從天上賜下的復興
情況為何沒有惡化?

經文
詩篇一零二18-28
18這必為後代的人記下,將來受造的民要讚美耶和華。
19因為,他從至高的聖所垂看;耶和華從天向地觀察,
20要垂聽被囚之人的歎息,要釋放將要死的人,
21使人在錫安傳揚耶和華的名,在耶路撒冷傳揚讚美他的話,
22就是在萬民和列國聚會事奉耶和華的時候。
23他使我的力量中道衰弱,使我的年日短少。
24我說:我的神啊,不要使我中年去世。你的年數世世無窮!
25你起初立了地的根基;天也是你手所造的。
26天地都要滅沒,你卻要長存;天地都要如外衣漸漸舊了。你要將天地如裡衣更換,天地就改變了。
27惟有你永不改變;你的年數沒有窮盡。
28你僕人的子孫要長存;他們的後裔要堅立在你面前。
信息分享
這一段日子,我們一直在討論人們對復興的評價,有人認為復興是無關重要的,其果效也不能持久。可是,我並不太贊同。雖然耶穌基督的教會有時會處於可憐又可悲的景況下,但假若沒有從復興迴盪的餘波,情況可能會更糟糕。我認為世俗社會的情況也一樣,在英國,無論是道德上或靈性上的情況都很不好,我相信要是沒有歷史上那些偉大復興的持續影響,今天的情形可能會更加惡劣。
這並不是說現代基督徒的禱告和敬虔生活對世界沒有影響,事實上它們有著相當明顯的貢獻。我們是現今世代裡神的子民,為的是要成為「鹽和光」,以阻止邪惡的興旺,也就是說,到現在我們仍然可以感受到過去復興的影響在我們這一代身上工作,它的影響甚至在政府和國會中仍可看到。
多年前,我參加了一個小組去訪問國會,並把一本特別製作的聖經贈送給當時的首相威爾遜(Harold Wilson)。藉著這次訪問,我們有機會與幾位基督徒國會議員談話,在眾多事情中,他們告訴我們說在國家的法律和條例裡,有很多可以追溯到當年國家所出現的屬靈醒覺。這是一個相當發人深省的信息,真值得我們反思,倘若沒有過去的屬靈醒覺,真不能想像我們今天的社會會變成怎樣。
「屬靈的覺醒影響整個社會」
進深研究
徒十六1-40,十19;羅八14
1. 初期教會的復興如何擴展到歐洲去?
2. 初期的使徒怎麼樣被聖靈引導?
祈禱
慈悲仁愛的天父,感謝您不斷在歷史上復興你子民的靈性;感謝您現在仍讓我感受到您過去的工作。阿們。
Heaven-Sent Revival
Why things are not worse

Bible reading:
Psalm 102:18-28
18 Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord:
19 "The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death."
21 So the name of the Lord will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem
22 when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the Lord.
23 In the course of my life[a] he broke my strength; he cut short my days.
24 So I said: "Do not take me away, my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations.
25 In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.
27 But you remain the same, and your years will never end.
28 The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you."
Message
Although the Church of Jesus Christ is sometimes in a sad and sorry state, things might well be worse were it not for the fact that the influence of previous revivals still reverberates in our midst. The same, I think, can be said of the secular world. Here in the British Isles our society is in a bad way, morally and spiritually, but I believe things would be much worse were it not for the continuing influence of the great revivals of history.
This must not be taken to mean that the prayer life and godly living of present-day Christians make no contribution to our world, for clearly they do. We the people of God in this present generation provide "the salt and light" that makes it more difficult for evil to prosper. That said, however, the impact of past revivals can still be felt at work in our generation - even in our Houses of Parliament.
Several years ago I was part of a small group who visited the Houses of Parliament to present a specially produced Bible to the prime minister of the day - Harold Wilson. While there, we had the opportunity to talk to several Christian MPs who, among other things, informed us that the origins of many of the laws and statutes by which our land is run can be traced back to the times when our nation was in the midst of spiritual awakenings. I know it is a sobering thought with which to begin the day, but we might well ponder what kind of society we would find ourselves in at this moment were it not for the great spiritual awakenings of the past.
"Spiritual awakenings affect the whole of society"
Prayer
Gracious and loving heavenly Father, how can I sufficiently thank You for the way You have revived Your people at intervals throughout history? I sense the past at work right here in the present - and I am grateful. Amen.
Further study
Acts 16:1-40; 10:19
Romans 8:14
1. How did the early Church revival spread to Europe?
2. How were the early apostles directed by the Holy Spirit?
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