預備時候–之 20
於2010-05-24發佈
從聖經預言我們得知，在這世代末了將臨到的災難是從來沒有過的。就在同一時候，對神的子民而言也是祂的榮耀顯在他們身上之時（參考以賽亞書60：1-5）。三到五節所帶來的結果，就是萬國會因神子民的光而轉向他們。光會得勝！從這些經文，我們可以斷定日子可能會充滿艱難，但神的子民最後將得勝。正如聖經告訴我們主常率領我們在基督裡得勝，我們最終一定會戰勝（參考林後 2：14），我們絕不能忘記此。
从圣经预言我们得知，在这世代末了将临到的灾难是从来没有过的。就在同一时候，对神的子民而言也是祂的荣耀显在他们身上之时（参考以赛亚书60:1-5）。三到五节所带来的结果，就是万国会因神子民的光而转向他们。光会得胜！从这些经文，我们可以断定日子可能会充满艰难，但神的子民最后将得胜。正如圣经告诉我们主常率领我们在基督里得胜，我们最终一定会战胜（参考林后2:14），我们绝不能忘记此。
现在临到世界的震动，和神在埃及的审判有着相同的目的─释放神的子民自由，并审判世界的神。一个神不局限在你膜拜或祭拜的对象，还包括你对其的信靠超过神。这一切都要被震动，好让不能被震动的─神的国，能成为我们本当信靠的唯一对象。
我们知道在这世代末了，了解经济尤其重要，因为『兽的印记』是一个经济的印记，决定我们是否能在世界的体制『买卖或交易』。接受兽的印记并不是罪，它不过是罪的证明，就是拜兽。我们必须了解此兽，我们必须将我们的生命建造在另一个经济─神要来国度的经济。
正如我们先前所讨论的，除非我们知道要往哪里去，我们在地图的哪个地方，否则地图就没有用。经济在末世很重要，而兽的印记是一个经济的印记，因为两者皆与人心有关。金钱并不邪恶，但提摩太前书六章10节却告诉我们：『贪财是万恶之根。』更直接的翻译是『在万恶之根上处处可见贪财』，这是因为钱财是人心的终极偶像。偶像不单是我们崇拜的对象，更是我们对其的信靠超越过神。
经济也牵涉到人类的基本交易，可能也是人心最清晰的气压计，显出我们如何对待别人。在此我们只会谈到我们所需的部分，以了解今日世界的一些基本势力与事件。然而，我们藉此所学到的原则，也助于评估许多其它正发生的事。
凡经历过被释放的人很快就发现，魔鬼的压制多半藉由创伤进入，在历史上也是如此─藉由危机与文化创伤，许多地狱之门被打开，使魔鬼入侵社会与文化中。这即是何以了解目前的经济危机是如此重要的原因，它会成为敞开的大门，使从未有过的终极邪恶之一临到地上。
正如我们先前曾简短讨论过，美国的经济建造在许多因素上，但成长的引擎主要是中小企业。中小企业目前涵盖美国一半的经济，却提供七、八成的新工作机会。这些中小企业多半是家族企业，也是国家整体的经济柱子与根基。重大革新所带来的企业诞生与成长推手多半是个人、小团体与小事业。创造动力多半在小团体中找到，很少出现在大团体、官僚政治中。
尽管大型企业仍占了一半的经济，几乎也都是从小团体开始的。为着我们经济持续的动力与健康，我们必须让中小企业的导管充满冒险精神与首创精神，失去这些，我们的经济最终会因着在市场上缺乏更新而倒塌。显然政府机构或主要政党并不了解此，就算那些重视商业的政党，政策几乎一面倒向大型企业，并没有推动中小企业。现在我们所拥有的政府是敌视商业团体的，强迫执行一些政策与方案将扼杀所有的企业─主动力。
这即是何以大型、中央集权的马克斯经济失败的原因之一─大的官僚组织对真正有创意与革新的人更加困难，要不然就是想法与主动力枯竭。
未来几周我们会谈到政府走向中央集权的一些其它因素，在历史上从来没有好的结果，政府却不经思考的想将此强加在他们的政策上。随着此时其它因素汇集在一起，他们所提出的事情，其根基似乎不是引致极权统治，就是为社会带来毁坏的暴民政治与不法。我们目前所处的环境仍可以避免、翻转其趋势；然而，事件正快速发生，没有太多时间浪费。无论这些可否避免，都是许多基督徒在圣经预言之光中摔跤的主要疑问，这些都需要答案；我们将尝试答复。
(摘自 乔纳 word for the week, Week 20, 2010)
Prepared for the Times, Part 20
Week 20, 2010
We know from biblical prophecy that at the end of this age a time of trouble will come upon the world like it has never known. At the same time, we will see that for God’s people this will be the time when His glory appears upon them (see Isaiah 60:1-5). The result stated in verses 3–5 of this text is that the nations of the world will turn to God’s people because of their light. The light wins! From these Scriptures, we can conclude that the times may be full of troubles, but God’s people will be triumphant at the end. Just as we are told that the Lord always leads us into His triumph, we can be sure that His people will prevail at the end (see II Corinthians 2:14). We must never forget that.
