Category: 260灵修

第十一章

²²所以要留意神的恩慈和嚴厲：對跌倒的人，他是嚴厲的；對你，只要你繼續在他的恩慈裡，他是恩慈的；不然的話，你也會被砍下來。²³至於他們（指以色列人），如果不是繼續不信，他們仍然會被接上去，因為神能夠把他們再接上去。²⁴你這從野生的橄欖樹上砍下來的，尚且可以不自然地接在栽種的橄欖樹（比喻神的國）上，那些本來就有的樹枝，不是更能夠接在原來的橄欖樹上嗎？ ²⁵弟兄們，我不願意你們對這奧祕一無所知，免得你們自以為聰明。這奧祕就是以色列人當中有一部分是硬心的，直到外族人的全數滿了；²⁶這樣，全以色列都要得救，如經上所記：“拯救者必從錫安出來，除掉雅各家的不敬虔的心；²⁷我除去他們罪惡的時候，就與他們立這樣的約。”

 

默想

1. 保羅警告外邦基督徒，不可以為自己比猶太人優越。外邦人得以“進入”神的恩典，完全出於神蹟，是神施行奇事，將他們“插枝”在救恩之樹上。原來的枝子（猶太人）雖被折下來，也可再被接上去（23節）。基督徒群體裡，無論是外邦人，或是猶太人，沒有類別之分；我們一樣是蒙神的大能，被接到救恩之樹上的。
2. 在我的教會或以前的經歷中，是否曾經有過基督徒之間，因自大傲慢而帶來爭鬥？我自己有沒有以這種態度來對待不認同我路線的“外人”？
3. 禱告：向神認罪，為那些受到傷害的信徒禱告。並為自己的教會求主保守，不讓這樣的優越感存在弟兄姐妹之間，而引起傷害來。

 

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 11

²²Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. ²³And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. ²⁴After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

²⁵I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
²⁷And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”

 

Meditation

1. How has arrogance between groups of Christians hurt my church experience?  When have I shown this type of attitude to “outsiders”?
2. Pray：Confess that I have acted arrogantly to others.  Pray for those that have been hurt in the conflict.  Pray also for the church that the Lord will guard us against such arrogance and division among members of the church.

 

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 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

 

第十章

⁸然而那出於信心的義還說甚麼呢？“這話與你相近，在你口裡，也在你心裡。”這話就是我們所傳信心的信息。⁹你若口裡認耶穌為主，心裡信神使他從死人中復活，就必得救；¹⁰因為心裡相信就必稱義，用口承認就必得救。¹¹經上說：“所有信靠他的人，必不致失望。”¹²其實並不分猶太人和希臘人，因為大家同有一位主；他厚待所有求告他的人，¹³因為“凡求告主名的，都必得救。”¹⁴然而，人還沒有信他，怎能求告他呢？沒有聽見他，怎能信他呢？沒有人傳揚，怎能聽見呢？¹⁵如果沒有蒙差遣，怎能傳揚呢？如經上所記：“那些傳美事報喜訊的人，他們的腳蹤多麼美！”

 

默想

1. 既然我已經得救，為什麼我還需要公開地口中承認耶穌是主，並相信神叫祂從死裡復活？
2. 現代宣教之父——威廉克里，在明白了羅10：14-15這類的經文之意義後，就決心回應神的呼召，前往印度宣教。今天，我感到神呼召我去哪裡傳福音？
3. 我應該採取什麼步驟（或是已經採取），來順服神的呼召？

 

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。

 

Chapter10

⁸But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, “that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: ⁹That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. ¹¹As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”¹²For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

¹⁴How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

 

Meditation

1. Beyond the fact that I am saved, why is it important for me to publicly confess with my lips that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead (vv. 9-13)?
2. Realizing the implications of verses such as Romans 10:14-15, William Carey, the father of modern missions, responded to God’s call and went to India. Where do I feel called to go with the gospel?
3. What steps can I take (or have I taken) to be obedient to that call?

