In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us —Romans 8:37
Paul
was speaking here of the things that might seem likely to separate a
saint from the love of God. But the remarkable thing is that nothing can
come between the love of God and a saint. The things Paul mentioned in
this passage can and do disrupt the close fellowship of our soul with
God and separate our natural life from Him. But none of them is able to
come between the love of God and the soul of a saint on the spiritual
level. The underlying foundation of the Christian faith is the
undeserved, limitless miracle of the love of God that was exhibited on
the Cross of Calvary; a love that is not earned and can never be. Paul
said this is the reason that “in all these things we are more than
conquerors.” We are super-victors with a joy that comes from
experiencing the very things which look as if they are going to
overwhelm us.
Huge waves that would frighten an
ordinary swimmer produce a tremendous thrill for the surfer who has
ridden them. Let’s apply that to our own circumstances. The things we
try to avoid and fight against— tribulation, suffering, and persecution—
are the very things that produce abundant joy in us. “We are more than
conquerors through Him” “in all these things”; not in spite of them, but
in the midst of them. A saint doesn’t know the joy of the Lord in spite
of tribulation, but because of it. Paul said, “I am exceedingly joyful
in all our tribulation” (2 Corinthians 7:4).
The
undiminished radiance, which is the result of abundant joy, is not
built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can
change. And the experiences of life, whether they are everyday events or
terrifying ones, are powerless to “separate us from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
不朽的喜樂
然而靠著愛我們的主，在這一切的事上，已經得勝有餘了。 （羅八37）
保羅列舉許多的事情，似乎會把聖徒與神的愛隔開；但奇特的是，沒有任何事物可以將聖徒與神的愛隔絕。這些事可以而且實際的進入人的事奉操練中，隔開了神，叫個人的生命與神分開。但是，絕沒有一樣能插入神的愛與聖徒的心靈中間。我們信仰的基石，就是神在加略十架上彰顯出來那高深莫測、奇妙無比的愛，這愛是我們永遠不配得的。保羅說正因為這緣故，我們在這一切事上已經得勝有餘，成為超然的得勝者。正在那似乎要把我們制服的事上，獲得無比的喜樂。
游泳者所懼怕的波濤，對滑浪者卻是駕浪凌空的賞心樂事。應用在我們的身上，這些事——患難、困苦、逼迫——在我們裡面卻生出喜樂來；這些事不是我們爭鬥的物件、藉著他，我們在這一切困擾裡面，已經得勝有餘。不是[儘管]有這些也得勝，乃是置身其中仍然得勝。信徒從來不會因為[徒有]患難，就體會主裡的喜樂，乃是由於在患難之中而體會到的。保羅說：[我在患難中格外喜樂。 ]
不朽的喜樂，並不建築在短暫的事上，乃是在神永不改變的愛上。人生的經歷不論是可怕的或是單調的，都無法影響神的愛，這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。
祈禱◆主啊，為著如今在我生命中的喜樂——妻兒之愛、所教的學生、聖靈的恩惠——我讚美你。它們所帶來的喜樂和福氣，是何等奇妙！
March 07, 2014
March 06, 2014
Taking the Next Step
. . . in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses —2 Corinthians 6:4
When you have no vision from God, no enthusiasm left in your life, and no one watching and encouraging you, it requires the grace of Almighty God to take the next step in your devotion to Him, in the reading and studying of His Word, in your family life, or in your duty to Him. It takes much more of the grace of God, and a much greater awareness of drawing upon Him, to take that next step, than it does to preach the gospel.
Every Christian must experience the essence of the incarnation by bringing the next step down into flesh-and-blood reality and by working it out with his hands. We lose interest and give up when we have no vision, no encouragement, and no improvement, but only experience our everyday life with its trivial tasks. The thing that really testifies for God and for the people of God in the long run is steady perseverance, even when the work cannot be seen by others. And the only way to live an undefeated life is to live looking to God. Ask God to keep the eyes of your spirit open to the risen Christ, and it will be impossible for drudgery to discourage you. Never allow yourself to think that some tasks are beneath your dignity or too insignificant for you to do, and remind yourself of the example of Christ in John 13:1-17.
