Verse from John

“他听说拉撒路病了，仍然在原来的地方住了两天，”

约翰福音 11:6

So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, (John 11:6)

It was natural for Martha and Mary to send for Jesus when Lazarus became seriously ill (John 11:1-3). Perhaps they looked anxiously along the road for signs of His arrival, but Jesus didn’t come. The funeral service had been over for 4 days when Jesus finally walked into town (v.17).

Martha was blunt. “If You had been here,” she said, “my brother would not have died” (v.21). Then her faith flickered into certainty, “Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You” (v.22). What was she expecting? Lazarus was dead, and she was wary about opening the tomb. And yet at a word from Jesus, Lazarus’ spirit returned to his decaying body (vv.41-44). Jesus had bypassed simply healing His sick friend, in order to perform the far greater miracle of bringing him back to life.

Waiting for God’s timing may also give us a greater miracle than we had hoped for.

My Savior hears me when I pray,

Upon His Word I calmly rest;

In His own time, in His own way,

I know He’ll give me what is best. —Hewitt

Delay doesn't necessarily mean denial

Verse from Colossians

“所以，你们既然是神所拣选的，是圣洁、蒙爱的人，就要存怜悯的心肠、恩慈、谦卑、温柔和忍耐。”

歌罗西书 3:12

“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;”

Colossians 3:12

A few years before he became the 26th U.S. president (1901–1909), Theodore Roosevelt got word that his oldest son, Theodore Jr., was ill. While his son would recover, the cause of Ted’s illness hit Roosevelt hard. Doctors told him that he was the cause of his son’s illness. Ted was suffering from “nervous exhaustion,” having been pressed unmercifully by Theodore to become the “fighter” hero-type he himself had not been during his own frail childhood. Upon hearing this, the elder Roosevelt made a promise to relent: “Hereafter I shall never press Ted either in body or mind.”

The father was true to his word. From then on he paid close attention to how he treated his son—the very same son who would one day bravely lead the landing of Allied soldiers on Utah Beach in World War II. 

God has entrusted each of us with influence in the lives of others. We have a deep responsibility in those relationships, not only to spouses and children, but to friends, employees, and customers. The temptation to press too hard, to demand too much, to force progress, or to orchestrate success can lead us to harm others even when we don’t realize it. 

For this very reason, followers of Christ are urged to be patient and gentle with one another (Col. 3:12). 

What kind of expectations do you have of the people in your life—at home and at work? 

Think about the influence you might have on others. 

How can you reflect more of the character of Jesus?

Verse from Ezra

“现在王若是以为好，就请查考王在巴比伦的库房，看看那里有没有古列王下令，重建这在耶路撒冷神的殿的谕旨，并请指示我们王对这事的旨意。””

以斯拉记 5:17

“"Now if it pleases the king, let a search be conducted in the king's treasure house, which is there in Babylon, if it be that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send to us his decision concerning this matter. "”

Ezra 5:17

The citizens of Israel were having some trouble with the government. It was the late 500s bc, and the Jewish people were eager to complete their temple that had been destroyed in 586 bc by Babylon. However, the governor of their region was not sure they should be doing that, so he sent a note to King Darius (Ezra 5:6-17).

In the letter, the governor says he found the Jews working on the temple and asks the king if they had permission to do so. The letter also records the Jews’ respectful response that they had indeed been given permission by an earlier king (Cyrus) to rebuild. When the king checked out their story, he found it to be true: King Cyrus had said they could build the temple. So Darius not only gave them permission to rebuild, but he also paid for it! (see 6:1-12). After the Jews finished building the temple, they “celebrated with joy” because they knew God had “[changed] the attitude of the king” (6:22).

When we see a situation that needs to be addressed, we honor God when we plead our case in a respectful way, trust that He is in control of every situation, and express gratitude for the outcome.

Lord, 

help us to respond respectfully to situations around us. 

We need Your wisdom for this. 

May we always honor, trust, and praise You.

Respect for authority brings glory to God.

Verse from Genesis

“于是，夏甲给那对她说话的耶和华，起名叫“你是看顾人的神”，因为她说：“在这里我不是也看见了那位看顾人的吗？””

创世记 16:13

“Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees"; for she said, "Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?"”

Genesis 16:13

Hagar’s story provides a disturbingly honest look at human history. It’s been years since God told Abram and Sarai they would have a son, and Sarai has only grown older and more impatient. In order to “help” God, she resorts to a custom of the day. She gives her slave, Hagar, to her husband, and Hagar becomes pregnant.

