Category: 260靈修

第三章

¹   所以，你們既然與基督一同復活，就應當尋求天上的事，那裡有基督坐在神的右邊。   ²   你們要思念的，是天上的事，不是地上的事。   ³   因為你們已經死了，你們的生命與基督一同隱藏在神裡面。   ⁴   基督就是你們的生命，他顯現的時候，你們也要和他一同在榮耀裡顯現。   ⁵   所以要治死你們在地上的肢體，就如淫亂、污穢、邪情、惡慾和貪心，貪心就是拜偶像。。。。

¹²   所以，你們既然是神所揀選的，是聖潔、蒙愛的人，就要存憐憫的心腸、恩慈、謙卑、溫柔和忍耐。   ¹³   如果有人對別人有嫌隙，總要彼此寬容，互相饒恕；主怎樣饒恕了你們，你們也要照樣饒恕人。   ¹⁴   在這一切之上，還要有愛心，愛心是聯繫全德的。   ¹⁵   又要讓基督的平安在你們心裡作主；你們蒙召歸為一體，也是為了這個緣故。你們要有感謝的心。   ¹⁶   你們要讓基督的道豐豐富富地住在你們心裡，以各樣的智慧，彼此教導，互相勸戒，用詩章、聖詩、靈歌，懷著感恩的心歌頌神。   ¹⁷   凡你們所作的，無論是言語或行為，都要奉主耶穌的名，藉著他感謝父神。

 

默想：

1. 慢慢地讀這段經文，仔細的思考穿上新人過程中的幾個部分：

–          新生命是可能的 （3-4節）

–          除去舊生命（5節）

–          穿上新生命（12-14節）

–          穿上新生命所需的內心及行為的改變（15-17節）

2. 那個部分對我是特別需要的？重新回去讀那些經文，再看這個部分的哪個字詞特別觸動我？為什麼？這與其他部分有什麼關連？這又與“聯繫全德的愛心”有什麼關連？
3. 以個人化的經文來向神禱告，例：13節“如果我對別人有嫌隙，求主助我對那人寬容，並饒恕他；主怎樣饒恕了我，我也要照樣饒恕人他。”（可以將自己和對方的名字放進去來禱告。）

 

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 3

¹Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  ⁵Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ……

¹²Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  ¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Meditation:

1. Read the passage and consider these segments included in the process of putting on the new life.

–          A new life is possible (vv3-4)

–          Get rid of the old life (v5)

–          Put on the new life (v12-14)

–          Inner thoughts and behavior needed to put on new life (vv15-17)

2. Which segment of this process speaks to me most right now?  Reread the verses that correspond to that segment.  What word or phrase in that segment speaks to me?  Why?  How does that idea relate to the other segments?  How does it relate to love “which binds them all together in perfect unit”?
3. Pray back to God the segment that speaks to me, personalizing it.  For example, based on v13, Please help me to bear with XX(someone’s name) and forgive XX for the grievances I have against XX.  Help me to forgive as the Lord forgave 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.

 

第二章

⁸ 你們要謹慎，免得有人不照著基督，而照著人的傳統，和世俗的言論，藉著哲學和騙人的空談，把你們擄去。

¹⁶  所以不要讓人因著飲食、節期、月朔、安息日批評你們，¹⁷ 這些不過是將來的事的影子，那真體卻是屬於基督的。¹⁷這些不過是將來的事的影子，那真體卻是屬於基督的。¹⁸ 不要讓人奪去你們的獎賞，他們以故意謙卑，敬拜天使為樂；迷於自己所見過的；憑著肉體的意念，無故地自高自大；¹⁹ 不與頭緊密相連。其實全身都是藉著關節和筋絡從頭得著供應和聯繫，就照著　神所要求的，生長起來。²⁰ 你們若與基督一同死了，脫離了世俗的言論，為甚麼仍然好像活在世俗中一樣，²¹ 拘守那“不可摸、不可嘗、不可觸”的規條呢？²² （這一切東西，一經使用，就都朽壞了。）這些規條是照著人的命令和教訓而定的，²³在隨著己意敬拜，故作謙卑，和苦待己身等事上，似乎是智慧之言，其實只能叫人放縱肉體，再沒有任何價值。

 

默想：

1. 從8節開始，保羅就批判歌羅西的異端，不是照神在基督裡的啟示，而是根據「人的傳統」和「世俗的言論」所發展出來的一套哲學，是達不到生命豐盛的虛空妄言。
2. 在本段更清楚說明「世俗的言論」就是指舊約中的禮儀規條（16～17、20節）。當然這異端具多重面貌，但其基本精神，就是要靠守規條來得神喜悅，並以為藉此可以達到聖潔豐盛之境。
3. 這類異端的教導，有了根本的錯誤，自然發展出許多錯誤的表現：

   錯誤的敬拜：敬拜天使，按私意敬拜（18、23節）

   錯誤的成長之道：嚴守規條，苦待己身以求聖潔（20～23節）

   錯誤的標榜：沈迷靈異經驗，並以此為誇（18節）

   錯誤的持定：不持定基督，卻謹守舊約的律例規條（16、19節）

4. 在我自己的信仰生活中，或是我周圍的圈子中，是否察覺到有哪些錯誤的救恩教導？將它們逐一列出，帶到小組中討論，若仍有不明之處，盡快找牧者詢問。

 

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

⁸See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

¹⁶Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. ¹⁷These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. ¹⁸ Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. ¹⁹ They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. ²⁰ Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: ²¹ “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? ²² These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. ²³ Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Meditation:

1. In v8, Paul criticized the Colossian false teaching that is not based on God’s revelation in Christ but the “hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world”.
2. In this passage, it was clear that the “elemental spiritual forces of this world” refer to the rituals and rules of the Old Testament (vv16-17,20).  The legalistic false teachers were probably advocating obedience to the Law of Moses for justification and sanctification.
3. From these basic mistakes, many wrong manifestations developed:

   self-imposed worship of angels, (vv18, 23); strict adhering to rules and self-denial (vv20-23); indulging in mystic experience it (v18); not focusing on Christ the head, but rule and rituals of the Old Testament (vv16,19)

4. Am I aware of any false teachings of Christ’s salvation in my own faith belief or my church or other churches?  List them down and bring for a discussion at the cell.  Bring it to the pastors if still not clear.

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

¹⁵   這愛子是那看不見的神的形象，是首先的，在一切被造的之上。   ¹⁶   因為天上地上的萬有：看得見的和看不見的，無論是坐王位的，或是作主的，或是執政的，或是掌權的，都是本著他造的；萬有都是藉著他，又是為著他而造的。   ¹⁷   他在萬有之先；萬有也一同靠著他而存在。   ¹⁸   他是身體的頭，這身體就是教會。他是元始，是死人中首先復生的，好讓他在凡事上居首位；   ¹⁹   因為神樂意使所有的豐盛都住在愛子裡面，   ²⁰   並且藉著他在十字架上所流的血成就了和平，使萬有，無論是地上天上的，都藉著他與神和好了。

 

默想：

1. 站著開聲讀這段經文，以恭敬的姿勢表達我對神話語的尊敬和接納。
2. 這段經文是一首偉大的讚美詩，表達了基督信仰的核心真理。基督是萬有的主，超過世界上一切被造的，祂使神與一切被造物和好。我們的生活建造在其上，個人被塑造改變；藉著基督復和的工作，得以回到神面前，成為聖潔、無有瑕疵、無可指摘的人。基督的超越性表示祂是宇宙的全能統治者；道成肉身表明神的至大權能，藉著耶穌基督彰顯在世界上。基督的內住，意味神繼續透過我們，在這世界彰顯祂的能力。因為基督的內住，我們對將來有盼望；現今在世能過得勝的生活，將來必與基督同在榮耀中。
3. 重讀這段經文，讓自己沉浸在基督崇高的超越性中，思想在這偉大的宇宙主宰的心目中，竟然有我的位置，而且祂居然“內住”我心！“深哉！神豐富的智慧和知識。”（羅11：33）用這節經文作為對至高神由衷的感恩。

 

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。

 

 

Colossians (NIV)

Chapter 1

¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

 

Meditation

1. Stand up and read this passage aloud.  Stand prayerfully in a posture that communicates to God respect and receptivity to His word.
2. This great hymn of acclamation expresses the central truth of Christian faith.  Christ is Lord over all creation and is the reconciler between God and this creation.  Our lives are built upon it, shaped in every way by it, so that now through Christ’s reconciliation we may be given back to God as persons who are holy, blameless, and irreproachable.  Christ’s preeminence means that God is the all-powerful Ruler of heaven and earth.  The Incarnation means that God expresses His supreme power in this world of space and time in the person of Jesus.  “Christ in you” means that God still expresses His supreme power in this world – through us!  Because this Christ is in us, we do have hope for glorious things ahead.  We will triumph today and tomorrow will join Christ in glory!
3. Read this passage again.  Immerse myself in the supremacy of Christ and remember that I am in Him and He is in me!  Read this verse as a humble thanksgiving to the mighty God: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!”(Rom 11:33)

