於2022-04-20發佈

 

最後之戰 2 
雷克•喬納 

本周我們繼續研究《歷代志》第7章第14節中規定的四項要求,以便主能夠醫治我們的土地。它們是:

自卑
禱告
尋求祂的面
轉離我們的惡行

這些都是上帝的子民被命令要做的,而不是異教徒。因此,我們要做這些,而不僅僅是理解它們。本周,我們將研究聖經中關於謙卑的勸誡,尋找我們尚未應用於生活的任何方式。

雅各書4:6宣稱:"神阻擋驕傲的人,賜恩給謙卑的人"。還有什麼比上帝的恩典更有價值的嗎?承認我們相信沒有,我們的生活是否反映了這種信念?我們是否追求祂的恩典勝過任何其他財富、關係、職場成功,甚至是我們的安全?我們對神的恩典的重視程度揭示了我們真正的信仰。

我們是否按照祂指示的方式,通過謙卑自己來追求祂的恩典?在聖經中,我們被反復告知要謙卑自己,所以這是主期望我們做的。那麼我們如何做到?聖經有幾種方法告訴我們這樣做,比如在詩篇35:13,大衛王說他用禁食來謙卑自己。在經文中,禁食是指不進食。這是主以特別的方式承認和尊重的事情。通過這一點,我們宣佈我們需要祂和祂的恩典勝過需要食物。

由於禁食與肉體的本性相反,這是我們否認和打破它對我們的力量的一種方式。哥林多前書11:31告訴我們,"因為我們若論斷自己,就不被人論斷"(NKJV直譯){參考合和本:我們若是先分辨自己,就不至於受審}。這是我們可以謙卑自己的另一種方式。如果我們謙卑自己,祂就不必降卑我們了。

然而,另一個謙卑自己的方法是停止過多地談論自己。揭示我們屬靈不成熟的一個晴雨錶是我們有多少談論自己,即使是關於屬靈的事情,比如神如何使用我們。我們應該見證主所做的大事,但很容易看出一個人這樣做是為了突出自己而不是為了榮耀神。

我們不會因為專注於自己而被改變成主的本性。我們是通過看到祂和祂的榮耀來改變。當我們這樣做時,祂將成為我們關注和交談的焦點,因為正如祂所說的,"因為心裏所充滿的,口裏就說出來。"(見馬太福音12:34)。我們是滿了祂,還是只滿了自己?

如果我們遇到別人時,不是一心想要讓自己看起來很好,而是想辦法鼓勵和造就他們,那麼我們被祂使用的機會會有多大?主說:"凡自高的必降為卑,自卑的必升為高"(路加福音18:14,NKJV)。注意祂沒有說 "許多 "或 "大多數 "自高的人,而是說 "每個人"! 在整個聖經中,我們被勸誡要謙卑,而神是那尊貴的。謙卑是我們的工作;高舉是神的工作。如果我們試圖做祂的工作,祂就會做我們的工作,而且祂能比我們做得更好!

一個以自我為中心的人,試圖在每一次談話中插入他們的故事、經歷,或者只是一般地插入他們的觀點,通常是其他人試圖避免的人。這樣的人沒有意識到他們對別人來說並不像他們自己那樣有趣。這樣的人在社會上也被降級,甚至被排斥,比他們意識到的還要多。

作為基督徒,我們這些見過和認識主的人怎麼會迷戀自己更勝過迷戀祂?見過祂在十字架上的犧牲的人,怎麼會容易談論自己的痛苦呢?基督徒的成熟表現在以基督為中心;基督徒的不成熟表現在以自我為中心。

因為我們說話是出於內心,讓我們決心以基督為中心,以基督為中心,用我們的心充滿對祂的愛。決心讓祂成為我們的對話。

"你是你所想的,而不是你認為的妳是誰"。(未知)


The Last Battle, Part 2
Rick Joyner

We continue this week looking into the four requirements laid out in II Chronicles 7:14 for the Lord to heal our land. They are:

Humble ourselves
Pray
Seek His face
Turn from our wicked ways.

These are what God’s people are commanded to do, not the heathen. So, we want to do these and not just understand them. This week, we will examine the biblical exhortations for humbling ourselves, looking for any way we have not yet applied this to our lives.

James 4:6 declares, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (NKJV). Could there be anything more valuable than God’s grace? Admitting we believe there is not, do our lives reflect this belief? Are we pursuing His grace more than any other treasure, relationship, professional success, or even our security? The priority we place on God’s grace reveals what we really believe.

Are we pursuing His grace in the way He instructs us to, by humbling ourselves? In Scripture, we are repeatedly told to humble ourselves, so this is something the Lord expects us to do. So how do we do this? There are a few ways Scripture tells us to do this, like in Psalm 35:13, where King David said he humbled himself with fasting. In Scripture, fasting is refraining from eating. This is something the Lord recognizes and honors in a special way. By this we declare we need Him and His grace more than we need food.

Since fasting food is contrary to the carnal nature, this is one way we can deny and break its power over us. We are told in I Corinthians 11:31, “for if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (NKJV). This is another way we can humble ourselves. If we humble ourselves, He will not have to humble us.

Yet another way to humble ourselves is to stop talking about ourselves so much. One barometer that reveals our spiritual immaturity is how much we talk about ourselves, even if it’s about spiritual things, like how God has used us. We should testify of the great things the Lord has done, but it is easy to tell when one is doing this to highlight themselves rather than to honor God.

We will not be changed into the nature of the Lord by being focused on ourselves. We are changed by seeing Him and His glory. When we do this, He will become the focus of our attention and conversation because, as He said, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (see Matthew 12:34, NKJV). Are we full of Him, or just full of ourselves?

How much more might we be used by Him, if when we meet others, we were not so intent on making ourselves look good as we are seeking ways to encourage and edify them? The Lord said, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14, NKJV). Notice He did not say “many” or “most” who exalt themselves but “everyone”! Throughout Scripture we are exhorted to humble ourselves, and that God is the One who exalts. Being humble is our job; exalting is His job. If we try to do His job, He will do ours, and He can do both much better than us!

A self-centered person who tries to insert their story, their experiences, or just generally their perspective into every conversation is usually the one others try to avoid. Such people do not realize they are not as interesting to others as they are to themselves. Such people are also socially downgraded, and even ostracized, more than they realize.

As Christians, how can we who have seen and know the Lord be more infatuated with ourselves than with Him? How can anyone who has beheld His sacrifice on the cross be prone to talk about their own suffering? Christian maturity is revealed by Christ-centeredness; Christian immaturity is revealed by self-centeredness.

Because we speak out of the abundance of our hearts, let us resolve to be Christ-focused, Christ-centered, and with our hearts filled with love for Him. Resolve that He will be our conversation.

“You are what you think, and not what you think you are.” (Unknown)