. . . All my springs are in you —Psalm 87:7
Our Lord never “patches up” our natural virtues, that is, our natural traits, qualities, or characteristics. He completely remakes a person on the inside— “. . . put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). In other words, see that your natural human life is putting on all that is in keeping with the new life. The life God places within us develops its own new virtues, not the virtues of the seed of Adam, but of Jesus Christ. Once God has begun the process of sanctification in your life, watch and see how God causes your confidence in your own natural virtues and power to wither away. He will continue until you learn to draw your life from the reservoir of the resurrection life of Jesus. Thank God if you are going through this drying-up experience!
The sign that God is at work in us is that He is destroying our confidence in the natural virtues, because they are not promises of what we are going to be, but only a wasted reminder of what God created man to be. We want to cling to our natural virtues, while all the time God is trying to get us in contact with the life of Jesus Christ— a life that can never be described in terms of natural virtues. It is the saddest thing to see people who are trying to serve God depending on that which the grace of God never gave them. They are depending solely on what they have by virtue of heredity. God does not take our natural virtues and transform them, because our natural virtues could never even come close to what Jesus Christ wants. No natural love, no natural patience, no natural purity can ever come up to His demands. But as we bring every part of our natural bodily life into harmony with the new life God has placed within us, He will exhibit in us the virtues that were characteristic of the Lord Jesus.
And every virtue we possess
Is His alone.
我們一切的美德
我的泉源都在你裡面。 （詩八十七7）
我們的主從不修補天然美德，他乃是從裡面重新再造。 [穿上新人]，意思是你要給肉體的生命穿上與新生命相配的衣服。神種在我們裡頭的生命，會萌發本身的美德，不是亞當的，乃是主耶穌的。你成聖以後，會叫你對天然美德，並個人一切力量的信心枯萎，直至你學會怎樣從主耶穌復活的泉源中支取生命。你若正經歷那乾涸的階段，就得感謝神。
神在我們裡面作工的徵象，就是敗壞我們對天然德行的信念，因為那些本不是神應許的，不過是他初造人時所剩餘的品質。我們總是抓住天然品德，而神卻不住要我接駁到主耶穌的生命去，他的美德是無法用天然德行來比較的。最可悲的是事奉神的人，一味仗賴從遺傳而得的品質，這些並不是神恩典所賜下的。神不會建立並改變天然的德行，因為天然德行不能達到耶穌萬分之一的心意。任何天然的愛、忍耐、清潔，都不可能達到他的要求。只有把肉體生命的每一部分配合神放在我們裡頭的生命，他才能透過我們彰顯主耶穌的美德。而我們所有的一切美德也只是他的。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，你是永遠的活井，我所有清新的泉源都在你裡面。我來到你面前；願你大能的生命在我裡面湧現，真正地流入我的身體和心靈中。
Showing posts with label Character. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Character. Show all posts
December 30, 2012
December 29, 2012
Deserter or Disciple?
From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more —John 6:66
When God, by His Spirit through His Word, gives you a clear vision of His will, you must “walk in the light” of that vision (1 John 1:7). Even though your mind and soul may be thrilled by it, if you don’t “walk in the light” of it you will sink to a level of bondage never envisioned by our Lord. Mentally disobeying the “heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) will make you a slave to ideas and views that are completely foreign to Jesus Christ. Don’t look at someone else and say, “Well, if he can have those views and prosper, why can’t I?” You have to “walk in the light” of the vision that has been given to you. Don’t compare yourself with others or judge them— that is between God and them. When you find that one of your favorite and strongly held views clashes with the “heavenly vision,” do not begin to debate it. If you do, a sense of property and personal right will emerge in you— things on which Jesus placed no value. He was against these things as being the root of everything foreign to Himself— “. . . for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). If we don’t see and understand this, it is because we are ignoring the underlying principles of our Lord’s teaching.
Our tendency is to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we had when God revealed His will to us. But if a New Testament standard is revealed to us by the light of God, and we don’t try to measure up, or even feel inclined to do so, then we begin to backslide. It means your conscience does not respond to the truth. You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth. That moment marks you as one who either continues on with even more devotion as a disciple of Jesus Christ, or as one who turns to go back as a deserter.
逃兵還是門徒？
從此他門徒中多有退去的，不再和他同行。 （約六66）
神藉聖靈透過他的話語，現實他的心意，使你心靈興奮萬分；但你若不行在這異象的光中，就沉淪在努力的狀態中，受制於一種不屬於主的觀點。你若心裡不服從天上來的異象，就必服役於主耶穌以外的觀點。不要指著別人說：[看哪，他持那些觀點，仍然順利亨通，我為什麼不可以？ ]你要行在異象的光中，不要與人比較，或判斷別人，那是他與神之間的事。你若發現自己所喜悅的觀點，與天上來的異象相違，你為此爭辯，漸漸裡面就會產生一種擁有感和個人權利感，這些都是主耶穌所棄絕的。他反對這些，因為這一切是叫人離開神的根源。 [人的生命不在乎家道豐富。 ]我們不體會這一點，是因為我們漠視主基本的教訓。
我們很容易回想過往美妙的經歷。可是，神的光若向你顯示一個標準，而你未能達到，或不想達到，那你就開始退後了，因為這表示你的良心對真理並未作出回應。真理一旦開啟，便再也無法依然故我。那一刻就決定你是向前做主的真門徒，還是退後做逃兵。
祈禱◆主啊，願我們四周的每一寸空間，今天都被你所充滿。願你引導的手，適當而奇妙地掌管一切；願你將我們舉起，進入你奇妙的計劃中，並且使我們不至衝動鹵莽。
When God, by His Spirit through His Word, gives you a clear vision of His will, you must “walk in the light” of that vision (1 John 1:7). Even though your mind and soul may be thrilled by it, if you don’t “walk in the light” of it you will sink to a level of bondage never envisioned by our Lord. Mentally disobeying the “heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) will make you a slave to ideas and views that are completely foreign to Jesus Christ. Don’t look at someone else and say, “Well, if he can have those views and prosper, why can’t I?” You have to “walk in the light” of the vision that has been given to you. Don’t compare yourself with others or judge them— that is between God and them. When you find that one of your favorite and strongly held views clashes with the “heavenly vision,” do not begin to debate it. If you do, a sense of property and personal right will emerge in you— things on which Jesus placed no value. He was against these things as being the root of everything foreign to Himself— “. . . for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). If we don’t see and understand this, it is because we are ignoring the underlying principles of our Lord’s teaching.
Our tendency is to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we had when God revealed His will to us. But if a New Testament standard is revealed to us by the light of God, and we don’t try to measure up, or even feel inclined to do so, then we begin to backslide. It means your conscience does not respond to the truth. You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth. That moment marks you as one who either continues on with even more devotion as a disciple of Jesus Christ, or as one who turns to go back as a deserter.
逃兵還是門徒？
從此他門徒中多有退去的，不再和他同行。 （約六66）
神藉聖靈透過他的話語，現實他的心意，使你心靈興奮萬分；但你若不行在這異象的光中，就沉淪在努力的狀態中，受制於一種不屬於主的觀點。你若心裡不服從天上來的異象，就必服役於主耶穌以外的觀點。不要指著別人說：[看哪，他持那些觀點，仍然順利亨通，我為什麼不可以？ ]你要行在異象的光中，不要與人比較，或判斷別人，那是他與神之間的事。你若發現自己所喜悅的觀點，與天上來的異象相違，你為此爭辯，漸漸裡面就會產生一種擁有感和個人權利感，這些都是主耶穌所棄絕的。他反對這些，因為這一切是叫人離開神的根源。 [人的生命不在乎家道豐富。 ]我們不體會這一點，是因為我們漠視主基本的教訓。
我們很容易回想過往美妙的經歷。可是，神的光若向你顯示一個標準，而你未能達到，或不想達到，那你就開始退後了，因為這表示你的良心對真理並未作出回應。真理一旦開啟，便再也無法依然故我。那一刻就決定你是向前做主的真門徒，還是退後做逃兵。
祈禱◆主啊，願我們四周的每一寸空間，今天都被你所充滿。願你引導的手，適當而奇妙地掌管一切；願你將我們舉起，進入你奇妙的計劃中，並且使我們不至衝動鹵莽。
December 28, 2012
Continuous Conversion
. . . unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven —Matthew 18:3
These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.
To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.
不斷迴轉
你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式……（太十八3）
這話不但在我們初信之時十分真確，就是在我們生命的每一天，也要迴轉，向神作小孩子。我們若信賴自己的頭腦過於神，他就要我們負責後果。我們的身體既在神安排下進入新的境況，就要讓天然生命順服聖靈的指揮。一次成功，並不等於第二次也可以成功。肉體生命與屬靈生命的關係，是不斷的迴轉，這是我們本性所不願的。不管在什麼環境下，神的靈始終不變，神的救恩也不變，但我們要[穿上新人]。我們每次不肯迴轉，神都要我們自己負責，因為我們的拒絕，是出於故意的頑梗。我們不要被肉體的生命管轄，必須讓神掌管。
屬靈生命的阻礙，是不肯經常迴轉悔改，我們用許多頑梗的藉口，在神的寶座前自傲地說：[我不肯。 ]我們尊崇獨立固執，給它們錯誤的稱號。神看作頑梗的軟弱，我們卻稱之為力量。我們生命中還有許多地方未受管治的，這只有靠經常迴轉才可以達成。逐漸地，我們必然被聖靈收復所有失地。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我能被你帶進你與我同在的境地，從你的立場觀看事情。今天早上，我要向你的百姓說話，噢，主啊，以你恩慈的靈重新膏立我。
These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.
To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.
不斷迴轉
你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式……（太十八3）
這話不但在我們初信之時十分真確，就是在我們生命的每一天，也要迴轉，向神作小孩子。我們若信賴自己的頭腦過於神，他就要我們負責後果。我們的身體既在神安排下進入新的境況，就要讓天然生命順服聖靈的指揮。一次成功，並不等於第二次也可以成功。肉體生命與屬靈生命的關係，是不斷的迴轉，這是我們本性所不願的。不管在什麼環境下，神的靈始終不變，神的救恩也不變，但我們要[穿上新人]。我們每次不肯迴轉，神都要我們自己負責，因為我們的拒絕，是出於故意的頑梗。我們不要被肉體的生命管轄，必須讓神掌管。
屬靈生命的阻礙，是不肯經常迴轉悔改，我們用許多頑梗的藉口，在神的寶座前自傲地說：[我不肯。 ]我們尊崇獨立固執，給它們錯誤的稱號。神看作頑梗的軟弱，我們卻稱之為力量。我們生命中還有許多地方未受管治的，這只有靠經常迴轉才可以達成。逐漸地，我們必然被聖靈收復所有失地。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我能被你帶進你與我同在的境地，從你的立場觀看事情。今天早上，我要向你的百姓說話，噢，主啊，以你恩慈的靈重新膏立我。
December 05, 2012
“The Temple of the Holy Spirit”
. . . only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you —Genesis 41:40
I am accountable to God for the way I control my body under His authority. Paul said he did not “set aside the grace of God”— make it ineffective (Galatians 2:21). The grace of God is absolute and limitless, and the work of salvation through Jesus is complete and finished forever. I am not being saved— I am saved. Salvation is as eternal as God’s throne, but I must put to work or use what God has placed within me. To “work out [my] own salvation” (Philippians 2:12) means that I am responsible for using what He has given me. It also means that I must exhibit in my own body the life of the Lord Jesus, not mysteriously or secretly, but openly and boldly. “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection . . .” (1 Corinthians 9:27). Every Christian can have his body under absolute control for God. God has given us the responsibility to rule over all “the temple of the Holy Spirit,” including our thoughts and desires (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are responsible for these, and we must never give way to improper ones. But most of us are much more severe in our judgment of others than we are in judging ourselves. We make excuses for things in ourselves, while we condemn things in the lives of others simply because we are not naturally inclined to do them.
