The Hope In Us All

With our salvation comes true hope. It is in us all the time. We just have to grab onto it and never release it.  Our hope is really more of an understanding of a wish.  I believe that is the reason the messenger of the church in Laodicea in Revelation states: I know what you have done, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I wish you were cold or hot.  But since you are lukewarm and not hot or cold, I'm going to spit you out of my mouth.  You say, I'm rich, I'm wealthy.  I don't need anything.  Yet, you do not realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.  I advise you: Buy gold purified in fire from me so that you may be rich.  Buy white clothes from me.  Wear them so that you may keep your shameful, naked body from showing.  Buy ointment to put on your eyes so that you may see.  I correct and discipline everyone I love.  Take this seriously, and change the way you think and act.  Look, I'm standing at the door and knocking.  If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I'll come in and we'll eat together.  I will allow everyone who wins the victory to sit with me on my throne, as I have won the victory and have sat down with my Father on his throne.  Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."  

Yet when we are pressed to make a choice - to stand firmly and the pressure is on, we open up the flood gates to the rivers of ambiguous voices.  The next thing you know we are neither hot not cold.  So I ask us all, is there ANY ground on which we stand that we will be committed to standing one the waves of misconception have rolled back behind the flood gates?

Think back about all our conversations on "The Beginning".  Remember when we were discussing God creating light so we could see in the darkness?  He did that so we could see.  He is the light, the truth and the way.  He said He is deliberately right here to show us the way out.  His whole motivation is Love.

He loves us deeply and wishes to show us the way to the brightness life has to offer. It is a small opening at times when we have gotten so wedged into difficult situations. But his light is so intense, making it very easy to stay focused on. He is there gently encouraging us as he let’s us know we are not alone saying “ Can’t you see the light around the way to go: I make it a very clear pathway.” “There are no obstructions anymore”.

What is so perplexing is that God doesn't change our circumstances usually, he changes the way we see them.  Then we have to trust Him while we make our way out.  He is doing this to train us how "not" to be overwhelmed by diversity. We actually get to the point where we don't need to fight useless battles. His peace allows us the strength, courage, mercy and grace to walk around or away from it.

When we are in conflict with others along our path, we must remember we are not responsible for them only to them. Christ is responsible FOR them. We all must be at peace with others only as far as it depends on us. So Today, let's just focus on Hope......and having resolve in the reason for our Hope.

In Christ - I lift us up so that He may be magnified,
Kisses,
Candace

Ministry in Word

A Lost Person – Part 2

失丧的人 – 第二篇

Lk 19:1-10
路加19:1-10

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' " But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

耶稣进了耶利哥，正经过的时候，有一个人名叫撒该，作税吏长，是个财主。他要看看耶稣是怎样的人；只因人多，他的身量又矮，所以不得看见，就跑到前头，爬上桑树，要看耶稣，因为耶稣必从那里经过。耶稣到了那里，抬头一看，对他说：撒该，快下来！今天我必住在你家里。他就急忙下来，欢欢喜喜的接待耶稣。众人看见，都私下议论说：他竟到罪人家里去住宿。撒该站着对主说：主阿，我把所有的一半给穷人；我若讹诈了谁，就还他四倍。耶稣说：今天救恩到了这家，因为他也是亚伯拉罕的子孙。人子来，为要寻找，拯救失丧的人。


1. Jesus knew Zacchaeus’ spiritual journey
一、 耶稣知道撒该的心历路程

Jesus came to seek and save Zacchaeus who was lost. First He must have known Zacchaeus’ situation. What was Zacchaeus’ situation? Zacchaeus had 2 problems: a problem with his life and a problem with his image.

耶稣来寻找拯救失丧的撒该。他一定已经知道撒该的情况。撒该的情况如何呢？撒该有两个问题：一个关乎他生命的问题和一个关乎他形象的问题。

a. Life
甲、 生命

First let’s look at his problem with his life. He was a chief tax collector and a wealthy man. He had money and status, but he was not happy. He was a chief tax collector. In the eye of the Roman government, he was simply a tool to take advantage of the Jews; and to the Jews, he was a traitor who helped their foreign conqueror the Roman Empire oppress them, and he was also a sinner who profited from high tax levied on his fellow countrymen. To the Jews he was also unclean due to his contact with the gentiles.

首先让我们看看他关乎他生命的问题。他是一个税吏长和一个财主，他有钱和地位，但他并不快乐。他是一个税吏长，在罗马政府眼中他只不过是向犹太人取利的工具罢了；而对犹太人来说，他是一个卖国贼，他帮他们的异邦征服者罗马帝国来压榨他们，他也是一个罪人因他向他的同胞征收重税而从中弁利。对犹太人来说他也是不洁因为他与外邦人接触。

The Jews considered all tax collectors their public enemies. Therefore Zacchaeus, being a chief tax collector, was hated by his people.

