於2014-05-17發佈

大使命18

真實的平安與喜樂

在路加福音十七章20-21節,我們對神要來的國度有一個很重要的洞見:

法利賽人問:神的國幾時來到?耶穌回答說:神的國來到不是眼所能見的。 
人也不得說:看哪,在這裡!看哪,在那裡!因為神的國就在你們心裡(心裡:或作中間)。 

這也可以翻為,神的國來到不是用肉眼所能看見,而是要用心眼。在以弗所書一章18節,使徒寫說他為他們的禱告是:『並且照明你們心中的眼睛』,這正是我們的屬靈眼睛,我們是透過這樣的眼睛來看神要來的國。

在這段談話後面,還有在其他的福音書中,主說許多的事情會伴隨著這世代末了發生,成為世界一團亂的徵兆。相反地,神要來的國度並不在混亂中,世上的國與神的國將在這世代末了成為最大的對比─當世上的國沈淪至更多的紛爭和混亂,神的國將以更多的秩序與和平而引人注目。

羅馬書十四章17節告訴我們,神的國只在乎『公義、和平,並聖靈中的喜樂』。這些即是神的國在我們中間,在神百姓心中的徵兆。當世界有越來越多的懼怕和沮喪,那些住在神國的人將擁有越來越多的平安與喜樂。因此,凡是將盼望放在這世界而分崩離析的人,將會注視那些在神國度的人,彷彿他們完全沒有活在真實的世界,事實是他們將是唯一接觸真實的人。

公義是行主眼中看為正的事,這將人引至一種世人無法瞭解的平安裡。這種與神在和諧關係裡的平安是真實與長久喜樂的基礎。

當世界落入更深層的危機,人們的恐懼和沮喪將越來越大,這會使在神百姓裡成長的平安與喜樂形成更大的對比。在神百姓中間或心中所成長的平安與喜樂,將會成為神要來國度最清楚的徵兆。

神告訴我在要來的時候,神的百姓會快樂到世人以為我們頭腦有問題。一個主要的原因是因為神的百姓將順服於歌羅西書三章1-2節的勸誡:

所以,你們若真與基督一同復活,就當求在上面的事;那裡有基督坐在神的右邊。 
你們要思念上面的事,不要思念地上的事。 

凡是愛神並渴慕祂再來的人,沒有比看見耶穌是誰,祂坐在哪裡更大的平安了─祂遠超越一切執政掌權者的權柄與管轄。沒有人能勝過祂,也沒有祂無法勝過的事。祂是無法抵擋的勢力,是無法移動的對象,祂是不能搖動的磐石。倘若我們將我們的生命建造在行祂的旨意上,也沒有任何事可以搖動我們,正如祂在約翰福音十六章33節對我們的鼓勵:

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。

倘若我們的盼望是這世上的事,我們將經歷更多的苦難。倘若我們將生命建造在這世界,我們的心將像世人一樣充滿恐懼,只有在主裡我們才會有平安,現在是將我們的全心放在祂身上的時候,並且先求祂的國和祂的義。

(摘自喬納 word for the week, Week18, 2014)



True Peace and Joy - The Great Commission, Part 18
Week 18, 2014 
Rick Joyner 
 
In Luke 17:20-21, we have an important insight into the coming of the kingdom:

Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 
“nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

This could have been translated that the kingdom is not coming with signs that can be seen outwardly, but with the heart. In Ephesians 1:18, the apostle wrote that he prayed for “the eyes of your hearts” to be opened, our spiritual eyes. These are the eyes through which we see the coming kingdom.

Later in this discourse and in the other gospels, the Lord said that many events would accompany the end of this age, such as the signs of a world in chaos. Conversely, the coming kingdom is not in chaos. This is one of the ultimate contrasts between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God at the end of the age—as the kingdoms of this world are descending into increasing discord and chaos, the kingdom of God will stand out as the place of increasing order and peace.

We are told in Romans 14:17 that the kingdom of God is “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” These are signs of the coming kingdom in our midst, in the hearts of God’s people. As the world is growing in fear and depression, those living in the kingdom will be growing in peace and joy. Because of this, those who have put their hope in this world that is falling apart will look at those in the kingdom as being completely out of touch with reality, when in fact they will be the only ones in touch with reality.

Righteousness is doing what is right in the sight of the Lord. This leads to a peace that is incomprehensible to the world. This peace that only comes from being right with God is the basis for true and lasting joy.

As the world falls into deeper crises, fear and depression will be magnified. This will make the peace and joy that God’s people are growing in even more of a contrast. This peace and joy growing in the midst, or hearts, of God’s people will be one of the clearest signs of the coming kingdom.

I was told that in the times to come, God’s people will be so happy that the rest of the world will think we are mentally challenged. One major reason for this is that God’s people will have become obedient to the exhortation of Colossians 3:1-2:

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

For those who love the Lord and long for His coming, there is no greater peace than seeing who Jesus is and where He sits—far above all rule and authority and dominion. There are none that can overcome Him, and none that He cannot overcome. He is the Irresistible Force and the Immovable Object. He is the Rock that cannot be moved. If we build our lives on doing His will, nothing can move us either. As He encouraged us in John 16:33:

“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 our hope is in the things of this world, we will experience increasing tribulation. If we have built our lives on this world, our hearts will be full of fear like everyone else in the world. It is only in the Lord that we have peace. Now is the time to set our hearts wholly on Him and seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.