第四章

⁶ 你若把這些事提醒弟兄們，就是基督耶穌的好僕役，常在信仰的話語上，和你所遵從美善的教訓上得著培養。 ⁷ 總要棄絕世俗以及老婦的無稽之談；要操練自己達到敬虔的地步。 ⁸ 因為操練身體，益處還少；唯獨操練敬虔，凡事有益，享有今生和來世的應許。 ⁹ 這話是可信的，是值得完全接納的。 ¹⁰ 我們也是為這緣故勞苦努力，因為我們的盼望在於永活的神。他是萬人的救主，更是信徒的救主。 ¹¹ 這些事你要囑咐人，教導人。 ¹² 不要叫人小看你年輕，總要在言語、行為、愛心、信心和純潔上，都作信徒的榜樣。 ¹³ 在我來以前，你要專心宣讀聖經、勸勉和教導。 ¹⁴ 不要忽略你所得的恩賜，就是眾長老按手時藉著預言賜給你的。 ¹⁵ 這些事你要認真實行，專心去作，使眾人看出你的長進來。 ¹⁶ 你要謹慎自己，留心自己的教訓。在這些事上要有恆心，因為你這樣作，不但能救自己，也能救那些聽你的人。

 

默想：

1. 一般人以運動來發展體能或維持健美；基督徒也要運動（操練）來達到屬靈的成長。舉重選手練習舉重，來增強他的舉重能力；基督徒希望靈命成長，就當操練信心的生活，操練愛神、愛人。
2. 在1到10 的度量表上，1代表屬靈肌肉的鬆弛，10代表屬靈肌肉的結實，我的屬靈健康是多少分？為什麼？我在下列五項中，如何以我的生命來影響他人？「言語、行為、愛心、信心和純潔」？我怎樣可以在這幾方面成為更好的榜樣？
3. 將這五個詞抄寫在一張卡片上，「言語、行為、愛心、信心和純潔」，提醒自己要常常依靠神，操練在這五方面做別人的榜樣。

 

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 4

⁶If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. ⁷Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. ⁸For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.  ⁹This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance ¹⁰(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.  ¹¹Command and teach these things. ¹²Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹³Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.  ¹⁵Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

 

MEDITATION

1. People work out to develop themselves physically.  Christians are to “work out” to develop spiritually.  A weight lifter develops his skill by lifting weights.  A Christian develops his ability to live a godly life by making godly choices.  To grow spiritually, I need to concentrate on those acts which show my love for God and for others.
2. On a scale of one to ten – one being spiritual flabbiness and ten being spiritually fit – how would I rate my spiritual fitness?  Why?  How well am I “teaching believers with my life” in these five areas: “by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity”?  How could I make my life a better example for others in these areas?
3. Write these five words on an index card: word, demeanor, love, faith, and integrity.  Ask God to help me live out these areas throughout the day.

 

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.