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Actualization of 1st, 2nd, 3rd RUTC:
The One Who Remained That change the Frame of The World (Romans 16:25-27)
The theme of this World Remnant Conference is to change the frame of the world. Why do we need to do this? There are at least three reasons. First, it is because all of my conflicts, failures, sufferings and curses start within this. This is the most important reason behind why Christ came. God desires to save me to save and heal the world, and bless me to bless the world. We who must do this should not be without answers, suppressed, or be dying. Where did this come from? It is a world where curses, disasters, and forces of darkness are working. It is a matter of whether you will be trapped and suppressed within the frames of this world created by them, or be raised as a witness who breaks these frames and saves the world. The reason why remnants study is not to follow the world. It is to save and lead the world. The Holy Spirit will work if you properly hold unto this one reason. Second, in this world, there are too many life stragglers and mental illnesses such as depression, panic disorder and schizophrenia that are serious. Drugs have become a global issue, these are old scars, mental problems, and spiritual problems held by the spirit of darkness. That is why it can’t be done with one’s own strength. The Word has to change the imprint of scars within them, and the frames holding them as captive need to be broken. Third, it’s because one must enjoy the answer and power that can break the world’s frame in order to live as a leader to save the world. All 7 remnants lived as spiritual leaders. They went as a slave, and even went to prison, but they were leaders there. They lived by changing the flow of the place they lived in. If we receive strength and blessing, even unbelievers and parents will follow. What must we start?
- First, we have to hold unto three things of what we lost hold of, was stolen, and must restore. This is the 2019 Leader’s Retreat message.
1) What did we lose hold of? God’s Covenant, God’s absolute plan.
① Genesis 1:26-28 is God’s original covenant. Adam was deceived by Satan and lost hold of this blessing (Hosea 6:7).
② The Covenant of the Offspring of the woman in Genesis 3:15 will crush the head of Satan and restore everything.
③ Exodus 3:18 shows the Israelites (destiny) who were slaves, what the mystery of deliverance from smearing blood is. When we hold unto Christ, all curses (individual, family, world’s curses) run off.
④ Isaiah 7:14 is saying that the One who came through a virgin’s body will be with us through Immanuel. There is no one to truly help us in the World. Even when parents help, there is a limit. There is someone else that can truly help. We need to restore this.
2) What was stolen? Our inner world and spiritual world were stolen.
① New Age, shamans, non-believing elites are dominating everything. They are stealing hearts by giving incorrect answers.
② In this, even the economy and culture were stolen. That is why believers are poor, and dependent churches are suddenly increasing.
3) What do we need to restore?
① We must first restore and declare the correct gospel which is summarized as Christ, Kingdom of God, and the works of the Holy Spirit.
② We must discover and raise the multi-ethnic remnant and TCK hidden by God that understand this Gospel and is able to risk their life. That is why we need to prepare the world and church’s future. We need to make them into spiritual summits and save the world.
- Now, all believers should hold unto the CVDIP God has prepared, and walk the covenant journey.
1) What is God’s CVDIP? God has prepared all things of our lives before eternity (v.25)
① There is a God-given Covenant. He promised Christ, God’s Kingdom, and the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts1:1,3,8).
② There is a God-given Vision. All sins, curses, destiny and hell is finished (John19:30), and He is saying that He will use us as ones who will save the world (Acts 1:8). He has to make all our things into evidence. This is God’s vision towards us.
③ There is a God-given Dream. He places His will (dream) within us and will fulfill it (Philippians 2:13)
④ There is a God-given Image. He is drawing a picture with an absolute purpose towards each person (Acts 9:15). When we truly pray, God’s picture becomes my picture.
⑤ God is saying He will actually work for me (Practice). He said the least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. He said, “I am the Lord..I will do this swiftly” (Isaiah 60:22). We only need to receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit every moment and challenge.
2) Hold unto God’s CVDIP as my own. Then we need to make this into our own gospel. Especially parents should not be deceived of my child’s insufficiency. Hold unto that God, who has chosen them and sent them into the World, has a CVDIP towards them. Parents should not have unbelief, be in despair, or give up. That is fatal.
- Lastly, this is what we need to do. Hold unto 24 hours, 25 hours, and the blessing of eternity, and go to the way of victory every moment.
1) Everything that happens to believers in the gospel have been prepared before eternity. (v.25)
① Our pains and scars of the past, failures and everything are testimonies that can reveal Christ, and a platform for blessings.
② Concentrate 24 hours with the work allowed to me, position, and even smallest things.
Place your heart through 24 hours and pray. Even change everything we see, hear, and all things that happen into prayer, and listen to the message given for me in that place.
2) My today is walking the covenant journey that is fulfilling the CVDIP God has prepared (verse 26).
① The day allowed to me is no ordinary day. It is a ‘today’ in which the covenant given by God is being fulfilled. It is not a problem but a time schedule. What I am placing within me today is important. If sad things are placed, then that will continue, and Satan’s work will continue.
② A message of ‘one day three masterpieces’ was given. It is saying to believe that even my small things can be God’s masterpiece to save the age and find and do the work I must do three times a day. Focus on one person. With this attitude, everything can become a masterpiece and you can save anyone.
③ One day He will make you see the things unbelievers absolutely can’t, do the things they can’t, and go to places they can’t. This is the blessing of 25 hours.
3)My future is not an ordinary future. Everything connects to eternity (verse 27).
① All prayer that we pray in the name of Christ is communicating with the eternal throne and enjoying an eternal background. I must continuously train my prayer and deep prayer. At the end, only those with the power of prayer can change the frame of the world.
② God remembers and blesses all effort and devotion done in the name of Christ, and becomes an eternal reward and blessing.
③ All devotion to save another one who remained, a remnant, becomes footsteps to prepare an eternal future.
Conclusion – Hold unto God’s CVDIP that is coming towards my life. I bless that you may become believers that will change the world with 24, 25, and the blessing of eternity.
The One Who Remained That change the Frame of The World (Romans 16:25-27) Romans 16:25-27Actualization of 1st, 2nd, 3rd RUTC:
One who raises the Remnant that God Has Remained (2 Timothy 1:3-8)
The word Remnant originally means all the people left behind by God to receive salvation (Isaiah 6:13, Romans 11:5). God desires to save and heal the word through these people. But there is a reason we especially focus this word on the posterity. All the remnants in the Bible were people who were ready early on. The 7 remnants faced various hardships, but they were all prepared as individuals who possessed some type of foundation, basics, and groundwork early on.
It says that in the end times curses, disasters, and sufferings will continue to happen (Matthew 24, 2 Timothy 3). It says that churches will crumble, and especially a time where the posterity suffers will come within that. That is why Jesus said, “Do not weep for me, weep for your children” (Luke 23:28). The mystery to stop this time of curse and suffering is finding and raising the posterity remnant that God has remained. What is the covenant we must hold unto in order to raise these remnants? We will find this in the passage Paul left during the final times of his life.
- Why did Paul leave his last letter of his life to Timothy?
It is because he loved him as a son of faith. But that was not all. In 2 Timothy 3, Paul knew that during the last days sufferings will come, but if remnants like Timothy rise, they will be the answers of the world and churches. How earnest must he have been?
1) The eyes to see the future like this is called vision. The CVDIP that all believers should possess is to build and raise remnants.
One person, a remnant, will change the world and save the church. It is a covenant given from God. It is called vision because it will surely be fulfilled, and we will be able to see this. Dream about the remnants that will rise through me. Draw a specific picture and set up a plan (Image). A work only you can do will be revealed, and you will be able to accomplish it (Practice).
2) How did God allow Paul to meet this Timothy?
① Paul who was once a persecutor meets Christ, and now risks his life and walks the way of an evangelist.
He goes on three evangelism trips, and on his first trip, he goes to a region called Lystra. Satan’s disruption was so large, it became a time where he was almost beaten to death by people. At this time, many disciples were raised (Acts 14:19-21).
② Timothy is the person he meets after that when he risks his life and enters the region of Lystra again.
We can meet true disciples during our hardest times. Do not be deceived that there is nothing that can be done because it is hard for me, or because I don’t have anything. Disciples and the posterity will rise as much as I truly love the gospel and stake my life for the gospel. Later on, this Timothy is used as a representative leader of the Early Church as he carries out ministry in the Ephesus Church.
- How did Paul raise and build Timothy? All parents, teachers, lay leaders, and pastors must hold unto this together.
