Just Like Joseph and Ruth, God Has Been Guiding and Shaping My Life
Just like Joseph, there have been times of difficulty and suffering in my life. Yet all these things happened within the will of God. Regardless of my circumstances, God faithfully worked according to His promise in Brazil—providing everything needed for the Gospel and allowing it to flourish. As I followed the guidance of the church and the servant of God, He turned everything I encountered into good, so that I could live only for the Gospel.
God Gave Me the Portuguese Name “José”
While pastoring in Brazil, local people would often ask for my name. I would tell them, but they were unfamiliar with Korean pronunciation and couldn’t understand it. So I thought I should use a Portuguese name that Brazilians could easily say. Then, God gave me the name “José”—the Portuguese form of “Joseph.” In Portuguese, Joseph is pronounced “Jo-zé,” and my surname “Kim” sounded like “King.”
God gave Joseph the dream of being a ruler. However, his brothers were jealous of their father’s favor toward him. They stripped him of his robe and sold him as a slave to Egypt. While serving in Potiphar’s house, he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown into prison, exchanging his slave’s garment for a prisoner’s uniform. In prison, Joseph interpreted the cupbearer’s dream, hoping that once restored to office, the cupbearer would remember him. When that hope seemed lost, God used Pharaoh’s dream to bring Joseph out of prison. Joseph interpreted the dream, was made governor over Egypt, took off the prison garment, and was clothed in fine linen as a ruler.
As I meditated on Joseph’s life, I thought, “Just as God led Joseph step by step, He is leading my life as well.” That was when God gave me my Portuguese name—“José.”
“This Message Is for Those Missionaries to Hear.”
In 1998, by God’s grace, I obtained permanent residency and attended the first South American pastors’ meeting held in Peru. Pastor Ock Soo Park came to fellowship with the missionaries in South America and said:
“In some countries, there are missionaries who, by faith, stopped receiving financial support from Korea. Then, God began to work in amazing ways. He helped them abundantly—providing even more than before, allowing them to buy homes and live in abundance.”
At that time, I had only recently begun my mission work. We could barely pay rent and sustain our living only with the mission support from Korea. So as I listened, I thought, ‘For me, it’s too early to stop receiving support.’ I knew other missionaries in nearby countries still had chapels and continued receiving aid. So I reasoned in my heart, ‘This message must be for those missionaries, not me.’
After returning to Brazil, I continued to wait every month for the day when the mission fund would arrive. I didn’t even have a local bank account then, so the funds had to be sent to a Korean travel agency in Brazil. Once they received the remittance from Korea, they would exchange it into Brazilian currency and give it to me.
One day, I went to the agency to check, but they said the money hadn’t come yet. I went home empty-handed. A few days later, I went again—still nothing. The owner told me, “Try again in a few days.” I made several fruitless trips. As I walked out of the agency, I instinctively looked up to the sky. At that moment, I vividly recalled Pastor Park’s message in Peru about missionaries who stopped receiving support.
He had said that those who stopped receiving mission funds would experience God’s provision multiplied several times over and live more abundantly. I, too, longed to live like that and experience such a God. When I returned home, I told my wife what was in my heart and asked her how she felt about ending our support. Thankfully, she agreed.
“Pastor, We Will Stop Receiving Mission Support by Faith.”
I thought, “If we stop receiving support, we won’t be able to pay rent—we’ll be evicted and ruined. What should we do?” But even that didn’t seem like such a terrible thing. I thought, “Even if our family fails as missionaries, at worst we’ll just return to Korea. Even if we fail, it’s still better than living like this, though we may bear the shame of being called failed missionaries.”
I remembered a sermon illustration Pastor Park once gave:
“Even if I were kicked out of my house and had to live under a bridge, God would never let His child live like a beggar.”
I realized I couldn’t rely on Korean funds forever. Sooner or later, I had to live by faith. I needed to personally experience God’s provision in material things to continue my mission life. So I decided, without hesitation, to stop receiving mission support. That day, I called the pastor in charge of sending the funds.
“Pastor,” I said, “by faith, I’ve decided to stop receiving mission support. Please use the money intended for us somewhere else. Recently, Pastor Park shared that those who stop support by faith will receive even greater blessings. I want to experience that God myself.”
