《今日靈修默想》:「擄掠人的,必被擄掠;用刀殺人的,必被刀殺。聖徒的忍耐和信心就是在此。」(啟13:10)

默想一:倘若你因信耶穌或傳福音而被逮捕或被逼迫,你會坦然面對嗎?我們的神是公義、信實、全能的,祂掌管一切。耶穌說:「那殺身體、不能殺靈魂的,不要怕他們;惟有能把身體和靈魂都滅在地獄裏的,正要怕他」(太10:28)。惟有持定信心才能忍耐,也惟有忍耐到底的,必然得救(太24:13)。

默想二:基督徒在逼迫中的正當反應是什麼?不是反擊,也不是報復。耶穌說祂的國不屬這世界,若屬這世界,祂的臣僕必為祂爭戰,但屬天的國度並不是用強權來爭戰的,也不靠刀劍或武力。基督徒致勝的關鍵在於「忍耐和信心」,有神為我們爭戰,我們必定能得勝,並且得勝有餘。

禱告:阿爸父神,感謝袮在患難中隨時的幫助。末世的屬靈爭戰一定會越來越激烈,也會越來越恐怖,但是袮已經應許不會丟棄我們為孤兒。求袮賜我堅定依靠袮的心,我願日日跟隨袮的腳縱行,直到走完天路。奉耶穌基督的名禱告。阿們!

《Today’s spiritual meditation》:  “If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.” (Rev 13:10)

Meditation one: If you are arrested or persecuted because of your faith in Jesus or because you evangelize, will you face it calmly? Our God is righteous, faithful, and omnipotent, and He rules all things. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Mat 10:28) One can stand firm only by taking hold of the faith, and only the one who stands firm to the end will be saved (Mat 24:13).

Meditation two: What is the proper response of Christians in persecution? It is not a counterattack, nor revenge. Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world. If it is of this world, His servants will fight for Him. Yet the kingdom of heaven does not use power to fight, nor by sword or force. The key to Christians’ victory is “patient endurance and faithfulness”. Having God wrestle for us, we surely will be more than conquerors.

Prayer: God Abba Father, thank You for being my ever-present help in trouble. The spiritual warfare of the last days will surely become more and more fierce, and it will become more and more hideous, but You have promised that You will not leave us as orphans. Please give me a firm heart to rely on You. I will follow Your footsteps every day until the end of the heavenly journey. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!

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