08月06日 一年的第219天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:耶03-05章
一.耶和華說:以色列阿,你若回來歸向我,若從我眼前除掉你可憎的偶像,你就不被遷移。耶4:1
1.你必憑誠實、公平、公義,指著永生的耶和華起誓;列國必因耶和華稱自己為有福,也必因他誇耀。耶4:2
2.耶和華對猶大和耶路撒冷人如此說:要開墾你們的荒地,不要撒種在荊棘中。耶4:3
3.猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民哪,你們當自行割禮,歸耶和華,將心裏的污穢除掉;恐怕我的忿怒因你們的惡行發作,如火著起,甚至無人能以熄滅!耶4:4
4.你們當傳揚在猶大,宣告在耶路撒冷說:你們當在國中吹角,高聲呼叫說:你們當聚集!我們好進入堅固城!耶4:5
A.應當向錫安豎立大旗。要逃避,不要遲延,因我必使災禍與大毀滅從北方來到。耶4:6
B.有獅子從密林中上來,是毀壞列國的。他已經動身出離本處,要使你的地荒涼,使你的城邑變為荒場無人居住。耶4:7
5.因此,你們當腰束麻布,大聲哀號,因為耶和華的烈怒沒有向我們轉消。耶4:8
A.耶和華說:「到那時,君王和首領的心都要消滅;祭司都要驚奇,先知都要詫異。」耶4:9
B.我說:「哀哉!主耶和華阿,你真是大大地欺哄這百姓和耶路撒冷,說:『你們必得平安。』其實刀劍害及性命了。」耶4:10
C.那時,必有話對這百姓和耶路撒冷說:「有一陣熱風從曠野淨光的高處向我的眾民颳來,不是為簸揚,也不是為揚淨。耶4:11
D.必有一陣更大的風從這些地方為我颳來;現在我又必發出判語,攻擊他們。」耶4:12
E.看哪,仇敵必如雲上來;他的戰車如旋風,他的馬匹比鷹更快。我們有禍了!我們敗落了!耶4:13
二.耶路撒冷阿,你當洗去心中的惡,使你可以得救。惡念存在你心裏要到幾時呢?耶4:14
1.有聲音從但傳揚,從以法蓮山報禍患。耶4:15
A.你們當傳給列國,報告攻擊耶路撒冷的事說:有探望的人從遠方來到,向猶大的城邑大聲吶喊。耶4:16
a.他們周圍攻擊耶路撒冷,好像看守田園的,因為他背叛了我。這是耶和華說的。耶4:17
b.你的行動,你的作為,招惹這事;這是你罪惡的結果,實在是苦,是害及你心了!耶4:18
B.我的肺腑阿,我的肺腑阿,我心疼痛!我心在我裏面煩躁不安。我不能靜默不言,因為我已經聽見角聲和打仗的喊聲。耶4:19
C.毀壞的信息連絡不絕,因為全地荒廢。我的帳棚忽然毀壞;我的幔子頃刻破裂。耶4:20
D.我看見大旗,聽見角聲,要到幾時呢?耶4:21
2.耶和華說:我的百性愚頑,不認識我;他們是愚昧無知的兒女,有智慧行惡,沒有知識行善。耶4:22
A.先知說:我觀看地,不料,地是空虛混沌;我觀看天,天也無光。耶4:23
B.我觀看大山,不料,盡都震動,小山也都搖來搖去。耶4:24
C.我觀看,不料,無人;空中的飛鳥也都躲避。耶4:25
D.我觀看,不料,肥田變為荒地;一切城邑在耶和華面前,因他的烈怒都被拆毀。耶4:26
3.耶和華如此說:全地必然荒涼,我卻不毀滅淨盡。耶4:27
A.因此,地要悲哀,在上的天也必黑暗;因為我言已出,我意已定,必不後悔,也不轉意不作。耶4:28
B.各城的人因馬兵和弓箭手的響聲就都逃跑,進入密林,爬上磐石;各城被撇下,無人住在其中。耶4:29
C.你淒涼的時候要怎樣行呢?你雖穿上朱紅衣服,佩戴黃金裝飾,用顏料修飾眼目,這樣標緻是枉然的!戀愛你的藐視你,並且尋索你的性命。耶4:30
D.我聽見有聲音,彷彿婦人產難的聲音,好像生頭胎疼痛的聲音,是錫安女子的聲音;他喘著氣、挓手,說:我有禍了!在殺人的跟前,我的心發昏了。耶4:31
◎心得分享:上一章講歸向神,本章講歸向神以後要作幾件事:1.從上帝眼前除掉你可憎的偶像」,2.「要開墾你們的荒地,不要撒種在荊棘中」,3. 當自行割禮,歸耶和華,將心裏的污穢除掉」,4.「當在國中吹角,聚集高聲呼叫,腰束麻布,大聲哀號」。5.洗去心中的惡,使你可以得救。真正的歸向上帝,是有條件的,我們當除去罪惡,才能真正歸向神。
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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。