在中國的傳統認識中，智慧是指著人善用知識的能力，所謂「聖智才之善也」。這種善才之智，都是與修身有關的道德功夫，跟箴言論智慧不謀而有小合的之處。
以前讀書人追求知識學問，首要目的是修身，學做一個有德的人。今天的教育，把讀書和做學問只停留在增進知識上，學生讀了許多書，但仍然不懂做人的道理，更不用說要追求做一個有德之人了。因此在今天的社會裡，需要大力提倡研讀箴言，讓我們擁有許多知識的人，懂得一點生活的智慧，更重要的是讓我們基督徒學習過聖潔的生活。
箴言中論及的智慧，當然不只是生活的技巧或手段，她是一種敬畏神、親愛人的屬靈生命表現。如果沒有敬虔的生命，生活的智慧便會流於狡猾虛偽的手段。基督徒所追求的生活智慧是什麼呢？正如箴言九章十節所說，「敬畏耶和華是智慧的開端」，一切生活的智慧和技巧，必須建立在敬畏神的基礎上。我們需要學習生活的技巧，因為唯有透過生活，才能實踐屬靈的真理。而這種日常生活的智慧，是聖靈在我們生活中的啟迪與引導，幫助我們活用神的話語，為自己和別人帶來最大的益處，也同時能夠榮耀神的名。
In Chinese culture, wisdom is the ability to handle knowledge to serve the good purpose. Quite similar to Proverbs, wisdom in the Chinese literature is usually used in ethical cause for building up a moral person.
In the olden days, when a person pursued knowledge or education, he or she was pursuing a moral life. However, education in today is almost totally limited in acquiring information and book knowledge, and no one seems to care about morality or ethics, not to say building up a moral person. Therefore, studying Proverbs is very important in today society, which will help people with head full of knowledge gain some wisdom and know how to live a godly life.
Wisdom in Proverbs is not only a skill or a tactics of life, but the quality of a God-fearing life. Without such spiritual life quality, wisdom will be downgraded as skill of manipulation. What kind of wisdom should a Christian seek after? All the wisdom we want should spring from the fear of the Lord, just as proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”. Christian should have some skills to handle life situations, for in which we can put biblical principles into practices. Holy Spirit wants to give us wisdom to live out God’s word to glorify His name, and to bring good to our lives and other people’s lives.
禱告的操練 Spiritual Discipline of Prayer
有人用呼吸空氣來表示禱告的重要，就好像生命需要呼吸才能生存，屬靈生命需要禱告才能成長。
為什麼屬靈生命需要禱告才能成長呢？禱告不是向神要東西的手段嗎？沒事就不需要向神禱告了。很多人都是這樣了解禱告，也有很多人在有事向神求的時候才禱告。當禱告好像蒙應允了就高興，得不到所求時就埋怨神。這樣錯誤的看待禱告，使很多基督徒越禱告就越遠離神，越禱告靈命就越幼稚，也把神看作是偶像，把基督的信仰看作是另類的巫術。
然而，禱告如果不是求神做事的一種手段，又是什麼呢？禱告是尋求認識神，明白祂的旨意，讓我們可以遵行祂的教導，服事祂和服事別人。當門徒問耶穌有關禱告的問題，主就給了他們一個原則，把禱告成為屬靈成長的一個重要的操練。在主的教導中，我們可以看見禱告跟認識神的旨意和祂的國度，並與人相交團契有著重要的關係。主耶穌要我們經常禱告，因為禱告可以使我們明白神的旨意，給我們力量遵行主的教導，努力完成天國的責任，懂得與信徒相交團契，並追求簡樸榮耀神的生活。
如果我們明白主在禱告上的教導，並努力去遵行，禱告就能使我們的屬靈生命成長堅強，更能榮耀神及祝福別人。
I heard some one uses breathing as an analogy to talk about the importance of prayer. Like breathing will sustain life, prayer will grow our spiritual life.
But why does spiritual life need prayer to grow? Is prayer only a means to get what you want from God? If I need nothing from God why should I pray? This is how most people see prayer, and they will pray to God only if they need something from Him. When prayer is so called “answered” they are happy, but if not, they will blame God for not answering as they asked. With such wrong understanding of prayer, “prayer” makes many Christians distance from God further and further away. Their spiritual lives will be weakened as they pray, and God becomes their idol, and therefore, Christian faith is viewed as another kind of witchcraft.
