8. Manna issue 84 - A Letter to Our Youths Sharing the Grace of God 給分享神恩典青年的信
Jonathon Chou—Hillsborough, New Jersey, USA 美國紐澤西希爾斯堡 周惠嘉傳道
In January 2017, Elder Jonathan Chou retired after working thirty-one years as a full-time preacher.
Manna invited him to share his experiences in faith and service to the Lord with the youths of the church.
周惠嘉長老，以全職傳道的身份，工作31年之後，於2017年一月退休。
嗎哪雜誌，邀請他來向教會的青年，分享主裡的信仰和事奉。
Hallelujah! Greetings of peace, in the holy name of Jesus, to our youths in the Lord.
May the grace of the Lord be with you always!
哈利路亞！奉主耶穌聖名，願主內青年大家都平安。
願神的恩職時常與大家同在！
Coming to the True Church 進入真教會
My father fell ill when he was forty-two years old.
His baffled doctors were at their wits’ end trying to cure his mysterious sickness.
One of our elderly relatives—a member of the True Jesus Church—
brought her fellow church members to our house to pray for my father.
When they came, my father was lying on the bed, almost unconscious.
But as they prayed, he saw a vision; he was then filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues.
He could feel his body lifted up, and found himself bouncing up and down on the bed in a kneeling position.
After this, he was completely healed by the Lord.
Hence, our entire family was baptized.
We were a family saved—both literally and spiritually.
The Lord had restored our father to us,
reuniting a family on the brink of disintegration.
And we continued to live a life of peace and joy in the Lord.
My father lived to the ripe old age of eighty before he rested in the Lord.
Till this day, his testimony remains constantly in my mind.
我父親42歲的時候，身體很不舒服。
父親看了很多醫生，他們想要治好他的怪病，但是束手無策，而且更加困惑。
我們有一個年長的親戚 - 他是真耶穌教會的信徒 -
她帶著教會的信徒來到我們家，為我父親禱告。
他們來的時候，父親躺在床上，幾乎是昏迷的。
然而禱告之後，父親就看見異象；
而且還被聖靈充滿說靈言。
他有查覺到自已身體懸空了，發現自已以跪著的姿勢，在床上上下彈跳。
經過了這件事之後，他就完全被主治好了。
因為，我們全家就接受洗禮。
字面上，我們全家得蒙拯救，靈性上也是如此。
主給我們醫治了父親，讓我們全家從崩潰邊緣，再度重新團結起來。
我們就在主裡面，一直過著平安喜樂的生活。
父親活到80高齡年歲滿足才在主裡內息。
直到今日，他的見証一直留在我的心中。
Growing and Serving in the True Church 在真教會裡成長事奉
I was baptized not long after birth and am considered a second-generation believer in the True Jesus Church.
Growing up in the church, I have witnessed God’s great power and infinite grace.
After working in secular society for ten years,
I was very grateful to receive the opportunity to join the full-time ministry.
The more abundantly I experienced grace and love from God,
as I learned and served Him, the more unworthy I felt.
我出生之後不久就受洗了，
在真耶穌教會裡，被認為是第二代的信徒。
在教會裡長大，見証了神的大權能和無限的恩典。
之後出社會工作了十年，
心中很感謝神，可以有機會加入全職傳道的工作。
在事奉神的時候，體認到，
自已體驗到越多豐盛的恩典，得到神更多的愛，
就更加覺得自已是多麼的不配。
Young brethren in the Lord!
Every young man and woman has aspirations and dreams for the future.
I believe you are no different.
You have been raised in the era of information explosion—the digital age—
a world of artificial intelligence and rapidly advancing cutting-edge technologies.
You live in an epoch where cultural development is at its peak.
Such progress has irreversibly changed our human values—
modern man’s thirst for materialistic fulfillment and instant gratification of his desires is overwhelming.
While life will present you with vast opportunities, it will also be full of challenges and snares.
The smarter man becomes, the less he will rely on God.
The more a man pursues social status and accumulation of wealth,
the more he will neglect his faith, and the more easily he will lose himself to the base precepts of the world.
