Jesus did not commit Himself to them . . .for He knew what was in man —John 2:24-25
Put Trust in God First. Our Lord never put His trust in any person. Yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, and never lost hope for anyone, because He put His trust in God first. He trusted absolutely in what God’s grace could do for others. If I put my trust in human beings first, the end result will be my despair and hopelessness toward everyone. I will become bitter because I have insisted that people be what no person can ever be— absolutely perfect and right. Never trust anything in yourself or in anyone else, except the grace of God.
Put God’s Will First. “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God” (Hebrews 10:9).
A person’s obedience is to what he sees to be a need— our Lord’s obedience was to the will of His Father. The rallying cry today is, “We must get to work! The heathen are dying without God. We must go and tell them about Him.” But we must first make sure that God’s “needs” and His will in us personally are being met. Jesus said, “. . . tarry . . . until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). The purpose of our Christian training is to get us into the right relationship to the “needs” of God and His will. Once God’s “needs” in us have been met, He will open the way for us to accomplish His will, meeting His “needs” elsewhere.
Put God’s Son First. “Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me” (Matthew 18:5).
God came as a baby, giving and entrusting Himself to me. He expects my personal life to be a “Bethlehem.” Am I allowing my natural life to be slowly transformed by the indwelling life of the Son of God? God’s ultimate purpose is that His Son might be exhibited in me.
神為首
以信靠神為首。耶穌卻不將自己交託他們，因為他知道萬人。 （約二24-25）
我們的主不信賴人，可是他對任何人都從來不存疑心、不懷苦毒、不失盼望，因為他先依靠神。他完全信得過神為每一個人行事那顆恩慈的心。我若把信心先放在人身上，結果就會失望。我會變得苦毒，因為硬要人做到十全十美，而這卻是沒有人能達致的。所以，除了神的恩典之外，無論對自己、對人，都不可信賴。
以神的需要為首。 [我來了為要照你的旨意行。 ]（來十9）
人的順服，往往是看見某一種需要才有所擺上。但主的順服，乃是遵行他父的旨意。今日的呼聲是[要去工作。外邦人因沒有神而走向死亡，我們要把耶穌傳給他們。 ]可是在作工之先，我們必須先讓神在我們身上得到滿足。 [你們在此等候，直到……]等候的目的，就是要我們好好的連接在神的需要上。當神對我們的需求達到了，他就會開路，使我們知道在別處的需要。
以神所託付的為首。 [凡為我的名，接待一個像這小孩子的，就是接待我。 ]（太十八5）神把自己當作一個嬰孩託付了我，期望我的生命像[伯利恆]。我天然的生命沒有藉著神兒子內住的生命，而變化更新？神終極的目的，是要在我這必死的身上，彰顯他兒子的榮耀。
祈禱◆主啊，我知道你有豐盛的恩典，也一直滿有平安；求你將恩典與平安賜給我。你最清楚知道，我們的屬靈生命是如何倚賴著肉身所感受到的平安。
May 31, 2012
May 30, 2012
“Yes— But . . .!”
Lord, I will follow You, but . . . —Luke 9:61
Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do? Will you hold back? If you get into the habit of doing something physically, you will do it every time you are tested until you break the habit through sheer determination. And the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time you will turn back at the true point of testing, until you are determined to abandon yourself to God in total surrender. Yet we tend to say, “Yes, but— suppose I do obey God in this matter, what about . . . ?” Or we say, “Yes, I will obey God if what He asks of me doesn’t go against my common sense, but don’t ask me to take a step in the dark.”
Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.
By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ’s statements may seem mad, but when you test them by the trial of faith, your findings will fill your spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of God. Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis— only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God.
[好的－－但！ ]
主，我要跟從你，但……（路九61）
假如神叫你做一件與常理大相徑庭的事，你會怎樣呢？退縮？在肉身上養成的習慣，須以堅定的決心去改變，否則就會一直做下去。在屬靈上，也是如此。你屢次遵主的話起來，但到了某一關頭，就會裹足不前，甚至毅然放棄。 [好的，但－－假定我在這事上順服神，……又怎樣？ ][好了，我心順服神，只要他讓我用自己的智慧，不踏足在黑暗中。 ]耶穌基督要求倚靠他的人，有天然的那種冒險精神。若有人要做一件有價值的事，他有時必須孤注一擲。屬靈的領域裡，主也要求你用理智所堅持的一切撇下，投入他的話語裡去。你這樣做，就會發現他所說的合符理智。在常理下，耶穌基督的話似乎是瘋狂的；可是，在信心跟前，你就會驚訝地發現這正是神的話。要全心信靠神，當他領你去探險，要立刻接受。我們在危機之中，往往表現得像不信的人。所以千萬人中也許只有一個，肯將信心寄放在神身上。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，靠著你的恩典，我的思想能夠明白那麼多，所說的話也能那麼多－－求你使我的心靈和行為不單與思想踏著同一步伐，更能夠超越它。
Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do? Will you hold back? If you get into the habit of doing something physically, you will do it every time you are tested until you break the habit through sheer determination. And the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time you will turn back at the true point of testing, until you are determined to abandon yourself to God in total surrender. Yet we tend to say, “Yes, but— suppose I do obey God in this matter, what about . . . ?” Or we say, “Yes, I will obey God if what He asks of me doesn’t go against my common sense, but don’t ask me to take a step in the dark.”
Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.
By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ’s statements may seem mad, but when you test them by the trial of faith, your findings will fill your spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of God. Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis— only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God.
[好的－－但！ ]
主，我要跟從你，但……（路九61）
假如神叫你做一件與常理大相徑庭的事，你會怎樣呢？退縮？在肉身上養成的習慣，須以堅定的決心去改變，否則就會一直做下去。在屬靈上，也是如此。你屢次遵主的話起來，但到了某一關頭，就會裹足不前，甚至毅然放棄。 [好的，但－－假定我在這事上順服神，……又怎樣？ ][好了，我心順服神，只要他讓我用自己的智慧，不踏足在黑暗中。 ]耶穌基督要求倚靠他的人，有天然的那種冒險精神。若有人要做一件有價值的事，他有時必須孤注一擲。屬靈的領域裡，主也要求你用理智所堅持的一切撇下，投入他的話語裡去。你這樣做，就會發現他所說的合符理智。在常理下，耶穌基督的話似乎是瘋狂的；可是，在信心跟前，你就會驚訝地發現這正是神的話。要全心信靠神，當他領你去探險，要立刻接受。我們在危機之中，往往表現得像不信的人。所以千萬人中也許只有一個，肯將信心寄放在神身上。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，靠著你的恩典，我的思想能夠明白那麼多，所說的話也能那麼多－－求你使我的心靈和行為不單與思想踏著同一步伐，更能夠超越它。
May 29, 2012
Untroubled Relationship
In that day you will ask in My name . . . for the Father Himself loves you . . . —John 16:26-27
In that day you will ask in My name . . . ,” that is, in My nature. Not “You will use My name as some magic word,” but—”You will be so intimate with Me that you will be one with Me.” “That day” is not a day in the next life, but a day meant for here and now. “. . . for the Father Himself loves you . . .”— the Father’s love is evidence that our union with Jesus is complete and absolute. Our Lord does not mean that our lives will be free from external difficulties and uncertainties, but that just as He knew the Father’s heart and mind, we too can be lifted by Him into heavenly places through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, so that He can reveal the teachings of God to us.
“. . . whatever you ask the Father in My name . . .” (John 16:23). “That day” is a day of peace and an untroubled relationship between God and His saint. Just as Jesus stood unblemished and pure in the presence of His Father, we too by the mighty power and effectiveness of the baptism of the Holy Spirit can be lifted into that relationship—”. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22).
“. . . He will give you” (John 16:23). Jesus said that because of His name God will recognize and respond to our prayers. What a great challenge and invitation—to pray in His name! Through the resurrection and ascension power of Jesus, and through the Holy Spirit He has sent, we can be lifted into such a relationship. Once in that wonderful position, having been placed there by Jesus Christ, we can pray to God in Jesus’ name—in His nature. This is a gift granted to us through the Holy Spirit, and Jesus said, “. . . whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” The sovereign character of Jesus Christ is tested and proved by His own statements.
無法阻止的關係
到那日，你們要奉我的名祈求……父自己愛你們。 （約十六26-27）
[到那日，你們要奉我的名祈求]，就是依神的本性祈求，並不是[用我的名作為符咒]，乃是[你既與我如此親密，就必與我合而為一]了。 [那日]不是將來的某一日，而是指此時此地。 [父自己愛你們]－－那合一是如此的完整與絕對！主並非說，人生從此就沒有逆境；而是他深知父神的心意，便藉著聖靈的洗，把我們提升到天上，在那裡將神的旨意顯明給我們。
[你們若向父求什麼……][那日]，是神與聖徒的關係不受攔阻的日子。耶穌如何站在父神面前，潔白無暇，我們也藉著聖靈的洗所產生的大能功效，同樣被提升到那關係裡去－－[使他們合而為一，像我們一樣。 ]
[……他就必因我的名，賜給你們。 ]耶穌說，父神知道我們的禱告。何等大的挑戰！因著耶穌復活升天的大能，並神所差下來的聖靈，我們得以進到與父神至高的旨意聯合。在耶穌基督放我們在這高貴的地位上，我們得以奉他的名，以他的性情禱告；這性情也就是聖靈賜給我們的。
耶穌說：[你們奉我的名，無論向父求什麼，他就賜給你們。 ]耶穌基督至尊的品德，是經得起他自己話語的考驗的。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天是大施恩福的日子。為著你偉大的計劃，我感謝你；噢，主啊，以你的能力和恩典來推行你的計劃。
In that day you will ask in My name . . . ,” that is, in My nature. Not “You will use My name as some magic word,” but—”You will be so intimate with Me that you will be one with Me.” “That day” is not a day in the next life, but a day meant for here and now. “. . . for the Father Himself loves you . . .”— the Father’s love is evidence that our union with Jesus is complete and absolute. Our Lord does not mean that our lives will be free from external difficulties and uncertainties, but that just as He knew the Father’s heart and mind, we too can be lifted by Him into heavenly places through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, so that He can reveal the teachings of God to us.
“. . . whatever you ask the Father in My name . . .” (John 16:23). “That day” is a day of peace and an untroubled relationship between God and His saint. Just as Jesus stood unblemished and pure in the presence of His Father, we too by the mighty power and effectiveness of the baptism of the Holy Spirit can be lifted into that relationship—”. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22).
“. . . He will give you” (John 16:23). Jesus said that because of His name God will recognize and respond to our prayers. What a great challenge and invitation—to pray in His name! Through the resurrection and ascension power of Jesus, and through the Holy Spirit He has sent, we can be lifted into such a relationship. Once in that wonderful position, having been placed there by Jesus Christ, we can pray to God in Jesus’ name—in His nature. This is a gift granted to us through the Holy Spirit, and Jesus said, “. . . whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” The sovereign character of Jesus Christ is tested and proved by His own statements.
無法阻止的關係
到那日，你們要奉我的名祈求……父自己愛你們。 （約十六26-27）
[到那日，你們要奉我的名祈求]，就是依神的本性祈求，並不是[用我的名作為符咒]，乃是[你既與我如此親密，就必與我合而為一]了。 [那日]不是將來的某一日，而是指此時此地。 [父自己愛你們]－－那合一是如此的完整與絕對！主並非說，人生從此就沒有逆境；而是他深知父神的心意，便藉著聖靈的洗，把我們提升到天上，在那裡將神的旨意顯明給我們。
[你們若向父求什麼……][那日]，是神與聖徒的關係不受攔阻的日子。耶穌如何站在父神面前，潔白無暇，我們也藉著聖靈的洗所產生的大能功效，同樣被提升到那關係裡去－－[使他們合而為一，像我們一樣。 ]
[……他就必因我的名，賜給你們。 ]耶穌說，父神知道我們的禱告。何等大的挑戰！因著耶穌復活升天的大能，並神所差下來的聖靈，我們得以進到與父神至高的旨意聯合。在耶穌基督放我們在這高貴的地位上，我們得以奉他的名，以他的性情禱告；這性情也就是聖靈賜給我們的。
耶穌說：[你們奉我的名，無論向父求什麼，他就賜給你們。 ]耶穌基督至尊的品德，是經得起他自己話語的考驗的。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天是大施恩福的日子。為著你偉大的計劃，我感謝你；噢，主啊，以你的能力和恩典來推行你的計劃。
May 28, 2012
Unquestion Revelation
In that day you will ask Me nothing —John 16:23
When is “that day”? It is when the ascended Lord makes you one with the Father. “In that day” you will be one with the Father just as Jesus is, and He said, “In that day you will ask Me nothing.” Until the resurrection life of Jesus is fully exhibited in you, you have questions about many things. Then after a while you find that all your questions are gone— you don’t seem to have any left to ask. You have come to the point of total reliance on the resurrection life of Jesus, which brings you into complete oneness with the purpose of God. Are you living that life now? If not, why aren’t you?
“In that day” there may be any number of things still hidden to your understanding, but they will not come between your heart and God. “In that day you will ask Me nothing”— you will not need to ask, because you will be certain that God will reveal things in accordance with His will. The faith and peace of John 14:1 has become the real attitude of your heart, and there are no more questions to be asked. If anything is a mystery to you and is coming between you and God, never look for the explanation in your mind, but look for it in your spirit, your true inner nature— that is where the problem is. Once your inner spiritual nature is willing to submit to the life of Jesus, your understanding will be perfectly clear, and you will come to the place where there is no distance between the Father and you, His child, because the Lord has made you one. “In that day you will ask Me nothing.”
不需求問的啟示
到那日，你們什麼也就不問我了。 （約十六23）
那日是指什麼時候呢？就是當升天的主使你與父神合一之日。那日你與父合一，正如耶穌與父合一。耶穌說：[到那日你什麼都不用問我了。 ]耶穌復活的生命尚未在你身上彰顯時，你總要問這個問那個；然而過了不久，什麼問題都沒有了，因為再也沒有什麼要問的。你已經達到全心倚靠復活主的地步，神的旨意與你完全契合。你現今是過著這樣的生活嗎？若不是的話，為什麼呢？
也許還有無數令你難以了解的事，可是這些並不能成為你與神之間的阻隔。 [到那日，你們什麼也就不問我了。 ]－－你不用問，因為你確實知道神必須他的旨意成就。約翰福音四十章1節成為你心靈的狀況的話，便再沒有什麼要問的了。若有任何險奧難明的事介入你與神之間，切勿用自己的智慧求答案，要在性情中去找，因癥結就在那裡。當你肯降服主耶穌，理智就會清醒了。那時你就經歷到父子之間無差距的關係，因為主使你與父合一了。 [到那日，你什麼也就不問我了。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我內心極之渴望得到一個標記，表明你注視我。願你賜予我一個記號，讓我知道我在你的計劃中被你所使用。
When is “that day”? It is when the ascended Lord makes you one with the Father. “In that day” you will be one with the Father just as Jesus is, and He said, “In that day you will ask Me nothing.” Until the resurrection life of Jesus is fully exhibited in you, you have questions about many things. Then after a while you find that all your questions are gone— you don’t seem to have any left to ask. You have come to the point of total reliance on the resurrection life of Jesus, which brings you into complete oneness with the purpose of God. Are you living that life now? If not, why aren’t you?
“In that day” there may be any number of things still hidden to your understanding, but they will not come between your heart and God. “In that day you will ask Me nothing”— you will not need to ask, because you will be certain that God will reveal things in accordance with His will. The faith and peace of John 14:1 has become the real attitude of your heart, and there are no more questions to be asked. If anything is a mystery to you and is coming between you and God, never look for the explanation in your mind, but look for it in your spirit, your true inner nature— that is where the problem is. Once your inner spiritual nature is willing to submit to the life of Jesus, your understanding will be perfectly clear, and you will come to the place where there is no distance between the Father and you, His child, because the Lord has made you one. “In that day you will ask Me nothing.”
不需求問的啟示
到那日，你們什麼也就不問我了。 （約十六23）
那日是指什麼時候呢？就是當升天的主使你與父神合一之日。那日你與父合一，正如耶穌與父合一。耶穌說：[到那日你什麼都不用問我了。 ]耶穌復活的生命尚未在你身上彰顯時，你總要問這個問那個；然而過了不久，什麼問題都沒有了，因為再也沒有什麼要問的。你已經達到全心倚靠復活主的地步，神的旨意與你完全契合。你現今是過著這樣的生活嗎？若不是的話，為什麼呢？
也許還有無數令你難以了解的事，可是這些並不能成為你與神之間的阻隔。 [到那日，你們什麼也就不問我了。 ]－－你不用問，因為你確實知道神必須他的旨意成就。約翰福音四十章1節成為你心靈的狀況的話，便再沒有什麼要問的了。若有任何險奧難明的事介入你與神之間，切勿用自己的智慧求答案，要在性情中去找，因癥結就在那裡。當你肯降服主耶穌，理智就會清醒了。那時你就經歷到父子之間無差距的關係，因為主使你與父合一了。 [到那日，你什麼也就不問我了。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我內心極之渴望得到一個標記，表明你注視我。願你賜予我一個記號，讓我知道我在你的計劃中被你所使用。
May 27, 2012
The Life To Know Him
. . . tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high —Luke 24:49
The disciples had to tarry, staying in Jerusalem until the day of Pentecost, not only for their own preparation but because they had to wait until the Lord was actually glorified. And as soon as He was glorified, what happened? “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear” (Acts 2:33). The statement in John 7:39 — “. . . for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified”— does not pertain to us. The Holy Spirit has been given; the Lord is glorified— our waiting is not dependent on the providence of God, but on our own spiritual fitness.
The Holy Spirit’s influence and power were at work before Pentecost, but He was not here. Once our Lord was glorified in His ascension, the Holy Spirit came into the world, and He has been here ever since. We have to receive the revealed truth that He is here. The attitude of receiving and welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives is to be the continual attitude of a believer. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive reviving life from our ascended Lord.
It is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit that changes people, but the power of the ascended Christ coming into their lives through the Holy Spirit. We all too often separate things that the New Testament never separates. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an experience apart from Jesus Christ— it is the evidence of the ascended Christ.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit does not make you think of time or eternity— it is one amazing glorious now. “This is eternal life, that they may know You . . .” (John 17:3). Begin to know Him now, and never finish.
活的生命
你們要在城裡等候，直到你們領受從上頭來的能力。 （路二十四49）
門徒要等候五旬節的來臨，不單是為了準備自己，更是要等主得榮耀，成為一件歷史事實。他得榮耀就怎樣了？ [他既被神得右手高舉，又從父受了所應許的聖靈，就把你們所看見所聽見的，澆灌下來]。約翰福音七章39節所作的註解－－[那時還沒有賜下聖靈來，因為耶穌尚未得著榮耀。 ]並不適用在我們身上，因為聖靈已經賜下來了，主也得了榮耀。我們所等候的，不是神旨，而是自己有沒有預備好。
五旬節前，聖靈的感動與能力已在作工，但他並不在那裡。主一升天得榮耀，聖靈就降臨世間，而且一直在這裡了。我們必須領受這個啟示，知道他在這裡。接受聖靈，是信徒必須一直持守的。我們接受了聖靈，就從升天的主接受了生氣蓬勃的生命。
叫人改變的並不是聖靈的洗，乃是升天的基督藉聖靈進入人生命中。我們往往把新約中不可分割的事分割開來。聖靈的洗不是一種在耶穌基督之外的經歷，而是基督升了天的明證。
聖靈的洗不會叫你想到時間和永恆，卻令你想到寶貴的現今。 [認識你……這就是永生。 ]現在就開始認識他，直到永遠。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我感謝你的話語－－[不是倚靠勢力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠我得靈方能成事。 ]今天，我祈求你的靈給予我這種幫助，讓我可以使你滿意。
The disciples had to tarry, staying in Jerusalem until the day of Pentecost, not only for their own preparation but because they had to wait until the Lord was actually glorified. And as soon as He was glorified, what happened? “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear” (Acts 2:33). The statement in John 7:39 — “. . . for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified”— does not pertain to us. The Holy Spirit has been given; the Lord is glorified— our waiting is not dependent on the providence of God, but on our own spiritual fitness.
The Holy Spirit’s influence and power were at work before Pentecost, but He was not here. Once our Lord was glorified in His ascension, the Holy Spirit came into the world, and He has been here ever since. We have to receive the revealed truth that He is here. The attitude of receiving and welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives is to be the continual attitude of a believer. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive reviving life from our ascended Lord.