Paul said, “I beseech you . . . that you present your bodies a living sacrifice . . .” (Romans 12:1). What I must decide is whether or not I will agree with my Lord and Master that my body will indeed be His temple. Once I agree, all the rules, regulations, and requirements of the law concerning the body are summed up for me in this revealed truth-my body is “the temple of the Holy Spirit.”
聖靈的殿
惟獨在寶座上，我比你大。 （創四十一40）
在神的主權下，我必須向神交代怎樣管理自己的身體。保羅說他不能徒受神的恩典，就是把神的恩典當作無用的。神的恩典是絕對的，耶穌的救恩是完全的，是永遠有功效的。我不是在蒙拯救中，乃是已經得救。救恩正如神的寶座一樣永恆不改；我要作的，是把神放進我裡面的活出來。 [作成你們得救的功夫]是我的責任，意思是我要明明的，著力的，而不是隱秘的，以我的身子活出主耶穌的生命。 [我是攻克己身，叫身服我。 ]每一聖徒都當把身體服在神絕對的管治下。神要我們管理整個聖靈的殿，管理自己的幻想和情感。為此我們要負責任，絕不可放任感情。我們往往嚴於責人，寬於恕己；為自己製造許多藉口，卻定別人的罪，因為那些事是我們自己天性不喜好的。
保羅說：[我以神的慈悲勸你們，將身體獻上，當作活祭。 ]決定的因素在於：[我同意以我的身體作神的殿麼？ ]若然，那我整個身體的律就總括在這個啟示裡；我的身體是聖靈的殿。
祈禱◆主啊，我肉身的生命若沒有了你，是何等暗晦，冷漠和憂鬱；求你以你神性的生命，來充滿我。
I am accountable to God for the way I control my body under His authority. Paul said he did not “set aside the grace of God”— make it ineffective (Galatians 2:21). The grace of God is absolute and limitless, and the work of salvation through Jesus is complete and finished forever. I am not being saved— I am saved. Salvation is as eternal as God’s throne, but I must put to work or use what God has placed within me. To “work out [my] own salvation” (Philippians 2:12) means that I am responsible for using what He has given me. It also means that I must exhibit in my own body the life of the Lord Jesus, not mysteriously or secretly, but openly and boldly. “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection . . .” (1 Corinthians 9:27). Every Christian can have his body under absolute control for God. God has given us the responsibility to rule over all “the temple of the Holy Spirit,” including our thoughts and desires (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are responsible for these, and we must never give way to improper ones. But most of us are much more severe in our judgment of others than we are in judging ourselves. We make excuses for things in ourselves, while we condemn things in the lives of others simply because we are not naturally inclined to do them.
Paul said, “I beseech you . . . that you present your bodies a living sacrifice . . .” (Romans 12:1). What I must decide is whether or not I will agree with my Lord and Master that my body will indeed be His temple. Once I agree, all the rules, regulations, and requirements of the law concerning the body are summed up for me in this revealed truth-my body is “the temple of the Holy Spirit.”
聖靈的殿
惟獨在寶座上，我比你大。 （創四十一40）
在神的主權下，我必須向神交代怎樣管理自己的身體。保羅說他不能徒受神的恩典，就是把神的恩典當作無用的。神的恩典是絕對的，耶穌的救恩是完全的，是永遠有功效的。我不是在蒙拯救中，乃是已經得救。救恩正如神的寶座一樣永恆不改；我要作的，是把神放進我裡面的活出來。 [作成你們得救的功夫]是我的責任，意思是我要明明的，著力的，而不是隱秘的，以我的身子活出主耶穌的生命。 [我是攻克己身，叫身服我。 ]每一聖徒都當把身體服在神絕對的管治下。神要我們管理整個聖靈的殿，管理自己的幻想和情感。為此我們要負責任，絕不可放任感情。我們往往嚴於責人，寬於恕己；為自己製造許多藉口，卻定別人的罪，因為那些事是我們自己天性不喜好的。
保羅說：[我以神的慈悲勸你們，將身體獻上，當作活祭。 ]決定的因素在於：[我同意以我的身體作神的殿麼？ ]若然，那我整個身體的律就總括在這個啟示裡；我的身體是聖靈的殿。
祈禱◆主啊，我肉身的生命若沒有了你，是何等暗晦，冷漠和憂鬱；求你以你神性的生命，來充滿我。
November 09, 2012
Sacred Service
I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . . —Colossians 1:24
The Christian worker has to be a sacred “go-between.” He must be so closely identified with his Lord and the reality of His redemption that Christ can continually bring His creating life through him. I am not referring to the strength of one individual’s personality being superimposed on another, but the real presence of Christ coming through every aspect of the worker’s life. When we preach the historical facts of the life and death of our Lord as they are conveyed in the New Testament, our words are made sacred. God uses these words, on the basis of His redemption, to create something in those who listen which otherwise could never have been created. If we simply preach the effects of redemption in the human life instead of the revealed, divine truth regarding Jesus Himself, the result is not new birth in those who listen. The result is a refined religious lifestyle, and the Spirit of God cannot witness to it because such preaching is in a realm other than His. We must make sure that we are living in such harmony with God that as we proclaim His truth He can create in others those things which He alone can do.
When we say, “What a wonderful personality, what a fascinating person, and what wonderful insight!” then what opportunity does the gospel of God have through all of that? It cannot get through, because the attraction is to the messenger and not the message. If a person attracts through his personality, that becomes his appeal. If, however, he is identified with the Lord Himself, then the appeal becomes what Jesus Christ can do. The danger is to glory in men, yet Jesus says we are to lift up only Him (see John 12:32).
神聖的事奉
現在我為你們受苦，倒覺歡樂，並且為基督的身體，就是為教會，要在我肉身上補滿基督患難的缺欠。 （西一24）
主的工人要作神聖的中間人，與主和他的救贖認同，以致主能不斷地透過他創造新生命。不是工人自己的人格影響另一個人，乃是基督的真正同在，透過工人的生命流露出來。我們按新約的記載傳揚主耶穌，並他受苦的歷史事實，我們的話就變成神聖；神就使用這些話，因著他救贖的計畫，在聽者身上創造新生，否則，這些人就不能成為新造的人。若我們傳的是救贖在人生命中的效用，而不是傳揚有關主耶穌自己的啟示，那末在聽者身上成就的就不是新生命，只是精美的屬靈教化而已。神的靈也不能為此作見證，因為這是屬於另一領域的事。我們必須留意自己活在與神同心同工中，以致在我們傳他的真理時，他能夠在人心靈中，成就只有他才能夠成就的事。 [多可愛的個性！ ][這人真了不起！ ][多超越的卓見！ ]神的福音在這些之上有什麽出路？福音無法通過，因為這只能吸引人歸我，而不能吸引人歸他。人若以人格吸引人，人注目的就是他的人格；若他與主的品格合一，他的吸引力就在於主耶穌的能力。信徒的危機是在於榮耀人，耶穌卻說我們要[舉起]的是他。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你今天在大能和威嚴中，在更多方面得勝。保守我的心靈遠離世俗化。
The Christian worker has to be a sacred “go-between.” He must be so closely identified with his Lord and the reality of His redemption that Christ can continually bring His creating life through him. I am not referring to the strength of one individual’s personality being superimposed on another, but the real presence of Christ coming through every aspect of the worker’s life. When we preach the historical facts of the life and death of our Lord as they are conveyed in the New Testament, our words are made sacred. God uses these words, on the basis of His redemption, to create something in those who listen which otherwise could never have been created. If we simply preach the effects of redemption in the human life instead of the revealed, divine truth regarding Jesus Himself, the result is not new birth in those who listen. The result is a refined religious lifestyle, and the Spirit of God cannot witness to it because such preaching is in a realm other than His. We must make sure that we are living in such harmony with God that as we proclaim His truth He can create in others those things which He alone can do.
When we say, “What a wonderful personality, what a fascinating person, and what wonderful insight!” then what opportunity does the gospel of God have through all of that? It cannot get through, because the attraction is to the messenger and not the message. If a person attracts through his personality, that becomes his appeal. If, however, he is identified with the Lord Himself, then the appeal becomes what Jesus Christ can do. The danger is to glory in men, yet Jesus says we are to lift up only Him (see John 12:32).
神聖的事奉
現在我為你們受苦，倒覺歡樂，並且為基督的身體，就是為教會，要在我肉身上補滿基督患難的缺欠。 （西一24）
主的工人要作神聖的中間人，與主和他的救贖認同，以致主能不斷地透過他創造新生命。不是工人自己的人格影響另一個人，乃是基督的真正同在，透過工人的生命流露出來。我們按新約的記載傳揚主耶穌，並他受苦的歷史事實，我們的話就變成神聖；神就使用這些話，因著他救贖的計畫，在聽者身上創造新生，否則，這些人就不能成為新造的人。若我們傳的是救贖在人生命中的效用，而不是傳揚有關主耶穌自己的啟示，那末在聽者身上成就的就不是新生命，只是精美的屬靈教化而已。神的靈也不能為此作見證，因為這是屬於另一領域的事。我們必須留意自己活在與神同心同工中，以致在我們傳他的真理時，他能夠在人心靈中，成就只有他才能夠成就的事。 [多可愛的個性！ ][這人真了不起！ ][多超越的卓見！ ]神的福音在這些之上有什麽出路？福音無法通過，因為這只能吸引人歸我，而不能吸引人歸他。人若以人格吸引人，人注目的就是他的人格；若他與主的品格合一，他的吸引力就在於主耶穌的能力。信徒的危機是在於榮耀人，耶穌卻說我們要[舉起]的是他。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你今天在大能和威嚴中，在更多方面得勝。保守我的心靈遠離世俗化。
October 10, 2012
How Will I Know?
Jesus answered and said, ’I thank You, Father . . . that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes’ —Matthew 11:25
We do not grow into a spiritual relationship step by step— we either have a relationship or we do not. God does not continue to cleanse us more and more from sin— “But if we walk in the light,” we are cleansed “from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It is a matter of obedience, and once we obey, the relationship is instantly perfected. But if we turn away from obedience for even one second, darkness and death are immediately at work again.
