1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好，
2. Welcome to this broadcast.
欢迎你收听这个节目。
3. If you are listening to this broadcast for the first time,
如果这是你第一次收听我们的节目，
4. we have just began a series of messages.
我们刚开始了一个新的系列信息，
5. It is on the life of joy and fulfillment.
是关于喜乐又满足的人生。
6. Joy and fulfillment are only possible through the power of praise.
唯有通过赞美所产生的能力，我们才能有喜乐又满足的人生。
7. We began to look at four lessons about praise.
首先让我们来看，有关赞美的四个功课：
8. Number one,
第一，
9. praise reveals to us our true spiritual condition.
赞美可以显示我们真实的属灵情况。
10. The second thing praise does is refocus our personal destiny.
赞美的第二个功能就是，使我们集中人生的目标。
11. Thirdly,
第三，
12. praise reestablishes God’s reign over our hearts.
赞美使我们重新建立，神在我们心中的主权。
13. And fourth,
第四，
14. praise reinforces our relationship with God.
赞美巩固我们与神的关系。
15. Last time, we talked about number one,
上次我们已经谈过第一方面了，
16. praise reveals to us our true spiritual condition.
赞美可以显示我们真实的属灵光景。
17. And today we’ll begin with number two,
今天我们要从第二点讲起，
18. praise refocuses our personal destiny.
赞美使我们的人生目标得以集中。
19. I don’t have to tell you that this life hassles even the best of us.
不用我说你也知道，即使最坚强的人也有人生的挣扎。
20. We all find this life’s problems are constantly overwhelming us,
我们都知道，人生的问题不断地冲击我们，
21. and we see and feel so many things in life that harrasses us.
我们都经历并感受人生各方面的搅扰。
22. Whether paying for life’s expenses,
不论是生活的开支，
23. or facing illnesses,
或是疾病的侵袭，
24. or dealing with cantankerous people,
或是跟暴躁、好发脾气的人相处，
25. or responding to the many demands in life.
或是应付生活中各种需要。
26. Let me ask you a question:
请问你一个问题，
27. What will happen to the person who only focuses on the problems of life?
如果一个人整天只注意人生的困难，他怎么办？
28. What will happen to the person who only focuses on the challenges of life?
如果一个人单单只注意人生中的挑战，他将会如何？
29. What will happen to that person?
他将会如何呢？
30. Very soon, that person’s identity will become foggy.
他的自我观很快就会变得模糊。
31. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ,
如果你是基督徒，
32. then your identity is in Jesus.
你的身分是在基督里的，
33. But if you allow yourself to focus on your problem,
但如果你容许自己把注意力都集中在所有的困难上，
34. then very soon your identity will become foggy, misty and unreal.
那么很快的，你的自我观就会变得模糊、迷惘而虚幻；
35. Very soon you will lose sight of your destiny of heaven.
你很快就会失去属天的目标；
36. Very soon you will slide into pessimism, cynicism and depression.
你很快就会陷入悲观、愤世嫉俗和忧郁的低谷里；
37. Very soon your life loses its luster, its joy, and its excitement.
你很快就会失去人生的热诚、喜乐和兴奋。
38. At that point, you really have two choices:
到这地步，你只有两个选择：
39. You can choose to place yourself in the posture of praise,
你可以选择赞美神，
40. or keep on going in your foggy night.
或停留在迷茫的黑夜里。
41. You can choose to be empowered by praise,
你可以选择从赞美中得到能力，
42. at that point, you can choose to be strengthened by the wings of praising the name of the Lord Jesus,
这时候你可以选择，因赞美耶稣基督的名而获得力量，
43. or you can choose to sink deeper into despair.
或者选择继续消沉下去。
44. Why do I say this?
为什么我这么说呢？
45. Because it is my personal testimony.
因为这是我自己的见证。
46. When I begin to praise the Lord,
当我赞美主时，
47. sooner or later, my eyes begin to lift from my problem,
迟早我的眼光会离开那些困难，
48. and they focus on my heavenly position.
