My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him —Hebrews 12:5
It is very easy to grieve the Spirit of God; we do it by despising the discipline of the Lord, or by becoming discouraged when He rebukes us. If our experience of being set apart from sin and being made holy through the process of sanctification is still very shallow, we tend to mistake the reality of God for something else. And when the Spirit of God gives us a sense of warning or restraint, we are apt to say mistakenly, “Oh, that must be from the devil.”
“Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19), and do not despise Him when He says to you, in effect, “Don’t be blind on this point anymore— you are not as far along spiritually as you thought you were. Until now I have not been able to reveal this to you, but I’m revealing it to you right now.” When the Lord disciplines you like that, let Him have His way with you. Allow Him to put you into a right-standing relationship before God.
“. . . nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him.” We begin to pout, become irritated with God, and then say, “Oh well, I can’t help it. I prayed and things didn’t turn out right anyway. So I’m simply going to give up on everything.” Just think what would happen if we acted like this in any other area of our lives!
Am I fully prepared to allow God to grip me by His power and do a work in me that is truly worthy of Himself? Sanctification is not my idea of what I want God to do for me— sanctification is God’s idea of what He wants to do for me. But He has to get me into the state of mind and spirit where I will allow Him to sanctify me completely, whatever the cost (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
管教
你不可輕看主的管教，北他責備的時候，也不可灰心。 （來十二5）
消滅聖靈的感動是很容易的，只要我們輕看主的管教，在他責備的時候灰心，那便成了。我們對聖靈的認識若是膚淺，就會把影子當作實體，聖靈一攔阻，我們就會說：[嗯，那一定是魔鬼。 ]
聖靈說：[不要再在這事上盲目了；你不知道自己所處的光景。我一直未能向你顯示，但現在我要向你啟示。 ]這時候，你不可消滅聖靈的感動，也不可輕看他。當主這樣管教你，就讓他去做吧，讓他恢復你與神的正常關係。 [被他責備的時候，也不可灰心。 ]我們往往生神的氣說：[唉，我也沒有辦法；我曾禱告，但事情並不如理想，我要全部放棄了。 ]試想若在生活其他事情上也這樣說，會帶來怎樣的後果！
我是否願意讓神用大能抓緊我，以致他在我身上作他的工作？成聖不是要神為我作什麼，乃是神要在我身上作什麼。他必要使我心誌上有正確的態度，以致不惜任何代價，我也願意全然成聖。
祈禱◆願你使我對你的感覺、辨認和專注更加敏銳，以致我最關注的，是與你的關係。
August 14, 2012
August 13, 2012
“Do Not Quench the Spirit”
Do not quench the Spirit —1 Thessalonians 5:19
The voice of the Spirit of God is as gentle as a summer breeze— so gentle that unless you are living in complete fellowship and oneness with God, you will never hear it. The sense of warning and restraint that the Spirit gives comes to us in the most amazingly gentle ways. And if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice, you will quench it, and your spiritual life will be impaired. This sense of restraint will always come as a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12), so faint that no one except a saint of God will notice it.
Beware if in sharing your personal testimony you continually have to look back, saying, “Once, a number of years ago, I was saved.” If you have put your “hand to the plow” and are walking in the light, there is no “looking back”— the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God (Luke 9:62 ; also see 1 John 1:6-7). If you get out of the light, you become a sentimental Christian, and live only on your memories, and your testimony will have a hard metallic ring to it. Beware of trying to cover up your present refusal to “walk in the light” by recalling your past experiences when you did “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). When-ever the Spirit gives you that sense of restraint, call a halt and make things right, or else you will go on quenching and grieving Him without even knowing it.
Suppose God brings you to a crisis and you almost endure it, but not completely. He will engineer the crisis again, but this time some of the intensity will be lost. You will have less discernment and more humiliation at having disobeyed. If you continue to grieve His Spirit, there will come a time when that crisis cannot be repeated, because you have totally quenched Him. But if you will go on through the crisis, your life will become a hymn of praise to God. Never become attached to anything that continues to hurt God. For you to be free of it, God must be allowed to hurt whatever it may be.
