Today’s Spiritual Disciplines

May the Lord bless every reader in every place as we enter another day of spiritual disciplines, daily devotions, and attentive Scripture reflections. Wherever this finds you—at home, at work, in a hospital room, in a quiet church, or in the middle of a demanding schedule—God is already present. He remains faithful to continue the work He has begun within us, patiently shaping our Christian walk and strengthening us for every stage of the faith journey.

When Wonder Returns to Worship

As the Day Begins

This morning’s meditation turns our attention to John 7:17 and the relationship between obedience and spiritual understanding. We will consider how genuine knowledge of God grows alongside surrender, reverence, and a willingness to obey even when every mystery has not been explained.

The devotional also invites us to recover holy wonder in worship. God has revealed Himself truly, yet He remains greater than our explanations, reminding us that humility is not the enemy of faith but one of its clearest expressions.

The Light Demands a Decision

In the Life of Christ

John 1:6–10 introduces John the Baptist as a witness sent by God to testify concerning Jesus, the true Light. This reflection will ask the personal and unavoidable question that stands at the center of John’s testimony: What will we do with Jesus?

We will also examine the calling of every believer to reflect Christ without drawing attention away from Him. John was not the Light, but his life burned as a lamp directing others toward the Savior, showing us what faithful Christian witness should look like.

When the Heart Refuses to Bend

The Bible in a Year

Proverbs 29:1 gives a serious warning about the danger of repeatedly resisting correction. This devotional will explore God’s gracious reproof, the gradual hardening of the human heart, and the certainty of judgment when a person continually refuses to repent.

At the same time, the verse offers mercy to anyone willing to listen today. God’s correction is not evidence that He has abandoned us; it is often evidence that He is still calling us away from destruction and back into fellowship with Him.

When the Soul Stops Rehearsing Its Pain

On Second Thought

Psalm 27 and Psalm 29 guide us from self-pity toward praise without requiring us to deny the reality of pain. This reflection will consider how discouragement can become spiritually confining when we repeatedly rehearse what has gone wrong and lose sight of who God remains.

Praise does not always begin after the crisis ends. Sometimes worship becomes the path by which the heart rises above its circumstances, remembers God’s faithfulness, and receives comfort that self-pity had been blocking.

When Prayer Stands Between Feeling and Reason

DID YOU KNOW

David’s experience at Ziklag shows us how prayer brings emotion and logic under the direction of God. This article will examine how David grieved honestly, sought the Lord carefully, acted courageously, and still remained attentive to people who might otherwise have been overlooked.

We will discover that spiritual maturity does not require us to become emotionless or coldly analytical. Prayer helps us think truthfully, feel honestly, act compassionately, and distinguish between our responsibility and God’s sovereignty.

When the Wind Blows Against Your Faith

As the Day Ends

The evening devotional reflects on the honesty of Jesus concerning the cost of discipleship. Christ never promised His followers a life without hardship, rejection, or sacrifice, but He did promise His continuing presence and sustaining grace.

As the day closes, we will be reminded not to interpret every difficulty as evidence that something has gone wrong. Sometimes the opposing wind is felt precisely because we are walking beside Christ, and His presence is enough to carry us through the night.

May these daily devotions help us listen more carefully, obey more readily, pray more honestly, worship more reverently, and follow Jesus more faithfully. The purpose of spiritual discipline is not merely to complete a religious routine. It is to place ourselves before God so that His Word may correct us, His Spirit may strengthen us, and the life of Christ may become increasingly visible within us.

Pastor Hogg

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死亡不是终点，而是一扇门

天堂与地狱：从今生走向永恒的必经之路

许多人不愿意谈论死亡，因为死亡会使我们感到不安。我们可以计划工作、家庭、旅行和退休，却无法控制生命最后的时刻。圣经却没有回避这个主题，反而用清楚而严肃的话提醒我们：“按着定命，人人都有一死，死后且有审判。”（希伯来书9:27）

这节经文首先告诉我们，死亡不是一场完全失控的意外，也不是宇宙中毫无意义的随机事件。人的生命在上帝手中。我们可能会错过地上的约会，迟到一场聚会，忘记一个日期，但死亡是每个人都必须面对的时刻。我们不知道它何时来到，却知道它必然来到。

曾经流传着这样一个故事。一个人站在自己城市的街角，看见一个陌生人从身旁经过。那陌生人看到他时，脸上显出惊讶的神情，却没有说话，只是继续前行。

后来，这个人得知那陌生人竟然象征着“死亡”，便非常害怕。他赶紧去找一位有智慧的朋友，请求帮助。他说：“死亡刚才从我身边经过，而且看到我时非常惊讶。我该怎么办？”

朋友回答：“如果我是你，我会立刻逃到远方的另一座城市。”

于是，这个人连夜离开家乡，赶到一座遥远的城市。他以为自己已经成功逃离了死亡。然而第二天，当他走在那座城市的街道上时，却再次遇见了死亡。

他惊恐地问：“我昨天已经离开家乡，以为把你甩在后面了。你为什么会在这里？”

死亡回答：“昨天我在你的家乡看到你，所以才会那么惊讶，因为我原本约好今天在这里与你见面。”

这个故事并不是圣经记载，但它帮助我们明白一个真理：人无法靠搬家、财富、医学、权力或谨慎彻底逃离死亡。我们应当爱惜身体、珍惜生命，也应当尽力保护自己和家人，但没有人能够无限延长今生。真正的问题不是：“我能不能逃过死亡？”而是：“当死亡来到时，我是否已经预备好面对上帝？”

死亡也是一种分离，而不是人的完全消失。现代人常把死亡看作一个句号，认为人死以后，一切就结束了。然而在圣经中，死亡所表达的主要意思是分离。身体与灵魂分离，是肉身的死亡；人与上帝分离，则是属灵的死亡。

因此，死亡不是把人的存在彻底抹去，而是使人从今生进入永恒。我们常说自己活在“活人之地”，逐渐走向“死人之地”。从圣经的眼光来看，情况恰恰相反。我们如今居住在一个不断衰残、衰老和死亡的世界中，却正在走向那永恒不变的世界。

所以，死亡更像一个连接词，而不是句号。它不是“结束”，而是“然后”。

耶稣在路加福音十六章讲到财主和拉撒路时说：“后来那讨饭的死了，被天使带去放在亚伯拉罕的怀里；财主也死了，并且埋葬了。”（路加福音16:22）故事并没有在“他们死了”之后停止。两个人都死了，然后他们仍然继续存在，也开始经历死亡之后的现实。

