Thanksgiving: Gift of True Christian Spirit

In the history of Christianity, new world that was in the realm of salvation was created with Jesus Christ.  Also, the religion of Christianity on the whole went through the same suffering course that Jesus went though. 

When Christianity was still being established and went to a new country for the first time, the men and women went through major indemnity conditions of shedding blood and suffering. 

Those who were murdered for their beliefs, took the suffering in order to be separated from the world of Satan.  They stood where they could get God's love and make themselves as a sacrifice for others in the world to come to God.

What if Christians were to curse those who tortured them and killed them?  Then the faith would not have not have had a foundation to be able to bring restoration in the world.

Christians had to pray for those who had killed them. 

Without this sacrificial lifestyle, the faith would not have been able to mobilize, grow and affect the world.  Sacrifices and suffering had to occur because God had the intention to go back to where sin originated and forgive Adam and Eve after they fell away from him.

If there was a brother, sister or unfallen angle that could have sacrificed themselves for the sake of the other in their place, then they could have consoled God's painful heart and mind that was broken due to their disbelief.


Reverend Sun Myung Moon, The Divine Principle







Throughout human history of the Old Testament there were sacrifices of animals to God in order to separate from the sin.

In the New Testament age, Jesus himself was the substantial offering.  Jesus labored hard in obedience to God and sacrificed himself in place of humanity so we could be forgiven for the sins we inherit and give and take with everyday.

If all of humankind was united into one with Jesus, then we could have been saved on both the spiritual and physical level due to his obedience.

This is why Jesus must return, because of the disunity of the Jewish people and Jesus who left salvation in the physical realm unfinished.  Once the Messiah returns and lays the foundation for the physical sins to be forgiven then Heaven on Earth will be accomplished.

Right now, humanity only has been forgiven of sins in spirit.  Meaning that the physical body still suffers under satanic dominion and attack.

When Jesus was crucified he saved humanity spiritually, but he himself lost his physical body to satanic attack therefore that was left undone.

So the purpose of Christianity is also to restore that lost physical body of Jesus.

 

 

Christianity was unable to accomplish Heaven on Earth in its time.

It must restore the land, the people and the sovereignty.  Christians must stand in the position of humanity as a sacrifice just as Jesus had done on levels of society, nation and the world level.

Through Jesus's crucifixion, Christianity spread throughout Asia Minor and was thrust toward Rome which was the target.  Therefore, Rome was considered 'the world'.

 

 

 

 

For the world to be saved, Rome had to be conquered by the army of Jesus Christ.

Eventually, after 400 years of sacrifice, this inconceivable goal was achieved.

At that time, the Roman Empire, just as America in the past, seemed to be an impregnable fortress that did not seem to be even a topic to conquest.

But through faith and sacrificial blood of the people of Christ, they conquered the army with their bare hands.

Christians did not use weapons, swords or spears. They were only armed with their love of God and Jesus Christ.

They marched fearlessly toward Rome with utter conviction and strength in the power of God.  Through this, they paid the ultimate price in blood.  What army is stronger than the one where one does not fear any death.

 

 

 

No enemy is invincible against an army of faith.

History is witness to the deeds of that army of Jesus.

At last, the Roman Empire fell...Jesus conquered Rome.  Then Roman Catholicism became the center for God to bring about world salvation and eventually Heaven on Earth.  Therefore, it was planned that the Pope would be God's foremost champion.

Unfortunately, time and time again, history shows that time after time, God was let down by leader after leader.

The Middle Ages much corruption and a decline in the sacrificial strong faith of the Christian spirit.  Church leaders and officials of that time were only worried about their own power, authority and welfare and not the true soul of their congregation.

We even see this trend in today's society.

Those in the hierarchy enjoyed their untouchable power and abused it forgetting all about God's original purpose.

Leaders held tightly to their positions and persecuted those who opposed them.  They claimed that they were direct heirs of Jesus's lineage and his disciples, yet they were unable to rise above their own sins.

In many men, the true Christian spirit was dead.

No matter how much disappointment and heartbreak God experienced, He continued forward with His dream of World Peace!