It is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit that changes people, but the power of the ascended Christ coming into their lives through the Holy Spirit. We all too often separate things that the New Testament never separates. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an experience apart from Jesus Christ— it is the evidence of the ascended Christ.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit does not make you think of time or eternity— it is one amazing glorious now. “This is eternal life, that they may know You . . .” (John 17:3). Begin to know Him now, and never finish.
活的生命
你們要在城裡等候，直到你們領受從上頭來的能力。 （路二十四49）
門徒要等候五旬節的來臨，不單是為了準備自己，更是要等主得榮耀，成為一件歷史事實。他得榮耀就怎樣了？ [他既被神得右手高舉，又從父受了所應許的聖靈，就把你們所看見所聽見的，澆灌下來]。約翰福音七章39節所作的註解－－[那時還沒有賜下聖靈來，因為耶穌尚未得著榮耀。 ]並不適用在我們身上，因為聖靈已經賜下來了，主也得了榮耀。我們所等候的，不是神旨，而是自己有沒有預備好。
五旬節前，聖靈的感動與能力已在作工，但他並不在那裡。主一升天得榮耀，聖靈就降臨世間，而且一直在這裡了。我們必須領受這個啟示，知道他在這裡。接受聖靈，是信徒必須一直持守的。我們接受了聖靈，就從升天的主接受了生氣蓬勃的生命。
叫人改變的並不是聖靈的洗，乃是升天的基督藉聖靈進入人生命中。我們往往把新約中不可分割的事分割開來。聖靈的洗不是一種在耶穌基督之外的經歷，而是基督升了天的明證。
聖靈的洗不會叫你想到時間和永恆，卻令你想到寶貴的現今。 [認識你……這就是永生。 ]現在就開始認識他，直到永遠。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我感謝你的話語－－[不是倚靠勢力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠我得靈方能成事。 ]今天，我祈求你的靈給予我這種幫助，讓我可以使你滿意。
May 26, 2012
Thinking of Prayer as Jesus Taught
Pray without ceasing . . . —1 Thessalonians 5:17
Our thinking about prayer, whether right or wrong, is based on our own mental conception of it. The correct concept is to think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts. Our blood flows and our breathing continues “without ceasing”; we are not even conscious of it, but it never stops. And we are not always conscious of Jesus keeping us in perfect oneness with God, but if we are obeying Him, He always is. Prayer is not an exercise, it is the life of the saint. Beware of anything that stops the offering up of prayer. “Pray without ceasing . . .”— maintain the childlike habit of offering up prayer in your heart to God all the time.
Jesus never mentioned unanswered prayer. He had the unlimited certainty of knowing that prayer is always answered. Do we have through the Spirit of God that inexpressible certainty that Jesus had about prayer, or do we think of the times when it seemed that God did not answer our prayer? Jesus said, “. . . everyone who asks receives . . .” (Matthew 7:8). Yet we say, “But . . . , but . . . .” God answers prayer in the best way— not just sometimes, but every time. However, the evidence of the answer in the area we want it may not always immediately follow. Do we expect God to answer prayer?
The danger we have is that we want to water down what Jesus said to make it mean something that aligns with our common sense. But if it were only common sense, what He said would not even be worthwhile. The things Jesus taught about prayer are supernatural truths He reveals to us.
照耶穌所說的去思想
不住的禱告。 （帖前五17）
我們對禱告的觀念，會影響我們對禱告態度的正誤。我們若視禱告如胸中的呼吸，如心中的血液，這就對了。血不停地流，呼吸也不間斷；我們雖不自覺，它卻一直在運行著。耶穌使我們與神聯合，我們未必時常感覺得到。若我們順服他，就知道他實在是時常如此。禱告不是一項活動，乃是生命。當心那些阻礙隨時禱告的東西。 [不住禱告]，保持赤子般的習慣，隨時在心中向神禱告。
耶穌從未提及落空的禱告。他確實知道禱告必蒙應允。我們有沒有靠著聖靈，有主耶穌對禱告那種不可言狀的信心？還是覺得神有時不聽人禱告？ [祈求就得著。 ]我們說：[但……但……]。
神永最奇妙的辦法應允禱告，不是有時聽有時不聽，乃是時時都聽。不過禱告得應允，未必是照我們所要得。我們指望神答允禱告嗎？我們的危險就是把耶穌所說的簡化，使之符合人的常理；其實若只是常理，就不值得說出了。耶穌所講的禱告，是超然的啟示。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，有太多的事需要祈求，有太多的人需要拯救。我何等渴望地仰望你。
Our thinking about prayer, whether right or wrong, is based on our own mental conception of it. The correct concept is to think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts. Our blood flows and our breathing continues “without ceasing”; we are not even conscious of it, but it never stops. And we are not always conscious of Jesus keeping us in perfect oneness with God, but if we are obeying Him, He always is. Prayer is not an exercise, it is the life of the saint. Beware of anything that stops the offering up of prayer. “Pray without ceasing . . .”— maintain the childlike habit of offering up prayer in your heart to God all the time.
Jesus never mentioned unanswered prayer. He had the unlimited certainty of knowing that prayer is always answered. Do we have through the Spirit of God that inexpressible certainty that Jesus had about prayer, or do we think of the times when it seemed that God did not answer our prayer? Jesus said, “. . . everyone who asks receives . . .” (Matthew 7:8). Yet we say, “But . . . , but . . . .” God answers prayer in the best way— not just sometimes, but every time. However, the evidence of the answer in the area we want it may not always immediately follow. Do we expect God to answer prayer?
The danger we have is that we want to water down what Jesus said to make it mean something that aligns with our common sense. But if it were only common sense, what He said would not even be worthwhile. The things Jesus taught about prayer are supernatural truths He reveals to us.
照耶穌所說的去思想
不住的禱告。 （帖前五17）
我們對禱告的觀念，會影響我們對禱告態度的正誤。我們若視禱告如胸中的呼吸，如心中的血液，這就對了。血不停地流，呼吸也不間斷；我們雖不自覺，它卻一直在運行著。耶穌使我們與神聯合，我們未必時常感覺得到。若我們順服他，就知道他實在是時常如此。禱告不是一項活動，乃是生命。當心那些阻礙隨時禱告的東西。 [不住禱告]，保持赤子般的習慣，隨時在心中向神禱告。
耶穌從未提及落空的禱告。他確實知道禱告必蒙應允。我們有沒有靠著聖靈，有主耶穌對禱告那種不可言狀的信心？還是覺得神有時不聽人禱告？ [祈求就得著。 ]我們說：[但……但……]。
神永最奇妙的辦法應允禱告，不是有時聽有時不聽，乃是時時都聽。不過禱告得應允，未必是照我們所要得。我們指望神答允禱告嗎？我們的危險就是把耶穌所說的簡化，使之符合人的常理；其實若只是常理，就不值得說出了。耶穌所講的禱告，是超然的啟示。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，有太多的事需要祈求，有太多的人需要拯救。我何等渴望地仰望你。
May 25, 2012
The Good or The Best?
If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left —Genesis 13:9
As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and physically gratifying possibilities will open up before you. These things are yours by right, but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God make your choice for you. God sometimes allows you to get into a place of testing where your own welfare would be the appropriate thing to consider, if you were not living the life of faith. But if you are, you will joyfully waive your right and allow God to make your choice for you. This is the discipline God uses to transform the natural into the spiritual through obedience to His voice.
Whenever our right becomes the guiding factor of our lives, it dulls our spiritual insight. The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. In this passage, it would seem that the wisest thing in the world for Abram to do would be to choose. It was his right, and the people around him would consider him to be a fool for not choosing.
Many of us do not continue to grow spiritually because we prefer to choose on the basis of our rights, instead of relying on God to make the choice for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eyes focused on God. And God says to us, as He did to Abram, “. . . walk before Me. . .” (Genesis 17:1).
自利的考驗
你向左、我就向右、你向右、我就向左。 （創十三9）
你一開始過信靠神的生活，就會有許多滿有吸引和有利的機會出現在你面前，而這些都是你理所應得的。可是你若憑信心生活，就會主動放棄這些權益，讓神替你選擇。神有時讓你置身於試驗之中，若你不是憑信而活，圖謀切身的福利並不算錯。但你既然信靠神，就當快快樂樂地放下自己的權利，讓神替你去選擇。這個操練，是藉著對神話語的順服，使人天然的本質改造成屬靈的樣式。
人生若以權利來做指南，就會把屬靈的生命窒息了。在信靠神的生活中，最大的敵人並不是罪，而是不及標準的善良。善良永遠是至善的仇敵。亞伯拉罕易地而居，本是時間最明智之舉，因他有主權。但他不作選擇，以致周遭的人都視他為愚妄。我們許多人靈性不長進，是因為要自己選擇自以為好的，不信靠神去替我們選擇。我們要學習注目在神的標准上生活。 [你當在我面前。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，你的道路就像你那般完美；而我的道路就像我自己那樣不完全。感動我，讓我今天能有效地認同你的感覺和你的道路。
As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and physically gratifying possibilities will open up before you. These things are yours by right, but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God make your choice for you. God sometimes allows you to get into a place of testing where your own welfare would be the appropriate thing to consider, if you were not living the life of faith. But if you are, you will joyfully waive your right and allow God to make your choice for you. This is the discipline God uses to transform the natural into the spiritual through obedience to His voice.
Whenever our right becomes the guiding factor of our lives, it dulls our spiritual insight. The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. In this passage, it would seem that the wisest thing in the world for Abram to do would be to choose. It was his right, and the people around him would consider him to be a fool for not choosing.
Many of us do not continue to grow spiritually because we prefer to choose on the basis of our rights, instead of relying on God to make the choice for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eyes focused on God. And God says to us, as He did to Abram, “. . . walk before Me. . .” (Genesis 17:1).
自利的考驗
你向左、我就向右、你向右、我就向左。 （創十三9）
你一開始過信靠神的生活，就會有許多滿有吸引和有利的機會出現在你面前，而這些都是你理所應得的。可是你若憑信心生活，就會主動放棄這些權益，讓神替你選擇。神有時讓你置身於試驗之中，若你不是憑信而活，圖謀切身的福利並不算錯。但你既然信靠神，就當快快樂樂地放下自己的權利，讓神替你去選擇。這個操練，是藉著對神話語的順服，使人天然的本質改造成屬靈的樣式。
人生若以權利來做指南，就會把屬靈的生命窒息了。在信靠神的生活中，最大的敵人並不是罪，而是不及標準的善良。善良永遠是至善的仇敵。亞伯拉罕易地而居，本是時間最明智之舉，因他有主權。但他不作選擇，以致周遭的人都視他為愚妄。我們許多人靈性不長進，是因為要自己選擇自以為好的，不信靠神去替我們選擇。我們要學習注目在神的標准上生活。 [你當在我面前。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，你的道路就像你那般完美；而我的道路就像我自己那樣不完全。感動我，讓我今天能有效地認同你的感覺和你的道路。
May 24, 2012
The Delight of Despair
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead —Revelation 1:17
It may be that, like the apostle John, you know Jesus Christ intimately. Yet when He suddenly appears to you with totally unfamiliar characteristics, the only thing you can do is fall “at His feet as dead.” There are times when God cannot reveal Himself in any other way than in His majesty, and it is the awesomeness of the vision which brings you to the delight of despair. You experience this joy in hopelessness, realizing that if you are ever to be raised up it must be by the hand of God.
“He laid His right hand on me . . .” (Revelation 1:17). In the midst of the awesomeness, a touch comes, and you know it is the right hand of Jesus Christ. You know it is not the hand of restraint, correction, nor chastisement, but the right hand of the Everlasting Father. Whenever His hand is laid upon you, it gives inexpressible peace and comfort, and the sense that “underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27), full of support, provision, comfort, and strength. And once His touch comes, nothing at all can throw you into fear again. In the midst of all His ascended glory, the Lord Jesus comes to speak to an insignificant disciple, saying, “Do not be afraid” (Revelation 1:17). His tenderness is inexpressibly sweet. Do I know Him like that?
Take a look at some of the things that cause despair. There is despair which has no delight, no limits whatsoever, and no hope of anything brighter. But the delight of despair comes when “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells . . .” (Romans 7:18). I delight in knowing that there is something in me which must fall prostrate before God when He reveals Himself to me, and also in knowing that if I am ever to be raised up it must be by the hand of God. God can do nothing for me until I recognize the limits of what is humanly possible, allowing Him to do the impossible.
絕望中的興奮
我一看見，就仆倒在他腳前，像死了一樣。 （啟一17）
也許你像約翰一樣，與主耶穌相知甚深。但當他突然以完全陌生的面貌出現，你只能仆倒他腳前像死去一樣。有時神不能以別的辦法顯示他自己，就只好以他的威嚴顯現。那異像中的威榮，叫你在絕望中心懷興奮。那時，你要再起來，就必須捉著神的手了。
[他用右手按著我說。 ]在驚恐中，有人觸摸你，你便曉得那時耶穌基督的右手。不是阻止、糾正或管教的右手，而是永在的父的右手。無論他的手什麼時候放在你身上，總有難以形容的平安與安慰，因為知道有永遠的膀臂在扶持，就得著供應、安慰與力量。神的撫摸一來，就再沒有什麼能叫你恐懼的了。主耶穌帶著天上的榮耀，對一個微不足道的門徒說：[不要懼怕。 ]他的仁慈是那樣的溫柔，我對他有這樣的認識麼？
留心那些令人絕望的事物。有一種絕望是沒有喜樂、沒有展望、沒有曙光。可是只要我知道[在我裡頭，就是在我肉體之中，沒有良善]，那時絕望中的喜樂就來了。在神榮耀的彰顯之中，我必須謙恭俯伏。若要起來，神必親手攙扶。除非我到了一切的盡頭，否則神不能為我作什麼。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，在屬靈和各方滿，願你加倍地保守這聖靈的殿。賜給我們你所喜悅的光輝和明亮。
It may be that, like the apostle John, you know Jesus Christ intimately. Yet when He suddenly appears to you with totally unfamiliar characteristics, the only thing you can do is fall “at His feet as dead.” There are times when God cannot reveal Himself in any other way than in His majesty, and it is the awesomeness of the vision which brings you to the delight of despair. You experience this joy in hopelessness, realizing that if you are ever to be raised up it must be by the hand of God.
“He laid His right hand on me . . .” (Revelation 1:17). In the midst of the awesomeness, a touch comes, and you know it is the right hand of Jesus Christ. You know it is not the hand of restraint, correction, nor chastisement, but the right hand of the Everlasting Father. Whenever His hand is laid upon you, it gives inexpressible peace and comfort, and the sense that “underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27), full of support, provision, comfort, and strength. And once His touch comes, nothing at all can throw you into fear again. In the midst of all His ascended glory, the Lord Jesus comes to speak to an insignificant disciple, saying, “Do not be afraid” (Revelation 1:17). His tenderness is inexpressibly sweet. Do I know Him like that?
Take a look at some of the things that cause despair. There is despair which has no delight, no limits whatsoever, and no hope of anything brighter. But the delight of despair comes when “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells . . .” (Romans 7:18). I delight in knowing that there is something in me which must fall prostrate before God when He reveals Himself to me, and also in knowing that if I am ever to be raised up it must be by the hand of God. God can do nothing for me until I recognize the limits of what is humanly possible, allowing Him to do the impossible.
絕望中的興奮
我一看見，就仆倒在他腳前，像死了一樣。 （啟一17）
也許你像約翰一樣，與主耶穌相知甚深。但當他突然以完全陌生的面貌出現，你只能仆倒他腳前像死去一樣。有時神不能以別的辦法顯示他自己，就只好以他的威嚴顯現。那異像中的威榮，叫你在絕望中心懷興奮。那時，你要再起來，就必須捉著神的手了。
[他用右手按著我說。 ]在驚恐中，有人觸摸你，你便曉得那時耶穌基督的右手。不是阻止、糾正或管教的右手，而是永在的父的右手。無論他的手什麼時候放在你身上，總有難以形容的平安與安慰，因為知道有永遠的膀臂在扶持，就得著供應、安慰與力量。神的撫摸一來，就再沒有什麼能叫你恐懼的了。主耶穌帶著天上的榮耀，對一個微不足道的門徒說：[不要懼怕。 ]他的仁慈是那樣的溫柔，我對他有這樣的認識麼？
留心那些令人絕望的事物。有一種絕望是沒有喜樂、沒有展望、沒有曙光。可是只要我知道[在我裡頭，就是在我肉體之中，沒有良善]，那時絕望中的喜樂就來了。在神榮耀的彰顯之中，我必須謙恭俯伏。若要起來，神必親手攙扶。除非我到了一切的盡頭，否則神不能為我作什麼。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，在屬靈和各方滿，願你加倍地保守這聖靈的殿。賜給我們你所喜悅的光輝和明亮。
May 23, 2012
Our Careful Unbelief
. . . do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on —Matthew 6:25
Jesus summed up commonsense carefulness in the life of a disciple as unbelief. If we have received the Spirit of God, He will squeeze right through our lives, as if to ask, “Now where do I come into this relationship, this vacation you have planned, or these new books you want to read?” And He always presses the point until we learn to make Him our first consideration. Whenever we put other things first, there is confusion.
“. . . do not worry about your life . . . .” Don’t take the pressure of your provision upon yourself. It is not only wrong to worry, it is unbelief; worrying means we do not believe that God can look after the practical details of our lives, and it is never anything but those details that worry us. Have you ever noticed what Jesus said would choke the Word He puts in us? Is it the devil? No— “the cares of this world” (Matthew 13:22). It is always our little worries. We say, “I will not trust when I cannot see”— and that is where unbelief begins. The only cure for unbelief is obedience to the Spirit.
The greatest word of Jesus to His disciples is abandon.
憂慮與不信
不要為生命憂慮，吃什麼，喝什麼，為身體憂慮穿什麼。 （太六25）
耶穌把信徒合乎理智的憂慮，當作不信。我們若受了聖靈，他一定會追問我們說：[在朋友當中，這一天安排妥當的假期、這些新書中，神的位置在哪裡？ ]他總要追問我們，直到我們以神為首。什麼時候我們把別的東西擺在首位，就會產生混亂。
[不要憂慮。 ]不要把未來臨的事壓在自己肩上。憂慮不但是錯，而且是不信；因為憂慮就是不信神能解決我們生活上實際的細節問題，而我們的憂慮往往是這些問題。你有沒有留意主耶穌說什麼會擠住神的道？魔鬼麼？不是！乃是今生的思慮，這些總是瑣瑣碎碎的憂慮。我看不見，就信不過，這就是不信的起頭。唯一能救治不信的，乃是順服聖靈。耶穌對門徒所說的一句重要的話，就是撇下。
祈禱◆無所不能的主神，我的靈是何等欣喜地知道，你看顧麻雀，亦數算我們的頭髮！主啊，向我吹氣，直至我的身體和思想都敬拜你。
Jesus summed up commonsense carefulness in the life of a disciple as unbelief. If we have received the Spirit of God, He will squeeze right through our lives, as if to ask, “Now where do I come into this relationship, this vacation you have planned, or these new books you want to read?” And He always presses the point until we learn to make Him our first consideration. Whenever we put other things first, there is confusion.
“. . . do not worry about your life . . . .” Don’t take the pressure of your provision upon yourself. It is not only wrong to worry, it is unbelief; worrying means we do not believe that God can look after the practical details of our lives, and it is never anything but those details that worry us. Have you ever noticed what Jesus said would choke the Word He puts in us? Is it the devil? No— “the cares of this world” (Matthew 13:22). It is always our little worries. We say, “I will not trust when I cannot see”— and that is where unbelief begins. The only cure for unbelief is obedience to the Spirit.
The greatest word of Jesus to His disciples is abandon.
