Ep 479 - Africa Part 1
Africa 114-39-12-40 - February 16, 2022
Yesterday we had a beautiful, victorious celebration with True Mother. I think many of you are inspired by our True Mother’s guidance and also by Dr. Yun’s report. We just got news that True Mother has invited major leaders to Chun Jung Gung. Sooner or later we will be able to see our True Mother.
Today I’d like to talk about “Africa ” from True Mother’s Anthology, Book 1.
You are in a position where you have received the marriage Blessing and become true olive trees, so you should not sit still. Instead, you should grow and multiply. You need to fulfill the mission of tribal messiahs. You need to make every effort to let others know of True Parents. How wonderful it would be if wild olive trees could become true olive trees, and if all wild olive trees in the world could be transformed into true olive trees at once! You all wish to live in a more advanced country, a wealthier country, don't you? From God's viewpoint, however, you are better qualified to go to the kingdom of heaven. A person who owns much in this world needs time to get rid of it all. On the other hand, when it rains in the desert, all the water is absorbed. You can absorb all these teachings and multiply more quickly than the people in more advanced nations. What I mean is that you can realize the Will faster than others because you are in a position of innocence. You should dream big.
This is my fourth tour of Africa, and this is the very time when you blessed families should be fulfilling your responsibilities. Though you may not own much externally, you possess a lot internally. You have now reached maturity. The time has come for you to carry out the New Mind, New Life Campaign and the New Community Movement. Each and every one of you should have a sense of ownership, and work hard with the thought, “This is my country.” You should have big dreams. You are now different people. You need to become true olive trees and sow seeds. I hope that Kenya will become an internally advanced country. (2006.07.20, Nairobi, Kenya)
“You should have big dreams. You are now different people. You need to become true olive trees and sow seeds.”
One of the things True Mother emphasizes the most is to dream big. Why does True Mother tell us to have a big dream?
The reason God sent the Messiah to this world was to save all humankind. Likewise, God did not call us only for the salvation of one individual or family.
One reason I have been able to turn my life around 180 degrees after joining the Unification Church is because I realized that God called me for the sake of the salvation of the nation and world, not just (for) individual salvation.
After this realization, I came to have dreams and visions for the salvation of God’s nation and world.
Since then, whenever I thought of something, I started to think about the world and humankind. The dreams I have had for myself all this time surpassed the nation and expanded to the world level. However, while thinking of world salvation, the world of my heart began to gradually widen, and my attachment for God and True Parents’s world salvation became stronger, and my prayers became even deeper.
Therefore, if the reason we joined the Unification Church was only for the blessings for myself and my own family, then God’s dream and my dream cannot become aligned.
We must clearly know that the object of God and TP’s salvation is the world and humankind. Therefore, we must have a clear sense of calling that we were chosen for the sake of world salvation.
True Parents emphasize to us to have big dreams, then to whom do dreams belong?
To whom do dreams belong?
1. Dreams belong to those who have a dream.
First, dreams belong to those who have a dream. What kind of dream do you have? If you stay in your own dreams, they will become dreams that have nothing to do with God, and it will all flow away. That is why we have to dream God’s dream. God’s dream must become my dream. When God’s dream truly becomes my dream, that dream becomes a true dream. That is why the Bible says that where there is no vision, the people perish. It means that if the dreams I have are unrelated to God, I will perish.
(Then) nothing (is) connected to Heavenly Parent.
2. Dreams belong to those who visualize them and desperately want them.
Second, dreams belong to those who visualize them and desperately want them. If I have a dream of fulfilling God’s will, I must be very desperate in realizing God’s dream. Whether I dream for myself or dream for God, the reason it is not realized is because there is no deep heart of desperately needing to realize that dream. True Parents say that it must be more desperate than a baby longing for his mother’s milk, crying and crying.
The mother has no choice but to provide milk, right? In order to realize our dream, what is the most important thing? How desperate I am. (I need to have a) longing heart to reach my dream.
3. Dreams belong to those who believe in them.
Thirdly, dreams belong to those who believe in them. No matter how much we dream, if there is no belief that it will surely be realized, that dream will not be realized. However, if I have the conviction that my dream comes from God, that dream will be realized. Dreams that come from God will be accompanied by absolute faith the more you look towards that dream. You must have absolute faith that if my dream is not my own but it is for the nation and humankind, it will surely come true.
