The Goodnews - October, 2016

OCT 2016

DELIVERING THE GOSPEL & THE TESTIMONIES OF GRACE

Special Article Pastor Ock Soo Park Meets with the King of Swaziland

Salvation Testimony

I Was the Biggest Obstacle in God’s Salvation

Preaching the Gospel

It is God who Sent them to Meet Us at 3 am

GOOD NEWS MAGAZINE

Contents

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Monthly Sermon Sin of Fear

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Salvation Testimony I Was the Biggest Obstacle in God’s Salvation

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Special Article Part 1 Pastor Ock Soo Park Meets with the King of Swaziland

About the Cover

Pastor Ock Soo Park and the Gracias Choir visited Swaziland as guests of the state being invited by the King of Swaziland.

The meeting has opened the doors to deliver mind lectures and the gospel to thousands of students. The king and his cabinet members were delighted to host pastor and the choir and they look forward to helping us make Swaziland into a bright and hopeful future.

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Memoirs of a Missionary God Used a Worthless Person Like Me as a Tool of the Gospel

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New York Times Thou Shalt Be a Blessing

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Gospel Lesson King for a Year

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Preaching the Gospel to the Ends of the Earth It is God who Sent them to Meet Us at 3 am

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Church Directory

Sermon of the Month

Sin of Fear Pastor Ock Soo Park | Good News Gangnam Church

HOW CAN IT BE A SIN TO HAVE FEAR?

In Revelations chapter 21, verse 8, it says that being fearful is sin. I did not understand why being fearful was sin. There is almost no one who considers being fearful to be a sin. “I am nor harming anyone, and I am fearful; how can this be sin?” But in the Word of God, it says that being fearful is a great sin and that the fearful shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.

IN ORDER TO ESCAPE FEAR LEADS US TO COMMIT A TERRIFYING SIN

There are cases where a man rapes and kills a woman. First, he is held by lust and rapes a woman, but being fearful that he might be arrested by the police, he kills the woman. Although it may seem that being fearful is not a sin in itself, but in order to escape fear, leads us to commit a terrifying sin.

Long time ago, I went to a Bible Study at the Jeonju prison and I met this one lady. She was serving her sentence for killing her husband and infant child. “She may have killed her husband for some reason, but why did she kill her infant child?” Thinking about it, it is so regrettable, but later I heard her story. She said that after giving birth to her child, she was caught in fear. As the fear continued to remain, she thought that she was going to die. In her mind her husband would find a new wife after she died, and the new wife would mistreat her daughter. This was just her thoughts but she believed it to be a fact. She concluded that rather than having her daughter live with that abuse, it would be better to end her misery and also kill her husband 4

There is a fact that saved brothers and sisters must remember.

God never gives a heart of fear.

for having a new wife who would abuse her daughter. In the end, her fearful heart made her commit a terrifying sin of killing her husband and her infant daughter.

KING JEROBOAM SYMBOLIZED THE CURSE OF BEING CAUGHT IN FEAR

In the Old Testament of the Bible there appears a king of Israel, Jeroboam.

As King Solomon was with the women of the gentiles, he worshipped idols and sinned against God and even though God spoke to Solomon telling him to turn from his ways, he did not listen. As a result, God divided Israel into two parts and gave two tribes to Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, and the rest of the ten tribes He gave to Jeroboam. Jeroboam was made into the King of Israel to rule over the nation. Since it was God who established him as king, he had to rule over the nation by receiving the guidance of God. But Satan, in order to turn the blessing of Jeroboam into a curse, gave him a fearful heart.

Jeroboam, being afraid of being attacked, constructed the city of Shechem on the mount of Ephraim. Although Jerusalem was a fortress on a mountain, he was comforted by the fact that the city he dwelt in, Shechem, was also a mountain fortress. Even then, he felt something lacking in his heart and he again constructed the city of Penuel. But still his fearful heart would not stop.

The temple of Jerusalem was located in the land of Judah, where Rehoboam ruled, and the people of Israel would have to go to the temple three times a year. Satan placed a thought into the heart of Jeroboam: “If the people of Israel go up to the temple and then meet with Rehoboam, they will take his side and they will try to kill me.”

When he had this thought, Jeroboam was afraid and he could not remain still. In order to prevent the people of Israel from going to Jerusalem, he made two golden calves and placed one in Bethel and the other in Dan and said to the people of Israel: “People, this is your God who guided you out of Egypt and you do not need to go up to the temple in Jerusalem again. Worship the golden calves in Bethel and Dan and you can give your sacrifices there.” He deceived the people and blocked them from going to God and made them commit a terrifying sin of worshipping idols.

In reading the Book of 1 and 2 Kings and the Book of 1 and 2 Chronicles, the Kings of Israel do not depart from the sin of Jeroboam, “The son of Nebat,” also committed the same sin of Jeroboam. The start of all these terrifying 5

Sermon of the Month

sins is when Satan gave Jeroboam a fearful heart and he began to have the heart to escape from that fear. In order to escape the fear, he constructed Shechem and Penuel with the golden calves, to prevent the Israelites from going to Jerusalem. In this manner, Satan gave Jeroboam fear making him commit a terrifying sin turning him into a king who is the symbol of a curse.

INSTEAD OF TELLING YOU TO SIN; GIVING YOU FEAR CAUSING THE HEART TO SUFFER…

Satan is so cunning, that he does not directly tell us to sin. We would not commit sin if he did that. Instead, he gives fear causing the heart to suffer and in trying to seek a way to escape from that fear, he makes you commit trespasses. People will go down the path of opposing God or committing sin in order to escape fear. Most people following after the voice of Satan commit sin as they try to escape from fear and become distant from God. If we just believe in the Word of God and obey it, we would have peace and joy. But Satan continues to place thoughts inside us. He gives these thoughts that even when we pray God will not answer, or when we witness that God will not work and there will be no one who would receive salvation.

When we face various hardships in our lives we think that God will not help us. By accepting these thoughts, we can no longer have hope in God and we say to ourselves and worry, “What should I do?”

Right then, Satan suggests a way to escape through humanistic methods and most people follow that path. But that path goes against God and you end up paying a terrible price. As a result, Satan makes it so that people cannot help but to receive a curse and destruction.

AGAIN CAUSING FEAR, AND AGAIN CAUSING FEAR

After Jeroboam became king, all he needed to do is dwell in peace where he constructed Shechem on the mount of Ephraim. But Satan raised fear in the heart of Jeroboam who dwelt on the mount of Ephraim and caused him to construct Penuel. After Jeroboam constructed Penuel, he again had a fearful heart. The people of Israel travel to the temple in Jerusalem three times a year, but if they meet Rehoboam, they may go over unto his side and try to kill me.

As he thought about what to do, he found a way to avoid his fear: “If I want to live, I must prevent the people of Israel from going to the temple in Jerusalem. When it is time for the Passover, the Feast of the Tabernacles, and the Day of Atonement, they travel to the temple, but what can I do to stop the people from going to the temple in Jerusalem? That’s right, I will make golden calves and tell the people to worship them!”

After Jeroboam made the golden calves, he told the people that it was their 6

god and told them to worship it as he took away the opportunity for the people to go up to Jerusalem.

ONLY BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION, WITH THANKSGIVING LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD

If Satan just tells people to sin, they will not follow it. That is why Satan gives a fearful heart and makes them sin by trying to escape that fear. What does the Bible say about fear? It says in 2 Timothy 1: 7 that God has not given us the spirit of fear. Satan in order to make people fall into sin, places fear in their hearts. This is not a heart given by God, but people do not recognize that it is a heart given by Satan and they accept that fear. We can see that as people try to escape from that fear, they fall deeply into sin.

There is a fact that saved brother and sisters must remember. God never gives a heart of fear. In this way God says: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.�

All brothers and sisters, do not fall into the fear that Satan gives. I want you all to dwell within the grace and mercy bestowed upon us by God and dwell within the faith believing that God protects you. Like the words above, do not fear and pray to God with thankfulness and be saints that please God.

Pastor Ock Soo Park

Pastor Park is currently the senior pastor of the Good News Gangnam Church. He is the founder of the Mahanaim Cyber Theology School and International Youth Fellowship.

