2010-09-27

預備時候-之34 (雷克喬納)

我曾一連三十天看地方新聞,只為了看看是否有任何好消息,連一則也沒有。當然,還是有一些好消息,只不過以目前的標準並沒有新聞價值。當我開始寫這週的每週一話時,我把電視打開看新聞,很快我就被一連串的問題與危機所淹沒。很容易瞭解為何有些人說我們正處在『艱難時期』,事情還能比現在還糟嗎?
倘若我們詢問那些二次大戰在死亡集中營,或在盧安達大屠殺中倖存的人,我們就知道事情還會更糟、更更糟。美國歷史上也有比現在更糟的時候;然而,萬物的終極結局一定會更好─聖經告訴我們其美好到超乎我們的想像。聖經也告訴我們,我們現在就可以活在神要來國度的權柄之下。羅馬書十四章17節告訴我們說:『因為神的國不在乎吃喝,只在乎公義、和平,並聖靈中的喜樂。』我們現在就可以擁有平安與喜樂,它超越目前世上所能理解。這是我們正尋求做的事情,不僅是為了讓我們擁有更好的生活,更是讓我們幫助每一個人看見他們也可以擁有更好的生活。

有時我會被問及是否相信在宇宙中還有其他有智能的生命體,因為科學尚未證實,聖經也沒提到,我們所能做的只有推測。許多神的偉大男女表達他們相信有其他生命體存在。一些人認為當主說到好牧人會留下九十九隻羊,去尋找遺失的那一隻,遺失的那一隻正是地球,其他有生命的星球沒有遺失,對他們的造物主繼續忠心順服。

也有人推測撒旦被丟到地球,因為那是宇宙中唯一失落的星球。因為並沒有聖經證實或駁斥如此的信念,所以我們必須給予一些信念自由,只要它們沒有成為教會的教義。我們可以爭論是否宇宙中還有其他生命存在,我們卻不能爭論在屬靈層面確實有許多不同的生命形式,正如我們在聖經中所看見的。聖經也告訴我們整個有形的宇宙與屬靈層面相比,不過是影兒而已。我們可以說,至少可以推論,除了地球以外的整個宇宙,與神保持著和諧的關係。

與整個宇宙相比,地球不過是一顆微粒。正如許多人教導,例如路益師,宇宙中所有邪惡都在這稱為地球的小小微粒上。神確切的應許是這小小微粒會全然復興成為它原本被創造成為的樂園,到一個地步再也沒有疾病、死亡、痛苦,也沒有人會傷害任何人─豺狼與綿羊羔同居,小孩子與蛇玩耍(參考以賽亞書11:6-9)。 然後整個宇宙會與造物主達成全然和諧,我們現在正被呼召活出此樣式,我們被呼召將其呈現出來,我們也被呼召將其傳揚出來。

這週我經過一個教會好幾次,跑馬燈上出現一句古老且常常被使用的話:『傳揚福音,若需要時使用神的話』。我們需要使用神的話,正如羅馬書十章12-14節所告訴我們的:『猶太人和希利尼人並沒有分別,因為眾人同有一位主;祂也厚待一切求告祂的人。因為凡求告主名的,就必得救。然而,人未曾信祂,怎能求祂呢﹖未曾聽見祂,怎能信祂呢﹖沒有傳道的,怎能聽見呢﹖』人們可能藉由觀察我們而受到一些影響,但若沒有神的話,他們不會領會福音。無論我們的見證有多好,倘若他們無法領會,他們就無法得救。我們絕不要被這古老格言說服,特別是與聖經違背的話。這並不是在否定一個事實,就是若我們擁有公義、和平與喜樂,特別是在要來的時候,我們將會成為如此強烈的對比,吸引人們的注意,使他們的心向著神福音的話語敞開。

我們擁有世界有史以來最好的消息─聽見福音的好消息,就是神要來的國度。問題似乎越來越多,但這些問題一定會結束。我們蒙召行走並活在要來的國度中,傳揚即將臨到全世界的好消息。

當我在寫這篇每週一話時,我瀏覽了幾個頻道,聽見格倫.貝克(Glenn Beck)在福斯新聞上卓越的陳述。他基本上是在說我們目前的問題超過人的能力所能修正,我們唯一的解藥就是轉向神尋求祂的幫助。這是真理,而且我們很少在世俗電視新聞頻道聽見這樣的真理。

倘若你長時間閱讀每週一話,你就會知道多年來我一直在說,我們在各層面不斷上升的難題,遠超過人類的補救方法。在末世面對艱難時期的基本成因是人類沈淪的結果,試圖不藉由造物主來掌管這個世界。當地球與所有受造物花了永恆的時間學到我們的歷史,他們將瞭解這樣的事絕對不能再重演!

