3月16日 天使在受造中的地位
天使在受造中的地位
魔鬼因堕落，失去了原本身处圣洁地位时所拥有的许多权能；但牠在本质上仍是天使，仍保有天使的能力。
在创造的秩序中，高等的受造物对低等的有支配权：走兽胜过草木，人胜过走兽，天使则胜过人。
其次，天使因其灵性的本质而更为卓越。人的软弱则源于肉身。人的灵魂本是为了伟大的事业而造，却被这团沉重的肉体压制，不得不配合肉体这软弱的同伴，吃力地划桨。鬼魔既然按受造本质来说仍是天使，他们就没有肉体这样的累赘：没有属肉体的理智如同烟雾来遮蔽他们的悟性，也没有脚踝上的枷锁来迟滞他们的行动。他们迅疾如风，烈如火焰。既然是灵，就不能靠人的血气之勇来抵挡；火伤不了他们，刀剑也害不了他们；除了神——众灵之父——没有谁能强大到足以捆绑他们。
魔鬼因堕落，失去了原本身处圣洁地位时所拥有的许多权能；但牠在本质上仍是天使，仍保有天使的能力。
除了名号与本性，鬼魔极其庞大的数量也增加了牠们的势力。有什么能比一粒沙子更轻呢？然而数量积聚便成沉重。有什么受造物比虱子更小呢？然而一场虱灾曾给埃及人带来何等痛苦！想想看，鬼魔本性如此强大，数量又如此众多，牠们该是何等可怕。撒但拥有足够多的鬼魔去骚扰全地：天底下没有一个地方牠不设防驻军，地上没有一个人牠不派邪灵跟踪。
为了特定任务，撒但甚至能差遣 “一群”（军团）驻扎在一个人里面（可5:9）。若它尚且能抽出这么多战力来对付一个人，那么撒但全军的名册上该有多少数目呢？所以，不要惊讶你在通往天国的路上，行军竟如此艰难，因为你必须穿越撒但这支大军所盘踞的阵地。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：出27章，约6章，
个人灵修：箴3章，加2章
MARCH 16, MONDAY
ANGEL’S ROLE IN CREATION
The devil lost much of his power in relation to the holy estate in which he was created. He is an angel still, and still has an angel’s power.
In the works of creation, the superior has power over the inferior: the beasts over the grass and herbs, man over the beasts, and angels over man.
Next, angels are superior because of the spirituality of their nature. The weakness of man resides in his flesh. His soul is made for great enterprises, but it is weighed down by a lump of flesh and must row with a strength suitable to its weak partner. Devils, being angels by virtue of creation, have no such encumbrance, no fumes from a fleshly intellect to cloud their understanding, no clog at their heel to retard their motion. They are as swift as a flame of fire carried on the wind. Being spiritual, they cannot be resisted with human force. Neither fire nor sword can hurt them. No one is strong enough to bind them except God, the Father of spirits.
By his fall the devil lost much of his power in relation to the holy and happy estate in which he was created, but not his natural abilities. He is an angel still, and still has an angel’s power.
In addition to their names and nature, the vast number of devils adds to their power. What is lighter than a grain of sand? Yet number makes it weighty. What creature is smaller than lice? Yet what grief a plague of them brought the Egyptians! Think how formidable devils must be, who are by nature so powerful and by number such a multitude. Satan has enough devils to harass the whole earth; not a place under heaven where he has not stationed his troops; not a person on earth without some of these cursed spirits tracking him wherever he goes.
For special service Satan can send a legion to keep garrison in a single person (Mark 5:9). And if he can spare so many to attack one, how many must there be on the muster roll of Satan’s whole army? Do not be surprised to find your march to heaven difficult, since you must pass through the very quarters of this demonic multitude.