Participants: Ruthie Jacobsen (Host), Martin Kim, Liana Kim
Series Code: IAA
Program Code: IAA000391
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00:01 No one enjoys being in the darkness.
00:03 We are creatures of light, we need light to survive. 00:07 Today, I want you to meet someone who came 00:11 from darkness into light. 00:12 What an exciting experience, 00:14 we'll be right back. 00:40 Welcome to Issues & Answers. 00:43 I think that many people today have experienced 00:46 the issue of darkness, discouragement, 00:50 feeling disheartened, discouraged 00:53 and not knowing how to take the next steps 00:57 into the light, but God is faithful. 01:00 I'd like to have you hear this from the 01:04 message Bible, from the book of Psalms 01:07 and it's the first part of chapter 16 where David 01:11 is saying, "keep me safe O God, 01:14 I've run for dear life to you. 01:17 I say to God, Be my Lord! Without you, 01:20 nothing makes sense." And that's really how you feel 01:25 if you are in the darkness or you're experiencing 01:28 depression or discouragement. 01:30 Your life changes, it takes on a different hue, 01:34 a different color. So, and then he says, 01:39 "now that you've got my feet on the life path, 01:42 all radiant from the shining of your face. 01:45 Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way". 01:49 Our God is faithful and true and he does 01:54 keep us on the right path. He has a wonderful 01:58 purpose and plan for every life. 02:02 I'd like for you to meet our special guest today 02:06 Liana and Martin Kim from Berrien Springs, 02:10 Michigan welcome. Good, Thank you. 02:13 Hello, good to be here. 02:14 Liana said she is from Korea and Martin 02:17 is from Los Angeles. And Martin how long 02:21 have you and Liana been married? 02:23 It's been a little more then nine years now. 02:26 But you still look like kids, you've been 02:30 married almost, you're going on 10 years, 02:33 almost, that's wonderful. Now, we know 02:36 that you are working with the Southeast 02:38 Asia project, yes, raising money and working 02:42 with people in all of these countries, 02:44 tell us which countries again. 02:47 Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, 02:49 and we are working also in Myanmar. 02:52 Four countries, five countries, five countries 02:55 with huge population bases and enormous needs, 03:00 yes, and problems; but you've seen 03:03 God's hand work. Yes. In wonderful ways too, 03:05 but I want to back up a little bit have you always 03:10 just been on the top of the mountain Martin, 03:13 have you always just been working 03:15 with God and everything was perfect. 03:18 I wish I could say that I had that kind 03:20 of experience; it has not always been like that, 03:24 I've spent much time down in the valleys. 03:27 And when did that start for you? 03:30 God helped, I was struck with a lot of anxiety, 03:34 mild depression growing up and I guess 03:37 I always grew up thinking one day I'll be happy 03:39 if I made a lot of money and that was the lie 03:41 I believed growing up and on one day 03:43 I realized that money is not what brings happiness 03:47 and then I started experiencing more 03:49 severe depression later on. 03:52 You thought you had an answer and 03:54 that was evasive. Yes. And so you were left 04:00 with the rug pulled out from under you again. 04:04 How did you find peace, you know 04:07 who you are today, you have peace. 04:09 Yes. And you know who God is and you know 04:12 he's with you, but that was not always the case. 04:15 How, did you grow up in a Christian home? 04:18 Yes, I pretty much grew up in a Christian home 04:20 all my life, went to church all my life. 04:22 I, I know what the Bible says but I guess 04:25 for me you know it was all up here, 04:27 I wasn't experiencing it and God kind of took 04:31 me on a journey where, where I had to 04:34 understand what it meant to live by faith, 04:36 because what you know and fear is ain't gonna 04:38 change your life at all, unless, that's right, 04:40 and you take the leap of faith and begin 04:43 walking by faith. You know really making 04:45 the promise of the God your own by appropriating 04:48 the promises God by faith. 