(514) 「灵粮主题 TODAY’s Topic」如果你拒绝向伤害你的人报仇神会奖励你的 God Will Reward You If You Refuse to Take Revenge on Those Who Hurt You

「灵粮经节 TODAY’s Verses」：「务要谨守，儆醒。因为你们的仇敌魔鬼，如同吼叫的狮子，遍 地游行，寻找可吞吃的人。你们要用坚固的信心抵挡他，因为知道你们在世上的众弟兄也是经历这样的苦难。那赐诸般恩典的神曾在基督里召你们，得享他永远的荣耀，等你们暂受苦难之後，必要亲自成全你们，坚固你们，赐力量给你们; Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.」（彼得前书 1 Peter 5: 8-10 节）

「灵粮分享 TODAY’s Sharing」：救主耶稣对他心爱的门徒彼得，在彼得前书5 章一开始的第一，二节里，都这么意味着劝勉教会里的领导牧者与长老，以及他们的同工事奉和执事们,说 ：“ ...务要牧养在你们中间神的群羊，要按着神旨意照管他们；不是出於勉强，乃是出於甘心；也不是因为贪财，乃是出於乐意。” 续着，在今日灵粮所引用彼得前书 1 Peter 5: 8-10 的经节里，彼得要我们谨守儆醒，抵挡仇敌魔鬼的诱惑。在市区和教会的处事待人事奉里，难免会暂受苦难，“如果你拒绝向伤害你的人报仇神会奖励你的”。 彼得告诉我们，我们若学像耶稣那样的牺牲自己，信实地完成神的大使命，神必会亲自成全你们，坚固你们，赐力量给你们。也必得享他所赐给你的永生，永远持有谦卑的荣耀神。

有一位牧师记得几千年前，一位名叫所罗门王智慧的人，在他的箴言 25：21-22 经节中表达了类似的观点。 他说，如果你想把热炭堆在敌人的头上，那就善待他们。 因为他还说：“主会奖赏你的”。 在美国的期刊评论 Journal Review 里， 也登载了两位十一岁的孩童，给他们这节经文，做出了一段评论。期刊评论问他们道：“如果你拒绝向伤害你的人报仇，神会怎样奖励你呢？” 一般人觉得， 如果我们善待敌人，就好像把热炭堆在他们的头上，我们个人的世界观就会发生极大的转变？ 因为，以德报怨，通常会震撼敌人的良心。 现在，让我们听听专家的说法。 “一方面，他可能会让你不再受到伤害，” 11 岁的米凯尔 Mikelle 说，“神会亲自惩罚这个人。 你不需要把它掌握在自己手中。” 因为，当我们向敌人复仇时，我们就会遭受进一步的报复。 但是也要理解，这并不意味着我们必须对敌人的意图保持天真。 相反的，这意味着我们可以相信神会纠正我们所遭受的任何错误。 另外一个11 岁的柯比 Kirby 说，“当有人伤害你时，这并不意味着你会变得摇摆不定，你应该为他们祈祷。” 因为，神会处理的！

今晨在「纯全喜乐 Pure Joys」里，读到约翰·派博牧师 Rev. John Piper 写了一篇， “向神回转” 的分享。牧者引用耶利米哀歌 Lamentations 5: 21 节，描述先知耶利米祈哭求神息怒，不要再惩罚他那不听话且容易犯罪的选民以色列人，使得他们回转，得有再复兴的机会。有一位牧者有这么写道，《耶利米哀歌》是耶利米所写。 耶利米哀歌包含了对公元前 586 年耶路撒冷及其圣殿被毁的悲痛反应，这件事发生在耶利米在世时。 罪的破碎已经感染了我们人性的方方面面。 受造 界仍在呻吟，《哀歌》为神的子民提供了一个模型，告诉我们当我们的集体堕落结出可怕的果实时，如何处理这些时刻。这也就是「今日灵粮 Spiritual FOOD TODAY」主题所要分享的, “如果你拒绝向伤害你的人报仇神会奖励你的”。 耶利米是一位忠实的先知。 但是我们的神更是一位慈爱和公义的神，是我们应该信赖和盼望的神。我们要学像耶稣，拒绝向伤害你的人报仇，爱人如己，蒙得神奖励你！

约翰牧师例举了许多经节和比喻来劝勉我们说：倘若神的子民滑向罪、陷入罪或落至不信的境地，而神没有使他们从中回转，当他们灵体离开了世界向神去报道，在耶稣审判座前，就没有得救审判能过关的希望了。

