Most of these sermons are either are transcribed from the simultaneous interpretation provided at Cheon Bok Gung or edited from the preliminary notes the interpreters use for reference. As such, they should not be considered a complete or definitive translation in whole or in part, and are not reliable enough to quote from authoritatively.

Brothers and Sisters, the title of today’s sermon is: “The Kingdom of God”. If we look at the words of Jesus we find that, in the Unificationist family, we often forget about Jesus. From the viewpoint of the Principle we should always remember that Jesus is the Lord and the son that God sent. As we all know, True Father has completed the mission of Jesus as the Lord at his Second Advent.

If you look at the Bible, Luke 17:20, where Jesus is speaking with the Pharisees, they ask Jesus: “When will the kingdom of God come?” and “How will it come?” Jesus replies: “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say ‘Here it is. There it is;’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

The actual Hebrew translation is that the kingdom of God is ‘next within us’ rather than inside my heart. If we first think why Jesus spoke like this, we can think: “Ah, my heart is the kingdom” but this is mistaken. Jesus spoke many words regarding the kingdom of God, regarding God’s heaven, but ultimately, where is the kingdom  of God?

Because the son that God has sent is the only king, the kingdom of God is the place where the son has descended to and is present. Therefore when our heart changes to become one with the returning Lord then this heart becomes the kingdom of God.

It doesn’t come with loud trumpets but when our heart changes internally to a heart of accepting this, becoming filled with obedience, righteousness and love for God and love for the son that God has sent, then our heart becomes the kingdom of God. Furthermore if we come to realize this, then the Lord himself, Jesus himself, True Parents themselves, become heaven. It becomes the kingdom, a place where the son that God has sent and where True Parents reign as king of kings, and is indeed heaven.

In our home groups as well, if you are loving and praising True Parents as the king of all kings, that place is heaven. Our heart will be heaven. The church will be heaven and we, the Unificationist families, will be heaven. As I am attending True Parents closely, I feel that, if the place where True Parents are, where they reign as kings of all kings is heaven, then the place where True Parents’ substantial bodies are, can also be seen as heaven. So I feel that True Parents themselves are heaven, the kingdom of God.

Where do I feel this the most? This April 11th, True Parents will again go toLas Vegas. For two or three years True Father has been promoting this providence but whenever I visited there, there was something bothering me. That place bothers many people’s minds. It is the city of greatest evil. There are drugs, and among the 50 states it is said that only in Nevada can prostitutes work legally. That’s why it is a place with many bad rumors and many people view this city in a bad way. That’s why, since two or three years ago, that city has always bothered me. Why does True Father go there? People can easily misunderstand True Parents and see them in a bad light. Everyone was concerned.

This time when I attended True Parents, wherever they went, I came to one big realization. This time True Father said to prepare a big rally in Las Vegasthat includes the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam fishing and game competition. Seeing this I was very inspired. But there was the concern that many people see True Father being active in Las Vegas, and that someone with bad intentions might take a video of them and show their activities. But through the Las Vegasfishing and game competition I saw that True Father was changing the gaming culture totally.

You may know that in Las Vegasthere are many card games, like Poker, Black Jack etc. If we think about it, a game itself is not bad, right? When we ask if the Korean traditional game ‘Yut’ is bad, we can say it isn’t. But if the gaming culture is such that as you play you earn money, become addicted and this goes in a bad direction, then the game itself becomes God. Therefore this time I saw for certain that True Parents are totally changing the gaming culture that involves alcohol, addiction and gambling.

The reason I feel that is, if True Father were just a regular religious leader he would go to Las Vegasto do some volunteer work or something. However, True Father is holding a Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam Las Vegas tournament, and through that is trying to change the game culture there from Black Jack to fishing — by connecting people with fishing. He is inviting UC members to come, and while they are having a good time, True Father will give prize money to the first, second and third winners of the fishing competition. He will then donate all the funds collected through this to poor prostitutes in Las Vegas. He decided to give all the money collected to help drug addicts and poor prostitutes.

Looking at True Father I realized that this was the original mind of True Parents. True Parents have been investing their devotion in Las Vegas for three years and I felt that now it has started to bear fruit there. True Parents themselves are heaven, and without our knowing, True Parents came to Sin City just like Jesus’ word that he came for the sinners and not for the righteous people. Just as Jesus went to the houses of prostitutes, the most evil places, where people cursed the most, so did the Lord at his Second Advent, as the only person that could save them. True Parents went to the worst “sin city” and pioneered. And we are witnessing that they are completely changing that culture, brothers and sisters.

True Parents’ existence itself creates tremendous ‘Cham Pumonim Ok Mansei’ vibration. The fact that True Parents are in that city, Las Vegas, it is already changing Sin City into Sun City. No one else would think of challenging that gambling culture, to take out the gaming culture from Satan’s word and change it into heavenly culture. Through games, families can have fun and in the meantime money gathered there will be donated to suffering people. I believe now that this is something that only True Parents can do; no one but the Lord can do this.

Brothers and sisters, when we enter into the Cham Pumonim Ok Mansei vibration, I feel that the vibration is very powerful these days. Once I was on my way back from Yeosu to Seoul and I was playing the Cham Pumonim Ok Mansei CD. On that day my body was stiff and not so comfortable. But when I heard the Cham Pumonim Ok Mansei vibration my body started to relax and the stiffness went away.

When there are too many things on my mind I listen to Cham Pumonim Ok Mansei (that I have copied onto my phone) and my mind clears completely. So I feel, ‘Ah, Cham Pumonim Ok Mansei’! Even though we are not right next to True Parents, we can feel the vibration of True Parents through the love, filial piety and heart that wants to offer glory to them. True Parents, as king of kings, exist in that sound, and that vibration contains Heaven’s strength. Through the strength of their vibration I was much moved. I received the merit of the healing and was able to truly offer gratitude as I repented.

Brothers and sisters, today, as we send the strength of this vibration to True Parents, when we offer the Cham Pumonim Ok Mansei praise, let’s not do it routinely, as we do it every week, but let’s offer praise with each Cham Pumonim Ok Mansei that we utter. When we sing I hope that you feel that True Parents exist within that sound as the king of kings. I pray that the Holy Spirit may allow us to receive the energy and strength of heaven and send great strength and Qi energy to True Parents.

Brothers and sisters, I send you greetings from Cheong Pyeong. I pray that today can be a day that we can send great strength and devotion to True Parents.

Thank you very much.

Sermon about Hyung-jin nim’s ministry, delivered by the Cheon Bok Gung’s main Hoon-sa nim (Korean Elder).  

Most of these sermons are either are transcribed from the simultaneous interpretation provided at Cheon Bok Gung or edited from the preliminary notes the interpreters use for reference. As such, they should not be considered a complete or definitive translation in whole or in part, and are not reliable enough to quote from authoritatively.

At this time I would like to deliver the sermon from Father’s selected words, volume 63 page 28. Let us read this together. “How much you have offered your best and how much jeong seong devotion and life you have invested is the question. That will determine the value and standard of the person”. Aju!

This is our first Sunday service in the month of September and today the title of my sermon is, “The International President’s Jeong Seong and his Ministry”. I pray that you can receive much from this content and that this will be a blessed time.

First, when I speak about the jeong seong, the devotion, and the ministry of our International President, my motivation for doing so is, that we are now at a time when we have to make a new start here at Cheon Bok Gung. Among our members of Cheon Bok Gung, there are some of you who joined after our International President started preparing for his ministry and before you learned about how he voluntarily offered jeong seong and training. So you may not know much about this.

Our members know that our International President started at the Mapo Church. Some of you know this history but our headquarters church is now a conglomeration of many different local churches within Seoul.  Some of you, maybe a lot of you, may not know about this.

When Hyung-jin nim began his ministry what was the foundation of jeong seong that he laid? What was the vertical relationship that he had with God and True Parents? If you can understand these points then you can relate to it better and you can have a standard of value.

But if you don’t know anything about these points then you will just look at this horizontally and say, “Well, one of Father’s sons is doing ministry”. You may not understand very well the vertical and horizontal relationships that our International President has. So today in order to learn a little bit more about how heaven has prepared this person, I would like to give you a little explanation. I pray that this can be a blessed and victorious day.

From the year 2000, for seven years, Hyung-jin nim offered continuous devotions and now he has been involved in ministry for four years. This year happens to be his thirty third year since birth. We know about Jesus and his life of thirty three years. Father asked many times,“When will Hyung-jin turn thirty?” So he was truly waiting for this.

The age of thirty was a special age when Jesus as well as our International President began their public ministry. Did you know this?

Yesterday he had his birthday and he began his thirty third year (Western age). This is a very significant time, so we need to explain his background. However, how can I express his thirty three year life course in thirty minutes? I can only pick some small parts of his life and I can explain what I have felt and experienced during the last four years that I have spent with the International President.

Then, let’s look at his birth. There are things that have been prepared since his birth and he also prepared himself in his early life, to become a leader. He was the twelveth child of our True Parents and the seventh son, the last son. When he was in grade school he was a real comedian; he was a real clown. Of course he went out and played wildly, but also, for example, if a teacher came, he went to hide above the bathroom. So he was a real prankster.

In junior high and high school he was very popular among his classmates, also among girls. How did he solve this problem? He started doing martial arts. What kind of society does America have? I don’t know it too well. It is a country with a lot of mixed races and challenges. But Hyung-jin nim kept practicing his martial arts.

After he entered high school and college he was wondering what to do and he decided to totally shave his head like a monk. Then all the girls left him alone. So if we think about what he had to go through, we can see that he was protected in many ways.

Next, with regard to the blessing, when our True Parents asked him, “Would you like to receive the blessing?”, he said, “Yes Father!” right away.  Father asked him, “How can you answer this so simply?” Father asked again and he said, “We have seen how you, Father and Mother, live and that is why we want to receive the blessing”. So, on September 6 1997, he was blessed to Miss Lee Yeon-ah. Now, they have four sons and one daughter.

True Parents have many children but Hyung-jin nim was closest to his brother, Young-jin nim. He spoke with him the most and had many exchanges. Young-jin nim was very smart and studied well. Hyung-jin nim didn’t like to study so well, so sometimes he was called ‘idiot’ but Young-jin nim always encouraged him and said, “You are not stupid, you can study”. Young-jin nim could go to a good university, but he took a leave of absence for one year to teach Hyung-jin nim. Then his grades started to go up and he was able to graduate from high school well. So he felt very close to Young-jin nim.

However, Young-jin nim ascended to Heaven all of a sudden. Hyung-jin nim said that when he heard this, he lost all sense of thought. He didn’t know how to live his life and he almost did not feel like living.  He was at his worst state. However, he felt that he had to shake himself out of this. From 2000 he started to train himself. He would pray, mediate and offer bows. He did the kind of training where he would not sleep. It was an unspeakable training that he could not describe in words.

From 2003 he went to Japan and studied the Buddhist culture there.  There are eighty eight Buddhist holy grounds in Japan. He toured these places. He also went through the training and did not allow himself to sleep. He inherited the kind of training that goes into religious life.

In 2004 he went through the holy sites of Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism. For instance he visited China and studied Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. After that he went to Harvard University and studied comparative religions.

From September 2006, here in Korea, he offered jeong seong of 12,000 bows for the victory of our True Parents world tour.  At the Cheon Jeong Gung he studied how the Japanese members are offering jeong seong. He was really moved by how faithful they were, so he offered kyung bae to the Japanese members. Then in the Cheong Pyeong training center he performed a special ceremony in which he washed the feet of a black member and of an elder from the Korean church.

Now he had graduated from the Master’s course, and in 2003 he put out this book. It is called The Moment. At that time True Father was not in very good health so he recorded everything about Father and through these pictures he created this book. Just looking at this book alone we can feel what kind of a filial son he is.

In 2004 he put out another book called A Bald Head and a Strawberry. This is a book about the story of his relationship with True Parents. He expresses Father’s will and Mother’s will and also what triggered his going into the ministry.

In 2005 he came up with a book call Cheon Hwa Dang (“House of Heavenly Harmony”). This book talks about how to unite mind and body and how we can have harmony within ourselves, how we can bring unity between our family members, and how to raise up a harmonious family.

This is the content of his books. The standard of value of Hyung-jin nim is displayed throughout them.

We can also say that Hyung-jin nim is a very human person. The place where he most likes to eat is a simple kimbap [rice rolled in seaweed laver] restaurant and he also likes den jang [soy bean soup]. Very common, plain things!

I have also seen how he relates to an earthworm. Once, after a day of rain, we were walking on the street and we saw a long earthworm on the ground. We could very easily have stepped on it and killed it but Hyung-jin nim picked up the earthworm and put it back near plants and flowers.  We would wash our hands and try to get rid of the slime but this is what he did, (shows wiping hand across mouth) he did not even wash his hands and he just wiped his mouth with it. So we witnessed these little acts which were really incredible. He loves to raise up animals. He raises up small fish and frogs, and dogs. He likes birds and even snakes.

One day he said, “Young-jin nim should not always come up in my mind.  When I go into my room I keep thinking about Young-jin nim, but I shouldn’t do that.” On Hyung-jin nim’s hand, you can see a big wound here (holds up left hand and points to the place between the thumb and index finger). This is where he cut himself with a knife, almost cutting off his finger, trying to forget about Young-jin nim. That is how deeply he thought about his brother. Young-jin nim is always with him.

He also struggles with many things. He says,“If you look at what is taking place in the Unificationist famiy now, I feel like going into the mountains and just doing training. If that was all I could do, that would be good! But Father says,”No, you have to lead the providence and you have to lead the way”.

So in a word he is the most filial of all sons. Whenever True Father calls him he doesn’t just answer the phone and say ‘Yes’ (matter of fact tone) but he is as if (shows bowing and excitement) receiving Father’s call for the first time in many years. In this way he is always showing his filial piety towards True Parents. We pray that you can also have that kind of standard.(Applause)

After such a preparation period he became a minister for the Unification Church. July 13, 2007 was the exact day that Kook-jin nim and Hyung-jin nim were called before Father. What did they talk about?   They discussed this point, “Are you going to go for your Ph.D or are you going to stay in Korea and help True Father?” The conclusion they reached was that if he decided to go into the doctoral course it would take him six years, and Father’s providence would then take more time to be realized.

Since Father is very old, Hyung-jin nim decided that he would already go into the ministry. He then started at the Mapo Church at the end of July. He said that because he was the last child he received so much love from True Parents and he wanted to share it with the members.

His second concern was how to go about his ministry. He asked True Parents what is the most central Chinese character. Father said,“It is the ‘seong’ from ‘jeong seong’ which means integrity, devotion or sincerity  . And the next most important character is ‘ae’ the character for love. So, you should carry out the “seong and ae” ministry that is centered on devotion and love.”

How to approach the members? Members are all very important people. He called them VIPs. This was the attitude that he had when he started.  For the direction of faith he also chose the initials VIP. ‘V’ stands for Victory: day by day we gain victory little by little. ‘I’ stands for Illumination: everyday little by little we are awakened or enlightened. ‘P’ stands for Peace: everyday, little by little we become more peaceful. This is the ‘VIP’ content that our International President wants us to inherit. Did you understand that? This was his motto in leading and guiding the members. For four months, at Mapo Church he offered jeong seong from dawn with a constant life of devotion.

(Showing a slide) This was when he first carried out the service at the Mapo Church. Now it’s the Shimjung Cultural Center in Mapo.

(Next slide) We prayed for those who were hospitalized. Our International President did all of these things. For four months from July to November he was at Mapo, then in November he came to Cheongpadong Headquarters’ Church and he humbled himself even more. In the morning he would go to the Chogyesa Temple, to the Myeongdong Catholic Cathedral or to the Soonbokeum Church. After the Sunday services he would go to other churches and he did a study of the future of our Cheon Bok Gung Church.

He went to Mount Maebong every morning, in the rain, in the snow, in subzero weather, every morning! He continued his jeongseong and what he called the ‘Danbury training’. What do people dislike the most? It’s a smelly toilet, right? So, cleaning up the toilet was called the ‘Danbury training’. The toilet is full of germs, dirty and smelly but cleaning there he offered his Jeongseong and he always liked to keep the Cheongpadong Church’s bathroom as clean as his rooms were.

Then in July he had a revelation about the ‘Seven deaths and resurrections’ of our True Parents, the seven deaths that they had gone through. During the period from July 29 to August 5 2009 he offered 21,000 bows. He had a dream that people were falling into hell and that True Parents were fighting for the life of every one of them, to bring them out of hell. That was the vision that he saw.

