我還記得那個多夢的歲月，日子充滿活力。我有一個想要成為的我。我每天為了這個想要成為的我而努力，日子過得既興奮又充實。現在那個想要成為的我，已早不同於年輕時的想像了，而熱情也少了點稚氣的雀躍。然而，我有一個更渴想成為的我，每天為這個想要成為的我而努力，而禱告，而等候。
在基督裡我是一個新造的我，每天更新，要長成基督的身量。原來我體會了，這就是基督徒的靈修。基督徒的靈修，就是在基督裡看見了一個新我，一個渴想成為的我，每天就朝著這個渴想成為的我去努力。
我們今年的目標是要建造生命，但我們必須要認識這個生命將要成為的樣子，不然就無法建造了。每天讀聖經的時候，要讀出一個我想要成為的我方可。這是基督徒靈修的第一步。當我看見了在基督裡有一個我想要成為的我，我才能為這個我而努力。這樣，每天在努力朝向這個我的時候，我們就經歷聖靈的同在，也經歷著耶穌的應許，進入豐盛的生命中。
In those days when my life was full of dreams, I can still remember the enthusiasm that I had to create a life that I had always dreamed of. I worked extra hard to make my dream come true, and my days were full of excitement and satisfaction. But now the life that I am dreaming of is quite different from the old, and the passion has lost some of its childishness. However, I have adopted a new life for myself, and for this new life, I labor, I pray and I wait upon the Lord.
In Christ, I am a new being, and renewing my life everyday to attend to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. All of a sudden, I start to realize that it is the spiritual discipline of doing our daily devotion to God. In my devotion to God, I see a new self in Christ, a life that I dream of. In order to attend to this life, I am willing to offer my labor everyday.
Our goal for this year is to build up life, but we should first recognize the life that we are going to build, if otherwise we cannot build anything. Everyday when we read Bible, we must read out a new life that calls us to imitate. This is the first step of doing Christian devotion. Only if I can see a new life in Christ that I really want to be like, I will not experience any life transformation. But if we can see a new life in Christ that attracts us to it, we will experience the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, and realize that Jesus’ promise of giving us an abundant life is so tangible that we can actually enter into it daily.
新生命、新世界 New Life and New World
（羅馬書 Romans 12:2）
每一個人由出生到死亡，不斷地認識我們所處的環境，對它形成了一定的想法和好惡。這一大堆對周遭的人、事和環境的想法和好惡，成為我們生活習慣的規律，並遇事時反應的原則。我們稱這種認識和好惡感的整體觀念為世界觀，而每一個人都有他自己的世界觀，並以這種世界觀來生活和處事待人。
聖經把這種由我們成長到今天，經過與外界的人、事和物的交接而形成的世界觀稱為「世界」。這種世界觀在本質上與聖經的世界觀是衝突的，因為它是我們以自我為中心所形成的。神在這種世界觀中是沒有地立的，不重要的，因此是不符合神的旨意，更不會讓人親近神的，而且是非常自我，甚至是自己的。
聖經也有一種世界觀，就是以神為中心，藉著我們和神的關係來認識週遭的人、事和物，並由這種認識來作為我們遇事與人時的回應原則。
我們所說的重生或新生命，就是由前面那種世界觀轉變為聖經的世界觀，並由它來引導，以至決定我們對自己和身邊的人、事和物的新的認識和態度。這就是保羅在羅馬書十二章第二節所說的，「不要效法世界，只要心意更新而變化，叫我們察驗何為神的善良、純全，可喜悅的旨意。」基督徒的靈命成長也就是把自己舊的世界觀，藉著研讀聖經、禱告、事奉和生活的實踐，轉變成新的、屬於聖經的世界觀。基督徒的屬靈生活就是由這種聖經的世界觀來指導和決定我們日常的生活、遇事待人的態度和方法，並人生的目標等。
Everybody lives by his worldview. Our worldview will determine our perception and attitude toward people and situations. It will also form our lifestyle and value judgment. Our worldview will keep on developing as we interact with environments and people around us from the day we were born through out the years until we die.
Bible calls this worldview, which is formed by our interactions with the environments and people, the “world, or age, or pattern of this world”. This worldview by nature is conflicting to the biblical worldview, because it is formed with the orientation of our ego in its center. God has no place in this worldview, and His teaching has no influence in our lifestyle. By no means, this worldview will allow us to fulfill God’s will, and it is purposefully dragging us away from Him. This worldview will strengthen our ego-centeredness lifestyle, and make us more selfish.
