October 31, 2012
The Trial of Faith
If you have faith as a mustard seed . . . nothing will be impossible for you —Matthew 17:20
We have the idea that God rewards us for our faith, and it may be so in the initial stages. But we do not earn anything through faith— faith brings us into the right relationship with God and gives Him His opportunity to work. Yet God frequently has to knock the bottom out of your experience as His saint to get you in direct contact with Himself. God wants you to understand that it is a life of faith, not a life of emotional enjoyment of His blessings. The beginning of your life of faith was very narrow and intense, centered around a small amount of experience that had as much emotion as faith in it, and it was full of light and sweetness. Then God withdrew His conscious blessings to teach you to “walk by faith” (2 Corinthians 5:7). And you are worth much more to Him now than you were in your days of conscious delight with your thrilling testimony.
Faith by its very nature must be tested and tried. And the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character must be proven as trustworthy in our own minds. Faith being worked out into reality must experience times of unbroken isolation. Never confuse the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life, because a great deal of what we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith, as the Bible teaches it, is faith in God coming against everything that contradicts Him— a faith that says, “I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do.” The highest and the greatest expression of faith in the whole Bible is— “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).
信心的辨識
你們若有信心像一粒芥菜種（太十七20）
我們往往認為神會因我們的信心，報答我們。初時可能是這樣，但其實我們不能藉信心賺取什麼。信心使我們與神的關係正確，以致神有機會作工。你若是聖徒，神往往要把你的經驗底板抽去，好使你直接與他接觸。神要你明白，這是信心的生命，而不是情感化地享受他祝福的生命。你早期的信心生命是狹窄的、緊張的，環繞著一小撮光明的經歷，滿了陽光與甜蜜，可是其中信心的成他分，與常理的成他分差不多同等。後來神把可見的祝福挪開，教你行信心的路，你如今在他手上更有價值，遠超那些感覺喜樂、滿有激動見證的日子。
信心必須經過試驗。信心真正的考驗，不是在於我們覺得難以信靠神，而是在於我們對神的性情，必須有清楚的認識。信心的實現，必須經過一連串個別孤立的考驗。不要把信心的試驗與一般生活的操練混為一談。許多我們成為信心的考驗，不過是活在地上無法避免的事情。聖經中的信心，是在一切違反神自己的事上，還持定信神－－[不管神怎樣做，我必定忠於神的本性。 ][他雖然殺我，我仍要信靠他。 ]－－這是聖經中信心的最高表現。
祈禱◆主啊，今天早上，一堆微小但實際的事情擠進我的思想，我將它們直接帶到你的面前。你以智慧說：[住了吧！靜了吧！ ]願我們那接受你吩咐的生命，承認你的平靜是何等美好。
We have the idea that God rewards us for our faith, and it may be so in the initial stages. But we do not earn anything through faith— faith brings us into the right relationship with God and gives Him His opportunity to work. Yet God frequently has to knock the bottom out of your experience as His saint to get you in direct contact with Himself. God wants you to understand that it is a life of faith, not a life of emotional enjoyment of His blessings. The beginning of your life of faith was very narrow and intense, centered around a small amount of experience that had as much emotion as faith in it, and it was full of light and sweetness. Then God withdrew His conscious blessings to teach you to “walk by faith” (2 Corinthians 5:7). And you are worth much more to Him now than you were in your days of conscious delight with your thrilling testimony.
Faith by its very nature must be tested and tried. And the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character must be proven as trustworthy in our own minds. Faith being worked out into reality must experience times of unbroken isolation. Never confuse the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life, because a great deal of what we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith, as the Bible teaches it, is faith in God coming against everything that contradicts Him— a faith that says, “I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do.” The highest and the greatest expression of faith in the whole Bible is— “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).
信心的辨識
你們若有信心像一粒芥菜種（太十七20）
我們往往認為神會因我們的信心，報答我們。初時可能是這樣，但其實我們不能藉信心賺取什麼。信心使我們與神的關係正確，以致神有機會作工。你若是聖徒，神往往要把你的經驗底板抽去，好使你直接與他接觸。神要你明白，這是信心的生命，而不是情感化地享受他祝福的生命。你早期的信心生命是狹窄的、緊張的，環繞著一小撮光明的經歷，滿了陽光與甜蜜，可是其中信心的成他分，與常理的成他分差不多同等。後來神把可見的祝福挪開，教你行信心的路，你如今在他手上更有價值，遠超那些感覺喜樂、滿有激動見證的日子。
信心必須經過試驗。信心真正的考驗，不是在於我們覺得難以信靠神，而是在於我們對神的性情，必須有清楚的認識。信心的實現，必須經過一連串個別孤立的考驗。不要把信心的試驗與一般生活的操練混為一談。許多我們成為信心的考驗，不過是活在地上無法避免的事情。聖經中的信心，是在一切違反神自己的事上，還持定信神－－[不管神怎樣做，我必定忠於神的本性。 ][他雖然殺我，我仍要信靠他。 ]－－這是聖經中信心的最高表現。
祈禱◆主啊，今天早上，一堆微小但實際的事情擠進我的思想，我將它們直接帶到你的面前。你以智慧說：[住了吧！靜了吧！ ]願我們那接受你吩咐的生命，承認你的平靜是何等美好。
October 30, 2012
Faith
Without faith it is impossible to please Him . . . —Hebrews 11:6
Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindedness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth. The life of faith brings the two of these into the proper relationship. Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short. Yet faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. “We know that all things work together for good . . .” (Romans 8:28) so that no matter what happens, the transforming power of God’s providence transforms perfect faith into reality. Faith always works in a personal way, because the purpose of God is to see that perfect faith is made real in His children.
For every detail of common sense in life, there is a truth God has revealed by which we can prove in our practical experience what we believe God to be. Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus Christ first. The life of faith says, “Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word” (for example, see Matthew 6:33). Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us. Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can’t have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless. Faith is the entire person in the right relationship with God through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
信
人非有信，就不能得神的喜悅。 （來十一6）
反常理的信心，是宗教狂熱；反信心的常理，是理性主義。信心的生活卻將二者調和成正確的關係。常理不是信心，信心也非常理。二者代表了自然與超然的關係，直覺與啟示的關係。耶穌基督所說的一切話，非從常理，乃從啟示，在常理無效之際，他的話依然有效。信心必須受試驗，然後這信心才真實。 [我們知道萬事都互相效力]，這樣，無論什麼事發生，神的煉金術總能把理想的信心，變作實際。信心必須從個人開始，神整個計劃就是使理想的信心，在他兒女身上實現。
日常生活中每一細節，都在啟示神，叫我們可以在實際經歷中，證實我們所信的。信心是一項極主動的原則，總把主耶穌放在首位－－[主啊，你這樣說過（太六33），看來全不合理，但我要依你的話去做。 ]若要把頭腦的信心變成個人產業，便市場都要經歷爭戰，不是偶爾經歷。神放我們在某一環境中，是要教育我們的信心；但一旦聽見耶穌說：[人看見了我，就看見了父。 ]我們就有了實際的東西，信心就毫無止境。信心就是透過耶穌基督的能力，全人與神建立正確的關係。
祈禱◆但如今，[神啊，求你堅固我的守]－－主啊，請在這一刻，到我這裡來，以你自己來充滿我，那麼，我便不會再有未滿足的渴求。
Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindedness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth. The life of faith brings the two of these into the proper relationship. Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short. Yet faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. “We know that all things work together for good . . .” (Romans 8:28) so that no matter what happens, the transforming power of God’s providence transforms perfect faith into reality. Faith always works in a personal way, because the purpose of God is to see that perfect faith is made real in His children.
For every detail of common sense in life, there is a truth God has revealed by which we can prove in our practical experience what we believe God to be. Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus Christ first. The life of faith says, “Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word” (for example, see Matthew 6:33). Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us. Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can’t have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless. Faith is the entire person in the right relationship with God through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
信
人非有信，就不能得神的喜悅。 （來十一6）
反常理的信心，是宗教狂熱；反信心的常理，是理性主義。信心的生活卻將二者調和成正確的關係。常理不是信心，信心也非常理。二者代表了自然與超然的關係，直覺與啟示的關係。耶穌基督所說的一切話，非從常理，乃從啟示，在常理無效之際，他的話依然有效。信心必須受試驗，然後這信心才真實。 [我們知道萬事都互相效力]，這樣，無論什麼事發生，神的煉金術總能把理想的信心，變作實際。信心必須從個人開始，神整個計劃就是使理想的信心，在他兒女身上實現。
日常生活中每一細節，都在啟示神，叫我們可以在實際經歷中，證實我們所信的。信心是一項極主動的原則，總把主耶穌放在首位－－[主啊，你這樣說過（太六33），看來全不合理，但我要依你的話去做。 ]若要把頭腦的信心變成個人產業，便市場都要經歷爭戰，不是偶爾經歷。神放我們在某一環境中，是要教育我們的信心；但一旦聽見耶穌說：[人看見了我，就看見了父。 ]我們就有了實際的東西，信心就毫無止境。信心就是透過耶穌基督的能力，全人與神建立正確的關係。
祈禱◆但如今，[神啊，求你堅固我的守]－－主啊，請在這一刻，到我這裡來，以你自己來充滿我，那麼，我便不會再有未滿足的渴求。
October 29, 2012
Substitution
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him —2 Corinthians 5:21
The modern view of the death of Jesus is that He died for our sins out of sympathy for us. Yet the New Testament view is that He took our sin on Himself not because of sympathy, but because of His identification with us. He was “made . . . to be sin . . .” Our sins are removed because of the death of Jesus, and the only explanation for His death is His obedience to His Father, not His sympathy for us. We are acceptable to God not because we have obeyed, nor because we have promised to give up things, but because of the death of Christ, and for no other reason. We say that Jesus Christ came to reveal the fatherhood and the lovingkindness of God, but the New Testament says that He came to take “away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). And the revealing of the fatherhood of God is only to those to whom Jesus has been introduced as Savior. In speaking to the world, Jesus Christ never referred to Himself as One who revealed the Father, but He spoke instead of being a stumbling block (see John 15:22-24). John 14:9, where Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father,” was spoken to His disciples.
That Christ died for me, and therefore I am completely free from penalty, is never taught in the New Testament. What is taught in the New Testament is that “He died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15)— not, “He died my death”— and that through identification with His death I can be freed from sin, and have His very righteousness imparted as a gift to me. The substitution which is taught in the New Testament is twofold— “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The teaching is not Christ for me unless I am determined to have Christ formed in me (see Galatians 4:19).
替代
神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 （林後五21）
現代人以為耶穌為我們的罪死，是因為他同情我們。但新約的觀點卻不然，他並非因同情而背負我們的罪，他乃是因為於我們認同。神使他成為罪。他的死，叫我們得以除罪；而他的死，是順服他父的旨意，而不是出於對我們的同情。我們蒙神悅納，不是因為順服，或答應放棄什麼東西，乃是因為基督的死，除此別無他法。我們說耶穌基督來，是彰顯神為父的地位，和他的恩慈；但新約卻說：他來是擔當世人的罪。他彰顯父神，只是向那些人他為救主的人。主從來沒有向世人說他自己就是彰顯父神的那一位，他只說自己是絆腳石（約十五22-24）。約翰福音十四章第9節是對門徒說的。
新約從沒有說基督為我死，所以我就免罰了。新約的教訓是[他為萬人死]（不是代替了我死），而我在他的死上與他合一，就從罪中得著釋放，並承受了他的義。新約所教導的代替是有雙重的意義：[神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 ]除非我決意讓基督成形在我裡面，否則，基督就不是[替]我死了。
祈禱◆主啊，為著再次感受到與你之間有著喜樂的相交，我讚美你。願你將平靜的思想和堅定的決心賜給我。讓我毫無懷疑和毫不偏斜地屬於你。
The modern view of the death of Jesus is that He died for our sins out of sympathy for us. Yet the New Testament view is that He took our sin on Himself not because of sympathy, but because of His identification with us. He was “made . . . to be sin . . .” Our sins are removed because of the death of Jesus, and the only explanation for His death is His obedience to His Father, not His sympathy for us. We are acceptable to God not because we have obeyed, nor because we have promised to give up things, but because of the death of Christ, and for no other reason. We say that Jesus Christ came to reveal the fatherhood and the lovingkindness of God, but the New Testament says that He came to take “away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). And the revealing of the fatherhood of God is only to those to whom Jesus has been introduced as Savior. In speaking to the world, Jesus Christ never referred to Himself as One who revealed the Father, but He spoke instead of being a stumbling block (see John 15:22-24). John 14:9, where Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father,” was spoken to His disciples.
That Christ died for me, and therefore I am completely free from penalty, is never taught in the New Testament. What is taught in the New Testament is that “He died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15)— not, “He died my death”— and that through identification with His death I can be freed from sin, and have His very righteousness imparted as a gift to me. The substitution which is taught in the New Testament is twofold— “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The teaching is not Christ for me unless I am determined to have Christ formed in me (see Galatians 4:19).
替代
神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 （林後五21）
現代人以為耶穌為我們的罪死，是因為他同情我們。但新約的觀點卻不然，他並非因同情而背負我們的罪，他乃是因為於我們認同。神使他成為罪。他的死，叫我們得以除罪；而他的死，是順服他父的旨意，而不是出於對我們的同情。我們蒙神悅納，不是因為順服，或答應放棄什麼東西，乃是因為基督的死，除此別無他法。我們說耶穌基督來，是彰顯神為父的地位，和他的恩慈；但新約卻說：他來是擔當世人的罪。他彰顯父神，只是向那些人他為救主的人。主從來沒有向世人說他自己就是彰顯父神的那一位，他只說自己是絆腳石（約十五22-24）。約翰福音十四章第9節是對門徒說的。
新約從沒有說基督為我死，所以我就免罰了。新約的教訓是[他為萬人死]（不是代替了我死），而我在他的死上與他合一，就從罪中得著釋放，並承受了他的義。新約所教導的代替是有雙重的意義：[神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 ]除非我決意讓基督成形在我裡面，否則，基督就不是[替]我死了。
祈禱◆主啊，為著再次感受到與你之間有著喜樂的相交，我讚美你。願你將平靜的思想和堅定的決心賜給我。讓我毫無懷疑和毫不偏斜地屬於你。
October 28, 2012
Justification by Faith
If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life —Romans 5:10
I am not saved by believing— I simply realize I am saved by believing. And it is not repentance that saves me— repentance is only the sign that I realize what God has done through Christ Jesus. The danger here is putting the emphasis on the effect, instead of on the cause. Is it my obedience, consecration, and dedication that make me right with God? It is never that! I am made right with God because, prior to all of that, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals, the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ instantly places me into a right relationship with God. And as a result of the supernatural miracle of God’s grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, or because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The Spirit of God brings justification with a shattering, radiant light, and I know that I am saved, even though I don’t know how it was accomplished.
The salvation that comes from God is not based on human logic, but on the sacrificial death of Jesus. We can be born again solely because of the atonement of our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creations, not through their repentance or their belief, but through the wonderful work of God in Christ Jesus which preceded all of our experience (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-19). The unconquerable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself. We do not have to accomplish these things ourselves— they have been accomplished through the atonement of the Cross of Christ. The supernatural becomes natural to us through the miracle of God, and there is the realization of what Jesus Christ has already done— “It is finished!” (John 19:30).
因信稱義
因為我們作仇敵的時候，且藉著神兒子的死，得與神和好，既已和好，就更要因他得生得救了。 （羅五10）
我不是因我的信得救，我是因著信，知道自己得救。悔改不能救我；悔改只表示我體會神在基督耶穌裡所成就的。最危險的是把重點放在果效，而不放在基因上。因為我順服，所以與神和好－－我的成聖。不！我與神和好，是因為在一切以先，基督死了。當我轉向神，憑信心接納神所啟示我－－耶穌基督救贖的大能－－就立時進入與神和好的境地；又憑著神恩典超然的神蹟，我立在稱義的地位上。這不是因為我認罪，不是因為我悔改，而是因為主耶穌所成就的。神的靈帶來一道透澈的光芒，於是我知道自己得救了，雖然我不知道這到底怎樣發生的。
神的救贖並不建基於人的邏輯，乃建基於耶穌的捨身。我們得以重生，是因為主的救贖。有罪的人可以成為新造的人，不是由於他們悔改，不是由於他們相信，乃是由於神在主耶穌里奇妙的工作，這是一切經歷之首。稱義成聖的穩固保障，是神自己。我們不必去做什麼，因為一切已在救贖中作成了。神奇妙的作為使超然的成為自然，我們可以認識主耶穌已春泥果酒的－－[成了]。
祈禱◆主啊，因著在你這位眾光之父裡，[沒有改變，也沒有轉動的影兒]，我便歡喜快樂。願你使我能辨別你的統治和管理。
I am not saved by believing— I simply realize I am saved by believing. And it is not repentance that saves me— repentance is only the sign that I realize what God has done through Christ Jesus. The danger here is putting the emphasis on the effect, instead of on the cause. Is it my obedience, consecration, and dedication that make me right with God? It is never that! I am made right with God because, prior to all of that, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals, the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ instantly places me into a right relationship with God. And as a result of the supernatural miracle of God’s grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, or because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The Spirit of God brings justification with a shattering, radiant light, and I know that I am saved, even though I don’t know how it was accomplished.
The salvation that comes from God is not based on human logic, but on the sacrificial death of Jesus. We can be born again solely because of the atonement of our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creations, not through their repentance or their belief, but through the wonderful work of God in Christ Jesus which preceded all of our experience (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-19). The unconquerable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself. We do not have to accomplish these things ourselves— they have been accomplished through the atonement of the Cross of Christ. The supernatural becomes natural to us through the miracle of God, and there is the realization of what Jesus Christ has already done— “It is finished!” (John 19:30).
因信稱義
因為我們作仇敵的時候，且藉著神兒子的死，得與神和好，既已和好，就更要因他得生得救了。 （羅五10）
我不是因我的信得救，我是因著信，知道自己得救。悔改不能救我；悔改只表示我體會神在基督耶穌裡所成就的。最危險的是把重點放在果效，而不放在基因上。因為我順服，所以與神和好－－我的成聖。不！我與神和好，是因為在一切以先，基督死了。當我轉向神，憑信心接納神所啟示我－－耶穌基督救贖的大能－－就立時進入與神和好的境地；又憑著神恩典超然的神蹟，我立在稱義的地位上。這不是因為我認罪，不是因為我悔改，而是因為主耶穌所成就的。神的靈帶來一道透澈的光芒，於是我知道自己得救了，雖然我不知道這到底怎樣發生的。
神的救贖並不建基於人的邏輯，乃建基於耶穌的捨身。我們得以重生，是因為主的救贖。有罪的人可以成為新造的人，不是由於他們悔改，不是由於他們相信，乃是由於神在主耶穌里奇妙的工作，這是一切經歷之首。稱義成聖的穩固保障，是神自己。我們不必去做什麼，因為一切已在救贖中作成了。神奇妙的作為使超然的成為自然，我們可以認識主耶穌已春泥果酒的－－[成了]。
祈禱◆主啊，因著在你這位眾光之父裡，[沒有改變，也沒有轉動的影兒]，我便歡喜快樂。願你使我能辨別你的統治和管理。
October 27, 2012
The Method of Missions
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . —Matthew 28:19
Jesus Christ did not say, “Go and save souls” (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but He said, “Go . . . make disciples of all the nations . . . .” Yet you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. When the disciples returned from their first mission, they were filled with joy because even the demons were subject to them. But Jesus said, in effect, “Don’t rejoice in successful service— the great secret of joy is that you have the right relationship with Me” (see Luke 10:17-20). The missionary’s great essential is remaining true to the call of God, and realizing that his one and only purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus. Remember that there is a passion for souls that does not come from God, but from our desire to make converts to our point of view.
The challenge to the missionary does not come from the fact that people are difficult to bring to salvation, that backsliders are difficult to reclaim, or that there is a barrier of callous indifference. No, the challenge comes from the perspective of the missionary’s own personal relationship with Jesus Christ— “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28). Our Lord unwaveringly asks us that question, and it confronts us in every individual situation we encounter. The one great challenge to us is— do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God’s sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said? Or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of limitless confidence in Christ Jesus, which is really God’s only call for a missionary? If I follow any other method, I depart altogether from the methods prescribed by our Lord— “All authority has been given to Me . . . . Gotherefore. . .” (Matthew 28:18-19).
