The Goodnews - January, 2012

Delivering the Gospel & the Testimonies of Grace

January 2012

We All Must Believe That God Is with Us Sermon of the Month

The Meeting with the Pastors in Santiago A Grain of Mustard Seed

Delivering the Gospel & the Testimonies of Grace

January 2012

Contents 4 Photograph & Testimony 8 S alvation Testimony This Great Mercy, This Great Salvation 18 Sermon of the Month We All Must Believe That God Is with Us 30 Open Heart “If I Only Had!” 32 Admonition of the Lord God Who Gave Us Jesus as a Gift 40 Shadow of Christ Wisdom Crieth Without; She Uttereth Her Words 47 Words of Wisdom If I Die Tonight I Shall Go To . . .

52 Iron Sharpeneth Iron Let Us Move to the Spiritual Life of Acts Chapter 9 60 A Grain of Mustard Seed The Meeting with the Pastors in Santiago 64 Meditation and Contemplation Our Deceitful Heart

The Good News (Vol. 194) is published monthly by Good News Publications, Inc., 606-45 Shinwol 2-dong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, Korea Phone: +82-50-2244-9191 Fax: +82-50-2244-9192 E-mail: goodnewseditor@gmail.com Chairman, Chief Executive Officer: Yong-hwan Kim Editor-in-Chief: Yong-hwan Kim Art Director: Ji-ae Sohn Chief Printer/ Press: Taek-ki Lee / Chokwang Printing, Inc. The Good News was registered as a monthly magazine with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on December 22, 1995. Registration No. Ra-11398 Printed on January 1, 2012. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of Good News Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2012 by Good News Publications, Inc.

Photograph & Testimony _ Uganda

Happiness Trip to Mukono The missionary sent me on a penniless witnessing trip to Mukono with Sister Monic. We planned to stay for a week at the house of a pastor of our acquaintance.

However, we unexpectedly got lost on the way. God revealed our heart that we sought an easy and comfortable way rather than relying entirely on God. “Let us commit meals and residence to God and pour our heart only to the gospel.”

God gave us the heart to love and respect the gospel, and we witnessed the gospel to whomever we met following the given heart. Not only meals and residence, but also a vehicle for the way back, God prepared everything for us. Although I was poor at English, I could taste the happiness of witnessing during the trip, and I miss Sister Monic, who was my witnessing partner.

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Testimony • 5

Photograph & Testimony _ Burundi

Unforgettable Witnessing Trip to Nyenzi Nyenzi is a country town of Burundi, where there’s no electricity and water service, and telephone service is not available as well. It’s in a deep valley of the mountain so that it takes one hour from Kirundo, a four-hour distance by car from Bujumbura.

On getting out of the car, many people gathered around us and welcomed us, and they showed great interest in us foreigners as they followed us whenever we moved our steps.

This witnessing trip is more unforgettable than any other time because of the pure heart and sincerity of the villagers caring for strangers. For the three days and four nights in Nyenji, mosquitoes kept us up all night, and all we could eat was sweet potatoes and beans. It was a hot and tough time not being able to wash for a few days, but we felt so happy preaching the gospel to the people.

6 • The Good News January 2012

Testimony • 7

Victoria W. Wollie (Good News Monrovia Church, Liberia)

8 • The Good News January 2012

Salvation Testimony

I was born in a Christian family and trained to the doctrine of the Episcopal Church, but it could not lead me to the truth of the forgiveness of sin. I hated my life falling deeper into sin, but I did not have the willpower to change it. Rather, I fell into sin much deeper. On top of that, I had to take refuge abroad to escape the Liberian Civil War, and my husband abandoned and left me. On the verge of destruction, I was connected to a church and the Word I heard there taught me that I am already a sinner. I heard the gospel at the Bible Retreat and could be saved from sin. Now I want to share this pleasure with my loving children and everyone in the world.

Testimony • 9

I disrespected my parents and followed friends into doing things that I knew were wrong but I didn’t have the willpower to stop and control myself.

BEING BORN INTO A CHRISTIAN FAMILY COULD NOT GIVE ME THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN

My parents are from a small town called Fish Town in Maryland County in South Eastern Liberia. Maryland is a county close to Liberia’s border near Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Fish Town is a coastal town making it a place easily accessed by early missionaries.

My father told me that it was through the sea access that missionaries from America and England came with the gospel to this small town, Fish Town. My grandfather became a Catechist and shared 10 • The Good News January 2012

the gospel with my father.

My father said this is how his Christian life began.

My father moved to the American rubber plantation, Firestone, in search for a job.

There he met my mother and I was the first child borne.

When I was growing up, my father told his children about God and salvation through Jesus Christ. I believe he must have told my mother about God because my mother went to the same church with him and she had no previous church affiliation.

We attended an Episcopal Church. My father was very passionate about worshiping God and he wanted me to be trained to the doctrine of the Episcopal Church so he enrolled us into schools operated by the Episcopal Church. I was baptized at an Episcopal Girls’ School, Bromley Mission and later became confirmed. We learned the Confession of Sins, and many other prewritten prayers that we recited at services. We never

Salvation Testimony

prayed our own prayers but we used the pre-recorded prayers. I learned the Ten Commandments and recited them clearly. I was taught that I needed to abide by the Ten Commandments. So when I realized I had failed in any, I needed to confess my sins to God and my sins will be forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ.

I HATED MY LIFE BUT I DID NOT HAVE THE WILLPOWER TO CHANGE IT

We went to church frequently and prayed sometimes; and, my father would call for prayer every now and then.

I wondered so many times whether God heard our prayers. My parents were poor and struggled to support us in terms of getting just one meal and even more to give us education. I heard my father sing hymns whenever he was alone or was in a contemplating state of mind. Even though my parents were Christians, in Côte d’Ivoire they went to fortune-tellers and sought

blessings from the ancestors by paying homage to the dead. Whenever there was a problem, my father would get up early in the morning and called on the spirit of his mother to help him.

I disrespected my parents and followed friends into doing things that I knew were wrong but I did not have the willpower to stop. I had a very bad temper and I would use profane language. I went with my friends to parties and night clubs where we drank alcohol. I only went after earning money and satisfying my fleshly desires.

My life became more and more miserable as I followed my friends. I went deeper and deeper into sin. I hated myself. I did not have the willpower to change it.

Yes, I had heard of Jesus. It was compulsory to memorize the Ten Commandments, and otherwise I would fail the subject.

I was encouraged to keep the Ten Commandments so that I can appear holy Testimony • 11

I was disappointed in going to church because I could not find an answer to the problem of my sins. I felt the church was too holy for a person like me. before God. I was told that Jesus took my sins away. At the same time, I was taught to say the confession prayer and repent of sin whenever I realized I have sinned. I read and studied the Bible as part of my school lessons and at church when the priest called for reading.

Whenever I read the Bible, I became frightened. I prayed whenever I had difficulty asking for God’s help.

I doubted that God listened to my prayers and that scared me more. I could not find any way out of my sin and guilt.

Satan put a thought in me, “You better satisfy your flesh 12 • The Good News January 2012

in the world. You cannot go to heaven.” At this crucial point, I was at a crossroads and Satan was putting thoughts in me like; “You cannot live a Christian life. Just live and have fun. When you die it is finished.”

If God is there why did He make me this way? Why do I continue to do the things I know God hates even when I purposed in my heart I will not hurt God? Why can’t I find some answer in the church? I was disappointed in going to church because I could not find an answer to the problem of my sins. I felt the church was too holy for a person like me. I blamed myself for my sins and wanted to stay far away from God. ON THE VERGE OF DESTRUCTION

I lived like this for many years and in my innermost part, there was something wrong with the way I was living my Christian life. I began to search for how I could live a life free from sins. I began

Salvation Testimony

Miraculously, through the Lord’s grace, I received a U.S. Visa and was able to visit the New York Church and Manhattan last September.

moving from one church to the other. I tried to take the Holy Spirit like others. I would throw myself on the floor and roll, but I knew this was false. I tried to speak in tongues, but it was all falsehood.

I listened to many sermons and teachings but there was something still missing. And the problem was with sin. I read in the Bible that God is holy so we need to be holy.

