Verse from Luke

““主的灵在我身上，因为他膏我去传福音给贫穷的人，差遣我去宣告被掳的得释放，瞎眼的得看见，受压制的得自由，”

路加福音 4:18

““The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,”

Luke 4:18 

In his novels The Trial and The Castle, Franz Kafka (1883–1924) portrays life as a dehumanizing existence that turns people into a sea of empty faces without identity or worth. Kafka said, “The conveyer belt of life carries you on, no one knows where. One is more of an object, a thing, than a living creature.”

Early in His ministry, Jesus went to a synagogue in Nazareth, stood up in front of the crowd, and read from Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

Then Christ sat down and declared, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (v. 21). Centuries earlier, the prophet Isaiah had proclaimed these words (Isa. 61:1-2). Now Jesus announced that He was the fulfillment of that promise.

Notice who Jesus came to rescue—the poor, brokenhearted, captive, blind, and oppressed. He came for people dehumanized by sin and suffering, by brokenness and sorrow. He came for us!

No matter how impersonal the world may seem, Jesus loves each of us as if we were His only child.

Verse from John

“现在你们也有忧愁；但我要再见你们，你们的心就会喜乐，你们的喜乐是没有人能够夺去的。”

约翰福音 16:22

“So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”

John 16:22

When the soloist began to sing during a Sunday service, the congregation gave him full, hushed attention. His mellow bass-baritone voice brought them the soul-touching words of an old song by Gordon Jensen. The song’s title expresses a truth that grows more precious the older we become: “He’s as Close as the Mention of His Name.”

We’ve and will all experienced times of separation from our loved ones. A child marries and moves far away. Parents are separated from us because of career or health. A child goes off to school in another state or country. True, we have texting and Skype. But we are here and they are there. And then there is the separation of death.

But, we have His promise that we are never alone. Though we may feel alone, He hasn’t gone anywhere. He’s right here, right now, always and forever. When He left this earth, He told His followers, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). He also promised us, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).

The silent plea, the whispered mention of His name, even the very thought of Him brings us solace and reassurance. “He’s as close as the mention of His name.”

Jesus never abandons or forgets His own.

Verse from Proverbs

“义人连自己牲畜的性命也顾惜；但恶人的怜悯也是残忍。”

箴言 12:10

“The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.”

Proverbs 12:10

June Williams was only 4 when her father bought 7 acres of land to build a zoo without bars or cages. Growing up she remembers how creative her father was in trying to help wild animals feel free in confinement. Today Chester Zoo is one of England’s most popular wildlife attractions. Home to 11,000 animals on 110 acres of land, the zoo reflects her father’s concern for animal welfare, education, and conservation.

Solomon had a similar interest in all creatures great and small. In addition to studying the wildlife of the Middle East, he imported exotic animals like apes and monkeys from far-off lands (1 Kings 10:22). But one of his proverbs shows us that Solomon’s knowledge of nature went beyond intellectual curiosity. When he expressed the spiritual implications of how we treat our animals, he mirrored something of the heart of our Creator: “The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel” (Prov. 12:10).

With God-given wisdom, Solomon saw that our relationship to our Creator affects not only how we treat people but also how much thoughtful consideration we give to the creatures in our care.

Something to reflect: how do we treat the people around us, be it whether we know them or not? And how do we treat the creatures such as dogs, cats etc around us? 

Verse from Psalms

“急难临到我的时候，我求告耶和华，我向我的　神呼求；他从殿中听了我的声音，我在他面前的呼求进了他的耳中。”

诗篇 18:6

“In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears.”

Psalms 18:6

In Psalm 18 David was in great danger. Afraid, close to death, and in anguish, he called on the Lord. 

David could say, “I love you, Lord” because he understood God was a fortress, a rock, and a deliverer (vv. 1-2). God was his shield, his salvation, and his stronghold. Maybe we cannot understand David’s praise because we have not experienced God’s help. It may be that we reach for the phone before going to God for advice and help.