God is not satisfied with any answer that is less than a total response.  During medieval times, there was much corruption in society. There were people like St. Francis and Martin Luther who denied everything society embraced and retreated from the world.

They were loyal to God's vision instead of pursuing worldly goals.

St. Francis was able to create a movement which enable Christians to give their worldly possessions which enslaved them and walk toward the same goal.  Through overcoming their worldly desires, he greatly advanced and led everyone who understood God's goal.

However, even the Franciscan Order became an organization that could not last beyond its human's weaknesses.

The church need to be reformed, therefore, Martin Luther and other righteous reformers emerged within the Catholic's own ranks determined to win liberation from the confinement of outdated,abusive doctrines that only benefited the leadership.

People wanted to freely worship God and Jesus, not just the church as a worldly institution.

People had a desire to directly communicate with God and not have to work through leadership.  Such people were able to bring God's world one step closer to His goal of peace to His children.

Later in England, resisted and objected the state church's practices.  The outcries for reform caused the Puritan movement to form.  It quickly spread amid persecution.

These new seekers seemed to be a threat to the established church leaders, who tried to use every means to suppress the new movement from spreading.

Those in faith who wanted freedom to worship had to either flee or be imprisoned.

They had such a strong spirit that they did not even have enough power to resist the government at the time.

They fled to Holland, yet this wasn't satisfactory to such a burning spirit of people of faith. 

Still these rebels longed for some new world, a new heaven and new earth where they could find freedom to worship God.

Such an untouched, pure land as America then, must had been attractive to such people who dreamed of a new world.

This unknown territory promised freedom of worship which they craved.  The Pilgrims strong desired to create a community of their own.  America seemed such an ideal place.  They made the courageous decision to take the voyage there.

Once they made the commitment to take the treacherous journey across the Atlantic while risking their lives, they found strength in their faith that was stronger than their desire to stay alive.

"Think of it: They had to give up their families, their relatives, their surroundings, and their country, and head toward an unknown land. Their only hope was in God. Every step they took they depended upon God.

Their journey was long, and there were many storms. They prayed unceasingly to God. They had but one way to turn. They turned to God. When they were sick and dying on the voyage, they had no medicine to take, no doctor to care for them; they turned to God. Those Pilgrim men and women were one with God. And that is how they survived.

Put yourself in their position of total reliance on God. What a wonderful faith! I am sure that the faith of the Pilgrims touched the heart of God. And when God is moved He offers promises; and when He makes promises, He will fulfill them. God determined to give these faithful people the ultimate thing they wanted -- freedom of worship. He then determined to give them even more.

I am sure you know, as I have learned, that the Mayflower arrived at Plymouth Rock in New England almost in the dead of winter.

November in New England is rather cold. The destiny of the newcomers could have been only starvation because there was so little food to eat.

Given this fact, it really inspires me to learn about the store of grain in the hold of the Mayflower which they would not touch, even though they were starving to death. They preserved this grain for planting the next spring.

This was truly a supreme example of sacrifice. They preferred to die hoping in tomorrow rather than to act in desperation for only a few more days of life."




And this is the foundation not only of the spirit of Christinity around the world, the earth we step on in America.  This is why we should still have the same spirit to fight to keep God's dream on the basis of this great land He still has hope in.

God bless and have a wonderful God-given Thanksgiving!!!




Return for Tomorrow's Post: Part II, Thanksgiving: Gift of True Christian Spirit


Christianity in Crisis from God's Warning to the World --message from prison

Pompeii, Roman Empire Fell From Within

One individual may seem to be very insignificant, but each one is the product of history. 

This person represents the history of the past, present and future of his family, nation and also world.

Nowadays, we think that ancient nations are isolated and separated from the rest of the world, but in this day and age all of the nations are united by one destiny.

The societies and cultures of the world are becoming mixed together moving toward a united world.

The world of nature is already one in perfect harmony. 

Take for example the fact that the air we breathe can travel all over the world without any limitation.  A storm doesn't just stay in one confined area, but moves across whole continents and oceans.

Flocks of birds also migrate over the whole continent of North America.  Once the birds return, it is a refreshing reminder that a new season has arrived.

