Recent Blog Posts from Pursuit NYC
Dec 18, 2018
The story of Joseph in Genesis has always been one that has spoken to me in different seasons of my life. Recently, I’ve been going through some challenges and tough circumstances, and these trials have brought me back to this familiar story. Yet this time, the story yielded something new. Isn’t that always like God? His Word is alive and active, which means it’s not caged to our past understandings or even interpretations. It teaches us of what God has said, but also, it always reveals to us what God is saying now. It dawned on me that when Joseph entered Egypt, it was the beginning of the end. He would never again leave this foreign land. He would never get to go back to his hometown. His former life was gone forever. When I realized this, honestly, it made me sad. Joseph had no idea that the day he would be sold into slavery by his brothers was going to be his last day home. It would be his last day of “normal”. He never got a chance to prepare himself for what would change his life forever. He never got a chance to say goodbye. And he never would. Isn’t that like life? Things come at us that can change our lives forever in just a moment. Difficulties can be around the corner at every turn. I can’t imagine what it was like for Joseph. I wonder how I would feel or respond in his place. What would my heart be like when things seem like they are finally getting better, but instead they actually take a... read more
Nov 27, 2018
by Janet Yang Kim Isaiah 40:27-31 Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. — It is often our temptation to take the surrounding circumstances at face value. In this text the Israelites were held in captivity by the Babylonians for over an entire generation! Are we not often like the Israelites—having short-sighted faith, complaining, feeling forgotten—when in our judgement it seems the Lord has overlooked us? Prophet Isaiah challenges them, however, and reminds them of God’s promise of Israel’s restoration and the rebuilding of the temple. Even in the midst of our grumbling, God’s desire is to comfort us. How then can we be comforted? Remember who God is. What is God’s character? ‘The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.’ Like Jesus taught us in the Lord’s prayer, ‘Our Father who art in heaven,’ the first thing we must do is acknowledge that our God sits in the heavenly realms. He is beyond us and our understanding. He is the Creator... read more
Nov 20, 2018
by Josh Kim This past summer there was a conviction in my heart to seek more of God and change my prayer life. I don’t know how to explain it, but I felt that God wanted to do something new. I didn’t specifically know what that was, but all I knew was to abide in Him so I would be prepared and aware of what He was up to. (Looking back, I realize that God wanted to release new power in my life, and the only way for Him to release it was if I abided in Him. Bill Johnson, in his book, When Heaven Invades Earth, says it perfectly, “The life of power is a life of abiding.”) So almost every evening this past summer, I took 20 minute walks with God around my neighborhood to simply pray, commune, and have conversations with God. I especially prayed for my two upcoming summer missions trip to Ivory Coast in August and Colombia in September – just general things like finances, protection, unity within our teams, etc. But I remember one evening God telling me, “Ask for more! I’m going to release new power. So ask for more!” In faith, I responded back to Him, “God, I want to see miracles, like the ones I read in the Bible, on these mission trips this summer. It’s not enough to hear from others about your miracles, but I want to experience you healing your people, where it could only be done by you, for myself!” God responded back, “You will receive what your faith expects (Matthew 9:29).” I want to share... read more
