We’ve looked at Psalm 23:1-3. 我们已经分享了诗篇23：1-3。Psalm 23 is very personal. 诗篇第23篇非常个人化。There’re no first-person pronouns like “we” or “us” or “they” in the Psalm, only “I”, “my”, “He” and “You”. 整篇中没有像“我们”、“我们”或“他们”，只有“我”、“我的”、“祂”和“你”这样的第一人称代词。 It’s King David’s testimony about his personal experience with God. 诗篇23是一篇有关大卫王他个人经历神的见证。David was a sinner like each one of us, 和我们每个人一样，大卫也是个罪人， but he was a man of praise and faith. 但他是一个赞美神和对神有信心的人。He is the only human in the bible that God calls ‘a man after His own heart’. 在圣经中他是唯一被神称为“合神心意的人”。A leader after God’s own heart. 一个合神心意的领袖。 

David’s intimate personal relationship with God enabled him to bring the rule of God’s Kingdom on earth through his leadership and his rule in Jerusalem in the OT. 在旧约，大卫与神的亲密的个人关系，借着大卫的带领和作王，使神的国度降临在地上掌权。It gives us an example of how we can be an effective leader in the Kingdom of God. 它给了我们一个榜样，让我们知道如何成为神国度有用的领袖。Today, we look at V.4, 今天，我们看第4节， “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of the death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” “虽然我行过死荫的幽谷，也不怕遭害，因为你与我同在；你的杖，你的杆，都安慰我。”

1, Pray in times of crisis. 在危难时要祷告

In v.4, David shifts from referring to God in the third person, 在第4节中，大卫对神，从第三人称，“He makes me lie down…He leads me…He restores me, and He guides me…” 祂使我躺卧...祂领我...祂使我灵魂苏醒...祂引导我...to the second person, 转到第二人称 “I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” “我也不怕遭害，因为你与我同在；你的杖，你的杆，都安慰我。” Why didn’t he just go on to say, 他为什么不继续说，“I’ll fear no evil, for He is with me. “我不怕遭害，因为祂与我同在。His rod and His staff, they comfort me”? 祂的杖，祂的杖，都安慰我” ？ Apparently, “You” is more intimate than “He”. 显然，“你”比“祂”更亲密。It’s more like a prayer. 这更像是一个祷告。 “The valley of the shadow of death” means to be in life crisis. “死荫的幽谷” 指人生危机时刻。David gave us a picture of the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. 大卫给了我们一幅牧羊人和羊的关系的图画。When sheep feel insecure or in danger, 当羊感到不安全感或危险时，they stay closer to the Shepherd, 它们会离牧羊人更近，never taking their eyes off the shepherd. 眼睛一刻也不敢离开牧羊人。

When fear or a threat came, 当惧怕或威胁来到，David said大卫说 “Lord, even though I walk through a hard situation主啊，即使我经历艰难的环境, even though I’m in a life crisis即便我身处危机， I’ll not fear我不怕遭害，for You are with me因为你与我同在。” The crisis didn’t make David complain, 难处临到没有让大卫抱怨，rather, it created a hunger for God’s presence in King David’s life.  相反，这让大卫更渴慕神的同在。He teaches us, prayer and praise can get our eyes off our ‘selfie” world, 他教导我们，祷告和赞美可以使我们不定睛“自我”的世界，and back on God. 重新回到神的身上。

In times of crisis, if we confess who He is, we’re reminded that life is not all about ourselves. 在危难时，若我们宣告祂是谁，我们就会被提醒，人生并不单是我们自己。“oh, my job, my money, my health…” “哦，我的工作，我的钱, 我的身体…“ No不！Life is about reflecting our Maker. 人生是为彰显出我们的创造主。Life is about being transformed into His-likeness, 人生是要变成祂的形象，and reaching our destiny, 到达我们的命定， so that many sons will be revealed when He returns, 所以当耶稣再来时，许多的儿子将要被显明出来，to be able to reign with Him forever. 可以和祂一同执掌王权直到永远。Crisis serves a purpose so that we can be drawn near to God and develop a personal relationship with our Shepherd,  难处的目的是使我们可以更靠近神，并与我们的大牧人得更好的关系，in which God wants to comfort us, and show us who He is. 在危机中神要安慰我们，并向我们显现祂是谁。

