When Promises Seem Far Away应许遥不可及时——Abraham’s Journey of Faith Message of No.5
亚伯拉罕信心之旅第五次的信息
『我宁愿有耶稣，胜于金钱地土I’D RATHER HAVE JESUS THAN MONEY OR LANDS』——
主讲：林慈信牧师_校对：刘加立弟兄
III.Lesson #3第三项的功课：『If Possible, Be At Peace With All Men若是能行，总要尽力与众人和睦』（罗12:18）
Lesson #3第三项的功课：《Romans》12:18《罗马书》第十二章18节：If possible，be at peace with all men若是能行，总要尽力地与众人和睦。We see in《Genesis》13在《创世记》十三章我们看到：The riches of two men now became an occasion for quarrel现在两个人的财富成为争吵的诱因了。On the surface the issues are employees and resources表面上他们问题在雇员和资源，but there is a complicating factor但是有一个因素让事情更加的复杂，or rather it reveals a more fundamental issue或者说揭露出更基本的问题：The world is watching世人在观看！The canaanites were live in the land迦南人住在那地的。Abram made a choice 亚伯兰作出了选择，he was proactive and made a proposal他主动的提出方案。It was a reasoned proposal这个方案是很合理的。There is plenty of land——that’s enough land地是足够的，as well Abram gave up his prerogative, as the older of the two men亚伯兰放弃自己作为长辈的权益。So he told Lot：You choose所以他跟罗得说：你来选择吧。You go to the left，I go to the right你若选择往左，我就往右。
We learn two principles here我们学到了两个原则：First，if possible be at peace with all men at all times首先，若是能行，总要尽力的与众人和睦：On the mission field在宣教的工场，most of the time the problems do not arise because the missionaries couldn’t give on with local people一般来说，问题的产生，很多时候都不是宣教士和当地的人民之间发生什么问题。The most often problem is between the co-workers最多的时候，最常见的是宣教士同工们自己的不和——very difficult issue to overcome克服这个问题不容易。We need Jesus我们需要耶稣，We need Holy Spirit我们需要圣灵的。Principle No.2第二个原则：The world is watching世人在观看——Jesus told us in 《John》Chapter 13 verse 34耶稣在《约翰福音》第十三章34节告诉我们：Love one another, so that the world will know we are his disciples要彼此相爱，好叫世人知道我们是基督的门徒。You don’t need to be reminded of《Matthew》5:13-16我们不需要再读《马太福音》第五章13到16节来提醒我们的：We are the salt of the earth我们是世上的盐。We are the light of the earth我们也是世上的光。So the world is watching世人在观看。Is it possible that the Reformed Churches in particular need to learn these two principles有没有可能改革宗的教会特别需要学习这两个的原则呢？
We see these 3 principles我们看到这三项的原则：First of all, everything is God’s gifts by grace第一，我们一切所有都是上帝的恩典、都是他的恩赐——We don’t deserve have anything我们不配得什么的。Number 2：Where is our heart我们的心在哪里？We can not serve God and money at the same time你不可以同时服事上帝也事奉金钱的。And so Abram made a choice所以亚伯兰作了一个选择。Lesson number 3：If possible，be at peace with all men若是能行，总要尽力与人和睦。
IV.Lesson #4第四项功课: 『Do Not Love the World不要爱世界』——I《John》2:15《约翰一书》2:15：
Lesson #4第四项的功课: Now Lot makes his choice现在我们看到罗得作出他的选择了。He saw the fertile land of the Jordan Valley他看到约旦河平原是多么的肥沃——Good real estate这个地产非常的好，and so Lot’s choice reveals what is in his heart罗得的选择就揭露出他的内心。Again we read in 《Matthew》6我们读过了在《马太福音》第六章：There is a light in our hearts我们的心里面有一盏灯，is it bright那个光明亮吗？or it’s demon dark或者那个光是昏暗的。Lot choose what is appealing to his senses罗得选择能够满足自己的五官欲望的：resources and prosperity资源使他能够致富——a sensual choice满足自己五官欲望的选择。
