The Servant’s Primary Goal

We make it our aim . . . to be well pleasing to Him —2 Corinthians 5:9

We make it our aim. . . .” It requires a conscious decision and effort to keep our primary goal constantly in front of us. It means holding ourselves to the highest priority year in and year out; not making our first priority to win souls, or to establish churches, or to have revivals, but seeking only “to be well pleasing to Him.” It is not a lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but a lack of working to keep our eyes focused and on the right goal. At least once a week examine yourself before God to see if your life is measuring up to the standard He has for you. Paul was like a musician who gives no thought to audience approval, if he can only catch a look of approval from his Conductor.

Any goal we have that diverts us even to the slightest degree from the central goal of being “approved to God” (2 Timothy 2:15) may result in our rejection from further service for Him. When you discern where the goal leads, you will understand why it is so necessary to keep “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). Paul spoke of the importance of controlling his own body so that it would not take him in the wrong direction. He said, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest . . . I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

I must learn to relate everything to the primary goal, maintaining it without interruption. My worth to God publicly is measured by what I really am in my private life. Is my primary goal in life to please Him and to be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how lofty it may sound?

---

工人專一的情志

我們立了志向，要得主的喜悅。 （林後五9）

[立了志向（英文有勞苦作工的意思）……]乃是盡心竭力，把最大的願望擺在首位。意即由年首至歲終，持守著最高的理想。這種理想，並不是熱心去得人靈魂，或者建立教會、舉辦奮興會，而是熱衷於[得主的喜悅]。我們的失敗，並非由於缺乏屬靈的經歷，而是沒有竭力持定那理想的標竿。每一個禮拜，至少要在神面前結算一次，看看你的生命是否夠得上他所要求得水平。

保羅好像一個音樂家，他不管聽眾讚賞不讚賞，只要獲得主人得青睞，就已心滿意足了。任何野心只要稍微偏差，不指向[得主喜悅]的目標，就會叫我們成為被棄絕的人。要學習分辨心志的方向，你就會明白為什麼要向著主耶穌而活。保羅說：[我怕我的身體會領我走入歧途，因此我不斷地提高警覺，攻克己身，叫身服我。 ]（林前九27）

我必須學習把一切所做的連接在這首要的心誌上，同時保守它不間斷。在公眾面前我在身心裡有多少價值，是視乎我私下里的為人。我最高的心志是要討神喜悅，還是為了次一等看來很高貴的目標？

祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著今早的經文，我感謝你－－[所以你當歸向你的神，謹守仁愛、公平，常常等候你的神。 ]願你榮耀的同在充滿這廣大的營地；阻止罪惡，激發敬虔。

The Piercing Question

Do you love Me? —John 21:17

Peter’s response to this piercing question is considerably different from the bold defiance he exhibited only a few days before when he declared, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matthew 26:35 ; also see Matthew 26:33-34). Our natural individuality, or our natural self, boldly speaks out and declares its feelings. But the true love within our inner spiritual self can be discovered only by experiencing the hurt of this question of Jesus Christ. Peter loved Jesus in the way any natural man loves a good person. Yet that is nothing but emotional love. It may reach deeply into our natural self, but it never penetrates to the spirit of a person. True love never simply declares itself. Jesus said, “Whoever confesses Me before men [that is, confesses his love by everything he does, not merely by his words], him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God” (Luke 12:8).

Unless we are experiencing the hurt of facing every deception about ourselves, we have hindered the work of the Word of God in our lives. The Word of God inflicts hurt on us more than sin ever could, because sin dulls our senses. But this question of the Lord intensifies our sensitivities to the point that this hurt produced by Jesus is the most exquisite pain conceivable. It hurts not only on the natural level, but also on the deeper spiritual level. “For the Word of God is living and powerful . . . , piercing even to the division of soul and spirit . . .”— to the point that no deception can remain (Hebrews 4:12). When the Lord asks us this question, it is impossible to think and respond properly, because when the Lord speaks directly to us, the pain is too intense. It causes such a tremendous hurt that any part of our life which may be out of line with His will can feel the pain. There is never any mistaking the pain of the Lord’s Word by His children, but the moment that pain is felt is the very moment at which God reveals His truth to us.