Surely God puts people in our lives to give us help and comfort. But let’s also remember to pray. God will hear us. As David sang, “From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears” (v. 6). When we go to God, we join David’s song and enjoy Him as our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer.

Next time you reach for the phone, remember also to pray.

Dear Lord, 

help me to remember You are my deliverer, 

and You always hear my cry.

Prayer is the bridge between panic and peace.

Insight

Psalm 18 seems to be a song of retrospective understanding. In many of David’s psalms we find him being pursued and hunted, first by Saul and later by Absalom. During those times of flight and danger, David sometimes questioned God’s faithfulness, love, and care—wondering why the Lord didn’t intervene on his behalf. In Psalm 18, however, we see a more reflective David. He looked back on his journey and saw continuous evidence of the presence and protection of God along the way (vv. 1–3; 16–19; 25–29; 35–36; 47–50)—even in the seasons of life where that evidence seemed scarce. Now, looking back, David affirmed what he had questioned—the faithfulness of God.

Verse from Exodus

“以色列人看见了，就彼此对问说：“这是甚么？”原来他们不知道那是甚么。摩西对他们说：“这就是耶和华赐给你们吃的食物。”

出埃及记 16:15

“When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.”

Exodus 16:15

When the Israelites first encountered God’s bread from heaven, it appeared on the ground outside their tents like frost. “When [they] saw it, they said to each other, ‘What is it?’ ” (v. 15). The Hebrew word man means “what,” so they called it manna. They discovered they could grind it and form it into loaves or cook it in a pot (Num. 11:7-8). Whatever it was, it had a baffling arrival (Ex. 16:4,14), a unique consistency (v. 14), and a short expiration date (vv. 19-20).

Sometimes God provides for us in surprising ways. This reminds us that He is not bound by our expectations, and we can’t predict what He will choose to do. While we wait, focusing on who He is rather than what we think He should do will help us find joy and satisfaction in our relationship with Him.

Dear God, 

please help me to freely accept Your provision and the way You choose to deliver it. 

Thank You for caring for me and meeting my needs. 

Those who let God provide will always be satisfied.

Verse from Job

“可是他知道我所行的道路...

约伯记 23:10

“"But He knows the way I take...

Job 23:10

On October 31, 2014, an experimental spacecraft broke apart during a test flight and crashed into the Mojave Desert. The copilot died while the pilot miraculously survived. Investigators soon determined what had happened, but not why. The title of a newspaper article about the crash began with the words “Questions remain."

Throughout life we may experience sorrows for which there are no adequate explanations. Some are catastrophic events with far-reaching effects while others are personal, private tragedies that alter our individual lives and families. We want to know why, but we seem to find more questions than answers. Yet even as we struggle with “Why?” God extends His unfailing love to us.

When Job lost his children and his wealth in a single day (Job 1:13-19), he sank into an angry depression and resisted any attempted explanations by his friends. Yet he held out hope that someday there would be an answer from God. Even in the darkness Job could say, “[God] knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold” (23:10).

Oswald Chambers said, “There will come one day a personal and direct touch from God when every tear and perplexity, every oppression and distress, every suffering and pain, and wrong and injustice will have a complete and ample and overwhelming explanation.”

Today, as we face life’s unanswered questions, we can find help and hope in God’s love and promises.

Verse from James

“照样，舌头虽然是个小肢体，却会说夸大的话。 试看，星星之火，可以燎原；”

雅各书 3:5

“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.”

James 3:5

So many of us are quick to point out what we consider to be weaknesses in family, friends, or work colleagues, or to focus on their mistakes rather than their successes. “The tongue is a small part of the body,” says James (3:5), yet the words it shapes can either destroy relationships or bring peace and harmony to a situation in the workplace, the church, or the family.

Perhaps we should make David’s prayer our own as we start each day: “Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3).

