John the Baptist Has Doubts - Morning Devotion on Jan. 30, 2024

John the Baptist Has Doubts

After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ash him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"

Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lance walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."

As John's disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: 'What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. Then what did you go out to see?

A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' I tell you that among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear:"

Matthew 11:1-15

Jesus relied very much upon the success of the mission of John the Baptist. When this very John the Baptist sent his disciples to Jesus to ask turn, "Are you really the messiah?" it was more painful for Jesus than if he had stabbed him with a knife. Anger overwhelmed him. Jesus refused to answer yes or no to that impossible question. Instead Jesus said, "Blessed is he who takes no offense at me." (Matt. 11:6 RSV)

This was Jesus' sympathy for John when he saw that John was failing. Jesus was really saying, "Poor John, man of failure. You no longer have faith in me. You are taking offense at the Son of God. I am sorry for you. John." And then Jesus spoke to the crowd about John in indignation, saying,

What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? Why then did you go out? To see a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment are in kings' houses. Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. (Matt. 11:7-9)

John was more than a prophet, because he came to bear witness directly to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He was born for this extraordinary mission. God entrusted that glorious responsibility to John. What an honor for a man to be called "more than a prophet" by Jesus! Yet John failed to live up to this honor. Therefore, Jesus said in Matthew,

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

Matt. 11:11

John had fallen to the point where even the least in the kingdom of heaven was greater than he. The meaning of Jesus' statement has remained mysterious. Christians have not understood its true significance because they have not realized that John the Baptist was a man who failed his mission. Tonight we know the true meaning.

John the Baptist was finally beheaded. He could have been a glorious martyr, had he been beheaded for performing his ordained mission: witnessing and proclaiming to the world that Jesus Christ was the Son of God! But he was beheaded merely for becoming involved in the sex scandal in King Herod's family. That affair was none of John's business. Attending the Son of God was his sole responsibility. But John deserted this divine mission and suffered a meaningless, even shameful death. This truth must be told, however painful.

Therefore. Jesus said of John,

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

Matt. 11:12 NIVM

This means that because of the failure of the mission of John the Baptist, the kingdom heralded by Jesus Christ suffered and was left open for competition. When a champion of God fails in his mission, someone else must take up that mission and put forth great effort to accomplish it. Thus, men of forceful faith -- like Peter -- took John's position by the power of their own merit...

The New Future of Christianity

September 18, 1974

Sin is the failure to believe. It is sin to not believe in the person whom God has sent. It is sin not to believe his words. Therefore, you must accept the universal ideology of God. You must march forward with unswerving conviction and faith. When you try to go out with such faith, there will arise doubts in your minds that will counter the faith. This is because the forces of evil are at work in your mind. These forces of evil cause you to feel fear and anxiety. Therefore, you must not conduct a life of faith that gets engulfed by those forces of evil. You have to have the magnanimity that can digest and overcome those things. Because Jesus stood in that position, he did not even try to avoid the burden of the cross. How can anyone criticize Jesus? If someone genuinely believes in God, there is no way he can reproach Jesus.

When Will We Stand before God?

September 8, 1957

Is it Jealousy or Confirmation? - Morning Devotion on Jan. 29, 2024

Is it Jealousy or Confirmation?

Matt 3:11 I indeed baptize you in (with) water because of repentance [that is, because of your changing your minds for the better, heartily amending your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins]. But He Who is coming after me is mightier than I, Whose sandals I am not worthy or fit to take off or carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

Is John Jealous of the success of Jesus or does he feel the need to confirm who Jesus is …?

When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, 
“Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus replied, 
“Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 

The blind receive sight,
The lame walk, 
Those who have leprosy are cleansed, 
The deaf hear, 
The dead are raised, and 
The good news is proclaimed to the poor. 

Jesus is saying “Let My actions speak for Me!!!

Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

If you are familiar with this story, you’ll know that John is murdered in prison just three chapters later.

Was John Jealous or did he need confirmation of the true Messiah before sending his disciples off to follow someone claiming to be the Messiah. 

Sunday Service on January 28, 2024

Triangle Family Church Sunday Service on January 21, 2024

Musical Offering - “As the Deer”

“As the Deer” captures in figurative language the desperation the author of Psalm 42 felt in their soul when longing for the refuge found in the presence of the Lord in a time of trouble.

Sermon

The sermon discusses the importance of belief versus faith and shares personal experiences related to the Danbury situation. It also emphasizes the need to have faith in the new era and compares believers to Banyan trees.

Key Insights

• The sermon explores the difference between belief and faith, highlighting that while belief may involve intellectual ascent, faith requires trust and confidence in times of trouble and uncertainty. This insight challenges listeners to reflect on their own level of faith.
• Personal experiences during the Danbury situation are shared, revealing a lack of understanding and urgency at the time. This insight serves as a reminder that individuals may not always grasp the full significance of challenging circumstances until later reflection.
• The sermon emphasizes the importance of having faith in the new era, highlighting the need to believe in and embrace the spiritual reality of living in the era of Cheon Il Guk. This insight encourages listeners to examine their own level of faith in this new era.
• The Banyan tree analogy is introduced, symbolizing the strength and expansion of believers' roots of love. This insight invites listeners to reflect on the potential for their own growth and resilience as they deepen their faith and commitment.
• True Mother's quote about Banyan trees highlights the lessons that can be learned from nature and the potential for believers to become like these strong and expansive trees. This insight serves as a source of inspiration and motivation for listeners to strive for greater faith and commitment.
• The sermon concludes by emphasizing the need to support and love one another, embodying the era of Cheon Il Guk. This insight reminds listeners of the importance of unity and collective effort in realizing the vision of the new era.
• The prayer offered in the sermon expresses the desire for stronger faith and a community of love that embodies the era of Cheon Il Guk. This insight highlights the importance of collective support and unity in deepening one's faith and fulfilling the mission of building the Kingdom of Heaven.

Sermon text  Japanese translation

It's still January, so I think it's appropriate to say happy New Year and to reflect on what January means. I thought about what the future will bring and how I can listen to my inner compass. We all have one, and we may all share a common vision or goal, but each of us has our own way of getting there, our own duties, our own journey. I wanted to share something meaningful with you this morning, and I was inspired by the morning devotions.

Last Friday, our brother Levi gave a very meaningful message and insight. He read from True Mother's Memoir about the Danbury situation. I wondered how many of us witnessed the Danbury course. Not all of us, but some of us did. Levi will mention it and I want to play that part of his message, which is about 10 minutes long.

