Category: 260灵修

第八章

1 羔羊揭開第七印的時候，天上寂靜約有二刻。2 我看見那站在神面前的七位天使，有七枝號賜給他們。3 另有一位天使，拿著金香爐來，站在祭壇旁邊。有許多香賜給他，要和眾聖徒的祈禱一同獻在寶座前的金壇上。4 那香的煙和眾聖徒的祈禱從天使的手中一同升到神面前。5 天使拿著香爐，盛滿了壇上的火，倒在地上；隨有雷轟、大聲、閃電、地震。

 

默想：

1. 揭開第七印的時候，有段寂靜的時間，有位天使拿著香爐來到祭壇前，將聖徒的禱告摻和著香，當「香的煙和眾聖徒的祈禱……升到神面前」時，地就大為震動。禱告的功效是無可計量的；甚至包括我們微小的禱告，也能生發效用。既是如此，我當如何看待我的禱告生活？
2. 用這首「泰澤」詩歌，成為我委身，經常地、每天與千萬聖徒一同禱告的祈求與許願：(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMSr_dO_9TA)

主啊，聽我禱，主啊，聽我禱，當我求，請垂聽；

主啊，聽我禱，主啊，聽我禱，請來，聽我懇求。

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

Chapter 8

¹When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

²And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

³Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. ⁴The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand. ⁵Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

 

Meditation

1. Before the seventh seal, there is silence.  An angel comes before the altar with a censer and mixes the prayers of believers with the incense. When the censer plummets, the earth rumbles.  Prayers bring incalculable effects.  Even the smallest words of mine can result in great effects.  How would this awareness help my prayer life?
2. Use this Taize song to pray as my commitment to join the numerous saints in daily and regular prayers.( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMSr_dO_9TA)

Oh, Lord, hear my prayer, Oh, Lord, hear my prayer, When I call, answer me.
O Lord, hear my prayer, Oh, Lord, hear my prayer, Come and listen to me.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.

第七章

9 此後，我觀看，見有許多的人，沒有人能數過來，是從各國、各族、各民、各方來的，站在寶座和羔羊面前，身穿白衣，手拿棕樹枝，10 大聲喊著說：

「願救恩歸與坐在寶座上我們的神，也歸與羔羊！」

11 眾天使都站在寶座和眾長老並四活物的周圍，在寶座前，面伏於地，敬拜神，
12 說：阿們！頌讚、榮耀、智慧、感謝、尊貴、權柄、大力都歸與我們的神，直到永永遠遠。阿們！

 

默想：

1. 你是否曾聽說過這話：我們一生的唯一目標就是敬拜神？
2. 出聲再讀一次這段經文，聆聽敬拜者的話語：「願救恩歸與坐在寶座上我們的神，也歸與羔羊！」「阿們！頌讚、榮耀、智慧、感謝、尊貴、權柄、大力都歸與我們的神，直到永永遠遠。阿們！」思想，為什麼神值得我的敬拜？
3. 嘗試「面伏於地」在神面前，就像本段中的天使，長老，活物一樣，告訴神我為什麼敬拜祂；存著感恩、真實、熱切的心，向神說話，敬拜祂。

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

Chapter 7

⁹After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.” ¹¹All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹²saying:
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”

 

Meditation

1. Ever heard it said that the sole purpose of our life is to worship God?
2. Read this passage aloud one more time and listen to the words of the worshippers.  Think, why is God worthy of my worship?
3. Consider lying down on my face before him as I tell him (with specifics), just as the angels, elders, and animals do in this passage. Respond to him with thanksgiving, authenticity, honesty and passion.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.

