2013年1月7日 星期一

2013-01-07 Devotionals Today

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歸心禱告操練     粵語  國語 
 
 

第82天

臨在的神

「你在前後環繞我,按手在我身上。」(五節)

在未來的兩至三星期,我們以這篇詩的第五節來啟發我們做靜禱。詩人說:「神在前後環繞我,按手在我身上。」當我們反覆誦讀:「你在前後環繞我,按手在我身上」,我們就逐漸意會到,那位透徹地認識、關心我們的神,就在前後環繞我,按手在我身上。

詩人的經驗打破我們的一種想法,以為神是遙不可及、難以捉摸的。我們時常說要尋找神,彷彿要到天涯海角、費盡思量地才可能發現神的蹤影;我們又會時常說要求神的同在,彷彿要懇請神從天而降,到我們身邊。但原來神離我們不遠,神非常就近我們,神在我們的前後左右。我目光所到之處,神就在那裡。我們不要以為,該去某一些指定的地方才可以親近神,我們也不要只用腦去思考、想像神是怎樣、神在那裡。詩人的經驗開啟我們的屬靈視野,原來神在前後環繞我們。神已經臨在,讓我們學習意識臨在的神。

現在,請你在靜禱中體認你的存在是被神環繞的。神永遠與你同在,你永遠都是在神之內。你現在就放鬆,慢慢呼吸,心裡默念:「神,你在前後環繞我。」把你的意識放在與神共融的當下。請開始。……

這一刻,請你在靜禱中體認你的存在是被神環繞的。每當你察覺自己在想其他東西,或有任何思念把你的意識帶離神同在的當下,便再次在心中默念:「神,你在前後環繞我。」然後返回當下。……

 

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神要管教一個獨裁者

粵語 國語

第7天


讀經:   

但以理書四章1至18節

1尼布甲尼撒王曉諭住在全地各方、各國、各族的人說:願你們大享平安!

2我樂意將至高的神向我所行的神蹟奇事宣揚出來。

3他的神蹟何其大!他的奇事何其盛!他的國是永遠的;他的權柄存到萬代!

4我尼布甲尼撒安居在宮中,平順在殿內。

5我做了一夢,使我懼怕。我在床上的思念,並腦中的異象,使我驚惶。

6所以我降旨召巴比倫的一切哲士到我面前,叫他們把夢的講解告訴我。

7於是那些術士、用法術的、迦勒底人、觀兆的都進來,我將那夢告訴了他們,他們卻不能把夢的講解告訴我。

8末後那照我神的名,稱為伯提沙撒的但以理來到我面前,他裡頭有聖神的靈,我將夢告訴他說:

9術士的領袖伯提沙撒啊,因我知道你裡頭有聖神的靈,甚麼奧祕的事都不能使你為難。現在要把我夢中所見的異象和夢的講解告訴我。

10我在床上腦中的異象是這樣:我看見地當中有一棵樹,極其高大。

11那樹漸長,而且堅固,高得頂天,從地極都能看見,

12葉子華美,果子甚多,可作眾生的食物;田野的走獸臥在蔭下,天空的飛鳥宿在枝上;凡有血氣的都從這樹得食。

13我在床上腦中的異象,見有一位守望的聖者從天而降。

14大聲呼叫說:伐倒這樹!砍下枝子!搖掉葉子!拋散果子!使走獸離開樹下,飛鳥躲開樹枝。

15樹墩卻要留在地內,用鐵圈和銅圈箍住,在田野的青草中讓天露滴濕,使他與地上的獸一同吃草,

16使他的心改變,不如人心;給他一個獸心,使他經過七期(期:或譯年;本章同)。

17這是守望者所發的命,聖者所出的令,好叫世人知道至高者在人的國中掌權,要將國賜與誰就賜與誰,或立極卑微的人執掌國權。

18這是我─尼布甲尼撒王所做的夢。伯提沙撒啊,你要說明這夢的講解;因為我國中的一切哲士都不能將夢的講解告訴我,惟獨你能,因你裡頭有聖神的靈。

你聽過一些極富戲劇性的信主見證嗎?若以新約的人物為例,我們會首推哥尼流和保羅的信主經過;至於舊約,尼布甲尼撒王的信主經歷可算是最富戲劇色彩。不過,這個經歷在但以理書中卻極少被人留意。