瑣務纏身
就如在許多的忍耐、患難、窮乏、困苦。 （林後六4）
沒有異象，沒有觀眾，要踏上下一步，實在需要全能神的恩典。奉獻的下一步，求學的下一步，讀書的下一步，烹飪的下一步，工作的下一步，沒有從神來的異象，沒有熱情的洶湧，也沒有觀眾。這時比傳福音更需要神的厚恩，更需要刻意地從神支取，才能走下一步。
每一個信徒要有分於道成肉身的精義，就必須腳踏實地，付諸行動，用十個指頭去實踐。我們在沒有異象，沒有刺激，日復一日平凡無奇的生活下，容易萎靡不振。其實，至終為神與人所共認的，是那些在暗中堅忍耐勞的工作。若要生命不至於受摧壓，唯一的方法是仰望神而活。
求神使你心靈的眼睛注目於復活的主，這樣，一切的辛勞就無法擊敗你了。要從你心思中不斷的除掉繁瑣的事物，專心思想約翰福音十三章。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，懇求你繼續賜下力量和純真的喜樂。讓我的動機和心思，都能夠保持謙卑，不會自以為是優越的人。
When you have no vision from God, no enthusiasm left in your life, and no one watching and encouraging you, it requires the grace of Almighty God to take the next step in your devotion to Him, in the reading and studying of His Word, in your family life, or in your duty to Him. It takes much more of the grace of God, and a much greater awareness of drawing upon Him, to take that next step, than it does to preach the gospel.
Every Christian must experience the essence of the incarnation by bringing the next step down into flesh-and-blood reality and by working it out with his hands. We lose interest and give up when we have no vision, no encouragement, and no improvement, but only experience our everyday life with its trivial tasks. The thing that really testifies for God and for the people of God in the long run is steady perseverance, even when the work cannot be seen by others. And the only way to live an undefeated life is to live looking to God. Ask God to keep the eyes of your spirit open to the risen Christ, and it will be impossible for drudgery to discourage you. Never allow yourself to think that some tasks are beneath your dignity or too insignificant for you to do, and remind yourself of the example of Christ in John 13:1-17.
瑣務纏身
就如在許多的忍耐、患難、窮乏、困苦。 （林後六4）
沒有異象，沒有觀眾，要踏上下一步，實在需要全能神的恩典。奉獻的下一步，求學的下一步，讀書的下一步，烹飪的下一步，工作的下一步，沒有從神來的異象，沒有熱情的洶湧，也沒有觀眾。這時比傳福音更需要神的厚恩，更需要刻意地從神支取，才能走下一步。
每一個信徒要有分於道成肉身的精義，就必須腳踏實地，付諸行動，用十個指頭去實踐。我們在沒有異象，沒有刺激，日復一日平凡無奇的生活下，容易萎靡不振。其實，至終為神與人所共認的，是那些在暗中堅忍耐勞的工作。若要生命不至於受摧壓，唯一的方法是仰望神而活。
求神使你心靈的眼睛注目於復活的主，這樣，一切的辛勞就無法擊敗你了。要從你心思中不斷的除掉繁瑣的事物，專心思想約翰福音十三章。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，懇求你繼續賜下力量和純真的喜樂。讓我的動機和心思，都能夠保持謙卑，不會自以為是優越的人。
March 05, 2014
Is He Really My Lord?
. . . so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus . . . —Acts 20:24
Joy comes from seeing the complete fulfillment of the specific purpose for which I was created and born again, not from successfully doing something of my own choosing. The joy our Lord experienced came from doing what the Father sent Him to do. And He says to us, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). Have you received a ministry from the Lord? If so, you must be faithful to it— to consider your life valuable only for the purpose of fulfilling that ministry. Knowing that you have done what Jesus sent you to do, think how satisfying it will be to hear Him say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). We each have to find a niche in life, and spiritually we find it when we receive a ministry from the Lord. To do this we must have close fellowship with Jesus and must know Him as more than our personal Savior. And we must be willing to experience the full impact of Acts 9:16 — “I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
“Do you love Me?” Then, “Feed My sheep” (John 21:17). He is not offering us a choice of how we can serve Him; He is asking for absolute loyalty to His commission, a faithfulness to what we discern when we are in the closest possible fellowship with God. If you have received a ministry from the Lord Jesus, you will know that the need is not the same as the call— the need is the opportunity to exercise the call. The call is to be faithful to the ministry you received when you were in true fellowship with Him. This does not imply that there is a whole series of differing ministries marked out for you. It does mean that you must be sensitive to what God has called you to do, and this may sometimes require ignoring demands for service in other areas.
