사랑하는 신부중보기도 동역자님들께,
 
요한복음 16장
1 내가 이것을 너희에게 이름은 너희로 실족지 않게 하려 함이니
2 사람들이 너희를 출회할 뿐 아니라 때가 이르면 무릇 너희를 죽이는 자가 생각하기를 
이것이 하나님을 섬기는 예라 하리라
3 저희가 이런 일을 할 것은 아버지와 나를 알지 못함이라
 
우리가 먼길을 운전하고 갈때 요즘은 GPS navigation(네비게이션)이 차에 있어서 
얼마나 쉽게 찾아 가는지 모릅니다.
아무 의심없이 구글 map 에서 가라고 하는대로만 따라가면 목적지에 안심하고 도착합니다.
그런데 아프리카 내륙지역이나 자동차에 GPS Navi 가 없다면?
혹은 있지만 제대로 작동이 안되는 장치를 달고있다면 어떻게 할까요??
 
특히 신약 성경에서 바울 사도는 그가 예수님을 만나고 성령을 받기 전에 
혼적인 열심으로 하나님을 섬기던 자였습니다.
당시에 모든 종교지도자들(바리새인들, 서기관들, 제사장들, 사두개인들)은 
모두 같은 여호와 하나님을 열심으로 섬기면서
안식일에는 회당에서 사람들에게 구약의 말씀을 가르치던 자들 이었습니다.
 
어떻게 똑같은 하나님을 열심으로 섬기며 성경지식을 가르치는 열정이 있는데 
그렇게 다른 방향으로 갈까요?
메시야에 대해 가르치고 그 분이 오시기를 바라는 마음이 가득한데 
메시야를 눈 앞에 두고 침을 뱉고, 십자가에 못 박으라고 소리들을 질렀습니다.
 
그중의 하나가 사울이였습니다. 그는 자신이
“열심으로 교회를 핍박하고 율법의 의로는 흠이 없는 자”(빌 3:6)  라고 생각 했지만 
영의 눈이 열려지니까 아주 정 반대의 사람으로 변했습니다.
 
특별히  이 마지막 때에는 사탄이 미혹의 영이 할 수만 있으면 
성령 받고 택한 자들 이라도 그들을 미혹하여 (마 24:24)
잘못된 길로 믿고 따라가게 하는 것을 볼 수 있습니다. 
GPS 안의 chip 을 살짝 바꾸어 다른 방향으로 열심을 내게 하는 것과 같습니다.
미혹의 범위는 이 시대에 어디까지 미칠까요? 
사탄은 자기가 이 세상의 왕이고 그의 범위를 
예수님, 성령님, 하나님 보좌까지 커버하려고 합니디.
그래서 fake Jesus, fake holy spirit, fake Jehovah를 흉내내며 
이 땅에서의 supernatural power (초인적인 힘)까지 사용합니다.
 
우리는 정말로 조심, 또 조심해야 합니다. 예수님까지 시험한 사탄이라면 
우리는 말할 것도 없겠지요. 우리 모두는 낮고 겸손한 모습으로 
예수님의 뒤를 따르고 성령 하나님께 꼭 붙어서 가야합니다.
주님 오실때가 가까워 올수록 미혹의 강도와 빈도는 더 커질 것입니다.

오늘 요한복음 16장에서 주님은 사랑하는 제자들에게 십자가로 가시기 바로 전에
그 제자들이 앞으로 당할 일들을 예언처럼 말씀하셨습니다.
 
1 내가 이것을 너희에게 이름은 너희로 실족지 않게 하려 함이니
2 사람들이 너희를 출회할 뿐 아니라 때가 이르면 무릇 너희를 죽이는 자가 생각하기를
 이것이 하나님을 섬기는 예라 하리라
3 저희가 이런 일을 할 것은 아버지와 나를 알지 못함이라
 
더 쉽게 말하면 교회 안에서 열심으로 예수님을 믿는다고 하는 자들이 서로 나뉘어져서 
서로를 손가락질하고 고소하면서 죽이기 까지하는데, 
이것이 하나님을 섬기는 예라고 생각하기 때문이라고 말씀하십니다.
우리는 지금 이런 일들을 눈으로 보고 있습니다.
 