2, Your rod and Your staff comfort me. 你的杖，你的杆，都安慰我。

So how does God comfort us in times of fear?  在惧怕中，神会如何安慰我们？Does He comfort us like a human would? 祂会像世人那样安慰我们吗？Speak nice words to us? 跟我们讲些好听的话吗？or give us a hug? 或是给我们一个拥抱？David said, “Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” 大卫说：“你的杖，你的杆，都安慰我。” The Hebrew word for “rod” is “shebet”; 希伯来语中“杖”是”师拜特”；and “staff”, “杆”，“mishena”, “米师拿”，they have a special meaning. 它们有特殊的含意。“Shebet” has the idea of a “stick”, “Shebet”的意思是一根“棍子”，it originally referred to a part of a tree.它最初指的是树的一部分。 A tree, remember? 树，还记得吗？Christ was nailed to the tree (the cross). 基督被钉在那树上（十字架）上。We’ll come back to this idea later. 我们稍后会再来看这个。

In the book of Proverbs, the stick is used for discipline (Proverbs 13:24). 在《箴言》中，棍子是被用来管教的（箴言13：24）。The Hebrew word ‘mishena’ has the idea of “something to lean on” or “trust”. 希伯来语“米师拿”的意思是“可以依赖或信靠的”。Put these two words together, 把这两个词放在一起，it gives us a picture of a protective and loving Shepherd whom we can trust给了我们一个保护和慈爱的牧羊人形象，我们可以信靠祂， whether for discipline or protection He does to us is to save us from evil. 无论是为了管教还是保护，祂所做的都是为了把我们从罪中拯救出来。In David’s time, a Shepherd used a rod to protect sheep from other animals, 在大卫的时代，一个牧羊人用一根棍子来保护羊不受其他动物的伤害，like crushing a snake in the grass to save the sheep’s life. 就像在草地上碾碎蛇来拯救羊的生命一样。But it’s also for discipline, 但这也为管教，when a sheep got hit by the rod, 当羊被杖击打时，it would be soon back on the right path. 它很快就会回到正确的道路。Heb 12:10 tells us来12：10告诉我们，the goal of his discipline is for our good祂管教的目的是为我们得益处, that we may grow in His Holiness使我们在祂的圣洁上有分。 I’ve been told similar stories常有人告诉我, “I suffered lots of pain after walking away from the Lord and indulging in worldly entertainment 在我离开主，沉迷于世俗的娱乐中，我受了很多苦，now I love reading the bible. 现在我喜欢读圣经了。”

In v.4, King David seems to say how to be fearless in adversity. 大卫王在第4节告诉我们怎么可以不怕逆境，He trusted in his Shepherd’s love. 他信靠这大牧者的爱；Even if he walked astray because of sin, 哪怕他犯罪走迷了路， even if God disciplined him, 哪怕神管教他，he believed that it was from love. 他信那是从神来的爱。Even if God’s rod and staff hit him, 哪怕神用杖和杆击打他， he received comfort from that. 他仍从中得到安慰。why? 为什么呢？ because David’s desire in his everyday life was to mature in the Lord, 因大卫每天的渴慕就是生命在主里成熟长大，so that he would become one with God. 以至于可以与神合一。