The shaking that is now coming on the world is for the same purpose that the judgments of God came upon Egypt—to set God’s people free and to judge the gods of this world. A god is not just something you bow down to or have rituals to appease, but it is what you put your trust in instead of God. All of these are going to be shaken so that which cannot be shaken, the kingdom of God, can be revealed as the only thing we should have our trust in.
We know that understanding the economy is very important at the end of the age because the “mark of the beast” is an economic mark, which determines whether we can “buy, sell, or trade” in the world system. Taking the mark of the beast is not the sin but is just evidence of the sin, which is worshiping the beast. We must understand this beast, and we must build our lives on another economy—the economy of the coming kingdom of God.
As we’ve discussed before, no map would be useful unless we know where we are going, and where we are presently on the map. Economics are important at the end, and the mark of the beast is an economic mark because both of these deal with ultimate issues of the human heart. Money is not evil, but we are told in I Timothy 6:10 that “the love of money is the root of all evil.” A more literal translation of this would be “the love of money can be found at the root of all the evils.” This is because money can be an ultimate idol of the human heart. An idol isn’t just something we worship, but what we put our trust in instead of God.
Economics also deals with basic human transactions, which is possibly the clearest barometer of the human heart, revealing how we treat others. We will only address these issues to the degree that is needed in order to understand some of the basic forces and events in the world today. However, the principles we learn by doing this can be useful in evaluating many other things that are happening as well.
Those who have had much experience with deliverance discover quickly that most demonic oppression enters through trauma of some sort. The same is true in history—many gates of hell are opened for demonic inroads into societies and cultures through crises and cultural trauma. This is why understanding the present economic crisis is so important. It will be the open door to one of the ultimate evils to ever come upon the earth.
As we have briefly discussed before, the American economy is built on many factors, but the growth engine is primarily small business. Small business now composes about 50 percent of the American economy, but provides between 70 to 80 percent of all new jobs created. Most of these small businesses are family owned and are an economic pillar and foundation for the nation as a whole. Most of the great innovations that have propelled the birth and growth of industries started mostly through individuals, small groups, and small businesses. A creative dynamic can be found with small groups that is rarely found in large, bureaucratic ones.
Even though large businesses still represent half of the economy, they were almost all small ones at first. For our continued economic strength and health, we must keep this pipeline of small business filled with those who have the enterprise and initiative without which our economy will eventually collapse from a lack of renewal in the marketplace. It does not seem that any administration or either major political party has truly understood this. Even those who were pro-business were almost entirely for big business in their policies and have done little to promote small business. Now we have an administration that is hostile to business and forcing policies and programs that will be devastating to the vital lifeline of all business—initiative.
This is one reason why large, centralized Marxist economies have never succeeded—large bureaucratic organizations become increasingly difficult for truly creative and innovative people, or ideas, and initiative dries up.
A few other factors will be covered in the coming weeks that will lead to a centralization and control by the government, which has never had good results in history, but governments seem prone to have a knee-jerk tendency to impose this on their subjects. With the confluence of other factors at this time, they seem to point to the foundation for events that usually lead to either totalitarian control, or such a breakdown that lawlessness and mob rule bring a basic meltdown to society. We are still at a place that these can be avoided and their trends reversed. However, events are happening fast, and there is not much time to waste. Whether these are inevitable or are avoidable is a major question many Christians are wrestling with in the light of biblical prophecies, and these need to be answered. We will attempt to do this.