모두 다 예수님을 잘 믿고 열심으로 말씀대로 살려고 하고 기도도 열심히하는데
왜 이런 혼란과 미혹에 넘어가는 일들이 생기는 것일까요?   생각해 봅니다.
 
모두들 나름대로 내가 다 알고 말씀과 기도로 확인해서 판단하고 따른다고 하겠지요…
물론 각자의 의견과 결정을 존중합니다.   
그러나 안타까운 것은 절대로 내가 틀리지 않는다는 확신이 너무 큰 것입니다.
 
제가 항상 부탁하고 권면하는 것이 우리가 성경의 큰 그림을 보는 눈이 필요하고
또 나도 틀릴수 있다는 겸손한 마음으로 기도하면서 조용히 기다리는 인내의 성숙함이 
우리 모두에게 필요합니다.
 
사탄은 우리를 믿음에서 떨어뜨리려고 계속 미혹의 영으로 혹은 말씀으로 찌릅니다.
기억합시다.  사탄은 예수님에게도 성경 말씀으로, 영으로 도전하고 유혹했습니다.
 
마지막 때에 세례 요한 같은 마음이 필요합니다. 
예수님은 높아져야하고 나는 낮아져야 하리라 는 말씀이 
우리 생각, 마음,  삶속에서 항상 기억되기를 기도합니다.
 
 
Shalom and Maranatha
 
Pastor Michael Park
Global Bride Ministries
Los Angeles, California
 
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Jews for Jesus 유대인 선교단체의 Tuvya Zaretsky 목사님으로부터 온 
선교/기도편지를 공유합니다.
 
사랑하는 박마이클 목사님, 
신부 중보 기도 동역자 분들께 평안과 성탄절의 축복이 있기를 바랍니다! 
오늘(12/8)은 자비로우신 예수님께서 제 삶에 들어오셔서 제가 영적으로 새로 태어난 날입니다. 
지난 주일, 저는 기원전 8세기 선지자, 이사야로부터 온 강림절 메시지를 전했습니다. 
그의 메시지는 저를 메시아에게로 이끌기 위해 주님께서 사용하신 음성 중 하나였습니다. 
기원전 750년경, 이스라엘 사람들은 정치적, 이념적 그리고 영적인 부분에서 양분되어 있었습니다. 
남유다 왕국과 북사마리아 왕국이었습니다. 
 
하나님께서는 이스라엘 민족에게 주님을 거역하는 죄의 결과로 고난을 겪을 것이라 경고하였습니다.
하지만 이스라엘 민족들이 하나님의 심판을 받는 중에도 주님은 그의 약속하신 사랑과
이스라엘을 향한 장래의 희망, 그리고 온 땅의 모든 민족을 향한 축복을 표현하셨습니다. 
말씀하시길,
 
“이는 한 아기가 우리에게 났고 한 아들을 우리에게 주신 바 되었는데 
그의 어깨에는 정사를 메었고
그의 이름은 기묘자라, 모사라, 전능하신 하나님이라, 
영존하시는 아버지라, 평강의 왕이라 할 것임이라 (이사야 9:6)”
 
영적 진리를 나눌 수 있는 강력한 기회이기 때문에 저는 이 기간을 좋아합니다. 
아래에 여러분들의 이웃과 가족과 유대인 친구들에게 다가갈 수 있도록 돕는
세가지 간단한 아이디어들이 있습니다. 자유롭게 공유하시기 바랍니다.

1. 교회에 있을 강림절과 성탄절 예배에 여러분들께서 마음에 두고 기도하고 계신 분들을 
초대하세요. 그 시간들을 진정한 사회적 교류를 쌓는 기회로 삼고
아직 여러분과 믿음을 나누지 못하는 분들께 입증해 보이세요.
그 후에 함께 식사나 차를 마시며 교제의 시간을 가지세요.                                                                                                  
급할 것 없이, 주님께서 그들의 마음 가운데 말씀하시는 곳에서 
그들이 어떤 것을 나누든지 듣는 기회로 삼으세요.   

