Identiy in Christ

Dictionary definition of:

 
Identity - the "condition" of being oneself or itself, and not another.

Let me ask you.(Or please to yourself.) What is the condition that identifies your presence? Is your identity still not clarified? And do you feel an empty hole in the center of your heart?

We, human beings, are destined to be in the condition of being loved by our heavenly Father. Our might God has revealed His great love through Jesus Christ. What it means.. without knowing Jesus, you wouldn't find your identity ever because the identity is only found in Jesus Christ, the essence of God's love filling the empty hole in your heart.

Why don't you call to God? "My Lord, I'm thirsty .. Please let your love flow over me. I'd like to find my identity!" 

Jesus will meet you up today, right now !

"Freedom is not Free"

Today is the 59th Anniversary of Korean War. A day we never wanted to happen! On a gravestone at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in DC, it says "FREEDOM IS NOT FREE." Freedom, what a precious gift given by the sacrifice of the ancestors!

Sorrowfully, North Koreans are still taken away from freedom and fundamental human rights. Living without a hope, the majority of them are not knowing what to fight for to banish their sorrow.

You know what! Here's a reality that's even more striking you! Not only North Koreans but also tons of peoples and nations are in the status of being slaved. Slaves of sin. Human beings are not aware of the true freedom - freedom from the law of sin and death.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death," (Romans 8:1)

Paul confessed.

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32) And Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6)

The true freedom can't be found in this world, but it has been revealed from our heavenly father. For anyone who confesses 'Jesus is Lord', the freedom is given as gift. And also we call it 'Salvation'.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, God's only son with no sin, shed His blood to pay for the gift on behalf of us - sinners like me, and also you. Hallelujah! The true freedom is given absolutely FREE by the priceless blood of Jesus.Why not receiving this amazing gift?!!

Jesus is knocking on your door today !

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)

떠나는 선교사

천국의 외교관으로 발령받은 왕 집사님 부부.

나의 믿음의 고향 어스틴한인교회 청년부 집사님으로 섬기시던 왕용민 집사님. 위태위태할 때마다 집사님의 한 마디가 나를 붙잡았었다.

지도자의 기도는 얼마나 위대한지... 새삼 돌아본다.

그런 집사님이.. 이제는 떠나는 선교사로 나가신다.

선교사로 헌신한지 22년만에..

집사님의 간증을 들으면서,

나의 지난 미국생활을 반추한다.

지극히 작은 자를 들어쓰시는 주님.

당신의 신실한 사랑과 은혜를 바라본다.

작고 모자란 나..

하지만 이런 나에 대해 아직도 스스로 무지한 나는,

영광의 길을 걷기까지 얼마나 많은 시간이 필요할까..?

..

집사님의 귀한 고백.. 기도제목:

"예수 그리스도의 사랑으로 사람을 사랑할 수 있게 기도해주십시오. 오로지 주만으로 기뻐할 수 있도록 기도해주십시오"

[추천도서] The Four Loves

... 실상 우리는 무력한 존재로 태어난다. 그리고 지각이 온전해지는 즉시, 자신이 외로운 존재임을 알아차린다..

사람의 영적 건강은 그가 하나님을 사랑하는 정도에 정비례한다는 점에 모든 그리스도인들이 동의할 것이다. 그런데 하나님을 향한 인간의 사랑은 본질적으로 필요의 사랑(Need-love)일 수밖에 없다...

나는 지금, 인간은 하나님에게 순전히 필요의 사랑 외에는 아무것도 드릴 것이 없다고 말하는 것은 아니다. 영적으로 높은 수준에 있는 분들은 그 이상의 경지를 말해 줄 수도 있다...


그러나 만일 사람이 감히 자신은 늘 그런 높은 경지에서만 살므로 이제 필요의 사랑 같은 것은 완전히 졸업했다고 생각하는 순간, 그 높은 경지는 이제 참된 은총의 상태이기를 멈추고 신플라톤적이 되며, 마침내는 악마적인 환상이 된고 만다...

