Select a Language

Close
Faith & Life

Enlightenment

We share big and small enlightenments we have in our daily lives, walking with God.

Until All of the Prophecies Are Fulfilled

It has almost been a year since I started preaching overseas. When my heart was going to be weakened due to the hot weather lasting throughout the year, a great language barrier, and unpalatable food, I became spiritually renewed by the following verses: “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” Mt 26:52–54 Jesus was able to avoid the situation at that time, but He silently…

Kim Min-gyeong from Cheongju, Korea

Spiritual Vitamin

This happened when I was on my gospel mision in Spain. A deaconess came from Korea to preach the gospel for a month. I was worried that she would not be accustomed to unfamiliar circumstances as she was not good at speaking Spanish. Unlike my expectation, however, she preached the word of God until late at night, always wearing a smile and showing no signs of fatigue. I wondered how the deaconess could be so eager to preach without rest, and I asked her how. Then she opened the Bible and showed me this verse. “. . . but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and…

Kim Jin-hui from Seongnam, Korea

Test Me and Know My Anxious Thoughts

While my faith was growing little by little, I got tested. I thought that “test” was only for a person with weak faith. So I earnestly prayed to God that the hard times would pass by quickly. However, the answer to my prayer was getting delayed. While I was bearing the time of loneliness and desperation, my hope for heaven grew even bigger. After much time, I realized that the test I had at that time was God’s plan to grow my faith. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Ps 139:23–24 If there was any…

Kim Su-yeong from Gunpo, Korea

Things That Should Not Be Overlooked

“You will not have to fight in this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.” 2 Ch 20:17 Jehoshaphat heard that the Moabites and Ammonites were coming to make war on him. He proclaimed a fast for all Judah and sought help from God. Listening to his prayer, God let them gain a victory even without fighting in the battle and granted peace. While doing things in Zion, I focused only on how to do it and often forgot to pray to God. Reading these words,…

Jang Dong-geon from Seoul, Korea

Saving a Happy Tree

Our Zion has a tree named “happy tree.” Whenever we look at that tree with big green leaves and small bell-like flowers, though not many, we feel happy just like its name. But when summer was about to start, the happy tree, which was almost touching the ceiling, started showing strange symptoms. Its leaves started hardening as if they were withering, and they didn’t look fresh like before at all. At first, we thought it needed more water and gave it more. However, it still looked the same. Worrying that too much water would rot the root, we stopped watering it. Thankfully, there was a sister who knew much about plants, so we asked her for a piece of advice.…

Gahng Shin-hae from Seongnam, Korea

Heaven’s Teacher of the Law

Jesus said, “If you love Me, feed My sheep.” There are a variety of spiritual foods, but I’ve always wondered what food is proper for each of sheep. He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” Mt 13:52 The words settled my worries at once. The heaven’s teacher of the law should be able to give spiritual food from the Old and New Testaments to whoever he meets at the proper time. He should do it like the owner of a house is well aware of his house and can…

Yu Yeong-mi from Ansan, Korea

We Are More than Conquerors through Love

In life, there are times when you may face unexpected difficulties. Sometimes I overcome them, thinking of God, but sometimes I get so discouraged that I just want to plop down on the ground. I was exhausted in body and mind, thinking, ‘Why doesn’t the situation get any better?’ At that moment, God gave me comfort and courage through the words in the Bible. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him…

Peter Antonio Azucena Valencia from Cordoba, Argentina

Finding the Lost Heavenly Children

One day, while I was on my way to work just as usual, a man came to me and handed me a piece of paper. It was a flyer for finding his daughter, who was thirty nine then. The flyer had her picture when she was eleven, along with the description of how she looked and what she was wearing. The father, who had been looking for his lost daughter for about 30 years, was handing out the flyers to passersby, with his back bent and his hands wrinkled. Suddenly, a verse crossed my mind. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Lk 19:10 Heavenly Father, too, could not take care of Himself…

Kim Min-seong from Suwon, Korea

Those Who Absolutely Obey God’s Word

I often thought, ‘Ah! This is what I should do,’ or, ‘I should get rid of my sinful nature,’ after listening to a sermon or watching an educational video. Within a few days, however, I would soon find myself leading the same lifestyle as before and feel a great deal of shame. Yet I would justify my action, thinking that I was at least keeping worship services. But I came back to my senses when I read this verse: “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.” 1 Jn 3:4 I thought that lawlessness referred only to disobeying God’s commands such as the Passover or the Sabbath day. Since I kept God’s commands, I thought I was…

