2025.07.20 Sunday 1st Service
Scripture Reading: Psalm 23:1-6
▣ Introduction: What We Must First Tell the Remnants
Thank you. Now, the World Remnant Conference is approaching. Globally, it is referred to as “WRC.” There are two things we must absolutely tell the remnants first. The covenant that enters at a young age becomes the power of their lifetime. Every hardship that follows afterward becomes a blessing. So, there are three things we must first tell the remnants. That is the introduction. What is the first thing we must tell them?
1. Remnants, do not worry about success. Become the spiritual summit first.
Remnants, do not worry about success. Become the spiritual summit first. That is already success. Spiritually, you have become a king. Spiritually, you have become a president. Not an actual king, but something higher—a spiritual king.
1) The person of praise and the person of prayer who possesses the sure covenant at a young age
At a young age, they possessed the mystery of prayer. They already had the sure covenant when they were young. They were a person of praise who could save countless people, to the extent that evil spirits would flee. They were a person of prayer.
2) The skill to defeat lions and bears
And how skilled were they? They had such tremendous ability that they defeated lions and bears.
3) Make 300% before graduating
Do not worry about success. Make 300%. Make it before graduating. That is what it means to be a remnant. There is no need to worry about such things.
2. Remnants, do not fear false accusations and persecution.
The second thing you must know first. When you go outside, tremendous illegality, false accusations, and suffering await you. You must be prepared.
1) King Saul possessed by an evil spirit – Wounds
After David defeated Goliath, news spread throughout the whole nation. But it didn’t end there. As David grew up, he continued to defeat the Philistines. As long as David existed, Goliath—the Philistines—could no longer invade. So King Saul appointed David as the commander of the army. Not only that, he made him his son-in-law—in today’s terms, he appointed him the Minister of Defense. At that time, the prince Jonathan took off his robe and gave it to David. He expressed his deep respect and love for David. He even gave him his sword and everything else. When David returned after victory, the whole nation went wild. Especially, people speak recklessly, right? The people went wild saying, “If Saul killed thousands, David killed ten thousands.” King Saul, who had no covenant, was pierced by this. He was deeply wounded. “What? I, the king, killed only thousands, and David ten thousands?” He was severely wounded. Originally, King Saul was already tormented by evil spirits. Hearing those words gave him a deep wound. There are many people like that. For example, if someone cuts you off on the road and swears at you, I usually just say, “I’m sorry.” There are too many insane people. Don’t fight. Some people cannot stand that and end up killing someone with a hammer. Who, in their right mind, would bash someone’s head with a hammer just because they cut them off? The problem was that King Saul became possessed by an evil spirit. He was seized by Satan. From that moment, all kinds of incidents began.
2) David who escaped numerous hardships and crises of death
What was the first thing that happened? While David was sitting, Saul threw a spear at him. David, being quick, dodged it. The spear stuck into the wall. That’s when David realized, “Ah, King Saul is trying to kill me.” So he fled the palace. He had a final farewell with Jonathan and ran away. But King Saul could not give up. People who are seized by darkness continue until death. They never give up.
So he made a second attempt. He called in soldiers. “Kill him while he’s sleeping at night.” He sent assassins. But someone told David about this. “Assassins will come to kill you tonight.” Who told him? Saul’s daughter, David’s wife, told him. “Run away.” So they made a human-shaped doll and laid it in bed while David escaped. Who can defeat armed soldiers? They barged in and stabbed what they thought was David sleeping, only to find out they had been tricked. From that point, David could not even stay at home anymore. He had to flee somewhere he could hide.
