在这个十二月，我们不但渴望庆祝耶稣的降生，更与其他圣徒一起等待昔日先知预言的应验，就是应验弥赛亚和平降临，和地上公义审判官的再来。虽然别人时常提醒我们，小心圣诞节变得太商业化，但让我们也借用这些应节的象征，来预备迎接基督的降临吧。

但愿这个月的默想，能帮助我们天天迎接我们的主。.

Luke 21:25-36     
December - 1
IMAGINE
"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with . . . the anxieties of life . . . ." Luke 21:34

The New York Times carried the story of a miner who had been trapped for 16 hours deep under the mountains of Colorado. Tons of rock blocked his escape. Water was slowly filling the mine.

To keep from going mad, the miner said he began envisioning his rescue. Believing that his rescuers surely were working furiously to reach him, he imagined them driving a pipe into his dark chamber to bring in fresh air, and he imagined himself tapping a message on it to let them know he was alive. He imagined them breaking through and walking him out, and he saw himself embracing his wife and child, going home, calling up friends, and eating and dancing to celebrate his rescue.

The miner kept his head by envisioning his homecoming. The season of Advent calls us to live with the end in mind, to envision the day when the Son of Man will come with power and glory. Without this end firmly in mind, says Jesus, our "hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life."

No doubt, some of the people we know have already resigned themselves to life in the pit. They expect no rescue. But to them we can say, "Come with us to Bethlehem, listen to the good news of Jesus, and believe that your rescuer is in fact on the way, that Ôyour redemption is drawing near.’"

PRAYER
Dear God, stir our minds to imagine what you have prepared for us, whom you love. May the glory to which you call us strengthen us today in Jesus’ name. Amen.

路加福音   21:25-36
December - 1
幻想

「你们要谨慎，恐怕因……今生的思虑累住你们的心。」 路21:34


纽约时报记载了一位被困在美国科罗拉多州山下深坑长达十六小时的矿工的故事。当时有大堆石头堵塞住他逃生之路，而水亦正慢慢渗入矿场。

为了使自己不致于发狂，这位矿工说他开始憧憬他获救时的情形。他深信拯救人员正在竭力寻找他的所在，他想象他们正将一根管子钻入他身处的漆黑洞穴，藉此注入新鲜空气；他想象自己敲击管子来通知他们他仍活着；他想象他们突破障碍领他逃出生天，他仿佛看见自己拥抱妻儿，回到家中，致电友人，吃喝跳舞，欢庆脱险。

借着幻想自己获救回家，这位矿工保持了冷静；同样，将临节提醒我们，当抱着期望末日的心态过活，要憧憬人子在权能荣耀中再临的情形。耶稣说若不紧记这个日子，我们「恐怕因贪食、醉酒，并今生的思虑累住我们的心。」

我们认识的一些人无疑已心灰意冷，他们认为今生注定被困，也不期望获救。但我们可对他们说：「与我们一起到伯利恒，聆听耶稣的好消息吧。相信你们的拯救者已在路上，而且『你们得赎的日子近了。』」

祷告
神啊，祢爱我们，求祢感动我们，憧憬祢为我们所预备的一切。愿祢呼召我们进入荣耀，今天就因耶稣的名而加添力量给我们。阿们。

[ 本帖最后由 懿怡妈妈 于 2008-12-8 12:36 编辑 ].

Romans 13:11-14  
December - 2

NEAR

"The night is nearly over; the day is almost here." Romans 13:12


When we read passages like this one from Romans 13, we may well be puzzled by the writer’s urgency, as though Christ’s coming is just around the corner. How can we maintain such an air of expectancy today, two thousand years later?

It’s been helpful to me to recognize how relative the word "near" is. I mean, if I told you my cousin is coming next summer, you probably wouldn’t say, "That is near!" or "That’s really soon!" But if I told you that my doctor said I was ill and would die next summer, you might well say, "Oh, that’s near!" On the other hand, if the doctor told me I’d live till the year 2055, no one would say, "That’s near!" But if scientists told us that the earth would disintegrate by 2055, the whole world would groan, "That is so near!" Clearly something is near if it makes an impact on the present. My cousin’s visit has no effect on my plans today. But my death or the end of the world -- well, that’s another story.

The coming of Christ, whenever it will be, is an event of such great significance that it affects us today. Already now its rays pierce our darkest days.

Our salvation is near. So let us understand this present time as the opportunity to be clothed "with the Lord Jesus Christ, and . . . Not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

PRAYER
Gracious God, with the psalmist we pray that you will "teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

罗马书   13:11-14
December - 2


将近

「黑夜已深，白昼将近。」 罗13:12


每当读到类似罗马书13章的经文时，我们对作者迫切的语气往往大惑不解，因为他们好像在说，基督的再来已经近在咫尺了。然而在二千年后的今天，我们怎样还能保持这种期待的心态呢？

其实「将近」这两个字的意思是相对的，明白这点对我有很大帮助。倘若我告诉你，我的表亲将在明年夏天到访，你大概不会说：「他快要来了！」或「真是很快啊！」然而，我若告诉你，医生说我已病入膏肓，只能活到明年夏天，你肯定会说：「噢！时候不多了！」另一方面，倘若医生说我可以活到2055年，没有人会说：「时候不多了！」不过，如果科学家告诉我们，地球将会在2055年解体，全人类必定会惊叫说：「那么很快就到了！」明显地，如果一件事情影响到我们目前的生活，那它就是将近的。我表亲的到访不会影响我今天的计划，但若是我要去世或世界末日临到，那么情形便完全不同了。

基督再来是一件非常重要的事，无论何时发生，都对我们今天的生活有影响；即使是现在，它的光芒也已经穿透了我们最黑暗的日子。

我们得救的日子近了。所以，我们当晓得，现今就要趁机披戴「主耶稣基督……不要为肉体安排，去放纵私欲。」

祷告

慈爱的神，我们呼应诗篇作者向祢祈求：「求祢指教我们怎样数算自己的日子，好叫我们得着智慧的心。」奉耶稣的名求，阿们。.

Isaiah 40:1-11  
December - 3


HOPE

"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem . . . ." Isaiah 40:1-2


We do not want false hope. For example, if a doctor says we have cancer and recommends treatments for a possible cure, we might say, "Be honest with me. Is there any hope of surviving this?"

I remember being 30 years old (not so long ago), and I remember people then who were as old as I am now -- and they have died of old age. Is there room for hope in this life -- even mini-hope?

In 1956 our family immigrated to California. My father was full of hope that he would one day own his own dairy. Eight years later he died.

The cynic says, "Don’t hope. Take what you can today. Tomorrow? Who knows?"

Our Scripture today gives a different perspective. In the midst of brokenness and exile, God says, "Comfort, comfort my people . . . . Speak tenderly . . . To her."

We may be like grass, but because God is in the field, the odds for hope increase exponentially. God has not abandoned us. God is faithful.

Isaiah is told, "Speak tenderly" -- that is, "Speak to the heart." It’s the voice of the lover wooing the beloved not to settle in exile, not to surrender to despair -- assuring her, "It will be good; it will end well." In this Advent season "may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him" (Romans 15:13).
PRAYER

Gracious God, drive your promises deep into our hearts, that we may be encouraged and overflow with hope each day. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

以赛亚书   40:1-11
December - 3


盼望

「你们的神说：你们要安慰、安慰我的百姓。要对耶路撒冷说安慰的话……。」 赛40:1-2


我们不想要没有根据的希望。举例说，医生若说我们患了癌病，并推荐可能的治疗方案，我们会说：「请告诉我实话，我还有希望康复吗？」

我记得自己三十岁时是怎样的（这并不是很久以前的事吧！），我也记得当时像我今日这个年纪的人，他们已年老去世了。人生究竟有没有任何希望？哪怕是一丝的希望？

我的家人在1956年移民到加利福尼亚州；家父满怀希望会有一天拥有自己的乳牛场，可惜八年后他便去世了。

愤世嫉俗的人说：「不要抱任何希望。今朝有酒今朝醉。明天如何？天晓得！」

我们今天的经文则提出不同的观点。在他们悲惨的放逐生涯中，神说：「你们要安慰、安慰我的百姓……要对耶路撒冷说安慰的话。」

我们尽管像草一样容易枯萎，但因为神在草场上，我们便满有希望。神没有丢弃我们，祂是信实的神。

神吩咐以赛亚，要「说安慰的话」 —— 意思是说，要「说安慰及鼓励的话」。这就像一位爱侣不断鼓励他的情人，不要安于放逐，不要屈服于绝望，他向她保证：「一切都会好过来的，必会有一个美满结局的。」在这个将临节的日子，「但愿使人有盼望的神，因信将诸般的喜乐平安充满你们的心」（罗马书15:13）。
祷告

慈爱的神，求祢把祢的应许带入我们心底深处，好叫我们天天得到激励并满怀盼望。奉耶稣的名求，阿们。.

Psalm 42  
December - 4


THIRST

"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." Psalm 42:2


My soul thirsts. No other creatures besides human beings know this kind of thirst. The cow, chewing its cud in knee-high grass, is utterly content. Yet we thirst for God even in the midst of plenty.

In his autobiography, journalist Malcolm Muggeridge writes that throughout his life he had the notion of being engaged in a quest, seeking some ultimate fulfillment. As a young man he wrote in some hastily scribbled notes, "Is this God?

Some say we thirst for God even though we might not be aware of it. A poet writes,

Where the sun shines in the street

There are very many feet

Seeking God, all unaware

That their hastening is a prayer.

We want God, but not in some vague sense, especially when life is under attack. We long to know God as a young sailor did in World War II when he wrote to his anxious mother, "Remember . . . Even if I should be swallowed up in these deep waters, all the oceans in the world are but a tiny pool in our Father’s hand."

The psalmist longs to meet with God in worship, relieving the thirst of his soul in God’s presence. In our lives as Christians today we long to see Jesus, the living water that quenches our thirst (John 4:14; 7:37-39).
PRAYER

Merciful God, lead us to quench our thirst in you, to find relief for our souls in the work of your Son, who came to give us new life and power to serve you always. In Jesus, Amen.

诗篇   42
December - 4


渴想

「我的心渴想神，就是永生神。」 诗42:2


我的心渴想神。除了人类之外，没有任何其他生物明白这种干渴。在深及膝盖的草中咀嚼反刍食物的母牛非常满足，但我们在一无所缺时仍然是这样渴想神。

新闻记者麦马高在他的自传中说，他一生中都觉得自己在寻找，寻找某种终极的满足。他年青时曾匆匆写下一个问题：「这是神吗？」

有人说，我们往往在不知不觉中渴想神。有一位诗人这样说：

阳光普照大地，

照进街上许多的足迹，

人们正在寻找神，却不晓得

他们匆匆的步伐，正是向神发出的呼求。

我们需要神，实实在在的需要祂，特别是当生命处于危急时。我们渴想认识神，就像第二次世界大战时一位年青海军写信给忧心的母亲所说的：「记着……我就是被大水淹没，世上所有的海洋，都只不过是天父手中的一个小水潭而已。」

诗人渴望在敬拜中与神相会，有神同在便能满足他心灵的渴求。在今天，基督徒也渴想与耶稣相会，因祂是能解除我们干渴的活水 (约翰福音4:14；7:37-39)。
祷告

满有怜悯的神，求祢领我们到祢那里来满足我们的干渴，我们藉祢儿子的大功找到心灵的满足，祂来是为要赐我们新的生命和能力，好叫我们能不住事奉祢。奉耶稣祈求，阿们。.

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10  
December - 5


ENDURANCE

"We continually remember . . . Your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 1:3


When they think about life, lots of people say they love the journey but aren’t much interested in the destination. Anna Quindlen, in her book A Short Guide to a Happy Life, writes, "Life is good. I don’t mean in any cosmic way. I never think of my life, or my world, in any big cosmic way. I think of it in all its small component parts: the snowdrops, the daffodils, the feeling of one of my kids sitting close beside me on the couch . . . . Life is made up of moments."

It’s good advice to enjoy the present. But this is only a half-truth. If you’re on a plane, your ability to enjoy the journey is greatly aided by your belief that there will be a smooth landing. But if the pilot tells you the plane’s landing gear is malfunctioning, you’ll care more about landing safely than whether they’re serving beef or salmon for dinner.

The Bible values both the journey and the destination. But because the journey is often arduous, the Bible constantly urges us to remember the hope we have in Christ. And this is no itsy-bitsy hope; it’s the grand hope of a new heaven and a new earth -- that in the end all will be well.

"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul" (Hebrews 6:19). Indeed, it is this hope that frees us to relish our dinner today.
PRAYER

Lord, we don’t want to be ignorant of the present or tyrannized by it, as if nothing else mattered. Fill us with hope today in your promise of a greater tomorrow. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

帖撒罗尼迦前书   1:1-10
December - 5


盼望生忍耐

「不住地记念你们……因盼望我们主耶稣基督所存的忍耐。」 帖前1:3


谈到人生时，很多人表示他们热爱生命的旅程，但对这个旅程的目的地却没有甚么兴趣。《快乐人生指南》的作者君安娜在书中说：「人生是美好的，但我不是从任何很伟大的意义上来说的。我从不会从任何伟大的角度来看我的生命或我的世界，我着重的只是其中每一个细小的环节：雪花、水仙、我与孩子依偎坐在长椅上的温馨……生命是由很多小的时刻组成的。」

享受目前是一个好的建议，但这只不过是真理的一部分。当你坐飞机时，你能够享受这个旅程，很大程度上是因为你相信飞机将会顺利降落。倘若机师告诉你，飞机的降落系统出了毛病，你最关心的便是能否安全降落，而不是飞机上的晚餐会是牛肉还是三文鱼了。

圣经对人生的旅程和目的地同样重视。但因为旅程往往甚为艰辛，所以圣经不断鼓励我们，要谨记我们在基督里的盼望。这可不是一个微不足道的盼望，而是一个对新天新地的宏大盼望 —— 最终一切都将会完美无瑕。

「我们有这指望，如同灵魂的锚」 (希伯来书6:19)。事实上，我们能够安心享用今天的晚饭，都是因为我们有这个盼望。
祷告

主啊，我们不愿漠视现在发生的事情，但也不愿被它辖制，好像没有其它更重要的事一样。现今求祢叫我们充满盼望，因为祢应许赐更美好的明天。奉耶稣的名，阿们。.