04:50 It's not what we know it's what we believe, 04:53 yes and live, yes, because that's what's powerful 04:57 and no matter how good your parents maybe 05:02 that's not going to help you. Right. 05:04 So, Liana did you see him struggle after 05:08 you were married, with depression. 05:10 How did that make you feel? 05:14 Because God gave me the confidence that 05:17 he is the right one. Yes. And because of that 05:20 confidence that God gave it to me. 05:22 I think I could survive and then both of us not 05:26 only him but both of us we were having hard time 05:29 but I knew that even though God was silent 05:33 but I knew that he was with us. 05:36 And in the difficult times when you don't see 05:39 the answers you have to make a decision 05:42 I'm gonna go with God, because there is no 05:46 other way. I'm gonna go with God 05:49 and God comes through doesn't he? 05:51 Yes. How did he come through in your lives? 05:53 How did he teach you? How is he bringing you? 05:56 And it's a daily thing. Yes. You know 05:59 if you should decide, well Lord I think 06:01 I can do this on my own now, he would have 06:04 to let you try to do that and that is guaranteed 06:07 failure for any of us. Yeah. It just doesn't work. 06:11 We forget that we're puny human beings 06:15 and we don't know very much and we can do 06:18 nothing without him. So, tell us though how, 06:21 how is he has he bringing you to a 06:26 stability and strength and confidence and courage 06:29 and hope. There are lot people today who 06:32 want that. Yes, well in Matthew chapter 6, 06:36 over and over again Jesus says do not worry about 06:37 your life. And I realized that anxiety consumed 06:42 me and I said you know what of course 06:47 you know there are many factors that, 06:49 that can make an individual more anxious. 06:52 You know there are genetic factors, 06:54 environmental factors and I said. 06:57 And our own choices. Yes. And decisions 07:00 that we make inadvertently you know 07:04 unwisely but not intentionally obviously. 07:07 But regardless I believe that the peace 07:12 that God gives is available to all of us, 07:15 and quite often in the Bible you see like 07:18 when the disciples were afraid like when they 07:20 found themselves in a storm. 07:21 What Jesus says is O ye of little faith. 07:25 And, and so I said you know what if I have 07:28 faith in God then faith is the opposite of a worry, 07:33 maybe it's cause I don't have faith in God and, 07:35 and that's what led me on a journey where 07:37 I realized that I needed to grow my faith in God. 07:41 So, how do you do that Martin? 07:43 How did you do that? 07:44 How did the Lord lead you on that journey? 07:47 Well, I first began with a lot of praying 07:48 saying why God, why am I experiencing 07:51 these things in my life. If you are there 07:53 and this is what you would promised us, why? 07:56 And pretty much that's a simple prayer. 07:58 We're asking God, and when we call out to God, 08:02 God promises to answer and, and. 08:05 And the beautiful thing is you're talking 08:07 to someone who is listening. Yes. 08:09 He is there. Yes, yes. And he is going to be 08:12 faithful, so as you were crying out to him 08:15 as David does in the Psalms. He, 08:18 and I don't believe the Lord is offended. 08:20 No. Or this bothers him at all. 08:23 He knows what's going on in your life 08:25 and he wants us to be honest. Yes. So, take us 08:29 to the next step, what did he do that after that. 08:32 You know I wish I could have say, 08:33 I could say that the Lord just turned my life 08:35 around overnight but he didn't 08:37 and I can look back and I can see that it was 08:41 a long journey, but he had many things 08:43 to teach me and basically he's teaching me 08:50 to get into his word, teaching me to spend 08:53 much time in prayer and in Jeremiah 29 verse 13, 08:58 God says and you will seek me with all your heart. 