 

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 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

 

 

第八章

³¹既是這樣，我們對這一切還有甚麼話說呢？神若這樣為我們，誰能敵對我們呢？³²他連自己的兒子都捨得，為我們眾人把他交出來，難道不也把萬有和他一同白白地賜給我們嗎？³³誰能控告神揀選的人呢？有神稱我們為義了。³⁴誰能定我們的罪呢？有基督耶穌死了，而且復活了，現今在神的右邊，也替我們祈求。³⁵誰能使我們與基督的愛隔絕呢？是患難嗎？是困苦嗎？是迫害嗎？是飢餓嗎？是赤身露體嗎？是危險嗎？是刀劍嗎？³⁶正如經上所記：“為你的緣故，我們終日面對死亡，人看我們像待宰的羊。”³⁷但靠著愛我們的那一位，我們在這一切事上就得勝有餘了。³⁸因為我深信：無論是死、是生，是天使、是掌權的，是現在的事，是將來的事，是有能力的，³⁹是高天的、是深淵的，或是任何別的被造之物，都不能叫我們與神的愛隔絕，這愛是在我們的主耶穌基督裡的。

 

默想

1. “患難、困苦、迫害、飢餓、赤身露體、危險、刀劍”，這些遭遇如何會使我們懷疑神對我們的愛？（35-36節）
2. 為什麼保羅雖遇這些遭遇，仍然聲稱我們“在這一切的事上已經得勝有餘了”？（37-39節）
3. 再讀一下38-39節，這兩節強有力的字句，如何幫助我有勇氣堅持下去？

 

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

³¹What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Meditation

1. How might trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger or the threat of death cause us to question God’s love for us (vv. 35-36)?
2. In spite of these things, why does Paul proclaim that we are “more than conquerors” (vv. 37-39)?
3. Look again at the powerful words of verses 38-39. How does this give me courage to persevere?

 

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 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

 

第七章

¹⁸我知道在我裡面，就是在我肉體之中，沒有良善，因為立志行善由得我，行出來卻由不得我。¹⁹所以我願意行的善，我沒有去行；我不願意作的惡，我倒去作了。²⁰我若作自己不願意作的事，那就不是我作的，而是住在我裡面的罪作的。²¹因此，我發現了一個律，就是我想向善的時候，惡就在我裡面出現。²²按著我裡面的人來說，我是喜歡神的律，²³但我發覺肢體中另有一個律，和我心中的律爭戰，把我擄去附從肢體中的罪律。²⁴我這個人真是苦啊！誰能救我脫離這使我死亡的身體呢？²⁵感謝神，藉著我們的主耶穌基督就能脫離了。可見，一方面我自己心裡服事神的律，另一方面我的肉體卻服事罪的律。

 

默想

1. 我們信主後，仍會遇到許多棘手的問題，依然會有困難、掙扎、失敗、疑惑、絕望和缺乏。 我是否也曾發出像保羅那樣的吶喊：“誰能救我”？
2. 慢慢地讀這段文：

神使用失敗、疾病、崩潰、罪、悲慘事件、憂傷，來塑造祂的百姓成為神有用的僕人。除非他完全依靠神，不再依靠自己，否則他仍是太堅硬而無多大用途的。– Robert C. Girard

3. 禱告

主啊，我承認我是軟弱、冷淡、容易陷入罪中；若是靠自己，我一定是越來越差、越陷愈深。但是，謝謝主耶穌的拯救，以及繼續不斷的拯救，使我有能力來勝過罪惡及引誘。謝謝主的拯救。

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

¹⁸I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

²¹So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²²For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. ²⁴What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? ²⁵Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

 

Meditation

1. There is no use looking for a “secret” to the spiritual life that exempts us from trouble and conflict, defeat and doubt, despair and inadequacy.  No doubt we are “at war” (v23).  There are fierce difficulties with the resurrection life.  Have I uttered the cry as Paul did: “Who will rescue me”?
2. Read slowly:

God uses failure, sickness, breakdown, sin, personal tragedy, and sorrow to reduce His people to usefulness.  Unless the servant of God learns to depend utterly on God and to forsake self-dependence of any kind, he or she remains too strong to be of much value.  – Robert C. Girard

3. Prayer

Lord, I come humbly to you and admit that I am weak, cold and easy to fall into sin.  Depending on myself, I will only be worse and sink deeper. Thank you for your salvation and the continued deliverance that I will be able to overcome sin and temptation.  Thank you, 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 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

 

第六章

¹⁵那卻怎麼樣呢？我們不在律法之下，而在恩典之下，就可以犯罪嗎？絕對不可！¹⁶難道你們不知道你們自願作奴僕去順從人，順從誰就作誰的奴僕，或作罪的奴僕以致於死，或作順從的奴僕以致於義嗎？¹⁷感謝神，你們雖然作過罪的奴僕，現在卻從心裡順從了傳授給你們的教義的規範。¹⁸你們既然從罪裡得了釋放，就作了義的奴僕。¹⁹因為你們肉體的弱點，我就按一般人的話來說，你們從前怎樣把你們的肢體獻給不潔和不法作奴僕，以致於不法，現在也要照樣把你們的肢體獻給義作奴僕，以致於成聖。²⁰你們作罪的奴僕的時候，就不受義的約束。²¹那麼，你們在現今以為羞恥的事上，當時得了甚麼呢？那些事的結局就是死。²²現在你們既然從罪裡得了釋放，作了神的奴僕，就有成聖的果子，那結局就是永生。²³因為罪的工價就是死，但神的恩賞，在我們的主基督耶穌裡，卻是永生。

