Restoration of Others by the Spirit

January 31, 2013 - Galatians 6:1-3

6:1		弟 兄 們 、 若 有 人 偶 然 被 過 犯 所 勝 、 你 們 屬 靈 的 人 、 就 當 用 溫 柔 的 心 、 把 他 挽 回 過 來 ． 又 當 自 己 小 心 、 恐 怕 也 被 引 誘 。
6:2		你 們 各 人 的 重 擔 要 互 相 擔 當 、 如 此 、 就 完 全 了 基 督 的 律 法 。
6:3		人 若 無 有 、 自 己 還 以 為 有 、 就 是 自 欺 了 。

 ¹ Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. ² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³ If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 

Paul states that a believer who lives by the Spirit is not living a Christian life in a solitary way but living in an authentic communal life through sharing other's burdens and restoring other who falls in a sin. Holy Spirit is also the Spirit of the body of Christ who unites us in one body and also moves us to care and watch over our brothers and sisters. Paul at the same time reminds us to watch ourselves as well in order not to be tempted in the sin. 

Dear Holy Spirit, You teach us to pursue after You and to walk by the Spirit in our lives - living a life of sanctification and also relying on Your Presence and Power to live in joy even in the midst of hardships. But You Holy Spirit also leads us to watch over our brothers and sisters who may fall into temptations and sins. Show us the love of God that unites believers together and lead us to pray for and walk the same step with the Spirit to restore brothers and sisters who are now in temptation and sins. 

Father, Son, and Spirit - the Comforter in All Our Troubles

January 30, 2013 - 2 Corinthians 1:3-6

1:3		願 頌 讚 歸 與 我 們 的 主 耶 穌 基 督 的 父 　 神 、  就 是 發 慈 悲 的 父 、 賜 各 樣 安 慰 的 　 神 ．
1:4		我 們 在 一 切 患 難 中 、 他 就 安 慰 我 們 、  叫 我 們 能 用 　 神 所 賜 的 安 慰 、  去 安 慰 那 遭 各 樣 患 難 的 人 。
1:5		我 們 既 多 受 基 督 的 苦 楚 、 就 靠 基 督 多 得 安 慰 。
1:6		我 們 受 患 難 呢 、 是 為 叫 你 們 得 安 慰 得 拯 救 ．  我 們 得 安 慰 呢 、 也 是 為 叫 你 們 得 安 慰 ．  這 安 慰 能 叫 你 們 忍 受 我 們 所 受 的 那樣 苦 楚 。

    ³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ⁵ For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. ⁶ If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 

Paul opens a new door for helping us to know who God is - He is called the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. Paul states the wonderful promise we receive from God, i.e. He comforts us in all our troubles that we can in turn comfort others who are in troubles with the comfort we receive from the compassionate God. God does not exclude us from facing troubles but promises that His comfort shall be with us in all troubles. 

My Father God, thanks for being my Comforter in all kinds of troubles. As I pray for experiencing Your Presence, You leads us not living a comfortable life but living a life that have troubles but with abundant comfort from You that I can grow in a much deeper relationship with you and in turn can bring  your comfort - my real experience - to comfort others. My Lord Jesus Christ, you invite me to share your sufferings for your name's sake and together with other brothers and sisters in your body. And at the same time we receive abundant comfort through Christ as you are with us in the midst of troubles or sufferings. My Holy Spirit, you are the Comforter, the Paraclete, who are always alongside of us and comfort us with the love of God. Let me pray not for taking away all my troubles but pray for tasting more and more the Comfort of my Father, Son, and Spirit upon me. 

Crucifying the Flesh and Keeping in Step with the Spirit

January 29, 2013 - Galatians 5:24-26

5:24		凡 屬 基 督 耶 穌 的 人 、 是 已 經 把 肉 體 、 連 肉 體 的 邪 情 私 慾 、 同 釘 在 十 字 架 上 了 。
5:25		我 們 若 是 靠 聖 靈 得 生 、 就 當 靠 聖 靈 行 事 。
5:26		不 要 貪 圖 虛 名 、 彼 此 惹 氣 、 互 相 嫉 妒 。

²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Paul draws our attention to the battle with our flesh in our spiritual journey or life of sanctification. Our flesh, though after our conversion, still carries the desires and passions that contrast to the Spirit. Paul clearly asserts that the flesh with its passions and desires has to be crucified once we belong to Christ Jesus. This is not an once-for-all event but shall be done everyday in our spiritual life. A believer is marked by this crucifixion with Jesus, not in assuring our salvation before the Lord, but as a sign of our sanctification to be like Jesus. And at the same time, Paul describes a life marked with crucifixion is also a life that lives by the Spirit and keeps in step with the Spirit. The Spirit is seen as actively living and walking closely with a believer to guide, strengthen, comfort, warn and even restrict him/her that a believer can walk after the Lord.

Thanks God that though life is complicated and future is uncertain, You have given me the most valuable gifts of Jesus and His Cross and the Spirit. These are the basic but also most important elements of my Christian faith. Learn to bear the cross to crucify my flesh and related passions and desires, and keep my footstep with the Spirit always so that all my passions and desires are in line with the Spirit. My Spirit, I earnestly want to live my life with purpose and convergence but lead me to live a Spirit-filled and Spirit-passionate life to bear the witness of the cross of Jesus, my Lord.