- The Four Loves : C. S. Lewis -

"수고하고 무거운 짐진 자들아 다 내게로 오라 내가 너희를 쉬게 하리라" (마태복음 11:28)

If you truly received Christ as your Lord...

source: 노병기 (2007) 거룩한 구원 (p.61)
Ro, Byong-gi (2007) Holy Salvation

당신이 진심으로 그리스도를 주님으로 영접하고자 한다면, 이전의 삶에서 변화되어야 할 것이 몇가지 있다.

If you truly want to receive Christ as your Lord, you have to be changed in following ways.

첫째, 당신의 삶의 목적이 달라져야 한다. 이전에는 자신을 위해서 살았다고 한다면 이제부터는 오직 주님의 뜻을 이루기 위해 살아야 한다. 예수님을 자기를 따르고자 하는 자들에게 삶의 목적과 우선순위를 분명히 할 것을 가르치셨다. 예수님이 이땅에 오신 목적이 무엇인가? 잃어버린 영혼을 구원하시고 하나님 나라를 확장하시는 것이었다. 당신이 예수님을 주님으로 모신다면 당신도 예수님의 이 목적에 따라야 한다. 당신이 하는 나머지 모든 일은 이 목적을 이루기 위한 보조 수단으로 여겨야 한다.

First, the purpose of your life should be changed. If you have lived for your own life in the past, now you should only live to accomplish the will of the Lord. Jesus taught his followers what should be the purposes of their lives and priority. What is the purpose of Jesus coming down to the earth? It was to save lost souls and to extend the Kingdom of God. To receive Jesus as the Lord means you seek the life of the purposes that Jesus held on. All other jobs you do are to support this purpose.

둘째, 다른 사람이 예수님 보다 우선순위에 있어서는 안된다. 예수님께서는 “무릇 내게 오는 자가 자기 부모와 처자와 형제와 자매와 및 자기 목숨까지 미워하지 아니하면”능히 나의 제자가 되지 못한다고 말씀하셨다(눅14:26). 우선순위를 분명히 하라고 말씀하시는 것이다. 우선순위가 불분명한 사람이 많다. 가족이나 친구, 다른 사람의 눈치를 보고 그들의 비위를 맞추느라 예수님을 실망시키는 사람이 많다.

Second, No other should come before Jesus. Jesus should be is the top priority in your relationship. Jesus said “ If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife, and children, his brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life- he cannot be my disciple(Luke 14:26)“ You have to be clear with priority. Many Christians are unclear on this priority, so that they let Jesus down in order to please and propitiate family members, friends, other people.

세째, 우리의 모든 소유가 주님의 것임을 인정하고 살아야 한다. “이와 같이 너희 중에 누구든지 자기의 모든 소유를 버리지 아니하면 능히 내 제자가 되지 못하리라 (눅14:33) 여기서 모든 소유란 물질만 이야기하는 것이 아니고, 자기의 시간, 재능 출세, 인생 전부를 말하며, 목숨까지도 포함한다.

Third, you need to acknowledge all your possession belongs to the Lord. “any of you who does not give up everything he had cannot be my disciple(Luke 14:33)” Here “everything he had” does not mean only money, or property. It includes all your time, talent, success, whole life, even risking your life because of this faith.

유 후 ~ yk .. ^ ^

기독교 신앙에 지름길은 없다!

A Shocking “Confession” from Willow Creek Community Church

Bob Burney Live / Saturday, October 27, 2007

A generation of Brats

If you are older than 40 the name Benjamin Spock is more than familiar. It was Spock that told an entire generation of parents to take it easy, don't discipline children, and allow them to express themselves. Discipline, he told us, would warp a child's fragile ego. Millions followed the guru of child development and he remained unchallenged among child rearing professionals. Before his death, Dr. Spock made an amazing discovery; he was wrong. Dead wrong. In fact, here is what he said,

"We have reared a generation of brats. Parents aren't firm enough with their children for fear of losing their love or incurring their resentment. This is a cruel deprivation that we professionals have imposed on mothers and fathers. Of course, we did it with the best of intentions. We didn't realize until it was too late how our know-it-all attitude was undermining the self assurance of parents."

