3 John 1:2-4 (NKJV) Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
Being in lockdown at home for a prolonged period with our family can either be a challenge or a blessing depending on how we handle our emotions. Unless we choose to practise the truth, however, we won’t get to see the effect of holistic blessings in our lives.
The state of our well-being is dependent on whether we have a close relationship with God because everything in our lives, including our thoughts and behaviour, is an outflow of our theological conviction or the lack thereof. This becomes apparent when we are under pressure because it forces our true selves to be revealed, like how the wind and the storm beating against a house will eventually reveal what sort of foundation it has underneath. We will either yield to the prompting of the Holy Spirit or to the flesh that desires to live independent from God. However, it is never too late to work on our well-being by allowing the Word to take root in our hearts and act on the truth.
There is a direct correlation between our vertical relationship with God and our horizontal relationships with the people around us. If our relationship with God is good, our horizontal relationships will likely be as well, but if our horizontal relationships are not good, especially with our spouse, it may reflect the fact that our vertical relationship with God also needs improvement. You may ask how can this be? It is possible while we are religiously practising Christian disciplines, we are lacking the real life with God, or we are refusing to yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit to do the right thing when we are faced with the infringement of our rights, privileges, or entitlements as an individual. In other words, we may have the outward appearance of a religious person, while denying the power within us which is given by the Holy Spirit to walk in love, grace, and forgiveness. However, believers who walk with God and are close to Him will naturally yield to His commands and the Holy Spirit’s promptings, because what He thinks and desires for us truly matter to them.
Godliness is living from the inside out knowing that we are a new creation, have the nature of God in us, and are empowered by the Holy Spirit to overcome temptations to yield to the flesh. God wants us to prosper in every aspect of our lives, but we also have a responsibility walk out the truth and take hold of what belongs to us.
Sermon Series: Work on Your Well Being
你过得怎么样？
约翰三书 1:2-4 亲爱的兄弟阿，我愿你凡事兴盛，身体健壮，正如你的灵魂兴盛一样。 有弟兄来证明你心里存的真理，正如你按真理而行，我就甚喜乐。 我听见我的儿女们按真理而行，我的喜乐就没有比这个大的
长时间与家人被封控在家里可能是一种挑战，也可能是一件好事，这取决于我们如何处理自己的情绪。然而，除非我们选择实践真理，否则我们将无法看到全然祝福在我们生命中的果效。
我们过得好不好取决于我们是否与 神有密切的关系，因为我们生活中的一切，包括我们的思想和行为，都是我们神学信仰的流露或缺乏。当我们处于压力之下时，这一点尤为明显，因为它迫使我们显露出真实的自我，就像风暴对房屋的冲击最终会揭示房屋下面有什么样的基础。我们要么顺服圣灵的激励，要么屈服于渴望独立于 神生活的肉体。然而，为了我们的幸福而努力，任何时候都不会太迟，只要让神的道在心里扎根并且行出真理。
我们与 神的纵向关系和我们与周围人的横向关系之间存在着直接的关联。如果我们与 神的关系良好，我们的横向关系也可能同样良好，但如果我们的横向关系不好，特别是与我们的配偶，这可能反映出我们与 神之间的纵向关系也需要改善。你可能会问，这怎么可能呢？当我们只是把基督教纪律当作宗教形式来行，我们就会缺乏与 神的真实生活，或者当我们在面对个体的权利或特权被侵犯而圣灵引导去做对的事我们却拒绝顺服时。换句话说，我们可能外表看起来像虔诚人，但却在否认圣灵赋予我们的力量让我们在爱、恩典和宽恕中行走。然而，那些与 神同行并与他亲近的信徒自然会顺服祂的指引和圣灵的鼓励，因为祂对我们的想法和愿望对他们来说真的很重要。
敬虔是由内而外活出来的，知道我们是新的造物，在我们里面有 神的本性，并被圣灵赋予力量，克服那使人屈服于肉体的诸般诱惑。 神希望我们在生命的各个方面都能兴盛，但我们也有责任活出真理，抓住属于我们的东西。
讲章系列：为你的幸福而努力