Fw: 167-[This is Manmin!] Where's the end of it? 'Special Divine Healing Meeting' with Dr. Jaerock Lee

[This is Manmin!] Where's the end of it? 'Special Divine Healing Meeting' with Dr. Jaerock Lee

How could the people, who had not had a minute of sleep, be filled with so much joy and delight as they welcomed the dawn? Amidst the fiery works of the Holy Spirit, no traits of fatigue could be found in the faces people giving their testimonies. It was the manifestation of God's Word, "But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall" (Malachi 4:2). "The Special Divine Healing Meeting" that began at 11 p.m. on November 28 at Manmin Central Church was packed with such people. On the last Friday of every month, there are "divine healing meetings" during the second half of the Friday All-night Service but the November event was "special" as Dr. Jaerock Lee was going to lay his hand on each of the sick and pray for them. In the first half of the Friday All-night Service, Dr. Lee proclaimed in a message titled "God the Healer" (Exodus 15:26) that "As most diseases stem from sin, we can be healed once we destroy the wall of sin standing in our way to God, repent, and come before Him by faith." To people who did not know what "sin" was, this message shone a ray of light on the hearts that have grown numb while battling the illness, and during a praise of repentance, sounds and tears of people rending their hearts in repentance could be heard throughout the Main Sanctuary. Soon, a sense of urgency was detected in their faces. Following the prayer to receive the Holy Spirit, the Senior Pastor began to pray for about 2,000 patients on the floor of the Sanctuary, and as soon as he began an innumerable number of people began to fill the lower stage of the altar. The following are only a few samples of their testimonies. Sang-O Hong (male, 54), who had not been able to use his legs since the paralysis that struck him down 2 years ago, stood up from his wheelchair and began walking. Gi-Jung Han (female, 62) had been diagnosed with cancer in the duodenum but in fear of the cancer spreading to other parts of her body, she had been under drug treatments instead of undergoing an operation. She was led to Manmin after reading Dr. Lee's book "He Never Stops!" and after receiving the prayer, she testified that the lump had decreased in size. Deacon Joo-Myung Suh (67), suffering from spondylolysis, felt a severe pain whenever she stood up or walked up and down the stairs, but was healed after receiving the prayer. Deacon Il-Bong Park (65), declared first-degree visually impaired by the government, came to see 3 years ago by the Senior Pastor's prayer and this time around, Deacon Park saw a flash when Dr. Lee prayed, felt his surroundings brighten up, and could soon see even small letters clearly. Deaconess Choon-Sik Kim (66) was healed of Parkinson's disease from which she had been suffering for 10 years; Senior Deaconess Jung-Nim Lee (70) was healed of phlegmone; Rev. Goon-Pyo Hong (male, 49) was healed of fracture in his ankle; Bin Yoo (female, 5) was healed of sensitized dermatitis; and Deaconess Jae-Kyung Jeon (33) of Muan Manmin Church experienced the full restoration of her eyesight for the first time in 17 years and threw away her eyeglasses. Many other diseases were healed and God's healing works continue to this day. After Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee finished praying, there was a thunderous applause from the church members who had witnessed the moving works of the Holy Spirit. Even if some people had attended the Meeting half in doubt, listening to testimonies would have sufficed to empower them with faith. What is the common thread among people who received God's works of healing of diseases and infirmities? Most of them had attended the 2-week divine healing meetings held at the Manmin Prayer Center and had prepared for this Meeting in prayer and fasting. Furthermore, they have made every effort to live by the Word, understand their sins, rend their heart in repentance, and displayed their faith with precious offerings. As the Bible tells us that "faith is the assurance of things hoped for" and "Faith was working with his works," God's healing of their diseases and answers to their prayers was a testament to the fact that God is alive. In a coldhearted time in which no one dances or mourns to the tunes of the flue and to the singing of a dirge, and no on believes without seeing signs and wonders, God's power manifested through the healing and answers to prayers is God's earnest cry of love through which He tells us, "I am indeed alive." "It was an opportunity of blessings at which I experienced God's power." ~ Gabriel Banza (Political and Foreign Relations Assistant to the President, DR Congo) After a meeting with Rev. Peter Kim at Kinshasa Manmin Church, I have come to admire and love Manmin Central Church and Dr. Jaerock Lee. When I learned that there was going to be a "Special Divine Healing Meeting" taking place in Seoul, I thought that it would be an incomparable opportunity of blessings and flew to Korea amidst a busy schedule of running the country. Manmin Central Church is a very effectively organized congregation and the Divine Healing Meeting was conducted in a similar manner. When I witnessed firsthand the manifestations of God's power, which I had seen only on the TV screen, I was astonished and empowered by faith. I was amazed by the number of patients in attendance even though it was very late in the night and how so many people were waiting to testify to God's healing they had just received through Dr. Lee's prayer. I had been tormented by a severe migraine and the pain in my shoulders and ribs when breathing, both of which stemmed from rhinitis I had had for the past 10 years. However, they all disappeared completely following the prayer. When I return home, I am going to share with President Joseph Kabila the news of Manmin Central Church and Dr. Jaerock Lee. Just as Dr. Lee has prayed, I believe that the civil war in the DR Congo will end and peace will settle in my country. If I could be of assistance in any way to "The 2009 DR Congo Women's International Conference and Crusade" with Mrs. Boknim Lee (President, Manmin Prayer Center) scheduled to take place next year, I will do everything in my power and I am going to assist Kinshasa Manmin Church in whatever way I can.