If prayer is not a means to make God work for us, then, what is prayer? Prayer is a spiritual discipline to allow us to seek deeper understanding of God, and to know and obey His will and teaching. Prayer is also a service or ministry that we can use to minister others. When the disciples asked Jesus about prayer, our Lord gave them a principle of prayer, and made it clear that it was a very crucial spiritual discipline.
In Jesus’ teaching, we can see the important relationship between prayer and the understanding of God’s will and His kingdom, and how we can fellowship with each other. Jesus taught us to pray unceasingly because prayer will bring understanding of God’s will, and give us strength to obey His teaching, and motivate us to fulfill the kingdom mission. It will also teach us how to build fellowship with our fellow Christians, and to live a simple life to glorify God.
If we understand the teaching of our Lord in prayer, and do it accordingly, prayer will build us a strong spiritual life so that we can bless others and glorify God.
為什麼屬靈生命需要禱告才能成長呢？禱告不是向神要東西的手段嗎？沒事就不需要向神禱告了。很多人都是這樣了解禱告，也有很多人在有事向神求的時候才禱告。當禱告好像蒙應允了就高興，得不到所求時就埋怨神。這樣錯誤的看待禱告，使很多基督徒越禱告就越遠離神，越禱告靈命就越幼稚，也把神看作是偶像，把基督的信仰看作是另類的巫術。
然而，禱告如果不是求神做事的一種手段，又是什麼呢？禱告是尋求認識神，明白祂的旨意，讓我們可以遵行祂的教導，服事祂和服事別人。當門徒問耶穌有關禱告的問題，主就給了他們一個原則，把禱告成為屬靈成長的一個重要的操練。在主的教導中，我們可以看見禱告跟認識神的旨意和祂的國度，並與人相交團契有著重要的關係。主耶穌要我們經常禱告，因為禱告可以使我們明白神的旨意，給我們力量遵行主的教導，努力完成天國的責任，懂得與信徒相交團契，並追求簡樸榮耀神的生活。
如果我們明白主在禱告上的教導，並努力去遵行，禱告就能使我們的屬靈生命成長堅強，更能榮耀神及祝福別人。
I heard some one uses breathing as an analogy to talk about the importance of prayer. Like breathing will sustain life, prayer will grow our spiritual life.
But why does spiritual life need prayer to grow? Is prayer only a means to get what you want from God? If I need nothing from God why should I pray? This is how most people see prayer, and they will pray to God only if they need something from Him. When prayer is so called “answered” they are happy, but if not, they will blame God for not answering as they asked. With such wrong understanding of prayer, “prayer” makes many Christians distance from God further and further away. Their spiritual lives will be weakened as they pray, and God becomes their idol, and therefore, Christian faith is viewed as another kind of witchcraft.
If prayer is not a means to make God work for us, then, what is prayer? Prayer is a spiritual discipline to allow us to seek deeper understanding of God, and to know and obey His will and teaching. Prayer is also a service or ministry that we can use to minister others. When the disciples asked Jesus about prayer, our Lord gave them a principle of prayer, and made it clear that it was a very crucial spiritual discipline.
In Jesus’ teaching, we can see the important relationship between prayer and the understanding of God’s will and His kingdom, and how we can fellowship with each other. Jesus taught us to pray unceasingly because prayer will bring understanding of God’s will, and give us strength to obey His teaching, and motivate us to fulfill the kingdom mission. It will also teach us how to build fellowship with our fellow Christians, and to live a simple life to glorify God.
If we understand the teaching of our Lord in prayer, and do it accordingly, prayer will build us a strong spiritual life so that we can bless others and glorify God.
主為何要復活 Why Must Jesus Resurrect from Death?
