2008-07-22 Devotionals Today

知信行網上團契為各主內肢體提供的每日靈糧，歡迎訂閱，推介及奉獻支持。 《網絡天糧》查詢，請電郵：ccf@ccfellow.org 訂閱天糧 | 轉介天糧 | 修訂訂閱 | 奉獻支持 大開中門的教會 粵語國語 第22天 讀經：啟示錄三章7至13節 　　聖經中經常用「門」來象徵機會。它可以是指到救恩之門，也可以是指到事奉之門；當大開中門的時候，人人都可以進來，但當大開關上，就等於失去了機會。 　　基督對非拉鐵非教會說：「我在你面前給你敞開的門，是無人能關的」。這是一個事奉之門；基督呼召非拉鐵非教會的信徒進入祂開啟的機會，將福音的信息向別人傳開。在你的教會面前，有沒有甚麼大開已經敞開了的呢？你們有否為此做了些甚麼呢？你們的教會有多久之前，才商討過傳福音的大計？ 　　或許我們都想對此教會認識更多。「非拉鐵非」是一個人的名字，由於該城是由他所建立，故此以他的名字命名。「非拉鐵非」的名意是「弟兄之愛」；這人一定是很愛他的兄弟，所以被冠以此名。 　　這間在非拉鐵非的教會，能否活出這種弟兄之愛呢？回想你的教會，又是否一間彼此相愛的教會呢？當別人來到你的教會，與你一同敬拜的時候，他能否感受到被愛的感覺？ 　　基督說這間教會「遵守我的道」(8、10節)。這是甚麼意思呢？這意味著我們會遵從祂的教訓、活在它的亮光之中、承認它有管轄我們的權威、尋求它的引導和聆聽它的說話。我們必須回想我們的教會──他是否遵守主的道呢？我自己又是怎樣呢？正如我們經常聽見的一個提醒：「假若教會裡面的每個信徒，都像我一樣，我們的教會會變成怎樣的教會呢？」 　　留意基督對他們說：由於他們遵守祂的話，所以，當患難和試煉臨到時，祂也必保守他們。我們面前的其中一個最大盼望，是基督很快便再來。我們不曉得祂會在何時再來，但祂吩咐我們要珍惜所擁有的一切，尤其是留給我們的傳福音機會。 反思： 耶穌基督若然今天再來，我已作好準備去迎見祂了嗎？ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE CHURCH OF THE OPEN DOOR DAY 22 BIBLE READING: Revelation 3:7-13 An open door in Scripture is a symbol of opportunity. It may be the door of salvation. It may be the door of service. While it is open, anyone may enter. When it is closed that opportunity is gone. Christ says to the church in Philadelphia that he had placed an open door in front of them. It was a door of service and they apparently were entering into it telling others about Christ. What kind of an open door does your church have and what are you doing about it? How long is it since you talked together about reaching others for Jesus Christ? What can you do about it? It would be interesting to know more about this church. The name Philadelphia means brotherly love. It was called that by the man who built - the city. He loved his brother so much that he called it 'he who loves his brother'. Did the church live up to the name of the city in which it was situated? Is your church a loving church? Do people feel that they are loved when they worship with you? Christ said this church was loyal to his Word. (v.8,10) What does that mean? We keep his Word when we obey it, when we live in the light of it, when we recognise its authority over us, when we look to it for guidance and let it speak to us. Again let's ask the question-is your church like that? Are we like that ourselves? Remember the old saying 'What kind of a church would my church be if every church member was just like me'? Notice that Christ said because they had kept his Word, he would keep them when trouble and testing came. He also promised that he would be coming soon. One of the greatest hopes we have before us as Christians is the soon return of Jesus Christ. We don't know when he is coming, but he tells us to hold on to what we have, particularly the door of opportunity in the time that is left to us. A THOUGHT: What if Jesus came today?