第六章

9 揭開第五印的時候，我看見在祭壇底下，有為神的道、並為作見證被殺之人的靈魂，10 大聲喊著說：「聖潔真實的主啊，你不審判住在地上的人，給我們伸流血的冤，要等到幾時呢？」11 於是有白衣賜給他們各人；又有話對他們說，還要安息片時，等著一同作僕人的和他們的弟兄也像他們被殺，滿足了數目。12 揭開第六印的時候，我又看見地大震動，日頭變黑像毛布，滿月變紅像血，13 天上的星辰墜落於地，如同無花果樹被大風搖動，落下未熟的果子一樣。14 天就挪移，好像書卷被捲起來；山嶺海島都被挪移離開本位。15 地上的君王、臣宰、將軍、富戶、壯士，和一切為奴的、自主的，都藏在山洞和巖石穴裏，16 向山和巖石說：「倒在我們身上吧！把我們藏起來，躲避坐寶座者的面目和羔羊的忿怒；17 因為他們忿怒的大日到了，誰能站得住呢？」

 

默想：

1. 聆聽殉道者（為作見證被殺的人）哭叫的聲音：「聖潔真實的主啊，你不審判住在地上的人，給我們伸流血的冤，要等到幾時呢？」（10節）。我是否有時也會像他們這樣的呼求？神給他們怎樣的確據（保證）？當我受委屈或被壓甚重時，這段經文對我有什麼意義？有什麼保證？
2. 今天世界各地，仍然有許多因為基督的緣故被迫害的基督徒；我如何與這些受逼迫的教會一齊禱告？
3. 「他們忿怒的大日到了，誰能站得住呢？」（17節）的確，沒有人能逃脫的這情況。環觀近來一連串的自然大災害，閱讀這段經文如何提醒我有關主再來的日子？有這樣的認知如何幫助我預備迎接主的再來？

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

Chapter 6

⁹When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. ¹⁰They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” ¹¹Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

¹²I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, ¹³and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. ¹⁴The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

¹⁵Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. ¹⁶They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! ¹⁷For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

 

Meditation

1. Listen to the voice of the martyrs.  Do I find myself echoing their cry from time to time? What sort of assurance did God give to them?  When I have been wronged and in stress, what sort of assurance do I receive from today’s passage?
2. Today, there continue to be martyrs Jesus’ sake across the world, where Christians are persecuted. How can I pray alongside the persecuted church?
3. “The great day of his wrath is here; and who can stand it?” (v. 17).  No one is capable of escaping these conditions.  In light of all the recent natural disasters, how does this passage remind me of the second coming of Jesus?  How does this awareness help me prepare for the return of the Lord?

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.

第五章
7 這羔羊前來，從坐寶座的右手裏拿了書卷。8 他既拿了書卷，四活物和二十四位長老就俯伏在羔羊面前，各拿著琴和盛滿了香的金爐；這香就是眾聖徒的祈禱。9 他們唱新歌，說：你配拿書卷，配揭開七印；因為你曾被殺，用自己的血從各族、各方、各民、各國中買了人來，叫他們歸於神，10 又叫他們成為國民，作祭司歸於神，在地上執掌王權。11 我又看見且聽見，寶座與活物並長老的周圍有許多天使的聲音；他們的數目有千千萬萬，12 大聲說：曾被殺的羔羊是配得權柄、豐富、智慧、能力、尊貴、榮耀、頌讚的。13 我又聽見在天上、地上、地底下、滄海裏，和天地間一切所有被造之物，都說：但願頌讚、尊貴、榮耀、權勢都歸給坐寶座的和羔羊，直到永永遠遠！14 四活物就說：「阿們！」眾長老也俯伏敬拜。

 

默想：

1. 敬拜的第一部分，就是將我們的全神、全身、全人，都聚焦、集中在神的身上，而不是我們自己。敬拜的最後一個字是「阿們！」也就是「喔，是的！」這是我們向神的回應。神對我們肯定，向我們說「是的」，我們也以「是的！」來回應神的肯定。
2. 反省我對神的敬拜與回應，神是否是我人生的聚焦點？或是我自己才是我生活的中心？我是否經常向神說「不！」我最近什麼時候向神說過：「阿們（是的）」？

 

禱告與筆錄：
繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

Chapter 5
7He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they sang:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” 14The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

 

Meditation

1. The first part of worship is to focus all ourselves on God, we center ourselves in God and not in ourselves. The last word of worship in “amen,” which means “Oh, yes!” It is the word of affirmation to the God who affirms us. God says yes to us. We respond to his yes by saying yes in return.
2. Reflect on my worship and my response to God. Is God the focal point of my life? Or is it myself the center of my life? How frequently do I say “No” to God. When was the last time that I say “Yes” to God?