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

¹⁰ 我在主裡大大地喜樂，因為你們現在又再想起我來；其實你們一向都在想念我，只是沒有機會表示。 ¹¹ 我並不是因為缺乏才這樣說：我已經學會了，無論在甚麼情況之下都可以知足。 ¹² 我知道怎樣處卑賤，也知道怎樣處富裕；我已經得了祕訣，無論在任何情況之下，或是飽足，或是飢餓，或是富裕，或是缺乏，都可以知足。 ¹³ 我靠著那加給我能力的，凡事都能作。 ¹⁴ 然而，你們一同分擔了我的患難，實在是好的。

 

默想：

1．  一個屬靈生命成熟的信徒，他會學習無論在怎樣的經濟景況下，都能安之若素。保羅就是如此；他感謝腓立比信徒對他經濟的資助，同時他也和他們分享他的心態——他雖然對他們很感激們的慷慨，但也希望教會眾人知道，他即使身陷獄中，因為在基督裡，他可以滿足於任何的生活環境中。

2．  傅士德為“簡樸”作了這樣的定義：“從內在的真實光景，流露出來的外在生活方式”。對保羅來說，內在的真實光景是什麼呢？我的生活中有類似的經驗嗎？怎樣可以更加進步？

 

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

¹⁰I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹I am not saying this because I am in need, for.   I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³I can do everything through him who gives me strength.  ¹⁴Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.

 

Meditation:

1. One of the lessons of spiritual maturity is the secret of living well whatever our financial means.  Paul shares this lesson as he thanks the Philippians for their financial support.  Although he is grateful for their generosity, Paul wants the church to know that in Christ he can be satisfied with any standard of living, even in prison.
2. In defining simplicity, Richard Foster writes that it is “an inward reality that results in an outward lifestyle” (Celebration of Discipline).  According to Paul, what is the inward reality?  How close am I to experiencing this in my life?  What can I do to encourage 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.

第三章

⁷ 然而以前對我有益的，現在因著基督的緣故，我都當作是有損的。 ⁸ 不但這樣，我也把萬事當作是有損的，因為我以認識我主基督耶穌為至寶。為了他，我把萬事都拋棄了，看作廢物，為了要得著基督。 ⁹ 並且得以在他裡面，不是有自己因律法而得的義，而是有因信基督而得的義，就是基於信心，從神而來的義， ¹⁰ 使我認識基督和他復活的大能，並且在他所受的苦上有分，受他所受的死； ¹¹ 這樣，我也許可以從死人中復活。

 

默想：

1．  保羅本有傲人的資歷，他的家世、教育、和宗教熱忱，本可使他穩守高位，前途無量。但保羅在與基督相遇時，徹底改變了；他傲人的履歷在主面前毫無用處，所有他以前認為有益的，如今都當作有損了；唯一要緊的，就是他與基督的關係。我們因遇見基督，也必須將一些東西看作是有損的（財產、資歷、和態度等等）。靈命的塑造過程，就是一路上學習認清並捨棄這樣的東西，如此，我們才能專心尋求得著基督。

2．  在我心目中，生命裡，有什麼東西是我引以為傲、甚為珍惜，但卻成為我走天路歷程上毫無價值，反而成為“重擔” 和“纏累的罪”（來12：1）？我當怎樣改變觀點，而將認識我主為至寶，而其他每件事都看為次等？

 

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

⁷But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. ¹⁰I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

 

Meditation:

1. Paul had credentials.  His family heritage, training, and zeal would have secured him a prominent place in the society.  But Paul’s encounter with Christ radically changed his values.  When Paul stood face to face with the risen Christ, his resume did nothing for him.  And all that Paul had once considered assets he now counted as losses.  What mattered now was relationship with Christ.  Spiritual formation is learning to recognize and abandon those things that must be counted as losses in light of our encounter with Christ (possessions, credentials, attitudes, etc.), so that we might focus on the “gain” of relationship with Christ.
2. What are the things that I count “gain” but actually are “loss” and may become “the weight and the sin that clings so closely” (Heb 12:1) for my heavenward journey?  How can I change my perspective and consider everything as secondary to knowing Jesus as my 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.

 

第二章

1 所以，你們在基督裡若有甚麼勸勉，有甚麼愛心的安慰，有甚麼靈裡的契通，有甚麼慈悲和憐憫， 2 就應當有同樣的思想，同樣的愛心，要心志相同，思想一致，使我充滿喜樂。 3 不要自私自利，也不要貪圖虛榮，只要謙卑，看別人比自己強； 4 各人不要單顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事。 5 你們應當有這樣的意念，這也是基督耶穌的意念。（全節或譯：“你們當以基督耶穌的心為心。”） 6 他本來有神的形象，卻不堅持自己與神平等的地位， 7 反而倒空自己，取了奴僕的形象，成為人的樣式； 8 既然有人的樣子，就自甘卑微，順服至死，而且死在十字架上。 9 因此神把他升為至高，並且賜給他超過萬名之上的名。 10 使天上、地上和地底下的一切，因著耶穌的名，都要屈膝， 11 並且口裡承認耶穌基督為主，使榮耀歸給父神。

 

默想：

1．  這首教會初期的詩歌（6-11節）描述基督是“他本來有神的形象，卻不堅持自己與神平等的地位，反而倒空自己，取了奴僕的形象，成為人的樣式；既然有人的樣子，就自甘卑微，順服至死，而且死在十字架上。”詩歌繼續強調耶穌不但從死裡復活，並且被神升至最高位。

2．  保羅以此鼓勵信徒留意耶穌的謙卑態度，並以此應用在我們與人關係之中。也因此，難怪世人誤以為基督徒是軟弱、遲鈍、一絲不苟、膽卻懦弱，無法在世上出人頭地的一類。其實世人不明白，基督徒選擇謙卑，並非出於軟弱，而是出於剛強壯。

3．  所有讓我們認為高人一等，出類拔萃的理由，當我們看見耶穌的時候，都變得蒼白無力；祂甘願放棄與神同等的身份，不單成為卑微的人，並且死在十字架上。

4．  如果我秉持3-8節的教導，持續地應用在家中、教會中、工作中，事情會有怎樣的改變？有什麼是我現在就應該開始做的？

 

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 2

1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;  7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!   9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,  10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Meditation:

1．  This early church hymn (vv6-11) portrays Christ as was “in very nature God’, but emptied Himself to take on human nature and suffered a shameful death.  It affirms not only Jesus’ resurrection but His ultimate exaltation over all.

2．  Here Paul encouraged Christians to look at the attitude of humility Jesus displayed, and adopt it in our relationships with others.  It’s no wonder that Christians have been considered weak, dull, too scrupulous or too cowardly, to make it big in the world.  What the world doesn’t understand is that Christians choose humility not out of weakness, but out of strength.

3．  Whatever basis we might have for believing we are better than others, all pale to utter insignificance when we see Jesus, willing to abandon His rightful claim of full equality with God, to not only become a human being, but even to die on a cross.

4．  How would things change if I consistently applied v v3-8 in my family? Church?  Work?  Which do I need to work on 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 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.

第一章

3  我每逢想到你們，就感謝我的神；  4每次為你們大家祈求的時候，總是歡歡喜喜地祈求。 5 為了你們從頭一天直到現在都在福音的事工上有分，我就感謝我的神。 6 我深信那在你們中間開始了美好工作的，到了基督耶穌的日子，必成全這工作。

 

默想：

1. 有的時候，基督徒會認為，禱告時在我們面對急難、害怕的時候，才會想到的。但是保羅在此的禱告時出於喜樂，並且充滿了信心的禱告。腓立比教會的信徒，從開始就曾與保羅一同傳揚福音。保羅深信神會保守祂在他們中間開始的工作，且到耶穌基督再來的時候，必成全祂的工作。
2. 當我為別人禱告的時候，我也可以有同樣的信心，相信神必不會丟棄祂的任何一個兒女。因此我可以帶著喜樂為其他信徒禱告，也全心地相信神在他們的心中工作。為什麼要禱告呢？因為禱告是我表達愛的方式，並且因為我相信，神會使用我的禱告，使得祂在別人生命中的工作更加充實。
3. 花幾分鐘的時間，用我自己的話，改寫保羅的禱告，來為我的小組，我的教會禱告。

 

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。

 

 

Philippians (NIV)

Chapter 1

³I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

 

Meditation

1. Sometimes Christians think of prayer as a last resort when we’re desperate, or when we are fearful for others.  But Paul prayed out of joy, and with supreme confidence.  The Philippian believers had worked in partnership with Paul in spreading the gospel from the first.  And Paul had total confidence that the work God began in their lives would be carried on to completion, “until the day of Christ Jesus.”
2. We can have the same confidence when we pray for one another.  God won’t abandon any of His own.  We pray for other Christians with joy, and with total confidence that God is at work in their lives.  Why then do we pray?  We pray as an expression of love.  And we pray because we believe that God in some mysterious way uses our prayers to enrich that good work He is committed to do in His children’s lives.
3. Take a few minutes to put Paul’s prayer into my own words, then apply the prayer for my cell group and my 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 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