憂慮與不信
不要為生命憂慮，吃什麼，喝什麼，為身體憂慮穿什麼。 （太六25）
耶穌把信徒合乎理智的憂慮，當作不信。我們若受了聖靈，他一定會追問我們說：[在朋友當中，這一天安排妥當的假期、這些新書中，神的位置在哪裡？ ]他總要追問我們，直到我們以神為首。什麼時候我們把別的東西擺在首位，就會產生混亂。
[不要憂慮。 ]不要把未來臨的事壓在自己肩上。憂慮不但是錯，而且是不信；因為憂慮就是不信神能解決我們生活上實際的細節問題，而我們的憂慮往往是這些問題。你有沒有留意主耶穌說什麼會擠住神的道？魔鬼麼？不是！乃是今生的思慮，這些總是瑣瑣碎碎的憂慮。我看不見，就信不過，這就是不信的起頭。唯一能救治不信的，乃是順服聖靈。耶穌對門徒所說的一句重要的話，就是撇下。
祈禱◆無所不能的主神，我的靈是何等欣喜地知道，你看顧麻雀，亦數算我們的頭髮！主啊，向我吹氣，直至我的身體和思想都敬拜你。
May 22, 2012
The Explanation For Our Difficulties
. . . that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us . . . —John 17:21
If you are going through a time of isolation, seemingly all alone, read John 17 . It will explain exactly why you are where you are— because Jesus has prayed that you “may be one” with the Father as He is. Are you helping God to answer that prayer, or do you have some other goal for your life? Since you became a disciple, you cannot be as independent as you used to be.
God reveals in John 17 that His purpose is not just to answer our prayers, but that through prayer we might come to discern His mind. Yet there is one prayer which God must answer, and that is the prayer of Jesus— “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22). Are we as close to Jesus Christ as that?
God is not concerned about our plans; He doesn’t ask, “Do you want to go through this loss of a loved one, this difficulty, or this defeat?” No, He allows these things for His own purpose. The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more critical and fault-finding, and more insistent on our own way. The things that happen either make us evil, or they make us more saintly, depending entirely on our relationship with God and its level of intimacy. If we will pray, regarding our own lives, “Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42), then we will be encouraged and comforted by John 17, knowing that our Father is working according to His own wisdom, accomplishing what is best. When we understand God’s purpose, we will not become small-minded and cynical. Jesus prayed nothing less for us than absolute oneness with Himself, just as He was one with the Father. Some of us are far from this oneness; yet God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him— because Jesus prayed, “. . . that they all may be one . . . .”
這就是答案
使他們都合而為一，正如你父在我裡面，我父在你裡面，使他們也在我們裡面。 （約十七21）
你的道路若是孤單，請讀約翰福音第十七章。你可以在這裡得到正確的解釋－－耶穌正求父叫你與父合一，如同他與父合一一樣。你是盡力使這禱告得到答允？還是你的人生另有目標？
你既成為門徒，就不能像昔日一般獨立自主了。神的目的不是要應允我們的祈求，而是藉我們的禱告，叫我們能分辨他的心意，這在約翰福音第十七章已顯示出來。有一個禱告是神必然應允的，就是主耶穌的禱告－－[叫他們合而為一，如同我們合而為一]。我們與主耶穌是這樣親密嗎？
神關注的並不是我們的計劃。他不曾說：[你願意經歷這痛苦的困擾嗎？ ]他容讓這些事發生，自有他的目的。我們所經歷的事，要不是叫我們變得更溫柔、更完美、更高貴；就會叫我們更吹毛求疵，更挑剔、更堅持己意。經歷可以叫我們成為妖魔，也可以叫我們變作聖徒，關鍵完全在乎我們與神的關係。我們若說：[願你的旨意成就。 ]就能得著約翰福音第十七章的安慰，就知道天父以智慧行萬事。當我們知道神的用心，就不會卑鄙無恥。耶穌所禱告的，是要我們完全與他合一，正如他與父合一一樣。有些人仍離得很遠，但神不會任憑我們，必使我們真正與他合一，因為耶穌已為我們禱告，盼望我們可以達到這境界。
祈禱◆對於在世上為你結果子，我是那麼無助，我是那麼胸襟狹小，多麼的不像你。求你赦免我，並且，願我因著住在耶穌裡面，可以多結果子，榮耀天父。
If you are going through a time of isolation, seemingly all alone, read John 17 . It will explain exactly why you are where you are— because Jesus has prayed that you “may be one” with the Father as He is. Are you helping God to answer that prayer, or do you have some other goal for your life? Since you became a disciple, you cannot be as independent as you used to be.
God reveals in John 17 that His purpose is not just to answer our prayers, but that through prayer we might come to discern His mind. Yet there is one prayer which God must answer, and that is the prayer of Jesus— “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22). Are we as close to Jesus Christ as that?
God is not concerned about our plans; He doesn’t ask, “Do you want to go through this loss of a loved one, this difficulty, or this defeat?” No, He allows these things for His own purpose. The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more critical and fault-finding, and more insistent on our own way. The things that happen either make us evil, or they make us more saintly, depending entirely on our relationship with God and its level of intimacy. If we will pray, regarding our own lives, “Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42), then we will be encouraged and comforted by John 17, knowing that our Father is working according to His own wisdom, accomplishing what is best. When we understand God’s purpose, we will not become small-minded and cynical. Jesus prayed nothing less for us than absolute oneness with Himself, just as He was one with the Father. Some of us are far from this oneness; yet God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him— because Jesus prayed, “. . . that they all may be one . . . .”
這就是答案
使他們都合而為一，正如你父在我裡面，我父在你裡面，使他們也在我們裡面。 （約十七21）
你的道路若是孤單，請讀約翰福音第十七章。你可以在這裡得到正確的解釋－－耶穌正求父叫你與父合一，如同他與父合一一樣。你是盡力使這禱告得到答允？還是你的人生另有目標？
你既成為門徒，就不能像昔日一般獨立自主了。神的目的不是要應允我們的祈求，而是藉我們的禱告，叫我們能分辨他的心意，這在約翰福音第十七章已顯示出來。有一個禱告是神必然應允的，就是主耶穌的禱告－－[叫他們合而為一，如同我們合而為一]。我們與主耶穌是這樣親密嗎？
神關注的並不是我們的計劃。他不曾說：[你願意經歷這痛苦的困擾嗎？ ]他容讓這些事發生，自有他的目的。我們所經歷的事，要不是叫我們變得更溫柔、更完美、更高貴；就會叫我們更吹毛求疵，更挑剔、更堅持己意。經歷可以叫我們成為妖魔，也可以叫我們變作聖徒，關鍵完全在乎我們與神的關係。我們若說：[願你的旨意成就。 ]就能得著約翰福音第十七章的安慰，就知道天父以智慧行萬事。當我們知道神的用心，就不會卑鄙無恥。耶穌所禱告的，是要我們完全與他合一，正如他與父合一一樣。有些人仍離得很遠，但神不會任憑我們，必使我們真正與他合一，因為耶穌已為我們禱告，盼望我們可以達到這境界。
祈禱◆對於在世上為你結果子，我是那麼無助，我是那麼胸襟狹小，多麼的不像你。求你赦免我，並且，願我因著住在耶穌裡面，可以多結果子，榮耀天父。
May 21, 2012
Having God’s “Unreasonable” Faith
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you —Matthew 6:33
When we look at these words of Jesus, we immediately find them to be the most revolutionary that human ears have ever heard. “. . . seek first the kingdom of God . . . .” Even the most spiritually-minded of us argue the exact opposite, saying, “But I must live; I must make a certain amount of money; I must be clothed; I must be fed.” The great concern of our lives is not the kingdom of God but how we are going to take care of ourselves to live. Jesus reversed the order by telling us to get the right relationship with God first, maintaining it as the primary concern of our lives, and never to place our concern on taking care of the other things of life.
“. . . do not worry about your life. . .” (Matthew 6:25). Our Lord pointed out that from His standpoint it is absolutely unreasonable for us to be anxious, worrying about how we will live. Jesus did not say that the person who takes no thought for anything in his life is blessed— no, that person is a fool. But Jesus did teach that His disciple must make his relationship with God the dominating focus of his life, and to be cautiously carefree about everything else in comparison to that. In essence, Jesus was saying, “Don’t make food and drink the controlling factor of your life, but be focused absolutely on God.” Some people are careless about what they eat and drink, and they suffer for it; they are careless about what they wear, having no business looking the way they do; they are careless with their earthly matters, and God holds them responsible. Jesus is saying that the greatest concern of life is to place our relationship with God first, and everything else second.
It is one of the most difficult, yet critical, disciplines of the Christian life to allow the Holy Spirit to bring us into absolute harmony with the teaching of Jesus in these verses.
信心的神聖推論
你們要先求他的國和他的義，這些東西都要加給你們了。 （太六33）
我們一聽到耶穌這句話，會覺得是極度革命性的，是前所未聞的論調。耶穌說要[先求神的國]，我們的理論則剛好相反；就是最體貼聖靈的人也會說：[我要生活呀，我一定要賺這麼多的錢；一定要有衣有食才行。 ]可見我們一生最關注的，不是神的國，而是怎樣謀生過活。耶穌卻把次序倒轉過來；你當先與神建立良好的關係，當作人生當務之急，而千萬別把注意力轉移到其他事物之上。 [不要為生命憂慮……]主指出我們為生活而掛慮，是完全沒有理由的。他不是說什麼都不思想的人是有福的，因這樣的人是愚不可及。耶穌是教導門徒要把與神的關係，視作生命的重心，而其他事則視作等閒。耶穌這裡的意思是：別把吃什麼喝什麼作為你生命的決定因素，只要專注在神身上。有些人由於不注意飲食，而招致損害；有些人則不注意衣著，而不修邊幅；他們都忽略地上的事，神卻要他們自己承擔。耶穌的意思是要把與神的關係，放在人生的首位，其他一切都屬次要。
讓聖靈把耶穌這番話的教訓，溶在我們裡面，這是信徒生命中最嚴格的訓練。
祈禱◆主啊，今天早上，求你使我與那些奇異的景象和聲音隔絕；將我從那些聯繫著現今和最近的東西中解脫出來，以你的靈完完全全地充滿這天。
When we look at these words of Jesus, we immediately find them to be the most revolutionary that human ears have ever heard. “. . . seek first the kingdom of God . . . .” Even the most spiritually-minded of us argue the exact opposite, saying, “But I must live; I must make a certain amount of money; I must be clothed; I must be fed.” The great concern of our lives is not the kingdom of God but how we are going to take care of ourselves to live. Jesus reversed the order by telling us to get the right relationship with God first, maintaining it as the primary concern of our lives, and never to place our concern on taking care of the other things of life.
“. . . do not worry about your life. . .” (Matthew 6:25). Our Lord pointed out that from His standpoint it is absolutely unreasonable for us to be anxious, worrying about how we will live. Jesus did not say that the person who takes no thought for anything in his life is blessed— no, that person is a fool. But Jesus did teach that His disciple must make his relationship with God the dominating focus of his life, and to be cautiously carefree about everything else in comparison to that. In essence, Jesus was saying, “Don’t make food and drink the controlling factor of your life, but be focused absolutely on God.” Some people are careless about what they eat and drink, and they suffer for it; they are careless about what they wear, having no business looking the way they do; they are careless with their earthly matters, and God holds them responsible. Jesus is saying that the greatest concern of life is to place our relationship with God first, and everything else second.
It is one of the most difficult, yet critical, disciplines of the Christian life to allow the Holy Spirit to bring us into absolute harmony with the teaching of Jesus in these verses.
信心的神聖推論
你們要先求他的國和他的義，這些東西都要加給你們了。 （太六33）
我們一聽到耶穌這句話，會覺得是極度革命性的，是前所未聞的論調。耶穌說要[先求神的國]，我們的理論則剛好相反；就是最體貼聖靈的人也會說：[我要生活呀，我一定要賺這麼多的錢；一定要有衣有食才行。 ]可見我們一生最關注的，不是神的國，而是怎樣謀生過活。耶穌卻把次序倒轉過來；你當先與神建立良好的關係，當作人生當務之急，而千萬別把注意力轉移到其他事物之上。 [不要為生命憂慮……]主指出我們為生活而掛慮，是完全沒有理由的。他不是說什麼都不思想的人是有福的，因這樣的人是愚不可及。耶穌是教導門徒要把與神的關係，視作生命的重心，而其他事則視作等閒。耶穌這裡的意思是：別把吃什麼喝什麼作為你生命的決定因素，只要專注在神身上。有些人由於不注意飲食，而招致損害；有些人則不注意衣著，而不修邊幅；他們都忽略地上的事，神卻要他們自己承擔。耶穌的意思是要把與神的關係，放在人生的首位，其他一切都屬次要。
讓聖靈把耶穌這番話的教訓，溶在我們裡面，這是信徒生命中最嚴格的訓練。
祈禱◆主啊，今天早上，求你使我與那些奇異的景象和聲音隔絕；將我從那些聯繫著現今和最近的東西中解脫出來，以你的靈完完全全地充滿這天。
May 20, 2012
Taking Possession of Our Own Soul
By your patience possess your souls —Luke 21:19
When a person is born again, there is a period of time when he does not have the same vitality in his thinking or reasoning that he previously had. We must learn to express this new life within us, which comes by forming the mind of Christ (see Philippians 2:5). Luke 21:19 means that we take possession of our souls through patience. But many of us prefer to stay at the entrance to the Christian life, instead of going on to create and build our soul in accordance with the new life God has placed within us. We fail because we are ignorant of the way God has made us, and we blame things on the devil that are actually the result of our own undisciplined natures. Just think what we could be when we are awakened to the truth!
There are certain things in life that we need not pray about— moods, for instance. We will never get rid of moodiness by praying, but we will by kicking it out of our lives. Moods nearly always are rooted in some physical circumstance, not in our true inner self. It is a continual struggle not to listen to the moods which arise as a result of our physical condition, but we must never submit to them for a second. We have to pick ourselves up by the back of the neck and shake ourselves; then we will find that we can do what we believed we were unable to do. The problem that most of us are cursed with is simply that we won’t. The Christian life is one of spiritual courage and determination lived out in our flesh.
真實的領域
你們常存忍耐，就必保存靈魂。 （路二十一19）
人重生了，他的思想和理智有一段時候就沒有往日那樣明達。我們要把新生命表現出來，要培養基督的心。 [要用忍耐保存靈魂。 ]我們大多數人寧可站在信徒生活的門檻上，而不根據神所賦予裡頭的新生命來建立自己的靈命。我們失敗，是因為不明白自己的本相，在許多事上，只一意抵賴魔鬼，而不歸咎在自己那不受約束的本性上。試想想我們受激動時那副樣子便可知了。
有些事是我們不可祈求的：例如情緒。情緒不是禱告可以驅散的，是要一腳把它踢開。人的情緒，多半是根據肉體的情況而定，與德性無關。要經常竭力拒絕聽從因肉體情況而生髮的情緒，一秒鐘也不可容讓。我們要揪著自己的領口，振作起來，就會發覺能夠做自己以為不能做的事。我們不肯做，就成了自己的咒詛。信徒的生命，是屬靈勇氣在肉身的一種表現。
祈禱◆主啊，為著你的說話－－[你們常存忍耐，就必保存靈魂]－－我讚美你。當我正按著你的心意，努力要得著靈魂時，為著你那將要臨到的恩典，我讚美你。
When a person is born again, there is a period of time when he does not have the same vitality in his thinking or reasoning that he previously had. We must learn to express this new life within us, which comes by forming the mind of Christ (see Philippians 2:5). Luke 21:19 means that we take possession of our souls through patience. But many of us prefer to stay at the entrance to the Christian life, instead of going on to create and build our soul in accordance with the new life God has placed within us. We fail because we are ignorant of the way God has made us, and we blame things on the devil that are actually the result of our own undisciplined natures. Just think what we could be when we are awakened to the truth!
There are certain things in life that we need not pray about— moods, for instance. We will never get rid of moodiness by praying, but we will by kicking it out of our lives. Moods nearly always are rooted in some physical circumstance, not in our true inner self. It is a continual struggle not to listen to the moods which arise as a result of our physical condition, but we must never submit to them for a second. We have to pick ourselves up by the back of the neck and shake ourselves; then we will find that we can do what we believed we were unable to do. The problem that most of us are cursed with is simply that we won’t. The Christian life is one of spiritual courage and determination lived out in our flesh.
真實的領域
你們常存忍耐，就必保存靈魂。 （路二十一19）
人重生了，他的思想和理智有一段時候就沒有往日那樣明達。我們要把新生命表現出來，要培養基督的心。 [要用忍耐保存靈魂。 ]我們大多數人寧可站在信徒生活的門檻上，而不根據神所賦予裡頭的新生命來建立自己的靈命。我們失敗，是因為不明白自己的本相，在許多事上，只一意抵賴魔鬼，而不歸咎在自己那不受約束的本性上。試想想我們受激動時那副樣子便可知了。
有些事是我們不可祈求的：例如情緒。情緒不是禱告可以驅散的，是要一腳把它踢開。人的情緒，多半是根據肉體的情況而定，與德性無關。要經常竭力拒絕聽從因肉體情況而生髮的情緒，一秒鐘也不可容讓。我們要揪著自己的領口，振作起來，就會發覺能夠做自己以為不能做的事。我們不肯做，就成了自己的咒詛。信徒的生命，是屬靈勇氣在肉身的一種表現。
祈禱◆主啊，為著你的說話－－[你們常存忍耐，就必保存靈魂]－－我讚美你。當我正按著你的心意，努力要得著靈魂時，為著你那將要臨到的恩典，我讚美你。
May 19, 2012
Out of the Wreck I Rise
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? —Romans 8:35
God does not keep His child immune from trouble; He promises, “I will be with him in trouble . . .” (Psalm 91:15). It doesn’t matter how real or intense the adversities may be; nothing can ever separate him from his relationship to God. “In all these things we are more than conquerors . . .” (Romans 8:37). Paul was not referring here to imaginary things, but to things that are dangerously real. And he said we are “super-victors” in the midst of them, not because of our own ingenuity, nor because of our courage, but because none of them affects our essential relationship with God in Jesus Christ. I feel sorry for the Christian who doesn’t have something in the circumstances of his life that he wishes were not there.
“Shall tribulation . . . ?” Tribulation is never a grand, highly welcomed event; but whatever it may be— whether exhausting, irritating, or simply causing some weakness— it is not able to “separate us from the love of Christ.” Never allow tribulations or the “cares of this world” to separate you from remembering that God loves you (Matthew 13:22).
“Shall . . . distress . . . ?” Can God’s love continue to hold fast, even when everyone and everything around us seems to be saying that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?
“Shall . . . famine . . . ?” Can we not only believe in the love of God but also be “more than conquerors,” even while we are being starved?
Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver, having deceived even Paul, or else some extraordinary thing happens to someone who holds on to the love of God when the odds are totally against him. Logic is silenced in the face of each of these things which come against him. Only one thing can account for it— the love of God in Christ Jesus. “Out of the wreck I rise” every time.
重整旗鼓
誰能使我們與基督的愛隔絕呢？ （羅八35）
神並不叫人與患難絕緣；他說：[在患難中，我要與他同在。 ]人生不管遭受怎樣重大苦難的打擊，一概都不能叫人與神的關係隔絕。我們[在這一切事上已經得勝有餘了]，保羅在此並不是說些虛幻的事，而是指一些極其真實的事；他說我們在這些事上所以是優勝者，不是靠一己的機智，一己的勇氣，也不是靠任何其他事物，乃是根據一件事實；我們與神在基督耶穌裡的關係，而這關係不是任何事物可以影響的。不管對也好錯也好，我們的景況就是這樣，環境際遇就是這樣。那些環境一帆風順的基督徒，我為他們咕噥道可惜。
[難道是患難麼……？ ]患難絕不是什麼賞心樂事；它所包羅的範圍極大，舉凡困倦、屈辱、勞累等都接踵而至，但都不能叫我們與神的愛隔絕。千萬別讓憂慮和患難阻礙你認識神愛你這事實。
[是困苦麼……？ ]當事事不如意，人說神的愛只是謊言，而正義也不存在，神的愛仍然靠得住麼？ [是飢餓麼……？ ]我們餓著肚子的時候，是否仍然相信神的愛，而且得勝有餘呢？除非耶穌基督是個騙子，把保羅蒙在鼓裡；否則，必定有極不尋常發生在這個人身上，叫他在萬事不如意之中，仍然抓緊神的愛。在這一切事情上，邏輯已經失去它的功用。只有一件事可作解釋－－就是神在耶穌基督裡的愛。讓我重整旗鼓，再接再厲吧！
祈禱◆主啊，為著我身處的地方，我讚美你；可是在我裡面正開始猜想－－這是否稱為我預備的地方？求你牢牢地拖帶我實行你的旨意。我可能只是煩躁不安，求你使我安靜和得力，以致我不會因疑惑而得罪你。
God does not keep His child immune from trouble; He promises, “I will be with him in trouble . . .” (Psalm 91:15). It doesn’t matter how real or intense the adversities may be; nothing can ever separate him from his relationship to God. “In all these things we are more than conquerors . . .” (Romans 8:37). Paul was not referring here to imaginary things, but to things that are dangerously real. And he said we are “super-victors” in the midst of them, not because of our own ingenuity, nor because of our courage, but because none of them affects our essential relationship with God in Jesus Christ. I feel sorry for the Christian who doesn’t have something in the circumstances of his life that he wishes were not there.