The pastor was startled and felt very sorry. He said, “I was so busy that I forgot to send the money. I’ll wire it to you first thing tomorrow morning.” But after hearing my testimony, he understood my heart and said warmly, “Even though you’re stopping support now, if you ever wish to resume it, just let me know anytime.” His kind words deeply comforted me.
After stopping the support, days passed without any sign of change. I expected that since we stopped by faith, something new would happen—but life looked the same as before. However, the difference was that I no longer had those anxious days waiting for remittance like a worker waiting for payday. Instead, my heart became lighter and freer, as my expectation shifted solely toward God.
Bible Studies and the Work of Salvation That Began Through Faith Books
One day, I passed through the living room and noticed a shelf filled with faith books. There was a brother named Song Jae-kyung who worked for Korean Air. Every two or three months, when he flew to São Paulo, he would bring us things we needed—especially Christian books such as The Secret of Forgiveness of Sins and Being Born Again and Two Kinds of Faith.
After several visits, our bookshelf was full. Then one day, I suddenly wanted to advertise these books in the São Paulo Daily, a Korean-language newspaper. I contacted the paper and ran an ad for “Christian Faith Books for Sale,” leaving my phone number.
Soon, a Korean man who attended church called me, wanting to see the books. He bought The Secret of Forgiveness of Sins and Being Born Again, loved it, and came back for more. He said, “These books are wonderful!” Then he asked me to guide him in Bible study every early morning before work.
From then on, he came to my house every morning, studied the Bible for an hour, and listened to the Word. His heart changed beautifully. Every afternoon, he would take me to fine restaurants for lunch. One day, he handed me a thick envelope—it was a large offering. He also introduced his close friends to study the Bible with me. One person after another began joining, and sometimes I spent the whole day meeting people and teaching them the Bible. Through these studies, people began to receive salvation. Gradually, Korean believers left their old churches and started attending our services.
Grace Revealed by Following the Voice of Guidance Like Ruth
Ruth was a Moabite woman, cursed and excluded from the assembly of God. Yet she followed the guidance of her mother-in-law Naomi. Naomi created every condition for Ruth to be blessed—leading her out of curse, making her the grandmother of King David, and grafting her into the family line of Jesus, sharing in His glory.
When Naomi told her, “Go back to your people, like your sister-in-law Orpah,” Ruth’s heart never wavered. She declared:
“Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you. Where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die—and there I will be buried.”
Ruth returned to Bethlehem with Naomi. At first, she gleaned in the fields, and by God’s grace, she happened to end up in Boaz’s field. There, she received abundant grain—not by her labor, but through Boaz’s grace—and brought it back to Naomi.
Likewise, I only followed the voice of God’s servant, and God allowed me to experience the abundant grace that comes from Him alone.
A New Car and Saved Souls—All Within the Servant’s Words
In the early days of our mission in Brazil, my children and I often held prayer meetings. Once, my young son prayed, “God, please give my dad a car.” When I first heard him pray for a car, we were still new in the mission field. I thought owning a car seemed too luxurious. But the children believed simply that if they prayed, God would provide.
I, on the other hand, lacked that simple faith. Yet God heard their prayer. Not long after, He gave us a car.
At that time, Brother Lee from our São Paulo church worked in container imports. One day, due to an error in documentation, four containers filled with karaoke equipment were seized by customs. The brother couldn’t sleep and came to our church in despair. God humbled his heart, he heard the Gospel, and was saved with great joy.
After his salvation, he corrected the paperwork himself and faxed it to the court. Miraculously, all four containers were released! If they hadn’t been, he would have suffered enormous financial loss—perhaps selling his home and land to cover it. Grateful for God’s grace that both saved him and solved his problem, he bought the church a brand-new 12-seat Korean-made van. That car became a precious tool for spreading the Gospel across Brazil. I was deeply thankful that God even listened to a child’s prayer.
Every time Brother Lee heard the Word, tears filled his eyes. He would say excitedly, “Pastor, so what if our chapel is small and has a cement floor? The truth is here!” Many of the Korean brothers and sisters who were connected to us at that time have now become strong “pillars” of the Brazilian church. Like electricity powering a factory, their contributions, prayers, and offerings formed the foundation for the Gospel in Brazil.
