今天已有許多人意識到環保的重要，從政府到民間團體及個人，都熱心參與環保的工作。我們如果要生活得健康，居住得快樂，就要保護大自然，不要讓土地、河海和空氣受到污染與破壞。
大多數人認識到地理空間會影響我們生活的質素，但卻很少人留意心靈空間也一樣會影響我們的生活，尤其是影響我們的屬靈生活和品格的成長。語言環境就屬於心靈空間的一部分，直接影響著我們的屬靈生命。我們要保護生活中的語言環境，讓自己和身邊的人活得更開心、更健康。
若要保護空間環境，第一不要濫用和污染它，第二要藉著淨化和綠化，還原神創造時的美好。同樣地，我們要保護語言環境，首先不要濫用自己說話的權柄，用言語污染我們和別人共同分享的心靈空間。第二，我們要積極地使用言語來淨化美化這片心靈的天地，例如多說鼓勵的話，或用言語安慰憂傷的人等。
箴言裡有許多論及說話和語言的教導，因為神要我們善用自己的舌頭。你可以一一把它們找出來嗎？
Nowadays, people are more conscious about conserving our environment, from government to voluntary organizations, to individuals; everybody enthusiastically joins in the force of conserving the nature. If we want to live a healthy and happy life, we have to protect the nature, and don’t pollute the lands, rivers and seas or the air.
As matter of fact, many people have realized how geographical environment affects our living quality, but still ignore the impact that mental environment gives to our life, especially to our spiritual well being and character. Verbal environment is part of this mental environment, which will affect our spiritual well being. We should be responsible for conserving our verbal environment to allow others and ourselves to live happily and healthily.
If we want to conserve the natural environment, first of all, we should not abuse and pollute it; and then, through purifying and greening we restore the beauty of the creation. Likewise, if we want to conserve the verbal environment, we should not abuse our right of speech to pollute the shared mental environment. However, we should use our tongue positively to add beauty into the world of words, for instance, words of encouragement or comfort.
God has given us a lot of lessons regarding words and speech in the book of Proverbs. Can you list them out from the book to learn what God wants us to do with our tongue?
控制舌頭 Control Our Tongue
說話的能力是神賦予人的恩賜。人需要說話，也喜愛說話。說話不單為了溝通，也是一種自我表現和舒緩或發洩情緒的重要手段。說話也好像其他屬靈的操練一樣，要我們經常留意，也要明白聖經的教導。我們要學習把說話的能力奉獻給主，讓祂使用我們所說的話，既能表達自己，讓自己有好的、正常和健康的情緒與感受，也能造就別人，祝福聆聽的人。
我以前在講道中曾提及語言是一種力量，它可以是建立生命的力量，也可以成為破壞生命的力量。基督徒必須重視自己的言談，因為我們是諦造和平的使者，也是與神同工的生命建造者。我們如果因為亂說話，破壞了一個人的信心，甚至影響一個人因此不接受耶穌，就形同犯了破壞生命的罪。
然而，如果因為善於說話，鼓勵了一個人屬命成長，或帶領了一個人接受耶穌，就善用了語言的恩賜，建立了生命。
Speaking is a God given ability to human beings. People need to speak and love to speak. The purpose for speaking is not only to communicate, but also to express our thoughts, feelings and emotions. Like other spiritual disciplines, speaking is also a discipline to Christians, and we should be consciously practicing it according to the biblical teaching in this area. We should dedicate our tongue to the Lord, and let Him use it to bless and build people up, and correctly and healthy to express our thoughts and emotions.
I have once preached that speech is a form of power, which can build up life as well as destroy life. Christian must be very cautious in speech, for we are messengers of peace, and working with God to build up life. If we speak carelessly, we may destroy people’s faith, and push them away from receiving Jesus. This is a sin of harming people’s spiritual life.
However, if we can make good use of our tongue to encourage a person to grow or to lead another person to Jesus, then we are good stewards in speech, and people’s life will be blessed.
我以前在講道中曾提及語言是一種力量，它可以是建立生命的力量，也可以成為破壞生命的力量。基督徒必須重視自己的言談，因為我們是諦造和平的使者，也是與神同工的生命建造者。我們如果因為亂說話，破壞了一個人的信心，甚至影響一個人因此不接受耶穌，就形同犯了破壞生命的罪。
然而，如果因為善於說話，鼓勵了一個人屬命成長，或帶領了一個人接受耶穌，就善用了語言的恩賜，建立了生命。
Speaking is a God given ability to human beings. People need to speak and love to speak. The purpose for speaking is not only to communicate, but also to express our thoughts, feelings and emotions. Like other spiritual disciplines, speaking is also a discipline to Christians, and we should be consciously practicing it according to the biblical teaching in this area. We should dedicate our tongue to the Lord, and let Him use it to bless and build people up, and correctly and healthy to express our thoughts and emotions.