不要消滅聖靈的感動
不要消滅聖靈的感動。 （帖前五19）
聖靈的聲音柔如微風，除非與神完全契合，否則不能聽見。聖靈的攔阻來得及其柔細，你若不夠敏感，就不能察覺他的聲音。消滅了他的感動，你屬靈的生命就受虧損。他攔阻的聲音總是 微細的，只有聖徒才聽得見。
當心在你個人的見證裡，要追述過去說：[許多年前，我得救了。 ]你若行在光中，就不必追憶，過去一切已經融合在今日與神的合一里了。你若不在光中行，就會變成一個感情用事的信徒；你若活在回憶之中，見證也變得生硬。當心別拿過去行在光中的經歷，來縫補你現今不肯在光中行的破洞。聖靈一攔阻，就要停下來迴轉，否則，你就使他憂傷而不自知。
假設神叫你面臨一個重要關頭，你就差一點點未能勝過。然後神會叫你再面對同樣的情形，不過沒有上次那麼明顯。漸漸地，你對神的辨認減弱了，因自己未曾順服而帶來的羞辱卻加強。
若你仍繼續叫聖靈擔憂，終有一天機會不再有，因為你把聖靈憂傷得退去了。但你若在這重要 關頭中誇勝，無邊得讚美就要對神升起。對那些不斷刺痛神得東西，你絕不應表同情。會刺傷 神得那些東西，你必須撇棄。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我舉目仰望你，將我的盼望、我的禱告呈獻給你。求你從高處藉著聖靈的內住，使我重新得力，以致神的亮光再今天可以在我們周圍和里面燃點起來。願你按著本身的喜悅，以甜蜜和榮耀來充滿這天。
The voice of the Spirit of God is as gentle as a summer breeze— so gentle that unless you are living in complete fellowship and oneness with God, you will never hear it. The sense of warning and restraint that the Spirit gives comes to us in the most amazingly gentle ways. And if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice, you will quench it, and your spiritual life will be impaired. This sense of restraint will always come as a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12), so faint that no one except a saint of God will notice it.
Beware if in sharing your personal testimony you continually have to look back, saying, “Once, a number of years ago, I was saved.” If you have put your “hand to the plow” and are walking in the light, there is no “looking back”— the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God (Luke 9:62 ; also see 1 John 1:6-7). If you get out of the light, you become a sentimental Christian, and live only on your memories, and your testimony will have a hard metallic ring to it. Beware of trying to cover up your present refusal to “walk in the light” by recalling your past experiences when you did “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). When-ever the Spirit gives you that sense of restraint, call a halt and make things right, or else you will go on quenching and grieving Him without even knowing it.
Suppose God brings you to a crisis and you almost endure it, but not completely. He will engineer the crisis again, but this time some of the intensity will be lost. You will have less discernment and more humiliation at having disobeyed. If you continue to grieve His Spirit, there will come a time when that crisis cannot be repeated, because you have totally quenched Him. But if you will go on through the crisis, your life will become a hymn of praise to God. Never become attached to anything that continues to hurt God. For you to be free of it, God must be allowed to hurt whatever it may be.
不要消滅聖靈的感動
不要消滅聖靈的感動。 （帖前五19）
聖靈的聲音柔如微風，除非與神完全契合，否則不能聽見。聖靈的攔阻來得及其柔細，你若不夠敏感，就不能察覺他的聲音。消滅了他的感動，你屬靈的生命就受虧損。他攔阻的聲音總是 微細的，只有聖徒才聽得見。
當心在你個人的見證裡，要追述過去說：[許多年前，我得救了。 ]你若行在光中，就不必追憶，過去一切已經融合在今日與神的合一里了。你若不在光中行，就會變成一個感情用事的信徒；你若活在回憶之中，見證也變得生硬。當心別拿過去行在光中的經歷，來縫補你現今不肯在光中行的破洞。聖靈一攔阻，就要停下來迴轉，否則，你就使他憂傷而不自知。
假設神叫你面臨一個重要關頭，你就差一點點未能勝過。然後神會叫你再面對同樣的情形，不過沒有上次那麼明顯。漸漸地，你對神的辨認減弱了，因自己未曾順服而帶來的羞辱卻加強。
若你仍繼續叫聖靈擔憂，終有一天機會不再有，因為你把聖靈憂傷得退去了。但你若在這重要 關頭中誇勝，無邊得讚美就要對神升起。對那些不斷刺痛神得東西，你絕不應表同情。會刺傷 神得那些東西，你必須撇棄。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我舉目仰望你，將我的盼望、我的禱告呈獻給你。求你從高處藉著聖靈的內住，使我重新得力，以致神的亮光再今天可以在我們周圍和里面燃點起來。願你按著本身的喜悅，以甜蜜和榮耀來充滿這天。
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。
August 11, 2012
This Experience Must Come
Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha . . . saw him no more —2 Kings 2:11-12
It is not wrong for you to depend on your “Elijah” for as long as God gives him to you. But remember that the time will come when he must leave and will no longer be your guide and your leader, because God does not intend for him to stay. Even the thought of that causes you to say, “I cannot continue without my ’Elijah.’ ” Yet God says you must continue.