在基督徒的信仰中，有兩個日子是非常重要的，第一個是聖誕節，第二個就是復活節。在一般人的心目中，聖誕節似乎比復活節要受歡迎和重要得多。聖誕節可能是因為慶祝耶穌的生日，再加上聖經對當時的情景的描寫，使人有一種喜悅、平安和快樂的感覺。復活節卻與耶穌的苦難和死亡、並門徒的困惑緊密連在一起，給人們帶來許多悲傷和深沉的感想。因此，人們喜歡慶祝聖誕節多於復活節，甚至連基督徒也是如此。
保羅在哥林多前書中卻有不同的看法，並且指出耶穌的復活是我們信仰的基礎（林前15:17-19）。我們可以說，聖誕節之所以有意義乃是因為復活節，因為基督如果沒有復活，祂便不過是眾多的智者或宗教家中的一位。如果耶穌沒有復活，他給人類的貢獻就不是拯救，最多不過是留下一個聖人的榜樣，或一些發人深省的箴言和教訓等。
然而耶穌必須要復活，證明祂不只是一位智者、道德教師或宗教家，祂乃是祂所說的神的兒子。門徒因為經歷了復活的耶穌，改變了他們對耶穌的認識，確信祂就是神成為了人的彌賽亞。
耶穌必須要復活，不然祂便無法拯救我們，因為拯救包括兩個結果：第一是罪得赦免；第二是得著新的生命（約3:16）。在天下人間，除了神沒有人有能力和權柄赦免人的罪，也沒有人能賜人新的生命。耶穌必須以復活來證明祂是神，可以赦免信靠祂的人，又可以賜與我們新的生命，正如祂曾創造了我們的生命一樣。
耶穌必須要復活，因為祂應許要與我們同在。我們雖然因信耶穌而得救，但我們還沒有成為完全，新的生命需要成長，祂的復活是要應驗同在的應許。我們在人生的掙扎中不至於絕望，乃是因為復活的主今天仍然活著！
There are two important dates in our Christian faith, which are Christmas and Easter. But to the publics, Christmas seems to be more important and welcomed than Easter. There may be reasons that Christmas is the season of celebrating Jesus’ birthday, together with the beautiful images that the Bible gives to the birth of Jesus, which give people the feeling of peace and joy. Easter, however, is so closely related to the death and suffering of the Lord, and the agony of His disciples that gives people the feelings of sadness and depression. Therefore, people like to celebrate Christmas more than Easter, and it is sometimes even true to many Christians.
Interestingly, however, that Paul gave us a quite different perspective when he wrote the First Corinthians, and has clearly confirmed that the resurrection of Jesus was the foundation of our faith (1 Cor 15:17-19). Christmas, from this perspective, gains its significance from Easter, for if Christ did not resurrect He was only just one of many wise men or religious leaders. If Jesus did not resurrect from death, His contribution to us was not salvation, but only leaving us with a model of a sage or some inspiring sayings.
Jesus had to resurrect from death for He needed to prove himself not being only as wise man, a moral teacher or a religious leader, but also as what He said to be the Son of God. The disciples, because of having experienced Jesus’ resurrection, had changed their perception on Jesus, and were convinced that He was the God-incarnated Messiah.
Jesus had to resurrect from death, or otherwise, he is not able to save us, for salvation will bring two consequences, and they are sin being forgiven and new life (John 3:16). No person under heaven is able to forgive sin and give new life to anybody except God. Jesus had to resurrect from death to prove that he is God, and has the power and authority to forgive our sin and give us new lives just as God had created us lives.
Jesus had to resurrect from death to fulfill His promise of being with us always. We are saved when we have received Jesus as our Savior, but we are not perfect yet. For helping us to grow, Jesus has promised to be with us. It is because He lives, we will not be despaired even though we have so many struggles in life.
保羅在哥林多前書中卻有不同的看法，並且指出耶穌的復活是我們信仰的基礎（林前15:17-19）。我們可以說，聖誕節之所以有意義乃是因為復活節，因為基督如果沒有復活，祂便不過是眾多的智者或宗教家中的一位。如果耶穌沒有復活，他給人類的貢獻就不是拯救，最多不過是留下一個聖人的榜樣，或一些發人深省的箴言和教訓等。
然而耶穌必須要復活，證明祂不只是一位智者、道德教師或宗教家，祂乃是祂所說的神的兒子。門徒因為經歷了復活的耶穌，改變了他們對耶穌的認識，確信祂就是神成為了人的彌賽亞。
耶穌必須要復活，不然祂便無法拯救我們，因為拯救包括兩個結果：第一是罪得赦免；第二是得著新的生命（約3:16）。在天下人間，除了神沒有人有能力和權柄赦免人的罪，也沒有人能賜人新的生命。耶穌必須以復活來證明祂是神，可以赦免信靠祂的人，又可以賜與我們新的生命，正如祂曾創造了我們的生命一樣。
耶穌必須要復活，因為祂應許要與我們同在。我們雖然因信耶穌而得救，但我們還沒有成為完全，新的生命需要成長，祂的復活是要應驗同在的應許。我們在人生的掙扎中不至於絕望，乃是因為復活的主今天仍然活著！
There are two important dates in our Christian faith, which are Christmas and Easter. But to the publics, Christmas seems to be more important and welcomed than Easter. There may be reasons that Christmas is the season of celebrating Jesus’ birthday, together with the beautiful images that the Bible gives to the birth of Jesus, which give people the feeling of peace and joy. Easter, however, is so closely related to the death and suffering of the Lord, and the agony of His disciples that gives people the feelings of sadness and depression. Therefore, people like to celebrate Christmas more than Easter, and it is sometimes even true to many Christians.
