神的異象
不能再掉頭
經文
詩篇七十三1-28
1（亞薩的詩。）神實在恩待以色列那些清心的人！
2至於我，我的腳幾乎失閃；我的腳險些滑跌。
3我見惡人和狂傲人享平安就心懷不平。
4他們死的時候沒有疼痛；他們的力氣卻也壯實。
5他們不像別人受苦，也不像別人遭災。
6所以，驕傲如鏈子戴在他們的項上；強暴像衣裳遮住他們的身體。
7他們的眼睛因體胖而凸出；他們所得的，過於心裡所想的。
8他們譏笑人，憑惡意說欺壓人的話；他們說話自高。
9他們的口褻瀆上天；他們的舌毀謗全地。
10所以神的民歸到這裡，喝盡了滿杯的苦水。
11他們說：神怎能曉得？至高者豈有知識呢？
12看哪，這就是惡人；他們既是常享安逸，財寶便加增。
13我實在徒然潔淨了我的心，徒然洗手表明無辜。
14因為，我終日遭災難；每早晨受懲治。
15我若說，我要這樣講，這就是以奸詐待你的眾子。
16我思索怎能明白這事，眼看實係為難，
17等我進了神的聖所，思想他們的結局。
18你實在把他們安在滑地，使他們掉在沉淪之中。
19他們轉眼之間成了何等的荒涼！他們被驚恐滅盡了。
20人睡醒了，怎樣看夢；主啊，你醒了也必照樣輕看他們的影像。
21因而，我心裡發酸，肺腑被刺。
22我這樣愚昧無知，在你面前如畜類一般。
23然而，我常與你同在；你攙著我的右手。
24你要以你的訓言引導我，以後必接我到榮耀裡。
25除你以外，在天上我有誰呢？除你以外，在地上我也沒有所愛慕的。
26我的肉體和我的心腸衰殘；但神是我心裡的力量，又是我的福分，直到永遠。
27遠離你的，必要死亡；凡離棄你行邪淫的，你都滅絕了。
28但我親近神是與我有益；我以主耶和華為我的避難所，好叫我述說你一切的作為。
信息分享
讓我們在這裡停下來總結一下我們到目前為止所說過的話。
教會現在最關鍵的需要是對神有新的異象。年青的以賽亞進入聖殿時得到的異象也應該成為我們的異象。那個異象改變以賽亞，也會改變我們。不過，很多基督徒來到聖經面前，不是要按神的本性發現神，而是要確定他們自己對神的看法。因此，他們緊抓對全能者完全錯誤的觀念，對神也沒有真知識，以致在生命中跌跌撞撞，而不是穩步前行。如果我們給神正確的位置──「高高在上」──我們便看到自己的正確地位，敬拜的時候便不會覺得是一種儀式，而是與我們的創造主深刻和豐富的相遇。
有一件妨礙我們按神的本性去認識神的事情，就是我們應該擔心自己怎樣對待神，而不該專注於別人怎樣對待我們。歷史顯示那些真正認識神的人似乎都不大關心別人對他們做過甚麼，因為他們都忙於聚焦在怎樣更認識神的方面。我們每一個人都必須掌握一個事實：對神深入一點兒的認識，比對祂有很多知識上的認識有價值得多。因此，我們必須更進一步追求以賽亞在聖殿中所得到的異象。有一件事情我們應該肯定的是：今天來到這兒，我們應該對神的本性有了一個清楚的認識，所以不應該又再掉頭走回自己以前對神的舊路。
「對神深入的認識比只在知識上認識神更重要」
進深研究
約六53-71；太十九21
1. 彼得怎樣回應耶穌的問題？
2. 為甚麼？
祈禱
神啊，我生命的門終於開始向外而不是向內打開。我開始懂得更多注目於您，而不是看我自己。我知道這才是正確的行為。我的天父啊，求您繼續帶領我，我要跟隨您。奉耶穌的名求。阿們。
The Vision of God
Too far to turn back
Bible reading:
Psalm 73:1-28
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.[a]
5 They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity[b]; their evil imaginations have no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.[c]
11 They say, "How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?"
12 This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.
15 If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!
20 They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
Message
We pause at this point to gather up some of the things we have been saying.
The most important need for the Church at this present time is a fresh vision of God. The vision which the young Isaiah received as he entered into the Temple must also become ours. It transformed him and it will also transform us too. Many Christians come to the Bible, however, not to discover God as He is, but to confirm their own view of Him. Thus they hold fast to a concept of the Almighty that is completely false, and so, lacking a true knowledge of God, they stumble through life rather than striding through it. When God is accorded His rightful place, "high and exalted", then we acknowledge our rightful place and worship becomes not a mere ritual but a deep and rich encounter with our Creator.
One of the things that prevents us from seeing God as He really is, is our preoccupation with how others behave toward us, when we should be worrying about the way we have behaved toward God. History shows that those who have really known God seem to have exhibited little concern about what others have done to them; they have been too busy focusing on how they could arrive at a better knowledge of Him. Every one of us must get hold of the fact that a little knowledge of God is worth more than a great deal of knowledge about Him. Thus we must pursue the vision which Isaiah received in the Temple still further. One thing is certain, we have come too far to turn back now.
"Knowledge of God is worth more than knowledge about Him"
Prayer
O God, at last the doors of my life are beginning to turn outward instead of inward. I am beginning to focus more on You than on myself. This feels so right. Lead me on, my Father. I shall follow. In Christ's Name I pray. Amen.
Further study
John 6:53-71
Matthew 19:21
1. What did Peter respond to Jesus' question?
2. Why?
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