Alone at Your “Jordan” (2 Kings 2:14). The Jordan River represents the type of separation where you have no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one else can take your responsibility from you. You now have to put to the test what you learned when you were with your “Elijah.” You have been to the Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are facing it alone. There is no use in saying that you cannot go— the experience is here, and you must go. If you truly want to know whether or not God is the God your faith believes Him to be, then go through your “Jordan” alone.
Alone at Your “Jericho” (2 Kings 2:15). Jericho represents the place where you have seen your “Elijah” do great things. Yet when you come alone to your “Jericho,” you have a strong reluctance to take the initiative and trust in God, wanting, instead, for someone else to take it for you. But if you remain true to what you learned while with your “Elijah,” you will receive a sign, as Elisha did, that God is with you.
Alone at Your “Bethel” (2 Kings 2:23). At your “Bethel” you will find yourself at your wits’ end but at the beginning of God’s wisdom. When you come to your wits’ end and feel inclined to panic— don’t! Stand true to God and He will bring out His truth in a way that will make your life an expression of worship. Put into practice what you learned while with your “Elijah”— use his mantle and pray (see 2 Kings 2:13-14). Make a determination to trust in God, and do not even look for Elijah anymore.
必會臨到的經歷
以後不再見他了。 （王下二12）
倚賴以利亞是沒有錯的，只要是神把他給你；可是別忘記，總有一天他會離開。他不再做你的領導，因為神認為他不應該再做你的領導。你會說：[沒有以利亞，我無法前行。 ]但神說你一定要前行。
獨自在你的約但（14節）。約但是分離的表徵，表示再沒有人與你相交，沒有人分擔你的責任。你必須把從以利亞學習所得的，拿出來考驗。你跟以利亞過約但河不知有多少次了，但如今你得獨自面對。空說不能過，是沒有用處的。這事已經臨到，你必定要前行。你若要知道神是否如你所信的一樣，就得單獨的過你的約但河。
獨自在你的耶利哥（15節）。你曾在耶利哥看見以利亞行大事，但當你來到自己的耶利哥，就退縮，不肯主動去信靠神，只想別人去替你擔當。可是，你若遵從以利亞所學的，就必得著神與你同在。
獨自在你的伯利恆（23節）。在伯利恆你來到自己才智的盡頭，這卻是神智慧的開端。千萬不可在智窮力竭時，仆倒恐慌之中，要緊靠著神，忠於他，他自有方法把真理顯明，使你的生命成聖。把你跟以利亞所學的行出來，用他的外衣和他的祈禱。立志信靠神，不要再尋找你的以利亞了。
祈禱◆主啊，我餓生命是如此傾斜，如此充滿漏洞，求你今天讓我全神貫注於你！願我回到你的家中，重新過著完全倚靠你的生活。
It is not wrong for you to depend on your “Elijah” for as long as God gives him to you. But remember that the time will come when he must leave and will no longer be your guide and your leader, because God does not intend for him to stay. Even the thought of that causes you to say, “I cannot continue without my ’Elijah.’ ” Yet God says you must continue.
