Putting Prayer In Its Proper Place (Chinese/English)

1 TIMOTHY 2:1-3 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

提摩太前书 2：1-3 因此，我劝勉大家，首先要为所有人恳求、祈祷、代祷和感谢;为了君王，为了所有掌权者;使我们能以敬虔和诚实的方式过上安静和平的生活。

Putting Prayer In Its Proper Place
把祷告放在合适的位置

This is not a good time in the world, there is a lot going on and it is going to get worse. Recent events in Afghanistan have shown how vulnerable the so-called Christian nations are. Have they been complacent, undoubtedly, the answer is YES.

当今世界不是个好的时代，许多事正在发生且变得更糟。阿富汗最近发生的事显示出所谓的基督教国度有多么脆弱。他们在盲目乐观吗？毫无疑问，答案是肯定的。

Let’s look at this from a biblical view, I do not have a political axe to grind, although I feel my own country, has not come out of this smelling of roses.

让我们从圣经角度来看。虽然感觉我的国家并没有从玫瑰芬芳中走出，但我并不想在政治方面磨刀霍霍。

The children of Israel were and are Gods chosen people, they have had God’s hand on them from earliest times and yet God has had to deal very harshly with them, because of their rebellion, stubbornness and idolatry.

以色列子民过去是，现在也是神的选民，从更早时代起神的手就在他们中，但神不得不严厉对待他们，因为他们的背叛，愚顽和拜偶像。

First of all, we need to realize that there is no nation, that is above God. The children of Israel were and are God’s special possession, the UK, my own land, was used to bring the gospel to the world, Germany was the birthplace of the reformation and now the USA is the heart of world mission, and the Chinese church is probably the largest Christian entity in the world.

首先，我们需要认识到，没有一个国家能够超越神。以色列子民曾经是现在也是神特殊的财产，英国，我的国家，曾把福音带到了全世界，德国是宗教改革诞生地，美国是目前全世界使命的核心，中国教会也许是世界上最大的基督教团体。

Whatever blessing’s God has given in the past, does not mean anything now. We are to continue our walk with God. No nation can rest on its laurels, Psalm 2 is a graphic picture of God’s view of the Nations, he laughs at their plans, foolish is the nation who thinks they can shut God out and get away with it. How many nations have done that?

不管过去神曾经给予了什么祝福，在今天都不意味着什么，我们要继续与神同行。没有国家能够在荣誉前停步，诗篇第二章是神对各国看法的景象，他嘲笑他们的计划，认为能把神关在门外而侥幸成功的国家是多么愚蠢。有多少国家已经这么做了呢？

Like the children of Israel, it is easy to promise much and to do little. The children of Israel pledged allegiance to God in Joshua 24, but in a few years, they were whoring and chasing after other gods. They were told to instruct their children, they were told to write the laws of God all over their houses, why did the future generations not learn the laws and statutes of God?

正如以色列子民，容易承诺的多而做到的少。在约书亚记24章以色列子民承诺忠于神，但几年后他们就堕落并追逐他神。他们被告知要教育他们的子民，被告知要在所有家里书写神的律法，为何他们的后代并没有学习律法和神的法令呢？

Is it the same with us? Someone once said Christianity is one generation away from death. We have to teach our children, fathers and mothers, this is your responsibility, it is not the responsibility of the church youth group or your pastor, surely, we need to get back to the family altar. Many JW families and I disagree with them intensely, but they put emphasis on the family altar, why don’t we.

这种情况我们也同样有吗？有人说过当今基督徒是远离死亡的一代吗？我们必须教导我们的孩子。父亲和母亲们，这是你们的责任，而不是教会年轻一代或你的牧师的责任，当然，我们需要重返家庭信仰。许多JW家庭以及我都强烈反对他们，但他们把重点放在家庭信仰上，我们何不这么做呢。

Not only have we taken prayer out of the home, but we have taken it out of the church, the church prayer meeting is the least attended meeting of the week. We pray for things that aren’t important, let me explain. Years ago, at my church, an old lady of 95 had a cold, 5 people prayed for her in the prayer meeting, I had a prayer request for the Persecuted church, I ended up praying for that myself. If we come together to pray, then let’s pray. We have prayer breakfasts, but we won’t pray before we have eaten, let me challenge you with this, don’t eat until you finish storming heaven.