---

毫不放鬆的問話

你愛我麼？ （約二十一17）

彼得這時不再宣告什麼了（參太二十六33-35）。人天然的性情總喜歡揚聲宣告；但當耶穌基督的問話一針見血時，才 顯露那人愛的品質。彼得對耶穌的愛，是人本性中愛一個好人的那種愛。那是屬於性情裡的愛，這也許會深入人的個性裡，但並不觸及人的內裡。真愛是從不宣告什麼。耶穌說：[凡在人面前認我的。 ]承認他的愛不單憑口裡所說的話，也憑所行的一切。

除非主的話刺破我們的假面具，否則神的話根本進不到我們裡面。神的話刺傷比罪的刺傷更厲害因為罪使感覺遲鈍。但主的話卻加強我們的感覺，以致他的刺傷，比任何我們所能意想到的刺傷更痛。這痛不單是一般性的，而是更深入的，對准人內心的。主的話刺透我們，將靈與魂分開，再無虛假可以存留。對主的問話，我們不能用感情來敷衍。主直接對你說話時，你不能只說好話，否則那痛就太厲害了。刺痛使任何事物都不再算一回事了。主的話在他兒女身上的刺痛， 是不會有錯的；刺痛的地方，正是啟示的重要開端。

祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你在今早驅散一切雲霧，願晴朗、猛烈和滿有生氣的陽光普照大地。

The Servant’s Primary Goal

We make it our aim . . . to be well pleasing to Him —2 Corinthians 5:9

We make it our aim. . . .” It requires a conscious decision and effort to keep our primary goal constantly in front of us. It means holding ourselves to the highest priority year in and year out; not making our first priority to win souls, or to establish churches, or to have revivals, but seeking only “to be well pleasing to Him.” It is not a lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but a lack of working to keep our eyes focused and on the right goal. At least once a week examine yourself before God to see if your life is measuring up to the standard He has for you. Paul was like a musician who gives no thought to audience approval, if he can only catch a look of approval from his Conductor.

Any goal we have that diverts us even to the slightest degree from the central goal of being “approved to God” (2 Timothy 2:15) may result in our rejection from further service for Him. When you discern where the goal leads, you will understand why it is so necessary to keep “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). Paul spoke of the importance of controlling his own body so that it would not take him in the wrong direction. He said, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest . . . I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

I must learn to relate everything to the primary goal, maintaining it without interruption. My worth to God publicly is measured by what I really am in my private life. Is my primary goal in life to please Him and to be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how lofty it may sound?

---

工人專一的情志

我們立了志向，要得主的喜悅。 （林後五9）

[立了志向（英文有勞苦作工的意思）……]乃是盡心竭力，把最大的願望擺在首位。意即由年首至歲終，持守著最高的理想。這種理想，並不是熱心去得人靈魂，或者建立教會、舉辦奮興會，而是熱衷於[得主的喜悅]。我們的失敗，並非由於缺乏屬靈的經歷，而是沒有竭力持定那理想的標竿。每一個禮拜，至少要在神面前結算一次，看看你的生命是否夠得上他所要求得水平。

保羅好像一個音樂家，他不管聽眾讚賞不讚賞，只要獲得主人得青睞，就已心滿意足了。任何野心只要稍微偏差，不指向[得主喜悅]的目標，就會叫我們成為被棄絕的人。要學習分辨心志的方向，你就會明白為什麼要向著主耶穌而活。保羅說：[我怕我的身體會領我走入歧途，因此我不斷地提高警覺，攻克己身，叫身服我。 ]（林前九27）

我必須學習把一切所做的連接在這首要的心誌上，同時保守它不間斷。在公眾面前我在身心裡有多少價值，是視乎我私下里的為人。我最高的心志是要討神喜悅，還是為了次一等看來很高貴的目標？

祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著今早的經文，我感謝你－－[所以你當歸向你的神，謹守仁愛、公平，常常等候你的神。 ]願你榮耀的同在充滿這廣大的營地；阻止罪惡，激發敬虔。

The Piercing Question

Do you love Me? —John 21:17

Peter’s response to this piercing question is considerably different from the bold defiance he exhibited only a few days before when he declared, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matthew 26:35 ; also see Matthew 26:33-34). Our natural individuality, or our natural self, boldly speaks out and declares its feelings. But the true love within our inner spiritual self can be discovered only by experiencing the hurt of this question of Jesus Christ. Peter loved Jesus in the way any natural man loves a good person. Yet that is nothing but emotional love. It may reach deeply into our natural self, but it never penetrates to the spirit of a person. True love never simply declares itself. Jesus said, “Whoever confesses Me before men [that is, confesses his love by everything he does, not merely by his words], him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God” (Luke 12:8).