 

默想

1. 省察自己的內心，有那一個地方仍然未得自由，依然在罪中掙扎的？什麼時候最容易陷入這罪中？這罪會帶來怎樣的快感與舒適？又會帶來怎樣的痛苦與難過？若要放棄這個罪，會有怎樣的損失？
2. 讀這段經文，心中想著這個罪，有什麼心得與感受？我認同“我們不在律法之下，而在恩典之下，就可以犯罪嗎”的論調？我能認同“現在也要照樣把你們的肢體獻給義作奴僕，以致於成聖”的 說法嗎？找出我認同與不認同的原因來。
3. 向神禱告，把心中的掙扎及未能解決的疑難交給主，決心遵行神的命令，並向神要求得到自由。

 

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

¹⁵What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. ¹⁸You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

¹⁹I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. ²⁰When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. ²¹What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! ²²But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. ²³For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Meditation

1. Search myself for an area where I don’t walk in freedom but continue to struggle with sin.  When do I easily give in to temptation?  What comfort, relief or pleasure does the sin give me?  What pain or discomfort does it bring?  What do I fear I would lose if I gave up the sin?
2. Read this passage with this specific sin(s) in mind.  Read the passage through my life experience.  Do I identify with “Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace”?  What about “now offer (your body) in slavery to righteousness”?  Take time to identify what my do and don’t agree with.
3. Pray and ask God to take over my struggle and unresolved problems.  As I determine to obey God’s command, I will ask God for my freedom.

 

 

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 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

第五章

¹所以，我們既然因信稱義，就藉著我們的主耶穌基督與神和好；²我們也憑著信，藉著他可以進入現在所站的這恩典中，並且以盼望得享神的榮耀為榮。³不但這樣，我們更以患難為榮；知道患難產生忍耐，⁴忍耐產生毅力，毅力產生盼望；⁵盼望是不會令人蒙羞的，因為神藉著所賜給我們的聖靈，把他的愛澆灌在我們的心裡。⁶當我們還軟弱的時候，基督就照所定的日期，為不敬虔的人死了。⁷為義人死，是少有的；為好人死，或有敢作的；⁸唯有基督在我們還作罪人的時候為我們死，神對我們的愛就在此顯明了。⁹所以，我們現在既然因他的血稱義，就更要藉著他免受神的忿怒。¹⁰我們作仇敵的時候，尚且藉著神兒子的死與他復和，既然復和了，就更要因他的生得救了！¹¹不但這樣，我們現在已經藉著我們的主耶穌基督與神復和，也藉著他以神為榮。

 

默想

1. 當基督徒回頭看，向前看，周圍看，他會看到什麼？“與神和好”。

回頭看：神拯救了我們，使我們與祂和好（10節）；向前看：我們將永遠與神同在（9節）；周圍看：我們正在被神拯救中，耶穌基督現在仍在我心中工作， 賜我能力來過聖潔的生活。我們的過去、現在、將來都因為主耶穌而得到全然的改變。而當我們與神和好時，也帶來我們與自己，與他人的和好。

2. 為這“與人和好”的福音感謝神，求主幫助我常活在“與神、與人和好”的光景中。

 

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。

 

Chapter 5

¹Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we^[b] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

⁶You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

 

Meditation

1. What does a Christian see if he looks back? If he looks ahead?  If he looks around?  Reconciliation.  Looking back, we have been saved and reconciled to God (v10).  Looking ahead, we will stand by God throughout eternity (v9).  Looking around, we are being saved.  Jesus is even now at work within me to give me the power to live a holy life.  Our past, our present and our future are all transformed because of Him.  And when we are reconciled with God, it paves the way for us to be reconciled with ourselves and with others.
2. Thank God for this Reconciliation Gospel.  Pray that God will help me to live always in reconciliation with God, with myself and with others.

