Ep 388 - The Mother Of Peace In The Muslim World Part 3
Mother of Peace in the Muslim World #23
(Response to sharing) You mentioned holiness. If God’s word is alive, then everything can be alive. I truly believe our entire American movement, if we are inspired by Mother’s word and Father’s word, then everything can be alive. I truly believe in that.
I truly believe that our DNA can be changed through gratitude and praising each other. Praising and appreciating each other with a really grateful heart changes our DNA. We really become a different person. Our quality of heart becomes upgraded.
Today I would like to speak about “The Mother of Peace in the Muslim World” from the contents of True Mother’s memoir.
<Mother of Peace, Page 336-338> The Blessing venue was filled with couples who had studied about the Blessing and were longing to receive it. The couples, beautifully dressed in white traditional garments, participated with dignity and grace. Dispelling earlier concerns, participating Muslim leaders solemnly accepted the holy Blessing Ceremony. Also in attendance were many current and former heads of state, parliamentary speakers, ministers, parliamentarians, religious leaders and other key leaders of civil society from throughout Africa.
The national Blessing began with the Holy Water Ceremony. To respect Muslim religious sensitivities, instead of sprinkling, I placed my two hands in a bowl of holy water and gently touched the backs of the crossed hands of each representative couple. The audience was moved and cheers and applause continued throughout the Holy Water Ceremony. The marriage Blessing is universal, transcending race, religion and nationality.
Its bestowal in Niger, through heavenly actions that harmonized with their culture, brought closer the realization of one family of humankind under Heavenly Parent. I recalled that in 1991, when my husband was informed that Muslims are uncomfortable with the title “Reverend,” he immediately responded, “No problem; call me Father Moon.”
Eighty percent of Niger’s land is desert. Within such a harsh environment, Heaven prepared for this nation to be blessed by raising righteous leaders. One of the righteous people who worked hardest to make the Summit possible was Kassoum Maiga, a member of parliament of Niger. He is a filial son among filial sons, and he testified that when he saw me alight from the plane, he shed tears of joy, as his dearest wish had finally been realized. He was the first person to offer me flowers to celebrate the victory of this first national-level Blessing Ceremony in an African Muslim nation. As soon as the Blessing Ceremony concluded, messages of gratitude and congratulations poured in from throughout the world. “True Mother, the Mother of peace, has embraced Islam.”
The Family Renewal and Blessing Festival in Niger was an inspiring, even miraculous drama. As the event came to a close, Dr. Yun, Secretary-General of our Cheon Jeong Gung Headquarters, signed a memorandum of understanding as the Cheon Il Guk representative regarding the development of the Heavenly Africa Project with representatives of the African Union Commission, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the G5 Sahel.
Through these events, the African continent and the entire world were profoundly changed; this Summit will surely be remembered. Despite challenging circumstances, all those involved invested themselves with wholehearted unity. That is what set the condition; Heaven could not but support these events.
At the end of the day, I reflected that I am now nearly 80 years old, and there is a limit to how long one can live on earth. However, since I am the only begotten Daughter and the Mother of the universe, anywhere I am wanted, I plan to go. Heavenly Parent, once again I offer You my deepest thanks.
True Mother said, “At the end of the day, I reflected that I am now nearly 80 years old, and there is a limit to how long one can live on earth.” Mother knows her age, very near 80 years old, getting older and older and older. At the same time she becomes more serious about her mission. She said, “However, since I am the only begotten Daughter and the Mother of the universe, anywhere I am wanted, I plan to go. Heavenly Parent, once again I offer You my deepest thanks.”
True Mother is risking her life for the rest of her life. She is walking the path of sacrifice. That is unimaginable even now. We, too, must become one with True Mother on this last seven-year course of Cheonil Guk and achieve the greatest achievement. I encourage each of you, everyone of you, should be able to complete the CheonBo Won mission. When we are determined, then God will give us the wisdom about what we should do. Your determination is important. Your seriousness is very important. Whenever you are determined, then God will show you the way, God will tell you how to do it. That is why we need to have strong determination for everyone to fulfill the CheonBo Won mission. This is the way to really accomplish God’s will. This is the way to build God’s Cheonil Guk on the earth.