1) Paul was a person who always embraced Timothy in his heart and prayed in front of God.
“As night and day, I constantly remember you in my prayers” (Verses 3-4). This form is 24 hours.
Find a remnant to support with prayer, and place it in your heart, and try to start praying. God allows you to grow within that (1 Corinthians 3:6). Deep love that you didn’t have when you truly prayed before will form, work that needs to be done will be visible, and blessings you will enjoy to save these people will come to you.
2) Paul helped discover God’s gift (talent) that was in Timothy.
Paul saw the different thing Timothy possessed in their first encounter (Acts 16:1). The faith he possessed as he grew up under a believing Jewish mother and being equipped with a multi-ethnic background from his Greek father would have been a great talent (TCK).
It is important to have the eye to see the different or special thing when looking at a person, and especially the posterity. Especially, there was something Paul prayed for while ordaining Timothy. He prayed and helped so that the prayer and gift he prayed for at that time would rise like fire (verse 6).
① To the saved people of God, the Holy Spirit surely gives something different to each person (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
There is a famous song by a Myung Hee Song, a poet with a cerebral palsy disability, who was called the Fanny Crosby of Korea. “God who is fair, I may not have something that others possess, but He has given me something that others do not possess.”
② We must develop, like the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. That is why the parent, teacher, and church worker who helps this, is important.
The individual can work hard, however, for the time as remnants, everything depends on who they meet to receive support and training.
③ We must help them to realize their heavenly mandate and mission, so that they may be surely used for World Evangelization.
In this, we need to help them make a specialty that is only for the Gospel. It is good to find a model in the Bible, or from people around us. A model for medical personnel is doctor Luke, who was loved by everyone and lived as an evangelist (Colossians 4:14). A model for economists is Gaius, who lived as a host for all evangelists and churches (Romans 16:23). There is a politician like David, who Loved God and sincerely loved his people (Psalm 78:70-72). There is a soldier like Joshua, who only meditated on the Word and lived for God’s glory (Joshua 1:8).
3) Paul raised Timothy as a person who never feared sufferings under any circumstances.
People usually teach to live a comfortable life, but rather Paul taught him to hold unto God’s power and receive suffering with the Gospel (verse 8). It says to stand like the soldier, athlete, and farmer of 2 Timothy, but what are their characteristics? They are strong people.
① We have to prepare them of the persecution for the gospel. This was also the reason Paul was imprisoned.
We need to surely plant the gospel to the point that even though they may go through suffering and be accused of heresy while declaring only Christ, they rather possess self- pride, and thanksgiving. It is Only Christ, Unique Christ, and Absolute Christ (Acts 4:12, Acts 20:24).
Then people you meet live, and lives change. How will Satan disrupt this?
Most people go down the easy road and follow calculations and benefits. We must raise the remnants and children we build to not follow that road.
② We must teach them what truly God’s Kingdom is. There is surely the world’s kingdom, and God’s Kingdom.
Satan is playing the role of a master in this world we live in. That is why there are more corruption, evil, and events we cannot understand taking place. We have been given the mystery of victory through the name of Christ (Luke 10:19, James 4:7). Praying for God’s kingdom to take place everywhere we go is our mission and blessing to enjoy (Matthew 12:28). If we know the actions of the devil, the king of earth, we are able to appease (Matthew 26:51-53, Luke 22:50-51). A greater blessing is prepared.
③ We must make them to look upon only the power of God. It is a different power, and an absolute power. This mystery is prayer.
During the time as a remnant, one must be trained in resolving everything through prayer and receiving answers. This blessing is needed especially when starting important work. This is needed during hardships, and on the contrary, even when things go well. I must become a person of prayer first. Then it will be relayed as it is.
Conclusion – We are all individually remnants inside only Christ. And the one person, the other remnant that I’ll be raised through me is important. This is the answer to enjoy today, and blessing to prepare the future. I bless you that you may be main figures of this blessing and answer.
One who raises the Remnant that God Has Remained (2 Timothy 1:3-8) 2 Timothy 1:3-8Actualization of 1st, 2nd, 3rd RUTC:
One Person that God Has Remained (Acts 9:10-15) 7/14/2019
In our eyes, one person may seem insignificant. We may think lightly of them and even look down upon them. This is a characteristic of many of those who fail. Those who succeed do not view people that way. Whether it is one person or a brief encounter, they think of the potential and the future of the other. As God’s people who will save the world, what kind of standards must we live with?
In the Bible, God changed the world and the age through a single individual at a time. Those people are called the remnants that God has remained. There are 7 remnants. It was Joseph, Moses, and David alone in each age. In today’s passage, we see that one person – Paul.
Why is it that one person? Those people were not just anyone. They were unique, and absolute beings. Why was that?
First, they were within God’s absolute love. In and because of their shortcomings and failures, they needed God’s absolute love. That is the start of the gospel (Isaiah 43:4, Romans 5:8, 1John 4:10). Do not be deceived by love from elsewhere. Hold onto this absolute love.
Second, they were within God’s absolute method. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, the weak things of the world to shame the strong so that no one may boast before him (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). If you live in arrogance and self-greatness, you will fall. This is how Adam fell (Genesis3:5). The curse of the Babel Tower began this way (Genesis 11:4). When you truly recognize that you are a shameful, incompetent, and insignificant being before God, that is when He will begin his work.
Third, they were within God’s absolute power. God desires for us to live within His power. That is the only way we can save ourselves to save, heal, and bless the world. That is the life of an evangelist. No matter what anyone says, God is wiser and greater than any of His creatures. David truly believed and confessed this as he stood before Goliath (1 Samuel 17:47). God also granted victory to the 300 Gideon soldiers over the countless number of the Midian army for this reason (Judges 7:1-7).
Through those who are within this absolute love, method, and power of God, He will heal and save the world. The one person isn’t merely a single individual. He is a unique, absolute individual that God has left behind. We are the ones within those three.
- Hold onto the covenant that you are that one person God has remained and restore your faith. You are standing as the absolute disciple.
1) The fact that we are saved is itself an evidence. The Bible continues to give us confirmation through the word, but we lose hold of it.
It matters not whether you are lacking or what your environment has been like. Even if that remains as a scar and you fall again, it also does not matter. Do not be deceived.
① When God saved us, he had planned and chosen us before creation (Ephesians1:3-5).
He had made us and formed us in the womb (Isaiah 44:2). He knew the kind of lives we would live.
② Because he knew that we could not earn salvation for ourselves, he came to find us and saved us (Isaiah 43:1).
He even came to find Paul, who was persecuting Christ and antagonizing the church. There may be suffering that comes as a result of living maliciously under the forces of darkness, but God must also make all of that into evidence (verse 16).
2) If this person realizes Christ, God’s amazing and absolute plan will be fulfilled.
“This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel” (verse 15).
① Listen to the word of Christ and imprint it in yourself (Romans 10:17). Your thoughts stem from your imprints and determine all your circumstances.
We have been freed inside Christ (Romans 8:1-2). Free yourself and free others. We have been given the authority to have victory in Christ (1 John 3:8). If you fight against the forces of Satan that have been working in your life and family until now, you will be victorious (James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8-9). With this authority, you need to save those who are bound. We have found the way through Christ (John 14:6). In every moment of our lives, He is with us. Tell them of this way.
② Root down deeply as you meditate on Christ. As much as you are rooted, you will be stronger and more fruitful. Our bitter roots must change.
Meditate on the word even just a little and experience God’s absolute love, method, and power within you who are inside Christ. Rethink the word “meditation” and apply it to yourself (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2-3). For your life is inside God’s absolute love, method, and power, change everything into thanksgiving (Colossians 2:6-7).
③ As you fight with the name of Christ, change your nature. Your life depends on your nature. It has been long-imbedded.
Our unknown nature of unbelief (worries, anxiety), secular nature (physical pleasure and worldly greed), legalistic nature (judgement and condemnation of others) are alarming. It becomes your efforts, your merit, and your source of pride. Then if things do not work out, you become stressed and give up. This nature can not easily be changed. Fight against yourself (1Corinthians 15:31), fight against the world (1John 2:15-16), and fight against Satan (Luke 10:19).
- Hold onto the covenant of saving that one person and begin concentration. Through you, absolute disciples will be raised.
1) how does God use Paul, the persecutor? Through one person, world history was transformed.