This is the point.
4. Dreams belong to those who acknowledge and declare them.
Fourth, dreams belong to those who acknowledge and declare them. In Genesis 1:28, God declared to Adam and Eve the Three Great Blessings, which were His dream. He said to be fruitful, multiply, and have dominion over creation. Jesus also came to this earth and declared the dream about God’s nation (Kingdom of Heaven). Jesus said to the people, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is now close at hand.” True Parents also came to this earth and declared God’s dream of God’s nation and the salvation of humankind. Therefore, we must also accept the dream of God’s nation as my own dream and digest and declare God’s dream as my dream to every person I meet. We must declare to all humankind that now is the era of Cheon il guk. We must declare that now is the golden age when God’s dream will be fulfilled.
5. Dreams belong to those who pay for them.
Fifth, dreams belong to those who pay for them. No matter how big your dream is or how (much) it is a dream for realizing God’s nation, if you do not pay the price for realizing that dream, you can never actualize the dream. If you do not pay the price, you cannot get anything. Therefore, in order to realize my dreams, I must offer more devotion, more jeongseong, putting in more of my utmost sincerity, and shed blood, sweat and tears more than anyone else.
Without paying the price, my dream will never be realized.
True Parents often emphasize having a big dream. Why? God’s vision and True Parents vision is to save all humankind. That’s why I need to have the same vision and the same dream as True Parents. Our goal is to save all humankind and the world.
LIVING DIVINE PRINCIPLE: Principle of Creation 19 - Living For The Sake Of Others
Let’s study the content of the EDP content:
Center of the Universe
● Considering the purpose of existence of the individual embodiments of truth that make up the material universe at different levels, we can surmise: energy exists in order to form particles, particles exist to form atoms, atoms to form molecules, molecules to form matter, and matter exists for the creation of all the individual entities in the universe.
● The activity of matter is for the purpose of constructing the universe.
● What is the purpose of the universe? What is its center?
> It is none other than human beings.
> This is why God, after creating human beings, commanded them to have dominion over the universe.
Human beings have dominion over the universe.
Even Heavenly Parent absolutely follows the law of the universe. What is the main principle of the law of the universe? That is living for the sake of others. Even Heavenly Parent absolutely follows that law, (that is), living for the sake of others. Energy lives for particles, particles for the atom … like that. Finally human beings need to live for the sake of God, and God has no other choice, (but) to follow his own law of the universe. He needs to live for the entire universe and (for) human beings.
Therefore, it is concluded that the existence of myself must also live for the sake of others according to the laws of the universe.
Based on this content, let’s study again our Father’s word.
<32-106>From now on a great revival movement shall begin through the altars of the Unification Church beginning from Asia (필리핀) and reaching the entire world. The realm of resurrection here does not refer to the realm of resurrection of the individual; rather it refers to the realm of resurrection of the world that goes beyond the people and nation. Therefore, we should grasp the nation with our left hand, and the world with our right. You should shed tears for the nation with the conviction that this nation is necessary in order to recover the world, and become sons and daughters who follow God as he cries for the sake of the world.
True Father declared that a great revival movement through the Unification Movement will happen worldwide.
This speech was a long time ago -- in the early church. (At that time) he already declared this.
Then the issue is how can we realize this, the realm of resurrection of the world?
First is to grasp the nation with our left hand and the world with our right hand. Secondly, in order to find the world, (to) have the heart that this nation needs.
Third, shed tears in order to find the nation and world. Then, the realm of resurrection of the world can happen.
When all of us Unificationists witness to individuals and witness to tribes, if we shed tears thinking that we need this to find the world, then the realm of resurrection of the world can be realized.
Therefore, if all our North American Blessed families shed tears while offering jeongseong together for the sake of world salvation, the realm of resurrection of the world will definitely be realized.
Once again, the key point of True Father’s words is for all blessed families to live for the sake of the whole world and shed tears for the sake of all humankind.
This is the way a great revival movement can happen.
If there are sons and daughters who fight in tears to become a sacrificial offering for the sake of the salvation and liberation of humankind in this world beyond the people and nation, and without regard to one’s own salvation or the salvation of one’s clan, from them a new historical, global movement shall arise bringing a new global transformation. Isn’t that so?