Annually he is the guest speaker for Bible Crusades domestically and internationally and serves as a guest lecturer to university students. He is the author of several titles such as: The Secret of Forgiveness of Sin and Being Born Again, Repentance and Faith, Navigating the Heart. These books have been translated in 17 different languages, and in addition he is the author of 40 other books on spiritual life.

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Salvation Testimony

I Was the Biggest Obstacle in God’s Salvation Enderna Macsime | Good News Jacksonville Church

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Before I met the Good News Church, I was a person who considered myself to be a good girl and hard worker. I come from a Haitian background and my parents divorced when I was five years old. My father raised me and my twin brother on his own with some help. I decided to take it upon myself to be the “good” daughter and not cause trouble for him. To do this I had to follow three important rules, “Legliz (Church), Lakay (Home), Lekol (School). If I was not at one of these locations then my family would assume I was somewhere dangerous or causing trouble where I should not be.

I followed accordingly up to my acceptance to University and finally was able to go on my own way. This achievement made me confident and my heart sought all the simple freedoms that I didn’t have, such as 24/7 access to internet and free money. I did not go out much outside of my father’s vision; from going to church almost every day (which was what most of my life consisted of outside of school) to staying at home reading, cleaning, or cooking.

To be honest, I detested attending church service with every part in my body. I never believed in what was preached at any of the churches I attended. This disdain for the gospel grew from having many questions, but never asking them because of my fear of being wrong and being punished for it. When frustrated I would look for the answers myself in the Bible but it just lead to more confusion, contradictions, and anger in my heart. After my first semester of college, I became rebellious, I decided to plan an escape to study abroad in France for three years. My escape was from cultural appropriations, father’s expectations, and to a fresh start far from his church. I wanted to stop acting and holding back from expressing myself in a place where no one knew me or could report to my family how I’d behave.

A year before I left for the South of France, a friend suggested that we go to IYF Korean Camp. I was a fan of Korean music, history, and culture but I was skeptical. A short-term missionary on campus invited me to the info session, so I attended. At the session I was captivated by the enthusiasm they had for this camp but I was still wary. Then, they showed a promotional video for IYF Haiti English Camp and I expected some propaganda about Haiti. However, they showed a different story of how instead of materials and food, they delivered hope. My curiosity was captured and I went home right away begging my father to go to Korean Camp.

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Salvation Testimony

Through much bargaining and promises he allowed me to attend. At the end of every day they would deliver a mind lecture, which I became a fan of, but I kept to myself during group fellowship time. The night before the last day I opened up a little about my heart and how my culture played a big factor in my life and Haitian community so I wasn’t sure what the truth was and what was not. I was pulled to the side later that evening to have one-on-one fellowship with Deacon Mia. I thought I would be able to answer her questions with answers that she would like but I was always wrong. We sat for over two hours with the Bible open to Romans and Hebrews but I could not understand her. I only wanted to go back to bed and rest but a verse kept repeating in my head. Hebrews 10 verse 14, “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” Korean Camp finished and I had more questions than ever before on how could this be the conclusion they reached.

My heart became more open when attending the IYF clubs Bible Study. I could not accept that Deacon Mia and Pastor Seyoung Park were preaching something that could be any different than what all the other churches have told me. I always came with the mind wanting to understand but a heart that would reject. Then Pastor Park began to draw out a timeline and stick figures, explaining in more detail about when Jesus died on the cross and how He is the last offering for all of sin. Romans 8 verse 2, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

That Sunday night resulted in me receiving salvation after almost two and a half months of bickering and fighting with God’s Word. I cried in my dorm that night and realized He would never let me go nor had He thrown me away. It was my thoughts and self-righteousness that made me 10

far from people who truly loved me.

I began to attend Good News Jacksonville Church and I shared what I heard and took notes during service with all those around me. I could not keep it to myself. Volunteering in Christmas Cantata and English Camps allowed me to see that I have the most joy in my soul when I am guided

by God’s Will. My father was the first I shared this good news with but he denied what I spoke because of my youth. This troubled me because in my heart I thought he would be the one person to see His truth too. I was in darkness and trial for a period of time, nothing seemed to go well after that. Through fellowship and prayer God showed me that this is not a problem and not to give up hope. Matthew 11: 34, “Think not that I came to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

Not through me but only through God’s grace will my father and family receive salvation. I realized it is not possible to work with God. I cannot count myself as part of God’s equation for He could be merciful and graceful with anyone. He allows me to witness His works by faith.

Acts 20: 24, “But none of these things move me, neither count my life dear unto myself , so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

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Special Article_Swaziland

Pastor Ock Soo Park Meets with the King of Swaziland

"Pastor, God moved your heart so that you can come here; these are the Words of God. I, too, am a king, but there exists the King of kings above me. I believe that our country will be blessed if we follow His words."

"I will donate land. Please feel free to work for this country to your heart's content. It's unfortunate that this was such a short meeting, but I wish for you to come visit often.

Also, please hold a conference at our palace." (These are the words the King of Swaziland spoke to Pastor Park after he heard the gospel.)

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Special Article_Swaziland

It is Autumn in Korea, but here in Swaziland, Spring has just arrived. What are the commonalities between Korea and Swaziland? There are many mountains and the waters are clear. The people's hearts are serene.

Swaziland is one of the safest countries in Africa

The Minister of Youth, David Made Ngcamphalala, greets Pastor Park at the airport. Pastor Park travels to his lodging quarters with Bishop Maseko. Because Pastor Park is meeting with the king, he was treated as a guest of the state and was provided with transportation and lodging from the state. He was escorted by the police to his lodging quarters in Royal Village. Royal Village was the lodging quarters for the heads of states during last year's summit meeting.

Pastor Park attended the luncheon held with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Youth, as well as other special guests at the Royal Hotel.

After the Deputy Prime Minister greeted Pastor Park, he welcomed him and promised to work with him in the future.

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Around 5 pm, Pastor Park was quickly ushered to Lozitha Palace by palace officials. Pastor Park was personally invited by King Mswati III and met with him for two hours. Pastor Park preached the gospel in Romans 3:23-24, and 1 Corinthians 6:11. The King shouted "Amen" several times and was overjoyed when hearing the gospel.

After the meeting, they moved to a larger room where Gracias Choir members Dahyun Suk and Jooyoung Oh performed a small concert.

The King, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Youth, as well as the other distinguished guests were all overjoyed as they listened to the 2 music of the Gracias Choir. They even requested an encore performance.

Pastor Park said he's been to Swaziland so many times, it almost feels like home. He also requested that they work together for the youths of Swaziland.

"I want teach them skills, music, and the right mindset so that they may become great leaders. God is a farmer. He pulls out the weeds and plants seeds. He works the same way in our hearts. I hope that this land of Swaziland becomes a bright, blessed, and glorified country." (Excerpt from Pastor Park's prayer)

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Special Article_Swaziland

Following Pastor's prayer, King Mswati III said, "I welcome Pastor Park and his party, and am thankful that the man of God brought his message here."

"Pastor, you did not come here simply on your own accord, but God led your heart here. These are not your words but the words that God has given you, and therefore these are the words of God. I am a king, but there exists a King of kings above me. I believe our country will be blessed if we live a life following His words.

Pastor, please continue to visit often. I am amazed at the work that you do.

Please work for Swaziland. I will look for land suitable for your work.

Build a center there, a church there, and a place for you to stay while you are here. We will establish an IYF committee together and work together as partners."

"Today's meeting was too short but I hope you can hold a conference with Gracias Choir at the palace." These were the words spoken by King Mswati III. The meeting went longer than expected, but he canceled all appointments that followed and allowed the meeting to continue.

After the meeting with the King, the Princess as well as the Chief Secretary requested to meet with Pastor Park. Not only was the King's heart open, but everyone who attended opened their hearts to Pastor Park.

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The Christian Leaders Conference was held at the Royal Swaziland Hotel Conference Hall.

The hall was filled with around 150 Swaziland pastors. Bishop Maseko, who visited Korea last summer, gave his testimony and emphasized the need to change our hearts.

