• 腓立比书 4

1我所亲爱、所想念的弟兄们，你们就是我的喜乐，我的冠冕。我亲爱的，你们应当靠主站立得稳。

保罗的劝导

2我劝友阿蝶和循都基要在主里同心。 3我也求你这真实同负一轭的，要帮助这两个女人，因为她们在福音上曾与我、革利免和我其余的同工一同劳苦，他们的名字都在生命册上。 4你们要靠主常常喜乐。我再说，你们要喜乐。 5要让众人知道你们谦让的心。主已经近了。 6应当一无挂虑，只要凡事藉着祷告、祈求和感谢，将你们所要的告诉上帝。 7上帝所赐那超越人所能了解的平安，必在基督耶稣里，保守你们的心怀意念。

8末了，弟兄们，凡是真实的、凡是可敬的、凡是公义的、凡是清洁的、凡是可爱的、凡是有美名的，若有什么德行，若有什么称赞，你们都要留意。 9你们从我所学习的，所领受的，所听见的，所看见的事，你们都要继续去做，赐平安的上帝就必与你们同在。

为馈赠致谢

10我靠主大大喜乐，因为你们关怀我的心如今又表现了出来；其实你们一直都关怀我，只是没有机会罢了。 11我并不是因缺乏而说这话，因为我已经学会无论在什么景况都可以知足。 12我知道怎样处卑贱，也知道怎样处丰富；或饱足或饥饿，或有余或缺乏，任何事情，任何景况，我都得了秘诀。 13我靠着那加给我力量的，凡事都能做。 14然而，你们能和我分担忧患是一件好事。

15 腓立比人哪，你们也知道我开始传福音、离开马其顿的时候，在收支的事上，除了你们以外，并没有别的教会和我分担。 16就是我在帖撒罗尼迦，你们也一再差人来供给我的需用。 17我并不求什么馈赠，只求你们的果子不断增多，归在你们的账上。 18但我已经如数收到，并且有余；我已经充足，因我从以巴弗提受了你们的馈赠，当作极美的香气，为上帝所接纳、所喜悦的祭物。 19我的上帝必照他荣耀的丰富，在基督耶稣里，使你们一切所需用的都充足。 20愿荣耀归给我们的父上帝，直到永永远远。阿们！

祝福

21请问候在基督耶稣里的各位圣徒。跟我一起的众弟兄都问候你们。 22众圣徒都问候你们，特别在凯撒家里的人问候你们。 23愿主耶稣基督的恩与你们的灵同在！

不知道你读腓立比书第4章的感想如何。我个人直到最近都一直把第6和第8节当成两节各自独立的经文，因为它们包含了各不相干的命令。但我们若是细读今天的经文，就会发现这两节经文其实是背靠背互相连贯的，只是中间被第7节给分开了。这岂不是要指出，解决焦虑的部分办法，是要我们有所选择地进行思考吗？

基于常识和大家应对新冠危机的共同体验，我相信大家对上述问题都有个响亮的答案：“是的”。保罗是在命令我们要管理自己的心思意念，这样，上帝才能将我们从焦虑中释放出来。

我们目前的处境为这一真理提供了强有力的见证。

当前的每日新闻一点也不“可爱”，也没有“美名”。恰恰相反，每天的新闻标题都充斥着恐惧和焦虑。

当然，我们需要对我们所居住的社区和所从事的行业里的重大事件保持关注，但这并不意味着我们需要连续不断、好几个小时都泡在新闻里又看又听。

如果你有收听我的播客“The Call to Mastery”，你可能知道我曾谈及我几乎不看新闻，不看 CNN（美国有线电视新闻网），不看推特，不看报纸，不看 MSNBC（微软全国广播公司节目），也不看 Fox News（福克斯新闻）。什么都不看。

