The Words of the Brazil Family
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The Words of the Brazil Family |
Welcome
Remarks:Welcome brothers and sisters and thank you for coming.
Welcome brothers and sisters. We are so glad you are here.
As you probably know, I am not Reverend Hyung Jin Moon. Actually we just learned that he will not be able to make it today but still YOU are here, and God is here. We really hope that in today’s service you somehow can feel the spirit of God in your life. When you come you also have a job to do. Each and every one of you out there longs to have an experience with God. Right? You want to feel God. In order to do that, what we have to do in this give and take world of relationships, is to give something. So what do you have to give? Your enthusiasm, your spirit, your heart.
When Hyung Jin Nim asks for us to sing with our whole heart and pray enthusiastically, the reason is that this is our way of inspiring God and making this a wonderful place for God to come down and visit us. So as we begin our service today, take time to really pray, when it is time to pray, and sing and not just clap and watch, but participate because the more you give the more you will be able to receive. The more we give as a congregation, the more God can be present with us here today. Thank you very much for coming, and we really hope that you have a great and wonderful experience.
It is spring time, and I am so glad you are here. Isn’t it wonderful that it is getting warmer? We live in the countryside, and when I lean over to give the dogs their dinner at night I can hear all the little deer crunching through the leaves on the hillside. All the farmers are out, and all the walking people are out, and all the animals and the birds are so happy. I used to wonder, "Why does everybody go to Yoido just to see the cherry blossoms? Why do we all crowd into a subway to go to one place to be crowded again?" It is because when you see the cherry blossoms, your heart opens. You feel God’s love, you feel love for the cosmos, you feel love for the nature even if you do not know it‘s from God. So if we open our hearts, we can really spread that love throughout the world.
I would like to read something from the Cheon Seong Gyeong, on page 833:
“You have to make your family life into a work of art. You have to become a pleasing and artistic husband. If you find something good in a magazine, you should bring it home and read it with a soothing voice to your wife when she is about to fall asleep. If you dream of your wife while falling asleep after having been deeply moved by this, your dream will be substantiated. This way of life will continue into the spirit world. How wonderful this is! Would you like to live like this, or would you like to live as very drab couples? If you wish to live such a life, you have to assume a new direction with a fresh mindset enabling you to possess good vitality. This is the basic requirement."
I just want to read one of those last sentences again:
“If you wish to live such a life, you have to assume a new direction with a fresh mindset enabling you to possess good vitality. This is the basic requirement."
I just thought our life is so unexpected and so exciting and so vibrant that if we are truly in love with life and in love with God we can really experience the true value. We never feel alone. We feel sad but sometimes when you are sad you have to phone someone up even if they live half the world away, you have to really enjoy that coffee, you have to really enjoy your friends, you have to do something nice to yourself because God really wants to love you. And we have to know why we should open our hearts. It is because we want to feel in love but knowing why will help you try. You have to try to do things to open your heart because God wants to pull you up with love and appreciation and energy and excitement. Thank you.
An important part of our service is prayer, because when we pray we are putting out energy, positive, godly energy, energy that God can hear, and God does respond. There is no positive energy that does not come back somehow. So, please, take time to pray. Pray for Hyung Jin Nim, pray for his ministry, pray for each other here as well as for each other’s situations. If you came with somebody who is in need of prayer, pray for these people, too. You can pray for your ancestors and people in the spirit world as well. It is with fervent prayer that magic can start to happen. So, please take time as we all join in unison prayer. Let us pray!
Today I would like to talk about: Motivation, Change And Growth.
Yesterday my wife and I worked on the church bulletin and we finished it at about 7 pm, and I asked a Japanese brother to print it. About 15 min later I got a phone call. Somebody said, "Reverend Brazil, I have got good news and bad news, which one do you want to hear first?"
Then I told him: "Please give me first the bad news and then I’ll end with the good news."
"The bad news is that Dr Yang is not coming today," and I immediately knew what the good news was all about: "The good news is that you are giving the sermon!"
