1. Hello listening friends, we are glad you joined us one more time.
亲爱的朋友你好，很高兴你能收听我们的节目。
2. We have been going through a series of messages entitled, “How God Works”.
近来我们所讲的系列信息是“上帝的方法”。
3. I want to speak to you today, especially about the effect of the world upon the believers.
今天我特别要和你谈谈关于世界对基督徒的影响，
4. The problem with the majority of people today is this.
如今大多数人所面对的问题就在此。
5. And before I tell you what the problem is, I can tell you that the Christians are no exception.
首先让我告诉你，基督徒并不例外，
6. There are fewer and fewer people who really love God these days,
近来，真正爱神的人越来越少，
7. few and few who really work with their heart for God,
越来越少人愿意全心事奉神，
8. very few who are trying to make God known.
愿意传扬神的名的人实在不多。
9. The vast majority of Christians just sit in the church pews and do nothing.
大部分基督徒只是安坐在教堂里，其他什么事都不做。
10. But the Bible tells us that we cannot win if we sit as spectators.
但圣经告诉我们，做个旁观者将一事无成。
11. Sometimes the church reminds me of a football game,
有时，教会就像一场足球赛，
12. there are 20 very tired, but healthy players,
20个疲于奔命却很健康的球员，
13. and being watched by tens of thousands of unhealthy spectators.
观众席上却坐着数以千计，不大健康的观众。
14. Today we are going to look at the centerpiece in the life of Elijah.
今天我们要来看以利亚生命中最重要的一页。
15. We will find him in hand to hand combat while the masses of the people of Israel were indifferent and skeptical,
他处身于一场激烈的战斗，然而以色列群众却袖手旁观，
16. there he stands on the top of Mt. Carmel.
他独自站立在迦密山上。
17. Before I continue, I want to remind you that we are in the midst of a series of messages entitled, “How God Works”.
在我继续往下讲之前，让我再提一提，现在所讲的是“上帝的方法＂这一系列的信息。
18. And the way God works with Elijah to be more specific.
具体的说，就是神造就以利亚的作为。
19. If you have a Bible, turn to I Kings chapter 18,
如果你手头有圣经，请翻到列王纪上18章，
20. I want to talk to you a little bit about the real recipe for a disaster,
我想和你稍微谈谈灾祸产生的因素，
21. and this recipe works in the church or the community or in the home.
在教会、社区和家庭中都有同样的情况。
22. And it is to have a godless leadership and confused followers.
就是不信真神的领袖，带领着糊里糊涂的群众。
23. That is the recipe for disaster.
必然产生灾祸。
24. And that’s precisely what you will find here in I Kings 18,
列王纪上18章中所记载的正是这情况，
25. probably this is one of the most dramatic moments in Biblical history.
很可能这是圣经历史中最戏剧性的一刻。
26. If I were a movie producer,
我若是一个电影制片家，
27. this would be my highest dramatic production.
这将是我最戏剧性的作品。
28. But since I am not,
既然我不是，
29. I want you to use your imagination.
就请运用你的想象力吧。
30. I want you to transfer you in your imagination to the place on Mt. Carmel where this event took place.
借着你的想象力，把你自己置身于迦密山上，看看整件事吧！
31. There the prophet Elijah confronts this weak king.
先知以利亚和懦弱的国王对峙，
32. Ahab, who compromised his faith and allowed his wicked, godless queen to desecrate the nation by entertaining 850 of the prophets of Baal and Asteroft.
亚哈王在信仰上与他那邪恶的、拜偶像的皇后妥协，容让她用850 个供奉巴力和亚舍拉的先知，败坏整个国家。
33. And all of these wicked prophets of Baal were paid by the state of Israel.
原来这些拜巴力的邪教先知是由以色列国家供养的。
34. This king did all of that,
这个王就是这么作的，
35. and yet when he got into trouble,
但当他惹出祸来，
36. he blamed Elijah for the nations disaster.
他把国家遭殃的责任怪罪以利亚。
37. When Ahab saw God’s hand of judgment upon society,
当亚哈王看见神的惩罚降临，
38. he turned around and lashed out at God-fearing Elijah.
他满肚子气都发在敬畏神的以利亚身上。
39. Remember, it had not rained for three years,
别忘了，这时已三年不下雨了，
40. everything was turning to dust,
十分干旱，
41. there were no crops,
没有农作物，
42. there was no food,
没有粮食，
43. the country was in the midst of a disaster.