As a result he explained the ‘Seven deaths and resurrections’, the ‘Completion of the eight stages, ‘True Parents’ victory’ and ‘I’m alive, thank you!’ He then created the Tongil mark and the ‘Give and receive action, four position foundation, let us inherit the true love of God and return glory to God until our ascension’. Until when? Until the day we die. He created this kind of culture.

What do these things teach us? They tell us, very accurately, how our International President built a vertical relationship between True Parents and himself. What kind of attitude we should have in our life of faith from the time that we are born to the time that we die. This is what is expressed here.

Our International President’s book is about why we have to offer devotions. He said that we have to offer devotions in order to reflect on ourselves. If we don’t look back and reflect on ourselves, we become arrogant and we can lose our way. In order to prevent ourselves from going the wrong way, we offer jeongseong, devotions.

We think about our True Parents who went through the ‘seven deaths and resurrections’, who were victorious through the eight stages and who fought with Satan. We realize their value not by looking at them through physical eyes but through spiritual eyes. During the training, if we say,“Father”, then we can see Father in suffering, Father in tears, Father in difficulties,which brings tears to our eyes. What confession comes after this? The confession that we are sinful, that I am a sinner.

After he received his revelation he wrote a letter to our True Parents saying, “Until now I had been looking at you with physical eyes but now I can truly look at you with the eyes of heaven.” Then he offered a bow before our True Parents and begged for their forgiveness. At that time True Father looked at Hyung-jin nim and said, “So, now you have come to know my heart!” and shed tears. True Parents also wiped away his tears. This kind of deep-rooted relationship between parent and child exists between them.

In the beginning, he related with our members on a horizontal basis. He spoke to them horizontally and he approached them horizontally. But after the period of training he now understands the importance of the ‘seven deaths and resurrections’ and the fact that we are in a position of sinners.

In the beginning his message was one of encouragement and praise, all the time. However from a certain point it changed to the realization that “I am a sinner.” Perhaps some members think that there is a fundamental change in his mindset, that our International President has changed, because of the change in the tone of the sermons.

What he has been stressing is that if we look at True Parents through spiritual eyes then we are able to recognize the course of hardship and suffering that True Parents have gone through, the ‘seven deaths and resurrections’, the ‘eight stages of growth’, as victors who have gone through these stages. Think of True Parents’ course and how much torture Father had to go through!

As Hyung-jin nim attended and served his father, True Parents received encouragement from their son. This was the beginning of the Holy Spirit Healing Service. Father has been tortured so many times and until now his body has been wounded and in pain. But even within the tortures he established the standard of victory.

We can accept True Parents as the Messiah and as the Lord of the Second Advent when we can understand his course and that we are sinners and must repent for our sins. When we can express this clearly, this is when we can really appreciate the value of our True Parents. (Applause)

When Hyung-jin nim began his ministry in 2007 our members were very exhausted. Of course we understood that we were the descendents of our fallen ancestors, but we were not even sure about what our True Parents had really done for us, that they had gone through a course of indemnity in order to indemnify our sins. We very easily had forgotten that after death we would go to the spirit world and that this place was eternal. We had forgotten all those things.

Through meditation and prayer Hyung-jin nim began to understand where we were at, what our situation was. Hyung-jin nim always went a step ahead and layed the foundation for us to follow. In the beginning we had a certain style for our Sunday services. In those days we did ‘aju’ very loudly and we had a different style of music and so forth, but this was not familiar to the Asian members of our congregation. We went through various trials and errors in order to come up with a style. However, it is amazing that a true child is leading the ministry as a minister.

True Parents have been sought-after throughout the providence of God and we know that they are going this course in order to restore history. Our Unificationists members always have good faith and we pray that tomorrow will be better than today and that we can improve our faith day by day. We have a positive mind and we have the courage to do various things.

Hyung-jin nim also came and greeted each one of us, shook hands, took pictures with us and truly invested his heart and love into each and every member. We ourselves must make these efforts to grow and overcome our limitations.

We think about how our True Parents have been attended by Hyung-jin nim and his wife. Hyung-jin nim and Yeon-ah nim say they have become much closer to True Parents having stayed with them night and day since April this year.

As we read, in the beginning, in True Father’s words in volume 63, it is how much jeong seong we have invested which decides and determines the standard of value of a person. Because Hyung-jin nim has offered this kind of devotion, then we have come to know that he was somebody totally prepared by God and heaven. If we know the heart of our True Parents and know the heart of the International President and his wife and if we decide to go forward to accomplish our goal then we will feel what it’s like.

Our respected brothers and sisters, our True Father is somebody sent by God in the place of Adam. He is a unique person, absolute, unchanging and eternal. What kind of person is our International President? He is somebody chosen by heaven which means that he himself has voluntarily made preparations. Hyung-jin nim is someone who has preserved God’s tradition, preserved God’s lineage and inherited God’s tradition in a very pure way. I hope that you can remember this. (Applause)

The Moon clan is very impatient. In order to restore the original state of humankind True Father trained himself, and our International President also went through much training. He says that, being a member of the Moon clan, he doesn’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t trained himself.

The second point is that he offered much jeong seong and training.

The next point is that he has established absolute faith with True Parents. Since April he has been attending True Parents and in order to inherit the true love of God he has carried out endless and constant training. He is not here at the moment. Whenever I see our International President he is attending our True Parents.

If we want to become like True Parents and shoulder all of the providence of the world then we need to attend them and inherit qualities from them. Therefore it’s not a problem that Hyung-jin nim is absent from the church at this time. For the future he needs to inherit the heartistic realm and everything from our True Parents. So let us give him a big round of applause and encourage him and their couple.(Big applause)

The third point is that he studied comparative religions and prepared himself to become a global leader. He has made his efforts and he has come up with the Tongil thought, philosophy of ‘Give and receive action, four position foundation, and inheriting God’s true love until our Seung Hwa’. This seems to be very simple but a very important message is found here. When we offer our kyung bae, we thank God and True Parents and after we say our Family Pledge with our heart and mind we inherit that.

Among the world religions Islam seems to be growing the most rapidly. It’s very conspicuous these days. Do you know how many times a day they offer their devotions? Five times a day! Hyung-jin nim is offering a foundation of eight devotions a day.

Because I have been able to witness these things during the last four years while attending Hyung-jin nim, I would like to share them with you periodically, also to share with you about his futuristic philosophy, his forward-looking thought, and how we can have victory over the providence of Cheon Bok Gung.

I pray that you can all become direct disciples of True Parents by following the course of our True Parents and of our International President. A few weeks ago we heard about the direct disciples who followed Jesus. St. Paul could not become a direct disciple because he did not live in the same age as Jesus, but you are all living in the same age as our True Parents. Therefore you can all become direct disciples.

I am not envious of any of the major religions such as Buddhism. Our International President has said that the way Unificationists can have their own identity is by following the way of True Parents. And I am convinced that this is how we can receive salvation. Let us pray!

Most of these sermons are either are transcribed from the simultaneous interpretation provided at Cheon Bok Gung or edited from the preliminary notes the interpreters use for reference. As such, they should not be considered a complete or definitive translation in whole or in part, and are not reliable enough to quote from authoritatively.

Hello brothers and sisters!

 Haven’t seen you for a while.  As you know from this week’s service, we are going to hold the Holy Spirit Healing Service (HS HS) in a slightly different way and for eight months now we have been offering Jeong Seong and going thru the eight stages of Jeong Seong together with the Hoonsanims and the ministers of Cheon Bok Gung and many of you have been offering HS HS from your homes and sending much energy and chi to our True Parents.  We have seen amazing works of the Holy Spirit.

 I think this grace is a very big gift and also this is evidence that the Holy Spirit is with us in this Unificationist family.  Every month we can receive a different feeling from the service but when we think about eight months before, it’s true that many people feel that we have entered into a new age and I also feel that.  If you look back, I think we can recall the message from the Holy Spirit and through God telling us, “Have hope. There is much to be done.”

 For eight months you have offered Jeong Seong, much Jeong Seong and I had a chance to serve and attend True Parents right next to them and I have witnessed much energy being received by our True Parents and Father and Mother feeling more happy and more filled with energy and chi in their daily lives. Everybody feels this.  Of course they are still pushing themselves and at the age of 93, Father should not lead such a strenuous life but in spite of that, the fact that He is still living in this way, this is possible because many, many members are offering Jeong Seong, offering devotions and our True Father is receiving much energy from all of you.

 As you know recently, True Parents helped in the launching ceremony of the boat, the special boat, the Won Mo boat, where the universal parent boat is in Las Vegas.  When we think about True Father, we come up with many images.  He is the King of Kings, He is the King of Peace, and He is the Lord of the Second Advent.  These are very grand images that we have of Father.  When we look at his Autobiography or the comic-book version of Father’s autobiography, we see Father leading the world and Father uniting the world into one.

 So if we think about the image of Father as King of Kings, King of Peace, the Son of God and the Father of the world and the Second Christ, the Christ who has come again, of course, these are the central identities of our True Parents; but at the same time Father is a scientist.

In Jin Nim gave a sermon recently and she said that through science, Father has revealed many aspects of the Principle…Dual Characteristics, the plus minus concept within cells and many things. At this ceremony in Las Vegas, Father instructed that 150 women leaders come together, and together with all the members approximately 400 attended at the Pyung Wha Guk Peace Palace that is now being built here in Las Vegas.

 If we look at the Chinese characters for Won Mo, the name of the Universal Parent boat, Won means round and Mo means mother.  In this age of the Pacific Rim era, all women should become central figures; a woman should become leader and through the Won Mo boat, women with the mother’s heart come together in this age of the Pacific Rim by creating this round circle. This is the age in which the mother’s love and the mother’s heart cover the entire world.

 Of course, that doesn’t mean that a man just sits still, but as always, the men also follow Father’s way of life and become sons and husbands that return joy and glory to Father and at the same time they support their wives and daughters and mothers so that they can take part in the providence; so this forms a big, round circle. This is the way that all families must go.

 While I was with Father in Las Vegas, I thought about lots of things. When Father first went to Las Vegas, actually like all members, I was very concerned because Las Vegas doesn’t have a good reputation as you know.  Many people think of it as “Sin City,” a city of evil. That’s why everybody was worried and concerned.  What kind of religious leader goes to Las Vegas and holds a game conference?  This is beyond our imagination but when I participated in the Las Vegas providence together with Father, together with Rev. Eu, Rev. Joo, Rev. Yang and Dr. Yang and watched Father every day, then I compared Him with the four great saints.

 Actually, I studied the four great saints when I studied Theology and Religion. The four great saints, Buddha for instance, did not go to a place like Las Vegas.  He always went the way of training. Confucius worked for the government so he would never go to any red light districts.  Mohammad himself, of course, never went to such areas. However, Jesus Christ alone went to such red light districts.  This was not to commit sin in the general sense but in order to lead the providence of salvation.  He went to those places and he had communication with people that everybody disliked, for instance, the tax collectors or the prostitutes that everybody despised and He led the works of salvation.

 When I saw this, it really again reinforced my conviction that Father is the true Lord of the Second Advent.  To go into such a city of sin, the Lord doesn’t just go to the sea, doesn’t just go to train in the mountains, but He really attacks the satanic world in such evil places and He changes everything through that.

 Jesus said in Matthew 10:34, “Do not suppose I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.”  So Father came to cut off Satan’s lineage and to connect the lineage to God.

 So when I watched the launching ceremony of the Won Mo boat, I came to think about the big meaning of this, especially in the American providence; Father received a lot of opposition from the start.  For instance, when he bought the New Yorker Hotel, “Why would a religious leader buy a hotel in that area?”  Everybody criticized this. As you know, 42^nd street in New York was a total red light district. Of course today, many things have changed and it has been cleaned up but when Father first bought the New Yorker Hotel — which is just along the road — that whole area was a red light district. So why would a minister invest in such place? Why would a religious leader buy a hotel in such an area?

 Father was persecuted a lot for this. It was unimaginable but because of the providence that Father led, this western side of Manhattan has totally changed and been cleaned up.  Now it has become a higher level in the region.

 And then when Father started the ocean providence, He built boats and he started the fish business. Everybody said, “Why is he doing this? Why would the Messiah do something like this?”  However as you know, in America people don’t eat much fish.  They like beef and meat and they don’t eat much fish.  They eat hamburgers and pizzas.

 When Father first started the fish business, how could this be successful in a culture such as America?  In Asia, of course we eat a lot of fish but America is a meat-eating culture and so this was also not easily imagined. However today, we know that Father’s fish business ranks first among the fish business and distribution business in America and there is a whole chain of restaurants.  As you know, in New York and in LA, California and wherever you go, there are Sushi shops and places that serve fish.  Many celebrities and stars see fish products as healthy food and so simply speaking, through the ocean providence, Father changed America, and also helped change America into a healthy culture.

 So when Father began the Las Vegas providence, nobody believed in it. I confess that when he began the Las Vegas Providence, I was very concerned.  Then Father took the game culture and took out the evil portion of the game culture and he helped, for instance, the Salvation Army.  This time, we donated to a Women’s Shelter in Las Vegas.  We visited this place.  There was a game tournament earlier this year and all members got together and collected their donations and the proceeds of that tournament was donated to the Salvation Army and to welfare organizations.

 This was the first time something like this happened in Las Vegas.  A religious group came into Las Vegas and held a game tournament in the casinos and the proceeds from that were donated to a welfare organization.  This is the first time in Las Vegas history.  So even looking at this vision that Father is leading, we can see how Father is trying to change Sin City into Sun City.  And this does not end there.  Now, Father is pioneering the Ocean providence through the Hoover Dam in the Las Vegas area by making a special boat with helium tanks.  This uses the principle of Helium that lifts the boat to run faster and save gasoline.

Through this, Father is always thinking of the environment, of the earth.  And he is always thinking about this issue of starvation, the food problem, and how to cope with this problem of starvation.  It is not something that you plant seeds, wait until the harvest in autumn, and then you make a donation.  But daily, everyday, we have to worry about food in which to feed the children.  And so in the ocean, through the Ocean providence, this is possible.  This is a great wisdom that Father knows.

When we welcome True Parents in Las Vegas right now, the Original Divine Principle seminars are taking place constantly thru Rev. Yu.  A few days ago, one workshop had ended, and this time CARP students came and visited.  There are some from Cheon Bok Gung also.  It was truly an unforgettable happy time shared together with the young students and True Parents.  We had a good time with CARP students and had questions and answers.  We went to the southern part of Las Vegas, close to Mexico, and we had Mexican food together.  We shared much precious time together.  We discussed many things that I had spoken about, for instance, the Mormon church.

As you know, the Mormon Church is now all over the world, and in America there is a special situation.  America is now suffering economically, and China is rising.  China is becoming strong financially.  So in the last 50 years, this is the first time that America has been shaken up to this extent financially.  On the other hand, there is a very new environment and a new atmosphere in America.  Of course, people are concerned and worried.  But what is interesting is that in Broadway, New York, there is a musical that is now recently ranking at the top.  It is called the “Book of Mormon” musical.  It is a story that makes fun of organized religion and traditional musical theater and it is about two Mormon missionaries.

If you look at Las Vegas, there are many Mormons and it has a lot of income through the casinos.  But 50 percent of its income is made through exhibitions, big exhibits, which they have through big companies such as Samsung and so forth.  The Mormons have a very strong presence in Nevada as well.  The Mormons have a very special message.  The situation of America is now very unstable and people are losing their faith and confidence in America.  When we look at the Mormon religion, many philosophers and theologians point out that their theology is weak.  It is problematic.  However, the Mormon religion continues to grow.  The reason for that is that the Mormon religion believes that America has been chosen as the center of the providence by God.  Joseph Smith, they believe, is the most beloved prophet of God.    They say that and they testify to that clearly.  In Salt Lake City and in New York, where Joseph Smith received his revelation, is a special holy ground for the Mormon people.  So even if the theology is a bit strange and people do not easily believe in the theology of the Mormons, the Mormon people see America as the holy land.  They believe that the prophet that God loves the most arose from this land.  This is what gives hope to the American people even if their theology is weak.

So then when I watched this, I thought of Korea.  Korea is also going through many circumstances and situations in the Pacific Rim area.  We see China rising very strongly.  It is growing in an amazing way and Korea, a small country, is at risk.  It is in danger before this tremendous power of China.  As you know, Kook Jin Nim, CEO of Tong Il Foundation, has lectured on the need for a strong Republic of Korea.  I think you have heard of this.  But this really points to the issues.  Korea is now going thru economic problems and China is showing tremendous growth.  What value does Korea have in such circumstances? No matter how economically strong it is, no matter how stable its politics, and no matter how confident its people are, Korea is a tiny nation.  A very small nation.  So how can it go to the world with this confidence?  The main reason that they can have confidence is because God had chosen this country.  And through the 2,000 years of history, the Lord who opened the new history of mankind came to this land.  It is not the most beloved prophet of God, but the Son that God has sent who came to Korea.  It is because of this reason.  Not because the Samsung Company is strong and makes a lot of money that Korea is strong, that is only a temporary thing; but because True Parents, the Son of God, has been sent to this country that it has an eternal value.

