Verse from Mark

“耶稣看着他们，说：“在人不能，在神却不然，因为在神凡事都能。””

马可福音 10:27

“Looking at them, Jesus said, "With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."”

Mark 10:27

Chinese philosopher Han Feizi made this observation about life: “Knowing the facts is easy. Knowing how to act based on the facts is difficult.”

A rich man with that problem once came to Jesus. He knew the law of Moses and believed he had kept the commandments since his youth (Mark 10:20). But he seems to be wondering what additional facts he might hear from Jesus. “ ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ” (v. 17).

Jesus’ answer disappointed the rich man. He told him to sell his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow Him (v. 21). With these few words Jesus exposed a fact the man didn’t want to hear. He loved and relied on his wealth more than he trusted Jesus. Abandoning the security of his money to follow Jesus was too great a risk, and he went away sad (v. 22).

What was the Teacher thinking? His own disciples were alarmed and asked, “Who then can be saved?” He replied, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God” (v. 27). It takes courage and faith. “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9).

Insight

The rich young ruler (Matt. 19:20; Luke 18:18) believed he had earned his place in heaven (Mark 10:19–20). But Jesus revealed that the young man had put his trust in material things (vv. 21–22) and that salvation is obtained when we love God first and trust in Jesus only (v. 21).

Verse from Psalms

“神所要的祭，就是破碎的灵；神啊！破碎痛悔的心，你必不轻看。”

诗篇 51:17

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

Psalms 51:17

During Myrna’s travels to another country, she visited a church for worship. She noticed that as people entered the sanctuary they immediately knelt and prayed, facing away from the front of the church. She learned that people in that church confessed their sin to God before they began the worship service.

This act of humility is a picture of what David said in Psalm 51: “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise” (v. 17). David was describing his own remorse and repentance for his sin of adultery with Bathsheba. Real sorrow for sin involves adopting God’s view of what we’ve done—seeing it as clearly wrong, disliking it, and not wanting it to continue.

When we are truly broken over our sin, God lovingly puts us back together. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). This forgiveness produces a fresh sense of openness with Him and is the ideal starting point for praise. After David repented, confessed, and was forgiven by God, he responded by saying, “Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise” (Ps. 51:15).

Humility is the right response to God’s holiness. And praise is our heart’s response to His forgiveness.

Verse from Matthew

“那些杀身体却不能杀灵魂的，不要怕他们；倒要怕那位能把灵魂和身体都投入地狱里的。”

马太福音 10:28

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Matthew 10:28

Born into slavery and badly treated as a young girl, Harriet Tubman (c. 1822–1913) found a shining ray of hope in the Bible stories her mother told. The account of Israel’s escape from slavery under Pharaoh showed her a God who desired freedom for His people.

Harriet found freedom when she slipped over the Maryland state line and out of slavery. She couldn’t remain content, however, knowing so many were still trapped in captivity. So she led more than a dozen rescue missions to free those still in slavery, dismissing the personal danger. “I can’t die but once,” she said.

Harriet knew the truth of the statement: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Matt. 10:28). Jesus spoke those words as He sent His disciples on their first mission. He knew they would face danger, and not everyone would receive them warmly. So why expose the disciples to the risk? The answer is found in the previous chapter. “When he saw the crowds, [Jesus] had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (9:36).

True freedom is found in knowing and serving Christ.

The passage we are reading today explores the likelihood of persecution for those who profess faith in Christ. We are encouraged by the certain future judgment of God when everything done on Earth will be disclosed (vv. 26–27). Meanwhile, Christ admonishes us not to fear the harm man can do to us but rather to fear God (v. 28). Then our Lord points to God’s care for even the smallest of creatures and tells us we are much more valuable than they are (vv. 29–31). If God cares for the sparrow, how much more will He care for us. Persecution will one day end, and we will receive God’s eternal reward.

Verse from Hebrews

“因为他自己既然经过试探，受了苦，就能够帮助那些被试探的人。”

希伯来书 2:18

“For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”

Hebrews 2:18 

To help his staff of young architects understand the needs of those for whom they design housing, David Dillard sends them on “sleepovers.” They put on pajamas and spend 24 hours in a senior living center in the same conditions as people in their 80s and 90s. They wear earplugs to simulate hearing loss, tape their fingers together to limit manual dexterity, and exchange eyeglasses to replicate vision problems. Dillard says, “The biggest benefit is [that] when I send 27-year-olds out, they come back with a heart 10 times as big. They meet people and understand their plights” (Rodney Brooks, USA Today).