全国都在灾难中。
44. But during the time of the drought, God hid Elijah first in Carish Brook,
然而在旱灾时，神把以利亚先藏在基立溪旁，
45. and then in Zaraphath.
后来在撒勒法。
46. God was hiding him to provide for him.
神隐藏他，并供应他，
47. God was taking care of Elijah.
神照顾以利亚。
48. And this is a picture of God’s provision for us.
这也是神眷顾我们的写照，
49. A picture of God’s hand of protection for those who love him,
描绘出神的手保护着爱祂的人、
50. those who are faithful to him,
对神忠心的人、
51. those who put their trust in him in the midst of trouble.
在危难中信靠神的人。
52. But I want you to look at the irony here,
但请看讽刺之处，
53. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel worshipped Baal,
其实亚哈王和耶洗别皇后是崇拜巴力假神的，
54. while they were paying lip service to the one true God, Jehweh.
但他们还假心假意地敬拜耶和华真神。
55. Why were they worshipping Baal?
他们为什么敬拜巴力？
56. I want to tell you why,
让我告诉你，
57. Baal was known as the god of fertility and the god of the crops.
巴力是丰收之神，是农神，
58. Baal was the god whose worship required indulgence and sensuality.
崇拜巴力的仪式纵情淫荡。
59. And yet when the drought came,
但遭遇旱灾时，
60. Ahab blamed the man of God,
亚哈王竟责怪神人，
61. told him that he was the one that was creating trouble for Israel.
说他是使以色列遭灾的人。
62. There are many people today like Ahab and Jezebel,
现在也有很多像亚哈和耶洗别那样的人，
63. they may go to church on Sunday,
星期天去礼拜堂，
64. but at the same time, they worship at the shrine of the flesh.
同时又崇拜情欲的享乐。
65. They bow to money,
他们是拜金主义，
66. and the confuse the god of mammon with Christianity.
既是基督徒，又拜财神。
67. Just as Ahab and Jezebel mixed Jehweh with Baal,
正如亚哈和耶洗别混合耶和华及巴力敬拜，
68. and when the leadership leads into compromise, the public becomes confused.
当领导人开始妥协，群众就会混淆不清。
69. And that is precisely what is happening at this point in Israel’s history,
这时期的以色列正处于这样的混乱中，
70. and these confused people gathered on top of Mt. Carmel.
这些糊涂的百姓聚集在迦密山上。
71. I say confused, because the Bible says they were halting between two opinions.
我说他们糊涂，因为圣经说他们在两种立场间为难。
72. They did not worship Baal alone,
他们不是单单拜巴力，
73. they did not worship Jehweh alone.
也不是专心敬拜耶和华。
74. They served Baal in the guise of Jehweh.
他们以敬拜巴力，当作是敬拜耶和华。
75. Mt. Carmel is an absolutely awesome sight,
迦密山十分雄伟，
76. it is about 1500 feet high,
约有1500呎高，
77. and Ahab was summoned to go there,
亚哈去了那里，
78. the confused people of Israel were summoned to be there,
糊涂的以色列百姓去了那里，
79. the 450 prophets of Baal were summoned to appear at the mountain,
450个供奉巴力的先知也去了那里，
80. the 400 hundred prophets of Asteroff, the female concert of Baal were summoned to come to this mountain.
还有400个供奉与巴利配对的女神亚舍拉的先知，也在那里。
81. I wish I could paint the picture in your mind of this incredible day,
我巴不得能把那奇妙的一天描绘在你的脑海中，
82. but I want you to use your imagination,
就请你运用你的想象力，
83. there I can imagine the man of God hiding while he is waiting for the masses of people to assemble.
神人以利亚躲在一角，等待着众人聚集。
84. They were coming from the east.
他们从东方来，
85. They were coming from the north.
从北方来，
86. They were coming from the south.
从南方来，
87. All coming up in droves.
他们成群结队而来。
88. And I can imagine the man of God probably hiding behind some rock somewhere,
我可以想象神人以利亚此时正躲在一堆石头后面，
89. there on his knees praying to God,
跪着祈祷，
90. pleading with God,
向神恳求，
91. receiving assurance from God.
