Verse from Matthew

“你们怎样判断人，也必怎样被判断；你们用甚么标准衡量人，也必照样被衡量。”

马太福音 7:2

“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.”

Matthew 7:2

Jesus is concerned that we do not have a critical spirit toward others, especially about their motives as to why they did something. We can't assume to know another person's heart; only God can. 

When we are unfairly critical, overly harsh, or unduly judgmental, we need to remember that God will use that same standard on us. All of us need grace. 

Let's remind ourselves to have grace towards others as we are not perfect human beings either. 

Verse from Hebrews

“没有信，就不能得到神的喜悦；因为来到神面前的人，必须信神存在，并且信他会赏赐那些寻求他的人。”

希伯来书 11:6

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

Hebrews 11:6

It’s tempting to think of faith as a kind of magic formula. If you muster up enough of it, you’ll get rich, stay healthy, and live a contented life with automatic answers to all your prayers. But life does not work according to such neat formulas. As proof, the author of Hebrews presents a stirring reminder of what constitutes “true faith” by reviewing the lives of some Old Testament giants of faith (Heb. 11).

“Without faith,” the author says bluntly, “it is impossible to please God” (11:6). In describing faith he uses the word persevered (v. 27). As a result of their faith, some heroes triumphed: They routed armies, escaped the sword, survived lions. But others met less happy ends: They were flogged, stoned, sawed in two. The chapter concludes, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised” (v. 39).

The picture of faith that emerges does not fit into an easy formula. Sometimes it leads to victory and triumph. Sometimes it requires a gritty determination to “hang on at any cost.” Of such people, “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” (v. 16).

Give me a faith that trusts You wholeheartedly, Lord.

Verse from Romans

“像那不可奸淫，不可杀人，不可偷盗，不可贪婪，或有别的诫命，都包在爱人如己这一句话之内了。

罗马书 13:9 

“The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.””

Romans 13:9

An anthropologist was winding up several months of research in a small village, the story is told. While waiting for a ride to the airport for his return flight home, he decided to pass the time by making up a game for some children. His idea was to create a race for a basket of fruit and candy that he placed near a tree. But when he gave the signal to run, no one made a dash for the finish line. Instead the children joined hands and ran together to the tree.

When asked why they chose to run as a group rather than each racing for the prize, a little girl spoke up and said: “How could one of us be happy when all of the others are sad?” Because these children cared about each other, they wanted all to share the basket of fruit and candy.

After years of studying the law of Moses, the apostle Paul found that all of God’s laws could be summed up in one: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Gal. 5:14; see also Rom. 13:9). In Christ, Paul saw not only the reason to encourage, comfort, and care for one another but also the spiritual enablement to do it.

Because He cares for us, we care for each other.

Father, 

thank You for the love You shower on us day by day. 

Teach us, in turn, to care for others. 

Open our eyes to see their need and respond as You want us to.

We show our love for God when we love one another.

Verse from Ecclesiastes

“贪爱银子的，不因有银子满足；贪爱财富的，也不因得利知足。这也是虚空。”

传道书 5:10

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.”

Ecclesiastes 5:10

We have examples of those who used their wealth wisely and who generously blessed others and honored God in the process — e.g., Barnabas in Acts 4, see also 2 Cor. 8-9 & 1 Tim. 6:17-18. But, the New Testament repeatedly warns us about our desire for wealth. 

Unrestrained, this desire can become our god and lead us to ruin (1 Tim. 6:9-10). It can become full-fledged idolatry (Col. 3:5). Chasing after wealth is just another vain attempt to make life meaningful. In the last two verses of Ecclesiastes, the Wise Man reveals where true meaning is found and explains what Paul means when he says, "Godliness with contentment is great wealth." (1 Tim. 6:6).

Verse from Ephesians

“凡事谦虚、温柔、忍耐，用爱心彼此宽容；”

以弗所书 4:2

“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,”

Ephesians 4:2

Allowing ourselves to be vulnerable can be scary. We want to be loved and accepted for who we are, but we fear that if people truly knew us, they would reject us and we could get hurt. What if they found out we are not smart enough . . . kind enough . . . good enough?

But as members of God’s family, we have a responsibility to help each other grow in faith. We’re told to “encourage one another,” to “build each other up” (1 Thess. 5:11), and to “be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:2).

