從天上賜下的復興
復興的重擔

經文
耶利米書二十三33-40
33無論是百姓,是先知,是祭司,問你說:耶和華有甚麼默示呢?你就對他們說:甚麼默示啊?耶和華說:我要撇棄你們。
34無論是先知,是祭司,是百姓,說耶和華的默示,我必刑罰那人和他的家。
35你們各人要對鄰舍,各人要對弟兄如此說:耶和華回答甚麼?耶和華說了甚麼呢?
36耶和華的默示你們不可再提,各人所說的話必作自己的重擔(重擔和默示原文同),因為你們謬用永生神、萬軍之耶和華─我們神的言語。
37你們要對先知如此說:耶和華回答你甚麼?耶和華說了甚麼呢?
38你們若說耶和華的默示,耶和華就如此說:因你們說耶和華的默示這句話,我也打發人到你們那裡去,告訴你們不可說耶和華的默示。
39所以我必全然忘記你們,將你們和我所賜給你們並你們列祖的城撇棄了;
40又必使永遠的凌辱和長久的羞恥臨到你們,是不能忘記的。
信息分享
我們昨天在結束時提到,神喜愛祂的兒女可以共同參與實現祂的旨意;同時,神亦不會忽視祂自己在宇宙間所設立的關於禱告的大原則。我也許有點嘮叨,但是請讓我重提這個要點:雖然復興是始於神的主權意願,但它卻是通過信心禱告的門檻而來的。
華萊士(John Wallace)是我出來事奉前所就讀的神學院的院長,他常說:「在領受祝福前,必須先背負重擔。」他常常如此詮釋:「在以色列人被拯救出埃及前,摩西須背負重擔。在耶路撒冷興建聖殿前,所羅門被蒙召背負重擔。在世界的罪被除去前,基督須背負重擔。我們在領受祝福前,必須先背負重擔。」
從創世記到啟示錄整本聖經中,我們都可以找到這個原則;同樣的,在所有宗教歷史上的復興,我們也可看到這個原則。在神從天上賜下超然的作為前,祂會先將復興的重擔放在祂百姓的心裡,神會選擇誰去背負這重擔呢?我可以肯定的說,必定是那些被引領去禱告,並明白禱告的大能和潛力人。那麼我在想,你會是其中的一個嗎?
「領受祝福前,必須先背負重擔」
進深研究
詩二十一1-13,三十八9,七十三25;賽二十六9;可十一24
1. 神會把甚麼賜給我們?
2. 一種渴求是如何變成重擔的?
祈禱
親愛的天父,您知道當我在面對這樣大的挑戰時,我的心會退縮,但我知道我是願意背負重擔的。主啊,求您幫助我,奉耶穌基督的名字祈求,阿們。
Heaven-Sent Revival
The burden of revival

Bible reading:
Jeremiah 23:33-40
33 "When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, 'What is the message from the Lord?' say to them, 'What message? I will forsake you, declares the Lord.'
34 If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, 'This is a message from the Lord,' I will punish them and their household.
35 This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: 'What is the Lord's answer?' or 'What has the Lord spoken?'
36 But you must not mention 'a message from the Lord' again, because each one's word becomes their own message. So you distort the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God.
37 This is what you keep saying to a prophet: 'What is the Lord's answer to you?' or 'What has the Lord spoken?'
38 Although you claim, 'This is a message from the Lord,' this is what the Lord says: You used the words, 'This is a message from the Lord,' even though I told you that you must not claim, 'This is a message from the Lord.'
39 Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors.
40 I will bring on you everlasting disgrace—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten."
Message
We ended yesterday by saying that God loves His children to be involved with Him in bringing about His purposes, and that it is not in God's nature to ignore the great principle of prayer which He Himself has established in the universe. At the risk of being tedious, let me make the point again: although revival begins in the sovereign purposes of God, it comes into the world through the doorway of believing prayer.
John Wallace, principal of the Bible college I attended prior to entering the ministry, used to say: "Before somebody can experience a blessing, somebody has to bear a burden." He used to illustrate the point in this way: "Before deliverance came to the nation of Israel when they were in Egypt, Moses had to bear a burden. Before the great Temple of God could be built in Jerusalem, Solomon was called to bear a burden. Before the sins of the world could be removed Christ had to bear a burden. Before somebody can experience a blessing, somebody has to bear a burden."
This is a principle that can be traced throughout the whole of the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation. It can be seen at work, too, in the history of all religious revivals. Before God comes from heaven to work in extraordinary ways He places the burden of revival on the hearts of His people. And who does He choose to carry this burden? You can be sure that they will be men and women who are drawn to prayer and understand something of its power and potential. Would you, I wonder, be one?
"Before blessing somebody has to bear a burden"
Prayer
Gracious Father, You know how my heart shrinks from such a great challenge as this. All I can say is - I am willing to be made willing. Help me, dear Father. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further study
Psalm 21:1-13; 38:9; 73:25
Isaiah 26:9
Mark 11:24
1. What will God grant to us?
2. How can a desire become a burden?
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