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。
August 31, 2014
August 30, 2014
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, 2014
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。
August 28, 2014
The Purpose of Prayer
. . . one of His disciples said to Him, ’Lord, teach us to pray . . .’ —Luke 11:1
Prayer is not a normal part of the life of the natural man. We hear it said that a person’s life will suffer if he doesn’t pray, but I question that. What will suffer is the life of the Son of God in him, which is nourished not by food, but by prayer. When a person is born again from above, the life of the Son of God is born in him, and he can either starve or nourish that life. Prayer is the way that the life of God in us is nourished. Our common ideas regarding prayer are not found in the New Testament. We look upon prayer simply as a means of getting things for ourselves, but the biblical purpose of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.
“Ask, and you will receive . . .” (John 16:24). We complain before God, and sometimes we are apologetic or indifferent to Him, but we actually ask Him for very few things. Yet a child exhibits a magnificent boldness to ask! Our Lord said, “. . . unless you . . . become as little children . . .” (Matthew 18:3). Ask and God will do. Give Jesus Christ the opportunity and the room to work. The problem is that no one will ever do this until he is at his wits’ end. When a person is at his wits’ end, it no longer seems to be a cowardly thing to pray; in fact, it is the only way he can get in touch with the truth and the reality of God Himself. Be yourself before God and present Him with your problems— the very things that have brought you to your wits’ end. But as long as you think you are self-sufficient, you do not need to ask God for anything.
To say that “prayer changes things” is not as close to the truth as saying, “Prayer changes me and then I change things.” God has established things so that prayer, on the basis of redemption, changes the way a person looks at things. Prayer is not a matter of changing things externally, but one of working miracles in a person’s inner nature.
禱告何益？
救主教導我們禱告。 （路十一1）
祈禱在人的生命中並無地位。我們常聽到這樣的說法：一個人若不禱告，他的生命就會受虧損。這個我不同意。受虧損的是在他裡面神兒子的生命，那生命不是靠食物養活，而是靠禱告養活的。人重生以後，神兒子的生命就住在他裡面；他可以養育這生命，也可以叫它餓壞。禱告是屬神生命得滋養得方法。我們一般對禱告的看法，並不是新約聖經的看法。我們往往視禱告為從神求討東西的途徑。但聖經中的禱告，是叫我們得以認識神自己。
[凡祈求的，就得著。 ]我們在神面前埋怨，或與他辯論，或對他冷漠，卻甚少求什麼。試看有小孩子樣式的兒女那種坦率大膽，是多麼可愛！我們的主說：[你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式－－]求吧。神必然成就。給主耶穌一個機會，讓他可以自由行事。人非到了盡頭，不會這樣作。
當人到了盡頭去祈求，並不是懦弱，因為這是唯一通往現實的方法。在神面前，只管按你的本相，擺出你那來到盡頭的問題。每當你自滿自足，就不會來求神。與其說[到改改變萬事]，不弱說禱告改變我，然後我改變萬事。神的行事方法，就是藉基於救贖的禱告，改變一個人對事物的看法。禱告不是改變外在事態，乃是在人的本性上行奇事。
祈禱◆[主－－我們的神。全能者作王了。 ]主啊，這句話是何等偉大和令人振奮。願我因著知道你作王，而充滿了寧謐的平安。
Prayer is not a normal part of the life of the natural man. We hear it said that a person’s life will suffer if he doesn’t pray, but I question that. What will suffer is the life of the Son of God in him, which is nourished not by food, but by prayer. When a person is born again from above, the life of the Son of God is born in him, and he can either starve or nourish that life. Prayer is the way that the life of God in us is nourished. Our common ideas regarding prayer are not found in the New Testament. We look upon prayer simply as a means of getting things for ourselves, but the biblical purpose of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.
“Ask, and you will receive . . .” (John 16:24). We complain before God, and sometimes we are apologetic or indifferent to Him, but we actually ask Him for very few things. Yet a child exhibits a magnificent boldness to ask! Our Lord said, “. . . unless you . . . become as little children . . .” (Matthew 18:3). Ask and God will do. Give Jesus Christ the opportunity and the room to work. The problem is that no one will ever do this until he is at his wits’ end. When a person is at his wits’ end, it no longer seems to be a cowardly thing to pray; in fact, it is the only way he can get in touch with the truth and the reality of God Himself. Be yourself before God and present Him with your problems— the very things that have brought you to your wits’ end. But as long as you think you are self-sufficient, you do not need to ask God for anything.