For God saw his heart and called him ‘a man after God’s own heart.” 因神看到大卫的心，就称他为“合神心意的人”。What does that mean? “合神心意的人”是什么意思？It means David sought God’s will to be his own will, 意思是大卫寻求神的心意，他以神所愿的为自己所愿的， God’s intentions to be his intentions. 他行神所愿行的。Just as the Son Christ says, 就如基督神儿子所说，“Father, not my will, but Yours be done. .  “父啊，不照我的意思，乃照你的意思。”” King David was a sinful man like each of us, 大卫王和我们一样是罪人，but his pursuit in life wasn’t to seek a better life on earth, 但他所追求的不是地上过得更好，but to seek to be transformed into the Son’s likeness. 他追求的是生命更新成为神儿子的样式， So he loved God’s correction and discipline, 因此他喜爱神的指正管教 because he knew he had a sinful nature within him which could lead him astray, 因他知道他里面有一个属罪的肉体，会引他走迷路，and that he needed the loving Father’s discipline to bring him back onto the righteous paths他需要慈父的管教将他带回到正路上来。

David’s son Solomon also was passed down this teaching. 大卫的儿子所罗门也从父亲得此训诲，Solomon says in the book of Proverbs, 他在箴言里说， Proverbs 13:18 He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored. 弃绝管教的，必致贫受辱；领受责备的，必得尊荣。(箴 13:18) Proverbs 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. 喜爱管教的，就是喜爱知识；恨恶责备的，却是畜类。(箴 12:1) In other words, 换句话说 if you wanna become poor and stupid, 你想成为贫穷和愚蠢，and be ashamed, 想受羞辱，you can ignore or hate God’s correction or discipline, 你可以藐视、讨厌、憎恶神的指正和管教，and refuse to repent continuously. 你也不用常常悔改。But King David embraced God’s rod and staff, 但大卫王拥抱神的杖和杆，because he believed if he turned to the Good Shepherd, 因他相信他只要转向神他的大牧人，he would be protected with great peace. “I’ll fear no evil.” 就有极大的平安环绕他，“我不怕遭害。”

In 2 Samuel 11, we’re told that David committed the sins of murder and adultery. 撒下11章记载了大卫犯下杀人和通奸的罪。God sent the prophet Nathan to David, telling him that the child Bathsheba bore to him would die. 神差遣先知拿单对大卫说他从拔示巴所得的儿子必要死。 David fasted and prayed for seven days, 大卫为此禁食祷告了七天，asking for God’s mercy upon the child. 恳求神怜悯这个孩子。 But on the seventh day the child died. 但孩子在第七天还是死了。How would you react if you fasted and prayed seven days, 如果是你禁食祷告七天，but things didn’t go your way? 事情仍不遂你的意思，你的反应是什么？ David didn’t act like Cain, 大卫没有像该隐那样， who despised God’s justice, 该隐藐视神的公正， felt offended by God’s judgement, 他因神的审判被冒犯，and refused to repent. 拒绝悔改。 No, David wasn’t like that. 不，大卫没有那样。 Once he had heard that his child was dead, he said, 他一听到孩子死了，就说：“God, You’ll be proved right in what You say, and Your judgement against me is just. Psa 51:4b” 你责备我的时候显为公义，判断我的时候显为清正。(诗 51:4下) he said, “Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight.” 我向你犯罪，惟独得罪了你；在你眼前行了这恶， “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin”. 　神啊，求你按你的慈爱怜恤我！按你丰盛的慈悲涂抹我的过犯！求你将我的罪孽洗除净尽，并洁除我的罪！(诗 51:1-2) 

