He would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord —2 Samuel 23:16
What has been like “water from the well of Bethlehem” to you recently— love, friendship, or maybe some spiritual blessing (2 Samuel 23:16)? Have you taken whatever it may be, even at the risk of damaging your own soul, simply to satisfy yourself? If you have, then you cannot pour it out “to the Lord.” You can never set apart for God something that you desire for yourself to achieve your own satisfaction. If you try to satisfy yourself with a blessing from God, it will corrupt you. You must sacrifice it, pouring it out to God— something that your common sense says is an absurd waste.
How can I pour out “to the Lord” natural love and spiritual blessings? There is only one way— I must make a determination in my mind to do so. There are certain things other people do that could never be received by someone who does not know God, because it is humanly impossible to repay them. As soon as I realize that something is too wonderful for me, that I am not worthy to receive it, and that it is not meant for a human being at all, I must pour it out “to the Lord.” Then these very things that have come to me will be poured out as “rivers of living water” all around me (John 7:38). And until I pour these things out to God, they actually endanger those I love, as well as myself, because they will be turned into lust. Yes, we can be lustful in things that are not sordid and vile. Even love must be transformed by being poured out “to the Lord.”
If you have become bitter and sour, it is because when God gave you a blessing you hoarded it. Yet if you had poured it out to Him, you would have been the sweetest person on earth. If you are always keeping blessings to yourself and never learning to pour out anything “to the Lord,” other people will never have their vision of God expanded through you.
把滿足的水澆奠
……他卻不肯喝，將水奠在耶和華面前……(撒下二十三16)
對你來說，什麼東西像是從伯利恆井裡打來的水？是愛？朋友？還是屬靈的祝福？你若只顧滿足自己，就必危害自己的靈命。這樣，就無法把它傾在主面前。凡是拿來滿足自己的東西，必無法分別為聖歸神。你若拿神的賜福來滿足自己，就必致敗壞。你必須把它獻上，完全傾倒。
我怎樣把天然的愛或屬靈的祝福傾倒給主呢？只有一個方法，就是立定心志。一個不認識神的人，永沒法接受別人所作的某些事，因為這些事並非人力所能報償的。要是我說：[這太偉大了，我不配受，根本不是血肉之軀的人可以接受的，我必須把它傾出來給主。 ]就在這一刻，這些東西就傾在湧流四方的活泉里。我若不這樣傾倒，就會危害自己和所愛的人，因為它會變成情慾。在並不污穢卑劣的事情上，也可以產生貪戀的情慾。愛必須為主完全傾倒，才能達到主變象的境界。
若為自己緊緊抓住神的賜福，你就會愈來愈苦澀煩躁；相反地，你若早把它澆奠在主前，就早已成為從天而降最愉快的人。你若只會一味接受賜福，而從不學習為主傾倒，別人的眼界就永不會因你得著擴闊。
祈禱◆主啊，這個早上，我懷著一份靈性失敗的感覺，來到你面前。藉著你的恩典來潔淨我，讓我重回基督耶穌在天上的地方。
September 03, 2012
September 02, 2012
A Life of Pure and Holy Sacrifice
He who believes in Me . . . out of his heart will flow . . . —John 7:38
Jesus did not say, “He who believes in Me will realize all the blessings of the fullness of God,” but, in essence, “He who believes in Me will have everything he receives escape out of him.” Our Lord’s teaching was always anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of a person— His purpose is to make a person exactly like Himself, and the Son of God is characterized by self-expenditure. If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain but what He pours through us that really counts. God’s purpose is not simply to make us beautiful, plump grapes, but to make us grapes so that He may squeeze the sweetness out of us. Our spiritual life cannot be measured by success as the world measures it, but only by what God pours through us— and we cannot measure that at all.
When Mary of Bethany “broke the flask . . . of very costly oil . . . and poured it on [Jesus’] head,” it was an act for which no one else saw any special occasion; in fact, “. . . there were some who . . . said, ’Why was this fragrant oil wasted?’ ” (Mark 14:3-4). But Jesus commended Mary for her extravagant act of devotion, and said, “. . . wherever this gospel is preached . . . what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” (Mark 14:9). Our Lord is filled with overflowing joy whenever He sees any of us doing what Mary did— not being bound by a particular set of rules, but being totally surrendered to Him. God poured out the life of His Son “that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17). Are we prepared to pour out our lives for Him?
