【我的受造奇妙可畏Fearfully and Wonderfully Made】

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我的受造奇妙可畏

139:1 耶和华阿，你已经鉴察我、认识我。  
139:2 我坐下、我起来，你都晓得，你从远处知道我的意念。  
139:3 我行路、我躺卧，你都细察，你也深知我一切所行的。  
139:4 耶和华阿，我舌头上的话，你没有一句不知道的。  
139:5 你在我前后环绕我，按手在我身上。  
139:6 这样的知识奇妙，是我不能测的；至高，是我不能及的。  
139:7 我往哪里去躲避你的灵？我往哪里逃躲避你的面？  
139:8 我若升到天上，你在那里；我若在阴间下榻，你也在那里。  
139:9 我若展开清晨的翅膀，飞到海极居住，  
139:10 就是在那里，你的手必引导我，你的右手也必扶持我。

创世时，上帝看祂所造的世界，祂声明“是好的”。并且人类（男和女），不仅是按照祂的形象而造，更是祂创造之工的顶级之作（创世纪1:27 神就照着自己的形像造人，乃是照着祂的形像造男造女）。诗篇139也提醒我们，“我们的受造奇妙可畏”（诗篇139:14我要称谢你，因我受造奇妙可畏。你的作为奇妙，这是我心深知道的）。

上帝赐给祂每一个儿女极大的潜能，使他们能够侍奉祂的国度。然而，我们中有些人却对这个事实持有严重的怀疑。有时，我们将自己与别人比较，然后就会关注自己不如人的地方。而另一些时候，我们会为自己犯的错而反复地责备自己。如果我们关注的都是我们达不到上帝标准的方面，那我们又怎能发挥出上帝赐予我们的惊人潜能呢？

摩西，虽然在法老王宫里长大时，他拥有很多的优势，可是后来他杀了一个埃及人，便逃离了埃及。此时的摩西，看起来决不像一个能领以色列人出埃及的领袖。然而，上帝的眼光超越摩西的罪行，看到他将来能够成为这样的人。

使徒保罗，在他蒙拯救之前，是激烈地对抗耶稣的信徒。然而，靠着上帝的怜悯，他却变成一个强有力的福音传道人，同时也是新约多本经书的作者。彼得，是一个卑微的渔夫，曾不止一次而是三次，不承认主耶稣。但是，上帝仍拣选他成为耶路撒冷教会的领袖。

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，我们的天父超越我们人性的弱点，看到的是我们在基督里的潜能。因为我们是按照祂的形象而造，并且祂的灵也居住在我们里面，所以我们有更大能力能够在灵上改变，作出更大更有效的侍奉，是超越我们所能想象到的。作为耶稣基督真正的跟从者，我们应该殷勤寻求成为上帝希望我们成为的人。

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
       
Psalm 139: 1 YOU have searched me, LORD,
    and YOU know me.
2 YOU know when I sit and when I rise;
    YOU perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 YOU discern my going out and my lying down;
   YOU are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
   YOU, LORD, know it completely.
5 YOU hem me in behind and before,
    and YOU lay your HAND upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from YOUR SPIRIT?
    Where can I flee from YOUR presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, YOU are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, YOU are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there YOUR hand will guide me,
   YOUR right hand will hold me fast.

When GOD looked at the world HE made, HE declared it good. Making man—male and female—in HIS image was the crowning achievement of HIS creative work (Gen. 1: 27 So GOD created mankind in HIS own image, in the image of GOD HE created them; male and female HE created them.). Psalm 139 reminds us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (14 I praise YOU because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; YOUR works are wonderful,).

The LORD has given each of HIS children great potential for service in HIS kingdom. However, some of us have serious doubts that this is true. When we compare ourselves to other people, we notice the things we lack. At other times, we repeatedly criticize ourselves for mistakes we’ve made. How can we have awesome potential when we see so many ways in which we fall short?

When Moses was growing up in Pharaoh’s household, Moses appeared to have many advantages. Then he killed an Egyptian and fled the country. No longer did he seem a likely candidate to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. But GOD looked beyond what Moses had done and saw who he could become.

Before being saved, the apostle Paul vehemently opposed those who believed in JESUS. Yet through GOD’s mercy, he became a mighty evangelist and author of several New Testament books. Peter was a simple fisherman who denied—not once but three times—that he knew JESUS. Still, the LORD chose him to become the leader of the Jerusalem church.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Our FATHER sees beyond our human frailties to the potential we have in CHRIST. Because we were made in HIS image and HIS SPIRIT dwells in us, we have a greater capacity for spiritual transformation and service than we could imagine. As true followers of CHRIST JESUS, we should diligently seek to become the person GOD desires for us to be.

