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To Live on Every Word that Comes from the Mouth of the Lord

    Since I left Korea I lived as a missionary in Bulgaria for five years and in Macedonia for 11 years. When I testified about my mission life to several senior shepherds I hesitate. But, by faith, I would like to share how God led us till now. And I also pray for my future direction. My key verse is Deuteronomy 8:3, “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”  

    After the exodus the Israelites were trained in the wilderness for 40 years. Moses taught them about the meaning and the purpose of training. As we know well the wilderness is a dreadful desert without food and water. It is a dangerous place with snakes and scorpions. Life itself is difficult. Due to these circumstances the Israelites grumbled very regularly, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?"  “We didn’t want to come here but you brought us out of Egypt, in order to wander around this whole wilderness for nothing?” They thought, " Life in the wilderness is meaningless and just a waste of time."  They thought it was just a time of pain and curse. 

    They wanted to pass through the wilderness as soon as possible and enter the land of Canaan, the land of abundance and the land flowing with milk and honey. They hoped that pain will end and they will have a new and happy beginning!’ Was that really a waste of time? No. The wilderness was a very good place for spiritual training from God. It was a very appropriate place to train against their sinful nature, such as their idle and lazy lives and against their slave mentality contrary to God’s vision. Through this God trained them to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

    How did God specifically train the people of Israel? Deuteronomy 8:3 says, “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” In the wilderness there was no food or drink. There was nothing you can do with your own strength and ability. During this period, they only lived with the manna, which God provided. In order to live whether they wanted to or not, they lived according to the word of God. They obeyed God’s word at all times in order to eat every day, 365 days a year. If they obeyed they were given daily bread manna. Through this, they believed that only God fulfilled their needs. Through this, they realized that they could do nothing by their power and might. Through this they learned that everything depends not on us but on God. They believed that what was impossible for them is possible only with God. 

    Why did God give this kind of training? Naturally people are arrogant. A proud person says, ‘I can do everything with my strength and power.’ They want to show themselves off. 'I did it with my own labor and power.’ 'I built it', 'I did it, so don’t touch it'. God warns against such arrogant people severely. God trains such people in order to acknowledge that everything depends on God and that God is our only hope.

    But as we know when people are hungry and are in hardships and difficulties they live according to God's Word. However, when they become prosperous and are comfortable they become proud. Though outwardly the situation is better but inwardly they digress spiritually. In the wilderness, they were humble in heart and mind, but in the land of Canaan, their minds would become full of pride. Then suddenly, they think they are God. When they forget God, they become greedy and dirty without knowing themselves. And they will also burden others. How will God treat these people? Deuteronomy 8:19 says, ”If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.” 

    When the Israelites were into the land of Canaan and tasted milk and honey they became strange. They forgot God and worshiped idols. Then, they perished. Ironically, in the wilderness, they seemed to perish, but they did not perish. In the land of Canaan where they seemed to live well, they perished. So, we should know that the wilderness is rather a land of blessing. And the wilderness is a spiritually safe land. On the other hand, Canaan, the land of milk and honey is not a land of blessing but rather a spiritually dangerous land.

    People are only interested in worldly success, the land of Canaan, milk and honey. financial success, human honor, successful ministry and children’s success.  When people attain these things, in their llfe-testimonies they always say, 'This is all by the grace of God.” That’s it. I want to gain, too. But what does God warn against the Israelites who are only interested in the land of Canaan itself? ‘Be humble.’ God commands them to be humble. ‘Don’t forget God's word. 

    Abraham was a good example for us. When God called him he lived in the land of Canaan as a stranger and foreigner. Since God promised that God would give him the land of Canaan I think Abraham must have worked diligently to sell sheep in order to buy the land and build himself a house. But he only lived in a tent. His descendants also lived like him. Abraham did not say to his descendants, 'I was in trouble. That’s enough don’t live like me, but live a stable and comfortable life without suffering.’ How could they live like that? Hebrews 11:16 says, "…Instead, they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one ... " Abraham regarded this land as a place to stay for a while. He thought that this land is not a place to live forever. He was longing for a better country of God. 

    They were not concerned about whether they attained anything or not in Canaan. When his nephew Lot lived in a good or a barren land he didn’t complain. Isaac also makes a cool concession to those who insist that wells are theirs. When people saw this, they were strange. So, the author of Hebrews called them "strangers" That's right. By faith, they left everything to God and lived as a holy stranger in the land of Canaan. God is pleased with these people and prepared a city in the kingdom of God. While we live in the wilderness let’s become holy strangers, thankful for the life of the wilderness in the hope of God’s kingdom. Amen.

    My life in Macedonia over the last eleven years was like a wilderness. After five years of missionary life in Bulgaria my job became more and more difficult. Then God led me to Macedonia through a Korean businessman. At that time, Missionary James Kang told me, ‘Don’t you hear the voice of God, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us?" I could not say, "I cannot hear the voice." However, by faith we arrived in the land of Macedonia like Abraham when he didn’t know where to go and went to the land of Canaan. 

    Macedonia is a small newly emerging country that was one of the former Yugoslav republics after World War II and became independent in 1991. There is no diplomatic relationship between Macedonia and Korea due to political problems with Greece. Only 11 Koreans live in Macedonia. 