这正是圣经关于死亡的重要启示。死亡没有取消人的存在，反而揭开了另一个阶段。今生结束以后，人不会变成虚无。生命会继续，只是所在的领域改变了。

雅各书2:26说：“身体没有灵魂是死的。” 身体之所以能够活动、感受和表达，是因为上帝赐下了生命。创世记2:7记载：“耶和华上帝用地上的尘土造人，将生气吹在他鼻孔里，他就成了有灵的活人。”

亚当的身体由尘土而来，但他成为“活人”，是因为上帝把生命赐给了他。圣经并不是说人的身体毫无价值。身体是上帝所创造的，将来也要在复活中得到更新。然而，人的价值不能只由外貌、年龄、健康、力量或社会地位来衡量。我们的身体会衰老，灵魂却是为永恒而造。

这能给现实生活带来很大的安慰。一个人可能因为疾病失去行动能力，也可能因为年老而失去记忆或独立生活的能力，但他的价值并没有减少。一个躺在病床上的人，和一位身体强壮、事业成功的人，在上帝面前同样拥有尊严。人的价值不在于他还能生产多少、完成多少或贡献多少，而在于他是上帝所创造、所认识、所呼召的人。

圣经也表明，人死亡以后并不是进入一种没有意识、完全空白的状态，等到复活时才再次醒来。使徒保罗说：“我们坦然无惧，是更愿意离开身体与主同住。”（哥林多后书5:8）他也对腓立比教会说：“我正在两难之间，情愿离世与基督同在，因为这是好得无比的。”（腓立比书1:23）

保罗期待的不是一段漫长而无意识的黑暗。他期待离开身体以后，立刻与基督同在。对属于基督的人来说，死亡虽然带来身体与灵魂的分离，却也意味着进入主的同在。

这并不代表基督徒不会害怕死亡，也不代表失去亲人时不该悲伤。耶稣在拉撒路的坟墓前也曾流泪。死亡是仇敌，因为它撕裂关系，使家庭分离，也让人感受到今世的破碎。然而，对信靠基督的人来说，死亡已经不再拥有最后的权柄。耶稣藉着十字架和复活胜过了死亡。

圣经同样清楚地指出，死亡之后没有新的机会让人重新决定是否接受基督。今生是回应上帝恩典的时候。今天是悔改、相信和归向基督的时候。我们不能假设死亡之后还有另一个过渡阶段，可以慢慢解决今生拒绝上帝的问题。

有些人喜欢相信，每个人死后都会自然进入一个温暖、明亮而美好的地方，无论他在世时如何回应上帝。然而圣经没有把永恒描述为自动进入的天堂。死亡之后有审判，也有目的地。天堂是真实的，地狱也是真实的。基督的救恩因此不是一种可有可无的宗教安慰，而是关乎永恒归宿的好消息。

耶稣来到世上，不是为了使我们在想到死亡时只感到恐惧，而是要使我们得到永生。祂说：“复活在我，生命也在我；信我的人虽然死了，也必复活。”（约翰福音11:25）基督徒的盼望不只是灵魂进入天堂，也包括将来身体的复活。上帝不会永远丢弃祂所创造的身体。到了复活的日子，基督要使属于祂的人得着荣耀的新身体。

保罗说，复活的改变会发生在*“一霎时，眨眼之间”*（哥林多前书15:52）。这说明上帝对死亡拥有完全的权柄。坟墓不是祂工作的终点，身体的朽坏也不能阻止祂的应许。

当一个人的遗体被送到教堂举行追思礼拜时，我们看见的是他留下的身体，但那个人并不真正停留在棺木里。墓碑记录了他在地上的年月，却不能完整描述他现在的状态。对留在地上的人来说，葬礼似乎充满了结束的气氛；但从永恒的角度来看，死亡只是一次迅速的过渡。

这项真理也应当改变我们今天的生活。如果生命只有几十年，那么我们很容易把大部分精力都用在短暂的事情上。我们可能忙着积累财富、维持形象、追求认可，却忽略了灵魂的需要。可是，当我们知道自己是为永恒而造，就会开始重新衡量什么真正重要。

我们会更认真地面对罪，因为罪不仅伤害今生，也显明我们与上帝关系的状态。我们会更愿意饶恕别人，因为不愿放下的仇恨不值得带进今天的祷告中。我们会更珍惜家人，因为相处的时间并不是无限的。我们也会更勇敢地传讲福音，因为身边的人都在走向永恒。

预备死亡并不是整天忧愁地想着坟墓，而是今天就认真地活在上帝面前。一个已经藉着基督与上帝和好的人，不必被死亡的阴影控制。他知道死亡会来，却也知道基督已经先经过死亡，并从坟墓中复活。

真正的预备不是购买一块墓地，也不只是写好遗嘱。那些事情可以表达责任，但灵魂的预备更为重要。我们需要承认自己的罪，相信耶稣为我们死而复活，并把生命交托给祂。救恩不是靠善行累积出来的，也不是靠宗教身份换来的，而是上帝在基督里赐下的恩典。

今天也许不是我们生命的最后一天，但它仍然是上帝赐给我们的宝贵一天。我们可以在今天悔改，在今天祷告，在今天饶恕，在今天爱人，也可以在今天把自己完全交托给耶稣。

死亡是一次人人都会赴的约会，也是连接今生与永恒的门。它不是虚无的入口，而是通往目的地的道路。世界在死亡之后放上句号，上帝却告诉我们，死亡之后还有“然后”。

愿你不要只为今生做好计划，也要为永恒预备心灵。愿你在耶稣基督里找到赦免、平安和永生的盼望。即使有一天必须走过死亡的幽谷，也能知道主与你同在，祂必带领属于祂的人进入永远的家。

愿主赐你清醒的心，使你珍惜今天；赐你坚定的信心，使你不惧怕明天；并赐你永恒的盼望，使你一生紧紧跟随耶稣基督。

牧师霍格祝福您

Grace That Teaches Us to Confess

As the Day Ends

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.”
—1 Corinthians 15:3

As this day closes, we rest in the central truth of the gospel: Jesus Christ died for our sins. His sacrifice was complete, sufficient, and entirely effective. We do not earn forgiveness through regret, religious effort, or repeated promises to improve. Our cleansing rests upon what Christ accomplished at the cross. Yet that assurance does not make confession unnecessary. It makes confession possible.

First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The Greek word translated “confess,” homologeō, means to say the same thing or to agree. Confession is agreeing with God about our sin without excusing it, minimizing it, or shifting blame. We do not confess because Christ’s sacrifice was incomplete. We confess because we belong to the One who died to free us from sin’s guilt and power.