He thinks that it is important but he only mentions a few points and one of them is that children do not really understand their parents' situation when they observe them. They see their parents work hard every day and face some challenges but they do not grasp the whole picture. That is something that Levi talks about in his message and I can relate to that because I was not fully aware of how serious and traumatic the Danbury court case was for the True Family, America, and the whole world when I was there. I think I was in the seminary at some point and we were asked to attend one of the court sessions. I was there and I acted as a spectator of the situation but I did not feel emotionally involved or realize the urgency of the matter.

When I was in New Hampshire for my mission, our Korean leader asked us to come down to East Garden and pray at the Holy Ground there, and meet True Mother. We followed the direction and joined the event, but I didn't really feel how traumatic and urgent the situation was. We had the prayer meeting, and then the next morning we met True Mother at the dining table there. I can't describe her character or demeanor at that time. She said she didn't want to be here having breakfast with us at all. She wasn't saying it in a mean or bitter way, but very honestly. She said she was following Father's example, who always thought of others in the most difficult, stressful, and traumatic situations. So she invited us to have breakfast with her, when she really wanted to be with Father. She was leaving right after that to go to Danbury to see Father. 

When you are working with True Parents, God's own daughter and son, God's Own Divine family that was set aside for this time waiting 6,000 years for the final moment to come and when you think the final moment is here and everything is going well then Satan strikes and not just lightly severely.

Over the years, I saw that they got strength from somewhere higher than themselves and they always overcame the situation. So when mother started to take the lead role in our movement for the first time, we were all wondering what was going on. And she would tell us every day what was happening in Danbury as she heard it from father. But the main thing was that we had to go home. I also remember clearly that the civil rights leaders supported us at that time. And when we heard that Dr. Park was kidnapped, we couldn't believe it. How could that happen? We didn't know how serious our problem with the Communist party was, because we were all busy with different things, like fundraising, witnessing, working on different projects. And we didn't know all the details of what was going on behind the scenes.

We went to the White House and marched peacefully and lit candles and handcuffed ourselves to the railings and prayed that our hearts would reach of the black church in the country in a strong way and they supported Father and Mother appointed In Jin to speak when she could not speak for herself in many situations.

I want to end on this note by saying that faith is often more important than belief. We believe in Father, we believe that he is a true parent, we believe that he is the Messiah, or whatever we believe, but if we don't have faith in times of trouble, when things are dark and we can't see our way, and the leaders that we relied on are now imprisoned, and our great leader Father is now unable to help us, what do we do? We have to learn how to work together in faith, never look back, never doubt, never wonder, just keep moving forward. 

The eagle is our national symbol, but I often wondered if we should have picked the buffalo instead. The buffalo is very American in its way of life and its traits. When a storm approaches, the buffalo protect their young and their mates by forming a circle around them. Then they face the storm head-on, lowering their heads and moving forward until they get through it. They never flee from the storm.

There are times in our lives when we face challenges like Father being in Danbury and Mother having to deal with a situation where she has to take charge of everything here that she didn't have the authority or need to do before. Now she has to stand and complete this work. That's the trait of the American.

I want to say that we may face hard times again, but our duty is to follow God's will and not give up. We should witness not to get a spiritual child, but to save the world, because if we don't, our True Parents become exposed to danger again. I want to say that this morning's reading reminded me of many memories of working with ministers and civic leaders, waiting for guidance from our true parents on what to do next. Let's keep moving forward, brothers and sisters. We have to build the kingdom.

That video gave me a lot to think about. I was especially interested in what Levi said about the difference between belief and faith. I used to think the opposite, but when I looked up belief and faith online, I learned that belief usually means agreeing with something intellectually, while faith means trusting or relying on something. For example, someone who had believed in someone else's persuasion, but later developed faith in them. So I wonder how that applies to my own life or belief. For instance, we are told that we are living in the Cheon Il Guk era. Do I believe that or do I have faith in that? That's a big question for me. Do I have faith that we are in a new era, that we are living according to a new spiritual reality? It's a big question. There are many things that I believe in, like True Parents. 

Jesus rebuked them when they said they trusted him and followed him. He said to them, you know, you left me alone when I needed you the most. You saw what I did with the miracles, you accepted what I said about myself, but did you really trust that God was working through me? Did you have enough trust to stay with me when I asked you to pray all night? No, you didn't. You believed, but you didn't trust. This is very meaningful to me, and I appreciated that Levi mentioned it. I want to end with a quote that I found from True Mother, because it can help us have a more hopeful and positive outlook.

A valuable image that True Mother shares in the Anthology Book number one is about Banyan trees in Hawaii. They are huge and leafy, and they offer shade from the intense sun. People can relax under their branches. This tree does not grow up toward the sky, but its branches grow down to the ground. It produces many roots that spread out more and more horizontally. The tree becomes bigger and bigger. The branches go down to the ground like roots to help the tree be stable. I have self-realizations when I look at the natural world that our Heavenly parent created. True father went to wild and remote areas around the world, and he extended his roots of love with many conditions of devotion.

He acted as the True Parent and established a basis for success for humanity for the first time in 6,000 years but when we observe the world in general we still notice that there's so much more that requires our devotions. 

When we see creation as Mother teaches us, we can learn a lot of things from it and hopefully if we really use our faith we can grow into strong trees like Banyan so with that I'd like to end if you could pray with me. 

Our precious Heavenly parents and our true parents of Heaven Earth and humankind, 

It is a remarkable era that we're living in and even though we have certain conceptual or intellectual understanding because of our life of faith with together with our true parents and understanding of divine principles.

But I think our hearts are often weak in our faith life and that if we sincerely trusted the valuable words that are given to us and that have been taught to us for many years then we could really become the Banyan trees that our true mother talks about Heavenly parents so I pray that we can help each other love each other and build a community of love that can grow its roots Heavenly parents and become more of the reality of this era that we call the era of Cheon Il Guk. Thank you and I report this prayer together with brothers and sisters.

Sunday School: Bible Study - Solomon Asks For Wisdom

• Solomon asked for God's wisdom to know what is right and wrong, and his focus was God-centered.
• God’s wisdom is available to all who ask for it, and we will experience great blessing if we live a life using Godly wisdom.
• We have to stay close to Jesus and True Parents because they are our life source.

Weekly Update on Jan. 25, 2024

Join us for our weekly worship service on Sunday, January 28 at 11:00 a.m.  Carol Anne Nilson is giving the message. Mr. Asada is sharing a Sunday school lesson about the wisdom of King Solomon.  Please bring a dish to share for potluck lunch.  We will continue the community meeting from last week after lunch. 

