Category Archives: 牧者之言

This category collects the weekly words from pastor

2024年12月8日 牧者之言

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神的话临到（拿1：1-3）

上周12/1-7日 是教会第二次禁食祷告周，特摘录12/1日的灵修和代祷与家人们分享：
默想：

  1. 经文描述：约在公元前800多年前，神的话临到亚米太（“信实”之意）的儿子约拿（“鸽子”之意）。约拿住在靠耶稣长大之处拿撒勒约十里的迦特希弗。神吩咐他到亚述国首都尼尼微城传悔改的信息，那里的恶达到主的面前。尼尼微人十分邪恶，以残忍著称。从迦特希弗到约帕96公里。约拿没有听从神的吩咐去距离约帕东北1100公里的尼尼微，却恰巧买了船票（尽管当时一票难求），逃往距离约帕3200公里的他施。约拿宁可选择远两倍的路躲避神，也不愿去距离较近的尼尼微去传道。
  2. 学习教训
  1. 要寻求神的话语临到（1：1）。我们要每日读经查考神的话（约5：39，徒17：11）。有神话语的指示，我们才敢行动。
  2. 要寻求明白神的心意（1：2）。神是圣洁的神，神恨恶罪恶，喜愛良善，他恨恶尼尼微城的罪恶。先知要传讲指责罪恶、劝人悔改的信息。
  3. 要顺服神的心意（1：3）。约拿的意思是鸽子，这里他是一只不听话的鸽子，他对神“放鸽子”，他不仅逃避神的工作，更是逃避神的面。求主怜悯我们，借着禁食祷告寻求神的面，不要与主的心意背道而驰，而要借着耶稣的宝血时刻就近神。

祷告项目：为教会2025年未来事工
包括：小石城教会（未来聚会场所）、伯特利教会（未来方向）及众牧者同工的服侍

祷词：
亲愛的天父，我们感谢你将约拿书赐予我们。求你一路带领我们祷读经文，禁食祷告的过程，使我们放下自己的意思，专心寻求你，一心归向你，见到你的面，好过讨你喜悦的生活。
主阿，神的话是我们脚前的灯，路上的光。求你帮助我们每日坚持读你的话，在读经中有亮光，并靠主遵行主的话，将主的话活在我们生命中。愿你的话通过我们读经、默想和祈祷临到我们。只要有你话语的指示，我们就有勇气敢于迈向前进。
主阿，我们要将小石城教会2025年的事工交托在你的手中。

  • 求主为我们预备未来的聚会场所。我们自己住在天花板的房屋，神的教会却还没有长久的居所（该1：4，9）。我们要向主认罪，求主赦免我们的自我中心。求主为我们教会开出路。我们为神家焦急如同火烧的心，求主按着你圣善的美意为我们预备合你心意的居所。求你按着你时候，赐予我们完全合一的心，让我们全然摆上，在这件事上遇见你的大能和作为。主阿，我们等候你。当你将“云彩从帐幕收上去，我们就起程前往”（出40：36）。
  • 我们要为2025年具体事工代祷，求主带领举牌传福音事工；求主预备暑期圣经学校（VBS）日期、联络人、选用材料、能有45个儿童和青少年参与，并有足够的成人义工。求主预备儿童青少年沙龙营地的报名和安排；求主预备秋季特会讲员、地点等；求主预备能将每季度守主餐礼调整为每月一次；求主安排常青团契的带领同工和日期；求主赐福教会不浪费每次节日（新年、受难节、复活节、父亲节、母亲节、感恩节、圣诞节等），利用机会大大为主传福音。愿主的名在我们中间得荣耀，使更多人归到主的名下。

我们要将中国的伯特利教会 2025年事工交托：

  • 求主带领以圣灵所赐智慧和恩赐服侍
  • 求主安排聚会的安全和平安，各聚会点都兴旺
  • 求主带领牧者、同工有能力和权柄，继续大大作主圣工
  • 求主赐福学习乐器同工有智慧聪明
  • 求主兴起更多弟兄火热事奉主
  • 求主带领开展下一代圣工，将我们的子孙带到主面前。

我们要为每一位主的仆人和同工代祷：

  • 求主使我们凡事将上帝放在首位（路17：5-10），从主领受使命和异象
  • 求主使我们愛慕真理、学习真理、坚持真理、宣讲真理（箴2: 3-4，约8：32）
  • 求主使我们关愛群羊（结34章）
  • 求主赐我们口才，将福音尽都传明
  • 求主使我们不做瞎眼守望者，不作哑巴狗不能叫唤、不贪食好酒寻求自己的利益（赛56：10-11），使我们天天死于旧我，活出基督，高举十字架救恩，竭力荣耀主的名。以上祷告是奉基督之名，阿门！

The Word of God Comes (Jonah 1:1-3) 

Last week, December 1-7, was the church’s second fasting and prayer week. I would like to share with our church family the excerpts of the spiritual meditation and intercession on December 1.

Meditation:

  1. Scripture description: About BC 800 years ago, the word of God came to Jonah (meaning “dove”), the son of Amittai (meaning “faithful”). Jonah lived in Gath-hepher, about ten miles from Nazareth, where Jesus grew up. God commanded him to preach the message of repentance in Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, where the evil had reached the Lord. The people of Nineveh were very evil and known for their cruelty. It is 96 kilometers from Gath-hepher to Joppa. Jonah did not obey God’s command to go to Nineveh, which is 1,100 kilometers northeast of Joppa, but happened to buy a boat ticket (although it was hard to get a ticket at the time) and fled to Tarshish, which is 3,200 kilometers away from Joppa. Jonah would rather choose a twice-long route to avoid God than to preach in Nineveh, which is closer.
  2. Lessons Learned
  1. We need to seek God’s word (1:1). We need to read the Bible and study God’s word every day (John 5:39, Acts 17:11). Only with the guidance of God’s word, can we dare to act.
  2. We must seek to understand God’s will (1:2). God is a holy God who hates sin and loves goodness. He hates the sin of Nineveh. The prophet must preach a message that denounces sin and urges people to repent.
  3. We must obey God’s will (1:3). Jonah means a dove, and here he is a disobedient dove. He “released a dove” from God (A Chinese slang, meaning “stand God up”). He not only avoided God’s work, but also avoided God’s presence. May the Lord have mercy on us, seek God’s face through fasting and prayer, and not go against the Lord’s will, but always approach God through the precious blood of Jesus.

Prayer Items: Future Ministry for the Church in 2025
Includes: Little Rock Immanuel Chinese Baptist Church (future meeting place), Bethel Church (future direction), and the service of pastors and co-workers

Prayers:
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for giving us the Book of Jonah. Please lead us through the process of praying and reading the scriptures, fasting and praying, so that we can put aside our own ideas, seek you wholeheartedly, turn to you with all our hearts, seek your face, and live a life that pleases you.
Lord, Your word is the lamp before our feet and the light on our path. Please help us to persist in reading your word every day, to have enlightenment in reading the Bible, to obey your word by relying on you, and to live out your word in our lives. May your word come to us through our daily reading of the Bible, meditation and prayer. As long as we have the guidance of your word, we have the courage to move forward.
Lord, we commit the ministry of Little Rock Church in 2025 into your hands.

  • May the Lord prepare us a suitable meeting place. Almost every family of our church lives in a house with a ceiling, but the church family of our Lord does not have a long-term place (Hag. 1:4, 9). We must confess our sins to the Lord and ask You to forgive our self-centeredness. May the Lord open a way out for our church. We are anxious for the house of God, and may the Lord prepare a place for us according to Your holy will. Please give us a united spirit, so that we can give ourselves completely and encounter Your power and work in this matter. Lord, we are waiting for You. When You take up “the cloud from the tabernacle, we will set out” (Exod. 40:36).
  • Specific ministries in 2025: Ask the Lord to lead the ministry of evangelism with holding sign for Jesus; to prepare the date, coordinator, materials, 45 children and teenagers to participate, and enough adult volunteers for the Vacation Bible School (VBS); the registration and arrangement of the Children and Teenagers for Camp Siloam; the speakers and location of the Fall Retreat; to adjust the Lord’s Supper from quarterly to monthly; to arrange the coordinator and date of the Evergreen Fellowship ; to bless the church not to waste every holiday (Chinese Lunar New Year, Good Friday, Easter, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas), and make a good use of the opportunity to preach the gospel for the Lord. May the name of the Lord be glorified among us, so that more people will come to the Lord.

We would like to entrust the ministry of Bethel Church in China in 2025 to our Lord:

  • Ask the Lord to lead them to serve with the wisdom and gifts given by the Holy Spirit.
  • arrange for the safety and peace of the meetings, and that all the gathering points will prosper.
  • lead the leaders and co-workers to have the power and authority to continue to do evangelism.
  • bless their coworkers who learn musical instruments with wisdom and intelligence
  • raise up more brothers to serve Him fervently
  • carry out the next generation ministries and bring our children and grandchildren to the Lord.

We pray for every leader and co-worker of the Lord:

  • Pray that we will put God first in everything (Luke 17:5-10) and receive mission and vision from the Lord.
  • make us love the truth, learn the truth, uphold the truth, and preach the truth (Prov. 2:3-4, John 8:32)
  • help us to care for the sheep (Ezekiel 34)
  • give us the ability to speak and spread the gospel
  • keep us from being blind watchmen, dumb dogs that cannot bark, or greedy eaters and drinkers who seek our own interests (Isaiah 56:10-11). May we die to our old selves daily, live out Christ, uphold the salvation of the cross, and strive to glorify the Lord’s name.

The above prayer is made in the name of Christ. Amen!

2024年12月1日 牧者之言

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“警醒感恩”

——2024年小石城以马内利华语浸信会数算主恩
李春海

上周二晨祷会上，王牧师讲到我们要“警醒感恩”（西4：2）。圣经中提到，我们要警醒祷告，警醒谨防异端，警醒预备主再来。同时，我们也要警醒感恩。“警醒”是在强调我们要留意，要小心，要在乎，要将此事放到重要日程上。在过去的11个月里小石城以马内利华语浸信会经历无数恩典，我在此数算其中的12样。
第一，从1月2日起教会开始晨祷会，每日有10多位，最多次有30多位弟兄姐妹参加。自从11月份起，上帝奇妙地将晨祷会变成了中美联合祷告会，使许多国内的弟兄姐妹加入。它成为属灵连结的桥梁，主内弟兄姐妹共同在主里守望代祷，在神国里一起争战。参加的弟兄姐妹来自美国的小石城，奥克拉荷马、特克萨卡纳、沃斯堡、休斯顿；在中国的鹤岗、佳木斯、深圳、北京。祷告是主吩咐依靠主的方式。主正在借着祷告“扩张我们帐幕之地，张大我们居所的幔子，不要限止，要放长我们的绳子，坚固我们的橛子；因为我们要向左右开展，我们的后裔必得多国为业，又使荒凉的城邑有人居住”（赛54：2-3）。我们要靠圣灵坚持祷下去！
第二，在3月24日10位弟兄姐妹接受浸礼；韩涛、吴红夫妇为主作见证。这次浸礼人数是自教会成立以来最多的一次，包括7位儿童青少年和3位成人。这些孩子能接受浸礼为主作见证是多年来教会主日学老师和各位同工流泪撒子、欢呼收割的果实。我们将荣耀归于上帝！韩涛、吴红夫妇经历了很大的神迹。在韩涛住院期间，无数华人倾注了愛心。最重要的是，主的大能借着众人祷告的力量彰显出来，使韩涛经历死荫幽谷，获得重生；吴红也经历主的医治，得享基督里的平安。此后，他们坚持参加主日崇拜。
第三，4月7日复活节庆祝，我们教会和安提阿教会（Antioch Church）联合崇拜，共同掰饼领主餐，在教堂操场举行街区拖车派对(Block Trailer Party)，烧烤，有200多人参加，是教会历史上参加人数最多的一次。明芳阿姨为59位小朋友发放绣有十字架的精美香囊。教会借此高举十字架，见证基督，影响社区。
第四，5月24-27日教会支持大人孩子有26位参加明日之光营会，我们录制视频作为纪念（参：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJwUyfuEZOk）。
第五，6月10-14日教会2位辅导员同工带领11位小朋友第一次参加西罗亚营会（Camp Siloam），其中1位小朋友决志信主。他们在6月16日父亲节为主作见证，分享学习心得，荣耀主圣。
第六，从6月18日到21日举行第二次暑期圣经学校。主题：“海底探险”（SCUBA）有32位小朋友和青少年志愿者，成人义工32位。有3位小朋友决志信主。暑期圣经学校为“巴西亚马逊河宣教项目”(Brazil Amazon River Mission Project)做了愛心奉献。
第七，教会同工分别于5月18日、6月3日、6月6日、11月23日组织到食物银行（Food Bank）进行社区服务活动。11月22日那次服侍有27位弟兄姐妹参加。可愛的一岁多宝宝清泉也帮助拿土豆。
第八， 9月23日常青团契举行聚会，有20多位弟兄姐妹和慕道友参加。我们要继续为长辈们的身心灵健康，更加愛主，慕道友长辈早日归主代祷祝福。
第九，10月18-20人教会举行秋季特会。这次特会以“活出基督”为主题，傅凯彬牧师带来新鲜活泼的信息，Justice Dundas带领青少年，三位UALR学生带领儿童。琼斯博罗和康威的弟兄姐妹及慕道友有来参加，琼斯博罗的米国瑞牧师和Grace姐妹分别分享蒙召事奉见证和非洲短宣见证。弟兄姐妹收获甚丰。
第十，11月24日教会举行感恩节崇拜、见证和聚餐。有四位弟兄姐妹为主作感恩见证。申田生分享她人生之路犹如贵人（上帝）相助，一直到今天。她于2020年参加哥城华人基督教会（Columbus Chinese Christian Church）查经班，2023年11月5日决志信主，今年3月24日浸礼。她感谢上帝，也感谢亲人们和教会家人一路陪伴。刘美英阿姨分享“人的道路不由自己，行路的人也不能定自己的脚步”（耶10：23），尽管再次来美经历挫折，但凡事都有主的美意。约书亚分享他从小信主，父亲在中国传道遇到的艰难，以及他求学路上几经周折，蒙神保守能来美国求学的过程。他于8月18日接受浸礼，加入教会，作主门徒。薛飞弟兄分享在开车的小事上学习忍耐等候的功课，蒙主眷顾避免了祸患。有许多慕道朋友来与我们一同参加崇拜或聚餐。
第十一，感谢主使用每位同工在每周五团契尽心服侍，使儿童、青少年、学生学者和基督徒都能在主里成长。有几次弟兄姐妹敞开家门，愛心接待众人到家里共享美好团契时光。
第十二，教会同工合一，竭力服侍主。主日敬拜诗歌实现现场音乐，儿童青少年司琴服侍。母亲节由弟兄们服侍。每次教会聚餐时大部分青少年参与发放食物。等等。
王牧师还提到：人的忘恩是罪性的特点之一，需要不断对付。没有感恩就没有未来。越感恩越蒙恩。感恩不是将恩典画上句号，感恩是一把钥匙，为我们开启那更大的恩典之门。愿主继续带领我们教会在数算主恩中迈向更美的未来！

