双语灵修（葛培理牧师） ：1月31日 靠主得胜

1月31日

靠主得胜

“各样美善的恩赐和各样全备的赏赐都是从上头来的，从众光之父那里降下来的；在他并没有改变，也没有转动的影儿。”

雅各书1:17

戏剧家威廉·莎士比亚创作了很多经典作品，其中一些被称为悲剧，例如：《哈姆雷特》、《麦克白》、《李尔王》、《凯撒大帝》、《罗密欧与朱丽叶》等，这些仅仅是莎翁经典悲剧的一部分作品。

你有没有想过，为什么这些作品这么有感染力，这么让人悲叹？因为在每一个剧情里，那些角色都是自己处境中的受害者，他们无力从中挣脱出来。

但是基督徒却不一样。即便我们身处恶劣的环境、在世人看来无助无望，我们都有能力战胜。关键是要了解悲剧的根源。

死亡、痛苦和悲剧的根源在于罪。很多人将悲剧归咎于上帝。但雅各在雅各书一章17节告诉我们说：“各样美善的恩赐和各样全备的赏赐都是从上头来的，从众光之父那里降下来的”。悲剧，是罪进入世界的结果。

但是，我们的主耶稣基督，已经战胜了罪。他也希望我们靠着他得胜，荣耀上帝。是的，战胜悲剧，正是基督徒荣美的见证。我们也会发生不幸–失去亲人或失去工作。非信徒会密切关注我们如何回应。如果我们和他们没有什么区别，跟他们一样软弱、绝望，我们如何荣耀上帝呢？我们如何还能见证基督的能力呢？

“感谢上帝！常率领我们在基督里夸胜，并借着我们在各处显扬那因认识基督而有的香气。”（哥林多后书2:14）

今日祷告：

天父，当困苦来临时，我仰望你。我知道你是拯救者，我祈求，在你里面的盼望如明光照耀在这个世界，世人看到你的光就转向你，信靠你。奉耶稣的名，阿们。

January 31

TRIUMPH OUT OF TRAGEDY

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,and cometh down from the Father of lights,with whom is no variableness,neither shadow of turning.James 1:17

The playwright William Shakespeare wrote numerous classics,some of which are called“tragedies.”Hamlet,Macbeth,King Lear,Julius Caesar,and Romeo and Juliet are only some of Shakespeare’s more classic tragedies.

Have you ever thought why these plays depict tragedy-indeed,why the stories are,themselves,tragic?It is because in each instance,the characters are victims of their own circumstances and are powerless to free themselves from them.

Not so for the Christian.We have the power to triumph over tragedy,even in situations which might seem hopeless and unredeemable to the world.The key to understanding tragedy is to understand its source.

Death and pain and tragedy came into the world because of sin.Many people blame God for tragedy,but James tells us that“every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights.”Tragedy is a result of sin having entered the world.

But Christ has triumphed over tragedy,and He wants us to do the same because in such triumph God is glorified.Indeed,triumphing over tragedy is a form of witness for Christ.When something tragic happens to us-the loss of a loved one,the loss of a job-unbelievers watch us closely to see whether we react differently than they would.If there is no difference,if we despair as unbelievers might,how is God honored?How do we testify of Christ and His power?

Remember,“Now thanks be unto God,which always causeth us to triumph in Christ”(2 Corinthians 2:14)

Pray for the day:

Father,when trouble comes my way,I look to You.I know that You are the Deliverer.I pray that my hope in You will shine as a light to the world,and that they will see the hope and put their trust in You;in Jesus’Name,Amen.