James 5:7-11  
December - 6


PATIENCE

"Be patient, then . . . Until the Lord’s coming." James 5:7


The dictionary defines patience as "the capacity to endure without complaint something difficult or disagreeable." Patience is synonymous with forbearance and longsuffering.

Our patience is tested when a goal we desire or expect is threatened or delayed. A simple thing like being stuck in traffic or bickering around the dinner table can bring us to the end of our patience. More significant, the great disconnect we experience between God’s promise of peace-filled life forever and the life we’re actually living -- strife and turmoil -- can wear away our patience.

But let’s be patient. Impatience makes us vulnerable to great sin. Impatience nearly always comes with destructive anger. Impatience opens the door to pride ("I could manage this world better") and envy ("Others have it; why not me?") and sloth ("Who gives a rip anymore?"). James also links it to grumbling.

Let’s be patient until the Lord’s coming.

James urges us to imitate the farmer. The farmer tills the soil, plants, fertilizes, weeds, and waits for the rain. With patience we learn what we can do and what is out of our hands.

The secret to biblical patience is to know that what is out of our hands is still in God’s hands -- and those hands seek our good.
PRAYER

Dear God, we confess that we are often impatient. We are too easily irritated. Give us a quiet spirit that takes to heart your good timing, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

雅各书   5:7-11
December - 6


忍耐到底

「你们要忍耐，直到主来。」 雅5:7


根据字典的定义，忍耐是「能够不发怨言地忍受困难或不称心的事。」忍耐也就是自制和能吃苦的意思。

当我们追求或期望的目标面临威胁或延误时，我们的忍耐便受到考验。简单小事如交通挤塞或饭桌上的争执，都足以令我们沉不住气；更重要的是，我们今天经历的争执和冲击，与神应许充满平安的永恒生命，好像各不相干，我们因此渐渐失去忍耐。　

不过，我们仍要忍耐。一个不耐烦的心令我们容易犯大罪，不耐烦往往引发怒气伤害人；不耐烦打开自大之门（「我可以把事情做得更好」）、嫉妒之门（「人人都有这些，为甚么我没有？」），和懒惰之门（「有谁会愿意再努力冲刺呢？」）。雅各更指出，不耐烦会带来埋怨。

让我们忍耐，直到主来。

雅各劝喻我们，要效法农夫。农夫松土，种植，施肥，除草，然后等待天降甘霖。我们忍耐学习，知道哪些事在自己能力以内，和哪些事不受我们控制。

要学习圣经所教训的忍耐，有一个秘诀，就是明白那些不受我们控制的事，其实仍在神的手中，而神所安排的，尽都是为我们的益处。
祷告

亲爱的主，我们承认我们时常缺乏忍耐，我们太容易不耐烦了。求祢赐我们平静的心灵，谨记祢定的时间是最好的。奉耶稣的名求，阿们。.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18  
December - 7


GRIEF

"We do not want you to . . . Grieve like the rest . . . Who have no hope." 1 Thessalonians 4:13


The dictionary defines grief as "a keen, mental suffering, or distress over loss." Philosophy teacher Nick Wolterstorff states that suffering occurs "when something prized or loved is ripped away or never granted."

None of us escapes suffering; all will know the grief of loss.

Yet there are degrees of grief. Some people experience a grief that’s intense, almost too much to endure. For others, grief is more like a nagging presence, a spoiler.

The Bible does not deny that there is much heartbreak; nor does it forbid us a sad face as though tears were a betrayal of faith. But it does warn against despair, the settled conviction that all will come to a bad end. The Scriptures dare to speak of hope even in the face of death.

There are many reasons for gathering for worship on Sunday -- some better than others. As we gather today, let’s do so in the desire to honor God and renew our trust in the Lord. Only in God can we be seized by the hope mentioned in our Scripture reading for today. This is a hope that believes, despite all devastating evidence to the contrary, that Jesus will one day restore every inch of this planet to live with us and reunite us with our loved ones.

When we are ignorant of this hope, grief wins.
PRAYER

Dear God, sooner or later we all experience death firsthand. Give us the sure hope that in Christ those who die are alive forevermore. In his name we pray. Amen.

帖撒罗尼迦前书   4:13-18
December - 7


忧伤

「我们不愿意……你们忧伤，像那些没有指望的人一样。」 帖前4:13


根据字典的定义，忧伤是「精神上强烈的苦楚，或因失去而带来的痛苦。」哲学教师胡历奇指出，当「珍贵或至爱之物被夺去或无法得到」时，我们便感到痛苦。

没有人能幸免痛苦；每一个人都经历过因失去而带来的忧伤。

然而，忧伤也有不同程度。有些人经历深刻难以忍受的忧伤；至于其他人，他们的忧伤只不过是一些令人烦恼和扫兴的事。

圣经并不否认有令人心碎的事情，它也没有禁止我们挂上一副忧伤的面孔，好像流泪就是对信心的背叛。不过，它却警戒我们不可绝望，因为绝望就好像在下定论说，一切都会是坏结局。就是面对死亡，圣经仍敢于提到盼望。

我们在星期日聚集一起敬拜神，是有很多原因的 —— 虽然原因也有优劣之别。今天，当我们聚集在一起时，让我们持着一颗尊崇神的心，并且重新坚定我们对主的信靠。惟有在神那里，我们才能抓紧今天这段经文提到的盼望。纵然面对压倒性的不利证据，因着盼望我们仍然相信，有一天耶稣将会重建地球每一个角落，祂与我们一起同住，并且让我们与所爱的人重聚。

我们若不晓得这个盼望，我们便被忧伤所胜了。
祷告

亲爱的神，我们或迟或早总要亲身经历死亡。求祢赐我们确实的盼望，相信那些在基督里死去的人，必会永远活着。奉祂的名求，阿们。.

Matthew 3:1-12  
December - 8


DOG LOOSE

"Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." Matthew 3:10


Repentance has a negative side -- "the dying away of the old self." It means we stop running after sin.

Recently a policeman and I were talking about dogs. I told him how much I liked German Shepherds. He said he didn’t, and then he explained why. He had been called to a crime scene. When he got there, he saw the suspect fleeing on foot, so he ran after him. At that same moment, a canine unit arrived, and the officer shouted, "Dog loose!" Seconds later, a German Shepherd seized my friend the policeman’s leg and brought him down.

I sympathized and said, "They shouldn’t have let the dog loose; it was the unit’s fault."

"No," he said, "It was my fault. When an officer shouts: ÔDog loose!’ you stop immediately and put your hands behind your head. The dog is trained to leave you alone when you surrender. I continued running, so I was taken down."

John the Baptist stood on the banks of the Jordan River shouting, "The King is coming. He’s on the loose! Surrender!" John preached repentance, urging people to prepare for the coming of the Lord.

The reign of God is coming, and it does not depend on our repentance. We can either surrender and be blessed, or resist and perish.

Here comes the King!
PRAYER

Gracious God, may your Spirit compel us to stop our trivial pursuits, our foolish ends, and our sinful ways, and may we seek your kingdom only. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

马太福音   3:1-12
December - 8


把警犭放出来

「凡不结好果子的树，就砍下来，丢在火里。」 太3:10


悔改有消极的一面 —— 那就是叫「旧我逐渐死去。」意思是说我们不再追随罪恶。

我最近与一位警务人员谈到狗，我告诉他我非常喜欢德国牧羊狗；他却表示他不喜欢，跟着他便陈述原因。原来有一次他被召往犯罪现场，当他到达时，疑犯正在逃跑，他于是去追赶。就在此时，警犭部队亦来到了，队长喊叫说：「把警犭放出来！」瞬息间，一头牧羊狗抓住我这位警员朋友的腿，把他制服了。

我甚同情他的遭遇，于是说道：「他们实不应该把警犭放出来，这是部队的错。」

但他却说：「不，是我犯了错。当队长喊叫：『把警犭放出来！』时，你必须立刻站定，把双手放在头后面；警犭受过训练，如果你投降，它们会放过你。但我却继续奔跑，所以它便袭击我。」

昔日施洗约翰站在约但河边叫喊：「君王快来临了，祂已在路上！赶快服从吧！」约翰传讲悔改的道，他劝喻百姓预备迎接主降临。

无论我们悔改与否，神的权柄必要临到。我们可以选择服从和蒙福，也可以选择抗拒和灭亡。

君王现在已来临了！
祷告

慈爱的主，愿祢的灵催促我们，叫我们不再追求没有价值的事、愚昧的目标，和罪恶的生活；愿我们单单追求玫墓。奉耶稣的名，阿们。.

Luke 3:7-18  
December - 9


CHANGE

"'What should we do then?' the crowd asked." Luke 3:10


The changes John the Baptist was calling for do not appear radical. One commentator I know of thinks John’s counsel is rather commonplace. All we need to do, it seems to him, is to love a little, show a little kindness. No career change is required.

I think that interpretation goes too easy on many of us. After all, many of us are well-to-do. Many of us have far more than two sets of clothing; many of us also have two cars, two or more credit cards, and maybe even two homes. Our freezers are full. In light of our riches, John’s words become unsettling. They demand a radical generosity that few of us are accustomed to.

True, John does not order anyone to leave his or her job. But he does demand that we live out our faith by being honest and content and not abusing our power.

Clearly, discipleship is not something for after-hours only. We are not, so to speak, to moonlight for Christ. On the contrary, our allegiance to Christ rules not only our after-work hours but also our hours in the office, at the plant, on the road, in class, and at the sales meeting. We can neither leave Christ in church on Sunday nor let him wait for us in the parking lot on weekdays.

Here’s a question: How do we, who are dying to self and coming alive to Christ, do our work and other activities so that we honor Christ and respect our neighbor?
PRAYER

Lord Jesus, too often after hearing the good news we go right back to business as usual. Forgive us, and make our every thought captive to you. In your name, Amen.

路加福音   3:7-18
December - 9


改变

「众人问他说：『这样，我们当做甚么呢？』」 路3:10


施洗约翰似乎没有要求我们作极端的改变。我认识的一位解经家认为，约翰的要求，不过是很一般的，就是只需要付出一点爱，表露些许善良便可，我们并不用改变自己的一生。

我觉得，这位解经家的说法对我们实在太容易了。毕竟，我们的生活是相当宽裕的，很多人有远超过两套以上的衣服，很多人有两部汽车、两张或以上的信用卡，甚至两所房子，我们的冰箱也挤满食物。然而，正因为我们拥有不少财富，约翰所说的便令我们感到为难了。事实上，他要求我们的乐善好施，是极端得我们很不习惯作的。

对，约翰没有吩咐任何人放下他（她）的事业，但他确实要求我们诚实、知足，和不滥用权力，以此把我们的信心活出来。

明显地，作门徒不是只在下班时间才作的，我们不是在基督那里兼差。相反来说，我们服从基督，不单在下班时间，而是包括我们在办公室、工厂、路上、课室、商务会议的每一刻。我们不可在星期日把基督遗留在教会，也不可在周间让祂在停车场等待我们。

我们要抚心自问：我们的旧我既死去，我们亦已藉基督得了新生命。那么，我们当怎样做，才能在工作和其它活动中荣耀基督和尊敬邻舍呢？
祷告

主耶稣，听过祢的好消息后，我们往往很快便依然故我。求祢赦免我们，并把我们的全部心意夺回归给祢。奉祢的名，阿们。.

James 1:12-15  
December - 10


DESIRE

"Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." James 1:14


In the movie Vanished, there’s a showdown between a man who incarnates the devil and a man who wants knowledge. The man gives the "devil" a severe beating, and he asks, "Have you no weapons?" The "devil" replies, "I have no weapons but your obsessions."

James would agree. We sin because the heart wants what it wants. Our text refers to "evil desire," but in the original Greek text this term is simply "desire"; it’s the same word Paul uses in Philippians 1:23: "I desire to depart and be with Christ." James is not focusing on desiring bad things but on desiring things badly. In the Bible sin is never merely breaking a law; it is spiritual unfaithfulness to God. We long for the arms of a flourishing career, or a well-endowed portfolio, or plentiful leisure. And we sin when we desire these treasures more than we desire God and holiness.

The Scottish preacher Thomas Chalmers observed in a sermon: "There are two ways . . . To displace from the human heart its love of the world -- either by a demonstration of the world’s vanity . . . Or by setting forth another object, even God, as more worthy of its attachment." Chalmers concluded that the best way to rid the heart of one love is to replace it with another, far better one. He calls it "the expulsive power of a new affection."

May our love of God in Christ trump all other loves.
PRAYER

Lord Jesus, you are the joy of our hearts. May we not seek this joy elsewhere. Keep us faithful, and help us to open our hearts to no love but yours. In your name, Amen.