第六章

¹ 你們作兒女的，要在主裡聽從父母，因為這是理所當然的。 ² “要孝敬父母，使你得福，在世長壽。”這是第一條帶著應許的誡命。 ⁴ 你們作父親的，不要激怒兒女，卻要照著主的教訓和勸戒，養育他們。 ⁵ 你們作僕人的，要存著敬畏、戰兢和真誠的心，聽從世上的主人，好像聽從基督一樣。 ⁶ 作事不要只作給人看，像那些討人歡心的一樣，卻要像基督的僕人，從心裡遵行神的旨意， ⁷ 甘心服務，像是服事主，不是服事人。 ⁸ 你們知道，無論是奴僕或自由的人，如果作了甚麼善事，都必從主那裡得到賞賜。 ⁹ 你們作主人的，也要照樣對待僕人，不要威嚇他們；你們知道，他們和你們在天上同有一位主，他並不偏待人。

 

 

默想

1．  慢慢地讀這段經文，請求聖靈提醒我，一些熟悉的面孔。用些時間來反省，我是怎樣的孩子，怎樣的父母，怎樣的雇員或學生，等。我在這個角色上的表現與保羅的標準有何差距？回想一下：我父母是怎樣的？我所尊重的導師或其他人，他們是怎樣與雇主老板相處？

2．  和耶穌對話，與祂分享我對自己和他人的表現而得的感受，告訴耶穌我心中的失望、感激或沮喪……。

3．  聆聽耶穌要我在這個關係中，是繼續成長？或是有所改變？寫下來，並為此禱告，祈求主的幫助與提醒。

 

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

¹Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ²“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— ³“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” ⁴Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. ⁵Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. ⁶Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. ⁷Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, ⁸because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. ⁹And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

 

Meditation

1. Read the passage; ask the Spirit to call to mind the face of someone that I know.  Take a few minutes to reflect on what kind of child, parent, employee, or student I am.  How do my actions in this relationship compare to the standard Paul sets?  Ponder the models in my life for that role.  How were my parents?  How do my role models relate to their employers?
2. Talk to Jesus about this and share with Him any disappointment, gratitude, or frustration I feel about my own role and my role models.
3. Listen to what Jesus’ telling me in this relationship, to continue growing in this relationship? Or to change in some specific action?  Write it down and ask for God’s help and reminding.

 

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

¹ 因此，你們既然是蒙愛的兒女，就應當效法神。 ² 要憑著愛心行事，好像基督愛我們，為我們捨己，當作馨香的供品和祭物獻給神。

 

默想：

1. 我們若要被神塑造成為基督的樣式，最基本的屬靈操練就是“效法神”；耶穌訓練門徒的重心就在於此。當我們想要裝扮成那原非自己本相的基督模樣時，卻往往不得其法；而基督卻奇妙地將祂自己的生命“注入”我們的生命裡。這就是最不可思議的事——我們竟然可以效法神。
2. 安靜在神面前幾分鐘，專注在“效法神”幾個字上。有什麼念頭？興奮？喜樂？慚愧？失望？沮喪？恐懼？
3. 與神對話，心中是否浮現什麼要我特別留意的事？有什麼態度需要改變？有什麼需要採取的行動？求主幫助我今天，在所作、所說的事上，能成為“效法神”的人。

 

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 5

¹Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children ²and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 

Meditation

1. No spiritual practice is as fundamental to our being formed into the Christ life as imitation.  The whole of Jesus’ ministry with His disciples turned on this practice.  When we pretend to be what we are not naturally, Jesus mysteriously “injects” His kind of life into ours.  And here is the most unthinkable of all – we can imitate God!
2. Stay quietly for a few moments dwell on the words “imitator of God”.  What comes to mind, Excitement? Joy? Shame? Disappointment? Frustration? Fear?
3. Talk to God about it.  Any specific things brought to mind that I should pay attention to? A change of attitude? Any action to take? Ask for God’s help today for me to be an “imitator of 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

⁷ 我們各人蒙恩，是照著基督量給我們的恩賜。 ⁸ 所以他說：“他升上高天的時候，擄了許多俘虜，把賞賜給了人。” ⁹ （“他升上”這句話是甚麼意思呢？他不是也曾降到地上嗎？ ¹⁰ 那降下的，就是那升到諸天之上的，為了要使他充滿萬有。） ¹¹ 他所賜的，有作使徒的，有作先知的，有作傳福音的，也有作牧養和教導的， ¹² 為的是要裝備聖徒，去承擔聖工，建立基督的身體； ¹³ 直到我們眾人對神的兒子都有一致的信仰和認識，可以長大成人，達到基督豐盛長成的身量；

 

默想

1. 這段經文保羅並沒有羅列所有的恩賜，他在其他的書信中，有提到類似以及別的恩賜。在12 節，保羅指出恩賜的目的是為“裝備（訓練）聖徒”。聖靈賜給我們恩賜，當我們都使用這些恩賜時，我們就能幫助彼此，越來越像基督。
2. 神給了我怎樣的恩賜？我如何使用它們？是為了修補、糾正、整合基督的身體嗎？
3. 為神給我及教會其他弟兄姐妹的恩賜感謝神，求主助我能盡我的本分，參與在建立教會上。

 

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 to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. ⁸This is why it says:
“When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men.” ⁹(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? ¹⁰He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) ¹¹It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹²to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

 

Meditation

1. This list of gifts is by no means exhaustive.  Similar lists appear in Paul’s other letters.  Here, he says that the purpose of these gifts is “to train (prepare… for work) Christ’s followers, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (v12).  The Spirit gives gifts to us so that, by all of us exercising these gifts, we will build each other up to be more and more like Christ.
2. What gifts has God given me?  How am I using them?  Are they for mending, setting right, or putting together in the body of Christ?
3. Thank God for the gifts he’s given me and other members of the church.  Pray that I will do my part to 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 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.

 

第三章

¹⁴ 因此，我在父面前屈膝， ¹⁵ （天上地上所有的家族都是由他命名的，） ¹⁶ 求他按著他榮耀的豐盛，藉著他的靈，用大能使你們內在的人剛強起來， ¹⁷ 使基督藉著你們的信，住在你們心裡，使你們既然在愛中扎根建基， ¹⁸ 就能和眾聖徒一同領悟基督的愛是多麼的長闊高深， ¹⁹ 並且知道他的愛是超過人所能理解的，使你們被充滿，得著神的一切豐盛。 ²⁰ 願榮耀歸給神，就是歸給那能照著運行在我們裡面的大能，充充足足地成就一切，超過我們所求所想的。 ²¹ 願榮耀在教會中和基督耶穌裡歸給他，直到萬代，永世無窮。阿們。

 

默想：

1. 保羅這裡所說的“愛”並非神的愛或對神的愛，而是家庭的愛—即在基督裡信徒彼此的愛。保羅熱切地希望神的百姓“愛心有根有基（在愛中扎根建基）”，以致我們“能和眾聖徒一同明白（領悟）基督的愛是何等長闊高深”（18-19節）我們怎樣能領悟明白愛呢？就是在家庭的環境中，藉著相愛和珍惜，培育和支持，關心和分享，來學習體驗基督的愛的長闊高深。
2. “基督如今在地上，除了你的身體，祂沒有身體，

你的手是祂唯一的手，祂可用來工作，

你的腳是祂唯一的腳，祂可以走遍世界，

你的眼是祂唯一的眼，可以將祂的關愛照耀在困苦的世界，

基督如今在地上，除了你的身體，祂沒有身體。——大德蘭

3. 今天一個真正屬靈教會的標記仍然是“彼此相愛”。用這段經文來為教會及信徒禱告，求主使我的教會家庭有“彼此相愛”的標記，能深刻體驗並明白基督的愛是何等長闊高深。

 

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

¹⁴For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  ²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.

 

Meditation

1. The “love” Paul spoke of here isn’t the love of God, or love for God.  His theme was family love –love for one another in Christ.  Paul earnestly desired that God’s people be “rooted and established in love” in order that we have power “together with all the saints” to grasp and know the love of Christ (vv18-19).  How can we grasp or understand love?  In the context of the family that loves and cherishes, that nurtures and supports, that cares and shares, we are to learn by experience the width and length and height and depth of the love of Christ.
2. “Christ has no body now on earth but yours;

Yours are the only hands with which He can do His work,

Yours are the only feet with which He can go about the world,

Yours are the only eyes through which His compassion can shine forth upon a troubled world,

Christ has no body now on earth but yours” – Teresa of Avila

3. The mark of a truly spiritual church is still, “See how they love one another.”  With this passage in mind, pray for my church that we, as a church family, may bear the mark of “loving one another” and may experience deeply the love of Christ.