Jesus lived on this earth for 33 years and shared in our humanity. He was made like us, “fully human in every way” (Heb. 2:17), so He knows what it’s like to live in a human body on this earth. He understands the struggles we face and comes alongside with understanding and encouragement.

“Because [Jesus] himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (v. 18). The Lord could have avoided the cross. Instead, He obeyed His Father. Through His death, He broke the power of Satan and freed us from our fear of death (vv. 14-15).

In every temptation, Jesus walks beside us to give us courage, strength, and hope along the way.

Jesus understands.

Verse from John

“我留下平安给你们，我把自己的平安赐给你们；我给你们的，不像世界所给的。你们心里不要难过，也不要恐惧。”

约翰福音 14:27

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

John 14:27

Jesus promised His followers peace when, after their last supper together, He prepared them for His death and resurrection. He told them that though they would have trouble in the world, the Father would send them the Spirit of truth to live with them and be in them (John 14:16-17). 

The Spirit would teach them, bringing to mind His truths; the Spirit would comfort them, bestowing on them His peace. Though soon they would face trials—including fierce opposition from the religious leaders and seeing Jesus executed—He told them not to be afraid. The Holy Spirit’s presence would never leave them.

Although as God’s children we experience hardship, we too have His Spirit living within and flowing out of us. God’s peace can be His witness to everyone we meet—whether at a local market, at school or work, or in the gym.

When we keep our mind on God, His Spirit keeps our mind at peace.

Verse from Isaiah

“我们众人都如羊走迷了路，各人偏行己路；耶和华却把我们众人的罪孽，都归在他身上。”

以赛亚书 53:6

“All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.”

Isaiah 53:6

We stray in many ways: desiring and doing what displeases our Lord, hurting other people by our conduct, and being distracted from spending time with God and His Word because we are too busy or lack interest. We behave like sheep in the field. 

Fortunately for us, we have the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us (John 10:11) and who carries our sorrows and our sins (Isa. 53:4-6). And as our shepherd, He calls us back to safe pasture that we might follow Him more closely.

If you want God to lead you, be willing to follow.

https://youtu.be/dtqliuDZlKA

Verse from 1 John

“爱神的，也应当爱弟兄，这就是我们从神领受的命令。”

约翰壹书 4:21

“And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.”

1 John 4:21

Some things are very simple. We can't love God and refuse to love each other. This is not hard to understand. On the other hand, some of our kinfolks in the Lord are just down right hard to love because they can be so difficult. 

But, we need to remember who we were when Christ died for us — powerless, ungodly, sinners, enemies (Romans 5:6-11) — yet God loved us and sent Jesus to save us. 

So before we whine about our "hard-to-live-with" fellow Christians, we had better give thanks that God loved us when we were sinners. Then we need to thank God for His grace by being more loving with each other.

Verse from Mark

“当天黄昏，耶稣对门徒说：“我们渡到海那边去吧。””

马可福音 4:35

“On that day, when evening came, He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side."”

Mark 4:35 

A comfortable plane ride was about to get bumpy. The voice of the captain interrupted in-flight beverage service and asked passengers to make sure their seatbelts were fastened. Soon the plane began to roll and pitch like a ship on a wind-whipped ocean. While the rest of the passengers were doing their best to deal with the turbulence, a little girl sat through it all reading her book. After the plane landed, she was asked why she had been able to be so calm. She responded, “My daddy is the pilot and he’s taking me home.”

Though Jesus’ disciples were seasoned fishermen, they were terrified the day a storm threatened to swamp their boat. They were following Jesus’ instructions. Why was this happening? (Mark 4:35-38). He was with them but He was asleep at the stern of the craft. They learned that day that it is not true that when we do as our Lord says there will be no storms in our lives. Yet because He was with them, they also learned that storms don’t stop us from getting to where our Lord wants us to go (5:1).

Whether the storm we encounter today is the result of a tragic accident, a loss of employment, or some other trial, we can be confident that all is not lost. Our Pilot can handle the storm. He will get us home. 