犹太人认为所有的税吏都是他们的公敌，所以作为税吏长撒该就受到他的同胞所痛恨。

Zacchaeus lived a life that was rich in material, but poor in spirit. Nowadays some people have great power for material gains, but they cannot enjoy life, living in discontentment and disappointment.

撒该的生活有丰富的物质，但是精神贫乏。现今有一些人很有获财的能力，但却不能享受生命，活在不满足和失望之中。

Have you ever seen the bumper stickers that say “I’d rather be fishing”, “I’d rather be skiing”, etc. That means they are not content with what they are doing, yet they are stuck in it. Zacchaeus loved his job for all its money, but hated it because of the stigma associated with it.

你曾否看过这样的保险杠贴纸吗？写着「我宁可去钓鱼」或者「我宁可去滑雪」之类。这就表示他们并不满意他们的现状，但又无法改变它。撒该因着饯的缘固喜爱他的工作，但却因为它所带的臭名而讨厌它。

b. Image
乙、 形象

Zacchaeus also had a problem with his image. He might have wished his parents didn’t name him Zacchaeus, because this Hebrew name means “righteous” or “charitable”. Are you kidding? A righteous and charitable chief tax collector? No way!

撒该也有一个形象的问题。也许他有想过如果他父母没有给他取名撒该就好了，因为这犹太名字的意思是「公义的」或「慈善的」。开玩笑，一个公义的和慈善的税吏长？不可能的！

Besides his name being taken as a joke, Zacchaeus might not like his stature, because he was short. Sometimes we are conscious of our physical characteristics. Some think they are too tall while others think they are too short. I read that the famous missionary to China, Miss Lottie Moon, refused to be photographed standing up because she was short, only 4 feet 3 inches tall. Zacchaeus might have sought career excellence and materialistic gain to make up for his shortness, but Jesus knew that he didn’t have
contentment from them.

除了他的名字成为笑柄以外，撒该可能不喜欢他的身材，因为他很矮小。我们有时为我们身体持徵感到不自在，有人认为他们太高，又有人认为他们太矮。我曾读到关于那有名的在华传教士，慕拉第女仕，她拒绝站立拍照因为她身材短小，只有四英尺三英寸高。为了弥补他身材不高撒该可能争取事业上的优越和物质上的收获，但耶稣知道他并没有因此得满足。

To be continued next week.
下周待续。

May we place our hope and expectation on Jesus and may we find contentment in our Lord.
愿我们将我们的盼望与期待放在耶稣身上，和愿我们在我们的主里找到满足。

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

The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

When we hear scripture or sermons on the subject of "those that have been given much, much is expected" or "sacrifice and giving", or parables such as the ones in this devotion....we think it can only apply to money. That is a very shallow interpretation, yet it is the most relatable.
Let's go a step deeper. Last night we spoke about God's concern with people seeing but not perceiving. Of hearing but not understanding. Further down in Chapter 4 Christ explains that we have to use what we have been given in order to gain more.

23 Let the person who has ears listen!" 24 He went on to say, "Pay attention to what you're listening to! [Knowledge] will be measured out to you by the measure [of attention] you give. This is the way knowledge increases. 25 Those who understand [these mysteries] will be given [more knowledge]. However, some people don't understand [these mysteries]. Even what they understand will be taken away from them."

Money helps on the surface of problems, but if we do not give people knowledge with understanding they will never be able to get away from what creates the difficulties in life. Next time someone needs help....give them something they can take to the bank every time....God's truth.
I pray that the LORD gives us wisdom and thank him that from his mouth comes knowledge as well as understanding. I pray that foresight will protect us and that understanding will guard us. I pray that we trust the Lord with all our heart and that we do not rely on our own understanding. And I pray that we know we are blessed; that we find our wisdom and obtain our understanding.
In Jesus Name,
Candace

The King Of Fruits

READ: Luke 19:12-26
Present your bodies a living sacrifice, . . . which is your reasonable service. —Romans 12:1
The durian, a tropical fruit, is often called The King of Fruits. Either you love it or you hate it. Those who love it will do almost anything to get it. Those who hate it won’t get near it because of its pungent smell. My wife loves it. Recently, a friend, who was grateful for what my wife had done for her, sent her a box of the finest quality durians. She took great pains to ensure that they were the best.
I asked myself, “If we can give the best to a friend, how can we do less for our Lord who gave His very life for us?”
The nobleman in Jesus’ parable in Luke 19 wanted the best from 10 servants to whom he gave money, saying, “Do business till I come” (v.13). When he returned and asked for an account, he gave the same commendation “Well done!” to all those who had done what they could with the money entrusted to them. But he called “wicked” (v.22) the one who did nothing with his money.
The primary meaning of this story is stewardship of what we’ve been given. To be faithful with what God has given to us is to give Him our best in return. As the master gave money to the servants in the parable, so God has given us gifts to serve Him. It is we who will lose out if we fail to give Him our best. — C. P. Hia

Give of your best to the Master,

Give Him first place in your heart;

Give Him first place in your service,

Consecrate every part. —Grose

We are at our best when we serve God by serving others.