 

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 你們因著自己的過犯和罪惡，原是死的。 ² 那時你們在過犯和罪惡中行事為人，隨著時代的潮流，也服從空中掌權的首領，就是現今在悖逆的人身上運行的靈。 ³ 我們從前也都和他們在一起，放縱肉體的私慾，隨著肉體和心意所喜好的去行；我們與別人一樣，生來都是可怒的兒女。 ⁴ 然而神滿有憐憫，因著他愛我們的大愛， ⁵ 就在我們因過犯死了的時候，使我們與基督一同活過來，（你們得救是靠著恩典，） ⁶ 又使我們在基督耶穌裡，與他一同復活，一同坐在天上， ⁷ 為的是要在將來的世代中，顯明他在基督耶穌裡賜給我們的恩典，是多麼的豐盛。 ⁸ 你們得救是靠著恩典，藉著信心。這不是出於自己，而是神所賜的； ⁹ 這也不是出於行為，免得有人自誇。 ¹⁰ 我們原是神所作成的，是在基督耶穌裡創造的，為的是要我們行各樣的善事，就是神預先所安排的。

 

默想：

1．  行善之於信仰，就如呼氣之於吸氣，是一進一出、一前一後的；我們的善行使得神的救恩在我們身上得以完全。我們不是以行善來贏取救恩，而是用善行來表明我確實接受了救恩。跟從耶穌的人，長久以來，都因為信心和行為之間的關係困惑不已；但其實我們所追隨的主是這樣說的，“你們既知道這事，若是去行就有福了。”（約13：17）

2．  我的行為是否清楚向別人說明我對主耶穌的信心？有什麼是我“既知道”但尚未去做的“善行”？求聖靈光照，讓我知道並能實際去做。

 

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

¹As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ²in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. ⁴But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

Meditation

1．  Works are to faith as exhaling is to inhaling.  They complete the gift of salvation.  Good works are not what we do to win salvation; they are what we do to demonstrate and enjoy it.  Followers of Jesus have for the longest time been perplexed by the relationship between faith and works.  However, Jesus said, “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.”(John 13:17)

2．  Does my behaviour demonstrate to others my faith in Jesus Christ?  What are the things that I know but have not done?  Ask the Holy Spirit to show me how to actually do these good works.

 

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

¹⁵因此，我聽到你們在主耶穌裡的信心，和對眾聖徒的愛心，¹⁶就不住地為你們獻上感謝。我禱告的時候，常常提到你們，¹⁷求我們主耶穌基督的神，榮耀的父，賜給你們智慧和啟示的靈，使你們充分地認識他，¹⁸並且使你們心靈的眼睛明亮，可以知道他的呼召有怎樣的盼望；他基業的榮耀，在聖徒中是多麼的豐盛；¹⁹神照著他強大的力量，向我們信他的人顯出的能力，是何等的浩大。²⁰這力量運行在基督身上，使他從死人中復活，並且在天上坐在自己的右邊，²¹遠超過一切執政的、掌權的、有能的、作主的，和今生來世所能舉出的一切名銜。²²神又使萬有都歸服在他的腳下，並且使他作教會至高的元首。²³教會是他的身體，是那充滿萬有者所完全充滿的。

 

默想：

1. 保羅在這段為信徒的禱告中提到，神已經賜給我們一切所需的，使我們可以過豐盛的基督徒生活，是充滿喜樂和信心的生活。
2. 安靜地讀這段經文（17節起），將保羅的禱告變成為自己的禱告，例：求我主耶穌基督的神，榮耀的父，賜給（我的名字）智慧和啟示的靈，使我充分地認識他。。。體會保羅在寫這段當時激動的情緒感受；嘗試用同樣的心情，向這樣榮耀、偉大、尊貴、全知、全能、全在的神，為自己作這樣的禱告。
3. 這樣的禱告，對神，和對自己有什麼新的體驗？

 

 

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

¹⁵For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, ¹⁶I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. ¹⁷I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, ²⁰which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²²And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, ²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

 

Meditation

1. Paul is saying that we already have everything we need for living the Christian life. We don’t have to wait for something additional to happen before we can live joyfully and confidently.
2. Read the passage silently.  Make Paul’s prayer in this passage my own.  For example, I ask you – the God of my Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory – to make me intelligent and discerning in knowing you personally.  And so on.  Try to imagine Paul’s emotion when he wrote this passage.  Then pray to the same awesome, glorious, mighty, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God according to this passage.
3. What new insight or awareness about God and myself do I get from such prayer?

 

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.

第十六課

1過了安息日，抹大拉的馬利亞和雅各的母親馬利亞並撒羅米，買了香膏要去膏耶穌的身體。 2 七日的第一日清早，出太陽的時候，她們來到墳墓那裡， 3 彼此說：「誰給我們把石頭從墓門滾開呢？」 4 那石頭原來很大，她們抬頭一看，卻見石頭已經滾開了。 5 她們進了墳墓，看見一個少年人坐在右邊，穿著白袍，就甚驚恐。 6 那少年人對她們說：「不要驚恐！你們尋找那釘十字架的拿撒勒人耶穌，他已經復活了，不在這裡。請看安放他的地方。 7 你們可以去告訴他的門徒和彼得，說：『他在你們以先往加利利去。在那裡你們要見他，正如他從前所告訴你們的。』」 8 她們就出來，從墳墓那裡逃跑，又發抖又驚奇，甚麼也不告訴人，因為她們害怕。  

 

默想：

1. 這幾位婦女完全沒有想過耶穌有可能復活的，所以當天使告訴他們耶穌已經復活時，時她們的反應是「從墳墓那裡逃跑，又發抖又驚奇，甚麼也不告訴人，因為她們害怕」(8節)。
2. 多少時候我們就像墓旁的婦女，當我們經歷了神奇妙意想不到的作為時，也會驚訝得不能自己，這表示我們所熟悉的生活已經結束，即將開始的是我們的未知；不再是我為神做什麼，而是神為我做；不再是我因需要來親近神，而是神以祂的慈悲親近我。我不再主控，是神在掌管。
3. 沒有死亡就沒有復活。在我生命中，有哪些方面神可能想要使它們死去，但我卻一直抗拒要使它繼續苟延活著？若我將這方面的掌控權交給神，會有什麼改變？有什麼新生命會冒出來？新的信心？新的希望，新的愛，新的喜樂？

 

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。

 

Mark 16

¹When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ²Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”  ⁴But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.  ⁶“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”  ⁸Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

 

Meditation

1. Jesus’ resurrection is totally different from what these ladies experienced and expected.  Therefore when the angel told them that Jesus was indeed risen from the dead, the ladies were “[t]rembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.”(v8)
2. Often we are just like the women at the tomb.  When we experienced God’s wonderful, unexpected work in our lives, we would be totally astounded.  This means the end of our familiar life and the beginning of our unknown.  No longer am I doing something for God; he is doing something for me.  No longer am I drawn by my needs to God; he is drawn by his compassion to me, whether I’m ready for him or not, whether I feel anything for him or not.  That means you and I are not in charge; he is
3. There can’t be a resurrection without a death.  What area of my life is God perhaps trying to put to death that I am trying to keep alive?  What would happen if I relinquished control of it and simply let ie die?  What new life might come out of it?  What new faith?  What new hope, new love, new joy?

 

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.

 

第十五章

33 從午正到申初，遍地都黑暗了。 34 申初的時候，耶穌大聲喊著說：「以羅伊！以羅伊！拉馬撒巴各大尼？」（翻出來就是：我的神！我的神！為甚麼離棄我？） 35 旁邊站著的人，有的聽見就說：「看哪，他叫以利亞呢！」 36 有一個人跑去，把海絨蘸滿了醋，綁在葦子上，送給他喝，說：「且等著，看以利亞來不來把他取下。」 37 耶穌大聲喊叫，氣就斷了。 38 殿裡的幔子從上到下裂為兩半。 39 對面站著的百夫長看見耶穌這樣喊叫（有古卷沒有喊叫二字）斷氣，就說：「這人真是神的兒子！」 40 還有些婦女遠遠地觀看；內中有抹大拉的馬利亞，又有小雅各和約西的母親馬利亞，並有撒羅米， 41 就是耶穌在加利利的時候，跟隨他、服事他的那些人，還有同耶穌上耶路撒冷的好些婦女在那裡觀看。 42 到了晚上，因為這是預備日，就是安息日的前一日， 43 有亞利馬太的約瑟前來，他是尊貴的議士，也是等候神國的。他放膽進去見彼拉多，求耶穌的身體； 44 彼拉多詫異耶穌已經死了，便叫百夫長來，問他耶穌死了久不久。 45 既從百夫長得知實情，就把耶穌的屍首賜給約瑟。 46 約瑟買了細麻布，把耶穌取下來，用細麻布裹好，安放在磐石中鑿出來的墳墓裡，又滾過一塊石頭來擋住墓門。 47 抹大拉的馬利亞和約西的母親馬利亞都看見安放他的地方。