Nature harmoniously intermingles without conflict, but what about men who are placed higher than the natural world?  Men put up tremendous barriers and obstacles between each other.  Just to go from America to Canada, one has to get a visa and check through customs.  Does anyone enjoy this kind of procedure?

Some nations in Asia observe a better system where travelers only need a passport.

Some nations don't even want to see a passport and think it a dull system.  With this kind of trusting treatment from such a nation, you hope God's blessing on that country.

Why does the human world which is higher than nature, experience such division and deapartments?!

Basically, it is because men do not bide in accordance with some principles or standards.

In order to have harmony, men must live in accordance with some basic principle.

A law or principle is always enacted to benefit the nation or all of humanity.

Not just one individual.  This is unavoidable no matter how inconvenient it is, because some people disregard that particular principle so it must be reinforced.

Throughout their life, everyone acquires certain habits which becomes a long-lasting behavior.    Families as well as societies also collect habits which develop into what we label as traditions or cultural behavior.

Great thinkers will try to come up with a simple way of living in the world that will unify the world and get rid of the division and separate ways of living.

They will wonder why there can't be certain laws created that can be liked by everyone on earth that will promote and guarantee that everyone profits and benefits with those laws.

Those unifying laws must have continuity between the past, present and future and must not serve different purposes at different times.


The President of the United States is responsible for America, and a President of the world would think about the world.  Those two presidents and God would all be thinking differently because their areas of responsibility are separate. We have to consider what would be of benefit to America, the world and the whole universe at the same time.


From the American viewpoint, the most important thing would be national sovereignty or power.

Cruel things are going on in the name of national security. 

There is a lot of underhanded dirty activity in order to maintain superiority in knowledge.

For instance, if a person was a double agent, after his mission and purpose is accomplished, he may be murdered in the name of protecting national sovereignty.

There are power struggles in the financial world and competition between nation over computer technology.  Would these be the most important things a nation needs?

Of course love is needed.

You can't live off of love, so why do you like it?  What does love do for you when you are hungry?  Love can't produce money, knowledge or power either.


There must be some law that can be enacted which, from the point of view of God and religion, will protect and advance the benefit of all mankind. There must be a solution for the world.  America has power and sovereignty, plus lots of money and knowledge, so it seems to have everything. But is it declining or continuing to prosper? 


Will American wealth be able to stop this decline?  What about Christianity in America, is it declining or increasing?  What about teens in America?  Are they rising and moving forward or morally corrupt?
Not only are the youth declining, but they are just the same as living corpses with no future.

What about New York and other big cities in America?  Is it declining or staying prosperous?

America is also losing its edge in technology. 

Ask God what it can do.  The supremacy of white influence is fast declining.  Black and yellow people are quickly gaining.  The Japanese are making high-quality products that are less expensive than those that the Western nations produce.

Even in the sports area, other nations see that black people emerge as the champions.  People in other nations may only see America through watching sports, so they may think that because blacks dominate sports that America is a black nation.

Black people are rising and also in the music industry and now with the first black president,

We can see that in history, the powerful Roman empire collapsed not from an external war, but through immorality within its own national boundaries tearing it at its fabric of the nation.

The famous city of Pompeii was destroyed by a volcano.  Centuries later through excavation it was  seen why: the citizens of Pompeii were focused only on free sex, drinking and sensual ungodly pleasures.

History shows us one important law-whenever a society becomes morally corrupt it faces a quick downfall. 

This is not just someone's opinion, this is a lesson of history.

It does not matter what culture, race or nation you belong.  Even if you are wealthy, this law is consistent.  Moral corruption is an incurable disease.  It usually takes over a nation with its infestation which has much money, power and knowledge.

It is easy to see that America today is in the same position as the Roman Empire was centuries ago.  America has the wealth, power, resources and knowledge.  Everyone thinks it is a great country, but in reality the people within suffer from the worst internal disease.

History shows that any nation that catches this disease always declined, no matter how high they have climbed.  No nation has ever been cured of this immoral disease, just destroyed.

One symptom: the youth are given no discipline in how to run their lives.

They become promiscuous. This behavior multiplies through the family leading the nation to become undisciplined and permissive as well.  When you see that arrogance of the American people you wonder how under these condition such prosperity can continue.

