5月13日 披戴军装抵挡那磨难的日子
披戴军装抵挡那磨难的日子
灵魂是一座城堡，我们各人受托为神守卫。我们已受过警告：撒但必来围攻。当牠意欲倾其所有黑暗权势而来之时，便是那“磨难的日子”。
既然死亡对每个人来说都是不可避免的，我们首先就有责任为这磨难的日子作好预备。你对神的忠心效忠，正是你的安稳所在。试想，若一个臣民受托看守君王的堡垒，他听闻强大的敌军将至，却毫无防备，既不储备军械，也不预备粮草，最终导致城堡失守。他怎能不被定为叛国罪呢？他难道不是因自己的懈怠而背叛了君王吗？
灵魂是一座城堡，我们各人受托为神守卫。我们已受过警告：撒但必来围攻。当牠意欲倾其所有黑暗权势而来之时，便是那“磨难的日子”。因此，为了显明我们忠于所受的托付，我们必须筹划防务，装备自己以进行顽强的抵抗。若我们虚掷神为那磨难的日子所预备的帮助，我们便是在对神表现出可耻的忘恩负义。
你会如何看待一个囚徒？有人资助他赎金以获自由，他却在狱中将这笔钱耗费在取悦自己的事情上。。这本质上就是我们的所作所为：我们本应，用神所期望的才干来为临终的时刻做准备，却反倒将这些才能用于满足自己的私欲。如果我们不借着圣经和传道人的教导来穿戴神所赐的全副军装，那么这些属灵资源对我们又有何益处呢？
总而言之，神为何要延长我们在活人之地的年日呢？难道是为了让我们有时间沉溺于这虚空世界的享乐吗？难道我们活着，是为了追逐地上的财富与名望这些如蝴蝶般转瞬即逝的东西吗？绝非如此。智慧的主人断不会吩咐仆人去做那些连点蜡烛的成本都赚不回来的琐事。事实上，除非是为了荣耀神并最终使灵魂得救，否则没有任何事配得上我们在世上所花费的宝贵光阴。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：民22章，诗62-63章，
个人灵修：赛11-12章，雅5章
MAY 13, WENDESDAY
ARMOR IS NEEDED TO WITHSTAND THE EVIL DAY
The soul is a castle which we are each one to keep for God.We have been warned that Satan will lay siege to it.The time when he intends to come with all his powers of darkness is that “evil day.”
Since death is inevitable for every person, it behooves us, first of all, to prepare for this evil day in regard to our duty. Your faithful allegiance to God is what keeps you safe. Suppose a subject, entrusted with the care of one of his prince’s castles, should hear a powerful enemy was coming to lay siege to the castle. Yet he took no precautions to lay in arms or provisions for its defense, and so it was lost. How could he be cleared of treason? Did he not through negligence betray his prince?
The soul is a castle which we are each one to keep for God. We have been warned that Satan will lay siege to it. The time when he intends to come with all his powers of darkness is that “evil day.” Now in order to be found true to our trust, we must plan for our defense and equip ourselves for a vigorous resistance. We cannot, without shameful ingratitude to our God, waste those aids He provides for that evil day.
What would you say of a prisoner who was sent money for his release, but used it instead to amuse himself while in prison? This is in essence what we do when we take the talents God expects us to use in preparation for the hour of death, and instead bestow them upon our lusts. What profit will we find in our Bibles or our ministers if we do not use them to equip ourselves with God’s armor?
In a word, why does God lengthen our days in the land of the living? Is it that we might have time to revel in the pleasures of this vain world? Are we to be chasing such butterflies as earthly riches and honor? It cannot be. Wise masters do not give their servants such tasks as will not pay for the candles they burn in doing them. And truly nothing less than glorifying God and saving our souls at last can be worth the precious time we spend here.