The worldview given by the Bible is God centered, and in our relationship with God, we understand the situations, people and things in our lives. This biblical worldview will provide principles for us to interact with people and things.
How do we view our new life or life born again? New life is the transformation of our worldview from the old to the biblical, in which a new set of principles and guidelines are formed to determine the action and attitude toward people, things and situations. This is what Paul teaches us in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Spiritual formation in Christian life is to transform our old worldview into the biblical worldview through reading the Bible, prayer, service and life application of the biblical teachings. Christian spirituality is the lifestyle governed by the biblical worldview, which will determine our ways and attitude of daily encounter with things and people, and give us the direction and goal to our life journey.
每一個人由出生到死亡，不斷地認識我們所處的環境，對它形成了一定的想法和好惡。這一大堆對周遭的人、事和環境的想法和好惡，成為我們生活習慣的規律，並遇事時反應的原則。我們稱這種認識和好惡感的整體觀念為世界觀，而每一個人都有他自己的世界觀，並以這種世界觀來生活和處事待人。
聖經把這種由我們成長到今天，經過與外界的人、事和物的交接而形成的世界觀稱為「世界」。這種世界觀在本質上與聖經的世界觀是衝突的，因為它是我們以自我為中心所形成的。神在這種世界觀中是沒有地立的，不重要的，因此是不符合神的旨意，更不會讓人親近神的，而且是非常自我，甚至是自己的。
聖經也有一種世界觀，就是以神為中心，藉著我們和神的關係來認識週遭的人、事和物，並由這種認識來作為我們遇事與人時的回應原則。
我們所說的重生或新生命，就是由前面那種世界觀轉變為聖經的世界觀，並由它來引導，以至決定我們對自己和身邊的人、事和物的新的認識和態度。這就是保羅在羅馬書十二章第二節所說的，「不要效法世界，只要心意更新而變化，叫我們察驗何為神的善良、純全，可喜悅的旨意。」基督徒的靈命成長也就是把自己舊的世界觀，藉著研讀聖經、禱告、事奉和生活的實踐，轉變成新的、屬於聖經的世界觀。基督徒的屬靈生活就是由這種聖經的世界觀來指導和決定我們日常的生活、遇事待人的態度和方法，並人生的目標等。
Everybody lives by his worldview. Our worldview will determine our perception and attitude toward people and situations. It will also form our lifestyle and value judgment. Our worldview will keep on developing as we interact with environments and people around us from the day we were born through out the years until we die.
Bible calls this worldview, which is formed by our interactions with the environments and people, the “world, or age, or pattern of this world”. This worldview by nature is conflicting to the biblical worldview, because it is formed with the orientation of our ego in its center. God has no place in this worldview, and His teaching has no influence in our lifestyle. By no means, this worldview will allow us to fulfill God’s will, and it is purposefully dragging us away from Him. This worldview will strengthen our ego-centeredness lifestyle, and make us more selfish.
The worldview given by the Bible is God centered, and in our relationship with God, we understand the situations, people and things in our lives. This biblical worldview will provide principles for us to interact with people and things.
How do we view our new life or life born again? New life is the transformation of our worldview from the old to the biblical, in which a new set of principles and guidelines are formed to determine the action and attitude toward people, things and situations. This is what Paul teaches us in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Spiritual formation in Christian life is to transform our old worldview into the biblical worldview through reading the Bible, prayer, service and life application of the biblical teachings. Christian spirituality is the lifestyle governed by the biblical worldview, which will determine our ways and attitude of daily encounter with things and people, and give us the direction and goal to our life journey.