Psalm 51 was written by David after the prophet Nathan had pointed out his sin. 诗篇51章是大卫在先知拿单指出他的罪之后写的。 David didn’t conceal his sin, 大卫没有隐瞒自己的罪，nor feel offended by God’s just judgement, 也没有因神公正的审判被冒犯， rather, he deeply grieved over his sin and repented. 相反，他深深为自己的罪悔改。Because he believed that God’s discipline is to motivate His Saints to live a holy life, 因他信神管教的目的是激励圣徒活出圣洁人生，so that they will fear no evil. 以致于他们在任何环境下都不怕遭害。In Hebrews12:  7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all…你们所忍受的，是　神管教你们，待你们如同待儿子。焉有儿子不被父亲管教的呢？ 管教原是众子所共受的。你们若不受管教，就是私子，不是儿子了……but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 惟有万灵的父管教我们，是要我们得益处，使我们在他的圣洁上有份。 (来 12:7-8,10) The OT Saint King David knew God’s love very well. 大卫这位旧约里的圣徒深深认识神的爱， It’s not for us to take advantage by living a selfish life on earth. 神的爱不是为让我们自私自利在地上得点便宜，It’s for us to live out the original purpose of life to reflect our Maker on earth through a changed life 是为我们能活出生命受造的本意，借着改变的生命将创造主显明在地上，so that we may receive full sonship as a reward in eternity.以至于我们能得儿子的产业为永恒赏赐。

3, What hinders us from embracing God’s rod and staff? 什么拦阻我们拥抱神的杖和杆？

When we face a sudden crisis, 当你面对突如其来的危难，health crisis, 你的身体出状况，financial crisis, or whatever, 或发生财务危机，不管哪种危机， how many of us want to hear that it’s correction? 有多少人愿意听到说“这是神的指正”？ I’m not saying it’s always the case. 我不是说每次都是这种情况， What I’m saying is about our attitude towards God’s correction. 我是在讲我们对神指正的态度。What if God sent someone like Nathan to you to say, 要是神也差拿单那样的人来对你说， “this happened because you have done this and that, “你遇到这样的事，是因为你做了这做了那， which have sinned against God, 得罪了神， if you repent, 你若悔改，God will take you out of your trouble, 神必将你从患难中拯救出来，but you and your family will still suffer the consequences of your sin.” 但你和你的家庭仍要承受犯罪的后果。” 

Would you be happy to hear that? 你会高兴听到这样的话吗？ Why are we not happy to hear that? 我们为什么不高兴听到这种话？Because we feel offended. 因我们感到被冒犯。We’re offended, because we don’t believe it’s helping us to get out of evil, not trapping us into evil. 我们感到被冒犯跌倒，是因为我们不信指正是帮助我们脱离患难，而不是害我们。

Offence leads to unbelief. 接受冒犯感导致不信。 Jesus says in Matthew 11:6耶稣说And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” 凡不因我跌倒的就有福了！” (太 11:6) Can people get offended by the loving God? 人会因慈爱的神而受冒犯跌倒吗？ Of course, we can. 当然会。 The Pharisees felt offended, 法利赛人被冒犯跌倒了， because Jesus corrected them because they didn’t honour God with their thoughts within their hearts; 因耶稣指正他们，说他们心里的所想的没有尊重神； Cain felt offended by God’s judgement on the things he had done according to his flesh. 该隐被冒犯跌倒了，因神审判了他照肉体行的恶； King Saul was offended because people praised David more than him. 扫罗王被冒犯跌倒了，因人称赞大卫过于称赞他。 “Saul has killed a thousand, but David has killed ten thousand.” “扫罗杀死千千，大卫杀死万万。” (撒上 18:7) Saul got offended, 扫罗被冒犯跌倒了，then he felt jealous, 他嫉妒大卫，and he tried in every way to get rid of David. 便想方设法要除掉大卫。 Holding offence hindered him from trusting in God through repentance. 被冒犯感拦阻他悔改信靠神， “Why do I leave home happy? but return home angry?” “为什么我出去的时候还好好的，回家时却很生气？” “Is it because someone made me angry?” “是有人惹我生气了吗？” “No, it’s because I got offended, that’s why I’m angry.” “不是，是因为我感到被冒犯了，所以我生气。” So what is the root of this offence? 被冒犯感的根是什么？How can we deal with it? 我们应怎样处理？

