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Ⅰ. Invocation and Adoration||Ⅰ. 禱告與敬拜
Invocation Prayer||開始禱告
"Equip me today, O God, with the humility which will keep me from pride and from conceit; the graciousness and the gentleness which will make me both easy to live with and a joy to meet; the diligence, the perseverance, and the reliability which will make me a good workman; the kindness which will give me a quick eye to see what I can do for others and a ready hand to do it; the constant awareness of your presence, which will make me do everything as unto you. So grant that today people may see in me a glimpse of the life of my blessed Lord. This I ask for your love's sake." In Jesus' name. Amen.
(William Barclay, 1907-78)
「神阿，求祢今天賜我謙卑，使我遠離驕傲和自負；賜我柔和與寬容，使周遭的人容易也樂於與我相處；賜我勤奮、堅忍和可靠，使我作個好僕人；賜我恩慈，使我看到別人的需要而加以援手；求使我不斷的意識到祢的同在，使我凡事為祢而作，讓別人今天從我身上看到我主的生命。奉我主基督耶穌名求，阿們。」
(William Barclay, 1907-78)
Adoration through Psalm 39藉詩篇第39篇來敬拜
We'll use this Psalm, not for today's Bible reading, but for the sake of focusing our thoughts on God. Read slowly this passage at least three times and each day gather one thought about this psalm that points to God's character that should be reflected in our lives and translate it into a prayer of adoration.
我們是用這詩篇作敬拜，並非用來研經。現在細讀這篇三次，本週每日如是，但每天掌握詩中有關神的美善，屬性或作為之一作默想，然後化所得為讚美的禱告。
Ⅱ. Confession||Ⅱ. 認罪
Pause now and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you your sins and ask for forgiveness.
現在停下來，求聖靈光照你，讓你看見自己的罪，並求主饒恕。
Ⅲ. Thanksgiving||Ⅲ. 感恩
List, one by one, things for which you should give thanks.||逐一列出你當感恩的事項。
Ⅳ. Scriptural Reflection||Ⅳ. 經文默想
Joshua||約書亞記 vv.1:1-9
The Book of Joshua is a very unique book in many ways, but several things stand out in particular to distinguish this period of time in the history of God's people from others in that
- It marks a period of leadership crisis as the most respected and important spiritual leader of all times, Moses had just passed away. It was not so much a matter of whether God would raise up another leader to lead His people, but that Moses was simply irreplaceable in the mind of the people.
- It also marks the realization of Gods' promise, the possession of the Promised Land without which there could not be the nation of Israel.
- Amazingly, in spite of the continued complaints and conflicts among God's people, it was also a rare period of reconciliation and unity.
- The spiritual implication to Christian life is very vivid in that victory over sin has already been achieved by Christ, just as the land had already been given to the people, but how to claim our victory over sin finds parallel in how the Israelites could actually claim and possess their Promised Land.
- What kind of crisis did the death of Moses present to the people of God?
- At the beginning of the study of this book, maybe it is helpful to read how God has prepared and commissioned Joshua before the death of Moses, including Exodus 17:9ff, 24:13ff; Numbers 14:6ff, 26:65, 27:18; Deuteronomy 3:21ff & 31:1ff. What kind of leadership qualities do you see in Joshua?
- Now, at the death of Moses, Joshua was to finish the task commissioned by God and in reiterating this commission, what kind of guarantee did God give him in terms of geography, duration, power and conditions in vv. 3-5? How will you describe such a guarantee? (Would you call it a life-time guarantee or total guarantee?)
- Count and see how many times God has repeated the command to be strong and courageous? Why did God have to say this to Joshua so many times (i.e. what might the implications be?)
- Do you think these repetitions really helped Joshua? Why or why not?
- In guaranteeing success, God also set conditions. What were the conditions?
- What might be the key to being able to be strong and courageous and obey all the law (v. 8)?
- What is meant by meditating on the Book of the Law day and night? What would Joshua have to do in order to do so? What might it look like in your case?
