将你的能力指示下代
——2024年1月26日晨祷分享
魏愛玲師母
诗篇 71:17-18, 耶利米书 6:16, 21:8; 以弗所书 5:15-17
魏牧师和我最近想起耶利米书中的这些经文。大约两年前，我开始感到困扰，一直在为成长中的孙子们祈祷。我们不会再像他们年轻时那样有时间和他们在一起了。他们成长得很快，有些人正在上大学。我们的世界和文化非常令人不安。祖父母必须有意识地与孙辈保持亲密关系！毕竟，我们年轻时在台湾担任传教士，远离他们很长时间。因此，两年前，当我祈祷并阅读圣经，试图确定如何帮助他们以及如何与他们保持联系时，我首先读到诗篇 71:17 -18 “神啊，自我年幼时你就教训我，直到如今我传扬你奇妙的作为。 神啊，我到年老发白的时候，求你不要离弃我，等我将你的能力指示下代，将你的大能指示后世的人。”
我读了这些话，我想……这就是我们，主啊，我们已经老了，头发花白了！我们觉得这是对我们子孙的召唤。我们开始每周为每个儿子和家庭禁食祈祷一天！我们已经通过短信向他们发送圣经经文并进行一些分享！当我们和他们在一起的时候，我们总是能找到谈论属灵生命的方式！然而，我们不知道他们上大学时是否有灵修，所以我想确定他们看神的话语。最近这些天，我觉得这是神对你和你们这一代人的呼召，尽管你们还没有老去、白发苍苍！你也想忠心地向下一代宣扬神的良善和他的大能！我们都有尚未相信耶稣的家人，我们希望他们跟随耶稣的道路。我们也有需要耶稣的同事和朋友。我们非常愛他们！当我读到耶利米书第六章中的这些经文时，我想到了我们认识的叛逆的青少年和年轻人以及迷失的人。他们中的许多人仍然像这里所讲的以色列人那样对安息的应许说“不”。许多人都在抗拒和拒绝。我们必须带着祈祷和愛心向上帝祈求如何影响我们所愛的人。 耶利米书 21:8 谈到了当我们受到诱惑而偏离正路时，我们必须做出的两种方式、两种选择。这是一个十字路口！生命之道与毁灭之道，我们称这两条路为世界之路和上帝之路，我的方式还是上帝的方式！
神过去所启示的仍然是真实的。他没有改变。古老的道路承载着属灵真理和永恒的生命。 这是让我们的灵魂得到安息的道路！对于先知耶利米时代的犹太人来说，古老的道路指的是上帝通过摩西启示的道路。他祝福那些走这条路的人。我们知道我们不再受到律法的约束，但如果我们想讨上帝喜悦，我们仍然需要走古老的道路。我们不能像加拉太人那样为福音添加内容。保罗警告要回归纯正的福音，并警告要提防律法主义，并行善才能蒙神悦纳！我们需要求神给我们古路、正路，仔细看神的话。我们必须以神的话语为指导，而不是情感或欲望。我们想要灵魂的安息，也就是救赎与平安，我们需要聆听神的警告，跟随他的道路，就像魏牧师在晨祷中分享约翰福音14:6时提到的那样，他是道路、他是真理，他是生命。我们必须坚定地忠于我们的主！ 我们只能通过祈祷和神的话语以及基督里的兄弟姐妹的鼓励来做到这一点，因为我们互相监督负责。
让我们快速看一下以弗所书5：15-17。我们已经与我们的孙子和儿子讨论了圣经中的这些话。 “要小心你的行为、生活方式，不是不明智、而是明智地，充分利用每一个机会，因为时代是邪恶的！不要犯傻，要明白主的旨意是什么”。我们都知道与家人分享是最困难的，因为他们了解我们，可以看到我们所有的弱点和过失，所以我们必须依靠圣灵带领我们找到最好的机会和时间，然后带着极大的愛和我们勇敢地提醒他们，我们分享神的话语这一真理。不要害怕这样做，因为我们必须这样做。经常祈祷并做好准备，这样我们就能随时做好准备，上帝也会帮助他们做好准备。你已经知道我正在谈论的所有这些事情了。在这四个星期的晨祷中，我们一直在为所有的孩子和家庭成员、我们所有的教会家庭成员祈祷，我们也在祈祷与我们的主有更紧密、更深的关系，所以魏牧师和我只是想鼓励你们，当你走这条古老的道路时，要坚强，坚持信心，主就会帮助我们。我们对这个清晨祈祷时间感到非常鼓舞。在我们这个时代，它充满了神的力量与平安。它使我们作为一个教会家庭更加紧密地联系在一起。我们希望其他人尽快加入！这是一种牺牲，但这是值得的。让我们都忠诚地尽我们所能，直到进入天堂！记得一位传教士弟兄提醒我的：“……时间很短，工作很伟大，责任很重大，而永恒已经临近了！”
Declared Thy Strength Unto The Next Generation:
Early Prayer Sharing on Jan 26, 2024
Elinda West
Psalm 71: 17-18, Jeremiah 6: 16, 21:8; Ephesians 5: 15-17
Rev. Ron and I have been reminded recently of these verses in Jeremiah. About 2 years ago I became troubled and have been praying for the growing grandchildren. We would not have the time with them anymore as when they were young. They are growing up quickly and some are going off to college. Our world and the culture are very troubling. Grandparents have to be intentional about staying close to the grandchildren! After all we spent a lot of time in their younger years far away from them while we served in Taiwan as missionaries. So, two years ago when I was praying and reading the scripture to try and determine how to help them and how to stay connected to them, I first read Psalm 71:17-18 “O God, thou hast taught me from my youth; and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Yea, even when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have declared thy strength unto the next generation, thy might to every one that is to come”(ERV).
