December 05, 2024

Weekly Update on Dec. 5, 2024

Join us for our weekly worship service on Sunday, December 8 at 11:00 a.m.  Brother Mark Nilson is giving the message.  Please bring a dish to share for potluck lunch.   

Carol Anne Nilson is organizing a Peace Starts With Me event on Saturday, December 14 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with guest speaker Dr. Glenda Phillips-Lee.  

Atlanta Family Church is hosting a winter workshop for middle and high school age youth from December 28 to January 1.  Pastors Diane and Ilya Hack are inviting youth from other Christian churches to attend.  Here is the link to register as a participant or as staff:  

Our good friends Pastors George and Linda Riddick are hosting a Watch Night service at TFC on December 31 from 9:00 p.m. to midnight. The service includes prayer, testimonies, music and food, and TFC members are invited to join.  

SR2 Education Programs to Introduce DP:
Create A Life You Love - Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.
Essence of Principles of Peace - 2nd and 4th Saturdays, 1:00 p.m.
Discovering the Principles of Peace - Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m.
Living the Principles of Peace - Mondays at 7:00 p.m.

Here is the link to join.

President Dunkley is asking us to contribute to the Cheon Won Gung, the original holy Temple where our Heavenly Parent will reside.  Please donate online or you can leave your donation in the tithing basket at church.  Write CWG Fund on your check.

Statewide ACLC outreach meetings are the first and third Mondays at 7:00 p.m. The next meeting is December 16 at 7:00p.m. Here is the link to join the meeting.

Please join us for Morning Devotion from Monday to Friday at 6:00 a.m.
Here is the link.

We will join Dr. Achille and Capitol Family Church on the weekend.
Here is the link.  Passcode: 2027

Please feel free at any time to use the Cheon Shim Won (Prayer Room) at TFC to pray or meditate. 

December 02, 2024

Sunday Service on December 1, 2024

Triangle Family Church Sunday Service on December 1, 2024

Musical Offering

Sermon - Why the human body is an amazing gift from Heavenly Parent!

The human body is a remarkable gift from Heavenly Parent, deserving care and respect. It is resilient, adaptable, and should be nurtured by the mind and heart. Key Insights
  • Resilience of the Body: The human body exhibits extraordinary resilience, enabling survival in extreme conditions. This highlights the divine design behind our existence, urging us to respect and care for our bodies.
  • Mind-Body Connection: A nurturing relationship between the mind and body fosters healthy choices. Instead of criticism, we should approach our bodies with love and compassion, enhancing overall well-being.
  • Preventive Health: Adopting a balanced diet and regular exercise can significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases. This emphasizes the importance of proactive health management for a fulfilling life.
  • Listening to Our Bodies: Pain and discomfort signal underlying issues. Acknowledging these signs can lead to timely medical intervention, preserving health and quality of life.
  • Science and Spirituality Together: Recognizing the interplay between science and faith enriches our understanding of health. Both perspectives guide us in making informed decisions for our well-being.
  • Impact of Positivity: Happiness and love contribute to physical health, illustrating that mental and emotional states directly affect our physical bodies. Cultivating joy can lead to a healthier life.
  • Life Choices Matter: The decisions we make shape our experiences and destinies. By choosing love and health, we create a life aligned with Heavenly Parent’s vision for us.

Sunday School: Bible study - Birth of Jesus

  • Prophecies: Over 300 prophecies foretold Jesus' birth and life, helping Israelites recognize Him.
  • Messiah's Birth: Prophecies included details like being born of a virgin and in Bethlehem.
  • Recognition: Wise men, shepherds, and others recognized Jesus as the Messiah when He was born.
  • God's Plan: God sent Jesus to save humanity from sins because of His love for us.
  • Spiritual Salvation: Jesus' birth signifies spiritual salvation, allowing a real relationship with God.

November 25, 2024

Sunday Service on November 24, 2024

Triangle Family Church Sunday Service on November 24, 2024

Sermon - Growth of Love through Faith and Devotion

The sermon discusses the growth of love through faith and devotion, using the Korean folk tale “Tiger’s Whisker” to illustrate its lessons for young people.

Key Insights

  • Faith as Foundation: Faith is essential for spiritual growth and trusting in God’s guidance. It empowers individuals during uncertain times.
  • Lessons from the Tiger's Whisker: The story emphasizes the importance of patience and dedication in building trust, applicable to a couple relationships.
  • Love’s Journey: A strong foundation of love, nurtured through daily commitment, can transform relationships, emphasizing that love requires effort and intention.
  • Practical Wisdom: The tale contrasts practical, liberal approaches to relationships with deeper, faith-based insights, suggesting that true happiness comes from commitment rather than superficial choices.
  • Divine Prioritization: Emphasizing love for God above all aligns with spiritual teachings, encouraging young people to seek divine guidance in their relationships.
  • Hope for the Future: Young people are reminded that, despite uncertainties, nurturing their first love and faith in God can lead to fulfilling lives and marriages.

Transcript

I would like to talk about the growth of love through faith and devotion, as illustrated by the Korean folktale “Tiger’s Whisker”. This story was covered in a lesson at Sunday school and contains valuable insights for single youth. I would like to share the story and insights with today’s youth service audiences.

Before going to the folktale, let us read a Bible verse Hebrews 11:1 and True Parents’ word about faith.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. This verse emphasizes the importance of having confidence and trust in the unseen, providing strength and assurance in one's spiritual journey.

The next is True Parents’ word.