When I stay in America, I can see that Americans feel hope in Mormonism in a sense.  But in Korea, we have to know that people really need to know our True Parents.  They need to know what situation Korea is in.  They need to know the true value which resides in this country; the true vision, the true goal and the true providence that has been revealed by the Unification Church.  The Principle is a strong, stable, and dignified theology and nobody can explain the Bible in this way.  When we look at the history of the providence, God began with Adam, and now we are at the final stages of the providence thru our True Parents who will have victory here.  But nobody can explain this without knowing the Principle.  And this is why we have to have faith and have hope in Korea. Our faith and our goal is important.  Our goal is to return joy and glory to True Parents.  It is very simple.  There are many disputes going on in the Unificationist family but very simply we can distinguish what is true and what is not.  What returns joy and glory to True parents is the real faith.  What does not think about the joy and glory of True Parents is not true.  So we can distinguish this very clearly.  We must focus on returning joy and glory to our True Parents.

So I was eating tacos and burritos with the CARP students and one young man asked me, “After graduating from college, what should I do?”  And then I responded to him, “Have a big dream but that alone is not enough.  Even if you have a big dream, you have to have the dream for the joy and glory of our True Parents.”  So what is the difference there?

For example; we have a big dream that we will become big businessmen and become millionaires, or our whole family becomes successful.  In some extent, that is working for the sake of others.  But it is basically working for your family.  And that is a self-centered content.  But I said, “If True Parents gave you talent and ability then you should go out and utilize that and succeed.  You should make a lot of money, earn a lot of money, and build ten hospitals, for instance.  Set up a goal.  Build ten hospitals for the glory of our True Parents and then I will send you ten hoonsa nims to those hospitals.  So build ten hospitals.  Become successful businessmen.  Build an orphanage and have a huge dream.  That dream is not for your glory or for your joy but it is for the joy and glory of our True Parents.  If we can do that, then we can create eternal value.  God has given each person a special talent and special ability.  If you do not utilize that ability, then that is a sin.  When you utilize that ability, then you develop that but it has to be for the glory of God, and it has to be for the glory of the Son that God has sent.  So as Unificationists, when we go out into the world, whatever challenges there are, whatever obstacles there are, you do not have to worry.  Because as long as you have the truth and you have the filial piety, then you can win over all evil contents and you can overcome all difficulties, and you can return joy and glory to our True Parents.”

As I stay with True Parents, I feel many things.  And I always have to repent.  Our True Parents have gone beyond all limitations.  They have transcended all dimensions and in their extremely strenuous life, they lead their lives with joy.  When I see them do that, because of True Parents, I am able to stand before God.  No matter how much personal training I accumulate, no matter how much jeongseong I offer and no matter how much good I do, I am still a sinner before God.  From my thinking and my words and my actions, I have hurt God in many ways.  By myself alone, I cannot go before God.  I always realize this and I know this very well, that because of our True Parents, because of how precious they are, although he is my True Father, he is my savior.  Because of him, I am able to stand before God and receive this tremendous blessing and tremendous grace.  So then I realize the way of filial piety.  This is not done through a sense of duty but this is done through love.  No matter how difficult it is, no matter how tired we are, if we have a happy heart of joy, and going the way of filial piety, then we can all return joy and glory to our True Parents.  So today, let us bring all of our shimjung energy together and gather together all of our love, all of our joys, all of our happiness and offer them to True Parents thru the “Champumonim Eog Mansei”.  Through that vibration, then I believe that true spiritual works can occur in this history of providence.

Let us read Father’s words together:  We speak the words of True Parents, yet we speak of True Children.  What do True Children have to do?  We need to know.   We have to be able to offer all of our lives and we have to be able to offer everything what we have and be grateful even if we go to hell.  This is the kind of course that we have to go through.   And through this, we can connect as True Children. And we can return to the True Father. Aju!

Filed under: Sermon Text ]]> http://iunificationist.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/true-to-my-parents-we-live-in-the-joy-and-glory/feed/ 0 doyomi http://iunificationist.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/witness-to-the-holy-spirit/ http://iunificationist.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/witness-to-the-holy-spirit/#comments Fri, 05 Aug 2011 06:04:05 +0000 TrueLove http://iunificationist.wordpress.com/?p=1125 ]]> April 17, 2011,  Cheon Bok Gung, Yongsan Seoul Korea

Hello Brothers and Sisters

Today, I am joining you from CheonhwaGung, here in Nevada, in the US.

True Parents are offering jeongseong devotions here, preparing for surprising works that will develop and change this sin city dramatically. Today I have prepared my sermon with the title “Witness to the Holy Spirit.”

First, let’s read chapter 1 of the Book of Acts, verses 6 thru 8.

So when they met together, they asked him, `Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? `

He said to them: `It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.`

Most notably, it says in verse 8 that when the Holy Spirit comes on us, we will receive power and will be witnesses to this.

Brothers and Sisters, this word is very important. That’s because if we receive the works of the Holy Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit, this is not works being done for us as individuals. When we send our love to God and True Parents, the Lord of Second Advent, the Christ, and the Son whom God sent with a pure mind, motivation, and heart/heart, motivation and shimjeong, the Holy Spirit can come in between the vibrations. Then the Holy Spirit enters you and we experience these works. Miracles start happening. When the Holy Spirit works, we really can feel much change.

However, these changes are not only for us. As we recognize that we really are sinners and as we know that our repentance is not enough–even if we repent everyday–this repentance becomes our joy. Repentance is not self-hatred; it is done thinking only about great love of God and focusing only on that. That’s why when we offer prayer of repentance with a pure heart, motivation and shimjeong, and love and believe in True Parents, I believe amazing works will be done.

Brothers and Sisters, while those works are being done, even though we don’t notice, we go into the womb of the Holy Spirit — as Jesus said to Nicodemus [high priest in Jerusalem], we can be reborn from the womb of the Holy Spirit. The fact is that we have to be reborn through the Holy Spirit everyday. Living with the Lord, living with Christ, living with God, a life that renews a sinner like me. A new life that changes and renews a sinner like me, a life gives new shimjeong/heart.

When we repented with such a pure heart, the Holy Spirit came into the center of our heart and planted new feelings within us. The Holy Spirit can instill in us the heart to earnestly love True Parents, the Son whom God sent. When that heart is planted within us, we can become witnesses to God. To become His witnesses, we can not only speak out for God but also become His arms and legs. We are not becoming just an individual who can build God’s kingdom, heaven, or Cheon Il Guk, but becoming God’s sons and daughters who can be His witnesses.

Brothers and Sisters, this content is very important. That’s because when we held the Holy Spirit Healing Service, when we sang Cham Bumonim Ok Mansei (COM) with truly pure mind, motivation and heart, this is not just a language, a teaching, or just some words. This is love itself.

As I mentioned last week, `The kingdom of God is within us. ` just as Jesus said. True Parents are the Son and Daughter whom God sent… Wherever True Parents dwell as a king and queen that is heaven. That place is exactly God’s kingdom. In that way, when we do Cham Bumonim Ok Mansei with pure mind, motivation and heart, True Parents reign within those few words and our prayers as king and queen. In short, that is the heavenly kingdom.

The qualities of `The Reign of Peace` are exhibited in those short words, Cham Bumonim Ok Mansei. Within them also can be found faith, love, and filial piety that are developing and building the heavenly kingdom.

Brothers and Sisters, when we do Cham Bumonim Ok Mansei, millions of vibrations within that vibration are appearing. The Holy Spirit wants to come in between each vibration. When the Holy Spirit comes inside the waves of that vibration, if we repent with a pure mind, motivation and heart and we move the spotlight away from ourselves and onto God and True Parent’s love, the course of indemnity, and the course of Seven Deaths and Resurrections, the Holy Spirit wants to come to us. I believe.

Brothers and sisters, having arrived in America this time, we are hearing a truly amazing testimony. Not long ago, about a month ago, we gathered together–about 2,000 American members, in Caesar’s Palace, the famous hotel and casino, in Las Vegas—and we all sent that vibration. Challenging the sinful culture, singing praises in the power of “Cham Bumonim Ok-mansei,” we gathered that vibration of love for a whole hour. It was truly like gathering the people of the world. Black people, white people, people from the East, the members gathered as all the races from around the world, all singing “Cham Bumonim Eog-mansei” together, and breaking into deep tearful prayers. Amid these spiritual experiences and works, many healings took place.

There were spiritual works whereby people whose legs were injured somehow, or people unable to walk, could stand and walk again. People whose eyes were damaged could see. One Christian, not a member of our church, and who did not know Divine Principle, was participating.  For many decades he had suffered from a very uncomfortable skin disease on his back, which, through the Cham Bumo nim Eog-mansei vibration, disappeared completely without him even knowing. This Christian put his testimony up on the Internet. These kinds of special things are happening. Brothers and sisters, the Holy Spirit is once again coming to our church. Why is that? Because the spotlight is not to be focused on ourselves, or on our families; and we must acknowledge that we are sinners. We must not run away, but the reason we can go before God is True Parents, His son, whom He has sent, who is the Christ. We are being shown that it is because of the love of Christ at his Second Advent, the indemnity he has paid, his course of death through blood, sweat and tears, and because of his path of resurrection, that we can go before God. Because of this, the

Whatever country we may go to—even when we were in Kenya in East Africa, and in America, in Hong Kong too—we received reports of remarkable spiritual works. In those places too, the Holy Spirit descended. Now, witnessing work has begun and already they say they have embarked upon a 21-day witnessing period.

Truly, in all our churches, through our teachings — which is the truth — and through the Holy Spirit, surprising works are being wrought. Really just like early Christianity, just like what happened to those who were attending Lord Jesus, spiritual works are taking place. That vibration, the power of the Holy Spirit between each vibration, that authority is coming down to us, Brothers and Sisters.

Brothers and Sisters, as I come here and hear such testimonies, I really feel huge hope. In our Korean church I have heard that amazing spiritual works are occurring in Korean because you are devotedly gathering the vibrations of love each week with devotion and filial piety, and sending strength to True Parents even at the cost of your life. Many Christians who were really prepared, who persecuted True Parents most, are now seeking out the Lord through the works of the Holy Spirit and the works of truth. Amazing miracles are happening.

Brothers and Sisters, we have to challenge our fear. For many decades even though we couldn’t develop, grow or feel the Holy Spirit, we have to challenge our own fear. We have to have faith. I believe that with faith and love, with joyful obedience toward God, that we will become witnesses, and that amazing spiritual works will take place.

Brothers and Sisters, during my time here, I talked with one brother. He said that he has a Christian friend who is working on his PhD in Korea now. He recently came to Korea and met this friend. He wanted to tell his friend about the Unification Church and explained about it. He said things that his friend hadn’t known. He had many misunderstandings.

True Parents experienced Seven Deaths and Resurrections, the final one of which came through the miracle of all 16 passengers surviving a helicopter falling from the air and becoming a fireball. What we saw on the news and the miracle we saw with our own eyes… There are some religious people saying that it was faked. Some people say the story was fabricated by our church, brothers and sisters.

Why? When Jesus resurrected from death and from his grave, that fact proved the authority of Jesus and proved him as the Son of God. Many of the people of Israel at that time denied this, and have opposed this idea. Today, in the age when the returning Lord has come, we have seen substantial resurrection with our eyes: even through a helicopter fell from the air and burned up, not only the Lord but also all 15 other passengers got out safely. That amazing miracle happened in front of our eyes; yet, there are people of other faiths who deny that.

Brothers and Sisters, this is because that miracle proved that God surely protected True Parents. Because it firmly proves that the Lord (who has returned) resurrected from death and is doing his work, and that True Parents are precisely those two people, brothers and sisters! We can have confidence.

Brothers and Sisters, we are people who have seen such works of God as this. Just as those miracles were written about in the Book of Acts, the Holy Spirit is coming again. Such amazing power is coming down. Brothers and Sisters, From the Korean church, amazing vibrations are spreading throughout the universe from that power and work of the Holy Spirit. Even though we are in a country far from Korea, when Sunday comes, we feel the Ki-energy and vibration you are sending.

Brothers and Sisters, with pure mind, motivation and heart, when we receive the power of the Holy Spirit, when we receive that grace, when we lose ourselves, new shimjeong/heart is planted within us. When we become such proud witnesses, we can confirm the great works True Parents are doing, and that the era of Cheon Il Guk, the era of The Reign of Peace, is approaching.

Brothers and Sisters, I am so glad that I could see you again from over here. Today, also, if you diligently gather the vibration of love, the vibration of Cham Bumonim Ok Mansei and of The Reign of Peace, and if you send great strength, love, repentance and gratitude to True Parents, I believe that will bring great strength to them.

I will conclude my sermon with True Parents’ words.

“We have done our best with limited time to translate our international president’s sermon, and are pleased to present it to you here in English. Any misunderstanding or lack of clarity in meaning is our responsibility. You are welcome to contact Nina Rosario (doyomi143@yahoo.com) if you feel something needs to be more clearly expressed.”

Hello, brothers and sisters.

Today I am sending my Sunday message from Rome.

I have prepared my sermon with the title “The King among Kings who became the Owner of Rome.” First, let’s read chapter 4 of the Book of Acts, verses 7 thru 11.

   7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them:“By what power or what    name did you do this?”

   8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!

   9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed,

   10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

   11 Jesus is   “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’

In this very important passage, apostles are doing spiritual works in the name of Jesus. At that time they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and that was when many miracles were occurring such that it seemed they could not be true. In that situation, the apostles, particularly John and Peter were captured and were thrown into prison. Then opposing Jewish groups asked them by whose authority they were doing those works. And the apostles replied as we just read in the Bible quote: We did it in the name of Jesus. Both that small group, and the authority with which they healed those people, came from Christ. Metaphorically speaking, the stone that architects had abandoned became the cornerstone. This is a very significant Bible quote.

Here in Rome, we saw the painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel of Adam and God’s fingers connected together, which depicts the creation [of Adam], and is Michelangelo’s final masterpiece. We were looking at this and other famous masterpieces yesterday. I was taken aback by one incident. While we were there I was sharing some words with with the director of the second generation department in Europe. And he said this: “It’s truly sad. These great foundations of Christianity were prepared for the returning Lord, but the returning Lord is now 91 years old and he is visiting Rome as a tourist. How miserable and sad a reality that is.”

The day before yesterday we went to St. Peter’s Square, in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, in the Vatican where the Pope speaks while giving outdoor Mass. The Pope speaks in front of huge crowds gathered here. When the Lord of Second Advent came, it seems very sad that he just came alone, quietly like this, as our brother said. However, when I heard this, I said to him, “It is not finished until God says it is finished.”

As I was coming here, I thought a lot about Jesus. We have to remember that when Jesus Christ was on earth, when that Cornerstone was here in this world, only 12 disciples followed him. He was under the shadow of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was a powerful city, religious city, and a holy place. Even though Jesus was the king among kings, he was not welcomed in Jerusalem. No one knew him. He was an obscure and unknown person. Jesus was meant to appear there as a king among kings; yet he was persecuted and crucified, put to death.

I am thinking about how Jesus would teach, sharing the Word with his disciples in the vicinity of Jerusalem. I thought of this because we do hoondokhae in attendance of True Parents every day. Now it’s time for hoondokhae [here]. As we attend True Parents, what I feel is that this group is a small group. There are not many members, only some 200 blessed families in all of Italy. But in front of this tremendous power in Rome, this center of religion and holy land, True Parents must appear as the king of kings. As I see True Parents giving their teachings in Rome, I come to think about Jesus.

The path walked by Christ is never a glorious one. As True Father has mentioned, it is sad and lonely path. If we truly understand what kind of path the Lord has had to travel—he was persecuted for us, tortured for us, he walked the road to death and hell for us, was hung on the cross, had to receive hatred and ridicule for our sake. True Parents’ life course has been the road to save us. That has not just been their life course; it is also True Parents’ love.

At the ‘Cosmic Assembly for the Settlement of the True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind and for the Proclamation of the Word by God’s Substantial Self’ in Rome, Italy, 1000 Unification Church members and peace ambassadors gathered together. This was a very important time in Rome. This weekend the late Pope John Paul II is to be beatified [one step before sainthood]. Approximately 5 million believers came to Rome and the presidents of various countries of some 51 different head of states came to Rome to participate and observe. That huge and magnificent ceremony just like in Jerusalem is happening. But where is the Lord? Where is Jesus?

