犯罪与疾病相关联 我不求你叫他们离开世界,只求你保守他们脱离那恶者。他们不属世界,正如我不属世界一样(约翰福音17:15-16) 亲爱的弟兄姊妹们,成为另类不是我们的目标,是吗?但你知道,作为基督徒,我们就应该与众不同。 上帝呼召我们成为另类,就是要让我们不同于世俗,为上帝的大能和祂的大爱作活生生的见证(惟有你们是被拣选的族类,是有君尊的祭司,是圣洁的国度,是属 神的子民,要叫你们宣扬那召你们出黑暗入奇妙光明者的美德---彼得前书2:9)。 例如,上帝不想让我们分担这世上的疾病,也不想让我们经受那些病痛、贫穷和失败,祂决不想让这些事临到祂的子民。雅各5:15告诉我们:“出于信心的祈祷会治好病人”,所以疾病与犯罪并不是没有关系,而当我们悔改自己的罪并且上帝宽恕了我们,那么我们的百体和灵魂都会得蒙上帝的医治,雅各5:15就证明了这点:“主必叫他起来,他若犯了罪,也必蒙赦免”。 关于这一点,在以色列国被埃及俘虏时,上帝就赐给我们一个实在证据。法老拒绝释放以色列人,所以上帝便允许黑暗笼罩整个埃及(耶和华对摩西说:“你向天伸杖,使埃及地黑暗,这黑暗似乎摸得着。”摩西向天伸杖,埃及遍地就乌黑了三天---出埃及记10:21-22)。于是,三天里整个埃及笼罩在极其可怕的黑暗中,没有人敢活动。然而,出埃及记10:23告诉我们:“三天之久,人不能相见,谁也不敢起来离开本处,惟有以色列人家中都有亮光。” 上帝想让我们拥有不同的生命,这就是一个震撼人心的例子!我们应该活出一个充满神迹的得胜生命来荣耀上帝,应该常会有人对我们讲:“上帝是怎么治好你的,我已经听说了”或“上帝是怎么使你兴盛起来,而且救了你的孩子,这些我都听说了!” 不要胆怯退缩,让上帝的话语运作在你的生命中,勇敢接受来自上帝的丰盛祝福,这些祝福属于信靠并服从上帝的人。用上帝的话语在你生命的四围划出界限,给魔鬼标明灵界警告:禁止入内!按照上帝的话语,我不再属于你,我的家庭不属于你、我的健康不属于你、我的金钱不属于你、我的事工不属于你,我只属于上帝的国度。现在,奉主耶稣的名命令你永远离开我! 是不是听起来有点特别呢?对了,上帝呼召你,正是要你作不同于世俗的另类!提多书2:14告诉我们,主耶稣为我们舍了自己,要赎我们脱离一切罪恶,又洁净我们特作自己的子民,热心为善。 愿上帝祝福你们,我们的弟兄姊妹们---自上帝最卑微的仆人 研经:提多书2:1-15 2:1 但你所讲的总要合乎那纯正的道理, 2:2 劝老年人要有节制、端庄、自守,在信心爱心忍耐上都要纯全无疵。 2:3 又劝老年妇人举止行动要恭敬,不说谗言、不给酒作奴仆,用善道教训人, 2:4 好指教少年妇人爱丈夫、爱儿女, 2:5 谨守、贞洁、料理家务、待人有恩、顺服自己的丈夫,免得 神的道理被毁谤。 2:6 又劝少年人要谨守。 2:7 你自己凡事要显出善行的榜样,在教训上要正直、端庄、 2:8 言语纯全、无可指责,叫那反对的人既无处可说我们的不是,便自觉羞愧。 2:9 劝仆人要顺服自己的主人,凡事讨他的喜欢,不可顶撞他, 2:10 不可私拿东西,要显为忠诚,以致凡事尊荣我们救主 神的道。 2:11 因为 神救众人的恩典已经显明出来, 2:12 教训我们除去不敬虔的心和世俗的情欲,在今世自守、公义、敬虔度日。 2:13 等候所盼望的福,并等候至大的 神和我们救主耶稣基督的荣耀显现。 2:14 祂为我们舍了自己,要赎我们脱离一切罪恶,又洁净我们特作自己的子民,热心为善。 2:15 这些事你要讲明,劝戒人,用各等权柄责备人,不可叫人轻看你。 Sin and sickness are related 15 MY prayer is not that YOU take them out of the world but that YOU protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. (John 17:15-16) Dear Brothers and Sisters, Being peculiar. That's not something most of us work to achieve, is it? But, you know, we should. GOD has called us to be peculiar--to stand out from the rest of the world as living proof of HIS power and HIS love (1 Pet. 2:9 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, GOD’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of HIM who called you out of darkness into HIS wonderful light.) For example, HE doesn't want us to share the ailments of the world. HE doesn't want us to share their sickness and poverty and failure. HE never wanted that for HIS people. James 5:15 told us “the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well . . . .”. Sin and illness are not unrelated. Repentance and forgiveness of sin from GOD is therapeutic to the body as well as to the soul. James 5:15 confirmed this “the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.” HE gave us a physical illustration of that during the time the nation of Israel was held captive in Egypt. Pharaoh had refused to set the Israelites free, so GOD had allowed a thick darkness to cover the whole land. Exodus 10: 21-22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.” The darkness was so dreadful throughout Egypt that no one moved for three days."But," says Exodus 10:23, "No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived." What a thrilling example of how GOD wants us to live. We should be glorifying GOD by the miraculously victorious lives we lead. We should constantly have people telling us, "I've heard how GOD healed you," or "I've heard how GOD prospered you and saved your children!" So don't hold back. Put the WORD of GOD to work in your life and dare to receive the rich blessings that belong to those who trust and obey GOD. Start using the WORD to draw boundaries around your life, to paint spiritual warning signs for the devil. Signs that say: Off Limits! According to God's Word, I don't belong to you anymore. My family doesn't belong to you. My health doesn't belong to you. My money doesn't belong to you. My ministry doesn't belong to you. I belong to a different kingdom. Now, back off in Jesus' Name! Does that sound a little peculiar? Good. That's exactly what GOD has called you to be! Titus told us in 2: 14 “JESUS, WHO gave HIMSELF for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for HIMSELF a people that are HIS very own, eager to do what is good.” GOD bless you our Brothers and Sister, from the least of GOD’s servants. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scripture Study: Titus 2:1-15 Doing Good for the Sake of the Gospel 2 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. 6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. 9 Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. 11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. 15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. |