What storms are you encountering today? Perhaps you have lost a loved one or are facing a serious illness. Perhaps you are having difficulty finding a job. Ask the Lord to strengthen your faith and take you safely through the storm to the other side.

We don't need to fear the storm with Jesus as our anchor.

Insight 

Jesus’ calming of the storm is a remarkable witness to the power of our Creator over nature, for He spoke directly to the storm threatening the ship He and His disciples were in. He rebuked the wind and waves and said, “Quiet! Be still!” (4:39). The Greek word used here for "still" denotes the muzzling of a hostile animal. When we are overcome with worries and concerns, we can trust that our powerful Creator will still our fears.

Verse from Ruth

“路得就俯伏在地叩拜，对他说：“我是个外族人，为甚么会在你眼前蒙恩，蒙你关照呢？””

路得记 2:10

“Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?"”

Ruth 2:10

Ruth was a foreigner. She was a widow. She was poor. In many parts of the world today she would be considered a nobody—someone whose future doesn’t hold any hope.

However, Ruth found favor in the eyes of a relative of her deceased husband, a rich man and the owner of the fields where she chose to ask for permission to glean grain. In response to his kindness, Ruth asked, “What have I done to deserve such kindness? . . . I am only a foreigner” (Ruth 2:10 nlt).

Boaz, the good man who showed Ruth such compassion, answered her truthfully. He had heard about her good deeds toward her mother-in-law, Naomi, and how she chose to leave her country and follow Naomi’s God. Boaz prayed that God, "under whose wings" she had come for refuge, would bless her (1:16; 2:11-12; see Ps. 91:4). As her kinsman redeemer (Ruth 3:9), when Boaz married Ruth he became her protector and part of the answer to his prayer.

Like Ruth, we were foreigners and far from God. We may wonder why God would choose to love us when we are so undeserving. The answer is not in us, but in Him. “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Rom. 5:8 nlt). Christ has become our Redeemer. When we come to Him in salvation, we are under His protective wings.

Are we thankful for His love towards us or have we taken His love for granted? 

Verse from Philippians

“弟兄们，我不以为自己已经得着了，我只有一件事，就是忘记背后，努力前面的事，”

腓立比书 3:13

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,”

Philippians 3:13

Determined to reach the “utter East” and join the great lion Aslan [symbolic of Christ], Reepicheep, the tough little talking mouse in the Chronicles of Narnia series declares his resolve: “While I may, I sail East in Dawn Treader. When she fails me, I row East in my coracle [small boat]. When that sinks, I shall paddle East with my four paws. Then, when I can swim no longer, if I have not yet reached Aslan’s Country, there shall I sink with my nose to the sunrise.”

Paul put it another way: “I press on toward the goal" (Phil. 3:14). His goal was to be like Jesus. Nothing else mattered. He admitted that he had much ground to cover but he would not give up until he attained that to which Jesus had called him.

None of us are what we should be, but we can, like the apostle, press and pray toward that goal. Like Paul we will always say, “I have not yet arrived." Nevertheless, despite weakness, failure, and weariness we must press on (v. 12). But everything depends on God. Without Him we can do nothing.

Lord, 

help us learn that we do not press on toward our goal by our own effort but through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

Apart from You, we can do nothing. 

Work in us today, we pray.

God provides the power we need to persevere.

Verses from Jonah

“约拿从鱼腹中向耶和华他的神祷告，说：“我从患难中求告耶和华，他就应允我；我从阴间的深府呼求，你就垂听我的声音。”

约拿书 2:1-2

“Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish, and he said, "I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice.”

Jonah 2:1-2

Jonah was disobedient, rebellious, and selfish. He had run from the Lord. He had shunned the Lord's command. He had endangered the lives of those on the ship where he had tried to hide. Yet even in the middle of his rebellion, God heard his cry and delivered him. 

If you are in rebellion, if you are seeking to hide some secret and all-consuming sin, please know the Lord wants to ransom and redeem you! Things won't be easy, but coming back to the Lord means ultimate redemption and deliverance.