- If you have time, why not complete a word study on the word, "meditate". You may want to use the following chart to help your word study (based on the NIV Concordance):
Who What When Where How Why Gen. 24:63 Jos. 1:8 Ps. 48:9 Ps. 77:12 Ps. 119:15 Ps. 119:23 Ps. 119:27 Ps. 119:48 Ps. 119:78 Ps. 119:97 Ps. 119:99 Ps. 119:148 Ps. 143:5 Ps. 145:5 Ps. 39:3 Ps. 1:2 Ps. 19:14 Ps. 104:34 - What is the main message to you today and how might you apply it to your life?
今天我們開始研讀約書亞記。
約書亞記是一本很特別的書卷，在神的選民以色列人的歷史中佔很重要的地位，原因包括：
- 這是他們歷史上的危機時刻——他們所敬仰的摩西剛死去。神固然會另立領袖去帶領他們，然而摩西卻是無人能替代的。
- 這同時是神的應許得成就的時刻。若沒有地，以色列何能成為一國呢？
- 希奇的是，眾百姓雖然繼續他們的埋怨和衝突，這卻是以色列人罕有的彼此和解及團結的一段歷史。
- 他們進去得應許之地的過程，恰恰成為新約信徒在基督裡能過得勝生活的寫照。基督已勝過死亡與罪，凡信祂的同樣在地位上與基督相同，但真正能活出勝過罪的生命卻是一個信心的過程。
- 摩西的死亡對以色列人影響至巨，你同意嗎？為甚麼？
- 在思想約書亞記之始，請先參閱以下經文，看看神如何準備約書亞去承繼摩西：出埃及記17:9ff, 24:13ff；民數記14:6ff，26:65，27:18；申命記3:21ff 及31:1ff。("ff"=及跟著的節數之意) 。你認為約書亞具備什麼領袖的條件呢？
- 摩西既然已死，約書亞自然要完成帶領以色列人進迦南的使命。在正式交付這使命時，在第3-5節神給他那幾方面的保證？
- 你可以計算神對約書亞說了多少次「要剛強壯膽」？為何要這樣重複多次？
- 這樣的重複對約書亞真有幫助嗎？為什麼？
- 雖然神給約書亞多方面的保證，似乎這些保證是有條件的。是什麼條件呢？(稱這些為條件適合嗎？為什麼？)
- 按第八節，能真的謹守遵行神的話，要訣是什麼？
- 晝夜思想神的話是什麼意思？約書亞要怎樣做才算是晝夜思想神的話？你又如何？
- 如果有時間，請從聖經以下經文了解「思想(或譯默想)/meditate」的意思(經文取自NIV Concordance)
誰在默想 默想對象 時間 地點 怎樣默想 原因 創24:63 書1:8 詩48:9 詩77:12 詩119:15 詩119:23 詩119:27 詩119:48 詩119:78 詩119:97 詩119:99 詩119:148 詩143:5 詩145:5 詩39:3 詩1:2 詩19:14 詩104:34 - 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在你的生命中？
Ⅴ. Meditative Reflection: Biblical Meditation||Ⅴ. 靈修默想小篇：聖經中的默想
As Joshua took over the leadership from Moses in leading God's people into the Promised Land, the Lord reiterated many times to Joshua that he should not be afraid, but be strong and courageous. But it is easier said than done — not to be afraid of such an impossible task. At the same time, God also laid down the key to his success in that in order to be able to be strong and courageous and be obedient to the Law, Joshua needed to meditate on His Word day and night. So, the important question to ask is what does meditating on the Word of God entail in a practical sense?
A simple word study (for example using the NIV Concordance) will be helpful (which lists at least 18 Old Testament verses that touch on meditation). In sum:
The Object:
- 9 out of the 18 verses make the Law or the Word of God the object of the meditation
- 4 out of the 18 verses make the works of wonders of God the object of the meditation
- 1 verse makes God's unfailing love as its object
- 1 verse makes the psalmist's own situation as the object of meditation (and the result was disastrous as his heart burnt)
- The remaining three simply refer to the act of meditation which points to an act of the heart.
The time or duration:
When time is mentioned, it mostly refers to a continuous process of meditation of "all day/night long" or "day and night".
While it is obvious that the act of meditation takes place in the heart, one verse talks about meditating all night long with the eyes open.