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洁净的心

诗篇119:9 少年人用甚么洁净他的行为呢？是要遵行你的话。  

119:10 我一心寻求了你，求你不要叫我偏离你的命令。  

119:11 我将你的话藏在心里，免得我得罪你。

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，要实现上帝赐予我们的全部潜能，首先就要拥有一颗洁净的心，就是热爱上帝，并渴望服从上帝。可是，我们每个人与生俱来的本性都是要远离上帝。耶利米描述，人心是诡诈向恶的，凡事都求合自己的心意，这是人性的常态（耶利米17:9 人心比万物都诡诈，坏到极处，谁能识透呢？）

然而，救恩改变了我们的心和生命。主耶稣死在十字架上，替我们偿还了罪债，也破坏了罪的权势对我们的辖制。通过接受基督作为救主，我们每个人都能成为一个新造的人，拥有一颗对圣灵的带领敏锐的心，还有一个强烈渴望要更加懂得上帝的意念。并且我们也得到圣灵的大能，使我们能够抵挡自我的私欲，惟独服从上帝。拥有一颗洁净的心，我们就可以开始认识永生上帝所赐予我们的潜能。

要保持一颗洁净的心，最好的方法就是默想圣经。这样做就好像我们对照镜子看清自己，正如上帝看我们，所以我们从中会发现自己对上帝忠心的地方，也会懂得哪些地方偏离了祂的路。然后，我们诚恳地向上帝认罪并且悔改，这会为我们带来上帝的宽恕和清洁（约翰一书1:9 我们若认自己的罪， 神是信实的、是公义的，必要赦免我们的罪，洗净我们一切的不义）。

心是我们的思想、意愿和情感的根源所在，所以当我们竭力保持一颗清心时，就更容易地能够领悟上帝的旨意，并将自己的意愿降服于上帝，顺服地跟从祂。

我们要成为上帝计划我们成为的人，就需要与祂有亲密的关系，并且热切渴望要服从祂的话语。离开主耶稣，我们就做不成任何有恒久价值的事情（约翰福音15:5 我是葡萄树，你们是枝子。常在我里面的，我也常在他里面，这人就多结果子。因为离了我，你们就不能作甚么）。积极配合圣灵对我们的改造（就是服从上帝所有的教导），这会帮助我们保持洁净的心。

A Clean Heart

Psalm 119:

9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?

    By living according to YOUR WORD.

10 I seek YOU with all my heart;

    do not let me stray from YOUR commands.

11 I have hidden YOUR WORD in my heart

    that I might not sin against YOU.

  

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Reaching our full GOD’s given potential begins with a clean heart—one that loves the LORD and desires to obey HIM. However, each of us was born with a nature bent away from GOD. Jeremiah describes the heart as deceitful and inclined towards wickedness. Pleasing self is man’s normal state (Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?).

Salvation changed our hearts and lives. JESUS’ death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin and broke its power over us. By receiving CHRIST as SAVIOUR, we each became a new creation—with a heart sensitive to the HOLY SPIRIT’s leading and a mind that strongly desires to know the FATHER better. We also received the SPIRIT’s power to deny our selfish desires and obey GOD. With clean hearts, we can begin to realize the capabilities our loving LORD has given us.

The best way to maintain a clean heart is by meditating on Scripture. It acts like a mirror in which we see ourselves as GOD sees us. Through it, we discover the areas where we have been faithful and also the places where we’ve veered from HIS path. Expressing genuine repentance brings GOD’s forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1: 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.).

The heart represents the seat of our mind, will, and emotions. When we strive to keep it pure, we will more easily discern the LORD’s plan, submit our will to HIS, and follow HIM obediently.

Becoming the person GOD planned for each of us to be requires an intimate relationship with HIM and a desire to obey HIS WORD. Apart from JESUS, we can’t achieve anything of lasting value (John 15: 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in ME and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from ME you can do nothing.). Cooperating with the HOLY SPIRIT’s transforming work will help us keep our hearts clean.

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等候上帝

诗篇37:1 不要为作恶的心怀不平，也不要向那行不义的生出嫉妒。  
37:2 因为他们如草快被割下，又如青菜快要枯干。  
37:3 你当倚靠耶和华而行善，住在地上，以祂的信实为粮；  
37:4 又要以耶和华为乐，祂就将你心里所求的赐给你。  
37:5 当将你的事交托耶和华，并倚靠祂，祂就必成全。  
37:6 祂要使你的公义如光发出，使你的公平明如正午。  
37:7 你当默然倚靠耶和华，耐性等候祂。不要因那道路通达的和那恶谋成就的，心怀不平。  
37:8 当止住怒气，离弃忿怒，不要心怀不平，以致作恶。  
37:9 因为作恶的，必被剪除。惟有等候耶和华的，必承受地土。

