圣经章节 ：太13：1-52； 可4：1-34； 路8：8-14； 18-21

每当耶稣以天国的比喻教训时，祂都会给予负面与正面的例子。 负面的例子有如那撒种的不得结实，或是那将稗子撒在麦子里的，或是面酵。  正面的例子有如那所撒的种子发芽而带来丰盛的收成或那做买卖人变卖他一切所有的去买颗珠子。

这告诉了我门，教会 – 神在世上的国度，在耶稣再来之前必然会有问题的存在，因为它仍在不断的追求完美。  既然主耶稣已经告诉了我们，当我们今日看到教会里发生问题时，就不应感到稀奇或气馁。

相反的，我们应当谦恭聆听和真正了解神的道以致结果子。当我们真正了解神的道时，我们的言语与行为会自然展现出基督的爱、圣洁与正直以及热衷于基督。

让我们不断地审查自己 – 我们是否硬心不听呢？  神的道是否仍然对我们说话并感动我们？  我们是否有在结果子或是已经成了稗子？  我们是否还重视这天国和我们的救恩以及隐藏的宝藏呢?

所以你们应当小心怎样听。 因为凡有的、还要加给他。 凡没有的、连他自以为有的、也要夺去。  （路 8 ：18）

耶稣说、这一切的话你们都明白了么。  他们说、我们明白了。  （太 13 ：51）

希望我们可以真正了解和遵守神的道，并发出光来如同天父国里的太阳一样。

Bible Passage:  Matt 13:1-52; Mk 4:1-34; Lk 8:8-14; 18-21

When Jesus gave examples of the kingdom of heaven, He gave both negative and positive examples. A negative example would be the seeds that were sown but did not bear fruit, or the tares among the wheat, or leaven. A positive example would be the seed that sprang up and yielded a bountiful harvest or the merchant who sold everything to gain that precious pearl.

This shows us that there will inevitably be problems in the church, the kingdom of God on earth, before Jesus comes again because she is still striving for perfection. Since Jesus has told us long ago, we should not be surprised or discouraged when we see problems in the church.

Instead, let us strive to humbly listen to and truly understand God’s word as well as bear fruit. When we truly understand God’s word, our words and actions will naturally exhibit the love of Christ, the holiness and uprightness of Christ as well as the zeal of Christ.

Let us constantly examine ourselves—have we become hard of hearing? Does God’s word still speak to us and touch us? Are we bearing fruits or are we nothing but tares? Do we truly value the kingdom of heaven and our salvation as a priceless pearl and a hidden treasure?

“Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

(Lk 8:18)

Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”  (Mt 13:51)

May we truly understand and keep the word of God, and shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of our Father.

今天要读的经节不多。。。却是一些合宜的提醒。。。

马太福音 7

这段让我目不转睛:

“你 们 祈 求 ， 就 给 你 们 ； 寻 找 ， 就 寻 见 ； 叩 门 ， 就 给 你 们 开 门 。

 因 为 凡 祈 求 的 ， 就 得 着 ； 寻 找 的 ， 就 寻 见 ； 叩 门 的 ， 就 给 他 开 门 。“

~ 太 7:7-8

这是我们再熟悉不过的。但是，它告诉了我们关于天国的什么呢？

最近你有注意到代祷的名单吗？我不知道你怎么想，我算了算，在直落古楼的名单，每次有大约十个名字。还有一些投影的名字是没有念出来。

好多名字。

好多病患。

好多需要代祷的人。

这些人当中，有些是亲密的人，有些则只是一个名字。

我们是怎样为他们祷告呢？在聚会以外，我们是否有在祷告里记念他们？

我必须承认，往往，我会遗忘这些需要代祷的名字。

我有始无终。

当我看见他们的名字，或者收到电邮或简讯唱名代祷，我会把代祷记在心里。但是，很多时候，开始的时候我会记得，很快的我会遗忘他们。当我再被提醒时，代祷的循环又重新再来。

这两节经节提醒了我，作为天国的一份子的，我们要竭力的成为“我们说了要为别人或事代祷，我们真的做到”的这一等人。

我们必须相信当我们祈求、寻找、叩门。。。神会垂听和应允我们的祈祷。当我们为有迫切需要的人代祷，更是如此。

保罗劝勉提摩太。。。

“ 第 一 要 为 万 人 恳 求 、 祷 告 、 代 求 、 祝 谢,”

~ 提前 2:1 (ESV)

当我们不知道要如何为有需要的人祈求和祈求些什么，我们有圣灵的应许。。。

“况 且 我 们 的 软 弱 有 圣 灵 帮 助 ， 我 们 本 不 晓 得 当 怎 样 祷 告 ， 只 是 圣 灵 亲 自 用 说 不 出 来 的 叹 息 替 我 们 祷 告 .”