“Shall tribulation . . . ?” Tribulation is never a grand, highly welcomed event; but whatever it may be— whether exhausting, irritating, or simply causing some weakness— it is not able to “separate us from the love of Christ.” Never allow tribulations or the “cares of this world” to separate you from remembering that God loves you (Matthew 13:22).
“Shall . . . distress . . . ?” Can God’s love continue to hold fast, even when everyone and everything around us seems to be saying that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?
“Shall . . . famine . . . ?” Can we not only believe in the love of God but also be “more than conquerors,” even while we are being starved?
Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver, having deceived even Paul, or else some extraordinary thing happens to someone who holds on to the love of God when the odds are totally against him. Logic is silenced in the face of each of these things which come against him. Only one thing can account for it— the love of God in Christ Jesus. “Out of the wreck I rise” every time.
重整旗鼓
誰能使我們與基督的愛隔絕呢？ （羅八35）
神並不叫人與患難絕緣；他說：[在患難中，我要與他同在。 ]人生不管遭受怎樣重大苦難的打擊，一概都不能叫人與神的關係隔絕。我們[在這一切事上已經得勝有餘了]，保羅在此並不是說些虛幻的事，而是指一些極其真實的事；他說我們在這些事上所以是優勝者，不是靠一己的機智，一己的勇氣，也不是靠任何其他事物，乃是根據一件事實；我們與神在基督耶穌裡的關係，而這關係不是任何事物可以影響的。不管對也好錯也好，我們的景況就是這樣，環境際遇就是這樣。那些環境一帆風順的基督徒，我為他們咕噥道可惜。
[難道是患難麼……？ ]患難絕不是什麼賞心樂事；它所包羅的範圍極大，舉凡困倦、屈辱、勞累等都接踵而至，但都不能叫我們與神的愛隔絕。千萬別讓憂慮和患難阻礙你認識神愛你這事實。
[是困苦麼……？ ]當事事不如意，人說神的愛只是謊言，而正義也不存在，神的愛仍然靠得住麼？ [是飢餓麼……？ ]我們餓著肚子的時候，是否仍然相信神的愛，而且得勝有餘呢？除非耶穌基督是個騙子，把保羅蒙在鼓裡；否則，必定有極不尋常發生在這個人身上，叫他在萬事不如意之中，仍然抓緊神的愛。在這一切事情上，邏輯已經失去它的功用。只有一件事可作解釋－－就是神在耶穌基督裡的愛。讓我重整旗鼓，再接再厲吧！
祈禱◆主啊，為著我身處的地方，我讚美你；可是在我裡面正開始猜想－－這是否稱為我預備的地方？求你牢牢地拖帶我實行你的旨意。我可能只是煩躁不安，求你使我安靜和得力，以致我不會因疑惑而得罪你。
May 18, 2012
Living Simply— Yet Focused
Look at the birds of the air . . . . Consider the lilies of the field . . . —Matthew 6:26, 28
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin”— they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars, and the moon— all of these simply are as well— yet what a ministry and service they render on our behalf! So often we impair God’s designed influence, which He desires to exhibit through us, because of our own conscious efforts to be consistent and useful. Jesus said there is only one way to develop and grow spiritually, and that is through focusing and concentrating on God. In essence, Jesus was saying, “Do not worry about being of use to others; simply believe on Me.” In other words, pay attention to the Source, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). We cannot discover the source of our natural life through common sense and reasoning, and Jesus is teaching here that growth in our spiritual life comes not from focusing directly on it, but from concentrating on our Father in heaven. Our heavenly Father knows our circumstances, and if we will stay focused on Him, instead of our circumstances, we will grow spiritually— just as “the lilies of the field.”
The people who influence us the most are not those who detain us with their continual talk, but those who live their lives like the stars in the sky and “the lilies of the field”— simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mold and shape us.
If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him, and He will make use of you every minute you live— yet you will be unaware, on the conscious level of your life, that you are being used of Him.
不合理的憂慮
你們看那天上的飛鳥，……你想野地裡的百合花……。 （太六26-28）
試想想野地的百合花怎樣長起來，它們無非是順應自然而生！又試想想大海、空氣、太陽、星星、月亮－－這一切就是這樣存在，然而，它們所達成的，是何等的任務！許多時候，我們憑著自己的努力，去作一個言行一致、有用的人，反而將神原要我們對別人的影響破壞了。耶穌說，屬靈的生長只有一個途徑，就是在神自己。 [不要顧慮自己對被人是否有幫助，相信我吧！ ]
注目在至高的源頭上，你就有生命的活水流出來。我們若用人的常識本能，是無法得著生命的泉源；所以耶穌教導我們不是靠自己的守望，乃是專注在天父身上。天父知道我們所處的景況，只要我們專心仰望他，就可像百合花一般生長。
對我們影響最大的人，不是那些整天嘮嘮叨叨教訓我們的人，而是那些生活如星辰、如野地百合花般單純真誠的人。這樣的生命才足以模造我們。你要是想合神使用，就要與耶穌基督建立正常的關係，這樣，他便會叫你一生在不知不覺中，時刻為他所使用。
祈禱◆今早我懷著崇敬的心靠近你，感到你是我的天父，並且完全知悉你忍耐著我不真實的一面。但是，主啊，我現在似乎不關心自己是否真實，因為你本身就是最偉大的實體。
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin”— they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars, and the moon— all of these simply are as well— yet what a ministry and service they render on our behalf! So often we impair God’s designed influence, which He desires to exhibit through us, because of our own conscious efforts to be consistent and useful. Jesus said there is only one way to develop and grow spiritually, and that is through focusing and concentrating on God. In essence, Jesus was saying, “Do not worry about being of use to others; simply believe on Me.” In other words, pay attention to the Source, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). We cannot discover the source of our natural life through common sense and reasoning, and Jesus is teaching here that growth in our spiritual life comes not from focusing directly on it, but from concentrating on our Father in heaven. Our heavenly Father knows our circumstances, and if we will stay focused on Him, instead of our circumstances, we will grow spiritually— just as “the lilies of the field.”
The people who influence us the most are not those who detain us with their continual talk, but those who live their lives like the stars in the sky and “the lilies of the field”— simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mold and shape us.
If you want to be of use to God, maintain the proper relationship with Jesus Christ by staying focused on Him, and He will make use of you every minute you live— yet you will be unaware, on the conscious level of your life, that you are being used of Him.
不合理的憂慮
你們看那天上的飛鳥，……你想野地裡的百合花……。 （太六26-28）
試想想野地的百合花怎樣長起來，它們無非是順應自然而生！又試想想大海、空氣、太陽、星星、月亮－－這一切就是這樣存在，然而，它們所達成的，是何等的任務！許多時候，我們憑著自己的努力，去作一個言行一致、有用的人，反而將神原要我們對別人的影響破壞了。耶穌說，屬靈的生長只有一個途徑，就是在神自己。 [不要顧慮自己對被人是否有幫助，相信我吧！ ]
注目在至高的源頭上，你就有生命的活水流出來。我們若用人的常識本能，是無法得著生命的泉源；所以耶穌教導我們不是靠自己的守望，乃是專注在天父身上。天父知道我們所處的景況，只要我們專心仰望他，就可像百合花一般生長。
對我們影響最大的人，不是那些整天嘮嘮叨叨教訓我們的人，而是那些生活如星辰、如野地百合花般單純真誠的人。這樣的生命才足以模造我們。你要是想合神使用，就要與耶穌基督建立正常的關係，這樣，他便會叫你一生在不知不覺中，時刻為他所使用。
祈禱◆今早我懷著崇敬的心靠近你，感到你是我的天父，並且完全知悉你忍耐著我不真實的一面。但是，主啊，我現在似乎不關心自己是否真實，因為你本身就是最偉大的實體。
May 17, 2012
His Ascension and Our Access
It came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven —Luke 24:51
We have no experiences in our lives that correspond to the events in our Lord’s life after the transfiguration. From that moment forward His life was altogether substitutionary. Up to the time of the transfiguration, He had exhibited the normal, perfect life of a man. But from the transfiguration forward— Gethsemane, the Cross, the resurrection— everything is unfamiliar to us. His Cross is the door by which every member of the human race can enter into the life of God; by His resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to anyone, and by His ascension our Lord entered heaven, keeping the door open for humanity.
The transfiguration was completed on the Mount of Ascension. If Jesus had gone to heaven directly from the Mount of Transfiguration, He would have gone alone. He would have been nothing more to us than a glorious Figure. But He turned His back on the glory, and came down from the mountain to identify Himself with fallen humanity.
The ascension is the complete fulfillment of the transfiguration. Our Lord returned to His original glory, but not simply as the Son of God— He returned to His father as the Son of Man as well. There is now freedom of access for anyone straight to the very throne of God because of the ascension of the Son of Man. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ deliberately limited His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. But now they are His in absolute, full power. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ now has all the power at the throne of God. From His ascension forward He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
他的升天與我們的合一
正祝福的時候，他就離開他們，被帶到天上去了。 （路二十四51）
主登山變像之後的經歷，是我們沒法體驗的。從那時起，主的生命完全是為了代贖。登山之前，他過的是正常人的生活；登山之後，經過客西馬尼、十字架，以至復活，都不是我們所熟悉的。他的十字架，是人類進入神生命的門；他的複活，使他有賜人永生的權柄；他的升天，使天門為人敞開。
在升天的山上，登山變像的意義就明顯了。耶穌若在登山變像時升了天，他就是獨自而去，對我們只是一個榮耀的形像而已。可是，他紆尊降貴，從山上來，與墮落的人類等量齊觀。
升天是登山變像的實現，我們的主這時回到他原有的榮耀裡去；可是他不單是以神兒子的身分回去，也以人子的身分回到神那裡去。因為人子升天，人就有自由的通道直接去到神寶座前。
作為人子，耶穌故意限制了他的權能、全知，以及無所不在的自由；升天后卻全部在他掌管之中了。耶穌基督為人子，有著神寶座的一切權能，從他升天之日起直到今天，他是萬王之王，萬主之主。
祈禱◆主啊，我的每一方面，都徹底、完全和絕對需要你。我是一個等待你注滿的龐大潭穴，以你的榮耀和美善注滿我，直至湧流不息。
We have no experiences in our lives that correspond to the events in our Lord’s life after the transfiguration. From that moment forward His life was altogether substitutionary. Up to the time of the transfiguration, He had exhibited the normal, perfect life of a man. But from the transfiguration forward— Gethsemane, the Cross, the resurrection— everything is unfamiliar to us. His Cross is the door by which every member of the human race can enter into the life of God; by His resurrection He has the right to give eternal life to anyone, and by His ascension our Lord entered heaven, keeping the door open for humanity.
The transfiguration was completed on the Mount of Ascension. If Jesus had gone to heaven directly from the Mount of Transfiguration, He would have gone alone. He would have been nothing more to us than a glorious Figure. But He turned His back on the glory, and came down from the mountain to identify Himself with fallen humanity.
The ascension is the complete fulfillment of the transfiguration. Our Lord returned to His original glory, but not simply as the Son of God— He returned to His father as the Son of Man as well. There is now freedom of access for anyone straight to the very throne of God because of the ascension of the Son of Man. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ deliberately limited His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience. But now they are His in absolute, full power. As the Son of Man, Jesus Christ now has all the power at the throne of God. From His ascension forward He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
他的升天與我們的合一
正祝福的時候，他就離開他們，被帶到天上去了。 （路二十四51）
主登山變像之後的經歷，是我們沒法體驗的。從那時起，主的生命完全是為了代贖。登山之前，他過的是正常人的生活；登山之後，經過客西馬尼、十字架，以至復活，都不是我們所熟悉的。他的十字架，是人類進入神生命的門；他的複活，使他有賜人永生的權柄；他的升天，使天門為人敞開。
在升天的山上，登山變像的意義就明顯了。耶穌若在登山變像時升了天，他就是獨自而去，對我們只是一個榮耀的形像而已。可是，他紆尊降貴，從山上來，與墮落的人類等量齊觀。
升天是登山變像的實現，我們的主這時回到他原有的榮耀裡去；可是他不單是以神兒子的身分回去，也以人子的身分回到神那裡去。因為人子升天，人就有自由的通道直接去到神寶座前。
作為人子，耶穌故意限制了他的權能、全知，以及無所不在的自由；升天后卻全部在他掌管之中了。耶穌基督為人子，有著神寶座的一切權能，從他升天之日起直到今天，他是萬王之王，萬主之主。
祈禱◆主啊，我的每一方面，都徹底、完全和絕對需要你。我是一個等待你注滿的龐大潭穴，以你的榮耀和美善注滿我，直至湧流不息。
May 16, 2012
The Habit of Recognizing God’s Provision
. . . you may be partakers of the divine nature . . . —2 Peter 1:4
We are made “partakers of the divine nature,” receiving and sharing God’s own nature through His promises. Then we have to work that divine nature into our human nature by developing godly habits. The first habit to develop is the habit of recognizing God’s provision for us. We say, however, “Oh, I can’t afford it.” One of the worst lies is wrapped up in that statement. We talk as if our heavenly Father has cut us off without a penny! We think it is a sign of true humility to say at the end of the day, “Well, I just barely got by today, but it was a severe struggle.” And yet all of Almighty God is ours in the Lord Jesus! And He will reach to the last grain of sand and the remotest star to bless us if we will only obey Him. Does it really matter that our circumstances are difficult? Why shouldn’t they be! If we give way to self-pity and indulge in the luxury of misery, we remove God’s riches from our lives and hinder others from entering into His provision. No sin is worse than the sin of self-pity, because it removes God from the throne of our lives, replacing Him with our own self-interests. It causes us to open our mouths only to complain, and we simply become spiritual sponges— always absorbing, never giving, and never being satisfied. And there is nothing lovely or generous about our lives.
Before God becomes satisfied with us, He will take everything of our so-called wealth, until we learn that He is our Source; as the psalmist said, “All my springs are in You” (Psalm 87:7). If the majesty, grace, and power of God are not being exhibited in us, God holds us responsible. “God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you . . . may have an abundance . . .” (2 Corinthians 9:8)— then learn to lavish the grace of God on others, generously giving of yourself. Be marked and identified with God’s nature, and His blessing will flow through you all the time.
常覺富足的習慣
與神的性情有分。 （彼後一4）
我們既是憑應許與神的性情有分，就必須習慣地把神的性情[運用]在我們的人性裡。這樣，首先要養成的習慣，就是明白神的供給。我們說：[呀！我沒有這能力，買不起哩！ ]這句話藏著最大的謊話。在大自然裡談金錢，頗令人覺得不是味道；在屬靈上也是如此。在我們說話裡，似乎說神對我們非常的吝嗇！我們以為在一天結束時說[好了，這天剛好夠用，總算掙扎過去]，這樣才是真的謙遜，其實在主耶穌裡，全能的神的一切都是我們的。我們若順服神，他可以吩咐最後一粒沙，最遠的一顆星來祝福我們。環境困苦又有何妨？難道環境不可以困難麼？我們若縱容自己自憐自憫，享受自怨自艾的淒涼，就是棄絕神給我們的豐盛，也攔阻別人得著他得供應。沒有罪比自憐的罪更大，因為它遮掩了神，把自我放在寶座上。它叫我們口吐怨言，使我們的生命成為不知足的屬靈海綿，一點也不美，也不大方。
當神開始對我們滿意，他就會把一切虛浮的財富挪開，直至我們認識一切泉源都在他裡面。神的恩惠、權能，若不能在我們身上彰顯（我們不自覺的），神就要追究我們。 [神能將各樣的恩惠，多多的加給你們。 ]所以要學習把神的恩惠施予別人。身上常帶著神的印記，這樣，神的祝福必常藉你流露。
祈禱◆主啊，讓你能力的甜美和完全，在今天臨到我。讓我得著偉大、豐富、充滿恩慈和喜樂的屬神生命。
We are made “partakers of the divine nature,” receiving and sharing God’s own nature through His promises. Then we have to work that divine nature into our human nature by developing godly habits. The first habit to develop is the habit of recognizing God’s provision for us. We say, however, “Oh, I can’t afford it.” One of the worst lies is wrapped up in that statement. We talk as if our heavenly Father has cut us off without a penny! We think it is a sign of true humility to say at the end of the day, “Well, I just barely got by today, but it was a severe struggle.” And yet all of Almighty God is ours in the Lord Jesus! And He will reach to the last grain of sand and the remotest star to bless us if we will only obey Him. Does it really matter that our circumstances are difficult? Why shouldn’t they be! If we give way to self-pity and indulge in the luxury of misery, we remove God’s riches from our lives and hinder others from entering into His provision. No sin is worse than the sin of self-pity, because it removes God from the throne of our lives, replacing Him with our own self-interests. It causes us to open our mouths only to complain, and we simply become spiritual sponges— always absorbing, never giving, and never being satisfied. And there is nothing lovely or generous about our lives.
Before God becomes satisfied with us, He will take everything of our so-called wealth, until we learn that He is our Source; as the psalmist said, “All my springs are in You” (Psalm 87:7). If the majesty, grace, and power of God are not being exhibited in us, God holds us responsible. “God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you . . . may have an abundance . . .” (2 Corinthians 9:8)— then learn to lavish the grace of God on others, generously giving of yourself. Be marked and identified with God’s nature, and His blessing will flow through you all the time.
常覺富足的習慣
與神的性情有分。 （彼後一4）
我們既是憑應許與神的性情有分，就必須習慣地把神的性情[運用]在我們的人性裡。這樣，首先要養成的習慣，就是明白神的供給。我們說：[呀！我沒有這能力，買不起哩！ ]這句話藏著最大的謊話。在大自然裡談金錢，頗令人覺得不是味道；在屬靈上也是如此。在我們說話裡，似乎說神對我們非常的吝嗇！我們以為在一天結束時說[好了，這天剛好夠用，總算掙扎過去]，這樣才是真的謙遜，其實在主耶穌裡，全能的神的一切都是我們的。我們若順服神，他可以吩咐最後一粒沙，最遠的一顆星來祝福我們。環境困苦又有何妨？難道環境不可以困難麼？我們若縱容自己自憐自憫，享受自怨自艾的淒涼，就是棄絕神給我們的豐盛，也攔阻別人得著他得供應。沒有罪比自憐的罪更大，因為它遮掩了神，把自我放在寶座上。它叫我們口吐怨言，使我們的生命成為不知足的屬靈海綿，一點也不美，也不大方。
當神開始對我們滿意，他就會把一切虛浮的財富挪開，直至我們認識一切泉源都在他裡面。神的恩惠、權能，若不能在我們身上彰顯（我們不自覺的），神就要追究我們。 [神能將各樣的恩惠，多多的加給你們。 ]所以要學習把神的恩惠施予別人。身上常帶著神的印記，這樣，神的祝福必常藉你流露。
祈禱◆主啊，讓你能力的甜美和完全，在今天臨到我。讓我得著偉大、豐富、充滿恩慈和喜樂的屬神生命。
May 15, 2012
The Habit of Rising to the Occasion
. . . that you may know what is the hope of His calling . . . —Ephesians 1:18
Remember that you have been saved so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in your body (see 2 Corinthians 4:10). Direct the total energy of your powers so that you may achieve everything your election as a child of God provides; rise every time to whatever occasion may come your way.
You did not do anything to achieve your salvation, but you must do something to exhibit it. You must “work out your own salvation” which God has worked in you already (Philippians 2:12). Are your speech, your thinking, and your emotions evidence that you are working it “out”? If you are still the same miserable, grouchy person, set on having your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you.
God is the Master Designer, and He allows adversities into your life to see if you can jump over them properly—”By my God I can leap over a wall” (Psalm 18:29). God will never shield you from the requirements of being His son or daughter. First Peter 4:12 says, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you . . . .” Rise to the occasion—do what the trial demands of you. It does not matter how much it hurts as long as it gives God the opportunity to manifest the life of Jesus in your body.