He became the first missionary that saved the Gentiles, historical evangelist, and the individual that recorded half of the new testament through the Holy Spirit.
① Out of all cities, why was it in Damascus that Paul was transformed and was brought back to Christ?
There is an important reason. There was one person named Ananias there, who could accept and help Paul. What was he doing? He was praying as he prepared and strengthened himself to obey God’s will. There was also Mark’s upper room meetings in Damascus at that time. This is called the pre-camp.
② Why did Paul’s ministry begin at Antioch church?
There were church members along with Barnabas in Antioch church that could understand and unite with Paul, even with his past full of persecution and failures. God does not attach important individuals to just anyone. He wants you to be prepared first. You must see everything with the eyes of the gospel. If you think about it, everyone is a sacrificial lamb of Genesis 3. Nonetheless, God has finished all things in Christ (John 19:30), He is able to do all things (Romans 8:28), and He will use everything as evidence (Acts 1:8).
2) When that one disciple is being raised, there are three terms that we must remember.
① A few. Concentration becomes difficult with large numbers. Jesus himself only chose twelve disciples to deeply concentrate (Mark 3:13-19).
God is not telling us to do many things. Consider small tasks, small individuals, and a few people as a thousand (Isaiah 60:22).
② Continuation. The chosen disciples went through many failures, but He did not give up. He continued (John 13:1).
If you can focus on someone for just three years, his life will bear healing and transformation. That is when he becomes a disciple.
③ Concentrate on Only Christ. You may understand and help their hardships, but that must not become the main focus.
Help them with everything, but make sure what remains is Christ. There are people that follow the word and follow Christ down to their core (John 6:68).
Conclusion – You as a single individual is the method and the conclusion. May you be able to save the one person like you that God has prepared.
One Person that God Has Remained (Acts 9:10-15) 7/14/2019 July 14, 2019Actualization of the 1st 2nd 3rd RUTC:
Holy Refugees that God has Left Behind (Deut. 16:9-12) 7/7/2019
During our mission trip to Colombia this year, we received many answers, and many doors that will continue this evangelism movement to save the entire central and south Americas opened. On the second day, we went to the border between Venezuela and Colombia to treat and share the gospel with the people fleeing from Venezuela. It was a shelter run by a big church in Colombia to temporarily help the refugees that come by.
There are three types of refugees in the world. The Bible records how these refugees become the ones to save the world after receiving the gospel. They are not merely refugees; they are the holy remnants that God has left behind.
First, there are people that become refugees due to personal and family issues. Joseph, who was sold as a slave by his brothers, was also a refugee. When Joseph held onto God’s covenant during his hardships, God raised him up as the remnant that will save Egypt.
Second, there are people that become refugees due to political issues and national downfall. David fled from King Saul, but God raised him up as the king of that age. The Israelites lives as refugees fleeing from Babylon for 70 years, but they were used as the ones to save all nations, as spiritual leaders, and as evangelists in their respective fields (Isaiah 55:4).
Third, there are people that become refugees because of the gospel life the people from the Early Church. Nevertheless, God used them to share the gospel to the Jews, to all the Gentiles, and to the ends of the earth. Among them was Phillip, who went to Samaria (Acts 8:4-8), and the gospel that reached Antioch and the Greeks became the start of world missions (Acts 11:19-21).
- Do you know what is truly important? It is the fact that in this world, we are all spiritual refugees.
Today is the day of Feast of Harvest. The first fruits of harvest were wheat, and it was called the Feasts of Firstfruits or the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22). There is another important meaning. In verse 12, the Israelites were told to remember and keep the days of slavery(refugee) in Egypt. This was not only for the Israelites. In 1 Peter 1:1, the elect people of God were called exiles that were scattered throughout the provinces.
1) From the beginning, mankind was deceived by Satan, separated from their relationship with God, and were thus exiled from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23).
① All problems of mankind began from this. This is called the original curse (Romans 5:12).
② That curse flowed down to us from all our respective nations and ancestors. This is something that we did not choose and is so unfair. From the moment we are born, we do not know God. Curses that we do not even know came upon our lives. The Satan that deceived Adam is still the thief and the murderer of this world (John 10:10). Unbeknown to us, we live amidst the 12 curses.
2) Because we cannot solve this problem, God promised us his Son through the Bible. That Son is Christ.
① He promised to come and crush the head of Satan, who created all the problems of this world (Genesis 3:15).
② He promised to free us from all sin, curses, and destiny (Exodus 3:18). The moment they applied the blood of the lamb, their curses were finished.
③ Even if everything perishes and you stand alone, it does not matter. He promised to be with you (Isaiah 7:14). He gave us the feast of Pentecost for us to remember that Christ will be with us through the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is another name for the Feast of Harvest.
④ Is this Holy Spirit comes, the saved people of God will dream dreams of saving the world (Joel 2:28). This is World Evangelism.
- How did God say He will bless those who confess and enjoy this Christ?
It is the blessing that Jesus gave to Peter when he confessed that “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” in Matthew 16:16-20. “Blessed are you.”
1) “You are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church.”
Are you always lonely and anxious with nothing to show? Christ will become your rock and will hold fast onto you. Your life will become evidence, and you will be used to save people like you and the entire world. For this reason, the Holy Spirit came upon this day 50 days after Passover.
2) “The gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Because Christ works in our lives through the Holy Spirit, the forces of darkness are broken, and the kingdom of God comes upon wherever we go (Matthew 12:28). With the assurance of victory, do not be deceived but fight with the name of Christ (Luke 10:19).
3) “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.”
God truly hears the prayers of those who know the authority of the name of Christ. Whatever we bind and loose, God will work accordingly. He will work beyond what we can even imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
- There are three things we must realistically experience in our lives as we enjoy this authority of Christ.
1) Hold onto God’s absolute plan. We ourselves are the first fruits of God. That is what the Feast of First Fruits mean.
In everything that happens in your life, look for the plan of God. That is why we pray (Jeremiah 33:3). Because there undoubtedly is a hidden plan of God, change everything into thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6-7, 1Tessalonians 5:16-18). What is His big plan? He is going to useus to save people like us and many other lives (Acts 1:8). Because of that absolute plan of God, God has to change all our studies, devotion, tears and pain into evidence.
2) Think of God’s absolute field. Wherever you are, experience the work of the Holy Spirit. That is the meaning of Pentecost.
Do not simply think about making a living. That is the level of non-believers’ lives. Wherever you are is a missions field. The Early Church members carried out evangelism and missions even at the place they were chased out to. Interpret everything with evangelism and missions. The Holy Spirit will absolutely work upon your studies, work, and business for you to be able to do world evangelism.
3) Think of God’s absolute disciples. They are the fruits that we must go along with forever. That is the Feast of Harvest.
In your field, there is a disciple that God has prepared before creation. There is a disciple that will continue this gospel movement until the end (Acts 13:48). These prepared people of God are called the “the ones who remain.” They will become the remaining ones, and the ones who will leave behind. During this mission trip, many of our team members were able to individually meet people that God had prepared. This kind of meeting is of utmost happiness. (Pastor of a great ministry that had been holding onto the covenant of remnant in Isaiah 49:6, a doctor that serves a small church as a pastor that wishes to live as an evangelist like Luke, and youth ministers that realized they need to overturn all their messages and begin anew after hearing the gospel, etc.)
Conclusion – Without Christ, everyone is a wandering spiritual refugee in this world. However, by knowing Christ and concentrating on the answer of God’s absolute plan, absolute field, and absolute disciples, we are the holy refugees that God has left behind as remnants; the first fruits. Through us, many more eternal fruits must continue to bear. For this purpose, the work of the Holy Spirit must continue to be upon us and our church. May the entirety of our lives be within this answer and blessing.
Holy Refugees that God has Left Behind (Deut. 16:9-12) 7/7/2019 July 7, 2019제1,2,3 RUTC 시대 : 결론을 알고 가는 사람들(레23:39-43) 11/18/2018
추수 감사절이다. 1620년 메이플라워호를 타고 이 땅에 들어온 믿음의 조상들이 한 해를 지내고 드린 감사의 예배가 시작이다. 102명의 성도들 중에 약 절반이 추위와 굶주림, 맹수들로 인해 죽고 눈물로 드린 감사 절기였다.
그들의 감사가 하나님이 축복하신 미국을 만들었고, 우리가 지금 이 땅을 새롭게 하는 소명을 가지고 사는 것이다.