 

Prayer & Journaling:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.

第四章

1 此後，我觀看，見天上有門開了。我初次聽見好像吹號的聲音，對我說：「你上到這裏來，我要將以後必成的事指示你。」2 我立刻被聖靈感動，見有一個寶座安置在天上，又有一位坐在寶座上。3 看那坐著的，好像碧玉和紅寶石；又有虹圍著寶座，好像綠寶石。4 寶座的周圍又有二十四個座位；其上坐著二十四位長老，身穿白衣，頭上戴著金冠冕。5 有閃電、聲音、雷轟從寶座中發出；又有七盞火燈在寶座前點著；這七燈就是神的七靈。6 寶座前好像一個玻璃海，如同水晶。寶座中和寶座周圍有四個活物，前後遍體都滿了眼睛。7 第一個活物像獅子，第二個像牛犢，第三個臉面像人，第四個像飛鷹。8 四活物各有六個翅膀，遍體內外都滿了眼睛。他們晝夜不住地說：聖哉！聖哉！聖哉！主神是昔在、今在、以後永在的全能者。9 每逢四活物將榮耀、尊貴、感謝歸給那坐在寶座上、活到永永遠遠者的時候，10 那二十四位長老就俯伏在坐寶座的面前敬拜那活到永永遠遠的，又把他們的冠冕放在寶座前，說：11 我們的主，我們的神，你是配得榮耀、尊貴、權柄的；因為你創造了萬物，並且萬物是因你的旨意被創造而有的。

 

默想：

1. 開聲將本段經文讀兩遍，揣摩一下在天上所發生的情景。
2. 再一次慢慢地讀這段經文，閉上眼睛，想像一下所描述的景況：碧玉、紅寶石、綠寶石，閃電、聲音、雷轟，火燈、玻璃海……。是否能體會當時的輝煌莊嚴的情景？若我當時在場，會有何感覺？
3. 仔細聆聽四活物的吟誦：「聖哉！聖哉！聖哉！」思想，神的聖潔對我有什麼意義，然後加入他們的崇拜中，一同吟誦：「聖哉！聖哉！聖哉！」
4. 思想今天我能用什麼方式來敬拜神：一篇詩、一首歌、一幅畫、一個能榮耀神的行動……？

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

Chapter4

¹After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” ²At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. ³And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. ⁴Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. ⁵From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. ⁶Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back……⁸……Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” ⁹Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, ¹⁰the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:    ¹¹“You are worthy, our Lord and God,     to receive glory and honor and power,     for you created all things,        and by your will they were created        and have their being.”

Meditation

1. Read the passage aloud 2 times and get a feel for what is happening in heaven.
2. Read the passage again slowly. Close eyes and imagine what is described here: the amber and the emerald, the thunder and the lightning, the torch and the sea …. Get a sense the awe of the place. What does it feel like to be there?
3. Listen to the chanting of the Four Animals: “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Think about what God’s holiness means to me and join in their worship and chant: “Holy, Holy, Holy.”
4. Think about one way that I would worship God today – a poem, a song, a painting, a specific act that can honor God ….

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.

第三章

14 「你要寫信給老底嘉教會的使者，說：『那為阿們的，為誠信真實見證的，在神創造萬物之上為元首的，說：15 我知道你的行為，你也不冷也不熱；我巴不得你或冷或熱。16 你既如溫水，也不冷也不熱，所以我必從我口中把你吐出去。17 你說：我是富足，已經發了財，一樣都不缺；卻不知道你是那困苦、可憐、貧窮、瞎眼、赤身的。18 我勸你向我買火煉的金子，叫你富足；又買白衣穿上，叫你赤身的羞恥不露出來；又買眼藥擦你的眼睛，使你能看見。19 凡我所疼愛的，我就責備管教他；所以你要發熱心，也要悔改。20 看哪，我站在門外叩門，若有聽見我聲音就開門的，我要進到他那裏去，我與他，他與我一同坐席。21 得勝的，我要賜他在我寶座上與我同坐，就如我得了勝，在我父的寶座上與他同坐一般。22 聖靈向眾教會所說的話，凡有耳的，就應當聽！』」

