Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
2010年02月22
綜 合 園 地
（一）
每年六月，美國大學紛紛舉行畢業典禮，為獲得學士、碩士或博士學位的學生送行。各式各樣的名人應邀演講，精彩紛呈，目不暇接。前不久我和ESL班上的學生一起通過www.youtube.com反覆觀看和聆聽奧巴馬總統在亞利桑那州立大學畢業典禮上的演講，隨後又反覆閱讀這一演講的文稿，收獲良多。茲寫下與友人分享。 簡而言之，奧巴馬總統這一次演講，對於現實生活中的許多美國人來說，不啻具有不同凡響的革命意義。 不為別的，只為奧巴馬總統在演講中對美國許多大學向學生灌輪的態度和觀察問題的方法提出了挑戰，對許多美國人習以為常的思想、觀點提出了挑戰，對時下許多美國人認同的“價值觀念”提出了挑戰。 奧巴馬總統在演講中指出，許多大學向學生灌輸的“是追求發財的機會，是登上100位‘富人榜’，是賺大錢，坐寬敞的辦公室，掛胡里花哨的頭銜，開名牌車。” 奧巴馬總統指出，這樣做的實質，是“將外表置於實質之上，名聲置於性格之上，短期利益置於長期成就之上（appearance over substance,celebrity over character, short-term gain over lasting achievement）。”請讀者特別注意“名聲”一詞。Celebrity的原意是“名流”、“名人”。只是考慮翻譯的需要，以“名聲”代之。筆者在美國生活將近十年，深知美國有很大一個百分比的人都是名流、名人的狂熱追隨者；他們自己也都想一舉成名，當名人，或一夜之間成為首富，充名流。他們最不願意做的是腳踏實地，埋頭苦幹。 總統直截了當地說，“這一切正是你們這一代人需要幫助結束的。” 為什麼？總統解釋如下： 現在許多大學向學生灌輸的，即是追求金錢、名譽和地位，使他們忘記真正重要的是什麼，也使他們放棄自己的價值觀、原則和追求。總統說，大
一次具有革命意義的演講 (1)◎ 錢 煒
家知道，影響全球的金融危機始自美國，始自華爾街，正是因為那裡的不少人迷失了方向。他們自私、貪婪，對自己的行為不負責任。他們只追求屬於一己的、令人眼花撩亂的短期利益。這是一。 另一方面，由於一門心思地專注於成功的外部標誌，人往往會自滿自足起來(A relentless focus on the outward markers of success all too often leads to complacency.）。即使自己心裡明白自己並沒有盡自己的最大的努力，對於外部標誌的關注卻常常使我們“自我感覺良好”。在出現新的挑戰時，不是勇敢面對，而是退縮。這是二。 奧巴馬說，美國近些年來在國際事務中的表現，可以用“自滿自足”以此加以概括：“習慣於‘軍事超級大國’的稱號，而忘記是什麼使我們贏得這一稱號，是馬歇爾計劃？是和平隊和其他國家一起，追求理想的實現：機會、平等和自由？” 奧巴馬總統明確地告訴學生，這些舊的觀念和態度可能使一些人獲得成功，但是對於絕大多數人來說，它們只會引向死胡同。
第115期 23
綜 合 園 地
（二）
反對什麼，贊成什麼，奧巴馬總統都旗幟鮮明。他在演講的後半部分對年輕的大學畢業生說： “我們需要你們的幫助，我們需要你們這樣的年輕人站出來，我們需要你們的勇敢精神、你們的熱情和你們的精力。” “讓我說清楚，我的所謂‘年輕’，指的不只是出生證明上的日期。我指的是（願意追求這樣的一種生活態度就是提高思想和心態的品質）（an approach to life - a quality of mind and heart）。表現在：願意追隨自己的熱情，不管他們是否會把自己引向財富和名譽。願意向世俗挑戰，質疑陳舊的教條。對於地位和名聲的傳統標誌毫不考慮。與這一切相反的是，致力於做自己認為有意義的事、幫助他人的事、給世界帶來不同的事。 接著，奧巴馬列舉了美國獨立戰爭以來的一系列實例，說明美國歷史上從來不乏這樣具有理想、埋頭苦幹的各行各業的年輕人：從年僅三十歲的逃亡中的奴隸到領導對公共汽車進行抵制的二十六歲的牧師；從911事件中的警察和消防隊員，他們衝進燃燒中的高樓救死扶傷，到來自全國各地的百姓，他們放下手中工作，支援遭受洪水襲擊的新奧爾良；從惠普電腦公司創始人Hewl-ett和Packard，在家中車庫裡苦幹，他們的努力改變了人們的生活和工作方式，到實驗室裡的科學家和咖啡館裡的小說家，他們的努力改變了人們對於世界的認識。 奧巴馬說，“他們這樣做不是為了金錢。他們也沒有掛任何花裡胡哨的頭銜。他們過去是奴隸、牧師、學生、公民。但是他們卻改變了歷史的進程。 “這就是偉大的美國故事。” 奧巴馬還引述了一位女學生的話。一位教授在課堂上播放了一段錄像，講述正在接受學校幫助中的人們的一些情況。那女生說，“看著錄像裡的這些人，我們開始感到自己和他們之間存在聯繫。錄像使我們想要為他們而爭取成功。” 奧巴馬說。“‘為他人而爭取成功（f ind someone to be successful for）’應該是我們每個人的座右銘。我們應該為別人的希望和需要挺身而出（[We should] rise to their hopes and needs.）當你考慮自己畢業以後的生活時，當你今夜面對鏡子中的自己發呆時，你也許會看到某一個生活中束手無策的人，也許會看到一個眼睛
直愣愣地盯著自己的、生活中出現了麻煩、需要人指導和幫助的孩子，或是一個困在家中、疾病纏身的老人。這些人不會考慮你的地位是否重要，也不會考慮你是否名人；他們只是希望知道，你關心他們，你會給他們的生活帶來不同。 奧巴馬接著說。“這就是工作的全部意義（That's what building a body of work is all about.）：它是點點滴滴地建立起來的，它是各種大大小小的行動的總和；它也是你永久的遺產。這樣的工作永遠不會完結。你十分清楚，日積月累，每天都付出自己的最佳，每天都回饋，每天都為你的祖國做貢獻。你可能會有挫折，也可能會有失敗，但是你永遠不會完蛋，永遠不會的。（It's cumulative; it deep-ens and expands with each day that you give your best, and give back, and contribute to the life of this nation. You may have setbacks , and you may have failures, but you're not done, not by a long shot.）” 奧巴馬接著又回顧歷史。托馬斯•佩恩當裁縫沒有成功，當教師以失敗告終，當稅吏也敗多勝少。但是他在美國獨立戰爭時期撰寫的《常識（Common Sense）》一書卻點燃起了一次成功的革命之火。桑德斯上校六十多歲才辦起第一家肯塔基炸雞店。溫斯頓•丘吉爾一度被許多人瞧不起，認為他只會醉酒。可是他在當上首相之後，卻領導英國經歷了這個國家最輝煌的歷史時刻。亞利桑那州一位踢美式足球的小伙子，平時的工作是在超市把貨物裝上貨架。誰也沒有想到他後來竟回到球場，成為全足球賽的“最有價值球員”，並帶領球隊參加季後賽決賽。奧巴馬說，“這些人在一生的某一個時間，都沒有什麼頭銜，也沒有什麼地位。他們有的只是激情和理想，只是伴隨著激情和理想的工作熱情和堅持精神。” 他說，“追求成功的外部標誌只能把我們引向歧途。犧牲精神、為人正派、絲毫不考慮自己從中能得到什麼，才能引向成功。這樣的人幫助其他家庭和社區脫離貧困，把機會送給大眾，推動經濟發展。他們走進世界各地被人遺忘的角落，人們可以從這些人身上看到真正的美國，看到我們的力量、我們的善良以及我們永不失落的理想。”
（待續）
2010年02月24
綜 合 園 地
◎ 馨 馨
顛顛
◎ 林 守
先知以賽亞於主前740年，即猶大烏西雅王末年，奉召作先知，歷經烏西雅，約坦，亞哈
斯，希西家和瑪拿西諸王先後六十年向以色列民宣告神的信息。他最後十五年屬於退隱狀況，據猶太人傳說，他被暴君瑪拿西處以鋸刑而殉道。
當以賽亞開始作先知時，以色列南北二國都面臨內憂外患；十八年後（主前722年），北國以色列亡於亞述，人民被擄。南國猶大雖能倖免，苟延殘喘。但上至國王，宗教和社會領袖，下至平民百姓，都不知悔改，如約坦王終身不入聖殿，亞哈斯王更鑄造巴力偶像，使兒女經火，百姓拜偶像和行邪僻的事。所以先知以賽亞在這時候，強烈地責備悖逆的以色列民，數說他們各種罪惡，如“禍哉！那些稱惡為善，稱善為惡，以暗為光，以光為暗，以苦為甜，以甜為苦的人。”（賽5:20） 以賽亞警戒當時的以色列人，同樣地亦是提醒我們這個世代的基督徒，特別是這個末世是非黑白顛倒的世代。美國是以基督教立國，從前大家都說美國是一個基督教的國家，美國最高法院牆壁刻上了摩西和十誡，鈔票印上“In God We Trust”（我們信靠上帝）。但是今天的聯邦政府
和各級地方政府的官員和議員，為了他們的前途和選票，以及所謂“正確的政治觀（POLITICAL CORRECTNESS）”。往往以違背聖經真理來管治和立法，造成誘人犯罪的陷阱，我們的總統在就職和外交中的演講中說：“美國是一個基督
徒，回教徒和其他不同信仰者的國家”，這樣，否定了美國是一個基督教的國家，國會，軍隊的“牧師”奉“神”的名禱告時，“神”不是指耶和華我們的神，而是各人不同信仰的“神”。所以我們要小心才不會被誤導。 “以耶和華為神的，那國是有福的”（詩
33:12）。美國立國以後，人民安居樂業，國家
富強，華人稱她為“金山”。近數十年來，很多人離棄神，學校禁止讀聖經和禱告，國運日走下坡，雖然美國仍是世界最大的經濟體，但亦是最大的負債國。全國上下很多人自誇美國是最富裕的國家，誰知聯邦政府和很多州政府，如我們的
