Anointed Action

John 10:37 “Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” I got out of quarantine a couple of days ago and it’s been fun getting around Seoul and reminiscing about life here. On the way home I remembered my old church (Onnuri) and my pastor (Leo Rhee). He often repeated some wisdom he got from his father who was also a pastor. “After many years, people will remember you not for the sermons you preached, but for the way you lived your life.” Actions speak louder than words, and talk is cheap. The masses marveled at Jesus’ teaching, particularly because he did not come from a learned background. But in John 10, Jesus challenges those who don’t believe in his words to just look at his actions. Making the blind see and the lame walk probably proved much more effective in Jesus’ ministry than even his powerful preaching. After Jesus died on the cross, again probably the most effective tool of the early church in saving souls was leveraging signs and wonders. The disciples did some crazy miracles in the midst of incredible persecution. Markets have been a bit choppy over the last few weeks, which may have a dampening effect on some of my efforts. But today I feel like God is inviting me to think bigger and create space for him to show up with signs and wonders. That is how the victory is won. That is how the Kingdom comes. That is how glory is brought to his name. Lord, thank you for being such a loving, encouraging father. I can never outdream the ultimate dreamer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jesus Christ... Cannibal?

John 6:53 “Jesus said to them ‘Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you.’ … On hearing it many of the disciples said ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’ … From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” A few years back, I heard God tell me to start making videos. It made no sense because I had no experience and I had blown past my limits on bandwidth. Work was crazy, I was being a bad dad and a bad husband. But by this point I had figured out that when God speaks I just have to follow… even if it doesn’t make sense. Fast forward and now the vlog has reached millions of people and serves as one of the strongest points of value add that I can offer to my portfolio companies. It has repeatedly helped us to win deals and gain exposure for our founders. My wife and kids have starred in the videos, so I get to hang out with them, share valuable skills and be a good dad and husband in the meantime. What made no sense back to me back then now makes all the sense in the world. In John 6, Jesus tells his disciples that they need to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Can you imagine how insane that sounded to them? “He’s telling us to be a cannibal? What the heck? OK I’m out man. This guy’s talking some serious nonsense right now.” Droves of his disciples “turned back and no longer followed him.” Fast forward to today, and billions of people take communion regularly because there is serious power in the sacraments. I take communion daily. It makes perfect sense. When you have a relationship with the rules instead of a relationship with the ruler, you don’t leave any room for yourself to follow advice that makes no sense at the time. Often that is the best advice in the end, because our understanding always lags God’s understanding. Lord, I submit my will to yours. I open my heart to hear your call. Thank you for being real and for sending your son, so I can have relationship with you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pool Party

John 5:6 “When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, ‘do you want to get well?’ ‘Sir’ the invalid replied, ‘I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I’m trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’” I recently told my friend a testimony about how I fasted from work, and how God showed up with a personal encounter and victory for the deal I was working on. My friend came back a few days later and said “I decided I’m going to fast from work too. Do you have any advice on how to do it?” I replied “well the first advice I’d give is not to “decide” anything, but to ask God what He wants you to do. What worked for me may not work for you, because God wants us to have a relationship with Him, not to follow some rules or principles. And anyways, a relationship with God is so much more fun than a relationship with the rules. In John 5 we meet an invalid who had been waiting at the pool of Bethesda for 38 years to get healed. Legend has it that when the waters of the pool stirred, the first person to jump in would get cured of their ailment. But because of his handicap, this man could never make it in time. For almost four decades this man had seen probably hundreds of people get healed, and he had strived to use the same technique to gain his own healing. But then one day Jesus shows up and circumvents all the rules. He says to the man “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured. He picked up his mat and walked. How often do we study the techniques of others looking for the way to success? It’s always good to learn, but Jesus makes it so clear. The way is not jumping into a pool. The way is not listening to a podcast and following the advice of gurus. The way is not even a particular type of fasting cause it worked for someone else. Jesus said “I am the way.” All we need is an encounter with God, which is why we should seek that above all else. Lord, I desire you today. Nothing else matters. In Jesus’ name, Amen.