1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。
2. We are delighted that you tuned in to this program.
很高兴你能收听这个节目，
3. It is always a delight to know that you are being blessed by this program.
知道你能借着这个节目而蒙福，带给我们很大的喜乐。
4. And we love to hear from you.
我们很希望能收到你的来信，
5. So at the end of this program when you get the address, please write to us.
所以当你听到所播报的通讯地址时，请记下来并写信给我们。
6. And today we are going to begin a new series of messages.
今天我们要开始一个新的系列信息，
7. It is entitled, Empowered by Praise.
题目是：从赞美中得力。
8. And let me begin by saying,
让我在一开始就告诉你，
9. there is not a person alive who does not crave fulfillment and joy.
世上没有一个人不渴望得到满足和喜乐的。
10. And today we begin a series of messages that will empower you to have a life of joy and fulfillment.
今天开始讲的系列信息，将要使你得力，并得到满足又喜乐的人生。
11. I have traveled the widths and the breadths of this world.
我的足迹遍及世界各地，
12. I have studied different cultures, both empirically and academically.
从理论和实际两方面，研究过各种不同的文化。
13. There is not a single people group anywhere in the world who would not crave fulfillment and joy in life.
我发现世上没有一个民族的人民，不渴望获得满足又喜乐的人生，
14. And you are no different.
你也不会例外。
15. Let me ask each one of you,
请问你，
16. what is the one thing on top of your wish list?
在你所有的愿望中，哪一项居首位？
17. If you answer me honestly, it would be joy and fulfillment in life.
如果你诚实回答的话，应该就是满足又喜乐的人生。
18. As the saying goes, we don’t want much, we just want everything.
正如常说的一句话，我的要求不高，我只要所有的。
19. Back in the early 90’s, my family and I went through a tough time of testing and trials.
在九零年代初期，我和家人经历了一段艰难的日子，充满了试炼和考验，
20. Illnesses were hitting different members of our family all around at the same time.
有好几个亲人同时生病。
21. We learnt one of the most important lessons of our Christian life.
在我们的信仰生命中所学到最重要的功课，
22. And we learnt it during those times of trial and testing.
就是在这段试炼和考验的时期所学会的。
23. The Lord so graciously taught us the power of praise.
主恩待、教导我们，赞美所产生的能力；
24. The Lord so graciously guided us into the empowerment of the life of praise.
主慈悲地带领我们，进入赞美生活的能力中；
25. The Lord so lovingly led us to the higher life.
主慈爱地带领我们，进入生命更高的境界。
26. This higher life only comes from knowing how to praise the name of Jesus,
唯有懂得称颂耶稣的名，才能进入更高的人生境界，
27. particularly in the tough times.
尤其是在艰难的时期。
28. Listen to what I am going to tell you in this series of messages,
请留心我在这系列中所讲的信息，
29. and follow these things that the Lord taught us.
并遵行主所教导我们的。
30. If you do, I promise you your life will never be the same.
如果你这么做，我保证你的生命将有所不同；
31. That’s not because what I am going to tell you,
并不是因为我所讲的，
32. but it’s because of what God’s word tells us.
而是神的话告诉我们的，
33. I want you to listen carefully and take notes.
请你仔细的听并记住。
34. There are people who think that praise means just singing certain songs,
有些人认为赞美就是唱诗歌，
35. or using special music,
或者是某些特别的音乐，
36. because in reality the life of praise is much deeper than all of this.