09:00 When I first came to God and began this journey, 09:04 it wasn't my whole heart, 09:05 all I want it was just deliverance 09:08 from this pain. I wasn't ready to give God 09:11 my whole heart, but he want to lead me 09:13 on a journey where I would surrender 09:15 everything to him and. There is a big difference 09:19 isn't there? Yes. Because otherwise we want 09:22 things on our terms, and when you as a puny 09:26 human being want to stay in the driver's seat, 09:28 yeah, look out, yeah, because we're not 09:31 smart enough, we think we are, yes, 09:34 but we are not, yeah, and the Lord says alright 09:37 you know I'll just give you a little more time 09:41 but you've got to even if you keep hitting 09:43 the wall you've got to know that is not going 09:46 to work, yeah, without me, yeah. 09:50 So how did you, Liana how about you, 09:54 how have you been through this? 09:57 I think there is a couple, I think 09:59 we are one and the one person is sick 10:02 and then the other partner is sick too, 10:04 I mean emotionally and spiritually too, 10:06 True, true. And then both of us still went 10:08 through together and it was not easy at all, 10:13 but like my husband shared I think God allowed 10:17 all the things that one time. One time, 10:21 you know I had to say Lord, I don't want 10:25 anything else except you and he said you're peace. 10:28 You know God is, God wants to bless me upon 10:31 totally but the all he wants to, all he want 10:36 is you know I want you Liana, I want Martin 10:39 yourself and then God allow us, 10:42 both of us to go to the bottom of our life 10:45 but once we got there God said here I am. 10:49 I am going to help you one step at a time 10:53 in a time, right now even though even though 10:57 I say these things but in my heart you know 10:59 it's not easy, but both of us when we look back 11:03 our life it is the hardest time of our life 11:06 but it is the most blessing that we have 11:09 ever received from precious God. 11:12 You know there is a gospel song that 11:15 Rodney Griffin wrote and it says, 11:18 I've been to the bottom and I found at the 11:21 bottom a blessed holy rock. 11:25 The rock Christ Jesus and its just exactly 11:29 what you've been saying Liana, 11:31 that even though our life takes some 11:36 unavoidable turns and takes us places 11:39 we would not have wanted to go. 11:41 God doth never, he never leaves us for 11:45 us a moment. He is always there. 11:48 And I think you're absolutely right, 11:50 what effects one effects the other, 11:53 you go through this together because 11:56 you're partners for life and you are trusting 12:01 the Lord, but this is why the Lord gives strength 12:04 to one that will help the other. Yes. 12:06 And it's a beautiful experience, 12:09 what would you tell our viewers today? 12:13 If there is someone who is going through 12:15 a very difficult time maybe its depression, 12:18 maybe its financial problem, maybe it's a 12:22 loss of a job, our country is in turmoil today, 12:26 what would you tell them to do 12:29 for some peace in the time of storm? 12:34 I would tell them to learn to pray. 12:37 Charles Spurgeon, the great British preacher 12:39 in the late 19th century said that anything 12:45 is a blessing which makes us pray 12:48 and if it weren't for the difficulties, 12:50 the troubles in my life, I would not be the 12:54 praying person that I am today. 12:56 Now I believe that prayer is such a privilege, 12:59 it's such a blessing because prayer 13:02 is the practice that depends on God I, 13:04 I don't feel any, I can never get any closer 13:06 to God and feel more of his peace 13:08 than when I'm on my knees in prayer. 13:12 Beth Moore who wrote Praying God's Words 13:16 and other books has said the same thing, 13:19 you know she's gone through some very difficult 13:21 times in her life but she said it has given me 13:24 a hunger, a soul of hunger for God's word 13:28 and for his presence. And she said I would spend 13:31 days whole days, just in his word and prayer, 13:35 yes, and that is what brought me the hope 13:39 and the peace and the healing 13:40 and the Lord works with different people 13:43 in different ways, he doesn't call everybody 13:46 to the same path for healing, but he does say 13:50 if you know me intimately, yes, then I will make 13:55 you strong and able to do bold 13:57 and daring things, that's from Daniel 11:32. 14:01 So, what would you tell someone in the audience 14:04 who is saying I need aside from prayer, 14:08 is there something or is there a, some secret, 14:11 Liana that you would add to that? 14:16 I was not a Christian and even at a time 14:19 didn't know how to pray and I know that 14:21 there are so many people out there 14:23 who don't know about God and who don't know 14:26 how to pray but I would suggest that 14:29 God knows everything about you and whether 14:32 you say help me or I need help even 14:35 your silent God knows everything about you. 14:38 So please hang there and then God will help you. 14:42 That's right, how long have you been 14:44 a Christian? More than, I think it will be 13 years. 