主內年青的弟兄姐妹！
每個年青男女都對未來有所期望和夢想。
我相信你們也是一樣的。
你們成長在資訊爆炸的時代 - 數位時代 -
是一個人工智慧和各種先進的最新科技快速成長的世界。
你們活在一個新世紀，文化發展到巔峰。
這樣的進展，已經讓人類的價值觀改變了，這種情況還無法轉變 -
現代人追求物質享受得實現，立刻滿足自已慾望，這重情況變得更加嚴重。
雖然生命展現在你面前，有許多巨大的機會，但也會帶來滿滿的挑戰和陷阱。
人變得越聰明，就變得越不依靠神。
人們越加追求社會地位，累積財富，
就會越加忽略信仰，越容易會迷失自已，於世上各種認知中。
Persevering to the End 堅持到最後
Young brethren in the Lord!
We must truly understand what a supreme blessing it is to be of the chosen children of God.
We have received the word of life, the true grace of God,
so we ought to stand firm in this grace (1 Pet 5:12).
Amongst the brethren I grew up with in church,
some are still holding fast to the truth and fervently loving the Lord;
I thank the Lord in every remembrance of this.
However,
there are also many who have lost the truth and left God; this thought grieves me.
More recently, some youths have openly expressed their many doubts in their own faith.
Consequently, they distance themselves from the church, causing
all of us in the church much sadness and regret.
主內的年輕弟兄姐妹啊！
身為神所揀選的子女，要真的明白，什麼才是最重要的祝福。
我們已經領受了生命之道，真正神的恩典。
(彼前 5：12)
那些和我在教會裡一起長大的弟兄姐妹，
有些仍然堅守真理，熱心愛主；
每次回想到這事，就很感謝神。
然而，也有很多人失去了真理而離開神；想到這個就讓我很傷心。
最近，有些青年公開地表達了自已對信仰的疑惑。
下場就是，遠離教會，讓我們許多教會的很傷心和後悔。
In our world today, there are many opportunities for success and growth.
People generally believe that intelligence and hard work will lead a man (or woman) to success, wealth,
a respectable social status and a luxurious life.
The church also hopes to see her youths succeed in their studies and work,
to contribute to society.
However, we must remember that our hopes are not merely for and in this life.
A Christian must have a more profound vision to see the true significance and value of human life.
The Bible tells us that, by faith,
Moses grew up and let go of his status as the grandson of the king,
as well as the riches in the palace.
Unwilling to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
Moses chose to suffer with the people of God,
looking forward to the future reward.
By faith, he saw the Lord who is invisible (Heb 11:23–25).
David started off as a shepherd boy and became the king of a nation.
However, he was not complacent over the glory and pleasures he enjoyed as a king.
Instead, he sought to always be in God’s temple,
inquiring of the Lord and beholding the beauty of the Lord.
He was just waiting to see the Lord’s face,
and to awake in the Lord’s likeness (Ps 27:4; 17:14–15).
Only God is able to give us all-encompassing joy and peace,
and the everlasting living hope.
今日我們在世上，有許多成功和成長的機會。
人們漸漸相信，聰明和努力工作，就讓人成功，有錢，社會地位受人尊敬，過著富浴的生活。
教會也希望看見，青年在學術生活和職場中成功，對社會有貢獻。
然後，我們要記得，我們的盼望不只是為了今生，也不只存在今生。
基督徒應該更有遠見，明白何為真正對人類生命更重要更有價值的事。
聖經告訴我們，藉著信心，
摩西長大了，放棄了身為王孫的地位，
同時也拋棄了王宮的財寶。
不願享受那過眼雲煙的罪中之樂，
摩西選擇和百姓同受苦難，期待可得將來的獎賞。
因著信心，他親眼見到那人眼所不能看見的主。
(來 11：23-25)
大衛一開始是個牧童，後來成為國家的君王。
然而，他卻沒有滿足於，身為君王，所帶來的榮耀和享樂。
相反的，他常常想要留在神的殿中，
尋求神的旨意，瞻仰主的榮美。
就那麼等待著要看見神的臉，
醒來就可以看見神的形象。
(詩 27：4； 17：14-15)
只有神可以給我們可以包容一切的喜樂、平安及永生的盼望。
Cherish and Use Your Youth 珍惜好好利用年青的時候
Young brethren in the Lord!