Last Sunday, 上个主日，Chris preached about Col 3, Chris讲道的内容是关于歌罗西书三章，he used a popular children’s story – the Emperor’s new clothes, 他引用了一个众所周知的故事—皇帝的新装， to challenge people to put on new clothes of love. 挑战大家披戴爱的新生命。 During the combined service, 在联合聚会中，I could feel the atmosphere there wasn’t quite right. 我感到气氛不太对劲，Something very heavy was moving around this place in the invisible realm. 在看不见的领域里有某种压抑的东西在那地运行着。 

So after the service, 聚会过后， I prayed and prayed, and enquired of the Lord, ‘what was that?’ 我不断祷告求问神，“那是什么东西？”Until that evening after spending another three hours reading and praying, 傍晚我又再读经祷告了三小时，suddenly I head the Lord say,突然我听到主说， “I do not accept praise from men. John 5:41” “我不受从人来的荣耀。 (约 5:41) So I quickly turned to John 5 and read it through. 我赶快翻开圣经去读约5章， V.38 says,38节说， you don’t have God’s word in you. 你们并没有他的道存在心里；You don’t believe the one He sent. 因为他所差来的，你们不信。  V.40, You don’t want to come to me to have life. 你们不肯到我这里来得生命。 V.42, You don’t have the love of God in you. 你们心里没有 神的爱。V.43, You don’t believe me. 你们并不接待我；V.44, how can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?……你们互相受荣耀，却不求从独一之　神来的荣耀，怎能信我呢？ What caused the Jewish leaders to be offended, 是什么让犹太领袖们跌倒，so they refused Jesus’ correction to change? 以致于他们被耶稣指正时却不愿改变？ V.44 Jesus says, 44节，耶稣说， because you love the praise of man, not the praise of God. 因为你们爱从人来的称赞，不爱从神来的称赞。Yes, that’s a key issue for all mankind. 是，这是全人类生命的大问题。What was the root cause for King Saul to become offended? 导致扫罗被冒犯的根是什么？ The love of praise from people! 爱人的称赞！ The craving for the approval of man. 贪人的肯定。

Saul got offended because his craving of the praise of man wasn’t satisfied, 扫罗跌倒是因为他贪人的称赞的欲望没有得到满足，it became an idol he served. 这就成了他拜的偶像。 That’s why he refused to repent, 所以他不愿悔改，when God sent prophet Samuel to correct him, 当神差遣先知撒母耳来指正他，he defended himself and said, 他却自己争辩说，“I did obey God…“我实在遵行了神的命令……I’ve done good things for Him.” 我实在为神行了善事。” The idol of the craving for the praise of man made him stubborn.  这贪人称赞的偶像让扫罗变得顽梗， stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.1 Samuel 15:22-23 顽梗的罪与拜虚神和偶像的罪相同。

Jesus also revealed in John 5 that the love of praise from man is idolatry. 耶稣在约五章也启示我们，贪人的夸奖称赞是拜偶像。 It causes people to become stubborn like king Saul, 人因此变得顽梗，像扫罗那样， who kept trusting in his own judgement rather than God’s. 他总是只信自己的判断，而不是神的判断。 v.42,You don’t have the love of God in you. 你们心里没有　神的爱。 Why? 为什么？ Jesus says, 耶稣说， because you love the praise of man rather than making the effort to pursue the glory of God. 因你们喜爱从人来的称赞，却不肯花代价去追求得神的称赞。Jesus says in v.41-42, 耶稣说，“I do not receive glory from man. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you 我不受从人来的荣耀，但我知道，你们心里没有神的爱. He is saying, 他在说， “I don’t seek people’s praise. “我不求人的称赞， I’m not hungry for people’s approval, 我不渴望人肯定我， I don’t need the praise of man to complete me, 我不需要从人的称赞使我得完全， or to quench my cravings. 或来满足我的欲望。Because I’m satisfied with my Father’s love…因我在我父的爱中得满足……you crave the approval of man because you don’t pay the price to find your satisfaction in Him.” 你们巴不得人来肯定，是因你们没有付代价去在神里面得着满足。” Why am I offended? 为什么我被冒犯？Because someone is praised but I’m forgotten. 因别人被夸奖，我却被遗忘。 Why am I unhappy? 为什么我不高兴？Because someone is honoured, I’m neglected; 因别人被尊重，我却被忽略；Why am I angry? 为什么我生气？ Because I expect him to say something nice about me, but he picks on me. 因我期待他说我好话，可他去挑剔我的不好。 I, he, she, where’s room for God?…全是我，他，她，神在哪里呢？