Alone at Your “Jordan” (2 Kings 2:14). The Jordan River represents the type of separation where you have no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one else can take your responsibility from you. You now have to put to the test what you learned when you were with your “Elijah.” You have been to the Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are facing it alone. There is no use in saying that you cannot go— the experience is here, and you must go. If you truly want to know whether or not God is the God your faith believes Him to be, then go through your “Jordan” alone.
Alone at Your “Jericho” (2 Kings 2:15). Jericho represents the place where you have seen your “Elijah” do great things. Yet when you come alone to your “Jericho,” you have a strong reluctance to take the initiative and trust in God, wanting, instead, for someone else to take it for you. But if you remain true to what you learned while with your “Elijah,” you will receive a sign, as Elisha did, that God is with you.
Alone at Your “Bethel” (2 Kings 2:23). At your “Bethel” you will find yourself at your wits’ end but at the beginning of God’s wisdom. When you come to your wits’ end and feel inclined to panic— don’t! Stand true to God and He will bring out His truth in a way that will make your life an expression of worship. Put into practice what you learned while with your “Elijah”— use his mantle and pray (see 2 Kings 2:13-14). Make a determination to trust in God, and do not even look for Elijah anymore.
必會臨到的經歷
以後不再見他了。 （王下二12）
倚賴以利亞是沒有錯的，只要是神把他給你；可是別忘記，總有一天他會離開。他不再做你的領導，因為神認為他不應該再做你的領導。你會說：[沒有以利亞，我無法前行。 ]但神說你一定要前行。
獨自在你的約但（14節）。約但是分離的表徵，表示再沒有人與你相交，沒有人分擔你的責任。你必須把從以利亞學習所得的，拿出來考驗。你跟以利亞過約但河不知有多少次了，但如今你得獨自面對。空說不能過，是沒有用處的。這事已經臨到，你必定要前行。你若要知道神是否如你所信的一樣，就得單獨的過你的約但河。
獨自在你的耶利哥（15節）。你曾在耶利哥看見以利亞行大事，但當你來到自己的耶利哥，就退縮，不肯主動去信靠神，只想別人去替你擔當。可是，你若遵從以利亞所學的，就必得著神與你同在。
獨自在你的伯利恆（23節）。在伯利恆你來到自己才智的盡頭，這卻是神智慧的開端。千萬不可在智窮力竭時，仆倒恐慌之中，要緊靠著神，忠於他，他自有方法把真理顯明，使你的生命成聖。把你跟以利亞所學的行出來，用他的外衣和他的祈禱。立志信靠神，不要再尋找你的以利亞了。
祈禱◆主啊，我餓生命是如此傾斜，如此充滿漏洞，求你今天讓我全神貫注於你！願我回到你的家中，重新過著完全倚靠你的生活。
August 10, 2012
The Holy Suffering of the Saint
Let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good . . . —1 Peter 4:19
Choosing to suffer means that there must be something wrong with you, but choosing God’s will— even if it means you will suffer— is something very different. No normal, healthy saint ever chooses suffering; he simply chooses God’s will, just as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not. And no saint should ever dare to interfere with the lesson of suffering being taught in another saint’s life.
The saint who satisfies the heart of Jesus will make other saints strong and mature for God. But the people used to strengthen us are never those who sympathize with us; in fact, we are hindered by those who give us their sympathy, because sympathy only serves to weaken us. No one better understands a saint than the saint who is as close and as intimate with Jesus as possible. If we accept the sympathy of another saint, our spontaneous feeling is, “God is dealing too harshly with me and making my life too difficult.” That is why Jesus said that self-pity was of the devil (see Matthew 16:21-23). We must be merciful to God’s reputation. It is easy for us to tarnish God’s character because He never argues back; He never tries to defend or vindicate Himself. Beware of thinking that Jesus needed sympathy during His life on earth. He refused the sympathy of people because in His great wisdom He knew that no one on earth understood His purpose (see Matthew 16:23). He accepted only the sympathy of His Father and the angels (see Luke 15:10).
Look at God’s incredible waste of His saints, according to the world’s judgment. God seems to plant His saints in the most useless places. And then we say, “God intends for me to be here because I am so useful to Him.” Yet Jesus never measured His life by how or where He was of the greatest use. God places His saints where they will bring the most glory to Him, and we are totally incapable of judging where that may be.
