I did not come to bring peace but a sword —Matthew 10:34
Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes you to conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more tender than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us the opportunity to deal firmly with someone so that He may be viewed as the tender One. If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up— he may admit his sin, but would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power. It is impossible to deal sympathetically with people like that. We must reach down deep in their lives to the root of the problem, which will cause hostility and resentment toward the message. People want the blessing of God, but they can’t stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.
If you are sensitive to God’s way, your message as His servant will be merciless and insistent, cutting to the very root. Otherwise, there will be no healing. We must drive the message home so forcefully that a person cannot possibly hide, but must apply its truth. Deal with people where they are, until they begin to realize their true need. Then hold high the standard of Jesus for their lives. Their response may be, “We can never be that.” Then drive it home with, “Jesus Christ says you must.” “But how can we be?” “You can’t, unless you have a new Spirit” (see Luke 11:13).
There must be a sense of need created before your message is of any use. Thousands of people in this world profess to be happy without God. But if we could be truly happy and moral without Jesus, then why did He come? He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only superficial. Jesus Christ came to “bring . . . a sword” through every kind of peace that is not based on a personal relationship with Himself.
注意什麼？
我來，並不是叫地上太平，乃是叫地上動刀兵。 （太十34）
若有人的遭遇令你覺得神是冷酷無情的，不要對這人表示同情。神比想像中更柔和，他有時讓我們經歷艱難，是為我們的好處。人若不能通達主前，是由於他藏著不肯放下的東西－－[我承認有錯，但我不打算放棄它。 ]對這樣的人是不需要同情的：即使他們憎惡敵擋我們的信息，也要直斥其非。人都愛神的祝福，可是卻不肯接受那些命中要害的東西。
神若是使用你，作他的僕人，你的信息就該不通融遷就，直指問題根源，否則人就得不著醫治。把信息清楚傳明，使人無可諱避。先從人的本相著手，直到他們發現自己的缺欠，然後舉出主耶穌的榜樣：[我們永遠也不能像耶穌一樣！ ]你就立即說：[耶穌基督說你必須如此。 ][我們怎能如此？ ][你不能，除非你有了更新的聖靈。 ]（路十一13）
先要喚起人的需要，你的信息才派用場。世上千萬人沒有神，生活依然快活。我在耶穌未來以先，原是快活的，道德也不差，他來到底做什麼？原來那種快樂平安是建築在錯誤的水平上；耶穌基督來，就是要用刀劍刺透一切不是建基於與他個人關係的平安。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天我來到你的面前，願你的美善、恩典和充滿安慰的平安臨到我。願沒有任何風暴、不適或焦慮，觸動你在我生命中和在此處的平安。
Showing posts with label Peace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Peace. Show all posts
December 19, 2014
December 14, 2014
The Great Life
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled . . . —John 14:27
Whenever we experience something difficult in our personal life, we are tempted to blame God. But we are the ones in the wrong, not God. Blaming God is evidence that we are refusing to let go of some disobedience somewhere in our lives. But as soon as we let go, everything becomes as clear as daylight to us. As long as we try to serve two masters, ourselves and God, there will be difficulties combined with doubt and confusion. Our attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. Once we get to that point, there is nothing easier than living the life of a saint. We encounter difficulties when we try to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own purposes.
God’s mark of approval, whenever you obey Him, is peace. He sends an immeasurable, deep peace; not a natural peace, “as the world gives,” but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, wait until it does, or seek to find out why it is not coming. If you are acting on your own impulse, or out of a sense of the heroic, to be seen by others, the peace of Jesus will not exhibit itself. This shows no unity with God or confidence in Him. The spirit of simplicity, clarity, and unity is born through the Holy Spirit, not through your decisions. God counters our self-willed decisions with an appeal for simplicity and unity.
My questions arise whenever I cease to obey. When I do obey God, problems come, not between me and God, but as a means to keep my mind examining with amazement the revealed truth of God. But any problem that comes between God and myself is the result of disobedience. Any problem that comes while I obey God (and there will be many), increases my overjoyed delight, because I know that my Father knows and cares, and I can watch and anticipate how He will unravel my problems.
偉大的生命
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們……你們心裡不要憂愁……（約十四27）
個人經歷若有什麼難過的事，我們很容易會怪責神；但出錯的實在不是神，而是我們。我們必定有什麼執著不肯放手，一旦肯放手，一切就必晴朗如白晝。若我們要同時事奉神，又事奉自己，就必產生困惑。我們必須對神抱完全信賴的態度，這樣，過成聖生活就輕而易舉了。有難處是因我們侵奪聖靈的主權，欲達成自己的目的。
你什麼時候順服神，他的印證就是平安。那無比的平安，不是天然的，乃是主耶穌的平安。若平安不來，就要等候直至得著，或找出沒有平安的因由。若你行事是出於衝動，或英雄氣概，主的平安就不會印證；因為其中沒有對神的單純與信心。單純的靈是從聖靈而生的，不是出於你的決定，每一個決定，都帶來反作用，以致失掉單純。
我一不順服，問題就來了。我若順服，問題就不會出於我與神之間，而只會挑旺我的心，叫我稀奇神啟示的奇妙。神與我之間任何的問題，都是出於順服。反之，若許多的問題在我順服神的當兒出現，只會增加我驚喜的欣愉，因為天父是明察的，我將可細察他怎樣解決這些問題。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我投向你。我原本是一個無家可歸的人，直至你以你平安的穩妥、你慈愛的甜蜜感覺感動我，我的生命才產生改變。
Whenever we experience something difficult in our personal life, we are tempted to blame God. But we are the ones in the wrong, not God. Blaming God is evidence that we are refusing to let go of some disobedience somewhere in our lives. But as soon as we let go, everything becomes as clear as daylight to us. As long as we try to serve two masters, ourselves and God, there will be difficulties combined with doubt and confusion. Our attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. Once we get to that point, there is nothing easier than living the life of a saint. We encounter difficulties when we try to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own purposes.
God’s mark of approval, whenever you obey Him, is peace. He sends an immeasurable, deep peace; not a natural peace, “as the world gives,” but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, wait until it does, or seek to find out why it is not coming. If you are acting on your own impulse, or out of a sense of the heroic, to be seen by others, the peace of Jesus will not exhibit itself. This shows no unity with God or confidence in Him. The spirit of simplicity, clarity, and unity is born through the Holy Spirit, not through your decisions. God counters our self-willed decisions with an appeal for simplicity and unity.
My questions arise whenever I cease to obey. When I do obey God, problems come, not between me and God, but as a means to keep my mind examining with amazement the revealed truth of God. But any problem that comes between God and myself is the result of disobedience. Any problem that comes while I obey God (and there will be many), increases my overjoyed delight, because I know that my Father knows and cares, and I can watch and anticipate how He will unravel my problems.
偉大的生命
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們……你們心裡不要憂愁……（約十四27）
個人經歷若有什麼難過的事，我們很容易會怪責神；但出錯的實在不是神，而是我們。我們必定有什麼執著不肯放手，一旦肯放手，一切就必晴朗如白晝。若我們要同時事奉神，又事奉自己，就必產生困惑。我們必須對神抱完全信賴的態度，這樣，過成聖生活就輕而易舉了。有難處是因我們侵奪聖靈的主權，欲達成自己的目的。
你什麼時候順服神，他的印證就是平安。那無比的平安，不是天然的，乃是主耶穌的平安。若平安不來，就要等候直至得著，或找出沒有平安的因由。若你行事是出於衝動，或英雄氣概，主的平安就不會印證；因為其中沒有對神的單純與信心。單純的靈是從聖靈而生的，不是出於你的決定，每一個決定，都帶來反作用，以致失掉單純。
我一不順服，問題就來了。我若順服，問題就不會出於我與神之間，而只會挑旺我的心，叫我稀奇神啟示的奇妙。神與我之間任何的問題，都是出於順服。反之，若許多的問題在我順服神的當兒出現，只會增加我驚喜的欣愉，因為天父是明察的，我將可細察他怎樣解決這些問題。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我投向你。我原本是一個無家可歸的人，直至你以你平安的穩妥、你慈愛的甜蜜感覺感動我，我的生命才產生改變。
August 26, 2014
Are You Ever Troubled?