宣教之方
所以你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒。 （太二十八19）
耶穌基督不是說：[去拯救靈魂。 ]（靈魂的得救，是神超然的工作。）他乃是說：[去，使萬民作我的門徒。 ]除非你自己先作門徒，否則無法叫人作門徒。昔日門徒第一次奉差遣出去，因為污鬼也服了他們，歡樂而回。耶穌就說：[不要因工作成功而歡欣；快樂最大的秘訣，是與我保持正確的關係。 ]宣教士最要緊的是對神的呼召效忠，知道他唯一的目標是使人作主的門徒。有時對靈魂的熱切，不是由神而來，而是出於想人家跟從自己的觀點。
宣教士的挑戰，並不是人難以得救；不是退後的人難以迴轉；也不是人的冷漠、毫不動心；而是他與主耶穌基督的關係。 [你們信我能作這事麼？ ]我們的主不斷問這個問題，每遇一事，主都會這樣問。我們唯一的大挑戰是－－我認識我的複活主麼？我認識他內居的靈的大能麼？我是否因著對主耶穌話語的完全信靠，以致在神眼中成為智慧的，而在世界看來，卻是愚拙？還是我拋棄了那超然的地位，也就是神對宣教士唯一的呼召－－對主耶穌基督無限的信賴？我若用其他任何方法，就脫離了主所定下的方法了，主說：[天上地下所有的權柄都賜給我了，所以你們要去……]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，吸引我靠近你；願我以你自己為榮，因為你將我這樣的一個罪人，變成你有用的僕人。
Jesus Christ did not say, “Go and save souls” (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but He said, “Go . . . make disciples of all the nations . . . .” Yet you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. When the disciples returned from their first mission, they were filled with joy because even the demons were subject to them. But Jesus said, in effect, “Don’t rejoice in successful service— the great secret of joy is that you have the right relationship with Me” (see Luke 10:17-20). The missionary’s great essential is remaining true to the call of God, and realizing that his one and only purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus. Remember that there is a passion for souls that does not come from God, but from our desire to make converts to our point of view.
The challenge to the missionary does not come from the fact that people are difficult to bring to salvation, that backsliders are difficult to reclaim, or that there is a barrier of callous indifference. No, the challenge comes from the perspective of the missionary’s own personal relationship with Jesus Christ— “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28). Our Lord unwaveringly asks us that question, and it confronts us in every individual situation we encounter. The one great challenge to us is— do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God’s sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said? Or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of limitless confidence in Christ Jesus, which is really God’s only call for a missionary? If I follow any other method, I depart altogether from the methods prescribed by our Lord— “All authority has been given to Me . . . . Gotherefore. . .” (Matthew 28:18-19).
宣教之方
所以你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒。 （太二十八19）
耶穌基督不是說：[去拯救靈魂。 ]（靈魂的得救，是神超然的工作。）他乃是說：[去，使萬民作我的門徒。 ]除非你自己先作門徒，否則無法叫人作門徒。昔日門徒第一次奉差遣出去，因為污鬼也服了他們，歡樂而回。耶穌就說：[不要因工作成功而歡欣；快樂最大的秘訣，是與我保持正確的關係。 ]宣教士最要緊的是對神的呼召效忠，知道他唯一的目標是使人作主的門徒。有時對靈魂的熱切，不是由神而來，而是出於想人家跟從自己的觀點。
宣教士的挑戰，並不是人難以得救；不是退後的人難以迴轉；也不是人的冷漠、毫不動心；而是他與主耶穌基督的關係。 [你們信我能作這事麼？ ]我們的主不斷問這個問題，每遇一事，主都會這樣問。我們唯一的大挑戰是－－我認識我的複活主麼？我認識他內居的靈的大能麼？我是否因著對主耶穌話語的完全信靠，以致在神眼中成為智慧的，而在世界看來，卻是愚拙？還是我拋棄了那超然的地位，也就是神對宣教士唯一的呼召－－對主耶穌基督無限的信賴？我若用其他任何方法，就脫離了主所定下的方法了，主說：[天上地下所有的權柄都賜給我了，所以你們要去……]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，吸引我靠近你；願我以你自己為榮，因為你將我這樣的一個罪人，變成你有用的僕人。
October 26, 2012
What is a Missionary?
Jesus said to them again, ’. . . As the Father has sent Me, I also send you’ —John 20:21
A missionary is someone sent by Jesus Christ just as He was sent by God. The great controlling factor is not the needs of people, but the command of Jesus. The source of our inspiration in our service for God is behind us, not ahead of us. The tendency today is to put the inspiration out in front— to sweep everything together in front of us and make it conform to our definition of success. But in the New Testament the inspiration is put behind us, and is the Lord Jesus Himself. The goal is to be true to Him— to carry out His plans.
Personal attachment to the Lord Jesus and to His perspective is the one thing that must not be overlooked. In missionary work the great danger is that God’s call will be replaced by the needs of the people, to the point that human sympathy for those needs will absolutely overwhelm the meaning of being sent by Jesus. The needs are so enormous, and the conditions so difficult, that every power of the mind falters and fails. We tend to forget that the one great reason underneath all missionary work is not primarily the elevation of the people, their education, nor their needs, but is first and foremost the command of Jesus Christ— “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . .” (Matthew 28:19).
When looking back on the lives of men and women of God, the tendency is to say, “What wonderfully keen and intelligent wisdom they had, and how perfectly they understood all that God wanted!” But the keen and intelligent mind behind them was the mind of God, not human wisdom at all. We give credit to human wisdom when we should give credit to the divine guidance of God being exhibited through childlike people who were “foolish” enough to trust God’s wisdom and His supernatural equipment.
宣教士是什麼？
"父怎樣差遣了我，我也照樣差遣你們。"約20：21
宣教士是被耶穌所差遣的人，正如耶穌被神差遣一樣。最重要的不是人的需要，而是耶穌的命令。激勵我們為神工作的根源是在後面，而不是在前面。今日的趨勢是將激勵放在前面，把每一件事帶到我們面前，使其達到我們對勝利的看法。在新約裡面，激勵是放在我們後頭，就是主耶穌。目標是向他真誠，實現他的事業。
一定不可以忽視個人對主耶穌和他的觀點的忠誠。在宣教事業中，最大的危險是神的呼召被人的需要逐漸削弱，以致人的同情心絕對的壓倒了被耶穌差遣的意義。需要是如此巨大，環境是如此令人困惑，以致我們心思裡的所有力量都動搖和失敗。我們忘記了在所有宣教事業背後最大的原因首先不是人的高尚，不是人的教育，也不是滿足他們的需要；居首位的和最重要的是耶穌基督的命令－－"所以，你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒。"（太28： 19）
當回過頭來看屬神的男女的生平，趨向說－－"他們有何等奇妙機敏的智慧！他們如此完全的明白神的旨意！"其實這機敏的心思乃是神的心思，根本不是人的智慧。我們本當信任神的屬天指引的時候，我們卻信任人的智慧；神藉著小孩子一樣的人來引導我們，他們是"愚拙"而完全信靠神的智慧和他超自然才能的人。
祈禱◆主啊，求你今天在我的禱告、敬拜和工作中，以你的靈重新膏抹我，以致在一切事情上，你都可以得居優越的位置。
A missionary is someone sent by Jesus Christ just as He was sent by God. The great controlling factor is not the needs of people, but the command of Jesus. The source of our inspiration in our service for God is behind us, not ahead of us. The tendency today is to put the inspiration out in front— to sweep everything together in front of us and make it conform to our definition of success. But in the New Testament the inspiration is put behind us, and is the Lord Jesus Himself. The goal is to be true to Him— to carry out His plans.
Personal attachment to the Lord Jesus and to His perspective is the one thing that must not be overlooked. In missionary work the great danger is that God’s call will be replaced by the needs of the people, to the point that human sympathy for those needs will absolutely overwhelm the meaning of being sent by Jesus. The needs are so enormous, and the conditions so difficult, that every power of the mind falters and fails. We tend to forget that the one great reason underneath all missionary work is not primarily the elevation of the people, their education, nor their needs, but is first and foremost the command of Jesus Christ— “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . .” (Matthew 28:19).
When looking back on the lives of men and women of God, the tendency is to say, “What wonderfully keen and intelligent wisdom they had, and how perfectly they understood all that God wanted!” But the keen and intelligent mind behind them was the mind of God, not human wisdom at all. We give credit to human wisdom when we should give credit to the divine guidance of God being exhibited through childlike people who were “foolish” enough to trust God’s wisdom and His supernatural equipment.
宣教士是什麼？
"父怎樣差遣了我，我也照樣差遣你們。"約20：21
宣教士是被耶穌所差遣的人，正如耶穌被神差遣一樣。最重要的不是人的需要，而是耶穌的命令。激勵我們為神工作的根源是在後面，而不是在前面。今日的趨勢是將激勵放在前面，把每一件事帶到我們面前，使其達到我們對勝利的看法。在新約裡面，激勵是放在我們後頭，就是主耶穌。目標是向他真誠，實現他的事業。
一定不可以忽視個人對主耶穌和他的觀點的忠誠。在宣教事業中，最大的危險是神的呼召被人的需要逐漸削弱，以致人的同情心絕對的壓倒了被耶穌差遣的意義。需要是如此巨大，環境是如此令人困惑，以致我們心思裡的所有力量都動搖和失敗。我們忘記了在所有宣教事業背後最大的原因首先不是人的高尚，不是人的教育，也不是滿足他們的需要；居首位的和最重要的是耶穌基督的命令－－"所以，你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒。"（太28： 19）
當回過頭來看屬神的男女的生平，趨向說－－"他們有何等奇妙機敏的智慧！他們如此完全的明白神的旨意！"其實這機敏的心思乃是神的心思，根本不是人的智慧。我們本當信任神的屬天指引的時候，我們卻信任人的智慧；神藉著小孩子一樣的人來引導我們，他們是"愚拙"而完全信靠神的智慧和他超自然才能的人。
祈禱◆主啊，求你今天在我的禱告、敬拜和工作中，以你的靈重新膏抹我，以致在一切事情上，你都可以得居優越的位置。
October 25, 2012
Submitting to God’s Purpose
I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some —1 Corinthians 9:22
A Christian worker has to learn how to be God’s man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things. Never protest by saying, “If only I were somewhere else!” All of God’s people are ordinary people who have been made extraordinary by the purpose He has given them. Unless we have the right purpose intellectually in our minds and lovingly in our hearts, we will very quickly be diverted from being useful to God. We are not workers for God by choice. Many people deliberately choose to be workers, but they have no purpose of God’s almighty grace or His mighty Word in them. Paul’s whole heart, mind, and soul were consumed with the great purpose of what Jesus Christ came to do, and he never lost sight of that one thing. We must continually confront ourselves with one central fact— “. . . Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
“I chose you . . .” (John 15:16). Keep these words as a wonderful reminder in your theology. It is not that you have gotten God, but that He has gotten you. God is at work bending, breaking, molding, and doing exactly as He chooses. And why is He doing it? He is doing it for only one purpose— that He may be able to say, “This is My man, and this is My woman.” We have to be in God’s hand so that He can place others on the Rock, Jesus Christ, just as He has placed us.
Never choose to be a worker, but once God has placed His call upon you, woe be to you if you “turn aside . . . to the right or the left . . .” (Deuteronomy 28:14). He will do with you what He never did before His call came to you, and He will do with you what He is not doing with other people. Let Him have His way.
永遠的破碎
"向什麼樣的人，我就作什麼樣的人。無論如何總要救些人。"林前9：22
一個基督徒工人要學會如何在卑賤的事中成為屬神的高尚之人。千萬不要用這個藉口－－如果我在其他地方就好了！所有屬神的人都是平凡人，只是因神所給予他們的內容而成為特別。除非我們在心智和情感上都有了正確的內容，否則我們會對神毫無用處。我們不是選擇作神的工人。許多人刻意地選擇作神的工人，但在他們裡面沒有神全能的恩典，也沒有他大能的話語。保羅的整個心、思想和靈魂都被耶穌基督降世的偉大使命所吸引，他從沒有忘記這件事。我們也要面對自己在這個中心的事實－－耶穌基督並他釘十字架。
"我已經揀選了你。"要在你的信條裡牢記這偉大的話語。不是你得到了神，而是他得到了你。在這所學校裡，神在做工，他改變人，他打碎人，他模造人，按照他所揀選的去做。我們不知道他為什麼做這個，他只是為了一個唯一的目的－－就是他可以說，這是屬於我的男人，這是屬於我的女人。我們要在神的手裡，好讓他把人栽種在磐石上，就像栽種我們一樣。
不要自己選擇去做一個工人，但是當神呼召你時，如果你左推右搪，就有禍了。他會在你身上做些事情，是呼召你以前所未做過的；他會對付你，不像對其他人那樣。讓他按他的方式做吧。
A Christian worker has to learn how to be God’s man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things. Never protest by saying, “If only I were somewhere else!” All of God’s people are ordinary people who have been made extraordinary by the purpose He has given them. Unless we have the right purpose intellectually in our minds and lovingly in our hearts, we will very quickly be diverted from being useful to God. We are not workers for God by choice. Many people deliberately choose to be workers, but they have no purpose of God’s almighty grace or His mighty Word in them. Paul’s whole heart, mind, and soul were consumed with the great purpose of what Jesus Christ came to do, and he never lost sight of that one thing. We must continually confront ourselves with one central fact— “. . . Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
“I chose you . . .” (John 15:16). Keep these words as a wonderful reminder in your theology. It is not that you have gotten God, but that He has gotten you. God is at work bending, breaking, molding, and doing exactly as He chooses. And why is He doing it? He is doing it for only one purpose— that He may be able to say, “This is My man, and this is My woman.” We have to be in God’s hand so that He can place others on the Rock, Jesus Christ, just as He has placed us.
Never choose to be a worker, but once God has placed His call upon you, woe be to you if you “turn aside . . . to the right or the left . . .” (Deuteronomy 28:14). He will do with you what He never did before His call came to you, and He will do with you what He is not doing with other people. Let Him have His way.
永遠的破碎
"向什麼樣的人，我就作什麼樣的人。無論如何總要救些人。"林前9：22
一個基督徒工人要學會如何在卑賤的事中成為屬神的高尚之人。千萬不要用這個藉口－－如果我在其他地方就好了！所有屬神的人都是平凡人，只是因神所給予他們的內容而成為特別。除非我們在心智和情感上都有了正確的內容，否則我們會對神毫無用處。我們不是選擇作神的工人。許多人刻意地選擇作神的工人，但在他們裡面沒有神全能的恩典，也沒有他大能的話語。保羅的整個心、思想和靈魂都被耶穌基督降世的偉大使命所吸引，他從沒有忘記這件事。我們也要面對自己在這個中心的事實－－耶穌基督並他釘十字架。
"我已經揀選了你。"要在你的信條裡牢記這偉大的話語。不是你得到了神，而是他得到了你。在這所學校裡，神在做工，他改變人，他打碎人，他模造人，按照他所揀選的去做。我們不知道他為什麼做這個，他只是為了一個唯一的目的－－就是他可以說，這是屬於我的男人，這是屬於我的女人。我們要在神的手裡，好讓他把人栽種在磐石上，就像栽種我們一樣。
不要自己選擇去做一個工人，但是當神呼召你時，如果你左推右搪，就有禍了。他會在你身上做些事情，是呼召你以前所未做過的；他會對付你，不像對其他人那樣。讓他按他的方式做吧。
October 24, 2012
The Proper Perspective
Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ . . . —2 Corinthians 2:14
The proper perspective of a servant of God must not simply be as near to the highest as he can get, but it must be the highest. Be careful that you vigorously maintain God’s perspective, and remember that it must be done every day, little by little. Don’t think on a finite level. No outside power can touch the proper perspective.
The proper perspective to maintain is that we are here for only one purpose— to be captives marching in the procession of Christ’s triumphs. We are not on display in God’s showcase— we are here to exhibit only one thing— the “captivity [of our lives] to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). How small all the other perspectives are! For example, the ones that say, “I am standing all alone, battling for Jesus,” or, “I have to maintain the cause of Christ and hold down this fort for Him.” But Paul said, in essence, “I am in the procession of a conqueror, and it doesn’t matter what the difficulties are, for I am always led in triumph.” Is this idea being worked out practically in us? Paul’s secret joy was that God took him as a blatant rebel against Jesus Christ, and made him a captive— and that became his purpose. It was Paul’s joy to be a captive of the Lord, and he had no other interest in heaven or on earth. It is a shameful thing for a Christian to talk about getting the victory. We should belong so completely to the Victor that it is always His victory, and “we are more than conquerors through Him . . .” (Romans 8:37).
“We are to God the fragrance of Christ . . .” (2 Corinthians 2:15). We are encompassed with the sweet aroma of Jesus, and wherever we go we are a wonderful refreshment to God.
觀點
"感謝神！常率領我們在基督裡誇勝。"林後2：14
對於一個為神工作的工人，他的觀點不能是接近他所能達到的最高，而必須是最高。要當心只是費力地維持神的觀點，要每天這樣做，一點點地，不要考慮期限。沒有任何外在的力量可以觸到神的觀點。
我們要維持的觀點乃是，我們在這世上單單是為一個目的，即成為基督得勝的軍隊中的俘虜。我們不是在神的陳列室裡，我們在世是要展示一件事－－我們的生命被耶穌基督絕對的俘虜。其他的觀點是何等渺小－－"我在獨自為耶穌爭戰，我要維持基督的事業，為他堅守崗位"。保羅說，我在勝利者的隊伍裡，無論遇到什麼困難，我總是在得勝中。這個觀念是否實際在我們裡面運行呢？保羅喜樂的秘決是神帶領他，一個雙手沾染了鮮血的反叛耶穌基督的人，成為了耶穌基督的俘虜，現在這就是他在世的全部目的。保羅的喜樂就是成為主的俘虜，對天地裡的一切再沒有其他的興趣。對於一個基督徒來說，談論如何得到勝利是一件羞恥的事。得勝者應當完全的得著我們，以致始終都是他的得勝，我們也藉著他成為了得勝者。
"因為我們在神面前，無論在得救的人身上，或滅亡的人身上，都有基督馨香之氣。"（ 15 節）我們被耶穌的香氣包圍，無論我們走到哪裡，都叫神舒暢，使人奇妙的恢復與神的關係。
The proper perspective of a servant of God must not simply be as near to the highest as he can get, but it must be the highest. Be careful that you vigorously maintain God’s perspective, and remember that it must be done every day, little by little. Don’t think on a finite level. No outside power can touch the proper perspective.
The proper perspective to maintain is that we are here for only one purpose— to be captives marching in the procession of Christ’s triumphs. We are not on display in God’s showcase— we are here to exhibit only one thing— the “captivity [of our lives] to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). How small all the other perspectives are! For example, the ones that say, “I am standing all alone, battling for Jesus,” or, “I have to maintain the cause of Christ and hold down this fort for Him.” But Paul said, in essence, “I am in the procession of a conqueror, and it doesn’t matter what the difficulties are, for I am always led in triumph.” Is this idea being worked out practically in us? Paul’s secret joy was that God took him as a blatant rebel against Jesus Christ, and made him a captive— and that became his purpose. It was Paul’s joy to be a captive of the Lord, and he had no other interest in heaven or on earth. It is a shameful thing for a Christian to talk about getting the victory. We should belong so completely to the Victor that it is always His victory, and “we are more than conquerors through Him . . .” (Romans 8:37).
“We are to God the fragrance of Christ . . .” (2 Corinthians 2:15). We are encompassed with the sweet aroma of Jesus, and wherever we go we are a wonderful refreshment to God.
觀點
"感謝神！常率領我們在基督裡誇勝。"林後2：14
對於一個為神工作的工人，他的觀點不能是接近他所能達到的最高，而必須是最高。要當心只是費力地維持神的觀點，要每天這樣做，一點點地，不要考慮期限。沒有任何外在的力量可以觸到神的觀點。
我們要維持的觀點乃是，我們在這世上單單是為一個目的，即成為基督得勝的軍隊中的俘虜。我們不是在神的陳列室裡，我們在世是要展示一件事－－我們的生命被耶穌基督絕對的俘虜。其他的觀點是何等渺小－－"我在獨自為耶穌爭戰，我要維持基督的事業，為他堅守崗位"。保羅說，我在勝利者的隊伍裡，無論遇到什麼困難，我總是在得勝中。這個觀念是否實際在我們裡面運行呢？保羅喜樂的秘決是神帶領他，一個雙手沾染了鮮血的反叛耶穌基督的人，成為了耶穌基督的俘虜，現在這就是他在世的全部目的。保羅的喜樂就是成為主的俘虜，對天地裡的一切再沒有其他的興趣。對於一個基督徒來說，談論如何得到勝利是一件羞恥的事。得勝者應當完全的得著我們，以致始終都是他的得勝，我們也藉著他成為了得勝者。
"因為我們在神面前，無論在得救的人身上，或滅亡的人身上，都有基督馨香之氣。"（ 15 節）我們被耶穌的香氣包圍，無論我們走到哪裡，都叫神舒暢，使人奇妙的恢復與神的關係。
October 23, 2012
Nothing of the Old Life!
