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 Sermon > Sunday Morning Service |
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Title |
2012 Prayer Prayer Title(2) - The Church Proclaiming to the Whole World |
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Speaker |
Rev. Jaerock Lee |
Bible |
Acts 1:8 |
Date |
2012-01-01 |
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Passage
[Acts 1:8]
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
The New Year 2012 has begun!
Today is the first day and the first Sunday of the year.
Your faces are aglow with happy smiles more than any previous year.
In fact, there is nothing really new about January 1st and about the first Sunday of the year that we have every year.
But what is the reason that we feel something is different?
It's because you have been renewed even to your joints and marrow.
Just a couple of years ago, some of you made the price of the blood of the Lord useless by living in sins.
But being on the rapid flow of spirit for last couple of years, most of you cast away your old self that was stained by sins and lust.
As it is written in Ephesians 4:24 to "...put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth," you put on the new self.
Now at the beginning of this new year, 2012, you are living new lives.
And what are you going to live for and how do you intend to live?
I hope you will find the answers today.
I want talk to you about the second prayer title of the New Year, 'The Church Proclaiming to the Whole World."
Let us give all thanks and glory to God the Father who makes our souls prosper and gives us eternal life and who will bless us and keep us in this year as we keep the Lord's Day.
[Main]
Brothers and sisters and viewing audiences, let me explain the background in God's giving us the prayer title "The Church Proclaiming to the Whole World."
What do we have to proclaim?
We have to proclaim the gospel of holiness and the power of God.
The Lord has given to our church the duty to awaken the souls who are in spiritual slumber at the end time.
Our church treats 'National and World Evangelism' as our ever present Second Prayer Title.
God spoke to me when He gave me the calling to become a servant of God.
He said, "After you learn the Word for three years, you will perform signs and wonders going over the mountains and crossing the rivers and seas." Manmin Church was established upon this vision.
Before the opening of the church, I asked God to give me the name of the church Himself.
So He gave me the answer to call it 'Manmin' which means 'all nations'.
This name has the meaning that this church will spread the gospel to all nations.
Therefore, the goal of national and world evangelism is a duty for all of you here who are leaders and members of this church.
Your new vision of life should be national and world evangelism.
Of course, many of you may say that you have been living to fulfill this dream and vision.
But for many of you, what you confess remains nothing more than the words spoken.
It's because, without cultivating the sincere heart and perfect faith, it is impossible to achieve this goal.
But it does not mean God has taken this precious duty away from you.
He has been planning in great detail so that you could finally perform this duty.
Namely, He has been raising you as workers who are qualified for the job.
In the meantime, the foundations for national and world evangelism have been laid as well.
Since the year 2000 in particular, God has opened wide the doors to the world mission. He has guided us to preach the holiness gospel and power of God in important parts of the globe.
But the actual beginning point of national and world evangelism is this year, 2012.
Now is the time when it is more difficult to find righteous men than it was at the time of Sodom and Gomorrah.
More than 7 billion souls are in deep spiritual slumber and they are being captured by the darkness.
Christianity is supposed to become the light and salt of the world, but it is being rejected by the people.
Europe was the birthplace of evangelism, yet with the shocking motto, "There is no God!", the flame of faith is being quenched from her by the power of the anti-Christ.
Now, they (the anti-Christ) are expanding the power of their influence all over the world.
It is this reason that it is impossible to awaken this generation with a handful of workers who have just average power.
We are in desperate need of powerful works like the power of Jesus, and powerful workers who are like the apostles.
That is why God has been increasing the faith and power of each one of you.
Along with this, He has lifted any limitations on God's power bestowed on me and increased it ever more greatly.
And finally, in 2012, God has let us face the beginning year of the 'Full-scale Religious Revolution'.
Brothers and sisters, let us just consider how meticulously God has been preparing everything up until this moment.
God called 2010 the beginning year of the 'Third Stage of Take-off' and 'The Year of Reaping'.