雅各书   1:12-15
December - 10


私欲

「各人被试探，乃是被自己的私欲牵引、诱惑的。」 雅1:14


在《消失》这部电影中，魔鬼的化身和一个渴求知识的人大打出手；结果那人大胜，他问「魔鬼」道：「难道你没有任何武器？」「魔鬼」回答说：「除了是使你对心中的欲求锲而不舍以外，我没有其它武器了。」

雅各必定同意上面所说的，我们犯罪，是因为我们希望满足心中的欲望；今天的经文称之为「私欲」（evil desire），但在希腊原文中这个词就是「欲望」（desire）；保罗在腓立比书1:23也用了同一词汇：「我情愿（desire）离世与基督同在。」雅各所着眼的不是在于渴望不好（bad）的东西，而是在过度（badly）渴望任何东西。圣经所说的罪，从来不单单是不守律法，乃是心灵背叛神。我们渴望事业有成、资产丰厚，或很多悠闲的时间，但当我们追求这些财宝多过追求神和圣洁时，我们就犯了罪。

苏格兰传道人查多马讲道时这样说：「有两个方法可取代人爱世界的心 —— 一是让人看到这个世界的虚空；二是把另一个比世界更值得我们依恋的事物，包括神，放在人面前。」根据查多马的结论，若要除去人心中的钟爱，最有效的方法是以另一种更可爱的东西来取代它；他称之为「新欢所具有的排斥能力。」

愿我们在基督里对神的爱，胜过我们一切其它的爱。
祷告

主耶稣，祢是我们心中的福乐，愿我们不会到其它地方去寻找这福乐。求祢保守我们忠于祢，并帮助我们打开心怀单单回应祢的爱。奉祢的名，阿们。.

Matthew 6:25-34  
December - 11


PENNIES

"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness." Matthew 6:33


On our way home I made a quick stop at a convenience store. As I got back in the car, my wife, Carol, said, "I think I heard something fall out of the car." I opened the door, looked around, and spotted two pennies. "Just a couple of pennies," I said.

Later, at home, I noticed that my church key was missing. After looking in every place possible, and more than a little frustrated, Carol said, "Maybe that’s what I heard falling out of the car." "Not likely," I said. But since I couldn’t find the key at home, I got in the car and headed back to the store. I located the two pennies and then widened my search -- and there, not six feet away, was my church key.

When I’d found the pennies on the ground, I’d stopped looking for the cause of the noise Carol had heard. But those two pennies had kept me from the key.

It happens. You wonder about your life, what it should add up to; you look around and see a few accomplishments, a job, and maybe a family. And you explore no further. You spot the pennies, and you miss the key. If you feel restless, you figure it must be a midlife crisis. So you shrug it off and look no further -- and you miss Christ knocking at your heart’s door.

Don’t settle for pennies. Keep searching till you find the kingdom of God. It’s the key.
PRAYER

Lord Jesus, give us today a clear sense of what’s important and what’s not. May we seek carefully after the things that delight you. In your name we pray. Amen.

马太福音   6:25-34
December - 11


一分硬币

「你们要先求他的国和他的义。」 太6:33


在回家途中，我在便利店买了一些东西；当我返回车上时，内子嘉璐说：「我听到一些声音，好像是有东西从汽车掉到地上了。」我便打开车门，左右望望，果然见到两枚一分硬币。我说：「只是两枚一分硬币而已。」

回家后，我发觉教会的吁匙不见了；在遍寻不获后，嘉璐非常苦恼，对我说：「我刚才听到的，可能就是吁匙掉出车外发出的声音。」我回答说：「不大可能。」但既然在家中找不到吁匙，我只好开车返回便利店。找到那两枚钱币后，我便在附近扩大寻找的范围 —— 果然，在六呎以内的地方，我寻获了教会的吁匙。

先前在地上找到那两枚钱币后，我便停止寻找嘉璐听到的声音的来源了。的确，是那两枚一分硬币误导了我，令我看不见吁匙。

类似的事情常会发生。你在思想你的生命应包括甚么，你在环顾四周，看见自己有点成就，有一份工作，又或者已有家庭，你觉得已不需要再追求甚么了。虽然你已找到一分硬币，可是你却失去吁匙。每当感到不妥当时，你便推诿为中年危机；你于是耸耸肩不再理会——如此你便听不到基督在敲你的心门了。

不要满足于一分硬币，要继续寻找，直到找到神的国为止。这才是你需要的吁匙。
祷告

主耶稣，求祢今日帮助我们看清楚，哪些事情重要，哪些不重要。愿我们用心寻求那些能令祢喜悦的事。奉祢的名祈求，阿们。.

学习了。
谢谢楼主每天辛苦的更新。.

昨天我弄了飞信,所以今天没有收到圣经短信,那么把这句话作为我今天要学习的话语吧,"主耶稣，求祢今日帮助我们看清楚，哪些事情重要，哪些不重要。愿我们用心寻求那些能令祢喜悦的事。奉祢的名祈求，阿们。".

1 Peter 5:6-11  
December - 12


ON THE PROWL

"Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8


There was a report in the news of a tiger roaming a neighborhood 40 miles outside of Los Angeles. The tiger weighed 600 pounds; that’s the weight of 10 good-sized dogs. The whole community was on high alert. Police and animal-rights activists were out in force, anxious to immobilize the tiger before it turned hungry. It’s a fearful thing to have a tiger prowling your neighborhood.

Peter tells us to be "self-controlled" (show good sense) and "alert" because our enemy the devil prowls our neighborhoods "like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." This lion is always hungry.

But we are often careless, unmindful of the prowler. We think a bad mood is only a bad mood, and a sin only a sin. In fact, these things make us vulnerable to our great adversary. Paul warns us, "Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and [that means] do not give the devil a foothold" (Ephesians 4:26-27). Remember, we are engaged in a great conflict.

We are to resist the devil by "standing firm in the faith." John Piper in his book Future Grace writes, "Faith stands or falls on the truth that the future with God is more satisfying than the one promised by sin [and the devil]. When this truth is embraced, and God is cherished above all, the power of sin is broken." Then Satan is disarmed; the lion is immobilized.
PRAYER

O God, teach us to be careful and help us to make the most of every opportunity. May we be strong in the Lord and resist the evil one, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

彼得前书   5:6-11
December - 12


不停潜行

「你们的仇敌魔鬼，如同吼叫的狮子，遍地游行，寻找可吞吃的人。」 彼前5:8


新闻报告报导，一头老虎正在洛杉矶四十哩外的地区游荡；这头老虎重六百磅，相当于十只大狗。整个地区都在加紧戒备，警务人员和保护动物权益人士都全力出动，急着要在老虎饥饿之前制服它。有一头老虎在附近遍地游行，实在是件十分可怕的事。

彼得告诉我们，务要「谨守」（有理智）和「儆醒」，因为我们的仇敌魔鬼正在附近遍地游行，「如同吼叫的狮子…寻找可吞吃的人。」这是一头终日饥饿的狮子。

可是我们总是粗心大意，没有防范这潜行者。我们以为心情不佳只是心情不佳，罪恶就只是罪恶，殊不知这些事令我们容易受这大仇敌的攻击。保罗警告我们：「不可含怒到日落，（意思是说）不可给魔鬼留地步」（以弗所书4:26-27）。记着，我们正在打一场激烈的仗。

我们必须「用坚固的信心」来抵挡魔鬼。在《将来的恩典》这本书中，作者皮约翰说：「与神在一起有美好的将来，远胜过罪（和魔鬼）所应许的，这个真理是我们信心的关键。我们若接受这真理，又让神在万事上居首位，罪的权势便自然瓦解。」撒但终会失去战斗能力，而这头狮子也必被制服。
祷告

神啊，求祢教导我们要小心谨慎，帮助我们善用每个时机。愿我们能在主里刚强，来抵挡魔鬼。奉耶稣的名，阿们。.

Psalm 23  
December - 13


THE SHEPHERD

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." Psalm 23:1


We’ve seen idyllic pictures of a shepherd and his sheep. He sits on a knoll in a lush meadow, a bird chirps in a tree, a gentle stream flows by, the sun shines, and here and there some sheep calmly graze and rest.

But such a picture can be misleading. Most of the great sheep countries of the world are semi-desert. The ground around Bethlehem, for example, is brown and sunburned. It is neither easy nor common to find green pastures and running water. Instead there are ravines and treacherously narrow mountain passes. And everywhere lurks the danger of a wolf or a lion.

We are like sheep in a thirsty land, so our need for a strong, devoted shepherd is great. Being called sheep is not flattering. Sheep are helpless, timid animals. They have neither cunning nor speed. Without the shepherd they are at the mercy of every enemy.

We are like sheep -- this isn’t flattering, but it’s accurate. We might think we’re strong and cunning, and if armed with technology, we might put up an impressive fight. Still, we are powerless. Every doctor who helps with healing knows she is only postponing the inevitable, and we all know the sin that lurks at our door.

Only the shepherd is stronger than the roaring lion that seeks to devour us. Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11). Follow him.
PRAYER

Lord Jesus, we are no match for sin and the devil. But with you as our guide, we are strong; in your power we are more than conquerors. Strengthen us today, we pray. Amen.

诗篇   23
December - 13


牧羊人

「耶和华是我的牧者，我必不至缺乏。」 诗23:1


我们都看过牧羊人和他的羊一起的安详快乐景象，图画中牧羊人坐在繁茂草原的山丘上，鸟儿在树上吱喳地叫，有潺潺的溪水，阳光在照耀，羊群分散各处平静地吃草和休憩。

以上这幅图画往往给人一个错觉；其实世界各地以牧羊著名的国家大多数是在半沙漠地区，例如伯利恒附近，便是一片干旱褐色之地。那里不易找到或甚少见到青草地和溪水，有的只是深谷和狭窄险要的山路，而且到处都可能埋伏了凶猛的狼或狮子。

我们像置身在干旱之地的羊，所以我们极需一位强壮尽心的牧羊人。被称为羊不是一件光彩的事，羊是胆怯无助的动物，它们既不灵巧又跑得不快，若没有牧羊人在身旁，它们必无法抵抗敌人。

我们像羊一样 —— 这比喻虽然不光彩，但却十分贴切。我们或许认为自己既刚强又灵巧，再加上科技上的装备，我们就有能力好好拚搏一场，然而我们其实是软弱无助。每一位治病的医生都明白，他们只是在延迟人生免不了的终结而已。我们都知道，罪正伏在我们的大门口。

惟有牧羊人才强得过那寻找吞吃我们的咆哮狮子。耶稣说：「我是好牧人」（约翰福音10：11）。跟随祂吧。
祷告

主耶稣，我们根本不是罪和魔鬼的敌手，但有祢引领我们，我们便变得刚强；靠着祢的能力，我们便得胜有余。求祢现在加力量给我们。阿们。.

感动!.

Matthew 11:1-11  
December - 14


A DISTURBING QUESTION

"Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" Matthew 11:3


Have we had it all wrong? This disturbing question can cut right to the heart of our faith.

When we’ve bet our life and eternity on Jesus as the only Savior, even the possibility of being mistaken is a terrible kind of suffering. John the Baptist had staked his life on Jesus, and now in prison he was agonizing and asking, "Are you the one?"

If we are acquainted with this agony, we must also follow John’s example and go to Jesus with our doubts and not sit alone, sinking into despair. Like John, we must give Jesus an opportunity to reply.

We may regret that Jesus does not answer with a simple "Yes, I am the Messiah." But note that he also doesn’t say, "No, I’m only a Jew who wants to revitalize our tradition."

Jesus answers John in a kind of code, familiar to those who were steeped in Scripture. By quoting the prophet Isaiah, Jesus was telling John, "Yes, I am the Messiah." Only by the Messiah would "the blind receive sight, the lame walk," and so on. It was a staggering claim.

Just as the first crocuses are clear signs that spring is coming, so Jesus’ work of healing and preaching were signs that the kingdom of God was (and still is) coming.

He is the One. Let’s spread the good news that the prophet’s hope is fulfilled in Jesus.
PRAYER

Dear God, we pray for all who are racked with doubts. Encourage them to continue their walk in faith as your light breaks forth more and more clearly. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

马太福音   11:1-11
December - 14


令人困惑的问题

「那将要来的是你吗？还是我们等候别人呢？」 太11:3


难道我们全弄错了？这个令人不安的问题足以令我们信心崩溃。

当我们接受了耶稣为唯一的救主，把生命和永恒投注在耶稣身上，单是想到我们有可能弄错了，已是莫大的痛苦。施洗约翰已把生命投注在耶稣身上，此时他在监牢里痛苦挣扎及质疑：「那人是祢吗？」

我们若曾经历同样的痛苦挣扎，便应效法约翰，向耶稣陈述我们的疑惑，不要坐在一角，陷在绝望中。像约翰那样，我们必须给耶稣一个释疑的机会。

我们或许会因耶稣没有直截回答：「不错，我就是弥赛亚。」而失望，但留意祂也没有说：「不是。我只是一个尝试复兴我们的传统的犹太人。」

耶稣用类似密码的话来回答约翰，凡精通圣经的人都熟识祂所说的。借着引用先知以赛亚的话，耶稣其实是在对约翰说：「不错，我就是弥赛亚。」因为只有弥赛亚才会叫「瞎子看见，瘸子行走」等等。这个宣称实在令人震惊。

正如第一朵藏红花清楚象征春天已来临，同样，耶稣的治病和传道事工亦象征神的国在当时快要（现在仍是）降临了。

祂就是那要来的人。先知的盼望已经在耶稣身上成就了，让我们把这个好消息传开去吧。
祷告

亲爱的神，我们为所有那些被疑惑困扰的人祷告，求祢鼓励他们凭信心继续前行，让祢的光逐步为他们释疑。奉耶稣的名，阿们。.