Living Divine Principle: Introduction 6 - Need for a New Truth
They were given at various times in history as humankind developed both spiritually and intellectually. The depth and extent of teaching and the method of expressing the truth naturally varied according to each age.
Jesus indicated that God would someday reveal a new truth: "I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father.”
Based on this EDP let’s study Father’s word.
Divine Principle is Not Doctrine
<1997.8.9> “What is taught in the Unification Church is called the Divine Principle. It teaches the principled path that everyone must follow, whether believers or non-believers, whether a thousand years ago or ten thousand years from now. On that basis, the truth as taught in the Unification Church contains the underlying principles that can resolve all complicated affairs and bitter feelings between God and the human world. It is not a dogma. Dogmas were for the era of the restoration and liberation of the archangelic realm; they cannot establish or restore families.”
I think True Father has really mentioned some very important things. Please listen carefully. True Father said that the Divine Principle is not doctrine or dogma. It teaches the principled path that everyone must follow, whether believers or non-believers, whether a thousand years ago or ten thousand years from now.
Jesus said clearly in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” But when he died on the cross, he promised that he would come again. Only the messiah must come back to this earth and show all mankind the way, the truth, life, love and lineage. Therefore, at the end of the day it is concluded that we must find the new word of truth. The new truth that saves mankind cannot just come out of the human brain. This is possible only through True Parents who are the Messiah who come from God’s direct lineage. Until now human history has not found the true path. Since there has not been a solution to that point, the world has become increasingly chaotic.
If any existing religion or ideology suggested a way to solve the human problem, the ideal world would already have arrived. However, the conclusion is that such an ideal world did not come true. We must seek the truth that comes from God, not fallen human thought or philosophy. When I was a child and listened to the Divine Principle, I thought that I had to find the new truth because it was an existing idea and no religious doctrine could solve all the problems of my life and all the problems of the world. The Unification Church contains the underlying principles that can resolve all complicated affairs and bitter feelings between God and the human world. Divine Principle is not a dogma. Dogmas were for the era of the restoration and liberation of the archangelic realm; they cannot establish or restore families.
All doctrines so far have focused on individual salvation. This is a very important point. Existing religions just only focused on individual salvation. Religions that focus on individual salvation are all archangel religions. No religions focused on family salvation.
The Divine Principle focuses on family salvation. This is the point. That is why any existing religion can only reach the top of the growth stage. It cannot go beyond the top of the growth stage. Below the top of the growth stage means only focusing on individual salvation. God’s completion stage begins from the family. It is centered on the family. Without forming the family, you cannot enter the realm of God’s completion. That is why any existing religion and doctrine and dogma only focus on individual salvation. None of them talks about family salvation. That is why existing religions are archangelic religions. This is the important point.
Here Divine Principle refers to the eight major textbooks that True Father spoke of. This is equivalent to the 1000 books that True Father spoke (of his speeches). Family salvation goes beyond the top of the growth stage and enters God’s direct dominion. Therefore, there was not a single religion that was able to enter the perfection level.
The truth that enters the level of perfection is about meeting the messiah, receiving the Blessing, establishing a family and achieving the four realms of heart and the three great kingships. This is very important. The structure of the kingdom of heaven is what? It is based on family, not individual salvation. That is why Jesus needs to come again to show the model, what the model of the family is.
In order to enter the world of heart, the world of completion begins with the family. Family. The structure of the kingdom of heaven is the family. Without experiencing parental heart, conjugal heart, siblings heart and children’s heart, you will never, ever enter the kingdom of heaven. That is why the family is very important. The family is the base of the kingdom of heaven. Wow! Can you imagine that? True Father said religion that only focuses on individual salvation is one of the problems.
If you do not focus on family salvation; if you focus only on your own individual salvation, you easily become individualistic, easily become egoistic: “I don’t care about other people. I don’t care about other religions.” You just focus on your own salvation, individual salvation. That is why Father said -- and this is really important -- “Dogmas were for the era of the restoration and liberation of the archangelic realm; they cannot establish or restore families.”