“He who believes in Me . . . out of his heart will flow rivers of living water”— and hundreds of other lives will be continually refreshed. Now is the time for us to break “the flask” of our lives, to stop seeking our own satisfaction, and to pour out our lives before Him. Our Lord is asking who of us will do it for Him?
神聖的祭
信我的人……從他腹中要流出……（約七38）
耶穌不是說：[信我的人，要領受神豐盛的福分。 ]他乃是說：[信我的人，要從他裡面流出領受的一切。 ]主的教訓總是與自我實現相違。他的目的不是要發揮個人，而是要使人完全像他。神兒子的特質就是自我的傾倒。我們若相信耶穌，那麼最重要的不是得著什麼，乃是我們信耶穌，那麼最重要的不是得著什麼，乃是我們倒出多少。神不是造我們成為顆顆圓潤的葡萄，乃是要把我們的甜汁擠出來。在屬靈的領域裡，生命不能以成功來衡量，而是要看我們倒出什麼，這個也是我們無法量估的。
伯大尼的馬利亞打破玉瓶，倒在耶穌的頭上，沒有人能看出是什麼理由；門徒甚至看為浪費。但耶穌稱讚馬利亞這愛的傾盡，並說凡福音傳到的地方，[也要述說這女人所作的以為紀念]。主若看見我們行馬利亞所行的，不計較經濟得失，完全獻上給他的時候，他的喜樂是無法形容。神傾盡他兒子的生命，為拯救世界，我們能否為他傾盡生命？ [信我的人，從他腹中要流出活水的江河來。 ]－－許多的生命會不斷得著更新。如今是把生命之瓶打破的時候，不要再眷戀追求自我滿足，要把生命傾出去。主正在問誰肯為他這樣傾出？
祈禱◆噢，主啊，在絕對的貧乏中，我投向尼。求你在肉身、思想、道德和靈性上臨到我，使我有效地彰顯你、歸榮耀予你。
Jesus did not say, “He who believes in Me will realize all the blessings of the fullness of God,” but, in essence, “He who believes in Me will have everything he receives escape out of him.” Our Lord’s teaching was always anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of a person— His purpose is to make a person exactly like Himself, and the Son of God is characterized by self-expenditure. If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain but what He pours through us that really counts. God’s purpose is not simply to make us beautiful, plump grapes, but to make us grapes so that He may squeeze the sweetness out of us. Our spiritual life cannot be measured by success as the world measures it, but only by what God pours through us— and we cannot measure that at all.
When Mary of Bethany “broke the flask . . . of very costly oil . . . and poured it on [Jesus’] head,” it was an act for which no one else saw any special occasion; in fact, “. . . there were some who . . . said, ’Why was this fragrant oil wasted?’ ” (Mark 14:3-4). But Jesus commended Mary for her extravagant act of devotion, and said, “. . . wherever this gospel is preached . . . what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” (Mark 14:9). Our Lord is filled with overflowing joy whenever He sees any of us doing what Mary did— not being bound by a particular set of rules, but being totally surrendered to Him. God poured out the life of His Son “that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17). Are we prepared to pour out our lives for Him?
“He who believes in Me . . . out of his heart will flow rivers of living water”— and hundreds of other lives will be continually refreshed. Now is the time for us to break “the flask” of our lives, to stop seeking our own satisfaction, and to pour out our lives before Him. Our Lord is asking who of us will do it for Him?