 

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 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

²³因為人人都犯了罪，虧缺了神的榮耀，²⁴但他們卻因著神的恩典，藉著在基督耶穌裡的救贖，就白白地稱義。²⁵神設立了耶穌為贖罪祭（“贖罪祭”原文作“蔽罪所”），是憑著他的血，藉著人的信，為的是要顯明神的義；因為神用忍耐的心寬容了人從前所犯的罪，²⁶好在現今顯明他的義，使人知道他自己為義，又稱信耶穌的人為義。²⁷這樣，有甚麼可誇的呢？沒有可誇的了。憑甚麼準則說沒有的呢？憑行為嗎？不是的，而是以信心為準則說的。²⁸因為我們認定，人稱義是由於信，並不是靠行律法。  28因為我們認定，人稱義是由於信，並不是靠行律法。

 

默想：

1. 一群死刑犯，他們都犯了該死的罪，被判了刑，等候神忿怒的刑罰。他們靜默地坐在黝黑的監牢裡，所有的希望都破滅。但是，突然，牢房門打開了，黝黯變為光明，死亡成為生命，捆鎖變為自由。有一個聲音告訴他們：“你們被赦了！”這段經文告訴我們，這就是我們的光景；但是我如何獲赦的？為什麼會這樣呢？
2. 在我的信仰旅程中，我曾經如何經歷過神的恩典？這個經歷對我現在的生活有什麼影響？

 

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

²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— ²⁶he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

²⁷Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. ²⁸For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

 

Meditation

1. Like prisoners on death row, all people are guilty, condemned and awaiting the execution of God’s wrath. They sit silently in the miserable darkness of their cell, all hope extinguished.  Then abruptly, the door swings open and darkness becomes light, death becomes life, and bondage becomes freedom. “You are pardoned,” a voice tells them.  But how? Why? This passage tells us that this is exactly our situation.  But how did I get pardoned?  Why would it happen?
2. When did the message of God’s grace become real to me?  What impact is it having on my life right now?

 

 

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 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

第二章

 

¹⁷你身為猶太人，倚靠律法，仗著神誇口，¹⁸而且明白他的旨意，又從律法得了教導，能夠辨別甚麼是好的，¹⁹自信是瞎子的嚮導，在黑暗中的人的光，²⁰愚昧人的導師，小孩子的教師，在律法上得了整套的知識和真理；²¹你既然教導別人，難道不教導自己嗎？你傳講不可偷竊，自己卻偷竊嗎？²²你說不可姦淫，自己卻姦淫嗎？你憎惡偶像，自己卻劫掠廟宇嗎？²³你既然以律法誇口，自己卻因犯律法而羞辱神嗎？²⁴正如經上所說的：“神的名，因你們的緣故在列邦中被褻瀆。”²⁵你若遵行律法，割禮固然有益處；但你若是犯律法的，你的割禮就不是割禮了。

 

默想：

1. 這段經文中，保羅指責那些虛偽的猶太人。這些人怎樣看自己、以及他人？ 猶太人自恃在神的約中，他們知道神的旨意，但卻不去遵行。
2. 我最近在什麼時候，什麼情形上，有言行不一的表現？
3. 保羅是否也可能指責我的心口不一，虛有其表？這對我有什麼意義？

 

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 2

¹⁷Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; ¹⁸if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; ¹⁹if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, ²⁰an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— ²¹you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? ²²You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

 

Meditation

1. In this passage, Paul is pointing his fingers at the hypocritical Jews.  How does this kind of person view self and others? The Jews bragged about their being in God’s covenant.  They knew God’s will and even approved of it.  But the issue is they didn’t do God’s will.
2. When was the last time I said or taught one thing yet acted quite differently?
3. Could Paul also be pointing at me?  How does this realization affect 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 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

1 基督耶穌的僕人保羅，蒙召作使徒，奉派傳神的福音。 2 這福音是神藉著眾先知在聖經上預先所應許的， 3 就是論到他的兒子我們的主耶穌基督：按肉身說，他是從大衛的後裔生的； 4 按聖潔的靈說，因為從死人中復活，顯明他是大有能力的、神的兒子（“顯明他是大有能力的、神的兒子”或譯：“以大能顯明他是神的兒子”）。

14 無論是希臘人或是未開化的人，聰明的人或是愚笨的人，我都欠他們的債。 15 所以，對我來說，我隨時都願意把福音也傳給你們在羅馬的人。  16 我不以福音為恥；這福音是神的大能，要救所有相信的，先是猶太人，後是希臘人。 17 神的義就是藉著這福音顯明出來，本於信而歸於信，正如經上所記：“義人必因信得生。”

 

