Author: Richard Urban

Develop Knowledge and Fight Opposition to Win

Watch the latest Richard Urban show with Stephen Downward: True Father’s Words Have Been Adulterated: https://youtu.be/8h9AhTg10kQ.

Mark 2

18 The followers of John the Baptist and the Pharisees often went without eating.[e] Some people came and asked Jesus, “Why do the followers of John and those of the Pharisees often go without eating, while your disciples never do?”

19 Jesus answered:

The friends of a bridegroom don’t go without eating while he is still with them. 20 But the time will come when he will be taken from them. Then they will go without eating.

21 No one patches old clothes by sewing on a piece of new cloth. The new piece would shrink and tear a bigger hole.

22 No one pours new wine into old wineskins. The wine would swell and burst the old skins.[f] Then the wine would be lost, and the skins would be ruined. New wine must be put into new wineskins.

Richard: Jesus brought the new word of truth. Yet it was very hard for the prepared Jewish people to receive this word. They would need a new perspective, like putting wine into new, not old, wineskins.

Psalm 38

I trust you, Lord God,
    and you will do something.
16     I said, “Don’t let them laugh
    or brag because I slip.”

17 I am about to collapse
    from constant pain.
18     I told you my sins,
    and I am sorry for them.
19 Many deadly and powerful
    enemies hate me,
20     and they repay evil for good
    because I try to do right.

21 You are the Lord God!
    Stay nearby
    and don’t desert me.
22 You are the one who saves me.
    Please hurry and help.

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
August 9, 1959

1 Corinthians 9: 14-27

There are many religions today. There are many religious sects today: Confucianism, Buddhism, Islam, etc. There are many tracks in the stadium. However, Heaven decides the specific track. It has been determined which event will be held on which track. It is an unfortunate reality that human beings are directed by a certain religious sect or denomination or some person. This is because human beings fell.

You must participate in God’s race one way or another. You will have to run in one event. Yet you belong to different nations. The races that God wants are not to be divided among nations. They are international. In other words, they are like the Olympic games. Into that stadium, all the representatives of each nation will come. They all enter the stadium and run. The same thing can be said of God’s providence of restoration. For this reason, Heaven has been working to find the winners of the marathon race on the world level. Religion may be compared to marathons, which occupy the most prestigious position among all the races.

Not all religions are good. Only when the tradition is properly set will a good religion emerge. Then there must arise common knowledge based upon that. If one lacks knowledge about that, no matter how much one may have prepared, there is no way he can become the winner. It cannot be taught. He will never win, because he does not have a clear sense of purpose.

Therefore, you should prepare your minds and bodies and develop knowledge, so that even if all of Heaven and earth were to be mobilized in opposition against you on the battle field, you would not surrender but overcome it. You should fight on with this kind of conviction. Only then can you participate in the group who will win in the final course.

Prayer

Our ancestors ran the race. Adam was responsible for one event in God’s race, but while he was running it, he collapsed because he upheld himself. Ham, who should have attended Noah with the heart of attending Heaven, failed. Because of this, Noah also fell down mid-course. Abraham should have revered both small and large with an equally sincerely heart and established their relative value, but because he could not accomplish it, he also was broken.

When we examine the course of Moses, we find that the Israelites and Moses both fell. Moses should not have shown anger before God was angry. The Israelites should not have despaired before Heaven despaired. Yet Moses struck the rock twice in rage before God showed any anger, and the Israelites lost their faith in God. For these reasons they all fell down in the wilderness.

When we examine Jesus’ time, what about the betrayal of the three disciples? Although they should have risked their lives and walked the course, they did not want to go. They disappeared out of fear for their lives. The miserable failure of the three disciples has become the tower of humanity’s grief.

We have learned today through the principle of restoration that the path the saints of the past walked is none other than the path we should walk. We know that what was begun in Adam’s family passed through many obstacles in history. Only in Jesus’ time, when Jesus said, “Father, do not as I will, but as Thou will,” did a winner emerge who fought at the risk of his life. Now we have come to understand that if we do not follow his example, we cannot run the race in the stadium.