神聖的祭
信我的人……從他腹中要流出……（約七38）
耶穌不是說：[信我的人，要領受神豐盛的福分。 ]他乃是說：[信我的人，要從他裡面流出領受的一切。 ]主的教訓總是與自我實現相違。他的目的不是要發揮個人，而是要使人完全像他。神兒子的特質就是自我的傾倒。我們若相信耶穌，那麼最重要的不是得著什麼，乃是我們信耶穌，那麼最重要的不是得著什麼，乃是我們倒出多少。神不是造我們成為顆顆圓潤的葡萄，乃是要把我們的甜汁擠出來。在屬靈的領域裡，生命不能以成功來衡量，而是要看我們倒出什麼，這個也是我們無法量估的。
伯大尼的馬利亞打破玉瓶，倒在耶穌的頭上，沒有人能看出是什麼理由；門徒甚至看為浪費。但耶穌稱讚馬利亞這愛的傾盡，並說凡福音傳到的地方，[也要述說這女人所作的以為紀念]。主若看見我們行馬利亞所行的，不計較經濟得失，完全獻上給他的時候，他的喜樂是無法形容。神傾盡他兒子的生命，為拯救世界，我們能否為他傾盡生命？ [信我的人，從他腹中要流出活水的江河來。 ]－－許多的生命會不斷得著更新。如今是把生命之瓶打破的時候，不要再眷戀追求自我滿足，要把生命傾出去。主正在問誰肯為他這樣傾出？
祈禱◆噢，主啊，在絕對的貧乏中，我投向尼。求你在肉身、思想、道德和靈性上臨到我，使我有效地彰顯你、歸榮耀予你。
September 01, 2012
Destined To Be Holy
. . it is written, ’Be holy, for I am holy’ —1 Peter 1:16
We must continually remind ourselves of the purpose of life. We are not destined to happiness, nor to health, but to holiness. Today we have far too many desires and interests, and our lives are being consumed and wasted by them. Many of them may be right, noble, and good, and may later be fulfilled, but in the meantime God must cause their importance to us to decrease. The only thing that truly matters is whether a person will accept the God who will make him holy. At all costs, a person must have the right relationship with God.
Do I believe I need to be holy? Do I believe that God can come into me and make me holy? If through your preaching you convince me that I am unholy, I then resent your preaching. The preaching of the gospel awakens an intense resentment because it is designed to reveal my unholiness, but it also awakens an intense yearning and desire within me. God has only one intended destiny for mankind— holiness. His only goal is to produce saints. God is not some eternal blessing-machine for people to use, and He did not come to save us out of pity— He came to save us because He created us to be holy. Atonement through the Cross of Christ means that God can put me back into perfect oneness with Himself through the death of Jesus Christ, without a trace of anything coming between us any longer.
Never tolerate, because of sympathy for yourself or for others, any practice that is not in keeping with a holy God. Holiness means absolute purity of your walk before God, the words coming from your mouth, and every thought in your mind— placing every detail of your life under the scrutiny of God Himself. Holiness is not simply what God gives me, but what God has given me that is being exhibited in my life.
命定的聖潔
你們要聖潔，因為我是聖潔的。 （彼前一16）
要經常對自己重申人生的目標。人最終的目標，不是幸福，不是健康，而是聖潔。今天我們有太多要眷戀的東西，以致分心。正直、良善、崇高的喜好，自有它們的價值；可是，神卻要叫它們退縮一旁。因為最重要的事，是人願否接納那能使他變得聖潔的神。人要不惜任何代價，與神建立密切正確的關係。
我真相信要成為聖潔麼？真相信神能進入我裡面，使我成聖麼？若你的講道真叫我相信自己不潔，我會對你所講的產生反感。我對所傳的福音產生強烈的反感，因為它暴露了我的不潔，但同時也挑起了我強烈的強求。神對人類一項終極的命定，就是要我們聖潔。他唯一目的是製造聖徒。神不是一副永遠只賜福予人的機器；他來救人也不是出於可憐同情。他來拯救，因為他創造的人原是聖潔的。救贖就是藉著耶穌基督的死，神把我重新與他聯合，再沒有任何阻隔的影兒。
千萬不可因同情自己或別人，而容許任何與聖潔的神不相合的事。聖潔就是不玷污－－舌頭不玷污，思想不玷污，因為生活上任何細節都在神細察之下。聖潔不單是神賜給我的，更是我怎樣彰顯神所賜給我的。
祈禱◆主，全能的神，你是聖潔的；你的奇妙非讚美所能說盡，你應許過以你的恩典來使我成為聖潔。
We must continually remind ourselves of the purpose of life. We are not destined to happiness, nor to health, but to holiness. Today we have far too many desires and interests, and our lives are being consumed and wasted by them. Many of them may be right, noble, and good, and may later be fulfilled, but in the meantime God must cause their importance to us to decrease. The only thing that truly matters is whether a person will accept the God who will make him holy. At all costs, a person must have the right relationship with God.
