(2015 New Year’s Message) “From one man, and him as good as dead,”

Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. (Hebrews 11:12)

Hello brothers and sisters all over the world.

2015, a year of great history has now begun.

God has grown our mission until now. After receiving salvation brothers and sisters loved God with a passionate heart. However, the desires of the flesh has been hiding within the brothers so it bothered many of them to run towards faith, therefore there were many brothers and sisters who could not solve this and was led by the flesh.

I felt that ‘it is difficult for a born again church to last long.’ If we pass this obstacle I had the heart that God will bless us greatly.

As several missionaries came to the 2013 IYF World Camp and received change the spark of change among the pastors have begun. Last year 2014, around 103 missionaries attended the Korean World Camp, and as most of them received change, there was a great influence even to the Korean churches. As that change also seeped into the world of the pastor’s wives, the churches in Korea started to change very differently.

Every time we had a retreat the pastors would always be avoiding me, but now all of the want to give testimony, and all of them like to speak, therefore we became harmonious and I could see the holy spirit working.

As those things were happening I could see Satan also working strongly to persecute, insult and oppose the church. As all of you know I was also examined by the persecutor.

But we were different from before. All brothers and sisters all over the world, prayed all night long and through those prayers I am able to stand in front of you this evening. For me also, as I saw God working with his holy spirit recently I was very touched. I don’t know how great it is to meet this new year this time around. 2015 has just begun and in 2015 I believe that not just in Korea, but in America, Africa, Kenya, India, Russia, many islands in the pacific, and Bulgaria when I think about the strong work of the Gospel which will happen there I am very thankful.

Today I want to read the word in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 12.

‘Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.’

I heard that when you enter the Gracias Choir you learn how to sing. But God does not teach us how to sing, but rather what songs to sing.

There was a song that I sang when I went to church before. Shall I sing it? “Merciful Lord, when you call upon th sinners call upon me.” I sang such a song. In English the song is titled ‘Pass me not.’ But in Korean it has been interpreted wrongly therefore it says “call me when you call upon th sinner.” “Lord, Lord listen to me. Call upon me when you call upon the sinner.” It talks about being called in front of the Lord as a sinner.

But God began to teach me a new song. The new song was “After I cleansed of my sins and I knew the Lord.” It is a completely different song.

What I was completely shocked with was that God changed the song of Abraham’s wife Sarah. What Abraham’s wife originally sang was “Lord has not allowed me to bear a child.” “The Lord has not allowed me to bear a child.” “The Lord has not allowed me to bear a child.” Sarah originally sang this song. And she taught this song to his husband Abraham. That is why they had Ishmael.

But God taught Sarah a new song. In order to teach Sarah a new song he visited her house. God asked “Where is Sarah?” and they answered “in the tent.” Then God said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” The song that Sarah originally sang was “The Lord has not allowed me to bear a child.” and the song that God taught was that “Sarah shall have a son.” Sarah was unable to learn this song. “I like old songs. My menstruation has stopped, I have become old how can I have a son? I cannot have a son.” She sang this song. But God said to Sarah, “No, you shall have a child.”

One day Sarah started to sing a song that God has taught her. “I will also have a son.” In the Bible it says that “By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age.”  And from then on there is a great work happening to Sarah.

God also tried to teach me a new song. “I always sang that I am a ‘sinner.’ But taught me a song which said that ‘I have received the forgiveness of sin.’ As I threw away the song of the past where I was a sinner and I started to sing that I have received the forgiveness of sin God has started to become more glorious.

What does Sarah say? “I cannot bear a child, the Lord has not allowed me to conceive.”

There are many people in our church who speak like this Sarah. “I cannot witness well.” “I cannot preach the Gospel.” “I cannot work for the Lord.” “I cannot fast well, I cannot give testimony well, and I cannot give offering well.” With the voices that Satan gave us we sang the songs of Satan.

Just as how God gave Sarah a new song, God wants to give to us also a new song. “No, you can have a child, you shall have a child. Call his name Isaac.” Just like how God gave Sarah a new song, now in 2015 regardless of who we are I hope that our songs which went like “I cannot witness, I cannot serve the Lord, I cannot pray. I cannot give testimony.” can change..

When Abraham and Sarah were first taught those song, they could not accept the songs well. But now through the grace of God they started to sing a new song. “I also shall have a child. If God allows it for me I will also have a child.” From then on, to Abraham and his wife Sarah joy was overfilled. And from then a great strength works inside of them. God taught them a new song, and in order for them to conceive with this new song God starts to work.