What is faith? The Chinese character "shin" means "faith." It combines "person" on the right and "word" on the left. Thus, faith translates to a "person's word," indicating a relationship between people. Without a relationship, there is no conversation, and speaking requires this mutual basis. Therefore, forming a relationship requires faith.

According to True Parents, forming relationships requires faith as a mutual basis.

Young people often worry about their careers and future spouses. They believe finding the perfect match will ensure a happy marriage. The 'Tiger’s Whisker' offers valuable insights to help them prepare for a happy marriage.

Let us start reading the Korean folktale 'Tiger’s Whisker'. I hope you will enjoy the story. 

As the wedding day approached, the young bride grew increasingly concerned. While her fiancé was a good man, he occasionally exhibited out-of-control bursts of anger that left her uncertain about how to respond. Her mother advised her to serve and care for him diligently, reassuring her that this would lead to his increased happiness and gentleness. 

She remained concerned. Ultimately, she chose to seek counsel from the village elder, known for his wisdom.

"Please give me a potion to make my future husband loving and kind," she pleaded.

The village elder replied, "I will help, but I need a whisker from a living tiger."

The determined young bride ventured out with a bowl of meat to a tiger's cave on the mountainside. Hearing the tiger's growl, she placed the bowl down and swiftly returned home, frightened but resolute.

The next night, she crept closer to the cave where she saw the tiger. She placed the bowl near the cave and went home.

This became a routine for her and the tiger, which consumed the meat she provided every night. After weeks of leaving the bowl of meat outside the cave, she opted to take a different approach. She entered the cave with the meat, placed it down, and then left.

The following night, she repeated her actions. This time, she remained present while the tiger approached the bowl, looked at her, and then ate his meal. Observing his eyes, she noted that the tiger appeared less hostile, which encouraged her to attempt something more adventurous the next night.

The next night, she brought the bowl to the cave, placed it down, and sat beside it. The tiger arrived, ate, then brushed against her while purring. She reached out and petted him. He didn't mind; instead, he closed his eyes and fell asleep, still purring.

She took scissors from her pocket and clipped a whisker from the tiger. Amazingly, she was no longer afraid and even felt love for the tiger.

The next day, she gave the whisker to the village elder. He examined it and then threw it into the fire.

"Why did you do that? I thought you were making a potion. It took me months to win the tiger's trust!"

The elder responded, "If you can gain the trust and friendship of a wild tiger, surely you can do the same with a husband."

Inspired by these wise words, the young bride resolved to win her husband's heart with love each day. "I will make him gentle, just like the tiger," she thought. And she succeeded.

What can we learn from this folktale?

The village elder assigned the young bride a mission to teach her a valuable lesson for a happy marriage. He believed in her ability to accomplish the task and grow her love. Instead of magic potion, he let her realize her portion of responsibility for a happy marriage. She committed daily to the task, gaining the tiger's trust. She realized her ability to grow her love. This story parallels how True Parents trained first-generation members, helping them grow personally while creating a worldwide church foundation.

Young people, especially those educated in liberalism, value practical thinking and personal freedom. Liberalism supports individual choice and goal pursuit. It has promoted social justice, such as racial and gender equality, but also challenged fundamental values and moral principles.

Imagine if the village elder in the story was a liberal person and gave the young lady practical advice. Finding a spouse is like buying a car. You should test drive the car before purchasing it to see if it meets your needs and preferences. If the car doesn't meet your requirements, you can look for another one. Similarly, if your fiancé does not meet your needs and preferences, you may consider looking for another partner.

Would she have a happy marriage if she followed such practical advice?

Young people may not favor an autocratic leadership style. This could be a reason why figures such as President Trump and Elon Musk, who surround themselves with loyal followers, might not appeal to younger individuals. Is it true?

However, the leadership style of the creator of a popular item for young people was known to be autocratic. Guess what the popular item is and who is the creator. iPhone and Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs had a “my way or the highway” approach to leadership, and he believed that he was solely responsible for the decisions and direction of his team. He surrounded himself with like-minded people to follow his lead.

He had a passion for the wonders of technology and how it can change the world positively. His creation, the "iPhone," significantly influenced the world.

We will not discuss about President Trump and Elon Musk. The discussion will go on for a long time. History will evaluate President Trump and Elon Musk. As a faith community, we should pray for their success in making America great and and do our portion to make America great.

I mentioned the leadership style because I am discussing True Mother's leadership. True Mother emphasizes unity with her as the only begotten daughter. This approach might be misunderstood as autocratic or cult-like. It's important to understand why she asks for unity with her.

Jesus also instructed his followers to do the same as True Mother is asking us approximately 2000 years ago. Jesus taught his followers to prioritize love for him and God above all else, including family. He emphasized loving God first and then neighbors, as seen in Matthew 10:37 and Mark 12:30-31. Jesus exemplified this principle by maintaining first love for God while extending love to others.

True Mother is practicing the same principle as Jesus. She is deeply devoting herself to God and True Father, and she is committed to realizing their vision for Cheon Il Guk.

Conclusion

Faith involves confidence and trust in God and True Parents, providing strength in one's spiritual journey.

God and True Parents know what is best for us.

God and True Parents provide training for our growth in love.

First Love: Jesus and True Parents emphasize the importance of loving God above all and extending that love to others.

We need to keep our first love pure by loving God.

When you meet your spouse, you offer your pure first love to your spouse.

It is the best advice from God and True Parents for a happy marriage.