 

默想：

1. 耶穌的死，在四卷福都有記述。當中不同的人有不同的行動和反應。若我親歷其中，我會有何反應、感受？
2. 禱告：慢慢地讀下面這首詩，揣摩當中的意思及詩人的心態，再以緩慢的速度，懷著感恩的心，將這篇詩讀出來，作為對主的禱告。

您已給了我太多，

懇求再給我一樣 —— 一顆感恩的心；

不是當我高興時才感恩，

好像您的祝福有停止的時刻；

而是一顆心，

它的跳動就是對您的讚美。                            – – George Herbert

 

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。

 

Mark 15

³³At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. ³⁴And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  ³⁵When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”  ³⁶One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.  ³⁷With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.  ³⁸The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. ³⁹And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”  ⁴⁰Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. ⁴¹In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. ⁴²It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, ⁴³Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. ⁴⁴Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. ⁴⁵When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. ⁴⁷Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

Meditation

1. The death of Jesus has been recorded in all four gospels.  Different people reacted differently.  If I were there in person, what would be my reaction and my emotion?
2. With a prayerful heart, read the following poem slowly.  Then, with a grateful heart, read it very slowly as a prayer to God.

Thou has given so much to me, 

Give me one more thing – a grateful heart. 

Not thankful when it pleases me,  

As if Thy blessings had spare days. 

But such a heart 

Whose pulse may be Thy praise.                       – George Herbert

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.

第十四章

3 耶穌在伯大尼長大痲瘋的西門家裡坐席的時候，有一個女人拿著一玉瓶至貴的真哪噠香膏來，打破玉瓶，把膏澆在耶穌的頭上。 4 有幾個人心中很不喜悅，說：「何用這樣枉費香膏呢？ 5 這香膏可以賣三十多兩銀子賙濟窮人。」他們就向那女人生氣。 6 耶穌說：「由她吧！為甚麼難為她呢？她在我身上做的是一件美事。 7 因為常有窮人和你們同在，要向他們行善隨時都可以；只是你們不常有我。 8 她所做的，是盡她所能的；她是為我安葬的事把香膏預先澆在我身上。 9 我實在告訴你們，普天之下，無論在甚麼地方傳這福音，也要述說這女人所做的，以為記念。」

 

默想：

1. 當我想要送一樣禮物給我心愛的人時，我會有哪些考慮？
2. 我如何可以像這個女人這般地，向神作同樣奢侈的奉獻？有什麼阻礙我這樣作的呢？
3. 繼續思考上題問題。容許聖靈來光照我，顯明我不能對神慷慨的癥結何在。靜候神的指示，讓我知道下一步該如何走，來克服這個問題。

 

 

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。

 

Mark 14

³While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.  ⁴Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.  ⁶“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. ⁸She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. ⁹I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

 

Meditation

1. When I want to give a special gift to someone I love, which kind of thing do I look for?
2. What can I do for God that would be as lavish?  Are there things that keep me from doing it?
3. Continue to reflect on the last question.  Allow the Holy Spirit to show me my problems to be generous to God.  Wait for God’s direction for me to take the step in overcoming 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.

 

第十三章

32 但那日子，那時辰，沒有人知道，連天上的使者也不知道，子也不知道，惟有父知道。 33 你們要謹慎，儆醒祈禱，因為你們不曉得那日期幾時來到。 34 這事正如一個人離開本家，寄居外邦，把權柄交給僕人，分派各人當作的工又吩咐看門的儆醒。 35 所以，你們要儆醒；因為你們不知道家主甚麼時候來，或晚上，或半夜，或雞叫，或早晨； 36 恐怕他忽然來到，看見你們睡著了。 37 我對你們所說的話，也是對眾人說：要儆醒！

 

默想：

1. 對我來說，基督的再來最令我興奮的是什麼？最令我沮喪的是什麼？當我見到耶穌時，我希望問耶穌什麼問題？
2. 慢慢地讀這段話。用這段話來作為期待和盼望基督再來的禱告。
   基督再來的真理將我整個生命觀改變過來；它破除了世界的權柄及它在我身上的野心，并在最令人失望的情況下，使我生命充滿了最燦爛的樂觀。– R. A. Torrey

 

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。

 

Mark 13

³² “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³ Be on guard! Be alert^[e]! You do not know when that time will come.³⁴ It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.   ³⁵ “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”

Meditation

1. What is the most exciting thing to me about the second coming?  The most depressing?  What questions would I like to ask Jesus about it?
2. Read slowly this paragraph.  Make this a prayer of anticipation and hope for Christ’s coming again.
   The truth of the second coming of Christ transformed my whole idea of life; it broke the power of the world and its ambition over me, and filled my life with the most radiant optimism even under the most discouraging of circumstances. – R. A. Torrey

 

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.

第十二章

41 耶穌對銀庫坐著，看眾人怎樣投錢入庫。有好些財主往裡投了若干的錢。 42 有一個窮寡婦來，往裡投了兩個小錢，就是一個大錢。 43 耶穌叫門徒來，說：「我實在告訴你們，這窮寡婦投入庫裡的，比眾人所投的更多。 44 因為，他們都是自己有餘，拿出來投在裡頭；但這寡婦是自己不足，把她一切養生的都投上了。」

 

默想：

1. 耶穌警告那些文士律法師，他們喜歡穿長袍招搖過市，喜歡人家在公共場所向他們致敬問安，又喜歡坐在會堂裏的特別座位和宴會上的首座；他們一方面貪婪地暗吞了寡婦的家產，卻在會堂中公開發表長篇的禱文。這樣的人，耶穌說「要受更嚴厲的懲罰」。相反地，耶穌卻讚揚一個女人，甘心地將自己全部的生活費用都獻上了。
2. 這是價值觀的問題：貪婪的富人，貪得無厭，而窮寡婦卻甘心獻上所有。“大人物”被社會尊重，而默默無聞的女人，卻被神所讚賞。
3. 我可能並不富也不窮，但我日常的抉擇都是被這兩者之一（富有的律法師或窮寡婦）所左右。我願意選擇效法哪一個？

 

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。

 

Mark 12

⁴¹Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴²But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. ⁴³Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

 

Meditation

1. Jesus warned against those teachers of the Law who paraded themselves openly, whose prayers were a pious show, and whose greed was so great they would “devour widow’s houses”.  Such men, Jesus said, “will be punished most severely.”  For contrast, Jesus praised a woman who freely placed her last coins in the treasury.
2. What a study in values.  The greedy rich man, who always wanted more, and the poor widow willing to give all.  The “great man” viewed with respect by society, and the insignificant woman, held in high regard only by God.
3. While I may be neither rich nor poor, my choices are likely to be governed by the values expressed by one of these two.  Which of the two will I choose to be most like?

 

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.

 

 

第十一章

1耶穌和門徒將近耶路撒冷，到了伯法其和伯大尼，在橄欖山那裡；耶穌就打發兩個門徒， 2 對他們說：「你們往對面村子裡去，一進去的時候，必看見一匹驢駒拴在那裡，是從來沒有人騎過的，可以解開，牽來。 3 若有人對你們說：『為甚麼做這事？』你們就說：『主要用牠。』那人必立時讓你們牽來。」 4 他們去了，便看見一匹驢駒拴在門外街道上，就把牠解開。 5 在那裡站著的人，有幾個說：「你們解驢駒做甚麼？」 6 門徒照著耶穌所說的回答，那些人就任憑他們牽去了。 7 他們把驢駒牽到耶穌那裡，把自己的衣服搭在上面，耶穌就騎上。 8 有許多人把衣服鋪在路上，也有人把田間的樹枝砍下來，鋪在路上。 9 前行後隨的人都喊著說：和散那（和散那：原有求救的意思，在此乃是稱頌的話）！奉主名來的是應當稱頌的！ 10 那將要來的我祖大衛之國是應當稱頌的！高高在上和散那！ 11 耶穌進了耶路撒冷，入了聖殿，周圍看了各樣物件。天色已晚，就和十二個門徒出城，往伯大尼去了。

 

默想：

1. 眾人歡呼，稱頌耶穌是彌賽亞—他們的救主（9-10節）。 但未多幾時，他們卻成為吶喊釘耶穌十字架的兇手。當環境似乎很順利、我們的禱告得到應允、身邊的人也都支持我們的信仰的時候，我們就比較容易跟從神、讚美神。但當這些支持和假想開始消失時，我們的信心就會受到考驗。
2. 我對主的信心，有沒有因為時間、地方、群體的改變而受到考驗？我是如何走過的？
3. 在教會或小組中，有沒有什麼人，正在經歷這樣的考驗，至今還沒有走出來？將他/她的名字寫下來，在這個月中，固定且認真為他/她定時的禱告。若可能，打個電話，寫個電郵，或寄張卡片，去鼓勵他，陪伴他走過來。

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。

 

Mark 11

¹As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, ²saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ”  ⁴They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, ⁵some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” ⁶They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. ⁷When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. ⁸Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. ⁹Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,    “Hosanna!”    “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
¹⁰“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”    “Hosanna in the highest!”  ¹¹Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

 

Meditation

1. The crowd shouted and waved and praised Jesus as their Messiah – the savior (v9-10).  But soon after, they became the crowd that wanted to nail Jesus on the cross.  It is easier to follow and praise God when everything seems to be going well, when God is meeting our expectations, and when faith is supported by those all around us.  The strength of our faith is tested when all of these supports and assumptions begin to fall away.
2. Has my faith in God been tested through changes of time, location, community?
3. Anyone at church or cell is going through this testing process and has not come out yet?  Write down his/her name on this page.  Commit to pray for him/her regularly for the whole month.  If possible, give him/her a call, write an email or send a card to encourage him/her and to accompany him/her to come through this process.