Please join us in praying for the peaceful ascension of Jo Etta Powell, Bishop Dudley's mother, and that the family may be comforted.  

Please join the 40 day special devotion period for the triumphant entrance into the Cheon Il Sanctuary and Cheonwon Gong, and True Parent's Birthday, from January 7 - February 15.  Pray for: 1. Safety of True Parents and True Family 2. Victorious entrance into Cheon Won Gung and Cheon Il Sanctum 3. Successfully witness to new people, especially young people, and real church growth. 4. For the unification of North and South Korea and a heavenly unified Korea. 5. To overcome all crises affecting our world and realize a heavenly unified world. 

ACLC is sponsoring a two-day conference in Washington D.C. on February 1 - 2 called Raise The Family Flag.  The conference is led by Christian pastors to encourage cooperation to save the family through the Blessing.  Please send your minister contacts to Pastor Davetta at d.morganogunlola@gmail.com.  Register at this link.

Dr. Achille is teaching an online advanced DP course every Monday for 12 weeks, starting January 8 from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. "Living The Divine Principle" teaches application of DP in daily life, and how to prepare for the Blessing.   

Join us on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. for fellowship and prayer in the Cheon Shim Won (prayer room).

Statewide ACLC outreach meetings are the first and third Mondays at 7:00 p.m. The next meeting is February 19. Here is the link to join the meeting.

Please join us for Morning Devotion from Monday to Friday at 6:00 a.m.

Here is the link.

Please feel free at any time to use the Cheon Shim Won (Prayer Room) at TFC to pray or meditate.  

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me - Morning Devotion on Jan. 25, 2024

Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

Mark 8:34

If you sacrifice yourself, many people will come to your side. If Jesus were crucified due to his own crime, would all humanity be sympathetic with him? But because Jesus was crucified for the sake of the sin of all mankind, he won the hearts of all mankind. Many saints and prophets went through difficulties, but we cannot imagine anything more difficult than to be crucified on the cross. How valuable was his patience in the face of opposition and betrayal, as well as his love for other people at the sacrifice of himself! When we practice these two elements, there will be peace, love, happiness, and all ideals.

Human beings have been separated from God due to the Fall, but that kind of love, service, and sacrifice can restore the link between man and God, between Fallen man and Jesus Christ. This is the principle that Jesus taught us with his own deeds: patience and living for others. You face both inner and outer struggles. You must win the inner struggle. Whenever enemies come against you, you must be able to win over them by being patient and serving them.

The Opportunity for Happiness or Unhappiness

March 2. 1975

Father, Your will to raise up Jesus Christ and to be proud of him was passed down in history through the disciples and connected to us today. Please let us understand that You are hoping for Your Will to bear fruit through us.

Now please let us become sacrifices to resolve the bitterness of heaven and earth, the bitterness of all things of creation, and the bitterness of Jesus Christ. We earnestly hope and desire, Father, that You will allow us to become children with filial hearts who devote themselves heart and soul.

Father! Let us realize that today each one of us, and all of us together, have the responsibility to resolve the grief of heaven. Let us understand that it is we ourselves who must bring to an end the battle to resolve heaven's bitterness. Since we have realized this, please let us have the mind to accomplish more than anyone else, and to be grateful to You alone, Father.

May we be grateful, even though we are carrying a cross. Even though we fight with billions of satans, do not permit us to become unmanly people in front of You, Father. Even though we are carrying a cross and standing in a difficult position, lead us to become children who can say, "Father, I'm here, so don't worry" Earnestly we pray that You will mold us into children who offer comfort to our Father, who is in sorrow over seeing his children in difficult situations. We pray all these things in the name of the Lord.

Prayer

May 16, 1956

Sabbath Control Controversy - Morning Devotion on Jan. 24, 2024

The Sabbath Control Controversy

At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to hint, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath." He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread -- which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

Matthew 12:1-8

Many people in the process of restoration may have tasted the heavenly kingdom while still in the domain of Satan's accusations. Yet there is no one who has truly experienced the taste of the fatherland of eternal peace, the heavenly kingdom, having eliminated Satan. He who has experienced the taste of the true heavenly kingdom and felt the love of God will receive the impetus to fight with Satan. Once a person experiences that taste and receives that love, he will never leave God again. A man who has experienced the love of God must appear on this earth.

What should belong to God? It begins from a clump of grass, from an acre of land, from an individual person, and includes everything up to the heavenly kingdom; going further, it includes the world of God's heart. That ownership should not be relative or conceptual. It should be substantial. Only if such a world is built will God rest for the first time. Human beings cannot help liking what God likes. For that reason, God decided upon the seventh day as the Sabbath and told man to rest. Did you know that God has not been able to rest on a Sabbath day even now, after 6,000 years of history?

Jesus emphasized the Word of God and came forth inheriting the vicissitudes of 2,000 years of providential history, during which the Sabbath was upheld as most important. However, has the day of triumphant glory come when Jesus could approach the Father and invite him to take a rest along with humankind? No, there has not. Since God and Jesus are not in a situation where they can rest, neither can we.

God's Possession and Our Possession

November 9. 1958

Many take Sunday as a day of rest, but I work even harder on Sunday so I can teach as many of you as possible about your true self and your mission of liberating God and mankind. When God looks down, does he complain and say, "Oh, this is a holy day, they, should take a day off and think about the coming week..." No, God would definitely approve and say; "You are the people working for me and mankind."

Mission and Prayer

June 12. 1983

Sunday Service on January 21, 2024

Triangle Family Church Sunday Service on January 21, 2024

Musical Offering - "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Australian worship group Hillsong United

Sermon - Importance of unity and meeting God through our relationships with our spouses

The sermon discusses the importance of unity and meeting God through our relationships with our spouses. It emphasizes the difficulty of unity and the need for selflessness in our love for our partners. The speaker also highlights the significance of sexual organs as the place where man and woman become one with God.

