Transcription
Hallelujah. Amen. Let's greet each other like this. Have you done your QT? Have you done it? If their expression looks like they haven't, please greet them again by saying, "Please do your QT." Hallelujah. Yes. Let me introduce myself again. I am Pastor Lee Ki-seong, serving at Gas Mission Church in New Jersey. It's nice to meet you. The pastor introduced me earlier, but about 10 years ago, I attended a QT seminar for pastors, and afterward, I was supposed to receive 10 weeks of Think discipleship. However, it wasn't easy to take 10 weeks off from my pastoral ministry, so I kept postponing it. Recently, when Pastor Kim Han-jae and our two associate pastors visited our church for the Northeast Think Pastors Seminar, Pastor Kim Han-jae asked me, "Pastor, how about receiving discipleship this time?" I replied, "Pastor, 10 weeks is a bit difficult." Then he said, "Oh, Pastor, the program has changed!" [Laughter] He said that. In reality, even though this time is precious, those who have received discipleship know, don't you? The assignments are not easy. Yes. They are absolutely not easy. So, more than anything, hearing this good news that the 10-week assignment has been reduced to 5 weeks, I decided to come after getting permission from our elders and members. But later, I found out that although the time was reduced to 5 weeks, they said we still have to do all the assignments for 10 weeks. I experienced an earthquake in my heart when I heard that. So, because I am a 1.5 generation, doing this program in Korean is really not easy for me. Of course, I prepare sermons every week, but preparing sermons and doing these assignments are different. And our pastors are gathered together. Pastor Lee Hyo-ah, who is serving us in Pyeongonji, is currently undergoing intense training. Tomorrow, Monday, after finishing the 5th week of training, I will return on Wednesday. This time, as I look at the many people receiving discipleship, and the various servants in Pyeongonji who are serving in each class, and our many pastors, I am very grateful. And more than anything, personally, I am sincerely, sincerely grateful to the many members who prepare and serve delicious meals for me every Monday in the kitchen. I receive comfort through food, so I am experiencing great comfort and gratitude by sharing precious food every Monday. It's already been about a month and almost a week, and when I first got off the plane, two associate pastors were there to greet me. I was meeting them for the first time, although we had exchanged messages on KakaoTalk a few times. So, as we drove in the car, I asked the two associate pastors to introduce themselves. Then, the first words out of their mouths were, "Your background..." [Laughter] So, in my heart, I realized once again, "Indeed, they are from Daruna." I will try it too. My background is arrogance disguised as humility, and a weed grown in a greenhouse. This is actually the reality before receiving this Think discipleship. When I first started ministry, the senior pastor at my first church always called me, "This evangelist is greenhouse-grown. Greenhouse-grown." But that wasn't really a compliment. That church was also a large church, and there were about 30 people, including staff and ministers, receiving training and serving. Almost everyone who came there had many life challenges. They had lived lives of hardship, trials, and tribulations, and then they encountered God's word, were born again, and came to become ministers of God. So, every time they preached and testified, their testimonies were truly inspiring. However, I grew up in a privileged family without much hardship, so at that time, I wondered, "How could these people have lived such lives? How could God have called such people?" Even though I had these thoughts, what I was grateful for was, "I am grateful that I don't have such hardships." On the other hand, I also felt a sense of regret, wondering, "Why don't I have such testimonies?" But seeing me like that, the senior pastor said, "This evangelist is greenhouse-grown." In a way, I was proud of that. "I am different from you. I am on a different level." Thinking like that, I have come this far. But as I received Think discipleship this time, what I realized is that weeds also grow in greenhouses, my dear members. I didn't know that. I learned it through discipleship. I thought only good fruits appeared in greenhouses and bore fruit, but weeds also grow well in greenhouses. Today, the Psalm 60 passage that I will share with you and the members, let's all say the title of the message together during QT. Save us. Save us. Answer us. Answer us. My dear members, I hope you believe that the God I believe in, our God, saves us and answers our prayers. Amen. Today, I want to share the word with you and the members through Psalm 60, on how God saves me and how God answers my prayers. The superscription of today's Psalm introduces it like this: A Psalm of David, for instruction, when he strove with Aram-Naharaim and with Aram-Zobah, when Joab returned and smote in the Valley of Salt eighteen thousand of Edom. The more specific details of this war can be found in 2 Samuel chapter 8 and 1 Chronicles chapter 18. To summarize briefly, David was on the verge of defeat at the beginning of the war with Edom, but in the end, by relying on God's promised word, he achieved a great victory in that war. This Psalm was written against that background, praising God's wondrous work. I want to meditate on the word together, connecting it with the content written in the superscription of today's Psalm. As I mentioned earlier, in the superscription of this Psalm, it is written, "A Psalm of David, for instruction." Please do not forget