Father, we have come to understand the content of the restoration. We have come to understand what our determination should be as we set out to engage ourselves in restoration and how fierce the battle is. Please protect us on these race tracks, that we will not fall as losers. We have pledged before Heaven and earth. Even if we are to face death, no matter what kind of difficulties and pain are to rush against us, even if all of humanity were to oppose us like a thunderstorm, and even if Heaven and earth were to change, please let our center remain unchanged and let us overcome all difficulties. Let us cast away the dark clouds and become victorious and glorious sons and daughters who can look up to the joyful grace of Heaven in a bright Heaven and earth.

Please have compassion on those of us who have gathered here today. Since we have already entered the race, even though some are running and some are unable to run, please govern them so that they will not escape from this fateful course they must run after repentance. Please guide us to welcome the tribulations and afflictions that come our way and to digest them so that we can establish conditions of pride and glory before the Father. Let us become worthy people who can use them as conditions of sacrifice.

We understand the great work which has been hidden deep inside the heart of the Father, who has desired to give awards for six thousand years. Based on this, Jesus said that he was the bridegroom and that we are the brides; that he is our true father and we are his true children, true family, true nation, and true world. However, today we do not have a family, a people or a country. We do not have anything adequately prepared. What hesitation and reluctance can we have before our parent, who is trying to restore everything? What hesitation and reluctance can we have before the heavenly family and the heavenly nation? We should pour out all of our determination and unswerving zeal to run the race without stopping and conquer the enemy camp. We should raise the flag of God’s victory and say, “Father, please be liberated from all Your grief.”

We have learned that to accomplish this we have to overcome any difficulty and win in the fight. Please protect us so that we will not fail as racers in our life. Please guide us not to lose the original ideal that the Father established and not to cause anguish to the Father’s heart.

Please allow us to become children of Heaven who can risk our lives each day and run the race bravely. Please do not let us lose the race. Praying that You will allow us to become final victors in God’s races and become precious sons and daughters who can glorify the Father before the entire universe and all things of creation, we prayed in the name of the Lord. Amen. 

Go Forward With this Determined Fighting Spirit

Cheong Seong Gyeong 179

The religious world sees human
beings as fallen. Of course, there are
religions with different backgrounds,
but they are all looking for a new person
of value through whom to receive sal-
vation. What does this mean? It means
that since they have not attained true
original personhood, the true original
human image, they are always seek-
ing it. This is the same whether it is a
thousand years ago, hundreds of thou-
sands of years ago, or in the present day.
Even in the future, people are bound to
seek it in any environment or age where
humanity exists.
You, also, are looking for that true
person. You are looking for a true man
and a true woman. All men and women
who have lived in history are bound to
stake their lives on this and think about
it. This is why, when you live in a certain
village, you want to be the best true per-
son in that village. (177-99, 1988.5.17)

Cheong Seong Gyeong 1066

No parents teach their own children
to do wrong. Nevertheless, it is possible
for a teacher to teach his students to do
wrong. If the teacher is in the position
of an enemy, he may teach them ruinous
things. There are two kinds of teachers
and two kinds of brothers. But there is
only one kind of parent. Even evil par-
ents teach their children to do good
things. (28-85, 1970.1.4)

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
August 9, 1959

1 Corinthians 9: 14-27

Many sages of the past and the Savior we believe in were sent by God to pioneer the world of that time and the world of the future. For this reason, if anyone were to come before Jesus and protest about the things that Jesus wanted to share about the future, Jesus would be grateful. If someone were to highlight the providence of the future and ignore the things of the present, saying, “God! Shouldn’t you do this quickly? Shouldn’t you do this rather than doing that?” God would not be able to strike him. In fact, he would commend him instead.

All that we have to do is to go forward with this determined fighting spirit. If God were then to recognize you, what kind of award would you receive? When you become a winner of some competition even in this world, the sponsor will give you an appropriate award. What will God give as an award to those who win the final victory in the six-thousand-year long race? Ladies and gentlemen, when you win an award in a competition, don’t you feel good? But isn’t that joy only temporary? After some time passes, another person will win in the same race and win an award, separate from your own competition. However, in God’s races, there will not be a second person who scores the goal at the final finish line. There will be no one before and no one after. If it comes to an end, it comes to an end for eternity.

The joy of receiving an award in the final race will last beyond just today. It will be eternal. You may in fact see better things unfolding before you, but you will never fall lower. What glory will Heaven give to those winners? God will give them the glory of being God’s sons and daughters. He will bestow upon them all the authority of Heaven and earth. If there is a palace in Heaven, He will allow them to live in it as Heaven’s royal family. He will give them eternal and unlimited awards.