그들이 드린 감사의 예배가 본문에 하나님이 주신 초막절의 언약을 붙잡고 드린 예배였을 것이다.
39절에 그 땅의 소산을 거두고 나면 이 절기를 지키라고 했다. 왜 그런 시간을 가지라고 했을까? 단순한 감사가 아니다. 그 속에 하나님의 언약이 있었던 것이다. 구원받은 하나님 사람의 인생과 세상의 결론에 대한 언약이다.
왜 사람들이 방황할까? 결론을 몰라서 그렇다. 문제와 위기가 오면 왜 불안하고 두려울까? 결론을 몰라서 그렇다.
왜 사람들이 뭔가에 집착하고, 중독에 빠지는가? 왜 우울증, 정신분열까지 올까? 결국 결론을 몰라서 그렇다.
하나님은 그리스도 안에서 구원받은 자의 결론을 언약으로 주셨다. 초막절을 지키라고 한 이유가 그것이다.
미국에 정착한 첫 조상들이 이 초막절에 있는 세가지 언약을 붙잡았을 것이다. 성경에 모든 하나님의 사람들이
그 시대에 같은 언약을 붙잡고, 승리하고, 세상 살리는 자로 쓰임 받은 것이다.
- 그리스도 안에서 구원받은 자의 인생 결론이다.
그리스도를 통해서 구원받은 자의 인생, 반드시 하나님이 붙잡고 가시고, 끝까지 책임지신다는 것이다(빌1:6)
1) 우리가 받아야 할 죄의 저주, 사단의 공격, 영원한 지옥 심판을 그리스도께서 받으셨기 때문이다.
그것이 유월절에 담긴 언약이다. 양의 피를 발랐는데, 이스라엘 백성의 400년 노예 생활, 저주가 끝난 것이다.
왜 그렇게 그리스도의 세가지 권세를 강조하는가? 다시 문제가 와도 상관없다. 다 끝났다는 것이다(요19:30)
① 인생 살다가 또 넘어지고 실패한다. 정말로 그리스도의 피 언약을 붙잡고 새로 시작하라는 것이다(요일1:9).
부끄러운 줄 모르고 살라는 것이 아니다. 포기하지 말고, 다시 세상과 옛 모습으로 돌아가지 말고, 늘 다시
시작하라는 것이다. 어느날 점점 치유 받고, 거룩하게 변화되어져 가는(성화) 내 모습을 보게 될 것이다.
② 24시간 성령충만을 기도하며 영적싸움을 하라. 그리스도는 사단의 머리를 박살내셨고(창3:15), 반드시 사단은 우리 발 앞에서 무릎 꿇은 날이 온다(롬16:20).
③ 그리스도가 길이 되어주신 것이다. 미래 걱정하지 마라. 혼자 아니다. 그 분이 함께 하신 것이다(요14:16-18)
2) 이제 하나님은 우리가 이 땅에서 당하는 모든 문제를 기회로 잡으라는 것이다.
① 또 실패했는가? 내 숨겨진 문제, 치유 받지 못한 문제를 보고 치유 받는 기회로 붙잡으라는 것이다.
내 문제가 영적인 문제라는 사실만 깨달아도 된다. 나를 자꾸 실수하고 실패하게 하는 힘이 있다는 것이다.
그래서 24시, 오직, 항상 그리스도를 붙잡는 것이다. 내가 안 되니까 그 분이 오신 것이다. 그것이 복음이다.
② 사람에게 상처를 받았는가? 외로운가? 자기 생명까지 내어주시며 나를 사랑하시는 그 분과 깊어지는 시간을 만 드는 기회로 붙잡으라는 것이다. 그 분을 바라보는데, 조금씩 조금씩 그 분과 깊어지게 되어 있다.
③ 길이 막히고 잘 풀리지 않는가? 하나님이 이 문을 막아 놓고 더 큰 문을 여신다는 믿음을 가지고 기다리라.
요셉을 하나님의 준비한 시간표까지 하나님이 사슬에 묶어 놓고 연단시키셨다는 것이다(시105:17-19)
아시아로 가려고 하는 바울의 길을 막아놓고 유럽과 세계로 가는 길을 연 것이다(행16:6-10)
3) 그렇게 해서 정말 하나님이 하고자 하는 결론이 무엇인가? 세상 앞에 증인으로 세우겠다는 것이다(행1:8)
① 대적하던 자들이 인정을 했다. “하나님이 너와 함께 하시고 네가 하나님의 복을 받은 자라”(창21:22, 창26:29, 삼상24:17). 어느날 마귀도 그리스도 안에 있는 우리를 인정하는 날이 와야 한다.
② 그들을 지켜보는 자들이 인정을 했다(창41:38, 단3:29, 단6:26-27).
성공하려고 한 것이 아닌데 성공의 자리로 가서 세상을 살리는 자로 선 것이다.
- 그리스도 안에서 구원받은 자가 누려야 할 열매에 대한 결론이다.
성도에게 열매 중에 열매가 무엇일까? 가장 영광스러운 열매가 무엇일까? 영혼 구원의 열매다(벧전1:8-9)
나 밥 먹고 사는 정도의 열매 가지고는 부족하다. 사람을 살리고 세상을 살리는 열매, 전도와 선교의 열매다.
1) 정말 구원받은 하나님의 사람이 맞다면 다른 거는 그렇게 생명을 걸고 할 이유가 없다.
할 수 있는 한 최선을 다하고, 맡은 일 하고, 중요하지 않은 일을 대충해도 된다. 그러나 진짜 시급하게, 생명 걸고 해야 하는 일이 뭐냐? 영혼 구원하는 전도다(단12:3, 눅15장의 잃어버린 양의 비유, 드라크마, 둘째 아들 의 비유). 이것이 신자의 삶이고, 교회가 갈 길이다. 거꾸로 가기 때문에 교회가 무너지고 있는 것이다.
2) 우리가 거둔 전도 열매가 천국 창고에 올라가는 귀한 열매가 되는 것이다(“수장절”이라고 부른 이유)
벧전2:9에 왜 모든 성도들을 왕 같은 제사장이라고 했을까? 그리스도의 빛을 증거할 자로 세웠다고 했다.
행7장의 초대교회의 첫 순교자가 누구였는가? 행8장의 사마리아를 살린 사람이 누구인가? 행11장의 안디옥교 회를 세운 사람들이 누구였는가? 바울이 가는 곳 마다 만나서 그 지역을 살릴 사역자로 세워진 사람들이 누구 였는가? 전도자 바울을 위해 생명을 건 동역자들이 누구였는가? 전부 평신도 사역자, 그들이 선교사였다.
교회 안에서는 렘넌트 세우고, 현장에 가서는 전도하고, 세계로 가서 선교할 만큼 축복 누리는 것이 결론이다.
3) 현장에는 반드시 구원받을 자가 준비되어 있다는 것이다(행13:48). 하나님이 준비하신 열매다.
사람을 만날 때 늘 전도 생각하면서 기도하고 기다려보라. 어느날 그들이 찾아오게 되어 있다(사60:15).
- 어느 날 이 땅을 떠나서 누려야 할 영원한 시간에 대한 결론이다.
1) 이 땅이 전부가 아니다. 지나가는 것이다(눈물도, 고통도, 세상의 모든 것이)
그래서 이 초막절에는 일주일간 초막(텐트)를 지어놓고, 절기를 지키며 살게 했다. 고생해보라는 것이 아니다.
초막이나 궁궐이나 오직 내 주 예수 모시고 누릴 때만이 참된 행복이라는 것 붙잡으라는 것이다.
2) 그리고 그 날에 누릴 축복이 따로 있다. 영원한 것이다. 그것이 내 인생의 진정한 가치다.
다시 눈물도 없고, 고통도 없고, 영원한 영광이 기다리고 있다고 했다. 그래서 땅의 것만 바라보지 말고 그 날 과 그 축복을 바라보며 살라는 것이다. 다 양보하고, 다 잃어버려도 누릴 축복이 따로 있다(막10:29-30)
결론-오늘 세례 받은 사람들, 그리고 정말 구원받은 하나님의 사람이라면 세가지 결론을 붙잡고 살기를 바란다.