Two biblical truths must remain together. Christ died for our sins, and Christians are called to confess their sins. To emphasize forgiveness while neglecting confession can produce carelessness. To emphasize confession while neglecting the cross can produce fear and despair. The gospel gives us both security and honesty. Because Christ has opened the way to the Father, we can bring every failure into the light.

Tonight, we do not need to hide from God. We can quietly review the day, acknowledge where our thoughts, words, or actions departed from His will, and receive His cleansing grace. Confession is not spiritual punishment. It is the soul returning home to fellowship with God.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for receiving me through the saving work of Your Son. Search my heart tonight and show me where I have sinned in thought, attitude, word, or action. Keep me from excusing what You call wrong. I confess my need for mercy and rest in Your faithful promise to forgive and cleanse me.

Jesus the Son, thank You for dying for my sins according to the Scriptures. Your cross is my only hope and my complete assurance. Help me never to use grace as permission for carelessness. Teach me to bring my failures honestly before You, trusting that Your blood is sufficient and Your mercy remains greater than my sin.

Holy Spirit, shine Your light into every hidden place within me. Give me a tender conscience without allowing condemnation to overwhelm me. Lead me into truthful confession, sincere repentance, and renewed obedience. Quiet my heart with the assurance that God’s forgiveness restores fellowship and prepares me to walk more faithfully tomorrow.

Thought for the Evening

Before sleep, name before God one attitude, word, or action that needs confession. Agree with Him about it, receive the cleansing secured by Christ, and rest without hiding. Grace does not teach us to avoid confession; grace gives us courage to confess.

 

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When Pride Keeps Popping Back Up

DID YOU KNOW

Pride rarely disappears simply because we have recognized it once. It behaves much like the spring inside a jack-in-the-box. We press it down through repentance, discipline, or a humbling experience, and for a while we assume the problem has been settled. Then an achievement, compliment, disagreement, or moment of comparison releases the spring, and pride rises again. This is especially dangerous in the Christian life because spiritual growth itself can become material for self-exaltation. We can become proud of our biblical knowledge, prayer habits, moral discipline, ministry experience, or ability to recognize the weaknesses of others.

The readings from 1 Samuel 28–29, 1 Peter 2:13–17, and Psalms 130–131 reveal several ways God quiets the restless soul and redirects us away from self-importance. Saul shows what happens when self-will replaces humble dependence upon God. Peter teaches believers to submit to proper authority for the Lord’s sake. The psalmist demonstrates the peace that comes when we stop trying to manage matters that belong in God’s hands. Together, these passages show that humility is not thinking that we have no value. It is recognizing that our value, wisdom, security, and future are all received from the Lord.

Did you know that spiritual maturity is often revealed by what you are willing to leave unexplained?

Psalm 131 begins with a remarkable confession: “Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.” The psalmist is not celebrating ignorance, laziness, or a refusal to think seriously. Scripture repeatedly encourages believers to pursue wisdom and understanding. His point is that he has learned to recognize the boundary between faithful inquiry and prideful control. Some matters are beyond his responsibility, ability, or present understanding. Rather than demanding that God explain everything, he places what is too great for him into God’s keeping.

Pride often persuades us that peace will come only after every question has been answered. We tell ourselves that we must understand why God allowed a disappointment, why a prayer remains unanswered, why another person received an opportunity, or why our path has taken an unexpected turn. Yet there are times when the demand for an explanation is not a search for truth but an attempt to place God under our supervision. We want Him to justify His decisions before we will rest. The psalmist chooses another way. He acknowledges that God is mighty and that he is small. This does not diminish him; it frees him from carrying responsibilities that belong to the Lord.

The Hebrew image behind this psalm conveys a heart that is no longer lifted up in self-importance. The psalmist refuses to elevate himself into a position from which he must evaluate every act of God. He accepts that the Creator sees what the creature cannot see. Much of spiritual maturity is learning to say, “I do not understand this, but I know whom I have trusted.” Faith does not require us to pretend that hard questions are easy. It allows us to carry those questions without allowing them to become accusations against God.

The psalmist then writes, “Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother.” A weaned child no longer approaches the mother only for immediate nourishment. The child has learned to rest in her presence without demanding instant satisfaction. In the same way, mature faith learns to enjoy God for who He is, not merely for what He gives. We do not abandon prayer or cease asking for help. We simply stop treating God as though His goodness must be measured by how quickly He fulfills our expectations.

Did you know that submission can be an expression of spiritual freedom rather than personal weakness?

Peter tells believers, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake” (1 Peter 2:13). Submission can be difficult because pride associates it with inferiority. We may assume that cooperating with authority means surrendering our dignity, intelligence, or convictions. Peter presents a different motive: believers submit “for the Lord’s sake.” Christian submission is not rooted in fear of people but in reverence for Christ. We recognize that our conduct reflects the character of the Savior whom we represent.

Peter was writing to Christians who often lived under unfair and ungodly authorities. He was not suggesting that every command issued by a ruler is morally right or that believers must obey instructions that contradict God. The apostles themselves declared in Acts 5:29, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Yet Peter understood that pride can cause us to resist authority simply because we dislike being told what to do. Humility enables us to distinguish between necessary faithfulness to God and unnecessary rebellion driven by self-will.

Submission also provides a powerful witness. Peter writes, “For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:15). The Greek word translated “put to silence” carries the idea of muzzling an accusation. Consistent goodness removes credibility from false charges. A proud believer may attempt to defend himself through argument, retaliation, or public self-justification. A humble believer entrusts his reputation to God and continues doing what is right.

This does not mean that Christians must remain silent in the face of abuse, injustice, or criminal conduct. Biblical submission never requires cooperation with evil. It does mean that we should examine whether our resistance is truly a defense of righteousness or merely a defense of ego. Sometimes we describe our stubbornness as courage when it is actually pride wearing religious clothing. Christ gives us the clearest example. Peter says of Jesus, “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:23).

Jesus did not lack power. He restrained His power because He trusted the Father’s judgment. His submission was not helpless surrender but purposeful obedience. The cross therefore exposes our pride. The One who possessed all authority humbled Himself, while we often demand recognition for the smallest act of service. Looking at Christ quiets the desire to prove ourselves because His grace assures us that our identity no longer depends upon winning every contest, correcting every insult, or being praised for every contribution.

Did you know that desperation can either drive us toward God or expose our determination to control Him?

The tragedy of Saul in 1 Samuel 28 is not merely that he visited the medium at Endor. His deeper failure was that he repeatedly resisted God’s instruction and then sought spiritual guidance on his own terms. Saul wanted divine help without humble obedience. When the Lord did not answer him according to his preferred timing, he turned toward a practice God had explicitly forbidden. His desperation did not lead him to repentance; it drove him toward greater rebellion.