Oops! We raised an entire generation of brats; and an entire generation has suffered the consequences. In retrospect, that old Black Book on the Coffee table had far more practical advice for parents than Dr. Spock's revolutionary; methods. Even Christians rejected the clear teaching of scripture for the educated musings of the professionals;

Something just as momentous, in my opinion, just happened in the Evangelical Community. For most of a generation Evangelicals have been romanced by the Seeker Sensitive; movement spawned by Willow Creek Church in Chicago. The guru of this movement is Bill Hybels. We were told to throw out everything we had previously thought and been taught about church growth out the window. It was a new wave, a new paradigm, a new way to do ministry.

Gone was an emphasis on personal Bible Study, personal responsibility and it was all replaced with programs; and slick marketing.

The size of the crowd rather than the depth of the heart determined success. If the crowd was large it had to be blessed by God. Churches were built by demographic studies, professional strategists, marketing research, felt needs; and sermonettes. We were told that preaching was out, relevance was in. Doctrine didn't matter nearly as much as innovation. If it wasn't cutting edge; and consumer friendly it was doomed. The mention of sin, salvation and sanctification were taboo and were replaced by Starbucks, strategy and sensationalism.

Thousands of pastors hung on every word that emanated from the lips of the church growth experts. Satellite seminars were packed out with hungry church leaders learning the latest way to do church;. The promise was clear; thousands of people, millions of dollars couldn't be wrong. Forget about what people need; give them what they want. How can you argue with the numbers? If you dared to challenge the experts; you were immediately labeled as a traditionalist;, a throwback to the 50's, a stubborn dinosaur unwilling to change with the times.

All that changed recently.

Willow Creek has released the results of a multi-year study on the effectiveness of their programs and philosophy of ministry. Those findings are in a new book Reveal: Where Are You?, co-authored by Greg Hawkins, executive pastor of Willow Creek. Hybels himself called the findings earth shaking,; ground breaking,; and mind blowing.; It's no wonder; it seems that the experts; were wrong; dead wrong.

The report reveals that most of what they have been doing for these many years and what they have taught millions of others to do; is not producing solid disciples of Jesus Christ. Numbers yes, disciples no. It gets worse. Hybels laments:

"Some of the stuff that we have put millions of dollars into thinking it would really help our people grow and develop spiritually, when the data actually came back it wasn't helping people that much. Other things that we didn't put that much money into and didn't put much staff against is stuff our people are crying out for."

If you simply want a crowd; the seeker sensitive; model produces results. If you want solid, sincere, mature followers of Christ; it's a bust. In a shocking confession Hybels further states:

"We made a mistake. What we should have done when people crossed the line of faith and become Christians, we should have started telling people and teaching people that they have to take responsibility to become ‘self feeders.’ We should have gotten people, taught people, how to read their bible between service, how to do the spiritual practices much more aggressively on their own."

Incredibly the guru of church growth now tells us that people need to be reading their Bibles and take responsibility for their own spiritual growth! A really cool coffee shop does not assure that people are growing in their walk with Christ. We're now told that innovation does not assure a New Testament Church. Now, it's suddenly discovered that giving people everything they want and ignoring what they need produces a generation of spiritual brats;. To summarize; we made a mistake;.

Just as Spock's mistake; was no minor error, so the error of the seeker sensitive movement is monumental in its scope. The very foundation of thousands of American Churches is now discovered to be but sand. The single greatest influence on church growth in America has now admitted it was a mistake;. The scope of this error almost defies measurement.
Is every aspect of this paradigm of ministry flawed? Of course not; but enough is, that an entire generation has been influenced to follow a path cluttered with error and shallowness.

Here is the most shocking thing of all in this revelation coming out of Willow Creek. As part of the summary Greg Hawkins writes:

"Our dream is that we fundamentally change the way we do church. That we take out a clean sheet of paper and we rethink all of our old assumptions. Replace it with new insights. Insights that are informed by research and rooted in Scripture. Our dream is really to discover what God is doing and how he's asking us to transform this planet."

Isn't that what we were told when this whole seeker-sensitive thing started! The church growth gurus need to throw away the clean sheet of paper; and return to scripture as the primary authority. I'm not encouraged that this is the direction they are headed. Please note that rooted in scripture; still follows rethinking;, new insights;, and informed research; Someone still doesn't get it. Unless there is a return to simple Biblical (and relevant) principles; a brand new scheme will replace the faulty one and another generation will follow along as the latest piper plays.