 

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.

第十章

35 西庇太的兒子雅各、約翰進前來，對耶穌說：「夫子，我們無論求你甚麼，願你給我們做。」 36 耶穌說：「要我給你們做甚麼？」 37 他們說：「賜我們在你的榮耀裡，一個坐在你右邊，一個坐在你左邊。」 38 耶穌說：「你們不知道所求的是甚麼，我所喝的杯，你們能喝嗎？我所受的洗，你們能受嗎？」 39 他們說：「我們能。」耶穌說：「我所喝的杯，你們也要喝；我所受的洗，你們也要受； 40 只是坐在我的左右，不是我可以賜的，乃是為誰預備的，就賜給誰。」 41 那十個門徒聽見，就惱怒雅各、約翰。 42 耶穌叫他們來，對他們說：「你們知道，外邦人有尊為君王的，治理他們，有大臣操權管束他們。 43 只是在你們中間，不是這樣。你們中間，誰願為大，就必作你們的用人； 44 在你們中間，誰願為首，就必作眾人的僕人。 45 因為人子來，並不是要受人的服事，乃是要服事人，並且要捨命作多人的贖價。」

默想：

1. 耶穌對雅各和約翰的要求沒有譏諷或惱怒，卻拒絕他們的要求。我們可以向神求任何東西，不過神不見得會將我們所求的給我們，但祂卻要把最好的賜給我們。因此，有時為了我們的好處，祂會拒絕我們的請求。
2. 回想一下，有什麼禱告，是神至今沒有答應，或是已經拒絕的？現在憑著信心，為著神已經、或將要將最好的賜給我來感謝神。
3. 在基督的國度裡，「服事」才是成功之路，這是主留給我們美好的榜樣。祈禱是服事的一種，我是否留意萬民堂每星期的祈禱週誌，忠實地每天為教牧同工、教會、社區、弟兄姊妹的需要祈禱？求主幫助我。

 

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。

 

Mark 10

³⁵Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”  ³⁶“What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.  ³⁷They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”  ³⁸“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”  ³⁹“We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, ⁴⁰but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”  ⁴¹When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. ⁴²Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ⁴³Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 

Meditation

1. Jesus didn’t laugh or getting angry at James or John, but He did reject their requests.  We may want to ask for anything from God, but God wants to give us the best and not just anything we asked for.  So, it’s for our good that He may reject our requests.
2. Take a time to reflect.  Is there any prayer request of mine that God still hasn’t answered, or has refused?  Right now, offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God, for He has or will have given me the best.
3. In the kingdom of Christ, “serving” is the way to success.  This is the model Christ left us.  Prayer is one of the services for believers.  Have I noticed the PGC weekly prayer letter? Lord, help me to pray faithfully daily for pastors, the church, our community, needs of brothers and sister.

 

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.

第九章

30 他們離開那地方，經過加利利；耶穌不願意人知道。 31 於是教訓門徒，說：人子將要被交在人手裡，他們要殺害他；被殺以後，過三天他要復活。 32 門徒卻不明白這話，又不敢問他。 33 他們來到迦百農，耶穌在屋裡問門徒說：你們在路上議論的是甚麼？ 34 門徒不作聲，因為他們在路上彼此爭論誰為大。 35 耶穌坐下，叫十二個門徒來，說：若有人願意作首先的，他必作眾人末後的，作眾人的用人。 

 

默想：

1. 耶穌知道在耶路撒冷將要發生的事情，祂再次告訴門徒祂將要受死，並要復活。然而，門徒對耶穌將面對的死亡與復活漠不關心，卻在爭辯在將來的國度裡，各人的地位與前途如何。
2. 我們每個人都會為自己在某個群體中的地位與身份而掙扎奮鬥：我怎樣融入這個群體？
   在這群體中我有什麼重要？究竟耶穌的成功形式與今天我所經歷到的，有什麼不同？
3. 我要如何才能將35-37節的真意，實現在我的家中，工作場合？有什麼動機使我會如此作？

祈求聖靈來幫助我，謙卑地服事他人，而不求被服事。

 

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。

 

Mark 9

³⁰ They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, ³¹ because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” ³² But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. ³³ They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” ³⁴ But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. ³⁵ Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

 

Meditation

1. In view of what lay ahead in Jerusalem, Jesus again prepared them by telling them that He would suffer execution and experience resurrection.  Rather than discussing Jesus’ coming death and resurrection, the disciples had been arguing about their own futures in the kingdom.
2. All of us struggle with the question of status and identity within a group.  Where do I fit?  How important am I to this group?
   How does Jesus’ style of success differ from the ideas of success that press on me today?
3. What would it mean for me to reflect vv35-37 in my family? My work?  What is the incentive to do so?

Ask the Holy Spirit to help me to humbly serve others rather than to be served.

 

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.

 

 

 

第八章

27 耶穌和門徒出去，往凱撒利亞‧腓立比村莊去；在路上問門徒說：「人說我是誰？」 28 他們說：「有人說是施洗的約翰；有人說是以利亞；又有人說是先知裡的一位。」 29 又問他們說：「你們說我是誰？」彼得回答說：「你是基督。」 30 耶穌就禁戒他們，不要告訴人。 31 從此，他教訓他們說：「人子必須受許多的苦，被長老、祭司長，和文士棄絕，並且被殺，過三天復活。」 32 耶穌明明地說這話，彼得就拉著他，勸他。 33 耶穌轉過來，看著門徒，就責備彼得說：「撒但，退我後邊去吧！因為你不體貼神的意思，只體貼人的意思。」 34 於是叫眾人和門徒來，對他們說：「若有人要跟從我，就當捨己，背起他的十字架來跟從我。」35 因為，凡要救自己生命（或作：靈魂；下同）的，必喪掉生命；凡為我和福音喪掉生命的，必救了生命。 36 人就是賺得全世界，賠上自己的生命，有甚麼益處呢？ 37 人還能拿甚麼換生命呢？ 38 凡在這淫亂罪惡的世代，把我和我的道當作可恥的，人子在他父的榮耀裡，同聖天使降臨的時候，也要把那人當作可恥的。

 

默想：

1. 當彼得承認耶穌「你是基督」，開口認耶穌為主，為救主，那僅僅是踏出信仰的第一步。下一步便是一生之久的旅程，就是完完全全、真真實實地活出彼得在此時口中所表明的知識。
2. 基督徒也是如此，在我們開口認耶穌為我們的救主與主宰之後，耶穌告訴我們，祂呼召我們要活出這樣的生命：「捨己，背起他的十字架來跟從我」。
3. 在一生信仰的旅途上，我踏出了第幾步？是還在第一步徘徊？或是已經朝向成聖的境地邁進？我膽怯、害怕的是什麼？
4. 為自己走信仰路程的勇氣與信心禱告，求主牽引，讓我跟隨。

 

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。

 

Mark 8

²⁷Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”  ²⁸They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”  ²⁹“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”  Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”  ³⁰Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. ³¹He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. ³²He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.  ³³But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”  ³⁴Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. ³⁶What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? ³⁷Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? ³⁸If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

 

Meditation

1. When Peter made this confession of faith “You are the Christ”, he has only taken the first step.  The next step is a lifelong journey to live out this confession fully and authentically.
2. That’s the same with us.  After our confession of faith, Jesus calls us to live a life to “deny himself and take up his cross and follow” Jesus.
3. In my journey of faith, which step have I taken?  Am I still lingering at the first step?  Or am I walking toward the goal of being sanctified and made holy?  What is it that has kept me from moving ahead?  What am I afraid of?
4. Pray for courage and faith to walk on this journey.  Ask for God’s guidance that I may willingly follow.

