Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 24

Introduction...

Day 24 Psalm 66:8-20 Experiencing God's trimming in trials and tests
（Memorization Scripture: vv. 10-12,18-20）
8 Praise our God, all peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
9 he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
10 For you, God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you—
14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
17 I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
19 but God has surely listened
and has heard my prayer.
20 Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!


[Sharing] When we are in all kinds of trials and tests (prison, burdens, fire and water), we often ask: "Where is my God? Has he forgotten me? Did he hear my prayer?" But the psalmist has a different understanding of trials and prayer.

God loves us, so he tests us, refines us like silver, brings us into prison, lays burdens on our backs, and even lets people humble our heads. All these circumstances are for one purpose: to bring us to a place of abundance after going through fire and water. During the tests, our sins are revealed. Sin is what God hates and it is also the greatest obstacle when we pray to God. “ If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” (v. 18) Let us pray that God will help us, not only reveal our sins, but also set us free from the power of sin, and come to Him with clean hands and pure hearts. He will turn his ear to us.

【簡介】...

Day 24 詩篇66:8-20 在試煉中經歷 神的修剪
(背誦10-12, 16-20節)
8 萬民哪，你們當稱頌我們的 神，使人得聽讚美祂的聲音。
9 祂使我們的性命存活，也不叫我們的腳搖動。
10 神啊，袮曾試驗我們， 熬煉我們，如熬煉銀子一樣。
11 袮使我們進入網羅，把重擔放在我們的身上。
12 袮使人坐車軋我們的頭；我們經過水火，袮卻使我們到豐富之地。
13 我要用燔祭進袮的殿，向袮還我的願，
14 就是在急難時我嘴唇所發的、口中所許的。
15 我要把肥牛作燔祭，將公羊的香祭獻給袮，又把公牛和山羊獻上。 （細拉）
16 凡敬畏 神的人，你們都來聽！我要述說祂為我所行的事。
17 我曾用口求告祂； 我的舌頭也稱祂為高。
18 我若心裏注重罪孽，主必不聽。
19 但 神實在聽見了； 祂側耳聽了我禱告的聲音。
20 神是應當稱頌的！ 祂並沒有推卻我的禱告，也沒有叫祂的慈愛離開我。


【心得分享】當我們落在各樣試煉中（網羅，重擔，水火）的時候，常有的體會是：「我的 神在哪裏呢？祂是否已忘記了我？有沒有聽我的禱告呢」？但詩人對試煉和禱告卻有一個新的認識。
神愛我們，祂試驗我們， 熬煉我們，如熬煉銀子一樣，祂使我們進入網羅，把重擔放在我們的身上，甚至使人坐車軋我們的頭。為的是讓我們經過水火到達豐富之地。在試驗中，我們的罪被顯明。而罪是 神所恨惡的，也是我們向 神禱告最大的障碍。「我若心裏注重罪孽，主必不聽。」（v18) 求 神幫助我們，不單罪被顯明，更給我們力量脫離罪的權勢，可以手潔心清的來到祂的面前。祂必會側耳垂聽我們的禱告。