赐与肯定。
92. For I can assure you, Elijah would not have dared to propose this confrontation without a clear mandate from the Lord.
我相信，事先以利亚若没有从神那儿得到明确的指令，怎胆敢提出这次挑战？
93. This is a timeless picture,
这是一幅超越时空的图画，
94. try to put yourself in the picture,
把你自己置身其间，
95. see yourself standing atop that 1500-foot tall mountain,
想象你就站在1500呎高的山顶上，
96. imagine yourself standing on this 1/6 mile of a mountain chain,
想象你自己在这1/6英哩的山脉颠峰，
97. when you are standing on the top, you are facing directly west, you will see the Medetarian Sea,
当你从高峰向西方瞭望，你可以望见地中海；
98. on the right is the ancient fortress city of Acor,
右边就是古老的城堡亚柯，
99. to your left is the city of Ceseria where Paul confronted King Felix and Festes and Agrafa.
左边则是该撒利亚，也就是使徒保罗在巡抚腓力斯和非斯都，以及亚基帕王面前自我辩白的地方。
100. To the back of you there are the plains of Ashkalon where Gideon defeated the Mideonites.
后面是基甸打败米甸人的耶斯列平原。
101. Ah this is an awesome sight.
这真是一个了不起的地点！
102. But of all these historic events, the greatest event in that place is when one solitary man faced 850 prophets and prophetesses of Baal and Ashteroff.
然而这里所发生最伟大的事件，就是有一个人，单枪匹马的面对850个供奉巴力和亚舍拉的先知。
103. What is the point of all this confrontation?
这样面对面的挑战有什么重要性呢？
104. The point is summarized in verse 21 of I Kings 18.
列王纪上18章21节中指出，
105. Elijah cried to God’s confused people saying to them in effect.
以利亚对着糊涂的百姓喊着说，
106. How long will you waiver?
你们心持两意要到几时呢？
107. How long will you wobble?
你们摇摆不定要到几时呢？
108. How long will you walk with a limp?
你们东倒西歪要到几时呢？
109. In fact this is the literal meaning of the Hebrew word here.
这就是希伯来原文的意思。
110. If the Lord is God, follow him.
若耶和华是神，就当顺从耶和华；
111. If Baal is God, then follow him.
若巴力是神，就当顺从巴力。
112. I don’t like debating with people when it comes to the Christian faith.
我不愿意跟人辩论基督教的信仰，
113. I don’t believe the gospel is to be rammed down people’s throat or argued about.
我不相信福音可以强行推销，以辩论取胜。
114. Jesus said,
耶稣说：
115. I am the only way.
我是唯一的道路，
116. You cannot go to heaven without me.
若不借着我，就不能到天父那里去。
117. You cannot go to heaven because of your good works
你不能靠你的善行上天堂；
118. You cannot go to heaven because of your money.
你不能靠你的金钱上天堂；
119. You cannot go to heaven because of anything except the Lord Jesus Christ.
除非借着耶稣基督，你到不了天堂。
120. So this is how I talk to people,
所以，我总是这么对人说：
121. if you want to go to heaven,
如果你想上天堂，
122. you must believe in Jesus as the only Savior.
你必须相信耶稣是唯一的救主；
123. If you don’t want to go to heaven,
如果你不想上天堂，
124. then reject him.
就拒绝祂吧！
125. It is that simple.
就这么简单，
126. I don’t have to argue the point.
不需要辩论，
127. That’s what Elijah is saying here.
以利亚就是这么说的，
128. He was calling them to make a decision between two extremes.
他让百姓在完全相反的两方做出抉择。
129. Jesus said similar things to the church of Ladoseia.
耶稣对老底嘉的教会也是这么说的，
130. He said you make me sick,
他说，你使我反胃，
131. you make me nauseous,
你使我恶心，
132. you make me want to vomit.
你使我呕吐。
133. Read all about it in Revelation 3:15 and 16.
去读启示录3：15，16节，
134. Why did Jesus say that
耶稣为什么要这么说呢？
135. because they were on both sides of the issue,
因为他们三心二意；
136. because they kept one foot on each camp,
因为他们脚踏两条船；
137. because they stayed in the middle of the road,
因为他们是骑墙派；
138. because they sought to please everybody,
因为他们想讨好所有人；
139. because they wanted to play with sin during the week and go to church on Sunday,
因为他们平日犯罪作乐，星期天却到教会去；
140. because they wanted to identify with immorality and still call themselves religious.