祂真是主麼？
只要（[喜樂地]），英文譯本）行完我的路程，成就我從主耶穌所領受的職事。 （徒二十24）
喜樂的意思，是我能圓滿地完成被造和重生的目的，而不是因為成功地完成一件事。我們主的喜樂，就是在於遵行父神的旨意，他說：[我父怎樣差遣了我，我也照樣差遣你們。 ]我又從主接受職事麼？若有，我必須忠於所託，將生命的價值完全放在達成那使命上面。想想當主對你說：[好，你這又良善又忠心的僕人。 ]你會何等的心滿意足，因已完成主差你去做的事。我們必須尋找人生的崗位，在屬靈上說，就是尋找主託付你的是什麼。要達成所託，就必須與主同行；要更深認識他，不單是把他作為個人的救主。 [我也要指示他，為我的名必須受許多的枯。 ][你愛我麼？ ]然後，[你餵養我的羊。 ]事奉是不容你取捨的，只有絕對效忠於主；效忠於你最貼近神時所領受的。若你從耶穌接受了一項事奉，就會知道需要並不等於呼召，需要乃是機會，呼召則是忠 於你與主相交時所領受的。這並不是說，從此有無數的事奉要劃分出來給你，而是你要撇開其他方面事奉的需求。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，懇求你繼續賜下力量和純真的喜樂。讓我的動機和心思，都能夠保持謙卑，不會自以為是優越的人。
Joy comes from seeing the complete fulfillment of the specific purpose for which I was created and born again, not from successfully doing something of my own choosing. The joy our Lord experienced came from doing what the Father sent Him to do. And He says to us, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). Have you received a ministry from the Lord? If so, you must be faithful to it— to consider your life valuable only for the purpose of fulfilling that ministry. Knowing that you have done what Jesus sent you to do, think how satisfying it will be to hear Him say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). We each have to find a niche in life, and spiritually we find it when we receive a ministry from the Lord. To do this we must have close fellowship with Jesus and must know Him as more than our personal Savior. And we must be willing to experience the full impact of Acts 9:16 — “I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
“Do you love Me?” Then, “Feed My sheep” (John 21:17). He is not offering us a choice of how we can serve Him; He is asking for absolute loyalty to His commission, a faithfulness to what we discern when we are in the closest possible fellowship with God. If you have received a ministry from the Lord Jesus, you will know that the need is not the same as the call— the need is the opportunity to exercise the call. The call is to be faithful to the ministry you received when you were in true fellowship with Him. This does not imply that there is a whole series of differing ministries marked out for you. It does mean that you must be sensitive to what God has called you to do, and this may sometimes require ignoring demands for service in other areas.
祂真是主麼？
只要（[喜樂地]），英文譯本）行完我的路程，成就我從主耶穌所領受的職事。 （徒二十24）
喜樂的意思，是我能圓滿地完成被造和重生的目的，而不是因為成功地完成一件事。我們主的喜樂，就是在於遵行父神的旨意，他說：[我父怎樣差遣了我，我也照樣差遣你們。 ]我又從主接受職事麼？若有，我必須忠於所託，將生命的價值完全放在達成那使命上面。想想當主對你說：[好，你這又良善又忠心的僕人。 ]你會何等的心滿意足，因已完成主差你去做的事。我們必須尋找人生的崗位，在屬靈上說，就是尋找主託付你的是什麼。要達成所託，就必須與主同行；要更深認識他，不單是把他作為個人的救主。 [我也要指示他，為我的名必須受許多的枯。 ][你愛我麼？ ]然後，[你餵養我的羊。 ]事奉是不容你取捨的，只有絕對效忠於主；效忠於你最貼近神時所領受的。若你從耶穌接受了一項事奉，就會知道需要並不等於呼召，需要乃是機會，呼召則是忠 於你與主相交時所領受的。這並不是說，從此有無數的事奉要劃分出來給你，而是你要撇開其他方面事奉的需求。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，懇求你繼續賜下力量和純真的喜樂。讓我的動機和心思，都能夠保持謙卑，不會自以為是優越的人。
March 04, 2014
Is This True of Me?
