From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more —John 6:66
When God, by His Spirit through His Word, gives you a clear vision of His will, you must “walk in the light” of that vision (1 John 1:7). Even though your mind and soul may be thrilled by it, if you don’t “walk in the light” of it you will sink to a level of bondage never envisioned by our Lord. Mentally disobeying the “heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) will make you a slave to ideas and views that are completely foreign to Jesus Christ. Don’t look at someone else and say, “Well, if he can have those views and prosper, why can’t I?” You have to “walk in the light” of the vision that has been given to you. Don’t compare yourself with others or judge them— that is between God and them. When you find that one of your favorite and strongly held views clashes with the “heavenly vision,” do not begin to debate it. If you do, a sense of property and personal right will emerge in you— things on which Jesus placed no value. He was against these things as being the root of everything foreign to Himself— “. . . for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). If we don’t see and understand this, it is because we are ignoring the underlying principles of our Lord’s teaching.
Our tendency is to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we had when God revealed His will to us. But if a New Testament standard is revealed to us by the light of God, and we don’t try to measure up, or even feel inclined to do so, then we begin to backslide. It means your conscience does not respond to the truth. You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth. That moment marks you as one who either continues on with even more devotion as a disciple of Jesus Christ, or as one who turns to go back as a deserter.
逃兵還是門徒？
從此他門徒中多有退去的，不再和他同行。 （約六66）
神藉聖靈透過他的話語，現實他的心意，使你心靈興奮萬分；但你若不行在這異象的光中，就沉淪在努力的狀態中，受制於一種不屬於主的觀點。你若心裡不服從天上來的異象，就必服役於主耶穌以外的觀點。不要指著別人說：[看哪，他持那些觀點，仍然順利亨通，我為什麼不可以？ ]你要行在異象的光中，不要與人比較，或判斷別人，那是他與神之間的事。你若發現自己所喜悅的觀點，與天上來的異象相違，你為此爭辯，漸漸裡面就會產生一種擁有感和個人權利感，這些都是主耶穌所棄絕的。他反對這些，因為這一切是叫人離開神的根源。 [人的生命不在乎家道豐富。 ]我們不體會這一點，是因為我們漠視主基本的教訓。
我們很容易回想過往美妙的經歷。可是，神的光若向你顯示一個標準，而你未能達到，或不想達到，那你就開始退後了，因為這表示你的良心對真理並未作出回應。真理一旦開啟，便再也無法依然故我。那一刻就決定你是向前做主的真門徒，還是退後做逃兵。
祈禱◆主啊，願我們四周的每一寸空間，今天都被你所充滿。願你引導的手，適當而奇妙地掌管一切；願你將我們舉起，進入你奇妙的計劃中，並且使我們不至衝動鹵莽。
Showing posts with label Choices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Choices. Show all posts
December 29, 2014
December 28, 2014
Continuous Conversion
. . . unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven —Matthew 18:3
These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.
To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.
不斷迴轉
你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式……（太十八3）
這話不但在我們初信之時十分真確，就是在我們生命的每一天，也要迴轉，向神作小孩子。我們若信賴自己的頭腦過於神，他就要我們負責後果。我們的身體既在神安排下進入新的境況，就要讓天然生命順服聖靈的指揮。一次成功，並不等於第二次也可以成功。肉體生命與屬靈生命的關係，是不斷的迴轉，這是我們本性所不願的。不管在什麼環境下，神的靈始終不變，神的救恩也不變，但我們要[穿上新人]。我們每次不肯迴轉，神都要我們自己負責，因為我們的拒絕，是出於故意的頑梗。我們不要被肉體的生命管轄，必須讓神掌管。
屬靈生命的阻礙，是不肯經常迴轉悔改，我們用許多頑梗的藉口，在神的寶座前自傲地說：[我不肯。 ]我們尊崇獨立固執，給它們錯誤的稱號。神看作頑梗的軟弱，我們卻稱之為力量。我們生命中還有許多地方未受管治的，這只有靠經常迴轉才可以達成。逐漸地，我們必然被聖靈收復所有失地。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我能被你帶進你與我同在的境地，從你的立場觀看事情。今天早上，我要向你的百姓說話，噢，主啊，以你恩慈的靈重新膏立我。
These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.
To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.
