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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.

第十二章

1誇口固然無益，卻也是必要的。現在我要說說主的異象和啟示。2我認識一個在基督裡的人，他十四年前被提到第三層天上去。（是帶著身體被提的呢？我不知道，是離開了身體呢？我也不知道，只有神知道。）3我認識這個人，（是帶著身體被提，還是在身體以外被提，我都不知道，只有神知道。）4他被提到樂園裡去，聽見了難以言喻的話，那是人不可以說的。5為了這個人，我要誇口，但為了我自己，除了我的軟弱以外，我沒有可誇的。6即使我想誇口，也不算愚妄，因為我要說的是真話。但我閉口不提，免得有人把我看得太高，過於他在我身上所見所聞的。7又因為我所得的啟示太大，恐怕會高抬自己，所以就有一根刺加在我的身上，就是撒但的差役來攻擊我，免得我高抬自己。8為了這事，我曾經三次求主，使這根刺離開我。9他卻對我說：「我的恩典是夠你用的，因為我的能力在人的軟弱上顯得完全。」所以，我更喜歡誇自己的軟弱，好讓基督的能力臨到我的身上。10因此，我為基督的緣故，就以軟弱、凌辱、艱難、迫害、困苦為喜樂，因為我甚麼時候軟弱，甚麼時候就剛強了。

 

默想

1. 當我們告訴別人，神會保證祂的兒女在今世出人頭地；或是告訴有病的人，只要有足夠的信心，就必得痊愈；我們實在是在誤導人，而且我們在生活中也知道這並不真實。保羅為自己的疾病多次充滿信心的祈求，但從神來的答案卻是否定的。經過一段時間，他了解到，原來這個讓他痛苦的疾病，才是神的禮物；讓他能經歷神的恩典、同在、能力，是他原來根本不可能經歷到的。當災害悲劇發生時，我們需要告訴人，也要提醒自己，當我們尋求祂的力量時，我們與神的關係才會更加親密，並且得到能力，使我們的軟弱變成得勝的凱歌。
2. 我有沒有體驗過第9節所說的：「我的恩典是夠你用的，因為我的能力在人的軟弱上顯得完全。」？我的軟弱是什麼？我有沒有得到神的禮物？這禮物怎樣幫助我體驗神的能力和恩典？

 

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 12

¹I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. ²I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. ³And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— ⁴was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. ⁵I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. ⁶Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.

⁷To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

MEDITATION

1. When we tell people that God guarantees his children health and wealth in this life, or if they only have enough faith, they’ll be healed, that’s not true.  Paul prayed with total confidence, only to learn that the answer was no.  He learned in time that the weakness which devastated him was truly a gift from God.  A gift that enabled him to experience God’s grace, presence, and power, in ways he would never have experienced them otherwise.  So, when tragedy strikes and disaster comes, God will give his own strange gifts as we grow in our dependence on him.  As we seek His strength, we’ll discover a depth to our relationship with the Lord that we would otherwise never have known.  And a strength that makes weakness a triumph and a joy.
2. What is my weakness?  Have I received God’s gift?  How does this gift help me experience God’s power and grace?

 

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.

 

第十一章

¹⁶   我再說，誰也不要以為我是愚昧的；就算這樣，也要接納我這個愚昧的人，使我可以稍微地誇口。   ¹⁷   我這樣滿有自信地誇口，不是照著主所吩咐的，而是好像愚昧人在說話。   ¹⁸   既然有許多人按著世俗的標準誇口，我也要誇口。   ¹⁹   你們那麼精明，竟然樂意容忍愚昧的人。   ²⁰   如果有人奴役你們，侵吞、榨取你們，向你們趾高氣揚，打你們的臉，你們就容忍吧！   ²¹   說來慚愧，我們太軟弱了。說句愚昧的話，如果有人在甚麼事上是勇敢的，我也是勇敢的。   ²²   他們是希伯來人嗎？我也是。他們是以色列人嗎？我也是。他們是亞伯拉罕的後裔嗎？我也是。   ²³   他們是基督的僕人嗎？說句狂話，我更是。我受更多的勞苦，更多的坐監，受了過量的鞭打，常常有生命的危險。   ²⁴  我被猶太人打過五次，每次四十下減去一下，   ²⁵   被棍打過三次，被石頭打過一次，三次遇著船壞，在深海裡飄了一晝一夜；   ²⁶   多次行遠路，遇著江河的危險、強盜的危險、同族的危險、外族的危險、城中的危險、曠野的危險、海上的危險、假弟兄的危險；   ²⁷   勞碌辛苦，多次不得睡覺，又飢又渴，多次缺糧，赤身挨冷。   ²⁸   除了這些外面的事，還有為各教會掛心的事，天天壓在我的身上。   ²⁹   有誰軟弱，我不軟弱呢？有誰陷在罪裡，我不焦急呢？   ³⁰   如果必須誇口，我就誇自己的弱點。   ³¹   主耶穌的父　神是應當永遠受稱頌的，他知道我沒有說謊。   ³²   在大馬士革，亞里達王手下的總督把守著大馬士革城，要拘捕我，   ³³   我就被人放在一個大籃子裡，從城牆的窗戶縋下來，逃脫了他的手。