Father, 

please curb my careless speech and put a guard on my tongue today and every day.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Proverbs 25:11 nkjv

Verse from John

“我是葡萄树，你们是枝子。住在我里面的，我也住在他里面，他就结出很多果子；因为离开了我，你们就不能作甚么。”

约翰福音 15:5

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

The church service was still in progress, and they had some visitors there that morning. The speaker was only halfway through his sermon when one of the ushers noticed one of the visitors walking out. He was curious and concerned, so he walked out to talk with her.

“You’re leaving so soon,” he said, approaching her. “Is there a problem I can help with?” She was frank and forthright. “Yes,” she said, “my problem is that sermon! I don’t accept what the preacher is saying.”  He had said that no matter what we accomplish in life, the credit and praise belong to God. “At least,” the woman moaned, “I deserve some credit for my achievements!”

He explained to her what the pastor meant. People do deserve recognition and appreciation for what they do. Yet even our gifts and talents are from God, so He gets the glory. Even Jesus, the Son of God, said, “The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing” (John 5:19). He told His followers, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (15:5).

We acknowledge the Lord as the one who helps us to accomplish everything.

Verse from Romans

“不但如此，就是在患难中也是欢欢喜喜的；因为知道患难生忍耐，

罗马书 5:3 

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;”

Romans 5:3

We should have no doubts that our God is very compassionate and merciful. However, He allows sufferings for a reason: “tribulation produces perseverance”. The sufferings of Job enabled him to persevere, which led him to see the final rewards that God had intended for him after He revealed Himself. Thus, Job is thus a fine example of perseverance or fortitude that we can emulate in our lives.

The challenges and crisis that we encounter regularly can seep away our joy and strength, and at these times we are tempted to give up. If we are not aware of what God has planned to accomplish through us, we might be tempted to envy the wicked like Asaph. However, it was only after Asaph had gone into the sanctuary of God that he understood their end.

Let us remember that God permits suffering in our lives because it leads to His excellent purposes. If we are going through sufferings, let us be patient for God is still on His throne. Blessed are those who endure and persevere!

Verse from Romans

“因为我所作的，我不明白；我所愿意的，我没有去作，我所恨恶的，我倒去作。”

罗马书 7:15

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

Romans 7:15

There are many who ask this question: “I’ve been a Christian nearly my whole life, but I’m constantly disappointed in myself. Why is it that I always seem to keep doing the things I wish I didn’t do and never seem to do the things I know I should? Isn’t God getting tired of me?”

Do you have this kind of question too? 

That’s a common struggle that even the apostle Paul experienced. “I do not understand what I do,” he said, “For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Rom. 7:15). But here’s some good news: We don’t have to stay in that trap of discouragement. 

To paraphrase Paul as he writes in Romans 8, the key is to stop focusing on the law and start focusing on Jesus. We can’t do anything about our sinfulness in our own strength. The answer is not “try harder to be good at keeping the rules.” Instead, we must focus on the One who shows us mercy and cooperate with the Spirit who changes us.

When we focus on the law, we are constantly reminded that we’ll never be good enough to deserve God’s grace. But when we focus on Jesus, we become more like Him.

I sometimes get caught in the cycle of trying harder to be good, 

failing, getting discouraged, and giving up. 

Help me, Lord, 

to depend on Your grace and to draw near to You so that You can change my heart.

Focus on Jesus.

Verse from Luke

“于是他起来往父亲那里去。他还在远处时，他父亲看见了他，就动了慈心，跑过去抱着他，连连与他亲吻。”

路加福音 15:20

“So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

Luke 15:20

No one understands the struggle with prodigals better than our heavenly Father. The story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is our story and God’s. Jesus told it on behalf of all sinners who so desperately need to come home to their Creator and discover the warmth of a loving relationship with Him.

Jesus is God in the flesh seeing us in the distance and looking on us with compassion. He is God running to us and throwing His arms around us. He is heaven’s kiss welcoming the repentant sinner home (v. 20).

God hasn’t just left the porch light on for us. He’s out on the front porch watching, waiting, calling us home.

Our loved ones may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons—but they are helpless against our prayers. J. Sidlow Baxter

Verse from Philippians

“弟兄们，你们要一同效法我，也要留意那些照着我们给你们的榜样而行的人。”

腓立比书 3:17

“Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.”