Luke 1:8-38  
December - 15


DOUBT

"'How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?'" Luke 1:34


When the angel tells Zechariah that his wife will bear a son, Zechariah responds, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man." And because he doubts the angel, he loses his ability to speak. The same angel comes to Mary and tells her she will bear a son, and Mary replies, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" So the angel explains and adds, "Nothing is impossible with God."

Why is the angel so hard on Zechariah and so gentle with Mary?

In the Bible doubt is neither always bad nor always good. There is a bad doubt that raises questions to justify skepticism. It does not long for an answer. In fact, the question arises out of a worldview that makes no room for the possibility of an answer. Zechariah was one who believed that old folks do not have babies -- period.

On the other hand, there is a doubt that asks questions because it genuinely hopes for an answer. The question arises out of a deep humility: "Tell me how this can be." It recognizes that in a world as astonishingly complex and full of surprises as ours, neither God nor our salvation are simple.

We do not have answers to all the questions cynics raise, nor even to the questions our own hearts raise. But we know enough to stay the course.
PRAYER

Lord Jesus, we believe; help our unbelief. Fill us with a humble attitude that seeks understanding, and with trust in you when we do not know answers. In your name, Amen.

路加福音   1:8-38
December - 15


疑惑

「马利亚对天使说：『我没有出嫁，怎么有这事呢？』」 路1:34


当天使告诉撒迦利亚，他的妻子将要怀孕生子时，撒迦利亚的反应是：「我凭着甚么可知道这事呢？我已经老了。」他因为质疑天使的话，竟成了哑巴。同一位天使，来到马利亚那里告诉她，她将要怀孕生子；马利亚回答说：「我没有出嫁，怎么有这事呢？」天使于是向她解释清楚，并且说：「出于神的话，没有一句不带能力的。」

天使为甚么如此严厉对待撒迦利亚，但对马利亚却那么温柔呢？

在圣经中，疑惑不一定是错，也不一定是对的。但当一个人提出他的疑惑，目的并不在乎答案，而只在乎表达自己心里的不信时，这个疑惑便是错的。事实上，在发问的人的观念中，根本不给对方有回答的余地。撒迦利亚就是那些相信上了年纪的人没可能生孩子的人 —— 他根本不期待得到答案。

另一方面，有些人因疑惑提出问题，是因为他们真心真意希望得到答案，他们的问题来自深深的谦卑：「请告诉我怎么可能有这事。」他们明白，在我们这个极度复杂和充满意外的世界里，无论是神或是我们的救恩，都毫不简单。

对不信的人提出的问题，或甚至我们自己心里发出的问题，我们不一定有答案；然而我们所知道的，已经足以支持我们相信到底了。
祷告

主耶稣，我们相信，但求祢帮助我们克服自己的小信。求祢赐我们谦卑求知的态度，并叫我们在找不到答案时仍然信靠祢。奉祢的名，阿们。.

学习，曾经为19楼的问题疑惑过。.

谢谢！.

Luke 1:26-38  
December - 16


GREATLY TROUBLED

"Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be." Luke 1:29


In his book The Denial of Death, Ernest Becker says that we regularly engage in repression simply to cope with daily life. We repress both the astonishment of existing and the terrors of dying. We block them out in order to focus on the task at hand.

A similar kind of repression happens at Christmastime. We hear that a virgin will "be with child . . . . He will be great . . . Called the Son of the Most High. . . . His kingdom will never end" -- but this amazing news barely registers. We do not stagger under the weight of Jesus’ coming. Instead we shop till we drop.

Mary models the right response. Before she says, "I am the Lord’s servant," we’re told she’s "greatly troubled." What troubles her is the greeting, not the angel. In the Scriptures, this greeting is often addressed to people chosen by God for a special purpose in salvation history. The phrase "the Lord is with you" is spoken to assure them of divine resources and protection. But why would Mary need such assurance? What was in store for her? She was troubled. Life in the small town of Nazareth would no longer be safe or simple.

The challenge for us this season is to attend to the claims made all around us about Jesus, and to wonder: What could the coming of this Holy One mean for us? Clearly this life of ours is neither safe nor simple.
PRAYER

Dear God, we are so easily caught up in routines that we lose sight of the immensity of our creation, redemption, and future glory. Shine on us, Lord, and awaken us. Amen.

路加福音   1:26-38
December - 16


很惊慌

「马利亚因这话就很惊慌，又反复思想这样问安是甚么意思。」 路1:29


作者白安诺在《否认死亡》这本书中说，我们经常刻意把某些事置诸脑后，才能应付每天的生活。我们不去想活着的奇妙，也不去想死亡的恐惧；我们对这些事视而不见，这样我们才能专心完成当前的差事。

在圣诞节期间，我们同样也会刻意不去思想某些事情。我们听到有一童女「要怀孕生子…他要为大，称为至高者的儿子……他的国也没有穷尽」——可惜我们不大听得进去这奇妙的信息。耶稣降临这个大喜消息未能震撼我们，反而我们欢天喜地购物，直到筋疲力尽为止。

马利亚的回应是我们的好榜样；在她说：「我是主的使女」之前，我们看到她「很惊慌」。令她惊慌的不是天使，而是天使问安的话。在圣经中，这种问安的话，通常是对那些蒙神特别拣选，去完成救赎计划的人说的；「主和你同在」这句话的用意，是向他们保证神的供应和保护。不过，马利亚为何需要这些确据呢？她究竟要面对甚么事？她感到很惊慌，在拿撒勒这个小镇生活，已变得不再那么安全简单了。

在这个节日，我们必须多留心这些环绕我们关于耶稣的各项宣称，并且反复思想：这位圣者降临，究竟对我们有甚么意义？明显地，我们的生活也不再是安全简单的了。
祷告

亲爱的神，我们往往营营役役过生活，以致忽视了我们的受造、得赎和将来的荣耀，看不到其中的深广及美妙。主啊，求祢光照我们，叫我们苏醒过来。阿们。.

Luke 1:46-56  
December - 17


A GREAT REVERSAL

"He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble." Luke 1:52


A member of our congregation told me she was experiencing a reversal of roles on Sunday. She said, "During the week, I’m the supervisor; clients come to me with their problems. But on Sunday I’m the client; I’m the one who comes for help."

There’s something exactly right in this reversal of roles. Before the face of God, in worship, not only does the supervisor become the client, but the professor becomes the student, the lawyer the accused, the reverend the sinner, the potter the clay, the doctor the patient, the ruler the subject, the parent the child.

Before the face of God there’s a radical reversal of our roles. And what’s most important is that our role before the face of God is the truth about us. We have to admit that our roles in the world involve a lot of playacting.

When people complain about "Sunday Christians" and call us hypocrites, their complaint is that this reversal of roles in worship is also playacting -- that it doesn’t shape how we act in the roles we play on weekdays. In other words, the religious rich don’t really see their poverty, and preachers don’t really know their sinfulness.

We must learn to live the truth. The Lord is coming, and, just as Mary proclaimed it, he will scatter the proud, send the rich away empty, and fill the hungry with good things.
PRAYER

Dear God, may we come to our senses and recognize ourselves as debtors to your grace, made whole by your mercy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

路加福音   1:46-56
December - 17


调换身分

「他叫有权柄的失位，叫卑贱的升高。」 路1:52


一位教会会友告诉我，每逢星期日，她都感到好像与别人调换了身分。她说：「在周间，我是主管，顾客来找我解决问题，但在星期日，我变成了顾客了，我才是到来寻求帮助的人。」

这样调换身分其实是非常恰当的。在敬拜时，我们在神面前，不单是主管成为顾客，更是教授成为学生，律师成为被告，牧师成为罪人，陶匠成为陶泥，医生成为病人，统治者成为平民，父母成为子女。

在神面前，我们每一个人的身分都有极大的改变。而最重要的，我们在神面前的身分才是我们的真我。我们必须承认，我们在这世上常常戴上很多假面具。

人们抱怨那些「星期日基督徒」，称我们为伪君子，因为他们看见我们在敬拜时，也挂上假装的面孔 —— 我们的敬拜并没有改变我们在平时的表现。换句话说，富有的宗教人士其实看不见自己的贫乏，而传道人也看不清楚他们自己的罪。

我们必须学习活出真我。主已降临，就如马利亚所宣告的，那狂傲的人被衪赶散了，祂叫富足的空手回去，又叫饥饿的得饱美食。
祷告

亲爱的神，愿我们醒悟过来，明白我们受恩于祢，是蒙祢的怜悯才得以安全。奉耶稣的名祈求，阿们。.

Hebrews 1:1-4  
December - 18


A TALKER

"God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways." Hebrews 1:1


God has not been silent. God’s a talker. This truth is basic to the Christian faith. Had God remained silent, our situation would be desperate.

Our reading from Hebrews reminds us that God spoke through the prophets, but we also know that God speaks through the touch of a caring hand at a bedside, the voices of a choir, and the beauty of art. God also speaks through the cries of the hungry, the lonely, and the sick. God’s a talker.

Someone remarked that every person lives in loneliness. I don’t know what it is like to be you, and you don’t know what it’s like to be me. We talk to make connections with each other, to be in communion. When I ask couples why they wish to marry each other, they often say, "Because we can talk." It’s a precious thing.

If God is a talker, then we had best be listeners. Philosopher Søren Kierkegaard once observed: "A man prayed, and at first he thought that prayer was talking. But he became more and more quiet until in the end he realized that prayer is listening."

Hebrews adds, "But in these last days [God] has spoken to us by his Son." The "but" suggests a momentous shift. Yet this does not mean that what God said earlier is now false; rather, it means that all God said is now fulfilled. We know God, and he knows us. We can talk.
PRAYER

O God, may all that exists speak to us of your power and wisdom, and may Christ’s coming tell us of your great love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

希伯来书   1:1-4
December - 18


多话的人

「神藉着众先知多次多方地晓谕列祖。」 来1:1


神从不曾闭口不言，祂爱和我们说话，这是基督教信仰的基本真理。神若保持缄默，我们便会陷在绝望中了。

希伯来书这段经文提醒我们，神藉众先知晓谕人；但我们也知道，神会藉床边关怀的手、诗班的歌声和美丽的艺术作品来向我们说话。神亦借着饥饿的人、孤单寂寞的人和患病的人的哭声来向我们说话。神时常都和我们说话。

有人曾说，我们每一个人都活在孤独之中，我不知道你是怎样，而你亦不知道我是怎样。我们借着谈话才能彼此联络和沟通；当我问某些夫妇他们为甚么要和对方结合时，很多时他们会回答说：「因为我们谈得来。」这是何等可贵。

神既爱和我们说话，我们便应该留心聆听。哲学家齐克果曾如此说：「有一个人在祷告，起初他以为祷告就是讲话。但逐渐地，他越讲越少了。直到最后，他明白了祷告其实是聆听。」

希伯来书亦指出：「就在这末世，借着他儿子晓谕我们。」「就」这个字显示了一个重大的转变。但这并不是说神昔日所说的已不再是真理，而是神所说的一切话现在已得应验。我们认识神，神也认识我们，我们可以和神沟通。
祷告

神啊，愿天地万物向我们述说祢的能力和智慧，又愿基督的降临向我们显明祢的大爱。奉耶稣的名祈求，阿们。.

1 John 3:1-10  
December - 19


THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" 1 John 3:1


We often hear silly things said about the meaning of Christmas. Some years ago, for example, supermodel Christie Brinkley, surrounded by small children, said on the NBC news, "Christmas is really all about children’s bright, shiny faces."

That’s nonsense. People did not compose glorious music, build magnificent cathedrals, find hope in the face of dying, leave family and friends for the mission field, and lie prostrate in adoration because of children’s bright, shiny faces.

On the same day that I heard that statement, I attended a Christmas concert. The choir entered singing, "He came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all." At the close of the concert, the choir slowly proceeded out of the sanctuary following a boy holding a large cross -- an executioner’s tool.

What is Christmas about? Our Scripture reading for today gives us an answer. Jesus came to make us children of God, offering us a future beyond imagining. And we are reminded that "he appeared so that he might take away our sins" and "destroy the devil’s work." Both sin and the devil had to be dealt with so that we might belong in life and in death to Christ.

These are the remarkable reasons that give rise to celebration and to holiness this season.
PRAYER

O God, may we not miss the true reason for the singing and celebration of Christmas. Please fill us with a wholehearted desire to do what is right in Jesus’ name. Amen.

約翰壹书   3:1-10
December - 19


庆祝圣诞的原因

「你看父赐给我们是何等的慈爱，使我们得称为神的儿女。」 约壹3:1


谈到圣诞节的意义，我们经常听到一些荒谬的说法。例如在数年前，被小孩团团围住的超级模特儿冰姬丝，在NBC新闻报告中说：「圣诞节的重点其实全部在于小孩明亮愉快的面孔。」

这真是胡说八道。人们不会因为小孩明亮愉快的面孔而去创作美妙音乐，建筑华丽教堂，在面对死亡仍有盼望，离乡别井去宣教，和俯伏敬拜的。

在听到以上的话的同一天，我出席了一个圣诞音乐会。诗班进场时唱出：「祂从天上降到世间，祂是神和万有之主。」音乐会结束时，有一个男孩手上拿着一个用来处决犯人的大大的十字架，诗班尾随着这个男孩慢慢离场。

圣诞节究竟有甚么意义？我们可在今天的经文中找到答案。耶稣来是为要叫我们成为神的儿女，祂赐我们一个超乎想象的将来。经文又提醒我们说：「主曾显现，是要除掉人的罪」和「为要除灭魔鬼的作为」。我们必须先处理罪和魔鬼的问题，这样，无论是生是死，我们都能属于基督。

这些才是引起我们来庆祝圣诞和追求圣洁的重要原因。
祷告

神啊，但愿我们不忘记唱歌庆祝圣诞的真正原因，求祢叫我们全心全意渴望行在义中，奉耶稣的名，阿们。.

