送給上帝的禮物 (3)

送給上帝的禮物 (3)
聖經閱讀：約翰一書2:1-6 現代中譯本|合和本
2013年12月23日(一)

今天我想要談另一個可以送給上帝的禮物──順服。有時候，我們會不想要遵從上帝，而想要用自己的方式來做事，但上帝大有智慧，而且祂知道什麼是對我們最好的，所以我們應該遵守祂的命令。 　今天的經文告訴我們，當我們遵從上帝的時候，會發生兩件事情。首先，「如果我們遵守上帝的命令，我們就知道我們認識他」(第3節)，而第4節接著說：「若有人說『我認識他』，卻不遵守他的命令，這樣的人是撒謊的，真理跟他沒有關係。」你是真的想要認識上帝嗎？那就遵守祂的命令吧！ 　其次，當我們遵從上帝時，我們「對上帝的愛就達到完全」(第5a節)。如果我們遵守上帝的命令，那麼上帝的愛就會在我們的生命中作工。當上帝的愛在我們的生命中作工時，我們就會去跟別人分享耶穌的福音，而這些人就會在我們的生命中看見上帝的愛。 　遵從上帝從來就不是一件容易的事情。有時候我們會失敗，但藉著耶穌，我們得著赦免。今天，就將你的「順服」當作禮物送給上帝！ －JK 「要順服上帝，不可讓私慾支配你們，像從前你們愚昧無知的時候那樣。」 彼得前書1:14 禱告：親愛的上帝，今天我就遵從祢。奉耶穌的名，阿們！ (陳萍萍譯)

Gifts for God (3)
Bible Reading: 1 John 2:1-6
Monday, December 23, 2013

Today I want to talk about another gift we can give God — our obedience. Sometimes we don’t like to think about obeying God. We want to do things our own way. But God is wise and always knows what is best for us. So we should obey His commands. 　Our Bible Reading today tells us two things that happen when we obey God. First, if “we obey what God has told us to do, then we are sure that we know him” (verse 3). Verse 4 continues to say that if “we say we know God but do not obey his commands, we are lying.” Do you truly want to know God? Then obey His commands. 　Second, when we obey God “his love is truly working in us” (verse 5a). If we follow God’s commands, then God’s love will be working in our lives. When God’s love is at work in our lives, we will share the Good News about Jesus with other people. And those people will see God’s love in our lives. 　It’s not always easy to obey God. Sometimes we fail. But through Jesus we have forgiveness. Give God the gift of your obedience today! —JK “But now you are children of God, so you should obey him and not live the way you did before.” 1 Peter 1:14b PRAYER: Dear God, I will obey You today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.