Philippians 3:17

The apostle Paul stands out in the Real People Hall of Fame. He had physical problems. He had legal issues. He had interpersonal relationship struggles to deal with. And in all of this messy reality, he was setting an example for us. In Philippians 3:17, he said, “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.”

Those around us who need the gospel—who need Jesus—are looking for believable people who can point them to our perfect Savior. And that means we must be real.

If we are true to God, we will not be false to people.

Verse from Philippians

“既然有人的样子，就自甘卑微，顺服至死，而且死在十字架上。”

腓立比书 2:8

“Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Philippians 2:8

Tibetan-born Sherpa Nawang Gombu and American Jim Whittaker reached the top of Mount Everest on May 1, 1963. As they approached the peak, each considered the honor of being the first of the two to step to the summit. Whittaker motioned for Gombu to move ahead, but Gombu declined with a smile, saying, “You first, Big Jim!” Finally, they decided to step to the summit at the same time.

Paul encouraged the Philippian believers to demonstrate this kind of humility. He said, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4 nkjv). Selfishness and superiority can divide people, but humility unites us, since it is the quality of “being one in spirit and of one mind” (v. 2).

When quarrels and disagreements occur, we can often diffuse them by giving up our right to be right. Humility calls us to show grace and gentleness when we would rather insist on our own way. “In humility value others above yourselves” (v. 3).

Jesus has shown us through His life the meaning of humility.

Humility promotes unity.

Verse from 2 Corinthians

“这一切都是出于神，他借着基督使我们与他自己和好，并且把这和好的职分赐给我们，”

哥林多后书 5:18 

“Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,”

2 Corinthians 5:18

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached on a Sunday morning in 1957, he fought the temptation to retaliate against a society steeped in racism.

“How do you go about loving your enemies?” he asked the Dexter Avenue Baptist congregation in Montgomery, Alabama. “Begin with yourself. . . . When the opportunity presents itself for you to defeat your enemy, that is the time which you must not do it.”

Quoting from the words of Jesus, King said: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you . . . ; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:44-45 kjv).

As we consider those who harm us, we are wise to remember our former status as enemies of God (see Rom. 5:10). But “[God] reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,” wrote Paul (2 Cor. 5:18). Now we have a holy obligation. “He has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (v. 19). We are to take that message to the world.

Racial and political tensions are nothing new. But the business of the church is never to feed divisiveness. We should not attack those unlike us or those who hold different opinions or even those who seek our destruction. Ours is a “ministry of reconciliation” that imitates the selfless servant-heart of Jesus.

In Christ there is no east or west, in Him no south or north, but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth. 

John Oxenham

Hate destroys the hater as well as the hated.  Martin Luther King Jr.

Verse from 1 Thessalonians

“你们效法了我们，也效法了主，在大患难中，带着圣灵的喜乐接受了真道。”

帖撒罗尼迦前书 1:6

“You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,”

1 Thessalonians 1:6

We find it so easy to let our circumstances determine our moods. Paul reminds this group of new Christians under attack that their new life in Christ had brought them joy despite the outwardly harsh circumstances they were facing. 

Their joy was not the fleeting, circumstance-determined veneer. Instead, they had welcomed the powerful message of salvation with joy! This joy was not dependent upon their circumstances. It was rooted in their Savior's example, in His abiding presence through the Holy Spirit, and the salvation available through Jesus. 

Verse from 1 John

“我们爱，因为神先爱我们。”

约翰壹书 4:19

“We love, because He first loved us.”

1 John 4:19

Do You Have Trouble Loving God?

A while back, a man came into a church office and said, “I’m a Christian, but I don’t feel like I’m going anywhere in my spiritual growth. I’m kind of stuck in neutral.”

The pastor said, “What do you think the problem is?”

He said, “I think my problem is I just don’t love God enough.”

The pastor said, “That’s not your problem. Your problem is not that you don’t love God enough. Your problem is that you don’t understand how much He loves you."