Manmin News NO.134 December 21, 2008

Fw: 166-Warriors of Faith

Warriors of Faith

When faced with such hardships of life as the diagnosis of incurable diseases or problems to which there seem to be no solutions, people become discouraged. "Faith," however, serves as a turning point of turning crises into blessings. Manmin News caught up with three warriors of faith who have solved a variety of problems of life by way of a spiritual method of "faith" and experienced God's power. (Editors) The Truth that has Quenched the Thirst of the Spirit Deaconess Soon-Wol Lee (53; 1 Great Grand Parish 2 Parish) was physically weak for much of her life; since her 20's, she had suffered from gastraneuria, hypotension, and other conditions. She could withstand the illnesses with a strong attachment for her life and mentality but what she found more difficult to deal with was discord at home. As she began clashing with her husband over most trivial matters and her son, the only person on whom she had placed all expectations, went astray, Deaconess Lee lost all hope in life. She could find no satisfaction from anything in the world and, in a desperate search for the truth, delved into Buddhist scriptures. In the beginning, it looked as though peace was settling in her heart at last but the more she delved into the scriptures, the more she found herself isolated and her health deteriorate. What rescued her from falling into a deeper pit was a Bible she received from an acquaintance. After reading it cover-to-cover three times, Deaconess Lee came to believe in the Word and realize that the true Master of her spirit is God. She had at long last found the eternal truth she had been seeking. She destroyed all remnants of idols hidden around her home and began devoting herself to prayer early in the morning, beseeching God to lead her to a true shepherd. That's when she came across a copy of Manmin News someone had placed on her front door but had to stop short of visiting Manmin Central Church when people around her suggested otherwise. At the sight of the vitality in life she gained while diligently studying the Bible, Deaconess Lee's family was evangelized and it appeared as though hope was taking its root at home. As she discovered the elements of evil she was unable even after she began believing in God, however, peace in her heart faded away and she grew increasingly disgusted with herself. Then, one day she received a call from her mother. She had been asked numerous times to go to Manmin Central Church and Deaconess Lee's mother wanted to know what her daughter thought. She had also been curious about Manmin and together with her mother, Deaconess Lee attended a Friday All-night Service towards the end of January 2007. When she was 5 years of age, Deaconess Lee had some rice cakes and suffered from a severe stomachache; she had often suffered from the symptoms of indigestion and that night was no exception. When she shook hands with Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee prior to the Service and drank the Muan Sweet Water (Exodus 15), her stomach suddenly felt better. As she listened to "Lectures on Revelation," Deaconess Lee felt her stomach being cleansed to the point of almost holding a grudge against all those who had advised her not to come to Manmin. After she read Rev. Dr. Lee's books Tasting Eternal Life Before Death, The Message of the Cross, The Measure of Faith, and others, Deaconess Lee realized that God does not wish to punish His children who do not live by His Word but that, by leading each child according to his or her measure of faith and allowing trials so that he may throw out the evil in his heart, He waits for them in perseverance. This realization was a refreshing shock for Deaconess Lee and enabled her to commit everything to God. Stronger and healthier than ever before, she prays fervently and her heart is filled with hope for heaven. Where Did the 8-centimeter Ovarian Tumor Go? When an individual depends on God at the hour of most desperation and hopelessness, God recognizes that as faith and extends His healing hand. That was the case of Deaconess Young-Joo Kim (50; Eastern Gwangju Manmin Church). Around 4 o'clock in the morning on Sunday, May 11 of this year, Deaconess Kim felt a sharp pain in the lower abdomen, as if a needle were piercing it. After battling the pain through the night, she was brought to an Emergency Room via an ambulance. An MRI scan revealed a tumor of 8 centimeters (about 3.2 inches) in length in her ovary and the doctors urged her to undergo an operation right away. It was the moment when she needed to make a decision, whether to receive the operation or receive the Senior Pastor's prayer. All the images and articles of countless testimonies of God's healing flashed before her eyes. Her stomach felt as if it were being twisted left and right and pulled apart. From that pain, it was difficult for her to breathe and she could hardly stay sharp mentally. Still, she attended the Sunday Morning Service and received the Senior Prayer's prayer via satellite. "Father God! Please, let Your time-and space-transcending work take place now! Drive away the pain and scorch the cyst in the ovary by the fire of the Holy Spirit!" The moment the Senior Pastor finished his prayer, Deaconess Kim realized the pain had suddenly disappeared. She ran over to the restroom, threw up hazy and sticky water, which was soon followed by less gluey fluids. Following the Evening Service, Deaconess Kim did not go home but stayed at the church and searched her heart in prayer to discover the wall of sin standing between God and her. She remembered how she had sometimes not kept the Lord's Day holy and having uttered the words that ended up hurting other people's feelings, and rent her heart in repentance. After discharging thick and reddish urine, even the minutest pain faded. A subsequent evaluation at the hospital revealed that the tumor was nowhere to be found. The Joy of Raising My Voice to Praise 1. ~ Before the Prayer 2. ~ After the Prayer In January of this year, Deaconess Young-Sook Kim (43), conductor of the choir at Jeonju Manmin Church, noticed something unusual with her throat. It felt as though foreign substances had gone into her throat and clogged it. Her voice became hoarse and she began having difficulty not just with her duty as the conductor but in everyday life as well. Unable to withstand the pain, Deaconess Kim went to a hospital, where "intracordal cysts" were discovered. Intracordal cysts refer to white cysts in one's vocal cords and develop when secretory duct in mucous glands are clogged. The doctor called for an immediate operation but Deaconess Kim decided to attend a meeting at Manmin Prayer Center. During a discussion with President Mrs. Boknim Lee, Deaconess Kim was urged to devote herself three-straight 21-day Daniel Prayer Meetings and obeyed right away. Deaconess Kim wished to get her voice back immediately but remembering "God's righteousness" according to which He answers our requests and prayers, she examined herself and persevered in prayer. She thought she had been faithful but after realizing that her heart of thanksgiving had grown cold, Deaconess Kim rent her heart in repentance. When she received the Senior Pastor's prayer, she could feel her throat being cleansed. Her voice has become crisper and she now has a very resonant voice. Following the period of devoted prayer, Deaconess Kim went back to the hospital and was told that the cysts had disappeared. The Bible could not be clearer in telling us that all diseases come from sin and that God can heal us of them all (Exodus 15:26). Thanksgiving and glory are due only to God for whom nothing is difficult or impossible (Jeremiah 32:27).

Manmin News NO.133 December 07, 2008

Fw: 165-[This is Manmin!] Giving thanks is a fountain of blessings!

[This is Manmin!] Giving thanks is a fountain of blessings!

A heart of thanksgiving brings oneself joy and brightens all those around him. Manmin News caught up with 3 individuals – Deaconess Soon-Joo Ryu in whose life blessings overflow amidst God's delicate touch; Deacon Suk-Hun Kim who has experienced God's love in the middle of a disaster; and Deaconess Ok-Ja Suh, who tastes abundant joy after overcoming adversities. "God is the Master of my life." ~ Senior Deaconess Soon-Joo Ryu (Vice President, Mary's Mission) What would it be like to live a life in which God intervenes in it every day? Senior Deaconess Soon-Joo Ryu, after she began working at Heungkuk Life Insurance as a telemarketer, she has been in first place every month in sales. "At first, it felt burdensome as I had to urge strangers and strike deals with them. So I prayed, 'I can't do this on my own. You have to help me, God. If You help me, I will be faithful to Your work and live by the Word.'" She began living her life just as she had prayed. Then God began taking responsibilities for her work. As she made such positive confessions as, "What's impossible can be done," and with the prayer of Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee, she received blessings upon blessings. She felt that God desired to bless His children but the lack of blessings had something to do on the part of God's children. This is why she first looks back at her life if the sales results are lower than usual, and this is why there is no "giving up" in her life. She has experienced many a time God's carrying out His part of the work when she remained thankful to the end. When she strikes a deal so easily over a phone call, she can feel God at work. From this child of God confessing everyday that her life is a series of miracles when she makes God the Master of her life, we could easily tell how the Word "Give thanks in everything" is the key to overflowing blessings. "God has shown me the joy of sharing." ~ Deaconess Ok-Ja Suh (Sub-district leader, 32 Parish) The more one practices sharing, the more he realizes that it is more joyful to give than to receive. At Manmin's Bupyeong Branch Sanctuary, "Sharing of the Meal of Love" takes place every Wednesday. One such member of the Sanctuary inviting some 80 elderly people and treat them to delicious dishes is Deaconess Ok-Ja Suh, who had been dedicating herself to this for the past 6 years. She could not be happier to see the elderly enjoying warm meals and a variety of side dishes she and others had prepared with devotion. Her husband passed away suddenly 8 years ago. He had always been a kind and warmhearted husband and Deaconess Suh had always relied on him; she was dumbfounded by her husband's death. She overcame the difficulties and the grief by faith, however. Thinking of those who were in less fortunate situations than she, Deaconess Suh made giving thanks an integral part of her everyday life. Neither did she cease serving her neighbors with love. This was possible on account of the devotion of her fellow Sanctuary members. Then God raised her 2 daughters in good health and uprightly and has provided for her family whenever they were in need. Deaconess Suh, who says that the service of sharing she had begun in gratitude of God's grace, now gives thanks to Him for allowing her to know such joy. "God kept me safe from disasters." ~ Deacon Suk-Hun Kim (Cell Leader, 1 Men's Mission, Masan Manmin Holiness Church) Throughout the course of life, many people face unpredictable disasters and suffer the difficulties from them. Can you imagine how grateful you would be if God had protected you through them? Around 11:30 p.m. on Friday, October 17, Deacon Suk-Hun Kim received a call, informing him of a fire at his store. At that moment, needless to say, he became devastated. 'Oh, no!' he thought to himself. 'I've lost everything!' When he arrived at his store, Deacon Kim found a huge crowd gathered with about 10 fire engines on the scene. He pushed aside the people and went in front of his store, and he could not believe his eyes. His store was intact. His shop was sharing space with a taxi company in a building. Most of the edifice was in a shape of a sandwich, very much vulnerable to fire, and about 8 centimeters (about 3.1 inches) separated Deacon Kim's store and the taxi company. It had taken 2-3 minutes for the tax company office to be completely destroyed by fire and it would have spread to Deacon Kim's store in a few moments. On top of that, the fire engines arrived late and Deacon Kim's store would have faced the worst. Yet, the fire did not spread any further. The fire engines arrived and began to put the flames out and not even a square inch of his store was scorched. Anyone who saw the scene could have only confessed, "God saved it." After the opening on February 23, God has kept safe the store of Deacon Kim, who has never stopped giving thanks and being diligent despite difficult financial situations. Remembering the love of God who has protected everything he owned, Thanksgiving Sunday will be particularly sweet and more meaningful for Deacon Kim this year.

