避免獸的印記─啟示錄 

我們繼續研讀關於主如何將啟示錄賜給祂的僕人。在啟示錄第七章，我們得知主會讓地上四方的風暫時停止，直到祂的僕人受了印記。因此，唯有擁抱僕人生命之人能夠全然瞭解此異象，確保不會接受獸的印記。

有些人有一個疑問：一個僕人的生命是否代表我們永遠不會為自己做任何事？不是的，剛好相反，沒有任何自由大過成為主的奴僕，也沒有任何滿足勝過將主的喜好擺在第一。祂是我們所能擁有最奇妙的主人，祂向我們顯示祂的愛何等偉大，藉由祂所付上的代價─祂犧牲自己在十字架上。

聖經說主早在創世以前就已經認識並創造了我們，祂的終極目的是要我們成為祂最初創造我們的樣式。然而，正如祂所教導的：『因為，凡要救自己生命（生命：或作靈魂；下同）的，必喪掉生命；凡為我喪掉生命的，必得著生命。』（馬太福音16:25）

我們是按著神的形象所造，更正確來說，我們是按著神的本性所造。祂的本性就是愛，並且經由愛來給予。祂是如此愛世人，甚至將祂最好的賜給世人─祂的獨生愛子。這即是祂本性的最高表達，同樣地，祂創造我們的最高表達會在給予中被發現。

啟示錄清楚顯明到了一個時候，沒有受獸的印記的人將無法買賣或交易，但凡是成為主的僕人則不需要，因為主會成為他們來源。因此，我們預備這些時候的首要事情，便是在對主成為我們供應者的信靠上成長。

這並不表示我們不會被呼召來做一些在自然界的事情，例如存糧，為這些時候預備，但我們做這些事是出於信心，而不是懼怕。最重要的是，我們必須學習耶穌在約翰福音四章32-34節所教導的功課：

耶穌說：我有食物吃，是你們不知道的。

門徒就彼此對問說：莫非有人拿什麼給祂吃嗎？

耶穌說：我的食物就是遵行差我來者的旨意，做成祂的工。 

當我們做我們主人的工作，祂會供養我們。耶穌所到之處，祂甚至不需要自然食物，祂來到地上向我們展示，我們也可以這樣生活。即使到一個地步我們沒有獸的印記就無法吃，我們可以信靠在沒有自然食物供應下，祂會供應或供養我們。 

我們應當像但以理的三個朋友一樣，定意不拜尼布甲尼撒的金像，主可以搭救我們脫離一切。即便祂選擇不搭救我們，我們什麼也不拜，單單敬拜祂。 

身為基督的門徒並不是很容易的生活，卻是我們所能擁有最棒、最滿足的生活。這是在基督裡長大成熟的生命，藉由『凡事長進，連於元首基督』而來（參考以弗所書4:15）。在得著救恩之後，倘若我們繼續成為門徒，我們將察覺到僕人的呼召。凡是忠心的僕人可以晉升為神的朋友。忠心的朋友可以晉升為神的兒女─祂自己家中永遠的成員。    

(摘自喬納 word for the week,Week23, 2017)

 
Avoiding the Beast's Mark—The Book of Revelation
Week 23, 2017
Rick Joyner

         We continue here our study of how Revelation was given to the Lord to give to His bondservants. In Revelation 7, we are told that the Lord will hold back the four winds of the earth until His bondservants have been sealed. Therefore, only those who have embraced the life of a bondservant can fully understand this vision and are assured of not taking the mark of the beast.

         One question some have is, does the life of a bondservant mean that we never do anything for ourselves? No. On the contrary, there is no greater freedom that we could ever know than being the Lord’s slave, nor is there anything more fulfilling in life than when we put His interests first. He is the most wonderful Master we could ever have, and He showed how great His love for us is by the price He paid—His own sacrifice on the cross.

         It is written that the Lord knew us and formed us before the foundation of the world, and His ultimate purpose that we become all that He created us to be. However, as He taught, “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25).

         We are made in the image of God, or more accurately, we are made in the nature of God. His nature is to love, and through love, to give. He so loved the world that He gave the world His best—His only Son. That is the highest expression of His nature, and likewise the highest expression of who He created us to be is found in giving.

         The Book of Revelation is clear that the time is coming when anyone who will not take the mark of the beast will not be able to buy, sell, and trade, but those who have become bondservants of the Lord will not need to because they have the Lord as their Source. So the main thing we can do to prepare for this time is grow in our trust in the Lord as our Provider.

         This does not mean that we will not be called to do some things in the natural, such as storing provisions, to prepare for these times, , but we will do these things out of faith, not fear. Above all, we must learn the lesson Jesus taught in John 4:32-34:    

       He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know."

       Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?"

       Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 

         When we do our Master’s work, He will sustain us. Jesus walked in a place where He did not even need natural food and He came to show us how we too can live. Even if it comes to the place where we cannot eat without taking the mark of the beast, then we can count on Him to either provide for us or sustain us without natural provision.

         We should resolve, like Daniel’s three friends who would not bow to worship the golden statue of Nebuchadnezzar, that the Lord can deliver us from anything. Even if He chooses not to deliver us, we will not worship anyone but Him.  

         Being a disciple of Christ is not an easy life, but it is the path to the best, most fulfilling life we can live. This is a life of maturing in Christ by “growing up in all things into Him” (see Ephesians 4:15). After salvation, if we go on to become a disciple, we will discern the calling of the bondservant. Those who are faithful servants can be elevated to being friends of God. The faithful friends can be elevated to being sons and daughters of God—eternal members of His own household.