Brothers and sisters 弟兄姐妹们，the love of praise (approval) from man, 贪从人来的称赞(认可)，craving for glory of man, 贪从人来的荣耀，is an idol which is rooted in human hearts deeply, 是深深根植于人心中的偶像，ever since Adam and Eve ate that fruit, 自从亚当夏娃吃了那果子， “You (people) will be like God. Gen 3:5” “…你们便如　神…（创3:5）”People are not God. 但人不是神。

Jesus never tolerates idols. 主耶稣从不容忍偶像。1 John 5:21, Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. 约一5:21】小子们哪，你们要自守，远避偶像。The love of praise (approval) from man is a major idol which rooted in man’s hearts. 贪从人来的称赞(认可)是深植于人心中的一个主要偶像。It causes us to become offended and feel rejected when correction comes. 当我们被纠正时它会使我们感到被冒犯，被拒绝而跌倒。It twists our understanding of God’s divine love, 它会扭曲我们对上帝神圣之爱的理解，which prevents us from loving our ‘enemies’. 拦阻我们去爱“仇敌”。 It hinders us from changing to become like Christ Jesus and reaching our destiny. 使我们无法改变成为基督耶稣的样子，无法达成命定的目标。 In Gal 1:4-5, who (Jesus Christ) gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 【加1:4-5】基督照我们父　神的旨意为我们的罪舍己，要救我们脱离这罪恶的世代。5但愿荣耀归于　神，直到永永远远。阿们！It tells us that the age we are living in is just the present age. 这里说，我们所处的世代是“这个世代”。But notice, it says “the present EVIL age”. 但请注意，经文说“这罪恶的世代”。We’re not living in a good age, 我们不是生活在美好的世代，but an evil age. 而是罪恶的世代。“Evil age” means that things in this age are harmful, “罪恶的世代”是指这个世代的事物是有害的，things in this age cause us to stumble and fall. 这个世代的事物使我们跌倒、堕落。 

Jesus didn’t live life the way everyone else does in this present evil age.  在这个罪恶的世代，主耶稣却没有过和他人一样的生活。When the disciples felt honoured because some Greeks came to see Jesus their teacher, 当有希腊人来见老师耶稣，门徒们觉得很荣耀，Jesus corrected them,  主耶稣纠正他们说：“the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified… unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds…John 12:20-33. “人子得荣耀的时候到了…一粒麦子不落在地里死了，仍旧是一粒；若是死了，就结出许多子粒来…（约12:20-33） What does ‘glory’ mean to Jesus Christ here? 这里的“荣耀”对于耶稣基督来说意味着什么呢? It’s not because important people agreed with his teaching or gave him a compliment. 并不是什么重要的人物赞同他的教导，或给他什么称赞。

Jesus is talking about the cross glorifying him. 主耶稣在说，十字架是他的荣耀。Christ Jesus did not come to bring glory to himself, 基督耶稣来，不是要荣耀自己，but to bring glory the Father. 乃是要荣耀父。The Cross of Christ brings glory to the Father. 基督的十字架使父得荣耀。On the Cross the idol of the love of praise from man that causes rejection is crucified; 在十字架上，“贪得人荣耀” 导致拒绝感的偶像被钉死；On the Cross the humility, the sacrificial love, the power of forgiveness that brings freedom to corrupted humanity was revealed. 在十字架上，神的谦卑、祂牺牲的爱， 祂那使罪人得饶恕，得自由的大能彰显出来。

