Wednesday, May 30, 2012

不配的人——劉崇右弟兄的見證 (二)



文稿整理:郭曉君

我十五六歲讀《聖經》,還有去教會,我覺得是一件很快樂的事情。當那個青年團契跟我講,他們在練習如何使用屬靈的四個定律來給我傳福音。因為我那時候還不知 道什麼是基督徒,什麼不是基督徒,我不知道。結果他們一跟我傳,我信了。那個跟我傳的人也嚇一跳。但那個時候我就這麼信。我就認定我自己是基督徒了。後來,我跑去找我們教會的牧師,問他說,我們的上帝對我們那麼的好,我應該拿什麽去報答祂?那位牧師說,所有的一切都是上帝。後來我還是不知道要做什麽。到 此,一切都看起來很好。一個新的基督徒誕生了。

其實,從我開始信耶穌就存在著一個問題。我愛看《聖經》,愛探討《聖經》上的經節,其實是希望像詩篇第一篇的那棵樹一樣,栽在溪水旁,按時候結果子,葉子也不枯乾。凡他所作的,盡都順利(詩篇1:3)。我是爲了愛主所能賜給我的東西,而不是真的愛祂。我那時候信耶穌的好處是爲了我可以不用下地獄,這叫我愛耶穌嗎?我那時候去問我的輔導老師,我是愛耶穌所可以給我的一切好處,還是我懼怕所要給我的一切刑罰呢? 17歲的那時候,我的這個問題在困惱著我。我成了一個怪怪的人。之後,有人給一盤唐崇榮牧師的磁帶,《讓我們吃喝快樂吧》.我聽了之後很多的問題都解決了。之後,我就想開始去傳福音。但說實話,我的動機還是不對。我19歲時開始去傳福音、發單張。但我只是想成為跟唐崇榮牧師一樣。

到最後,我開始自以為義。我覺得自己比同齡人厲害,聖經比他們熟。還敢去發單張。以聖經上的律法去論斷他人。覺得憑什麼那些人沒有按照神你的方法來做,卻可以得救? 19到21 歲, 我有去教會,去參加團契,去禱告會,邀請別人來教會,但我沒有用上帝的愛來愛他人。每個人看我都覺得我很虔誠,但我自己獨處的時候,我在想我真的是基督徒 嗎?心裡有很多的苦。我知道好的、善的我不去行。我知道不好的,我反倒去行了。像保羅那時候那樣。當耶穌基督做你生命的王的時候,你的人生會有順序。如沒 有,你的人生將是一片混亂。我當時活著的是沒有方向的人生。即便我是基督徒,我信了耶穌,我的生命沒有意義。

我21-23歲的時候,我每次進教會,我都會很鬱悶. 但我不進教會我會覺得心裡好過點。當我跟朋友去追逐世界上的東西的時候,我覺得我的人生不錯。但當我禮拜天去教會的時候,我的人生是灰暗的。到23歲的時候,有一禮拜天,我決定不去教會。我既然覺得全身輕鬆了很多。就好像聖經上說的,外邦為甚麼爭鬧?萬民為甚麼謀算虛妄的事?世上的君王一齊起來,臣宰一同商議,要敵擋耶和華並他的受膏者,說:我們要掙開他們的捆綁,脫去他們的繩索(詩篇2:1-3)。我解開了耶和華的捆綁,我發現人生鬆了一口氣。我好像很久很久沒有鬆一口氣的感覺。之後連續一段時候都沒有去教會,喜歡鬆口氣的感覺。教會的James牧師打電話給我問我爲什麽沒有去教會。 (他一直很看好我的。他待我像自己的孩子一樣)。我 說,“James 牧師,我需要離開教會一段時間,休息一下,到必要的時候,我會回來的。但是我一定會回來的,我保證 ”但我一走就是幾年。我明明知道祂是上帝,但我卻離開了祂。也不敢見祂。我放縱自己在罪惡中。