 

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

17 耶穌離開眾人，進了屋子，門徒就問他這比喻的意思。 18 耶穌對他們說：「你們也是這樣不明白嗎？豈不曉得凡從外面進入的，不能污穢人， 19 因為不是入他的心，乃是入他的肚腹，又落到茅廁裡。（這是說，各樣的食物都是潔淨的）」； 20 又說：「從人裡面出來的，那才能污穢人； 21 因為從裡面，就是從人心裡，發出惡念、苟合、 22 偷盜、凶殺、姦淫、貪婪、邪惡、詭詐、淫蕩、嫉妒、謗讟、驕傲、狂妄。 23 這一切的惡都是從裡面出來，且能污穢人。」

 

默想：

1. 信主的人成為聖潔，不是因為我們的行為表現良好，而是因為基督更新了我們的心思，並塑造我們成為祂的樣式。任何邪惡的行為都是從一念之差開始的，若我們容讓自己的思想浸淫在慾望、妒忌、憎惡和仇恨裡，至終我們便會犯罪。
2. 操練昨天的「獨處、安靜」，用些時間來歇息安靜，求聖靈光照，檢視自己內心的思念，有什麼需要潔淨的思想、念頭嗎？向神禱告，求祂洗滌我內心的污穢。

 

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。

 

Mark 7

¹⁷After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. ¹⁸“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? ¹⁹For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean.”)

²⁰He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ ²¹For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²²greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’ ”

 

Meditation

1. We are sanctified and become holy not because of our outward behavior, but because Christ has renewed our minds, reformed us in his image.  Any evil behavior begins with an idea.  If we allow our thought life immersed in desires, jealousy, hatred and bitterness, eventually we will sin.
2. Continue the practice of solitude and silence from yesterday.  Take time to rest and to be silent.  Ask the Holy Spirit to examine my inner thoughts.  Is there a need for cleansing?  Pray to God and ask Him to cleanse my inner wickedness.

 

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

30 使徒聚集到耶穌那裡，將一切所做的事、所傳的道全告訴他。 31 他就說：「你們來，同我暗暗地到曠野地方去歇一歇。」這是因為來往的人多，他們連吃飯也沒有工夫。 32 他們就坐船，暗暗地往曠野地方去。 33 眾人看見他們去，有許多認識他們的，就從各城步行，一同跑到那裡，比他們先趕到了。 34 耶穌出來，見有許多的人，就憐憫他們，因為他們如同羊沒有牧人一般，於是開口教訓他們許多道理。

 

默想：

1. 耶穌差遣門徒出去傳道，當他們工作結束回來時，耶穌帶著他們遠離群眾「到曠野去、歇一歇」，這是因為耶穌知道，門徒們若要能夠繼續有效的事奉，他們必須有獨處休息的時間，使他們得到屬靈的更新，以便再接再厲為主工作。《生命陶造版聖經》對「獨處」的定義是：刻意減少人際的互動，好在生活中騰出空間，使我們擺脫各樣的纏累，讓神找著我們。
2. 在我日常的行程表中，我有多少「安靜、獨處」的時間？在我每天繁忙的生活中，怎樣「讓神找著我」？
3. 將下週或下個月的日程表打開，嘗試劃出一段時間（半個鐘頭，或是長至半日或一日），去公園、空曠的地方，或是在一個安靜、不受打擾的室內，「安靜、獨處」，並與神對話。

 

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。

 

 

Mark 6

³⁰The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. ³¹Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”  ³²So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. ³³But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

 

Meditation

1. When the disciple came back after they finished their assignment, Jesus took them away “to a quiet place and get some rest”.  This is for them to find spiritual resources to continue effective ministry.  The Spiritual Formation Bible has the definition for “Solitude”: the creation of an open, empty space in our lives by purposefully abstaining from interaction with other human beings, so that, freed from competing loyalties, we can be found by God.
2. Have I arranged “solitude” into my regular routine schedule?  How can I “be found by God” in my busy life?
3. Open my agenda to next week or next month.  Try to carve out a time (half an hour, or half a day or a whole day).  Go to a park, a deserted place, or an indoor place without being disturbed.  Stay quiet and alone, and then converse 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.

第五章

25有一個女人，患了十二年的血漏， 26 在好些醫生手裡受了許多的苦，又花盡了她所有的，一點也不見好，病勢反倒更重了。 27 她聽見耶穌的事，就從後頭來，雜在眾人中間，摸耶穌的衣裳， 28 意思說：「我只摸他的衣裳，就必痊癒。」 29 於是她血漏的源頭立刻乾了；她便覺得身上的災病好了。 30 耶穌頓時心裡覺得有能力從自己身上出去，就在眾人中間轉過來，說：「誰摸我的衣裳？」 31 門徒對他說：「你看眾人擁擠你，還說『誰摸我』嗎？」 32 耶穌周圍觀看，要見做這事的女人。 33 那女人知道在自己身上所成的事，就恐懼戰兢，來俯伏在耶穌跟前，將實情全告訴他。 34 耶穌對她說：「女兒，你的信救了你，平平安安地回去吧！你的災病痊癒了。」

 

默想：

1. 耶穌在前往醫治睚魯女兒的路上，被這位長年患血漏病的女人觸摸。她花盡所有都不能醫好這病，當她聽到耶穌時，她立刻相信，只要摸一下耶穌的衣裳，就必得痊癒，她也真的得癒。
2. 馬可這段描述是要向我們表明，耶穌基督——神國度的主宰，祂的權能勝過自然界、勝過惡魔的權勢、以及各樣的疾病。當我們認識耶穌這樣的權力時，既或祂沒有立刻醫治每一位信徒的疾病，我們仍有信心靠著祂的話語（聖經）來生活。
3. 將我心中迫切的需要告訴耶穌，並求祂的醫治和幫助。

 

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。

 

Mark 5

²⁵And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. ²⁷When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.   30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

 

Meditation

1. Jesus, on his way to the home of a dying girl, was touched by a woman with chronic bleeding.  She spent all she had to search for a cure but to no avail.  Then she heard about Jesus, she became convinced that if she could only touch his clothing, she would be healed.  And she was healed indeed.
2. Mark is demonstrating to us here that Jesus Christ, ruler of God’s kingdom, has power over nature, over demonic power, and over every illness.  Knowing Jesus has such power gives us confidence to live by his word, even if he should not choose to heal every believer’s disease now.
3. Tell Jesus all of my urgent needs and ask for His healing and help.

 

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

21 耶穌又對他們說：「人拿燈來，豈是要放在斗底下，床底下，不放在燈臺上嗎？ 22 因為掩藏的事，沒有不顯出來的；隱瞞的事，沒有不露出來的。 23 有耳可聽的，就應當聽！」 24 又說：「你們所聽的要留心。你們用甚麼量器量給人，也必用甚麼量器量給你們，並且要多給你們。 25 因為有的，還要給他；沒有的，連他所有的也要奪去。」

 

默想：

1. 耶穌在馬太福音六章3-4節，教導我們：「你施捨的時候，不要叫左手知道右手所做的，要叫你施捨的事行在暗中。你父在暗中察看，必然報答你」。
2. 但是耶穌在這段經文中卻講到，我們暗中所做的一切，不論是好是壞，都要顯露出來。「不張揚自己的善行和品德」，和「我們在暗中所做一切掩藏、隱瞞的事，都被顯露出來」，這兩件事有什麼關連？這對我們不將善行張揚出來，有什麼幫助？
3. 繼續昨天的默想，甘心地作主默默無聞的門徒，求主幫助我，「不要叫左手知道右手所做的」。

 

 

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。

 

 

Mark 4

²¹He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? ²²For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. ²³If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”  ²⁴“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. ²⁵Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

 

Meditation

1. In Matthew 6:3-4, Jesus taught us: “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
2. However, in this paragraph, it is talking about all of our secrets – good and bad – being revealed.  What is the connection between keeping good deeds and qualities secret and having all of our secrets revealed?  Does this motivate us to be quiet about the good works that we do?
3. Continue the meditation from yesterday to be willing to be a quiet disciple of Jesus.  Lord, help me so that I will “not let (my) left hand know what (my) right hand is doing” (Matt 6:3).

 

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

17 耶穌離開眾人，進了屋子，門徒就問他這比喻的意思。 18 耶穌對他們說：「你們也是這樣不明白嗎？豈不曉得凡從外面進入的，不能污穢人， 19 因為不是入他的心，乃是入他的肚腹，又落到茅廁裡。（這是說，各樣的食物都是潔淨的）」； 20 又說：「從人裡面出來的，那才能污穢人； 21 因為從裡面，就是從人心裡，發出惡念、苟合、 22 偷盜、凶殺、姦淫、貪婪、邪惡、詭詐、淫蕩、嫉妒、謗讟、驕傲、狂妄。 23 這一切的惡都是從裡面出來，且能污穢人。」

 

默想：

1. 信主的人成為聖潔，不是因為我們的行為表現良好，而是因為基督更新了我們的心思，並塑造我們成為祂的樣式。任何邪惡的行為都是從一念之差開始的，若我們容讓自己的思想浸淫在慾望、妒忌、憎惡和仇恨裡，至終我們便會犯罪。
2. 操練昨天的「獨處、安靜」，用些時間來歇息安靜，求聖靈光照，檢視自己內心的思念，有什麼需要潔淨的思想、念頭嗎？向神禱告，求祂洗滌我內心的污穢。

 

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。

 

Mark 7

¹⁷After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. ¹⁸“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? ¹⁹For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean.”)