2. 이번 달에 성탄절 또는 하누카 Hanukkah (하누카는 12월 22일에 시작됩니다.) 
카드를 만들거나 구입하세요. 위에 언급한 이사야서 9장 6절 말씀처럼, 
신약의 이스라엘 메시아의 탄생과 연관된 구약의 말씀 구절로 여러분만의 말씀카드를 만드세요. 
예를 들어, 이사야서 7장 14절 말씀과 마태복음 1장 21-28절 말씀,
또는 이사야서 9장 6-7절 말씀과 연관된 누가복음 2장 11,14절, 29-32절 말씀들이 있습니다.   

3. 강림절 동안 성경 말씀들을 SNS에 올려보세요. 
하나님의 말씀은 사람들을 연결시키는 힘이 있습니다. 
만약 여러분이 성탄절 선물에 관한 글을 읽는다면 그것 또한 올려 보세요. 
제가 가장 좋아하는 것 중의 하나는 제 친구이자 목사이고 작가인, 
멜 로렌스 Mel Lawrenz 가 쓴 ‘성탄절 기쁨 Christmas Joy’ 입니다.   
 
만약 여러분이 유대인 친구들에게 보내기 적당한 것을 찾는다면, 
예수님을 위한 유대인(Jews for Jesus)출판사의 이슈지(Issues)에 실린 유대인들을 위한 기사,
“사람으로 태어나 더이상 죽지 않는 Born that man no more may die” 기사가 있습니다.
«https://jewsforjesus.org/files/pdf/issues/issues-20-07.pdf » 
 
또 유대인-이방인 부부를 위한 “12월 딜레마 해결 Resolving the December-Dilemma”에대한
저의 짧은 블로그 포스트 주소도 있습니다. 
«https://jewsforjesus.org/publications/newsletter/find-hope-and-help-for-jewish-gentile-couples/».
 
여기, 유대인들을 위한 기도의 동역자가 될 수 있는 기회가 있습니다. 첫번째는 “피더 Fieda”입니다. 그녀는 “씨 뿌리는 자, 씨앗, 그리고 토양”의 비유에 대한 제 설교를 듣기 위해 추수감사절 전에 유대인 친구를 따라 교회로 왔습니다. 그녀는 전통적인 유대 가정에서 자랐습니다. 그들은 “문화적으로는 종교적”이었지만 기능적으로는 세속적이었습니다. 그녀의 남편은 현재배에서 시설을 관리하고 있고 또한 그녀는 지난 주 오빠의 죽음으로 인해 고통받았습니다. 예배 후에 교회에서 식사하는 동안 그녀는 제게 그녀와 비슷한 유대 종교 배경을 가진 제가 어떻게예수님을 따르게 되었는지 물었습니다. 그녀는 그녀의 이메일 주소를 전해주었고 저는 제가 어떻게 예수님을 믿는 믿음으로 나아오게 되었는지에 대한 이야기를 복사해서 보내주었습니다. 그녀의 마음속에서 주님의 말씀이 역사하실 수 있도록 기도해 주시기 바랍니다.
 
또한 캐나다에 있는 나이라 Naira 와 미국에 있는 존 John 을 위해서도 기도해 주시기 바랍니다. 이 두 사람은 유대인들과 깊은 관계를 맺고 있는 기독교인입니다. 유대인 동역자인 두 사람 모두 그리스도 안에서 믿음을 진지하게 보고 있지만 구세주에 대한 그들의 믿음을 공언한다면 그들 가족들에게 받을 핍박 때문에 많은 고민을 하고 있습니다. 지난 24시간 동안 그들 두 사람으로부터 이런 이메일을 받았습니다. 요즘 유대인-이방인 부부 사역은 이렇게 하고 있습니다. 저희들과 함께하는 여러분들의 기도에 감사드립니다. 
신부 중보 기도 동역자분들께, 엘렌과 저는 올 한 해, 그리고 특별히 지난 달, 여러분들의 놀라운 재정적 지원과 기도로 해 주신 격려에 진심으로 감사드립니다. 2019년을 마무리하며, 이 한 해는 사역의 열매가 풍성한 한해였습니다. 여러분들 모두 그동안 저희와 함께한 동역자들이셨습니다. 주님께서 성탄절 기쁨과 축복으로 여러분들을 가득 채우 시길 소망합니다. 
왕이신 예수아께 모든 영광 올려드립니다.
 