When we are honest and vulnerable with other believers, we may discover we have mutual struggles battling temptation or learning how to live obediently. But most of all, we will share the wonder of God’s gift of grace in our lives.

Dear Lord, 

many times my fear of being hurt keeps me from being honest about my struggles. 

Help me to remember how much You love me, 

and help me to be patient and loving with others.

Being honest about our struggles allows us to help each other.

Verse from Proverbs

“铁磨铁，磨得锋利；朋友互相切磋，才智也变得敏锐。”

箴言 27:17

“Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.”

Proverbs 27:17

King Solomon knew that life in community could be difficult, a theme he addressed in the book of Proverbs. In chapter 27, we see his wisdom applied to relationships. He likens the sharp words between friends as iron sharpening iron: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (v. 17), shaving off the rough edges in each other’s behavior. 

The process may bring about wounds, as this verse says “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.”

Proverbs 27:6, but ultimately the Lord can use these words to help and encourage us to make needed changes in our attitude and behavior. 

How might the Lord be smoothing out your rough edges for His glory?

Lord, 

this shaping process hurts, 

but I want to submit to the process. 

Mold me and smooth me.

The Lord allows our rough edges to be smoothed over through the sandpaper of life.

Verse from Psalms

“主啊！你还要看多久？求你救我的性命脱离他们的残害，救我的生命脱离少壮狮子。”

诗篇 35:17

“Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, My only life from the lions.”

Psalms 35:17

A test match in the game of cricket can be grueling. Competitors play from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with lunch and tea breaks, but the games can last up to five days. It’s a test of endurance as well as skill.

The tests we face in life are sometimes intensified for a similar reason—they feel unending. The long search for a job, an unbroken season of loneliness, or a lengthy battle with cancer is made even more difficult by the fact that you wonder if it will ever end.

Bible commentaries say that the above verse was speaking of the long period in David’s life when he was pursued by Saul and slandered by the king’s advisors—a time of trial that lasted for years.

Yet, in the end, David sang, “The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant” (v. 27). His testing drove him to deeper trust in God—a trust that we can also experience in our own long seasons of testing, hardship, or loss.  

As time drags on and answers seem faraway, 

teach me, Father, 

to find my help in You and Your presence. 

Enable me to endure, 

and empower me to trust in You.

When your burdens overwhelm you, remember that God has His arms underneath you.

Insight

David found strength to endure his trial by reflecting on and trusting in the character of God (Ps. 35:9–10). Three young Hebrew captives in Babylon—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, whose names were changed to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Dan. 3)—are other examples of trust during difficult circumstances. The Babylonian ruler commanded them to dishonor God by bowing before a giant idol. They faced this challenge with hope because their past experiences with God taught them that He was worthy of their trust and confidence. Dread and apprehension turned to sure confidence and expectation because God had shown Himself faithful. 

Adapted from Hope: Choosing Faith Instead of Fear.

Verses from Psalm

“谁喜爱生命，爱慕长寿，享受美福，就应谨守舌头，不出恶言，嘴唇不说欺诈的话。”

诗篇 34:12-13

“Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.”

Psalm 34:12-13

Napoleon's defeat in Russia 200 years ago was attributed to the harsh Russian winter. One specific problem was that his horses were wearing summer horseshoes. When winter came, these horses died because they slipped on icy roads as they pulled the supply wagons. The failure of Napoleon’s supply chain reduced his 400,000-strong army to just 10,000. A small slip; a disastrous result!

James described how a slip of the tongue can do great damage. One wrong word can change the careers or destinies of people. So toxic is the tongue that James wrote, “No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). The problem has increased in our modern world as a careless email or a posting on a social media site can cause great harm. It quickly goes viral and can’t always be retracted.

King David tied respect for the Lord with the way we use our words. He wrote, “I will teach you the fear of the Lord. . . . Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies” (Ps. 34:11, 13). He resolved, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth” (39:1). Lord, help us to do the same. 

Our words have the power to build up or tear down.

Verse from Psalms

“我曾求问耶和华，他应允了我，救我脱离一切恐惧。”

诗篇 34:4

“I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.”

Psalms 34:4

When fears and worries strike, how good it is to read David’s prayer in Psalm 34: “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears” (v. 4). And how does God deliver us from our fears? When we “look to him” (v. 5), when we focus on Him, our fears fade; we trust Him to be in control. 