All of God’s revealed truths are sealed until they are opened to us through obedience. You will never open them through philosophy or thinking. But once you obey, a flash of light comes immediately. Let God’s truth work into you by immersing yourself in it, not by worrying into it. The only way you can get to know the truth of God is to stop trying to find out and by being born again. If you obey God in the first thing He shows you, then He instantly opens up the next truth to you. You could read volumes on the work of the Holy Spirit, when five minutes of total, uncompromising obedience would make things as clear as sunlight. Don’t say, “I suppose I will understand these things someday!” You can understand them now. And it is not study that brings understanding to you, but obedience. Even the smallest bit of obedience opens heaven, and the deepest truths of God immediately become yours. Yet God will never reveal more truth about Himself to you, until you have obeyed what you know already. Beware of becoming one of the “wise and prudent.” “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know . . .” (John 7:17).
我怎知道？
父啊，天地的主，我感謝你，因為你將這些事，向聰明通達人，就藏起來，向嬰孩，就顯出來。 （太十一25）
在屬靈的關係上，沒有漸長這回事；有就有，沒有就是沒有。神並不是愈來愈洗清我們的罪，而是我們若行在光中，一切罪就除掉了。問題是順服與否，若順服，那關係就隨即完全了。只要一秒鐘不順服，黑暗與死亡就隨即作工。
神所有的啟示全都是密封的，不能靠哲學或思想開啟。只有靠順服，才向我們開啟。一順服，亮光就來。不是牽腸掛肚地要進入真理，乃是要浸在真理中，好叫他能在你裡面作工。要認識真理，就只有靠重生，而不是靠追尋。順服神告訴你的事，下一步就會向你顯明。關於聖靈的工作，我們可以讀萬卷書，但只要有五分鐘的完全順服，事情就明朗如目光。 [我想總有一天會明白的。 ]其實你如今就可以明白。不是靠研究，乃是靠順服。一點點的順服，就能打開天門，神深奧的真理就立即屬於你了。你若尚未順服神向你啟示的真理，他不會再向你顯示更多真理。要當心變得[聰明通達]。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我從肉體和心靈的各種污穢中自潔；除去屬靈生命中所有的粗糙品質，以致我可以在滿足的喜樂中，在你裡面居住。
We do not grow into a spiritual relationship step by step— we either have a relationship or we do not. God does not continue to cleanse us more and more from sin— “But if we walk in the light,” we are cleansed “from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It is a matter of obedience, and once we obey, the relationship is instantly perfected. But if we turn away from obedience for even one second, darkness and death are immediately at work again.
All of God’s revealed truths are sealed until they are opened to us through obedience. You will never open them through philosophy or thinking. But once you obey, a flash of light comes immediately. Let God’s truth work into you by immersing yourself in it, not by worrying into it. The only way you can get to know the truth of God is to stop trying to find out and by being born again. If you obey God in the first thing He shows you, then He instantly opens up the next truth to you. You could read volumes on the work of the Holy Spirit, when five minutes of total, uncompromising obedience would make things as clear as sunlight. Don’t say, “I suppose I will understand these things someday!” You can understand them now. And it is not study that brings understanding to you, but obedience. Even the smallest bit of obedience opens heaven, and the deepest truths of God immediately become yours. Yet God will never reveal more truth about Himself to you, until you have obeyed what you know already. Beware of becoming one of the “wise and prudent.” “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know . . .” (John 7:17).
我怎知道？
父啊，天地的主，我感謝你，因為你將這些事，向聰明通達人，就藏起來，向嬰孩，就顯出來。 （太十一25）
在屬靈的關係上，沒有漸長這回事；有就有，沒有就是沒有。神並不是愈來愈洗清我們的罪，而是我們若行在光中，一切罪就除掉了。問題是順服與否，若順服，那關係就隨即完全了。只要一秒鐘不順服，黑暗與死亡就隨即作工。
神所有的啟示全都是密封的，不能靠哲學或思想開啟。只有靠順服，才向我們開啟。一順服，亮光就來。不是牽腸掛肚地要進入真理，乃是要浸在真理中，好叫他能在你裡面作工。要認識真理，就只有靠重生，而不是靠追尋。順服神告訴你的事，下一步就會向你顯明。關於聖靈的工作，我們可以讀萬卷書，但只要有五分鐘的完全順服，事情就明朗如目光。 [我想總有一天會明白的。 ]其實你如今就可以明白。不是靠研究，乃是靠順服。一點點的順服，就能打開天門，神深奧的真理就立即屬於你了。你若尚未順服神向你啟示的真理，他不會再向你顯示更多真理。要當心變得[聰明通達]。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我從肉體和心靈的各種污穢中自潔；除去屬靈生命中所有的粗糙品質，以致我可以在滿足的喜樂中，在你裡面居住。
October 01, 2012
The Place of Exaltation
. . . Jesus took . . . them up on a high mountain apart by themselves . . . —Mark 9:2
We have all experienced times of exaltation on the mountain, when we have seen things from God’s perspective and have wanted to stay there. But God will never allow us to stay there. The true test of our spiritual life is in exhibiting the power to descend from the mountain. If we only have the power to go up, something is wrong. It is a wonderful thing to be on the mountain with God, but a person only gets there so that he may later go down and lift up the demon-possessed people in the valley (see Mark 9:14-18). We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life— those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength. Yet our spiritual selfishness always wants repeated moments on the mountain. We feel that we could talk and live like perfect angels, if we could only stay on the mountaintop. Those times of exaltation are exceptional and they have their meaning in our life with God, but we must beware to prevent our spiritual selfishness from wanting to make them the only time.
We are inclined to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching. In actual fact, it is to be turned into something even better than teaching, namely, character. The mountaintop is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something. There is a terrible trap in always asking, “What’s the use of this experience?” We can never measure spiritual matters in that way. The moments on the mountaintop are rare moments, and they are meant for something in God’s purpose.
超升的領域
耶穌帶著彼得、雅各、約翰，暗暗的上了高山……(可九2)
我們都有過山上的經歷－－從神的觀點看事物，於是就想留在那裡不再下來。可是，神絕不容許我們留在那裡。屬靈生命的考驗，是看你下山以後的能力。若只有上山才有能力，那就有點不對勁了。在神的山上，固然好極了，但上山的目的，是叫人以後下來到被魔鬼轄制的人中間，把他們向上推。我們不是為山峰、晨曦、美景而造，那些只是感性的時刻。我們乃是為山谷而造，為那日常平凡的事而造，為要考驗我們的能力。屬靈的自私總是盼望可以重演山上的經歷，以為只要留在山上，就可以說話生活如天使一般。其實，高峰的生活是例外的，在與神的相交忠，有它的作用；但必須當心，別讓屬靈的自私把高山的經歷，視作唯一去追求的東西。
我們常以為凡事都是為教導我們，但其實比教導更好的，就是使凡遭遇的變成我們的個性。山頂的經歷不是要教導我們，乃是要塑造我們。 [這事有什麼用處？ ]這樣問有很大的危險。屬靈的事不是這樣計算的。山頂上的經歷是罕有的，是神為特別的目的而設的。
祈禱◆主啊，我最渴望的，是在你裡面生根建造－－以神為中心，專注於神，熱心於神和愛神。我的靈魂何等渴望認識你，並且得著平靜。
We have all experienced times of exaltation on the mountain, when we have seen things from God’s perspective and have wanted to stay there. But God will never allow us to stay there. The true test of our spiritual life is in exhibiting the power to descend from the mountain. If we only have the power to go up, something is wrong. It is a wonderful thing to be on the mountain with God, but a person only gets there so that he may later go down and lift up the demon-possessed people in the valley (see Mark 9:14-18). We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life— those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength. Yet our spiritual selfishness always wants repeated moments on the mountain. We feel that we could talk and live like perfect angels, if we could only stay on the mountaintop. Those times of exaltation are exceptional and they have their meaning in our life with God, but we must beware to prevent our spiritual selfishness from wanting to make them the only time.
We are inclined to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching. In actual fact, it is to be turned into something even better than teaching, namely, character. The mountaintop is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something. There is a terrible trap in always asking, “What’s the use of this experience?” We can never measure spiritual matters in that way. The moments on the mountaintop are rare moments, and they are meant for something in God’s purpose.
超升的領域
耶穌帶著彼得、雅各、約翰，暗暗的上了高山……(可九2)
我們都有過山上的經歷－－從神的觀點看事物，於是就想留在那裡不再下來。可是，神絕不容許我們留在那裡。屬靈生命的考驗，是看你下山以後的能力。若只有上山才有能力，那就有點不對勁了。在神的山上，固然好極了，但上山的目的，是叫人以後下來到被魔鬼轄制的人中間，把他們向上推。我們不是為山峰、晨曦、美景而造，那些只是感性的時刻。我們乃是為山谷而造，為那日常平凡的事而造，為要考驗我們的能力。屬靈的自私總是盼望可以重演山上的經歷，以為只要留在山上，就可以說話生活如天使一般。其實，高峰的生活是例外的，在與神的相交忠，有它的作用；但必須當心，別讓屬靈的自私把高山的經歷，視作唯一去追求的東西。
我們常以為凡事都是為教導我們，但其實比教導更好的，就是使凡遭遇的變成我們的個性。山頂的經歷不是要教導我們，乃是要塑造我們。 [這事有什麼用處？ ]這樣問有很大的危險。屬靈的事不是這樣計算的。山頂上的經歷是罕有的，是神為特別的目的而設的。
祈禱◆主啊，我最渴望的，是在你裡面生根建造－－以神為中心，專注於神，熱心於神和愛神。我的靈魂何等渴望認識你，並且得著平靜。
September 20, 2012
The Divine Commandment of Life
. . . be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect —Matthew 5:48
Our Lord’s exhortation to us in Matthew 5:38-48 is to be generous in our behavior toward everyone. Beware of living according to your natural affections in your spiritual life. Everyone has natural affections— some people we like and others we don’t like. Yet we must never let those likes and dislikes rule our Christian life. “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another” (1 John 1:7), even those toward whom we have no affection.
The example our Lord gave us here is not that of a good person, or even of a good Christian, but of God Himself. “. . . be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” In other words, simply show to the other person what God has shown to you. And God will give you plenty of real life opportunities to prove whether or not you are “perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Being a disciple means deliberately identifying yourself with God’s interests in other people. Jesus says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly. The secret of a Christian’s life is that the supernatural becomes natural in him as a result of the grace of God, and the experience of this becomes evident in the practical, everyday details of life, not in times of intimate fellowship with God. And when we come in contact with things that create confusion and a flurry of activity, we find to our own amazement that we have the power to stay wonderfully poised even in the center of it all.