直到有一年,媽媽過來美國跟我呆了一年。我那時候經常晚上很晚出去一直到凌晨才回到家。一身的煙味、酒味。感受到了媽媽無微不至的愛,也因為覺得我是個不孝子而很痛苦。我回想起上次,我最開心最快樂的是什麽時候呢?我想起來,是在教會的禱告會。我於是決定我要回教會當James牧師看到我回去的時候,他特別開心。他說他已經為我禱告了好幾年了。之後,我參加了禱告會(我們在禱告之前要讀詩篇),那天讀的經文是詩篇32篇。詩篇32:10 惡人必多受苦楚;我體會到了那種苦。什麽叫惡人?我根據當時我已經有了知識,我知道忘記上帝的外邦人叫做惡人。我以為我是基督徒,但我所做的與所讀的並不符合。我說,“主啊,我願意回到教會,願意讀聖經,學習你的話語。”

有一天,媽媽不在家,我跪在主的面前說,“我要悔改。天上的父,求你不要看我的罪孽,求你原諒我,因為你看我,我什麽都沒有,我只能夠接受你的憤怒,從你而來的這些懲罰。我應得只有這些,但求你可以 不可以紀念天上耶穌的功勞,你的信實,你的慈愛,可以嗎?求你饒恕我,回到你的面前。我不只求你是我的救主,你要我做什麽。我這一切都不要了。這一切本來 都要過去。我不要這些東西。天地都要廢去。唯有遵守你旨意的要永遠長存。我是誰?我是敗壞的人,我不配,但我相信你~~因為你已經做了,我只好相信你了。我相信主耶穌基督~~!!我回到你的面前”我曾經還在尋找我要做什麽?提摩太後書,保羅吩咐提摩太。保羅用我們上帝的名,還有主耶穌基督的名,吩咐他說,無論得時不得時你務要傳道(提摩太後書4:2)

這句話擊打我。我務要傳道!有些人會問我說,你真的嗎?過去的一兩年我在掙扎。我自己其實也問自己一個問題:是我?是我去做傳道?
如果我去做傳道,我很多朋友都知道我是很敗壞的。而且我又不是沒有去過教會,不離開。我做傳道難道基督教不被羞辱嗎?我做傳道基督教難道不被輕看嗎?我做傳道我有什麼見證呢?我這樣敗壞,又不配的一個人。我算什麼?
可是務要傳道有說什麼別的東西嗎?而且你要有一個資格,是什麼?我知道一件事情,上帝救了我。當我發福音單張的那時候,我記得我在紐約的地鐵上面。那一天,我把單張拿出去的那一天。我邊走我是邊擦著眼淚。我為什麼擦著眼淚?因為主的愛充滿了我。他說什麼?

我說,“主啊,你讓我來服侍你?我可以服侍你?你還用我?”
他說,“主的愛是不改變。”
我說,“我曾經離棄你。”
他說,“你到哪裡,我的愛跟隨你到哪裡。”
我說,“我是背叛你的人”
他說,“你雖改變,我永不改變。”
我說,“我如此的敗壞!”
他說,“不要看你自己,要看我的兒子耶穌基督。”

我就這樣傳傳傳傳,前面後面前面後面,然後我回家,我感謝上帝,我最後發現,我必須要出來要做傳道。因為什麼?上帝已經救我。為什麼我要傳福音?為什麼基督徒傳福音?因為上帝已經救我們。已經救我們——從罪惡當中拯救出來,從黑暗當中拯救出來。我們都曾經是悖逆之子,是敗壞的,是可怒之子。與其他人沒有兩樣。可是主把我們從這些患難當中都救出來。我們蒙召就是要作他的見證。直到地極作他的見證,奉父子聖靈的名給他們施洗,我們作主的見證。他與我們同在直到世界的末了。

所 以基督徒,今天我們來這裡,這是很享受的一件事情。而許多許多在我們旁邊的,他們需要這個,而他們怎麼知道他們需要呢?因為你已經從原被跟他們一樣的地 方,你已經被救出來了。你在更好的地方。他們需要。我被救出來了,你被救出來了。你去傳福音,高舉主耶穌的聖名,你明白這件事,你可以明白,主救我們,就 是要他榮耀的恩典得著稱讚。他榮耀的恩典得著稱讚。
願上帝賜福給你。

阿門
(全文完)

Someone Unworthy——Testimony from Brother Michael J.C. Liu (II)



Translated by Sean Kwong

By the time I was about 15 years old, I read the Bible and I went to church regularly. It felt good to do these things. At that time, people from my youth group were practicing how to apply Four Spiritual Laws. Before this, I did not understand what it meant to be a Christian, but when the gospel was preached to me, I was converted. Even the person who preached to me was surprised at my conversion. Since then, I have identified myself as a Christian.