Love is always a response to love. The Bible says, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19 NIV). When you say, “I don’t love God,” it’s because you don’t understand just how much He really loves you.

To understand your life’s purpose and calling, you have to begin with God’s nature. God is love. Love is the essence of His nature. The only reason there is love in the universe is because of God. Ants and snails do not love, but you were made in God’s image, so you can love.

The reason you are alive is because God wanted to love you. The first purpose of your life is to be loved by God! Yes, it is important to serve, obey, and trust Him, but your first purpose is to be loved by Him.

Only when you have experience His love and know how much He loves you, then you will be able to love Him back. 

Let this sink in: Your first duty is not to do anything but just be loved by God.

Verse from Hebrews

“所以，我们只管坦然无惧地来到施恩的宝座前，为的是要领受怜悯，得到恩惠，作为及时的帮助。”

希伯来书 4:16

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16

In the winter of 2009, a large passenger plane made an emergency landing in New York’s Hudson River. The pilot, Captain Chesley Sullenberger, who landed the plane safely with no casualties, was later asked about those moments in the air when he was faced with a life-or-death decision. “One way of looking at this,” he said, “might be that for 42 years I’ve been making small, regular deposits in this bank of experience, education, and training. And on [that day] the balance was sufficient so that I could make a very large withdrawal.”

Most of us will at some time face a crisis. Perhaps it will be a job termination or the results of a medical test, or the loss of a precious family member or friend. It is in those times that we must dig down deep into the reserves of our spiritual bank account.

And what might we find there? If we have enjoyed a deepening relationship with God, we’ve been making regular “deposits” of faith. We have experienced His grace (2 Cor. 8:9; Eph. 2:4-7). We trust the promise of Scripture that God is just and faithful (Deut. 32:4; 2 Thess. 3:3).

God’s love and grace are available when His children need to make a “withdrawal” (Ps. 9:10; Heb. 4:16).

Remembering God’s faithfulness in the past strengthens us for the future.

Verse from Luke

“耶稣说：“手扶着犁向后看的，不适合进　神的国。””

路加福音 9:62

“Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.””

Luke 9:62

Saying goodbye is hard—to family and friends, to a favorite and familiar place, to an occupation or livelihood.

In Luke 9:57-62 our Lord describes the cost of being His disciple. A would-be follower says to Jesus, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus responds, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (vv. 61-62). Is He asking His followers to say goodbye to everything and every relationship considered precious?

In the Chinese language there is no direct equivalent of the English word goodbye. The two Chinese characters used to translate this word really mean “see you again.” Becoming a disciple of Christ may sometimes mean others will reject us, but it does not mean we say goodbye to people in the sense that we are to forget all our past relationships. Saying goodbye means that God wants us to follow Him on His terms—wholeheartedly. Then we will see people again from the right perspective.

God wants the best for us, but we must allow Him to take priority over everything else.

When we follow Jesus we get a new perspective.

Verse from John

“我就是门，如果有人借着我进来，就必定得救，并且可以出、可以入，也可以找到草场。”

约翰福音 10:9

“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”

John 10:9

Italian artist Lorenzo Ghiberti (1378–1455) spent years skillfully crafting images of Jesus’ life into the bronze doors of Italy’s Florence Baptistery. These bronze reliefs were so moving that Michelangelo called them the Gates of Paradise.

As an artistic treasure, the doors greet visitors with echoes of the gospel story. It was Jesus who said, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved” (John 10:9). On the night before His crucifixion, He told His disciples, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (14:6). Within a few hours Jesus would say to one of the criminals being crucified at His side, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

The apostle Peter a few weeks later boldly proclaimed to those who had called for Jesus’ death that “there is no other name under heaven . . . by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Years later, the apostle Paul wrote that there is only one mediator between God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5).

The gates of paradise are found in the Savior who offers everlasting life to all who believe and come to Him. Enter into the joy of His salvation.

Have we truly come to Him or perhaps the question should be, do we have experienced the joy given by Him?