加州，是靠舉債來維持政府的開支，幸好美元仍被用作國際貿易盟友的清算和儲備的貨幣，否則美國早已破產。 今天有的基督教會非常興旺，但他們不注重，甚至沒有傳講認罪、悔改和得救的真理；以世俗的道理和崇拜方式吸引多人去聚會。有的更不反對同性戀，甚至承認同性婚姻，同性戀者亦可作神職人員。聖經從創世記開始便明確提出婚姻是一男一女，同性戀者是被咒詛的和應被治死（利20:13，羅1:26-27）。我們應該謹慎這顛倒是非黑白的法律和道理，才不致走入岐途和犯罪。 生活在今天這個複雜的政治，文化和宗教的社會裡，政府的法令，新聞的報導，社會的風俗習慣，其至學校和宗教的教導，有些可能滲入不道德和不符合聖經教訓的原則。當評論和報導政治和社會問題時，往往提及“正確的政治觀
（POLITICAL CORRECTNESS）”，主流社會或媒體會MAINSTREAM SOCIETY OR NEWS MEDIA）”或“進步觀念（PROGRESSIVE IDE-ALISM）”，這些都是為了選票，利己和反對傳統道德宗教觀念，如將同性婚姻及非法移民合
法化，引人用不正當方法取得福利當作正確的政治觀；將同性戀者變為主流社會份子，和將重新分配私人財產的手段和立法當作進步觀念等，真是不可思議。故此我們應多聽和讀聖經真理的教訓，更求聖靈教導我們如何辨明是非黑白，在這悖逆的世代，做一個好的基督徒。
是非黑白
顛倒的世代
第115期 25
綜 合 園 地
（信主超過一甲子，還是常常把主的救恩忽略了。） 有一天早上，感到一陣心跳，像是突然受到驚嚇醒來一樣，很不舒服。於是去看診。醫生為我量了血壓，做了心電圖，給了我三天需要服用的藥，對我說：「沒有關係，是偶發的心悸，明後天就好了。」果然，第二天早上醒來，就覺得已完全正常，和平時一樣。在沒有病痛的時候，我們的心臟很乖，窩在我們的心頭，好像沒有在動一般。正如我女兒養的一條狗，大白天總是躲在它自己的窩裡，在做白日夢。仔細一想，不對呀！狗白天睡覺，是常有的事，但我們的心，卻一直在跳動，像我，已經整整跳了九十年了，從沒有停止過。血肉所做的心，能繼續跳動如此長久，真是奇蹟。即使是不銹鋼製造的，也該損壞了。我用力打了一下自己的頭，我真是遲鈍，這麼多年來，不知感謝主，真是後知後覺。哼！豈祗是後知後覺，簡直是不知不覺。 內人和大女兒最近先後做了大手術，由City of Hopt在加州大學任教授的醫師主診。二次手術都很順利，感謝這位醫師。等一等，忘記了甚麼嗎？是的，忘記了感謝三位一體的主。難道這二次手術也和心臟有關嗎？沒有直接關係，那末為何感謝主，因為主在創造我們的時候，賜給我們每人有自己療傷的能力。有的時候我們不小心在自己手指上割傷了一個口子血流不止。我們就把創口洗淨，用棉花和紗布包紮妥當。我們注意到創口漸漸結疤，過一段時間，結的疤脫落，留下淺紅色的傷痕，再過一段時間，傷痕在不知不覺中消失，皮膚完全恢復原狀。這就是神所賜我們自己療傷的過程，奇妙嗎！外科醫生都知道，他們所做的手術是把已經變壞的部份器官切除，再縫接起來，而此後創口的復健，要靠主所賜我們的自我療傷能力。 (經歷過真正的救恩，才知道主的恩典是何等的奇妙，是何等的長、闊、高、深。) 最近經歷過二次車禍，第一次在七月，第二次在十月。凡是看過車禍中我的二輛車受損的情形，已到必須報廢程度。可以推想駕駛者一定是受傷嚴重。 七月的車禍，我被撞昏，醒來時在Huntington醫院，距離車禍發生約一小時左右。
能在短時間醒過來，沒有骨折內傷情形，感謝主。 十月發生的車禍，是在高速公路上。當時我的車速約六十英哩，看到前車在慢下來。此後的發展，祗能說聖靈親自在掌控我的車子行速，整個車子，像裹在一股力量中前進。當碰上前車的瞬間，沒有碰撞的感覺，可是清楚地看到碰上前車的後方。當我跟著前車駛到路肩，下車一看，才看到我的車遭到嚴重碰傷，車蓋已掀起，前半車壁已不成樣子，但我的安全氣囊，卻沒有碰出來。我也沒有任何受傷。再仔細看一下前車，是一輛十多年前美國箱型車，竟然看不到任何損壞。前車載有四名乘坐者，二男二女，下車時沒有絲毫受傷樣子。二車遭遇如此懸殊，無法能以常理解釋。 主的旨意，此刻無法測度，祗能留待以後的發展了。
◎ 吳辛廬
2010年02月26
綜 合 園 地
親愛的弟兄姊妹們，當我在電腦前開始敲打鍵盤的時候，午後的陽光溫暖愜意，窗外的樹枝在微風中輕輕的搖擺
著，透過樹葉的縫隙是湛藍的天空，然而，在一年以前，發生在我的生活中的卻是一場婚姻的風暴。 去年的這個時候，我挺著九個月的肚子還在上班，腰酸背痛，丈夫在我懷孕後期的時候由於工作的原因出差，在孩子快出生的時候回來陪我待產。他回來之後，感覺不太對，但也說不清到底是怎麼回事。孩子生出來之後，其實也沒有什麼月子可以做，基本上該洗澡洗澡，該幹活幹活。因為沒有別人幫忙，好在身體也能夠適應。孩子半個月大的時候，突然有一天，丈夫說在出差期間愛上別人了，發生了關係，想和我離婚，我從那個時刻就知道了，我的生活從此以後就要發生天翻地覆的改變了。半個月以後，我們去了法院申請離婚，孩子歸我，然後前夫就離開了。 說來極度慚愧，我和前夫都是基督徒。這件事讓我覺得蒙羞。但還是和國語浸信會的弟兄姊妹們說出了這件事，教會的司提反顧事工的同工一直和我保持聯繫，傾聽我的心聲，關心我的生活，誠心的為我和我的孩子禱告。在前夫剛剛離開的時候，我的奶水就沒了，我雇了一個保姆，開始上班，害怕每天一個人開車回家，害怕獨自面對孩子，害怕去超市一個人買菜，有時候夜深人靜的時候，獨自一個人出門在大街上開車亂轉，把車裡的音響開得很大聲，然後就痛痛快快的哭一場。哭完了就去教會的姊妹家說一說。神借著教會和朋友告訴我，Hang in there！時間是最好的良葯，目前只要讓自己活著，孩子健康的成長，大家都平安就達到目標了，以後還會有很好的日子的。 當時除了面對戒斷曾經對前夫在生活上形成的習慣和依賴，還有一個嚴重的心理關口要面對的，就是自我的價值和信心。試想，一個女人和一個男人在一起很多年了，然後懷孕生子，突然男人因為另外的人不要她了，她最先也是最大的感受就是自己實在是太不好了，才會在這個時候被這麼徹徹底底的拋棄。這個問題是很複雜的，但我想說的是，神會把你托起來，用他的方式，但前提是自己不放棄，自己努力的生活和工作。不但神會把你托起，神還會把更好的給你，在你的生命中某個不經意的一霎那，你發現原來你自己是這麼的美好，值得別人喜愛，一個驚喜接著另外一個驚喜，生命就是這樣的神奇！ 以至於，到了今天，我感謝前夫的離開，因著他的離開，我開始認識自己，分析和檢討自己以前做的不對的地方，更加了解自己，發現了自己有很多的潛能，開始喜歡自己了，我和前夫真的不是靈魂伴侶，我們在各自不成熟的時候在一起，多年以來無法共同成長，彼此之間的溝通非常有限。所以造成了後來的局面。但過去的事情，就讓它過去好了。 生活沒有坦途，但也沒有絕境，因著耶和華的愛。
走出婚姻失
敗
的
陰
影
◎
一位姊妹
第115期 27
綜 合 園 地
◎ 施君儀
驟雨初歌蒙主恩
我要在一個盡心盡職的單親母親及享受一個單身女人的快樂中找到平衡點，這不是一般人
能做到的，但我卻做到了。 二OO五年，我成為單親媽媽，當時我的一雙兒女是四歲及二歲，當時不信主，生活上的苦難和孤單，壓迫得令我瘋狂至窒息，使我走過一段漫長的冤枉路，我將它分成六個階段來敘述： 一、埋怨上帝的不公平，想用己力將上帝欠我的要回來，記得當時身心俱疲的我在為二歲兒子洗頭時，因他怕水哇哇大哭，弄得我狂怒，對著天花板大吼大叫：上帝你高興了嗎？但是我不會讓你稱心如意，我會自己討回公道，你等著瞧！ 二、曾經去過教會：姊妹打電話來關懷，從主那裡來的憐憫和愛卻被我連吼帶罵的趕出去。 三、與撒但共舞：我必需要妥善安排每個我可以享受快樂的機會，因為我沒有幫手，兩個孩子除了上學以外，其餘時間都是我的責任，我必需等到晚上孩子上床後，才可以完全享受不被打擾的人事物及環境。那一段長達兩年半的時間裡，我幾乎夜夜和撒但共舞，第二天一早還要上班，我忘記了，也沒有時間去想，和撒但在一起的後果就是死，就是滅亡。 四、瀕臨崩潰：生活中太多的苦難和雜音，讓我在盡職及享樂之間疲於奔命，一天之中，不同角色的扮演逼得自己分不清真正對自己重要的人—一雙兒女，更忘了自己也是他們現階段（一個四歲一個二歲）最需要，也是最依賴的親人了，我竟然忽略了我最重要的兒女，我到底在幹什麼？內心的掙扎讓我活不下去，很灰心喪志，當時還不能體會：「沒有神的救恩，我簡直不能活」這句話。 五、主親自呼召：二OO八年一月份我很沮喪很消沉的時候，在一個星期五，突然有個聲音一直從我心中湧出來—去教會，去教會……一直重覆地招呼著我，我在走投無路，六神無主的情
況之下，便去了一間離家很近的教會，一進門就被他們的詩歌感動的淚流滿面不能停，就在那晚回家後，我這不會禱告的人竟對著上帝禱告起來。我說，上帝啊！請你救我，我願意信靠你，求你憐憫我請你救我，我已無路可走了。 六、生命的翻轉：聖經說：人的盡頭就是神的開頭。各位弟兄姊妹，真的很神奇，就從第二天起，我的生命有了轉變，也不知從哪裡來的許多人主動打電話給我，有很多邀約，這些突然冒出來的朋友，儘管邀約不同，但他們有一個共同點就是他們都是基督徒。後來陸陸續續參加了許多聚會，也因著主的帶領，帶我到一個餵養及供應豐滿而充足的聚會，轉眼就是兩年，我也常常獨自讀經、禱告和神交通，感謝主的憐憫，我才有份於祂白白賜下的平安及喜樂，現在及未來，祂將是我唯一的依靠。還有一件非常重要的事，祂讓我明白：兒女是神賜的產業，教養兒女是榮耀神的功課，不是累贅，更不是包袱，要將兒女帶到神的面前，讓他們明白，神是我們天上的父親，這位天父的愛是信實的，是永不改變的，我們要尊祂為大，要永遠愛祂，聽祂的話，作祂的乖孩子。 結語：到現在，我仍常作求救的禱告。我祈求：主啊！救我，我又下沈了，我會聽見主用祂充滿愛及權柄的聲音告訴我：孩子，不要怕，你的道路不孤單，有我。你會因著我的復活大能，來拯救你的靈魂，使你的靈也能像我一樣從死裡復生，妳會因著我，在任何困難及爭戰上都將得勝有餘，孩子，妳會因著我，因著我，記住，因著我，因著我……，妳除了信靠我，沒有別的出路，若妳離了我，妳什麼都不能。 感謝主，讓我有機會將自己的見證和大家分享，願神的愛常澆灌在你我心中，讓我們在享受天父的愛，要不遺餘力的學習保羅，去傳福音，將這榮神益人的福音傳到地極。感謝主。