True has mentioned that many Jesus pictures of Jesus are hung up but Jesus is not there. What Father means by these words is that when we ask where Jesus really is, in the middle of such a splendid ceremony, the answer is that he is with True Parents!

Observing this, I said to that second generation director of Europe, “Yet I don’t feel despair. Rather, I feel hope. That’s because as I think of Jesus, as I think of True Parents being in Rome now, even though we do not have the situation where 5 million followers have gathered, True Parents are teaching with the truth and Holy Spirit just as Jesus did.” And I said, “Under no circumstances can we evaluate the Lord at his Second Advent based on how many believers are following him.”

Only twelve disciples followed Jesus, but if we were to evaluate him based on that number alone, Jesus would be considered a big failure. Yet, before the tremendous power of religion [in his day], and within the Holy Land, Jesus was the Holy Land itself. And within this tremendous Holy Land of the Vatican and Rome, True Parents [today] are the “Holy Land.”

Brothers and sisters, the other day we visited the Catacombs, underground tombs where the bodies of 500,000 Christians were buried over 300 years. Entering the catacombs, we realized how much the Christians had been persecuted for 300 years. When Christianity first came to Rome, this area was part of the Greek religious sphere. It was not a Christian area at all. Rather, Christianity was seen as heresy, the minority, and if someone believed in Christianity, he was killed. It’s said that Christians buried each other’s brothers and sisters who died, here in the catacombs, but I was really surprised. In the endless tunnels, there were hundreds of thousands of burial spaces with enough space only for a dead body to be laid. Entering there, we could see truly how much Christians were persecuted, how much blood was shed in this city of Rome, centered on the established Greek powers.

Brothers and Sisters, because the Christians were persecuted, one day they were able to overcome even Rome. Today it is indeed Christianity, Catholicism that is now seated at the center of Rome.

I was talking with the Italian church leader, and Unificationists are truly a minority here. In all of Italy, there are only about 200 families. However, if we were to compare with the time of Jesus, this is tremendous, a tremendous blessing. If these 200 families, together with all of the worldwide members, would gather their the voices of Cham Bumonim Eog-mansei—the vibration of love, the vibration of praise for the Lord—I believe that the many Christians who long for the Holy Spirit today, Christians who persecuted the returning Lord, and even Italian Christians, will come seeking for Unificationism.

Brothers and Sisters, I was doing a little research, and in 1963, there was a meteorologist named Edward Lorenz. He coined the famous term, the Butterfly Effect. You have probably heard of it. Edward Lorenz discovered what is called the Chaos Theory, and he was doing some calculations one day in order to forecast the weather. He was putting in various numbers into a computer model, in order to come up with the daily forecast. He was trying to input the number ‘0.506127’ and in order to shorten it, he put in only ‘0.506.’ but because the final digits were cut off, the result of the forecast became completely different. Through this, Lorenz was able to see mathematically, that this minor difference created a huge change in the weather forecast. He was able to prove this mathematically.

Thus, what this famous term, ‘the Butterfly Effect’ means. An illustration would be a butterfly in South America flapping its wings then a typhoon could result in the USA. So, after confirming the numbers scientifically, Edward Lorenz announced this Effect before scientists and published his famous theory. This points to the fact that even a very tiny, tiny matter, a tiny change in an incident can lead to completely different results.

When all of us can take part in the Cham Bumonim Eog-mansei with a pure mind, motivation and heart, brothers and sisters, I am convinced that vibration is a thousand times more powerful than a butterfly flapping its wings! Brothers and sisters, if a butterfly flapping its wings in one country can produce a typhoon in another country, how tremendous would the Cham Bumonim Eog-mansei vibration of the love of the purpose of creation, the vibration of the love of the followers, the Cham Bumonim Eog-mansei of love for the Lord be?

Brothers and Sisters, today, when we bring together the Cham Bumonim Eog-mansei vibration of eternal peace, if we think truly about the Butterfly Effect, how a small vibration can create truly incredible change, and think also that within this vibration, the Holy Spirit wants to manifest itself, as this vibration has already started in Italy, together with our brothers sisters of Italy, let’s truly send our True Parents glory and victory from this sanctuary with all of our heart.

Brothers and Sisters, today we are heading for Norway. We offer our service together with everyone with our heart, and I will conclude here. All glory, eternal peace, Cham Bumonim Eog-mansei! Thank you.

Let’s close together with Father’s words. Aju.

“We have done our best with limited time to translate our international president’s sermon, and are pleased to present it to you here in English. Any misunderstanding or lack of clarity in meaning is our responsibility. You are welcome to contact Nina Rosario (doyomi143@yahoo.com) if you feel something needs to be more clearly expressed.”

Hello, Brothers and sisters,

I would like to give a sermon today with the title “Our Life Lived with the Holy Spirit.”

Now True Parents have returned to the Cheonhwagung in Las Vegas, and tomorrow May 21st, a big rally will be held here. Now Bunbongwangs and national messiah are gathered and receiving the education of the Original Divine Principle. Approximately 2500 people will come to the Cheonhwagung tomorrow. True Father will give us his words with great grace and love.

As I reported a month ago, we are especially trying to change the culture in Las Vegas, and we will help the Salvation Army and various welfare groups through a game contest and fishing tournament as well as various competitions.

True Parents are really challenging the sin culture. I am very impressed by True Parents who are directly fighting to change the whole atmosphere of Las Vegas.

Brothers and sisters, today we will read Romans Chapter 8, verses 5 thru 10. Let’s read together.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.

Brothers and sisters, in this passage from the Romans’, the apostle Paul makes a very clear distinction. He talks about the big difference between a person focused on the body and the person who lives for God’s spirit, and the spirit of Christ. As we saw last weekend, when we discussed where human value originated from, if we add up the value of the chemicals comprising our body, the total comes to only $4.50. Also if the value is placed on our mind and consciousness, in 100 to 200 years, Robots and computers that double their processing speed every 8 months will have a much stronger mind power than human beings. If we place value in mind and consciousness, then will a computer with greater mind power than humans be more valuable than us? Because we are connected with God’s lineage and family, our eternal value comes from there.

Not because we did well, or we are good people, or we did good deeds, are we connected with God’s lineage. Not because of those things, but because of the deeds of the Son whom God sent, the Lord of the Second Advent, the Christ, and True Parents and because True Parents paid indemnity, True Parents fought and challenged, True Parents went the path of death, we were able to enter into God’s family from Satan’s family.

We received the huge blessing of erasing our original sin through the Blessing ceremony. Although we received that Blessing, we tend to always focus on the physical life. We should always live with God’s spirit and Christ’s spirit, but as a lacking child or sinful child we fall back into the physical focus, physical thought, pleasure, aims, and our dreams every day. Every time we fall into those temptations, we commit sin.

Last week, we read one episode from the Gospel of John. We don’t want to think that we are slaves (or servants to sin). We want to say that we are not slaves. However, as Jesus said, every time we commit sin, we become slaves to it and we lose our freedom.

Today what we read about especially in Romans is the spirit of Christ; what is the spirit of Christ that is together with the Holy Spirit? That is true love. What is the glory of God? That is true love. When we come to move and live with that love, we can gain freedom and peace.

Then what kind of love is that love? Is that the love to love only you? Or to love your value? Absolutely not. If you want to resemble God’s shimjeong (heart) and God’s love, you must love what God loves most. What is that? What God loves most, where is God’s shimjeong always drawn to? That is the Son whom He has sent, the True Parents.

Our worries that are outside of us, our thoughts, temptations, the false mind that wants to seek for myself only, and praise myself, will disappear. Within such vibrations, we will come to love True Parents, and not love ourselves.

When we attend True Parents, many physical challenges come to us. As you all know, True Father transcends all limitations of the physical self and is busy 24 hours a day, hardly getting any sleep, and especially during the world tour, many who follow him have gone through a lot. And as for us too, physically and mentally challenging situations arise.

There’s a lot of stress, and there are many moments when we feel hopeless (despair).

As for me, once when I was in such a situation, although I couldn’t gather the vibration together in the room, quietly listening to the Champumonim Eong Mansei music, I felt very amazingly that vibration flowing out from my whole body through the stomach, and felt each vibration gradually spreading and healing my body; furthermore, I felt my mind being healed, felt the flower of peace blooming in my heart.  I felt myself going beyond the self-seeking praise, saying how tired I am, how hard I’m working and tried to enter into the realm of God’s true love for True Parents, and I was able to repent, experiencing the grace of a sense of peace coming over me, and could feel gratitude once again.

As I experienced these things, I felt again how fearful the power of this vibration was. This time when we went to Switzerland, Father specially held a big convention at the UN HQ in Geneva. At that time, about 500 gathered and there, the highest minister in the Swiss Lutheran Church also came and introduced Father.

Leaders of the UN of various fields also attended, and Father appeared at a podium in the UN HQ Hall with a big UN logo and world atlas behind him. There, he didn’t speak kindly and peacefully in a small voice, considering where he was, but Father went into the UN HQ and yelled out loud, hit the podium as all the audience watched and we were all shaky and nervous.

And viewing Father in a secular way, there were some who thought why does Father do that? It took so much effort to be able to speak at the UN HQ, but why does Father try to ruin it? However, we were able to see Father once again through the eyes of Christ. Especially, in the Gospels of John, Matthew and Luke, it reminded me of how Jesus completely challenged the leaders. Looking at them, Jesus said, “You belong to your father, the devil.”

Just as Jesus had said these incredible words, when we discover Father who, through the love of God, the spirit of God and the spirit of Christ tries to overcome and bring us out of the world of evil and death and into the world of everlasting life, Father who has the true heart of love, we can feel again how great the love of Christ was.

Following the Geneva conference, we went up to the city of Interlaken, in the Alps. Father went up the Swiss Alps, and you had to go up on the gondolas about 4 times. At the summit, there were about four small hills. As you know, when father has to go a long way, he uses a wheelchair.

However, that day, something special happened. Father said that he would climb those hills by himself that he would walk and climb up. We all tried to stop him. It was quite far, and as there were 4 or 5 levels, it would be too much of a strain on his legs as well;  if Father would get in the wheelchair, we could push it without a problem, we said, but Father kept saying, “Let’s go, let’s go!” and just challenged the climb. Our Father, at the Korean age of 93, challenged himself.

As we saw Father taking one step at a time, taking very deep breaths and climbing, we all cheered and clapped, “Hey, our Father is amazing!” as we saw him climb that mountain one level at a time, how happy that made us and we were really inspired by this.

With truly happy hearts, and also proud of Father, we went up the mountain and came back down, and I said something to Father. “Hey, our Father is something else! Father, at the same time I feel how fearful that small jeongseong of love can be.”

I saw one study that said if we pray a lot for a certain person, that person will become healthier. Especially our CBG members, starting with the young 2nd gen, and the Seonghwa children up to our elder 36 blessed couples, come together and offer jeongseong through the Champumonim Eong Mansei praise. There are thousands of members who are offering jeongseong and praying for True Parents more than anyone else in the world; it looks like that power of vibration came especially to Father’s legs today.” I said, and Father was very happy and he said, “That’s right! That’s right!”

Brothers and sisters, we are not collecting the vibration in order to receive healing ourselves, or to receive more fortune ourselves; we believe that True Parents will become more happy, more energetic, and the works of God and the grace of God and the HS will fill your life. We are truly meant to receive heavenly fortune, and with the heart to inherit the blessing, with the heart of loving True Parents in the glory of God and the glory of Christ, we have gathered vibration and jeongseong. So God can trust us more, and He knows that if He gives us more blessing, we will use that for the world and for the Unification Family, so I believe that we will see a more amazing life of heavenly fortune!

Today True Parents are already offering jeongseong for a big convention, so I hope that all of you will return to the spirit of Christ, the spirit of God, the shimjeong of true love, the filial heart of loving True Parents with a pure mind, pure motivation, and pure heart, gather great vibration and power that will shake the universe and offer it to True Parents.

Let’s offer great victory and glory to True Parents today too, gathering love through jeongseong and shimjeong together with all of you.

Let us close today by reading Father’s words.

You all have to receive the fire of the Holy Spirit again and renew yourself. In the past if the Holy Spirit tried to work, there was much indemnity and persecution. However, now those times have passed and if the Holy Spirit really works, then it can bring a good result.

However, in the middle of that work, there is a difficult summit, or peak to overcome and it is hard to transcend that challenge. From now on, True Parents have to put aside the things they must do as True Parents and make a new determination. Therefore, this time you too must revive your shimjeong (heart) once again and have the benefit of the whole in mind. 18-304, 1967. 08. 10

“We have done our best with limited time to translate our international president’s sermon, and are pleased to present it to you here in English. Any misunderstanding or lack of clarity in meaning is our responsibility. You are welcome to contact Nina Rosario (doyomi143@yahoo.com) if you feel something needs to be more clearly expressed.”

Hello brothers and sisters! Now I am at the Hannamdong Training Center. As you know today we have to head directly to the airport. True Parents are in the US and we will return with them probably on Monday.

As you all know, True Parents now are leading many, many providential activities and it seems that they need much love and support at this time.

 When True Father led Hoondokhae, he mentioned something like this (that was the day we returned to the US after a long while): During Hoondokhae, True Father said, “My son is coming! My son is coming! My son is coming!” Three times with tears. When we heard about it, my heart really hurt. I felt I was really a sinner among sinners.

 I was really sorry that I couldn’t be with True Parents when they felt so lonely. I understood why he continuously calls us. True Mother also came out to see us, and True Father got upset at Hoondokhae as well saying, “There are only thieves around me.” When I saw him getting upset like that, I felt, “Ah, his son has to be beside him.” I really felt it.

 So even though we cannot be with you, members, your Father and Mother are close to you. Also, because of our True Parents we all can go in front of God, so if True Parents are having such lonely feelings, I have to be beside them and send much love and strength to them in your place. Therefore, True Parents felt very happy. It was hard work for us to go back and forth, but because they really liked us doing that, they gained much strength from that and really felt joyful and cheerful, so I realized definitely, “Ah, we should be with True Parents.”

 Last time when True Father called us and we went to the US, strangely when we were returning to Korea and I closed my eyes to take a quick rest, True Father appeared in my dream. In the short moment of my quick nap, True Father appeared in my dream. From that, I realized True Father was calling me not only physically but also spiritually. I also learned that True Father needs lots of love and strength spiritually. On that level, True Father leads an incredible providence, but I realized how much of a huge burden it is and what a lonely course it is. I really felt that.

 Brothers and sisters, True Parents need much love and strength at this time. Therefore let’s send lots of vibrations of power and energy to them all together.

 Now is the time when we really should love True Parents all over the world. Ultimately, True Parents are in the position to love all people of the world, but if no one sends energy and love to them, True Parents will be tired and burdened.

 Therefore, now members all over the world are starting to send the Champumonim Eong Mansei vibration and much love to True Parents. When we are beside True Parents, we feel many things. This time when we went to the US, True Parents gave us many words. Especially on the day we were arriving, True Father shed tears and said, “My son is coming! My son is coming,” three times during Hoondokhae. On that day, when we arrived, even True Mother came out to meet us, and I felt pain and I felt sorry in my heart.

 We really felt that we are sinners among sinners. During the past three years, our Korean church has made much effort and overcome many challenges, but as international president, I couldn’t give strength and love to True Parents, and be beside them. True Father recently feels very lonely and has said things like he can’t believe anyone, or that there are only thieves around him. From that, I feel that he needs lots of love during this time.

 Thus, we have to go to the US, and we have to send lots of strength and love to True Parents, remembering to have a clean heart, mind, and motivation.

 When I think about these things, I especially think of these words in the Bible: In the Bible it says your body is a holy temple. A very important thing is what kind of temple or sanctuary it is. Is it a place God dwells? Or a place God does not dwell? Both are temples, but it’s totally different whether God and holy spirits dwell there or not.

 That’s why, brothers and sisters, in fact, it doesn’t start from others, but if we truly hope to have a church that repents, a church filled with the Holy Spirit, a church full of love, then we should begin from our own temple, from here – the heart.

 Starting with this temple, whenever we do the Holy Spirit Healing Service (HSHS), we die once, and feel the grace of being revived again. When do we feel grace? It’s when we have a truly pure motivation and heart and send love – when we become a kind of repentant temple, a temple that loves God and the son he sent. When we become that kind of a grateful temple, our Cheon Bok Gung can also become that kind of a temple.

 So, the problem is always not with the other person, or the other country, but we must start from this temple. When we realize this and start thinking in this way, it is so very important to look at ourselves honestly.