生命的神聖定律
所以你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。 （太五48）
在這經文中，主勸勉我們對所有人都要寬大慷慨。在屬靈的生活中。當心依從人性的喜好行事。人人都有天然的喜好，我們喜歡某些人，不喜歡某些人。切勿讓這些喜好操縱我們基督徒的生命。 [我們若在光明中行，如同神在光中]，神可以使我們與天性不喜歡的人相交。
主給我們的榜樣不是一個好人，也不是一個好的基督徒，乃是神自己。 [所以你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。 ]－－向人表彰神向你表彰的；神在實際生活上會給我們足夠的機會，去證明我們是否像他一樣完全。作門徒，就是立志要愛神所關注的人。 [叫你們彼此相愛，我怎樣愛你們，你們也要怎樣相愛。 ]
信徒品德的表現不在於善行，乃在於像神。若神的靈已改變你的內心，你生命所表現的是屬天的特性，而不是好人的特性。神的生命在我們裡面，表現的就是神的生命，不是力求敬虔的人的生命。信徒的秘訣，就是藉神的恩典，使超然的在他裡面成為自然，這種經歷並非在與神相交的時刻中表現，而是在日常生活的細節中實行。當我們碰到叫人頭昏腦脹的事，便會稀奇自己竟有能力保持平靜安穩。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，當今天這個屬你的日子正要展開，願你在一切事情上，成為我們獨特的珍寶。願你的靈充滿我們，以致我們各人都被那甜蜜、愜意的屬靈能力所改變。
Our Lord’s exhortation to us in Matthew 5:38-48 is to be generous in our behavior toward everyone. Beware of living according to your natural affections in your spiritual life. Everyone has natural affections— some people we like and others we don’t like. Yet we must never let those likes and dislikes rule our Christian life. “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another” (1 John 1:7), even those toward whom we have no affection.
The example our Lord gave us here is not that of a good person, or even of a good Christian, but of God Himself. “. . . be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” In other words, simply show to the other person what God has shown to you. And God will give you plenty of real life opportunities to prove whether or not you are “perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Being a disciple means deliberately identifying yourself with God’s interests in other people. Jesus says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly. The secret of a Christian’s life is that the supernatural becomes natural in him as a result of the grace of God, and the experience of this becomes evident in the practical, everyday details of life, not in times of intimate fellowship with God. And when we come in contact with things that create confusion and a flurry of activity, we find to our own amazement that we have the power to stay wonderfully poised even in the center of it all.
生命的神聖定律
所以你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。 （太五48）
在這經文中，主勸勉我們對所有人都要寬大慷慨。在屬靈的生活中。當心依從人性的喜好行事。人人都有天然的喜好，我們喜歡某些人，不喜歡某些人。切勿讓這些喜好操縱我們基督徒的生命。 [我們若在光明中行，如同神在光中]，神可以使我們與天性不喜歡的人相交。
主給我們的榜樣不是一個好人，也不是一個好的基督徒，乃是神自己。 [所以你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。 ]－－向人表彰神向你表彰的；神在實際生活上會給我們足夠的機會，去證明我們是否像他一樣完全。作門徒，就是立志要愛神所關注的人。 [叫你們彼此相愛，我怎樣愛你們，你們也要怎樣相愛。 ]
信徒品德的表現不在於善行，乃在於像神。若神的靈已改變你的內心，你生命所表現的是屬天的特性，而不是好人的特性。神的生命在我們裡面，表現的就是神的生命，不是力求敬虔的人的生命。信徒的秘訣，就是藉神的恩典，使超然的在他裡面成為自然，這種經歷並非在與神相交的時刻中表現，而是在日常生活的細節中實行。當我們碰到叫人頭昏腦脹的事，便會稀奇自己竟有能力保持平靜安穩。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，當今天這個屬你的日子正要展開，願你在一切事情上，成為我們獨特的珍寶。願你的靈充滿我們，以致我們各人都被那甜蜜、愜意的屬靈能力所改變。
September 15, 2012
What To Renounce
We have renounced the hidden things of shame . . . —2 Corinthians 4:2
Have you “renounced the hidden things of shame” in your life—the things that your sense of honor or pride will not allow to come into the light? You can easily hide them. Is there a thought in your heart about anyone that you would not like to be brought into the light? Then renounce it as soon as it comes to mind—renounce everything in its entirety until there is no hidden dishonesty or craftiness about you at all. Envy, jealousy, and strife don’t necessarily arise from your old nature of sin, but from the flesh which was used for these kinds of things in the past (see Romans 6:19 and 1 Peter 4:1-3). You must maintain continual watchfulness so that nothing arises in your life that would cause you shame.
“. . . not walking in craftiness. . .” (2 Corinthians 4:2). This means not resorting to something simply to make your own point. This is a terrible trap. You know that God will allow you to work in only one way—the way of truth. Then be careful never to catch people through the other way—the way of deceit. If you act deceitfully, God’s blight and ruin will be upon you. What may be craftiness for you, may not be for others—God has called you to a higher standard. Never dull your sense of being your utmost for His highest—your best for His glory. For you, doing certain things would mean craftiness coming into your life for a purpose other than what is the highest and best, and it would dull the motivation that God has given you. Many people have turned back because they are afraid to look at things from God’s perspective. The greatest spiritual crisis comes when a person has to move a little farther on in his faith than the beliefs he has already accepted
棄絕什麼？
將那些暗昧可恥的事棄絕了。 （林後四2）
你有沒有將暗昧可恥的事棄絕？ －－那些你廉恥之心不想敞露的東西。要遮掩這些事並不難。你心中是否有一些念頭，是不想放在光中的？當這些念頭一出現，就要立刻棄絕，完全的棄絕，直至沒有絲毫可恥詭詐在你裡面隱藏。嫉忌、貪戀、爭競－－未必是出於罪根性，而是因為你在過去的日子中，肢體慣於和這種事（參羅六19，彼前四1-2）。要不住的警醒，使生命沒有絲毫可恥的東西生長。
[不行詭詐]，詭詐就是運用手段以求達到目的。這是個極大的網羅。若你知道神只容許你以某一方法行事，那麼，就不可用別的方法。不然，神的責難必然臨到。人家做的事，在你看來是行詭詐，但在他們可能並非詭詐，因為神給你另一個觀點。切勿削弱竭誠為主的敏銳性觸覺。你所作的某件事，可能叫你離開神的旨意去追求別的目標：若是這樣，詭詐就隨之而生，而你對神也變得遲鈍。許多人退後，是由於不敢從神的觀點看事物。一個人若要越過自己已接納的新年，在屬靈上就有大危機。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，求你護衛我生命的中心免受腐蝕；願你隱密地保守我，使我與你有著滿意的關係，以致我能彰顯你的榮耀。
Have you “renounced the hidden things of shame” in your life—the things that your sense of honor or pride will not allow to come into the light? You can easily hide them. Is there a thought in your heart about anyone that you would not like to be brought into the light? Then renounce it as soon as it comes to mind—renounce everything in its entirety until there is no hidden dishonesty or craftiness about you at all. Envy, jealousy, and strife don’t necessarily arise from your old nature of sin, but from the flesh which was used for these kinds of things in the past (see Romans 6:19 and 1 Peter 4:1-3). You must maintain continual watchfulness so that nothing arises in your life that would cause you shame.
“. . . not walking in craftiness. . .” (2 Corinthians 4:2). This means not resorting to something simply to make your own point. This is a terrible trap. You know that God will allow you to work in only one way—the way of truth. Then be careful never to catch people through the other way—the way of deceit. If you act deceitfully, God’s blight and ruin will be upon you. What may be craftiness for you, may not be for others—God has called you to a higher standard. Never dull your sense of being your utmost for His highest—your best for His glory. For you, doing certain things would mean craftiness coming into your life for a purpose other than what is the highest and best, and it would dull the motivation that God has given you. Many people have turned back because they are afraid to look at things from God’s perspective. The greatest spiritual crisis comes when a person has to move a little farther on in his faith than the beliefs he has already accepted
棄絕什麼？
將那些暗昧可恥的事棄絕了。 （林後四2）
你有沒有將暗昧可恥的事棄絕？ －－那些你廉恥之心不想敞露的東西。要遮掩這些事並不難。你心中是否有一些念頭，是不想放在光中的？當這些念頭一出現，就要立刻棄絕，完全的棄絕，直至沒有絲毫可恥詭詐在你裡面隱藏。嫉忌、貪戀、爭競－－未必是出於罪根性，而是因為你在過去的日子中，肢體慣於和這種事（參羅六19，彼前四1-2）。要不住的警醒，使生命沒有絲毫可恥的東西生長。
[不行詭詐]，詭詐就是運用手段以求達到目的。這是個極大的網羅。若你知道神只容許你以某一方法行事，那麼，就不可用別的方法。不然，神的責難必然臨到。人家做的事，在你看來是行詭詐，但在他們可能並非詭詐，因為神給你另一個觀點。切勿削弱竭誠為主的敏銳性觸覺。你所作的某件事，可能叫你離開神的旨意去追求別的目標：若是這樣，詭詐就隨之而生，而你對神也變得遲鈍。許多人退後，是由於不敢從神的觀點看事物。一個人若要越過自己已接納的新年，在屬靈上就有大危機。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，求你護衛我生命的中心免受腐蝕；願你隱密地保守我，使我與你有著滿意的關係，以致我能彰顯你的榮耀。
September 11, 2012
Missionary Weapons (2)
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet —John 13:14
Ministering in Everyday Opportunities. Ministering in everyday opportunities that surround us does not mean that we select our own surroundings— it means being God’s very special choice to be available for use in any of the seemingly random surroundings which He has engineered for us. The very character we exhibit in our present surroundings is an indication of what we will be like in other surroundings.
The things Jesus did were the most menial of everyday tasks, and this is an indication that it takes all of God’s power in me to accomplish even the most common tasks in His way. Can I use a towel as He did? Towels, dishes, sandals, and all the other ordinary things in our lives reveal what we are made of more quickly than anything else. It takes God Almighty Incarnate in us to do the most menial duty as it ought to be done.
Jesus said, “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (13:15). Notice the kind of people that God brings around you, and you will be humiliated once you realize that this is actually His way of revealing to you the kind of person you have been to Him. Now He says we should exhibit to those around us exactly what He has exhibited to us.
Do you find yourself responding by saying, “Oh, I will do all that once I’m out on the mission field”? Talking in this way is like trying to produce the weapons of war while in the trenches of the battlefield–you will be killed while trying to do it.
We have to go the “second mile” with God (see Matthew 5:41). Yet some of us become worn out in the first ten steps. Then we say, “Well, I’ll just wait until I get closer to the next big crisis in my life.” But if we do not steadily minister in everyday opportunities, we will do nothing when the crisis comes.
傳道者的彈藥
我是你們的主，你們的夫子，尚且洗你們的腳，你們也當彼此洗腳。 （約十三14）
就現有機會事奉，是不揀選自己的環境，而是在神安排的任何環境下，都為神所選用。我們在現有環境下表現的特性，可以代表在任何別的環境下的表現。耶穌所作的，是最卑下的日常工作；這就是說我需要神全部的能力，才能依他的腳踪作最平常普通的事。我能像他那樣用一條毛巾麼？毛巾、碗碟、鞋，以及一切日常生活中卑微的事，比別的東西更能反映出我們的本相。最低賤的任務，若要做得完全，就需要我們裡面那位元道成肉身的全能主去做。
[我給你們作了榜樣，叫你們照著我向你們所作的去作。 ]留意神擺在你周圍的人；他要藉此使你認識在他眼中你是怎麼樣的人，你會因此而羞愧。他現在說：[要照我向你所作的，向那個人行。 ]你會說：[呀！到了海外的工廠，我自然會一一去做了。 ]這樣的說法，就等於去到戰壕才製造彈藥，結果在製造的當兒，就送命了。
我們要與神行第[二里路]。有些人在頭十碼就放棄了，因為神要我們行看不見方向的路，我們就說：[我還是等到重大關頭來到時再走。 ]若你在日常小事上不穩步前進，危機來到時，你什麼也做不來。
祈禱◆[耶和華必作王]；噢，主啊，今天願你統治的能力，為著你的榮耀，在你僕人身上彰顯。
Ministering in Everyday Opportunities. Ministering in everyday opportunities that surround us does not mean that we select our own surroundings— it means being God’s very special choice to be available for use in any of the seemingly random surroundings which He has engineered for us. The very character we exhibit in our present surroundings is an indication of what we will be like in other surroundings.