Verse from Revelation

“我必快来！你要持守你所有的，不要让人拿走你的冠冕。”

启示录 3:11

“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”

Revelation 3:11

In the book of Revelation we find letters to “the seven churches in the province of Asia” (chs. 2–3). These messages from God are filled with encouragement, rebuke, and challenge, and they speak to us today just as they did to the first-century recipients. 

Twice in these letters we find the phrase, “Hold on to what you have.” The Lord told the church at Thyatira, “Hold on to what you have until I come” (2:25). And to the church in Philadelphia He said, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (3:11). 

In the midst of great trials and opposition, these believers clung to God’s promises and persevered in faith. 

When our circumstances are harsh and sorrows outnumber joys, Jesus shouts to us, “Hold everything you’ve got! Help is on the way!” And with that promise, we can hold on in faith and rejoice.

The promise of Christ’s return calls us to persevere in faith.

Verse from 1 Corinthians

“因为你们是用重价买来的。所以你们务要用自己的身体荣耀神。”

哥林多前书 6:20

“you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

1 Corinthians 6:20

Perhaps you feel tarnished, worn, old, useless, or worthless. Even so, God finds value in you. The Creator of the universe wants you—not for your mind, your body, your clothes, your achievements, your intellect, or your personality, but because you are you! He would go any distance and pay any price to possess you (1 Cor. 6:20).

In fact He did. He came down to earth from heaven and purchased you with His own blood (Rom. 5:6, 8-9). That’s how much He wants you. You are valuable in His eyes, and He loves you.

Christ’s death is the measure of God’s love for you.

Verse from Proverbs

“耶和华的名是坚固的高台，义人投奔，就得安全。”

箴言 18:10

“The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”

Proverbs 18:10

Throughout history, people who have felt unsafe in their homelands have traveled to other places searching for safety and something better.

The cities of refuge in Joshua 20:1-9 were designated as places of safety for those fleeing from “relatives seeking revenge” in the case of an accidental killing (v. 3 nlt). They offered peace and protection. 

People today still seek places of refuge, although for a variety of reasons. But as needed as these sanctuaries are, supplying shelter and food, they cannot completely meet the needs of refugees and fugitives. 

That rest is found only in God. Those who walk with God find true shelter and the safest protection in Him. When ancient Israel was sent into exile, the Lord said, “I have been a sanctuary [safe haven] for them in the countries where they have gone” (Ezek. 11:16). 

With the psalmist, we can say confidently to the Lord, “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance” (32:7).

Father, 

thank You for being a rock to which we can flee and that no matter where we are or in what circumstances we find ourselves, 

You are there with us. 

Help us to remember that even in the darkest of nights, 

You are our strong tower.

Verses from Exodus

““除我以外，你不可有别的神。“不可为自己做偶像，也不可做天上、地下和地底下水中各物的形象。不可跪拜它们，也不可事奉它们，因为我耶和华你们的神是忌邪的神；恨恶我的，我必追讨他们的罪，从父亲到儿子，直到三四代。爱我和遵守我诫命的，我必向他们施慈爱，直到千代。”

出埃及记 20:3-6

““You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

Exodus 20:3-6

Alicia Keys has a song called, “No One.” In the chorus, Alicia says, “No one can get in the way of what I feel for you.” She was talking about a relationship with a beau, but imagine if we apply that principle to our relationship with Christ. No one can get in the way of what I feel for You, Jesus. 

It was God’s intention all along that we put Him first. When the Israelites received the Ten Commandments from God, putting no one higher than God was right at the top of the list. Not only that, but God was kind enough to explain Himself. He says, “for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.” (Exodus 20:5). 

Now, let’s not get this twisted, there is nothing we could possibly have on earth that is better than God, so there is nothing that we love for which He has envy or wishes He had, like we do when we are jealous. I believe God is saying, “I have done so much for you, but you choose to put other things before me or give yourselves and other people the glory for it, and that makes Me angry.” 