新生命、新生活 New Being, New Life
保羅常說，「若有人在基督裡，他就是新造的人」。在我們接受耶穌為救主和生命的主的時候，就有了新的生命。這就是我們常說的因得救而重生的新生命。然而，得著重生和新生命是什麼意思呢？有些人把它看為很神秘，並強調在得救那一刻要有某種特殊經歷，類似於一種特殊的心理或精神狀態，才算是得救或得著重生。於是便極力去追求那種感覺，把重生得救變成一種主觀心理的特殊又神秘的經歷。這些情緒對某些人來說，雖然很具吸引力，但重生的經歷，或聖經應許的新生命，就真的只是一些情緒的現象，或某種指定的行為反應嗎？
從聖經的教導，特別是保羅的經歷和他在書信中所論及的新生命，遠遠超過時下一些人所追求的所謂重生得救的精神現象。保羅本身除了在強光中被挑戰和呼召的經歷外，就沒有別的什麼說方言、大喊大叫的歇斯底里的精神現象。聖經甚至沒有記載保羅為那經驗大哭一場，或情緒激動得出現反常現象。他的整個蒙召得救的過程是極深刻，卻又極其平靜和理性。
從保羅的經歷和教導中讓我們知道，新造的人是產生在新的關係中的人。所以保羅說，只有當我們在基督裡才是新造的人。因為我們接受耶穌做我們的救主，所以神就成為我們人生和每天生活的主。凡以耶穌為生活的主的人，他就成為新造的人。人與神和好是產生新生命的唯一和必要條件，不是什麼心理的反應，或什麼特殊的情緒與歇斯底里式的行為舉止。
下一星期我們會繼續進一步討論，當一個人獲得了新生命，他的整個人到底起了什麼變化。神與人和好為什麼會在人的生命中產生脫胎換骨的改變？我們如何經歷新生命？我們又如何培育這個新生命？
Paul always says that, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” When we receive Jesus as our Savior and the Lord of our lives, we will have a new life. This is why we will always say that we will be born again at the time when we are saved. But what does it mean to be born again or have a new life? There are people having a mysterious view on this issue to emphasize some special experiences, such as certain psychological phenomenon or emotional reactions, to justify a born again experience. Therefore, by pursuing such emotions, new life will be reduced into a set of subjective and mysterious emotional phenomena. New life or born again is the biblical promise for Christians, even though some may want to have such emotions in the moment of their conversions, should be far more than just some emotional reactions or predefined behaviors.
From the biblical teachings, or Paul’s discussions in his epistles, born again experience is far more than just those emotional phenomena. As matter of fact, Paul himself did not have any experience of speaking in tongue or hysterical reaction in his conversion experience, except the challenge and calling in that very strong light. There is even no record of his crying or strong emotional reaction, but rather calm, rational and profound in that Damascus event.
Paul’s experience and his teaching tell us that a new life begins in a new relationship. Paul asserts that only when we are in Christ, we are born again. It is because of our acceptance of Jesus as our Savior, so God is our Lord in our daily life. Whoever receives Jesus as the Lord of his or her life, he or she will become a new being. The reconciled relationship with God is the only and necessary condition for being born again, and it has nothing to do with emotion or any hysterical behavior.
Next Sunday, we will continue to discuss further on the changes a new life should have. How can a new relationship with God transform a person’s life? How should we experience a new life? And, how can we nurture this new life?
從聖經的教導，特別是保羅的經歷和他在書信中所論及的新生命，遠遠超過時下一些人所追求的所謂重生得救的精神現象。保羅本身除了在強光中被挑戰和呼召的經歷外，就沒有別的什麼說方言、大喊大叫的歇斯底里的精神現象。聖經甚至沒有記載保羅為那經驗大哭一場，或情緒激動得出現反常現象。他的整個蒙召得救的過程是極深刻，卻又極其平靜和理性。
從保羅的經歷和教導中讓我們知道，新造的人是產生在新的關係中的人。所以保羅說，只有當我們在基督裡才是新造的人。因為我們接受耶穌做我們的救主，所以神就成為我們人生和每天生活的主。凡以耶穌為生活的主的人，他就成為新造的人。人與神和好是產生新生命的唯一和必要條件，不是什麼心理的反應，或什麼特殊的情緒與歇斯底里式的行為舉止。
下一星期我們會繼續進一步討論，當一個人獲得了新生命，他的整個人到底起了什麼變化。神與人和好為什麼會在人的生命中產生脫胎換骨的改變？我們如何經歷新生命？我們又如何培育這個新生命？
Paul always says that, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” When we receive Jesus as our Savior and the Lord of our lives, we will have a new life. This is why we will always say that we will be born again at the time when we are saved. But what does it mean to be born again or have a new life? There are people having a mysterious view on this issue to emphasize some special experiences, such as certain psychological phenomenon or emotional reactions, to justify a born again experience. Therefore, by pursuing such emotions, new life will be reduced into a set of subjective and mysterious emotional phenomena. New life or born again is the biblical promise for Christians, even though some may want to have such emotions in the moment of their conversions, should be far more than just some emotional reactions or predefined behaviors.