This is an important point. The eternal truth must come out about family salvation and total salvation. If you focus on individual salvation, you don’t care about total salvation, you don’t care about national salvation, you don’t care about tribal salvation, you don’t care about the salvation of all mankind. That is why we need to understand, based on the family foundation;v we need to focus on total salvation. What powerful guidance! We are very focused on how to establish one family under God.
Furthermore, God’s liberation and the liberation of mankind as a whole must be first. Very important. There is a fundamental difference between Family Federation and existing religion. They are very different. I really appreciate our True Parents. It is new truth, not centering on individual salvation. It is new truth centering on family salvation and through the messiah.
Divine Principle Will Never Change Forever
<1975.7.13> “The Principle is the truth that does not change with the passage of history. It cannot be modified by the influence of any great person or the power of any state, or the world or even God Himself. If it can be said to be the truth that has remained unchanged from the past through the present to the future, it must surely have the value of the ideal desired by humankind from the very beginning.”
The Principle is the truth that does not change with the passage of history. It cannot be modified by the influence of any great person or the power of any state, or the world or even God Himself. If it can be said to be the truth that has remained unchanged from the past through the present to the future, it must surely have the value of the ideal desired by humankind from the very beginning. Because God has the eternal, unchanging, absolute, unique attributes, the truth that can save fallen humans can never come through the fallen human brain. Only through the messiah who has the blood of God can the eternal, immutable, unique and absolute truth come out. New truth cannot come out from fallen man’s brain. So far how much our saints and sages have tried.
If they had already solved the problem, if they had already shown the eternal truth, then the kingdom of heaven would already be on earth. Why has the world become more confused, more chaotic with more problems? That means it does not work. Even though so many saints, sages and philosophers came to the earth, they could not reveal God’s eternal truth. That is why this truth needs to come from heaven, needs to come from God’s direct blood lineage. Otherwise there is no solution.
Today’s Youth Ministry: Lessons Learned Through Abraham’s Mistake in the Symbolic Offering
1. Because Abraham failed to cut the doves when offering the three sacrifices, the providence extended to three generations and Jacob had to fight Satan for 21 years and suffered unimaginable hardships.
2. Also, Jacob's son Joseph was sold to a foreign country and suffered an unspeakable sad incident. Actually, Joseph was able to enjoy the power of victory with his father Jacob because Jacob made an incredible victorious condition. However, because Abraham made a mistake in the formation stage offering, they had to go the road of indemnity for three generations.
Because Abraham failed to offer the formation stage offering, then the second one (growth) was a problem, and the completion stage offering was a problem. All three generations needed to pay indemnity.
3. Abraham’s mistake in the symbolic offering caused the Israelites to suffer hardships in Egypt for 430 years. The entire Israelite population had to pay indemnity as slaves because of one person’s mistake. This was because Abraham was in Adam's position, representing the whole universe.
4. This is like the history of God’s providence of restoration taking more than 6,000 years due to the fall of Eve.
5. Who am I today? I was called by God on behalf of my ancestors. I am not an individual self. If I make a mistake, I have to think about the lives of countless ancestors cooperating with me and the indemnity that my descendants will have to go through.
We are not individuals. God called you as a chosen guy. Father said clearly when he spoke about the ancestor liberation ceremony: for a normal Unificationist more than 20,000 of your ancestors are following you. You are the representative of 20,000 of your ancestors' spirits. You are not alone. You are the messiah to take care of a minimum of 20,000 ancestors. I am the representative of all my ancestors. That is why your mission is very important. You are not just an individual. You are a chosen guy, chosen by Heavenly Parent. How important it is!
6. Therefore, I have to live a victorious life day by day. And I must be victorious with the responsibility given to me.
Abraham and Noah were representatives of all mankind. We are representatives of all of our ancestors. As the Continental Director if I fail as the director of the North American continent, the providence of the United States will be extended. So for me every day is serious. Every morning I risk my life over the word I am preaching to my brothers and sisters. I cannot let(?) even for a moment. It is very, very serious when I consider that I am responsible for the lives of 380 million people in the United States and Canada. When I think about my responsibility, (I am) not just taking care of our members of Family Federation for World Peace, (but) the entire American population and Canada as well. I am so serious about this.