現在臨到世界的震動，和神在埃及的審判有著相同的目的─
我們知道在這世代末了，瞭解經濟尤其重要，因為『獸的印記』
正如我們先前所討論的，除非我們知道要往哪裡去，
經濟也牽涉到人類的基本交易，可能也是人心最清晰的氣壓計，
凡經歷過被釋放的人很快就發現，魔鬼的壓制多半藉由創傷進入，
正如我們先前曾簡短討論過，美國的經濟建造在許多因素上，
儘管大型企業仍佔了一半的經濟，幾乎也都是從小團體開始的。
這即是何以大型、中央集權的馬克斯經濟失敗的原因之一─
未來幾週我們會談到政府走向中央集權的一些其他因素，
(摘自 喬納 word for the week, Week 20, 2010)
从圣经预言我们得知，在这世代末了将临到的灾难是从来没有过的。就在同一时候，对神的子民而言也是祂的荣耀显在他们身上之时（参考以赛亚书60:1-5）。三到五节所带来的结果，就是万国会因神子民的光而转向他们。光会得胜！从这些经文，我们可以断定日子可能会充满艰难，但神的子民最后将得胜。正如圣经告诉我们主常率领我们在基督里得胜，我们最终一定会战胜（参考林后2:14），我们绝不能忘记此。
现在临到世界的震动，和神在埃及的审判有着相同的目的─释放神的子民自由，并审判世界的神。一个神不局限在你膜拜或祭拜的对象，还包括你对其的信靠超过神。这一切都要被震动，好让不能被震动的─神的国，能成为我们本当信靠的唯一对象。
我们知道在这世代末了，了解经济尤其重要，因为『兽的印记』是一个经济的印记，决定我们是否能在世界的体制『买卖或交易』。接受兽的印记并不是罪，它不过是罪的证明，就是拜兽。我们必须了解此兽，我们必须将我们的生命建造在另一个经济─神要来国度的经济。
正如我们先前所讨论的，除非我们知道要往哪里去，我们在地图的哪个地方，否则地图就没有用。经济在末世很重要，而兽的印记是一个经济的印记，因为两者皆与人心有关。金钱并不邪恶，但提摩太前书六章10节却告诉我们：『贪财是万恶之根。』更直接的翻译是『在万恶之根上处处可见贪财』，这是因为钱财是人心的终极偶像。偶像不单是我们崇拜的对象，更是我们对其的信靠超越过神。
经济也牵涉到人类的基本交易，可能也是人心最清晰的气压计，显出我们如何对待别人。在此我们只会谈到我们所需的部分，以了解今日世界的一些基本势力与事件。然而，我们藉此所学到的原则，也助于评估许多其它正发生的事。
凡经历过被释放的人很快就发现，魔鬼的压制多半藉由创伤进入，在历史上也是如此─藉由危机与文化创伤，许多地狱之门被打开，使魔鬼入侵社会与文化中。这即是何以了解目前的经济危机是如此重要的原因，它会成为敞开的大门，使从未有过的终极邪恶之一临到地上。
正如我们先前曾简短讨论过，美国的经济建造在许多因素上，但成长的引擎主要是中小企业。中小企业目前涵盖美国一半的经济，却提供七、八成的新工作机会。这些中小企业多半是家族企业，也是国家整体的经济柱子与根基。重大革新所带来的企业诞生与成长推手多半是个人、小团体与小事业。创造动力多半在小团体中找到，很少出现在大团体、官僚政治中。
尽管大型企业仍占了一半的经济，几乎也都是从小团体开始的。为着我们经济持续的动力与健康，我们必须让中小企业的导管充满冒险精神与首创精神，失去这些，我们的经济最终会因着在市场上缺乏更新而倒塌。显然政府机构或主要政党并不了解此，就算那些重视商业的政党，政策几乎一面倒向大型企业，并没有推动中小企业。现在我们所拥有的政府是敌视商业团体的，强迫执行一些政策与方案将扼杀所有的企业─主动力。
这即是何以大型、中央集权的马克斯经济失败的原因之一─大的官僚组织对真正有创意与革新的人更加困难，要不然就是想法与主动力枯竭。
未来几周我们会谈到政府走向中央集权的一些其它因素，在历史上从来没有好的结果，政府却不经思考的想将此强加在他们的政策上。随着此时其它因素汇集在一起，他们所提出的事情，其根基似乎不是引致极权统治，就是为社会带来毁坏的暴民政治与不法。我们目前所处的环境仍可以避免、翻转其趋势；然而，事件正快速发生，没有太多时间浪费。无论这些可否避免，都是许多基督徒在圣经预言之光中摔跤的主要疑问，这些都需要答案；我们将尝试答复。
(摘自 乔纳 word for the week, Week 20, 2010)
Prepared for the Times, Part 20
Week 20, 2010
We know from biblical prophecy that at the end of this age a time of trouble will come upon the world like it has never known. At the same time, we will see that for God’s people this will be the time when His glory appears upon them (see Isaiah 60:1-5). The result stated in verses 3–5 of this text is that the nations of the world will turn to God’s people because of their light. The light wins! From these Scriptures, we can conclude that the times may be full of troubles, but God’s people will be triumphant at the end. Just as we are told that the Lord always leads us into His triumph, we can be sure that His people will prevail at the end (see II Corinthians 2:14). We must never forget that.