Verse from James

“在父神看来，纯洁无玷污的虔诚，就是照顾患难中的孤儿寡妇，并且保守自己不被世俗所污染。”

雅各书 1:27

“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

James 1:27 

“My mother gave us chili peppers before we went to bed,” said Samuel, recalling his difficult childhood in sub-Saharan Africa. “We drank water to cool our mouths, and then we would feel full.” He added, “It did not work well.” 

Government upheaval had forced Samuel’s father to flee for his life, leaving their mother as the family’s sole provider. Then his brother contracted sickle cell anemia, and they couldn’t afford medical care. Their mother took them to church, but it didn’t mean much to Sam. How could God allow our family to suffer like this? he wondered.

Then one day a man learned about their plight. He got the essential medicine and brought it to them. “On Sunday we will go to this man’s church,” his mother announced. Right away Sam sensed something different about this church. They celebrated their relationship with Jesus by living His love.

That was three decades ago. Today in this part of the world, Sam has started more than 20 churches, a large school, and a home for orphans. He’s continuing the legacy of true religion taught by James, the brother of Jesus, who urged us not to “merely listen to the word” but to “do what it says” (James 1:22). 

There’s no telling what a simple act of kindness done in Jesus’ name can do. 

Verse from Psalms

“你的话语在我的上膛多么甜美，在我的口中比蜂蜜更甜。”

诗篇 119:103

“How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

Psalms 119:103

In that light, the Word of God will always be classified as great literature. Reading the Bible challenges us to be better. Stories of biblical heroes inspire us to be courageous and persevering. The wisdom and prophetic books warn of the danger of living by our fallen instincts. God spoke through various writers to pen life-changing psalms for our benefit. The teachings of Jesus shape our character to become more like Him. The writings of Paul orient our minds and lives to holy living. As the Holy Spirit brings these Scriptures to our minds, they become powerful agents for change in our lives.

The writer of Psalm 119 loved God’s Word for its transforming influence in his life. He recognized that the ancient Scriptures handed down from Moses made him wise and more understanding than his teachers (v. 99). It kept him from evil (v. 101).

The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to change the people of God.

Verse from Luke

“我们需用的食物，求你每天赐给我们；”

路加福音 11:3

“'Give us each day our daily bread.”

Luke 11:3

It was spiritual food that Mary chose when she sat at the feet of Jesus and listened attentively to His words (Luke 10:39). 

While Martha wearied herself with concern about physical food, Mary was taking time to be near their guest, the Lord Jesus, and to listen to Him. 

May we take that time as well. 

He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35), 

and He feeds our hearts with spiritual food. 

He is the Bread that satisfies.

Verse from Galatians

“我们行善，不要觉得厌烦；如果不松懈，到了适当的时候，就有收成。”

加拉太书 6:9

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

Galatians 6:9

In Debbie’s new home, she discovered an abandoned plant in a dark corner of the kitchen. The dusty and ragged leaves looked like those of a moth orchid, and she imagined how pretty the plant would look once it had sent up new bloom-bearing stems. She moved the pot into a spot by the window, cut off the dead leaves, and watered it thoroughly. She bought plant food and applied it to the roots. Week after week she inspected the plant, but no new shoots appeared. “I’ll give it another month,” she told her husband, “and if nothing has happened by then, out it goes.”

When decision day came, she could hardly believe her eyes. Two small stems were poking out from among the leaves! The plant she’d almost given up on was still alive.

Do you ever get discouraged by your apparent lack of spiritual growth? Perhaps you frequently lose your temper or enjoy that spicy piece of gossip you just can’t resist passing on. Or perhaps you get up too late to pray and read your Bible, in spite of resolving to set the alarm earlier.

Why not tell a trusted friend about the areas of your life in which you want to grow spiritually and ask that person to pray for and encourage you to be accountable? Be patient. You will grow as you allow the Holy Spirit to work in you.

Each small step of faith is a giant step of growth.

Verse from Psalms

“耶和华善待万有，他的怜悯临到他一切所造的。”

诗篇 145:9

“The LORD is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works.”

Psalms 145:9

Doubting God’s goodness is as old as Adam and Eve (Gen. 3). The serpent put that thought in Eve’s mind when he suggested that God was withholding the fruit from her because “God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (v. 5). In pride, Adam and Eve thought they, rather than God, should determine what was good for them.