I struggled to attain a clean holy Christian life. I would

repent and pray and at that moment I would believe, “OK, I have repented. God has forgiven me, and I am now free from my sins.” But, not even an hour from that point, I again found myself guilty. I would pretend that I was a good Christian in the presence of people. However, during my private time, when I did an evaluation of myself, I found out that I am like Naaman, the captain of the host in 2 Kings chapter 5. I realized that in the Bible, God Testimony • 13

The pastor referred us to the book of Leviticus chapter 4, in which the laws of sin offerings were explained.

I have never been told about this. is a just God. My falsehood was deceiving myself. My heart was heavy and I had no true joy.

In this desperation, the Liberian Civil War began and I traveled to Côte d’Ivoire as a refugee. Meanwhile, I had limited contact with my husband. During one of our conversations on the phone he informed me that he was now married in the U.S. because life was difficult for him so he needed a partner to help him. At the same time, I had to cope with my daughter who was seriously sick. I was disappointed and frustrated.

I decided to solve the prob14 • The Good News January 2012

lems using my own method. I courted a man with marriage in mind, but finally we departed. It carried me further and further away from God and deeper and deeper into sin and degradation.

RESCUED BY THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL

Then I moved with my family to Ghana. My sister encouraged me to go to church to hear the Word of God. We worshipped once at a Ghanaian church, but because of the language barrier, we did not understand the sermons; so, we stopped going to church. One day my sister informed me that she had met a Liberian who told her that she was worshipping at a Korean church where the people spoke little English.

Upon hearing this, we went to the church (Good News Mission Accra Church) the next Sunday.

I listened keenly even though the English that was spoken was very poor. Citing the Words in Romans 5:19 the

Salvation Testimony

At an IYF promotional event held at a college. I hope that Jesus will be established as the Master of the hearts of the youths.

pastor began his sermon by talking about how we became sinners.

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

(Romans 5:19) I became astonished at that information, “So, I was already a sinner?” My ears opened very wide so that even with the poorly spoken English, I wanted to know more and more about how I could put away sin. All

along I was made to believe that the sins I committed made me a sinner. The pastor referred us to the book of Leviticus chapter 4, in which the laws of sin offerings were explained. I have never been told about this. My eyes began to open to the plan of God for us as the pastor led us through the Scriptures in Romans 3:19–24. . . . But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and Testimony • 15

I was glad to know that Jesus finished my sins and the sins of us all. In order for us to share in His grace we only need to believe and have faith. the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Then there was a one-week Bible Retreat in December 2003 in Tema, Ghana. I did not know that my journey to the Bible Retreat in Tema would be the turning point in my life. The pastor led us through the book of Genesis about creation and the fall 16 • The Good News January 2012

of man. At the Retreat I was able to understand the passage: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. I was always confused with this statement. If we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God then how can we qualify for heaven? Many of my friends and I justified ourselves with the kind of life we lived, but my mind was troubled. Deep down in my heart, there was a missing piece in the plan of God these many years I lived as a Christian.

During the Bible Retreat, Romans chapter 3 verses 19 to 26 came alive in me. I surrendered all of my efforts seeking my own righteousness, and accepted the righteousness of God through faith in Christ Jesus. It felt like a burden that I had carried became lifted off my back. I was glad to know that Jesus finished my sins and the sins of us all. In order for us to share in His grace we only need to believe and have faith.

Salvation Testimony

With my dearest children and grandchildren at the church. As God promised, He led them to salvation and connected them to the church.

NOW SHARING THE TRUTH WITH MY CHILDREN

I am thankful to God who gave me the grace to participate in the Bible Retreat.

Following this experience, I shared my experience of my new birth in Christ with my two sons and two daughters.

It was hard for them to switch to the direction I had decided to take. I had led them for many years into different churches since they were young; now I am telling them I was wrong. They were con-

fused and asked questions like “How do we know that you are not wrong this time? Who knows where else you will be leading us?”

It took more than five years, but God led my children to receive salvation. They have participated in the IYF World Camp in Ghana and in Liberia. Now we are all attending the Good News Monrovia Church. I am so grateful to God for bestowing His great mercy upon me and gave me this salvation.

Testimony • 17

We All Must Believe That God Is with Us An Excerpt from One of Pastor Ock Soo Park’s Sunday Services

. . . And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.

And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice. And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul.

Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

(1 Samuel 18:1–16)

18 • The Good News January 2012

Sermon of the Month

THROUGH THE CONFERENCE AT KOREA UNIVERSITY

My son currently ministers in New York, but a few years ago when he was in Korea, we went on a trip. After driving for a while, my son spoke.

“Father, I have something to tell you.”

“Go ahead and tell me, whatever it may be.” I slightly closed my eyes and listened to my son’s words.

“We are preparing to hold a conference at Korea University, but students from the Christian clubs, who misunderstand us, bother us so much that I don’t think we can hold the conference. The

students and teachers have all lost heart also.”

I said to my son, “Was there ever a time when we were not bothered when we preached God’s gospel? It’s because you haven’t seen the work of God. He will work, so don’t worry at all.”

My son heard my words and was strengthened. He then held the conference at Korea University. Many students were saved at the conference, and afterwards, IYF was registered as a club at Korea University, making it the first among universities in downtown Seoul to have the IYF as a registered club. I could feel my son having faith in God Sermon • 19

We must meet God through service.

If you all meet God, you get to put down before God whatever problems you have and enjoy peace and freedom. working as he witnessed the IYF club being strengthened and changing.

THE GOSPEL COMES AGAIN TO NEW ORLEANS

In 2005, 80% of downtown New Orleans was submerged in water due to Hurricane Katrina. The entire city was devastated, and the number of robbers increased as well.

Since the robbers possessed guns, even the police could not come near them, so snipers shot down and killed many of them.

Once I told my son about New Orleans. “Yeong-kook, in 1989, a sister at the LA 20 • The Good News January 2012

Church asked her friend living in New Orleans over the phone whether she would like to come to LA and listen to Pastor Ock Soo Park’s sermon. The friend said that if Pastor Park were to come to New Orleans, around 40 people could gather to listen to the Word. So I went to New Orleans and held a conference at a family home where around 40 people gathered, and they listened to the Word and were all saved. After that, it was great communicating with each other through letters. Upon hearing criticism about me from other established churches, they closed their hearts towards me, and we lost touch with them.”

My son heard my words and prepared for a conference.

Since he didn’t have much money, he stayed at a vacant house that he had rented and witnessed with the short-term missionaries on the streets.

Seeing them, the residents were worried and said, “It’s dangerous here. You shouldn’t walk around like that.”

Sermon of the Month

However, the New Orleans Church began as the shortterm missionaries met people, house-to-house, who had lost loved ones and were deep in sorrow, heard the gospel and rejoiced. The missionaries in the U.S. all wanted to be the one to do ministry in New Orleans.

BECAUSE OF A HEART TO TRUST ONESELF

The question of whether people become corrupt or live dwelling within the power of God has a common starting point. When people living their spiritual lives are told that someone became corrupt, most of them say, “How did they live their spiritual lives that they ended up like that?” and think that they themselves won’t be like them.

As I preached the gospel several times to inmates as a member of the Prison Rehabilitation Committee, what shocked me was the fact that there is a kind of heart that is set in those who end up in prison. People are normally

reluctant to commit crimes because they are scared of going to prison, but the majority of the people in prison were people who believed in themselves, not thinking that they would commit crimes.

Meanwhile, I have become a lecturer on mind education, and as I read the Bible and looked at people’s hearts, I came to know that whether it may be someone who does drugs, someone who commits suicide, someone who gets a divorce, or someone who goes to prison, it all begins from a heart of believing in oneself.

Likewise, when people who live a life of faith turn onto the path of corruption without themselves knowing it, it begins from a heart of believing in oneself.

Why have you all come to church this morning? Did you perhaps attend service out of habit? We must meet God through service. If you all meet God, you get to put down before God whatever problems you have and enjoy peace and freedom. Then the Sermon • 21

heart that you had before coming to service and the heart that you have afterwards absolutely cannot be the same.

The woman caught in the act of adultery was caught in the very act of adultery. She was in the state of being dragged to death by stoning, but she met Jesus. Was the woman still afraid after meeting Jesus?

No, she was not. The woman changed.

This morning, Jesus is together with us. Why do you come to church with your problems and still take them when you walk out the doors of the church? Why do you live the life of a powerless Christian, unable to overcome a single desire of the flesh? Is it because Jesus is not living and at work? No, it is not.

