“My Joy . . . Your Joy”

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full —John 15:11

What was the joy that Jesus had? Joy should not be confused with happiness. In fact, it is an insult to Jesus Christ to use the word happiness in connection with Him. The joy of Jesus was His absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice to His Father— the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do— “. . . who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross . . .” (Hebrews 12:2). “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . .” (Psalm 40:8). Jesus prayed that our joy might continue fulfilling itself until it becomes the same joy as His. Have I allowed Jesus Christ to introduce His joy to me?

Living a full and overflowing life does not rest in bodily health, in circumstances, nor even in seeing God’s work succeed, but in the perfect understanding of God, and in the same fellowship and oneness with Him that Jesus Himself enjoyed. But the first thing that will hinder this joy is the subtle irritability caused by giving too much thought to our circumstances. Jesus said, “. . . the cares of this world, . . . choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). And before we even realize what has happened, we are caught up in our cares. All that God has done for us is merely the threshold— He wants us to come to the place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim who Jesus is.

Have the right relationship with God, finding your joy there, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Be a fountain through which Jesus can pour His “living water.” Stop being hypocritical and proud, aware only of yourself, and live “your life . . . hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). A person who has the right relationship with God lives a life as natural as breathing wherever he goes. The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing.

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我的喜樂……你們的喜樂

要叫我的喜樂，存在你們心裡，並叫你們的喜樂可以滿足。 （約十五11）

耶穌的喜樂是什麼？若在耶穌身上應用[快樂]這詞，實在是一種侮辱。耶穌的喜樂是對父絕對的順服與捨己。因作成他父差他來作的工而喜樂。 [我樂意照你的旨意行。 ]耶穌的禱告是要我們的喜樂日趨完備，直到像他的喜樂一樣。我有沒有讓主把喜樂帶給我？

生命的滿溢不是在身體的健康，不是在外在的事物，不是在看見神的事工成就，乃在對神完全的明白，有耶穌與父神那種契合。攔阻這喜樂的第一件事，是挑剔猜度而來的惱怒。耶穌說今生的憂慮會阻塞神的話。我們還未知身處何方，已經被紛繁的事物抓住了。神為我們所作成的一切只帶我們來到門檻，他還要我們進入，作他的見證，活出耶穌是誰。更與神連合，從而得喜樂，就有活水從你湧流。要做活水得中心，讓主透過你倒出活水。不要在沉浸在自覺裡，不要做成聖得自負者，要藏在基督里活。與神連合的生命，自然得像呼吸一般。那些最叫你蒙福的人，是那些不覺自己成為別人祝福的人。

祈禱◆噢，神啊，讓我更多的認識你，並更切實地認識你的兒子、我的救主和主。願你賜我愈來愈認識你的主權和統治，並且愈享受在你裡面的單純喜樂。