The things Jesus did were the most menial of everyday tasks, and this is an indication that it takes all of God’s power in me to accomplish even the most common tasks in His way. Can I use a towel as He did? Towels, dishes, sandals, and all the other ordinary things in our lives reveal what we are made of more quickly than anything else. It takes God Almighty Incarnate in us to do the most menial duty as it ought to be done.
Jesus said, “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (13:15). Notice the kind of people that God brings around you, and you will be humiliated once you realize that this is actually His way of revealing to you the kind of person you have been to Him. Now He says we should exhibit to those around us exactly what He has exhibited to us.
Do you find yourself responding by saying, “Oh, I will do all that once I’m out on the mission field”? Talking in this way is like trying to produce the weapons of war while in the trenches of the battlefield–you will be killed while trying to do it.
We have to go the “second mile” with God (see Matthew 5:41). Yet some of us become worn out in the first ten steps. Then we say, “Well, I’ll just wait until I get closer to the next big crisis in my life.” But if we do not steadily minister in everyday opportunities, we will do nothing when the crisis comes.
傳道者的彈藥
我是你們的主，你們的夫子，尚且洗你們的腳，你們也當彼此洗腳。 （約十三14）
就現有機會事奉，是不揀選自己的環境，而是在神安排的任何環境下，都為神所選用。我們在現有環境下表現的特性，可以代表在任何別的環境下的表現。耶穌所作的，是最卑下的日常工作；這就是說我需要神全部的能力，才能依他的腳踪作最平常普通的事。我能像他那樣用一條毛巾麼？毛巾、碗碟、鞋，以及一切日常生活中卑微的事，比別的東西更能反映出我們的本相。最低賤的任務，若要做得完全，就需要我們裡面那位元道成肉身的全能主去做。
[我給你們作了榜樣，叫你們照著我向你們所作的去作。 ]留意神擺在你周圍的人；他要藉此使你認識在他眼中你是怎麼樣的人，你會因此而羞愧。他現在說：[要照我向你所作的，向那個人行。 ]你會說：[呀！到了海外的工廠，我自然會一一去做了。 ]這樣的說法，就等於去到戰壕才製造彈藥，結果在製造的當兒，就送命了。
我們要與神行第[二里路]。有些人在頭十碼就放棄了，因為神要我們行看不見方向的路，我們就說：[我還是等到重大關頭來到時再走。 ]若你在日常小事上不穩步前進，危機來到時，你什麼也做不來。
祈禱◆[耶和華必作王]；噢，主啊，今天願你統治的能力，為著你的榮耀，在你僕人身上彰顯。
August 08, 2012
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, 2012
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?
July 26, 2012
The Way to Purity
Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart . . . . For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man . . . —Matthew 15:18-20
Initially we trust in our ignorance, calling it innocence, and next we trust our innocence, calling it purity. Then when we hear these strong statements from our Lord, we shrink back, saying, “But I never felt any of those awful things in my heart.” We resent what He reveals. Either Jesus Christ is the supreme authority on the human heart, or He is not worth paying any attention to. Am I prepared to trust the penetration of His Word into my heart, or would I prefer to trust my own “innocent ignorance”? If I will take an honest look at myself, becoming fully aware of my so-called innocence and putting it to the test, I am very likely to have a rude awakening that what Jesus Christ said is true, and I will be appalled at the possibilities of the evil and the wrong within me. But as long as I remain under the false security of my own “innocence,” I am living in a fool’s paradise. If I have never been an openly rude and abusive person, the only reason is my own cowardice coupled with the sense of protection I receive from living a civilized life. But when I am open and completely exposed before God, I find that Jesus Christ is right in His diagnosis of me.
The only thing that truly provides protection is the redemption of Jesus Christ. If I will simply hand myself over to Him, I will never have to experience the terrible possibilities that lie within my heart. Purity is something far too deep for me to arrive at naturally. But when the Holy Spirit comes into me, He brings into the center of my personal life the very Spirit that was exhibited in the life of Jesus Christ, namely, the Holy Spirit, which is absolute unblemished purity.
清潔的賬
從心裡發出來的……（太十五18-20）
我們起初都信任自己的無知，稱之為無罪；又信任自己的無罪，稱之為清潔。於是當我們聽見主這番嚴厲的話，就會怯生生地說：[我從不覺得自己心中有這些可怖的髒東西呀！ ]我們厭惡主所揭示的。若耶穌基督不是人心里至高的權威，他就根本不值一顧。我是否願意信任他的明察，還是信任自己的天真無知？只要我試驗一下自己的清白，就勢必栗然醒覺主話的真實，也必震驚於自己偏向邪惡的性情。我之所以未淪為惡匪，無非是膽子不夠大，及文明社會的保障罷了。若在神面前赤露敞開，就必知道他的診斷無誤。
耶穌基督的救恩是唯一的保障。我若把自己交給他，就不必經歷內心那些可怕的性情。清潔太深邃了，憑天性我無法達至，但當聖靈來到就把那在主耶穌生命中彰顯的靈，帶進我生命中，我就變成毫無玷污的純潔。
祈禱◆噢，我的神，我在你的火焰中被焚燒和煉淨——今天我所發現的渣滓似乎太多，在我處理別人的錯失上，卻太少流露你那甜蜜而親切的恩典。主啊，赦免我。
Initially we trust in our ignorance, calling it innocence, and next we trust our innocence, calling it purity. Then when we hear these strong statements from our Lord, we shrink back, saying, “But I never felt any of those awful things in my heart.” We resent what He reveals. Either Jesus Christ is the supreme authority on the human heart, or He is not worth paying any attention to. Am I prepared to trust the penetration of His Word into my heart, or would I prefer to trust my own “innocent ignorance”? If I will take an honest look at myself, becoming fully aware of my so-called innocence and putting it to the test, I am very likely to have a rude awakening that what Jesus Christ said is true, and I will be appalled at the possibilities of the evil and the wrong within me. But as long as I remain under the false security of my own “innocence,” I am living in a fool’s paradise. If I have never been an openly rude and abusive person, the only reason is my own cowardice coupled with the sense of protection I receive from living a civilized life. But when I am open and completely exposed before God, I find that Jesus Christ is right in His diagnosis of me.
The only thing that truly provides protection is the redemption of Jesus Christ. If I will simply hand myself over to Him, I will never have to experience the terrible possibilities that lie within my heart. Purity is something far too deep for me to arrive at naturally. But when the Holy Spirit comes into me, He brings into the center of my personal life the very Spirit that was exhibited in the life of Jesus Christ, namely, the Holy Spirit, which is absolute unblemished purity.
清潔的賬
從心裡發出來的……（太十五18-20）
我們起初都信任自己的無知，稱之為無罪；又信任自己的無罪，稱之為清潔。於是當我們聽見主這番嚴厲的話，就會怯生生地說：[我從不覺得自己心中有這些可怖的髒東西呀！ ]我們厭惡主所揭示的。若耶穌基督不是人心里至高的權威，他就根本不值一顧。我是否願意信任他的明察，還是信任自己的天真無知？只要我試驗一下自己的清白，就勢必栗然醒覺主話的真實，也必震驚於自己偏向邪惡的性情。我之所以未淪為惡匪，無非是膽子不夠大，及文明社會的保障罷了。若在神面前赤露敞開，就必知道他的診斷無誤。
耶穌基督的救恩是唯一的保障。我若把自己交給他，就不必經歷內心那些可怕的性情。清潔太深邃了，憑天性我無法達至，但當聖靈來到就把那在主耶穌生命中彰顯的靈，帶進我生命中，我就變成毫無玷污的純潔。
祈禱◆噢，我的神，我在你的火焰中被焚燒和煉淨——今天我所發現的渣滓似乎太多，在我處理別人的錯失上，卻太少流露你那甜蜜而親切的恩典。主啊，赦免我。
July 24, 2012
His Nature and Our Motives
. . . unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven —Matthew 5:20
The characteristic of a disciple is not that he does good things, but that he is good in his motives, having been made good by the supernatural grace of God. The only thing that exceeds right-doing is right-being. Jesus Christ came to place within anyone who would let Him a new heredity that would have a righteousness exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus is saying, “If you are My disciple, you must be right not only in your actions, but also in your motives, your aspirations, and in the deep recesses of the thoughts of your mind.” Your motives must be so pure that God Almighty can see nothing to rebuke. Who can stand in the eternal light of God and have nothing for Him to rebuke? Only the Son of God, and Jesus Christ claims that through His redemption He can place within anyone His own nature and make that person as pure and as simple as a child. The purity that God demands is impossible unless I can be remade within, and that is exactly what Jesus has undertaken to do through His redemption.
No one can make himself pure by obeying laws. Jesus Christ does not give us rules and regulations— He gives us His teachings which are truths that can only be interpreted by His nature which He places within us. The great wonder of Jesus Christ’s salvation is that He changes our heredity. He does not change human nature— He changes its source, and thereby its motives as well.
性情與行為
你們的義，若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義，斷不能進天國。 （太五20）
門徒的特徵不是行善，而是出於善的動機，因為他在神超然的恩中成了善。唯一超越善行的，就是成善。耶穌來，是要把勝過文士和法利賽人的義的新遺傳，放進願意的人裡頭。耶穌說：[你若做我的門徒，不單行為要正，連動機、夢想、心靈的隱秘處也要正。動機要純正得連全能的神也無可指摘。 ]誰能站在神永恆的光中，無可指摘呢？只有神的兒子。而耶穌基督宣稱藉著救恩，就能使任何人在他的性情上有分，使他純潔如小孩子一樣。神所要求的純正，使人無法達到的，除非我裡面能重新再造，而耶穌的救恩正成就這事。
人無法憑守律法得潔淨，主耶穌給我們的也不是規則法條；他的教訓是真理，只有他放進我們裡面的性情，才可領會主救恩的奇妙，這就是他改變人的罪性。他不是改變人性，乃是改變人的本源。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，發出你的光輝，讓它運行在這地上，正如你曾在淵面上運行一樣。在你屬靈的領域中大大作工，幫助我豎立禱告的山嶺，並藉助雲彩，將祝福沛然降下。
The characteristic of a disciple is not that he does good things, but that he is good in his motives, having been made good by the supernatural grace of God. The only thing that exceeds right-doing is right-being. Jesus Christ came to place within anyone who would let Him a new heredity that would have a righteousness exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus is saying, “If you are My disciple, you must be right not only in your actions, but also in your motives, your aspirations, and in the deep recesses of the thoughts of your mind.” Your motives must be so pure that God Almighty can see nothing to rebuke. Who can stand in the eternal light of God and have nothing for Him to rebuke? Only the Son of God, and Jesus Christ claims that through His redemption He can place within anyone His own nature and make that person as pure and as simple as a child. The purity that God demands is impossible unless I can be remade within, and that is exactly what Jesus has undertaken to do through His redemption.