 

“ Being Watchful and Thankful ”
——2024 Counting Blessings at Little Rock Immanuel Chinese Baptist Church

         At the morning prayer meeting last Tuesday, Pastor Wang talked about how we should “Be Watchful and thankful” (Col. 4:2). The Bible mentions that we should be watchful to pray, be watchful to guard against heresy, and be watchful to prepare for the Lord’s return. At the same time, we should also be watchful and thankful. “Be watchful” emphasizes that we should pay attention, be careful, carefully put this matter on the important agenda. In the past 11 months, Little Rock Immanuel Chinese Baptist Church has experienced innumerous blessings, and I will count 12 of them here.
First, the church has started morning prayer meetings since January 2nd. Every day, there were more than 10 brothers and sisters, and at most more than 30 brothers and sisters participated. Since November, God has miraculously turned the morning prayer meeting into a joint prayer meeting between China and the United States, allowing many brothers and sisters in China to join. It has become a bridge of spiritual connection. Brothers and sisters in the Lord watch and pray together and fight the spiritual battle together in the Kingdom of God. The brothers and sisters who participated came from Little Rock, Oklahoma, Texarkana, Fort Worth, Houston in the United States; while Hegang, Jiamusi, Shenzhen, Beijing in China. Prayer is the way the Lord has commanded to rely on Him. The Lord is using prayer to “Enlarge the place of our tent, stretch our tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen our cords, strengthen our stakes. For we will spread out to the right and to the left; our descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.” We must rely on the Holy Spirit to persist in praying!
Second, on March 24, 10 brothers and sisters were baptized; Han Tao and Wu Hong testified for the Lord. This baptism was the largest since the church was founded, including 7 children and teenagers and 3 adults. The fact that these children were baptized and testified by the Lord is the result of the Sunday school teachers and co-workers of the church who have sown seeds with tears and harvested with joy over the years. We give glory to God! Han Tao and Wu Hong experienced a great miracle. During Han Tao’s hospitalization, countless Chinese people poured out their love. Most importantly, the power of the Lord was manifested through the power of everyone’s prayers, allowing Han Tao to experience the valley of the shadow of death and be reborn; Wu Hong also experienced the Lord’s healing and enjoyed peace in Christ. Since then, they have insisted on attending Sunday worships.
Third, on April 7, Easter was celebrated. Our church and Antioch Church held a joint worship service, broke bread and took the Lord’s Supper together, and held a Block Trailer Party and barbecue in the church playground. More than 200 people attended, which was the largest number of participants in the church’s history. Sister Mingfang distributed exquisite sachets embroidered with cross to 59 children. The church held high the cross, witnessed Christ, and impacted the community.
Fourth, from May 24 to 27, the church sponsored 26 adults and children to participate in the Pioneers Conference. We recorded a video as a commemoration (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJwUyfuEZOk ).
Fifth, from June 10 to 14, two church counselors led 11 children to participate in the first Camp Siloam, and one child made a decision to follow Jesus. They shared their testimonies on Father’s Day of June 16, talking about their learning experiences, and glorifying the Lord.
Sixth, the second Vacation Bible School (VBS) was held from June 18 to 21. The theme was “SCUBA.” There were 32 children and youth volunteers and 32 adult volunteers. Three children made a decision to follow the Lord. This year our VBS made a loving contribution to the “Brazil Amazon River Mission Project.”
Seventh, our coworkers organized community service activities at the Food Bank on May 18, June 3, June 6, and November 22. 27 brothers and sisters participated in the service on November 23. The adorable one-year-old baby Seth also helped to get potatoes.
Eighth, on September 23, the Evergreen Fellowship held a gathering, with more than 20 brothers and sisters and gospel seekers attending. We must continue to pray for the physical, mental and spiritual health of our elders, and for them to love the Lord more and pray for the salvation of the gospel seekers.

Ninth, October 18-20, the church held a fall retreat. The theme was “Living Out Christ.” Pastor Fu Kaibin delivered several fresh and lively messages, Justice Dundas led the youths, and three UALR students led the children. Brothers and sisters from Jonesboro and Conway and seekers of the truth also came to participate. Pastor Greg Meeks and Sister Grace from Jonesboro shared their testimonies of being called to serve and short-term missions in Africa respectively. The brothers and sisters gained a lot from the retreat.
Tenth, on November 24, the church held Thanksgiving worship, testimony and dinner. Four brothers and sisters gave thanksgiving testimonies. Shen Tiansheng shared that her life journey was like a noble person (God) helping her until today. She attended the Columbus Chinese Christian Church Bible study class in 2020, decided to follow the Lord on November 5, 2023, and was baptized on March 24 this year. She thanked God, thanked her relatives and church family for accompanying her along the way. Aunty Liu Meiying shared that “the way of man is not in himself, and it is not in the man who walks to determine his own steps” (Jer 10:23). Although she experienced setbacks when she came to the United States again, everything has the good intention of the Lord. Joshua shared that he believed in the Lord since he was a child, the difficulties his father encountered in preaching in China, and the process of his going through many twists and turns on his way to school and being protected by God to come to the United States to study. He was baptized on August 18, joined the church, and became a disciple of the Lord. Brother Xue Fei shared that he learned the lesson of patience and waiting in the small matter of driving and was favored by the Lord to avoid disaster. Many gospel seekers came to worship or have meal with us.
Eleventh, thank God for using every coworker to serve wholeheartedly in the Friday evening fellowship, so that children, teenagers, students, scholars and Christians can grow in the Lord. There were several times when brothers and sisters opened their homes and lovingly welcomed everyone to share the beautiful family fellowship.
Twelfth, the church coworkers are united and strive to serve the Lord. The Sunday worship songs have live music, and the children and teenagers serve as pianists. The brothers serve on Mother’s Day. Most of our youths participate in distributing food during every church fellowship dinner.
Pastor Wang also mentioned: Human ingratitude is one of the characteristics of sinfulness, which needs to be dealt with constantly. Without gratitude, without a future. The more grateful we are, the more grace we will receive. Gratitude is not the end of grace, but a key that opens the door to greater grace for us. May the Lord continue to lead our church to a better future by counting His grace!

2024年11月24日 牧者之言

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我们为何热愛圣经

范杰瑞和范玛丽莲

 

耶稣是活的道，圣经是上帝的成文的道！
如果我们想知道如何作为一名基督徒生活，我们来看看耶稣的生活：

  • 看看他是谁，他的性格，
  • 以及他在地上所做的事情。

但我们也有上帝的话语：

  • 而且由于圣经是真实且无误的，圣经就成为我们生活的权威，就像我们在耶稣生活中看到的一样，因为其中没有冲突。

你曾经坐过只有一条腿或两条腿的“凳子”吗？

  • 如果是这样，你会发现很难保持平衡。
  • 上次我们在一起时分享了第一条腿——祈祷。
  • 今天，我们将分享第二条腿——热愛圣经。
  • 明天早上，我们将分享——应许。
  • 如果凳子有3 条腿

弗朗西斯·谢弗的名言——“我们该如何生活？”

  • 激励我们的心去相信上帝的话语——圣经，

作为我们生活的权威

  • 并且活出最丰盛的人生

这就是我们今天早上要开始的地方，基于上帝圣言的权威，我们应该如何生活？

  • 让我们的生活充满上帝的话语和圣经，让真理进入我们的头脑：
  • 经常聆听宣讲和教导圣经。
  • 每年阅读《创世记》1：1 至《启示录》22：21。
  • 研究它。
  • 背诵它。
  • 默想 基于你所听到、阅读、学习和背诵的内容 为了将这些真理从你的头脑转移到你的内心，

 

  • 为什么？
  • 因为这些真理如果不进入你的内心，就不会在应用中发挥作用。

“…昼夜思想，这样你就会小心 按照其中所写的一切去遵行”……
[约书亚记 1:8 新国际版]
我们为何热愛圣经？

此时，我们将交替分享一些经文，说明我们喜愛圣经的原因：

玛丽莲：

  • 让我跟你们分享一下我为什么热愛圣经？
  • [耶利米书 29:11-13] – “因为我知道我向你们所怀的意念”
  • 这是上帝写给我们的一封情书。
  • [腓立比书 3:10 和合本]
  • “更加深入、更加亲密地认识他”
  • “更加强烈、更加清晰地感知、认识和理解他属性的奇妙”。
  • [诗篇 23: 1-6] – “耶和华是我的牧者”
  • 他让我安息
  • 他带领我度过最黑暗的时光
  • 他的同在——他总是和我在一起
  • 我无所求，无所畏惧

杰瑞：

  • 让我跟你们分享一下我热愛圣经的几个原因吗？
  • [约翰福音 3:16] – “神愛世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信他（耶稣）的，不至灭亡，反得永生。 ”
  • [约翰福音 3:17] – “因为神差他的儿子降世，不是要定世人的罪，乃是要叫世人因他（耶稣）得救。”
  • [诗篇 119:105] – “你的话是我脚前的灯，是我路上的光” – 因此，我可以在他的话语的光中行走。

玛丽莲：

  • [诗篇 139:17-18] – “他的意念对我来说何其宝贵”
  • 它们的总和有多大
  • [罗马书 8:28] –我生活中发生的一切都是为了我的益处和他的荣耀。
  • [彼得后书 1:4] – “他已将又宝贵又极大的应许赐给我们”
  • 通过这些应许
  • 我们可以与他有份
  • 他的神圣本质
  • 脱离了世上的败坏

杰瑞：

  • [哥林多前书 13:13] – “如今常存的有信、有望、有愛，这三样，其中最大的是愛”。
  • 我曾经想知道愛怎么会比信和望更重要呢？
  • 当我沉思这一点时，我意识到，如果没有上帝对我们的大愛，
  • 我们将不再有信或望。
  • [约翰一书 1:9] – “我们若认自己的罪” ……我们知道我们的罪能得到赦免，但是如果没有十诫和我们在圣经中找到的其他真理，我们就不会知道什么是罪。
  • [哥林多前书 1:9] – “神是信实的，你们原是被他所召，好与他儿子，我们的主耶稣基督，一同得分。”所以，我们不但与神有关系，而且现在我们可以每天、每时每刻与他（耶稣）保持亲密的个人关系。

