"Hallelujah Anyway!"

1. Sorrow in, indeed, I toil'
And, indeed, up from the soil;
Thorns and thistles rise and prick,
Do I hard against them kick?
"Nay", I "say", without de-"lay"!
"Hallelujah, anyway!"

2. Tribulations shall have I,
Jesus said so, that is why;
Joking not was Jesus when,
He foretold disciples then;
"Cheer of, good, be"... I obey!
"Hallelujah, anyway!"

3. "Looking down the barrel" of,
Jesus was, the test of love;
which hath no man greater than,
Pierced ("peerst") would be his feet and hands;
Yet his joy he did convey -
"Hallelujah, anyway!"

4. Thought I knew what, wanted, I,
"Give me, Lord", my fervent cry;
"Abba", by no means was shy,
"Knuckled-white", my fingers, to pry;
Disappointed - yet I say:
"Hallelujah, anyway!"...

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/o/gomylife.htm

(More later, if God will)

Great sermon - "Counselled by God": http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?currSection=sermonsspeaker&sermonID=121806174426

More new material here, for those interested: www.outsidethecamp.blogspot.com

Daniel

"Don't Freak the Foreigner!"

I was at the train station last Lord's Day (a.k.a. "Sunday"), when I saw a man trying to jump down onto the tracks! His wife was trying to stop him, but he seemed disturbingly determined (he had taken off his winter coat, and was only in his suit - his wife was holding his coat). I "jumped in", and said, "Hey! Don't do that, mate! You're freaking me out!" I remember the advertisement for a game, where the jingle went "Don't Wake the Dragon!" I would alter that to, "Don't freak the foreigner!"

When he could see I was not going to let him "do that", he settled down, and pointed to a 100o Won (worth about a dollar) note he had dropped onto the tracks. He still jumped down onto the tracks to get the note, but he immediately then reached for my hand, and his wife's and we pulled him back up. I do not know exactly what he was thinking, but it looked like he had intentionally dropped the 1000 Won note onto the tracks, and was going to "jump down to get it" and never get back up. Either way, he and his wife thanked me, and called me a "sahm-mooh-soh" - or missionary (I have a beard these days, which seems to give me that look).

So, be ye encouraged! Your prayers and praise are saving lives.

Daniel

Hooray for Cowper!

OK, I simply HAVE TO try and SHOW you exactly, just what it is I find so fascinating about these "jolly" hymns! I just got on the computer, and went straight to "God of my life, to thee I call", by William Cowper. I bounced away to the music, and drank in the encouragement, as if it where a crystal clear stream in a schorching dessert ("deh-zert") The song, in so many words, says, "HELP, LORD!" Here is the link:

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/g/o/gomylife.htm

OK - next hymn...

"Jesus, Whose Blood so free streamed" - again by William Cowper. I love the whole hymn, but especially the last two verses! They go like this:

Now, Lord, Thy feeble worm prepare!For strife with earth and hell begins;Conform and gird me for the war;They hate the soul that hates his sins.

Let them in horrid league agree!They may assault, they may distress;But cannot quench Thy love to me,Nor rob me of the Lord my Peace.

The hymn:

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/j/e/jewhoseb.htm

Next hymn...

"Holy Lord God! I love thy truth" - yet again by William Cowper. This verse explains very well, in my opinion, why I am still in Korea:

The prisoner, sent to breathe fresh air,And blessed with liberty again,Would mourn, were he condemned to wearOne link of all his former chain.

Next...

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/l/p/lprochga.htm
One of the "coming reformation" hymns, in my opinion.

Bye for now.

Daniel

Hallelujah!

The testing is more intense than ever, and - therefore - so shall the prayer and praise be! James 1:2 says to "count it all joy" when the temptation and testing are varied, and intense. Let's take his word for it, and go get "world-wide reformation" - if God will, of course. I did tell you about the "Outside the Camp" blog, already, but - in case the reminder helps - the link to that blog is below, and I just posted some things I have been writing. Please pray for the pulling down a strong-hold - here in Korea, and abroad.

In my opinion, it is that of being overly committed to "saving face". Sometimes we just plain sacrifice the future for the present - all so we can look and feel good. That is not how I live my life, and not how I would recommend anyone else live theirs. Instead, as Jesus said, "Be ye perfect (i.e. 'sincere')". If all we do is try to keep other people happy, we will never get anywhere with God (and we will wind up, tragically, killing ourselves).

Daniel

Why...?

I just answered a question, which perhaps some of you are wondering about: why did I not leave Korea, as planned, on 2/21/2007? The reason was, again, most importantly - it was not God's will. Now, the next question may well be: how did I know it was not God's will? Did I get a letter from heaven? No, I cannot say I did. I can, however, say that the sign was pretty unmistakable. The sign: my president, who was supposed to pay for the ticket (which he had agreed to do - although he was not, and still is not, apparently willing to pay me all he owes me), did not. I therefore rebooked for the 23rd, and - again - my president did not pay for the ticket. So, when I say it was not God's will, I am saying so, knowing that God sovereignly saw fit to let the tickets get canceled, that I might stay in Korea longer than I had expected. I now realize it was a good thing I did not leave, because there is more spiritual warfare to be waged - and I do not like leaving battles, until my part in them is finished. How am I waging this warfare - in the Spirit, and not in the flesh - and I am submitting to God's work in me, that he might more effectively minister through me.

By the way, these sermons I send, I send for a reason - I think they would be a huge blessing to you! They take time to listen to, but if ye make the time, I believe ye will be pleasantly suprized.

Sincerely,

Daniel

Still waiting, walking, and feasting!

As usual, I am overwhelmed by the spiritual riches waiting to be indulged in "Outside the Camp" - and enjoying them immensely:

www.outsidethecamp.blogspot.com

Other than that, I am waiting on God, and crying out to him for salvation - not only for me, but also for one of my former students.

Daniel

Update

Thanks for bearing with me - seeing my supply of information has been "here and there". I am still in South Korea, and did eventually pay a visit to my old private school. They had my stuff - which a friend kindly picked up on my behalf since then. I also said "Goodbye" to my students. I was supposed to leave Korea on 2/21/2007, but that did not happen - because it was not God's will. As a matter of fact, it still is not God's will. I was keen on getting out of here, but now I am not. I am keen on doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with my God. I am also immensely enjoying sweet fellowship with God. More on that here:

www.outsidethecamp.blogspot.com

Daniel

"He that hasteth with his feet sinneth" (from Proverbs)