the word "Miktam." The pastor or elder who preached last Wednesday morning mentioned it. Among the 150 Psalms, there are a total of six Psalms with the superscription "Miktam" written by David. Psalms 16, 56, 57, 58, 59, and today's Psalm 60 are all labeled as David's Miktam Psalms. If you look at these six Psalms, there is one common theme. That is, all these Psalms were written by David when he was in distress. They are songs of praise. The word "Miktam" literally means, let's all say, "Engraved on the heart." "Engraved." "Engraved on the heart." So, when David was in distress and tribulation, what was engraved on his heart? This Psalm is a record of what was engraved on his heart. I will ask you, my dear members, one question and continue with today's passage. When you are in a crisis in your life, in tribulation, not after the tribulation has passed, not after the crisis has passed, but when you are in tribulation, there may be members here today who are experiencing unexpected, unforeseen tribulation in their lives. I ask those people. What are you engraving on your hearts right now? As we recently saw the book of Acts, what we learn through Paul's journey is that in this journey of faith, this journey of bearing witness to the gospel, this life of proclaiming the doctrine of the cross, there are many things we want to hold onto and not lose, but we saw them ultimately being lost. To be more honest, as we live our lives, there are more things we cannot protect than we can protect. We try to protect our families, our spouses, our children, and ourselves, but we realize that none of them can be protected by our own strength or ability. However, what is surprising is that in Proverbs chapter 4, the author of Proverbs says that among all the things we try to protect, not lose, and not have taken away, there is something we can protect. Let's all look at chapter 4, verse 23 together. Yes. Let's all read verse 23 aloud. "Above all else, guard your heart." "Above all else, guard your heart." This means that although there are many things we can protect, the author of Proverbs clearly states that there is something we must protect. And what is that? It is to guard your heart. The reason why you must guard your heart is that the source of life springs forth from the heart. It is recorded that the source of life springs forth from the heart. My dear members, let's look back at our lives and reflect. What is crumbling and shaking in your lives right now? What have you lost and failed to protect? When we think about these things, if we ask ourselves, what is the reason for not being able to protect all these things, it is that the beginning of all loss starts from the heart. You know that whether you enjoy the results of your life now or not depends on whether you guard your heart or not. The author of Proverbs says, "Guard your heart." This is a command. It is not an option. And he also says that it is possible to do so. Our God does not demand what His people cannot obey. Of course, guarding the heart cannot be done by our own strength or effort. Only when we live by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the fullness of the Holy Spirit can our hearts be guarded. However, do not forget that guarding the heart is a mission given to us and our responsibility. If some of you are saying, "Pastor, there are worldly things that are stealing my heart right now. Worldly prosperity is stealing my heart, worldly possessions are stealing me, worldly fear and worldly worries and anxieties are stealing my heart," then I am very sorry, but this is an excuse. The fact that my heart is being stolen is ultimately my responsibility. I must guard that heart with the work and power of the Holy Spirit. Do you want to protect your family? If you want to protect your small group, your business, your job, your health, your children, your spouse, you must first guard your heart. And as I mentioned earlier, the original meaning of the word "faith" in guarding the heart is "to be engraved on the heart." It is not "to be written on the heart." It is "to be engraved on the heart." What is the difference between writing and engraving? My dear members, writing can be easily erased. But engraving cannot be easily erased. So, when we are in distress and tribulation, God does not ask what is being written on our hearts, but what is being engraved. If unbelief, grumbling, and discomfort towards each other are engraved on our hearts in times of distress and tribulation, what will be the outcome of our faith life and the fruit of our faith? I pray that you and the members will have precious lives and families built upon the grace of being engraved with these truths, as David recorded in this Psalm, and according to the promise, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." I will divide today's message into three points. The book introduced by our pastor was also mentioned. How perfect is God's timing? Let's all follow me. Crisis is >> Crisis is >> What? >> Opportunity. >> Opportunity. Yes. Crisis is an opportunity. The word "crisis" in Chinese characters means danger and opportunity. When a crisis comes, my dear members, please do not be mistaken. There is not just one path. When we are in a crisis, the Lord always opens two paths for us. The path of danger. But why is it that we can easily see the path of danger, but not the other path, the path of opportunity? When God grants us a path, He shows us both the path of danger and the path of opportunity, but why do we always only see danger? It is because people, if you look closely, see what is familiar, not what is comfortable. Even God's people, if you look closely, I and the members serving in my church are the same, but