Youth is a prime period.
You ought to seize this time to know the Lord your Creator,
to fear Him and rely on Him to guide your way
(Ps 25:12).
Man’s times are in God’s hands
(Ps 31:15).
As the proverb goes: “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps”
(Prov 16:9).
The Preacher wrote:
“The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,
nor bread to the wise…But time and chance happen to them all”
(Eccl 9:11).
Solomon also urged:
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths
(Prov 3:5).
It is God who gives you the power to create wealth
(Deut 8:18).
主內年輕的弟兄姐妹啊！
年輕的時候，就是黃金時期。
應該要抓住這段時間，好好了解主我們的創造者，
敬畏神，依靠神指示你當選擇的道路。
(詩 25：12)
人終身的事在神的手中。"
(詩 31：15)
就如箴言的記載：
"9人心籌算自己的道路；惟耶和華指引他的腳步。"
(箴 16：9)
傳道者這樣寫著：
"9快跑的未必能贏；力戰的未必得勝；智慧的未必得糧食；...所臨到眾人的是在乎當時的機會。"
(傳 9：11)
所羅門王也我們勉勵：
"5你要專心仰賴耶和華，不可倚靠自己的聰明，
6在你一切所行的事上都要認定他，他必指引你的路。"
(箴 3：5-6)
因為得貨財的力量是神給你的
(申 8：18)
Abraham was chosen and blessed by God,
so that he might command his children to keep the way of the Lord,
to do righteousness and justice.
If Abraham did so, God would fulfill what He had promised to him
(Gen 18:18–19).
On account of Abraham, God also blessed Isaac
(Gen 26:3–5).
He had his father’s faith and thus obeyed God’s instruction by sowing in Gerar.
Despite the great famine, Isaac reaped in the same year a hundredfold
(Gen 26:12–13).
Although the local residents eyed him jealously,
and the needs of his cattle compelled him to move around constantly,
Isaac would build an altar to inquire of the Lord every time he arrived at a new place,
even before he set up his tent and dug wells
(Gen 26:25).
亞伯拉罕被神揀選，祝福，
他才會吩咐子孫遵守神的道路，行正公義。
若因為亞伯拉罕這麼作，神就實現祂對亞伯拉罕的應許。
(創 18：18-19)
又因為亞伯拉罕的原故，神也祝福以撒。
(創 26：3-5)
他傳承了父親的信仰，就遵守神的命令，在基拉耳耕種。
雖然遇到大飢荒，以撒那一有一百倍收成。
(創 26：12-13)
那地的人嫉妒他，家畜迫使他要一直搬遷，
然而，以撒還是每到一個新地方，就築壇求問神，
甚至是為了架帳篷，還是挖井。
(創 26：25)
For Isaac, worshipping God took precedence over his family,
which came second, with his livelihood in third place—
this is precisely the model for our pursuit of a successful life.
Apart from living for ourselves, we must make resolutions for the Lord,
live for the Lord, and manifest Christ in our lives.
Like the saints of old, we marry and have children,
walk with God, faithfully practice the words of the Lord, fear God and love man.
If we build this good foundation of faith for ourselves,
and hold fast to eternal life,
then we would have attained life’s true significance and value.
對以撒而言，敬拜神比家庭更重要，
而之後才是家庭的事，而養家活口排在第三順位-
這正是我們所要追求成功生活的好榜樣。
除了為了自已而活，還要為主下定決心，
為主而活，在生活中活出基督的樣式。
就如古聖徒一樣，結婚生子，
與神同行，充滿信心照著神的話而行，敬神愛人。
若自已可以立下信仰的好根基，
緊緊抓住永生，就會得到一生中最重要最寶貴的事物。
Young brethren in the Lord!