Years after losing a daughter in death, James Bryan Smith found he was able to affirm God’s goodness. In his book The Good and Beautiful God, Smith wrote, "God's goodness is not something I get to decide upon. I am a human being with limited understanding." Smith’s amazing comment isn’t naïve; it arises out of years of processing his grief and seeking God’s heart.

In times of discouragement, let’s listen well to each other and help each other see the truth that God is good.

Verse from Psalms

“我坐下，我起来，你都知道；你在远处就明白我的意念。”

诗篇 139:2

“You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar.”

Psalms 139:2

Veteran news reporter Scott Pelley never goes on assignment without his travel essentials—a shortwave radio, camera, indestructible suitcase, laptop computer, phone, and an emergency locator beacon that works anywhere. “You extend the antenna, push two buttons, and it sends a signal to a satellite connected to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration," Pelley says. “It tells them who and where I am. Depending on what country you’re in, they’ll either send a rescue team—or not” (AARP The Magazine). Pelley has never needed to use the beacon, but he never travels without it.

But when it comes to our relationship with God, we don’t need radios, phones, or emergency beacons. No matter how precarious our circumstances become, He already knows who and where we are. The psalmist celebrated this as he wrote, “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. . . . You are familiar with all my ways”  (Ps. 139:1-3). Our needs are never hidden from God, and we are never separated from His care.

Today, we can say with confidence, “If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast" (vv. 9-10).

The Lord knows who we are, where we are, and what we need. We are always in His care.

Verse from Ruth

“路得说：“请不要逼我离开你回去，不跟从你。你到哪里去，我也要到哪里去；你在哪里过夜，我也要在哪里过夜；你的同胞就是我的同胞，你的神就是我的神；”

路得记 1:16

“But Ruth said, "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.”

Ruth 1:16

This beautiful statement of loyalty makes its way into thousands of weddings each year. Incredibly, this wasn't originally a pledge of a bride or groom. Instead, it was the pledge of Ruth to her mother-in-law — some would call her an ex-mother-in-law since Ruth's husband, Naomi's son, had died, but Ruth never treats Naomi as an "ex" of any kind. 

God loves loyalty and bestows His blessing and favor when we are loyal to others. In an era where people are thrown away as readily as paper plates and napkins, let's remember that loyalty/faithfulness is a quality that God not only loves, but it is also a quality that He defines for us in Jesus. 

So let's see loyalty to friends, to family, and to other followers of Jesus as a crucial commitment.

Verse from 1 Peter

“你们虽然没有见过他，却爱他；现在虽然不能看见他，却信他。因此，你们就有无法形容、满有荣耀的大喜乐，”

彼得前书 1:8

“and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,”

1 Peter 1:8

In the first New Testament letter the apostle Peter wrote, he addressed readers scattered throughout the Roman Empire: “Though you have not seen [Christ], you love him” (1 Peter 1:8).

Peter, as a personal friend of Jesus, was writing to people who had only heard about the One who had given them reason for so much hope in the middle of their troubles. Yet, as a part of the larger community of believers, they loved Him. They knew that at the price of His own life, He had brought them into the everlasting family of God.

Our love for Christ is only as real as our love for our neighbor.

Verses from Genesis

“撒莱对亚伯兰说：“请看，耶和华使我不能生育，求你去亲近我的婢女，或者我可以从她得孩子。”亚伯兰就听从了撒莱的话。

撒莱对亚伯兰说：“我因你受屈；我把我的婢女送到你的怀中，她见自己有了孕，就轻看我。愿耶和华在你我之间主持公道。””

创世记 16:2, 5

“So Sarai said to Abram, "Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

And Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done me be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her sight. May the LORD judge between you and me."”

Genesis 16:2, 5

It is human nature: see an obstacle and fix it. History is littered with courageous people who saw an injustice, a need or a problem, and became famous for their fixing.

Fixing isn’t wrong.  The problem is when the fixer in me rushes ahead of God because I know how to handle this one. One of the greatest struggles in the journey to dependency on the Father is our need to fix things.

Sarai was a fixer.  In Genesis 16 we see that Sarai has decided she knows how to fix her problem of infertility.  She sends her servant to sleep with her husband, Abram, and conceive a child.  No need to bother God, he promised us a child and since he doesn’t seem to be moving fast enough, I will take care of this problem.