Luke 2:1-14  
December - 20


A SIGN

"She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger." Luke 2:7


Why does the gospel writer Luke make a point of mentioning cloths and a manger? Note that later the angel says to the shepherds, "This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." What do the cloths and manger signify?

When Winston Churchill heard someone described as modest, he replied, "Yes, but he has much to be modest about." But that’s not the case with Mary’s child. He is called Savior, Lord, and Messiah. Each title signifies great dignity, worthy of royal purple and a gold crib.

The poverty of Jesus’ surroundings shows his solidarity with humanity. Despite all our pretensions, the truth about us is that we are poor. Like grass, we flourish briefly and then die. To be our representative, Jesus had to become like us in our poverty. (See Hebrews 2:17-18.)

Luke also describes the birth scene this way in parallel with Jesus’ burial scene. Here we are told that Mary "wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger." In Luke 23:53 we read that a man named Joseph took Jesus’ body down from the cross, "wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock." Later some Christian artists noticed this connection and portrayed the birthplace of Jesus like a sepulchre.

In his coming, Jesus shared not only our poverty but also our death. He was born to die for us.
PRAYER

Lord Jesus, you became like us in every way so that you might become a merciful and faithful high priest and cover our sins. We thank you. In your name, Amen.

路加福音   2:1-14
December - 20


一个记号

「用布包起来，放在马槽ā！ 路2:7


路加福音的作者路加为甚么特别提到布和马槽呢？留意后来天使对牧羊人说：「你们要看见一个婴孩，包着布，卧在马槽里，那就是记号了。」布和马槽究竟代表甚么？

当丘吉尔听见某人以谦逊见称时，他回答说：「他谦逊也是应该的，毕竟人是没有甚么可夸的。」不过，马利亚的儿子并不是这样。祂被称为救主、主，和弥赛亚；祂每一个名衔都象征着尊贵，令祂配得穿着君王紫袍和睡黄金造的婴儿床。

然而耶稣出生时环境简陋，表明祂完完全全地成为卑微的人。我们虽然时常装上丰足的外表，但其实我们是贫乏的；我们像草一样，只生长片时便枯萎了。为了要成为我们的代表，耶稣必须像我们那样贫乏。（参看希伯来书2:17-18）

路加这样描述耶稣出生的情景，是要与祂埋葬的情景作比较。作者告诉我们，马利亚把祂「用布包起来，放在马槽里。」我们从路加福音23:53知道，有一个名叫约瑟的人从十字架上把耶稣取下来，「用细麻布裹好，安放在石头凿成的坟墓里。」后来有些基督徒艺术家留意到这两件事相通之处，便把耶稣降生的地方塑造成坟墓的样式。

耶稣降临，不单与我们同受贫困，祂亦与我们同死；祂降生，是为我们牺牲。
祷告

主耶稣，祢在凡事上都取了我们的样式，好使祢成为怜悯和信实的大祭司，来遮盖我们的罪，我们感谢祢。奉祢的名求，阿们。.

Luke 1:46-56  
December - 21


EXALTATION, EXULTATION

"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior . . . ." Luke 1:46-47


We all know there are different names for groupings of animals. We speak of a herd of cows, a school of fish, and a flock of sheep. Perhaps less familiar is a parliament of owls, a mob of kangaroos, and a murder of ravens. My own favorite is an exaltation of larks.

That name is also fitting for a group of Christians. Where Christians gather, we have an exaltation. And leading us in exalting the Lord is Mary. Her soul soars as she glorifies (exalts) the Lord.

You’ve noticed how much joy there is at the heart of the Christmas event. Of course, there are shadows -- Zechariah’s doubt, imperial Rome, murderous Herod and his soldiers.

Still, at the center there is rejoicing (exultation). For example, Elizabeth says, "The baby in my womb leaped for joy" (Luke 1:44). And later the angel says to shepherds, "I bring you good news of great joy" (Luke 2:10).

Behind all the festivities -- the parties, the family gatherings, the special church services and programs, the exchange of gifts -- is the yearning for joy. Our hearts long to leap for joy in the dark of winter.

Joy is at such a premium in this season that it heightens our awareness of the loneliness, sadness, and death that cling to us. We know life is no lark. Yet we exult; we exalt the Lord, who is mindful of our humble state.
PRAYER

O God, in the light of your grace, may we sing and make music in our hearts to you and always thank and praise you with joy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

路加福音   1:46-56
December - 21


赞美，欢乐

「我心尊主为大，我灵以神我的救主为乐。」 路1:46-47


在英文中，我们会用不同的字来形容每一种动物的群体。一群牛用a herd，一群鱼用a school ，一群羊用 a flock；有些或许较为陌生，如一群猫头鹰用a parliament，一群袋鼠用a mob，一群乌鸦用a murder。我最喜欢的，是称一群百灵鸟为an exaltation (赞美)。

同样，称一群基督徒为an exaltation（赞美）也很贴切。在基督徒聚集之处，必定会有赞美，而马利亚便正是带着我们赞美主；当她尊（赞美）主为大，她的心便感到欢欣快乐。

你已看到，主降临是一件多么欢乐的事。当然，当时也有些不愉快的事 —— 例如撒迦利亚的疑惑、被罗马帝国统治、残暴杀人的希律和士兵。

纵然如此，整件事的核心仍然是充满欢乐（exultation）的。例如，以利沙伯说：「我腹里的胎就欢喜跳动」（路加福音1:44）；后来天使亦对牧羊人说：「我报给你们大喜的信息」（路加福音 2:10）。

在所有圣诞节目 —— 派对、合家欢聚、教会特别崇拜和聚会、交换礼物 —— 的背后，是我们对喜乐的渴求。在阴暗的冬日，我们的心渴望有欢欣雀跃的机会。

在这个节日里，喜乐是如此的满溢，以致我们更深深警觉到那缠绕我们的寂寞、忧愁和死亡。我们知道，生命不一定是享受，然而我们仍然欢乐，我们仍然赞美，赞美这位顾念我们卑微的主。
祷告

神啊，在祢恩典的亮光中，愿我们从心里发出音韵向祢歌唱，并常常欢喜快乐地感谢赞美祢。奉耶稣名祈求，阿们。.

Galatians 4:1-7  
December - 22


A DESCENT

"When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman . . . ." Galatians 4:4


"God sent his Son." The verb "sent" means more than a commissioning; it assumes a previous state of existence. Many of us know this already; yet it deserves careful reflection. (See 1 Corinthians 8:6; Philippians 2:6-8; Colossians 1:15-17; 1 John 1:1-3.)

This teaching tells us, for instance, that Jesus’ birth was an immense descent. When we were born, we came into being from nothing; that was an enormous ascent. But when the Son was born, he came from heaven to earth. The poet John Donne writes,

Immensity, cloister’d in [Mary’s] dear womb . . .

There he hath made himself to his intent

Weak enough, now into our world to come.

This descent steeps the Christian faith in amazement.

In the novel Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, an elderly preacher describes how he imagines heaven: "Mainly I just think about the splendors of the world and multiply by two. I’d multiply by ten or twelve if I had the energy. But two is much more than sufficient for my purposes." So he multiplies the feel of the wind by two, the smell of the grass by two, and so on.

But let’s try multiplying by 10,000 or more as we think of the Son leaving heaven to live with us. Perhaps, when we enter heaven at last ourselves, our first words will be: "I had no idea! He left all this for me!"
PRAYER

Lord Jesus, you were rich, yet for our sakes you became poor so that through your poverty we might become rich. May our gratitude overflow into holy living. Amen.

加拉太书   4:1-7
December - 22


从至高降卑

「及至时候满足，神就差遣他的儿子，为女子所生……。」 加4:4


「神就差遣他的儿子」。「差遣」这个动词不单有授权的意思，它更表明被差的人之前已经存在。大多数人都已明白这点，但它仍值得我们去反复思想。（参看哥林多前书8:6；腓立比书2:6-8；歌罗西书1:15-17；约翰一书1:1-3。）

耶稣的降生，是一种极大的降卑。我们出生时，是从无到有，这是巨大的提升；但当圣子出生时，衪乃是从天降到地上。诗人但恩说：

至高者，藏在（马利亚的）腹中……

在那里衪已立定主意成为软弱无助的人，

今日来到我们的世界。

衪从至高降卑，这令基督教信仰充满了奇妙，令人惊叹。

在罗美莲的小说《基列》中，一位年老的传道人这样描述他想象中的天堂：「我极尽想象这个世界的荣华，然后把它扩大两倍。如果我有精力，更可把它扩大十倍或甚至十二倍，但只扩大两倍就已经远远超乎我能享用的了。」他于是把风吹的感受增大两倍，把草的香味增大两倍，如此类推。

但我们想到圣子离开荣美的天家到来与我们卑微的世人同住时，实应把衪天上的荣华扩大一万倍或以上来想。当有一天我们终于置身天堂时，我们说的第一句话或许会是这样的一个惊叹：「我从没有想过，衪昔日竟然愿意为我舍弃这一切荣华！」
祷告

主耶稣，祢本有荣华富贵，但为了我们，祢竟成为贫乏，好叫我们因祢的贫乏得富足。愿我们的感激能带我们进入圣洁的生活，阿们。.

Galatians 4:8-11, 17-20  
December - 23


CHANGED

"My dear children . . . I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you." Galatians 4:19


G. K. Chesterton observed that true contentment requires the power to get the most out of any situation. Doing this, he said, is both arduous and rare. Too many people, he noted, go through trials and come out on the other end unchanged. Chesterton stated that a person might go ‘through’ a plum pudding as a bullet might go through a plum pudding. . . . But the awful and sacred question is, ‘Has the pudding been through him?’ Has he tasted, appreciated, and absorbed the solid pudding, with its . . . tastes and smells?" In other words, has the person gotten out of the pudding all that was in it?

Similarly, we will soon be through another Christmas, but the awful and sacred question is "Will Christmas have gone through us?" -- or, better, "Will Christ have been formed in us, or will we come out on the other end unchanged?"

The word form means "to fashion." Originally it referred to artists who shaped their material into an image. It also described the formation and growth of an embryo in a mother’s body. As a spiritual leader, the apostle Paul explained that he was in labor until Christ was born full-term in the Galatians who followed him.

To take full advantage of Christmas, we are to be formed into the likeness of Christ. Anything else is a disappointing Christmas.
PRAYER

Lord Jesus, we know that if you were born a thousand times in Bethlehem but not in our hearts, it wouldn’t help us. Make our hearts your home, we pray. Amen.

加拉太书   4:8-11, 17-
December - 23


得到改变

「我小子啊，我……再受生产之苦，直等到基督成形在你们心里。」 加4：19


根据查特顿观察所得，真正的满足，需要有能力在任何境况下仍能尽量从中得益；他认为这是一件很难的事，也甚少人做得到。他注意到，很多人在经过试炼后没有任何改变。查特顿指出，人可以「『穿过』梅子布丁，就像子弹穿过梅子布丁一样……但我们要问一个重要和严肃的问题，那就是：『梅子布丁究竟有没有进过他的口中呢？』他有没有尝过，欣赏和吸收布丁的味道呢？」换句话说，那人有没有尽量享用布丁里所有的一切？

同样，很快我们又会经历另一个圣诞节了，但我们也需要问一个重要和严肃的问题：「圣诞节究竟有没有进入我们的生命当中呢？」或更进一步来说：「基督已成形在我们心里了吗，还是我们根本没有被圣诞节改变？」

成形的意思是「造成」，原义是指艺术家把材料塑造成为一个形像；它也可用来形容胎儿在母体内的形成和生长。作为一个属灵领袖，使徒保罗解释说，他正在受生产之苦，直到基督在加拉太教会信徒身上足月出生。

若要从圣诞节中得到最大益处，我们必须长成基督的样式；不然，这就是一个令人失望的圣诞节。
祷告

主耶稣，我们知道，祢纵然在伯利恒降生一千次，但却没有生在我们心里，那就对我们没有任何帮助。求祢来住在我们心里，阿们。.

学习，让我们每天反省，基督的生命有没有在我们中活出来。.

Luke 2:25-35  
December - 24


SEEING EYES

"My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people." Luke 2:30-31


Do you recall this nursery rhyme?

Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?

I’ve been to London to visit the Queen.

Pussy cat, pussy cat, what did you there?

I chased a mouse from under her chair.

The cat goes to visit the queen, but it’s business as usual -- the cat chases a mouse. She has no eye for the queen.

We go to Bethlehem to visit the Christ child. But what do we do there? Is it business as usual -- things and more things under the tree -- or do we see the newborn king?

Simeon bursts into praise when he holds the Christ child: "Sovereign Lord . . . . My eyes have seen your salvation." Seeing this salvation is what gives us peace both in living and in dying.

When the painter Rembrandt died in October 1669 at age 63, they found his unfinished painting of Simeon holding the Christ child. It was a work in progress.

Rembrandt painted Simeon as an old man, like himself, and blind. One historian writes, "The old man’s cradling hands are immense, held rigid as in deepest prayer. His face . . . Glimmers with unearthly brilliance. Behind the heavy eyelids he has, at last, seen the light of salvation," and he is able to say, "Lord . . . Now dismiss your servant in peace."
PRAYER

Holy Spirit, open the eyes of our hearts to see our great salvation in the coming of Jesus, the light of your love for all peoples. In his name we pray. Amen.