whenever difficulties arise, we see the crisis very clearly. Why? Because we are accustomed to it. We are too accustomed to worrying, being anxious, and being afraid. So, when a crisis hits, even though there is an opportunity there, and God shows us the work He will accomplish, we cannot see it. It's not because it's not an easy path or a difficult path. It's because we are not accustomed to it. Therefore, through daily QT, God trains and refines our eyes to see the path of opportunity in the midst of crisis. So, if you and the members want to enjoy God's salvation and the Lord's answer as an opportunity when crises and tribulations come into your lives, and if you want to make this crisis an opportunity, you must engrave three important truths in your hearts. First, the God we believe in and rely on is the God who saves, rescues, and answers those who fear Him and those whom He loves. You must engrave this in your hearts. It is not easy to engrave these truths in your hearts when you are in distress and tribulation. However, you and the members are told that the Lord loves those who fear Him, not those who fear the new life. Let's all say, "He says He loves those who fear God." Yes. Our God loves everyone, doesn't He? He loves everyone without discrimination. However, my dear members, true love has a distinction. It's not discrimination. It's distinction. There are those who please God and those who do not please God. There are those who are a joy to God and those who are not a joy to God. There are those whom God loves and those whom God seeks. Here, it says He seeks those who fear God. Then, David expresses his feelings when he faced the crisis of defeat in the war with Edom. In verse 1, it says, "You have rejected us and scattered us; you have been angry; oh, turn us again to us." In verse 2, it says, "You have made the earth tremble and split it open; heal its breaches, for it is shaking." He confesses, "You have made your people suffer hard things; you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger." From this confession, we can understand two truths. The first is that, my dear members, in distress and tribulation, he believed that all of this was not by chance, but God's absolute sovereignty. In verses 1, 2, and 3, the beginning of all verses is "You, You, You." Let's all confess together. In the distress of my life, >> In the distress of my life, >> behind it >> behind it >> Who is there? God is there. Absolute distress is not by chance. Believe that the God we believe in, the God who rules, governs, and controls all history, that God also governs the distress in my life and the tribulation in my life. My dear members, which gives more true peace to your hearts: the idea that the distress in my life is by chance, or the idea that the distress in my life is within God's providence? It's not a question. It is very unsettling to think that the distress in my life is by chance. However, believing that God governs all things in my life and living that way. So, first, David believed that God governs all things, and that God allows the distress in my life according to His timing and measure, to the extent that I can bear it. It is a promise. My dear members, you may feel this way sometimes. "Lord, we cannot bear it. Why do you allow trials that we cannot bear?" Yes. But the God we believe in does not allow trials that we cannot bear. When I say this, some of our members sometimes say, "Pastor, I don't want to grow in faith any further than this. Yes. I'm content with just this much. Why? Because the more faith grows, the bigger the trials become." Why? Because through that, God reveals the measure of my faith's maturity. So, the degree, depth, and breadth and height of faith, my dear members, only appear when you go through tribulation. So, among the members, we keep hearing that "hardship is a blessing" in our church. Are there members here who pray, "Lord, just up to this point. I'll believe this much and go to heaven"? Yes or no. And the second truth given here is that God restores us. At the end of verse 1, it says, "You have rejected us and scattered us; you have been angry." But there is a word that God is restoring us. When? Now. Now, among the members, whether you have believed in Jesus and were saved 10 years ago, 5 years ago, or yesterday. But looking at today's passage, it says that God scatters us and puts us in distress, but when? It is the God who saves me today. The God who saves me now. Yes. In English, we usually say past, future, and present. Why is that? Because today is a gift from God to me. How does God want us to live this gifted day? Not by living according to my thoughts, my will, my plans, but for what purpose is this gifted day? For God's glory, or to make this gifted day the best opportunity, God is saving me even now. So, as members do QT, although the testimonies may be from long ago, or from last year, or from yesterday, in your sharing, the testimonies should be about how God is saving me today. I believe that such testimonies should also be shared in our small groups. And this restoration by God is recorded in verses 4 and 5, where David confesses, "You have set up a banner for those who fear you, to be displayed because of the truth. That your beloved may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer us." God's restoration is to raise a banner of victory, to set it up as a banner of truth, and to deliver those whom God loves, saving them and answering them with His mighty right hand. I sincerely pray that this grace will be engraved in your hearts, my dear members, in the midst of distress today. I am a sinner who divided the church. When COVID-19 was at its peak, in the United Methodist Church (UMC) in the United States, where I belonged, as many of you may know, there was a great difficulty in the denomination due to the issue of homosexuality around the time of COVID-19. Eventually, it split into two: a denomination that supports homosexuality and a denomination that cannot support homosexuality. The content of the message I am sharing today is from that time, the beginning of that period. Our bishop wanted to go in the direction of supporting homosexuality, but my church and I absolutely could not go against God's word. We uphold the institution of marriage, and how can we participate in ordaining homosexuality, which goes against God's word, when marriage is established by God as a union of man and woman? In the midst of this conflict, at the point where we might have to leave the UMC, our bishop sensed it beforehand, called me, and suspended and dismissed me that very day. And that day, he asked me to return my ordination certificate, and he prohibited me from entering the church building that same day. The only unpleasant thing was that after office hours, I had to go into my office alone, pack my belongings, and leave the church that day. Of course, it was during COVID-19, so I couldn't contact or communicate with the members, and the bishop controlled that. This incident caused a great tremor in the immigrant church, which had been growing smoothly and stably for 30 years under the leadership of the senior pastor. As a result, our church members experienced a crisis situation where the ground split and shook. My dear members, how great a blessing it is to serve a church that is not divided and shaken. Please hold on tightly. Amen. Yes. According to the regulations of the UMC in the United States, the appointment and establishment of pastors for each church, as well as the suspension and dismissal of pastors, are entirely within the bishop's authority. Knowing this, I visited a senior Korean pastor who had some influence within the UMC at the time, and asked him to speak well to the bishop to resolve the situation. The pastor's response to me was just one sentence: "The church will live if this pastor dies." He told me to leave the church quietly. I know, and I have often preached to the members, that the life of following the Lord by carrying one's cross is the life of a disciple taught by Jesus and the life of a witness serving the Lord. But when I was told to die, I felt so hurt, and the first thought that came to my mind was, "Why should I die?" If this decision by the bishop was due to my mistake or fault, I could have acknowledged my error and left. However, I believed that this was an unjust and unfair treatment, so I was filled with anger, and the thought and feeling of wanting to express myself properly for the sake of justice and righteousness came to the forefront. My dear members, why should I die before an unrighteous husband? Why should I die before a wife who doesn't acknowledge me and always belittles me? Why should we, as parents, die before our children? The saying is that the family lives if I die. The small group lives and the church lives if I die. One more important thing, my dear members: I live if I die. I live if I die. There is a line in a drama that says, "Humans have the right to live." I believe that too. Humans have the right to live. Why? Because God is the source of life. So, we who believe in Jesus, my dear members, not only have the right to live, but we also have the responsibility to die. My anger, my rage, my greed, my covetousness, my doubt, my pride, and my selfishness, which I always carry with me. My name is Lee Ki-seong. My brother's name is Lee Ki-sim. Ah, indeed, our church members are very sophisticated. You understand even such a lame joke. Yes. Yes. My brother, do you know him? Yes. I always fight because of this. Yes. I live humbly before the members at church, but as soon as I get home and my wife says the first word, I get angry and rage. My selfishness, which I still cannot control. Yes. All of these things should die with Christ's cross, but I, who cannot die. Ultimately, a life that collapses because of me. I have a question for you. What is it that you must die with Jesus right now? In your families, small groups, or workplaces, who are the family members, small group members, or colleagues whom you are trying to kill instead of dying yourself? And is your inability to die due to your pride? Or is it due to your fear? Second, to engrave the crisis of life as an opportunity for God's salvation and answer in your hearts, you must obey God's voice calling you to be a washbasin. How does He call you? He calls you to be a washbasin. Verses 6 to 8 of the passage. God says, "I will divide them by my holiness. I will measure the valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah is my scepter." Through this, it means that God owns everything in our lives. God divides, measures, and says, "You are mine. You are my possession." In Psalm 54, which we meditated on last Monday, it says, "The Lord upholds my life." Who upholds my life? Not the world. Believe that only God upholds my life. Yes. Then, in verse 8, it says, "Moab is my washbasin; over Edom I cast my shoe; over Philistia I shout." Here, it says about casting a shoe over Edom. The expression "to cast" means that in ancient Near Eastern cultures, throwing a shoe at someone was considered an expression of dominion over the other person. When you throw a shoe, don't throw it at your housemates. Yes. When you throw a shoe, it means, "You are a person in my house." The reason husbands take off their shoes when they enter the house is from here. Throwing shoes. Please take off your shoes properly and take care of them. Yes. Second, it