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Pastor's Devotional Thoughts

February 1, 2025



As we were traveling out of state, we put on a rooftop cargo carrier on our vehicle. I tightened the holders at the bottom of the carrier to the rooftop bars, and off we went. It was quite windy on the highway, and it got worse as we entered Iowa. After a few hours, we stopped for gas and a bathroom break. 


When I got out of the bathroom, I noticed that the front of the cargo carrier shifted to one side and the carrier was sitting on top of the car roof diagonally. Immediately, I went up to check it out and it turned out that I had tightened the holders, but not enough. The strong winds had pushed it over. I re-positioned the carrier and secured the holder, making sure it wouldn’t move for the remainder of the trip, and be safe. 


The Synoptic Gospels talk about the ‘Parable of the Sower.’ In Matthew 13, the farmer plants the seeds on the soil by scattering them. The seeds fell on the road, rocky places, and some on the thorny area. These seeds only grew to a certain point until they got eaten by the birds, scorched in the sun, or couldn’t grow among the thorns. However, other seeds fell on the good soil. They were securely anchored in the ground and were properly grown to reap up to a hundred fold. 


Jesus says, “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom..” Matthew 13:19. The seeds are the Words of Jesus about His Kingdom. I pray that we can secure His seed in our hearts and not be loose, lest temptations come like a wind and blow it away. I pray that we will forward to being in His Kingdom by holding fast to His Word.


January 25, 2025



Last week, I went to go visit a friend in the hospital in Minnesota. He was in the hospital for over 2 weeks and I only knew about it couple days before. As soon as I heard the news, I decided to go visit him, and I drove five hours to the hospital he was admitted in. He was glad to see me when I knocked on his door. 


Couple minutes after I arrived, there was another knock on the door. When the door opened, a man came in with his guitar. My friend looked really puzzled. I asked him, “Do you know this guy?” “I have no idea who this guy is.” We both looked at each other in amusement for a split second. It turns out that this man is a pastor of the Minnesota Conference. Someone apparently told that conference about my friend, and they had asked this pastor to come and visit my friend. We sang songs, worshiped together, and had a good visit until he left. When I look back, I still chuckle to myself when my buddy said, “I have no idea who this guy is.”


Jesus says something similar, but in a completely different tone. In Matthew 6:21-23, Jesus talks about people who call on Him, “Lord, Lord!” Not everyone of them would make it in to the kingdom of God. To them, Jesus says, “I never knew you.” Matthew 6:23. Jesus defined these people as those “who practice lawlessness.” The law of God defines His character, and to keep God’s law means that we choose to be in a loving relationship with Him. As Christians, we may be doing many activities for the Lord, but our hearts may not be there for Him. I pray that we can establish a genuine relationship with the Lord, and when He greets us, He will tell us, “I know exactly who you are, and I died for you! Come and join Me in the kingdom of God.”


January 18, 2025



When I ski at a new mountain that I have never been on, it’s hard to figure out the trails and terrain. There are trail maps you can look at, but it has its limits. It’s easier when you go with a friend that knows the mountain. As you get off the lift, the friend would say, “Let’s go this way, come, follow me.” The friend knows the trails, knows the difficulties of the terrain, and if you just follow your friend, it’s so much easier to navigate around.


Sometimes, you and the friend are at different levels of skiing. One might be more skilled and the other less. In that case, as you go down the slopes together, the skillful skier will slow down and ensure the buddy is in sight, so that you won’t get lost and ride down together. As you continue to ride together, eventually you get to learn some skills over the course of time, and become better at it. 


Jesus did something similar with the disciples. When Jesus was walking by the sea, he saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew. “Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” Matthew 4:19. Jesus also proclaimed in John 14:6, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” When Jesus called for the disciples to follow Him, He knew the way, and Jesus was going to lead them and guide them. He worked with the disciples over the years and taught them. Jesus called us to be His followers, too. We can trust Him, and follow Him. He will guide us and lead us to salvation that He made possible on the cross.


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