不斷迴轉
你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式……（太十八3）
這話不但在我們初信之時十分真確，就是在我們生命的每一天，也要迴轉，向神作小孩子。我們若信賴自己的頭腦過於神，他就要我們負責後果。我們的身體既在神安排下進入新的境況，就要讓天然生命順服聖靈的指揮。一次成功，並不等於第二次也可以成功。肉體生命與屬靈生命的關係，是不斷的迴轉，這是我們本性所不願的。不管在什麼環境下，神的靈始終不變，神的救恩也不變，但我們要[穿上新人]。我們每次不肯迴轉，神都要我們自己負責，因為我們的拒絕，是出於故意的頑梗。我們不要被肉體的生命管轄，必須讓神掌管。
屬靈生命的阻礙，是不肯經常迴轉悔改，我們用許多頑梗的藉口，在神的寶座前自傲地說：[我不肯。 ]我們尊崇獨立固執，給它們錯誤的稱號。神看作頑梗的軟弱，我們卻稱之為力量。我們生命中還有許多地方未受管治的，這只有靠經常迴轉才可以達成。逐漸地，我們必然被聖靈收復所有失地。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我能被你帶進你與我同在的境地，從你的立場觀看事情。今天早上，我要向你的百姓說話，噢，主啊，以你恩慈的靈重新膏立我。
July 08, 2014
Will To Be Faithful
. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . —Joshua 24:15
A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will— I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.
“. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . .” Your choice must be a deliberate determination— it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God— do not “confer with flesh and blood” about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading— the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.
Openly declare to Him, “I will be faithful.” But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, “You are witnesses against yourselves . . .” (Joshua 24:22). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, “I will serve You.” Will to be faithful— and give other people credit for being faithful too.
立志忠心
“……今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”約書亞記24：15
意志是全人的活動。我不能放棄我的意志，我必須要訓練我的意志。我必須要立志順服，立志接受上帝的靈。當上帝給了我們真理的異像時，他要做什麼不是一個問題，問題是我們要做什麼。主已經把一些大的任務擺在我們面前，最好要做的事是回想從前被上帝感動的時候你做了什麼？就是在你得救的時候，或者第一次看到耶穌，或者認識到一些真理。那時候對上帝順服忠心是容易的。當上帝的靈把一些新的任務帶到你面前時，現在就回想從前的那些時候吧。
“今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”這是經過深思熟慮的計算，不是你可以容易進入的事情；其他一切都被暫時擱置，直到你做出決定。這任務是在你與上帝之間的，不要和屬血氣的商量這事。對於每一個新的任務，其他人會越來越遠離它，這正是壓力來的地方。上帝允許他的聖徒的意見影響到你，但你被帶領到越來越遠，別人無法確實理解你所走的路。你不用去發現上帝把你帶到哪裡，上帝唯一要向你解釋的事就是他自己。
向他宣告：“我要忠心。”一旦你選擇了向耶穌基督忠心，你就不再是你自己的見證。不要諮詢別的基督徒，只要在他面前宣告——我要服侍你。立志忠心——並且也為別人的忠心而讚許他們。
A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will— I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.
“. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . .” Your choice must be a deliberate determination— it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God— do not “confer with flesh and blood” about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading— the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.
Openly declare to Him, “I will be faithful.” But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, “You are witnesses against yourselves . . .” (Joshua 24:22). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, “I will serve You.” Will to be faithful— and give other people credit for being faithful too.
立志忠心
“……今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”約書亞記24：15
意志是全人的活動。我不能放棄我的意志，我必須要訓練我的意志。我必須要立志順服，立志接受上帝的靈。當上帝給了我們真理的異像時，他要做什麼不是一個問題，問題是我們要做什麼。主已經把一些大的任務擺在我們面前，最好要做的事是回想從前被上帝感動的時候你做了什麼？就是在你得救的時候，或者第一次看到耶穌，或者認識到一些真理。那時候對上帝順服忠心是容易的。當上帝的靈把一些新的任務帶到你面前時，現在就回想從前的那些時候吧。
“今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”這是經過深思熟慮的計算，不是你可以容易進入的事情；其他一切都被暫時擱置，直到你做出決定。這任務是在你與上帝之間的，不要和屬血氣的商量這事。對於每一個新的任務，其他人會越來越遠離它，這正是壓力來的地方。上帝允許他的聖徒的意見影響到你，但你被帶領到越來越遠，別人無法確實理解你所走的路。你不用去發現上帝把你帶到哪裡，上帝唯一要向你解釋的事就是他自己。
向他宣告：“我要忠心。”一旦你選擇了向耶穌基督忠心，你就不再是你自己的見證。不要諮詢別的基督徒，只要在他面前宣告——我要服侍你。立志忠心——並且也為別人的忠心而讚許他們。
May 25, 2014
The Good or The Best?
If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left —Genesis 13:9
As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and physically gratifying possibilities will open up before you. These things are yours by right, but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God make your choice for you. God sometimes allows you to get into a place of testing where your own welfare would be the appropriate thing to consider, if you were not living the life of faith. But if you are, you will joyfully waive your right and allow God to make your choice for you. This is the discipline God uses to transform the natural into the spiritual through obedience to His voice.
Whenever our right becomes the guiding factor of our lives, it dulls our spiritual insight. The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. In this passage, it would seem that the wisest thing in the world for Abram to do would be to choose. It was his right, and the people around him would consider him to be a fool for not choosing.
