I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ’Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ’Here am I! Send me’ —Isaiah 6:8
God did not direct His call to Isaiah— Isaiah overheard God saying, “. . . who will go for Us?” The call of God is not just for a select few but for everyone. Whether I hear God’s call or not depends on the condition of my ears, and exactly what I hear depends upon my spiritual attitude. “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). That is, few prove that they are the chosen ones. The chosen ones are those who have come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and have had their spiritual condition changed and their ears opened. Then they hear “the voice of the Lord” continually asking, “. . . who will go for Us?” However, God doesn’t single out someone and say, “Now, you go.” He did not force His will on Isaiah. Isaiah was in the presence of God, and he overheard the call. His response, performed in complete freedom, could only be to say, “Here am I! Send me.”
Remove the thought from your mind of expecting God to come to force you or to plead with you. When our Lord called His disciples, He did it without irresistible pressure from the outside. The quiet, yet passionate, insistence of His “Follow Me” was spoken to men whose every sense was receptive (Matthew 4:19). If we will allow the Holy Spirit to bring us face to face with God, we too will hear what Isaiah heard-”the voice of the Lord.” In perfect freedom we too will say, “Here am I! Send me.”
被神選召
我可以差遣誰呢？誰肯為我們去呢？我說，我在這裡，請差遣我。 （賽六8）
神並沒有直接呼召以賽亞，是以賽亞聽到神在說：[誰肯為我們去呢？ ]神的呼召不是單為特殊幾個人而發，而是對每一個人的。聽不聽見神的呼召，要視乎我耳朵的狀況；而到底聽見什麼，則視乎我的性情了。 [被召的人多，選上的人少。 ]意思是：很少人有被選上的條件。被選上的人，是藉著耶穌基督與神建立關係，以致性情改變了，耳朵開通了，就听見那微小的聲音不住地在問：[誰肯為我們去呢！ ？ ]神不是特別指著一個人說：[聽著，你去吧！ ]神並沒有強逼以賽亞；以賽亞只在神跟前，剛好聽見他的呼召，覺得沒有別的話可以回答，就甘心情願地說：[我在這裡，請差遣我。 ]
別以為神會催逼你，懇求你！ （把這意念出去吧。）當日主呼召門徒，也沒有從外面施予無法抗拒的壓力。他只是平靜而熱切地要求[跟從我]，是對那些理智清醒能以自主的人發出的。我們若讓聖靈帶我們與神面對面，也會聽見類似以賽亞所聽見的——神微小的聲音；也會自然而然地回答說：[我在這裡，請差遣我。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我的靈在你面前敬拜，因著你賜給我的浩大恩典，我的眼睛能夠看見、我的耳朵能故聽聞、我的心靈能故明白，在一切境況的背後，皆有你的腳踪。
January 14, 2012
January 13, 2012
Have You Ever Been Alone with God? (2)
When He was alone . . . the twelve asked Him about the parable —Mark 4:10
His Solitude with Us. When God gets us alone through suffering, heartbreak, temptation, disappointment, sickness, or by thwarted desires, a broken friendship, or a new friendship— when He gets us absolutely alone, and we are totally speechless, unable to ask even one question, then He begins to teach us. Notice Jesus Christ’s training of the Twelve. It was the disciples, not the crowd outside, who were confused. His disciples constantly asked Him questions, and He constantly explained things to them, but they didn’t understand until after they received the Holy Spirit (see John 14:26).
As you journey with God, the only thing He intends to be clear is the way He deals with your soul. The sorrows and difficulties in the lives of others will be absolutely confusing to you. We think we understand another person’s struggle until God reveals the same shortcomings in our lives. There are vast areas of stubbornness and ignorance the Holy Spirit has to reveal in each of us, but it can only be done when Jesus gets us alone. Are we alone with Him now? Or are we more concerned with our own ideas, friendships, and cares for our bodies? Jesus cannot teach us anything until we quiet all our intellectual questions and get alone with Him.