May God not find complaints in us anymore, but spiritual vitality—a readiness to face anything He brings our way. The only proper goal of life is that we manifest the Son of God; and when this occurs, all of our dictating of our demands to God disappears. Our Lord never dictated demands to His Father, and neither are we to make demands on God. We are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. Once we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured-out wine with which to feed and nourish others.
把握機會，面對現實
使你們知道他的恩召有何等指望。 （弗一18）
要記得你蒙拯救的目的是什麼－－是叫神兒子的生命在你必朽的肉身上彰顯出來。要殫精竭慮，去體會成為神兒女的恩召；要每次正面面對所遭遇的。
你雖然沒有辦法救自己，卻必須有所事事，以表彰所得的救恩。你要把神做在你身上的表揚出來。你有沒有用舌頭、腦筋、精神去努力表揚？你若仍然是昔日可憐的老樣子，孤行己意，那麼你說神已拯救你，並叫你成聖，這不過是謊話。
神是大工程師，他容許困難臨到你身上，要看你能否越過－－[我靠著神跳過牆垣]。神不會放鬆對他兒女的要求。彼得說：[有火煉的試驗臨到你們，不要以為奇怪。 ]把握機會，面對現實，付諸行動！不管痛苦多大，只要身有機會藉著你彰顯他自己就好了。
但願神不再看見我們裡面的怨嘆，卻看見我們充滿屬靈的果敢與奮勇，準備面對任何從神而來的事物。我們必須操練自己，叫神兒子可以在我們必朽的肉身上彰顯出來。生命唯一的目標，就是彰顯神的兒子，並且不再向神發號施令。我們的主從來沒有指揮他的父，我們在此也不得指揮神；我們在世上是要順服他的旨意，使他能在我們身上成就他所要成就的。我們若明白這點，神就會使我們成為擘開的餅，傾出來的酒，去餵養與滋潤別人。
祈禱◆主啊，你已經啟示了很多真理，還有不少事情要告訴我們，可是，我感到自己的生活太少按著你所指示的去行。主啊，加力給我，讓我彰顯你的榮耀。
Remember that you have been saved so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in your body (see 2 Corinthians 4:10). Direct the total energy of your powers so that you may achieve everything your election as a child of God provides; rise every time to whatever occasion may come your way.
You did not do anything to achieve your salvation, but you must do something to exhibit it. You must “work out your own salvation” which God has worked in you already (Philippians 2:12). Are your speech, your thinking, and your emotions evidence that you are working it “out”? If you are still the same miserable, grouchy person, set on having your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you.
God is the Master Designer, and He allows adversities into your life to see if you can jump over them properly—”By my God I can leap over a wall” (Psalm 18:29). God will never shield you from the requirements of being His son or daughter. First Peter 4:12 says, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you . . . .” Rise to the occasion—do what the trial demands of you. It does not matter how much it hurts as long as it gives God the opportunity to manifest the life of Jesus in your body.
May God not find complaints in us anymore, but spiritual vitality—a readiness to face anything He brings our way. The only proper goal of life is that we manifest the Son of God; and when this occurs, all of our dictating of our demands to God disappears. Our Lord never dictated demands to His Father, and neither are we to make demands on God. We are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. Once we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured-out wine with which to feed and nourish others.
把握機會，面對現實
使你們知道他的恩召有何等指望。 （弗一18）
要記得你蒙拯救的目的是什麼－－是叫神兒子的生命在你必朽的肉身上彰顯出來。要殫精竭慮，去體會成為神兒女的恩召；要每次正面面對所遭遇的。
你雖然沒有辦法救自己，卻必須有所事事，以表彰所得的救恩。你要把神做在你身上的表揚出來。你有沒有用舌頭、腦筋、精神去努力表揚？你若仍然是昔日可憐的老樣子，孤行己意，那麼你說神已拯救你，並叫你成聖，這不過是謊話。
神是大工程師，他容許困難臨到你身上，要看你能否越過－－[我靠著神跳過牆垣]。神不會放鬆對他兒女的要求。彼得說：[有火煉的試驗臨到你們，不要以為奇怪。 ]把握機會，面對現實，付諸行動！不管痛苦多大，只要身有機會藉著你彰顯他自己就好了。
但願神不再看見我們裡面的怨嘆，卻看見我們充滿屬靈的果敢與奮勇，準備面對任何從神而來的事物。我們必須操練自己，叫神兒子可以在我們必朽的肉身上彰顯出來。生命唯一的目標，就是彰顯神的兒子，並且不再向神發號施令。我們的主從來沒有指揮他的父，我們在此也不得指揮神；我們在世上是要順服他的旨意，使他能在我們身上成就他所要成就的。我們若明白這點，神就會使我們成為擘開的餅，傾出來的酒，去餵養與滋潤別人。
祈禱◆主啊，你已經啟示了很多真理，還有不少事情要告訴我們，可是，我感到自己的生活太少按著你所指示的去行。主啊，加力給我，讓我彰顯你的榮耀。
May 14, 2012
The Habit of Enjoying Adversity
. . . that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body —2 Corinthians 4:10
We have to develop godly habits to express what God’s grace has done in us. It is not just a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved so that “the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” And it is adversity that makes us exhibit His life in our mortal flesh. Is my life exhibiting the essence of the sweetness of the Son of God, or just the basic irritation of “myself” that I would have apart from Him? The only thing that will enable me to enjoy adversity is the acute sense of eagerness of allowing the life of the Son of God to evidence itself in me. No matter how difficult something may be, I must say, “Lord, I am delighted to obey You in this.” Instantly, the Son of God will move to the forefront of my life, and will manifest in my body that which glorifies Him.
You must not debate. The moment you obey the light of God, His Son shines through you in that very adversity; but if you debate with God, you grieve His Spirit (see Ephesians 4:30). You must keep yourself in the proper condition to allow the life of the Son of God to be manifested in you, and you cannot keep yourself fit if you give way to self-pity. Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His Son is. Discovering a new way of manifesting the Son of God should make our heart beat with renewed excitement. It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstances by God’s sovereignty. And if God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to “supply all your need” (Philippians 4:19).
Keep your soul properly conditioned to manifest the life of the Son of God. Never live on your memories of past experiences, but let the Word of God always be living and active in you.
逆來順受的習慣
使耶穌的生，也顯明在我們身上。 （林後四10）
要養成述說神在我們身上所成就的恩典的習慣。這不是從地獄裡得拯救的問題，而是我們得救之後，在肉身上如何彰顯神兒子的生命問題。在不愉快的事上，正顯示我們有沒有彰顯神的生命。我是流露神兒子的溫良，還是表現離開神後自我的怒氣？唯一令我欣然接受不愉快的事情的，就是神兒子的生命在我身上彰顯的熱切期望。不管事情多麼不如意，只要說：[主，我樂意在這事上遵從你。 ]神兒子即時就會出現，在我的生命中彰顯他的榮耀。
千萬不可遲疑，一旦你順服那光，神的兒子就從那裡透射出來。要是你心裡爭辯，就必叫聖靈擔憂。你必須保持內在情況良好，讓神兒子的生命彰顯出來。若給自憐留地步，你就不健康了。我們生活的環境，是表彰神兒子何等完全、何等聖潔的機會。什麼事情叫你心慌意亂，就是表彰神又一新的機會。自己選擇不愉快的事與因神的安排而有不愉快的事，是截然不同的。若神放在你那裡，祂是綽有裕餘地供應你。
保持心靈健壯，好彰顯神兒子的生命。不可沉湎在記憶裡，讓神的話活潑有力地活在你裡面吧！
祈禱◆噢，主啊，求祢今天向我們彰顯祢的生命。讓這裡的每一個人，開始呼吸到自由的空氣，並歸向祢，在敬虔和恩典中得以堅固。
We have to develop godly habits to express what God’s grace has done in us. It is not just a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved so that “the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” And it is adversity that makes us exhibit His life in our mortal flesh. Is my life exhibiting the essence of the sweetness of the Son of God, or just the basic irritation of “myself” that I would have apart from Him? The only thing that will enable me to enjoy adversity is the acute sense of eagerness of allowing the life of the Son of God to evidence itself in me. No matter how difficult something may be, I must say, “Lord, I am delighted to obey You in this.” Instantly, the Son of God will move to the forefront of my life, and will manifest in my body that which glorifies Him.
You must not debate. The moment you obey the light of God, His Son shines through you in that very adversity; but if you debate with God, you grieve His Spirit (see Ephesians 4:30). You must keep yourself in the proper condition to allow the life of the Son of God to be manifested in you, and you cannot keep yourself fit if you give way to self-pity. Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His Son is. Discovering a new way of manifesting the Son of God should make our heart beat with renewed excitement. It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstances by God’s sovereignty. And if God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to “supply all your need” (Philippians 4:19).
Keep your soul properly conditioned to manifest the life of the Son of God. Never live on your memories of past experiences, but let the Word of God always be living and active in you.
逆來順受的習慣
使耶穌的生，也顯明在我們身上。 （林後四10）
要養成述說神在我們身上所成就的恩典的習慣。這不是從地獄裡得拯救的問題，而是我們得救之後，在肉身上如何彰顯神兒子的生命問題。在不愉快的事上，正顯示我們有沒有彰顯神的生命。我是流露神兒子的溫良，還是表現離開神後自我的怒氣？唯一令我欣然接受不愉快的事情的，就是神兒子的生命在我身上彰顯的熱切期望。不管事情多麼不如意，只要說：[主，我樂意在這事上遵從你。 ]神兒子即時就會出現，在我的生命中彰顯他的榮耀。
千萬不可遲疑，一旦你順服那光，神的兒子就從那裡透射出來。要是你心裡爭辯，就必叫聖靈擔憂。你必須保持內在情況良好，讓神兒子的生命彰顯出來。若給自憐留地步，你就不健康了。我們生活的環境，是表彰神兒子何等完全、何等聖潔的機會。什麼事情叫你心慌意亂，就是表彰神又一新的機會。自己選擇不愉快的事與因神的安排而有不愉快的事，是截然不同的。若神放在你那裡，祂是綽有裕餘地供應你。
保持心靈健壯，好彰顯神兒子的生命。不可沉湎在記憶裡，讓神的話活潑有力地活在你裡面吧！
祈禱◆噢，主啊，求祢今天向我們彰顯祢的生命。讓這裡的每一個人，開始呼吸到自由的空氣，並歸向祢，在敬虔和恩典中得以堅固。
May 13, 2012
The Habit of Keeping a Clear Conscience
. . . strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men —Acts 24:16
God’s commands to us are actually given to the life of His Son in us. Consequently, to our human nature in which God’s Son has been formed (see Galatians 4:19), His commands are difficult. But they become divinely easy once we obey.
Conscience is that ability within me that attaches itself to the highest standard I know, and then continually reminds me of what that standard demands that I do. It is the eye of the soul which looks out either toward God or toward what we regard as the highest standard. This explains why conscience is different in different people. If I am in the habit of continually holding God’s standard in front of me, my conscience will always direct me to God’s perfect law and indicate what I should do. The question is, will I obey? I have to make an effort to keep my conscience so sensitive that I can live without any offense toward anyone. I should be living in such perfect harmony with God’s Son that the spirit of my mind is being renewed through every circumstance of life, and that I may be able to quickly “prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2 ; also see Ephesians 4:23).
God always instructs us down to the last detail. Is my ear sensitive enough to hear even the softest whisper of the Spirit, so that I know what I should do? “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God . . .” (Ephesians 4:30). He does not speak with a voice like thunder— His voice is so gentle that it is easy for us to ignore. And the only thing that keeps our conscience sensitive to Him is the habit of being open to God on the inside. When you begin to debate, stop immediately. Don’t ask, “Why can’t I do this?” You are on the wrong track. There is no debating possible once your conscience speaks. Whatever it is— drop it, and see that you keep your inner vision clear.
養成良心無虧的習慣
對神、對人，常存無虧的良心。 （徒二十四16）
神的命令，是向他兒子而發的，也就是向我們這些有他兒子在裡面的人而發的。他的命令固然難行，但若一旦聽從，就有從天上來的能力，便變得容易。良心使我依附最高的標準，並且告訴我什麼是最高的要求，教我應該怎樣去行。它是心靈的眼睛，可以舉目向神，又或舉目向他所定的最高的標準，因此良心的標準因人而異。我若經常仰望神，我的良心必然向著神完全的律法，指示我所當行的。問題是我肯不肯順從？我必須保持良心的敏銳，使我行事不至於衝撞神。我與神兒子應該同心同德，就是不論在任何境況下，心意都得以更新，叫我知道[何為神的善良、純全可喜悅的旨意]。
神對我們的管教是極其徹底的。我的耳朵是否敏銳地聽得見聖靈最微小的聲音，而知道當作的是什麼？ [不要叫神的靈擔憂]，他的聲音並不如雷霆；他的聲音是極其微小，很容易就被疏略過去。要使良心對神敏感，就要養成經常向神敞開的習慣。一有遲疑，須即停止。 [我為什麼不可以這樣？ ]那你已在歧路上了。良心一說話，就再沒有遲疑的餘地。你若讓一件事攔阻了你與神在隱密處的交通，那太冒險了。不管是什麼，放下它吧！要常保持內心視野清晰。
祈禱◆主啊，求祢撫摸我，讓我生命的堤岸沐浴祢愛所賜的平安中，我便充滿了讚美。
God’s commands to us are actually given to the life of His Son in us. Consequently, to our human nature in which God’s Son has been formed (see Galatians 4:19), His commands are difficult. But they become divinely easy once we obey.
Conscience is that ability within me that attaches itself to the highest standard I know, and then continually reminds me of what that standard demands that I do. It is the eye of the soul which looks out either toward God or toward what we regard as the highest standard. This explains why conscience is different in different people. If I am in the habit of continually holding God’s standard in front of me, my conscience will always direct me to God’s perfect law and indicate what I should do. The question is, will I obey? I have to make an effort to keep my conscience so sensitive that I can live without any offense toward anyone. I should be living in such perfect harmony with God’s Son that the spirit of my mind is being renewed through every circumstance of life, and that I may be able to quickly “prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2 ; also see Ephesians 4:23).
God always instructs us down to the last detail. Is my ear sensitive enough to hear even the softest whisper of the Spirit, so that I know what I should do? “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God . . .” (Ephesians 4:30). He does not speak with a voice like thunder— His voice is so gentle that it is easy for us to ignore. And the only thing that keeps our conscience sensitive to Him is the habit of being open to God on the inside. When you begin to debate, stop immediately. Don’t ask, “Why can’t I do this?” You are on the wrong track. There is no debating possible once your conscience speaks. Whatever it is— drop it, and see that you keep your inner vision clear.
養成良心無虧的習慣
對神、對人，常存無虧的良心。 （徒二十四16）
神的命令，是向他兒子而發的，也就是向我們這些有他兒子在裡面的人而發的。他的命令固然難行，但若一旦聽從，就有從天上來的能力，便變得容易。良心使我依附最高的標準，並且告訴我什麼是最高的要求，教我應該怎樣去行。它是心靈的眼睛，可以舉目向神，又或舉目向他所定的最高的標準，因此良心的標準因人而異。我若經常仰望神，我的良心必然向著神完全的律法，指示我所當行的。問題是我肯不肯順從？我必須保持良心的敏銳，使我行事不至於衝撞神。我與神兒子應該同心同德，就是不論在任何境況下，心意都得以更新，叫我知道[何為神的善良、純全可喜悅的旨意]。
神對我們的管教是極其徹底的。我的耳朵是否敏銳地聽得見聖靈最微小的聲音，而知道當作的是什麼？ [不要叫神的靈擔憂]，他的聲音並不如雷霆；他的聲音是極其微小，很容易就被疏略過去。要使良心對神敏感，就要養成經常向神敞開的習慣。一有遲疑，須即停止。 [我為什麼不可以這樣？ ]那你已在歧路上了。良心一說話，就再沒有遲疑的餘地。你若讓一件事攔阻了你與神在隱密處的交通，那太冒險了。不管是什麼，放下它吧！要常保持內心視野清晰。
祈禱◆主啊，求祢撫摸我，讓我生命的堤岸沐浴祢愛所賜的平安中，我便充滿了讚美。
May 12, 2012
The Habit of Having No Habits
If these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful . . . —2 Peter 1:8
When we first begin to form a habit, we are fully aware of it. There are times when we are aware of becoming virtuous and godly, but this awareness should only be a stage we quickly pass through as we grow spiritually. If we stop at this stage, we will develop a sense of spiritual pride. The right thing to do with godly habits is to immerse them in the life of the Lord until they become such a spontaneous expression of our lives that we are no longer aware of them. Our spiritual life continually causes us to focus our attention inwardly for the determined purpose of self-examination, because each of us has some qualities we have not yet added to our lives.
Your god may be your little Christian habit— the habit of prayer or Bible reading at certain times of your day. Watch how your Father will upset your schedule if you begin to worship your habit instead of what the habit symbolizes. We say, “I can’t do that right now; this is my time alone with God.” No, this is your time alone with your habit. There is a quality that is still lacking in you. Identify your shortcoming and then look for opportunities to work into your life that missing quality.
Love means that there are no visible habits— that your habits are so immersed in the Lord that you practice them without realizing it. If you are consciously aware of your own holiness, you place limitations on yourself from doing certain things— things God is not restricting you from at all. This means there is a missing quality that needs to be added to your life. The only supernatural life is the life the Lord Jesus lived, and He was at home with God anywhere. Is there someplace where you are not at home with God? Then allow God to work through whatever that particular circumstance may be until you increase in Him, adding His qualities. Your life will then become the simple life of a child.
不為習慣所束縛
你們若充充足足的有這幾樣，就必使你們在認識我們的主耶穌基督上，不至於閒懶不結果子了。 （彼後一8）
習慣開始形成時，我們是知道的。好些時候，我們自覺在德行、忍耐、虔誠上有了長進，但這不過是生命的初階。但若老是停留在這地步，在靈性上必定趾高氣揚，夜郎自大。而正確的做法是把習慣溶在主的生命裡，直至每一種習慣，都不再是自覺的表現。屬靈的生命需要經常自省，因為還有好些品質未加上去。到了最終，與主的關係就極為單純了。
神可能只是你的一套信徒習慣，在指定的時間內祈禱讀經。假若你崇拜的是這些習慣，而不是習慣所象徵的意義－－[我現在沒空，我正在禱告，這是我親近神的時間。 ]天父可能會把那些時間顛倒。這只是你習慣的時間，你身上仍缺少一些品質。要找出缺點，然後在需要加上去的品質上多多操練。
愛不是習慣，是到了忘掉習慣的地步，達到不自覺的境地。你若自覺聖潔，那麼必然有些事你認為是乾不來的，在某些關係上你也未夠單純；那就是說你還要加上的品質。只有耶穌所過的生活，才是超人的生活，他隨時隨地都與神同在，沒有絲毫隔膜。你有沒有什麼地方與神有隙，不能與他契合無間？讓神在特別的環境下施以壓力，知道你得著他。那時，你的生命就如嬰孩一般單純。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，求你向我們解明真理，讓我們明白，並使我們在你裡面得以剛強。
When we first begin to form a habit, we are fully aware of it. There are times when we are aware of becoming virtuous and godly, but this awareness should only be a stage we quickly pass through as we grow spiritually. If we stop at this stage, we will develop a sense of spiritual pride. The right thing to do with godly habits is to immerse them in the life of the Lord until they become such a spontaneous expression of our lives that we are no longer aware of them. Our spiritual life continually causes us to focus our attention inwardly for the determined purpose of self-examination, because each of us has some qualities we have not yet added to our lives.
Your god may be your little Christian habit— the habit of prayer or Bible reading at certain times of your day. Watch how your Father will upset your schedule if you begin to worship your habit instead of what the habit symbolizes. We say, “I can’t do that right now; this is my time alone with God.” No, this is your time alone with your habit. There is a quality that is still lacking in you. Identify your shortcoming and then look for opportunities to work into your life that missing quality.
Love means that there are no visible habits— that your habits are so immersed in the Lord that you practice them without realizing it. If you are consciously aware of your own holiness, you place limitations on yourself from doing certain things— things God is not restricting you from at all. This means there is a missing quality that needs to be added to your life. The only supernatural life is the life the Lord Jesus lived, and He was at home with God anywhere. Is there someplace where you are not at home with God? Then allow God to work through whatever that particular circumstance may be until you increase in Him, adding His qualities. Your life will then become the simple life of a child.
不為習慣所束縛
你們若充充足足的有這幾樣，就必使你們在認識我們的主耶穌基督上，不至於閒懶不結果子了。 （彼後一8）
習慣開始形成時，我們是知道的。好些時候，我們自覺在德行、忍耐、虔誠上有了長進，但這不過是生命的初階。但若老是停留在這地步，在靈性上必定趾高氣揚，夜郎自大。而正確的做法是把習慣溶在主的生命裡，直至每一種習慣，都不再是自覺的表現。屬靈的生命需要經常自省，因為還有好些品質未加上去。到了最終，與主的關係就極為單純了。
神可能只是你的一套信徒習慣，在指定的時間內祈禱讀經。假若你崇拜的是這些習慣，而不是習慣所象徵的意義－－[我現在沒空，我正在禱告，這是我親近神的時間。 ]天父可能會把那些時間顛倒。這只是你習慣的時間，你身上仍缺少一些品質。要找出缺點，然後在需要加上去的品質上多多操練。
愛不是習慣，是到了忘掉習慣的地步，達到不自覺的境地。你若自覺聖潔，那麼必然有些事你認為是乾不來的，在某些關係上你也未夠單純；那就是說你還要加上的品質。只有耶穌所過的生活，才是超人的生活，他隨時隨地都與神同在，沒有絲毫隔膜。你有沒有什麼地方與神有隙，不能與他契合無間？讓神在特別的環境下施以壓力，知道你得著他。那時，你的生命就如嬰孩一般單純。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，求你向我們解明真理，讓我們明白，並使我們在你裡面得以剛強。
May 11, 2012
"Love One Another"
. . . add to your . . . brotherly kindness love —2 Peter 1:5, 7
Love is an indefinite thing to most of us; we don’t know what we mean when we talk about love. Love is the loftiest preference of one person for another, and spiritually Jesus demands that this sovereign preference be for Himself (see Luke 14:26). Initially, when “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5), it is easy to put Jesus first. But then we must practice the things mentioned in 2 Peter 1 to see them worked out in our lives.
The first thing God does is forcibly remove any insincerity, pride, and vanity from my life. And the Holy Spirit reveals to me that God loved me not because I was lovable, but because it was His nature to do so. Now He commands me to show the same love to others by saying, “. . . love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). He is saying, “I will bring a number of people around you whom you cannot respect, but you must exhibit My love to them, just as I have exhibited it to you.” This kind of love is not a patronizing love for the unlovable— it is His love, and it will not be evidenced in us overnight. Some of us may have tried to force it, but we were soon tired and frustrated.
“The Lord . . . is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish . . .” (2 Peter 3:9). I should look within and remember how wonderfully He has dealt with me. The knowledge that God has loved me beyond all limits will compel me to go into the world to love others in the same way. I may get irritated because I have to live with an unusually difficult person. But just think how disagreeable I have been with God! Am I prepared to be identified so closely with the Lord Jesus that His life and His sweetness will be continually poured out through Me? Neither natural love nor God’s divine love will remain and grow in me unless it is nurtured. Love is spontaneous, but it has to be maintained through discipline.
你不能一蹴而就
有了愛弟兄的心，又要加上愛眾人的心。 （彼後一7）
對大多數人來說，愛的意義是模糊的；人談論愛，卻不知愛是什麼。愛是一個人對另一個人超出一切的欣賞。屬靈方面，耶穌要求我們揀選他超過一切（路十四26）。當聖靈將神的愛澆灌在我們心裡，耶穌基督就很自然的居首位了。從此，我們就能活出彼得在此所列舉的種種德行了。
首先，神要把我的偽裝、外表的敬虔，一概拆除。聖靈顯明神愛我，不是因為我可愛，而是因為他愛的本性。他對我說：[好了，如今你要用同樣的愛去愛別人。 ][我怎樣愛你們，你們也要怎樣相愛。 ][我會把好些你看不在眼內的人，擺在你周圍，你必須用我的愛去愛他們，像我愛你們一樣。 ]愛是不能矯揉造作的。不少人試著這樣作，但不久就厭倦了。
[主長久忍耐……]讓我看看自己，又看看他怎樣待我。神愛我到一個地步，以致我一切的罪惡、卑鄙、自私、惡行，他都不追究；因此我就能活在世上，以神的愛去愛人。神對我的愛既是用之不竭，我對別人的愛也必須如此。若我一動怒，在恩典中的長進就會停止。我所以發怒，是因為要與一個怪癖的人共處。但試想，從前我與神相處，叫他多麼難堪！我們是否願意與主耶穌合而為一，讓他的生命與溫馨，每時每刻流露出來？不論人性的愛，或神聖的愛，都需要加以培育，才能存留。愛雖然是自然流露的，卻要操練去持守。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，以你活潑的能力、恩賜和美善，影響我們生活的每一方面，使它能反映出你臉上的榮光。這似乎是我全部的禱告。
Love is an indefinite thing to most of us; we don’t know what we mean when we talk about love. Love is the loftiest preference of one person for another, and spiritually Jesus demands that this sovereign preference be for Himself (see Luke 14:26). Initially, when “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5), it is easy to put Jesus first. But then we must practice the things mentioned in 2 Peter 1 to see them worked out in our lives.
The first thing God does is forcibly remove any insincerity, pride, and vanity from my life. And the Holy Spirit reveals to me that God loved me not because I was lovable, but because it was His nature to do so. Now He commands me to show the same love to others by saying, “. . . love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). He is saying, “I will bring a number of people around you whom you cannot respect, but you must exhibit My love to them, just as I have exhibited it to you.” This kind of love is not a patronizing love for the unlovable— it is His love, and it will not be evidenced in us overnight. Some of us may have tried to force it, but we were soon tired and frustrated.
“The Lord . . . is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish . . .” (2 Peter 3:9). I should look within and remember how wonderfully He has dealt with me. The knowledge that God has loved me beyond all limits will compel me to go into the world to love others in the same way. I may get irritated because I have to live with an unusually difficult person. But just think how disagreeable I have been with God! Am I prepared to be identified so closely with the Lord Jesus that His life and His sweetness will be continually poured out through Me? Neither natural love nor God’s divine love will remain and grow in me unless it is nurtured. Love is spontaneous, but it has to be maintained through discipline.
你不能一蹴而就
有了愛弟兄的心，又要加上愛眾人的心。 （彼後一7）
對大多數人來說，愛的意義是模糊的；人談論愛，卻不知愛是什麼。愛是一個人對另一個人超出一切的欣賞。屬靈方面，耶穌要求我們揀選他超過一切（路十四26）。當聖靈將神的愛澆灌在我們心裡，耶穌基督就很自然的居首位了。從此，我們就能活出彼得在此所列舉的種種德行了。
首先，神要把我的偽裝、外表的敬虔，一概拆除。聖靈顯明神愛我，不是因為我可愛，而是因為他愛的本性。他對我說：[好了，如今你要用同樣的愛去愛別人。 ][我怎樣愛你們，你們也要怎樣相愛。 ][我會把好些你看不在眼內的人，擺在你周圍，你必須用我的愛去愛他們，像我愛你們一樣。 ]愛是不能矯揉造作的。不少人試著這樣作，但不久就厭倦了。
[主長久忍耐……]讓我看看自己，又看看他怎樣待我。神愛我到一個地步，以致我一切的罪惡、卑鄙、自私、惡行，他都不追究；因此我就能活在世上，以神的愛去愛人。神對我的愛既是用之不竭，我對別人的愛也必須如此。若我一動怒，在恩典中的長進就會停止。我所以發怒，是因為要與一個怪癖的人共處。但試想，從前我與神相處，叫他多麼難堪！我們是否願意與主耶穌合而為一，讓他的生命與溫馨，每時每刻流露出來？不論人性的愛，或神聖的愛，都需要加以培育，才能存留。愛雖然是自然流露的，卻要操練去持守。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，以你活潑的能力、恩賜和美善，影響我們生活的每一方面，使它能反映出你臉上的榮光。這似乎是我全部的禱告。
May 10, 2012
Take the Initiative
. . . add to your faith virtue . . . —2 Peter 1:5
Add means that we have to do something. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save nor sanctify ourselves— God does that. But God will not give us good habits or character, and He will not force us to walk correctly before Him. We have to do all that ourselves. We must “work out” our “own salvation” which God has worked in us (Philippians 2:12). Add means that we must get into the habit of doing things, and in the initial stages that is difficult. To take the initiative is to make a beginning— to instruct yourself in the way you must go.
Beware of the tendency to ask the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative— stop hesitating— take the first step. Be determined to act immediately in faith on what God says to you when He speaks, and never reconsider or change your initial decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do something, you are being careless, spurning the grace in which you stand. Take the initiative yourself, make a decision of your will right now, and make it impossible to go back. Burn your bridges behind you, saying, “I will write that letter,” or “I will pay that debt”; and then do it! Make it irrevocable.
We have to get into the habit of carefully listening to God about everything, forming the habit of finding out what He says and heeding it. If, when a crisis comes, we instinctively turn to God, we will know that the habit has been formed in us. We have to take the initiative where we are, not where we have not yet been.
採取主動
"...有了信心，又要加上德行..." (彼後1:5)
“加上”的意思是要有所行動。我們常有一個危險，就是忘記我們不能作上帝作的事，上帝也不會作我們能作的。我們不能救自己，也不能叫自己成聖--那是上帝作的事。上帝既不會給我們好的習慣或者性格，也不會強迫我們行在他的旨意裡。我們自己必須作這些事。神在我們裡面作工，但我們自己必須“作成”我們“得救的功夫”（腓2:12）。 “加上”意味著我們必須養成作事情的習慣，而這在一開始總是很困難。採取主動要有一個開頭--把自己帶到必走之路上。
要警醒本來清楚知道神的旨意卻要反复詢問的傾向。採取主動--停止猶豫--邁開第一步。當上帝告訴你他的心意時，靠信心馬上就付諸行動，永遠都不要再考慮或者改變最初的決定。如果當神要你去做一件事，你卻猶猶豫豫，那你就在不經意間摒棄了神的恩典。自己要採取主動，現在就做出決定，不要讓自己那麼容易就回頭。破釜沉舟之時，告訴自己，“我要寫那封信”，或者“我要把那筆債還掉“；然後就去作吧！不要輕易改變！
我們必須養成在一切事情上仔細聆聽神聲音的習慣，明白他的心意並聽從他的命令。如果當災難到來時，我們能條件反射般地轉向神，我們就知道自己已經養成了這種習慣了。採取主動必須從目前所站的崗位上開始，而不是那些我們還沒有經歷過的。
Add means that we have to do something. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save nor sanctify ourselves— God does that. But God will not give us good habits or character, and He will not force us to walk correctly before Him. We have to do all that ourselves. We must “work out” our “own salvation” which God has worked in us (Philippians 2:12). Add means that we must get into the habit of doing things, and in the initial stages that is difficult. To take the initiative is to make a beginning— to instruct yourself in the way you must go.
Beware of the tendency to ask the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative— stop hesitating— take the first step. Be determined to act immediately in faith on what God says to you when He speaks, and never reconsider or change your initial decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do something, you are being careless, spurning the grace in which you stand. Take the initiative yourself, make a decision of your will right now, and make it impossible to go back. Burn your bridges behind you, saying, “I will write that letter,” or “I will pay that debt”; and then do it! Make it irrevocable.
We have to get into the habit of carefully listening to God about everything, forming the habit of finding out what He says and heeding it. If, when a crisis comes, we instinctively turn to God, we will know that the habit has been formed in us. We have to take the initiative where we are, not where we have not yet been.
採取主動
"...有了信心，又要加上德行..." (彼後1:5)
“加上”的意思是要有所行動。我們常有一個危險，就是忘記我們不能作上帝作的事，上帝也不會作我們能作的。我們不能救自己，也不能叫自己成聖--那是上帝作的事。上帝既不會給我們好的習慣或者性格，也不會強迫我們行在他的旨意裡。我們自己必須作這些事。神在我們裡面作工，但我們自己必須“作成”我們“得救的功夫”（腓2:12）。 “加上”意味著我們必須養成作事情的習慣，而這在一開始總是很困難。採取主動要有一個開頭--把自己帶到必走之路上。
要警醒本來清楚知道神的旨意卻要反复詢問的傾向。採取主動--停止猶豫--邁開第一步。當上帝告訴你他的心意時，靠信心馬上就付諸行動，永遠都不要再考慮或者改變最初的決定。如果當神要你去做一件事，你卻猶猶豫豫，那你就在不經意間摒棄了神的恩典。自己要採取主動，現在就做出決定，不要讓自己那麼容易就回頭。破釜沉舟之時，告訴自己，“我要寫那封信”，或者“我要把那筆債還掉“；然後就去作吧！不要輕易改變！
我們必須養成在一切事情上仔細聆聽神聲音的習慣，明白他的心意並聽從他的命令。如果當災難到來時，我們能條件反射般地轉向神，我們就知道自己已經養成了這種習慣了。採取主動必須從目前所站的崗位上開始，而不是那些我們還沒有經歷過的。
May 09, 2012
Reaching Beyond Our Grasp
Where there is no revelation [or prophetic vision], the people cast off restraint . . . —Proverbs 29:18
There is a difference between holding on to a principle and having a vision. A principle does not come from moral inspiration, but a vision does. People who are totally consumed with idealistic principles rarely do anything. A person’s own idea of God and His attributes may actually be used to justify and rationalize his deliberate neglect of his duty. Jonah tried to excuse his disobedience by saying to God, “. . . I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm” (Jonah 4:2). I too may have the right idea of God and His attributes, but that may be the very reason why I do not do my duty. But wherever there is vision, there is also a life of honesty and integrity, because the vision gives me the moral incentive.
Our own idealistic principles may actually lull us into ruin. Examine yourself spiritually to see if you have vision, or only principles.
Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?
“Where there is no revelation [or prophetic vision]. . . .” Once we lose sight of God, we begin to be reckless. We cast off certain restraints from activities we know are wrong. We set prayer aside as well and cease having God’s vision in the little things of life. We simply begin to act on our own initiative. If we are eating only out of our own hand, and doing things solely on our own initiative without expecting God to come in, we are on a downward path. We have lost the vision. Is our attitude today an attitude that flows from our vision of God? Are we expecting God to do greater things than He has ever done before? Is there a freshness and a vitality in our spiritual outlook?
沒有開展的把持
沒有異象，民就放肆。 （箴二十九18）
理想與異像是不同的。理想沒有道德性的啟示；異象則有。沉湎在理想中的人，甚少有所作為。一個人可以用對神的看法，作為逃避責任的藉口。約拿曾自辯說，神既然是公義憐憫的，因此一切都必妥當。我也許對神有十分正確的觀念，但這可能成為我不盡本分的理由。若有異象，生命必然公義正直，因為異象帶來道德的催逼。
理想可以緩頓以至消滅，試審察一下你的屬靈狀況，看看是只有理想，還是真有異象。 [啊，人所達致的，該超過他所把握的，否則，天堂何價？ ][沒有異象……]一旦看不見神，我們就會放肆，不受約束，不作禱告，在小事上把神撇在一邊，依照自己的意思行事。我們若一手包辦，自作主張，不期望神介入，我們就在走下坡，失去了異象。我們今日的態度，是否從神的異象而來的呢？我們期望神行大事，勝於往日嗎？我們屬靈的展望是否活潑有力？
祈禱◆噢，主啊，某些情緒似乎很容易令人悄悄地從你的身邊和你的計劃中溜走。可是，主啊，我不相信這是現在的情況；我所相信的，是人可能像一頭野獸那樣進入你的計劃中，沒有判斷能力，也缺乏異象。主啊，我深願成為你的兒子。
There is a difference between holding on to a principle and having a vision. A principle does not come from moral inspiration, but a vision does. People who are totally consumed with idealistic principles rarely do anything. A person’s own idea of God and His attributes may actually be used to justify and rationalize his deliberate neglect of his duty. Jonah tried to excuse his disobedience by saying to God, “. . . I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm” (Jonah 4:2). I too may have the right idea of God and His attributes, but that may be the very reason why I do not do my duty. But wherever there is vision, there is also a life of honesty and integrity, because the vision gives me the moral incentive.
Our own idealistic principles may actually lull us into ruin. Examine yourself spiritually to see if you have vision, or only principles.
Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?
“Where there is no revelation [or prophetic vision]. . . .” Once we lose sight of God, we begin to be reckless. We cast off certain restraints from activities we know are wrong. We set prayer aside as well and cease having God’s vision in the little things of life. We simply begin to act on our own initiative. If we are eating only out of our own hand, and doing things solely on our own initiative without expecting God to come in, we are on a downward path. We have lost the vision. Is our attitude today an attitude that flows from our vision of God? Are we expecting God to do greater things than He has ever done before? Is there a freshness and a vitality in our spiritual outlook?
沒有開展的把持
沒有異象，民就放肆。 （箴二十九18）
理想與異像是不同的。理想沒有道德性的啟示；異象則有。沉湎在理想中的人，甚少有所作為。一個人可以用對神的看法，作為逃避責任的藉口。約拿曾自辯說，神既然是公義憐憫的，因此一切都必妥當。我也許對神有十分正確的觀念，但這可能成為我不盡本分的理由。若有異象，生命必然公義正直，因為異象帶來道德的催逼。
理想可以緩頓以至消滅，試審察一下你的屬靈狀況，看看是只有理想，還是真有異象。 [啊，人所達致的，該超過他所把握的，否則，天堂何價？ ][沒有異象……]一旦看不見神，我們就會放肆，不受約束，不作禱告，在小事上把神撇在一邊，依照自己的意思行事。我們若一手包辦，自作主張，不期望神介入，我們就在走下坡，失去了異象。我們今日的態度，是否從神的異象而來的呢？我們期望神行大事，勝於往日嗎？我們屬靈的展望是否活潑有力？
祈禱◆噢，主啊，某些情緒似乎很容易令人悄悄地從你的身邊和你的計劃中溜走。可是，主啊，我不相信這是現在的情況；我所相信的，是人可能像一頭野獸那樣進入你的計劃中，沒有判斷能力，也缺乏異象。主啊，我深願成為你的兒子。
May 08, 2012
The Faith to Persevere
Because you have kept My command to persevere . . . —Revelation 3:10
Perseverance means more than endurance— more than simply holding on until the end. A saint’s life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, but our Lord continues to stretch and strain, and every once in a while the saint says, “I can’t take any more.” Yet God pays no attention; He goes on stretching until His purpose is in sight, and then He lets the arrow fly. Entrust yourself to God’s hands. Is there something in your life for which you need perseverance right now? Maintain your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through the perseverance of faith. Proclaim as Job did, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).
Faith is not some weak and pitiful emotion, but is strong and vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. And even though you cannot see Him right now and cannot understand what He is doing, you know Him. Disaster occurs in your life when you lack the mental composure that comes from establishing yourself on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the supreme effort of your life— throwing yourself with abandon and total confidence upon God.
God ventured His all in Jesus Christ to save us, and now He wants us to venture our all with total abandoned confidence in Him. There are areas in our lives where that faith has not worked in us as yet— places still untouched by the life of God. There were none of those places in Jesus Christ’s life, and there are to be none in ours. Jesus prayed, “This is eternal life, that they may know You . . .” (John 17:3). The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we will take this view, life will become one great romance— a glorious opportunity of seeing wonderful things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power.