거기서 승리하고, 거기서 행복하고, 거기서 가장 가치있는 인생을 사는 것이다. 복음 안에 있는 내 인생의 결론, 이 세상에서 내가 누려야 할 참된 열매의 결론, 그리고 영원한 날과 영원한 영광을 향한 결론이다
제1,2,3 RUTC 시대 : 결론을 알고 가는 사람들(레23:39-43) 11/18/2018 November 18, 2018First, Second and Third Age of the RUTC
Healing Ministry that Opens the Age of the Remnant (Isaiah 61:1-3) July 15, 2018
1 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of
vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the
oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for
the display of his splendor.
“The Age of the Remnant,” what do we mean by that? We are talking about a time that is most certainly coming in which God heals, blesses and saves an entire age through the remnants He has raised. The remnants are referred to as the “holy seed” in Isaiah 6:13 and “a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor” in Isaiah 61:3. What do you think will happen through these remnants (Isaiah 60:22)?
Even during times when there was just one remnant, God used that remnant to save the respective age. The Seven Remnants were all used by God as that one remnant. What happened when Joseph—just one person— arose? A family that was on the verge of falling apart because of conflicts and quarrels was saved, brothers who were starving to death because of a famine were saved to form the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Egyptian king and people and the rest of the world were saved. Who did all of this?
Just because only one person arises, it does not mean God is going to use only that one person. God has always attached those He prepared to that one person to work as a team. Joseph’s brothers later formed a team with Joseph as the Twelve Tribes (siblings); Daniel and his three friends were a team that saved the Babylonian Empire (friends); Paul and those he met while evangelizing such as Timothy, Titus, Lydia, Priscilla and Aquila became a team and were eventually used by God for Rome and world evangelization (disciples you meet in the field).
This is precisely why we are doing the RUTC (Remnant Unity Training Center) movement. Unity training means we are training together and also working as a team in oneness. That is why we are building RUTCs all over the world and why One Mind Church is home to the very first RUTC in the world. We are currently renovating the RUTC into a place where we can really train remnants.
Then what is the most important thing that needs to be done at the RUTC? It is “healing ministry” as included in the title of today’s message.
1. First, you must receive healing to your spiritual problems inside of you. There are many areas in our lives that must be healed—body, heart, relationships and finances. The start of all healing is spiritual healing. What does spiritual healing mean? You must understand this term at least on the following three levels.
(1) There are problems directly caused by demonic activity (demon possession). The Bible has a number of accounts of Jesus’ healing others through preaching the gospel and subsequent casting out of demons (Matthew 12:22 and Luke 13:11). People who come from families with a background in idol worship or religious living without the gospel tend to suffer from this type of spiritual problems more so than others (1 Corinthians 10:20).
(2) Another important type of spiritual problem is the fundamental problems that began in Genesis 3. When the first human Adam fell into corruption, three curses befell humanity and the entire world—Original Sin (Romans 3:10 and 3:20), Satan (John 8:44 and 10:10), and death and afterlife (Romans 5:12 and Hebrews 9:28). The first thing children learn to do is how to sin even if no one teaches them. Endless corruption continues to persist. Without even realizing, Satan has been lording over our lives. He robs us of our lives and brings us one problem after another. One day, we will face despair called death followed by the judgment of eternal hell. You did not choose any of this for yourself, but when humans who are spiritual beings were separated from God, Satan butted in to fill that void, constantly bringing us problems, pain, failures and disasters. We call this destiny because there is no coming out of it. That is what needs to be healed.
(3) Even more importantly, everyone has scars in his heart and spiritual problems.
a. Everyone has scars—from upbringing, family background, and past experiences. Most of your scars come from your childhood—memories of loneliness and fear, frustrations (favoritism, comparison and negligence), poverty, diseases that were not treated properly, etc. With everything you experienced in your childhood remaining in your unconscious and subconscious, you go through adolescence and become an adult.
b. Satan constantly pricks your scars. It may be manifested as a disease of the heart such as depression, a personality disorder like escapism, aggression and violent behavior or an addiction (video games, alcohol,
drugs, gambling, success, etc.). They all start with a scar of the heart. When Satan begins to attack through your scar, you begin to obsess over wrong things and eventually lose yourself. Therefore, in order to heal these spiritual problems, healing of the heart must take place simultaneously as the healing of the soul. Healing of the heart is waiting for that person in love, encouragement and understanding while breaking down in prayer the forces of Darkness working in the background.
2. Christ came to provide spiritual healing (Isaiah 61:1-3). The one who has been anointed with the Holy Spirit would come (Isaiah 61:1). Who is it? It is Christ.
(1) What did He come to do? He came to “bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,” and “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion.”
(2) How did He do all this? He did it with the three anointed authorities. With the authority of True Priest, He died on the cross as a sacrificial offering setting us free from all sins, curses and failures. With the authority of True King, He resurrected from death and crushed the head of Satan who had tormented us and made our lives miserable. With the authority of True Prophet, He became the Way to meet God and is with everyone who believes. With these three authorities, Christ finished our curses, Satan, all of our problems and destiny (John 19:30). This is the conclusion at which you must arrive.
(3) What do you have to do now? Let Christ be your Lord. That is acceptance (John 1:12 and Revelation 3:20).
a. Nonbelievers must accept Christ into their hearts in order to change the lord of their lives. Since they cannot do it on their own, those who have accepted Christ already help them pray the acceptance prayer.
b. If you are a believer, Christ is already your Lord. If that is the case, you must move over and let Him sit on the throne of your heart in every moment, every day and throughout your life. That is Galatians 2:20; you now no longer live but Christ lives in you. That is what we call faith; you always look to the Lord, follow His guidance and will.
c. That is why we do the Three Today’s. We listen to His voice through the Word, receive His strength through prayer and let Him use us for His desire which is saving people like us by thinking about evangelism. The way He allows us to meet those who we must meet is so accurate. One day, our thoughts will become Christocentric, the forces of Darkness will crumble (kingdom of God), and we will constantly experience the work of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit begins to work upon what we do, who we meet, everywhere we go and in every moment of our lives, we will be filled with evidence to share with others. We take that evidence with us to stand as witnesses and be used by God to heal, bless and save the world.
<Conclusion>
This is why we are doing the RUTC movement. We want to help people understand deeply who Christ is when they are young. We want to teach them how to live not by their own standards, capacity and skills but instead by those of Christ. We want to train them to expreience throughout their lives how evangelism and their lives simply just take place. This is true healing. God bless you that every one of you be healed in this manner and used by God in the imminent Age of the Remnant.
Healing Ministry that Opens the Age of the Remnant (Isaiah 61:1-3) July 15, 2018 July 13, 2018To Be a Model Church for All Who Believe (4)
Renew Your Church (Acts 1:12-14) / January 24, 2016
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
The Bible prophesies that in the end times, Satan will wage war and attack the church to destroy it (Revelation 12:17). The war has already begun. But the church has no idea. That is why many churches have lost strength and are crumbling. There are many ways through which Satan destroys the church, but hardship or persecution is not one of them. Hardships and persecution make the church stronger. First of all, Satan divides the church by bringing conflicts and quarrels. This is Satan’s specialty: he alienates and divides. Take a look at a church where its members fight one another. Not knowing it is a tremendous spiritual problem, people fight against one another and even take their fight all the way to the court. You must know that no matter what the reason, fighting at home with your family is a spiritual problem. Some say that fighting and arguing ultimately brings you closer and helps resolve conflicts, but it is not true. You receive scars. Only when you realize that Satan is the source of your conflict will you stop fighting and overcome your scars.The Bible prophesies that in the end times, Satan will wage war and attack the church to destroy it (Revelation 12:17). The war has already begun. But the church has no idea. That is why many churches have lost strength and are crumbling. There are many ways through which Satan destroys the church, but hardship or persecution is not one of them. Hardships and persecution make the church stronger.
Second of all, Satan makes it difficult to gather. He will make you lose hold of the blessing of gathering with brothers and sisters in Christ for worship and fellowship through which you receive strength. In the end times, Satan makes you busy and isolate yourself from others and drives you into loneliness.
Third of all, Satan hinders you from receiving grace even at church. What is his chief strategy? You listen to the message, but you cannot concentrate or understand. You cannot focus on the Word. When you understand the Word, everything changes. Even at the verge of death, you will be revived (Ezekiel 37).