If there are such victorious sons and daughters, God will mobilize all of Heaven, which He has prepared for six thousand years, and hold a welcoming celebration. This celebration will not come to an end in one day. It will continue for eternity. That world is the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. For this reason, you must become one of the racers, racing with this idea in mind.

You Should Endure Jesus’ and God’s Opposition

John 8

31 Jesus told the people who had faith in him, “If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

33 They answered, “We are Abraham’s children! We have never been anyone’s slaves. How can you say we will be set free?”

34 Jesus replied:

I tell you for certain that anyone who sins is a slave of sin! 35 And slaves don’t stay in the family forever, though the Son will always remain in the family. 36 If the Son gives you freedom, you are free! 37 I know that you are from Abraham’s family. Yet you want to kill me, because my message isn’t really in your hearts. 38 I am telling you what my Father has shown me, just as you are doing what your father has taught you.

Richard: Jesus here indicated that the people made a grave error by not accepting Jesus. He states, in fact, that their father is not God, but the devil.

Joel 3

From the heart of Jerusalem
the Lord roars like a lion,
    shaking the earth and sky.
But the Lord is a fortress,
a place of safety
    for his people Israel.

Inside God’s Stadium

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
August 9, 1959

1 Corinthians 9: 14-27

Although Jesus worked to fulfill the mission of the Messiah who was to win in this stadium and represent the four-thousand-year history, Christians did not fulfill their responsibility. They were to receive the Messiah’s baton of victory and glorify the two-thousand-year history from Jesus’ time until now. Although Christianity established its form after the death of Jesus, it failed to complete its victorious foundation in the realm of the heart and in other areas. The standard of victory has never emerged.

You should endure Jesus’ and God’s opposition and gain their recognition so that they can raise their hands and bless you. To do so, you should overcome any obstacle. Isn’t that true? If it is, what kind of providential representative does God want to raise up in His providence of restoration? God will want to find victorious sons and daughters to whom God and Satan will surrender. He will want to praise them before the satanic world and in Heaven. If that is what human beings desire, God’s desire must also be similar.

We the members of the Unification Church who are walking the path of truth today will face God’s test in the end. He will say, “Do not walk this path.” Even then, there must be someone among you who says, “I will go. I will die running the race.” If there is no such person, words of truth which surpass the Bible will not emerge. Words which surpass what Jesus left behind when he died will not emerge. Words of truth which surpass what God wanted to speak after the coming of Jesus will not appear.

When we are running this course, we should have the conviction, “Let there be a cross heavier than the one that Jesus bore; let there be suffering, sorrow and pain like God suffered during the six-thousand-year course of the providence. Let the 2.7 billion people of this world be mobilized and shoot arrows at me all at once. Let the humanity of the entire world be mobilized, since both God’s providence and Satan’s opposition are carried out through human beings. I will go to the end of hell and the highest place of the Kingdom of Heaven.” If, after opposing and affirming in your mind you decide that this is the right path, you should begin to run. Once you run, no one should be able to stop you. No matter what comes your way, you are to break through and go forward. Only then can you safely cross over the hill which has been blocked for six thousand years.

Members of the Unification Church, God is longing for brave people who can come and say, “Let us give it a try.” Only then can the will be accomplished. If there are sons and daughters of God who are knowledgeable, have firm determination and are determined to fight, God will not ignore them. What will Heaven do? If you bring hope for the future and say, “Father, isn’t this so? Isn’t this how Your heart is? Isn’t this how the Father’s hope of the past, the present, and hope of the future is? Since this should not be done at present, shouldn’t you ignore this and do this and that?” Then no matter who opposes you, God will say in recognition, “Yes, you are right.”

Present Actual Accomplishments to God

Cheon Seong Gyeong 2032

From July 3 to July 9, I gave my pic-
ture and a banner of the Unification
Church to 73,000 district leaders of vil-
lages and small sections of the city. Do all
of those exist or not? It has been fourteen
years since I announced the beginning
of Home Church. I am telling you to find
the 360 homes of heaven. If you could
not accomplish Home Church, then you
should return to your hometown. If there
are 360 houses, then presidents could be
living there, or the Secretary of Inter-
nal Affairs, or the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, or diplomats, scholars, teachers,
and even servants or slaves.
When you go to a village, there is
always more than meets the eyes. The
people of that village will say to your
parents, “Here is a nobleman from your
clan. He is a messiah who has saved us!”
When that happens, will your mother
and father, and the people of the village
watch in stunned silence, or will they
bow their heads and follow you? (237-305,
1992.11.17)