玛丽莲：

  • [箴言 3；5-6] –
  • 你要专心仰赖耶和华
  • 不可依赖自己的聪明
  • 在你一切所行的事上 认定他（给予他荣耀）
  • 他必指引你的路”。
  • [腓立比书 2:13] – 上帝在我们里面工作
  • “立志并实践
  • 为要讨他喜悦

杰瑞：

  • [腓立比书 3:10 和合本] 这节经文的最后几句话是
  • “这样我就可以分享他的苦难 不断改变 [在灵里成为他的样式] 甚至对自己死， [都充满盼望]
  • 这份盼望是——充满信心的期待
  • 有一天我们会复活
  • 效法耶稣，与他一起生活在天堂
  • 永远[永恒]。

玛丽莲：

  • [哥林多前书 2:2] – “因为我曾定了主意，在你们中间不知道别的，只知道耶稣基督并他钉十字架”。
  • [希伯来书 12:2] — “仰望耶稣”… — 我们必须时刻注视着耶稣。
  • [罗马书 12:2 ] – “不要效法这个世界，只要心意更新而变化，叫你们察验何为神的善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意。”

问题：

  • 你为什么喜愛圣经？
  • 你最喜欢圣经里的哪一节经文？

（这是范杰瑞和范玛丽莲在11/20/24 小石城以马内利华语浸信会清晨祷告会上的分享。特此感谢）

WHY WE LOVE THE BIBLE
Jerry & Marilyn Fine

 
JESUS IS THE LIVING WORD & THE BIBLE IS THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD!
IF WE WANT TO KNOW HOW TO LIVE AS A CHRISTIAN, WE LOOK AT THE LIFE OF JESUS:

  • TO SEE WHO HE WAS, HIS CHARACTER,
  • AND WHAT HE DID HERE ON EARTH.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD:

  • AND BECAUSE THE BIBLE IS TRUE AND WITHOUT ERROR, THE BIBLE BECOMES THE AUTHORITY IN OUR LIVES AS WELL AS WHAT WE SEE IN THE LIFE OF JESUS, BECAUSE THERE IS NO CONFLICT.

Have you ever sat on a 1 OR 2 LEGGED “STOOL”?

  • If so, you found out it was hard to keep your balance.
  • The LAST TIME we were together we talked about THE FIRST LEG – PRAYER.
  • TODAY we will talk about the SECOND LEG – LOVE FOR THE BIBLE.
  • TOMORROW morning, we will talk about – PROMISES.
  • It is easier to stay BALANCED AND UPRIGHT IF THE STOOL HAS

3 LEGS
FRANCIS SHAEFFER’S FAMOUS QUOTE – “HOW SHALL WE THEN LIVE?”

  • STIRS OUR HEARTS TO BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD, THE BIBLE,

AS THE AUTHORITY IN OUR LIVES

  • AND LIVE LIFE TO IT’S FULLEST

AND THAT IS WHERE WE WILL START THIS MORNING, BASED ON THE AUTHORITY OF GOD’S WORD HOW SHOULD WE LIVE?

  • SATURATING OUR LIVES WITH THE WORD OF GOD, THE BIBLE, GET’S THE TRUTH INTO OUR HEAD:
  • HEAR IT PREACHED & TAUGHT REGULARLY.
  • READ IT FROM GENESIS 1:1 THROUGH REVELATION 22:21, EVERY YEAR.
  • STUDY IT.
  • MEMORIZE IT.
  • MEDITATE ON WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD, READ, STUDIED, AND MEMORIZED TO MOVE THESE TRUTHS FROM YOUR HEAD TO YOUR HEART,

WHY?

  • BECAUSE THESE TRUTHS WILL NEVER WORK THERE WAY OUT IN APPLICATION UNTIL THEY GET TO YOUR HEART.

“…MEDITATE ON IT DAY AND NIGHT, SO THAT YOU WILL BE CAREFUL TO DO EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT” …[JOSHUA 1:8 NIV84]
WHY WE LOVE THE BIBLE?
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL ALTERNATE BACK AND FORTH  ARE
SOME SCRIPTURES WHY WE LOVE THE BIBLE:

MARILYN:

  • LET ME SHARE WITH YOU WHY I LOVE THE BIBLE?
  • [Jeremiah 29:11-13] – “FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU”
  • IT IS GOD’S LOVE LETTER TO US.
  • [Philippians 3:10 AMPC] –
  • “TO KNOW HIM MORE DEEPLY & INTIMATELY”
  • “TO PERCIEVE, RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSTAND THE WONDERS OF HIS PERSON MORE STRONGLY AND MORE CLEARLY”.
  • [Psalms 23: 1-6] – ‘THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD”
  • HE GIVES ME REST
  • HE LEADS ME IN THE DARKEST OF TIMES
  • HIS PRESENCE – HE IS ALWAYS WITH ME
  • I HAVE NO WANT – NO FEARS

JERRY:

  • LET ME SHARE WITH YOU A FEW REASONS WHY I LOVE THE BIBLE?
  • [John 3:16] – “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIVES IN HIM (JESUS) SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.” …
  • [John 3:17] – “FOR GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM (JESUS) MIGHT BE SAVED.”
  • [Psalm 119:105] – “YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO MY FEET AND A LIGHT TO MY PATH” – THEREFORE, I CAN WALK IN THE LIGHT OF HIS WORD.

MARILYN:

  • [Psalm 139:17-18] – “HIS THOUGHTS ARE PRECIOUS TO ME”
  • HOW GREAT IS THE SUM OF THEM
  • [Romans 8:28] – EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN MY LIFE IS FOR MY GOOD AND HIS GLORY.
  • [2 Peter 1:4] – “HE HAS GIVEN TO US EXCEEDINGLY GREAT & PRECIOUS PROMISES”
  • THAT THROUGH THESE PROMISES
  • WE MAY BE PARTAKERS
  • OF HIS DEVINE NATURE
  • HAVING ESCAPED THE CORRUPTION THAT IS IN THE WORLD

JERRY:

  • [1 Corinthians 13:13] – “AND NOW ABIDE FAITH, HOPE, LOVE, THESE THREE; BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE”.
  • I USE TO WONDER HOW CAN LOVE BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN FAITH & HOPE?
  • BUT WHEN I MEDITATED ON THIS THOUGHT, I COULD SEE THAT WITHOUT GOD’S GREAT LOVE FOR US,
  • WE WOULD NOT HAVE FAITH OR HOPE.
  • [1 John 1:9] – “IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS” …WE KNOW THAT WE CAN HAVE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS, BUT WE WOULDN’T KNOW WHAT SIN IS IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE TEN COMMNDMENTS AND OTHER TRUTHS WE FIND IN THE BIBLE.
  • [1 Corinthians 1:9] – “GOD IS FAITHFUL, BY WHOM YOU WERE CALLED INTO THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.” SO, WE NOT ONLY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BUT NOW WE CAN HAVE AN INTIMATE AND PERSONAL FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM (JESUS) DAY BY DAY AND MOMENT BY MOMENT.

MARILYN:

  • [Proverbs 3;5-6] –
  • ‘TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART
  • DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING
  • IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM (GIVE HIM THE GLORY)
  • & HE WILL DIRECT YOUR PATH”.
  • [Philippians 2:13] – GOD IS WORKING IN US
  • “TO WILL AND TO DO
  • FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE”

JERRY:

  • [Philippians 3:10 AMPC] – THE VERY LAST WORDS OF THIS VERSE ARE
  • “AND THAT I MAY SO SHARE HIS SUFFERINGS AS TO BE CONTINUALLY TRANSFORMED [IN SPIRIT INTO HIS LIKENESS EVEN] TO HIS DEATH, [IN THE HOPE)
  • THAT HOPE IS – A CONFIDENT EXPECTATION
  • THAT ONE DAY WE WILL BE RESURRECTED
  • LIKE JESUS AND LIVE WITH HIM IN HEAVEN
  • FOREVER .

MARILYN:

  • [1 Corinthians 2:2] – “FOR I DETERMINED NOT TO KNOW ANYTHING AMONG YOU EXCEPT JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED”.
  • [Hebrews 12:2] – “LOOKING UNTO JESUS” … – WE MUST ALWAYS KEEP OUR EYES ON JESUS.
  • [Romans 12:2] – “AND DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MINDS, THAT YOU MAY PROVE WHAT IS THE GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE & PERFECT WILL OF GOD.”

QUESTIONS:

  • WHY DO YOU LOVE THE BIBLE?
  • WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VERSE IN THE BIBLE?

(We are grateful to Jerry and Marilyn Fine for their sharing at our early morning prayer meeting of LRICBC on 11/20/24)

2024年11月17日 牧者之言

Posted on

第二篇灵修
——2024 年 11 月 7 日小石城以马内利华语浸信会晨祷会

范杰瑞和范玛丽莲

  • 诗歌
  • 感谢你们给予我今早与你们一起祈祷的机会
  • 我们如何才能让“传道人”所相信、教导、实践以及在他的书的封底上所写的东西永远在祈祷中实现——成为我们自己的？
  • 约翰福音 14:13-14 说：“你们奉我的名无论求什么，我必成就，叫父因儿子得荣耀。”

“奉耶稣的名祷告”是指：
1. 如此依赖他，与他如此合一
2. 愿他的意念成为我的意念，
3. 他的愿望成为我的愿望，
4. 他的生命成为我的生命，
5. 他的本性就是我的本性，
6. 他的祈祷就是我的祈祷，
7.我的祈祷就是他的祈祷。”

  • 如果我们研究保罗在腓立比书中所写的内容，我们可能会对上述内容如何在我们的生活中实现有所了解（腓立比书 3:10 AMPC）
  • 保罗被关押在罗马的监狱里，我们参观了人们认为关押他的监狱：
  • 我 (杰瑞) 第一次参观监狱是在 1974 年 2 月，我想让玛丽莲看看保罗被关押的地方，所以在我们一次海外门徒旅行中，我们经过罗马回来并遇到了我们的朋友迈克尔·斯坦丘，他曾住在罗马，他带我们回到了保罗的监狱和罗马的许多其他景点。
  • 我记得那是地下室里的一个圆形小房间，直径大约 20 到 25 英尺。保罗在那里的时候，没有窗户也没有门，所以囚犯是通过天花板上的一个洞被放进房间的。囚犯进入地下室后，洞口上会盖上一块钢板，这样囚犯就无法逃脱。如果钢板是实心钢，保罗唯一的光源就是烛光。
  • 地下室里有一根钢柱，保罗可能被锁在上面。
  • 保罗在罗马的时候，那里有露天下水道，这意味着城市的污水顺着街道的路边流下来，当下大雨时，污水就会流入老鼠出没的地下室。
  • 我们大多数人可能都曾祈求上帝让我们摆脱这些可怕的境况。
  • 但保罗却没有这样做，他决定利用这段时间比任何人都更了解他的主和救主耶稣基督。事实上，在那座监狱里，他写下了“因为我设定了的目标就是要认识他。”[腓立比书 3:10 AMPC ]。
  • 保罗已经写下了哥林多前书 1:9 “神是信实的，你们原是被他所召，好与他儿子我们的主耶稣基督，一同得分。”
  • 我们与主和救主耶稣基督的团契取决于我们自己以及我们培养这种团契的意愿。我们是被呼召加入这个团契的，而不是被迫的。
  • 但当我们得救（重生——相信耶稣并接受他作为我们个人的主和救主）时，我们就与上帝建立了牢固的关系，因为他应许“他永远不会离开我们或抛弃我们”。 [希伯来书 13:5]
  • 当耶稣来到世上时，“他到自己的地方来，自己的人倒不接待他。凡接待他的，就是信他名的人，他就赐他们权柄，作神的儿女。” [约翰福音 1:11-12]
  • 他的子民不接受他是弥赛亚，也不相信他。这是他们的选择。
  • 因此，他们不是上帝的孩子。
  • 但我们是上帝的孩子，因为我们相信他并接受他作为我们的主和救主。
  • 我们神圣、公义的上帝永远不会抛弃我们——他的子民。
  • 然后在（以赛亚书 41:10）中，他给了我们几个宝贵的应许。
  • 帮助我们感到更安全。
  • “不要怕，我与你同在”
  • “不要惊慌（困惑），因为我是你的上帝”
  • “我必坚固你”
  • “我必帮助你”
  • “我必用我公义的右手扶持你。”
  • 我们与我们的主和救主耶稣基督的关系是牢固的，因为它取决于上帝的信实，要持守他的应许，并牢记上帝不会说谎。
  • 我们被召唤与耶稣团契，但我们的责任是培养这种团契，因为这是上帝赐予我们的礼物。
  • 但我们与上帝的关系是绝对牢固的。
  • 团契和关系之间存在很大差异，而这两者都是我们需要的。
  • 腓立比书 3:10 AMPC :