Later, I talked to our pastor in church. I asked him, “How could I repay God since he is so good to us?” That pastor answered, “Everything belongs to God.” However, I still did not know how to repay God. Nonetheless, up to this point, everything looked great on the outside. After all, a new Christian was born, right? But little did I know that there was an underlying problem at the very beginning of my spiritual journey.

I loved to read the Bible, and I loved to study Bible verses. In fact, I was hoping to be like that tree in Psalms chapter 1: “It is planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season. Its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (Psalms1:3). This reveals my underlying problem: I loved the idea that the Lord could bless me, but I did not really love the Lord, Himself. When I accepted Christ, I did so in order to escape from punishment in hell. However, this did not mean that I loved Jesus. I always wondered, “Did I accept Christ because I love all the benefits from Jesus, or because I feared the punishments?” I even brought this question to my mentor.

Even when I was 17 years old, that question continued to trouble me, which made me getting weird. Later, someone gave me a tape from Pastor Stephen Tong, titled, “Let us Eat and Drink Happily”. Because of his teaching in this tape, many of my questions were answered and I earnestly desired to preach the gospel. But in hindsight, I see that my motivations were still wrong.

When I was 19 years old, I began to preach the gospel. I also handed out evangelical leaflets. However, what I really wanted was to become like Pastor Stephen Tong. As time went by, I became self-righteous. I felt superior to my peers. I thought I was more familiar with the Bible, and was more courageous to hand out leaflets. I judged others by the Laws from the Bible. I thought to myself, “How come those people could be saved? They did not even follow God’s law!”

From when I was 19 to 21 years old, I was active in the church. I joined fellowship and attended prayer meetings. I even invited many people to church. However, I did not love others out of God’s love. Everyone thought that I was very devoted but secretly, I was always wondering whether or not I was a real Christian. It was very painful. I knew what was good, but I did not cling to what was good. I knew what was evil, yet I acted out of evilness. At that time, I struggled exactly like what Paul described in Bible.

When Jesus Christ is truly the King of your life, your life will be in a good order. Otherwise, your life will be in chaos. At that time, I was living my life without any clear direction. Even though I was a Christian and believed in Jesus, my life was meaningless. From when I was 21 to 23 years old, I felt totally lost when I was in church. I actually felt better when I was not in church. When my friends and I were pursuing worldly things, I felt my life was fine. But when I went to church on Sunday, I felt my life was just grey. Then one day, when I was 23 years old, I finally decided to stop attending church. I finally felt relaxed. Just like those verses from the Bible, “Why do the nations conspire and the people plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.’”(Psalm2:1-3) I untied bondage from God; I found relief in my life. Pastor James from my church called me. He asked me why I was absent on Sunday. You see, he had thought highly of me and treated me like his own child.) I replied, “Pastor James, I need to take a break. I will not return until I need to. However, I will go back one day, I promise you.” However, once I left, I did not go back for many years. I knew that Jesus was God, but I left him. I did not dare to see Him. I indulged myself in sins.

A few years later, my mom came to United States. She stayed with me for a year. During her stay, I often went out at late night. I would not come home until next morning. I smelt like cigarettes and alcohol. Although I received my mother’s unconditional love, I also felt pained because I dishonored my parents. I tried to recall when last time that I felt truly happy was. When I realized that it was at the prayer meeting, I went back to church.

When Pastor James saw me, he was very happy. He told me that he had prayed for me during these past few years. Soon after, I attended prayer meeting. We always read Psalms before praying. The scripture we read on that day was Psalm 32. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in Him (Psalm 32:10). I experienced the woes. According my knowledge at that time, Gentiles who forget God were wicked. I thought I was a Christian, but what I had done did not match what I read. I prayed, “LORD, I am willing to return to church. I am willing to read the Bible. I am willing to study your words.”

After some time had passed and I was home alone, I kneeled down before the LORD. I told him: “I want to repent. Heavenly Father, I beg you, do not look at my sins. I beg for your forgiveness. Look at me: I have nothing; I deserve nothing but your anger and punishment. I deserve to be punished, but I beg you not to judge me based on who I am. Please judge me according to what Jesus has accomplished in heaven, and on your faithfulness and love. Please? I beg you to forgive me so that I go back to your presence. I am not only begging you to be my Savior, but I also ask for your guidance. What do you want me to do? I do not want all these things on earth. Everything in this world will pass away. I do not want these things. Heaven and earth will pass away, but those who obey your commands will remain. Who am I? I am a wretch. I do not deserve anything. However, I believe in You because what You have done. You are the only one who I can believe in. I believe my LORD Jesus Christ!! I come back to You”. 