I have once preached that speech is a form of power, which can build up life as well as destroy life. Christian must be very cautious in speech, for we are messengers of peace, and working with God to build up life. If we speak carelessly, we may destroy people’s faith, and push them away from receiving Jesus. This is a sin of harming people’s spiritual life.
However, if we can make good use of our tongue to encourage a person to grow or to lead another person to Jesus, then we are good stewards in speech, and people’s life will be blessed.
有人需要你 Someone Needs You
近來我深深感受到人生走來極不容易，因為眼看許多人面對沉重的壓力和挑戰、人際間的矛盾衝突、身體受到疾病的煎熬、家人染病或過世，再加上工作壓力等等，讓教會有一種喘不過氣的感覺。然而，我們也看見神在苦難和壓力中依然與我們同在，祂的愛和鼓勵沒有離開過我們。我們感謝神，因為有些人熬過了苦難，有些人從軟弱中站了起來，也有些人成為別人的安慰。
我走過了五十多年的歲月，一直在問人生是什麼？什麼樣的人生最美、最好呢？我想，答案顯然不是無苦無痛、一帆風順、輕鬆省力的人生；乃是有力量承擔壓力和挑戰，在苦難中有安慰與鼓勵，當苦難和壓力過去後，能成為別人的幫助。
假如我有必須要經過的苦難和挑戰，我將不祈求神把它們拿去，但我懇求祂賜我力量去勝過，並在苦難中有安慰。這就是我曾體會過的基督徒團契的情誼，也是我願意努力在這個群體中經營的生活。我認為在苦難中獲得別人的安慰是一種祝福，而能安慰受苦難者的人便是神的使者。我盼望在教會中有隨時願意祝福別人的神的使者。
Recently, I have deeply realized that life is not easy, because I saw so many people suffered from a lot of stress and hardships. Conflicts in relationship, sickness, and loved ones passed away or being sick, plus work stress and challenges, all make our church out of breath.
However, we also saw God was with us even in suffering and stress, and His love and encouragement would never leave us. I thank God for I saw people have managed their lives through sufferings, and others stood up again from the bottom of the valley of life, and even more that some became others’ comfort.
I have just gone through a little more than fifty years in life, and am still asking the old question. What is life? How can I live a beautiful and good life? Easy and smooth life should not be the answer. But a life that is strong enough to pick up challenges and handle stress, and willing to be comforted when in suffering. A life that is eager to help others especially after going through suffering.
If I must go through suffering and challenge, I pray that I will not ask God to remove it, but for strength to overcome it, and comfort in the midst of it. This is what I have tasted in Christian fellowship, and what I am trying to build among us. I truly believe that it is a great blessing to receive comfort in suffering, and those who comfort the sufferer are angels from God. I pray that we will have a lot of comforting angels in our church.
我走過了五十多年的歲月，一直在問人生是什麼？什麼樣的人生最美、最好呢？我想，答案顯然不是無苦無痛、一帆風順、輕鬆省力的人生；乃是有力量承擔壓力和挑戰，在苦難中有安慰與鼓勵，當苦難和壓力過去後，能成為別人的幫助。
假如我有必須要經過的苦難和挑戰，我將不祈求神把它們拿去，但我懇求祂賜我力量去勝過，並在苦難中有安慰。這就是我曾體會過的基督徒團契的情誼，也是我願意努力在這個群體中經營的生活。我認為在苦難中獲得別人的安慰是一種祝福，而能安慰受苦難者的人便是神的使者。我盼望在教會中有隨時願意祝福別人的神的使者。
Recently, I have deeply realized that life is not easy, because I saw so many people suffered from a lot of stress and hardships. Conflicts in relationship, sickness, and loved ones passed away or being sick, plus work stress and challenges, all make our church out of breath.
However, we also saw God was with us even in suffering and stress, and His love and encouragement would never leave us. I thank God for I saw people have managed their lives through sufferings, and others stood up again from the bottom of the valley of life, and even more that some became others’ comfort.
I have just gone through a little more than fifty years in life, and am still asking the old question. What is life? How can I live a beautiful and good life? Easy and smooth life should not be the answer. But a life that is strong enough to pick up challenges and handle stress, and willing to be comforted when in suffering. A life that is eager to help others especially after going through suffering.
If I must go through suffering and challenge, I pray that I will not ask God to remove it, but for strength to overcome it, and comfort in the midst of it. This is what I have tasted in Christian fellowship, and what I am trying to build among us. I truly believe that it is a great blessing to receive comfort in suffering, and those who comfort the sufferer are angels from God. I pray that we will have a lot of comforting angels in our church.
