於2011-10-17發佈


神對好萊塢的呼召
 
我在異象中所看見臨到西岸的地震和火山爆發為神的審判。其他地方也充滿惡行,甚至比西岸更大,為何這些災難會臨到美西?我們之前有談到以色列的城市之所以會有比所多瑪更嚴厲的審判,是因為他們拒絕神的光的程度。神多給誰也向誰多要;然而,還有一個我們沒有提到的原因,是與屬靈權柄有關。

當一個擁有高階屬靈權柄卻轉向惡行的人,絕對不是小小的魔鬼使他們跌倒;差派到他們那的魔鬼勢力與他們的呼召和權柄相等。這就是為何一些非常大有能力的牧者,最後沈淪為最惡劣的欺騙者,開始了異端或散佈著具毀滅性的假教義。權柄越大責任也越大,因此墮落時也會造成更多的傷害。就是這樣的原因,當亞當墮落時全地隨之墮落,因為地是在亞當的權柄之下。再一次,權柄一定帶有責任,所以我們若想要很多權柄,我們就會有許多機會,無論好壞。

 城市有其呼召,例如耶路撒冷、推羅、西頓與其他聖經中提到的城市。國家也有其呼召,這即是何以大使命是要使萬國成為門徒。我稱有如此呼召的國家為屬靈的擴音器;信息在那裡傳揚,詩歌在那裡創作,甚至藝術和文化開始在那裡以更寬廣的方式散佈,並擁有更強大的影響力。我們可能認為這不過歸功於那些地方好的廣告,但那是因為那裡的恩膏使廣告更具效率,而不是廣告本身的創意。

 我們可能認為那是因為那些地方有更多這樣的人,就像洛杉磯或紐約,但更多人到那裡也是因為這城市的恩膏或呼召。那什維爾(Nashville)便是其中一個屬靈擴音器,只不過小得多。曾有一個時期,在德國威登堡(Wittenberg)這個小村莊,用真理影響了全世界,那時還沒有網際網路;只有三百人的日內瓦小禮拜堂也有著相同的影響力。 

此原則遠勝過我們在每週一話所分享的,但確實有一些城市和國家具有擴大所言所行的目的。倘若其轉向邪惡,同樣影響也會擴大。這即是何以從好萊塢出品的輔導級電影,會比從其他地方出品的限制級電影有著更強大誘惑的靈。 

好萊塢確實有其呼召成為列國屬靈的擴大器,分賜關於建造人心、家庭與國家之生命、真理、正直與道德的異象與教導。這些都是恆久豐盛的社會根基;好萊塢從其目的墮落,偶爾會從好萊塢輸出好的東西,但它現在被利用來行使極大的邪惡、輸出道德與屬靈污染,毀滅了人心、家庭,甚至腐蝕國家的力量。即便如此,神仍愛好萊塢,在那裡甚至有最離經叛道的人,但神不會再允許這樣的事繼續下去。加州的其他地區也不允許繼續散佈他們扭曲的性向與不法。倘若他們不快快悔改,都會被除去。

我不斷被問及,倘若神仍將人差派到那裡來協助改變好萊塢,這樣的預言怎麼可能是真的。我期待主到最後才這樣做,因為祂滿有恩典,祂寧可展示憐憫勝過帶來審判。即便如此,到一個時候審判就無法避免了。到一個時候毀滅將無法避免,而我們正靠近那個時候。 

正如我們清楚看見約拿和尼尼微城的故事,悔改可以改變事情。直到事情發生前,我們並不知道主還會有多少憐憫。一個很大的悲劇是基督徒領袖扭曲神審判觀點的方式,使得一些人逃脫了應有的悔改,所以這些人現在正面臨可怕的毀滅,他們持續自我感覺良好,並不為自己所做之事悔改,本來可以避免的毀滅將無法避免。 

當我還是軍人時,看守時間睡著的後果很嚴重,因為這會危及到整艘船,甚至整艘艦隊。在戰區,看守時睡著可能會因其後果而處死刑。正如主所警告的,我們不該對人怎麼想我們,或把我們怎樣而感到懼怕,乃要懼怕主,因為我們必要站立在祂審判臺前。 

是否基督徒要負上此毀滅的責任呢?在審判那日,每一位沒有發警報的守望者都要被追討責任;每一位沒有保護神子民的牧者都要被追討責任;每一位沒有在蒙召之處成為光和鹽的基督徒都要被追討責任。不管我們喜歡與否,這就是全然的聖經真理。我現在看起來像是最大的傻瓜,但我寧可現在如此也不要那日如此。我甚至想要看見那些在此時蒙召成為光和鹽的人甦醒過來,成為他們所蒙召的樣式,好讓悔改臨到,這些事就不需要發生。那可能仍使我看起來像傻瓜,但我會很高興為此付上的代價,因為我知道有一天我會得著我的獎賞。 

