双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：12月9日 和平和睦

12月9日

和平和睦

因祂使我们和睦，〔原文作因祂是我们的和睦〕……。

以弗所书2:14

在我的记忆中，一直都有各种会议、研究、计划和所谓的创新想法，旨在为地上带来和平。人们建立了各种组织，投入了大量的资金和时间，撰写了各种书籍……所有这些都是为了找到一种能给地上带来和平、为人类带来益处的方案。

第一次世界大战被称为“结束所有战争之战”，但事实并非如此——对美国和世界上大多数国家来说，都不是这样。在我写这篇文章时，世界上有五十个地方正在发生这样的事件。不管人们是否开枪打斗，家中都有“争战”；夫妻之间、父母与儿女之间、兄弟姐妹之间、邻居之间、老板和员工之间都有争斗。

为什么呢？在所有这些情况下，我们该做些什么才能带来和平呢？战争的原因是我们拒绝了上帝赐给我们的平安。耶稣说：“我留下平安给你们，我将我的平安赐给你们。我所赐的不像世人所赐的……”所以，平安不是人所能赐的。它来自于基督。我们因罪而彼此争战，而罪就是一种对上帝的宣战。

唯有基督才能消除罪恶，成就神与人而后人与人之间的和平之约。当天使宣告：“地上平安归于祂所喜悦的人”时，这是一项普世宣告，是对任何愿意接受这伯利恒婴孩为其救主的人的宣告，除此以外无人能得此平安。

你得到这平安了吗？只要祈求，你今天就可以得到它。上帝的礼物是无偿的，但祂正在等待你祈求。

今日祷告：

天父，世上暴力频频发生。我们祈求祢，藉着耶稣的宝血给这个世界带来和平。此外，我们也为自己的灵魂祈求，因我们得罪了祢，造成我们与祢之间的阻隔。求祢藉着耶稣的宝血，将祢的平安赐给我们！奉耶稣的名，阿们。

December 9

PEACE

For he is our peace…Ephesians 2:14

For as long as I can remember there have been conferences and studies,plans,and supposedly innovative ideas for bringing peace to this earth.Organizations have been created,much money and time have been spent,books have been written…all in an effort to find a formula that would bring peace on earth and good will to men.

World War I was called“the war to end all war,”but it wasn’t-not for the United States and not for most of the rest of the world.As I write,there are fifty wars occurring somewhere in the world.Whether men shoot and fight one another or not,there is“warfare”in the home;warfare between husband and wife,between parents and children,between brothers and sisters,between neighbors,between boss and employee.

Why?What can be done to bring peace in all of these situations?The reason for war is that we have rejected God’s provision for peace.Jesus said,“My peace I give unto you:not as the world giveth,give I unto you…”So,peace is not man’s to give.It comes from Christ.We war with one another because of sin,which is a declared state of war against God.

Only Christ can cancel sin and create a peace treaty with God and then between men.When the angel pronounced peace on earth,good will to men,it was a universal pronouncement for any who would accept this Bethlehem baby as his or her Savior and for no one else.

Do you know this peace?It can be yours today simply by asking for it.God’s gifts are free,but He is waiting to be asked.

Pray for the Day:

Father,there is much violence in the world.We pray that You will bring about peace in this world through the blood of Jesus.Moreover,we pray for our own souls,as we have sinned against You and created division between us and You.Bring us peace with You through the blood of Jesus;in Jesus’Name,Amen.