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Settling to Stirring

Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, "What are you seeking?" So he said, "I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks." (Genesis 37:15-16)

1. The famous one keeps us, but the nameless one helps us to go beyond
Joseph went to Shechem as he was told by his father to bring news of his brothers. Like him, if we listen to our father or our leaders, we can go up to our past where we have been and where others are. However, if we listen to the nameless man, not only we can go beyond our past and present; but also our past, present and future may be ruined. Therefore we are looking for the famous one who may keep my present position and even may open my brighter future. But often the famous ones are using us to keep their present fame and frame, position and possession, also trying to get rid of us if we are becoming famous.

2. Dothan is a place of transforming and transferring
Anyway, when we get to Dothan as we are told by the nameless one, we are disappointed, rejected, horribly betrayed, everything we have taken away, even losing our freedom and becoming a slave and taken to Egypt, where we never imagined we would be.

3. We must not stop or settle down where our fathers stop
If I had the choice, I would never want to go to Egypt and abandon my comfortable place and position of being favoured son. Terah, the father of Abram had to take his son towards Canaan but they settled down in Haran for ten years, then Abram moved to Canaan after his father passed away. So always our fathers or leaders help our first step whether they come with us or instruct us, but we must not stop or settle down there because that is just our first step of faith. When I try to settle down in my first step, often God stirs me up or disturbs my life, using those who are close to me, and sends me away.

4. Go beyond by being ruined
Shechem is the place where the limit of my father's words are exposed. Whereas Dothan is the place where the nameless man's words are being fulfilled, my expectations and my life are being ruined, and in the end the deepest cry of me breaks out from the dry pit - and the purpose of God is being released.

Many people can go to Shechem according to their father's or leader's words, but they cannot go beyond Shechem, and instead return to Hebron where their father or leader lives. Because if we have our own plan and we know our way back to Hebron, we ignore the nameless and wouldn't listen to the nameless. We should know that the things that we are seeking for will ruin our lives, when we find them, yet the nameless one always helps us to go beyond, by being ruined.

David left from his house because of his father's word to bring news of his brothers. Instead he ended up by killing Goliath and becoming the king's son-in-law and moved on to the palace from the field. If king Saul hadn't upset things by trying to kill him, David would have lived happily in the palace as the king's son-in-law. But David was disturbed by king Saul's threat on his life, so he left not only the palace but also the position of son-in-law. After that he recognised and redefined his true identity and his true destiny in the wilderness as the man who has been anointed as king.

 Many people have been bound by their fathers' words and they go and return between Hebron and Shechem, living safely and happily in the guinea-pig's wheel. We need to fail with father's word and to be found by the nameless. Also I need to be ready to be ruined and to cry out to God from the dry pit after losing everything. Then the purpose of God would be fulfilled not in Canaan but in Egypt.

5. The Holy Spirit is the only nameless one who can help us to go beyond
We are so busy seeking and searching for the famous, but it was the nameless man who helped Joseph to go beyond. The Holy Spirit, who is nameless, is the only one who can help us to go beyond our religious rut, financial cut, geographical hut and compassionate heart, so that we may run this race toward our eternal destiny. That's why he disturbs us and disrupts us, even destroys us, so that we may stop or wander in the wilderness to be found by the nameless.

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12)

"The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him." (1 John 2:27)

[ News Update & Prayer ]

1. Seungae has been disturbed
Seungae received her spouse visa refusal letter, dated 13^th February and she was told to leave within 14 days or appeal. As I wrote last time, December 4^th-6^th we fasted for 3 days like Esther did in the Bible and she sent her spouse visa application without her financial requirement documentation because she had not enough money to show that amount. (about £60,000) After she had the refusal letter, sadly she was planning to go back to Korea.

One day I met a nameless man who told me to go beyond, which I understood that to mean that she should appeal. During the night I couldn't sleep and God started speaking to me about this nameless man from the Scripture and I texted her, The next day she told me that her husband, Owen, heard clearly from the Lord about appealing. So now she has appealed through a solicitor and we are waiting for God although we don't know the result yet, but I have faith that God is in this journey.

2. I have been disturbed
One day I received a text from my older brother, saying that no money has been coming into my Korean bank account since last November 12^th. I was a bit worried about it and we have been struggling to manage our budget, but our Father is so faithful so far. I believe that he wants us to trust more of him than before, and us to move on to the next phase of our venture of faith.

How can I move on to the next phase? By Faith! Trusting in Him! Listening to Him! Step out!

3. The world has been disturbed
ISIS has been disturbing not only in the Middle East but also the whole world. But their attempt to set up a caliphate is doomed to fail because the Kingdom of God is advancing forcefully in the mist of this disruption.

The EU(European Union) has been disturbed by British Government's referendum on whether Britain should remain in the EU; the US(United States) has been disturbed by the presidential nomination race; South America has been disturbed by the Zakia virus; North Korea and Iran have been disturbing by developing Nuclear bombs; Russia has been disturbing with expanding military power, and China has created seven new islands as military bases in the Southern China Sea, etc..

This world disruption brings destruction and death and the disturbance of the Kingdom of God brings death too, but we will get the eternal life in Christ. Also this disturbance pushes us to go beyond this world and prepares us as the Bride of Christ.

 [ Our Stroy : Moving On ]

1. Jisook is moving on to Israel
She has been with us for nearly two years and she is practically preparing to move on to Israel before long. This February 14^th, she is travelling to Israel, I and TK, also WS & YH are travelling to Israel on 19^th and 20^th February. She needs to find the right people to meet, right place to stay and to study. Please pray for her and all of us to go beyond ourselves according to His plan and purposes.

2. Yohan moved on from nursery to the reception class from 9am - 3pm
Our younger son Yohan had his 4^th birthday celebration on 28^th January but he already started his full-time class on 5^th January. Some days he still doesn't want to go to school, but he is growing and listening to me although he is a bit stubborn. He has moved on.

3. Noah & Qday are travelling to Korea
We are leaving for Korea on 2^nd March and returning on 31^st March. This is a kind of exciting adventure for him and me. I really appreciate my dear friend who inspired and encouraged me to think and to start this journey. Noah will stay with a lovely Korean Christian family who has two daughters for three weeks near Seoul, so that he can absorb more Korea-ness, improve his Korean language, and eat more Korean food, etc..

4. The Forge Korea gathering : 7^th - 12^th March
Joosun who had been with us in Wales for three years, returned to Korea last October. While she has been praying and preparing to return to Wales, she sensed that God wanted her to initiate the Forge Korea gathering. So she shared with me on 30^th November about it with uncertainty, but I and Jisook were already talking similar thing the previous evening on 29^th November including a subject about North Korea. God confirmed this on both sides. Now it is happening on 7^th - 12^th March in Buchun near Seoul. We don't know the whole picture yet, but I am so encouraged that Joosun is moving on to the next phase of this venture.

5. Three people got baptised in the waterfall
Yeji, 20 years old girl, had been with us for five months and yesterday on 4^th February she returned to Korea. When she arrived in Wales, she was like a flower that closed up its petals. However, on the day of her baptism, she was like a flower has been blooming with smile. One day I asked her what she really wanted to do before she returned back to Korea. She told me she wanted to get baptised. She had already talked to her parents about it. The water was icy cold and many friends came to the water fall. She is now confident in listening to God and in walking with Jesus. On that day an African sister and another Korean brother were baptised too.

Shalom Love!

Qday LEE
on behalf of the Forge family

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