信心的忍耐
你既遵守我忍耐的道。 （啟三10）
忍耐不單是忍受。聖徒的生命在神手中，有如弓箭在射箭者的手上。神正瞄準一些我們看不見的東西，在用力拉開弓；聖徒卻說：[我再也受不了。 ]神不加理會，反而繼續拉緊，直至目標在望，才鬆手讓箭射出。放心把自己放在神手中。你現在正要忍耐什麼呢？只要用忍耐的信心，保持你與耶穌基督的關係。 [他雖然殺我，我仍要等候他。 ]
信心不是悲觀的情緒，乃是強而有力的信任，是建造在神聖潔的愛上。你如今看不見他，也不明白他在做什麼，但你是認識他的。我們心靈的平穩，在乎我們是否建立在神至聖的愛這永恆的真理上；否則，信心必如船觸礁而覆沒。信心是你人生中最英勇的奮鬥，是不顧一切的把自己交託神，一心投靠他。
神在耶穌基督裡已赴湯蹈火，不顧一切地救了我們；如今他要我們不惜犧牲一切，全心信靠他。我們裡面還有許多地方，是信心尚未耕耘過的，就是神的生命尚未觸摸到的。在耶穌基督的生命裡，卻沒有這樣的光景，我們也不該有。 [認識你……這就是永生。 ]永生的真正意義，就是一種面對任何事情而不動搖的生命。我們若有這種看見，人生就成為一頁羅曼史，能夠每時每刻經歷到奇妙的事。神一直在操練我們，好使我們進入這能力的中心裡去。
祈禱◆主啊，我理應成為何等樣的人！我那充滿恩典的生命在你的掌管下是那麼奇妙；然而，我仍發覺自己是那麼氣量狹小。主啊，我還可以說什麼呢！
Perseverance means more than endurance— more than simply holding on until the end. A saint’s life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, but our Lord continues to stretch and strain, and every once in a while the saint says, “I can’t take any more.” Yet God pays no attention; He goes on stretching until His purpose is in sight, and then He lets the arrow fly. Entrust yourself to God’s hands. Is there something in your life for which you need perseverance right now? Maintain your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through the perseverance of faith. Proclaim as Job did, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).
Faith is not some weak and pitiful emotion, but is strong and vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. And even though you cannot see Him right now and cannot understand what He is doing, you know Him. Disaster occurs in your life when you lack the mental composure that comes from establishing yourself on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the supreme effort of your life— throwing yourself with abandon and total confidence upon God.
God ventured His all in Jesus Christ to save us, and now He wants us to venture our all with total abandoned confidence in Him. There are areas in our lives where that faith has not worked in us as yet— places still untouched by the life of God. There were none of those places in Jesus Christ’s life, and there are to be none in ours. Jesus prayed, “This is eternal life, that they may know You . . .” (John 17:3). The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we will take this view, life will become one great romance— a glorious opportunity of seeing wonderful things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power.
信心的忍耐
你既遵守我忍耐的道。 （啟三10）
忍耐不單是忍受。聖徒的生命在神手中，有如弓箭在射箭者的手上。神正瞄準一些我們看不見的東西，在用力拉開弓；聖徒卻說：[我再也受不了。 ]神不加理會，反而繼續拉緊，直至目標在望，才鬆手讓箭射出。放心把自己放在神手中。你現在正要忍耐什麼呢？只要用忍耐的信心，保持你與耶穌基督的關係。 [他雖然殺我，我仍要等候他。 ]
信心不是悲觀的情緒，乃是強而有力的信任，是建造在神聖潔的愛上。你如今看不見他，也不明白他在做什麼，但你是認識他的。我們心靈的平穩，在乎我們是否建立在神至聖的愛這永恆的真理上；否則，信心必如船觸礁而覆沒。信心是你人生中最英勇的奮鬥，是不顧一切的把自己交託神，一心投靠他。
神在耶穌基督裡已赴湯蹈火，不顧一切地救了我們；如今他要我們不惜犧牲一切，全心信靠他。我們裡面還有許多地方，是信心尚未耕耘過的，就是神的生命尚未觸摸到的。在耶穌基督的生命裡，卻沒有這樣的光景，我們也不該有。 [認識你……這就是永生。 ]永生的真正意義，就是一種面對任何事情而不動搖的生命。我們若有這種看見，人生就成為一頁羅曼史，能夠每時每刻經歷到奇妙的事。神一直在操練我們，好使我們進入這能力的中心裡去。
祈禱◆主啊，我理應成為何等樣的人！我那充滿恩典的生命在你的掌管下是那麼奇妙；然而，我仍發覺自己是那麼氣量狹小。主啊，我還可以說什麼呢！
May 07, 2012
Building For Eternity
Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it . . . —Luke 14:28
Our Lord was not referring here to a cost which we have to count, but to a cost which He has already counted. The cost was those thirty years in Nazareth, those three years of popularity, scandal, and hatred, the unfathomable agony He experienced in Gethsemane, and the assault upon Him at Calvary— the central point upon which all of time and eternity turn. Jesus Christ has counted the cost. In the final analysis, people are not going to laugh at Him and say, “This man began to build and was not able to finish” (Luke 14:30).
The conditions of discipleship given to us by our Lord in verses 26, 27, and 33 mean that the men and women He is going to use in His mighty building enterprises are those in whom He has done everything. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple ” (Luke 14:26). This verse teaches us that the only men and women our Lord will use in His building enterprises are those who love Him personally, passionately, and with great devotion— those who have a love for Him that goes far beyond any of the closest relationships on earth. The conditions are strict, but they are glorious.
All that we build is going to be inspected by God. When God inspects us with His searching and refining fire, will He detect that we have built enterprises of our own on the foundation of Jesus? (see 1 Corinthians 3:10-15). We are living in a time of tremendous enterprises, a time when we are trying to work for God, and that is where the trap is. Profoundly speaking, we can never work for God. Jesus, as the Master Builder, takes us over so that He may direct and control us completely for His enterprises and His building plans; and no one has any right to demand where he will be put to work.
永恆的建造
你們那一個要蓋一座樓，不先坐下算計花費，能蓋成不能呢？ （路十四28）
主所指的代價，不是要我們去計算，他已經計算好了。就是三十年在拿撤撒，三年被人擁戴、毀謗和憎恨，客西馬尼園無底的痛苦，加略山上被宰殺－－成為整個時間與永恆轉動的樞軸。
耶穌基督已計算了代價。所以世人最終也無法指著他說：[這人動了工，卻不能完工。 ]在26、27及33節中，主陳明作門徒的條件；在他建造大工所用的人，是他已經為他們付上一切代價的人。 [人到我這裡來，若不恨……就不能作我的門徒。 ]主的意思是在他建造大工上用得著的人，是那些熱切地、忠心地愛他，超過地上任何最親密者的人。條件非常嚴格，但卻是榮耀的。
我們一切所建造的，都要經神檢驗。神察驗的火，是否發覺在主的根基上，竟建立了我們自己的事業？現在正是建立事業的大好機會，是我們努力為神工作的日子，可是其中卻密佈著網羅。其實認真地說，我們根本不能為神作工。耶穌把我們放在他的工程上，完全放在他建造的大計中，我們是沒有權選擇要被放在什麼地方。
祈禱◆主啊，引導我們的心思進入你的計劃中。許多人已步向你那榮耀，卻帶有危險的開放境地。主啊，請傾注你那浩大的能力，來糾正我們的生命，使它成為煥發著健康的豐盛生命。
Our Lord was not referring here to a cost which we have to count, but to a cost which He has already counted. The cost was those thirty years in Nazareth, those three years of popularity, scandal, and hatred, the unfathomable agony He experienced in Gethsemane, and the assault upon Him at Calvary— the central point upon which all of time and eternity turn. Jesus Christ has counted the cost. In the final analysis, people are not going to laugh at Him and say, “This man began to build and was not able to finish” (Luke 14:30).
The conditions of discipleship given to us by our Lord in verses 26, 27, and 33 mean that the men and women He is going to use in His mighty building enterprises are those in whom He has done everything. “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple ” (Luke 14:26). This verse teaches us that the only men and women our Lord will use in His building enterprises are those who love Him personally, passionately, and with great devotion— those who have a love for Him that goes far beyond any of the closest relationships on earth. The conditions are strict, but they are glorious.
All that we build is going to be inspected by God. When God inspects us with His searching and refining fire, will He detect that we have built enterprises of our own on the foundation of Jesus? (see 1 Corinthians 3:10-15). We are living in a time of tremendous enterprises, a time when we are trying to work for God, and that is where the trap is. Profoundly speaking, we can never work for God. Jesus, as the Master Builder, takes us over so that He may direct and control us completely for His enterprises and His building plans; and no one has any right to demand where he will be put to work.
永恆的建造
你們那一個要蓋一座樓，不先坐下算計花費，能蓋成不能呢？ （路十四28）
主所指的代價，不是要我們去計算，他已經計算好了。就是三十年在拿撤撒，三年被人擁戴、毀謗和憎恨，客西馬尼園無底的痛苦，加略山上被宰殺－－成為整個時間與永恆轉動的樞軸。
耶穌基督已計算了代價。所以世人最終也無法指著他說：[這人動了工，卻不能完工。 ]在26、27及33節中，主陳明作門徒的條件；在他建造大工所用的人，是他已經為他們付上一切代價的人。 [人到我這裡來，若不恨……就不能作我的門徒。 ]主的意思是在他建造大工上用得著的人，是那些熱切地、忠心地愛他，超過地上任何最親密者的人。條件非常嚴格，但卻是榮耀的。
我們一切所建造的，都要經神檢驗。神察驗的火，是否發覺在主的根基上，竟建立了我們自己的事業？現在正是建立事業的大好機會，是我們努力為神工作的日子，可是其中卻密佈著網羅。其實認真地說，我們根本不能為神作工。耶穌把我們放在他的工程上，完全放在他建造的大計中，我們是沒有權選擇要被放在什麼地方。
祈禱◆主啊，引導我們的心思進入你的計劃中。許多人已步向你那榮耀，卻帶有危險的開放境地。主啊，請傾注你那浩大的能力，來糾正我們的生命，使它成為煥發著健康的豐盛生命。
May 06, 2012
Liberty and the Standards of Jesus
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free . . . —Galatians 5:1
A spiritually-minded person will never come to you with the demand—”Believe this and that”; a spiritually-minded person will demand that you align your life with the standards of Jesus. We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One whom the Bible reveals (see John 5:39-40). We are called to present liberty for the conscience of others, not to bring them liberty for their thoughts and opinions. And if we ourselves are free with the liberty of Christ, others will be brought into that same liberty— the liberty that comes from realizing the absolute control and authority of Jesus Christ.
Always measure your life solely by the standards of Jesus. Submit yourself to His yoke, and His alone; and always be careful never to place a yoke on others that is not of Jesus Christ. It takes God a long time to get us to stop thinking that unless everyone sees things exactly as we do, they must be wrong. That is never God’s view. There is only one true liberty— the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right.
Don’t get impatient with others. Remember how God dealt with you— with patience and with gentleness. But never water down the truth of God. Let it have its way and never apologize for it. Jesus said, “Go . . . and make disciples. . .” (Matthew 28:19), not, “Make converts to your own thoughts and opinions.”
福音裡的自由
基督釋放了我們，叫我們得以自由。 （加五1）
一個有屬靈深度的人，絕不會要求你說：[你要信這個信那個。 ]他只會要求你的生活能夠符合耶穌的標準。神沒有叫我們相信聖經，乃是叫我們相信聖經所顯示的那一位主（比較約五39-40）。我們蒙召，是傳揚良心得釋放，而不是見解上得自由。我們若在基督的自由里得釋放，那末，別人也會被帶進同樣得自由里－－那自由就是認識耶穌基督統馭萬有的權柄。
總要照耶穌的標準去量度你的生活。你的頸項只可以套上主的軛，絕不負別的軛；同時，要當心別替人家套上那不是出於耶穌基督的軛。我們常以為人人都要與我們有同一樣的觀點，否則就是錯的。神從不這樣看，因此，他要花許多時間去糾正我們的錯誤。自由只有一種，就是耶穌在我們的心裡作工，使我們能夠做合宜的事。
不要煩躁不安，失去耐性，要記住神怎樣對待你－－用忍耐與溫柔；但卻不要減弱神的真理。讓主的道自由作工，不必為它歉疚。耶穌說：[去，使萬民作我的門徒]，而不是使人信服你的見解。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，你是何等奇妙、偉大和有力量，我要投向你。除了你以外，使我拒絕任何的統治。
A spiritually-minded person will never come to you with the demand—”Believe this and that”; a spiritually-minded person will demand that you align your life with the standards of Jesus. We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One whom the Bible reveals (see John 5:39-40). We are called to present liberty for the conscience of others, not to bring them liberty for their thoughts and opinions. And if we ourselves are free with the liberty of Christ, others will be brought into that same liberty— the liberty that comes from realizing the absolute control and authority of Jesus Christ.
Always measure your life solely by the standards of Jesus. Submit yourself to His yoke, and His alone; and always be careful never to place a yoke on others that is not of Jesus Christ. It takes God a long time to get us to stop thinking that unless everyone sees things exactly as we do, they must be wrong. That is never God’s view. There is only one true liberty— the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right.
Don’t get impatient with others. Remember how God dealt with you— with patience and with gentleness. But never water down the truth of God. Let it have its way and never apologize for it. Jesus said, “Go . . . and make disciples. . .” (Matthew 28:19), not, “Make converts to your own thoughts and opinions.”
福音裡的自由
基督釋放了我們，叫我們得以自由。 （加五1）
一個有屬靈深度的人，絕不會要求你說：[你要信這個信那個。 ]他只會要求你的生活能夠符合耶穌的標準。神沒有叫我們相信聖經，乃是叫我們相信聖經所顯示的那一位主（比較約五39-40）。我們蒙召，是傳揚良心得釋放，而不是見解上得自由。我們若在基督的自由里得釋放，那末，別人也會被帶進同樣得自由里－－那自由就是認識耶穌基督統馭萬有的權柄。
總要照耶穌的標準去量度你的生活。你的頸項只可以套上主的軛，絕不負別的軛；同時，要當心別替人家套上那不是出於耶穌基督的軛。我們常以為人人都要與我們有同一樣的觀點，否則就是錯的。神從不這樣看，因此，他要花許多時間去糾正我們的錯誤。自由只有一種，就是耶穌在我們的心裡作工，使我們能夠做合宜的事。
不要煩躁不安，失去耐性，要記住神怎樣對待你－－用忍耐與溫柔；但卻不要減弱神的真理。讓主的道自由作工，不必為它歉疚。耶穌說：[去，使萬民作我的門徒]，而不是使人信服你的見解。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，你是何等奇妙、偉大和有力量，我要投向你。除了你以外，使我拒絕任何的統治。
May 05, 2012
Judgment and the Love of God
The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God . . . —1 Peter 4:17
The Christian servant must never forget that salvation is God’s idea, not man’s; therefore, it has an unfathomable depth. Salvation is the great thought of God, not an experience. Experience is simply the door through which salvation comes into the conscious level of our life so that we are aware of what has taken place on a much deeper level. Never preach the experience— preach the great thought of God behind the experience. When we preach, we are not simply proclaiming how people can be saved from hell and be made moral and pure; we are conveying good news about God.
In the teachings of Jesus Christ the element of judgment is always brought out— it is the sign of the love of God. Never sympathize with someone who finds it difficult to get to God; God is not to blame. It is not for us to figure out the reason for the difficulty, but only to present the truth of God so that the Spirit of God will reveal what is wrong. The greatest test of the quality of our preaching is whether or not it brings everyone to judgment. When the truth is preached, the Spirit of God brings each person face to face with God Himself.
If Jesus ever commanded us to do something that He was unable to equip us to accomplish, He would be a liar. And if we make our own inability a stumbling block or an excuse not to be obedient, it means that we are telling God that there is something which He has not yet taken into account. Every element of our own self-reliance must be put to death by the power of God. The moment we recognize our complete weakness and our dependence upon Him will be the very moment that the Spirit of God will exhibit His power.
在愛的淵中受審判
因為時候到了,審判要從神的家起首.(彼前四17)
作主的工人必須記住,救恩是從神來的,不是人自己可以得到;因此,這是一道測不透的深淵.救恩是神一個極高超偉大的意念,而不是一個經歷.經歷只不過是一道門,讓救恩進入我們的生命裡。千萬別傳揚經歷,乃要傳揚經歷背後神偉大的意念。我們傳道，並不是宣佈人怎樣可以得救，脫離地獄，變成有道德、聖潔的人；我們乃是傳達神的好消息。
在耶穌基督的教訓中，總夾著審判，這是神愛的表徵。若有人覺得接近神是件難事，我們不必表示同情，因為這不是神的錯。我們也不必設法解釋困難的緣故，只要把神真理講出來，聖靈就會指出毛病所在。傳道最大的考驗，就是要把各人帶進審判裡去。神的靈會個別對付每一個人。
耶穌若給我們一條命令，而不給我們力量去實行的話，他就是個說謊者。若我們讓自己的無力實行成為順服的攔阻，那就是在對神說，他有些事考慮不周詳。任何的自倚自恃，都必須被神粉碎。完全的軟弱與信賴，往往是聖靈彰顯他能力的時候。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你的賜福今天臨到我們，那麼多人正需要你。求你拯救的大能在我們當中運行，掌管和振奮我們。
The Christian servant must never forget that salvation is God’s idea, not man’s; therefore, it has an unfathomable depth. Salvation is the great thought of God, not an experience. Experience is simply the door through which salvation comes into the conscious level of our life so that we are aware of what has taken place on a much deeper level. Never preach the experience— preach the great thought of God behind the experience. When we preach, we are not simply proclaiming how people can be saved from hell and be made moral and pure; we are conveying good news about God.
In the teachings of Jesus Christ the element of judgment is always brought out— it is the sign of the love of God. Never sympathize with someone who finds it difficult to get to God; God is not to blame. It is not for us to figure out the reason for the difficulty, but only to present the truth of God so that the Spirit of God will reveal what is wrong. The greatest test of the quality of our preaching is whether or not it brings everyone to judgment. When the truth is preached, the Spirit of God brings each person face to face with God Himself.
If Jesus ever commanded us to do something that He was unable to equip us to accomplish, He would be a liar. And if we make our own inability a stumbling block or an excuse not to be obedient, it means that we are telling God that there is something which He has not yet taken into account. Every element of our own self-reliance must be put to death by the power of God. The moment we recognize our complete weakness and our dependence upon Him will be the very moment that the Spirit of God will exhibit His power.
在愛的淵中受審判
因為時候到了,審判要從神的家起首.(彼前四17)
作主的工人必須記住,救恩是從神來的,不是人自己可以得到;因此,這是一道測不透的深淵.救恩是神一個極高超偉大的意念,而不是一個經歷.經歷只不過是一道門,讓救恩進入我們的生命裡。千萬別傳揚經歷,乃要傳揚經歷背後神偉大的意念。我們傳道，並不是宣佈人怎樣可以得救，脫離地獄，變成有道德、聖潔的人；我們乃是傳達神的好消息。
在耶穌基督的教訓中，總夾著審判，這是神愛的表徵。若有人覺得接近神是件難事，我們不必表示同情，因為這不是神的錯。我們也不必設法解釋困難的緣故，只要把神真理講出來，聖靈就會指出毛病所在。傳道最大的考驗，就是要把各人帶進審判裡去。神的靈會個別對付每一個人。
耶穌若給我們一條命令，而不給我們力量去實行的話，他就是個說謊者。若我們讓自己的無力實行成為順服的攔阻，那就是在對神說，他有些事考慮不周詳。任何的自倚自恃，都必須被神粉碎。完全的軟弱與信賴，往往是聖靈彰顯他能力的時候。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你的賜福今天臨到我們，那麼多人正需要你。求你拯救的大能在我們當中運行，掌管和振奮我們。
May 04, 2012
Vicarious Intercession
. . having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus . . . —Hebrews 10:19
Beware of thinking that intercession means bringing our own personal sympathies and concerns into the presence of God, and then demanding that He do whatever we ask. Our ability to approach God is due entirely to the vicarious, or substitutionary, identification of our Lord with sin. We have “boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.”
Spiritual stubbornness is the most effective hindrance to intercession, because it is based on a sympathetic “understanding” of things we see in ourselves and others that we think needs no atonement. We have the idea that there are certain good and virtuous things in each of us that do not need to be based on the atonement by the Cross of Christ. Just the sluggishness and lack of interest produced by this kind of thinking makes us unable to intercede. We do not identify ourselves with God’s interests and concerns for others, and we get irritated with Him. Yet we are always ready with our own ideas, and our intercession becomes only the glorification of our own natural sympathies. We have to realize that the identification of Jesus with sin means a radical change of all of our sympathies and interests. Vicarious intercession means that we deliberately substitute God’s interests in others for our natural sympathy with them.
Am I stubborn or substituted? Am I spoiled or complete in my relationship to God? Am I irritable or spiritual? Am I determined to have my own way or determined to be identified with Him?
