6/20/2024

行完了神的旨意

行完了神的旨意 6/20/2024


在這邪惡、淫亂的世代,基督的跟隨者,他要如何了解「行完了神的旨意」的意涵?他要如何做,他才能「行完了神的旨意」呢?


希伯來書 10:32-39


你們要追念往日蒙了光照以後,所忍受大爭戰的各樣苦難。 一面被毀謗,遭患難,成了戲景叫眾人觀看;一面陪伴那些受這樣苦難的人。 因為你們體恤了那些被捆鎖的人,並且你們的家業被人搶去,也甘心忍受,知道自己有更美、長存的家業。 所以,你們不可丟棄勇敢的(boldness)心,存這樣的心必得大賞賜。 你們必須忍耐,使你們行完了神的旨意,就可以得著所應許的。 因為還有一點點時候,那要來的就來,並不遲延。 只是義人必因信得生;他若退後,我心裡就不喜歡他。 我們卻不是退後入沉淪的那等人,乃是有信心以致靈魂得救的人。


從這些經文可知,「行完了神的旨意」,包含了「忍受大爭戰的各樣苦難、被毀謗與遭患難、体恤了那些被捆锁的人、家業被人搶去也甘心忍受、不可丟棄勇敢的心、忍耐到底與行完神的旨意、等候主的再來、不得退後、有信心以致能靈魂得救」等意涵。


九大聖經主題經文


我將以下列的聖經主題經文來探討「行完了神的旨意」的內涵與意義。


第一章,忍受大爭戰的各樣苦難


在這邪惡、淫亂的世代,基督的跟隨者,他在跟隨基督參與屬靈戰爭時,他應該如何做,他才能忍受大爭戰的各樣苦難?他最終才能成為得勝者呢?


以弗所書 6:12-17


因為我們不是與血肉之體搏鬥,而是與那些統治的、掌權的、管轄這黑暗世界的,以及天上邪惡的屬靈勢力搏鬥。為此,要拿起神的全副武裝,好使你們在邪惡的日子能夠抵擋,並且在完成一切以後,還站立得住。所以,你們要站立得住:用真理束上腰,穿上公義的護胸甲;把所預備好的和平福音,穿在腳上; 在任何情況下,要拿起信心(faith)的盾牌;你們藉著它就能消滅那惡者一切燃燒的飛箭;並且要接受救恩的頭盔和聖靈的寶劍——就是神的話語。


提摩太後書 4:7 


那美好的仗,我已經打過了;該跑的路程,我已經跑盡了;當守的信心(faith),我已經持守了。


從這些經文可知,基督的跟隨者,他在跟隨基督參與屬靈戰爭時,他必須倚靠聖靈的寶劍「神的話語」來抵擋魔鬼的逼迫與攻擊;他必須拿起信心的盾牌來面對各樣的苦難。如此他才能在基督裡成為得勝者。


第二章,被毀謗與遭患難


在這邪惡、淫亂的世代,基督的跟隨者,他在面對各種的被毀謗與遭患難,他應該如何做,他才能持守信心至死呢?


以賽亞書51:7


知道公義,將我訓誨存在心中的民,要聽我言!不要怕人的辱罵,也不要因人的毀謗驚惶。


哥林多後書 12:10


我為基督的緣故,就以軟弱、凌辱、急難、逼迫、困苦為可喜樂的,因我什麼時候軟弱,什麼時候就剛強了。


馬太福音 10:22


並且你們要為我的名被眾人恨惡,唯有忍耐到底的,必然得救。


從這些經文可知,基督的跟隨者,他必須完全倚靠基督,如此聖靈才能幫助他面對各種的毀謗與患難;如此聖靈才能幫助他持守信心至死。


第三章,體恤了那些被捆鎖的人


提摩太後書 2:9


我為這福音受苦,甚至像罪犯一樣被捆綁;然而神的話語是不受捆綁的。


提摩太後書 2:10


所以,我為了那些蒙揀選的人忍受一切,好讓他們也能得到那在基督耶穌裡的救恩和永恆的榮耀。


從這些經文可知,基督的跟隨者,他必須學習基督;基督為了體恤那些被捆鎖的人,他犧牲了自己的生命與忍受了一切的苦難,他以此來幫著人與神和好,他以此來幫著人遵神的話語與得著救恩。