Richard: Home Church, or Tong Ban (neighborhood) work is an expression of our love for God and our neighbor. “Know your neighbor, love your neighbor, help your neighbor”. https://youtu.be/B25PvyNXboU

Cheong Seong Gyeong 1465

Why were we born, why should
we live, and where should we go? You
should not think that you were the cause
of your birth. People are born into this
world yet do not know the origin and
purpose of their birth; they are ignorant
of the motivation and purpose of their
existence.
Neither our birth nor our life nor
our death stems from our own inten-
tions. Then, what do we have to be
proud about? We have no control over
our birth, we are merely custodians in
this life, and we cannot avoid the path
of death. Thus, any attempt at self-praise
and holding self-indulgent pride is piti-
ful. Once born, we are destined to live,
and destined to die and pass away to the
next world. (7-178, 1959.9.6)

Inside God’s Stadium

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
August 9, 1959

1 Corinthians 9: 14-27

Ladies and gentlemen, let us examine the reality we face today. We the members of the Unification Church are running toward a certain goal which has been described to us. Life in the race is a battle, and in a battle we push and pull our bodies. The concept of faith that we have held up until now is pulling us forward. This is where the enemies are coming in. When this is over, God will break in. He will ask you, “Are you My children? Are you confident?” Wouldn’t this be true? If He were to ask you, “What victory did you bring?” you should be able to say, “I won in this and that field.” If God then asks you, “Is that true?” you should be able to present Him with some accomplishments. Teachers test their students before they entrust them with a responsibility.

We should understand that we are the brave soldiers and racers who are running throughout the course of our lives and who will remain until the end. We should understand that we are the elite troop of Heaven and make a determination as such. If someone strikes your body, you should be able to say, “Strike me if you like. Strike me with any ideology or thought. I welcome any persecution. I welcome it, even if the nation, world and Heaven join forces and strike me.” Even if God were to oppose you, you should be able to say, “Oppose me if You want.”

If someone wins the victory in spite of the opposition of the entire universe, he will become a child of God whom God will be proud of eternally. If there is someone about whom God can say, “I submit to you. I have never met anyone like you since the beginning of the course of the providence of restoration, when I began to search for people.” Everyone will surrender to that person. This is true for any fight, even a life and death struggle. I say this based upon my own experience.

If there is a racer who is running on the ultimate path of religion in the last days, a racer who is running with the hope of attaining the ultimate victory, he will have to make a determination. The founder of the religion he believes in is not the savior. He should understand that eventually he needs to fight the battle based on his own ability. Why? It is because the providence of restoration has not come to an end. As long as there still remains an event in God’s stadium which has not been concluded, the battle will continue on until all the races have come to an end and God has given His awards.

Pursue the Right Path at the Risk of Your Life

Watch the latest Richard Urban show with Caleb Johnson: Always Keep Your Promises Before God: https://youtu.be/8U3csFc2_dM.

“Know your neighbor, love your neighbor, help your neighbor”:
Jake Wood, founder of Team Rubicon: https://youtu.be/B25PvyNXboU

Acts 10

In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, who was the captain of a group of soldiers called “The Italian Unit.” 2 Cornelius was a very religious man. He worshiped God, and so did everyone else who lived in his house. He had given a lot of money to the poor and was always praying to God.

3 One afternoon at about three o’clock,[a] Cornelius had a vision. He saw an angel from God coming to him and calling him by name. 4 Cornelius was surprised and stared at the angel. Then he asked, “What is this all about?”

The angel answered, “God has heard your prayers and knows about your gifts to the poor. 5 Now send some men to Joppa for a man named Simon Peter. 6 He is visiting with Simon the leather maker, who lives in a house near the sea.” 7 After saying this, the angel left.

Cornelius called in two of his servants and one of his soldiers who worshiped God. 8 He explained everything to them and sent them off to Joppa.

9 The next day about noon these men were coming near Joppa. Peter went up on the roof[b] of the house to pray 10 and became very hungry. While the food was being prepared, he fell sound asleep and had a vision. 11 He saw heaven open, and something came down like a huge sheet held up by its four corners. 12 In it were all kinds of animals, snakes, and birds. 13 A voice said to him, “Peter, get up! Kill these and eat them.”