The fourth is very important. You do listen to the Word of God, but Satan does not let you understand the spiritual reality or enjoy Christ. In fact, Satan fears only one thing (Matthew 16:16-19). You can participate in church program, help others, or have fellowship with church people all you want. But if you lose hold of Christ, you will fall. By His blood, Christ finished all curses that befell us on an individual level, our families, and the entire world (Priest). He resurrected and destroyed Satan’s authority (King). He is now with us through Immanuel and has become the path in our lives and to eternity (Prophet). Right now, Satan is confusing the church with various ideologies such as syncretism, religious integration, and pluralism.
1. What kind of place is the church? It is a place that proclaims the “Christ of only” and saves you from curses, fate, and spiritual problems. It is a place that God has prepared to fulfill His absolute goal of saving the world.
(1) The church is a place where you must receive courage and consolation first; it is your spiritual home. One of the important roles of a home is that it gives you strength. When you are really tired and weary, you say you want to go home. That is why church members must receive strength through worship and encourage, strengthen and cheer up one another through fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25).
(2) The church is a place where you must grow spiritually. Unless you have spiritual growth, it is difficult to receive important answers. Most of all, you will always be deceived by Satan. When you are not strong enough to guard yourself, Satan continues to attack you. Do not just end at coming to church on Sunday, but receive training. Parents must realize how important Sunday school is for your children’s training; their imprints, roots, and nature, which will determine the rest of their lives, are formed during Sunday school.
(3) The church is a place where all nations must come together as one and pray in the name of Christ (Mark 11:17), gain strength, and fight the spiritual battle. The church is not a cultural community exclusive to the people of your ethnicity. The church is about all nations becoming one in Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Father (Ephesians 4:4-6), praying together, and going to the world to save all peoples; Multiethnic ministry is a basic tenet of the church. The church is the mystery through which all nations become one family. When they gather and pray, the forces of Darkness in the world crumble.
2. How are we going to renew the church?
(1) You must first understand the fundamentals of the church. In fact, that is the blessing of the gospel.
a. The church is not a building. The word church comes from the Greek word “ikklesia” which means those whom God has called from the world. People who say, “This church is of low level and has no talent,” do not know what the church is. In the church, there exists only one level: it is a gathering of saved children of God. That fact alone gives the church a tremendous meaning. Only when you realize that will you consider yourself and others precious and truly become one. In the church, generals and slaves and all nations become one.
b. The church is a gathering of those whom God called to be His children and temple (1 Corinthians 3:16). Because we are lacking and we fail, God is with us Himself. So when you say, “Why is the church like this?” you are really saying, “Why is God like this? Is this all He can do?” Christ is within us and He will establish God’s kingdom through us in the field that has been covered with Darkness (Matthew 12:28). This is God’s absolute goal. In light of His absolute goal, He will bless us both individually and as the church.
(2) The prayer of each person who has truly understood the church is important.
a. The prayer of that one person will change the church. Do you know Prophet Nehemiah who wrote the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament? His nation fell by the hands of Persians, and he was taken captive to the Persian palace as a cupbearer. One day, he hears the news that the city of Jerusalem crumbled and the temple was destroyed, and he prays in tears fasting by himself. God moves the king’s heart and appoints Nehemiah as the governor, and Nehemiah restores the temple. All we need is one such person.
b. When such people gather one by one and pray together as a team, they can change the world. That is what happened at the Mark’s Upper Room Church in today’s Scripture reading. These unnamed people gathered, held on to Christ, God’s kingdom, and the power of the Holy Spirit as the covenant, and concentrated on prayer. In Acts 13:1-3, five people of different cultural backgrounds formed a team, prayed, and fasted, and eventually sent out Paul and Barnabas as the first missionaries in human history. The Missions Committee must group those who are interested in missions into teams so that they can get together and pray for respective countries.
(3) What happened next? God’s absolute work arose. The adjective “absolute” can be used only for God.
a. They experienced God’s absolute power. The power of the Holy Spirit like fire and wind came upon them and each individual changed. They were the same people who had fought over who would stand next to Jesus and run away in fear when Jesus bore the cross just forty days earlier.
b. They began to see God’s absolute vision. The eyes to see God’s plan opened. Only then can you connect with God. They were able to see God’s plan and vision in the midst of a problem. They were able to see the multiethnic from fifteen different nations. At One Mind Church, we must begin to pray to establish ministers and church officers who will do the gospel movement in every State (including Native Americans).
c. God’s absolute system was later established one by one (3,000 disciples and the blessing of the regional church). They gathered daily at the temple and one another’s home. Everywhere they gathered was the church. That is one heart, whole heart, and continuation. As they prayed holding on to only Christ, they went inside God’s absolute power (one heart). They connected with God and saw His absolute vision (whole heart). When they went out to the field without shaking, God’s kingdom came and the regional church was established everywhere they went (continuation).
<Conclusion>
May God begin a new work in your life. For that reason, may you restore the blessing of the true church.
Renew Your Church (Acts 1:12-14) Acts 1:12-14To Be a Model Church for All Who Believe (2)
Renew Your Meetings (Acts 13:1-3) / January 10, 2016
1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Last week, we began this year with the message “Renew Your Upper Room First”. The meaning of the message was twofold. First, focus on the answers and blessings that began in Mark’s Upper Room in the Bible. Second, in order to experience the blessing of the gospel, which is God’s absolute goal that began in Mark’s Upper Room, renew your relationship with God. That is why we must change the wrong imprints, roots, and habits that drive us into conflicts and failure time after time. The problem is that incorrect things have been imprinted and rooted in us and become part of our nature. Extremely speaking, Satan imprinted those things in us. Who planted slave mentality in the Israelites for 400 years? Complaints, resentments, and unbelief did not simply come from scars (1 Corinthians 10:9). On one hand, people have been imprinted with the standards of the world (materialism and success-ism), and on the other hand, they have been seized by their own standards, greed, and need. All they say is “They don’t acknowledge me,” “They are not helping me,” and “My needs are not met.” That is why relationships break. Because we have been saved in the gospel, we have a clear life’s conclusion. God has finished all authority of Satan, curses, destiny, and hell. Now do not shake, complain or fall into trials. You must enjoy everything in life. Enjoy even your problems. Only then the forces of Darkness will flee. Among many blessings we can enjoy, one of the most important blessings is that of meetings. You must enjoy every relationship God has allowed you. Renew your relationships in the gospel. Today’s message is entitled “Renew Your Meetings”. There are three kinds of meetings.
1. But there is something that applies to all meetings: you must enjoy every meeting as a blessing. There are close relationships. People who are closest to you can make you happy or sad and encourage you or bring you down.
(1) The first kind of relationships is that with your family including your spouse. God has allowed you your family as someone who can help you as people who are closest to you (Ecclesiastes 9:9).
a. Some people try to seek the love and strength they should receive from their family at church because they do not think of their family as precious and are estranged or scarred. Even if your family members do not believe in Jesus, serve them and help them to the extent they acknowledge your heart. You cannot do that with money. Pray sincerely for them to a point they know your heart. Even if it is something small, find a way to help them. That is the key to family evangelization.
b. Some couples are church officers, but they only click physically and end up like Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). You must help each other to a point you can guide your spouse in the midst of a conflict to choose God’s will instead of your own benefit. That is why your everyday spiritual state is important.
(2) Second, you have relationships with people of the world at school, work or business field.
a. They are watching you. They are looking to see if you are trustworthy, responsible, and selfless. As they are watching, God will open a great door to evangelism. Joseph was acknowledged by his slave master and beloved by his prison guard.
b. They may not believe in Jesus themselves, but they might connect you to someone who will. Even if they end up not believing in Jesus through you, you must let them be an important system in your life. You need letters of recommendation when you apply for college or a job or even when you are in a crisis. Apostle Paul said everyone he met, especially the members of the church, was his letter of recommendation before God (2 Corinthians 3:1-2).
2. There are people who give you a hard time. Some are like bitterroots, persecutors and even a cross to you (Matthew 16:24). With the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, not only should you overcome these people, but you must enjoy your relationships with them as blessings.
(1) There are people who are used as an evil instrument. Imagine you are used as an evil instrument to someone. It is your life that is sad and pathetic, not theirs. Even still, they are an instrument that is used to fulfill God’s will (Proverbs 16:4), and you must enjoy your relationship with them as a blessing. King Saul who tried very hard to kill David eventually suffers a pitiful death. The time David was running from his father-in-law was God’s training to be the next king of Israel. During that time of suffering, David made God his one and only (Psalm 62:1-2) and made himself a vessel of a leader who can embrace anyone. Jesus says of Judas Iscariot, “It would be better for him if he had not been born.” (Mark 14:21) But God used even Judas to fulfill the work of the cross (John 13:31).
