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2011-12-12
真預言與大災難
正如我們曾談論過『大艱難』，就是許多人所謂的『大災難』，基本上是人試圖不倚靠神來管理世界的結果。耶穌提到在這世代末了的大收割就是收人所種的每件事，不論好壞；光和黑暗都已達到完全成熟。
目前在各個領域所興起的危機超過人類的解決方案，而且每況愈下。我們在地上所經歷的結果是：所有受造物都會清楚知道，試圖不倚靠創造主來掌管世界是多糟的想法。我們也會知道若神不介入，『凡有血氣的』都將從地上滅亡。好消息是神將會介入；我們不是邁向世界的盡頭，而是邁向一個嶄新的開始。
使徒保羅在使徒行傳十四章22節說：『我們進入神的國，必須經歷許多艱難。』這對我們個人是如此真實，對全世界也是同樣真實。世界將在這世代末了經歷許多艱難才會進入神的國，我們必須視每一個試煉與艱難，如同進入神國的門戶，因其正是如此。試煉或爭戰越大，勝利也越大，地上終極艱難將會成為進入神國度的終極門戶。
要在這些時候得勝，我們必須開始順服聖經的勸誡：『你們落在百般試煉中，都要以為大喜樂』（雅各書1:2）。倘若我們在信心中成熟，我們應當擁有得勝的心志，我們會擁抱每一個試煉，視其為更大勝利的機會。
主說：『在世上，你們有苦難』（參考約翰福音16:33），這將是世界所處的狀態，直到終極災難的結束。主耶穌也說『不要害怕』，因為祂已經勝了世界。即使世界正經歷著劇烈艱難，我們仍可以在主裡擁有完全的平安與喜樂。
當我們與祂連結，我們便是與祂的國連結，因為神的國『只在乎公義、和平，並聖靈中的喜樂』（參考羅馬書14:17）。
正如真正的戰士奔向戰役而不落跑，真正的信心勇士總是以得勝的把握奔向戰役。因為我們蒙應許萬事會互相效力，主總會帶領我們進入祂的勝利，我們是不會輸的。
我們若忠心到底，或充滿信心，牽動著我們信心的每一個挑戰只會使我們信心成長，這並不表示我們不會偶爾感到害怕或懷疑，但我們定意不被這些事物控制─而是被基督的愛與對祂的信心所掌管。也能會發生許多我們不瞭解的事，但我們在主裡的信心必須大過我們個人有限的瞭解。倘若我們面對試煉時仍有懼怕，就代表我們尚未養成我們應有的『得勝心志』。
倘若我們生命的長度不過是『一片雲霧』，那麼大災難的長度甚至不如一縷青煙，無疑會很劇烈，卻不會太久。倘若我們要瞭解這些時候，我們需要花更多時間研讀主基督正在做的偉大事情，好為祂的國度預備道路，勝過花時間研讀敵基督。我們的確需要知道魔鬼的計謀，但卻不是我們的焦點。同樣地，我們需要瞭解並為災難來預備，但這些卻不是我們需要聚焦的事，而是要聚焦在神的國度，這才是我們在這裡所預備的道路。
今日有許多的預言過於奉承，餵養人們豪華不實的假象。我去過許多城市或教會，都宣稱有預言說他們會被使用點燃復興，拯救國家，還有數不清的人宣稱自己也是被任命來做驚人之事。我碰過一些被任命成為列國使徒的人，我卻無法讓他們來帶小組。事實上，現在使徒多到你拿石頭隨便扔向人群，都會丟中一個。
你所遇到的撒旦教敬拜者，有哪一個不是大祭司？我從來沒遇到一位只有祭司頭銜的，他們全都是『大』祭司。難道他們沒有招待嗎？沒有，因為魔鬼建造在驕傲上。找到一間被稱為忠誠、忠心的教會，豈不比一間被任命帶來神的國的教會更令人耳目一新嗎？
當我還是個年輕的基督徒，主常會打開我的眼睛看見他人的呼召與事奉。我還記得有一位姊妹，我分辨出她有非比尋常的傳福音呼召，當我問她是否知道自己的呼召，她說知道，而且為此感到非常興奮。當我要她分享時，我本預期她會說她蒙召成為傳福音者，會帶領數以萬計的人歸主。沒想到她的分享使我大吃一驚，她說她蒙召每天背起她的十字架，盡可能的成為眾人的僕人，接著我聽到主說她正在實現崇高呼召的道路上。
我喜愛先知性預言，我們越來越需要真正的先知，與擁有值得信賴先知性恩賜的人。此需要會越來越大，直到世界末了。在末日的先知性會比以往更令人驚奇，為新約與要來國度的榮耀與能力作見證。然而，我們需要非常熱愛真實性，才不會讓我們屬靈貨幣持續貶值，正如假先知與奉承者所做的。
能正確預知逼迫與災難，好讓人們能為其做準備的先知在哪裡？他們就在那裡做他們的工作，只不過沒有太多人認出他們或聽從他們。一些被譴責或藐視為『前途黯淡的先知』，可能正告訴我們真話。當然，有些人太過極端，反而掩蓋了那些真正從神來的信息。然而，藐視那些有『負面預言』的人對將要臨到的事會大感驚訝、毫無準備。
將臨到的毀滅對做好預備的人不會前途黯淡，反而會成為他們最美好的時光。即便如此，我們不應成為只報災難或只報喜訊的先知，而是成為一位真實的先知。
在聖經中沒有一件關於奉承的好事，反倒壞事連連。查閱一些聖經就會看見，那些只聽從奉承或好事的人，事實上都受到蒙蔽並使他們落入審判之下。即便如此，讓我們謹記在心，在審判之下未必是在定罪之下，而是在管教之下。這些人也可以甦醒過來，當他們意識到自己是如何被愚弄，他們會變得更強壯。
我們越來越迫切需要可以分辨真理的人，只因為他們認得主的聲音，他們並不是在尋找毀滅，也不是在尋找永不止息的陽光，而是單單尋求祂的話。
這樣的成熟度在今日相當罕見，但我們會找到的。
(摘自 喬納 word for the week, Week 47, 2011)
The Judgments of God, Part 10