2010年02月28
綜 合 園 地
人生變化無常，去年因為是先生的「sabtical leave」安息年緣故，讓我們仍有機會到台
灣住了四個月，又到香港二個月，雖然玩得很愉快，但沒想到卻大病了一場。 因為在當地沒有自己的車子，不像在美國這麼方便，所以每次出去買東西，像日常用品及食物等，全要用手提回來，當然可以叫計程車，但因路程短，又在小巷子裡，很難叫到車，就是叫到，他也不願載我，所以只好自己撐著，走走停停，慢慢走回家。忘了自己已不再年輕了，不應該拿太重的東西，加上台灣菜市場好吃的東西誘惑力太大，原本只是去買幾樣，沒想到提包中愈塞愈多，總而言之就是自己愚昧無知，不能節制。 幾個月下來就出了問題，有一天早上吞吃維他命，頭向後仰時，突然覺得頸後一陣刺痛，但過一會兒疼痛消失了，也就沒將此事放在心上，漸漸地愈來愈嚴重，疼痛延伸到肩膀及整個右手臂，每天必須靠吃止痛藥，才能過日子，這才趕緊去看醫生，照X光，經檢查發現是頸脊椎骨刺壓到神經引起的，於是開始去中醫那拉脖子，扎針灸，幸好不久要回美國，就忍耐撐著。 二OO九年一月初回到洛杉磯，即時去照MRI，並且看骨科醫生，感謝主，醫生說還不需要開刀，只叫我先去作物理治療，這下子我每天忙著看各科醫生，不但做復治療，也去中醫那裡扎針灸推拿，並請人到家裡來按摩，什麼方法全試了，毫無起色，還是很痛，到後來，連晚上也無法好好睡覺，常常被疼痛弄醒，每天苦著一張臉，不思飲食，滿腦子只是想如何才能將病治好，萬一治不好怎麼辦？這種日子生不如死，今後的日子如何過下去。那裡知道我們人的腦子如果常常擔心、煩惱就會產生一種不好的化學物質，會改變我們的腦細胞，長久下來，會從焦慮轉變成憂鬱，這就是為什麼現在二十一世紀有那麼多人自殺原因，這也是我萬萬沒想到的事，所以在此奉勸各位弟兄姊妹們要千萬小心保護自己的思想情緒，不要中了魔鬼的詭計，陷入負面思想中，那是非常危險的事。 漸漸地，我整晚都無法睡覺，變成要去看精神科醫生，可想而知當時我的日子有多痛苦，每天流淚在神面前禱告，求祂憐憫醫治，可是神好像遺忘了我，聽不見我的祈求，詩篇中有大衛王的許多禱告就像我當時的心聲，詩篇第二十八篇
第一到第二節「耶和華啊，我要求告你，我的磐石啊，不要向我緘默。倘若你向我閉口，我就如將死的人一樣。我呼求你，向你至聖所舉手的時候，求你垂聽我懇求的聲音。」詩篇第三十篇第十節「耶和華啊，求你應允我、憐恤我。耶和華啊，求你幫助我。」 人實在是軟弱，我們誰也不知道明天會發生什麼事？但是人的盡頭就是神的起頭，感謝神垂聽了眾弟兄姊妹們及家人們同心合意的代禱及愛心關懷，在此謝謝你們，願神紀念你們的愛心，我有一天突然能睡覺了，現在想來仍覺得不可思意，頸椎的疼痛也不知在何時消失了，感謝神奇妙的醫治了我。 以前我從不覺得自己是世界上最幸福快樂的人，經過這場病痛，現在我每天心中充滿了感恩與喜樂，不但能一覺睡到天亮，身上也毫無疼痛，我真是覺得自己是世界上最幸福快樂的人。 苦難其實是神化粧的祝福，烏雲的背後有美麗的藍天，在十一月「活潑的生命」靈修刊物中，有一篇短文『喬治•莫里森』說到：「神破碎我們是為了修補我們，我們的生命透過破碎和修補，會變得更豐盛。」，這句話好像是對我說的，因為神藉著這場病破碎我，又修補醫治我，為的就是讓我的生命變得更豐盛。 我有時睡醒了，躺在床上，想到神竟然如此愛我這卑微的人，心中就忍不住充滿了喜樂，臉上也不自覺露出笑容，那種感覺如用話語形容出來就像「心花恕放」一樣，神就是我的幸福與滿足。 西番雅書第三章第十七節「耶和華你的神，是施行拯救，大有能力的主，他在你中間必因你歡欣喜樂，默然愛你，且因你喜樂而歡呼。」，我每次默想這節經文，心中就非常感動想到神如此愛我們，看著我們就默然愛我們，不管我們是胖還是瘦，是美還是醜，是笨還是聰明，是高還是矮，是富有還是貧窮，祂都一樣愛我們，甚至還高興的拍手喜樂歡呼，就像我每次看到我的孩子和孫兒們一樣的感覺。 神喜悅我們，看我們每一位都是祂的寶貝，他應許永遠愛我們不撇棄我們，並且隨時隨地看顧我們，幫助我們。靠著愛我們的主，我們可以在每一件事上都能得勝有餘，成為神的兒女是何等有福，願一切榮耀歸於愛我們的神。
病後感言 ◎ 熊蕭明玲
第115期 29
綜 合 園 地
坐七望八，笑口常開的方大哥，是教會弟兄姊妹們的開心果，大家都喜歡他。 那天他看到我，說要講個笑話給我聽，沒想到他才說了
一半，我就把結局說出來了；他說要再講一個，可是才剛起頭，正巧我也曾聽過那個故事，就順著說下去。方大哥哈哈大笑自我解嘲說：「啊，原來你早就都知道了呀！」 稍後，方大嫂告訴我，方大哥好傷心地對她說，他以後不再跟我說笑話了。一旁的小蘭對我眨眨眼、使了個眼色，我才恍然大悟自己做錯了，我怎麼這麼掃興，潑老大哥的冷水呢！ 一個多月後，我們夫妻倆到東岸探訪小兒夫婦，他們很高興地帶我們跑到30哩外一家「恩典餐館」（Grace Restaurant）共進晚餐。兒媳告訴我，那是他們在網路上搜尋到的中式餐廳，顧名思義地推斷，那是間基督徒開的餐館，所以他們不辭老遠的要帶我們去嚐一嚐。 顯然地，東岸小城的中餐館菜色，難以和西岸洛城相提並論；他們多為迎合老外偏甜、酸的口味，實非道地的中式佳餚，但我們抵達時，整個餐館約已八成滿座，生意還相當好。 上菜後，小兒頻頻問我們味道如何，我原本想說：「還好啦。」可是話到嘴邊，一想起方大哥，連忙把這句話給嚥了下去，改口說：「很好！很好啊！」只見小夫妻倆開心地相視一笑，彷彿意味著他們的用心沒白費。 我想，其實人與人之間，無論是對尊長或晚輩的交往言談，也需要講點「藝術」，在「視其所以，觀其所由」後，應好好珍惜對方的「愛心」。在一些無關痛癢的事上，我又何必只顧一個「真」字，而漠視對方的「善」心及「美」意，以致傷感情呢。
別傷感情
1. 說它多大有多大，日月星球都容納 沒人知它始和終，也沒左右和上下
2. 看自己的軸心，永遠不停旋轉 不知什麼時候，才把圓圈畫完
3. 有時落在山腰，有時掛在樹梢 有時像面圓鏡，有時像把鐮刀
4. 大石板青又青，青石板上釘銀釘 銀釘個個會眨眼，閃閃爍爍亮晶晶
5. 五顏六色一張弓，高高樹在半空中 雷雨之後常常見，十冬臘月雲影蹤
6. 忽然不見忽然有，來龍去脈難摸透 太陽出來它不怕，大風一吹它就走
7. 你哭它也哭，你笑它也笑 你問它是誰，它說你知道
8. 姊妹二人一樣長，進進出出總成雙 多少苦辣酸甜味，先請它們嚐一嚐
9. 像我沒我大，有嘴不說話 可以擺上桌，還能牆上掛
10.層層寶庫打開來，星星縱橫一排排 能記世上悠悠事，不分古今和中外
◎
徐唐國維
又到春節，中國人有在春節時猜謎的習俗，選了幾個謎語，讓家中青少年猜一猜，可以動動腦筋，也可以幫助學習中文。
謎底請見第32頁
猜謎
2010年02月30
松 柏 園 地
◎ 盧國棣／盧吳麗華
余於一九四七年在張國勛牧師所主持的台北國語禮拜堂蒙恩得救，一九五O年在台北市勵志社舉行婚禮，由馬善美牧師證婚，光陰荏苒，今年二0一0年已結婚六十個年頭了。欣逢代表愛
情彌堅結婚六十週年鑽石婚慶，謹此虔心見證，細數主恩。 賢慧的妻是耶和華所賜 夫妻幸福相伴，育有兩子兩女及八個兒孫。子女自幼得救，人生在世，時有難處，但感謝神一直與我們同在，眷顧我們全家。 內人溫柔體貼，溫順又有高度忍耐，熱愛我和兒女，又熱心聚會與我先後在台北濟南路國語禮拜堂許昌街青年會及南京東路禮拜堂聚會。除參加主日崇拜、家庭聚會、姊妹會外，主日晚上的聖餐、週二的禱告會、週三的查經等會皆勤於參與。
六十鑽婚情一世基督恩
“愛是恆久忍耐、又有恩慈、愛是不嫉妒。愛是不自誇、不張狂、不做害羞的事、
不求自己的益處、不輕易發怒、不計算人的惡、不喜歡不義，只喜歡真理、凡事包容、凡事相信、凡事盼望、凡事忍耐、
愛是永不止息”
（哥林多前書13:4-8）
第115期 31
松 柏 園 地
主日崇拜招待派發聖經詩本，及點數奉獻，有時吳師母及管堂不在時，她煎烤聖餐用無酵餅。及遞送聖餐杯餅。在冷氣開放時備置男女毛衣外套等借給怕冷年邁及體弱會眾使用。僑居香港、馬來西亞……等地，在本堂聚會僑生每逢年慶佳節，無法與家人共度。單身孤寂留守宿舍。伊邀請渠等數人，在寒舍共享主恩。以弗所書五章：基督徒最高潔品行，乃是憑愛心行事。人在世上，沒有一樣可自誇的，一切的工作，都是神的恩典，關心別人，是理所當然，也是我們的本份。愛的生活就是榮耀神，一個有真正生命的基督徒，活出愛心是無限的，愛心是不自私的，是有根有基的。 愛妻為了兒女得到更多母愛，及幫助家用及子女教育，她辭去位於余宅口對面的台北市政府公務員微薄薪俸之職。開設進出口貿易股份有限公司十二年，離台到雪梨時始予停業。兼職期間忙碌終日，仍不忘相夫教子，勤於家務。 愛妻本性敦實淳樸。從不串門子，不說人長，也不云短。伊育有子女四人，現已八十虛歲，但從外表看來，怎樣也不像八十歲的人。親友總說伊只七十出頭，其實伊平日粗茶淡飯，也沒有特別保養，親友時常詢問有何年輕妙方，我總以內人信仰耶穌，又無須擔心丈夫有外遇，妻心中始終愛神愛人。神賜青春，神的恩典也。 內人因深愛我，體貼我工作浩繁，每晚忍餓，候我加班至八時返家一同晚膳，有數年之久，又體貼我在教會事奉，整日無暇，她從來不要求我協助家務，但我盡力付出，伊又深知我口味，到烹飪班學習我喜愛的菜，以致飲食有味，歡笑滿堂。 無論得時不得時 總要得人如得魚 至於我亦同，台北南京東路教會擔任執事，董事暨與同屬本堂有關七個教會（註：現含羅蘭岡教會共二十三個）聯合差傳會秘書。每月分別擔任主日崇拜、禱告、查經、家庭聚會等主席一次。擔任禱告會主席要短講福音二十分鐘。及每月主持晚間聖餐一次，至於每月另有三或四次崇拜、查經、禱告及晚上聖餐等主席，須由我挑選屬靈及忠心為主做工的執
