

How do we come to the fullness of God us? What is the fullness of God?

Ephesians 3:19 (AMP) [That you may really come] to know [practically, [a]through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

Many Christians are full of pride and living lives as they please. Many are dying in their sins and ending up in judgment. Many need to just start from the beginning. They need to start repenting. They need to start praying, reading, and worshiping. They need to seek HIS Face and HIS WILL for their lives. They need to live their lives as HE had.

Glory to HIM
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
Fire of God Church

The way out

1 Cor 10:13 Amp For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not [b]adjusted and [c]adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to [d]a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

Here in simpler terms of NLT

1 Cor 10:13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure

What we go through in the daily things of life is no different than what even unbelievers may go through. The trials and tribulations of life is what all of man may experience in this fallen world. Therefore, scripture says that no temptation or trial is beyond human resistance. Scripture states God will not allow the temptation beyond what we can stand or beyond our ability and strength. Therefore, life is a choice. 

When temptation, trials, or tribulation comes upon our lives, our natural reaction is to run or get away from such things. After all, we think and believe this is how scripture assure us. In the amplified it states, "provide the way out (means of escape to a landing place" and the NLT version states it as "a way out." But we must finish the whole sentence and understand the CONTEXT. 

If we read in proper context and by the help of the Holy Spirit, we can see that the "means of escape" or "a way out" is not actually to be taken out of the situation but  a help to go through it. The last sentence in the amplified is " that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently." The means of escape is not to taken out of the situation but a help to BEAR UP UNDER IT PATIENTLY. In the NLT version, "so that you can endure."

When tests, trials, and tribulations come upon us, God is not looking for us to run or necessarily be taken out of the situation, God is expecting us to endure, persevere, and be patient as we wait for HIM and as we die to ourselves. Scripture says the road to heaven is a road of trials and tribulations. We must learn to go through them rather than running from them.

Acts 14:22 (NLT) where they strengthened the believers. They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.

What are the means of escape for a landing place? What is the way out? This is a spiritual landing place within the physical tribulation. For example, when times are very hard, God may send you a mentor to guide you through. HE may send you revelation, knowledge, or wisdom. HE may grant you spiritual gifts to find relief with HIM. As one endure and prays, HE will give you HIS strength and HIS courage to continue. We are allowed to go through such circumstances so that we die to ourselves and learn not to rely on ourselves but HIM. When we try to bear or endure with our own strength, we run out of patient, endurance, and we may feel like wanting to DIE. When you feel like you want to die and you ask God to just take you out, then know that you have been relying on your own strength and power and not HIS. When we want to just quit, give up, or die, we are relying on ourselves and not on HIM. We must discern our situations. 

2 Cor 1:8 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters,[b] about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.

In order for God to teach us to rely on HIM, HE must allow us to go through tribulation so that we may learn not to rely on ourselves. As we go through hardships, we exhaust all avenues and options of our own strength and power to learn that we must completely rely on HIM and thus putting our faith in HIM rather than the physical things of Egypt. 

The means of escape or the way out is HIM. Whatever difficult situation you may be experiencing, you must stop looking at your situation but use such time to draw closer to HIM. You must spend more time with HIM. You must be willing to give up everything for HIM. You must read, pray, and worship more. You must learn to rely on HIM willing to risk everything putting your trust in HIM. The relief from your hardship or tribulation may not come overnight. It may take a long time in fact. But you must REJOICE and learn to endure. Ask for HIS joy to sustain you. And through difficulties you will learn patience and endurance, to develop character, to the hope of your salvation.

James 1:3-4 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 

Romans 5:3 Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. 4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of [c]character (approved faith and [d]tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] [e]joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

God bless

Pastor Steve Yong Kim

“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it.

This one has CLOSED CAPTIONS