Do I believe I need to be holy? Do I believe that God can come into me and make me holy? If through your preaching you convince me that I am unholy, I then resent your preaching. The preaching of the gospel awakens an intense resentment because it is designed to reveal my unholiness, but it also awakens an intense yearning and desire within me. God has only one intended destiny for mankind— holiness. His only goal is to produce saints. God is not some eternal blessing-machine for people to use, and He did not come to save us out of pity— He came to save us because He created us to be holy. Atonement through the Cross of Christ means that God can put me back into perfect oneness with Himself through the death of Jesus Christ, without a trace of anything coming between us any longer.
Never tolerate, because of sympathy for yourself or for others, any practice that is not in keeping with a holy God. Holiness means absolute purity of your walk before God, the words coming from your mouth, and every thought in your mind— placing every detail of your life under the scrutiny of God Himself. Holiness is not simply what God gives me, but what God has given me that is being exhibited in my life.
命定的聖潔
你們要聖潔，因為我是聖潔的。 （彼前一16）
要經常對自己重申人生的目標。人最終的目標，不是幸福，不是健康，而是聖潔。今天我們有太多要眷戀的東西，以致分心。正直、良善、崇高的喜好，自有它們的價值；可是，神卻要叫它們退縮一旁。因為最重要的事，是人願否接納那能使他變得聖潔的神。人要不惜任何代價，與神建立密切正確的關係。
我真相信要成為聖潔麼？真相信神能進入我裡面，使我成聖麼？若你的講道真叫我相信自己不潔，我會對你所講的產生反感。我對所傳的福音產生強烈的反感，因為它暴露了我的不潔，但同時也挑起了我強烈的強求。神對人類一項終極的命定，就是要我們聖潔。他唯一目的是製造聖徒。神不是一副永遠只賜福予人的機器；他來救人也不是出於可憐同情。他來拯救，因為他創造的人原是聖潔的。救贖就是藉著耶穌基督的死，神把我重新與他聯合，再沒有任何阻隔的影兒。
千萬不可因同情自己或別人，而容許任何與聖潔的神不相合的事。聖潔就是不玷污－－舌頭不玷污，思想不玷污，因為生活上任何細節都在神細察之下。聖潔不單是神賜給我的，更是我怎樣彰顯神所賜給我的。
祈禱◆主，全能的神，你是聖潔的；你的奇妙非讚美所能說盡，你應許過以你的恩典來使我成為聖潔。
August 31, 2012
“My Joy . . . Your Joy”
These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full —John 15:11
What was the joy that Jesus had? Joy should not be confused with happiness. In fact, it is an insult to Jesus Christ to use the word happiness in connection with Him. The joy of Jesus was His absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice to His Father— the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do— “. . . who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross . . .” (Hebrews 12:2). “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . .” (Psalm 40:8). Jesus prayed that our joy might continue fulfilling itself until it becomes the same joy as His. Have I allowed Jesus Christ to introduce His joy to me?
Living a full and overflowing life does not rest in bodily health, in circumstances, nor even in seeing God’s work succeed, but in the perfect understanding of God, and in the same fellowship and oneness with Him that Jesus Himself enjoyed. But the first thing that will hinder this joy is the subtle irritability caused by giving too much thought to our circumstances. Jesus said, “. . . the cares of this world, . . . choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). And before we even realize what has happened, we are caught up in our cares. All that God has done for us is merely the threshold— He wants us to come to the place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim who Jesus is.
Have the right relationship with God, finding your joy there, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Be a fountain through which Jesus can pour His “living water.” Stop being hypocritical and proud, aware only of yourself, and live “your life . . . hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). A person who has the right relationship with God lives a life as natural as breathing wherever he goes. The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing.
