[Passage]
[John 14:12]
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father."
[Introduction]
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us give all thanks and glory to God the Father who has blessed us to have this pastors' and workers' devotional service.
Dear devotees,
Jesus showed tremendous power during His ministry on this earth. Many were amazed by such great power and believed Jesus came from God. But Jesus did not say He alone could show such power of God. Today's reading passage John 14:12 says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father."
As said, after the resurrection and ascension of the Lord, the disciples spread the gospel showing the power of God. Of course, the power given to each of the disciples was not greater than that of the Lord who is God in origin. It's just that in the Lord, they could do even greater things than what Jesus had done. Jesus ministered in a relatively small area for the short period of 3 years. On the contrary the disciples traveled to bigger areas for longer periods of time while delivering the gospel to more people.
Not just during the era of the apostles but today as well, we can do even greater things than those if we have true faith. I've accepted today's reading passage with faith. I cried out to God to receive God's power, offering countless all-night prayers and fasting. The result is the works that you have been seeing, hearing, and experiencing for the past 35 years in this church.
But from now, not just me, but you should also show such power of God. I've always told you the ways to receive God's power. But very few people followed the ways I told you. For this reason God the Father opened another way for you. If you are united with the shepherd by trust and love, God will also let you show the power given to the shepherd.
The 12 disciples and the 70 disciples showed the power of the Lord when they were anointed by the Lord. Similarly, many people preach in crusades with the handkerchiefs on which I prayed. But it shouldn't be just those who go out to handkerchief crusades or several men of whole spirit. From now, you should also be able to show God's power in your respective areas. If you receive the power, you can be guaranteed by God and give glory to Him in your church duties, businesses, workplaces, and even in your families. You can reap 30, 60, or 100 times more fruits.
For this reason the title of today's message is 'Power of the shepherd'. If you understand what kinds of attitude of heart the shepherd had until he received this power, and then if you try to live with a similar attitude, you can also show this power. In this message I will talk to you about the 3 aspects of the ways for you to show the power of the shepherd and accomplish the kingdom of God together. Through the message, may you become instruments of the Holy Spirit that will participate in the providence of the Father and give glory to God greatly, I pray this in the name of the Lord!
[Main]
Dear devotees,
In order for you to show the power of the shepherd, first of all, you have to seek God's kingdom only.
Namely, in all situations, you should think about what will benefit the kingdom of God rather than what will benefit you personally. Romans 14:8 says, "cfor if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's."
After I met God before death, I considered the Father God and the Lord most precious in the whole world. I cast away sins because I knew it pleased God. I was faithful with all my life because it's the Lord's will. I prayed all-night and fasted whenever I could, but the prayers were not for personal matters but for the church, my pastor, and the souls. I even gave over my family for God's kingdom and I always thought about the church ahead of anything else. As I lived such a life year after year, God gave me the calling to become a pastor and gave me power upon power each year.
When some people are saved from bankruptcy or incurable diseases by God's grace, they become full of grace, and they pray hard and work faithfully. They sometimes say they will only live for the Lord. But if they begin to receive blessings, they begin to change their attitudes. They skip prayers saying they're busy, and they quit their God-given duties. They miss Wednesday services and Friday all-night services. Sometimes they barely make it to Sunday services. They might partake in acts of unrighteousness due to their greed. They say they will give to God once they receive blessings from their works, but the fact is they are distancing themselves from God more and more.
It is when they have problems with their business or health that they then come to repentance. We can say this is a 'fortunate' case. In other cases they forsake faith completely. They compromise with the world little by little as they seek their own benefit and follow their greed. But consequently, they depart from God completely. There are other cases, too. Some workers keep on working for God. But in some moments, they put their own agenda ahead of the heart of the heavenly Father.
You're well aware of the incident in which my 3 daughters and a young man were poisoned by carbon-monoxide gas soon after the church opening. If you were in that situation, what do you think you'd have done? Wouldn't you have lamented saying, "God, I have only worked hard for Your kingdom, and now how can You take all 3 daughters at the same time?" Or, suppose you'd pray for their lives. Then, who would you have prayed for first? Would you be more earnest when you pray for your daughters or when you pray for the young man?
As for me, I only offered prayer of thanksgiving. And I prayed for the young man first. I was only thankful even if God took all my daughters away, but if the young man died, it could disgrace God in some ways, and for this reason I prayed that God would let him live. Because I had this kind of heart, God revived not only the young man but also all my daughters, and furthermore He gave me greater power.
So, if you want to seek God's kingdom first, you have to check small things in your life first. Suppose you save even one drop of water at home, but you don't really care about wasting water at church. Suppose you can choose a restaurant where you'll have a meeting, and you make the choice according to your preferences. These things come from selfish-motives. As a leader, sometimes you should appoint some people to different positions. If you just choose a person who is close to you even though there is a better person for that job, then this also means you have selfish motives.
Having selfish motives means you have the potential to change your mind. Then, even though it seems you are faithful now, God cannot give you His power to use you. I hope you will cast away all things that are 'self' motivated ? seeking personal benefit, personal tastes, your family, and those who are close to you. In so doing, I hope you will be worthy to receive God's power and be used by Him to the fullest extent.