The greatest disease is not that of poverty. Poverty can be cured.

Poverty can be cured through determination to develop an economic capacity and through hard work and industriousness.  Knowledge is gained by hard study, power gained through unity of effort,
 by hard work and applying some ingenuity to developing an economic capacity.

But this disease we see of illicit love is not easily cured.  This love disease which spreads throughout America, is worse than the war on drugs.  Because if it drains one's motivation to be good and productive.

When a person catches this love disease, he does not care about money, knowledge or the well-being of his country.

That disease is terminal because it leads to destruction.

Can you say that Americans are close to enjoying the ideal love in their lives, or are they far away?

What if your father was very successful, but he and your mother fought so much that they divorced.? It would not mater how much money you have, he would still look like a miserable man.

When children become involved in immoral practices, their parents also become weakened. 

Why do we need love?

How is it possible for love to be strong enough to solve all human problems?

God made love supremely powerful.  This has not changed all throughout history.  Therefore, when love is used in the right way, it is the most constructive.  This will not change in the present or the future.

America is a great country with a Constitution and a code of law.  But this country is like a desert in the area of love.

American people's way of thinking can be corrupted.  They might not see anything wrong with a mother and son having relations.

Promiscuous sex makes humans look like animals, which have no rules about love. 

Humanity is corrupted through the misuse of love.

There has never been an outbreak of sexual diseases in the animal world because they do not have a spirit.  Venereal diseases are rampant in America; most young people have experienced it at one time.
It does not matter how much money one has, what kind of children, or fruit will they bare?

Why does man who is supposed to be higher than the animal kingdom experience such diseases?

God gave it as a punishment, as proof that the law of love is one that even He can and will not bend for anybody under any circumstances.

America's problem is not a shortage of money or knowledge or power, but one of love. 

Mother Teresa had made a statement after working hard for the sick and diseased in India that when she came to America when drugs were becoming rampant, that she could cure the sick in India, but the spiritual and love problem of America was a tougher cause.

Americans should be asking themselves, what can they do to help remedy this situation?

Before learning about this sacred law of keeping our sexual organs for only our spouse and joining the church, you may have been promiscuous or had a sexual disease.  Now, you understand that love is supremely powerful and unchanging from past, present and future.

Love has been misused and has led man into ultimate destruction, so we must look for some discipline of love.

Through true love we should be able to bring man back to God's original purpose and achieve again unchanging prosperity.

Where would we be able to find such discipline?

God would not worry about money or power or knowledge when He is trying to correct the human problems.  His efforts will be focused on solving the problem of love.  The misuse of love is where the root of the problem lies.

God's concern is far more than the salvation of men; He plans for the salvation of love. 

Once we are able to place love back into its original position as God planned at the Creation, then we have solved the problems of the past, present and future.  We then bring mankind back to the original ideal God designed.

Many people of faith forget the main function of the religious mission which is to solve the basic human problems.  They can get lost in the traditions, judgments and battles among themselves..  What use is it for God to save you, if you are to abuse love again?

If you just keep repeating the same mistakes of the fall, which is the misuse of the sexual organs, what good does this do for God's dispensation?

A true policymaker in Washington would be one who places his concerns about America's future for the next one hundred thousand years using this kind of high-level thinking.

What if America continued on the way it is head?

What kind of family would we see in the future?  What would be the relationship between children and parents, and brothers and sisters?  Also, those who love nation and all of humanity should concentrate to find solutions of love.

They should find the kind of discipline that is necessary for a happy home and family for the generations to come.

Many people, like in the Israelites time, anticipate that the Messiah will return to save them.  But he does not return just for the development of one nation or to build up economic strength.  These are secondary.

The Messiah comes for the primary salvation of love.  

He will teach to discipline the standard of love which will enable it to blossom into the concept God envisioned in His original ideal. This kind of love has the power to create the ideal family and world for which we long.

The world doesn't need any other kind of Messiah, but the one who comes for this one purpose.

Many people view the economic and political turmoil as the number one human problem.  The Messiah understands that the problem of love is the major problem we face today.  By solving this problem, we can help render other problems.