True Prophecy and Tribulations
Week 47, 2011
As we have covered, “the great time of trouble,” or what many call “the great tribulation,” is basically the result of men trying to run this world without God. The harvest that Jesus said is the end of the age is the reaping of everything that has been sown in man, the good and the evil. Both light and darkness are coming to full maturity.
The rising crises in virtually every field are now beyond human remedy and are continuing to get worse. The result of our experience on earth will be that all creation will know for sure how bad the idea is to try and run this world without the Creator. We also know that if the Lord does not intervene, that “all flesh” will be destroyed from the earth. The good thing is that He is going to intervene. He is going to save us, and He is going to remove all evil and pain from the earth. We are not headed for the end of the world but rather a new beginning.
In Acts 14:22 the Apostle Paul said, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom.” This is true for us as individuals, and it is true for the whole world. The world will enter the kingdom through the great tribulation that comes at the end of the age. We must see every trial, every tribulation, as a doorway to the kingdom because it is. The greater the trial or battle, the greater the victory can be. The ultimate tribulation on earth will be the ultimate doorway to the kingdom.
To prevail in these times we must start obeying the biblical exhortation to “consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials” (James 1:2). If we have grown to maturity in the faith, we should have a victory mentality so that we embrace every trial as an opportunity for a greater victory. The Lord said that “in the world you have tribulation” (see John 16:33), and that is the state the world is going to be in until the ultimate tribulation is consummated. Jesus also said to “fear not” this tribulation because He has overcome the world. In Him we can have perfect peace and perfect joy even when the world is going through the worst troubles. When we abide in Him we are abiding in His kingdom, and the kingdom is “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (see Romans 14:17).