但实际上，赞美的人生比这些更深入，
37. The life of praise has a far greater meaning than all of this.
赞美的人生所包含的意义更广。
38. The life of praise has the power within it to change your life.
赞美的人生具有改变生命的能力；
39. The life of praise has the power to strengthen your will.
赞美的人生能加强你的意志力；
40. The life of praise has the power to feed your mind and your intellect.
赞美的人生能充实你的理性和知识；
41. The life of praise has the power to develop your faith.
赞美的人生能使你的信心成长；
42. But above all, the life of praise has the power to defeat Satan and sin in your life.
但最重要的是，赞美的人生能击败撒但，并使你胜过生命中的罪恶。
43. Well you say, “why is that?”
你会问：“为什么呢？”
44. Very simply because the life of praise places us in a position of receiving the blessings of God.
很简单，因为有了赞美的人生，就使我们可以接受神的赐福。
45. Praise flows from a relationship of love and devotion between you and the Lord.
当你和主相亲相爱，就自然会流露出赞美。
46. Praise brings us closer to the throne room of God.
赞美带我们到主的宝座前；
47. Praise changes us and matures us in Christ.
赞美改变我们的生命，使我们在基督里日渐成熟。
48. In fact, praise reminds us of who we are and who God is.
事实上，赞美使我们认识自我，认识神。
49. Praise puts things in perspective.
赞美使我们有合宜的观点；
50. And praise leads us to surrender ourselves to Him who loves us.
赞美使我们把自己交托给深爱我们的那一位；
51. And that is why this series of messages is very important.
所以这个系列信息很重要。
52. I want to share something with you from the life of the great British philosopher by the name of C.S. Lewis.
让我告诉你，英国伟大的哲学家鲁益师的一些事迹。
53. When C.S. Lewis was a brand new Christian, he was, of course, not mature in the faith.
鲁益师刚信主时，当然他的信心还不成熟，
54. He had a great deal of difficulty with this whole concept of the life of praise for God and to God.
他很难接受，赞美神的人生观，
55. He had a problem with the idea of praise.
他对于赞美感到很困难。
56. Some of you probably squirm to open public praise,
有些人觉得公开赞美神很别扭，
57. that is because your private praise life is in need of help.
那是因为你个人的赞美生活需要帮助。
58. Like C.S. Lewis, some of you bristle at the Bible’s command to praise God all the time.
就像鲁益师一样，有些人对于圣经要我们不住地赞美神的命令有所抗拒。
59. That means to praise God in good times, and in bad times.
不住地赞美，就是无论顺境或逆境，都要赞美神。
60. Here’s what C.S. Lewis said in those early days in his Christian life.
鲁益师在初信主时曾这么说，
61. He said, “We all despise the man who demands continued assurance of his own virtue, intelligence, and delightfulness.”
他说：“我们都看不起那些对于自己的品德、学识，和人缘，都不断需要别人来肯定的人。”
62. And then he continued,
他接着说：
63. “And these words of the Scripture sounded like God was saying,
“圣经里的话听起来似乎神在说：
64. ‘What I want most is to be told that I am good and I am great.’”
‘我最需要的就是，不断有人告诉我，我多么好，多么伟大。’”
65. Then he continued,
他继续说：
66. “It is also seemed as if the psalm writers were bargaining with God.
“看起来，诗篇的作者总是在和神谈条件。
67. ‘God do you like praise?’
‘神啊！你不是爱听赞美的话吗？’
68. Well do this and do this and I will give you some praise.”
好吧，那你就替我做这、做那，我就赞美你。”
69. And then C.S. Lewis began to mature in the faith.
后来鲁益师的信心逐渐成熟，
70. He grew in the knowledge of the Word of God.
他对神话语的认识也不断成长，
71. He grew in his relationship with the Lord.
他和神的关系也越来越密切，
72. So, he began to understand the importance of the life of praise.
他明白了赞美的人生多么重要。
73. He began to understand it as a way of daily surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ in his life.
他开始明白，赞美就是每天向耶稣基督委身，承认祂是生命的主宰。
74. When he came to a true, deep understand of the life of praise,
当他真实而深入地明白什么是赞美时，
75. he said the following,
他这么说：
76. “Only in the acts of worship and praise can a person learn to believe in the goodness and the greatness of God.”
“唯有在具体的敬拜和赞美中，才能学会相信神的善良和伟大。”
77. And then he continued,
他又说：
78. “God wants us to praise him, not because he needs or craves in any sense our flattery,
神要我们赞美祂，并不是因为祂渴望我们奉承祂，
79. but because he knows that praise creates joy and thankfulness.”