Then the countless nations who see this and the rest of humanity who are unable to take part in this movement would thank them for shedding the tears that they were supposed to shed and submit before them in tears. You must understand that a new ideal of the Kingdom of God shall be advanced in this way.
How can true salvation for the individual and salvation for the tribe be realized?
Father said it is to forget about my own individual being saved, forget about my own family being saved, and fight in tears to become a sacrificial offering for the sake of the salvation and liberation of humankind in this world beyond the people and nation. Wow!
Like this, when you completely forget about the salvation of the individual, family, tribe and nation for the sake of the salvation of all mankind, a new historical, global movement shall arise bringing a new global transformation. This is where the ideology of the kingdom of Heaven begins.
When you completely focus on world salvation, the salvation of all humankind, then your individual salvation can be accomplished, and your tribal salvation can be done and your national salvation can be realized. That is why Father has continuously said our portion(?packet?) is the salvation of all humankind and the world.
Yesterday someone sent me a long text message relating to Africa. He said, “Thank you, Dr. Yong. I really appreciate the GPA members who came Africa to serve some nations. Wow! America is sending missionaries all over the world: Albania, Europe, South America and Africa.” He said he was very overwhelmed. Even though we are not sending so many missionaries to the world, they are very inspired. Everything that relates to the whole world directly connects to God’s dream.
Whatever we do, the role of America is for all humankind and the world. Don’t ever forget (this). When you focus on the salvation of all humankind and the world, then you don’t need to worry about individual salvation, about family, tribal and national salvation. These can automatically be realized. This is important guidance from True Mother.
God desires for the people of a nation to embrace the will of providence of saving the world over the nation rather than embracing the goal centered on saving a nation and its people. If there are such people of a nation, they can save the world no matter how evil their history may have been. Great Britain was a bunch of pirates in the past. Yet, since they carried on missionary activities of Christianity for the sake of the world beyond the people of their nation, they were able to guide the world civilizations. In doing so, they became an advanced nation of this world through the course of the rise and fall of cultures. It is not because their history was good. They are receiving such blessings because they had become the champion of this pioneering course for the sake of the world while they trod such a miserable path while shedding tears for the sake of the global course to come.
God desires for the people of a nation to embrace the will of (the) providence of saving the world over the nation rather than embracing the goal centered on saving a nation and its people. Wow!
In that perspective, what is God’s wish for America? If we say that America will save the world, God says that it will become a nation that is eternally blessed.
Again and again I realized, even when I was in Asia, how we can inspire our young people. Give them a vision for the world, a vision for all humankind. Let them serve for the sake of the world. Then the young people are really inspired. (Concerning) the vision and dream of GPA, our young generation, we need to always encourage them to go to the world, to all humankind.
When you raise your children, you always want to give them that dream: “You need to serve the world. You need to save all humankind.” You need to have the same mindset, same attitude, same vision and same dream as our True Parents. Then directly our dream and vision will relate to Heavenly Parent.
If each of our Unificationists, each of our second generation and third generation are like that, how much the whole world will appreciate North America.
Today I have given you a top secret: how to inspire young people. Give them vision. What kind of vision? To save the whole world and all humankind. These are God’s wishes. If we only let them grow up within the boundaries of our own nation and culture, then they cannot grow up. What is our goal? One family under God beyond racism, nationalities or any boundaries. All humankind are my brothers and sisters.
We can see these facts through modern history. Thus, we of the Unification Church today must also shed tears. These tears should not be shed for our own sake but for the sake of the nation and humankind. If you can shed tears with this heart, the people of this world shall be resurrected, that nation too shall be resurrected. If there are sons and daughters who offer their entire life and shed tears on that destined path to prepare an altar of repentance and redemption, God would not allow that person to die.
When God asks, “What is it that you desire? Do you wish for your family?” and you answer “No. I do not wish for a family but wish for that nation You are restoring.” If you answer in this way, in tears God will grasp your hand saying, “My beloved, I had been searching for a son like you. I have finally found you.” God would weep and divulge His story to you. This is the kind of setting in which you create a bond with God. In other words, you create a bond in that place where you can say, “Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
Therefore, what must we do to create an unforgettable bond with God?
We should be able to answer that it is to have a desire for the nation and world God is looking for rather than to save myself and my family.