"Well, thank you very much!" What did I do? I immediately called my wife to call the publisher and ask: "Did they already print the bulletin?" He answered: "Already printed!"
Today I would like to talk about something I have been thinking about, called Motivation, Change and Growth. Recently as I have been driving my car very early in the morning, very, very early in the morning -- great time to drive, no cars on the road -- I asked myself: "What motivates me?" What is my motivation for doing what I am doing?
Recently I changed jobs. I used to be a university instructor, nice job, pretty good pay, great hours, and fantastic vacation time. I won’t tell you because some of you will get jealous or depressed. But in my new job, which happens to be here, I get about the same pay but the hours: I get to work about 3 to 4 times more hours, vacation time dramatically changed. So, I told some people this, and they thought -- they are not church members -- "Are you crazy?" However it was actually a quite easy decision, a great blessing, and I felt God calling me to do this.
It is funny how God works. Probably a few months earlier, I told God: "OK God, I’m ready, ready to get back on the front line." God really listens to what you say! (Laughter) Let me give you another quick example. This is true. A few days ago, I was thinking about my next sermon, because you never know when it is going to come. I was thinking: "Heavenly Father, I have some ideas that I would like to talk about. I really need a chance to share these ideas," and literally 2 days later I got this phone call: "Michael, you are giving the sermon!"
"Wow, OK Heavenly Father, maybe a little more time!" So I asked myself in the car: "Why am I doing what I am doing? What motivates me in this movement?" I actually I came to a conclusion. I might tell you at the end of this sermon, if you remind me.
I thought I would ask a few other people what they thought motivated them. And I asked one leader in Europe. He was here for the National leaders' Assembly in January in Chung Pyung. When I asked him: "What motivates you?", he was taken aback, he was surprised, and he said: "Good question!" So he thought for a moment, and he said: "What motivates me is to improve myself." I said: "What do you mean by "improving myself"? Do you mean, to go to a better place in the spiritual world?"
And he said: "No, I want to improve myself so I can give more to brothers and sisters. Let me give you an example," he said. He said that, a few years back, he was asked to give a lecture to a large group of members along with many other speech givers, but he said that somehow what he said really inspired the members, and after the speech many members came up to him and thanked him for the content, and he said that 2 years later members would still come to thank him. Two years later members still remembered what he said! So he said, "I want to improve myself so that the next time I am asked to speak to the members I can inspire them even more." I felt, "Wow! That’ is a great motivation!"
I asked a second generation in our movement why he was doing what he was doing? Actually, he used to have a great job with a great salary and then Kook Jin Nim recruited him. Maybe it’s hard to say no. He said yes and took a pay cut. He said the reason he decided to work in the movement is that when he was young, he had no friends because he was always persecuted for being a member of the Unification Church, and he said that he wanted to change this environment, he wanted his children to grow up with friends, to be proud of who they are. He wanted to change the image of our movement. Good motivation! I was impressed.
So what motivates YOU? What motivates US? What inspires YOU? Why are you in this movement or why are you connected to this movement? Why do you do what you do? Of course, motivation is important, it’s powerful but, often times, we don’t ask ourselves that.
Why do you do what you do? For a reward? To get into heaven? To get praised by your boss, your superior? Is that why you do what you do? If that is why you do what you do, I think you are in trouble. I might get fired for this sermon but who is my boss? Well, I guess one of my bosses up the ladder is Hyung Jin Nim, but do I do what I do to inspire HIM? No. Because what if what I do does NOT inspire him? What will happen to me? What I mean by this is that my motivation has to be even greater than that. If I accomplish my motivation, naturally Hyung Jin Nim will be inspired, True Parents, the founders of our movement will be inspired, and, I believe, even God will be inspired.
So what is your motivation? Please check and think about that!
Actually this is an exciting time in our movement because our movement is going through a revival. We have the leadership of our senior pastor Hyung Jin Moon, of Kook Jin Moon, In Jin Moon and many others to thank for that. Would you agree? Let’s give them a big applause! So that revival is happening. I know that today I am not just speaking to YOU but to many members around the world which is a little bit frightening but, again, the question I want to ask you is this: Our movement is going through a revival, but how about YOU? Are YOU going through a revival? Are YOU being revived? I want to give you an analogy.