事弟兄擔任。又有關六堂傳送人及同工每年因物價調整薪津由我與各堂財務同工研討後決定。 約在一九七七年該教會請我擔任長老，一九九o年吳勇長老又親自邀請我擔任當時新設分堂傳道人，我均婉拒，謙讓年青人充任。 一九八四年我在澳洲雪梨擔任華人兩所教會，附設經澳洲聯邦政府及紐修威州政府暨台灣僑委會等機構補助經費，對外收取學費之語文學校（學生二百五十餘人）國中班教員及校長等職。該校除傳授我國博大精深中華文化，期使華僑將以繼承發展，及善盡孝道之三十六孝、暨國文、英文及會話班。我教國中班時，因有學生經營台灣貿易，為使渠等明瞭台灣遠期支票、本票、空白支票等法規，余除教中文外，同時兼授台灣當時施行票據法，該經營貿易學生在結業前受洗歸主。 我擔任校長時，我與教員，隨時掌握課本內容，傳揚福音，教唱詩歌，畫耶穌生平的畫，講主救贖大愛，以期學生不排拒心態下，逐漸接受主。為使學生更明白救恩，余與傳道人或教師恆常到各班作有系統的傳揚福音，撒出福音的種子，在學生心田發芽滋長，早日成為神的子民。 愛妻在雪梨教會，當我在講台分享，或在中文學校時學生和家長致詞，愛妻為我講話內容重點繪畫懸掛講台上，使聽眾易於領悟，和加強記憶。學校中文初級班老師請假，伊恆常代課，學校的業務，伊乃主幹之一。 回顧我與內人在台北及雪梨教會的事奉以及福音的負擔，每晚睡前我們皆會無論事務大小巨細逐項跪求主耶穌，求神憐憫保守教會福音興旺，傳道人忠心有力。又為被差傳到遠方傳福音作見證受苦的傳道人有神的話語，充滿能力，無論得時不得時，都得人如得魚。並求神幫助弟兄姊妹欣賞牧師的長處，包容他們的短處，記念他們的好處。 婚姻是神所設立的，幸福家庭是神所賜的。天下人間最親密的，在六十年一千多的日子裡，我與愛妻皆以聖經為準繩，遵守神的命令彼此相愛（約翰3:23）。又力行先賢哲人及父母等遺訓。
2010年02月32
松 柏 園 地
夫妻相愛之道 （一）信守誓約，以幸福為理所當然，彼 此共同努力維繫，完全委身，彼此 承諾，持續不變。 （二）互相信任，愛意雖會時濃時淡，但 信任經得起時間考驗，伴侶不忠， 最傷夫妻感情，彼此忠貞不二。 （三）彼此不批評，不輕蔑，彼此溝通傾 訴，坦誠諒解，世上無完人，遇有 爭吵，勇於認錯。我錯了，對不 起，請原諒。 （四）親密無間，心理需要，夫妻必須親 暱相依。 （五）保持情慾。兩情相悅，彼此吸引， 重視雙方要求，更感幸福。
余夫婦除遵守神的命令，力行上項先哲遺訓，並盡心竭力篤行以下為妻、為夫諸鐵則：
為妻五鐵則 （一）為人樂觀，不要抑鬱。 （二）勤快又節省。 （三）烹飪津美有味。 （四）為人忠厚，心不藏密。 （五）如母親般的關愛，妹妹般的依偎， 說話甜蜜，態度柔和。
為夫六鐵則 （一）身邊少帶錢。 （二）晚飯要回家。 （三）應酬成雙對。 （四）幽默加慰言。 （五）家庭中的需要，以妻為優先。 （六）生氣時一個人生氣，高興時兩個人 高興。
我每月領獲薪俸時，身邊僅帶少量新台幣，及公車月票一張，晚飯除有特別緣故，一定回家與家人共餐，每有應酬，多與妻同去。幽默乃我拿手本領，為了安慰妻家務及職業辛勞，每月有二次以上與伊同到餐廳晚膳，以示慰勞。家中的需要，多以妻為優先，如有不高興之時，乃盡可能不露聲色，一個人生氣，倘有可喜信息，和盤托出，一同高興。
慈繩愛索六十年 點點是恩，滴滴是愛 我夫妻相伴六十年，苦難中有恩典，乃神恩浩大，神愛奇妙數算不盡。如果神不給我們預備生活的需要，提供工作的機會，安排一切的環境，主話的恩勗，我們就沒有辦法生活，更不能作一切事，所以時時不忘感恩，時時珍重基督徒的身份，繼續及永遠維持夫妻恩愛，不但要過著聖潔生活，討主喜悅，還要忠勤、精誠事奉主，在社會凡事榮耀神。 結婚六十年來，神慈繩愛索，緊緊牽引我們。主恩靈福享不盡，點點是恩，滴滴是愛。每一追憶思念，滿有安慰，滿心感謝。但願今後年月，我夫妻倆人仍永遠情投意合，相愛相隨，相托相依，凡事以主居首住，站穩在神兒女的本位，為主而活，不丟主的臉，不傷主的心，天天榮耀神。
謎語解答：1. 宇宙 2. 太陽 3. 月亮 4. 星星 5. 虹6. 雲 7. 鏡子 8. 筷子 9. 像片 10.書
第115期 33
松 柏 園 地
◎ 李賈樹權
有一首詩歌叫「我不知明天將如何」又叫「我知誰掌管明天」。看到這個歌名，心中就不
由阿門！因為在世人而言，明天是一個不穩定的未知數，所以「我不知明天將如何」；但在基督徒的心中，卻是知道明天在主的手中，主必引領和同在，所以「我知誰掌管明天」。光看歌名，消極和積極就壁壘分明。 明天也許財神光顧中樂透；金榜提名功成名就；有情人終成眷屬；疾病得醫治，令人歡欣不已。 明天也許財務困難；婚姻觸礁；罹患疾病；面臨生離死別，令人倍受打擊。 所有的福氣都是要付代價的。比如說中獎要先買獎券；金榜提名要先努力；要想找個理想終生伴侶或維持婚姻，必須下功夫讓對方滿意等等。 所以俗話說﹕「天上不會掉下餡餅來」，真的不會嗎？ 當我們的主耶穌，道成肉身來到這個世界上，就將吃了永遠不餓的餡餅—生命的糧，白白的賜給我們了。讓我們只要相信基督耶穌是神的兒子，又從死裡復活，有赦罪的權柄，罪就得赦免有了新生命。 所有的禍事，幾乎都有其個別的原因。所以事情發生後一定要以最簡捷、最有效的方法處理。但有些事沒有辦法避免，就像經濟衰退的骨牌效應；因別人的錯誤造成你的損失。如果不幸遇上，就要用智慧開闢新的契機，而不是意志消沉，怨天尤人，喝酒消愁或把怨氣出在別人身上。這類消極或頹廢的行為，不但與事無補，反而使想幫助你的親友不知如何下手。 要相信，不論大小的難處，都在行奇事的神的掌管之中。遇到失意事不要氣餒，求神幫助檢討失敗原因，加速改善，讓危機變成轉機，災難變成祝福。 在過去封建社會裡，男尊女卑，男人做壞事，不覺得有何可恥。而女人要有半點令翁姑不滿意，男方隨便寫一紙休書，可令媳婦淨身出戶，回到娘家也不見得獲得諒解，常遭親友指指點點。若不幸年青守寡，也可能被賣身，前途茫茫身不由己，所以常有投湖、跳井等慘劇發生。
現在時代不同了，人類上太空也不是什麼難事，地上的事也是光怪流離。有些人想出頭，身穿奇裝異服，舉止怪異；行為不檢，傷風敗俗，若被媒體發現加以吹捧，說不定馬上一炮而紅，以致名利雙收。 我們生活在這是與非都模模糊糊的世代，要如何自處呢？ 我們要潔身自愛，遠離是非，在別人的勢力範圍內少出頭干涉。但決不是明哲保身，見死不救。回憶中日戰爭時，在蔣總統十萬青年十萬軍的號召下，一批在校學生和高知識之青年，他們抛下家庭、事業、前途毅然從軍報國，投身戰場與日寇周旋，才能得到最後的勝利。今日中國的強大是踏著烈士們的鮮血所逹成，我們在慶幸之餘，不可忘記那千萬同胞，犧牲寶貴的生命所作的貢獻，如果他們明哲保身，我們那有今日的光榮。 其次，處事對人要柔和謙卑，學主基督穌的樣式，沒必要的事多聽少說，也不可與人辯論。合理的事要配合，不合情理的事敬而遠之也不必斥責，以免積怨而惹禍上身。主耶穌說：「我心裡柔和謙卑，你們當負我的軛，學我的樣式，這樣你們心裡就得享安息。」是的，聖靈就在我們的四周，是我們隨時的幫助。遇到困難時要懇切禱告，衪必伸出援手，為我們解除愁煩。假果結果不如所求所想，切不可灰心，要知道神的意念高過我們的意念，神肯幫助勞苦擔重擔的人。無論如何一定要信賴順服，衪必使尋求衪的得滿足，阿們！
以智慧面對現實
CHRONICLES FEBRUARY 201034
One of the most terrific and terrifying moments of my job as a public defender comes at the last few minutes of a jury trial. It begins when the
deliberating jurors, who have been sequestered in a back room indefinitely, hit a buzzer three times. Two buzzes mean they have a question. Three buzzes mean they have come to a verdict.
The trial, which usually flies by before I even realize I am standing and announcing, “The defense rests,” comes to a screeching halt. All the players in the courtroom listen intently. As soon as we count the third and final buzz, we all look at each other for one to two seconds, and then we all scramble to our appropriate places — the judge to her bench, the court reporter before her stenograph, the district attorney at counsel table, and I stand with my client by my side.
The rest proceeds in slow motion. The jurors march into the courtroom and take their assigned seats in the jury box. The jury foreperson identifies herself to the judge and the judge instructs her to hand the signed verdict forms to the bailiff. The bailiff takes the verdict forms and hands them to the judge, who reads them silently and stoically. The judge then hands the verdict forms to her clerk, who reads them aloud. I look at my client and hold my breath.