says, "Over Philistia I shout." This shouting is not a shout of joy, but the cry of pain and suffering when God defeats the Philistines through David and they are defeated. However, what is noteworthy here is that God says, "Moab is my washbasin." Whose washbasin? God's washbasin. My dear members, God does not say it is the devil's or Satan's washbasin, but "my washbasin." Then, is this washbasin a good thing? Is it good? Is it evil? It must be good. As mentioned in the help section of the dictionary today, the expression "washbasin" is a metaphor for a subordinate state, meaning that Moab is subordinate to Israel. There are two words to remember here: subordination and submission. In the passage, it says, "Moab is my washbasin." If we expand this, it refers to those who live a life worthy of the calling of our Lord, who are subordinate and submissive to God's word, and who live a life of service. At that time, this washbasin was not made for washing the body, but was placed next to the door of the house, and it was a water basin for the servant or the lowliest person to wash the feet of the master or guests entering the house. Through this, the Lord is telling us about the application of the cross, where God's people live as humble servants to fulfill God's will. When the senior pastor told me that the church would live if the pastor died, I didn't want to die. I even protested to God, asking why I should die. Although I did not lead the division and separation of the church, I did not forcefully stop the members who were leaving the church. My dear members, do you have division in your families right now? Do you have division in the small group you serve? And most importantly, do you have division between yourself and yourself? When we argue, we tend to blame others. We say, "If only you were better, if only you were better, why would I get angry? Why would Mom and Dad get angry?" While we blame our spouses and children, my dear members, ultimately, the reason I get angry is because I cannot guard my heart. The cause of anger is never someone else. It is ultimately within me. Because I did not die, the church was divided, and the members who left with me had to go through a difficult wilderness journey for three years. For three years, we had to move our church services six times. For the members who were accustomed to worshipping in well-prepared and stable spaces, it was a very difficult time. Of course, in the past, if the weather wasn't cold, we could worship outdoors, but for families bringing young children to church, it required considerable sacrifice and determination. However, even amidst these difficulties, the elders and members who led our church never complained or grumbled. They interpreted the events we encountered through the word of God given each day, adapted to them, and stood in prayer based on that word. Looking back now, I truly believe that each of our church members applied the lesson of being used as a washbasin before God. We, my dear members, say, "I am a servant of the Lord, I am one who serves the Lord," but no one wants to be used as a washbasin. We want to be used as vessels that succeed and prosper in the world, not as worn-out wineskins. We don't want to be used as washbasins. We don't want to wash others' feet. We want to be recognized, and we think that others' happiness and our success, as if living a life of personal fortune, is God's glory. Do we not sometimes consider the hardships and tribulations of life as shameful disgrace? I have a question for you. What kind of tool do you want to be used as before God right now? Are you applying the lesson of being used as a washbasin for the salvation of your family and the souls of others? Third, to make the crisis of life an opportunity for God's salvation and answer, let's all confess that the salvation of man >> is in vain. >> Only God alone is the sole savior of my life. So, in verses 9 to 12, it says, "Who will lead me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? Have you not rejected us, O God? O God, have you not gone out with our armies? Give us help against the enemy, for human help is futile. With God we shall do valiantly, and he will tread down our enemies." After three years of searching for a church building, God granted us a place of worship last year. I had great conflict in my heart due to the unjust treatment of the denomination and conference, and the thought that I was right and the denomination and bishop were wrong filled my heart. Also, when I was betrayed by people I trusted and believed in, I thought, "I have been deceived," and resentment arose. However, during this Think discipleship, God gave me a message through this incident. Yes. When I meditated on myself with the word in response to that question, Pastor Kim Han-jae always says, doesn't he? We are deceived by our own character. The pride at the center of my heart, disguised as kindness, the weeds grown in the greenhouse, although there were good fruits, the weeds that I didn't realize. God taught me all of this through His word. As I briefly shared with Pastor Kim, if Pastor Kim Han-jae had asked me to preach this time, I probably wouldn't have given this sermon. I would have stood here, spitting, talking about how I was betrayed, the grumbling, and the bitterness, pain, wounds, and injustice that still remain. But as I have been undergoing this training for 5 weeks, I realized, "I was a sinner. God trained me through them." So, as Pastor Kim often says, "The unfaithful husband, the difficult children, they are working hard for me." This is what I am realizing. God, who sees the heart, knew me so well. God, who is 100% righteous, is teaching me the greed and covetousness in my heart. I