When you're less gifted...

I am really bad at languages..

I mean, really bad!

Now a lot of people say this, but they're liars (jk). 

Let me make my point clear.. 

When I was at Georgia State, I took two semesters of Korean. My whole life I didn't learn and would run away from Korean classes so much that my parents just gave up on me. I was a white boy in an asian body. Now, here was my chance. Now I can finally restore honor to my family and be a real Korean. But, after two semesters I barely passed with a D. It was literally the hardest class for me in all of my 7 years of school (thus far). And note, I was living at home and my parents help tutor me.

So for the last year I have been studying Greek on my own. To get into Bethlehem college and Seminary I had to pass a Greek entrance exam. I ended up passing the day before we started our semester. Other guys only started learning 6 weeks before. I even went to a 10 day Greek fluency workshop 2 months ago! 


Point taken?
I'm not the average Asian.
I'm not naturally gifted with languages.

So due to my incredible handicap, I study a lot of Greek! On average, I study Greek about 28 hours a week. To get extra practice in studying Greek I am taking a night class at the school. This class is for the average Christian who wants to take theological classes part time (I am the only seminary student).
Now in the back of my mind, I thought I would be the best in the class. I mean, this is for "average lay" person. I have been studying sooo much. I may be last in my class in seminary, but surely I would be ahead of these people. 

Wrong Sam. 

In my class there are only 4 others. Let me highlight 2 of them. 

1. Rosemary is a sweet 15 yr. homeschool girl who took greek 1 and now is in my class. She answers almost every answer right. She is amazing! 

2. Jeff is 31 and is a full time lawyer with a wife and kids. He was invited to take this class by the teacher but he replied, "but I don't know greek." Thus, in 10 days he covered a year's worth of greek! I currently am ahead of him, but just barely. 


So what do I do with this. I have several possible responses. 

1. Quit 
 I am done with this. Clearly i'm not gifted in this. 

2. Pridefully prove myself 
I am Sam Choi! I can beat this little girl. I just need to pull myself up from my bootstraps and succeed. Ain't nobody gonna show me up! 

or

3. Worship and depend on God 
"Thank you Jesus for the Body of Christ. Thank you that we are so diverse. We compliment each other in our weaknesses and strengths. Thank you Lord for gifting Jeff and Rosemary. Please continue to empower them to go far SO THAT they may know you and glorify you. I am so glad they are on my team. Thank you that they are using their gifts for you. Although, I am weak in this area. Please give me strength and diligence. I know that since I am so naturally poor in this area, that any increase will come from you alone. Thus, you alone will be glorified!"

Please pray that God would help me keep this attitude in all things! I believe by God's grace I will eventually succeed! 


How about you? 
How do you do when someone is more gifted or blessed than you? 

The Lord is sovereign over all gifts and weakness and this is a GOOD THING!!!!

From His face you shall be hidden…

I just finished reading the story of Cain and Abel for the thirtieth time and I can’t help but feel for Cain. 

Right after the Great Rebellion (Gen. 3) Adam and Eve are feeling pretty crummy (not in the text but I’m probably right). They get a burst of joy by having children. But just as sin bested the first two humans, the second two are about to be it’s next victim. 

One will spiritually be destroyed by their sin, the other will be killed because of sin. 

Cain and Able offer their sacrifices to the LORD, but only one is excepted. The LORD speaks to Cain saying, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:7 

Just like their parents, they had the monster of sin waiting to destroy them. Cain has no chance. Immediately after God speaks to him and calls him to, “rule over it,” Cain goes on and kills his brother in cold blood. 

The first born ever in the history of humanity is a killer. The 2nd born is murdered. The curse of the fall and the power of sin is devastating and active. 

I say that I feel for Cain because Cain doesn’t have Jesus. All of us have “sin crouching around the door,” but the difference for the Christian is, Romans 8:13. “So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” 

We have power to rule over sin by the Spirit! This is awesome! We don’t have to be a casualty to sin like Cain was! We can rule over it! 

The most painful part of this story is one line during Cain’s sentencing of punishment, “From your face I shall be hidden” (Gen. 4:14). 

This is the worst effect of the fall and the worst punishment of sin, 

You don’t get to see and be with Him… 

Deep and Wide

Reading broadly- 

Reading a lot of diverse things is good. It is important for Christians to be very aware of the many different perspectives in Christian Theology and non christian. This keeps yourself from blind spots, but also keeps you gracious towards those from a different perspective. A great habit to get into is reading 1 book for every 5 books you read, on something you would normally not read or is against your own views. Doing this tends to show you that the other side is not as crazy as they have been portrayed as. It may even cause you to realize that you were wrong or you need to refine your current position. On the other hand, it really may be as bad as you were told. In this case, reading things that are contrary to what you believe may challenge your own beliefs and in turn strength them as you think through Biblically why you disagree and why your belief is true. In addition, this can build a greater compassion for those who accept these beliefs an enable you to love them better. 