"When I attended the Christian Leaders Forum, the schedule was so tight it was difficult. We had to listen to lectures from early in the morning. But the gospel I heard there was the true gospel. We talk about the need to development Swaziland, but we are only concerned about what to eat and where to sleep. When I went to Korea, it was different. They did everything efficiently and precisely. The only difference is the mindset. I learned many things while in Korea. We can't just sit around and pray. We need to change our mindset and have the same heart as God." (excerpt from Bishop Maseko's testimony) Following the testimony, Pastor Park led the pastors to the world of the words of God. He spoke about the prodigal son in Luke 15. What changed the son's heart wasn't the situation; it was when the son connected with the father's heart that changed his heart. That is when the prodigal son returned to his father. Washing machines and microphones work when they are connected to electricity. When our hearts are one with God's, His power passes onto us.

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Special Article_Swaziland

The many pastors who attended listened to the words very intently. They also shouted "Amen" and took down notes.

That evening, there was a mind lecture held in front of 200 people at the University of Swaziland.

Those who attended were university students, volunteers, professors, the Youth Committee, the Minister of Education (Phineas Magagula), as well as others. This mind lecture was held at a university so that everyone was welcome to attend. It brought peace upon the hearts of the students.

All these events took place in one day, but it was clear how God was working so amazingly in Swaziland. We are hopeful for the bright future of Swaziland and for the many young students who will lead and change Africa and brighten the rest of the world.

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Memoirs of a Missionary_Myanmar

God Used a Worthless Person Like Me as a Tool of the Gospel Pastor Dae In Kim | Myanmar Missionary

(The Azalea Choir of the Myanmar church performing)

I thought about what Missionary Dae In Kim mentioned most in his testimonies of experiencing God in Myanmar throughout the 12 issues this year. “It was grace. Was it not by grace, nothing could be done.” After Missionary Dae In Kim received salvation, he graduated from missionary school and became a minister. As he was dispatched to Myanmar and ministered there for 13 years, he got a taste of how God works and saw that all of God’s works were through grace. God bestowed grace upon Missionary Dae In Kim, who with a thankful heart said, “I’m a person like a worthless mustard seed. But I am becoming a person who is more than enough to be a tool for preaching the Gospel to the ends of the world, through Jesus Christ

Missionary Dae In Kim was saved on February of 1989. While working as an elementary school teacher and serving the Gospel, he joined the missionary school by God’s calling. After gaining faith by discovering the will of God who called him by grace , regardless of his lacking image, he was dispatched to Seoul Dobong Church and is currently ministering in Myanmar as a missionary. Throughout 12 issues, we will see God who powerfully worked in his life and ministry.

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The love of the churches in Korea that establishes the brothers and sisters of Myanmar Pastor Sang Joon Lee of the Good News Gimpo church came to Myanmar in December of 2014. He came for the Christmas festival and to preach for the winter retreat. When he came, one of the members of Gimpo church, So Eun Kim, the vice president of Seoul Women’s hospital, came along to give the Myanmar church sisters a health checkup.

She had said that for those who received checkups, she would provide treatment and surgery for free should they come to Korea. We were so thankful. Sister Samyoppan visited Korea this July and received surgery.

Sister Samyoppan was so thankful to the great grace of the church after she became healthy. She became a worker of the gospel as she joined the choir and made uniforms for the choir. Sister Chorehrong also had to receive a surgery but she was unable to go to Korea because of insufficient airfare. However, there was a notice from the IYF Gwangju branch last October, saying that they wanted us to recommend Myanmar singers who could participate as representatives of IYF in the ‘Chungiang Event Asian Pop Festival’ which will be held in Gwangju of South Jeonla province. They said they would provide the airfare for the participants, so I was reminded of sister Chorehrong. Sister Chorehrong is a singer and she also sings Korean songs well. I thought it would be good if she participated in the festival and received treatment after that. We were able to receive the airfare for 3 people, so Sister Jenebi and Ssaungreji went to Korea, too. Sister Jenebi is a new rising singer who won the 2nd prize from the ‘Eipmetsonya Singing Contest’ which was held by Myanmar Channel 7 TV. After the festival was over, the three sisters were to go to the Gimpo church. Fortunately, there were a lot of Myanmar laborers living around the Gimpo church area. I thought it would be nice if the sisters could invite the laborers to perform for them and to give mind lectures. When I told Pastor Sang Joon Lee about this, he was happy and he said “Let’s do it if God opens up the way.” The footsteps that the sisters took towards Korea were footsteps taken to preach the gospel. The Word ‘All Israel will be saved’ was the same as ‘All Myanmar will be saved.’ I had the heart that God wanted to save the Myanmar people living in Korea, too.

About 50 people including the couples of several Myanmar sisters who got married in Korea, and some Myanmar laborers gathered to have a feast. Everyone opened their hearts wide and listened to the words that

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Memoirs of a Missionary_Myanmar

Pastor Sang Joon Lee preached. We had such a joyful time as we received the love of the church. The Myanmar people who lived in Korea said, “Let’s definitely meet again,” as they felt sad that we had to leave. It was a small event, but before the word that said that ‘all Myanmar people will be saved,’ it was just like the cloud as big as a hand beginning to form.

The work of God was amazing. As God was fulfilling his will, there was nothing that we had to do. We just had to receive the heart of God into our hearts. Sister Chorehrong who received surgery shed tears as she was so thankful to the grace of the church and I was able to have the heart that the love of the church in Korea is holding the Myanmar brothers and sisters firmly on the church’s side.

Myanmar Short term-missionaries, Donghyuk Park, Younggwang Go, Yohan Hwang, Eunmi Jin Four short term missionaries came to Myanmar from Korea in the year of 2015. Donghyuk Park, Younggwang Go, Yohan Hwang, and Eunmi Jin. It was three brothers and 1 sister. I want to introduce them to you because the works that God has done to them are so graceful and thankful.

The three brothers had characteristics that stood out very much.

Younggwang was quiet. Yohan was a student who was sentenced for two years of probation because he looked after his friends who were stealing cars. Donghyuk, who had an insipid personality, was 30 years old and he came to Myanmar after he was discharged from the army. The girl, Eunmi was living well together with the Myanmar people, pouring all her heart into whatever she did, as she received good training back in Korea.

I was able to see God leading each short term. About a week into his stay in Myanmar, Donghyuk hurt his back as he was doing a little bit of exercising, so he couldn’t move. He couldn’t move at all for a few days so we even had to help him use the restroom. As these kinds of incidents repeatedly happened to him, Donghyuk felt deep in his bones that he can’t do anything with his strength, and the that he has to rely on God. Yohan lived without much interest in the things that happened to Donghyuk, but he was unable to use his hand for a week after having his ligament injured while practicing dance. Also, without much thought, he took only one pair of clothes when he visited the local church in hot weather, and didn’t have any other clothes to wear for a month. He even had eczema.

Through those incidents, Yohan learned to ask for Grace from God.

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1. So Eun Kim, the vice president of Seoul Women’s hospital, provided treatments.

2. The poster of Myanmar singer sisters' performance in Korea.

3. Myanmar short term missionaries are preparing a meal.

4. From left Younggwang Go, Donghyuk Park, Yohan Hwang, Eunmi Jin

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Memoirs of a Missionary_Myanmar

After seven months, Younggwang, who lived at Ddangwoo church told me this testimony. “Pastor I am a 4th degree mental handicap . You didn’t know that right? I also didn’t know that myself. When it was about time for me to go to the army, no summon letter came, so I asked my father about it. He showed me a disability card from the doctor and told me this, ‘Younggwang, you have a bit of a problem so you can’t go to the army, but everyone has their weak points. It’s okay, Younggwang.’

My father tried to comfort me, but I was really shocked. My major is social welfare but I was the person who needed help from social workers.

I was actually an outcast since I was little. My only friend Yohan asked me to come abroad as a volunteer, so I was forced to come. I’m actually the one who needs help. I came to know that Jesus had taken away my weaknesses and sicknesses after I came here. So I had a heart ‘If so, I am perfect! I can just open my mouth and preach the Gospel! Although I can’t speak the Myanmar language, if I preach the Gospel, God will help!’ So whenever I met people, I told them my testimony and preached the Gospel. I also joined the choir, although I’m not a good singer. One time, I met with brother Dduddu’s mother and preached the Gospel. She received salvation and started coming to the church. I was really surprised.