No one can make himself pure by obeying laws. Jesus Christ does not give us rules and regulations— He gives us His teachings which are truths that can only be interpreted by His nature which He places within us. The great wonder of Jesus Christ’s salvation is that He changes our heredity. He does not change human nature— He changes its source, and thereby its motives as well.
性情與行為
你們的義，若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義，斷不能進天國。 （太五20）
門徒的特徵不是行善，而是出於善的動機，因為他在神超然的恩中成了善。唯一超越善行的，就是成善。耶穌來，是要把勝過文士和法利賽人的義的新遺傳，放進願意的人裡頭。耶穌說：[你若做我的門徒，不單行為要正，連動機、夢想、心靈的隱秘處也要正。動機要純正得連全能的神也無可指摘。 ]誰能站在神永恆的光中，無可指摘呢？只有神的兒子。而耶穌基督宣稱藉著救恩，就能使任何人在他的性情上有分，使他純潔如小孩子一樣。神所要求的純正，使人無法達到的，除非我裡面能重新再造，而耶穌的救恩正成就這事。
人無法憑守律法得潔淨，主耶穌給我們的也不是規則法條；他的教訓是真理，只有他放進我們裡面的性情，才可領會主救恩的奇妙，這就是他改變人的罪性。他不是改變人性，乃是改變人的本源。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，發出你的光輝，讓它運行在這地上，正如你曾在淵面上運行一樣。在你屬靈的領域中大大作工，幫助我豎立禱告的山嶺，並藉助雲彩，將祝福沛然降下。
July 23, 2012
Sanctification (2)
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us . . . sanctification . . . —1 Corinthians 1:30
The Life Side. The mystery of sanctification is that the perfect qualities of Jesus Christ are imparted as a gift to me, not gradually, but instantly once I enter by faith into the realization that He “became for [me] . . . sanctification . . . .” Sanctification means nothing less than the holiness of Jesus becoming mine and being exhibited in my life.
The most wonderful secret of living a holy life does not lie in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfect qualities of Jesus exhibit themselves in my human flesh. Sanctification is “Christ in you . . .” (Colossians 1:27). It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in sanctification— imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God’s grace. Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His Word?
Sanctification means the impartation of the holy qualities of Jesus Christ to me. It is the gift of His patience, love, holiness, faith, purity, and godliness that is exhibited in and through every sanctified soul. Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy— it is drawing from Jesus the very holiness that was exhibited in Him, and that He now exhibits in me. Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation. Imitation is something altogether different. The perfection of everything is in Jesus Christ, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfect qualities of Jesus are at my disposal. Consequently, I slowly but surely begin to live a life of inexpressible order, soundness, and holiness— “. . . kept by the power of God . . .” (1 Peter 1:5).
成聖
你們得在基督耶穌裡，是本乎神，神又使他成為我們的……聖潔。 （林前一30）
生的一面。成聖的奧秘就是耶穌基督把自己完全賜給我，這不是漸進的，而是當我憑信體認耶穌基督成為我的聖潔那一刻，就即時得著。耶穌的聖潔成為我的聖潔，而且從我身上彰顯出來；這正是成聖的意思。
聖潔生活的秘訣，不在仿效耶穌，而是讓他的完美在我身上彰顯。成聖是：[基督在我裡面。 ]我因信領受他那奇妙的生命——神無上恩惠的禮物。我願意讓神使成聖在我裡面成為真實，就像他自己的話語一樣真實嗎？成聖就是耶穌基督聖潔的品質傳了給我。每一個分別為聖的人，彰顯的都是他的忍耐、他的愛心、他的信實、他的無暇、他的敬虔。成聖不是向耶穌支取聖潔的能力，而是支取他本身的聖潔；是他使聖潔在我身上彰顯出來。成聖是賜予，不是模仿。模仿是另一回事。在耶穌基督裡，一切皆完全；而成聖的奧秘，就在於我可以取用他一切的完美。於是慢慢地，但肯定地，我便開始過有條不紊、健康、聖潔的生活，是[蒙神能力保守的]。
祈禱◆主啊，真的，我不需要更多的證據，證明你話語中有關人內心的真理；即使那是你的心意，我還是不想在這方面再知道更多。我想更多認識的，是關乎你偉大和滿有恩典的救贖。
The Life Side. The mystery of sanctification is that the perfect qualities of Jesus Christ are imparted as a gift to me, not gradually, but instantly once I enter by faith into the realization that He “became for [me] . . . sanctification . . . .” Sanctification means nothing less than the holiness of Jesus becoming mine and being exhibited in my life.
The most wonderful secret of living a holy life does not lie in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfect qualities of Jesus exhibit themselves in my human flesh. Sanctification is “Christ in you . . .” (Colossians 1:27). It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in sanctification— imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God’s grace. Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His Word?
Sanctification means the impartation of the holy qualities of Jesus Christ to me. It is the gift of His patience, love, holiness, faith, purity, and godliness that is exhibited in and through every sanctified soul. Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy— it is drawing from Jesus the very holiness that was exhibited in Him, and that He now exhibits in me. Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation. Imitation is something altogether different. The perfection of everything is in Jesus Christ, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfect qualities of Jesus are at my disposal. Consequently, I slowly but surely begin to live a life of inexpressible order, soundness, and holiness— “. . . kept by the power of God . . .” (1 Peter 1:5).
成聖
你們得在基督耶穌裡，是本乎神，神又使他成為我們的……聖潔。 （林前一30）
生的一面。成聖的奧秘就是耶穌基督把自己完全賜給我，這不是漸進的，而是當我憑信體認耶穌基督成為我的聖潔那一刻，就即時得著。耶穌的聖潔成為我的聖潔，而且從我身上彰顯出來；這正是成聖的意思。
聖潔生活的秘訣，不在仿效耶穌，而是讓他的完美在我身上彰顯。成聖是：[基督在我裡面。 ]我因信領受他那奇妙的生命——神無上恩惠的禮物。我願意讓神使成聖在我裡面成為真實，就像他自己的話語一樣真實嗎？成聖就是耶穌基督聖潔的品質傳了給我。每一個分別為聖的人，彰顯的都是他的忍耐、他的愛心、他的信實、他的無暇、他的敬虔。成聖不是向耶穌支取聖潔的能力，而是支取他本身的聖潔；是他使聖潔在我身上彰顯出來。成聖是賜予，不是模仿。模仿是另一回事。在耶穌基督裡，一切皆完全；而成聖的奧秘，就在於我可以取用他一切的完美。於是慢慢地，但肯定地，我便開始過有條不紊、健康、聖潔的生活，是[蒙神能力保守的]。
祈禱◆主啊，真的，我不需要更多的證據，證明你話語中有關人內心的真理；即使那是你的心意，我還是不想在這方面再知道更多。我想更多認識的，是關乎你偉大和滿有恩典的救贖。
July 08, 2012
Will To Be Faithful
. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . —Joshua 24:15
A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will— I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.
“. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . .” Your choice must be a deliberate determination— it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God— do not “confer with flesh and blood” about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading— the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.
Openly declare to Him, “I will be faithful.” But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, “You are witnesses against yourselves . . .” (Joshua 24:22). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, “I will serve You.” Will to be faithful— and give other people credit for being faithful too.
立志忠心
“……今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”約書亞記24：15
意志是全人的活動。我不能放棄我的意志，我必須要訓練我的意志。我必須要立志順服，立志接受上帝的靈。當上帝給了我們真理的異像時，他要做什麼不是一個問題，問題是我們要做什麼。主已經把一些大的任務擺在我們面前，最好要做的事是回想從前被上帝感動的時候你做了什麼？就是在你得救的時候，或者第一次看到耶穌，或者認識到一些真理。那時候對上帝順服忠心是容易的。當上帝的靈把一些新的任務帶到你面前時，現在就回想從前的那些時候吧。
“今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”這是經過深思熟慮的計算，不是你可以容易進入的事情；其他一切都被暫時擱置，直到你做出決定。這任務是在你與上帝之間的，不要和屬血氣的商量這事。對於每一個新的任務，其他人會越來越遠離它，這正是壓力來的地方。上帝允許他的聖徒的意見影響到你，但你被帶領到越來越遠，別人無法確實理解你所走的路。你不用去發現上帝把你帶到哪裡，上帝唯一要向你解釋的事就是他自己。
向他宣告：“我要忠心。”一旦你選擇了向耶穌基督忠心，你就不再是你自己的見證。不要諮詢別的基督徒，只要在他面前宣告——我要服侍你。立志忠心——並且也為別人的忠心而讚許他們。
A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will— I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.
“. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . .” Your choice must be a deliberate determination— it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God— do not “confer with flesh and blood” about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading— the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.
Openly declare to Him, “I will be faithful.” But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, “You are witnesses against yourselves . . .” (Joshua 24:22). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, “I will serve You.” Will to be faithful— and give other people credit for being faithful too.
立志忠心
“……今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”約書亞記24：15
意志是全人的活動。我不能放棄我的意志，我必須要訓練我的意志。我必須要立志順服，立志接受上帝的靈。當上帝給了我們真理的異像時，他要做什麼不是一個問題，問題是我們要做什麼。主已經把一些大的任務擺在我們面前，最好要做的事是回想從前被上帝感動的時候你做了什麼？就是在你得救的時候，或者第一次看到耶穌，或者認識到一些真理。那時候對上帝順服忠心是容易的。當上帝的靈把一些新的任務帶到你面前時，現在就回想從前的那些時候吧。
“今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”這是經過深思熟慮的計算，不是你可以容易進入的事情；其他一切都被暫時擱置，直到你做出決定。這任務是在你與上帝之間的，不要和屬血氣的商量這事。對於每一個新的任務，其他人會越來越遠離它，這正是壓力來的地方。上帝允許他的聖徒的意見影響到你，但你被帶領到越來越遠，別人無法確實理解你所走的路。你不用去發現上帝把你帶到哪裡，上帝唯一要向你解釋的事就是他自己。
向他宣告：“我要忠心。”一旦你選擇了向耶穌基督忠心，你就不再是你自己的見證。不要諮詢別的基督徒，只要在他面前宣告——我要服侍你。立志忠心——並且也為別人的忠心而讚許他們。
July 07, 2012
All Efforts of Worth and Excellence Are Difficult
Enter by the narrow gate . . . . Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life . . . —Matthew 7:13-14
If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all efforts of worth and excellence are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but its difficulty does not make us faint and cave in—it stirs us up to overcome. Do we appreciate the miraculous salvation of Jesus Christ enough to be our utmost for His highest—our best for His glory?