From the biblical teachings, or Paul’s discussions in his epistles, born again experience is far more than just those emotional phenomena. As matter of fact, Paul himself did not have any experience of speaking in tongue or hysterical reaction in his conversion experience, except the challenge and calling in that very strong light. There is even no record of his crying or strong emotional reaction, but rather calm, rational and profound in that Damascus event.
Paul’s experience and his teaching tell us that a new life begins in a new relationship. Paul asserts that only when we are in Christ, we are born again. It is because of our acceptance of Jesus as our Savior, so God is our Lord in our daily life. Whoever receives Jesus as the Lord of his or her life, he or she will become a new being. The reconciled relationship with God is the only and necessary condition for being born again, and it has nothing to do with emotion or any hysterical behavior.
Next Sunday, we will continue to discuss further on the changes a new life should have. How can a new relationship with God transform a person’s life? How should we experience a new life? And, how can we nurture this new life?
規劃豐盛生活 Plan to Live Fruitfully
一年將過，又預示新的一年即將來臨。
送舊迎新是一種生活的祝福，因為它幫助我們總結過去好的與壞的經驗，也鼓勵我們展望未來，為新生活作規劃。假如一個人不懂得總結過去，就不會計劃將來，他的人生就會不知不覺地流逝。這是一件很可怕的事情。
神要我們感恩，特別是在每年的終結時，為過去一年的事情和遭遇感恩。這是基督徒對過去做總結的特殊方式。如果我們認真地為過去感恩，就一定會認真再計劃下一年的生活。
明年是否能活得充實，就看我們是否認真地為明年規劃。不妨在這兩個星期內，在下面範圍內做些規劃，為自己的生活創造更多充實的日子。最好能夠為明年在金錢、時間、人際關係和事奉上作規劃，使我們的生活每一天都過得充實與滿足。
為明年做好了規劃，就把它抄寫下來，經常拿出來提醒自己要朝著計劃做。聖靈一定會幫助我們按規劃做，使明年活得更充實。
This year will soon pass away, and a new year is going to come.
Sending away the old and receiving the new is a blessing in life, for it will help us to learn from the good and the bad of the past year, and encourage us to look forward to the future to plan for our new life. If we don’t know how to learn from the past, we will not plan for the future, and our life will slip away in vain. It is a very terrible thing in life.
God teaches us to give thanks for all things, especially during the end of the year to thank for the good things as well as the bad things. It is a unique way for Christians to review their past. If we sincerely give thanks, we will then seriously plan for the future.
If we want to live fruitfully in next year, we must seriously plan for our life. We should take time in these two weeks to make some plans to fill our days with meaning and purpose. There are some areas that need our plans to bring real satisfaction and fruitfulness to life, and they are monetary management, schedule and priority, interpersonal relationships, and ministry involvements.
After we have made plans for next year, we need to write it down as a reminder to keep us up with the plan in our daily routines. The Holy Spirit will also help us to fulfill our plans and bring satisfaction in our life.
送舊迎新是一種生活的祝福，因為它幫助我們總結過去好的與壞的經驗，也鼓勵我們展望未來，為新生活作規劃。假如一個人不懂得總結過去，就不會計劃將來，他的人生就會不知不覺地流逝。這是一件很可怕的事情。
神要我們感恩，特別是在每年的終結時，為過去一年的事情和遭遇感恩。這是基督徒對過去做總結的特殊方式。如果我們認真地為過去感恩，就一定會認真再計劃下一年的生活。
明年是否能活得充實，就看我們是否認真地為明年規劃。不妨在這兩個星期內，在下面範圍內做些規劃，為自己的生活創造更多充實的日子。最好能夠為明年在金錢、時間、人際關係和事奉上作規劃，使我們的生活每一天都過得充實與滿足。
為明年做好了規劃，就把它抄寫下來，經常拿出來提醒自己要朝著計劃做。聖靈一定會幫助我們按規劃做，使明年活得更充實。
This year will soon pass away, and a new year is going to come.
Sending away the old and receiving the new is a blessing in life, for it will help us to learn from the good and the bad of the past year, and encourage us to look forward to the future to plan for our new life. If we don’t know how to learn from the past, we will not plan for the future, and our life will slip away in vain. It is a very terrible thing in life.
God teaches us to give thanks for all things, especially during the end of the year to thank for the good things as well as the bad things. It is a unique way for Christians to review their past. If we sincerely give thanks, we will then seriously plan for the future.
If we want to live fruitfully in next year, we must seriously plan for our life. We should take time in these two weeks to make some plans to fill our days with meaning and purpose. There are some areas that need our plans to bring real satisfaction and fruitfulness to life, and they are monetary management, schedule and priority, interpersonal relationships, and ministry involvements.
