Scripture: Deuteronomy 30: 15~ 20

God is forever happy because He is the creator of happiness. Everything on the heaven and the earth lives under His blessing. It fills everything.

And he commanded mankind to subdue, possess and dominate everything with all its happiness; man is creation blessed to the utmost among all creations. (Ephesians1:22-23)

This blessing is, however, just for as long as we live on earth, for we are to leave worldly things when we pass away. Man is a spiritual creation of God. The spirit of a man lives forever because God blessed man with eternal life. For the holy purpose of giving man eternal life God the Father sent His one and only son, Jesus Christ, to this world. Jesus became flesh among us to save the world. (John1:14)

We sinners are doomed to permanent death. But through His blood and death, every spirit may have life and have it to the full. (John 10:10)

When Jesus ate the Passover the night before He was arrested, He foretold His suffering. Taking bread and saying to His disciples, " This is my body given for you." In the same way He took the cup saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." His prediction was fulfilled through His death on the cross. Through Jesus Christ, God the Father completed His holy plan to bless humankind through eternal life and happiness. Under the worst curse of sin, however, a man can never avoid permanent destroy except by God's grace and blessing made possible by Christ's blood and body.

Like a roaring lion, the devil prowls, doing everything possible to make human leave their belief in Christ.

It never stops trying to seduce human into sin and self-destruction; it lures human into sinful desires through the world's degenerative culture. God blesses people who are saved from death through the blood of Christ and makes them stand firm in the grace of the Lord by the Holy Spirit. Everyone should stand firm in the Holy Spirit and never return to the past, being fully alert that this world is full of curse and death. The world is the working ground of the devil with eternal death its final destination. It uses every evil means to put the same curse upon man as that of his own which is going hell. In order to deliver us from the curse and perishment, Jesus Christ came to this world. He is the only way to life, bringing into fruition the blessing of God the Father. This is why everyone that wants the blessing of eternal life should at all cost, avoid the curse and death. Jesus Christ prepares the blessing of eternal, abundant life to whoever seeks and believes in Him.

Consequently, the world holds two paths: the way of life and death; the way of blessing and curse. Every one that loves his offspring as well as his own, must stand in the side of life and blessing for the Lord blesses those who eagerly seek His blessing: Christ declared, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness."(Mark 5:1-9) The highest and greatest blessing is to become the heir to the Kingdom of Heaven and to live a life full of God's grace both in body and in spirit. The Holy Spirit himself testifies through our spirit that we are the children of God the Father. If we are truly His children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if needed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.(Rome 8: 16-17)

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, make every effort this year to obtain all the spiritual blessings of the Lord which He eagerly awaits to give you. Face all the challenges. Take yourself out of this sinful world. Be alert so as not to fall prey to the evil desires of the sinful nature; this is from the deceiving devil. Let's live in the overflowing grace of Christ. Now in the year 2003, do your utmost effort to live spiritual lives to the fullest. Never fail to protect yourself from the devil, the Father of Lies, who holds the power of death.

Recognize God's desire to bestow upon us His eternal life in Jesus Christ who bore our sins in His body on the cross, saving humankind from eternal punishment. Stand firm in the side of life. Defeat sin and death that is from the devil. Be truly grateful that our Lord Jesus Christ rooted out the sin, curse and disease when He was flogged, crucified, bled and killed on the cross instead of us sinners. Let's be faithful and take part in the righteousness of Jesus. Let's always be Christians of genuine faith. (1 Peter 5:8-9) Protect yourself in the Holy Spirit and keep yourself away from the devil. Never forget that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you. If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him.(First Corinthian 3:16)

In 2003, do your best effort to have the Holy Spirit within you at all times and to also pray always. Live by the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit. Be faithful. Do good things. Follow the path of righteousness. Do not seek after the perishable things of the world; it will lead you only to sorrow. All things that are not spiritual in this world cannot avoid being destroyed in the end. God's blessing and His life is for eternity. Try to possess life eternal for you and your offspring.

Jesus Christ is the only one that blesses us through healing and salvation. Humankind's greatest blessing is the impossible blessing made possible.

For the Lord's greatest desire is to give us eternal life. Translated by Hannah Chung

위 글은 교회신문 <45호> 기사입니다.