Fw: 181-The Lord Saved Me from the Swamp of Alcoholism

The Lord Saved Me from the Swamp of Alcoholism

Susumu Kitamura (64) Japan Kitamura suffered from alcoholism and couldn't part from the addiction with his willpower alone. But after he met Jesus Christ, he cast off his idol-worshipping and he was born again as a new being by receiving prayer with faith. In May 2007, my wife met Pastor Marco Kim while visiting her neighbor. Pastor Kim was ministering Maizuru Manmin Church. Afterwards, he visited our family and prayed for us. Pastor Kim asked me for help in church's interior work because I had worked in the construction business for a long time. I helped him with pleasure and began to go to church. I was happy while attending services on Sunday. And, it was great joy for me to have fellowship with church members who visited my home. Since I liked drinking so much, I never started to work without drinking. At last in 2006, it got to the point where I could not even walk properly without drinking. I became totally addicted to alcohol. I fell into the incinerator and was severely injured and burned after drinking at work. And I even fell down and broke my collar bone. When my wife asked me, "Why do you keep drinking?" I shouted at her and said, "I don't want to either, but something within me makes me drink." There was a voice inside that kept saying to me "I don't want to do this." Pastor Marco G. Kim visited me and helped me realize how detestable idol-worshipping was to God. He advised me to live by the word of God and to receive blessing. Then, he prayed for me with the handkerchief that Dr. Jaerock Lee had prayed upon in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 19:11-12). I was raised in a family that worshipped idols, and my mother was a shaman. My wife also used to earnestly worship idols before she attended the church. So troubles, diseases and difficulties kept coming to our family. We burned the platform in our home for idol-worshipping and replaced it with the Bible and the Cross. The following day, we saw a beautiful circular rainbow appear in the sky. I could have an assurance and hope. In January 2008 I broke my right arm while getting out of my car. It did not seem serious at first but it became worse and worse until even surgery was impossible. Because my bone had a bacterial infection, it first had to be disinfected and recover immunity by injecting antibiotics before surgery. Even in this serious situation I kept drinking secretly. One day I was caught by a nurse and was forced to leave the hospital. Later I became very weak and was hospitalized again under the condition that I would not drink. But my body did not seem to get well and 4 months had passed. In the late May 2008, my wife flew with my picture to Seoul Korea to go to Manmin Central Church and receive the prayer from Dr. Jearock Lee. He prayed for me twice laying his hand on my picture. Pastor Marco Kim also received Dr. Jaerock Lee's prayer on my picture whenever he visited Seoul. My body got better day by day and I was able to leave the hospital in July. I had complaints while staying in hospital, but I realized the love of God and gave thanks to God. God gave me a good chance of being set free from drinking while I was staying at the hospital under the medical treatment. Afterwards the craving for drinking went away from me and I did not even want to drink any more. By the grace of God I was set free from alcohol. Now my family including me is in peace. We go to church and attend the services on Sundays with joyful hearts. We give all the glory and thanks to the living God!

Manmin News NO.142 April 12, 2009

Fw: 180-Stung by a Poisonous Spider, but Drawn a Step Closer to the Lord!

Stung by a Poisonous Spider, but Drawn a Step Closer to the Lord!

