於2010-01-03發佈
新的一年的開始總是評估的好時機,多數時候我們想對過去說『可喜的擺脫』,並抱持著新的一年會更好的盼望。當然,對每一個基督徒而言新的一年可以是、也應該是更好的一年。在箴言四章18節告訴我們:『但義人的路好像黎明的光,越照越明,直到日午。』倘若我們是在『義人的路』或正確的道路上,我們的生命與道路會越來越亮,以致我們可以充滿信心與膽量繼續往前,這才是正常的基督教。

倘若我們所經歷的並非此,我們便遠離正確的道路。在主裡,錯誤的道路絕不會變成正確的,所以我們若遠離正路,我們必須回到我們錯失轉彎之處。倘若我們真的走偏了,歲末年首是評估的好時機,並定意回到正確的道路上。我們越走越偏,就越難回頭。隨著這些時候與日遽增的緊張,沒有行在主的旨意中的代價將日益嚴重,所以現在是定意從叉路回到正路的時候。

事實上我所認識有先知性恩賜的人,皆看見在新的一年世界會日趨艱難,在約翰福音十六章33節,主說:我將這些事告訴你們,是要叫你們在我裡面有平安。在世上,你們有苦難;但你們可以放心,我已經勝了世界。』倘若我們常在祂裡面,我們也會勝過世界。無論世界發生什麼事,都可以成為我們生命中最棒的一年,而且未來的每一年都應該越來越好。我們的道路應該是越來越亮,而不是越來越暗。

值得注意的是,詩篇的數目與時候平行發生。今年的詩篇是110,似乎也很貼切用在明年。這篇非常短,讓我們簡略地一節一節來看: 

耶和華對我主說:祢坐在我的右邊,等我使祢仇敵作祢的腳凳(詩篇1101)。

主的仇敵在世界各地興起,在這裡的勸誡是要我們有耐心,因為主將制服仇敵。

在預言的象徵中,『腳』(feet)的聖經預言通常指著這世代的最後一代。從第一世紀開始,主一直在使祂的肢體完全,最後碰觸到地上的是『腳』,其將會戰勝主的仇敵。

耶和華必使祢從錫安伸出能力的杖來;祢要在祢仇敵中掌權(詩篇1102)。

主會在這一年彰顯祂的權柄,我們不必要受到仇敵的掌管,我們甚至可以在他們當中得勝。這是我們這一年必須學習的事物,此意味信心的仇敵將會興起。

此外,錫安─以色列國從立國以來,四圍被仇敵環繞,必須在仇敵當中掌權,對『屬靈的以色列』─教會而言也是如此。然而,我期待在以色列與教會裡,今年對此權柄會有新的伸張。

當祢掌權的日子(或譯:行軍的日子),祢的民要以聖潔的妝飾為衣(或譯:以聖潔為妝飾),甘心犧牲自己;祢的民多如清晨的甘露(或譯:祢少年時光耀如清晨的甘露)(詩篇1103)。

這指著極大的動員,能力的釋放,以及青年運動,我們可以期待在今年開始發生。

耶和華起了誓,決不後悔,說:祢是照著麥基洗德的等次永遠為祭司(詩篇1104)。

我們可以預期在祭司身份上會有一個先知性的強調,那就是所有的信徒都是照著麥基洗德等次的一部份。

在祢右邊的主,當祂發怒的日子,必打傷列王(詩篇1105)。

我們將看見主的審判臨到祂的仇敵領袖上。

祂要在列邦中刑罰惡人,屍首就遍滿各處;祂要在許多國中打破仇敵的頭(詩篇1106)。

主會從祂的家開始審判,因為祂不能為著祂自己子民也在做的事來審判世界。這個審判已經開始好多年了,現在會大大臨到列國,我們預期會有許多死亡。

祂要喝路旁的河水,因此必擡起頭來(詩篇1107)。

當掌權者喝那地的水,意味著他們在那地掌權。主已在全地掌權,沒有祂的許可,不會有任何事發生,但現在我們即將看見祂伸張祂的權柄。擡起頭指的是高舉耶穌,我們已經來到一個時刻,地上沒有任何人能夠逃避祂的見證。當祂被高舉時,我們就知道這時刻已來到,所有人都會被祂吸引。