Then David mentions a different type of fear—not a fear that paralyzes, but a deep respect and awe of the One who surrounds us and delivers us (v. 7). We can take refuge in Him because He is good (v. 8).

This awe of His goodness helps put our fears into perspective. When we remember who God is and how much He loves us, we can relax into His peace. “Those who fear him lack nothing” (v. 9), concludes David. How wonderful to discover that in the fear of the Lord we can be delivered from our fears.

Lord, 

I’m aware of my worries and fears, 

and I place them in Your hands. 

Give me peace as I face the day.

Verse from Mark

“耶稣对他们说：“来，你们自己到旷野去休息一下。”因为来往的人多，他们甚至没有时间吃饭。”

马可福音 6:31

“And He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while." (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)”

Mark 6:31

The alarm clock goes off. Too early, it seems. But you have a long day ahead. You have work to do, appointments to keep, people to care for, or all this and more. Well, you are not alone. Each day, many of us rush from one matter to another. As someone has wittily suggested, “That’s why we are called the human race.”

When the apostles returned from their first mission trip, they had a lot to report. But Mark did not record Jesus’s evaluation of the disciples’ work; rather, he focused on His concern that they rest awhile. 

Ultimately, we find true rest through recognizing the presence of God and trusting Him. While we take our responsibilities seriously, we also recognize that we can relax our grip on our work and careers, our families and ministry, and give them over to God in faith. We can take time each day to tune out the distractions, put away the tense restlessness, and reflect in gratitude on the wonder of God’s love and faithfulness.

Lord, 

I thank You today for all You have given me to do. 

Help me to truly rest in You—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

We do not rest because our work is done; we rest because God commanded it and created us to have a need for it. Gordon MacDonald

Verse from 1 Timothy

“但那些想要发财的人，就落在试探中和陷阱里；又落在许多无知而有害的私欲里，使人沉沦在败坏和灭亡中；”

提摩太前书 6:9

“But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.”

1 Timothy 6:9

This is not a message for folks who are financially rich. No, this is for all of us who want to have that wealth. Craving it, coveting it, and going in pursuit of earthly wealth expose us to grave danger. Let's be reminded of Jesus' words: "Seek first God's Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."

Verse from Psalms

“耶和华是我的亮光，是我的救恩，我还怕谁呢？ 耶和华是我性命的避难所，我还惧谁呢？”

诗篇 27:1

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?”

Psalms 27:1

Jesus understands our fears and problems because He lived on the earth as a human and endured the same types of trouble we face. “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain” (Isa. 53:3). 

When we describe our struggles to Him, He doesn’t brush us aside, minimize our feelings, or tell us to snap out of it—He relates to our distress. Somehow, knowing that He understands can dispel the loneliness that often accompanies suffering. In our darkest times, He is our light and our salvation.

Jesus is our light in the darkest night.

Verse from Psalms

“等候你的必不羞愧...”

诗篇 25:3

“Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed...”

Psalms 25:3

The military command, “Mark Time, March” means to march in place without moving forward.  It is an active pause in forward motion while remaining mentally prepared and expectantly waiting the next command.

In everyday language, the term marking time has come to mean “motion without progress, not getting anywhere, not doing anything important while you wait.” It conveys a feeling of idle, meaningless waiting.

In contrast, the word wait in the Bible often means “to look eagerly for, to hope, and to expect.” The psalmist, when facing great difficulties, wrote: “O my God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies triumph over me. Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed” (Ps. 25:2–3 nkjv).

We often have no choice about the things we must wait for—a medical diagnosis, a job interview result, the return of a loved one—but we can decide how we wait. Rather than giving in to fear or apathy, we can continue to “march in place,” actively seeking God’s strength and direction each day.

“Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day” (vv. 4–5 nkjv).  

Lord, 

give me grace to embrace the pauses in my life, 

and to be prepared to follow Your next command.

Waiting on God is active trust in Him

Verse from Psalm

“有人靠车，有人靠马。我们却靠耶和华我们神的名。”

诗篇 20:7

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

Psalm 20:7

Flying towards a tree that had shed most of its leaves, the crows decided to take a rest. But instead of settling on the sturdy branches, they lighted on the dry and weak limbs that quickly gave way. They flapped their way out of danger—only to repeat the useless effort. Apparently their bird-sense didn't tell them that the solid branches were more trustworthy and secure resting places.