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you . . . —John 14:27
There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on our own ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always “spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? “. . . My peace I give to you. . .”— a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.
Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. Allowing anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you either causes you to become troubled or gives you a false sense of security.
With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27).
你曾煩擾不安嗎？
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們。 （約十四27）
有時我們感覺平安，是因為無知；但當我們醒悟人生的現實，內心平安就消失了。除非我們從主耶穌得著平安，否則就不能有內在的平安。主耶穌說平安，他就成就平安。他的話永遠是[靈和生命]。我有接受他所說的話麼？ [我將我的平安賜給你們。 ]－－這平安是由於定睛在他臉上，體會他那不能動搖的安穩而來的。
你如今是否因困擾而痛苦？在神的允許下，你正受著風浪的衝擊，雖然翻開信心的礁石，卻仍找不著平安、喜樂與安慰。一切都絕望了，你該仰望主，接受他那無法動搖的平安。你若能彰顯他的平安，便證明你與神有正確的關係，因為你可以自由地把心轉向他。要是你與神的關係不對勁，你的心除了轉向自己之外，便無路可通。若讓任何事物掩蔽主的臉，你不是沒有平安，就是活在虛假的穩妥裡。
你現今是否仰望耶穌？在你逼近眉睫的事上，去接受他的平安？若然，他要藉著你，也要在你裡面，成為最美妙平安的福氣。可是你若擔憂，就攔阻了他，那你受的苦，就是咎由自取了。我們受困擾，是因為未有想到他。人一與主相會，困惑就必離開，因為在他沒有困惑的事。我們唯一要注意的，是住在他裡面。把一切鋪陳在他面前，在一切困難、傷痛、愁苦之中，聽他說：[你們心裡不要憂愁。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，願你的臉光臨到我，並賜給我平安。你的平安，深如無法測度的大海，高如難以量度的高天。願你在此刻感動我，直至光明、生命和自由穿透我。
There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on our own ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always “spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? “. . . My peace I give to you. . .”— a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.
Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. Allowing anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you either causes you to become troubled or gives you a false sense of security.
With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27).
你曾煩擾不安嗎？
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們。 （約十四27）
有時我們感覺平安，是因為無知；但當我們醒悟人生的現實，內心平安就消失了。除非我們從主耶穌得著平安，否則就不能有內在的平安。主耶穌說平安，他就成就平安。他的話永遠是[靈和生命]。我有接受他所說的話麼？ [我將我的平安賜給你們。 ]－－這平安是由於定睛在他臉上，體會他那不能動搖的安穩而來的。
你如今是否因困擾而痛苦？在神的允許下，你正受著風浪的衝擊，雖然翻開信心的礁石，卻仍找不著平安、喜樂與安慰。一切都絕望了，你該仰望主，接受他那無法動搖的平安。你若能彰顯他的平安，便證明你與神有正確的關係，因為你可以自由地把心轉向他。要是你與神的關係不對勁，你的心除了轉向自己之外，便無路可通。若讓任何事物掩蔽主的臉，你不是沒有平安，就是活在虛假的穩妥裡。
你現今是否仰望耶穌？在你逼近眉睫的事上，去接受他的平安？若然，他要藉著你，也要在你裡面，成為最美妙平安的福氣。可是你若擔憂，就攔阻了他，那你受的苦，就是咎由自取了。我們受困擾，是因為未有想到他。人一與主相會，困惑就必離開，因為在他沒有困惑的事。我們唯一要注意的，是住在他裡面。把一切鋪陳在他面前，在一切困難、傷痛、愁苦之中，聽他說：[你們心裡不要憂愁。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，願你的臉光臨到我，並賜給我平安。你的平安，深如無法測度的大海，高如難以量度的高天。願你在此刻感動我，直至光明、生命和自由穿透我。
August 20, 2014
Christ-Awareness
. . . and I will give you rest —Matthew 11:28
Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.
A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awareness of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, “Lord, what is your will?” A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer.
If we try to overcome our self-awareness through any of our own commonsense methods, we will only serve to strengthen our self-awareness tremendously. Jesus says, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest,” that is, Christ-awareness will take the place of self-awareness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest— the rest of the completion of activity in our lives that is never aware of itself.
完全
我就使你們得安息。 （太十一28）
若有任何事物開始分化你與耶穌基督的關係，就要立即轉向他，求他使你安息。不可容讓任何製造不安的東西存留，要視一切分化的東西為摔跤的物件，而不要去容忍。對主說：[主啊，請證實你的意識卻在我裡面。 ]自我的意識就必退去，只要他成為一切的一切。不要讓自覺意識不斷的佔據，因為慢慢地，就會變成自憐，而自憐是屬撒但的。 [我被人誤會了理他們該向我道歉；這一點我早就該澄清了。 ]不要理會別人怎樣，求神給你基督的意識，他會使你絕對安全。完全的生命，是小孩子的生命。當我有強烈的自覺，必然是出了亂子。只有生病的人才知道健康為何物。神的孩子不會意識到神的旨意，因為他就是神的旨意。當我們稍有偏離，才會問[你的旨意是什麼？ ]神的孩子絕不求神讓他知道神聽禱告，因為他確實知道神一向垂聽祈禱。
我們若想用常理去勝過自覺意識，反會使它增強。耶穌說：[到我這裡來，我就使你們得安息。 ]也就是說，基督的意識取代了自我的意識。耶穌一來，就帶來安息，這是最完美的安息，是永不自覺的。
祈禱◆我的心靈和肉體向永生神呼求！啊，我是何等瘦弱無力！主啊，你是我的活力和喜樂！
Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.
A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awareness of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, “Lord, what is your will?” A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer.
If we try to overcome our self-awareness through any of our own commonsense methods, we will only serve to strengthen our self-awareness tremendously. Jesus says, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest,” that is, Christ-awareness will take the place of self-awareness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest— the rest of the completion of activity in our lives that is never aware of itself.
完全
我就使你們得安息。 （太十一28）
若有任何事物開始分化你與耶穌基督的關係，就要立即轉向他，求他使你安息。不可容讓任何製造不安的東西存留，要視一切分化的東西為摔跤的物件，而不要去容忍。對主說：[主啊，請證實你的意識卻在我裡面。 ]自我的意識就必退去，只要他成為一切的一切。不要讓自覺意識不斷的佔據，因為慢慢地，就會變成自憐，而自憐是屬撒但的。 [我被人誤會了理他們該向我道歉；這一點我早就該澄清了。 ]不要理會別人怎樣，求神給你基督的意識，他會使你絕對安全。完全的生命，是小孩子的生命。當我有強烈的自覺，必然是出了亂子。只有生病的人才知道健康為何物。神的孩子不會意識到神的旨意，因為他就是神的旨意。當我們稍有偏離，才會問[你的旨意是什麼？ ]神的孩子絕不求神讓他知道神聽禱告，因為他確實知道神一向垂聽祈禱。
我們若想用常理去勝過自覺意識，反會使它增強。耶穌說：[到我這裡來，我就使你們得安息。 ]也就是說，基督的意識取代了自我的意識。耶穌一來，就帶來安息，這是最完美的安息，是永不自覺的。
祈禱◆我的心靈和肉體向永生神呼求！啊，我是何等瘦弱無力！主啊，你是我的活力和喜樂！
August 12, 2014
The Theology of Resting in God
Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? —Matthew 8:26
When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.