我的喜樂……你們的喜樂
要叫我的喜樂，存在你們心裡，並叫你們的喜樂可以滿足。 （約十五11）
耶穌的喜樂是什麼？若在耶穌身上應用[快樂]這詞，實在是一種侮辱。耶穌的喜樂是對父絕對的順服與捨己。因作成他父差他來作的工而喜樂。 [我樂意照你的旨意行。 ]耶穌的禱告是要我們的喜樂日趨完備，直到像他的喜樂一樣。我有沒有讓主把喜樂帶給我？
生命的滿溢不是在身體的健康，不是在外在的事物，不是在看見神的事工成就，乃在對神完全的明白，有耶穌與父神那種契合。攔阻這喜樂的第一件事，是挑剔猜度而來的惱怒。耶穌說今生的憂慮會阻塞神的話。我們還未知身處何方，已經被紛繁的事物抓住了。神為我們所作成的一切只帶我們來到門檻，他還要我們進入，作他的見證，活出耶穌是誰。更與神連合，從而得喜樂，就有活水從你湧流。要做活水得中心，讓主透過你倒出活水。不要在沉浸在自覺裡，不要做成聖得自負者，要藏在基督里活。與神連合的生命，自然得像呼吸一般。那些最叫你蒙福的人，是那些不覺自己成為別人祝福的人。
祈禱◆噢，神啊，讓我更多的認識你，並更切實地認識你的兒子、我的救主和主。願你賜我愈來愈認識你的主權和統治，並且愈享受在你裡面的單純喜樂。
What was the joy that Jesus had? Joy should not be confused with happiness. In fact, it is an insult to Jesus Christ to use the word happiness in connection with Him. The joy of Jesus was His absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice to His Father— the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do— “. . . who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross . . .” (Hebrews 12:2). “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . .” (Psalm 40:8). Jesus prayed that our joy might continue fulfilling itself until it becomes the same joy as His. Have I allowed Jesus Christ to introduce His joy to me?
Living a full and overflowing life does not rest in bodily health, in circumstances, nor even in seeing God’s work succeed, but in the perfect understanding of God, and in the same fellowship and oneness with Him that Jesus Himself enjoyed. But the first thing that will hinder this joy is the subtle irritability caused by giving too much thought to our circumstances. Jesus said, “. . . the cares of this world, . . . choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). And before we even realize what has happened, we are caught up in our cares. All that God has done for us is merely the threshold— He wants us to come to the place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim who Jesus is.
Have the right relationship with God, finding your joy there, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Be a fountain through which Jesus can pour His “living water.” Stop being hypocritical and proud, aware only of yourself, and live “your life . . . hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). A person who has the right relationship with God lives a life as natural as breathing wherever he goes. The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing.
我的喜樂……你們的喜樂
要叫我的喜樂，存在你們心裡，並叫你們的喜樂可以滿足。 （約十五11）
耶穌的喜樂是什麼？若在耶穌身上應用[快樂]這詞，實在是一種侮辱。耶穌的喜樂是對父絕對的順服與捨己。因作成他父差他來作的工而喜樂。 [我樂意照你的旨意行。 ]耶穌的禱告是要我們的喜樂日趨完備，直到像他的喜樂一樣。我有沒有讓主把喜樂帶給我？
生命的滿溢不是在身體的健康，不是在外在的事物，不是在看見神的事工成就，乃在對神完全的明白，有耶穌與父神那種契合。攔阻這喜樂的第一件事，是挑剔猜度而來的惱怒。耶穌說今生的憂慮會阻塞神的話。我們還未知身處何方，已經被紛繁的事物抓住了。神為我們所作成的一切只帶我們來到門檻，他還要我們進入，作他的見證，活出耶穌是誰。更與神連合，從而得喜樂，就有活水從你湧流。要做活水得中心，讓主透過你倒出活水。不要在沉浸在自覺裡，不要做成聖得自負者，要藏在基督里活。與神連合的生命，自然得像呼吸一般。那些最叫你蒙福的人，是那些不覺自己成為別人祝福的人。
祈禱◆噢，神啊，讓我更多的認識你，並更切實地認識你的兒子、我的救主和主。願你賜我愈來愈認識你的主權和統治，並且愈享受在你裡面的單純喜樂。
August 30, 2012
Usefulness or Relationship?
Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven —Luke 10:20
Jesus Christ is saying here, “Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me.” The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour “rivers of living water” through you (John 7:38). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7).
Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God— something of great value to His Father. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory . . .” (Hebrews 2:10).
