於2015-05-29發佈

擁抱轉變和變化
翟辛蒂 Cindy Jacobs
2015年5月14日
中譯:溪水邊
http://www.generals.org/articles/single/embracing-transitions-change/

看哪!我要做一件新事,如今要發現,你們豈不知道嗎?我必在曠野開道路,在沙漠開江河。”(以賽亞書43:19)

我們若想知道如何接近神對我們的命定,與聖靈同工是至關重要的,因為聖靈在曠野開道路,在沙漠開江河。神的禱告勇士們應靈活應對神在列國中放置祂的軍隊的變化。

以下是來自出埃及記的一些原則,那時摩西被呼召拯救神的百姓脫離埃及的奴役,這些會幫助你為著神在你生命中所要做的新事作準備:

1. 神自己發起的新事:雖然是意料之外的,但新事跟祂在你與祂同行中所做的一切事情相同。在摩西的故事裡,燃燒的荊棘就是神讓我們驚喜的一個很好的例子。摩西並不知道當他領羊群到何烈山這件事是神引領的(見出埃及記3:1),據我們所知,摩西以為自己餘生都會照料他岳父的羊群。

2. 擁抱新事需要我們的意願行動(見出埃及記3:3):摩西做了一個決定,轉身去看燃燒的荊棘。如果不花時間停下來聆聽神在對事情說話,很多人會錯失神的聲音。這可不是我們假設自己知道神旨意的時候。花時間仰望並察看神正在做的新事。

3. 準備好離開你舒適之處:聽起來挺令人震驚的,即便不想對神策劃的這次改變而有所改變,去學習擁抱曠野還是有可能的。轉變令人害怕,且能把我們的信心拉伸到最大。

4. 新事可以挑戰我們能力的極限:就如摩西說:“我是誰,竟敢去見法老呢?”(出埃及記3:11)將有很多並不起眼的基督徒來到神所做的新事的最前線。事實上,如果你覺得自己夠資格去做神的新事,那麼你可能是沒預備好。神呼召做祂新事的人要有極大的信心(覺得自己不夠格,但靠神能做成)。

5. 神會給你恩典和權柄去完成祂呼召你去做的事:當我們開始“國際將領”(Generals International)事工時,誰都沒聽說過翟辛蒂夫婦。恩典是一項神所賜的特別的財富,用它來鋪路以完成神的任務。神賜予摩西祂的名字和權柄並伴隨著恩典。祂告訴摩西,當被問起誰打發他來時要說:“我是自有永有的;告訴那些人,那自有的打發我到你們這裡來。”(出埃及記3:14)

6. 當你擁抱並領受神的呼召去做你生命中的新事時,祂會給你這份工作所必須的策略:神並沒有留下茫然無措的摩西,而是給他一個領百姓出埃及的策略。就摩西而言,需要信心有一個新的飛越。

7. 請放心,神腦海中已有一個計畫來負擔祂新事的費用:沒有資金來支援神所給的異象,我知道這看起來對於你們一些人來說是不屬靈的。然而,一旦你學會在新的挑戰中相信神的供應,它也可以變得非常屬靈。祂是實踐的神。請記住:祂曾用魚嘴中的金幣來供應門徒去付稅。

就我而言,我們發現信心總是存在於負債中。當我們想方設法去支付我們當下的計畫時,主卻引導我們去做別的事。當然,這會使你十分倚賴神而不是自己,使你成長,但非總是愉悅。在出埃及記3:22,主曾告訴摩西去搶奪埃及人的財物(這會不會是欠薪以色列人400年之久?)

我常聽很多人說:“神想要我什麼呢?我如何知道神要我何時做出改變呢?”你要相信,當主為你預備好一件新事,祂會使你清楚知道。必要的話祂都會準備一個燃燒的荊棘,或者源自一段時間你對祂話語的學習。神帶領每人都不同。有時我們希望當神用微小的聲音對我們說話時,會有天使顯現。

重要的是要記住:讓神來決定祂給你的新事是以何種方式顯現。關於神將如何講話、如何花時間預備百姓的心直到長大成熟以致願意擁抱神所賜的轉型期,在這些事上我多次勸告人們要放棄自己的主觀想法。這是一個預備的季節,是一個在神的祭壇前,放下你的己意、雄心、目標的好時機。允許全能的上帝來選擇何時、何地、何種方式來使用你吧。