I was thankful to God who works even through a person like me. Not long ago, I missed my father, so I called him. After he listened to my testimony, he cried, and so did my mother. My mother said, ‘You are the Younggwang (Glory) of God.’ I have about a month left in Myanmar. For the remainder of my stay here, I want to make a lot of friends and preach the Gospel.”

All of us shed silent tears as we listened to Younggwang’s testimony. I thought, “God, thank you. I wasn’t able to do anything for them, but You have worked so beautifully. Because he is a brother that you changed, he is better than me.” I had a shameful heart before God. God had changed all the short term missionaries who came to Myanmar one by one. The short term missionaries come here as children, but return as adults. All they do is stay in the church, but they change. This is the secret of the church.

Following God’s heart to ‘Borrow Not a Few’ The Words of Hebrews 11:12, “Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable,” was a new song for us to sing in 2015. I was curious to see how this new song would be

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sung in Myanma In December of 2014, I went to Korea to watch the Gracias Choir’s Christmas Cantata. There, a joyful image of Christmas remained in my heart like a picture, and I brought that heart all the way to Myanmar.

‘That’s right, let me show this joy to the brothers and sisters in Myanmar too!’ This is what I told the brethren in Myanmar, “Everyone, in 2015, let’s do at least two national cantata performances with our conference.”

Although I had said it, I was doubtful it would be possible. In order to hold a performance in the countryside, we needed a 12 ton truck and two buses. We needed to load the props, generator, the choir and actors, singers, dancers, and staff. Nearly 100 people had to move together. Even the fee that would be used was not a small amount. But this year, something truly amazing happened. In each of the 17 regions in Myanmar, we held 2-3 cantata performances. Since each performance was packed, and we collected entrance fees, there was no difficulty in procuring the expenses.

In fact, we had money left over, and it all ended in a joyful conference.

While in the midst of this feast prepared by God, I felt as if my endorphin levels spiked up to double its normal rate.

From November 18-20, we invited Pastor Ock Soo Park for our Christmas Festival. In preparing for the event, I read the Bible, and the Words in 2 Kings 4:3 “even empty vessels; borrow not a few,” constantly remained in my heart. ‘Borrow not a few’ means ‘borrow a lot,’ and in saying to ‘borrow a lot,’ God has the heart to give a lot. “Oh, God! Thank you. Until now, our hearts were burdened, so we had the heart to borrow a little, but that was going against your heart.” I gained the faith that God would give us ‘a lot.’ However much we borrow, it will be filled, and thinking how even the oil was already prepared in the Bible, my heart felt hopeful.

With the Azalea Choir of Myanmar after the Christmas Cantata performance

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Memoirs of a Missionary_Myanmar

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1. 2015 Christmas Festival poster 2.People expressing joy as they attend the conference 3.The conference and cantata were held at the MCC Hall, seating 2,500 people

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Finally, the Christmas Festival had begun, and according to the Word, all 2,500 seats in the MCC Hall were filled. MCC Hall originally seats 1,700 but we set up screens on both sides of the hall and increased the seating to 2,500. Not with the goal of gathering a lot of people, but by following God’s heart to ‘borrow not a few,’ we increased the amount of seats. 850 brothers and sisters from the countryside had come to Yangon to attend the conference, so it was impossible to accommodate all of them at the Yangon chapel. Thankfully, the brethren at the Yangon church scheduled home-stays for the brethren from the countryside, so the conference took place even more beautifully. The woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha had a lot of debts. All she had left was a pot of oil. The woman would have thought that God not only did nothing to help her, but he made her fail. However, after she met the prophet of God, Elisha, everything changed. First, God worked to empty the life of the woman. He worked so that she had nothing left but the pot of oil. God didn’t have it so the prophet of God met the woman suffering in debt in order to help her pay back her debts. He taught her that all the power was in that one pot of oil. Without Elisha’s guide, the pot of oil would simply have remained a pot of oil with no power at all. I too, have tasted the power of that pot of oil. That is why I am teaching the brethren of Myanmar about the power of the pot of oil.

Pastor Ock Soo Park arrived the day before the Christmas Festival began. Although he arrived late at night, he preached the Gospel as soon as he arrived. “Everyone, in 1 Kings 17, the empty pot of flour seemed empty to the Widow of Zarephath, but to Elijah, it was a hopeful, full pot.” Pastor’s Words were already pointing to the Christmas Festival, which had already been greatly fulfilled in God’s eyes. According to the Word, many people received salvation. Although we began with only 5 barley loaves and 2 fish, just as that fed 5,000 people and 12 baskets were left over, we were able to pay off the fee for the conference and have money left over. That was no doubt an overflowing festival. Also, a brother was ordained elder for the advancement of the Gospel, 4 brothers were ordained ministers, and 4 ministers were ordained pastors. The 4 members of the Gracias Choir who came from Korea were like ‘happy sprites.’ It was like they kept spraying happiness powder on us… Many of the people who watched their performance were infected with the happy virus. The Christmas Festival with Pastor Ock Soo Park’s Words and the Gracias Choir’s praises made all of us fall into happiness.

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Memoirs of a Missionary_Myanmar

One Day, the Azalea Choir was formed It’s the right expression to say that the Azalea choir was formed ‘one day.’

I was ignorant of music. I have never thought of organizing a choir because I fall asleep as soon as I listen to classical music. Also, since there is no music class in Myanmar schools, people cannot read music notes. People who play guitar write numbers instead of music notes and most others simply play guitar by their senses. The sisters and brothers who play piano in church have never learned piano before. They happened to begin playing it as they played with it. Moreover, there are several sisters and brothers who are Gospel singers in the Myanmar church so there was no need for us to make a choir.

At one point, the brothers and sisters started to practice singing after seeing the Gracias Choir on the Saturday Visual Fellowship. Then, a choir was formed. One Sunday, the choir sang and it was very graceful. So I asked how they practiced. They told me that they practiced by watching the Gracias Choir’s performance in Korea on DVD. Sisters who are in charge of the costumes made the Myanmar Choir’s clothes by staying up all night. All sisters and brothers volunteered to help the choir, and the church became beautiful through them. The atmosphere of the Sunday service was also upgraded.

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My will was not included when the Myanmar Church Choir was formed.

Now, there are more choirs in churches in Tangoo and Myitkyina and more are in the process of forming in other regional churches as well. The Myitkyina church is now preparing to hold a Cantata as the Yangon church did. It is graceful and amazing to see how God works through the Easter and Christmas Cantatas. Cantatas became the core power of the mission in Myanmar.

I once heard a song titled, ‘A Family Picture.’ On a lonely day, I took out a family picture. I saw that I closely resembled my father, who’d become fertilizer for me to bloom. It has been 13 years since the mission was established in Myanmar and it closely resembles the churches in Korea. DNA cannot be deceived. Jesus became the fertilizer through the churches in Korea and the servant of God, for the Myanmar churches to bloom. (I have no idea what this last sentence means.)

“The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field” (Matthew 13:31). God who builds His world through the smallest mustard seed, used me as a tool of the Gospel. I give thanks and glorify God. With the Gospel to the Ends, with the Lord to the Last!

Southeast Asia missionaries and Myanmar native pastors during the Christmas Festival

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New York Times: Notes on Genesis I

Thou Shalt Be a Blessing Pastor Ock Soo Park | Good News Gangnam Church

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. (Genesis 12:1~4)

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judgment! I’d better make the ark!”

But these words did not enter other people’s hearts. “What judgment? I heard that Noah’s building an ark.

That’s crazy!” This is the difference between a person who had the word enter his heart and one who had not.

God Accomplishes God said to Abraham, “I will bless thee and thou shalt be a blessing.”

God was not telling Abraham to become a blessing, but that He would make Abraham into a blessing. Jesus told Peter, “I will make you a fisher of men,” rather than, “Be a fisher of men.” Peter cannot become a fisher of men through graduating from a seminary, learning to witness, and learning faith.

The words of Jesus, “I shall make you a fisher of men,” included the will of Jesus. All works of God in the Bible have begun in this manner, through the will of God. God establishes His will in His heart, then that will comes out through His lips, and the works of God arise when we accept those words.

God told Abraham, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.”

God has His chosen people and His chosen place. The place God had chosen was the land of Canaan. All the works of God began in Canaan.