When I was seeking God’s guidance for future direction, I read the book of 2 Timothy. Here, Paul commanded Timothy in God’s and in Jesus’ name to “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2). This command caught me by surprise. I questioned God, “Must I preach the word?”, I asked. Others questioned me as well, because they knew I had been struggling over the past two years. I asked myself, “Me? Should I preach? If I began preaching, many of my friends would know of my shameful past. I had, after all, abandoned the church. If I began to preach, wouldn’t I tarnish the name of Christ? Wouldn’t Christianity receive a bad reputation because of me? What kind of testimony could I bring? I am such an unworthy man. Who am I?” However, I knew the response to all of my questions: “Is there a requirement to preach the word? Do you need any qualifications?” All I need to know is that GOD has saved me. I remember one day as I was handing out evangelical leaflets at New York City Subway, I was wiping away my tears. Why? It was because LORD’s love filled me. What did He say?

I asked the LORD, “Would you allow me to serve you? May I serve you? Can You still use me?”

He said, “Wherever you go, my love follows you. ”

I said, “I turned away from You.”

He said, “You may change, I never change.”

I said, “I am such a wretch.”

He said, “Do not look at yourself; look at my Son Jesus Christ.”

So I continued to hand out leaflets. I preached the Word to whoever was around me. I went home and thanked God with a grateful heart. In the end, I discovered I had to step out of my comfortable zone to preach. So I ask you this question tonight, why do I need to preach? If my Lord had already saved me, why is it necessary? Why should Christians preach at all? There is only one reason. This reason is that our Lord has saved us from sins. He has saved us from darkness. We were all disobedient. We were totally depraved. All of us deserved God’s wrath. However, our LORD has saved us from these sufferings. We are called to witness His name to the ends of earth.  We are all called to baptize people in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. We are called to be a living testimony for our LORD, and He is with us until the end of the world.

Today, it is our privilege to be here as Christians. Many unbelievers around us need attend an enjoyable event, such as this. But how do they know they need Jesus? They can know it through your salvation and your witness for Christ. You are an example of someone who was once lost in sin but now saved by grace. Because of your salvation, you are in a better position now. They need to be where you are. I am saved. So are you. You should preach the words and praise our Lord’s name on high. You understand. You know. Our LORD saved us so that his glorious grace will be praised.

May His glorious grace be praised.

May God bless you all.

Amen

(The End)

不配的人——劉崇右弟兄的見證



文稿整理:郭曉君

各位晚安!

我每一次上台作見證,我想每一個人上台作見證,你是基督徒,你一定知道一件事情。你做這見證,你這個人,你傳上帝的福音,你本來就是一個不配的人,你本來就是一個敗壞,被上帝拯救的人。你是什​​麼人,你憑什麼用你這雙手侍奉全能的上帝呢?你憑什麼用你所擁有的東西來獻給耶和華你的上帝呢?全地都是他的,一切都是他做的。榮耀頌讚本來就都是他的。

我記得我十四歲半。我家里人把我送到了紐約。那時候我母親在那裡接觸了教會。很多的新移民都知道從教會裡可以得到生活很多方面的幫助,尤其是心靈上的。我母親在教會找到了一份溫暖。在我十五歲的時候,她在紐約的教會裡受洗。於是,她也就吩咐我要去教會。然後,我在想說,母親第一次用她母親的權柄(她平常都很溫柔),第一次用吩咐的。這個一定要聽,我就去教會了。我去教會的時候,那裡的人讓我感覺到很不一樣的地方是(紐約我原本覺得是一個人情人暖,非常現實的一個地方)從我小時候在學校,就是長大,讀小學到國中。我一直覺得社會就是現實的——你在學校,你要么是第一名,受到人人尊重,老師喜歡你;或者,你就是功課不好,老師就覺得你不怎麼樣,朋友也不怎麼看得起你。可是在教會不一樣,我就發現學長,就是同一個高中的學長、輔導老師,他們都有一個特殊的氣質。我發現基督徒和其他人不同。那時候我應該要聽聽基督徒講的話。基督徒說要讀聖經,但不要從舊約創世紀開始,因為對你來說太難了,要從馬太、馬可、路加、約翰福音開始。有時候會建議你先從《馬可福音》開始讀起,因為最短。那時候是從《馬太福音》開始讀起。我媽媽說如果遇到名字家譜那些什麼不懂的,就先跳過去。