Many of us do not continue to grow spiritually because we prefer to choose on the basis of our rights, instead of relying on God to make the choice for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eyes focused on God. And God says to us, as He did to Abram, “. . . walk before Me. . .” (Genesis 17:1).
自利的考驗
你向左、我就向右、你向右、我就向左。 （創十三9）
你一開始過信靠神的生活，就會有許多滿有吸引和有利的機會出現在你面前，而這些都是你理所應得的。可是你若憑信心生活，就會主動放棄這些權益，讓神替你選擇。神有時讓你置身於試驗之中，若你不是憑信而活，圖謀切身的福利並不算錯。但你既然信靠神，就當快快樂樂地放下自己的權利，讓神替你去選擇。這個操練，是藉著對神話語的順服，使人天然的本質改造成屬靈的樣式。
人生若以權利來做指南，就會把屬靈的生命窒息了。在信靠神的生活中，最大的敵人並不是罪，而是不及標準的善良。善良永遠是至善的仇敵。亞伯拉罕易地而居，本是時間最明智之舉，因他有主權。但他不作選擇，以致周遭的人都視他為愚妄。我們許多人靈性不長進，是因為要自己選擇自以為好的，不信靠神去替我們選擇。我們要學習注目在神的標准上生活。 [你當在我面前。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，你的道路就像你那般完美；而我的道路就像我自己那樣不完全。感動我，讓我今天能有效地認同你的感覺和你的道路。
As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and physically gratifying possibilities will open up before you. These things are yours by right, but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God make your choice for you. God sometimes allows you to get into a place of testing where your own welfare would be the appropriate thing to consider, if you were not living the life of faith. But if you are, you will joyfully waive your right and allow God to make your choice for you. This is the discipline God uses to transform the natural into the spiritual through obedience to His voice.
Whenever our right becomes the guiding factor of our lives, it dulls our spiritual insight. The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. In this passage, it would seem that the wisest thing in the world for Abram to do would be to choose. It was his right, and the people around him would consider him to be a fool for not choosing.
Many of us do not continue to grow spiritually because we prefer to choose on the basis of our rights, instead of relying on God to make the choice for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eyes focused on God. And God says to us, as He did to Abram, “. . . walk before Me. . .” (Genesis 17:1).
自利的考驗
你向左、我就向右、你向右、我就向左。 （創十三9）
你一開始過信靠神的生活，就會有許多滿有吸引和有利的機會出現在你面前，而這些都是你理所應得的。可是你若憑信心生活，就會主動放棄這些權益，讓神替你選擇。神有時讓你置身於試驗之中，若你不是憑信而活，圖謀切身的福利並不算錯。但你既然信靠神，就當快快樂樂地放下自己的權利，讓神替你去選擇。這個操練，是藉著對神話語的順服，使人天然的本質改造成屬靈的樣式。
人生若以權利來做指南，就會把屬靈的生命窒息了。在信靠神的生活中，最大的敵人並不是罪，而是不及標準的善良。善良永遠是至善的仇敵。亞伯拉罕易地而居，本是時間最明智之舉，因他有主權。但他不作選擇，以致周遭的人都視他為愚妄。我們許多人靈性不長進，是因為要自己選擇自以為好的，不信靠神去替我們選擇。我們要學習注目在神的標准上生活。 [你當在我面前。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，你的道路就像你那般完美；而我的道路就像我自己那樣不完全。感動我，讓我今天能有效地認同你的感覺和你的道路。
April 10, 2014
Complete and Effective Decision About Sin
. . . our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin —Romans 6:6
Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin—that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you-not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified—just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.
Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, “Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.
This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life— to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin— that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin” (Romans 6:11) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.
Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . .” (Galatians 2:20).
對罪的道德判斷
因為知道我們的舊人，和他同釘十字架，使罪身滅絕，叫我們不再作罪的奴僕（羅六6）
同釘十字架。我對罪下過這決心麼？它在我裏面必須根除殺滅？我對罪所作的道德判決，是要花很長時間的。可是，這卻是我生命的轉捩點。我看準了，耶穌基督既為世人的罪而死，照樣地，罪也必須在我裡面死去。不是要把罪約制、壓抑或是抵擋，乃是要把它釘死在十字架上。沒有人可以使別人下這決心；我們也許會在宗教意識裡同意，但我們必須照保羅在此所強調的，作出決定。
要鼓起勇氣，振作起來，花時間與神單獨相對，作一個道德上的抉擇，對主說：[主阿，讓你的死成為我的死，直至我知道罪已在我裡面死去。 ]要斬釘截鐵，下定決心，把罪治死。
對保羅來說，這不是一種屬靈的期望，而是一個非常基本而肯定的經驗。我肯不肯讓神的靈鑑察我，直到我真知道罪的本相－－就是在我裡面與神的靈相爭的事物？若肯的話，我接受神對罪的判斷－－就是與耶穌同死嗎？我必須解決這個基本的意志問題，在神面前尋求清楚，否則不能算己[向罪死了]。
我有沒有進入與基督同釘的最高福祉裡，直到我血肉之軀，除了基督的生命以外，再無別的？ [我已經與基督同釘十字架，現在活著的，不再是我，乃是基督在我裡面活著。 ]
祈禱◆[我的靈在生病]－－何等適切地描述我今天的狀況！求你控制它，幫助我在當中起來和超越它。
Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin—that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you-not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified—just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.
Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, “Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.
This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life— to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin— that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin” (Romans 6:11) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.
Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . .” (Galatians 2:20).
對罪的道德判斷
因為知道我們的舊人，和他同釘十字架，使罪身滅絕，叫我們不再作罪的奴僕（羅六6）
同釘十字架。我對罪下過這決心麼？它在我裏面必須根除殺滅？我對罪所作的道德判決，是要花很長時間的。可是，這卻是我生命的轉捩點。我看準了，耶穌基督既為世人的罪而死，照樣地，罪也必須在我裡面死去。不是要把罪約制、壓抑或是抵擋，乃是要把它釘死在十字架上。沒有人可以使別人下這決心；我們也許會在宗教意識裡同意，但我們必須照保羅在此所強調的，作出決定。
要鼓起勇氣，振作起來，花時間與神單獨相對，作一個道德上的抉擇，對主說：[主阿，讓你的死成為我的死，直至我知道罪已在我裡面死去。 ]要斬釘截鐵，下定決心，把罪治死。
對保羅來說，這不是一種屬靈的期望，而是一個非常基本而肯定的經驗。我肯不肯讓神的靈鑑察我，直到我真知道罪的本相－－就是在我裡面與神的靈相爭的事物？若肯的話，我接受神對罪的判斷－－就是與耶穌同死嗎？我必須解決這個基本的意志問題，在神面前尋求清楚，否則不能算己[向罪死了]。
我有沒有進入與基督同釘的最高福祉裡，直到我血肉之軀，除了基督的生命以外，再無別的？ [我已經與基督同釘十字架，現在活著的，不再是我，乃是基督在我裡面活著。 ]
祈禱◆[我的靈在生病]－－何等適切地描述我今天的狀況！求你控制它，幫助我在當中起來和超越它。
March 22, 2014
The Burning Heart
Did not our heart burn within us . . . ? —Luke 24:32
We need to learn this secret of the burning heart. Suddenly Jesus appears to us, fires are set ablaze, and we are given wonderful visions; but then we must learn to maintain the secret of the burning heart— a heart that can go through anything. It is the simple, dreary day, with its commonplace duties and people, that smothers the burning heart— unless we have learned the secret of abiding in Jesus.
Much of the distress we experience as Christians comes not as the result of sin, but because we are ignorant of the laws of our own nature. For instance, the only test we should use to determine whether or not to allow a particular emotion to run its course in our lives is to examine what the final outcome of that emotion will be. Think it through to its logical conclusion, and if the outcome is something that God would condemn, put a stop to it immediately. But if it is an emotion that has been kindled by the Spirit of God and you don’t allow it to have its way in your life, it will cause a reaction on a lower level than God intended. That is the way unrealistic and overly emotional people are made. And the higher the emotion, the deeper the level of corruption, if it is not exercised on its intended level. If the Spirit of God has stirred you, make as many of your decisions as possible irrevocable, and let the consequences be what they will. We cannot stay forever on the “mount of transfiguration,” basking in the light of our mountaintop experience (see Mark 9:1-9). But we must obey the light we received there; we must put it into action. When God gives us a vision, we must transact business with Him at that point, no matter what the cost.
We cannot kindle when we will The fire which in the heart resides, The spirit bloweth and is still, In mystery our soul abides; But tasks in hours of insight willed Can be through hours of gloom fulfilled.