 

默想

1. 慢慢地讀這段經文，處身其中，好像親自經歷這些苦難，風暴、監牢、被打、被搶、饑寒交加、無眠無休、各樣危險。這樣一個偉大的屬靈領袖的履歷，與今天社會上所訴求的領袖，有何不同？
2. 神今天仍然在尋找軟弱的人，好在他們身上來彰顯神的能力。我要這份福氣嗎？

 

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

¹ I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! ² I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. ³ But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴ For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

⁵ I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”^{. 6} I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. ⁷ Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? ⁸ I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. ⁹ And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. ¹⁰ As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. ¹¹ Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

 

MEDITATION

1. Both Jesus’ and Paul’s gentleness was misunderstood as weakness.  How has that resulted in blessing (Mt 5:5)?  Where, in my life, do I need to embrace their example right now?
2. God is still looking for “weak” people in whom to display His strength.  Am I willing to “apply” for the job?

 

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

1我保羅與你們見面的時候是謙卑的，不在你們那裡的時候，卻是放膽的。現在我親自以基督的謙遜溫柔勸你們，2求你們使我在你們那裡的時候，不要滿有自信地放膽對你們，我認為要以這樣的自信，勇敢地對付那些以為我們是照著世俗的標準（「世俗的標準」原文作「肉體」）行事的人。3我們雖然在世上行事，卻不是按照世俗的方式作戰，4因為我們作戰所用的兵器，不是屬於這世界的，而是在神面前有能力的，可以攻陷堅固的堡壘，5攻破詭辯，和做來阻擋人認識神的一切高牆，並且把一切心意奪回來，順服基督。6我們已經準備好了，等你們完全順服的時候，就懲罰所有不順從的人。⁷   你們看事情，只看表面。如果有人自信是屬於基督的，他就應該再想一想：他是屬於基督的，同樣，我們也是屬於基督的。   ⁸   主把權柄賜給我們，是為了要造就你們，不是要破壞你們，就算我為這權柄誇口過分了一點，也不會覺得慚愧。

 

默想：

1. 從保羅的榜樣看，信徒作領袖的應怎樣來帶領別人？在1—10的衡量表上，我在帶領弟兄姐妹的事上是否有基督的謙卑和溫柔？
2. 這個禮拜中，我可以做些什麼，表示我願意建立（造就）其他信徒？

 

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 10

¹By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” when away! ²I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. ³For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ⁴The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ⁶And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

⁷You are looking only on the surface of things. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as he. ⁸For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

 

MEDITATION

1. From Paul’s example here, what is supposed to be the “normal” way Christians exercise leadership over one another?  On a scale from 1 – 10, how well do I demonstrate Christ’s gentleness and meekness in leading others?
2. What will I work on this week that demonstrates my interest in building people up?

 

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.

第九章

6還有，少種的少收，多種的多收。7各人要照著心裡所決定的捐輸，不要為難，不必勉強，因為捐得樂意的人，是神所喜愛的。8神能把各樣的恩惠多多地加給你們，使你們凡事常常充足，多作各樣的善事。9如經上所說：「他廣施錢財，賙濟窮人；他的仁義，存到永遠。」10但那賜種子給撒種的，又賜食物給人吃的神，必定把種子加倍地供給你們，也必增添你們的義果。11你們既然凡事富裕，就可以慷慨地捐輸，使眾人藉著我們，對神生出感謝的心。¹²   因為這供應的事，不僅補足了聖徒的缺乏，也使許多人對　神感謝的心格外增多。   ¹³   眾聖徒因為你們承認和服從了基督的福音，並且慷慨地捐輸給他們和眾人，藉著你們在這供應的事上所得的憑據，就把榮耀歸給　神。   ¹⁴   因著　神在你們身上的厚恩，他們就為你們禱告，切切地想念你們。   ¹⁵   感謝　神，他的恩賜難以形容。

 

