성경은 우리가 하나님의 말씀을 배우고 지킬 때, 때로는 하나님께서 우리에게 고난을 허락하신다는 것을 보여줍니다. 그렇다면 고난은 어떻 게 우리가 하나님 말씀을 깨닫고 지키는 데에 도움이 될까요? 고난에 관하여는 수많은 체험이 있고, 따라서 수많은 답이 있을 수 있지만, 그 중 다섯 가지 유익을 살펴보겠습니다. 1. 고난은 허울 좋은 말 뿐인 삶을 제거시킵니다. 고난은 우리를 더욱 진지하게 만들어서 우리의 생각이 하나님의 말씀에 더 잘 맞춰지게 합 니다. 2. 고난은 세상적인 버팀목을 쓰러뜨립니다. 고난은 우리가 하나님을 더욱 의지하도록 몰아서, 우리를 말씀의 목적에 더욱 맞추게 합니다. 3. 고난은 우리 삶에서 말씀을 하찮은 것으로 취급하지 않게 합니다. 고난은 성도로 하여금 오히려 도움을 얻기 위해 더욱 간절히 말씀을 찾 게 합니다. 4. 고난은 그리스도의 고난에 동참하게 해 줍니다. 고난은 우리가 주님 과 더 친밀하게 교제하고 기꺼이 그의 눈으

Doors or gates are necessary to any enclosure. If we think about the need and function of a door in any building, we can readily see what Jesus was trying to say about Himself and God’s kingdom. Jesus makes it plain when He said, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). Jesus is the doorway to God and His kingdom. Humankind is looking for the way to eternal life. Jesus is the entryway. He declares th

Christianity is wonderful news about a Christ who came and died for our sins. He then arose from the dead, triumphant over death and the grave, and brought to light the reality of eternal life and the gift of immortality (2 Timothy 1:10). The living Christ came during His earthly life to the Jewish people. Many of them rejected Him. But to those who did receive Him, He gave the privilege of becoming children of God (John 1:11-13). And the presence of the indwelling Christ is

One of the most familiar scenes in first century Palestine was the figure of a shepherd tendering his sheep. The land was given more to pastoral livestock than to agricultural farming. Goat herds and flocks of sheep were common sights. The shepherd’s life was not one to be envied. It was hard and constant. The shepherd endured the dangers of thieves and wild beasts. He was bound to lead the sheep in constant search of food. Many who listened to Jesus were all acquainted with

We live in a world where we are more often a number than a name. A number is dehumanising. It has no personality. It is cold, indifferent, and apathetic. But our name is personal, because it was given to us by those who love us. Jesus says he knows us and calls us by name and He promises us that He will always lead us (John 10:3). Not only the good shepherd call the name of His sheep, but the sheep knows His voice and respond to Him. The good shepherd is more than a hired han

A great and underlying principle that runs throughout the Bible is that of seeking good for one’s neighbour. Paul said, “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others (1 Corinthians 10:24). That which is condemned in Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian church is that of which most people are guilty. Our society encourages people to seek their own benefit, and when they do, they are praised for it. This is the normal tendency in our world. It is easy to overlook th

Bible is not silent about various women’s stories. For example, Esther is one of the great stories in the Bible on women of impact. Esther was a Jewish girl living in Persia. She wins a beauty contest of all things, and becomes Queen. As the story goes, she saves her nation from destruction because she realises God’s call and placement in her life. Today, she is a model of a woman of Impact. The best way to become a woman of impact is to realise that God has a purpose and a p