双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：5月9日 新天新地

5月9日

新天新地

……世上的国成了我主和主基督的国；祂要作王，直到永永远远。

——启11:15

 

基督信仰是危机的福音。它明白无误的宣称这个世界的日子已经屈指可数了。每一个墓地和每一个公墓都证明《圣经》是真实的。我们这个星球上的日子屈指可数。使徒雅各说生命就像一片云雾，出现少时就不见了（参雅4：14）。先知以赛亚说我们的生命就像容易枯萎的草，容易凋零的花（参赛40：6，7）。毫无疑问，当列国不再履行上帝赋予他们的职责时，他们也会走到尽头。耶稣基督再来时，末世将会来到。他将建立一个正义的王国，公义的社会。在那里，不再有仇恨、贪婪、猜忌和死亡。这就是为什么一个基督徒可以是一个乐观主义者。这就是为什么当那些事情发生的时候，基督徒可以笑对一切。我们知道什么会来临，我们知道结局是什么，那就是主耶稣基督的得胜。

今日祷告

当我周围的世界如此混乱时，祢的平安住在我心里，因为我盼望祢的凯旋归来。奉耶稣基督的名，阿们。

May 9

New Heaven, New Earth

The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
—Revelation 11:15

Christianity is a Gospel of crisis. It proclaims unmistakably that this world’s days are numbered. Every graveyard and every cemetery testify that the Bible is true. Our days on this planet are numbered. The Apostle James says that life is only a vapor that appears for a moment and then vanishes （James 4:14）. The prophet Isaiah says that our life is like the grass that withers and the flower that fades （Isaiah 40:6,7）.

There is no doubt that nations also come to an end when they have ceased to fulfill the function that God meant for them. The end will come with the return of Jesus Christ. He will set up a kingdom of righteousness and social justice where hatred, greed, jealousy, and death will no longer be known. That is why a Christian can be an optimist. That is why a Christian can smile in the midst of all that is happening. We know what will come. We know what the end will be: the triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Prayer for the day：

While the world around me is in such turmoil, Your peace lives in my heart, as I look for Your triumphant return! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.