            

Predictably, dissension arises. Sarai mistreats Hagar, who runs away. Alone in the desert, she meets the angel of the Lord, who makes a promise strikingly similar to one God had made earlier—to Abram (see Gen. 15:5). “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count” (16:10). The angel names Hagar’s son Ishmael, which means “God hears” (v. 11). In response, this slave from a culture with multiple gods that could neither see nor hear gives God the name “You are the God who sees me” (v. 13).

“The God who sees us” is the God of impatient heroes and powerless runaways. He’s the God of the wealthy and well-connected as well as the destitute and lonely. He hears and sees and cares, achingly and deeply, for each of us.

Lord, 

You didn’t sugarcoat the story of Your people in the Bible and yet 

You loved them—as You love us-

in spite of all the dirt and drama. 

You are the God who sees us, 

and yet we can still run to You.

God sees us with eyes of compassion.

Verses from Exodus

“耶和华对他说：“谁造人的口呢？谁使人口哑、耳聋、眼明、眼瞎呢？不是我耶和华吗？现在去吧，我必赐你口才，指教你当说的。””

出埃及记 4:11-12

“The LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say."”

Exodus 4:11-12

A reluctant leader, Moses needed the Lord to reassure him that the Israelites would listen to him. The Lord revealed several signs to him, such as turning his shepherd’s staff into a snake (Ex. 4:3), but Moses hesitated to accept the mantle of leadership, saying he was slow of speech (v. 10). So God reminded him that He is the Lord and that He would help him speak. He would “be with his mouth” (as the original language translates, according to biblical scholars).

We know that since the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, God’s Spirit lives within His children and that however inadequate we may feel, He will enable us to carry out the assignments He gives to us. The Lord will “be with our mouths.”

Lord Jesus, 

You dwell with me. 

May my words today build up someone.

Verse from 1 Peter

“然而你们是蒙拣选的族类，是君尊的祭司，是圣洁的国民，是属神的子民，为要叫你们宣扬那召你们出黑暗入奇妙光明者的美德。”

彼得前书 2:9

“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”

1 Peter 2:9

While delivering a well-publicized speech, a respected leader and statesman got the attention of his nation by declaring that most of his country’s honorable Members of Parliament (MPs) were quite dishonorable. Citing lifestyles of corruption, pompous attitudes, unsavory language, and other vices, he rebuked the MPs and urged them to reform. As expected, his comments didn’t go well with them and they dispatched counter-criticisms his way.

We may not be public officials in positions of leadership, but we who follow Christ are a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession” (1 Peter 2:9). As such, our Lord calls us to lifestyles that honor Him.

The disciple Peter had some practical advice on how to do this. He urged us to “abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul” (v. 11). Although he didn’t use the word honorable, he was calling us to behavior worthy of Christ.  

As the apostle Paul phrased it in his letter to the Philippians, “Whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Phil. 4:8). Indeed, these are the characteristics of behavior that honor our Lord. 

We honor God’s name when we call Him our Father and live like His children.

Verse from Psalm

“我把你的话藏在心里，免得我得罪你。”

诗篇 119:11

“I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”

Psalm 119:11

In Psalm 119:11, we read how the power of hiding God’s words in our heart can keep us from sinning. It can strengthen us, teach us obedience, and direct our footsteps (vv. 28, 67, 133). This in turn gives us hope and understanding (vv. 49, 130). 

Even when we begin to notice memory slips in ourselves or in the life of a loved one, God’s Word, memorized years earlier, is still there, “stored up” or “treasured” in the heart (v. 11 esv, nasb). Even as our minds lose the keen edge of youth, we know that God’s words, hidden in our hearts, will continue to speak to us.

Do we make the time and effort to know and keep His Word in our heart? 

Verses from Exodus

“摩西、亚伦就照耶和华所吩咐的行。亚伦在法老和臣仆眼前举杖击打河里的水，河里的水都变作血了。河里的鱼死了，河也腥臭了，埃及人就不能吃这河里的水；埃及遍地都有了血。

出埃及记 7:20-21 

“So Moses and Aaron did even as the LORD had commanded. And he lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. The fish that were in the Nile died, and the Nile became foul, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. And the blood was through all the land of Egypt.”

