双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：7月4日 终极自由

7月4日

终极自由

“所以天父的儿子若叫你们自由，你们就真自由了。”

约翰福音8:36

在纽约港举行的自由女神像一百周年的全国性纪念活动中，我惊异于移民人数的众多。他们往往抛弃一切来到美国，除了身上的衣服，什么都没有带，他们冒着生命危险，撇下所有，只为了一个更有价值的原因：自由。

这正是我们来到耶稣基督的面前应有的态度。我们必须放弃对这个世界一切的执着，为了成为天国的国民。主耶稣自由的象征就是十字架。

纽约港口金门边的雕像举着火炬；而各各他山上十字架的光芒，照亮着通往永生的道路。如果我们借着那一位主来到上帝面前，那光就是为我们而照亮，因为祂说：“我是世界的光。跟从我的，就不在黑暗里走，必要得着生命的光。”（约翰福音8:12）

在那些不允许传讲福音的国家里，这光给身陷囹圄、处在最黑暗处的男男女女们带来自由。一个在政治上自由的人，却可能陷在罪中；而一个认识基督的人，即使因政治入监，也会比看守他的狱卒更加自由。

基督里的自由，是终极的自由，我们不仅仅要在某一个特殊的节日（如国庆节）来庆贺赞美，而且要天天庆贺赞美。

今日祷告：

天父，我们感谢祢赐予我们的自由——不再被罪捆绑的自由、在你的国度中事奉祢的自由、敬拜祢的自由。没有人可以阻止这一切，因为这敬拜就在我们心里。我们为此而欢欣鼓舞，因为我们认识祢；奉耶稣的名，阿们。

July 4

OUR STATUE OF LIBERTY

If the Son therefore shall make you free,ye shall be free indeed.John 8:36

During the national observance of the one hundredth anniversary of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor,I was struck by the great emphasis on the number of immigrants who had often left everything behind,coming to America with nothing but the clothes on their backs,risking their very lives for something they valued more highly than everything they had left behind:freedom.

This is a picture of what we must do when we come to Christ.We must forsake allegiance to the things of this world and all that this world has to offer and become immigrants in the kingdom of God.His statue of liberty is in the form of the cross.

The statue in New York Harbor lifts her lamp“beside the golden door.”

The Statue of Liberty on that Golgotha hill lights the way into eternal life.That light is ours If we will only come to God through the One who said,“I am the light of the world:he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness,but shall have the light of life”(John 8:12).

This light gives freedom to men and women in the darkest of prisons in nations which are intolerant of the preaching of the Gospel.One can have political freedom and still be a prisoner of sin,while one who is in a political prison and knows Christ can be more free than his jailers.

Freedom in Christ is the ultimate freedom to be celebrated not only on special days,but all year around.

Pray for the Day:

Father,we thank You for the freedom that You have given us—freedom from sin,freedom to serve in Your Kingdom,freedom to worship You.No one can stop that,for that worship is in our hearts.And in this we rejoice,for we know You;in Jesus’Name,Amen.