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，等候上帝，在我们信心的生命中是一项重要的灵命操练。大卫王的生命教导了我们，跟从上帝旨意的重要和独自行在上帝之先的危险。

当大卫还是一个牧童时，先知撒母耳就膏他作以色列下一个王。可是很多年过去了，大卫仍然没有成为统治者。又因当前的王，扫罗不仅与大卫为敌，还屡次设法要害他的命，这就使大卫等候上帝将他放在王位上，变得更加艰难。尽管上帝把杀死仇敌的机会放在大卫手里，然而他却克制住自己没有这样做，也不许任何人攻击扫罗（撒母耳上24:1-7 扫罗追赶非利士人回来，有人告诉他说“大卫在隐基底的旷野。”扫罗就从以色列人中挑选三千精兵，率领他们往野羊的磐石去，寻索大卫和跟随他的人。到了路旁的羊圈，在那里有洞。扫罗进去大解，大卫和跟随他的人正藏在洞里的深处。跟随的人对大卫说：“耶和华曾应许你说‘我要将你的仇敌交在你手里，你可以任意待他’，如今时候到了。”大卫就起来，悄悄的割下扫罗外袍的衣襟。随后大卫心中自责，因为割下扫罗的衣襟。对跟随他的人说：“我的主乃是耶和华的受膏者，我在耶和华面前万不敢伸手害他，因他是耶和华的受膏者。”大卫用这话拦住跟随他的人，不容他们起来害扫罗。扫罗起来，从洞里出去行路）。大卫等候并顺服了上帝，所以受到极大的祝福。

而大卫王也知道不等候上帝，独自先行的后果。有一年，大卫选择不与他的军兵一同出战，即使这是他的职责之一（撒母耳下11:1 过了一年，到列王出战的时候，大卫又差派约押率领臣仆和以色列众人出战。他们就打败亚扪人，围攻拉巴。大卫仍住在耶路撒冷）。他留在宫里的时候，注意到乌利亚的妻子拔示巴，就想占有她。于是大卫凭欲望行事，设想与拔示巴有一个孩子，然后设法掩盖他的罪。他使自己的生命陷入困境，所以经受到神圣的惩罚和更大的心痛，而不是跟从上帝的旨意而得蒙祝福。

作为真基督徒，我们渴望服从上帝，但也可能会遇到这样的情况，就是强烈地欲望驱使我们不等候上帝的指示。那么像大卫一样，我们会因服从而蒙祝福，或不服从而致心痛。因此在你行动之前，一定要先寻求上帝的旨意。

Waiting on GOD

Psalm 37: 1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
    or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
    like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
    and HE will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
    trust in HIM and HE will do this:
6 HE will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD
    and wait patiently for HIM;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
    do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
    but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Waiting on GOD is an important spiritual discipline in our walk of faith. King David’s life teaches us about the value of following the LORD’s plan and the danger in moving ahead of HIM.

When David was a young shepherd boy, the prophet Samuel anointed him as Israel’s next king. Yet he did not become the ruler for many years. Waiting for the LORD to place him on the throne was made more difficult because the current king, Saul, turned against David and repeatedly tried to take his life. Despite the opportunity to take matters into his own hands and kill his enemy, David held back. He wouldn’t allow anyone else to attack Saul either (1 Sam. 24: 1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.)  He waited on GOD and was greatly blessed for his obedience.

King David also knew what it was like to move ahead without the LORD. One year he chose not to join his troops in battle, even though that was one of his duties (2 Sam. 11: 1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.). During the time he stayed home, he noticed Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, and he coveted her. Acting upon his desires, he conceived a child with her and then tried to cover up his sin. What a mess he made of his life. Instead of following the LORD’s plan and being blessed, he experienced divine chastisement and much heartache.

As true believers, we want to obey the LORD, but there may be situations when intense desire propels us forward without waiting for HIS direction. Like David, we will experience the blessing of obedience or the heartache of disobedience. Be sure to seek out GOD’s plan before you act.

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惟独耶和华被尊崇

骄傲的必屈膝，狂妄的必降卑。在那日，惟独耶和华被尊崇（以赛亚2:17）

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，那一日将会来临，就是人类的骄傲并狂妄被永远地粉碎，全世界都俯首承认：惟独上帝掌管万有。

我们作为基督真正的跟从者，甘心情愿地谦卑降服于上帝，所以我们能期盼那一日的到来。


The LORD along shall be exalted

Isa. 2:17 - The loftiness of man shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of men shall be brough low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day . . . .

Shalom Brothers n Sisters,

A day is coming when human pride and arrogance will be smashed forever and the entire world will acknowledge that GOD alone rules.

As true followers of CHRIST, we can anticipate that day by willingly humbling ourselves.