Exodus 7:20-21

“A man’s got to know his limitations”--wisdom from Harry Callahan (a.k.a. Clint Eastwood) in "Magnum Force." Clint’s right—we are all limited: limited vision, limited brainpower, limited physical capacity, limited lifespan. The God we worship, however, has no such limitations. The entire physical universe was created by Him and every day still must submit to His word and will. Absolutely every molecule in every place is under His supervision and direction.

Look what He did in Egypt to Egypt. When the arrogant and hard-hearted Pharaoh refused to release his Israelite slaves, God sent His man Moses for a little demo of what unlimited divine power looked like: “He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water” (Exodus 7:20,21). 

The Nile is over four thousand miles long, with billions upon billions of gallons of water sliding downhill in its banks. God turned physics into biology by making something inorganic organic. 

It is nothing for God to stop the earth’s rotation, feed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, or turn water into wine. He has the unlimited power to do everything for you that He said he’d do, and He uses that power to bring benefit to your life.

Do you believe in His power? Or do u rather still depend on yourself? 

Verse from Hebrews

“在这末后的日子，却借着他的儿子向我们说话。神已经立他作万有的承受者，并且借着他创造了宇宙 。他是神荣耀的光辉，是神本质的真象，用自己带有能力的话掌管万有；他作成了洁净罪恶的事，就坐在高天至尊者的右边。”

希伯来书 1:2-3

“in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

Hebrews 1:2-3

When Ewing told his daughter Maggie that God sometimes speaks to us through the Bible, she responded without hesitation: “Well, He’s never said anything to me. I’ve never heard God talk to me.”

Most of us would probably agree with Maggie, if hearing an audible voice telling us, “Sell your house, and go take care of orphans in a faraway land,” is what we mean by God communicating with us. But when we talk about hearing God “speak,” we usually mean something quite different.

We “hear” God through reading Scripture. The Bible tells us about Jesus and says that God “has spoken to us by his Son” who is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” (Heb. 1:2–3). 

Scripture tells us how to find salvation in Jesus and how to live in ways that please Him (2 Tim. 3:14–17). In addition to Scripture itself, we have the Holy Spirit. First Corinthians 2:12 says that we are given the Spirit “so that we may understand what God has freely given us.”

Has it been a while since you’ve heard from God? Talk to Him and listen to the Spirit, who reveals Jesus to us through His Word. Tune in to the wonderful things God has to say to you.

God speaks through His Word when we take time to listen.

Verse from 1 Corinthians

“所以，那自以为站得稳的，应当谨慎，免得跌倒。”

哥林多前书 10:12

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.”

1 Corinthians 10:12

When Elaine was recovering after a bad fall, a hospital worker placed a bright yellow bracelet on her wrist. It read: Fall Risk. That phrase meant: Watch this person carefully. She may be unsteady on her feet. Help her get from place to place. 

First Corinthians 10 contains something like a “Fall Risk” warning for believers. With a glance back at his ancestors, Paul noted the human potential to fall into sin. The Israelites complained, worshiped idols, and had immoral relationships. God grew unhappy with them and allowed them to experience consequences for their wrongdoing. However, Paul said, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us . . . . So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (vv. 11–12).

It’s easy to trick ourselves into believing that we’re done with a particular sort of sin. Even when we’ve struggled through the worst of it—admitting our problem, repenting, and recommitting ourselves to following God’s ways—temptation may come calling. God makes it possible for us to avoid falling back into the same patterns. He does this by providing a way out of the sinful act we’re considering. Our part is to respond to His offer of escape. 

Verse from Hebrews

“我们又应该彼此关心，激发爱心，勉励行善。”

希伯来书 10:24

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,”

Hebrews 10:24

While standing in line for a popular attraction at Disneyland, David noticed that most people were talking and smiling instead of complaining about the long wait. It made him ponder what made waiting in that line an enjoyable experience. The key seemed to be that very few people were there by themselves. Instead, friends, families, groups, and couples were sharing the experience, which was far different than standing in line alone.

The Christian life is meant to be lived in company with others, not alone. Hebrews 10:19–25 urges us to live in community with other followers of Jesus. “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings . . . . Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together” (vv. 22–25). In community we reassure and reinforce each other, “encouraging one another” (v. 25).

Even our most difficult days can become a meaningful part of our journey of faith when others share them with us. Don’t face life alone. Let us travel together.

Life in Christ is meant to be a shared experience.

Verse from Numbers

“迦勒在摩西面前使众人镇静，说：“我们立刻上去，占领那地吧！因为我们必能得胜。””

民数记 13:30

“Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, "We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it."”

