0119 异象与黑暗
日头正落的时候，亚伯兰沉沉地睡了；忽然有惊人的大黑暗落在他身上。《创世纪 15:12》
每当神给基督徒异象时，就好像祂把他放在「祂手的荫下」（以赛亚书49:2）； 圣徒的职责是要安静并倾听。 有一种「黑暗」是来自过多的光明——那是倾听的时候。 创世记16章中亚伯兰和夏甲的故事就是一个在黑暗时期听从所谓好建议，而不是等待神赐下光明的绝佳例子。当神给你异象，黑暗随之而来时，要等待。神将会在你生命中实现祂给予你的异象，只要你愿意等待祂的时机；永远不要试图帮助神实现祂的话语。亚伯兰经历了十三年的沉默，但在那些年里，他所有的自给自足都被摧毁了。他成长到不再仅仅依赖自己的常识；那些沉默的岁月是一段管教的时期，而不是神不喜悦的时期。永远不必假装你的生活充满喜乐和信心，只需等候神，并在祂里面扎根（见以赛亚书50:10-11）。
我是否完全信任肉体？还是我已经学会超越对自己和其他神的子民的所有信心？我相信书籍、祷告或生活中的其他乐趣吗？ 或者我是否把信心放在神自己身上，而不是祂的祝福上？ 「我是全能的神…」——El-Shaddai，全能的神（创世记 17:1）。 我们都受到管教的原因，为了让我们知道神是真实的。 一旦神对我们来说变得真实，人类就变得苍白无力，成为现实的影子。其他圣徒所做或所说的，都无法扰乱建立在神基础上的人。
来自章伯斯的智慧
圣经是唯一一本向我们指明罪的真实本质以及来源的书籍。《罪的哲学》
0119 Vision and Darkness
When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. —Genesis 15:12
Whenever God gives a vision to a Christian, it is as if He puts him in “the shadow of His hand” (Isaiah 49:2). The saint’s duty is to be still and listen. There is a “darkness” that comes from too much light— that is the time to listen. The story of Abram and Hagar in Genesis 16 is an excellent example of listening to so-called good advice during a time of darkness, rather than waiting for God to send the light. When God gives you a vision and darkness follows, wait. God will bring the vision He has given you to reality in your life if you will wait on His timing. Never try to help God fulfill His word. Abram went through thirteen years of silence, but in those years all of his self-sufficiency was destroyed. He grew past the point of relying on his own common sense. Those years of silence were a time of discipline, not a period of God’s displeasure. There is never any need to pretend that your life is filled with joy and confidence; just wait upon God and be grounded in Him (see Isaiah 50:10-11).
Do I trust at all in the flesh? Or have I learned to go beyond all confidence in myself and other people of God? Do I trust in books and prayers or other joys in my life? Or have I placed my confidence in God Himself, not in His blessings? “I am Almighty God…”— El-Shaddai, the All-Powerful God (Genesis 17:1). The reason we are all being disciplined is that we will know God is real. As soon as God becomes real to us, people pale by comparison, becoming shadows of reality. Nothing that other saints do or say can ever upset the one who is built on God.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The Bible is the only Book that gives us any indication of the true nature of sin, and where it came from. –The Philosophy of Sin, 1107 R