你曾獨自與神同在麼？
無人的時候,……十二格門徒問……（可四10）
他與我們獨處。神藉困苦、創傷、試誘、失望、疾病、愛情的挫折、友誼的破裂，或新友情的建立，把我們帶到一個孤單的境況；我們啞口無言，一句話也問不出來。這時，他才開始向我們解說。試看看耶穌怎樣訓練十二門徒。當時困惑不解的是門徒，不是外面的群眾。他們不住地發問，他也不住地講解：可是要等到他們接受了聖靈，才真正瞭解（約十四26）。
你若與神同行，你唯一可以明瞭的事，也是神唯一要你明瞭的事，就是他要對付你的內心。弟兄的愁苦和疑難，你是一概不明白的。我們以為很明白別人的情況，直到神向我們的毛病，給上一服藥。其實每人心中都有一大片頑梗愚昧的區域，有待聖靈向我們顯明。只有當耶穌抓住我們單獨見面，才能作成。我們現在是否與主獨處？還是浮游於無謂的思想裡？忙亂於無關重要的事奉上？或是為身體作無謂的打算？除非我們停止頭腦上雜七雜八的問題，單獨面對耶穌，否則他無法向我們講解真理。
祈禱◆主啊，今天特別是屬你的日子；讓我們唯獨紀念你。那些遍佈世界各地、能與你面對面的僕人和使女是有福的。寬恕我的遲緩，因為我需要那麼長的時間，才醒覺某些事情。
His Solitude with Us. When God gets us alone through suffering, heartbreak, temptation, disappointment, sickness, or by thwarted desires, a broken friendship, or a new friendship— when He gets us absolutely alone, and we are totally speechless, unable to ask even one question, then He begins to teach us. Notice Jesus Christ’s training of the Twelve. It was the disciples, not the crowd outside, who were confused. His disciples constantly asked Him questions, and He constantly explained things to them, but they didn’t understand until after they received the Holy Spirit (see John 14:26).
As you journey with God, the only thing He intends to be clear is the way He deals with your soul. The sorrows and difficulties in the lives of others will be absolutely confusing to you. We think we understand another person’s struggle until God reveals the same shortcomings in our lives. There are vast areas of stubbornness and ignorance the Holy Spirit has to reveal in each of us, but it can only be done when Jesus gets us alone. Are we alone with Him now? Or are we more concerned with our own ideas, friendships, and cares for our bodies? Jesus cannot teach us anything until we quiet all our intellectual questions and get alone with Him.
你曾獨自與神同在麼？
無人的時候,……十二格門徒問……（可四10）
他與我們獨處。神藉困苦、創傷、試誘、失望、疾病、愛情的挫折、友誼的破裂，或新友情的建立，把我們帶到一個孤單的境況；我們啞口無言，一句話也問不出來。這時，他才開始向我們解說。試看看耶穌怎樣訓練十二門徒。當時困惑不解的是門徒，不是外面的群眾。他們不住地發問，他也不住地講解：可是要等到他們接受了聖靈，才真正瞭解（約十四26）。
你若與神同行，你唯一可以明瞭的事，也是神唯一要你明瞭的事，就是他要對付你的內心。弟兄的愁苦和疑難，你是一概不明白的。我們以為很明白別人的情況，直到神向我們的毛病，給上一服藥。其實每人心中都有一大片頑梗愚昧的區域，有待聖靈向我們顯明。只有當耶穌抓住我們單獨見面，才能作成。我們現在是否與主獨處？還是浮游於無謂的思想裡？忙亂於無關重要的事奉上？或是為身體作無謂的打算？除非我們停止頭腦上雜七雜八的問題，單獨面對耶穌，否則他無法向我們講解真理。
祈禱◆主啊，今天特別是屬你的日子；讓我們唯獨紀念你。那些遍佈世界各地、能與你面對面的僕人和使女是有福的。寬恕我的遲緩，因為我需要那麼長的時間，才醒覺某些事情。
January 12, 2012
Have You Ever Been Alone with God? (1)
When they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples —Mark 4:34
Our Solitude with Him. Jesus doesn’t take us aside and explain things to us all the time; He explains things to us as we are able to understand them. The lives of others are examples for us, but God requires us to examine our own souls. It is slow work— so slow that it takes God all of time and eternity to make a man or woman conform to His purpose. We can only be used by God after we allow Him to show us the deep, hidden areas of our own character. It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We don’t even recognize the envy, laziness, or pride within us when we see it. But Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look inwardly with courage?