Beatrice Gutierrez (42) Peru It is my great joy to go to church early every Sunday morning and to prepare for the services. And I feel overwhelming happiness when I spread the love of Lord to my neighbors. I came to know Dr. Jaerock Lee through Enlace TV and registered at Peru Manmin Church. Through me, the number of the members from Ventania area increased to 80. And I have been recently living a very happy life touched by the love of the Lord each day. It was because I was saved from death by the grace of God. Around 8:30 AM on January 22, 2009, while putting on short pants, I felt something stinging my right thigh. It started to get painful. And the pain got worse and worse. I began to pray, but with the severe pain I had to stop. Not only my thigh but my head, legs and eyes became itchy and swollen and my entire body was covered with red spots. Around 10 AM I called Pastor David Jang and he prayed for me with the handkerchief in the name of Jesus Christ. Still, I almost passed out with unceasing pain, vomiting and dizziness. But I tried to comfort my family who were so concerned about me because I believed that God would heal me. I had such faith because I witnessed God's powerful works manifested through Dr. Jaerock Lee in the name of the Lord and experienced the power of the Holy Spirit through the handkerchief Dr. Lee prayed on. Around 10:30 AM Pastor David Jang called on me to check my body and prayed for me with the handkerchief again. From that time on the pain had gone and my heart was comfortable. And, as I listened to Dr. Lee's sermon DVD titled with "The Message of the Cross" and received the prayer for the sick, the red spots spread throughout my body began to disappear. At 2 PM Pastor Jang prayed for me with the handkerchief again and at 5 PM I was made completely clean as if I never had been stung before. Hallelujah! I am enjoying good health and filled with Holy Spirit as well. There are often cases that the people who got stung by the spider die in a couple of hours if the poison spread to their heart. But I was healed by the power of Jesus Christ.

Manmin News NO.142 April 12, 2009

Fw: 179-Fruit Gained after Toil and Efforts ? the Key to the Blessing is Joy and Thanks

Fruit Gained after Toil and Efforts – the Key to the Blessing is Joy and Thanks

"As I rely on God who gives to us according to what we have sown, He opened the path to blessing and led me that way" Elder Jung Huh (Gwangju Manmin Church, Director of Kwangju Branch of the Shinhan Life Seoul Joong-Ang Insurance Inc.) I came to Gwangju Manmin Church in 1997 because of a Revival Meeting poster. A phrase on the poster read "the church that prays for 365 days throughout the year" and it caught my attention. Gwangju Manmin Church attends Daniel Daily Prayer Meeting held at Manmin Central Church every night through satellite broadcasting. I prayed every day and found the true meaning of life while listening to the messages during the service. Ran a Vending Cart with a Grateful Heart One day in 1998, my salary was seized because of the debts that I had incurred as a guarantor 2 years previously. I was finally forced to leave the company penniless. Though I ran a vendor cart selling Korean pretzels on the street, my heart was comfortable. I attended Daniel prayer meeting every night and repented having disobeyed the word of God recorded in Proverbs 22:26, "Do not be among those who give pledges, among those who become guarantors for debts." And I gave thanks for the love of God that made me realize my disobedience. I was so sorry to God even though I did it before I was led to Manmin Church and was taught the word of God. I couldn't even afford the electricity bill and I had to take a bath with cold water to save oil in mid winter. But I never complained, and let the praises keep coming from my lips. As God the Almighty is my Father, nothing could take such a joy away from me. I had no worries or concern. I Gave Offerings to God and Served my Neighbors On February of 2003 the church was constructing a new building. Though I had little I decided to offer as much as I could. I said to my wife, "We have to plant the seed of faith if we are to overcome this poverty." She willingly agreed. I was very thankful to her. One day Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee appeared to me in my dream and said, "You have to reduce expenses and love each other." That was truly right. What good is there in loving each other and practicing thrift! My family became one in faith. We tried to give confidence to one another and be grateful though we were in difficult situation. Even though I didn't have much I helped the needy around me hoping that they could get on their feet again. Led in the Way of Blessing After I stopped running the vendor cart I worked as a cleaning custodian in an apartment and kept searching for a decent job. I asked God offering a 21-day vowed prayer. I prayed, saying, "God, I want to glorify You by receiving blessing but before that, let me prepare a clean vessel so that You can pour down blessing unto me." In 2006, someone recommended to me that I should work as an insurance planner, but I had a difficult time because I didn't know anything about the insurance business. So I quitted that job in a month. But whenever I went to see Senior Pastor he kept asking me the same question, saying, "Do you still work there?" After I was asked this question a couple of times I realized that there must be a way for blessing and started to pray. Whenever I heard testimonies of blessing from people who were engaged in the insurance business, I regretted that I gave it up and prayed that God might give me another opportunity. One day I heard that Shinhan Life Seoul Joong-Ang Insurance Inc. planned to set up a branch office. I met the president and asked him to establish the branch office in Gwangju City. He agreed with pleasure. Eventually on March 15, 2007 three people including me opened the Gwangju branch office. Abundance in Both Spirit and Flesh The staff was dedicated and considerate of one another. They shared their personal tips about the insurance business. They became one in spirit during the service that is held in turns at the headquarters and at the Gwangju branch office on a monthly basis. Eventually the number of the staff increased to 19 and as a president of the branch I received much blessing. Along with blessing of family evangelization both my wife and I received God-given duties in church this year, I, as the president of Men's Mission, and my wife as president of the Women's Mission. I thank God who gave me joy and thankful heart even in difficulties.