am so grateful for the grace God has bestowed upon me to see myself like this during this discipleship. Now, the church we left has also grown well and recently celebrated its 40th anniversary with a thanksgiving service, and our GMC has also become four years old. It is growing well by God's grace. I believe that it is a very rare case for a church in an immigrant community to split into two churches and for both churches to grow well. I am very grateful to our former church members who worked hard for me as God refined me. And I am so grateful to our GMC educators, elders, and all the members who have accompanied me on this long journey and always pray for me. And finally, for the past 10 years, as our GMC has done QT every day, the word and testimonies that the Lord gave us at that time have interpreted our lives during our hardships and have been a source of strength. I express my gratitude to all those who are working hard for the members of our church, and I sincerely thank Pastor Kim Han-jae, who leads us, and all the leaders. When I came here and met many members, received discipleship, talked with our associate pastors, and did assignments, the two words that I heard most frequently were "handkerchief" and "apron." At first, I didn't know what they meant. I simply thought about them. Later, when I looked into them more deeply, I realized that the "handkerchief" is the service of wiping away tears for those who are crying or have cried in the small group, and the "apron" is the application of serving faithfully by realizing one's own sorrow and sinfulness, and wiping away one's own tears, and preparing food with sincerity for the members of the small group every time they gather, and living a life of giving. As I leave this place, I want to say this to the members of our church. The "handkerchief" and "apron" of the members of our church are far greater than you imagine. I believe that these aprons and handkerchiefs will bring about a miraculous work of saving and building up many churches and families not only in our church but also in churches and families across this land of America. Amen. Please continue to work hard for this. >> It may be a blessing, but it's like saying, "Please suffer more." But yes. Yes. I hope this word becomes comfort. So, the final application question is: Do the members sitting here today know the mission of our church? Do you have the conviction that you are being used for this purpose, and is the word "hardship is a blessing" truly engraved in your hearts? Please come forward as we summarize this word again. What should I engrave on my heart right now? We have examined what we should engrave on our hearts if we want to make the crisis of life an opportunity for God's salvation and answer. First, the God we believe in and rely on is the God who saves, rescues, and answers those who fear Him and those whom He loves. We must engrave this in our hearts. Second, we must obey God's voice calling us to be a servant in the place of a washbasin. Third, we must engrave in our hearts the decision to rely solely on God, not on man. As we sing the hymn and make a determined heart, let us pray to the Lord. We have one wish, Lord, until the day You come again, engrave in our hearts the love of Your cross, and let it make our church love. Amen. For our church, sacrifice, suffering, poverty, hardship, and even obedience cannot receive us. Make our church, this church on this land, a church, and make our worship, worship. Use us. In the day of true abundance, use all our strength >> [Music] >> Use our church to be a church, to be a church, to be worship, to be worship. Use us. In the day of true abundance, use all our strength >> [Music] >> Use us. >> My dear members, the greatest blessing a servant of God can receive is the blessing of being used by God. >> I want you and all the members of our church to be a people used by the Lord. >> I believe that it will be such a church. >> Amen. God, please do not waste the distress in my life, but use it as a means to save souls, save families, and save the world. Amen. I will not fear. I will live by believing in and relying on the Lord of all history. I want to live in the grace of God who saves me, rescues me, and delivers me. With such a fervent heart, let us call out to the Lord and pray together. Let us pray. Lord [Music] >> God, I thank you that I can rely on and trust in you in the midst of the distress and tribulation I have endured. By believing and obeying God's word, I want to be used as a washbasin before God, and through the application of handkerchiefs and aprons, I want to save souls. So that I do not look down on the distress I have endured, and I do not become complacent in the distress I have endured, but that this may become my medicine, and that I may participate in this mission of saving souls with you. Let me become a person who experiences God's wondrous grace. God who speaks to me, God who speaks to us, God who speaks to our hearts. I thank you for letting me see the pride engraved in my heart and the weeds grown in the greenhouse. I thank you for saving me and giving me the grace to be used as a washbasin before God. For this, Pastor Kim Han-jae, who works hard, and all the members of our church, and the lives of the members of our GMC, whom I serve, may they bear abundant fruit, and may the distress be used as medicine to save the church, save families, and save the nation. May you anoint and bless them. >> Amen. >> May you graciously accept the precious offerings and fill the hands that give and the families that give with good things so that they may not be ashamed. Amen. >> We pray this earnestly in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. >> Amen.