God called Abraham to Canaan to work in him.

The person God has chosen is Jesus Christ. Many people have come and gone on this earth since Adam, 31

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The Word of God Is Alive In the Bible, Genesis chapter 1 begins with, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Then God begins working through the Word of God. And God said let there be light and there was light. (Genesis 1:3) God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

(Genesis 1:11) The earth changed and was renewed as the Word of God entered it.

Romans says, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17) Nowhere in the Bible was there no change where the Word of God entered.

The sea became still when Jesus said, “Peace, be still.” When Jesus told the paralytic, “Rise up and walk,” he walked. We say that the Word of God is alive because in it, there is the power to achieve that word.

Spiritual life begins at the Word of God. It begins from emptying the many things in your heart that differ from the Word of God and accepting the Word of God. This is also where the works of God begin.

God, one day, spoke to Noah. “I will punish this earth with water.

Make yourself an ark of gopher wood.” These words entered Noah’s heart. “Ah, God is passing His

New York Times: Notes on Genesis I

and God used many of those people: Noah, Abraham, David, Isaiah, Peter, Paul... But God did not leave the work of salvation to man but did it Himself.

Because man was all engulfed in sin, He could not use man to save mankind.

Therefore, God used someone who was not human; someone who has never committed sin. He sent His son to this earth to save man. Man is not saved through his own effort or labor, nor through himself doing well. It is God who achieves the work of delivering man from sin, of making man righteous and holy.

Saving a drowning person is not having that man swim out himself.

When that man has lost all strength, the savior comes to save him. That is salvation. Salvation is when there is no effort whatsoever on the part of the person being saved. If effort is added by the person being saved, that is not salvation, but help. To say that God saved me means that I did not rely on my strength, effort, or labor whatsoever, but 100% only through God. It is not salvation if your labor, effort, or zeal had anything to do with it.

God established a plan to save us.

He did not try to help us while we were laboring and toiling to become freed from sin. But rather, He saves us without any effort or labor at all from man. There was no one on this earth who accomplished salvation in conjunction with God. Thus, God sent His son Jesus Christ to this

earth to accomplish the salvation that man could not.

To Send Christ to Earth God established a plan to save mankind since Adam and Eve committed sin. God knew precisely that man could not become freed from sin through his own effort and labor; thus He set up the plan to send Jesus. God selected Abraham because He wanted to have Jesus born as a descendent of Abraham.

Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee. (Genesis 12:1) Until then, Abraham’s life had moved through his own thoughts and plans. But the great will of God does not become accomplished through Abraham’s will or thoughts but through God. God had His will in Abraham “I will make you into a great nation.

You will be a blessing. Those that bless you will be blessed and those that curse you will be cursed.”

Abraham heard those words of God, but he could not understand them all. He simply thought, “God is blessing me. He will make me into a great nation.” How could the heart of man understand the depths of the heart of God? But in the words, “shalt be a blessing,” the work of Jesus Christ coming for our sins and dying on the cross to save us is included. God established Abraham to do this.

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In the words, "shalt be a blessing," the work of Jesus Christ coming for our sins and dying on the cross to save us is included.

Abraham had that faith. Therefore, when he was told to offer Isaac, he said, “Yes, God! I will offer him.”

Some people think that Abraham said, “How can I offer my son, to whom I gave birth when I was 100 years old?” and wept. But that was not the case.

“God said it, so surely Isaac will have a son. Therefore, he will not die!” Since he had that faith, he was not worried whatsoever.

If Abraham had the faith to offer Isaac in Genesis chapter 12, he would not have worried. The main character of a movie does not die in the middle of the movie. It seems that he will die, but he survives.

It’s that way because that’s how the script is written. Movies are made according to the screen writer’s intentions. Likewise, people’s lives are in God’s hands and they go according to God’s plans. Abraham was to become a blessing in God’s script, but Abraham did not believe that script. Therefore, he told his wife, “Say that you are my sister,” when he was going to Egypt. He was afraid that people would kill him to take her since she was so pretty. It was his humanistic method that implied that it would be okay to lose his wife just as long he lived.

Although God Made Abraham a Promise When two people going through life face a problem, the person with God 33

New York Times

Faithless Abraham, Who Trusted Man’s Schemes Abraham followed the Word of God to the land of Canaan. But as soon as he faced a famine in Canaan, he tried to take refuge in Egypt.

Right then, in Abraham’s heart, if the words of God, “Thou shalt be a blessing. I will make you into a great nation,” remained, he would have said, “If that was what God promised, then I will be a blessing.

I will become a great nation!” and had no fear. But what did he do when he was going down to Egypt?

Because his wife was so pretty, he was worried that other men would kill him to take her.

This is the difference in faith. If Abraham had the heart, “God said He would make me a great nation.

How can I become a great nation if I die?” he would not have been afraid. Later, after Abraham had Isaac, he was going up to give Isaac as an offering. Abraham was able to offer Isaac. It was because God said that He would give him many descendents through Isaac.

“God clearly said that I would have as many descendents as the stars in the sky and the sands in the sea through Isaac. Then that shall be! Whether I kill Isaac or burn him into ashes, Isaac will not die and ultimately become like the stars of the sky and the sands of the sea because the Word of God is always achieved.”

New York Times: Notes on Genesis I

in his heart has faith and thinks, “God will take care of this problem.” On the other hand, the person without God worries, “What should I do in times like these?” and uses humanistic methods and ways. When Abraham was going down to Egypt because he was so hungry, God was not in his heart. The Word of God was not inside of him.

God was with him, but Abraham did not have God in his heart. The Word of God was not inside of him. The promise of God disappeared from his heart and he could only think, “I’m dead. How can I survive?”

Whenever I face difficulties or problems at my church, I think, “This problem cannot be taken care of.” My own judgments come out. But while praying, I feel in my heart, “This will work if God does it.” I also feel in my heart, “I am one who believes in God, but I had my own thoughts. It will not work if I do it according to my own thoughts. I should act according to the will of God. Things will work out if God does it.”

Although God made a promise to Abraham, Abraham did not keep the promise in his heart and only had his own thoughts and methods as he went down to Egypt. In reality, God was with Abraham, protecting him, caring for him, and making him into a blessing according to the promise. And He was going to give him many children like the stars in the sky and the sands of the sea. But Abraham accepted his own assumption that he would die and lose his wife in Egypt as reality

and took the promise of God as an illusion in his heart.

People with the Blood of Jesus Remaining vs. People with Their Own Sins Remaining People with true faith have the cross of Jesus remaining in their hearts. “I did sin, but Jesus received all the punishment for the sins I committed. I should be cursed, but Jesus received all of that.”

People with faith have the blood of Jesus in their hearts and that blood overcomes sin regardless of what sins they may have. Sin loses its power because it is washed away.

This is so amazing.

Once, a brother who was a doctor was operating on another brother. I was observing from the side and saw that he first dipped all his surgical tools into water, boiled the water, then dipped them into a sterilizing liquid. Then he pulled them out, not with his hands, but with tweezers and began the surgery. He killed all the germs through the boiling water and dipped them in sterilizing liquid because he was afraid of any germs getting on the tools. In the same way, we originally had many sins but the blood of the cross sterilized them, killing every single sin. The suffering Jesus endured on the cross was all the punishment that was to be received for your sin. Therefore, every single one of your sins, without exception, has been washed away. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. (Isaiah 34

The blood on the cross was surely shed for our sins, and at the cross the punishment was received for our sins. But to the people without this in their hearts, the corss is only a formality and only sin remains in their heart.

God Is Ruined if His Credit Is Lost Abraham went to Egypt and called his wife his sister and he immediately lost his wife to the Pharaoh in Egypt. But God spoke to Pharaoh and made him return her to Abraham. God protected Abraham and his wife because it was the only way for Abraham to have many descendents like the stars in the sky and the sands of the sea. Only then could Abraham

become a blessing. How could he be a blessing if he is beaten to death?

That would make God into a liar. If the people had killed Abraham and taken his wife, this would make God into a liar.

Because God is invisible, He is ruined if He loses His credibility.

However, people do not believe in God although He has maintained His credibility. If God began lying, who would ever believe in God? Therefore, God is bent on protecting His credibility. God does not lie. If God called Abraham a blessing, then he is. If God said that He would make him a great nation, then He will. Therefore, God protected Abraham, and even though he lost his wife, God allowed her to come back to Abraham’s bosom.