I read those words and I thought …that’s us Lord, we are old and gray! We felt it was a call to us for our children and grandchildren. We started a day of fasting and prayer one day each week for each son and family! We were already sending bible verses to them by text with a little sharing! When we were together with them, we always found a way to talk about spiritual life! However, we didn’t know if they were having devotions when they went to college, so I wanted to be sure they were seeing God’s Word. During these recent days I feel it is God’s call to YOU and your generation also, even though you are not old and gray yet! You also want to be faithful to declare God’s goodness and His power to the next generation! We all have family members and who have not yet believed in Jesus, and we want them to follow the path of Jesus. We also have colleagues and friends who need Jesus. We love them all so much! When I came upon these verses in Jeremiah 6, I thought about the rebellious teenagers and young people and the lost people we know. Many of them are still saying “No,” like the Israelites said. Many are rebelling and rejecting. We must, with prayer and with love ask God for ways to influence these that we love. Jeremiah 21:8 talks about the two ways, the two choices we all have to make when we are tempted to get off the good path. It’s a crossroad! The way of LIFE and the way of destruction. We call these two ways: The world’s path, and God’s path; My way or God’s Way!
What God revealed in the past remains true. He does not change. The ancient path holds spiritual truth and everlasting life. It is the path that leads to rest for our soul! For the Jews in the OT days of Jeremiah the prophet, the ancient paths referred to God’s way He revealed through Moses. He blesses those who follow this path. We know we no longer are bound to the law but there are still ancient paths we are to walk if we want to please God. We cannot add to the gospel like the Galatians were doing. Paul warned about returning to the pure gospel and warned against legalism and doing good works to be acceptable to God! We need to ask God for the ancient path, the right path, looking closely to God’s word. We must be directed by God’s word not emotions or desires. We want rest for our soul which is salvation and peace, and we need to listen to God’s warning, follow His path like Rev. Ron referred to in Early Morning prayer as he shared John 14:6. HE is the WAY, the TRUTH, the LIFE. We must stay strongly committed to faithfulness to our Lord! We can only do that through prayer and God’s Word and encouragement from brothers and sisters in Christ as we hold each other accountable.
Let’s look quickly at Ephesians 5: 15-17! We’ve talked with our grandchildren and our sons about these words in scripture. “Be careful how you act, how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil! Do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s Will is. “We all know it is most difficult when sharing with family members because they know us and can see all our weakness and faults, so we have to depend on the Holy Spirit to lead us to the best opportunity and the time and then with great LOVE and boldness we remind them and we share the truth which is God’s Word. Don’t be afraid to do that because we MUST. Always pray much and be prepared so we will be ready at all times and God will help THEM to be ready too. You already know all these things I am talking about. In these 4 weeks of Early Morning Prayer, we have been praying for all the children and family members, all our church family members and we are praying for closer deeper relationship with our Lord, so Rev. Ron and I just want to encourage you to be strong as you walk this ancient path. Persevere in faith and the Lord will help us. We are so encouraged with this Early Morning prayer time. It has been filled with God’s strength and peace for our days. It has brought us closer together as a church family. We hope others will join soon. It is a sacrifice, but it is worth it. Let us all be found faithful to do all we can until we go to heaven! Remember as a missionary brother reminded me “…Time is short, the work is great, the responsibility is serious, and eternity is near!”