This is one of pride’s most deceptive forms. We may say that we are seeking God’s will while actually searching for permission to follow our own. We consult Scripture, teachers, friends, or even prayer, but we keep looking until someone tells us what we already want to hear. Saul had received repeated opportunities to humble himself, yet he remained more concerned with preserving his position than restoring his relationship with God. His fear of losing the kingdom became stronger than his fear of the Lord.

Pride does not always look confident. Sometimes it looks anxious, defensive, and desperate. It insists that we must control tomorrow because we do not trust God with the outcome. Saul’s story warns us that fear can become spiritually dangerous when it separates us from obedience. When we are frightened, we are especially vulnerable to shortcuts, manipulative decisions, and counterfeit sources of assurance.

Psalm 130 offers the opposite response. The writer cries, “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.” Unlike Saul, the psalmist does not try to manufacture an answer. He brings his need directly to God. He acknowledges his sin, depends upon divine mercy, and waits: “I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.” Humility waits because it believes God’s word is more reliable than immediate relief.

Waiting is difficult because it removes the illusion that we are in charge. We cannot hurry God, manipulate His timing, or guarantee the result. Yet waiting can become a sanctuary in which pride loses its grip. As we wait, we learn that God’s presence is sufficient even before the answer arrives. We discover that our security rests not in predicting tomorrow but in belonging to the One who already inhabits it.

Did you know that grace removes our need to build an identity out of spiritual achievement?

Religious pride grows when we begin measuring our worth by comparison. We notice that we know more Scripture than someone else, pray with greater confidence, serve more visibly, or avoid sins that seem to entangle others. Instead of gratitude, growth produces superiority. We forget that every evidence of maturity is the result of grace. Paul asks in 1 Corinthians 4:7, “What hast thou that thou didst not receive?” Whatever wisdom, strength, opportunity, or fruit we possess has come from God.

The gospel gives us no room for boasting. At the cross, every human claim to self-sufficiency is stripped away. We did not rescue ourselves from sin. Christ bore our guilt, fulfilled righteousness on our behalf, and opened the way to God through His sacrifice. Pride says, “Look what I have achieved.” Grace says, “Look what Christ has done.” The more clearly we see the cross, the less need we feel to stand above others.

This also changes how we respond to believers who are still growing. If we understand that God has been patient with us, we become more patient with them. We can offer correction without contempt and truth without arrogance. Spiritual maturity does not announce itself by drawing attention to its superiority. It appears through gentleness, teachability, repentance, and increasing dependence upon Christ.

The sacrifice of Jesus quiets the soul because it settles the question of our worth. We do not need constant recognition, control, or comparison. We are loved through Christ, welcomed through grace, and kept by the faithfulness of God. This security allows us to become small without feeling insignificant. Like the child in Psalm 131, we can rest in the presence of God without demanding that every moment affirm our importance.

Today, consider where jack-in-the-box pride may be attempting to rise again. It may appear in your need to be right, your irritation with correction, your comparison with another believer, or your refusal to trust God with an unanswered question. Do not merely push the lid down through greater effort. Bring the spring itself to Christ. Ask Him to expose the insecurity, fear, or self-will beneath your pride. Practice humility by listening before speaking, receiving correction without defensiveness, serving without recognition, and leaving one unresolved matter consciously in God’s hands. The soul becomes quiet when it no longer has to be the center of the story.

 

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When Faith Must Trust What It Cannot Yet See

On Second Thought

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.”
—Luke 7:22

John the Baptist had once stood beside the Jordan with the confidence of a prophet. He called Israel to repentance, confronted religious hypocrisy, and announced that the Messiah was near. When Jesus approached him for baptism, John recognized His greatness and declared, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). John knew why he had been sent. He was the voice preparing the way for the Lord.

Then the scenery changed. The open wilderness was replaced by prison walls. John had confronted Herod for taking Herodias, his brother’s wife, and faithful witness brought painful consequences. The prophet who had once spoken to crowds now sat in confinement, unable to see what Jesus was doing. His ministry seemed to be shrinking while Christ’s ministry was expanding.

From prison, John sent two disciples to ask Jesus, “Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?” (Luke 7:19). This question should not make us think less of John. Scripture does not hide the strain that faithful people experience. Elijah became discouraged after confronting the prophets of Baal. Jeremiah lamented the weight of his calling. David repeatedly asked how long he would have to wait for God’s intervention. Spiritual maturity does not mean that we never struggle with uncertainty. It means that we bring our uncertainty to the right Person.

John’s question was not asked from a riverbank where crowds were responding to his preaching. It came from a prison where the future looked painfully brief. He had announced a Messiah who would bring judgment, gather the wheat, and burn the chaff. Yet Herod remained on his throne, injustice continued, and John remained behind bars. Jesus was healing and preaching, but He had not overthrown the wicked ruler or opened John’s prison door.

Jesus did not rebuke John for asking. Instead, He pointed to what was happening: the blind were seeing, the lame were walking, lepers were being cleansed, the deaf were hearing, the dead were being raised, and the poor were hearing the good news. These signs echoed the promises of Isaiah 35 and Isaiah 61. Jesus was assuring John that the kingdom had truly arrived, although it was unfolding differently from what John may have expected.

There are times when we also need to be reminded of what God is doing rather than merely focusing on what He has not yet done. One unanswered prayer can become so large in our vision that we overlook many signs of grace surrounding it. We see the door that remains closed but forget the strength God has provided while we wait. We notice the illness that has not lifted but overlook the compassion, courage, and fellowship God has produced through the trial. We grieve the circumstance that has not changed and fail to recognize how Christ is changing us within it.

Jesus’ answer teaches us that faith is strengthened by remembering His works. He did not provide John with a detailed explanation of tomorrow. He gave him evidence of God’s faithfulness today. The Greek expression translated “seen and heard” joins observation with testimony. John’s disciples were to return carrying a reliable report: God’s promised redemption was taking place through Jesus.

This does not mean that John’s earthly circumstances improved. Scripture gives us no indication that he was released. Herod later ordered his execution because he feared losing face before his guests. John died without witnessing the cross, the resurrection, Pentecost, or the spread of the gospel among the nations. Yet he did not die outside the will of God. His inability to see the completed story did not mean that God had abandoned the story.

We often assume that trusting God for tomorrow means believing that tomorrow will become easier. Biblical trust is sturdier than optimism. It rests upon God’s character rather than our preferred outcome. The Hebrew concept of faithfulness, emunah, communicates firmness, reliability, and steadfastness. God can be trusted because He remains true, even when His timing and methods exceed our understanding.