Numbers 13:30

After being encamped near Mt. Sinai for two years, the people of Israel were on the verge of entering Canaan—the land God had promised them. God told them to send twelve spies to assess the land and the people living there. When the spies saw the strength of the Canaanites and the size of their cities, ten of them said, “We can’t!” Two said, “We can!”

What made the difference?

When the ten compared the giants with themselves and the giants loomed large, the two—Caleb and Joshua—compared the giants with God, and the giants were cut down to size. “The Lord is with us,” they said. “Do not be afraid of them” (Num. 14:9).

Unbelief never lets us get beyond the difficulties—the impregnable cities and the impossible giants. It preoccupies itself with them, brooding over them, pitting them against mere human resources.

Faith, on the other hand, though it never minimizes the dangers and difficulties of any circumstance, looks away from them to God and counts on His invisible presence and power.

What are your “giants”? A habit you cannot break? A temptation you cannot resist? A difficult marriage? A drug-abusing son or daughter? A difficult time at work? At risk of losing your job? If we compare ourselves with our difficulties, we will always be overwhelmed. Faith looks away from the greatness of the undertaking to the greatness of an ever-present, all-powerful God.

Dear Lord, 

when the “giants” in my life begin to overwhelm me with fear, 

help me to trust in You.

When fear knocks, answer it with faith.

Verse from Matthew

“难道我不可以照自己的主意用我的财物吗？还是因为我仁慈你就嫉妒呢？’”

马太福音 20:15

“Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?'”

Matthew 20:15

Thomas J. DeLong, a professor at Harvard Business School, has noted a disturbing trend among his students and colleagues—a  “comparison obsession." He writes:  “More so than ever before, . . . business executives, Wall Street analysts, lawyers, doctors, and other professionals are obsessed with comparing their own achievements against those of others. . . . This is bad for individuals and bad for companies. When you define success based on external rather than internal criteria, you diminish your satisfaction and commitment.”

Comparison obsession isn’t new. The Scriptures warn us of the dangers of comparing ourselves to others. When we do so, we become proud and look down on them (Luke 18:9–14). Or we become jealous and want to be like them or have what they have (James 4:1). We fail to focus on what God has given us to do. Jesus intimated that comparison obsession comes from believing that God is unfair and that He doesn’t have a right to be more generous to others than He is to us (Matt. 20:1–16). 

By God’s grace we can learn to overcome comparison obsession by focusing on the life God has given to us. As we take moments to thank God for everyday blessings, we change our thinking and begin to believe deep down that God is good.

I need a better focus, Lord. 

Help me to keep my eyes off others and instead on You and Your good heart for all of us.

God expresses His goodness to His children in His own way.

Verse from 2 Chronicles

“那时，以色列人被击败了，犹大人获得胜利，因为他们倚靠耶和华他们列祖的神。”

历代志下 13:18

“Thus the sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah conquered because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their fathers.”

2 Chronicles 13:18

As the convoy waited to roll out, a young marine rapped urgently on the window of his team leader’s vehicle. Irritated, the sergeant rolled down his window. “What?”

“You gotta do that thing,” the marine said. “What thing?” asked the sergeant. “You know, that thing you do,” replied the marine.

Then it dawned on the sergeant. He always prayed for the convoy’s safety, but this time he hadn’t. So he dutifully climbed out of the Humvee and prayed for his marines. The marine understood the value of his praying leader.

In ancient Judah, Abijah doesn’t stand out as a great king. First Kings 15:3 tells us, “His heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God.” But as Judah prepared for war against Israel, outnumbered two to one, Abijah knew this much: Faithful people in his kingdom of Judah had continued worshiping God (2 Chron. 13:10–12), while the ten tribes of Israel had driven out the priests of God and worshiped pagan gods instead (vv. 8–9). So Abijah turned confidently to the one true God.

Surely Abijah’s checkered history had caused grave damage. But he knew where to turn in the crisis, and his army won soundly “because they relied on the Lord, the God of their ancestors” (v. 18). Our God welcomes whoever comes to Him and relies on Him. 

I know that prayer isn’t a good-luck charm. 

But I come to You now, Lord, 

because there’s no one better to talk to. 

I trust You with all of my circumstances today.

God will never turn away whoever turns to Him in faith.

