於2022-08-14發佈


Day 51
崇高的信心
雷克-喬納 Rick Joyner
翻譯:Kate
轉載/轉寄 請註明出處:國度禱告網

有人說,"這地方的人賢於帖撒羅尼迦的人,甘心領受這道,天天考查聖經,要曉得這道是與不是。"(徒17:11)。以開放和熱切的態度聽取新事是正確的。如果我們不對新事持開放態度,我們就是一個舊皮袋。然而,儘管我們應該渴望主的新酒,但我們必須始終把我們聽到的東西帶到聖經中去驗證。

大多數基督徒知道他們相信什麼,但似乎很少有人知道他們為什麼相信。我們每個人都有責任建立我們所相信的真理,以建立堅實的聖經基礎。如果沒有這一點,無論我們相信的東西多麼準確,我們信心的基礎都會很薄弱。甚至神的兒子在受到魔鬼的誘惑時,也以 "經上所寫 "作為回應(見馬太福音4:4)。甚至連道自己也將祂的教義和行動建立在書面話語上。我們更應該如此。

如果你看到一些人在挖地基,你就知道會有房子或小樓平地而起。然而,當你走在市中心,看到整個街區被圍起來,而你看到圍牆外正在挖一個深坑,你就知道那裡正在建造一些重要的東西。如果我們想讓我們的生活變得有意義,我們也必須在建造之前先挖下去。我們必須為自己確立我們所相信的每一個真理,否則我們在這一生中能被使用的程度就會受到限制。我們在靈性生活的基礎上付出的努力越多,在其上可以建立的東西就越多。

教會即將進入一些最具挑戰性的時期,這樣它就能進入最富有成果的時期。黑暗正在聚集,但光明也在聚集。對我們信心的每一個挑戰都是神允許的,以加強我們的信心。試煉總是加強真正的信徒,並清除那些裝模作樣的人。有一場偉大的修剪即將到來,以便那些真正住在葡萄樹上的人能夠結出更多的果子。

當一棵樹被修剪時,被剪掉的枝條是那些只是製造更多木材而不結果子的枝條。我們的生命是在為王國結出果子,還是只是在製造更多的草木、禾稭?如果我們沒有在果子上成長,我們就有被修剪的危險。我們能夠結出果子的唯一方法是適當地與葡萄樹結合。在我們學習聖經的過程中,我們必須尋求與祂更緊密地結合在一起。正如道自己在約翰福音5:39-40所說的那樣:

"你們查考聖經(或作:應當查考聖經),因你們以為內中有永生;給我作見證的就是這經。
然而,你們不肯到我這裡來得生命。"

我們通過到祂那裡去獲得生命。有堅實基礎的生命不僅僅是準確理解教義的生命,而是與道本身結合的生命。它不只是認識主的書,而是認識書中的主。然而,因為祂是真理,我們必須熱愛真理,也要熱情地致力於教義的準確性。

聖靈正感動著各地基督徒的心,使他們的根更深地紮入書面的話語。對聖經的深厚熱情正在教會中蔓延開來。它將帶來對真理的愛和對公義的愛,這將開始從根本上影響各地的會眾。這是一種聖潔的酵。如果一個會眾中只有一兩個人抓住這種激情,它就會擴散到所有人。

隨著我們的基礎變得更加牢固,它將使主能夠給予我們更多的力量和更多的屬靈權柄。然而,讓我們永遠記住,我們尋求真理是為了活出它,而不僅僅是知道它。耶穌充滿了 "恩典和真理"(見約翰福音1:14)。沒有恩典的真理帶來的是一種沒有力量的敬虔。愛把真理變成了賦予生命的恩典。我們必須尋求真理,因為我們愛真理,我們想與那一位是真理的人合一。

我們決不能為了得到權力的信任而尋求愛,權力是上帝表達祂的愛的一種手段。愛永遠是目標,而不是手段。正如我們在《提摩太前書》1:5中所讀到的:"但命令的總歸就是愛;這愛是從清潔的心和無虧的良心,無偽的信心生出來的。" 因此,讓我們出於愛而做所有的事情。讓我們查考聖經,因為我們愛它們,我們愛真理,我們愛真理的那一位,我們愛祂用生命來拯救的人。 


Day 51
A Noble Faith
Rick Joyner

It was said of the Bereans, "Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). It is right to listen to new things with openness and eagerness. We are an old wineskin if we are not open to that which is new. However, as eager as we should be for the Lord's new wine, we must always take what we hear to the Scriptures to verify it.

Most Christians know what they believe, but few seem to know why they believe it. We are each responsible for establishing the truths that we believe for a solid biblical foundation. Without this, regardless of how accurate what we believe is, the foundation of our faith will be weak. Even the Son of God responded with "it is written" (see Matthew 4:4), when tempted by the devil. Even the Word Himself based His doctrines and actions on the written Word. How much more should we?

If you see some people digging a footing, you know that a house or small building will be going up. However, when you walk downtown and see an entire block fenced off, and you see that beyond the fence a deep hole is being dug, you know that something of significance is being built there. We too must dig down before we build up if we want our lives to be significant. We must establish for ourselves every truth that we believe, or we will be limited in how much we can be used in this life. The more effort that we put into the foundation of our spiritual lives, the more that can be built upon them.

The church is about to enter some of its most challenging times, so that it can then enter into its most fruitful times. The darkness is gathering, but so is the light. Every challenge to our faith is allowed by God to strengthen our faith. Trials always strengthen true believers, and remove those who are pretenders. There is a great pruning coming so that those who are truly abiding in the Vine can bear more fruit.

When a tree is pruned, the branches removed are the ones that are just making more wood and not bearing fruit. Are our lives bearing fruit for the kingdom, or are we just producing more wood, hay, and stubble? If we are not growing in fruitfulness we are in danger of being pruned. The only way that we can be fruitful is to be properly joined to the Vine. In our study of the Scriptures, we must seek to be more closely united with Him. As the Word Himself said in John 5:39-40:

"You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me;
and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life."

We receive life by coming to Him. The life that is on a solid foundation is not just one that understands doctrine accurately, but is one that is joined to the Word Himself. It is not just knowing the book of the Lord, but knowing the Lord of the book. However, because He is Truth, we must love the truth, and be passionately devoted to accuracy of doctrine as well.

The Holy Spirit is moving upon the hearts of Christians everywhere to sink their roots deeper into the written Word. A deep passion for the Scriptures is spreading over the church. It will bring forth a love for truth and a love for righteousness that will begin to radically affect congregations everywhere. This is a holy leaven. If just one or two in a congregation catch this passion, it will spread to all.

As our foundations become stronger it will enable the Lord to give us more power and more spiritual authority. However, let us always remember that we seek truth in order to live it, not just know it. Jesus was full of "grace and truth" (see John 1:14). Truth without grace brings a form of godliness that has no power. Love changes truth into grace that gives life. We must seek truth because we love the truth, and we want to be united with the One who is the Truth.

We must not seek to love so that we can be trusted with power, but power is a means by which God expresses His love. Love is always the goal, not the means. As we read in I Timothy 1:5: "But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." Therefore, let us do all that we do out of love. Let us search the Scriptures because we love them, we love the truth, we love the One whose truth it is, and we love the people He gave His life to save.