Just as true warriors run to the sound of battle and not away from it, the true champions of the faith will always run to the battle with great confidence in the victory. Because we are promised that all things will work together for our good, and that the Lord will always lead us in His triumph, we cannot lose.
Every challenge to our faith will only make our faith to grow if we remain faithful, or full of faith. This does not mean that we do not at times feel fear or doubt, but we have resolved that these will not control us—we will be controlled only by the love of Christ and faith in Him. Many things may happen that we do not understand, but our faith in God must be greater than our own understanding. If we still have dread when we face trials, then we have not yet developed the “victory mentality” that we must have.
If the span of our life is but “a vapor,” then the span of the great tribulation is not even a wisp. It will no doubt be intense, but it will not last long. If we are going to understand these times, we need to spend far more time studying the great things Christ is doing to prepare for His kingdom than we do studying the antichrist. We do need to know the schemes of the devil, but this is not what we should be majoring on. Likewise, we need to understand and be prepared for troubles, but these are not what we need to be majoring on, but rather the kingdom that we are here to prepare the way for.
Much of what is being passed as prophecy today is really flattery that feeds people’s illusions of grandeur. I have visited far too many cities, or churches, who claim they have prophecies that they will be used to start the revival that saves the nation or will do something else spectacular that dozens of others are claiming to also be appointed to do. I’ve met people who were appointed to be apostles over nations that I would not let run a home group. In fact, there are now so many apostles that you can throw a rock into virtually any crowd and you will hit one.
Have you ever met a satanic worshipper who was not a high priest? I’ve never met one who was just a priest, but they are all “high” priests. Don’t they have any ushers? No, because the devil builds on pride. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to find a church that was called to be a loyal, faithful servant to the other churches in their area instead of the one appointed to bring the kingdom in?
When I was a young Christian, the Lord would often open my eyes so I could see other people’s callings and ministries. I remember one lady who I discerned had a truly extraordinary calling as an evangelist. When I asked her if she knew her calling, her response was “yes,” and she was very excited about it. When I asked her to share it, I expected her to say that she was called as an evangelist who would lead multitudes to Christ. Instead she completely stunned me when she said she was called to take up her cross daily and be a servant to everyone she could. I then heard the Lord say that she was on the path to fulfilling the high calling.
I love prophecy, and we are in increasingly desperate need of true prophets and those with trustworthy prophetic gifts. This need will increase until the end of this age. The prophetic in the last days will be more spectacular than ever, testifying of the glory and power of the New Covenant and the kingdom that is to come. However, we need to love the real too much to allow our spiritual currency to continue to be devalued as it has been with pseudo prophets and flatterers.
Where are the prophets who rightly foretell the persecutions and disasters that the people will need to be prepared for before they come? They are out there doing their job, but not many recognize them or listen to them. Some who are being condemned or discounted as “doom and gloom prophets,” may be the ones telling us the truth. Of course, some go into extremes with this too, and cloud the waters for those who have a true message. However, those who discount any who have “negative prophecies” are going to be both surprised and unprepared for what is coming. The doom and gloom that is coming will not be doom and gloom for the prepared, but it will be their finest hour. Even so, we should not want to be a doom and gloom prophet or a fair-weather prophet, but rather a true prophet.
Not one good thing is written about flattery in the Bible, but there is a whole lot of bad. Search the Scriptures and see that those who have conditioned themselves to only listen to flattery or good things are in fact deceived and are themselves under judgment. Even so, let us also keep in mind that being under judgment does not necessarily mean under condemnation but rather under discipline. These too can wake up, and be even stronger when they realize how they have been fooled.
We are in increasingly desperate need of those who can discern the truth simply because they know the Lord’s voice. They are not looking for the doom, or just perpetual sunshine, but rather His word. This is a rare maturity to be found today, but we will have it.