November 21, 2024

Joseph - Morning Devotion in November 2024

Joseph

"Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they only hated him the more… "Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me."
Genesis 37:5

Sold Into Slavery

37:2-4 This is the history of the family of Jacob. Joseph being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his fathers wives; and Joseph brought an ill report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him. and could not speak peaceably to him.

37:5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they only hated him the more. Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and behold the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

The restoration of the birthright was just carried out on the family level, and that particular family expanded to the national level years after Jacob won over Esau, Jacob and his family had to flee to Egypt, where over the generations they developed into a great tribe.

Why were Jacob and his family sent to Egypt, which was enemy territory? Since that family was given the blessing of being called Israel, all the various elements of that family had to be totally united, but that had not been done. There was still room for Satan to accuse them of not being united.

This was manifested in the fact that Jacob loved his eleventh son, Joseph, very much and the ten older brothers were jealous, Instead of thinking of Jacob's happiness or mission, they were envious of Joseph and tried to kill him, eventually selling him into slavery in Egypt.

Even though he was first a slave, Joseph became respected and loved by the Pharaohand eventually became prime minister. When a seven-year famine struck Canaan, Jacob's family was saved by Joseph when he gave them assistance in Egypt.

Day of Victory of Heaven
October 4, 1979

The spirit of God can touch you and teach you... in dreams, visions and revelations. 

Also a spirit guide may take you on a guided tour and open the reality of the spirit world to you.

Since dreams are one medium that God uses to reveal Himself, some dreams may give important revelations… Over 70 percent of the revelations recorded in the Bible came through the medium of dreams.

[For instance,] a most important revelation came in the New Testament. After Mary conceived the baby Jesus, an angel appeared one night to Joseph, saying, "Joseph, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit."

In the Old Testament Jacob's eleventh son, Joseph, once told his family about a dream, in which the sun, the moon and eleven stars came and bowed down to him. This mere boy vividly recalled his dream.

Later on Joseph became the prime minister of Egypt, and his father and mother, who were represented by the sun and moon in the dream, and his eleven brothers, the stars, came and hewed down to him.

If there is some vivid, unusual dream that you remembered for more than three years,I want you to know that such a dream is a revelation, the work of God.

The Will of God and Individual Perfection
February 27, 1977

In the Last Days, Jesus said, "The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven." How are we to understand this verse?

In [Joseph's] dream, the sun and moon symbolized the parents, while the stars symbolized their children. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are the True Parents who came to give rebirth to humanity in place of Adam and Eve.

Therefore, in this prophecy from Matthew, the sun and moon represent Jesus and the Holy Spirit, while the stars represent the faithful believers who are their children. 

Elsewhere, Jesus is likened to the true light because he came as the incarnation of the Word and shone forth the light of truth. Here, the sunlight means the light of the words of Jesus, and the moonlight means the light of the Holy Spirit, who came as the Spirit of truth.

Exposition of the Divine Principle
Part I, Chapter 3, Section 3.2.5

37:23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore
24 and they took him and cast him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
25 Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their caramels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.
26 Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood?
27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother; our own flesh." And his brothers heeded him.
28 Then Midianite traders passed by; and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Islmaelites for twenty shekels of silver; and they took Joseph to Egypt.

Jacob's family stood upon the foundation for the Messiah which had been completed in Isaac's family. Inheriting the position of Isaac's family; they set out to complete the dispensation entrusted to Abraham by taking responsibility for Abraham's sin and embarking upon the 400-year course of restitution.

Jacob in the position of Abel, walked (he entire course of restitution for Isaac's family. 

In Jacob's family it was Joseph, the son of Rachel -- Jacob's wife on God's side -- who was to secure the position of Abel by entering Egypt and walking the course of restitution.

After being sold into slavery by his brothers and brought to Egypt, he rose to the office of Prime Minister of Egypt by the age of 30. Joseph witnessed the realization of a prophecy that God had given him in his dreams while he was still a child.

First, Joseph's half brothers, born of Leah Jacobs's wife on Satan's side -- entered Egypt and surrendered themselves to him. Later, all of Jacob's children entered Egypt, and finally they brought their father to Egypt. In this way, Jacob's family began the restitutional course to build a nation which would one day receive the Messiah.

Jacob, as the central figure who laid the foundation for the Messiah in Isaac's family, was responsible to redeem Abraham's foundation. He was also responsible to embark upon a restitutional course to realize on the national level the will which had been entrusted to Isaac.

Therefore, as was the case for Abraham and Isaac, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob came to be regarded as the same person with respect to God's will, even though they were three different individuals. Jacob's success meant Isaac's success, and Isaac's success meant Abraham's success.

The providence of restoration centering on Abraham, though it was extended to Isaac and Jacob, was regarded in the sight of God as having been accomplished in Abraham's own generation without any prolongation. It is written, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."

Exposition of the Divine Principle
Part II, Chapter 1, Section 3.3

39:5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake, the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had, in house and field.
6 Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking.
7 And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, "Lie with me."
8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, 'Lo, having me, my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hand;
9 he is not greater in this house than I am: nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife; how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"

How should we conduct ourselves to be always successful and never a failure? I look at a person who is successful and I ask, "How did he win? Was it in the proper way, by maintaining right order?" If so, I am very happy to recognize his success, but if he is seen by everybody as having gained success through expedient and underhanded means, then I do not recognize that.

We have to judge ourselves whenever we succeed as to whether our principles were consistent with those of a true victor. Why is that? Success must always come through 

right orderliness. The universe will not allow us to succeed for long unless we conform to that law. Now we know the way to succeed all the time.