Key Insights

• Importance of Unity: The sermon highlights the difficulty of unity and emphasizes the need for selflessness in our relationships. Unity requires putting the needs of others before our own and striving for true harmony.
• Meeting God Through Intimacy: The speaker emphasizes that God wants to meet us through the intimate relationship with our spouses. This emphasizes the sacredness and importance of marital intimacy in spiritual growth and connection with God.
• Self-Reflection on Selfishness: The speaker openly acknowledges their own selfishness and challenges the congregation to reflect on their own attitudes and behaviors. This self-reflection serves as a call to action to strive for selflessness and genuine love for others.
• Absolute Nature of Love: The sermon highlights the absolute nature of love, emphasizing that love is not just a concept but a substantial reality. Love is seen as the means through which man and woman can become one with God and experience true joy and fulfillment.
• The Role of Sexual Organs: Father's speech emphasizes the significance of sexual organs as the place where man and woman become one with God. This highlights the sacredness and importance of sexual relationships within marriage as a means of connecting with God and experiencing his presence.
• Living with Gratitude and Service: The sermon calls for a life of gratitude and eternal service to our spouses. By valuing and cherishing our partners, we can create a true family where God can dwell eternally, and in turn, experience the ultimate joy intended by God.
• The Challenge of Living with God: The speaker acknowledges the challenges of living constantly with the desire to be with God. It requires a balance between spiritual connection and daily responsibilities, highlighting the need for patience, perseverance, and a deep commitment to one's faith.

Sunday school: Moral education from "The Little Red Hen"

The Little Red Hen plants wheat grains, harvests the crop, grinds it into flour, and bakes bread all by herself. Her friends refuse to help until they smell the delicious bread.

The story teaches the importance of hard work, responsibility, and not relying on others.

Living for Christ is not easy - Morning Devotion on Jan. 19, 2024

Living for Christ is not easy

Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another individual or group.  Religious – Political – Racial – Gender - Cultural

A Final Charge to Timothy

2 Timothy 3:10-11 You, however, know all about 

• my teaching, 
• my way of life, 
• my purpose, 
• my faith, 
• my patience, 
• my love, 
• my endurance, 
• my persecutions, 
• my sufferings
• what kinds of things happened to me 

in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. 
Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 

12.  In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

How should we deal with our persecutors?

Matt 5:43 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 

44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Jesus did the very thing that He is asking us to do: Father forgive them for they know not what they do

1. Pray that they will feel the comfort and encouragement of the Lord.
2. Pray that their persecutors will come to know Christ.
3. Pray that in the midst of persecution, the church will be strengthened and continue to grow.
4. Pray that these believers will have access to God’s Word.

Matt 5:11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 

12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.

Weekly Update on Jan. 18, 2024

Hi Families,

Join us for our weekly worship service on Sunday, January 21 at 11:00 a.m.  Jack Hopper is giving the message. Mr. Asada is teaching the Sunday school about the value of hard work.  Please bring a dish to share for potluck lunch.  We will have a community meeting after lunch.  Please bring ideas about how to strengthen our relationships outside of Sunday service. 

Please join the 40 day special devotion period for the triumphant entrance into the Cheon Il Sanctuary and Cheonwon Gong, and True Parent's Birthday, from January 7 - February 15.  Pray for: 1. Safety of True Parents and True Family 2. Victorious entrance into Cheon Won Gung and Cheon Il Sanctum 3. Successfully witness to new people, especially young people, and real church growth. 4. For the unification of North and South Korea and a heavenly unified Korea. 5. To overcome all crises affecting our world and realize a heavenly unified world. 

ACLC is sponsoring a two-day conference in Washington D.C. on February 1 - 2 called Raise The Family Flag.  The conference is led by Christian pastors to encourage cooperation to save the family through the Blessing.  Please send your minister contacts to Pastor Davetta at d.morganogunlola@gmail.com.  Register at this link.

Dr. Achille is teaching an online advanced DP course every Monday for 12 weeks, starting January 8 from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. "Living The Divine Principle" teaches application of DP in daily life, and how to prepare for the Blessing.   

Join us on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. for fellowship and prayer in the Cheon Shim Won (prayer room).

Statewide ACLC outreach meetings are the first and third Mondays at 7:00 p.m. The next meeting is January 22. Here is the link to join the meeting.

Please join us for Morning Devotion from Monday to Friday at 6:00 a.m.

Here is the link.

Please feel free at any time to use the Cheon Shim Won (Prayer Room) at TFC to pray or meditate.  

God’s thoughts are not our thoughts - Morning Devotion on Jan. 18, 2024

God’s thoughts are not our thoughts

You may have thoughts and opinions about People, Places, Cultures, Religion and things;
Our thinking is shaped by what those in positions of power want us to think.

Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God’s opinion of you supersedes the opinions of others. 
God thinks more of you; perhaps even more than you think of yourself.

1 Corinthians 1:26 Just look at your own calling, believers; not many [of you were considered] wise according to human standards, not many powerful or influential, not many of high and noble birth. 

The criteria the world uses to determine who is worthy is not God's criteria.

27 But God has selected [for His purpose] the foolish things of the world to shame the wise [revealing their ignorance], and 

God has selected [for His purpose] the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong [revealing their frailty]. 

The things world identifies as valuable are nothing in God's plan.

28 God has selected [for His purpose] the insignificant (base) things of the world, and the things that are despised and treated with contempt, [even] the things that are nothing, so that He might reduce to nothing the things that are, 

God is not impressed with our stuff!

29 so that no one may [be able to] boast in the presence of God. 

Romans 12:2 be not conformed to this world [fashioned after and adopted to it external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the entire renewal of your mind…

Whoever Loses His Life Will Preserve It

"Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will present it."
Luke 17:33

Biblical teachings are full of seeming contradictions. As Jesus said, "He who seeks to gain his life will lose it, while he who seeks to lose his life for my sake will find it." That means that those who are willing to die and be miserable will find glory. The woman who is willing to accept the worst possible husband will get the best husband. The men who are willing to accept the worst possible women will get the best wives. Those who want to be rich will live in poverty, while those who really want to suffer in poverty will become rich. Those seem like contradictions, but that is the way God works.

Let Us Restore Our Homeland

January 14, 1979

Most religions began on a good path, but as they continued, they lost sight of this very important principle. Then they stopped serving others. We see that Jesus consistently and clearly taught people to go through difficulties, be persecuted, and to be grateful for that. He told his followers to serve others and to love their enemies. Ordinary human beings don't want to do any of these things, yet these are exactly the things Jesus stressed that people should do. It is because of the need for paying the price. No one can be elevated spiritually without paying the price.

The most extreme example of Jesus' teaching on this subject was, "Those who want to die for my sake will live, while those who want to live will die." How paradoxical this has seemed to many people. What has Satan been doing to fallen people? He has taken possession of their lives and unless they are ready to give up their satanic life, they cannot be claimed by God.

Parents' Day -- True Parents and Blessed Couples

March 23, 1993

Looking into the history of Christian missionary activities, we can discover that theirs was a path of persecution and martyrdom. On such a way during the course of a 2,000-year history, the lives offered on this trail of blood became the fertilizer in the foundation for democracy.