Everyone, God teaches us a new song because he wants to work through us. Our loving brothers and sisters of the Good News Mission, let us all get rid of the old songs that Sarah sang. “I cannot witness. I cannot lead people to salvation. I cannot do Bible Studies well. I cannot realised the Bible well. I cannot serve the Lord well. I cannot give offering well.” Until now, we have listened to the voice of Satan and following those words of Satan we sang Satan’s songs.

Just like how Abraham sang a new song, and how Sarah sang a new song, and how they all received new strength, God wants to teach each and every one of you to sing a new song and wishes you to sing those new songs.

Our loving brothers and sisters, even in this New Year of 2015 will you still say, “I cannot witness well. I cannot pray well. I cannot volunteer well. I cannot serve the Lord well?” Everyone, don’t you want to learn a new song from the Lord and sing a new song? Everyone do you truly want to sing a new song?

“I cannot do it, I cannot witness well, I cannot preach the Gospel, I cannot read the Bible, I cannot give offering, I cannot serve the Lord.” That is all the voice of Satan.

God wants you to sing this song. “Although I am lacking, because God is with me I can preach the Gospel.” “God is with me, what is there that I cannot do.” “I can also go abroad to preach the Gospel.” “Although I am not very good at english, I can preach the Gospel to the foreigners.” “Although I am very busy I can give my body to the Lord.” “I can give the materialistic things used for my life to the Lord.” I hope that you can all sing this song. Then from that day you will receive a new strength like Sarah.

Do you know what it says in Hebrews 11:11? It says that ‘By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed.’ Do not look at yourself preaching the Gospel well and then say “I preach the Gospel well.” Although you cannot preach the Gospel well, with faith say that, “I can preach the Gospel well.”

Do you know brother Hongsup Shim? He was an alcoholic. He drank 7 to ten bottles of alcohol. He spoke only by seeing his circumstances. “I cannot quit drinking, I cannot do it. I cannot quit alcohol. He spoke as he saw his circumstances. One day brother Shim did not look at his circumstances and he started to speak with faith.

The brother drank, and I taught him. as you put down the glass say “I just drank alcohol, but I quit it, through faith, through God.” From that day he bid farewell to alcohol forever. When he believed so. God had worked inside of him. Now for us also, let us not look at the circumstances but rather believe in the promises of God.

Now let us speak about verse twelve. “From one man, and him as good as dead.”

As good as dead. Sarah in regards to bearing a child was as good as dead.

“Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.”

Everyone, Sarah originally said “Lord has not allowed me to bear a child.” but one day she learned a new song from God. “I will also have a son. I will also have a child.” She was able to sing this song.

Just as how Sarah changed her song let us also change our songs. We have changed our songs in the past before right? “I am a sinner, I am evil, I have lots of sin.” We sang such songs in the past but we learned a new song from God and our songs changed to “Now I am righteous. I am holy.” Right?

Yes that is correct. Let us all sing new song. “Even when I preach the Gospel people will received salvation.” “Although I am lacking, because God works inside of me I can preach the Gospel well, and serve God well.” “I can also preach about the Bible well, and testify well. If the Lord changes me what is there that I cannot do.” I hope that you can sing such songs of faith.

Although we may seem like people as good as dead, and although it may seem that no man will receive salvation through you, let us all have faith. “Were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.”

Let us all begin 2015 as good as dead. And we can all pass that stage and let us stand as people of faith from whom are ‘born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.’

South Koreans are having less children so they are concerned about decreasing population. But the brothers and sisters of our church have many children. Some have 4, some have 3. You may have children of the flesh, but just like those who cannot have a physical baby yarn greatly to have a baby, please serve the spiritual birth in preaching the Gospel. I hope also that you can learn a new song from God and you can become precious workers which lead many people to life.

Everyone, to us who are as good as dead, to us who were unable to save a single soul until now, let us now do the work of bearing ‘as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

Although Sarah’s circumstances still seemed likely that she will not have a child, she believed in the word. From then on Sarah started to have strength. She gained the strength to conceive. One day her stomach started to become larger and she gave birth to Isaac. Isaac got married and had Jaco and Esau, Jaco had twelve sons, and descendants like the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore formed the country of Israel.

Just like the word in Hebrew 11:12, “Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.” God want to make all of you like this.

This evening all of you should believe. That I have become so. You will gain precious fruits and become the joy and glory of God. I believe that in 2015 I believe that God will allow us the work of many new lives being saved around us. Thank you.

#GoodNewsMission #NewYearsMessage #OckSooPark