The Victorious Person and the Defeated Person
March 3. 1982

In order to reach the love of God in your daily life, the most essential thing is knowing how to conquer your body. The body has three fundamental desires. First, the body gets hungry and looks for food. Set a superior standard and demonstrate how your love of God is stronger than your body's love of food. Jesus conquered that particular desire and went through a 40-day fast. Many prophets and saints in history emphasized fasting in their life of faith.

Hunger is the worst kind of suffering and if you can forget your desperate hunger in your search for God you have made a very precious statement. Have you been longing for God more than for food? That is the real test and that is the way you should think when you fast.

Until I was 30 there was no day that t was not hungry because I deliberately went without food in order to test myself. At that time I was so hungry that if someone was eating nearby my mouth hung open and saliva drooled out even without my being aware of it.

When it gets hungry enough, the body just automatically reacts that way. You can't say you have overcome your body until you have conquered desperate hunger by the power of your love of God.

The second fundamental urge is for sleep. Can you demonstrate that your love of God is stronger than your body's desire for sleep? The second test is passed when in thinking of God, He is so real and relevant that your intense love of God conquers your urgent desire to sleep.

Throughout history all the people who seriously searched fin God led ascetic lives and always had to fight their desire to sleep. For seven years I never slept more than two hours a day. This morning I arrived at 5 am, after traveling all night. My whole life has been like that.

It is most difficult to go beyond the level of hunger and sleepiness for the love of God. Jesus had to conquer all those bodily desires. The Bible said that he fasted for 40 days, and furthermore, we can well imagine that his life was a struggle both day and night.

Jesus asked his closest disciples to stay awake and watch with him while he prayed desperately in the Garden of Gethsemane, but what happened to the disciples? They fell asleep. They could not overcome sleep, and Jesus told them that though their minds were willing their flesh was weak.

The third desire you must conquer is the urge for physical love. The worst kind of temptation for religious people always comes in the form of sex. When men pray, Satan creeps into their minds in the form of a beautiful woman.

Men and women have instinctive sexual desire, but your intense love for God should be stronger than that desire for carnal love. In this respect American young people have a great deal to overcome. The permissiveness in America has left the moral life of Americans looking like a dirty rag.

Now you understand why the major religions throughout history have always emphasized the value of celibacy: Your body is your worst enemy and it has three formidable weapons, the desire for food, the desire for sleep and the desire for physical love. You have no idea how many tears I have shed to win over these temptations.

Core of Unification
October 9, 1977

39:12 She caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me... But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.
13 And when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had fled out of the house,
14 she called to the men of her household and said to them… See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to insult us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice;
15 and when he heard that lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled and got out of the house...

The religious way of life initially demands sacrifice, requiring that you deny all your surroundings and ultimately deny yourself. This is not to destroy you but to save you and let you emerge later as a victorious person.

You must become invincible so that nothing can deter you from moving forward to the ultimate goal of meeting God and becoming totally perfected. In that commitment you will have the will power to deny everything and to continue moving forward to become a victor.

If you demonstrate the power to deny your surroundings, then ultimately another, more difficult kind of temptation will come spiritually... The worst temptations for men always come through women. A most beautiful, charming woman can make a man feel totally intoxicated, but if you annihilate that temptation then you will prove yourself a victorious man. The worst temptation for a woman usually comes in the form of a most handsome man.

This is the real test. This is God's standard for recognizing anyone as a true man or woman. When you use this criterion to evaluate the many different religions, do you conclude that they merely oscillate back and forth within the realm of death or are they really taking themselves out of that realm into resurrection?

The teachings of the most prominent religions in history have always been similar. 

They emphasize an individual's denial of his circumstances and his leading a celibate life in most cases, trying to conquer sexual temptation and stand on the side of God.

Christianity in particular emphasizes this in the West, while in the Orient Buddhists isolate themselves from the secular world to make themselves divine, trying to follow spiritual instead of carnal desires.

A man of religion is always going to the mountains to isolate himself. Jesus, for example, went to many lonely places, fasting and taking time for prayer and secluded meditation. That is the kind of effort needed to pass God's test and be recognized as a man of perfection.

Our Newborn Selves
November 1, 1977

39:19 When his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, "This is the way your servant treated me," his anger was kindled.

20 And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was their in prison.

There are two basic types of people who get sent to jail. One type goes against the legitimate Interests of society for selfish reasons and breaks the law. But the other type is working to destroy Satan. Such people will also wind up in prison.

This has been true throughout history. Two different types of people have been imprisoned and even executed. One was the genuine criminal and the other was the true person of God trying to expel Satan from society. Such people were always falsely accused and thus ended up in prison. History is a witness to this.

However, godly people have used imprisonment as an opportunity to cut the satanic net around this world and create a net of God's love. Even though the forces representing Satan may put a godly person in prison, they cannot handle him or digest him. They cannot destroy him, either.

If a civil government under the influence of Satan mistakenly brings a man of God to prison and that man continues to exhibit love for others in an exemplary way, what will happen? When Satan tries to condemn such a person, he has to pay the restitution... Satan has no power to match the power of unconditional love.

This is the very strategy of God. Often in the past, God sent His beloved children into the dungeons of hell. Sometimes He even allowed Satan to kill them, but in the eternal realm, the satanic world has had in pay the price for that. In such a way, God counterattacks Satan's forces and regains the world. That has been His historical strategy.

Jesus Christ was the greatest example of this... Jesus never condemned others and told his followers instead, "Love your enemy." He forgave the Roman soldiers because he knew he was dying as a sacrifice and that eventually his love would conquer the Roman Empire.