(2) There are people who fail and do evil deeds for a moment out of ignorance but whom God will eventually use for His important work. For those who are used for evil deeds, you should pray for them out of pity, but for those whom God will eventually use for His greater work, you should pray anticipating their future.
a. How did Saul the persecutor completely crumble on his way to Damascus? There was a disciple named Ananias who would turn Saul to Paul. He was a disciple who could see people through the eyes of the gospel, pray for them, and help them to be used by God.
b. Onesimus, who was in prison after stealing from his master, becomes a servant of the Lord. And he meets Paul in prison. Paul gives the gospel to Onesimus and persuades his master Philemon to raise him up as a disciple. Do not look at the person as he is now, but help him thinking about God’s will. That is how disciples like Paul and Onesimus will be raised up.
3. There are meetings you must absolutely enjoy: the meetings with people of the conclusion. These people are disciples with whom you must go together for the sake of world evangelization, which is God’s absolute goal and our heavenly mandate (Matthew 12:28).
(1) When you have a team of disciples in your life, God’s absolute answer will begin. Jesus had disciples (12 Disciples and 70 workers), Peter had Tabitha, and Paul had his team (Romans 16).
(2) Do you understand how important your lifelong team is? Through that blessing of meeting, you will change the world and enjoy blessings throughout your entire life. Even for nonbelievers, your team and the people with whom you are going together determine everything (characteristic of successful people).
a. A team must have order, but it is not exactly a vertical hierarchy. When people start asking questions, “Who is the highest?” or “Who wields the most power?” you are not in a team; you are in a hierarchy. That is why Jesus washed His Disciples’ feet and encouraged them to do the same (John 13:5-15).
b. People who get upset and fall into trials because no one at church helped them are just churchgoers, not disciples. You must seek them out and help them. But if you start thinking one day about how you can help others, you are ready to be on a team. You are ready to be a church officer, a disciple.
(3) If you want to enjoy the blessing of the team, be a disciple yourself who follows Jesus. Disciples are characterized by the following three standards (Matthew 16:24-25).
a. “Deny yourself.” You no longer have any reason. You no longer have your standards, opinion or excuses (work produced by faith).
b. “Carry your cross.” You are ready to sacrifice yourself according to Father’s will (labor prompted by love). Why did Jesus use the word “cross”? The cross stands for a resolution that you do not necessarily want to carry but will willingly if it is Father’s will (Matthew 26:39). Sometimes in carrying your cross, it may take not just simple sacrifice or loss but your life, like the cross Jesus carried.
c. “Follow me.” You fix your eyes on Jesus and follow Him to the end (endurance inspired by hope). Most people do not follow the Lord. They follow their own gains and needs. That is why they lose hold of the blessing of the team and walk on their own paths. Judas Iscariot, Barnabas (Acts 15:39), and Demas (2 Timothy 4:10) all decided to take their own paths. <Conclusion>
I bless you enjoy the greatest blessing of meeting disciples and your team this year. In order to enjoy that blessing, I bless you prepare yourself first.
Renew Your Meetings (Acts 13:1-3) Acts 13:1-312 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
It is the first Sunday of the year. I believe you have various prayer topics and expectations for this year. “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” (Proverbs 16:9) Hold firmly to this verse this year. No matter what problems and hardships come, God will guide your life within His absolute blessings for you are within the gospel, God’s absolute power and absolute goal. God will always give you what He thinks is the best for you. The way through which you actualize this mystery is Upper Room. The work that began in Mark’s Upper Room in today’s passage at last saved the entire world. This year, we will receive the answer of the “model church for all who believe”. But first, let’s restore our Upper Room.
We must first have a look at what kind of people were there in Mark’s Upper Room.
Of course they were all saved people of God who believed in Jesus. But they were far beyond that level; they realized the gospel accurately. If you have been already saved and you believe in Jesus, why is life still difficult? Why do conflicts still persist in your life? There are conflicts after another even at churches. It is because you either do not know the gospel or the gospel has not been imprinted and rooted in you and become part of your nature. You must have clear understanding in the following three facts.
(1) The gospel is the solution to the spiritual problem that is the root of all problems in the world. Solving this problem is God’s absolute goal. This is the core of the entire Bible and the very reason why Christ came as the Son of God.
- How does the Bible begin? God created the spiritual world (Genesis 1:1) and there was Darkness, chaos, and void (Genesis 1:2). Who created Darkness, chaos, and void? The evil spirits who had been angels but gone corrupt and fallen (Isaiah 14:12-13). These forces of Darkness entered the world, tempted the first humans Adam and Eve and caused them to break God’s promise and leave Him. Adam and Eve did not commit Original Sin or fall into corruption of their own accord. You must tell this to everyone who is going through a conflict or failure.
- Cain kills his own brother Abel (Genesis 4), but it was not just his hatred that prompted him to commit the act of murder. The spirit of murder seized Cain (John 8:44). People in the Age of the Nephilim did not just fall into corruption on their own (Genesis 6). The word Nephilim literally means “those who fell from above” (Revelation 12:9), the forces of Satan. These forces penetrated into the family and family line. That is why spiritual inheritance continues in the family (Exodus 20:4-5). How about the Babel Tower in Genesis 11? One of the devil’s specialties is that he wants to make his name known in high places. The Babel Tower was in fact a temple where people worshipped demons and idols. In each age, this Babel Tower movement is persisted through the strongest nation. The spiritual Babylon of this age or the Holy City that God uses, the fate of this nation is in our hands now.
- The one who came to destroy the devil’s work is Christ (1 John 3:8). Peter followed Jesus for three years, but he was deceived by the devil to deny Jesus three times (Luke 22:31-32). This year, you must absolutely discover from your personal problems and conflicts your spiritual problems that Satan uses to attack you, fight the spiritual battle against them, and defeat them.
(2) The gospel has set you free from the sins you committed having been deceived by Satan—Original Sin, ancestral sins, and consequential sins—and the curse of Satan’s law (Romans 8:1-2).
- By His death on the cross, Jesus Christ finished through God’s love the curse of Satan’s law (Matthew 5:17 and John 19:30). He set us free from the curse of the law and allowed us children of God to enjoy His grace (Ephesians 1:3-5 and Romans 8:15).
- In His love, all people and nations have become one. If you fail to realize this, not only will you be oppressed by the law yourself, but you will also use the law to oppress and judge others. If that is the case, multiethnic ministry is just wishful thinking. We will let our differences—age, social class, language, and culture—bring us conflicts. We are only making the devil happy.
(3) The gospel is Christ who finished Satan’s authority and the curse of sin being within us (Matthew 1:23).He will be with you 24 hours a day as long as you live on earth (in every problem and circumstance) and for eternity (heaven in Revelation 21:3). That is why do not have unbelief, be afraid or waver. If He is with you, it is over. People who had this mystery gathered at Mark’s Upper Room. This gospel must settle in your heart. That is what Upper Room is.
These people who had realized the gospel gathered together and staked everything on prayer.
That is what they did at Mark’s Upper Room. It was for two reasons.
(1) It was to let the gospel completely be imprinted and rooted in them and become part of their nature. They focused just for ten days, and works began to take place. You must change your thoughts of unbelief lest the devil continues to deceive you. You must keep on hearing the gospel to the extent it gets imprinted all the way in the unconscious part of your mind. You must throw away your bitterroots—scars, criticisms, and resentments—and let the blessings in the gospel take root in you. You must discard your nature of humanism (Luke 9:46) and legalism (Acts 11:2) and form yourself a nature of embracing everything within the gospel. You must change the very foundation of your life, your spiritual DNA. You cannot do this by your own power but by the power of the Holy Spirit in prayer.
(2) And you also need strength to overcome all of your conflicts, problems, and circumstances. That is the filling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works in power only when you pray. Acknowledge that you are but a weak human being, and go into prayer. The Book of Acts is an account of how people with the gospel became victorious through the power of prayer (Acts 3:1, 4:31, 6:6, 9:11, 10:9, 12:12, and 13:2).
From that point on, the Early Church members began to experience God’s work in their work, meetings, region, and church.
That is the fruit of Upper Room we see in the Bible from Acts 2. When you experience the work of the Holy Spirit, it is not just mere success you will experience. You will begin to receive answers that will save this age (world evangelization).