[“我设定了的目标就是] 我要认识基督——我可以逐渐地，更加深入地、更亲密地开始认识他；更强烈、更清晰地察觉、认识，明白 [他的奇妙) ；并且以此来晓得从他的复活之中所流出的大能[这大能影响遍及所有信徒]，由此可以知道同他一同受苦，并持续地被改变， [盼望]能在灵里[甚至在“向着自己死”的方面 ]更加像他。

  • 我们相信，这个盼望是一个（有信心的期望） 我们将复活，与上帝（圣父、圣子、圣灵）一起生活，永远在天堂。

这就是保罗一生“设定了的目标” ——真正认识耶稣基督，而不只是知道有关他的事情。
这节经文可以分解如下：

  • “逐渐地更加深入、更加亲密地认识耶稣”。
  • “逐渐”意味着我们成为基督徒的那一刻，我们还没有完全成熟，但正如保罗所说，“他向着标竿直跑”。在地上，我们永远不会完全成熟，但当我们到达天堂时，我们就会完全成熟。赞美上帝！
  • “察觉、认识并明白耶稣属性的奇妙。”
  • 我们的天父知道他儿子耶稣基督的每一个细节，认为他顺从、奇妙、完美。甚至到了履行天父的计划的地步，即耶稣为了我们的罪死在十字架上——因为有人必须为我们的罪付上代价，那就是耶稣。
  • 经历“耶稣复活所流露出的能力”（神的超自然能力）
  • 在这些时候，我们会在生活中感受到复活的力量：
  • 当我们接受耶稣基督作为我们个人的主和救主时。
  • 当上帝使用我们引导某人信耶稣作为他们个人的主和救主，我们在他们的生活中看到了成果。
  • 当上帝使用我们去训练某人时，他们就会领悟到训练门徒的愿景。 这会导致信耶稣的灵魂倍增，这是接触世界的最快方式。
  • “分享耶稣的苦难，以便在灵性上不断地转变为耶稣的形象。”
  • 不断改变心灵的目的是变得像他（耶稣），顺服他的意志和他的道路。就是愿意为了上帝的荣耀——圣父、圣子和圣灵——而忍受苦难：
  • 变得像耶稣是我们的目标之一。
  • 无数的基督徒每天都在受苦，因为他们渴望变得更像耶稣。
  • 问题与解答：
  1. 我为什么需要如此依赖和与耶稣合一呢？
  • 回答 –
  • 因为我希望今天比昨天更像耶稣——成为像他一样的人！（罗马书8:29 LBT ，哥林多后书 3:18 (简体中文和合本)
  • 我想实现上帝对我一生的美好计划，因为这是一个“美善而非邪恶的计划，给你（我们）一个未来和希望”（对未来充满信心的期待）。[耶利米书 29:11和合本]
  • 因为我们的主和救主耶稣说过：“天上地下所有的权柄都赐给我了。所以，你们要去，使万民作我的门徒，奉父、子、圣灵的名给他们施洗。凡我所吩咐你们的，都教训他们遵守（辨别），我就常与你们同在，直到世界的末了。”[马太福音 28:17-20 NKJV ]
  1. 我为什么要希望耶稣的思想成为我的想法？
  • 回答 –
  • 与上面的#1相同。
  1. 为什么我应该渴望耶稣的愿望成为我的愿望？
  • 回答 –
  • 与上面的#1相同。
  1. 我为什么希望耶稣的生命成为我的生命？
  • 回答 –
  • 与上面的#1相同。
  1. 我为什么希望耶稣的本性成为我的本性？
  • 回答 –
  • 与上面的#1相同。
  1. 我为什么希望耶稣的祈祷成为我的祈祷？
  • 回答 –
  • 与上面的#1相同。
  1. 我为什么希望我的祈祷成为耶稣的祈祷？
  • 回答 –
  • 与上面的#1相同。

SECOND DEVOTIONAL
Early PRAYER Meeting
At Little Rock Immanuel Chinese Baptist Church
NOVEMBER 7, 2024

Jerry & Marily Fine

  • Thank you for the privilege of SHARING this PRAYER TIME WITH YOU THIS MORNING
  • How do we make the things that “Preacher” believed, taught, lived by AND WROTE on the back cover of his book ALWAYS IN PRAYER –

our own?

  • JOHN 14:13-14 Says – “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son”

“TO PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS” IS TO BE:

  1. SO ATTACHED TO HIM, SO UNITED TO HIM

2. That His thoughts become my thoughts,
3. His desires become my desires,
4. His life becomes my life,
5. His nature becomes my nature,
6. His prayers are my prayers,
7. and my prayers are His prayers.”

  • IF WE EXAMINE WHAT PAUL WROTE IN PHILIPPIANS, WE MIGHT GAIN SOME INSIGHT INTO HOW THE ABOVE CAN BE TRUE IN OUR LIVES (Philippians 3:10 AMPC)
  • PAUL WAS IN PRISON IN ROME, AND WE HAVE VISITED THE PRISON WHERE THEY BELIEVE HE WAS HELD:
  • My (Jerry’s) first visit to the prison was in February 1974, and I wanted Marilyn to see where Paul was held in prison so on one of our Discipleship trips overseas, we came back through Rome and met our friend Michael Stanciu, who had lived in Rome, and he took us back to Paul’s prison and many other sights in Rome.
  • As I recall it was a small circular room in a basement maybe 20 to 25 feet in diameter. There were no windows or doors when Paul was there, so the prisoner was lowered into the room through a hole in the ceiling. Once the prisoner was in the basement a steel plate was secured over the hole so the prisoner could not escape. If the plate was solid steel the only light Paul would be candlelight.
  • There was a steel post in the basement to which Paul might have been chained.
  •  And at the time Paul was there Rome had open sewers which meant that the sewage of the city ran down the curbs of the streets and when it rained hard the sewage would flow into the rat-infested basements.
  • Most of us might have been asking God to get us out of those terrible conditions.
  • BUT not Paul, he decided to use that time to get to know Jesus Christ his Lord and Savior better than he knew anyone else. In fact, in that Prison was where he wrote “For my Determined Purpose is that I may know Him.” [Philippians 3:10 AMPC].
  • Paul had already penned 1 Corinthians 1:9 “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ.”
  • Our FELLOWSHIP with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ DEPENDS ON US AND OUR WILLINGNESS TO CULTIVATE THAT FELLOWSHIP. WE WERE CALLED INTO THIS FELLOWSHIP AND NOT FORCED.
  • BUT WHEN WE ARE SAVED (BORN AGAIN – BELIEVE IN JESUS AND RECEIVE HIM AS OUR PERFSONAL LORD AND SAVIOR WE HAVE A SECURE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD BECAUSE HE HAS PROMISED THAT “HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US.” [Hebrews 13:5]
  • WHEN JESUS CAME TO EARTH “HE CAME TO HIS OWN (HIS OWN PEOPLE) THEY DID NOT RECEIVE HIM. BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM HE GAVE THE RIGHT (AUTHORITY) TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD.” [John 1:11-12]
  • HIS POPLE WHO WOULD NOT RECEIVE HIM AS THE MESSIAH WOULD ALSO NOT BELIEVE IN HIM. IT WAS THEIR CHOICE.
  • THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT GOD’S CHILDREN.
  • BUT WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN BECAUSE WE HAVE BOTH BELIEVED IN HIM AND HAVE RECEIVED HIM AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.
  • AND OUR HOLY RIGHTEOUS GOD WILL NEVER FORSAKE US, HIS CHILDREN.
  • AND THEN IN (Isaiah 41:10) HE GIVES US SEVERAL PRECIOUS PROMISES.
  •  TO HELP US FEEL MORE SECURE.
  • “FEAR NOT FOR I AM WITH YOU”
  • “BE NOT DISMAYED (CONFUSED), FOR I AM YOUR GOD”
  • “I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU”
  • “YES, I WILL HELP YOU”
  • “I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND.”
  • Our RELATIONSHIP with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is secure because it DEPENDS ON GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO KEEP HIS PROMISES and remember God cannot lie.
  • WE ARE CALLED TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH JESUS BUT IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CULTIVATE IT, BECAUSE IT IS A GIFT OFFERED TO US BY GOD.
  •  BUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS ABSOLUTELY SECURE.
  • THERE IS A BIG DIFFERRENCE BETWEEN FELLOWSHIP AND RELATIONSHIP AND WE NEED BOTH.
  • Philippians 3:10 AMPC:

[“FOR MY DETERMINED PURPOSE IS] THAT I MAY KNOW HIM – THAT I MAY PROGRESSIVELY BECOME MORE DEEPLY AND INTIMATELY ACQUAINTED WITH HIM, PERCEIVING AND RECOGNIZING AND UNDERSTANDING [THE WONDERS OF HIS PERSON) MORE STRONGLY AND MORE CLEARLY. AND THAT I MAY IN THAT SAME WAY COME TO KNOW THE POWER OUTFLOWING FROM HIS RESURRECTION [WHICH IT EXERTS OVER BELIEVERS], AND THAT I MAY SO SHARE HIS SUFFERINGS AS TO B E CONTINUALLY TRANSFORMED [IN SPIRIT INTO HIS LIKENESS EVEN] TO HIS DEATH, IN THE HOPE” (OF THE RESURRECTION).

  • AND WE BELIEVE THAT THIS HOPE IS A (CONFIDENT EXPECTION THAT WE WILL BE RESURRECTED TO LIVE WITH GOD (THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT IN HEAVEN FOREVER).

THIS WAS PAUL’S “DETERMINED PURPOSE” IN LIFE – TO REALLY KNOW JESUS CHRIST, NOT JUST TO KNOW ABOUT HIM.
This verse can be broken down as follows:

  • To “progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Jesus.”
  • “Progressively” means that the moment we become a Christian we are not fully mature, but as Paul said, “he was pressing toward the mark (Goal). Here on earth, we will never be totally mature, BUT when we get to heaven we will. Praise God!
  • “perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of Jesus’ person.”
  • Our heavenly Father knows every detail about His Son Jesus Christ, and sees Him as obedient, wonderful and perfect. Even to the point of living out the Fathers plan of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins – because someone had to pay for our sins and that was Jesus.
  • To experience “the power outflowing from Jesus’ resurrection” (God’s supernatural power)
  • There are these times when we experience the power of the Resurrection in our lives:
  • When we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.
  • When God uses us to lead someone to Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and we see fruit in their lives.
  • When God uses us to Disciple someone and they catch the vision of making disciples who make disciples. Which leads to the multiplication of souls for Jesus which is the fastest way to reach the world.
  • To “so share Jesus’ sufferings as to be continually transformed in spirit into Jesus’ likeness.”
  • The goal of being continually transformed in spirit is to become like Him (Jesus) YIELDING TO HIS WILL AND HIS WAY. It is to be willing to go through suffering for the glory of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
  • To Become like Jesus is one of our Goals.
  • Multitudes of Christians suffer every day because they have a passion to become more like Jesus.
  • Questions & Answers:
  1. Why do I need to be so attached and united to Jesus?
  • Answer –
  • Because I want to be more like Jesus today than I was yesterday – TO BECOME LIKE HIM! [Romans 8:29 LBT,

2 Corinthians 3:18 LBT]

  • I want to live out God’s good plan for my life because it is a “plan for good and not evil to give you (us) a future and a HOPE” (CONFIDENT EXPECTATION OF WHAT IS TO COME.)

[Jeremiah 29:11 LBT]

  • Because Jesus our Lord and Savior said, “All authority has been given to ME in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe (discern) ALL THINGS I HAVE COMMANDED YOU; and lo I am with you always; even to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28:17-20 NKJV]
  1. Why should I want Jesus’ thoughts to become my thoughts?
  • Answer –
  • Same as # 1 above.
  • Why should I desire that Jesus’ desires become my desires?
  • Answer –
  • Same as # 1 above.
  • Why should I want Jesus’ life to become my life?
  • Answer –
  • Same as # 1 above.
  • Why should I want Jesus’ nature to become my nature?
  • Answer –
  • Same as # 1 above.
  • Why should I want Jesus’ prayers to become my prayers?
  • Answer –
  • Same as # 1 above.
  • And why should I want my prayers to become Jesus’ prayers?
  • Answer –
  • Same as # 1 above.

