第二章

15 不要愛世界和世界上的事。人若愛世界，愛父的心就不在他裏面了。 16 因為，凡世界上的事，就像肉體的情慾、眼目的情慾，並今生的驕傲，都不是從父來的，乃是從世界來的。 17 這世界和其上的情慾都要過去，惟獨遵行　神旨意的，是永遠常存。

 

默想：

1. 這段經文中，「世界」是指背叛神的整個世俗化體系與觀點。約翰指出這個價值觀的本質深植於人自我滿足的自私慾望、對物質擁有的貪婪慾望、及個人的虛浮名聲地位的追求；這些理念與價值觀都是與神相對抗。
2. 我們很容易變得自我中心，被短暫的私慾、地位、財富的魅力所迷惑，而遠離神。那些堅持與神同走天路的，才是永存的。作者提醒我們必須選擇，因我們只能事奉一個主。
3. 將這首詩歌獻給主，凝視主的眼，慢慢地唱，每小段都停頓一下，聆聽主問我，「這真是你的心願嗎」？讓我也像彼得一樣回答主：「主啊！你知道，這是我的心願，一個很膚淺、微弱，卻真實的心願」。

我寧願有耶穌，勝得金錢，我寧屬耶穌，勝得財富無邊；
我寧願有耶穌，勝得華宇，願主釘痕手，引導我前途。

副歌：
勝過做君王，雖統治萬方，卻仍受罪惡捆綁；
我寧願有耶穌，勝得世界榮華，富貴，聲望。

我寧願有耶穌，勝得稱頌，我寧忠於主，成全祂的事工；
我寧願有耶穌，勝得名聲，願向主聖名，永赤膽忠誠。

恩主比百合花，更加美艷，遠比蜂房蜜，更加可口甘甜；
惟主能滿足我飢渴心靈，我寧願有主，跟隨祂引領。

（by Rhea F. Miller）

 

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 2

¹⁵Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

 

Meditation

1. The “world” in this passage refers to the value system and perceptions expressed in the culture of sinful human beings.  John pointed out the roots of every human society are in the selfish cravings of man, in the tendency to greedily desire the materialistic things he sees, and in man’s drive for self-importance.  Each of these is antagonistic to God.
2. It is easy to become self-centered and drawn away from God by the glamour of sensuality, status, and riches that will not last.  Those who remain on pilgrimage with God will live forever.  The author reminds us that we must choose; we can have only one master.
3. Use this hymn to express my desire for the Lord.  Look into the Lord’s eyes, sing slowly.  Pause at every sentence.  Listen to the Lord’s question: “Is this really your desire”?  Let my answer be similar to Peter’s, “Lord, you know, this is indeed my desire, though shallow, feeble, but it’s true”.

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold; I’d rather be His than have riches untold;

I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,  I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.

Than to be a king of a vast domain Or be held in sin’s dread sway,
I’d rather have Jesus than anything This world affords today.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause; I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame, I’d rather be true to His holy name.

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom; He’s sweeter than honey from out of the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs, I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

(by Rhea F. Miller)

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.