分辨時候21
March 17, 2009
By Rick Joyner喬納
這週我們繼續來研讀『愛是如何成為神國經濟的根基』；因為在哥林多前書十三章8節告訴我們『愛是永不止息（失敗）』，我們知道我們若建造在此神國原則上，我們便不會失敗。我們也應該考慮到我們在愛上要建造到一定的程度，我們才會成功。為此緣故，我們會花一些時間來檢閱愛的聖經定義，以及愛要如何實際被應用在我們的經濟中。
愛遠超過對一個人有好感。愛充滿實踐性又保有其高尚的特性，愛忍受困難，甚至當所愛的不再復返，愛仍保留。愛不是基於環境或期盼回報，愛乃是一個與神本質相連的天性。
上週我們談到哥林多前書十三章所描寫愛的前兩個特性─愛是恆久忍耐又有恩慈，我們也談到這些特性如何與神國事業相關。現在我們持續來看愛的下一個特性，以及如何將它用在神國企業上。
『愛是不嫉妒』（參考哥林多前書13：4）
倘若商人從不做任何事來回應他們競爭對手所做的，從不對他們口出惡言，而是尋找他們競爭對手美善的一面，甚至在他們能力所及範圍將生意送給競爭對手，他們的事業會有何等顯著的不同。這聽起來美好到難以成真，但有一些人真的如此做而且很昌盛。
去年年底當我為聖誕節購物時，我進入一家店，結果並沒有我想要找的東西，我詢問他們是否知道在哪裡可以買到，他們毫無說服力的回答『不知道』。我知道他們這樣做是不想要把我送給他們的競爭對手，後來我去到他們競爭對手的店，他們也沒有我所要的東西。然而，他們不僅推薦我一些可能有的地方，甚至為我打電話給他們的競爭對手。下一次，我一定會先去這家店。他們考慮到他們的顧客，甚至競爭對手，他們贏得我的信任，可能還有我未來的生意。做對的事情本來就是天經地義的事；嫉妒所帶來的最大傷害往往是自己。
許多教會覺得自己在與其他教會競爭。任何有這樣感覺的人都在行使嫉妒的靈，無論他們有多宣稱不要如此。在馬太福音廿七章18節告訴我們，他們是因為嫉妒才把耶穌送去釘十字架，甚至連異教徒的統治者彼拉多，都能認出猶太公會想要把耶穌處死是出於嫉妒。嫉妒往往很容易被認出來，就算是最簡單的人也輕易認出。
嫉妒是愛的相反，嫉妒會帶來殺害，在神的國度裡沒有地位。倘若我們要建造我們的生命、教會或事業在神的國度上，完全沒有嫉妒的地位。嫉妒可能是教會分裂的最大原因，在大部分實例中，分裂的根是嫉妒所帶出最可怕與毀滅性的邪惡。每一個用嫉妒的靈所建造的工作，它的架構終將倒塌，正如以色列統治者嫉妒耶穌，最終導致他們的城市變為荒場。嫉妒是一個終極邪惡，它在神的國中無分。
主告訴我們，我們將這些事做在這弟兄中一個最小的身上，就是做在祂身上了（參考馬太福音25：40）。我們如何對待另一個教會，也算作我們如何對待祂的同樣方式。我們可能會譴責以色列領袖所做的事，但教會不也和他們一樣有罪嗎？這是許多教會何以和耶路撒冷一樣大量毀滅的一個主要原因，我們在天上或靈界所釋放的，同時也被釋放在這世界。倘若教會要能在靈裡俯瞰並產生神國企業，我們不能讓嫉妒的酵被撒在裡面，否則它們將注定失敗。倘若我們容許嫉妒影響我們與其他教會的關係，結果我們的會友也會做同樣的事，它就成了毀滅的種子。
當主往下看一個城市，祂只看見一間教會，所有的教會團體都是主一個身體的會友。倘若我們在一個有各式各樣教會的地方，大部分的地方教會專精並強大在某個特定事工。舉例來說，一個教會可能在基要真理的教導上很強，一個在醫治上很強，另一個在福音佈道上很強，另一個在先知預言與指引上很強，另一個則在家庭事工上很強等。倘若所有教會都看自己為更大整體的一部份，並為著會友的緣故，將他們送到他們最需要、最能幫助他們的地方，基督身體不知會有多健康呢？倘若我們以此方式信任聖靈，在基督肢體中的合一會到一個地步，全世界都開始為教會感到驚奇，可能也會相信我們所傳講關於神的愛的福音。
倘若我們擁有神的靈，當另一個教會開始豐盛時，我們會為此快樂，並會支持與廣為宣傳。倘若我們那樣做，我們也能分享此工作中的屬靈果子。倘若我們擁有神的靈，倘若我們真的在建造一個神國企業，我們也會在其他行業中做相同的事。
(摘自 喬納 word for the week,2009 #11)
資料來源： 國度禱告網
註：中文98/03/17；英文98/03/09
Discerning the Times, Part 21
By Rick Joyner
March 09, 2009
We continue with our study of how love is the foundation of the kingdom economy. Because we are told in I Corinthians13:8 that “love never fails,” we know that if we build on this kingdom principle then we cannot fail. We should also consider that it will be to the degree that we build on love that we will succeed. For this reason, we will take a bit of time to review the biblical definition of love, and how love must be practically applied to our economy.