Manmin News NO.132 November 23, 2008

Fw: 164-The 2008 Inauguration Service: Precious Duties of Heaven

The 2008 Inauguration Service: Precious Duties of Heaven

What is a more precious duty: a President of a country or a Sunday School teacher? Wouldn't being a President of a nation be more important than being a Sunday School teacher? When asked this question, however, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, without skipping a beat, said he would choose being a Sunday School teacher on any given day. The term of a U.S. President is 4 years but the duty of Sunday School teacher God had given him is a duty that will receive eternal recognition in the heavenly kingdom. No matter how precious a worldly duty, fame, or reward may seem at present, they will all perish. Former President Carter was well aware of the eternal rewards and glory for all those who are assigned heavenly duties. In the Main Sanctuary of Manmin Central Church on Sunday, September 21, new 90 workers were inaugurated. Among those glorious and proud faces, Manmin News sat down with Senior Deaconess Duk-Boon Jang, mother of a popular boy band "Super Junior" member Hyuk-Jae (stage name "Eun-Hyuk") who has been a spiritual guardian for her son's fans, and Elder Joong-Ik Jang, who had fallen from the top of a 15-meter-ladder attached to a fire truck while quelling a protest at Jogyesa (chief temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism) but was protected by the grace of God and is now living a new life marked by his love for neighbors and evangelization effort. [Editor] Interviews "Before they are my son's fans, each of them is a precious sheep of the Lord." ~ Senior Deaconess Duk-Book Jang (9th Parish) Q: What grace have you received from God? Ten years ago, I saw how my husband (Deacon Gang-Hyun Lee) was leading a joyous life in Christ at Manmin Central Church. I began accompanying him and realized how good the messages were and I was especially touched by praising before the Services and special performances. I was also deeply moved by God's healing of Deacon Yoon-Sup Kim, who had been in a wheelchair as a first-degree disability citizen. My husband, a social welfare worker, suffered from a severe case of xerophthalmia. He was forced to quit his job and because of that, there was a time when the four of us lived in a one-room apartment, but not one of us felt burdened or weary. I'm still delighted whenever I recall those days when we would share with each other the testimonies and grace in the car on the way home from church. My husband was completely healed of xerophthalmia through the Muan Sweet Water (Exodus 15:25) and the Senior Pastor's prayer for the sick towards the end of each service. Q: You take care of your son Eun-Hyuk's fans? When my son Hyuk-Jae made his debut as "Eun-Hyuk" of Super Junior and received enthusiastic support and love from his fans, I have become a manger spiritually caring for his fans. It all began when I first started dining with a few fans who had come to the church to see my son and began planting faith in their hearts. To this day, more than 200 people have joined Manmin on account of Hyuk-Jae. On their birthdays, I make certain to send them text messages and during the week, I visit them at their homes. At times, I counsel them on family matters and their future. Some days, I receive more than 100 text messages but I do my best to respond to every one of them in gladness. Before they are my son's fans, each of them is a precious sheep of the Lord. Regardless of the reason they first set their foot at Manmin, I hope each of them to meet the Lord and grow up to be the salt and the light of this world. You have no idea how delighted and proud I am of some of those kids who have adjusted so well to the church, become workers, and lead faithful lives of prayer. Perhaps this is how our shepherd feels when he looks upon Manmin members. I realize that while taking care of them, the depths and widths of my heart have also expanded. Q: What are your goals and hopes? When I found out that I was to receive the duty of senior deaconess, I asked my husband to crate a list of things I ought to fix in my everyday life, and those items are my prayer topics these days. I vow to become a senior deaconess beautiful both in spirit and in flesh, molded by the teachings of Our Lord whose footsteps people could not hear. This is such a big yet precious duty for me. "I will make my body and my face the frontier of evangelization." ~ Elder Joong-Ik (12-1 Parish) Q: We heard there was a turning point in your life. In November 1993, after reading the Senior Pastor's Tasting Eternal Life Before Death and listening to "The Message of the Cross" series, I received teeming grace and joined Manmin Central Church. I was baptized the following year and I saw a vision in which dark clouds cleared up and a new light took their place. From that point on, I diligently kept up with my life in Christ and passed the police lieutenant promotion examination. It was precisely at this point, oddly enough, that I began to think I had earned all of that by own might and to befriend the world. December 23, 1998, was the turning point of my life. While quelling a protest at Jogyesa, I plunged to the ground from the top of a 15-meter (49-foot) ladder atop a fire truck. My colleagues were gravely injured but I walked away unscathed. I still cannot forget the feeling of an enormous hand supporting and embracing me as I was falling to the ground. This was a moment of momentous change in my life. Q: We know you have led many souls back to God. Do you remember to this day anyone in particular? When working, I come across many different types of people and many people in different situations, including people who are dead drunk, complaining of some injustice that had been done unto them, or schizophrenic. At times, I become offended and upset but I am grateful for the opportunities to discover and transform myself. As the Lord has even forgiven someone like me whose heart is unclean and like a thorn bush, I believe that anyone can be transformed when he or she meets God. When I was a Team Leader in the Criminal Investigation Section, I came across the likes of burglars and murderers and in order to evangelize to them, sometimes I went into a lockup and held their hands to pray with them. I particularly remember Deacon Dong-Sun Lee, who had been a head priest at a Buddhist temple but has since converted; Deacon Gi-Ok Park, who had come to the brink of giving up his life from the debt incurred from gambling; and Soo Kim, who has received the blessing of pregnancy through the Senior Pastor's prayer. Q: What are your goals and hopes? I am thankful to be a part of my church that has planted in my heart faith and a hope for heaven. I am only grateful even more for the duty of elder. I will strive to be a model both in flesh and in spirit by becoming the salt and the light of this world with more mature faith. I receive abundant grace whenever I see the Senior Pastor serving even the littlest of children, just as Our Lord had shown Himself as an example of service. With a humble attitude and thinking of my body and my face as the frontier of evangelization, I will make every effort to be a true witness of Our Lord by giving thanks and rejoicing under any circumstances.