The Path for America and Humanity in the Last Days

January 22, 2000

When you pursue an invisible goal, however, you may look defeated and even die on a cross, but your death is not defeat. Instead it is a victorious new beginning. Because you gave everything, everything is resurrected. The supreme example of this is Jesus Christ, who was crucified and died in an excruciating manner, branded as a criminal. He seemed to be hopelessly defeated, but his death actually began a new victory.

Territory of Goodness

October 14, 1979

What does Love Do? - Morning Devotion on Jan. 17, 2024

What does Love Do?

1 Cor 16:14 Let everything you do be done in love 
(true love to God and man as inspired by God’s love for us)

1 Cor 13:4-7

• Love is patient, 
• Love is kind. 
• It does not envy. 
• It does not boast. 
• It is not proud.  
• It does not dishonor others. 
• It is not self-seeking. 
• It is not easily angered. 
• It keeps no record of wrongs.
• Love does not delight in evil.
• It rejoices with the truth.
• It always protects, 
• It always trusts, 
• It always hopes, 
• It always perseveres.

1 Cor 13:13
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 John 4:7-8
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. 
Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 
Whoever does not love, does not know God, because God is love.

If you were accused of Loving Others!
What evidence could be used to convict you?

Love the Lord your God - Morning Devotion on Jan. 16, 2024

Love: What’s your Proof?

Matthew 22:36-38 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 
This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Can you prove that you Love God (Heavenly Parent).

Loving God is more than just saying that you love God!
Anyone can say that “they love God”

But can you pass the test, that proves that you Love God?

1 John 5:3 For this is love for God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not burdensome.

Our love for God is proven not by our words or our emotions, but by our actions, by our obedience, by how we live our lives in God’s sight.

Talk is cheap - Don’t just talk the talk but walk the walk - Put your money where your mouth is

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

John 14:15 Jesus said, if you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

John 14:21 Jesus said, whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.

If you were accused of Loving God!
Would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Loving Jesus First - Morning Devotion on Jan. 15, 2024

Loving Jesus First

John 13:

33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

Jesus is not talking to literal children but to those who recognize him as their leader.

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 

By this stage of their lives, they would have already determined what love means to themselves. 

• Parental Love
• Sibling Love
• Friendship Love
• Puppy Love
• Romantic Love

Jesus is referencing another level of Love: Much higher level of Love

• Spiritual Love
• Agape Love
• Godly Love

To Love and trust the Lord with all your Heart, With all your Mind, with all your Soul. 

Without question. And lean not to your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

The real proof of your discipleship (with Jesus) is the God kind of Love we share with others.

If you were accused of being a disciple of Christ!
Would there be enough evidence to convict you?

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father; a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law -- a man's enemies will he the members of his own household.

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."

Matthew 10:34-38

Did Jesus tell his followers to cherish everything and be nice to everyone? On the contrary he said, "Do not think I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." Even John the Baptist said, "Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Why didn't he say "Rejoice, for the kingdom of Heaven is coming?" True repentance is not easy. First you have to repent for the historical mistakes made during the dispensation, and then do what was left undone.

The strict requirements of Jesus' teaching are contrary to what we want to hear and in opposition to what we want to do. Compared to today 2,000 years ago was a very spiritually dark and closed age; yet even under those circumstances Jesus said, "He who loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me." Do you think the people of that unenlightened time would have welcomed Jesus?

If Jesus came today; he might proclaim that people should love him more than the President. He would walk into a wedding and say that it is better to live singly and forget about marriage in order to love Jesus. What if he said, "I don't want you to wait for marriage for eternity, just until I say that it is possible?" Do you think that the pastor who was presiding over the ceremony would say 'Jesus, you are right? This couple should wait to marry"? No! They all would say he was crazy and want to toss him out of the church. It is not surprising that the people of Jesus' time thought he was a crazy man who was unfit to live in society.

Eternal Happiness

February 25, 1979

When you are cold, you put on warmer clothes; when you are hungry, you feed yourself. You take really good care of yourself, but do you do the same for God? This is a very important matter for your life. We all have only one lifetime; at the end of your life, the serious question you must answer will be how well did you actually love God. The question has already been raised by Jesus, as recorded in the Bible. He demanded of people that they love him more than their own spouses or children or anyone else.

Love is of all different qualities. What is the standard for loving that we need to meet before we are actually qualified to say to someone, "I love you"? We need to know where we are in relation to that standard. Jesus' standard of loving included everything in a person's life: his loved ones and his precious belongings -- everything. Each person has a claim on his own environment, his family his country; and his world. All of that had to be abandoned, if necessary; in order to love Jesus; this was the clear-cut standard which the Bible records...

Suppose you went to heaven and God asked you, "How much did you love me while you were on earth?" Could you answer him, "Well, Heavenly Father, I wanted to love you but my wife prevented me"? Such an answer is not acceptable. You need to be sure while you are living that you are not only willing, but able to love God.

Standing in the Presence of God

November 7, 1982

The role of religion is to teach people to set their standard of love higher than the satanic world's standard. The religious man is one who demonstrates higher love than anyone in the world claimed by Satan. For the sake of God he can then deny the value of anything in the satanic world and thus recreate the value of everything in relation to God. As religious people, we should be triumphant to this way of love.

God's love will begin after we demonstrate our love, which is the very reason that Jesus said, "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." This is the true heart of God's Principle. We should become people who can demonstrate a greater love toward God and toward Christ than toward anybody else in the world, because at that point God's love will begin. By loving the Lord, men and women can surpass the point at which man fell and reach the level of perfection.

The Desire of All Things

June 17, 1977

Original love is far greater than worldly love. In this world, one man has stood up and said, "Love me more than you love anyone in the world." Anyone who could make such a statement must be the most extraordinary man in history. What that man is actually saying is that you should remove yourself from this world and find God's viewpoint in order to make a new beginning. If you tell God that you want to make a new start from the original point and make a new world, then he will say "Welcome, my child! I have been waiting for you. I need that kind of solution for this world." If God did not respond in that way, then God would be responsible for the problems. God will have to respond to such a person.

Jesus knew God as a personal God of heart, and he represented that love to the world, saying, "Love me more than anyone or anything else." Jesus' position was absolutely extraordinary. God welcomed Jesus entry into the world, but Satan held him back.

