為天國預備新婦
雷克-喬納 Rick Joyner
翻譯：Kate 2022.5.26
轉載/轉寄 請註明出處：國度禱告網
在第122天，我們看了彼得所做的非凡陳述，他說我們應該 "等候並催促神的日子降臨呢？...."（彼得後書3:12新譯本）。我們討論了 "主的日子降臨"是如何通過新婦做好預備來加速的（見啟示錄19:7），新婦說："來吧！"主才會回來。（見啟示錄22:17）。當新婦心中的渴望增長到沒有主就無法忍受時，主就會被她深深吸引，不得不為她而來。正是這種對主的渴望使新婦為祂做好預備。
我們可能認為所有的基督徒都渴望主的再來，但更有可能的是，此時真正渴望主再來的人很少。當然，一旦我們遇到重大的試煉，我們往往希望祂來把我們從試煉中解救出來，但似乎很少有人愛主愛到希望祂回來。
很少有基督徒會真正承認這一點，但大多數人實際上並不希望祂很快再來。有的人，耶穌再來將擾亂他們的事工！有的人則是在這此生中擁有太多好處。正如保羅在《哥林多後書》5:6中所寫的，……曉得我們住在身內，便與主相離。如果我們在這個世界上太舒服了，如果我們的心和家不在天國，我們就沒有動力去尋求加快神的日子到來。
基督徒致力於他們在地上的生活並沒有錯。現代教會中的許多人致力於主再來的信息，其最大的錯誤之一是他們沒有為地上教會的未來制定策略和異象。對我們被賦予的工作有心是好事。答案不是少想這些事情，而是我們需要更愛主和祂的再來。新婦的渴望，將加速主的到來，必須是，也將是，對祂的熱情高於一切。
導致新婦預備好自己的不是對時代的恐懼，甚至不是對主的恐懼。她希望自己沒有斑點和皺紋，因為她非常愛祂，希望為祂成為完美的人。正如約翰在約翰一書3:3中所寫的關於祂的再來，"凡向他有這指望的，就潔淨自己，像他潔淨一樣。" 當對主再來的渴望迫使教會為自己做好預備時，她會因此而加速主的再來。
這世界上，沒有什麼比一個親近主的人更有感染力了。如果每個會眾中只有一個人抓住了這種對主的熱情，那麼全地的基督身體很快就會被改變。這將在某個時候發生，而現在的條件正適合。木頭越乾燥，就越快著火，而此時基督的大部分身體正處於靈性乾旱之中。口渴的人才會找水喝，而有些人已經渴到開始重新尋求祂。
我們如此渴望主，以至渴望第二次降臨，這是好事，但我們為什麼不從渴望祂在我們的會眾中明顯的存在開始呢？我們的家庭？我們的工作？耶穌在《約翰福音》12:32說："我若從地上被舉起來，就要吸引眾人到我這裡來"。當然，祂在這裡說的是十字架，但地和其中的一切都由主創造，為祂而生。任何受造物都無法實現，除非受造物正在完成被造的目的，而這只能在與祂合一中完成。即使被大多數人誤解，每一人的靈都有對上帝的深切渴望。當祂被舉起時，祂就吸引萬人歸向祂。
高舉主不僅僅是談論祂，也不僅僅是承認祂主權和榮耀，而是看到祂超越了所有事物；是看祂比其他事物更多。當我愛上我的妻子時，我日日夜夜都只能想到她。這就是我們可以稱之為 "初戀"，或起初的愛。我們可能認為不可能在婚姻中保持起初的愛，但這是可能的。然而，我們與基督的合一應該比我們與地上任何人更為緊密，因為這些塵世的關係不過是我們與祂的關係的一個類型，或模式。
如果我們願意尋求祂，我們可以很容易保持對基督起初的愛火和激情。祂不僅是完美的，而且在祂身上的智慧和知識的寶藏是無窮的。祂不僅永遠有趣，而且耐人尋味，超越任何被造物。我們永遠耗盡上帝的奇蹟和驚奇。一旦我們開始真正看到祂身上的榮耀，我們就會被用盡一生追求，需要越來越多地擁有祂。我們擁有的祂越多，我們就越沉迷於祂。但不要擔心，祂是一口永遠不會乾涸的活水井。
Dressing for Heaven
Rick Joyner
On Day Twenty-Two we looked at the remarkable statement that Peter made when he said we should be "looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God...." (II Peter 3:12). We discussed how the "coming of the day of the Lord" can be hastened by the bride making herself ready (see Revelation 19:7). The Lord will not return until the bride says: "Come!" (see Revelation 22:17). When the yearning in the bride grows to the point where she can no longer endure without Him, He will be so attracted to her that He will have to come for her. It is this yearning for the Lord that will cause the bride to get ready for Him.