The Lord may not tell us everything that tomorrow contains, but He has shown us who holds tomorrow. Christ has entered suffering, endured injustice, conquered death, and risen in victory. Because of Him, no prison, disappointment, illness, or loss can become the final word over the believer’s life.

On Second Thought

On second thought, perhaps the most surprising part of John’s story is not that he questioned Jesus from prison, but that Jesus did not rescue him from it. We naturally expect faithfulness to produce visible deliverance. We imagine that if we obey courageously, pray sincerely, and serve sacrificially, God will arrange circumstances so that His approval becomes obvious. Yet John was praised by Jesus as one of the greatest born among women, and still he remained imprisoned. His suffering was not proof of divine displeasure, nor was his death evidence that his ministry had failed.

The paradox is that John’s greatest testimony may have come when he could no longer preach publicly. His confinement revealed whether his faith depended upon seeing immediate results or upon trusting the Messiah he had proclaimed. John had said of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). He probably did not imagine how literally that decrease would occur. Jesus increased before the crowds while John disappeared behind prison walls. Yet John’s diminished visibility did not diminish his place in God’s purpose.

We may also enter seasons when our usefulness appears reduced, our influence seems forgotten, or our future feels uncertain. God may not give us a clear explanation, but He gives us Christ. The same Jesus who answered John still points us toward the evidence of His kingdom: sinners are forgiven, broken lives are restored, the gospel is preached, and death has been defeated through His resurrection. Trust for tomorrow is not confidence that everything will unfold as we wish. It is confidence that Christ will remain who He is, that His promises will not fail, and that even what we cannot see is being gathered into His redemptive purpose.

 

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Wisdom Knows When to Step Away

The Bible in a Year

“A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.”
—Proverbs 27:12

As we journey through the Bible this year, Proverbs continually reminds us that wisdom is more than possessing information. Biblical wisdom teaches us how to recognize what is happening, anticipate where a path is leading, and respond before unnecessary damage is done. Proverbs 27:12 presents two people who encounter the same danger but react in entirely different ways. One sees the danger and takes refuge. The other continues forward and eventually suffers the consequences.

This proverb also appears in Proverbs 22:3, suggesting that the Holy Spirit intends for us to take its warning seriously. Repetition in Scripture is often like a road sign placed in more than one location: God knows that we are inclined to overlook danger, so He graciously warns us again. The New International Version expresses the contrast clearly: “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.”

The Hebrew word translated “prudent” is ʿārûm, describing someone who is sensible, discerning, and capable of acting with foresight. The prudent person is not necessarily fearful or suspicious. He simply refuses to ignore what wisdom has enabled him to see. He understands that courage does not require walking recklessly into every dangerous situation. Sometimes courage stands its ground, but sometimes wisdom closes the door, changes direction, ends the conversation, or leaves the environment.

Matthew Henry observed that evil can often be foreseen because temptation usually gives some indication of where it is leading. He wrote that when we deliberately place ourselves in temptation’s path, sin and its consequences should not surprise us. He also noted that God frequently warns before judgment arrives. God’s warnings are not evidence that He wants to deprive us of something enjoyable. They are expressions of His protective love.

Discernment begins with learning to recognize evil. Our natural impulses are unreliable because the heart can excuse what it desires. Scripture gives us a dependable standard for distinguishing right from wrong. Hebrews 5:14 describes mature believers as those who have trained their senses through practice to discern good and evil. The more carefully we read God’s Word, the more sensitive we become to attitudes, habits, relationships, and opportunities that may draw us away from Him.

The prudent person not only perceives danger but also takes action. Proverbs says that he “hideth himself.” This does not mean that believers should withdraw from every difficulty or refuse to confront injustice. It means that wisdom understands when exposure is unnecessary. Enduring Word summarizes the principle by saying that wisdom does not always enter the fight; sometimes the best response is to allow the danger to pass.

Joseph demonstrated this wisdom when Potiphar’s wife attempted to seduce him. He did not remain in the room to prove how spiritually strong he was. Genesis 39:12 says that he fled. Paul gives similar counsel in 2 Timothy 2:22: “Flee also youthful lusts.” Some temptations should be resisted through patient endurance, but others should be resisted by immediate departure.

We should ask ourselves where danger is currently becoming visible. Perhaps we notice that a particular conversation consistently turns toward gossip. Maybe an online habit is feeding envy, anger, lust, or discontent. Perhaps we recognize that exhaustion is making us spiritually careless, or that a relationship is gradually weakening our convictions. Wisdom does not merely say, “I can handle it.” Wisdom asks, “Why should I remain where my soul is being placed at risk?”

The “simple” person in Proverbs is not someone who lacks intelligence. The Hebrew word petî describes someone who is inexperienced, open to influence, or dangerously unsuspecting. The simple person keeps moving because he refuses to learn from warning. He sees the same sign as the prudent person but assumes the consequences will somehow apply only to others.

There is also an insightful grammatical contrast in the proverb. The prudent person is presented in the singular, while the simple are described in the plural. Wisdom has never been established by majority vote. A crowd may normalize destructive behavior, but the popularity of a path does not change where it leads. Jesus warned in Matthew 7:13 that the broad road has many travelers even though it leads to destruction.

The phrase “pass on” pictures someone continuing straight ahead despite visible danger. This is the person who hears biblical counsel but dismisses it, notices the warning signs but minimizes them, and experiences conviction but delays repentance. Eventually, the simple “are punished.” This punishment is not always an immediate supernatural judgment. It may appear through damaged trust, weakened character, broken relationships, lost opportunities, or spiritual numbness. Choices carry consequences because God has created a morally ordered world.

Yet Proverbs 27:12 is not merely a warning of punishment. It is also an invitation to protection. God is showing us that another response is possible. Through His Word, the counsel of mature believers, the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and the lessons of experience, He helps us see danger before it overtakes us.

Christ is our ultimate refuge from the guilt and dominion of sin. He does not merely point out the dangerous road; He calls us to follow Him along the path of life. At the cross, Jesus received the judgment our sins deserved, and through His resurrection He offers forgiveness and newness of life to everyone who turns to Him in faith. The wise response to evil is therefore not only to flee temptation but also to run toward Christ.

As I continue through the Bible this year, I want Scripture to sharpen my spiritual vision. I do not want to discover evil only after it has wounded my soul. I want to receive God’s warnings as mercy, recognize temptation early, and take refuge before compromise becomes captivity.

Today, pause when you notice danger. Do not negotiate with what God has told you to avoid. Ask for discernment, choose the safer path, and remember that stepping away from evil is not weakness. It is wisdom.