So read broadly, let the Bible anchor you, grow in understanding, and be gracious as you do it. 

BUT

as much as I believe what I just said, this is not nearly as important as reading deeply. 

Reading deeply- 

Many seminaries and colleges teach the next generation of pastors and Christians by exposing them to many different views and books. Although this is necessary, many end up graduating their institutes being so broad in their thinking that they don't know what to believe. They may be very intellectual and versed in all the views out there, but few of them burn in them. Typically, those who have made great impact in Church history are those who caught a revelation from the Word and it just gripped them. They couldn't shake it off of them and it defined their lives. For example, Luther and his revelation of Justification by faith alone. 

I really love that at BCS, they certainly give us other view points, but they primarily want certain truths to embed into our hearts, stir affections, and bring delight. This is so important! Christians who enjoy the beautiful Truths of Scripture. Truths that bring joy to the heart and give power over sin. Truths that bring you to your knees and break your heart for the lost in the world. Truths that reveal Jesus and causes your heart to grow in Love for Him and others. 

So Christian, please read broadly but also deeply. 

Sure, it feels a lot more impressive to tell someone you read 50 books in a year, but try reading 3. In your quest to knock out that huge stack of books on your nightstand or read through tons of Scripture, linger on some of them. Take some of them and read it several times. Master them. let them master you. Let them shape your thinking. Don't run through the garden, slow down and observe and taste of it's fruits. In doing this you will go deep. Ditch the microwave and pull out the crock pot. 

We're Home!

This is a 15 minute video updating on all the happenings since we have moved to Minnesota. I made a video since there is too much to write!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sDCdh09tqI

Where is my home?

Is home where my house is? 
Is home where I am comfortable? 
Is home where my friends and family are? 
Is home where my job is? 


As I have been wrestling through the implications and emotions or moving to Minnesota, a very precious revelation has settled in my heart. A few days ago when it dawned on me that I was actually moving, I was quickened with reality. It was nuts for me that I was leaving my closest friends and family to go to a frozen tundra (being a little dramatic here). This is the second time that I have done this. 4 years ago I left my home in Georgia to move to Cali for EBC. Similar battles were waged within my heart at that time too. But what the Lord has made clear then and again now, is where home truly is. 

Home is where Jesus is... 

But wait, Jesus is everywhere! Yes, this is true, the Lord is everywhere.

When Jesus calls you to something or somewhere, His presence and blessing is on that. Meaning, if you were to disobey going where He calls you, you will miss out on the blessing of His presence on your life. You would be going against Him, not with Him. 

Have you ever done something that was so scary or difficult for the Lord and you knew with all your heart that this was God's desire for you, and upon your obedience you were flooded with such joy? You felt God's hand over you and despite the pain, chaos, and difficulty, you felt His pleasure towards you? 

I know this feeling.. 

I wish I knew this feeling more often. 

On the other hand, you have probably also felt what it's like doing the opposite. Completely disobeying what the Lord has asked you to do and feeling a utter sense of emptiness and abandonment. 


The list of reasons why I am going are long, but what I am ultimately longing for, is pleasing God. I long for His presence and long to be right in the midst of His will. 


So where is home? Home is not necessarily where your house, jobs, family, etc. are, but home is right where or what the Lord is calling you to do. Home is right smack in the midst of His will. 

Yes I am leaving precious family, friends, and comfort. But if I can have more of Jesus in MN, then MN is where I shall go! 

There is no sweeter place then His will! 

So what is He asking you to do right now? 
Are you home? 

Distant from God...

As I was praying through the Lord's prayer yesterday I was pierced by a reality in the first line of the prayer. 

"OUR Father IN Heaven.." 

 The first part is oh so comforting and encouraging! God is our Dad! Wow, what an amazing truth that is hard to believe that God would adopt us as His kids.

But what struck me was the 2nd part of it, 
"IN Heaven!" 

Ouch.. That hurts! Or at least, it should hurt. Our beloved Father is IN HEAVEN! Which means He is not here on earth... 

This starts the Lord's prayer with comfort that God is our Dad, but pain because He is not here. 

Now I understand that God is everywhere, but that's not what I'm talking about. This is part of the fall. God used to walk with us among the garden and earth was His dwelling place. But after our rebellion, it caused a separation. And although the Spirit of God is in us, the fullness of His presence will not be known until Christ returns and reigns bodily on this restored earth. 

So although we have Him with us partialy it is just a sample. 
I want the main course! 

So next time your pray the Lord's prayer, may it pain your heart. May you cry out with all your heart, "Your kingdom come, your will be done!" 

May there be a longing for when we will no longer say, "In heaven," but 

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God." - Revelation 21:3 

Amen (let it be)! Come Lord Jesus!