What we should find encouraging, at least, in this “confession” coming from the highest ranks of the Willow Creek Association is that they are coming to realize that their existing “model” does not help people grow into mature followers of Jesus Christ. Given the massive influence this organization has on the American church today, let us pray that God would be pleased to put structures in place at Willow Creek that foster not mere numeric growth, but growth in grace.

Bob Burney is Salem Communications’ award-winning host of Bob Burney Live, heard weekday afternoons on WRFD-AM 880 in Columbus, Ohio. Contact Bob at bob@wrfd.com.

'복음을 영화롭게 하라'

우리는 진정 하나님의 사랑을 믿고 있는 것일까요? 그리고 그 사랑을 나누고 있는 것일까요?

교회 안팎에서 누구나 듣고 싶어하는 말 "하나님이 당신을 사랑하십니다" 우리는 그 사랑을 믿고 그리고 그 사랑을 받은 자로서 이웃을 사랑하며 살려고 하고 있습니다.

그러나...세상의 사랑과는 전혀 다른 하나님의 거룩하신 사랑이 어떻게 우리에게 다가왔는지, 그리고 그 하나님의 사랑이 어떻게 이웃에게 전달되는지, 그 놀라운 하나님 사랑의 결정체, 예수 그리스도의 거룩하신 생명이 복음 안에서 어떻게 역사하는지, 김용의 선교사님을 통해 전해지는 그리스도의 피묻은 복음이 잠들어 가는 우리 영혼에 베드로를 일깨운 rooster's crowing으로 울려 퍼지기를 기도합니다.

발췌:어스틴 한인침례교회 김성배 목사님 칼럼 中

Link: '복음을 영화롭게 하라' - 순회 선교단 김용의 선교사

http://saranguniv7.net/board/pds/download.php?fpath=../../mission/data/3250/5/%BA%B9%C0%BD%C0%BB+%BF%B5%C8%AD%B7%D3%B0%D4+%C7%CF%B6%F3-%BC%B1%B1%B3%C7%D1%B1%B9.mp3&filename=복음을%20영화롭게%20하라-선교한국.mp3

Spoken to Me

'불가능합니다'라고 하면
'내가 한다'(눅 18:27)고 하십니다.

'너무 지쳤어요' 라고 하면
'내게로 오라'(마 11:28-30)고 하십니다.

'아무도 나를 사랑하지 않아요' 라고 하면
'내가 너를 끝까지 사랑한다'(요 13:1)고 하십니다.

'전 너무 연약해요' 라고 하면
'내 은혜가 네게 족하리라' (고후 12:9)라고 하십니다.

'어찌해야 할 지를 모르겠어요' 라고 하면
'내가 네 길을 지도하리라'(잠 3:5-6)고 하십니다.

'제 자신을 용서 못하겠어요' 라고 하면
'내가 너를 깨끗게 하였다'(요일 1:9, 롬 8:1)라고 하십니다.

'홀로되는 것에 지쳤어요' 라고 하면
'내가 너를 떠나지 않고 버리지도 않으리라'(히 3:5)라고 하십니다.

'My God is Good God' .. yk

[추천도서] 예수와 함께한 저녁식사(Dinner with a Perfect Stranger)

예수와 함께한 저녁식사

(Dinner with a Perfect Stranger)

- 데이비드 그레고리 지음, 서소울 옮김/김영사 -

- 이 책을 만난 한 기독교인의 고백 -

나는 믿음이 없는 사람이었다.
내 자신도, 다른 사람도 믿지 않았다.
다른 무언가를 믿기엔 너무나도 자만했다.
모든 고난은 나 자신의 힘으로 헤쳐나가리라 생각했다.
하지만 지금 와서 돌아보니 너무 힘들었다.
수많은 전도에도 나는 마음을 열지 않았다.
얕은 지식으로 그들을 곤경에 빠뜨리길 여러번.
이 책을 읽고나서야 하나님의 뜻을 알게 되었다.
자식이 힘들어하는 것을 원치 않는 그는
자식이 행복해지기를 진심으로 원했다.
아무런 조건없이.
그의 마음을 알았기에
이제 그저 믿기만 하면 되리라.
이렇게 마음이 평화로워진 것은 정말 처음이다.
백만번의 선교보다 큰 힘. 이 책에 있다.