路加福音   2:25-35
December - 24


看见神的眼睛

「我的眼睛已看见你的救恩，就是你在万民前所预备的。」 路2:30-31


你还记得这首儿歌吗？


猫儿，猫儿，你去了哪里？


我去了伦敦探望皇后。


猫儿，猫儿，你在那里做了甚么？


我赶走了她椅子下面的老鼠。

猫儿虽然是去探望皇后，但它做的却是例行公事 —— 猫儿捉老鼠；它并没有争取这个机会看看皇后。

我们往伯利恒探望婴孩基督，但我们在那里究竟做甚么？是否例行公事 —— 疯狂购买一样又一样圣诞礼物 —— 还是真的看见这位新生王？

西面抱着婴孩基督，激动地发出对神的颂赞：「主啊……我的眼睛已经看见你的救恩。」看见神的救恩，令我们无论是生是死都得平安。

六十三岁的名画家仑布兰特在一六六九年去世时，人们找到他的一幅未完成的油画，画中是西面抱着婴孩基督的情景；他去世时仍在绘画这幅油画。

仑布兰特绘画的西面，是一位像他自己一样的老人家，连眼睛也瞎了。一位历史学者这样说：「这位老人家以巨大的手捧着婴孩，他坚稳地抱着，就像在深深地祷告。他的面孔…闪耀着神圣的荣光。在沉重的眼皮后面，他终于有机会看见救恩之光了。」他可以说：「主啊……释放仆人安然去世。」
祷告

圣灵啊，求祢打开我们心灵的眼睛，好叫我们在耶稣的降临中看到我们伟大的救恩，因衪是显明祢对世人大爱的光。奉衪的名祈求，阿们。.

Matthew 1:18-25  
December - 25


IMMANUEL

"And they will call him Immanuel" -- which means, "God with us." Matthew 1:23


In the publishing world, it is sometimes said that a particular book is a definitive work. In other words, the book is a standard by which all future work will be judged or compared.

Jesus is the definitive revelation of God, the standard for all time. If someone asks what is revealed in this definitive revelation, we could say, it’s all in that little preposition "with." He is God with us. It’s more than being simply present.

Philosopher Alvin Plantinga quotes a writer who says, "A man looks upon nature, sees its sublimity and beauty, and his spirit gradually rises to the idea of God. He does not see the Divinity, nor does nature prove to him the existence of that Being, but it does excite his mind and imagination until the idea becomes rooted in his heart." But we want to know, does this Being care that we fall and die?

I was once asked to visit a young woman. She was dying of cancer. I asked, "Are you afraid?" And she said, "Of course I’m afraid."

Of course. Fear is not irrational. We’re under siege. No one gets out of here alive.

Yet in Jesus we have a sign, an astonishing reminder, that God is with us. God loves us passionately. It is this love that "drives out fear" (1 John 4:18).
PRAYER

Gracious God, may the love you showed us in sending your Son, Jesus Christ, drive us to our knees and drive out all fear. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

马太福音   1:18-25
December - 25


以马内利

「人要称他的名为以马内利。以马内利翻出来就是神与我们同在。」 太1:23


在出版界里，有时某一本书会被尊崇为决定性的作品；换句话说，人们将会用这本书来作审核或比较后来作品的标准。

耶稣是神的决定性的启示，是万世的标准。若有人问，神在这决定性的启示中，向我们显明了甚么，我们可以说，一切都包含在「与」这个介词里，衪是神「与」我们同在，而且不是纯粹同在那么简单。

哲学家彭艾荣引用一位作者所说的话：「人观赏大自然，看见其伟大和美丽之处，关于神的观念会逐渐在他的心灵里升起。他虽然没有亲眼看见甚么神灵，而大自然亦没有向他证明神的存在，但他的心思和想象力都被激荡了，直到这个观念最终在他的心里生根。」不过，我们很想知道，这位神会不会关心我们的沉沦和灭亡呢？

有人请我去探望一位患癌病危的年青女子，我问她：「你害怕吗？」她回答说：「我当然害怕。」

当然，恐惧是人之常情，因我们四面受敌，恐怕没有人能逃出生天。

幸而在耶稣里我们有一个记号，这个奇妙的记号提醒我们，神「与」我们同在。神深爱我们，正是衪的爱「把惧怕除去」（约翰一书4:18）。
祷告

慈爱的神，借着差遣祢儿子耶稣基督到来，祢向我们显明了祢的爱；愿这份爱驱使我们向祢屈膝，并且把一切惧怕除去。奉耶稣的名祈求，阿们。.

Titus 3:3-8  
December - 26


AN APPEARANCE

"When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us . . . ." Titus 3:4-5


Politicians sometimes make an appearance among the nation’s troops to show their support. The visit becomes a photo-op, and it’s a nice gesture, but of little consequence. It’s only an appearance.

As teenagers, we may be told to make an appearance at a family gathering. It need not be for the whole evening -- just for half an hour or so, to say hello.

Or let’s say there’s an event at church and we feel an obligation to attend, but there’s so much else on our calendar. Still, we promise we’ll make an appearance. The appearance is an appeaser.

Not all appearances are trivial. Pope John Paul II’s appearance in his beloved Poland in 1979, when Poland was still under the heel of the Soviet Union, ignited a movement that helped dismantle the communist empire.

The appearance cited in our reading for today was the greatest of all time: "When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us." The word for "appeared" in the Greek text simply means "to show oneself openly, to come forward." God did not remain aloof, hidden. God came forward not just to boost our morale but to save us, to dismantle the evil empire, so that "we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."

God would rather be in a barn with us than in heaven without us. He came to save.
PRAYER

Lord Jesus, may your coming to save us never cease to astonish us. Let the wonder of your appearance melt all resistance and give us the unceasing hope of eternal life. Amen.

提多书   3:3-8
December - 26


露面

「到了神我们救主的恩慈和他向人所施的慈爱显明的时候，他便救了我们。」 多3:4-5


政治家有时会在国家的军队面前亮相，来表示他们对军人的支持，这类访问往往成为拍照宣传的机会；他们这样做是一种好的姿态，但却不能达成甚么，这只不过是露一露面而已。

作为年青一辈，我们可能被要求在家庭聚会中露面，这并不需要逗留整个晚上 —— 只需停留大约半个小时，跟大家打个招呼便足够了。

又或许，教会有一个聚会，我们觉得有责任出席，但自己实在有太多事情要办；我们仍然答应会出现，因为这样做皆大欢喜。

并非每一个人的露面都是可有可无的。在一九七九年，当波兰仍然受制于苏联时，教皇约翰保禄二世探访他所爱的祖国波兰，他的出现，掀起了一个后来促使共产政权解体的运动。

今天这段经文提到救主的显现，是空前绝后的事。「到了神我们救主的恩慈和他向人所施的慈爱显明的时候，他便救了我们。」在希腊原文里，「显明」的意思是「公开露面，站出来。」神不是站得远远的，隐藏起来的；祂站出来，不单是要激励我们的士气，祂并且要拯救我们和摧毁魔鬼的天下，好叫我们「可以凭着永生的盼望成为后嗣。」

神宁愿与我们一起在牲口棚里，也不愿意撇下我们留在天堂。祂来是要拯救我们。
祷告

主耶稣，祢降临拯救我们，愿我们永不停止对这件事发出惊叹。求祢让祢伟大的显现溶化一切抗拒的意念，并赐我们得永生的恒久盼望。阿们。.

Romans 5:1-11  
December - 27


ACCESS

"Through [Jesus] we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." Romans 5:2


Someone said to me that succeeding in business is all about access. You may offer the finest services, but if there is poor access, you will fail.

This is true in politics as well. Having access to the right people makes a huge difference. People who are not socially connected to those in power find it nearly impossible to gain access to them.

When there is lake access, property value shoots up. Many beautiful lakes are off-limits to most people because the property around them is privately owned.

Of course, being on the outside and wanting access has a long history. After Adam and Eve sinned in Paradise, they were expelled, and an angel with a flaming sword denied them access.

Through Jesus Christ, however, we have gained access to the realm of God’s grace. It is Paradise Regained.

We have access into this grace by faith in Christ as our Lord and Savior. We enter it not on our own strength but by piggyback. We cling to Christ, and he carries us into this grace.

As Scripture puts it, this is the "grace in which we now stand." It’s not an occasional encounter that we have with God. We do not fall in and out of God’s grace. We stand in it. Imagine a lake of grace, and we’re in over our heads. What access!
PRAYER

Lord Jesus, once we were lost, alienated. You brought us home and have given us ready access to the Father of all mercies. We thank you and rejoice in hope. In your name, Amen.

罗马书   5:1-11
December - 27


门路

「我们又藉着（耶稣），因信得进入现在所站的这恩典中。」 罗5:2


有人对我说，做生意完全靠门路；纵使你能提供一流的服务，若没有合适的门路，你便注定失败。

参政也是一样，找到门路接触合适的人最能奏效；若不属于当权派的社交圈子，则很难有机会接触到他们。

在湖边的房产，市价会大幅上涨；很多美丽的湖滨，往往禁止外人踏足，因为湖边的房屋尽是私人住宅。

当然，人类站在「门外」，希望有机会入内，是有一段很长的历史的。自从亚当夏娃犯罪后被逐出乐园，便有天使拿着发火焰的剑守卫，不准他们进内。

然而，借着耶稣基督，我们得进入神的恩典的国度中。这就是乐园失而复得了。

我们因信基督是我们的主和救主，得进入这恩典中；我们得以进入，不是凭自己的力量，乃是被背进去的。我们紧靠基督，祂便肩背我们进入这恩典中。

正如圣经所说，这恩典是我们「现在所站的恩典。」这不是说我们只会偶尔地接触到神的恩典，我们不会在神的恩典ń进出出，乃是站在祂的恩典中。试想像一下，我们整个人沐浴在恩典满溢的湖中，这是多么宝贵的门路！
祷告

主耶稣，从前我们失落远离神，现今祢领我们归家，又为我们打开门路，随时来到充满怜悯的父面前。我们感谢祢，并在盼望中欢喜快乐。奉祢的名，阿们。.

John 1:10-18  
December - 28


BELIEVING

"To all who . . . believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12


John’s gospel tells us that to receive Jesus is to believe in his name.

To believe in Jesus’ name is to acknowledge that Jesus is the Word become flesh. Others may pass him by, think him a stranger, or worse, call him an impostor and blasphemer -- but believers see his glory.

John wants us to look on the face of Jesus until the conviction becomes rooted in our hearts that we are looking into the human face of the living God. Perhaps this face of God comes most into focus when it wears the crown of thorns. As Nicholas Wolterstorff writes, "It is said of God that no one can behold his face and live. I always thought this meant that no one can see his splendor and live. A friend said perhaps it meant that no one could see his sorrow and live. Or perhaps his sorrow is his splendor."

Believing is more than seeing. It also involves following and even carrying on a sort of love affair. Believing is a verb, and in our Scripture reading it is followed by the preposition "in," suggesting that it unites us to the one in whom we believe. It is through this union that we are ushered into the family of God.

Though our Christmas decorations may soon be coming down, we’ll go back to our everyday living a different way because of what we have seen and believed.
PRAYER

Lord Jesus, may we not be guilty of passing you by, or be so distracted by the lights of the world that we miss you. To see you is to love you. We long to see you. Amen.

約翰福音   1:10-18
December - 28


相信

「凡……信他名的人，他就赐他们权柄，作神的儿女。」 约1:12


约翰福音告诉我们，接待耶稣就是信祂的名。

信耶稣的名的意思，就是承认耶稣是道成了肉身。其他人或许漠视祂，当祂为陌路人，或甚至说祂欺骗人和亵渎神 —— 但信祂的人却能看见祂的荣耀。

约翰希望我们定睛看耶稣的面容，直至我们深信不疑，我们所看见的是永生神取了人的面容。或许当神戴上荆棘冠冕时，祂的面容最为清晰。正如胡力高所说：「一般人相信，没有人见过神的面而仍然能存活的：我一向以为，这句话的意思是没有人见过神的荣光而仍然能存活。有一位朋友说，它的意思可能是没有人见过祂的忧伤而仍然能存活。又或者，祂的忧伤就是祂的荣光。」

相信不单是看见那么简单，它包括跟随，甚至产生爱慕之心。「相信」是一个动词，在今天的经文中，在这个动词之后的是介词「在里面」，表示我们与我们所相信的神互为一体，正是借着这个联合，我们得以进入神的家。

虽然我们很快便会除下圣诞的布置装饰，但因着我们所见过的和相信的，我们必定会以不同的方式回到我们的日常生活中。
祷告

主耶稣，愿我们不会漠视了祢，也不会被世界的光辉分散注意力，以致我们看不见祢。爱祢才能看见祢，我们渴望看见祢，阿们。.

Romans 8:31-39  
December - 29


BELOVED

"Neither death nor life . . . Will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:38-39


When someone dies, it’s common to hear people say, "We’ll miss him." Even many years later a family member will say, "I miss her so. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t grieve her absence."

To miss someone is a great sorrow, but not to be missed is worse. Sometimes people will complain that no one missed them when they hadn’t been to church for a couple of months. It can be so distressing that they begin looking for another church.

Not being missed means not being well knit with others; leaving should cause a painful tearing or brokenness. Ultimately not being missed means not being loved.

In Genesis 3 we find that after Adam and Eve sinned against God, they hid from God. And we’re told, "But the Lord God called . . . 'where are you?’" (3:9). Most of the time I’ve heard anger in that question. God is calling them on the carpet. But perhaps it expresses sadness as well: "Where are you? I miss you." The whole Bible -- and Jesus’ coming, in particular -- is the story of God seeking us, making peace so that he’ll not have to miss us again.