Living a life of following the thoughts that Satan

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gives, with a heart to believe in oneself saying, “This much is good enough,” is what is making us be the way we are.

Then, they gradually fall into sins and their flesh, but there are so many Christians who live unable to feel that.

“IT IS FINISHED!”

After the Prime Minister of Kenya attended the IYF World Camp in Kenya this August, he sent his secretary stating, “The future of Kenya depends on its youth. Please deliver this mind education not only in Nairobi, but also to youth leader representatives from the 47 districts.” Then a couple of

Sermon of the Month

days later, they contacted us again saying, “We will send youth leader representatives from the 210 electoral districts of Kenya,” so we prepared a Mind Education Camp. And the Kenyan Minister and Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports happened to know IYF very well, so they took charge of the work, and we were able to deliver mind education to about 3,000 Kenyan students for one week. I was so thankful to the Lord, “God, who else would I believe but You?” Everyone, do you see God working in our church? You believe in the God who lives and works in our church, but why do you not believe in the God who dwells and works in each and every one of you?

The Good News Gangnam Church is a church formed of every single brother and sister gathered together. If anyone among you meets God and has the faith that “God will also dwell and work within me,” that person becomes the happiest person in the world.

In Genesis 2:1, God said “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished,” but one day, the serpent came to the woman (Eve) and said: “Ye shall not surely die. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” The woman heard the serpent’s words and thought, “The heavens and the earth were not finished. I have to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and do something more,” and ate the forbidden fruit to be as the gods. Rather than becoming as the gods, she fell into sin.

The Words “It is finished” (John 19:30) spoken as Jesus died nailed on the cross are giving proof to the fact that Jesus has washed away all our sins and fulfilled all conditions for the Holy Spirit of God to work within us. When you realize that fact, you are liberated from sin, enjoy true freedom, and receive the grace of being able to go boldly before God. Sermon • 23

When you try to strive towards faith after being saved, Satan works. God also works when Satan works. He gives us fear before a certain problem.

However, in this day and age, Satan still deceives people once again saying, “No. Jesus washed away sins on the cross, but you still commit sins so that sin remains,” and many people are tied down by their sins, suffering and distressed, even though they read the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. In the same way, even as people who are saved believe that their sins have been forgiven, because they are deceived by Satan, they are unable to believe that God will dwell in them and work; as a result, they themselves bear their problems and become miserable.

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IF WE ONLY TAKE A STEP FORWARD BY FAITH IN GOD

After God established Saul as king, He told Saul that He would surely be with him, stating, “God shall be with you.” If you look in 1 Samuel chapter 11, it says that the Israelites in Jabesh Gilead, which is to the east of the Jordan, went out to the king of Ammon and said, “Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.” The king of Ammon said, “On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes.”

Hearing this, the people of Jabesh Gilead wept, and King Saul heard their weeping as he was coming behind the herd from the field.

The Spirit of God came upon Saul, and when he cut a yoke of oxen into pieces and sent them to each tribe of Israel saying, “If anyone among you does not follow me, I will cut into pieces all of your oxen,” 330,000 gathered and went up to Jabesh Gilead,

Sermon of the Month

defeated the Ammonites, and gained a victory. At that time, Saul saw that God was with him, and the people also saw that God was with Saul.

Next, if you look in 1 Samuel 13:5, the Israelites trembled when they saw that the Philistines had 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude.

Even though Saul had fought against the Ammonites and prevailed the last time, he was afraid, and also trembled, seeing the people tremble.

When you try to strive towards faith after being saved, Satan works. God also works when Satan works. Satan first gives us fear before a certain problem, making us hesitate, thinking, “Ah, I don’t think I can do this.” If I am about to witness, he gives us fear to prevent us from witnessing, and if I am about to give an offering, he gives us fear making us think, “If I give this as an offering, how do I live?”

He gives us fear like that and blocks us from boldly going

on the way of faith towards God. But if you look in 1 Samuel chapter 14, Jonathan was in the same position as Saul was, but when he and his armorbearer entered the enemy camp, God worked. If we only take a step forward and start running towards the enemy camp, God works in our footsteps.

IF WE HEAR THE VOICE OF SATAN

It was in 1987 that my collection of sermons, The Secret of Forgiveness of Sin and Being Born Again, was published for the first time. Because of the Basic Press Law at the time, approval of publications was not done freely, and I had to look for a place to publish the book among licensed Christian publishing houses.

Then one day, I happened to meet Dr. Young-ho Park of the Christian Literature Crusade. While he attended the WEC Mission’s theological seminary in England, he met WEC missionaries Kays Glass Sermon • 25

and Derek Earl, who had returned from doing missionary work in Korea. They told him to meet Pastor Ock Soo Park if he returns to Korea.

After Dr. Young-ho Park saw my manuscript, he said it would be great to publish it as a collection of sermons and called for the editor-in-chief.

When that person saw me, he asked “Pastor Park, what brings you here?”

“Have we ever met before?”

“I’ve attended your conferences several times and am also saved.” He took charge of publishing my collection of sermons. In this way, as God accomplished these things that seemed difficult and unlikely to work out, He showed me the fact that He is God. Let us look at 1 Samuel 16:1.

And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? . . .

Even though God gave Saul many chances to repent, he did not listen to the voice 26 • The Good News January 2012

of God, sank into fear and gave up. As God could not work through Saul, God forsook him, and anointed David as the king of Israel.

If those people, who were joyful after being saved, hear the voice of Satan, they lose heart thinking that it is burdensome and that they will be ruined when they actually try to begin doing the work of God, and just give up, saying “I have no faith.” If you just attend service, do not get persecuted, and pick out and do only those things that are not burdensome, and for which God does not need to work, you cannot experience God’s power.

Even though we are saved and are the children of God, Satan gives us fear to make us think we should not do the Lord’s work, and it makes us into feeble people through whom God cannot work.

WHOSE VOICE ARE YOU ALL LISTENING TO?

Once we come to 1 Samuel chapter 17, Goliath appears

Sermon of the Month

in the war between Israel and the Philistines. Saul and Israelites were trembling before the towering warrior Goliath. However, David said that he would fight against the Philistine. When Saul told him that he was too young, David spoke. “The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” As Saul heard his words, he must have thought “Before when Nahash of Ammon invaded, I also was victorious because God was with me. What has happened to me?”

This morning, do you all listen to the voice of God? Or do you listen to the voice of Satan?

God is speaking to each and every one of you. “I am with you. I will fight this fight.” But what does Satan say? “Who says

God is with me? I have no faith.” Whose voice are you all listening to? It is here that believers are divided into two types.

One day, a sister called me on the phone. “Pastor, this is Washington. My husband’s lifelong wish was to learn the Word from you in missionary school, but I prevented him.

My husband now has cancer and the doctor says he doesn’t even have six months left to live. Would you accept my husband into missionary school?”

I thought about it after hearing what she said. “If I call this brother to

Sermon • 27

Whoever you may be, you have become holy through the blood Jesus shed when He was nailed on the cross, and all conditions were thereby met. come, then all that’s left for me to do in four months is to hold a funeral. I’m so busy getting around preaching the gospel. Why would God send such a person in the U.S. to Korea and make me hold his funeral? God would never do that.” So I told that sister to come to Korea with her husband.

One day, when I went to the brother’s quarters, I saw his wife making some food in a small rice pressure cooker because most of the brother’s stomach had been cut off due to stomach cancer and he couldn’t eat properly. When I thought about this young 28 • The Good News January 2012

man dying, it was such a pitiful sight, so I laid my hands on the brother’s head and prayed: “God, I know that You love this brother more than I do.

May You bestow grace upon him.” After that prayer, he did not die even after four months passed, and he is still living in the U.S.

ONLY BY BELIEVING THAT GOD WORKS

This is the living God we have. Everyone, unite your hearts with the church. Since you have been deceived by Satan and do not know that God is with you, do not arrogantly judge the servants and the church of God. You yourselves are also one part of the church of God. If the church is holy, all of you are also holy. If the church is able, then all of you are also able.

Let us look at 1 Samuel chapter 18 that we read today.

And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have

Sermon of the Month

ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. (1 Samuel 18:8–9) The Holy Spirit of the Lord was with Saul, but now, because Saul has abandoned the Spirit of the Lord and is being deceived by the spirit of Satan, he listens to the words of the evil spirit. A heart determined to kill David arose in him.