進入安息年 Enter Into A Sabbatical Year
在十誡的第四條是守安息日，每工作六天之後要分別第七天出來，定作安息日歸神為聖日。什麼是分別出來歸神為聖日呢？我們必須明白什麼是分別為聖，才能明白安息日的意義。這樣我們便明白神為什麼要定第七日為安息日，嚴格要求人來遵守，並指定那是聖日。
神創造人來與祂同工，作祂的管家管理地上一切，也包括人自己的生命和每天的生活。因此，人便在工作中獲得了快樂和滿足。然而，人也很容易在工作中迷失，誤以為工作就是一切，也以為自己的手可以創造自己的人生和世界，便忘記了管家的職份，也忘記了神才是人類和世界的主。
神告訴人創造已經完成了，第七天便定為安息日，要提醒人作為管家的身份，以神為主來與祂同工，作祂的管家。因此安息日並不單單是給人來休息的，乃是要人在工作中停下來，每七天就作自我檢討，調整自己的屬靈生命和日常生活的態度。神在六天已創造完畢了，所以人不要以為自己可以創造些什麼。人只能當管家，也只勝任作管家，越過界就會造成混亂和破壞，破壞大自然也破壞自己的生命和人關係。這就是為什麼神那麼嚴格要求人守安息日。
讓我們好好地調整自己的生活；從屬靈的生活到家庭的生活，從日常的工作到教會的事奉，學習做一個健康快樂的管家，享受與神同工的樂趣。
Observing Sabbath as the holy day is the fourth commandment that God commands us to keep for Him after six days of work and labor. What does it mean by “keeping it holy unto the Lord”? We should understand its meaning before we can fully grasp the meaning of observing the Sabbath. Hence, we will appreciate the reason that God gives to this commandment, and commands us to keep the seventh day as a holy day.
God has created us to work with Him as His stewards to manage this creation including our life and daily activities. We, therefore, find satisfaction and happiness in work. Unfortunately, however, we are very easily lost in work, and mistakenly think that we alone can create the world and master our life, so much so that, work becomes everything in our life. We forget our role as stewards and disguise ourselves as the masters of our life and the world and God has no place in our hearts. God sets aside the seventh day as the Sabbath day for He has finished His creation, and reminds us that He is the only Lord and we are His stewards. Therefore, Sabbath day is not only for us to rest from work, but also a day to refocus and adjust our spiritual life and attitude toward our daily living. We have no part in any creation for God has done all the creation by Himself alone. We are only stewards, and cannot create anything except manage what have been entrusted to us. If we want to lord over God’s creation, we will bring damage and chaos to the nature, our life and relationships. This is the reason why God strictly commands us to observe the Sabbath day.
Let us examine our life, from our personal spirituality to family life, from our daily work life to church life and ministry, to readjust our focus, and learn to be a happy and healthy steward to work with the Lord.
神創造人來與祂同工，作祂的管家管理地上一切，也包括人自己的生命和每天的生活。因此，人便在工作中獲得了快樂和滿足。然而，人也很容易在工作中迷失，誤以為工作就是一切，也以為自己的手可以創造自己的人生和世界，便忘記了管家的職份，也忘記了神才是人類和世界的主。
神告訴人創造已經完成了，第七天便定為安息日，要提醒人作為管家的身份，以神為主來與祂同工，作祂的管家。因此安息日並不單單是給人來休息的，乃是要人在工作中停下來，每七天就作自我檢討，調整自己的屬靈生命和日常生活的態度。神在六天已創造完畢了，所以人不要以為自己可以創造些什麼。人只能當管家，也只勝任作管家，越過界就會造成混亂和破壞，破壞大自然也破壞自己的生命和人關係。這就是為什麼神那麼嚴格要求人守安息日。
讓我們好好地調整自己的生活；從屬靈的生活到家庭的生活，從日常的工作到教會的事奉，學習做一個健康快樂的管家，享受與神同工的樂趣。
Observing Sabbath as the holy day is the fourth commandment that God commands us to keep for Him after six days of work and labor. What does it mean by “keeping it holy unto the Lord”? We should understand its meaning before we can fully grasp the meaning of observing the Sabbath. Hence, we will appreciate the reason that God gives to this commandment, and commands us to keep the seventh day as a holy day.
God has created us to work with Him as His stewards to manage this creation including our life and daily activities. We, therefore, find satisfaction and happiness in work. Unfortunately, however, we are very easily lost in work, and mistakenly think that we alone can create the world and master our life, so much so that, work becomes everything in our life. We forget our role as stewards and disguise ourselves as the masters of our life and the world and God has no place in our hearts. God sets aside the seventh day as the Sabbath day for He has finished His creation, and reminds us that He is the only Lord and we are His stewards. Therefore, Sabbath day is not only for us to rest from work, but also a day to refocus and adjust our spiritual life and attitude toward our daily living. We have no part in any creation for God has done all the creation by Himself alone. We are only stewards, and cannot create anything except manage what have been entrusted to us. If we want to lord over God’s creation, we will bring damage and chaos to the nature, our life and relationships. This is the reason why God strictly commands us to observe the Sabbath day.
Let us examine our life, from our personal spirituality to family life, from our daily work life to church life and ministry, to readjust our focus, and learn to be a happy and healthy steward to work with the Lord.
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