我们不仅要在家庭之外祷告，也要在教会之外祷告，教会祷告聚会是每周出席人数最少的聚会。我们为根本不重要的事祷告，我来解释一下，多年前，在我的教会，一位95岁高龄的女士患了感冒，5个人在祷告聚会时为她祷告，我有为受迫害的教会祷告的需求，最终只有我自己做了这个祷告。如果我们共同祷告，那就一起为此祷告吧。我们有早餐祷告，但在吃饭前并没有祷告，让我为此挑战一下你吧，等你读完风暴天堂再吃饭吧。

Prayer has been removed from homes and churches and now schools, when I went to school, we had assembly, we sang a hymn, the Gideons came round giving out NT, I’ve still got mine.

祷告已经从家庭，教会和现今的学校里移除了，当我去学校时，我们有集会，我们唱赞美诗，国际基甸会转向发放新约，我依然如故。

If you pray at school, you are laughed at, it is something that is looked down on, unless you are Muslim or Hindu and praying to some false deity, we have to give other religions an opening after all, give them an opening and they will take a mile. What Did God say to the Israelites, have nothing to do with these false religions.

如果你在学校祷告，就会被嘲笑，某些事也会受到轻视，如果你不是穆斯林或印度教徒向一些错误的神祷告，我们最终不得不对其他宗教给予开放，一旦开放他们就会更进一步。神过去对以色列人说，对这些错误宗教毫无办法。

So, it spreads from homes to churches to schools and then to society in general. We cry about the injustices in society and sure there are many, where is the voice of the believers, even more, where is the voice of the church crying out in anguish and pain to our Father in heaven.

所以总体来说这些错误宗教从家庭到教会到学校然后到社会蔓延。我们为社会不公而哭泣，的确，有许多不公平之处，在信徒们呼声所到之处，在教会极度痛苦的哭泣声中，以及对天堂之父的痛苦呼求声中有更多不公平。

All this leads to the state we are in now; we are crying about Afghanistan; it is a terrible stain on all the countries of the west. But this is the return, when so called Christian nations turn their backs on God and think they can get away with it. When God sent the children of Israel into exile, he shamed them publicly before their enemies. Jerusalem, the royal city, the city of the temple was broken down, please read the book of Lamentations, read the pain in the prophet Jeremiah’s words, the agony he is under for his people. Let me ask you, you see what is happening to America, Uk, Canada etc., do you weep like him?

所有这一切都导致了我们目前的状况：我们为阿富汗人民呼求，这对所有西方国家都是可怕的污点，当所谓的基督教国家背弃神，认为他们可以不受惩罚的时候，这也是一个新的开始。当神将以色列人流放，在敌人面前公开羞辱他们，耶路撒冷那座庄严的城市，那座带有圣殿的城市被摧毁了，请读一读耶利米哀歌，读一读先知耶利米话中的痛苦，为了他的人民生活在痛苦之下，让我来问你，你看到美国，英国，加拿大等国所发生的一切，你会像他一样哭泣吗？

We are in a sorry state but there is hope in all this, God restored his people, He will save a remnant of His people, He brought people like Nehemiah, Ezra and others to bring back life to Jerusalem. Ultimately, He sent Jesus to redeem us and to transform our lives, there is hope for us, but only if we turn in repentance and faith to the Lord. You know the scriptures, you know what to do, so why is it so difficult to do it?

我们处于一种糟糕的状态，并对此毫无希望。神恢复他的人民，挽救剩余人民，他把尼希米，以斯拉和其他人带回耶路撒冷生活中，最后他带来耶稣救赎我们，改变我们的生活，我们毫无希望，我们唯有转而忏悔并信靠神。你知道经文所说，你知道做什么，那么为何做起来如此困难呢？

To the countries who are watching the situation in Afghanistan and are either pointing the finger or smugly saying, it’s your own fault or are even helping the Taliban. God sees what you are doing. People like Moab and others looked smugly on when Judah was exiled, these countries were punished and those who do it now, will be punished also.

对那些观察阿富汗形势伸手指责或自鸣得意地说，这是你们自己的错，甚至帮助塔利班的国家，神看到了他们所做的。当犹大被放逐，当时的摩押人或其他人同样自鸣得意地看着，这些国家过去受到了惩罚，那些现在这么做的国家也将被惩罚。

There is hope, but we need to put prayer first in the home, then in the church, then in our schools, then and only then will we produce men and women, who like Daniel said know their God and are able to exploits.

