May 15, 2014

The Habit of Rising to the Occasion

. . . that you may know what is the hope of His calling . . . —Ephesians 1:18

Remember that you have been saved so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in your body (see 2 Corinthians 4:10). Direct the total energy of your powers so that you may achieve everything your election as a child of God provides; rise every time to whatever occasion may come your way.

You did not do anything to achieve your salvation, but you must do something to exhibit it. You must “work out your own salvation” which God has worked in you already (Philippians 2:12). Are your speech, your thinking, and your emotions evidence that you are working it “out”? If you are still the same miserable, grouchy person, set on having your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you.

God is the Master Designer, and He allows adversities into your life to see if you can jump over them properly—”By my God I can leap over a wall” (Psalm 18:29). God will never shield you from the requirements of being His son or daughter. First Peter 4:12 says, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you . . . .” Rise to the occasion—do what the trial demands of you. It does not matter how much it hurts as long as it gives God the opportunity to manifest the life of Jesus in your body.

May God not find complaints in us anymore, but spiritual vitality—a readiness to face anything He brings our way. The only proper goal of life is that we manifest the Son of God; and when this occurs, all of our dictating of our demands to God disappears. Our Lord never dictated demands to His Father, and neither are we to make demands on God. We are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. Once we realize this, He will make us broken bread and poured-out wine with which to feed and nourish others.


把握機會,面對現實

使你們知道他的恩召有何等指望。 (弗一18)

要記得你蒙拯救的目的是什麼--是叫神兒子的生命在你必朽的肉身上彰顯出來。要殫精竭慮,去體會成為神兒女的恩召;要每次正面面對所遭遇的。

你雖然沒有辦法救自己,卻必須有所事事,以表彰所得的救恩。你要把神做在你身上的表揚出來。你有沒有用舌頭、腦筋、精神去努力表揚?你若仍然是昔日可憐的老樣子,孤行己意,那麼你說神已拯救你,並叫你成聖,這不過是謊話。

神是大工程師,他容許困難臨到你身上,要看你能否越過--[我靠著神跳過牆垣]。神不會放鬆對他兒女的要求。彼得說:[有火煉的試驗臨到你們,不要以為奇怪。 ]把握機會,面對現實,付諸行動!不管痛苦多大,只要身有機會藉著你彰顯他自己就好了。

但願神不再看見我們裡面的怨嘆,卻看見我們充滿屬靈的果敢與奮勇,準備面對任何從神而來的事物。我們必須操練自己,叫神兒子可以在我們必朽的肉身上彰顯出來。生命唯一的目標,就是彰顯神的兒子,並且不再向神發號施令。我們的主從來沒有指揮他的父,我們在此也不得指揮神;我們在世上是要順服他的旨意,使他能在我們身上成就他所要成就的。我們若明白這點,神就會使我們成為擘開的餅,傾出來的酒,去餵養與滋潤別人。

祈禱◆主啊,你已經啟示了很多真理,還有不少事情要告訴我們,可是,我感到自己的生活太少按著你所指示的去行。主啊,加力給我,讓我彰顯你的榮耀。

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