Newsletters

Answers to Questions

(The Forge Newsletter_March_2025)

The people among them became greedy, so the Israelites wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we ate freely in Egypt. Now our strength is weakened, and we have nothing before us except this manna.” (Numbers 11:4-6)

1. If there is no question, there is no answer
We live our lives seeking answers, but the problem is that we have no questions. We don't have time to ask questions because we are so busy living within an already established framework. In some societies, if you ask questions, you will be rejected, so even if you have questions, you have to live in silence. It is possible to live a life without questions, and without worries, if we just stay on the treadmill, but we will not grow. Questions give us opportunities to explore, broaden the horizons of our lives, deepen us, and enrich our lives.

2. The Israelites chose food over freedom
When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they had food and drink. However, when they ran out of drinking water three days later, they began to complain, and a month later, when they ran out of food, they tried to return to Egypt, the land of slavery. Because when they were slaves, they had no freedom, but they always had food and drink. In other words, they say they ate for free, but in reality, they paid a huge price as slaves.

3. Questions are answered
When there is a good harvest, we look at the ground, but when there is a famine, we look at the sky. When God provided the Israelites with food directly from heaven, they asked, “What is this?” Because it did not come from the earth, but came down from heaven and had never been seen before. So the question they asked became the name: “manna” (meaning ‘what is it?’ in Hebrew.) In other words, the question became its own answer.

4. When we get caught up in everyday life, we lose interest and gratitude
But when they had been eating the manna continuously for a year, they asked, “What is this!” Not to find a genuine answer, but to express disgust. And they complained that what used to be sweet as honey is now boring and disgusting. In other words, although they still called it “manna”, they got caught up in their daily lives and lost their curiosity. If we lose gratitude and grace toward God for giving us manna, complaints and criticism will pour out about the manna He gave us from heaven.

5. The answer asks the question and the question gives the answer
Isaac, who was climbing Mount Moriah carrying wood for burnt offerings, asked his father Abraham a question. “There is fire and wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Isaac, who asked that question, did not know that he was the answer. Even though the answer is within me, it is possible to live like a machine without asking questions, or to look for the answer in the wrong place.

6. Only humble people ask humble questions
Arrogant people have no questions because they think they already have the answers. Having questions while living on this earth is an expression of humility that I do not know everything, and whether the answers are within me or in heaven, given now or later, they will always be given, because Jesus is the beginning and the end. If you start with a question, it ends with an answer. However, if there are no questions, there are no answers and one ends up either wandering aimlessly or being trapped in a prison-like structure.

[ Iran : Shadow of Persian Empire ]

I had a big question for a long time: why does Iran hate Israel, and try to destroy Israel? Then, about 12 years ago, God told me to go to Iran to bless and to pray. And I went three times. Again last year, God told me to go to Iran to bless and to pray, and he said that people were waiting for me. So my trip to Iran started from my question.

1. Israel and Iran are two sides of the same coin
Historically, Iran and Israel have a deep relationship and are deeply spiritually intertwined. After the southern kingdom of Judah fell to Babylon, many people were taken captives to Babylon. Among them were people such as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Nehemiah, Ezra, Zerubbabel, Esther, and Mordecai. Their prayers and devoted lives had a great influence on the kingdoms of Babylon, Mede, and Persia. And some of their prayers, which have not yet been fulfilled, are waiting for someone to come and pick them up like batons in the race. When Israel and Iran become one and pursue the kingdom of God, something amazing will happen, so the spirit of darkness is trying hard to stop them.

2. Bless and pray for Iran
Jesus told us to love our enemies, but we are used to hating and cursing our enemies instead of loving them. On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel. From that day I started fasting and praying for one meal a day and I received a prompting to pray specifically for Iran at the end of last year. (This is a song written after the Hamas attack on October 7. Where were you?) And in January of this year, God told me to go to Iran and bless and pray for the land and the people. Also He told me that there were people waiting for me in that land. Since the end of last year, my family including my two sons have been praying for our finances every night due to financial difficulties, and God gave us three signs through finances to confirm that it was right to go to Iran.

3. Miracles given in Birmingham
I decided to use Birmingham Airport, which I had never used before, so I stayed for a night at the home of a Korean missionary friend who lives there. He has an Iranian brother whom he regards as a son, and invited him to meet me that evening. That Iranian brother called his brother in Iran and introduced me. The brother picked me up at the airport in Tehran at 3am as I arrived, and then gave me a lift in the early morning of the day I left Iran. I was able to enjoy precious rest at his mother’s house and serve her family in prayers.

