Be a voice of encouragement to someone today.

今天就开始激励你认识的人吧！

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 

3 John 1:4

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。-约翰三书1章4节

Bob and Evon Potter were a fun-loving couple with three young sons when their life took a wonderful new direction. In 1956 they attended a Billy Graham Crusade in Oklahoma City and gave their lives to Christ. Before long, they wanted to reach out to others to share their faith and the truth about Christ, so they opened their home every Saturday night to high school and college students who had a desire to study the Bible. A friend invited me and I became a regular at the Potters’ house.

鲍伯和伊芳的生命有了美好的转变。他们是一对活泼开朗的夫妻，育有三个年幼的儿子。1956年，他们在奥克拉荷马市举办的葛理翰布道大会中，将生命献给基督。不久，他们为了向更多人分享信仰和基督的真理，便在每周六晚上开放家庭，让高中生和大学生可以在他们家一同查考圣经。当时我接受朋友的邀请参加查经班，之后我也成为他们家的常客。

This was a serious Bible study that included lesson preparation and memorizing Scripture. Surrounded by an atmosphere of friendship, joy, and laughter, we challenged each other and the Lord changed our lives during those days.

这个查经班认真严谨，需要做功课和背诵经文。在充满友谊、喜乐、笑声氛围的那些日子里，我们彼此激励，上帝也改变了我们的生命。

I stayed in touch with the Potters over the years and received many cards and letters from Bob who always signed them with these words: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 1:4). Like John writing to his “dear friend Gaius” (v. 1), Bob encouraged everyone who crossed his path to keep walking with the Lord.

多年来，我与这个家庭仍保持连系，也收到很多鲍伯寄来的卡片和信件，他总是在结尾写道：「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」（约翰三书1章4节） 。如同约翰写信给他那「亲爱的该犹」（1节） ，鲍伯鼓励他所认识的每一个人，继续与主同行。

A few years ago I attended Bob’s memorial service. It was a joyful occasion filled with people still walking the road of faith—all because of a young couple who opened their home and their hearts to help others find the Lord.  

几年前，我参加了鲍伯的追思礼拜。那是个喜乐的场合，在场的大都是仍行在信心真道上的弟兄姐妹。这全是因为这对夫妻在他们年轻时，开放了他们的家庭，热心地帮助他人寻求主。

Thank You, Lord, for the people who have encouraged me to keep walking in Your truth. May I honor them by helping someone along that road today.

主啊，感谢祢，因有许多人鼓励我继续遵行祢的真理。
愿我也能在真道上帮助他人，以效法这些激励我的人。

Read:3 John 1-8 New International Version (NIV)

1 The elder,

To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,[a] even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.

约翰三书 1-8 Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

1 做长老的写信给亲爱的该犹，就是我诚心所爱的。 2 亲爱的兄弟啊，我愿你凡事兴盛，身体健壮，正如你的灵魂兴盛一样。 3 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。 4 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。

该犹厚待客旅

5 亲爱的兄弟啊，凡你向做客旅之弟兄所行的，都是忠心的。 6 他们在教会面前证明了你的爱。你若配得过神，帮助他们往前行，这就好了。 7 因他们是为主的名[a]出外，对于外邦人一无所取。 8 所以我们应该接待这样的人，叫我们与他们一同为真理做工。