I want to show you this picture of an American football field. You can see the white lines on the side, on the outside and at the top. We call that the sidelines. That‘s where the players stand when they are not playing. Maybe they are injured, maybe they are tired, maybe they are what we call second string or third string but this is where they stand. And so perhaps many of us have been on the sidelines, not in the game, for various reasons. Maybe we have been hurt, disappointed, disillusioned by the leadership in the movement. Whatever the reason, now I have got good news for you: "It’s OK to get back in the game, now is the time to get back in the game."
So are you in the game or are you on the sidelines? And, you know, the amazing thing is that it doesn’t matter where you were. Why? Because God is listening, God is that great coach, and the player goes to the coach and says: "Coach, I am ready to go in." OK. As soon as the spot is ready you are in. What is amazing is that God will always welcome you back; God will always put you back in the game. If you think about it, it is really amazing. God will always put you back in the game. And then what God will do, He will put you in the game where you don’t think you should be: "God, I can’t do this, no, it is too much!" "YOU CAN DO IT!!"
In our movement we have something that we know and believe as our scripture. What is the game? Game of life? Game of sharing our heart, our love, our faith? Becoming a true person?
A slide shows the Divine Principle book
This is our scripture, the Divine Principle, and we know that it contains Universal Truths and Universal Principles. Our challenge is to live it! YES or NO? (Yes). Absolutely!
So, recently Matthew Jones gave a wonderful seminar entitled “The Millionaire mind", and it was really wonderful. Recently I got a set of 3 CD’s from Kyle about the content of this seminar, and I have been listening to it in my car and, of course, this seminar is about making money, but in the seminar he talks about principles, and, as I listened to it, I thought, "Wow, these are incredible, these are principles not just for making money but for life," and then I thought, "This guy knows the Principle."
Next slide shows the title of a book:
SECRETS OF THE MILLIONAIRE'S MIND By T. HARV EKER
He must have got the book and read it. He knows it! Because as I listened to it, I felt: "Wow, that’s principle, it is incredible, not just about money but about life: The external reflects what is inside of us. Your mind controls your destiny. We have tremendous power if we chose. "
Next slide shows:
SOME PEOPLE ARE PRACTICING CERTAIN TRUTHS / PRINCIPLES CONTAINED WITHIN THE DIVINE PRINCIPLE BETTER THAN WE ARE
So what I thought was that The Unification Principle, the Divine Principle, contains truths, Universal Principles, and some people are practicing certain truths/Principles contained within the Divine Principle better than we are. Surprising? Shocking? But true! Some people are doing a better job at practicing some of the principles contained in the Unification Principle. Why? Because the Principle is universal. It is truth, it is from God. Of course it is true, and other people know aspects of it, and they are using it, powerfully. In his seminar he asked something very interesting: "How do you know if you know something? How do you know if you know something?"
And he states: “The 3 most difficult words in English are what? Any guesses? The 3 most dangerous words in English are: ' I KNOW THAT! ' Isn’t that true? It’s like: "Hey, we are going to have a Divine Principle workshop this week. Anyone wants to go?" “I KNOW THAT!" "Hey, do you want to be the instructor then?" “Well... I THINK I know that." So, how do you know if you know something? He says that it’s very simple: "
IF YOU LIVE IT YOU KNOW IT" (Slide appears)
Yorobun! (Ladies and Gentlemen), are we living it? Am I living it? Are we living the Principle that we know? Unfortunately I heard a story recently. One sister was telling me about how in our movement, even among the leaders of our movement, the second generation are struggling, and one person said: "Well, let me teach you something from the Divine Principle," and the person started to draw 4 lines. You know what that is? Formation, growth, completion. And the other person said, “Don’t talk to me about that, I heard it so many times, but I have not SEEN it!" "I haven’t seen it." That’s really scary! We talk the talk, but do we LIVE the talk? Do we WALK the talk? Simple, IF YOU LIVE IT YOU KNOW IT.
