第五章

1 凡信耶穌是基督的，都是從　神而生，凡愛生他之　神的，也必愛從　神生的。2 我們若愛　神，又遵守他的誡命，從此就知道我們愛　神的兒女。3 我們遵守　神的誡命，這就是愛他了，並且他的誡命不是難守的。4因為凡從　神生的，就勝過世界；使我們勝了世界的，就是我們的信心。5勝過世界的是誰呢？不是那信耶穌是　神兒子的嗎？

 

默想：

1. 使徒約翰強調「 我們遵守　神的誡命，這就是愛他了」；神激勵我們去愛，使我們愛神，也愛人。我們不可能對神熱情，但同時，對其他信徒卻是冷漠的。
2. 對神的愛還有一個特性，它會使遵守神的誡命變得「不是難守的」，是容易的。「想要做」的事情，總是比「必須做」的來得容易。一旦我們覺得是神的要求，我們被迫去做的時候，就會覺得是重擔。但若我們興奮地期望去做那些事情，就變得是件喜樂的事了。
3. 給自己做個「愛神」的測試。我是否願意去做那些我知道會討神喜悅的事情？

 

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。

 

Chapter5

¹Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. ²This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, ⁴for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

 

Meditation

1. John insists that God stimulates one love in our heart; a love that expresses itself both toward God and toward others.  We can’t be warm toward God and cold toward our fellow Christians at the same time.
2. There is another exciting thing about love for God.  It makes obeying EASY.  “Want to” is always easier than “have to”.  As long as we feel that we are forced to do certain things that God demands, those things will be burdensome to us.  But if we eagerly want to do those same things, they seem to us to be a delight.
3. Do a quick check up on my love for God.  Do I want to do those things that I know please God?

 

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.