其實,尼布甲尼撒王與保羅有很多近似之處:兩人都曾經強逼別人跟隨他們的敬拜模式,並對不肯妥協的人施加逼害。

此外,兩人雖從別人的口中認識神──尼布甲尼撒從但以理口中得知;保羅則從司提反的講道中得聞,但他們卻拒絕承認祂才是真神。最終,兩人都要神親自使他們謙卑下來。尼布甲尼撒在巴比倫看見王;保羅則在大馬色路上遇見主耶穌。

雖然神以嚴厲的方式管教二人,但他們卻經歷了奇妙的改變。我們今天同樣可以對神頑梗自大,但同樣必被神嚴嚴地管教,因為神的心意,是要引領人歸向祂。

「良辰美夢」

神藉著第二個夢來警告尼布甲尼撒的這件事,大約發生在他作王44年期間的尾聲。當時,他的國權已十分穩固,他的財富已多不勝數,他的權威已無人能及。任何人處於這樣的光景,都會非常危險。對基督徒而言,也是一樣,因為他很容易陷入屬靈的驕傲中,在不知不覺間自以?不再需要倚靠神。對教會而言,這也是非常危險,因為會眾以為他們已經到達了圓滿的境地。尼布甲尼撒王擁有了一切,以為自己可以呼風喚雨,再不需要甚麼;可是,神親自向他說話。神雖然曾經向他說話,但他不聽;現在神再向他說話,他終於肯聽了。

神曾經向你說話嗎?你有沒有聽呢?他是否柔聲地跟你說話?一次?兩次?現在是時候要認真聆聽他了嗎?祂想你做甚麼?祂一直以慈愛恩待我們,但不要忘記:「主所愛的,祂必管教。」因此,祂?了我們的好處而管教我們。何不此時就用心去聆聽神對你說話呢?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GOD DEALS WITH A DICTATOR
Day 7


Bible Reading:   

Daniel 4:1-18

1 Nebuchadnezzar the king,
To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.

2 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.

3 How great are His signs,
And how mighty His wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And His dominion is from generation to generation.

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

6 Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

7 Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation.

8 But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying:

9 "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.

10 "These were the visions of my head while on my bed:
I was looking, and behold,
A tree in the midst of the earth,
And its height was great.

11 The tree grew and became strong;
Its height reached to the heavens,
And it could be seen to the ends of all the earth.

12 Its leaves were lovely,
Its fruit abundant,
And in it was food for all.
The beasts of the field found shade under it,
The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches,
And all flesh was fed from it.

13 "I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven.

14 He cried aloud and said thus:
Chop down the tree and cut off its branches,
Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
Let the beasts get out from under it,
And the birds from its branches.

15 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth,
Bound with a band of iron and bronze,
In the tender grass of the field.
Let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
And let him graze with the beasts
On the grass of the earth.

16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man,
Let him be given the heart of a beast,
And let seven times pass over him.

17 ' This decision is by the decree of the watchers,
And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,
In order that the living may know
That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
Gives it to whomever He will,
And sets over it the lowest of men.'

18 "This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.

What is the most dramatic conversion story you have ever heard? In the New Testament it could be Cornelius or Paul. In the Old Testament it must be King Nebuchadnezzar. Yet it is one of the least known stories in the book of Daniel.

There are many similarities between Nebuchadnezzar and Paul. Both tried to force people into their pattern of worship and both persecuted those who wouldn't conform.

Both refused to acknowledge God speaking to them - Nebuchadnezzar through Daniel and Paul through men like Stephen. Both were humbled by God - the king in Babylon and Paul on the road to Damascus.

God had to deal severely with each, but both men were wonderfully changed. Men and women can still put themselves in such a position of pride and stubbornness that God has to deal drastically with them, but His one desire is to bring them to Himself.