Abraham did not have faith in God. Abraham protecting himself cannot compare with God protecting him. But since he did not have God in his heart, he acted according to his own will. You, too, can use your own methods and ways when you face difficulties when you do not have God in your heart. Even in terms of receiving the forgiveness of sin, you try to wash your sins away with your own methods when you cannot believe in the blood on the cross.

Just as the father made the prodigal 35

New York Times

53:5) His death on the cross and the blood shed on the cross washed all of your sins away.

Some people have only sin remaining in their heart, and some people have the cross and the blood of Jesus remaining in their heart.

Blood rids sin. Blood was shed to forgive sin. If the blood Jesus shed on the cross is alive in your heart, you are not a sinner regardless of what sins you may have committed.

However, people who do not have the cross and the blood of Jesus only have sin remaining. The blood on the cross was surely shed for our sins, and at the cross the punishment was received for our sins. But to the people without this in their hearts, the cross is only a formality and only sin remains in their heart.

There are two paths in spiritual life: one is you doing everything, and the other is the spiritual life of believing that God will do everything. son holy, God made you holy. But you try to make yourself clean and holy because you cannot believe that God has made you holy. You end up living the spiritual life where you are laboring to not sin.

In the Bible, whether Abraham was old or young, whether it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women or not, Sarah had a son according to the promise of God. Whether that son, Isaac, is given as an offering on Mt. Moriah, or burnt into ashes, or turned into dust or not, God, as He promised, will make the descendents of Isaac like the stars in the sky and the sands of the sea. Jesus was born from that seed and God accomplished the precious work of saving all mankind through Jesus Christ.

Even when God told him to give that same son up as an offering, Abraham believed that his children would all come from that child, so was able to offer him. And God, as promised, allowed Abraham to gain many descendents through Isaac like the stars of the sky and sands of the sea.

Loving folks, the methods of man reign in your heart if you do not have God in your heart. You will become defeated by many great and small burdens that weigh you down. You will labor, you will toil...

There are two paths in spiritual life: one is you doing everything, and the other is the spiritual life of believing that God will do everything. People who have the spiritual life with themselves doing everything, consider believing in I Hope Faith Will Lead Your Life God working to be laughable and Abraham left his country and foolish. But the truly foolish are his father’s house and moved to those who work through their own Canaan, but he did not have the methods. God makes a promise to faith to believe in God. He then us and accomplishes that promise. I took his maid servant to have a son hope that the Word of God will be and went through many other trials in you and that the blood Jesus and errors. Then, after a long time, Christ shed on the cross will also be he came to believe in God. “I’m in you, so that this faith will lead old but God will give me a son as your life. promised!” Since he believed, Sarah gained new strength and had a son.

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Gospel Lesson

King for a Year

Pastor Han Gyu Lee | Good News East Seoul Church

I

n the middle of the Pacific Ocean, there lies a small island. There, a peculiar custom was practiced. If someone was on a voyage, met a storm, and drifted to the island, the natives would make that person a king in order to hear about the news of the outside world which they had never visited before. After a year, the natives would send the person back in the manner that they came. If he came on a plank, they would put him on a plank and send him away or if he came on a small boat, they would send him away on a small boat.

One day, a sailor that was voyaging near the island got shipwrecked and barely managed to drift to the island on a piece of styrofoam.

Then, the natives on the island all gathered and accepted him warmly.

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After explaining the custom of the island, they changed his clothes, wiped the piece of styroafoam clean, and stored it.

“We welcome you to this island. Now, you are the king for an entire year. You can do whatever you want and command for whatever you wish.

But there is one thing you must remember, when it becomes this day next year, you have to change back to your old clothes, get on the piece of styroafoam and go back to where you came from.

“Was there anyone who came to this island before me?”

“Yes, two people.”

“How did they spend their time here?

“Those people were very strange. The first person came and built a house. That large house over there is the house he built and after building it, he gathered all the island treasures. We still do not know why he told us to do that. After a year, he got back unto his plank which he came here with and after floating for a while, he drowned. “ “What about the second person?”

“When the second person came, heard about the first, and saw the treasures along with the house, he said, “What a foolish man…he could not have taken a single thing so why did he build a house and gather up treasure? I should eat and enjoy myself. He made everyone bring him good food and healthy fruits and vegetables and he devoured them. Also, he called all the pretty, young women of the island and made them dance and sing for him. A year later, he was very fat when he had to leave. He first swam to our island but how can he swim after getting so fat? He didn’t last long before drowning. Now, the third person to arrive at our island is you. How are you going to spend one year?”

After hearing these things, the third person thought deeply.

“Let me look around the island.”

He went to the highest summit of the island and looked all around. Far away in the east, he saw a small dot.

“What is that?”

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Gospel Lesson

“It is a small island and people have gone there before but no one lives there.”

After hearing this, he became very happy and said, “Now I know how I should live on the island for a year and what I should be doing.”

Then he ordered the people: “First, go to that island and dig a well. Then build a grand house.

Around the house, plant a lot of fruit trees and flowers. Cultivate the ground and plant vegetables. Put dogs and chickens on that island as well…”

For the entire year, he diligently ordered people to work. After the year had passed, the day came for him to get on the piece of styrofoam that he first came with and to leave the island.

“I am so thankful to you all. I will remember your hospitality and the grace you bestowed upon me for a long time. Bye, everyone.”

He left to the island which he had prepared a dwelling on for a year. He arrived safely. He had a place to go. After living on that island for a couple of months, he signaled a passenger ship that was sailing near the island. The passenger ship then safely took him back to his hometown.

This story is an interesting abridged version of our life. We all have arrived on this island called Earth, and whether we want to or not, one day we’ll have to leave it.

If we were to live on this earth forever and if our bodies were eternal, we would have From Dust to Man to plan out how to be happy in this world The human body is made up and we would need to live for our flesh. of materials and minerals found on the surface of the However, if we are not to live in this world ground, and not from the and this body forever, then we would need core of the earth. Oxygen, the wisdom of the third castaway. Even being the most abundant if we were to build a great of a house, eat element on the earth’s crust good food, and enjoy everything that our or on the ground, makes up 65 percent of the human flesh desires but were to not have a place to body, and carbon, also abungo, ultimately, what meaning would those dant on the top soil of the things have for us? No matter what life we ground, is 18 percent, and were to live on that island but have no place hydrogen is 10 percent. The to go when we have to leave, then we have 59 elements found in the human body are all found lived foolishly. Nowadays, so many people on the earths crust. do not think about the end of their lives

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If we realize our flesh is from dust and our spirit is from eternal God then the answer appears to our question of where we will end up.

and they live myopically. Everyone will leave this earth and the day that their spirit will part from their flesh is coming and no one knows when that day will come but they do not know how to think about where they came from or where they will go. They do not think about what they ought to be thinking about. Who lived the most wisely out of the three castaways? How are you going to live this life which you only get one of? When you leave this world, what are you going to take with you? Money? A degree from a prestigious university? The person you love? A healthy body? We will all leave this world one day. This is what God is saying, “As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?”

(Ecclesiastes 5:15-16) The third castaway heard about the end of the first two visitors of the island. He did not invest in the island which he would have to leave. He invested everything instead to the place where would have to go in the future. While you are in the flesh and before the angel of death comes to visit you, I hope you all receive the grace of Jesus Christ to have all the sins of your heart forgiven and to receive the promise of entering blessed heaven.

A question that everyone asks at least once is, “Where did man come from and where will he go?” Before we find out where man will go, we have to find out where man has come from. The reason why is written in Ecclesiastes that, “as he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return…” Where did man come from? This is what God says, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) God made flesh out of dust and blew the breath of life inside. The breath that He blew is the spirit which contains the image of God. If we realize our flesh is from dust and our spirit is from eternal God then the answer appears to our question of where we will end up. Our

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Gospel Lesson

flesh has come from the dust so it will return to the dust while our spirit is from God and will return to God. The hometown of our flesh is the dust. However, since our spirit is from God so the hometown of our spirit is heaven. Animals live according to the instinct of their flesh, but man was created to live by his spirit.