2024年11月10日 牧者之言

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2024 年 11 月 6 日

小石城以马内利华语浸信会晨祷会
第一篇灵修

范杰瑞和范玛丽莲

•    诗歌 — 主祷文
•    早上好！ 我们很高兴今天早上能和你们一起参加这个特别的祈祷时间。
•    我们想以一个人的故事开始，上帝通过他的讲道和教导祈祷来改变我们的生命。
•    他是俄克拉荷马州诺曼市第一浸信会的牧师。
•    他的名字是 EF Hallock，他喜欢被称为“传道人”。
•    “传道人”去了自由派神学院，那里的教义非常自由，不相信神迹或童女生子等，但他认为圣经中有许多好故事，他可以去教导和宣讲。
•    传道 7 年后，他邀请了一位布道家来 他的教会。
•    布道家宣讲福音，第一天晚上“传道人”深陷悔恨，整夜挣扎。
•    第二天晚上，“传道人”鼓起勇气走在自己教堂的过道上说： “我从来没有相信耶稣是我个人的主和救主。” 但 那天晚上他确实这么做了。
•    从那天晚上起，他开始吞噬上帝的话语——我们的意思是——他
o    诵读，
o    研读，
o    背诵，
•    经过默想后，他说： “我开始掌握圣经，但我很快发现圣经正在掌握我。”
•    通过说他对此进行了默想，我们相信：
•    他沉思上帝的话语——他认真思考上帝对他说的话。
•    他在脑海里描绘出当时的场景或情况——并问自己，我在画面中自己是谁
•    他按照自己在圣经中所经历的去祈祷——向上帝虔诚的祈祷。
•    和你可以从他的讲道中看出来。
•    每年至少读一次到四次圣经，从创世纪 1:1 到启示录 22:21
•    永远记住圣经是为你写的：
•    罗马书 15:4 NKJV – “从前所写的圣经，都是为教训我们写的，叫我们因圣经所生的忍耐（或毅力） 和安慰，可以得着盼望。我们将盼望视为（对未来的信心期待）
•    “传道人”每周讲道三次，每次讲道至少包括以下其中一项：
•    不住地祈祷。
•    用上帝的话语充实我们的生活。
•    持守上帝的应许——一般的和具体的、个人的应许。
•    事实上，传道人写了一本关于“时刻祈祷”的小书，在这本书的封底他写道：
•    “奉耶稣的名祷告就是：
*如此地依赖于他，如此地与他合一：
*他的思想成为我的思想；
*他的愿望成为我的愿望；
*他的生活成为我的生活；
*他的本性成为我的本性；
*他的祈祷就是我的祈祷，我的祈祷就是他的祈祷。”
•    以弗所书 6:18a 说“靠着圣灵，随时多方祷告祈求…”
•    今天，我们想要留给你们的灵修思想是“传道人”在他的书的封底写的——时刻祈祷——这意味着每天为生活中的一切祈祷：
•    例子：
*杰瑞 – 当我出去修剪草坪时，我祈祷上帝，让割草机今天早上启动
*玛丽莲——昨天醒来时唱着主祷文，并祈求上帝让在我们教堂音乐会上的那位男士唱主祷文并演奏出来，事情正如她祈求的那样发生了。

•    罗马书 12:12 “在盼望中要喜乐，在患难中要忍耐，祷告恒切。”
•    明天早上，我们将与您分享如何让“传道人”在书的背面写下的想法成为你自己的想法，以便其他人也可以对你谈论这些事情

FIRST DEVOTIONAL
Early PRAYER Meeting

At Little Rock Immanuel Chinese Baptist Church
NOVEMBER 6, 2024

Jerry & Marily Fine

  • Song – The Lord’s Prayer
  • GOOD MORNING! We are excited to be with you this morning for this special PRAYER TIME.
  • We want to start with a story of a man that God used to CHANGE our lives THROUGH HIS PREACHING & TEACHING ON PRAYER.
  • HE WAS THE PASTOR OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN NORMAN, OKLAHOMA.
  • His name was E. F. Hallock, who liked to be called “Preacher.”
  • “Preacher” went to a MODERNISTIC  Seminary WITH VERY LIBERAL TEACHINGS and did not believe in miracles or the Virgin birth etc. but he thought that the Bible had good stories that he could TEACH & PREACH.
  • After preaching for 7 years, he invited an Evangelist to preach in his church.
  • The evangelist preached the Gospel and the first night “Preacher” was under conviction and struggled all night.
  • The next night, “Preacher” had the courage to walk down the aisle of his own church and say, “I’ve never trusted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior,” BUT he did that night.
  • From that night forward he devoured the Word of God – BY THAT WE MEAN – he
  • read,
  • studied,
  • memorized,
  • AND MEDITATED ON IT he said, “I set out to MASTER the Bible, BUT I soon found it was MASTERING me.”
  • By saying he meditated on it, we believe:
  • He PONDERED the word of God – he thought seriously about what God was saying to him personally.
  • He PICTURED the scene or situation in his mind – and ask himself who do I identify with in the picture
  • He PRAYED what he experienced in the Word – A PRAYER OF DEVOTION TO GOD.
  • and YOU COULD TELL IT IN HIS PREACHING.
  • He read Bible completely through – at least once a year to 4 times a year from GEN 1:1 to REV 22:21
  • Always remember the Bible was written for you:
  • Romans 15:4 NKJV – “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience (OR PERSERANCE) and COMFORT of the Scriptures might have HOPE and we see HOPE AS A (confident expectation of what’s to come) 
  • EVERY MESSAGE “Preacher” preached WHICH WAS 3 TIMES PER WEEK was on AT LEAST ONE, of the following:
  • Always in Prayer.
  • Saturating our life with God’s Word.
  • Living by God’s Promises both – General and Specific, Personal Promises.
  • In fact, Preacher wrote a little book on ALWAYS IN PRAYER, and on the back cover of this book he wrote:

“To pray in the name of Jesus is:

  • to be SO attached to Him, SO united to Him:
  •  that His thoughts become my thoughts;
  • His desires become my desires;
  • His life becomes my life;
  • His nature becomes my nature;
  • His prayers are my prayers, and my prayers are His prayers.”
  • Ephesians 6:18a says “praying always with all prayer & supplication in the Spirit…”
  • The devotional thought WE want to leave with you today is what “Preacher” wrote on the back cover of his book – ALWAYS IN PRAYER – Which means pray about everything in your life every day:
  • EXAMPLE:
  • JERRY – When I go out to mow our lawn – I pray Lord, let the lawn mower start this morning
  • MARILYN – Woke up yesterday singing the Lord’s Prayer & asked God to let the man who was in a Concert, at our church, to sing and play the Lord’s prayer & it happened as she had asked.
  • And Romans 12:12 “Rejoicing in HOPE, patient in TRIBULATION, continuing Steadfastly in PRAYER.
  • Tomorrow morning, we will discuss with you how to make the thoughts “Preacher” wrote on the back of his book – YOUR OWN so that others might say these things about you.

2024年11月3日 牧者之言

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时间、才干和财富的管理

所求于管家的是要他有忠心。

—哥林多前书 4:2

        基督徒的管家职责基于这样的信念：上帝是我们所有和所有事物的源泉，我们要对如何使用这些恩赐向他负责。因为“地和其中所充满的都属耶和华”，我们应该张开双手，心甘情愿地与他人分享我们的资源。
        我们是时间的管家。以弗所书 5:16 说：“要爱惜光阴，因为现今的世代邪恶。”我们在世上的时间短暂而易逝。我们是在用它来取悦上帝还是为自己服务？
        我们是自己能力的管家。我们不应该用这些能力来获得个人的认可或晋升，而应该用来祝福他人，建立基督的教会。即使我们的才干似乎微不足道，机会有限，我们也应该找到自己的位置，忠实地为上帝的荣耀尽我们所能。我们想听到主人的话：“好，你这又良善又忠心的仆人”（马太福音 25:23）。
         我们是财宝的管家。如果我们真正认识到上帝是合法的主人，而我们只是金钱和财产的看管者，我们就会明智地使用它们。耶稣说我们不应该在地上积攒财宝，而应该在天上积攒财宝，“天上没有虫子咬，不能锈坏，也没有贼挖窟窿来偷”（马太福音 6:20）。

         积攒天上财宝的一种方法是，用真正的基督徒之爱的言语和行为，以实际的方式回应我们周围的需要。每个人都应该“照上帝所赐给他的”自由地奉献（哥林多前书 16:2），无私地分享，利用他的地上资源来推进上帝的国度。我们的造物主值得我们作为他丰厚礼物的管家，谦卑地、感恩地赞美他。


马克·克罗普夫 – 俄勒冈州哈尔西

你们白白的得来，也要白白的舍去。 – 马太福音 10:8

引自 8月3日的《溪水旁》，阿米什人的灵修

Stewardship of Time, Talents, and Treasure


         Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:2

Christian stewardship is based on the conviction that God is the source of all we have and all we are, and that we are accountable to Him for how we use these gifts. Since “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof,” we should hold our resources with an open hand and share them willingly with others.
       We are stewards of our time. Ephesians 5: 16 says, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Our time on earth is short and fleeting. Are we using it to please God or to serve ourselves?
       We are stewards of our abilities. We should use these not to gain personal recognition or advancement, but to benefit others and build Christ’s church. Even if our talents seem small and our opportunities limited, we should find our place and faithfully do what we can for God’s glory. We want to hear the words of our Master, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25: 23).
        We are stewards of our treasure. If we truly recognized that God is the rightful owner and that we are but caretakers of our money and possessions, we will use them wisely. Jesus said we should lay up treasures not on earth but in Heaven, “where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6: 20).
        One way of storing up heavenly treasure is to respond in practical ways to the needs around us, with words and deeds of genuine Christian love. Each person should give freely “as God hath prospered him” (1 Corinthians 16: 2), sharing unselfishly and using his earthly resources to advance God’s kingdom. Our Maker is worthy to receive humble, thankful praise from us as stewards of His bountiful gifts.

                 Mark Kropf – Halsey, OR
Freely yet have received, freely give. – Matthew 10: 8
Cited from Aug. 3, Beside the Still Water, Amish Devotion.

2024年10月27日 牧者之言

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“认定主”

——我的呼召与服侍

米国瑞

        我和妻子原本计划今天进行分享，但我妻子 Jackie 今天无法到场。她正在忙于照顾患有痴呆症的95岁父亲。她对此表示遗憾。

       我和Jackie 是在沃希托浸会大学（Quachita Baptist University）读书时认识的。在进入沃希托之前，我在路易斯安那州的尼科尔斯州立大学（Nicholls State University）上学。在路易斯安那州期间，我全身心投入服侍基督。所以我觉得最好从尼科尔斯转到基督教大学。因为我的家人住在学校附近，所以我决定去沃希托 。在去沃希托之前，我从未考虑过作传教士，但在那里时，我的许多朋友都是传教士的孩子。从他们身上，我看到了在父母在传教期间帮助教育这些孩子的必要性。

       我和Jackie交往了大约一年，然后我们开始谈婚论嫁以及我们想要如何度过自己的一生。我们很高兴地发现，我们俩都渴望去海外传教。Jackie在很小的时候就投身于传教事业。这恰恰证明了是上帝让我们走到一起的。

        我们于 1976 年 1 月结婚。婚后我们立即开始与美南浸信会的海外宣教部（the Foreign Mission Board）通信。从那时起，该委员会的名称改为国际宣教部（the International Mission Board）。他们告诉我们要考虑差派的资格：两年相关领域的工作经验，硕士学位和 20 小时的神学院学习。

       为了满足要求，我完成了教育管理硕士学位并开始教学。我教了两年书，然后，在 24 岁时，上帝给了我一个神迹，让我能够升任校长职位。

        我们第一次参加国际宣教部的面试是为了应聘菲律宾的教师职位。他们拒绝了我们，我们很失望。他们认为我更适合行政职位，而当时没有行政职位空缺。所以我们垂头丧气地回家了。

         过了一段时间，我们被要求再来参加第二次面试。台湾的马礼逊学校（Morrison Academy）有校长职位空缺。我拥有教育管理硕士学位，有两年校长经验。我唯一缺少的是神学院学历。学年结束时，我辞职了，我们搬到新奥尔良，就读新奥尔良浸信会神学院

（New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary）。

         大约在第二学期的一半时间，我收到宣教部的消息，台湾马礼逊学院的校长决定留任，这个职位不再空缺。而且世界上没有其他行政职位。这让我开始质疑上帝。我辞职了。上帝，我为什么在这里。你为我们计划了什么？为什么会发生这种事？

        大约三周后，宣教部再次联系我们。当时，学校刚招收校长。是黎巴嫩贝鲁特的美国学校。那是 1981 年，如果你不知道的话，当时黎巴嫩正处于内战之中。我们对这个机会并不感到兴奋，但我们只好听从上帝安排。我们告诉上帝，如果这是你想让我们去的地方，我们会去，但我们不喜欢。

        我完成了学期的学习，然后我们回到阿肯色州过圣诞假期。假期结束后，我们回到新奥尔良，有一封信在等着我们。这是台湾马礼逊学院的校长写的。他说他很高兴我们来台湾，并期待着我们的到来。这当然对我们来说是一个大惊喜。我打电话给宣教部，问发生了什么事？台湾以为我会来。宣教部做了一些调查，结果发现校长会继续留在学校，但不是校长，而是老师。校长职位空缺。我们很庆幸我们不必在贝鲁特服侍。我们也很感谢上帝给了我们在台湾服侍的机会。