转而注目在我属天的地位上。
49. This happens regardless of the problems or the difficulties that I’m facing.
不论我面临多大的困难和麻烦，
50. When I begin to praise the Lord,
每当我开始赞美神时都是这样。
51. I feel like a rusty machine.
我觉得自己就像一架生锈的机器，
52. Sometimes, I can’t even get going.
几乎转不动了，
53. But sooner or later, you discover that your eyes begin to lift away from your problem and focus on your heavenly position.
渐渐地你觉察，自己的注意力转离了困难，却集中在属天的身分上。
54. Your eyes are going to lift out of your current condition,
你的眼光离开了当前的景况，
55. and think of your position in Jesus Christ.
转而思想你在耶稣基督里的地位。
56. Your eyes immediately begin to recognize the smallness of your problem and the greatness of God.
你立刻就会发现，你的问题多么微不足道，而神是多么的伟大。
57. Soon your eyes begin to refocus on the reality of the size of your problem in relationship to the reality of the size of your God.
你很快就会看清楚，当你的问题和伟大的神相比时，那些问题都无足轻重了。
58. When I praise the Lord,
当我赞美主时，
59. my eyes shift from the temporary to the permanent.
我的眼光从短暂的现在转向永恒，
60. My eyes begin to see with clarity, my eternal destiny.
我清楚看见那永恒的目标。
61. My eyes begin to see God in the heavenly realm where his power permeates,
我看见神的大能充满在祂的天国里，
62. where his strength dominates,
祂的能力掌管万有，
63. where his position is supreme.
祂至高无上，
64. This is how praise begins to refocus my destiny.
就这样，赞美使我定睛在永恒的目标上。
65. Our praise of God refocuses us on what is really real and what is fleeting.
赞美神让我们重新看清楚，什么是真实存在的，什么是过眼云烟。
66. Praise reveals our spiritual condition.
赞美显示我们的属灵光景；
67. Praise refocuses our personal destiny.
赞美使我们重新集中人生目标。
68. And the third thing about praise that I want to share with you is this,
我所要分享有关赞美的第三个重点是，
69. praise reestablishes the reign of God upon our lives.
赞美使我们重新建立，神在我们心中的主权。
70. Earlier, we established that God pitches his tent in a unique way.
我曾说过，神以祂独特的方式支起祂的帐幕，
71. When he begins to hear the praises of his children.
就是当祂听见祂的儿女赞美祂时。
72. And when God is present in this very special way, God rules.
当神如此与我们同在时，神就在掌权。
73. He does not come just to sit with you and only listen to you,
祂不仅来跟你促膝交谈，
74. He does that, but he does more.
祂会这么做，但不仅如此，
75. When you invite him in praise to come,
当你以赞美邀请祂的来临，
76. he comes to rule and reign in your life.
祂就会进入你的生命，并掌管你的一生。
77. The Bible is very clear when it says, “God indwells the praises of his people.”
圣经很清楚地说，神住在赞美祂的百姓当中，
78. It means that God is now ready to take over.
就是说，神要掌权。
79. I often say God never takes sides,
我常说，神不偏袒一方，
80. he takes over,
神全面掌管，
81. and that is the absolute truth.
这是绝对的真理。
82. So, how does God take over?
那么神怎样掌管一切呢？
83. Your praise of him is your invitation for him to come and rule.
你赞美祂，就表示你邀请祂来掌管你的生命，
84. And you must be prepared to surrender.
并且你存心要顺服祂。
85. And that is why some people don’t like to praise the Lord, because they know he’s going to take over,
所以有些人不愿意赞美神，因为他们知道神会掌权，
86. and they are not ready for that.
但他们不愿意接受。
87. By praising God, you are saying, “God, you are my authority.”
当你赞美神时，你就是说，神啊！主权在你，
88. “You are my ruler.”
你是掌权者，
89. “You are my king.”
你是我的王，
90. “You are my sovereign.”