It has been half a century since Korea has been divided into north and south. However, the displaced people who defected to South Korea still live with a deep homesickness and the sorrow of living far away from home. They still have the memories of the innocence of playing with their friends in the north, their aged parents who now are old and may have passed away but again, might still be alive, the scenery surrounding their village… They want to return to embrace their hometown. When we see how the way for them to go back is cut off, how they long only for the day of reunification, and how they have become so old and grey, there are many times we have tears in our eyes. Even pop songs that we are familiar with have lyrics such as, “Even though I miss my hometown, I cannot go back. The far away distance under that heaven and mountain…” while there are many pop songs with titles such as, “The long distance to my hometown,” “heartless hometown,” “hometown lady,” “hometown train station,” “the shadow of my hometown,” “I like my hometown,” “the beginning of my hometown...” The people who have lost their hometown are constantly missing it in their heart. They Salmon constantly have affection and long for their Typically, salmon are anadromous: they are born in peaceful and warm hometown. If they fresh water, migrate to the were to return to their hometown, then ocean, then return to fresh the vanity and loneliness of living far away water to reproduce. Folklore from home melts away like snow, and the has it that the fish return to mountains and streams and the people of the exact spot where they were born to spawn; tracking there are always tender and welcoming. studies have shown this to When it becomes a holiday, people go back be mostly true. A portion of with a happy heart despite the distance and a returning salmon run may traffic. stray and spawn in different Animals have a homing instinct so freshwater systems. Homing behavior has been shown to even if they travel far away, they have the depend on olfactory memory. instinct to come back home. There is the

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expression, “Never forget your roots.” Even foxes turn their heads towards the place where they were born when they are about to die.

No matter how far away a Korean Jindo Dog is sold, they are dogs with amazing sense of home. They do not forget about their masters and return to them no matter where they are. Salmon, which were born in Korea, go and live in the North Pacific Ocean near Alaska for three to four years as soon as they hatch, and when it becomes autumn, they remember the distinctive scent of the river that they came from and then swim thousands of kilometers to go back to their parent-stream. They force themselves through every difficulty in order complete the long journey, they sometimes jump up steep waterfalls, and return to their native home where they lay eggs and finish their lives. They have neither compass or signpost but these tiny creatures remember the smell of the water of their native home and their return instinct that pours all of their strength in the process of returning to the place where they will born and where they will die is truly amazing and even holy. If these trivial and tiny creatures are like this, why wouldn’t people, who are more significant and are the supreme creature amongst other organisms, try to find their origin of their existence and the native home of their life? This is what you call a religious spirit. It is the heart to yearn for eternity. God said that He had given people this type of heart, “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) The fact that humans long for the eternal realm and look for the origin of their existence is evidence that our soul has a native home that we will have to go back to.

Just like how a fish cannot live like a fish outside of water, we, humans, cannot live like humans while we are away from God, the Master of our spirits. So, all people look for the native home of their spirit deep inside of themselves and they have the return instinct to go back to the master of their spirit. People are unfaithful to that God and they proclaim that they can live well without Him, however, when they face a critical situation, all people cry out for God from inside of themselves and a heart to receive His grace and mercy flies up. Just like how a young child may not usually look for his mother but does when he meets an urgent and dangerous problem, when

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Gospel Lesson

people realize deeply how weak and lacking humans are, they start to call upon a savior, look for a comforter, and look for shelter. You can see most people looking for God when they are dying. Truly, we are people that need to rely on God in order to live.

We have two hometowns. One is the hometown of the flesh and the other is the hometown of the spirit. The hometown of our flesh is this earth which we have been living on but the hometown of our spirit is heaven. The Bible says that the hometown of our flesh is “that country from whence they came out” and the hometown of our spirit is heaven, the “better country.”

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” (Hebrews 11:13-16) Just like how the sorrow of displaced people will disappear when they return to their hometown, all the pain and sadness of our hearts will disappear when we return to God. All people who have left God are displaced people that have lost their hometown of their spirit and live unable to rely on anything in this sinful world.

Because God has given all people a heart to yearn for eternity, all people look for the eternal realm in their heart and have a lust to return. If you read the Bible, our father, Adam, had departed from the eternal world of God. From then on, all people have been looking for the native home of their spirit. They yearn for an eternal country, eternal life, eternal rest, and eternal grace. When our sprit is connected to the eternal world of God, then we have rest at last. Those who have realized the native home of their spirit and have received the promise of the eternal country have peace and those who have met the master of their spirit feel happy. The reason why life is painful, filled with vanity, empty, lonely, and without satisfaction or rest is because our spirit has departed from eternal God. Originally, we were peaceful, happy, and abundant when our spirit

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The Bible is like a map that guides wandering people who have left God to heaven and it is like a compass that leads people who have lost their way and the coordinates to the harbor their wishes.

was filled with God but after we have left God and have departed from Him, we desire to taste of a god or something eternal.

The third castaway had a place to go when he had to leave the island. How great would it be if we had a place to go after we leave this world? If there is nowhere for our spirit to return to, then that person is a miserable person. No matter how many good things one has and one enjoys in this world, that person is not blessed; a blessed person is the one who has found the native home of their spirit and who safely arrives there. The sure path to find the better country of our spirit is in the Word of God. The Bible is like a map that guides wandering people who have left God to heaven and it is like a compass that leads people who have lost their way and the coordinates to the harbor they wish for. I hope that all of you find out about the native home of the spirit through the Word of God and receive the grace to find that path. I hope you discover the heart and promise of God who has made your spirit, who is looking for you and who loves you. When we return to the origin of our life and existence and the native home of our spirit, when we meet our father God who loves our spirit, all wondering will end and you will be able to enjoy true rest and happiness.

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Preaching the Gospel to the Ends of the Earth

I Shall Give Thee the Heathen for Thine Inheritance Testimony of Pastor Ock Soo Park

One of the blessings I’ve received is having met Missionary Dick York. Before meeting him, I knew about the Bible, but I couldn’t apply it to my life, thus creating distance between the Word and the Bible. In the Bible, it is recorded that God has taken all of my problems as His own, but I couldn’t even entrust one problem in my life to God, and ended up struggling with them on my own. The first goal Missionary Dick York had in mind when training us was to live life by faith. “Each morning, have some quiet time. In reading the Bible and praying, find the voice of God. And go forward with faith if God shows you something.” After being trained under Missionary York, I too was able to open my eyes to faith as the years passed. As soon as I left the things that happened in my life up to God, I was able to connect big and small problems to God, and saw them being resolved.

Although Peter lived his life as a fisherman before meeting Jesus, he no longer fished, but followed after Jesus after he met 46

Him. As Peter followed after Jesus, he either saw or experienced things he would never able to do, such as feeding 5,000 with five barley loaves, walking on water, raising the dead to life.

The formula is that since Jesus Christ is, will be, and has been the same being, if the Lord that called Peter called me, the power of the Lord must be manifested through me as well.

However, when that formula didn’t apply to my life, or when I fell into difficult circumstances and problems, I tried to use my humanistic methods to resolve those problems.

As the years passed, God led me into faith. After God put me in the midst of a problem, he cut off all of my humanistic methods, so I had no choice but to rely on God and walk the path of faith. Amazingly, each time, God resolved those problems. As I saw this process, I was continually able to have the faith that God is alive in me, and is leading my life.

After having faith, when I began something, I put conditions such as: “Is this possible? Is there anyone to help me? Are there enough finances?” behind and stepped forward.

What I’ve come to learn from living a life of faith is that no matter what the situation, if it’s something God is happy with, God will help fulfill it. As a result, asking God, “Is this really what you’re happy with?” and asking God for His will and listening for His answer became the most important thing for me. No matter how impossible something seemed situationwise, when I carried something out in faith, knowing that God was happy with it, I experienced God miraculously making it happen. Since then, I always think, ‘The will of God is in the Bible. What is it that God wants?’

Once day, while reading the Bible, I was able to focus on these words, “Ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession” (Psalms 2:8). God said, “Ask of me.” The reason why God tells me to ask of Him is because He wants to give me something. I have a daughter and a son, and I would become happy with them when they would be happy over nice clothes or bread that I bought for them. Just like that, as I realized the fact that God is happy with me being 47

Preaching the Gospel to the Ends of the Earth

happy through God, I had the heart that God wants to give me the uttermost parts of the earth for my possession. So, with those words in my heart, I began to pray. At the time, I had just begun my ministry in Daegu, so the circumstances were difficult, we were hungry, cold, and poor.