Unless we are experiencing the hurt of facing every deception about ourselves, we have hindered the work of the Word of God in our lives. The Word of God inflicts hurt on us more than sin ever could, because sin dulls our senses. But this question of the Lord intensifies our sensitivities to the point that this hurt produced by Jesus is the most exquisite pain conceivable. It hurts not only on the natural level, but also on the deeper spiritual level. “For the Word of God is living and powerful . . . , piercing even to the division of soul and spirit . . .”— to the point that no deception can remain (Hebrews 4:12). When the Lord asks us this question, it is impossible to think and respond properly, because when the Lord speaks directly to us, the pain is too intense. It causes such a tremendous hurt that any part of our life which may be out of line with His will can feel the pain. There is never any mistaking the pain of the Lord’s Word by His children, but the moment that pain is felt is the very moment at which God reveals His truth to us.

---

毫不放鬆的問話

你愛我麼？ （約二十一17）

彼得這時不再宣告什麼了（參太二十六33-35）。人天然的性情總喜歡揚聲宣告；但當耶穌基督的問話一針見血時，才顯露那人愛的品質。彼得對耶穌的愛，是人本性中愛一個好人的那種愛。那是屬於性情裡的愛，這也許會深入人的個性裡，但並不觸及人的內裡。真愛是從不宣告什麼。耶穌說：[凡在人面前認我的。 ]承認他的愛不單憑口裡所說的話，也憑所行的一切。

除非主的話刺破我們的假面具，否則神的話根本進不到我們裡面。神的話刺傷比罪的刺傷更厲害因為罪使感覺遲鈍。但主的話卻加強我們的感覺，以致他的刺傷，比任何我們所能意想到的刺傷更痛。這痛不單是一般性的，而是更深入的，對准人內心的。主的話刺透我們，將靈與魂分開，再無虛假可以存留。對主的問話，我們不能用感情來敷衍。主直接對你說話時，你不能只說好話，否則那痛就太厲害了。刺痛使任何事物都不再算一回事了。主的話在他兒女身上的刺痛，是不會有錯的；刺痛的地方，正是啟示的重要開端。

祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你在今早驅散一切雲霧，願晴朗、猛烈和滿有生氣的陽光普照大地。

The Servant’s Primary Goal

We make it our aim . . . to be well pleasing to Him —2 Corinthians 5:9

We make it our aim. . . .” It requires a conscious decision and effort to keep our primary goal constantly in front of us. It means holding ourselves to the highest priority year in and year out; not making our first priority to win souls, or to establish churches, or to have revivals, but seeking only “to be well pleasing to Him.” It is not a lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but a lack of working to keep our eyes focused and on the right goal. At least once a week examine yourself before God to see if your life is measuring up to the standard He has for you. Paul was like a musician who gives no thought to audience approval, if he can only catch a look of approval from his Conductor.

Any goal we have that diverts us even to the slightest degree from the central goal of being “approved to God” (2 Timothy 2:15) may result in our rejection from further service for Him. When you discern where the goal leads, you will understand why it is so necessary to keep “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). Paul spoke of the importance of controlling his own body so that it would not take him in the wrong direction. He said, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest . . . I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

I must learn to relate everything to the primary goal, maintaining it without interruption. My worth to God publicly is measured by what I really am in my private life. Is my primary goal in life to please Him and to be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how lofty it may sound?