True Mother is coming to America very, very soon, the middle of December. Let’s do all our best to make the December Blessing Festival a success. Let’s focus on the Watch Parties and make a real follow up (afterwards). Don’t just make it as a condition, an event. Let’s follow up one by one with our guests and give them the taste and experience of salvation. This is very important.
Just now True Mother said her age is nearly 80. How often will our beloved True Mother come to America? I think it will just be a handful of times. How precious our True Mother coming to America is! Do you know why I hurried to complete my 50-state tour? I wanted to offer an important condition with our brothers and sisters. That is why I really pushed myself. Even though the schedule was very, very hard and at the same time I had to prepare Morning Devotion, before True Mother comes I had to complete the 50-state tour. I want to really inherit True Parents’ spirit. How much they love America! How much do they really care for America! So, let’s seriously prepare for Mother’s coming to America. Each of our beloved True Mother’s visits to America are very, very precious. Even though her age is nearly 80, she is still coming to America, investing in America and loving America. Wow! Very important.
Last night I received an important message from Ki Hun Kim from Korea. They are very focused on the December 5 Rally of Hope. They asked us to send a minimum of 40 ACLC ministers to go to Korea to participate in that Rally on December 5. Today all our brothers and sisters, please think of who can participate in Mother’s event. We are very excited to welcome True Mother to America. Do you love True Mother? Let's prepare well with our beautiful gift, with our longing heart. We have already completed one year of Morning Devotion and we completed the 50-state tour together with our brothers and sisters and finally our Blessing Festival. Let’s focus on our watch parties and let people become more and more involved and appreciate our True Mother’s hard work.
Thank you very much, my brothers and sisters. God bless you!
(Response to sharing) Recently young people are no longer looking for religion, no more looking for a church. Now without exception from their inner heart, they are looking for the ideal family. That is the reality. That is why the family is our church, the family is our home, the family is our salvation. When we show (a model of) the ideal couple, ideal parents, ideal brothers and sisters, and ideal children, that is the salvation for all mankind. We need to show this model from now on -- not just talking about theory or dogma. If we do not show our Divine Principle as a reality, then it remains a dogma or a doctrine. Of course, eternally we know that the Divine Principle is not just dogma. But if we don’t realize this, that is a problem. From now on we need to substantially realize how to build the ideal family, how can I become holy -- holy man and woman, holy couple, holy parents, holy brothers and sisters and how Heavenly Father can dwell in our family.
Mother of Peace in the Muslim World #22
Today I would like to speak about “The Mother of Peace in the Muslim World” from the contents of True Mother’s memoir
<Mother of Peace, Page 334-336> The ideal of one human family is Heavenly Parent’s dream and humanity’s wish. The president of Niger is a wise leader, especially with regard to realizing this dream. Through his active support and dedication, the 2019 Africa Continental Summit and Family Renewal Festival took place. These events involved pioneering a path that we had not previously trodden. It was a great challenge and a truly holy undertaking, conducted with the extraordinary support of the government, the nation and the continent. During the Summit, in front of some of the key stakeholders that move this continent, I proclaimed the truth that our Heavenly Parent had been unable to share for 6,000 years. The proclamation that Heavenly Parent’s blessing comes when people are in unity with the only begotten Daughter resonated like rolling thunder not only across Niger but throughout Africa.
Following the Summit’s opening plenary, President Issoufou and I signed the Niamey Resolution in the presence of the 2,000 leaders who were gathered there.
I am fully aware of the dedication of the Prophet Muhammad in establishing the rich religious tradition of Islam and I regard many pre-eminent Muslim leaders I have met as my own sons. Through this event, heads of state and leaders from the Islamic realm came to know me on an entirely new level, as True Mother and the Mother of peace. The Summit was a miraculous event, unique in the history of the Unification movement.