When the brothers and sisters returned home after service, I would lose energy in my heart. There weren’t much people who’d received salvation, there was a brother who had fallen into trial…So, I locked myself in my room and began to pray before the Lord. At first, I would begin saying, “Father God, there’s no food. Please give us food. My shoes are all worn out.

Please give me shoes.” But after praying for a while, I would always end up giving a bold prayer according to the Word.

Whenever I would simply begin a prayer, the Holy Spirit would lead that prayer.

“God, allow us to send overseas missionaries, allow us to begin a missionary school. Allow our sermons to be published as books, allow us to begin broadcasting sermons.” When I would finish praying, I’d surprise myself. I thought, “How could a person like me do such things? That’s nonsense! This is a dream, a dream!” But once I began praying, God would continually lead my prayers like that. After praying like that several times, I gained faith that God would work accordingly.

As a result, one day after I finished service, I spoke of my faith to a few brothers.

“Brothers, let’s be strong. Although we may seem like nothing now, soon, we’ll publish books, begin a missionary school, and send missionaries overseas. We’ll be broadcasting sermons as well.”

As those words were so far away from our current circumstances, everyone laughed. One of the gentlemanlike brothers told me as if he were consoling me, “Pastor, it’s okay to dream big. At least your dreams should be big. Have courage.”

What he said was the same as saying, “keep dreaming.”

Even when I thought about it, what I said seemed like a dream, and it wasn’t fit for us. I thought to myself, “Look at yourself.

If God gives you the earth for thy possession, could you even look over it? Wake up.” When I looked at myself, those were 48

just delusions of grandeur. So, I stopped those prayers. I thought no more of those words.

Long after that, as I was reading the Bible, I came across that verse again, and those words stirred up new hope in my heart. “That’s right, if God said he would give me the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession, he would give me the power to look after it as well.

He wouldn’t just give me the earth itself.” With that heart, I prayed again. I was certain that these words were a promise God had given me. After that, I often gave testimonies by faith in front of the church.

“Everyone, God gave me the promise that He will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. According to that promise, we will publish books, broadcast sermons, and establish a missionary school. Churches will be established in each part of the nation, and missionaries will be dispatched to each country. The Almighty God will make it all happen.”

According to that promise, God began to open paths before me.

We began a missionary school, missionaries were dispatched to various parts of countries and churches were established. We began broadcasting sermons, and books were published through our Good News Mission Publications Inc. God opened doors for the mission to work in Germany, America, and Japan. And paths were opened for us to establish churches in Russia, China, East Asia, South America, and Africa. Things that were unimaginable for us were all made possible

by God. Many of the missionaries are lacking and weak, but God helps so that amazing works of the Gospel can happen through them wherever they go. They each have beautiful testimonies. In each of the countries that our missionaries go to, I see overflowing hope.

There are still countless requests from different countries asking to send missionaries, but because we don’t have enough workers, I am continually praying to God about it. Looking back now, I can testify that from the things I prayed for in the past, not even a prayer as small as a mustard seed was left unanswered.

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Church Directory (North America) EAST COAST

Good News New York Church 718-878-4246 300 Nassau Rd., Huntington, NY 11743

Good News New Jersey Church 201-406-4677 1075 Queen Anne Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666

Good News Manhattan Church 917-678-3344 2152 3rd Ave., NY, NY 10035

Good News Detroit Church 248-885-9646 1181 Harding Ave., Rochester Hills, MI 48307

Good News Bronx Church 646-339-6432 685 Morris Park Ave 2nd Fl, Bronx, NY 10462

Good News Indianapolis Church 317-294-5329 383 S. Emerson Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46219

Good News Brooklyn NY Church 917-526-7498 765 43rd St. 1st FL, Brooklyn, NY 11232

Good News Miami Church 954-667-7753 331 NW 65th Way, Hollywood, FL 33024

Good News Flushing Chinese Church 631-535-1169 134-24 Cherry Ave., Flushing, NY 11355

Good News New Orleans Church 504-451-7875 3205 Cherry St., New Orleans, LA 70118

Good News Atlanta Church 404-966-6352 11000 Rogers Circle, Johns Creek, GA 30097

Good News Jacksonville Church 904-800-7890 3850 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32207

Good News Atlanta Spanish Church 678-387-9271 2635 Fairlane Drive, 2nd FL, Doraville, GA 30340

Good News Boston Church 617-320-3296 4 Church St. #8, Malden, MA 02148

Good News Philadelphia Church 215-379-0501 305 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027

Good News Charlotte Church 704-500-6063 8731 Green Ivy Lane, Charlotte, NC 28217

Good News Chicago Church 847-329-0237 4825 W. Jarlath St., Lincolnwood, IL 60712

Good News Fort Wayne Church 260-797-3412 3316 S. Calhoun St., Fort Wayne, IN 46807

Good News Washington Church 202-468-1631 7461 Miramar Dr., Manassas, VA 20109

Good News Maryland Chinese Church 301-250-1138 85 Orchard Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Good News Memphis Church 901-206-7891 764 Chatwood Cove, Memphis, TN 38122

Good News Nashville Spanish Church 615-927-8980 120 Arbor Knoll Blvd., Antioch, TN 37013

Good News Minneapolis Church 612-384-2090 3000 West Broadway Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55411 Good News Orlando Church 407-312-4028 3164 Knotty Pine Ave, Winter Park FL 32792

WEST COAST

Good News Central Church 213-386-0097 3500 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90004

Good News Tacoma Church 253-582-3599 10103 South Tacoma Way, Lakewood, WA 98499

Good News Hawaii Church 808-679-2800 1219 Keeaumoku St., Suite 400, Honolulu, HI 96814

Good News Albuquerque Church 505-301-7167 3001 Cuervo Dr., N.E. Albuquerque, NM 87110

Good News Houston Church 210-315-0346 6534 Rolla St., Houston, TX 77055

Good News Dallas First Church 972-272-4724 4502 Lawler Rd., Garland, TX 75042

Good News Phoenix Church 480-273-2199 9001 West ELM St. #5, Phoenix, AZ 85037

Good News San Jose Church 408-893-2267 1548 Curtner Ave., San Jose, CA 95125

Good News Sacramento Church 916-996-4655 3501 Bradshaw Rd. #115, Sacramento, CA 95827

Good News Las Vegas Church 702-248-0572 2880 Red Rock St., Las Vegas, NV 89146

Good News Oklahoma Church 405-535-9553 5801 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73119

Good News Salt Lake Church 801-656-5299 353 Park Creeke LN #B, Salt Lake City, UT 84115 Good News O.C. Church 714-226-0595 3330 W. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim, CA 92801 Good News Anchorage Church 907-258-9987 1020 W. Fireweed Lane, Anchorage, AK 99503 Good News El Paso Church 915-309-7075 5763 Montoya Dr., El Paso, TX 79932 Good News Portland Church 971-300-1127 6225 S.W. Dale Ave., Beaverton, OR 97008

CANADA & CARIBBEAN

Good News Vancouver Church 1-778-881-5508 409 Goyer Ct, Coquitlam, BC V3K, Canada Good News Ottawa Church 1-647-770-3379 275 Rue Laramée, Gatineau, QC J8Y 3A1, Canada Good News Toronto Church 1-416-321-2004 70 Mcgriskin Rd., Toronto, ON M1S 5C5, Canada Good News Jamaica Church 1-876-318-0189 63b Deanery Road, Kingston 3, Jamaica W.I.

Good News San Antonio Church 210-993-9414 405 Walton Ave., San Antonio, TX 78225

Good News Dominican Republic Church 1-809-350-1429 Calle 26 #2, Valle Verde 1, Santiago, La Republica Dominicana

Good News Denver Church 720-308-3442 8279 E Kenyon Ave., Denver, CO 80237

Good News Haiti Church 509-70-8253-2511 Rue Jeremie #22 Delmas 33, Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Good News Kansas Church 816-210-0351 1301 E 100th TER, Kansas City, MO 64131