The shaking that is now coming on the world is for the same purpose that the judgments of God came upon Egypt—to set God’s people free and to judge the gods of this world. A god is not just something you bow down to or have rituals to appease, but it is what you put your trust in instead of God. All of these are going to be shaken so that which cannot be shaken, the kingdom of God, can be revealed as the only thing we should have our trust in.
We know that understanding the economy is very important at the end of the age because the “mark of the beast” is an economic mark, which determines whether we can “buy, sell, or trade” in the world system. Taking the mark of the beast is not the sin but is just evidence of the sin, which is worshiping the beast. We must understand this beast, and we must build our lives on another economy—the economy of the coming kingdom of God.
As we’ve discussed before, no map would be useful unless we know where we are going, and where we are presently on the map. Economics are important at the end, and the mark of the beast is an economic mark because both of these deal with ultimate issues of the human heart. Money is not evil, but we are told in I Timothy 6:10 that “the love of money is the root of all evil.” A more literal translation of this would be “the love of money can be found at the root of all the evils.” This is because money can be an ultimate idol of the human heart. An idol isn’t just something we worship, but what we put our trust in instead of God.
Economics also deals with basic human transactions, which is possibly the clearest barometer of the human heart, revealing how we treat others. We will only address these issues to the degree that is needed in order to understand some of the basic forces and events in the world today. However, the principles we learn by doing this can be useful in evaluating many other things that are happening as well.
Those who have had much experience with deliverance discover quickly that most demonic oppression enters through trauma of some sort. The same is true in history—many gates of hell are opened for demonic inroads into societies and cultures through crises and cultural trauma. This is why understanding the present economic crisis is so important. It will be the open door to one of the ultimate evils to ever come upon the earth.
As we have briefly discussed before, the American economy is built on many factors, but the growth engine is primarily small business. Small business now composes about 50 percent of the American economy, but provides between 70 to 80 percent of all new jobs created. Most of these small businesses are family owned and are an economic pillar and foundation for the nation as a whole. Most of the great innovations that have propelled the birth and growth of industries started mostly through individuals, small groups, and small businesses. A creative dynamic can be found with small groups that is rarely found in large, bureaucratic ones.
Even though large businesses still represent half of the economy, they were almost all small ones at first. For our continued economic strength and health, we must keep this pipeline of small business filled with those who have the enterprise and initiative without which our economy will eventually collapse from a lack of renewal in the marketplace. It does not seem that any administration or either major political party has truly understood this. Even those who were pro-business were almost entirely for big business in their policies and have done little to promote small business. Now we have an administration that is hostile to business and forcing policies and programs that will be devastating to the vital lifeline of all business—initiative.
This is one reason why large, centralized Marxist economies have never succeeded—large bureaucratic organizations become increasingly difficult for truly creative and innovative people, or ideas, and initiative dries up.
A few other factors will be covered in the coming weeks that will lead to a centralization and control by the government, which has never had good results in history, but governments seem prone to have a knee-jerk tendency to impose this on their subjects. With the confluence of other factors at this time, they seem to point to the foundation for events that usually lead to either totalitarian control, or such a breakdown that lawlessness and mob rule bring a basic meltdown to society. We are still at a place that these can be avoided and their trends reversed. However, events are happening fast, and there is not much time to waste. Whether these are inevitable or are avoidable is a major question many Christians are wrestling with in the light of biblical prophecies, and these need to be answered. We will attempt to do this.