4. Blessing from an Egyptian couple
The day I left for Birmingham, I met an Egyptian couple who served with the “Jesus Film Project.” Through them, I received 10 SD cards containing Jesus movies and a box to transmit the movies and took them with me. When taxi drivers or people I met at museums took an interest in me and asked me where I came from and how I got there, I told them the truth that I came to bless and pray for Iran. Then, if they were interested, I would give them an SD card containing the Jesus movie. Of course, there were a few who declined, but I gave eight SD cards to those who were interested, and gave three people a link to watch and download the Jesus movie. (If you download the app from this link, you can watch 300 movies with Christian messages for free. https://app.jesusfilm.org/)

5. Blessing and praying for Iran and Israel in five cities
God brought five cities to my mind and told me to go there to bless and pray. First, I stayed in Tehran and visited Seoul Park. There were difficulties on the way because I don’t speak the Persian language, but God sent an angel to help me and I blessed her and my taxi driver with the Jesus film. At the Seoul Park in Tehran, I blessed Korea and Iran, especially I prayed for the political difficulties to be resolved. Then I took a long-distance bus that took 8 hours to go to a city in southeastern Iran. After unpacking my backpack at the hotel and going out to the street to have dinner, I met six college students who came to the city for a practical part of their studies. I sat with them and shared my life story. The next day, I went to the synagogue in time for early morning prayers, but the door was closed. After breakfast, I went to the synagogue again, asked the neighbours, and met a Jew who had the key to the synagogue. I went into the synagogue, prayed, praised, and blessed Israel and Iran. Then, I went to the bus terminal to travel to the next city, where I met the 6 college students whom I met the previous day and their friends. We were so amazed to see each other again and we chatted for 5 hours on the same bus. They gave me a packed lunch and became good friends, and two of them took the time to show me around the city for two days.*(If you click here, you can see a video that I was singing to proclaim His Kingdom along with the people singing in the city. https://youtu.be/sUVGXcn1s5M)

6. Meeting the Iranian family after 11 years
I took a night bus to travel to the third city, but it snowed heavily so the bus was very slow like a tortoise, also the engine had problem. As the result of that, my 9-hour overnight bus trip took 13 hours. I got off the bus, took a taxi, and went to the house of an elderly Iranian gentleman who, 11 years ago, met our team in the street, invited us to stay at his family home and adopted us as family. I got out of the taxi, recognising the park in front of the house, and knocked on the door. However, the person who opened it was a complete stranger. I told him the grandfather's surname, but he didn't recognise it. I had no address, no phone number, only confidence and eagerness to meet them. I was perplexed for a moment, but I came to my senses, and started walking again. I approached a man repairing a car at a garage and asked him if he knew the grandfather or his grandson, who’s name is Darius. Then he asked me whether he was dead. I said yes because I knew that the grandfather had passed away several years ago. He stopped working, we got in his car and set off somewhere. I thought I was finally going to Darius' house. However, the place we arrived was the historical palace site of Darius the Great! He had assumed that I was looking for king Darius’ palace as a tourist. When I told him that wasn’t the place I was looking for we went back to his garage and started searching for any contacts with the same last name as the grandfather on his cell phone. In the end he was able to contact Darius' cousin and I had a dramatic reunion with Darius and his father.

7. Relationship deepens regardless different religions
I went to Darius' house, met his wife and two children, and began to catch up. His younger sister also came and we shared a video call with some Korean friends from the team who had visited 11 years ago. The sister was very moved and was weeping. Darius, his father, and his sister treated me warmly like my own family, and the children called me “uncle”. The next day, I visited the grandfather's grave, and when I saw the grandfather's warm face engraved on the headstone, tears welled up. Darius came up to me while I was crying and we cried together. When we first visited, 11 years ago, he warmly invited us for food to his house, and asked us to stay for the night. We had lovely fellowship. This time it was Darius’ sister who invited us to dinner. There were several children and about a dozen adults. One of them asked what kind of faith I had before believing in Jesus. Until I was 20 years old, I was a nominal Christian and I didn’t believe in Jesus. But when I was on the verge of death due to illness, I started reading the Bible and I was cured of my illness while reading the whole Bible twice and met Jesus. I never imagined I would be able to have that kind of sharing with that family, but God gave us grace. I did what I had to do and God will do what He will do.

8. Blessing Israel and Iran at the tombs of Esther and Mordecai
After staying there for two nights, I took a bus again for eight hours to travel to the next city where the tombs of Esther and Mordecai are located. I arrived safely and the next day early morning I went to visit the tombs. I knocked on the door and a familiar Jewish man whom I met 11 years ago appeared. I went inside the building, praised, prayed, and blessed Israel and Iran.

However, I felt that I had not finished what I needed to do in the first city I had travelled to, as I had wanted to visit the Synagogue there and reconnect with a Jewish lady called Esther I had met 11 years ago. So, after spending the day visiting the tombs, I took a bullet taxi and went back to the city where the Jewish lady Esther lives. And when I looked at the Google map that my friend sent me with the link of the synagogue, I found that the synagogue was very close to the hotel where I first stayed. The next day, I met Esther at the synagogue and gave her the keyring I had made and a donation I had been given by a British friend. Esther said she had been through a very difficult time after her mother passed away three years ago, and my visit was a great comfort to her. 11 years ago, when we visited, Esther said she wanted to have child and we prayed together. Now she has a daughter who is 8 years old.

9. God guided us delicately and beautifully, as if measured by a ruler
Just as an acquaintance prayed for me, God guided my journey so accurately and beautifully from the beginning to the end, as if he were truly measuring it with a ruler. As God had told me, there were people waiting to meet me. I met my Iranian family and met several new friends. Although I was physically tired from the intense journey, I enjoyed God's grace and I came to cherish Iran and Israel together in my heart.