After we have made plans for next year, we need to write it down as a reminder to keep us up with the plan in our daily routines. The Holy Spirit will also help us to fulfill our plans and bring satisfaction in our life.
我的好處不在主以外 All My Good Things Come From the Lord
這是今年的第一週，我要祝賀大家新春蒙福。 許多人在年頭會祈願，或作些立志，希望今年會更好，更多福氣，更多恩典。神的確願意祝福我們，並把各種恩典賜與我們。神是一切恩典的源頭和賜予者，離開了神就沒有真正的福氣了。因此，詩人說，「祢是我的主，祢是我一切幸福的源頭。」（詩16:2）詩人在這一個認定上有三個含意：
第一，人若要追求真福氣，就必須追求神，因為祂是真福的源頭。我們如果愛神和祂的國度，神一定賜福給我們。（太6:33）
第二，真正的福氣必包含屬靈的性質和目的。神賜給人的福氣必定使人更愛祂，更熱心祂的國度。（詩16:7-8）如果人得著了好處，但卻遠離神，使他分心不再關心祂的國度，那好處很可能不是從神那裡來的。
第三，領受了神的恩典和祝福的人，他們一定活得更有目標，更充滿了屬靈的喜樂與平安。（詩16:11）
在今年的第一個敬拜中，你願意向神許願，在今年更追求屬靈的福氣嗎？你願意也認定你的好處不在主以外嗎？
This is the first Sunday of this year, and I wish you all a very blessing New Year. Many people like to make wishes or New Year resolutions to look forward to more blessings in the year to come. God truly wants to bless us, and gives us all kind of goodness. God is the source of blessings and good things, and He loves to give to us. If we depart from Him we will not be able to receive any real blessings. The psalmist, therefore, points out that, “You are my Lord; all the good things I have come from you.” (Ps 16:2) There are three implications in this statement of the psalmist:
First, if we want to have real happiness, we must go back to God for He is the source of all blessings. If we love God and His kingdom, He will give us all His blessings. (Matt. 6:33)
Second, real blessings must have some spiritual quality and purpose. If we are blessed by God with many good things, we should love the Lord more, and commit to His kingdom. (Ps 16: 7-8) God will not bless us to separate us from Him. Not all “good things” are from God.
Third, for those who are blessed by God with many good things must have spiritual purpose in their life, and their spirits must be filled with peace and joy. (Ps 16:11)
In this first Sunday worship service of 2012, will you make a wish to ask more spiritual blessings from God? Will you determine to seek good things only in the Lord?
第一，人若要追求真福氣，就必須追求神，因為祂是真福的源頭。我們如果愛神和祂的國度，神一定賜福給我們。（太6:33）
第二，真正的福氣必包含屬靈的性質和目的。神賜給人的福氣必定使人更愛祂，更熱心祂的國度。（詩16:7-8）如果人得著了好處，但卻遠離神，使他分心不再關心祂的國度，那好處很可能不是從神那裡來的。
第三，領受了神的恩典和祝福的人，他們一定活得更有目標，更充滿了屬靈的喜樂與平安。（詩16:11）
在今年的第一個敬拜中，你願意向神許願，在今年更追求屬靈的福氣嗎？你願意也認定你的好處不在主以外嗎？
This is the first Sunday of this year, and I wish you all a very blessing New Year. Many people like to make wishes or New Year resolutions to look forward to more blessings in the year to come. God truly wants to bless us, and gives us all kind of goodness. God is the source of blessings and good things, and He loves to give to us. If we depart from Him we will not be able to receive any real blessings. The psalmist, therefore, points out that, “You are my Lord; all the good things I have come from you.” (Ps 16:2) There are three implications in this statement of the psalmist:
First, if we want to have real happiness, we must go back to God for He is the source of all blessings. If we love God and His kingdom, He will give us all His blessings. (Matt. 6:33)
Second, real blessings must have some spiritual quality and purpose. If we are blessed by God with many good things, we should love the Lord more, and commit to His kingdom. (Ps 16: 7-8) God will not bless us to separate us from Him. Not all “good things” are from God.
Third, for those who are blessed by God with many good things must have spiritual purpose in their life, and their spirits must be filled with peace and joy. (Ps 16:11)
In this first Sunday worship service of 2012, will you make a wish to ask more spiritual blessings from God? Will you determine to seek good things only in the Lord?
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