... 발췌: http://owlpark.egloos.com/5987567

[책소개] 내 영혼의 카운슬러로 돌아온 예수를 만나다 !

『예수와 함께한 저녁식사』는 하루 열두 시간이 넘는 근무 시간으로 가족과도 멀어지고 꿈마저 상실한 '닉'이라는 남자가, 예수와의 저녁식사에 초대되면서 벌어지는 특별한 사건사고 속으로 우리를 초대한다. 과학적이고 논리적인 근거를 바탕으로 예수, 성경 등의 기독교 교리를 쉽게 이해시켜주고 있다. 대화 형식으로 구성되어 재미있게 읽힌다.

출처: Daum

[추천도서] 예수는 역사다(The Case for Christ)

"예수는 역사다"는 속도감과 흡입력이 있어 마치 소설을 읽는 듯하다. 그러나 이 책은 픽션이 아니다. 역사상 가장 두드러진 사건, 곧 예수의 죽음과 장사, 그리고 부활에 대한 진실을 밝히기 위한황홀한 여정이다. 그리고 오늘날에도 여전히 사람들을 변화시키는, 가장 완고하고 냉소적인 저널리스트마저 변화시킨, 그분의 능력에 대한 개인적이고 계시적인 증언이다.

전 시카고 트리분 지의 법률 담당 기자였던 리 스트로벨은 무신론자에서 신앙인이 되기까지 자신의 신앙여정을 추적하면서 케임브리지, 프린스턴, 브렌다이즈 같은 대학의 박사 학위자들로 구성된 각 분야 13명의 권위 있는 전문가들을 반대 신문한다.

[목록]

감사의 글

서두 / 한 사람의 생애에 대한 재조사

PART 1 기록 검토

1. 목격자들의 증언 / 예수의 전기는 신뢰할 만한가?2. 목격자들의 증언 검사 / 예수의 전기는 면밀한 검토를 견뎌낼 것인가?3. 기록상의 증거 / 예수의 전기는 신뢰할 만한 상태로 보존되었는가?4. 확증적 증거 / 예수의 전기 이외에 신뢰할 만한 증거가 있는가?5. 과학적 증거 / 고고학이 예수의 전기를 확증하는가 아니면 반박하는가?6. 반증 / 역사적 예수는 신앙의 대상으로서 예수와 동일한가?

PART 2 예수 분석

7. 정체성 증거 / 예수는 자신이 하나님의 아들이라는 사실을 정말로 확신하였는가?8. 심리학적 증거 / 예수가 자신이 하나님의 아들이라고 주장했던 것은 그가 미쳤기 때문인가?9. 프로필 증거 / 예수는 하나님의 속성들을 가지고 있었는가?10. 지문 증거 / 예수는 - 예수만이 - 메시아의 정체성과 조화를 이루었는가?

PART 3 부활 연구

11. 의학적 증거 / 예수의 죽음과 부활은 속임수였는가?12. 사라진 시체의 증거 / 예수의 시체가 무덤 속에서 사라졌다는 것은 사실인가?13. 출현 증거 / 예수는 부활 후에 정말로 사람들 앞에 나타났는가?14. 정황 증거 / 부활을 뒷받침하는 다른 사실들은 없는가?

결론 / 역사의 평결

* 발췌: 갓피플몰

하늘과 바람과 별과 시

서 시

- 윤동주-

죽는 날까지 하늘을 우러러

한점 부끄럼이 없기를

잎새에 이는 바람에도

나는 괴로와했다

별을 노래하는 마음으로

모든 죽어가는 것들을 사랑해야지

그리고 나한테 주어진 길을

걸어가야겠다.

오늘 밤에도 별이 바람에 스치운다.

[하늘과 바람과 별과 시] 정음사, 1948

::::::::::::::::::

Since my first reading of this poem in my 15,

the lyrics have taught me what a life is about
and what a life should be.

Somewhat,
it also reminds me of
the life of Jesus Christ on the earth. 

Life isn't easy but is a gift!

Love Never Fails

1 Corinthians 13

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 

12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.