[Prayer & Intercession]

1. The map of the Middle East is changing
In 2014, Russia, annexed the Crimean peninsula. Then in 2022 Russia invaded eastern Ukraine. Changes began to occur in the global landscape, and this worsened as Hamas attacked Israel in 2023. In the midst of all this, Hezbollah was dismantled by Israel, and the Assad regime in Syria was toppled by rebels within a week. As a result, Iran lost its two footholds in the Middle East, where it had invested a great deal of effort.

2. Trump’s re-emergence is bringing about greater change
From the first day of his term, Trump has been strengthening immigration laws and bombarding trade tariffs through executive orders, and a tariff war is breaking out as Mexico, China, and Canada are also fighting back. Is he, who claims to put America first but shows great favour to Israel, really the same person as King Cyrus whom God sent to fulfil His will in this era? Because Trump is a businessman, his words and actions are very different from those of ordinary politicians. Therefore, we must listen carefully to what he says, but you must also read the intention behind it carefully. I pray that he and other leaders must be afraid of God. Because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

3. The declaration of martial law and the future of South Korea
South Korea is walking on a thin ice. Politically, the right and left are so sharply divided that they do not recognize each other at all, and economically, the emergence of Trump is raising a red flag about the trade surplus. However, if we overcome this crisis well, it can be an opportunity. The use of martial law for the president is lawful, although the timing and the way of the President's declaration of martial law were unwise. However, I believe that the opposition parties have distorted and manipulated the situation, claiming it was a civil war and pushing for impeachment, with false propaganda. I pray that lies and mistakes will be exposed and God's justice will flow like a mighty river through the Korean peninsula.

4. Young people in Wales are coming to Jesus
Our small church in Burry Port used to have very few children, although we had prayed many years for the young generation. Then one teacher at the local high school felt called by the Lord to start up a Christian Union meeting at lunch time. We were also invited to do 1 week of presentations in the school through the RE department. Many young people were very interested and engaged in the lunchtime discussions, so this lady asked our church to host an outreach week in the summer holidays, where we could preach the gospel much more fully than at school.

A small evangelism team of youth came from London to help. About 15 young people attended and loved it. 3 of those started coming to church each week and we began some youth activities on Sundays and a monthly youth club. August 2024 we hosted a second outreach week. Over 20 youth came, loved it, and now around 8 or 9 are coming to church each Sunday. We held a Youth Alpha course for 12 young people to help them understand what it really means to be a Christian.

5 of them were baptised 3 weeks ago and another baptism is planned for April. We now have 3 Youth Alpha courses running: Sunday evening, Wednesday lunchtime and Thursday after school, and some of our older youth are now the leaders. It is hard work for a small church to run it all, but we are all so thrilled to see more and more young people being reached for Jesus, and growing in faith. Almost all are from families that are not involved in any church, but their hearts are open to God and he is reaching them! Pray that whole families will be saved and that this move of God will grow from strength to strength. (written by Bridget)

[Family News]

1. Owen and Seungae’s visit to Korea
Owen and Seungae returned to Wales on February 16th after a six-month journey through Korea, Hong Kong, and Japan. They travelled to Hongkong with Seungae's parents for 3 nights 4 days’ family trip and blessed the land and people of Hongkong to be aligned with God's kingdom's purpose. They had two attempts at IVF whilst in South Korea however they were unsuccessful, they confess that Jesus is the author and finisher of faith. From 17th to 20th of Jan, 8 people who previously visited the forge wales gathered and spent time together in a mini forge in South Korea for 3 nights and 4 days. They were searching the promised land in their life and prayed for South Korea as the promised land that God has formed and is ruling even now. From 10th to 14th of feb, Owen and Seungae attended the Celebration for the nations in Osaka, Japan. It was the time to declare the land of Japan as the promised land with milk and honey flowing. Thank you for prayer for their journey.

2. Noah turned 18 years old and Yohan became a 13 year old
Last December, Noah went to the Korean Embassy in London and submitted documents to maintain Korean nationality. That means Noah will have to join the Korean military service oneday. Noah is currently in his second year of college (Korean high school senior year) and it will end at the end of June. So, he plans to go to Korea at the end of August and stay in Korea for about a year to improve his Korean language and familiarize himself with Korean culture. Yohan continues to be home educated (and spend too much time on the computer!) Still, I am so grateful that my family gathers together every evening and spends a short time reading the Word and praying together for financial breakthrough. *(God has answered the financial breakthrough exactly what we had prayed for a couple of days ago through the unexpected way. Praise the Lord!)

3. Never-ending visitors
Even in the latter part of COVID-19, there were guests who visited briefly, but over the past two years, a steady stream of people who want to visit the Welsh revival places and pray for revival. And I believe that God has given us the opportunity to encourage and serve them. I sense that God is near and even already here.

Shalom Shalom!

Qday LEE

(+44) 7870 653157

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www.theforgewales.org.uk