Tuvya Zaretsky
 
“그 정사와 평강의 더함이 무궁하며 또 다윗의 왕좌와 그의 나라에 군림하여 그 나라를 굳게 세우고 지금 이후로 영원히 정의와 공의로 그것을 보존하실 것이라 만군의 여호와의 열심이 이를 이루시리라 (이사야 9:6)”
 
*2019년 12월 1일에 있었던 제 첫번째 강림절 주의 설교입니다. https://www.stjohnspres.org/sermons.
** ‘씨 뿌리는 자, 씨앗 그리고 토양’ 설교입니다.
https://sermons.faithlife.com/sermons/507239-sunday-november-17-2019
 
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TO: Global Bride Ministries 
c/o: Pastor Michael Park
 
Dear Pastor Park,
 
Shalom and Christmas blessings to all at Global Bride Ministries! Today is my spiritual rebirth day when Jesus graciously broke into my life.  Last Sunday, I gave an Advent message from our 8^th century BC prophet, Isaiah. His was one of the voices the Lord used to bring me to Messiah. In 750 BC the people of Israel, were divided politically, ideologically and spiritually into two factions: the southern Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Samaria in the north.  Adonai warned the people that they were suffering the consequences of their sin for rejecting Him.  However, even while they faced judgement, the Lord God expressed His covenant love and future hope for Israel and blessing to all the nations of the earth saying,
 
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder.  And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6 ESV).*
 
I love this season for the powerful opportunity it presents to share spiritual truth.  Here are three simple ideas to help you reach out to neighbors, family members and your Jewish friends. Feel free to share this.
 
1. Invite the people for whom you’ve been praying to the Advent series or Christmas services at your church.  Treat those times as opportunities to build genuine social connections and demonstrate acceptance of people who don’t yet share your faith.  Afterwards, grab a meal or just coffee together.  Without pressing, listen for opportunities to engage them around anything they might share where the Lord has spoken to their hearts.
 
2. Buy or make Christmas and even Hanukkah cards (Hanukkah begins December 22 this year) to send this month.  Make your own using passages like the one above from Isaiah 9:6. Old Testament scriptures connect to the New Testament birth of Israel’s Messiah.  For example, Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:21-28 or Isaiah 9:6 and 7 parallel Luke 2:11, 14 and 2:29-32.
 
3. Utilize social media to post Bible verses during the Advent season. God’s Word is powerful to connect with people. If you read a Christmas devotional series, post that as well.  One of my favorites is Christmas Joy by my friend and pastor/writer, Mel Lawrenz.
 
And, if you’re looking for something appropriate to send to Jewish friends, here’s a link to “Born That Man No More May Die,” an article for Jewish people in ISSUES, a Jews for Jesus publication « https://jewsforjesus.org/files/pdf/issues/issues-20-07.pdf » or my shorter blog post about “Resolving the December-Dilemma” for Jewish-Gentile couples  «https://jewsforjesus.org/publications/newsletter/find-hope-and-help-for-jewish-gentile-couples/».
 
Here’s another opportunity to partner in prayer for Jewish people.  First is “Fieda” B.  She came to church with a Jewish believer friend before Thanksgiving to hear my sermon on the parable of “The Sower, Seed and the Soils.”**  She was raised in a traditional Jewish home. They were “culturally religious” but functionally secular.  Her husband is now in a board and care facility, and she also suffered the death of her brother the previous week.  After the worship service, over lunch at church, she asked how I became a follower of Jesus from my similar Jewish religious background to hers.  She gave me her email address. I sent her a copy of my  story about coming to faith in Jesus.  Please pray for the Lord’s Word as it is at work in her heart.
 
Also, Pray too for Naira F., in Canada, and John I here in the USA.  Both of them are Christians who are in serious relationships with Jewish people. Both of the Jewish partners are seriously considering faith in Christ while also challenged by the cost among their family if they profess faith in the Savior. I received emails from both of these contacts in just the last 24 hours. That’s what Jewish-Gentile Couples ministry is like these days. I appreciate your prayers with ours.
 
To all at Global Bride Ministries, Ellen and I send a huge THANK YOU for your incredible financial support and your encouragement in prayer this year and especially last month.  As 2019 is closing, it has been a fruitful year of ministry.  You all have been a partner with us throughout.  May our Lord fill you with His Christmas joy and blessings.  
 
All glory to King Yeshua,
 
Tuvya Zaretsky
 
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.  (Isaiah 9:7 ESV)