他们穿上宗教的外衣，骨子里却男盗女娼。
141. Here’s what Jesus said to the Ladocians,
耶稣对老底嘉的教会说：
142. make up your minds,
我巴不得你，
143. choose either to be cold or hot.
或冷或热。
144. And allow me to speak to you bluntly today,
容许我坦率地说，
145. I urge you to make a decision today,
今天请你作出抉择，
146. are you for Jesus?
你愿接受耶稣吗？
147. Are you going to give your whole life to him,
你愿将生命完全交托给祂吗？
148. or are you going to reject him?
还是要拒绝祂？
149. Listen to me carefully please,
请仔细听我说，
150. you do not need to be a scientist to know that people pleasers will end up pleasing no one,
即使不是专家也明白“越怕得罪人，越容易得罪人”的道理，
151. compromising produces restlessness,
妥协带来不安，
152. indecision creates turmoil,
犹疑不决制造混乱，
153. therefore, do not worry about what people think,
因此，不用在意别人的想法，
154. think most of all what God thinks,
要在意神的想法。
155. James said,
雅各说，
156. in James 1:8,
在雅各书1：8里，
157. a double minded person is unstable in all his ways.
心怀二意的人，在他一切所行的路上都没有定见。
158. There is only one person that you have to please.
只有一位你需要讨祂欢心；
159. There is only one person that you must obey.
只有一位你需要顺服；
160. There is only one person that you must bow to
只有一位你要向祂屈膝，
161. and his name is Jesus.
祂的名字就是耶稣。
162. If you have never submitted your life to him,
如果你从未把生命交给祂，
163. I want to invite you to make a decision for Jesus Christ today.
请你今天就决定接受耶稣基督。
164. I want you to know he loves you,
我要你知道，祂爱你，
165. he has been letting you hear this message again and again,
你一而再地听到这信息，
166. he is saying to you,
祂对你说，
167. come to me,
到我这里来，
168. stop this indecision,
不要再犹豫，
169. receive what I have done for you on the cross,
接受我在十字架上为你所作的，
170. and obey me as the master of your life.
顺从我作你生命之主。
171. To those who know him,
如果你认识祂，
172. but caught up in a life of intellectual belief on the one hand and indulgence on the other hand,
但却处于智慧的信仰和放纵情欲两种生活之间，
173. stop wobbling between two lifestyles,
不要再摇摆不定，
174. you are making God sick.
别让神恶心想吐。
175. Hear me right please because I am getting ready to close.
听清楚，我就快结束了。
176. The decisiveness of Elijah is the decisiveness of the entire word of God,
以利亚的决定性，就是整本圣经的决定性，
177. it is the word of God from Genesis to Revelation.
从创世记到启示录。
178. When you have not given yourself to Jesus Christ,
若你还没有将自己交给耶稣，
179. but you claim to be his follower,
但你却声称自己是祂的跟从者，
180. you are making God nauseous.
你就是让神恶心想吐。
181. I want to urge you tonight to stop,
今天我奉劝你别再这样，
182. and turn your life to Jesus Christ,
将生命交给耶稣基督，
183. he is your only hope,
祂是你唯一的盼望；
184. he is your only way to salvation,
祂是你唯一的救法；
185. he is your only way to heaven,
祂是你通往天堂唯一的道路，
186. will you turn to him tonight?
今天你愿意转向祂吗？
187. And if you have done that, I want to pray with you.
如果你愿意，我要和你一起祷告。
188. Our Heavenly Father,
我们的天父，
189. I thank you for this word,
感谢你自己的话语，
190. I thank you for this message,
感谢你的信息，
191. I thank you that Jesus died for me on the cross,
感谢耶稣为我死在十字架上，
192. to pay for my sin and the wages of my sin.
为我还清罪债。
193. And now I pray Lord Jesus that you would come into my life,
主耶稣，求你现在就进入我生命中，
194. I repent of my sins.
我愿认罪悔改，
195. I receive you as my Savior,
接受你为我的救主，
196. and I’m ready to obey you as my Lord.
并接受你为我生命之主。
197. Give me the strength and the power to do so,
赐给我力量，让我做得到，
198. in Jesus name,
奉耶稣基督的名，
199. amen.
阿们。