Insight

In the battle between the northern and southern kingdoms recounted in today’s reading, Abijah warned Israel that the Lord was on Judah’s side because the priests were “observing the requirements of the Lord our God” (2 Chron. 13:10–11). By keeping these requirements, the kingdom of Judah was following the instructions set out by Moses in the book of Leviticus. Judah’s victory over Israel, who greatly outnumbered them, demonstrates that God is a God who is faithful to His word.

Verse from 1 Thessalonians

“所以，你们应该彼此劝慰，互相造就，正如你们一向所行的。”

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

In the summer of 2015, Hunter (aged 15) carried his brother Braden (8) for a fifty-seven-mile walk to raise awareness of the needs of people with cerebral palsy. Braden weighs sixty pounds, so Hunter needed frequent rest stops where others helped him stretch his muscles, and he wore special harnesses to disperse Braden’s weight. 

Hunter says that while the harnesses helped with the physical discomfort, what helped him most were the people along the way. “If it weren’t for everyone cheering and walking with us, I wouldn’t have been able to do it. . . . My legs were sore, but my friends picked me up and I made it through . . . .” His mom named the arduous trek “The Cerebral Palsy Swagger.”

The apostle Paul, who we think of as strong and courageous, also needed to be “picked up.” In Romans 16 he lists a number of people who did just that for him. They served alongside him, encouraged him, met his needs, and prayed for him. He mentions Phoebe; Priscilla and Aquila, who were co-workers; Rufus’s mother, who had been like a mother to him as well; Gaius, who showed him hospitality; and many more.

We all need friends who pick us up, and we all know of others who need our encouragement. As Jesus helps and carries us, let us help one another.

Lord, 

in Your wisdom You established Your church as a place for us to love and care for each other. 

Help me to extend the grace I've received to others.

Insight

The letter to the Romans is arguably Paul’s most intensely theological letter. Yet in Romans 16, he issues more personal greetings than in any other letter—twenty-seven! These personal greetings, included at the close of a theological letter about the nature of the gospel, serve as a significant reminder. The message of the death and resurrection of Jesus is not merely a piece of intellectual information. The doctrines that form the foundation for our rescue in Christ are not an academic exercise. These truths describe the love of God for human beings who have names and faces and struggles and victories. The gospel is the story of God’s unfailing love for people—people like those listed here. People like you and me.

Verse from John

“他们不住地问耶稣，他就挺起身来，说：“你们中间谁是没有罪的，他就可以先拿起石头打她。””

约翰福音 8:7

“But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."”

John 8:7

Its easy to identify the sin of others, to criticise others, whether face to face, over a text message, or social media. But are we seeing our own sins/faults before criticizing others? Are we working to correct ourselves first before pointing out the sins of others? 

God wants us to be reminded of how important it is for us to take a rigorously honest inventory of our own faithfulness. He wants us to deal with our own sin before we evaluate anyone else.

Verse from Matthew

“...你们的父已经知道你们的需要了。”

马太福音 6:8

“...your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

Matthew 6:8

Some people may not have a good father figure in their lives. But we all have a Father who is strong and ever-present and who does not disappoint us. Jesus taught us to pray to “our Father in heaven” (Matt. 6:9). He told us that when our daily needs confront us—food, clothing, shelter, protection (v. 31)—“your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (v. 8).

We have a Father who is always there. Night or day, whenever the going gets tough, we can trust that He will never abandon us. He has promised to care for us, and He knows better than we do what we need.

Your loving heavenly Father never takes His eyes off you.

Insight 

Among the topics Christ so eloquently addresses is the subject of worry. It appears that He was attuned to the fretting the human heart experiences in daily life. He encourages us to seek God’s kingdom as the top priority and then we are assured our Father God will provide for us (Matt. 6:33). He suggests we manage stress by faith: “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (v. 34).

Verse from Isaiah

“耶和华说：“我的意念不是你们的意念，你们的道路也不是我的道路。天怎样高过地，我的道路也怎样高过你们的道路，我的意念也怎样高过你们的意念。”

以赛亚书 55:8-9

“"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9

Even though we don’t understand everything about God, that doesn’t prevent us from trusting Him. He has proven His love for us. The apostle Paul wrote, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Trusting that love, we can walk with Him even when life doesn’t make sense.

Heavenly Father, 

thank You that although I cannot comprehend You, 

I can know You. I’m grateful. 

Remind me that even though You and Your ways might be beyond me,

I can always count on Your love for me and Your presence with me.

