讀經:啟10-12章
第10章主要在講:「約翰吃書卷肚子發苦口中發甜」。
大力天使從天降下,手裡拿著小書卷是展開的,天上有聲音吩咐說:「把大力天使手中展開的小書卷取過來,拿著喫盡,便叫你肚子發苦,口中要甜如蜜」,我從天使手中把小書卷接過來吃盡,果然口中甜如蜜,肚子覺得發苦。
◎心得分享:本章大力天使吩咐使徒約翰把書卷進去,書卷指的是「聖經神的話」,剛開始吃的時候肚子覺得發苦,但是後來口中就「甜如蜜」,上帝的話是我們腳前的燈路上的光,如果我們口中要發出「造就人的好話」,我們就必須常常勤讀聖經,把神的話化成我們生命中的全全部,並且身體力行的實踐聖經上帝的話。
第11章主要在講:「第七位天使吹號」。
1.有一根量度的杖的葦子賜給我,叫我將上帝的殿、祭壇、殿中禮拜的人量一量,殿外院子不用量,是給外邦人,他們要踐踏聖城42個月,
2.有兩個見證人,穿毛衣傳道1260天,從無底坑上來的獸,與他們交戰,把他們殺了,屍首倒在大街上,三天半,不許放在墳墓裡,
3.過了三天半有生氣進入他們裡面,他們就站起,駕著雲上了天,那時候地大震動,城塌了十分之一,因地震死的有七千人,
4.第七位天使吹號,天上有聲音說,世上的國成了主基督的國,祂要作王到永遠,上帝的殿開了,約櫃在殿中出現,有閃電、聲音、雷轟、地震、大雹。
◎心得分享:上帝要使徒約翰量聖殿,因為聖殿外的院子是留給外邦人,聖殿有四十二個月被踐踏,可能是指外邦人也在聖殿內,所以「量」的意思可能是「分別」那些是神的選民?或外邦人?之後有兩個見證人,可能指的是「摩西與以利亞」,原本是無敵的,後來這兩個見證人被獸殺死,後來三天半又復活與主耶穌駕著雲在天上,這時第七位天使吹號,整章重點可以在「兩位見證人」,他們盡力傳福音無人能擋,雖然經歷被殺死,但是上帝卻讓他從死裡復活,在告訴我們為上帝不用懼怕,最終點不是在死亡,而是在復活。
第12章主要在講:「天上有爭戰龍被摔於地」。
1.天上出現大異象,有一個婦人懷孕,在生產疼痛呼叫,
2.天上又出現異象,有一條大紅龍,七頭十角,尾巴拖拉著天上星辰三分之一摔在地上,龍站在婦人面前要吞喫他的孩子,孩子被提到上帝寶座那裡去,婦人逃到曠野,上帝給她預備地方,養活1260天(一七之半=3年半),
3.天上有米迦勒與龍的爭戰,龍被摔在地上,天上有聲音說:「弟兄勝過牠,是因羔羊的血,和自己所見證的道,他們雖至於死,也不愛惜自己的性命」,
4.魔鬼見自己時候不多,就去遭迫生男孩的婦人,蛇就從口中吐出水來,像河一樣要將婦人沖去,地卻幫助婦人,開了口吐了龍吐出來的水,
5.龍向婦人發怒,去與她其餘的兒女爭戰,(這兒女就是守上帝誡命,為耶穌作見證的)
◎心得分享:這一章的「婦人」預表的是「教會」,說明教會會受到極大的逼迫有爭戰,教會要「置個人生死於度外」與魔鬼交戰,得勝的秘訣在於「羔羊的血與自己所見證的首」,求神幫助我們,把「殉道者」的心志放在我們心上,讓我們也能為主殉道。
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"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."(Gal. 6:14)
THEY were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfill their prayers. They had asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost, and He sent them sorrow; they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish; they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts; they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes; they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace, sitting by "as a refiner and purifier of silver," until they should reflect His image; they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.
They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so night to Him. They had upon them an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot to back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32).
