創世記1:26 神說：「我們要照著我們的形象，按著我們的樣式造人，使他們管理海裡的魚、空中的鳥、地上的牲畜和全地，並地上所爬的一切昆蟲。」
馬太福音5:43-44 「你們聽見有話說：『當愛你的鄰舍，恨你的仇敵。』 44 只是我告訴你們，要愛你們的仇敵，為那逼迫你們的禱告。
1963年8月28日，為了爭取黑人民權，超過25萬人在華盛頓特區舉行「向華盛頓進軍」大遊行，馬丁·路德·金恩(Martin Luther King Jr.)在林肯紀念堂前發表著名演講《我有一個夢想》（I Have a Dream）。演講中，馬丁·路德·金恩以充滿激情的語言描繪了他對未來的願景：一個沒有種族歧視、人人平等的社會。他重複使用「我有一個夢想」這句話，強調希望黑人與白人能和平共處，並享有平等機會。
馬丁·路德·金恩是一位浸信會牧師，他相信所有人都是按上帝的形象創造（創世記1:26），並應享有平等的尊嚴與權利。他經常引用聖經的教導，愛鄰舍、愛仇敵（馬太福音5:43-44），來支持他提倡非暴力抗議和追求社會正義的立場。
Here is a practical idea. Quarry from your Bible a list of the immutable qualities of God and press them into your heart. When calamity strikes, recite them over and over. My list reads like this:
He is still sovereign. He still knows my name. Angels still respond to his call. The hearts of rulers still bend at his bidding. The death of Jesus still saves souls. The Spirit of God still indwells saints. Heaven is still only heartbeats away. The grave is temporary housing. God is still faithful. He is not caught off guard. He uses everything for his glory and my ultimate good. He uses tragedy to accomplish his will, and his will is right and holy and perfect. God bears fruit in the midst of affliction.
Welcome this truth into your heart: Jesus understands. Grip God’s sovereignty and never let it go.
Tragedy wages an all-out war on faith, so take some practical steps to grab hold of God’s goodness.
First, invite God to use your suffering for his glory. Most Christians ask God to remove the pain, not use the pain. The apostle Paul prayed for God to remove his thorn in the flesh. Later, he made this resolution: “I want to join [Christ] in his sufferings.” (Philippians 3:10 NIRV). Paul’s prayer changed from “remove this” to “use this.”
Also, resist the urge to demand a reason. If God gave one, would we understand it? Most important, guard your thoughts. Disallow any notion that runs counter to God’s truth. We may not understand the reasoning of God, but can we not trust the character of God? If he permits pain, it is for a higher purpose.
路加福音 5:12-13 有一回，耶穌在一個城裡，有人滿身長了大痲瘋，看見祂，就俯伏在地，求祂說：「主若肯，必能叫我潔淨了。」 13 耶穌伸手摸他，說：「我肯，你潔淨了吧！」大痲瘋立刻就離了他的身。
馬太福音 8:14-15 耶穌到了彼得家裡，見彼得的岳母害熱病躺著。 15 耶穌把她的手一摸，熱就退了。她就起來，服侍耶穌。
海倫·凱勒出生在美國，從小因病而失去了視力和聽力。她在幼年時期因為無法與外界溝通而感到絕望，生活充滿了挫折。然而，她的人生在安妮·沙利文老師到來後，發生了巨大的轉變。
安妮以她非凡的耐心和誠實的教育方式，從未對海倫放棄，也從未對她說過謊。安妮堅信，教會海倫理解「語言」和「世界」的真實意義，是通往自由和希望的關鍵。因此，她每天通過觸摸手勢和反覆教學，讓海倫認識單詞和物品間的聯繫。
安妮首先透過手指遊戲，將娃娃送給海倫時，她在海倫的手上拼寫出娃娃的單字，然而海倫雖學會手指拼字的方法，卻無法將拼字和物品產生連結。
We all have pain. Some sufferings we deserve, but many we do not. Deformities? Death of a child? Wartime atrocities? What do you do with these? Why are some people bitter, angry, and harsh, while others are tender, receptive, and kind? Much of the answer is found in their response to pain.
Scripture makes three clear statements about affliction. First, there is no pain-free option. “In the world you will have tribulation,” Jesus said. (John 16:33 ESV). Second, everyone does something with their pain. Numb it. Obsess over it. Run from it. But thirdly, pain displays God’s glory. We exist to make a big deal out of God. Regarding humanity, God declares, “I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them” (Isaiah 43:7 NLT). And nothing glorifies God greater than faith in the midst of suffering.