When David was playing the lyre, Saul threw the javelin at him, but David got away.

Later, Saul threw it again. In the end, Saul descended from the precious position God had given him to a position in which he was cursed.

Brothers and sisters, after being saved, if you accept all the thoughts that make you

arrogant, you do not want to join in the work of the church and gradually become people who judge. Such people cannot experience the God who is with them, and we can see precisely that humanistic thoughts increasingly lead them towards a heart different from God or the church, and they go to a position in which they are cursed like Saul.

Whoever you may be, you have become holy through the blood Jesus shed when He was nailed on the cross, and all conditions were thereby met.

As a result, God can work in all of you. God is together with all of you. Believe in that God. If you forsake the voice of Satan that gives you fear, saying “God may not work in me,” and walk boldly with faith in God’s Word, He will surely work powerfully in all of you.

Pastor Ock Soo Park Senior Pastor of Good News Gangnam Church Chief Advisor of International Youth Fellowship (IYF) www.ospark.pe.kr Sermon • 29

“If I Only Had!”

D. L. Moody

C

ries echoed through the corridor of a large lunatic asylum in America: “Oh, if I only had!”

A doctor was taking a friend around, and he had passed through several of the wards when he came to one in which there was an unfortunate madman who seemed in terrible distress. The poor man was occupied walking up and down his cell, wringing his

30 • The Good News January 2012

hands in agony, and wailing out over and over again, “Oh if I only had! Oh, if I only had!”

“What is his story?”

“He was the keeper of a railway bridge over one of the great rivers down south. His business was to open it for ships to pass, and then close it before the train came by.

One day a heavy excursion train was scheduled for the afternoon, and strict orders

Open Heart

were given not to open the bridge for any one between the hours of three and four as a precaution against any accident. Several people came to him, asking him to let their boast down channel, but he refused; one man offered him five pounds if he would do it, but he wouldn’t.

At last a few minutes before four, the train hadn’t been signaled, and he began to think, perhaps it wasn’t coming after all. Just then a great friend of his came up and implored him to open the bridge. He told him half his fortune depended upon his being able to catch the tide that evening; and at last the keeper, who had resisted the bribe, gave way to his friend’s entreaties.

He let the vessel through, and was just going to close the bridge when he heard the shriek of the engine right ahead of him. He threw up his hands in hopes of signaling to the driver to stop.

But, of course, it wasn’t any good. The train ran right

on, down into the river with an awful crash. When they went to look for the bridge keeper they found him standing wringing his hands and shrieking, ‘Oh, if I only had!’ just as he is doing now, sir; that is eight years ago next September.”

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Isaiah 1:18–20) The fate of falling deep into the everlasting despair lies before you. At that time, you will also echo the cry, “If I only had accepted Christ, I would have been saved!”

Accept Jesus as your Savior before it’s too late.

(A story by D. L. Moody) Small Talk • 31

God Who Gave Us Jesus as a Gift

Why do people try to receive God’s blessings and answers by standing before Him with their efforts and sincerity, which is different from the message from the Bible? Being deceived by Satan, they believe that they can please God if they try harder.

They still believe that they have something that they can please God with. This heart, which indicates that they trust themselves like Cain did, keeps them from relying on God.

THOSE WHO TRIED LIKE CAIN

God does not accept us even though we fast, pray fervently overnight and cry for hours. Let’s say that we can live a conscientious life, go to church every Sunday, and give offerings and tithes. These cannot make God show His 32 • The Good News January 2012

power in our lives, or accept us happily. We are like fried seeds, so we cannot bloom beautiful flowers to please God. That is why human work and efforts cannot make God happy to earn His blessings. Instead, we rebel against Him. People pray for their chil-

Admonition of the Lord

dren to enter good colleges, or for their spouse to get promoted at their job. When they do not receive answers from God, they pray harder because they think their lack of zeal or spiritual life causes this problem. After trying several times without getting any answers from God, they finally give up and conclude, “I cannot do it.”

Many people try to receive God’s blessings by their zeal, efforts, and sincere life, instead of relying on the promise of God, but human work or holiness cannot attract God’s heart to bless people. Even though only the faith toward Jesus can change God’s heart to bless people, they still try to stand before Him with their sincerity and hard work just as Cain tried to please God and receive His blessings by his work.

We should realize

that relying on our own deeds is wicked, is betraying Christ, and going against God. “THY FAITH HATH SAVED THEE.”

There is a story about a sinful woman in Luke chapter 7.

And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an

Sermon • 33

People try to be blessed by their work, righteousness, and zeal. That is because they do not know that God already forsook their useless flesh. alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

(Luke 7:36–38) This woman received the great blessing of salvation.

When Jesus granted His grace to the woman, He did not do it because of her fragrance or tears. He did it by seeing her faith.

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little 34 • The Good News January 2012

is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

(Luke 7:47–50) As it is written, Thy faith hath saved thee, Jesus blessed her by seeing her faith. He didn’t do it by seeing her fragrance, tears, or sincerity.

Since the woman felt so filthy about herself, she had nothing to bring to God. She was so filthy that her neighbors despised her. She even despised herself. That was why she could only hold Jesus Christ. She went to Jesus by only trusting Him as Abel did.

This way God sees only our faith toward Jesus Christ, not our efforts or sincerity, but people try to be blessed by their work, righteousness, and zeal. That is because they do not know that God already forsook their useless flesh with

Admonition of the Lord

which they cannot serve Him at all. They do not realize that they are like the sinful woman, whom God is never able to accept.

WE WHO HAVE BORNE THE BURDEN AND HEAT OF THE DAY

There is a parable about a vineyard in Matthew chapter 20. The owner of the vineyard went out early in the morning to find workers, and he sent them into his vineyard after deciding their wages. After sending more workers into his vineyard, he went out again the eleventh hour (around five in the afternoon) and found more people still idling around. He sent even these people into his vineyard. After the sun set, the owner began to pay to workers, and people who came earlier burst with their complaints.

So when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And

when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. (Matthew 20:8–12) The reason they complained was that they claimed that they endured the burden and heat of the day, but they were treated the same as those who worked only for one hour.

God treated the sinful woman the same as the Pharisees, and all the workers in the vineyard were the same before Him. But whoever trusts himself thinks that he is better than others. The owner of the vineyard did not see the hard work or sincere heart of Sermon • 35

Cain went to God trusting in himself.

He did not trust the promise of God as the workers who went into the vineyard early in the morning did not. those who endured the burden and heat of the day as they worked all day long. He only reminded the workers of the promise he made with them.

They only needed the promise they made with him and the faith in it. In this parable, we can understand that God does not see human efforts, sweat, hard work, and trials. The owner of the vineyard only saw the promise he made with the workers.

THE GIFT THAT WE CAN GET BY FAITH

Since God does not expect anything from us, He forsook us as He did Saul. That is why 36 • The Good News January 2012

He wants us to stand along with faith only on Jesus before Him. God gave us Jesus Christ as a gift so that we could rely on Him. In Matthew chapter 20, we see how human work and efforts go rebellious against Jesus. We need to realize that the faith in only Jesus will please God and earn His grace.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8) According to this verse, our salvation is not up to our holiness and work. It can be earned only by believing the work of Jesus Christ. That is why it is called a “gift.” Not only salvation but also receiving the answers of prayer and blessings from God is a gift.

The reason that God took only Abel’s offering and not Esau’s is because of Abel’s faith. After Abel found that he could not please God, he went before God with faith.

He relied on only the lambs and its fat, which represents

Admonition of the Lord

Christ. God did not accept Abel’s offering because of his sincerity. God considered his faith and accepted his offering.

Cain went to God trusting in himself. He did not trust the promise of God as the workers who went into the vineyard early in the morning did not. He did not trust Jesus Christ. He did not need to rely on Christ because he thought that he was doing fine for himself.

AS SINS WERE WASHED AWAY ONCE FOR ALL

Why do people try to receive God’s blessings and answers by standing before Him with their efforts and sincerity, which is different from the message from the Bible?