第四章,家業被人搶去也甘心忍受


撒迦利亞書 14:1 


耶和華的日子臨近,你的財物必被搶掠,在你中間分散。


馬太福音 19:21


耶穌說:「你若願意做完全人,可去變賣你所有的,分給窮人,就必有財寶在天上;你還要來跟從我。」


馬太福音 6:19-20


你們不要為自己在地上積蓄財寶,地上有蟲蛀,會鏽蝕,也有盜賊鑽進來偷竊;而要為自己在天上積蓄財寶:天上既沒有蟲蛀,也不會鏽蝕,也沒有盜賊鑽進來偷竊。


從這些經文可知,基督的跟隨者,他必須認知「他必遭受逼迫與患難;他的地上財物必被搶掠」;即使他的家業被人搶去,他也應該甘心忍受;他知道自己有更美、長存的家業在天上。


第五章,不可丟棄勇敢的心


詩篇31:24


凡仰望耶和華的人,你們都要壯膽,堅固你們的心!


申命記 31:6 


你們當剛強壯膽,不要害怕,也不要畏懼他們,因為耶和華你的神和你同去。他必不撇下你,也不丟棄你。


希伯來書 3:6 


但基督是做為兒子,忠心管理神的家。如果我們持守所確信(confidence)的和所誇耀的盼望,我們就是神的家。


從這些經文可知,基督的跟隨者,他不可丟棄勇敢的心;他必須持守對神的信心至死,如此他才能得著來自神的認可、平安、喜樂、祝福、保守、應許與獎賞。


第六章,必須忍耐到底,行完神的旨意


希伯來書第12:1


我們既有這許多的見證人,如同雲彩圍著我們,就當放下各樣的重擔,脫去容易纏累我們的罪,存心忍耐,奔那擺在我們前頭的路程。


希伯來書第12:2


仰望為我們信心(faith)創始成終的耶穌。祂因那擺在前面的喜樂,就輕看羞辱,忍受了十字架的苦難,便坐在神寶座的右邊。


馬太福音 28:19-20


所以你們要去,使萬民成為我的門徒;奉父、子、聖靈的名給他們施洗;凡我所命令(commanded)你們的,都教導他們遵守。看哪,我就天天都與你們同在,直到這世代的終結。」


從這些經文可知,基督的跟隨者,他必須持守對神的信心,他必須全心全靈地遵守神的所有命令,他必須忍耐到底,如此他最終才能得著神的應許。


第七章,等候主的再來


詩篇62:5-8 


我的心哪,你當默默無聲,專等候神,因為我的盼望是從他而來。惟獨他是我的磐石、我的拯救,他是我的高臺,我必不動搖。 我的拯救,我的榮耀,都在乎神;我力量的磐石、我的避難所,都在乎神。你們眾民當時時倚靠他,在他面前傾心吐意,神是我們的避難所。


啟示錄 22:12 


看哪,我快要來了!我帶著報償,要按照各人的行為回報每個人。


從這些經文可知,基督的跟隨者,他必須專心等候神,因為主快要來了;主必以公義來賞罰世人,主必能彰顯天父的慈愛與公義。


第八章,不得退後


以西結書 18:24


義人若轉離義行而做罪惡(iniquity),照著惡人所行一切可憎的事而行,他豈能存活嗎?他所行的一切義都不被記念,他必因所犯的罪、所行的惡死亡。


希伯來書 10:26 


要知道,我們領受了真理的知識以後,如果還故意犯罪,就不再有贖罪的祭物被保留下來。


啟示錄 3:11 


我快要來了!你應當持守你所擁有的,免得有人拿走你的冠冕。


從這些經文可知,基督的跟隨者,他必須持守神的信心至死,他不可以退後,否則他如何能不被他人奪走神賜的冠冕?否則他如何能最終成為得勝者?


