【对后代的责任Obligation to Future Generations】

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对后代的责任

诗篇78:1 我的民哪，你们要留心听我的训诲、侧耳听我口中的话。  
78:2 我要开口说比喻，我要说出古时的谜语；
78:3 是我们所听见、所知道的，也是我们的祖宗告诉我们的。  
78:4 我们不将这些事向他们的子孙隐瞒，要将耶和华的美德和祂的能力、并祂奇妙的作为，述说给后代听。  
78:5 因为祂在雅各中立法度、在以色列中设律法，是祂吩咐我们祖宗要传给子孙的。  
78:6 使将要生的后代子孙可以晓得，他们也要起来告诉他们的子孙，
78:7 好叫他们仰望 神，不忘记 神的作为，惟要守祂的命令。  
78:8 不要像他们的祖宗，是顽梗悖逆、居心不正之辈，向着 神心不诚实。

在任何时候，我们都应该作为率先服从上帝的一代人。想想看，如果我们停止与儿女分享主耶稣的真理，那么我们的国家将会怎样？答案就是：后代没有了圣经的根基（例如当一个国家没有以上帝的教导为根基，那这个国家就会沦为一个认同同性恋、乱伦滥交、嗜酒吸毒等犯罪频频的国家）。

这个观点可能听起来有些偏激，但是纵观美国的近代史，我们就能看到一个[关键词屏蔽]不安的趋势。多年之前，美国原本是以圣经原则为建国的根基。那时，人们通常都会带儿女去教会，也会在家里朗读圣经。然而，随着时间的推移，美国人变得富裕和忙碌，但是却推开了上帝。现在，很多孩子就读美国的学校，在那里上帝甚至不被提及，除非是因为虚荣而利用上帝的名。

从诗篇78章我们看到，我们被赋予了神圣的使命，就是要将上帝的真理教导儿女们---通过亲身效法神性的生命而活、亲自教导上帝的话语和分享我们关于上帝的供应和带领的见证。我们服从上帝，以真理来培育下一代，这样做将决定我们整个国家和社会未来的道德根本。

所有真基督徒都扮演着重要的角色，从讲堂上直接传讲的圣经老师，到给自己的儿女和青年团契宣读圣经的父母。尤其作为父母，是肩负着重任，要按照 神的义来培育他们的儿女。

亲爱的兄弟姐妹们，你是一位父母或祖父母吗？或者，在你的影响圈里有其他的孩子吗？想一想，怎样教导这些孩子们与基督同行。因为没有任何工作，能比造就后代的生命更有必要和更有意义。


Obligation to Future Generations

Psalm 78: 1 My people, hear my teaching;
    listen to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth with a parable;
    I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
3 things we have heard and known,
    things our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their descendants;
    we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
    his power, and the wonders he has done.
5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
    and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
    to teach their children,
6 so the next generation would know them,
    even the children yet to be born,
    and they in turn would tell their children.
7 Then they would put their trust in God
    and would not forget his deeds
    but would keep his commands.
8 They would not be like their ancestors—
    a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
    whose spirits were not faithful to Him. . . . . . .

At any time, we are just one generation away from being a pagan nation. Consider what could happen to our country if we stopped sharing the truth about JESUS with our children: the next generation would exist with no biblical foundation.

This idea may sound extreme, but the American recent history shows an unsettling tendency. Years ago, America was founded upon scriptural principles. It was common for people to take their children to church and read the Bible aloud at home. As time went on, though, Americans became affluent and busy, pushing the LORD aside. Now, many children attend schools in America where GOD is not even mentioned—unless HIS name is used in vain.

As we see in Psalm 78, we have been given divine instruction to teach the truth to our children. We do this by modelling a godly life, teaching the WORD, and sharing our testimony of the FATHER’s provision and leading. Our obedience concerning the training of children will determine the future moral character of our nation.

All true believers have an important role to play in this—from Bible teachers who instruct directly in a classroom; to the parents who read the Bible to their children and to the youth groups. Parents in particular have the enormous responsibility to train their daughters and sons in righteousness.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Are you a parent or grandparent? Or are there other children within your circle of influence? Think about ways that you are purposefully teaching them how to walk with CHRIST. There is no task quite as essential or fulfilling as investing in the lives of the next generation.

