2008-12-14 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 保羅記掛著信徒的需要 粵語 國語 第14天 讀經：   歌羅西書二章1至7節 這裡的第1節讓我們看見，保羅無論對信徒或非信徒都非常關心，他經常為到他們禱告。他不單記掛著他所認識的信徒，連其他地方的信徒，他都一樣會在禱告中記念他們。 留意他為他們向神祈求些甚麼：是得安慰、得堅固和得著激勵。我們今天同樣需要神安慰和激勵我們。由於有虛假的道理在歌羅西的信徒中間傳播，以致削弱了信徒之間的相交關係。我們今天在這方面亦必須警醒。 保羅期望他們能用愛心互相連繫起來。二章19節表達了相同的觀念。信徒之間加強團結的其中一個方法，是先去承認和接受一個事實，就是在基督的身體裡，每個信徒都有本身的位分。 然後，保羅指出我們可以清楚知道我們在基督裡的身分。我們必須進入神的話語，明白神對我們的教導，我們才能更深地認識祂。我們不可讓別的東西取代基督的位置──甚至是事奉的工作，也不可以取代了主。 第6節為我們提供了「基督徒」的最簡單定義：接受了主耶穌基督的人，就是基督徒。「主耶穌基督」這三個名字合而為一，對我們是別具意義的。「耶穌」表示救主。「基督」代表了神所膏立的王。至於「主」，就當然代表掌管我們生命的主人了。 保羅在第6節再次用到「行」這個字。「遵基督而行」乃是成長的表現。初生的嬰孩不懂得走路，但隨著成長，他學會走路。同樣地，重生的基督徒在主裡日漸成長，便會懂得每天與主同行。一個體弱或癱瘓的人，不能夠起來走路；同樣地，靈命軟弱或倒退的基督徒，也不能遵基督而行。 第7節提到生根和建造。一棵樹必須在泥土裡扎根，才能穩固地成長和吸收養分。我們的靈命豈不是一樣？「建造」這個觀念，讓我們想到房子乃是由根基開始，一層一層地建造起來，直至完全建成為止。我們的生命是否這樣日漸建立起來呢？ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PAUL'S CONCERN FOR THE COLOSSIANS Day 14 Bible Reading:   Colossians 2:1-7 Paul's amazing prayer life and his burden for both believers and unbelievers is clearly seen in the first few verses of our reading. He prayed not only for those whom he had met, but also for those who had come to Christ through others. Notice his different prayer requests for these people. He wanted them to be comforted, or strengthened and encouraged. We all need this today. False teaching in the Colossian church weakened the bonds of fellowship. It does today. It is an area we need to guard carefully. Paul wanted them to be knit together in love. The same thought is expressed in another way in verse 19. One of the means of strengthening fellowship is to recognize and accept the place each one has in the body of Christ. Then Paul speaks about the full assurance of understanding, or that we might know what our position is in Christ. We will only get to know him better as we enter more fully into what his Word has to say to us. We must not let anything take the place of Christ in our lives, not even service for him. One of the simplest definitions of a Christian is in verse 6 of our reading-one who has received Christ Jesus the Lord. Each of the three names mentioned has a meaning for us. Jesus means Savior. Christ means God's appointed one. Lord, of course, means master or the one who rules over me. Also in verse 6 Paul mentions our walking. Walking is the result of life. It is the continuation of what has begun. As a child grows so it learns to walk. As a Christian grows so he or she learns to walk with Christ. III health or paralysis may prevent physical walking. Spiritual weakness or backsliding can easily prevent our walking with and for Christ. Verse 7 adds two more words-rooted, built up and established. A rooted tree has its source of both security and nourishment in the ground in which it grows. Can you apply that spiritually? Being built up reminds us of a house being built-it is only gradually, bit by bit, that a house is at last completed. Can you think of ways to apply this today to your life?