And the hearts of the members were filled with expectations for reaping what we had been sowing until then.
But unlike men's thoughts, God gave us the prayer title, 'Measure of Faith', and let us thoroughly check the faith of each and every one of us.
For each person He revealed the sins and the sinful natures that are deep inside each person.
And gratefully, on December 25, He gave us the special grace to forgive ALL our past sins and iniquities.
Through this process, God first lifted up those who didn't even have the first level of faith to have the first level of faith.
He has lifted those who were at the 1st and 2nd levels of faith to the 3rd level of faith.
Regardless of gender and age, church members voluntarily began New Jerusalem campaign to increase their faith.
They cut off the worldly things and concentrated on the word of God. They firmed the foundations of their faith at least not to commit sins in action.
And God gave us even greater grace in 2011.
He guided us to go up from the 3rd level of faith to stand on the Rock of Faith and to reach level of Spirit.
In May, God has showed the original light, the aurora lights, that surround this church.
In June, He let us have three special healing meetings and the leadership conference in July.
Having these events, many believers came to stand on the Rock of Faith within a short period of time.
Those who were at the threshold of spirit for a long time went into spirit and whole spirit.
What was the second prayer title of 2011?
It was, "Children Glorifying God."
To answer this prayer, God gave us the original light, the aurora lights to strengthen the church members.
With this help, many members easily cast away sins and had a great increase of spiritual faith.
Without such steps, we wouldn't have had the real third stage of take-off.
Even though the fields become ripe at the time of harvest, how can we harvest everything if we have only few workers to gather the harvest?
God the Father had prepared all these events knowing everything in advance.
Since God let us have the opening service with the message titled, 'The Treasure of Treasures Is Faith', He guided us delicately, sometimes allowing for us tests and trials so that we could have perfect faith that comes from the sincere heart.
For the last two years God has been working more strongly than ever.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus called spiritually ignorant disciples and taught them.
Until they became apostles who could be martyred, He raised them with devotion, endurance, and love.
Sometimes He had to shed tears for their lack of faith.
Our Lord is praying at the right hand side of God's throne even right now.
The Holy Spirit who is with us on this earth is interceding for us with groanings too deep for words.
Furthermore, God has fulfilled the law of justice for you today, through your shepherd who was set up in place for you.
He has shown you the finger fractures, vocal cord nodules, loss of life-energy and stomach ceasing to function, letting me show you the example of faith so that you could also have perfect faith in your heart as well.
Many of you said that you came to possess true love and true faith through these events.
Now, all these things worked together and allowed for you to be born again as warriors of the Lord.
Of course, this journey was not easy.
But I believe you are only thankful that you know how great the glory is to be prepared as a worker of the church that 'proclaims to the whole world'.
Soon, many souls will come and fill the Canaan Sanctuary.
God the Father has given you the duty to lead them to salvation and New Jerusalem.
This duty will be your inheritance, which is allowed for you to prepare for your eternal heavenly life.
It is the love of God who wants to let you enjoy more land and rewards in eternal Heaven after your momentary life on earth is over.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in Acts 1:8, before His ascension the Lord said the following:
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."
Those who understood the love of the Lord and loved the Lord lived a life of a witness as empowered by the Holy Spirit.
You also feel the grace and love of the Lord and the Father God in your hearts, and you know the heart of the shepherd who wants you to go to New Jerusalem with him, so I believe you are living a life of a witness too.
I believe you are proclaiming the gospel of holiness and power of God.
When you preach the word of God, many listeners will understand by the Holy Spirit.
They will understand that there is only one God, the true God.
They will rejoice after being healed by the power that can be manifested only by God, only in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Also, when they hear the praises of God's power, they will be inspired by the Holy Spirit and feel the beauty of Heaven.
Those many souls that will come to our church in search of God will grow up with the powerful word you preach and your prayers of love.
The love of God and the aroma of Christ will fill the world through your lives.