“. . . O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.
There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.
We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.
安息神學
你們這小信的人哪，為什麼膽怯呢？ （太八26）
我們恐懼的時候，最不可少的就是向神禱告；可是，我們的主有權要求屬他的人，對他有一種深切了解的信任。神期望他的兒女對他大有信心，以致再任何重要關頭，仍然站得住。但我們對神的信任往往只止於某一點，就回复禱告初階時的驚惶失措，像那些不認識神的人一樣。在走投無路時，我們表現得對神毫無信心，也不信他掌管全世界；他似乎睡了，我們只看見前面得風浪。
[你們這小信得人哪！ ]門徒是何等難過－－[又失敗了！ ]我們也會同樣難過。我們知道其實可以叫主得心歡暢快樂－－只要對他保持絕對的信心，不管前路如何。人生風平浪靜時，我們會安然的盡人的力量做到最好；但當危難一到，就立即顯出倚靠的到底是誰。我們若不斷地學習敬拜神，信靠他，那末在風浪的日子，對他的信心也同樣至死不移。我們多次的談到成聖的問題－－最終的目的是什麼呢？就是在神裡面安息，與神合一。這合一不但使我們在他眼前成為無可指摘的，更叫我們成為他的喜樂。
祈禱◆主啊，我的快樂全在乎對你的紀念，否則對你那歡愉而單純的信靠，不過是一種輕率的舉動。願你今天讓快樂四面環繞我們。
When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.
“. . . O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.
There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.
We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.
安息神學
你們這小信的人哪，為什麼膽怯呢？ （太八26）
我們恐懼的時候，最不可少的就是向神禱告；可是，我們的主有權要求屬他的人，對他有一種深切了解的信任。神期望他的兒女對他大有信心，以致再任何重要關頭，仍然站得住。但我們對神的信任往往只止於某一點，就回复禱告初階時的驚惶失措，像那些不認識神的人一樣。在走投無路時，我們表現得對神毫無信心，也不信他掌管全世界；他似乎睡了，我們只看見前面得風浪。
[你們這小信得人哪！ ]門徒是何等難過－－[又失敗了！ ]我們也會同樣難過。我們知道其實可以叫主得心歡暢快樂－－只要對他保持絕對的信心，不管前路如何。人生風平浪靜時，我們會安然的盡人的力量做到最好；但當危難一到，就立即顯出倚靠的到底是誰。我們若不斷地學習敬拜神，信靠他，那末在風浪的日子，對他的信心也同樣至死不移。我們多次的談到成聖的問題－－最終的目的是什麼呢？就是在神裡面安息，與神合一。這合一不但使我們在他眼前成為無可指摘的，更叫我們成為他的喜樂。
祈禱◆主啊，我的快樂全在乎對你的紀念，否則對你那歡愉而單純的信靠，不過是一種輕率的舉動。願你今天讓快樂四面環繞我們。
December 19, 2013
The Focus Of Our Message
I did not come to bring peace but a sword —Matthew 10:34
Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes you to conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more tender than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us the opportunity to deal firmly with someone so that He may be viewed as the tender One. If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up— he may admit his sin, but would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power. It is impossible to deal sympathetically with people like that. We must reach down deep in their lives to the root of the problem, which will cause hostility and resentment toward the message. People want the blessing of God, but they can’t stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.
If you are sensitive to God’s way, your message as His servant will be merciless and insistent, cutting to the very root. Otherwise, there will be no healing. We must drive the message home so forcefully that a person cannot possibly hide, but must apply its truth. Deal with people where they are, until they begin to realize their true need. Then hold high the standard of Jesus for their lives. Their response may be, “We can never be that.” Then drive it home with, “Jesus Christ says you must.” “But how can we be?” “You can’t, unless you have a new Spirit” (see Luke 11:13).
There must be a sense of need created before your message is of any use. Thousands of people in this world profess to be happy without God. But if we could be truly happy and moral without Jesus, then why did He come? He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only superficial. Jesus Christ came to “bring . . . a sword” through every kind of peace that is not based on a personal relationship with Himself.
注意什麼？
我來，並不是叫地上太平，乃是叫地上動刀兵。 （太十34）
若有人的遭遇令你覺得神是冷酷無情的，不要對這人表示同情。神比想像中更柔和，他有時讓我們經歷艱難，是為我們的好處。人若不能通達主前，是由於他藏著不肯放下的東西－－[我承認有錯，但我不打算放棄它。 ]對這樣的人是不需要同情的：即使他們憎惡敵擋我們的信息，也要直斥其非。人都愛神的祝福，可是卻不肯接受那些命中要害的東西。
神若是使用你，作他的僕人，你的信息就該不通融遷就，直指問題根源，否則人就得不著醫治。把信息清楚傳明，使人無可諱避。先從人的本相著手，直到他們發現自己的缺欠，然後舉出主耶穌的榜樣：[我們永遠也不能像耶穌一樣！ ]你就立即說：[耶穌基督說你必須如此。 ][我們怎能如此？ ][你不能，除非你有了更新的聖靈。 ]（路十一13）
先要喚起人的需要，你的信息才派用場。世上千萬人沒有神，生活依然快活。我在耶穌未來以先，原是快活的，道德也不差，他來到底做什麼？原來那種快樂平安是建築在錯誤的水平上；耶穌基督來，就是要用刀劍刺透一切不是建基於與他個人關係的平安。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天我來到你的面前，願你的美善、恩典和充滿安慰的平安臨到我。願沒有任何風暴、不適或焦慮，觸動你在我生命中和在此處的平安。
Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes you to conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more tender than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us the opportunity to deal firmly with someone so that He may be viewed as the tender One. If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up— he may admit his sin, but would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power. It is impossible to deal sympathetically with people like that. We must reach down deep in their lives to the root of the problem, which will cause hostility and resentment toward the message. People want the blessing of God, but they can’t stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.
If you are sensitive to God’s way, your message as His servant will be merciless and insistent, cutting to the very root. Otherwise, there will be no healing. We must drive the message home so forcefully that a person cannot possibly hide, but must apply its truth. Deal with people where they are, until they begin to realize their true need. Then hold high the standard of Jesus for their lives. Their response may be, “We can never be that.” Then drive it home with, “Jesus Christ says you must.” “But how can we be?” “You can’t, unless you have a new Spirit” (see Luke 11:13).
There must be a sense of need created before your message is of any use. Thousands of people in this world profess to be happy without God. But if we could be truly happy and moral without Jesus, then why did He come? He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only superficial. Jesus Christ came to “bring . . . a sword” through every kind of peace that is not based on a personal relationship with Himself.