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得见上帝的操练

箴言3:24 你躺下，必不惧怕；你躺卧，睡得香甜。  
3:25 忽然来的惊恐，不要害怕；恶人遭毁灭，也不要恐惧。  
3:26 因为耶和华是你所倚靠的，祂必保守你的脚不陷入网罗。  

大卫坚信，上帝一直在他的右边保守着他（诗篇16:8 我将耶和华常摆在我面前，因祂在我右边，我便不至摇动）。从大卫的诗篇显露出，他通过观察自己的生命，看到上帝的手迹遍及了万有。我们也要像大卫一样，操练以灵命的眼睛洞悉我们天父无所不在的明证。

以灵命的眼睛洞察不是偶尔做的事，而是要作为一种生活方式。在登山宝训中，主耶稣说：“清心的人有福了，因为他们必得见 神”（马太福音5:8）。那些行在上帝跟前的人，是用清洁的良心操练得一个有行动的信心，他们能够俘虏自己不圣洁的思想、习惯、态度和言语。他们的生命驱除罪恶，只活在义中。所以这等真基督徒拥有一个清洁的灵，使他们能够敏锐地洞悉上帝无所不在，并参与在他们的生命中。

多年前我养成的一个习惯，能够帮助我聚焦洞悉，就是晚上一边睡觉一边祷告时，我会努力回想这一天的经历。我这样做，正是在运作中寻求上帝无所不在的明证。上帝是怎样带领我作出这个决定的？祂是怎样回应我的求问的？在这种情况中，祂是怎样保守我的？在人际关系中，祂又是怎样帮助我的？这样做（一开始可能做起来有些困难，但是坚持不要放弃），不仅使我再次领略到上帝之手的大能运作，祂呵护备至的事实也更深地刻于我心。

亲爱的兄弟姐妹们，上帝大能的明证遍布真基督徒整个的生命，只要你愿意就能看到。睁开灵命的眼睛来观察世界，这会改变一个人的观念，凡事他不会说“我做不到”，而是会说“我能，因为上帝永远使我能做到”。充满信心地活在我们慈爱全能的上帝里面，祂是住在我们里面的。

【主耶稣在约翰福音14:15说：“你们若爱我，就必遵守我的命令”。并且祂坚确地说，祂和天父会与顺服祂教导的人同住（14:23人若爱我，就必遵守我的道；我父也必爱他，并且我们要到他那里去，与他同住）。】

Training to See GOD

Proverbs 3:

24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
    or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the LORD will be at your side
    and will keep your foot from being snared.

David was confident that the LORD was always at his right hand (Ps. 16: 8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.). His psalms reveal that in surveying his life, he saw GOD’s fingerprints all over it. Like David, we must train our spiritual eyes to notice the evidence of our heavenly FATHER’s presence.

Seeing with spiritual eyes isn’t a now-and-then kind of thing—it’s a lifestyle. In the Sermon on the Mount, JESUS said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see GOD” (Matt. 5:8). Those who walk before the LORD exercises a living faith with a clear conscience will take captive unholy thoughts, habits, attitudes, and words. They cast out sin and live in righteousness. As a result, such true believers have a spiritual clarity that sharpens their awareness of GOD’s presence and involvement in their lives.

I developed a habit years ago that has helped me to focus. When I lie down and talk to the LORD before going to sleep, I try to recall the events of my day. What I’m really doing is looking for evidence of GOD at work. How did He guide this decision? Answer this question? Protect me in this situation? Help me in this relationship? Appreciating the LORD’s handiwork a second time (even when the initial experience was difficult) etches the reality of HIS care deeper on my heart.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The evidence of GOD’s great power is all over the life of true followers, if only you will see it. Viewing the world with wide-open spiritual eyes changes one’s perspective. Instead of saying, “I can’t,” say, “I can because the LORD always enables me.” Live confidently in our loving, omnipotent GOD, WHO dwells within you.

JESUS said in John 14: 15 “If you love me, keep my commands. And JESUS confirmed that HE and GOD the FATHER will make their home with you if you obey HIS teaching (John 14:23) . . . .  "Anyone who loves ME will obey MY teaching. MY FATHER will love them, and WE will come to them and make OUR home with them.”

