神的永远目的
在前一篇信息里我们看见，神叫雅各上伯特利去。（创三五１。）最终，新耶路撒冷将是永世的伯特利。雅各从未建造过甚么，但他的后裔首先建造了帐幕，然后建造了圣殿。启示录说新耶路撒冷是神的帐幕，神自己和羔羊是殿。（启二一22 。）这是伯特利。神永远的目的是要得着这居所，并且祂今天正在这居所上作工。甚至在雅各的一生中，神在雅各身上作工，也是为着祂的居所，为着伯特利。
我们必须被这思想光照并充分浸透：神在这宇宙中只作一件事，就是建造祂永远的居所。祂对任何别的事都没有兴趣。创造和救恩都是为着这目的。凡祂所赐给我们的福分也都是为着这目的。然而，很多基督徒把别的事物，就如救恩、属灵、圣别和得胜，当作目标。但这些不过是个别、个人的家，并不是神的建造。属灵是一所个别、个人的房屋。你若不关心神的目标，甚至你的得救也会成为个人的家。我们若对神的目标有清楚的看见，对今天的光景就要感到忧伤。几乎每个基督徒都在建造自己小小的家。对有些人，方言是一所小屋；对有些人，圣别是一所房屋；还有些人，属灵对他们乃是小棚。今天，几乎没有基督徒关心神的建造。因此，我们有胆量说，我们在主的恢复里，是惟一关心神建造的基督徒。我们若是都关心神的建造，神就要在我们中间行大事。但我怕有些人读了本篇信息，仍然说，“我对这事没有兴趣，我要有平安和喜乐。我盼望李弟兄多讲有关主的怜悯和恩典的信息，告诉我们主如何要把祂的喜乐和祝福赐给我们。”很可能连喜乐、平安和祝福都会成为麻醉药。在礼拜堂和教堂里面，一周又一周所讲的教训，多半是麻醉药。你在那里，就被麻醉。你听不到一句清楚的话，叫你的心思清明。我盼望藉着本篇信息，我们的心思都得以清明，并且放胆宣告：“我只关心神的建造，我不关心我的救恩、我的喜乐、我的平安、我的圣别或我的属灵。”只要你关心神的建造，每样事物，包括救恩、圣别、得胜、属灵、平安和喜乐，就都是你的了。
信息重点：许多基督徒把属灵、圣别、得胜当作目标，但这些都不是神最终的目标；神只关心祂永远居所的建造。
应用祷告：主啊，拯救我脱离个人主义的属灵追求，使我更多关心你的家和你的见证。
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A Bird’s-Eye View of God’s Building in the Bible (3) — Gen. 35:1
God’s Eternal Purpose
In the previous message we saw that God told Jacob to go up to Bethel (Gen. 35:1). Ultimately, the New Jerusalem will be the eternal Bethel. Jacob never built anything himself, but his descendants first built the tabernacle and then the temple. Revelation tells us that the New Jerusalem is God’s tabernacle, and that God Himself and the Lamb are the temple (Rev. 21:22). This is Bethel. God’s eternal purpose is to gain this dwelling place, and today He is working on this dwelling place. Even throughout Jacob’s lifetime, God’s work on Jacob was for His dwelling place, for Bethel.
We must be illuminated and thoroughly saturated with this thought: God is doing only one thing in this universe — building His eternal dwelling place. He has no interest in anything else. Creation and salvation are both for this purpose. All the blessings He grants us are also for this purpose. Yet many Christians treat other things — such as salvation, spirituality, sanctification and victory — as the goal. But these are merely individual, personal houses; they are not God’s building. Spirituality is an individual, personal house. If you do not care about God’s goal, even your salvation can become your personal house. If we have a clear vision of God’s goal, we should feel sorrowful over today’s condition. Nearly every Christian is building his own little house. For some, speaking in tongues is a little cottage; for others, sanctification is a house; for still others, spirituality is a little shed. Today, almost no Christian cares about God’s building. Therefore, we dare say that we in the Lord’s recovery are the only Christians who care about God’s building. If we all care about God’s building, God will do great things among us. But I fear that some, after reading this message, will still say. “I have no interest in this; I want peace and joy. I hope Brother Lee will speak more about the Lord’s mercy and grace — about how the Lord wants to give us His joy and blessing.” Very likely, even joy, peace and blessing can become anesthetics. In the chapels and churches, the messages delivered week after week are mostly anesthetics. When you are there, you are anesthetized. You do not hear a single clear word to make your mind clear. I hope that through this message, our minds will all become clear, and we will boldly declare: “I only care about God’s building. I do not care about my salvation, my joy, my peace, my sanctification, or my spirituality.” As long as you care about God’s building, everything — including salvation, sanctification, victory, spirituality, peace, and joy — will be yours.
Message Focus: Many Christians treat spirituality, sanctification, and victory as goals, but none of these is God’s ultimate goal. God cares only about the building of His eternal dwelling place.
Prayer: Lord, save me from an individualistic pursuit of spirituality, and cause me to care more deeply for Your house and Your testimony.