Dear devotees and other members,
In order for you to show the power of the shepherd, secondly, you have to live only for God's glory.
Those who serve only the interest of God will naturally live only for God's glory. Luke 17:10 says, "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'"
No matter how much we work for God's kingdom, our work cannot be compared to the grace we've received. Also, no matter how hard we work, we cannot bear any fruit unless God gives us His grace. Even though farmers work hard day and night, it is God who gives the sunshine, rain, and wind, and ultimately, the fruits. We cannot bring about any sanctification, revival, or blessings with our own ability.
Those who realize this point don't wish other people would recognize their work. They only give glory to God. 1 Corinthians 15:10 says, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me."
When I received a calling to become a pastor, I was already relatively old and I didn't have enough memory power to study theology. I had an introversive personality and I wasn't a good speaker. It was hard for me to imagine myself as a pastor. Without the inspiration of God, I couldn't preach even for 5 minutes. Without the Father holding me, I couldn't do anything. So, even though I showed great power of God, I can't help but say that it was all done by the Father and the Lord.
I received the revelations through all-night prayers and fasting, and the power of God through many years of prayers, and yet I did not consider them my own. If only I was able, I wanted to share all of it with you so that the glory of God would be revealed more greatly.
When you give testimonies, you'd say the blessing is given by the Father's love, the Lord's grace and the shepherd's power. But I hope you'd check yourself once again as to whether you are seeking your own glory.
You say with your lips that you are giving glory to God and you've done everything through the power of the shepherd, but sometimes you somewhat try to reveal yourself. You have underlying boasting. You in essence want to say, "I love God so much," "I show the power of the shepherd," and "I've received great blessings." If others do not recognize your hard work some of you harbor resentment toward them. You feel uncomfortable or become disheartened thinking, "I've worked so hard with my love for the Father and the shepherd, but nobody says a simple 'well-done!' or 'thank you!' Ones who worked less receive praises and why only them?"
Philippians 1:14-18 tells us that when the apostle Paul was put in jail while preaching the gospel, some people more diligently spread the gospel to help with Paul's ministry. On the contrary there were people who were jealous of Paul. And these people spread the gospel with an impure intention. They thought if they worked hard, Paul's influence would be weakened but theirs would increase.
Concerning this Paul says in Philippians 1:18: "What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice," No matter what their intentions were, if they spread the gospel and more souls were saved, Paul would rejoice again and again even though he could not take any credit.
I hope you too will also give glory to God alone. If you've given a lot of offerings, yes, well-done! But in fact it is not fully your work either. The money was also given by God, and the desire to give to God was also grace given by God.
If you worked hard physically for God's kingdom, it is precious work that deserves praise. But in essence it's not something you did. Health was given by God so you could work hard. The grace to volunteer was also given by God. No matter what kinds of fruits you've borne, they were all grace of God alone. When you can truly accept this from the heart, God can give you His power and use you as much as possible.
Dear devotees and other members,
In order for you to show the power of the shepherd, thirdly, you should love the souls.
When He saw the souls who were slaves of sin and suffering from diseases and disasters, Jesus shed tears. He was heartbroken. He did not just shed tears feeling heartbroken. He took the suffering of the cross so that we could actually be set free from death and pains and enjoy eternal life and happiness.
True love is giving one's life to others. This love becomes the authority and power to be able to give life for others. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 says, "Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us." He professed his earnest love in Romans 9:3 saying, "For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." It means he wouldn't spare even his life for the souls, and that he could even go to Hell on their behalf.
Can you understand this kind of love? It's not just for hours, days, or months. It's not just for a thousand or ten thousand years. How can one go to Hell for somebody else, knowing very well the pain of fire and sulfur there? But love is stronger than death.
I can feel what kind of emotions Paul had when he made his profession of love. For this reason I also said I wanted to receive the punishment of Hell if it could save one thousand souls. God saved many souls that were dying over the past several years and gave me power upon power, which in turn proved my profession was not a lie.
How is it with you? Can the pastors give your life for the flock that is entrusted to you? When you see the weak and dying souls, do you cry out to God desperately wanting to save them?
This love is not something only pastors need. You devotees are leaders in the church. It means you have faith and you have received great grace. Then, the tears of the Father and the Lord, shed for the dying souls, should be in you too. The crying out of the shepherd who clings to God for the souls should be in you too. To the extent that you love the shepherd, the power of the shepherd will be manifested wherever you go.
[Conclusion]
Dear devotees and other members,
We do not know the day or the hour of the Lord's coming back. God will set the most appropriate day so that the greatest number of souls will be saved. But it is certain that a day has been set, and we don't have so much time left.
You should quickly achieve holiness in you and fulfill the duty given to this church as well. I cannot do all these things alone even if the power given to me is great. I can fulfill the providence of the Father only with your help. Now, I ask you to become powerful instruments and be used in the ministry of the Holy Spirit at the end time.
In so doing, I hope darkness will go away from all your families, workplaces, and businesses, and God's glory will be revealed and many souls will be revived. May you receive God's love and guarantee whether you come in or go out on this earth, and later partake in the glory of New Jerusalem, I pray this in the name of the Lord!
2017-01-31 Posted
2017-04-22 Updated