How about us? Where do we place our trust? David observes in Psalm 20:7: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Chariots and horses represent material and human assets. While these represent things that are useful in daily life, they don’t give us security in times of trouble. If we place our trust in things or possessions or wealth, we will find that they eventually give way beneath us, as the branches gave way beneath the crows.

Those who trust in their chariots and horses can be “brought to their knees and fall,” but those who trust in God will “rise up and stand firm” (v. 8).

In a world of change, we can trust our unchanging God.

 

Insight

In times of fading hope, when there seems to be no way out of total disaster, we need to place our confidence in God, trusting that He has a perfect plan. We can trust Him, even through times of doubt and pressure, trial and temptation. He will lead us through the deep waters and bring us safely to the other shore. Once there, we'll be able to say with David, “We trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Ps. 20:7).

Verse from Acts

“我凡事以身作则，你们必须照样辛劳，扶助软弱的人，并且记念主耶稣的话：‘施比受更为有福。’””

使徒行传 20:35

“In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "”

Acts 20:35

In 1891, Biddy Mason was laid to rest in an unmarked grave in Los Angeles. That wasn’t unusual for a woman born into slavery, but it was remarkable for someone as accomplished as Biddy. After winning her freedom in a court battle in 1856, she combined her nursing skills with wise business decisions to make a small fortune. As she observed the plight of immigrants and prisoners, she reached out to them, investing in charity so frequently that people began lining up at her house for help. In 1872, just sixteen years out of slavery, she and her son-in-law financed the founding of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles.

Biddy embodied the apostle Paul’s words: “I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35). Paul came from privilege, not slavery, yet he chose a life that would lead to his imprisonment and martyrdom so that he could serve Christ and others.

In 1988, benefactors unveiled a tombstone for Biddy Mason. In attendance were the mayor of Los Angeles and nearly 3,000 members of the little church that had begun in her home over a century earlier. Biddy once said, “The open hand is blessed, for it gives in abundance even as it receives.” The hand that gave so generously received a rich legacy.

Who in your life is struggling and could use a little help from you? 

How can you reach out to that person or family today?

Verse from Luke

“因我们神的怜悯，使清晨的阳光从高天临到我们，”

路加福音 1:78

“because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven”

Luke 1:78

The most precious gifts are determined not by what went into them, but by who they are from. Ask any parent who ever received a bouquet of dandelions from a chubby hand. The best gifts are valued not in money but in love.

Zechariah understood that. We hear it in his prophetic song as he praised God for giving him and his wife Elizabeth their son John when they were well past their childbearing years (Luke 1:67–79). 

Zechariah rejoiced because John was to be a prophet who would proclaim God’s greatest gift to all people—the coming Messiah: “Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us” (Luke 1:78 nlt). Those words point to a gift given with so much love that it will even “shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death” (1:79).

The sweetest gift we can receive is God's tender mercy—the forgiveness of our sins through Jesus. That gift cost Him dearly at the cross, but He offers it freely out of His deep love for us.

Have you received the gift? Tasted the sweetness of it? Do you feel the love from it? 

Verse from Matthew

“顾惜自己生命的，必要丧掉生命；但为我牺牲生命的，必要得着生命。”

马太福音 10:39

“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”

Matthew 10:39

In a kingdom where the King is a servant (Mark 10:45), losing your life becomes the only way to find it. This is a startling message to a world focused on self-promotion and self-protection.

In practical terms, how can we “lose our life”? The answer is summed up in the word sacrifice. When we sacrifice, we put into practice Jesus’s way of living. Instead of grasping for our own wants and needs, we esteem the needs and well-being of others.

Jesus not only taught about sacrifice but He also lived it by giving Himself for us.

Nothing is really lost by a life of sacrifice.  Henry Liddon

Verse from Isaiah

“为锡安悲哀的人穿上装饰，赐给他们华冠代替灰尘，喜乐油代替悲哀，赞美衣代替沮丧的灵，他们必称为公义的橡树，是耶和华栽种的，好使他自己得着荣耀。”

以赛亚书 61:3

“To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

Isaiah 61:3

Though we live in a fallen world where we experience pain and disappointment, the Lord can move us from despair to rejoicing, as we see in Isaiah’s prophecy about the coming of Jesus (Isa. 61:1–3). The Lord gives us hope when we feel hopeless; He helps us to forgive when we think we can’t; He teaches us that our identity is in Him and not in what we do. He gives us courage to face an unknown future. When we wear the rags of “ashes,” He gently gives us a coat of praise.