So in following the good Shepherd, 所以，在大卫王跟从好牧人的经历中，King David testified, 他见证说：“I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery…but I trust in You, Lord, I say, “You are my God.” “我被人忘记，如同死人，无人记念。我好像破碎的器皿…耶和华啊，我仍旧倚靠你。我说：‘你是我的　神。’” It seems to say, 他似乎在说“Lord, You lead me to a point where there’s no one who remembers me, 主啊，你把我带到一个地步，在那里没有人纪念我，and no one who comforts me没有人安慰我。Yet, only You, my Shepherd, You stand at my side and give me strength. I trust in Your sacrificial love” 然而，唯有你， 我的牧者，你站在我身边，给我力量。我信靠你牺牲的爱。” That’s the price of cross we need to pay for our intimacy with God as followers of Jesus. 这是作为耶稣的门徒，我们想和神有亲密关系所要付的十字架的代价。

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil. 我虽然行过死荫的幽谷，也不怕遭害， For You’re with me, 因为你与我同在；Your ‘shebet”, the tree, 你的“shebet”, 那木头，the cross of my Lord, 主的十字架，the footsteps of my Lord, 主的脚踪，they comfort me, 都安慰我，my Lord was forgotten by people, 我的主被人忘记，my Lord was crucified on the Cross, 我的主被钉在十字架上，Yet He was resurrected, 但祂复活了，He’s overcome, 祂得胜了，He brought Heaven down. 祂带下属天的同在。

His way of death and resurrection will be praised forever! 祂舍命和复活的道路将被称赞直到永远！The Cross of my Shepherd is my glory forever! 我牧者的十字架是我永远的荣耀! Only by following in His steps of putting the love of praise from man on the Cross can set us free from lovelessness. 跟随他的脚踪把贪人称赞认同的欲望钉在十字架上可以释放我们脱离无爱的光景，Is this your pursuit? 这是你的追求吗？Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I feel no evil. For You’re with me, Your rod and staff, they comfort me.我虽然行过死荫的幽谷，也不怕遭害，因为你与我同在；你的杖，你的杆，都安慰我。

Concluding Prayer: 结束祷告

Father, we thank You for loving us and being our good Shepherd. 天父，感谢祢爱我们，感谢你作我们的好牧人。We thank You for the huge price You paid for us for our freedom from sin and the self on the Cross 感谢你为救我们脱离罪和旧人在十字架上付的巨大代价。Lord, we open our hearts to You right now, 主啊，我们现在就向你敞开心，for the spirit of God to speak to us. 求神的灵对我们说话。

Now let your eyes be closed and your hearts be still before Him. 现在请你闭上眼睛，让你的心安静在主面前。Today, King David testifies,今天，大卫王见证说：“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” 我虽然行过死荫的幽谷，也不怕遭害，因为你与我同在；你的杖，你的杆，都安慰我。

I wonder how many of you heard God speak to you today? 我想知道今天有多少人听见了神对你说话? David said, 大卫说：“even if I go through dangerous times in life, “我一生虽历经艰险， I’ll not fear, 也不惧怕，because God You are with me. 因为神你与我同在。I feel You’re so close beside me. 我感到你和我如此亲近。Even if I make mistakes, 即使我犯错了，I won’t fear, 我也不惧怕，because I’m willing to accept Your correction and discipline, 因为我很愿意接受你的纠正和管教，and You’ll grow me and make me more like You. 你使我成长，让我更像你。for I trust in Your unfailing love.”  因我信靠你无尽的慈爱。”

