2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
哥 林 多 後 書 5:17
"若 有 人 在 基 督 裡 、 他 就 是 新 造 的 人 ． 舊 事 已 過 、 都 變 成 新 的 了 。"
Church camp is fantastic! Though I missed 2 days of blogging I found it refreshing and exciting to have Christ in my life :) New creation is God's work and we know that we are a new creation when we are in Christ.
Matthew 7:13-14
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
馬 太 福 音 7:13-14
"你 們 要 進 窄 門 ． 因 為 引 到 滅 亡 、 那 門 是 寬 的 、 路 是 大 的 、 進 去 的 人 也 多 。 引 到 永 生 、 那 門 是 窄 的 、 路 是 小 的 、 找 著 的 人 也 少 。"
The gate that we need to enter is a narrow one. In contrast, the gate that leads to destruction is wide and many enter through it.
Perhaps we need to ask, how can we enter through the narrow gate? What does life mean to you, and do we think there is a lot of time left?
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
箴 言 3:5-6
"你 要 專 心 仰 賴 耶 和 華 、 不 可 倚 靠 自 己 的 聰 明 ． 在 你 一 切 所 行 的 事 上 、 都 要 認 定 他 、 他 必 指 引 你 的 路 。"
Road to heaven is not an easy path, but the right path. Just as Jesus said to enter through the narrow gate, very few of us will find it. More on that tomorrow.
Luke 18:13
"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "
路 加 福 音 18:13
"那 稅 吏 遠 遠 的 站 著 、 連 舉 目 望 天 也 不 敢 、 只 捶 著 胸 說 : ' 神 阿 、 開 恩 可 憐 我 這 個 罪 人!' "
The passage is comparing a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee exalts himself about all the righteous things he did unlike robbers, evildoers and adulterers. In contrast, the tax collector humbled himself and not even dared looking at heaven. He asked God for mercy because he is a sinner.
What is there to exalt about ourselves? Christ has already humbled himself and we know that he was exalted to the right hand of God. Ask God for mercy as we are all sinners.
1 John 5:11-12
"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
約 翰 一 書 5:11-12
"這 見 證 、 就 是 神 賜 給 我 們 永 生 、 這 永 生 也 是 在 他 兒 子 裡 面 。 人 有 了 神 的 兒 子 就 有 生 命 ． 沒 有 神 的 兒 子 就 沒 有 生 命 。"
The best testimony comes from Jesus. Don't we agree?
Hebrews 12:2
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
希 伯 來 書 12:2
"仰 望 為 我 們 信 心 創 始 成 終 的 耶 穌 ． 他 因 那 擺 在 前 面 的 喜 樂 、 就 輕 看 羞 辱 、 忍 受 了 十 字 架 的 苦 難 、 便 坐 在 神 寶 座 的 右 邊 。"
Daily Hope also used this passage to reflect on our life, which is meant to be a marathon, not a 50-yard dash. You need to make it to the finish line, as we see Jesus made it to the finish line by doing the hard yards and endured the cross.
Matthew 6:33
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
馬 太 福 音 6:33
"你 們 要 先 求 他 的 國 和 他 的 義 、這 些 東 西 都 要 加 給 你 們 了 。"
The amount of things that God has given me is beyond count, which includes his grace and salvation. I thank God for being thankful to Him because it is not always easy to be thankful when you have so much.