Manmin News NO.129 October 27, 2008

Fw: 163-[Zoom In] 'The Lord's Love Mission': A Gathering of North Korean Defectors Who Have Picked Out Their Sites in Heaven

[Zoom In] 'The Lord's Love Mission': A Gathering of North Korean Defectors Who Have Picked Out Their Sites in Heaven

Happiness not guaranteed After crossing the death line that divides North and South Koreas, it was no easy task for former defectors to adjust to the South Korean society. Among the elite defectors are graduates of North Korean colleges who had worked as government officials and have found places of stable work reasonable pay in the South Korean government and research institutions, but other defectors with lower education and less professional experiences are often confined to being cheap laborers. In addition, each time they crossed borders from North Korea, China, or third countries to South Korea, many of them incurred large sums of debts to brokers. Unable to completely abandon the family members left behind in the North, they send them the money through these brokers with up to 30% fees but oftentimes they find that the funds they send are not delivered. On top of that, memories of family members in the North, those who have died in accidents, murdered, or taken to prisoners while trying to cross borders, or those who are still in third countries, and unable to complete their journey to South Korea, still rankle with them. As these North Korean defectors suffer from agonizing tragedy coupled with relative poverty, loneliness, invisible discrimination, and cultural differences, we must strive to embrace and look after them as members of Christ. As they have risked everything they had and come from North Korea for freedom, we must treat them with warmth, understanding, and patience by which we can wait for them to nurture their faith and come to church for services on their own. Experiencing God's power When "The Lord's Love Mission" (Guidance Pastor: Rev. Sang-Joon Park) was first founded in 2004, the membership totaled 5 people. By the beginning of 2008, it had grown to a gathering of 70 people and as of September, the membership has grown to 180 people. This is because many North Korean defectors have come to Manmin after hearing the news of healing and blessings. Many of them had not even known of a "testimony." Nowadays, it is commonplace to find them testifying to having received God's healing of arthritis, gastroenteric disorders, conjunctivitis, sequele from pancreatic cancer operations, and grave depression, and having their backs straightened through the Senior Pastor's or the handkerchief prayer (Acts 19:11-12). ~ Sunday afternoon meeting of "The Lord's Love Mission" During the Summer Retreat in August, Sung-Joo Hwang (alias; 35; Onsong County, North Hamgyong Province; 35), who had been previously healed of the stroke and stood up from the wheelchair by the prayer of Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee, testified to having thrown away the cane he had been using by the handkerchief prayer. From tremendous suffering they endured on a daily basis in North Korea and their horrific journey to the South, they had been stricken by many diseases but they have since been healed of them in the South. The light of hope for heaven illuminate in the faces of the former defectors who have met God without doubt after having been led to Manmin and experienced many of His signs and wonders. After being assigned to various districts, the defectors see and fathom the love they receive from the workers who visit them at home in utmost care. Of the past they lament, "Why did I not hear this message sooner?" Holding fast to purity that remains untainted by the advancement of the civilization, these former defectors make every effort, as do children, to live by the Word they hear. Just like any other Manmin members, they place their hope in New Jerusalem in the heavenly kingdom and cast off the weight of life that had been pressing them. From the "Self-examination Time", they had been used to criticizing themselves and others but by the love of the Lord, they are making every effort to place themselves in others' shoes and learning to throw away the habit of guarding against others, and become one in the heart. [Mini Interview] We are an affectionate and grateful people. ~ Deaconess Myung-Ok Huh (alias; "The Lord's Love Mission," President; North Hamgyong Province) Q: How did you end up coming to Manmin? A: For a while in November 2003, I couldn't move about comfortably because of the arthritis in my knees. I thought I was going to die in a foreign land and was overcome with fear and loneliness. Then one day, I came across one of the Senior Pastor's books and a copy of Manmin News and with the help of my friends, I took my first steps to Manmin a little later. While listening to a message during the Revival Meeting the following year, I received the fire of the Holy Spirit and was healed of the arthritis. 'Ah!' I said to myself, 'I am going to be all right now!' Soon afterwards, I even heard the news of my lost children and was so thankful. During my life in Christ, I have also been healed of gastroenteric disorders and gasping disappeared, and become certain of the existence of heaven and hell. Q: I heard you've led many souls back to Christ? A: I shouted, "God is alive!" every chance I got and have led some 60 people back to Him. I am so much healthier than when I first arrived in South Korea and more importantly, I am always glad and delighted because, as I listen to the message of life, I am becoming a good person receiving commendations of many people and my heart is filled with a hope for New Jerusalem. It is my hope for members of "The Lord's Love Mission" not only never to lose hope or their footing in this society but also for each of them to enter the heavenly kingdom where there are no tears, grief, and suffering. Q: What is expected of Manmin members? A: In North Korea, there are so many people who starve to death because they are unable to have even a bowl of corn porridge. Many risk their lives to escape from North Korea for ideological reasons but most of them do so to avoid starvation. As they are treated like animals on their way from the North to the South via China, many defectors in the South are easily hurt by even a trivial remark uttered with no particular intent; this is truer of elite defectors who feel as though others are pitying them or treating them like the homeless. They are all one people but because of different life experiences, delicate care is required. They are in a dire need of love, interest, and encouragement. We are an affectionate, responsible, and grateful people; once we come to believe in God, we march onwards without looking back and without a change of heart.

Manmin News NO.128 October 05, 2008

Fw: 162-[Testimony from Mission Work in Kenya] Pregnancy and Effortless Delivery by the Handkerchief Prayer

[Testimony from Mission Work in Kenya] Pregnancy and Effortless Delivery by the Handkerchief Prayer

~ Bishop Dr. Myong-Ho Cheong (Nairobi Manmin Holiness Church, Kenya) A sister in Christ who had had a problem in her fallopian tube and thus been unable to have child recently gave birth to a beautiful daughter after receiving the handkerchief prayer (Acts 19:11-12). After giving birth to her first child in 2001, the 28-year-old Nicole learned that something was wrong with her fallopian tube. She had one of them removed and had been unable to become pregnant afterwards. Upon learning about this, Elder Muhindo (business partner of Nicole's husband), shared with the couple the gospel of sanctification and the news of Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee's manifestations of God's power. When they heard of God's power manifested through the handkerchiefs on which Dr. Lee had prayed, the same as in Paul's time when "handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out," the couple began to have faith. In July 2007, when I left for "The DR Congo Pastors' Seminar and Handkerchief Meeting" in July 2007, Nicole asked me to pray for her to have a child again. I prayed in earnest with the handkerchief of God's power, beseeching Him to give Nicole a blessing of pregnancy. When Nicole went to a hospital the following month, she was told she had become pregnant. This past June, just before she was to give birth, Nicole went to the hospital for a routine checkup and was told that the umbilical cord had been wrapped around the fetus' neck and that she would need to go to a larger hospital in Nairobi for an operation; she was told the same at that Nairobi hospital. As she had received the blessing of pregnancy from God, Nicole came to Nairobi Manmin Holiness Church and sought to receive my prayer with the handkerchief of God's power. Nicole demonstrated her faith, confessing that she could give birth without an operation once she received prayer. I prayed for her with the handkerchief and on June 8, Nicole gave birth to a beautiful daughter without any operation and some three weeks later on June 28, the entire family, including its newest member, visited the church and expressed their gratitude. Such things have become commonplace in Africa by the handkerchief of God's power but I am amazed each time to witness God's power at work and manifested through Dr. Jaerock Lee. I give all thanks and glory to God.