How many times do you lose peace? 多少次你失去平安？ Is there turmoil in your heart? 心中翻腾？ Because you’re not praised but someone else is given a compliment? 因你没有被称赞而别人却被称赞？ Or you try to bring people to agree that you’re right, 或者你很想别人赞同你是对的，but when they don’t agree, 他们却并不赞同，so you’re offended and feel rejected?  使你感到被冒犯？被拒绝？

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart, 求圣灵鉴察你的心，how many times do you feel unhappy, 多少次你不高兴， because the idol of the love of praise from man hasn’t been satisfied? 因为“喜爱从人得荣耀”的偶像没有得满足? Turmoil in our hearts is not because other people have done something, 我们内心的翻腾不是因为别人做了什么， it’s how we’ve gotta respond. 而是我们当如何回应。Whatever anyone else does, 无论别人做了什么，we can still have peace in our heart, 你的心中都有平安，but this peace comes at a price.  但这平安是需要付代价的。

Jesus is calling, “Follow me.” 耶稣在呼召：“来跟从我。”

Let’s cry out to Him, 让我们向祂呼求：“Jesus, You have been my Shepherd all my life, “主耶稣，你是我一生的牧者，Your love is as strong as death, 你的爱如死之坚强， I turn to You today, 今天我愿转向你，forgive me, 求你赦免我，I was hurt, 我感到受伤， I was offended, 感到冒犯， I was angry, 我恼怒，I felt the rejection, 我感到被拒绝，because I bowed down to the idol of the craving for the praise from man, 因我拜了那“渴望从人得荣耀”的偶像，but I didn’t notice that. 我却没有意识到。Thank You for Your Cross that is powerful enough to break the yoke of idolatry. 感谢祢的十字架有大能可以破除拜偶像的轭。The Cross ends the craving for praise from man, 十字架终结了“渴望从人得荣耀”， and set me free from idolatry and rejection. 释放我脱离拜偶像和拒绝。I receive Your forgiveness to forgive those who didn’t give me compliments, but corrected me, and even opposed me. 我接受你的饶恕，去饶恕那些没有称赞我，而是纠正我、甚至与我反对的人。 I forgive them, I bless them… 我饶恕他们，祝福他们…because this happens is for me to grow in You因为这些事的发生是为我可以在你里面成长。

Now you can pray on Your own and give God thanks, and bless those who offended you…现在你可以自己祷告，感谢上帝，祝福那些冒犯你的人…it could be your family members, your spouse, your parents, your children, your boss, your colleagues…可能是你的家人，你的配偶，你的父母，你的孩子，你的老板，你的同事…whoever comes to mind, just forgive them and bless them…一切你能想到的，去饶恕他们，祝福他们…

Father, thank You for being with us, 天父，感谢你与我们同在，and speaking to each of our hearts this afternoon. 感谢你今天下午对我们每个人的心说话。 Thank You for correcting us, 感谢你纠正我们，washing us clean, 洗净我们， renewing us, 更新我们，comforting us, 安慰我们，delivering us and making us whole. 拯救我们，使我们成为完全。There’s no fear and condemnation in the love of Jesus Christ. 在耶稣基督的爱里没有惧怕和定罪。 “Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me”. “你的杖、你的竿、都安慰我。” Remind us that we’re Your followers.  愿你常常提醒我们，我们是跟从你的。And the Cross is our glory forever! 十字架是我们永远的荣耀! Help us to bring our cravings for praise from man to the Cross when temptation comes, 当试探来的时候，求你帮助我们把这“渴望从人得荣耀”钉上十字架，so that we won’t be offended when we’re forgotten by people but will rejoice in You. 使我们不因被人忘记就生气，而是在你的里面有喜乐。 For our reward is great if we follow in the steps of Jesus Christ our Lord to love God and love our enemies. 因我们若跟从我们主耶稣基督的脚步去爱神爱仇敌，就必有大赏赐。May the life we live in this present evil age bring glory to You.  在这罪恶的世代，愿我们能活出荣耀你的生命！