    However, as soon as we arrived the businessman betrayed me and I became unemployed. At that time, we didn’t even have money to cover the costs of living for a whole  month and our third child was on the way. I did not know what to do. From that time we were trained to live by the word of God. I was able to remain in Macedonia as God said to Issac at the time of the famine, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live.”(Ge.26: 2), But, I had nothing to do. At that time, every day we went up to the castle at night, to praise God and to pray with our children. "A spring will flood in the desert. Flowers will bloom in the desert  When the kingdom is ruled by the Lord, the desert will flow." By faith, I set up my own company. But I still didn’t know what to do. I tried to sell ramen, but no one wanted to buy it. Many Macedonians asked, ‘What is this?’  There was a lot of ramen stored in the warehouse. Some people took a lot of products to sell, and then disappeared. At that time, my family unwillingly ate a lot of ramen.

    That year at the European director’s conference I received faith through the words of Jesus who fed 5,000 people. My third child Andrej and I decided to advertise Korean ramen by offering free samples. However, as a missionary to put on an apron was humiliating. But I didn’t give up. After a few hours my legs were swollen and was full of sweat. I also carried a bag full of accessories and went around the shops. People looked at me strange. Then I felt despised and complained, 'Why did you lead me to this place?' I grumbled, 'Why did this happen to us?' And also, I said to my wife, "Let’s go to Korea and start a farm." Then my wife said, "Do you think that no one has farmed? If you go, go alone." That's right. I was a poor person who could not even become a farmer.

    Through this life I met the God who humbled me and caused me to live in hunger. God also tested me in order to know why I came to be a missionary and what was in my heart. Deuteronomy 8:2 says, "Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.” I wanted to live as a shepherd and as a missionary in order to receive human approval. But God has sent me where there was no human recognition. Therefore, I had to live before God. I also wanted to live an idle and comfortable life without hardships and human approval. But God sent me to be a pioneer in the wilderness. God also gave me four children. While I was fathering four children I couldn’t sleep well. In this way, I realized how lazy I was, how untrained I was, and how stuck I was in a slave mentality.

    In the meantime, I only wanted to get through the period of this wilderness as soon as possible. I wanted to taste the milk and honey, by resolving my financial problem and raise Jesus’ disciples. However, I could not see the end of this difficult period. When a missionary visited us he said to me, "The sunny day will come soon.” However, it seemed that the sunny day would never come in my life.

    But, through this life, God has been with us, kept us and worked with us. God led my family to become accustomed to living a poor life. We got used to enduring our current situation. Through this life, I meditated on God's grace and mercy. I was not worthy as a missionary. I was born in an unbelieving family, which has been such for generations. I did not study very well. But God saved me as an unworthy sinner and chose me to be a shepherd and missionary. When I thought about it, I realized that it was only by God's mercy. 1 Peter 2:10 says, "Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” I confessed that I am what I am by the grace of God. When I realized this missionary life wasn’t any lonelier, sad and heavy, yet, I was able to live this life of faith, by giving thanks to the Lord. Psalm 119:71 says, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” God seemed to me like this, "God did not call me to do something great with me. He only walked with me for me to experience him. God led me to learn to live by the word of God in the wilderness.

    For 11 years we only endured by faith, but God blessed us in many ways. God has kept my company from failing, and kept it growing for 11 years. I started out by selling ramen, but now my company became an Asian food company. Also, God Himself sent Manna from heaven. Suddenly God sent many Korean tourists to Macedonia. There were no Korean people except Missionary Petra and me. God also gave us a permanent visa in Macedonia. By faith, Missionary Petra Kang has obtained her M.A. degree from the local universities. As a result the Korean Foundation appointed Missionary Petra Kang as a Korean teacher in Ss. Cyril & Methodius University in Macedonia. God also sent us to help some sheep. They are those who like us are weak and sin-sick people who cannot live without Jesus. Through this we realized that God sent them to us, in order to learn God’s mercy with a pure mind. In addition, my four children in Macedonia did not suffer from loneliness, but were growing up as second generation missionaries. I confess that this is the mercy of God for us. Amen.

    When I meditate on God who has guided me thus far, I think about what should my house church be like in the future. Since I have suffered for a while, can I live comfortably by tasting milk and honey? No. When a person is hungry and enduring hardship he or she lives according to the word of God. But if he becomes better even a little, hunger for the word of God will be gone, and he is willing to enjoy the tastes of the world. Then, his soul will be lazy, influenced from by worldly culture and will become spiritually ill. God told me, "You will surely be destroyed."

    My key verse for 2017 is 2 Timothy 2:15: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who will handle the word of truth." I believe that being called a Bible teacher through ‘UBF’ is the greatest blessing in my life. I also believe that what I can do best is to teach the Bible. I don’t think that I have much ability to make money. I have lived as a Bible teacher for many years, but I confess that I am shamed. I decide to study my Bible deeply, with the feeling that I am starting from the beginning. Now this time is increasingly confusing, and many cults are working everywhere. So, I realize that I should be a Bible teacher who correctly handles the Word of truth and teaches the Bible rightly. I also pray that I do my best to eat daily bread everyday and to pray one hour per day. Therefore, by the power of the Word, I pray that I will overcome this worldly age and live as a holy stranger. Amen. 

Prayer Topics:

• Macedonia to be a Bible land by raising 12 disciples of Jesus (Br. Slavé, S. Vikki, …)
• M. Barnabas Kang’s family to be excellent Bible teachers through deep Bible study (2Tim. 2:15)
• M. Petra Kang to be used as an excellent Korean teacher in Cyril and Methodius University
• Second gens to grow as good disciples of Jesus

Barnabas Kang