14:49 13 years. How did you and Martin meet? 14:54 It is another miracle, we were just friends, 15:00 I think my husband knows better. 15:05 In 95, Liana was just becoming a Christian. 15:10 Did you attend the same church? 15:11 No, no, no I was in Korea for one year. Okay. 15:14 Just studying the language and making 15:15 some money. And I met her at a 15:18 Friday evening Bible study at that time. 15:20 So, she was living in Korea at that time. 15:22 Yes, okay, yes and she was just becoming 15:24 a Christian, we were just friends, 15:27 a few months later I returned to the States 15:30 and we were apart for four years, 15:33 didn't keep in touch, but I often thought 15:36 you know if I were to marry someone in Korea 15:39 I would like to marry someone like Liana, 15:41 just because I remember that when she first 15:43 started coming to church there was this glow in her 15:45 face and it was because God was doing something 15:48 incredible in her life. It was when 15:51 she was coming to the Lord. 15:52 She was learning a lot of new 15:54 and wonderful things. Yes. Life changing. 15:57 And four years later, I had the opportunity 16:00 to stop by Korea for a little visit 16:02 and I really wanted to meet her and see how 16:05 she was doing because it's really easy to come 16:06 into the Church, but really easy to also leave 16:08 the Church, because of Sabbath issues. 16:11 Well, how did you know she wasn't married 16:12 there or something too. Well, I called her up 16:14 and I said, I said do you remember me 16:17 and the second question I asked is are you married, 16:20 because if she is married you know 16:21 there is no point in meeting her, 16:22 no point in pursuing this relationship. And, 16:25 and she did remember me and she said 16:27 she wasn't married and that day I asked her 16:31 if I go meet her. And basically she was two 16:33 hours away from my home which is in Seoul 16:36 and I took a train and made the two hour trip 16:40 that day to go see her. And prior to that 16:44 basically I had come to a point in my life 16:46 where I told God Lord, I'm gonna trust you to 16:49 find that person for me that you want me 16:52 to unite with marriage. I don't want 16:54 to make that decision, I'm gonna let you 16:56 and when I met her that day. And we spent 16:59 the whole afternoon and evening sharing, 17:02 I just felt like she might be the one but I need 17:06 a confirmation from the Lord. 17:07 How did you feel Liana, how did you feel, 17:10 were you glad to see him, did you have 17:12 a good time? How did you feel? 17:14 Really wonderful time but right after 17:17 I became a Christian at the time I was meeting 17:20 with somebody who was not a Christian 17:22 and then every time I asked the Lord. 17:25 Lord is he the right person, is he the right 17:28 person and every time I open the Bible. 17:30 God said that do not have the yoke 17:33 with unbelievers and I say okay, okay. 17:36 So, you have this other man in your life? 17:40 But he wasn't a Christian. That's right, 17:41 you know he was not a Christian and he was not 17:44 willing to you know about God, but later on after 17:49 even before I met Martin, I starting praying Lord, 17:52 I am okay even though I will not marry, 17:55 but if you want me to marry you know 17:57 you choose the right person for me 18:00 and I had a long list, the two big things 18:04 for my spouse was the first one. 18:07 I want to go to heaven together. 