你是我的君。
91. And that is what you are doing.
这就是你的心意，
92. And he comes in and he takes over.
祂进入你生命掌王权。
93. When you invite God to dwell in your marriage, be ready because he will take over your marriage.
当你邀请神介入你的婚姻时，就表示你愿意让神掌管你的婚姻；
94. When you invite God to come into your family,
当你邀请神进入你的家庭时，
95. he will take over your family.
祂将要在你家中掌权；
96. When you invite God to come into your church,
当你邀请神进入你的教会时，
97. he will take over your church.
祂将要在你的教会里掌权；
98. When you invite God to take over your school,
当你邀请神接管你的学校时，
99. he will take over your school.
祂将要在你的学校里掌权。
100. And that is why praise is our foremost means of inviting God to take residence in our hearts.
因此，如果我们邀请神住在我们心中的话，赞美就是最重要的途径。
101. And therefore, we are inviting him to reign and rule supreme in our hearts.
也就是说，我们邀请神在我们心中居首位，掌王权。
102. Praise is our foremost means of asking God to take absolute authority over our lives and our circumstances.
当我们请求神完全掌管我们的生活和处境时，赞美就是最重要的途径。
103. Praise is our foremost means of asking God to establish or reestablish his authority over us.
当我们一再地请求神来掌管我们时，赞美就是最重要的途径。
104. And that’s precisely why some people are afraid of the life of praise.
这也正是许多人不敢进入赞美人生的原因，
105. And they say, “Oh, I praise God on the inside. I don’t have to speak it out.”
他们说，我内心赞美神就够了，不需要说出来。
106. I pray that you’ll begin the life of praise today.
求神让你今天就开始过一个赞美的人生，
107. I pray that you will begin to understand the relationship between what you say and God’s presence and rule in your life.
我祈求神让你明白，你开口所说的，和神进入你生命中掌权的关系何在。
108. Because you must understand, God does not like to share his authority.
你必须明白，神的主权是不容分割的；
109. God does not like the fifty-fifty program.
神不喜悦对分的计画；
110. God does not like to share his rule.
神不喜悦部分的管理权；
111. God does not like to share his power.
神不喜悦只拥有部分权利；
112. God does not like to share his glory.
神不喜悦分享荣耀。
113. That’s who He is.
祂一向如此，
114. He either takes over or takes off.
祂若不能全权掌管，就离开。
115. Some may ask, “Do you mean I am going to lose my salvation?”
有人会问，难道我会失去救恩吗？
116. Absolutely not.
绝对不会！
117. I’m not talking about losing your salvation.
我并不是说，你会失去救恩，
118. When you come to Jesus Christ, and your name is written in the Book of Life, nothing changes that.
当你接受耶稣基督时，你的名字就记在生命册上了，这是不会改变的。
119. But I will tell you that what you’re going to lose when He does not dominate in your life,
但如果神没有掌管你的生命，那你的损失就大了。
120. what you will lose is your joy.
你会失去喜乐，
121. Because when he comes in and takes over the reigns,
因为当祂进入你生命掌权时，
122. He brings joy with him.
祂赐给你喜乐。
123. When He’s out of your life, there can be no joy.
你生命中没有祂，就没有喜乐。
124. Let me summarize.
让我再说这些重点，
125. Praise reveals our spiritual condition.
赞美显示我们的属灵光景；
126. Praise refocuses our personal destiny.
赞美重新集中我们的人生目标；
127. Praise reestablishes God’s reign in our hearts.
赞美重新建立神在我们心中的主权。
128. But the fourth point is this,
第四点是，
129. praise reinforces our relationship with God.
赞美巩固我们和神的关系。
130. You know, one of the problems of all human race,
你知道吗？全人类共同的问题就是，
131. is that we find it very easy to fall in love with ourselves.