Love wants to hold the beloved forever. Our love is weak; all sorts of enemies can rip the beloved out of our arms. But God’s love in Christ is powerful, able to hold us forever against all challengers.
PRAYER

Almighty God, it is not our hold on you but your hold on us that saves us. With cords of love bind us to your heart. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

罗马书   8:31-39
December - 29


挚爱

「无论是死、是生……都不能叫我们与神的爱隔绝；这爱是在我们的主耶稣基督里的。」 罗8:38-39


有人去世时，我们通常听到人说：「我们必定会想念他的。」甚至多年后仍然有家人这样说：「我实在非常想念她，我天天都因她的不在而伤心。」

想念一个人令我们伤心难过，但更悲哀的，就是没有人想念我们。有时有些人会抱怨说，他们几个月没到教会，可是根本没有人想念他们，他们可能感到十分难过，以致开始找寻另一间教会。

没有人想念，原因是和其他人没有紧密的联系；分离是痛苦的，就像心被撕裂或破碎了。说到底，没有人想念就是不为人所爱。

在创世记第三章，我们看到亚当和夏娃得罪神后，便躲起来不敢见神。圣经告诉我们：「耶和华神呼唤……『你在哪里？』」（3:9）。我总觉得神的语调带着怒气，祂在质问他们；不过，神的呼唤大概也同时带着丝丝哀伤：「你在哪里？我很想念你呢。」整本圣经 —— 特别是耶稣的降临 —— 都记载了神寻找我们的故事，神愿意与我们和好，这样祂便不用因见不到我们而牵挂了。

爱是渴望能永远拥抱所爱的人。但我们的爱脆弱不堪，任何敌人都能把我们所爱的从我们怀中夺去；然而，神在基督里的爱却是强而有力的，这爱能永远保守我们，抵挡得住任何挑战。
祷告

全能的神，我们得拯救，不是因为我们抓紧祢不放，而是因为祢抓紧我们不放。求祢以慈绳爱索把我们系在祢心中。奉耶稣的名祈求，阿们。.

Psalm 52  
December - 30


A REALITY CHECK

"Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man? . . . Surely God will bring you down." Psalm 52:1, 5


Max De Pree, a Christian businessman, observed that the first task of a leader is to define reality. The leader communicates what is important and what is not.

Worship defines reality; it communicates what matters. In Isaiah 6, for example, King Uzziah had died, and life seemed fearfully unstable. When Isaiah entered the temple, he saw a vision of the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted. It was a reality check. Life was not out of control after all. There was the Lord.

In Psalm 73 the psalmist says he was confused that the wicked could prosper so well, and he envied them, he said, "till I entered the sanctuary of God . . . [and] understood their final destiny" (73:17).

Doing a reality check is also very much at work in Psalm 52. A mighty man is a most imposing figure in the world. He has wealth and grows strong by destroying others. But in worship before the face of God the psalmist sees the truth. The mighty man is a fool, his strutting a joke, and his strength an illusion. God will bring him down to ruin.

While the fool may say in his heart, "There is no God" (Psalm 53:1), the wise person knows there is a God, trusts in his unfailing love, and lives accordingly.

Today, before we set out to worship, let’s do a reality check and be wise.
PRAYER

Lord God, may our eyes ever be on you, so that we may see all things in life as they really are. Help us to trust in you and live faithfully for you each day. In Jesus, Amen.

诗篇   52
December - 30


看清楚实况

「勇士啊，你为何以作恶自夸？……神也要毁灭你。」 诗52:1,5


基督徒商人杜比玛发觉，领袖的首要任务就是评估现况；领袖必须让人知道甚么是重要的和甚么是不重要的。

敬拜帮助我们评估现况，它告诉我们甚么才是最重要的。举例说，在以赛亚书第六章，乌西雅王已逝世，当时的情况看来非常不稳定。以赛亚进到圣殿中，他看见一个异象，主坐在高高的宝座上。他看清楚了当时的实况，生命毕竟没有失去控制，因为主在那里。

诗人在诗篇七十三篇说，他因看见恶人昌盛兴隆感到十分困惑，他甚至羡慕他们；但他跟着说：「等我进了神的圣所，思想他们的结局」（73:17）。

在诗篇五十二篇，诗人也看清楚了当时的实况。在世人眼中，勇士有堂皇的外表，他拥有财富，并因摧毁别人而令自己日益强大。但当诗人在神面前敬拜时，他看到了实况；勇士只是一个愚昧的人，他的高傲成为笑柄，他的能力只是错觉，神最终要毁灭他。

愚顽人心里说：「没有神」（诗篇53:1），智慧人却知道有神，他们信靠祂不渝的爱，并且凭此信心过日子。

今天，在我们前往敬拜神之前，让我们看清楚实况，做一个明智的人。
祷告

主神啊，愿我们的眼目永不离开祢，好叫我们看清楚生命中每一件事的实况。求祢帮助我们信靠祢，天天忠心为祢而活。奉耶稣祈求，阿们。.

Psalm 25:1-10  
December - 31


LOOK UP

"To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God." Psalm 25:1-2


To lift up our souls to God is to confess: On you, O Lord, we depend; in you we trust, on you we wait and in you we take refuge. O Lord, unless you bless us, we perish.

To lift up our souls to God sets us apart from all who lift up their souls to idols, who look for happiness and refuge from dread in their own wisdom or strength or riches.

We lift up our souls not to these vanities, but to you, O Lord, because you are the center of life. You are the great King over all; you are the creator of all things. This very cosmos that can so astonish us is the robe of glory with which you have clothed yourself. You are good and very great. We lift up our souls to you.

From this foundational stance spring two requests. The first is that we not be put to shame. We ask that God not abandon us, leave us disgraced, lost, but that instead he prize us and remain always committed to our future for the sake of his name.

Our second request is that we be shown the Lord’s ways. We plead not only for mercy but for power and wisdom to live holy lives.

If the first request asks God to stay with us and be committed to our future, the second request asks that we stay with God and remain committed to his future.
PRAYER

Lord, as we look back on an old year and anticipate a new one, may we look to you at all times to uphold us and make us strong, that we not go down to defeat. In Jesus, Amen.

诗篇   25:1-10
December - 31


仰望神

「耶和华啊，我的心仰望你。我的神啊，我素来倚靠你。」 诗25:1-2


心灵仰望神的意思是向神说：主啊，我们仰赖祢，我们倚靠祢，我们等候祢，祢是我们的避难所；主啊，祢若不祝福我们，我们就必灭亡。

我们的心仰望神，这使我们与那些心灵仰望偶像的人区分开来，他们靠自己的智慧、能力和财富，来寻找快乐和在恐惧中寻找避难所。

主啊，我们的心不会仰望世上的虚荣，我们乃是单单仰望祢，因为祢是生命的中心。祢是万人的大君王、万物的创造者；这个令我们惊叹不已的宇宙是祢为自己披戴的荣耀外袍；祢既良善又伟大，我们的心仰望祢。

在这个仰望神的心怀中，诗人发出了两个呼求。第一个呼求，是求神不要叫我们羞愧，那是说我们求神不要丢弃我们，让我们失落受耻辱。相反，祂为祂自己的名的缘故，看重我们，答应一生眷顾我们。

我们的第二个呼求，是求神将祂的道指示我们，我们不单求怜悯，更祈求得到力量和智慧，来过圣洁的生活。

如果第一个呼求是求神与我们同行和眷顾我们一生，那么第二个呼求就是求神帮助我们与祂同行，一生忠心于祂。
祷告

主啊，在我们回顾过去一年，并向前瞻望新的一年时，愿我们时刻仰望祢，求祢保守我们并加添力量给我们，好叫我们不致走向失败。奉耶稣祈求，阿们。.

Joshua 1:1-9  
January - 1


ENCOURAGEMENT FOR A NEW YEAR

"Do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9


On the first day of a new year many of us wish each other a "Happy New Year!" But as we begin a new year, we need more than a hopeful greeting from the people around us. We need to listen to what God told Joshua about 3,400 years ago.

As Joshua was about to lead God’s people into the promised land, he had reason to be afraid. He had an enormous task ahead of him, and he was well aware of the dangers that he and the people would soon be facing. He needed God’s encouragement.

A new year brings lots of questions: Will our health hold? Will our marriage last? Will I be able to hang on to my job? Will I get into the right school? Will I live to see the end of this year? Will the economy improve? Will there be a terrorist attack or some natural disaster that takes me or my loved ones?

The Creator of the universe comes to us and says, "Don’t be afraid; don’t be discouraged." What happens in this coming year is not left to chance. God is in charge, and he promises to stay close: "The LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Many years later, the Lord Jesus made the same promise when he said, "I am with you always" (Mat¬thew 28:20). That’s the reason we can wish each other a "Happy New Year!"
PRAYER

Father in heaven, thank you for the gift of a new year and for your promise to stay with us. We ask for your guidance and wisdom each day. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

約书亚记   1:1-9
January - 1


新年的勉励

「不要惧怕，也不要惊惶，因为你无论往哪里去，耶和华 ── 你的神必与你同在。」 书1:9


在新一年的第一天，我们都会互相祝愿「新年快乐！」然而，当我们踏入新的一年，我们不但需要身边友人的祝福，更需要聆听神在三千四百多年前对约书亚所说的一番话。

当约书亚即将带领神的子民进入应许之地，他实在有理由感到惧怕，因为他将要承担一项重大责任，而他清楚知道，他和百姓很快会面临怎样的危险。因此，他需要神的勉励。

新的一年给我们带来许多疑问：健康会否出现问题？婚姻能否维持下去？饭碗能否保得住？能否入读合适的学校？能否平安度过这一年？经济会否好转？会否发生恐怖袭击事件或天灾横祸，夺去我或我所爱的人的性命？

宇宙的创造者来到我们当中，对我们说：「不要惧怕，也不要惊惶。」来年所发生的事情，不会是偶然的，因为有神在掌管，祂应许与我们同在：「耶和华 ── 你的神处处都必与你同在。」

多年之后，主耶稣也作出同样的应许，祂说：「我就常与你们同在」（马太福音 28:20）。故此，我们可以祝愿大家「新年快乐」！
祷告

天父，感谢祢赐下新的一年，并且应许与我们同在。求祢每天引领我们，并赐我们智慧。祷告奉耶稣的名求，阿们。.

Deuteronomy 31:6-8  
January - 2


GOD GOES BEFORE US

The LORD himself . . . will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:8


While visiting in the Philippines, my wife and I spent some time on Corrigedor Island. We toured some old tunnels that were dug there at General MacArthur’s headquarters during World War II.

I wasn’t sure how stable those tunnels were, but our guide assured us they were safe. He had been there before, and he was going to walk ahead of us. With a flashlight in one hand and a walking stick in the other, we made it safely through.

That tour was just a simple illustration of what God invites us to do as we begin a new year. We don’t know what’s ahead. We can’t look into the future. But God can! God assures us that he knows what’s ahead. The entire year is spread out before the Lord. He knows our future. And the same God who knows all about the year ahead promises to go with us every step of the way.

God himself will be our guide, and he will guide us through. He knows the challenges that will face us, the obstacles that are before us. He invites us simply to follow him. And to help us on our way, God offers us the light of his Word. As the psalmist puts it, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105).

All we have to do is keep our eyes on the Lord, listen to what he says, and follow him.

PRAYER

Lord, help us to keep our eyes on you, and teach us how to listen as you call us to follow you. Give us your wisdom and grace, we pray. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

申命记   31:6-8
January - 2


神帅领我们

「耶和华必在你前面行；他必与你同在，必不撇下你，也不丢弃你。」 申31:8


我和妻子在菲律宾旅游期间，一起在克里基多岛逗留了一段时间。我们游览了一些古旧的地道，这些地道是第二次世界大战时期，在麦克阿瑟将军的总部挖掘的。

我不敢肯定那些地道是否稳妥，但导游向我们保证，这些地道是安全的。他曾经到过这个地方，而他会在前面带路。我们一手拿着电筒，一手拿着手杖，安全地走过了那条地道。

这个旅程简单地说明了，神希望我们如何开始新的一年。我们不知道前程如何，也不能预知未来，但神却可以！神向我们保证，祂知道前面如何，前面的一年已摆在主的面前，祂知道我们的未来如何。这位对未来一年了如指掌的神，亦应许每一步与我们同行。

神会亲自作我们的向导，引领我们的脚步。祂知道我们将会面对的挑战和困难，祂邀请我们跟随祂，而为了能够沿途帮助我们，祂赐给我们路上的光，就是祂的话语，正如诗人所说：「你的话是我脚前的灯，是我路上的光」（讨篇 119:105）。

我们只需定睛仰望主，聆听祂的说话，并且跟随祂。
祷告

主啊，求祢帮助我们定睛仰望祢，求祢教导我们如何聆听祢的呼召来跟随祢，求祢赐我们智慧和恩典。奉耶稣的名求，阿们。.

Hebrews 11:1-6  
January - 3


WHAT KEEPS ORDINARY PEOPLE GOING?

Faith is being sure of what we hope for . . . . Hebrews 11:1


At the beginning of my work in ministry I used to call on a friend who’d been in bed for more than 10 years. Because of a debilitating disease, he could not move a muscle. In spite of his condition, though, he would often say, "God is so good!" I sometimes asked myself how he could say that, and how he and his wife were able to keep going.

The answer to those questions is in Hebrews 11. The recurring refrain throughout this chapter is ". . . by faith." It was the gift of faith that kept God’s people go¬ing even under the most difficult circumstances. They were ordinary people, like us, with the same kinds of weaknesses, feelings, and emotions. They too gave in to temptations. They too must have had their doubts at times. They too must have wondered at times where God was.