但是出于显而易见的原因，我最近倒是开始上新闻网站查看有关保持社交距离的规定、学校闭校时间等新闻。这类新闻都与我的生活和工作息息相关。

但是当我搜索这些重要信息的时候，却在不经意间陷入了现代典型新闻网站的泥淖——各色新闻标题汹涌而来，从荒谬的（“胡克·霍根： ‘我们可能不需要疫苗’”）到引起恐惧的（“美国今日死亡人数将近10,000”），无所不有。当然，尽管这些新闻具有少许娱乐性，也让读者长一丁点知识，却对我的生活和工作没有些许影响。

就这样固定消费新闻好几天之后，我感受到了一种前所未有的焦虑。于是我好好思考了上面提到的经文，这焦虑背后的罪魁祸首就慢慢浮现出来——我没有让自己的注意力更多地放在上帝的话语和他一再提醒我的应许上；相反，我却让自己满脑子都沉浸在那些互不相关、只会引起焦虑的新闻里。

在这段难挨的时期里，身为基督徒的你我，都有可能成为身边同事或者朋友们寻求盼望的对象。但要是连我们自己都变得焦虑不安，甚至忘了我们在基督里的盼望，又怎能为别人带来盼望呢？让我们的心思意念充满“真实的、可敬的、公义的、清洁的、可爱的、有美名的、［表现出］德行的、［值得］称赞的”事情，这样，福音的盼望才会照耀在那些与我们一起工作和生活的人面前。

如果你喜欢这个读经计划，那么你也会喜欢我的每周灵修短文，以帮助你更深入地将福音联系到你的工作中去。请点击这里订阅（仅以英文提供）。

• 花点时间向神献上感恩与祈求

• Philippians 3

1Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Exhortation, Encouragement, and Prayer

2I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

God’s Provision

10I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

14Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 18I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

21Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. 22All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

I’m not sure about you, but until recently, I always heard Philippians 4:6 and 4:8 as separate, largely unrelated commands. But as we see in today’s Scripture reading, they are back to back, separated only by verse 7. Could that be because part of the solution to our anxiety is found in what we’re choosing to think about?

Based on common sense and our collective experience working through the COVID-19 crisis, I believe the answer to that rhetorical question is a resounding “yes.” Paul is commanding us to take control of our thoughts so that the Lord can free us from our anxieties.

Our current moment provides a compelling testimony to this truth.

The news today is not lovely or admirable. Far from it. Today’s headlines are filled with fear and anxiety.

Of course we need to be informed about critical things going on in the communities we live in and the industries we work in. But that does not mean that we need to be reading, watching, or listening to the news for hours on end.

If you listen to my podcast, The Call to Mastery, you’ve likely heard me talk about the fact that I consume virtually zero news: No cnn.com, no Twitter, no newspaper, no MSNBC or Fox News. Nothing.

But for obvious reasons, I recently started checking news websites for information about self-distancing directives, school closures, etc. This information was highly relevant to my life and work.

But in the search for that important information, I stumbled into the quicksand that is most modern news services, scanning headlines from the ridiculous (“Hulk Hogan: ‘Maybe we don’t need a vaccine’”) to the fear-inducing (“U.S. Death Toll Nears 10,000”). Of course, this news (while marginally entertaining and informative) does not impact my life or work one bit.

After a couple of days of my return to regular news consumption, I was experiencing a level of anxiety I have never felt before. After a bit of reflection on the verses above, the culprit became clear to me. Rather than filling my mind with more of God’s Word and reminders of his promosies, I was filling my mind with largely irrelevant, anxiety-inducing news.

You and I can be the ones our anxious coworkers and friends look to for hope during these trying times. But not if we ourselves are anxious and forgetful of the hope we have in Christ. May we be the ones filling our minds with things that are “true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, [and] praiseworthy” so that the hope of the gospel can shine to those we work and live with.

If you enjoyed this reading plan, you’ll love my weekly devotional, helping you more deeply connect the gospel to your work. Sign-up here.

• Take a moment to give thanks and prayers to God