Prayer Journal: December 12, 2025
09. Mar. 2025 Immanuel Church Sunday Worship 2nd Service
Scripture Reading: Exodus 17:1-7
It was, as expected, a world-class praise. Our church members sincerely gave the applause of glory.
▣ Introduction
While the people of Israel were going on the wilderness road, even though the answers were all given already in today’s first service,
1. Quarrel – stone
Now there was no water again, so this time another quarrel broke out. How far had it gone? It had come to the point where they were in a situation of actually trying to strike Moses with stones.
2. In Egypt
At that time, when God told Moses to pray, He spoke these words to Moses: “Take the staff that was used in Egypt.”
3. Mt Horeb, rock
“And go again to Mt Horeb where you received grace. There I will cause water to come out from the rock.” That is what He said. At this time He spoke an important word. Now as we read the important main text, it is connected with our elders’ dedication worship service. It was not intentionally matched like this. As we read,
「Take the elders of Israel with you」
At that time God said, “Do not go alone; take the elders of Israel with you.” He said it twice. “When you bring out water, do it there in front of the elders. And take that staff that was used in Egypt, and together with the elders, go and pray.”
(Exodus 17:5-6)
This is what appears in verses 5 and 6, although we read verse 1 of chapter 17 today. I understand this word very well.
When I was young, there were elders who helped me. That decided my life. Of course, I did not know it. God did it that way. When I was an assistant pastor and was vigorously doing the evangelism movement, there was an elder who helped me to do it. That created the foundation for what is now world evangelization. Of course, I do not know well with what intention the elder did it. However, he helped me like that. That is what I think. Elders must know well how greatly blessed they are, and how greatly blessed the people are who will receive. This is not the first time I have said this.
(Exodus 3:10-20)
He also spoke about it at Mt Horeb in Exodus chapter 3. He spoke about it at the beginning. “Lead the people of Israel out. Speak first to the elders.” The same thing came out. Here, in fact, a great crisis has come right now. It is to the point of trying to stone him, and at that time, “Take the elders to where you will bring out water. Do it in front of the elders.”
I think of about three things.
[ New believers ]
New believers can be said to learn their life of faith from ministers. However, their social life related to faith is learned from elders. What is important here is not that the elders know well and teach. God gives His word to the elder so that the elder may raise the new believers. My experience up to now is like that. So, “Ah, this is something tremendous!” Ministers teach God’s word, but for these people to move out in society, God gives words to the elders and guides them. Here, what church members must not misunderstand is that through Peter, the word was given in Mark’s upper room. That was not Peter’s character. God gave it.
[ RT-work ]
Also, before remnants go 300% into work, where do they receive guidance? They must receive the guidance of the elders.
[ Evangelism+missions ]
Also, what our ministers and assistant ministers must be concerned about is that the people who received the most important answers at the evangelism and missions field were the church leaders, the elders. Even now, when you look around mission fields, any mission field where elders stand firmly will unconditionally come alive. A mission field where elders are not established—when those missionaries return, it is over. It is important. So they call a church without elders an “unorganized church.” It means it is not organized. And that pastor cannot become the chair of the session. Why? Because there is no session. Right? They say it is less organized, so legally, they call it an “unorganized church.” When the session is formed, they call it an “organized church.” Since there is a session, they appoint one pastor as “chair of the session.” It is that important. Legally, a church without a session cannot establish a senior pastor. Administratively, too, it is like that. So whenever there was something important, God delivered the message through the elder to the field. It is not only this. They bring down Jericho. Do you know what they said when doing that? “Let us cross the Jordan.” Do you know what they said when doing that? “Deliver it first to all the officers. We will cross the Jordan.” That is the elder. Even before that, when circling Jericho, “Have the officers lead the circling.” To bring down Jericho, in simple terms, at the very front, the officers, the elders, lined up and went out. And they followed the ark of the covenant. When you see these histories, it is tremendous.
Why is that? These elders have three reasons.
[ Leader ]
They were the leaders of Israel. And what else?
[ Together ]
They were people who always communicated together with Moses in ordinary times.
