Title: Raise the Bowl of Blessing
1 Thessalonians (5) Cultivate a vessel of blessing (1 Thessalonians 2:5-8)
< Dream of growth >
The apostle Paul was ready to lay down his life for the growth of the Thessalonians (verses 7-8). It is because they recognized that salvation is important, but growth after salvation is also important. Stagnant water rots and dies if it doesn't grow. If a person does not grow, the soul dies. Also, the heart dies, the relationship dies, and the happiness dies. So, continue to pursue growth, whether or not you achieve your goals.
At the end of 2004, <Mission Republic>, a documentary missionary organization, was established. Through that institution, we are moving fiercely toward the vision of a complete file of 66 books of the Bible to be completed in 2023. Not long ago, the Exodus sermon file consisting of 113 sermons was completed, and 37 sermons have been completed so far. The book that has been completed so far is a 300-page book, which is 65 volumes. In the future, when the complete file of the 66 books of the Bible is completed, we believe that it will be another great work in the history of Christianity with an influence for a thousand years. That holy and radiant passion overcame discouragement.
I believe that <Net English> will also serve as a vanguard for producing international workers and will give you the grace to conquer material things through it. When the time is right, a connection with a holy donor who will join the vision of NetEnglish will be established and basic funds will be provided. If the material produces 30-fold, 60-fold, 100-fold, or 200-fold fruit, it will create a Morning Star Mission Foundation like the Nobel Foundation for the Nobel Prize or the Templeton Foundation for the Templeton Prize, establish many mission-oriented churches and help many missionaries.
In the future, we are preparing to expand Mission Public ministry to the United States and translate sermon files into English. All of those ministries are focused on how to do more missionary work. Mission gives strength just by thinking about it. I am 53 years old, so I am not young, but I am preparing for a mission by constantly pursuing growth like a young man. I've been running like this for the past 20 years, and the fruits of growth in the process helped me overcome discouragement.
Do not stay in the present state, dream and strive for even more development. The most important thing to watch out for in your religious life is your habitual faith. Some people boast of their maternal faith, but 'faith in their mother' can become 'belief in the mother' if done wrong. The most important thing is 'present faith'. When we continue to pursue growth from the present, the realm of blessing will expand in the future, and we will stand before God as a full-fledged figure even after we die.
< Raise the vessel of blessing >
The most fundamental reason why the fortress church growth has stopped is the lack of personal growth. If you believe in the Lord, you need to broaden your heart to broaden the scope of blessings, but your heart does not expand too much. Churches and denominations are seen as rivals to be defeated rather than brothers in Jesus. If you see that, only Satan will like it. Therefore, we must cultivate a vessel of blessing with a missionary mindset.
One day, Wesley, the founder of Methodism, had a dream. In a dream he asked the gatekeeper of Hellgate. “Captain! Are there any Catholics or Presbyterians in me?” He said there was a gatekeeper. Hearing this, he asked carefully. “Then are there any Methodists who follow Wesley?” The guard said there was, too.
He left the place deeply heartbroken at those words and came to the gates of heaven. And I asked the gatekeeper of heaven. “Captain! Are there many Catholics or Presbyterians in Heaven?” At that time, the gatekeeper said that there were no such people here. Startled, Wesley asked cautiously. “Then are there any Methodists?” The guard said there was no such person.
Wesley asked in great confusion. “Then who the hell is in heaven?” Then the gatekeeper answered. “No one has come to Heaven with the name of a denomination, only those with the name of Christian.”
Wesley's dream is a stern message: to pursue the crowd and the majority, to build high walls, and not to dwell on vested interests. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were about 1,900 denominations around the world, now there are more than 20,000 denominations, ten times that number. For a century, sects, divisions, and wall-building were extreme. Now many churches have lost their way. If they build walls and fight with each other like that, they will all be eaten by Satan, who is watching them and they will die.
Once upon a time, a lion and a wild boar fought to death in the Ongdal Spring on a hot summer day to drink water first. An eagle was watching the fight from a hilltop. Seeing it, the lion said, “Look! If we fight like this, we'll both become eagles' food. You should drink water first.” Then the wild boar said. "no. Your brother will drink first.” In the end, the two drank water one after another and set out on the road, and the eagle only lit up the barn.
Ten years have passed since then. One day, while an eagle was wandering around Ongdal Spring, the wild boar from 10 years ago and a lion were fighting. Then the eagle quickly hid itself. Without knowing it, the lion and the wild boar continued to fight, and eventually the wild boar died and the lion was bleeding and breathing hard. It is said that an eagle came down and pecked the lion and devoured the two beasts.
If we fight each other, we all die. Acknowledge differences, acknowledge each other in non-essential, if not intrinsic, and diversity. How different is each person? If I follow the psychology of the crowd and I want others to be like me, I cannot be happy and God is not pleased. Therefore, try to be a ‘diverse one’ rather than a ‘uniform one’. So let freedom and unity, happiness and blessings appear wherever my steps abide. Until that happens, keep growing and broaden your mind to increase the vessel of blessing and expand the boundaries of blessing.