 

默想：

1. 我對一般的教會，在哪些方面覺得失望？對我自己的教會呢？對身為教會一員的我自己呢？
2. 對當時老底嘉的人來說，溫水是沒有用處的；又不能飲用（需要冷水），也不能用來洗澡（需要熱水）。在哪些方面，因為對財富、舒適、及理所當然的看法，使得我對神國度不再如昔的有用？
3. 我怎麼看，神那忍耐又堅持的恩典，在我的教會中、以及在我這個教會的成員身上工作？神藉著這段經文對我說什麼？

 禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

Chapter 3

¹⁴“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. ¹⁹Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. ²⁰Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. ²¹To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²²He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Meditation

1. What are some of my disappointments with the church at large? With my own church in particular? With myself as a member of the church?
2. For the people in Laodicea, lukewarm water was useless water, since it was no good for drinking  (cold) or for bathing in (hot). In what ways have wealth, comfort, and taking things for granted impaired my usefulness the Kingdom of God?
3. How do I see the patient and yet persistent grace of God at work in my church and in me as a member?  What does God say to me through this passage?

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.

第二章

1 「你要寫信給以弗所教會的使者，說：『那右手拿著七星、在七個金燈臺中間行走的，說：2 我知道你的行為、勞碌、忍耐，也知道你不能容忍惡人。你也曾試驗那自稱為使徒卻不是使徒的，看出他們是假的來。3 你也能忍耐，曾為我的名勞苦，並不乏倦。4 然而有一件事我要責備你，就是你把起初的愛心離棄了。5 所以，應當回想你是從哪裏墜落的，並要悔改，行起初所行的事。你若不悔改，我就臨到你那裏，把你的燈臺從原處挪去。6 然而你還有一件可取的事，就是你恨惡尼哥拉一黨人的行為，這也是我所恨惡的。7 聖靈向眾教會所說的話，凡有耳的，就應當聽！得勝的，我必將神樂園中生命樹的果子賜給他吃。』」

 

默想：

1. 思想我們自己的教會，在那些方面是與以弗所教會相似的？
2. 現在專注在我與主的關係上，第4節對我說了什麼話？我是否已經失去了當初對主的愛心？
3. 我當如何重拾那當初對主的愛心？是什麼使我遠離了主？我當在那些方面悔改？若我並沒有遠離當初對主的愛，我怎樣能夠持續對神忠心，愛神？

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

Chapter2

¹“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: ²I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. ³You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. ⁴Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. ⁵Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. ⁶But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ⁷He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

 

Meditation

1. Think about our own church. In what ways is it similar to the church at Ephesus?
2. Focus on the relationship between me and the Lord.  How does v.4 speak to me? Have I walked away from my first love for the Lord?
3. How can I regain that first love? What have distracted me from the Lord? In what areas should I repent? If I haven’t walked away from my first love, how can I continue to be faithful and in love with God?

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.

第一章

4 約翰寫信給亞細亞的七個教會。但願從那昔在、今在、以後永在的神，和他寶座前的七靈，5 並那誠實作見證的、從死裏首先復活、為世上君王元首的耶穌基督，有恩惠、平安歸與你們！他愛我們，用自己的血使我們脫離（有古卷：洗去）罪惡，6 又使我們成為國民，作他父神的祭司。但願榮耀、權能歸給他，直到永永遠遠。阿們！7 看哪，他駕雲降臨！眾目要看見他，連刺他的人也要看見他；地上的萬族都要因他哀哭。這話是真實的。阿們！8 主神說：「我是阿拉法，我是俄梅戛（阿拉法，俄梅戛：是希臘字母首末二字），是昔在、今在、以後永在的全能者。」

默想：

1. 開聲讀出本段經文，留意有關神的性情與行動。
2. 若可能的話，舉目望天，思想神怎樣為人類帶來勝利。
3. 第8節的宣言：「我是阿拉法，我是俄梅戛」對我現今的信仰與生活有什麼意義？

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

Chapter 1

⁴John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, ⁵and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, ⁶and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
⁷Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.