None of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself . . . —Acts 20:24
It is easier to serve or work for God without a vision and without a call, because then you are not bothered by what He requires. Common sense, covered with a layer of Christian emotion, becomes your guide. You may be more prosperous and successful from the world’s perspective, and will have more leisure time, if you never acknowledge the call of God. But once you receive a commission from Jesus Christ, the memory of what God asks of you will always be there to prod you on to do His will. You will no longer be able to work for Him on the basis of common sense.
What do I count in my life as “dear to myself”? If I have not been seized by Jesus Christ and have not surrendered myself to Him, I will consider the time I decide to give God and my own ideas of service as dear. I will also consider my own life as “dear to myself.” But Paul said he considered his life dear so that he might fulfill the ministry he had received, and he refused to use his energy on anything else. This verse shows an almost noble annoyance by Paul at being asked to consider himself. He was absolutely indifferent to any consideration other than that of fulfilling the ministry he had received. Our ordinary and reasonable service to God may actually compete against our total surrender to Him. Our reasonable work is based on the following argument which we say to ourselves, “Remember how useful you are here, and think how much value you would be in that particular type of work.” That attitude chooses our own judgment, instead of Jesus Christ, to be our guide as to where we should go and where we could be used the most. Never consider whether or not you are of use— but always consider that “you are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19). You are His.
我果真如此嗎？
我卻不以性命為念，也不看為寶貴。 （徒二十24）
沒有異象就去事奉神，是容易的；沒有蒙召就去事奉神，也是容易的；因為你根本不需理會神的要求。頭腦上的知識，加上信徒的情感就知道，你會幹得很成功。心情可優悠自得，只要你從未經歷神的呼召。可是，一旦你接受了耶穌基督的差使，神就整日驅策著你；那你再也不能根據頭腦上的知識來為他工作。
我看什麼為寶貴？我若未被主耶穌抓住，我會看事奉為寶貴，為神擺上得時間為寶貴，以我的生命為寶貴。保羅說，他看生命寶貴，只因他能完成所交託他的使命；他拒絕在任何事上花費他的精力。使徒行轉二十章24節中說保羅對別人叫他顧慮自己的安慰，幾乎又一種極端的煩惱；除了完成主所交託的使命外，他絕對不管別的。有時實際的工作，會取去人歸向神的心，因為實際的工作是根據[記住你在這裡多派用場]，[想想你在某項工作上有多難得]。這種態度沒有把主耶穌作為方向的指引，卻用自己的判斷來決定我們在那裡最有用。千萬別思量自己有沒有用，卻要緊記你不屬於自己，乃屬於主。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，靠著你的恩典，讓我張眼看見你，和你的無窮無盡；並且，在關乎你的事工上，讓我明白你的心意。
It is easier to serve or work for God without a vision and without a call, because then you are not bothered by what He requires. Common sense, covered with a layer of Christian emotion, becomes your guide. You may be more prosperous and successful from the world’s perspective, and will have more leisure time, if you never acknowledge the call of God. But once you receive a commission from Jesus Christ, the memory of what God asks of you will always be there to prod you on to do His will. You will no longer be able to work for Him on the basis of common sense.