“We, the jurors, in the above entitled case, find the defendant, NOT GUILTY …”
I usually never hear the rest of the reading and recording of the verdict. All the air escapes from me and my client is in tears. My clients, who are usually grown men who have been hardened by society, by situations, and simply by surviving, are usually the last people one would imagine crying in public, but hardly an acquittal has been rendered where a client has held back his tears. When they are found guilty, they are often silent. When they are vindicated, at the very least, their eyes glisten.
They have been declared righteous. At that moment, whether or not they deserve it, they are experiencing a small slice of heaven: salvation from what seemed like impending doom.
That is the moment of justification. That is what each Christian should experience the moment they receive Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior — release from an unspeakable and indescribable bondage. I am often asked how I can represent “those criminals.” I often wonder how Jesus represented us sinners. I strongly believe that my vindicated clients were innocent from the beginning and they are rightfully being released from their charges. It is not the same for us before our Holy God.
I am often asked
how I can represent
“those criminals.”
I often wonder how
Jesus represented us
sinners.
By Carlin Yuen Lau
CHRONICLES FEBRUARY 2010 35
Source and Result of Salvation
For Christians, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to his mercy…” (Titus 3:5a). We have not done anything to deserve salvation. Rather, each of us, whether wittingly or unwittingly, has sinned and committed the very crime that deserves eternal condemnation. That notwithstanding, Jesus still declares us righteous under the Law!
This justification is completely based on Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and all we have to do is receive it. It is unlike any other world religion, where we would have to earn or attain it by some effort of our own. Because of Jesus, and only because of our faith in Jesus, we are justified and have eternal life.
Means of Salvation
I do not know if one can fully grasp the grace and mercy of our God, which is the basis of salvation, but the means of salvation is even more profound and confounding. Not only do we now have a future eternity to look forward to (Titus 2:13), but we are now also to begin the process of sanctification.
Unlike justification, sanctification is not instantaneous and requires work by us through the Holy Spirit. For believers, the result of salvation is a changed life as he “purif[ies] for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14b). That is, He works in us as we grow to be more holy and more like our Master. Again, this changed life is not so that we can be declared righteous on the Day of Judgment, but is a result of it.
Paul tells Titus to teach the Cretans that they can be transformed and conformed into the image of Christ “by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5b). The Greek word that is translated as “regeneration” in the New American Standard Bible is translated as “rebirth” in the New International Version.According to Timothy Keller, pastor of Redeemer
“Unlike justification, sanctification is not instantaneous and requires work by us through the Holy Spirit.”
Presbyterian Church in New York City, this word is not defined simply as personal renewal. It actually signifies the rebirth of the cosmos and a fantastic transformation.Keller preaches that this word is only used one other time in the Bible, and that is in Matthew 19:28, when Jesus describes the Second Coming. That day will be a complete regeneration of the world as the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne. Nothing will ever be the same again. In the same way, the minute we became Christians, the power of Holy Spirit recreated all aspects of our life.
