Hello friends. I’ve been going through my old photos because I need to make room in the iCloud storage. I felt my body tensing up as I was approaching 2020 and remembering what happened to our world in March 2020. Then in the months following I saw that I saved so many Bible verses and inspirational quotes about prayer and faith. It’ll be harder to delete these than actual photos. I’m going through them very slowly before deleting.
I had forgotten about this post that I saved. This person used church as an analogy to college. I think of my church as my local military base. I thought it was really cool to think of church as a college. I twicked it a little bit and added some more things. Please take a look and consider seeing your church as your college.
CHURCH is my COLLEGE.
HEAVEN is my HOME.
GOD is my FATHER.
JESUS is my PRINCIPAL.
HOLY SPIRIT is my TEACHER.
ANGELS are my FELLOW HARVESTERS.
SIBLINGS-IN-CHRIST are my CLASS MATES and WORK PARTNERS.
BIBLE is my STUDY BOOK.
TRIAL & TEMPTATIONS are my EXAMS.
WINNING SOULS are my ASSIGNMENTS.
PRAYER/BIBLE STUDY is my ATTENDANCE.
CROWN OF LIFE is my DEGREE.
PRAISE & WORSHIP is my MOTTO.
ENROLL today.
There is room for all and tuition is FREE.
REWARDS are accrued in my ETERNAL HOME in HEAVEN.
Like any human institutions, you will butt heads at times with your peers on doctrines, theology, principles, culture, politics, etc. But these differences should never be a cause for division or separation. I don’t think I’ve ever lost a Christian friend over our differences. If you have a tendency to lose Christian friends, please be careful. They are your allies in your spiritual battles. You need them as much as they need you.
Here’s a good devotional on why church is so important.
There are many who have left a church because of a hurtful and negative experience. Here’s a good short article on overcoming a bad church or Christian experience. Remember that just like there is no perfect marriage or college, there is no perfect church.
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/overcoming-a-bad-church-experience/
I came across this article about Life Surge Christian conferences. I remember sharing this conference because they were coming to our area. Please read this article and be aware of their strong pressure to sell you their wealth building services. That’s not a good sign about the organizers. Please be aware.
I’ve done much research about Christian cults. I recently shared this article with my friend on the signs that you are in a cult, not a church. Please keep it as a reference and share it with anyone you know might be in a church cult. It can save them from great grief and loss.
https://pastorvlad.org/signs-youre-in-a-cult-not-a-church/
During the Jesus Movement in California in the 1970s, there were many Christian cults that arose. If you are interested in learning more about the Jesus Movement, then please read Keith Green’s biography “No Compromise”. It was very informative and so interesting.
This pastor is currently recalling and recapping the mistakes of the Jesus and Charismatic Movement of that time period in America. This supernatural revival movement should have taken over our country and culture. But it did not. Instead it had the opposite effect. Here’s his recap and some thoughts:
https://www.givehim15.com/post/october-24-2025
It seems to me that discernment is crucial in today’s world. We might have different thoughts about AI. Or perhaps like me, you don’t know what to think. I’m a late adopter of technology. I appreciated this message and thoughts about AI from the Cornerstone church pastor. Please give him a listen.
“We are headed into an AI-dominated world. Some might think that statement an exaggeration, but if you turn on the news, you’ll quickly notice that artificial intelligence is everywhere you look and negatively impacting the next generation. In today’s message, Pastor Austin addresses this subject directly; encouraging the church to think Biblically about the rise of AI, its current impact on the modern church, and the way it may be used in the future deception that is to come.”
https://cornerstonechapel.net/teaching/20251026/
Here’s the message link on YouTube.
I entered the workforce in the mid-90s when the internet revolution was beginning. It brought so many jobs and opportunities. I thought the AI revolution would do the same but now it is becoming clear that many white-coller professional jobs will be lost due to AI. Please pray proactively for yourself and your family members. In our prayer meetings, we pray regularly for our family members’ careers and even our finances. In my opinion, it is wise to receive advice and prayers from your church friends, leaders and pastors before any job changes. Please don’t be a Lone Ranger Christian in the times that we are living in. Before any major decisions, please ask for prayers from your trusted friends, church members and leaders.
Sometimes I get very alarmed learning about current situations and world events. Then I would remember Corrie ten Boom’s great advice.
“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed.
If you look at yourself, you’ll be depressed.
If you look at Jesus, you’ll be at rest.”
Let’s keep our eyes focused on Jesus Christ even as we learn about AI or any other world issues that need our prayers. I love Jesus’ encouragement for us:
Peace I leave with you, my peace l give to you. Not as the world gives do give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. -JOHN 14:27
If you ever visit the Billy Graham center in North Carolina you will see this poster there. I’ve never been there but a friend shared this picture with me. Famous evangelist Billy Graham said these things about the power of prayer in evangelism.
“The secret is not me. So many people think that somehow I carry a revival around in a suitcase, and they just announce me and something happens – but that’s not true.
This is the work of God, and the Bible warns that God will not share His glory with another. All the publicity that we recelve sometimes frightens me because I feel that therein lies a great danger. If God should take His hand off me, I would have no more spiritual power. The whole secret of the success of our meetings is spiritual – It’s God answering prayer. I cannot take credit for any of it.” – Billy Graham
“There are three elements to Crusade preparation: Pray, pray, pray.”
– Billy Graham
We are not praying just to increase the number of Christians on earth. We are praying so that everyone we care about gets into heaven. For those of you who have been praying for a long time for a loved one, please be encouraged by these stories of family members who became born-again before passing away. It’s God’s job to change someone’s hearts. It’s our job to win them over to our Team Jesus by our love and support. And if they get saved earlier because of you, then it’s a big bonus to have their talents and companionship on our side. 🙂
I am Korean-American. I started to subscribe to this pastor’s newsletter on praying for North Korea. Please read his recent newsletter if you’d like to subscribe too. He offers some Korea’s spiritual history in his newsletter.
Here is his October prayer newsletter for North Korea 🇰🇵
https://stibee.com/api/v1.0/emails/share/YYhv8PF36WmrXEUeowGBRqaz3Y_mdao
Before communism came into northern Korea, it was considered the “Jerusalem of the Orient” according to Billy Graham’s autobiography “Just As I Am” – because of the many Korean pastors and Bible colleges in North Korea. Incredibly, the Kim regime family comes from a Christian background. Billy Graham visited North Korea. I believe it was God’s final attempt to change the eternal destiny of the founding father of North Korea, Kim Il Sung. I think he died soon after that visit by Billy Graham.
I gave you much to read and pray about. Thank you for reading.
Most importantly, be disciplined and stay on guard. Your enemy the devil is prowling around outside like a roaring lion, just waiting and hoping for the chance to devour someone. Resist him and be strong in your faith, knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are fellow sufferers with you.
Bonus:
Since it’s Halloween today, I thought you might find this Bible information intriguing.
“In the spirit of “spooky season,” let’s take a look at some of the stranger elements of Bible lore: its monsters. From giants and dragons to unicorns and chaos monsters, the Bible features a menagerie of mysterious and sometimes terrifying creatures.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/learn/topics-themes/explainers/bible-monsters/
Journal of Faith 