---

工人專一的情志

我們立了志向，要得主的喜悅。 （林後五9）

[立了志向（英文有勞苦作工的意思）……]乃是盡心竭力，把最大的願望擺在首位。意即由年首至歲終，持守著最高的理想。這種理想，並不是熱心去得人靈魂，或者建立教會、舉辦奮興會，而是熱衷於[得主的喜悅]。我們的失敗，並非由於缺乏屬靈的經歷，而是沒有竭力持定那理想的標竿。每一個禮拜，至少要在神面前結算一次，看看你的生命是否夠得上他所要求得水平。

保羅好像一個音樂家，他不管聽眾讚賞不讚賞，只要獲得主人得青睞，就已心滿意足了。任何野心只要稍微偏差，不指向[得主喜悅]的目標，就會叫我們成為被棄絕的人。要學習分辨心志的方向，你就會明白為什麼要向著主耶穌而活。保羅說：[我怕我的身體會領我走入歧途，因此我不斷地提高警覺，攻克己身，叫身服我。 ]（林前九27）

我必須學習把一切所做的連接在這首要的心誌上，同時保守它不間斷。在公眾面前我在身心裡有多少價值，是視乎我私下里的為人。我最高的心志是要討神喜悅，還是為了次一等看來很高貴的目標？

祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著今早的經文，我感謝你－－[所以你當歸向你的神，謹守仁愛、公平，常常等候你的神。 ]願你榮耀的同在充滿這廣大的營地；阻止罪惡，激發敬虔。

The Piercing Question

Do you love Me? —John 21:17

Peter’s response to this piercing question is considerably different from the bold defiance he exhibited only a few days before when he declared, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matthew 26:35 ; also see Matthew 26:33-34). Our natural individuality, or our natural self, boldly speaks out and declares its feelings. But the true love within our inner spiritual self can be discovered only by experiencing the hurt of this question of Jesus Christ. Peter loved Jesus in the way any natural man loves a good person. Yet that is nothing but emotional love. It may reach deeply into our natural self, but it never penetrates to the spirit of a person. True love never simply declares itself. Jesus said, “Whoever confesses Me before men [that is, confesses his love by everything he does, not merely by his words], him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God” (Luke 12:8).

Unless we are experiencing the hurt of facing every deception about ourselves, we have hindered the work of the Word of God in our lives. The Word of God inflicts hurt on us more than sin ever could, because sin dulls our senses. But this question of the Lord intensifies our sensitivities to the point that this hurt produced by Jesus is the most exquisite pain conceivable. It hurts not only on the natural level, but also on the deeper spiritual level. “For the Word of God is living and powerful . . . , piercing even to the division of soul and spirit . . .”— to the point that no deception can remain (Hebrews 4:12). When the Lord asks us this question, it is impossible to think and respond properly, because when the Lord speaks directly to us, the pain is too intense. It causes such a tremendous hurt that any part of our life which may be out of line with His will can feel the pain. There is never any mistaking the pain of the Lord’s Word by His children, but the moment that pain is felt is the very moment at which God reveals His truth to us.

---

毫不放鬆的問話

你愛我麼？ （約二十一17）

彼得這時不再宣告什麼了（參太二十六33-35）。人天然的性情總喜歡揚聲宣告；但當耶穌基督的問話一針見血時，才顯露那人愛的品質。彼得對耶穌的愛，是人本性中愛一個好人的那種愛。那是屬於性情裡的愛，這也許會深入人的個性裡，但並不觸及人的內裡。真愛是從不宣告什麼。耶穌說：[凡在人面前認我的。 ]承認他的愛不單憑口裡所說的話，也憑所行的一切。

除非主的話刺破我們的假面具，否則神的話根本進不到我們裡面。神的話刺傷比罪的刺傷更厲害因為罪使感覺遲鈍。但主的話卻加強我們的感覺，以致他的刺傷，比任何我們所能意想到的刺傷更痛。這痛不單是一般性的，而是更深入的，對准人內心的。主的話刺透我們，將靈與魂分開，再無虛假可以存留。對主的問話，我們不能用感情來敷衍。主直接對你說話時，你不能只說好話，否則那痛就太厲害了。刺痛使任何事物都不再算一回事了。主的話在他兒女身上的刺痛，是不會有錯的；刺痛的地方，正是啟示的重要開端。

祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你在今早驅散一切雲霧，願晴朗、猛烈和滿有生氣的陽光普照大地。