 I recall that I was truly grateful about Buddhism. While I was in training and living with other religious students, I received a very valuable teaching. It teaches that all human beings are  only a lump of flesh, blood and body waste (or feces). When people hear this for the first time, they wonder why such an expression is used. But if we honestly look at ourselves, that’s right. We have flesh, and blood circulating, and the food that we’re digesting. Many people like to think that they can go before God, because of ‘myself,’ they want to pride themselves in how much they did, because of my efforts, my good acts. Whenever we feel that way, as Buddha said, if we think that we are just a lump of blood, flesh and waste, then we can’t be boastful. I myself have nothing to boast about, but I can stand before God because of the grace of God, and we have to be people who can pass on this kind of love.

  The other day I was reading Cor. 13:4 and St Paul says many things: Even if I speak in the tongues of angels, if I do not have love, it’s no use. And, if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. Or, if I give all I have to the poor but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 Many people are confused by this quote. We think St Paul is saying we should all love each other, as human beings. But that’s not so. He is talking about the love of Christ here, the love with which we love God. In other words, even if we speak of angels, if we cannot love God and the True Parents, the son that God has sent, we are nothing. And even if I have faith that can move mountains, if I cannot love the son sent by God, and love God, then it’s nothing. Even if I give all I have to the poor, if I don’t love the son, it’s of no value. That’s what it means.

 In the end, we are not going to learn about True Parents’ heart from the love between humans and humans. It’s very ironic. I went to Japan this time and told the members, under such conditions, we may think that we have to love each other first. However, in such a crisis, ironically perhaps, we must love True Parents even more – the son that God sent. Due to the sacrifice and indemnity of that son, his blood, we are able to go before God. So remember that I am a sinner before God, I am a lump of flesh, blood and waste, and realize, at this time, that I can go before God because of the grace of the son He has sent.

 It may seem ironic but if we can really come to love True Parents, the son that was sent, more, then we can learn about true love – the heart of the parent who dies and dies and dies for his child. We don’t learn this by loving one another. We learn it by loving True Parents more. What sacrificial love is, we learn by meeting True Parents. We come to learn what forgiveness is by loving True Parents.

 It’s truly ironic, but we should learn first how to love True Parents, before we love each other, and then we can know how to love each other. That is why Jesus’ first commandment is to love the Lord thy God. Next, he says love your neighbor as you love yourself.

 This is the truth. That is why under these conditions, seeing that True Father tells me to be by his side, I realize that I am a sinner among sinners. We in the Korean church have done much, but I kept True Parents lonely. So now the Korean church has grown a lot, and with many leaders now the church can be even more mature. As the International President, I feel that this responsibility of loving True Parents is the most important thing.

 Myself, when True Father kept calling me to come to the US in the beginning, I was in this country and that country, and it wasn’t easy. But thinking about this, I had to repent. Ultimately, we have to repent from this temple, right here. The Holy Spirit has to fill this temple, and if it can become a temple full of love for the son that God has sent, then I believe that the Unification Church will be filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit.

 Brothers and sisters, today we are going to the US, but even if we are in a distant country, we can meet through Twitter and email. And we will see you each service through the videos we will definitely be sending. Even if I’m not there every day, from beside True Parents we will do our best to pass on joy to them and send them energy. Let’s all of us, as Unificationists, become true brothers and sisters, and send much qi and love energy to True Parents!

 So we will see you again, and do your best!

Welcoming Remarks:

Today, we would like to read from page 190 of Cheon Seong Gyeong:

“History has been seeking a way to encounter the True Parents. Religions have gone through their course in order to meet the True Parents.  Furthermore, the world and the nations are following a course to find the True Parents.  They are all walking down paths that will prepare the way for the True Parents.”  Aju!

Brothers and sisters, good morning!

Whenever we worship before God, we always start with True Parents’ words, and as you can see here today, history has been seeking True Parents.  And all religions have always waited for that one person, the True Parent.  When we offer worship, we are offering worship and glory to God and to True Parents, and also for our heartfelt gratitude and joy.  So we are not participating in a worship, we are offering a worship.  We are offering it with sincerity and devotion from our bottom-most part of our hearts.

Brothers and sisters, now we are here in the Growth-level Cheon Bok Gung; and really the people of this nation can finally begin to hear our voice, feel our love and also to hear the beautiful voices of the choir.  So that is why when we offer worship, we have to have that kind of heart and offer the beauty of this worship to people and to God.  And to comfort people who can really move the hearts of the people.

Main Sermon:

Today, I would like to talk about the miracle of grace.  First of all, let us read some of the passages in the world scriptures.  First of all, Christianity; let us read in Romans 3:23-25: “Since all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, they are justified by His grace as a gift through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forth as an propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith.” Aju!

Let us read a passage from the Islamic faith, together let us do this: “Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying: There is none whose deeds alone would entitle him to get into paradise.  Someone said: God’s messenger, not even you?  He replied: Not even I, but that my Lord wraps me in mercy.”   Aju!

And let us read the passage from Judaism taken from Midrash, Genesis Rabbah 60.2.  Let us read it together: “All need grace, for even Abraham, for whose sake grace came plenteously into the world, himself needed grace.” Aju!

And let us read from the selection of Father’s speeches, Vol. II, p.280: “Not due to our own will do we exist.  Not due to our own selves do we enjoy the worry of life.  And not due to our own efforts can we rejoice today in the presence of the Father, but due to the grace merciful bestowed by our Father who has toiled for thousands of years of history.”  Aju!

Ladies and gentlemen, Israel is a nation that grew under the grace of God.  Israel would have become the center of this world.  If Israel had received Jesus Christ, then Israel would have become the center of the entire world at its time.  However, as you know, Israel and its people opposed Jesus and also did not recognize him for who he was, and forced him to take the path of the cross.  Thus, because of that, Israel lost the miracle of grace.  So for a very long time, even though humankind have wanted and longed for the messiah and Jesus, the Jewish people at that time were blind to the fact that Jesus was the messiah.

This serves as a good lesson for the Korean people.  The Korean race is the third Israel.  The Korean peninsula can also become the center of the world, just as Israel could have become the center of the world.  Korea is destined to become the center of this world if this nation can welcome the messiah and to recognize his value and who he is.  If they understood that the messiah does in fact exist on this world right now, and if they can understand that the Korean people were the chosen people, the people who were prepared, and they accept that fact, then the Korean people can start to go on the path of becoming the central nation of this world.

Let us again look into the Bible.  Let us read I Kings 17:2-4: “Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, ‘Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Keith Ravine, east of Jordan.  You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.’”  Aju!

Here in 1^st Kings, we hear about Elijah the prophet.  He is being led by the direction of the Lord.  He is wandering in the wilderness to go where the Lord is leading him.  But at that time, there was a terrible drought and famine in the land and people were starving to death.  Blessings have all departed from Israel.  The prophet too was in the middle of the desert and had no way to find something to eat in such barren lands.  But God leads Elijah to Keith brook and says, “I have something prepared for you.”  And so, Elijah goes to that brook.

If you read the Bible, it says that when Elijah was there, he drank from the brook everyday.  And in the morning and in the evening, the ravens came and brought him bread and meat for him to eat.  But as you know, the raven was an impure bird in the consciousness of the Jews at that time.  But God even used that which symbolized the enemy to provide for the prophet Elijah.  And He protected him.  God provided for the prophet Elijah because the prophet was not working for his own wealth or things, but only for the sake to declare the Lord, the God of Israel.

We have to understand, the Ahab King was the king of Israel at that time, and they have forgotten about God.  Instead, they were serving Ba’al, the hidden god.  He was the god of wealth and prosperity.  The people of Israel have forgotten about Jehovah and instead, they were worshipping the hidden god, the pagan god, Ba’al.  Elijah had the mission of going and awakening the people of Israel and that is why he is on his way to go to Israel.

So even though he was fed by these filthy ravens, he was always grateful to the Lord and he serves the Lord.  He thanks the Lord because God was protecting him.  That is why he can move on and move forward in his mission.  God is a father; He is a parent, and thus He wants His son Elijah, the prophet whom He has sent, to grow even though He does not always give him blessings.  He had at times given him trials.  He had at times given him tests.  But Elijah always manifests his faith at the right moment, and always moves God’s heart.  That is why God can bless him and give him grace.

If you look at Buddhism there is a scripture called Bobhwagyeong. In chapter four of this book, it talks about the story of a prodigal son.  It is something similar to that of the stories inside the Bible, of course, but some of it is different in the prodigal son’s story in the Bible.

In the Lotus Sutra Chapter four, a spoiled son leaves his father and runs away to a distant land.  For 50 years, that son wanders around probably as a poor man.  But during that time, his father becomes a very wealthy man but still he is always waiting for his son to return.  But by chance, during the 50 years, father moves around and the son is also going around to different cities.  But it so happens that at the end of 50 years, the father and the son are living in the same city at the same time.  The son goes around trying to find work because he needs to maintain his life.  He ends up finding his way to his father’s house.  He does not know it is his father’s house, but he was able to reach his father’s house.  And as he was talking to the servants, his father sees his son and recognizes him.  He was so happy to see his son alive; He was waiting for his son for 50 years.  He really wants to give his fortune to his son before he dies.  So the father is very happy to see his son again.  However, when he looked at him closely, he just knew and he felt that the son was still very selfish and still very immature.  The father could immediately see that.  So he pretended that he did not recognize his son.  He told his servants to hire his son, however, to make him do the most dirty work.

It was about moving the keeps of garbage and dirt.  That is where he began to do his work.  For decades, he made him do that work.  In the Lotus Sutra, it says that the father gave his son that work for 20 years.  But during those 20 years, the son did not complain, rather he was grateful at all times because he can finally have something to do, that he has work, and that he will not be hungry.  So seeing that, the father was so moved and started to give his blessing and fortunes to his son.  Now the time comes that the father has to pass away on to the next world, so the father leaves behind all his fortunes to his son.

So this is what is important to remember.  We have to understand the love of this father, the love of the parent.  He loves his son so much and that is why he did not give everything to his son at the beginning, because he loves him so much.  Maybe when we talk about love and grace, we think that, “I want blessings.”  And you would think, “I want candy now, I want blessings now.  And God would give it to me now because he is my father, he is my mother.  He is my parent.”  But no parent would give their child everything that they want in the beginning.  It is the same with the wise father.  If the parent knows that the child is not matured yet, he does not give the blessings to him because he loves his child.  This is an important point.

In the same way, God is also that kind of wise parent.  If we are still selfish, and we are still immature, sometimes we pray to God for this and for that.  God knows very well that we are not prepared yet to receive the blessings.

It is very important to know what kind of mindset we have when we enter the Cheon Bok Gung.  We may think, “Oh! We have got into coming and doing workshop in this wonderful sanctuary so we should be blessed a lot.”  But if there are people who think like that and who come to church like that, then God cannot give them blessings.  God will not give them blessings because He loves us, and He knows that we are not ready for the blessings which He wants to gives us.

Many times Father talks about how we have to work together with the spirit world.  But in our daily lives, why we cannot see these works of the spirit world?  Some people ask this question why we cannot see that.  It is because we have to offer our devotions and prayers and everything about life.  It has to be about giving and to move heaven.  We have to see whether what we do actually touches God’s heart.  With that kind of devotion, with that kind of prayer and mindset, and with that kind of lifestyle, we have to inspire and touch God’s heart.  Just as God had given blessings to Elijah through the unholy ravens, God will also give us good spirits, but He may at times also send us evil spirits so they can help us.  I believe this. Aju!  This is the kind of God that we are attending right now.

Let us again read the Bible, I Kings 17:9-11, let us read it together:  “Go at once to Zarephath in Sidon and stay there.  I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.”  So he went to Zarephath.  When he came to the town gate, a widow was their gathering sticks.  He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?”  As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”  Aju!

Elijah asked the widow to bring him bread, but this widow is so poor.  She is living in the midst of a famine, and has no food.  So she tells the prophet that she only has a bit of oil in a jar, and a handful of flour left.  And that she was actually gathering the sticks to cook the final meal for her son and herself before they starve and die.  She explained to Elijah that this will be the final meal for her and her son.  Elijah tells her, “Go home and make me a cake from that flour and one for your son and one for yourself.  For the widow, in her point of view, this is strange.  She is living in the midst of a famine and then this man suddenly appears out of nowhere, telling her to give him bread even though she has only enough bread for her son and herself.

So for a normal person, why would I need to give this bread to this stranger?  However, the widow probably has felt something, the spirit world touched her heart and she decided to help Elijah.  She does so and gives the bread to Elijah.  And then Elijah says that God will not let the oil or the flour run out until the rain comes.  And that prophecy did in fact come true.  At the time the widow, of course, did not believe what Elijah said.  How can it be possible that the flour and oil, which are limited, do not run out?  But God worked miracles and with that as a condition, everyday Elijah visits, comes to the widow’s house and stays at their house.  Everyday, they ate from the cake that she made out of the oil and flour that was left.  Here we can see that God blessed them, but He was giving the blessing not only to Elijah and instead He was expanding the blessings to the people around Elijah the prophet.  And this widow, because of her faith, helped the prophet.  Come think about it, what do you think about this miracle?  These miracles from the spirit world, do you think it is something happening from a distant land far, far away?

Five years ago, think about the situation of our movement had at that time.  Everything that we were doing is ending in failure.  Many of our businesses were going bankrupt.   Think about what was happening at that time five years ago.  When we look at that situation, for 30 years our Unification Church did not grow at all.  We were living in such terrible times.  We were living in times when it was virtually impossible to bring someone to our church.

But look at this right now! We are now living in this world level Cheon Bok Gung. We are standing here proud of being Unification Church members. We can show it to the world. Look at this! Look at this testimony of faith right now! As we offer our life of faith, as we offer devotion, and as we truly live for the sake of others, we are proudly proclaiming to the entire world. Many people in the world have said that the Unification Church will soon perish. But we have not. We are still here, we will grow, we will develop and we will grow miraculously through miracles after miracles and we will become the Unificationism that can move the entire world. Aju! (Applause)

When I think about our two and a half years ago, when we first came to the church in Chong Pa Dong. Father suddenly gave this providence to create  Cheon Bok Gung, one person came and said to me, he was very worried, and asked me,” It’s only a couple of days or months since you came, and it seems, Hyung-jin nim, that you don’t know much about this church. Reality and ideals are always different.” He was saying, “There are only a few hundred people who come to the church right now. How can you talk about moving this nation? And how can you talk about creating a Unification Church that is great and proud; to me that seems to be an impossible task.” This member was confiding in me.

However when we began this life of faith, when we began to take up this faith, we have to go forth knowing that we can do it, that nothing is impossible. This nation is the chosen nation, the chosen race. The Korean peninsula was chosen by God to be the chosen land, and in this land we are to be God’s sanctuary and temple. When we first began building this Cheon Bok Gung providence, not everybody was supporting us. Many people went so far as to say, “Why the heck do we have to build this Temple? We don’t even need that. Father will build it for us. We don’t have to do it. We don’t have to donate money. We don’t need to take part in this at all.”

Many people were saying these things at that time. I still remember very clearly one Korean and Japanese couple. Though they were not wealthy they offered twenty-one thousand dollars for the construction of Cheon Bok Gung. When they did that, instead of being thanked and praised for contributing to this world Temple, some of the immature people around them, instead of thanking them, attacked them and persecuted this couple saying that they were making them look bad; saying, “Why are you doing this? You are making us look like we don’t have faith.” So this is the kind of phenomena that was occurring at that time. I still remember that.

At that time, every week there was about one thousand two hundred people coming to the HQ’s church. But suddenly when we began talking about the Cheon Bok Gung providence, the two thousand five hundred people who were coming to our church suddenly dropped to one thousand five hundred people together, coming to our church services. So about one thousand people stopped coming to HQ’s church. Instead they turned their backs on us because they could not understand the vision of Cheon Bok Gung. We had to fight for our faith. They did not understand that we had to fight for our faith. So there were some members that turned their backs on us.

As that time it was very difficult for me personally to see these things. It was very difficult but we had to move forward. We had only one thousand five hundred people and that also included the young children. But still with these one thousand five hundred people we fought for our faith to the next level. And one by one people started to come. One by one people started to be victors of faith; new members, old members started to come.

When we talked about Cheon Bok Gung, people started to contribute again. Dr Bo Hi Pak also offered his contribution; European members, Japanese members and also Korean members started one by one and decided to contribute to Cheon Bok Gung, saying, “We will fight to build this Cheon Bok Gung” and that is how the momentum started to build.