聖徒的分別為聖
所以那照神旨意受苦的人，要一心為善，將自己靈魂交與那信實的造化之主。 （彼前四19）
故意選擇受苦是不妥當的；但若是為了神的旨意而甘心受苦，就完全不同了。正常的聖徒不會選擇受苦；像主耶穌一樣，他的選擇是為了神的旨意，不管這是否需要受苦。沒有聖徒能干預別的聖徒在受苦上的操練。
一個滿足主心意的聖徒，能使別的聖徒靠神堅強、成熟起來。能幫助我們的，並非那些一味同情的我們的人。他們會成為阻礙，因為同情可能叫人軟弱。醉明白聖徒的，就是最靠近主心懷的聖徒。我們若接受別人的同情，反應就是－－[神對我實在太苛刻了。 ]所以主耶穌說自憐出於魔鬼（太十六23）。他從不反駁，也從不維護自己。
不要以為主耶穌在世時需要人的同情；他從不接受人的同情，是因為深知地上沒有人真明白他的使命。他只接受天父及天使的同情（比較路十五10）。按世人的眼光來看，神把聖徒放在最無出色的角落去，實在是極大的浪費。我們會說：[神放我在這裡，因為我非常有用。 ]耶穌卻從不這樣衡量自己的生命。其實神是把聖徒放在能榮耀他的地方，我們是無權選擇到底那是甚麼地方。
祈禱◆主啊，我完全仰賴你；在你出現之前，我若有[迷失]的感覺，相信對我是好的.
Choosing to suffer means that there must be something wrong with you, but choosing God’s will— even if it means you will suffer— is something very different. No normal, healthy saint ever chooses suffering; he simply chooses God’s will, just as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not. And no saint should ever dare to interfere with the lesson of suffering being taught in another saint’s life.
The saint who satisfies the heart of Jesus will make other saints strong and mature for God. But the people used to strengthen us are never those who sympathize with us; in fact, we are hindered by those who give us their sympathy, because sympathy only serves to weaken us. No one better understands a saint than the saint who is as close and as intimate with Jesus as possible. If we accept the sympathy of another saint, our spontaneous feeling is, “God is dealing too harshly with me and making my life too difficult.” That is why Jesus said that self-pity was of the devil (see Matthew 16:21-23). We must be merciful to God’s reputation. It is easy for us to tarnish God’s character because He never argues back; He never tries to defend or vindicate Himself. Beware of thinking that Jesus needed sympathy during His life on earth. He refused the sympathy of people because in His great wisdom He knew that no one on earth understood His purpose (see Matthew 16:23). He accepted only the sympathy of His Father and the angels (see Luke 15:10).
Look at God’s incredible waste of His saints, according to the world’s judgment. God seems to plant His saints in the most useless places. And then we say, “God intends for me to be here because I am so useful to Him.” Yet Jesus never measured His life by how or where He was of the greatest use. God places His saints where they will bring the most glory to Him, and we are totally incapable of judging where that may be.
聖徒的分別為聖
所以那照神旨意受苦的人，要一心為善，將自己靈魂交與那信實的造化之主。 （彼前四19）
故意選擇受苦是不妥當的；但若是為了神的旨意而甘心受苦，就完全不同了。正常的聖徒不會選擇受苦；像主耶穌一樣，他的選擇是為了神的旨意，不管這是否需要受苦。沒有聖徒能干預別的聖徒在受苦上的操練。
一個滿足主心意的聖徒，能使別的聖徒靠神堅強、成熟起來。能幫助我們的，並非那些一味同情的我們的人。他們會成為阻礙，因為同情可能叫人軟弱。醉明白聖徒的，就是最靠近主心懷的聖徒。我們若接受別人的同情，反應就是－－[神對我實在太苛刻了。 ]所以主耶穌說自憐出於魔鬼（太十六23）。他從不反駁，也從不維護自己。
不要以為主耶穌在世時需要人的同情；他從不接受人的同情，是因為深知地上沒有人真明白他的使命。他只接受天父及天使的同情（比較路十五10）。按世人的眼光來看，神把聖徒放在最無出色的角落去，實在是極大的浪費。我們會說：[神放我在這裡，因為我非常有用。 ]耶穌卻從不這樣衡量自己的生命。其實神是把聖徒放在能榮耀他的地方，我們是無權選擇到底那是甚麼地方。
祈禱◆主啊，我完全仰賴你；在你出現之前，我若有[迷失]的感覺，相信對我是好的.