Seems a bit extreme as we read the story, but can't you see yourself treating problems in the same manner?

Of course, it all goes wrong for everyone involved in this plan.  Sarai is jealous, Abram is unsure of what to do, and Hagar (the servant) is mistreated and cast out, pregnant and alone.  Ever had a plan of your own doing go wrong?

Wandering alone and guilty, Hagar hears an angel of God speak to her with encouragement and instruction.  Hagar says, “You are the God who sees me.  I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Gen. 16:13)

The God who sees.  The One who sees me.  The One who is at work in the world. The Creator is the One who sees me!  How much more equipped is he to be the “fixer” of all. 

Reflections:

* What areas of your life are you trying to fix without depending on God?

* Where have you seen God work for his good purpose in your life?

Verse from Lamentations

“耶和华的慈爱永不断绝，他的怜悯永不止息。每天早晨都是新的；你的信实多么广大！”

耶利米哀歌 3:22-23

“The LORD ' S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:22-23

In this book called Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, there was this amusing passage where young Anne, by mistake, adds a skin medication instead of vanilla to the cake she is making. Afterward, she exclaims hopefully to her stern-faced guardian, Marilla, “Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?”

It's a nice thought: tomorrow is a new day—a new day when we can start afresh. We all make mistakes. But when it comes to sin, God’s forgiveness is what enables us to start each morning with a clean slate. When we repent, He chooses to remember our sins no more (Jer. 31:34; Heb. 8:12).

Some of us have made wrong choices in our lives, but our past words and deeds need not define our future in God’s eyes. There is always a fresh start. When we ask for His forgiveness, we take a first step toward restoring our relationship with Him and with others. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

God’s compassion and faithfulness are new every morning (Lam. 3:23), so we can start afresh each day.

Thank You for this new day, Lord. 

Forgive me for doing those things in the past that I shouldn't have done, 

and for not doing those things that I should have done. 

Set my feet on Your right path today

Each new day gives us new reasons to praise the Lord.

Verse from Ephesians

“并且要戴上救恩的头盔，拿起圣灵的宝剑，就是　神的道，”

以弗所书 6:17

“And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Ephesians 6:17

Under Nehemiah’s supervision, the Israelite workers were rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. When they were nearly half finished, however, they learned that their enemies were plotting to attack Jerusalem. This news demoralized the already exhausted workers.

Nehemiah had to do something. First, he prayed and posted numerous guards in strategic places. Then, he armed his workers. “Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked” (Neh. 4:17-18).

We who are building God’s kingdom need to arm ourselves against the attack of our spiritual enemy, Satan. Our protection is the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word. Memorizing Scripture and meditating on it enable us to “take [our] stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph. 6:11). 

If we think that working for God doesn’t matter, we should turn to the promise that what we do for Jesus will last for eternity (1 Cor. 3:11-15). If we fear we’ve sinned too greatly for God to use us, we must remember we’ve been forgiven by the power of Jesus’ blood (Matt. 26:28). And if we’re worried we might fail if we try to serve God, we can recall that Jesus said we will bear fruit as we abide in Him (John 15:5).

God’s Word is a divine defense against attacks from the Enemy.

Verse from 1 Thessalonians

“所以，你们该彼此劝慰，互相建立，正如你们素常所行的。

帖撒罗尼迦前书 5:11 

“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11 

Richard needed a push, and he got one. He was rock climbing with his friend Kevin who was the belayer (the one who secures the rope). Exhausted and ready to quit, Richard asked Kevin to lower him to the ground. But Kevin urged him on, saying he had come too far to quit. Dangling in midair, Richard decided to keep trying. Amazingly, he was able to reconnect with the rock and complete the climb because of his friend’s encouragement.

In the early church, followers of Jesus encouraged one another to continue to follow their Lord and to show compassion. In a culture riddled with immorality, they passionately appealed to one another to live pure lives (Rom. 12:1; 1 Thess. 4:1). Believers encouraged one another daily, as God prompted them to do so (Acts 13:15). They urged each other to intercede for the body (Rom. 15:30), to help people stay connected to the church (Heb. 10:25), and to love more and more (1 Thess. 4:10).

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has connected us to one another. Therefore, we have the responsibility and privilege with God’s enablement to encourage fellow believers to finish the climb of trusting and obeying Him.