Verse from Romans

“不要模仿这个世代，倒要借着心意的更新而改变过来，使你们可以察验出甚么是神的旨意，就是察验出甚么是美好的、蒙他悦纳的和完全的事。”

罗马书 12:2

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Romans 12:2

When Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase “the medium is the message” in 1964, personal computers were unknown, mobile phones were science fiction, and the Internet didn’t exist. Today we understand what great foresight he had in predicting how our thinking is influenced in this digital age. In Nicholas Carr’s book The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains, he writes, “[The media] supply the stuff of thought, but they also shape the process of thought. 

J. B. Phillips’s paraphrased Paul’s message to the Christians in Rome: “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all His demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity” (Rom. 12:2). How relevant this is today as we find our thoughts and the way our minds process material are affected by the world around us.

We cannot stem the tide of information that bombards us, but we can ask God each day to help us focus on Him and to shape our thinking through His presence in our lives.

Let God’s Spirit, not the world, shape your mind.

Verse from Luke

“天使说：“不要怕!...”

路加福音 2:10

“But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid..."

Luke 2:10

Nearly every time an angel appears in the Bible, the first words he says are, “Do not be afraid” (Dan. 10:12, 19; Matt. 28:5; Rev. 1:17). Little wonder. When the supernatural makes contact with planet Earth, it usually leaves the human observers flat on their faces in catatonic fear. But Luke tells of God making an appearance on earth in a form that does not frighten. In Jesus, born in a barn and laid in a feeding trough, God finds at last a mode of approach that we need not fear. What could be less scary than a newborn baby?

Puzzled skeptics stalked Jesus throughout His ministry. How could a baby in Bethlehem, a carpenter’s son, be the Messiah from God? But a group of shepherds in a field had no doubt about who He was, for they heard the message of good news straight from a choir of angels (2:8–14).

Why did God take on human form? The Bible gives many reasons, some densely theological and some quite practical; but the scene of Jesus as an adolescent lecturing rabbis in the temple gives one clue (v. 46). For the first time, ordinary people could hold a conversation, a debate, with God in visible form. Jesus could talk to anyone—His parents, a rabbi, a poor widow—without first having to announce, “Don’t be afraid.”

In Jesus, God comes close to us.

Verse from Psalms

“保护你的是耶和华，耶和华在你的右边荫庇你。”

诗篇 121:5

“The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade on your right hand.”

Psalms 121:5

As we think about the scorching nature of the Mediterranean sun, it's easier for us to understand more deeply the meaning of the image of the Lord God as His people’s shade at their right hand. Residents of the Middle East knew unrelenting heat, and they needed to find shelter from the sun’s burning rays.

The psalmist uses this picture of the Lord as shade in Psalm 121, which can be understood as a conversation on a heart level—a dialogue with oneself about the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness. When we use this psalm in prayer, we reassure ourselves that the Lord will never leave us, for He forms a protective covering over us. And just as we take shelter from the sun underneath umbrellas, so too can we find a safe place in the Lord.

We lift our eyes to the “Maker of heaven and earth” (vv. 1–2) because whether we are in times of sunshine or times of rain, we receive His gifts of protection, relief, and refreshment.

Verses from 2 Corinthians

“如果我们的福音被蒙蔽了，那是对灭亡的人才蒙蔽的。这些不信的人被这世代的神弄瞎了他们的心眼，使他们看不见基督荣耀的福音的光；基督就是神的形象。我们并不是传扬自己，而是传扬耶稣基督是主，并且为了耶稣的缘故成了你们的仆人。”

哥林多后书 4:3-5

“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake.”

2 Corinthians 4:3-5

World War II had ended. Peace had been declared. But young Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda of the Japanese Imperial Army, stationed on an island in the Philippines, didn’t know the war had ended. Attempts were made to track him down. Leaflets were dropped over his location, telling him the war was over. But Onoda, whose last order in 1945 was to stay and fight, dismissed these attempts and leaflets as trickery or propaganda from the enemy. He did not surrender until March 1974—nearly 30 years after the war had ended—when his former commanding officer traveled from Japan to the Philippines, rescinded his original order, and officially relieved Onoda of duty. Onoda finally believed the war was over.

When it comes to the good news about Jesus Christ, many still haven’t heard or don’t believe that He has “destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10). And some of us who have heard and believed still live defeated lives, trying to survive on our own in the jungle of life.

Do you truly believe in Christ?