我記得我第一次讀《聖經》,我發現《聖經》讓我感到很不同的的事情就是《新約聖經》所寫的東西是非常的有力量。跟我以前所讀過的著作,不管是《論語》、佛教的經典還是《可蘭經》都不同。它很有力量,就好像真的在對你講話一樣。而且,它裏面所講的事情和它的作者馬太、馬可、路加、約翰不像是編出來的。他們所寫的東西就好像他們站在旁邊所看到的,耶穌基督叫一個人從死裡復活,然後他們看到了,他們把它記下來。它不像是神話故事。這就讓我很信賴這本書。

它讓我驚奇到一個地步,我說,耶穌基督真是好啊,他真是好得不得了。如果他是上帝,我一定要相信他。祂是讓瞎眼的看見,瘸腿的行走,他叫死人也復活。他做的都好,他講的話都美善,他智慧這麼高超。而且很重要的,我那時候以為,他死了,怎麼可以殺他?這些人在幹什麼?然後他復活了。哇,這不是小事情哦,復活了!然後我回去問我的輔導老師,就是我在教會,我已經非常信賴的,我覺得氣質非常出眾,就是很特別的,這個是基督徒。哇,這跟我以前遇到過的老師都不一樣,有一個非常慈祥的笑容的老師。他是老師,我尊重他,他不會騙我。 “老師,這個《聖經》講的耶穌基督是上帝都是真的嗎?”他說:“當然是真的啊。”他說是真的,就是真的,就這樣,我就相信我所讀的《聖經》是不會錯的。我心裡對聖經的反應也就是如此。它就是真的嘛,耶穌基督不是上帝誰是上帝?而且還有一件事情,我發現我讀《聖經》的時候,上帝他是如此的公義。我後來就讀到《出埃及記》的時候,當上帝頒布律法的時候,我發現一件事情,哇,這個上帝給律法的時候,他所告訴我們的事情,還有他對公義的標準,他真是一個公正公平的上帝。而且他如此的公義,就算他給人的一切刑罰,那是因為他公正,所以他這樣給下來。他不會錯。

還有一件事情就是上帝一定不會說謊,他說只有一位上帝,別人說還有很多上帝。你只有一個結論就是其中一位在說謊。我的上帝不會說謊,那那些人說的就是假的。就這麼簡單。耶穌基督是上帝,我的上帝是上帝。這位上帝是真的上帝。而且他有力量,他所寫的書是有力量是真的。那到現在聽起來為止都很好。

還有我讀到《啟示錄》的時候。我在沒有去美國的之前,我在台灣就听過《啟示錄》。如果台灣的年輕人有喜歡看漫畫書的,那個日本的作家、漫畫家,他們很大膽,很敢使用《聖經》裡面的一些經句、例子。比如說他們敢用《啟示錄》來作題材來畫他們的漫畫。我就有看過這樣的漫畫,關於末世的,覺得很可怕。後來真正看《啟示錄》的時候,我覺得更可怕。因為上帝講的話是真的,我那時候看到他們痛苦的煙要往上冒,直到永永遠遠(啟示錄14:11)。嚇得半死。我很久以後我才敢去看一次《啟示錄》。因為看的時候我覺得太恐怖了。那這些對聖經的這樣子一個觀念,在我十五六歲的時候就有了。(未完待續)

Someone Unworthy — a testimony from Brother Michael J.C. Liu

Translated by Sean Kwong

Good evening:

Whenever I am giving my testimony on stage, I think of myself as
someone unworthy. If you are a Christian, you need to understand that
it is a privilege for an individual to share a testimony for God. Who
are we? We are totally depraved; it is by God’s grace and grace alone
that we are saved. What make us to be worthy to serve Lord God Almighty?
What makes us to be worthy to offer something to the Lord God? The whole
earth is His, and everything is created by Him. It is Him who is worthy
of all the praises. His name alone should be glorified.

