2008-07-30 Devotionals Today

知信行網上團契為各主內肢體提供的每日靈糧，歡迎訂閱，推介及奉獻支持。 《網絡天糧》查詢，請電郵：ccf@ccfellow.org 訂閱天糧 | 轉介天糧 | 修訂訂閱 | 奉獻支持 聖靈的果子 粵語國語 第30天 讀經：加拉太書五章19至25節 　　「果子」是指到甚麼？一棵長大成熟的植物或樹，會自然生出果子。有些植物結果子的速度較快，但另一些卻需要較長時間，但無論如此，大多數植物只要培植得宜，都會按時結出果子。 　　聖靈的果子是聖靈在人生命結出的果子，用以見證基督。別人藉著結出來的果子，便看見耶穌基督在那人生命中的作為。 　　今天，讓我們看看經文所列的頭三個果子。仁愛、喜樂與和平全出於人的內心；它們更是三種最基本的特質，也是信徒其他表現之本。 　　仁愛所指的，不是我們一般所講的愛心，而是基督之愛。聖靈幫助我們更多明白基督對我們的愛，激發我們更多愛主。而且，藉著聖靈所賜的愛，我們還懂得愛那些不可愛的人，甚或是我們的仇敵，那是我們原初所辦不到的。 　　喜樂也不是單純的快樂。它是對神的一種默然信靠，樂意把一切交在神的手中，以致無論處於任何環境，也會有從心底裡生出喜樂。 　　同樣地，和平的心境也並非僅限於事事順利的時候才出現，反之，因著神的同在，以致我們能得著神所賜的平安，去面對各種境況。 　　當我們自我省察的時候，若發現自己沒有仁愛、喜樂與和平，那麼，就證明聖靈在我們的生命中的工作有限了。哪是甚麼緣故呢？是否我們攔阻聖靈的工作？我們必須反躬自問，找出真正的答案。 反思： 基督徒的生命會自然成長。我們能否察覺自己在過去一年有多少成長呢？ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT DAY 30 BIBLE READING: Galatians 5:19-25 What do we mean by 'fruit'? Fruit is produced naturally by a plant or a tree showing that the tree or plant has reached maturity. On some plants fruit takes a long time to form. Other plants or trees produce fruit quickly. The fruit of the Spirit is what the Spirit produces in a life yielded to Jesus Christ. It gives a picture of Jesus Christ, in that life. Let's look at just the first three mentioned. Love, joy and peace all belong to our inner life or experience. From these three qualities all the rest of our life seems to flow. The love referred to is not human love, but Christ's love. The Holy Spirit helps us to understand more of Christ's love for us and so our love for Christ increases. He does more than that, however. He gives us a love for the unlovely and even for our enemies. That is not natural is it? But the Spirit of God can do it if we will allow him. Joy is not merely being happy about everything. It is quiet confidence that we are in God's hands so we are happy in all circumstances. Peace, too, is something which comes, not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God. It underlies all the rest of our lives. If we don't have love, joy and peace, then the Spirit of God Is not being allowed to work in our lives. Who is stopping him? Could we look in a mirror and see the answer? A THOUGHT: Growth is part of Christian experience. How much have we grown this year?