而是因为祂知道，赞美产生喜乐和感恩。
80. That is the end of the quote.
这就是鲁益师所说的。
81. I want you to listen to me very carefully please.
请你留心听我说，
82. Praise is not something that you do for God.
赞美并不是你为神做的事，
83. Get that out of your head.
千万别这么想！
84. Praise is not bribing God so that he can give you what you want from him.
赞美也不是贿赂神，叫祂答应你的要求，
85. Get that out of your head too.
千万别这么想！
86. Praise is not something you do in order to get on God’ s good side,
赞美也不是为了先讨好神，
87. then you give him your shopping list.
然后给祂一份购物单，
88. No. Get all that out of your head.
不是的，把这些想法全都抛弃，
89. That is wrong understanding of the life of praise.
这些都是对赞美人生的误解。
90. God taught us that praise places us in the very presence of God.
神教导我们，赞美使我们与神同在；
91. God taught us that praise puts us in a different level in our walk with God.
神教导我们，赞美使我们与神同行，更上一层楼。
92. Some of you may say, “But isn’t God everywhere, all the time?
可能有人会问：“神不是每时每刻无所不在的吗？
93. Isn't that true?”
不是这样的吗？”
94. Absolutely it is true.
当然是啦！
95. But the Bible said that God tabernacles.
但圣经说到神的帐幕，
96. The word literally means that he pitches his tent in a very special way in the praises of his people.
这个词直接的意思就是说，当神的百姓赞美祂时，神就在那里支起帐幕。
97. That means that he is present everywhere, all the time,
没错，祂每时每刻都无所不在，
98. but he is present in a very special way when his people are lifting up praises to his name.
但当祂的百姓扬声赞美祂的名时，祂的同在是特殊的。
99. Listen again.
请再听我说，
100. There is nothing greater in life than being in the presence of God in that very special time.
在特殊的时刻亲近神，实在是人生中最伟大的事。
101. and throughout this series of messages,
在这一系列信息中，
102. I’m going to try to show you how to do that.
我将要告诉你怎样可以做到。
103. During this series of messages,
在这一系列信息中，
104. I will tell you about four important things.
我要谈四件很重要的事，
105. The four things about the life of praise that I discovered from the word of God.
也就是我从神的话语中，找出了有关赞美的四个要点。
106. Number one,
第一，
107. praise reveals to us our true spiritual condition.
赞美显示我们真实的属灵光景。
108. That’s what praise does.
这是赞美的功能，
109. It reveals to us our true spiritual condition.
显示出我们真实的属灵状况。
110. The second thing praise does is refocus our personal destiny.
赞美的第二个功能，就是集中我们的人生目标。
111. Third,
第三，
112. Praise reestablishes God’s reign over our hearts.
赞美可以重新建立神在我们心中的王权。
113. And fourthly,
第四，
114. praise reinforces our relationship with God.
赞美可以巩固我们和神的关系。
115. Number one,
第一，
116. How can praise reveal to us our spiritual condition?
赞美怎样显示我们的属灵光景呢？
117. In Matthew chapter 12 verse 34, here’s what Jesus said,
马太福音12章34节，耶稣说：
118. “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”
心里所充满的，口里就说出来。
119. Let me repeat this,
让我再重复一次，
120. “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”
心里所充满的，口里就说出来。
121. What is Jesus saying here?
耶稣的意思是什么？
122. He is saying that you cannot separate what you are saying from what you are really thinking.
祂的意思是，你心中所想，和你口中所说的是分不开的。
123. You cannot separate what you say from what you really believe deep down in your heart.
你真心相信的，和你所说的话是分不开的。
124. If your heart is full of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord,
如果你心中充满对主的感恩和赞美，
125. you will speak words of praise and thanksgiving.