August 09, 2012
Prayer in the Father’s Hearing
Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ’Father, I thank You that You have heard Me’ —John 11:41
When the Son of God prays, He is mindful and consciously aware of only His Father. God always hears the prayers of His Son, and if the Son of God has been formed in me (see Galatians 4:19) the Father will always hear my prayers. But I must see to it that the Son of God is exhibited in my human flesh. “. . . your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit . . . ” (1 Corinthians 6:19), that is, your body is the Bethlehem of God’s Son. Is the Son of God being given His opportunity to work in me? Is the direct simplicity of His life being worked out in me exactly as it was worked out in His life while here on earth? When I come into contact with the everyday occurrences of life as an ordinary human being, is the prayer of God’s eternal Son to His Father being prayed in me? Jesus says, “In that day you will ask in My name . . .” (John 16:26). What day does He mean? He is referring to the day when the Holy Spirit has come to me and made me one with my Lord.
Is the Lord Jesus Christ being abundantly satisfied by your life, or are you exhibiting a walk of spiritual pride before Him? Never let your common sense become so prominent and forceful that it pushes the Son of God to one side. Common sense is a gift that God gave to our human nature— but common sense is not the gift of His Son. Supernatural sense is the gift of His Son, and we should never put our common sense on the throne. The Son always recognizes and identifies with the Father, but common sense has never yet done so and never will. Our ordinary abilities will never worship God unless they are transformed by the indwelling Son of God. We must make sure that our human flesh is kept in perfect submission to Him, allowing Him to work through it moment by moment. Are we living at such a level of human dependence upon Jesus Christ that His life is being exhibited moment by moment in us?
父所聽的禱告
父啊，我感謝你，因為你已經聽我。 （約十一41）
當神的兒子禱告，他只有一個意念，就是父自己。神必然聽他兒子的禱告，因此神子若成形在我裡面，父也必聽我的禱告。我要留心讓神子在我肉身商彰顯。 [你們的身子就是聖靈的殿]，也就是神兒子的[伯利恆]。神子在我身上有得著他自己的機會嗎？神兒子的生命是否直接純全地在我身上活出，正如在他的歷史生命中活出一樣？作為一個普通人，在我日常生活裡，神永恆之子向他父的禱告有沒有在我裡面出來？ [到那日，你們要奉我的名禱告……]哪一日？就是聖靈進入我裡面，叫我真與主成為一體的那日。
主耶穌在你生命中，是否感到心滿意足？還是你在我行我素？不要讓人的常理闖進來，把神的兒子擠到一角去。常理是神給人類的一份禮物，可是並不是神兒子的禮物。神兒子所賜的是超然之理，所以不要把常理放在寶座上。神的兒子體察父心，但常理從不。我們的智慧從來不會敬拜神，除非因著住在我們裡面的神子而得著改變。我們要留意身體對他完全順服，讓他可以隨時自由作工。我們在人生的一切事上，是否對主完全投靠，以致他的生命在我們肉身上彰顯無遺？
祈禱◆主啊，願我[像一顆樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子]，求你向我證明這句話的真實。
When the Son of God prays, He is mindful and consciously aware of only His Father. God always hears the prayers of His Son, and if the Son of God has been formed in me (see Galatians 4:19) the Father will always hear my prayers. But I must see to it that the Son of God is exhibited in my human flesh. “. . . your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit . . . ” (1 Corinthians 6:19), that is, your body is the Bethlehem of God’s Son. Is the Son of God being given His opportunity to work in me? Is the direct simplicity of His life being worked out in me exactly as it was worked out in His life while here on earth? When I come into contact with the everyday occurrences of life as an ordinary human being, is the prayer of God’s eternal Son to His Father being prayed in me? Jesus says, “In that day you will ask in My name . . .” (John 16:26). What day does He mean? He is referring to the day when the Holy Spirit has come to me and made me one with my Lord.