The day after the Summit, the historic Family Renewal and Blessing Festival in Niger took place. Since this was the first Blessing Ceremony I had officiated in a Muslim nation, I prayed with a heart more serious than ever before.
On the morning of the Blessing, the president asked me if I had slept well in my new home of Niger. Happily, I responded that I had slept very well, thanks to the warm and comforting welcome I had received. After we had conversed briefly about the previous day’s Summit, the presidential escort guided me to the Blessing venue.
Diplomatic protocol is sometimes referred to as “a war without weapons.” That is why I call the protocol of Cheon Il Guk, “Heavenly Protocol.” Originally, the prime minister was scheduled to offer congratulatory remarks as the representative of the government during the Blessing. Hence, the protocol for that day was for me to enter the Blessing venue with the prime minister. However, the president of the National Assembly mentioned that, as representative of the people, he should enter the venue by my side together with the prime minister. Faced with this sudden request, the prime minister was taken aback. I decided to update the protocol by having both the prime minister, the representative of the government, and the president of the National Assembly, the representative of the people, stand on either side of me and enter the Blessing venue together. This was a special moment for me as I could feel how close in heart we had become.
Today let’s study again ...
True Mother’s Benediction at the Continental-Level Blessing Ceremony in Niger (Palace of Congress, Niamey, Niger, November 28, 2019)
True Parents have had to walk an indescribably difficult path until they could do so and establish all people as children whom Heavenly Parent can love directly. You know how we have striven at the center of this vast desert where sandstorms rage to seek the righteous people Heaven has prepared, through whom we can find the people and the nations that can be embraced by Heaven.
In this country where 80 percent of the land is desert, You have prepared righteous people from a very long time ago to create the environment where a Blessing Ceremony can be held today. Through this Marriage Blessing, the dream of one family of humanity centered on You, Heavenly Parent, transcending the barriers of religion, race and culture, can be realized.
And when those who have been blessed today are able to stand in the position where they have fulfilled their responsibilities in front of Heaven – that is, when they have fulfilled their responsibilities as messiahs of their own tribes -- this nation will become one that can receive Heaven's blessing and grace.
True Parents are grateful for this and hope that, through these Blessed couples, this country of Niger will become the Heavenly Niger attending Heavenly Parent and become the center of the African continent and its beacon of light and pride.
I pray that the blessed couples of this people and this nation will be able to take the lead in establishing the Kingdom of Heaven of freedom, equality, peace, unity and happiness on earth, which is the beautiful garden that You originally created, and the dream of humankind. I pray and proclaim this in the name of True Parents.
Wow! Our True Mother really loves Africa very, very much! And also our True Mother very clearly proclaimed that this country of Niger will become Heavenly Niger attending Heavenly Parents and become the center of the African continent and its beacon of light and pride. True Mother blessed Niger as a heavenly nation.
Living Divine Principle: Introduction 6 - Need for a New Truth
♦ They were given at various times in history as humankind developed both spiritually and intellectually. The depth and extent of teaching and the method of expressing the truth naturally varied according to each age.
♦ Jesus indicated that God would someday reveal a new truth: "I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to in figures but tell you plainly of the Father.”
Based on this EDP content, let’s study Father’s words.
The Secret of the Universe
<215-144> “Nobody knows that God’s heart is filled with agony. For the first time in history I have appeared and revealed this significant mission. Had I not done so, then nobody would know. What a surprising fact this is! Even Jesus did not know this. Even if He had known, He couldn’t tell anyone what was in His heart. Furthermore, no religious leader, no one knew this hidden heavenly secret. For the first time in history, I have appeared before the world and revealed heaven’s secret.”
This is very, very important guidance fromTrue Parents: What is the secret of the Universe? No one knows that there is unimaginable suffering in God’s heart because of the fall of man. God was not only a great God who created the universe, the omnipresent God with the power to do anything, the God of judgment. No one knew how much God, as humans’ parent, was hurt by fallen children and groaned with a nail in his chest. Even Jesus did not know it. And even if he did, he could not have said what was in his heart. None of the religious leaders knew such a hidden secret of the universe.