 

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When Seeing the Light Is Not Enough

In the Life of Christ

“And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.”
—Mark 3:25–27

As I walk with Jesus through Mark 3, I am struck by how clearly truth can stand before a person and still be deliberately rejected. The scribes did not deny that something extraordinary was happening. They saw people being delivered from demonic oppression. They recognized that Jesus possessed undeniable authority. Yet rather than follow the evidence toward God, they twisted the evidence to protect the judgment they had already made. They claimed that Jesus was casting out demons through the power of Satan.

Jesus answered their accusation with calm, unmistakable logic: “How can Satan cast out Satan?” A kingdom fighting against itself cannot endure, and a household continually tearing itself apart will eventually collapse. Satan’s work is to enslave, corrupt, accuse, divide, and destroy. Jesus was doing the exact opposite. He was healing broken bodies, freeing tormented people, forgiving sinners, and restoring those whom evil had held captive. As one commentator explains, Satan advances his kingdom by “sowing chaos and enslaving humans, not by setting them free.” The liberating ministry of Jesus could not reasonably be described as the work of the devil.

This passage shows me that spiritual blindness is not always caused by a lack of information. Sometimes it develops because the heart has decided in advance what it is willing to believe. The scribes possessed biblical knowledge, religious training, and respected positions, but knowledge alone did not make them receptive to God. Their minds had become so committed to opposing Jesus that they interpreted divine goodness as demonic activity. Working Preacher insightfully notes that they recognized great power in Jesus’ works but “fatally misidentified its source” because He did not conform to their expectations.

Jesus then gives us one of the most encouraging pictures of His mission. Satan is described as the strong man, but Jesus is the stronger One who enters the strong man’s house, binds him, and carries away what he has held captive. Jesus did not enter our world merely to offer moral instruction. He came as the victorious Son of God to invade the territory of darkness.

Every deliverance in the Gospels anticipated the larger victory of the cross. When Jesus silenced demons, forgave sins, touched the unclean, restored the rejected, and raised the dead, He was demonstrating that Satan’s dominion had been challenged. The Gospel Coalition describes Mark’s image clearly: Jesus came to bind the strong man so that He might “plunder Satan’s house.” His miracles were visible signs that God’s kingdom had entered history through the person and ministry of Christ.

This gives us confidence in our discipleship. Satan is strong, but he is not equal to Christ. Evil is real, but it is not ultimate. Sin enslaves, but Jesus liberates. The cross appeared to be Christ’s defeat, yet it became the decisive place where the powers of darkness were exposed and conquered. The resurrection declared that death itself could not hold the Son of God. As 1 John 3:8 says, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

Jesus then turns from exposing faulty reasoning to issuing a solemn warning. He begins with the word amen, commonly translated “truly” or “assuredly.” Jesus uses this expression with unique authority because He does not merely repeat truth received from another teacher; He speaks as God’s faithful and authoritative witness.

His first declaration is filled with grace: “All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme.” We should not hurry past those words. There is forgiveness for the ashamed, the rebellious, the immoral, the doubtful, and even the person who has spoken against Christ. Peter denied Jesus and was restored. Paul described himself as a former blasphemer and persecutor, yet he received mercy. No repentant sinner should read Mark 3 and assume that the mercy of Christ is too small for his or her failure.

The warning concerns something far more settled and deliberate: continually attributing the unmistakable work of the Holy Spirit through Jesus to Satan. Mark explains that Jesus spoke this warning “because they were saying, He hath an unclean spirit.” The wording indicates an ongoing accusation rather than one frightened statement, careless sentence, or moment of confusion. Ligonier describes it as the “persistent, knowing, verbal attribution of the work of God to Satan.”

The unforgivable sin is not unforgivable because God is reluctant to show mercy or because Christ’s sacrifice is insufficient. It is unforgivable because the hardened person continually rejects the very Spirit who reveals Christ, awakens repentance, and leads the sinner toward forgiveness. The heart calls light darkness, grace evil, and the Savior an agent of Satan. John Calvin described such resistance as knowingly attempting “to extinguish the Spirit.”

People who fear that they may have committed this sin often reveal by that very concern that their hearts are not settled in defiant rejection. A person who longs for forgiveness, grieves over sin, and desires reconciliation with God should come to Christ rather than withdraw from Him. Jesus’ warning was spoken to religious experts who repeatedly resisted what they knew they were seeing. It was not intended to drive repentant people away from grace but to awaken those who were becoming comfortable with resistance.

As I follow Jesus through this passage, I hear both assurance and warning. The assurance is that Christ is stronger than every power that enslaves us. The warning is that repeated resistance can gradually train the heart to reject what is plainly true. Today I must not merely observe the work of Jesus; I must respond to Him. I must allow the Holy Spirit to correct my assumptions, soften my resistance, and lead me again toward the victorious Christ who breaks chains and welcomes repentant sinners.

 

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God Is Not Waiting to Be Rescued

As the Day Begins

“Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? For to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.”
—Jeremiah 10:7

Jeremiah spoke these words while contrasting the living God with the powerless idols of the nations. Those idols had to be shaped by craftsmen, carried from place to place, and fastened securely so they would not fall. The Lord, however, carries His people. He is never caught off guard, never weakened by opposition, and never dependent upon human assistance. He is the “King of nations,” sovereign over every ruler, circumstance, generation, and unseen development.

This changes the way we understand Christian service. God does not call us because He is helpless without us. He invites us because participation in His work is an expression of grace. Prayer, obedience, generosity, evangelism, and service are not attempts to rescue God’s failing mission. They are privileges given to people who have been rescued by Him. When we obey, we enter work that God has already begun and that He remains fully capable of completing.

There may be situations facing you today that appear uncertain or beyond control. They are beyond your control, but they are not beyond God’s rule. You do not need to carry the pressure of keeping God’s purposes alive. Your responsibility is not to manage the universe but to trust its King. Walk obediently, serve faithfully, and remember that the Lord’s throne has never trembled.

Triune Prayer

Heavenly Father, I begin this day acknowledging that You are the sovereign King over all creation. You do not become anxious, confused, surprised, or overwhelmed. Forgive me for the times I have behaved as though everything depended upon my strength, wisdom, or constant attention. Thank You for allowing me to serve within Your purposes, even though You are entirely sufficient without me. Teach me to worship You because You are worthy, not merely because I hope to receive something from You. Help me enter this day with reverence, humility, and confidence in Your unchanging authority.

Jesus the Son, thank You for coming to save me when I was unable to save myself. You did not go to the cross because humanity possessed something You lacked, but because divine love freely gave what sinners desperately needed. Keep me from serving You out of pride, fear, guilt, or the belief that Your kingdom rests upon my shoulders. Teach me to follow Your example of faithful obedience. When responsibilities feel heavy today, remind me that You are Lord of the harvest, Head of the Church, and Shepherd of Your people. Let my labor flow from gratitude for Your grace.