Many times when we get to hear the founder of our movement, Reverend Moon, if someone asks: "What does Reverend Moon talk about?"
"True Love."
“AGAIN?"
Why do you think Reverend Moon always talks about True Love? Well, perhaps because we are not living it. Don’t worry, this speech is not to accuse, criticize or judge because this is more about me than anyone. How are we living it?
So, in the Unification Movement we have an incredible product. Right? What is it? (some people in the audience shouted "The truth!").
Then a slide of the Divine Principle book appears.
The Divine Principle, but -- and this is a big BUT -- how do you FEEL about it, how do you THINK about it?
It is very interesting that in his seminar T. Harv Eker asks, "The job you have, the product you work with, how would you rank it on a scale from 1 to 10? If you rank it 5 or less, I highly recommend you change job or change your product, find something else that you can be inspired by, motivated by, something you want to promote. If it is 6 or above, great! Think of new ways you can promote it. How about you? How about us? How about me? What do I think about the Divine Principle on a scale of 1 to 10? How do you feel about it? How do you think about it?
“IT’S GOOD!" Really? Are we living it?
Well, in my talk today I am talking about MOTIVATION, CHANGE, LEARN and PRACTICE. Great words, right? OK! So HOW? "Mr. Brazil, I have to change, how do I do what I know?"
Let me give you a brief testimony. A couple of weeks ago I got chastised, scolded, very strongly by someone here at the church. This person was comparing me to someone else, and he said: " Why can’t you be more like HIM?" And, actually, what was very painful was that as I was listening to that person I thought, "He is right!" That is when it is very painful. Then after he ripped me up and threw me to the side, he started to build me up. That’s really important: "BUT you can be even better!" Sometimes we need that.
So, how do we change? How do we grow? I would say BY LEARNING FROM OTHERS.
And this is the point again that T. Harv Eker emphasizes that we need to learn how successful people think and act. Would you agree with that? And actually what is interesting again, what Hyung Jin Nim is talking about in his sermons is what? Connecting to people who are successful, get together with people who have a bright mindset, who are enthusiastic, energetic! Don’t you want to be around those kinds of people? Don’t you want to be like that?
Or do we like to be around people who complain, blame, justify? Actually this is something the speaker emphasizes, that unsuccessful people blame others for their situation, they justify their situation and then they complaiiiiiin. Do you ever do that? (somebody in the audience said no). No? Congratulations! YOU should be up HERE!
But he says, "The key is learning, catching your mind and don’t do that -- because successful people do not do that." So, actually, I want to ask you: What is your motto, our model? What is the sentence, the phrase, that you live by? Do you have one? If you don’t, you should have one, right?
For example mine is, "Always grateful, never satisfied." I like that model but the problem is living it. So, what it means to me is, that, regardless of the situation, I am grateful, BUT... I want more, I want to accomplish more for God. I want to become better so I can help others. That has been my motto for many years, BUT living it has been a challenge.
What’s your model? If you don’t have one, I want to encourage you to get one.
Now take a look at this next slide. This is often called the wheel of life. And this talks about the areas in your life. They could be for example health, wealth, family and friends, playtime, hobbies, fun, relationships, career / job, personal space, contribution, spirituality. Does that sound familiar?
Here are some possible categories, too: Health / physical, family, spiritual, leisure / hobbies, romance! Relationships/friends, finances, job / career. The point here is -- any expert will tell you -- you cannot be happy, you cannot be fulfilled unless you are successful in every area. Our spirituality is important but you will not be happy if you are broke, you will not be happy if your husband or wife is leaving you. "Wow, honey, you are really spiritual, but good-bye!" How about when your health is bad? It is very difficult to be happy. So, actually, the point is that we need to be successful in each category. If we want to be a wholesome person we need to be successful in each category.
I now want to look briefly at the category "spiritual." Why? Because recently we hear a lot about Chung Seong. Do you know what that is? (People in the audience answered “sincerity, devotion"). OK, we hear it all the time, BUT WHAT IS IT? Give me some examples!