We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God. The greatest curse in our spiritual life is pride. If we have ever had a glimpse of what we are like in the sight of God, we will never say, “Oh, I’m so unworthy.” We will understand that this goes without saying. But as long as there is any doubt that we are unworthy, God will continue to close us in until He gets us alone. Whenever there is any element of pride or conceit remaining, Jesus can’t teach us anything. He will allow us to experience heartbreak or the disappointment we feel when our intellectual pride is wounded. He will reveal numerous misplaced affections or desires— things over which we never thought He would have to get us alone. Many things are shown to us, often without effect. But when God gets us alone over them, they will be clear.
你曾獨自與神同在麼？
沒有人的時候，就把一切的道講給門徒聽。 （可四34）
我們與神獨處。耶穌不會時常把我們拉在一旁，獨自把事情向我們講解；他乃按著我們所能了解的，講給我們聽。別人的生命都不過是比喻，神所要的乃是我們對自己的反省。這是一項緩慢的工作，神要用無盡的時間才把一個人塑造成合他心意的。我們若要被神使用，就要讓他帶我們認識自己的不足與醜陋。我們對自己認識之少，簡直令人驚奇。嫉妒、怠惰、驕傲，我們早已視若無睹。耶穌就是要把我們未蒙他恩典改造之前，所有蘊藏在肉體裡的東西顯明出來。有多少人肯鼓起勇氣往內裡一看？
要除掉自以為認識自己的驕傲，這是最難的。唯一明白我們的只有神。在屬靈生命中，最大的咒詛就是自負。我們若有機會瞥見自己在神的眼中本來面目，就永不會說：[啊，我是多麼不配。 ]因為我們實實在在不配，所以用不著說出來。一日我們還未完全認識自己真的不配，神就會追著我們，直至與我們碰頭。因為只要有一些自負或驕傲存在，耶穌就無法向我們解明真理。他要領我們經過理智驕傲的創痛，或心靈的沮喪；他會披露不合宜的感情——這些東西是我們從未想過神要用來對付我們的。在教室裡，我們聽了許多話，但未明白。惟有當神單獨與我們相處，我們才真正明白。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，[群眾]在今天將會來而又去。幫助我像我的主，留守在孤寂的地方祈禱。
Our Solitude with Him. Jesus doesn’t take us aside and explain things to us all the time; He explains things to us as we are able to understand them. The lives of others are examples for us, but God requires us to examine our own souls. It is slow work— so slow that it takes God all of time and eternity to make a man or woman conform to His purpose. We can only be used by God after we allow Him to show us the deep, hidden areas of our own character. It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We don’t even recognize the envy, laziness, or pride within us when we see it. But Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look inwardly with courage?
We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God. The greatest curse in our spiritual life is pride. If we have ever had a glimpse of what we are like in the sight of God, we will never say, “Oh, I’m so unworthy.” We will understand that this goes without saying. But as long as there is any doubt that we are unworthy, God will continue to close us in until He gets us alone. Whenever there is any element of pride or conceit remaining, Jesus can’t teach us anything. He will allow us to experience heartbreak or the disappointment we feel when our intellectual pride is wounded. He will reveal numerous misplaced affections or desires— things over which we never thought He would have to get us alone. Many things are shown to us, often without effect. But when God gets us alone over them, they will be clear.
你曾獨自與神同在麼？
沒有人的時候，就把一切的道講給門徒聽。 （可四34）
我們與神獨處。耶穌不會時常把我們拉在一旁，獨自把事情向我們講解；他乃按著我們所能了解的，講給我們聽。別人的生命都不過是比喻，神所要的乃是我們對自己的反省。這是一項緩慢的工作，神要用無盡的時間才把一個人塑造成合他心意的。我們若要被神使用，就要讓他帶我們認識自己的不足與醜陋。我們對自己認識之少，簡直令人驚奇。嫉妒、怠惰、驕傲，我們早已視若無睹。耶穌就是要把我們未蒙他恩典改造之前，所有蘊藏在肉體裡的東西顯明出來。有多少人肯鼓起勇氣往內裡一看？
要除掉自以為認識自己的驕傲，這是最難的。唯一明白我們的只有神。在屬靈生命中，最大的咒詛就是自負。我們若有機會瞥見自己在神的眼中本來面目，就永不會說：[啊，我是多麼不配。 ]因為我們實實在在不配，所以用不著說出來。一日我們還未完全認識自己真的不配，神就會追著我們，直至與我們碰頭。因為只要有一些自負或驕傲存在，耶穌就無法向我們解明真理。他要領我們經過理智驕傲的創痛，或心靈的沮喪；他會披露不合宜的感情——這些東西是我們從未想過神要用來對付我們的。在教室裡，我們聽了許多話，但未明白。惟有當神單獨與我們相處，我們才真正明白。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，[群眾]在今天將會來而又去。幫助我像我的主，留守在孤寂的地方祈禱。
January 11, 2012
What My Obedience to God Costs Other People
As they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon . . . , and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus —Luke 23:26
If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the pain begins. If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything— it is a delight. But to those who do not love Him, our obedience does cost a great deal. If we obey God, it will mean that other people’s plans are upset. They will ridicule us as if to say, “You call this Christianity?” We could prevent the suffering, but not if we are obedient to God. We must let the cost be paid.