18:09 Oh that's good. And I want that, that person 18:12 and second thing is Lord, I want somebody 18:14 who loves you more than he loves me. 18:16 Because if he loves you then he will definitely 18:20 love me. So, I had been you know praying 18:23 for that kind of person and when I met Martin 18:26 after four years later. God gave me the 18:28 confidence that he is the right person, 18:31 but how did I know that and then what 18:33 if I like him but if he doesn't like me, 18:36 but on that day I wrote on my Bible, 18:39 thank you Lord for this person because 18:42 I know that there is somebody whom I want 18:45 to be with, and then saying that God 18:50 does answer my prayer. So, when he 18:52 and then three weeks later he called me 18:55 and he asked me to marry. Three weeks, 19:00 well but you were both really pretty settled 19:03 in your mind weren't you? God, but that's 19:06 an amazing and a beautiful story, 19:08 both of you were saying God you find 19:11 my mate for me. And the Lord just brought 19:14 this together so beautifully, 19:16 that's exciting, that's a wonderful story. 19:20 Tell us how you're doing with 19:22 anxiety now and depression? 19:27 Only those who have struggled with anxiety 19:29 know what it's like, I can find myself worrying 19:34 about the smallest things but now through 19:36 prayer as I've seen God come through 19:38 and open the doors and provide. 19:42 Now, because I've had this journey 19:44 and I've seen God come through so many times. 19:46 Now, I have less fear about the future 19:49 because I've seen how God has come through 19:51 for me over and over again. 19:52 And so now my life is, is full of more joy 19:58 and more peace. Now I find life worth living 20:01 and I find life to be an adventure just 20:04 because I'm always asking the Lord what 20:06 he has next in stored for me. 20:08 That is exciting and you know Martin, 20:11 and maybe you knew this too Liana, 20:12 but 365 times in scripture God tells us 20:17 don't be afraid. It's just like every morning 20:20 when you get up God says come 20:22 and spend sometime at my feet. 20:24 Come and let me get you ready for this day, 20:27 but the first thing I'm gonna tell you is 20:29 I love you, do not be afraid. Yeah. 20:33 He's got enough for one per every day, 20:35 don't be afraid. Yeah. The things that are 20:39 happening around us are too much for us 20:42 and he knows that, but they're not too 20:44 much for him. Yes, he can do anything. 20:47 You know another thing that I think is important 20:50 is when we pray we have to live our prayers 20:55 and by that I mean we have to live our faith. 20:58 So we have to be careful and watch our words. 21:03 For instance someone could pray for a child, 21:06 for 10 or 15 minutes or an hour, 21:09 because they're concerned about how this 21:11 little boy is doing in school then they get up 21:14 off their knees and somebody says 21:16 how is your child doing. Well, I don't know 21:20 he is just not learning as well as the other 21:22 kids are, I may have to hold him back. 21:24 Now, what kind of faith is that, you have just 21:27 talked to the Lord, right, for this long time 21:31 asking the Lord to intervene and then 21:34 you're saying, your ears are hearing your 21:37 mouth saying I don't know if God is hearing 21:41 my prayers. And I really believe that when 21:44 we start talking doubt and talking unbelief 21:47 that the Lord has to say to the angels wait, 21:50 wait, wait, he doesn't really believe. Yeah. 21:54 She is not really ready. Yes. Because 21:56 God honors faith. Yes. He honors faith. 21:59 Yeah. And this is why sometimes we have 22:02 to wait and wait and wait for an answer. 22:04 Because our faith is growing, yes, have you 22:07 found that? Yes, absolutely. 22:10 We make an effort to thank God for everything, 22:14 to praise him always, not only for the good things 22:18 but always and to talk faith. 22:21 Yes. To talk hopefully and cheerfully about 22:24 everything and, and we just see that that 22:29 honors God, that pleases him. And you know 22:31 in the little book Ministry of Healing, 22:33 we're told those very words, it says talk faith, 22:38 talk faith, and I believe that means I'm agreeing 22:42 with God. Yes. With what he says in scripture, 22:45 he says I am strong in the Lord and in the power 22:48 of his might and I want to say to the viewers, 22:52 if you know God and you're trusting him 22:54 and walking by faith in his word you can claim 22:57 that promise, you can say I am strong 23:00 in the Lord and in the power of his might. 