(Brothers and sisters give some examples). OK, prayer, bows, what else? Fasting! Wonderful! What else? Reading good books, coming to the service, cold showers, huh!! Tithing? Wow, that’s good! Please do this! (Laughter) Hyung Jin Nim cannot say that, but I can!
But what is very interesting is: I asked the other day one of the fellow ministers in my office: "What is your understanding of Chung Seong?" and his answer was: " ACTIONS THAT MOVE THE HEART." So, ideally, whatever you do it’s to inspire you, and that inspiration is for you to feel closer to God. And then: ACT! ACTIONS! Just thinking is not enough. We need to act, we need to move, we need to take action.
Sorry, some of you may not like the next slide. Here is it:
WITNESSING
Many members don’t like that word. That’s OK. Why? Hyung Jin Nim had a really good way to describe it. He said: "Just SHARE THE FAITH." Isn’t that nicer? Don’t worry about witnessing, just SHARE THE FAITH! And In Jin Nim speaks about: NATURAL WITNESSING. What is that? You live a successful lifestyle and people will naturally be attracted to you. She gave the example of her children and other second generations who are well educated, polite and nice, and other people noticed that: "Why are your kids so good?" Some second generation answered; "Remember, many years back, these mass weddings, my parents were in that." "Oh! Wow! Interesting!" But doesn’t that make sense? NATURAL WITNESSING!
If we are successful, not just in one area, not just on the spiritual level -- that’s important, of course -- but are also successful in other areas, people will naturally be drawn to us, be attracted to us. YES or NO? "Yes". I think so!
I borrowed a few slides from Matthew’s seminar. Matthew, I hope that's OK?
In the seminar, Matthew emphasizes that in the "MILLIONAIRE MIND" there is talk about BELIEFS and BLUEPRINTS. And again, in the seminar he is talking about money. But this is applicable to every aspect of our lives, I believe. He says: "Your THOUGHTS lead to FEELINGS which lead to ACTIONS which lead to RESULTS." It is so true! What are your thoughts, what are your feelings? They lead to actions, right? So, if you see a successful person and you are not so successful, maybe you get angry and criticize, "I hate that guy. He is always positive, always nice. I really hate him!"
Have you ever felt that way? I hope not. But maybe. But he says: "We should love these people, we should respect them. Why? Because we can learn from these people. That’s OK."
Sometimes -- I am sorry to say -- sometimes we in the Unification Movement, can be very arrogant. It’s true! "I have the Divine Principle! I have the Universal Truth! OK, you are rich, famous, successful, wonderful wife, wonderful family BUT I HAVE.... (Michael speaks with a boastful attitude and the audience laughs). Have you ever thought that way?
So, sometimes we are arrogant, right? But do you know what Reverend Moon says? He says, "Never be arrogant! Never, never be arrogant!" And this is something that we really love about Hyung Jin Nim. He is amazingly humble. It’s true. From my experience, thus far, he is very humble, he is very approachable. Again, I got scolded one time because I "took too much of his time". I didn’t know that, and his schedule was thrown out. Other members, not Hyung Jin Nim, were angry at me. I didn’t know that until a few days later.
So now I feel, "OK. How many minutes do I have? 5 minutes? I talk really fast." But it is true, he will talk to you for a long time, he loves to do that. This is what people really love about him. He is really humble.
Slide: STEPS TO CHANGE
I am almost finished. We need to be AWARE, we need UNDERSTAND, we need to RE-CONDITION, and one of the ways is by LEARNING FROM OTHERS. We need to have the humility and the courage to learn from others, and that’s OK, because we don’t necessarily have to make the same mistakes.
Slide: CHANGE COMES THROUGH ACTION
He emphasizes, and this is a really powerful point: Where attention goes, energy flows and results show. -- True? "Yes!" and What you focus on expands. -- That's really TRUE!