God saves people by His sovereign grace through the atonement of Jesus, and “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). But we have to “work out” that salvation in our everyday, practical living (Philippians 2:12). If we will only start on the basis of His redemption to do what He commands, then we will find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not yet put into practice what God has placed within us. But a crisis will reveal whether or not we have been putting it into practice. If we will obey the Spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has placed within us by His Spirit, then when a crisis does come we will find that our own nature, as well as the grace of God, will stand by us.
Thank God that He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a joyous thing, but it is also something that requires bravery, courage, and holiness. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10, and God will not shield us from the requirements of sonship. God’s grace produces men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not pampered, spoiled weaklings. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the worthy and excellent life of a disciple of Jesus in the realities of life. And it is always necessary for us to make an effort to live a life of worth and excellence.
尊貴的事不易做
“你們要進窄門。因為……引到永生，那門是窄的，路是小的，找著的人也少。”馬太福音7：13－14 如果我們準備像耶穌的門徒那樣去生活，我們就要記住所有崇高的事情都是艱難的事。基督徒的生活是極為艱難的，但是這艱難不是讓我們軟弱投降，而是要激起我們去戰勝困難。我們是否深深感激耶穌基督那無比的救恩而竭盡全力為他而活呢？
神因著他至高無上的恩典，藉著耶穌的挽回祭拯救人；我們立志行事都是他在我們裡面運行，為要討他的喜悅；但我們必須在實際的生活裡把這救恩行出來。一旦我們開始站在他救贖的根基上去遵行他的命令，我們會發現我們是可以做到的。如果我們失敗了，這是因為我們還不夠老練。危機會揭露出我們是否一直在實踐他的命令。如果我們順服神的靈，並在我們肉身裡實行神藉著他的靈放在我們裡面的命令，當危機來的時候，我們就會發現我們的本性和神的恩典都會支援我們過去。
感謝神給了我們困難的事情去做！他的拯救是令人高興的，但同時也是偉大的、聖潔的。它測試我們是否配得。耶穌要把許多“兒子”帶進榮耀裡，神不會讓我們逃避作為“兒子”的要求。神的恩典使人轉變成為耶穌基督的樣式，而不是成為一個懦夫。在實際的生活中活出耶穌門徒的生命需要許許多多的操練。成為高尚是需要付出努力的。
If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all efforts of worth and excellence are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but its difficulty does not make us faint and cave in—it stirs us up to overcome. Do we appreciate the miraculous salvation of Jesus Christ enough to be our utmost for His highest—our best for His glory?
God saves people by His sovereign grace through the atonement of Jesus, and “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). But we have to “work out” that salvation in our everyday, practical living (Philippians 2:12). If we will only start on the basis of His redemption to do what He commands, then we will find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not yet put into practice what God has placed within us. But a crisis will reveal whether or not we have been putting it into practice. If we will obey the Spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has placed within us by His Spirit, then when a crisis does come we will find that our own nature, as well as the grace of God, will stand by us.
Thank God that He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a joyous thing, but it is also something that requires bravery, courage, and holiness. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10, and God will not shield us from the requirements of sonship. God’s grace produces men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not pampered, spoiled weaklings. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the worthy and excellent life of a disciple of Jesus in the realities of life. And it is always necessary for us to make an effort to live a life of worth and excellence.
尊貴的事不易做
“你們要進窄門。因為……引到永生，那門是窄的，路是小的，找著的人也少。”馬太福音7：13－14 如果我們準備像耶穌的門徒那樣去生活，我們就要記住所有崇高的事情都是艱難的事。基督徒的生活是極為艱難的，但是這艱難不是讓我們軟弱投降，而是要激起我們去戰勝困難。我們是否深深感激耶穌基督那無比的救恩而竭盡全力為他而活呢？
神因著他至高無上的恩典，藉著耶穌的挽回祭拯救人；我們立志行事都是他在我們裡面運行，為要討他的喜悅；但我們必須在實際的生活裡把這救恩行出來。一旦我們開始站在他救贖的根基上去遵行他的命令，我們會發現我們是可以做到的。如果我們失敗了，這是因為我們還不夠老練。危機會揭露出我們是否一直在實踐他的命令。如果我們順服神的靈，並在我們肉身裡實行神藉著他的靈放在我們裡面的命令，當危機來的時候，我們就會發現我們的本性和神的恩典都會支援我們過去。
感謝神給了我們困難的事情去做！他的拯救是令人高興的，但同時也是偉大的、聖潔的。它測試我們是否配得。耶穌要把許多“兒子”帶進榮耀裡，神不會讓我們逃避作為“兒子”的要求。神的恩典使人轉變成為耶穌基督的樣式，而不是成為一個懦夫。在實際的生活中活出耶穌門徒的生命需要許許多多的操練。成為高尚是需要付出努力的。
June 24, 2012
Reconciling Yourself to the Fact of Sin
This is your hour, and the power of darkness —Luke 22:53
Not being reconciled to the fact of sin— not recognizing it and refusing to deal with it— produces all the disasters in life. You may talk about the lofty virtues of human nature, but there is something in human nature that will mockingly laugh in the face of every principle you have. If you refuse to agree with the fact that there is wickedness and selfishness, something downright hateful and wrong, in human beings, when it attacks your life, instead of reconciling yourself to it, you will compromise with it and say that it is of no use to battle against it. Have you taken this “hour, and the power of darkness” into account, or do you have a view of yourself which includes no recognition of sin whatsoever? In your human relationships and friendships, have you reconciled yourself to the fact of sin? If not, just around the next corner you will find yourself trapped and you will compromise with it. But if you will reconcile yourself to the fact of sin, you will realize the danger immediately and say, “Yes, I see what this sin would mean.” The recognition of sin does not destroy the basis of friendship— it simply establishes a mutual respect for the fact that the basis of sinful life is disastrous. Always beware of any assessment of life which does not recognize the fact that there is sin.
Jesus Christ never trusted human nature, yet He was never cynical nor suspicious, because He had absolute trust in what He could do for human nature. The pure man or woman is the one who is shielded from harm, not the innocent person. The so-called innocent man or woman is never safe. Men and women have no business trying to be innocent; God demands that they be pure and virtuous. Innocence is the characteristic of a child. Any person is deserving of blame if he is unwilling to reconcile himself to the fact of sin.
承認罪的事實
現在卻是你們的時候，黑暗掌權了。 （路二十二53）
不承認罪的事實，會帶來人生一切的禍患。你可以大談人性的尊嚴，可是人性中有一種東西，在你一切的理想面前，會當面嗤笑你。你若不肯承認人性的邪惡自私，有根本上的罪過，這樣，當這些東西襲擊你時，你就會與它妥協，並說抵抗也是沒用。你有沒有準備面對這個關頭，面對這黑暗的權勢？還是你對自己的評價，沒有把罪算在內？你與親屬的關係，與朋友的關係，有沒有承認有罪的事實存在？若沒有，不需多久，你就會被罪追上，與之妥協了。
但若你承認罪的事實，就必立即覺察到危險－－[對啦，我知道這是什麼一回事了。 ]承認罪的事實，並不會破壞友情的根基，反而使彼此看清楚人生基本是可惡的。
耶穌基督雖不信任人，卻不挑剔多疑，因為祂深信為人有所不為。人得到安全的保障是由於清潔，而不是因為無罪。無罪的人是不可靠的。成為無罪，不是人可以做到，只有神才可要求人潔淨敬虔。無邪是孩童的特徵，但成人則要承認罪這事實。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，以你的恩典和榮耀淹沒我，讓你那浩瀚的潮水覆蓋所有。
Not being reconciled to the fact of sin— not recognizing it and refusing to deal with it— produces all the disasters in life. You may talk about the lofty virtues of human nature, but there is something in human nature that will mockingly laugh in the face of every principle you have. If you refuse to agree with the fact that there is wickedness and selfishness, something downright hateful and wrong, in human beings, when it attacks your life, instead of reconciling yourself to it, you will compromise with it and say that it is of no use to battle against it. Have you taken this “hour, and the power of darkness” into account, or do you have a view of yourself which includes no recognition of sin whatsoever? In your human relationships and friendships, have you reconciled yourself to the fact of sin? If not, just around the next corner you will find yourself trapped and you will compromise with it. But if you will reconcile yourself to the fact of sin, you will realize the danger immediately and say, “Yes, I see what this sin would mean.” The recognition of sin does not destroy the basis of friendship— it simply establishes a mutual respect for the fact that the basis of sinful life is disastrous. Always beware of any assessment of life which does not recognize the fact that there is sin.
Jesus Christ never trusted human nature, yet He was never cynical nor suspicious, because He had absolute trust in what He could do for human nature. The pure man or woman is the one who is shielded from harm, not the innocent person. The so-called innocent man or woman is never safe. Men and women have no business trying to be innocent; God demands that they be pure and virtuous. Innocence is the characteristic of a child. Any person is deserving of blame if he is unwilling to reconcile himself to the fact of sin.
承認罪的事實
現在卻是你們的時候，黑暗掌權了。 （路二十二53）
不承認罪的事實，會帶來人生一切的禍患。你可以大談人性的尊嚴，可是人性中有一種東西，在你一切的理想面前，會當面嗤笑你。你若不肯承認人性的邪惡自私，有根本上的罪過，這樣，當這些東西襲擊你時，你就會與它妥協，並說抵抗也是沒用。你有沒有準備面對這個關頭，面對這黑暗的權勢？還是你對自己的評價，沒有把罪算在內？你與親屬的關係，與朋友的關係，有沒有承認有罪的事實存在？若沒有，不需多久，你就會被罪追上，與之妥協了。
但若你承認罪的事實，就必立即覺察到危險－－[對啦，我知道這是什麼一回事了。 ]承認罪的事實，並不會破壞友情的根基，反而使彼此看清楚人生基本是可惡的。
耶穌基督雖不信任人，卻不挑剔多疑，因為祂深信為人有所不為。人得到安全的保障是由於清潔，而不是因為無罪。無罪的人是不可靠的。成為無罪，不是人可以做到，只有神才可要求人潔淨敬虔。無邪是孩童的特徵，但成人則要承認罪這事實。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，以你的恩典和榮耀淹沒我，讓你那浩瀚的潮水覆蓋所有。
June 21, 2012
The Ministry of the Inner Life
You are . . . a royal priesthood . . . —1 Peter 2:9
By what right have we become “a royal priesthood”? It is by the right of the atonement by the Cross of Christ that this has been accomplished. Are we prepared to purposely disregard ourselves and to launch out into the priestly work of prayer? The continual inner-searching we do in an effort to see if we are what we ought to be generates a self-centered, sickly type of Christianity, not the vigorous and simple life of a child of God. Until we get into this right and proper relationship with God, it is simply a case of our “hanging on by the skin of our teeth,” although we say, “What a wonderful victory I have!” Yet there is nothing at all in that which indicates the miracle of redemption. Launch out in reckless, unrestrained belief that the redemption is complete. Then don’t worry anymore about yourself, but begin to do as Jesus Christ has said, in essence, “Pray for the friend who comes to you at midnight, pray for the saints of God, and pray for all men.” Pray with the realization that you are perfect only in Christ Jesus, not on the basis of this argument: “Oh, Lord, I have done my best; please hear me now.”