Holy Spirit, fill my thoughts with a clear vision of God’s greatness. Expose every place where I have reduced the Lord to the size of my circumstances. Guide me into the work appointed for me today, and keep me from assuming burdens that God has not given me. Give me courage to speak when I should speak, wisdom to remain silent when I should wait, and strength to obey when obedience is costly. Produce within me a willing heart that serves joyfully, not because God is desperate for help, but because I am grateful to belong to Him.

Thought for the Day

God does not need my pity, but He deserves my worship. I will serve faithfully today, not because His kingdom depends upon me, but because my life depends entirely upon Him. When pressure rises, I will pause and confess: “The Lord is still King, and nothing has taken Him by surprise.”

The central truth of Jeremiah 10:7 is that the Lord stands alone in His wisdom, authority, and worthiness. Biblical reverence is not frightened uncertainty but humble recognition of who God is. He is neither an idol fashioned by human imagination nor a fragile deity sustained by human effort. The God of Scripture rules the nations, directs history, fulfills His promises, and graciously permits His people to participate in His redemptive work.

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Today’s Spiritual Disciplines

May the Lord bless your spiritual walk today and draw you into a steadier awareness of His presence. Wherever you are and whatever responsibilities await you, may these daily devotions help you pause, listen, and respond to the voice of Scripture. God remains faithful to complete the good work He has begun in us, and each act of prayerful attention becomes part of that continuing work of grace.

God Is Not Waiting to Be Rescued

As the Day Begins

This morning’s meditation begins with Jeremiah 10:7 and the assurance that God is never surprised, weakened, or dependent upon human strength. We are invited to serve Him not because His kingdom would fail without us, but because grace allows us to participate in what the sovereign King is already accomplishing.

The devotional encourages us to release the pressure of trying to manage outcomes that belong to God. Our first spiritual discipline today is reverent trust: worshiping God for who He is and carrying only the responsibilities He has actually given us.

When Seeing the Light Is Not Enough

In the Life of Christ

Mark 3:23–30 brings us face-to-face with the danger of intentional spiritual blindness. The religious leaders witnessed the liberating work of Jesus but deliberately attributed the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan because their hearts had already settled against Christ.

This Scripture reflection also presents Jesus as the stronger One who enters the strong man’s house and sets captives free. We are reminded to remain teachable, to recognize the Spirit’s work, and to take comfort in the truth that no power of darkness is equal to the authority of Christ.

Wisdom Knows When to Step Away

The Bible in a Year

Proverbs 27:12 contrasts the prudent person who sees danger and takes refuge with the simple person who ignores warnings and suffers the consequences. Biblical wisdom is not merely knowing what is right; it is acting on that knowledge before temptation, compromise, or destructive influence gains control.

This reading encourages us to receive God’s warnings as expressions of His protective love. Sometimes faithfulness requires standing firm, while at other times wisdom means closing a door, leaving an environment, or refusing to continue along a dangerous path.

When Faith Must Trust What It Cannot Yet See

On Second Thought

John the Baptist knew that Jesus was the promised Messiah, yet imprisonment and uncertainty pressed heavily upon his faith. From prison, he sent messengers to ask Jesus for reassurance, and Christ answered by pointing to the visible signs of God’s kingdom: the blind saw, the lame walked, the dead were raised, and the poor heard the gospel.

This devotional speaks to seasons when God does not immediately change our circumstances or explain tomorrow. Trust is not confidence that everything will unfold as we prefer; it is confidence that Christ remains faithful even when we cannot yet see the completed story.

When Pride Keeps Popping Back Up

DID YOU KNOW

Pride can resemble the spring inside a jack-in-the-box. Just when we think we have pressed it down through repentance or discipline, it rises again through comparison, defensiveness, self-will, or the desire to control what belongs to God.

Psalm 131 shows us a quieter way of living: resting before God like a weaned child who no longer demands immediate satisfaction. Through the examples of Saul, Peter’s teaching on submission, and Christ’s faithful suffering, we learn that humility grows when grace releases us from the need to prove our importance.

Grace That Teaches Us to Confess

As the Day Ends

The evening devotional brings together two essential biblical truths: Christ died fully and sufficiently for our sins, and believers are still called to confess their sins. Confession does not diminish the cross; it is the honest response made possible because the cross has opened the way back into fellowship with God.

As the day closes, we are invited to review our attitudes, words, and actions without fear or self-deception. We can agree with God about our failures, receive the cleansing promised in 1 John 1:9, and rest in the mercy secured by Jesus Christ.

May today’s spiritual disciplines deepen your Christian walk and renew your faith journey. As you move through these daily devotions and Scripture reflections, do not hurry merely to finish each reading. Allow the Word to search you, comfort you, correct you, and direct your next faithful step. The Lord who calls us into daily fellowship is also the Lord who sustains us within it.

Pastor Hogg

 

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天上的圣徒能看见地上发生的事吗？

现今的天堂、属灵的关注与上帝正在展开的救赎故事

当我们思念已经离世、在基督里安息的亲人时，心中常常会出现一个很自然的问题：他们是否知道我们现在正在经历什么？他们是否看见我们的眼泪、挣扎、祷告和成长？圣经没有给我们一份完整的“天堂观察说明书”，也没有告诉我们天上的圣徒能知道地上一切事情。然而，圣经确实提供了一些重要线索，使我们有理由相信，住在现今天堂里的人，至少在上帝允许的范围内，能够知道地上某些重要的事情，特别是与上帝救赎计划有关的事件。

这里需要先作一个清楚的区分。圣经从未教导已经离世的圣徒是无所不知的。只有上帝拥有完全的知识。天上的居民仍然是受造者，他们所知道的一切，都是上帝向他们显明的。因此，我们不应想象已故亲人随时都在观看我们生活中的每一个细节，好像天堂是一间巨大的监控室。更合乎圣经的理解是：上帝可以让他们知道那些与祂的荣耀、祂的公义、祂百姓的得救，以及祂国度进展有关的事情。

启示录六章九至十节让我们看见殉道者的灵魂在上帝面前呼喊：“圣洁真实的主啊，你不审判住在地上的人，给我们伸流血的冤，要等到几时呢？” 这些殉道者清楚记得他们在地上所受的逼迫，也知道上帝尚未对迫害他们的人施行最后的审判。他们并不是处在一种没有记忆、没有意识、也不了解救赎历史进展的状态。他们知道公义仍在等待完全实现，因此向上帝祷告。

