Amen. Let's greet each other. Today is truly a good day. Good things will happen to all of us. The title of today's message is A Life Without Lack. I would like to share the word based on Psalm 34:9-10 under the title of a life without lack. Please repeat after me. A life without lack. A life without lack. A life without lack. A life without lack.
Anyone who loves this life is living a life that feels lacking in something. Recently, many people are experiencing competition or difficulties due to a lack of material resources. Globally, it is said that there are about 600 to 700 million people facing hunger and starvation. There are those whose hearts are always empty, who cannot sleep without alcohol, and those who have become slaves to greed, grasping and grasping yet living in constant anxiety and dissatisfaction. However, no matter what they possess, they cannot attain true joy and satisfaction in their hearts.
There was a man named Howard Hughes, a wealthy American, film producer, and pioneer in the aviation industry. He invested in the industry that turned fighter planes into commercial aircraft, laying the foundation for all modern aviation. Before he died, he cried out, "I am nothing, nothing." He lived a very lonely life, disconnected from the outside world due to severe obsessive-compulsive disorder and a phobia of germs. He could not stay in one place for long and wandered from place to place, always renting the top penthouses of the best hotels in each area, closing the curtains and turning off the lights, with guards outside, only allowing those he summoned to enter. In April 1970, while staying in a hotel in Acapulco, Mexico, days passed without any sound from inside. When the guards broke in, they found him dying. He died on the way to a hospital in Houston, Texas, in a private plane. He had a fortune worth billions and held great honors, but before he died, he realized that money and fame meant nothing to him. He repeated, "It is nothing" until he died. This is the end of a life without God.
In his later years, Solomon said that a life apart from God is all vanity. In Ecclesiastes, he stated, "Vanity of vanities; all is vanity." The word "vanity" appears five times in a single verse. Vanity of vanities; all is vanity. A life without God is vain. I believe that when we believe in Jesus and live a life that fears God, that is true blessing and happiness in our lives. Amen.
We must live a life that fears God. Those who love and fear God will find that they lack nothing. Psalm 34:9 says, "O fear the Lord, you His saints! For those who fear Him lack nothing." As children of God, we should live our lives revering, praising, and glorifying God throughout our lives. Proverbs 1:7 states, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." As God's people, what God desires from us is to fear Him, keep His word, practice love, and serve the Lord with joy. Therefore, when we live a life that fears God, we can experience true happiness.
Deuteronomy 10:12 says, "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul?" Indeed, when we serve the Lord with all our heart and soul, God's grace will come upon us. No matter what problems arise, if we look to the Lord, believe, and rely on Him, He will hold us and grant us amazing grace. Amen.
Sometimes difficulties come. Unexpectedly, a business may start to collapse, leading to bankruptcy, or a well-behaved child may enter adolescence and cause trouble, leading to constant meetings with school officials. When a healthy body suddenly faces illness, such as cancer, and life's storms approach, do not look at the problems in the storm and despair; instead, quietly bow down and plead to the Lord. Amen.
Psalm 62:1-2 says, "For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken." Amen. When we trust and rely on the Lord, He will hold us and protect us. Psalm 34:7 states, "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them." Proverbs 14:27 says, "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death." In times of despair, loneliness, sorrow, and pain, we must seek our Lord.
People living in this world often live very lonely lives. They seem to have everything but still feel lonely. When I was at Yonsei University, I once performed with the Yonsei University Orchestra in Gangneung. After the performance, the audience cheered and applauded, but I felt empty inside. My heart felt so uplifted, yet I returned to my dorm and drank all night. I was the only one not drinking. Everyone else was drinking, and no matter how much they drank, they couldn't quench their thirst. They had large jars filled with makgeolli, and they drank all night. Even though they were artists, without Jesus, they felt empty. After receiving applause and stepping off the glamorous stage, they fell apart and drank all night. I realized how great a blessing it is to believe in Jesus. After that performance, I decided to stop playing instruments and went my own way, but I saw that people were lonely and struggling. Therefore, we must come to God. We must seek the Lord. Amen.