Manmin News NO.141 March 29, 2009

Fw: 178-Gaining Victory over Hypothyroid Cardimoyopathy

Gaining Victory over Hypothyroid Cardimoyopathy

Deaconess Heechung Lee (Changwon Manmin Church) In the spring of 2006, my throat started to swell and I gained a kilogram of weight each week. In a short while, I had gained more than 20 Kilograms. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid cardimoyopathy at the hospital. The disease is mainly caused by stress and the patients with this disease gain weight, they always feel tired and have to take medication for the rest of their lives. The symptoms got worse and worse, and as I gained a lot of weight I felt more tired and exhausted. Pastor Myungsuk Jeon visited me and tried to plant faith in my heart, but I couldn't have spiritual faith. In 2007 my husband, Deacon Kyungbong Kang stopped drinking and started to offer the whole tithe after he was healed of panic disorder through the handkerchief prayer from Pastor Myungsuk Jeon (Acts 19:11-12). My husband's change challenged me to have faith. As I heard the words preached during the service I realized that I would get an answer only when I receive the prayer by faith. I quit taking medications and only relied on God. And I started to completely keep the Sabbath Holy and offered the whole tithe as my husband did. In the late May of 2008, after I received the prayer from Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee. At the 'Special Divine Healing Meeting' changes came to my body. Until that time my body used to feel very heavy when I woke up in the morning. But not any more after the prayer and I began to lose weight and my health was being restored though two months had already passed since I stopped taking medication. On December 1, 2008, I visited the hospital for a medical checkup, and the result showed that the needed hormone turned out to be normal. Hallelujah! Doctor's note: hypothyroid cardimoyopathy Doctor's note: no sign of hypothyroid cardimoyopathy

Manmin News NO.141 March 29, 2009

Fw: 177-A letter from Cynthia who Survived by the Power of God 10 years ago

A letter from Cynthia who Survived by the Power of God 10 years ago

Cynthia (Lahore of Pakistan, 17) It was on June 15th 1999 when I was 7. All of a sudden I started to vomit intensely. I got well after my father prayed for me. So he considered it was not a big problem. But a few days later, I started to vomit again and suffered from diarrhea. I even coughed out blue, green and yellow stuff and had a bloody stool. My belly became very hard and I felt a severe pain. I was hospitalized in the Rasheed Hospital and I was diagnosed with Celiac disease. The surgery was impossible because my body was very weak and weighed only 11 kg. I could neither eat anything nor move my body. My family offered fasting prayers, and church members prayed for me as well. My elder sister, who stayed in Korea at that time, went to Manmin Central Church with a desperate heart and received Dr. Jaerock Lee's prayer on my picture. At the very moment a miraculous thing happened to me. It was exactly 10:50 Friday night on July 23, 1999 in Korean time (7:50 PM in Pakistani time (Daylight saving time)). I was healed at the same time when Dr. Jaerock Lee prayed for me in Seoul. Hallelujah! From that time on I began to have stools. And the intestines became normal. I left the hospital just 3 days after the prayer. The doctors were surprised as well and praised God. I started eating food and recovered my health and I could walk without any help after 3 months. Currently, I am in my first year of high school and I am in good health. My dream is to be a doctor and to glorify God with my testimony. I give thanks to God who miraculously healed me in the name of Jesus Christ through Dr. Lee's prayer.