Our Response to Salvation
What God has done and is continuing to do in us is unfathomable. In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis illustrates what God has in store for each of us as Christians:
“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of — throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”
The process of sanctification is not always comfortable, and usually begins with inexplicable pain. However, if we allow God to restore us according to His blueprints, and not ours, the result will be nothing less than phenomenal. All too often, we try to limit God with our own ideas of what a proper Christian life entails. Henceforth, let us all surrender ourselves to Him, so that “we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7b).
CHRONICLES FEBRUARY 201036
Have you ever prayed something like this, “Lord, be with Missionary A and his family. Bless their work and help them overcome any difficulties”? You want to support their work through prayer and/or other means but you’re just not sure how. I’d like to offer some suggestions as to why we need to pray and how we can pray for and support missionaries abroad.
No man is an island, as the English poet John Donne wrote, and no Christian can make it on his own. Missionaries need a team of supporters behind them to encourage them and undergird their work. When we pray for missionaries, we join that team and take part in world missions. Praying for missionaries gives us a global perspective on how God is working around the world.
Prayer is important because living in a different culture can be frustrating. Think of what it would be like to live in a place where you couldn’t communicate your thoughts clearly. A missionary was riding the bus when a national spoke to her. She replied, “I don’t understand,” hoping that statement would explain her situation. Instead of a sympathetic nod, the missionary heard not only more foreign words, but laughter from others in the bus. Needless to say, she was mortified and did not want to open her mouth for a long time. Missionaries need our prayers to survive and thrive in their new homes.
Prayer builds our faith when we see God answering them. When the impossible happens, we see God. An international school in Central Asia was trying to sell its property in the city in order to buy a larger piece of land on the outskirts but could only get a two million dollar offer – not enough to buy the new lot and build a new building. As the student body and families prayed, fasted, and fundraised, God heard their prayers and in six months, provided a new buyer willing to pay ten million dollars. Only God could produce a miracle like that.
Prayer is important because missionaries are entering into enemy territory. Satan is the prince of this world and will not give up control easily. He counterattacks and spiritual warfare ensues. People live in bondage to sin and have been blinded to God’s truth. We need to pray so that hearts will be softened and eyes will be opened to the truth.
Missionaries face loneliness and discouragement. They begin to think no one cares for them once they’ve been on the field for a long time. They start to believe that they have been forgotten. Discouraged missionaries feel sorry for themselves which leaves them debilitated and ineffective. We can support missionaries by emailing them, sending them care packages, writing them real letters, updating them on our lives and sending them pictures, encouraging them, ministering to them as brothers and sisters, and visiting them in order to serve them. Many churches send out teams to hold retreats for the missionaries. A visit from people from home is a precious gift. Others have families sign up each month to write a letter to the missionary. Praying for the missionaries and letting them know you’re praying for them is one of the easiest ways we can all support missionaries.
How can we pray for missionaries and what can we pray for? Prayer meetings on Wednesday evenings are a good start. Missions breakfasts provide opportunities to learn more about missions and missionaries. The updates that missionaries send out are also a good source for prayer requests.
It’s good to remember that when we pray, we should be specific. Instead of praying, “Help them,” pray, “Help them find a new apartment near to the school.” Paul asked for prayer on specific things. Missionaries are people, just like us. They struggle with the same issues we struggle with, often more intensely because they are on the frontlines of spiritual warfare.
prayingfor missionaries
By Gladys Wang
CHRONICLES FEBRUARY 2010 37
When you pray for yourself, pray the same thing for the missionaries. As you ask God for discipline in quiet times, pray that the missionaries would also make the time to be with God daily. Moms, when you’re at your wit’s end and can’t wait for summer to end and the kids go back to school, pray for the missionary to also have patience with their children. If your budget is tight, ask God to provide financially for the missionary as well. Lift up their relationships – husband and wife, parent and child, sibling and sibling, supervisor and employee, co-worker and co-worker, believer and non-believer, etc. Missionaries are people too. You can pray passages of Scripture for the missionaries. By praying Scripture, you know your prayers are in line with God’s will and will be effective.
Here are some suggestions on specific items you can be praying for. Pray for good communication and for language learning. It can take months or years of language study before missionaries can clearly share the gospel. Pray for patient people who can help the missionaries to do simple things like buy food or get around town. Pray for good communication within families and between colleagues.
Pray for adjustment whether it is to new customs and culture, food, or climate. It is easy to think that everything the nationals do is backwards while the missionaries’ way of doing things is right. Pray that missionaries would be humble, sensitive, and open to learning new ways of doing things. Food is another issue. Some food is delicious while other food is unpalatable. Soured mare’s milk isn’t popular here but is considered a delicacy in other places. Pray for missionaries to put aside their preferences and eat what’s given to them so that they can build relationships with the nationals.
Pray for health and safety. There are many diseases around the world that missionaries have not been exposed to such as malaria or hepatitis. Pollution, excessive fatigue, poor medical care and a lack of nutritious foods can also affect the missionary’s health. Pray for safety from natural disasters, murders, kidnappings, robbery, and unstable governments. Travel on the field is dangerous, whether it be by bus, car, airplane, bicycle, or foot. Pray for the missionaries’ mental health – that they would be free from anxiety and worry and trust in God (Philippians 4:6).
Pray for their families. Missionaries are under a lot of pressure that can result in flared tempers, impatience, and strained relationships. Pray for strong marriages and healthy, loving interactions between spouses and children. Pray for their children, the missionary kids (MKs). Pray for their spiritual life, that they would have a relationship with Christ. Pray against Satanic influences. Satan often attacks MKs to distract families from their work. Pray for MKs as they deal with loss – losing friends or familiar surroundings – due to frequent moves. Pray for their parents to balance ministry and family life so that MKs don’t resent their parents, the ministry, or God. They may experience rootlessness because they don’t feel at home in the foreign country or in their passport country.
Pray for single missionaries, that they would build good friendships and for missionary families to adopt them, especially during the holidays. Pray for any family members who are living in
the States, whether they be elderly parents, college-aged children, or even their own grandchildren – for their health, safety, spiritual growth, etc.
Pray for their spiritual walk, that they may remain steadfast. Pray that they would stand firm and not let anything move them but rather give themselves fully to the work of the Lord because their labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). Pray that their faith would remain strong and that they would keep their eyes on Jesus and not compare themselves or their work with others. Pray for boldness and courage in their sharing, fearlessly making known the gospel of Christ (Ephesians 6:19). Pray for a deeper relationship with God, that they would meditate on God’s word day and night. Ask that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Pray for the people they are ministering to and the country they are ministering in. Pray for hearts that are receptive to the Gospel and that God would bring seekers to the missionaries. Pray for fruit to result from their work, that many would come to know Christ through them. Pray for the political and economic situations in their country and for those in authority. Pray that a strong national church would be built up and for strong national pastors. Pray that these brothers and sisters would be salt and light in their spheres of influence. Pray for trouble-free visa renewals. In one area, the missionaries have to travel to a nearby country every three months to renew their visas. It is a hassle and a disruption to their work.
Though prayer is just one way we can support our missionaries, it is an essential ingredient to the missionaries’ work. “It takes discipline and commitment to pray for people who live in a place we know little about, who work in a language we don’t speak, who may eat breakfast while we’re going to bed, and who may not be back for some years. But they don’t stop being our brothers and sisters while they’re away. Remember them. Pray for them every day. Your prayers count.”1
1 http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/en-US/FreeTools/HowToPrayForMissionaries/prayForMissionaries.htm
This article was first presented at a workshop at the 2008 MBCLA summer retreat. It is a summary of the information from the above websites.
CHRONICLES FEBRUARY 201038
i am more athLetiC than most peopLe think – i sWim, pLaY BasketBaLLand BaseBaLL, hike, etC.
i Like to WatCh metropoLitan opera Live BroadCast in the movie theater on saturdaYs.
mY Comfort foods are Bread and mantou.
on mY niGhtstand are these Books: My Father’s Paradise BY a. saBar and the Nature oF aNgels BY a. WhYte.
if i had a Lot of moneY, i WouLd traveL to as manY pLaCes as possiBLe, startinG With europe.
pet peeves: peopLe faLLinG asLeep durinG Worship serviCe and not BeinG punCtuaL.
mY first Car Was a BiG oLdsmoBiLe GreY Car (the one that Grandpas drive).
onCe When i Was visitinG With mY famiLY, i feLL Behind WhiLe BeinG mesmerized BY niaGara faLLs. i Was Lost for 10 minutes Before mY parents found me.
a feW Years aGo, just Before headinG out to LaX for a fLiGhtto taiWan, i reaLized that mY passport had eXpired. i Went to the airport anYWaY, hopinG that theY WouLd Let me fLY, and Camehome disappointed.
i need to Get at Least 7.5 hours of sLeepto funCtion properLY the neXt daY.i need an afternoon nap if idon’t Get enouGh sLeep.
i painted mY Bedroom “tiffanY” BLue BeCause it reminds me of the oCean.
i aLWaYs have a BottLe of Water and kirkLand CheWaBLe vitamin C With me.
i teaCh strinG orChestra (4th-12th Grade) in the roWLand unified sChooL distriCt durinG the Week.
mY favorite opera sinGer riGht noW is the ameriCanmezzo-soprano – susan Graham.
i eat an appLe or oranGe everY daY BeCause i Can’t Live Without fruits.
mY favorite aCtress is merYL streep. i enjoYed Julie & Julia and i hope streep Goes home With an osCar this Year!
in mY free time, i Like to read, traveL, and attend ConCerts and operas.
the most attraCtive CharaCter traitsi find in a person are strenGth, GentLeness, and honestY.
i have tWo YounGer Brothers, soLomon and samueL.
i Go to La fitness 1-2 times a Week.
mY favorite Composers are j.s. BaCh and j. Brahms.
i Like WatChinG reruns of grey’s aNatoMy.
i Love snoopY.
i read to faLL asLeep.
mY roommate is mY friend judY.