希望是有的，但我们需要在家庭中，继而在教堂，然后在学校，把祷告放在首位，然后只有当我们培养出男人和女人，就像但以理说的，认识神，才能够建功立业。

Enough of this, we need to take action, here are some ways, you and I can take action:

说的已经够了，我们需要采取行动，以下是一些你我可以采取的行动方法

Turn off the TV, switch off your cell phone and computer and spend an hour or so in prayer and bible study.

关掉电视，关闭手机和电脑，花一小时左右祷告并学习圣经。

Establish or re-establish the family altar in your home.

在你的家庭中建立或重建家庭信仰。

If your son/daughter is of school/college/university age, pray for that campus and get other Christian parents to do the same.

如果你的儿子/女儿到了入学//入学院/读大学的年纪，为他们的校园祷告，也请其他基督徒父母们这么做。

Establish a prayer meeting in your home to pray for the nations.

在你的家庭中建立祷告聚会，为国家祷告。

You may have other ideas, get your church involved.

你也许还有其他想法，让你的教会参与进来。

Time is short, we need to put prayer back in its proper place, it should be the first place, we go to, prayer seems so obvious, but it seems to be the hardest thing to do, we have so many distractions.

时间紧迫，我们需要把祷告放在合适的位置，它应当被放在首位，祷告看起来人人皆知，但它又是最困难的事，我们总是有很多分心的事。

How can we know God, by being still, be being quiet, prayer is not about us, it’s about God’s glory.

我们怎样认识神，通过静下来，保持安静，祷告，不是为了我们，而是为了神的荣耀。

Oswald chambers said:

奥斯瓦尔德.钱伯斯说

Prayer does not fit us for the greater work: prayer is the greater work

祷告不是为了使我们能胜任更伟大的工作：祷告就是伟大的工作。

Dl Moody said:

DJ穆迪说

Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.

神每个伟大的活动都可以追溯到一个跪着的身影。

Prayer is weakness leaning on omnipotence.

祷告是软弱的它依赖于全能的力量。

Nehemiah, Ezra, Josiah, the list goes on, revival starts when God’s people pray, nay when even one person prays.

尼希米，以斯拉，约西亚，名单在继续，当神的子民祷告的时候，复兴就开始了，而只有一个人祷告时就不会有复兴。

Maybe that person, is you?

那个人或许，是你吗？

God bless you.

愿神祝福你

1 TIMOTHY 2:1-3 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

提摩太前书 2：1-3 因此，我劝勉大家，首先要为所有人恳求、祈祷、代祷和感谢;为了君王，为了所有掌权者;使我们能以敬虔和诚实的方式过上安静和平的生活。

Putting Prayer In Its Proper Place
把祷告放在合适的位置

This is not a good time in the world, there is a lot going on and it is going to get worse. Recent events in Afghanistan have shown how vulnerable the so-called Christian nations are. Have they been complacent, undoubtedly, the answer is YES.

当今世界不是个好的时代，许多事正在发生且变得更糟。阿富汗最近发生的事显示出所谓的基督教国度有多么脆弱。他们在盲目乐观吗？毫无疑问，答案是肯定的。

Let’s look at this from a biblical view, I do not have a political axe to grind, although I feel my own country, has not come out of this smelling of roses.

让我们从圣经角度来看。虽然感觉我的国家并没有从玫瑰芬芳中走出，但我并不想在政治方面磨刀霍霍。

The children of Israel were and are Gods chosen people, they have had God’s hand on them from earliest times and yet God has had to deal very harshly with them, because of their rebellion, stubbornness and idolatry.

以色列子民过去是，现在也是神的选民，从更早时代起神的手就在他们中，但神不得不严厉对待他们，因为他们的背叛，愚顽和拜偶像。

First of all, we need to realize that there is no nation, that is above God. The children of Israel were and are God’s special possession, the UK, my own land, was used to bring the gospel to the world, Germany was the birthplace of the reformation and now the USA is the heart of world mission, and the Chinese church is probably the largest Christian entity in the world.

首先，我们需要认识到，没有一个国家能够超越神。以色列子民曾经是现在也是神特殊的财产，英国，我的国家，曾把福音带到了全世界，德国是宗教改革诞生地，美国是目前全世界使命的核心，中国教会也许是世界上最大的基督教团体。

Whatever blessing’s God has given in the past, does not mean anything now. We are to continue our walk with God. No nation can rest on its laurels, Psalm 2 is a graphic picture of God’s view of the Nations, he laughs at their plans, foolish is the nation who thinks they can shut God out and get away with it. How many nations have done that?