默想

1. 神「給」，因為他「愛世人」。沒有任何給予的實例，比神將愛子主耶穌賜給我們，更崇高偉大。我們能像祂那樣給嗎？自由地、犧牲地、並喜悅地？哥林多教會留給我們一個好榜樣，保羅給他們寫道：我們的錢財是我們的延伸，唯一能夠使我們歡喜地捐獻，就是出于愛的給予。任何其他理由都會使給予者毫無喜樂。沒有喜樂的給予對基督的國度沒有什麼作用，對我們自己也沒好處。（看林前13：3）
2. 保羅提醒哥林多信徒以及我們，樂意捐獻的福氣：（1）捐獻使我們在物質和屬靈上都蒙福（8，10節）（2）捐獻使我們能祝福他人（11，12節）（3）捐獻激勵他人為我們禱告（13，14節）。
3. 我的捐獻是否是臨時心血來潮，還是事先計劃好的？我是個快樂的捐獻者，還是勉強捐獻者？我有沒有得到保羅提到的幾種捐獻的福氣？？在捐獻的事上，我是否需要從新調整？

 

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 9

⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹As it is written:    “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” ¹⁰Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.   ¹²This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. ¹³Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

MEDITATION

1. God gave His Son because he “so loved the world”.  There is no higher motive for Christian giving than the example God set for us when he gave his only Son.  Can we give like he did – freely and sacrificially, even delightfully?  Yes, in fact, Corinthian church is one fine example.  It was to that church that Paul wrote of the highest motive for giving.  Our money is an extension of ourselves, he argued.  If the money we give isn’t delightfully given, it’s because we aren’t delightful givers.  The only way we’re going to give delightfully is to give out of LOVE.  Any other motive leaves one joyless.  In the long run, joyless giving does little good for Christ’s kingdom – and nothing for us (see 1 Cor 13:3)
2. Paul reminded the Corinthians and us of the blessings that make Christians giving such a joy.  (1) Giving benefits us materially and spiritually. (vv8, 10)    (2) Giving permits us to bless others.(vv11,12)  (3) Giving stimulates others to pray for us.(vv13, 14)
3. Do I give compulsively or with careful planning?  Am I a joyful giver, or a reluctant one?  Have I received the blessings Paul talked about?  In all the causes that I donate, is there a need for adjustment?

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.

 

第八章

1弟兄們，我現在把神賜給馬其頓眾教會的恩典告訴你們：2他們在患難中受到極大的考驗的時候，他們滿溢的喜樂和極度的貧乏，匯流出豐厚的慷慨來。3我可以作證，他們是按著能力，並且是超過了能力，4自動地再三懇求我們，准許他們在供應聖徒的事上有分。5他們超過了我們所期望的，照著神的旨意，先把自己獻給主，然後獻給我們。6因此，我們勉勵提多，既然開始了這慈善的事，就應當在你們那裡把這事辦好。7你們在一切事上，就如信心、口才、知識、熱情和愛我們的心，既然都是富足的，那麼，在這慈善的事上，也要顯出你們是富足的。

8我這樣說，不是吩咐你們，而是藉著別人的熱心來考驗你們的愛心是否真實。9你們是知道我們的主耶穌基督的恩典的：他本來富足，卻為你們成了貧窮，要使你們因他的貧窮成為富足。

 

默想

1. 生活在物質主義的社會中，我們很容易就被“獲有慾”所控制 — 去爭取、收藏、看管，就像那個建造倉房的財主，很快連靈魂也失去。“給予”是向「物質追求」的抗衡。聖經教導的「給予」是先將收入的一部分奉獻給神。奉獻的基礎是本于神：若神不先賜我們土地來耕種、體力來勞動、頭腦去思想、社區來工作、生活，我們所有努力的血汗都不會有任何成果。我們所有的一切都是來自神，陽光雨水、豐收繁殖、力量健康，都是來自神。「奉獻」就是承認這個事實，是尊敬祂并感謝祂的方式。
2. 我是否常存感恩的心來奉獻？

 

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

¹And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. ²Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. ³For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, ⁴they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. ⁵And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. ⁶So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. ⁷But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

⁸I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. ⁹For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

MEDITATION

1. Living in a materialistic society, we can easily become dominated by a spirit of acquisition – of getting and storing and then guarding what we’ve gotten and stored. The biblical practice of giving is an offering of a portion of the fruits of our labour to God.  The offering is based upon the conviction that we would have gotten nothing from all our sweat and exertion if God hadn’t first given us the ground to use, the muscles to work, a brain to think, and a community to live and be employed in.  Everything comes to us as a gift from God.  Sunshine and rain.  Fruitfulness and fertility.  Strength and health.  They are all from God.  Our offering is an acknowledgment of that.  It’s a way of honouring him and giving thanks to him.
2. Do I always give with a thankful heart?