To say that “prayer changes things” is not as close to the truth as saying, “Prayer changes me and then I change things.” God has established things so that prayer, on the basis of redemption, changes the way a person looks at things. Prayer is not a matter of changing things externally, but one of working miracles in a person’s inner nature.
禱告何益？
救主教導我們禱告。 （路十一1）
祈禱在人的生命中並無地位。我們常聽到這樣的說法：一個人若不禱告，他的生命就會受虧損。這個我不同意。受虧損的是在他裡面神兒子的生命，那生命不是靠食物養活，而是靠禱告養活的。人重生以後，神兒子的生命就住在他裡面；他可以養育這生命，也可以叫它餓壞。禱告是屬神生命得滋養得方法。我們一般對禱告的看法，並不是新約聖經的看法。我們往往視禱告為從神求討東西的途徑。但聖經中的禱告，是叫我們得以認識神自己。
[凡祈求的，就得著。 ]我們在神面前埋怨，或與他辯論，或對他冷漠，卻甚少求什麼。試看有小孩子樣式的兒女那種坦率大膽，是多麼可愛！我們的主說：[你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式－－]求吧。神必然成就。給主耶穌一個機會，讓他可以自由行事。人非到了盡頭，不會這樣作。
當人到了盡頭去祈求，並不是懦弱，因為這是唯一通往現實的方法。在神面前，只管按你的本相，擺出你那來到盡頭的問題。每當你自滿自足，就不會來求神。與其說[到改改變萬事]，不弱說禱告改變我，然後我改變萬事。神的行事方法，就是藉基於救贖的禱告，改變一個人對事物的看法。禱告不是改變外在事態，乃是在人的本性上行奇事。
祈禱◆[主－－我們的神。全能者作王了。 ]主啊，這句話是何等偉大和令人振奮。願我因著知道你作王，而充滿了寧謐的平安。
August 27, 2014
Living Your Theology
Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you . . . —John 12:35
Beware of not acting upon what you see in your moments on the mountaintop with God. If you do not obey the light, it will turn into darkness. “If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). The moment you forsake the matter of sanctification or neglect anything else on which God has given you His light, your spiritual life begins to disintegrate within you. Continually bring the truth out into your real life, working it out into every area, or else even the light that you possess will itself prove to be a curse.
The most difficult person to deal with is the one who has the prideful self-satisfaction of a past experience, but is not working that experience out in his everyday life. If you say you are sanctified, show it. The experience must be so genuine that it shows in your life. Beware of any belief that makes you self-indulgent or self-gratifying; that belief came from the pit of hell itself, regardless of how beautiful it may sound.
Your theology must work itself out, exhibiting itself in your most common everyday relationships. Our Lord said, “. . . unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). In other words, you must be more moral than the most moral person you know. You may know all about the doctrine of sanctification, but are you working it out in the everyday issues of your life? Every detail of your life, whether physical, moral, or spiritual, is to be judged and measured by the standard of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.
活的神學
應當趁著有光行走，免得黑暗臨到你們。 （約十二35）
應當把你在山上與神同在時所見的活出來。你若不順從光，光就會變成黑暗。 [你裡頭的光若黑暗了，那黑暗是何等大哩！ ]每當你放開成聖的問題，或任何事上神給你的亮光，你屬靈生命就開始陷入枯乾腐爛之中。要不斷把真理活出來，在每一個範疇內都要實行，否則你所得的光，反成了咒詛。
最難對付的人，就是因過去的經歷自滿自足，卻又沒有把經歷付諸實行的人。你若說成聖了，就要表現出來。經歷若是真的，就必然在生活中流露。當心那些叫你自我放縱的信念，不論它們有多動聽，都是從暗坑中出來的。
神學必須在最實際的關係中表現出來。主說：[你們的義若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義……]那就是說，你必須比最具德行的人更有道德。你可以懂得一切成聖的教義，但到底有沒有在生活上行出來？你生命的每一部分：身體、道德、靈性，都要憑救贖的標準去審定。
祈禱◆主啊，願我[像一顆樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子]。求你顯明這句話的真實。
Beware of not acting upon what you see in your moments on the mountaintop with God. If you do not obey the light, it will turn into darkness. “If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). The moment you forsake the matter of sanctification or neglect anything else on which God has given you His light, your spiritual life begins to disintegrate within you. Continually bring the truth out into your real life, working it out into every area, or else even the light that you possess will itself prove to be a curse.