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new —2 Corinthians 5:17
Our Lord never tolerates our prejudices— He is directly opposed to them and puts them to death. We tend to think that God has some special interest in our particular prejudices, and are very sure that He will never deal with us as He has to deal with others. We even say to ourselves, “God has to deal with other people in a very strict way, but of course He knows that my prejudices are all right.” But we must learn that God accepts nothing of the old life! Instead of being on the side of our prejudices, He is deliberately removing them from us. It is part of our moral education to see our prejudices put to death by His providence, and to watch how He does it. God pays no respect to anything we bring to Him. There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender.
When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begins to work His new creation in us, and there will come a time when there is nothing remaining of the old life. Our old gloomy outlook disappears, as does our old attitude toward things, and “all things are of God” (2 Corinthians 5:18). How are we going to get a life that has no lust, no self-interest, and is not sensitive to the ridicule of others? How will we have the type of love that “is kind . . . is not provoked, [and] thinks no evil”? (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). The only way is by allowing nothing of the old life to remain, and by having only simple, perfect trust in God— such a trust that we no longer want God’s blessings, but only want God Himself. Have we come to the point where God can withdraw His blessings from us without our trust in Him being affected? Once we truly see God at work, we will never be concerned again about the things that happen, because we are actually trusting in our Father in heaven, whom the world cannot see.
一點也不
"若有人在基督裡，他就是新造的人，舊事已過，都變成新的了。"林後5:17
我們的主從不看護我們的成見，他只克服它們，清理它們。我們想像神對我們的特別成見有著特別的興趣；我們很肯定神不會像對付其他人那樣對付我們。 "神一定會非常嚴厲的對付其他人，他當然知道我的成見是對的。可是我們必須認識到神不但不站在我們的成見這邊，反而有意地要將它們清掃出去。我們所受的道德教育的一部分是，讓神的旨意除去我們的成見，並看看他怎麼做。神毫不在意我們帶給他什麼。神只想要我們做一件事，就是無條件的降服。
當我們重生的時候，聖靈開始將他的新創造做在我們裡面，必有一天舊秩序所遺留的會蕩然無存，離開舊的儀式，離開舊的態度，"所有的都是屬神的。 "我們如何得到那沒有情慾，沒有自我利益，對別人的刺痛不敏感，有不輕易發怒的愛，不思想罪惡，常待人有恩慈的生命呢？唯一的辦法是不讓一點點舊生命留下來，而只單單完全的信靠神，以致我們不再想要神的祝福，只想要他自己。我們是否到達一個地步，神可以撤回他的祝福而不會影響我們對他的信靠？當一旦我們看到神在做工，我們就不會為所發生的事煩擾，因為我們正實際的信靠我們在天上的父，他是這世界無法看到的。
Our Lord never tolerates our prejudices— He is directly opposed to them and puts them to death. We tend to think that God has some special interest in our particular prejudices, and are very sure that He will never deal with us as He has to deal with others. We even say to ourselves, “God has to deal with other people in a very strict way, but of course He knows that my prejudices are all right.” But we must learn that God accepts nothing of the old life! Instead of being on the side of our prejudices, He is deliberately removing them from us. It is part of our moral education to see our prejudices put to death by His providence, and to watch how He does it. God pays no respect to anything we bring to Him. There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender.
When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begins to work His new creation in us, and there will come a time when there is nothing remaining of the old life. Our old gloomy outlook disappears, as does our old attitude toward things, and “all things are of God” (2 Corinthians 5:18). How are we going to get a life that has no lust, no self-interest, and is not sensitive to the ridicule of others? How will we have the type of love that “is kind . . . is not provoked, [and] thinks no evil”? (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). The only way is by allowing nothing of the old life to remain, and by having only simple, perfect trust in God— such a trust that we no longer want God’s blessings, but only want God Himself. Have we come to the point where God can withdraw His blessings from us without our trust in Him being affected? Once we truly see God at work, we will never be concerned again about the things that happen, because we are actually trusting in our Father in heaven, whom the world cannot see.
一點也不
"若有人在基督裡，他就是新造的人，舊事已過，都變成新的了。"林後5:17
我們的主從不看護我們的成見，他只克服它們，清理它們。我們想像神對我們的特別成見有著特別的興趣；我們很肯定神不會像對付其他人那樣對付我們。 "神一定會非常嚴厲的對付其他人，他當然知道我的成見是對的。可是我們必須認識到神不但不站在我們的成見這邊，反而有意地要將它們清掃出去。我們所受的道德教育的一部分是，讓神的旨意除去我們的成見，並看看他怎麼做。神毫不在意我們帶給他什麼。神只想要我們做一件事，就是無條件的降服。
當我們重生的時候，聖靈開始將他的新創造做在我們裡面，必有一天舊秩序所遺留的會蕩然無存，離開舊的儀式，離開舊的態度，"所有的都是屬神的。 "我們如何得到那沒有情慾，沒有自我利益，對別人的刺痛不敏感，有不輕易發怒的愛，不思想罪惡，常待人有恩慈的生命呢？唯一的辦法是不讓一點點舊生命留下來，而只單單完全的信靠神，以致我們不再想要神的祝福，只想要他自己。我們是否到達一個地步，神可以撤回他的祝福而不會影響我們對他的信靠？當一旦我們看到神在做工，我們就不會為所發生的事煩擾，因為我們正實際的信靠我們在天上的父，他是這世界無法看到的。
October 22, 2012
The Witness of the Spirit
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit . . . —Romans 8:16
We are in danger of getting into a bargaining spirit with God when we come to Him—we want the witness of the Spirit before we have done what God tells us to do.
Why doesn’t God reveal Himself to you? He cannot. It is not that He will not, but He cannot, because you are in the way as long as you won’t abandon yourself to Him in total surrender. Yet once you do, immediately God witnesses to Himself—He cannot witness to you, but He instantly witnesses to His own nature in you. If you received the witness of the Spirit before the reality and truth that comes from obedience, it would simply result in sentimental emotion. But when you act on the basis of redemption, and stop the disrespectfulness of debating with God, He immediately gives His witness. As soon as you abandon your own reasoning and arguing, God witnesses to what He has done, and you are amazed at your total disrespect in having kept Him waiting. If you are debating as to whether or not God can deliver from sin, then either let Him do it or tell Him that He cannot. Do not quote this or that person to Him. Simply obey Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden . . . .” Come, if you are weary, and ask, if you know you are evil (see Luke 11:9-13).
The Spirit of God witnesses to the redemption of our Lord, and to nothing else. He cannot witness to our reason. We are inclined to mistake the simplicity that comes from our natural commonsense decisions for the witness of the Spirit, but the Spirit witnesses only to His own nature, and to the work of redemption, never to our reason. If we are trying to make Him witness to our reason, it is no wonder that we are in darkness and uncertainty. Throw it all overboard, trust in Him, and He will give you the witness of the Spirit.
聖靈的見證
聖靈與我們的心同證……（羅八16）
我們常存交易的心到神面前。我們順服神吩咐之前，先要求見證。 [為什麼神不向我顯示他自己？ ]他不能。不是他不肯，而是不能，因為你若不完全降服於神，你就成為神向你顯示的攔阻。你一降服，她就即時為自己作見證；他不能向你見證，乃是向他在你裡面的本性見證。若你先得著見證，那不過是情感作用。在你不再理論爭辯的那一刻，神見證他的作為，你會因自己的悖逆而詫異，因為你竟讓神苦等。若以仍為神是否能救人脫罪的問題爭辯的話，最好是讓他去做，或乾脆對他說：你無此能力。不要引用這人或那人的說話，試試馬太福音十一章28節的話－－[到我這裡來。 ]你若勞苦擔重擔，來吧；你若自知有罪，求吧（路十一13）。
我們天然常理的抉擇，往往來得很簡單，很容易誤認作聖靈的見證；可是，聖靈只對他的本性，和救贖的工作見證，而不能向我們的推理見證。若一味要聖靈向我們的理性見證，難怪我們總在黑暗疑雲中。把這些一概拋開，信靠神，他自然給我們見證。
祈禱◆主啊，我無助地來到你面前，卻盼望因著你的靈的內住，我可以被你的愛、你神性無私的屬性，你慈憐的忍耐所充滿，不再被個人的因素所傷害。
We are in danger of getting into a bargaining spirit with God when we come to Him—we want the witness of the Spirit before we have done what God tells us to do.
Why doesn’t God reveal Himself to you? He cannot. It is not that He will not, but He cannot, because you are in the way as long as you won’t abandon yourself to Him in total surrender. Yet once you do, immediately God witnesses to Himself—He cannot witness to you, but He instantly witnesses to His own nature in you. If you received the witness of the Spirit before the reality and truth that comes from obedience, it would simply result in sentimental emotion. But when you act on the basis of redemption, and stop the disrespectfulness of debating with God, He immediately gives His witness. As soon as you abandon your own reasoning and arguing, God witnesses to what He has done, and you are amazed at your total disrespect in having kept Him waiting. If you are debating as to whether or not God can deliver from sin, then either let Him do it or tell Him that He cannot. Do not quote this or that person to Him. Simply obey Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden . . . .” Come, if you are weary, and ask, if you know you are evil (see Luke 11:9-13).
The Spirit of God witnesses to the redemption of our Lord, and to nothing else. He cannot witness to our reason. We are inclined to mistake the simplicity that comes from our natural commonsense decisions for the witness of the Spirit, but the Spirit witnesses only to His own nature, and to the work of redemption, never to our reason. If we are trying to make Him witness to our reason, it is no wonder that we are in darkness and uncertainty. Throw it all overboard, trust in Him, and He will give you the witness of the Spirit.
聖靈的見證
聖靈與我們的心同證……（羅八16）
我們常存交易的心到神面前。我們順服神吩咐之前，先要求見證。 [為什麼神不向我顯示他自己？ ]他不能。不是他不肯，而是不能，因為你若不完全降服於神，你就成為神向你顯示的攔阻。你一降服，她就即時為自己作見證；他不能向你見證，乃是向他在你裡面的本性見證。若你先得著見證，那不過是情感作用。在你不再理論爭辯的那一刻，神見證他的作為，你會因自己的悖逆而詫異，因為你竟讓神苦等。若以仍為神是否能救人脫罪的問題爭辯的話，最好是讓他去做，或乾脆對他說：你無此能力。不要引用這人或那人的說話，試試馬太福音十一章28節的話－－[到我這裡來。 ]你若勞苦擔重擔，來吧；你若自知有罪，求吧（路十一13）。
我們天然常理的抉擇，往往來得很簡單，很容易誤認作聖靈的見證；可是，聖靈只對他的本性，和救贖的工作見證，而不能向我們的推理見證。若一味要聖靈向我們的理性見證，難怪我們總在黑暗疑雲中。把這些一概拋開，信靠神，他自然給我們見證。
祈禱◆主啊，我無助地來到你面前，卻盼望因著你的靈的內住，我可以被你的愛、你神性無私的屬性，你慈憐的忍耐所充滿，不再被個人的因素所傷害。
October 21, 2012
Impulsiveness or Discipleship?
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith . . . —Jude 20
There was nothing of the nature of impulsive or thoughtless action about our Lord, but only a calm strength that never got into a panic. Most of us develop our Christianity along the lines of our own nature, not along the lines of God’s nature. Impulsiveness is a trait of the natural life, and our Lord always ignores it, because it hinders the development of the life of a disciple. Watch how the Spirit of God gives a sense of restraint to impulsiveness, suddenly bringing us a feeling of self-conscious foolishness, which makes us instantly want to vindicate ourselves. Impulsiveness is all right in a child, but is disastrous in a man or woman—an impulsive adult is always a spoiled person. Impulsiveness needs to be trained into intuition through discipline.
Discipleship is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy to someone with impulsive boldness, but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is something altogether different. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, but he “followed Him at a distance” on dry land (Mark 14:54). We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises—human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God—but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people—and this is not learned in five minutes.
被沖動引導
"你們卻要在至聖的真道上造就自己" 猶20
我們的主既沒有衝動的本性，也不是冷血無情，他有一種鎮定的力量永遠不會陷入恐慌。我們大多數人是按著自己性情的方式來過基督徒的生活，而不是按著神的方式。衝動是天然生命的特性，但我們的主卻總是不顧它，因為衝動會阻礙門徒生命的成長。留意神的靈如何阻止我們的衝動，他的阻止帶來一種自覺愚蠢倉促，使我們立刻想要為自己辯護。對於一個孩子，衝動還可以接受，但對於一個大人，衝動就是災難性的了。一個衝動的人常是一個耍小孩子脾氣的人。衝動必須要藉著管教訓練成為直覺。
作門徒完全建造在神超自然的恩典上。行走在水面對於憑著一股衝動的勇氣是容易的，但行走在乾地上作耶穌基督的門徒卻是一件不同的事情。彼得在水面上向耶穌走去，但在地上卻遠遠地跟著他。我們不需要神的恩典去面對危機，人的本性和驕傲已經足夠了。我們可以高貴地面對壓力，但每天二十四小時活出聖徒的生活，像一個門徒一樣經受勞苦，過一個平凡、沒人留意、被人忽視的生活，就一定需要神超自然的恩典。我們的天性想要為神做一件特別的事，但不需要這樣。我們應當在平凡事上成為不平凡，在簡陋的街道中,在卑劣的人群中成為聖潔，這不是五分鐘學得會的功課。
There was nothing of the nature of impulsive or thoughtless action about our Lord, but only a calm strength that never got into a panic. Most of us develop our Christianity along the lines of our own nature, not along the lines of God’s nature. Impulsiveness is a trait of the natural life, and our Lord always ignores it, because it hinders the development of the life of a disciple. Watch how the Spirit of God gives a sense of restraint to impulsiveness, suddenly bringing us a feeling of self-conscious foolishness, which makes us instantly want to vindicate ourselves. Impulsiveness is all right in a child, but is disastrous in a man or woman—an impulsive adult is always a spoiled person. Impulsiveness needs to be trained into intuition through discipline.
Discipleship is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy to someone with impulsive boldness, but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is something altogether different. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, but he “followed Him at a distance” on dry land (Mark 14:54). We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises—human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God—but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people—and this is not learned in five minutes.
被沖動引導
"你們卻要在至聖的真道上造就自己" 猶20
我們的主既沒有衝動的本性，也不是冷血無情，他有一種鎮定的力量永遠不會陷入恐慌。我們大多數人是按著自己性情的方式來過基督徒的生活，而不是按著神的方式。衝動是天然生命的特性，但我們的主卻總是不顧它，因為衝動會阻礙門徒生命的成長。留意神的靈如何阻止我們的衝動，他的阻止帶來一種自覺愚蠢倉促，使我們立刻想要為自己辯護。對於一個孩子，衝動還可以接受，但對於一個大人，衝動就是災難性的了。一個衝動的人常是一個耍小孩子脾氣的人。衝動必須要藉著管教訓練成為直覺。
作門徒完全建造在神超自然的恩典上。行走在水面對於憑著一股衝動的勇氣是容易的，但行走在乾地上作耶穌基督的門徒卻是一件不同的事情。彼得在水面上向耶穌走去，但在地上卻遠遠地跟著他。我們不需要神的恩典去面對危機，人的本性和驕傲已經足夠了。我們可以高貴地面對壓力，但每天二十四小時活出聖徒的生活，像一個門徒一樣經受勞苦，過一個平凡、沒人留意、被人忽視的生活，就一定需要神超自然的恩典。我們的天性想要為神做一件特別的事，但不需要這樣。我們應當在平凡事上成為不平凡，在簡陋的街道中,在卑劣的人群中成為聖潔，這不是五分鐘學得會的功課。
October 20, 2012
Is God’s Will My Will?
This is the will of God, your sanctification . . . —1 Thessalonians 4:3
Sanctification is not a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me— is it my will? Am I willing to let God do in me everything that has been made possible through the atonement of the Cross of Christ? Am I willing to let Jesus become sanctification to me, and to let His life be exhibited in my human flesh? (see 1 Corinthians 1:30). Beware of saying, “Oh, I am longing to be sanctified.” No, you are not. Recognize your need, but stop longing and make it a matter of action. Receive Jesus Christ to become sanctification for you by absolute, unquestioning faith, and the great miracle of the atonement of Jesus will become real in you.
All that Jesus made possible becomes mine through the free and loving gift of God on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound, humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness). It is a holiness based on agonizing repentance, a sense of inexpressible shame and degradation, and also on the amazing realization that the love of God demonstrated itself to me while I cared nothing about Him (see Romans 5:8). He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification. No wonder Paul said that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
Sanctification makes me one with Jesus Christ, and in Him one with God, and it is accomplished only through the magnificent atonement of Christ. Never confuse the effect with the cause. The effect in me is obedience, service, and prayer, and is the outcome of inexpressible thanks and adoration for the miraculous sanctification that has been brought about in me because of the atonement through the Cross of Christ.
上帝的旨意是我的心願嗎？
" 神的旨意就是要你們成為聖潔。" 帖前4：3
神是否願意使我成聖並不是一個問題，而是這是我的心願嗎？我是否願意讓神將所有贖罪已經成功的事做在我的里面？我是否願意讓耶穌成為我的聖潔，讓耶穌的生命在我的肉身裡彰顯？當心你會說："噢，我渴望成聖。"其實，你並非如此，你要停止渴望，付出實際行動達到預定目標??"我兩手空空。"要以絕對的信心接受耶穌基督成為你的聖潔，耶穌救贖的偉大奇跡將在你裡面成為真實。耶穌所成就的一切,因著神充滿愛的禮物白白的給了你。作為一個得救和得以成聖的靈魂，我的態度是完全謙卑的聖潔（並沒有驕傲的聖潔這件事），這聖潔是基於痛苦難忍的悔改，及無法言說的羞愧和降卑；同時,令人驚異的認識到，當我根本對他毫不在意時，神的愛將自己託付給我，他為我的得救和成聖完成了一切（參看羅5:8）。保羅說沒有一件事"能叫我們與神的愛隔絕；這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。"（羅8:39）
成聖使我與耶穌基督合一，並在他裡面與神合一，這只能藉由基督的贖罪才能做到。不要把效果當成原因。在我裡面的效果是順服、事奉和禱告，這是出於無法用言語表達的感謝和崇拜，為著因贖罪而在我裡面做出的非凡的成聖。
Sanctification is not a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me— is it my will? Am I willing to let God do in me everything that has been made possible through the atonement of the Cross of Christ? Am I willing to let Jesus become sanctification to me, and to let His life be exhibited in my human flesh? (see 1 Corinthians 1:30). Beware of saying, “Oh, I am longing to be sanctified.” No, you are not. Recognize your need, but stop longing and make it a matter of action. Receive Jesus Christ to become sanctification for you by absolute, unquestioning faith, and the great miracle of the atonement of Jesus will become real in you.
All that Jesus made possible becomes mine through the free and loving gift of God on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound, humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness). It is a holiness based on agonizing repentance, a sense of inexpressible shame and degradation, and also on the amazing realization that the love of God demonstrated itself to me while I cared nothing about Him (see Romans 5:8). He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification. No wonder Paul said that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
Sanctification makes me one with Jesus Christ, and in Him one with God, and it is accomplished only through the magnificent atonement of Christ. Never confuse the effect with the cause. The effect in me is obedience, service, and prayer, and is the outcome of inexpressible thanks and adoration for the miraculous sanctification that has been brought about in me because of the atonement through the Cross of Christ.