注意什麼？
我來，並不是叫地上太平，乃是叫地上動刀兵。 （太十34）
若有人的遭遇令你覺得神是冷酷無情的，不要對這人表示同情。神比想像中更柔和，他有時讓我們經歷艱難，是為我們的好處。人若不能通達主前，是由於他藏著不肯放下的東西－－[我承認有錯，但我不打算放棄它。 ]對這樣的人是不需要同情的：即使他們憎惡敵擋我們的信息，也要直斥其非。人都愛神的祝福，可是卻不肯接受那些命中要害的東西。
神若是使用你，作他的僕人，你的信息就該不通融遷就，直指問題根源，否則人就得不著醫治。把信息清楚傳明，使人無可諱避。先從人的本相著手，直到他們發現自己的缺欠，然後舉出主耶穌的榜樣：[我們永遠也不能像耶穌一樣！ ]你就立即說：[耶穌基督說你必須如此。 ][我們怎能如此？ ][你不能，除非你有了更新的聖靈。 ]（路十一13）
先要喚起人的需要，你的信息才派用場。世上千萬人沒有神，生活依然快活。我在耶穌未來以先，原是快活的，道德也不差，他來到底做什麼？原來那種快樂平安是建築在錯誤的水平上；耶穌基督來，就是要用刀劍刺透一切不是建基於與他個人關係的平安。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天我來到你的面前，願你的美善、恩典和充滿安慰的平安臨到我。願沒有任何風暴、不適或焦慮，觸動你在我生命中和在此處的平安。
December 14, 2013
The Great Life
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled . . . —John 14:27
Whenever we experience something difficult in our personal life, we are tempted to blame God. But we are the ones in the wrong, not God. Blaming God is evidence that we are refusing to let go of some disobedience somewhere in our lives. But as soon as we let go, everything becomes as clear as daylight to us. As long as we try to serve two masters, ourselves and God, there will be difficulties combined with doubt and confusion. Our attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. Once we get to that point, there is nothing easier than living the life of a saint. We encounter difficulties when we try to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own purposes.
God’s mark of approval, whenever you obey Him, is peace. He sends an immeasurable, deep peace; not a natural peace, “as the world gives,” but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, wait until it does, or seek to find out why it is not coming. If you are acting on your own impulse, or out of a sense of the heroic, to be seen by others, the peace of Jesus will not exhibit itself. This shows no unity with God or confidence in Him. The spirit of simplicity, clarity, and unity is born through the Holy Spirit, not through your decisions. God counters our self-willed decisions with an appeal for simplicity and unity.
My questions arise whenever I cease to obey. When I do obey God, problems come, not between me and God, but as a means to keep my mind examining with amazement the revealed truth of God. But any problem that comes between God and myself is the result of disobedience. Any problem that comes while I obey God (and there will be many), increases my overjoyed delight, because I know that my Father knows and cares, and I can watch and anticipate how He will unravel my problems.
偉大的生命
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們……你們心裡不要憂愁……（約十四27）
個人經歷若有什麼難過的事，我們很容易會怪責神；但出錯的實在不是神，而是我們。我們必定有什麼執著不肯放手，一旦肯放手，一切就必晴朗如白晝。若我們要同時事奉神，又事奉自己，就必產生困惑。我們必須對神抱完全信賴的態度，這樣，過成聖生活就輕而易舉了。有難處是因我們侵奪聖靈的主權，欲達成自己的目的。
你什麼時候順服神，他的印證就是平安。那無比的平安，不是天然的，乃是主耶穌的平安。若平安不來，就要等候直至得著，或找出沒有平安的因由。若你行事是出於衝動，或英雄氣概，主的平安就不會印證；因為其中沒有對神的單純與信心。單純的靈是從聖靈而生的，不是出於你的決定，每一個決定，都帶來反作用，以致失掉單純。
我一不順服，問題就來了。我若順服，問題就不會出於我與神之間，而只會挑旺我的心，叫我稀奇神啟示的奇妙。神與我之間任何的問題，都是出於順服。反之，若許多的問題在我順服神的當兒出現，只會增加我驚喜的欣愉，因為天父是明察的，我將可細察他怎樣解決這些問題。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我投向你。我原本是一個無家可歸的人，直至你以你平安的穩妥、你慈愛的甜蜜感覺感動我，我的生命才產生改變。
Whenever we experience something difficult in our personal life, we are tempted to blame God. But we are the ones in the wrong, not God. Blaming God is evidence that we are refusing to let go of some disobedience somewhere in our lives. But as soon as we let go, everything becomes as clear as daylight to us. As long as we try to serve two masters, ourselves and God, there will be difficulties combined with doubt and confusion. Our attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. Once we get to that point, there is nothing easier than living the life of a saint. We encounter difficulties when we try to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own purposes.
God’s mark of approval, whenever you obey Him, is peace. He sends an immeasurable, deep peace; not a natural peace, “as the world gives,” but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, wait until it does, or seek to find out why it is not coming. If you are acting on your own impulse, or out of a sense of the heroic, to be seen by others, the peace of Jesus will not exhibit itself. This shows no unity with God or confidence in Him. The spirit of simplicity, clarity, and unity is born through the Holy Spirit, not through your decisions. God counters our self-willed decisions with an appeal for simplicity and unity.
My questions arise whenever I cease to obey. When I do obey God, problems come, not between me and God, but as a means to keep my mind examining with amazement the revealed truth of God. But any problem that comes between God and myself is the result of disobedience. Any problem that comes while I obey God (and there will be many), increases my overjoyed delight, because I know that my Father knows and cares, and I can watch and anticipate how He will unravel my problems.
偉大的生命
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們……你們心裡不要憂愁……（約十四27）
個人經歷若有什麼難過的事，我們很容易會怪責神；但出錯的實在不是神，而是我們。我們必定有什麼執著不肯放手，一旦肯放手，一切就必晴朗如白晝。若我們要同時事奉神，又事奉自己，就必產生困惑。我們必須對神抱完全信賴的態度，這樣，過成聖生活就輕而易舉了。有難處是因我們侵奪聖靈的主權，欲達成自己的目的。
你什麼時候順服神，他的印證就是平安。那無比的平安，不是天然的，乃是主耶穌的平安。若平安不來，就要等候直至得著，或找出沒有平安的因由。若你行事是出於衝動，或英雄氣概，主的平安就不會印證；因為其中沒有對神的單純與信心。單純的靈是從聖靈而生的，不是出於你的決定，每一個決定，都帶來反作用，以致失掉單純。
我一不順服，問題就來了。我若順服，問題就不會出於我與神之間，而只會挑旺我的心，叫我稀奇神啟示的奇妙。神與我之間任何的問題，都是出於順服。反之，若許多的問題在我順服神的當兒出現，只會增加我驚喜的欣愉，因為天父是明察的，我將可細察他怎樣解決這些問題。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我投向你。我原本是一個無家可歸的人，直至你以你平安的穩妥、你慈愛的甜蜜感覺感動我，我的生命才產生改變。
August 26, 2013
Are You Ever Troubled?
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you . . . —John 14:27
There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on our own ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always “spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? “. . . My peace I give to you. . .”— a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.
Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. Allowing anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you either causes you to become troubled or gives you a false sense of security.
With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27).
你曾煩擾不安嗎？
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們。 （約十四27）
有時我們感覺平安，是因為無知；但當我們醒悟人生的現實，內心平安就消失了。除非我們從主耶穌得著平安，否則就不能有內在的平安。主耶穌說平安，他就成就平安。他的話永遠是[靈和生命]。我有接受他所說的話麼？ [我將我的平安賜給你們。 ]－－這平安是由於定睛在他臉上，體會他那不能動搖的安穩而來的。
你如今是否因困擾而痛苦？在神的允許下，你正受著風浪的衝擊，雖然翻開信心的礁石，卻仍找不著平安、喜樂與安慰。一切都絕望了，你該仰望主，接受他那無法動搖的平安。你若能彰顯他的平安，便證明你與神有正確的關係，因為你可以自由地把心轉向他。要是你與神的關係不對勁，你的心除了轉向自己之外，便無路可通。若讓任何事物掩蔽主的臉，你不是沒有平安，就是活在虛假的穩妥裡。
你現今是否仰望耶穌？在你逼近眉睫的事上，去接受他的平安？若然，他要藉著你，也要在你裡面，成為最美妙平安的福氣。可是你若擔憂，就攔阻了他，那你受的苦，就是咎由自取了。我們受困擾，是因為未有想到他。人一與主相會，困惑就必離開，因為在他沒有困惑的事。我們唯一要注意的，是住在他裡面。把一切鋪陳在他面前，在一切困難、傷痛、愁苦之中，聽他說：[你們心裡不要憂愁。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，願你的臉光臨到我，並賜給我平安。你的平安，深如無法測度的大海，高如難以量度的高天。願你在此刻感動我，直至光明、生命和自由穿透我。
There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on our own ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always “spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? “. . . My peace I give to you. . .”— a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.
Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. Allowing anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you either causes you to become troubled or gives you a false sense of security.
With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27).
你曾煩擾不安嗎？
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們。 （約十四27）
有時我們感覺平安，是因為無知；但當我們醒悟人生的現實，內心平安就消失了。除非我們從主耶穌得著平安，否則就不能有內在的平安。主耶穌說平安，他就成就平安。他的話永遠是[靈和生命]。我有接受他所說的話麼？ [我將我的平安賜給你們。 ]－－這平安是由於定睛在他臉上，體會他那不能動搖的安穩而來的。
你如今是否因困擾而痛苦？在神的允許下，你正受著風浪的衝擊，雖然翻開信心的礁石，卻仍找不著平安、喜樂與安慰。一切都絕望了，你該仰望主，接受他那無法動搖的平安。你若能彰顯他的平安，便證明你與神有正確的關係，因為你可以自由地把心轉向他。要是你與神的關係不對勁，你的心除了轉向自己之外，便無路可通。若讓任何事物掩蔽主的臉，你不是沒有平安，就是活在虛假的穩妥裡。
你現今是否仰望耶穌？在你逼近眉睫的事上，去接受他的平安？若然，他要藉著你，也要在你裡面，成為最美妙平安的福氣。可是你若擔憂，就攔阻了他，那你受的苦，就是咎由自取了。我們受困擾，是因為未有想到他。人一與主相會，困惑就必離開，因為在他沒有困惑的事。我們唯一要注意的，是住在他裡面。把一切鋪陳在他面前，在一切困難、傷痛、愁苦之中，聽他說：[你們心裡不要憂愁。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，願你的臉光臨到我，並賜給我平安。你的平安，深如無法測度的大海，高如難以量度的高天。願你在此刻感動我，直至光明、生命和自由穿透我。
August 20, 2013
Christ-Awareness
. . . and I will give you rest —Matthew 11:28
Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.
A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awareness of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, “Lord, what is your will?” A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer.
If we try to overcome our self-awareness through any of our own commonsense methods, we will only serve to strengthen our self-awareness tremendously. Jesus says, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest,” that is, Christ-awareness will take the place of self-awareness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest— the rest of the completion of activity in our lives that is never aware of itself.
完全
我就使你們得安息。 （太十一28）
若有任何事物開始分化你與耶穌基督的關係，就要立即轉向他，求他使你安息。不可容讓任何製造不安的東西存留，要視一切分化的東西為摔跤的物件，而不要去容忍。對主說：[主啊，請證實你的意識卻在我裡面。 ]自我的意識就必退去，只要他成為一切的一切。不要讓自覺意識不斷的佔據，因為慢慢地，就會變成自憐，而自憐是屬撒但的。 [我被人誤會了理他們該向我道歉；這一點我早就該澄清了。 ]不要理會別人怎樣，求神給你基督的意識，他會使你絕對安全。完全的生命，是小孩子的生命。當我有強烈的自覺，必然是出了亂子。只有生病的人才知道健康為何物。神的孩子不會意識到神的旨意，因為他就是神的旨意。當我們稍有偏離，才會問[你的旨意是什麼？ ]神的孩子絕不求神讓他知道神聽禱告，因為他確實知道神一向垂聽祈禱。
我們若想用常理去勝過自覺意識，反會使它增強。耶穌說：[到我這裡來，我就使你們得安息。 ]也就是說，基督的意識取代了自我的意識。耶穌一來，就帶來安息，這是最完美的安息，是永不自覺的。
祈禱◆我的心靈和肉體向永生神呼求！啊，我是何等瘦弱無力！主啊，你是我的活力和喜樂！
Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.
A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awareness of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, “Lord, what is your will?” A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer.
If we try to overcome our self-awareness through any of our own commonsense methods, we will only serve to strengthen our self-awareness tremendously. Jesus says, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest,” that is, Christ-awareness will take the place of self-awareness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest— the rest of the completion of activity in our lives that is never aware of itself.
完全
我就使你們得安息。 （太十一28）
若有任何事物開始分化你與耶穌基督的關係，就要立即轉向他，求他使你安息。不可容讓任何製造不安的東西存留，要視一切分化的東西為摔跤的物件，而不要去容忍。對主說：[主啊，請證實你的意識卻在我裡面。 ]自我的意識就必退去，只要他成為一切的一切。不要讓自覺意識不斷的佔據，因為慢慢地，就會變成自憐，而自憐是屬撒但的。 [我被人誤會了理他們該向我道歉；這一點我早就該澄清了。 ]不要理會別人怎樣，求神給你基督的意識，他會使你絕對安全。完全的生命，是小孩子的生命。當我有強烈的自覺，必然是出了亂子。只有生病的人才知道健康為何物。神的孩子不會意識到神的旨意，因為他就是神的旨意。當我們稍有偏離，才會問[你的旨意是什麼？ ]神的孩子絕不求神讓他知道神聽禱告，因為他確實知道神一向垂聽祈禱。
我們若想用常理去勝過自覺意識，反會使它增強。耶穌說：[到我這裡來，我就使你們得安息。 ]也就是說，基督的意識取代了自我的意識。耶穌一來，就帶來安息，這是最完美的安息，是永不自覺的。
祈禱◆我的心靈和肉體向永生神呼求！啊，我是何等瘦弱無力！主啊，你是我的活力和喜樂！
August 12, 2013
The Theology of Resting in God
Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? —Matthew 8:26
When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.
“. . . O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.
There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.
We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.
安息神學
你們這小信的人哪，為什麼膽怯呢？ （太八26）
我們恐懼的時候，最不可少的就是向神禱告；可是，我們的主有權要求屬他的人，對他有一種深切了解的信任。神期望他的兒女對他大有信心，以致再任何重要關頭，仍然站得住。但我們對神的信任往往只止於某一點，就回复禱告初階時的驚惶失措，像那些不認識神的人一樣。在走投無路時，我們表現得對神毫無信心，也不信他掌管全世界；他似乎睡了，我們只看見前面得風浪。
[你們這小信得人哪！ ]門徒是何等難過－－[又失敗了！ ]我們也會同樣難過。我們知道其實可以叫主得心歡暢快樂－－只要對他保持絕對的信心，不管前路如何。人生風平浪靜時，我們會安然的盡人的力量做到最好；但當危難一到，就立即顯出倚靠的到底是誰。我們若不斷地學習敬拜神，信靠他，那末在風浪的日子，對他的信心也同樣至死不移。我們多次的談到成聖的問題－－最終的目的是什麼呢？就是在神裡面安息，與神合一。這合一不但使我們在他眼前成為無可指摘的，更叫我們成為他的喜樂。
祈禱◆主啊，我的快樂全在乎對你的紀念，否則對你那歡愉而單純的信靠，不過是一種輕率的舉動。願你今天讓快樂四面環繞我們。
When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.
“. . . O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.
There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.
We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.