How long is it going to take God to free us from the unhealthy habit of thinking only about ourselves? We must get to the point of being sick to death of ourselves, until there is no longer any surprise at anything God might tell us about ourselves. We cannot reach and understand the depths of our own meagerness. There is only one place where we are right with God, and that is in Christ Jesus. Once we are there, we have to pour out our lives for all we are worth in this ministry of the inner life.
內室的事奉
你們是……有君尊的祭司。 （彼前二9）
我們憑什麼資格成為君尊的祭司？是憑救贖。我們有沒有立志放下自己，投身在祭司禱告的職分上？整天只顧審查自己是否合水準，就產生以自我為中心、自怨自艾的基督徒，而不是活潑有力、天真無邪神的兒女。除非我們與神有正確的關係，否則只會掙扎求存，說：[看我打了何等的勝仗！ ]這態度一點也表現不出救贖的奇能。要不顧一切地相信救恩是完全的，然後只照耶穌所說的－－為那半夜來找你的朋友禱告，為聖徒禱告，為萬人禱告。禱告時要知道只有在耶穌基督裡才得完全，不要說：[主啊，我已盡了所能，求你聽我禱告。 ]
到底神何時才把我們從以自我為中心的惡習中釋放出來？我們要對自己厭惡至死，以致神無論說我們什麼，我們也不覺得詫異。我們內心的卑污，實無法可測。只有一處是我們可得完全的，就是在耶穌基督裡。我們進入他那裡，就要竭盡所能作內室得事奉。
祈禱◆願你在今天施福予我們，護衛我們得意念和心靈，抵擋模糊的幻想和虛假的情緒，以及那如幽靈的想像，保守我們完全屬你。
By what right have we become “a royal priesthood”? It is by the right of the atonement by the Cross of Christ that this has been accomplished. Are we prepared to purposely disregard ourselves and to launch out into the priestly work of prayer? The continual inner-searching we do in an effort to see if we are what we ought to be generates a self-centered, sickly type of Christianity, not the vigorous and simple life of a child of God. Until we get into this right and proper relationship with God, it is simply a case of our “hanging on by the skin of our teeth,” although we say, “What a wonderful victory I have!” Yet there is nothing at all in that which indicates the miracle of redemption. Launch out in reckless, unrestrained belief that the redemption is complete. Then don’t worry anymore about yourself, but begin to do as Jesus Christ has said, in essence, “Pray for the friend who comes to you at midnight, pray for the saints of God, and pray for all men.” Pray with the realization that you are perfect only in Christ Jesus, not on the basis of this argument: “Oh, Lord, I have done my best; please hear me now.”
How long is it going to take God to free us from the unhealthy habit of thinking only about ourselves? We must get to the point of being sick to death of ourselves, until there is no longer any surprise at anything God might tell us about ourselves. We cannot reach and understand the depths of our own meagerness. There is only one place where we are right with God, and that is in Christ Jesus. Once we are there, we have to pour out our lives for all we are worth in this ministry of the inner life.
內室的事奉
你們是……有君尊的祭司。 （彼前二9）
我們憑什麼資格成為君尊的祭司？是憑救贖。我們有沒有立志放下自己，投身在祭司禱告的職分上？整天只顧審查自己是否合水準，就產生以自我為中心、自怨自艾的基督徒，而不是活潑有力、天真無邪神的兒女。除非我們與神有正確的關係，否則只會掙扎求存，說：[看我打了何等的勝仗！ ]這態度一點也表現不出救贖的奇能。要不顧一切地相信救恩是完全的，然後只照耶穌所說的－－為那半夜來找你的朋友禱告，為聖徒禱告，為萬人禱告。禱告時要知道只有在耶穌基督裡才得完全，不要說：[主啊，我已盡了所能，求你聽我禱告。 ]
到底神何時才把我們從以自我為中心的惡習中釋放出來？我們要對自己厭惡至死，以致神無論說我們什麼，我們也不覺得詫異。我們內心的卑污，實無法可測。只有一處是我們可得完全的，就是在耶穌基督裡。我們進入他那裡，就要竭盡所能作內室得事奉。
祈禱◆願你在今天施福予我們，護衛我們得意念和心靈，抵擋模糊的幻想和虛假的情緒，以及那如幽靈的想像，保守我們完全屬你。
June 09, 2012
Then What’s Next To Do?
Everyone who asks receives . . . —Luke 11:10
Ask if you have not received. There is nothing more difficult than asking. We will have yearnings and desires for certain things, and even suffer as a result of their going unfulfilled, but not until we are at the limit of desperation will we ask. It is the sense of not being spiritually real that causes us to ask. Have you ever asked out of the depths of your total insufficiency and poverty? “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God . . . ” (James 1:5), but be sure that you do lack wisdom before you ask. You cannot bring yourself to the point of spiritual reality anytime you choose. The best thing to do, once you realize you are not spiritually real, is to ask God for the Holy Spirit, basing your request on the promise of Jesus Christ (see Luke 11:13). The Holy Spirit is the one who makes everything that Jesus did for you real in your life.
“Everyone who asks receives . . . .” This does not mean that you will not get if you do not ask, but it means that until you come to the point of asking, you will not receive from God (see Matthew 5:45). To be able to receive means that you have to come into the relationship of a child of God, and then you comprehend and appreciate mentally, morally, and with spiritual understanding, that these things come from God.
“If any of you lacks wisdom . . . .” If you realize that you are lacking, it is because you have come in contact with spiritual reality— do not put the blinders of reason on again. The word ask actually means “beg.” Some people are poor enough to be interested in their poverty, and some of us are poor enough spiritually to show our interest. Yet we will never receive if we ask with a certain result in mind, because we are asking out of our lust, not out of our poverty. A pauper does not ask out of any reason other than the completely hopeless and painful condition of his poverty. He is not ashamed to beg— blessed are the paupers in spirit (see Matthew 5:3).
第二步妙法
因為凡祈求的就得著。 （路十一10）
沒有一件事比祈求更難的了。我們會渴望、愛慕，甚至受煎熬；但非等到山窮水盡，無路可走，我們決不會祈求。只有一種不現實的感覺才催使我們去祈求。你有沒有從德性貧乏的深坑中向神祈求？ [你們中間若有缺少智慧的，可以向神求……]但千萬要弄清楚你是真的缺少智慧，你無法照自己的意思隨時面對實際的事物。你若覺得沒有屬靈的實在，第二步最佳的辦法就是照主的話求聖靈（參路十一13）。聖靈的工作就是把耶穌為你所成就的一切，變成真實。
[凡祈求的就得著。 ]這不是說，你不求就得不著（比較太五45），而是說你未去到求的地方，就始終不能從神領受什麼。領受的意思就是已與神建立父子的關係，在理智上、精神上，以及屬靈的悟性上，都知道是從神而來的。
[你們中間若有缺少智慧的……]你知道自己的缺乏，因為你摸著了屬靈的實際。請勿把你理智的閃燈亮起。人們會說：[傳簡單的福音給我們吧；不用叫我們成為聖潔，因為這使人覺得自己一貧如洗，這感覺並不好受。 ][求]就是乞求的意思。有些人家徒四壁而安於貧窮，我們中間一些人在屬靈上也是如此。心目中若有目的去求，就永不會從神獲得；因為是出於情慾，而不是由於貧窮。乞丐求乞，除了一貧如洗的理由之外，便沒有別的理由。因此他並不恥於求乞－－靈裡貧窮的人有福了。
祈禱◆主啊，為著這教會，我稱頌你，因為她正證明你是[窮乏人的力量、是急難中困苦人的力量，是波浪中的避難所、是熱氣下的庇蔭]。
Ask if you have not received. There is nothing more difficult than asking. We will have yearnings and desires for certain things, and even suffer as a result of their going unfulfilled, but not until we are at the limit of desperation will we ask. It is the sense of not being spiritually real that causes us to ask. Have you ever asked out of the depths of your total insufficiency and poverty? “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God . . . ” (James 1:5), but be sure that you do lack wisdom before you ask. You cannot bring yourself to the point of spiritual reality anytime you choose. The best thing to do, once you realize you are not spiritually real, is to ask God for the Holy Spirit, basing your request on the promise of Jesus Christ (see Luke 11:13). The Holy Spirit is the one who makes everything that Jesus did for you real in your life.
“Everyone who asks receives . . . .” This does not mean that you will not get if you do not ask, but it means that until you come to the point of asking, you will not receive from God (see Matthew 5:45). To be able to receive means that you have to come into the relationship of a child of God, and then you comprehend and appreciate mentally, morally, and with spiritual understanding, that these things come from God.
“If any of you lacks wisdom . . . .” If you realize that you are lacking, it is because you have come in contact with spiritual reality— do not put the blinders of reason on again. The word ask actually means “beg.” Some people are poor enough to be interested in their poverty, and some of us are poor enough spiritually to show our interest. Yet we will never receive if we ask with a certain result in mind, because we are asking out of our lust, not out of our poverty. A pauper does not ask out of any reason other than the completely hopeless and painful condition of his poverty. He is not ashamed to beg— blessed are the paupers in spirit (see Matthew 5:3).
第二步妙法
因為凡祈求的就得著。 （路十一10）
沒有一件事比祈求更難的了。我們會渴望、愛慕，甚至受煎熬；但非等到山窮水盡，無路可走，我們決不會祈求。只有一種不現實的感覺才催使我們去祈求。你有沒有從德性貧乏的深坑中向神祈求？ [你們中間若有缺少智慧的，可以向神求……]但千萬要弄清楚你是真的缺少智慧，你無法照自己的意思隨時面對實際的事物。你若覺得沒有屬靈的實在，第二步最佳的辦法就是照主的話求聖靈（參路十一13）。聖靈的工作就是把耶穌為你所成就的一切，變成真實。
[凡祈求的就得著。 ]這不是說，你不求就得不著（比較太五45），而是說你未去到求的地方，就始終不能從神領受什麼。領受的意思就是已與神建立父子的關係，在理智上、精神上，以及屬靈的悟性上，都知道是從神而來的。
[你們中間若有缺少智慧的……]你知道自己的缺乏，因為你摸著了屬靈的實際。請勿把你理智的閃燈亮起。人們會說：[傳簡單的福音給我們吧；不用叫我們成為聖潔，因為這使人覺得自己一貧如洗，這感覺並不好受。 ][求]就是乞求的意思。有些人家徒四壁而安於貧窮，我們中間一些人在屬靈上也是如此。心目中若有目的去求，就永不會從神獲得；因為是出於情慾，而不是由於貧窮。乞丐求乞，除了一貧如洗的理由之外，便沒有別的理由。因此他並不恥於求乞－－靈裡貧窮的人有福了。
祈禱◆主啊，為著這教會，我稱頌你，因為她正證明你是[窮乏人的力量、是急難中困苦人的力量，是波浪中的避難所、是熱氣下的庇蔭]。
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