Manmin News NO.141 March 29, 2009

Fw: 176-True Rest and Blessing from Above

True Rest and Blessing from Above

God commanded in Exodus 20:8, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." By obeying this we acknowledge that God is the Creator and Master of the spiritual realm which also includes the physical world. As we keep the Sabbath as children of God, He protects us from any difficulties or calamities and gives us blessing. Gave Birth to 2 Daughters after 3 Miscarriages Elder Daesuk Kim (55, President of 3-3 Men's Mission) and Senior Deaconess Sung-ae Lim (47, Cell Leader of 2 Parish enjoy endless blessings upon their business and family again. They give thanks to God while looking at their 2 lovely daughters named Miae (24) and Michin (22). Many couples in Manmin Central Church who couldn't have a baby have become parents after receiving the prayer from Dr. Jaerock. Lee. And the Kims were the first case. Lim had failed to have a baby 3 times, and the doctor said her pelvis was too weak to support the baby. After she came to Manmin led by her sister-in-law during her 4th pregnancy in 1985, she found the answer to her problem when Senior Pastor visited her family. "Keep the Sabbath day and offer the whole tithe. Then God will protect your baby for the next 9 months and your business as well." From that day, the couple completely kept the Sabbath day holy. Even though Kim, as an interior designer, had to travel around the country, he returned home every Saturday and went back to work after Sunday evening service was finished. He found it was not difficult to live by the word of God who becomes like our 'Father' when we follow His word. Many testimonies of amazing healing works taking place at Manmin Church each week helped him have faith. Senior Deaconess Lim showed faith as well. Though she was told she absolutely needed a rest, each morning she left home and came back at night after attending church meetings including meetings at the prayer center and cell meetings. She had no worries because she believed that God would protect her baby. And whenever she felt something wrong with her baby she received the prayer from senior pastor. Then the baby became fine. And she didn't have the morning sickness that she used to suffer from during her pregnancy. In September 1986, she gave birth to her first daughter Miae and 2 years later she even gave birth to her second child. Obedience and blessing; the couple tried to find answers of their problems in the word of God so they were led to the way of blessing. Watching their children growing, they give thanks to God. And through their testimony we again realize the love of God who wants to give always the best to His children.

Manmin News NO.140 March 22, 2009

Fw: 175-First Step to Being Reborn as a True Christian

First Step to Being Reborn as a True Christian

Deacon Sangkyun Kim also realized the deep love of God after he started to keep the Sabbath. Deacon Kim confesses that by keeping the Sabbath day he could have more faith and his life changed. And he smiles because he has been assigned to his God-given duties this year. The blessing is happiness itself that came after overcoming all difficulties with God's grace. During the IMF financial crisis in November 1999, even his family seemingly strong enough was affected by the depression. His house was sold by auction and his family separated. Deacon Kim with his mother and sister made a loan of 20 million Won (approximately $14,000 USD) and opened a PC room with used computers. Having no place to stay, he found a small place outside his PC room and made a living space with panels. The space could accommodate only 1 person so they had to sleep taking turns. One day he received a copy of Manmin News from his neighbor and he was touched by Dr. Lee's sermon in it. So he began to visit Manmin Church website and listened to Dr. Jaerock Lee's sermons. In summer 2007 he registered as a member of Manmin Central Church, but he kept working on Sunday. He took turns with his sister because he didn't have an assurance of God's blessing. But he had this opportunity to be born again as a true Christian. "One day in March last year, Rev. Miyoung Lee visited me and told me about Senior Pastor's testimony. She said when Senior Pastor closed the bookstore every Sunday to keep the Sabbath, God blessed the bookstore so much that a magazine reporter visited the store to write a story. I was touched and came to have assurance because of the testimony. Though he went to church since he attended elementary school, he didn't know exactly how to keep the Sabbath. He thought attending just one of the Sunday services would be enough. He offered the whole Sunday to God. He attended both the Sunday morning and evening service and even the Daniel Prayer Meeting. He felt that he became a real Christian. He came to have a peace that he never had before and his family became one in spiritual love. In addition God blessed them to have a home where his family can stay together. He came to realize that God the Father protects and blesses those who believe in His word and practice it. Through his testimony we were able to feel the grace of God.

Manmin News NO.140 March 22, 2009