新视域的力量
停下来思考!

经文
雅各书一12-20
12忍受试探的人是有福的,因为他经过试验以后,必得生命的冠冕,这是主应许给那些爱他之人的。
13人被试探,不可说:我是被神试探;因为神不能被恶试探,他也不试探人。
14但各人被试探,乃是被自己的私欲牵引诱惑的。
15私欲既怀了胎,就生出罪来;罪既长成,就生出死来。
16我亲爱的弟兄们,不要看错了。
17各样美善的恩赐和各样全备的赏赐都是从上头来的,从众光之父那里降下来的;在他并没有改变,也没有转动的影儿。
18他按自己的旨意,用真道生了我们,叫我们在他所造的万物中好像初熟的果子。
19我亲爱的弟兄们,这是你们所知道的,但你们各人要快快的听,慢慢的说,慢慢的动怒,
20因为人的怒气并不成就神的义。
信息分享
昨天我们看到诗人采取的第一个步骤,这个帮助他脱离属灵灾难的步骤使人十分惊讶。在令人慑服的试探中,诗人对自己说:「如果我表达我的疑惑,从我那嫉妒、沮丧的心说话,我便会在别人的路径上放下绊脚石,因此我甚么话也不会说」(这是我的演绎)。正如我们昨天所说的,有很多人可能会觉得难以接受这是他复元的第一步,但是它却是挺有效的。
让我们来听听一位解经家是怎么看这第一步的,他说:「我们对他复元过程中第一步的反应,是我们自己属灵理解力的一个测试。」这是甚么意思呢?他的意思是,如果我们不理解信心的步伐有时不过是相当平凡的话,我们便不如自己想像般的属灵。我们的头脑不清醒的话没有关系,但是双脚必须牢牢地站在地上才行!
所以,要谨记停止诗人的灵性趋于软弱的事情其实十分简单和平常,那只是他决定不说自己口中想说的话。他要停下来思考;他没有散播他的不信,而是决定闭口不言;他没有挑战别人的属灵生命,而是决定不冲动行事。这也许在属灵生命的成长上不是甚么高招,但它却能够防止他跌倒。
「信心的步伐有时相当平凡」
进深研究
彼前三8-15;箴十三3,二十一23
1. 我们要怎样对待自己的舌头?
2. 我们当如何回答?
祈祷
慈爱的天父,求您帮助我明白:有时朝属灵复元所迈出的第一步只是简单、实际和平凡。求您救我脱离超级属灵的想法,免得忽略了平凡的事情。奉耶稣的名祈求,阿们。
The Power of a New Perspective
Stop and think!

Bible reading:
James 1:12-20
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
Message
Yesterday we saw that the first step the psalmist took, the step which helped to save him from spiritual disaster, was most surprising. In the midst of overwhelming temptation, he says to himself. "If I give expression to my doubts and speak out of my envious, discouraged heart, I will put a stumbling-block in someone else's path - hence I will not say anything at all" (paraphrase mine). Now as we said yesterday, many people may find it difficult to accept this as the first step on the road to recovery - but it worked, nevertheless.
Listen to what one commentator says about this first step: "Our reaction to the discovery of what his first step was in his process of recovery will be a very good test of our spiritual understanding" What does he mean? He means that if we fail to see that the steps of faith are sometimes very ordinary, then we are not as spiritual as we imagine. It's all right to have your head in the clouds, but make sure your feet are firmly planted on the earth!
Keep in mind, then, that the thing which stopped the spiritual slide of the psalmist was very simple and ordinary he made a decision not to say what was on the tip of his tongue. He stopped to think. Rather than spread his unbelief, he determined to keep his mouth shut, rather than threaten someone else's spiritual understanding, he resolved not to act on impulse. It might not have been a particularly high spiritual motive, but it was the thing that prevented him from falling.
"The steps of faith are sometimes very ordinary"
Prayer
Gracious and loving Father, help me grasp this point that sometimes the first step towards spiritual recovery is one that is simple, practical and ordinary. Save me from becoming so super-spiritual that I neglect the commonplace. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further study
1 Peter 3:8-15
Proverbs 13:3; 21:23
1. What are we to do with our tongue?
2. How are we to give an answer?
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