When I was 14, my mother sent me to New York City. At that time,
she joined a Christian church. Many new immigrants got their spiritual
and practical needs met there, including my mother. She felt warmly
welcomed in the church. When I was 15 years old, she was baptized,
after which, she commanded me to attend her church. Before this, she
was always very gentle; she had never used her authority as
a mother. I thought I must listen to her first commandment, ever. As a
result, I went to the church.

To my surprise, a Christian church was very different from everywhere
else I had encountered. My impression was that New York City was very
goal-oriented. However, what I felt in church was different from this.

When I was in Taiwan, I had attended school for some time. From
elementary school to junior high, I had always felt that people around
me were very realistic. In school, everybody wanted to be a top
student who was respected by schoolmates and favoured by teachers. On
the other hand, those who did not succeed academically were dismissed
and ignored. This was not the same in Church. People in church treated
each other well. Both the seniors from my high school and counsellors
in church were very kind. Their attitude was so different from other
people. As a result, I felt I should listen to Christians.

They talked about why people should read Bible. I was told not to
start form the book of Genesis in Old Testament because it was too
difficult for me to understand. Instead, I started from the Gospel of
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Particularly, I was also told that the
Gospel of Mark was the shortest, which made it to be suitable for
beginners.

So I began reading form the Gospel of Matthew. My mother told me to
skip whatever was hard to understand, such as Jesus’ genealogy. When I
read it for the very first time, I discovered that the Bible,
especially the words of The New Testament, were very powerful. It was
different from the books that I had read before, including the Analects of
Confucius, Buddhist classics or The Koran. The Bible spoke to me more
profoundly. Moreover, its content did not seem like something made
up. According to the narrative of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, I
could tell they were standing next to Jesus Christ when he made one
man rise from death. In other words, they were eyewitnesses of
Jesus—what they were writing down was what they had seen.

All these things together made the Bible trustworthy. After I read the
Bible, I was amazed by the personality of Jesus Christ. His greatness was
beyond my understanding. I told myself, “If Jesus is God, I want to
believe in him.” Everything in him was good. He made blind to see, the
lame to walk, and He made the dead to be alive again. Everything he did was
good; His words were pure, and His wisdom was above all. But
then, they killed him. I thought to myself, “How could they kill Him?
What were these people doing?” However, just when I thought that he
was dead, he resurrected. Wow! This was huge! Resurrection! I wanted
to make sure I understood it correctly, so I asked a reliable and special
teacher in church. I trusted him because he was different from all the
other teachers in my school years: he was a Christian. He always wore
a smile on his face. I respected him as my teacher, and I believed
that he would not lie to me.

I asked him, “The Bible said Jesus Christ is God, is that true?”.
“Of course, it is true”, he replied.

In my opinion, if he said it was true, it must be true. Therefore, I
believed that the Bible I read couldn’t be wrong. This conclusion
matched the true feelings in my heart. In fact, it was the truth, for
if Jesus Christ was not God, then who was God? As I continued reading
the Bible, I discovered that God was truly righteous. I found this to
be the case after I studied the book of Exodus, where God made his
divine laws known. Through this process, I discovered that he was
indeed righteous. For example, his instructions and His standard of
righteousness proved what a just God He is. He is so holy that even
his punishments towards people were based on righteousness. Such a God
like this cannot be wrong.

Another fact was that God cannot lie. He said there is only one God,
but other people say that there are many gods. Because the statements
contradict each other, the logical conclusion is that one of the
statements is a lie. I concluded, “My God cannot lie, so the others
must be the false teachers”. It was pretty simple: Jesus Christ was
God, my God was God. This God is the real God. He has power, and the
words in His book also have power. Therefore, it was real. Up to that
moment, everything sounded great.

And then, I began reading from the book of Revelation. I had heard
about the book of Revelation back in Taiwan. Those of you who enjoy
reading comics will know that Japanese writers and cartoonists are
very bold, even to the point of using Bible verses and stories in
their comic strips. One of the comics that I read was based on the
book of Revelation. Even then I was horrified by those scenes about
the last days. When I later read the book of Revelation, I was even
more horrified to discover that everything I read was real and
whatever spoken by God was about to happen. I was scared to death as I
read “the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever (Revelation
14:11)”. It took me a long time before I dared to read the book of
Revelation again. I felt horrified whenever I read that book because
these basic biblical concepts had been in my mind since I was fifteen
or sixteen years old. (To be continued…)




Thursday, March 22, 2012

為什麼女孩?