In order for you to join this glorious array, you should prepare the following three things.
First, those of you who belong to 'the church proclaiming to the whole world' must put on the holy garments.
Romans 13:14 says, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts."
The holy garments refer to the holy heart.
Those who still have any sinful natures remaining in you, I urge you to cast them off within this year.
Then, even the unbelievers will recognize you as true Christians and listen to what you proclaim.
As long as you still put on the dirty clothes, nobody will pay attention to what you preach.
The people will not hear you, and also, you might even become an object of mockery by the enemy devil and Satan.
The holy garment represents you as the workers of the Lord and the instruments of the Holy Spirit.
Holy garments also protect you.
Wherever you may go, in the wilderness or high mountains, you can be protected by God as long as you put on the holy garments.
Today, many people call out, 'Lord, Lord.'
You should, however, remember that a true Christian is spotted by their garment, which is their heart.
Psalm 110:3 depicts the following scene.
"Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power; in holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew."
I urge you in the name of the Lord that all of you will be in this holy array.
Brothers and sisters, those members of the church that proclaim to the whole world must have strong weapons.
To spread the holiness gospel and power of God in the spiritual battlefields, we must have the sword of the word that is strong enough to destroy the camp of the devil.
Namely, you should arm yourself with the holiness gospel completely.
Also, you should store up your prayer so that you can bring down the power of God whenever you need it.
Given that you are wearing the same kind of holy garment, the authority in word and power of God manifested will differ according to the extent to which you learn the word and store up prayers.
Soon, so many thirsty souls will ask for the workers from our church.
Also, as the kingdom of God will be expanded, there will be more and more things to do.
Do you think that you will be able to take enough time to learn the word and store up that much prayer by then?
Therefore, I urge you in the name of the Lord who has great power that even from today you will learn the word systematically and pray so that you will be able to perform your duty powerfully.
Brothers and sisters, as the workers of the church that proclaims to the whole world, you should have burning love in you.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 explains about how the people are like in this generation.
Today, people love themselves, money, and pleasure the most.
They are unloving and brutal.
They close the door of their hearts tightly and not open it to either God or other people.
The key to melt down and open such a heart is 'love'.
One of the qualifications to become the Savior, and probably the most important one, is love.
In the heart of the apostles and the members of the early church, there was forgiveness and compassion for those who persecuted them.
I hope you will also have in you the love of the Lord, namely the love of forgiveness and self-sacrifice, and the love of the Holy Spirit, who never gives up on any soul until he reaches salvation and New Jerusalem.
I urge you in the name of the Lord who gave us true peace that you will set free numerous souls from the bonds of sins.
[Conclusion]
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, and viewing audiences,
There is a common factor in AD 35, 1517, and 2012.
Those were the times that opened a new era.
In AD 35 (allegedly), Stephen was martyred asking for the awakening of the Jewish religious leaders.
This was the signal for the beginning of the age of persecutions against Christianity and the era of revival.
This was the first martyrdom in the history of Christianity.
In 1517, Martin Luther issued the Ninety-Five Theses confronting the sales of indulgence and the corruption of the priests of the Roman Catholic Church, thereby initiating the Reformation.
2012 will be a year in which a new era will start for not just Christians, but also all peoples, by the powerful works of the Holy Spirit.
And you and I here have to make it happen.
As you pray in Spirit, dedicate yourself joyfully and proclaim the holiness gospel and the power of God, the churches that are in spiritual slumber will come to an awakening.
All peoples in all nations will rise and prepare for the second coming of the Lord.
In John 4:35-36 Jesus said, "Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal."
The time of harvest is drawing near.
All of you should put on the holy garments, and have the powerful weapons, which means having the word and power of God to be worthy of being the preachers.
Proclaim to the whole world the power of God and holiness gospel harboring love in your hearts.
In doing so, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will reap the portion assigned to you and show the fruit of countless souls before the Lord on the day of His coming back. |
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