When we face loss, we shouldn’t run from the sadness, but neither do we want to become bitter or hardened. When we think about God’s faithfulness over the years, we know that He’s willing and able to turn our grief to dancing once again—to give us sufficient grace in this life and full joy in heaven.

Father God, 

You turned Jesus’s pain on the cross into our best gift ever. 

Deepen my faith that I may welcome Your life-changing love into my life.

God can bring times of growth out of our times of heartache.

Verse from Matthew

“他解散了群众，就独自上山去祷告。到了晚上，他还是独自一人在那里。”

马太福音 14:23

“After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.”

Matthew 14:23

During a concert, singer-songwriter David Wilcox responded to a question from the audience about how he composes songs. He said there are three aspects to his process: a quiet room, an empty page, and the question, “Is there something I should know?” It struck me as a wonderful approach for followers of Jesus as we seek the Lord’s plan for our lives each day.

Throughout Jesus’s public ministry, He took time to be alone in prayer. After feeding 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, He sent His disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee by boat while He dismissed the crowd (Matt. 14:22). “After [Jesus] had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone” (v. 23).

If the Lord Jesus saw the need to be alone with His Father, how much more do we need a daily time of solitude to pour out our hearts to God, ponder His Word, and prepare to follow His directions. A quiet room—anywhere we can focus on the Lord without distractions. An empty page—a receptive mind, a blank sheet of paper, a willingness to listen. Is there something I should know? “Lord, speak to me by Your Spirit, Your written Word, and the assurance of Your direction.”

From that quiet hillside, Jesus descended into a violent storm, knowing exactly what His Father wanted Him to do (vv. 24–27).

Taking time to be with God is the best place to find strength.

Verse from Exodus

“法老让人民离开的时候，虽然非利士的路很近，　神却不领他们从那里走，因为神说：“恐怕百姓看见战争而后悔，就回埃及去。””

出埃及记 13:17

“Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near; for God said, "The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt."”

Exodus 13:17

Life’s path is often difficult. So if we expect that God will always give us an easy road, we may be tempted to turn our back on Him when the terrain gets tough.

If you’ve ever considered doing that, think about the people of Israel. When they were given freedom from the Egyptians after hundreds of years of bondage, they took off for the Promised Land. But God didn’t send them straight home. He “did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter” (Ex. 13:17). Instead He sent them on the hard road through the desert. In the short run, this helped them avoid wars (v. 17), but in the long run, there was something bigger at work.

God used that time in the desert to instruct and mature the people He had called to follow Him. The easy road would have led them to disaster. The long road prepared the nation of Israel for their successful entry into the Promised Land.

Our God is faithful, and we can trust Him to lead us and care for us no matter what we face. We may not understand the reason for the path we are on, but we can trust Him to help us grow in faith and maturity along the way.

Lord, 

we cannot see the path ahead, 

so we must trust that the way is right and that it is the best road for us to take. 

Please encourage us, and teach us as we let You direct our path.

God’s timing is always right—wait patiently for Him.

Insight

In today’s passage we read that after the Israelites left Egypt, God led them “around by the desert road toward the Red Sea” (vv. 17–18).Though there were shorter routes, God led them a longer way around the desert and demonstrated His faithfulness and power. His faithful presence was with them in pillars of fire and cloud (vv. 21–22), and He demonstrated His power by His miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from the pursuing Egyptians (Ex. 14).

Verse from Philippians

“我并不是因为缺乏才这样说：我已经学会了，无论在甚么情况之下都可以知足。”

腓立比书 4:11

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”

Philippians 4:11

Mary was widowed and facing serious health challenges when her daughter invited her to move into the new “granny apartment” attached to her home. Although it would involve leaving friends and the rest of her family many miles away, Mary rejoiced in God’s provision.

Six months into her new life, the initial joy and contentment threatened to slip away as she was tempted to grumble inwardly and doubt whether the move was really God’s perfect plan. She missed her Christian friends, and her new church was too far away to get to independently.