最終的解決之道在於轉向神正如祂如此恩慈所應許的─祂會回應所有呼求祂的人。這就是這世界的答案,也是我們每個人的答案。這並不是要我們必須信靠神,乃是要我們開始信靠神!最大的信心總在最艱困的景況中呈現出來,那也是最大的神蹟顯現之時。許多人想要看大神蹟,卻不想將自己放在需要的環境中。現在我們就在那樣的環境,我們將會看見大神蹟。其中一個最大的神蹟就是在神百姓身上的公義、和平與喜樂。
(摘自 喬納 word for the week, Week 34, 2010)
Prepared for the Times, Part 34
Week 34, 2010

I once watched the local news for thirty days straight to see if there was any good news. There was none reported. Of course, there was some good news, but just not newsworthy by present network standards. I turned on the news as I sat down to write this and was quickly overwhelmed by the problems and crises that came cascading down at me from the television set. It’s easy to understand why some are saying we’re in “the great time of trouble” now. How much worse could it get?

If we ask those who survived the death camps in World War II or the massacre in Rwanda, we would know that it could get much, much worse. There have been times in America’s history when it was much worse. However, the ultimate end of all things is that it is going to get much, much better—so much better that Scripture tells us that we cannot even imagine how wonderful it will be. The Scriptures also tell us that we can live under the authority of the coming kingdom of God now. We are told in Romans 14:17 that “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” We can have peace and joy now, which is beyond present, earthly comprehension. This is what we are seeking to do, not just so we can have a better life, but so we can help everyone see that they can have a better life too.

I am sometimes asked if I believe other intelligent life exists in the universe. Because there has been no proof through science and the Scriptures do not address this, all we can do is speculate. Many great men and women of God have expressed a belief that other life exists out there. Some think that when the Lord spoke of how the Good Shepherd would leave the ninety-nine sheep to hunt for the one that was lost, that the one that was lost was the earth, and that all of the other planets with life on them have not fallen and remain faithful and obedient to their Creator. Perhaps.

There has also been speculation that Satan was cast down to the earth because it was the only fallen planet in the universe. Since no Scriptures establish or refute such a belief, we must give liberty to such beliefs as long as they are not promoted as a doctrine of the church. We can debate whether or not other life exists in the physical universe, but we cannot debate that there are many diverse forms of life in the spiritual realm as we see in Scripture. We’re also told that this physical universe is but a shadow compared to the spiritual realm. We could make a case that there are at least inferences that the whole universe, with the exception of earth, remains in harmony with God.

The earth is just a speck of dust compared to the rest of the physical universe. As many have taught, such as C.S. Lewis, all of the evil in the universe is on this one tiny little speck of dust called earth. The sure promises of God are that this little speck will be fully restored to the paradise it was originally created to be, to the point where there will be no more sickness, dying, pain, or anyone doing harm to anyone else—that the wolf will dwell with the lamb and children will play with cobras (see Isaiah 11:6-9). Then the whole universe will be in complete harmony with its Creator. We’re called to live in this now. We’re called to demonstrate it, and we’re called to preach it.

I passed a church several times this week that had on its marquee the ancient and often quoted statement, “Preach the gospel. If necessary use words.” It is necessary to use words as we are told in Romans 10:12-14: “for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; for ‘WHOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’ How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” People may be impacted in some way by observing us, but they will not comprehend the gospel without words. If they do not comprehend it, they will not come to salvation, regardless of how good our witness is. We must not be persuaded by such glib sayings, especially when they are refuted by the Scriptures. This is not to negate the fact that if we have righteousness, peace, and joy, especially in the times to come, we are going to be such a contrast that it will get people’s attention and can be used to open their hearts to the words of the gospel.

We have been given the greatest news the world has ever, or will ever, hear—the gospel, or good news, of the coming kingdom of God. Troubles seem to be mounting with every passing day in this world, but these will certainly come to an end. We are called to walk and live in the coming kingdom and to preach the good news that it is coming to all the earth.

As I scanned a few news channels while writing this Word for the Week, I heard Glenn Beck make a remarkable statement on Fox News. He basically said that our problems are now beyond human ability to correct them, and that our only remedy is to turn to God for His help. That is the truth, and certainly one that we do not hear on a secular news channel often, if ever.

If you’ve been reading these Words for the Week for long, you know for years I have been saying that our problems in virtually every area are growing beyond human remedy. The basic cause of the great time of trouble that is the end of this age is the fruit of fallen mankind trying to run this world without the Creator. When the earth and all of creation for all of eternity learns our history, they will understand that this is something that should never be tried again!

The ultimate solution is to turn to God, and as He has so graciously promised—He will respond to any who call upon Him. This is the answer for this world, and it is the answer for each one of us individually. It’s not that we have to trust the Lord, but that we get to! The greatest faith is demonstrated in the most difficult conditions, which is when the greatest miracles are seen. Many want to see the great miracles, but just don’t want to be put in a situation where they need them. Now we’re in that situation, and we will see them. One of the greatest miracles of all will be the righteousness, peace, and joy of God’s people.

國度禱告網
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