And, He let the Israelites know the consequences of that anger in the command; punishment for those who hate Him, and love for those who keep His commands. If you read the Old Testament, you will see that every time God blesses Israel, they shift their focus away to something or someone else, never fully giving God their attention. 

We might probably start thinking, How could they treat God that way? But, before we go criticizing, we must take a good hard look in the mirror. See, the Israelites were exhibiting this behavior and it was deplorable, but they did not have the 66 books of the Bible like we do. Yet, we often treat God like an afterthought, unless, of course, we need something. 

God does not want our focus because He is some brutish, jealous titan. If you take a few moments to recognize God’s blessings in your life, how could you not fall in love with Him? He simply wants your love and your focus, so that He can give you the life He has planned for you; your best life. Allow Him to be first always. 

Verse from John

“你们必定认识真理，真理必定使你们自由。””

约翰福音 8:32

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””

John 8:32 

“Everybody's doing it” seemed like a winning argument in our  younger days. As we get older we add excuses and rationalizations to our repertoire of arguments for having our own way: “No one will get hurt.” “It's not illegal.” “He did it to me first.” “She won't find out.” 

Behind each argument is the belief that what we want is more important than anything else. Eventually, this faulty way of thinking becomes the basis for our beliefs about God. 

One of the lies we sometimes choose to believe is that we, not God, are the center of the universe. We think we will be carefree and happy only when we reorder the world according to our desires. 

This lie is convincing because it promises an easier, speedier way to get what we want. It argues, “God is love, so He wants me to do whatever will make me happy.” 

But this way of thinking leads to heartache, not happiness. Jesus told those who believed in Him that the truth would make them truly free (John 8:31-32). But He also warned, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (v. 34). 

Lord, 

we confess our tendency to rationalize everything to get what we think we want. 

Guide us today so that we choose to obey Your commands instead of pursuing our own desires.

Verse from James

“因为凡有嫉妒和自私的地方，就必有扰乱和各样的坏事。”

雅各书 3:16

“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”

James 3:16

So, what are your goals and plans for the New Year? Do you have great dreams and laudable goals? In the afterglow of Christmas, that great season of giving, let's make sure our plans for the future are not selfish or based on envy, lust, or greed. 

Instead, let's set our hearts to do things to be a blessing to others. Otherwise, all our attempts to reach great things ultimately will end in chaos, heartbreak, and destruction.

Verse from Psalm

“你要细察完全人，观看正直人；因为爱和平的必有后代。”

诗篇 37:37

“Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace.”

Psalm 37:37

The clock tower at Westminster, which contains the bell known as Big Ben, is an iconic landmark in London, England. It is traditionally thought that the melody of the tower chimes was taken from the tune of “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” from Handel’s Messiah. Words were eventually added and put on display in the clock room:

Lord, through this hour be Thou our guide;

So by Thy power no foot shall slide.

These words allude to Psalm 37: “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand” (vv. 23-24 nlt). Notice how intimately involved God is in His children’s experience: “He delights in every detail of their lives” (v. 23 nlt). Verse 31 adds, “The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.”

How extraordinary! The Creator of the universe not only upholds us and helps us but He also cares deeply about every moment we live. No wonder the apostle Peter was able to confidently invite us to “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). As the assurance of His care rings in our hearts, we find courage to face whatever comes our way.

Loving Father, 

thank You that every part of my life matters to You. 

Encourage me in my struggles so that I might walk in a way that reflects Your great love and honors Your name.

No one is more secure than the one who is held in God’s hand.

Verse from Ephesians

“就不住地为你们献上感谢。我祷告的时候，常常提到你们，”

以弗所书 1:16

“I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.”

Ephesians 1:16

Long ago, a prisoner was neglected as he waited in prison. “Only Luke is with me,” wrote the apostle Paul to Timothy (2 Tim. 4:11). “No one came to my support, but everyone deserted me” (v. 16). 

Yet Paul found encouragement even in prison, and he wrote, “The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength” (v. 17). But surely Paul felt the lonely ache of abandonment. 

