Preparing Your Heart (Chinese/English)

EZRA 7
8 And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
以斯拉在第五个月来到耶路撒冷，那时是王的第七年。

9 For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him.
因为在正月初一日，他从巴比伦启程上行，在五月初一日到达耶路撒冷，因为他的神的恩手帮助他。

10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.
因为以斯拉专心研究耶和华的律法，遵行它，并在以色列中教导祂的律例和典章。

11 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a man learned in matters of the commandments of the Lord and his statutes for Israel.
这是亚达薛西王交给祭司以斯拉，精通耶和华诫命和以色列律例的文士的一封信的副本。
PREPARING YOUR HEART

Ezra is a forgotten hero of the Bible, he was the priest who came back to Jerusalem to help the Jews rebuild the people.
以斯拉是圣经中被遗忘的英雄，他是回到耶路撒冷帮助犹太人重建的祭司。

This journey was a long one, it would have taken months, but God’s hand was upon him.
这段旅程很长，需要几个月，但神的恩手在他身上。

Why was the letter given to Ezra, what made him qualified to not only carry that letter, but to teach the people?
为什么这封信交给以斯拉，是什么让他不仅有资格携带这封信，还能教导百姓？

Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, this man had set his heart to study the statutes of the Lord, but not only to study it, but to do it, you know we can study the word of God, but unless we do it, it is absolutely useless, in the new testament, look at what James says in Chapter 1 of his book:
以斯拉专心研究耶和华的律法，这个人专心研究耶和华的律例，不仅研究，还要遵行，你知道我们可以研究神的话语，但如果不遵行，它完全没有用处，在新约中，看看雅各在他的书第一章中说了什么：

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
但要作行道者，不单作听道者，欺哄自己。

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
因为若有人只听道而不行道，他就像一个人对着镜子注视自己的本来面目。

24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
他看了自己就走开，立刻忘了自己是什么样子。

25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
但那查看完全的律法，就是自由的律法，并且持之以恒，不是忘记的听道者，而是行道的实行者，这人在他所行的必蒙福。

Study and meditating on the word of God are good, indeed writing about the word of God is good, but if there is no doing or obedience, then it is worthless.
研究和默想神的话语是好的，确实，写下神的话语也是好的，但如果没有遵行或顺服，那就毫无价值。

If I constantly encourage people to read their bible and pray and don’t do it myself, what does that make me? That’s right, I am a hypocrite.
如果我不断鼓励别人读圣经和祷告，而自己却不这样做，那我是谁？没错，我是一个伪君子。

He could teach the statutes of the Lord, because not only did he study the word, he did what he said.
他能教导耶和华的律例，因为他不仅研究神的话语，还践行他所说的。

The people recognised it, the King recognised it. If you are true to the word of God and sit under its lordship, you will be able to share it with others.
百姓认识到了，王也认识到了。如果你是真心顺服神的话语，并活在它的主权之下，你就能与他人分享它。

Note the words in verse 10
注意第10节中的话语

set his heart to study the Law of the Lord
专心研究耶和华的律法

Ezra set his heart to study the word of God, he did not set his heart on how many friends he had on Facebook or how many likes he had to his posts, his whole focus was to study and intently know the word of God.
以斯拉专心研究神的话语，他没有专注于自己在脸书上有多少朋友或帖子有多少点赞，他的全部注意力是研究和深入了解神的话语。

We sometimes ask, why haven’t I been given responsibility to share the word of God?
我们有时会问，为什么我没有被赋予分享神话语的责任？

Maybe, you haven’t been studying and doing what the word of God says.
也许，你没有研究和遵行神的话语。

The word to you is Colossians 3:16, when God’s word takes up residence in your life, it can start to mold you, so like Ezra, you can teach the people, because you are a man who not only studies the word, but does it.
对你来说的话语是歌罗西书3:16，当神的话语在你的生活中扎根，它可以开始塑造你，就像以斯拉一样，你可以教导百姓，因为你是一个不仅研究神的话语，而且遵行它的人。