當我們花時間每日與耶穌同行,不去反抗日常生活中的挑戰、放下我們自己決定細節的權力,命運之門就會打開。我個人發現,當我已預備好自己的心等候神到底,並在當下的環境用一顆對的心去服事時,這位宇宙主宰者就用新事,如同催化劑般把我推進祂對我人生的命定中,令我驚喜又歡欣。當然,主在尋找那些在小事上向著標竿直跑的人,這樣,祂就可以在曠野開道路,在沙漠開江河,為祂自己的名震動列國,給祂的選民、祂的百姓開路。



Embracing Transitions & Change
May 14th, 2015
By Cindy Jacobs

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it, and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19, AMP)

If we are going to understand how to tap into the destiny of God for our lives, it is crucial to be able to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He makes a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. God’s prayer warriors should be flexible for change as the Lord positions His army across the nations.

Here are some principles drawn from the passage in Exodus where Moses is called to deliver God’s people from bondage in Egypt. They will help you to prepare for the new things God wants to do in your life:

1. The new thing is initiated by God Himself. Although it may be unexpected, the new thing will still be consistent with everything else He has been doing in your walk with Him. A good example of the way God surprises us is in the story of Moses and the burning bush. Moses didn’t know he was being led by God when he led his sheep to Mount Sinai (see Exodus 3:1). As far as we know, Moses thought he would tend his father-in-law’s flocks for the rest of his life.

2. Embracing the new thing requires an act of our will (see Exodus 3:3). Moses made a choice to turn aside to look at the burning bush. Many will miss the voice of the Lord if they don’t take time to pause and listen to the things He is saying. It is not a good time to assume that we know the will of God. Take time to focus and perceive the new things He is doing.

3. Be ready to leave your comfort zone. Shocking as it sounds, it is possible to learn to like the wilderness and not want to change even when God is orchestrating the shift. Transition can be scary and stretch us to the limits of our faith.

4. The new thing will challenge our capabilities to the limit. Just as Moses said, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11) There will be many seemingly insignificant Christians who will come to the forefront in a new move of God. In fact, if you do not feel under-qualified for the new thing, you may not be ready. There is something about new moves of the Lord that require tremendous faith in those He calls for the task.

5. God will give you the favor and authority necessary to accomplish what He is calling you to do. When we began Generals International, no one had heard of Mike and Cindy Jacobs. Favor is a special treasure God gives to pave the way to finish the task. God gave Moses His name and the authority and favor to go with it. He told Moses when asked who sent him to say, “I Am who I Am and what I Am, I will be what I will be. Say to the people, I Am has sent you” (Exodus 3:14).

6. As you embrace and receive the call of God to do the new thing in your life, He will give you the strategy necessary for the job. Moses was not left in the dark by God but was given a strategy with which to lead the people out of Egypt. It required a new leap of faith on the part of Moses.

7. Be assured that God has a plan already in mind to finance His the new move. I know that not having the money to support the vision God has given may seem unspiritual to some of you. However, this can become very spiritual as you learn to trust God to provide in the midst of the new challenges in which He has placed you. God is a practical God. Remember—He supplied the fish with the coin in its mouth to pay the disciples’ taxes.

Personally, we have found that faith is always in the red. Right when we manage to pay for our current projects, the Lord instructs us to do something else. Of course, this makes you very reliant on God and not yourself. It causes you to grow, but it’s not always fun. The Lord told Moses in Exodus 3:22 to spoil or plunder the Egyptians’ belongings due to them. (Could this have been 400 years of back salary for the Israelites?)

I often hear many people say, “What does God want from me? How will I know when God wants me to make a change?” You can trust the Lord to make it abundantly clear to you when He has prepared a new thing for you. If need be, He will prepare a burning bush, or it may come from a time of studying His Word. The way God gives direction is individualistic. Sometimes we want an angel to appear when God is speaking to us in a still small voice.

The important thing to remember is that God will choose how to reveal the new thing He has to you. Many times I suggest to people to give up their preconceived notions about how God will speak and to spend time preparing their hearts to be mature and willing to embrace the transitions He is bringing. This season of preparation is a good time to lay down your thoughts, ambitions and goals on the altar before the Lord. Allow the almighty God to choose how, when and where He will use you.

Destiny’s door will open as we spend time with Him, walking every day in obedience to the often mundane daily challenges and give up our right to dictate the details. I’ve found, when I am ready to wait forever and maintain a right heart serving in my current place, the God of all the universe surprises and delights me with the new things which will be catalytic in thrusting me into His destiny for my life. Surely the Lord is looking for those who will press towards the mark in the little things, so He can make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert and set them on a path to shake nations for His name’s sake.