2013年2月8日 星期五

2013-02-08 Devotionals Today

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歸心禱告操練     粵語  國語 
 
 

第114天

神對我不捨

「我往那裡去躲避你的靈,我往那裡逃躲避你的面?我若升到天上,你在那裡,我若在陰間下榻,你也在那裡。我若展開清晨的翅膀,飛到海極居住,就是在那裡,你的手必引導我,你的右手也必扶持我。」(7-10節)

從詩人的表達裡,我們領會到,神對我們有不捨之情。即或我們為甚麼原因要逃、要躲避神,神都會跟隨我們在那裡。神不會像我們人際之間的關係一般的,你不理會我,我也就不理會你。神好像是不顧一切、不問因由的要跟隨著我們,繼續前後環繞我們。這樣的神人關係,是超越我們平時的理解。神真是高深莫測,使我們衷心敬服、崇敬的神。神對我們有如此不捨之情,我們亦不會想躲避神吧。

讓我們帶著感激、敬服的心去體認,原來在我們之內,是神聖超越的神的居所;不管我在那裡,神就是在那裡。你現在就放鬆,慢慢呼吸,心裡默念:「我若升到天上,你在那裡,我若在陰間下榻,你也在那裡。」把你的意識放在與神共融的當下。請開始。……

請你在靜禱中體認,在你之內,是神聖超越的神的居所;不管你在那裡,神就是在那裡。每當你察覺自己在想其他東西,或有任何思念把你的意識帶離神同在的當下,便再次在心中默念:「我若升到天上,你在那裡,我若在陰間下榻,你也在那裡。」然後返回當下這一刻。……

 

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在基督裡的新生命

粵語 國語

第8天


讀經:   

哥林多後書五章11至21節

11我們既知道主是可畏的,所以勸人。但我們在神面前是顯明的,盼望在你們的良心裡也是顯明的。

12我們不是向你們再舉薦自己,乃是叫你們因我們有可誇之處,好對那憑外貌不憑內心誇口的人,有言可答。

13我們若果顛狂,是為神;若果謹守,是為你們。

14原來基督的愛激勵我們;因我們想,一人既替眾人死,眾人就都死了;

15並且他替眾人死,是叫那些活著的人不再為自己活,乃為替他們死而復活的主活。

16所以,我們從今以後,不憑著外貌(原文是肉體;本節同)認人了。雖然憑著外貌認過基督,如今卻不再這樣認他了。

17若有人在基督裡,他就是新造的人,舊事已過,都變成新的了。

18一切都是出於神;他藉著基督使我們與他和好,又將勸人與他和好的職分賜給我們。

19這就是神在基督裡,叫世人與自己和好,不將他們的過犯歸到他們身上,並且將這和好的道理託付了我們。

20所以,我們作基督的使者,就好像神藉我們勸你們一般。我們替基督求你們與神和好。

21神使那無罪(無罪:原文是不知罪)的,替我們成為罪,好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。

在今天選讀的經文中,有兩個字出現了好幾次。字雖普通,但對於信徒來說卻意義重大。那就是「在……裡」這兩個字。如果你查考字典,你會驚訝這個小詞蘊含著極其豐富的意義。

對我們來說,它真正的意思是與基督聯合。讓我們再看經文17、19和20節,我們可以用「與基督聯合」來代替「在基督裡」。原來在神的眼中,信徒就是與基督聯合的人;我們也是藉此而享有基督的新生命。

如今,我們既有新生命,我們的生命和事奉就應該反映出一些新的改變。例如,保羅指出,我們應該有新的原動力、新的身份和新的事奉。

新的原動力

保羅在第11節指出了一個非常重要的原動力──對主存敬畏的心。這不是說,我們畏懼自己做得不好或失敗,會遭到神的懲罰;乃是我們害怕自己的表現令祂傷心、失望或憂傷。神希望我們凡事能討祂喜悅,我們也該以此為目標。

第14節指出另一個原動力──基督的愛。不單是因為我們愛基督,所以願意凡事討祂的喜悅;更是因為祂對我們和全人類的愛深深地激勵我們,祂要透過我們將祂的愛帶給所有人。這是何等大的特權,也是何等大的責任。

最後,第15節告訴我們該怎樣生活──不是為自己而活,而是為別人而活。當我們與基督聯合之後,我們的價值觀便會改變。基督為愛世人而甘願犧牲的真理,以及祂渴望拯救世人的目標,將會扭轉我們對別人的看法,以致我們能透過基督的眼睛來看人,並且學習基督的榜樣去服侍人。

一個與基督聯合的人,便會產生以上的原動力。神在基督裡已為世人作成救恩。倘若我已明白並經歷救恩,那麼,神便期望我會向未認識救恩的人分享這真理。我有做嗎?我知道祂的心意,但願我不要畏縮,勇敢地承擔使命。

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OUR NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
Day 8


Bible Reading:   

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
  
12 For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.

13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;

15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

OUR NEW LIFE IN CHRIST

A very small word occurs several times in our reading today. It has only two letters but has tremendous meaning for us. It is the little word "in". If you looked it up in a dictionary, you would be surprised how much space is given to such a small word.