²⁰He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ ²¹For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²²greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. ²³All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’ ”

 

Meditation

1. We are sanctified and become holy not because of our outward behavior, but because Christ has renewed our minds, reformed us in his image.  Any evil behavior begins with an idea.  If we allow our thought life immersed in desires, jealousy, hatred and bitterness, eventually we will sin.
2. Continue the practice of solitude and silence from yesterday.  Take time to rest and to be silent.  Ask the Holy Spirit to examine my inner thoughts.  Is there a need for cleansing?  Pray to God and ask Him to cleanse my inner wickedness.

 

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

13 耶穌上了山，隨自己的意思叫人來；他們便來到他那裡。 14 他就設立十二個人，要他們常和自己同在，也要差他們去傳道， 15 並給他們權柄趕鬼。 16 這十二個人有西門（耶穌又給他起名叫彼得）， 17 還有西庇太的兒子雅各和雅各的兄弟約翰（又給這兩個人起名叫半尼其，就是雷子的意思）， 18 又有安得烈、腓力、巴多羅買、馬太、多馬、亞勒腓的兒子雅各、和達太，並奮銳黨的西門， 19 還有賣耶穌的加略人猶大。

 

默想：

1. 耶穌的十二個門徒當中，我們所熟悉，就是幾位較出名（或惡名昭彰）的門徒，但對於這名單中耶穌所選召的其他幾位門徒，聖經並未多作記載，因此我們對他們也都一無所知。因此，他們雖然與彼得、約翰、雅各一樣，有三年多的時間與耶穌一起，得到耶穌的教導與關愛，同樣奉命出去傳道、醫病、趕鬼，但是他們在聖經中，在教會的歷史中，卻是似乎成了亟亟無名的小卒。
2. 當我在學習成為耶穌門徒的過程中，或會有人邀請我擔任某個受人矚目的工作或崗位；然而，大多數的時候，做主的門徒，就是忠心辦理沒人會不受人留意的小事，只有神才注意的一些基督徒的例行事奉。
3. 在教會中，小組裡，家庭中，或是公司，與親友來往中，我有沒有留意到一些默默無聞的服事者？這個星期找機會向他們表示感激，一個微笑、說一聲謝謝。
4. 我是否願意做一個默默無聞的主的門徒？有什麼服事是不受人注意，但卻是實際的服事？我願意做嗎？告訴主，我的心願，求主幫助我，甘心也安心的在日常生活中，在不為人注意的事上，忠心地作主的門徒。

 

 

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。

 

Mark 3

¹³Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. ¹⁴He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach ¹⁵and to have authority to drive out demons. ¹⁶These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter ¹⁷ James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); ¹⁸Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot ¹⁹and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

 

Meditation

1. We know a few of the more famous (and infamous) disciples, but there are many in this list we know nothing about at all.  Though they were also with Jesus for more than three years just as Peter, John and James were.  They also received teachings and care from Jesus, were commanded to preach, heal, and cast out demons. However, they remains to be the unnoticed in the Bible and in the church history.
2. In our own discipleship, we may be asked to do some work or to take a stand that gets noticed by others.  But often discipleship consists of faithfulness in the small, even mundane acts of Christian service perhaps unnoticed by all except God.
3. Am I aware of any unnoticed servers at church, home, the office or any other places? Look for an opportunity to show appreciation, a smile, or a thank you to these people.
4. Am I willing to be an unnoticed disciple of Christ?  Is there any behind-the-scene work that needs to be done?  Am I willing to do it?  Ask the Lord to give me the willingness  to do the not-easily-noticed services faithfully even without people’s recognition or appreciation.

 

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過了些日子，耶穌又進了迦百農。人聽見他在房子裡， 2 就有許多人聚集，甚至連門前都沒有空地；耶穌就對他們講道。 3 有人帶著一個癱子來見耶穌，是用四個人抬來的； 4 因為人多，不得近前，就把耶穌所在的房子，拆了房頂，既拆通了，就把癱子連所躺臥的褥子都縋下來。 5 耶穌見他們的信心，就對癱子說：「小子，你的罪赦了。」 6 有幾個文士坐在那裡，心裡議論，說： 7 「這個人為甚麼這樣說呢？他說僭妄的話了。除了神以外，誰能赦罪呢？」 8 耶穌心中知道他們心裡這樣議論，就說：「你們心裡為甚麼這樣議論呢？ 9 或對癱子說『你的罪赦了』，或說『起來！拿你的褥子行走』；哪一樣容易呢？ 10 但要叫你們知道，人子在地上有赦罪的權柄。」就對癱子說： 11 「我吩咐你，起來！拿你的褥子回家去吧。」 12 那人就起來，立刻拿著褥子，當眾人面前出去了，以致眾人都驚奇，歸榮耀與神，說：「我們從來沒有見過這樣的事！」

默想：

1. 當神呼召我們時，祂不僅要拯救我們，使我們個人的靈命得到塑造；神還要將我們形成一個信仰的群體，使我們彼此支持代求，並且竭力幫助別人也同樣得到神的醫治，獲得健全的人生；這就好像癱子的四位朋友，協力幫助他得著醫治一樣。
2. 禱告：親愛的主，我很羨慕這四位朋友與癱子之間彼此親愛、不計代價地互相支持的關係；我也希望我自己，和我的小組組員們，藉著互相的幫助扶持，使我們都得到主在我們身體上、情感上、靈性上、生活上……的醫治。

 

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。

 

Mark 2

¹A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ²So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. ⁴Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. ⁵When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”  ⁶Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ⁷“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  ⁸Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? ⁹Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? ¹⁰But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” He said to the paralytic, ¹¹“I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ¹²He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

 

Meditation

1. God has called us not only to individual spiritual formation, but to be formed into communities of faith too.  We pray for one another and work for the healing and wholeness of others, just as this paralytic’s four friends help him receive the healing he needs.
2. Prayer:  Dear Lord, how I desire the mutual love, care and sacrificial support between this paralytic and his friends.  I hope that there will be similar relationships between me and my cell members so that we may all receive healings in our body, emotion, spiritual life, daily 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.

 

第一章

14 約翰下監以後，耶穌來到加利利，宣傳神的福音， 15 說：「日期滿了，神的國近了。你們當悔改，信福音！」 16 耶穌順著加利利的海邊走，看見西門和西門的兄弟安得烈在海裡撒網；他們本是打魚的。 17 耶穌對他們說：「來跟從我，我要叫你們得人如得魚一樣。」 18 他們就立刻捨了網，跟從了他。 19 耶穌稍往前走，又見西庇太的兒子雅各和雅各的兄弟約翰在船上補網。 20 耶穌隨即招呼他們，他們就把父親西庇太和雇工人留在船上，跟從耶穌去了。

 

默想：

1. 耶穌的門徒不是一遇見耶穌便已一步登天成是信心的偉人，他們的信心和對主的委身，跟所有信徒一樣，是逐步塑造而成的。耶穌當時對這四位門徒所作的呼召，他們要經過一段時間才能理解；但不約而同地，他們四人都立刻跟從了耶穌。今天，主耶穌仍在呼召那些對傳福音、跟隨主有同樣緊迫感的門徒，我是否聽到祂的呼聲？
2. 西門、安得烈、雅各和約翰勇於跟從主，不惜捨棄所有的；今天我還有什麼牽制、掛慮，使我不願、也不能跟隨主？
3. 花些時間靜默在主前，思想那些攔阻我跟隨主的牽掛，將它們一一寫下來，並將每一項逐一的告訴主，等候主對我說話。聽見什麼嗎？在這一天中，繼續和主對話，並繼續聆聽，對話，聆聽。。。

 

 

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。

 

 

Mark 1

¹⁴After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” ¹⁶As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” ¹⁸At once, they left their nets and followed him.  ¹⁹When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

 

Meditation

1. Jesus’ disciples didn’t become faith giants once they met Jesus.  Their faith and commitment grew step by step, just like all believers.  They didn’t understand Jesus’ calling then but they all responded by following Him immediately.  Jesus is still calling disciples who have the same urgency for spreading the gospel and following Jesus.  Do I hear his calling?
2. Simon, Andrew, James and John left everything that they owned to follow Jesus.  What is it that is holding me from following the Lord?
3. Stay silent before the Lord. Think of the obstacles that are holding me back.  Write them down one by one.  Tell them to the Lord.  Wait and listen to what the Lord is speaking.  Then, continue this conversation with the Lord throughout the day…

 

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.