第九章,有信心以致能靈魂得救


以弗所書 2:8 


你們得救是本乎恩典(grace),也因著信心(faith)。這並不是出於自己,乃是神所賜的。


雅各書 2:26 


要知道,就像身體沒有靈魂是死的,照樣,信心(faith)沒有行為也是死的。


雅各書 2: 22 -23


你看,信心(faith)和他的行為相輔相成,而且信心(faith)是本於行為得以完全的。 這就應驗了經上所說的:「亞伯拉罕信神,這就被算為他的義。」他又被稱為「神的朋友」。 


雅各書 2:24-25


這樣看來,人稱義(righteous)是因著行為,不是單因著信心(faith)。同樣,妓女瑞合(Rahab)接待了那些使者,又從另一條路把他們送走,難道不也是本於行為被稱為義嗎? 


從這些經文可知,基督的跟隨者,他必須持受對神的信心;人對神的信心裡,必須有遵神旨意的行為,而不是以自我為中心與自己為義的行為,否則他如何能倚靠「活的信心」而能使自己的「靈魂得救」呢?


結論


在這邪惡、淫亂的世代,基督的跟隨者,他應該如何做,他才能行完了神的旨意呢?


基督的跟隨者,他必須忍受大爭戰的各樣苦難、被毀謗與遭患難、体恤了那些被捆锁的人、家業被人搶去也甘心忍受、不可丟棄勇敢的心、忍耐到底與行完神的旨意、等候主的再來、不得退後、有信心以致能靈魂得救,如此他才能行完了神的旨意。


基督的跟隨者,他必須行完了神的旨意,如此他才能得著神的大賞賜;如此他才能得著神所應許的;如此他的靈魂才能得蒙神的拯救;如此他才能定睛仰望神、跟隨神、走天國與永生的道路。


感謝主,讚美主,榮耀歸主!神的話是我腳前的燈, 是我路上的光;神的話可以幫助我們走天國的道路與獲得永生。阿門!







6/17/2024

My Personal Testimony

My Personal Testimony 6/16/2024


https://youtu.be/sqNWKqLRsG0?si=1I36DZqK7wCiLgOo


In order to help my children grow closer to God in these evil, adulterous times, I gave the following testimony to my children about my experience with God:


On December 24, 2004, at the age of 45, I saw the movie "The Passion of the Christ". In this movie, Christ said from the cross, "Father, forgive them! For they know not what they do." When I heard these words, I saw my own sins and immediately shed tears and was so moved that I decided to become a follower of Christ.


When I think back to that day, I am still filled with intense grief. In the days before that, I had been self-centered, doing everything against God's will, and I kept on sinning and receiving curses and curses from God.


Since then, I have been learning to put God at the center of my life and continue to learn how to obey Him. Although I was a slow learner, the curses and calamities from God were clearly diminishing!


I discovered the following truth: If I obey God, I will receive His blessing and protection. If I go against God's will, then I will be cursed and struck by God.


If I have sinned against God, and I kneel down to confess my sins and repent to God, and pray for God's guidance and direction, then my prayers will be heard by God, and I will no longer be cursed and struck by God.


If I do not kneel down to confess my sins and repent, then my prayers will not be heard by God, and I will often be cursed and punished by God, because God does not hear the prayers of sinners, and God does not bless and keep sinners.


When I do something or make a decision, if I pray to God beforehand for His guidance and direction, I will receive God's mercy, guidance, direction, blessing and protection; if I do not pray to God beforehand for His guidance and direction, I will not receive God's mercy, guidance, direction, blessing and protection.


The purpose of man's prayers to God is "to obey God, not to command God," that is, "to ask God for guidance and direction, not to tell God how to help himself."