The most difficult person to deal with is the one who has the prideful self-satisfaction of a past experience, but is not working that experience out in his everyday life. If you say you are sanctified, show it. The experience must be so genuine that it shows in your life. Beware of any belief that makes you self-indulgent or self-gratifying; that belief came from the pit of hell itself, regardless of how beautiful it may sound.
Your theology must work itself out, exhibiting itself in your most common everyday relationships. Our Lord said, “. . . unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). In other words, you must be more moral than the most moral person you know. You may know all about the doctrine of sanctification, but are you working it out in the everyday issues of your life? Every detail of your life, whether physical, moral, or spiritual, is to be judged and measured by the standard of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.
活的神學
應當趁著有光行走，免得黑暗臨到你們。 （約十二35）
應當把你在山上與神同在時所見的活出來。你若不順從光，光就會變成黑暗。 [你裡頭的光若黑暗了，那黑暗是何等大哩！ ]每當你放開成聖的問題，或任何事上神給你的亮光，你屬靈生命就開始陷入枯乾腐爛之中。要不斷把真理活出來，在每一個範疇內都要實行，否則你所得的光，反成了咒詛。
最難對付的人，就是因過去的經歷自滿自足，卻又沒有把經歷付諸實行的人。你若說成聖了，就要表現出來。經歷若是真的，就必然在生活中流露。當心那些叫你自我放縱的信念，不論它們有多動聽，都是從暗坑中出來的。
神學必須在最實際的關係中表現出來。主說：[你們的義若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義……]那就是說，你必須比最具德行的人更有道德。你可以懂得一切成聖的教義，但到底有沒有在生活上行出來？你生命的每一部分：身體、道德、靈性，都要憑救贖的標準去審定。
祈禱◆主啊，願我[像一顆樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子]。求你顯明這句話的真實。
August 26, 2014
Are You Ever Troubled?
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you . . . —John 14:27
There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on our own ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always “spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? “. . . My peace I give to you. . .”— a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.
Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. Allowing anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you either causes you to become troubled or gives you a false sense of security.
With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27).
你曾煩擾不安嗎？
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們。 （約十四27）
有時我們感覺平安，是因為無知；但當我們醒悟人生的現實，內心平安就消失了。除非我們從主耶穌得著平安，否則就不能有內在的平安。主耶穌說平安，他就成就平安。他的話永遠是[靈和生命]。我有接受他所說的話麼？ [我將我的平安賜給你們。 ]－－這平安是由於定睛在他臉上，體會他那不能動搖的安穩而來的。
你如今是否因困擾而痛苦？在神的允許下，你正受著風浪的衝擊，雖然翻開信心的礁石，卻仍找不著平安、喜樂與安慰。一切都絕望了，你該仰望主，接受他那無法動搖的平安。你若能彰顯他的平安，便證明你與神有正確的關係，因為你可以自由地把心轉向他。要是你與神的關係不對勁，你的心除了轉向自己之外，便無路可通。若讓任何事物掩蔽主的臉，你不是沒有平安，就是活在虛假的穩妥裡。
你現今是否仰望耶穌？在你逼近眉睫的事上，去接受他的平安？若然，他要藉著你，也要在你裡面，成為最美妙平安的福氣。可是你若擔憂，就攔阻了他，那你受的苦，就是咎由自取了。我們受困擾，是因為未有想到他。人一與主相會，困惑就必離開，因為在他沒有困惑的事。我們唯一要注意的，是住在他裡面。把一切鋪陳在他面前，在一切困難、傷痛、愁苦之中，聽他說：[你們心裡不要憂愁。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，願你的臉光臨到我，並賜給我平安。你的平安，深如無法測度的大海，高如難以量度的高天。願你在此刻感動我，直至光明、生命和自由穿透我。
There are times in our lives when our peace is based simply on our own ignorance. But when we are awakened to the realities of life, true inner peace is impossible unless it is received from Jesus. When our Lord speaks peace, He creates peace, because the words that He speaks are always “spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). Have I ever received what Jesus speaks? “. . . My peace I give to you. . .”— a peace that comes from looking into His face and fully understanding and receiving His quiet contentment.