Everybody was thinking that the Unification Church would not be able to do this but within one year we were able to be victorious in collecting the required amount and we were now able to offer the Cheon Bok Gung to God and True Parents. We have seen this happen. We were part of that kind of great work and we were witnesses to this great miracle that has occurred.  Now when I meet a lot of people, they tell me they finally understand why Cheon Bok Gung is so important.

All the people in this world, outside of Korea, have said, “We also don’t have a lot of hope in our countries as well” and the level of our church and congregation is still at the level of the dire years of Korea, but through Cheon Bok Gung here we have found new hope, and now with his new hope we can go back to our nation, and we have hope that one day we also will build a Cheon Bok Gung in our nation, in our city, so we can stand proud as Unification Church members in our own respective nations.

Now all the members of the world are starting to feel this great hope. Because the father nation and the mother nation have established that standard of faith, and because we have offered and dedicated Cheon Bok Gung to God and True Parents, everybody, including the four great saints as you have seen in the video, are now helping us and cooperating with us because True Parents have opened up this new era when we can receive this kind of cooperation.

Let us read the Biblical passage of 1 King: 18 again, “I have not made trouble for Israel” Elijah replied, “you and your fathers’ family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and followed Ba’al. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, and bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Ba’al and the four hundred prophets of Ashera who eat at Jezebel’s table” Aju!

Here Elijah goes to meet Ahab, the king of Israel and the son of Omri. The king of Israel at that time was King Ahab; he was the son of King Omri. These two kings had abandoned God Jehovah and instead began to serve Ba’al, the king of prosperity and wealth, a pagan god. That was the time in Israel’s history. So Elijah comes and goes to Mount Carmel and battles these prophets again. He challenges King Ahab at Mt Carmel saying, “God Jehovah is our Father. He is the God of Isaac, the God of Abraham, and the God of Jacob.” and he challenges King Ahab, “You have to chose who you want to worship, whether you are going to worship Jehovah, or you are going to worship Ba’al.”

So Elijah goes and tells him to call the four hundred and fifty prophets of Ba’al and the four hundred prophets of Ashera and tells them to prove to them how great your god is and how much your god loves you. So at Mt Carmel they had a big shrine dedicated to Ba’al. The prophets made an altar and they sacrificed their cow and ask Ba’al to light the altar with flame, asking Ba’al to bring a fire from the sky to consume this sacrifice. So all the prophets of Ba’al and Ashera start to dance and pray and they also started to cut themselves to offer blood offerings around the altar. They did this all day long but still there was no fire.

Then Elijah rebuilds the altar of God. Right in front of the four hundred and fifty prophets of Ba’al, he puts the wood and sacrifices a cow on top of the wood on the altar. He also ordered that twelve barrels of water to be poured onto the altar so that no man-made flame can set it ablaze, in other words to show that no man-made effort can put fire onto this altar. And at that moment Elijah began to pray to God in front of the four hundred and fifty prophets of Ba’al and the four hundred prophets of Ashera. He told them, “You have forgotten the God of Abraham the God of your fathers. We have to remember once again Jehovah, the God of our forefathers. He will show us a miracle and show us that He exits.”

And from then Elijah begins to pray to God in earnest, and he begins to offer a sincere devotion and prayer to God. God answers his prayer and shows Himself through a miracle. A great fire descends from heaven and lights and consumes the entire altar. That is when the people were able to see the miracle of God. All the prophets of Ba’al collapsed in amazement and all the people of Israel say that we have to return to God and we must leave Ba’al. Saying this, they return again to Jehovah. And from that moment all the famine and drought come to an end and God bestows the people with the blessing of rain. Let’s give a big hand to God! (Applause)

Now Elijah is no longer working on the personal level. He is working on the national level. So all the blessings that are now coming down to him are now expanding to the entire nation. Elijah was really not working for his own sake. Rather he was working for the entire nation and the people that they remember God and he has shown them about God and Jehovah. That is why God was blessing the nation of Israel through Elijah and brought an end to the draught and famine and brought them the blessing of rain.

When we look at these stories in the Bible, we have to think about ourselves now because we are the third Israel. We are the third Israel living on this earth. We are the prepared people whom God will work through to carry out his providence in the Korean peninsula. For fifty years the Korean people have really prospered and grown. Think about it! From the Korean War to this day we have seen great growth and development in this Korea, and now we have become a nation that can become a world player among the many nations of this world. And now Korea is working very hard and passionately to become a world player.

However, now the Korean people are searching for idols, for stars, for money and wealth, power to worship as a nation’s pride, just like the Israelites were worshipping Ba’al. Think about it. In the Olympics in Vancouver one of our people won a gold medal and this is something to be proud of, but we think how the Korean peninsula as a whole can become the center of this world, not idols or stars or athletes and through money or power.

How can this small nation become the center of the world? It cannot be done by money or power. Just as the kings of Israel King Ahab had forgotten God and began to serve Ba’al, we too should not search for idols or money or power.  If we do so, forgetting about God, forgetting even our identity, forgetting about the fact that this is a holy land and this is a Temple, and forgetting about the fact that the Lord has indeed returned, then we will never be able to bring Korea to a world level.

The greatest blessing that we have is the fact that God has chosen us. That fact alone is our blessing, and the reason why we are the father nation and that is the reason why the Second Advent of the Lord has come here and this is the reason why this nation can become sacred. Let’s give a big hand for this Korean peninsula! (Applause)

The people of Korea have to remember who they are. Only then can the Korean peninsula serve as the central spiritual nation for the entire world. Aju! (Applause)

Think about it, brothers and sisters, among all the world religions, what world religions are there firmly established on this Korean peninsula? Christianity, whether they like it or not, their holy land is in the Middle East. Buddhism, their holy land is in India. But the Unification Church, our holy land is in this Korean nation because the Lord has come to this nation of Korea. That is why for the Unification Church Korea is the holy land. (Applause)

This land of Korea has the potential, has the key to becoming the center in this world. Where can you find that? It is we. We are the ones who have that key to open the gate. It is because the True Parents have come to this land. Through Cheon Bok Gung this nation can now understand that the Koreans are the chosen people. They were prepared by God to be the father nation. It is the nation from which the Second Coming was born. Once the Korean people can understand this fact, then good tidings are now disseminated from Cheon Bok Gung to the world. If they can have that kind of identity then we can make Korea this central nation. Aju! (Applause)

Through this, this nation will be the recipient of God’s blessings just as Israel was. They will receive the miracle of God’s grace, the miracle of God’s love. Where will this come from? It will come from the chosen nation, from the chosen son, from the Messiah that the miracle of grace will come to this land.

Through the growth level Cheon Bok Gung we are here with that kind of mindset. We are here to testify about True Parents, and to awaken the people of Korea, just like Elijah had to awaken the people of Israel. Just like Elijah said, “You have to believe in Jehovah and God”; because we are here with that kind of mindset, God is working with us; God is working through us and creating great miracles. Aju! (Applause)

Brothers and sisters through the twenty-one thousand and later the two hundred and ten thousand Cheon Bok Gung victories, we will see Korea find its true blessings and identity. Right now our nation is trying to become a global nation, is trying to become a global player in the global stage. But the key to become that cannot be found anywhere else but right here. The way to do it is to have that kind of spiritual power. We have to have that kind of spiritual power firmly established within us if we want to become that kind of world player.

True Parents will really make this nation the center of the world, and all the people of the world will bless this nation and also bow towards Korea. Because God has prepared the Messiah on this nation of Korea, the entire people of the world, when they see the Korean people will bow down to them and will want to follow them and offer their respects, and work with them towards building Cheon Il Guk. This I firmly believe.

Finally, let’s read a passage from Father’s words, from volume 78, “God preserved the spirit, energy of this single race though it was surrounded by power nations. Not once since Tangu, the founding father of this race, did they invade another nation, despite suffering great hardship throughout the years. God has brought a new spiritual movement and the truth to this land under the name of Unification Church and allowed this nation to move forth into the world. Human civilization elevated its dimension according to the purpose and progress of God’s providence. Circuiting the world it is finally bearing fruit in this nation” Aju!

Hyung–jin nim’s final prayer:

Dearest Heavenly Father, beloved True Parents, You have shown us a wonderful and miraculous grace. Heavenly Father, we pray that we can really offer that kind of sincere devotion and prayer that can inspire you and that can move your heart to please bless us so we can lead such a life of faith. Heavenly Father, we pray for this nation, that it can really find that kind of renewed heart, that it can be for what it is. Let it depart from its old ways and once more worship the true God. Please allow the people from this nation to remember their true identity that they are the chosen people of God, and that they are the nation that has welcomed the Second Advent of the Lord. Let the Korean peninsula become the foothold for the Messiah to move out to this world.

Heavenly Father, we know that through that kind of miraculous grace this nation can and will become the central nation of this world. With that kind of faith, this nation of Korea can bring the entire world to natural submission and all people will come to bow their heads in respect to this nation.

Heavenly Father, we pray that You can bless the people of this nation. Heavenly Father, we pray that this nation can become more mature, that they can open their spiritual eyes and once more meet the Lord and Messiah, that they may meet You as well and become the nation of the Messiah; that they can inspire not only the world but also your heart.

I pray that you can guide and bless this nation of Korea, that they can do these things. Heavenly Father, from Cheon Bok Gung we pray that all our brothers and sisters can be your vessels of carrying out your work and your providence. Let them go out to spread your message to re-awaken the people of this nation of their true identity.

We pray that the brothers and sisters here can transform this nation and revive this nation. This I sincerely pray. We pray that you can bless and be with all our brothers and sisters here today. Let us all grow and become mature, and we can also offer greater devotion and prayer. We pray that we can become the vessel that can receive your grace and blessings.

Heavenly Father, we truly, truly pray for all these things. Heavenly Father, please bless this day and as we go back to our daily life again we pray that we can become the drivers of change and to be able to bring the people back to your fold. Please let us become that kind of Unification Church members who can bring our brothers and sisters back to your bosom.

All these things I pray in gratitude and in appreciation to You and in glorifying You. In my name, Aju!

Please be seated. It’s very nice to be back in the States, but really it’s not about me.  I’m very grateful because over the last couple of days we’ve seen True Parents at their best.  Yesterday Father was amazing, wasn’t he?  Incredible.  One of the moments for me during that speech was when Father was speaking and shedding tears, and all of a sudden he had a nosebleed.

He just keeps pushing himself, at 92. It’s endless. When I saw that nosebleed, it reminded me of the love of Christ, that holy blood that was shed for our sins. It reminded me of his great love for humanity. He talked about it, of course, in his speech: about the tears that were shed, the blood that was shed for Heaven. I was very moved at that moment.

I’ve had the great blessing to be able to go to various countries over the last couple of months, starting from Korea, and then Japan, Hong Kong, and Kenya.  We have brothers and sisters all over the world who are sending their love to True Parents.

Today I want to share a couple of words with you before we go into our main practice.  That practice is simply: “Cham bu mo nim, og mansei.(참부모님 억 만세).”  You all know how to say, “Cham bu mo nim, og mansei.”  I want to suggest to you today that “Cham bu mo nim, og mansei” has amazing power because within that phrase is our entire faith: everything from true love to filial piety, to loyalty, to service, humility, gratitude, glory returned to God.  Everything is encapsulated in that tiny phrase.

When I have a chance to visit our brothers and sisters in different regions and countries, I commonly ask them, “What is the purpose of creation?  You’ve heard Principle; you’ve heard lectures and read the Principle.  What is the purpose of creation?”  I heard, “Joy;” I heard, “Peaceful ideal world,” all these things.  So, the purpose of creation, we’ve heard, is the peaceful ideal world, is true family, is joy.  But when we look at the Principle it’s actually much clearer than that.  The purpose of creation is not the ideal peaceful world.  It’s not.  This is probably a shock to you because you’ve heard that many times. But when you look at the Principle, that’s not the purpose of creation.

The purpose of creation is God seeking to find his true love object partner.  That’s the purpose. That true love object partner is the partner with whom he will set up the four position foundation. It is the partner with which he will begin give and receive action.  And it is with that true love object partner that a true family, true tribe, true society, true world, ideal world and cosmos will arise.

So those things that we usually think of as the purpose of creation—ideal world, even true society—these are products of the purpose of creation, the purpose being the true love object partner. So when we look at the true love object partner, we know that that object partner was supposed to be the perfected Adam and Eve. We know also that Jesus was supposed to be—what was he supposed to be?  He was supposed to be that true love object partner.

In a nutshell, Christ, Adam, and Eve were supposed to become true parents. So we can say that the purpose of creation is the perfected Adam and Eve, the true love object partner of God’s true love, True Parents.  That’s the purpose of creation.  From that relationship comes everything.  From that relationship comes the True Family.  From that relationship comes the true tribe, society, nation, world, and cosmos. That’s the value of our True Parents, and I want to suggest to you that it’s a profound value.

If we understand that the purpose of creation is True Parents, we understand that God’s entire love energy moves powerfully toward them, God’s direct object partner. It was supposed to be Adam and Eve, but, then, due to the Fall, Christ, but, then again, due to the non-acceptance of Jesus Christ, True Parents.

True Father has asked us the question, “If God had to throw away either True Parents or the universe, the entire cosmos, which would he choose?”  You’ve heard it, too.  He’d throw away the cosmos.  That’s how precious True Parents are.  So if we understand that, we also understand that the cosmos, in unseen ways, ways that are not palpable to us, also moves toward True Parents because the creation wants the give and receive relation with its true subject partner.  So there’s unseen energy that moves toward True Parents.  In Korea we call this cheon un (천운), or “Heaven’s destiny.”  There’s a flow of the universe that moves, pushes destiny and time forward, and it moves toward True Parents.

One of the biggest things in my life, one of my biggest turning points, was a conversation I had with True Father maybe a year ago.  I was at lunch with him, and he was doing the seung hwa festivals in Korea.  I asked him, “Father, I’m a true child.  I’m a blessed child. I’m Second Generation. I have no original sin.  I can go to heaven, right?”  That’s a great question, right?  “I can go to heaven, correct?  I have no original sin. I’m a blessed child. I’m a Second Gen. I’m a True Child.  I can go to heaven, right?”  Father said, “No.”  That was very powerful.

That was very powerful because it’s a very important teaching. When I was young, I remember I was in high school; I obeyed all of Father’s laws.  I didn’t have girlfriends, I didn’t do drugs or smoking or drinking.  I trained in martial arts.  When Father asked me to get married, I got blessed.  Of course it was a big blessing for me; I met my spouse and had five kids. I obeyed the laws of True Parents.  I did not break those key laws.

And I remember in high school thinking, “Yes, I did obey all these laws,” and after I got blessed I remember thinking, “I obeyed these laws.  I deserve to go before God.  I obeyed the commands.”  It was hard.  It was very hard.  I had to fight through it in high school and through all those temptations.  All the high school kids here will know.  I had to struggle through that, with a lot of effort and energy, and I did it.  And thus I could go before God.  And also because I did so, the members should respect me.  That’s what I thought.  Because I obeyed True Parents’ commands, I should also be respected.

But I didn’t realize that I was sinning tremendously. You see, that kind of sin is called the sin of hubris. It’s the sin of pride, the sin that separates from God. You see, we must not believe that just because we follow the laws we are free from sin. There are two types of great sinners, it is said.  The first type breaks the laws. “God gives a law, I’ll break it, just for fun.” That’s one type of big sinner.

Another type of big sinner is one who keeps the laws and thinks, “Because I kept all the laws, I can go before God.  I’m better than everyone else.”  That’s also one of the greatest sinners.

For me, realizing and admitting to myself that I was that second type of sinner was profound. Yes, I had obeyed the laws, but I was a sinner before God and True Parents. I could not go before God because I was a good person or kind to people, or because I obeyed the laws.  That’s not the reason why I can go before God.  The reason why I can go before God is because of the son that God has sent, and because of the indemnity that was paid for me so I could have that incredible grace, although I’m unworthy to go before God.

This is very important. We see it in the Scriptures of Jesus Christ’s ministry. Jesus is preaching against false teaching; he’s preaching against even religion. In John 8, for example, Jesus challenges the religious authorities of his time.  He goes into the synagogues.  He curses them: “You brood of vipers. You are of your father the devil.”  He’s totally cursing them out. This is not the best interreligious picture that we may want to see in the modern world. Christ goes in and challenges them; he challenges conventional belief. What Jesus is preaching against is false teachings.

The Pharisees were of the sect of Judaism that was the most faithful to the Mosaic law.  They obeyed it to the T and prided themselves on their righteousness because of this.  They believed that because they followed the love of Moses they could be justified before God; they could be saved before God; they could go before the throne of God. They believed that they were worthy.