The reasons:
The reasons given by the psalmists range from being in a time of trial (surrounded by the wicked, being taunted or needing help) to simply being a habit based on an intimate and worshipful relationship with God (out of awe, sensing His love and greatness, simply loving the Law, or with a desire to please God). The one in Genesis 24 describes Isaac's meditation in the field, after the loss of his beloved mother.
It is therefore safe to say that Christian meditation is a habit cultivated by God's children out of a growing desire for intimacy with God, with His word as the object through which to appreciate God's character through experience and His works of wonders.
But if our meditation focuses on anything other than God and His word, like in Psalm 39:3 where the psalmist focuses on his own situation, it will only be harmful to us.
神把帶領以色列人進應許之地的重任交托約書亞時，祂多次的吩咐和鼓勵他要剛強壯膽。當然，面對這人不能承擔的重任，約書亞不懼怕才怪呢。故此，神同時給予約書亞實際的勸導，要他「晝夜思想」祂的話，以至他能壯膽，謹守遵行祂的律例。問題是，怎樣才算是「晝夜思想」神的話呢？
在今天的靈修資料中，我提供了NIV Concordance從聖經中十八處提到默想(meditate)的經文。總結而言，我們可以看到：
默想的對象：
- 一半的經文是以神的說話為默想的對象；
- 四處的經文是以神奇妙的作為為對象；
- 一處是在默想神的慈愛；
- 一處是詩人在思想自己的處境 (結果弄至自己心如火燒) ；
- 其他的經文沒有指明默想的對象，但卻顯明是「心靈」的運動。
默想的時間：
- 多數的經文提到整天或整夜的默想，是一個比較持續的時間；
- 雖然默想明顯是心靈的運作，有一處提到整夜眼睛睜開的思想神的話。
默想的原因：
- 詩篇中的默想多是詩人因遇到困境而到神面前默想，也有是出於與神的相交和敬仰產生的生命流露(出自對神大愛、偉大的讚歎，對神話語的愛慕，或為要討神的喜悅) ；
- 以撒在創世記第24章末田中的默想則是在喪母之後。
看來，聖經人物的默想，都是出於與神親密關係的流露，雖然有時特因遭困境而作，但一般已是與神同行的慣性表現——往往是以神的話為對象，藉此把與神的經歷和對神奇妙的作為化為讚美。
但若然在默想時，我們的思想不是集中在神的話語和神的身上，而是在自己或環境上，就像詩篇39:3的詩人一樣，叫自己受虧損了。
Ⅵ. A Time for Silence||Ⅵ. 靜默時刻
You have meditated much with your intellectual faculty today. Now have a moment of silence (the length is up to you, 5 or even 30 minutes), and ask God quietly, "Lord, is there any important message from you today that I might have missed? Show me, your servant is listening?"||今天你用了不少智力技能來默想。現在，就用一點時間靜下來（長、短由你決定：5或30分鐘），安靜地求問神，「主阿，有甚麼我忽略了的重要信息對我說？請說，僕人敬聽。」
Ⅶ. Supplication||Ⅶ. 代求
| Your Family||家人 | |
| Other People||其他人 | |
| Church Ministries||教會事工 | |
| Other Ministries||其他機構 | |
| City & World||本市及普世 | |
| Others||其他 |
| Your Family||家人 | Other People||其他人 | Church Ministries||教會事工 | Other Ministries||其他機構 | City & World||本市及普世 | Others||其他 | |
| SUN||星期日 | ||||||
| MON||星期一 | ||||||
| TUE||星期二 | ||||||
| WED||星期三 | ||||||
| THU||星期四 | ||||||
| FRI||星期五 | ||||||
| SAT||星期六 |
Ⅷ. Benediction||Ⅷ. 祝福
"Go forth into the world in peace; be of good courage; hold fast that which is good; render to no man evil for evil; strengthen the fainthearted; support the weak; help the afflicted, honor all men, love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, be upon you, and remain with you forever." Amen.
(1928 Prayer Book, proposed)
「平安地出到世界當中，不要懼怕；美善的要持守，不要以惡報惡，勉勵灰心的，扶助軟弱的，幫助受苦的，尊重所有人；要愛主、事奉主；靠聖靈的大能喜樂。願全能的神——父、子與聖靈——賜福給你，從今時直到永永遠遠。阿們。」 (1928 Prayer Book, proposed)