These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full —John 15:11
What was the joy that Jesus had? Joy should not be confused with happiness. In fact, it is an insult to Jesus Christ to use the word happiness in connection with Him. The joy of Jesus was His absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice to His Father— the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do— “. . . who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross . . .” (Hebrews 12:2). “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . .” (Psalm 40:8). Jesus prayed that our joy might continue fulfilling itself until it becomes the same joy as His. Have I allowed Jesus Christ to introduce His joy to me?
Living a full and overflowing life does not rest in bodily health, in circumstances, nor even in seeing God’s work succeed, but in the perfect understanding of God, and in the same fellowship and oneness with Him that Jesus Himself enjoyed. But the first thing that will hinder this joy is the subtle irritability caused by giving too much thought to our circumstances. Jesus said, “. . . the cares of this world, . . . choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). And before we even realize what has happened, we are caught up in our cares. All that God has done for us is merely the threshold— He wants us to come to the place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim who Jesus is.
Have the right relationship with God, finding your joy there, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Be a fountain through which Jesus can pour His “living water.” Stop being hypocritical and proud, aware only of yourself, and live “your life . . . hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). A person who has the right relationship with God lives a life as natural as breathing wherever he goes. The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing.
我的喜樂……你們的喜樂
要叫我的喜樂，存在你們心裡，並叫你們的喜樂可以滿足。 （約十五11）
耶穌的喜樂是什麼？若在耶穌身上應用[快樂]這詞，實在是一種侮辱。耶穌的喜樂是對父絕對的順服與捨己。因作成他父差他來作的工而喜樂。 [我樂意照你的旨意行。 ]耶穌的禱告是要我們的喜樂日趨完備，直到像他的喜樂一樣。我有沒有讓主把喜樂帶給我？
生命的滿溢不是在身體的健康，不是在外在的事物，不是在看見神的事工成就，乃在對神完全的明白，有耶穌與父神那種契合。攔阻這喜樂的第一件事，是挑剔猜度而來的惱怒。耶穌說今生的憂慮會阻塞神的話。我們還未知身處何方，已經被紛繁的事物抓住了。神為我們所作成的一切只帶我們來到門檻，他還要我們進入，作他的見證，活出耶穌是誰。更與神連合，從而得喜樂，就有活水從你湧流。要做活水得中心，讓主透過你倒出活水。不要在沉浸在自覺裡，不要做成聖得自負者，要藏在基督里活。與神連合的生命，自然得像呼吸一般。那些最叫你蒙福的人，是那些不覺自己成為別人祝福的人。
祈禱◆噢，神啊，讓我更多的認識你，並更切實地認識你的兒子、我的救主和主。願你賜我愈來愈認識你的主權和統治，並且愈享受在你裡面的單純喜樂。
August 31, 2013
August 30, 2013
Usefulness or Relationship?
Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven —Luke 10:20
Jesus Christ is saying here, “Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me.” The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour “rivers of living water” through you (John 7:38). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7).
Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God— something of great value to His Father. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory . . .” (Hebrews 2:10).
我信服基督麼？
然而不要因鬼服了你們就歡喜，要因你們的名記錄在天上歡喜。 （路十20）
耶穌在這裡其實是說：不要因工作成功而歡喜，要因與我親密的關係而歡喜。信徒事奉的網羅，往往是因成功而歡喜，因得神使用而歡喜。其實你若與他有正確的關係，他要藉你成就的，實難以估量。所以，要保持與他緊密的相連，那末不論環境如何，不管你每天碰見什麼人，他都會透過你傾倒活水，而因著他的憐憫不讓你察覺。藉救贖及成聖你與神連合了，那麼不論你在那裡，都是出於神。若你保守自己在光明中，正如神在光明中一樣，他就會藉著你在環境中的反應，成就他的計劃。
今日的趨勢是把重點放在事奉上。當心有些人把自己的用處，作為身分的根據。若拿用處作考驗的根據，耶穌基督就是地上最大的失敗。聖徒的指標該是神自己，不是用處有多少。算得上有價值的是神透過我們所作的工，而不是我們自己為神作的工。我們的主所關注的，是一個人與父的關係有多深。耶穌正率領許多兒子進到榮耀裡去。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我因你的說話－－[好像人得了許多擄物]－－而感到歡喜。當我今天向你祈求，願你將你的說話放在我的口中，求你成就，以致凡我口所發出的，都是你的說話。
Jesus Christ is saying here, “Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me.” The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour “rivers of living water” through you (John 7:38). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7).
Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God— something of great value to His Father. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory . . .” (Hebrews 2:10).
我信服基督麼？
然而不要因鬼服了你們就歡喜，要因你們的名記錄在天上歡喜。 （路十20）
耶穌在這裡其實是說：不要因工作成功而歡喜，要因與我親密的關係而歡喜。信徒事奉的網羅，往往是因成功而歡喜，因得神使用而歡喜。其實你若與他有正確的關係，他要藉你成就的，實難以估量。所以，要保持與他緊密的相連，那末不論環境如何，不管你每天碰見什麼人，他都會透過你傾倒活水，而因著他的憐憫不讓你察覺。藉救贖及成聖你與神連合了，那麼不論你在那裡，都是出於神。若你保守自己在光明中，正如神在光明中一樣，他就會藉著你在環境中的反應，成就他的計劃。
今日的趨勢是把重點放在事奉上。當心有些人把自己的用處，作為身分的根據。若拿用處作考驗的根據，耶穌基督就是地上最大的失敗。聖徒的指標該是神自己，不是用處有多少。算得上有價值的是神透過我們所作的工，而不是我們自己為神作的工。我們的主所關注的，是一個人與父的關係有多深。耶穌正率領許多兒子進到榮耀裡去。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我因你的說話－－[好像人得了許多擄物]－－而感到歡喜。當我今天向你祈求，願你將你的說話放在我的口中，求你成就，以致凡我口所發出的，都是你的說話。
August 29, 2013
The Unsurpassed Intimacy of Tested Faith
Jesus said to her, ’Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’ —John 11:40
Every time you venture out in your life of faith, you will find something in your circumstances that, from a commonsense standpoint, will flatly contradict your faith. But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. In fact, they are as different as the natural life and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture out with courage on the words of Jesus Christ, while the realities of your commonsense life continue to shout, “It’s all a lie”? When you are on the mountaintop, it’s easy to say, “Oh yes, I believe God can do it,” but you have to come down from the mountain to the demon-possessed valley and face the realities that scoff at your Mount-of-Transfiguration belief (see Luke 9:28-42). Every time my theology becomes clear to my own mind, I encounter something that contradicts it. As soon as I say, “I believe ’God shall supply all [my] need,’ ” the testing of my faith begins (Philippians 4:19). When my strength runs dry and my vision is blinded, will I endure this trial of my faith victoriously or will I turn back in defeat?
Faith must be tested, because it can only become your intimate possession through conflict. What is challenging your faith right now? The test will either prove your faith right, or it will kill it. Jesus said, “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” Matthew 11:6). The ultimate thing is confidence in Jesus. “We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end . . .” (Hebrews 3:14). Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges you will strengthen your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of our physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God— trust that could never imagine that He would forsake us (see Hebrews 13:5-6).
無比的親密
我不是對你說過，你若信，就必看見神的榮耀麼？ （約十一40）
每次你憑信心出去闖蕩，總會發覺在常理的環境下，有些事物是完全違反你的信心的。常理並不是信心，信心也不是常理，二者的關係就是天然生命與屬靈生命之間的關係。當理性叫你不能信靠主，你仍能堅信他麼？當生活中的事實高呼這是[謊話]，你能否依然信靠主的話勇往直前？在山上很容易說：[我相信神會成就。 ]但你必須下到鬼附的山谷去，面對諷刺的現實－－對你山上變像信念當面譏諷的現實。每次在我清楚自己有信心時，就必遇到與信心互相抵觸的事情。我若說相信神會供給我需用的一切，然後不名一文，又沒有出路，那我能否通得過這信心得考驗？還是會倒退？
信心必須受試驗，只有經過爭戰，信心才能成為你個人得產業。你的信心如今遇何試煉？這試煉或證明你的信心正確，或會置之於死地。 [凡不因我跌倒的，就有福了。 ]最終的目標是對主的信靠。堅定信靠他，一切反對的事物智慧更堅定你的信心。信心的生活要不斷經歷考驗，而最後最大的考驗，就是死。求神保守我們常裝備好去作戰：信心是對神說不出來的信任，絕不去想神不支持我們。
祈禱◆噢，我驚訝自己竟那麼遲緩去發出讚美；願你使我快速而正確地讚美你。願你賜給我適當的感覺，強烈地認知到你的美善，以致我能使你的內心充滿喜樂滿足。
Every time you venture out in your life of faith, you will find something in your circumstances that, from a commonsense standpoint, will flatly contradict your faith. But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. In fact, they are as different as the natural life and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture out with courage on the words of Jesus Christ, while the realities of your commonsense life continue to shout, “It’s all a lie”? When you are on the mountaintop, it’s easy to say, “Oh yes, I believe God can do it,” but you have to come down from the mountain to the demon-possessed valley and face the realities that scoff at your Mount-of-Transfiguration belief (see Luke 9:28-42). Every time my theology becomes clear to my own mind, I encounter something that contradicts it. As soon as I say, “I believe ’God shall supply all [my] need,’ ” the testing of my faith begins (Philippians 4:19). When my strength runs dry and my vision is blinded, will I endure this trial of my faith victoriously or will I turn back in defeat?
Faith must be tested, because it can only become your intimate possession through conflict. What is challenging your faith right now? The test will either prove your faith right, or it will kill it. Jesus said, “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” Matthew 11:6). The ultimate thing is confidence in Jesus. “We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end . . .” (Hebrews 3:14). Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges you will strengthen your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of our physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God— trust that could never imagine that He would forsake us (see Hebrews 13:5-6).
無比的親密
我不是對你說過，你若信，就必看見神的榮耀麼？ （約十一40）
每次你憑信心出去闖蕩，總會發覺在常理的環境下，有些事物是完全違反你的信心的。常理並不是信心，信心也不是常理，二者的關係就是天然生命與屬靈生命之間的關係。當理性叫你不能信靠主，你仍能堅信他麼？當生活中的事實高呼這是[謊話]，你能否依然信靠主的話勇往直前？在山上很容易說：[我相信神會成就。 ]但你必須下到鬼附的山谷去，面對諷刺的現實－－對你山上變像信念當面譏諷的現實。每次在我清楚自己有信心時，就必遇到與信心互相抵觸的事情。我若說相信神會供給我需用的一切，然後不名一文，又沒有出路，那我能否通得過這信心得考驗？還是會倒退？
信心必須受試驗，只有經過爭戰，信心才能成為你個人得產業。你的信心如今遇何試煉？這試煉或證明你的信心正確，或會置之於死地。 [凡不因我跌倒的，就有福了。 ]最終的目標是對主的信靠。堅定信靠他，一切反對的事物智慧更堅定你的信心。信心的生活要不斷經歷考驗，而最後最大的考驗，就是死。求神保守我們常裝備好去作戰：信心是對神說不出來的信任，絕不去想神不支持我們。
祈禱◆噢，我驚訝自己竟那麼遲緩去發出讚美；願你使我快速而正確地讚美你。願你賜給我適當的感覺，強烈地認知到你的美善，以致我能使你的內心充滿喜樂滿足。
August 28, 2013
The Purpose of Prayer
. . . one of His disciples said to Him, ’Lord, teach us to pray . . .’ —Luke 11:1
Prayer is not a normal part of the life of the natural man. We hear it said that a person’s life will suffer if he doesn’t pray, but I question that. What will suffer is the life of the Son of God in him, which is nourished not by food, but by prayer. When a person is born again from above, the life of the Son of God is born in him, and he can either starve or nourish that life. Prayer is the way that the life of God in us is nourished. Our common ideas regarding prayer are not found in the New Testament. We look upon prayer simply as a means of getting things for ourselves, but the biblical purpose of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.
“Ask, and you will receive . . .” (John 16:24). We complain before God, and sometimes we are apologetic or indifferent to Him, but we actually ask Him for very few things. Yet a child exhibits a magnificent boldness to ask! Our Lord said, “. . . unless you . . . become as little children . . .” (Matthew 18:3). Ask and God will do. Give Jesus Christ the opportunity and the room to work. The problem is that no one will ever do this until he is at his wits’ end. When a person is at his wits’ end, it no longer seems to be a cowardly thing to pray; in fact, it is the only way he can get in touch with the truth and the reality of God Himself. Be yourself before God and present Him with your problems— the very things that have brought you to your wits’ end. But as long as you think you are self-sufficient, you do not need to ask God for anything.
To say that “prayer changes things” is not as close to the truth as saying, “Prayer changes me and then I change things.” God has established things so that prayer, on the basis of redemption, changes the way a person looks at things. Prayer is not a matter of changing things externally, but one of working miracles in a person’s inner nature.
禱告何益？
救主教導我們禱告。 （路十一1）
祈禱在人的生命中並無地位。我們常聽到這樣的說法：一個人若不禱告，他的生命就會受虧損。這個我不同意。受虧損的是在他裡面神兒子的生命，那生命不是靠食物養活，而是靠禱告養活的。人重生以後，神兒子的生命就住在他裡面；他可以養育這生命，也可以叫它餓壞。禱告是屬神生命得滋養得方法。我們一般對禱告的看法，並不是新約聖經的看法。我們往往視禱告為從神求討東西的途徑。但聖經中的禱告，是叫我們得以認識神自己。
[凡祈求的，就得著。 ]我們在神面前埋怨，或與他辯論，或對他冷漠，卻甚少求什麼。試看有小孩子樣式的兒女那種坦率大膽，是多麼可愛！我們的主說：[你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式－－]求吧。神必然成就。給主耶穌一個機會，讓他可以自由行事。人非到了盡頭，不會這樣作。
當人到了盡頭去祈求，並不是懦弱，因為這是唯一通往現實的方法。在神面前，只管按你的本相，擺出你那來到盡頭的問題。每當你自滿自足，就不會來求神。與其說[到改改變萬事]，不弱說禱告改變我，然後我改變萬事。神的行事方法，就是藉基於救贖的禱告，改變一個人對事物的看法。禱告不是改變外在事態，乃是在人的本性上行奇事。
祈禱◆[主－－我們的神。全能者作王了。 ]主啊，這句話是何等偉大和令人振奮。願我因著知道你作王，而充滿了寧謐的平安。
Prayer is not a normal part of the life of the natural man. We hear it said that a person’s life will suffer if he doesn’t pray, but I question that. What will suffer is the life of the Son of God in him, which is nourished not by food, but by prayer. When a person is born again from above, the life of the Son of God is born in him, and he can either starve or nourish that life. Prayer is the way that the life of God in us is nourished. Our common ideas regarding prayer are not found in the New Testament. We look upon prayer simply as a means of getting things for ourselves, but the biblical purpose of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.
“Ask, and you will receive . . .” (John 16:24). We complain before God, and sometimes we are apologetic or indifferent to Him, but we actually ask Him for very few things. Yet a child exhibits a magnificent boldness to ask! Our Lord said, “. . . unless you . . . become as little children . . .” (Matthew 18:3). Ask and God will do. Give Jesus Christ the opportunity and the room to work. The problem is that no one will ever do this until he is at his wits’ end. When a person is at his wits’ end, it no longer seems to be a cowardly thing to pray; in fact, it is the only way he can get in touch with the truth and the reality of God Himself. Be yourself before God and present Him with your problems— the very things that have brought you to your wits’ end. But as long as you think you are self-sufficient, you do not need to ask God for anything.
To say that “prayer changes things” is not as close to the truth as saying, “Prayer changes me and then I change things.” God has established things so that prayer, on the basis of redemption, changes the way a person looks at things. Prayer is not a matter of changing things externally, but one of working miracles in a person’s inner nature.
禱告何益？
救主教導我們禱告。 （路十一1）
祈禱在人的生命中並無地位。我們常聽到這樣的說法：一個人若不禱告，他的生命就會受虧損。這個我不同意。受虧損的是在他裡面神兒子的生命，那生命不是靠食物養活，而是靠禱告養活的。人重生以後，神兒子的生命就住在他裡面；他可以養育這生命，也可以叫它餓壞。禱告是屬神生命得滋養得方法。我們一般對禱告的看法，並不是新約聖經的看法。我們往往視禱告為從神求討東西的途徑。但聖經中的禱告，是叫我們得以認識神自己。
[凡祈求的，就得著。 ]我們在神面前埋怨，或與他辯論，或對他冷漠，卻甚少求什麼。試看有小孩子樣式的兒女那種坦率大膽，是多麼可愛！我們的主說：[你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式－－]求吧。神必然成就。給主耶穌一個機會，讓他可以自由行事。人非到了盡頭，不會這樣作。
當人到了盡頭去祈求，並不是懦弱，因為這是唯一通往現實的方法。在神面前，只管按你的本相，擺出你那來到盡頭的問題。每當你自滿自足，就不會來求神。與其說[到改改變萬事]，不弱說禱告改變我，然後我改變萬事。神的行事方法，就是藉基於救贖的禱告，改變一個人對事物的看法。禱告不是改變外在事態，乃是在人的本性上行奇事。
祈禱◆[主－－我們的神。全能者作王了。 ]主啊，這句話是何等偉大和令人振奮。願我因著知道你作王，而充滿了寧謐的平安。
August 27, 2013
Living Your Theology
Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you . . . —John 12:35
Beware of not acting upon what you see in your moments on the mountaintop with God. If you do not obey the light, it will turn into darkness. “If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). The moment you forsake the matter of sanctification or neglect anything else on which God has given you His light, your spiritual life begins to disintegrate within you. Continually bring the truth out into your real life, working it out into every area, or else even the light that you possess will itself prove to be a curse.
The most difficult person to deal with is the one who has the prideful self-satisfaction of a past experience, but is not working that experience out in his everyday life. If you say you are sanctified, show it. The experience must be so genuine that it shows in your life. Beware of any belief that makes you self-indulgent or self-gratifying; that belief came from the pit of hell itself, regardless of how beautiful it may sound.
Your theology must work itself out, exhibiting itself in your most common everyday relationships. Our Lord said, “. . . unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). In other words, you must be more moral than the most moral person you know. You may know all about the doctrine of sanctification, but are you working it out in the everyday issues of your life? Every detail of your life, whether physical, moral, or spiritual, is to be judged and measured by the standard of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.
活的神學
應當趁著有光行走，免得黑暗臨到你們。 （約十二35）
應當把你在山上與神同在時所見的活出來。你若不順從光，光就會變成黑暗。 [你裡頭的光若黑暗了，那黑暗是何等大哩！ ]每當你放開成聖的問題，或任何事上神給你的亮光，你屬靈生命就開始陷入枯乾腐爛之中。要不斷把真理活出來，在每一個範疇內都要實行，否則你所得的光，反成了咒詛。
最難對付的人，就是因過去的經歷自滿自足，卻又沒有把經歷付諸實行的人。你若說成聖了，就要表現出來。經歷若是真的，就必然在生活中流露。當心那些叫你自我放縱的信念，不論它們有多動聽，都是從暗坑中出來的。
神學必須在最實際的關係中表現出來。主說：[你們的義若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義……]那就是說，你必須比最具德行的人更有道德。你可以懂得一切成聖的教義，但到底有沒有在生活上行出來？你生命的每一部分：身體、道德、靈性，都要憑救贖的標準去審定。
祈禱◆主啊，願我[像一顆樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子]。求你顯明這句話的真實。
Beware of not acting upon what you see in your moments on the mountaintop with God. If you do not obey the light, it will turn into darkness. “If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). The moment you forsake the matter of sanctification or neglect anything else on which God has given you His light, your spiritual life begins to disintegrate within you. Continually bring the truth out into your real life, working it out into every area, or else even the light that you possess will itself prove to be a curse.
The most difficult person to deal with is the one who has the prideful self-satisfaction of a past experience, but is not working that experience out in his everyday life. If you say you are sanctified, show it. The experience must be so genuine that it shows in your life. Beware of any belief that makes you self-indulgent or self-gratifying; that belief came from the pit of hell itself, regardless of how beautiful it may sound.