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考验，是为了灵命的成长

使我们不再作小孩子，中了人的诡计和欺骗的法术，被一切异教之风摇动，飘来飘去，就随从各样的异端。惟用爱心说诚实话，凡事长进，连于元首基督。全身都靠祂联络得合式，百节各按各职，照着各体的功用，彼此相助，便叫身体渐渐增长，在爱中建立自己（以弗所4:14-16）   

谈到灵命的成熟，我们不能单纯地认定自己的灵命是在成长。为了评估个人的灵命进展，我总结出一个成长标准的列表。对照这个列表，深刻认识自己该怎样去做。但是一定要记住，这些标准只是一个开始部分，你要继续察考圣经来获得灵命成长的完整标准。

当我们日益意识到自己的罪恶与软弱时，就知道我们的灵命在成长。当我读到圣徒们的事迹时，明显地看到，随着年龄的增长、灵命的成熟，他们的情况不是变得“更好”，而是变得更敏锐于倚靠上帝。此外，当我们以果断悔改来回应罪恶时，灵命上的长进就会是显然的。因为没有对付罪恶，就是在悖逆上帝。灵命成长的基督徒会厌恶行败坏之事，惟独信奉公义。正如我们活在倚靠上帝并悔改的、好的生命果效中，我们的渴望就是要更进一步服从上帝，而罪对我们的吸引力是在减小。

灵命的成长还显著体现在两件事情中，就是喜乐不断增多，与罪的斗争不断加强。通常，信心的发展是通过苦难，因为在苦难中活出信靠和忍耐的原则，能够帮助我们的信心坚固、强大起来。因此，当我们将考验和试探视为灵命成长的机会时，就会在我们与上帝的亲密关系中看到我们的灵命成熟起来了。

保罗、大卫和但以理都证明，逆境能帮助我们成为灵命上的巨人。他们都认定，至高的上帝是他们生命的守护者。当我们认识到，无论生命遇到什么逆境都当作是出于上帝，这也就意味着上帝是在为我们的益处而运作（罗马书8:28 我们晓得万事都互相效力，叫爱 神的人得益处，就是按祂旨意被召的人）

Testing Positive for Growth

Ephesians 4: 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of HIM who is the head, that is, CHRIST. 16 From HIM the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

When it comes to spiritual maturity, we can’t simply take for granted that we’re growing. To evaluate personal progress, I’ve compiled a brief inventory of spiritual benchmarks. Check the list for an idea of how you’re doing. But remember, these items are just a place to start; see the Bible for a complete growth chart!

We know we’re growing spiritually when we become increasingly aware of our sinfulness and weakness. As I read biographies of godly saints, it’s clear that they don’t “get better” with age and spiritual maturity. Instead, they become ever more sensitive to their dependence upon the LORD. Moreover, progress is apparent when we respond to sin with quick repentance. Failure to deal with sin is rebellion against GOD. Growing believers turn away from wrongdoing and embrace righteousness. As we live with the good results of dependence and repentance, our desire to obey intensifies, and the attraction of sin lessens.

Growth is also marked by an increase in two things—joy and struggle. Faith is often developed through hardship because living out the principles of trust and endurance help us “get it.” So we’ll see maturity in our relationship with GOD when we view trials and temptations as opportunities for growth.

Paul, David, and Daniel prove that adversity can help form spiritual giants. These men recognized sovereign GOD as the gatekeeper of their lives. We are maturing when we perceive whatever comes our way as being from HIM, which also means that HE’s working it for good (Rom. 8: 28 And we know that in all things GOD works for the good of those who love HIM, who have been called according to HIS purpose.)

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应对沮丧和灾难

虽然无花果树不发旺、葡萄树不结果、橄榄树也不效力、田地不出粮食、圈中绝了羊、棚内也没有牛，然而我要因耶和华欢欣，因救我的 神喜乐。主耶和华是我的力量，祂使我的脚快如母鹿的蹄，又使我稳行在高处（哈巴谷3:17-19）

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，无数人会因为逆境而感到失败和沮丧，可是我们能作出不同的回应。挫折、沮丧或灾难，对真基督徒来说是一个灵命成长的机会，但对表面的基督徒和非信徒来说却是毁灭性的打击。