Being deceived by Satan, they believe that they can please God if they try harder. They still believe that they have something that they can please God with. This heart, which indicates that they

Sermon • 37

Being freed from sins cannot be done by our repentance, efforts, and sincerity. It can be done by only trusting what Christ has already accomplished. trust themselves like Cain did, keeps them from relying on God. Many people cannot receive God’s blessings because they go before God by trusting themselves instead of believing the promise of God. For a long time, we have been soaked in the idea, “Sincerity is the way of heaven,” which means that if you try with sincere heart, heaven will be touched and help you. But this idea is not the Word of God. This is only human idea and logic.

Before I received salvation, I was full of sins. To wash my sins, I used to pray 38 • The Good News January 2012

daily. Sometimes I prayed with tears, fasted, or prayed overnight. But by doing this, I could not wash my sins. I became more sinful. One day when I left the room of prayer at the church, I heard a voice from myself, “Are those all the sins that you have committed?” I realized that I had a lot more sins than I had prayed about to be forgiven. When I prayed for my sins, the burden became heavier.

One day I listened to the gospel. The sins that I had wished to be washed were cleansed once for all. When I listened to the gospel, I could have the faith, thinking “My sins were washed as white as snow on the cross.” Since then, my sins could not suppress me anymore.

Likewise, being freed from sins cannot be done by our repentance, efforts, and sincerity. It can be done by only trusting what Christ has already accomplished. In order to receive God’s blessings in our life, we need to believe what Christ has completed.

Admonition of the Lord

BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT THEY COULD NOT SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS ALONE

We have heard in church how people, by faith, received grace and answers from God. Whoever experienced these testimonies know that they were in the situations that they could not do anything alone.

Brother John Choi revived after his heart stopped four times after stung by a poisonous scorpion. Sister Elim Jeon recovered from yellow fever by faith while other patients in her ward at the hospital all passed away. Sister Soo-hyun Choi was healed by faith after receiving prayer by Pastor Ock Soo Park even though she was paralyzed from myelitis, and Samsung Medical Center informed her that she would

have to live lying on the bed for the rest of her entire life due to her incurable illness.

All of these people relied on only God from the beginning because they knew that their problems are beyond their ability. Since they are humans, they have problems and cannot live perfectly, but God blessed them without seeing their holiness, but by seeing their faith.

Unless they denied themselves, they could not have faith. Faith is rely on Christ because you cannot do anything alone and believe that Christ has completed all.

Since we are fried seeds, or dead seeds which cannot bloom any flowers, God gave us Christ as a gift on whom we can rely on.

Pastor Dong-sung Kim Senior Pastor of Good News Daegu Church Sermon • 39

Wisdom Crieth Without; She Uttereth Her Words

The Lord cries at the streets, in the squares, in the openings of the gates and in the middle of city uttering His voice to speak to our hearts. Regrettably, however, there are countless people who are being destroyed after following their own thoughts, rejecting the wisdom of the Lord haughtily. We become men of God when we listen to His voice and put off ourselves, who are stupid and foolish, to have the same hearts with God.

SINCE JESUS GAVE WISDOM

Proverbs chapter 1 of the Old Testament shows us what the wisdom does.

Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in 40 • The Good News January 2012

the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my

Shadow of Christ

spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

(Proverbs 1:20–24) We can see the Bible saying, “wisdom speaks and cries loud” many times in the book of Proverbs, and I didn’t know what that truly meant.

Jesus, who is true wisdom, gave me wisdom while I was arrogant and rushing into sinfulness, and He allowed me to acknowledge “Ah, I was not doing the right thing! I was wrong!” and I was able to turn away from it. I was able to experience the Lord raising that kind of heart in me every moment since I received salvation.

A HEART I NEVER FELT HAS ENTERED ME

I had despised wisdom before I received salvation, and I went through a lot of difficulties in the year of 1962 especially about when I was saved. I failed in everything I attempted, and everything I did turned out to be shameful and sinful. I was haughty and arrogant at that time,

and I was not even aware of that. I thought I was good and smart. I thought I was an upright man since I was attending a church.

As I looked around after a long time, I saw that I was impatient, and I had put my hands upon the matters foolishly thinking that I could do it well with such a haughty mind only to spoil them. I put myself into the troubles although it could have been much better if I had left it alone. I could see my own effort destroying me and dragging my life deeper into the sinking sand, and that left me tremendous practical and physical damage. I can see it clearly now when I carefully think about it: many thoughts that I hadn’t had come to me, but I had always rejected them from my heart.

On one of those days, I had a chance to think about myself. As I pondered my life, every single thing that I did until then was a failure.

I could have left those matters alone, but I confidently Sermon • 41

On that day, a thought I never had before entered my heart and started to teach me clearly.

It taught me that I was foolish and arrogant indeed. troubled them only to make things worse off and causing me shame. I had never even once thought that way until then, but I could feel that wisdom entered me and vividly illustrated my image to me that day.

I thought that I was a decent, good and faithful person in front of God since I had been attending church regularly from my youth.

I was so foolish and stupid enough to think that I was that kind of a person. That day, however, my eyes began to see that I was not a good person as I looked at myself in detail. I was getting along 42 • The Good News January 2012

with my friends for wicked things even though I attended church. I was picking the fruits from a stranger’s orchard when my friends did the same. I was jealous of others’ prosperity. I was insistent of my opinion on matters and was trying to separate people’s heart to hinder other’s opinions from being taken when mine weren’t.

In my heart, I started feeling, “Ah, I was not a good person indeed, nor a smart or gentle person!” as I saw myself like that. The hearts that I never had before came to me. I could see that my judgment was always wrong.

Finally, the heart, “If I follow this thought I will surely fail!

I will be cursed and be destroyed!” was inscribed in my heart. I reached a conclusion that I should not trust myself and was able to have a heart to deny myself from trusting myself.

I used to attend the early morning prayer meeting every day to confess sins I had committed the day be-

Shadow of Christ

fore asking for forgiveness.

I prayed like that every day for a long time, but not even once could I believe that my sins were washed away as I asked by prayer. I started every day with that prayer in the early morning and always ended up going with friends, doing the same wicked things as usual in the evening. After I committed sins like that, I had to suffer from condemnation when I prayed at the church the next day.

That day, however, God bestowed special grace upon me. After I confessed all my sins and asked for forgiveness, a heart I never had before came into me. A heart that could believe that Jesus washed all my sins started to arise in me. The moment when I received salvation in 1962, a heart I never had before had clearly entered me.

THE WISDOM OF THE LORD CRIED AND SPOKE TO ME!

How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the

scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

(Proverbs 1:22) I once used to be so foolish and haughty that I liked to despise others. I took delight in any small thing that I could boast about. I continued living a stupid life without knowing that my soul was rushing into destruction.

On that day, a thought I never had before entered my heart and started to teach me clearly. It showed me that all my work was in vain. It taught me that I was foolish and arrogant indeed.

I had no aspect of myself which I could be proud of, but still I was proud of myself since I considered myself as smart. Having nothing good in myself, I still thought that I was a good person just because I attended church and believed in Jesus, but the Lord gave me wisdom with which I could see myself exactly from my heart. Lacking that wisdom, I had to live a foolish life, but I could see my image precisely and Sermon • 43

My life changed since I received the assurance of forgiveness of sin.

The same Bible that I was reading before came to me in a different way. distrust myself as wisdom entered. I was able to receive God’s grace because for that reason.

Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, . . .

(Proverbs 1:20–21) “Ah, Jesus, who is the Wisdom of God has been knocking the door of my heart often! That is why Jesus came into my heart and opened my eyes! Wisdom informed me that I was wicked, filthy and foolish. And that 44 • The Good News January 2012

morning, the reason I could have the heart that all my sins were forgiven by Jesus when I rose after confessing all my sins was because the wisdom the Lord had taught me. He cried and spoke to me!” I realized this truth.

WISDOM LED ME CLOSER TO THE LORD

My life changed since I received the assurance of forgiveness of sin. I started reading the Bible, and the same Bible that I was reading before came to me in a different way. It was not because I was that bright, but because the wisdom of Jesus came in my heart and opened new eyes that I could read the Bible with. That wisdom led my life, so I could get closer to the Lord. I was behaving arrogantly as if I were great although I had nothing to be proud of, but wisdom showed me that I was a foolish person so I could deny myself and be led by the wisdom.

When I was led by the Word of wisdom, the Lord changed

Shadow of Christ

my life. As time went by, I could get closer to God, so He could work in me. I can see even now that the Lord is working in me and leading me through His wisdom, so I could receive the grace of witnessing the gospel.

Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: (Proverbs 1:24–25) I used to live like this Word. The wisdom of the Lord told me not just once but many times at the street, at the square, at the chief place of concourse and at the opening of the gate continuously but I didn’t want to listen to it and rejected it.

One day, however, the wisdom came into me and enlightened me.

He opened my eyes so I could see myself and

learn how foolish, arrogant and wicked I was. Through that, He let me repent from the heart of trusting myself.

Now, I am living the life being led by the wisdom, the Word of God. The Holy Spirit, the wisdom of God in me, is leading me, so I can live the life of faith.

NOW BECOMING A PERSON THAT RECEIVES WISDOM

I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; (Proverbs 1:26)

Sermon • 45

When we listen to His voice and become same minded with the Lord, we become the people of God and the servants of God that He is pleased with.

The wisdom of God taught numerous people in the days of Noah about the impending destruction. The people, however, despised the wisdom and rejected its voice.

They were foolish, and they would think accordingly, “It won’t rain. Even if it does, it will rain just for one day or so.” As the result, all of them were cursed and died before God. We are stupid and foolish even now. I can feel how stupid, foolish and haughty I am. At the same time, the wisdom of Jesus that entered me, teaches me and leads me out of wrongdoings. I can see 46 • The Good News January 2012

that the Lord is leading me with His graceful hands.

The Bible says, He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:11–12).

The Lord is uttering His voice, speaking to our hearts even now at the street, at the square, at the chief place of concourse and at the opening of the gate in the city. I am so sorry that countless people are being destroyed after following their own thought rejecting the wisdom of God due to arrogant hearts.

God is speaking to us today, to each and every one of us, through His great grace and mercy. When we listen to His voice, escape from the foolish self, and become same minded with the Lord, we become the people of God and the servants of God that He is pleased with.

(An excerpt from Pastor Ock Soo Park’s sermon)

Words of Wisdom

If I Die Tonight I Shall Go To . . .

“W

hat a strange place for a meeting!” So people thought and said; but the owner of the coach-house, the late Dowager Lady Fowell Buxton, of Cromer, Norfolk, felt honoured in being able to put it to so good an account.

The meeting was over, the audience had dispersed, the young coachman was putting out the lamps, when the gentleman who had been speaking suddenly returned for something he had left behind. Having found it, he was on the point of again leaving, when the coachman’s inquiring look caught his eye. He stayed, and said kindly, “Well, James,

have you decided on whose side you mean to take your stand for time and eternity?”

“Indeed, sir,” said the young man lightly, “I think there is plenty of time for the likes of us,” looking at his young wife beside him. “Of course, we hope to go to heaven like other people, but we are young, and have a long life before us, and don’t trouble about that yet.”

“What!” exclaimed Mr. B. kindly, but gravely, “do you trifle thus with eternal consequences? Will you do one thing for me now—tonight, before you go to bed? Will you take a sheet of paper, and write on it these words, ‘If I die tonight, I shall go to hell!

Small Talk • 47

And fasten it over the head eration “by and by.” of your bed?” James, who The paper, pen and ink was secretly troubled about were brought. James knelt his soul, replied respectfully, down by the table, and with without thinking much of it a flourish began to write in at the time, he would do what large hand across the paper, the gentleman asked him.

“If I die tonight, . . .” and then They went to their little he stopped and looked at it. house in the yard, and, after Really it was very solemn! It supper, were just retiring to brought death home to him rest, when his wife said, more closely than he had ever “O, James! You must do what had it before. He was seriyou promised the gentleman.” ous enough now. And as he “So I must! Bring me the ink pondered it, the clock over and some paper, and I will the coach-house in the yard do it now,” said he, desperstruck eleven. It sounded like ately. Now, James was not a the knell of his departure—If bad man, nor indifferent; but I die tonight! He trembled for thought if he did his duty, he was not ready. and kept himself out of evil His past life rose before company and the like, he did him. His sins moved by in very well. Of course he was awful, silent review. There not “fit to die,” but he did not was no relief to his mind—no think of dying yet; he meant blood that he knew—no to give it more serious consid- cross. He had heard of these 48 • The Good News January 2012

Words of Wisdom

things, but had given no heed—like other young men reading this now. Be warned!

And if he died tonight, what then?

Mechanically his hand wrote, “I’ll go to hell!”

How he started. There, in his own writing, was the answer to his thoughts. The room appeared to grow darker. The gloom on his soul deepened. Could he pin that dreadful sentence over his head and sleep? Never! It made him shudder to think of it. Not in all his life before had he passed through so much. He had not thus faced the truth—he knew it was the truth. What should he do?

How escape? He was riveted to the spot. His eyes were glued to the paper—a ser-

mon, short, pointed, personal, written by himself. Surely his heart must burst; and, as he thought, a drop fell—a tiny drop, but his quick eye caught it—fell on the last letter of that last dread word, and blurred it. Whence came it?

Another fell! He looked up hastily; his young wife’s eyes were full, and, as he looked, they quite overflowed. ’T was the last straw.

And drawing her to kneel down there beside him, they wept together. Wept, to think of their thoughtlessness! Wept, as danger, near, but unfelt Small Talk • 49

before, was felt now: wept, as the sins of their past life came to remembrance!

The clock struck twelve.

And as the midnight hour tolled out distinctly on the silent air, they cried anew for mercy, as if the day of mercy, too, were going fast. The night grew cold; but they felt it now.

The icy horror of dying and going to hell was colder still.

The clock struck one. Then James said, “Get down the Bible, wife, and let us see if we can find any comfort there, for this despair is too awful to endure.” Eagerly they turned the pages of God’s own Word, not knowing where to look, yet in their deep anxiety searching on, sure that here, if anywhere, escape was to be learned. But it seemed to them as if all they saw written 50 • The Good News January 2012

there was but a confirmation of their worst fears. Awful holiness of a God forgotten!

Solemn judgment of sin! Sure wrath to come!

The clock in the yard struck two. They were on their knees still, scanning the sacred page; now, turning away in agony of soul, as each time they looked but showed them more forcibly the sentence of God against sin.

The clock struck three. No light yet. The candle burned low, and, as with a last gasp of despair, went out. No thought of rest—their hearts were too heavy.

The clock struck four. The grey light of morning came, but they did not heed it.

Darkly brooded the gloom on their souls, needing more than nature’s light to dispel.

Words of Wisdom

Now James raised his head and again drew the Bible to him, and read; read, just where it had fallen open when they pushed it from them, “I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:25). Did his eyes deceive him? Were these Words really there?

How had he not seen them before? What light shone into his heart! What hope was in his voice, as, quickly pointing them out to his wife, he tremblingly, yet joyously exclaimed, “See, wife, this is what we want! Oh, let us look for some confirmation of this word!”

They turned on, and in the next chapter read in verse 22, I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and,

as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee.

“It is enough, O God,” they cried. “We do come to Thee now through Thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.” They raised their tearful eyes in happy thanksgiving to heaven, adding, “We praise Thee for so great love, in forgiving so great sinners.”

And that summer morning, as the clock in the yard struck five, these two anxious, seeking souls found, what you, reader, may also find—joy and peace through believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.

A new life, thus commenced, soon manifested itself; and James shortly began to warn others of that which he had escaped—dying and going to hell.

(A story by J. C. Rainey) Small Talk • 51

Let Us Move to the Spiritual Life of Acts Chapter 9 Resurrection needs to coexist with death. As the Words of God are very precise and sure, whoever is not walking on the way can only be rebellious against the church.

When the first button is fastened wrong, the rest of the buttons would fit wrong as well. Likewise, if the spiritual life is commenced in a state without repentance, such as Simon the sorcerer, life can only be entirely wrong.

52 • The Good News January 2012

Iron Sharpeneth Iron

SIMON THE SORCERER, A EUNUCH FROM ETHIOPIA, AND PAUL THE APOSTLE

In Acts chapter 8, there is the story of Simon the sorcerer and the story of a eunuch from Ethiopia. Although Simon the sorcerer listened to the gospel, he had never repented before. Thus, he used the gospel for the profits of his flesh. Simon tried to purchase the ability upon seeing the Holy Spirit descending when Peter and John laid on their hands. That was the way Simon treaded on after listening to the gospel. It holds true nowadays. If we can’t repent from ourselves although we know the gospel, we can only live while chasing after the profits of the flesh.

