約翰一書
第一章
6 我們若說是與神相交,卻仍在黑暗裏行,就是說謊話,不行真理了。 7 我們若在光明中行,如同 神在光明中,就彼此相交,他兒子耶穌的血也洗淨我們一切的罪。 8 我們若說自己無罪,便是自欺,真理不在我們心裏了。 9 我們若認自己的罪, 神是信實的,是公義的,必要赦免我們的罪,洗淨我們一切的不義。 10 我們若說自己沒有犯過罪,便是以 神為說謊的,他的道也不在我們心裏了。
2:1我小子們哪,我將這些話寫給你們,是要叫你們不犯罪。若有人犯罪,在父那裏我們有一位中保,就是那義者耶穌基督。 2 他為我們的罪作了挽回祭,不是單為我們的罪,也是為普天下人的罪。
默想:
- 認罪:把我們內心深處的軟弱不足,向神和可信賴的人傾訴,好讓我們經歷神的恩典和憐憫,得著祂樂意賜下的赦免和醫治。(生命陶造版聖經)
- 神是光,我們必須進入神的光中,在光明中生活,才能與神、與弟兄姐妹相交。離開這個信仰群體、離開神的光的人,他們自稱是沒有罪;但真正的信徒卻非如此。我們必須承認我們犯罪,需要耶穌來赦免,並潔淨我們的罪;好讓我們繼續在光明中行走,“如同神在光明中”。
- 禱告:我是否正在掙扎什麼罪?有什麼深層的捆綁尚未得釋放?我是否被罪咎所牽制而無法親近神?告訴神,安靜地坐在神面前,聆聽耶穌對我的回應。祂對我的心意是什麼?
禱告與筆錄:
繼續安靜在神面前,與神對話,並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想(心得),或是與神的禱告,記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。
Chapter 1
6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
2:1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Meditation:
- Confession: Sharing our deepest weaknesses and failures with God and trusted others, so that we may enter into God’s grace and mercy and experience His ready forgiveness and healing. (Spiritual Formation Bible)
- God is light. In order to be in fellowship with God and fellow believers, we need to enter into God’s light and to live accordingly. Those who had left the fellowship claim they are without sin, but not the faithful. We must admit that we do sin and need Jesus to forgive and cleanse us from sin so that we may continue walking in the light “as he himself is in the light”.
- Pray: Am I struggling with some sin? What deeper bondage is still not released? Does my guilt hold me back from Jesus? Talk to him about this. Now sit silently, listen for Jesus’ response. What is his desire for me?
Prayer & Journaling:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.