When our obedience begins to cost others, our human pride entrenches itself and we say, “I will never accept anything from anyone.” But we must, or disobey God. We have no right to think that the type of relationships we have with others should be any different from those the Lord Himself had (see Luke 8:1-3).
A lack of progress in our spiritual life results when we try to bear all the costs ourselves. And actually, we cannot. Because we are so involved in the universal purposes of God, others are immediately affected by our obedience to Him. Will we remain faithful in our obedience to God and be willing to suffer the humiliation of refusing to be independent? Or will we do just the opposite and say, “I will not cause other people to suffer”? We can disobey God if we choose, and it will bring immediate relief to the situation, but it will grieve our Lord. If, however, we obey God, He will care for those who have suffered the consequences of our obedience. We must simply obey and leave all the consequences with Him.
Beware of the inclination to dictate to God what consequences you would allow as a condition of your obedience to Him.
我對神的順服將損害別人的利益
他們就抓住他（古利奈人西門），把十字架擱在他身上。
我們若順服神，別人所損失的，會比我們所損失的還多，這就是那為難的地方了。我們若愛主，順服他並覺得付上什麼代價，這原是可喜的；但那些不愛他的人，所受的損失就更大了。我們要是順服神，自然就會打岔其他人的計畫，他們就會冷嘲地說：[這就叫做基督教？ ]我們固然可以不使別人受損，但若要順服神，就萬不可如此；要付出的代價就讓它付出去吧！再次，人性的自尊就出來辯護了，我們說：[我決不從任何人接受任何東西！ ]我們不接受，就是悖逆神了。主在世上與人的關係如何，我們也得如何，我們決無權指望另謀出路（參閱路八2-3）
我們若說，要自己承擔全部責任，那麼，靈命就會沉滯停頓，趑趄不前了。我們根本不可能如此。在神整個宇宙計畫中，人就是這樣座落其中，以致我們一順服神，其他人必然受影響。我們願否順服神而放棄獨立自主，甘心走上自卑的路？還是走另一條路，說：[我絕不叫別人無辜受苦]？我們可以選擇不順服神，使形勢緩和，可是我們卻叫主憂傷。另一方面，如果我們順服神，他必會照顧那些因我們順服而被逼受苦的人。我們只要一味順服，一切後果就交給神吧。
但要當心這個意念：你順服神，卻指定神照你的意思行事。這要當心！
祈禱◆在一切事情上，噢，主啊，我都承認你。保守我們與你保持和諧，以致別人可以捕捉到屬神的喜樂和愉快。
If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the pain begins. If we are in love with our Lord, obedience does not cost us anything— it is a delight. But to those who do not love Him, our obedience does cost a great deal. If we obey God, it will mean that other people’s plans are upset. They will ridicule us as if to say, “You call this Christianity?” We could prevent the suffering, but not if we are obedient to God. We must let the cost be paid.
When our obedience begins to cost others, our human pride entrenches itself and we say, “I will never accept anything from anyone.” But we must, or disobey God. We have no right to think that the type of relationships we have with others should be any different from those the Lord Himself had (see Luke 8:1-3).
A lack of progress in our spiritual life results when we try to bear all the costs ourselves. And actually, we cannot. Because we are so involved in the universal purposes of God, others are immediately affected by our obedience to Him. Will we remain faithful in our obedience to God and be willing to suffer the humiliation of refusing to be independent? Or will we do just the opposite and say, “I will not cause other people to suffer”? We can disobey God if we choose, and it will bring immediate relief to the situation, but it will grieve our Lord. If, however, we obey God, He will care for those who have suffered the consequences of our obedience. We must simply obey and leave all the consequences with Him.