Is the Lord Jesus Christ being abundantly satisfied by your life, or are you exhibiting a walk of spiritual pride before Him? Never let your common sense become so prominent and forceful that it pushes the Son of God to one side. Common sense is a gift that God gave to our human nature— but common sense is not the gift of His Son. Supernatural sense is the gift of His Son, and we should never put our common sense on the throne. The Son always recognizes and identifies with the Father, but common sense has never yet done so and never will. Our ordinary abilities will never worship God unless they are transformed by the indwelling Son of God. We must make sure that our human flesh is kept in perfect submission to Him, allowing Him to work through it moment by moment. Are we living at such a level of human dependence upon Jesus Christ that His life is being exhibited moment by moment in us?
父所聽的禱告
父啊，我感謝你，因為你已經聽我。 （約十一41）
當神的兒子禱告，他只有一個意念，就是父自己。神必然聽他兒子的禱告，因此神子若成形在我裡面，父也必聽我的禱告。我要留心讓神子在我肉身商彰顯。 [你們的身子就是聖靈的殿]，也就是神兒子的[伯利恆]。神子在我身上有得著他自己的機會嗎？神兒子的生命是否直接純全地在我身上活出，正如在他的歷史生命中活出一樣？作為一個普通人，在我日常生活裡，神永恆之子向他父的禱告有沒有在我裡面出來？ [到那日，你們要奉我的名禱告……]哪一日？就是聖靈進入我裡面，叫我真與主成為一體的那日。
主耶穌在你生命中，是否感到心滿意足？還是你在我行我素？不要讓人的常理闖進來，把神的兒子擠到一角去。常理是神給人類的一份禮物，可是並不是神兒子的禮物。神兒子所賜的是超然之理，所以不要把常理放在寶座上。神的兒子體察父心，但常理從不。我們的智慧從來不會敬拜神，除非因著住在我們裡面的神子而得著改變。我們要留意身體對他完全順服，讓他可以隨時自由作工。我們在人生的一切事上，是否對主完全投靠，以致他的生命在我們肉身上彰顯無遺？
祈禱◆主啊，願我[像一顆樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子]，求你向我證明這句話的真實。
August 08, 2012
Prayer in the Father’s Honor
. . . that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God —Luke 1:35
If the Son of God has been born into my human flesh, then am I allowing His holy innocence, simplicity, and oneness with the Father the opportunity to exhibit itself in me? What was true of the Virgin Mary in the history of the Son of God’s birth on earth is true of every saint. God’s Son is born into me through the direct act of God; then I as His child must exercise the right of a child— the right of always being face to face with my Father through prayer. Do I find myself continually saying in amazement to the commonsense part of my life, “Why did you want me to turn here or to go over there? ’Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ ” (Luke 2:49). Whatever our circumstances may be, that holy, innocent, and eternal Child must be in contact with His Father.
Am I simple enough to identify myself with my Lord in this way? Is He having His wonderful way with me? Is God’s will being fulfilled in that His Son has been formed in me (see Galatians 4:19), or have I carefully pushed Him to one side? Oh, the noisy outcry of today! Why does everyone seem to be crying out so loudly? People today are crying out for the Son of God to be put to death. There is no room here for God’s Son right now— no room for quiet, holy fellowship and oneness with the Father.
Is the Son of God praying in me, bringing honor to the Father, or am I dictating my demands to Him? Is He ministering in me as He did in the time of His manhood here on earth? Is God’s Son in me going through His passion, suffering so that His own purposes might be fulfilled? The more a person knows of the inner life of God’s most mature saints, the more he sees what God’s purpose really is: to “. . . fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . .” (Colossians 1:24). And when we think of what it takes to “fill up,” there is always something yet to be done.