What did he do? He had to run to the mountains or fields or some remote area. Saul mobilized soldiers to hunt him down and kill him, so he fled. Imagine how anxious he must have been. In the midst of death, David said, “The valley of the shadow of death.” He hid in a cave. That cave was called “En Gedi.” He hid there. But Saul’s army was searching for David. It’s easy to say, but if you were in that situation, what would you do? During that time, King Saul entered the cave. Many people wonder, “Why did he go in there?” I think it was because it was hot, so he went in to rest. When you enter a cave from the outside, you can’t see anything. He didn’t know David was inside. Saul lay down and rested, while David hid in the cave. At that moment, David took a knife and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
※ The leisure of the remnant who cut the robe without killing the enemy
This is the leisure of the remnant. Amazing, isn’t it? He didn’t kill the king. He just cut the robe. He could have killed him since he was an enemy, but he only cut the robe. Our remnants need to learn this kind of leisure. When problems come, people are too anxious. But David had leisure. He cut the robe and waited. When Saul got up and left, David called out to him from behind. He called him “Father.” How shocked must Saul have been? To hear David’s voice coming from the cave! So Saul said, “Who are you? Is that you, David?” One-on-one, Saul could never defeat David. So David showed him the piece of the robe. “I did not kill you, Father.” Even though he cut his robe. Then Saul wept and said, “My son, I’m sorry. God will bless you.” But this man was too extreme. So he told his soldiers, “Let’s go back.”
But after a few days, he came back again. “We have to kill him.” So he dragged the army again to catch David. At that time, David was hiding in the mountains. At night, everyone has to sleep, right? So King Saul was resting, with bodyguards on both sides. The guards held swords and water bottles, protecting him. But they dozed off while keeping watch. During that time, David took the water bottle. Amazing. Later, he showed it to King Saul. It meant, “Let’s not fight.” Again, Saul was moved. But it’s no use. Once you’re caught by Satan, it’s hard to win.
Later, Saul came again, saying this time he really must kill David. David, realizing there was nowhere else to go, went to a priest. Saul found out and killed the priest and his followers.
David had nowhere else to go. Where did he go? Something unimaginable happened. He fled to the enemy nation—the Philistines. He asked for mercy. So the Philistines protected David. But David overheard someone talking nearby. What did they say? “Do you know who that is? That’s David, the one who defeated Goliath. He’s the one who killed our champion Goliath in a single blow. Recently, he defeated our army and became a commander. Now he has come here himself. This is a golden opportunity. We should kill him.” That’s what they said. Of course, that’s what the Philistines would say. David heard this. What did he do? He was as good as dead. At that moment, David acted like a complete fool. So you could say David was also good at acting. He drooled, smeared spit in his beard. Seeing this, the Philistine soldiers said, “We don’t need to kill him.” And so David escaped death again. He suffered countless hardships.
3. Remnants, do not worry about the future. There is a separate background.
Remnants, do not worry about success. Do not fear false accusations and persecution. Do not worry about the future. Why? Because there is a separate background.
1) The absolute bartizan of prayer
David already possessed the absolute bartizan of prayer when he was young, as a shepherd. If you have this, it’s enough.
2) The bartizan of power
When he fought Goliath, he had the bartizan of power.
3) The bartizan of the future
When he met Samuel, he already had the clear bartizan of the future. He could win.
We must tell this fact to the remnants.
▣ Main Point_ David’s confession of faith
Then briefly, let’s listen to David’s confession of faith in the main point.
※ Out loud prayer, memorizing much of the Word – confession of faith
If you know prayer, you know about praying out loud, right? It’s very important. If you know prayer and have the covenant, tremendous healing takes place in your brain during out loud prayer. So, people of confession and faith memorized much of the Word. Today, three great confessions of David come out here.
1. I lack nothing.
First, he said in the midst of hardship, “I lack nothing.” That was David’s confession. “I lack nothing. I don’t need anything more.” He confessed this in the midst of crisis. This is an amazing confession.
1) What King Saul, the officials, and the crowd sought, plotted, and calculated
“I don’t need what King Saul seeks. I don’t need what the officials keep plotting and making up. I don’t need what the crowd keeps calculating and watching for.” That was his first confession. This must become the confession of our remnants to succeed. There’s nothing more you need.
2) I am not going to succeed or become famous. I’m going to save those who have fallen.
We are not going to succeed or become famous. We are going to save the people who have fallen behind.
2. Because the Lord is my Shepherd
The second confession came out. What is it? “Because the Lord is my Shepherd.” He knew the way to be led by God.
1) Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear.
“Because the Lord is my Shepherd.” It’s not just words. He knows. “I am clearly walking through the valley of the shadow of death, but I will not fear.” He said, “Because the Lord is my Shepherd.” He knows about shepherds. He’s done it himself.