Verse from Mark

“从外面进去的，不能使人污秽，从里面出来的，才能使人污秽。””

马可福音 7:15

“there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.”

Mark 7:15

We get so hung up on externals, appearances, and facades. Jesus cuts to the core of God's concern — our spiritual heart condition. He wants us to not only focus on what we put on our body, but what we allow to grow in our hearts and simmer in our heads. The inner world is what needs our most earnest attention. 

So let's be honest and ask if we are spending as much time focusing on our inner world as we are focusing on our external appearance!

Verse from Romans

“当我们还软弱的时候，基督就照所定的日期，为不敬虔的人死了。”

罗马书 5:6

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

Romans 5:6

When Kathleen’s teacher called her to the front of the grammar class to analyze a sentence, she panicked. As a recent transfer student, she hadn’t learned that aspect of grammar. The class laughed at her.

Instantly the teacher sprang to her defense. “She can out-write any of you any day of the week!” he explained. Many years later, Kathleen gratefully recalled the moment: “I started that day to try to write as well as he said I could.” Eventually, Kathleen Parker would win a Pulitzer Prize for her writing.

As did Kathleen’s teacher, Jesus identified with the defenseless and vulnerable. When His disciples kept children away from Him, He grew angry. “Let the little children come to me,” He said, “and do not hinder them” (Mark 10:14). He reached out to a despised ethnic group, making the Good Samaritan the hero of His parable (Luke 10:25–37) and offering genuine hope to a searching Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well (John 4:1–26). He protected and forgave a woman trapped in adultery (John 8:1–11). And though we were utterly helpless, Christ gave His life for all of us (Rom. 5:6).

When we defend the vulnerable and the marginalized, we give them a chance to realize their potential. We show them real love, and in a small but significant way we reflect the very heart of Jesus.

It is impossible to love Christ without loving others.

Verse from 2 Kings

“以利沙祷告，说：“耶和华啊！请你打开他的眼睛，使他能看见。”于是耶和华打开了仆人的眼睛，他就看见；看哪！那山上布满了火马火车，围绕着以利沙。”

列王纪下 6:17

“Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

2 Kings 6:17

Emil was a homeless man who spent a whole year looking down at the pavement as he plodded around the city day after day. He was ashamed to meet the eyes of others in case they recognized him, for his life had not always been lived out on the streets. Even more than that, he was intent on finding a coin that had been dropped or a half-smoked cigarette. His downward focus became such a habit that the bones of his spine began to become fixed in that position so that he had great difficulty in straightening up at all.

The prophet Elisha’s servant was looking in the wrong direction and was terrified at the huge army the king of Aram had sent to capture his master (2 Kings 6:15). But Elisha knew he was seeing only the danger and the size of the opposition. He needed to have his eyes opened to see the divine protection that surrounded them, which was far greater than anything Aram could bring against Elisha (v. 17).

When life is difficult and we feel we are under pressure, it’s so easy to see nothing but our problems. But the author of the letter to the Hebrews suggests a better way. He reminds us that Jesus went through unimaginable suffering in our place and that if we fix our eyes on Him (12:2), He will strengthen us.

Sometimes, Lord, 

it seems as if I can only see the knots and tangles in the tapestry of my life. 

Please help me to open my eyes and see the beautiful picture You are weaving.

Christ at the center brings life into focus.

Insight

Being a prophet was a thankless and hazardous profession, but Elisha knew God would be faithful. God never left Elisha even though others could not see God's presence. We also find in this passage that God knew Elisha's enemies and was more than capable of delivering His people.

Verse from Psalms

“耶和华的眼睛看顾义人，他的耳朵垂听他们的呼求。”

诗篇 34:15

“The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry.”

Psalms 34:15

No matter where the athletes of the 2016 Olympics go in the city of Rio de Janeiro, they can see Jesus. Standing high above this Brazilian city and anchored to a 2,310-foot-high mountain called Corcovado is a 100-foot-tall sculpture called Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). With arms spread wide, this massive figure is visible day and night from almost anywhere in the sprawling city.

As comforting as this iconic concrete and soapstone sculpture may be to all who can look up and see it, there is much greater comfort from this reality: The real Jesus sees us. In Psalm 34, David noted that when the righteous call out for His help, “The Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (vv. 17–18).

Just who are the righteous? Those of us who place our trust in Jesus Christ, who Himself is our righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30). Our God oversees our lives, and He hears the cries of those who trust Him. He is near to help in our greatest times of need.