我信服基督麼？
然而不要因鬼服了你們就歡喜，要因你們的名記錄在天上歡喜。 （路十20）
耶穌在這裡其實是說：不要因工作成功而歡喜，要因與我親密的關係而歡喜。信徒事奉的網羅，往往是因成功而歡喜，因得神使用而歡喜。其實你若與他有正確的關係，他要藉你成就的，實難以估量。所以，要保持與他緊密的相連，那末不論環境如何，不管你每天碰見什麼人，他都會透過你傾倒活水，而因著他的憐憫不讓你察覺。藉救贖及成聖你與神連合了，那麼不論你在那裡，都是出於神。若你保守自己在光明中，正如神在光明中一樣，他就會藉著你在環境中的反應，成就他的計劃。
今日的趨勢是把重點放在事奉上。當心有些人把自己的用處，作為身分的根據。若拿用處作考驗的根據，耶穌基督就是地上最大的失敗。聖徒的指標該是神自己，不是用處有多少。算得上有價值的是神透過我們所作的工，而不是我們自己為神作的工。我們的主所關注的，是一個人與父的關係有多深。耶穌正率領許多兒子進到榮耀裡去。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我因你的說話－－[好像人得了許多擄物]－－而感到歡喜。當我今天向你祈求，願你將你的說話放在我的口中，求你成就，以致凡我口所發出的，都是你的說話。
Jesus Christ is saying here, “Don’t rejoice in your successful service for Me, but rejoice because of your right relationship with Me.” The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour “rivers of living water” through you (John 7:38). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7).
Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. Beware of the people who make their request for help on the basis of someone’s usefulness. If you make usefulness the test, then Jesus Christ was the greatest failure who ever lived. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint’s usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person’s life is that person’s relationship with God— something of great value to His Father. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory . . .” (Hebrews 2:10).
我信服基督麼？
然而不要因鬼服了你們就歡喜，要因你們的名記錄在天上歡喜。 （路十20）
耶穌在這裡其實是說：不要因工作成功而歡喜，要因與我親密的關係而歡喜。信徒事奉的網羅，往往是因成功而歡喜，因得神使用而歡喜。其實你若與他有正確的關係，他要藉你成就的，實難以估量。所以，要保持與他緊密的相連，那末不論環境如何，不管你每天碰見什麼人，他都會透過你傾倒活水，而因著他的憐憫不讓你察覺。藉救贖及成聖你與神連合了，那麼不論你在那裡，都是出於神。若你保守自己在光明中，正如神在光明中一樣，他就會藉著你在環境中的反應，成就他的計劃。
今日的趨勢是把重點放在事奉上。當心有些人把自己的用處，作為身分的根據。若拿用處作考驗的根據，耶穌基督就是地上最大的失敗。聖徒的指標該是神自己，不是用處有多少。算得上有價值的是神透過我們所作的工，而不是我們自己為神作的工。我們的主所關注的，是一個人與父的關係有多深。耶穌正率領許多兒子進到榮耀裡去。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我因你的說話－－[好像人得了許多擄物]－－而感到歡喜。當我今天向你祈求，願你將你的說話放在我的口中，求你成就，以致凡我口所發出的，都是你的說話。
August 29, 2012
The Unsurpassed Intimacy of Tested Faith
Jesus said to her, ’Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’ —John 11:40
Every time you venture out in your life of faith, you will find something in your circumstances that, from a commonsense standpoint, will flatly contradict your faith. But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. In fact, they are as different as the natural life and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture out with courage on the words of Jesus Christ, while the realities of your commonsense life continue to shout, “It’s all a lie”? When you are on the mountaintop, it’s easy to say, “Oh yes, I believe God can do it,” but you have to come down from the mountain to the demon-possessed valley and face the realities that scoff at your Mount-of-Transfiguration belief (see Luke 9:28-42). Every time my theology becomes clear to my own mind, I encounter something that contradicts it. As soon as I say, “I believe ’God shall supply all [my] need,’ ” the testing of my faith begins (Philippians 4:19). When my strength runs dry and my vision is blinded, will I endure this trial of my faith victoriously or will I turn back in defeat?
Faith must be tested, because it can only become your intimate possession through conflict. What is challenging your faith right now? The test will either prove your faith right, or it will kill it. Jesus said, “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” Matthew 11:6). The ultimate thing is confidence in Jesus. “We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end . . .” (Hebrews 3:14). Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges you will strengthen your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of our physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God— trust that could never imagine that He would forsake us (see Hebrews 13:5-6).