Jeremiah 29:13 says, "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." Amen. We must seek the Lord. No matter what we encounter or what difficulties arise, when we come before the Lord and plead for His help, God's grace will come upon us. When facing problems, do not seek people; instead, seek our God. Amen. If we seek God, who is the problem-solver, greater than our problems, and our Savior, He will rescue us from all despair.
Everyone living their lives feels a sense of lack, but those who seek the Lord lack nothing. Amen. Psalm 34:10 says, "The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." Amen. They lack no good thing. Amen.
In the news on July 9th, it was reported that urologists in Gangnam wrote fake prescriptions, issuing over 4,300 prescriptions for narcotics. They themselves consumed some of these narcotics. You might think that if you have money in Gangnam, what could you possibly lack? But because their hearts are empty, they turn to drugs. Many wealthy people in Gangnam shared the drugs that the doctors provided. They distributed over 120,000 doses. They are now in prison. Neither drugs nor anything else can fill the emptiness in our lives. Amen. Only Jesus Christ can rescue us from all despair. Amen. He heals us. Amen. He comforts us, restores us, and leads us to a place of abundant grace. Amen. We must go to God through Jesus. When we approach God, His amazing grace will come upon us all.
Like David's confession, we can also confess, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters." Amen. Before the God who is our shepherd, let us bring all our hands. Bring all personal problems, family issues, life challenges, children's problems, workplace issues, business troubles, and all problems before the Lord. Amen. The world cannot provide us with answers. Only our God, who created and governs all things, can give answers to our desires and problems. Amen. Therefore, we must come before God and cry out. Amen. What we can do is to come before the Lord in our weakness and cry out. Psalm 34:15 says, "The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry." Amen. When we, who are pitiful, wounded, and weak, seek help, there is no one but the Lord. When we bow down and pray, the Lord will look upon us with compassion, listen to our prayers, and answer us. Amen. Amen.
Lord, have mercy on me. When we pray with tears, the Lord wipes our tears and embraces us with His love. In times of suffering, continue to cry out and cry out and cry out again. Amen. Psalm 34:6 says, "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles." Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." Amen. When it is difficult and challenging, come before the Lord and cry out. Go to the prayer mountain and cry out, "Lord, have mercy on me." When we cry out and pray, the Lord will work and grant us grace. Amen.
When I went to Hanoi, Vietnam, there were Koreans gathering to worship. Four devoted deacons were serving lunch to our pastors and elders who had come from Korea. They had been in Hanoi for over ten years but still had no children. They earnestly desired a child and prayed during worship for God to grant them a child. After the service, they prayed for those who could not have children, and after hearing their story, they earnestly sought God, and afterward, they had a child. Hallelujah! God hears and answers prayers. Amen. Amen. When we earnestly cry out, He rescues us from the depths of despair and grants us amazing grace in our lives. Amen.
Psalm 40:1-2 says, "I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure." Hallelujah. We give glory to God. What is our problem today? There is a lack of earnestness. During the difficult times of the 60s and 70s, we came before the Lord with earnest hearts and cried out. Why? Because we had nothing, and there was no one but God to rely on. Everyone was starving, cold, tired, and living exhausted lives, so we cried out earnestly to the Lord. Today, in our society, that earnestness has disappeared. The cries have vanished. While life has become more comfortable, hearts have grown emptier, leading to conflict and fighting. The only way for this nation to find true solutions to its problems is to come to Jesus. Amen.
In a time of division and conflict, where politics is at its lowest level, our country ranks 6th in the world in terms of influence. According to the US News World Report, we are 6th. The first is the United States, followed by China, Russia, Germany, and the United Kingdom, with South Korea in 6th place. However, our level of democracy ranks 32nd. Why? Because we are constantly fighting and tearing each other apart, we need to rise again as people of Jesus. Amen. We must unite. Amen. We must unite in the love of the Lord. Amen. We must unite in the Word. Amen. We must unite in the fear of the Lord. Amen. We must heal this sick society. We must bring about change. Amen. Amen. When God is with us, amazing miracles will manifest in our lives. Amen.