Manmin News NO.125 August 17, 2008

Fw: 161-My daughter's been healed of acute otitis media!

My daughter's been healed of acute otitis media!

~ Deaconess Yeon-Hee Cho (28th Parish; 1-4 Women's Mission) On or around May 12 of this year, my daughter Min-Joo (second grader) began sniveling and complained of a pain in her ears. I thought it was the case of a common cold but Min-Joo was so sick she was unable to move. When she was examined at a hospital the following day, Min-Joo was diagnosed with acute otitis media. It was a severe case in which the interiors of the entire eardrum had become contaminated with bacteria, pus, and pressure in the middle ear. We came home only with prescription. On Sunday, May 18, Min-Joo received prayer from the Senior Pastor and from that day on, she never complained of any pain in her ear. We went back to the hospital the next day and were told that Min-Joo's condition had markedly improved. From a frame of a Biblical verse hanging on the wall in the doctor's office, I assumed he was also a Christian. "Min-Joo didn't take any medication, doctor. A pastor prayed for her." He told us that Min-Joo's condition had improved as if she had undergone treatments at the hospital for a week or two. After receiving the Senior Pastor's prayer again on Friday the 23rd, we went back to the hospital for a third time and a physical exam and an impedance audiometry revealed that everything had turned normal. "Hallelujah! God has healed her," the doctor said, quite clearly astonished at how Min-Joo hadn't taken any medication. "She's okay now." 1. Prior to Receiving Prayer ~ Interiors of the entire eardrum had become contaminated with bacteria, pus and pressure in the middle ear 2. After Receiving Prayer ~ Acute otitis media disappeared

Manmin News NO.124 August 03, 2008

Fw: 160-The Reason These Couples Are Glad

The Reason These Couples Are Glad

A married couple is closer to each other than they are to their own parents and siblings. When they turn their backs on one another, however, they become strangers without any remorse. As the number of married couples becoming strangers in the twilight of their lives has recently been on the rise, a surge in divorce rates is today a serious problem in our society. God tells us, "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord," and "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:22, 25). The power of faith rooted in God's Word makes a "beautiful married couple" based on service and love a reality. This edition of Manmin News features 3 such families of faith. "A husband meeting God... he now fixes his eyes only on his wife" ~ Ki-Joo Song & Jum-Soon Lee (2-20 Parish) A slothful husband who does not like to work, parents-in-law sick in bed, and a workload to which there seems no end... she was always pressed to make ends meet no matter how much she worked. The husband used to harbor a morbid suspicion about his wife's chastity from early on in their marriage. Whenever he drank, he would become suspicious, start swearing at her and beating her. It was not uncommon for him to overturn the dinner table if anything displeased him. Then in 2006, a silver lining began to beam on her. "I came to Seoul to help out with my eldest son's restaurant and ended up going to a church. I had never been to one but at the request of my goodhearted daughter-in-law (Deaconess Kyung-Hee Jeon), I just followed along." Upon arrival at the church, the wife immediately fell in love with the messages of life. Suspicious of his wife, the husband had followed her to Seoul. He soon began to enjoy the messages and said he felt good whenever he was at church. After he began attending the church, the husband's attitude changed completely. He quit smoking and drinking and, having repented of his wrongdoings of the past, has become a kindhearted and tender husband who makes every effort to be good to his wife. "I am so glad these days. Just like a sunflower fixing its eyes only on the sun, I fix my eyes only on my wife. I don't know why I fought so hard with her and even hit her. I am sorry. I want to recompense for all of that with love for the remainder of my life." Since she began attending the church, the wife has been healed of depression, skin diseases, and urinary incontinence. "I had never imagined I could be so glad." The wife's face, which had not known laughter for years, brightened up like the sun. Anything that seems an unimaginable dream is possible in faith and a privilege for God's children. "Jesus Christ is the Master of Our House!" ~ Hang-Yeol Kim & Jung-Song Oh (Las Vegas, U.S.) At 9 o'clock every evening, everyone in the family comes together for prayer and praise. This family joins Manmin Central Church in Seoul, Korea, for its worship services on the Internet and is leading a joyful life in Christ. The couple in deeply in love with their God has set an example for their children. Jae-Yoon (17) and Chan-Young (11) have been reborn by the gospel of sanctification and have become children deeply in love with God themselves. "Jae-Yoon used to be a troublemaker and have difficulty adjusting in school. After he began listening to the Senior Pastor's messages, his life has turned around. Almost every day after school, he shares the Gospel with his classmates. In the morning, he devotes himself to 15 minutes for the "Flag Pole Prayer" before school starts. In his sophomore year, he was in the top 3% of his class and in the upcoming school year, he is placed in advanced classes. His vision is to become a missionary spreading the Gospel. "Meanwhile, Chan-Young sheds tears whenever he prays. He is very discrete and considerate of others. On Wednesday, June 4, during the moving-up ceremony, Chan-Young was awarded the President's Education Award given to all-around students with outstanding scholastic achievements." The husband and the wife say they feel the love of the Lord even more whenever they gaze upon Jae-Yoon and Chan-Young, God's gifts of blessings. Jesus Christ is indeed the Master of this family who truly loves God. "Love Served by the Same Hope" ~ Jae-Jung Ko & Hee-Yeon Shin (1-4 Parish) The wife had grown up in a family of faith and she prayed earnestly to share the Gospel with her unbelieving husband. It was "The Lectures on Genesis," however, that brought the husband, who had been clouded by his speculations, over to faith. "Before the wedding, I used to go with my then-girlfriend to the Friday All-night Service. The Service ends at 4 o'clock in the morning and I wanted to take her home. That was the first day of 'The Lectures on Genesis.' I soon found that the Senior Pastor was talking about a world I had not seen or heard of. I was captivated by it and soon fell in love with it." They are grateful to God as they fix their eyes upon the same place with a hope for heaven. From the way the husband says the wife serves him and the wife says the husband serves her, one can easily see how these "best friends" are considerate of each other even in areas that cannot be easily seen. The two are always busy, with the husband working in the trade industry and serving as the general cell leader of 1 Parish and the wife as a television writer, but they are always filled with glee. Like clothes that fit so perfectly, perhaps a "couple very much in love" is a fruit of small service that has become habituated to every-day life.

Manmin News NO.124 August 03, 2008

Fw: 159-Enlace has saved me from the torment of my illness.

Enlace has saved me from the torment of my illness.