[ Beginning-end ]
And the third, which is important, is that the elders were the people who prepared from the very beginning when it started and went all the way to the end. Now then, what blessings must elders receive, and what covenant must they know? In simple terms, they must know from beginning to end. Why? Because they are the ones who will go to the end. You do not just look at any new believer and say, “Hey, you’re handsome. Be an elder.” You do not do that. They are people who were there from the beginning.
▣ Main
So I say that the five books of Moses are tremendous.
1. Genesis
What was delivered in Genesis?
1) Problem – cause, answer
The cause and answer to the problems of human life are in Genesis.
2) World evangelization
And from the beginning of Genesis, world evangelization is commanded.
3) Genesis 12:1-3
A person appeared who understood these words, and that was Abraham.
Genesis 37:1-11
As this blessing passed through several generations, world evangelization finally took place through Joseph.
Genesis 45:1-5
He becomes the prime minister and comes to move the world.
This is the covenant delivered to the church leader. Now, it did not end there. From beginning to end, you all must know everything.
2. Exodus
What is Exodus?
1) Exodus
God is saying that He will bring the people of Israel out of Egypt. The person who firmly held this covenant was Moses, but there were elders there. So even if countless people complained, it is of no use. The elders firmly held the covenant. This is the tremendous history that took place on the wilderness road.
2) Out of wilderness
Out of wilderness. It is God’s will. No one can block it. No complaint matters. What is more important is the third.
3) Out of darkness
Out of darkness. Going out in the wilderness, coming out of Egypt—those are not the main thing; it is out of darkness. Elders must surely know this. Because they are the ones who will deliver this blessing. It did not end there.
3. Leviticus
It is Leviticus. Leviticus mainly speaks about what?
1) Tabernacle
It speaks about the tabernacle—meaning our sanctuary.
2) Ark of the covenant
Inside it is the ark of the covenant.
3) Christ (worship)
All the instruments of the tabernacle explain Christ. The light, the bread, all explain Christ. What comes out from here is worship. The church that teaches people to worship the most in the world is the church that has the gospel covenant. Yet it has taken hold of the world’s intellect. It gives the most offerings, and has so many sacrifices that it always brings and offers them—that is what the Bible says. Right? Yet it has taken hold of the economy. It is an amazing thing. One conglomerate owner cannot do world evangelization. Right? When church members and elders in all regions rise, the offerings that you give do world evangelization. Isn’t that so? Therefore, the representatives of each region are the elders. It is extremely important.
4. Numbers
It is Numbers. What is Numbers?
1) Twelve tribes
The twelve tribes. They were selected from the beginning.
2) Twelve regions
What is more important is this: do you know when they entered the land of Canaan? The twelve regions. Before even going, they analyzed everything.
3) Spies
And they sent spies. These spies came back and made their report worthless. They said they could not go. But Moses says, “Let’s go.” The ones who made the report were Joshua and Caleb, but the ones who agreed and resolved together were the elders. This is important. Those elders are the leaders of all regions. So in English it is Elder, meaning an adult. If these people say they cannot go, then they cannot go. That makes no sense. That cannot be. They are people who receive complete guidance from God. Entering Canaan is God’s plan. No incident can block it.
5. Deuteronomy
What comes last here? It is Deuteronomy. What is Deuteronomy? It is imprinting before entering. It is imprinting what has happened up to now. The elders knew this. So it is a finished fight.
Everything is in Genesis, in the five books of Moses. If you do not know Genesis, you will not know at all the Nephilim problem that is happening now. The Eden incident, the Nephilim Noah incident, the Tower of Babel incident—those are happening exactly the same right now.
1) Deuteronomy 6:4-9
So what came out? Isn’t it Deuteronomy 6:4-9? “Imprint it to the next generation. Imprint everything that has happened up to now. So that they do not forget at all, attach it on the forehead, on the wrist, and on the walls.” This is now what you must do. Right? This makes them conquer the world.
2) Joshua, Caleb
Here, two representative figures appear: Joshua and Caleb.