For the first time in history, Father Moon appeared before the world revealing the secrets of the universe. The secret of bringing back fallen human beings is to first reveal the identity of Satan and reveal that Satan is the enemy among the enemies of God’s love. And he revealed how much God loves us as humans’ parent and how much blood, sweat and tears he has shed today for our perfection.
The secret of this history must be revealed. This is the only way for fallen human beings to truly repent and return to God. Wow! This is really amazing guidance. This is so stimulating! If we do not know that God is a God of sorrow, this is really the secret of the universe. That is why since our True Parents came to understand the secrets of the Universe, that God is a God of sorrow, he could not stop going continuously forward. No matter how tired he was, no matter how much suffering he endured, he could not stop because he discovered that God is a God of suffering, that God is a God of sorrow. That is why his entire life was a tearful life, always trying to comfort God, trying to liberate him, trying to bear Heavenly Father’s heavy cross. That was Father’s life. No one, no saint, nobody discovered this top secret of the universe.
That is why in order to go back to God’s bosom, what should we do? We have to know the identity of God’s heart, God’s reality. This is an important declaration by our True Father. Even Jesus did not know this. Even if he had known, he was unable to express God’s sorrowful heart because at the time he did not have much foundation to proclaim about God’s heart. I am really grateful to our True Parents. They are the ones who revealed the secret of the universe that God is a God of sorrow.
Build a Center That No One Can Take Away
<2-133> “The closer we are to the truth, and the more we come under its spell, the more it will become our center which nobody can snatch from us. Even if the earth were to fall into chaos millions of times and the universe were suddenly destroyed, people whose minds are securely centered on the truth will never be changed or shaken. However, if you are not prepared to accept such a center in your heart, however genuine a truth may appear, you will not recognize it. Even if true life appeared, you would not be able to understand it. Even if true love appeared, you would not be able to understand it. If today’s Christianity is seeking genuine truth, true life, and true love, it must completely deny itself to the end and become a religion that establishes the mind’s center that nobody can snatch away.”
You must know and experience the relationship between God and man for sure. Knowing that God is our parent is what set the center of my heart. When he shakes, everything shakes. Second, if I come from the relationship between God and True Parents and then the relationship between True Parents and me through spiritual experiences, my heart will never be shaken. That is why your center should be very clear. You need to have clear confirmation about who the center is.
The reason why I am shaken in my life of faith, become easily tired and lose strength and leave the church is because I don’t know for sure who my center is. First it was because they (who left the church) were not sure about the Divine Principle. Second, it was because they had no experience with God and the spiritual world. Third, it was because they did not have the confidence in True Parents and the spiritual experience that True Parents are the messiah. Therefore, we have to convince ourself through the Divine Principle and have confidence in the Divine Principle. You must experience spiritually that the Divine Principle is the eternal truth, and by putting that truth into practice in my life, I have to check whether the Divine Principle is the eternal truth or not. You need to get confirmation. Then your center is very clear. When our center is unclear, then everything can be shaken. That is a problem.
Let me explain more about the Bible.
John 14:5-9: 5. Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" 6. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him." 8. Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 9. Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
This is incredible guidance from Jesus. Jesus clearly stated his identity. He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” One of the reasons the messiah came to this earth is to show that God lives, God is alive and works through the messiah. This is why Jesus said, “He who has seen me has seen God. How can you ask me to show you God?” The message is that the messiah is a person who is fully united with God and who reveals the invisible God. Therefore, if we truly want to resemble Jesus and be like True Parents, we must show the world that God works through us, God is a living God, God works through us. This (our?) life should be our testimony.
For Morning Devotion to continue to develop and grow, it is enough to show that True Parents’ word is alive, that True Parents’ word is the eternal truth. Then they can give such testimony, “Through hearing True Parents' words, I have had a life changing experience. I have really changed my fallen habits. I really commit more. I am so grateful! I am so thankful! I cannot deny True Parents’ word. I cannot deny that God is a living God. Then our Morning Devotion will continue to develop and grow.
We must not simply believe in Jesus and True Parents. They (?) do not resemble Jesus and True Parents in terms of their belief. By inheriting the love and heart of Jesus and True Parents, I must become the second Jesus, I must become the second True Parents, I must become the second God. Not just believe in him. Believing in Jesus, believing in True Parents without resembling them, without resembling Jesus does not make any sense. We do not focus on believing in Jesus, do not focus on believing in True Parents. Of course, belief is very important. But the most important thing is how I can become the second Jesus; how I can become the second True Parents; how I can become the second God. I try to inherit and resemble Jesus, resemble True Parents, resemble God. Then I will become the incarnation of God’s word and God’s word will become my flesh. That is the purpose of God’s creation. That is the purpose of our life.
Why don’t my children follow me? This is because the parents cannot show God who lives and works in their lives. When we show our children that God is alive, God is a living God, and when our parents see through the parents that God is alive, God is working in their parents’ life, then without exception all children will honor their parents.
Why do people leave the church? This is because the church does not show that God is working through each member’s life. Therefore, the worship service of the church should always be a gathering to testify how God is living and working through our life. This is the point. Christianity is a church to believe, not a church to become like Jesus. Everything flows. We must show Jesus who lives and works through me and God who lives and works. Then the church will develop and continue to grow and will never stop growing.
The era of Cheonil Guk is an era that shows through me that we are the living and working God and living and working True Parents. I am really inspired by Jesus’ words here. Jesus answered, “Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” How can I testify in front of members, in front of my people, in front of all mankind like Jesus? Through my life how can I testify that God is a living God?
That is why every morning I kneel down and pray, “Heavenly Father, through your word, through my activity, through my practice let me show, let me testify that you are alive. Let me testify that you are a living God.” That is the purpose of my prayer; it is one of the goals of my life.
Wherever I go, many people say, “Maybe God does not exist.” Many people say, “I cannot feel God, Heavenly Father.” Wherever I go, I always challenge our members that outside people tell me, “Show me God. Show me God.” That is the same as Phillip who asked Jesus, “Please show me God.”
How can I testify that God is a living God? “Seeing you is seeing God.” Through seeing my spouse, I am seeing God. Then our children will absolutely follow their parents.
John 14:10-12: 10. Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing His work. 11. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
This Bible verse is very powerful. Our life of faith must show that like Jesus I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Even when I speak, these are not my words, but these words should show what God is saying while dwelling in me. Therefore, to those who follow me, I must show that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me. Wow! Dr. Yong is saying something that is not from him like True Father is in him, like True Parents are in him. This is my wish wherever I go. Through complete self-denial how can I invite God and let God talk, let God express his heart, not my words, not my intention. How can Heavenly Father fully come to my heart and fully express his heart? Then I can show that God is a living God. I want to be that kind of minister. I want to be that kind of continental director: “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” That means we become completely one.
Jesus’ words can also be interpreted as follows: If I know that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, believe, imitate and practice, I will do the same things that Jesus did. It is said that he can do even greater things than Jesus. That is the parents’ wish: Children should be better than me.” Right? Now Jesus is in the spiritual world: “You should be better than me. You are children of True Parents.” Even True Parents wish, “You should be better than me.” Those who do not believe in God, through seeing you, through your daily life, they can testify that, “Wow! True Parents are amazing!” This era is the era of Cheonil Guk, not only just believing in God. It is time to show that God is alive, that God is a living God.
Today’s Youth Ministry: Symbolic Condition and Substantial Condition
Symbolic Condition and Substantial Condition
This is very important to apply to our daily life, ok?
1. If you make a mistake in a symbolic condition, it becomes a problem in setting a substantial condition. This means that if you do not succeed in the usual training process, you will not succeed in practice.This is because it is just as if we fall spiritually, it will bring about the result of the physical fall. Eve's spiritual fall with the archangel did not stop with the spiritual fall, but also brought about the physical fall with Adam, that is, the actual fall.