But you see living in so called “a good place”但是我们住在一个佳美之地can be actually harmful to our faith有可能对我们的信心有害处的；and it can be detrimental to our children也可能对我们的下一代有害处的。Just like money和金钱一样，the location can be a snare、can be an idol这个地点本身可能是陷阱、可能是偶像。So where we live、where we immigrant to所以我们住在什么地方、我们移民到什么地方，it may bring harm to our spirit有可能对我们的灵魂带来害处的。At least，it’s a tremendous risk至少是个很大的危险。
Immigrants移民的人士，have you ever thought of this你曾经想过这一点吗？A sensual choice is opposite to a spiritual choice以情欲为本的选择是与属灵的选择相反的。The spiritual choices属灵的选择是：We will ask what is best for my soul哪一个选择是对我的灵魂最好的？Not even where can meet other people’s needs be the best甚至乎不是在什么地方能够满足某些的需要——甚至乎别人的需要，specially when we choose fields of ministry特别是当我们选择服事的工场的时候。A spiritual choice ask the question：What is best for my relationship with Lord Jesus属灵的选择会问这个问题：哪一个方面的选择是对我跟耶稣基督的关系是好的。
II《Peter》2:6-8《彼得后书》第二章第6到8节：Peter called Lot a“righteous man”彼得称罗得为义人：He was sorrowful for the sins around him他为他旁边的罪恶有忧伤的。But he was not much of an example, not…he didn’t have much of testimony但他并不是一个什么好的榜样，他也并没有做一个很好的见证。You can feel sad about sins around us我们可以对我们周围的罪感到忧伤，but what can sorrow do忧伤又怎么样呢？For Lot，his choice brought him a lot regret对罗得来说他的选择带来很多的遗憾，and a tremendous loss而且很大的损失：He lost his wife他失去了他的妻子and he almost lost his life他差不多丧掉自己的性命的——If a man gains all the world and loses his soul，what good is it人若赚得全世界，赔上自己的性命，有什么好处呢？
So the fourth lesson that we can learn from Lot’s choice所以第四项功课是从罗得身上可以学的。Do not love the world or the things of world不要爱这个世界和世上所有的——I《John》2:15《约翰一书》第二章第15节。
Again，money、real estate、opportunity再说：金钱、房地产、机会themselves can be tools for doing good本身可能是能够作为行善的机会和工具的；but also can be a snare但是也可能是陷阱；they can be a burden可能是重担；they can be an idol，taking the place of God他们也可能成为偶像，取代了上帝在我们生命中的地位的。And so you see Lot made his choice我们看到罗得做了他的选择了。
How often we find Christians like Lot很多时候我们看到很多基督徒就像罗得一样：They are Christians justified by faith，be righteous他们是基督徒，因信称义，是义人；but not much of testimony但是不太像基督徒的见证，not much of example没有作出很好的榜样。
V.Lesson #5第五项功课:『Who Else Do I Have But You除你以外我有谁呢』——《Psalm》73:25-26《诗篇》73:25-26：
Finally Lesson #5最后第五项的功课：I will quote《Psalm》73我引用诗篇第七十三篇来讲述这一点——《Psalm》73:25-26《诗篇》七十三篇第25和26节：Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.My flesh and my heart may fail，but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever《诗篇》第73篇第25和26节：除你以外，在天上我有谁呢？除你以外，在地上我也没有所爱慕的。我的肉体和我的心肠衰残，但上帝是我心里的力量，又是我的福分，直到永远。
So Abram moved up to the foothills亚伯兰搬到山脊上了，what was God doing all these time在这整件事情，上帝在做什么事？We know God’s intention我们知道上帝的心意是什么的——verses14 to 17（《创世记》十三章）第14节到17节：God’s plan was that he wanted to give Abraham an eternal inheritance上帝的心意是要给亚伯兰永远的产业，and inheritance that would not rot away这个永远的产业不会朽坏的。And with inheritance came heirs、descendants that will inherit inheritance与产业一起来的是后嗣，要来继承这个产业的。And the inheritance is not just the foothills亚伯兰的产业不仅仅是山边的一些的地区，but all the land乃是全地：East、south、west、north东南西北——All of canaan整个迦南地。