焚燒的心
我們的心豈不是火熱的麼？
我們要學習這火熱的心的秘訣。耶穌忽然向我們顯現，熱火就焚燒起來，我們得了奇妙的異象；然後就要學習怎樣持守這火熱的心，以致能經歷各樣的際遇。平淡無奇、日復一日的生活、加上日常的工作與來往的人事，會叫心中的火熄滅－－除非我們學會常住在主耶穌裡面。
我們作基督徒的痛苦，多半不是因罪而來，乃是因我們不認識自己本性的律，例如，要認驗某一種感情是否應該發展，唯一的方法就是看看那感情的後果如何。把它退到邏輯上的結論去，若後果是神會定罪的，就不要讓它繼續下去；但若那感情是神的靈燃點的，而你卻不容它在你生命中佔該有的位置，它就會在低一層的水平上發揮作用。情感主義者就是這樣造成的。我們若不讓感情有正確的宣洩，那麼情緒愈高，那墮落的光景就愈深了。神的靈若激動你，就要盡量付諸實行，不要管後果怎樣。我們不能長留在變象的山頂，而必須順服在山上所接受的亮光，神賜你異象；就要照著異象所指示的，切實去做，不管代價有多大。
心靈所存的火，不是人意可燃點，靈在吹動又靜止，人心活在隱秘裡。但密室啟示的順服，卻藉暗地的勞苦完成大工。
祈禱◆這個日子，噢，主啊，是你的日子；求你使它像寶石一般，永遠在我們的生命中發光。
We need to learn this secret of the burning heart. Suddenly Jesus appears to us, fires are set ablaze, and we are given wonderful visions; but then we must learn to maintain the secret of the burning heart— a heart that can go through anything. It is the simple, dreary day, with its commonplace duties and people, that smothers the burning heart— unless we have learned the secret of abiding in Jesus.
Much of the distress we experience as Christians comes not as the result of sin, but because we are ignorant of the laws of our own nature. For instance, the only test we should use to determine whether or not to allow a particular emotion to run its course in our lives is to examine what the final outcome of that emotion will be. Think it through to its logical conclusion, and if the outcome is something that God would condemn, put a stop to it immediately. But if it is an emotion that has been kindled by the Spirit of God and you don’t allow it to have its way in your life, it will cause a reaction on a lower level than God intended. That is the way unrealistic and overly emotional people are made. And the higher the emotion, the deeper the level of corruption, if it is not exercised on its intended level. If the Spirit of God has stirred you, make as many of your decisions as possible irrevocable, and let the consequences be what they will. We cannot stay forever on the “mount of transfiguration,” basking in the light of our mountaintop experience (see Mark 9:1-9). But we must obey the light we received there; we must put it into action. When God gives us a vision, we must transact business with Him at that point, no matter what the cost.
We cannot kindle when we will The fire which in the heart resides, The spirit bloweth and is still, In mystery our soul abides; But tasks in hours of insight willed Can be through hours of gloom fulfilled.
焚燒的心
我們的心豈不是火熱的麼？
我們要學習這火熱的心的秘訣。耶穌忽然向我們顯現，熱火就焚燒起來，我們得了奇妙的異象；然後就要學習怎樣持守這火熱的心，以致能經歷各樣的際遇。平淡無奇、日復一日的生活、加上日常的工作與來往的人事，會叫心中的火熄滅－－除非我們學會常住在主耶穌裡面。
我們作基督徒的痛苦，多半不是因罪而來，乃是因我們不認識自己本性的律，例如，要認驗某一種感情是否應該發展，唯一的方法就是看看那感情的後果如何。把它退到邏輯上的結論去，若後果是神會定罪的，就不要讓它繼續下去；但若那感情是神的靈燃點的，而你卻不容它在你生命中佔該有的位置，它就會在低一層的水平上發揮作用。情感主義者就是這樣造成的。我們若不讓感情有正確的宣洩，那麼情緒愈高，那墮落的光景就愈深了。神的靈若激動你，就要盡量付諸實行，不要管後果怎樣。我們不能長留在變象的山頂，而必須順服在山上所接受的亮光，神賜你異象；就要照著異象所指示的，切實去做，不管代價有多大。
心靈所存的火，不是人意可燃點，靈在吹動又靜止，人心活在隱秘裡。但密室啟示的順服，卻藉暗地的勞苦完成大工。
祈禱◆這個日子，噢，主啊，是你的日子；求你使它像寶石一般，永遠在我們的生命中發光。
December 29, 2013
Deserter or Disciple?
From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more —John 6:66
When God, by His Spirit through His Word, gives you a clear vision of His will, you must “walk in the light” of that vision (1 John 1:7). Even though your mind and soul may be thrilled by it, if you don’t “walk in the light” of it you will sink to a level of bondage never envisioned by our Lord. Mentally disobeying the “heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) will make you a slave to ideas and views that are completely foreign to Jesus Christ. Don’t look at someone else and say, “Well, if he can have those views and prosper, why can’t I?” You have to “walk in the light” of the vision that has been given to you. Don’t compare yourself with others or judge them— that is between God and them. When you find that one of your favorite and strongly held views clashes with the “heavenly vision,” do not begin to debate it. If you do, a sense of property and personal right will emerge in you— things on which Jesus placed no value. He was against these things as being the root of everything foreign to Himself— “. . . for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). If we don’t see and understand this, it is because we are ignoring the underlying principles of our Lord’s teaching.
Our tendency is to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we had when God revealed His will to us. But if a New Testament standard is revealed to us by the light of God, and we don’t try to measure up, or even feel inclined to do so, then we begin to backslide. It means your conscience does not respond to the truth. You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth. That moment marks you as one who either continues on with even more devotion as a disciple of Jesus Christ, or as one who turns to go back as a deserter.