上帝的旨意是我的心願嗎？
" 神的旨意就是要你們成為聖潔。" 帖前4：3
神是否願意使我成聖並不是一個問題，而是這是我的心願嗎？我是否願意讓神將所有贖罪已經成功的事做在我的里面？我是否願意讓耶穌成為我的聖潔，讓耶穌的生命在我的肉身裡彰顯？當心你會說："噢，我渴望成聖。"其實，你並非如此，你要停止渴望，付出實際行動達到預定目標??"我兩手空空。"要以絕對的信心接受耶穌基督成為你的聖潔，耶穌救贖的偉大奇跡將在你裡面成為真實。耶穌所成就的一切,因著神充滿愛的禮物白白的給了你。作為一個得救和得以成聖的靈魂，我的態度是完全謙卑的聖潔（並沒有驕傲的聖潔這件事），這聖潔是基於痛苦難忍的悔改，及無法言說的羞愧和降卑；同時,令人驚異的認識到，當我根本對他毫不在意時，神的愛將自己託付給我，他為我的得救和成聖完成了一切（參看羅5:8）。保羅說沒有一件事"能叫我們與神的愛隔絕；這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。"（羅8:39）
成聖使我與耶穌基督合一，並在他裡面與神合一，這只能藉由基督的贖罪才能做到。不要把效果當成原因。在我裡面的效果是順服、事奉和禱告，這是出於無法用言語表達的感謝和崇拜，為著因贖罪而在我裡面做出的非凡的成聖。
October 19, 2012
The Unheeded Secret
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world —John 18:36
The great enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ today is the idea of practical work that has no basis in the New Testament but comes from the systems of the world. This work insists upon endless energy and activities, but no private life with God. The emphasis is put on the wrong thing. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation . . . . For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). It is a hidden, obscure thing. An active Christian worker too often lives to be seen by others, while it is the innermost, personal area that reveals the power of a person’s life.
We must get rid of the plague of the spirit of this religious age in which we live. In our Lord’s life there was none of the pressure and the rushing of tremendous activity that we regard so highly today, and a disciple is to be like His Master. The central point of the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Him, not public usefulness to others.
It is not the practical activities that are the strength of this Bible Training College— its entire strength lies in the fact that here you are immersed in the truths of God to soak in them before Him. You have no idea of where or how God is going to engineer your future circumstances, and no knowledge of what stress and strain is going to be placed on you either at home or abroad. And if you waste your time in overactivity, instead of being immersed in the great fundamental truths of God’s redemption, then you will snap when the stress and strain do come. But if this time of soaking before God is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in Him, which may appear to be impractical, then you will remain true to Him whatever happens.
被忽視的秘密
"我的國不屬這世界。"約18:36
如今主耶穌基督最大的敵人，是我們對實際事工的觀念，它不從新約聖經而來，而是從這世界的系統而來，在支持各種活動上付出了無窮的精力，幾乎沒有了與神同在的個人關係，把重點放在了錯誤的事情上。耶穌說：" 神的國來到不是眼所能見的。因為神的國就在你們心裡，"（路17:20-21）它是一個隱藏的，不明顯的事物。一個活躍的基督徒工人經常活在商店的櫥窗裡。其實，只有內心的最深處才展現出生命的力量。
我們必須除去現在所處的宗教時代的精神災禍，在主的生命裡，並沒有那種我們熱崇的事工活動所出現的擁擠和匆促，作主門徒的要像他的主一樣。耶穌基督的國度裡最中心的事，是與他的個人關係，而不是對人的外在貢獻。這所聖經訓練學院的力量，不在於實際的活動。它全部的力量在於這個事實??你是否完全浸透在神的里面。你根本不知道神要如何安排你的環境，也不知道你要在國內或者國外遭遇怎樣的壓力，如果你浪費你的時間、精力在過於活躍的活動上，而不是沉浸在關於神的救贖的偉大基要真理上，當壓力來時你就會被折斷。但是,如果花時間沉浸在神的里面，實質地在神裡面紮根， 那麼無論發生什麼，你都將保持對他的忠誠。
The great enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ today is the idea of practical work that has no basis in the New Testament but comes from the systems of the world. This work insists upon endless energy and activities, but no private life with God. The emphasis is put on the wrong thing. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation . . . . For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). It is a hidden, obscure thing. An active Christian worker too often lives to be seen by others, while it is the innermost, personal area that reveals the power of a person’s life.
We must get rid of the plague of the spirit of this religious age in which we live. In our Lord’s life there was none of the pressure and the rushing of tremendous activity that we regard so highly today, and a disciple is to be like His Master. The central point of the kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Him, not public usefulness to others.
It is not the practical activities that are the strength of this Bible Training College— its entire strength lies in the fact that here you are immersed in the truths of God to soak in them before Him. You have no idea of where or how God is going to engineer your future circumstances, and no knowledge of what stress and strain is going to be placed on you either at home or abroad. And if you waste your time in overactivity, instead of being immersed in the great fundamental truths of God’s redemption, then you will snap when the stress and strain do come. But if this time of soaking before God is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in Him, which may appear to be impractical, then you will remain true to Him whatever happens.
被忽視的秘密
"我的國不屬這世界。"約18:36
如今主耶穌基督最大的敵人，是我們對實際事工的觀念，它不從新約聖經而來，而是從這世界的系統而來，在支持各種活動上付出了無窮的精力，幾乎沒有了與神同在的個人關係，把重點放在了錯誤的事情上。耶穌說：" 神的國來到不是眼所能見的。因為神的國就在你們心裡，"（路17:20-21）它是一個隱藏的，不明顯的事物。一個活躍的基督徒工人經常活在商店的櫥窗裡。其實，只有內心的最深處才展現出生命的力量。
我們必須除去現在所處的宗教時代的精神災禍，在主的生命裡，並沒有那種我們熱崇的事工活動所出現的擁擠和匆促，作主門徒的要像他的主一樣。耶穌基督的國度裡最中心的事，是與他的個人關係，而不是對人的外在貢獻。這所聖經訓練學院的力量，不在於實際的活動。它全部的力量在於這個事實??你是否完全浸透在神的里面。你根本不知道神要如何安排你的環境，也不知道你要在國內或者國外遭遇怎樣的壓力，如果你浪費你的時間、精力在過於活躍的活動上，而不是沉浸在關於神的救贖的偉大基要真理上，當壓力來時你就會被折斷。但是,如果花時間沉浸在神的里面，實質地在神裡面紮根， 那麼無論發生什麼，你都將保持對他的忠誠。
October 18, 2012
The Key to the Missionary’s Devotion
. . . they went forth for His name’s sake . . . —3 John 7
Our Lord told us how our love for Him is to exhibit itself when He asked, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:17). And then He said, “Feed My sheep.” In effect, He said, “Identify yourself with My interests in other people,” not, “Identify Me with your interests in other people.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 shows us the characteristics of this love— it is actually the love of God expressing itself. The true test of my love for Jesus is a very practical one, and all the rest is sentimental talk.
Faithfulness to Jesus Christ is the supernatural work of redemption that has been performed in me by the Holy Spirit— “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit . . .” (Romans 5:5). And it is that love in me that effectively works through me and comes in contact with everyone I meet. I remain faithful to His name, even though the commonsense view of my life may seemingly deny that, and may appear to be declaring that He has no more power than the morning mist.
The key to the missionary’s devotion is that he is attached to nothing and to no one except our Lord Himself. It does not mean simply being detached from the external things surrounding us. Our Lord was amazingly in touch with the ordinary things of life, but He had an inner detachment except toward God. External detachment is often an actual indication of a secret, growing, inner attachment to the things we stay away from externally.
The duty of a faithful missionary is to concentrate on keeping his soul completely and continually open to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. The men and women our Lord sends out on His endeavors are ordinary human people, but people who are controlled by their devotion to Him, which has been brought about through the work of the Holy Spirit.
傳道者忠貞的要決
因他們是為主的名(原文作“那名”)出外，對於外邦人一無所取。 （約翰三書7節）
主曾告訴我們，怎樣才是愛祂。 「你愛我嗎？（約翰福音21：15-17） 」「你餵養我的羊。（約翰福音21：15-17） 」——把你放在我對人的關懷裡，而不是把我放在你對人的興趣裡。哥林多前書13：4-8節 「愛是恆久忍耐，又有恩慈；愛是不嫉妒；愛是不自誇，不張狂，不作害羞的事，不求自己的益處，不輕易發怒，不計算人的惡，不喜歡不義，只喜歡真理；凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。愛是永不止息。 」 描述這愛的品質，是神自己的愛。我對主耶穌愛的考驗，是在實際事情上，其他的不過是空口的賣弄愛情。
我對主耶穌的忠心，是聖靈在我心裡做成超自然的救贖聖工，把神的愛澆灌在我心裡。這愛在我與人接觸時，就產生功效。雖然一切的常理都否定祂，說祂好像晨霧般虛渺，但我仍忠於祂的名。
傳道者忠貞的要決，就是單歸附主耶穌，不受任何人任何事的纏累，但又不是與外界隔絕。主不斷與外界事物接觸，祂的分別為聖，是在於內心朝向神。外表的隔絕，往往表示人裡面暗暗地戀慕著表面上拒絕的東西。
傳道者的忠貞，是要保持心靈單向主耶穌開敞。主所差派出去做工的人，均是平凡人，只是聖靈在他們裡面加上專一不移的忠貞。
Our Lord told us how our love for Him is to exhibit itself when He asked, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:17). And then He said, “Feed My sheep.” In effect, He said, “Identify yourself with My interests in other people,” not, “Identify Me with your interests in other people.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 shows us the characteristics of this love— it is actually the love of God expressing itself. The true test of my love for Jesus is a very practical one, and all the rest is sentimental talk.
Faithfulness to Jesus Christ is the supernatural work of redemption that has been performed in me by the Holy Spirit— “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit . . .” (Romans 5:5). And it is that love in me that effectively works through me and comes in contact with everyone I meet. I remain faithful to His name, even though the commonsense view of my life may seemingly deny that, and may appear to be declaring that He has no more power than the morning mist.
The key to the missionary’s devotion is that he is attached to nothing and to no one except our Lord Himself. It does not mean simply being detached from the external things surrounding us. Our Lord was amazingly in touch with the ordinary things of life, but He had an inner detachment except toward God. External detachment is often an actual indication of a secret, growing, inner attachment to the things we stay away from externally.
The duty of a faithful missionary is to concentrate on keeping his soul completely and continually open to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. The men and women our Lord sends out on His endeavors are ordinary human people, but people who are controlled by their devotion to Him, which has been brought about through the work of the Holy Spirit.
傳道者忠貞的要決
因他們是為主的名(原文作“那名”)出外，對於外邦人一無所取。 （約翰三書7節）
主曾告訴我們，怎樣才是愛祂。 「你愛我嗎？（約翰福音21：15-17） 」「你餵養我的羊。（約翰福音21：15-17） 」——把你放在我對人的關懷裡，而不是把我放在你對人的興趣裡。哥林多前書13：4-8節 「愛是恆久忍耐，又有恩慈；愛是不嫉妒；愛是不自誇，不張狂，不作害羞的事，不求自己的益處，不輕易發怒，不計算人的惡，不喜歡不義，只喜歡真理；凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。愛是永不止息。 」 描述這愛的品質，是神自己的愛。我對主耶穌愛的考驗，是在實際事情上，其他的不過是空口的賣弄愛情。
我對主耶穌的忠心，是聖靈在我心裡做成超自然的救贖聖工，把神的愛澆灌在我心裡。這愛在我與人接觸時，就產生功效。雖然一切的常理都否定祂，說祂好像晨霧般虛渺，但我仍忠於祂的名。
傳道者忠貞的要決，就是單歸附主耶穌，不受任何人任何事的纏累，但又不是與外界隔絕。主不斷與外界事物接觸，祂的分別為聖，是在於內心朝向神。外表的隔絕，往往表示人裡面暗暗地戀慕著表面上拒絕的東西。
傳道者的忠貞，是要保持心靈單向主耶穌開敞。主所差派出去做工的人，均是平凡人，只是聖靈在他們裡面加上專一不移的忠貞。
October 17, 2012
The Key of the Greater Work
. . . I say to you, he who believes in Me, . . . greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father —John 14:12
Prayer does not equip us for greater works— prayer is the greater work. Yet we think of prayer as some commonsense exercise of our higher powers that simply prepares us for God’s work. In the teachings of Jesus Christ, prayer is the working of the miracle of redemption in me, which produces the miracle of redemption in others, through the power of God. The way fruit remains firm is through prayer, but remember that it is prayer based on the agony of Christ in redemption, not on my own agony. We must go to God as His child, because only a child gets his prayers answered; a “wise” man does not (see Matthew 11:25).
Prayer is the battle, and it makes no difference where you are. However God may engineer your circumstances, your duty is to pray. Never allow yourself this thought, “I am of no use where I am,” because you certainly cannot be used where you have not yet been placed. Wherever God has placed you and whatever your circumstances, you should pray, continually offering up prayers to Him. And He promises, “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do . . .” (John 14:13). Yet we refuse to pray unless it thrills or excites us, which is the most intense form of spiritual selfishness. We must learn to work according to God’s direction, and He says to pray. “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:38).
There is nothing thrilling about a laboring person’s work, but it is the laboring person who makes the ideas of the genius possible. And it is the laboring saint who makes the ideas of his Master possible. When you labor at prayer, from God’s perspective there are always results. What an astonishment it will be to see, once the veil is finally lifted, all the souls that have been reaped by you, simply because you have been in the habit of taking your orders from Jesus Christ.
更大的事
我實實在在地告訴你們，我所作的事，信我的人也要作；並且要作比這更大的事，因為我往父那裡去。 （約翰福音14：12）
禱告不是裝備我們去做更大的事；禱告本身就是最大的事。我們往往視禱告為超然能力的操練，好預備我們做神的工。但按主的教訓，禱告是救贖的神蹟在我身上運行，以致神的大能可把這神蹟成就在別人身上。果子若要存留，必須藉禱告，但得記著禱告是建基在救贖的苦痛上，而不是自我的痛苦。惟有小孩子的禱告才蒙應允，明哲人反得不著。
不管你在什麼地方，禱告就是那要打的仗。不管神安排怎麼樣的環境，你的責任就是禱告。切勿這樣想：“我在這崗位上一無用處。”因為你不守住崗位，那才真是一無用處。神不論加給你怎樣的際遇，總要禱告，每時每刻向祂傾吐。 「你們若奉我的名求什麼，我必成就。（約翰福音14:14） 」我們激奮時才肯禱告，這其實是最嚴重的屬靈自私。我們要依著神的方向去做工，而祂說「要禱告」，「所以你們當求莊稼的主，打發工人出去收他的莊稼。”（馬太福音9:38 ） 」
勞苦的工作，沒有刺激興奮可言；但惟有藉勞苦做工的人，理想才得以實現。同樣，做工的信徒能使主的心意實現。你在禱告中勞苦，從神的角度看來，果效是不住實現的。將來當帕子揭開，知道不少靈魂因著你不住的順服而得救，那是何等的驚喜。
Prayer does not equip us for greater works— prayer is the greater work. Yet we think of prayer as some commonsense exercise of our higher powers that simply prepares us for God’s work. In the teachings of Jesus Christ, prayer is the working of the miracle of redemption in me, which produces the miracle of redemption in others, through the power of God. The way fruit remains firm is through prayer, but remember that it is prayer based on the agony of Christ in redemption, not on my own agony. We must go to God as His child, because only a child gets his prayers answered; a “wise” man does not (see Matthew 11:25).
Prayer is the battle, and it makes no difference where you are. However God may engineer your circumstances, your duty is to pray. Never allow yourself this thought, “I am of no use where I am,” because you certainly cannot be used where you have not yet been placed. Wherever God has placed you and whatever your circumstances, you should pray, continually offering up prayers to Him. And He promises, “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do . . .” (John 14:13). Yet we refuse to pray unless it thrills or excites us, which is the most intense form of spiritual selfishness. We must learn to work according to God’s direction, and He says to pray. “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:38).
There is nothing thrilling about a laboring person’s work, but it is the laboring person who makes the ideas of the genius possible. And it is the laboring saint who makes the ideas of his Master possible. When you labor at prayer, from God’s perspective there are always results. What an astonishment it will be to see, once the veil is finally lifted, all the souls that have been reaped by you, simply because you have been in the habit of taking your orders from Jesus Christ.
更大的事
我實實在在地告訴你們，我所作的事，信我的人也要作；並且要作比這更大的事，因為我往父那裡去。 （約翰福音14：12）
禱告不是裝備我們去做更大的事；禱告本身就是最大的事。我們往往視禱告為超然能力的操練，好預備我們做神的工。但按主的教訓，禱告是救贖的神蹟在我身上運行，以致神的大能可把這神蹟成就在別人身上。果子若要存留，必須藉禱告，但得記著禱告是建基在救贖的苦痛上，而不是自我的痛苦。惟有小孩子的禱告才蒙應允，明哲人反得不著。
不管你在什麼地方，禱告就是那要打的仗。不管神安排怎麼樣的環境，你的責任就是禱告。切勿這樣想：“我在這崗位上一無用處。”因為你不守住崗位，那才真是一無用處。神不論加給你怎樣的際遇，總要禱告，每時每刻向祂傾吐。 「你們若奉我的名求什麼，我必成就。（約翰福音14:14） 」我們激奮時才肯禱告，這其實是最嚴重的屬靈自私。我們要依著神的方向去做工，而祂說「要禱告」，「所以你們當求莊稼的主，打發工人出去收他的莊稼。”（馬太福音9:38 ） 」
勞苦的工作，沒有刺激興奮可言；但惟有藉勞苦做工的人，理想才得以實現。同樣，做工的信徒能使主的心意實現。你在禱告中勞苦，從神的角度看來，果效是不住實現的。將來當帕子揭開，知道不少靈魂因著你不住的順服而得救，那是何等的驚喜。
October 16, 2012
The Key to the Master’s Orders
Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest —Matthew 9:38
The key to the missionary’s difficult task is in the hand of God, and that key is prayer, not work— that is, not work as the word is commonly used today, which often results in the shifting of our focus away from God. The key to the missionary’s difficult task is also not the key of common sense, nor is it the key of medicine, civilization, education, or even evangelization. The key is in following the Master’s orders— the key is prayer. “Pray the Lord of the harvest . . . .” In the natural realm, prayer is not practical but absurd. We have to realize that prayer is foolish from the commonsense point of view.
From Jesus Christ’s perspective, there are no nations, but only the world. How many of us pray without regard to the persons, but with regard to only one Person— Jesus Christ? He owns the harvest that is produced through distress and through conviction of sin. This is the harvest for which we have to pray that laborers be sent out to reap. We stay busy at work, while people all around us are ripe and ready to be harvested; we do not reap even one of them, but simply waste our Lord’s time in over-energized activities and programs. Suppose a crisis were to come into your father’s or your brother’s life— are you there as a laborer to reap the harvest for Jesus Christ? Is your response, “Oh, but I have a special work to do!” No Christian has a special work to do. A Christian is called to be Jesus Christ’s own, “a servant [who] is not greater than his master” (John 13:16), and someone who does not dictate to Jesus Christ what he intends to do. Our Lord calls us to no special work— He calls us to Himself. “Pray the Lord of the harvest,” and He will engineer your circumstances to send you out as His laborer.
The key to the missionary’s difficult task is in the hand of God, and that key is prayer, not work— that is, not work as the word is commonly used today, which often results in the shifting of our focus away from God. The key to the missionary’s difficult task is also not the key of common sense, nor is it the key of medicine, civilization, education, or even evangelization. The key is in following the Master’s orders— the key is prayer. “Pray the Lord of the harvest . . . .” In the natural realm, prayer is not practical but absurd. We have to realize that prayer is foolish from the commonsense point of view.
From Jesus Christ’s perspective, there are no nations, but only the world. How many of us pray without regard to the persons, but with regard to only one Person— Jesus Christ? He owns the harvest that is produced through distress and through conviction of sin. This is the harvest for which we have to pray that laborers be sent out to reap. We stay busy at work, while people all around us are ripe and ready to be harvested; we do not reap even one of them, but simply waste our Lord’s time in over-energized activities and programs. Suppose a crisis were to come into your father’s or your brother’s life— are you there as a laborer to reap the harvest for Jesus Christ? Is your response, “Oh, but I have a special work to do!” No Christian has a special work to do. A Christian is called to be Jesus Christ’s own, “a servant [who] is not greater than his master” (John 13:16), and someone who does not dictate to Jesus Christ what he intends to do. Our Lord calls us to no special work— He calls us to Himself. “Pray the Lord of the harvest,” and He will engineer your circumstances to send you out as His laborer.
October 15, 2012
The Key to the Missionary’s Work (2)
He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world —1 John 2:2
The key to the missionary’s message is the propitiation of Christ Jesus— His sacrifice for us that completely satisfied the wrath of God. Look at any other aspect of Christ’s work, whether it is healing, saving, or sanctifying, and you will see that there is nothing limitless about those. But— “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”— that is limitless (John 1:29). The missionary’s message is the limitless importance of Jesus Christ as the propitiation for our sins, and a missionary is someone who is immersed in the truth of that revelation.