郭曉君

以前我總在想,“人從哪裡來,為了什麼活著?為什麼活著那麼累?”我來自非基督徒家庭。那時,我媽媽信佛,爸爸雖然不信,但尊重她的信仰。跟爸爸一樣,我和弟弟也是沒有信仰的,但卻經常被媽媽逼著要去拜拜、求平安。即便是這樣,那時小小的我,心裡仍然感到空虛,找不到心裡的平安。也許是因為家族重男輕女的關係,令我感覺到自己的存在是多餘的,因為每個人都把注意力放到了弟弟的身上。 那時,有聽說過“耶穌”,但對於宗教,我一直很抗拒。後來得知身邊的一個朋友Shirley的一家是基督徒。她媽媽對我好像自己的女兒一樣,而經常臉上帶著笑容。這使我產生了 好奇,為什麼對我那麼好?為什麼總是帶著笑容,難道他們生活中都沒有不開心的事情嗎?”

我以為事情一直會那麼順利下去,直到兩個月後,聽爸爸說他得了晚期肺癌。我整個人崩潰了,我問神,“為什麼要讓這件事情發生在爸爸身上?”之後的一段時間,爸爸都在做化療。
但化療對他來說似乎一點用都沒有,他完全沒有像普通病人該有的病狀,比如:掉頭髮。直到有一天,爸爸突然不能走路了,被送到了溫哥華綜合醫院。雖然碰到了這樣的事情,但自己還是堅持去教堂為爸爸禱告,希望爸爸快點好起來。也在那時候,我真正的意識到了,自己是多麼的沒用,多麼的脆弱。我以前一直以為,“人定勝天”,原來我錯了。人由天定,人定不能勝天。因為當上帝想帶走你的時候,你什麼都不能做。每一次一聽到爸爸在醫院有什麼異常的狀況,我都會很害怕地跪下,哭著禱告求主讓爸爸快點好起來。而每一次,我去到醫院,爸爸就像平常一樣一點事情都沒有。因為主說,“你們祈求,就給你們;尋找,就尋見;叩門,就給你們開門。”(馬太福音7:7)

爸爸是很要強的人,一向只相信他自己。因為信自己比較實際,比較可靠。但當他躺在病床上的時候,他卻曾有好多次都跟我說,他想信耶穌。但因為媽媽信佛,加上是家族男丁的原因,他覺得還是算了。

之前,我一直想讓爸爸留下來,我甚至求神折我的壽命10年去換取爸爸的10年壽命,讓我有機會去孝順他。但當我看到爸爸右邊脖子上的癌細胞從原本有的兩顆,到了很多顆的時候,我意識到強留爸爸,是讓病魔折磨他,不是真正為他好。於是,我跟主說,“主阿,你可以帶走爸爸,但求你讓他在走前,相信你。”感謝主,祂聽了我的禱告。爸爸在轉進安寧病房的三天當中,我們順利地聯絡上了遠在異國的媽媽。我跟媽媽分享了我的見證,媽媽同意讓爸爸相信耶穌。第二天早上,我就打電話請了教會的余牧師、蕭長老等來幫爸爸施洗。爸爸是在2008年11月16號走的,他走得很安詳,臉上還帶著一絲的微笑。而我是在那年的11月2號受洗的,而在短短兩個星期裡,我們父女兩就都得救歸主了,這不是神跡是什麼?經過這麼多年,發生了好多的事情。但主一直帶領著我,走過了生活中一切的大浪風暴。主說:“在指望中要喜樂,在患難中要忍耐,禱告要恆切。”(羅馬書12:12)我明白了,每個人的存在和被創造,都不是徒然的,神在每一個人的身上都有著美好的旨意。神為每個人量身定做了不一樣的十字架,有些輕,有些重,但都是我們所能背的起的。我們往往為使我重擔能夠輕一些,而選擇了捷徑。但因為這樣,我們往往看不到神美好的恩典。所以不管如何都不要輕易的放棄,因為神一直都在,一直愛著你。還有我們活著不光是為了我們的責任,還有我們的大使命—傳福音。

 
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