Love Your Church

‘We have this treasure in earthen vessels.’ 2 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV

Christians aren’t perfect! Here’s why:

(1) Because they’re human. Yet with full knowledge of our highest potential and our lowest inclinations, God loves us unconditionally. The Bible says, ‘We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.’ And guess what? Every time you meet treasure, you bump into the earthen vessel. An earthen vessel is just a clay pot, and when it’s cracked—it’s a cracked pot! That shouldn’t discourage you; it should give you hope and cause you to say, ‘If God can use that old cracked pot, He can use me too!’

(2) Because they’re spiritually depleted. The saying goes, ‘When your outgoing exceeds your income, your upkeep becomes your downfall.’ It happens to the best-intentioned among us. In the Old Testament a prophet told a story to the king of a soldier who was commanded to deliver a prisoner to a certain destination. His orders were clear: ‘Lose the prisoner and you’ll lose your life.’ The soldier lost his prisoner. ‘While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.’ (1 Kings 20:40 NKJV) The king, in pronouncing judgment on the soldier in the story, pronounced it on himself. So pay attention to your spiritual life and don’t let it get depleted.

(3) Because they’re asleep spiritually. It was while Samson slept that Delilah shaved the locks of power off his head and delivered him to his enemies. And it was while the servants slept that an enemy sowed tares (weeds) among the wheat crop. Two things you must stay alert to are—sin and righteousness. ‘Awake to righteousness, and do not sin.’ (1 Corinthians 15:34 NKJV)

爱你的教会

我们有这宝贝放在瓦器里，要显明这莫大的能力，是出于　神，不是出于我们。哥林多后书4:7

基督徒并不完美！原因如下：

（1）因为他们是人。然而，在完全了解我们的最大潜能和最低倾向后，神仍然无条件地爱我们。圣经说：“我们有这宝贝放在瓦器里，要显明这莫大的能力，是出于　神，不是出于我们。” 想想看，每当你遇到“宝贝”时，你把它放进“瓦器”之中。瓦器实际上就是一个陶罐，当它破损时，它就是一个破罐子。然而这不应该让你气馁，反而应该给你带来盼望，因为这能够让你对自己说，“如果上帝能用那只破罐子，他也能用我！”

（2）因为他们的灵性枯竭。常言说：“当你的支出超过你的收入时，你要持续下去就很容易犯罪。” 这种事会发生在我们当中最善良的人身上。在旧约中，一位先知讲了一个故事：国王命令一个士兵把一个囚犯送到一个特定的地方。他的命令很明确：“如果囚犯跑掉了，你也要丢命。” 后来囚犯跑掉了。士兵解释说“仆人正在忙乱之间，那人就不见了。” （列王记上20:40）国王对士兵作出了审判，而且是亲自宣布的。所以要留意你的灵性生命，不要让它枯竭。

（3）因为他们在属灵上常常睡觉。参孙睡着的时候，大利拉剃去他的头发——他的力量之源，把他交给了仇敌。当仆人们睡着的时候，仇敌在麦田里撒下稗子（杂草）。有两件事你必须保持警醒：罪和义。你们要醒悟为善，不要犯罪。 (哥林多前书 15:34 和合本)

（翻译：段麦克 @ 2018-03-28）