《耶利米哀歌》是整本《圣经》中让人觉得最没有指望的一本书。子民不听话，明知故犯，很多时候，神会在这世界亲自施行审判、降灾祸刑罚他的子民百姓，例如：（1） 耶利米哀歌 4：11 节说：“耶和华发怒成就他所定的，倒出他的烈怒，在锡安使火着起，烧毁锡安的根基”；（2） 耶利米哀歌 2：4 说：“他将悦人眼目的，尽行杀戮”；（3）耶利米哀歌 1：5 说 ：“耶和华为她许多的罪过使她受苦。”

然后约翰牧师问道，那么，《耶利米哀歌》这一卷书结尾是怎么样的？这卷书以全书仅有的一个希望结束，那就是耶利米哀歌 5：21 里说的：“耶和华啊，求你使我们向你回转，我们便得回转 … ” 这是牧者唯一的希望，也是你的唯一希望。因为，许多圣经经节都证实有着这希望：（1）路加福音 22：31-32 节记载着耶稣对彼得说， “西门，西门！撒但想要得着你们，好筛你们像筛麦子一样。但我已经为你祈求，叫你不至于失了信心，你回头以后，要坚固你的弟兄。” 耶稣不是说 “如果你回头”，而是说 “你回头以后”；（2）从罗马书 8：34 节中，我们得知基督耶稣现今已经在神的右边，替我们祈求，救主耶稣基督会使我们回转；（3）所以，我们要持着信心，就像犹大书 1: 24-25 节里，犹大鼓励着我们所祈求说的：“那能保守我们不失脚的主耶稣基督，愿荣耀、威严、能力、权柄归于他，从万古以前直到现今，一直到永永远远！” 大家星期五农历除夕快乐，周末星期六庆祝元旦，新春龙年蒙恩！

「灵粮祷告 TODAY’s Prayer」：当一切都说完了，在本篇分享的总结里「今日灵粮 Spiritual FOOD TODAY」也就引用彼得后书 2 Peter 3: 17-18 节让大家在主的爱里互相祷告、互相勉励。在这节经文中，使徒彼得提醒着劝勉我们，说：“亲爱的弟兄阿，你们既然预先知道这事，就当防备，恐怕被恶人的错谬诱惑，就从自己坚固的地步上坠落。你们却要在我们主，救主耶稣基督的恩典和知识上有长进。愿荣耀归给他，从今直到永远。阿们！”现在我们既然知道彼得所说的话和智慧的所罗门王箴言，以及这些圣贤给我们在灵性上的教导：“如果你拒绝向伤害你的人报仇神会奖励你的”。祈求神帮助我们人性的软弱，但愿能够坚信耶稣的救恩真理，不再被恶人的错谬所诱惑而坠落再犯罪，持守能过着圣洁称义的人生。在救主耶稣基督的恩典和知识上有长进。行事为人都有圣灵的引导，照着神的旨意讨神的喜悦，免去当前与将来神的忿怒。奉主名祷告，阿门！

The Savior Jesus meant this to His beloved disciple Peter in the first and second verses of 1 Peter 5, exhorting the leading pastors and elders in the church, as well as their co-workers and deacons, explain: "... Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, taking care of them according to the will of God; not under compulsion but willingly; not out of love for money, it is out of willingness.“ Continuing, in the verses 1 Peter 5: 8-10 quoted in today’s spiritual food, Peter asks us to be sober and watchful to resist the temptation of the enemy, the devil. In city and churches in dealing with people and serving, it is inevitable that you will suffer temporarily, "God Will Reward You If You Refuse to Take Revenge on Those Who Hurt You." Peter tells us that if we learn to sacrifice ourselves like Jesus did, we can faithfully complete God's great commission. God will personally perfect you, strengthen you, and give you strength. You will also enjoy the eternal life He gives you, and always hold humility to glorify God.

There is this pastor remembered that thousands of years ago, a man named King Solomon with much wisdom expressed a similar sentiment in his verses Proverbs 25: 21-22. He said if you want to heap hot coals on your enemy's head, be kind to them. Because he also said: "The Lord will reward you." In America, there is this Journal Review, published with these two eleven-year-old children and asked them to give a comment on these verses. Journal Review asked them, "How will God reward you if you refuse to seek revenge on those who have wronged you?" Most people feel that if we treat our enemies kindly, it is like heaping hot coals on their heads, and our personal worldview will definitely be affected. Will there be a big change? Because repaying evil with kindness usually shocks the conscience of the enemy. Now, let’s hear what the experts have to say. "On the one hand, he might keep you from getting hurt," said 11-year-old Mikelle. "God will punish the person himself. You don't need to take it into your own hands." Because when we seek revenge on our enemies, we will suffer further retaliation. But also understand that this doesn’t mean we have to be naive about our enemy’s intentions. Rather, it means that we can trust God to correct any wrong we suffer. Another 11-year-old, Kirby, said, "When someone hurts you, it doesn't mean you're going to get rocked, you should pray for them." Because, God will take care of it!