3) The remnant (next generation)
So, centered on Joshua and Caleb, it is the remnant, the next generation, right? They entered. They entered and conquered the land of Canaan. They thought they were suffering in the wilderness, but that was not it. When they entered, these enemies living there had occupied someone else’s land, and after hearing the rumor, they all ran away. The people of Israel who defeated Egypt are coming—this is it. Can you defeat Egypt? They did defeat it. Not only that, they are the people who crossed the Red Sea. Then this time they also crossed the Jordan. This is the people who came after breaking down Jericho. This rumor went everywhere. So there are seven tribes there, and there are 31 kings. It is arranged like that because they had been taking advantage among themselves so much. Now, the seven tribes are in the land, on someone else’s land, and there being 31 kings—what does that mean? You can catch what it is, right? Without even needing to remove them, it is written that when they heard the Israelites were coming, their hearts melted. I asked a doctor. I asked, “If the heart melts, what happens?” He said they cannot walk. If the heart melts, they cannot take steps. Then would they fight a war? It is over.
Five blessings that elders must receive. Since this has continued to be fulfilled, it does not change.
▣ Conclusion_ [ Crisis ]
All the times when crisis came became testimonies. When crisis came, Satan was bound in every case. Right? When crisis came, all darkness retreated. All of this becomes testimony material. For example, look. Everything up to now.
1. Red Sea
They crossed the Red Sea. Their hearts melted, these people’s hearts, all the world’s. When they crossed the Red Sea and came over, the surrounding border nations all trembled. And then the next generation was born. The next generation did not experience the Red Sea, right? So God makes them experience it.
2. Jordan
They cross the Jordan. God is training them perfectly. This is all testimony material. The dangers that come to you are all testimony material.
The praise was also done very well. I did not know the elder in Busan would praise that well. Deaconesses, like before, dance once and break it, and then later do it together once again, like this. I was surprised again when I saw our deaconesses dancing. Busan really cannot be stopped.
3. Jericho
So, would these people stay still knowing they came? The biggest issue now is Jericho. This is a tremendous fortress. While circling it, wouldn’t it be enough for the people inside to throw stones? Their hearts melted and they could not move at all. They broke all of this down.
4. Allied forces
Now they crossed the Red Sea, crossed the Jordan, and they say they are coming to break down Jericho, so the people living there said, “Still, we cannot die like this.” So an allied force rose up. That allied force came out and the Amorite battle happened. There, God works a miracle. He drops hailstones like rocks and strikes them first. That is where the account that the sun and the moon stood still comes from. This is Joshua chapter 10. It is over.
5. Anak
They entered Canaan, and the last fortress remained. That is the hill country of Anak. Where was it that the people of Israel previously trembled at the report? It was this hill country of Anak. They said again that they could not enter. They said it was a big problem. Even though they had come completely. It was an extremely great fortress. It is understandable to tremble. Where was the place the ten spies spoke of? It was here. It was the place where they said, “We cannot go. How can women and children go?” At this time, as you know, the figure who came out was Caleb. He spoke of the old story here. “Forty-five years ago, ten spies said we could not enter. You and I reported that we could go here. At that time, the leader Moses commanded us to go. But are we not here now?” He spoke the covenant directly. “If so, give me this hill country.” He was saying he would fight. At that time, Caleb’s age was 85. “Though my age is 85, it is like then,” he said. How could it be the same? He was speaking of conviction. “If the LORD is with us, we will surely win,” he said. And so they broke it down. Therefore, Caleb’s son-in-law entered and became the first judge in the land of Canaan.
You must go with this covenant. As I will speak in today’s church leaders’ lecture, now centered on our association, we must also form an elders’ council, form a deaconesses’ council, and form an ordained deacons’ council, and make these three that held the church leaders’ conference become great conferences. As long as you hold the covenant, you can absolutely change the world without being shaken at all. I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ that there will be the blessing of receiving answers continuously with this covenant. I will pray.
Prayer. God, thank You. We give thanks to God who allowed today’s elders’ dedication worship service. We praise God who will surely make us win. Until the day we fully accomplish world evangelization, may God firmly protect us. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.