 

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

8雖然我在那封信上使你們憂傷，但我現在並不後悔；其實我曾經有點後悔，因為知道那封信使你們憂傷，雖然只是暫時的。9現在我快樂，不是因為你們憂傷，而是因為你們的憂傷帶來了悔改。你們依照神的意思憂傷，凡事就不會因我們受到虧損。10因為依照神的意思而有的憂傷，可以生出沒有懊悔的悔改，以致得救；世俗的憂傷卻會招致死亡。11看哪，你們依照神的意思憂傷，在你們中間就產生了怎樣的熱情、申訴、憤慨、戰兢、渴望、熱誠、正義；你們在各方面都表明了自己在那事上是清白的。12因此，從前我雖然寫過信給你們，卻不是為了那虧負人的，也不是為了那受害的，而是在神面前把你們對我們的熱情，向你們顯現出來。13因此，我們得了安慰。在這安慰之外，我們因提多的喜樂就更加歡喜，因為他的心從你們眾人那裡得到暢快。

 

默想

1. 世人的傷心是一種“很難過，我被抓到了”的難過；也為自己，和現在要付的後果難過。屬神的傷痛是為做錯的事而懊悔 — 力求從錯誤中轉回。這樣，才會帶來屬靈的見識和成熟。
2. 我有沒有曾經經歷過這種深度的屬神的憂傷？是為自己？是為別人？

 

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

⁸Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— ⁹yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. ¹⁰Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. ¹¹See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. ¹²So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong or of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. ¹³By all this we are encouraged.

MEDITATION

1. The world’s sorrow is an “I’m sorry I got caught” kind of sorrow.  The individual is sorry for himself, and the consequences he now has to pay.  Godly sorrow is grief about the original act, and repentance – a commitment to turn from wrongdoing and to turn back toward God.  We grieve, like Isaiah does in Isaiah 6, not only for ourselves, but also because we belong to a people who are sinful.  With this comes spiritual insight and maturity.
2. Have I ever experienced this deep godly grief, for myself, or for 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.

第六章

14你們和不信的人不可共負一軛，義和不法有甚麼相同呢？光明和黑暗怎能相通呢？15基督和彼列（「彼列」是撒但的別名）怎能和諧呢？信的和不信的有甚麼聯繫呢？16神的殿和偶像怎能協調呢？我們就是永生神的殿，正如神說：「我要住在他們中間，在他們中間來往；我要作他們的神，他們要作我的子民。」17所以，「主說：你們要從他們中間出來，和他們分開，不可觸摸不潔淨的東西，我就收納你們。」18「我要作你們的父親，你們要作我的兒女。這是全能的主說的。」

 

默想

1. 基督徒要完全分別歸神，這分別像光明與黑暗，基督與撒但，神的殿與偶像之間的尖銳、絕對。因此信徒「應該潔淨自己，除去身體和心靈上的一切污穢」（7:1）。神是我們的父親，但是當我們犯罪，罪的污染將我們與神隔絕，神就不能再用那種親密的方式與我們來往。同樣的，人與人之間親密的關係中，當罪行、欺騙、虛假滲入，立刻會像眼中入沙一般，關係必會受破壞。所以問題不在我能不能與非信徒交往，而在乎我要不要與神保持親密美好的關係。慈愛的天父向我們發出祂的心聲、呼喚：「我要作你們的父親，你們要作我的兒女。」我會怎樣回應神？
2. 想像我正在花園中與主散步，這時候我會對主說什麼？主在聆聽，慢慢地向主傾訴，也細聽主的心聲。

 

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

¹⁴Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ¹⁵What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
¹⁷“Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.”
¹⁸“I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

MEDITATION

1. Christians are to be completely separated unto the Lord, with that separation as sharp as the dividing line between light and darkness, between Christ and Satan, and between the temple of God and a shrine where idols are worshiped.  In short, we are to “purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit.” (7:1) God is our Father, but when we sin, sin’s contamination separates us from God.  He is not able to be a Father to us in the same, intimate way He would if we were in close fellowship with Him.  Similarly, when sin comes into a relationship between two people, it’ll be felt like a grain of sand entering into the eye, the relationship will be affected.  So, the issue isn’t whether I could have intimate relationship with non-Christians, rather, if I want to maintain this close relationship with God the Father.  Our loving father is calling us: “I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters.”  How do I respond?
2. Imagine I am taking a walk with the Lord in the garden.  What would I say to him right now?  The Lord is listening.  Speak to him slowly and listen to his talking, too.