我所分享的這些都與西岸有關,但美國還有其他地方也在危急之中。神呼召我們國家悔改、回轉向祂,以實現我們在此重要時刻的目的,我們必須要有全國性的復興,有另一個大覺醒,這些是有可能發生在西岸的。
   (摘自喬納 word for the week, Week 39, 2011)

The Judgments of God, Part 2
God's Calling on Hollywood
Week 39, 2011   

The earthquakes and volcanic eruptions I have seen coming to our West Coast are coming as the judgment of God. Why would they come to our West Coast when there are many other places that may seem as wicked, or even more so, than our West Coast? We have covered some of this when we addressed what the Lord said about the cities of Israel that would have it harder in the judgment than even Sodom because of the level of light that was rejected. To whom more is given more is required. However, there is another factor we have not discussed yet. This has to do with spiritual authority.

When a person with high level spiritual authority turns to evil, they are not just sent a little demon to keep them in their fallen state; they are sent demonic forces equal to their calling and authority. This is why some very powerful preachers who fall end up being some of the worst deceivers and start cults or promulgate terribly destructive false doctrines. With more authority comes more responsibility, and therefore the more damage that can be caused by a fall. It was for this reason that when Adam fell, the whole earth fell because it was under his authority. Again, there can be no authority without responsibility, so if we want a lot of authority we can have great opportunity for either good or evil. 

Cities can also have callings such as Jerusalem, Tyre, Sidon, and others mentioned in Scripture. The same is true with nations, which is why the Great Commission is to disciple nations. Nations with such a calling have what I call a spiritual amplifier. Messages that are preached there, songs that are written there, and even aspects of art and culture that have begun there simply get distributed in a much greater way, and can have a more powerful impact. We may think this is just because of the good advertising that goes forth from those places, but it is actually that advertising is more effective from those places because of the anointing on the place rather than the genius of the advertising. 

We might think that it is because there are more people in places like LA or New York, but actually more people are there because of the anointing or calling on the city. Nashville also has one of these spiritual amplifiers and is much smaller. There was a time when Wittenberg, Germany, not much more than a village, impacted the whole world with truth without even having the Internet. Geneva did the same from a little chapel that only held about three hundred people. 

This principle deserves far more than what we can devote to it here, but there are cities and nations with purposes that magnify what is done or said in them. If it turns to evil, it can likewise be magnified. This is why a PG movie coming out of Hollywood can have a more powerful spirit of seduction on it than an R rated movie coming from somewhere else. 

Hollywood does have a calling to be a spiritual megaphone to the nations for imparting vision, teaching about life, truth, integrity, and morality that builds people, families, and nations. These are the foundation for a lasting and prosperous society. Hollywood has fallen from its purpose. Something good may occasionally come from Hollywood, but it is now being used to do great evil, exporting moral and spiritual pollution that is destroying people, families, and even eroding the strength of nations. Even so, God still loves Hollywood, and even the most perverted person there, but He will not allow this to go on much longer. There are also other parts of California that cannot be allowed to go on spreading their perversion and lawlessness. They are going to be removed if they do not repent very quickly.

I have been asked repeatedly how this could be true if God is still sending people there to help change Hollywood. I expect the Lord to do this until the end because He is that gracious and He would much rather show mercy than bring judgment. Even so, there is a time when judgment is inevitable. There is a time when destruction becomes inevitable, and we are approaching that time.

Repentance can change things, just as we see clearly in the story of Jonah and Nineveh. Until it has happened, we do not know how much mercy the Lord will have. A great tragedy is the way Christian leaders have distorted the view of God’s judgment that they let those who might otherwise be repenting off the hook. So these who are now facing a terrible destruction go on feeling good about themselves and what they’re doing so that they do not repent and the destruction that might have been avoided is not. 

When I was in the military, there was a terrible consequence for sleeping on watch. This is because to do so jeopardized the whole ship and maybe even the fleet. In a war zone, sleeping on watch could bring the death penalty because of its consequences. As the Lord warned, we should not fear what men think of us or try to do to us, but we must fear the Lord before whose judgment seat we will all stand. 

Does this put the responsibility for this destruction on Christians? On the Judgment Day every watchman who did not sound the alarm will be held accountable. Every shepherd who did not protect God’s people will be held accountable. Every Christian who failed to be the salt and light that they were called to be in their communities will be held accountable. Like it or not, that is sound biblical truth. I may look like the biggest fool now, but I would rather look like that now than then. I even would much rather see those awakened who are called to be the salt and light in these times and for them to become what they are called to be so that repentance would come and none of these things would have to happen. That may still leave me looking foolish, but I’d gladly pay that price, because I know I will get my reward when it counts the most.

I am sharing these in regard to the West Coast, but there are other regions of the U.S. that are in just as much jeopardy. God is calling us as a nation to repent and return to Him and fulfill our purpose in the important times. We must have a national revival, another Great Awakening. These can be on our West Coast.