Are you severely troubled right now? Are you afraid and confused by the waves and the turbulence God sovereignly allows to enter your life? Have you left no stone of your faith unturned, yet still not found any well of peace, joy, or comfort? Does your life seem completely barren to you? Then look up and receive the quiet contentment of the Lord Jesus. Reflecting His peace is proof that you are right with God, because you are exhibiting the freedom to turn your mind to Him. If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind anywhere but on yourself. Allowing anything to hide the face of Jesus Christ from you either causes you to become troubled or gives you a false sense of security.
With regard to the problem that is pressing in on you right now, are you “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) and receiving peace from Him? If so, He will be a gracious blessing of peace exhibited in and through you. But if you only try to worry your way out of the problem, you destroy His effectiveness in you, and you deserve whatever you get. We become troubled because we have not been taking Him into account. When a person confers with Jesus Christ, the confusion stops, because there is no confusion in Him. Lay everything out before Him, and when you are faced with difficulty, bereavement, and sorrow, listen to Him say, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27).
你曾煩擾不安嗎？
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們。 （約十四27）
有時我們感覺平安，是因為無知；但當我們醒悟人生的現實，內心平安就消失了。除非我們從主耶穌得著平安，否則就不能有內在的平安。主耶穌說平安，他就成就平安。他的話永遠是[靈和生命]。我有接受他所說的話麼？ [我將我的平安賜給你們。 ]－－這平安是由於定睛在他臉上，體會他那不能動搖的安穩而來的。
你如今是否因困擾而痛苦？在神的允許下，你正受著風浪的衝擊，雖然翻開信心的礁石，卻仍找不著平安、喜樂與安慰。一切都絕望了，你該仰望主，接受他那無法動搖的平安。你若能彰顯他的平安，便證明你與神有正確的關係，因為你可以自由地把心轉向他。要是你與神的關係不對勁，你的心除了轉向自己之外，便無路可通。若讓任何事物掩蔽主的臉，你不是沒有平安，就是活在虛假的穩妥裡。
你現今是否仰望耶穌？在你逼近眉睫的事上，去接受他的平安？若然，他要藉著你，也要在你裡面，成為最美妙平安的福氣。可是你若擔憂，就攔阻了他，那你受的苦，就是咎由自取了。我們受困擾，是因為未有想到他。人一與主相會，困惑就必離開，因為在他沒有困惑的事。我們唯一要注意的，是住在他裡面。把一切鋪陳在他面前，在一切困難、傷痛、愁苦之中，聽他說：[你們心裡不要憂愁。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，願你的臉光臨到我，並賜給我平安。你的平安，深如無法測度的大海，高如難以量度的高天。願你在此刻感動我，直至光明、生命和自由穿透我。
August 25, 2014
Sacrifice and Friendship
I have called you friends . . . —John 15:15
We will never know the joy of self-sacrifice until we surrender in every detail of our lives. Yet self-surrender is the most difficult thing for us to do. We make it conditional by saying, “I’ll surrender if . . . !” Or we approach it by saying, “I suppose I have to devote my life to God.” We will never find the joy of self-sacrifice in either of these ways.
But as soon as we do totally surrender, abandoning ourselves to Jesus, the Holy Spirit gives us a taste of His joy. The ultimate goal of self-sacrifice is to lay down our lives for our Friend (see John 15:13-14). When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, our greatest desire is to lay down our lives for Jesus. Yet the thought of self-sacrifice never even crosses our minds, because sacrifice is the Holy Spirit’s ultimate expression of love.
Our Lord is our example of a life of self-sacrifice, and He perfectly exemplified Psalm 40:8, “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . . .” He endured tremendous personal sacrifice, yet with overflowing joy. Have I ever yielded myself in absolute submission to Jesus Christ? If He is not the One to whom I am looking for direction and guidance, then there is no benefit in my sacrifice. But when my sacrifice is made with my eyes focused on Him, slowly but surely His molding influence becomes evident in my life (see Hebrews 12:1-2).
Beware of letting your natural desires hinder your walk in love before God. One of the cruelest ways to kill natural love is through the rejection that results from having built the love on natural desires. But the one true desire of a saint is the Lord Jesus. Love for God is not something sentimental or emotional— for a saint to love as God loves is the most practical thing imaginable.
“I have called you friends. . . .” Our friendship with Jesus is based on the new life He created in us, which has no resemblance or attraction to our old life but only to the life of God. It is a life that is completely humble, pure, and devoted to God.