It is said that the Ethiopian eunuch, who appeared subsequently, went on his way rejoicing after receiving salvation. Upon reading the Scripture, I wondered, “What would have happened if this eunuch was connected with the servant of God and the church of God?”

Subsequently, there is the story of Paul the apostle receiving salvation in chapter 9.

After Paul received salvation and repented from himself, he was connected to the church as he was led by the hands of Ananias, and God made him a precious worker of the gospel. In Acts chapter 8, there is the image of the people who don’t repent from themselves although they have heard the gospel, and the image of the people who went on their own ways rejoicing. In chapter 9, there is the image of the people who become connected with the church and become the apostles as their faiths grow while listening to the Words of God. THE ENTIRE LIFE MUST BE REPENTED

We have to be replaced from Acts chapter 8 to chapter 9.

Whether it is Simon or the Ethiopian eunuch, we have to be replaced with the image like Paul. In order to do that, we have to repent first. We need to get out of ourselves.

Sermon • 53

People don’t mostly tend to confess.

That’s because the subject of comparison is not the Word of God, but the people around them.

The first provision among the Ninety-Five Theses that were made by Martin Luther who raised the Protestant Reformation is, “When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said ‘Repent,’ He called for the entire life of believers to be repented.” In order for us to be replaced from chapter 8 to chapter 9, our entire lives must be repented just as how Paul the apostle repented from his entire life. Nothing can proceed in the state where we haven’t repented. When a certain problem comes to pass, the hearts of the people who haven’t repented would 54 • The Good News January 2012

be deprived by it. They will be deprived of time when they have it, and they will be deprived of money when they have that. Like how we would be deprived of nutrition although we eat foods when parasitic worms are living in us, the people who don’t repent use everything for themselves in whatever they do. Whether they have money or time, they can only be deprived to the side for the flesh. Hence, such lives are evident.

Simon the sorcerer accepted the gospel in the state where he didn’t repent.

Although he followed the apostles with that state, his image was eventually revealed when a condition was given.

He seemed to be together with the gospel in the beginning, but he was rebellious against the gospel when a condition was given.

WHY CAN’T THEY CONFESS HONESTLY?

People don’t mostly tend to confess. That’s because the

Iron Sharpeneth Iron

subject of comparison is not the Word of God, but the people around them. They just live while saying, “Aren’t all the people evil anyway?”

Therefore, they don’t fight against themselves nor do they fight against the people around them. Isaiah fought until the stump left. As accepting the gospel without the repentance only leads to being rebellious against the church, Isaiah didn’t allow such things and kept pruning them away.

The saints with salvation these days do not fight. They live while allowing the flesh.

Even in so doing, they believe that they are the people who have repented before.

Simon the sorcerer didn’t try to change his heart although he was living only for his flesh. If he had repented before God, he would have confessed saying, “It is all false in that I am being regarded as a great person. I only have been deceiving the eyes of the people. I have been foolish.”

Why would that be difficult? However, a lot of saved people with positions nowadays are bound by their thoughts, and are unable to bring them out, and they say, “I have been pursuing the church in my life, and what would I become if I confess my figures? What would the other people think of me?”

How can the works of God be done with such hearts? And how can they serve God? If we truly have repented from our entire lives, why wouldn’t we be able to say, “I have been treated as a great person like Simon the sorcerer, but I have only been harmful to the church. I have been a deceitful person deceiving many people.” If we truly have repented from the heart, why can’t God lift us up and use us like how He lifted up and used Paul? Why can’t we believe in God who can work so?

God knows all of our concerns and is watching over our lives. Moreover God is able to do anything. If we Sermon • 55

The way that Paul walked before he received salvation was to establish his own righteousness while being ignorant of God’s righteousness. accept that God, why aren’t we able to confess before God, and commit ourselves to God? Simon the sorcerer didn’t stand before God who knows precisely about him.

The Ethiopian eunuch couldn’t commit himself to the Almighty God. Thus, the paths walked by Simon the sorcerer and the Ethiopian eunuch had nothing to do with the ways of God. DEATH NEEDS TO COME FIRST BEFORE RESURRECTION

Paul the apostle repented precisely from himself. Paul said that he didn’t have any 56 • The Good News January 2012

iniquities in terms of the laws before he received salvation.

While he was in Judaism, he served God with all his heart.

There is a Word in Romans chapter 10 verse 3 saying, For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, that is also a testimony of Paul the apostle. The way that Paul walked before he received salvation was to establish his own righteousness while being ignorant of God’s righteousness.

Paul was heading towards Damascus with soldiers armed with swords and spear, in order to kill the people who believed in the ways of resurrection to establish his own righteousness. He met Jesus on the way. Thereafter, his life, which he had lived while being ignorant of God’s righteousness, was finished along with the life of pursuing his own righteousness.

His own righteousness that he had established was all shattered into pieces. As his life to establish his righteous-

Iron Sharpeneth Iron

ness was crumbled down, the purpose of life also left from him. Thus, Paul had a thought in his heart thinking, “What should I do now?” As Paul testified how he received salvation in Acts chapter 22, a scene can be seen in where Paul met Jesus on the way to Damascus and asked, “What shall I do, Lord?” Thereafter, Jesus sent Ananias to Paul, led him to the church, and shared the will of God towards him. It was not a world, which was in Paul, but it was a new world that was not in Paul. It is not in the world where we think within ourselves, but there’s a world where God spreads. Why are you not coming into that world but staying in the world where you can spread?

As people don’t know the righteousness of God, they try to establish their own righteousness. All the people who try to establish their own righteousness dislike the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God is

the righteousness of resurrection; hence, in order to receive resurrection, death needs to come beforehand.

When the servant of God prunes out the ego of the people, it can be seen from some people becoming angry. Rebukes and interferences are made to teach that we are incompetent and evil as resurrection comes after death, but people don’t like this. Most people hate bending down their hearts. How can the resurrection be upon such hearts? How can God possibly work inside such people?

Are you not busy establishing your own righteousness? Are you ignorant of God’s righteousness, and are you not adhering to your own righteousness? All we have to do is break ourselves down, but as people don’t want to apply that to the practice, they become narrow minded, more nervous, powerless in whatever they do, not free, and rigid in their lives.

Sermon • 57

We need to repent now. We have to be the people who can receive guidance from the Word of God. From then on, we can live the life of Paul.

ALTHOUGH THE EVIL IS NOT SEEN NOW

Resurrection needs to be together with death. As the Words of God are very precise and sure, whoever is not going on that way can only go against the church. Just as if the first button is fastened wrong, then the other rest of the buttons would be fastened wrong, when spiritual life commences in a state where repentance is not done, as Simon the sorcerer did, life can only be wrong. There are many people who haven’t repented even among the people who received salvation, and they are walking on the 58 • The Good News January 2012

wrong ways from the beginning being deceived by Satan.

Such people can only live for their flesh.

The starting points of Simon the sorcerer and Paul the apostle were different.

One repented and the other didn’t when they began the spiritual lives. If you don’t repent then you will ultimately become a rebel. You can travel with the church while keeping your will intact, but in the result, you can only turn your back on the gospel. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you are not evil because nothing evil is seen from you now.

Also, we shouldn’t regard that the only evil things we can see now are the only our evil things. That’s because from the people who haven’t repented, dirty and evil things that they don’t even know themselves can occur at anytime.

Nowadays, many born again people, who haven’t repented, interfere in the works of the gospel to establish themselves. I also had lived like that too. I didn’t real-

Iron Sharpeneth Iron

ize even though I was doing foolish things. God showed my evil images precisely and made me hate myself, and turn my back on myself.

It doesn’t really mean that we are not evil because we don’t feel evil in ourselves. We don’t know how evil and foolish it is to believe in ourselves.

We need to discover how dirty it is to live spiritual life without disposing of ourselves.

LOOK BACK UPON THE LIFE YOU HAVE BEEN LIVING

People, who repented, can be led by the voice of God. Even though the Samaritan Woman was living with her sixth husband, she met Jesus, the true husband, so that she could no longer be swayed by temptations. The people, who do not give in although

the flesh is tempting them, are the real people living the spiritual lives. God wants us to be led by the voice of God and be used for the works of God. Unfortunately, so many people, who have received salvation, are giving in to their eighth husband, ninth husband and so on, even though they have met their seventh husband.