2) The Lord is my fortress, shield, refuge, King. The Lord will not abandon me.
He made many confessions. “The Lord is my fortress.” That’s where the words come from. “The Lord is my shield. The Lord is my refuge. The Lord is my King. Even if my parents abandon me, the Lord will not abandon me.” These are David’s confessions.
3) Your rod and your staff protect me
“Your rod and your staff protect me.” It’s the same thing. When you guide sheep, you use a rod, right? And you hit wild animals to protect them—that becomes the staff. It’s the same. God protects and guides you and the remnants.
3. I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever
The third confession. “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” It is the confession of enjoying the background of the power of the throne. It’s amazing. “Even though I’m here now, I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” It’s an incredible confession.
1) Enjoying the throne, the kingdom, and His work (Psalms 103:20-22)
Enjoying the throne, the kingdom, and His work. You know what happens when the Kingdom of God comes, right? David confessed this in Psalms 103. In verse 20: “Bless the Lord, you His angels who excel in strength, who do His word.” In verse 21: “Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure.” In verse 22: “Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion.” This is tremendous praise, prayer, and confession.
2) David who built 1,000 bartizans
Later, David built 1,000 bartizans.
3) David who built the eternal bartizan
And he built the eternal bartizan. He prepared for temple construction perfectly. Every hardship becomes a blessing.
▣ Conclusion
There are two things the remnants must hold onto.
1. Every covenant of the gospel becomes power, and every hardship becomes a blessing.
Every covenant becomes power. The covenant of the gospel becomes power. Then every hardship becomes a blessing.
2. Enjoy the happy blessing.
1) Daily (Psalms 5:3 morning, Psalms 17:3 night, Psalms 23:1 day)
As our elder prayed, David enjoyed the happy blessing daily. Psalms 5:3 says, “In the morning, You will hear my prayer.” Psalms 17:3 says, “You have tested me by night.” And in the day, he said, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I lack nothing.” That cannot be stopped. “It’s okay even if I die.” A person who says it’s okay to die cannot be stopped. He gave thanks even when facing death. Daniel. David also wrote many words of thanks—daily. Enjoy this happiness.
2) Every hour – you must gain strength.
Every hour. Did you hear our elder praying today? Every hour, you must gain strength.
3) In everything – find the 300% answer.
In everything, you must begin to find the 300% answer. You will win. Remnants can surely win. Do not worry about anything. Hold onto this covenant.
3. You must receive God’s blessing to the extent that you save world evangelization and the 5,000 tribes.
The overseas remnants you invited—this is not a small blessing, is it? When we built the RUTC, and when we raise remnants through OMC scholarships, most of it is done by Immanuel Church. We were number one in building the RUTC.
1) The church leader who saved Luther
I often remember when Elder Han Dong-Hoon introduced me to the house where Luther lived. One church leader saved Luther. He must have risked his life, right? At that time, you could not hide such things. But he hid him. I was so thankful. This is God’s work. When you enter this, that person is the one who is blessed.
2) The hospital and church built with mission offerings
A few weak people gathered and gave offerings. Because women in Korea were dying during childbirth, they built a small hospital. They couldn’t even climb the mountain village to give the offering. They built a church for the suffering people in our village. Do you think that is a small thing? Even what you did with such devotion last time is not a small thing.
3) The offerings of the 15 nations’ workers at the early church
The offering from the businesspeople of 15 nations at the early church was the beginning of world evangelization.
4) The Antioch Church
When famine came upon the world, God blessed the Antioch Church. They were blessed enough to help the Jerusalem Church and others.
Today, some of our elders came and said, “Offerings have decreased. They are giving less.” It’s true, overall, people doing business in Korea are struggling right now. So even the fact that you still give precious offerings is amazing. But we must pray. The moment I heard that, I said, “Alright. From next week, I will double my offering.”
We must do world evangelization. Of course, you must receive God’s blessing to the extent that you can save the 5,000 tribes. I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ that you will stand as witnesses in all the blessings that will come in the future.
Prayer. God, we thank You. The Remnant Conference is ahead. Please work so that the nations trapped in darkness may receive the light. They are in such difficulty. Help us to deliver spiritual strength to them. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen.