【信心动摇的巨大代价The High Cost of Wavering Faith】

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信心动摇的巨大代价

申命记1:19-40
1:19 我们照着耶和华我们 神所吩咐的，从何烈山起行，经过你们所看见那大而可怕的旷野，往亚摩利人的山地去，到了加低斯巴尼亚。  
1:20 我对你们说，你们已经到了耶和华我们 神所赐给我们的亚摩利人之山地。  
1:21 看哪，耶和华你的 神已将那地摆在你面前，你要照耶和华你列祖的 神所说的上去得那地为业，不要惧怕，也不要惊惶。  
1:22 你们都就近我来说，我们要先打发人去，为我们窥探那地，将我们上去该走何道、必进何城，都回报我们。  
1:23 这话我以为美，就从你们中间选了十二个人，每支派一人。  
1:24 于是他们起身上山地去，到以实各谷窥探那地。  
1:25 他们手里拿着那地的果子下来，到我们那里回报说，耶和华我们的 神所赐给我们的是美地。  
1:26 你们却不肯上去，竟违背了耶和华你们 神的命令。  
1:27 在帐棚内发怨言说：耶和华因为恨我们，所以将我们从埃及地领出来，要交在亚摩利人手中，除灭我们。  
1:28 我们上那里去呢？我们的弟兄使我们的心消化说，那地的民比我们又大又高，城邑又广大又坚固，高得顶天，并且我们在那里看见亚衲族的人。  
1:29 我就对你们说，不要惊恐，也不要怕他们。  
1:30 在你们前面行的耶和华你们的 神，必为你们争战，正如祂在埃及和旷野，在你们眼前所行的一样。  
1:31 你们在旷野所行的路上，也曾见耶和华你们的 神抚养你们，如同人抚养儿子一般，直等你们来到这地方。  
1:32 你们在这事上，却不信耶和华你们的 神。  
1:33 祂在路上、在你们前面行，为你们找安营的地方。夜间在火柱里、日间在云柱里，指示你们所当行的路。  
1:34 耶和华听见你们这话，就发怒起誓说，  
1:35 这恶世代的人，连一个也不得见我起誓应许赐给你们列祖的美地。  
1:36 惟有耶孚尼的儿子迦勒必得看见，并且我要将他所踏过的地赐给他和他的子孙，因为他专心跟从我。  
1:37 耶和华为你的缘故，也向我发怒说，你必不得进入那地。  
1:38 伺候你嫩的儿子约书亚，他必得进入那地。你要勉励他，因为他要使以色列人承受那地为业。  
1:39 并且你们的妇人孩子，就是你们所说必被掳掠的和今日不知善恶的儿女，必进入那地，我要将那地赐给他们，他们必得为业。  
1:40 至于你们，要转回，从红海的路往旷野去。

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，上帝赐予基督徒品性、能力和属灵的恩赐，为要装备他们，使他们能够成就祂对他们生命的特别旨意。但是，每个基督徒还必须作出选择，就是要凭着信心和服从迈出每一步。有时，上帝向我们挑战，要我们做一些好像超越了我们自身能力的事情。可是，若你此时选择退后，就会错失祂的极美祝福。

让我们吸取以色列人的惨痛教训，他们所作的这几个不信的选择，导致他们终生都是在迷茫飘荡中度过。他们：

• 听从错误的声音。要顺服地与上帝同行，我们就需要保守自己的信心，不被那些不认识上帝的伟大的人动摇。不仅如此，我们还要学习分辨撒旦的谎言，因为撒旦想让我们变得无用，成就不了上帝的国度。

• 信赖人的角度。有时，信靠上帝与人性的推论是相抵的。而那些选择信靠上帝的人（甚至当外在证据都指向不可能时，他们依然坚信不疑）就会看到，任何阻碍都无法胜过上帝。

• 让感觉打败了信心。可能服从上帝的最大阻碍，就是恐惧和信心不足。而专注内在的感觉是信心的杀手。战胜感觉的方法，就是倚靠上帝和祂的应许。无论上帝呼召我们去做什么，祂都会装备我们能够完成。

每一个关于服从的挑战性的呼召，都是我们生命道路上的一个岔路口。我们选择走向不信的路，就会导致遗憾和迷茫飘荡的一生。我们选择勇敢地信靠上帝、遵行上帝的吩咐，结果就是收获一个充满极美祝福的生命。这个选择权在你的手里。


The High Cost of Wavering Faith

Deuteronomy 1:19-40

Spies Sent Out

19 Then, as the LORD our GOD commanded us, we set out from Horeb and went toward the hill country of the Amorites through all that vast and dreadful wilderness that you have seen, and so we reached Kadesh Barnea. 20 Then I said to you, “You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which the LORD our GOD is giving us. 21 See, the LORD your GOD has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the LORD, the GOD of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

22 Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.”

23 The idea seemed good to me; so I selected twelve of you, one man from each tribe. 24 They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshkol and explored it. 25 Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, “It is a good land that the LORD our GOD is giving us.”

Rebellion Against the Lord

26 But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the LORD your GOD. 27 You grumbled in your tents and said, “The LORD hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. 28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.’”

29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. 30 The LORD your GOD, who is going before you, will fight for you, as HE did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 31 and in the wilderness. There you saw how the LORD your GOD carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”

32 In spite of this, you did not trust in the LORD your GOD, 33 who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.

34 When the LORD heard what you said, HE was angry and solemnly swore: 35 “No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors, 36 except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.”

37 Because of you the LORD became angry with me also and said, “You shall not enter it, either. 38 But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it. 39 And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it. 40 But as for you, turn around and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea. ”

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

GOD has given believers personalities, abilities, and spiritual gifts which will equip them to accomplish HIS specific plans for their lives. But each one must choose to step out in faith and obedience. At times the LORD challenges us to do something that seems beyond our ability, but if we choose to back off, we’ll miss HIS awesome blessings.

Let’s learn from the Israelites who made several choices that led to unbelief, resulting in a lifetime of aimless wandering. They . . .

• Listened to the wrong voices. To walk obediently with the LORD, we need to guard ourselves from being swayed by those who don’t understand the greatness of our GOD. Not only that, but we must also learn to recognize the lies of Satan. He wants us to become ineffective, accomplishing little for the kingdom of GOD.

• Relied on human perspective. At times trusting GOD conflicts with human reasoning. But those who choose to trust HIM—even when the external evidence points to an impossibility—will find that GOD is bigger than any obstacle.

• Let feelings overcome faith. Perhaps the biggest hindrances to obedience are fear and inadequacy. An internal focus is a trust killer. The way to overcome our feelings is to rely on the LORD and HIS promises. HE will equip us for whatever HE calls us to do.

Every challenging call to obedience is a fork in the road of our lives. To go the way of unbelief will lead to a lifetime of regret and aimless wandering, but to courageously trust GOD and do what HE says will result in the greatest blessing of your life. The choice is yours.

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生命不在于拥有多少物质财富

在马太福音13章，基督通过两个无价财宝的比喻，非常清楚地告诉我们，我们必须甘心舍弃一切来买那贵重的宝贝或重价的珠子（马太福音13:44-46天国好像宝贝藏在地里，人遇见了就把它藏起来，欢欢喜喜的去变卖一切所有的，买这块地。天国又好像买卖人寻找好珠子，遇见一颗重价的珠子，就去变卖他一切所有的，买了这颗珠子）。

上帝的国无限宝贵，胜过我们所能拥有的一切物质事物。除非我们甘心把看作比上帝的国更重要的一切事物都舍弃，否则我们就不能获取上帝赋予每个人的生命愿景。当我们对积存钱财、奢侈品、车、房，或地位、骄傲、自我……（我们树立和崇拜的所有当代偶像）感兴趣时，就不能见、更不能拥有上帝的国。

当你的生命结束时，有多少财产都不再重要。因为对你生命最重要的，是你集中增进并持守与上帝的关系，就是你用一生来专注上帝和祂的国、祂所爱的人。

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，你在这个故事里吗？现在，环视你的房间，再看看你的汽车、你的家、你的洋房，什么是你无法舍弃、不舍得卖掉的呢？在你的全部财产中，有什么能比“藏在地里的宝贝”或“重价的珠子”更为珍贵呢？