逃兵還是門徒？
從此他門徒中多有退去的，不再和他同行。 （約六66）
神藉聖靈透過他的話語，現實他的心意，使你心靈興奮萬分；但你若不行在這異象的光中，就沉淪在努力的狀態中，受制於一種不屬於主的觀點。你若心裡不服從天上來的異象，就必服役於主耶穌以外的觀點。不要指著別人說：[看哪，他持那些觀點，仍然順利亨通，我為什麼不可以？ ]你要行在異象的光中，不要與人比較，或判斷別人，那是他與神之間的事。你若發現自己所喜悅的觀點，與天上來的異象相違，你為此爭辯，漸漸裡面就會產生一種擁有感和個人權利感，這些都是主耶穌所棄絕的。他反對這些，因為這一切是叫人離開神的根源。 [人的生命不在乎家道豐富。 ]我們不體會這一點，是因為我們漠視主基本的教訓。
我們很容易回想過往美妙的經歷。可是，神的光若向你顯示一個標準，而你未能達到，或不想達到，那你就開始退後了，因為這表示你的良心對真理並未作出回應。真理一旦開啟，便再也無法依然故我。那一刻就決定你是向前做主的真門徒，還是退後做逃兵。
祈禱◆主啊，願我們四周的每一寸空間，今天都被你所充滿。願你引導的手，適當而奇妙地掌管一切；願你將我們舉起，進入你奇妙的計劃中，並且使我們不至衝動鹵莽。
When God, by His Spirit through His Word, gives you a clear vision of His will, you must “walk in the light” of that vision (1 John 1:7). Even though your mind and soul may be thrilled by it, if you don’t “walk in the light” of it you will sink to a level of bondage never envisioned by our Lord. Mentally disobeying the “heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) will make you a slave to ideas and views that are completely foreign to Jesus Christ. Don’t look at someone else and say, “Well, if he can have those views and prosper, why can’t I?” You have to “walk in the light” of the vision that has been given to you. Don’t compare yourself with others or judge them— that is between God and them. When you find that one of your favorite and strongly held views clashes with the “heavenly vision,” do not begin to debate it. If you do, a sense of property and personal right will emerge in you— things on which Jesus placed no value. He was against these things as being the root of everything foreign to Himself— “. . . for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). If we don’t see and understand this, it is because we are ignoring the underlying principles of our Lord’s teaching.
Our tendency is to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we had when God revealed His will to us. But if a New Testament standard is revealed to us by the light of God, and we don’t try to measure up, or even feel inclined to do so, then we begin to backslide. It means your conscience does not respond to the truth. You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth. That moment marks you as one who either continues on with even more devotion as a disciple of Jesus Christ, or as one who turns to go back as a deserter.
逃兵還是門徒？
從此他門徒中多有退去的，不再和他同行。 （約六66）
神藉聖靈透過他的話語，現實他的心意，使你心靈興奮萬分；但你若不行在這異象的光中，就沉淪在努力的狀態中，受制於一種不屬於主的觀點。你若心裡不服從天上來的異象，就必服役於主耶穌以外的觀點。不要指著別人說：[看哪，他持那些觀點，仍然順利亨通，我為什麼不可以？ ]你要行在異象的光中，不要與人比較，或判斷別人，那是他與神之間的事。你若發現自己所喜悅的觀點，與天上來的異象相違，你為此爭辯，漸漸裡面就會產生一種擁有感和個人權利感，這些都是主耶穌所棄絕的。他反對這些，因為這一切是叫人離開神的根源。 [人的生命不在乎家道豐富。 ]我們不體會這一點，是因為我們漠視主基本的教訓。
我們很容易回想過往美妙的經歷。可是，神的光若向你顯示一個標準，而你未能達到，或不想達到，那你就開始退後了，因為這表示你的良心對真理並未作出回應。真理一旦開啟，便再也無法依然故我。那一刻就決定你是向前做主的真門徒，還是退後做逃兵。
祈禱◆主啊，願我們四周的每一寸空間，今天都被你所充滿。願你引導的手，適當而奇妙地掌管一切；願你將我們舉起，進入你奇妙的計劃中，並且使我們不至衝動鹵莽。
December 28, 2013
Continuous Conversion
. . . unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven —Matthew 18:3
These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.
To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.