The value of the son of God is greater than that of all the children of the fallen realm. That is the law. But God did not lose by this sacrifice. He created another realm beyond the crucifixion: the realm of resurrection.

The Wiry of the Victory of God
August 20, 1987

39:21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's care all the prisoners who were in the prison; and whatever was done there, he was the doer of it;
23 the keeper of the prison paid no heed to anything that was in Joseph's care, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.

There are two kinds of people. One immediately fights and retaliates and ruins his whole dlay when any kind of inconvenience comes The second thinks philosophically: why did this come to me? What do I deserve? Why do I deserve this trouble? What can I expect from this? We must know that this encounter has great significance.

You know the story of Joseph, whose jealous brothers put him in a well. Later he was rescued, and he served in the nobleman's [Potiphar's] house. Potiphar's wife tried to 

seduce him, but he did not fall. Later on, because of that, he got to meet his brothers.

This turned out to be the way of saving the Israelites. Who knows how things will work out? Somebody was working. It's not mysterious to God, only to us.

If it were not for three years imprisonment in North Korea, I would never have known what communism really is. Maybe like everyone else, I would have thought, "Oh, that is just another philosophy," and dismissed it. But by enduring three years in prison I could come to understand in minute detail the nature of communism and could decide to try to liberate people from communism, the enemy of God.

This grand principle applies even to daily life. The outcome of an innocent happening, an accident, depends upon your attitude towards it. If you live like that, your life will improve… we do have accidents. Maybe that's His will, and as a result of that we gain a different level, a higher level.

We are bound to get to a higher level if our mind is basically good. Who know what will happen in the future? If something happens, everyone may agree, it is a tragedy. But there are two ways for us to respond: either complain, or continue on contemplating what chance this offers me. Who is the wise person, the sagacious person? The wise person, like Joseph, does not complain.

November 4, 1990
HEAVEN'S STRATEGY

38:38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a man as this, in whom is the Spirit of God?"
39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discreet and wise as you are;
40 you shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command; only as regards the throne will I be greater than you."
41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."

Heaven's strategy is to allow itself to be struck first, and then to use this as a condition to take something from the other side. Satan strikes first, but in the end he has to pay reparations.

Heaven teaches us to love even our enemies. In fact, Heaven ultimately requires us to love even Satan. Such love is proof that one is spiritually alive. I visited Mikhail Gorbachev and Kim II Sung in order to practice God's true love by loving my enemies.

Persecution plays into God's strategy for us to inherit all of Satanic rights to ownership, Individuals and even the entire cosmos opposed me, but this opposition only served as my opportunity to develop further. Each of us must come to know God with certainty.

God Is Our King
May 8, 2001

Sometimes you think that God wants to judge unrighteous and bad people. How do you think God will do that? Will God just use almighty power and authority and judge people? No, God, too, is thinking love is the only way He can conquer His enemy, which is evil.

Even God thinks this way. Therefore, God, like a very impotent, incapable person, loves and invests and forgets, continually for thousands of years. Love is the only way He can embrace evil. Even though we may not understand everything right away, we can, by reason and logic, understand that must be so. God must be investing and forgetting. By using true love God is carrying out this dispensation.

We have no doubt about this, do we? Do you still have reservations that God may retaliate sometimes? No, you have never seen an example of that. That is God's strategy. Here is a master. Without knowing, the servant hits the master's head. After that, what kind of feeling would the servant have towards the master?

You can imagine, right? That is what God has been doing. He has been hit first and then subjugation takes place automatically without God saying anything. Satan, on the other hand, always jumps up and strikes and then realizes it was wrong and then loses.

In World War I, World War II, and World War III (World War III was the individual war). The common point was that the one who struck first, lost. God put Reverend Moon in the position of making him available to be opposed by everybody in the world and lets him be struck. After striking, they all will be won over. All Satan's side will he brought over to God's side.

The Unification Church -- Our Pride
May 2, 1993

42:5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came; for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land, and Joseph's brethren came and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them and spoke roughly unto them, and he said unto them, "Whence come ye?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food."
8 And Joseph knew his brethren but they knew not him.

All of Joseph's brothers tried to kill him by throwing him into a cistern. But he was saved and sold into slavery in Egypt He went through many miserable situations. But by correctly interpreting the Pharaoh's dream, he became the prime minister of Egypt.

The Liberation of Heaven and Earth
March 3, 1976

His brothers and Father came to Egypt and humbly bowed before him, fulfilling a prophetic dream he had as a child. Based upon this providential victory, the Israelites entered Egypt and commenced a period of hardships for the purpose of severing Satan's ties.

Joseph's course foreshadowed the course that Jesus would later walk. After corning to the satanic world, Jesus would endure a path of hardships and emerge as the King of Kings at the age of 30. He was to bring all of humanity, including his forefathers, into submission, cut all their ties to the satanic world, and restore them to God's realm.

Exposition of the Divine Principle
Part II Chapter 2, Section 2

48:17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim's head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephriam's head to bless Manasseh's head.
18 Joseph said to him, "No, my father this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head." But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know he too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he and his descendants wilt become a group of nations. I myself was in the same position as David and Joseph. For that reason, no matter what persecution I faced from my brothers in Christianity, I never felt hatred toward them or sought revenge. Rather, I was patient and persevered, knowing that they would one day come to me, the way the brothers of Joseph did, and ask for help.

