对今日诗句的想法
二十多年前，欧迪慈（Juan Carlos Ortiz）批判欧洲与美国的传道人，批评他们所传的福音只是给出了诱人的“胡萝卜”——关注于获得回报而非主耶稣的权柄。然而主耶稣在马太福音7章特别提醒我们，恩典并不取消门徒职分，怜悯也并不免除我们真诚悔改的必要。我们必须接受神所赐的恩典，并且真正让主耶稣成为我们生命的主。这并不是一个两者选其一的命题，我们必须两者都做到。这是神的呼召，为让我们领受恩典并跟从我们的主——耶稣。
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
Decades ago, Juan Carlos Ortiz criticized European and American evangelists for offering a carrot stick gospel — a gospel that focused on our personal payoff for following Jesus, not Jesus's lordship over every area of our lives. Jesus, especially in Matthew 7, reminds us that grace does not dismiss discipleship, and mercy does not release us from our need to repent genuinely. Genuine repentance is NOT feeling bad about our sin — that is godly sorrow that should lead to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-11). Repentance means changing how we live our lives and choosing to live for Jesus. We joyously accept the grace God gives to us in Jesus and truly let Jesus be Lord of our lives. It's not an "either-or" proposition but a "both-and" call from God. We receive grace and obediently follow Jesus as Lord. We obey and serve God because he has adopted and brought us into his family. Our motivation to do good things is not to earn our salvation but to thank and honor God, who has been so good to us and saved us at great cost by his mercy and grace (Ephesians 2:8-10).
我的祷告
全能的神啊，你的威严与能力是何等圣洁而又令人敬畏，我知道自己永远都不配得你的恩典，我知道我的肉体极易被引诱偏离门徒所当行的道路。主啊，请帮助我，因我寻求跟从好牧人行在你的救赎道路之中。奉主耶稣基督名求，阿们！
My Prayer...
Almighty God, holy and awesome in your majesty and might, I know I will never be worthy of your grace. I know that my flesh can easily be lured away from the path of discipleship. So, Father, I need the Spirit to help me as I strive to follow Jesus and live obediently to him. In his name, I pray. Amen.