251 15
16
1718192021
22
23
2425
2
34
56789
111213
14
10
THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT
SOpHiaHUa
MBCLAENGLISH CHOIrDIrECTOr
CHRONICLES FEBRUARY 2010 39
an enCounter
BY jonathan huanG
gOd’S Heart
With
It was mid-September when my friend asked me if I had free time to volunteer for this organization called Freedom and Fashion as an Art Director for their upcoming magazine. Having never heard of such an organization, I researched it online at freedomandfashion.com. What caught my eye about this group first was it was Christian, second it was showcasing fashion in way that I hadn’t seen before. There were no brand names, just quite simply clothing, jewelry, bags and other accessories made by people who were once in the sex trade industry, presented in a high-fashion way.
So I signed up online and got a reply saying that they would review my application and would be in contact with me soon.
Then I waited.And waited.
For three weeks, I didn’t get a call. I thought, Hm, maybe they have enough volunteers for the design team. I guess they don’t need my help.
The following week, the same friend who asked me if I wanted to volunteer asked me if anyone had talked to me cause they were starting to have meetings for the magazine team. I said no, nobody had talked to me. She was surprised and said that she would talk to the president immediately.
It was on Tuesday that I got a called from the group’s president and she quickly briefed me on what needed to be done. I asked how big was this magazine and how long did we have? And was there a team that I could work with? And did we have anything to work with like articles or photos?
Her reply was, We’re thinking around 80 pages, about a month, and one other Junior Designer. We have some articles and no photographs yet.
I was floored. An 80-page magazine in a month seemed impossible in my experience. After all, that was 80 pages without any advertisements. Just straight-up layouts. It was a daunting task that made me wonder if I even had enough time to take up the challenge, and all within a month’s time. Ridiculous, my head said, but I’m willing, my heart said.
To my surprise, there wasn’t a team of designers at my disposal, just one Junior Designer who desired to serve. Hm, okay, if Jesus can feed 5000 with five loaves of bread and two fish, certainly making an 80-page magazine should be a walk in the park if God allows.
The following week was the first of three photoshoots. Tons
of merchandise were matrixed with their respective models. 500 products shots, 40 models and 7 locations all crammed into 3 days, impossible if not implausible.
During the course of October, I saw that Satan could intervene in the physical world, like he did with Job, through people getting sick, things turning on and off by themselves, computers breaking, files disappearing, family problems, models flaking, crazy sleepless nights, car accidents, parking tickets galore, trouble at work … and the list goes on. Satan is real and his power is real as well. We often don’t believe in a spiritual power that can interfere with our intellect and our lives. But believe me, if you are willing to obey the will of God and strive after God’s heart, Satan will be real to you.
As 1 Peter 5:8-9 says, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” Satan means business and if you’re a follower of Jesus, he’s going to flood your life with all kinds of troubles.
CHRONICLES FEBRUARY 201040
Praise be to God that He is supreme. Despite all the hardships that came up, there were many prayers that went around that preserved us. God was gracious to sustain me for the month surviving on 3-4 hours of sleep each night. After a long day in the office, the design group consisting of my one designer, the president, and me gathered at my house promptly at 7 p.m. and dedicated the night to God before we worked. We worked tirelessly until 4 a.m. six days a week. When I look back at this, I don’t know how we stayed up. It was God’s strength and providence to provide the diligence and efficiency needed to complete such an monumental magazine. My experience with this magazine reminded me of Matthew 19:26: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”God showed me his heart in humanizing the people caught in trafficking. I cannot stay silent about this matter. There are around 27 million people who are slaves in the world, and that number is higher than any recorded in the history of the world.
During my first week in accumulating all the material that I needed to design, I read an article about a girl who was tricked about a job opportunity and forced into being trafficked and how she kept her faith despite such circumstance. She always believed
that someday God would save her. I had to stop for 30 minutes and just reflect on what I just read. It affected me to the point where I couldn’t work.
Here was a 13-year-old girl, trapped in a strange place and situation and crying out to God to save her, and it took over 10 years for her to be found and taken out of being trafficked. Could I have had that kind of faith that God would save me if I had been in that position?
It made me think about the situation that I’m in now, and made me realize God has blessed me with a job that I love, with the ability to communicate and to inform others about human injustices through my design – I must use what God has given me to do to help others and inform others. In each page I poured out my compassion, my tears and heart knowing that this magazine would go further than I could to affect others and move them to do something to help, whether it meant the would go into to save these people or even to give of their financial resources.
There are only a few things that I am certain of in life. There’s God’s love, salvation, and the fact that I was meant to be a part of Freedom and Fashion.
photoGraphY / annaBeL park
freedom and fashion serves to
Advocate Freedom. Promote Fairness. Love Greatly.
CHRONICLES FEBRUARY 2010 41
HENRY WU
I did not grow up in a Christian home. If anything, it was culturally Buddhist. However, in some ways, I did grow up in a Christian environment, as my parents had enrolled me at Emmaus Lutheran School for second grade, mainly for academic reasons. As my parents were very busy with work, the school community played a large role in my life.
Daily devotionals and weekly chapel services incorporated in the curriculum became routine for me. I didn’t find the Bible stories and Christian activities strange or foreign – to me they were simply what I learned in school. I became very involved at Emmaus and the church up through eighth grade. However, I didn’t feel the need or did not think about Christianity seriously then and even throughout my high school years.
It wasn’t until college when a couple of juniors happened to befriend me my freshman year when my spiritual journey took a different turn. The people I met struck me as different. They went out of their way to offer their help and their time. Eventually, they invited me to fellowship activities and meetings, and I enthusiastically joined and participated mainly for social reasons. The people I met, even though they knew that I was a non-believer, treated me with such kindness, hospitality, and care that they really touched me.
When the juniors I had met freshman year graduated, I lost some of the incentive in attending fellowship meetings and stopped actively putting myself into the Christian community. I came to the resolve of living by what I intuitively felt was morally right and wrong, and I was satisfied with that. I felt that if I put forth my best effort in everything I did, that was all that I could ask of myself and that was how I was going to live.
However, God was not through with me yet. He put His guiding hands on my inner circle of friends and peers, most of whom happened to be Christian. Each encouraged me in his or her unique way. During my senior year, I read Mere Christianity with a friend of mine. During our discussion of the book, I asked and was asked so many questions. In turn, I heard, but was not prepared to give so many answers.
All in all, I was still hesitant to accept Christ, because I couldn’t let go of the hypocrisy of the church and those who called themselves Christian. It was hard, especially when I saw my Christian peers acting in ways I thought were “un-Christian.” Little did I recognize how judgmental, how self-righteous, prideful, and self-centered I was. Who was I to judge others when I had my own faults?
It was in medical school – where I was faced with life and death situations – that really made me examine my own life, who I was, and the reasons for doing what I’m doing. I was confronted with this one night when a friend of mine asked, “What motivates you?” My answer was pretty vague, but for some reason, I took a risk and shared a bit more about myself that was outside of my usual comfort zone. It was around that time that I decided that I would re-explore my core values, and this initiated an unexpected period of truly personal growth, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
testimonYBaptism
BAPTISM COMES FrOM THE GrEEK WOrD BAPTIZO,
MEANING TO BLEACH, THEN DYE. BOTH CLEANSING AND
CHANGING THE COLOr OF THE CLOTH. BAPTISM OCCUrS
WHEN ONE PrOCLAIMS THAT THEY ArE A FOLLOWEr OF
CHrIST SYMBOLIZING THEIr DEATH TO THEIr FOrMEr SELF
AND rISE AGAINST TO A NEW LIFE WITH CHrIST.
CHRONICLES FEBRUARY 201042
Joining campus fellowship groups, and attending church on a regular basis again, my head knowledge of the Bible and the Christian faith increased. My heart knowledge, perhaps the most difficult to understand, grew from my relationships with the people around me, one in particular who wouldn’t stop asking me hard questions.
With the encouragement, compassionate support, and thought-provoking conversations with well meaning friends and mentors, I slowly came to see and to reveal a side of me that I had always protected for fear of what other people might think. Mistrustful of others, it was difficult for me to really understand what it meant to listen and encourage, to feel sad and happy, and to love and forgive others. I took more and more risks, opening up to those in my fellowship groups, classmates, and friends. These relationships revealed more and more to me who I was and convicted me of my own sins. Although it seemed like I was the nice and responsible son, student, or friend who was good at observing things and seeing the needs of others, I realized more and more how self-centered and self-serving I was. How could I continue to live the way I did with this heavy weight of guilt and sin?
Several days before this past Easter, I decided to meet with Pastor Adam to talk about some of the questions that I had, one of which was my lack of understanding of why Jesus was so willing to sacrifice Himself and carry the weight of my sins. It was in this mode of thinking when I came to the realization of my tremendous pride.
If I was to humble myself before Christ, what would happen?
The answer was that I would be free of the weight of my guilt, shame, and sin and could live a new life, because of God’s forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Christ alone was the only one who could take up the weight of mankind’s sin. His walk was blameless and righteous, yet He sacrificed Himself for me, for you.
God allowed His Son to die when it was in His power to prevent it from happening. This was and is a true gift in every sense of the word. What was in it for Jesus? Why would someone do this? I couldn’t fully comprehend this ultimate act and gift of love, but I was ready to take a chance to receive and experience it.
I expressed my other hesitations, but I finally got to a point where I just didn’t have any questions left for Pastor Adam. It was in that moment that Pastor Adam smiled and asked if I was ready to accept Christ. With a peace that comes from understanding, I said, “Yes.”