If you have lived so, look back upon your life. How dirty and foolish has your life been? We need to repent now.

We have to be the people who can receive guidance from the Word of God. From then on, we can live the life of Paul.

We will become like a little Paul, a little Peter and a little Jesus in this generation, and God will accomplish His will through us. How beautiful is that life?

Pastor Young-joon Park Senior Pastor of Busan Daeyeon Church Sermon • 59

The Meeting with the Pastors in Santiago

“THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INVITING ME.”

God worked marvelously in many ways during the Santiago World Camp. It was especially amazing how God worked at the meeting with the pastors in Santiago.

The Mayor of Santiago invited the representatives of many religious associations: Pastors, priests and many other religious leaders participated in the camp. Many pastors in Santiago had heard a rumor from Korean missionaries that Good News Mission was a cult, and they closed their hearts toward us.

However, after listening to my sermon, they started to open their hearts, although they did not open them completely. We had a reception for VIPs after 60 • The Good News January 2012

the opening ceremony where I had a chance to preach the Word and talked about the Bible as usual.

On the second day of the camp, we had a meeting at the church of the pastor who was representing the entire religious association. There, I preached the Word of God again, and many pastors who attended the meeting opened their hearts. Nevertheless, we could see that they still were apprehensive about us and distanced themselves. The mayor of Santiago talked to those pastors: “I have been to Pastor Ock Soo Park’s church in Korea. It is a great church. I urge you to meet Pastor Park in person.”

On the afternoon of the last day of the camp, 47 pas-

A Grain of Mustard Seed

tors representing the Santiago religious body gathered and asked me to join them. When I went there, the chief pastor said, “I do not know about Pastor Ock Soo Park well.

Since we gathered here today, you can see him and hear from him by yourselves to make your own judgment regarding him.” Then he gave me time to speak. I tried to talk about the gospel from the beginning, but I ended up expressing my thanks to the chief pastor.

“In Korea, many pastors speak ill of me behind my back and call me a cult leader, but no one has ever come to me face to face and said it. Thank you so much for having me here with you.”

views concerning the salvation that you and the Good News Mission are preaching. Can you tell me about your view on salvation?” I was very thankful to God since I really wanted to speak about the gospel.

I stood up and started to talk.

“I did not know about the heart of God at all and lived inside of myself for a long time. I thought I had many sins, struggled following my own decisions, and prayed with tears to receive the forgiveness of sins. On the other hand, when I thought I did Through the meeting with the pastors during the World Camp, I was given a chance to witness the Word of God.

“I BELIEVE THIS WORD WRITTEN IN THE BIBLE.”

Thankfully as our conversation went on, the pastors asked me many questions, listened to my answers, and opened their hearts. At that time, a pastor stood up and said, “I have heard that there were many conflicting Testimony • 61

well before God, I was satisfied and pleased with that. I had no interest in knowing how God thought of my spiritual life.

I lived my life relying on my own view of myself. If I considered myself a good person, then I thought I was good. If I considered myself as an evil person, I thought I was evil.

Nevertheless, in a court of law, how meaningful is it for the accused to think of himself as a good person? Even though he insists he is innocent, his word has no power. Only the judge’s words have power. Likewise, in our spiritual life, judgment about me is not made by myself, but by God. I did not care what God was saying to me before, but one day I realized what God said about me was very important.”

I opened the Bible and read Isaiah 53:6.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

I continued my speech, “The Bible says that it is not 62 • The Good News January 2012

we who passed our sins over to Jesus, but God. Since God has laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all, our sins are not on us, but they are on Jesus. Therefore, Isaiah 53:5 says, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.

Jesus was wounded and crucified on the cross for our transgressions and for our iniquities.

Hence, it is for sure that all of our sins are washed by Jesus’ death on the cross.”

Finally, I spoke about 1 Corinthians chapter 6, “In 1 Corinthians 6:10, it says Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And verse 11 says, And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Doesn’t the Bible say it very clearly? God says that our sins were washed by Jesus’ death on the cross, we became righteous and we became holy.

I believe this Word, which is written in the Bible.”

A Grain of Mustard Seed

“WE ARE GOING TO HELP YOU AT THE NEXT CAMP.”

All the pastors’ facial expressions began to change, and they started to show that they were moved. I witnessed all of them opening their hearts and receiving the gospel.

When I finished my sermon, all of them stood up. One person grabbed me by my hands, and another person hugged me with tears saying, “Pastor, you are like my father.” There were also those who were saying, “Please lead us spiritually. We opened our hearts toward the Good News Mission, and we will work together with you. Now, we know that the view you have on salvation is the truth.” On that day, at that time, the Holy Spirit worked strongly among us. It was such a blessed time that all of us were led by the Holy Spirit.

All the pastors representing the Santiago religious body opened their hearts and became one with us. I was so happy that we could work together for the gospel. As I was

hearing them say, “We will help you at the next camp,” I felt very thankful. I gave each of them a copy of the book of sermons, The Secret of Forgiveness of Sin and Being Born Again. We even had our pictures taken together and spent a great time together.

BECAUSE GOD LEADS PEOPLE TO US . . .

God changes people’s hearts.

How thankful I am to see how many people, who closed their hearts and went against us, changed their hearts, came into the gospel and serve the Lord! God’s works in Santiago were unforgettable and valuable blessings.

Even now, God opens the door for the gospel in front of us, changes the people who went against us, and leads them to us. That is the reason why we can do God’s works even though we are so deficient. I give thanks and glory to God. (An excerpt from With the Gospel to the Ends, With the Lord to the Last

by Pastor Ock Soo Park) Testimony • 63

Meditation and Contemplation

Our Deceitful Heart

G

od wanted to shower food on the city of Samaria where people were starving so severely that they boiled and ate their sons. God said through Elisha, “The food will be abundant tomorrow about this time.” However, an officer, on whose arm the king was leaning, denied God’s Word saying, “If the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?”

For a long time Satan has established the heart in us that is the same as the heart of the king’s officer. Hence, we could not receive the blessing of God that poured out from the Word.

Nevertheless, when we discover that our heart is deceitful and corrupt, then we receive grace to deny our hearts and believe in the Word of God as it is. Our heart is helpless and died on the cross just as that officer was trampled to death. Now, when we accept the Word itself by faith, we will experience the overflowing blessings of God.

66 • The Good News July 2009

www.goodnews.kr

Good News Mission Churches • Good News Central Church 3500 W. 1st St. LA, CA 90004, USA Tel.1-213-386-0097 • Good News Tacoma Church 10103 South Tacoma Way Lakewood, WA 98499, USA Tel.1-253-582-3599 • Good News San Jose Church 1548 Curtner Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125, USA Tel.1-408-723-2029 • Good News New York Church 300 Nassau Road, Hungtington, NY 11743, USA Tel.1-631-745-4734 • Good News Atlanta Church 11011 Rogers Circle, Johns Creek, GA 30097, USA Tel.1-678-473-1594 • Good News Chicago Church 4825 W. Jarlath St. Lincolnwood, IL 60712, USA Tel.1-847-329-0237 • Good News Kingston Church 63B Deanery Road, Kingston 3, Jamaica W. I. Tel.1-876-620-9340 • Good News Mission Baptist Church-Tema Good News Mission. P.M.B. Comm. 1, Tema, Ghana (W/Africa) Tel.233-22-305857~8 • Good News Monrovia Church 19th Street Sinkor, Monrovia, Liberia Tel.231-6-445360 • Good News Mission(K) Nairobi Church P.O.Box 57329, Nairobi, Kenya -00200- Tel.254-729-398912 • Good News Kampala Church P.O.Box 33441 Kampala, Uganda Tel.256-414-271-357 • Good News Mission(Burundi) Bujumbra Church B.P 2207 Bujumbura, Burundi, Central Africa Tel.257-79901723 • Good News Mission(R) Kigali Church P.O.Box 3539 Kigali, Rwanda, Africa Tel.250-78-8610363 • Sydney Grace Church 72-74 Joseph St Lidcombe NSW 2141, Australia Tel.61-2-9749-2114 • London Good News Church Cambridge House, 16 Wellesley Road, Croydon, CR0 2DD, UK Tel.44-20-8761-0054 • Orissa Good News Church AT/PO Dugudi, Via, G.Udayagiri, Dist. Kandhamal (Phulbani) Orissa-762100, India Tel.91-94-380-00095