Your theology must work itself out, exhibiting itself in your most common everyday relationships. Our Lord said, “. . . unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). In other words, you must be more moral than the most moral person you know. You may know all about the doctrine of sanctification, but are you working it out in the everyday issues of your life? Every detail of your life, whether physical, moral, or spiritual, is to be judged and measured by the standard of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.
活的神學
應當趁著有光行走，免得黑暗臨到你們。 （約十二35）
應當把你在山上與神同在時所見的活出來。你若不順從光，光就會變成黑暗。 [你裡頭的光若黑暗了，那黑暗是何等大哩！ ]每當你放開成聖的問題，或任何事上神給你的亮光，你屬靈生命就開始陷入枯乾腐爛之中。要不斷把真理活出來，在每一個範疇內都要實行，否則你所得的光，反成了咒詛。
最難對付的人，就是因過去的經歷自滿自足，卻又沒有把經歷付諸實行的人。你若說成聖了，就要表現出來。經歷若是真的，就必然在生活中流露。當心那些叫你自我放縱的信念，不論它們有多動聽，都是從暗坑中出來的。
神學必須在最實際的關係中表現出來。主說：[你們的義若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義……]那就是說，你必須比最具德行的人更有道德。你可以懂得一切成聖的教義，但到底有沒有在生活上行出來？你生命的每一部分：身體、道德、靈性，都要憑救贖的標準去審定。
祈禱◆主啊，願我[像一顆樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子]。求你顯明這句話的真實。
August 26, 2013
Are You Ever Troubled?
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you . . . —John 14:27
There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on our own ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always “spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? “. . . My peace I give to you. . .”— a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.
Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. Allowing anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you either causes you to become troubled or gives you a false sense of security.
With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27).
你曾煩擾不安嗎？
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們。 （約十四27）
有時我們感覺平安，是因為無知；但當我們醒悟人生的現實，內心平安就消失了。除非我們從主耶穌得著平安，否則就不能有內在的平安。主耶穌說平安，他就成就平安。他的話永遠是[靈和生命]。我有接受他所說的話麼？ [我將我的平安賜給你們。 ]－－這平安是由於定睛在他臉上，體會他那不能動搖的安穩而來的。
你如今是否因困擾而痛苦？在神的允許下，你正受著風浪的衝擊，雖然翻開信心的礁石，卻仍找不著平安、喜樂與安慰。一切都絕望了，你該仰望主，接受他那無法動搖的平安。你若能彰顯他的平安，便證明你與神有正確的關係，因為你可以自由地把心轉向他。要是你與神的關係不對勁，你的心除了轉向自己之外，便無路可通。若讓任何事物掩蔽主的臉，你不是沒有平安，就是活在虛假的穩妥裡。
你現今是否仰望耶穌？在你逼近眉睫的事上，去接受他的平安？若然，他要藉著你，也要在你裡面，成為最美妙平安的福氣。可是你若擔憂，就攔阻了他，那你受的苦，就是咎由自取了。我們受困擾，是因為未有想到他。人一與主相會，困惑就必離開，因為在他沒有困惑的事。我們唯一要注意的，是住在他裡面。把一切鋪陳在他面前，在一切困難、傷痛、愁苦之中，聽他說：[你們心裡不要憂愁。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，願你的臉光臨到我，並賜給我平安。你的平安，深如無法測度的大海，高如難以量度的高天。願你在此刻感動我，直至光明、生命和自由穿透我。
There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on our own ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always “spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? “. . . My peace I give to you. . .”— a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.
Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. Allowing anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you either causes you to become troubled or gives you a false sense of security.
With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27).
你曾煩擾不安嗎？
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們。 （約十四27）
有時我們感覺平安，是因為無知；但當我們醒悟人生的現實，內心平安就消失了。除非我們從主耶穌得著平安，否則就不能有內在的平安。主耶穌說平安，他就成就平安。他的話永遠是[靈和生命]。我有接受他所說的話麼？ [我將我的平安賜給你們。 ]－－這平安是由於定睛在他臉上，體會他那不能動搖的安穩而來的。
你如今是否因困擾而痛苦？在神的允許下，你正受著風浪的衝擊，雖然翻開信心的礁石，卻仍找不著平安、喜樂與安慰。一切都絕望了，你該仰望主，接受他那無法動搖的平安。你若能彰顯他的平安，便證明你與神有正確的關係，因為你可以自由地把心轉向他。要是你與神的關係不對勁，你的心除了轉向自己之外，便無路可通。若讓任何事物掩蔽主的臉，你不是沒有平安，就是活在虛假的穩妥裡。
你現今是否仰望耶穌？在你逼近眉睫的事上，去接受他的平安？若然，他要藉著你，也要在你裡面，成為最美妙平安的福氣。可是你若擔憂，就攔阻了他，那你受的苦，就是咎由自取了。我們受困擾，是因為未有想到他。人一與主相會，困惑就必離開，因為在他沒有困惑的事。我們唯一要注意的，是住在他裡面。把一切鋪陳在他面前，在一切困難、傷痛、愁苦之中，聽他說：[你們心裡不要憂愁。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，願你的臉光臨到我，並賜給我平安。你的平安，深如無法測度的大海，高如難以量度的高天。願你在此刻感動我，直至光明、生命和自由穿透我。
August 25, 2013
Sacrifice and Friendship
I have called you friends . . . —John 15:15
We will never know the joy of self-sacrifice until we surrender in every detail of our lives. Yet self-surrender is the most difficult thing for us to do. We make it conditional by saying, “I’ll surrender if . . . !” Or we approach it by saying, “I suppose I have to devote my life to God.” We will never find the joy of self-sacrifice in either of these ways.
But as soon as we do totally surrender, abandoning ourselves to Jesus, the Holy Spirit gives us a taste of His joy. The ultimate goal of self-sacrifice is to lay down our lives for our Friend (see John 15:13-14). When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, our greatest desire is to lay down our lives for Jesus. Yet the thought of self-sacrifice never even crosses our minds, because sacrifice is the Holy Spirit’s ultimate expression of love.
Our Lord is our example of a life of self-sacrifice, and He perfectly exemplified Psalm 40:8, “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . . .” He endured tremendous personal sacrifice, yet with overflowing joy. Have I ever yielded myself in absolute submission to Jesus Christ? If He is not the One to whom I am looking for direction and guidance, then there is no benefit in my sacrifice. But when my sacrifice is made with my eyes focused on Him, slowly but surely His molding influence becomes evident in my life (see Hebrews 12:1-2).
Beware of letting your natural desires hinder your walk in love before God. One of the cruelest ways to kill natural love is through the rejection that results from having built the love on natural desires. But the one true desire of a saint is the Lord Jesus. Love for God is not something sentimental or emotional— for a saint to love as God loves is the most practical thing imaginable.
“I have called you friends. . . .” Our friendship with Jesus is based on the new life He created in us, which has no resemblance or attraction to our old life but only to the life of God. It is a life that is completely humble, pure, and devoted to God.
結實累累的友誼
我乃稱你們為朋友。 （約十五15）
除非我們完全的投上，否則不能真正體會獻上的喜樂。自我的降服是最難的事－－[如果……我就肯了！ ][或許我也該把生命奉獻給神。 ]其中是沒有絲毫捨己的喜樂。待我們真的完全捨棄了，聖靈就叫我們嚐到主耶穌的喜樂。捨己的最終目標是為[朋友]（主耶穌）捨命。聖靈一來，最大的心願就是為耶穌捨命；以往捨己的意念從不會觸動我們的心，因為捨己是聖靈的愛。
主捨己的一生是我們的榜樣－－[我的神，我樂意照你的旨意行。 ]主的捨己是滿有喜樂的。我已經完全降服耶穌基督了嗎？耶穌基督若不是我們的目標，我們的捨己奉獻就毫無益處；我們的奉獻若是專注在他身上，那模造的工夫就必逐漸明朗地顯明。
當心別讓天然的親屬關係，阻礙你行在愛中。扼殺愛最殘酷的方法，是蔑視天然親屬的關係。聖徒唯一的吸引是主耶穌自己。對神的愛並非情感用事，因為聖徒以神的愛去愛，是最實際不過的事。 [我乃稱你們為朋友。 ]這友誼的根基是我們裡面新造的生命。這新生命只與神的生命相連，與舊生命沒有半點關係，是無可言喻的謙和，沒有玷污的潔淨，絕對忠於神。
We will never know the joy of self-sacrifice until we surrender in every detail of our lives. Yet self-surrender is the most difficult thing for us to do. We make it conditional by saying, “I’ll surrender if . . . !” Or we approach it by saying, “I suppose I have to devote my life to God.” We will never find the joy of self-sacrifice in either of these ways.
But as soon as we do totally surrender, abandoning ourselves to Jesus, the Holy Spirit gives us a taste of His joy. The ultimate goal of self-sacrifice is to lay down our lives for our Friend (see John 15:13-14). When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, our greatest desire is to lay down our lives for Jesus. Yet the thought of self-sacrifice never even crosses our minds, because sacrifice is the Holy Spirit’s ultimate expression of love.
Our Lord is our example of a life of self-sacrifice, and He perfectly exemplified Psalm 40:8, “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . . .” He endured tremendous personal sacrifice, yet with overflowing joy. Have I ever yielded myself in absolute submission to Jesus Christ? If He is not the One to whom I am looking for direction and guidance, then there is no benefit in my sacrifice. But when my sacrifice is made with my eyes focused on Him, slowly but surely His molding influence becomes evident in my life (see Hebrews 12:1-2).
Beware of letting your natural desires hinder your walk in love before God. One of the cruelest ways to kill natural love is through the rejection that results from having built the love on natural desires. But the one true desire of a saint is the Lord Jesus. Love for God is not something sentimental or emotional— for a saint to love as God loves is the most practical thing imaginable.
“I have called you friends. . . .” Our friendship with Jesus is based on the new life He created in us, which has no resemblance or attraction to our old life but only to the life of God. It is a life that is completely humble, pure, and devoted to God.
結實累累的友誼
我乃稱你們為朋友。 （約十五15）
除非我們完全的投上，否則不能真正體會獻上的喜樂。自我的降服是最難的事－－[如果……我就肯了！ ][或許我也該把生命奉獻給神。 ]其中是沒有絲毫捨己的喜樂。待我們真的完全捨棄了，聖靈就叫我們嚐到主耶穌的喜樂。捨己的最終目標是為[朋友]（主耶穌）捨命。聖靈一來，最大的心願就是為耶穌捨命；以往捨己的意念從不會觸動我們的心，因為捨己是聖靈的愛。
主捨己的一生是我們的榜樣－－[我的神，我樂意照你的旨意行。 ]主的捨己是滿有喜樂的。我已經完全降服耶穌基督了嗎？耶穌基督若不是我們的目標，我們的捨己奉獻就毫無益處；我們的奉獻若是專注在他身上，那模造的工夫就必逐漸明朗地顯明。
當心別讓天然的親屬關係，阻礙你行在愛中。扼殺愛最殘酷的方法，是蔑視天然親屬的關係。聖徒唯一的吸引是主耶穌自己。對神的愛並非情感用事，因為聖徒以神的愛去愛，是最實際不過的事。 [我乃稱你們為朋友。 ]這友誼的根基是我們裡面新造的生命。這新生命只與神的生命相連，與舊生命沒有半點關係，是無可言喻的謙和，沒有玷污的潔淨，絕對忠於神。
August 24, 2013
The Spiritual Search
What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? —Matthew 7:9
The illustration of prayer that our Lord used here is one of a good child who is asking for something good. We talk about prayer as if God hears us regardless of what our relationship is to Him (see Matthew 5:45). Never say that it is not God’s will to give you what you ask. Don’t faint and give up, but find out the reason you have not received; increase the intensity of your search and examine the evidence. Is your relationship right with your spouse, your children, and your fellow students? Are you a “good child” in those relationships? Do you have to say to the Lord, “I have been irritable and cross, but I still want spiritual blessings”? You cannot receive and will have to do without them until you have the attitude of a “good child.”
We mistake defiance for devotion, arguing with God instead of surrendering. We refuse to look at the evidence that clearly indicates where we are wrong. Have I been asking God to give me money for something I want, while refusing to pay someone what I owe him? Have I been asking God for liberty while I am withholding it from someone who belongs to me? Have I refused to forgive someone, and have I been unkind to that person? Have I been living as God’s child among my relatives and friends? (see Matthew 7:12).
I am a child of God only by being born again, and as His child I am good only as I “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). For most of us, prayer simply becomes some trivial religious expression, a matter of mystical and emotional fellowship with God. We are all good at producing spiritual fog that blinds our sight. But if we will search out and examine the evidence, we will see very clearly what is wrong— a friendship, an unpaid debt, or an improper attitude. There is no use praying unless we are living as children of God. Then Jesus says, regarding His children, “Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Matthew 7:8).
屬靈索引
你們中間，誰有兒子求餅，反給他石頭呢？ （太七9）
主在這裡拿一個孩子求好東西作比方，來說明禱告。我們似乎覺得神聽不聽禱告，跟我們與他的關係無關（比較太五45）。不要說得不著所求的，是出於神的旨意。不要就此頹然喪志，要找出原因，翻開索引。你與妻子、丈夫、兒女、同學的關係正常嗎？你是個好孩子嗎？ [主啊，我易怒，又暴躁，但是真理得著屬靈的福氣。 ]可是你得不著，知道你變成了好孩子。
我們把悖逆當作敬虔；把與神爭論當作拋棄一切。我們不去查一下索引。我是否還有未償還的債，卻又向神求金錢買東西？我是否一面求神給我自由，一面卻不肯把自由給屬我的人？我未饒恕人家的過犯，對別人不仁，在親友中未活出神的樣式。 （第12節）我惟獨藉重生才可以成為神的兒女，而作為神的兒女，只有行在光中才算是好兒女。禱告對許多人變成一種虔誠的陳腔濫調，成為情感的事，一種與神的神秘相交。在屬靈上，我們最擅於製造煙霧。但只要我們翻查一下索引，就必知道毛病出在何處－－朋友、債項、心思的粗暴。我們生活若不像神的兒女，禱告是毫無用處的。若像神的兒女，耶穌說：[凡祈求的，就得著。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天早上我謙恭地祈求，充滿了崇拜和敬仰；當我想起自己的生命是如何備受保護，內心便充滿了謙卑。
The illustration of prayer that our Lord used here is one of a good child who is asking for something good. We talk about prayer as if God hears us regardless of what our relationship is to Him (see Matthew 5:45). Never say that it is not God’s will to give you what you ask. Don’t faint and give up, but find out the reason you have not received; increase the intensity of your search and examine the evidence. Is your relationship right with your spouse, your children, and your fellow students? Are you a “good child” in those relationships? Do you have to say to the Lord, “I have been irritable and cross, but I still want spiritual blessings”? You cannot receive and will have to do without them until you have the attitude of a “good child.”
We mistake defiance for devotion, arguing with God instead of surrendering. We refuse to look at the evidence that clearly indicates where we are wrong. Have I been asking God to give me money for something I want, while refusing to pay someone what I owe him? Have I been asking God for liberty while I am withholding it from someone who belongs to me? Have I refused to forgive someone, and have I been unkind to that person? Have I been living as God’s child among my relatives and friends? (see Matthew 7:12).
I am a child of God only by being born again, and as His child I am good only as I “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). For most of us, prayer simply becomes some trivial religious expression, a matter of mystical and emotional fellowship with God. We are all good at producing spiritual fog that blinds our sight. But if we will search out and examine the evidence, we will see very clearly what is wrong— a friendship, an unpaid debt, or an improper attitude. There is no use praying unless we are living as children of God. Then Jesus says, regarding His children, “Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Matthew 7:8).
屬靈索引
你們中間，誰有兒子求餅，反給他石頭呢？ （太七9）
主在這裡拿一個孩子求好東西作比方，來說明禱告。我們似乎覺得神聽不聽禱告，跟我們與他的關係無關（比較太五45）。不要說得不著所求的，是出於神的旨意。不要就此頹然喪志，要找出原因，翻開索引。你與妻子、丈夫、兒女、同學的關係正常嗎？你是個好孩子嗎？ [主啊，我易怒，又暴躁，但是真理得著屬靈的福氣。 ]可是你得不著，知道你變成了好孩子。
我們把悖逆當作敬虔；把與神爭論當作拋棄一切。我們不去查一下索引。我是否還有未償還的債，卻又向神求金錢買東西？我是否一面求神給我自由，一面卻不肯把自由給屬我的人？我未饒恕人家的過犯，對別人不仁，在親友中未活出神的樣式。 （第12節）我惟獨藉重生才可以成為神的兒女，而作為神的兒女，只有行在光中才算是好兒女。禱告對許多人變成一種虔誠的陳腔濫調，成為情感的事，一種與神的神秘相交。在屬靈上，我們最擅於製造煙霧。但只要我們翻查一下索引，就必知道毛病出在何處－－朋友、債項、心思的粗暴。我們生活若不像神的兒女，禱告是毫無用處的。若像神的兒女，耶穌說：[凡祈求的，就得著。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天早上我謙恭地祈求，充滿了崇拜和敬仰；當我想起自己的生命是如何備受保護，內心便充滿了謙卑。
August 23, 2013
Prayer— Battle in “The Secret Place”
When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly —Matthew 6:6
Jesus did not say, “Dream about your Father who is in the secret place,” but He said, “. . . pray to your Father who is in the secret place. . . .” Prayer is an effort of the will. After we have entered our secret place and shut the door, the most difficult thing to do is to pray. We cannot seem to get our minds into good working order, and the first thing we have to fight is wandering thoughts. The great battle in private prayer is overcoming this problem of our idle and wandering thinking. We have to learn to discipline our minds and concentrate on willful, deliberate prayer.
We must have a specially selected place for prayer, but once we get there this plague of wandering thoughts begins, as we begin to think to ourselves, “This needs to be done, and I have to do that today.” Jesus says to “shut your door.” Having a secret stillness before God means deliberately shutting the door on our emotions and remembering Him. God is in secret, and He sees us from “the secret place”— He does not see us as other people do, or as we see ourselves. When we truly live in “the secret place,” it becomes impossible for us to doubt God. We become more sure of Him than of anyone or anything else. Enter into “the secret place,” and you will find that God was right in the middle of your everyday circumstances all the time. Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless you learn to open the door of your life completely and let God in from your first waking moment of each new day, you will be working on the wrong level throughout the day. But if you will swing the door of your life fully open and “pray to your Father who is in the secret place,” every public thing in your life will be marked with the lasting imprint of the presence of God.
禱告的選擇與禱告的衝突
你禱告的時候，要進你的內屋，關上門，禱告你在暗中的父。 （太六6）
耶穌不是說[夢想你在暗中的父]，而是[禱告你在暗中的父]禱告是一項意志的行動。我們進到內室，關上門，這時最難的事就是禱告。我們無法控制心思，就是思想的浮游。私禱最大的爭戰，就是要勝過心不在焉。必須控制心思，集中心力去禱告。
我們必須選一個地方來禱告，可是我們一進去，那蠅災就來了－－這個要做，那個也要做。 [關上門。 ]在隱密處的安靜，就是著意地把情感的門關上，只紀念神自己。神是在暗中的，他從暗中察看；他看我們，不同別人看我們，也不同我們看自己。活在內室之中，就根本沒有可能懷疑神，我們對他比對一切更肯定。耶穌說是在暗中的，而不在別的地方。進入內室，你就會在一切日常事務當中，發現神時刻同在。要習慣每一件事與神來往。每天清早張開眼，就該把門向神大開，讓神進來，否則你整天的工作就不對勁。向神大開心門，向暗中的父禱告，這樣，你每一件生活中公開的事，都必打上神同在的印記。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，在清晨的時間與你相交是何等美好。願你耐心地幫助我，將這寧靜的高貴時刻，轉化在這天的活動中。
Jesus did not say, “Dream about your Father who is in the secret place,” but He said, “. . . pray to your Father who is in the secret place. . . .” Prayer is an effort of the will. After we have entered our secret place and shut the door, the most difficult thing to do is to pray. We cannot seem to get our minds into good working order, and the first thing we have to fight is wandering thoughts. The great battle in private prayer is overcoming this problem of our idle and wandering thinking. We have to learn to discipline our minds and concentrate on willful, deliberate prayer.
