4月29日 “讲道祷告”的魔鬼
“讲道祷告”的魔鬼
在众人中，神击打得最迅速的，乃是那些利用圣洁的外衣来粉饰属世与邪恶事业的人。
有些人口里大肆谈论自己的信仰，内心却暗暗定睛在属地的目标上。他们假装奔向天国，实则满心虚假。这类欺诈者就像苍鹰，虽飞得极高，双眼却仍死死盯着地上的腐肉。
假冒为善的人过去有，现在有，将来也必一直混杂在涌向教会的人群中，夹杂在神真圣徒的中间。他们的言谈纯正，服事也可圈可点，但他们的内心却布满了诡诈。最可悲的是，他们甚至连自己都欺骗了。世人也许误称他们为圣徒，但基督知道他们实则是魔鬼。祂论到那最大的伪君子犹大时曾说：“我不是拣选了你们十二个门徒吗？但你们中间有一个是魔鬼。”（约6:70）
说真的，在一切魔鬼中，没有一种比“自称属主的魔鬼”更可怕的了——就是那种会讲道、会祷告的魔鬼。当那些自称属神的人把圣洁之物用来达到属世的目的时，神一再显出祂严厉的不悦。在众人中，神击打得最迅速的，乃是那些利用圣洁的外衣来粉饰属世与邪恶事业的人。神已郑重应许说：“我必向那人变脸，使他作了警戒，笑谈，令人惊骇，并且我要将他从我民中剪除，你们就知道我是耶和华。”（结14:8）
在盗贼中，常有一个“探子”专门摸清财物所在，他是整场非法行动的策划者，却从不亲自冒险去作案。魔鬼也用同样的策略：牠观察一个基督徒怎样行事，往哪里去，喜欢与谁为伍；然后据此决定用什么方法最容易窃取这人里面的恩典。等定下了计谋，牠便差遣别人去执行。因此，魔鬼差遣约伯的朋友，甚至约伯的妻子去试探他；牠也差遣波提乏的妻子去引诱约瑟。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：民6章，诗40-41章，
个人灵修：歌4章，来4章
APRIL 29, WENDESDAY
THE “PREACHING PRAYING” DEVIL
Of all men, God strikes with greatest speed the one who gilds over worldly and wicked business with holy pretensions.
Some individuals make a lot of noise about their religion, but secretly have their hearts set on earthly goals. They pretend to be heaven-bound, but their hearts are full of hypocrisy. Such deceivers are like the eagle who, when he soars highest, has his eye fixed on some carnal prey on the ground.
Hypocrites have always been and ever will be a part of the crowd thronging into the church and mingling with the true saints of God. Their speech is pure, their service admirable; but their hearts are lined with deceit. Worst of all, they fool even themselves. The world may mistakenly call them saints, but Christ knows they are devils. What did He say about the master hypocrite, Judas? “Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70).
Truly, of all devils, none is as bad as the professing devil—the preaching, praying devil. God has repeatedly shown His severe displeasure when His so-called people have prostituted sacred things to worldly ends. Of all men, God strikes with the greatest speed the one who gilds over worldly and wicked business with holy pretensions. God has made a solemn promise: “I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people, and ye shall know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 14:8).
Among thieves, there is often a scout who searches out where the booty is to be had. He is the brains behind every illicit operation, but he never risks his own neck by actually committing a crime. The devil uses this same tactic by watching how a Christian walks, where he goes, whose company he enjoys. Then he decides the best way to rob him of his grace. When the plan is set, he sends someone else to carry it out. Thus he sent Job’s friends and even Job’s wife to tempt him, he sent Potiphar’s wife to entice Joseph.