我们很容易爱上自己，
132. We do that especially if we get a little bit of success here and there.
尤其是当我们在某些事上稍有点成就的时候。
133. We really do that.
我们真是这样的，
134. If we do well, then all of a sudden, we begin to think that we are really great.
当一帆风顺时，我们就会自鸣得意，
135. We begin to think that we are God’s gift to the universe.
我们认为自己是神赐给这宇宙的礼物。
136. We can easily fall in love with our ability.
我们爱上自己的能力；
137. We can easily fall in love with our intelligence.
我们爱上自己的学识；
138. We can easily fall in love with our cleverness.
我们爱上自己的聪明；
139. We can easily fall in love with our knowledge and our abilities and our status.
我们爱上自己的知识、能力和社会地位，
140. We can easily begin to think we are the best.
我们认为自己天下无敌。
141. But here’s what praise does.
但赞美产生了作用，
142. Praise reminds us of who we really are and who God really is.
赞美提醒我们，自己的真相和神的真相；
143. Praise reminds me that I am a sinful human being.
赞美提醒我是个罪人；
144. Praise reminds me that I am redeemed and saved only by the pure grace of God.
赞美提醒我，纯粹靠着神的恩典，我才能得救；
145. And that’s what praise does.
这就是赞美的作用。
146. Praise places me and all of my limitations in the light of God’s great forgiveness.
赞美使我在神赦罪的恩光下，看见自己的局限；
147. Praise places me and all my faults in the light of God’s great forgiveness.
赞美使我在神赦罪的恩光下，看见自己的过失；
148. Praise places me and all of my sins in the light of God’s forgiveness.
赞美使我在神赦罪的恩光下，看见自己所有的罪恶。
149. Praise reminds me of the power of the forgiveness of God.
赞美提醒我，神赦罪的大能；
150. Praise reminds me of what a tiny fraction of God’s love and wisdom and power I really comprehend.
赞美提醒我，其实我对神的爱、神的智慧和能力，只能理解一小部份；
151. Praise makes us say with Job, “I know that you can do all things;
赞美使我们像约伯一样地说，我知道你万事都能作，
152. no plan of yours can be thwarted.
你的旨意不能拦阻。
153. My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.
我从前风闻有你，现在亲眼看见你，
154. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
因此我厌恶自己，在尘土和炉灰中懊悔。
155. But please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying.
但请不要误解我的意思，
156. The reason of recognizing who I really am and who God is,
我们需要认识自我的真相，和神的真相，其中的原因，
157. is not so that I might walk through life saying, “Oh, poor me.
并不是让我们面对人生时感到自怜说，
158. I am a sinner. I’m unworthy. I can’t do anything.
我是个罪人，一文不值，一事无成。
159. Don’t ask me to serve or do anything, because I am not worthy.”
别让我参与侍奉，我不配。
160. No, no, no, no, no, no. The purpose is not that.
不，不，不，这不是我的目的。
161. That’s how people twist the truth and twist the facts.
人常常都扭曲真理，歪曲事实，
162. On the contrary, being realistic about my sinfulness leads me to repentance.
相反的，诚实面对自己的罪，可以带来悔改。
163. And true repentance brings me to true appreciation of the goodness and the mercy and the grace of God.
而真实的悔改，使我懂得欣赏神的慈悲、善良和恩惠，
164. And that’s what it does.
这就是它的作用。
165. The more we are realistic about our weaknesses and faults, the more we comprehend God’s graciousness.
我们越是诚实地面对自己的软弱和过失，才越能够明白神的恩惠；
166. The more I comprehend the graciousness of God, the more excited I am about serving him.
我越明白神的恩惠，就越加兴奋地侍奉神。
167. And that’s what praise is really all about.
赞美的意义就在此，
168. And that is why the Bible, from cover to cover, tells us that the secret of fulfillment and joy is a life of praising the Lord.
所以圣经从头到尾都告诉我们，赞美神的人生，是获得满足和喜乐的秘诀。
169. It is my deep desire that today you begin the life of praise.
我深深盼望，你今天就开始这赞美的人生，
170. And I pray that you would write to us and tell us how praise is changing your life.
我也祈祷，你能写信来告诉我们赞美，如何改变你的生命。
171. Until we meet again I wish you God’s riches blessing.
愿神大大地赐福给你，下次节目再会。