But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.
Little by little, from time to time, by fitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out throught them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.
Such, are they in all ages, "who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."
Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot's portion, not Abraham's. If they had halted anywhere-if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back-what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection?
But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well night slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.
-Anonymous.
基督曾說過:「我心柔和謙卑,你們當學我的樣式,這樣你們心裏就必得享安息。」這兒有雙重的真理,有忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的美德,這與傚法基督或信靠祂有相同的意義;同時因著你有這些美德,可以完全脫離亞當墮落的本性而有信靠主高尚的行為。
連帶而有的福份,是因著脫離罪惡和對基督初步信仰、期望,受基督忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的靈引導並管理;當你具有這些德性,你的生命就有目的,是真理和生命的基督才會在你裏面,你不再掌權,而是基督在你裏面活著。除非你願在忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好裏治死老我,否則神聖愛的靈,因無立足之地而不能在你裏面產生;而當你又為不忍耐、驕傲所困擾之際,馬上完全捨己,求神施恩幫助。當你遇到難處就促使與神親近,最能使你忍耐接受神的幫助,我們對神有多少信心和期望就可得多少的啟示。
「這些雖然很簡短,但是真正確的教義,使我們因賜下的救恩而真正完全順服神的啟示下,也真正宣告承認三而一的真神。」現在願你有個思想:完全將我的心靈獻上,單單尋求救恩,直接藉著溫柔、謙卑、忍耐和與神和好的力量,使我的生命有屬天的德性。
「並且要作這更大的事,因為我往父那裡去。」約翰福音十四章12節
祈禱不是叫我們適於那偉大的工作;祈禱本身就是偉大的工作。我們以為祈禱,是叫我們得到較高的能力,去應付神的工作。但按照耶穌基督的眼光看,祈禱是我本已救贖的奇蹟,藉著神的能力,同時也是別人救贖的奇蹟。結果子之方法,是祈禱,但須記取的,這種祈禱是建立在救贖的痛苦,不是建立於我的痛苦。一個小孩能獲得祈禱的答覆,一個聰明人反而得不著。
你無論在那裡祈禱總是一種戰爭。不管神製造環境的方法怎樣,本分就是祈禱。切不可如此作想──「我所在的地方,不見得有用;」因為你不在的地方,你必沒有有用。無論神安排你在那裡,祈禱,常常向祂祈禱。「你們若奉我的名求甚麼,我必成就。」(約十四13)我們不肯祈禱,我們得不著奮興,就不肯祈禱,那就是靈性自私的極度形態。我們要依照神的指導而勞動,但祂指導我們的是祈禱,「所以你們當求莊稼的主,打發工人出去,收祂的莊稼。
通常的工人對於工作,是沒有興奮的,但是成功通常是工作勞作出來的;同樣基督的概念,沒有那些勞苦的聖徒是不會發現的。你慇勤祈禱,從神的立場看,是無時不發生效果的。當帕子揭開,一種說不出的驚奇必然發現,你可以看出你是慣於接受耶穌基督的命令的,已經為祂收穫了不少的靈魂。
「……亞伯拉罕信神……」羅馬書四章3節
亞伯拉罕的信心是向著神本身的,他認識帶領他的神,所以他對神有絕對的信心。
亞伯拉罕一生的秘訣在於他與神的友誼。他所認識的神是一位偉大、良善、信實的朋友。無怪乎他能聽神的話,從他自身所愛的本家本族出來,走向一條未知的道路。
除了信靠神的話語,我們是否已學會把自己全然交給神呢?神有無限的愛及力量,祂是與我們立約的主並永遠的好朋友。
經上告訴我們,亞伯拉罕因著信心而榮耀了神。最能榮耀神的辦法,乃是讓世人看見神是誰,以及祂的大能力。神並不希望藉著我們所能做的事,讓世人知道祂能做什麼;神也不用那些有乖謬性格的器皿。相反的,祂一直在找尋那些謙卑的人,並用這些人在世世代代中榮耀祂。