So what are we focusing on? Negativity? Blame? Criticism? Accusation? I know, you don’t do that! But if you DO, we have to stop, right? This law goes for every other part of your life. Again, the seminar is about money, but actually these principles that he teaches are about every aspect of life. What you pay attention to increases. Is that true? That’s really true! If you are really negative, complaining, what happens? Other people come in, "Oh yes, man, I don’t like that man either, he talks too much, he’s got a funny French accent. The way he walks, I just don’t like it!" "Ye, me too!" Have you ever noticed that, people get in?
Hyung Jin Nim tells us: "Move away from these people!" That is what other experts say: "If you want to fly with the eagles, don’t swim with the ducks. Or another one: If you want to fly with the eagles don't fly with the turkeys. Can turkeys fly? But it is true. If you want to succeed, if you want to be inspired, get together with people who are!"
Look at the next phrase here: "Training and managing your own mind is the most important skill you could ever own in terms of both, happiness and success." True? False?
Slide: THE POWER of UNCONDITIONAL ACTION
Thoughts lead to feelings, feelings lead to actions, actions lead to results.
So, what do we have to work on if we want to change? We have to work on action! Because ACTION becomes the bridge between our inner world and outer world.
Now, many of you have been coming to the service weekly. Hyung Jin Nim always has a suggestion for us, right? It’s true, but the question is, and me, too, "Do we do it?"
OK, here is the test! Hyung Jin Nim’s sermon last week. What did he ask us to do? CHALLENGE our CHALLENGES! Actually, Mrs. Betsy Jones in her seminar, last week, talked about, that if we want to improve we must stretch our WINGS, right? Is that easy? Let’s do a little exercise! Put your left hand behind your back at the level of your waist and raise your right arm and put it behind your back, then try with your right hand to grab your left hand. Can you do it? (some people in the audience answered yes). Wow, you are better than me. How does it feel? "Feels good!" Does it hurt? Especially for us old, hmm, young guys? (Michael is in his 50’s) Actually the point is that if you STRETCH YOURSELVES, it doesn’t feel so good, does it? But when you are finished, you feel much better.
So, as Mrs. Jones emphasizes, sometimes we must stretch ourselves. It is uncomfortable, we must stretch our wings and... become a bigger loving person.
So, finally, how can we do this? How can we really change?
And I want you to look at this slide and think for a moment. This is not another kind of meditation but I want you to think and look at the left column:
I want you to think of the richest person in terms of finances. Who might that be? "Bill Gates!"
Anyone has got Bill Gates’ personal telephone number? Ah? A little bit difficult.
Now I want you to think about the richest person in finances that you know, personally! Do you know anyone personally who is successful financially? If you do, talk to that person, ask that person, learn from that person, replicate, copy what that person does, how he or she thinks or acts. Good idea? What a good idea! You might say to me, "But, Reverend Brazil, I don’t know any rich people." Well, in his seminar Mr. Eker says: "If you don’t, it’s OK, go to a really fancy hotel, have a coffee in there and talk to somebody. Most people love to share." If you say, "Oh, I really admire you, could you give me a couple of suggestions?" “No, get out of here, Kid!" (Laughter) Most people will, maybe not all. But most will. They want to help. Let’s look at the slide again.
Think about the richest person in spirit, who might that be? (many people answered "True Parents". ) For many of us, it might be Reverend and Mrs. Moon. Well, how many of you know Reverend Moon’s personal telephone number? "Hey Dad, I have got a few questions!" Not so easy! BUT, how about the richest person in spirit that you know personally? Maybe they are doing something better than you, maybe they can give you some suggestions, some ideas. It’s worth the try.
How about the richest person in health? I need to talk to that person. (Laughter) Maybe you think of Arnold Schwarzenegger, when he was young. He was very muscular. OK, maybe you don’t know his phone number, either. BUT, how about the richest person, health wise, that you know personally? Talk to them, "What do you do? How do you do it? What do you think about? What can I do?" Will that help? No answer, well let’s go and think, "Who is the richest person in marriage?" Again talk to somebody whom you respect and admire in a successful marriage. Get some ideas, learn from them. How do they act? How do they think? This is how we can change.