When was the last time you needed to urge someone to keep following Jesus? 

Who has encouraged you or stirred you to pursue holiness, to keep praying, or to enlarge your love for Jesus and others?

Verse from Isaiah

“...我也不会忘记你。”

以赛亚书 49:15

“...I will not forget you.”

Isaiah 49:15

God compared His love for His people with a mother’s love for her child. When the people of Israel felt abandoned by God during their exile, they complained: “The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me” (Isa. 49:14). But God said, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (v. 15).

When we are distressed or disillusioned, we may feel abandoned by society, family, and friends, but God does not abandon us. It is a great encouragement that the Lord says, "I have engraved you on the palms of my hands" (v. 16) to indicate how much He knows and protects us. Even if people forsake us, God will never forsake His own.

God never forgets us.

Verse from 2 Kings

“他们过去之后，以利亚对以利沙说：“在我没有被接离开你以先，我可以为你作些甚么，你尽管求吧！”以利沙说：“求你使你的灵双倍地临到我。””

列王纪下 2:9

“When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.”

2 Kings 2:9

Tenacity and audacity—Elisha had heaps of both. Having spent time with Elijah, he witnessed the Lord working through the prophet by performing miracles and by speaking truth in an age of lies. Second Kings 2:1 tells us that Elijah is about to be taken “up to heaven,” and Elisha doesn’t want him to leave.

The time came for the dreaded separation, and Elisha knew he needed what Elijah had if he was going to successfully continue the ministry. So he made a daring demand: “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit” (2 Kings 2:9). His bold request was a reference to the double portion given the firstborn son or heir under the law (Deut. 21:17). Elisha wanted to be recognized as the heir of Elijah. And God said yes.

Elisha gained a double portion of Elijah’s spirit—a tremendous privilege and blessing. We who live after the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus have the promised Holy Spirit. The triune God makes His home with us!  Amy Boucher Pye

Verse from Titus

“在清洁的人，一切都是清洁的；但在污秽和不信的人，没有一样是清洁的，连他们的意念和良心都污秽了。”

提多书 1:15

“To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.”

Titus 1:15

Rust stains, grass stains, blood stains, chocolate stains — ARGH! Those stains are real nightmares in the laundry room. They don't just leave a stain on the surface of the fabric, but they also leave a residue that infiltrates the fibers of our clothes. 

Evil is that way. We must not kid ourselves. Evil corrupts and leaves a residue that corrupts everything it touches, including the hearts of otherwise decent people. That's why we are urged to stay far away from evil and avoid its very appearance. That's also why Jesus died: to not only overcome the Evil One, but to also clean away the stain and its residue.

Evil can be deceiving inviting to toy with, and it is not easy but we must flee from it. 

Verse from 1 Thessalonians

“不住祷告，”

帖撒罗尼迦前书 5:17

“pray without ceasing;”

1 Thessalonians 5:17 

Do you struggle to maintain a consistent prayer life? Many of us do. We know that prayer is important, but it can also be downright difficult. We have moments of deep communion with God and then we have times when it feels like we’re just going through the motions. Why do we struggle so in our prayers?

The life of faith is a marathon. The ups, the downs, and the plateaus in our prayer life are a reflection of this race. And just as in a marathon we need to keep running, so we keep praying. The point is: Don’t give up!

That is God’s encouragement too. The apostle Paul said, “pray continually” (1 Thess. 5:17), “keep on praying” (Rom. 12:12 nlt), and “devote yourselves to prayer” (Col. 4:2). All of these statements carry the idea of remaining steadfast and continuing in the work of prayer.

And because God, our heavenly Father, is a personal being, we can develop a time of close communion with Him, just as we do with our close human relationships. A. W. Tozer writes that as we learn to pray, our prayer life can grow “from the initial most casual brush to the fullest, most intimate communion of which the human soul is capable.” And that’s what we really want—deep communication with God. It happens when we keep praying.

There is never a day when we don’t need to pray.

Verse from Ezra

"...使我们复兴，建立我们神的殿，重修毁坏的地方...”

以斯拉记 9:9

“...to give us reviving to raise up the house of our God, to restore its ruins...”