这段经文并不表示天上的圣徒被痛苦和愤怒控制。恰恰相反，他们把伸冤交给圣洁真实的主。他们没有试图亲自报复，而是相信上帝会按照祂的智慧和时间施行审判。这里所使用的称呼“主”带有绝对主权的意思。他们承认历史仍然在上帝掌管之中。因此，天上的意识不是焦虑地观看地上的混乱，而是在上帝宝座前，以更清楚的眼光等待祂完成公义。

启示录十八章二十节又说：“天哪，众圣徒、众使徒、众先知啊，你们都要因她欢喜，因为上帝已经在她身上伸了你们的冤。” 这里所说的“巴比伦”，象征抵挡上帝、败坏世界并逼迫祂百姓的邪恶体系。当它受到审判时，天上的居民被呼召为上帝的公义欢喜。这表明他们知道地上发生了什么，也明白这些事件在属灵上意味着什么。

启示录十九章一至二节更清楚地描写天上有大群人赞美上帝，因为祂审判了败坏世界的邪恶势力，并为祂的仆人伸冤。他们的赞美不是一般性的赞美，而是针对地上刚刚发生的具体事件。他们看见上帝的判断真实、公义，也看见祂没有忘记受苦的百姓。对今天仍在忍耐逼迫、疾病、不公或失去的人来说，这是极大的安慰。地上的人也许看不见上帝正在做什么，但天上已经明白，上帝的公义从来没有停止运作。

路加福音九章三十至三十一节记载耶稣登山变像时，摩西和以利亚在荣耀中显现，并与耶稣谈论祂即将在耶路撒冷成就的“去世”。这里翻译为“去世”的希腊词是 exodos，意思是“出去”或“出埃及”。这不是一个普通的死亡用语，而是把耶稣的十字架、复活和升天看作一次新的出埃及。正如上帝曾借着摩西带领以色列人脱离埃及的奴役，耶稣也要借着自己的牺牲，使人脱离罪与死亡的奴役。

摩西和以利亚显然知道耶稣在地上的使命，也明白祂即将面对的事情。他们对救赎计划的认识，甚至比当时站在山上的门徒更清楚。彼得、雅各和约翰还不完全明白十字架为何必要，但从天上来的摩西和以利亚已经在谈论耶稣将要完成的救恩。这表明天上的居民并没有与上帝在地上的工作完全隔绝。他们在上帝所赐的认识中，关注着基督救赎计划的展开。

启示录三章十五节中，复活的基督对老底嘉教会说：“我知道你的行为，你也不冷也不热。” 在天上的基督并没有忽略地上教会的属灵光景。祂知道教会的行为、爱心、忍耐、妥协和悔改。祂也知道每一个信徒隐藏的忠心与挣扎。耶稣并不是遥远地坐在天上，对我们的生活漠不关心。祂是行走在金灯台中间的主，密切关心自己的教会。

如果基督的注意力仍然集中在地上祂的百姓身上，那么天上的圣徒在祂的同在中，知道一些关于上帝国度发展的事情，并不是不合理的推论。但我们必须保持谦卑。圣经没有告诉我们他们知道多少、何时知道，或通过什么方式知道。我们可以坚定地说他们有意识、有记忆，并且知道某些地上的事件；但我们不应把圣经没有说明的内容，当作确定的教义。

路加福音十五章十节说：“一个罪人悔改，在上帝的使者面前也是这样为他欢喜。” 经文没有直接说只有天使欢喜，而是说在天使面前有喜乐。喜乐当然来自上帝，因为拯救罪人是祂恩典的工作。也很可能包括天上的众圣徒，因为他们深深明白救恩的价值。他们自己就是因恩典得救的人，所以当另一个罪人回转归向基督时，他们不会冷漠。

我们可以想象，当一个长期远离上帝的人终于跪下祷告，当一个家庭成员接受福音，当一个破碎的人重新回到教会，天上会为此欢喜。若天上的圣徒能够知道某些人归向基督，他们所看见的就不会主要是我们的失败，而是上帝恩典的胜利。天堂的视角不是用来满足好奇心，而是为了彰显救赎的喜乐。

这对我们今天的生活有很实际的意义。首先，我们并不孤单。希伯来书十二章一节说，我们有许多见证人如同云彩围绕着我们。无论这句话是否表示他们正在观看我们，至少可以确定，我们属于一个跨越死亡的信仰群体。那些已经跑完道路的人，他们的生命继续见证上帝是信实的。

其次，我们不需要试图与离世的圣徒联系。圣经清楚教导我们直接来到上帝面前，借着耶稣基督祷告，并由圣灵帮助我们。知道天上的圣徒可能了解地上的一些事情，并不等于我们应该向他们说话、寻求他们的指引，或尝试得到他们的信息。我们的中保是基督，我们的帮助来自主。

第三，这个真理能帮助我们用盼望面对哀伤。我们所爱、在基督里离世的人，不是在黑暗中失去意识，也不是被遗忘。他们在主的同在中，等候身体复活和新天新地。他们所知道的，不再被地上有限的视角所束缚。他们看见上帝更加清楚，也更加相信祂的道路完全公义。

也许他们看见我们生命中的某些时刻，也许上帝让他们知道福音在家庭、教会或世界中的进展。我们不能超越圣经所说的范围，但我们可以确定：死亡没有切断基督身体的合一。教会包括地上争战的圣徒，也包括天上安息的圣徒，而基督是他们共同的元首。

因此，我们不必被“他们现在是否正在看着我”这个问题困扰。更重要的问题是：“今天的我是否忠心地活在基督面前？”即使我们不知道天上的圣徒能看见多少，我们知道主耶稣看见一切。祂看见无人注意的祷告，看见隐秘的顺服，看见疲倦中仍然坚持的信心，也看见我们跌倒后重新站起来的那一刻。

让这个真理成为鼓励，而不是压力。我们不是在为一群天上的观众表演。我们是在爱我们的救主面前生活。祂已经战胜死亡，使地上的教会与天上的教会同属于一个永恒的国度。终有一天，所有在基督里的人都要在复活中相聚。那时，我们不再只是部分地知道，而是在上帝更新的世界里，一同看见祂救赎计划的完整美丽。

愿主安慰每一位思念已故亲人的人，使你相信他们在基督里是安全的。愿祂帮助你不被未知的问题困扰，而是忠心地走今天的道路。愿圣灵使你看见，无论地上还是天上，耶稣基督始终是我们盼望的中心，是死亡的得胜者，也是所有圣徒永远的主。

愿上帝赐你平安、盼望和坚定的信心。

牧师 Hogg 敬上