 

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我們知道，如果我們在地上的帳棚拆毀了，我們必得著從神而來的居所。那不是人手所造的，而是天上永存的房屋。2我們現今在這帳棚裡面歎息，渴望遷到那天上的住處，好像換上新的衣服；3如果穿上了，就不會赤身出現了。4我們這些在帳棚裡面的人，勞苦歎息，是由於不願意脫去這個，卻願意穿上那個，使這必死的被生命吞滅。5那在我們身上完成了工作，使我們達成這目標的，就是神。他已經把聖靈賜給我們作憑據。6我們既然一向都是坦然無懼的，又知道住在身內就是與主分開7（因為我們行事是憑著信心，不是憑著眼見），8現在還是坦然無懼，寧願與身體分開，與主同住。9因此，我們立定志向，無論住在身內或是與身體分開，都要討主的喜悅。10因為我們眾人都必須在基督的審判臺前顯露出來，使各人按著本身所行的，或善或惡，受到報應。

 

默想

1. 信徒有勇氣持守基督的呼召，像保羅一樣向世界的價值觀挑戰，是因為知道現今暫時的苦難與最終的獎賞相比，實在微不足道。當我們竭力為神那「更美的道路」奔走，而受到誤會或輕視時，我們仍然有盼望，在神的同在（以馬內利）我們可以全然欣喜。此外，我們亦因在神的智慧上的成長而歡欣。所以我們雖然在地上嘆息勞苦，等候身體得贖（羅8:23），但確實是有益的。
2. 在整理裝扮自己地上的帳棚（身體），和預備天上永存的房屋，這兩件事上，我比較著重的是什麼？若我在自己地上的日子是幾十年，但在天上卻是億萬年，我該花較多的心思在那裡？

 

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

¹Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ²Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, ³because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

⁶Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷We live by faith, not by sight. ⁸We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

MEDITATION

1. Courage to endure the radical call of the Christian claim on our lives comes from the belief that the eventual reward will outweigh the temporary suffering we incur by challenging the world’s values as Jesus and Paul did.  When our valiant struggle for God’s better way goes unappreciated and misunderstood, we have the hope of the Emmanuel God—God with us—utter delight at being in the divine presence.  But we also have the happiness of experiencing our own growth into the splendour of divine wisdom, so that our groaning here for the redemption of our bodies is not without reward in its own right.
2. Which do I spend more time preparing and thinking, my earthly tent (body) or my heavenly dwelling?  If I only spend several decades in my earthly tent, but millions of years in heaven, which one should I devote more thoughts and energy on?

 

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.

第四章

7我們有這寶貝在瓦器裡，是要顯明這極大的能力是屬於神，不是出於我們。8我們雖然四面受壓，卻沒有壓碎；心裡作難，卻不至絕望，9受到迫害，卻沒有被丟棄；打倒了，卻不至死亡。10我們身上常常帶著耶穌的死，好讓耶穌的生也在我們的身上顯明出來。11我們這些活著的人，為耶穌的緣故常常被人置於死地，好讓耶穌的生也在我們必死的身上顯明出來。12這樣看來，死在我們身上運行，生卻在你們的身上運行。

 

默想

1. 保羅在本段裡，將傳道者軟弱的性情徹底表明。他處在高壓、困惑、受迫、打倒的底下。這些經歷提醒他，他所有輝煌事工的能力，完全不是從他而來的，而是來自耶穌，他雖軟弱，卻不遭壓迫，也不被厭棄。
2. 不要讓一絲的軟弱阻止我事奉神；事實上，我的軟弱正是神的大能彰顯的環境。
3. 輕聲唱（或讀）這首詩歌，作為今天的禱告：

我本軟弱主剛強，求主保守離罪網；

心靈滿足無憂傷，當我走，求領我近你旁。

主，我願更親近你，與主相親樂無比；

每日同行更親密，親愛主，求你，懇求你。

 

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 4

⁷But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. ¹²So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

 

MEDITATION

1. Paul was contrasting the weak and ordinary character of the messenger with the overwhelming power of the message.  Paul found himself under pressure, perplexed, persecuted, knocked to the ground.  Everything in his experience reminded him that the dynamic power that had marked his ministry had no source in him.  He credited Jesus, who saves all those who believe in Him, with the fact that despite his weaknesses he had not been crushed, nor drowned in despair, nor abandoned or destroyed.
2. Don’t let a sense of personal weakness keep you from serving God.  The fact that we are weak is the backdrop against which the incomparable power of God is revealed.
3. Sing (or read) quietly this hymn as a prayer to God:

I am weak but Thou art strong Jesus keep me from all wrong
I’ll be satisfied as long as I walk let me walk close to Thee
Just a closer walk with Thee grant it Jesus is my plea
Daily walking close to Thee oh let it be dear Lord let it be.