That is why symbolic conditions are not simply symbolic conditions. They directly relate to substantial conditions. If you fail when you set up a symbolic condition, you will surely 100% fail in the substantial condition. Those who fall spiritually often watching pornography many times and doing all kinds of things, when they have an opportunity physically and have sexual temptation will 100% fall, 100% fall. That is why assuredly the spiritual fall is more dangerous than the physical fall. That is why you need to prevent the spiritual fall. Otherwise, someday you will surely fall physically. Therefore, symbolic conditions are not only symbolic conditions. Symbolic conditions are connected to the substantial conditions. We can learn through the principle of restoration.
2. Even though God appeared and taught many times through dreams, if I fail to improve my behavior and keep on repeating it habitually, Heaven will directly give me tribulations. It is fortunate if you realize through dreams, but if you do not change your behavior even through dreams, you will suffer in reality. Thus, dreams reveal the person's usual thoughts and habits. Dreams reveal what a person's mental situation is and what kind of person he is.
When I hear a person’s dreams, I know that person’s mentality. I know that person’s behavior and why God showed that dream to that person. I know exactly what that person’s mentality is, that person’s problem, that person’s current situation. I come to understand this through that person’s sharing his dream with me. Even though a dream is a very symbolic condition, it is very much related to the substantial condition.
3. Abraham's mistake in the symbolic offering was indemnified for three generations. Abraham's failure to cut the dove resulted in substantial indemnity prolonged through the three generations of his children and grandchildren. Therefore, know that my one small mistake today can result in indemnity being passed down to descendants as in Abraham's family.
4. Before Abraham offered the 3 sacrifices, he should have completely cut ties with Satan and sanctified himself. Before offering the 3 sacrifices, because Abraham himself was not a condition of separating good and evil between God and Satan, he made a crucial mistake. It is usually easy for people to only externally wonder how not cutting a single pigeon could result in such a big mistake.
Why did God say that Abraham’s descendants had to suffer for 400 years? “What?! That is a simple offering; he just failed to cut the dove. How come he received that kind of punishment?” We cannot simply say that. His heart and mind were not yet clear. He did not distinguish good and evil before offering the 3 sacrifices. That was the problem. We cannot only understand this in an external way. That was a problem.
5. What would have happened if Abraham had cut the dove but not the ram, the offering of the growth stage? If that had happened, it could have simply been restored by Isaac's generation paying indemnity.
(That was) because the formation stage (would have been) ok; (this would have been a) growth stage problem. His second generation could (have) paid the indemnity.
6. Then what would have happened if he cut the dove and the ram, but not the heifer? It might have taken some time to indemnify everything in Abraham's time, but you can think about if the Messiah would have come and succeeded the providence.
7. However, because the formation stage offering was defiled, they could not even think about the start of the growth stage and completion stage providence, so they made a new start with three generations paying indemnity.
That is why small, small things are not a simple matter.
8. If we miss the right time, it will cause a lot of damage in our lives. If someone misses the time in their teens, when they are in their 30s, they will finish work they had to finish in their teens and when they reach their 40s, they will just begin a fresh start and go then to the spirit world.
Once you lose the time, once you miss the right time, then your providence, your individual providence will be prolonged again and again and again.
9. In fact, if we follow the normal course of faith, we should go through the formation, growth, and completion stages centered on the teenage years, 20s and 30s, and then bloom flowers for the remaining life. For example, if you don't study in your teens, it is like staying at that standard for the rest of your life.
10. You need to know that time is not there to just come and go, but to make you grow. Therefore, you should always be grateful for the moment and live victoriously. A fool is a loser. When spring comes, the seeds must be sown. When summer comes, you need to take good care of it. When autumn comes, it should bear fruit well.
11. Nature shows us how we should live. Winter, which symbolizes the spirit world, has nothing I can do. You have to wait until spring because you can't sow, cultivate, and bear fruit.
That is why time is very important. Every day we must make successful. Every day we (should fulfill) our portion of responsibility very, very well. Time does exist for the sake of our spiritual growth. Once we lose the springtime, we need to wait a whole additional year. Can you imagine? Our time is very, very precious.
Thank you very much.