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.

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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！