Daily Devotion - Apr 20 - ¥q¥?‾u‥C?eAF-×(?e) Morning by Morning

司布真每日靈修(日) Morning by Morning 四月二十日 經文: 「特要藉著死，敗壞那掌死權的。」（希伯來書二：14） 上帝的兒女們，不要怕死！當你靠近十架，你就巴不得趕快與主同在，能在主裡睡了，那是何等美好幸福的事！死亡並非絕路，乃是息了地上的勞苦，回到天家，那兒已經有好些聖徒住在那兒。說到天家，似乎離我們很遠，但事實並非如此，天家離我們並不遠，一會兒功夫就到了，但究竟要在紅塵翻滾多久，才能航抵幸福的彼岸？保羅說：「更願意離開身體，與主同在。」（林後五：8）我們就像一艘老船，顛簸在加利利海洶湧的波濤上，但耶穌說：「止息吧，風浪。」立刻風浪就停了，而且很快就到了對岸。而且，當你在世上閉眼溘然長逝後，轉瞬間，你就在天國睜開眼睛。上帝的兒女們，耶穌既然藉著死，除去死亡的毒鈎與詛咒，我們還怕什麼呢？雅各的天梯雖然立在黑暗的墓地，但它的梯頂卻通往榮耀的天堂！ Morning, April 20 Scripture: "That through death he might destroy him that had the power of death."(Hebrews 2:14) O child of God, death hath lost its sting, because the devil's power over it is destroyed. Then cease to fear dying. Ask grace from God the Holy Ghost, that by an intimate knowledge and a firm belief of thy Redeemer's death, thou mayst be strengthened for that dread hour. Living near the cross of Calvary thou mayst think of death with pleasure, and welcome it when it comes with intense delight. It is sweet to die in the Lord: it is a covenant-blessing to sleep in Jesus. Death is no longer banishment, it is a return from exile, a going home to the many mansions where the loved ones already dwell. The distance between glorified spirits in heaven and militant saints on earth seems great; but it is not so. We are not far from home—a moment will bring us there. The sail is spread; the soul is launched upon the deep. How long will be its voyage? How many wearying winds must beat upon the sail ere it shall be reefed in the port of peace? How long shall that soul be tossed upon the waves before it comes to that sea which knows no storm? Listen to the answer, "Absent from the body, present with the Lord." Yon ship has just departed, but it is already at its haven. It did but spread its sail and it was there. Like that ship of old, upon the Lake of Galilee, a storm had tossed it, but Jesus said, "Peace, be still," and immediately it came to land. Think not that a long period intervenes between the instant of death and the eternity of glory. When the eyes close on earth they open in heaven. The horses of fire are not an instant on the road. Then, O child of God, what is there for thee to fear in death, seeing that through the death of thy Lord its curse and sting are destroyed? and now it is but a Jacob's ladder whose foot is in the dark grave, but its top reaches to glory everlasting. www.glorypress.com