看着你的这些财产，问自己：当它旧了、坏了、生锈了、腐烂了，还能让你快乐吗？你将它（无论是什么）放在上帝跟前，它能让上帝给你一个永生的盼望吗？当你为最后一口气挣扎时，这些东西能使你因实现生命的意义而得到安慰吗？

如果你能真诚地回答“不能”，你就作好了准备，能够舍弃你的一切来买那块藏宝地和重价的珠子。

那么，还有什么在阻挡你无法作出舍弃呢？

研经：马太福音25:31-46
25:31 当人子在祂荣耀里、同着众天使降临的时候，要坐在祂荣耀的宝座上。  
25:32 万民都要聚集在祂面前，祂要把他们分别出来，好像牧羊的分别绵羊山羊一般。  
25:33 把绵羊安置在右边，山羊在左边。  
25:34 于是王要向那右边的说：“你们这蒙我父赐福的，可来承受那创世以来为你们所预备的国。  
25:35 因为我饿了，你们给我吃；渴了，你们给我喝；我作客旅，你们留我住；  
25:36 我赤身露体，你们给我穿；我病了，你们看顾我；我在监里，你们来看我。”  
25:37 义人就回答说：“主阿，我们甚么时候见你饿了给你吃、渴了给你喝，  
25:38 甚么时候见你作客旅留你住、或是赤身露体给你穿，  
25:39 又甚么时候见你病了、或是在监里来看你呢？”  
25:40 王要回答说：“我实在告诉你们，这些事你们既作在我这弟兄中一个最小的身上，就是作在我身上了。”  
25:41 王又要向那左边的说：“你们这被咒诅的人离开我，进入那为魔鬼和他的使者所预备的永火里去。  
25:42 因为我饿了，你们不给我吃；渴了，你们不给我喝；  
25:43 我作客旅，你们不留我住；我赤身露体，你们不给我穿；我病了、我在监里，你们不来看顾我。”  
25:44 他们也要回答说：“主阿，我们甚么时候见你饿了、或渴了、或作客旅、或赤身露体、或病了、或在监里，不伺候你呢？”  
25:45 王要回答说：“我实在告诉你们，这些事你们既不作在我这弟兄中一个最小的身上，就是不作在我身上了。  
25:46 这些人要往永刑里去，那些义人要往永生里去。”  

马太福音19:16-23
19:16 有一个人来见耶稣说：“夫子，我该作甚么善事才能得永生？”  
19:17 耶稣对他说：“你为甚么以善事问我呢？只有一位是善的（有古卷作你为甚么称我是良善的除了 神以外没有一个良善的〕）。你若要进入永生，就当遵守诫命。”  
19:18 他说：“甚么诫命？”耶稣说：“就是不可杀人、不可奸淫、不可偷盗、不可作假见证、  
19:19 当孝敬父母，又当爱人如己。”  
19:20 那少年人说：“这一切我都遵守了，还缺少甚么呢？”  
19:21 耶稣说：“你若愿意作完全人，可去变卖你所有的，分给穷人，就必有财宝在天上，你还要来跟从我。”  
19:22 那少年人听见这话，就忧忧愁愁的走了，因为他的产业很多。  
19:23 耶稣对门徒说：“我实在告诉你们，财主进天国是难的。”

以上我们学到：承受天国的精髓，在于摆脱物质财富的捆绑。我们知道，当我们这样做时，就更能清楚地望见那将临到的国，最终能够领受主耶稣所讲的话：“你们要先求祂的国和祂的义，这些东西都要加给你们了”（马太福音6:33）

主耶稣也直接阐明：“人的生命，不在乎（世俗的）家道丰富。”（路加福音12:15 于是对众人说：“你们要谨慎自守，免去一切的贪心。因为人的生命，不在乎家道丰富“）

Life is not about how much physical things you have

CHRIST’s two parables about ultimate treasure in Matthew 13 are telling us quite clearly that we must be willing to part with all that we have to buy the great treasure or pearl of great price. (The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl - Matthew 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”)

GOD’s Kingdom is infinitely more valuable than any physical things we might obtain. Until we’re willing to part what we value above the Kingdom, we won’t be able to capture the vision GOD holds out to each of us. When we’re more interested in accumulating and holding onto money and branded things, cars, homes , status or pride and ego – all the modern idols our culture erects and worship – then we will not see nor possess the Kingdom of GOD.