Parents, Children and the World Centered upon Oneself

June 5, 1983

Sunday Service on January 14, 2024

Triangle Family Church Sunday Service on January 14, 2024

Musical Offering

Sermon - Surpass Your Limits

The sermon discusses the theme of surpassing one's limits and draws inspiration from a Japanese anime. It emphasizes the challenges faced by parents and the importance of building the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. The speaker encourages listeners to live a God-centered life and experience love, joy, and growth. The sermon concludes with a prayer for guidance and the belief in Heavenly Parent' best interest in our lives.

Key Insights:

• The sermon draws inspiration from a Japanese anime and uses the theme of surpassing limits to encourage listeners to overcome challenges and grow. It highlights the importance of standing up for what's right and the unexpected difficulties faced on the journey of building the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
• The speaker addresses doubts and anxieties about their beliefs, acknowledging the potential stress and fear of missing out. However, they emphasize the benefits of living a God-centered life, experiencing love, peace, joy, and growth beyond compare.
• The prayer at the end expresses gratitude for the opportunity to give the sermon and seeks guidance from Heavenly parents. The speaker encourages listeners to be responsible and make decisions that empower their lives with love, joy, and happiness. They also emphasize the role of raising children to surpass their own achievements and shine brighter as God's children.
• The sermon concludes with the belief that Heavenly parents have the best interest of their children at heart. The speaker encourages listeners to reinforce principles with will, intellect, and passion, fulfilling their 5% responsibility and inviting Heavenly parents into every aspect of their lives. They also emphasize the importance of pursuing one's passions, making concrete decisions, and not giving up on them, while consulting Heavenly parents.
• Overall, the sermon inspires listeners to surpass their limits, live a God-centered life, and contribute to creating a beautiful world. It encourages growth, love, and joy, while emphasizing the importance of faith, perseverance, and raising the next generation to be even better.

Sunday school - Bible Study: David and Bathsheba

We learn about how David did some things that were very wrong and had to be punished by God and do an experiment to wash sins.

Weekly Update on Jan. 11, 2024

Hi Families,

Join us for our weekly worship service on Sunday, January 14 at 11:00 a.m.  Won Gin Bowman is giving the message titled Surpass Your Limits. Sharon Pace is organizing a service project in cooperation with Pastor Linda Riddick. After lunch we can write cards to cancer patients.  This is to commemorate the Dr. Martin Luther King holiday.  Please bring a dish to share for potluck lunch.

Please join the 40 day special devotion period for the triumphant entrance into the Cheon Il Sanctuary and Cheonwon Gong, and True Parent's Birthday, from January 7 - February 15.  Pray for: 1. Safety of True Parents and True Family 2. Victorious entrance into Cheon Won Gung and Cheon Il Sanctum 3. Successfully witness to new people, especially young people, and real church growth. 4. For the unification of North and South Korea and a heavenly unified Korea. 5. To overcome all crises affecting our world and realize a heavenly unified world. 

ACLC is sponsoring a two-day conference in Washington D.C. on February 1 - 2 called Raise The Family Flag.  The conference is led by Christian pastors to encourage cooperation to save the family through the Blessing.  Register at this link.

Dr. Achille is teaching an online advanced DP course every Monday for 12 weeks, starting January 8 from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. "Living The Divine Principle" teaches application of DP in daily life, and how to prepare for the Blessing.   

Join us on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. for fellowship and prayer in the Cheon Shim Won (prayer room).

Please let Pastor Bob know if you would like a 2024 calendar. 

Statewide ACLC outreach meetings are the first and third Mondays at 7:00 p.m. The next meeting is January 22. Here is the link to join the meeting.

Please join us for Morning Devotion from Monday to Friday at 6:00 a.m.

Here is the link.

Please feel free at any time to use the Cheon Shim Won (Prayer Room) at TFC to pray or meditate.  

Let the Dead Bury the Dead - Morning Devotion on Jan. 11, 2024

Let the Dead Bury the Dead

He said to another man, "Follow me."

But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father" Jesus said to him, "Let the dead burr their own dead. but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

Luke 9:59-60

Jesus' teaching was crystal clear on the standard of loving God. When one of his disciples asked him if he could go and assist in the funeral of his father, Jesus told him to stay with his mission and "Let the dead bury the dead."

Standing in the Presence of God

November 7, 1982

When a follower asked Jesus if he could go home to bury his deceased father, Jesus said, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead." From these words of Jesus, it is clear that the Bible contains two different concepts of life and death. The first concept of life and death concerns physical life. Here, "death" means the end of physical life, as was the case of the disciple's deceased father who was to be buried.

The second concept of life and death concerns those living people who had gathered to bury the deceased man, those whom Jesus called "the dead." Why did Jesus refer to people whose bodies were alive and active as the dead? He meant that since they had not accepted Jesus, they were far removed from the love of God and were dwelling in the realm of Satan's dominion. This second concept of death does not refer to the expiration of physical life. It means leaving the bosom of God's love and falling under the dominion of Satan. The corresponding concept of life refers to the state of living in accordance with God's will, within the dominion of God's infinite love. Therefore, even if a person's physical self is alive, if he dwells apart from God's dominion and is in servitude to Satan, he is dead as judged by the original standard of value. A similar conclusion can be drawn from the Lords words of judgment upon the faithless people of the church in Sardis: "You have the name of being alive, and you are dead." (Rev. 3:1)

On the other hand, even though a person's physical life may have expired, he remains alive in the true sense if his spirit abides in the kingdom of heaven in heaven, a realm in the spirit world where God governs through love. When Jesus said, "...he who believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live" (John 11:25), he meant that those who believe in him and live within the realm of God's dominion have life. Even after their physical bodies have returned to the soil, their spirits enjoy life in God's dominion. Jesus also said, "...whoever lives and believes in me shall never die." (John 11:26) In saying that believers will never die, he meant that those who believe in Jesus during their earthly life will obtain eternal life not in this world, but in spirit, within the bosom of God's love. They will be alive, both in this life and the next. Jesus words assure us that death, in the sense of the end of physical life, has no effect on our eternal life.

Exposition of the Divine Principle
Resurrection 1.1

Followers; follow instructions!

When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.  Disciplined ones (Disciples) execute orders.

Should someone who is sincere about following Jesus, need to make this following statement?

Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, 

“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

Are they making the comment publicly just to be heard?

We are not on the same level as Jesus Christ!

Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

This verse is not implying that Jesus was poor but that the nature of his ministry kept him on the move, and followers should expect the same. 

Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

We may find ourselves as servants of God, but we may also need more training and maturity.

But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead (waverers) bury their own dead.