Human life is short; let us not waste precious time.
It feels like just yesterday when I was working hard to complete my studies and build my career.
In a blink of an eye, I have become this old retiree.
Memories of yesteryear are still vivid in my mind.
However, the past is like the ephemeral mist at dawn.
A person is like a sojourner in this life,
and life is like a cloud and a dream.
Beautiful moments, like flowers, will eventually wither and fall.
Only our labor in the Lord will never be in vain
(1 Cor 15:58).
Man’s hope is definitely not in this life alone,
so “what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world,
and loses his own soul”
(Mt 16:26a)?
Once a man leaves God, he is like a branch detached from the tree
—he can do nothing
(Jn 15:5–6).
Once upon a time, King Solomon used all his energies and abilities to pursue wisdom,
status, wealth and pleasure.
However, once he gained everything he desired,
he realized that everything under the sun is but vanity,
and all effort little more than grasping for the wind.
Having spent his entire life searching, he came to this conclusion:
“Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all”
(Eccl 12:13);
and everyone has to face up to God’s judgment.
主內年輕的弟兄姐妹啊！
人生短暫；不要浪費光陰。
感覺努力學習，好好工作，才不過是昨天才發生的一樣。
眨眼之間，已變年老的退休人士了。
過去年日的記憶，仍鮮明在腦中。
然而，過去就如短暫的晨霧。
今生，人要四處旅居，生命不過是一朵雲一場夢。
美好的時光就像花兒一樣，最後會凋謝漂落。
只有多作主工才不徒勞。
(林前 15：58)
人生的盼望絕對不是只有今生，
那麼" 26人若賺得全世界，賠上自己的生命，有甚麼益處呢？"
(太 16：26a)
人一旦離開神，就像枝子離開了樹幹 - 他什麼都不能作。
(約 15：5-6)
以前，所羅門王用自已全部的精力和能力追求智慧，地位，財富，享樂。
而他一旦得到了全部想要的事，
才明白，日光之下，所有的事都是虛空，
所有的努力，只不過像捕風一樣。
用了一生來研究，才得到這個結論：
"敬畏神，謹守他的誡命，這是人所當盡的本分"。
(傳 12：13)
而且，每個人都要面對神的審判。
[D]o not look at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen.
For the things which are seen are temporary,
but the things which are not seen are eternal.
(2 Cor 4:18)
18原來我們不是顧念所見的，乃是顧念所不見的；因為所見的是暫時的，所不見的是永遠的。
(林後 4：18)
[May God] give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened;
that you may know what is the hope of His calling,
what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,
according to the working of His mighty power.
(Eph 1:17–19)
17[願神]將那賜人智慧和啟示的靈賞給你們，使你們真知道他，
18並且照明你們心中的眼睛，使你們知道他的恩召有何等指望，他在聖徒中得的基業有何等豐盛的榮耀；
19並知道他向我們這信的人所顯的能力是何等浩大，
(弗 1：17-19)
Beware of Evil 慎防邪惡
Young brethren in the Lord!
Since the days of old,
advanced civilization is often accompanied by the proliferation of evil,
which eventually leads to the judgment and destruction of God.
The Lord Jesus reminded us to remember the days of Noah.
The people then were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark.
They were oblivious until the flood came and destroyed everything
(Mt 24:37–39).
The sulphuric fire upon the city of Sodom,
the fall of great Babylon overnight,
the city of Pompeii—filled with music, dance,
revelry and extreme indulgence,
turned into ashes in the blink of an eye as the volcano erupted—
history is replete with many more examples that serve as warnings for us.
主內年輕的弟兄姐妹啊！
自從古時，進步的文明常伴隨著邪惡的擴大，
最後導致了神的審判和毀滅。
主耶穌提醒我們，要記得諾亞時代的情況。
那時，人們吃喝嫁娶，直到諾亞進入方舟的日子。
他們一點都不在意這事，直到洪水來到，摧毀一切。
(太 24：37-39)
硫磺火降在所多瑪城，
大巴比倫一夜之間就傾覆，
龐貝古城 - 到處都是音樂，舞蹈，狂歡的宴會，極度的放縱，
因為火山爆發，眨眼的瞬間，就變成一堆灰燼-
歷史滿滿都有更多的例子，都可以當成我們的警告。
We must be discerning and recognize that we are living in the last days,
which is an evil time.