We must have a specially selected place for prayer, but once we get there this plague of wandering thoughts begins, as we begin to think to ourselves, “This needs to be done, and I have to do that today.” Jesus says to “shut your door.” Having a secret stillness before God means deliberately shutting the door on our emotions and remembering Him. God is in secret, and He sees us from “the secret place”— He does not see us as other people do, or as we see ourselves. When we truly live in “the secret place,” it becomes impossible for us to doubt God. We become more sure of Him than of anyone or anything else. Enter into “the secret place,” and you will find that God was right in the middle of your everyday circumstances all the time. Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless you learn to open the door of your life completely and let God in from your first waking moment of each new day, you will be working on the wrong level throughout the day. But if you will swing the door of your life fully open and “pray to your Father who is in the secret place,” every public thing in your life will be marked with the lasting imprint of the presence of God.
禱告的選擇與禱告的衝突
你禱告的時候，要進你的內屋，關上門，禱告你在暗中的父。 （太六6）
耶穌不是說[夢想你在暗中的父]，而是[禱告你在暗中的父]禱告是一項意志的行動。我們進到內室，關上門，這時最難的事就是禱告。我們無法控制心思，就是思想的浮游。私禱最大的爭戰，就是要勝過心不在焉。必須控制心思，集中心力去禱告。
我們必須選一個地方來禱告，可是我們一進去，那蠅災就來了－－這個要做，那個也要做。 [關上門。 ]在隱密處的安靜，就是著意地把情感的門關上，只紀念神自己。神是在暗中的，他從暗中察看；他看我們，不同別人看我們，也不同我們看自己。活在內室之中，就根本沒有可能懷疑神，我們對他比對一切更肯定。耶穌說是在暗中的，而不在別的地方。進入內室，你就會在一切日常事務當中，發現神時刻同在。要習慣每一件事與神來往。每天清早張開眼，就該把門向神大開，讓神進來，否則你整天的工作就不對勁。向神大開心門，向暗中的父禱告，這樣，你每一件生活中公開的事，都必打上神同在的印記。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，在清晨的時間與你相交是何等美好。願你耐心地幫助我，將這寧靜的高貴時刻，轉化在這天的活動中。
August 22, 2013
“I Indeed . . . But He”
I indeed baptize you with water . . . but He . . . will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire —Matthew 3:11
Have I ever come to the point in my life where I can say, “I indeed . . . but He . . .”? Until that moment comes, I will never know what the baptism of the Holy Spirit means. I indeed am at the end, and I cannot do anything more— but He begins right there— He does the things that no one else can ever do. Am I prepared for His coming? Jesus cannot come and do His work in me as long as there is anything blocking the way, whether it is something good or bad. When He comes to me, am I prepared for Him to drag every wrong thing I have ever done into the light? That is exactly where He comes. Wherever I know I am unclean is where He will put His feet and stand, and wherever I think I am clean is where He will remove His feet and walk away.
Repentance does not cause a sense of sin— it causes a sense of inexpressible unworthiness. When I repent, I realize that I am absolutely helpless, and I know that through and through I am not worthy even to carry His sandals. Have I repented like that, or do I have a lingering thought of possibly trying to defend my actions? The reason God cannot come into my life is that I am not at the point of complete repentance.
“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John is not speaking here of the baptism of the Holy Spirit as an experience, but as a work performed by Jesus Christ. “He will baptize you . . . .” The only experience that those who are baptized with the Holy Spirit are ever conscious of is the experience of sensing their absolute unworthiness.
“I indeed” was this in the past, “but He” came and something miraculous happened. Get to the end of yourself where you can do nothing, but where He does everything.
我是……但祂
我是用水給你們施洗，……但……他要用聖靈與火給你們施洗。 （太三11）
我是否已經到達可以說[我是……但他]的地步？未經歷這一刻，便實在不知道聖靈的洗到底是什麼意思。我果真到了盡頭，一無辦法；他就在此開始作人所無法作的。我預備好迎接他的來臨嗎？若路上有東西阻隔，不論是好是壞，他都不能來。在他來的時候，我是否預備好讓他把我一切的錯失帶到光中對付？他正要在這些事上臨到你。我明知不潔的地方，他就插足其中；我以為潔淨的地方，他就離去。
悔改並不會帶來罪疚感，只會叫人覺得自己絕對的不配。我悔改時，知道自己無能為力，連替他提鞋也不配。我有沒有這樣悔改過？還是暗地裡還為自己留一點餘地？神仍未能進入我的生命，是因為我還未徹底悔改。 [他要用聖靈與火給你們施洗。 ]約翰並沒有把聖靈的洗當作一個經歷，他是視之為耶穌基督的工作。 [他要給你們施洗。 ]凡受過聖靈施洗的人，唯一的知覺就是自己完全不配。 [我是……]這樣或那樣，[但他]來了，奇妙的事就發生。我們退居末位吧，讓他成就一切。
祈禱◆主啊，我多麼貧乏！那麼多的軟弱潛伏在隱藏的地方，要將我整個人摧毀。噢，主啊，我投向你。我何等需要認識到，離開了你，我便不能作什麼。
Have I ever come to the point in my life where I can say, “I indeed . . . but He . . .”? Until that moment comes, I will never know what the baptism of the Holy Spirit means. I indeed am at the end, and I cannot do anything more— but He begins right there— He does the things that no one else can ever do. Am I prepared for His coming? Jesus cannot come and do His work in me as long as there is anything blocking the way, whether it is something good or bad. When He comes to me, am I prepared for Him to drag every wrong thing I have ever done into the light? That is exactly where He comes. Wherever I know I am unclean is where He will put His feet and stand, and wherever I think I am clean is where He will remove His feet and walk away.
Repentance does not cause a sense of sin— it causes a sense of inexpressible unworthiness. When I repent, I realize that I am absolutely helpless, and I know that through and through I am not worthy even to carry His sandals. Have I repented like that, or do I have a lingering thought of possibly trying to defend my actions? The reason God cannot come into my life is that I am not at the point of complete repentance.
“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John is not speaking here of the baptism of the Holy Spirit as an experience, but as a work performed by Jesus Christ. “He will baptize you . . . .” The only experience that those who are baptized with the Holy Spirit are ever conscious of is the experience of sensing their absolute unworthiness.
“I indeed” was this in the past, “but He” came and something miraculous happened. Get to the end of yourself where you can do nothing, but where He does everything.
我是……但祂
我是用水給你們施洗，……但……他要用聖靈與火給你們施洗。 （太三11）
我是否已經到達可以說[我是……但他]的地步？未經歷這一刻，便實在不知道聖靈的洗到底是什麼意思。我果真到了盡頭，一無辦法；他就在此開始作人所無法作的。我預備好迎接他的來臨嗎？若路上有東西阻隔，不論是好是壞，他都不能來。在他來的時候，我是否預備好讓他把我一切的錯失帶到光中對付？他正要在這些事上臨到你。我明知不潔的地方，他就插足其中；我以為潔淨的地方，他就離去。
悔改並不會帶來罪疚感，只會叫人覺得自己絕對的不配。我悔改時，知道自己無能為力，連替他提鞋也不配。我有沒有這樣悔改過？還是暗地裡還為自己留一點餘地？神仍未能進入我的生命，是因為我還未徹底悔改。 [他要用聖靈與火給你們施洗。 ]約翰並沒有把聖靈的洗當作一個經歷，他是視之為耶穌基督的工作。 [他要給你們施洗。 ]凡受過聖靈施洗的人，唯一的知覺就是自己完全不配。 [我是……]這樣或那樣，[但他]來了，奇妙的事就發生。我們退居末位吧，讓他成就一切。
祈禱◆主啊，我多麼貧乏！那麼多的軟弱潛伏在隱藏的地方，要將我整個人摧毀。噢，主啊，我投向你。我何等需要認識到，離開了你，我便不能作什麼。
August 21, 2013
The Ministry of the Unnoticed
Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . —Matthew 5:3
The New Testament notices things that do not seem worthy of notice by our standards. “Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . .” This literally means, “Blessed are the paupers.” Paupers are remarkably commonplace! The preaching of today tends to point out a person’s strength of will or the beauty of his character— things that are easily noticed. The statement we so often hear, “Make a decision for Jesus Christ,” places the emphasis on something our Lord never trusted. He never asks us to decide for Him, but to yield to Him— something very different. At the foundation of Jesus Christ’s kingdom is the genuine loveliness of those who are commonplace. I am truly blessed in my poverty. If I have no strength of will and a nature without worth or excellence, then Jesus says to me, “Blessed are you, because it is through your poverty that you can enter My kingdom.” I cannot enter His kingdom by virtue of my goodness— I can only enter it as an absolute pauper.
The true character of the loveliness that speaks for God is always unnoticed by the one possessing that quality. Conscious influence is prideful and unchristian. If I wonder if I am being of any use to God, I instantly lose the beauty and the freshness of the touch of the Lord. “He who believes in Me . . . out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). And if I examine the outflow, I lose the touch of the Lord.
Who are the people who have influenced us most? Certainly not the ones who thought they did, but those who did not have even the slightest idea that they were influencing us. In the Christian life, godly influence is never conscious of itself. If we are conscious of our influence, it ceases to have the genuine loveliness which is characteristic of the touch of Jesus. We always know when Jesus is at work because He produces in the commonplace something that is inspiring.
不受注意的事奉
虛心的人有福了。 （太五3）
依我們的標準來看，新約所注意的事物，似乎都是微不足道的。 [虛心的人有福了]，按原意解釋是貧窮的人有福了。貧窮的人，何等平凡！今日的講台很容易側重意志的力量、品性的美善－－一些易於惹人注目的東西。今日常聽的口號－－為主決志，其實是強調了一件我們的主從不信任的事。他從沒有叫我們為他決志，他只要我們降服，這是截然不同的兩件事。耶穌基督國度的基礎，是在於未經修飾的平凡事物。叫我蒙福的，是我的貧窮。我若自知沒有意志力、沒有高貴的品質，耶穌就會說：[你有福了。 ]因為我是透過貧窮無有，得以進入他的國。我不能以好人的身分進入，只能以一無所有的叫化子身分進去。
一切表彰神可愛事物的真正品質，必然是不自覺的。自覺有影響力，是自負及非信徒的表現。若我說：[我懷疑自己到底是否有用。 ]立時就與主的生命失了連絡。 [信我的，要從他腹中流出活水的江河來。 ]我若檢查那流出來的水，就失去了主的能力。哪些人影響我們最深？不是那自以為影響了我們的人，而是那些完全不知道影響我們的人。在基督徒的生命中，內涵的東西總不是自治自覺的；一旦意識到，就會失掉那未經修飾的美，這正是主耶穌親手撫摸的特質。我們往往可以知道耶穌何時在作工，因為他能在平凡中製造超卓。
祈禱◆主啊，我要讚美你，你在每個人的生命中，也透過每個人的生命，來實行你完美的旨意。
The New Testament notices things that do not seem worthy of notice by our standards. “Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . .” This literally means, “Blessed are the paupers.” Paupers are remarkably commonplace! The preaching of today tends to point out a person’s strength of will or the beauty of his character— things that are easily noticed. The statement we so often hear, “Make a decision for Jesus Christ,” places the emphasis on something our Lord never trusted. He never asks us to decide for Him, but to yield to Him— something very different. At the foundation of Jesus Christ’s kingdom is the genuine loveliness of those who are commonplace. I am truly blessed in my poverty. If I have no strength of will and a nature without worth or excellence, then Jesus says to me, “Blessed are you, because it is through your poverty that you can enter My kingdom.” I cannot enter His kingdom by virtue of my goodness— I can only enter it as an absolute pauper.
The true character of the loveliness that speaks for God is always unnoticed by the one possessing that quality. Conscious influence is prideful and unchristian. If I wonder if I am being of any use to God, I instantly lose the beauty and the freshness of the touch of the Lord. “He who believes in Me . . . out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). And if I examine the outflow, I lose the touch of the Lord.
Who are the people who have influenced us most? Certainly not the ones who thought they did, but those who did not have even the slightest idea that they were influencing us. In the Christian life, godly influence is never conscious of itself. If we are conscious of our influence, it ceases to have the genuine loveliness which is characteristic of the touch of Jesus. We always know when Jesus is at work because He produces in the commonplace something that is inspiring.
不受注意的事奉
虛心的人有福了。 （太五3）
依我們的標準來看，新約所注意的事物，似乎都是微不足道的。 [虛心的人有福了]，按原意解釋是貧窮的人有福了。貧窮的人，何等平凡！今日的講台很容易側重意志的力量、品性的美善－－一些易於惹人注目的東西。今日常聽的口號－－為主決志，其實是強調了一件我們的主從不信任的事。他從沒有叫我們為他決志，他只要我們降服，這是截然不同的兩件事。耶穌基督國度的基礎，是在於未經修飾的平凡事物。叫我蒙福的，是我的貧窮。我若自知沒有意志力、沒有高貴的品質，耶穌就會說：[你有福了。 ]因為我是透過貧窮無有，得以進入他的國。我不能以好人的身分進入，只能以一無所有的叫化子身分進去。
一切表彰神可愛事物的真正品質，必然是不自覺的。自覺有影響力，是自負及非信徒的表現。若我說：[我懷疑自己到底是否有用。 ]立時就與主的生命失了連絡。 [信我的，要從他腹中流出活水的江河來。 ]我若檢查那流出來的水，就失去了主的能力。哪些人影響我們最深？不是那自以為影響了我們的人，而是那些完全不知道影響我們的人。在基督徒的生命中，內涵的東西總不是自治自覺的；一旦意識到，就會失掉那未經修飾的美，這正是主耶穌親手撫摸的特質。我們往往可以知道耶穌何時在作工，因為他能在平凡中製造超卓。
祈禱◆主啊，我要讚美你，你在每個人的生命中，也透過每個人的生命，來實行你完美的旨意。
August 20, 2013
Christ-Awareness
. . . and I will give you rest —Matthew 11:28
Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.
A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awareness of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, “Lord, what is your will?” A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer.
If we try to overcome our self-awareness through any of our own commonsense methods, we will only serve to strengthen our self-awareness tremendously. Jesus says, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest,” that is, Christ-awareness will take the place of self-awareness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest— the rest of the completion of activity in our lives that is never aware of itself.
完全
我就使你們得安息。 （太十一28）
若有任何事物開始分化你與耶穌基督的關係，就要立即轉向他，求他使你安息。不可容讓任何製造不安的東西存留，要視一切分化的東西為摔跤的物件，而不要去容忍。對主說：[主啊，請證實你的意識卻在我裡面。 ]自我的意識就必退去，只要他成為一切的一切。不要讓自覺意識不斷的佔據，因為慢慢地，就會變成自憐，而自憐是屬撒但的。 [我被人誤會了理他們該向我道歉；這一點我早就該澄清了。 ]不要理會別人怎樣，求神給你基督的意識，他會使你絕對安全。完全的生命，是小孩子的生命。當我有強烈的自覺，必然是出了亂子。只有生病的人才知道健康為何物。神的孩子不會意識到神的旨意，因為他就是神的旨意。當我們稍有偏離，才會問[你的旨意是什麼？ ]神的孩子絕不求神讓他知道神聽禱告，因為他確實知道神一向垂聽祈禱。
我們若想用常理去勝過自覺意識，反會使它增強。耶穌說：[到我這裡來，我就使你們得安息。 ]也就是說，基督的意識取代了自我的意識。耶穌一來，就帶來安息，這是最完美的安息，是永不自覺的。
祈禱◆我的心靈和肉體向永生神呼求！啊，我是何等瘦弱無力！主啊，你是我的活力和喜樂！
Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.
A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awareness of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, “Lord, what is your will?” A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer.
If we try to overcome our self-awareness through any of our own commonsense methods, we will only serve to strengthen our self-awareness tremendously. Jesus says, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest,” that is, Christ-awareness will take the place of self-awareness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest— the rest of the completion of activity in our lives that is never aware of itself.
完全
我就使你們得安息。 （太十一28）
若有任何事物開始分化你與耶穌基督的關係，就要立即轉向他，求他使你安息。不可容讓任何製造不安的東西存留，要視一切分化的東西為摔跤的物件，而不要去容忍。對主說：[主啊，請證實你的意識卻在我裡面。 ]自我的意識就必退去，只要他成為一切的一切。不要讓自覺意識不斷的佔據，因為慢慢地，就會變成自憐，而自憐是屬撒但的。 [我被人誤會了理他們該向我道歉；這一點我早就該澄清了。 ]不要理會別人怎樣，求神給你基督的意識，他會使你絕對安全。完全的生命，是小孩子的生命。當我有強烈的自覺，必然是出了亂子。只有生病的人才知道健康為何物。神的孩子不會意識到神的旨意，因為他就是神的旨意。當我們稍有偏離，才會問[你的旨意是什麼？ ]神的孩子絕不求神讓他知道神聽禱告，因為他確實知道神一向垂聽祈禱。
我們若想用常理去勝過自覺意識，反會使它增強。耶穌說：[到我這裡來，我就使你們得安息。 ]也就是說，基督的意識取代了自我的意識。耶穌一來，就帶來安息，這是最完美的安息，是永不自覺的。
祈禱◆我的心靈和肉體向永生神呼求！啊，我是何等瘦弱無力！主啊，你是我的活力和喜樂！
August 19, 2013
Self-Awareness
Come to Me . . . —Matthew 11:28
God intends for us to live a well-rounded life in Christ Jesus, but there are times when that life is attacked from the outside. Then we tend to fall back into self-examination, a habit that we thought was gone. Self-awareness is the first thing that will upset the completeness of our life in God, and self-awareness continually produces a sense of struggling and turmoil in our lives. Self-awareness is not sin, and it can be produced by nervous emotions or by suddenly being dropped into a totally new set of circumstances. Yet it is never God’s will that we should be anything less than absolutely complete in Him. Anything that disturbs our rest in Him must be rectified at once, and it is not rectified by being ignored but only by coming to Jesus Christ. If we will come to Him, asking Him to produce Christ-awareness in us, He will always do it, until we fully learn to abide in Him.
Never allow anything that divides or destroys the oneness of your life with Christ to remain in your life without facing it. Beware of allowing the influence of your friends or your circumstances to divide your life. This only serves to sap your strength and slow your spiritual growth. Beware of anything that can split your oneness with Him, causing you to see yourself as separate from Him. Nothing is as important as staying right spiritually. And the only solution is a very simple one— “Come to Me . . . .” The intellectual, moral, and spiritual depth of our reality as a person is tested and measured by these words. Yet in every detail of our lives where we are found not to be real, we would rather dispute the findings than come to Jesus.
自覺
可以到我這裡來。 （太十一28）
神的心意是要我們過一個完全以基督為中心的生活，但有時外界的攻擊來了，我們就掉進向內觀察的圈中，還以為這些東西早已對付了。自覺是破壞我們在神裡面完整生命的第一個敵人，並且會不斷帶來摔跤。自覺不是罪，神經質的個性，或突然碰到新環境，都會產生自覺。神的心意是要我們在他裡面絕對完全。任何攪擾我們在他裡面安息的東西，都必須接受治療，置之不理並非治方，而治療的方法是來到主耶穌面前。我們若來就他，求他叫我們有基督的意識，他一定會作工，直到我們住在他裡面。
絕不可讓在主裡的生命分割而置之不理。當心滴漏，就是因朋友或環境的影響，而造成生命的分割。當心任何破壞你與主合一，叫你單獨看自己的事。保持屬靈狀態的正常，是至重要的。解決的辦法很簡單－－[到我這裡來。 ]這句話就是我們有多少實質，我們的心志、道德、靈性有多少深度的考驗。若有任何虛假的成分，那我們寧願爭辯，也不願到耶穌那裡。
祈禱◆主啊，為著今早我內心的平安感覺，我讚美你。為著救贖的深刻啟示，我何其稱頌你！願你的光輝從無雲的青空上，照耀我們！
God intends for us to live a well-rounded life in Christ Jesus, but there are times when that life is attacked from the outside. Then we tend to fall back into self-examination, a habit that we thought was gone. Self-awareness is the first thing that will upset the completeness of our life in God, and self-awareness continually produces a sense of struggling and turmoil in our lives. Self-awareness is not sin, and it can be produced by nervous emotions or by suddenly being dropped into a totally new set of circumstances. Yet it is never God’s will that we should be anything less than absolutely complete in Him. Anything that disturbs our rest in Him must be rectified at once, and it is not rectified by being ignored but only by coming to Jesus Christ. If we will come to Him, asking Him to produce Christ-awareness in us, He will always do it, until we fully learn to abide in Him.