⁸“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

 

Meditation:

1. Read the passage aloud and pay attention to the characteristics and actions of God described in this passage.
2. Look at the sky, or close your eyes and reflect on how God has brought victory to all mankind, including me.
3. What does the proclamation in v8 “I am alpha and omega” mean to my faith and life today?

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.

約翰三書

5 親愛的兄弟啊，凡你向作客旅之弟兄所行的都是忠心的。6 他們在教會面前證明了你的愛；你若配得過　神，幫助他們往前行，這就好了。7 因他們是為主的名出外，對於外邦人一無所取。8 所以我們應該接待這樣的人，叫我們與他們一同為真理做工。

 

默想：

1. 仔細地讀這段經文，就好像約翰特別寫給我的私人信。
2. 我最近有什麼機會「接待」過一個人，或是幫助一個人？我當時是怎麼做的？我這樣做的目的和動機是什麼？（或是我沒有作的原因是什麼？）
3. 想一想：我有什麼可以分給別人的（如：烹煮的食物，聆聽的耳朵，鼓勵的話語），將想到的一一寫下來。和神一起看一看，哪些是我樂意與人分享的，哪些我是不願意的。再想想看，有哪一位朋友可能有需要，問神我當怎樣作。然後，開始一小步、一小步地學習接待人的操練，看看神會怎樣改變我的心。

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

3 John

⁵Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. ⁶They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. ⁷It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. ⁸We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth.

 

Meditation

1.  Read the passage carefully as if John is writing specifically to me.
2. What opportunity have I had recently to show someone hospitality? Or in some way help someone who is trying to do good?  How did I respond to that opportunity?  What do I notice about the motives and priorities behind my action (or non-action)?
3. Think about some gifts I can offer to others (such as cooking, listening ear, words of encouragement.)  Write them down and go through the list with God. Determine which gifts I am glad to share, and which ones I’m hesitant. Now think of a specific person who would be helped by my hospitality.  Ask God what he would have me offer to this person.  Be open to take this small step toward hospitality, and see how God may change my heart as I do it.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.

約翰二書

1作長老的寫信給蒙揀選的太太（或譯：教會；下同）和她的兒女，就是我誠心所愛的；不但我愛，也是一切知道真理之人所愛的。 2 愛你們是為真理的緣故，這真理存在我們裏面，也必永遠與我們同在。 3 恩惠、憐憫、平安從父　神和他兒子耶穌基督在真理和愛心上必常與我們同在！ 4 我見你的兒女，有照我們從父所受之命令遵行真理的，就甚歡喜。5 太太啊，我現在勸你，我們大家要彼此相愛。這並不是我寫一條新命令給你，乃是我們從起初所受的命令。6 我們若照他的命令行，這就是愛。你們從起初所聽見當行的，就是這命令。

 

默想：

1. 一個遵行真理的人，他的舉止品德必定與真理相符。因此，遵行真理的生命是有聖潔與愛的標誌。基督徒的生活是不斷捨己為人、充滿活力的天路旅程，而非自我放縱的享樂園地。
2. 在一至十的 度量表上（一是最低，十是最高），我的「愛心商數」“love quotient”是多少？我的好友們會給我多少分數？在愛人方面，我最需要成長的是什麼？若我殷勤地「遵行真理」，我的生命會怎樣的改觀？
3. 禱告：求神幫助我明白：愛人與遵行神命令的直接關係，並賜我意願與力量，將我所明白的實踐在日常生活中。

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

2 John

¹The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not I only, but also all who know the truth – ²because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:  ³Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.  ⁴It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. ⁵And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. ⁶And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

 

Meditation

1. A person who “walks in truth” lives in harmony with spiritual and moral reality.  Therefore, we walk “in the truth” if our lives are marked by holiness and by love.  The Christian life is a dynamic pilgrimage of self-giving.  It is not a comfortable resting place of self-indulgence.
2. On a scale of one to ten (with one being the lowest and ten being the highest), how would I rank my “love quotient”? How might my friends rank my love quotient?  What is needed for me to grow in my understanding and expression of love to others?  What would my life look like if I were diligently “walking in the truth”?
3. Pray:  Ask God to help me see the direct correlation between love and following his commands.  And give me the willingness and ability to live it out into my everyday life.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.