*** 要為信仰打那美好的仗 Fight the good fight!!

Today's Blog comes from Sherry. Hope it can be encouragement for us all........
今天的分享由 Sherry 提供,中文在下面......希望對大家都是個很好的鼓勵.........

Every Friday morning, one of the graduating students from School of Theology English Department will be assigned to give a sermon for an hour. Matthew came home today and shared with me the message he heard from the graduating student. The student shared the passage from 1 Timothy 6:11-16:

“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

At the end of his sermon, he confessed in front of all professors and students of his sin. He heavily told everyone the sin he had committed. English is his second language. It’s difficult for him to deal with the school work and meet the deadlines. Often time, he fell behind the schedule for his assignments. Under the heavy pressure of school work, he was tempted. In order to write his paper, he went online and found an article related to the topic he was writing. He copied and pasted part of the article online and made it as his own. He did finish his assignment! No one, neither his professor nor classmates knew about what he did. But God knew. Under strong conviction, he decided to confess first to his wife. With tears, both his wife and he prayed to God for forgiveness. Today it was his turn to give a sermon. He honestly confessed his sin in front of everyone. Everyone who heard felt heavy in their heart. Many shed tears. When Matthew came home and shared with me, I was very moved and inspired.

Matt and I honor his courage and boldness to confess his sins in public. It must have been difficult for him. But surely he has received the greatest freedom, because he asked God and His children for forgiveness.
We are encouraged and comforted because he was willing and unreserved to confess before his brothers and sisters in Christ. His transparency and vulnerability before his family deserves our admiration.
We are also reminded that sometimes we let our deepest secrets and hurts go unconfessed not just to God but each other. This dormant sins and secrets undermine everything we do, tarnishing the image of God in our work and character. The student was too caught up in the work, in achieving a goal. His secrets eventually gave birth to sin. Brothers and sisters, let’s be vulnerable and transparent with each other. Let’s live with each other at the heart level, not the “face” level. If we aren’t confessing our sins and sharing our burdens with each other, we are probably not sharing them honestly with God either. Today Matt could see the relief and emotion that was set free when this brother shared his heart. He cried humble tears of joy knowing that God would forgive him and make him new whatever the consequences of his actions may be. Many in the audience cried as well knowing their struggles were ultimately the same as his. He was a symbol for all of those who heard him. And all of the students felt closer to each other because of his courageous confession. It was a wonderful time of healing.


每個星期五早上，學校的英文部即將畢業的同學，會被指定上台講道一小時。
今天Matthew從學校回來分享今天講道的同學所分享的信息。
這位同學分享保羅對提摩太的囑咐

提摩太前書六章11至16節

要為信仰打那美好的仗

11
但你這屬　神的人啊，應該逃避這些事，要追求公義、敬虔、信心、愛心、忍耐和溫柔。
12
要為信仰打那美好的仗，持定永生；你是為這永生而蒙召的，又在許多的證人面前承認過美好的信仰。
13
我在賜生命給萬物的　神面前，並那在本丟．彼拉多面前見證過美好的信仰的基督耶穌面前囑咐你，
14
你當毫無玷污，無可指摘地持守這命令，直到我們主耶穌基督的顯現。
15
到了適當的時候，那可稱頌的、獨一的全能者，萬王之王，萬主之主，必把基督的顯現表明出來。
16
只有他永遠不死，住在不能接近的光裡，沒有人見過他，人也不能看見他。願尊榮和永遠的權能都歸給他。阿們。

信息最後，這位同學很沉重的在教授及所有學生面前懺悔。他很沉重的告訴大家他最近所犯的罪。英文是他的第二語言，所以對他而言，在神學院英文部的課程是很吃力的。所以他有一些報告無法如期交給老師。在沉重的課業壓力下，他受到了誘惑。他上網找到了與他所要寫的報告相關的內容，在誘惑之下，他抄襲了網路所刊登的文章。就這樣他完成了他的作業，交給了老師。作業是順利的交了出去，老師、同學，沒有人知道他抄襲別人的文章。但是神知道!!! 他心裡不好受了一陣子。他無法面對神，也無法面對自已。於是在聖靈繾責之下，他落淚地告訴他的太太，他所犯的錯誤。他的太太流淚和他一起禱告，求神原諒。學校剛好安排他今天講道。就在全英文部所有人面前，他激動地流下眼淚，坦白公開承認他的罪。他知道他可以在神的大家庭面前，誠實地懺悔及得到原諒。當時的氣氛很沉重，許多人也跟著流下眼淚。當Matthew回家分享時，我也很受到感動及啟發。

對Matthew和我來說，
--我們讚賞他的勇氣，畢竟要在眾人面前坦承自已的罪是何其難。但是他卻得到最大的釋放，因為他來到神及神的子女面前請求原諒。
--我們受到鼓勵及安慰，因為他願意無懼怕、無保留地，在弟兄姐妹面前完前坦白。因為我們都是一家人。
--我們受到提醒，因為有時我們會為了要「把事情做好」，而忘了神，掉入陷阱。
或者是讓埋藏在心中的秘密及痛苦，陷入在罪當中，不只是無法面對神，也無法面對別人。這些潛在的罪及秘密破壞我們所做的每件事。在我們所做的事情及品格上折損了神的形象。在弟兄姐妹之前，有時候我們無法以真心面對彼此，而只顧到面子。如果無法認罪，及彼此相互分享心中的重擔，也表示我們也許無法誠實的面對神，與神分享心中的負擔。今天Matthew可以看見這位弟兄如釋重負地公開他心中的秘密，所得到的解脫及自由。他所流下謙卑、懺悔的眼淚，因為他知道神原諒了他，無論他面對他錯誤行為的後果為何，他可以重新再來。台下的弟兄姐妹之所以落淚也是因為知道他們自已所面對的壓力及背負的重擔是和他一樣的。大家也因為他的勇敢的坦白，而與彼此更親近。今天對大家來說，是得到醫治最好的時間。