14 But Peter said, “Lord, I can’t do that! I’ve never eaten anything that is unclean and not fit to eat.”[c]

15 The voice spoke to him again, “When God says that something can be used for food, don’t say it isn’t fit to eat.”

16 This happened three times before the sheet was suddenly taken back to heaven.

17 Peter was still wondering what all of this meant, when the men sent by Cornelius came and stood at the gate. They had found their way to Simon’s house 18 and were asking if Simon Peter was staying there.

19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three[d] men are here looking for you. 20 Hurry down and go with them. Don’t worry, I sent them.”

21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I am the one you are looking for. Why have you come?”

22 They answered, “Captain Cornelius sent us. He is a good man who worships God and is liked by the Jewish people. One of God’s holy angels told Cornelius to send for you, so he could hear what you have to say.” 23 Peter invited them to spend the night.

The next morning, Peter and some of the Lord’s followers in Joppa left with the men who had come from Cornelius. 24 The next day they arrived in Caesarea where Cornelius was waiting for them. He had also invited his relatives and close friends.

25 When Peter arrived, Cornelius greeted him. Then he knelt at Peter’s feet and started worshiping him. 26 But Peter took hold of him and said, “Stand up! I am nothing more than a human.”

27 As Peter entered the house, he was still talking with Cornelius. Many people were there, 28 and Peter said to them, “You know that we Jews are not allowed to have anything to do with other people. But God has shown me that he doesn’t think anyone is unclean or unfit. 29 I agreed to come here, but I want to know why you sent for me.”

30 Cornelius answered:

Four days ago at about three o’clock in the afternoon I was praying at home. Suddenly a man in bright clothes stood in front of me. 31 He said, “Cornelius, God has heard your prayers, and he knows about your gifts to the poor. 32 Now send to Joppa for Simon Peter. He is visiting in the home of Simon the leather maker, who lives near the sea.”

33 I sent for you right away, and you have been good enough to come. All of us are here in the presence of the Lord God, so that we can hear what he has to say.

34 Peter then said:

Now I am certain that God treats all people alike. 35 God is pleased with everyone who worships him and does right, no matter what nation they come from. 36 This is the same message that God gave to the people of Israel, when he sent Jesus Christ, the Lord of all, to offer peace to them.

Zechariah 12

6 At that time I will let the clans of Judah be like a ball of fire in a wood pile or a fiery torch in a hay stack. Then Judah will send the surrounding nations up in smoke. And once again the city of Jerusalem will be filled with people.

7 But I will first give victory to Judah, so the kingdom of David and the city of Jerusalem in all of their glory won’t be thought of more highly than Judah itself. 8 I, the Lord God, will protect Jerusalem. Even the weakest person there will be as strong as David, and David’s kingdom will rule as though my very own angel were its leader. 9 I am determined to wipe out every nation that attacks Jerusalem.

Inside God’s Stadium

Rev. Sun Myung Moon
August 9, 1959

1 Corinthians 9: 14-27

You may believe that Jesus resides in the Kingdom of Heaven, but he actually resides in Paradise. Jesus said that he was going to Paradise. Paradise is the waiting room before one enters the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is returning to go past the gates of Paradise and open up the gates to the Kingdom of Heaven. Since he could not complete this work on the earth, he will run the race again and score the goal at the finish line.

Therefore, the race we are running is the final course. It has the name of faith. It may be compared to a marathon. It is the most glorious of all races. Religion is the event that deserves the throne of the king of all races. How must we who have entered this race run? It is not enough to run the race relying on our determination alone. You have to understand that there are many battles which have piled up here. The world is pulling our bodies. Isn’t this so? In our religious life, we sense that the world is pulling our bodies, while the teachings are pulling our minds. Where is the goal? It is not clear. On the path that we walk, many enemies are shooting arrows at us from all kinds of hidden places. Moreover, Jesus and God in whom we believe will not recognize you in the Last Days. This will take place one day.

As brave soldiers, what determination should we make? The moment we decide that the goal of the path we are racing on is the right one, we should make the determination to pursue it at the risk of our lives. Only then can we win the course. If we are to fail, we should be determined to fail most tragically. If we are to die, we should be determined to die most miserably. If we are to suffer, we should be determined to suffer most severely. We should be determined to suffer more than God has suffered.