Its real meaning for us refers to our union with Christ. Look again at verses 17, 19 and 20. As you do, substitute the words "in union with Christ" for the word "in". That is how God sees us. That is how we have new life.

Now because we have new life, there are several consequences which should be seen in our lives and ministries. For example, Paul says we have new motives, we have a new position and we have a new ministry.

WE HAVE NEW MOTIVES

A very strong motive is mentioned in verse 11 - the "fear of the Lord". This is not a fear of what God may do to us if we fail. Rather it is the fear of hurting, disappointing or grieving Him. God wants us to do only the things which please Him. That should be our aim too.

Then verse 14 mentions another new motive - the love of Christ. It is not merely our love for Christ that is meant, but His love for us and for all men. He wants to reach them through us. What a privilege it is, but also what a responsibility!

Finally, verse 15 tells us how we should live - not for ourselves but for others. Our value system changes when we are in union with Christ. As the truth of what Christ has done and wants to do lays hold of us, we will see men and women differently. We will see them through the eyes of Christ. We will learn to live for others as Christ did.

These are or should be some of the new and compelling motives for the person who is in union with Christ. God in Christ has done all He could possibly do to save men and women. If I know this, if I have experienced it myself, then God is looking to me to share the truth with those who don't know it. Am I doing just that? I know what He wants. Let me not be afraid to do it.


利未記十九至廿一章


重點: 聖潔和公正的法例;悖逆者的懲罰;祭司之律例。

鑰節: 你們要謹守遵行我的律例;我是叫你們成聖的耶和華。(二十8)

內容: 

成聖是新約的一個重要真理,是神成就之救恩其中一個目的,是祂給基督徒的恩典和要求。原來成聖在舊約時代,已是神的目的和要求;祂對祂的子民說:我是叫你們成聖的耶和華。

神拯救祂的百姓,拯救我們,目的是要我們成聖。成聖是甚麼?簡言之,就是聖潔。換言之,就是像神、像主耶穌。舊約時代,神賜下誡命、律例、典章,要祂的百姓成聖;在新約,祂賜下恩典,使人成聖。祂是使人成聖的神。

神如何使人成聖?人怎能被神成聖?就是人要謹守遵行神的律例—神的話。當我們讀神的話,將神的話藏在心裡,願意以神的話作為一切的標準,並無條件地按神的話而行,神就有機會、有橋梁、有工具在我們身上作成聖的工夫;因為「神所默示的聖經,於教訓、督責、使人歸正、教導人學義……叫屬神的人得以完全」(提後三16-17)。

「正如基督愛教會,為教會捨己;要用水藉著道把教會洗淨,成為聖潔。」(弗五25-26)


默想: 神拯救的目的是甚麼?如何讓神在我們身上成就祂的目的?
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神的改造

 
以賽亞書六十一章1-3節
 
「...華冠…代替灰塵…喜樂…代替悲哀…讚美…代替憂傷之靈」(3節)

今時今日,隨手打開一本女性雜誌,都會看到以「改造」某人某物(房子、花園)為題的內容。那些所謂「改造」,有時的確給人留下深刻印象,不過,都只針對人物或物件的外表而已。

這段美麗的經文描述「神的改造」 ─ 祂治好我們的傷、把我們從黑暗牢籠中釋放出來之後(1節),便立刻用那好得無比的,代替我們生命中的不好(3節)。神的改造不止於表面 — 乃是把我們從裡到外徹底改變!

本周末,齊來思想經文的生動畫面,以賽亞用它們來描述神想為我們做的事情。然後,求神為你做你最需要的事。

路加告訴我們,耶穌在家鄉拿撒勒的會堂朗讀的正是這段經文。當耶穌向會眾說,他應驗了他們所期待的彌賽亞降臨的預言,本來感到希奇的聽眾,聽完便怒氣填胸。明天開始,我們將會看看五個名不經傳的女子、她們蒙主耶穌醫治的過程,顯明祂是如何使經文所說的變為真實。

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