~ Hanes Lagos Cubiyos (44, Colombia) I live in Villavicencio Meta, Colombia. In 2002, I was diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome, an illness that attacks endocrine organs, adrenal glands, and immune systems, invades joints and thus impedes the body's movement, and causes disorders in such secreting glands as lacrimal and salivary glands. I lost weight rapidly and had difficulty in moving about. As all secreting glands dried up, immunity in different organs also dropped markedly. After losing my voice, I retired from my job as a public school teacher and began living on the pension. I prayed with my husband, confessing to the Lord that I would live the rest of my life testifying to Him if He healed me. Then in September 2007, I came to learn about Dr. Jaerock Lee through Enlace TV. As I listened to the messages of life and watch the works of God's power unfolding on television, I have come to possess faith and, by receiving his "Prayer for the Sick" after each message, my body recovered little by little as well. I contacted Manmin Central Church in Seoul and conveyed my desire to receive Dr. Lee's prayer. On Sunday, January 20, 2008, I received his prayer on the Internet during the Morning Service. Soon afterwards, I was healed of Sjögren's syndrome. My husband and I study the Word today with about 70 people. As I promised the Lord, I am striving to set my life as a living testimony of all that God has done. I am truly blessed as I have been healed of my illness by Dr. Lee's prayer and am testifying to the Word. I vow to continue studying with diligence God's Word proclaimed through Dr. Jaerock Lee on Enlace and spread the news of the almighty God's works of healing and salvation. Enlace TV is the largest Christian television network in Central and South America and broadcasts in the Spanish language on satellite, cable, and terrestrial television in all of Latin America, Europe, and parts of the Middle East. "The Words of Life with Dr. Jaerock Lee," a Global Christian Network (GCN) program, airs on Enlace on Thursdays and Sundays.

Manmin News NO.123 July 20, 2008

Fw: 158-Joyful Spiritual Diet - Deaconess Sun-Sook Choi Healed of Erysipelas in a Short Period of Time by Prayer

Joyful Spiritual Diet - Deaconess Sun-Sook Choi Healed of Erysipelas in a Short Period of Time by Prayer

Deaconess Sun-Sook Choi To someone who makes a living by standing before large crowds, her appearance and image are just as important as her ability. Deaconess Sun-Sook Choi (Vice President, 2 Canaan United Mission), an anchorwoman of Manmin Magazine and a service instructor ('We Can' Consulting), was not an exception. Then one day, she saw herself in the mirror and found that the left half of her face had swollen up as if she had suffered a severe burn. In the morning of Tuesday, February 26, 2008, she had a slight fever of unknown causes around her left ear and neck and suffered the rest of the day from fever. Her skin had swollen red the next day and by the following day, her swollen face had stiffened up and the numbness in her head from fever caused her vision to dim. "I realized something was wrong and I went to see a dermatologist, who diagnosed me with erysipelas, a type of skin infection stemming from streptococcus. I was told that if it was accompanied by sepsis, a patient could even die in a short amount of time. I cannot tell you how shocked I was." As the disease had already progressed, the doctor recommended that Deaconess Choi be admitted to the hospital and begin treatments with antibiotics and other drugs, but she relied on her faith. Deaconess Choi believed that any illnesses could be healed by God's power. Even when she had been diagnosed with vocal nodules and her very livelihood as an instructor had been threatened, Deaconess Choi received Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee's prayer and experienced God's healing. With a heart set on magnifying God by receiving His healing by faith, Deaconess Choi attended the divine healing meeting during the second part of the Friday All-night Service on February 29, and there, with the help of the Holy Spirit, she could discover herself. "I had been so abundantly blessed. Even as I confessed that all of that came from God, I also thought that part of it had to do with how much I tried. I also thought that I could give all that I have to and for my family, but I realized in times of difficulty that it was not as easy as it appeared." As she discovered such sides of her, Deaconess Choi became so embarrassed before God that all she could do was to rend her heart in repentance. When Senior Pastor prayed for the sick and called out the name of her disease, Deaconess Choi no longer felt the heat within her body, which began to cool right away. She became certain of her healing. On Sunday, March 2, her face was still swollen red and it was not easy for her to open her eyes but as she was certain of God's healing, Deaconess Choi was at peace. Following the Sunday Evening Service, Deaconess Choi received Senior Pastor's prayer and the swelling decreased markedly. By the following morning, the swelling disappeared completely and the stiffened skin softened and it cleared up as the outer skin had been peeled off. When she went to the hospital for another examination on Thursday, March 13, Deaconess Choi could confirm that she had been completely healed of erysipelas. The doctor told her there was no way she could have been healed naturally but God, as promised, "I, the LORD, am your healer" (Exodus 15:26) had done His work. After removing the dregs of her heart, Deaconess Choi says that she feels as though she had gone through a rigorous regimen of spiritual diet and her heart now feels plentiful and more joyful.

Manmin News NO.121 June 22, 2008

Fw: 157-A Blessing of Pregnancy after 7 Years of Marriage!

A Blessing of Pregnancy after 7 Years of Marriage!

