持久的態度
詩篇十五篇
1耶和華啊，誰能寄居你的帳幕？誰能住在你的聖山？
2就是行為正直、做事公義、心裡說實話的人。
3他不以舌頭讒謗人，不惡待朋友，也不隨夥毀謗鄰里。
4他眼中藐視匪類，卻尊重那敬畏耶和華的人。他發了誓，雖然自己吃虧，也不更改。
5他不放債取利，不受賄賂以害無辜。行這些事的人必永不動搖。
信息分享
在加拉太書五章22-23節，最後一組形容聖靈果子的詞是「信實、溫柔和節制」，是關於我們持久的態度。加上這三種，便完全了聖靈要在我們裡面建立的基督的品格。
信實與我們的委身及承諾有關。你有沒有留意詩篇十五篇4節下怎樣說：「他發了誓，雖然自己吃虧，也不更改。」我們曾經承諾做的事，縱然為我們帶來不便，我們能否信守到底呢？許多時候，教會邀請或委任某信徒承擔某項工作，或接受某個崗位，結果卻發現他甚麼也沒做。音樂家無故缺席，或教師無端缺課，一定會帶來很多麻煩。箴言十二章22節活的聖經譯為：「神喜悅信守承諾的人。」我們如何回應這樣的要求呢？
溫柔在KJV版本譯為溫順，它是謙卑的標記。聖經只有兩位人物被形容為「溫柔」，就是摩西和耶穌。當雅各和約翰爭著作領袖的時候，記住耶穌如何教訓他們：「誰願為大，就當作眾人的僕人。」（可十44）
溫柔有別於懦弱。我們的主擁有大使命中天上地下的權柄，可是，祂卻是柔和謙卑。保羅在提摩太後書二章25節提醒提摩太，要用溫柔勸戒那抵擋神的僕人的人；這實在並不容易。
節制是九種品格中的最後一項。箴言二十五章28節指出：「人不制伏自己的心，好像毀壞的城邑，沒有牆垣。」他敞開城門任敵人攻取。年輕人唯有學會節制，才能勝過朋輩的壓力。
這便是聖靈的果子，只要我們容讓聖靈在我們心中工作，祂就會幫助我們建立這些品格。
OUR CONTINUING ATTITUDE
Psalm 15
1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
3 He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;
4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the LORD;
He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 He who does not put out his money at usury,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.
Message
Faithfulness has to do with our commitments or promises. Did you notice the words of the second part of Psalm 15:4 (he) “who keeps his oath (his promise) even when it hurts”? Can we be relied on to do what we say even when it is inconvenient to ourselves? In a church situation, so often a person is asked or appointed to do a particular task or accept a position, only to discover that they have done nothing about it. A musician or a teacher who fails to turn up can cause very real problems. Proverbs 12:22 in the Living Bible says, “God delights in those who keep their promises.” How do we respond to that?
Gentleness is translated as meekness in the KJV. It is a mark of humility. Only two people are spoken of in the Bible as being meek: Moses and Jesus Christ. Remember the words of Christ to James and John when they wanted prominence, “Whoever wants to be great among you, let him be the servant of all.” (Mark 10:44)
Meekness is not the same as weakness. Our Lord, who had all the power of heaven and earth at His command, was meek and lowly. In 2 Timothy 2:25 Paul reminds Timothy that even those who oppose the Lord’s servant must be dealt with gently. That is not natural.
Self-control or temperance is the last word of the nine. Proverbs 25:28 says, “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” He is open to every attack of the enemy. Peer pressure among our young people can only be faced where that person has learned self-control.
These are the fruit of the Spirit. He will produce them all if we will allow Him to do so.