We have a clearer vision on how to raise our second generation, third generation, our youth leaders. Let them go to the world. Surely anyone who goes to the world serving the nations and other continents, they can have an unforgettable experience. Then they can give testimonies for other young people. They can influence them. Let’s give great vision and hope and dreams to our younger generations.
TODAY’S YOUTH MINISTRY: The Servant’s Faith and the Master’s Faith
1. Christians’ faith is believing in Jesus in order for their sins to be forgiven and receive salvation through Jesus. It has nothing to do with Jesus’ circumstances but seeks to receive blessings first by believing. That is why this is the gospel in the ears of servants. But, what kind of gospel can the Unification Church hear? Fallen human beings are willing to bear the cross of suffering for indemnity and suffer. The gospel of Christianity is that “Even though I am worthless and have no merit, I must be saved by the precious blood of Jesus.” This is to see the virtue of Jesus. That is why they seek to receive salvation thanks to Jesus. These kinds of words come from the servant’s way of thinking. It turns out that this is not something to be very proud of. This is like wanting to get a good meal at a wedding venue where you accidentally stopped by when you did nothing.
What is the difference between servant’s faith and master’s faith? The servant’s faith is to first think about his own interests and think that he will be blessed first. On the other hand, the master's faith is to save others through sacrificing himself. Even more, he takes the cross of the country, humanity, and God.
The master's faith is the faith of Hyo-Jeong that he is willing to offer his life for his parents.
2. The gospel that the servants hear is that the incurable disease can be healed. It is the gospel that the blind can see. Their gospel is that the crippled can walk. For those who suffer much and carry the cross, the words of Jesus, ‘Come to me, all who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!’ is their gospel. This is not the faith they believe in because of the owner’s circumstances and wishes but the servant’s faith of seeking to solve my own circumstances and wishes.
It is trying to rely on Jesus because he said that he would remove my heavy burdens and give me rest. When Jesus showed signs and miracles to the Israelites, many of his followers wanted to follow and believe in Jesus simply to fulfill their own wishes, regardless of what kind of God and wishes Jesus came with. That's why True Father called such faith the servant's faith. Of course, among devout Christians, there are not necessarily only those who practice the same faith as servants.
3. In the early days of the Unification Church, a young man went to a very poor country and did witnessing activities. He had nowhere to teach his students, so he gathered them from the streets and taught them. He had nothing to eat and he was often starving. At that time, a very young person favored him and tried to help him, but then he withdrew. The reason was that he thought that if he befriended the young man, he would have to give him what he had. However, the Christian pastor next door came with a car load of food and medicine and supplies and distributed them all to those returning to listen to his sermons. For those who were in poor circumstances, that would have been their gospel. This kind of self-centered faith to achieve something is the faith of a servant.
Self-Denial
4. Motivation is very important to having faith. It is asking if it is faith of believing in Heaven because of my wishes or faith of believing because of Heaven’s wishes. Following a faith centered on one's wishes and circumstances is the servant's faith. A servant's faith does not care at all about his master's circumstances. It is enough to just go to the owner's house, do the work, and get paid. A servant becomes a person who has nothing to do with his master when his circumstances and purpose are resolved. In this way, it is difficult to deny yourself if you are self-centered and find only what you like, not giving any regard to the circumstances of the master. It soon becomes self-affirmation and self-love, and it is easy to fall into injustice.
Denying myself and nailing myself to the cross is to completely get rid of my habits of fallen nature.
To deny myself means to live for the subject's wish and the subject's purpose. This is the true attitude of denying oneself.
On the path of faith, when one's own interests become the motives of one's wishes, it is easy to stop in the middle and betray.
In the end, if it doesn't match one's wishes and desires, he throws everything away and goes back to finding the way he wants.
5. So, we must carefully check the motives of our faith. What motivated you to join the Unification Church? Some people say that the Unification Church helps single men and women marry, so there are people who came in for the purpose of getting married. Some came for business purposes. If so, then that person is a servant. A servant cannot have a heart-to-heart relationship with his master. Isn’t that so? The Unification Church is a place that deals with the circumstances, feelings, and wishes of the owner. If you come to receive your wages, you are only here for work, not because of the owner. Most of all religions today are of that kind.
God always sees someone's motivation when he works in determination. Is his motivation self-centered? Is it centered on God? Is his motivation for himself? Does he work for the whole and God’s will?