不斷迴轉
你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式……（太十八3）
這話不但在我們初信之時十分真確，就是在我們生命的每一天，也要迴轉，向神作小孩子。我們若信賴自己的頭腦過於神，他就要我們負責後果。我們的身體既在神安排下進入新的境況，就要讓天然生命順服聖靈的指揮。一次成功，並不等於第二次也可以成功。肉體生命與屬靈生命的關係，是不斷的迴轉，這是我們本性所不願的。不管在什麼環境下，神的靈始終不變，神的救恩也不變，但我們要[穿上新人]。我們每次不肯迴轉，神都要我們自己負責，因為我們的拒絕，是出於故意的頑梗。我們不要被肉體的生命管轄，必須讓神掌管。
屬靈生命的阻礙，是不肯經常迴轉悔改，我們用許多頑梗的藉口，在神的寶座前自傲地說：[我不肯。 ]我們尊崇獨立固執，給它們錯誤的稱號。神看作頑梗的軟弱，我們卻稱之為力量。我們生命中還有許多地方未受管治的，這只有靠經常迴轉才可以達成。逐漸地，我們必然被聖靈收復所有失地。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我能被你帶進你與我同在的境地，從你的立場觀看事情。今天早上，我要向你的百姓說話，噢，主啊，以你恩慈的靈重新膏立我。
These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.
To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.
不斷迴轉
你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式……（太十八3）
這話不但在我們初信之時十分真確，就是在我們生命的每一天，也要迴轉，向神作小孩子。我們若信賴自己的頭腦過於神，他就要我們負責後果。我們的身體既在神安排下進入新的境況，就要讓天然生命順服聖靈的指揮。一次成功，並不等於第二次也可以成功。肉體生命與屬靈生命的關係，是不斷的迴轉，這是我們本性所不願的。不管在什麼環境下，神的靈始終不變，神的救恩也不變，但我們要[穿上新人]。我們每次不肯迴轉，神都要我們自己負責，因為我們的拒絕，是出於故意的頑梗。我們不要被肉體的生命管轄，必須讓神掌管。
屬靈生命的阻礙，是不肯經常迴轉悔改，我們用許多頑梗的藉口，在神的寶座前自傲地說：[我不肯。 ]我們尊崇獨立固執，給它們錯誤的稱號。神看作頑梗的軟弱，我們卻稱之為力量。我們生命中還有許多地方未受管治的，這只有靠經常迴轉才可以達成。逐漸地，我們必然被聖靈收復所有失地。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我能被你帶進你與我同在的境地，從你的立場觀看事情。今天早上，我要向你的百姓說話，噢，主啊，以你恩慈的靈重新膏立我。
July 08, 2013
Will To Be Faithful
. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . —Joshua 24:15
A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will— I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.
“. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . .” Your choice must be a deliberate determination— it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God— do not “confer with flesh and blood” about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading— the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.
Openly declare to Him, “I will be faithful.” But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, “You are witnesses against yourselves . . .” (Joshua 24:22). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, “I will serve You.” Will to be faithful— and give other people credit for being faithful too.
立志忠心
“……今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”約書亞記24：15
意志是全人的活動。我不能放棄我的意志，我必須要訓練我的意志。我必須要立志順服，立志接受上帝的靈。當上帝給了我們真理的異像時，他要做什麼不是一個問題，問題是我們要做什麼。主已經把一些大的任務擺在我們面前，最好要做的事是回想從前被上帝感動的時候你做了什麼？就是在你得救的時候，或者第一次看到耶穌，或者認識到一些真理。那時候對上帝順服忠心是容易的。當上帝的靈把一些新的任務帶到你面前時，現在就回想從前的那些時候吧。
“今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”這是經過深思熟慮的計算，不是你可以容易進入的事情；其他一切都被暫時擱置，直到你做出決定。這任務是在你與上帝之間的，不要和屬血氣的商量這事。對於每一個新的任務，其他人會越來越遠離它，這正是壓力來的地方。上帝允許他的聖徒的意見影響到你，但你被帶領到越來越遠，別人無法確實理解你所走的路。你不用去發現上帝把你帶到哪裡，上帝唯一要向你解釋的事就是他自己。
向他宣告：“我要忠心。”一旦你選擇了向耶穌基督忠心，你就不再是你自己的見證。不要諮詢別的基督徒，只要在他面前宣告——我要服侍你。立志忠心——並且也為別人的忠心而讚許他們。
A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will— I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.
“. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . .” Your choice must be a deliberate determination— it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God— do not “confer with flesh and blood” about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading— the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.
Openly declare to Him, “I will be faithful.” But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, “You are witnesses against yourselves . . .” (Joshua 24:22). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, “I will serve You.” Will to be faithful— and give other people credit for being faithful too.