The real key to the missionary’s message is the “remissionary” aspect of Christ’s life, not His kindness, His goodness, or even His revealing of the fatherhood of God to us. “. . . repentance and remission of sins should be preached . . . to all nations . . .” (Luke 24:47). The greatest message of limitless importance is that “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins . . . .” The missionary’s message is not nationalistic, favoring nations or individuals; it is “for the whole world.” When the Holy Spirit comes into me, He does not consider my partialities or preferences; He simply brings me into oneness with the Lord Jesus.
A missionary is someone who is bound by marriage to the stated mission and purpose of his Lord and Master. He is not to proclaim his own point of view, but is only to proclaim “the Lamb of God.” It is easier to belong to a faction that simply tells what Jesus Christ has done for me, and easier to become a devotee of divine healing, or of a special type of sanctification, or of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But Paul did not say, “Woe is me if I do not preach what Christ has done for me,” but, “. . . woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). And this is the gospel— “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
宣教信息之鑰
祂為我們的罪作了挽回祭，不是單為我們的罪，也是為普天下人的罪。 （約翰一書2：2）
宣道信息的中心，就是耶穌基督作了挽回祭。試拿基督任何其他方面的工作看——醫治、拯救、成聖；這些都不是無限的。 「神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的。（約翰福音1：29） 」才是無限的。宣道的信息就是耶穌基督為普天下人的罪作了挽回祭，宣道士也就是被這一個啟示充滿的。
宣道信心的中心，不是耶穌基督的仁慈和良善，也不是祂彰顯了父神；而是基督把我們從罪中釋放，那是最無限的重點，就是祂為我們的嘴作了挽回祭。宣道信息不是愛國主義，不是單為某國或某人，乃是為整個世界的。聖靈進到我裡面，並不投我的喜好，祂來是要帶我與主耶穌聯合。
宣道士是與他的主聯合，他傳揚的不是自己的觀點，而是神的羔羊。要歸屬於一個宣傳“主為我們作過什麼”的集團、要成為一個熱衷於神蹟治病或成聖或靈洗的份子較容易。可是，保羅並不是說：“我若不傳主為我所作的，我就有禍了。”他乃是說：「若不傳福音，我便有禍了。（哥林多前書9： 16） 」，「神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的。（約翰福音1：29） 」這就是福音。
The key to the missionary’s message is the propitiation of Christ Jesus— His sacrifice for us that completely satisfied the wrath of God. Look at any other aspect of Christ’s work, whether it is healing, saving, or sanctifying, and you will see that there is nothing limitless about those. But— “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”— that is limitless (John 1:29). The missionary’s message is the limitless importance of Jesus Christ as the propitiation for our sins, and a missionary is someone who is immersed in the truth of that revelation.
The real key to the missionary’s message is the “remissionary” aspect of Christ’s life, not His kindness, His goodness, or even His revealing of the fatherhood of God to us. “. . . repentance and remission of sins should be preached . . . to all nations . . .” (Luke 24:47). The greatest message of limitless importance is that “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins . . . .” The missionary’s message is not nationalistic, favoring nations or individuals; it is “for the whole world.” When the Holy Spirit comes into me, He does not consider my partialities or preferences; He simply brings me into oneness with the Lord Jesus.
A missionary is someone who is bound by marriage to the stated mission and purpose of his Lord and Master. He is not to proclaim his own point of view, but is only to proclaim “the Lamb of God.” It is easier to belong to a faction that simply tells what Jesus Christ has done for me, and easier to become a devotee of divine healing, or of a special type of sanctification, or of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But Paul did not say, “Woe is me if I do not preach what Christ has done for me,” but, “. . . woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). And this is the gospel— “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
宣教信息之鑰
祂為我們的罪作了挽回祭，不是單為我們的罪，也是為普天下人的罪。 （約翰一書2：2）
宣道信息的中心，就是耶穌基督作了挽回祭。試拿基督任何其他方面的工作看——醫治、拯救、成聖；這些都不是無限的。 「神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的。（約翰福音1：29） 」才是無限的。宣道的信息就是耶穌基督為普天下人的罪作了挽回祭，宣道士也就是被這一個啟示充滿的。
宣道信心的中心，不是耶穌基督的仁慈和良善，也不是祂彰顯了父神；而是基督把我們從罪中釋放，那是最無限的重點，就是祂為我們的嘴作了挽回祭。宣道信息不是愛國主義，不是單為某國或某人，乃是為整個世界的。聖靈進到我裡面，並不投我的喜好，祂來是要帶我與主耶穌聯合。
宣道士是與他的主聯合，他傳揚的不是自己的觀點，而是神的羔羊。要歸屬於一個宣傳“主為我們作過什麼”的集團、要成為一個熱衷於神蹟治病或成聖或靈洗的份子較容易。可是，保羅並不是說：“我若不傳主為我所作的，我就有禍了。”他乃是說：「若不傳福音，我便有禍了。（哥林多前書9： 16） 」，「神的羔羊，除去世人罪孽的。（約翰福音1：29） 」這就是福音。
October 14, 2012
The Key to the Missionary’s Work (1)
Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ’All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . .’ —Matthew 28:18-19
The key to the missionary’s work is the authority of Jesus Christ, not the needs of the lost. We are inclined to look on our Lord as one who assists us in our endeavors for God. Yet our Lord places Himself as the absolute sovereign and supreme Lord over His disciples. He does not say that the lost will never be saved if we don’t go— He simply says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . .” He says, “Go on the basis of the revealed truth of My sovereignty, teaching and preaching out of your living experience of Me.”
“Then the eleven disciples went . . . to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them” (Matthew 28:16). If I want to know the universal sovereignty of Christ, I must know Him myself. I must take time to worship the One whose name I bear. Jesus says, “Come to Me . . .”— that is the place to meet Jesus— “all you who labor and are heavy laden . . .” (Matthew 11:28)— and how many missionaries are! We completely dismiss these wonderful words of the universal Sovereign of the world, but they are the words of Jesus to His disciples meant for here and now.
“Go therefore . . . .” To “go” simply means to live. Acts 1:8 is the description of how to go. Jesus did not say in this verse, “Go into Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria,” but, “. . . you shall be witnesses to Me in [all these places].” He takes upon Himself the work of sending us.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you . . .” (John 15:7)— that is the way to keep going. Where we are placed is then a matter of indifference to us, because God sovereignly engineers our goings.
“None of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus . . .” (Acts 20:24). That is how to keep going until we are gone from this life.
宣教士之鑰
耶穌進前來，對他們說：“天上地下所有的權柄都賜給我了。所以你們要去使萬民作我的門徒，……。（馬太福音28：18-19）
差傳的基礎是主耶穌的主權，而不是外邦人的需要。我們很容易視主耶穌為我們事奉神的助手，而主其實是門徒絕對、至高無上的主人。祂不是說，我們若不去，外邦人就失喪了。祂只是說：「所以你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒。 」依從我至高的權柄，去吧；因著在我裡面活生生的經歷，去教導並傳揚。
「十一個門徒往加利利去，到了耶穌約定的山上。（馬太福音28:16） 」我若要認識基督普世的主權，就必須親自認識祂，知道怎樣獨自與祂相處。我必須用時間去敬拜我所配戴的名，就是基督。 「到我這裡來。（馬太福音11：28） 」——那就是見主耶穌的地方。你勞苦擔重擔嗎？多少傳道人正是如此。主宣告祂對整個世界的主權，我們卻看為次要，但這是主對門徒親口說的話。
「所以你們要去…… 」「去」的意思是“活出來”。使徒行傳1：8「但聖靈降臨在你們身上，你們就必得著能力，並要在耶路撒冷，猶太全地，和撒瑪利亞，直到地極，作我的見證。”」是描寫怎樣去。耶穌沒有說去耶路撒冷、猶太、撒馬利亞；但祂說：「作我的見證。 」。至於「去」的地方，祂會負責安排。
「你們若常在我裡面，我的話也常在你們裡面，……（約翰福音15:7 ） 」這是保持我們個人生命活潑的途徑。神放我們在什麼地方都無關重要，因為祂自會安排。
「我卻不以性命為念，也不看為寶貴，只要行完我的路程，成就我從主耶穌所領受的職事，證明神恩惠的福音。(使徒行傳20：24) 」這就是我們工作的態度，直到死那一天。
The key to the missionary’s work is the authority of Jesus Christ, not the needs of the lost. We are inclined to look on our Lord as one who assists us in our endeavors for God. Yet our Lord places Himself as the absolute sovereign and supreme Lord over His disciples. He does not say that the lost will never be saved if we don’t go— He simply says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . .” He says, “Go on the basis of the revealed truth of My sovereignty, teaching and preaching out of your living experience of Me.”
“Then the eleven disciples went . . . to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them” (Matthew 28:16). If I want to know the universal sovereignty of Christ, I must know Him myself. I must take time to worship the One whose name I bear. Jesus says, “Come to Me . . .”— that is the place to meet Jesus— “all you who labor and are heavy laden . . .” (Matthew 11:28)— and how many missionaries are! We completely dismiss these wonderful words of the universal Sovereign of the world, but they are the words of Jesus to His disciples meant for here and now.
“Go therefore . . . .” To “go” simply means to live. Acts 1:8 is the description of how to go. Jesus did not say in this verse, “Go into Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria,” but, “. . . you shall be witnesses to Me in [all these places].” He takes upon Himself the work of sending us.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you . . .” (John 15:7)— that is the way to keep going. Where we are placed is then a matter of indifference to us, because God sovereignly engineers our goings.
“None of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus . . .” (Acts 20:24). That is how to keep going until we are gone from this life.
宣教士之鑰
耶穌進前來，對他們說：“天上地下所有的權柄都賜給我了。所以你們要去使萬民作我的門徒，……。（馬太福音28：18-19）
差傳的基礎是主耶穌的主權，而不是外邦人的需要。我們很容易視主耶穌為我們事奉神的助手，而主其實是門徒絕對、至高無上的主人。祂不是說，我們若不去，外邦人就失喪了。祂只是說：「所以你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒。 」依從我至高的權柄，去吧；因著在我裡面活生生的經歷，去教導並傳揚。
「十一個門徒往加利利去，到了耶穌約定的山上。（馬太福音28:16） 」我若要認識基督普世的主權，就必須親自認識祂，知道怎樣獨自與祂相處。我必須用時間去敬拜我所配戴的名，就是基督。 「到我這裡來。（馬太福音11：28） 」——那就是見主耶穌的地方。你勞苦擔重擔嗎？多少傳道人正是如此。主宣告祂對整個世界的主權，我們卻看為次要，但這是主對門徒親口說的話。
「所以你們要去…… 」「去」的意思是“活出來”。使徒行傳1：8「但聖靈降臨在你們身上，你們就必得著能力，並要在耶路撒冷，猶太全地，和撒瑪利亞，直到地極，作我的見證。”」是描寫怎樣去。耶穌沒有說去耶路撒冷、猶太、撒馬利亞；但祂說：「作我的見證。 」。至於「去」的地方，祂會負責安排。
「你們若常在我裡面，我的話也常在你們裡面，……（約翰福音15:7 ） 」這是保持我們個人生命活潑的途徑。神放我們在什麼地方都無關重要，因為祂自會安排。
「我卻不以性命為念，也不看為寶貴，只要行完我的路程，成就我從主耶穌所領受的職事，證明神恩惠的福音。(使徒行傳20：24) 」這就是我們工作的態度，直到死那一天。
October 13, 2012
Individual Discouragement and Personal Growth
. . . when Moses was grown . . . he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens —Exodus 2:11
Moses saw the oppression of his people and felt certain that he was the one to deliver them, and in the righteous indignation of his own spirit he started to right their wrongs. After he launched his first strike for God and for what was right, God allowed Moses to be driven into empty discouragement, sending him into the desert to feed sheep for forty years. At the end of that time, God appeared to Moses and said to him, ” ’. . . bring My people . . . out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ’Who am I that I should go . . . ?’ ” (Exodus 3:10-11). In the beginning Moses had realized that he was the one to deliver the people, but he had to be trained and disciplined by God first. He was right in his individual perspective, but he was not the person for the work until he had learned true fellowship and oneness with God.
We may have the vision of God and a very clear understanding of what God wants, and yet when we start to do it, there comes to us something equivalent to Moses’ forty years in the wilderness. It’s as if God had ignored the entire thing, and when we are thoroughly discouraged, God comes back and revives His call to us. And then we begin to tremble and say, “Who am I that I should go . . . ?” We must learn that God’s great stride is summed up in these words— “I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). We must also learn that our individual effort for God shows nothing but disrespect for Him— our individuality is to be rendered radiant through a personal relationship with God, so that He may be “well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). We are focused on the right individual perspective of things; we have the vision and can say, “I know this is what God wants me to do.” But we have not yet learned to get into God’s stride. If you are going through a time of discouragement, there is a time of great personal growth ahead.
沮喪與拓展
他出去到他弟兄那裡，看他們的重擔。 （出二11）
摩西看見自己的同胞受欺壓，深覺自己是他們的救星；於是按自己的義憤，伸手為他們伸冤。他為神的正義出手，神卻容許人把他趕逐到絕境裡去，要他在曠野牧羊四十年。時候滿足，神顯現告訴他去領百姓出來；摩西那時說：[我是什麼人，竟能去？ ]摩西起初就知道自己是拯救百姓的那一位，但卻先要經過神的訓練。他的觀點是沒有錯的，但在沒有學會與神聯合以前，他仍是未合用的工人。
我們看見神的異象，又清楚神的心意，於是著手去做；然後，是類似那四十年曠野的經歷，似乎神完全不理這回事樂。政黨我們完全絕望，神的呼召又重新臨到，我哦們就顫抖地說：[我是誰？ ]我們必須學習跨出第一大步－－[那自有永有的差遣你！ ]我們必須認識到憑個人的血氣為神工作，是狂妄的表現；我們個人的特質，必須與神相交才能熾熱起來（太三11）。我們往往著重個人對事物的看法，有異象就說：[這就是神要我做的。 ]但我們的步伐，還未與神一致。若你正陷入失望的階段，等著吧，遼遠的拓展就在前頭。
祈禱◆主啊，為著昨晚的睡眠，我感謝你；為著你既不打盹，也不睡眠，不論日夜都保護我們，我稱頌你。
Moses saw the oppression of his people and felt certain that he was the one to deliver them, and in the righteous indignation of his own spirit he started to right their wrongs. After he launched his first strike for God and for what was right, God allowed Moses to be driven into empty discouragement, sending him into the desert to feed sheep for forty years. At the end of that time, God appeared to Moses and said to him, ” ’. . . bring My people . . . out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ’Who am I that I should go . . . ?’ ” (Exodus 3:10-11). In the beginning Moses had realized that he was the one to deliver the people, but he had to be trained and disciplined by God first. He was right in his individual perspective, but he was not the person for the work until he had learned true fellowship and oneness with God.
We may have the vision of God and a very clear understanding of what God wants, and yet when we start to do it, there comes to us something equivalent to Moses’ forty years in the wilderness. It’s as if God had ignored the entire thing, and when we are thoroughly discouraged, God comes back and revives His call to us. And then we begin to tremble and say, “Who am I that I should go . . . ?” We must learn that God’s great stride is summed up in these words— “I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). We must also learn that our individual effort for God shows nothing but disrespect for Him— our individuality is to be rendered radiant through a personal relationship with God, so that He may be “well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). We are focused on the right individual perspective of things; we have the vision and can say, “I know this is what God wants me to do.” But we have not yet learned to get into God’s stride. If you are going through a time of discouragement, there is a time of great personal growth ahead.
沮喪與拓展
他出去到他弟兄那裡，看他們的重擔。 （出二11）
摩西看見自己的同胞受欺壓，深覺自己是他們的救星；於是按自己的義憤，伸手為他們伸冤。他為神的正義出手，神卻容許人把他趕逐到絕境裡去，要他在曠野牧羊四十年。時候滿足，神顯現告訴他去領百姓出來；摩西那時說：[我是什麼人，竟能去？ ]摩西起初就知道自己是拯救百姓的那一位，但卻先要經過神的訓練。他的觀點是沒有錯的，但在沒有學會與神聯合以前，他仍是未合用的工人。
我們看見神的異象，又清楚神的心意，於是著手去做；然後，是類似那四十年曠野的經歷，似乎神完全不理這回事樂。政黨我們完全絕望，神的呼召又重新臨到，我哦們就顫抖地說：[我是誰？ ]我們必須學習跨出第一大步－－[那自有永有的差遣你！ ]我們必須認識到憑個人的血氣為神工作，是狂妄的表現；我們個人的特質，必須與神相交才能熾熱起來（太三11）。我們往往著重個人對事物的看法，有異象就說：[這就是神要我做的。 ]但我們的步伐，還未與神一致。若你正陷入失望的階段，等著吧，遼遠的拓展就在前頭。
祈禱◆主啊，為著昨晚的睡眠，我感謝你；為著你既不打盹，也不睡眠，不論日夜都保護我們，我稱頌你。
October 12, 2012
Getting into God’s Stride
Enoch walked with God . . . —Genesis 5:24
The true test of a person’s spiritual life and character is not what he does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the ordinary times when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening. A person’s worth is revealed in his attitude toward the ordinary things of life when he is not under the spotlight (see John 1:35-37 and John 3:30). It is painful work to get in step with God and to keep pace with Him— it means getting your second wind spiritually. In learning to walk with God, there is always the difficulty of getting into His stride, but once we have done so, the only characteristic that exhibits itself is the very life of God Himself. The individual person is merged into a personal oneness with God, and God’s stride and His power alone are exhibited.
It is difficult to get into stride with God, because as soon as we start walking with Him we find that His pace has surpassed us before we have even taken three steps. He has different ways of doing things, and we have to be trained and disciplined in His ways. It was said of Jesus— “He will not fail nor be discouraged . . .” (Isaiah 42:4) because He never worked from His own individual standpoint, but always worked from the standpoint of His Father. And we must learn to do the same. Spiritual truth is learned through the atmosphere that surrounds us, not through intellectual reasoning. It is God’s Spirit that changes the atmosphere of our way of looking at things, and then things begin to be possible which before were impossible. Getting into God’s stride means nothing less than oneness with Him. It takes a long time to get there, but keep at it. Don’t give up because the pain is intense right now— get on with it, and before long you will find that you have a new vision and a new purpose.
與神同步
以諾與神同行。 （創五24）
一個人屬靈生命與個性的考驗，不是在特殊情況下的表現，乃在平凡無奇的時日中所行所作。人的價值視乎他在隱藏時對普通事物所抱的態度（比較約一36）。要達致與神同步的境地，是一件痛苦的事，那是屬靈上[第二陣風]的經歷。學習與神同行，總有跟不上他步伐的困難；但一旦跟上樂，所表現的唯一特質，就是神的生命。個人的生命在與神結合中隱藏樂，所表現的只有神的步伐與能力。
與神步伐一致是不容易的,因為一開始與神同行,就會發現我們才走了三步,他已在老遠樂.他有他作事的方法,我們必須學習餅接受操練,才能以他的方法作事.耶穌[不灰心,也不喪膽],因為他從不以他個人的觀點去行事,乃是以他父的觀點,我們也要如此.屬靈真理是在薰陶下學習的,而不是靠頭腦的推理.神的靈改變我們看事物的態度,於是從來不可能的事,也變得可能樂.與神同行,就是與神聯合.要做到這個,需時甚久,但要持之以恆。不要因現在的痛苦而放棄，不久，你會得著新的異象與目標。
祈禱◆主啊，如此眾多的活動，如此眾多的事情，如此眾多的人！願你因你的榮耀，以寬大的心胸和美善的屬性來賜福今天。
The true test of a person’s spiritual life and character is not what he does in the extraordinary moments of life, but what he does during the ordinary times when there is nothing tremendous or exciting happening. A person’s worth is revealed in his attitude toward the ordinary things of life when he is not under the spotlight (see John 1:35-37 and John 3:30). It is painful work to get in step with God and to keep pace with Him— it means getting your second wind spiritually. In learning to walk with God, there is always the difficulty of getting into His stride, but once we have done so, the only characteristic that exhibits itself is the very life of God Himself. The individual person is merged into a personal oneness with God, and God’s stride and His power alone are exhibited.