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
让基督的话语丰丰富富地住在你们心里，用一切智慧彼此教导和警戒，唱诗篇、颂歌和属灵的歌曲，心怀感恩地赞美神。

JC RYLE SAYS THIS:
J.C.莱尔说：

Doctrine is useless!
教义毫无用处！
(J. C. Ryle)
(J.C.莱尔)

“If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” John 13:17
“你们若知道这些事，照着行就有福了。”约翰福音13:17

Doctrine is useless—if it is not accompanied by a holy life. It is worse than useless; it does positive harm. Something of the ‘image of Christ’ must be seen and observed in our private life, and habits, and character, and doings.
教义若没有圣洁的生活相伴，就毫无用处。不仅无用，反而有害。在我们的私人生活、习惯、品格和行为中，必须看到并观察到基督的形象。

Practically speaking do we set our heart to study the word of God every day, especially when we go to church.
实际上，我们是否每天都专心研究神的话语，尤其是当我们去教会时。

I often think that Saturday night is really important, it is then when we set our hearts on either good or bad things.
我常认为周六晚上非常重要，那时我们会将心放在好的或坏的事物上。

If we fill our hearts, with rubbish from the TV on Saturday night:
如果我们在周六晚上让电视上的垃圾充满我们的心：

How do we expect to get anything from the Lord on Sunday morning?
我们怎能指望在周日早上从主那里得到什么？

That’s why so many Christians see their bible as a hot potato, they put it down as soon as they pick it up, reading a short devotion is not enough.
这就是为什么许多基督徒把圣经看作烫手山芋，拿起后马上放下，读一小段灵修是不够的。

Study the word and then do it, like those in Berea
研究神的话语然后遵行它，就像庇哩亚人一样

11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
这些犹太人比帖撒罗尼迦人高尚；他们热切地接受神的话语，每天查考圣经，看这些事是否如此。

12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.
因此，他们中间有许多人信了，还有不少高位的希腊妇女和男人。

Note, searching the scriptures, led to believing, led to changed lives..amen.
注意，查考圣经带来相信，带来生命的改变……阿们。

Meditate, practice, pray
默想，实践，祷告

(Thomas Brooks, “The Unsearchable Riches of Christ”)
(托马斯·布鲁克斯，《基督不可测的丰富》)

You must meditate and dwell upon what you read; otherwise your pains and mine will be lost.
你必须默想并深思你所读的；否则，你我的努力都将白费。

The more any man is in the contemplation of truth, the more deep and firm impression is made upon his heart by truth.
一个人越是沉思真理，真理对他的心影响就越深越坚定。

Heavenly meditation brings out the sweetness that is in divine truths.
属天的默想带来神圣真理中的甘甜。

Not those who get most–but those who keep most, are richest.
不是得到最多的人，而是保存最多的人，才是最富有的。

So not those who hear most, or read most–but those who meditate most, are most edified and enriched.
因此，不是听最多或读最多的人，而是默想最多的人，得到最多的造就和丰富。

You must also practice and live out what you read.
你还必须实践和活出你所读的。

To read much and practice nothing–is to hunt much and catch nothing.
读得多而不实践，就像狩猎得多却一无所获。

Ah! what cause have most to sigh, that they have heard so much, and read so much–and yet done so little!
啊！大多数人有什么理由叹息，他们听了那么多，读了那么多，却做得那么少！

You must also pray over what you read.
你还必须为你所读的祷告。

Many read much, and pray little, and therefore get little by all they read.
许多人读得多，祷告少，因此从他们所读的得到很少。

Galen writes of a fish called Uranoscopos, that has but one eye, which looks continually up to heaven.
盖伦写到一种叫乌拉诺斯科波斯的鱼，它只有一只眼睛，总是仰望天空。

When a Christian has one eye upon his book–the other should be looking up to heaven for a blessing upon what he reads!
当一个基督徒一只眼睛看着他的书时，另一只眼睛应该仰望天堂，祈求他所读的蒙福！

Amen
阿们