“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

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

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)

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 ]

2. 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。

3. 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。

4. 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。

5. 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。

6. 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。

7. 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]

2. 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 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