August 12 - Be Close To God 하나님을 가까이 하라

August 12 - Be Close To God

 

“Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” - Luke 9:23

 

 

This is what true discipleship is all about. It is daily life, following after Jesus, your forerunner. What did Jesus do in  His daily life? He had a firm resolve when tempted: “Not My will, but Yours, be done.” Luke 22:42. 

He took up His cross and denied Himself. His temptations never resulted in sin in word, thought, or deed.

 

It is also written that Jesus “… offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death.” Hebrews 5:7 is what it takes to take up your cross daily faithfully! You must cry out to your God for the strength to hold out to say “no” and keep saying “no” in times of temptation. You must humble yourself and have the same mind that Jesus had: Taking up your cross daily leads to transformation. You won’t always be the same person you are today. As you are cleansed from the sin in your nature, the fruits of the Spirit come in its place. Rather than being quick to judge, critical, or grumpy and downcast, you can radiate love, kindness, and gentleness. (Galatians 5:22-23).

 

Our relationship with God starts from our submission (James 4:7). To walk with God is to submit to God. He is the master of our lives. We are His servants. To follow Him, we should "deny ourselves and take up our cross daily and follow Him” (Luke 9:23). Submitting to God seems like we follow Him beyond our reason. But God never forces us to follow Him. He is never a stealer of our hearts unless we give them first to Him. He neither oppresses nor deceives. And He is loving and understanding and welcomes us. 

 

Therefore, James said, “Come near to God, and he will come near to you” (James 4:8). This is a surprising and wonderful invitation. As we come closer to God, we experience many miracles. Jesus said that coming closer to God is to remain in Him (John 15:4-5). We imitate more of His character and become like Him when we confess that we are His. When we are filled with the Spirit and learn to be humble like Jesus. And the fruit of the Spirit overflows in our lives. 

 

Therefore, we should humble ourselves before the LORD (James 4:10). True humility means avoiding sin and the devil and walking with God. A person of humility also confesses his sins and follows Christ. And the LORD would never keep us low if we humble ourselves, but he will exalt us. Augustine, who repented in 387 AD, said, “We learn God’s will by keeping humbleness, humbleness again, and humbleness to the end.”

 

Only a man who knows his ignorance and imperfection asks and seeks God’s wisdom and guidance. Only a man who knows his weakness depends on the power of God. Only a man who knows his sins asks for forgiveness and needs a savior. All sins stem from forgetting that God is our creator and we are His creation. We, as creatures, ought to humble ourselves and depend on God’s power and blessings. God, then, will exalt us and will grant us true blessings. 

 

“To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.” - Saint Augustine.

 

Today’s Prayer: Pray that all Christian ministries will be blessed with overflowing abundance. Ask God to give wisdom and integrity in handling their financial resources.  

Prayer Pointer: “Prayer is an interruption of personal ambition.” – Rowland Hogben 

Bible Reading: Psalm 93-95; Romans 11:22-36

 

 

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8월 12일 - 하나님을 가까이 하라

 

“또 무리에게 이르시되 아무든지 나를 따라 오려거든 자기를 부인하고 날마다 제 십자가를 지고 나를 쫒을 것이니라” - 눅 9:23

 

 

예수님의 진정한 제자의 삶애 관한 모든 것은 앞서 가신 우리의 주님을 매일 본받아 살아가는 삶입니다. 예수님은 매일의 삶에서 무엇을 하였습니까? 예수님은 시험이 오면 "내 뜻대로 마옵시고 아버지의 뜻대로 하옵소서"(눅 22:42) 라는 결의를 가지시고 끝까지 자기를 부인하고 십자가를 지셨고 절대로 말과 생각과 행실로 범죄하지 않으셨습니다.     . 