Ezra 9:9

In the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem you’ll find Tiferet Yisrael Synagogue. Built in the 19th century, the synagogue was dynamited by commandos during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

For years the site lay in ruins. Then, in 2014, rebuilding began. As city officials set a piece of rubble as the cornerstone, one of them quoted from Lamentations: “Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old” (5:21).

Lamentations is Jeremiah’s funeral song for Jerusalem. With graphic imagery the prophet describes the impact of war on his city. Verse 21 is his heartfelt prayer for God to intervene. Still, the prophet wonders if that is even possible. He concludes his anguished song with this fearful caveat: “unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure” (v. 22). Decades later, God did answer that prayer as the exiles returned to Jerusalem.

Our lives too may seem to be in ruins. Troubles of our own making and conflicts we can’t avoid may leave us devastated. But we have a Father who understands. Gently, patiently, He clears away the rubble, repurposes it, and builds something better. It takes time, but we can always trust Him. He specializes in rebuilding projects.

Lord, 

You have reclaimed us, 

and You are remaking us. 

Thank You for Your love and Your care despite our self-centered and destructive ways.
Thank You for true forgiveness and unity in You.

God will one day restore all the beauty lost before.

Verse from 2 Corinthians

“我们在一切患难中，神都安慰我们，使我们能用他所赐的安慰，去安慰那些在各样患难中的人。”

哥林多后书 1:4

“who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

2 Corinthians 1:4

All around us are people in need, and sometimes we have to set aside our own feelings and agendas to help them. One way we can do that is to remember how God has comforted us in our trials and troubles “so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Cor. 1:4). 

How easy it is to be engrossed in our own concerns and forget that someone right next to us might need a prayer, a word of comfort, a hug, or gift of mercy in Jesus’ name. 

Comfort received should be comfort shared.

Verse from Matthew

“照样，你们的光也应当照在人前，让他们看见你们的好行为，又颂赞你们在天上的父。”

马太福音 5:16

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16 

A little girl wondered what a saint might be. One day her mother took her to a great cathedral to see the gorgeous stained-glass windows with scenes from the Bible. When she saw the beauty of it all she cried out loud, “Now I know what saints are. They are people who let the light shine through!”

Some of us might think that saints are people of the past who lived perfect lives and did Jesus-like miracles. But when a translation of Scripture uses the word saint, it is actually referring to anyone who belongs to God through faith in Christ. In other words, saints are people like us who have the high calling of serving God while reflecting our relationship with Him wherever we are and in whatever we do. That is why the apostle Paul prayed that the eyes and understanding of his readers would be opened to think of themselves as the treasured inheritance of Christ and saints of God (Eph. 1:18).

So what then do we see in the mirror? No halos or stained glass. But if we are fulfilling our calling, we will look like people who, maybe even without realizing it, are letting the rich colors of the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control of God shine through. 

Verse from Philippians

“不但这样，我也把万事当作是有损的，因为我以认识我主基督耶稣为至宝。为了他，我把万事都拋弃了，看作废物，为了要得着基督。”

腓立比书 3:8

“More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,”

Philippians 3:8

Adam Minter is in the junk business. The son of a junkyard owner, he circles the globe researching junk. In his book Junkyard Planet, he chronicles the multibillion-dollar industry of waste recycling. He notes that entrepreneurs around the world devote themselves to locating discarded materials such as copper wire, dirty rags, and plastics and repurposing them to make something new and useful.

After the apostle Paul turned his life over to the Savior, he realized his own achievements and abilities amounted to little more than trash. But Jesus transformed it all into something new and useful. Paul said, “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Phil. 3:7-8). Having been trained in Jewish religious law, he had been an angry and violent man toward those who followed Christ (Acts 9:1-2). After being transformed by Christ, the tangled wreckage of his angry past was transformed into the love of Christ for others (2 Cor. 5:14-17).

If you feel that your life is just an accumulation of junk, remember that God has always been in the restoration business. When we turn our lives over to Him, He makes us into something new and useful for Him and others.

Are you wondering how to become a new person? Romans 3:23 and 6:23 tell us that when we admit we are sinners and ask for God’s forgiveness, He gives us the free gift of eternal life that was paid for by the death and resurrection of Jesus. Talk to Him now about your need.

 

Christ makes all things new.