I would like to introduce our sister Ji-seon, who is currently serving as a praise minister despite having gone through great trials. Her childhood was marred by wounds. Her father was a famous flutist and head of a broadcasting station, but there was severe domestic violence, and she had no peaceful days. Eventually, when she was 15, her parents divorced, and her family fell apart. She and her younger brother ended up living in a large house in Daejeon. At school, she faced bullying and was affected by school violence, suffering from malnutrition, nervous disorders, and enteritis, with pain all over her body. Every night, she soaked her pillow with tears. But God had compassion on her. A teacher recognized her musical talent and asked a pastor to give her free lessons. After a year of lessons, she passed the entrance exam for music college with a full scholarship. She dreamed of studying in Germany, but one day, during early morning prayer, she decided to give up that dream. She reflects that looking back at her past filled with depression, the word "gratitude" came to her mind, and she thought it was better to repay grace in this land than to challenge herself in a foreign place. After that, she passed through fierce competition and joined the Daejeon City Choir. After joining the choir, a conductor from Germany came, and she was able to showcase her musical talent without going abroad. She met a wonderful brother of faith who played the drums, married him, and they had two children. She felt that her life could not be this happy. She began to copy the Bible, and as she did, the Holy Spirit filled her, and every time she wrote, she experienced immense joy and gratitude.
However, on October 15, 2011, a great trial came. Both of her children were hospitalized with pneumonia, and while washing her eldest child and bathing her youngest, her eldest son, Eun-chan, imitated his father playing the drums with chopsticks and accidentally inserted them into a 220V outlet. Sparks flew, filling the room with smoke, and he was electrocuted, his heart stopping instantly. All the nerves and joints in his fingers were severed, and he was in critical condition. When the ambulance arrived, he was almost dead. The hospital staff said there was no chance of survival, and he was rushed in for surgery every two days under general anesthesia. As a mother, all she could do was cry and pray beside him. "God, why have you given me such suffering?" But as she entered the 15th operating room, her son smiled and said, "Mom, I wasn't alone when I went in. Jesus was there, and there were four angels with me." Oh, hallelujah! God was with him. He had saved his life from death. She became grateful to God. She realized that no matter what desperate situation she faced, it was not despair; every trial was a path toward the blessings God had given her. So, during those difficult times in the hospital, she always smiled with her child. Her child was very happy, saying, "Mom, it feels like a picnic here." Even in the hospital, she was a shining mother, while her child was the worst patient. As time passed, her fingers healed and grew back, and he has now grown into a young man who plays the bass guitar and praises God. She believes that praising God is the only way to show her reverence for Him. Currently, she serves as a professor of praise ministry at Daejeon Methodist University, nurturing future generations while traveling around the country, sharing her precious testimony through praise. She confesses, "I believe the essence of faith is to share in God's heart. When we understand God's heart that looks upon us in times of suffering, we are moved to help those in need, just like widows and orphans. This calling for me is the ministry of praise, saving those in need, and raising disciples. I want to live my life sharing everything I have." Hallelujah.
We must learn from this precious faith that experiences abundant grace from God even in suffering. Our God always allows us to live a life without lack. Even in trials, He helps us recognize His grace and empowers us to move forward in hope. No matter what problems or difficulties we face, may you look only to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and keep moving forward, forward, and forward. I bless you in the name of the Lord. I bless you. I bless you. Amen.
Wherever I am, my heart is always at peace. The peace given by the Lord Jesus is always abundant. There is peace in my heart. There is peace in my room. Though the waves of evil sin are many, I have peace. The wellspring of eternal life flows endlessly, quenching my thirst, and I am always at peace. There is peace in my heart. There is peace in my heart. Though the waves of evil sin are many, I have peace. The Lord Jesus endured all kinds of suffering; if we suffer with Him, we will receive a crown. There is peace in my heart. There is peace in my heart.
May the peace given by the Lord overflow in your hearts through the fear of the Lord. I bless you in the name of the Lord. I bless you. Amen. I bless you. Amen. Let us pray. Amen. Loving, gracious, and merciful God the Father, no matter how difficult and challenging the situation may be, may we look only to You, rely only on You, and overcome all difficulties through prayer, overflowing with the peace You give. Amen. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. Amen.