Love is more than just having good feelings toward someone. Love is practical and maintains its noble character when it would be more advantageous not to. Love endures difficulties and remains even when the love is not returned. Love is not based on circumstances or the hope of reward, but on a nature that is joined to God’s nature.
Last week, we covered the first two characteristics of love described in I Corinthians 13—how love is patient and kind, and a few ways how these might relate to a kingdom business. Now we will continue with the next characteristic and how it can relate to a kingdom enterprise.
“Love . . . is not jealous” (see I Corinthians 13:4).
How strikingly different business would be if businessmen and women never did anything out of reaction to what their competitors did and never spoke evil of them, but rather sought the good of their competitors, even sending them business when they could. That sounds too good to be true, but some have actually done this and prospered.
When I was shopping this past Christmas season and went into a store that turned out not to have what I was looking for, I asked them if they knew where I might get the item. Their reply was a lame “no.” I knew they just did not want to send me to a competitor. I went to the competitor, and they turned out not to have it either. However, not only did they make some recommendations, but they phoned their competitors for me. Next time, I will certainly go to that store first. By thinking of their customer and even their competitor, they won my trust and probably my future business. It is always right to do the right thing. Jealousy will always hurt the one who has it the most.
Many churches feel they are in competition with other churches. Any who feel this way are operating in a spirit of jealousy, regardless of how much they may claim not to be. We are told in Matthew 27:18 that it was because of envy, or jealousy, that Jesus was delivered up to be crucified. Even the heathen ruler, Pilate, could recognize the jealousy of the Sanhedrin in wanting to put Jesus to death. Jealousy is usually easily recognized by even the most simple.
Jealousy kills, is the opposite of love, and will have no place in the kingdom of God . If we are going to build our lives, church, or business, on the kingdom of God , jealousy can have no place in it. This may be the single greatest cause of division in the church. In almost every case, the root of division is the terrible and destructive evil of jealousy. Every single work that has been built with a spirit of jealousy in its framework will ultimately come down, just as the jealousy of the rulers of Israel toward Jesus ultimately resulted in their city being reduced to rubble. Jealousy is an ultimate evil, and the kingdom will have none of it.
The Lord told us that just as we have done to the least of His little ones, we have done it to Him (see Matthew 25:40). How we treat another church is the same way that we are counted to have treated Him. We may condemn the leaders of Israel for what they did, but has the church not been just as guilty as them? This remains a primary reason why many churches are ultimately decimated just as Jerusalem was. What we release in heaven, or the spiritual realm, is released in the world. If the church is going to be able to spiritually spawn and oversee kingdom enterprises, we must not let the leaven of jealousy be sown in them, or they will be doomed. If we allow jealousy to affect our relationships to other churches, it will come out in what our members do as well, and it is a seed that destroys.
When the Lord looks down on a city, He only sees one church, and all of the congregations are members of the one body. If we are in a place where there are multiple churches, most local congregations will specialize and become strong in a certain aspect of ministry. For example, one might be strong in teaching the fundamentals, one in healing, another in evangelism, another in prophecy and guidance, and another in family ministry, and so forth. How much healthier would the body be if the churches all saw themselves as part of a greater whole, and for the sake of the members, sent them to the one that could help them the most where they needed it? If we trusted the Holy Spirit this way, unity would grow in the body in such a way that the whole world would start to marvel at it and maybe believe the gospel we preach about the love of God.
f we have the Spirit of God and another church begins to prosper, we will be happy about it and will support and promote it. If we do that, we too can share in the spiritual fruit of the work. If we have the Spirit of God, we will do the same with other businesses if we truly are building a kingdom enterprise.
資料來源：http://www.morningstarministries.org
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