对沮丧和灾难作出合上帝心意的回应，首先就要抵挡以罪恶本性对待苦难之人。如果某人陷入了逆境，不要武断地批判他或她的行为表现。因为我们无法全面了解别人的生命发生了什么，或什么动机使他们作出这些举动。第二步，我们应该求问上帝：“我要怎样来回应？”上帝会带领我们作出智慧和公义的回应，因为祂知道全部事实。

第三步，跟从上帝的指引而行，即使不是你所想的。上帝的道路，通常相抵于我们自己的渴望和朋友的建议。而祂的旨意永远都是要使我们的灵命成长起来，并且使我们收获最大的益处。

最后，你要始终保持专注于上帝和祂对你生命的更高旨意。人都很容易会沉陷在自己所受的痛苦和伤害中，这就是沮丧极具毁灭性的地方。

只有一个有益的方法能够对付失望或沮丧，就是跟从上帝的道路和祂的旨意而行。虽然人的计划能被改变，但是任何事都无法动摇上帝的旨意。无论你受的伤害有多深，当你服从上帝所以信心成长时，上帝会牧领着你穿过挫折和悲痛的逆境。罗马书8:28申明：“我们晓得万事都互相效力，叫爱 神的人得益处，就是按祂旨意被召的人。”  

上帝是至高掌管着世界，就是掌管着有信心（服从上帝）的真基督徒生命中所发生的一切事情，所以每一件事都是经上帝所命，为使我们得益处而运作。患难、困苦、逼迫、饥饿、赤身露体、危险或刀剑，万事都互相效力，叫爱上帝的人得益处。

因此，真基督徒坚固的盼望，不在于他的生命能避免失望、困苦、危险、饥饿、残害，而是全能上帝向我们施恩慈，使我们每一个痛苦为我们的益处而运作。创世纪里，约瑟对卖他为奴的兄弟们说：“你们的意思是要害我，但 神的意思原是好的。”（创世纪50:20 从前你们的意思是要害我，但 神的意思原是好的，要保全许多人的性命，成就今日的光景）。所以每个沮丧和灾难，对那些爱上帝而信靠上帝、服从上帝话语的基督徒来说，也是如此，上帝的旨意是要让我们得益处！

Dealing with Disappointment and Calamity

Habakkuk 3:

17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in GOD my SAVIOUR. 19 The SOVEREIGN LORD is my strength; HE makes my feet like the feet of a deer, HE enables me to tread on the heights.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Countless people feel defeated and let down by disappointing situations. But our response can make all the difference. Frustrations, disappointment or calamity when happen to a true follower of CHRIST can be an opportunity for spiritual growth and a destructive blow to the superficial Christians and non-believers.

A right response to disappointment or calamity begins with resisting the natural tendency toward bitterness. If someone else was involved in the situation, don’t be quick to judge his or her conduct. We can’t fully understand what is going on in others’ lives or what motivates them to act as they do. Our second step should be to ask the LORD, “How am I to respond?” GOD can guide us to a wise and righteous reaction because HE has all the facts.

Third, follow HIS direction, even if it isn’t what you want to do. Oftentimes the LORD’s way contradicts our own desires and the advice of friends. However, HIS plan is the one that will bring about growth and result in our greatest good.

And finally, keep your focus on GOD and HIS higher purpose in your life. People are prone to dwell on their hurts and the harm that comes to them, which is what makes disappointment so destructive.
There is only one healthy method for dealing with let-down or disappointment —pursues the LORD’s way and HIS will. Though human plans can be derailed, nothing alters GOD’s purpose. No matter how deep your hurt goes, HE will shepherd you through setbacks and sorrows while growing your faith. Rom. 8:28 affirms that ‘28 And we know that in all things GOD works for the good of those who love HIM, who have been called according to HIS purpose.’

GOD is so supremely in charge of the world that all the things that happen to true Christians who in faith are obedient to GOD, that everything ordered in such a way they serve our good. Tribulation and distress and persecution and famine and nakedness and peril and sword all work together for the good of those who love GOD.

So the rugged hope of the true believer is not that we will escape disappointment or distress or peril or hunger or slaughter, but that ALMIGHTY GOD will make every one of our agonies an instrument of HIS mercy to do us good. In Genesis - Joseph said to his brothers who had sold him into slavery, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." Genesis 50: “20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” And so it is with every Disappointment or calamity of those who love and trust GOD and obey HIS WORD. GOD meant it for our good!