What Christ said to them was, “No.” The idea that we can go before God because we are good or because we follow all the laws and commands is the essence of what Christ was labeling as a false teaching.

Truth is different from that. What Christ was teaching against was conventional religion, saying that this kind of teaching is not true. What is true, however, is the truth, and the truth is that we have sin. That is truth. When Christ asked, “Let the first person without sin cast the first stone,” nobody could cast a stone because everybody had to admit having sin.

Is there anybody in this room that has never lied?  Raise your hand if you have never lied.  If you raise your hand, you’re lying!  I know it.  I’m not that stupid.  What do we call somebody who lies?  A liar.  Has anybody in this room not stolen something?  I’ve stolen things in my life.  I remember stealing candy or erasers from my brother or whoever.  What do we call people who steal?  Thieves.

Is there any person here that has not had lustful thoughts for somebody other than a spouse?  We’re in Las Vegas!  Men, don’t lie!  Give me a break.  Jesus said that if you have lustful thoughts, if you covet another person’s wife even in your mind, you are committing adultery by sinning in the mind. He’s calling us adulterers.

Is there anybody in this room who has not resented God at some point, even cursed God, hated God, not wanted to have anything to do with God, even ignored God?  If we believe God is omnipresent, he’s with us always during 24 hours, how much do we ignore him?  If I’m with my wife and she’s sitting near me and I ignore her, I’m going to create pain in her heart.

You see, whether we try to escape it or not, even though we may not have original sin because of the blessing of True Parents, we still have what the Principle describes as the other types of sin. We have hereditary sin; we have collective sin – things that we do as a group in a way that harms God; and we have individual sin, which, if we’re honest, we admit we create every day.

What Christ was talking about was the false religion. He was preaching against that because false religion leads only to two places.  In the first place it can lead – because we believe that through our good obedience of the laws we’re righteous, and because we’re righteous we have a right to go before God. That’s called spiritual arrogance, or hubris.  That’s the sin of Satan, Lucifer. So in the first place false religion can lead to hubris and pride.

At the same time, false religion or conventional religion, what Christ was preaching against, can lead us to a different destination point.  When we look at ourselves honestly, we’re not following all the laws. Who’s doing Hoon Dok Hae (훈독회) every day at 5:00 o’clock?  We’re not following the laws.  Who’s keeping An Shi Il (안시일) every week, reciting Kajong Maengse (가정 맹세) every day?  We’re not following the laws.

So when we look at ourselves honestly and we realize that we’re not following the laws, we can fall into deep depression and guilt.  Conventional religion brings us either to great pride or to great guilt and depression.

Why did Christ say that the truth will set you free? Because when I finally accept the truth – even though it hurts at first – that I have sinned against God, I have harmed or hurt God even though I may have no original sin, that creates distance. When we accept the truth that we are sinners before God, we can start seeing the love of God.

The Scripture from this perspective says that any of the things we’ve done in our lives that we think are so good, such as great acts of charity and compassion or any other of our actions that we think are amazing, are nothing more than dirty rags. Scripture also says that it’s none other than dung. It uses the word dung. It’s like nothing. We want to boast about our goodness, our charity work, what we’ve done as a good person, but we have to remember who we’re boasting to. We’re boasting to the Almighty Creator of the universe.  Before him, anything that we do on this small piece of dust, this earth, is what Paul called dirty rags and not even worth God’s attention.

Do you see that when you understand that truth, you can’t boast?  You can’t be proud.  You can’t say, “I’ve done this and this and that’s why I deserve to go before God.”  It makes you open to experience the love of God because even though you’re unworthy, God so loved the world.  Even though you are not adequate, God chose to save us.  That’s amazing. That is grace. That is love.

When we hear people tell us that God loves us, it’s very true. God does love us. But he loves us not because of what we’ve done.  He loves us because of what his begotten son, Christ, and True Parents as the returning Christ, have done. He loves us not because we are great; he loves us because His love is great.  He loves us not because we are worthy; he loves us because His love is worthy.

He loves us not because we are amazing people, but because His grace is amazing. It’s amazing grace. The more I spend time with Father and I see him, I say, “My God, he is truly the embodiment of God, the corporeal True Parent.”  It’s unbelievable.  I can’t explain how profound his forgiveness and grace is. It baffles my mind at times how he could forgive or how he can accept so graciously.

And that calls me to understand another point about conventional religion. Conventional religion, what Christ was attacking, teaches that the world is both good and bad, that there are good people who follow the laws and bad people who don’t follow the laws. So, good and bad. But the truth is that we’re all children of God.

The difference is between a repentful child and an unrepentful child, a grateful child and an ungrateful child. Both are children. One child harms, and one child heals. That’s the difference. When we understand the truth, when we cut through the clutter of what the world is always trying to tell us, always trying to fill our shelves with books on self-help and spirituality and to love only ourselves, we get into what even Buddhism calls “delusion.”

A professor at Columbia University who studies addiction says in a book that when he was at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in inner city New York, everybody was getting up, saying, “My name is so and so and I’m an alcoholic.” That is how they do it in those programs.  There was one Caucasian man, well dressed, holding a briefcase, obviously going back and forth between work, and he stood there saying, “I have to get control over my life again.  I’ve get to get the hang of it again.  I’ve got to stop this craziness and show all those people who pushed me around that I can get off this.”  The professor is sitting there taking notes, watching this well-dressed man.

Then an African American man with long dreadlocks sitting next to him leans over and says to the professor, “I used to be just like that guy until I discovered low self-esteem.”   “What are you talking about?  Low self-esteem?  Are you crazy?”  The professor didn’t understand at first.  He said, “What do you mean, you were like that until you discovered low self-esteem?”

The man went on to explain, saying, “Listen to that man talking. It’s all about him. It’s all about how everybody wronged him.  I was just the same until I realized it’s I who am abusing the substance. I am the problem. I am the addict and I am hurting other people. It is not my wife or my boss who is making me drink. I am drinking and I am hurting them.  Not until I admitted that could I ask for forgiveness.”

What this young African American man taught the professor that day impacted him greatly because it taught him that with addiction—whether concerning alcohol or addiction to the self—until we realize that we are addicts, we can’t be free. This is what he was offering this professor.

One of the things that may come to mind is, “If it is true that I can’t go before God because of my actions, why should I try?  If I am a sinner and even though I make an effort and I can’t go before God because of my effort, why should I try?  What’s the purpose in trying?” Isn’t that a good question?  What’s the purpose in trying?

I’ll ask you another question.  Does any good husband here in this room—the emphasis on good—refrain from committing adultery because you want to get an award?  Is that the reason why you practice fidelity?  Or do you practice fidelity because you love your wife?  Come on, good husbands!  There are a couple of them in this room, I’m hoping.  Praise God, please!  We practice fidelity because we love our spouse.  I practice fidelity because I love my wife, not because I want to get an award.

And it’s the same thing with God. We follow God’s commands not because through that we will be saved through our effort. We follow his commands because we love him.  That’s why we follow his Word.  It’s all about love in the end.

We need to understand the truth of our situation and the truth of what True Parents and Christ have done. In the Principle, we talk about spiritual salvation and physical salvation. Those are new phrases. In the Christian world, that would be referred to basically as justification. Any Christian you talk to will understand the word justification. You are justified before God because of Christ, because of Jesus’ suffering, because of what he’s paid for you.

In the same way, that’s what we’re talking about when the Principle says, “spiritual salvation” because we also believe that Christ saves us spiritually. We believe that. Jesus saves us spiritually as individuals.  But True Father has come and together with True Mother he has walked again the path that Christ had to walk as God’s begotten son.  True Parents are not like us.  The difference is that no matter how much we try to pay indemnity and do indemnity conditions, we cannot pay off the indemnity of history.  We can’t.  We’re not the messiah or the messiah’s couple.  We’re anointed by the messiah to maybe be tribal messiahs, family messiahs, but we’re not the returning lord.

The difference is that from God comes his begotten son, comes True Father, and then come True Parents.  That’s why we refer to them as the Lord of the Second Advent.  That’s where Christ came from, too. Only a being of that much importance to God, of that much value in God’s eyes, can pay off the history of harm toward God. This is what the path of Christ was, and this is also the path of the returning Christ and his bride, the True Parents.

This is why they went through their lives taking on all the scorn, all the hatred, all the persecutions of this world. This is why he went through what I call the seven deaths and resurrections, the six tortures in the different prisons and together with True Mother the final death and resurrection. In every single one of them Father easily could have been dead.  He walked the course where all peoples at that time wanted to murder him.  Murder him. They wanted to execute him.

This is the amount of hatred Father and Mother endured, taking on all the evils, all the sins of the world. And it is because of that indemnity condition, the price that was paid by the one sent, that we can have eternal life, and can come before God. This is an unbelievable expression of God’s sacrifice, God’s love for us.

As I mentioned in the beginning, I had a chance to go to different nations where we chanted and sang one phrase for an hour sometimes.  All we did was sing “Cham bu mo nim, og mansei,” (참부모님 억 만세) for an hour.  You’re probably thinking, how do you sing “Cham bu mo nim, og mansei” for an hour?  We sang it for 30 minutes or an hour, depending where we were.

When we sang it, amazing things happened. In Korea, when we started just a couple of months ago singing, we were at a Yeosu 21-day workshop. Incredible miracles began to happen. We began to see people getting healed. We had people who had degenerative eyesight begin to see, thyroid cancer healed, incredible miracles. You cannot explain it.

What is the difference between magic and miracles, brothers and sisters?  Who can control magic?  Human beings can control magic. You go to Las Vegas, you see a little magic show, that’s all human beings controlling things. Human beings can control magic.

Can human beings control miracles?  Only Almighty God can control miracles.  We saw miracles happen before our eyes.  Incredible.  We saw tears pouring out from brothers and sisters being what is known as “slain in the spirit,” just collapsing on the floor, repenting.  Once we look at ourselves honestly and understand the truth that we have sinned even though we may believe we have no original sin, then we’re also asked to ask forgiveness. That’s the next step: to ask forgiveness and do repentance.

In the West we usually see repentance as a type of self-hatred.  “I really have to hate myself in order to repent,” we may think in the West.  This is a total misunderstanding of what repentance is.  Did you know that self-love, narcissism, and self-hatred are the exact same thing?  Self-love and self-hatred are the same.  We can see this if we ask,  “Who is the center of self-love?”  The self.  And, “Who is the center of self-hatred?”  The self.  It’s the same thing.

Repentance is neither one of those. Repentance is not the self-love that tries to just love and worship the self more than we should worship God. Also, repentance is not self-hatred, a loathing or hating of myself, that’s intensely focus on me.  Repentance is different. Repentance frees you from yourself.  Repentance says, “No more spotlight on me.”  The spotlight is only on the one who deserves the spotlight—God and True Parents.  That’s where the spotlight should be. That’s repentance.

Every instant we may repent, the next second our mind wants to come and give us praise:  “You did a great job of repenting.  You did a fantastic job of repenting.  You’re great.” Again it wants to pull the spotlight back to me.  That’s why Christ said to us, “Those who seek to live will die. Those who seek to die for my sake will live.”

He’s not talking about the physical world.  If you listen to that phrase and look at it only from a physical standpoint, it sounds like the words of a madman. “What do you mean, if you seek to live you will die, if you seek to die you will live?  To live, that means I should kill myself, suicide?”  That’s not what Christ is talking about.  He’s not talking about the normal world.

Christ is the lord of love, so Christ is talking about the laws of love.  He’s talking about the world of love.  In the world of love, if, in my marriage to my wife, I only seek to get my pleasure from my marriage, my happiness from my marriage, my joy from my marriage, the marriage will die.  But if I seek to die for my wife’s happiness, if I seek to throw myself away for her joy, then that marriage shall last. That’s what Jesus is talking about. In the world of love, in the shimjung culture, in the shimjung heart, it is only when we seek to die that we live.

Brothers and sisters, I want to begin with all of us singing “Cham bu mo nim, og mansei” together.  We have a couple of things that prepare our minds and spirits before we enter in, and they’re challenging. They’re not easy. I’m going to give you warning. They’re not easy because they’re going to clash with our most treasured views of ourselves.  But I want to encourage you that even though the truth hurts at first, it liberates; it’s freeing because we learn how to love.

We’re going to enter in by doing a couple of preparatory things. I want first to remind you that the name of True Parents was supposed to be the name of Jesus and his wife, and also was supposed to be the name of Adam and Eve, the first parents. That was to be their name. God is the True Parents, the incorporeal True Parents of heaven and earth, unseen creator of the universe. When we’re singing “Cham bu mo nim, og mansei,” we’re singing to God first. Then, of course, we’re singing to True Parents.

But it’s a little different because here I don’t want you to sing so that you get a blessing.  I don’t want you to sing to God or True Parents seeking a blessing, a miracle, or some kind of benefit. Let it go.  Don’t even desire those things. I want to ask you that during this next 30 minutes you will join me in letting those desires go, so we gather all the energy in our body, mind and spirit and send it, direct it, toward True Parents.  Let’s gather all the energy, channel all the energy we have.

The idea is not, “God, give me some blessing today.”  The idea is, “God, even though my legs become paralyzed right now, let all this energy in my legs go, especially to True Father’s legs.  Even if my heart fails right now, let all the energy in that heart go especially to True Father’s heart.”  That’s the heart we want, that we have to focus on.

We go into this with a “pure mind” with pure intention and pure heart.  If Jesus was 92 years old and he stood before you at a podium or on the Mount of Olives, would you not want to send your love to him?  Would you not want to, if he had a nosebleed, wash that away?  Would you not see his shaking legs and say, “Jesus, I want them to be strong for you?”  Would we not do that if Jesus were here?

Brothers and sisters, we have to remember, that’s who True Parents are. So in this next 30 minutes I want you to focus your mind—pure heart, pure mind, and pure intention—and just give it all to True Parents.  Send all the energy you have in your body, your heart, and your mind and give it to True Parents because they’re worthy of that love.

Let’s stand up and prepare our bodies. Remember, we’re going to manifest the Principle—I’m assuming you can do that. Let’s first stretch, prepare, breathing in and stretching toward the heavens.  Breathing out, circle motion.  That’s give and receive action, stretching out.  Breathing in, four position foundation at the base, breathing in, stretch, stretch.  Breathing out, four position foundation lifted up, stretch up.  Breathing in, touching the heavens, stretch, and breathing out.  May I inherit the true love of God and glorify Heaven until my ascension.  Aju.

Let’s first offer glory to God and True Parents as we offer this prayer together. I’m going to ask you to join your hands together and let’s pray. Let’s read together the prayer on the screen:

Dearest Heavenly Father, since the beginning of creation you have waited for a child who could inherit your true love. Due to the fall of Adam and Eve humankind inherited selfish, false love from the adulterer Satan. You sent your messengers—the Buddha, Confucius, Mohammad, and your son, the Messiah Jesus Christ—to this world to fulfill this purpose of creation.

Jesus inherited the great agape love of friends, saying that ‘No greater love is there than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’  But due to the tragedy of the killing of Jesus, he could not establish the purpose of creation and create a true family inheriting the parental heart of God.

You prepared this land of Korea, the holy land of the Second Coming. You sent True Parents to fulfill the mission of Jesus, to inherit the true love of God, your parental heart.  By the seven deaths and resurrections and the perfection of the eight stages of completion, True Parents have been tortured, killed and killed seven times as a ransom for individual, family, tribe, race, nation, world and spirit world sins.

They have descended into the darkest spirit realms and offered their holy souls to be tortured in place of our spirits so that we and our children, families, both in the flesh and spirit worlds, may be set free and have eternal life.  By the power of true love they have been resurrected from seven deaths and demonstrated the victory of your love over death, sin and evil.

They have ascended up to the eighth level of God and are spiritually enthroned as God’s perfected representative in heaven and earth, with the creator’s full authority and power.  Aju.

Next, let us offer the seven bows, and as we offer these bows let’s manifest Principle, but as we manifest Principle when we create give and receive, let’s say together, “Hananim,” (하나님) which means God.  When we manifest the four-position foundation, let’s say together, “Cham bu mo nim,” (참부모님) which means True Parents.  And when we put our hands together let’s say, “Kamsa hamnida,” (감사함니다) which means thank you.

The first trial, or “death and resurrection,” this is the torture in the Kyungki-do police station.  Let’s manifest Principle together.  Hananim, cham bu mo nim, kamsa hamnida. (하나님, 참브모님, 감사함니다.)

The second trial and tribulation, second death and resurrection, let’s manifest Principle together.  Hananim, cham bu mo nim, kamsa hamnida.

The third trial and tribulation, this is—you can read on the bottom.  Let’s manifest together, Hananim, cham bu mo nim, kamsa hamnida.