結實累累的友誼
我乃稱你們為朋友。 （約十五15）
除非我們完全的投上，否則不能真正體會獻上的喜樂。自我的降服是最難的事－－[如果……我就肯了！ ][或許我也該把生命奉獻給神。 ]其中是沒有絲毫捨己的喜樂。待我們真的完全捨棄了，聖靈就叫我們嚐到主耶穌的喜樂。捨己的最終目標是為[朋友]（主耶穌）捨命。聖靈一來，最大的心願就是為耶穌捨命；以往捨己的意念從不會觸動我們的心，因為捨己是聖靈的愛。
主捨己的一生是我們的榜樣－－[我的神，我樂意照你的旨意行。 ]主的捨己是滿有喜樂的。我已經完全降服耶穌基督了嗎？耶穌基督若不是我們的目標，我們的捨己奉獻就毫無益處；我們的奉獻若是專注在他身上，那模造的工夫就必逐漸明朗地顯明。
當心別讓天然的親屬關係，阻礙你行在愛中。扼殺愛最殘酷的方法，是蔑視天然親屬的關係。聖徒唯一的吸引是主耶穌自己。對神的愛並非情感用事，因為聖徒以神的愛去愛，是最實際不過的事。 [我乃稱你們為朋友。 ]這友誼的根基是我們裡面新造的生命。這新生命只與神的生命相連，與舊生命沒有半點關係，是無可言喻的謙和，沒有玷污的潔淨，絕對忠於神。
We will never know the joy of self-sacrifice until we surrender in every detail of our lives. Yet self-surrender is the most difficult thing for us to do. We make it conditional by saying, “I’ll surrender if . . . !” Or we approach it by saying, “I suppose I have to devote my life to God.” We will never find the joy of self-sacrifice in either of these ways.
But as soon as we do totally surrender, abandoning ourselves to Jesus, the Holy Spirit gives us a taste of His joy. The ultimate goal of self-sacrifice is to lay down our lives for our Friend (see John 15:13-14). When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, our greatest desire is to lay down our lives for Jesus. Yet the thought of self-sacrifice never even crosses our minds, because sacrifice is the Holy Spirit’s ultimate expression of love.
Our Lord is our example of a life of self-sacrifice, and He perfectly exemplified Psalm 40:8, “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . . .” He endured tremendous personal sacrifice, yet with overflowing joy. Have I ever yielded myself in absolute submission to Jesus Christ? If He is not the One to whom I am looking for direction and guidance, then there is no benefit in my sacrifice. But when my sacrifice is made with my eyes focused on Him, slowly but surely His molding influence becomes evident in my life (see Hebrews 12:1-2).
Beware of letting your natural desires hinder your walk in love before God. One of the cruelest ways to kill natural love is through the rejection that results from having built the love on natural desires. But the one true desire of a saint is the Lord Jesus. Love for God is not something sentimental or emotional— for a saint to love as God loves is the most practical thing imaginable.
“I have called you friends. . . .” Our friendship with Jesus is based on the new life He created in us, which has no resemblance or attraction to our old life but only to the life of God. It is a life that is completely humble, pure, and devoted to God.
結實累累的友誼
我乃稱你們為朋友。 （約十五15）
除非我們完全的投上，否則不能真正體會獻上的喜樂。自我的降服是最難的事－－[如果……我就肯了！ ][或許我也該把生命奉獻給神。 ]其中是沒有絲毫捨己的喜樂。待我們真的完全捨棄了，聖靈就叫我們嚐到主耶穌的喜樂。捨己的最終目標是為[朋友]（主耶穌）捨命。聖靈一來，最大的心願就是為耶穌捨命；以往捨己的意念從不會觸動我們的心，因為捨己是聖靈的愛。
主捨己的一生是我們的榜樣－－[我的神，我樂意照你的旨意行。 ]主的捨己是滿有喜樂的。我已經完全降服耶穌基督了嗎？耶穌基督若不是我們的目標，我們的捨己奉獻就毫無益處；我們的奉獻若是專注在他身上，那模造的工夫就必逐漸明朗地顯明。
當心別讓天然的親屬關係，阻礙你行在愛中。扼殺愛最殘酷的方法，是蔑視天然親屬的關係。聖徒唯一的吸引是主耶穌自己。對神的愛並非情感用事，因為聖徒以神的愛去愛，是最實際不過的事。 [我乃稱你們為朋友。 ]這友誼的根基是我們裡面新造的生命。這新生命只與神的生命相連，與舊生命沒有半點關係，是無可言喻的謙和，沒有玷污的潔淨，絕對忠於神。
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)