It is difficult to get into stride with God, because as soon as we start walking with Him we find that His pace has surpassed us before we have even taken three steps. He has different ways of doing things, and we have to be trained and disciplined in His ways. It was said of Jesus— “He will not fail nor be discouraged . . .” (Isaiah 42:4) because He never worked from His own individual standpoint, but always worked from the standpoint of His Father. And we must learn to do the same. Spiritual truth is learned through the atmosphere that surrounds us, not through intellectual reasoning. It is God’s Spirit that changes the atmosphere of our way of looking at things, and then things begin to be possible which before were impossible. Getting into God’s stride means nothing less than oneness with Him. It takes a long time to get there, but keep at it. Don’t give up because the pain is intense right now— get on with it, and before long you will find that you have a new vision and a new purpose.
與神同步
以諾與神同行。 （創五24）
一個人屬靈生命與個性的考驗，不是在特殊情況下的表現，乃在平凡無奇的時日中所行所作。人的價值視乎他在隱藏時對普通事物所抱的態度（比較約一36）。要達致與神同步的境地，是一件痛苦的事，那是屬靈上[第二陣風]的經歷。學習與神同行，總有跟不上他步伐的困難；但一旦跟上樂，所表現的唯一特質，就是神的生命。個人的生命在與神結合中隱藏樂，所表現的只有神的步伐與能力。
與神步伐一致是不容易的,因為一開始與神同行,就會發現我們才走了三步,他已在老遠樂.他有他作事的方法,我們必須學習餅接受操練,才能以他的方法作事.耶穌[不灰心,也不喪膽],因為他從不以他個人的觀點去行事,乃是以他父的觀點,我們也要如此.屬靈真理是在薰陶下學習的,而不是靠頭腦的推理.神的靈改變我們看事物的態度,於是從來不可能的事,也變得可能樂.與神同行,就是與神聯合.要做到這個,需時甚久,但要持之以恆。不要因現在的痛苦而放棄，不久，你會得著新的異象與目標。
祈禱◆主啊，如此眾多的活動，如此眾多的事情，如此眾多的人！願你因你的榮耀，以寬大的心胸和美善的屬性來賜福今天。
October 11, 2012
God’s Silence— Then What?
When He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was —John 11:6
Has God trusted you with His silence— a silence that has great meaning? God’s silences are actually His answers. Just think of those days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything comparable to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still asking Him for a visible answer? God will give you the very blessings you ask if you refuse to go any further without them, but His silence is the sign that He is bringing you into an even more wonderful understanding of Himself. Are you mourning before God because you have not had an audible response? When you cannot hear God, you will find that He has trusted you in the most intimate way possible— with absolute silence, not a silence of despair, but one of pleasure, because He saw that you could withstand an even bigger revelation. If God has given you a silence, then praise Him— He is bringing you into the mainstream of His purposes. The actual evidence of the answer in time is simply a matter of God’s sovereignty. Time is nothing to God. For a while you may have said, “I asked God to give me bread, but He gave me a stone instead” (see Matthew 7:9). He did not give you a stone, and today you find that He gave you the “bread of life” (John 6:35).
A wonderful thing about God’s silence is that His stillness is contagious— it gets into you, causing you to become perfectly confident so that you can honestly say, “I know that God has heard me.” His silence is the very proof that He has. As long as you have the idea that God will always bless you in answer to prayer, He will do it, but He will never give you the grace of His silence. If Jesus Christ is bringing you into the understanding that prayer is for the glorifying of His Father, then He will give you the first sign of His intimacy— silence.
神沉默之後－－怎樣？
聽見拉撒路病了，就在所居之地，仍住了兩天。 （約十一6）
神有沒有因為信任你，對你默不作聲－－一個滿有意義的沉默？神的沉默就是他的回答。試想在伯大尼那幾天的死寂！在你生命中，有類似的日子嗎？神能否這樣信任你？還是你仍不斷求取眼見的答复？要是你得不著那祝福就不肯前行，神也會賜下；但他若沉默，是表示要使你對他有更深切的認識。你是否因為神未明明地回答你而憂感？你會發現神最親密待你，就是完全的沉默，不是絕望的死寂，而是愉快對你，要讚美他，他正待你進入他偉大的計劃中。神何時彰顯他的答覆，在乎他的主權。時間對神不是什麼一回事。你曾說：[我求餅，他卻給石頭。 ]
其實他沒有這樣作，今日你要發現神賜給你的是生命的餅。神的沉默有一奇妙之處，就是把他的安靜傳給你，使你變得完全的堅信－－[我知道神聽了我。 ]他的沉默表示他聽見了。若你一意要神答允賜福你的禱告，他是會成就的；可是他不會賜你沉默的恩典。若耶穌基督引你明白禱告是為榮耀父神，那末，他就會給你一個先兆，表示他與你的親密關係－－沉默。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願這刻你以同在的光輝，和你靠近的感覺來施福予我。雖然我惟獨信靠你，但仍渴求自覺地以你的同在為樂，願你將它賜給我。
Has God trusted you with His silence— a silence that has great meaning? God’s silences are actually His answers. Just think of those days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything comparable to those days in your life? Can God trust you like that, or are you still asking Him for a visible answer? God will give you the very blessings you ask if you refuse to go any further without them, but His silence is the sign that He is bringing you into an even more wonderful understanding of Himself. Are you mourning before God because you have not had an audible response? When you cannot hear God, you will find that He has trusted you in the most intimate way possible— with absolute silence, not a silence of despair, but one of pleasure, because He saw that you could withstand an even bigger revelation. If God has given you a silence, then praise Him— He is bringing you into the mainstream of His purposes. The actual evidence of the answer in time is simply a matter of God’s sovereignty. Time is nothing to God. For a while you may have said, “I asked God to give me bread, but He gave me a stone instead” (see Matthew 7:9). He did not give you a stone, and today you find that He gave you the “bread of life” (John 6:35).
A wonderful thing about God’s silence is that His stillness is contagious— it gets into you, causing you to become perfectly confident so that you can honestly say, “I know that God has heard me.” His silence is the very proof that He has. As long as you have the idea that God will always bless you in answer to prayer, He will do it, but He will never give you the grace of His silence. If Jesus Christ is bringing you into the understanding that prayer is for the glorifying of His Father, then He will give you the first sign of His intimacy— silence.
神沉默之後－－怎樣？
聽見拉撒路病了，就在所居之地，仍住了兩天。 （約十一6）
神有沒有因為信任你，對你默不作聲－－一個滿有意義的沉默？神的沉默就是他的回答。試想在伯大尼那幾天的死寂！在你生命中，有類似的日子嗎？神能否這樣信任你？還是你仍不斷求取眼見的答复？要是你得不著那祝福就不肯前行，神也會賜下；但他若沉默，是表示要使你對他有更深切的認識。你是否因為神未明明地回答你而憂感？你會發現神最親密待你，就是完全的沉默，不是絕望的死寂，而是愉快對你，要讚美他，他正待你進入他偉大的計劃中。神何時彰顯他的答覆，在乎他的主權。時間對神不是什麼一回事。你曾說：[我求餅，他卻給石頭。 ]
其實他沒有這樣作，今日你要發現神賜給你的是生命的餅。神的沉默有一奇妙之處，就是把他的安靜傳給你，使你變得完全的堅信－－[我知道神聽了我。 ]他的沉默表示他聽見了。若你一意要神答允賜福你的禱告，他是會成就的；可是他不會賜你沉默的恩典。若耶穌基督引你明白禱告是為榮耀父神，那末，他就會給你一個先兆，表示他與你的親密關係－－沉默。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願這刻你以同在的光輝，和你靠近的感覺來施福予我。雖然我惟獨信靠你，但仍渴求自覺地以你的同在為樂，願你將它賜給我。
October 10, 2012
How Will I Know?
Jesus answered and said, ’I thank You, Father . . . that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes’ —Matthew 11:25
We do not grow into a spiritual relationship step by step— we either have a relationship or we do not. God does not continue to cleanse us more and more from sin— “But if we walk in the light,” we are cleansed “from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It is a matter of obedience, and once we obey, the relationship is instantly perfected. But if we turn away from obedience for even one second, darkness and death are immediately at work again.
All of God’s revealed truths are sealed until they are opened to us through obedience. You will never open them through philosophy or thinking. But once you obey, a flash of light comes immediately. Let God’s truth work into you by immersing yourself in it, not by worrying into it. The only way you can get to know the truth of God is to stop trying to find out and by being born again. If you obey God in the first thing He shows you, then He instantly opens up the next truth to you. You could read volumes on the work of the Holy Spirit, when five minutes of total, uncompromising obedience would make things as clear as sunlight. Don’t say, “I suppose I will understand these things someday!” You can understand them now. And it is not study that brings understanding to you, but obedience. Even the smallest bit of obedience opens heaven, and the deepest truths of God immediately become yours. Yet God will never reveal more truth about Himself to you, until you have obeyed what you know already. Beware of becoming one of the “wise and prudent.” “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know . . .” (John 7:17).
我怎知道？
父啊，天地的主，我感謝你，因為你將這些事，向聰明通達人，就藏起來，向嬰孩，就顯出來。 （太十一25）
在屬靈的關係上，沒有漸長這回事；有就有，沒有就是沒有。神並不是愈來愈洗清我們的罪，而是我們若行在光中，一切罪就除掉了。問題是順服與否，若順服，那關係就隨即完全了。只要一秒鐘不順服，黑暗與死亡就隨即作工。
神所有的啟示全都是密封的，不能靠哲學或思想開啟。只有靠順服，才向我們開啟。一順服，亮光就來。不是牽腸掛肚地要進入真理，乃是要浸在真理中，好叫他能在你裡面作工。要認識真理，就只有靠重生，而不是靠追尋。順服神告訴你的事，下一步就會向你顯明。關於聖靈的工作，我們可以讀萬卷書，但只要有五分鐘的完全順服，事情就明朗如目光。 [我想總有一天會明白的。 ]其實你如今就可以明白。不是靠研究，乃是靠順服。一點點的順服，就能打開天門，神深奧的真理就立即屬於你了。你若尚未順服神向你啟示的真理，他不會再向你顯示更多真理。要當心變得[聰明通達]。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我從肉體和心靈的各種污穢中自潔；除去屬靈生命中所有的粗糙品質，以致我可以在滿足的喜樂中，在你裡面居住。
We do not grow into a spiritual relationship step by step— we either have a relationship or we do not. God does not continue to cleanse us more and more from sin— “But if we walk in the light,” we are cleansed “from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It is a matter of obedience, and once we obey, the relationship is instantly perfected. But if we turn away from obedience for even one second, darkness and death are immediately at work again.
All of God’s revealed truths are sealed until they are opened to us through obedience. You will never open them through philosophy or thinking. But once you obey, a flash of light comes immediately. Let God’s truth work into you by immersing yourself in it, not by worrying into it. The only way you can get to know the truth of God is to stop trying to find out and by being born again. If you obey God in the first thing He shows you, then He instantly opens up the next truth to you. You could read volumes on the work of the Holy Spirit, when five minutes of total, uncompromising obedience would make things as clear as sunlight. Don’t say, “I suppose I will understand these things someday!” You can understand them now. And it is not study that brings understanding to you, but obedience. Even the smallest bit of obedience opens heaven, and the deepest truths of God immediately become yours. Yet God will never reveal more truth about Himself to you, until you have obeyed what you know already. Beware of becoming one of the “wise and prudent.” “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know . . .” (John 7:17).
我怎知道？
父啊，天地的主，我感謝你，因為你將這些事，向聰明通達人，就藏起來，向嬰孩，就顯出來。 （太十一25）
在屬靈的關係上，沒有漸長這回事；有就有，沒有就是沒有。神並不是愈來愈洗清我們的罪，而是我們若行在光中，一切罪就除掉了。問題是順服與否，若順服，那關係就隨即完全了。只要一秒鐘不順服，黑暗與死亡就隨即作工。
神所有的啟示全都是密封的，不能靠哲學或思想開啟。只有靠順服，才向我們開啟。一順服，亮光就來。不是牽腸掛肚地要進入真理，乃是要浸在真理中，好叫他能在你裡面作工。要認識真理，就只有靠重生，而不是靠追尋。順服神告訴你的事，下一步就會向你顯明。關於聖靈的工作，我們可以讀萬卷書，但只要有五分鐘的完全順服，事情就明朗如目光。 [我想總有一天會明白的。 ]其實你如今就可以明白。不是靠研究，乃是靠順服。一點點的順服，就能打開天門，神深奧的真理就立即屬於你了。你若尚未順服神向你啟示的真理，他不會再向你顯示更多真理。要當心變得[聰明通達]。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我從肉體和心靈的各種污穢中自潔；除去屬靈生命中所有的粗糙品質，以致我可以在滿足的喜樂中，在你裡面居住。
October 09, 2012
Building on the Atonement
. . . present . . . your members as instruments of righteousness to God —Romans 6:13
I cannot save and sanctify myself; I cannot make atonement for sin; I cannot redeem the world; I cannot right what is wrong, purify what is impure, or make holy what is unholy. That is all the sovereign work of God. Do I have faith in what Jesus Christ has done? He has made the perfect atonement for sin. Am I in the habit of constantly realizing it? The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to believe things. The redemption of Christ is not an experience, it is the great act of God which He has performed through Christ, and I have to build my faith on it. If I construct my faith on my own experience, I produce the most unscriptural kind of life— an isolated life, with my eyes focused solely on my own holiness. Beware of that human holiness that is not based on the atonement of the Lord. It has no value for anything except a life of isolation— it is useless to God and a nuisance to man. Measure every kind of experience you have by our Lord Himself. We cannot do anything pleasing to God unless we deliberately build on the foundation of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.
The atonement of Jesus must be exhibited in practical, unassuming ways in my life. Every time I obey, the absolute deity of God is on my side, so that the grace of God and my natural obedience are in perfect agreement. Obedience means that I have completely placed my trust in the atonement, and my obedience is immediately met by the delight of the supernatural grace of God.
Beware of the human holiness that denies the reality of the natural life— it is a fraud. Continually bring yourself to the trial or test of the atonement and ask, “Where is the discernment of the atonement in this, and in that?”
振作
將肢體獻給義作奴僕，以至於成聖。 （羅六19）
我不能救自己，叫自己成聖，也不能贖罪；我不能救贖世界，把歪的弄直，把不純的變為純淨，把不潔的變為聖潔。這完全是神至高無上的作為。我對主耶穌成就的一切，有沒有信心呢？他成就完全的救恩，我有沒有時刻緊記？最重要的不是作什麼，而是相信。基督的救贖不是一個經驗，乃是神透過基督成就的大作為，我要把信心建基其上。若我的信心寄託再自己的經歷上，就產生最不合聖經的模式－－一個孤立的生命，因為我只注視自身的潔白。要提防那種不以主的救贖為根基的敬虔。這生命毫無用處，只是避世的退隱。對神無用處，對人也無裨益。要以主耶穌來衡量每一種經歷。除非我們把所有事物建在主的救贖上，否則一切所作的都不能討神喜悅。
主耶穌的救贖必須在我的生活上，產生實際自然的功效。每次我順服，神就在我這一方，他的恩典與我天然的順服，就契合為一了。順服就是把一切都沒在主的救贖上，於是就立即得著神恩典的悅納。要否定天然生命的阿敬虔，因這只是個假殼。要經常去到救贖的案前，問自己：救贖在這件或那件事上，有顯明出來麼？
祈禱◆主啊，我來到你的面前，求你自己像一團火那樣四面護衛我，而你的榮耀就在其中。這個祈求聽起來全屬自私，可是，我卻不懂得用別的方法來表達。噢，主啊，你是最清楚知道的。
I cannot save and sanctify myself; I cannot make atonement for sin; I cannot redeem the world; I cannot right what is wrong, purify what is impure, or make holy what is unholy. That is all the sovereign work of God. Do I have faith in what Jesus Christ has done? He has made the perfect atonement for sin. Am I in the habit of constantly realizing it? The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to believe things. The redemption of Christ is not an experience, it is the great act of God which He has performed through Christ, and I have to build my faith on it. If I construct my faith on my own experience, I produce the most unscriptural kind of life— an isolated life, with my eyes focused solely on my own holiness. Beware of that human holiness that is not based on the atonement of the Lord. It has no value for anything except a life of isolation— it is useless to God and a nuisance to man. Measure every kind of experience you have by our Lord Himself. We cannot do anything pleasing to God unless we deliberately build on the foundation of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.
The atonement of Jesus must be exhibited in practical, unassuming ways in my life. Every time I obey, the absolute deity of God is on my side, so that the grace of God and my natural obedience are in perfect agreement. Obedience means that I have completely placed my trust in the atonement, and my obedience is immediately met by the delight of the supernatural grace of God.
Beware of the human holiness that denies the reality of the natural life— it is a fraud. Continually bring yourself to the trial or test of the atonement and ask, “Where is the discernment of the atonement in this, and in that?”
振作
將肢體獻給義作奴僕，以至於成聖。 （羅六19）
我不能救自己，叫自己成聖，也不能贖罪；我不能救贖世界，把歪的弄直，把不純的變為純淨，把不潔的變為聖潔。這完全是神至高無上的作為。我對主耶穌成就的一切，有沒有信心呢？他成就完全的救恩，我有沒有時刻緊記？最重要的不是作什麼，而是相信。基督的救贖不是一個經驗，乃是神透過基督成就的大作為，我要把信心建基其上。若我的信心寄託再自己的經歷上，就產生最不合聖經的模式－－一個孤立的生命，因為我只注視自身的潔白。要提防那種不以主的救贖為根基的敬虔。這生命毫無用處，只是避世的退隱。對神無用處，對人也無裨益。要以主耶穌來衡量每一種經歷。除非我們把所有事物建在主的救贖上，否則一切所作的都不能討神喜悅。
主耶穌的救贖必須在我的生活上，產生實際自然的功效。每次我順服，神就在我這一方，他的恩典與我天然的順服，就契合為一了。順服就是把一切都沒在主的救贖上，於是就立即得著神恩典的悅納。要否定天然生命的阿敬虔，因這只是個假殼。要經常去到救贖的案前，問自己：救贖在這件或那件事上，有顯明出來麼？
祈禱◆主啊，我來到你的面前，求你自己像一團火那樣四面護衛我，而你的榮耀就在其中。這個祈求聽起來全屬自私，可是，我卻不懂得用別的方法來表達。噢，主啊，你是最清楚知道的。
October 08, 2012
Coming to Jesus
Come to Me . . . —Matthew 11:28
Isn’t it humiliating to be told that we must come to Jesus! Think of the things about which we will not come to Jesus Christ. If you want to know how real you are, test yourself by these words— “Come to Me . . . .” In every dimension in which you are not real, you will argue or evade the issue altogether rather than come; you will go through sorrow rather than come; and you will do anything rather than come the last lap of the race of seemingly unspeakable foolishness and say, “Just as I am, I come.” As long as you have even the least bit of spiritual disrespect, it will always reveal itself in the fact that you are expecting God to tell you to do something very big, and yet all He is telling you to do is to “Come . . . .”
“Come to Me . . . .” When you hear those words, you will know that something must happen in you before you can come. The Holy Spirit will show you what you have to do, and it will involve anything that will uproot whatever is preventing you from getting through to Jesus. And you will never get any further until you are willing to do that very thing. The Holy Spirit will search out that one immovable stronghold within you, but He cannot budge it unless you are willing to let Him do so.
How often have you come to God with your requests and gone away thinking, “I’ve really received what I wanted this time!” And yet you go away with nothing, while all the time God has stood with His hands outstretched not only to take you but also for you to take Him. Just think of the invincible, unconquerable, and untiring patience of Jesus, who lovingly says, “Come to Me. . . .”
唯獨基督
到我這裡來。 （太十一28）
要我到耶穌那裡去，豈非卑躬屈膝？試想想有什麼事令我們不想到耶穌那裡去。若想知道自己的真面目，可以用[到我這裡來]這句話考一考自己。你若有任何不真誠，都會千方百計爭辯，不肯到主那裡去；你會逃避，不肯去；你寧可吃苦也不去；你寧可作任何事，也不願走這最後一程自認完全無知的路－－[依我本相到主跟前]。只要你仍有一丁點兒屬靈的自負，總會期望神叫你做大事，而他只叫你到他那裡去。
[到我這裡來。 ]聽見這句話時，便知道你未去他那里以前，某些事情必然發生。聖靈會指示你所當作的，叫你從根本的問題上下斧，除掉那阻路的東西。你不去解決，就無法再前進。聖靈會指出死結所在，但他不能強行解開，他要你自己甘願去解開。
多少時候，你來到神面前祈求，覺得這一次總可以成就了，可是每次都空手而回。其實神一直張開手等待你，要得著你，也要你得著他。想想主耶穌那無法淹沒、無可抗拒、不厭其煩的忍耐－－[到我這裡來]。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，詩人的話對我何其真實－－[我的性命幾乎歸於塵土。 ]我的靈魂鋪滿了塵土，主啊，求你按照你的話語激發我。言語藉著你的靈而得著生機，它所帶來的生命將是何等完美！主啊，願你現在便發聲。
Isn’t it humiliating to be told that we must come to Jesus! Think of the things about which we will not come to Jesus Christ. If you want to know how real you are, test yourself by these words— “Come to Me . . . .” In every dimension in which you are not real, you will argue or evade the issue altogether rather than come; you will go through sorrow rather than come; and you will do anything rather than come the last lap of the race of seemingly unspeakable foolishness and say, “Just as I am, I come.” As long as you have even the least bit of spiritual disrespect, it will always reveal itself in the fact that you are expecting God to tell you to do something very big, and yet all He is telling you to do is to “Come . . . .”