Never allow anything that divides or destroys the oneness of your life with Christ to remain in your life without facing it. Beware of allowing the influence of your friends or your circumstances to divide your life. This only serves to sap your strength and slow your spiritual growth. Beware of anything that can split your oneness with Him, causing you to see yourself as separate from Him. Nothing is as important as staying right spiritually. And the only solution is a very simple one— “Come to Me . . . .” The intellectual, moral, and spiritual depth of our reality as a person is tested and measured by these words. Yet in every detail of our lives where we are found not to be real, we would rather dispute the findings than come to Jesus.
自覺
可以到我這裡來。 （太十一28）
神的心意是要我們過一個完全以基督為中心的生活，但有時外界的攻擊來了，我們就掉進向內觀察的圈中，還以為這些東西早已對付了。自覺是破壞我們在神裡面完整生命的第一個敵人，並且會不斷帶來摔跤。自覺不是罪，神經質的個性，或突然碰到新環境，都會產生自覺。神的心意是要我們在他裡面絕對完全。任何攪擾我們在他裡面安息的東西，都必須接受治療，置之不理並非治方，而治療的方法是來到主耶穌面前。我們若來就他，求他叫我們有基督的意識，他一定會作工，直到我們住在他裡面。
絕不可讓在主裡的生命分割而置之不理。當心滴漏，就是因朋友或環境的影響，而造成生命的分割。當心任何破壞你與主合一，叫你單獨看自己的事。保持屬靈狀態的正常，是至重要的。解決的辦法很簡單－－[到我這裡來。 ]這句話就是我們有多少實質，我們的心志、道德、靈性有多少深度的考驗。若有任何虛假的成分，那我們寧願爭辯，也不願到耶穌那裡。
祈禱◆主啊，為著今早我內心的平安感覺，我讚美你。為著救贖的深刻啟示，我何其稱頌你！願你的光輝從無雲的青空上，照耀我們！
August 18, 2013
Have You Ever Been Speechless with Sorrow?
When he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich —Luke 18:23
The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow, having nothing to say in response to Jesus’ words. He had no doubt about what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God’s Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you to yield it to Him? Maybe He has pointed out certain personal qualities, desires, and interests, or possibly relationships of your heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But every time He meets you at the place where He has pointed, He will simply repeat His words, saying, “If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions.”
“Sell all that you have . . .” (Luke 18:22). In other words, rid yourself before God of everything that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought— in the realm of your will before God. Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult— it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the hard words of Jesus Christ.
I can be so rich in my own poverty, or in the awareness of the fact that I am nobody, that I will never be a disciple of Jesus. Or I can be so rich in the awareness that I am somebody that I will never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute and poor even in my sense of awareness of my destitution and poverty? If not, that is why I become discouraged. Discouragement is disillusioned self-love, and self-love may be love for my devotion to Jesus— not love for Jesus Himself.
必會臨到的經歷
以後不再見他了。 （王下二12）
倚賴以利亞是沒有錯的，只要是神把他給你；可是別忘記，總有一天他會離開。他不再做你的領導，因為神認為他不應該再做你的領導。你會說：[沒有以利亞，我無法前行。 ]但神說你一定要前行。
獨自在你的約但（14節）。約但是分離的表徵，表示再沒有人與你相交，沒有人分擔你的責任。你必須把從以利亞學習所得的，拿出來考驗。你跟以利亞過約但河不知有多少次了，但如今你得獨自面對。空說不能過，是沒有用處的。這事已經臨到，你必定要前行。你若要知道神是否如你所信的一樣，就得單獨的過你的約但河。
獨自在你的耶利哥（15節）。你曾在耶利哥看見以利亞行大事，但當你來到自己的耶利哥，就退縮，不肯主動去信靠神，只想別人去替你擔當。可是，你若遵從以利亞所學的，就必得著神與你同在。
獨自在你的伯利恆（23節）。在伯利恆你來到自己才智的盡頭，這卻是神智慧的開端。千萬不可在智窮力竭時，仆倒恐慌之中，要緊靠著神，忠於他，他自有方法把真理顯明，使你的生命成聖。把你跟以利亞所學的行出來，用他的外衣和他的祈禱。立志信靠神，不要再尋找你的以利亞了。
祈禱◆主啊，我餓生命是如此傾斜，如此充滿漏洞，求你今天讓我全神貫注於你！願我回到你的家中，重新過著完全倚靠你的生活。
The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow, having nothing to say in response to Jesus’ words. He had no doubt about what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God’s Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you to yield it to Him? Maybe He has pointed out certain personal qualities, desires, and interests, or possibly relationships of your heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But every time He meets you at the place where He has pointed, He will simply repeat His words, saying, “If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions.”
“Sell all that you have . . .” (Luke 18:22). In other words, rid yourself before God of everything that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought— in the realm of your will before God. Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult— it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the hard words of Jesus Christ.
I can be so rich in my own poverty, or in the awareness of the fact that I am nobody, that I will never be a disciple of Jesus. Or I can be so rich in the awareness that I am somebody that I will never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute and poor even in my sense of awareness of my destitution and poverty? If not, that is why I become discouraged. Discouragement is disillusioned self-love, and self-love may be love for my devotion to Jesus— not love for Jesus Himself.
必會臨到的經歷
以後不再見他了。 （王下二12）
倚賴以利亞是沒有錯的，只要是神把他給你；可是別忘記，總有一天他會離開。他不再做你的領導，因為神認為他不應該再做你的領導。你會說：[沒有以利亞，我無法前行。 ]但神說你一定要前行。
獨自在你的約但（14節）。約但是分離的表徵，表示再沒有人與你相交，沒有人分擔你的責任。你必須把從以利亞學習所得的，拿出來考驗。你跟以利亞過約但河不知有多少次了，但如今你得獨自面對。空說不能過，是沒有用處的。這事已經臨到，你必定要前行。你若要知道神是否如你所信的一樣，就得單獨的過你的約但河。
獨自在你的耶利哥（15節）。你曾在耶利哥看見以利亞行大事，但當你來到自己的耶利哥，就退縮，不肯主動去信靠神，只想別人去替你擔當。可是，你若遵從以利亞所學的，就必得著神與你同在。
獨自在你的伯利恆（23節）。在伯利恆你來到自己才智的盡頭，這卻是神智慧的開端。千萬不可在智窮力竭時，仆倒恐慌之中，要緊靠著神，忠於他，他自有方法把真理顯明，使你的生命成聖。把你跟以利亞所學的行出來，用他的外衣和他的祈禱。立志信靠神，不要再尋找你的以利亞了。
祈禱◆主啊，我餓生命是如此傾斜，如此充滿漏洞，求你今天讓我全神貫注於你！願我回到你的家中，重新過著完全倚靠你的生活。
August 17, 2013
Are You Discouraged or Devoted?
. . . Jesus . . . said to him, ’You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have . . . and come, follow Me.’ But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich —Luke 18:22-23
Have you ever heard the Master say something very difficult to you? If you haven’t, I question whether you have ever heard Him say anything at all. Jesus says a tremendous amount to us that we listen to, but do not actually hear. And once we do hear Him, His words are harsh and unyielding.
Jesus did not show the least concern that this rich young ruler should do what He told him, nor did Jesus make any attempt to keep this man with Him. He simply said to him, “Sell all that you have . . . and come, follow Me.” Our Lord never pleaded with him; He never tried to lure him— He simply spoke the strictest words that human ears have ever heard, and then left him alone.
Have I ever heard Jesus say something difficult and unyielding to me? Has He said something personally to me to which I have deliberately listened— not something I can explain for the sake of others, but something I have heard Him say directly to me? This man understood what Jesus said. He heard it clearly, realizing the full impact of its meaning, and it broke his heart. He did not go away as a defiant person, but as one who was sorrowful and discouraged. He had come to Jesus on fire with zeal and determination, but the words of Jesus simply froze him. Instead of producing enthusiastic devotion to Jesus, they produced heartbreaking discouragement. And Jesus did not go after him, but let him go. Our Lord knows perfectly well that once His word is truly heard, it will bear fruit sooner or later. What is so terrible is that some of us prevent His words from bearing fruit in our present life. I wonder what we will say when we finally make up our minds to be devoted to Him on that particular point? One thing is certain— He will never throw our past failures back in our faces.
你在奉獻上灰心嗎？
你還缺少一件，要變賣你一切所有的……你還要來跟從我。 （路十八22）
[他聽見這話……]你聽過主說嚴厲的話麼？若沒有，可能你從未聽見他的話。我們聽了主說許多話，卻沒有聽見。若是真聽見，他的話會顯得出奇的嚴厲。耶穌似乎並不在乎這人是否照他的話去行。他也沒有設法去挽留他。他只說：[變賣你所有的，來跟從我。 ]我們的主從不乞求、不勸誘，也不籠絡。他只用人從未聽過的嚴厲話，然後就順其自然。
我聽過主說嚴厲的話麼？他直接對我說話時，我是否立意恭聽？我是否直截地聽他向我說話，而不是隨意解說？這個人確實明白耶穌的話，他聽見了，又衡量過，然而這些話叫他心碎。他不是侮慢地離開，乃是憂愁地離開，時頹喪極了。他著滿腔熱誠來見耶穌，耶穌的話卻給他一盆冷水。他的話沒有帶來忠誠的奉獻，相反地卻叫人心碎地灰心失意。耶穌沒有去追他，是任他離去。主知道他的話一發出，人聽見了，總有一天會結出果子。可怕的事實卻是我們當中好些人，不讓主的話在實際生活上結果。一旦我們決志忠於主，我不知道我們會說些什麼。但有一點可以肯定，他絕不會苛責我們。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著這些日子以來，你賜給我們的身心健康，我感謝你。噢，主啊，求你繼續賜予我們。我們脫離一切虛假的情緒、感傷和悲哀。願你今天以活力和喜樂來賜福我們各人。
Have you ever heard the Master say something very difficult to you? If you haven’t, I question whether you have ever heard Him say anything at all. Jesus says a tremendous amount to us that we listen to, but do not actually hear. And once we do hear Him, His words are harsh and unyielding.
Jesus did not show the least concern that this rich young ruler should do what He told him, nor did Jesus make any attempt to keep this man with Him. He simply said to him, “Sell all that you have . . . and come, follow Me.” Our Lord never pleaded with him; He never tried to lure him— He simply spoke the strictest words that human ears have ever heard, and then left him alone.
Have I ever heard Jesus say something difficult and unyielding to me? Has He said something personally to me to which I have deliberately listened— not something I can explain for the sake of others, but something I have heard Him say directly to me? This man understood what Jesus said. He heard it clearly, realizing the full impact of its meaning, and it broke his heart. He did not go away as a defiant person, but as one who was sorrowful and discouraged. He had come to Jesus on fire with zeal and determination, but the words of Jesus simply froze him. Instead of producing enthusiastic devotion to Jesus, they produced heartbreaking discouragement. And Jesus did not go after him, but let him go. Our Lord knows perfectly well that once His word is truly heard, it will bear fruit sooner or later. What is so terrible is that some of us prevent His words from bearing fruit in our present life. I wonder what we will say when we finally make up our minds to be devoted to Him on that particular point? One thing is certain— He will never throw our past failures back in our faces.
你在奉獻上灰心嗎？
你還缺少一件，要變賣你一切所有的……你還要來跟從我。 （路十八22）
[他聽見這話……]你聽過主說嚴厲的話麼？若沒有，可能你從未聽見他的話。我們聽了主說許多話，卻沒有聽見。若是真聽見，他的話會顯得出奇的嚴厲。耶穌似乎並不在乎這人是否照他的話去行。他也沒有設法去挽留他。他只說：[變賣你所有的，來跟從我。 ]我們的主從不乞求、不勸誘，也不籠絡。他只用人從未聽過的嚴厲話，然後就順其自然。
我聽過主說嚴厲的話麼？他直接對我說話時，我是否立意恭聽？我是否直截地聽他向我說話，而不是隨意解說？這個人確實明白耶穌的話，他聽見了，又衡量過，然而這些話叫他心碎。他不是侮慢地離開，乃是憂愁地離開，時頹喪極了。他著滿腔熱誠來見耶穌，耶穌的話卻給他一盆冷水。他的話沒有帶來忠誠的奉獻，相反地卻叫人心碎地灰心失意。耶穌沒有去追他，是任他離去。主知道他的話一發出，人聽見了，總有一天會結出果子。可怕的事實卻是我們當中好些人，不讓主的話在實際生活上結果。一旦我們決志忠於主，我不知道我們會說些什麼。但有一點可以肯定，他絕不會苛責我們。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著這些日子以來，你賜給我們的身心健康，我感謝你。噢，主啊，求你繼續賜予我們。我們脫離一切虛假的情緒、感傷和悲哀。願你今天以活力和喜樂來賜福我們各人。
August 16, 2013
Does He Know Me . . . ?
He calls his own . . . by name . . . —John 10:3
When I have sadly misunderstood Him? (see John 20:11-18). It is possible to know all about doctrine and still not know Jesus. A person’s soul is in grave danger when the knowledge of doctrine surpasses Jesus, avoiding intimate touch with Him. Why was Mary weeping? Doctrine meant no more to her than the grass under her feet. In fact, any Pharisee could have made a fool of Mary doctrinally, but one thing they could never ridicule was the fact that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her (see Luke 8:2); yet His blessings were nothing to her in comparison with knowing Jesus Himself. “. . . she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. . . . Jesus said to her, ’Mary!’ ” (John 20:14, 16). Once He called Mary by her name, she immediately knew that she had a personal history with the One who spoke. “She turned and said to Him, ’Rabboni!’ ” (John 20:16).
When I have stubbornly doubted? (see John 20:24-29). Have I been doubting something about Jesus— maybe an experience to which others testify, but which I have not yet experienced? The other disciples said to Thomas, “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). But Thomas doubted, saying, “Unless I see . . . I will not believe” (John 20:25). Thomas needed the personal touch of Jesus. When His touches will come we never know, but when they do come they are indescribably precious. “Thomas . . . said to Him, ’My Lord and my God!’ ” (John 20:28).
When I have selfishly denied Him? (see John 21:15-17). Peter denied Jesus Christ with oaths and curses (see Matthew 26:69-75), and yet after His resurrection Jesus appeared to Peter alone. Jesus restored Peter in private, and then He restored him publicly before the others. And Peter said to Him, “Lord . . . You know that I love You” (John 21:17).
Do I have a personal history with Jesus Christ? The one true sign of discipleship is intimate oneness with Him— a knowledge of Jesus that nothing can shake.
認識我麼？
他按著名叫自己的羊。 （約十3）
當我誤會他時，他認識我麼？ （約二十17）人可以認識所有教義，卻不一定認識耶穌。若教義的只是霸占了與主的相親，那人就陷入危機裡。馬利亞為什麼哭？教義對馬利亞來說，無重於腳下的草。任何法利賽人都可以在教義上愚弄馬利亞，可是有一件事實卻是他們無法抹煞的；耶穌曾從她身上趕出七個鬼。不過他的賜福，絕對比不上他自己。馬利亞[看見耶穌站在那裡，卻不知道是耶穌。 ]但當她一聽見祂的聲音，便立刻知道說話的那一位原與她有關係。 [夫子！ ]
在我固執地懷疑時，他認識我麼？ （約二十27）我有沒有對主某一方面存疑－－懷疑人家的見證，因為我沒有那樣的經歷？門徒告訴多馬看見了主，多馬卻懷疑－－[我非看見……我總不信。 ]多馬需要主耶穌個人的接觸。他什麼時候觸摸，怎樣觸摸，我們不曉得，但當這臨到，是何等的寶貴哩。 [我的主，我的神！ ]
我自私地不認他時，他認識我麼？ （約二十一15-17）彼得曾發咒起誓不認耶穌，但主復活以後，卻單獨向他顯現。祂扶起他，然後又在別人面前復興他。 [主啊，你知道我愛你！ ]（約二十15-17）我與耶穌基督有沒有一段個人的歷史？門徒的標記之一，就是與主緊密的聯繫，深切的認識祂，以致任何東西也不能搖動對祂的信心。
祈禱◆我們所需要的就只有你！願今天我們與你的親密關係，成為永遠難忘的日子！
When I have sadly misunderstood Him? (see John 20:11-18). It is possible to know all about doctrine and still not know Jesus. A person’s soul is in grave danger when the knowledge of doctrine surpasses Jesus, avoiding intimate touch with Him. Why was Mary weeping? Doctrine meant no more to her than the grass under her feet. In fact, any Pharisee could have made a fool of Mary doctrinally, but one thing they could never ridicule was the fact that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her (see Luke 8:2); yet His blessings were nothing to her in comparison with knowing Jesus Himself. “. . . she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. . . . Jesus said to her, ’Mary!’ ” (John 20:14, 16). Once He called Mary by her name, she immediately knew that she had a personal history with the One who spoke. “She turned and said to Him, ’Rabboni!’ ” (John 20:16).
When I have stubbornly doubted? (see John 20:24-29). Have I been doubting something about Jesus— maybe an experience to which others testify, but which I have not yet experienced? The other disciples said to Thomas, “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). But Thomas doubted, saying, “Unless I see . . . I will not believe” (John 20:25). Thomas needed the personal touch of Jesus. When His touches will come we never know, but when they do come they are indescribably precious. “Thomas . . . said to Him, ’My Lord and my God!’ ” (John 20:28).
When I have selfishly denied Him? (see John 21:15-17). Peter denied Jesus Christ with oaths and curses (see Matthew 26:69-75), and yet after His resurrection Jesus appeared to Peter alone. Jesus restored Peter in private, and then He restored him publicly before the others. And Peter said to Him, “Lord . . . You know that I love You” (John 21:17).
Do I have a personal history with Jesus Christ? The one true sign of discipleship is intimate oneness with Him— a knowledge of Jesus that nothing can shake.
認識我麼？
他按著名叫自己的羊。 （約十3）
當我誤會他時，他認識我麼？ （約二十17）人可以認識所有教義，卻不一定認識耶穌。若教義的只是霸占了與主的相親，那人就陷入危機裡。馬利亞為什麼哭？教義對馬利亞來說，無重於腳下的草。任何法利賽人都可以在教義上愚弄馬利亞，可是有一件事實卻是他們無法抹煞的；耶穌曾從她身上趕出七個鬼。不過他的賜福，絕對比不上他自己。馬利亞[看見耶穌站在那裡，卻不知道是耶穌。 ]但當她一聽見祂的聲音，便立刻知道說話的那一位原與她有關係。 [夫子！ ]
在我固執地懷疑時，他認識我麼？ （約二十27）我有沒有對主某一方面存疑－－懷疑人家的見證，因為我沒有那樣的經歷？門徒告訴多馬看見了主，多馬卻懷疑－－[我非看見……我總不信。 ]多馬需要主耶穌個人的接觸。他什麼時候觸摸，怎樣觸摸，我們不曉得，但當這臨到，是何等的寶貴哩。 [我的主，我的神！ ]
我自私地不認他時，他認識我麼？ （約二十一15-17）彼得曾發咒起誓不認耶穌，但主復活以後，卻單獨向他顯現。祂扶起他，然後又在別人面前復興他。 [主啊，你知道我愛你！ ]（約二十15-17）我與耶穌基督有沒有一段個人的歷史？門徒的標記之一，就是與主緊密的聯繫，深切的認識祂，以致任何東西也不能搖動對祂的信心。
祈禱◆我們所需要的就只有你！願今天我們與你的親密關係，成為永遠難忘的日子！
August 15, 2013
The Evidence of the New Birth
You must be born again —John 3:7
The answer to Nicodemus’ question, “How can a man be born when he is old?” is: Only when he is willing to die to everything in his life, including his rights, his virtues, and his religion, and becomes willing to receive into himself a new life that he has never before experienced (John 3:4). This new life exhibits itself in our conscious repentance and through our unconscious holiness.