安息神學
你們這小信的人哪，為什麼膽怯呢？ （太八26）
我們恐懼的時候，最不可少的就是向神禱告；可是，我們的主有權要求屬他的人，對他有一種深切了解的信任。神期望他的兒女對他大有信心，以致再任何重要關頭，仍然站得住。但我們對神的信任往往只止於某一點，就回复禱告初階時的驚惶失措，像那些不認識神的人一樣。在走投無路時，我們表現得對神毫無信心，也不信他掌管全世界；他似乎睡了，我們只看見前面得風浪。
[你們這小信得人哪！ ]門徒是何等難過－－[又失敗了！ ]我們也會同樣難過。我們知道其實可以叫主得心歡暢快樂－－只要對他保持絕對的信心，不管前路如何。人生風平浪靜時，我們會安然的盡人的力量做到最好；但當危難一到，就立即顯出倚靠的到底是誰。我們若不斷地學習敬拜神，信靠他，那末在風浪的日子，對他的信心也同樣至死不移。我們多次的談到成聖的問題－－最終的目的是什麼呢？就是在神裡面安息，與神合一。這合一不但使我們在他眼前成為無可指摘的，更叫我們成為他的喜樂。
祈禱◆主啊，我的快樂全在乎對你的紀念，否則對你那歡愉而單純的信靠，不過是一種輕率的舉動。願你今天讓快樂四面環繞我們。
December 19, 2012
The Focus Of Our Message
I did not come to bring peace but a sword —Matthew 10:34
Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes you to conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more tender than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us the opportunity to deal firmly with someone so that He may be viewed as the tender One. If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up— he may admit his sin, but would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power. It is impossible to deal sympathetically with people like that. We must reach down deep in their lives to the root of the problem, which will cause hostility and resentment toward the message. People want the blessing of God, but they can’t stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.
If you are sensitive to God’s way, your message as His servant will be merciless and insistent, cutting to the very root. Otherwise, there will be no healing. We must drive the message home so forcefully that a person cannot possibly hide, but must apply its truth. Deal with people where they are, until they begin to realize their true need. Then hold high the standard of Jesus for their lives. Their response may be, “We can never be that.” Then drive it home with, “Jesus Christ says you must.” “But how can we be?” “You can’t, unless you have a new Spirit” (see Luke 11:13).
There must be a sense of need created before your message is of any use. Thousands of people in this world profess to be happy without God. But if we could be truly happy and moral without Jesus, then why did He come? He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only superficial. Jesus Christ came to “bring . . . a sword” through every kind of peace that is not based on a personal relationship with Himself.
注意什麼？
我來，並不是叫地上太平，乃是叫地上動刀兵。 （太十34）
若有人的遭遇令你覺得神是冷酷無情的，不要對這人表示同情。神比想像中更柔和，他有時讓我們經歷艱難，是為我們的好處。人若不能通達主前，是由於他藏著不肯放下的東西－－[我承認有錯，但我不打算放棄它。 ]對這樣的人是不需要同情的：即使他們憎惡敵擋我們的信息，也要直斥其非。人都愛神的祝福，可是卻不肯接受那些命中要害的東西。
神若是使用你，作他的僕人，你的信息就該不通融遷就，直指問題根源，否則人就得不著醫治。把信息清楚傳明，使人無可諱避。先從人的本相著手，直到他們發現自己的缺欠，然後舉出主耶穌的榜樣：[我們永遠也不能像耶穌一樣！ ]你就立即說：[耶穌基督說你必須如此。 ][我們怎能如此？ ][你不能，除非你有了更新的聖靈。 ]（路十一13）
先要喚起人的需要，你的信息才派用場。世上千萬人沒有神，生活依然快活。我在耶穌未來以先，原是快活的，道德也不差，他來到底做什麼？原來那種快樂平安是建築在錯誤的水平上；耶穌基督來，就是要用刀劍刺透一切不是建基於與他個人關係的平安。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天我來到你的面前，願你的美善、恩典和充滿安慰的平安臨到我。願沒有任何風暴、不適或焦慮，觸動你在我生命中和在此處的平安。
Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes you to conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more tender than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us the opportunity to deal firmly with someone so that He may be viewed as the tender One. If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up— he may admit his sin, but would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power. It is impossible to deal sympathetically with people like that. We must reach down deep in their lives to the root of the problem, which will cause hostility and resentment toward the message. People want the blessing of God, but they can’t stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.
If you are sensitive to God’s way, your message as His servant will be merciless and insistent, cutting to the very root. Otherwise, there will be no healing. We must drive the message home so forcefully that a person cannot possibly hide, but must apply its truth. Deal with people where they are, until they begin to realize their true need. Then hold high the standard of Jesus for their lives. Their response may be, “We can never be that.” Then drive it home with, “Jesus Christ says you must.” “But how can we be?” “You can’t, unless you have a new Spirit” (see Luke 11:13).
There must be a sense of need created before your message is of any use. Thousands of people in this world profess to be happy without God. But if we could be truly happy and moral without Jesus, then why did He come? He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only superficial. Jesus Christ came to “bring . . . a sword” through every kind of peace that is not based on a personal relationship with Himself.
注意什麼？
我來，並不是叫地上太平，乃是叫地上動刀兵。 （太十34）
若有人的遭遇令你覺得神是冷酷無情的，不要對這人表示同情。神比想像中更柔和，他有時讓我們經歷艱難，是為我們的好處。人若不能通達主前，是由於他藏著不肯放下的東西－－[我承認有錯，但我不打算放棄它。 ]對這樣的人是不需要同情的：即使他們憎惡敵擋我們的信息，也要直斥其非。人都愛神的祝福，可是卻不肯接受那些命中要害的東西。
神若是使用你，作他的僕人，你的信息就該不通融遷就，直指問題根源，否則人就得不著醫治。把信息清楚傳明，使人無可諱避。先從人的本相著手，直到他們發現自己的缺欠，然後舉出主耶穌的榜樣：[我們永遠也不能像耶穌一樣！ ]你就立即說：[耶穌基督說你必須如此。 ][我們怎能如此？ ][你不能，除非你有了更新的聖靈。 ]（路十一13）
先要喚起人的需要，你的信息才派用場。世上千萬人沒有神，生活依然快活。我在耶穌未來以先，原是快活的，道德也不差，他來到底做什麼？原來那種快樂平安是建築在錯誤的水平上；耶穌基督來，就是要用刀劍刺透一切不是建基於與他個人關係的平安。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天我來到你的面前，願你的美善、恩典和充滿安慰的平安臨到我。願沒有任何風暴、不適或焦慮，觸動你在我生命中和在此處的平安。
December 14, 2012
The Great Life
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled . . . —John 14:27
Whenever we experience something difficult in our personal life, we are tempted to blame God. But we are the ones in the wrong, not God. Blaming God is evidence that we are refusing to let go of some disobedience somewhere in our lives. But as soon as we let go, everything becomes as clear as daylight to us. As long as we try to serve two masters, ourselves and God, there will be difficulties combined with doubt and confusion. Our attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. Once we get to that point, there is nothing easier than living the life of a saint. We encounter difficulties when we try to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own purposes.
God’s mark of approval, whenever you obey Him, is peace. He sends an immeasurable, deep peace; not a natural peace, “as the world gives,” but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, wait until it does, or seek to find out why it is not coming. If you are acting on your own impulse, or out of a sense of the heroic, to be seen by others, the peace of Jesus will not exhibit itself. This shows no unity with God or confidence in Him. The spirit of simplicity, clarity, and unity is born through the Holy Spirit, not through your decisions. God counters our self-willed decisions with an appeal for simplicity and unity.
My questions arise whenever I cease to obey. When I do obey God, problems come, not between me and God, but as a means to keep my mind examining with amazement the revealed truth of God. But any problem that comes between God and myself is the result of disobedience. Any problem that comes while I obey God (and there will be many), increases my overjoyed delight, because I know that my Father knows and cares, and I can watch and anticipate how He will unravel my problems.
