Verse from Philippians

“我所祷告的，是要你们的爱心，在充足的知识和各样的见识上，多而又多，”

(腓立比书 1:9)

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,”

(Philippians 1:9) 

It seems that often, the more we know about something, the more judgmental we become over mistakes. It can infect our relationships with people as well.

Yet Philippians 1:9 expresses a different approach. Paul wrote, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment.” God’s plan is that the more we know and understand, the more we love. Rather than cultivating a critical spirit and pretending we don’t notice or don’t care, our understanding should nourish empathy. Criticism is replaced by compassion.

Instead of our being faultfinders, the Lord calls us to be “filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (v. 11).

When the Lord fills our hearts, we can overlook mistakes, hold our criticism, and love others, no matter how much we know about them! 

Lord, by Your grace, please replace my critical spirit with Your love and compassion for others.

To err is human; to forgive, divine. Alexander Pope

Verse from Isaiah

“乌西雅王去世那年，我看见主坐在高高的宝座上，他的衣裳垂下，充满圣殿。”

(以赛亚书 6:1)

“In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.”

(Isaiah 6:1)

We often view difficult times, crisis times, as bad because the circumstances we face are very hard. But difficult times can also be an opportunity for our hearts to re-awaken to the steadfastness and the gloriousness of God, as well as our great need for him in our lives. The crisis of Uzziah's death for Israel and Isaiah became the great opportunity for Isaiah to see God in a fresh way and to be called into a special ministry for God. How can God use your crises, hardships, trials, and difficulties? Why don't you ask Him to show you?

Verse from Jeremiah

“耶和华啊！求你只按着公正惩治我， 不要按着你的忿怒施行惩治，免得你使我衰微。”

(耶利米书 10:24)

“Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure— not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing.”

(Jeremiah 10:24)

God is love! God is also holy and righteous! If He did not lovingly and tenderly correct us, none of us could survive before His awesome perfection. Yet our God has chosen to give us His undeserved mercy and kindness as He corrects us and molds us to be more like Him.

But are we willing to be corrected and molded to be like Him?

Verse from Proverbs

“好争竞的人，煽动争端， 就像余烬上加炭，火上加柴一样。”

(箴言 26:21)

“As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.”

(Proverbs 26:21)

Scroll to the bottom of many online news sites and you’ll find the “Comments” section where readers can leave their observations. Even the most reputable sites have no shortage of rude rants, uninformed insults, and name-calling.

The book of Proverbs was collected about 3,000 years ago, but its timeless wisdom is as up-to-date as today’s breaking news. Two proverbs in chapter 26 seem at first glance to contradict each other, yet they apply perfectly to social media. “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him” (v. 4). And then, “Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes” (v. 5).

The balance in those statements is in the “according to”: Don’t answer in the way a fool would answer. But respond so that foolishness is not considered wisdom.

Are we ourselves foolish at times? Have we at times posted a sarcastic comment or turned someone else’s statement back on them. God hates it when we treat our fellow human beings with such disrespect, even when they’re also being foolish. 

God gives us an amazing range of freedoms. We are free to choose what we will say, and when and how we say it. And we are always free to ask Him for wisdom.

Things to keep in mind: Is what I am saying true, and is it loving? What is my motivation? Will it help anyone? Will this reflect the character of Jesus?

Let love be your highest goal.

Verse from John

“耶稣说：“我实实在在告诉你们，凡犯罪的都是罪的奴隶。”

(约翰福音 8:34)

“Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.”

(John 8:34)

There’s an underground lava tube south of Kuna, Idaho, that has gained a certain amount of local notoriety. The only entrance for now, is a yawning shaft that plunges straight down into darkness. By standing on the edge and looking down, u can feel u are being drawn closer to it but one step forward and you will plunge  all the way down. 

Sin is like that: Curiosity can draw us toward the darkness. How often have men and women gotten too close to the edge, lost their balance, and fallen into the darkness? They’ve destroyed their families, reputations, and careers through adulterous affairs that began with a “mere” flirtation but then progressed to thoughts and actions. Looking back they almost always say, “I never thought it would come to this.”

We think we can flirt with temptation, get very close to the edge, and walk away, but that’s a fool’s dream. We know an action is wrong and yet we toy with it. Then, inescapably, we are drawn into deeper and darker perversions. Jesus put it simply: “Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” (John 8:34).

And so, seeing our own need for God’s help, we pray as David did in Psalm 19:13, “Keep back Your servant also from [deliberate] sins; let them not have dominion over me.”

Heavenly Father, 

whether we are being tempted now, or have fallen, 

we thank You that You are always there, and You love us with relentless love. 

We have nowhere to turn but to You.

A big fall begins with a little stumble.

Verses from James

“我的弟兄们，你们遭遇各种试炼的时候，都要看为喜乐；因为知道你们的信心经过考验，就产生忍耐。”

(雅各书 1:2-3)

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”

(James 1:2-3)

Roger had been through a lot. He had open-heart surgery to repair a leaky valve. Then, within just a couple of weeks, doctors had to perform the surgery again because of complications. He had just begun to heal with physical therapy when he had a biking accident and broke his collarbone. Added to this, Roger also experienced the heartbreak of losing his mother during this time. He became very discouraged. When a friend asked him if he had seen God at work in any small ways, he confessed that he really didn’t feel he had.

 In Romans, the apostle Paul says, “We can rejoice . . . when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation” (5:3-4 nlt). But that doesn’t mean we always feel the joy. We may just need someone to sit down and listen to us pour out our hearts to them, and to talk with God. Sometimes it takes looking back on the situation before we see how our faith has grown during trials and doubts.

Knowing that God wants to use our difficulties to strengthen our faith can help us to trust His good heart for us.

In what ways has God used trials in your life? Are you learning to trust Him more?

God may lead us into troubled waters to deepen our trust in Him.

Verse from Romans

“所以，我们既然因信称义，就借着我们的主耶稣基督与神和好；”

(罗马书 5:1)

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

(Romans 5:1)

The Kamppi Chapel of Silence in Helsinki, Finland, stands out in its urban setting. The curved structure, covered with wood, buffers the noise from the busy city outside. Designers created the chapel as a quiet space and a “calm environment for visitors to compose themselves.” It’s a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Many people long for peace, and a few minutes of silence may soothe our minds. But the Bible teaches that real peace—peace with God—comes from His Son. The apostle Paul said, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). Without Christ, we are enemies of God because of our sin. Thankfully, accepting Jesus’ sacrifice reconciles us to God and ends the hostility that existed between us (Col. 1:19-21). He now sees us as Christ presents us—“holy, and blameless, and above reproach” (v. 22).

Having peace with God does not ensure problem-free living. However, it does steady us during difficult times. Jesus told His followers, “In the world you will have tribulation,” but He also said, “In Me you may have peace” (John 16:33). Because of Christ, the true peace of God can fill our hearts (Col. 3:15).

Father, 

we long for Your peace in the midst of our turmoil. Please help us to rest in You.

Peace floods the soul when Christ rules the heart.