But it was because of God’s gift of faith that these ordinary people were able to live extraordinary lives. It is by faith that you and I will be able to keep going this year. Receive God’s gift of faith, and through the eyes of faith you will be able to see the One who is "the author and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).

Make sure you have received the gift of faith by turning to the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s the only way to keep going throughout the coming year.
PRAYER

Father in heaven, we thank you for the gift of faith. Help us to look at life through the eyes of faith; help us as ordinary people to live extraordinary lives. In Jesus, Amen.

希伯来书   11:1-6
January - 3


是甚么令凡夫俗子支撑下去？

「信就是所望之事的实底……」 来11:1


在我开始传道之初，经常探访一位卧病愈十年的朋友，他患了某种衰弱症而无法挪动身上的肌肉。尽管如此，他常常挂在嘴边的话却是：「神真的好！」我有时也会问自己，这话如何能出自他的口？他和妻子是靠着甚么支撑过来的？

这些问题的答案就在希伯来书第11章。在这一章里不断重复的字句是：「……信」。原来是神所赐的信心，令祂的子民在最困难的情况下，仍能支撑下去。他们和我们一样，都是凡夫俗子，同样有软弱、感觉和情绪，也会抵受不住试探，而且也必定有怀疑神在哪里的时候。

然而，靠赖神所赐的信心，这些凡夫俗子可以过不平凡的人生。凭着信心，你和我可以度过新的一年。所以，要接受神所赐的信心，而凭着信心的眼目，你必定能看见那位「为我们信心创始成终」的耶稣（希伯来书 12:2）。

要确定你已归向主耶稣基督，藉此领受了信心的恩典，只有这样，你才可以顺利度过新的一年。
祷告

天父，感谢祢赐给我们信心的恩典。求祢帮助我们以信心的眼目来看人生；帮助我们这些凡夫俗子过不平凡的人生。奉耶稣的名求，阿们。.

Psalm 139:1-12  
January - 4


GOD IS WHERE WE ARE

You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Psalm 139:5


God is where we are! Psalm 139 makes this clear to us in one of the most beautiful passages of the Bible.

From the moment we get up in the morning until we go to bed at night, God is there. As the psalmist puts it, "You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways." God knows when we sit and when we rise. He knows our every thought and hears our every word. God hems us in and even lays his hand on us.

This may seem like an invasion of privacy to some of us, but to the psalmist it was one of the most beautiful things imaginable: "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." The psalmist could say this because he had a close relationship with God.

To reach a point where we can say with the psalmist, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me" and to experience God’s presence in our lives every step of the way, we need to do at least four things. We have to come near to God; we have to confess; we have to communicate; and we have to commit our lives to the Lord. Only then will we be able to celebrate the fact that God is where we are!

Let’s note carefully over the next several days how, in God’s strength, we can make these things a reality in our lives.
PRAYER

Lord, our God, thank you for your closeness to us. Please help us to draw near to you and live faithfully for you. Keep your guiding hand on us, we pray. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

诗篇   139:1-12
January - 4


神在我们左右

「你在我前后环绕我，按手在我身上。」 诗139:5


神处处与我们同在！这是诗篇139篇向我们清楚表达的信息，它是圣经中最美丽的篇章之一。

由我们清晨起床，直至晚上睡觉，神都在我们身旁，正如诗人所说：「我行路，我躺卧，你都细察；你也深知我一切所行。」神知道我们何时坐下，何时起来；祂知道我们的每一个思想，聆听我们的每一句话。神四面环绕我们，甚至按手在我们身上。

对我们中间的某些人来说，可能会感到个人私隐受侵犯，但对诗人来说，这却是可想象的最美好的事情之一。「这样的知识奇妙，是我不能测的，至高，是我不能及的。」诗人能够如此说，是因为他和神的关系密切。

要能够像诗人一样说出：「这样的知识奇妙，是我不能测的」，以及在生活道路中的每一步感受到神的同在，我们至少要作四件事：必须亲近神；必须认罪；必须和神相交；必须向主委身。唯有这样，我们才能因为处处有神的同在而欢庆！

在未来数天，让我们仔细观察如何靠着神的力量，使以上提到的这些事情在我们的实际生活中得以体现。
祷告

主啊，我们的神，感谢祢常常靠近我们。求祢帮助我们亲近祢，忠心为祢而活。祈求祢的恩手继续引领我们。祷告奉耶稣的名求，阿们。.

James 4:1-10  
January - 5


HOW TO GET CLOSE TO GOD: COME

Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8


It sounds so good on paper: God is where we are! But what do you do when you can’t find God? What if God doesn’t seem to be there for you? Some Christians struggle with that question.

A high school senior wrote to me and said, "What do you do when God seems far away, and you’re praying to an empty chair, and you’re reading the Bible for your devotions, but you do it because you know you should, and it does not mean anything to you?"

What do you do if you feel like that high schooler?

Here’s one idea: read and reread Psalm 139, and let it sink in. Then come near to the God who loves you and knows everything about you. That’s what James says: "Come near to God and he will come near to you."

Throughout the Bible God invites us to come. The Lord invites us to come and reason together (Isaiah 1:18). Jesus invites the weary to come to him and find rest (Matthew 11:28-29), and he promises that he will never drive us away (John 6:37).

We have to come just as we are—empty-handed. Come and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died to save us from our sins.

Before you go to sleep tonight, ask Jesus to come into your heart. If you really want him to, he will respond. The One who died for you will never drive you away.
PRAYER

Lord God, give us the grace to respond to your invitation to come. Accept us as we come to you, just as we are, and assure us of your love shown for us in Jesus. Amen.

雅各书   4:1-10
January - 5


如何亲近神：来！

「你们亲近神，神就必亲近你们。」 雅4:8


神在我们左右！这句说话听起来很受用，但当你找不到神，你会怎么办？要是神好像不在你身旁，怎么办？这正是某些基督徒所挣扎的问题。

一位高中时候的学长曾经给我写过这样的一段话：「神好像离你很远，你好像对着一张空椅子祷告；而你灵修和读经，只不过因为你知道这是你应当作的，它对你根本毫无意义。这时，你该怎么办？」

要是你对这位高中生的话产生共鸣，你会怎么办呢？

我有一个提议：再三阅读诗篇139篇，让这些话留在我们的脑海中，然后来亲近那位爱祢，而且对你的一切了如指掌的神，诚如雅各所说的：「你们亲近神，神就必亲近你们。」

在圣经中，神由始至终都邀请我们前来。耶和华邀请我们前来，彼此辩论（以赛亚书1:18）；耶稣邀请疲乏的人前来，得着安息（马太福音11:28-29），而祂应许永不丢弃我们（约翰福音6:37）。

我们必须以自己的本相来到祂面前 ── 两手空空。要来相信主耶稣基督，祂为拯救我们的罪而死。

今晚在你睡觉前，请求耶稣进入你的心怀。假如你是真心诚意的，祂必会答应你。那位为你而死的耶稣，必不丢弃你。
祷告

主神啊，求祢施恩，好叫我们能回应祢的邀请，来到祢面前。当我们来到祢面前时，求祢按我们的本相接纳我们，并保证把祢藉耶稣彰显的爱，赐给我们。阿们。.

懿怡妈妈,谢谢你带领我们读圣经! 请问英文版或原版的圣经哪里有售?.

一般教堂里都有中英文对照版的圣经。
我先生有一本是以前在国际礼拜堂买的，并可以在网上下载英语朗读版本。黑色的封面。
我在沪西堂买的是橘红色封面的中英文版圣经，也蛮漂亮的！

[ 本帖最后由 懿怡妈妈 于 2009-1-6 16:46 编辑 ].

Psalm 32:1-5  
January - 6


HOW TO GET CLOSE TO GOD: CONFESS

I acknowledged my sin to you . . . . and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalm 32:5


Someone came to talk. He was upset and angry. I had preached on Psalm 139, saying God is always there for us. This person said, "On Sunday you keep on telling us God is where we are. Well, he’s not there for me." Then he shouted, "Where is this God you talk about?

We talked for quite some time. During our conversation it became clear that one of the reasons he did not feel God’s closeness was that he was intent on living in sin. He refused to admit and acknowledge that he was caught up in a sin because he did not want to give it up. He refused to confess.

In Psalm 32 David makes clear that unconfessed sin builds a wall between ourselves and God. David was speaking from experience. After his affair with Bath¬sheba he’d tried to cover his tracks by having her husband killed. The story, recorded in 2 Samuel 11, reads like a soap opera. David had to learn the hard way that we distance ourselves from God when we try to hide our sins or refuse to confess them.

If for some reason you feel far from God, take inventory by asking yourself, "Is there unconfessed sin in my life?" Perhaps it happened years ago, or perhaps it’s something you did today. The Lord invites you to come clean and confess, and when you do you will experience the loving arms of the waiting Father.
PRAYER

Lord, please keep us from sin and keep sin from us. Help us to be willing to confess our sins, and help us see where we’ve gone wrong. Forgive us for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

诗篇   32:1-5
January - 6


如何亲近神：认罪

「我向你陈明我的罪……你就赦免我的罪恶。」 诗32:5


有一个人心烦意乱，带着怒气来找我谈话。我曾经在讲道中宣讲过诗篇139篇的信息，谈到神处处与我们同在，于是这位朋友说：「你在主日那天不断告诉我们，神处处与我们同在，但祂却不在我身旁。」说罢便高呼：「你所说的这位神，到底在哪里？」

之后我们倾谈了好一会。在谈话过程中，我发现他感受不到神同在的原因，是因为他执意活在罪中。他拒绝承认自己陷溺在某种罪中，因为他不愿意离弃罪，也不肯认罪。

大卫在诗篇32篇清楚表明，未承认的罪，会在我们和神中间形成一道墙，这是他的经验之谈。他和拔示巴犯了奸淫罪后，曾经想杀害她的丈夫来掩饰自己的罪行。这个有如连续剧的故事，记载在撒母耳记下第11章。大卫从惨痛的教训中明白到，当我们试图隐瞒或不肯认自己的罪，是会令自己与神隔离的。

要是你因为某些原因而感到离神很远，便要自我省察：「在我的人生中，是否有尚未承认的罪？」这可能是多年前所犯的罪，也可能是今天所犯的罪。无论如何，主邀请你坦白承认自己的罪，当你这样行时，便会感受到那位一直在等候你的父神，正向你张开祂慈爱的膀臂。
祷告

主啊，求祢叫我们远离罪恶，亦叫罪恶远离我们。求祢帮助我们愿意承认自己的罪，并帮助我们明白自己所犯的错误。求祢因耶稣的缘故赦免我们。阿们。.

九江路上基督教两会的书店里也有圣经卖。.

认罪是比较难，要有圣灵的光照。.

谢谢啊, 九江路倒是瞒近的,早就想买本小点的可以随身带.

2 Samuel 12:1-7  
January - 7


CARING ENOUGH TO CONFRONT

Nathan said to David, "You are the man!" 2 Samuel 12:7


Sometimes we are almost completely blind to our own sins and shortcomings. It’s so much easier to see the faults and failures of others. And sometimes it takes someone else to make us see our sin.

That’s how it was with David. When the prophet Nathan told him a story about a rich man who stole a poor man’s lamb, David was outraged. He could clearly see what the rich man had done, but he failed to see his own sin. The prophet needed to confront David before he realized that Nathan was talking about him.

In the book Caring Enough to Confront, David Augs¬burger talks about the importance of confronting people who live in sin. Sometimes we need to confront, and sometimes we need to be confronted.

It’s not easy to confront a family member, a friend, or a coworker. Sometimes it’s easier to look the other way. Besides, we ourselves don’t like to be confronted. When someone cares enough to confront us, often our first response is "Who do you think you are? You’re not perfect either!"

God calls us to confront others who are in sin, and we need to learn to do so with gentleness (Galatians 6:1). We must also be willing to be confronted when we are blind to our own sins. God wants us all to help remove the barrier of sin that keeps us far from God.
PRAYER

Father in heaven, make us caring enough to con¬front someone who is living in sin, and give us the grace to accept those who confront us. We ask all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

撒母耳记下   12:1-7
January - 7


在爱里说实话

「拿单对大卫说：『你就是那人！』」 撒下12:7


有时，我们会对自己的罪和缺点完全视而不见，但却很容易看见别人的错处和失败。有些时候，难免要由别人来指出我们的罪。

这正是大卫的情况，先知拿单告诉他关于一个富户取了一个穷人的羊羔的故事，大卫听见之后，就甚恼怒那人。他可以清楚看见那个富户的所作所为，但却看不见自己所犯的罪。先知要向大卫说实话，然后大卫才明白过来，原来拿单所指的人，正是大卫自己。

作者David Augsburger在他的著作《在爱里说实话》中，谈到向活在罪中的人说实话的重要性。有时，我们需要向人说实话；有时，却需要别人向我们说实话。

向家人、朋友或同事说实话，并不容易。有时，转换话题可能较为容易，况且，我们也不喜欢别人向自己说实话。当有人在爱里说实话时，我们的第一个反应往往是：「你以为自己是谁？你也不见得是十全十美！」

神呼召我们对活在罪中的人说实话，而我们要学习如何用温柔的态度说这些话（加拉太书6:1）。当我们看不见自己所犯的罪时，也必须愿意聆听别人所说的实话。神希望我们除去罪的拦阻，因为它令我们远离神。
祷告

天父，求祢叫我们能够对活在罪中的人说实话，又施恩给我们，好叫我们能够接受对我们说实话的人。以上一切，都是奉耶稣的名求，阿们。.