Praise the Lord, Praise God in His sanctuary. Praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power. Praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet. Praise Him with the harp and lyre. Praise Him with the clash of cymbals. Praise Him with resounding cymbals.
Beloved Sisters! Welcome! It’s so good to have you here!>> I sincerely—from the bottom of my heart—welcome you!
I know that you have all waited for so long, eager to come here and with great expectation. >> Well, it wasn’t just you! >> I have also waited eagerly for this moment when we can all see each other—face to face.
My sisters! Women leaders from over 82 countries—all the way from Arica, the Middle East, Central Asia and even Bolivia! Again, welcome from the bottom of my heart!>>As I look out at all of you, representatives of from the ends of the earth, it seems that the words found in Isaiah 60:1-5 have been realized!>>
“Arise! Shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you!”
And so, just like those prophetic words, women leaders from over 82 countries,>>
Let us arise, let us lift high the torch of the Holy Spirit,>>
Let us shine this light to all the nations and to all His people,>>
And may the glory of God come upon you!
This torch of the Holy Spirit that you ladies bring from your nations comes as a shining light into the darkness.>>
Let us lift this torch of the Holy Spirit and shine the light of truth—the gospel message—so that the powers of darkness will tremble and fall!
Today, the powers of darkness plot together and are trying to lead this generation astray by using idolatry, evil powers, deceit and lies, bribery. These are used to cause division, suffering and conflict. Violence and terror, threaten God’s children.>> The rulers of this world govern as if the earth is theirs.
But, this day, I proclaim that the master of this earth is our the Lord our God.>>
These evil powers are minor temporary disturbances. Our Lord is the Creator of this universe, the Eternal Ruler and Master of this earth.
I have meditated on the words of Isaiah 60 and I have waited for the moment when it would be realized. The passage continues:
4) Lift up your eyes and look about you! All assemble and come to you! Your sons from afar and your daughters are carried on their arm.
5) Then you will look and be radiant. Your heart will throb and swell with joy. The wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.
Today, you have come from 82 nations—Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, Russia—you who have beautifully diverse faces filled with joy!>>As you have prepared yourselves for this conference with prayer, the Holy Spirit has arrived here at the Torch Mission Center ready with diverse languages and dialects.>>
I hope this place will be filled with the Holy Spirit just like the Day of the Pentecost as found in Acts 2.>>I pray that as we gather to worship and pray, the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit would heal our wounded hearts and our frail bodies.>>Then we will be radiant as our hearts are filled with joy!
Verse 5 of Isaiah declares, “The wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the ruches of the nations will come.”>>
I pray that this conference will be the beginning of God’s abundant blessings!
I want the gospel of Christ to fill your homes and touch your families. I earnestly hope that the gospel and grace of Christ would cover your nations just as the waters over the seas.>> Isaiah 60:5 states, “The wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.”>> Our God will work this way in your homes and in your nations.>>
Throughout history, God’s blessing has been poured out upon nations where the gospel has been spread.>> 120 years ago, before the Gospel came to Korea, our nation was also a country filled with idolatry, poverty and illness. However, missionaries came, willingly giving up their lives and we accepted the gospel.>>
God was pleased with the His martyrs and their sacrifice. He received their blood and blessed the church in Korea.>>
Since then, our nation has prospered economically despite the hardship of the Korean War. The Korean Church has continued to grow.>>We are blessed to have sent 20 000 missionaries—we are the largest missionary sending nation second only to the United States.>>
Today, we are blessed to host WOGA 2007.
This same divine blessing will be poured out upon your nations!
My dear sisters! Welcome again from the bottom of my heart!
Before we continue with our Opening Ceremony, we must acknowledge two dear sisters.
Emily Voorhies, the Executive Director of WOGA, is here with us today. >>Second, Helen Loong, who prayed for us just before we began.>>I thank her because this conference was conceived three years ago when we met at the Lausanne Conference in Thailand.
As we prepared for your arrival, I had the privilege of reading your stories—your testimonies.>>As I read them, I could see how God was using WOGA women throughout the world to reveal His miracles and do His miraculous work. Many regions now have successful WOGA meetings. The barren, wastelands of Senegal saw the beauty of a blooming rose. And so, my heart was encouraged and eager to finally meet all of you!
I hope that this conference will challenge you to see exactly what God can do through women. Though this world might see us as weak, Our Lord Jesus declared that, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses un Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 8) >>
The ends of this earth means today’s 6000 unreached people groups.>>
When GCOWE was held here at the Torch Mission Center in 1995, there were 12 000 unreached people groups.>>Now, as churches and mission organizations cooperate, in the past 10 years we have seen that number drop by half.>>
Through WOGA 2007, it is my hope that you women leaders will be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.>>WOGA women leaders will play a vital role in taking the gospel to the rest of these 6000 unreached people groups.
Matthew 9:37-38 states, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.”
The verse that precedes this says that, “When Jesus saw the crowds, He had compassion on them.”>>He had compassion on the people because they were harassed and helpless—like sheep without a shepherd, like children without parents.>> Those who do not know Christ have no one to take care of their spiritual needs. 6000 people groups have no shepherd.
In this generation, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.>>Like the wicked generation of Noah, we are too busy—preoccupied with eating, drinking and worldly pleasures.>>
Jesus is looking for harvesters and He is looking for WOGA women.>> We needs to speed up to evangelize to these 6000 unreached people groups so that the gospel of Christ will reach the ends of the earth!!>>We hope that we will see this mission accomplished by this generation.>>
We are all workers called by God in these last days.>> We have been praying that God will raise up harvesters.>>We have been praying that God would handpick His workers.>>You who are here today, are handpicked by God to be His harvest workers.>>
Finally, I would like to thank our international speakers, including Emily Voorhies, Juliet Thomas, Judy Douglass, Dorothy Selebano and Mercedes Dalton.>> I would also like to extend my thanks to our Thursday Rally speakers, Reverends Joon Gon Kim, Yong Kyu Lee, Sang Bok Kim, Yong Jo Ha and Alice Smith,
I also welcome and thank the leaders of the Korean church. Thank you for your prayers and your continual support.>>Because of you we have this great opportunity to host WOGA2007.
Today opens our five day conference of power, transformation, unity and vision and everyday promises to be filled with celebration, joy and grace.
Isaiah 55 opens with the words, “Come, all who are thirsty, come to the waters, and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does no satisfy? Listen, listen to me and eat what is good and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.”>>
Sisters, just as these words proclaim, come and be filled in this place, without cost! Amen~!>>
Finally, I will close with this blessing form Isaiah 62:>>
“No longer will they call your deserted, Or name your land Desolate, But you will be called Hephzibah and your land Beula, For the Lord will take delight in You and your land will be married.” Amen~!>>
THANK YOU~!