 

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.

 

第三章

¹²   所以，我們既然有這樣的盼望，就大大地放膽行事，   ¹³   不像摩西那樣，把帕子蒙在臉上，使以色列人看不見那短暫的榮光的結局。   ¹⁴   但是他們的心思遲鈍，因為直到今日，他們誦讀舊約的時候，這帕子仍然存在，沒有揭開，唯有在基督裡才能把這帕子廢掉。   ¹⁵   可是直到今日，他們每逢誦讀摩西的書的時候，這帕子還蓋在他們的心上。   ¹⁶   但他們甚麼時候歸向主，這帕子就甚麼時候除掉了。17主就是那靈；主的靈在哪裡，哪裡就有自由。18我們眾人臉上的帕子既然已經揭開，反映主的榮光（「反映主的榮光」或譯：「對著鏡子看見主的榮光」），就變成主那樣的形象，大有榮光。這是主所作成的，他就是那靈。

 

默想

1. 當我們安息在神的榮光中，就發現自己改變，漸漸地沾上神的榮耀，而這榮耀開始充滿我們。這是聖靈的工作，引領我們成長，逐漸轉化成祂美好和榮耀的樣式，為要榮耀神。
2. 雖然我的生命中還有很多的瑕疵污點，但我裡面的生命在不斷的成長、改變，當轉化的榮光越來越光明時，我看見了耶穌在我生命中，為此我要感謝天父。

 

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

¹²Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. ¹³We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. ¹⁴But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

 

MEDITATION

1. When we rest in the splendour of God revealed by Christ, we find ourselves changed by it.  Gradually, by degrees, we incline toward the divine glory and it begins to overtake us.  This is by the power of the Spirit, which prepared us for such growth beginning at baptism.  We are being transformed into his likeness, the way that God had intended for us to be when he created us.
2. Though there are still warts and blemishes all too visible, I am growing and changing.  In the ever-increasing glory of the transformation taking place, “The Christian is the person who makes it easy for others to believe in God.”  Lord, help me to reflect more of your glory and to become easier for others to believe in you.

 

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

5如果有人使人憂愁，他不是使我憂愁，而是使你們眾人都有一點憂愁；我只說有一點，是避免說得過分。6這樣的人受了許多人的責備，也就夠了，7倒不如饒恕他，安慰他，免得他因憂愁過度而受不了。8所以，我勸你們要向他確實顯明你們的愛心。9為這緣故，我寫了那封信，要考驗你們是不是凡事都順從。10你們饒恕誰，我也饒恕誰；我所饒恕了的（如果我饒恕過甚麼），是為了你們在基督面前饒恕的，11免得撒但有機可乘，因為我們並不是不曉得他的詭計。

 

默想

1. 保羅勸勉哥林多信徒要重新接納他們當中一位犯罪的弟兄，因為教會群體已經有一段時間拒絕他。時間久了，羞恥就會蠶食一個人的心靈，保羅不希望見到那人沮喪。教會群體必須嘗試安慰那些失腳跌倒的人，以免他們絕望。要分辨，何時懲罰對人有幫助，何時需要饒恕和愛，這并不容易。但信徒蒙召，就是為要這樣彼此服事。
2. 目前有沒有信徒需要教會群體重新接納，安慰，讓他可以再次在主裡站得起來？若有，求主賜教會或小組有智慧與愛心，將跌倒的肢體挽回神的家中。

 

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 2

⁵If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent—not to put it too severely. ⁶The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. ⁷Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. ⁸I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. ⁹The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. ¹⁰If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, ¹¹in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

 

MEDITATION

1. The Corinthian church here has punished one of its members and Paul writes to them, encouraging them to forgive and comfort him.  The point of Paul’s writing is not to focus on the punishment, but rather to encourage the congregation to care for the health of the whole community.  It is important for the community to pursue forgiveness in order to prevent Satan from accomplishing his schemes against the Church.
2. Do I know any believer that may need to re-enter the church community right now?  If so, ask God for wisdom and love to forgive, comfort and restore this person into God’s family.