The Messiah comes to bring judgment to society's corrupt moral standard: clean up adultery, homosexuality and sex before marriage.

Promiscuity is the worst disease man is suffering from, for which man has no hope.

The Messiah lifts them up through the Completed Testament to a higher level of love.

God searches for people to be part of a movement here on earth which is dedicated to solving this basic moral problem.  This group and the solution to this problem can be only found in the religious world.

The Islamic world has strict regulations on how women dress and conduct themselves which goes too far.

On the other hand, American women go the other extreme and wear less and less clothing and people hug and kiss wildly in the street.

Would any man want to see his fiancée or wife embracing another man?

A man is very generous minded compared to woman, but even so he cannot stand seeing his woman hugging another man. If a woman saw her man hugging another woman, her tiny mind just couldn't stand it!

Is there any difference between Eastern and Western women in this respect?

Has this standard changed over the centuries?  What about in the future?  Whether you are in primary school or a university professor you know this standard is true.

Is it bad to have money?

If it is nicer to have more money than less money, and more knowledge than less knowledge, then isn't it better to have more husbands and wives? Here in America children frequently have more than one mother and father because their parents marry several times.

Wouldn't you enjoy having that many parents so you can have many allowances and gifts on holidays?

Is this a sign of happiness to have this many husbands and parents?

This is a sure sign of tragedy.

No one truly wants more than one mother and one father, but who will bring the solution to this marriage problem in America?

America would not allow a dictator to rule, but if he was to put love in it proper perspective, they may vote and welcome him.


If you ask what we can do because we don't have enough money, you aren't asking the right question. If you ask what we can do if we don't have enough power or knowledge, you still aren't asking the right question. But, if you ask how we can bring a standard and discipline of love then you are on the right track.

If a little nation has no power, money or knowledge but it does have a discipline of love and lives morally in the sight of God, that nation will not envy another nation. 

That nation already has everything it needs for its citizen's happiness.

Eventually, people from other places will bring prosperity to that small nation and go there to live because they see that nothing else brings happiness.  People who have finally lost hope in love are like leaves fallen from the tree.

Why is a supposedly Christian nation such as America suffering from the disease of the misuse of love?

The Bible is specific about God-centered love, but America has become degraded from its original godly path.   Why do we keep shying away from this question?  Why doesn't the church teach about the proper use of sex?

God does not tolerate this kind of behavior in America.  Christian ministers are unable to escape the clenched fist of God's judgement on these matters


Decades ago, I predicted that America would decline. What can we do here? We do fund raising because we are here to make lots of money, right? Are we here to get smart and be knowledgeable? Are we here to get political power? If you don't have those things then what is left?


In the meantime, as you do the work in the Completed Testament age, you are persecuted and ridiculed.  Father has been accused of having evil intentions in his efforts to save American society from its immoral behavior.

Why is this so?  He is the secret source to help.  So, God tells the people who try to get rid of him that they cannot do it because they need him like a sick person needs a doctor.

Father's messianic work in America is powerful.

He was able to break down the barriers between the East and the West, and between the whites and the blacks.  He set up God's standard of discipline for love.

Anyone who is interested in genuine, pure true love has to study Rev. Moon and his teachings.  This would include national and world leaders. "I have a very real power which no other leader has: young people want my permission to love through arranged marriages. That's real power, isn't it?"

The time is here for all five races to gather and ask the question, "What can we do, God, in order to find the right love so we can be saved and we can prosper? We need only true love!" 

How serious are you in finding true love and the solution tp the misuse of true love?

Would you stand or bend fervently on your knees praying?  Would you smile or have teared-stained cheeks, nose and mouth dripping?  Are you that serious?

Right now, you receive many curses from people.  Let them do so.  In the future, many people will inevitably be climbing over walls to attend lectures to learn the solution for love.

People of faith must take responsibility for the historical problem of love and ask Him for permission to take care the problem for Him.  If you were to ask Him what was the most serious problem He ever had to face in human history, He would replay: "Yes, the problem of love has pierced my heart over and over all these years more than any other problem." That is God's primary problem and work.



Return for Tomorrow's Post: Love is the Bait


This post was rewritten and derived from the speech What Shall We Do?