Then I finally understood what Pastor Park meant when he told me, “Preach the Gospel to Koreans even on the airplane.” Through the servant’s words, God had already prepared many Koreans who would serve the Gospel—emptying them through hardships and then filling them with the Gospel.
Like Joseph and Ruth, God Has Been Shaping My Life
God gave Joseph two sons. He named the first Manasseh, saying, “God has made me forget all my troubles and all my father’s household” (Genesis 41:51). The second he named Ephraim, saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” Within His will and promise, God appointed Joseph as ruler to save the Egyptians and all people from famine.
In the same way, I have also faced many difficulties and sufferings in life. Yet all these occurred within God’s will, and He, in His faithful promise, has been shaping my life regardless of me. I have witnessed God working for the Gospel in Brazil—providing everything abundantly and causing us to prosper.
Like Ruth, I was someone who should have been cursed, but under the guidance of Naomi, she found true rest. Likewise, by simply following the guidance of the church and the servant of God, the Lord turned everything I encountered into good, allowing me to live only for the Gospel.
就像约瑟、路得一样，神引导、打造着我的生活
就像约瑟一样，我的人生有时也会有困难和苦难。但这些都是在神的旨意中遇到的事情，所以与我无关地，神都按照他的信实和应许在巴西作着工，赐下了福音所需要的一切，使之昌盛起来。当接受教会和仆人声音的引导时，神将我遇到的所有事情都改变成了善，使我可以只为了福音而活。
神赐予我葡萄牙语名——“约瑟”
在巴西牧会期间，当本地人问我叫什么名字时，我会告诉他们。但他们不熟悉韩语的发音，因为陌生，也听不懂。我想，我得用巴西人使用的葡萄牙语起一个名字，神便赐给了我“约瑟”这个名字。在葡萄牙语中，约瑟的发音是“朝塞José”，而我的姓金的发音是“King”。
神赐给了约瑟治理者的梦，但哥哥们嫉妒父亲独宠他，剥下了他的彩衣，把他当作奴隶卖到了埃及。约瑟在波提乏家为奴时，又被波提乏的妻子诬告。于是，他的奴隶衣服又换成了囚服，被关进了监狱。在监狱里，约瑟给酒政解了梦，满心期待官复原职的酒政能记念自己。当这个期待断绝时，藉着王的梦，酒政想起自己的罪来，记起了约瑟。约瑟这才得以从监狱里出来。神让约瑟给法老解梦，立他作了埃及的宰相，脱下了罪犯的囚服，穿上了统治者的细麻布衣服。默想约瑟的人生时，我想到：“神像引导约瑟的过程一样，在引导我的人生。”于是，神给我起了葡萄牙语的名字——“约瑟”。