不管过去神曾经给予了什么祝福，在今天都不意味着什么，我们要继续与神同行。没有国家能够在荣誉前停步，诗篇第二章是神对各国看法的景象，他嘲笑他们的计划，认为能把神关在门外而侥幸成功的国家是多么愚蠢。有多少国家已经这么做了呢？

Like the children of Israel, it is easy to promise much and to do little. The children of Israel pledged allegiance to God in Joshua 24, but in a few years, they were whoring and chasing after other gods. They were told to instruct their children, they were told to write the laws of God all over their houses, why did the future generations not learn the laws and statutes of God?

正如以色列子民，容易承诺的多而做到的少。在约书亚记24章以色列子民承诺忠于神，但几年后他们就堕落并追逐他神。他们被告知要教育他们的子民，被告知要在所有家里书写神的律法，为何他们的后代并没有学习律法和神的法令呢？

Is it the same with us? Someone once said Christianity is one generation away from death. We have to teach our children, fathers and mothers, this is your responsibility, it is not the responsibility of the church youth group or your pastor, surely, we need to get back to the family altar. Many JW families and I disagree with them intensely, but they put emphasis on the family altar, why don’t we.

这种情况我们也同样有吗？有人说过当今基督徒是远离死亡的一代吗？我们必须教导我们的孩子。父亲和母亲们，这是你们的责任，而不是教会年轻一代或你的牧师的责任，当然，我们需要重返家庭信仰。许多JW家庭以及我都强烈反对他们，但他们把重点放在家庭信仰上，我们何不这么做呢。

Not only have we taken prayer out of the home, but we have taken it out of the church, the church prayer meeting is the least attended meeting of the week. We pray for things that aren’t important, let me explain. Years ago, at my church, an old lady of 95 had a cold, 5 people prayed for her in the prayer meeting, I had a prayer request for the Persecuted church, I ended up praying for that myself. If we come together to pray, then let’s pray. We have prayer breakfasts, but we won’t pray before we have eaten, let me challenge you with this, don’t eat until you finish storming heaven.

我们不仅要在家庭之外祷告，也要在教会之外祷告，教会祷告聚会是每周出席人数最少的聚会。我们为根本不重要的事祷告，我来解释一下，多年前，在我的教会，一位95岁高龄的女士患了感冒，5个人在祷告聚会时为她祷告，我有为受迫害的教会祷告的需求，最终只有我自己做了这个祷告。如果我们共同祷告，那就一起为此祷告吧。我们有早餐祷告，但在吃饭前并没有祷告，让我为此挑战一下你吧，等你读完风暴天堂再吃饭吧。

Prayer has been removed from homes and churches and now schools, when I went to school, we had assembly, we sang a hymn, the Gideons came round giving out NT, I’ve still got mine.

祷告已经从家庭，教会和现今的学校里移除了，当我去学校时，我们有集会，我们唱赞美诗，国际基甸会转向发放新约，我依然如故。

If you pray at school, you are laughed at, it is something that is looked down on, unless you are Muslim or Hindu and praying to some false deity, we have to give other religions an opening after all, give them an opening and they will take a mile. What Did God say to the Israelites, have nothing to do with these false religions.

如果你在学校祷告，就会被嘲笑，某些事也会受到轻视，如果你不是穆斯林或印度教徒向一些错误的神祷告，我们最终不得不对其他宗教给予开放，一旦开放他们就会更进一步。神过去对以色列人说，对这些错误宗教毫无办法。

So, it spreads from homes to churches to schools and then to society in general. We cry about the injustices in society and sure there are many, where is the voice of the believers, even more, where is the voice of the church crying out in anguish and pain to our Father in heaven.

所以总体来说这些错误宗教从家庭到教会到学校然后到社会蔓延。我们为社会不公而哭泣，的确，有许多不公平之处，在信徒们呼声所到之处，在教会极度痛苦的哭泣声中，以及对天堂之父的痛苦呼求声中有更多不公平。

All this leads to the state we are in now; we are crying about Afghanistan; it is a terrible stain on all the countries of the west. But this is the return, when so called Christian nations turn their backs on God and think they can get away with it. When God sent the children of Israel into exile, he shamed them publicly before their enemies. Jerusalem, the royal city, the city of the temple was broken down, please read the book of Lamentations, read the pain in the prophet Jeremiah’s words, the agony he is under for his people. Let me ask you, you see what is happening to America, Uk, Canada etc., do you weep like him?