It isn’t how much possession you have at the end of your life that’s important. What is of most value are the relationships you’ve gathered, maintained and preserved through a lifetime of focusing on GOD and on HIS Kingdom and on others.  

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Where are you in this story? Look around your room right now. Look at the car in your garage or the home and apartments you own. What do you see that you cannot part with, that you would not want to sell? What, among all your possessions is more valuable than the treasure hid in the field or the pearl of great price?

Fix your gaze on that item and ask yourself: When it is old and broken, or tarnished and decayed, will it make you happy? Will you put it – whatever “it” is – before GOD and the one hope of eternal life HE gives you? When you’re struggling for your final breaths of life, will this thing comfort you with understanding about what your life has been about?

If you can honestly answer ‘no’ to the above, then you are ready to buy the right field and the great pearl.

So what’s holding you back?

Scripture study:

The Sheep and the Goats

Matthew 25:

31 “When the SON of MAN comes in HIS glory, and all the angels with HIM, HE will sit on HIS glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before HIM, and HE will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 HE will put the sheep on HIS right and the goats on HIS left.

34 “Then the KING will say to those on HIS right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by MY FATHER; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave ME something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave ME something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited ME in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed ME, I was sick and you looked after ME, I was in prison and you came to visit ME.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer HIM, ‘LORD, when did we see YOU hungry and feed YOU, or thirsty and give YOU something to drink? 38 When did we see YOU a stranger and invite YOU in, or needing clothes and clothe YOU? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit YOU?’

40 “The KING will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of MINE, you did for ME.’

41 “Then HE will say to those on HIS left, ‘Depart from ME, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave ME nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave ME nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite ME in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe ME, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after ME.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘LORD, when did we see YOU hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help YOU?’

45 “HE will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for ME.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Matthew 19:16-23
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
16 Just then a man came up to JESUS and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

17 “Why do you ask ME about what is good?” JESUS replied. “There is only ONE (GOD) who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

18 “Which ones?” he inquired.

JESUS replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”

20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Then JESUS said to HIS disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

We learned from the above that the essence of GOD’s Kingdom of Heaven in found in the shedding of material possessions. We understood that when we do this, we are more able to clearly visualize the coming Kingdom. We finally grasped what JESUS meant when HE said, “Seek you first the kingdom of GOD and HIS righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

JESUS also directly stated that “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the (worldly) things he possesses” (Luke 12: 15 Then HE said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”)

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让我们不作说谎话的人

约翰一书2:1-6

1. 我小子们哪，我将这些话写给你们，是要叫你们不犯罪。若有人犯罪，在父那里我们有一位中保，就是那义者耶稣基督。
2. 祂为我们的罪作了挽回祭。不是单为我们的罪，也是为普天下人的罪。
3. 我们若遵守祂的诫命，就晓得是认识祂。
4. 人若说我认识祂，却不遵守祂的诫命，便是说谎话的，真理也不在他心里了。
5. 凡遵守主道的，爱 神的心在祂里面实在是完全的，从此我们知道我们是在主里面。
6. 人若说他住在主里面，就该自己照主所行的去行。

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，让我们不作说谎话的人；让我们常在主耶稣里，照主所行的去行；让上帝的爱，在我们里面是完全的。

Let us not be a liar

1 John2:1-6

1.My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2.And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4.He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5.But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Dear Brothers n Sisters,

Let us not be a liar. Let us keepeth HIS commandment, abideth in JESUS and to walk as HE walked. And let the LOVE of GOD perfected in us .

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宗教是危险的

管会堂的因为耶稣在安息日治病，就气忿地对众人说：“有六日应当作工，那六日之内可以来求医，在安息日却不可”（路加福音13:14）

亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，宗教是危险的。宗教宁愿为治病的问题而辩论，也不要看到患病的人得到上帝的医治。宗教宁愿为释放的问题而辩论，也不要看到被捆绑的人得到上帝的释放。

Religion is dangerous

Luke 13:14
And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that JESUS had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work in them therefore come and be healed and not on the Sabbath day.”

Brothers and Sisters,

Religion is dangerous. Religion would rather debate about healing than see somebody healed. Religion would rather argue about deliverance than see somebody set free.