4月30日 为天国使用地上财物
为天国使用地上财物
若你在社会中是个有影响力的人，你如何使用你的影响力——是为善还是为恶？是出于自私还是为了舍己？
一个真正的圣徒，在日常事务上会殷勤热心，但他一切的精力却是朝向天上的：当他的双手忙于劳作时，他的心思与意念却专注于更高的事——如何讨神喜悦，如何在恩典中长进，如何更亲密地与基督相交。相反，属肉体的人在店铺中劳碌了一整天之后，回到家还要花上半宿的工夫筹划如何在生意上更进一步。他在工作中流汗，却在祷告的内室里冷淡。没有任何恶劣的天气能阻挡他去市场，但若通往教会的路稍微湿滑，或空气中有一丝寒意，他就借故推辞聚会。只要能填满钱袋，再大的不便他也愿意承受；但若讲道人多讲了一两分钟，他便开始抱怨。总而言之，他在工作中紧盯着钱柜，而在教会里却紧盯着手表。
若我所说的话触动了你，你当立刻来到神面前，恳求祂赐下彻底更新的心。
也许你在获取属地之物时带着属天的心志，但当你使用这些东西时，是否也同样如此呢？一个优秀的属灵角力者，会运用地上的产业去达成属天的目的。
你如何处理劳碌所得的成果？是用来塞满自己那贪婪的肚腹，还是愿意与贫寒的人分享？若你在社会中是个有影响力的人，你如何使用你的影响力——是为善还是为恶？是出于自私还是为了舍己？若祷告只求“得着”，却没有属天的目标，这与拜偶像无异。亲爱的圣徒，你当存敬畏的心使用你的物质财富，免得地上的事夺走你属天的心志，使你今生的享受危及永恒的益处。正如约伯因担心儿女犯罪而献祭，使他们分别为圣，基督徒也当借着祷告，不断使自己所享用的一切属世之物分别为圣。如此，他就能脱离这些事物所设下的网罗。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：民7章，诗42-43章，
个人灵修：歌5章，来5章
APRIL 30, THURSDAY
USE EARTHLY GOODS FOR HEAVEN
If you are a prominent member of your community, how do you use your influence—for good or for evil? For selfish or selfless ends?
A true saint will be zealous in his daily affairs, but all his energies will be tuned to heaven, while his hands are busy at his tasks, his heart and head will be taken up with higher matters—how to please God, grow in grace, enjoy more intimate fellowship with Christ. The carnal man, in contrast, spends long, hard hours in his shop and then goes home and spends half the night plotting how to get ahead in business. He sweats in the shop, but grows cold in the prayer closet. No weather is bad enough to keep him from market, but if the road to church is a little slippery or there is a chill in the air, he begs his leave from the services. No inconvenience is too great if it fattens his pocket, but let the preacher keep him a minute or two past the hour, and he complains. In short, at work he keeps his eyes on the till; at church, he keeps them on his watch.
If anything I have said speaks to you, go quickly to God and petition for a thorough change of heart.
Perhaps you have a heavenly spirit in getting earthly things. But do you have the same spirit when you use them? The good wrestler uses his earthly estate for heavenly ends.
What do you do with the fruits of your labor? Do you bestow them on your own overstuffed paunch—or do you share them with the poor? If you are a prominent member of your community, how do you use your influence—for good or for evil? For selfish or selfless ends? To pray for “things” without a heavenly end in mind is close to idolatry. Use your material wealth with a holy fear, dear saint, lest earth should rob heaven, and your temporal enjoyments endanger your heavenly interests. As Job sanctified his children by offering a sacrifice out of fear that they might have sinned, so the Christian must continually sanctify his earthly enjoyments by prayer. In this way He will be delivered from the snare of them.