When I accepted Christ as my Savior, I was crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. After I became a Christian, I have seen and experienced God’s guiding hand in my academic, social, and personal life. I recognize that Christianity is a lifelong journey, and it is something that will be filled not only with joy and celebration, but also with pain and suffering. Yet, even in those difficult times when I can’t understand what or why something’s happening, I know that God is working for my good. In His refuge, I experience a peace and a joy despite personal difficulties and struggles.
Reflecting back, I know I could have put questions of faith and spiritually aside pretty easily. I could have easily not cared or chosen to not think about something beyond the concrete and material nature of our daily lives. But for me, I came to a point where I wasn’t truly satisfied with receiving awards and acknowledgement for my good works, doing well in school, using my skills and talents, getting to the next step, or even enjoying the best moments of my personal relationships.
Something was missing and that something was a deep understanding of Christianity, which has tied up loose ends, connected the dots, and which I now see, makes my life truly meaningful, satisfying, and complete.
No matter where you are spiritually or in life, I challenge you in your personal time and conversations with others to step outside your comfort zone, to ask questions, and to consider difficult matters of the heart and the mind, particularly those matters of life and death. In so doing, I think we can each begin to tap into the measure of our core values, our motivations, and our meaning for life.
I thank God, the church, and my family and friends who love and support me. Today, I am making a public testimony that I no longer choose to live without a purpose, imprisoned under the guilty weight of my wrongdoings and sin. I am prepared for my worldly death. For I know that after I emerge from this baptism, I will be filled with a new life that has been given to me freely out of a self-sacrificial love that is Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Thank you.
I finally got to a point where I just didn’t have
any questions left for Pastor Adam. It was in
that moment that Pastor Adam smiled and asked if I was ready to accept
Christ. With a peace that comes from understanding,
I said, “Yes.”
CHRONICLES FEBRUARY 2010 43
Hi, my name is Mari Iyama. I was born and raised in Japan, a country known for its overt deadness and blindness to Christ. The Christian population is less than 1% and people only do things out of tradition and never give much thought to God or to any religion. I grew up in a culture where people are expected to be polite and kind on the surface only because it is part of the culture and not as a true expression of genuine kindness. I had become quite an expert at that, deceiving people with my false flatteries.
When I was growing up, none of my family members went to church nor had any interest in religion. I had never heard of the gospel and I lived 20 years of my life in blindness to sin and to God. As an adolescent going through high school, all that mattered to me was popularity and grades. I was soaked with the sin of fearing man and I was a constant people-pleaser with my superficial kindness.
But I think deep inside, my heart was longing and yearning for something to satisfy or justify the purpose of my life as a teenager. And as a result, that was fulfilled by participating in worldly pleasures. Nothing else mattered but myself and my reputation.
But God had already orchestrated a string of events to lead me closer to Him. It started off with my decision to attend USC here in the United States. Here, I met a friend my freshmen year through a student club and also through class. I was keen to know him more because he possessed a kindness and gentleness that I had never experienced.
One day, he casually asked me in the school library as we studied if I ever heard of the gospel, and this was the first time I ever heard of it. All that I recall was that it made me uncomfortable as he kept on referring to me as a “sinner” and the rest of the information went through one ear and left the other. However, the faithful friend continued to be helpful both academically and spiritually and we met up continually. He even invited me to go to a Christian conference a couple weeks later and despite my numerous refusals, I finally gave in to his persuasion and I agreed to go.
Resolved 2005. This was where God led me. As soon as I stepped into the hall, I immediately felt uncomfortable. I felt out of place and I kept thinking, what have I gotten myself into? Every second of it was a new experience to me: worship, music, lyrics, people, and preaching. Throughout worship, a feeling of discomfort filled me as I stood there reading the lyrics on the screen, feeling extremely self-conscious. The sermons made absolutely no sense to me and I struggled to stay awake. However, God was slowly, but definitely working in my heart to prepare me to hear the gospel message once again. This time, it was through Dr. Steve Lawson. I could only understand a portion of his sermon but he laid out the gospel in simple analogies and I finally comprehended the message but I was far from accepting this as the truth.
Another new experience that I encountered was the genuine kindness of Christians. They were deeply concerned and their simple gestures of care were so foreign to me, yet so intriguing. Throughout my life, all I have known about kindness was either
testimonYMARI IYAMA
Baptism
CHRONICLES FEBRUARY 201044
kindness only on the surface or kindness with strings attached and there was no understanding of the concept of ‘unconditional kindness’ at the time. As I encountered more Christians, I was curious about how and why these people were so loving and caring to me. The body of Christ was always smiling and laughing, and despite how strange it felt to me deep inside, I longed to be a part of that.
After the conference I started attending Bible studies on campus and attending Grace Community Church regularly. My friend also bought me a study Bible for me to take to church. The sermons were gradually starting to make more sense as my head knowledge of Christ continued to grow, but there was no real connection between my head knowledge and my heart.
Still, my heart was slowly but definitely opening to know the truth. One night, I had a conversation with a seminary student. I blatantly told him that I wasn’t a believer. With no hesitation he started preaching the gospel to me and that I needed to repent tonight. I sensed a great deal of urgency from him and I wrestled with that thought the rest of the night. This plagued my mind, and a casual conversation about modesty with my friend turned into a deep theological discussion. At the end, he explained to me the obvious difference between a Christian and a non-Christian.
I had the head knowledge of the gospel and I knew how to modify my behavior to be a so-called “Christian.” I had become comfortable in the church without even being saved, but he made it clear that my heart itself remains unchanged and I was still in darkness despite the fact that I felt like I was doing better.
As Romans 3:10 says, “The heart is deceitful and wicked.” At that point, it pierced me. It pierced me as I truly understood the condition of my heart, and all the seemingly innocent but in truth, wicked deeds that I had committed against my God. I understood that I was in deep trouble. Yet what made my heart sink was the understanding that God had not forgotten about me. In fact, He
loved me so much that He gave up his son to die on the cross for my sin that I had harbored for the past 20 years of my life.
My actions then instantly turned to repentance, and at that moment, God’s presence was ever so great and my sorrow was immediately filled with joy and comfort to know that my sins have already been paid for. “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”(Romans 5:6,8). This verse perfectly explains what happened to me and that night I prayed the prayer to commit my life to Jesus Christ as my Savior and my God.
Since then, the Lord has truly changed my heart of stone to a heart that loves Him deeply. He has shown me how to demonstrate Christ’s love to my family and friends back at home in Japan that have never heard the gospel message. I now have graduated from college and I am pursuing a doctoral degree in Physical Therapy at USC.
The past four years of knowing Christ have been an interesting journey filled with both struggles and joys. Now that my eyes are open to the truth, my sin is ever more magnified but the joys of knowing and experiencing God’s grace is even greater.
Especially when I reflect back at my own testimony, it constantly bewilders me to see the invisible God so visible in my life. God works in amazing ways that no human can possibly design the things that He did for me. I could not have offered anything to make this happen, only God is capable and I understand it very well as I reflect back to my own testimony.
God will accomplish His plans, because He has the power to turn my sinful nature for good and He repaid my evil with goodness and grace and offered me the opportunity to repent and to live in the understanding of His amazing grace. With this, I have finally come to obey His commandment of baptism to proclaim Jesus Christ as my Savior and my Lord.
photoGraphY / miko tsukimoto
第115期
人看外貌神看內心
撒母耳記16:7
編者的話
Letter from the Editor
I admit it: I’m a huge fan of Korean dramas. Just last week, I finished watching one in which the lead actress asked her male counterpart, when they had nearly reached their fairy tale end-ing, “Why do you like me? I’m not pretty, and I don’t have money, or a distinguished name, or anything.” This was his answer: “Money, name, looks – I have all that. I don’t need that from you. All you have to be is you.” Lame, right? I started to get all worked up about the terrible writing until I realized that maybe the answer wasn’t crazy, but romantic instead. After all, God loves us even though we don’t deserve it. So I think the Koreans are onto something: the impos-sible but possible, truest love story of all time.
Sincerely, Rita Law
在聖經有“因為耶和華不像人看人，人是看外貌，耶和華是看內心。”（撒母耳記上十六章）；“因為你不看人的外貌”（馬太福音二十二章）；“我們信奉我們榮耀的主耶穌基督，便不可按著外貌待人。”（雅各書二章）。這些話都是神的神聖觀念。作為基督的門徒，應當學習神的話語，如此在處世待人就不看表面，要看內涵，不看言詞，要看行為；不看一時，要看久永。如此我們就能抓住事物的本質，在在就能順暢了。
張雲鶴
《 》稿約 1.竭誠歡迎您來稿，體裁不拘， 每篇稿以1200字為宜。 2.請以稿紙書寫，並自留底稿， 本刊若不使用亦恕不退稿。 3.本刊有取捨、刪改權。若不願被刪改請注明。 4.來稿請用真實姓名自負文責，並請附上地址和 電話號碼，以便請益。
第116期《 》截稿日期：2010年03月21日 1.來稿請放在教會辦公室出版組D01信箱。 2.直接郵寄至教會出版組收，地址如下： 110 W. Woodward Ave,.Alhambra,CA91801 3.E-Mail到 yunh [email protected]電子信箱。
2010年5月第116期《 》主題：人看外貌神看內心
歡迎投稿。
期 別 主 題 截稿日期
117 悔 改 2010年6月20日
116 人看外貌神看內心 2010年3月21日
“……因為耶和華不像人看人，人是看外貌，耶和華是看內心。”