“But as many as received Him. . .” (John 1:12). Is my knowledge of Jesus the result of my own internal spiritual perception, or is it only what I have learned through listening to others? Is there something in my life that unites me with the Lord Jesus as my personal Savior? My spiritual history must have as its underlying foundation a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. To be born again means that I see Jesus.
“. . . unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God ” (John 3:3). Am I seeking only for the evidence of God’s kingdom, or am I actually recognizing His absolute sovereign control? The new birth gives me a new power of vision by which I begin to discern God’s control. His sovereignty was there all the time, but with God being true to His nature, I could not see it until I received His very nature myself.
“Whoever has been born of God does not sin. . .” (1 John 3:9). Am I seeking to stop sinning or have I actually stopped? To be born of God means that I have His supernatural power to stop sinning. The Bible never asks, “Should a Christian sin?” The Bible emphatically states that a Christian must not sin. The work of the new birth is being effective in us when we do not commit sin. It is not merely that we have the power not to sin, but that we have actually stopped sinning. Yet 1 John 3:9 does not mean that we cannot sin— it simply means that if we will obey the life of God in us, that we do not have to sin.
新生的跡象
你們必須重生。 （約三7）
[人老了，如何能重生呢？ ]答案是在於人肯死去－－對自己的權利、德行、宗教，以及其他一切全然死去，然後接受一個他從來沒有的生命。這新生命是從有意識的悔改，及不自覺的成聖中孕育出來。
[凡接待他的。 ]（約一12）我對耶穌的認識，是因內在屬靈生命的體會，還是從聽人家講論而來？我生命中有沒有什麼使我與主耶穌相連，使我以他為個人救主？一切的靈性歷史，都必須以個人認識作為基石。重生的意思，就是我看見了主耶穌。
[人若不重生，就不能見神的國。 ]（約三3）我是否再尋找天國？還是看到神的統治？重生使我有了新的異象，叫我能夠體察神的統治。他的統治其實一直存在，是與他的本性相符的；如今我既接受了他，就看得見他的統治。 [凡從神生的，就不犯罪。 ]（約壹三9）我是設法不犯罪？還是已經停止犯罪？從神生的，就有神超然的能力，可以停止犯罪。聖經從沒有問：基督徒應否犯罪？聖經強調基督徒必不可犯罪。新生命的效能就是使我們不犯罪，不單是有能力不犯罪，而是根本停止去犯。約翰一書三章9節不是說我們沒有犯罪的可能；乃是說我們若順服神的我們裡面的生命，就不會犯罪。
祈禱◆主啊，我似乎令你憂心－－那將會帶來什麼後果呢？讓我在你的門口守候和等待。
The answer to Nicodemus’ question, “How can a man be born when he is old?” is: Only when he is willing to die to everything in his life, including his rights, his virtues, and his religion, and becomes willing to receive into himself a new life that he has never before experienced (John 3:4). This new life exhibits itself in our conscious repentance and through our unconscious holiness.
“But as many as received Him. . .” (John 1:12). Is my knowledge of Jesus the result of my own internal spiritual perception, or is it only what I have learned through listening to others? Is there something in my life that unites me with the Lord Jesus as my personal Savior? My spiritual history must have as its underlying foundation a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. To be born again means that I see Jesus.
“. . . unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God ” (John 3:3). Am I seeking only for the evidence of God’s kingdom, or am I actually recognizing His absolute sovereign control? The new birth gives me a new power of vision by which I begin to discern God’s control. His sovereignty was there all the time, but with God being true to His nature, I could not see it until I received His very nature myself.
“Whoever has been born of God does not sin. . .” (1 John 3:9). Am I seeking to stop sinning or have I actually stopped? To be born of God means that I have His supernatural power to stop sinning. The Bible never asks, “Should a Christian sin?” The Bible emphatically states that a Christian must not sin. The work of the new birth is being effective in us when we do not commit sin. It is not merely that we have the power not to sin, but that we have actually stopped sinning. Yet 1 John 3:9 does not mean that we cannot sin— it simply means that if we will obey the life of God in us, that we do not have to sin.
新生的跡象
你們必須重生。 （約三7）
[人老了，如何能重生呢？ ]答案是在於人肯死去－－對自己的權利、德行、宗教，以及其他一切全然死去，然後接受一個他從來沒有的生命。這新生命是從有意識的悔改，及不自覺的成聖中孕育出來。
[凡接待他的。 ]（約一12）我對耶穌的認識，是因內在屬靈生命的體會，還是從聽人家講論而來？我生命中有沒有什麼使我與主耶穌相連，使我以他為個人救主？一切的靈性歷史，都必須以個人認識作為基石。重生的意思，就是我看見了主耶穌。
[人若不重生，就不能見神的國。 ]（約三3）我是否再尋找天國？還是看到神的統治？重生使我有了新的異象，叫我能夠體察神的統治。他的統治其實一直存在，是與他的本性相符的；如今我既接受了他，就看得見他的統治。 [凡從神生的，就不犯罪。 ]（約壹三9）我是設法不犯罪？還是已經停止犯罪？從神生的，就有神超然的能力，可以停止犯罪。聖經從沒有問：基督徒應否犯罪？聖經強調基督徒必不可犯罪。新生命的效能就是使我們不犯罪，不單是有能力不犯罪，而是根本停止去犯。約翰一書三章9節不是說我們沒有犯罪的可能；乃是說我們若順服神的我們裡面的生命，就不會犯罪。
祈禱◆主啊，我似乎令你憂心－－那將會帶來什麼後果呢？讓我在你的門口守候和等待。
August 14, 2013
The Discipline of the Lord
My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him —Hebrews 12:5
It is very easy to grieve the Spirit of God; we do it by despising the discipline of the Lord, or by becoming discouraged when He rebukes us. If our experience of being set apart from sin and being made holy through the process of sanctification is still very shallow, we tend to mistake the reality of God for something else. And when the Spirit of God gives us a sense of warning or restraint, we are apt to say mistakenly, “Oh, that must be from the devil.”
“Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19), and do not despise Him when He says to you, in effect, “Don’t be blind on this point anymore— you are not as far along spiritually as you thought you were. Until now I have not been able to reveal this to you, but I’m revealing it to you right now.” When the Lord disciplines you like that, let Him have His way with you. Allow Him to put you into a right-standing relationship before God.
“. . . nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him.” We begin to pout, become irritated with God, and then say, “Oh well, I can’t help it. I prayed and things didn’t turn out right anyway. So I’m simply going to give up on everything.” Just think what would happen if we acted like this in any other area of our lives!
Am I fully prepared to allow God to grip me by His power and do a work in me that is truly worthy of Himself? Sanctification is not my idea of what I want God to do for me— sanctification is God’s idea of what He wants to do for me. But He has to get me into the state of mind and spirit where I will allow Him to sanctify me completely, whatever the cost (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
管教
你不可輕看主的管教，北他責備的時候，也不可灰心。 （來十二5）
消滅聖靈的感動是很容易的，只要我們輕看主的管教，在他責備的時候灰心，那便成了。我們對聖靈的認識若是膚淺，就會把影子當作實體，聖靈一攔阻，我們就會說：[嗯，那一定是魔鬼。 ]
聖靈說：[不要再在這事上盲目了；你不知道自己所處的光景。我一直未能向你顯示，但現在我要向你啟示。 ]這時候，你不可消滅聖靈的感動，也不可輕看他。當主這樣管教你，就讓他去做吧，讓他恢復你與神的正常關係。 [被他責備的時候，也不可灰心。 ]我們往往生神的氣說：[唉，我也沒有辦法；我曾禱告，但事情並不如理想，我要全部放棄了。 ]試想若在生活其他事情上也這樣說，會帶來怎樣的後果！
我是否願意讓神用大能抓緊我，以致他在我身上作他的工作？成聖不是要神為我作什麼，乃是神要在我身上作什麼。他必要使我心誌上有正確的態度，以致不惜任何代價，我也願意全然成聖。
祈禱◆願你使我對你的感覺、辨認和專注更加敏銳，以致我最關注的，是與你的關係。
It is very easy to grieve the Spirit of God; we do it by despising the discipline of the Lord, or by becoming discouraged when He rebukes us. If our experience of being set apart from sin and being made holy through the process of sanctification is still very shallow, we tend to mistake the reality of God for something else. And when the Spirit of God gives us a sense of warning or restraint, we are apt to say mistakenly, “Oh, that must be from the devil.”
“Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19), and do not despise Him when He says to you, in effect, “Don’t be blind on this point anymore— you are not as far along spiritually as you thought you were. Until now I have not been able to reveal this to you, but I’m revealing it to you right now.” When the Lord disciplines you like that, let Him have His way with you. Allow Him to put you into a right-standing relationship before God.
“. . . nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him.” We begin to pout, become irritated with God, and then say, “Oh well, I can’t help it. I prayed and things didn’t turn out right anyway. So I’m simply going to give up on everything.” Just think what would happen if we acted like this in any other area of our lives!
Am I fully prepared to allow God to grip me by His power and do a work in me that is truly worthy of Himself? Sanctification is not my idea of what I want God to do for me— sanctification is God’s idea of what He wants to do for me. But He has to get me into the state of mind and spirit where I will allow Him to sanctify me completely, whatever the cost (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
管教
你不可輕看主的管教，北他責備的時候，也不可灰心。 （來十二5）
消滅聖靈的感動是很容易的，只要我們輕看主的管教，在他責備的時候灰心，那便成了。我們對聖靈的認識若是膚淺，就會把影子當作實體，聖靈一攔阻，我們就會說：[嗯，那一定是魔鬼。 ]
聖靈說：[不要再在這事上盲目了；你不知道自己所處的光景。我一直未能向你顯示，但現在我要向你啟示。 ]這時候，你不可消滅聖靈的感動，也不可輕看他。當主這樣管教你，就讓他去做吧，讓他恢復你與神的正常關係。 [被他責備的時候，也不可灰心。 ]我們往往生神的氣說：[唉，我也沒有辦法；我曾禱告，但事情並不如理想，我要全部放棄了。 ]試想若在生活其他事情上也這樣說，會帶來怎樣的後果！
我是否願意讓神用大能抓緊我，以致他在我身上作他的工作？成聖不是要神為我作什麼，乃是神要在我身上作什麼。他必要使我心誌上有正確的態度，以致不惜任何代價，我也願意全然成聖。
祈禱◆願你使我對你的感覺、辨認和專注更加敏銳，以致我最關注的，是與你的關係。
August 13, 2013
“Do Not Quench the Spirit”
Do not quench the Spirit —1 Thessalonians 5:19
The voice of the Spirit of God is as gentle as a summer breeze— so gentle that unless you are living in complete fellowship and oneness with God, you will never hear it. The sense of warning and restraint that the Spirit gives comes to us in the most amazingly gentle ways. And if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice, you will quench it, and your spiritual life will be impaired. This sense of restraint will always come as a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12), so faint that no one except a saint of God will notice it.
Beware if in sharing your personal testimony you continually have to look back, saying, “Once, a number of years ago, I was saved.” If you have put your “hand to the plow” and are walking in the light, there is no “looking back”— the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God (Luke 9:62 ; also see 1 John 1:6-7). If you get out of the light, you become a sentimental Christian, and live only on your memories, and your testimony will have a hard metallic ring to it. Beware of trying to cover up your present refusal to “walk in the light” by recalling your past experiences when you did “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). When-ever the Spirit gives you that sense of restraint, call a halt and make things right, or else you will go on quenching and grieving Him without even knowing it.
Suppose God brings you to a crisis and you almost endure it, but not completely. He will engineer the crisis again, but this time some of the intensity will be lost. You will have less discernment and more humiliation at having disobeyed. If you continue to grieve His Spirit, there will come a time when that crisis cannot be repeated, because you have totally quenched Him. But if you will go on through the crisis, your life will become a hymn of praise to God. Never become attached to anything that continues to hurt God. For you to be free of it, God must be allowed to hurt whatever it may be.
不要消滅聖靈的感動
不要消滅聖靈的感動。 （帖前五19）
聖靈的聲音柔如微風，除非與神完全契合，否則不能聽見。聖靈的攔阻來得及其柔細，你若不夠敏感，就不能察覺他的聲音。消滅了他的感動，你屬靈的生命就受虧損。他攔阻的聲音總是 微細的，只有聖徒才聽得見。
當心在你個人的見證裡，要追述過去說：[許多年前，我得救了。 ]你若行在光中，就不必追憶，過去一切已經融合在今日與神的合一里了。你若不在光中行，就會變成一個感情用事的信徒；你若活在回憶之中，見證也變得生硬。當心別拿過去行在光中的經歷，來縫補你現今不肯在光中行的破洞。聖靈一攔阻，就要停下來迴轉，否則，你就使他憂傷而不自知。
假設神叫你面臨一個重要關頭，你就差一點點未能勝過。然後神會叫你再面對同樣的情形，不過沒有上次那麼明顯。漸漸地，你對神的辨認減弱了，因自己未曾順服而帶來的羞辱卻加強。
若你仍繼續叫聖靈擔憂，終有一天機會不再有，因為你把聖靈憂傷得退去了。但你若在這重要 關頭中誇勝，無邊得讚美就要對神升起。對那些不斷刺痛神得東西，你絕不應表同情。會刺傷 神得那些東西，你必須撇棄。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我舉目仰望你，將我的盼望、我的禱告呈獻給你。求你從高處藉著聖靈的內住，使我重新得力，以致神的亮光再今天可以在我們周圍和里面燃點起來。願你按著本身的喜悅，以甜蜜和榮耀來充滿這天。
The voice of the Spirit of God is as gentle as a summer breeze— so gentle that unless you are living in complete fellowship and oneness with God, you will never hear it. The sense of warning and restraint that the Spirit gives comes to us in the most amazingly gentle ways. And if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice, you will quench it, and your spiritual life will be impaired. This sense of restraint will always come as a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12), so faint that no one except a saint of God will notice it.
Beware if in sharing your personal testimony you continually have to look back, saying, “Once, a number of years ago, I was saved.” If you have put your “hand to the plow” and are walking in the light, there is no “looking back”— the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God (Luke 9:62 ; also see 1 John 1:6-7). If you get out of the light, you become a sentimental Christian, and live only on your memories, and your testimony will have a hard metallic ring to it. Beware of trying to cover up your present refusal to “walk in the light” by recalling your past experiences when you did “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). When-ever the Spirit gives you that sense of restraint, call a halt and make things right, or else you will go on quenching and grieving Him without even knowing it.
Suppose God brings you to a crisis and you almost endure it, but not completely. He will engineer the crisis again, but this time some of the intensity will be lost. You will have less discernment and more humiliation at having disobeyed. If you continue to grieve His Spirit, there will come a time when that crisis cannot be repeated, because you have totally quenched Him. But if you will go on through the crisis, your life will become a hymn of praise to God. Never become attached to anything that continues to hurt God. For you to be free of it, God must be allowed to hurt whatever it may be.
不要消滅聖靈的感動
不要消滅聖靈的感動。 （帖前五19）
聖靈的聲音柔如微風，除非與神完全契合，否則不能聽見。聖靈的攔阻來得及其柔細，你若不夠敏感，就不能察覺他的聲音。消滅了他的感動，你屬靈的生命就受虧損。他攔阻的聲音總是 微細的，只有聖徒才聽得見。
當心在你個人的見證裡，要追述過去說：[許多年前，我得救了。 ]你若行在光中，就不必追憶，過去一切已經融合在今日與神的合一里了。你若不在光中行，就會變成一個感情用事的信徒；你若活在回憶之中，見證也變得生硬。當心別拿過去行在光中的經歷，來縫補你現今不肯在光中行的破洞。聖靈一攔阻，就要停下來迴轉，否則，你就使他憂傷而不自知。
假設神叫你面臨一個重要關頭，你就差一點點未能勝過。然後神會叫你再面對同樣的情形，不過沒有上次那麼明顯。漸漸地，你對神的辨認減弱了，因自己未曾順服而帶來的羞辱卻加強。
若你仍繼續叫聖靈擔憂，終有一天機會不再有，因為你把聖靈憂傷得退去了。但你若在這重要 關頭中誇勝，無邊得讚美就要對神升起。對那些不斷刺痛神得東西，你絕不應表同情。會刺傷 神得那些東西，你必須撇棄。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我舉目仰望你，將我的盼望、我的禱告呈獻給你。求你從高處藉著聖靈的內住，使我重新得力，以致神的亮光再今天可以在我們周圍和里面燃點起來。願你按著本身的喜悅，以甜蜜和榮耀來充滿這天。
August 12, 2013
The Theology of Resting in God
Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? —Matthew 8:26
When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.
“. . . O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.
There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.
We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.
安息神學
你們這小信的人哪，為什麼膽怯呢？ （太八26）
我們恐懼的時候，最不可少的就是向神禱告；可是，我們的主有權要求屬他的人，對他有一種深切了解的信任。神期望他的兒女對他大有信心，以致再任何重要關頭，仍然站得住。但我們對神的信任往往只止於某一點，就回复禱告初階時的驚惶失措，像那些不認識神的人一樣。在走投無路時，我們表現得對神毫無信心，也不信他掌管全世界；他似乎睡了，我們只看見前面得風浪。
[你們這小信得人哪！ ]門徒是何等難過－－[又失敗了！ ]我們也會同樣難過。我們知道其實可以叫主得心歡暢快樂－－只要對他保持絕對的信心，不管前路如何。人生風平浪靜時，我們會安然的盡人的力量做到最好；但當危難一到，就立即顯出倚靠的到底是誰。我們若不斷地學習敬拜神，信靠他，那末在風浪的日子，對他的信心也同樣至死不移。我們多次的談到成聖的問題－－最終的目的是什麼呢？就是在神裡面安息，與神合一。這合一不但使我們在他眼前成為無可指摘的，更叫我們成為他的喜樂。
祈禱◆主啊，我的快樂全在乎對你的紀念，否則對你那歡愉而單純的信靠，不過是一種輕率的舉動。願你今天讓快樂四面環繞我們。
When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.
“. . . O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.
There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.
We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.
安息神學
你們這小信的人哪，為什麼膽怯呢？ （太八26）
我們恐懼的時候，最不可少的就是向神禱告；可是，我們的主有權要求屬他的人，對他有一種深切了解的信任。神期望他的兒女對他大有信心，以致再任何重要關頭，仍然站得住。但我們對神的信任往往只止於某一點，就回复禱告初階時的驚惶失措，像那些不認識神的人一樣。在走投無路時，我們表現得對神毫無信心，也不信他掌管全世界；他似乎睡了，我們只看見前面得風浪。
[你們這小信得人哪！ ]門徒是何等難過－－[又失敗了！ ]我們也會同樣難過。我們知道其實可以叫主得心歡暢快樂－－只要對他保持絕對的信心，不管前路如何。人生風平浪靜時，我們會安然的盡人的力量做到最好；但當危難一到，就立即顯出倚靠的到底是誰。我們若不斷地學習敬拜神，信靠他，那末在風浪的日子，對他的信心也同樣至死不移。我們多次的談到成聖的問題－－最終的目的是什麼呢？就是在神裡面安息，與神合一。這合一不但使我們在他眼前成為無可指摘的，更叫我們成為他的喜樂。
祈禱◆主啊，我的快樂全在乎對你的紀念，否則對你那歡愉而單純的信靠，不過是一種輕率的舉動。願你今天讓快樂四面環繞我們。
August 11, 2013
This Experience Must Come
Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha . . . saw him no more —2 Kings 2:11-12
It is not wrong for you to depend on your “Elijah” for as long as God gives him to you. But remember that the time will come when he must leave and will no longer be your guide and your leader, because God does not intend for him to stay. Even the thought of that causes you to say, “I cannot continue without my ’Elijah.’ ” Yet God says you must continue.
Alone at Your “Jordan” (2 Kings 2:14). The Jordan River represents the type of separation where you have no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one else can take your responsibility from you. You now have to put to the test what you learned when you were with your “Elijah.” You have been to the Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are facing it alone. There is no use in saying that you cannot go— the experience is here, and you must go. If you truly want to know whether or not God is the God your faith believes Him to be, then go through your “Jordan” alone.
