卫斯理约翰的祷告观（22）

祷告会 07.09.2011

引言：

大家平安！

上星期三我们分享禁食祷告的本性The nature of fasting。今晚我们要分享第二部份禁食的因素The reasons for fasting。此段共有十二个因素，因此今晚我只分享六项，另六项在14/9/2011再分享。

 

1〕  因在情绪上的困苦与影响导致胃口失调。

Men who are under strong emotions of mind, who are affected with any vehement passion; such as sorrow or fear, are often swallowed up there in and even forget to eat their bread.

卫斯理约翰在此提了扫罗 撒上28:15-20又徒 27:33及大卫 撒上 1:12 。

 

2〕  当一个人在极其痛苦中，特别为个人的罪行，担心神的忿怒而忽略了食物甚至最基本的都没吃。

One who is under deep affliction, overwhelmed with sorrow for sin and a strong apprehension of the wrath of God forget treat his bread abstain not only from pleasant but even from needful food.

保罗  徒9:9

他们向神哭泣、悲哀，以言语及行动来表达他们的疲劳。

3〕  因人敬畏神而逐渐对罪的敏感度越强，因此也知道由吃过份食物而得罪神。这些吃 过分的食物多为酒而醉酒。

Many of these, who now fear God, are deeply sensible how often they have sinned against Him, by the abuse of these lawful things. They know how much they have sinned by excess of food.

 

4〕  禁食乃是除弃一切的粗心大意与无常的灵性。

To remove the food of lust and sensuality not only carelessness and also levity of spirit.

 

5〕  一些善心人对个人滥用上帝所赐的恩赐而处罚自己，大卫与保罗两人常如此行。

Some good men have the punishing themselves for having abused the good gifts of God.

 

6〕  透过禁食协助我们祷告，特别是应用更多时间来操练祷告。

That it is a help to prayer, when we set apart larger portions of time for private prayer.

 

结论

由以上的六种因素，为何要禁食，让我们看到在生活中有时突发的事件促使人亲近神，有时因人亲近神而被提醒并悔改。

禁食的行动乃是人内心的醒悟的一种悔罪的行动。

 

问题讨论

• Œ你有否为你个人的罪悔改而禁食过？
• 分享你个人禁食的因素。
• Ž你曾否因某件事情发生而导致你胃口失调？