3月10日 撒但短暂的掌权
撒但短暂的掌权
若我们先前没有作过撒但的囚徒，我们就无法充分明白或珍视我们最终所蒙的拯救。
当世人看见神随手一弹，就把撒但这条大龙从世上送入了地狱，轻松得就像弹走一只蚊子，这时就再没有人会怀疑神全能的权柄了。正如人单凭自己无法与魔鬼匹敌，撒但连同牠所有的军队在神面前也同样不堪一击。当神结束这场战争时，祂要为自己赢得何等荣耀的名！
天地的创造使神得着“创造主”的名；对万物的护理使祂得着“保守者”的名；但祂战胜撒但的凯旋，却使祂得着超乎万名之上的名——“救主”。作为救主，祂既保守被救赎的人脱离灭亡，又在他里面创造一个新造的人——恩典的儿女。随后，这位救主将这婴孩揽入怀中，护送他安全地穿过撒但掀起的一切动荡与喧嚣，直到他最终抵达天家。
没有什么比神的救赎计划更能彰显祂的怜悯。祂其他一切的威严作为，都如江河汇入这浩瀚的救恩之海，圣徒将站在海岸上大大欢喜。请你务必确信：若我们先前没有作过撒但的囚徒，我们就无法充分明白或珍视我们最终所蒙的拯救。
神容让撒但暂时掌权，是为了加增圣徒永恒的喜乐。这听起来像是个悖论对吗？想想你自己的生活，你会发现，最大的喜乐往往是从受苦的灰烬中生出来的。圣经给出了三种大喜乐的写照：妇人生子的喜乐、农夫丰收的喜乐、士兵得胜的喜乐。这三者的欢呼都是从坚硬的土壤中收获的。在得着赏赐之前，生产的妇人要经受剧痛，农夫要经历数月的劳苦，士兵要冒极大的危险；但到了最后，他们都得到了完满的报偿。忧伤有一种奇特的特质：对往昔痛苦的回忆，往往能为现今的喜乐增添一份格外的甘甜。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：出21章，路24章，
个人灵修：伯39章，林后9章
MARCH 10, TUESDAY
SATAN’S TEMPORARY REIGN
If we had not been Satan’s prisoner first, we would not fully understand or appreciate our deliverance at last.
No one will doubt God’s almighty power when they see Him flick this mighty dragon off the earth and into hell as though he were a gnat. Just as man alone is no match for the devil, so Satan with all his troops is no match for God. What a glorious name God will have for Himself when He has finished this war!
The workmanship of heaven and earth gave God the name of Creator. Providence gave Him the name of Preserver. But His triumph over Satan gives Him a name above every other—that of Savior. As Savior He both preserves rescued man from destruction and creates a new creature in him—a child of grace. Then the Savior nestles this babe in His bosom and carries him safely past all the commotions of Satan, until at last he reaches heaven.
There is no greater evidence of God’s mercy than His plan of redemption. All His other majestic works will flow as rivers into this one mighty sea, on whose shores the saints will stand with great rejoicing. Know this for certain: If we had not been Satan’s prisoner first, we would not fully understand or appreciate our deliverance at last.
God permits Satan’s temporary reign in order to increase the saint’s eternal joy. Does this sound like a paradox? Think about your own life, and you will find that often the occasions for the greatest joy arise from the ashes of suffering. Scripture gives three illustrations of great joy: the joy of a new mother, the joy of a prosperous farmer, and the joy of a successful soldier. The exultation of all three is harvested from hard soil. It costs the travailing woman great pain, the farmer many months of backbreaking labor, and the soldier grave peril, before they come to their reward. But at last they are paid in full. And it is a peculiar attribute of sorrow that its past remembrance so often adds a sweetness to our present joy.