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Ireland UBF
January 30. 2014

Romans 12:1-2a – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

I started this year with Romans 12:1-2a as key verses. Instead of being influenced by the world, I tried to keep my heart and thought through the word of God and serve God. To achieve this, I started each day with Daily Bread and prayer. When I was busy, it meant doing a quick reading of the Daily Bread book. Nevertheless I could focus my heart and thought on God through these small but constant daily struggles.

The year 2013 was a very special year. First of all, David, my one to one Bible student, attended the International Summer Bible Conference in the USA, which was held in early August. Since 2004 Bible school, he studied the Bible for two and a half years and attended Sunday service occasionally. He also attended the European Summer Bible Conference in 2005. When he went to New York in 2007, I maintained a friendship through emails for six years. When I invited him to the conference in April, he said he could go. I thanked God for keeping his heart’s spiritual desire for such a long period. I earnestly prayed for him to meet Jesus through the conference. He deepened his understanding of Jesus and God through Bible studies and messages. After the conference, I started John’s gospel study with him through Skype. May God bless this Bible study and help him to accept Jesus as his personal Saviour. I pray that he may establish a house church in God’s time.

Secondly, the company I worked for the last two years was closed but God opened another door. When I went to work after the conference, my colleagues gathered around and were talking seriously about something. It was found that the company would be closed in a month’s time. Although Ireland was getting a bailout from IMF, I was not expecting the company to be closed down so soon. I felt as if I had been struck on the head by a hammer. M. Anna and I started praying that God may open another door. Before long, God opened a door better than before. Thank God for opening a new and better door for me.

Last year, I studied Numbers and Deuteronomy with S. Paul Rhee in Kwanak from the first chapter to the last chapter through Skype. Through the study, I could learn about the God revealed in those two books. When I was studying Deuteronomy, I felt like I was watching a TV drama. Thank God for the opportunity for the studies with him.

M. Anna became stronger last year. She studied the Bible with Joanne and had a small service on Sundays. She could also make more progress in English while doing translation and interpretation. I pray that she may restore herself spiritually through the word of God and prayer.

Although I started each day through Daily Bread last year, I was lacking in prayer as a Christian. Therefore I want to make progress in prayer. Above all, I want to make progress in praying without ceasing. So I am holding on to Colossians 4:2 as my key verse for the New Year: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Through constant prayer this year, I pray that I may discern and follow God’s will and see God’s kingdom expand in Ireland. I pray that I may receive answers to many small prayers and come to know God more.

Our prayer topics are:
1. Joshua study
2. Constant daily one hour prayer
3. Four one-to-one Bible studies
4. Networking with local Christian leaders

John Park