~ 罗 8:26

我知道，我不是保罗或者不如保罗，我想用他的话来要求自己和呼吁大家同心合一的祷告。。。

“弟 兄 们 ， 我 藉 着 我 们 主 耶 稣 基 督 ， 又 藉 着 圣 灵 的 爱 ， 劝 你 们 与 我 一 同 竭 力 ， 为 我 祈 求 神,”

~ 罗 15:30

天国应该包括在主耶稣的爱中彼此代祷的兄弟姐妹。。。这样无论我们奉祂的名求什么，祂必成就 (约 14:14) ，于祂美好的旨意和恩典。

愿主怜悯我们。

Bible Passage:  Luke 6:20-49; 12:22-31, 57-59; 16:17

Where is the kingdom of heaven?

Since we are talking about the characteristics of this kingdom, this question seems reasonable.

Happily, Jesus has answered it in two places that I can think of.

Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven. (Matt 6:10)

“…For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Lk 17:21)

While the kingdom of God is the place that we are all striving to enter after our physical lives end, an eternal, glorious and spiritual realm, it is rather clear that the kingdom of God is also the people of God.

When the people of God do the will of God, His kingdom is established in the hearts of man. Naturally, these people have the kingdom of God within them and they will also be within the kingdom of God.

Hence, Jesus teaches us to pray in the way mentioned earlier. It is not just to tell God to do what He wants to others but more importantly to remind ourselves to be the ones to do His will so that wherever we are on earth will be a glimpse of heaven because we bring with us the presence of God.

This is why when Jesus talked about the kingdom of God, He did not talk about streets of gold or precious stones but instead described the hearts and deeds of the citizens of this kingdom.

Our reading for today spans across several chapters so I shall condense here, the deeds and hearts of this ‘kingdom’.

Attitude:

• The ‘be-attitudes’ as mentioned by InHisTime previously.

Deeds:

• Is not judgmental
• Gives and forgives
• Bears good fruit
• Builds a strong foundation by doing what the Lord says
• Seeks the spiritual before the material

Heart:

• Loving towards enemies
• Merciful
• Full of good treasure

As you wake up each day and proceed with your business in this world, remember that you are an eternal kingdom in a temporal realm for…

Just a short one today… but I felt a much needed reminder…

Bible Passage:  Matthew 7

The passage that caught my eye today was this:

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

~ Matthew 7:7-8

Now this is a most familiar passage to us.  But what does it tell me about the kingdom of God?

Have you taken note of the prayer list recently?  I am not sure about you but I think I counted around 10 names that are read in TK every service.  And there are other names that are not read but are flashed on the wall.

So many names.

So many sicknesses.

So many people who need our prayers.

Some of these people are close to us.  Some are just names.

How do we pray for them?  Do we even remember them in our prayers outside of service times?

Very often, I will admit, I will forget the names of those who require my prayers.

I do nothing.

When I see their names or receive an email or SMS to pray for a certain person, I commit in my heart to pray for them.  But then, very often, I may remember it initially and then very often forget about it.  And then I am reminded again and the whole cycle starts again.

Reading the key verses above reminded me that as members of this Kingdom of Heaven, we need to strive to be the type of people that when we say we’re going to pray for someone or a situation, we really do.

We need to believe that by asking, knocking and seeking… God will be found and will answer our prayers.  Especially when we pray for those who are in great need.

Paul urged Timothy…

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,”

~ 1 Tim 2:1 (ESV)

And when we do not know how to pray and what to pray for those who are in need, we have this promise of the Holy Spirit…

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

~ Rom 8:26 (ESV)

Now, I know I am not Paul or am in anyway comparable to him, but I would like to use his words as a request for myself and also a call for unity in prayers…

“I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,”

~ Rom 15:30

The Kingdom of God should consists of brothers and sisters praying for one another in the love of Jesus…. so that whatever we ask in His name, He will do it (John 14:14) according to His marvellous will and grace.

May the Lord have mercy on us.

不要聚焦自己，因它时时改变。聚焦神，祂爱你且永不改变

听主耶稣的证道好比享用一顿丰盛大餐。

这美味佳肴包括一些容易吞咽的食，有些则需要我们用力咀嚼才咽下。

无论这些食物容易是否食用，我们必须带着喜悦的心去吃，最重要的是把它们消化吸收，即行道也。

经节: 马太福音 6

今天的证道可分为以下几个点：
1。行善以得神的喜悦(1 – 4)
2。模范的祷告 (5 – 15)
3。只要神看见的禁食(16 – 18)
4。积攒财宝在天 (19 – 21)
5。心里的灯 (22 – 23)
6。不能同时事奉神和财富 (24)
7。不要忧虑 (25 – 34)