Heaven is always responsible for the cases where a person’s motivation starts genuinely from God’s will, but fails on the way. By looking at the path and motives of Adam and Eve’s fall, God decided which one was better or worse, which is on the good side and (which on the) evil side.
God is always checking centering on our motivation. That is why our motivation should be pure, should be for the sake of others first. As long as we have pure motivation, living for the sake of others, somehow we can fail on the way, but God will be totally responsible to encourage me to start again.
6. Are there any religions that claim to know God's circumstances and wishes? If there had been, God would have already worked centered on that group. They all say that they will receive blessings themselves. Are you the owner? Are you a servant? A servant sheds no tears for his master. But filial children cry many tears for their parents. As we walk along the path of faith, even when we know the pitiful circumstances of God and True Parents, we do not have sympathy and tears do not flow because we have the consciousness of the master in our head, but our heart is still at the level of a servant.
The master's faith is a faith which understands God's circumstances and wishes very well.
The master's faith is a faith which is willing to carry any cross on behalf of God and the Lord.
The master's faith is a faith which considers (his own) hardship as God's suffering no matter how hard it may be, and always sheds tears to comfort the pitiful and sorrowful God.
The servant’s faith has no tears for his owner. If you don't have tears for God and true parents as a leader, (yours is) either servant’s faith or an adopted son’s faith.
Father said a leader without tears has not yet reached the level of God’s children. (Then) your faith is still the servant’s faith or the adopted son’s faith. How often do you shed tears for all humankind? Father said one of the main qualifications of a leader is to have tears for one’s tribe, for one’s nation and for the sake of the world and for the sake of God.
But for fallen man it is not easy to have tears because our faith is still at the level of the servant. We need to cultivate our heart. When we reach (the level of) God’s heart and know God’s wishes and situations, automatically tears come down.
Father’s life is a life of tears. True Mother’s life is a life of tears. We try to resemble our True Parents. We need to have that kind of heart, those kinds of tears for the sake of others.
As a leader if you do not have tears, you are not able to revive others. A leader without tears cannot raise even one person. This is my experience. If you do not have tears for your spiritual children, even though they join the church, they will run away. Our spiritual children can grow through spiritual parents’ tears and sweat and blood. There is no other way. Tears! This is the best weapon to raise our spiritual children and our own children. If you do not have tears, you cannot impress anyone.
The master's faith is a faith of Hyo-Jeong in using the body of a servant with the heart of parents.♦
(Response to sharing) During this time (in Korea) I met leaders from all over the world. They greeted me saying, “Wow! America is providing morning devotion, spiritual food every day. Most of them appreciated this. Secondly, they also really appreciate that America has chosen to help some nations, one nation in each continent. They appreciate America’s help. Also, our GPA young members go everywhere. Many of them happily greet me. I really appreciate all American brothers and sisters’ great contribution.
(Response to second sharing) Tearful investment(?) is one of the important qualities of leadership. I learned from Father and Mother and from my spiritual father, Rev. Yo Han Lee. How often they cry for the sake of the world and for the sake of their members. This is one of the most important (qualities of) leadership. We really need to inherit (this) from our True Parents and multiply it to our young leaders. Then they can understand God and can understand more about the situation of all humankind.
(Remark) True Mother called major leaders, Cheon il guk directors and UPF leaders … Dr. Jenkins, Tom McDevitt and Dr. Walsh gave a beautiful report to True Mother. I think True Mother was overwhelmed regarding our elder son’s effort and dedication. Tomorrow morning I will show some photos of Dr. Jenkins, Tom McDevitt and Dr. Walsh’s report to True Mother. I really appreciate all our UPF leaders and staff and members. Thank you so much!♦
NOTE: This lightly edited transcription may contain errors and omissions. Indecipherable or uncertain words and guesses are tagged with a “(?)” and indecipherable phrases, with an ellipsis “ ...”. First, second and third person pronouns have been left as spoken if the meaning is clear, and other apparently Korean English expressions have been preserved. Some repeated phrases have been eliminated. This text and the powerpoint slides from this speech are available as pdf files at the top of this text and at text.morndev.com & yong.hoondok.com. Audio only is available at anchor.morndev.com, spotify.morndev.com & audio.morndev.com.♦