        我们于1981年秋天被宣教部指派去台湾。1982年1月7日，我们飞抵桃园机场。办完海关，走进机场航站楼后，我对台湾的第一印象是，“天哪，这里好多中国人啊。”

       我们安顿下来后，很快就开始上语言学校。我们学的是北平话。当然，在台湾没有人说北平话。他们都说着懒洋洋的中文。所以，我们最终也学会了台湾腔。

        因为我妻子不在，所以我就把这个语言学校的故事讲给你们听。我们每天早上都会和一位导师一起上四个小时的课。下午我们会学习新词汇，然后上街去试着和邻居们聊天。当时我 28 岁。有一天，Jackie和邻居家的一位店主聊天。他们正在闲聊。

       店主问：“你结婚了吗？”

       Jackie回答：“结婚了。”

       “您丈夫多大了？”

       “他82岁了。”

       “82！真的吗？”

       “真的，82。”

       我们最终完成了语言学校的学业，我开始担任马礼逊学院台北分校的校长。马礼逊学院是一所国际基督教学校，专门为传教士子女的教育而设立。Jackie 忙于抚养我们两个出生在台北的孩子。她还与中国姐妹见面并服侍她们。我们都参与了协助建立一个新的中国植堂（中阳浸信会）。

        在传教区工作了大约 7 年后，宣教部的领导告诉我们，他们想开始撤出学校、广播电视工作、基督教书店等机构。这意味着我可能需要离开台湾。我当时有一个学习述职（a study furlough）。这将使我能够继续攻读教育博士学位，同时还能领取薪水。我的想法是，如果我不得不离开这个领域，那么我可以找一份大学教书的工作，这将使我有机会为在美国学习的中国学生服侍。我很快就完成了博士学位并返回台湾。我回到了以前的职位。一年后，校长辞职，我被邀请填补这个职位。我当时负责监督位于台北、台中和高雄的三个校区。我们在台湾的最后十年，我一直担任这个职位。 2002 年春天，我们的女儿从马礼逊的高中毕业。毕业后，我们回到美国，帮她安排大学入学。当时，我们的儿子刚刚读完十年级。我们在阿肯色州康威的一所为回国传教士准备的住所安顿下来。我们的女儿决定就读密苏里州斯普林菲尔德的密苏里州立大学。我们的儿子就读于康威高中。他曾在马礼逊上学，当时他的班上大约有 25 名学生。而康威11 年级的班上大约有 1000 人。他放学回家的第一天，我问他：“你今天见到什么人了吗？”他说：“见到了，但我再也见不到他们了。”可以说，他有点不知所措。最终，他意识到他喜欢待在美国，想在这里完成他的高中学业。我们同意了。但是，这意味着我必须在宣教部停止工作一年。

        于是，我开始寻找学校行政职位。我参加了几次面试，实际上我女儿所在的密苏里州斯普林菲尔德市获得了校长职位。但是，上帝并没有让我对此感到安心。尽管我没有其他职位，但我还是拒绝了。

        我住在康威，知道比比（Beebe）就在附近，于是就申请了阿肯色州立大学比比分校的教职。就在那时，Jackie的母亲心脏病发作。她在琼斯博罗的圣伯纳德医院（St Bernard Hospital）住了大约一个月。在此期间，Jackie住在车里，白天和晚上大部分时间都和母亲待在一起。很明显，Jackie和我需要留在美国，这样她才能帮忙照顾母亲。

        在这期间，有人联系我，说阿肯色州立大学想面试我，让我担任教师一职。面试进行得很顺利，我和孩子们回到台湾，收拾东西准备带回美国。我们剩下的东西要么送人，要么卖掉。还在台湾的时候，我接到了师范教育系主任的电话。她说我有一个好消息和一个坏消息。好消息是什么？我们想聘用你。那么，坏消息是什么？我们不想让你留在比比，我们想让你留在琼斯博罗（Jonosboro）的主校区。所以实际上这是好消息和更多的好消息。在琼斯博罗，我们离Jackie父母家大约三十分钟的路程。在接下来的一年里，Jackie大部分时间都在帮助照顾她的母亲。她最终好转，又活了四年。我相信，如果没有Jackie在她身边，她活不过一两个月。事实上，当她第二年回去检查时，Jackie无意中听到一名护士对另一名护士说：“她不是那个快死的人了吗？”

         我开始在阿肯色州立大学工作，教书，同时指导实习教师。但令我惊讶的是，那里只有几位中国教授。如果有中国学生，我从未遇到过。我以为我可以为中国学生服侍，但这个想法根本行不通。我当时向上帝哀叹：“上帝，我知道我应该在这里，但我不明白。”这种情况持续了几年。我记得，那是我在阿肯色州立大学的第三年，一位新教务长上任。他被任命的明确目的是招收外国学生。他在中国有很多人脉，一年之内，就有 800 多名中国学生就读于阿肯色州立大学。上帝把 Jackie 和我放在琼斯博罗的原因显而易见。不仅是为了帮助她的妈妈，也是为了服侍中国学生和华人社区。

         当时，Jackie和我在阿肯色州立大学附近的一个福音堂里服侍。我们都在教圣经课。Jackie正在教一个十几岁的女孩。我当时教的是青少年班，我的班很快就变成了一个国际班，大部分学生都是中国学生。

        我需要与你们分享我们班上第一个受洗的学生。一个星期天，来了一位新学生，Jason Mao（毛志强）。下课后，我们的一位同工庄进过来告诉我，你需要和这个学生谈谈。我和他简短地交谈了一下，然后我们约好第二天一起吃午饭。我花了一些时间讲解救赎计划，并按照他已经完成的步骤进行。”你是罪人吗？” “是的。” “你悔改并转向耶稣了吗？” “是的。”我把所有的问题都问完了，很明显他已经是一个信徒了。我问他你是怎么走到这一步的？他回答说：“在我离开中国之前，我的姐姐不是基督徒，她给了我一本圣经，并告诉我要读圣经，以便更好地了解美国文化。好吧，我读了圣经，并且相信了圣经”。几天后 Jason 就受洗了。赞美上帝！这恰恰说明了上帝的话语对那些愿意阅读它的人的力量！

        我提到了庄进，她和另一位同工 Grace Liouh也帮了大忙。庄进和她的丈夫 Jay、Grace 和她的丈夫 Wilson、Jackie 和我受到鼓励将我们的圣经学习转移到教会。我们所有人都参加了一个教会植堂研讨会，这让我们能够更好地组织成一个教会，而不仅仅是一个圣经学习。首先，我们有一段赞美音乐的时间，然后是圣经学习。你们许多人可能都认识林彬牧师，他鼓励我们，如果让我们在讲道和圣经学习之间做出选择，就专注于圣经学习。我们继续这种形式好几年了。最后，我们加入了讲道。我从未接受过讲道方面的培训，而且由于我的背景是教育，所以我更像是一个教育的牧师。

        随着我们的成长，我们增加了一个青少年男孩班、一个青少年女孩班、一个 1至6年级班和一个托儿所。由于我们的大多数孩子主要讲英语，因此这些课程都以英语授课。我们不仅有针对成人的中文班，而且还有针对那些想要用英语学习圣经的人的英语班。

         随着时间的推移，中国学生的入学人数下降到目前约有 30 名中国学生就读于阿肯色州立大学。在我们礼拜期间，随着阿肯色州立大学学生的入学率下降，来自大学和商界的成年人的出席率却有所增加。在疫情之前，我们每周大约有 70人参加。我们还没有完全恢复过来。目前我们大约有 50 人参加。最近，我们又有了一些新人加入我们，其中大多数不是基督徒。

        我提到毛志强，他于2010年9月20日受洗。从那时起，我们已经为62名新信徒施洗。受洗者包括学生、大学教师以及商界人士。

       上帝是忠实的。上帝不仅在教会的发展上忠实，而且在 Jackie 和我的生命中也忠实。我的人生格言是箴言 3:5-6：“你要专心仰赖耶和华，不可倚靠自己的聪明；你一切所行的事都要认定他，他必指引你的路。” 

        下个月我就要 71 岁了，回顾自己的一生，我可以看到上帝一直在指引我前行。约翰福音 1 章将耶稣称为真光。如果你仰望他，如果你将自己的道路交托给他，他就会照亮你要走的路。他是怎么做到的？上帝的话语为我们指明方向，告诉我们应该如何生活。如果你没有每天花时间研读上帝的话语，那么你就错过了按照上帝的意图驾驭人生所需的指导。不仅要用上帝的话语充实你的思想，圣灵也会引导你度过人生的艰难困苦。如果你想要一生走一条笔直的道路，过上富足而有意义的生活，那么就要专心仰赖主，不可依靠自己的聪明；在你一切所行的事上都要认定他。

（本文是米国瑞牧师 Rev. Greg Meeks 在10月19日小石城以马内利华语浸信会秋季特会上的分享，特此感谢）

 

2024年10月20日 牧者之言

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神创造的本能

 
“空中的鹳鸟知道来去的定期，斑鸠燕子与白鹤也守候当来的时令，我的百姓却不知道耶和华的法则”。 – 耶利米书 8:7

今天的关键经文中提到的候鸟（迁徙鸟），它们具有神创造的本能，根据季节迁徙。迁徙时间最长的鸟是北极燕鸥，它夏天在北极地区筑巢；然后飞到南极地区过夏，并在北极地区过冬。这种小鸟每年迁徙 18,000 到 25,000 英里，终生保持同一个配偶，寿命长达 30 年。
迁徙时间最长的哺乳动物是欧洲、北美、亚洲和格陵兰岛北极地区的驯鹿。这些动物追随食物来源迁徙 700 英里。
上帝也赋予人类一种本能，不是迁徙，而是崇拜。所有人都崇拜某种东西。但与动物不同，我们人类有选择的自由。我们可以选择崇拜我们的创造者和救主，也可以选择崇拜其它东西。我们很容易“崇拜”生活中自然的、可见的事物，而忽略属灵的、看不见的事物。我们如何表达崇拜的本能将决定我们永恒的命运。
迁徙的鸟类和动物尽管有危险和疲劳，但仍忠实而持续地进行迁徙。崇拜上帝不仅仅是参加周日早上的正式礼拜。它包括忠实的基督徒生活，尽管我们周围有生活的考验和世俗环境中的危险，但这种生活必须持续每周的每一天。虽然迁徙的动物本能地知道何时迁徙，但我们不知道我们的最终迁徙何时发生，到那日我们将站在全能上帝的审判台前。我们准备好迎接那一天了吗？
Lester K. Burkholder – Womelsdorf, PA
“时候将到，如今就是了，那真正拜父的，要用心灵和诚实拜他，因为父要这样的人拜他”。——约翰福音 4:23

摘自 10 月 2 日《溪水边》（第 29 卷，第 5 期），阿米什人灵修。

2024年10月13日 牧者之言

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 我心中的哈尔滨

诗篇31:15上 “我众生的事在你的手中……”（和合本）
诗篇31:15上 “我的一生都在你的手中……”（圣经新译本）
  • 注：教会一位弟兄回国时路过哈尔滨分享了一些索菲亚大教堂的照片，这促使我有感而发，写一点儿关于哈尔滨的故事作为留念，与大家分享。