(1) When the people in Mark’s Upper Room received the filling of the Holy Spirit, their mouths and eyes opened (Acts 2:4-8). Their mouths did not open to take about other people or things of the world. They opened to speak of God’s work (evangelism). What kind of eyes opened? The eyes to see God’s plan opened. You will be able to see the talent you have and realize for what you must challenge yourself, and see other people’s strengths and weaknesses and realize in what areas you must help them (nurture – personalization, specialization, and disciple-ization).
(2) And then they saw the multiethnic crowd from 15 nations. Until doors to 15 nations open, the multiethnic ministry at One Mind Church is just a beginning. At your school, work or business, receive God’s answers concerning the multiethnic. You will receive “real” answers only when you open your eyes to see the multiethnic field.
(3) That is when 3,000 disciples arose. The number is not that important, but the fact that disciples arose is. They were disciples who staked their lives on the gospel and evangelism.
- There was not any place that could accommodate 3,000 people. That is why they began to open these Upper Room meetings first in Jerusalem and all the other regions. Receive this answer. Start an Upper Room meeting at your home. “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.” (Acts 2:46)
- Even if they lose everything and yield everything to others, disciples do not worry (Mark 10:29-30). God gave disciples even all the financial blessings that they could themselves and others. This year, we will move in the direction towards which God opens a door in new regions and the entire America.
<Conclusion>
Once you begin to experience this, you will find the following three life’s conclusions. First, you will see for what you must go all-in (life-staking devotion). Second, forces of Darkness will crumble and works of the Holy Spirit will take place everywhere you go and in everything you do (God’s kingdom). Third, you will have clear assurance in the future (everlasting blessing). Even if things get a little dire this year, it is okay. God will turn everything into a blessing. May this Upper Room begin first inside of you. And may the Upper Room at your home, business, and workplace be renewed this year.
Renew Your Upper Room First (Acts 1:12-14) Acts 1:12-142 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you,5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.
The year 2016 is meaningful in many ways. It is our church’s 20th anniversary. The human age 20 is a significant age. Many souls have been saved and healed and become evangelists and church officers through our church. I am especially grateful to see the Remnants who had been born to us 20 years ago all grown up to assume important roles at church. Everything is by the grace of God. Until now we have laid down a foundation. Now is the time to go onto the main stage. Those of you who think you are too old now, do not think to yourself, “There’s nothing much to do now. It’s all over,” but pray for faith and health through which you can participate in the next 20 years of blessings. The main stage is the answer of standing stand as witnesses to all churches and believers both individually and as one church. We are not trying to make our church well-known and popular. If there is anything we should boast, we should boast of our weaknesses and boast of Christ. Though we are lacking, we do have to receive the answer of becoming a model church by His grace. “And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” (1 Thessalonians 1:7)
We must be a model church of spiritual blessings. The Church of Thessalonica is a church that Paul established on his second missionary journey despite he was stoned by the Jews (Acts 17). A church born in the midst of grave hardships, it became a model of three spiritual blessings for all other churches (verse 3).
(1) Your work produced by faith. You must have the faith of one heart.
- We serve the one and only God. In order to solve the spiritual problems of this world, He came as Christ. There could be more despair than hope in the world next year. People are getting more and more corrupt and evil. More people will be oppressed and afflicted (Isaiah 60, 2 Timothy 3, and Revelation 12). Satan will try until the end.
- Have you run into another problem or hardship in your life? Confess that Jesus Christ is your one and only and fix your eyes upon Him. That is the faith of one heart. The forces of Darkness that conflict and hinder you will crumble and you will see God’s evidence that far passes your level, circumstance, and conflict.
(2) Your labor prompted by love. The forces of Darkness will crumble and many doors to evangelism will open wherever we go because we have the mystery of only Christ.That is when you need the labor of love. Jesus did not just love us with His words; He gave Himself for us. Love must be accompanied by labor. Not only should you understand, consider and help, you should also be ready to find yourself at a loss for love (Mark 10:17-31).
- Where does the labor of love come from? It comes from your wholehearted love for the Lord. That is when the church too will stand firm. Despite Peter’s big failure, Jesus entrusted him with a big task in John 21 under none but one condition: “Do you love Me?” Is there anyone who is giving you a hard time? Love that person even more prompted by the love of Christ you have received. You will be blessed in return.
- Though you many think what you are doing is petty and insignificant, it is never petty or insignificant if you are doing it out of your love for the Lord. He will remember your labor and it will become an eternal blessing. This is what Jesus says in His parable of sheep and goats: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40) Even if it is the smallest labor in the world, do it out of your love for the Lord. If that is not the case, it is fake and just for formality’s sake.
(3) Your endurance inspired by hope. Satan’s method is that he prevents you from continuing. Many people have a hard time continuing. What successful people have in common is that they are good at continuing. What disciples have in common is that they continue regardless of any kinds of affliction. You can continue because you have hope. Satan makes you lose hope, stop continuing, and give up.
- God has undoubtedly prepared our future and our path. He has even prepared our eternal future. Before you go to heaven and enjoy the eternal future God has prepared for you, you must receive answers, serve, and stand before God to the extent you save the world. Do not shake, but continue.
- But it is difficult to continue by our own strength. That is why He promised us the filling of the Holy Spirit. Only through the filling of the Holy Spirit can you continue. Even Paul said that only through power, the Holy Spirit and deep conviction was he able to establish the Church of Thessalonica. This year, hold on to the covenant, challenge yourself in prayer, and continue until you gain this power. That is how the Mark’s Upper Room Church was able to experience the works that took place in Acts 2 (Acts 1:13-14).
Once you start experiencing these three spiritual blessings, God will undoubtedly use you according to His desire and will (time schedule). These are the three directions of the church. You must become the main figure of this blessing. God will give you the rest.
(1) The door to continuous multiethnic ministry. If you hold to this covenant, you will undoubtedly receive the answer of saving this nation.
- Without this covenant, there is no reason for us to live here and this nation will fall apart with no bottom (drugs, corruption, and terrorism). When people from all over the world came to the United States, they brought with them their religions and idols. As prophesied in Revelation 18, this nation will become a dwelling place for all demons. Incomprehensible spiritual problems will continue to rage. That is to which we must provide the solution.
- Until now, God has allowed us to build a foundation for English, Korean, Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino ministries. Now is the time to go past that. We need disciples from various countries to rise and save their fellow compatriots. The number is not that important; the disciples are. We must raise disciples who will throw away all scars and conflicts and stake their lives on the gospel and evangelism. Start praying and devoting yourself to raising disciples of various languages and cultural backgrounds that are yet to exist at One Mind.
(2) Disciples who will usher in the Age of the Remnant. The age in which Remnants rise and save the United States and the world will certainly come.
- This year, help Remnants make the gospel be imprinted and rooted in them and become part of their nature and deepen their spirituality. The key here is prayer. God has given us everything in the gospel (Matthew 16:16-19). You must experience what God has given you through prayer. All believers must pray sincerely for Remnants, pray with them, and train them to pray on their own. People are not trained in prayer. That is why things are so difficult for them. I suggest every department to conduct its own prayer training and spirituality training.
- Once you continue to study in the midst of the blessing of prayer, you will eventually see your talent that God has given you and in what you must challenge yourself. That is when you will be able to start forming your specialty. On that note, we need personal counseling, mentoring, and internship. It is all about how we help our Remnants personalize, specialize, and “disciple-ize”. We must become a model church in this area. We will raise many Remnant summit disciples who will change this nation in the next 20 years of our ministry.
(3) Healing ministry. Pray that your deep inner world, life, imprints, roots, and nature may be healed. Make this year the turning point of your life.
- Many people who are afflicted and oppressed will be revived through us. I challenge you to fight the full-on spiritual battle and pray that many health and healing professionals arise. Health professionals must form a healing team and begin a specialized ministry.
- Pray for establishing a healing ministry center. We must heal people with mental disorders, addicts, and elderly citizens. We can do it because we have the mystery of Christ.
<Conclusion>
“For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you.” (1 Thessalonians 1:4) I really wanted to emphasize this: you, who have embraced this message in your heart, are loved by God that He has chosen you for America evangelization in this age. May the year 2016, the year that marks the next 20 years of our ministry, be the year of greatest answers and blessings for you.
To Be a Model Church for All Who Believe (1 Thessalonians 1:2-7) 1 Thessalonians 1:2-7