Jo Gyeong-jun from Yangsan, Korea

Through the Time of Refinement

Diamond is a mineral made when carbon has endured high pressure and high temperature in the depths of the earth for a long time. However, a rough diamond itself doesn’t look like a jewel at all. Besides, not all diamonds are treated as precious. Some of them are beautifully recreated through the hands of jewelers to attract the world’s attention, while others are processed and are used for industrial purposes. The value varies, depending on what kind of process it goes through. “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.” Job 23:10, NLT God likened the process of the refinement of faith to the process of obtaining gold.…

Yu Min-jeong from Busan, South Korea

God Is Our Guide Forever

Sometimes I think, ‘I am lacking in many ways. How can I successfully carry out my God-given mission?’ Soon, however, I get reminded of God’s sure promise, which makes me cheer up. “For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.” Ps 48:14 God divided the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross over on dry ground and destroyed the fortified city of Jericho to level the way to Canaan. God is still guiding His children who are preaching the gospel to all people around the world in the age of the Holy Spirit. Although I am still weak in faith, I will do my best to successfully carry out…

Jeon Sahng-hui from Seongnam, South Korea

I Will Remember Their Sins No More

“No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Jer 31:34 It is not easy to forgive someone who has done wrong to you or hurt you. Even if you manage to forgive him, you will be distressed whenever the painful memories pop up. You can forgive him maybe with your mind, but it seems difficult to completely remove the scars in your heart. What if God has forgiven us but remembers our sins? When I think about the weight of our…

Choe Hyeong-hwan from Panaji, India

Chosen by Grace

I thought I became a child of God because I was good and righteous until I saw the following words: So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Ro 11:5–6 I could become a child of God not because of my actions, but because of God’s grace. We are walking the path to the kingdom of heaven thanks to Heavenly Father and Mother’s grace and love. I will always follow Heavenly Father and Mother with humility, giving thanks for choosing me as Their child though I’m lacking in many ways.

Park Ji-won from Toronto, Canada

Be All the More Eager to Make Your Calling and Election Sure

When I was faced with an unexpected situation during my overseas mission, I felt bad about myself. I felt incapable of doing any task and become low-spirited, thinking, ‘If it were another member, she would have done it much better than I did.’ However, after reading this cheerful verse, I never get frustrated at myself any longer. “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Pe 1:10–11 God has called and chosen me. It is not by my own effort or ability that such…

Gong Ju-hui from Medellín, Colombia

100 Percent Faith

Elijah and 850 idolaters gathered on Mount Carmel. It was the last battle to distinguish the true God from the gods they served. What Elijah did at that time moved me greatly. “With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed.” He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.” “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time.…

Gu Jeong-min from Durban, South Africa

What I Have

Whenever I compared myself with other people, I felt that I owned nothing better than they did. At such times when I felt a loss of confidence, a verse woke me up. “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” Rev 3:11 God’s word, “Hold on to what you have,” made me realize that I owned precious things more than other people. Father and Mother protect us as the apple of Their eyes, and our brothers and sisters share joys and sorrows with me. The heavenly blessing has been given to me, but not to everyone though he wants it. I was ashamed of myself for having compared myself with…

Kang Yeong-suk from Busan, South Korea

For God Is with You

It’s been a year since I came to India for the gospel mission. Sometimes, I struggle with the language barrier or feel disheartened when things don’t turn out well. Then, I remind myself of these verses. “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “But Lord,” Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together” Jdg 6:14–16 Gideon was the least in his family, and his clan was the weakest in Manasseh, and yet God chose him as the judge…

Lee Nan-hui from Bangalore, India

Earnest Prayer

“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.” Ps 145:18–19 Whenever I felt as if God didn’t answer my prayers immediately, I wondered, “Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?” I should’ve checked if I had prayed earnestly to God. From now on, I will change the way I pray. Hoping that all my wishes will be granted, I put my hands together and pray earnestly with reverence for God today, too.

Gu Jeong-min from Durban, South Africa

Help Me Overcome My Unbelief!

There is a verse that breaks my heart whenever I read it because it describes me very well. “. . . But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mk 9:22–24 The boy’s father disappointed Jesus with his words of unbelief, but which were familiar to my ears. It’s because there were many times when I prayed to God without believing firmly that He would surely answer my prayer, although I acknowledged with my lips that God is the Almighty. Now, I reaffirm my faith and pray to God…

Gu So-hyeong from Anyang, South Korea