 

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.

 

第一章

3我們主耶穌基督的父神是應當稱頌的。他是滿有憐憫的父，賜各樣安慰的神。4我們在一切患難中，神都安慰我們，使我們能用他所賜的安慰，去安慰那些在各樣患難中的人。5我們既然多受基督所受的痛苦，就靠著基督多得安慰。6如果我們遭遇患難，那是要使你們得著安慰，得著拯救；如果我們得到安慰，也是要使你們得到安慰。這安慰使你們能夠忍受我們所受那樣的痛苦。7我們對你們的盼望是堅定的，因為知道你們既然一同受痛苦，也必照樣同得安慰。8弟兄們，我們在亞西亞遭受的患難，我們很想讓你們知道。那時我們受到了過於我們所能忍受的壓力，甚至活下去的希望都沒有了，9而且斷定自己是必死的了；然而，這正是要我們不倚靠自己，只倚靠那叫死人復活的神。10他救我們脫離了那極大的死亡，而且他還要救我們，我們希望他將來仍要救我們。11請你們一同用禱告支持我們，好使許多人為著我們所蒙的恩獻上感謝。這恩是藉著許多人的代求而得到的。

 

默想

1. 基督徒因為順服神在他生命中的引導，而會遭受患難，卻是充滿喜樂的，因為有神的旨意在其中，且要完成神與人和好的善工。他遭患難，卻使他在其他受苦的人心中帶來信賴度，以致有敞開的門進入受苦人的心中，分享耶穌的福音。
2. 我上次是什麼時候覺得處在壓力鍋裡？是什麼事情？
3. 我周圍的人中，有誰最近有很大的壓力？保羅會要我怎樣為他/她禱告？用幾分鐘為這位朋友禱告。過幾天，不妨給他打個電話，寫封電郵，問候一下，告訴他我在為他禱告。

 

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

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. ⁵For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. ⁶If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. ⁷And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

⁸We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. ⁹Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, ¹¹as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

 

MEDITATION

1. Christians may suffer because of the faith that we have.  But when we suffer and are persecuted because of Jesus, we can also be comforted because we know that God is at work, seeking reconciliation between God and men and that Christ is the one who comforts us.  When we suffer for the gospel, we are put into a position of needing to be dependent on God.
2. When was the last time I felt like in a pressure cooker?  What happened?
3. Whom do I know that is under pressure right now?  How would Paul encourage me to pray for him/her this week?  Spend a few minutes praying for this person.  Give this person a call, in a few days, or write him/her an email asking how things are and telling him/her that you are praying for him/her.

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.

第十六章

13 你們要警醒，要在信仰上站立得穩，要作大丈夫，要剛強。 14 你們所作的一切，都要憑愛心去作。 15 弟兄們，你們知道司提反一家人是亞該亞初結的果子，他們專心地服事聖徒。 16 我勸你們要順服這樣的人，和所有與他們一同工作一同勞苦的人。 17 司提反、福徒拿都和亞該古都來了，所以我很快樂，因為他們補上了你們的不足， 18 使我和你們的心都得著暢快。這樣的人你們要敬重他們。 19 亞西亞的眾教會都問候你們。亞居拉和百基拉，以及他們家裡的教會在主裡再三問候你們。 20 所有的弟兄都問候你們。你們要用聖潔的親嘴彼此問安。 21 我保羅親筆問候你們。 22 如果有人不愛主，他就該受咒詛。主啊，願你來！ 23 願主耶穌基督的恩惠與你們同在。 24 我的愛在基督耶穌裡也與你們同在。（有古卷加“阿們”。）

 

默想

1. 哥林多教會是一間問題重重的教會。保羅以無比的愛心和勇氣，提出處理各樣的問題的原則與方法，並且敦促他們回到基督那裡。哥林多前書教導我們：教會內的合一和愛心，遠較領導者和名聲更為重要。
2. 在給哥林多信徒最後的指引中，保羅首先吩咐他們“憑愛心而作”(14節)，然後鼓勵他們像司提反一家那樣服事別人。以愛服事聖徒應是常規，而非例外。在過去幾年中，我曾經怎樣服事聖徒？在未來又可以怎樣服事他們？有什麼是這個星期，或這個月我就可以服事的？主啊，求你指示，我願順服。

 

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 16

¹³Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. ¹⁴Do everything in love.

¹⁵You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, ¹⁶to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it. ¹⁷I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. ¹⁸For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.

Final Greetings

¹⁹The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. ²⁰All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

²¹I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.

²²If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him. Come, O Lord!

²³The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.