Then she read something that the great 19th-century preacher Charles Spurgeon had written. “Now contentment is one of the flowers of heaven, and it must be cultivated,” he pointed out. “Paul says . . . ‘I have learned to be content,’ as if he didn't know how at one time.”

Mary concluded that if an ardent evangelist like Paul, confined to prison, abandoned by friends, and facing execution could learn contentment, then so could she.

 “I realized that until I could learn this lesson, I wouldn’t enjoy those things God had planned,” she said. “So I confessed my inward grumbling and asked for His forgiveness. Soon after that a newly retired lady asked if I would be her prayer partner, and others offered me a ride to church. My needs for a ‘soul friend’ and greater mobility were wonderfully met.”

Are there areas of life where you need to learn contentment? Ask God to help you now.

God doesn’t always change our circumstances, but He will change us.

Verses from James and Psalms

“我们用它来称颂我们的主和天父，又用它来咒诅照神的形象被造的人。”

雅各书 3:9

“耶和华啊！求你看守我的口， 把守我的嘴。”

诗篇 141:3

“With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;”

James 3:9

“Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.”

Psalms 141:3

Bush fires are regular occurrences in the dry season between December and March in northern Ghana. Many acres of farmland are set ablaze when the winds carried tiny embers from fireplaces or from cigarette butts carelessly thrown by the roadside. With the dry grassland vegetation, all that is needed to start a devastating fire is a little spark.

That is how James describes the tongue, calling it “a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell” (James 3:6 niv). 

A false statement made here or backbiting there, a vicious remark somewhere else, and relationships are destroyed. “The words of the reckless pierce like swords,” says Proverbs 12:18, “but the tongue of the wise brings healing”. Just as fire has both destructive and useful elements, so “death and life are in the power of the tongue” (18:21).

For conversation that reflects God’s presence in us and pleases Him, let it “always be with grace” (Col. 4:6). When expressing our opinions during disagreements, let’s ask God to help us choose wholesome language that brings honor to Him.

Guide my conversation today, Lord. 

May the words I choose bless and encourage others and build them up rather than tear them down. 

May You be pleased with what You hear.

Anger can make us speak our mind when we should be minding our speech.

Verse from 2 Peter

“神以他神圣的能力，因着我们确实认识那位用自己的荣耀和美善呼召我们的，把一切有关生命和敬虔的事，都赐给了我们。”

彼得后书 1:3

“seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

2 Peter 1:3

In a field on the English countryside, G. K. Chesterton stood up from where he had been sitting and exploded with laughter. His outburst was so sudden and so loud that the cows could not take their eyes off him.

Just minutes before, the Christian writer and apologist had been miserable. That afternoon he had been wandering the hills, sketching pictures on brown paper using colored chalks. But he was dismayed to discover he had no white chalk, which he considered to be essential to his artwork. Soon, though, he began to laugh when he realized that the ground beneath him was porous limestone—the earth’s equivalent of white chalk. He broke off a piece and resumed drawing.

Like Chesterton, who realized he “was sitting on an immense warehouse of white chalk,” believers have God’s unlimited spiritual resources within reach at all times. “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him” (2 Peter 1:3).

Maybe you feel you are lacking some important element necessary for godliness such as faith, grace, or wisdom. If you know Christ, you have everything you need and more. Through Jesus, you have access to the Father—the one who graciously provides believers with all things.

Dear Lord, 

forgive me for overlooking Your power and trying to live in my own strength. 

I can’t do it. 

Thank You for providing everything I need.

God has unlimited power.

Friday morning, 8 July 2016

For the first time in my life, this morning after receiving mysterious gifts twice this week from unknown person in the office, I have this feeling I'm being pursued and really love by Lord. This feeling exceeds the feeling of being pursued by a human, it completely envelopes me and gives me complete joy! #Godislove

Verse from Isaiah

“耶和华我们的神啊！现在求你拯救我们脱离亚述王的手，使地上万国都知道唯有你耶和华是　神。””

以赛亚书 37:20

“Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, LORD, are God."”

Isaiah 37:20

It began as a distant, foreboding hum, then grew into an ominous, earth-rattling din. Soon hundreds of tanks and thousands of enemy infantrymen swarmed into view of the badly outnumbered soldiers in Finland. Assessing the murderous wave, an anonymous Finn lent some perspective. Courageously, he wondered aloud about the enemy: “Where will we find room to bury them all?”

