Witness

October 10, 2026

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”

1 Peter 3:15

I am sure you have had a similar experience. A few years ago, I was looking at my internet service bill. I was surprised by the amount. It was about $16 more than what I usually pay. Immediately, I called the internet company.

After going through the automated answers, I finally reached an agent. I explained the issue, and after a moment's review, he told me my one-year promotion had ended. I knew about the promotion, but I had not realized it was already over.

The agent was kind and asked me to stay on the line so he could find a way to extend the promotion. While he was checking, he asked, “So what do you do, Mr. Kwon?” (I always find it funny when people call me that way…) I told him, “I am a church pastor.”

“Oh, nice! What denomination are you?” “I am a Seventh-day Adventist.”

When he heard that, he said, “I don’t go to church anymore, but I believe that Saturday is the day to worship!” I couldn’t believe my ears. We kept chatting, and he told me about his Catholic background and why he no longer went to church. Knowing I was a pastor, he began asking deep questions about faith. He was going through some issues and looking for answers. I offered to pray for him. I was unsure at first because I knew the dialogue was recorded, but he didn’t care, so I prayed for him and his family. This was a clear reminder that people may come to us with spiritual questions when we least expect it.

We need to be ready all the time. When people reach out to you because you are a Christian, be ready to witness to Jesus. They may come to you unexpectedly, and that is a great opportunity to witness.

Oh, by the way, I got a better promotional deal for my internet service. It was cheaper than before!

Gifts of Grace

October 3, 2026

“O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of your possessions” Psalm 104:24

I am truly enjoying the colors of the leaves these days. They are just amazing! Hyemi has given me some insights and devotional thoughts as we enjoy the fall colors together, and these thoughts lead me to what God is showing us through them.

About 20 years ago, wearing a Dallas Cowboys cap and Jordan basketball shoes was the ‘cool’ thing to do in school. The Cowboys cap was relatively affordable, but the shoes weren’t. I really wanted the Jordan shoes. They were expensive, but I didn’t care. I begged my dad to buy me a pair. Eventually, he did, and I became one of the coolest kids in the world.

Today, I realize how much my dad spent on me. Now that I am a grown-up and understand the value of money, I can see how much those pair of shoes had cost my dad. Dad was still in the seminary, and every dollar mattered. It was needed to help with living. I now see that he couldn’t afford it back then. Yet, Dad still bought me the shoes because I am his son, and he wanted the best for me.

That is what God must be feeling when He lets us enjoy the fall colors. The weather today is not as ideal as it used to be. These colors did not exist before the Flood. There was perfect weather before the Flood, with no rain or winter, and everything was gorgeous. The most ideal climate was allowed to us until the Flood. The consequences of sin have affected our climate, resulting in rain, snow, and unpredictable weather. But even in these unfortunate circumstances, God still wanted us to enjoy His wonderful creation. The leaves will fall due to the winter, but even when they are about to fall, they shine out their beauty because they sing of God’s creation. Once again, God will bring us the ideal New Earth when the time comes, but until then, God will express His love through the nature we have today, just as a father gives his child the best he can. Simply because we are His children and He wants the best for us.

Leading

September 26, 2026

Strength training is an essential part of training for endurance races, such as marathons and triathlons. However, I have always struggled to enjoy strength training. Whenever I hit the gym to do weights, I don’t think I really enjoy it. Some months ago, I found this class at the YMCA called Les Mills Body Pump. This is a full-body, high-repetition weight-training workout where you follow the instructor and exercise as a group. I have been enjoying this exercise and try to attend at least once a week.

The instructor was really good at leading the class, and I have greatly benefited throughout the months. A few weeks ago, we had a substitute instructor, and I learned that a different person can lead to a completely different experience. This instructor made sure you hit all the same muscle groups as the original instructor, but she had a different routine and a different leading voice. It turned out that our original instructor couldn’t teach for several weeks, so we had two more substitutes. During this time, I experienced four different instructors. All of them had different routines and styles, and

I enjoyed them all. While they all had different leadership styles and methods, they shared the same goal: to make sure the class got the necessary workout and hit all the muscle groups.

When Jesus returned to heaven, He sent us the Holy Spirit. To this, Jesus said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7. I am sure the disciples were uncertain when they realized Jesus would return to heaven, but Jesus didn’t leave them by themselves. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit, He said, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority,but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” John 16:13. Jesus and the Holy Spirit (and the Father) had the same objective: to lead us into all truth. I am thankful for the Holy Spirit and we can truly seek Him and depend on Him.