民數記20:1-12
正月間，以色列全會眾到了尋的曠野，就住在加低斯。米利暗死在那裡，就葬在那裡。
2 會眾沒有水喝，就聚集攻擊摩西、亞倫。 3 百姓向摩西爭鬧說：「我們的弟兄曾死在耶和華面前，我們恨不得與他們同死。 4 你們為何把耶和華的會眾領到這曠野，使我們和牲畜都死在這裡呢？ 5 你們為何逼著我們出埃及，領我們到這壞地方呢？這地方不好撒種，也沒有無花果樹、葡萄樹、石榴樹，又沒有水喝。」 6 摩西、亞倫離開會眾，到會幕門口，俯伏在地。耶和華的榮光向他們顯現。 7 耶和華曉諭摩西說： 8 「你拿著杖去，和你的哥哥亞倫招聚會眾，在他們眼前吩咐磐石發出水來，水就從磐石流出，給會眾和他們的牲畜喝。」 9 於是摩西照耶和華所吩咐的，從耶和華面前取了杖去。
當以色列人在曠野抱怨缺水時，神曉諭摩西吩咐磐石發出水來。然而，由於摩西的憤怒，他擊打了磐石而非按神的指示行事，結果神說他不能進入應許之地。（民數記20:1-12）
該隱因為神看中亞伯的祭物而不是他的祭物感到憤怒，結果失去理智，殺死了他的弟弟亞伯。該隱的憤怒導致了他犯下大罪，並被神詛咒。（創世記4:1-16）
撒母耳記上18:6-9記載掃羅王因為聽到百姓歌頌大衛勝過他而心生嫉妒與怒火，這讓他開始不斷地試圖殺害大衛，最終導致掃羅偏離神的道路，並失去了王位。
馬可福音13:32-37 但那日子、那時辰，沒有人知道，連天上的使者也不知道，子也不知道，唯有父知道。 33 你們要謹慎，警醒祈禱，因為你們不曉得那日期幾時來到。 34 這事正如一個人離開本家，寄居外邦，把權柄交給僕人，分派各人當做的工，又吩咐看門的警醒。 35 所以，你們要警醒，因為你們不知道家主什麼時候來，或晚上，或半夜，或雞叫，或早晨。 36 恐怕他忽然來到，看見你們睡著了。 37 我對你們所說的話，也是對眾人說：要警醒！」
垃圾時間(Garbage time)常用於有時間限制的多種體育賽事，通常在一場比賽中，雙方隊伍的得分分數差距太大，已經難以改變勝負結果，這時剩餘的比賽時間就被稱為垃圾時間。在垃圾時間，雙方成員就不大會盡力投入比賽，大家準備搓掉時間而結束比賽。
也許我們會想：我已經信神，可以得永生了，那我剩餘的人生呢？是不是就等於是體育賽事中的垃圾時間？
在一支隊伍吞下11敗後又即將接續吞下敗仗時，教練準備放棄比賽，派出板凳球員上場來消磨垃圾時間；但這位在過去23場比賽只上場不到55分鐘的球員，卻為球隊帶來了最好的成績。我們可以從林書豪的身上得到學習。
“‘The battle belongs to the Lord” (1 Samuel 17:47 MEV). When everyone stared at Goliath, David never gave him the time of day. David found a source of strength into which he could tap. The right thoughts led to the right reaction.
No one needs to tell you giants roam this world. No one needs to tell you this life is a battle. But maybe someone needs to remind you the battle belongs to the Lord. You never fight alone. You never fight solo. You never face a challenge without the backup of God Almighty. God is with you as you face your giant. With you as you are wheeled into surgery. With you as you enter the cemetery. With you, always. Silence the voice that says, “The challenge is too great.” And welcome God’s voice that reminds, “The battle belongs to the Lord.”
Your mindset is your most valuable tool. It’s time to screen thoughts, interrupt thoughts, extract and replace thoughts. And I know just the fellow to help us. God called him “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22 NIV). Why? He made this six-word motto his mantra: “The battle belongs to the Lord” (1 Samuel 17:47 MEV).
Goliath stood nine feet nine inches tall and wore 126 pounds of armor. David was the youngest in his family—a teenager. He showed up and piped up. “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26 NIV).
David sees a battle; he thinks of God. He sees the Philistines; he thinks of God’s armies. And he announces, “The battle belongs to the Lord.” How does David’s reaction to the enemy compare with yours?
路加福音15:18-20 我要起來，到我父親那裡去，向他說：「父親，我得罪了天，又得罪了你。 19 從今以後，我不配稱為你的兒子，把我當做一個雇工吧！」』 20 於是起來，往他父親那裡去。相離還遠，他父親看見，就動了慈心，跑去抱著他的頸項，連連與他親嘴。
我們在生活中會接觸或經歷許許多多、形形色色的人們，有如雙手捧著滿把海灘的細砂，隨著歲月的流失，細砂似也從手指間隙悄然流走，其中偶有小海螺、小貝殼…，總會讓我們留下難忘的回憶。
他是我五十多年前在教會主日學服事的失親孩子，與祖母同住，住在我們教會後面巷子裡的簡陋房子，他常來教會玩，自然也參加了主日學的活動。當年的他，皮膚黝黑、身材瘦小，學習有點遲緩，個性躁動、倔強，常會罵人、打架，主日學的孩子雖不至於拒絕他，但也常與他保持距離。他一直是主日學的頭痛人物，通常需要幾個老師特別注意照顧。
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每日親近神 2012-2018 数据整理中