What do I count in my life as “dear to myself”? If I have not been seized by Jesus Christ and have not surrendered myself to Him, I will consider the time I decide to give God and my own ideas of service as dear. I will also consider my own life as “dear to myself.” But Paul said he considered his life dear so that he might fulfill the ministry he had received, and he refused to use his energy on anything else. This verse shows an almost noble annoyance by Paul at being asked to consider himself. He was absolutely indifferent to any consideration other than that of fulfilling the ministry he had received. Our ordinary and reasonable service to God may actually compete against our total surrender to Him. Our reasonable work is based on the following argument which we say to ourselves, “Remember how useful you are here, and think how much value you would be in that particular type of work.” That attitude chooses our own judgment, instead of Jesus Christ, to be our guide as to where we should go and where we could be used the most. Never consider whether or not you are of use— but always consider that “you are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19). You are His.
我果真如此嗎？
我卻不以性命為念，也不看為寶貴。 （徒二十24）
沒有異象就去事奉神，是容易的；沒有蒙召就去事奉神，也是容易的；因為你根本不需理會神的要求。頭腦上的知識，加上信徒的情感就知道，你會幹得很成功。心情可優悠自得，只要你從未經歷神的呼召。可是，一旦你接受了耶穌基督的差使，神就整日驅策著你；那你再也不能根據頭腦上的知識來為他工作。
我看什麼為寶貴？我若未被主耶穌抓住，我會看事奉為寶貴，為神擺上得時間為寶貴，以我的生命為寶貴。保羅說，他看生命寶貴，只因他能完成所交託他的使命；他拒絕在任何事上花費他的精力。使徒行轉二十章24節中說保羅對別人叫他顧慮自己的安慰，幾乎又一種極端的煩惱；除了完成主所交託的使命外，他絕對不管別的。有時實際的工作，會取去人歸向神的心，因為實際的工作是根據[記住你在這裡多派用場]，[想想你在某項工作上有多難得]。這種態度沒有把主耶穌作為方向的指引，卻用自己的判斷來決定我們在那裡最有用。千萬別思量自己有沒有用，卻要緊記你不屬於自己，乃屬於主。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，靠著你的恩典，讓我張眼看見你，和你的無窮無盡；並且，在關乎你的事工上，讓我明白你的心意。
March 03, 2014
His Commission to Us
Feed My sheep —John 21:17
This is love in the making. The love of God is not created— it is His nature. When we receive the life of Christ through the Holy Spirit, He unites us with God so that His love is demonstrated in us. The goal of the indwelling Holy Spirit is not just to unite us with God, but to do it in such a way that we will be one with the Father in exactly the same way Jesus was. And what kind of oneness did Jesus Christ have with the Father? He had such a oneness with the Father that He was obedient when His Father sent Him down here to be poured out for us. And He says to us, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21).
Peter now realizes that he does love Him, due to the revelation that came with the Lord’s piercing question. The Lord’s next point is— “Pour yourself out. Don’t testify about how much you love Me and don’t talk about the wonderful revelation you have had, just ’Feed My sheep.’ ” Jesus has some extraordinarily peculiar sheep: some that are unkempt and dirty, some that are awkward or pushy, and some that have gone astray! But it is impossible to exhaust God’s love, and it is impossible to exhaust my love if it flows from the Spirit of God within me. The love of God pays no attention to my prejudices caused by my natural individuality. If I love my Lord, I have no business being guided by natural emotions— I have to feed His sheep. We will not be delivered or released from His commission to us. Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by following your own natural human emotions, sympathies, or understandings. That will only serve to revile and abuse the true love of God.
