Will You Examine Yourself?

Joshua said to the people, ’You cannot serve the Lord . . .’ —Joshua 24:19

Do you have even the slightest reliance on anything or anyone other than God? Is there a remnant of reliance left on any natural quality within you, or on any particular set of circumstances? Are you relying on yourself in any manner whatsoever regarding this new proposal or plan which God has placed before you? Will you examine yourself by asking these probing questions? It really is true to say, “I cannot live a holy life,” but you can decide to let Jesus Christ make you holy. “You cannot serve the Lord . . .”— but you can place yourself in the proper position where God’s almighty power will flow through you. Is your relationship with God sufficient for you to expect Him to exhibit His wonderful life in you?

“The people said to Joshua, ’No, but we will serve the Lord!” (Joshua 24:21). This is not an impulsive action, but a deliberate commitment. We tend to say, “But God could never have called me to this. I’m too unworthy. It can’t mean me.” It does mean you, and the more weak and feeble you are, the better. The person who is still relying and trusting in anything within himself is the last person to even come close to saying, “I will serve the Lord.”

We say, “Oh, if only I really could believe!” The question is, “Will I believe?” No wonder Jesus Christ placed such emphasis on the sin of unbelief. “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58). If we really believed that God meant what He said, just imagine what we would be like! Do I really dare to let God be to me all that He says He will be?

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偉大的探查

你們不能事奉耶和華。 （書二十四19）

除了神以外，你對別的東西有沒有絲毫的靠賴？對天然的德行，對環境等因素，是否仍有殘餘的倚恃？在這項新旨意中，你還有哪方面是靠賴自己的？這就是徹底清查的意思。是的，你可以說：[我無法過聖潔的生活。 ]這是真的；但你可以決志讓耶穌基督使你聖潔。 [你們不能事奉耶和華。 ]但你可以讓神的大能透過你作工。你與神的關係是否美好和諧，以致他能在你身上彰顯他奇妙的生命？

[我們定要事奉耶和華。 ] 這不是一時的衝動，而是一個立定心意的交付。你會說：[神絕不會呼召我作這個，我太不配了，這不會是指著我說的。 ]實在是你，你愈軟弱無能，便癒合適。一個仍有所倚恃的人不會說：[我定要事奉耶和華。 ]

我們常說：[若我真能信多好！ ]但問題卻是[若我真肯信多好]。難怪耶穌基督這樣強調不信的罪。若真相信神所言屬實，我們會變成怎麼樣的人呢？我是否真正肯讓神在我身上成為一位說什麼就成就什麼的神？

祈禱主啊，你的面容、你的感動、你的賜福、使我今天所尋求的。感動我，主啊，直至我的每一部分，都被你滿有恩慈而帶有能力的平安所震撼和振奮。