Some 2,600 years before Finland showed such pluck in that World War II battle, an anxious Judean citizenry reacted quite differently to their own overwhelming situation. The Assyrian armies had trapped the people of Jerusalem inside its walls, where they faced the hopeless prospect of a starvation-inducing siege. Hezekiah nearly panicked. But then he prayed, “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth” (Isa. 37:16).

Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord answered with strong words for Assyria’s King Sennacherib. “Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!” (v. 23). Then God comforted Jerusalem. “I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!” (v. 35). The Lord defeated Sennacherib and destroyed the Assyrian army (vv. 36-38).

No matter what dangers loom on your horizon today, the God of Hezekiah and Isaiah still reigns. He longs to hear from each of us and show Himself powerful.

In what ways has God shown Himself strong in the past?

God is greater than our greatest problem.

But do you believe that or do you have doubts? 

Are you trusting Him or turning away from Him when you face issues in life?

Verse from Deuteronomy

“我今日吩咐你的这些话，都要记在你的心上；”

申命记 6:6

“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.”

Deuteronomy 6:6

The Lord may use a tangible item like a photo, keepsake, or Scripture verse to remind us of His faithfulness and the call to obey His Word. When Moses addressed the Israelites just before they entered the land of Canaan, he urged them to keep all the commands God had given them. “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road . . . . Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates”  (Deut. 6:7, 9). 

Giving God’s Word a visible place of honor in their homes and lives was a powerful daily reminder to “be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you . . . out of the land of slavery” (v. 12).

How do you remember His Word? 

Verse from Hebrews

“你们不要被各样怪异的教训勾引去了。人心靠着恩典，而不是靠着食物得到坚定，才是好的；因为那些拘守食物的人，从来没有得过益处。”

希伯来书 13:9

“Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.”

Hebrews 13:9

The neighborhood fitness center where David have worked out for years closed down last month, and he had to join a new gym. The former place was a warm, friendly facility, patronized by those who liked to socialize while they worked out. They hardly ever broke a sweat. The new gym is a hard-core facility filled with serious men and women, earnestly invested in building better bodies. Their bodies look strong, but he wonders if their hearts are being strengthened with grace.

The heart is a muscle—the muscle that keeps the other muscles going. It’s good to build and tone our other muscles, but the essential thing is doing whatever keeps the heart strong.

So it is with our spiritual heart. We strengthen and tone the heart through the Word of truth by receiving its message of God’s goodness and grace. Keeping our spiritual heart strong and fit must be our first priority, the one thing we do above all others.

God’s training is designed to grow us in faith.

Verse from Exodus

“可是摩西的两手疲乏了，他们就搬块石头来，放在摩西下面，他就坐在上面；亚伦和户珥，一边一个，扶着摩西的两手；这样，他的两手就稳住，直到日落的时候。”

出埃及记 17:12

“When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.”

Exodus 17:12

Her thirty classmates and their parents watched as Mi’Asya nervously walked to the podium to speak at her fifth grade graduation ceremony. When the principal adjusted the microphone to Mi’Asya’s height, she turned her back to the microphone and the audience. The crowd whispered words of encouragement: “Come on, honey, you can do it.” But she didn’t budge. Then a classmate walked to the front and stood by her side. With the principal on one side of Mi’Asya and her friend on the other, the three read her speech together. What a beautiful example of support!

Moses needed help and support in the middle of a battle with the Amalekites (Ex. 17:10–16). “As long as Moses held up his hands [with the staff of God in his hands], the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning” (v. 11). When Aaron and Hur saw what was happening, they stood beside Moses, “one on one side, one on the other,” and supported his arms when he grew tired. With their support, victory came by sunset.

We all need the support of one another. 

Who could you help today? Or do you need support yourself? Who could you ask?

Hope can be ignited by a spark of encouragement.

Verse from 2 Peter

“主决不耽延他的应许，像有些人以为他是耽延的一样；其实他是宽容你们，不愿有一人灭亡，却愿人人都悔改。”

彼得后书 3:9

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9

Randy was sitting with a group of passengers on an airport shuttle heading to their connecting flight when the bus driver was told to “hold in place.” It looked like they would miss their flight, and this was more than one passenger could handle. He exploded at the driver, insisting he ignore his orders or “risk the wrath of a lawsuit.” 