Jesus has His eyes on you. He never lets us out of His sight.

Verse from Romans

“我知道在我里面，就是在我肉体之中，没有良善，因为立志行善由得我，行出来却由不得我。”

罗马书 7:18

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.”

Romans 7:18

In his book Jumping Through Fires, David Nasser tells the story of his spiritual journey. Before he began a relationship with Jesus, he was befriended by a group of Christian teens. Although most of the time his buddies were generous, winsome, and nonjudgmental, David witnessed one of them lie to his girlfriend. Feeling convicted, the young man later confessed and asked for her forgiveness. Reflecting on this, David said that the incident drew him closer to his Christian friends. He realized that they needed grace, just as he did.

We don’t have to act like we’re perfect with the people we know. It’s okay to be honest about our mistakes and struggles. The apostle Paul openly referred to himself as the worst of all sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). He also described his wrestling match with sin in Romans 7, where he said, “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out” (v. 18). Unfortunately, the opposite was also true: “The evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (v. 19).

Being open about our struggles puts us on the same level with every other human alive—which is right where we belong! However, because of Jesus Christ, our sin will not follow us into eternity. It’s like the old saying goes, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven.”

Verse from Ephesians

“愿荣耀归给神，就是归给那能照着运行在我们里面的大能，充充足足地成就一切，超过我们所求所想的。”

以弗所书 3:20

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,”

Ephesians 3:20

What are the five best toys of all time? Jonathan H. Liu suggested the following: A stick, a box, string, a cardboard tube, and dirt (GeekDad column at wired.com). All are readily available, versatile, appropriate for all ages, fit every budget, and are powered by imagination. No batteries required.

Imagination plays a powerful role in our lives, so it’s not unusual that the apostle Paul mentioned it in his prayer for the followers of Jesus in Ephesus (Eph. 3:14–21). After asking God to strengthen them with His power through His Spirit (v. 16), Paul prayed that they would be able to grasp and experience the full dimension of the love of Christ (vv. 17–19). In closing, Paul gave glory to Him in v.20

Often our experience limits our prayers—a situation we can’t picture being different; destructive habits that remain unbroken; long-held attitudes that seem to defy change. As time passes, we may begin to feel that some things cannot be changed. But Paul says that is not true.

By God’s mighty power working in us, He is able to do far more than we may dare to ask or even dream of.

Never measure God’s unlimited power by your limited expectations.

Verse from 2 Timothy

“那美好的仗我已经打过了，当跑的路我已经跑尽了，所持的信仰我已经守住了。”

提摩太后书 4:7

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;”

2 Timothy 4:7

Joop Zoetemelk is known as the Netherlands’ most successful cyclist. But that’s because he never gave up. He started and finished the Tour de France 16 times—placing second five times before winning in 1980. That’s perseverance!

The apostle Paul persevered despite persecution and affliction (2 Tim. 3:10–11). He viewed life with realism, recognizing that as followers of Christ we will suffer persecution (vv. 12–13), but he instructed Timothy to place his faith in God and the encouragement of the Scriptures (vv. 14–15). Doing so would help him face discouragement and endure with hope. 

We too can allow the Scriptures to strengthen us to press on in the race marked out for us. For our God is both a promise-making and promise-keeping God and will reward those who faithfully finish the race (v. 8).

Heavenly Father, 

Help me not to get discouraged when things get tough but to rely on You to see me through.

Faith connects our weakness to God’s strength.

Paul experienced great persecution in the cities of Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. In Antioch, he faced aggressive opposition from the religious leaders (Acts 13:45; 15:1–2). In Iconium, Gentile and Jewish leaders conspired to have him killed (14:4–5). And in Lystra, he was stoned and left for dead (v. 19). Yet in his final letter to Timothy, Paul uses these three cities as examples of perseverance. He recounts these terribly painful events not to garner pity but to remind Timothy of God’s faithfulness during times of hardship and pain.

Verse from Job

“因此，我不再禁止我的口，我要说出灵里的忧愁，倾诉心中的痛苦。”

约伯记 7:11

“"Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.”

Job 7:11

We sometimes think of God as too fragile or too distant, to speak with Him honestly about our dilemmas. Job wasn't so shy. He is the great reminder that God prefers us to maintain our relationship with Him, even if it is stormy. 

No matter where you are in your struggles, be honest with God — not disrespectfully, but sincerely. Let Him minister to your truest hurts, frustrations, and fears, not just the simple and sanitized ones.