“这是那些宣教士应该听的话语。”
1998年，蒙神的恩典，我得到了永久居留权，参加了第一次在秘鲁举办的南美牧会者聚会。朴玉洙牧师来与南美的宣教士们交流，说：“其他国家有几名宣教士，他们凭信心不再接受从韩国来的宣教费。于是，神惊奇地作工，帮助了他们，使他们得到了比接受援助前的更多物资，买了房子等，过上了丰盛的生活。”
牧师讲这个话语时，我刚来宣教不久。而且，我们只有接受韩国的援助才能交上房租，剩下的一点钱才能维持生计。所以，我听话语时，心想：“对我来说，现在终断宣教费，还为时过早。”周边几个国家的宣教士，他们有礼拜堂还在接受宣教费。因此，我从心里反驳道：“这是那些宣教士应该听的话语。”
牧会者聚会结束后，我回到巴西，仍然像以前一样，每个月期盼着打来宣教费的那一天。当时，我还没有巴西银行账户。我需要韩国那边的人把宣教费汇到一个韩国旅行社，韩国旅行社确认收款后，兑换成巴西钱，之后再给我。那天，我又去旅行社察看宣教费到了没，他们说韩国那边还没有汇款过来。我只能两手空空地回家。几天后，我又去旅行社问，对方说还是没有汇款过来。旅行社老板说：“你过几天再来看看。”就这样，我白跑了几趟。走出旅行社，我不由自主地抬头望了望天。这时，我非常清晰地想起朴玉洙牧师不久前在秘鲁跟我们交流的终断宣教费的话语。
如果终止接受宣教费，会比接受宣教费时得到多达数倍的供给，可以过上更加丰盛的生活。我也特别想这样生活，想经历这样的神。回家后，我叫来妻子，问她我们也终断宣教费怎么样。我跟她讲了我得到的心。感谢的是，妻子同意我这样做了。
“牧师，我们要凭信心终断宣教费。”
“如果终断宣教费，就没有钱，交不起房租，会被轰出来，会败亡。那该怎么办？”这样一想，我觉得败亡也并不是坏事。我想，宣教士一家人就算败亡，最多就是回韩国；就算败亡，也比现在这样生活强，只是会被贴上“宣教失败”的标签，蒙受羞耻而已。我想起了以前牧师讲道的过程中，举例说明时说过的话：“就算我从家里被赶出去，住在大桥底下，神也绝对不会让他的儿子像乞丐一样生活。”
反正我不可能永远指望从韩国寄来的宣教费生活，早晚得凭着信心生活。物质方面，我也得经历神的帮助，才能继续过宣教生活。所以，我不管三七二十一，跟随心中的决定，终断了宣教费。那天，我给负责汇宣教费的牧师打了电话。
“牧师，我凭信心终断宣教费了。请把我们应该拿的宣教费使用在其他地方吧。前不久，牧师给我们交流说，若凭信心终断宣教费，神会数倍补偿。我也特别想经历这样帮助我的神。”
负责牧师接到这个电话，吓了一跳，感觉特别抱歉。他说：“我太忙了，把这事给忘了。明天一大早，我就把钱给你汇过去。”但他听了我心里的见证之后，理解了我的心。牧师又说：“虽然现在终断了宣教费，但以后不管什么时候，如果你们想继续接受宣教费，随时可以联系我。”真的很感谢他能说这么温暖人心的话。
我们终断宣教费后，日子一天天过去，可是没有一点变化的征兆。我心里一直期待着，既然凭信心终断了宣教费，就应该有什么新的事情发生，可生活还是跟以前一模一样。不过，以前等待汇来宣教费的日子，就像是工薪阶层等待发工资的日子一样，而现在没有这样的日子了，这样的心也就消失了。我心里只能期待神，心情反而变得轻松了。
通过信仰书籍开始的圣经学习，以及得救的工作
有一天，我路过客厅时，看到了书架上插着的一本信仰书籍。当时有一个在大韩航空上班的弟兄，叫宋载京。弟兄每隔两三个月就会开飞机送乘客到圣保罗来。他每次来之前，都想着给我们带一些我们需要的东西。每当那时，我们都让他帮我们带《罪得赦免重生的秘密》、《两种信仰》等信仰书籍来。就这样，他来了几次后，我们家客厅的书架上就放满了信仰书籍。
我突然很想在韩国人发行的《圣保罗日报》上刊登书籍广告。我跟报社联系，刊登了“售卖信仰书籍”的广告，并留了我的电话。有一位去教会的韩国人看了广告后，给我打来电话，说想看看书。他读了《罪得赦免重生的秘密》，说“还想再买其他书”，又把别的书买走了。他说：“这些书太好了！”还请我每天凌晨引导他学习圣经。这个人希望每天上班前，先来进行圣经学习，之后再去上班。