 

그리고 예수님은 "자기를 죽음에서 능히 구원하실 이에게 심한 통곡과 눈물로 간구와 소원을 올렸습니다. 히브리서 5:7은 우리가 매일 십자가를 져야 하고 우리가 주님을 붙들고 버틸 수 있는 힘을 얻기 위해 하나님께 부르짖어야 한다고 말씀합니다. 우리가 시험을 받을 때 계속 "아닙니다"라고 할 수 있는 힘을 위해 예수님이 가지셨던 겸손한 마음을 가져야 합니다.  우리가 십자가를 지고 주님을 따르면 삶의 변화가 일어납니다. 우리는 오늘날과 같은 사람이 되지 않습니다. 우리의 본성 안에 있는 죄에서 정결함을 받고 성령의 열매가 그 자리를 대신하게 됩니다. 십자가를 지고 살아가면 성급하게 판단하고 비판하거나 낙담하지 않으며 사랑과 친절과 온유함을 나타내게 되는 것입니다(갈 5:22-23) 

 

우리와 하나님과의 관계는 순종의 관계로 발전하기 시작합니다(약 4:7). 하나님과의 동행은 곧 하나님께 순종하는 삶입니다. 우리 삶의 주인은 주님이시고 우리는 주님의 종들입니다. 주님을 따르기 위해서는 “자기를 부인하고 날마다 자기 십자가를” 져야 합니다(눅 9:23). 하나님께 순종하는 삶이 비이성적일 수 있지만 하나님은 절대로 우리를 강요하여 따르게 하지 않습니다. 우리가 먼저 하나님께 마음을 드리지 않으면, 하나님은 절대로 우리의 마음을 빼앗지 않으시고,  억압하거나 속이지 않습니다. 오히려 하나님은 사랑과 이해로 우리를 반겨 주시는 분입니다.

 

“하나님을 가까이 하라 그리하면 너희를 가까이 하시리라”(약 4:8) 는 야고보가 말하는 하나님의 초청이 얼마나 놀랍습니까? 하나님을 가까이 하면, 놀라운 기적들을 체험하게 됩니다.  하나님을 가까이 하는 것은 주님 안에 거하는 것이라고 주님께서 말씀하셨습니다(요 15:4-5). 우리가 주님의 것이라고 고백할 때 우리는 주의 성품을 닮고 주님을 닮아갑니다. 성령으로 충만하면, 주님의 겸손을 배우고, 성령의 열매들이 흘러 넘치게 되는 것 입니다.

 

그러므로 주님 앞에서 겸손해야 합니다(약 4:11). 참으로 겸손한 자는 죄와 마귀를 떠나 하나님과 함께 동행합니다. 또한 자신의 죄를 고백하고 그리스도를 따릅니다. 주 앞에서 자신을 낮추는 자를 주님은 결코 그 낮은 자리에 두지 않으시고 반드시 높여 주십니다. 주후 387년에 회개한 어거스틴은 “하나님의 뜻을 배우기 원하는 자의 조건은 첫째도 겸손이요, 둘째도 겸손이요, 셋째도 겸손이라”는 유명한 말을 하였습니다.

 

자신의 무지와 불완전함을 아는 자만이 하나님의 인도와 지혜를 간구합니다. 자신의 연약함을 깨닫는 자만이 하나님의 능력을 의지합니다. 자신의 죄를 깨닫는 자만이 하나님의 용서와 구원해 주시는 주님을 원합니다. 모든 죄의 근원은 하나님께서 창조주이시며, 우리는 단지 피조물임을 망각하는 것입니다. 피조물인 우리는 하나님의 능력과 축복을 의지하며 겸손하게 살아가야 합니다. 그러면 하나님께서는 우리를 높여 주시고, 참된 축복의 삶을 누리게 하십니다.

 

"하나남과 사랑에 빠지는 것은 가장 위대한 사랑이고, 가장 위대한 모험이며, 하나님을 찾는 것은 가장 위대한 인간의 성취입니다. - 성 어거스틴

 

 

오늘의 기도: 모든 그리스도인의 사역이 풍성하고 축복이 넘치도록 기도하고, 지혜와 진실함으로 그들의 재정자원을 잘 관리하도록 하나님께 간구하십시오. 

기도 지침: 기도는 개인적인 야먕을 가로 막는 것이다. – 로우랜디 호벤

성경 읽기: 시편 93-95; 로마서 11:22-36