Don’t neglect the high spiritual calling I’ve given you; let the spiritually dead attend to the routine task of life.  The choice is still yours!

What does Jesus require of us to follow him?

Jesus requires absolute obedience, and commitment.  

Who else but Jesus would align himself with the lowest and the least of His society, those with no political clout or social standing.

What does it mean to follow Christ?

Jesus’ call requires sacrifice. Matt 16:24-25

Then Jesus said to his disciple, If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

What does Jesus want us to do to follow him?

Matt 28:20. Jesus told his disciples to make new disciples and teach them to obey his commands. 

He also said that if we obey his commands, we will live in his love. John 15:10

So obeying Jesus’ commands is important.

Witnessing - Morning Devotion on Jan. 9, 2024

Witnessing

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: '...Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff.

Matthew 10:5-10

Jesus must have sounded almost crazy when he taught his disciples to go out witnessing without even a penny in their pocket. In other words, he was telling them to go out on the streets like beggars. Why? This is the core spirit of traditional Christianity. It is the most dramatic way to embark on the road of sacrificial service. You have to start at the worst level and serve as beggars. A servant's position is much higher than that of a beggar. Actually, you start the providential course at a position even lower than a beggar. As a beggar's servant, you will be persecuted even by beggars.

Why do we do things this way? Why don't we act a little more wisely? Why does God permit such persecution to continue? It is not to enable you to eventually achieve the level of human authority, which is automatically yours when you pass the criterion of sacrificial service.

The Road of God's Will

May 30, 1982

The greatest error occurs when people think that they can "just believe" in God and Jesus and they will receive more and more blessings from God. Such people feel they can have everything they want without doing anything in return. That is similar to the attitude of a thief, who just takes things without working. Did Jesus believe in God in that way? Did he think that because God sent him as his only begotten Son it meant he had all power? Did he feel that all he had to do was to keep on believing and claiming his faith in God, and then he could subjugate all the Roman Empire automatically? ...

If everything could have come to Jesus automatically, why did he witness? Why did Jesus gather and train the 12 apostles, the 70 disciples, and the 120 elders? Why did he have to do all that and endure so much persecution along the way? Jesus did what he had to do according to Gods dispensation; he had no other way to go. We can clearly see that Jesus had to go the way of persecution and bloodshed. Jesus knew the suffering that lay ahead of him, but he also knew he had to go that way in order to accomplish God's will.

Do you think I am placing unnecessary stress on this, or do you understand that this point is the most crucial one of belief? Jesus had to go the way he did because he knew what God wanted him to do, namely to save the world and all mankind by loving them. Therefore, it stands to reason that everyone else who loves Jesus should also do God's will -- to love the people of the world and save them.

Perfection of Restoration by Indemnity through Human Responsibility

March 1. 1983

Discipleship - Morning Devotion on Jan. 8, 2024

Discipleship

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”

What does it mean to make disciples?  To make disciplined one.

The process of helping to produce Christ-like character in a believer by another person.

Jesus gives this assignment to his followers:

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

The Great Commission is God’s instruction for us as believers: 

to live with His purpose in mind, 
to share Jesus with others, and 
to train others to live with Him as Lord of their lives

—making disciples of all nations.

Mark 16:15

“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.’”

God wants us to tell everyone about Jesus and His sacrifice. 
And by everyone, He says the word “whole,” 
which means that God came for - ALL of us, - every person - in every nation.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”

Matthew 28:18-20 “​​And Jesus came and said to them, 

-         Make disciples.

o   A disciple is a disciplined one who leads others into Christ-like character.

o   Discipleship is an assignment introduced by Jesus.

-         Baptizing them

o   in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

-         Teaching them!

o   Teaching is a means by which disciples of Jesus are continually transformed to become more like Christ. Teaching is done all thought the scriptures.

-         Observe (Obey)

o   All that I have commanded you.

§  Luke 11:28 Blessed are those who hear the word and obey.

-         Be aware.

o   I am with you always. I will not leave you Comfortless. John 14:18

Sunday Service on January 7, 2024

Triangle Family Church Sunday Service on January 7, 2024

Musical Offering

Sermon - Anyone Can Have a Mystical Experience

Blog

The sermon discusses mystical experiences and how anyone can have a direct encounter with God. The speaker shares personal experiences and techniques such as hands-on healing, guided meditations, and journaling with God. The goal is to help individuals develop a stronger relationship with God and experience transformation in their lives. Key Insights

• The speaker highlights the accessibility of mystical experiences, emphasizing that anyone can have a direct encounter with God. This challenges the notion that such experiences are reserved for a select few or require extensive spiritual practices.
• The testimonies shared demonstrate the profound impact of mystical experiences on individuals' lives. These experiences lead to a deeper sense of love, acceptance, and empowerment, which in turn affects their relationships with others and their ability to navigate challenges.
• Overcoming feelings of unworthiness is a common barrier to experiencing mystical encounters with God. The speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing one's inherent value as a child of God and the need to open oneself to receive the love and embrace of the divine.
• The techniques shared, such as hands-on healing, guided meditations, and journaling with God, serve as practical tools to facilitate mystical experiences. These techniques create the conditions for individuals to connect with the vibration of God's love and experience its transformative power.
• The speaker highlights the potential for creating a more peaceful and loving world through individual transformation. By nurturing peaceful individuals one at a time, the collective impact can contribute to the realization of the kingdom of God on Earth.
• The speaker's personal experiences and his son's spiritual guidance serve as inspiration and validation for the techniques shared. These experiences demonstrate the tangible and life-altering effects of mystical encounters with God.
• The importance of maintaining the vibration of God's love in daily life is acknowledged. While challenging in the physical world, efforts can be made to stay connected through spiritual practices, solitude, and mindfulness. This ongoing effort allows individuals to sustain the benefits of mystical experiences and cultivate a deeper relationship with God.

Sermon text Japanese translation

I'm here to give the talk today because I wrote this article that you can see on the screen. It's a blog post on the website of applied Unificationism, which is the blog of UTS, now known as HK International. A blog is a place where people write about their opinions and ideas. Bob saw it and asked me to share it with you.

The title is anyone can have a mystical experience. What does that mean? It's hard to define. Is it something that's not physical? That's correct. But air is also not physical and it's not mystical. Is it a spiritual experience with a spiritual realm? That's closer. A mystical experience is something that has no explanation. That's what people said. William James, the famous philosopher, said that mystical experiences are beyond words.

The true definition of a mystical experience is having a direct encounter with God or the divine. I never had such an experience when I was a young boy. I attended church every Sunday, but only because my parents made me go. Does that ring a bell? So I went to church every Sunday from age 4 to age 16, but I never felt God's presence.