Alone at Your “Jericho” (2 Kings 2:15). Jericho represents the place where you have seen your “Elijah” do great things. Yet when you come alone to your “Jericho,” you have a strong reluctance to take the initiative and trust in God, wanting, instead, for someone else to take it for you. But if you remain true to what you learned while with your “Elijah,” you will receive a sign, as Elisha did, that God is with you.
Alone at Your “Bethel” (2 Kings 2:23). At your “Bethel” you will find yourself at your wits’ end but at the beginning of God’s wisdom. When you come to your wits’ end and feel inclined to panic— don’t! Stand true to God and He will bring out His truth in a way that will make your life an expression of worship. Put into practice what you learned while with your “Elijah”— use his mantle and pray (see 2 Kings 2:13-14). Make a determination to trust in God, and do not even look for Elijah anymore.
必會臨到的經歷
以後不再見他了。 （王下二12）
倚賴以利亞是沒有錯的，只要是神把他給你；可是別忘記，總有一天他會離開。他不再做你的領導，因為神認為他不應該再做你的領導。你會說：[沒有以利亞，我無法前行。 ]但神說你一定要前行。
獨自在你的約但（14節）。約但是分離的表徵，表示再沒有人與你相交，沒有人分擔你的責任。你必須把從以利亞學習所得的，拿出來考驗。你跟以利亞過約但河不知有多少次了，但如今你得獨自面對。空說不能過，是沒有用處的。這事已經臨到，你必定要前行。你若要知道神是否如你所信的一樣，就得單獨的過你的約但河。
獨自在你的耶利哥（15節）。你曾在耶利哥看見以利亞行大事，但當你來到自己的耶利哥，就退縮，不肯主動去信靠神，只想別人去替你擔當。可是，你若遵從以利亞所學的，就必得著神與你同在。
獨自在你的伯利恆（23節）。在伯利恆你來到自己才智的盡頭，這卻是神智慧的開端。千萬不可在智窮力竭時，仆倒恐慌之中，要緊靠著神，忠於他，他自有方法把真理顯明，使你的生命成聖。把你跟以利亞所學的行出來，用他的外衣和他的祈禱。立志信靠神，不要再尋找你的以利亞了。
祈禱◆主啊，我餓生命是如此傾斜，如此充滿漏洞，求你今天讓我全神貫注於你！願我回到你的家中，重新過著完全倚靠你的生活。
It is not wrong for you to depend on your “Elijah” for as long as God gives him to you. But remember that the time will come when he must leave and will no longer be your guide and your leader, because God does not intend for him to stay. Even the thought of that causes you to say, “I cannot continue without my ’Elijah.’ ” Yet God says you must continue.
Alone at Your “Jordan” (2 Kings 2:14). The Jordan River represents the type of separation where you have no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one else can take your responsibility from you. You now have to put to the test what you learned when you were with your “Elijah.” You have been to the Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are facing it alone. There is no use in saying that you cannot go— the experience is here, and you must go. If you truly want to know whether or not God is the God your faith believes Him to be, then go through your “Jordan” alone.
Alone at Your “Jericho” (2 Kings 2:15). Jericho represents the place where you have seen your “Elijah” do great things. Yet when you come alone to your “Jericho,” you have a strong reluctance to take the initiative and trust in God, wanting, instead, for someone else to take it for you. But if you remain true to what you learned while with your “Elijah,” you will receive a sign, as Elisha did, that God is with you.
Alone at Your “Bethel” (2 Kings 2:23). At your “Bethel” you will find yourself at your wits’ end but at the beginning of God’s wisdom. When you come to your wits’ end and feel inclined to panic— don’t! Stand true to God and He will bring out His truth in a way that will make your life an expression of worship. Put into practice what you learned while with your “Elijah”— use his mantle and pray (see 2 Kings 2:13-14). Make a determination to trust in God, and do not even look for Elijah anymore.
必會臨到的經歷
以後不再見他了。 （王下二12）
倚賴以利亞是沒有錯的，只要是神把他給你；可是別忘記，總有一天他會離開。他不再做你的領導，因為神認為他不應該再做你的領導。你會說：[沒有以利亞，我無法前行。 ]但神說你一定要前行。
獨自在你的約但（14節）。約但是分離的表徵，表示再沒有人與你相交，沒有人分擔你的責任。你必須把從以利亞學習所得的，拿出來考驗。你跟以利亞過約但河不知有多少次了，但如今你得獨自面對。空說不能過，是沒有用處的。這事已經臨到，你必定要前行。你若要知道神是否如你所信的一樣，就得單獨的過你的約但河。
獨自在你的耶利哥（15節）。你曾在耶利哥看見以利亞行大事，但當你來到自己的耶利哥，就退縮，不肯主動去信靠神，只想別人去替你擔當。可是，你若遵從以利亞所學的，就必得著神與你同在。
獨自在你的伯利恆（23節）。在伯利恆你來到自己才智的盡頭，這卻是神智慧的開端。千萬不可在智窮力竭時，仆倒恐慌之中，要緊靠著神，忠於他，他自有方法把真理顯明，使你的生命成聖。把你跟以利亞所學的行出來，用他的外衣和他的祈禱。立志信靠神，不要再尋找你的以利亞了。
祈禱◆主啊，我餓生命是如此傾斜，如此充滿漏洞，求你今天讓我全神貫注於你！願我回到你的家中，重新過著完全倚靠你的生活。
August 10, 2013
The Holy Suffering of the Saint
Let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good . . . —1 Peter 4:19
Choosing to suffer means that there must be something wrong with you, but choosing God’s will— even if it means you will suffer— is something very different. No normal, healthy saint ever chooses suffering; he simply chooses God’s will, just as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not. And no saint should ever dare to interfere with the lesson of suffering being taught in another saint’s life.
The saint who satisfies the heart of Jesus will make other saints strong and mature for God. But the people used to strengthen us are never those who sympathize with us; in fact, we are hindered by those who give us their sympathy, because sympathy only serves to weaken us. No one better understands a saint than the saint who is as close and as intimate with Jesus as possible. If we accept the sympathy of another saint, our spontaneous feeling is, “God is dealing too harshly with me and making my life too difficult.” That is why Jesus said that self-pity was of the devil (see Matthew 16:21-23). We must be merciful to God’s reputation. It is easy for us to tarnish God’s character because He never argues back; He never tries to defend or vindicate Himself. Beware of thinking that Jesus needed sympathy during His life on earth. He refused the sympathy of people because in His great wisdom He knew that no one on earth understood His purpose (see Matthew 16:23). He accepted only the sympathy of His Father and the angels (see Luke 15:10).
Look at God’s incredible waste of His saints, according to the world’s judgment. God seems to plant His saints in the most useless places. And then we say, “God intends for me to be here because I am so useful to Him.” Yet Jesus never measured His life by how or where He was of the greatest use. God places His saints where they will bring the most glory to Him, and we are totally incapable of judging where that may be.
聖徒的分別為聖
所以那照神旨意受苦的人，要一心為善，將自己靈魂交與那信實的造化之主。 （彼前四19）
故意選擇受苦是不妥當的；但若是為了神的旨意而甘心受苦，就完全不同了。正常的聖徒不會選擇受苦；像主耶穌一樣，他的選擇是為了神的旨意，不管這是否需要受苦。沒有聖徒能干預別的聖徒在受苦上的操練。
一個滿足主心意的聖徒，能使別的聖徒靠神堅強、成熟起來。能幫助我們的，並非那些一味同情的我們的人。他們會成為阻礙，因為同情可能叫人軟弱。醉明白聖徒的，就是最靠近主心懷的聖徒。我們若接受別人的同情，反應就是－－[神對我實在太苛刻了。 ]所以主耶穌說自憐出於魔鬼（太十六23）。他從不反駁，也從不維護自己。
不要以為主耶穌在世時需要人的同情；他從不接受人的同情，是因為深知地上沒有人真明白他的使命。他只接受天父及天使的同情（比較路十五10）。按世人的眼光來看，神把聖徒放在最無出色的角落去，實在是極大的浪費。我們會說：[神放我在這裡，因為我非常有用。 ]耶穌卻從不這樣衡量自己的生命。其實神是把聖徒放在能榮耀他的地方，我們是無權選擇到底那是甚麼地方。
祈禱◆主啊，我完全仰賴你；在你出現之前，我若有[迷失]的感覺，相信對我是好的.
Choosing to suffer means that there must be something wrong with you, but choosing God’s will— even if it means you will suffer— is something very different. No normal, healthy saint ever chooses suffering; he simply chooses God’s will, just as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not. And no saint should ever dare to interfere with the lesson of suffering being taught in another saint’s life.
The saint who satisfies the heart of Jesus will make other saints strong and mature for God. But the people used to strengthen us are never those who sympathize with us; in fact, we are hindered by those who give us their sympathy, because sympathy only serves to weaken us. No one better understands a saint than the saint who is as close and as intimate with Jesus as possible. If we accept the sympathy of another saint, our spontaneous feeling is, “God is dealing too harshly with me and making my life too difficult.” That is why Jesus said that self-pity was of the devil (see Matthew 16:21-23). We must be merciful to God’s reputation. It is easy for us to tarnish God’s character because He never argues back; He never tries to defend or vindicate Himself. Beware of thinking that Jesus needed sympathy during His life on earth. He refused the sympathy of people because in His great wisdom He knew that no one on earth understood His purpose (see Matthew 16:23). He accepted only the sympathy of His Father and the angels (see Luke 15:10).
Look at God’s incredible waste of His saints, according to the world’s judgment. God seems to plant His saints in the most useless places. And then we say, “God intends for me to be here because I am so useful to Him.” Yet Jesus never measured His life by how or where He was of the greatest use. God places His saints where they will bring the most glory to Him, and we are totally incapable of judging where that may be.
聖徒的分別為聖
所以那照神旨意受苦的人，要一心為善，將自己靈魂交與那信實的造化之主。 （彼前四19）
故意選擇受苦是不妥當的；但若是為了神的旨意而甘心受苦，就完全不同了。正常的聖徒不會選擇受苦；像主耶穌一樣，他的選擇是為了神的旨意，不管這是否需要受苦。沒有聖徒能干預別的聖徒在受苦上的操練。
一個滿足主心意的聖徒，能使別的聖徒靠神堅強、成熟起來。能幫助我們的，並非那些一味同情的我們的人。他們會成為阻礙，因為同情可能叫人軟弱。醉明白聖徒的，就是最靠近主心懷的聖徒。我們若接受別人的同情，反應就是－－[神對我實在太苛刻了。 ]所以主耶穌說自憐出於魔鬼（太十六23）。他從不反駁，也從不維護自己。
不要以為主耶穌在世時需要人的同情；他從不接受人的同情，是因為深知地上沒有人真明白他的使命。他只接受天父及天使的同情（比較路十五10）。按世人的眼光來看，神把聖徒放在最無出色的角落去，實在是極大的浪費。我們會說：[神放我在這裡，因為我非常有用。 ]耶穌卻從不這樣衡量自己的生命。其實神是把聖徒放在能榮耀他的地方，我們是無權選擇到底那是甚麼地方。
祈禱◆主啊，我完全仰賴你；在你出現之前，我若有[迷失]的感覺，相信對我是好的.
August 09, 2013
Prayer in the Father’s Hearing
Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ’Father, I thank You that You have heard Me’ —John 11:41
When the Son of God prays, He is mindful and consciously aware of only His Father. God always hears the prayers of His Son, and if the Son of God has been formed in me (see Galatians 4:19) the Father will always hear my prayers. But I must see to it that the Son of God is exhibited in my human flesh. “. . . your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit . . . ” (1 Corinthians 6:19), that is, your body is the Bethlehem of God’s Son. Is the Son of God being given His opportunity to work in me? Is the direct simplicity of His life being worked out in me exactly as it was worked out in His life while here on earth? When I come into contact with the everyday occurrences of life as an ordinary human being, is the prayer of God’s eternal Son to His Father being prayed in me? Jesus says, “In that day you will ask in My name . . .” (John 16:26). What day does He mean? He is referring to the day when the Holy Spirit has come to me and made me one with my Lord.
Is the Lord Jesus Christ being abundantly satisfied by your life, or are you exhibiting a walk of spiritual pride before Him? Never let your common sense become so prominent and forceful that it pushes the Son of God to one side. Common sense is a gift that God gave to our human nature— but common sense is not the gift of His Son. Supernatural sense is the gift of His Son, and we should never put our common sense on the throne. The Son always recognizes and identifies with the Father, but common sense has never yet done so and never will. Our ordinary abilities will never worship God unless they are transformed by the indwelling Son of God. We must make sure that our human flesh is kept in perfect submission to Him, allowing Him to work through it moment by moment. Are we living at such a level of human dependence upon Jesus Christ that His life is being exhibited moment by moment in us?
父所聽的禱告
父啊，我感謝你，因為你已經聽我。 （約十一41）
當神的兒子禱告，他只有一個意念，就是父自己。神必然聽他兒子的禱告，因此神子若成形在我裡面，父也必聽我的禱告。我要留心讓神子在我肉身商彰顯。 [你們的身子就是聖靈的殿]，也就是神兒子的[伯利恆]。神子在我身上有得著他自己的機會嗎？神兒子的生命是否直接純全地在我身上活出，正如在他的歷史生命中活出一樣？作為一個普通人，在我日常生活裡，神永恆之子向他父的禱告有沒有在我裡面出來？ [到那日，你們要奉我的名禱告……]哪一日？就是聖靈進入我裡面，叫我真與主成為一體的那日。
主耶穌在你生命中，是否感到心滿意足？還是你在我行我素？不要讓人的常理闖進來，把神的兒子擠到一角去。常理是神給人類的一份禮物，可是並不是神兒子的禮物。神兒子所賜的是超然之理，所以不要把常理放在寶座上。神的兒子體察父心，但常理從不。我們的智慧從來不會敬拜神，除非因著住在我們裡面的神子而得著改變。我們要留意身體對他完全順服，讓他可以隨時自由作工。我們在人生的一切事上，是否對主完全投靠，以致他的生命在我們肉身上彰顯無遺？
祈禱◆主啊，願我[像一顆樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子]，求你向我證明這句話的真實。
When the Son of God prays, He is mindful and consciously aware of only His Father. God always hears the prayers of His Son, and if the Son of God has been formed in me (see Galatians 4:19) the Father will always hear my prayers. But I must see to it that the Son of God is exhibited in my human flesh. “. . . your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit . . . ” (1 Corinthians 6:19), that is, your body is the Bethlehem of God’s Son. Is the Son of God being given His opportunity to work in me? Is the direct simplicity of His life being worked out in me exactly as it was worked out in His life while here on earth? When I come into contact with the everyday occurrences of life as an ordinary human being, is the prayer of God’s eternal Son to His Father being prayed in me? Jesus says, “In that day you will ask in My name . . .” (John 16:26). What day does He mean? He is referring to the day when the Holy Spirit has come to me and made me one with my Lord.
Is the Lord Jesus Christ being abundantly satisfied by your life, or are you exhibiting a walk of spiritual pride before Him? Never let your common sense become so prominent and forceful that it pushes the Son of God to one side. Common sense is a gift that God gave to our human nature— but common sense is not the gift of His Son. Supernatural sense is the gift of His Son, and we should never put our common sense on the throne. The Son always recognizes and identifies with the Father, but common sense has never yet done so and never will. Our ordinary abilities will never worship God unless they are transformed by the indwelling Son of God. We must make sure that our human flesh is kept in perfect submission to Him, allowing Him to work through it moment by moment. Are we living at such a level of human dependence upon Jesus Christ that His life is being exhibited moment by moment in us?
父所聽的禱告
父啊，我感謝你，因為你已經聽我。 （約十一41）
當神的兒子禱告，他只有一個意念，就是父自己。神必然聽他兒子的禱告，因此神子若成形在我裡面，父也必聽我的禱告。我要留心讓神子在我肉身商彰顯。 [你們的身子就是聖靈的殿]，也就是神兒子的[伯利恆]。神子在我身上有得著他自己的機會嗎？神兒子的生命是否直接純全地在我身上活出，正如在他的歷史生命中活出一樣？作為一個普通人，在我日常生活裡，神永恆之子向他父的禱告有沒有在我裡面出來？ [到那日，你們要奉我的名禱告……]哪一日？就是聖靈進入我裡面，叫我真與主成為一體的那日。
主耶穌在你生命中，是否感到心滿意足？還是你在我行我素？不要讓人的常理闖進來，把神的兒子擠到一角去。常理是神給人類的一份禮物，可是並不是神兒子的禮物。神兒子所賜的是超然之理，所以不要把常理放在寶座上。神的兒子體察父心，但常理從不。我們的智慧從來不會敬拜神，除非因著住在我們裡面的神子而得著改變。我們要留意身體對他完全順服，讓他可以隨時自由作工。我們在人生的一切事上，是否對主完全投靠，以致他的生命在我們肉身上彰顯無遺？
祈禱◆主啊，願我[像一顆樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子]，求你向我證明這句話的真實。
August 08, 2013
Prayer in the Father’s Honor
. . . that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God —Luke 1:35
If the Son of God has been born into my human flesh, then am I allowing His holy innocence, simplicity, and oneness with the Father the opportunity to exhibit itself in me? What was true of the Virgin Mary in the history of the Son of God’s birth on earth is true of every saint. God’s Son is born into me through the direct act of God; then I as His child must exercise the right of a child— the right of always being face to face with my Father through prayer. Do I find myself continually saying in amazement to the commonsense part of my life, “Why did you want me to turn here or to go over there? ’Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ ” (Luke 2:49). Whatever our circumstances may be, that holy, innocent, and eternal Child must be in contact with His Father.
Am I simple enough to identify myself with my Lord in this way? Is He having His wonderful way with me? Is God’s will being fulfilled in that His Son has been formed in me (see Galatians 4:19), or have I carefully pushed Him to one side? Oh, the noisy outcry of today! Why does everyone seem to be crying out so loudly? People today are crying out for the Son of God to be put to death. There is no room here for God’s Son right now— no room for quiet, holy fellowship and oneness with the Father.
Is the Son of God praying in me, bringing honor to the Father, or am I dictating my demands to Him? Is He ministering in me as He did in the time of His manhood here on earth? Is God’s Son in me going through His passion, suffering so that His own purposes might be fulfilled? The more a person knows of the inner life of God’s most mature saints, the more he sees what God’s purpose really is: to “. . . fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . .” (Colossians 1:24). And when we think of what it takes to “fill up,” there is always something yet to be done.
為父的榮耀而禱告
所要生的聖者，必稱為神的兒子。 （路一35）
神的兒子若住在我這肉身裡，他的神聖、無罪、單純和與父的合一，能藉著我彰顯嗎？神的兒子怎樣歷史性地藉童女馬利亞降生世上，也哦疼你貴陽在每一個聖徒裡面降生。神兒子降生在我裡面，是神自己直接的行動。然後我這作為神兒女的，必須用兒女的權利，也就是時刻與父面對面。我是否常常驚異地對自己說：[你為何總是打岔？豈不知我該以我父的事為念麼？ ]不論環境怎樣，那聖潔無暇永恆的兒子，必須與他的父親保持聯繫。
我是否這樣單純的與我的主合一？他奇妙的旨意在我身上得以通行麼？神能否看見他兒子成形在我裡面？還是我可以地把他放在一旁？啊，這些日子太多擾攘！人人都在喧嚷－－為了什麼？要把神兒子置於死地。此時沒有地方為神的兒子存留，沒有地方與父靜交。神的兒子在我裡面禱告呢？還是聽我支配？他在我裡面的工作，是否與他昔日在肉身時的工作一樣？在我裡面神的兒子，有沒有為了達成他的目標而經受苦難？我們愈認識成熟聖徒的內在生命，就愈明白神的計畫－－[是要補滿基督患難的缺欠。 ]既是[補滿]，就常有可為之處。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等愛慕你，但我所渴求的，是更加自覺地敬拜你、與你相交，和讚美神。求你潔淨我因遠離你而產生的玷污。
If the Son of God has been born into my human flesh, then am I allowing His holy innocence, simplicity, and oneness with the Father the opportunity to exhibit itself in me? What was true of the Virgin Mary in the history of the Son of God’s birth on earth is true of every saint. God’s Son is born into me through the direct act of God; then I as His child must exercise the right of a child— the right of always being face to face with my Father through prayer. Do I find myself continually saying in amazement to the commonsense part of my life, “Why did you want me to turn here or to go over there? ’Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ ” (Luke 2:49). Whatever our circumstances may be, that holy, innocent, and eternal Child must be in contact with His Father.