Interestingly, however, that Paul gave us a quite different perspective when he wrote the First Corinthians, and has clearly confirmed that the resurrection of Jesus was the foundation of our faith (1 Cor 15:17-19). Christmas, from this perspective, gains its significance from Easter, for if Christ did not resurrect He was only just one of many wise men or religious leaders. If Jesus did not resurrect from death, His contribution to us was not salvation, but only leaving us with a model of a sage or some inspiring sayings.
Jesus had to resurrect from death for He needed to prove himself not being only as wise man, a moral teacher or a religious leader, but also as what He said to be the Son of God. The disciples, because of having experienced Jesus’ resurrection, had changed their perception on Jesus, and were convinced that He was the God-incarnated Messiah.
Jesus had to resurrect from death, or otherwise, he is not able to save us, for salvation will bring two consequences, and they are sin being forgiven and new life (John 3:16). No person under heaven is able to forgive sin and give new life to anybody except God. Jesus had to resurrect from death to prove that he is God, and has the power and authority to forgive our sin and give us new lives just as God had created us lives.
Jesus had to resurrect from death to fulfill His promise of being with us always. We are saved when we have received Jesus as our Savior, but we are not perfect yet. For helping us to grow, Jesus has promised to be with us. It is because He lives, we will not be despaired even though we have so many struggles in life.
七項關乎耶穌復活的事實 Seven Facts of the Resurrection of Jesus
- 耶穌預言祂的復活
Jesus predicted His resurrection (Matt 16:21; Mark 9:9-10; John 2:18-22). - 舊約預言祂的復活
The Old Testament prophesied it (Psalm 16:10; compare Acts 2:25-31; 13:33-37). - 墳墓是空的，如果有人要禁止使徒的宣講，只要把屍體拿出來就可以了，但沒有人能這樣做
The tomb was empty and the grave clothes vacant. if those who opposed Christ wished to silence His disciples, all they had to do was produce a body, but they could not (John 20:3-9). - 有許多人親眼看過復活的耶穌；他們看見祂的面容，摸過祂的身體，聽過祂的聲音，又跟祂一同吃過飯
Many people saw the resurrected Christ. They looked on His face, touched Him, heard His voice, and saw Him eat (Matt. 28:16-20; Luke 24:13-39; John 20:11-29; John 21:1-9; Acts 1:6-11; 1 Cor. 15:3-8). - 門徒的生命因為經歷了耶穌的復活起了革命性的轉變。他們雖然在耶穌被捉拿時怕得要死，逃跑了、躱起來了，甚至否認跟耶穌的關係，但不到兩個月他們竟然不怕死，開始宣揚耶穌復活的事。
The lives of the disciples were revolutionized. Though they fled and even denied Christ at the time of His arrest, they later feared no one in their proclamation of the risen Christ (Matt 26:56, 69-75). - 耶穌的復活是初期教會宣講的主題。教會雖然不斷增長，但卻沒有改變對基督復活的信念，並以這位復活的基督作為教會的主。
The resurrection was the central message of the early church. The church grew with an unwavering conviction that Christ had risen and was the Lord of the church (Acts 4:33; 5:30-32; Rom. 5:24). - 今天依然有成千上萬的人見證這位復活的基督如何改變了他們的生命。我們知道耶穌是活著的，不單是擁有大量的歷史和聖經的證據，更是因為祂奇妙地改變了我們的生命。
Men and women today testify that the power of the risen Christ has transformed their lives. We know that Jesus is alive not only because of the historical and biblical evidence but also because He has miraculously touched our lives.
把信仰帶回家│Take Faith Home
耶穌基督的復活應許了我們生命更新變化的可能。我們要靠著祂復活的大能來改變自己的不良習慣或生活方式。在這一週請你找出一樣你想改變的習慣放在禱告和實踐中，求主以復活的大能幫助你。
The resurrection of Jesus to us is also a promise that He will empower us to transform our bad lifestyle and habits. Please find one thing either from your lifestyle or habits that you want Him to transform and put it into your prayer and work on it this week.