We may think all Christians long for the return of the Lord, but it is more likely very few really do at this time. Of course, as soon as we have a major trial, we tend to want Him to come to get us out of it, but few seem to want Him to return because they love Him so much.
Few Christians would actually admit it, but most actually do not want Him to return any time soon. For some it would mess up their ministry! Others just have it too good in this life. As Paul wrote in II Corinthians 5:6, "...while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord." If we are too comfortable in the world, if our hearts and homes are not in heaven, we have little incentive for seeking to hasten the coming of the day of God.
It is not wrong for Christians to be devoted to their lives on earth. One of the great mistakes of much of the modern church, which has been devoted to the message of the Lord's return, is their failure to build with strategy and vision for the future of the church on the earth. It is good to have a heart for the work that we have been given to do. The answer is not to think less of these things, but we need to love the Lord and His coming even more. The yearning of the bride, which will hasten the coming of the Lord must be, and will be, a passion for Him above all things.
It is not going to be fear of the times, or even fear of the Lord, that causes the bride to make herself ready. She wants to be without spot or wrinkle because she loves Him so much and wants to be perfect for Him. As John wrote concerning His return in I John 3:3, "And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." When the yearn-ing for the return of the Lord compels the church to make herself ready, she will consequently hasten His return.
There is nothing more contagious on this earth than a person who is getting closer to the Lord. If just one person in every congregation catches this passion for the Lord, the entire worldwide body of Christ would soon be transformed. This will happen at some point, and the conditions are right for it now. The drier the wood the quicker it will catch fire, and much of the body of Christ is in quite a spiritual drought at this time. Only the thirsty will seek a drink, and some are becoming thirsty enough to begin seeking Him again.
It is good to want the Lord so much that we yearn for the second coming, but why don't we start by yearning for His manifest presence in our congregations? Our families? Our jobs? Jesus said in John 12:32, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." Of course, He was talking about the cross here, but the earth and all it contains was made by the Lord and for Him. Nothing that was created can be fulfilled until it is accomplishing the purpose for which it was created, and that can only be done in union with Him. Even if it is misunderstood by most, there is a deep yearning in every soul for God. When He is lifted up, He attracts.
Lifting up the Lord is much more than just talking about Him. It is also more than acknowledging His lordship and glory—it is seeing Him transcend over all things. It is seeing more of Him than anything else. When I fell in love with my wife, I could not think of anything but her, day and night. That is what we can call "first love," or the way we loved at first. We may think this cannot be maintained in a marriage, but it is possible. However, our union with Christ is supposed to be much greater than our union with anyone on earth, since these earthly relationships are but a type, or model of the relationship we should have with Him.
The fire and passion of our first love with Christ can easily be maintained if we will seek Him. Not only is He perfect, but there is no end to the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Him. He is forever not only interesting, but intriguing beyond anything ever created. We will never exhaust the wonders and marvels of God Himself. Once we start truly beholding the glories that are in Him, we are ruined for life. We just have to have more and more of Him. The more of Him we have, the more addicted to Him we become. But don't worry—He is a well of living water that will never run dry!