哈尔滨素有东方明珠的美誉，被称为“东方小巴黎”。由王刚所播讲的“夜幕下的哈尔滨”伴随着我童年的成长，尽管对这部广播剧的内容一无所知，但它的标题却给我留下无限的回忆和遐想。
97年第一次离开鹤岗的家门，参加南京金陵协和神学的入学考试将我带到这座城市。从鹤岗到哈尔滨晚上9点多乘坐火车到早晨5点多到站。当火车缓缓驶入哈尔滨车站站台的时候，播音员说着最纯正的普通话：“各位乘客，哈尔滨火车站马上就要到了，请您收拾好行李，准备下车。哈尔滨是一座世界名城，每年的冰雪大世界，圣索菲亚大教堂……油炸冰棍，哈尔滨红肠等都让人流连忘返……祝您旅途愉快！欢迎您下次乘坐本次列车。”
那年考试的地点设在南岗基督教堂，考试的结果是一个月后收到一张“不录取通知书”。那次最深刻的是有7-8位一起参加考试的考生。当时的南岗大街上坐落着三座教堂，一座是新教教堂——我们信的基督教，那里聚会的人数最多，每周日会有好几次敬拜，大家都是排着队才能找到座位。与它挨着的是一座东正教教堂——人数很少，信徒多为中俄混血。我们当时很感兴趣去了解，想去那间教堂里找人交通学习相关的知识。当时遇见一位师母。她态度很不友善，并说：“你们要找教堂，你们到对面的天主教去吧，那里有神父和修女”。看来，他们尽管有外在豪华的建筑，却没有传福音的心。难怪他们最后只是沦为公众参观的外在摆设。接着，那天下午，我们几个同学去了对面的天主教，第一次见到了神父和修女，并参加他们的弥撒。一切都很新奇，我们也为着神父终身不娶、修女完全奉献给主，委身服侍而感动。考完试之后，几位同学逛哈尔滨夜市，在路灯下谈论着每个人对未来的期许和盼望。
98年我再次来到哈尔滨参考南京神学院入学考试，这次我们没有在市中心，而是到了距离市中心很远的万宝镇参加考试，因为那时万宝镇上办了一个省一级的圣经学校。好像是经过两次倒车，大概需要3个小时能到达。那次考试，我心里压力很大，在上帝面前祷告说：“主啊，如果今年我考不上南京，我就再也不考南京神学院了（在中国官方基督教最高学府）。我也许只是上一个地方的圣经学校或者东北神学院（坐落在沈阳）就可以了却余生了……”。考试前一夜，在学校的晚祷会上，有位女同学也是考生。她祷告说：“不在乎那定意的，也不在乎那奔跑的，只在乎发怜悯的神。” 结果，那次考试出奇顺利。我考试前复习的内容考试时都有出现。真是奇妙！考完试时，有一位在厨房工作的姐妹看到我对我说：“弟兄你能考上，我看你一直都在不住地祷告”。考试结束后，半夜10点多再次乘坐火车返回鹤岗的路上，我一路流泪，心中感谢上帝，知道里面有一个很清楚的声音说：“你要离开黑龙江了。今年我要带你去南京了”。那一年8月底，我又一次来到哈尔滨，与另一位同学汇合，一起乘坐南下的火车，奔向南京神学院读书。
那之后，在南京读书的7年里，我至少有8-9次到哈尔滨这座城市转车。每次都是擦肩而过，匆匆而去。当98年人不轻狂枉少年的游子背起行囊离开鹤岗老家的那个时刻，心中有一个声音说：“有一天，我会把你带到一个非常非常遥远的地方，你从未去过，也不知道它在哪里”。因为那个更遥远声音的呼唤，我从未将哈尔滨纳入我人生的规划中。然而，事与愿违，在2005年南京神学院硕士毕业那年，最不想去的地方就是哈尔滨。不过，我们要小心，也许你最不想作的事情往往就是上帝最想让你去作的事情。尽管毕业前在选择未来服侍禾场上有许多挣扎，也曾尝试去南方看是否要到那里服侍。然而，当坐在南方的一座教堂里敬拜时，眼泪止不住地流。圣灵在心中责备说：“难道你因为考虑物质的供应就不回哈尔滨吗？回去吧，那里的学生们等着你呢”。带着无奈，带着不甘，也带着对大城市的眷恋与不舍，2005年7月我再次来到哈尔滨，经过近3个小时，到了黑龙江圣经学校准备担任神学老师。在万宝镇的三年是学习谦卑的三年，那三年是历练品格的三年，那三年像摩西在米甸旷野、大卫逃避扫罗王追杀的三年。最不喜欢的三年却是人生最好的三年。最不想去的地方，却是满藏属灵金子的地方。到那个万宝镇的路灯下行走时，想到的是：“黑暗给我了黑色的眼睛，我却用它寻找光明”。走的时候说：“轻轻地我走了，正如我轻轻地来。不带走一片云……”
难道这座城市里就没有我值得留恋的地方吗？当然有。在这座城市的万宝镇上经历了主数不尽的恩典，许多长辈和弟兄姐妹的关怀爱心，学生的成长和发展，同学的鼓励和代祷都是珍藏心中的珍宝。在哈尔滨，我遇见一位主里弟兄和他妈妈曾无偿的爱心接待我在他家里住过一个学期，然而因为准备托福考试，心里一心想的就是背英文单词，从未留心品尝过霓虹灯下哈尔滨的韵味。在那里，我遇见一对传教士夫妇最终作为我申请美国大学的推荐人。在那里，我们曾参加一个南岗教堂的英语团契。2017年夏天在哈尔滨天鹅饭店里发生的一幕仍记忆犹新。当时有五个省的牧者同工参加一个神学研讨会。会议最后一天，沈阳的一位牧师带我到游泳池里学游泳。开始在一米深的泳池边，慢慢离开泳池边走到中间时我不小心落入深水中。那一刻惊恐向我袭来，我在水里挣扎。头脑里回想起小说《荆棘鸟》里一位年轻神父戴恩在水里被溺死的情形。同时，我想象假如这时我死了，我的妈妈、我的家人、我的学生一定会极其难过的。故此，我在水里拼命地挣扎。当时感觉到似乎有一双手把我拉回到岸边。这时救生人员才向我伸出救生杆。在岸上的人都为我捏了一把汗。牧师和我返回宾馆，我们一同向上帝献上感恩的祈祷。尽管我没有学会游泳，却学会了一项更深刻的功课：“原来死亡离我如此之近。每个人都要珍惜生命”。
2013年10月份我第一次回国探再次路过这座城市，心中有无限感慨。哈尔滨，我对你有许多亏欠，尽管在那里的万宝镇住过三年，却从未有机会欣赏过冰雪大世界。哈尔滨，我从未长久驻足仔细欣赏你的优雅古典之美，也没有真正敞开双臂拥抱过你。哈尔滨，这座让我魂牵梦绕的城市，你是我生命中的朋友，但我从来不属于你，你也不属于我。然而，在人生旅程的点点滴滴，在你那里我可以找寻回忆，更可以追逐上帝无形之手的蛛丝马迹。

 

The Harbin City in My Heart

Psalm 31: 15 “ My times are in your hands.” (NIV)

  • Note: A church brother travelled by Harbin on his way back to China and shared some photos of the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Harbin. This inspired me to write a few stories about Harbin as a souvenir and share them with everyone.
Harbin is known as the Oriental Pearl and the “Little Paris of the East.” The “Harbin Enveloped in Darkness” narrated by Wang Gang accompanied me during my childhood. Although I knew nothing about the content of this radio drama, its title left me with endless memories and imagination.
I left my home in Hegang for the first time in 1997 to take the entrance exam for Nanjing Union Theological Seminary (hereinafter referred to as NUTS ), which brought me to the Capital City Harbin of my province Heilongjiang. I took the train from Hegang to Harbin at around 9 pm and arrived at the station at around 5 am. When the train slowly pulled into the platform of Harbin Station, the announcer spoke in the purest Mandarin: “Dear passengers, Harbin Railway Station is coming soon. Please pack your luggage and prepare to get off. Harbin is a world-famous city. Every year, the Harbin Ice and Snow World, St. Sophia Cathedral… fried popsicles, Harbin red sausage, etc. are all fascinating… I wish you a pleasant journey! Welcome to take this train next time.”
The exam location that year was set up at the Nangang Christian Church. The result of the exam was that I received a “notification of non-admission” one month later. The most memorable thing about that time was that there were 7-8 candidates who took the exam together. At that time, there were three churches on Nangang Street. One was a Protestant church – the Christianity we believed in, where the largest number of people gathered. There were several worship services every Sunday, and everyone had to line up to find a seat. Next to it was an Orthodox church – there were very few people, and most of the believers were Chinese and Russian mixed race. We were very interested in learning about it at the time and wanted to go to that church to find someone to communicate with and learn related knowledge. At that time, I met a pastor’s wife. Her attitude was very unfriendly, and she said: “If you want to find a church, you can go to the Catholic Church across the street. There are priests and nuns there.” It seems that although they have luxurious buildings on the outside, they have no heart to spread the gospel. No wonder they ended up being reduced to tourist attractions. Then, that afternoon, several of us went to the Catholic Church across the street, met priests and nuns for the first time, and attended their mass. Everything was new and we were moved by the fact that priests never married and nuns devoted themselves to the Lord and served Him wholeheartedly. After the exam, several students went to the Harbin Night Market and talked about everyone’s expectations and hopes for the future under the streetlights.
In 1998, I came to Harbin again to take the entrance exam for NUTS. This time, we did not take the exam in the city center, but in Wanbao Town, which was far away from the city center, because at that time there was a provincial-level Bible school in Wanbao Town. It seemed that it took about 3 hours to get there after two reverses. During that exam, I was under great pressure and prayed to God, “Lord, if I fail to pass the exam in Nanjing this year, I will never take the exam for this Seminary again (it is regarded as the highest official Christian institution in China). I may just go to a local Bible school or Northeast Theological Seminary (located in Shenyang)…” The night before the exam, at the school’s evening prayer meeting, there was a female classmate who was also a candidate. She prayed, “It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” As a result, the exam went surprisingly smoothly. The content I reviewed before the exam appeared in the exam. It was amazing! After the exam, a sister who worked in the kitchen saw me and said to me, “Brother, you can pass the exam. I see that you have been praying all the time.” After the exam, I took the train back to Hegang at 10:00 pm. I could not hold my tears all the way and thanked God in my heart. I knew there was a very clear voice inside saying, “You are leaving Heilongjiang. This year I will take you to Nanjing.” At the end of August that year, I came to Harbin again and met up with another classmate. We took the train southward and headed to NUTS to study.
After that, during the 7 years I studied in Nanjing, I changed trains in Harbin at least 8-9 times. Every time, we passed by each other and left in a hurry. When I packed my bags and left my hometown in Hegang in 1998, there was a voice in my heart saying, “One day, I will take you to a very, very far away place that you have never been to and don’t know where it is.” Because of the call of that more distant voice, I never included Harbin in my life plan. However, things did not go as I wished. In 2005, the year I graduated from NUTS with a master’s degree, the place I least wanted to go was Harbin. However, we must be careful, perhaps the thing you least want to do is often the thing God wants you to do the most. Although I had many struggles in choosing the future field of service before graduation, I also tried to go to the south to see if I should serve there. However, when I was sitting in a church in the south of China to worship, I couldn’t stop my tears. The Holy Spirit rebuked me in my heart, saying, “Are you not going back to Harbin because of material supply? Go back, the students there are waiting for you.” With helplessness, reluctance, and a longing for the big city, I came to Harbin again in July 2005. After nearly 3 hours, I arrived at Heilongjiang Bible School to prepare to be a theology teacher. The three years at Wanbao Town were three years of learning humility, three years of traning character, and three years like Moses in the wilderness of Midian and David escaping from King Saul’s pursuit. The three years I disliked the most were the best three years of my life. The place I least wanted to go was a place full of spiritual gold. When I walked under the street lights at Wanbao Town, I thought: “Darkness gave me black eyes, but I use them to look for light.” When I left, I said: “I left quietly, just as I came quietly. I won’t take away a cloud…”
Are there anything in this city that I should miss? Of course there are. I have experienced countless graces from the Lord at Wanbao Town of this city. The care and love of many elders and brothers and sisters, the growth and development of students, and the encouragement and prayers of classmates are all treasures in my heart. In Harbin, I met a brother in the Lord and his mother who had welcomed me in his home for a semester without any compensation. However, because I was preparing for the TOEFL test, I was only thinking about memorizing English words and never paid attention to the charm of Harbin under the neon lights. There, I met a missionary couple who eventually became my recommenders for applying to American university. There, we participated in an English fellowship at a Nangang church. A scene that happened in Harbin Swan Hotel in the summer of 2017 is still fresh in my memory. At that time, pastors and coworkers from five provinces attended a theological seminar. On the last day of the meeting, a pastor from Shenyang took me to the swimming pool to learn how to swim. I started at the edge of the one-meter-deep pool, and when I slowly left the edge of the pool and walked to the middle, I accidentally fell into the deep water. At that moment, terror struck me and I struggled in the water. I recalled the scene in the novel “The Thorn Birds” where a young priest named Dane drowned in the water. At the same time, I imagined that if I died at this time, my mother, my family, and my students would be extremely sad. Therefore, I struggled desperately in the water. Suddenly I felt as if a pair of hands pulled me back to the shore. Only then did the lifeguard extend a life-saving pole to me. Everyone on the shore was worried about me. The pastor and I returned to the hotel and we offered a prayer of thanksgiving to God together. Although I did not learn to swim, I learned a deeper lesson: “Death is so close to me; everyone should cherish life.”
In October 2013, I returned to China for the first time and passed by this city again. I was filled with emotion. Harbin, I owe you a lot. Although I lived at Wanbao Town there for three years, I never had the opportunity to see the Harbin Ice and Snow World. Harbin, I never stopped to appreciate your elegant and classical beauty, nor did I really open my arms to embrace you. Harbin, this city that haunts my soul, you are my friend in life, but I never belong to you, and you don’t belong to me either. However, in every bit of my life journey, I can find memories in you, and I can also chase the clues of God’s invisible hand through you.

