1.1.23 從神和祂的話開始 Begin with God and His Word

又是新的一年到來了； 我們將如何開始呢？ 我們可以從聖經中學習！ 聖經的第一句話就是：“起初，神創造天地。” 這指明宇宙的中心是神而不是人。 上帝是造物主，我們是被造物。 華理克牧師在他廣為人知的著作《標杆人生》中說得很好：“如果你想知道為什麼你被安置在這個星球上，你必須從上帝開始。 你是按照祂的目的出生的，也是為了祂的目的而生的。” 開始決定命定。 這就是為什麼人文主義首先要一種廢黜上帝並使人登基在上帝的位置。 人文主義宣言的第一句話就說：“宗教人文主義者認為宇宙是自我存在的，而不是被創造的。”

我們在聖經中進一步讀到，令人驚奇的是，上帝用祂的話語創造了天地，這也是宇宙中聽到的第一個聲音。 因此，宇宙中的第一個聲音不是“大爆炸”的一聲，而是上帝的話語！ 詩篇 33:9 說：“因為祂說有，就有；命立，就立。” 上帝的話語是創造整個宇宙的媒介，因此聖經不僅限於“宗教”方面。 正如早期教父所說，“所有的真理都是上帝的真理。” 荷蘭神學家亞伯拉罕凱波爾說：

宇宙中沒有任何一個領域的一寸土地，耶穌基督不將祂的腳踏在其上，說：“這屬於我＂。

因此，讓我們以充沛的精力開始新的一年，並在我們生活的各個方面專注於上帝和祂的話語！ 如此我們才能找到生命的真正意義和目的。

禱告：親愛的天父，感謝您賜予我們新的一年。 請幫助我們從祢和祢的話語開始，引導我們的生活，使我們能夠實現祢為我們計劃的目標。 奉耶穌的名，阿們！

Another new year has arrived; how will we start it off? We can learn from the Bible! The very first sentence in the Bible is: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This indicates that the center of the universe is God and not Man. God is the Creator and we are the created. Pastor Rick Warren has said it well in his widely known book, The Purpose Driven Life: “If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.” The beginning determines the destiny. This is why Humanism desires first of all to dethrone God and, in God’s place, to enthrone Man. The very first statement of the Humanist Manifesto says, “Religious humanists regard the universe as self-existing and not created.”

We read further in the Bible that, amazingly, God used His Word to create the heavens and the earth, this also being the very first sound heard in the universe. Consequently, the first sound in the universe was not a “big bang” but the Word of God! Psalm 33:9 says, “For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.” God’s Word is the media through which the entire universe was created, so the Bible is not just limited to “religious” topics. As early church fathers have said, “All truth is God’s truth.” Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper stated:

In the total expanse of human life there is not a single square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, “That is mine!”

Therefore, let us begin the new year with great energy and with our focus on God and His Word in every area of our lives! This is how we will find Life’s true meaning and purpose.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us another new year. Please help us to begin with You and Your Word to guide our lives so that we can live to fulfill the purpose of what You have planned for us. In Jesus name, Amen!