John 9:31 


We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.


James 4:3


You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your pleasures.


1 John 5:14


This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.


Psalm 145:18-19


The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.


It is clear from these verses that God is the Lord, and He wants man to do righteousness according to His will. He is not a servant who fulfills man's desires and delusions, nor is He an idol who fulfills the desires of those who belong to the world.


I used to think, "I just need to make careful decisions and work tirelessly and everything will be fine." I was wrong because this is self-centeredness and disobedience to God. This kind of non-God-centered thinking will hinder one from receiving God's guidance, enlightenment, blessing and preservation.


Only by fully obeying God can I receive God's guidance, enlightenment, blessing and protection; otherwise, I will be cursed and punished by God.


No matter how much I question and oppose the above truths and facts, I cannot change or deny them.


Kids, give it a try and see if the results are the same as what I experienced and felt.


Why is this so? Because human life is created and given by God, God certainly has the right to act according to His will, and God certainly has the right to remind, discipline, judge and punish sinners.


God gave man the right to reject God, but man cannot reject the judgments, punishments, curses, and calamities that God gives man after he rebels against God.


God gave man the right to pretend that he does not know God, but man cannot deny the existence of God. How can man deny the fact that God created everything in the world and human life? How can man refuse to accept God's grace as a Father?


Isaiah 55:8-9


For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.


From this passage, we can see that God's thoughts are above human thoughts. How can mankind use "the world's culture and their own opinions" to "know God and understand His Word"?


How great is the gap between the mind of man and the mind of God? Through the 有, the farthest star known to mankind is 28 billion light years away from the earth.


Those who love the world but not God always interpret God and His Word in terms of "the world's culture or man's point of view."


Is the gap between mankind's knowledge of God and the true God not more than 28 billion light-years? The gap between mankind's knowledge of God's Word and God's Word, is it not more than 28 billion light-years?


It is difficult for the people of this world to understand all of God's commands and to obey all of God's commands; but you do not have to fully understand all of God's commands, you must obey them, because God is the Father who created and gave you life, and you must fully trust and obey the commands of this Father.


Matthew 18:2-4


He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.


It is clear from this passage that man must turn back to God and must trust the Father like a little child, otherwise how can he enter the kingdom of heaven?


When a father tells a child, "Don't drink soda, it's bad for you". The child obeys because he trusts his father.


When a child grows to adulthood and his father tells him "don't do things that are against God".  He may not always obey because he has developed "self-centered, self-righteous thoughts" that outweigh obeying his father's words, and he may choose not to obey his father.


Children of the Father obey the Father's Word. This is the way the children of the Father serve and glorify God, and it is the responsibility that the children of the Father owe to the Father. 


How can the children of the Father disobey the words of the Father because they do not know the words of the Father?


As a father, my wisdom is limited, and I don't have enough wisdom to teach every child; but I am willing to share the Heavenly Father with you. 


The Father has the power to teach and guide you, and you should fear the Father with all your heart, listen to the Father's words, trust the Father, and follow the Father in the way of the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal life.


As a father, I have left you no earthly possessions, but I have given you seven important Bible passages. These seven passages of Scripture are like seven nuggets of gold, passports to heaven and eternal life, which I share with you here:


Deuteronomy 28:1-6


If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lordyour God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.


Deuteronomy 28:15-19


However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed.

The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.


John 14:21


Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.


John 14:23


Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.


1 John 3:24


The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him,and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.


Deuteronomy 13:4


It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.


Psalm 34:7


The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.


Matthew 7:21


“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.


From these verses, we can see that man must "fear God and keep His word" with all his heart and soul in order to know the truth, receive the light, follow God, enter the kingdom of heaven, and enjoy eternal life.


Heaven and earth will perish and grow old like a garment; but the Father's love and word will endure forever.


What else is there for the created man to pursue and be attached to, except to fix his eyes on recognizing the truth, accepting the light, and following the Creator in the way of the kingdom of heaven and eternal life?