2024年10月6日 牧者之言

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耶稣怎样对待难相处的人

 魏师母
 
雅各书 1: 19-20；箴言 22: 24；箴言 29: 22
我最近听了一篇关于以上这些圣经经文的讲道。我想和大家分享一下那篇讲道的牧师的一些想法。牧师在讲道开始时说：“控制愤怒是一个问题。” 这似乎已成为当今世界的一个大问题。我们看到更多的暴力，更多的愤怒和更多的仇恨。当然，我们所有人有时都会生气。但作为基督徒，我们需要控制我们对愤怒的反应方式。今天，我想更多地谈谈如何回应那些向我们发泄愤怒的人，以及这种愤怒如何让我们震惊和受伤，尤其是当这种愤怒来自我们的弟兄姐妹时。我们需要节制和饶恕来处理针对我们的愤怒以及我们自己有时感受到的愤怒，我们需要圣灵的帮助来应对这些情况。
当我们看雅各的话时，我们看到他在强调一个观点，亲爱的兄弟们，“这是你们所知道的”（雅1: 19-20）：“注意这一点”，“永远不要忘记”，“理解这一点”……” 要快快的听”，多听是最好的。换句话说，如果我们能花点时间从仇恨的苛刻话语或伤害性行为中恢复过来，只是思考一下。然后雅各说，“慢慢的说”，“慢慢的动怒， ” “慢慢的动怒”。我们需要在听觉上有属灵的理解力（深入倾听）！这需要迅速服从上帝的圣灵。我们必须每天充满圣灵，为这些时刻做好准备。有时很难知道如何回应，因为我们被愤怒吓到了。大多数时候，它让我们措手不及。显然，在那一刻表现出愤怒的人正在对我们犯罪。让我们小心，不要得罪他们。认真、深入地倾听总会带来更好的结果。
现在我们来看看雅各在第 20 节中还想提醒我们什么，“因为人的怒气不能成就神所的义。”换句话说，愤怒并不能使我们变得善良，而神要求我们必须善良。听听我读到的关于雅各的这些指示，仅仅知道甚至选择正确的行动是不够的：我们必须采取行动。神不寻求正义的知识，他寻求正义的生活！我们知道没有行为的信心不能称为信心。信心不仅仅是言语；它不仅仅是知识；它通过顺服来体现。信心使我们脱离世界并顺服神。信心使我们有能力抵抗魔鬼并谦卑地接近神。雅各向我们展示了相信正确的事情却过着错误的生活是可能的。雅各在处理这个敏感话题上对弟兄们非常友善，但他给出了具体的实际指导来帮助我们过上真正的基督徒生活。雅各是耶稣同母的兄弟，但他却自称自己是 “神和主耶稣基督的仆人”。我们也是这样的人。我们面临的挑战是与人们协调恩典和真理，并表现出基督般的行为。因此，我们的目标是在展现恩典的同时展现真理。我们捍卫正义，同时也展现耶稣基督的爱。耶稣在世时面对过许多愤怒的人。他没有变得暴力或粗心大意。但他也不是一个软弱的人（。他不让人欺负他）他直面敌人。但耶稣不是用刀剑、匕首、威胁或侮辱来对抗，而是用恩典和真理的有力结合来对抗敌人。
我们仰望耶稣，因为他比任何人都更了解愤怒，也知道如何应对批评或虐待。耶稣处理难相处的人的一些方法如下：
1. 耶稣问问题。还记得路加福音第 12 章中的故事吗？当时耶稣被要求解决一个关于遗产的家庭纠纷，他回答说：“谁立我作你们断事的官？”“要谨慎！要防备一切贪心；人的生命不在乎家道丰富。”耶稣想让他们明白，把物质的东西置于个人关系之上会带来不好的后果。耶稣用问题来强调他对他人的开放态度。
2. 耶稣做的另一件事是，耶稣从未感到被逼入绝境。当法利赛人指责他做某些事情违反安息日时，耶稣并不担心他们会怎么看他。那不是他的重点。有时人们会用他们的判断逼迫我们，我们觉得他们误解了我们或不了解我们。但像耶稣一样，我们不必被别人的猜测所定义。我们的身份存在于上帝，而不是别人试图强加给我们的东西。
3. 耶稣知道何时该忽视。记得在《路加福音》第 4 章中，当耶稣回到家乡拿撒勒时，他在会堂里读经文时说：“没有先知在自己的家乡被人悦纳的。”他讲了以利亚和寡妇的故事。会堂里的所有人都对耶稣感到愤怒。他们把他赶出城外，想把他扔下悬崖。耶稣知道没有办法和这些人讲理，所以他直接穿过人群，“继续上路”。有些人会发脾气，辱骂和粗鲁……在当今现代的网络上或短信中，这种情况屡见不鲜。这是离开的时候了。有时人们是不讲道理的，所以你别无选择。当面质问时，你也许可以选择另一种方式。
4. 耶稣没有采取防御措施。在马可福音第 10 章中，我们看到雅各和约翰的请求。“夫子，我们无论求什么，愿你给我们成就。”耶稣说，你们要我做什么？他们要求在荣耀中坐在耶稣的左右手边。他们越界了。耶稣知道什么时候说不，什么时候说是，并且不担心让人们不高兴。有时人们对我们的要求超出了我们所能给予的。他们可能会试图让我们感到内疚。耶稣爱所有的人，但他的目标不是取悦所有人。耶稣的目标是遵行天父的旨意。上帝对耶稣的旨意给了他安全感。他不必竭尽全力去满足有需要或咄咄逼人的人。这是耶稣与他人打交道的另一种方式。
5. 耶稣很灵活。马太福音第 15 章讲述了一个迦南妇人的信心故事。这个妇人恳求耶稣医治她的女儿。耶稣说： “不。”但后来他被她的信心感动，治愈了她的女儿。耶稣以开放的心态对待人们。当一个难相处的人来找我们时，我们可能会想，哦，不，不会再来了。但也许我们最好保持开放的心态。这次情况可能会有所不同。我们不想拒绝圣灵在我们自己或他人生活中的工作。
朋友们，我们将耶稣视为我们完美的榜样，像他那样处理生活中的棘手问题和所有其他问题。像他一样，我们也会生气，也会对罪恶、虚伪和不公感到憎恨。这被称为正义的愤怒，这是可以接受的。耶稣没有表现出人的愤怒，而是表现出上帝的义愤。我们视耶稣为榜样，但我们很软弱，有时会失败。我们必须祈祷、宽恕，并继续努力在控制愤怒方面做得更好。

（魏师母于2024年9月19日早上5点晨祷分享）

HOW JESUS DEALT WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE

Elinda West 
            
JAMES 1: 19-20; PROVERBS 22: 24; PROVERBS 29: 22

I very recently heard a sermon on these bible verses. I would like to share with you some thoughts from the pastor who preached that sermon. The pastor began his message by saying “controlling anger is a problem.” It seems to have become a bigger issue in today’s world. We see more violence, more rage, more hatred.  Of course, all of us will get angry sometimes. But as Christ followers, we need to control the way we respond to our anger! Today I want to talk more about ways to respond to those who spew out their anger toward us and how it shocks us and hurts us, especially if this anger toward us is from fellow believers.  It takes discipline and forgiveness to deal with anger directed toward us and the anger we ourselves feel at times and we need the help of the Holy Spirit for these situations.
When we look at James’ words, we see he is making a point, Dear Brothers, “take note of this”, “don’t ever forget”, “understand this” ……” be quick to LISTEN,” “it is BEST to LISTEN MUCH.” In other words, if we could take a few moments to recover from the hateful harsh words or hurtful actions and just think. Then James says, “slow to speak” …… “slow to become angry,” “slow to take offense”! We need spiritual understanding in our hearing
(deep listening). That takes quick obedience to God’s Holy Spirit. We have to be filled with the Spirit daily to be ready for these moments.  It’s difficult to know how to respond sometimes because we are so shocked by anger. Most of the time it catches us off guard! Clearly the person showing their anger in that moment is committing a sin against us. Let’s be careful that we do not sin against them!  Listening deeply, carefully, always brings a better result.
Now we want to see what James is also wanting to remind us in vs 20, “for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” In other words, anger doesn’t make us GOOD, as God demands we must be. Listen to something I read about these instructions from James,  “It is not enough to KNOW or even CHOOSE the right action: We must DO that action!  God does not seek righteous KNOWLEDGE; He seeks righteous LIVES!” We know that FAITH without works cannot be called FAITH.  Faith is more than words; it is MORE than KNOWLEDGE; it is demonstrated by OBEDIENCE.  Faith produces separation
from the world and submission to God! Faith provides us with the ability to resist the devil and humbly draw near to God! James is showing us that it is possible to believe right things and yet live the wrong way. James is so kind toward the brothers in dealing with this sensitive topic, but he gives specific practical instructions to help us live an authentic Christian life. James was Jesus’ half-brother yet he referred to himself as a “servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”. That’s also who we are!  The challenge for us is to harmonize grace and truth with people and demonstrate Christ-like behavior. So, our goal is to project truth while also projecting grace.  We stand up for what is right while also showing the love of Jesus Christ.  Jesus faced a lot of angry people in his time on earth.  He did not become violent or careless. But he wasn’t a doormat either! (He didn’t let people walk all over him.) He confronted his enemies.  But instead of confronting with swords, daggers, threats, or insults, Jesus confronted his enemies with a forceful mixture of grace and truth.
We look to Jesus because he, better than anyone, understands anger and how to deal with being criticized or mistreated.   Some of the ways Jesus dealt with difficult people
were:
1. JESUS ASKED QUESTIONS. Remember the story in Luke 12 when Jesus was challenged to settle a family dispute about the inheritance and he responded, “Man who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” “Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Jesus wanted them to understand putting material things over personal relationships has bad results! Jesus used questions to emphasize his openness to the other person.  Another thing Jesus did was
2. JESUS NEVER FELT PUSHED INTO A CORNER.  When the pharisees accused him of breaking the Sabbath by doing certain things Jesus wasn’t afraid of what they might think of him. That’s not his focus. Sometimes people corner us with their judgements, and we feel they misunderstand us or don’t know us.  But like Jesus we don’t have to feel defined by the projections of other people.  Our identity resides and is found in God, not what other people try to push on us.
3. JESUS KNEW WHEN TO IGNORE.  Remember in Luke 4 when Jesus returned to Nazareth his hometown and was reading the scripture in the synagogue and said, “no prophet was accepted in his own hometown.” He told about Elijah and the widow. All the people in the synagogue were furious with Jesus. They drove him out of town and wanted to throw him off the cliff.  Jesus could see there was no way to reason with these people, so he walked right through the crowd and “went on his way”.   Some people throw fits, speak abusively and harshly…. many times online in today’s modern time or in text messages. This is the time to walk away.  Sometimes people cannot be reasoned with, so you have no choice.  With in-person confrontation you might can choose another way.
4. JESUS WAS NOT ON THE DEFENSIVE.  In Mark 10 we see the request of James and John. “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” Jesus said, what do you want me to do? They asked to sit on Jesus’ right and left hand in Glory! They stepped over a boundary!  Jesus knows when to say NO and when to say YES and doesn’t worry about making people unhappy. Sometimes people demand more from us than what we can give. They may try to give us a guilt trip. Jesus loved all people, but his goal wasn’t to please everyone. Jesus’ goal was to do the Father’s Will. God’s will for Jesus gave him his security. He didn’t have to bend over backwards to satisfy needy or aggressive people. One other way Jesus dealt with other people.
5. JESUS WAS FLEXIBLE.  There’s a story in Matthew 15 about the faith of a Canaanite woman. The woman begged Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus said, “No.” But then he was moved by her faith and heals her daughter.  Jesus approaches people with an open mind. When someone difficult comes our way. We might think, Oh, no, not again! But maybe we better keep an open mind. Things might be different this time. We don’t want to shut out the Holy Spirit’s work in our own life or another person’s life.
FRIENDS WE LOOK TO JESUS FOR OUR PERFECT EXAMPLE IN DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN OUR LIVES.  LIKE HIM, WE TOO, WILL BE ANGRY AND FEEL HATRED TOWARD SIN, HYPOCRISY, AND INJUSTICE.  THAT IS CALLED RIGHTEOUS ANGER AND IS OK. JESUS DID NOT EXHIBIT MAN’S ANGER BUT THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION OF GOD.  WE LOOK TO JESUS AS OUR EXAMPLE, BUT WE ARE WEAK AND WE WILL FAIL SOMETIMES! WE MUST PRAY AND FORGIVE AND KEEP TRYING TO DO BETTER ON THE ISSUE OF ANGER.

(Mrs. Elinda West’s sharing at 5:00 am early morning prayer on September 19, 2024)