Am I simple enough to identify myself with my Lord in this way? Is He having His wonderful way with me? Is God’s will being fulfilled in that His Son has been formed in me (see Galatians 4:19), or have I carefully pushed Him to one side? Oh, the noisy outcry of today! Why does everyone seem to be crying out so loudly? People today are crying out for the Son of God to be put to death. There is no room here for God’s Son right now— no room for quiet, holy fellowship and oneness with the Father.
Is the Son of God praying in me, bringing honor to the Father, or am I dictating my demands to Him? Is He ministering in me as He did in the time of His manhood here on earth? Is God’s Son in me going through His passion, suffering so that His own purposes might be fulfilled? The more a person knows of the inner life of God’s most mature saints, the more he sees what God’s purpose really is: to “. . . fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . .” (Colossians 1:24). And when we think of what it takes to “fill up,” there is always something yet to be done.
為父的榮耀而禱告
所要生的聖者，必稱為神的兒子。 （路一35）
神的兒子若住在我這肉身裡，他的神聖、無罪、單純和與父的合一，能藉著我彰顯嗎？神的兒子怎樣歷史性地藉童女馬利亞降生世上，也哦疼你貴陽在每一個聖徒裡面降生。神兒子降生在我裡面，是神自己直接的行動。然後我這作為神兒女的，必須用兒女的權利，也就是時刻與父面對面。我是否常常驚異地對自己說：[你為何總是打岔？豈不知我該以我父的事為念麼？ ]不論環境怎樣，那聖潔無暇永恆的兒子，必須與他的父親保持聯繫。
我是否這樣單純的與我的主合一？他奇妙的旨意在我身上得以通行麼？神能否看見他兒子成形在我裡面？還是我可以地把他放在一旁？啊，這些日子太多擾攘！人人都在喧嚷－－為了什麼？要把神兒子置於死地。此時沒有地方為神的兒子存留，沒有地方與父靜交。神的兒子在我裡面禱告呢？還是聽我支配？他在我裡面的工作，是否與他昔日在肉身時的工作一樣？在我裡面神的兒子，有沒有為了達成他的目標而經受苦難？我們愈認識成熟聖徒的內在生命，就愈明白神的計畫－－[是要補滿基督患難的缺欠。 ]既是[補滿]，就常有可為之處。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等愛慕你，但我所渴求的，是更加自覺地敬拜你、與你相交，和讚美神。求你潔淨我因遠離你而產生的玷污。
August 07, 2013
Prayer in the Father’s House
. . . they found Him in the temple . . . . And He said to them, ’. . . Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ —Luke 2:46, 49
Our Lord’s childhood was not immaturity waiting to grow into manhood— His childhood is an eternal fact. Am I a holy, innocent child of God as a result of my identification with my Lord and Savior? Do I look at my life as being in my Father’s house? Is the Son of God living in His Father’s house within me?
The only abiding reality is God Himself, and His order comes to me moment by moment. Am I continually in touch with the reality of God, or do I pray only when things have gone wrong— when there is some disturbance in my life? I must learn to identify myself closely with my Lord in ways of holy fellowship and oneness that some of us have not yet even begun to learn. “. . . I must be about My Father’s business”— and I must learn to live every moment of my life in my Father’s house.
Think about your own circumstances. Are you so closely identified with the Lord’s life that you are simply a child of God, continually talking to Him and realizing that everything comes from His hands? Is the eternal Child in you living in His Father’s house? Is the grace of His ministering life being worked out through you in your home, your business, and in your circle of friends? Have you been wondering why you are going through certain circumstances? In fact, it is not that you have to go through them. It is because of your relationship with the Son of God who comes, through the providential will of His Father, into your life. You must allow Him to have His way with you, staying in perfect oneness with Him.
The life of your Lord is to become your vital, simple life, and the way He worked and lived among people while here on earth must be the way He works and lives in you.
父家裡的禱告
豈不知我應當在我父的家裡麼? (路二49)
主的童年是成熟的成年.祂的童年是一個永恆的事實.我是否聖潔無瑕的孩子,像我的救主一樣? 我是活在父神的家裡?這是否我對人生的看法? 神的兒子在我裡面,是否活在祂父的家裡?
永恆的真實是神自己, 祂的吩咐是時刻不斷的.我是否時刻與真實連繫? 還是事情不順遂,生命起了波瀾時才禱告? 我必須學習與我的主無間斷的聯合,這是許多人還未學會的.”我應當以我父的事為念” 生命的每一刻都活在我父家裡.
單拿你自己的環境來看,你是否與主的生命緊密地合一?單純地作神的孩子, 不斷與祂談話,又知凡事皆出於祂的手? 那永恆神的兒子在你的裡面,是否活在父的家裡? 祂事奉的生命帶來的諸般恩典,有沒有透過你在家庭,工作並親友間流露?你是否因著父神的旨意,在你的成聖上,神子與你建立的關係.讓祂作主,與祂保持完全的合一.
主代贖的生命, 要成為你純一有力的生命.昔日祂活在世人中間所作所行的,今天活在你裡面, 也要照樣行.
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我的本性似乎是何等不願意思想祢恩典的深奧真理,然而,我豈可不認識與祢相交的能力和純潔?
Our Lord’s childhood was not immaturity waiting to grow into manhood— His childhood is an eternal fact. Am I a holy, innocent child of God as a result of my identification with my Lord and Savior? Do I look at my life as being in my Father’s house? Is the Son of God living in His Father’s house within me?
The only abiding reality is God Himself, and His order comes to me moment by moment. Am I continually in touch with the reality of God, or do I pray only when things have gone wrong— when there is some disturbance in my life? I must learn to identify myself closely with my Lord in ways of holy fellowship and oneness that some of us have not yet even begun to learn. “. . . I must be about My Father’s business”— and I must learn to live every moment of my life in my Father’s house.
Think about your own circumstances. Are you so closely identified with the Lord’s life that you are simply a child of God, continually talking to Him and realizing that everything comes from His hands? Is the eternal Child in you living in His Father’s house? Is the grace of His ministering life being worked out through you in your home, your business, and in your circle of friends? Have you been wondering why you are going through certain circumstances? In fact, it is not that you have to go through them. It is because of your relationship with the Son of God who comes, through the providential will of His Father, into your life. You must allow Him to have His way with you, staying in perfect oneness with Him.
The life of your Lord is to become your vital, simple life, and the way He worked and lived among people while here on earth must be the way He works and lives in you.
父家裡的禱告
豈不知我應當在我父的家裡麼? (路二49)
主的童年是成熟的成年.祂的童年是一個永恆的事實.我是否聖潔無瑕的孩子,像我的救主一樣? 我是活在父神的家裡?這是否我對人生的看法? 神的兒子在我裡面,是否活在祂父的家裡?
永恆的真實是神自己, 祂的吩咐是時刻不斷的.我是否時刻與真實連繫? 還是事情不順遂,生命起了波瀾時才禱告? 我必須學習與我的主無間斷的聯合,這是許多人還未學會的.”我應當以我父的事為念” 生命的每一刻都活在我父家裡.
單拿你自己的環境來看,你是否與主的生命緊密地合一?單純地作神的孩子, 不斷與祂談話,又知凡事皆出於祂的手? 那永恆神的兒子在你的裡面,是否活在父的家裡? 祂事奉的生命帶來的諸般恩典,有沒有透過你在家庭,工作並親友間流露?你是否因著父神的旨意,在你的成聖上,神子與你建立的關係.讓祂作主,與祂保持完全的合一.
主代贖的生命, 要成為你純一有力的生命.昔日祂活在世人中間所作所行的,今天活在你裡面, 也要照樣行.
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我的本性似乎是何等不願意思想祢恩典的深奧真理,然而,我豈可不認識與祢相交的能力和純潔?
August 06, 2013
The Cross in Prayer
In that day you will ask in My name . . . —John 16:26
We too often think of the Cross of Christ as something we have to get through, yet we get through for the purpose of getting into it. The Cross represents only one thing for us— complete, entire, absolute identification with the Lord Jesus Christ— and there is nothing in which this identification is more real to us than in prayer.
“Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). Then why should we ask? The point of prayer is not to get answers from God, but to have perfect and complete oneness with Him. If we pray only because we want answers, we will become irritated and angry with God. We receive an answer every time we pray, but it does not always come in the way we expect, and our spiritual irritation shows our refusal to identify ourselves truly with our Lord in prayer. We are not here to prove that God answers prayer, but to be living trophies of God’s grace.
“. . . I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you . . .” (John 16:26-27). Have you reached such a level of intimacy with God that the only thing that can account for your prayer life is that it has become one with the prayer life of Jesus Christ? Has our Lord exchanged your life with His vital life? If so, then “in that day” you will be so closely identified with Jesus that there will be no distinction.
When prayer seems to be unanswered, beware of trying to place the blame on someone else. That is always a trap of Satan. When you seem to have no answer, there is always a reason— God uses these times to give you deep personal instruction, and it is not for anyone else but you.
禱告的十字架
到那日，你們要奉我的名祈求。 （約十六26）
我們往往以為十字架是我們要捱過去的東西；我們捱過去，是為了要走進去。其實十字架對我們只有一個意義－－完全絕對的與耶穌基督合而為一，沒有什麼比禱告更能實現我們與主合一。
[你們沒有祈求以先，你們所需用的，你們的父早已知道了。 ]這樣還有何需求呢？禱告的目的不是為求答允；而是與神完全的合一。如果禱告是為求答允，我們就會對神抱怨不滿。其實神每次都有回答，不過並非一定照我們所期望的。我們靈裡面的抱怨，只表示我們不甘願在禱告上與主合一。在此不是要證明神聽禱告，而是要作神恩惠的活證。 [我並不是要為你們求父，因父已經愛你們。 ]你與神的關係有沒有這樣密切，以致主耶穌的禱告生活，成為你禱告生活的唯一理由？主耶穌代禱的生命，是否成了你有力的生命？ [到那日]，你既與主完全合一，就再沒有分別了。
當禱告不蒙應允，千萬不要歸咎別人，這是撒旦常用的網羅。禱告不蒙應允，其中必有原因，就是神要給你深切的教訓，這教訓不是為別人，乃是單單為你。
祈禱◆[願你赦免我隱而未現的過錯。求你攔阻僕人不犯任意妄為的罪。 ]噢，如此我便能夠發現你在我裡面所展示的平安和純潔！
We too often think of the Cross of Christ as something we have to get through, yet we get through for the purpose of getting into it. The Cross represents only one thing for us— complete, entire, absolute identification with the Lord Jesus Christ— and there is nothing in which this identification is more real to us than in prayer.
“Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). Then why should we ask? The point of prayer is not to get answers from God, but to have perfect and complete oneness with Him. If we pray only because we want answers, we will become irritated and angry with God. We receive an answer every time we pray, but it does not always come in the way we expect, and our spiritual irritation shows our refusal to identify ourselves truly with our Lord in prayer. We are not here to prove that God answers prayer, but to be living trophies of God’s grace.
“. . . I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you . . .” (John 16:26-27). Have you reached such a level of intimacy with God that the only thing that can account for your prayer life is that it has become one with the prayer life of Jesus Christ? Has our Lord exchanged your life with His vital life? If so, then “in that day” you will be so closely identified with Jesus that there will be no distinction.
When prayer seems to be unanswered, beware of trying to place the blame on someone else. That is always a trap of Satan. When you seem to have no answer, there is always a reason— God uses these times to give you deep personal instruction, and it is not for anyone else but you.
禱告的十字架
到那日，你們要奉我的名祈求。 （約十六26）
我們往往以為十字架是我們要捱過去的東西；我們捱過去，是為了要走進去。其實十字架對我們只有一個意義－－完全絕對的與耶穌基督合而為一，沒有什麼比禱告更能實現我們與主合一。
[你們沒有祈求以先，你們所需用的，你們的父早已知道了。 ]這樣還有何需求呢？禱告的目的不是為求答允；而是與神完全的合一。如果禱告是為求答允，我們就會對神抱怨不滿。其實神每次都有回答，不過並非一定照我們所期望的。我們靈裡面的抱怨，只表示我們不甘願在禱告上與主合一。在此不是要證明神聽禱告，而是要作神恩惠的活證。 [我並不是要為你們求父，因父已經愛你們。 ]你與神的關係有沒有這樣密切，以致主耶穌的禱告生活，成為你禱告生活的唯一理由？主耶穌代禱的生命，是否成了你有力的生命？ [到那日]，你既與主完全合一，就再沒有分別了。
當禱告不蒙應允，千萬不要歸咎別人，這是撒旦常用的網羅。禱告不蒙應允，其中必有原因，就是神要給你深切的教訓，這教訓不是為別人，乃是單單為你。
祈禱◆[願你赦免我隱而未現的過錯。求你攔阻僕人不犯任意妄為的罪。 ]噢，如此我便能夠發現你在我裡面所展示的平安和純潔！
August 05, 2013
The Bewildering Call of God
'. . . and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.' . . . But they understood none of these things . . . —Luke 18:31, 34
God called Jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster. And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God’s. But what seemed to be failure from man’s standpoint was a triumph from God’s standpoint, because God’s purpose is never the same as man’s purpose.
This bewildering call of God comes into our lives as well. The call of God can never be understood absolutely or explained externally; it is a call that can only be perceived and understood internally by our true inner-nature. The call of God is like the call of the sea— no one hears it except the person who has the nature of the sea in him. What God calls us to cannot be definitely stated, because His call is simply to be His friend to accomplish His own purposes. Our real test is in truly believing that God knows what He desires. The things that happen do not happen by chance— they happen entirely by the decree of God. God is sovereignly working out His own purposes.
If we are in fellowship and oneness with God and recognize that He is taking us into His purposes, then we will no longer strive to find out what His purposes are. As we grow in the Christian life, it becomes simpler to us, because we are less inclined to say, “I wonder why God allowed this or that?” And we begin to see that the compelling purpose of God lies behind everything in life, and that God is divinely shaping us into oneness with that purpose. A Christian is someone who trusts in the knowledge and the wisdom of God, not in his own abilities. If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the calm, relaxed pace which should be characteristic of the children of God.
令人迷惘的呼召
先知所寫的一切事，都要成就在人子身上……他們不曉得所說的是什麼。 （路十八31、34）
神要耶穌基督所受的，似乎是徹頭徹尾的酷災。耶穌基督叫門徒親眼看他受死，領他們到心碎欲絕的境地。耶穌基督的一生，除了從神的觀點以外，無論從任何角度看來，都是絕對的慘敗。可是，在人看來的失敗，在神卻為極大的勝利，因為神的心思永遠與人的不同。在我們生命中，令人狐疑的呼召也會臨到。神的呼召永不明確的說明，乃是內蘊的。神的呼召像海洋的呼召，除了那與海有緣的人外，沒有人聽得見。神的呼召難以明說，因為他的呼召是要人作他的戰友，完成他的計劃。而考驗就是要我們相信神確知自己的目的。事情發生絕非出於偶然，一切全出於神的吩咐。因為神在進行他的計劃。
我們若與神相交，又知道他要帶我們進入他的計劃裡去，就不用再追問他的計劃到底是怎樣。我們在信主的路上愈久，久愈單純，我們不會再問－－[為什麼神讓這事發生？ ]整件事情的背後，是神莫大的催策。 [我的結局都有全能者去塑造。 ]信徒該信賴的，不是自己的智慧而是神的智慧聰明。我們若有自己的目標，就會破壞那單純與悠然的安息，而這正是神兒女該有的特徵。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，釋放我，我極之渴望與你有著單純的關係，以致能改變任何事情，並向周遭的人散播恩福和福氣。
God called Jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster. And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God’s. But what seemed to be failure from man’s standpoint was a triumph from God’s standpoint, because God’s purpose is never the same as man’s purpose.
This bewildering call of God comes into our lives as well. The call of God can never be understood absolutely or explained externally; it is a call that can only be perceived and understood internally by our true inner-nature. The call of God is like the call of the sea— no one hears it except the person who has the nature of the sea in him. What God calls us to cannot be definitely stated, because His call is simply to be His friend to accomplish His own purposes. Our real test is in truly believing that God knows what He desires. The things that happen do not happen by chance— they happen entirely by the decree of God. God is sovereignly working out His own purposes.
If we are in fellowship and oneness with God and recognize that He is taking us into His purposes, then we will no longer strive to find out what His purposes are. As we grow in the Christian life, it becomes simpler to us, because we are less inclined to say, “I wonder why God allowed this or that?” And we begin to see that the compelling purpose of God lies behind everything in life, and that God is divinely shaping us into oneness with that purpose. A Christian is someone who trusts in the knowledge and the wisdom of God, not in his own abilities. If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the calm, relaxed pace which should be characteristic of the children of God.
令人迷惘的呼召
先知所寫的一切事，都要成就在人子身上……他們不曉得所說的是什麼。 （路十八31、34）
神要耶穌基督所受的，似乎是徹頭徹尾的酷災。耶穌基督叫門徒親眼看他受死，領他們到心碎欲絕的境地。耶穌基督的一生，除了從神的觀點以外，無論從任何角度看來，都是絕對的慘敗。可是，在人看來的失敗，在神卻為極大的勝利，因為神的心思永遠與人的不同。在我們生命中，令人狐疑的呼召也會臨到。神的呼召永不明確的說明，乃是內蘊的。神的呼召像海洋的呼召，除了那與海有緣的人外，沒有人聽得見。神的呼召難以明說，因為他的呼召是要人作他的戰友，完成他的計劃。而考驗就是要我們相信神確知自己的目的。事情發生絕非出於偶然，一切全出於神的吩咐。因為神在進行他的計劃。
我們若與神相交，又知道他要帶我們進入他的計劃裡去，就不用再追問他的計劃到底是怎樣。我們在信主的路上愈久，久愈單純，我們不會再問－－[為什麼神讓這事發生？ ]整件事情的背後，是神莫大的催策。 [我的結局都有全能者去塑造。 ]信徒該信賴的，不是自己的智慧而是神的智慧聰明。我們若有自己的目標，就會破壞那單純與悠然的安息，而這正是神兒女該有的特徵。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，釋放我，我極之渴望與你有著單純的關係，以致能改變任何事情，並向周遭的人散播恩福和福氣。
August 04, 2013
The Brave Friendship of God
He took the twelve aside . . . —Luke 18:31
Oh, the bravery of God in trusting us! Do you say, “But He has been unwise to choose me, because there is nothing good in me and I have no value”? That is exactly why He chose you. As long as you think that you are of value to Him He cannot choose you, because you have purposes of your own to serve. But if you will allow Him to take you to the end of your own self-sufficiency, then He can choose you to go with Him “to Jerusalem” (Luke 18:31). And that will mean the fulfillment of purposes which He does not discuss with you.
We tend to say that because a person has natural ability, he will make a good Christian. It is not a matter of our equipment, but a matter of our poverty; not of what we bring with us, but of what God puts into us; not a matter of natural virtues, of strength of character, of knowledge, or of experience— all of that is of no avail in this concern. The only thing of value is being taken into the compelling purpose of God and being made His friends (see 1 Corinthians 1:26-31). God’s friendship is with people who know their poverty. He can accomplish nothing with the person who thinks that he is of use to God. As Christians we are not here for our own purpose at all— we are here for the purpose of God, and the two are not the same. We do not know what God’s compelling purpose is, but whatever happens, we must maintain our relationship with Him. We must never allow anything to damage our relationship with God, but if something does damage it, we must take the time to make it right again. The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the one thing that is continually under attack.