Not only that不但如此，actually the descendant God promised to Abram is not only Isaac事实上，上帝应许给亚伯兰的后裔不仅仅是艾萨克的。《Galatians》3:16《加拉太书》第三章16节告诉我们：God promised to give Abram that one descendant、that one seed、that one heir——Jesus Christ上帝应许给亚伯兰的那个后裔、那个子孙，是耶稣基督。And Jesus receives from God the entire universe as his inheritance耶稣从父那里得到了全宇宙为他的产业。The universe includes all of us who make up His body the church包括我们所有组成他的身体教会的我们。
Lot got the land罗得，土地拿到了；but Abram got the deed但是对亚伯兰，那个地契是属他的。Not only that piece of land of course不仅仅是那一点点的地，but the deed to the world乃是全世界的地契。The principle we learn here这里我们学到的原则是，the best choice is to choose the path which is best for the soul当我们要面对选择的时候，最好的选择是选择对灵魂最好的道路。So God gave Abram his gracious promise上帝对亚伯兰给了他恩典的应许；Abram’s response亚伯兰的回应：He built an altar他又建筑一个坛来献祭了——verse 18（《创世记》十三章）第18节。
So we learned this time Chapter 13所以这次在（《创世记》）第十三章我们学到：Abram’s test and Abram’s lesson亚伯兰的考验、亚伯兰的功课是：Do I rather have God than money or lands我是不是宁愿要上主，胜过金钱和土地呢？The next episode下一个回合，Chapter 14第十四章comes another test and another lesson十四章带来另外一个的考验、另外的功课：Do I rather have God than men’s applause我是否宁愿要上主，胜过人的称赞和声誉呢——Yes是的：
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold我宁愿有耶稣，胜于金钱；
I’d rather be His than have riches untold我宁属耶稣，胜于财富无边。
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands我宁愿有耶稣，胜于土地；
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand愿主钉痕手，引导我前途。
And then we will come to Chapter 14 next time下次我们来到《创世记》十四章的时候：
I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause我宁愿有耶稣，胜于称颂，
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause我宁愿忠于主，成全他的事工，
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame我宁愿有耶稣，胜于名声，
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I’d rather be true to His holy name愿向主圣名，永赤胆忠诚。
Is this our hearts这个是我们的心吗？Do the choices that we make reveal this heart我们的选择反应出这样的内心吗？
Let’s pray together我们一起祷告：Father we are grateful all that all we are、all that we have is because of you and your son Jesus天父我们感谢你，我们今天成为何等的人，我们手上一切所拥有的，都是从你、从你的爱子耶稣而来的。And so for us give it back to you anything from our hands，it’s only real natural and reasonable所以从我们这方奉献一部分给你，是最自然的、是理所当然的。Work in our heart Oh holy spirit求圣灵在我们心中作工and shine in our hearts在我们心中照亮、光照我们。So we see our motives所以我们看到自己的动机，reflected our choices就是我们做出的选择所显露的动机。Help us帮助我们，be gracious and have mercy on us向我们施恩，怜悯我们；so that in the coming days好叫我们在未来的日子，we learn to make spiritual and wise choices好叫我们未来所做的选择是属灵的选择、是智慧的选择。Help us to see our children、our next generation in the world are watching让我们也看到我们的下一代和世人都在观看。We can not do what you command us to do without Jesus and Holy Spirit要做你所吩咐我们做的是不可能的，除非有耶稣、有圣灵。So we ask for the grace of Jesus and for the transforming power of the Holy Spirit所以我们求耶稣基督施恩典，我们求圣灵来做改变我们的工作——圣灵是大有能力的。So we commit ourselves to you我们把自己再次交托给主，and we are grateful that you are always faithful，and you are always working in us and around us感谢主你不断地作工，在我们心中作工、在我们周围作工；make the light in our hearts——bright lights求主让我们心里面的灯是明亮的灯。In Jesus’s name奉耶稣基督的圣名求，阿们！
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