THE TIMING OF THIS DREAM

The warning to Nebuchadnezzar by God seems to be toward the end of his long reign of 44 years. His kingdom was secure. His wealth was unbelievable. His power was supreme. That is always a dangerous place for anyone. It is a dangerous place for a Christian - to become proud of our spirituality. It is possible for us to come to a place, where unconsciously, we tend to think that we don't need the Lord. It is a dangerous place for a church to think that we have arrived at our destination. Nebuchadnezzar had everything and had no sense of need. Then God spoke to him personally. God had spoken before. Now God is speaking again and it is time to listen.

Has God been speaking to you? Are you listening? Has He spoken gently? Once? Twice? Is it time to really listen to what He is saying? What is it that He wants you to do? He deals with us in love, but remember "those whom He loves He chastens". He does it for our good. Why not listen to what He is saying to you at this time?


創世記十九至廿一章


重點: 所多瑪和蛾摩拉被毀;亞伯拉罕欺騙亞比米勒;以撒生。

鑰節: 神在夢中對他說:「我知道你作這事是心中正直;我也攔阻了你,免得你得罪我,所以我不容你沾著她。」(廿6)

內容: 

亞伯拉罕的信心再次軟弱了,他在基拉耳稱妻子為妹子,以致陷亞比米勒於不義。神保守屬於祂卻軟弱的亞伯拉罕;夜間在夢中向亞比米勒說話,指責他的妄為。

亞比米勒是一位敬畏神的人,向神表明無辜,說:「我作這事,是心正手潔的。」神也承認他的正直清潔;但神仍是責備他,攔阻他,免得他得罪神。

凡敬畏神的人,生活為人的準則是甚麼呢?有罪惡成分的事,我們固然不應當去做;就是在人或自己看來也是可行的事,卻不一定可行的。我們要親近神,好知道神是否喜悅我們作這事,才是我們正確生活原則。這事是否可行,不在於事之本身,乃在於神是否喜歡。

神因為要將基督模造在我們的生命上,因此在許多我們以為正直可做之事,神都禁止,除了不欲我們得罪祂之外,還要操煉我們,栽培我們。例如吃零食是許多人的習慣,完全是正直可行的事;有一位宣教士曾作見證說:神不准我吃零食;不是零食有甚麼錯,乃是神要我從零食裡出來,脫離肉體之喜好。


默想: 我們的生活是討自己、他人或神喜悅?願意為順服主而捨己?
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小罪變大罪

 
創世記三十七章12-28節
 
「來罷,我們將他殺了…就說有惡獸把他喫了…」(20節)

約瑟同父異母的兄長是一群自私和無情的人,因憎恨父親的寵兒而走在一起。在家中,在父親的注視下,他們不動聲色。如今身在郊野,沒人能監視他們。(在沒人看著我們的時候,我們的行為會有甚麼改變?)當他們認出,披著那件鮮艷彩袍朝他們走來的人就是約瑟,侵蝕其心的嫉妒便爆發出來。「鏟除他的機會來了!」我們可以看到,復仇、謀殺的意圖、貪婪和欺騙都源於嫉妒的根。

這個片段讓我想起孩子們小時候很愛聽的一個故事。一個非洲家庭發現一隻失去雙親的幼豹,把牠帶回家當寵物。他們說:「很可愛,是不是?」他們與牠一起玩,隨著牠慢慢長大,又騎在牠的背上。父親警告他們:「小豹會長成大豹,大豹會殺人。」但是他們不察覺有危險。「牠是我們的朋友!」可是有一天,男孩在森林中擦傷了。那隻友善的豹走過來舔他的傷口...牠嘗到血的味道,殺戮的本能主導了祂的行為,父親為救兒子,就這樣被豹咬死了。

我們的「小罪」也是如此。我們試圖視而不見,可是,個別事件很容易變成平常事,然後養成壞習慣。當我想起我第一次在怒中動手打當時兩歲的兒子,便感到羞愧。當時心想:「我絕不可以再打他。」可悲的是,我的怒氣和暴力變成習慣。二十年來這「隱密」的罪漸漸為人所知(當時我請他「別告訴爸爸!」)。我萬分感激那些由始至終都與我對質的朋友(雖然當時我不是這樣想),使我得以為內心的忿怒悔悟,並且讓聖靈催毀它的根。

讓我們默想耶穌的話:「從外面進去的,不能污穢人;惟有從裡面出來的,乃能污穢人」(可七15)。

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