Beware of the inclination to dictate to God what consequences you would allow as a condition of your obedience to Him.
我對神的順服將損害別人的利益
他們就抓住他（古利奈人西門），把十字架擱在他身上。
我們若順服神，別人所損失的，會比我們所損失的還多，這就是那為難的地方了。我們若愛主，順服他並覺得付上什麼代價，這原是可喜的；但那些不愛他的人，所受的損失就更大了。我們要是順服神，自然就會打岔其他人的計畫，他們就會冷嘲地說：[這就叫做基督教？ ]我們固然可以不使別人受損，但若要順服神，就萬不可如此；要付出的代價就讓它付出去吧！再次，人性的自尊就出來辯護了，我們說：[我決不從任何人接受任何東西！ ]我們不接受，就是悖逆神了。主在世上與人的關係如何，我們也得如何，我們決無權指望另謀出路（參閱路八2-3）
我們若說，要自己承擔全部責任，那麼，靈命就會沉滯停頓，趑趄不前了。我們根本不可能如此。在神整個宇宙計畫中，人就是這樣座落其中，以致我們一順服神，其他人必然受影響。我們願否順服神而放棄獨立自主，甘心走上自卑的路？還是走另一條路，說：[我絕不叫別人無辜受苦]？我們可以選擇不順服神，使形勢緩和，可是我們卻叫主憂傷。另一方面，如果我們順服神，他必會照顧那些因我們順服而被逼受苦的人。我們只要一味順服，一切後果就交給神吧。
但要當心這個意念：你順服神，卻指定神照你的意思行事。這要當心！
祈禱◆在一切事情上，噢，主啊，我都承認你。保守我們與你保持和諧，以致別人可以捕捉到屬神的喜樂和愉快。
January 10, 2012
The Opened Sight
I now send you, to open their eyes . . . that they may receive forgiveness of sins . . . —Acts 26:17-18
This verse is the greatest example of the true essence of the message of a disciple of Jesus Christ in all of the New Testament.
God’s first sovereign work of grace is summed up in the words, “. . . that they may receive forgiveness of sins . . . .” When a person fails in his personal Christian life, it is usually because he has never received anything. The only sign that a person is saved is that he has received something from Jesus Christ. Our job as workers for God is to open people’s eyes so that they may turn themselves from darkness to light. But that is not salvation; it is conversion-only the effort of an awakened human being. I do not think it is too broad a statement to say that the majority of so-called Christians are like this. Their eyes are open, but they have received nothing. Conversion is not regeneration. This is a neglected fact in our preaching today. When a person is born again, he knows that it is because he has received something as a gift from Almighty God and not because of his own decision. People may make vows and promises, and may be determined to follow through, but none of this is salvation. Salvation means that we are brought to the place where we are able to receive something from God on the authority of Jesus Christ, namely, forgiveness of sins.
This is followed by God’s second mighty work of grace: “. . . an inheritance among those who are sanctified . . . .” In sanctification, the one who has been born again deliberately gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with God’s ministry to others.
眼開了 要叫他們的眼睛得開……得蒙赦罪……同得基業。 （徒二十六18）
神施恩最完全的首要工作，已包括在這一句裡：[得蒙赦罪。 ]人若經歷不到信耶穌的個人體驗，幾乎都是因為他從未蒙受什麼恩典。一個人得救的唯一標誌，是他從耶穌基督那裡有所領受。作為神的工人，我們的本分就是要開人的眼睛，使他們棄暗投明。可是那並不是得著拯救，那隻是一種轉變——一個被喚醒的人的改變。我說大多數掛名信徒都屬這一類，並不算太過分。
他們眼是開了，卻沒有接受恩典。轉變並不等於重生。今日我們所傳的資訊中，就忽略了這個因素。一個人重生，是因為從全能的神那裡所領受的一份禮物，而非他自己的抉擇。人就是立上許多誓言，而且簽署許願，勇往直前，義不回顧，這一切都不代表[得救]。得拯救是我們被帶到一個地步，憑耶穌基督得特權，從神有所領受——就是[得蒙赦罪]。
接踵而來的，就是恩典的第二步工作——[和一切成聖得人同得基業]。人得了重生，便藉著成聖的功夫，甘心情願地把自己的主權交給主耶穌，並且把自己全然投在神賜福別人的心意上。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，求你賜我更親切和更美善的品性；賜給我屬靈的恩賜，和對別人全然忍耐的生命。你的美善將這一切彰顯了，噢，主啊，只要我被你充滿，我的祈求便成為真實。
This verse is the greatest example of the true essence of the message of a disciple of Jesus Christ in all of the New Testament.