默想：

1. 馬丁路德與約翰衛斯理，這兩位教會歷史的巨人，都是透過羅1：17 才真正接受了基督，而重生得救的。通過這一節經文，他兩個人分別了解到，要得到神的公義，讓自己的生命活出神的聖潔，惟有單靠對神的相信，而不能靠人的努力或功德。因著他們兩人的影響，千千萬萬的人都因著他們對神的信心，而得到神的義。
2. 神如何呼召我來接受基督的？接受基督如何改變我的人生目標、以及我對他人的負擔？神是否將什麼福音的使命放在我的心中？我怎樣為這個使命來禱告？我是否採取了什麼行動來回應？

 

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

¹ Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— ² the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures ³ regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life^[a] was a descendant of David, ⁴ and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

 ¹⁴ I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. ¹⁵ That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. ¹⁷ For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

 

Meditation

1. Martin Luther and John Wesley, two of church history’s towering figures, came to Christ through Romans 1:17.  Through this verse each realized that God’s righteousness is obtained by faith, not by human effort or merit.  Through their influence millions have claimed God’s righteousness, and made it their own “by faith from first to last.”
2. How did God call me to Christ?  How has God’s call changed my goals?  My sense of obligation to others?  To what mission or task do I sense God nudging me?  How is that reflected in my prayers?  My actions?

 

 

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 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

第十三章

¹   這是我第三次到你們那裡去，各樣事情必須憑兩三個證人的口，才能確定。   ²   我第二次到你們那裡去的時候說過，現今不在你們那裡，再預先對那些從前犯了罪的和其餘的人說：我若再來，必不寬容，   ³   因為你們在找基督藉著我說話的憑據。基督對你們不是軟弱的，相反地，在你們身上是有能力的。   ⁴   他因著軟弱被釘死了，卻靠著　神的大能活著。我們在他裡面也是軟弱的，但靠著　神向你們所顯的大能，也必與他一同活著。   ⁵   你們應當察驗自己是不是持守著信仰，也應當考驗自己。難道不曉得基督耶穌是在你們裡面嗎？（除非你們是經不起考驗的人。）   ⁶   我盼望你們曉得，我們不是經不起考驗的人。   ⁷   我們祈求　神，使你們不作甚麼惡事。這並不是要顯明我們是經得起考驗的，而是要你們行善；我們呢，就讓我們作經不起考驗的人好了！   ⁸   我們不能作甚麼事違背真理，只能維護真理。   ⁹   當我們軟弱、你們剛強的時候，我們就歡喜；我們所求的，就是要你們完全。   ¹⁰   因此，我趁著不在你們那裡的時候，把這些話寫給你們，到我來了，就不必憑著主所給我的權柄嚴厲地對待你們。這權柄不是要拆毀你們，而是要建立你們。   ¹¹   最後，弟兄們，你們要喜樂，要完全，要受安慰，要同心，要和睦。這樣，施慈愛賜平安的　神必與你們同在。   ¹²   你們要用聖潔的親嘴彼此問安。   ¹³   眾聖徒都問候你們。   ¹⁴   願主耶穌基督的恩惠，　神的慈愛，聖靈的契通，常與你們眾人同在。

 

默想

1. 哥林多教會是牧者的噩夢，但他們的新生命在裡面燃燒；他們教會的問題又多又難，但他們知道生命正被塑造中。雖然保羅和他們曾有惡言相對，保羅仍稱他們為朋友，并鼓勵他們要喜樂，為他們祝福。這表明我們在教會中，雖有強烈的 爭論，我們仍然是弟兄姐妹，是好朋友，可以繼續鼓勵，彼此祝福。
2. 我的教會又怎樣呢？我是否能與某位弟兄姐妹保持良好的友誼關係，就算是我們在一些事上有不同的意見？為萬民堂禱告，求主是我們教會的弟兄姐妹都是滿有神的愛與能力的信徒。

 

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 13

¹This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” ²I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, ³since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. ⁴For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you.

⁵Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? ⁶And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. ⁷Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. ⁸For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. ⁹We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection. ¹⁰This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.

¹¹Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

¹²Greet one another with a holy kiss. ¹³All the saints send their greetings.

¹⁴May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

MEDITATION

1. The church at Corinth was a pastor’s nightmare, but their new life was ablaze in them.  Their problems are many and serious.  But, they knew that their lives were being shaped for some grand and eternal purpose.  In spite of some hard words exchanged between Paul and them, he called them “friends” and encouraged them to “keep their spirits up” (v11).  And he wished them the best by blessing them(v14).  This demonstrates that even though we can have strong disagreements within the body of Christ, we can still be friends, still encourage one another, still hope the best for each other.
2. What about my church?  Can I still keep friendship with someone at church even though we hold different opinions?  Pray for our church that it will be filled with people who are true reflections of God’s love and power.

 

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 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.