神與我們同行的勇氣
耶穌帶著十二個門徒。 （路十八31）
神信任我們，這是多大的勇氣！你說：”他挑選了我，實在不智，因為我一無所有，也一文不值。”這正是神揀選你的原因。你若自以為有，神就無法揀選你，因為你還有自己的目的。你若讓他帶你去到自滿自足的盡頭，他就能揀選你一同上耶路撒冷。這樣，就成就他沒有與你商量的計畫。
我們常因一個人具有天然才幹，便說他可以成為好的基督徒。其實，問題不在我們的裝備，而在我們的貧窮；不在我們帶什麼來，而在神放什麼在我們裡面；不在知識、經驗、天然的德行或堅強的個性－－這一切都無關重要。唯一要緊的，是我們在神的強力催策下，成為與他同行的人（比較林前一26-30）。與神同行的人，都是自知貧窮的人。那些自以為於神有用的人，神是無能為力的。作為基督徒，我們絕不是為自己的目標，而是單為神的目標。神的目標絕不同人的目標。我們不知道神怎樣打算，但無論發生什麼事，也必須保持與他的關係。絕不可容讓任何事損害我們與神的關係，若這關係有損，就必須花時間去複原。基督教的重點不在於我們所作的工、乃在我們所持守的關係，與及因著這關係而產生的情操。神要我們看守的就是這個，而不斷受到攻擊的也正是個。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，你何等清楚地向我顯明，最重要的是神，惟獨是神。願我在這偉大的認知上，絕不絆跌任何人。
Oh, the bravery of God in trusting us! Do you say, “But He has been unwise to choose me, because there is nothing good in me and I have no value”? That is exactly why He chose you. As long as you think that you are of value to Him He cannot choose you, because you have purposes of your own to serve. But if you will allow Him to take you to the end of your own self-sufficiency, then He can choose you to go with Him “to Jerusalem” (Luke 18:31). And that will mean the fulfillment of purposes which He does not discuss with you.
We tend to say that because a person has natural ability, he will make a good Christian. It is not a matter of our equipment, but a matter of our poverty; not of what we bring with us, but of what God puts into us; not a matter of natural virtues, of strength of character, of knowledge, or of experience— all of that is of no avail in this concern. The only thing of value is being taken into the compelling purpose of God and being made His friends (see 1 Corinthians 1:26-31). God’s friendship is with people who know their poverty. He can accomplish nothing with the person who thinks that he is of use to God. As Christians we are not here for our own purpose at all— we are here for the purpose of God, and the two are not the same. We do not know what God’s compelling purpose is, but whatever happens, we must maintain our relationship with Him. We must never allow anything to damage our relationship with God, but if something does damage it, we must take the time to make it right again. The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the one thing that is continually under attack.
神與我們同行的勇氣
耶穌帶著十二個門徒。 （路十八31）
神信任我們，這是多大的勇氣！你說：”他挑選了我，實在不智，因為我一無所有，也一文不值。”這正是神揀選你的原因。你若自以為有，神就無法揀選你，因為你還有自己的目的。你若讓他帶你去到自滿自足的盡頭，他就能揀選你一同上耶路撒冷。這樣，就成就他沒有與你商量的計畫。
我們常因一個人具有天然才幹，便說他可以成為好的基督徒。其實，問題不在我們的裝備，而在我們的貧窮；不在我們帶什麼來，而在神放什麼在我們裡面；不在知識、經驗、天然的德行或堅強的個性－－這一切都無關重要。唯一要緊的，是我們在神的強力催策下，成為與他同行的人（比較林前一26-30）。與神同行的人，都是自知貧窮的人。那些自以為於神有用的人，神是無能為力的。作為基督徒，我們絕不是為自己的目標，而是單為神的目標。神的目標絕不同人的目標。我們不知道神怎樣打算，但無論發生什麼事，也必須保持與他的關係。絕不可容讓任何事損害我們與神的關係，若這關係有損，就必須花時間去複原。基督教的重點不在於我們所作的工、乃在我們所持守的關係，與及因著這關係而產生的情操。神要我們看守的就是這個，而不斷受到攻擊的也正是個。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，你何等清楚地向我顯明，最重要的是神，惟獨是神。願我在這偉大的認知上，絕不絆跌任何人。
August 03, 2013
The Compelling Purpose of God
He . . . said to them, ’Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem . . —Luke 18:31
Jerusalem, in the life of our Lord, represents the place where He reached the culmination of His Father’s will. Jesus said, “I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me” (John 5:30). Seeking to do “the will of the Father” was the one dominating concern throughout our Lord’s life. And whatever He encountered along the way, whether joy or sorrow, success or failure, He was never deterred from that purpose. “. . . He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem . . .” (Luke 9:51).
The greatest thing for us to remember is that we go up to Jerusalem to fulfill God’s purpose, not our own. In the natural life our ambitions are our own, but in the Christian life we have no goals of our own. We talk so much today about our decisions for Christ, our determination to be Christians, and our decisions for this and that, but in the New Testament the only aspect that is brought out is the compelling purpose of God. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you . . .” (John 15:16).
We are not taken into a conscious agreement with God’s purpose— we are taken into God’s purpose with no awareness of it at all. We have no idea what God’s goal may be; as we continue, His purpose becomes even more and more vague. God’s aim appears to have missed the mark, because we are too nearsighted to see the target at which He is aiming. At the beginning of the Christian life, we have our own ideas as to what God’s purpose is. We say, “God means for me to go over there,” and, “God has called me to do this special work.” We do what we think is right, and yet the compelling purpose of God remains upon us. The work we do is of no account when compared with the compelling purpose of God. It is simply the scaffolding surrounding His work and His plan. “He took the twelve aside . . .” (Luke 18:31). God takes us aside all the time. We have not yet understood all there is to know of the compelling purpose of God.
神的催逼
看哪，我們上耶路撒冷去。 （路十八31）
在主耶穌的生命中，耶路撒冷是他成就父神旨意的頂峰。 [我不求自己的意思，只求那差我來者的意思。 ]在救主的一生中，這是他唯一最大的關注。路途上所遇的一切，不論憂喜成敗，從不使他偏離這個目標。
[他就定意向耶路撒冷去。 ]最重要的是知道上耶路撒冷去，是要完成神的計劃，而不是我們自己的計劃。很自然的，雄心是出於我們自己；但在信徒的生命中，該沒有自己的目標。今天太多人提出自己為基督而作的決定－－我們決志作基督徒，我們決定做這做那－－但新約帶出的資訊，卻是神自己的催逼。
[不是你們揀選了我，是我揀選了你們。 ]我們並沒有意識地同意神的計劃，乃是在不知不覺中進到神的計劃裡去。我們根本不知道神怎樣籌算，而且一日比一日模糊。神的目標似乎總是達不到，其實是因為我們太短視，看不見他的射標。初信之時，我們對神的計劃有自己的想法－－[我應該到某處某處。 ]
[神呼召我作這特別的工作。 ]於是，我們去了，做了，但神的催逼依然存在。我們所作的工算不得什麼，與神的催逼比較，不過是平台架而已。 [耶穌帶著十二個門徒。 ]他不住地帶領著我們，我們還有許多未進入之地。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我來到你面前；無論自覺或非自覺地，我懷著極大的需要靠近你。求你為著你的榮耀高舉我、帶領我、充滿我，使我能和諧地配合你的計劃和旨意。
Jerusalem, in the life of our Lord, represents the place where He reached the culmination of His Father’s will. Jesus said, “I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me” (John 5:30). Seeking to do “the will of the Father” was the one dominating concern throughout our Lord’s life. And whatever He encountered along the way, whether joy or sorrow, success or failure, He was never deterred from that purpose. “. . . He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem . . .” (Luke 9:51).
The greatest thing for us to remember is that we go up to Jerusalem to fulfill God’s purpose, not our own. In the natural life our ambitions are our own, but in the Christian life we have no goals of our own. We talk so much today about our decisions for Christ, our determination to be Christians, and our decisions for this and that, but in the New Testament the only aspect that is brought out is the compelling purpose of God. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you . . .” (John 15:16).
We are not taken into a conscious agreement with God’s purpose— we are taken into God’s purpose with no awareness of it at all. We have no idea what God’s goal may be; as we continue, His purpose becomes even more and more vague. God’s aim appears to have missed the mark, because we are too nearsighted to see the target at which He is aiming. At the beginning of the Christian life, we have our own ideas as to what God’s purpose is. We say, “God means for me to go over there,” and, “God has called me to do this special work.” We do what we think is right, and yet the compelling purpose of God remains upon us. The work we do is of no account when compared with the compelling purpose of God. It is simply the scaffolding surrounding His work and His plan. “He took the twelve aside . . .” (Luke 18:31). God takes us aside all the time. We have not yet understood all there is to know of the compelling purpose of God.
神的催逼
看哪，我們上耶路撒冷去。 （路十八31）
在主耶穌的生命中，耶路撒冷是他成就父神旨意的頂峰。 [我不求自己的意思，只求那差我來者的意思。 ]在救主的一生中，這是他唯一最大的關注。路途上所遇的一切，不論憂喜成敗，從不使他偏離這個目標。
[他就定意向耶路撒冷去。 ]最重要的是知道上耶路撒冷去，是要完成神的計劃，而不是我們自己的計劃。很自然的，雄心是出於我們自己；但在信徒的生命中，該沒有自己的目標。今天太多人提出自己為基督而作的決定－－我們決志作基督徒，我們決定做這做那－－但新約帶出的資訊，卻是神自己的催逼。
[不是你們揀選了我，是我揀選了你們。 ]我們並沒有意識地同意神的計劃，乃是在不知不覺中進到神的計劃裡去。我們根本不知道神怎樣籌算，而且一日比一日模糊。神的目標似乎總是達不到，其實是因為我們太短視，看不見他的射標。初信之時，我們對神的計劃有自己的想法－－[我應該到某處某處。 ]
[神呼召我作這特別的工作。 ]於是，我們去了，做了，但神的催逼依然存在。我們所作的工算不得什麼，與神的催逼比較，不過是平台架而已。 [耶穌帶著十二個門徒。 ]他不住地帶領著我們，我們還有許多未進入之地。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我來到你面前；無論自覺或非自覺地，我懷著極大的需要靠近你。求你為著你的榮耀高舉我、帶領我、充滿我，使我能和諧地配合你的計劃和旨意。
August 02, 2013
The Teaching of Adversity
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world —John 16:33
The typical view of the Christian life is that it means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something very different. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling . . .” (Psalm 91:1,10)— the place where you are at one with God.
If you are a child of God, you will certainly encounter adversities, but Jesus says you should not be surprised when they come. “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” He is saying, “There is nothing for you to fear.” The same people who refused to talk about their adversities before they were saved often complain and worry after being born again because they have the wrong idea of what it means to live the life of a saint.
God does not give us overcoming life— He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and take the first step. Then God will give you nourishment— “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life . . .” (Revelation 2:7). If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength. God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment. Our temptation is to face adversities from the standpoint of our own common sense. But a saint can “be of good cheer” even when seemingly defeated by adversities, because victory is absurdly impossible to everyone, except God.
苦難的操練
在世上你們有苦難，但你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 （約十六33）
一般人都以為基督徒的人生，是沒有苦難的。其實並非如此，基督徒乃是患難中得拯救。 [住在至高者隱密處得，必住在全能者得蔭下……禍患必不臨到你。 ]沒有災難能臨到你與神合一的處所。你若是神的兒女，必定會遭遇困難，但主耶穌說不必驚奇：[在世上你們有苦難，但你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 ]意思就是沒有什麼值得你害怕。在信主前不屑談苦難的人，重生後往往變得軟弱無力，因為他們對作聖徒有錯誤的理解。
神沒有給我們勝過一切的生命；卻在我們誇勝時，賜給生命。壓力就是力量。沒有壓力，就沒有力量。你求神賜生命、自由與喜樂嗎？除非你肯接受壓力，否則他無法把這些賜給你。你一面對壓力，就得力量。勝過膽怯，踏上那一步，神就讓你得吃生命樹得果子，你就得著滋養。你若消耗體力，會覺得疲憊；但若你在屬靈上愈用力，便愈發得力。神從來不賜明天得力量，也不賜下一刻的力量，他只給你勝過現今壓力的力量。我們很容易以常理去面對困難；但聖徒若被苦難壓透，反會大大喜樂，因為事情是這樣困難，除了神以外，根本沒有人能有辦法。
祈禱◆主啊，你的思想是何等令人驚服！可是，我何時才發現自己順服的心，全然被你所佔據？我似乎已被本身的渺小，自私和罪惡弄得毫無力量。
The typical view of the Christian life is that it means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something very different. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling . . .” (Psalm 91:1,10)— the place where you are at one with God.
If you are a child of God, you will certainly encounter adversities, but Jesus says you should not be surprised when they come. “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” He is saying, “There is nothing for you to fear.” The same people who refused to talk about their adversities before they were saved often complain and worry after being born again because they have the wrong idea of what it means to live the life of a saint.
God does not give us overcoming life— He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and take the first step. Then God will give you nourishment— “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life . . .” (Revelation 2:7). If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength. God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment. Our temptation is to face adversities from the standpoint of our own common sense. But a saint can “be of good cheer” even when seemingly defeated by adversities, because victory is absurdly impossible to everyone, except God.
苦難的操練
在世上你們有苦難，但你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 （約十六33）
一般人都以為基督徒的人生，是沒有苦難的。其實並非如此，基督徒乃是患難中得拯救。 [住在至高者隱密處得，必住在全能者得蔭下……禍患必不臨到你。 ]沒有災難能臨到你與神合一的處所。你若是神的兒女，必定會遭遇困難，但主耶穌說不必驚奇：[在世上你們有苦難，但你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 ]意思就是沒有什麼值得你害怕。在信主前不屑談苦難的人，重生後往往變得軟弱無力，因為他們對作聖徒有錯誤的理解。
神沒有給我們勝過一切的生命；卻在我們誇勝時，賜給生命。壓力就是力量。沒有壓力，就沒有力量。你求神賜生命、自由與喜樂嗎？除非你肯接受壓力，否則他無法把這些賜給你。你一面對壓力，就得力量。勝過膽怯，踏上那一步，神就讓你得吃生命樹得果子，你就得著滋養。你若消耗體力，會覺得疲憊；但若你在屬靈上愈用力，便愈發得力。神從來不賜明天得力量，也不賜下一刻的力量，他只給你勝過現今壓力的力量。我們很容易以常理去面對困難；但聖徒若被苦難壓透，反會大大喜樂，因為事情是這樣困難，除了神以外，根本沒有人能有辦法。
祈禱◆主啊，你的思想是何等令人驚服！可是，我何時才發現自己順服的心，全然被你所佔據？我似乎已被本身的渺小，自私和罪惡弄得毫無力量。
August 01, 2013
Learning About His Ways
When Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples . . . He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities —Matthew 11:1
He comes where He commands us to leave. If you stayed home when God told you to go because you were so concerned about your own people there, then you actually robbed them of the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself. When you obeyed and left all the consequences to God, the Lord went into your city to teach, but as long as you were disobedient, you blocked His way. Watch where you begin to debate with Him and put what you call your duty into competition with His commands. If you say, “I know that He told me to go, but my duty is here,” it simply means that you do not believe that Jesus means what He says.
He teaches where He instructs us not to teach. “Master . . . let us make three tabernacles . . .” (Luke 9:33).
Are we playing the part of an amateur providence, trying to play God’s role in the lives of others? Are we so noisy in our instruction of other people that God cannot get near them? We must learn to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert. God wants to instruct us regarding His Son, and He wants to turn our times of prayer into mounts of transfiguration. When we become certain that God is going to work in a particular way, He will never work in that way again.
He works where He sends us to wait. “. . . tarry . . . until . . .” (Luke 24:49). “Wait on the Lord” and He will work (Psalm 37:34). But don’t wait sulking spiritually and feeling sorry for yourself, just because you can’t see one inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our own spiritual fits of emotion to “wait patiently for Him”? (Psalm 37:7). Waiting is not sitting with folded hands doing nothing, but it is learning to do what we are told.
These are some of the facets of His ways that we rarely recognize.
更認識他的作為
耶穌吩咐完了十二個門徒，就離開那裡，往各城去傳道教訓人。 （太十一1）
若神叫你[去]，你卻因為過於牽掛本地的人而留下來；那末，你反剝奪了他們領受主耶穌教訓的機會。你若順服，把一切後果交給神，他就到你的城裡去教訓人。你一天不順服，就成了阻礙。當心辯論一開始，你所謂的責任，就與主的命令相抗衡。 [我知道神叫我去，但他們——我的責任卻在此。 ]這樣說，就表示你不把主的話當真。他吩咐我們不要去教導的地方，他自己會去。
[夫子……我們搭三座棚。 ]我們是否在別人身上，充當了業餘的神明？我們教導別人的聲音，是否使神根本無法就近他人？要閉嘴，保持心靈的敏銳。神要把他兒子的事教訓我們，要把我們禱告的時間變成登山變像的經歷。可是，我們卻不讓他這樣做。我們自以為知道神一定用某種方法行事時，他就不再用那種方法。他吩咐我們在那裡等候，他就在那裡作工。
[等候，直到……]等候神，他就必作工。可是等候的時候，不要因為看不到出路而鬱鬱不樂。我們能否離開自己那份屬靈的激情去等候神？等候不是抱著手呆著，乃是學習按神的吩咐而行。神在這幾方面的作為，我們甚少人認識。
祈禱◆主啊，在這個早上，我的處境對我的意識構成極大的壓力。讓我的思想、情感，我的整個本性，去思想你為我所命定的是甚麼；由此，我便可以知道我所做的並沒有錯。
He comes where He commands us to leave. If you stayed home when God told you to go because you were so concerned about your own people there, then you actually robbed them of the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself. When you obeyed and left all the consequences to God, the Lord went into your city to teach, but as long as you were disobedient, you blocked His way. Watch where you begin to debate with Him and put what you call your duty into competition with His commands. If you say, “I know that He told me to go, but my duty is here,” it simply means that you do not believe that Jesus means what He says.
He teaches where He instructs us not to teach. “Master . . . let us make three tabernacles . . .” (Luke 9:33).
Are we playing the part of an amateur providence, trying to play God’s role in the lives of others? Are we so noisy in our instruction of other people that God cannot get near them? We must learn to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert. God wants to instruct us regarding His Son, and He wants to turn our times of prayer into mounts of transfiguration. When we become certain that God is going to work in a particular way, He will never work in that way again.
He works where He sends us to wait. “. . . tarry . . . until . . .” (Luke 24:49). “Wait on the Lord” and He will work (Psalm 37:34). But don’t wait sulking spiritually and feeling sorry for yourself, just because you can’t see one inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our own spiritual fits of emotion to “wait patiently for Him”? (Psalm 37:7). Waiting is not sitting with folded hands doing nothing, but it is learning to do what we are told.
These are some of the facets of His ways that we rarely recognize.
更認識他的作為
耶穌吩咐完了十二個門徒，就離開那裡，往各城去傳道教訓人。 （太十一1）
若神叫你[去]，你卻因為過於牽掛本地的人而留下來；那末，你反剝奪了他們領受主耶穌教訓的機會。你若順服，把一切後果交給神，他就到你的城裡去教訓人。你一天不順服，就成了阻礙。當心辯論一開始，你所謂的責任，就與主的命令相抗衡。 [我知道神叫我去，但他們——我的責任卻在此。 ]這樣說，就表示你不把主的話當真。他吩咐我們不要去教導的地方，他自己會去。
[夫子……我們搭三座棚。 ]我們是否在別人身上，充當了業餘的神明？我們教導別人的聲音，是否使神根本無法就近他人？要閉嘴，保持心靈的敏銳。神要把他兒子的事教訓我們，要把我們禱告的時間變成登山變像的經歷。可是，我們卻不讓他這樣做。我們自以為知道神一定用某種方法行事時，他就不再用那種方法。他吩咐我們在那裡等候，他就在那裡作工。
[等候，直到……]等候神，他就必作工。可是等候的時候，不要因為看不到出路而鬱鬱不樂。我們能否離開自己那份屬靈的激情去等候神？等候不是抱著手呆著，乃是學習按神的吩咐而行。神在這幾方面的作為，我們甚少人認識。
祈禱◆主啊，在這個早上，我的處境對我的意識構成極大的壓力。讓我的思想、情感，我的整個本性，去思想你為我所命定的是甚麼；由此，我便可以知道我所做的並沒有錯。
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