February 15th 2009 Sunday Message

Scriptures:    John 18:35-36

During the Old Testament times, the time before Jesus came, God fought on the side of those who believed in God and served God and allowed them to establish a nation by enabling them to win the battles. However, after the coming of Jesus and the beginning of the New Testament God absolutely did not allow them to wage wars or physical confrontations. Even if they were believers and followers of Jesus, God did not help them when they waged physical fights and rebuked them instead. In addition, Jesus told us in the Word to, “Fight back with goodness.”

Even the people who followed Jesus didn’t understand it well. When the people who came to arrest Jesus handled Jesus with physical force, Peter got so upset he drew his sword and fought with them. At that moment Jesus rebuked Peter telling him that those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Even if the followers of Jesus fought for Jesus, if their fight wasn’t the good fight, Jesus stopped them.

If we are to follow Jesus as we live in this time period, we must live like Jesus did. We must live our lives with our only purpose being the path of life that Jesus walked. We must live with goodness and righteousness, not repay evil for evil, and must fight against all the tribulations, persecutions, and various pain and suffering with love. Then we will have victory, take Heaven, and make it our kingdom.

In every time period, both today and in the past, the more extremely/closely people followed Jesus, the more extreme the tribulations and persecutions occurred. The wicked side always opposes and attacks the good side. The less advanced time period always opposed and rejected the more advanced time period. This was the case for everything, not just religion. Soccer players, for example, it’s the good players that the opposing team stops and tackles with all their focus. There is no need to think that is strange.

Following Jesus is the ultimate purpose/goal. Walking the path of salvation is the purpose/goal. We must follow with knowledge of that Will. Then we are not miserable/tormented. If we only think about how we are being victimized by the world, we can’t live because our hearts will be so tormented. We are being victimized like this for the sake of righteousness, for the sake of Jesus, in the course of following the path of life and the path of heaven. Therefore, we must live according to Jesus’ Words that tell us, “Rejoice even if you are being persecuted.”

Even though the environment is bad, life is hard, and many tribulations exist, we must not think that this is painful. We must follow joyfully no matter what happens because we are walking Heaven’s path of life. The more [things like this happen], the more we must reflect on ourselves, fix ourselves, pray more, become new, receive changes, and walk the clear path of life.

We must live our entire lifetime diligently with all our heart, will, and life. Then when we look back on our life from Heaven, we can say that we lived fully and without regrets. You must live your own life. Others can’t live it for you. Every day live your lives diligently making that your joy.

February 18th 2009 Wednesday Message

Scriptures:    Matthew 22:37-40, 1 John 3:10-15

There is so much Word that Jesus taught. If we look at the key points, he first taught people about sin and made them repent of their sins.  Second, he taught that there was only one God and that we must serve only Him and love Him.  Third, he taught about love. He told people to not hate their brothers even if they hurt them, to forgive if people do wrong, and love even our enemies.  Fourth, he told people to not worry, be concerned, or be anxious and to entrust him with everything and pray in his name and receive the things they needed for their bodies and spirits.

As Jesus showed us by example and according to his words we must have hearts like that of children as we follow Jesus, love God and Jesus and our brothers with all our heart, will, and life, not hate our enemies but keep moving forward. Jesus is telling everyone to do that in their families, churches, and Providence. Then God will rejoice in us and love us.

People think that they hate their brothers because they have sufficient reasons to do it and think they will receive salvation later by repenting and following Jesus. However, once satan drags you away to the domain of death, he will not let you go so easily. God rewards people according to their deeds. Whether on a battlefield during wartime, in the midst of tribulations, or in the midst of our everyday lives, we must obey with all our heart, will, and life the law of love.

If you hate your brothers but love God and Jesus, you are loving after having broken the ultimate law. God and the Lord do not accept such love because that love is sinful. And people who don’t love their brothers and instead murder them through hate cannot pour their love on God properly. It is because they are already imprisoned in the domain of death by hating.

The key point of today’s message is, “If you hate your brothers and fail to be at peace, then you become murderers and will live in the domain of the devil in the world of death. Even now people like these are coming up. Everyone who gathers brothers and talk about who did wrong are hypocrites. They are people who cause confusion to Providence. They are people who deceive. Don’t follow them.” This is Jesus’ Providence. This is God’s Providence.