Throughout this coming year let’s reach out to the loneliest of our brothers and sisters.

What lonely people can I think of right now? 

Newcomers to town? Prisoners? People in the hospital or in senior living centers? What can I do, no matter how small, to reach out to them?

Reach out in friendship and encourage the lonely.

Verse from Matthew

“大约三点钟，耶稣大声呼叫：“以利，以利，拉马撒巴各大尼？”意思是“我的神，我的神，你为甚么离弃我？””

马太福音 27:46

“About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ).”

Matthew 27:46

"Sometimes it feels as if God isn’t listening to me.” Those words, from a woman who tried to stay strong in her walk with God while coping with an alcoholic husband, echo the heartcry of many believers. For many years, she asked God to change her husband. Yet it never happened.

What are we to think when we repeatedly ask God for something good—something that could easily glorify Him—but the answer doesn’t come? Is He listening or not?

Let’s look at the life of the Savior. In the garden of Gethsemane, He agonized for hours in prayer, pouring out His heart and pleading, “Let this cup pass from Me” (Matt. 26:39 nkjv). But the Father’s answer was clearly “No.” To provide salvation, God had to send Jesus to die on the cross. Even though Jesus felt as if His Father had forsaken Him, He prayed intensely and passionately because He trusted that God was listening.

When we pray, we may not see how God is working or understand how He will bring good through it all. So we have to trust Him. We relinquish our rights and let God do what is best.

We must leave the unknowable to the all-knowing One. He is listening and working things out His way.

Verse from Psalm

“我的心哪！你要称颂耶和华；不可忘记他的一切恩惠。”

诗篇 103:2

“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits—”

Psalm 103:2

A recurring difficulty on our journey of life is becoming so focused on what we need at the moment that we forget what we already have.  Psalm 103 is a good reminder to us. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits” (v. 2 nkjv). The Lord is our forgiver, healer, redeemer, provider, satisfier, and renewer (vv. 4-5). How could we forget that? And yet we often do when the events of daily life shift our attention to pressing needs, recurring failures, and circumstances that seem out of control. 

The writer of this psalm calls us to remember, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious . . . He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him” (vv. 8,10-11). 

In our walk of faith, we come to Jesus Christ humbled by our unworthiness. There is no sense of entitlement as we receive His grace and are overwhelmed by the lavishness of His love. They remind us of all His benefits. 

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name” (v. 1).

Heavenly Father, we pause to consider all we have in You. 

Grant us eyes to see Your provision and help us to remember every benefit You have given to us.

Love was when God became a man.

Verse from Psalm

“他求告我，我必应允他；他在患难中，我必与他同在；我必拯救他，使他得尊荣。”

诗篇 91:15

“He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.”

Psalm 91:15

An ancient legend tells of a monarch who hired weavers to make tapestries and garments for him. The king gave the silk and the patterns to the weavers with the strict instructions to seek his aid immediately if they had any difficulties. One young weaver was happy and successful while the others were always experiencing trouble. When the boy was asked why he was so successful, he said, “Didn’t you notice how often I called for the king?” They replied, “Yes, but he’s very busy, and we thought you were wrong in disturbing him so frequently.” The boy answered, “I just took him at his word, and he was always happy to help me!” 

Our God is like that king—only so much greater. He is loving and kind enough to care about our smallest concern and faintest whisper.

We always have God’s attention.

Verse from 1 Thessalonians

“然后，我们还活着存留的人，必和他们一同被提到云里，在空中与主相会。这样，我们就要和主常常同在。”

帖撒罗尼迦前书 4:17

“After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

1 Thessalonians 4:17

In an increasingly chaotic world, what a hopeful thought that this could be the year Jesus returns. More comforting still is the anticipation that all who trust Him for salvation will be gathered together, relieved from this world’s suffering, sorrow, and fear. Best of all, we’ll be with the Lord forever!

But are we ready for His return? The way we live right now, as much as we long for Him to take us back to the Heavenly home, are we ready for His return?