²⁴My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

Meditation

1. The Corinthian Church has many problems.  Paul, with much love and courage, pointed out principles and methods to deal with these problems and urged them to go back to Christ.  I Corinthians taught us that Unity and Love in church is far more important than leadership and reputation.
2. In these final instructions to the Christians at Corinth, Paul first charges them to let all that they do “be done in love”(v14) and then to put themselves “at the service” of such people as the household of Stephanas.
3. Loving service to the saints seems to be the norm, not the exception.  In what ways have I “served the saints” during the past year?  In what ways can I serve them in the future?  What could I serve in this week or this month?  Lord, show me and I will obey.

 

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.

 

第十五章 

50 弟兄們，我告訴你們，血肉之體不能承受神的國，必朽壞的也不能承受那不朽壞的。 51 我現在把一個奧祕告訴你們：我們不是都要睡覺，而是在一剎那，眨眼之間，就是號角最後一次吹響的時候，我們都要改變；因為號角要吹響，死人要復活，成為不朽壞的，我們也要改變。 53 這必朽壞的必須穿上不朽壞的，這必死的必須穿上不死的； 54 這必朽壞的既穿上了不朽壞的，這必死的既穿上了不死的，那時，經上的話就應驗了：“勝利了！死亡已經被吞滅。 55 死亡啊！你的勝利在哪裡？死亡啊！你的毒刺在哪裡？” 56 死的毒刺就是罪，罪的權勢就是律法。 57 感謝神，他藉著我們的主耶穌基督，把勝利賜給我們。 58 所以，我親愛的弟兄們，你們務要堅固，不可動搖，常常竭力多作主工，因為知道你們的勞苦，在主裡面不是徒然的。

 

默想

1. 若今天有人替我訃聞信，內容會有些什麼？我希望別人怎樣寫這封信？把心中的感受與想法，一點一點地告訴神，等候聖靈在心中工作、說話。

 

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 15

⁵⁰I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵²in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
⁵⁵“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?” ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

 

Meditation

1. If someone is writing a tribute for my memorial, what would be written in it?  How would I like people to write the letter announcing my death?
2. Tell Jesus all my thoughts and emotions right now.  Stay quiet to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to me 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.

 

第十四章

6弟兄們，你們想想，如果我到你們那裡去，只說方言，不向你們講有關啟示、知識、預言，或教訓的話，那我對你們有甚麼益處呢？ 7甚至那些沒有生命卻能發聲的東西，例如簫或琴，如果音調不分，怎能使人知道所彈所奏的是甚麼呢？ 8又如果軍號所發的聲音不清楚，誰會準備作戰呢？ 9你們也是這樣，如果用舌頭發出人聽不懂的話來，人怎會知道你所講的是甚麼呢？這樣，你們就是向空氣說話了。 10世上有那麼多種語言，但沒有一種是沒有意義的。11我若不明白某一種語言的意思，在那講的人來看，我就是個外國人；在我來說，那講話的人也是個外國人。12 你們也是這樣，你們既然熱切地渴慕屬靈的恩賜，就應當追求多多得著造就教會的恩賜。 13 所以，說方言的應當祈求，使他能把方言翻譯出來。 14 我若用方言禱告，是我的靈在禱告，我的理智並沒有作用。 15 那麼我應當怎樣行呢？我要用靈禱告，也要用理智禱告；我要用靈歌唱，也要用理智歌唱。 16 不然，如果你用靈讚美，在場那些不明白的人，因為不知道你在說甚麼，怎能在你感謝的時候說“阿們”呢？ 17 你感謝固然是好，但別人卻得不著造就。

 

默想

1. 基督徒聚集時就是要彼此服事，在禱告、讚美、教導、分享中，神可以，也確實會使用我們口中所說的，來建立祂的身體。因此，恩賜的擁有並非有什麼利益，而是為了建立基督的教會及教會所服事的群體。
2. 我有什麼恩賜，可以在哪方面服事信徒，並協助教會的建立？

 

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 14

⁶Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? ⁷Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? ⁸Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? ⁹So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. ¹⁰Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. ¹¹If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. ¹²So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.   ¹³For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. ¹⁶If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand^[e] say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.

 

Meditation

1. When Christians gather we minister to each other.  In prayer, praise, teaching, and sharing, God can and does use what we say to build up His church.  Therefore, spiritual gifts are not given for the benefit of the possessor.  The purpose of all spiritual gifts is to build up the whole Body of Christ and those the Body serves.
2. What gifts do I have and what can I do to serve fellow-believers and help build up 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.