God’s first sovereign work of grace is summed up in the words, “. . . that they may receive forgiveness of sins . . . .” When a person fails in his personal Christian life, it is usually because he has never received anything. The only sign that a person is saved is that he has received something from Jesus Christ. Our job as workers for God is to open people’s eyes so that they may turn themselves from darkness to light. But that is not salvation; it is conversion-only the effort of an awakened human being. I do not think it is too broad a statement to say that the majority of so-called Christians are like this. Their eyes are open, but they have received nothing. Conversion is not regeneration. This is a neglected fact in our preaching today. When a person is born again, he knows that it is because he has received something as a gift from Almighty God and not because of his own decision. People may make vows and promises, and may be determined to follow through, but none of this is salvation. Salvation means that we are brought to the place where we are able to receive something from God on the authority of Jesus Christ, namely, forgiveness of sins.
This is followed by God’s second mighty work of grace: “. . . an inheritance among those who are sanctified . . . .” In sanctification, the one who has been born again deliberately gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with God’s ministry to others.
眼開了 要叫他們的眼睛得開……得蒙赦罪……同得基業。 （徒二十六18）
神施恩最完全的首要工作，已包括在這一句裡：[得蒙赦罪。 ]人若經歷不到信耶穌的個人體驗，幾乎都是因為他從未蒙受什麼恩典。一個人得救的唯一標誌，是他從耶穌基督那裡有所領受。作為神的工人，我們的本分就是要開人的眼睛，使他們棄暗投明。可是那並不是得著拯救，那隻是一種轉變——一個被喚醒的人的改變。我說大多數掛名信徒都屬這一類，並不算太過分。
他們眼是開了，卻沒有接受恩典。轉變並不等於重生。今日我們所傳的資訊中，就忽略了這個因素。一個人重生，是因為從全能的神那裡所領受的一份禮物，而非他自己的抉擇。人就是立上許多誓言，而且簽署許願，勇往直前，義不回顧，這一切都不代表[得救]。得拯救是我們被帶到一個地步，憑耶穌基督得特權，從神有所領受——就是[得蒙赦罪]。
接踵而來的，就是恩典的第二步工作——[和一切成聖得人同得基業]。人得了重生，便藉著成聖的功夫，甘心情願地把自己的主權交給主耶穌，並且把自己全然投在神賜福別人的心意上。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，求你賜我更親切和更美善的品性；賜給我屬靈的恩賜，和對別人全然忍耐的生命。你的美善將這一切彰顯了，噢，主啊，只要我被你充滿，我的祈求便成為真實。
January 09, 2012
Prayerful Inner-Searching
May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless . . . —1 Thessalonians 5:23
“Your whole spirit . . . .” The great, mysterious work of the Holy Spirit is in the deep recesses of our being which we cannot reach. Read Psalm 139 . The psalmist implies— “O Lord, You are the God of the early mornings, the God of the late nights, the God of the mountain peaks, and the God of the sea. But, my God, my soul has horizons further away than those of early mornings, deeper darkness than the nights of earth, higher peaks than any mountain peaks, greater depths than any sea in nature. You who are the God of all these, be my God. I cannot reach to the heights or to the depths; there are motives I cannot discover, dreams I cannot realize. My God, search me.”
Do we believe that God can fortify and protect our thought processes far beyond where we can go? “. . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). If this verse means cleansing only on our conscious level, may God have mercy on us. The man who has been dulled by sin will say that he is not even conscious of it. But the cleansing from sin we experience will reach to the heights and depths of our spirit if we will “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7). The same Spirit that fed the life of Jesus Christ will feed the life of our spirit. It is only when we are protected by God with the miraculous sacredness of the Holy Spirit that our spirit, soul, and body can be preserved in pure uprightness until the coming of Jesus-no longer condemned in God’s sight. We should more frequently allow our minds to meditate on these great, massive truths of God.