This morning in "纯全喜乐 Pure Joys ", I read the sharing of “Returning to God”, written by Rev. John Piper. The pastor quoted Lamentations 5: 21, describing the prophet Jeremiah begging God with tears to calm down and stop punishing His disobedient and sin-prone chosen people, Israel, so that they could turn around and have a chance to be restored. There is this pastor mentioned this, "Lamentations" was written by Jeremiah. Lamentations contains a tragic response to the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in 586 B.C., which occurred during Jeremiah’s lifetime. The brokenness of sin has infected every aspect of our humanity. Creation still groans, and Lamentations provides a model for God’s people on how to deal with these moments when our collective depravity bears terrible fruits. This is what the theme of "Spiritual FOOD TODAY" is about to share, "God Will Reward You If You Refuse to Take Revenge on Those Who Hurt You." Jeremiah was a faithful prophet. But our God is a God of love and justice, a God we should trust and hope for. We must learn to live like Jesus, refuse to take revenge on those who hurt you, love your neighbor as yourself, and be rewarded by God!

Pastor John cited many verses and parables to exhort us: If God’s people slip into sin, fall into sin, or fall into unbelief, and God does not turn them back from it, when their spiritual bodies leave the world to report before God, in front of Jesus on his judger seat you will have no hope of being saved again and passing the judgment.

Lamentations is the most hopeless book in the entire Bible. When the people are disobedient and knowingly do wrong, many times God will personally carry out judgment and bring disasters to punish His people in this world. For example: (1) Lamentations 4: 11 says: “The Lord is angry and accomplishes all His purposes, pour out his fierce wrath, kindle fire in Zion and consume its foundations”; (2) Lamentations 2: 4 says: “He will kill for the sight of men”; (3) Lamentations 1: 5 says: “The Lord afflicted her for her many sins.”

Then Pastor John asked, how does the book of Lamentations end? This book ends with the only hope in the whole book, which is what is said in Lamentations 5: 21: "Return us to you, O Lord, and we will be restored ..." This is Pastor John's only hope. and your only hope as well. Because many verses confirm this hope in the Bible: (1) Luke 22: 31-32 records that Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon! Satan wants to have you so that he can sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith will not fail, and that after you turn back, you will strengthen your brothers." Jesus did not say "if you turn back", but "after you turn back"; (2) From Romans 8: 34, we learn that Christ Jesus is now at the right hand of God, interceding for us, and Savior Jesus Christ will turn us back; (3) Therefore, we must have faith, just like in Jude 1: 24-25, Judas encourages what we pray for: “To the Lord Jesus Christ, who is able to keep us from stumbling, to Him be glory, majesty, power, and authority, from all eternity until now, and forever and ever!” Happy Lunar New Year's Eve to everyone on Friday, have a good celebration of Chinese New Year's Day on Saturday this weekend, and may you be blessed in the Year of the Year of Dragon!

When everything is said and done, in the summary of this sharing, "今日灵粮Spiritual Food TODAY" would like to quote 彼得后书 2 Peter 3: 17-18, allowing everyone to pray for each other and encourage each other in the love of the Lord. In these verses, the apostle Peter reminds us and exhorts us, saying: “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” Now that we know the words of God from apostle Peter and the wise sayings of King Solomon with this spiritual lesson given by those two sages on: "God will reward you if you refuse to take revenge on those who have wronged you." Pray that God help us with our human weaknesses, and enable us to firmly believe in the salvation truth of Jesus, no longer be tempted by the errors of evil people and fall into sin again, but persist in living a holy and justified life. Grant us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ. We should all walk under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to please God according to His will, and avoid the wrath of God now or in the future. Pray in the name of the Lord, Amen!

(514) Whisper, Dr. John 张皇卿博士编写于 at 脸书网站：https://www.facebook.com/johnking9999 和 and 维克斯网站：http://johnking9999.wixsite.com/website Edmonton, AB, Canada Friday 02. 09. 2024.