“Come to Me . . . .” When you hear those words, you will know that something must happen in you before you can come. The Holy Spirit will show you what you have to do, and it will involve anything that will uproot whatever is preventing you from getting through to Jesus. And you will never get any further until you are willing to do that very thing. The Holy Spirit will search out that one immovable stronghold within you, but He cannot budge it unless you are willing to let Him do so.
How often have you come to God with your requests and gone away thinking, “I’ve really received what I wanted this time!” And yet you go away with nothing, while all the time God has stood with His hands outstretched not only to take you but also for you to take Him. Just think of the invincible, unconquerable, and untiring patience of Jesus, who lovingly says, “Come to Me. . . .”
唯獨基督
到我這裡來。 （太十一28）
要我到耶穌那裡去，豈非卑躬屈膝？試想想有什麼事令我們不想到耶穌那裡去。若想知道自己的真面目，可以用[到我這裡來]這句話考一考自己。你若有任何不真誠，都會千方百計爭辯，不肯到主那裡去；你會逃避，不肯去；你寧可吃苦也不去；你寧可作任何事，也不願走這最後一程自認完全無知的路－－[依我本相到主跟前]。只要你仍有一丁點兒屬靈的自負，總會期望神叫你做大事，而他只叫你到他那裡去。
[到我這裡來。 ]聽見這句話時，便知道你未去他那里以前，某些事情必然發生。聖靈會指示你所當作的，叫你從根本的問題上下斧，除掉那阻路的東西。你不去解決，就無法再前進。聖靈會指出死結所在，但他不能強行解開，他要你自己甘願去解開。
多少時候，你來到神面前祈求，覺得這一次總可以成就了，可是每次都空手而回。其實神一直張開手等待你，要得著你，也要你得著他。想想主耶穌那無法淹沒、無可抗拒、不厭其煩的忍耐－－[到我這裡來]。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，詩人的話對我何其真實－－[我的性命幾乎歸於塵土。 ]我的靈魂鋪滿了塵土，主啊，求你按照你的話語激發我。言語藉著你的靈而得著生機，它所帶來的生命將是何等完美！主啊，願你現在便發聲。
October 07, 2012
The Nature of Reconciliation
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him —2 Corinthians 5:21
Sin is a fundamental relationship— it is not wrong doing, but wrong being— it is deliberate and determined independence from God. The Christian faith bases everything on the extreme, self-confident nature of sin. Other faiths deal with sins— the Bible alone deals with sin. The first thing Jesus Christ confronted in people was the heredity of sin, and it is because we have ignored this in our presentation of the gospel that the message of the gospel has lost its sting and its explosive power.
The revealed truth of the Bible is not that Jesus Christ took on Himself our fleshly sins, but that He took on Himself the heredity of sin that no man can even touch. God made His own Son “to be sin” that He might make the sinner into a saint. It is revealed throughout the Bible that our Lord took on Himself the sin of the world through identification with us, not through sympathy for us. He deliberately took on His own shoulders, and endured in His own body, the complete, cumulative sin of the human race. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us. . .” and by so doing He placed salvation for the entire human race solely on the basis of redemption. Jesus Christ reconciled the human race, putting it back to where God designed it to be. And now anyone can experience that reconciliation, being brought into oneness with God, on the basis of what our Lord has done on the cross.
A man cannot redeem himself— redemption is the work of God, and is absolutely finished and complete. And its application to individual people is a matter of their own individual action or response to it. A distinction must always be made between the revealed truth of redemption and the actual conscious experience of salvation in a person’s life.
和好
神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 （林後五21）
罪是一種根本的關係；不是指所犯的錯事，而是錯的本體，就是故意極力脫離神獨立。基督教信仰是把一切建基在正視罪的本質。其他宗教對付許多罪行，聖經只對付一樣罪。主耶穌首先面對的，就是罪的遺傳。我們傳福音若忽略這一點，就使福音失卻了叫人扎心及爆炸性的信息。
聖經的啟示不是耶穌怎樣擔負我們肉體上的罪，而是他擔負了沒有人可以觸及的罪根。神叫自己的兒子成為罪，為叫罪人可以成為聖潔。在整部聖經中，我們看見主擔當世人的罪，擔在自己肩頭上，親自承擔一切。 [神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪。 ]正因他這樣做，就為全人類建立了救贖的根基。主耶穌恢復了人類原來的地位，把他們放在神本來計劃的地位上。任何人都可以因主耶穌在十字架上成就的，與神連合。
人無法自救，救贖是出於神，並且已經完全成就。救贖與人的關係，在於人的反應。我們必須把救贖的啟示，與個人生命中得救的經歷清楚區別。
祈禱◆主啊，為著你今早賜給我的感動，我感謝你－－可是，我卻是那麼令人驚愕地毫無生氣和毫不美麗！不過，這個對自己的認識，只表明當你不在我裡面時，我的生命境況。
Sin is a fundamental relationship— it is not wrong doing, but wrong being— it is deliberate and determined independence from God. The Christian faith bases everything on the extreme, self-confident nature of sin. Other faiths deal with sins— the Bible alone deals with sin. The first thing Jesus Christ confronted in people was the heredity of sin, and it is because we have ignored this in our presentation of the gospel that the message of the gospel has lost its sting and its explosive power.
The revealed truth of the Bible is not that Jesus Christ took on Himself our fleshly sins, but that He took on Himself the heredity of sin that no man can even touch. God made His own Son “to be sin” that He might make the sinner into a saint. It is revealed throughout the Bible that our Lord took on Himself the sin of the world through identification with us, not through sympathy for us. He deliberately took on His own shoulders, and endured in His own body, the complete, cumulative sin of the human race. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us. . .” and by so doing He placed salvation for the entire human race solely on the basis of redemption. Jesus Christ reconciled the human race, putting it back to where God designed it to be. And now anyone can experience that reconciliation, being brought into oneness with God, on the basis of what our Lord has done on the cross.
A man cannot redeem himself— redemption is the work of God, and is absolutely finished and complete. And its application to individual people is a matter of their own individual action or response to it. A distinction must always be made between the revealed truth of redemption and the actual conscious experience of salvation in a person’s life.
和好
神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 （林後五21）
罪是一種根本的關係；不是指所犯的錯事，而是錯的本體，就是故意極力脫離神獨立。基督教信仰是把一切建基在正視罪的本質。其他宗教對付許多罪行，聖經只對付一樣罪。主耶穌首先面對的，就是罪的遺傳。我們傳福音若忽略這一點，就使福音失卻了叫人扎心及爆炸性的信息。
聖經的啟示不是耶穌怎樣擔負我們肉體上的罪，而是他擔負了沒有人可以觸及的罪根。神叫自己的兒子成為罪，為叫罪人可以成為聖潔。在整部聖經中，我們看見主擔當世人的罪，擔在自己肩頭上，親自承擔一切。 [神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪。 ]正因他這樣做，就為全人類建立了救贖的根基。主耶穌恢復了人類原來的地位，把他們放在神本來計劃的地位上。任何人都可以因主耶穌在十字架上成就的，與神連合。
人無法自救，救贖是出於神，並且已經完全成就。救贖與人的關係，在於人的反應。我們必須把救贖的啟示，與個人生命中得救的經歷清楚區別。
祈禱◆主啊，為著你今早賜給我的感動，我感謝你－－可是，我卻是那麼令人驚愕地毫無生氣和毫不美麗！不過，這個對自己的認識，只表明當你不在我裡面時，我的生命境況。
October 06, 2012
The Nature of Regeneration
When it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me . . . —Galatians 1:15-16
If Jesus Christ is going to regenerate me, what is the problem He faces? It is simply this— I have a heredity in which I had no say or decision; I am not holy, nor am I likely to be; and if all Jesus Christ can do is tell me that I must be holy, His teaching only causes me to despair. But if Jesus Christ is truly a regenerator, someone who can put His own heredity of holiness into me, then I can begin to see what He means when He says that I have to be holy. Redemption means that Jesus Christ can put into anyone the hereditary nature that was in Himself, and all the standards He gives us are based on that nature— His teaching is meant to be applied to the life which He puts within us. The proper action on my part is simply to agree with God’s verdict on sin as judged on the Cross of Christ.
The New Testament teaching about regeneration is that when a person is hit by his own sense of need, God will put the Holy Spirit into his spirit, and his personal spirit will be energized by the Spirit of the Son of God— “. . . until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). The moral miracle of redemption is that God can put a new nature into me through which I can live a totally new life. When I finally reach the edge of my need and know my own limitations, then Jesus says, “Blessed are you . . .” (Matthew 5:11). But I must get to that point. God cannot put into me, the responsible moral person that I am, the nature that was in Jesus Christ unless I am aware of my need for it.
Just as the nature of sin entered into the human race through one man, the Holy Spirit entered into the human race through another Man (see Romans 5:12-19). And redemption means that I can be delivered from the heredity of sin, and that through Jesus Christ I can receive a pure and spotless heredity, namely, the Holy Spirit.
再造的改變
神……樂意將他兒子啟示在我心裡。 （加一15-16）
主耶穌若要把我重生過來，要面對什麼困難呢？我承襲的罪性，是我無能為力的；我並不聖潔，自己也不可能聖潔。若主耶穌所能作的，只是告訴我要聖潔，他的教訓只會帶來絕望；但主耶穌若是生命的再造者，能把自己聖潔的遺傳放進人裡面，我便可以明白要聖潔是什麼意思。救贖就是主耶穌把自己的性情傳襲到任何人身上，而他所設的標準，就是根據他的教訓，為放進去的生命而設的。我在道德方面能作的，就是承認神在十字架上對罪的判定。
新約對重生的教訓，就是當人深深感到屬靈的需要，神就把聖靈放進他的靈裡去，他的靈就被神兒子的靈所感動－－[真等到基督成形在你們心裡]。救贖的道德神蹟，就是神把一個新性情放在我裡面，以致我能活出全新的生命來。當我來到自己欠缺的極限，知道自己的有限時，耶穌說：[你有福了。 ]但要到達那境地，除非我先意識到自己的需要，否則，神不能把耶穌基督的性情放在我裡面。正如罪性是因一人進入人類，同樣，聖潔也藉另一個人進入。救贖就是透過主耶穌，把我從罪的傳襲中救出來，領受一個無玷污的遺傳，就是聖靈。
祈禱◆主啊，我的靈性－－或更準確地說，是我的思想領域－－仍是何等愚鈍和模糊，以致瑣碎的事情佔據了龐大的範圍，卻將生命中那些重要的問題擠掉。求你拯救的大能釋放我。
If Jesus Christ is going to regenerate me, what is the problem He faces? It is simply this— I have a heredity in which I had no say or decision; I am not holy, nor am I likely to be; and if all Jesus Christ can do is tell me that I must be holy, His teaching only causes me to despair. But if Jesus Christ is truly a regenerator, someone who can put His own heredity of holiness into me, then I can begin to see what He means when He says that I have to be holy. Redemption means that Jesus Christ can put into anyone the hereditary nature that was in Himself, and all the standards He gives us are based on that nature— His teaching is meant to be applied to the life which He puts within us. The proper action on my part is simply to agree with God’s verdict on sin as judged on the Cross of Christ.
The New Testament teaching about regeneration is that when a person is hit by his own sense of need, God will put the Holy Spirit into his spirit, and his personal spirit will be energized by the Spirit of the Son of God— “. . . until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). The moral miracle of redemption is that God can put a new nature into me through which I can live a totally new life. When I finally reach the edge of my need and know my own limitations, then Jesus says, “Blessed are you . . .” (Matthew 5:11). But I must get to that point. God cannot put into me, the responsible moral person that I am, the nature that was in Jesus Christ unless I am aware of my need for it.
Just as the nature of sin entered into the human race through one man, the Holy Spirit entered into the human race through another Man (see Romans 5:12-19). And redemption means that I can be delivered from the heredity of sin, and that through Jesus Christ I can receive a pure and spotless heredity, namely, the Holy Spirit.
再造的改變
神……樂意將他兒子啟示在我心裡。 （加一15-16）
主耶穌若要把我重生過來，要面對什麼困難呢？我承襲的罪性，是我無能為力的；我並不聖潔，自己也不可能聖潔。若主耶穌所能作的，只是告訴我要聖潔，他的教訓只會帶來絕望；但主耶穌若是生命的再造者，能把自己聖潔的遺傳放進人裡面，我便可以明白要聖潔是什麼意思。救贖就是主耶穌把自己的性情傳襲到任何人身上，而他所設的標準，就是根據他的教訓，為放進去的生命而設的。我在道德方面能作的，就是承認神在十字架上對罪的判定。
新約對重生的教訓，就是當人深深感到屬靈的需要，神就把聖靈放進他的靈裡去，他的靈就被神兒子的靈所感動－－[真等到基督成形在你們心裡]。救贖的道德神蹟，就是神把一個新性情放在我裡面，以致我能活出全新的生命來。當我來到自己欠缺的極限，知道自己的有限時，耶穌說：[你有福了。 ]但要到達那境地，除非我先意識到自己的需要，否則，神不能把耶穌基督的性情放在我裡面。正如罪性是因一人進入人類，同樣，聖潔也藉另一個人進入。救贖就是透過主耶穌，把我從罪的傳襲中救出來，領受一個無玷污的遺傳，就是聖靈。
祈禱◆主啊，我的靈性－－或更準確地說，是我的思想領域－－仍是何等愚鈍和模糊，以致瑣碎的事情佔據了龐大的範圍，卻將生命中那些重要的問題擠掉。求你拯救的大能釋放我。
October 05, 2012
The Nature of Degeneration
Just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned . . . —Romans 5:12
The Bible does not say that God punished the human race for one man’s sin, but that the nature of sin, namely, my claim to my right to myself, entered into the human race through one man. But it also says that another Man took upon Himself the sin of the human race and put it away— an infinitely more profound revelation (see Hebrews 9:26). The nature of sin is not immorality and wrongdoing, but the nature of self-realization which leads us to say, “I am my own god.” This nature may exhibit itself in proper morality or in improper immorality, but it always has a common basis— my claim to my right to myself. When our Lord faced either people with all the forces of evil in them, or people who were clean-living, moral, and upright, He paid no attention to the moral degradation of one, nor any attention to the moral attainment of the other. He looked at something we do not see, namely, the nature of man (see John 2:25).
Sin is something I am born with and cannot touch— only God touches sin through redemption. It is through the Cross of Christ that God redeemed the entire human race from the possibility of damnation through the heredity of sin. God nowhere holds a person responsible for having the heredity of sin, and does not condemn anyone because of it. Condemnation comes when I realize that Jesus Christ came to deliver me from this heredity of sin, and yet I refuse to let Him do so. From that moment I begin to get the seal of damnation. “This is the condemnation [and the critical moment], that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light . . . ” (John 3:19).
墮落的傾向
這就如罪是從一人入了世界，死又是從罪來的，於是死就臨到眾人，因為眾人都犯了罪。 （羅五12）
聖經不是說神因一人的罪，就刑罰所有的人；聖經乃是說人的罪性－－我對自我主權的把持，是由一人進入人類。然而另一個人擔負了人類的罪，把罪除掉（來九26），這是何其奧秘的啟示哩。罪性並非指錯失或道德的敗落，而是自我實現的傾向－－我是自己的神。這傾向可以表現得很道德，也可以很不道德，但只有一個根基，就是對自我主權的把持。主耶穌不論碰到罪大惡極的人，還是正人君子，他均不理會前者道德的敗落或後者道德的操守；他所注意的，是我們所看不見的－－人的意向。
罪是與生俱來的，是人無能為力的，但神藉著救贖對付了罪。神藉主耶穌的十字架，拯救整個人類，使我們可以脫離那因罪而來的咒詛。神從不因人有遺傳的罪根而定人的罪。定罪不是由於我生來承襲了罪，乃是因知道主耶穌來救贖我，而我仍拒絕他，那是我就要被定罪了。 [光來到世間，世人……不愛光倒愛黑暗，定他們的罪就是在此。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，願你今天將聖靈的直覺力和先天的靈感賜給我，讓我可以在一切事情上識別你。願你恩慈的同在和平安，充滿這一天。
The Bible does not say that God punished the human race for one man’s sin, but that the nature of sin, namely, my claim to my right to myself, entered into the human race through one man. But it also says that another Man took upon Himself the sin of the human race and put it away— an infinitely more profound revelation (see Hebrews 9:26). The nature of sin is not immorality and wrongdoing, but the nature of self-realization which leads us to say, “I am my own god.” This nature may exhibit itself in proper morality or in improper immorality, but it always has a common basis— my claim to my right to myself. When our Lord faced either people with all the forces of evil in them, or people who were clean-living, moral, and upright, He paid no attention to the moral degradation of one, nor any attention to the moral attainment of the other. He looked at something we do not see, namely, the nature of man (see John 2:25).
Sin is something I am born with and cannot touch— only God touches sin through redemption. It is through the Cross of Christ that God redeemed the entire human race from the possibility of damnation through the heredity of sin. God nowhere holds a person responsible for having the heredity of sin, and does not condemn anyone because of it. Condemnation comes when I realize that Jesus Christ came to deliver me from this heredity of sin, and yet I refuse to let Him do so. From that moment I begin to get the seal of damnation. “This is the condemnation [and the critical moment], that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light . . . ” (John 3:19).
墮落的傾向
這就如罪是從一人入了世界，死又是從罪來的，於是死就臨到眾人，因為眾人都犯了罪。 （羅五12）
聖經不是說神因一人的罪，就刑罰所有的人；聖經乃是說人的罪性－－我對自我主權的把持，是由一人進入人類。然而另一個人擔負了人類的罪，把罪除掉（來九26），這是何其奧秘的啟示哩。罪性並非指錯失或道德的敗落，而是自我實現的傾向－－我是自己的神。這傾向可以表現得很道德，也可以很不道德，但只有一個根基，就是對自我主權的把持。主耶穌不論碰到罪大惡極的人，還是正人君子，他均不理會前者道德的敗落或後者道德的操守；他所注意的，是我們所看不見的－－人的意向。
罪是與生俱來的，是人無能為力的，但神藉著救贖對付了罪。神藉主耶穌的十字架，拯救整個人類，使我們可以脫離那因罪而來的咒詛。神從不因人有遺傳的罪根而定人的罪。定罪不是由於我生來承襲了罪，乃是因知道主耶穌來救贖我，而我仍拒絕他，那是我就要被定罪了。 [光來到世間，世人……不愛光倒愛黑暗，定他們的罪就是在此。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，願你今天將聖靈的直覺力和先天的靈感賜給我，讓我可以在一切事情上識別你。願你恩慈的同在和平安，充滿這一天。
October 04, 2012
The Vision and The Reality
. . . to those who are . . . called to be saints . . . —1 Corinthians 1:2
Thank God for being able to see all that you have not yet been. You have had the vision, but you are not yet to the reality of it by any means. It is when we are in the valley, where we prove whether we will be the choice ones, that most of us turn back. We are not quite prepared for the bumps and bruises that must come if we are going to be turned into the shape of the vision. We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us to be, but are we willing to be battered into the shape of the vision to be used by God? The beatings will always come in the most common, everyday ways and through common, everyday people.
There are times when we do know what God’s purpose is; whether we will let the vision be turned into actual character depends on us, not on God. If we prefer to relax on the mountaintop and live in the memory of the vision, then we will be of no real use in the ordinary things of which human life is made. We have to learn to live in reliance upon what we saw in the vision, not simply live in ecstatic delight and conscious reflection upon God. This means living the realities of our lives in the light of the vision until the truth of the vision is actually realized in us. Every bit of our training is in that direction. Learn to thank God for making His demands known.