Joseph forgave his brothers, although forgiveness would be impossible from a purely personal point of view. He knew that they all came from the same parent, as their brother Jacob. He felt, "They are my brothers and regardless of their crime I will forgive them."

Likewise, from the personal point of view, I might feel no reason for forgiveness toward the leaders of established Christianity. But knowing that God is our common Father and I must embody His will, then I can and must forgive them.

The hope for the revival of America hinges upon the awakening of Christianity, which represents the Christianity of the world. The wealth, resources and technology of the 

United States should he dedicated to serving the whole world. When it shares with the rest of the world, the United States can preserve its own identity and prosperity. Such an awakening needs to come.

The Globe is Our Home
June 8, 1986

Originally the first-born is always the son of God. But from the Principle we know that restitution means the second son should be restored to the first-born position, and the first-born should be brought down to the position of second-born. If there had been no Fall, this would not be necessary.

However, Satan took the first-born, the first creation; thus God always claims the second-born and by raising him into the position of first-born God can restore the heavenly birthright. This is why there is a tradition throughout the Bible of God blessing the second-born.

When Jacob blessed Joseph's two sons, his right hand by custom was supposed to be on the head of the first-born, but he crossed his arms so that his right hand was on the second-born instead. Joseph said, "Not so, my father. This one is first-born; put your right hand upon his head."

But Jacob said, "Nevertheless his younger brother shall be greater than he." Satan claimed the first world, in which we live. When the Messiah comes he will bring the restored world, in the second-born position, belonging to God.

Children's Day
November 22, 1976

99:1 Then Jacob called for his sons and said: "Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.
2 Assemble and listen, sons Of Jacob; listen to your father Israel."

One time a Jewish man asked me, "If the Jews are the chosen people whom God loves the most, why did God allow so much suffering to fall upon them? Can you answer me?" I replied, "The answer a rather simple, but explaining it fully would require one hour. Could you give up one hour of your nine to listen?" He said he couldn't do that, so I told him maybe we would talk another time.

I want you to know that it is God's will that all religions be united into one. You know restoration takes place according to the law of indemnity, and that God's purpose is 

the restoration of all mankind. Some people, like Jesus, are in the position to sacrifice for the sake of the world. The Jews as well are in a position to help God restore billions of people around the world. Their sacrifices must not remain in vain they served an important purpose in the history of God for the sake of restoring all the multitudes of people in history.

Among the religions of the world, the Jews have suffered the most because God's loved ones are always in a position to be a sacrifice. Because God allowed such suffering to come to the Jews, God expected them to be the strongest, most understanding and most united religious people.

Who shall play the central role in uniting all religions? God handpicked the Jews and trained them for that role. Their oppression was not a punishment from God, but was the same glorious sacrificial role that Jesus was given in order to complete the restoration of mankind.

Day of the Victory of Heaven
October 4, 1979

49:1 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.

Judah's tribe came to hold a very special position in the sight of God. The Cain-Abel struggle for dominion was determined in Tamar's womb. This is why Jesus Christ could be conceived only in Judah's lineage.

God always planned that Satan should have no power to claim a baby inside the mother's womb, and the act of Tamar completely, dissolved the claim of Satan from the mother's womb to maturity. It was truly a tremendous, joyful victory for God.

However, all these events were merely preparation. The true child of God's lineage was not yet conceived. After that event another 2,000 years of the history of Israel passed. Why did God have to wait for the Messiah for 2,000 more years?

God needed the foundation of a nation because the Messiah's work can only be triumphant through one sovereign nation. Not just the family, but the nation of Israel had to be formed. From the victorious foundation of the family, the formation of a tribe and a nation took 2,000 years.

Then the time was certainly ready for the advent of the Messiah. Thus the victory at the time of Jacob came through three levels: Jacob's level, Judah's level, and Tamar's level, and after 2,000 years on the national level, the substantial act of bringing in the son of God took place.

Jacob's victory represents the victory of the individual, family, and tribe, but not a nation. Once God was successful on the national level, and could actually bring His son into this world, then all the nations of the world could come into God's kingdom. That was the plan.

Children's Day
November 22, 1976

Weekly Update on Nov. 21, 2024

Join us for our monthly Family Room service on Sunday, Novemeber 24 at 11:00 a.m.  Mr. Asada is sharing a message called Tiger's Whisker about love which grows through faith and devotion.  Anne Nilson is doing the icebreaker. TFC is suppling pizza and salad; please bring a side dish or dessert to share.  

Alan and June Saunders are hosting the webinar series Building Healthy Relationships, Marraiges and Families.  The next online meetup is Friday, November 22 at 8:00 p.m.  Here is the link to join:   

TFC will host a Thanksgiving lunch on Thursday, November 28 at Noon.  TFC is serving turkey and ham; please bring a side dish or dessert to share. Feel free to invite guests but we need a head count so we have enough food. 

Here is the spreadsheet to sign up for side dishes to avoid repetition:

Carol Anne Nilson is organizing a Peace Starts With Me event on Saturday, December 14 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with guest speaker Dr. Glenda Phillips-Lee.  

Atlanta Family Church is hosting a winter workshop for middle and high school age youth from December 28 to January 1.  Pastors Diane and Ilya Hack are inviting youth from other Christian churches to attend.  Here is the link to register as a participant or as staff:  

Gentle Yoga For All Ages With Hakwa will return in December.  

SR2 Education Programs to Introduce DP:
Create A Life You Love - Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.
Essence of Principles of Peace - 2nd and 4th Saturdays, 1:00 p.m.
Discovering the Principles of Peace - Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m.
Living the Principles of Peace - Mondays at 7:00 p.m.

