2017.04.09_Rivers of Living Water

   Dear beloved Sungrak people! I love you.

I would like to comfort you in regard to the trouble and worrying about the church over the last week. I think we are in trouble because we lacked earnest prayer for our church. All of this is like the wind and waves that result from the heart of loving the Lord and His body, the Church.

I have appointed new pastors and have sent them to each of the branch churches. That is because I was sure that the pastors would comfort the members there who have been hurt and remove any inherent conflicts, like ‘I am on this side, you are on the other side’. Of course, it will be such a sudden change, but that was what I decided to do after much prayer. However, it is not an answer to prayer that causes conflict and animosity. You have to pray first, before losing your temper.

We believe that obedience with hope is the fruit of faith that the Holy Spirit upholds in the Lord’s church. Dear, if you put your emotions forward rather than prayer, even if they are advocating for healing our church’s pains, it only worsens the situation. Please, deeply consider my reasons for changing the arrangement of pastors. I pray that many prayers will be offered for me and for the wisdom that the Holy Spirit gives.

Exercise restraint and self control so that you might not lose your tempers which happens suddenly from your hearts and the thoughts of your mind; and as for the pastors, please be gentle and demonstrate to the saints your humble obedience for the church. Saints please understand the elders who are doing their best to restore order to the church, and the patience and sincerity of the leaders. Therefore, just as in the past, please receive the newly appointed pastors into your churches, put aside your emotions and the building of factions within the church.

It is our souls that will suffer if the situation remains. See how much we have struggled for the sake of our souls! The Lord commanded fierce winds and waves, ‘Be still! Calm down!’ Who then can disobey this command? I want all of us to kneel down before the name of the Lord Jesus. Please do not be angry toward me but rather love me. Now humility is the only medicine for our church. God wants us to love one another and that is the only thing that the Holy Spirit will honor and support.

Offerings on the Lord’s day are not to be withheld. Though you may bear hatred in your heart, do not hate God. Bring the offerings into God’s storehouse (Malachi 3:10), and store up your treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19).

We must all bow beneath God’s authority in humble obedience. Let us be still and calm ourselves down. Let us accept the Lord’s command.

Thank you.