从那时起，这个人每天凌晨都先来我们家，学习一个小时圣经，听一听话语，变得特别好。每天中午，他都带我去高档餐厅吃好吃的。一天，他从口袋里掏出一个信封给我，说是奉献款。那个信封感觉又厚又沉。后来，我打开一看，真的是一大笔钱。而且，他还介绍他的挚友和我一起学习圣经。就这样，他给我介绍了一个又一个人，有时还带着我一整天跟人们见面，轮流着学习圣经。通过圣经学习，开始有人得救。韩国人开始一个两个地从原来的教会分离出来，到我们这里来参加礼拜。
像路得一样跟随引导者的声音展现的恩典
路得是被神咒诅的摩押族的女人，是无法进入神的圣会的人。路得接受了引导者婆婆拿俄米的引导。拿俄米为路得创造了蒙福的所有条件，使路得摆脱了咒诅，生下了大卫的爷爷，进入到了耶稣的家庭中，享受到了荣耀。当拿俄米对路得说“你也像你嫂子俄耳巴一样回摩押吧”时，路得的心丝毫没有动摇。路得告白说：“不要催我回去不跟随你。你往哪里去，我也往那里去；你在哪里住宿，我也在那里住宿；你的国就是我的国，你的神就是我的神。你在哪里死，我也在那里死，也葬在那里。”
跟婆婆拿俄米一起回伯利恒的路得，最初跟着收割的人拾取麦穗，之后偶然到了波阿斯的田间。在那里，神让路得得到了不是依靠自己的劳苦，而是依靠波阿斯的恩典得到的丰盛粮食，并回到了婆婆那里。就像路得一样，我也只是跟随了神仆人的声音，神却让我在神里面享受到了丰盛的神的恩典。
新车、得救的人，都在仆人的话语里
在巴西宣教初期，我和孩子们常常开祷告会。一次年幼的孩子祷告说：“神啊，请您赐给我爸爸一辆车吧。”我第一次听儿子向神祷告要汽车时，我们才来宣教不久，感觉我们坐着车出门，似乎有点太奢侈了。孩子们只是单纯地相信，只要祷告，神就会给车。而面对孩子们，我的心却是：“是啊，梦还是做大一点好。”可是思考孩子们的祷告内容时，我知道我没有像孩子们那样为这些祷告，也没有信心。但神垂听了孩子们的祷告。祷告后没多久，神就给了我们一辆车。我想说一下这个见证。
当时，我们圣保罗教会的李弟兄从事进口集装箱的工作。一次，因为资料有误，装满四个集装箱的练歌房器材被海关扣押了。弟兄为此事睡不着觉，眼睛都肿了。后来，他来到了我们教会。神降卑了弟兄的心，让他带着谦卑的心听福音得救了。他特别开心。得救后，弟兄从文具店买了简单的印有个人事业证明样式的纸张，重新制作材料，并传真给了法院。
神奇的是，被扣押的四个集装箱都解押了。弟兄重新找回了集装箱，避免了巨额损失。如果那些集装箱没能找回来，这些损失都得由弟兄来承担。弟兄必须卖房卖地，才能承担起巨额损失。他不仅蒙神的恩典得救了，而且还解决了困难。弟兄无比高兴，对神心存感谢，便让职员给教会买了一辆韩国产弗雷西奥12座新车。这辆车非常宝贵，在我们穿梭于巴西传福音的事情上得到了使用。想到神连小孩子的祷告都垂听，我心里充满了感谢。
每次听话语时，李弟兄都会流泪。他激动地说：“牧师，我们的礼拜堂小，又是水泥地面，那又如何呢？这里有真理啊。”此外，当时联接的韩裔弟兄姊妹现在都成了巴西教会的“花托”。就像在发电所制造的电进到大工厂一样，神使初创期得救的韩裔弟兄姊妹的贡献、祷告和物资奉献，成了巴西传福音的重要基础。
这时我才明白，在我离开韩国那天，朴牧师对我说“在飞机里给韩国人传福音吧”是什么意思。神在通过他的仆人所说的话里，已经放入了能够侍奉福音的很多韩裔，并让他们在生活中遇到各种问题和困难，倒空他们的心，再用福音填满他们空虚的心。
像约瑟、路得一样，神打造我的生活
神赐给了约瑟两个儿子。约瑟给长子取名叫玛拿西（就是“使之忘了”的意思），因为他说：“神使我忘了一切的困苦和我父的全家。”（创41：51）他给次子起名叫以法莲（就是“使之昌盛”的意思），因为他说：“神使我在受苦的地方昌盛。”神在他的旨意中，凭应许立约瑟为治理者，拯救了因饥饿濒死的埃及人和所有人。
就像这一样，我在人生中也遇到过各种困难和苦难。但这些都是在神的旨意中遇到的事情，所以神凭着他信实的应许，打造着我的生活，与我毫无相关。我看到神在巴西做着福音工作，毫不吝惜地允许福音所需要的一切，并使我们昌盛起来。我也是像路得一样应该遭受咒诅的人，但就像在拿俄米的引导中，有真正的安息与休息之处一样，我只是接受了教会和仆人的声音的引导，神却把我遇到的所有事情都变成了善，使我可以只为了福音而生活。
没有评论:
发表评论