Here is the link to join.

President Dunkley is asking us to contribute to the Cheon Won Gung, the original holy Temple where our Heavenly Parent will reside.  Please donate online or you can leave your donation in the tithing basket at church.  Write CWG Fund on your check.

Statewide ACLC outreach meetings are the first and third Mondays at 7:00 p.m. The next meeting is December 2 at 7:00p.m. Here is the link to join the meeting.

Please join us for Morning Devotion from Monday to Friday at 6:00 a.m.
Here is the link.

We will join Dr. Achille and Capitol Family Church on the weekend.
Here is the link.  Passcode: 2027

Please feel free at any time to use the Cheon Shim Won (Prayer Room) at TFC to pray or meditate. 

November 18, 2024

Sunday Service on November 17, 2024

Triangle Family Church Sunday Service on November 17, 2024

Musical Offering

Sermon - Let's Experience Resonance Prayer

The sermon emphasizes the importance of prayer, particularly its role in restoring our connection with God and the transformative power it holds in our lives. Key Insights
  • Prayer as Essential: Prayer is not just a ritual; it is a vital practice that nurtures our spiritual lives and connects us with God’s intentions.
  • Restoration through Communication: The act of praying is a way to restore our relationship with God, emphasizing the need for open communication despite our shortcomings.
  • Purity in Prayer: A pure heart is crucial for effective prayer, as seen in the request for a clean spirit in Psalm 5:1, showing the need for inner purity.
  • Sustenance for the Soul: Just as we need physical nourishment, our spirits require the sustenance that comes from prayer, highlighting the eternal nature of our spiritual existence.
  • God’s Eagerness to Listen: God is always ready to listen to our prayers, illustrating His desire for a relationship with us, regardless of our past sins.
  • Resonance in Prayer: Effective prayer aligns our hearts with God’s, creating a harmonious relationship that leads to transformation and divine response.
  • Miracles through Faith: The story of Honi HaMe'agel (Jewish scholar of the 1st century BC) teaches that persistent, heartfelt prayer can lead to miraculous outcomes, reinforcing the power of faith in our communication with God.

Sunday School: Moral lesson from the folktale "The owl" - Be Kind and Polite to Everyone

  • Character Traits: Mindy is kind and generous, while Mandy is serious and competitive.
  • Acts of Kindness: Mindy's generosity towards the old woman led to rewards and prosperity.
  • Consequences: Mandy's lack of generosity resulted in her transformation into an owl.
  • Moral Lesson: The story emphasizes the importance of treating others kindly and the potential impact on one's future.

November 13, 2024

Tamar and Judah - Morning Devotion in November 2024

Tamar and Judah 

Then Judah acknowledged them and said, "She is more righteous than I."
Genesis 38:26 

Genesis 38
38:1 It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah,
2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; he married her and went in to her,
3 and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er.
4 Again she conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.
5 Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. She was in Chezib when she bore him.
6 And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, and her name was Tamar. 

Judah was the fourth son of Jacob, and Judah: son married a woman whose name was "Tamar. According to Jewish tradition, if a son died without leaving sons, his brother must act as a husband to the dead brother's wife so that the dead brother's lineage would be continued. 

Tamar did not have children when her husband died, and when the next brother refused to fulfill his responsibility, he died. However, the third brother was not given to Tamar when he became old enough, and Tamar saw that she had no hope to bear children. 

She knew that her mission was to continue the family of her husband and Judah, his father, and she finally decided to sacrifice even her honor and prestige in order to fulfill it. 

Disguising her-self as a prostitute, Tamar enticed her father-in-law to have a relationship with her. Without knowing she was his daughter-in-law. Judah consented. 

At that time adultery was punished by death. In order to save her life for the sake of her child, Tamar asked Judah for his signet, cord and stall as a pledge for payment, and then confiscated them. 

Three months later when it became obvious that the widow Tamar was pregnant, she was brought before Judah to be judged. You can imagine Judah's honor, 'Bring her out, and let her be burned!' But she answered, "By the man to whom these belong, I am with child." and she brought out the things that Judah had given her in his pledge. 

Man fell through fornication, and Tamar was one example of how God frequently used women of most unusual character in restoration. Why would God use adulterous women in the dispensation? They are in a satanic position, but if they completely deny their satanic nature when summoned by God, then they can be restored from one extreme to the opposite extreme. 

God selected His champions from the most miserable situations. Tamar was a righteous woman, and though she was originally in a sinful position, she completely dedicated herself to God's mission, risking her life, honor and prestige. 

Paralleling the way Eve lied to God and her husband to bring about the Fall, Tamar deceived her father-in-law and her husband to-be, the third brother of her original husband. She was in a position to reverse the position of Eve by reversing Eve's actions, but the significant thing is that she risked her life to do Gods will. 

True Parents Day From the Historical Point of View
April 18, 1977 

38:12 In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua's daughter, died: and when Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers. He and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
13 And when Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,"
14 she put off her widow's garments, and put on a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage.
15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot, for she had coveted her face.
16 He went over to her at the roadside, and said, "Come, let me come into you," for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. 

The first mother, she, fell because she did not believe in God's words, so Tamar, who was to restore Eve's position, had to demonstrate absolute faith in God. She had to forget her self-esteem and pride and, furthermore, she had to determine to risk her life. 

Eve's faithlessness made her abandon her father, God. Instead, she accepted Satan as her father and put him in God's position Therefore, Tamar, on the contrary had to talk directly with God. Eve was not able to be united with her father, so Tamar had to be united with her father... 