替代的代求
弟兄們，我們既因耶穌的血，得以坦然進入至聖所。 （來十19）
當心別以為代求是把自己的同情心，帶到神面前，然後要求他照我們所求的成就。哦我們能親近神，完全是由於主耶穌作成這贖罪的工作。我們是[因耶穌的血，坦然進入至聖所]。
屬靈的固執，是代求中最大的障礙。因為同情心的根據，是我們裡面和別人裡面那些自以為不必用血來救贖的部分。我們以為還有些好處與德行，是不必用血來救贖的。這觀念所產生的障礙，叫我們無法代求。我們沒有與神愛人的心合一，我們生神的氣；我們總有自己的主意，代求就成為天然同情心的自我吹擂。耶穌自己成為罪，就把人所有的同情心徹底地改變了。替代式的代求，就是立志把我們對人的天然同情心，換上神對人愛顧的心。
我是固執還是作神的代替者？與神的關係是失調還是和諧？在鬧意氣還是屬靈？偏行己路還是與神同心？
祈禱◆主啊,你最明白在展開未來之前,那種奇異的感覺.此刻極之需要提升我的情緒/思想和心態.求你確證我的思想.
Beware of thinking that intercession means bringing our own personal sympathies and concerns into the presence of God, and then demanding that He do whatever we ask. Our ability to approach God is due entirely to the vicarious, or substitutionary, identification of our Lord with sin. We have “boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.”
Spiritual stubbornness is the most effective hindrance to intercession, because it is based on a sympathetic “understanding” of things we see in ourselves and others that we think needs no atonement. We have the idea that there are certain good and virtuous things in each of us that do not need to be based on the atonement by the Cross of Christ. Just the sluggishness and lack of interest produced by this kind of thinking makes us unable to intercede. We do not identify ourselves with God’s interests and concerns for others, and we get irritated with Him. Yet we are always ready with our own ideas, and our intercession becomes only the glorification of our own natural sympathies. We have to realize that the identification of Jesus with sin means a radical change of all of our sympathies and interests. Vicarious intercession means that we deliberately substitute God’s interests in others for our natural sympathy with them.
Am I stubborn or substituted? Am I spoiled or complete in my relationship to God? Am I irritable or spiritual? Am I determined to have my own way or determined to be identified with Him?
替代的代求
弟兄們，我們既因耶穌的血，得以坦然進入至聖所。 （來十19）
當心別以為代求是把自己的同情心，帶到神面前，然後要求他照我們所求的成就。哦我們能親近神，完全是由於主耶穌作成這贖罪的工作。我們是[因耶穌的血，坦然進入至聖所]。
屬靈的固執，是代求中最大的障礙。因為同情心的根據，是我們裡面和別人裡面那些自以為不必用血來救贖的部分。我們以為還有些好處與德行，是不必用血來救贖的。這觀念所產生的障礙，叫我們無法代求。我們沒有與神愛人的心合一，我們生神的氣；我們總有自己的主意，代求就成為天然同情心的自我吹擂。耶穌自己成為罪，就把人所有的同情心徹底地改變了。替代式的代求，就是立志把我們對人的天然同情心，換上神對人愛顧的心。
我是固執還是作神的代替者？與神的關係是失調還是和諧？在鬧意氣還是屬靈？偏行己路還是與神同心？
祈禱◆主啊,你最明白在展開未來之前,那種奇異的感覺.此刻極之需要提升我的情緒/思想和心態.求你確證我的思想.
May 03, 2012
Vital Intercession
. . . praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit . . . —Ephesians 6:18
As we continue on in our intercession for others, we may find that our obedience to God in interceding is going to cost those for whom we intercede more than we ever thought. The danger in this is that we begin to intercede in sympathy with those whom God was gradually lifting up to a totally different level in direct answer to our prayers. Whenever we step back from our close identification with God’s interest and concern for others and step into having emotional sympathy with them, the vital connection with God is gone. We have then put our sympathy and concern for them in the way, and this is a deliberate rebuke to God.
It is impossible for us to have living and vital intercession unless we are perfectly and completely sure of God. And the greatest destroyer of that confident relationship to God, so necessary for intercession, is our own personal sympathy and preconceived bias. Identification with God is the key to intercession, and whenever we stop being identified with Him it is because of our sympathy with others, not because of sin. It is not likely that sin will interfere with our intercessory relationship with God, but sympathy will. It is sympathy with ourselves or with others that makes us say, “I will not allow that thing to happen.” And instantly we are out of that vital connection with God.
Vital intercession leaves you with neither the time nor the inclination to pray for your own “sad and pitiful self.” You do not have to struggle to keep thoughts of yourself out, because they are not even there to be kept out of your thinking. You are completely and entirely identified with God’s interests and concerns in other lives. God gives us discernment in the lives of others to call us to intercession for them, never so that we may find fault with them.
有力的代求
靠著聖靈，隨時多方禱告祈求。 （弗六18）
我們代求的時候，會發覺對神的順服，與別人的得失有極大的關係，這是我們想不到的。但有一個危機，就是那些神聽了禱告而逐漸被提升到另一個不同領域裡的人，我們用人的同情心去代求。一旦我們從與神同心去關懷別人，退到用同情心去代禱，那與神息息相關的聯繫就失去了。我們把同情心摻入代禱中，便是故意頂撞神。
除非我們完全認識神，否則無法作有效的代求。我們與神的關係最大的分化力，就是個人的同情與偏見。認同是代求的鑰匙，一旦停止與神同心，就是同情心而不是罪在作祟，不一定是罪阻礙我們與神的關係，同情心也會。對自己的同情，對別人的同情，令我們說：[我不要讓這樣的事發生。 ]這樣，與神密切的關係，就立時中斷。
代求根本沒有時間，也沒有傾向於為自己的愁腸禱告。你不用排除自己的憂愁，因為根本不應該有自己的成分在裡面。你這時是與神同心，完完全全地關懷別人。神呼召我們代求，是要明辨，不是要吹毛求疵。
祈禱◆主啊，當我們開始在晨禱中[為我們的國家代求]，懇求你的靈指引我們。
As we continue on in our intercession for others, we may find that our obedience to God in interceding is going to cost those for whom we intercede more than we ever thought. The danger in this is that we begin to intercede in sympathy with those whom God was gradually lifting up to a totally different level in direct answer to our prayers. Whenever we step back from our close identification with God’s interest and concern for others and step into having emotional sympathy with them, the vital connection with God is gone. We have then put our sympathy and concern for them in the way, and this is a deliberate rebuke to God.
It is impossible for us to have living and vital intercession unless we are perfectly and completely sure of God. And the greatest destroyer of that confident relationship to God, so necessary for intercession, is our own personal sympathy and preconceived bias. Identification with God is the key to intercession, and whenever we stop being identified with Him it is because of our sympathy with others, not because of sin. It is not likely that sin will interfere with our intercessory relationship with God, but sympathy will. It is sympathy with ourselves or with others that makes us say, “I will not allow that thing to happen.” And instantly we are out of that vital connection with God.
Vital intercession leaves you with neither the time nor the inclination to pray for your own “sad and pitiful self.” You do not have to struggle to keep thoughts of yourself out, because they are not even there to be kept out of your thinking. You are completely and entirely identified with God’s interests and concerns in other lives. God gives us discernment in the lives of others to call us to intercession for them, never so that we may find fault with them.
有力的代求
靠著聖靈，隨時多方禱告祈求。 （弗六18）
我們代求的時候，會發覺對神的順服，與別人的得失有極大的關係，這是我們想不到的。但有一個危機，就是那些神聽了禱告而逐漸被提升到另一個不同領域裡的人，我們用人的同情心去代求。一旦我們從與神同心去關懷別人，退到用同情心去代禱，那與神息息相關的聯繫就失去了。我們把同情心摻入代禱中，便是故意頂撞神。
除非我們完全認識神，否則無法作有效的代求。我們與神的關係最大的分化力，就是個人的同情與偏見。認同是代求的鑰匙，一旦停止與神同心，就是同情心而不是罪在作祟，不一定是罪阻礙我們與神的關係，同情心也會。對自己的同情，對別人的同情，令我們說：[我不要讓這樣的事發生。 ]這樣，與神密切的關係，就立時中斷。
代求根本沒有時間，也沒有傾向於為自己的愁腸禱告。你不用排除自己的憂愁，因為根本不應該有自己的成分在裡面。你這時是與神同心，完完全全地關懷別人。神呼召我們代求，是要明辨，不是要吹毛求疵。
祈禱◆主啊，當我們開始在晨禱中[為我們的國家代求]，懇求你的靈指引我們。
May 02, 2012
The Patience To Wait for the Vision
Though it tarries, wait for it . . . —Habakkuk 2:3
Patience is not the same as indifference; patience conveys the idea of someone who is tremendously strong and able to withstand all assaults. Having the vision of God is the source of patience because it gives us God’s true and proper inspiration. Moses endured, not because of his devotion to his principles of what was right, nor because of his sense of duty to God, but because he had a vision of God. “. . . he endured as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). A person who has the vision of God is not devoted to a cause or to any particular issue— he is devoted to God Himself. You always know when the vision is of God because of the inspiration that comes with it. Things come to you with greatness and add vitality to your life because everything is energized by God. He may give you a time spiritually, with no word from Himself at all, just as His Son experienced during His time of temptation in the wilderness. When God does that, simply endure, and the power to endure will be there because you see God.
“Though it tarries, wait for it . . . .” The proof that we have the vision is that we are reaching out for more than we have already grasped. It is a bad thing to be satisfied spiritually. The psalmist said, “What shall I render to the Lord . . . ? I will take up the cup of salvation . . .” (Psalm 116:12-13). We are apt to look for satisfaction within ourselves and say, “Now I’ve got it! Now I am completely sanctified. Now I can endure.” Instantly we are on the road to ruin. Our reach must exceed our grasp. Paul said, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on . . .” (Philippians 3:12). If we have only what we have experienced, we have nothing. But if we have the inspiration of the vision of God, we have more than we can experience. Beware of the danger of spiritual relaxation.
忍耐的情操
雖然遲延，還要等候。 （哈二3）
忍耐不是置之不理；忍耐是一座極其堅強的磐石，受得起一切的打擊。忍耐的根源，是看見了神的異象；因為看見神，就帶來品德上的啟示。摩西之所以能堅忍，不是因為他對正義與責任的理想，而是因為看見了神。他恆心忍耐，[如同看見那不能看見的主。 ]一個有神異象的人，不是投身於一件工作或某一項任務，而是獻身於神自己。異像是否出於神，是看得出來的，只要看所帶來的啟示便可知；生命會變得廣大和滋潤，因為一切由神發動。神若在屬靈上給你一段曠野試探的時期，像他兒子所經歷的，完全沒他的話語，你就要忍耐；恆心忍耐，是因為你看見神。
[雖然遲延，還要等候。 ]要證明我們的確看見了異象，是要伸手去抓住那超乎我們所能抓住的（意即竭力追求）。屬靈的自滿是不好的。詩人說：[我拿什麼報答耶和華？ ][我要舉起救恩的杯。 ]我們很容易自滿自足－－[現在我得著了；現在我完全聖潔了；現在我能夠忍受了。 ]這樣我們馬上就會跌倒。我們的目標必須超越實際的。 [我不是以為自己已經得著了，已經完全了。 ]我們有的若只是經歷，就一無所有了；但我們若有神異象的啟示，那所有的就遠超過所經歷的了。要當心屬靈懈怠的危險。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，在我自覺的生活中，但願能流露更多的愛、憐憫、敬虔和對你的熱愛。求你使我對周圍的人，能有善意的表現，並以忍耐和溫柔去待他們。
Patience is not the same as indifference; patience conveys the idea of someone who is tremendously strong and able to withstand all assaults. Having the vision of God is the source of patience because it gives us God’s true and proper inspiration. Moses endured, not because of his devotion to his principles of what was right, nor because of his sense of duty to God, but because he had a vision of God. “. . . he endured as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). A person who has the vision of God is not devoted to a cause or to any particular issue— he is devoted to God Himself. You always know when the vision is of God because of the inspiration that comes with it. Things come to you with greatness and add vitality to your life because everything is energized by God. He may give you a time spiritually, with no word from Himself at all, just as His Son experienced during His time of temptation in the wilderness. When God does that, simply endure, and the power to endure will be there because you see God.
“Though it tarries, wait for it . . . .” The proof that we have the vision is that we are reaching out for more than we have already grasped. It is a bad thing to be satisfied spiritually. The psalmist said, “What shall I render to the Lord . . . ? I will take up the cup of salvation . . .” (Psalm 116:12-13). We are apt to look for satisfaction within ourselves and say, “Now I’ve got it! Now I am completely sanctified. Now I can endure.” Instantly we are on the road to ruin. Our reach must exceed our grasp. Paul said, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on . . .” (Philippians 3:12). If we have only what we have experienced, we have nothing. But if we have the inspiration of the vision of God, we have more than we can experience. Beware of the danger of spiritual relaxation.
忍耐的情操
雖然遲延，還要等候。 （哈二3）
忍耐不是置之不理；忍耐是一座極其堅強的磐石，受得起一切的打擊。忍耐的根源，是看見了神的異象；因為看見神，就帶來品德上的啟示。摩西之所以能堅忍，不是因為他對正義與責任的理想，而是因為看見了神。他恆心忍耐，[如同看見那不能看見的主。 ]一個有神異象的人，不是投身於一件工作或某一項任務，而是獻身於神自己。異像是否出於神，是看得出來的，只要看所帶來的啟示便可知；生命會變得廣大和滋潤，因為一切由神發動。神若在屬靈上給你一段曠野試探的時期，像他兒子所經歷的，完全沒他的話語，你就要忍耐；恆心忍耐，是因為你看見神。
[雖然遲延，還要等候。 ]要證明我們的確看見了異象，是要伸手去抓住那超乎我們所能抓住的（意即竭力追求）。屬靈的自滿是不好的。詩人說：[我拿什麼報答耶和華？ ][我要舉起救恩的杯。 ]我們很容易自滿自足－－[現在我得著了；現在我完全聖潔了；現在我能夠忍受了。 ]這樣我們馬上就會跌倒。我們的目標必須超越實際的。 [我不是以為自己已經得著了，已經完全了。 ]我們有的若只是經歷，就一無所有了；但我們若有神異象的啟示，那所有的就遠超過所經歷的了。要當心屬靈懈怠的危險。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，在我自覺的生活中，但願能流露更多的愛、憐憫、敬虔和對你的熱愛。求你使我對周圍的人，能有善意的表現，並以忍耐和溫柔去待他們。
May 01, 2012
Faith— Not Emotion
We walk by faith, not by sight —2 Corinthians 5:7
For a while, we are fully aware of God’s concern for us. But then, when God begins to use us in His work, we begin to take on a pitiful look and talk only of our trials and difficulties. And all the while God is trying to make us do our work as hidden people who are not in the spotlight. None of us would be hidden spiritually if we could help it. Can we do our work when it seems that God has sealed up heaven? Some of us always want to be brightly illuminated saints with golden halos and with the continual glow of inspiration, and to have other saints of God dealing with us all the time. A self-assured saint is of no value to God. He is abnormal, unfit for daily life, and completely unlike God. We are here, not as immature angels, but as men and women, to do the work of this world. And we are to do it with an infinitely greater power to withstand the struggle because we have been born from above.
If we continually try to bring back those exceptional moments of inspiration, it is a sign that it is not God we want. We are becoming obsessed with the moments when God did come and speak with us, and we are insisting that He do it again. But what God wants us to do is to “walk by faith.” How many of us have set ourselves aside as if to say, “I cannot do anything else until God appears to me”? He will never do it. We will have to get up on our own, without any inspiration and without any sudden touch from God. Then comes our surprise and we find ourselves exclaiming, “Why, He was there all the time, and I never knew it!” Never live for those exceptional moments— they are surprises. God will give us His touches of inspiration only when He sees that we are not in danger of being led away by them. We must never consider our moments of inspiration as the standard way of life— our work is our standard.
是真知而非感情
因我們行事為人，是憑著信心，不是憑著眼見。 （林後五7）
有些時候，我們感覺到神的關顧；之後，他就開始使用我們。不久，我們便裝出一副可憐兮兮的樣子，整天說什麼試煉困難；其實，神一直訓練我們在隱藏中儘自己的本分。屬靈方面來說，除非是不得已，沒有一個人願意隱藏自己。神若關上天門，我們能盡什麼本分？有些人整天想著頭上有發光的金圈，做榮光四射的聖徒，充滿了感動啟示，並有聖徒經常造就。徒有外表（原文作鍍金邊）的聖徒是無用的，是不正常的。他無法過平凡的生活，而且根本不像神。我們活在地上，不是做行將長成的天使。我們在世作工，是因為我們已從上面而生，有極大無比的能力，得以在磨難中站立。
要是我們想把罕有的啟示經歷重演一遍，就表示我們要的不是神。我們只是寶貴與神說話的時刻，並且堅持要他再來一次。其實神是要我們行在信心中。我們多少人曾袖手旁觀地說：[神若不向我顯現，我是無能為力的。 ]他不會顯現。這樣，就是沒有啟示，沒有神出奇不意的觸摸，我們也得著手去做。那知，[原來他一直在這裡，我竟然不知！ ]不要為那罕有的時刻而活，這只是驚喜的禮物。當神看我們沒有走歪，就會將啟示顯明出來。千萬別把啟示的一刻作為標準，我們的標準乃是儘自己的本份。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著你的釋放和鼓勵，我感謝你。那近乎璀璨的喜樂已湧流在我心內。願你那寧靜的平安在此刻充滿我。
For a while, we are fully aware of God’s concern for us. But then, when God begins to use us in His work, we begin to take on a pitiful look and talk only of our trials and difficulties. And all the while God is trying to make us do our work as hidden people who are not in the spotlight. None of us would be hidden spiritually if we could help it. Can we do our work when it seems that God has sealed up heaven? Some of us always want to be brightly illuminated saints with golden halos and with the continual glow of inspiration, and to have other saints of God dealing with us all the time. A self-assured saint is of no value to God. He is abnormal, unfit for daily life, and completely unlike God. We are here, not as immature angels, but as men and women, to do the work of this world. And we are to do it with an infinitely greater power to withstand the struggle because we have been born from above.
If we continually try to bring back those exceptional moments of inspiration, it is a sign that it is not God we want. We are becoming obsessed with the moments when God did come and speak with us, and we are insisting that He do it again. But what God wants us to do is to “walk by faith.” How many of us have set ourselves aside as if to say, “I cannot do anything else until God appears to me”? He will never do it. We will have to get up on our own, without any inspiration and without any sudden touch from God. Then comes our surprise and we find ourselves exclaiming, “Why, He was there all the time, and I never knew it!” Never live for those exceptional moments— they are surprises. God will give us His touches of inspiration only when He sees that we are not in danger of being led away by them. We must never consider our moments of inspiration as the standard way of life— our work is our standard.
是真知而非感情
因我們行事為人，是憑著信心，不是憑著眼見。 （林後五7）
有些時候，我們感覺到神的關顧；之後，他就開始使用我們。不久，我們便裝出一副可憐兮兮的樣子，整天說什麼試煉困難；其實，神一直訓練我們在隱藏中儘自己的本分。屬靈方面來說，除非是不得已，沒有一個人願意隱藏自己。神若關上天門，我們能盡什麼本分？有些人整天想著頭上有發光的金圈，做榮光四射的聖徒，充滿了感動啟示，並有聖徒經常造就。徒有外表（原文作鍍金邊）的聖徒是無用的，是不正常的。他無法過平凡的生活，而且根本不像神。我們活在地上，不是做行將長成的天使。我們在世作工，是因為我們已從上面而生，有極大無比的能力，得以在磨難中站立。
要是我們想把罕有的啟示經歷重演一遍，就表示我們要的不是神。我們只是寶貴與神說話的時刻，並且堅持要他再來一次。其實神是要我們行在信心中。我們多少人曾袖手旁觀地說：[神若不向我顯現，我是無能為力的。 ]他不會顯現。這樣，就是沒有啟示，沒有神出奇不意的觸摸，我們也得著手去做。那知，[原來他一直在這裡，我竟然不知！ ]不要為那罕有的時刻而活，這只是驚喜的禮物。當神看我們沒有走歪，就會將啟示顯明出來。千萬別把啟示的一刻作為標準，我們的標準乃是儘自己的本份。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著你的釋放和鼓勵，我感謝你。那近乎璀璨的喜樂已湧流在我心內。願你那寧靜的平安在此刻充滿我。
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