新的一年將是又棒、又令人興奮的一年。在許多基督徒曾蒙恩寵的國家,會有越來越多的逼迫抵擋他們,例如美國,但主將戰勝一切。這些國家越想折磨祂的子民,他們就會變得越剛強、數目越來越多。

我為您的禱告是:這將是您生命中最棒的一年,您會越來越親近 神超過以往,在末世您會以 神最好的朋友而為人所認識。

 (摘自 喬納 word for the week, Week 52, 2009) 


Discerning the Times, Part 62
Week 52, 2009

The beginning of a New Year is always a good time for evaluation. Most of the time we want to say “good riddance” to the old, embracing the hope that this New Year will be better. Certainly it can and should be a much better year for every Christian. We are told in Proverbs 4:18: “The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” If we are on the “path of the righteous,” or the right path, our lives will get continually brighter, as will the path, so that we can go forward with increasing confidence and boldness. That is normal Christianity.

 If we are experiencing anything less than this, then somehow we have departed from the right path. In the Lord, the wrong path will never turn into the right one, so if we have departed, we must go back to where we missed the turn. This would be a good time to evaluate this and resolve to get back on the right path if this is the case. The further we continue down the wrong path, the longer and harder it can be to get back on track. In the increasing intensity of these times, the price for not being in the will of the Lord will be increasingly serious, so now is the time to resolve to get back on the track in any way that we have departed from it.

Virtually all of the prophetic people I know see increasingly difficult times in the world this year. In John 16:33, the Lord says: “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” If we are abiding in Him, we too will overcome the world. Regardless of what happens in the world, it can be the best year of our lives, and every year thereafter should be even better. Our paths are supposed to get brighter, not darker.

It is remarkable how the Psalms have paralleled the times according to their numbering. The Psalm for this year is 110, which seems again to be an amazing fit for this coming year. It is short, so let’s briefly go through it verse by verse:

The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet” (Psalm 110:1).

The enemies of the Lord have been rising around the world, and the exhortation here is to be patient because the Lord is going to subdue them.

In prophetic symbolism, the “feet” in biblical prophecy often point to the last generation of this age. The Lord has been completing His body since the first century, and the last to touch the earth are the “feet.” These are the ones who will prevail over the enemies of the Lord.

The LORD will stretch forth His strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies” (Psalm 110:2)

The Lord is going to reveal His authority this year. Our enemies do not have to rule over us, and we can prevail even in the midst of them. This is what we must learn this year, which means enemies of the faith are going to arise.

Also, Zion, of the nation of Israel, has had to rule in the midst of its enemies since its birth, surrounded by enemies on every side. This is also true of “spiritual Israel,” the church. However, I expect a serious new assertion of this authority by the nation of Israel this year, as well as the church.

Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power. In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Your youth will be to you like the dew (Psalm 110:3).

This speaks of a great mobilization, a release of power, and a great youth movement, which we can expect to break out this year.

The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4).

We can expect a prophetic emphasis on the priesthood that all believers are a part of the order of Melchizedek.

The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath (Psalm 110:5)

We will see the judgment of the Lord coming upon leaders who are His enemies.

He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country (Psalm 110:6)

The Lord begins His judgment with His own house because He cannot judge the world for things His own people are doing. This judgment has been happening for years, and now it will turn upon the nations in a greater way, and we can expect much death.

He will drink from the brook by the wayside; therefore He will lift up His head (Psalm 110:7).

When rulers drank from the streams of a land, it was a statement that they had dominion over that land. The Lord has dominion over the earth, and nothing is happening that He has not allowed, but now we are going to see Him assert His authority. The lifting up of the Head speaks of the lifting up of Jesus. The time is coming when no one on earth will be able to escape His witness. We will know this when He is lifted up, and all will be drawn to Him.

This is going to be a great and exciting year. In many nations where Christians have had favor, there will be increasing persecution against them, such as in the U.S., but the Lord will prevail. The more the nations seek to afflict His people, the stronger and more numerous they are going to become.

My prayer for you is that this will be the best year of your lives, that you will get much closer to the Lord this year than you have ever been, and that you will be known as one of God’s best friends in the last days.