為父的榮耀而禱告
所要生的聖者，必稱為神的兒子。 （路一35）
神的兒子若住在我這肉身裡，他的神聖、無罪、單純和與父的合一，能藉著我彰顯嗎？神的兒子怎樣歷史性地藉童女馬利亞降生世上，也哦疼你貴陽在每一個聖徒裡面降生。神兒子降生在我裡面，是神自己直接的行動。然後我這作為神兒女的，必須用兒女的權利，也就是時刻與父面對面。我是否常常驚異地對自己說：[你為何總是打岔？豈不知我該以我父的事為念麼？ ]不論環境怎樣，那聖潔無暇永恆的兒子，必須與他的父親保持聯繫。
我是否這樣單純的與我的主合一？他奇妙的旨意在我身上得以通行麼？神能否看見他兒子成形在我裡面？還是我可以地把他放在一旁？啊，這些日子太多擾攘！人人都在喧嚷－－為了什麼？要把神兒子置於死地。此時沒有地方為神的兒子存留，沒有地方與父靜交。神的兒子在我裡面禱告呢？還是聽我支配？他在我裡面的工作，是否與他昔日在肉身時的工作一樣？在我裡面神的兒子，有沒有為了達成他的目標而經受苦難？我們愈認識成熟聖徒的內在生命，就愈明白神的計畫－－[是要補滿基督患難的缺欠。 ]既是[補滿]，就常有可為之處。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等愛慕你，但我所渴求的，是更加自覺地敬拜你、與你相交，和讚美神。求你潔淨我因遠離你而產生的玷污。
If the Son of God has been born into my human flesh, then am I allowing His holy innocence, simplicity, and oneness with the Father the opportunity to exhibit itself in me? What was true of the Virgin Mary in the history of the Son of God’s birth on earth is true of every saint. God’s Son is born into me through the direct act of God; then I as His child must exercise the right of a child— the right of always being face to face with my Father through prayer. Do I find myself continually saying in amazement to the commonsense part of my life, “Why did you want me to turn here or to go over there? ’Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ ” (Luke 2:49). Whatever our circumstances may be, that holy, innocent, and eternal Child must be in contact with His Father.
Am I simple enough to identify myself with my Lord in this way? Is He having His wonderful way with me? Is God’s will being fulfilled in that His Son has been formed in me (see Galatians 4:19), or have I carefully pushed Him to one side? Oh, the noisy outcry of today! Why does everyone seem to be crying out so loudly? People today are crying out for the Son of God to be put to death. There is no room here for God’s Son right now— no room for quiet, holy fellowship and oneness with the Father.
Is the Son of God praying in me, bringing honor to the Father, or am I dictating my demands to Him? Is He ministering in me as He did in the time of His manhood here on earth? Is God’s Son in me going through His passion, suffering so that His own purposes might be fulfilled? The more a person knows of the inner life of God’s most mature saints, the more he sees what God’s purpose really is: to “. . . fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . .” (Colossians 1:24). And when we think of what it takes to “fill up,” there is always something yet to be done.
為父的榮耀而禱告
所要生的聖者，必稱為神的兒子。 （路一35）
神的兒子若住在我這肉身裡，他的神聖、無罪、單純和與父的合一，能藉著我彰顯嗎？神的兒子怎樣歷史性地藉童女馬利亞降生世上，也哦疼你貴陽在每一個聖徒裡面降生。神兒子降生在我裡面，是神自己直接的行動。然後我這作為神兒女的，必須用兒女的權利，也就是時刻與父面對面。我是否常常驚異地對自己說：[你為何總是打岔？豈不知我該以我父的事為念麼？ ]不論環境怎樣，那聖潔無暇永恆的兒子，必須與他的父親保持聯繫。
我是否這樣單純的與我的主合一？他奇妙的旨意在我身上得以通行麼？神能否看見他兒子成形在我裡面？還是我可以地把他放在一旁？啊，這些日子太多擾攘！人人都在喧嚷－－為了什麼？要把神兒子置於死地。此時沒有地方為神的兒子存留，沒有地方與父靜交。神的兒子在我裡面禱告呢？還是聽我支配？他在我裡面的工作，是否與他昔日在肉身時的工作一樣？在我裡面神的兒子，有沒有為了達成他的目標而經受苦難？我們愈認識成熟聖徒的內在生命，就愈明白神的計畫－－[是要補滿基督患難的缺欠。 ]既是[補滿]，就常有可為之處。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等愛慕你，但我所渴求的，是更加自覺地敬拜你、與你相交，和讚美神。求你潔淨我因遠離你而產生的玷污。
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