所有这一切都导致了我们目前的状况：我们为阿富汗人民呼求，这对所有西方国家都是可怕的污点，当所谓的基督教国家背弃神，认为他们可以不受惩罚的时候，这也是一个新的开始。当神将以色列人流放，在敌人面前公开羞辱他们，耶路撒冷那座庄严的城市，那座带有圣殿的城市被摧毁了，请读一读耶利米哀歌，读一读先知耶利米话中的痛苦，为了他的人民生活在痛苦之下，让我来问你，你看到美国，英国，加拿大等国所发生的一切，你会像他一样哭泣吗？

We are in a sorry state but there is hope in all this, God restored his people, He will save a remnant of His people, He brought people like Nehemiah, Ezra and others to bring back life to Jerusalem. Ultimately, He sent Jesus to redeem us and to transform our lives, there is hope for us, but only if we turn in repentance and faith to the Lord. You know the scriptures, you know what to do, so why is it so difficult to do it?

我们处于一种糟糕的状态，并对此毫无希望。神恢复他的人民，挽救剩余人民，他把尼希米，以斯拉和其他人带回耶路撒冷生活中，最后他带来耶稣救赎我们，改变我们的生活，我们毫无希望，我们唯有转而忏悔并信靠神。你知道经文所说，你知道做什么，那么为何做起来如此困难呢？

To the countries who are watching the situation in Afghanistan and are either pointing the finger or smugly saying, it’s your own fault or are even helping the Taliban. God sees what you are doing. People like Moab and others looked smugly on when Judah was exiled, these countries were punished and those who do it now, will be punished also.

对那些观察阿富汗形势伸手指责或自鸣得意地说，这是你们自己的错，甚至帮助塔利班的国家，神看到了他们所做的。当犹大被放逐，当时的摩押人或其他人同样自鸣得意地看着，这些国家过去受到了惩罚，那些现在这么做的国家也将被惩罚。

There is hope, but we need to put prayer first in the home, then in the church, then in our schools, then and only then will we produce men and women, who like Daniel said know their God and are able to exploits.

希望是有的，但我们需要在家庭中，继而在教堂，然后在学校，把祷告放在首位，然后只有当我们培养出男人和女人，就像但以理说的，认识神，才能够建功立业。

Enough of this, we need to take action, here are some ways, you and I can take action:

说的已经够了，我们需要采取行动，以下是一些你我可以采取的行动方法

Turn off the TV, switch off your cell phone and computer and spend an hour or so in prayer and bible study.

关掉电视，关闭手机和电脑，花一小时左右祷告并学习圣经。

Establish or re-establish the family altar in your home.

在你的家庭中建立或重建家庭信仰。

If your son/daughter is of school/college/university age, pray for that campus and get other Christian parents to do the same.

如果你的儿子/女儿到了入学//入学院/读大学的年纪，为他们的校园祷告，也请其他基督徒父母们这么做。

Establish a prayer meeting in your home to pray for the nations.

在你的家庭中建立祷告聚会，为国家祷告。

You may have other ideas, get your church involved.

你也许还有其他想法，让你的教会参与进来。

Time is short, we need to put prayer back in its proper place, it should be the first place, we go to, prayer seems so obvious, but it seems to be the hardest thing to do, we have so many distractions.

时间紧迫，我们需要把祷告放在合适的位置，它应当被放在首位，祷告看起来人人皆知，但它又是最困难的事，我们总是有很多分心的事。

How can we know God, by being still, be being quiet, prayer is not about us, it’s about God’s glory.

我们怎样认识神，通过静下来，保持安静，祷告，不是为了我们，而是为了神的荣耀。

Oswald chambers said:

奥斯瓦尔德.钱伯斯说

Prayer does not fit us for the greater work: prayer is the greater work

祷告不是为了使我们能胜任更伟大的工作：祷告就是伟大的工作。

Dl Moody said:

DJ穆迪说

Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.

神每个伟大的活动都可以追溯到一个跪着的身影。

Prayer is weakness leaning on omnipotence.

祷告是软弱的它依赖于全能的力量。

Nehemiah, Ezra, Josiah, the list goes on, revival starts when God’s people pray, nay when even one person prays.

尼希米，以斯拉，约西亚，名单在继续，当神的子民祷告的时候，复兴就开始了，而只有一个人祷告时就不会有复兴。

Maybe that person, is you?

那个人或许，是你吗？

God bless you.

愿神祝福你