害怕死去的麥子
最後的爭戰

經文
提摩太前書六3-11
3若有人傳異教,不服從我們主耶穌基督純正的話與那合乎敬虔的道理,
4他是自高自大,一無所知,專好問難,爭辯言詞,從此就生出嫉妒、紛爭、毀謗、妄疑,
5並那壞了心術、失喪真理之人的爭競。他們以敬虔為得利的門路。
6然而,敬虔加上知足的心便是大利了;
7因為我們沒有帶甚麼到世上來,也不能帶甚麼去。8只要有衣有食,就當知足。
9但那些想要發財的人,就陷在迷惑、落在網羅和許多無知有害的私慾裡,叫人沉在敗壞和滅亡中。
10貪財是萬惡之根。有人貪戀錢財,就被引誘離了真道,用許多愁苦把自己刺透了。
11但你這屬神的人要逃避這些事,追求公義、敬虔、信心、愛心、忍耐、溫柔。
信息分享
我們現在開始來檢視一下生命的某些方面,是神帶領我們進入、為了要讓我們能多結果子和榮耀祂。讓我們先來集中討論一下經濟困難的這個問題。
沒有人可以否認金錢在我們生活中扮演一個十分重要的角色。超過一個世紀以前,巴爾札克(Balzac)說:「基督門徒的最後爭戰是為了金錢,在沒能解決這個問題前,基督教不能有普及的發展。」很多初信主的人都因為聖經經常談論金錢而感到很驚訝,不只一個傳道人指出,耶穌在地上的時候,金錢是祂談得最多的課題之一。
對基督徒來說,「金錢問題」有趣的一點是,不管我們是樂意獻上還是有所保留,神都能夠藉此來帶領我們走進祂的計劃中。你目前是否正在面對經濟上的困難?你的銀行賬戶是否每個月都在透支?不要害怕,神也許要藉著這些經濟上的困難來給你一些寶貴的教導。事實上,沒有任何事情比缺乏金錢,或面對財政上的困難時,能夠令我們更加願意注目於神;這是千千萬萬的基督徒的見證。奇怪的是,當我們的錢包滿滿的時候,神往往要高聲呼叫才能引起我們的注意,但是當我們的錢包空空時,我們卻很警覺,很願意預備好自己來聆聽神最微小的聲音。
「神透過我們的財政狀況向我們說話」
進深研究
雅五1-5;傳五10;耶十七11
1. 甚麼叫做貪婪?
2. 鷓鴣的教訓是甚麼?
祈禱
天父,如果基督徒最後的爭戰真的是關於金錢,求您在未來幾天幫助我能夠徹底地解決這個問題。求您幫助我,把我所擁有的都變成能夠達成您的目標的工具。奉耶穌基督的聖名祈求,阿門。
The Corn of Wheat Afraid to Die
The final battle

Bible reading:
1 Timothy 6:3-11
3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,
4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions
5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
Message
We now start examining some of the areas of life into which we are led by God in order that He might make our lives more fruitful and profitable to Him. First we focus upon the problem of cramped financial circumstances.
No one can deny that money plays an enormous part in our lives. It was Balzac who said more than a century ago: "The final battle for Christian discipleship will be over the money problem: till that is solved there can be no universal application of Christianity." It comes as a great surprise to many new Christians that the Bible talks a good deal about money, and more than one preacher has pointed out that when Jesus was here on earth, this was one of the subjects He talked about most.
One of the most interesting aspects of money to a Christian is that through either the giving or the withholding of it, God is able to steer our lives into the areas in which He wants us involved. Do you find yourself in financial straits at the moment? Does your bank account need month-to-month resuscitation? Then don't panic - God may be allowing this financial stringency in order to teach you some valuable lessons about Himself. Thousands of Christians will testify that God has no more certain way of getting our undivided attention than by withholding money or putting us into tight financial circumstances. How strange that when our pockets are full, often God has to shout to get our attention, but when they are empty, we are alert and ready to hear His faintest whisper.
"God speaks to us through our financial circumstances"
Prayer
O Father, if it is true that the final battle for Christian discipleship will be over the money problem, then help me resolve this issue once and for all in these next few days. Help me to make whatever I own the instrument of Your purposes. Amen.
Further study
James 5:1-5
Ecclesiastes 5:10
Jeremiah 17:11
1.What is avarice?
2. What is the lesson of the partridge?
本文英文版權屬 CWR 所有,承蒙允准刊載。
背景音樂版權屬 讚美之泉音樂事工 所有,承蒙允准使用。