由于版位的限制，我不能分享所有对于耶稣在这章里所讲的道理的感想，所以希望大家能分享自己的感想，让彼此受益，当然，让我们追求能消化神的道，进而行道。

前三点共同强调了无论行善、祷告或禁食，都只要神看见，而不是让别人看见。 (cf. v4, 6, 18)

我们务必行善。若有能力行善，我们不去行，这就是罪了（参.雅 4:17)， 但行善时，我们要谨慎自己的动机。

是的，如果我们夸口自己的善行，我们或许会得到人的称赞，让我们想一想，我们所寻求的是这种荣耀吗？ 我们行善是否为了赢得别人的掌声呢？

或许我们能以祷告生活来测量自己的灵程。但是我们不能常常祷告来夸耀自己，或者假装常常祷告来得到别人的赞美。

禁食也可以测量我们的灵程。我听过一些年长的信徒常常为教会禁食祷告，我之所以知道这件事不是他们自己夸耀的，而是通过别人偶然的知道了他们对教会发展的投入。

这种禁食的态度与精神是神所喜悦的，因为这种祷告只要神看见，不是为了人。

因此行善、祷告和禁食，我们是要寻求神的而不喜悦是人的掌声。

实在的，人的奖赏是毫无意义和用处的。因为人的奖赏不能长久，但，神的赏赐是永恒的，再加上基督来时，我们相聚在一个地方。

我 们 却 是 天 上 的 国 民 ， 并 且 等 候 救 主 ， 就 是 主 耶 稣 基 督 从 天 上 降 临 。

腓 3:20

这与‘积攒财宝在天’是息息相关的。

有些時候，我們会因着行善、常常祷告，定时禁食而得到人的贊美，但我们不可因得到这些“地上的财宝”而变得骄傲，反而我们要明白是神一直都在看顾我们，祂的圣眼垂看所有的事。

因此我们务必寻求神的喜悦。神的喜悦确实是我们积攒在天上的财宝。

这章里其余的证道可归纳于我们要时常觉悟神时刻垂看我们，不是要挑我们的毛病，而是要引导我们的日常生活，和随时随地回应我们的祈求，加添力量来坚固我们。

我们当尽的本份是努力追求圣洁，让神的道的光充满我们的心，使我们与世界交结能时时谨慎自己的脚步。

事奉神而不是玛门，不要被世上忧虑掩没，要专注天上的事和把一切交托神的手中。

希望听到大家对主的证道的分享。

平安。

不要聚焦自己，因它时时改变。聚焦神，祂爱你且永不改变

听主耶稣的证道好比享用一顿丰盛大餐。

这美味佳肴包括一些容易吞咽的食，有些则需要我们用力咀嚼才咽下。

无论这些食物容易是否食用，我们必须带着喜悦的心去吃，最重要的是把它们消化吸收，即行道也。

经节: 马太福音 6
今天的证道可分为以下几个点：
1。行善以得神的喜悦(1 – 4)
2。模范的祷告 (5 – 15)
3。只要神看见的禁食(16 – 18)
4。积攒财宝在天 (19 – 21)
5。心里的灯 (22 – 23)
6。不能同时事奉神和财富 (24)
7。不要忧虑 (25 – 34)
由于版位的限制，我不能分享所有对于耶稣在这章里所讲的道理的感想，所以希望大家能分享自己的感想，让彼此受益，当然，让我们追求能消化神的道，进而行道。 

前三点共同强调了无论行善、祷告或禁食，都只要神看见，而不是让别人看见。 (cf. v4, 6, 18)

我们务必行善。若有能力行善，我们不去行，这就是罪了（参.雅 4:17)， 但行善时，我们要谨慎自己的动机。

是的，如果我们夸口自己的善行，我们或许会得到人的称赞，让我们想一想，我们所寻求的是这种荣耀吗？ 我们行善是否为了赢得别人的掌声呢？

或许我们能以祷告生活来测量自己的灵程。但是我们不能常常祷告来夸耀自己，或者假装常常祷告来得到别人的赞美。

禁食也可以测量我们的灵程。我听过一些年长的信徒常常为教会禁食祷告，我之所以知道这件事不是他们自己夸耀的，而是通过别人偶然的知道了他们对教会发展的投入。

这种禁食的态度与精神是神所喜悦的，因为这种祷告只要神看见，不是为了人。

 因此行善、祷告和禁食，我们是要寻求神的而不喜悦是人的掌声。

实在的，人的奖赏是毫无意义和用处的。因为人的奖赏不能长久，但，神的赏赐是永恒的，再加上基督来时，我们相聚在一个地方。

我 们 却 是 天 上 的 国 民 ， 并 且 等 候 救 主 ， 就 是 主 耶 稣 基 督 从 天 上 降 临 。

腓 3:20

这与‘积攒财宝在天’是息息相关的。

有些時候，我們会因着行善、常常祷告，定时禁食而得到人的贊美，但我们不可因得到这些“地上的财宝”而变得骄傲，反而我们要明白是神一直都在看顾我们，祂的圣眼垂看所有的事。