Just then an airline employee came dashing up carrying a briefcase. Looking at the angry man, the airline employee triumphantly held up the briefcase. When he had caught his breath, he said, “You left your briefcase. I heard you mention how important your meeting was, and I figured you would need this.”

Reflecting on this, Randy found himself sometimes impatient with God, especially about His return. He wondered, What can He be waiting on? The tragedies around us, the suffering of people we love, and even the stresses of daily life all seem bigger than the fixes on the horizon.

Then someone tells their story of having just met Jesus, or he discovers God is still at work in the messes. It reminds him of what he learned that day on the shuttle. There are stories and details God knows that he doesn’t. It reminds him to trust Him and to remember that the story isn’t about him. It’s about God’s plan to give time to others who don’t yet know His Son (2 Peter 3:9).

Verse from Luke

“耶稣到了那里，往上一看，对他说：“撒该，快下来，今天我要住在你家里。””

路加福音 19:5

“When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house."”

Luke 19:5

When Dave was a kid, his family made a monthly excursion from Ohio to West Virginia to visit his maternal grandparents. Every time they arrived at the door of their farmhouse, Grandma Lester would greet them with the words, “Come on in and sit a spell.” It was her way of telling them to make themselves comfortable, stay a while, and share in some “catching-up” conversation.

Life can get pretty busy. In our action-oriented world, it’s hard to get to know people. It’s tough to find time to ask someone to “sit a spell” with us. We can get more done if we text each other and get right to the point. 

But look at what Jesus did when He wanted to make a difference in the life of a tax collector. He went to Zacchaeus’s house to “sit a spell.” His words, “I must stay at your house” indicate that this was no quick stopover (Luke 19:5). Jesus spent time with him, and Zacchaeus’s life was turned around because of this time with Jesus.

On the front porch of Dave's grandmother’s house were several chairs—a warm invitation to all visitors to relax and talk. If we’re going to get to know someone and to make a difference in their life—as Jesus did for Zacchaeus—we need to invite them to “come sit a spell.”

The best gift you can give to others may be your time.

Insight

For generations, the government of ancient Rome commissioned generals to conquer and colonize people of various cultures and locations. In governing these conquered people, Rome enlisted the service of the publicani, who are called publicans or tax collectors in Scripture. These publicans were often considered both traitors to their own people and collaborators with the occupying forces, and they would often tax more revenue than required in order to line their own pockets. Today’s reading bears significant meaning because it shows how even a hated publican like Zacchaeus received forgiveness and redemption through Christ. As a result of his repentance, Zacchaeus reimbursed those he had cheated four times the amount he had taken. 

Dennis Fisher

Verse from Job

“他有智慧与能力，又有谋略与聪明。”

约伯记 12:13

“"With Him are wisdom and might; To Him belong counsel and understanding.”

Job 12:13

In desperation, a woman called the housing assistance center where Tim worked. A heating problem had turned her rental home into a freezer with furniture. Panicked, she asked Tim  how she would care for her children. He hurriedly replied with the scripted official response: “Just move into a hotel and send the landlord the bill.” She angrily hung up on him. 

He knew the textbook answer to her question, but he had completely missed her heart. She wanted someone to understand her fear and desperation. She needed to know she wasn’t alone. In essence, he had left her out in the cold.

After Job had lost everything, he had friends with answers but little understanding. Zophar told him all he needed to do was live wholeheartedly for God. Then “life will be brighter than noonday,” he said (11:17). That counsel wasn’t well received, and Job responded with scathing sarcasm: “Wisdom will die with you!” (12:2). He knew the dissatisfying taste of textbook answers to real-world problems.

It’s easy to be critical of Job’s friends for their failure to see the big picture. But how often are we too quick with answers to questions we don’t truly understand? People do want answers. But more than that, they want to know we hear and understand. They want to know we care.

Father, 

help us to be a friend first before we offer advice to others. 

Thank You for the privilege of sharing our hearts with You in prayer. 

Thank You for sending us Your Holy Spirit so that we will never be alone.

Before people want to hear what you say, they want to know that you care.

Insight

Many scholars consider the book of Job to be the oldest biblical book, though it does not contain the oldest stories about the creation of the universe and the fall of the human race (see Genesis). It is fitting, therefore, that the oldest biblical book would deal with the most universally experienced human reality—the presence of suffering in the world.