逾越節 Passover
逾越節是以色列人記念出埃及的經歷。神以一隻羊羔的血，拯救以色列人離開埃及的奴役，而這隻羊羔便成了逾越節的羊羔，象徵了耶穌的死和為全人類帶來的救贖。
在逾越節的時候，以色列人只能吃無酵餅，而無酵在新約成了無罪的象徵，那餅便象徵了耶穌的身體。人類的罪如果要能被赦免，除非來自一個無罪又有能力赦罪的人。耶穌的一生沒有犯過罪，因為他的一生都遵行著天父的旨意。他是神成為人，替人類作出犧牲，來拯救在罪中受苦的人。因此，耶穌便把以色列人的逾越節，轉化成為他的最後的晚餐，宣告他救贖人類的工作完成了，他就是那隻逾越節的羔羊。他將在十字架上捨棄他的身體，而那塊無酵餅便成了他的身體的象徵，為人類而擘開。
逾越節已成了我們今天每月第一個主日所守的主餐。主耶穌把凡接受祂作為救主的人，都從罪的奴役中拯救出來。下一個主日就是復活節，讓我們在這星期預備好，一同慶祝主的復活，和我們因祂的復活而獲得的新生命。
Passover is a festival for Israelites to celebrate the Exodus experience. God had prepared a lamb and used its blood to deliver them from the slavery, and that lamb became the Passover lamb. This Passover lamb now becomes the symbol of Jesus Christ and His death to bring salvation to all mankind.
During the Passover meals Israelites can only eat unleavened bread. In New Testament, the bread unleavened symbolizes no sin, and that bread becomes the symbol of the body of our Lord Jesus. Our sin can be forgiven unless by some one who has no sin and has the power to forgive. Jesus has committed no sin in his entire life, because he obeyed the heavenly Father. Jesus was the God incarnated who came to sacrifice for saving us from sin. Therefore, the Passover meal has transformed into the Lord’s Supper, and during the Lord’s Supper he revealed His work of redemption. Jesus is that Passover Lamb. His body was hung on the cross, and the bread is the symbol of His body broken for all human beings.
Passover has transformed into the Lord’s Supper that we have been observing on the first Sunday of every month. Jesus has saved those who accepted Him as their Savior and Lord from the bondage of sin. Next Sunday will be the Easter Sunday, and I encourage you to prepare to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and our new lives in Him.
在逾越節的時候，以色列人只能吃無酵餅，而無酵在新約成了無罪的象徵，那餅便象徵了耶穌的身體。人類的罪如果要能被赦免，除非來自一個無罪又有能力赦罪的人。耶穌的一生沒有犯過罪，因為他的一生都遵行著天父的旨意。他是神成為人，替人類作出犧牲，來拯救在罪中受苦的人。因此，耶穌便把以色列人的逾越節，轉化成為他的最後的晚餐，宣告他救贖人類的工作完成了，他就是那隻逾越節的羔羊。他將在十字架上捨棄他的身體，而那塊無酵餅便成了他的身體的象徵，為人類而擘開。
逾越節已成了我們今天每月第一個主日所守的主餐。主耶穌把凡接受祂作為救主的人，都從罪的奴役中拯救出來。下一個主日就是復活節，讓我們在這星期預備好，一同慶祝主的復活，和我們因祂的復活而獲得的新生命。
Passover is a festival for Israelites to celebrate the Exodus experience. God had prepared a lamb and used its blood to deliver them from the slavery, and that lamb became the Passover lamb. This Passover lamb now becomes the symbol of Jesus Christ and His death to bring salvation to all mankind.
During the Passover meals Israelites can only eat unleavened bread. In New Testament, the bread unleavened symbolizes no sin, and that bread becomes the symbol of the body of our Lord Jesus. Our sin can be forgiven unless by some one who has no sin and has the power to forgive. Jesus has committed no sin in his entire life, because he obeyed the heavenly Father. Jesus was the God incarnated who came to sacrifice for saving us from sin. Therefore, the Passover meal has transformed into the Lord’s Supper, and during the Lord’s Supper he revealed His work of redemption. Jesus is that Passover Lamb. His body was hung on the cross, and the bread is the symbol of His body broken for all human beings.
Passover has transformed into the Lord’s Supper that we have been observing on the first Sunday of every month. Jesus has saved those who accepted Him as their Savior and Lord from the bondage of sin. Next Sunday will be the Easter Sunday, and I encourage you to prepare to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and our new lives in Him.
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