持久的态度
诗篇十五篇
1耶和华啊，谁能寄居你的帐幕？谁能住在你的圣山？
2就是行为正直、做事公义、心里说实话的人。
3他不以舌头谗谤人，不恶待朋友，也不随伙毁谤邻里。
4他眼中藐视匪类，却尊重那敬畏耶和华的人。他发了誓，虽然自己吃亏，也不更改。
5他不放债取利，不受贿赂以害无辜。行这些事的人必永不动摇。
信息分享
在加拉太书五章22-23节，最后一组形容圣灵果子的词是「信实、温柔和节制」，是关于我们持久的态度。加上这三种，便完全了圣灵要在我们里面建立的基督的品格。
信实与我们的委身及承诺有关。你有没有留意诗篇十五篇4节下怎样说：「他发了誓，虽然自己吃亏，也不更改。」我们曾经承诺做的事，纵然为我们带来不便，我们能否信守到底呢？许多时候，教会邀请或委任某信徒承担某项工作，或接受某个岗位，结果却发现他甚么也没做。音乐家无故缺席，或教师无端缺课，一定会带来很多麻烦。箴言十二章22节活的圣经译为：「神喜悦信守承诺的人。」我们如何回应这样的要求呢？
温柔在KJV版本译为温顺，它是谦卑的标记。圣经只有两位人物被形容为「温柔」，就是摩西和耶稣。当雅各和约翰争著作领袖的时候，记住耶稣如何教训他们：「谁愿为大，就当作众人的仆人。」（可十44）
温柔有别于懦弱。我们的主拥有大使命中天上地下的权柄，可是，祂却是柔和谦卑。保罗在提摩太后书二章25节提醒提摩太，要用温柔劝戒那抵挡神的仆人的人；这实在并不容易。
节制是九种品格中的最后一项。箴言二十五章28节指出：「人不制伏自己的心，好像毁坏的城邑，没有墙垣。」他敞开城门任敌人攻取。年轻人唯有学会节制，才能胜过朋辈的压力。
这便是圣灵的果子，只要我们容让圣灵在我们心中工作，祂就会帮助我们建立这些品格。
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.