| 羔羊與祈禱 | |
| 經文: 「祂既拿了書卷，四活物和二十四位長老，就俯伏在羔羊面前，各拿著琴，和盛滿了香的金爐。這香就是眾聖徒的祈禱。」（啟示錄五：8） | |
| 此處我們看到舊約時代，眾聖徒為應許的救恩所做的祈禱，都被儲放在天上；對寶座上羔羊的敬拜，也如盛滿馨香的金爐，被恭放在上帝天父的腳前。 在啟示錄第八章，我們也看到類似的情景，即天使站在金色的祭壇邊，捧著眾聖徒的禱告香爐，「那香的煙，和眾聖徒的祈禱，從天使的手中一同升到上帝面前。」（啟八：4） 這是多麼提醒我們深刻思想：這些聖徒的禱告並沒有馬上蒙垂聽，就像我們在地上存錢一樣，一天存一些，等存到一大筆，就可做特別的用途。信徒的祈禱也是如此，存到香爐滿時，上帝的回答就會臨到。 記住，你並沒有孤單地一人在禱告，世上的基督徒都在禱告，只要你憑著信心恆切禱告，你的時間並沒有白費，到了時候，上帝必要回應你的禱告。所以切莫以為你的祈禱只是對空氣說話，不，絕對不是這樣，就像今天經文所顯示的真理——寶座上的羔羊要累積你的禱告，到了滿足的時候，就要恭呈在上帝面前，讓我們緊緊抓住這真理。 羔羊所以坐在寶座上，就是要吸引你來向祂禱告，並以恩典堅固你的心，使你更多來向祂禱告，為教會、傳道人，甚至為平信徒，都要為他們禱告，並要在愛中與清心的人一起禱告。 願你每天都有與羔羊耶穌親近禱告的時間，藉此支取屬天的恩典，來解決自己的問題，和滿足周遭人的需要。 | |
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| THE LAMB AND PRAYER | |
| Scripture: "The four-and-twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."—REV. v. 8. | |
| We learn here that the prayers of the saints in the Old Testament concerning the promised redemption were preserved in heaven. Here, where homage is paid to the Lamb on the Throne, these prayers are offered as incense, that He may take them up, and lay them before the Father. The same thought is to be found in chapter eight of The Revelation. John saw an angel standing by the golden altar before the Throne, and much incense was given to him, that he should offer it with the prayers of the saints upon the golden altar: "And the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the saints, 'went up before God out of the angel's hand" (Rev. viii. 4). What profound and heavenly thoughts do these words awaken within us! The prayers of the saints are not answered at once. Just as men on earth accumulate money, and allow it to increase as capital for greater undertakings, so the prayers of the saints are stored up in heaven, until the measure is full, and the answer can descend. Remember this. You do not pray alone. All over the world God's children are praying. When with perseverance and faith they entrust their prayers to the Lamb, then in His own time God will graciously send the answer. Do not think your prayer is in vain because you do not at once receive the answer. No, let your faith attach itself all the more firmly to the wonderful truth that is here revealed, that the Lamb on the Throne keeps our prayers in safety to lay them before the Father at the right time. The Lamb is seated on the Throne of Grace with the purpose of drawing out your prayers and strengthening you through His Spirit for more prayer. Pray for the Church of God all over the world, pray for preachers and teachers; pray for all believers. Pray in love and fellowship with others who are also praying. Let your daily intercourse with God on the Throne, and with the Lamb, be a means of receiving from that Throne the rich abundant Grace for your every need, and the need of those around you in the Church and the world. | |
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