第十章

1我保羅與你們見面的時候是謙卑的，不在你們那裡的時候，卻是放膽的。現在我親自以基督的謙遜溫柔勸你們，2求你們使我在你們那裡的時候，不要滿有自信地放膽對你們，我認為要以這樣的自信，勇敢地對付那些以為我們是照著世俗的標準（「世俗的標準」原文作「肉體」）行事的人。3我們雖然在世上行事，卻不是按照世俗的方式作戰，4因為我們作戰所用的兵器，不是屬於這世界的，而是在神面前有能力的，可以攻陷堅固的堡壘，5攻破詭辯，和做來阻擋人認識神的一切高牆，並且把一切心意奪回來，順服基督。6我們已經準備好了，等你們完全順服的時候，就懲罰所有不順從的人。⁷   你們看事情，只看表面。如果有人自信是屬於基督的，他就應該再想一想：他是屬於基督的，同樣，我們也是屬於基督的。   ⁸   主把權柄賜給我們，是為了要造就你們，不是要破壞你們，就算我為這權柄誇口過分了一點，也不會覺得慚愧。

 

默想：

1. 從保羅的榜樣看，信徒作領袖的應怎樣來帶領別人？在1—10的衡量表上，我在帶領弟兄姐妹的事上是否有基督的謙卑和溫柔？
2. 這個禮拜中，我可以做些什麼，表示我願意建立（造就）其他信徒？

 

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 10

¹By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” when away! ²I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. ³For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ⁴The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ⁶And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

⁷You are looking only on the surface of things. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as he. ⁸For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

 

MEDITATION

1. From Paul’s example here, what is supposed to be the “normal” way Christians exercise leadership over one another?  On a scale from 1 – 10, how well do I demonstrate Christ’s gentleness and meekness in leading others?
2. What will I work on this week that demonstrates my interest in building people up?

 

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 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.