求神省察
願你們的靈，與魂，與身子，得蒙保守，在我主耶穌基督降臨的時候，完全無可指摘。 （帖前五23）
[你們的靈（整個靈）……] 聖靈最奧妙的工作是隱藏在我們裡面，這個隱密處，連我們自己也無法探究。試讀詩篇一三九篇。詩人說：你是清早的神，你是深夜的神，你是山峰的神，你是海洋的神。可是，我的神啊，我的靈魂裡有比清晨更廣遠的天際，比黑夜（世間的）更深沉的黝黑，高過任何崇山峻嶺，深過任何大海深淵；但你是這一切的神，求你做我的神。我攀不上那頭顛峰；也達不到那深淵；有許多動機，我追溯不了；有許多夢想，我無法實現。我的神啊，找我出來吧。
你信否神的保守遠非我們所能想像？ [基督耶穌的血洗淨我們一切的罪]這句話若只是感知上的經驗，願神憐憫我們。那在罪中麻木的人，他可以說並不感覺到罪。其實罪得潔淨，是靠我們裡面得靈。當我們活在光明中，如同神在光明中，那充滿耶穌基督生命的聖靈，也必把生命的靈灌注在我們裡面。
惟有當神以聖靈的大能，防衛著我們，我們的靈與魂與身子，才得蒙保守，毫無瑕疵，而且在神眼中無可指摘，直到主來。我們往往未懂得把心思放在神這些重要得真理上。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天親臨在我們當中，又牽引我們進入你裡面；請先由我開始。潔淨我，噢，主啊，除去我的一切瑕疵；縱使我對它們仍渾然不知，你卻早已一目了然。
“Your whole spirit . . . .” The great, mysterious work of the Holy Spirit is in the deep recesses of our being which we cannot reach. Read Psalm 139 . The psalmist implies— “O Lord, You are the God of the early mornings, the God of the late nights, the God of the mountain peaks, and the God of the sea. But, my God, my soul has horizons further away than those of early mornings, deeper darkness than the nights of earth, higher peaks than any mountain peaks, greater depths than any sea in nature. You who are the God of all these, be my God. I cannot reach to the heights or to the depths; there are motives I cannot discover, dreams I cannot realize. My God, search me.”
Do we believe that God can fortify and protect our thought processes far beyond where we can go? “. . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). If this verse means cleansing only on our conscious level, may God have mercy on us. The man who has been dulled by sin will say that he is not even conscious of it. But the cleansing from sin we experience will reach to the heights and depths of our spirit if we will “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7). The same Spirit that fed the life of Jesus Christ will feed the life of our spirit. It is only when we are protected by God with the miraculous sacredness of the Holy Spirit that our spirit, soul, and body can be preserved in pure uprightness until the coming of Jesus-no longer condemned in God’s sight. We should more frequently allow our minds to meditate on these great, massive truths of God.
求神省察
願你們的靈，與魂，與身子，得蒙保守，在我主耶穌基督降臨的時候，完全無可指摘。 （帖前五23）
[你們的靈（整個靈）……] 聖靈最奧妙的工作是隱藏在我們裡面，這個隱密處，連我們自己也無法探究。試讀詩篇一三九篇。詩人說：你是清早的神，你是深夜的神，你是山峰的神，你是海洋的神。可是，我的神啊，我的靈魂裡有比清晨更廣遠的天際，比黑夜（世間的）更深沉的黝黑，高過任何崇山峻嶺，深過任何大海深淵；但你是這一切的神，求你做我的神。我攀不上那頭顛峰；也達不到那深淵；有許多動機，我追溯不了；有許多夢想，我無法實現。我的神啊，找我出來吧。
你信否神的保守遠非我們所能想像？ [基督耶穌的血洗淨我們一切的罪]這句話若只是感知上的經驗，願神憐憫我們。那在罪中麻木的人，他可以說並不感覺到罪。其實罪得潔淨，是靠我們裡面得靈。當我們活在光明中，如同神在光明中，那充滿耶穌基督生命的聖靈，也必把生命的靈灌注在我們裡面。
惟有當神以聖靈的大能，防衛著我們，我們的靈與魂與身子，才得蒙保守，毫無瑕疵，而且在神眼中無可指摘，直到主來。我們往往未懂得把心思放在神這些重要得真理上。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天親臨在我們當中，又牽引我們進入你裡面；請先由我開始。潔淨我，噢，主啊，除去我的一切瑕疵；縱使我對它們仍渾然不知，你卻早已一目了然。
January 08, 2012
Is My Sacrifice Living?