偉大的生命
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們……你們心裡不要憂愁……（約十四27）
個人經歷若有什麼難過的事，我們很容易會怪責神；但出錯的實在不是神，而是我們。我們必定有什麼執著不肯放手，一旦肯放手，一切就必晴朗如白晝。若我們要同時事奉神，又事奉自己，就必產生困惑。我們必須對神抱完全信賴的態度，這樣，過成聖生活就輕而易舉了。有難處是因我們侵奪聖靈的主權，欲達成自己的目的。
你什麼時候順服神，他的印證就是平安。那無比的平安，不是天然的，乃是主耶穌的平安。若平安不來，就要等候直至得著，或找出沒有平安的因由。若你行事是出於衝動，或英雄氣概，主的平安就不會印證；因為其中沒有對神的單純與信心。單純的靈是從聖靈而生的，不是出於你的決定，每一個決定，都帶來反作用，以致失掉單純。
我一不順服，問題就來了。我若順服，問題就不會出於我與神之間，而只會挑旺我的心，叫我稀奇神啟示的奇妙。神與我之間任何的問題，都是出於順服。反之，若許多的問題在我順服神的當兒出現，只會增加我驚喜的欣愉，因為天父是明察的，我將可細察他怎樣解決這些問題。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我投向你。我原本是一個無家可歸的人，直至你以你平安的穩妥、你慈愛的甜蜜感覺感動我，我的生命才產生改變。
Whenever we experience something difficult in our personal life, we are tempted to blame God. But we are the ones in the wrong, not God. Blaming God is evidence that we are refusing to let go of some disobedience somewhere in our lives. But as soon as we let go, everything becomes as clear as daylight to us. As long as we try to serve two masters, ourselves and God, there will be difficulties combined with doubt and confusion. Our attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. Once we get to that point, there is nothing easier than living the life of a saint. We encounter difficulties when we try to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own purposes.
God’s mark of approval, whenever you obey Him, is peace. He sends an immeasurable, deep peace; not a natural peace, “as the world gives,” but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, wait until it does, or seek to find out why it is not coming. If you are acting on your own impulse, or out of a sense of the heroic, to be seen by others, the peace of Jesus will not exhibit itself. This shows no unity with God or confidence in Him. The spirit of simplicity, clarity, and unity is born through the Holy Spirit, not through your decisions. God counters our self-willed decisions with an appeal for simplicity and unity.
My questions arise whenever I cease to obey. When I do obey God, problems come, not between me and God, but as a means to keep my mind examining with amazement the revealed truth of God. But any problem that comes between God and myself is the result of disobedience. Any problem that comes while I obey God (and there will be many), increases my overjoyed delight, because I know that my Father knows and cares, and I can watch and anticipate how He will unravel my problems.
偉大的生命
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們……你們心裡不要憂愁……（約十四27）
個人經歷若有什麼難過的事，我們很容易會怪責神；但出錯的實在不是神，而是我們。我們必定有什麼執著不肯放手，一旦肯放手，一切就必晴朗如白晝。若我們要同時事奉神，又事奉自己，就必產生困惑。我們必須對神抱完全信賴的態度，這樣，過成聖生活就輕而易舉了。有難處是因我們侵奪聖靈的主權，欲達成自己的目的。
你什麼時候順服神，他的印證就是平安。那無比的平安，不是天然的，乃是主耶穌的平安。若平安不來，就要等候直至得著，或找出沒有平安的因由。若你行事是出於衝動，或英雄氣概，主的平安就不會印證；因為其中沒有對神的單純與信心。單純的靈是從聖靈而生的，不是出於你的決定，每一個決定，都帶來反作用，以致失掉單純。
我一不順服，問題就來了。我若順服，問題就不會出於我與神之間，而只會挑旺我的心，叫我稀奇神啟示的奇妙。神與我之間任何的問題，都是出於順服。反之，若許多的問題在我順服神的當兒出現，只會增加我驚喜的欣愉，因為天父是明察的，我將可細察他怎樣解決這些問題。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我投向你。我原本是一個無家可歸的人，直至你以你平安的穩妥、你慈愛的甜蜜感覺感動我，我的生命才產生改變。
August 26, 2012
Are You Ever Troubled?
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you . . . —John 14:27
There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on our own ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always “spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? “. . . My peace I give to you. . .”— a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.
Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. Allowing anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you either causes you to become troubled or gives you a false sense of security.
With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27).
你曾煩擾不安嗎？
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們。 （約十四27）
有時我們感覺平安，是因為無知；但當我們醒悟人生的現實，內心平安就消失了。除非我們從主耶穌得著平安，否則就不能有內在的平安。主耶穌說平安，他就成就平安。他的話永遠是[靈和生命]。我有接受他所說的話麼？ [我將我的平安賜給你們。 ]－－這平安是由於定睛在他臉上，體會他那不能動搖的安穩而來的。
你如今是否因困擾而痛苦？在神的允許下，你正受著風浪的衝擊，雖然翻開信心的礁石，卻仍找不著平安、喜樂與安慰。一切都絕望了，你該仰望主，接受他那無法動搖的平安。你若能彰顯他的平安，便證明你與神有正確的關係，因為你可以自由地把心轉向他。要是你與神的關係不對勁，你的心除了轉向自己之外，便無路可通。若讓任何事物掩蔽主的臉，你不是沒有平安，就是活在虛假的穩妥裡。
你現今是否仰望耶穌？在你逼近眉睫的事上，去接受他的平安？若然，他要藉著你，也要在你裡面，成為最美妙平安的福氣。可是你若擔憂，就攔阻了他，那你受的苦，就是咎由自取了。我們受困擾，是因為未有想到他。人一與主相會，困惑就必離開，因為在他沒有困惑的事。我們唯一要注意的，是住在他裡面。把一切鋪陳在他面前，在一切困難、傷痛、愁苦之中，聽他說：[你們心裡不要憂愁。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，願你的臉光臨到我，並賜給我平安。你的平安，深如無法測度的大海，高如難以量度的高天。願你在此刻感動我，直至光明、生命和自由穿透我。
There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on our own ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always “spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? “. . . My peace I give to you. . .”— a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.
Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. Allowing anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you either causes you to become troubled or gives you a false sense of security.
With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27).
你曾煩擾不安嗎？
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們。 （約十四27）
有時我們感覺平安，是因為無知；但當我們醒悟人生的現實，內心平安就消失了。除非我們從主耶穌得著平安，否則就不能有內在的平安。主耶穌說平安，他就成就平安。他的話永遠是[靈和生命]。我有接受他所說的話麼？ [我將我的平安賜給你們。 ]－－這平安是由於定睛在他臉上，體會他那不能動搖的安穩而來的。
你如今是否因困擾而痛苦？在神的允許下，你正受著風浪的衝擊，雖然翻開信心的礁石，卻仍找不著平安、喜樂與安慰。一切都絕望了，你該仰望主，接受他那無法動搖的平安。你若能彰顯他的平安，便證明你與神有正確的關係，因為你可以自由地把心轉向他。要是你與神的關係不對勁，你的心除了轉向自己之外，便無路可通。若讓任何事物掩蔽主的臉，你不是沒有平安，就是活在虛假的穩妥裡。
你現今是否仰望耶穌？在你逼近眉睫的事上，去接受他的平安？若然，他要藉著你，也要在你裡面，成為最美妙平安的福氣。可是你若擔憂，就攔阻了他，那你受的苦，就是咎由自取了。我們受困擾，是因為未有想到他。人一與主相會，困惑就必離開，因為在他沒有困惑的事。我們唯一要注意的，是住在他裡面。把一切鋪陳在他面前，在一切困難、傷痛、愁苦之中，聽他說：[你們心裡不要憂愁。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，願你的臉光臨到我，並賜給我平安。你的平安，深如無法測度的大海，高如難以量度的高天。願你在此刻感動我，直至光明、生命和自由穿透我。
August 20, 2012
Christ-Awareness
. . . and I will give you rest —Matthew 11:28
Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.