你就会说出赞美和感谢的话来。
126. Here’s what Jesus is saying.
耶稣的意思是，
127. That there is a fan belt between your inner being and your mouth.
你的心和你的口之间有一条皮带相连，
128. The fan belt essentially makes sure that what’s in there comes out.
这根皮带一定会把你心中想的牵引出来。
129. That’s really how he made us.
我们就是这样造成的，
130. This is how he created us.
祂就是这样创造我们的，
131. This is who we are.
我们本来就是这样。
132. In other words, whatever is in the well,
换句话说，井里是什么，
133. will come out in the bucket.
水桶里就装什么。
134. If the well has water,
井里有水，
135. when you lower the bucket, it will bring up water.
你的水桶就能打上水来。
136. Now, some of us don’t think a great deal before we speak.
有些人不经思考就说话，
137. Sometimes we speak in haste.
有时我们说得太快，
138. But nonetheless, that does not negate the connection between our mind and our lips.
但无论如何，不会使我们口是心非，
139. And it does not negate the connection between our beliefs and our confession.
也不会使我们心里相信的，和口里承认的互相矛盾。
140. People say that the eyes are the windows of the soul.
人们常说，眼睛是灵魂之窗，
141. But the mouth is not always the door to the brain.
但口却不一定是我们头脑的大门。
142. Jesus is saying what you express in words is what you believe deep down.
耶稣说，你的言语表达内心深处的信念。
143. Please hear me right on this one.
请你听清楚，不要听错了。
144. If you are a griping and complaining person all the time,
如果你老是喜欢埋怨、发牢骚，
145. you can’t say, “Well, I just say these things,
你不会说，我只是说说而已，
146. but I don’t really believe them inside.”
我心里没这些意思。
147. That is not true.
那是骗人的，
148. It is because you have an ungrateful heart you gripe and you complain all the time.
因为你没有感恩的心，你就整天埋怨发牢骚，
149. And that is why people run away from you as far as they can get.
所以人人都对你敬而远之。
150. Now, if you do not know this, I’m glad to tell you.
如果你自己还不知道，我很乐意告诉你。
151. If you speak words of discontentment all the time,
如果你整天都在发怨言，
152. it is because you have a discontented life and attitude.
因为你对人生感到不满足，心中有怨气。
153. If you speak words of dissatisfaction all the time,
如果你整天诉说自己的不满，
154. it is because you have a dissatisfied life and attitude.
因为你对人生不满，所以存着不满的心态。
155. If you speak critically of people all the time,
如果你整天批评人，
156. it is not just because you got in the habit of talking critically of people,
并不是你有批评的习惯，
157. but it is because you have a critical spirit on the inside of you that is coming out in those critical words.
而是因为你内心充满了论断，就从口中表达出来。
158. I hope you listen to me very carefully and don’t turn the radio off,
希望你仔细地听下去，不要关掉你的收音机，
159. because I want you to develop the life of praise.
因为我希望你能建立起赞美的人生。
160. Your praising lips are in direct proportion to your believing heart.
你口中的赞美，和你的信心是成正比的。
161. Some people may say, “Well, I praise God in my heart and quietly.
有些人说，我在心里静静地赞美神，
162. I just don’t express it in words.”
不需要在言词上表达出来。
163. Jesus is saying that your words are expressions of your heart,
但耶稣说，心里所充满的，口里就说出来。
164. and if your heart is full of praise, you cannot keep your mouth shut.
所以如果你心中充满赞美，你的口就不能不说出来，
165. You want to let your mouth express the praises that are in your heart.
你的口禁不住要把内心的赞美表达出来。
166. So, here’s the first lesson, that praise reveals our spiritual condition.
这就是第一课，赞美显示我们的属灵光景。
167. But secondly, praise refocuses our personal destiny.
第二，赞美让我们重新集中人生的目标。
168. But I’ve noticed that we’ve run out of time.
但我们今天的节目时间已经到了，
169. That is why I want you to tune in next time, when I’ll tell you more about how praise refocuses our personal destiny.
请你下次继续收听，我要进一步告诉你，赞美如何帮助我们的人生，有更集中的目标。