放不下的使命
你餵養我的羊。 （約二十一17）
這是愛的模造。神的愛不是被造的，乃是他的本性。我們一接受了聖靈，他就使我們與神聯合，神的愛就藉我們彰顯出來。人的心靈藉著聖靈的內住與神聯合，並不就完事；我們是要與父合一，正如耶穌與父合一一樣。耶穌與父的合一是怎樣的呢？就是父差他到時間來，為我們竭盡所有。然後說：[父怎樣差遣了我，我也照樣差 遣他們。 ]
彼得這時被主刺心的問話啟示，體會自己真的愛主；接著就是將自己耗盡。主對他說：[你不必見證你怎樣愛我，也不必宣告你所得的超奇啟示，只要餵養我的羊。 ]耶穌有許多奇特古怪的羊，有骯髒的羊，有粗魯好鬥的羊，還有迷路的羊！神的愛從不會枯乾，人的愛若從同一源泉發出，也就同樣的不會枯乾。神的愛是不理會 那個性中的差異。我若愛主，就不該受天然性情所左右；我必須餵養他的羊。這使命是不容間斷的。但當心不可依照人天然的同情心去假冒神的愛，否則就是褻瀆神 的愛。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，但願我所有的思想、情感和說話，都蘊含著愛－－對你的完全之愛，並透過它來與人接觸。
This is love in the making. The love of God is not created— it is His nature. When we receive the life of Christ through the Holy Spirit, He unites us with God so that His love is demonstrated in us. The goal of the indwelling Holy Spirit is not just to unite us with God, but to do it in such a way that we will be one with the Father in exactly the same way Jesus was. And what kind of oneness did Jesus Christ have with the Father? He had such a oneness with the Father that He was obedient when His Father sent Him down here to be poured out for us. And He says to us, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21).
Peter now realizes that he does love Him, due to the revelation that came with the Lord’s piercing question. The Lord’s next point is— “Pour yourself out. Don’t testify about how much you love Me and don’t talk about the wonderful revelation you have had, just ’Feed My sheep.’ ” Jesus has some extraordinarily peculiar sheep: some that are unkempt and dirty, some that are awkward or pushy, and some that have gone astray! But it is impossible to exhaust God’s love, and it is impossible to exhaust my love if it flows from the Spirit of God within me. The love of God pays no attention to my prejudices caused by my natural individuality. If I love my Lord, I have no business being guided by natural emotions— I have to feed His sheep. We will not be delivered or released from His commission to us. Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by following your own natural human emotions, sympathies, or understandings. That will only serve to revile and abuse the true love of God.
放不下的使命
你餵養我的羊。 （約二十一17）
這是愛的模造。神的愛不是被造的，乃是他的本性。我們一接受了聖靈，他就使我們與神聯合，神的愛就藉我們彰顯出來。人的心靈藉著聖靈的內住與神聯合，並不就完事；我們是要與父合一，正如耶穌與父合一一樣。耶穌與父的合一是怎樣的呢？就是父差他到時間來，為我們竭盡所有。然後說：[父怎樣差遣了我，我也照樣差 遣他們。 ]
彼得這時被主刺心的問話啟示，體會自己真的愛主；接著就是將自己耗盡。主對他說：[你不必見證你怎樣愛我，也不必宣告你所得的超奇啟示，只要餵養我的羊。 ]耶穌有許多奇特古怪的羊，有骯髒的羊，有粗魯好鬥的羊，還有迷路的羊！神的愛從不會枯乾，人的愛若從同一源泉發出，也就同樣的不會枯乾。神的愛是不理會 那個性中的差異。我若愛主，就不該受天然性情所左右；我必須餵養他的羊。這使命是不容間斷的。但當心不可依照人天然的同情心去假冒神的愛，否則就是褻瀆神 的愛。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，但願我所有的思想、情感和說話，都蘊含著愛－－對你的完全之愛，並透過它來與人接觸。
March 02, 2014
Have You Felt the Pain Inflicted by the Lord?
He said to him the third time, ’. . . do you love Me?’ —John 21:17
Have you ever felt the pain, inflicted by the Lord, at the very center of your being, deep down in the most sensitive area of your life? The devil never inflicts pain there, and neither can sin nor human emotions.
Have you ever felt the pain, inflicted by the Lord, at the very center of your being, deep down in the most sensitive area of your life? The devil never inflicts pain there, and neither can sin nor human emotions.
Nothing can cut through to that part of our being but the Word of God.
“Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ’Do you love
Me?’ ” Yet he was awakened to the fact that at the center of his
personal life he was devoted to Jesus. And then he began to see what
Jesus’ patient questioning meant. There was not the slightest bit of
doubt left in Peter’s mind; he could never be deceived again. And there
was no need for an impassioned response; no need for immediate action or
an emotional display. It was a revelation to him to realize how much he
did love the Lord, and with amazement he simply said, “Lord, You know
all things . . . .” Peter began to see how very much he did love Jesus,
and there was no need to say, “Look at this or that as proof of my
love.” Peter was beginning to discover within himself just how much he
really did love the Lord. He discovered that his eyes were so fixed on
Jesus Christ that he saw no one else in heaven above or on the earth
below. But he did not know it until the probing, hurting questions of
the Lord were asked. The Lord’s questions always reveal the true me to
myself.
Oh, the wonder of the patient directness and skill of Jesus Christ with Peter! Our Lord never asks questions until the perfect time. Rarely, but probably once in each of our lives, He will back us into a corner where He will hurt us with His piercing questions. Then we will realize that we do love Him far more deeply than our words can ever say.
你感到主的刺傷麼？
第三次對他說，約翰的兒子西門，你愛我麼？ （約二十一17）
你感到主的刺傷痛入骨髓，正中你生命是最敏感的要害麼？魔鬼從不刺入那裡，罪惡或人的感情也不刺到那裡，惟有神的話才透得過。 [彼得因為耶穌第三次對他說……就憂愁。 ]他開始覺悟在他生命的最深處，是全心愛耶穌的，也開始明白主再三問他的用意。他心裡再沒有絲毫的疑惑，也不再迷糊了。這時，已沒有衝動訴說的餘地，也不能用激昂的情緒示愛了。他醒悟自己原來有多愛主，以致他滿心讚歎他說：[主阿，你是無所不知的。 ]彼得開始發現自己多麼愛主；但他並沒有說：[請看這件那件事便可以證明。 ]他心裡發現對主的愛有多深，就是在天上地下除了主耶穌，再沒有別的了。但他一直都不知道，直到主的問話刺入剖開。主的問話總是把我自己顯露出來。
主耶穌對彼得是多麼忍耐、坦率和巧妙，他總是在合適的時刻才發問。他會把我們引到一個角落，用他毫不放鬆的問話刺透我們；雖然他並不常是這樣，也可能只此一次。不過，我們卻覺察到自己真真愛他，比任何口頭的宣稱更真。
祈禱◆[我在困苦中，你曾使我寬廣。 ]噢，這個在我心中的思想，愈來愈像一個珍貴而湧流不息的恩典泉源！
Oh, the wonder of the patient directness and skill of Jesus Christ with Peter! Our Lord never asks questions until the perfect time. Rarely, but probably once in each of our lives, He will back us into a corner where He will hurt us with His piercing questions. Then we will realize that we do love Him far more deeply than our words can ever say.
你感到主的刺傷麼？
第三次對他說，約翰的兒子西門，你愛我麼？ （約二十一17）
你感到主的刺傷痛入骨髓，正中你生命是最敏感的要害麼？魔鬼從不刺入那裡，罪惡或人的感情也不刺到那裡，惟有神的話才透得過。 [彼得因為耶穌第三次對他說……就憂愁。 ]他開始覺悟在他生命的最深處，是全心愛耶穌的，也開始明白主再三問他的用意。他心裡再沒有絲毫的疑惑，也不再迷糊了。這時，已沒有衝動訴說的餘地，也不能用激昂的情緒示愛了。他醒悟自己原來有多愛主，以致他滿心讚歎他說：[主阿，你是無所不知的。 ]彼得開始發現自己多麼愛主；但他並沒有說：[請看這件那件事便可以證明。 ]他心裡發現對主的愛有多深，就是在天上地下除了主耶穌，再沒有別的了。但他一直都不知道，直到主的問話刺入剖開。主的問話總是把我自己顯露出來。
主耶穌對彼得是多麼忍耐、坦率和巧妙，他總是在合適的時刻才發問。他會把我們引到一個角落，用他毫不放鬆的問話刺透我們；雖然他並不常是這樣，也可能只此一次。不過，我們卻覺察到自己真真愛他，比任何口頭的宣稱更真。
祈禱◆[我在困苦中，你曾使我寬廣。 ]噢，這個在我心中的思想，愈來愈像一個珍貴而湧流不息的恩典泉源！
March 01, 2014
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。
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。
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)