Our little “I am” always sulks and pouts when God says do. Let your little “I am” be shriveled up in God’s wrath and indignation–”I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). He must dominate. Isn’t it piercing to realize that God not only knows where we live, but also knows the gutters into which we crawl! He will hunt us down as fast as a flash of lightning. No human being knows human beings as God does.
異象與實在
蒙召作聖徒。 （林前一2）
為你所看見而未達成的一切感謝神。你見到異象，但其實你一點也未達那境地。我們往往在山谷中退後回頭，但山谷卻正是我們是否被選上的考驗。我們未能接受打擊，就是要實現異象必須有的打擊。我們看見自己的缺欠，也看見神心目中要我們達到的，但我們到底願不願意有被神擊打、塑造、使用的異象？神的熬煉，總是從平凡的方法，透過平凡的人而來的。
有時我們不曉得神的用意是什麼；但到底我們的異象能否變作我們的個性，全在乎我們，不在乎神。若我們留戀山頂，活在異象的回憶中，那末，在現實平凡的人生中，我們實一無用處。我們必須學習倚靠異象所見的去活，不是靠當時那種極樂，也不是靠刻意的默想神。要在異象的真光中活，直至把異象完全實現。所有訓練都是朝這個方向走，要學習感謝神讓我們知道他的要求。
在神說[做]的時候，那小小的[我]總是怏怏不樂。要把[我]在神的義怒下萎縮，神說：[我是自有永有的，我差遣你。 ]他必須作主。若知道神透察我們生活的每一洞口，那是何等的啟迪哩！他像電光般把我們搜出來，沒有誰像神那樣認識人。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著昨天我能迅速認知你在我裡面，我感謝你；求你幫助我今天在穩定和持續的禱告中，與你心意聯合。
Thank God for being able to see all that you have not yet been. You have had the vision, but you are not yet to the reality of it by any means. It is when we are in the valley, where we prove whether we will be the choice ones, that most of us turn back. We are not quite prepared for the bumps and bruises that must come if we are going to be turned into the shape of the vision. We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us to be, but are we willing to be battered into the shape of the vision to be used by God? The beatings will always come in the most common, everyday ways and through common, everyday people.
There are times when we do know what God’s purpose is; whether we will let the vision be turned into actual character depends on us, not on God. If we prefer to relax on the mountaintop and live in the memory of the vision, then we will be of no real use in the ordinary things of which human life is made. We have to learn to live in reliance upon what we saw in the vision, not simply live in ecstatic delight and conscious reflection upon God. This means living the realities of our lives in the light of the vision until the truth of the vision is actually realized in us. Every bit of our training is in that direction. Learn to thank God for making His demands known.
Our little “I am” always sulks and pouts when God says do. Let your little “I am” be shriveled up in God’s wrath and indignation–”I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). He must dominate. Isn’t it piercing to realize that God not only knows where we live, but also knows the gutters into which we crawl! He will hunt us down as fast as a flash of lightning. No human being knows human beings as God does.
異象與實在
蒙召作聖徒。 （林前一2）
為你所看見而未達成的一切感謝神。你見到異象，但其實你一點也未達那境地。我們往往在山谷中退後回頭，但山谷卻正是我們是否被選上的考驗。我們未能接受打擊，就是要實現異象必須有的打擊。我們看見自己的缺欠，也看見神心目中要我們達到的，但我們到底願不願意有被神擊打、塑造、使用的異象？神的熬煉，總是從平凡的方法，透過平凡的人而來的。
有時我們不曉得神的用意是什麼；但到底我們的異象能否變作我們的個性，全在乎我們，不在乎神。若我們留戀山頂，活在異象的回憶中，那末，在現實平凡的人生中，我們實一無用處。我們必須學習倚靠異象所見的去活，不是靠當時那種極樂，也不是靠刻意的默想神。要在異象的真光中活，直至把異象完全實現。所有訓練都是朝這個方向走，要學習感謝神讓我們知道他的要求。
在神說[做]的時候，那小小的[我]總是怏怏不樂。要把[我]在神的義怒下萎縮，神說：[我是自有永有的，我差遣你。 ]他必須作主。若知道神透察我們生活的每一洞口，那是何等的啟迪哩！他像電光般把我們搜出來，沒有誰像神那樣認識人。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著昨天我能迅速認知你在我裡面，我感謝你；求你幫助我今天在穩定和持續的禱告中，與你心意聯合。
October 03, 2012
The Place of Ministry
He said to them, ’This kind [of unclean spirit] can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting’ —Mark 9:29
His disciples asked Him privately, ’Why could we not cast it out?’ ” (Mark 9:28). The answer lies in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “This kind can come out by nothing but” concentrating on Him, and then doubling and redoubling that concentration on Him. We can remain powerless forever, as the disciples were in this situation, by trying to do God’s work without concentrating on His power, and by following instead the ideas that we draw from our own nature. We actually slander and dishonor God by our very eagerness to serve Him without knowing Him.
When you are brought face to face with a difficult situation and nothing happens externally, you can still know that freedom and release will be given because of your continued concentration on Jesus Christ. Your duty in service and ministry is to see that there is nothing between Jesus and yourself. Is there anything between you and Jesus even now? If there is, you must get through it, not by ignoring it as an irritation, or by going up and over it, but by facing it and getting through it into the presence of Jesus Christ. Then that very problem itself, and all that you have been through in connection with it, will glorify Jesus Christ in a way that you will never know until you see Him face to face.
We must be able to “mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31), but we must also know how to come down. The power of the saint lies in the coming down and in the living that is done in the valley. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and what he was referring to were mostly humiliating things. And yet it is in our power to refuse to be humiliated and to say, “No, thank you, I much prefer to be on the mountaintop with God.” Can I face things as they actually are in the light of the reality of Jesus Christ, or do things as they really are destroy my faith in Him, and put me into a panic?
事奉的領域
非用禱告禁食，這一類的鬼，不能出來。 （可九29）
[我們為什麼不能趕他出去呢？ ]這問題的答案在於人與主耶穌的關係。只有集中在主身上，加倍的仰望主，才能把這類鬼趕出去。若不集中靠神的能力去作神的工，只靠自己的主意，就變得無能，像昔日門徒一樣。我們熱心為他作工，卻又不認識他，只會給神帶來羞辱。
當你面臨一件困難的事，外表看來好像沒有什麼改變，可是你卻曉得事情必得以解決，因為你專注在主耶穌身上。這就是你事奉的途徑－－與主之間毫無阻隔。若有任何阻隔的話，就必須挪開，不是因惱怒而置之不理，也不是越過它，而是面對它，把它直接帶到主耶穌面前。那樣，這件事和所有與此相關的，都會榮耀神；你甚至詫異莫名，知道面對面見主那一天才會完全明白。
我們要像鷹一般展翅上騰，但必須知道如何降落。聖徒的能力，就是能降落，能在平地上生活。保羅說：[我靠著那加給我力量的，凡事都能作。 ]他所指的事，多半是低賤的事，我們大可拒絕降卑，說：[謝了，我還是喜歡與神在山頂上。 ]主耶穌是真實的，我能否在這亮光中，面對現實？還是讓事情完全抹煞了我對他的信心，以致陷在恐慌中？
祈禱◆主啊，將我高舉至你那裡，以致你救恩那豐富和充滿光輝的喜樂，能為著你的榮耀而面臨我和照亮我。願你使我與你之間的祈禱保持暢通。
His disciples asked Him privately, ’Why could we not cast it out?’ ” (Mark 9:28). The answer lies in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “This kind can come out by nothing but” concentrating on Him, and then doubling and redoubling that concentration on Him. We can remain powerless forever, as the disciples were in this situation, by trying to do God’s work without concentrating on His power, and by following instead the ideas that we draw from our own nature. We actually slander and dishonor God by our very eagerness to serve Him without knowing Him.
When you are brought face to face with a difficult situation and nothing happens externally, you can still know that freedom and release will be given because of your continued concentration on Jesus Christ. Your duty in service and ministry is to see that there is nothing between Jesus and yourself. Is there anything between you and Jesus even now? If there is, you must get through it, not by ignoring it as an irritation, or by going up and over it, but by facing it and getting through it into the presence of Jesus Christ. Then that very problem itself, and all that you have been through in connection with it, will glorify Jesus Christ in a way that you will never know until you see Him face to face.
We must be able to “mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31), but we must also know how to come down. The power of the saint lies in the coming down and in the living that is done in the valley. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and what he was referring to were mostly humiliating things. And yet it is in our power to refuse to be humiliated and to say, “No, thank you, I much prefer to be on the mountaintop with God.” Can I face things as they actually are in the light of the reality of Jesus Christ, or do things as they really are destroy my faith in Him, and put me into a panic?
事奉的領域
非用禱告禁食，這一類的鬼，不能出來。 （可九29）
[我們為什麼不能趕他出去呢？ ]這問題的答案在於人與主耶穌的關係。只有集中在主身上，加倍的仰望主，才能把這類鬼趕出去。若不集中靠神的能力去作神的工，只靠自己的主意，就變得無能，像昔日門徒一樣。我們熱心為他作工，卻又不認識他，只會給神帶來羞辱。
當你面臨一件困難的事，外表看來好像沒有什麼改變，可是你卻曉得事情必得以解決，因為你專注在主耶穌身上。這就是你事奉的途徑－－與主之間毫無阻隔。若有任何阻隔的話，就必須挪開，不是因惱怒而置之不理，也不是越過它，而是面對它，把它直接帶到主耶穌面前。那樣，這件事和所有與此相關的，都會榮耀神；你甚至詫異莫名，知道面對面見主那一天才會完全明白。
我們要像鷹一般展翅上騰，但必須知道如何降落。聖徒的能力，就是能降落，能在平地上生活。保羅說：[我靠著那加給我力量的，凡事都能作。 ]他所指的事，多半是低賤的事，我們大可拒絕降卑，說：[謝了，我還是喜歡與神在山頂上。 ]主耶穌是真實的，我能否在這亮光中，面對現實？還是讓事情完全抹煞了我對他的信心，以致陷在恐慌中？
祈禱◆主啊，將我高舉至你那裡，以致你救恩那豐富和充滿光輝的喜樂，能為著你的榮耀而面臨我和照亮我。願你使我與你之間的祈禱保持暢通。
October 02, 2012
The Place of Humiliation
If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us —Mark 9:22
After every time of exaltation, we are brought down with a sudden rush into things as they really are, where it is neither beautiful, poetic, nor thrilling. The height of the mountaintop is measured by the dismal drudgery of the valley, but it is in the valley that we have to live for the glory of God. We see His glory on the mountain, but we never live for His glory there. It is in the place of humiliation that we find our true worth to God— that is where our faithfulness is revealed. Most of us can do things if we are always at some heroic level of intensity, simply because of the natural selfishness of our own hearts. But God wants us to be at the drab everyday level, where we live in the valley according to our personal relationship with Him. Peter thought it would be a wonderful thing for them to remain on the mountain, but Jesus Christ took the disciples down from the mountain and into the valley, where the true meaning of the vision was explained (see Mark 9:5-6 , Mark 14-23).
“If you can do anything . . . .” It takes the valley of humiliation to remove the skepticism from us. Look back at your own experience and you will find that until you learned who Jesus really was, you were a skillful skeptic about His power. When you were on the mountaintop you could believe anything, but what about when you were faced with the facts of the valley? You may be able to give a testimony regarding your sanctification, but what about the thing that is a humiliation to you right now? The last time you were on the mountain with God, you saw that all the power in heaven and on earth belonged to Jesus— will you be skeptical now, simply because you are in the valley of humiliation?
謙卑的領域
你若能作什麼，求你憐憫我們，幫助我們。 （可九22）
每次高峰經歷之後，神會突然把我們帶下山去，面對既不美麗，也不詩意，更無興奮可言的現實。山峰的高度是以山谷中單調的生活來量度的，但正是這山谷的生活，才是榮耀神的生活。我們在山頂上看見神的榮耀，但卻永不會在那里為榮耀他而活。在謙卑低微的境地中，才真正顯露我們對神的價值，顯出我們的忠貞。在英雄的高台上，多半人都可以大顯身手，因為我們心中有自私的天性；但神卻要我們處身在枯燥平凡的境地，要我們在山谷中，單憑與他的關係而活。彼得以為留在山上最好不過，可是主耶穌卻把門徒從山上帶下山谷，在那裡，山上的異象才得以啟露。
[你若能作什麼……]在山谷的卑微中，才能把我們多疑的根拔掉。試回想你的經歷，在你認識主耶穌是誰以前，你是一個奸狡的不信者。在山上的時候，你什麼都相信，可是在山谷中面對現實時又如何呢？你大可以作見證，說成聖之道，可是對那如今令你屈辱的事，你如何處理？上一次你與神在山上，看見天上地下權柄都在耶穌手中；如今在卑下的山谷中，你有沒有疑惑？
祈禱◆主啊，昔日我在你面前的生活，彷如四處漂流、黯淡無光，直至你在我裡面出現。因著我相信你大能的救贖，我稱頌你，可是，噢，能察覺你的感動竟然會帶來如此的分別！
After every time of exaltation, we are brought down with a sudden rush into things as they really are, where it is neither beautiful, poetic, nor thrilling. The height of the mountaintop is measured by the dismal drudgery of the valley, but it is in the valley that we have to live for the glory of God. We see His glory on the mountain, but we never live for His glory there. It is in the place of humiliation that we find our true worth to God— that is where our faithfulness is revealed. Most of us can do things if we are always at some heroic level of intensity, simply because of the natural selfishness of our own hearts. But God wants us to be at the drab everyday level, where we live in the valley according to our personal relationship with Him. Peter thought it would be a wonderful thing for them to remain on the mountain, but Jesus Christ took the disciples down from the mountain and into the valley, where the true meaning of the vision was explained (see Mark 9:5-6 , Mark 14-23).
“If you can do anything . . . .” It takes the valley of humiliation to remove the skepticism from us. Look back at your own experience and you will find that until you learned who Jesus really was, you were a skillful skeptic about His power. When you were on the mountaintop you could believe anything, but what about when you were faced with the facts of the valley? You may be able to give a testimony regarding your sanctification, but what about the thing that is a humiliation to you right now? The last time you were on the mountain with God, you saw that all the power in heaven and on earth belonged to Jesus— will you be skeptical now, simply because you are in the valley of humiliation?
謙卑的領域
你若能作什麼，求你憐憫我們，幫助我們。 （可九22）
每次高峰經歷之後，神會突然把我們帶下山去，面對既不美麗，也不詩意，更無興奮可言的現實。山峰的高度是以山谷中單調的生活來量度的，但正是這山谷的生活，才是榮耀神的生活。我們在山頂上看見神的榮耀，但卻永不會在那里為榮耀他而活。在謙卑低微的境地中，才真正顯露我們對神的價值，顯出我們的忠貞。在英雄的高台上，多半人都可以大顯身手，因為我們心中有自私的天性；但神卻要我們處身在枯燥平凡的境地，要我們在山谷中，單憑與他的關係而活。彼得以為留在山上最好不過，可是主耶穌卻把門徒從山上帶下山谷，在那裡，山上的異象才得以啟露。
[你若能作什麼……]在山谷的卑微中，才能把我們多疑的根拔掉。試回想你的經歷，在你認識主耶穌是誰以前，你是一個奸狡的不信者。在山上的時候，你什麼都相信，可是在山谷中面對現實時又如何呢？你大可以作見證，說成聖之道，可是對那如今令你屈辱的事，你如何處理？上一次你與神在山上，看見天上地下權柄都在耶穌手中；如今在卑下的山谷中，你有沒有疑惑？
祈禱◆主啊，昔日我在你面前的生活，彷如四處漂流、黯淡無光，直至你在我裡面出現。因著我相信你大能的救贖，我稱頌你，可是，噢，能察覺你的感動竟然會帶來如此的分別！
October 01, 2012
The Place of Exaltation
. . . Jesus took . . . them up on a high mountain apart by themselves . . . —Mark 9:2
We have all experienced times of exaltation on the mountain, when we have seen things from God’s perspective and have wanted to stay there. But God will never allow us to stay there. The true test of our spiritual life is in exhibiting the power to descend from the mountain. If we only have the power to go up, something is wrong. It is a wonderful thing to be on the mountain with God, but a person only gets there so that he may later go down and lift up the demon-possessed people in the valley (see Mark 9:14-18). We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life— those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength. Yet our spiritual selfishness always wants repeated moments on the mountain. We feel that we could talk and live like perfect angels, if we could only stay on the mountaintop. Those times of exaltation are exceptional and they have their meaning in our life with God, but we must beware to prevent our spiritual selfishness from wanting to make them the only time.
We are inclined to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching. In actual fact, it is to be turned into something even better than teaching, namely, character. The mountaintop is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something. There is a terrible trap in always asking, “What’s the use of this experience?” We can never measure spiritual matters in that way. The moments on the mountaintop are rare moments, and they are meant for something in God’s purpose.
超升的領域
耶穌帶著彼得、雅各、約翰，暗暗的上了高山……(可九2)
我們都有過山上的經歷－－從神的觀點看事物，於是就想留在那裡不再下來。可是，神絕不容許我們留在那裡。屬靈生命的考驗，是看你下山以後的能力。若只有上山才有能力，那就有點不對勁了。在神的山上，固然好極了，但上山的目的，是叫人以後下來到被魔鬼轄制的人中間，把他們向上推。我們不是為山峰、晨曦、美景而造，那些只是感性的時刻。我們乃是為山谷而造，為那日常平凡的事而造，為要考驗我們的能力。屬靈的自私總是盼望可以重演山上的經歷，以為只要留在山上，就可以說話生活如天使一般。其實，高峰的生活是例外的，在與神的相交忠，有它的作用；但必須當心，別讓屬靈的自私把高山的經歷，視作唯一去追求的東西。
我們常以為凡事都是為教導我們，但其實比教導更好的，就是使凡遭遇的變成我們的個性。山頂的經歷不是要教導我們，乃是要塑造我們。 [這事有什麼用處？ ]這樣問有很大的危險。屬靈的事不是這樣計算的。山頂上的經歷是罕有的，是神為特別的目的而設的。
祈禱◆主啊，我最渴望的，是在你裡面生根建造－－以神為中心，專注於神，熱心於神和愛神。我的靈魂何等渴望認識你，並且得著平靜。
We have all experienced times of exaltation on the mountain, when we have seen things from God’s perspective and have wanted to stay there. But God will never allow us to stay there. The true test of our spiritual life is in exhibiting the power to descend from the mountain. If we only have the power to go up, something is wrong. It is a wonderful thing to be on the mountain with God, but a person only gets there so that he may later go down and lift up the demon-possessed people in the valley (see Mark 9:14-18). We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life— those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength. Yet our spiritual selfishness always wants repeated moments on the mountain. We feel that we could talk and live like perfect angels, if we could only stay on the mountaintop. Those times of exaltation are exceptional and they have their meaning in our life with God, but we must beware to prevent our spiritual selfishness from wanting to make them the only time.
We are inclined to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching. In actual fact, it is to be turned into something even better than teaching, namely, character. The mountaintop is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something. There is a terrible trap in always asking, “What’s the use of this experience?” We can never measure spiritual matters in that way. The moments on the mountaintop are rare moments, and they are meant for something in God’s purpose.
超升的領域
耶穌帶著彼得、雅各、約翰，暗暗的上了高山……(可九2)
我們都有過山上的經歷－－從神的觀點看事物，於是就想留在那裡不再下來。可是，神絕不容許我們留在那裡。屬靈生命的考驗，是看你下山以後的能力。若只有上山才有能力，那就有點不對勁了。在神的山上，固然好極了，但上山的目的，是叫人以後下來到被魔鬼轄制的人中間，把他們向上推。我們不是為山峰、晨曦、美景而造，那些只是感性的時刻。我們乃是為山谷而造，為那日常平凡的事而造，為要考驗我們的能力。屬靈的自私總是盼望可以重演山上的經歷，以為只要留在山上，就可以說話生活如天使一般。其實，高峰的生活是例外的，在與神的相交忠，有它的作用；但必須當心，別讓屬靈的自私把高山的經歷，視作唯一去追求的東西。
我們常以為凡事都是為教導我們，但其實比教導更好的，就是使凡遭遇的變成我們的個性。山頂的經歷不是要教導我們，乃是要塑造我們。 [這事有什麼用處？ ]這樣問有很大的危險。屬靈的事不是這樣計算的。山頂上的經歷是罕有的，是神為特別的目的而設的。
祈禱◆主啊，我最渴望的，是在你裡面生根建造－－以神為中心，專注於神，熱心於神和愛神。我的靈魂何等渴望認識你，並且得著平靜。
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)