Ministry in Word

The Ways and the Paths – Part 3

道与路 – 第三部

Psalm 25:4-7

诗篇25:4-7

“Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.”

「耶和华啊，求你将你的道指示我，将你的路教训我！求你以你的真理引导我，教训我，因为你是救我的 神。我终日等候你。耶和华啊，求你记念你的怜悯和慈爱，因为这是亘古以来所常有的。求你不要记念我幼年的罪愆和我的过犯；耶和华啊，求你因你的恩惠，按你的慈爱记念我。」


God called Abraham to leave his country, his people and his father’s household and go to the land that God would show him. This call came with God’s promise of making Abraham into a great nation and all peoples on earth would be blessed through him (Ge 12:1-3). God’s purpose was to make Abraham into the father of faith, not only to the Israelites, but also to the gentiles like us who are saved through our faith in Jesus Christ. God’s way to accomplish this purpose was to set Abraham apart from his idol worshiping environment, getting him to leave his country, his people and his father’s household. Since then Abraham became a sojourner in the land of Canaan, solely following God and minimizing the influence of the world of idolatry on him. Today God also wants to shape

us the believers into a people of faith. His way is for us to pledge our allegiance to Christ our King and live as though this world is not our home. Jesus Christ said in His prayer for His disciples just before He went to the cross, that “they are not of the world,” even as Jesus was not of it (Jn 17:16). As followers of Christ we must live in this world as though we are not of the world.

神呼召亚伯拉罕离开本地，本族，父家，往神所要指示他的地去。这个呼召带有神的应许要使亚伯拉罕成为大国并且使万民得福〔创12:1-3〕。神的目的是要使亚伯拉罕成为信心之父，不单是对以色列人而言， 也是对我们这些藉着对耶稣基督的信心而得救的外邦人而言。神要达到这个目的的方法就是使亚伯拉罕从他敬拜偶像的环境中分别出来，使他离开本地，本族，父家。自此以後亚伯拉罕成为迦南地的客旅，单一地跟随神并且尽量减少拜偶像的世界对他的影响。今天神也要塑造我们这些信徒成为信心的民族。他的方法就是要我们向我们的王基督效忠和过一个犹如这世界非我们的家的生活。耶稣基督在他上十字架之前替他的门徒祈祷，说「他们不属世界」就如耶稣不属世界一般〔约17:16〕。作为基督的跟随者
我们必要生活在这世界里犹如我们不属世界。

After Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, God went ahead of His people on their journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for them to camp and to show them the way they should go (Dt 1:33). God’s purpose for the Israelites in doing this was for them to enter the Promised Land as a free people, demonstrating to the pagan nations the abundant life that a people obedient to God could have. God’s way to do that was to lead them with the column of fire by night and the column of cloud by day, personally directing them and providing for their needs. Today God also wants us to enter our Promised Land, the Kingdom of God, testifying to the world with our obedient life God’s abundant blessings. His way to accomplish this purpose is for us to be the light of the world, letting the presence of the Holy Spirit shine through our life. For the Bible says, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” (Ps 37:5-6)

摩西领以色列人离开埃及为奴之地後，神在路上，在他们前面行，为他们找安营的地方；夜间在火柱里，日间在云柱里，指示他们所当行的路〔申1:33〕。神这样做的用意是要以色列人以一个自由民族的身份进入应许之地，对异教国家显明一个顺服神的民族可以得到的丰富生命。神达到这个目的的方法就是夜间以火柱白天以云柱来带领他们，亲自指示和供应他们的需要。今天神要我们进入我们的应许之地，神的国度，以我们顺服的生命来见证神丰富的祝福。他要达到这个目的的方法就是要我们当世上的光，让圣灵的同在照透我们的生命。因为圣经说：「当将你的事交托耶和华，并倚靠他，他就必成全。他要使你的公义如光发出，使你的公平明如正午。」〔诗37:5-6〕



To be continued next week.

下周待续。



May we willingly become the people of faith, entering God’s Promised Land for our life. May we be obedient to His ways and His paths, living in this world but not of it, allowing the Spirit to shine through our lives like the noonday sun, giving testimony to the glory of God.

愿我们愿意成为信心的民族，进入我们生命中神所应许之地。愿我们顺从他的道路，生活在这世界里但不属世界，让圣灵照透我们的生命明如正午，见证神的荣耀。


Tom and Tehwan Tso

仲谋与德菀

“The outcome of your faith is the salvation of your souls.” 1Peter 1:9

“信心的果效， 就是灵魂的救恩” 彼得前书1：9__