Yorobun! Do we need to change? Do we need to grow? Do you realize that if you stop growing, what happens? You start dying. That’s true. So if you have been on the sidelines, you are not dead. Get back in the game and start finding people who are more successful than you. Ask them, "What can I do? What do you suggest?" Most people will want to help; most people want to give you some ideas. And these other categories? Richest person in relationships? Richest person in leisure? Leisure is important, too.
So, what can we learn today? What can we learn?
We have got a great gift, we have been given the Divine Principle, the Unification Principle, but what do we really think about it? Are we inspired? Are we empowered?
A young, well, maybe not SO young, man told me recently: “Man, I am so inspired! I can’t understand why other people are not, I don’t know what’s wrong with them!" I said, "Good for YOU! Keep it up! And give me some ideas how to get everyone inspired." Should we not be inspired? (Reverend Brazil’s voice changed to a low, depressed sort of tune): “Well, Reverend Brazil, if you were in my shoes, you would not be inspired." But, you know, you have control, you can change. You control your own mind; you control your own life. Is that true or false?
Successful people absolutely believe: "I create my life." Unsuccessful people say: "Life happens to me, life controls me." We believe: "We create our lives." That’s true. So if we are not happy with our situation, what that means is that we have to change something, and change is difficult, right? But, step by step, that is what Hyung Jin Nim keeps telling me, step by step. That is what True Father said to Hyung Jin Nim: "Step by step." That is what he tells me when I ask him, "Step by step." But that is true for us, step by step.
So, what can we learn today? If you have been out of the game, that’s OK. You can get back in the game. God will not accuse you, God will not judge you, God will only praise you, God will only applaud you, (Rev Brazil was speaking with a big smile) and God will definitely use you, but if you are already successful, let us be more successful! If you are not satisfied, be grateful, but never be satisfied, always shoot for higher dreams, and finally... If you ever felt -- maybe you are older -- "Well, I am ready to go to the spiritual world," -- you know, some people have those thoughts -- but, to those people I would say: "Please don’t think that. God still has many wonderful plans for you. Open your heart and mind, there is so much more you can still do."
If you can receive this message, let’s give our True Parents a round of applause!
So let us have more Victory! More Illumination! More Peace!
Let us be victorious, not only for you, but ultimately for our True Parents, for our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother.
Our Heavenly Father, we are so grateful that we have the gift You have given to us. We know in many ways that we are unworthy and yet, You want to work with us, You love us, You believe in us, You see us as Your precious sons and daughters.
Heavenly Father, help us to have the heart and the desire to continue to improve, to not judge others, to not criticize others, but to embrace, to respect, to love and encourage. If there is someone around us who is more successful, let us praise them, love them, learn from them so that we, too, may become better and, in return, someone in the future may praise and love US and we can help them.
Heavenly Father, help us to become the true sons and daughters You want us to be, that we can be successful in every aspect of our lives, not just spiritually but emotionally, mentally, financially, physically, on the family level, in every aspect of our lives, so that we can be a natural witness to You, and when people ask us: "What is it that inspires you?" we can tell them honestly: “We have been inspired by You, we have been inspired by this amazing truth that we have been given, we have been inspired by the founders of our faith, Reverend and Mrs. Moon."
Heavenly Father, help us to be a true witness to You and, if we are not in the game, help us to get back in the game, to get really inspired, really energized, so that we can really contribute to the success of Your work which, ultimately, will lead to our success. We pray that You will give us the power this week to be a wonderful example for those around us, but that we can also be humble enough to learn from others and not judge ourselves but be easy on ourselves, because, Heavenly Father, You are always encouraging us, not pointing out our bad points, but pointing out our good points, our potential. Help us to be likewise, help us to receive it, to live it so that we can truly say that we know it because we live it. Help us to become those great examples. We thank You again for Your love, Your grace and Your blessings, and we most humbly offer all these things to You in the precious names of our blessed brothers and sisters around the world! AJU