The fourth trial, death and resurrection is Heung-nam prison, the concentration death camp.  Hananim, cham bu mo nim, kamsa hamnida.

The fifth trial and tribulation, Seodaemun prison.  Together, Hananim, cham bu mo nim, kamsa hamnida.  For the nation’s level.

The sixth, representing Danbury, where the world sought to destroy True Parents.  Hananim, cham bu mo nim, kamsa hamnida.

And what True Parents call the substantial resurrection, that we all witnessed together, representing the cosmos, Hananim, cham bu mo nim, kamsa hamnida.

We offer those bows in remembrance and also in gratitude for those victories, the victory of true love.

This next section is very important, brothers and sisters.  I created this portion because it’s very important that the person who’s leading the service where “Cham bu mo nim, og mansei” is sung remain humble and always remember their place before God.

As you will see, you will ask the first question and I will respond to that question. The congregation will ask in unison, please.  (Congregation reads from the screen.)

Congregation: Have you, the leader of this service, repented and admitted you are a sinner before God, in preparation for the service?

Hyung Jin Nim: Yes, I repent before God and True Parents and I admit that I have sinned and I am a sinner.  Aju.

Congregation: Do you, the leader of this service, humbly ask God to lead you with the Holy Spirit and realize that you are not the center?

Hyung Jin Nim: Yes, I realize that God and True Parents are the center of this service and I ask with a humble heart that God will lead me with the Holy Spirit, aju.

Congregation: Do you, the leader of this service, realize that you do not have any special miraculous abilities, but that you are merely an instrument God can use for His will?

Hyung Jin Nim: Yes, I am pleased to be used as an instrument for His will.  I realize that all the miracles that may happen during this service are from God and True Parents and not from my own ability. Aju.

Congregation: Then we ask God and True Parents to bless this day and guide you through the service.

Hyung Jin Nim: Glory to God and True Parents. Aju.

Thank you.

Let’s all recite the next prayer, which is the last prayer before we enter in.  It’s very short.  Let us all have an admission of our own need for prayer and repentance.  Let’s offer the prayer together.

Heavenly Father, save me, be the lord of my life.  I turn from my sins; I turn to you and to True Parents. I am a sinner and I need a savior.

True Parents, I repent before you.  Forgive me, make me new.  I believe you suffered and died and rose for me, rose again and again so I can live for you.  Fill me with your spirit.  Humble me to know you and serve you.  I kneel unworthy before your love.  Help me show it to the world.  Thank you for new life. Now you have mine.  In my name, Aju.

Thank you, brothers and sisters.  Please be seated.

Let’s prepare our posture. I invite you to sit on the front of your chairs, so you’re not leaning on the back and you can keep your backs straight as in a meditation posture.  Just before we go in, as you keep your posture, gently close your eyes.  We’ll first start very quiet and the energy will rise, given by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

At one point we will all stand, lift our hands up, and we’ll focus our entire mind, our body, and our spirit in sending energy, healing, love, and strength to True Parents.  After that we will come back down to a more quiet singing of the song, and then we will finish.

We will do a total of around 100 repetitions. In a few minutes we’re going to focus our minds and prepare ourselves.

Let’s gently close our eyes and put our hands on our heart. Place two hands over your heart. I first want to invite you to notice that your heart is beating.  We many times will forget that we are living, we are breathing, and our heart is beating.  So just with your hands you can feel the vibration of your heart.

Once you feel that vibration, breathe in deeply, and as you breathe in, in your heart let’s say, “I am alive.”  And as you breathe out, in your heart let us simply say, “Thank you, God. Thank you, Lord.”  Feel the vibration of your pulse, of your heart.  As you breathe in, “I am alive.”  And as you breathe out, “Thank you, God. Thank you, Lord.”

Remembering that we rely on God for our next breath, for our next heartbeat, let’s feel that precious heartbeat. As you breathe in, notice and declare in your heart, “I am alive.”  And as you breathe out, in your heart let us offer that gratitude, “Thank you, Lord. Thank you, God.”

Let us prepare our hearts.  And as we listen to the music, let’s follow along.

(Singing 100 times.) Chambumonim Og Mansei. (참부모님 억 만세)

Let us pray, brothers and sisters.  Let us pray in unison and let us lift our prayers to our True Parents.

Dearest, most beloved Heavenly Father, dearest, most beloved True Parents. Dear God, we thank you for this day, for this is the day the Lord has made;  this is the day when you see your children anew; this is the day when we get on our knees before you, when we see the truth, and repent of our sins.  And Father, we come before you in gratitude.

Father, this is the day that we realize how amazing your love is, that we are justified as families before you not because of our own doing, but because of the grace of your love, because of the sacrifice of True Parents, because of the indemnity that had to be paid to free these souls.

Dear God, we are here before you because you showed us love.  We bow before you this day.  We want you to come into our hearts, to send the Holy Spirit to come into our hearts, Father, and give us a new heart. Father, make us a new creation in your image so that we may turn from our sins and we may chase after you, chase after your goodness, chase after your glory, chase after your kingdom, dear God.

Oh, Lord, thank you so much for this day. We want to pray for America this day because this country is for you.  Father, America is the place where True Parents shed so much sweat.  It is a place that is prepared to move and lead this world. But we know that America is declining. We know that China is rising. We are in a situation where we must call upon your glory for us to see the light.

Father, let this country awaken to your truth.  Let it leave its pride, leave its egocentrism, leave its own glory behind and, Father, seek the glory of your kingdom, seek the glory of the kingdom on earth.

Please give us this heart, give us this spirit this day.  Father, imbue us with your spirit with holy fire, a new energy within all of us today.  And Father, let this energy expand to True Parents. Let True Parents have strength this day because of this love.  Let these children, let us, although our love is small, change this small love into a great love by your mercy, change this small devotion into a great devotion with your mercy.

Father, send it to True Parents.  Give them strength.  And we pray that this small sound, this vibration of true love, of your children coming back to you can spread across this country, can spread across this nation, can make this nation rise up to be the America it is supposed to be.

Father, we pray for this country this day. Please bless this country.  Bless it in your name and in the name of True Parents.  Father, we pray that you may listen to the prayers of your children.

Father, we love you this day.  We want to ask for forgiveness because we must repent.  We must turn away from the temptations of moral decline, and Father, we must reclaim America’s purity, reclaim America’s glory for you, for this world, so that America may stand as the beacon of hope and the beacon of light, the protector of freedom, the protector of your grace.

Father, be with us today.  Let us feel your heart.  Let us enter into your presence. We know that when we enter into your heart, no more can the powers of death, no more can the powers of sin, no more can the power of depression, no more can the power of sadness, no more can the power of loneliness be victorious, but only your glory will reign. Only your love will be victorious.

We enter into your world, Father, your shimjung, your world of heart, and we find everlasting light. We find everlasting joy. We find everlasting hope in living for you.  Father, make us new this day.  Make this congregation new this day.  Make us into your children that can create your kingdom of heaven on earth, as it is in heaven, with the glory of our True Parents.

We thank you so much, dear God, and we want to offer all these things to you this day.  We want to offer all our prayers for the world, for the nations, for this nation, for the tribes, for the societies.  And Father, for all the families we pray, the blessed families in the tens of millions across the world, that we can bow our knees and bow our heads in prayer and repentance, in rebirth and resurrection, and that we can come into your amazing love.

Thank you so much, Father. We pray these things at the individual level. We pray that you may use us not for our purpose and not for our lives but that you may use us for your purpose, that you may use us for your kingdom, that you may use us for your glory and for the glory of your son, True Parents, that are here with us today.

Father, we thank you, and we thank you for the miracles that you have allowed, for we know that when you see your children in true love, you allow all things to be possible.  We thank you and pray these things in our own names as blessed central families, Aju.

Brothers and sisters, let’s manifest the Principle together.  Give and receive action, four-position foundation, may I inherit the true love of God and glorify Heaven until my ascension, Aju.

Please turn to the brother or sister next to you, and let’s manifest the Principle together with our brother or sister next to us.  Give and receive action, four-position foundation.  May we inherit the true love of God and glorify Heaven until our ascension, Aju.  Give your brother, give your sister a big hug, and let’s give some glory to God and True Parents this day.  Let’s give them some glory, give them some praise.

(Three cheers in Korean.)

I invite you to sing our final song (“Amazing Grace”) together to God and True Parents

Source: familyfed.org

Sermon PPT Slide: http://www.slideshare.net/tcelder/strong-korea-cbg-110227

Main Sermon:

(Greets everyone in Korean then switches to English)

(Showing slides)

This is on March 26, 2010. It is the Cheonan boat that was sunk. Forty-six sailors lost their lives. In November 2010, Yeongpyeong Island was bombed. Two Marines and two civilians were killed. The Chinese response to these attacks against the sovereignty of Korea was that both North and South Korea should calm down. They failed to acknowledge who was the aggressor and who was the victim. As a rising world power and a rising super power, it is very unfortunate that China is taking such an irresponsible position.  Of course, the US condemned the attacks against the Cheonan and Yeonpyeong Island, but you must understand that in these days America is facing a great deal of difficulties and challenges.

(Next slide) This graph shows the twin deficits of the US. This year the fiscal deficit is expected to be over 1.6 trillion dollars. That fiscal deficit is bigger than the entire GDP of Korea. Of course, America continues to run a very significant trade deficit as well.

(Next slide) This chart comes from the Congressional Budget Office. It shows US Federal Public Debt held from 1790 and projected out for 2035. The interesting point to recognize is that as of 2010, the US has the highest level of public debt since World War II. The Congressional Budget Office projection on the direction of US public debt, based on expected changes in US law, is that it is expected to exponentially increase.

Since 1970 to this day, the US has maintained its world share of GDP. However, Europe has declined quite significantly and Asia has risen. The Asian increase of GDP is of course driven by the Chinese economy. This is where the concept and the talk of the relative decline of the US come in. Whereas in the past the US and its allies held the dominant position economically and militarily, today there is definitely a new power that is rising both economically and militarily. Since the growth of that power is so rapid relative to the US, the US is relatively declining vis-à-vis that power.

The interesting thing to notice is that we have come to an inflection point now.  If you project these trends then Asia’s share of GDP will rise past US share of GDP. From this point the US share of GDP will continue to decline.

(Next slide) These polls show public opinion in the US. The first question asked whether or not the US should intervene to help other nations who find themselves in trouble. For the first time since 1964 most people in America do not feel that America should help anyone. That trend will continue to increase.

The second question looks at whether or not people in America feel America should focus on its own problems or get involved in international problems. Seventy-six percent (76%) of the American public think that America should focus on its own problems from now; and that trend will continue to increase in that direction, too.

One thing that we need to understand here in Korea is that American public opinion continues to move away from being the world’s policeman. America does not want to pay for world security anymore. I had a chance to see Donald Trump in an interview on CNN and he made a very interesting comment. The interviewer asked Donald Trump what he thought about America’s situation and what America’s problems were. What he said was very interesting because I felt that it really reflected the current mood of America. One of the problems he stated was that he asked as to why the US sent its carrier group to Korea after it was attacked. His point was that it cost a lot of money because it is a very advanced piece of technology. Why should America send its armed forces to defend somebody else’s security for free?  But if America no longer protects Korea, where will our security come from?

(Next slide) This chart shows the exchange rate base conversion of GDP and national defense spending. As of today, the US still has the largest GDP and their defense spending is the largest, at $741 Billion. As of today, China is the second largest country in terms of GDP with almost Six (6) Trillion dollars in GDP. Their defense spending is at nearly $100 Billion. There are a number of things to point out in this defense debate. For instance, the $741 Billion includes over approximately $120 Billion spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. And so, even if we say the US defense spending on normal terms is $600 Billion, well, America still spends six times more than China – so what do we have to worry about, right?

But these figures are a little bit misleading because the conversion of these figures is based on Exchange Rates. They are not based on the real cost of commodities within the respective nations. If you used the CIA method of conversion by Purchasing Power Parity, then these numbers look quite a bit different.

(Next slide) These numbers are based on Purchasing Power Parity. As you can see the US stays the same GDP and the military spending is still on $741 Billion. But look what happens with the Chinese GDP figures. On the Purchasing Power Parity basis, the Chinese GDP is estimated to be nearly $9 Trillion. And Chinese military spending is estimated to be at $400 Billion. Actually on the Purchasing Power Parity basis, Japan’s GDP is smaller than the Exchange Rate basis and their military spending is quite a bit smaller. You can see what happens to South and North Korea’s defense spending as well. This is the problem.

There is one more thing that we have to understand about the US defense spending. America’s defense spending is not concentrated in any one area. The US has military commitments in Europe and in the Middle East, as well as in Asia. Their military spending is dispersed throughout the whole world, including having to maintain a certain defense presence in their own country. But Chinese defense spending is not. It is focused 100% here in Asia.

The other thing we should concern ourselves with is that Russia is on China’s borders, and if you look at how Russia and China both vote on the UN Security Council, they are always on the same side.

(Next slide) You can see the growth of Chinese defense spending. Next year it is growing again, probably at the same rate.

An interesting thing about Korea’s defense strategy and defense planning is that it seems to develop primarily its defense capability, rather than to deal with the problems of North Korea. One point I want to make is that there is a flaw in this thinking of our nation that our defense preparation should be set to just counteract North Korea. Korea’s defense strategy needs to consider all of the relevant threats in this region, as well as what its allies will contribute realistically in an event that there is a war. That means it has to consider in its defense planning the rise of Chinese defense spending. This does not even exist in Korea’s defense strategy.

But even if we look at the Korean defense strategy vis-à-vis North Korea there are blatant holes in Korea’s defense structure. On the Purchasing Power Parity basis, we do spend more than North Korea on defense; our weapons systems do have higher technology than North Korean weapons systems, in general. But we have to ask ourselves this question:  what if in a hypothetical situation where there are only two nations on earth – North and South Korea – in that case, can we be confident that we would win the war if a war would break out? That’s the question we have to ask. The problem is that the answer to that question is not clear. We can’t answer confidently that we would win. The reason for that is that there are asymmetric differences in power of North Korean weapons and South Korean weapons.

For example North Korea has nuclear weapons; North Korea has chemical weapons; North Korea has biological weapons; and North Korea has delivery systems for all those weapons. We don’t. That’s why we can’t confidently say that we can deter or even beat North Korea in war. We wonder why our diplomacy is always so weak. That’s because we are weak. We are rich but we are weak. In issues of warfare money does not make you superior. A poor man with a gun can kill you just the same as a rich man with a gun can.

North Korea’s weapons are not entirely low tech. They’ve recently purchased over forty high tech SU-25 Soviet fighters – state of the art equipment. You saw what happened in the Yeongpyeong Island incident. Their artillery bombing seemed more accurate than ours, and ours was supposed to be high tech! The government says that they must have used electronic jamming, well if they did that then they must have some high tech capability.

I hate to be the one to point out the fact. I know we are all cheering the rise of Asia these days, but if you look at history: whenever China was strong, Korea suffered a lot of damage. One question is that with a strong China spending so much money on defense and America (our protector) retreating, what will happen to Korea? Why is China spending so much money to build up their military power? Can we believe from China’s actions that their intentions are just peaceful? We got bombed by North Korea and basically they [China] didn’t think that there was anything wrong with it! This does not bother you? Seriously, it does not bother you?

Geo-politically, Korea is in a very dangerous area and Korea has only two fates. One is to be strong and to maintain the nation; the second is to choose weakness and to be conquered. That’s it! The only options Korea has.

My concern is that today we have already decided as a nation what we will be. We have already chosen weakness over strength. That means only one thing. In the future we will loose our independence and our republic. But we still have time to change. The question is: what we will do from now? What choice will we take as a nation going forward? We don’t have to be weak.

If you look around the world you can find examples of democracies that have chosen strength over weakness. A good example of that is Israel. They have a very small population – about seven (7) million people. Their GDP is about $217 Billion with only about $16 Billion in Exchange Rate GDP spending and they are outnumbered 500:1 by the surrounding Arab nations. Yet they are able to maintain their freedom and their independence, and they are able to win any conflict which may happen with an Arab state. As a nation they are able to field 19 combat divisions. In comparison the US field only 16. They are able to fly 3,000 sorties a day. During the Gulf War, the US flew about 1600 sorties a day. Qualitatively and quantitatively they maintain an absolute superiority over all of their neighboring countries. It’s widely known but never mentioned that they have nuclear weapons. They have developed a culture where they can mobilize and maintain a very strong military force to preserve their independence.

We have a choice which we can make. I don’t know which choice Korea will make. In my opinion this country should choose to be strong so that it can maintain its peace and freedom.

Thank you.