~ Deaconess Kyung-Ja Cho (16-2 District; 1-2 Women's Mission) Meeting with God in praising, healed of gas poisoning aftereffects during a revival meeting... becoming one with my husband in faithfulness and receiving a blessing of pregnancy after devoted prayer Early in my 20s, I had used a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) water heater but when the gas leaked, I suffered from gas poisoning. I regained consciousness 6 hours after having been transferred to a hospital from which I was discharged after 2 months of treatment. A high fever and a migraine that tormented me as an aftereffect prevented me from getting enough sleep and my appearance was, needless to say, horrible. I was led to Manmin in 1998 by my older brother (Deacon Kyung-Sang Cho) but the growth of my faith was slow. At the end of April the following year, I was home and listening to a praise cassette tape and the melody of the praise filled my heart with inexplicable emotion. Without realizing it myself, I had already knelt before the cassette tape player. Buried under the time during which I had fought against my frail body, I looked ghastly. I shed tears as I repented of the past when I had lived the way I wanted. Some two hours later, my body that had always felt like a wet ball of cotton felt very light. A week later, "The 7th Two-week Special Revival Meeting with Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee" kicked off. I attended it in earnest desire and when I received the Senior Pastor's prayer, my body began to heat up. That's when I was healed of the gas poisoning as well as of eczema that plagued me every summer. In gratitude of God's grace, I served noodle lunches at Canaan Mission (a gathering of unmarried college graduates) meetings. I met my future husband during that time and married him in 2001. I liked the ever-present smile on his face and how songs of praise never left his lips. However, our marriage was rocked by the lack of time to speak with one another (my husband was a busy after-school instructor) and constant bickering resulting from the differences in our patterns of everyday life. As time passed, I realized that when I hurt the other person's feeling, I wound up hurting myself more. When I put myself in the other person's shoes, I could understand all situations and all people. My husband I had no children after many years of marriage. I had my menarche when I was 16 years old but in 3-4 months, my period became irregular. I would not have a period for 7-8 months at a time, which became a norm, and at other times I would go on for a year without having a period. At these times, my body would bloat and my stomach would swell up to a point where people would ask me if I were pregnant. Of course, I was not well. Committing everything to God, I thought I would be grateful whether or not He gave me a child. I was simply happy to be faithful to God's work and to be in love with my husband in the word of God. As my parents-in-law were also aware of my frail state, they supported me and tried their utmost to make me feel comfortable. Early in the summer of 2004, I felt as though the intestines in my lower abdomen were being wrenched within. I went to see a gynecologist and I was soon diagnosed with the last stage of the Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, a prelude to uterine cancer. After I received the handkerchief prayer (Acts 19:11-12) from Chief Great Parish Pastor Rev. Soo-Yeol Cho, the pain went away and the heavy feeling in the lower abdomen was also gone. I became certain of healing. Around Chinese New Year in 2007, my mother-in-law gave me a bowl of herbal medicine. "Think of this," she said, "not as medicine but as a token of devotion. God will see this and do His work." It turns out that she had followed ginseng-diggers on treacherous mountain tracks, dug up herbs, and boiled them down for three days. I was deeply touched. From that day on, I began to pray for a baby. One day, two days... A month, two months... I was unable to see anything but my patience in prayer persevered. Then, through "The Special Seven-week Prayer Meeting" held that spring, I resumed having periods for the first time in 2 years. When I started having periods again towards the end of the year, for some reason it lasted more than 2 weeks. I couldn't tell whether I was having a period or a discharge of blood. An examination at a hospital did not detect anything peculiar. One thing for which I became grateful was the fact that my uterus was very clean. There was no pain and as I had been very busy with life, I had not had a chance have the healing of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia evaluated but I was able to confirm it. Then in April of this year, I found myself unusually exhausted and that there was a sharp pain in my breasts. I went to the hospital to make sure I was okay. Again, the doctors could not find anything alarming. Then I thought to myself that I could possibly have become pregnant. On the way home, I stopped by a pharmacy and purchased a pregnancy test kit. I had become pregnant! "Honey, I am pregnant!" "What?! You are pregnant?!" My husband was overjoyed that he could not stand himself. My parents-in-law, who had devoted their time in prayer every morning for me and although they didn't say so, they were so glad that they invited neighbors for a feast. The day I confirmed my pregnancy, April 21, was the same day the Association of the Women District Leaders had a special performance during "The Special Seven-week Prayer Meeting." As Chief Cell Leader, I sang on the stage. "...There's no need to worry about the worldly things~ The Lord is in charge..." As the lyrics of this praise song reminded me, I had been able to live the past 7 years of my worry-free as the Lord has been in charge of my life. I give all thanks and glory to God for healing each part of my body and for having done His work at the times of His choosing. I would also like to express my sincerest gratitude to the Senior Pastor for leading me each step of the way with the messages of life and help me grasp the heart of God. Ways to Create Joy 1.Send Messages: In becoming one, a husband and a wife need to harmonize their opinions. They are likely to hurt each other when they utter words at times they are upset or angry. Send a message, "I want to talk to you" first, and set aside some time for a chat. 2.Boil Some Water in a Kettle: When you take a sip of tea prepared from the boiling water in a kettle, your mind and heart will become relaxed. In a conversation, make an effort to listen to the other person instead of only trying to tell your own stories. Then misunderstandings will be resolved and the good things about the other person can be discovered. As you prepare to boil water in a kettle, the other party will be ready to listen. 3.Acknowledge the Others: As people have grown up in different environments and surroundings, they are different, not "wrong." Acknowledge first that there can be differences. Then those differences will become points of strengths and you will be able to admire and adore the other because of them.

Manmin News NO.120 June 08, 2008

Fw: 156-Works of God''s Power are the Essential Weapon for Mission Work in North America!

Works of God''s Power are the Essential Weapon for Mission Work in North America!

~ Pastor Phoebe Kim (Vancouver Manmin Church, Canada) ~ Pastor Phoebe Song-Jung Kim (rightmost) at Manmin TV booth at National Religious Broadcasters Convention Many people tend to associate "Canada" with a flag with a red maple leaf in the middle and a country with huge but coldest chunks of land in North America. Prior to coming to Vancouver in 2002, I remember looking up in an atlas where Vancouver was because I had not really known of its precise location. The passion to spread the gospel of sanctification and the news of the manifestations of God's power, however, quickly drove away the fear of coming to a foreign land. After arriving in Vancouver, we pleaded to God early in the morning and late at night for the many things we needed at the church and God stepped in each time and solved our problems one by one. We produced leaflets that targeted the locals and invited them to our church, and we also distributed Manmin News that featured the news and testimonies of Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee's manifestations of God's power and his messages. This effort resulted in the birth of a network through the help of a Canadian Christian and a number of pastors requested handkerchief meetings (Acts 19:11-12) to be held at their churches. Upon watching the "Power" video, one Pentecostal pastor told me that his grandson was suffering from diabetes. The boy had received the handkerchief prayer, he added, and soon afterwards the pastor received a call that notified him of the boy's improved condition. On a day that was like any other, I went to the church for a "Daniel Prayer Meeting." At the time, we were renting a Canadian church and the Senior Pastor of the church came to me and said one of his church members said she had been unable to see anything all of a sudden for the past few days. The sister said she was "really afraid" and I saw that there was no light in her eyes. I explained to her about the handkerchief on which Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee had prayed and when my husband Rev. Tae-Moon Jeon prayed for her in earnest and when I translated his prayer, she received the prayer with all her heart. All of a sudden, she called out "Aaron!" to a man standing behind me. She could now see again! ~ Percy on his feet after receiving handkerchief prayer On the last Sunday of each month, "handkerchief meetings" take place at Vancouver Manmin Church. On that Sunday, we were preparing for a handkerchief meeting when I heard a "Clank!" from the door. When I turned around, I saw a man on heavy metal crutches, walking towards the front. He sat in the front row and participated in the service with a smile on his face the whole time. He listened to the message attentively and had a time of repentance after watching the "Power" video. After receiving the prayer, he tried to stand on his own without the help of the crutches but he was unable to walk or stand in his own might. The 62-year-old Percy said he had not been able to walk since he was 14 years of age. Although he was not healed the first day, he came back to church the following week after I told him that God is alive and that he ought to return to receive prayer again. After receiving the handkerchief prayer the second time, he could take 5 steps on his own. Nowadays, Percy can walk for more than 100 meters (about 328 feet) on his own and his back, which had been crooked from many years he had spent on crutches, is being straightened out. I realize how precious and grateful it is to be able to not only preach the gospel of sanctification but also share with people here the works of God's power that affirm the messages. As someone who has tasted firsthand God's power by having been healed of pulmonary tuberculosis, I find it especially rewarding to testify to God. I pray for Vancouver Manmin Church to follow the steps of Manmin Central Church, which employs a variety of media to spread and preach the Gospel, and greatly glory God.