無比的親密
我不是對你說過，你若信，就必看見神的榮耀麼？ （約十一40）
每次你憑信心出去闖蕩，總會發覺在常理的環境下，有些事物是完全違反你的信心的。常理並不是信心，信心也不是常理，二者的關係就是天然生命與屬靈生命之間的關係。當理性叫你不能信靠主，你仍能堅信他麼？當生活中的事實高呼這是[謊話]，你能否依然信靠主的話勇往直前？在山上很容易說：[我相信神會成就。 ]但你必須下到鬼附的山谷去，面對諷刺的現實－－對你山上變像信念當面譏諷的現實。每次在我清楚自己有信心時，就必遇到與信心互相抵觸的事情。我若說相信神會供給我需用的一切，然後不名一文，又沒有出路，那我能否通得過這信心得考驗？還是會倒退？
信心必須受試驗，只有經過爭戰，信心才能成為你個人得產業。你的信心如今遇何試煉？這試煉或證明你的信心正確，或會置之於死地。 [凡不因我跌倒的，就有福了。 ]最終的目標是對主的信靠。堅定信靠他，一切反對的事物智慧更堅定你的信心。信心的生活要不斷經歷考驗，而最後最大的考驗，就是死。求神保守我們常裝備好去作戰：信心是對神說不出來的信任，絕不去想神不支持我們。
祈禱◆噢，我驚訝自己竟那麼遲緩去發出讚美；願你使我快速而正確地讚美你。願你賜給我適當的感覺，強烈地認知到你的美善，以致我能使你的內心充滿喜樂滿足。
Every time you venture out in your life of faith, you will find something in your circumstances that, from a commonsense standpoint, will flatly contradict your faith. But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. In fact, they are as different as the natural life and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture out with courage on the words of Jesus Christ, while the realities of your commonsense life continue to shout, “It’s all a lie”? When you are on the mountaintop, it’s easy to say, “Oh yes, I believe God can do it,” but you have to come down from the mountain to the demon-possessed valley and face the realities that scoff at your Mount-of-Transfiguration belief (see Luke 9:28-42). Every time my theology becomes clear to my own mind, I encounter something that contradicts it. As soon as I say, “I believe ’God shall supply all [my] need,’ ” the testing of my faith begins (Philippians 4:19). When my strength runs dry and my vision is blinded, will I endure this trial of my faith victoriously or will I turn back in defeat?
Faith must be tested, because it can only become your intimate possession through conflict. What is challenging your faith right now? The test will either prove your faith right, or it will kill it. Jesus said, “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” Matthew 11:6). The ultimate thing is confidence in Jesus. “We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end . . .” (Hebrews 3:14). Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges you will strengthen your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of our physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God— trust that could never imagine that He would forsake us (see Hebrews 13:5-6).
無比的親密
我不是對你說過，你若信，就必看見神的榮耀麼？ （約十一40）
每次你憑信心出去闖蕩，總會發覺在常理的環境下，有些事物是完全違反你的信心的。常理並不是信心，信心也不是常理，二者的關係就是天然生命與屬靈生命之間的關係。當理性叫你不能信靠主，你仍能堅信他麼？當生活中的事實高呼這是[謊話]，你能否依然信靠主的話勇往直前？在山上很容易說：[我相信神會成就。 ]但你必須下到鬼附的山谷去，面對諷刺的現實－－對你山上變像信念當面譏諷的現實。每次在我清楚自己有信心時，就必遇到與信心互相抵觸的事情。我若說相信神會供給我需用的一切，然後不名一文，又沒有出路，那我能否通得過這信心得考驗？還是會倒退？
信心必須受試驗，只有經過爭戰，信心才能成為你個人得產業。你的信心如今遇何試煉？這試煉或證明你的信心正確，或會置之於死地。 [凡不因我跌倒的，就有福了。 ]最終的目標是對主的信靠。堅定信靠他，一切反對的事物智慧更堅定你的信心。信心的生活要不斷經歷考驗，而最後最大的考驗，就是死。求神保守我們常裝備好去作戰：信心是對神說不出來的信任，絕不去想神不支持我們。
祈禱◆噢，我驚訝自己竟那麼遲緩去發出讚美；願你使我快速而正確地讚美你。願你賜給我適當的感覺，強烈地認知到你的美善，以致我能使你的內心充滿喜樂滿足。
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