When I was 16, I doubted that God existed because I hadn't seen him, felt him, or talked to him. So I became an agnostic. An agnostic is someone who is unsure about the existence of God and doesn't have a definite position on it. That's what I was at 16. But later, I had a direct experience with God, and that changed my belief. Now I believe in God, not because of what I learned but because I've experienced him personally and I know him.

I found that there are techniques that can trigger an experience with God. There's something you can actually do to have a direct experience with God.

This is what I saw on a plaque in the chapel at the seminary. It was the founder Reverend Sun Myung Moon's 1985 commencement speech to UTS. He said he wanted this campus to be a place where students can grow in their personal faith and also have authentic spiritual communication with God's spirit, direct encounter. That was his hope, that the UTS students could experience God directly at least once. I was very happy when I saw that, because that's my passion. The seminary has a mission statement, and part of it is to improve their relationship with God. So if you go to UTS, you should leave with a stronger relationship with God than you had before. But that doesn't always happen.

I started teaching others how to have a mystical experience with God after I had some myself. Besides writing, I also held classes, workshops and seminars around the world to show people how to use some methods that can help them reach a higher state of consciousness. The three main methods I teach in my workshops are hands-on healing, guided meditations and something I call journaling with God. There are more methods, but these are the ones I focus on. With hands-on healing technique, I split a group into two-person teams. One person sits in the chair and the other one stands behind and places their hands on them. Then I lead through a process and people have an immediate experience with God doing that. I want to share a couple of the experiences that people have.

If you want to experience God, you have to believe that it is possible. Many people don't believe that, and if you don't believe, it won't happen. Your mind will be closed to the possibility. I recall a female participant in one of my workshops in Milan, Italy, a few years ago. She was doing a guided meditation, and she was close to merging her light with God's light. But just before she and God embraced, she stopped the experience. She knew it was her choice, but she was upset and confused. She asked me, through a translator, why she did that. I told her to relax and close her eyes, and to put her hand on her heart. I told her to ask her heart why she ended the experience. She did that, and then she opened her eyes and said she knew. She said it was because she felt unworthy of having such an experience. She felt she was not good enough. Do you relate to that? That's the most common obstacle, and it saddens me that people don't feel they deserve to be embraced by their Heavenly Parent.

Think of a child who has been away from their parents for 10 years and is finally reunited with them. The parents want to embrace the child, but the child says he/she doesn't deserve their hug. How do the parents feel? Their hearts are shattered. That's how God feels. We are all acting like we are so sinful, so bad, so unworthy, and because of that, we are shutting God out.

I would like to tell you about some examples where this actually occurred because it makes me very enthusiastic. This is a case of a Japanese sister living in Italy. She was blessed to an Italian brother. She started to do the guided meditation. She sensed a gentle light in the meditation that grew more and more intense, like a pulsing wave. She heard God express gratitude to her. God thanked her and said He had been looking for her. She experienced a profound love and a powerful warmth, like a mother who holds her tight from the start and who will never abandon her. She felt that God was like her mother. She had spent more than 40 years in the unification church and this was a new experience for her. She was touched to find out that God was aware of her as an individual. She said to me He knew my name, meaning God addressed her by her name.

She is a 15-year-old girl from a Mormon background. She tried the guided meditation technique. She had been struggling with depression and practicing self-injury. We were concerned she might be suicidal. At one of my workshops, I had a spiritual vision of a spinning energy vortex in front of her face during the guided meditation activity. She was crying as she felt the full impact of this energy and when the meditation ended her face was wet with tears.

Her parents introduced me to her. They came to my program and told me about her and they read my first book, which features Joshua, my son who works with me from the spirit world. He visited her and he told me to reassure the parents that he was looking after her. He said she would be fine and he had her. So she had already had some spiritual experience with Joshua before this workshop. She encountered the being of white light and believes it's God. She has a Mormon family but she skipped their church on Sunday. God said I regret that you've suffered so much in your childhood, I regret what you've endured. It was never my plan that it would be like that. Then God embraces her. God said I've put some people in your life to assist you. Joshua is one of them but there are others on earth. They're there only for you because I care for you deeply. I'm here for you. Whenever you ask for me I also want to motivate you have so much love in your heart. I hope you will spread it to others and offer it because if you do this it will benefit you. Notice God doesn't say you must do that. he says if you do it'll help you.

She said that before, she might have made a snide or sarcastic comment to a nerdy boy who wore a silly shirt to school. But she doesn't do that anymore. She is more kind and patient with people. That's true spiritual growth.

I believe that the way to create a perfect society or what religion calls the kingdom of God on Earth is to change individuals one by one. Because of her experience with God, especially the unconditional love of God, this young woman now knows her invaluable worth as a daughter of God. When one accepts this deep in the heart, it becomes very hard to hurt someone else. So she stopped bullying other students at school. I like the model “peace begins with me” because I think we can't have a peaceful world without making peaceful individuals one by one.

This event took place more than 10 years ago. The young lady’s transformative effect of her mystical experience ended her practice of self-injury. She stopped cutting herself and no more suicidal thoughts and she's still with us. She's married and has a couple kids now.

Many people who have participated in my programs have shared similar stories with me. I believe that anyone can have these kinds of experiences and they can be life-changing. When people have a personal connection with God, they feel how much they are loved and valued. They also feel more empowered and in my opinion, this helps the kingdom of God come closer to completion. There's this woman I want to talk to you about. During the previous election, it was between Hillary Clinton and Trump. I chose one and she chose the other. She was so angry with me that she thought the other candidate was evil. She stopped talking to me and sent me some very painful emails. But I didn't reply. I just continued to love her. A few years later, she reached out to me and said sorry.

She wrote; “I met Ron many years ago when he was holding workshops at his home. He taught me how to do guided meditation and journaling, which I practice every day. His lessons and journaling helped me write my first book, "Dear Lord, I'm listening". It was a remarkable experience and I discovered the gifts of the holy spirit, which led to inspirational messages for people from different backgrounds. I'm grateful for everything Ron has done to teach me to develop my gifts as a psychic medium. I've used these gifts to help many people who are grieving their loved ones. I do this to serve God and those who are left behind. I credit this wonderful spiritual experience to Ron Papalardo and his teachings. Thank you Ron for this amazing gift.”

You only need to open your heart. God is present and God is within us and surrounding us constantly 24/7. We just need to align ourselves with the vibration that God has and then he's there right away.