因此我们务必寻求神的喜悦。神的喜悦确实是我们积攒在天上的财宝。

这章里其余的证道可归纳于我们要时常觉悟神时刻垂看我们，不是要挑我们的毛病，而是要引导我们的日常生活，和随时随地回应我们的祈求，加添力量来坚固我们。

我们当尽的本份是努力追求圣洁，让神的道的光充满我们的心，使我们与世界交结能时时谨慎自己的脚步。

事奉神而不是玛门，不要被世上忧虑掩没，要专注天上的事和把一切交托神的手中。

希望听到大家对主的证道的分享。

平安。

Listening to the sermon spoken by our Lord Jesus is like feasting on a sumptuous meal.

In this sumptuous meal, there are dishes that are easy to swallow, but there are also some dishes that require us to chew very hard before we can swallow.

But no matter how difficult these dishes may be, we must eat them with gladness of heart and most importantly is to be able to digest them, ie. to do them.

Bible Passage: Matthew 6

The sermon that we are listening today consist of the following headings:

1. Do good to please God (1 – 4)
2. The model prayer (5 – 15)
3. Fasting to be seen only by God (16 – 18)
4. Lay up treasures in heaven (19 – 21)
5. The lamp of the body (22 – 23)
6. One cannot serve God and mammon (24)
7. Do not worry (25 – 34)

I won’t be able to share my thoughts on all that Jesus had spoken in this chapter, so I hope you can also share yours so that all of us can be edified, and of course, let us all pursue to digest His Words so that we can DO them.

The first 3 headings in this sermon have a similar emphasis, and that is in doing good, saying prayers, and fasting must be done only to be seen by God and not others. (cf. v4, 6, 18)

It is necessary for us to do good, for if we refrain from doing good while we have the ability, it is a sin (ref. James 4:17), but while we do good, we have to be watchful of our intention.

Yes, we may gain the praises (reward) from man if we boast of our good works, but think again, is this kind of reward we are looking for? Do we do good for the sake of being rewarded by applause from man?

Our level of spirituality may be measured by our life of prayer. Then again, we must not boast of how prayerful we may be, or sometimes we may pretend to be very prayerful just to gain praises from man.

Fasting is another thing that may show the level of our spirituality. I have heard of some elderly members who have been fasting and praying regularly for the church, but this came to my knowledge not because they have boasted, but it was by chance that others came to know about their commitment in fasting for the growth of the church.

This is the kind of attitude and spirit in fasting that the Lord is pleased with, because this kind is only for the eyes of God and not for man.

Therefore, in the matters of doing good, in prayers and fasting, we must seek to gain the approval of God and not the applause from man.

It is truly meaningless and useless to gain rewards from man, because man’s reward can never last, but the rewards from God can last through eternity, and there is the place where we will be in the future when Christ comes again.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:20

This ties in with the next heading, ‘Lay up treasures in heaven’.

Sometimes it is inevitable that we receive praises from man for our good deeds, prayerfulness, and constant fasting, but we must not be puffed up by all these “earthly treasures”, instead, realize for a fact that God is always watching over us, He sees all things that are going on.

So we MUST seek to please Him, and His pleasure is indeed the precious treasures that we can lay up in heaven.

The rest of the sermon boils down to the constant realization that God is always watching us, not to pick out our faults, but to guide us in our daily dealings, strengthening us whenever we reach out to Him.

On our part, we have to be diligent in our pursuit after holiness, allow the light of the Word of God to fill our hearts, so that can be watchful over our footsteps in our daily dealings with the world.

Serve our Master and not mammon, and not to be overwhelmed by our worldly cares, but be focused on the things above and to entrust everything in the hands of our Father.

Hope to hear your thoughts regarding this sermon of our Lord.

Shalom.

经节 ：马太福音 5

我们的主耶稣在此告诉我们8个蒙福的人所拥有的特征。

以上的特征所述与世界有何不同!

路加福音 16 ：15

耶 稣 对 他 们 说 ： 你 们 是 在 人 面 前 自 称 为 义 的 ， 你 们 的 心 ， 神 却 知 道 ； 因 为 人 所 尊 贵 的 ， 是 神 看 为 可 憎 恶 的 。 

我们所仰慕的福气是来自于我们的主，或是来自于这世界？

Bible Passage: Matthew 5

Our Lord Jesus here tells us the 8 characters of blessed people.

How different are these characteristics from those of the world!

And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

<Luke 16:15>

Do we yearn for blessings from our Lord, or blessings of this world?