A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awareness of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, “Lord, what is your will?” A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer.
If we try to overcome our self-awareness through any of our own commonsense methods, we will only serve to strengthen our self-awareness tremendously. Jesus says, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest,” that is, Christ-awareness will take the place of self-awareness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest— the rest of the completion of activity in our lives that is never aware of itself.
完全
我就使你們得安息。 （太十一28）
若有任何事物開始分化你與耶穌基督的關係，就要立即轉向他，求他使你安息。不可容讓任何製造不安的東西存留，要視一切分化的東西為摔跤的物件，而不要去容忍。對主說：[主啊，請證實你的意識卻在我裡面。 ]自我的意識就必退去，只要他成為一切的一切。不要讓自覺意識不斷的佔據，因為慢慢地，就會變成自憐，而自憐是屬撒但的。 [我被人誤會了理他們該向我道歉；這一點我早就該澄清了。 ]不要理會別人怎樣，求神給你基督的意識，他會使你絕對安全。完全的生命，是小孩子的生命。當我有強烈的自覺，必然是出了亂子。只有生病的人才知道健康為何物。神的孩子不會意識到神的旨意，因為他就是神的旨意。當我們稍有偏離，才會問[你的旨意是什麼？ ]神的孩子絕不求神讓他知道神聽禱告，因為他確實知道神一向垂聽祈禱。
我們若想用常理去勝過自覺意識，反會使它增強。耶穌說：[到我這裡來，我就使你們得安息。 ]也就是說，基督的意識取代了自我的意識。耶穌一來，就帶來安息，這是最完美的安息，是永不自覺的。
祈禱◆我的心靈和肉體向永生神呼求！啊，我是何等瘦弱無力！主啊，你是我的活力和喜樂！
Whenever anything begins to disintegrate your life with Jesus Christ, turn to Him at once, asking Him to re-establish your rest. Never allow anything to remain in your life that is causing the unrest. Think of every detail of your life that is causing the disintegration as something to fight against, not as something you should allow to remain. Ask the Lord to put awareness of Himself in you, and your self-awareness will disappear. Then He will be your all in all. Beware of allowing your self-awareness to continue, because slowly but surely it will awaken self-pity, and self-pity is satanic. Don’t allow yourself to say, “Well, they have just misunderstood me, and this is something over which they should be apologizing to me; I’m sure I must have this cleared up with them already.” Learn to leave others alone regarding this. Simply ask the Lord to give you Christ-awareness, and He will steady you until your completeness in Him is absolute.
A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awareness of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, “Lord, what is your will?” A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer.
If we try to overcome our self-awareness through any of our own commonsense methods, we will only serve to strengthen our self-awareness tremendously. Jesus says, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest,” that is, Christ-awareness will take the place of self-awareness. Wherever Jesus comes He establishes rest— the rest of the completion of activity in our lives that is never aware of itself.
完全
我就使你們得安息。 （太十一28）
若有任何事物開始分化你與耶穌基督的關係，就要立即轉向他，求他使你安息。不可容讓任何製造不安的東西存留，要視一切分化的東西為摔跤的物件，而不要去容忍。對主說：[主啊，請證實你的意識卻在我裡面。 ]自我的意識就必退去，只要他成為一切的一切。不要讓自覺意識不斷的佔據，因為慢慢地，就會變成自憐，而自憐是屬撒但的。 [我被人誤會了理他們該向我道歉；這一點我早就該澄清了。 ]不要理會別人怎樣，求神給你基督的意識，他會使你絕對安全。完全的生命，是小孩子的生命。當我有強烈的自覺，必然是出了亂子。只有生病的人才知道健康為何物。神的孩子不會意識到神的旨意，因為他就是神的旨意。當我們稍有偏離，才會問[你的旨意是什麼？ ]神的孩子絕不求神讓他知道神聽禱告，因為他確實知道神一向垂聽祈禱。
我們若想用常理去勝過自覺意識，反會使它增強。耶穌說：[到我這裡來，我就使你們得安息。 ]也就是說，基督的意識取代了自我的意識。耶穌一來，就帶來安息，這是最完美的安息，是永不自覺的。
祈禱◆我的心靈和肉體向永生神呼求！啊，我是何等瘦弱無力！主啊，你是我的活力和喜樂！
August 12, 2012
The Theology of Resting in God
Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? —Matthew 8:26
When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.
“. . . O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.
There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.
We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.
安息神學
你們這小信的人哪，為什麼膽怯呢？ （太八26）
我們恐懼的時候，最不可少的就是向神禱告；可是，我們的主有權要求屬他的人，對他有一種深切了解的信任。神期望他的兒女對他大有信心，以致再任何重要關頭，仍然站得住。但我們對神的信任往往只止於某一點，就回复禱告初階時的驚惶失措，像那些不認識神的人一樣。在走投無路時，我們表現得對神毫無信心，也不信他掌管全世界；他似乎睡了，我們只看見前面得風浪。
[你們這小信得人哪！ ]門徒是何等難過－－[又失敗了！ ]我們也會同樣難過。我們知道其實可以叫主得心歡暢快樂－－只要對他保持絕對的信心，不管前路如何。人生風平浪靜時，我們會安然的盡人的力量做到最好；但當危難一到，就立即顯出倚靠的到底是誰。我們若不斷地學習敬拜神，信靠他，那末在風浪的日子，對他的信心也同樣至死不移。我們多次的談到成聖的問題－－最終的目的是什麼呢？就是在神裡面安息，與神合一。這合一不但使我們在他眼前成為無可指摘的，更叫我們成為他的喜樂。
祈禱◆主啊，我的快樂全在乎對你的紀念，否則對你那歡愉而單純的信靠，不過是一種輕率的舉動。願你今天讓快樂四面環繞我們。
When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.
“. . . O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.
There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.
We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.
安息神學
你們這小信的人哪，為什麼膽怯呢？ （太八26）
我們恐懼的時候，最不可少的就是向神禱告；可是，我們的主有權要求屬他的人，對他有一種深切了解的信任。神期望他的兒女對他大有信心，以致再任何重要關頭，仍然站得住。但我們對神的信任往往只止於某一點，就回复禱告初階時的驚惶失措，像那些不認識神的人一樣。在走投無路時，我們表現得對神毫無信心，也不信他掌管全世界；他似乎睡了，我們只看見前面得風浪。
[你們這小信得人哪！ ]門徒是何等難過－－[又失敗了！ ]我們也會同樣難過。我們知道其實可以叫主得心歡暢快樂－－只要對他保持絕對的信心，不管前路如何。人生風平浪靜時，我們會安然的盡人的力量做到最好；但當危難一到，就立即顯出倚靠的到底是誰。我們若不斷地學習敬拜神，信靠他，那末在風浪的日子，對他的信心也同樣至死不移。我們多次的談到成聖的問題－－最終的目的是什麼呢？就是在神裡面安息，與神合一。這合一不但使我們在他眼前成為無可指摘的，更叫我們成為他的喜樂。
祈禱◆主啊，我的快樂全在乎對你的紀念，否則對你那歡愉而單純的信靠，不過是一種輕率的舉動。願你今天讓快樂四面環繞我們。
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