23:02 And instead of thinking oh I don't know 23:05 if I can do this, go to his word, his word says 23:09 I can do all things through Christ 23:11 who strengthens me. Amen. So we have to declare 23:14 God's word, it's not just that we read it 23:17 and we believe it, but we have to talk faith, 23:20 we have to speak those words of faith 23:23 and trust because when we do that 23:25 we get stronger yes, in just making that 23:29 declaration that God is true and we are 23:33 following him. And I believe that the angels 23:36 and the Lord himself are happy, 23:38 when we say I choose to go with God. 23:41 I choose even though I can't see 23:44 I am gonna walk by faith. It's an interesting 23:48 and really joy filled journey to walk by faith. 23:52 Yeah, you know. Not always easy, 23:55 but it's great. The Bible is full of promises 23:58 and I realized that all these promises 24:02 are for me, they're for us. Amen. 24:05 And, and God want us to just bless us but 24:08 he needs us to assurance our faith in him. 24:10 That's right and he says in Jeremiah, 24:13 I have never asked you to call on me in vain, 24:16 I have never asked you to call on me in vain. 24:18 So, that means the same God who was 24:21 there at the Red sea is going to open the 24:26 Red sea again. It's not gonna look the same as 24:29 when he did at the first time but he is opening 24:32 and parting the waters all the time. 24:36 It's just an exciting thing to watch our God 24:39 at work. Yes. Liana, first what is the most 24:43 the easiest and hardest thing 24:45 for you in the Christian life? 24:50 The easiest thing is I think a doubt 24:52 for a human being just to doubt but. Yes, 24:55 the easiest thing is to doubt, you're right. 24:57 But I decided to refuse to do it. 25:00 That's good. And then the greater thing is, 25:06 is to you know to trust in the Lord 25:09 and just follow the word though I have a doubt 25:13 like you said talk about faith, cheerfully 25:16 and hopefully. That's good, that's good. 25:20 What about you Martin? Yeah, I think one of 25:27 the devils most successful tools to bring us down 25:30 is doubt and discouragement. 25:33 Yeah he is just always trying to 25:36 pummel us with discouraging thoughts. 25:40 There was a woman who was visited by her pastor 25:42 and she had been in a severe depression 25:45 for weeks and weeks so bad that she didn't 25:48 get up during the day she just stayed in bed. 25:51 And he and his wife went to visit her. 25:53 And he said she wanted to tell him all of the 25:57 things that were negative in her life 25:59 and he said I spend a third of my time here 26:02 on this problem and two thirds on the solution. 26:07 So, he said this is the solution I want you 26:10 every hour I want you to make a list of the 26:13 10 things that you're thankful for and then 26:16 every hour thank God out loud. 26:18 Use scripture if you can, but say this to the Lord 26:23 out loud, so that your ears hear that 26:26 you are being thankful and at first she didn't 26:29 think she would could do that, she wasn't excited 26:32 about it and she didn't even want to try. 26:36 But the longer she thought about it, 26:38 finally she said well I'll give it a try 26:40 and she did that. He went back, he and his wife 26:44 went back a couple weeks later and before 26:47 they had the, she had the blinds pulled 26:50 and you know she was just living in the dark 26:53 that was her choice, but now the blinds were up. 26:58 Amen. You can tell that there had been work done 27:00 in the yard and she had done some house work. 27:04 She was dressed and she obviously had showered 27:07 and washed her hair and she was in a house dress 27:10 and you know her life has changed 27:13 and she hadn't done anything except to stop 27:17 and declare God's word, speak words of gratitude 27:23 and faith. So, it really does work, doesn't it? 27:27 Yes. And God is good, he is faithful. 27:30 There is one place that we can always go for help 27:33 and hope and for stronger faith. 27:36 Yes. And that is to God's word. Our time 27:40 goes quickly and I want to thank you both 27:43 for being here with us today and sharing 27:45 from your hearts. I really believe that 27:47 this is so helpful and I hope that you have 27:50 been blessed as I have. And when you come to dark 27:53 days remember God's word and declare words 27:58 of faith and hope. So, we've enjoyed having 28:01 you with us. We hope that you will be, 28:03 you have been blessed and we'll see you again 28:06 next time on Issues and Answers, 28:09 until then God bless you. |
Revised 2014-12-17