Manmin News NO.120 June 08, 2008

Fw: 155-God''s Power Has Set Me Free from Game-room and Panic Disorder

God''s Power Has Set Me Free from Game-room and Panic Disorder

~ Tae-Seung Yang (Gwangju Manmin Church) At the age of 25 back in 1995, I made an investment in a multilevel business and failed miserably. I subsequently suffered from panic disorder ("a type of anxiety disorder characterized by unexpected panic attacks that last minutes or, rarely, hours"; www.kmle.com) from the shock from the failure. Sky turned yellow and I was constantly short-winded, as if my heart were being sucked inward. My tongue twisted, lips dried up, and I felt as though the flow of my blood had reversed. The pain subsided after taking the prescribed drugs but I knew I could not live a day without the drugs. I had trouble associating with people and was always seized by anxiety. Looking for something I could do on my own, I began collecting scrap. Searching side streets and alleys here and there, I recovered a variety of waste articles and the income was actually not too bad. A rather high income made it fun for my wife (Young-Sook Bae) and me and we searched for scrap day and night. We even set up a secondhand shop and began saving large amounts of money. Life ruined by game room; heading to mental institution In the early summer of 2002, an uninvited guest came my way. I started setting my foot in the game room, which was at the time a popular trend of sort. I had always indulged myself in drinking, smoking, and gambling, and womanizing, and now that I had enough money, I had greater luxury and opportunities indulge myself in a new area. As soon as I earned money, I was on my way to the game room. There were more days on which I lost money than I won. That's when I lost all of my senses. I began selling my wife's personal ornaments without her knowledge and broke my son's piggy bank to play games. I borrowed money from anyone who would lend me money and even took out a loan but I kept losing money. "Where did you hide the money? Give it to me! Give it to me now!" "What money? I really don't have any now!" When I lost money, I "vented" by beating my wife and returned to the game room after threatening her for more money with a knife. On days I did win some money, I went straight to a bar. Lost in the world, I was no different from a beast. I had vowed time and again never to return to the game room but I could not do it with my might alone. When pleading and other methods failed to work to dissuade me, my wife admitted me to a mental institution 6 times. Pleadings of love bring forth courage in life and transformations In Spring 2005, Deaconess Boo-Nyuh Kwak introduced and led me to Manmin Church. Upon hearing that God's power and works of healing were manifested there, I followed her to Gwangju Manmin Church. I had always been afraid of the fact that my life was so dependent on drugs to deal with the panic disorder. Even after I began going to church, I still drank and smoked, living a life completely irrelevant to the Word. Vowing to be healed by faith on many occasions, I would stop the drug treatments but in fear, I resumed the treatments. I lost all strength and turned my back on the church. The next time I visited Gwangju Manmin was in September 2007, when I learned that Deaconess Boo-Nyuh Kwak had been fasting in tears for a year and a half for my family. During a Friday All-night Service, "The Lectures on Revelation" was in progress and when I heard about the calamities during the last days, I was seized by fear, as I thought to myself, 'If I keep living this way, I can only end up in hell.' Gwangju Manmin's Pastor Hyung-Ryul Park and church workers devoted a month to visit me at home every day to pray for me. I was given courage; I wanted to live a new life. I began listening to Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee's "The Message of the Cross" messages, enrolled in the Manmin Bible Academy, and made every effort to know God. I soon found myself paying close attention to the messages, which felt like honey from the comb. True faith, however, could not be possessed by my willpower and desire alone. Even as I was listening to the Word, I still befriended the world, kept going to the game room, and could not quit drinking and smoking. I knew I shouldn't but I kept going back to there. My wife shed tears whenever she saw me doing this, especially after it appeared as though I had vowed to begin anew. "Honey, please stop! Let's try and believe in God. I really love you." Her words moved my heart. I vowed once again to quit smoking and drinking. As I prepared myself to receive prayer from Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee, I prayed to God in tears and with a repentant heart. When I remembered each of the times when sinned against Him, I was so embarrassed and regretted them all. In December 2007, I came to Seoul and saw the Senior Pastor from a close range for the first time, and I could not bring myself to look at him straight in the eye. With all my mind and all my heart, I received the Senior Pastor's prayer. After that, I stopped smoking, drinking, and going to the game room. Blessings in a life reborn It was a day when the income at the secondhand shop was high. With my pocket was full of money, I asked myself, 'Hmm, should I go to the game room?' 'No! I even received prayer from the Senior Pastor! I can't do that! I must put an end to it for good.' "Around 11 o'clock this morning, a fire broke out at a game room in Geumho-dong, Gwangju. Four people were killed and 5 more were injured when they tried to escape the fire by jumping out of a window." I nearly froze when I saw the news on television. The place where the fire broke out was the game room I had frequented and the day of the fire was the day when I overcame the urge to go there. When I became convinced that all this had happened not by chance but because God had protected me, I gained greater faith and was grateful for His love. "Daddy! It's so nice that you don't smell like cigarettes!" Since I have quit smoking and drinking, my son Dong-Sun, who had been hesitant even with the idea of approaching me in the past, does not hesitate to hug me. No longer worried sick over me, there is always a smile on my wife's face. She often says she would like to carry me around on her back. How glad must she be to say things like that? I only want to give joy and happiness to my family who has suffered for too long because of me. The first thing I do when I get up every morning is to pray to God on my knees in gratitude. Then I listen to the Senior Pastor's 3-minute recorded message and his prayer. The source of joy for me as of late has been going to "The Daniel Prayer Meetings" every evening with my wife and son. On Saturdays, I enjoy and marvel at having received a new life by assisting with the cleaning of the sanctuary. The panic disorder that I had suffered for 13 years disappeared at some point without knowing, and anthropophobia also disappeared completely. Instead of avoiding people, I share my testimonies with many people and testify to God to them. I give all thanks and glory to God and would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the Senior Pastor for having led me to meet this good God of ours. Hallelujah!

Manmin News NO.119 March 25, 2008

Fw: 154-The Name We Are Fairly Missing Every May\; ""Teacher""

The Name We Are Fairly Missing Every May\; ""Teacher""

Elder Dong-rip Lee (1-1 Parish; Teacher at Sudo Girls' High School) Elder Dong-rip Lee has since taught the history of Korea and the world at schools for 28 years. He says that he feels as if he completed his military service and started teaching at school just two or three days ago. He remembers many things that have occurred to him during his service to the schools: Having concentrated on teaching from 6 am until 11 pm; Having petitioned to the police on the behalf of the parents of bad students; Having stayed outside all night with students to open the door to conversations with them; Having been impressed at the letters students gave him on the Teachers' Day; and many more. "No matter how unclean the world is, schools are still clean and pure, so there are so many people who have the innocent and warm hearts at schools" says he. "No one knows what kind of person one will become in the future, whether he is good at study or he is deemed to be a problem at his school. I am always happy with them because I look to them only with the eyes of faith." Amidst his service as a teacher he met with a turning-point in his life. "In December, 1991, I was led to Manmin Church by my wife, Senior Deaconess Keum-sun Yoo. While listening to the messages, I started repenting of my sins, quit smoking and drinking and determined to lead a proper Christian life. In prayers I was healed of my tympanitis and came to have the assurance of the life after death. The purpose of my life turned into God-centered one." And he realized he had tried to put his students into the frameworks of a good student he saw fit although he thought he loved the students, and changed his attitude and tried to understand them. Afterwards he has done his best not only to give them knowledge but also to tell them the love of God. He has prayed for his students, their parents and homes every day, and expressed his care and love to the students who were not interested in study by emailing or sending letters to them. When he prayed to spread the Lord's love to many more students, God let him transfer from a private school to public school, and thereby moving to other schools time and again and having chances to meet with new students. "I am teaching history, so at my class I explain to the students about the cultivation of mankind, heaven and hell, and the gospel while teaching them the origin of mankind, history of Israel and Middle Age of Europe. By planting the truth into their hearts that are pure and innocent, I wish for them to realize how precious they are and become the light and salt of the world." Thus, he reveals his affection to them. - Reported and written by Jennifer Lim (manminnews@hotmail.com)

Manmin News NO.119 March 25, 2008