In order to accomplish her mission, she risked her life. Isn't that so? She had nothing in her mind at all except the desire to accomplish God's will. Finally Tamar set up a condition to restore Eve's fallen position by walking a course totally opposite to Eve. 

Nobody knew this fact except God. 

The Tribal Messiah
Section 3, Chapter 1 

38:24 About three months later Judah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot, and moreover she is with child by harlotry." And Judah said, "Bring her out. and let her be burned."
25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law "By the man to whore these belong, I am with child." And she said, "Mark, I pray you, whose these are," the signet and the cord and the staff.
26 Then Judah acknowledged them and said, "She is more righteous that I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah…" And he did not lie with her again.
27 When the time of her time came, there were twins in her, womb. 

Satan sowed the seed of false love within the womb of Eve, which gave birth to evil life. Therefore, God needed to purify a mother's womb from which the heavenly Son could be born. 

That purification period of separation from Satan had to begin at the time of conception and continue to age 40, so even though Jacob was victorious he did not meet that criterion. The great mother who assumed the responsibility to meet this condition was Tamar. 

Tamar had married Er, the eldest son of Judah. But Er displeased God and he died. 

According to the custom of that time, Judah gave Tamar his second son, Onan, so that they might bear a child for Er, But Onan, knowing that Tamar's child would not be his own, spilled his semen on the ground. This was a sin in the eyes of God, for which Onan died. 

Then Tamar wanted Shelah, the third son Judah, for a husband, but Judah did not give him to her. Judah thought that his two sons had died because of Tamar, so he was afraid that Shelah would die and end the family lineage. 

But Tamar had the conviction that she was to carry on the lineage of the chosen people. To do that, she disguised herself as a prostitute and slept with her father-in law, Judah, and became pregnant with twins. 

At the time of birth, one of the twin sons, Zerah, stretched out his hand from the womb to be born first. But he was pulled back into the womb, and the second son, Perez, was born first, taking the position of the elder brother, thus, within the womb of Tamar, the first and second sons fought, and their reversal of position separated them from Satan. 

That became the condition for restoration in the womb. Upon this condition, the Messiah could be conceived within the blood lineage of the chosen people, on the base of the nation of Israel that could stand up to the Roman Empire 2,000 years later. 

The victorious foundation on the national level could then be formed in the womb of a mother free of satanic accusation, prepared for the seed of the Son of God. On this foundation, the Holy Mother Mary emerged in the mainstream of God's Providence. 

View of the Principle of the Providential History of Salvation
April 16, 1996 

38:28 And when she was in labor; one put out a hand; and the midwife took and bound on his hand a scarlet thread, saying, "This came out first."
29 But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother carne out; and she said. "What a breach you have made for yourself?" Therefore his name was called Perez.
30 Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was tailed Zerah. 

Tamar conceived twins. God had been waiting for that moment for 2,000 years. When the time came for her to give birth, the first son Zerah put out his hand, and the midwife tied a scarlet thread on his wrist. 

A fight took place within the mother's womb, and the second son, Perez, came out first, pushing Zerah aside. This restoration, this reversal of a situation, took place within the mother's womb. The principle that Jesus was to be born of Judah's blood lineage is set up here. 

The Tribal Messiah
Section 3, Chapter 1 

If you can understand about Tamar, you can understand the whole Principle... The standard of victory gained in the womb of Tamar was handed down from generation to generation through the tradition of Israel, the descendants who believed in Judaism. 

Why did they have to establish a foundation for the Messiah at the national level? 

Because there were already many nations in the satanic world. God had to establish a national standard with which to deal with them. God's side had to stand in the position of Abel on the national level. For that purpose, God guided the Israelites and helped them develop their victorious foundation on the national level. 

There was another young woman who regarded the historical significance of her actions to be more important than her own dignity or her own social environment. She regarded God's will as the highest priority. 

That girl was Mary. Mary maintained the standard of victory and Satan could not accuse her. So on the foundation established by man, Jesus was conceived. It was that victorious foundation which qualified Jesus to be born from God. 

The Change of Blood Lineage
October 13, 1970 

November 10, 2024

Sunday Service on November 10, 2024

Triangle Family Church Sunday Service on November 10, 2024

Musical Offering

Sermon - Electing To Put God First

The sermon emphasizes putting God first in divided times, fostering friendships over politics, and recognizing God’s presence in our lives. Key Insights
  • Faith Over Division: In polarized times, focusing on faith allows Christians to navigate disagreements with grace and empathy. This promotes unity and understanding over conflict.
  • Friendship’s Value: The sermon highlights that true friendships endure beyond political beliefs, encouraging congregants to prioritize relationships and love over divisive politics.
  • Acts of Service: Engaging in service, like helping storm victims, exemplifies putting God first and embodies the Christian calling to aid those in need, regardless of their background.
  • Family Healing: The message advocates healing familial relationships strained by political differences, urging individuals to seek reconciliation and understanding.
  • Importance of Connection: The narrative of reconnecting with an old friend emphasizes the need to nurture relationships actively, showing that friendships require effort to thrive.
  • Divine Guidance: Personal stories of miracles and healing underline the belief in God’s presence and guidance, reminding congregants to remain open to His workings in their lives.
  • Power of Prayer: The conclusion reinforces the importance of prayer in fostering love and unity, as well as seeking divine assistance in overcoming personal and societal challenges.

Sunday School: Bible Study - New Testament