The devil knows his days are coming to an end,
so he will use all his might and employ all kinds of trickery to deceive
and tempt man into sin.
Perilous times have come;
let us not sleep, but instead watch, remain sober and pray.
The will of God is for us to abstain from sexual immorality;
each of us should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor
(1 Thess 4:3–5).
You must emulate the ancient saints in being the righteous people of your generation.
Learn from Noah, Daniel and Job—
they delivered themselves by their righteousness when faced with God’s judgment
(Ezek 14:14).
The hearts of people were evil during Noah’s time, and they were thus destroyed by the flood.
Only Noah, who was righteous and blameless,
obeyed God’s every instruction.
Moved with godly fear, he prepared an ark and saved his household
(Heb 11:7).
Solomon said: “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth,
and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth;
walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes;
but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment”
(Eccl 11:9).
You must be separated and consecrated—
come out from sinful Babylon,
lest calamity befalls you because of your sins
(Rev 18:1–8).
我們一定要看清楚，了解自已活在未世中，是一個邪惡的世代。
魔鬼知道自已的日子快到盡頭了，
所以他會用自已所有的力量，運用各種詭計來欺騙引誘人犯罪。
危險的時代已經來到了；
我們不要再沉睡，相反的，要好好警醒，保持清醒，時時禱告。
神的旨意，是要讓我們遠離淫行；
我們每個人都應該知道，用聖潔和尊貴保守自已的身體。
(帖前 4：3-5)
你要效法古聖徒，在同時代的人之中，成為義人。
學習諾亞，但以理和約伯-
當面對神審判的時候，他們的義救了自已的性命。
(結 14：14)
諾亞的時代，人心是邪惡的，因此他們被洪水毀滅了。
只有諾亞是公義毫無瑕疵，遵守神全部的教導。
帶著敬畏神的心，他預備好方舟，救了自已全家。
(來 11：7)
9少年人哪，你在幼年時當快樂。在幼年的日子，使你的心歡暢，
行你心所願行的，看你眼所愛看的；卻要知道，為這一切的事，神必審問你。
(傳 11：9)
你們要分別為聖，從巴比倫出來，
以免因為罪的原故，災難降臨。
Treasure His Grace 珍惜神的恩典
Dear brethren in the Lord!
We were once Gentiles who were unworthy.
However, in the Lord’s exceedingly abundant grace, He chose us.
Like wild olive branches that have been grafted onto good olive trees,
we must truly treasure this grace bestowed upon us, and hold fast to His word to the end
(Rom 11:24–26).
Be like Paul, who was determined to keep himself in the love of the Lord,
writing that “neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers,
nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”
(Rom 8:35–39).
May the grace of our true God,
the love of our Christ Jesus and the movement of the Holy Spirit abide with us all,
generation after generation, forever and ever. Amen.
主內親愛的弟兄姐妹啊！
我們曾經是外邦人，非常的不配。
然而因著主極度豐盛的恩典，揀選了我們。
就像野橄欖的枝子，接在好橄欖的樹上，
我們真的要好好珍自已的所得到的恩典，堅守神的話語直到最後。
(羅 11：24-26)
要效法保羅，他決心要保守自已在神的愛中，
就寫出，
38因為我深信無論是死，是生，是天使，是掌權的，是有能的，是現在的事，是將來的事，
39是高處的，是低處的，是別的受造之物，都不能叫我們與神的愛隔絕；這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。
(羅 8：35-39)
願我們真神的恩典，
主耶穌基督的恩愛，聖靈的感動與我們眾人同在，
一代傳一代，永永遠遠，阿們。
Emmanuel. 以馬內利
His servant, 神的僕人
Jonathan Chou 周惠嘉
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
歡迎主內同靈來信加入翻譯
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