Abraham built an altar . . . ; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar . . . —Genesis 22:9
This event is a picture of the mistake we make in thinking that the ultimate God wants of us is the sacrifice of death. What God wants is the sacrifice through death which enables us to do what Jesus did, that is, sacrifice our lives. Not— “Lord, I am ready to go with You . . . to death” (Luke 22:33). But— “I am willing to be identified with Your death so that I may sacrifice my life to God.”
We seem to think that God wants us to give up things! God purified Abraham from this error, and the same process is at work in our lives. God never tells us to give up things just for the sake of giving them up, but He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having, namely, life with Himself. It is a matter of loosening the bands that hold back our lives. Those bands are loosened immediately by identification with the death of Jesus. Then we enter into a relationship with God whereby we may sacrifice our lives to Him.
It is of no value to God to give Him your life for death. He wants you to be a “living sacrifice”— to let Him have all your strengths that have been saved and sanctified through Jesus (Romans 12:1). This is what is acceptable to God.
我的祭是活的嗎？
亞伯拉罕在那裡築壇……捆綁他的兒子以撒。 （創二十二9）
這件事正反映出我們所犯的錯誤，以為神對我們最終的要求是死的祭。神所要的祭，是經過死，使我們能行像耶穌所行的：把生命獻上。不是[我願意與你同死]，而是[我願意把自己投入你的死裡，使我可以把生命獻給神]。我們似乎認為神總是要求我們丟棄萬事的！神糾正了亞伯拉罕這個錯誤。這門功課我們一生都得學習，因為死發生在我們身上。神從來沒有叫我們為犧牲而犧牲。他叫我們有所捨棄，是為了叫我們得著所得著的，就是與他共用的生命。所以，問題是要解開捆鎖生命的繩索。一旦藉著與基督同死而解開那綁繩，我們就得以與神相交，把生命獻上，作為犧牲。
你若為了要死而把生命獻給神，對神是毫無價值的。他要你做[活祭]獻上因信耶穌得救成聖而得的一切才智力量，這才是神所悅納的。
祈禱◆主啊，為著今天那蒙你接納的事奉良機，我讚美你。為著你所啟示的真理，讓我每天隨時得蒙你的吩咐，我稱頌你。
This event is a picture of the mistake we make in thinking that the ultimate God wants of us is the sacrifice of death. What God wants is the sacrifice through death which enables us to do what Jesus did, that is, sacrifice our lives. Not— “Lord, I am ready to go with You . . . to death” (Luke 22:33). But— “I am willing to be identified with Your death so that I may sacrifice my life to God.”
We seem to think that God wants us to give up things! God purified Abraham from this error, and the same process is at work in our lives. God never tells us to give up things just for the sake of giving them up, but He tells us to give them up for the sake of the only thing worth having, namely, life with Himself. It is a matter of loosening the bands that hold back our lives. Those bands are loosened immediately by identification with the death of Jesus. Then we enter into a relationship with God whereby we may sacrifice our lives to Him.
It is of no value to God to give Him your life for death. He wants you to be a “living sacrifice”— to let Him have all your strengths that have been saved and sanctified through Jesus (Romans 12:1). This is what is acceptable to God.
我的祭是活的嗎？
亞伯拉罕在那裡築壇……捆綁他的兒子以撒。 （創二十二9）
這件事正反映出我們所犯的錯誤，以為神對我們最終的要求是死的祭。神所要的祭，是經過死，使我們能行像耶穌所行的：把生命獻上。不是[我願意與你同死]，而是[我願意把自己投入你的死裡，使我可以把生命獻給神]。我們似乎認為神總是要求我們丟棄萬事的！神糾正了亞伯拉罕這個錯誤。這門功課我們一生都得學習，因為死發生在我們身上。神從來沒有叫我們為犧牲而犧牲。他叫我們有所捨棄，是為了叫我們得著所得著的，就是與他共用的生命。所以，問題是要解開捆鎖生命的繩索。一旦藉著與基督同死而解開那綁繩，我們就得以與神相交，把生命獻上，作為犧牲。
你若為了要死而把生命獻給神，對神是毫無價值的。他要你做[活祭]獻上因信耶穌得救成聖而得的一切才智力量，這才是神所悅納的。
祈禱◆主啊，為著今天那蒙你接納的事奉良機，我讚美你。為著你所啟示的真理，讓我每天隨時得蒙你的吩咐，我稱頌你。
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