立志忠心
“……今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”約書亞記24：15
意志是全人的活動。我不能放棄我的意志，我必須要訓練我的意志。我必須要立志順服，立志接受上帝的靈。當上帝給了我們真理的異像時，他要做什麼不是一個問題，問題是我們要做什麼。主已經把一些大的任務擺在我們面前，最好要做的事是回想從前被上帝感動的時候你做了什麼？就是在你得救的時候，或者第一次看到耶穌，或者認識到一些真理。那時候對上帝順服忠心是容易的。當上帝的靈把一些新的任務帶到你面前時，現在就回想從前的那些時候吧。
“今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”這是經過深思熟慮的計算，不是你可以容易進入的事情；其他一切都被暫時擱置，直到你做出決定。這任務是在你與上帝之間的，不要和屬血氣的商量這事。對於每一個新的任務，其他人會越來越遠離它，這正是壓力來的地方。上帝允許他的聖徒的意見影響到你，但你被帶領到越來越遠，別人無法確實理解你所走的路。你不用去發現上帝把你帶到哪裡，上帝唯一要向你解釋的事就是他自己。
向他宣告：“我要忠心。”一旦你選擇了向耶穌基督忠心，你就不再是你自己的見證。不要諮詢別的基督徒，只要在他面前宣告——我要服侍你。立志忠心——並且也為別人的忠心而讚許他們。
May 25, 2013
The Good or The Best?
If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left —Genesis 13:9
As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and physically gratifying possibilities will open up before you. These things are yours by right, but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God make your choice for you. God sometimes allows you to get into a place of testing where your own welfare would be the appropriate thing to consider, if you were not living the life of faith. But if you are, you will joyfully waive your right and allow God to make your choice for you. This is the discipline God uses to transform the natural into the spiritual through obedience to His voice.
Whenever our right becomes the guiding factor of our lives, it dulls our spiritual insight. The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. In this passage, it would seem that the wisest thing in the world for Abram to do would be to choose. It was his right, and the people around him would consider him to be a fool for not choosing.
Many of us do not continue to grow spiritually because we prefer to choose on the basis of our rights, instead of relying on God to make the choice for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eyes focused on God. And God says to us, as He did to Abram, “. . . walk before Me. . .” (Genesis 17:1).
自利的考驗
你向左、我就向右、你向右、我就向左。 （創十三9）
你一開始過信靠神的生活，就會有許多滿有吸引和有利的機會出現在你面前，而這些都是你理所應得的。可是你若憑信心生活，就會主動放棄這些權益，讓神替你選擇。神有時讓你置身於試驗之中，若你不是憑信而活，圖謀切身的福利並不算錯。但你既然信靠神，就當快快樂樂地放下自己的權利，讓神替你去選擇。這個操練，是藉著對神話語的順服，使人天然的本質改造成屬靈的樣式。
人生若以權利來做指南，就會把屬靈的生命窒息了。在信靠神的生活中，最大的敵人並不是罪，而是不及標準的善良。善良永遠是至善的仇敵。亞伯拉罕易地而居，本是時間最明智之舉，因他有主權。但他不作選擇，以致周遭的人都視他為愚妄。我們許多人靈性不長進，是因為要自己選擇自以為好的，不信靠神去替我們選擇。我們要學習注目在神的標准上生活。 [你當在我面前。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，你的道路就像你那般完美；而我的道路就像我自己那樣不完全。感動我，讓我今天能有效地認同你的感覺和你的道路。
As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and physically gratifying possibilities will open up before you. These things are yours by right, but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God make your choice for you. God sometimes allows you to get into a place of testing where your own welfare would be the appropriate thing to consider, if you were not living the life of faith. But if you are, you will joyfully waive your right and allow God to make your choice for you. This is the discipline God uses to transform the natural into the spiritual through obedience to His voice.
Whenever our right becomes the guiding factor of our lives, it dulls our spiritual insight. The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. In this passage, it would seem that the wisest thing in the world for Abram to do would be to choose. It was his right, and the people around him would consider him to be a fool for not choosing.
Many of us do not continue to grow spiritually because we prefer to choose on the basis of our rights, instead of relying on God to make the choice for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eyes focused on God. And God says to us, as He did to Abram, “. . . walk before Me. . .” (Genesis 17:1).
自利的考驗
你向左、我就向右、你向右、我就向左。 （創十三9）
你一開始過信靠神的生活，就會有許多滿有吸引和有利的機會出現在你面前，而這些都是你理所應得的。可是你若憑信心生活，就會主動放棄這些權益，讓神替你選擇。神有時讓你置身於試驗之中，若你不是憑信而活，圖謀切身的福利並不算錯。但你既然信靠神，就當快快樂樂地放下自己的權利，讓神替你去選擇。這個操練，是藉著對神話語的順服，使人天然的本質改造成屬靈的樣式。
人生若以權利來做指南，就會把屬靈的生命窒息了。在信靠神的生活中，最大的敵人並不是罪，而是不及標準的善良。善良永遠是至善的仇敵。亞伯拉罕易地而居，本是時間最明智之舉，因他有主權。但他不作選擇，以致周遭的人都視他為愚妄。我們許多人靈性不長進，是因為要自己選擇自以為好的，不信靠神去替我們選擇。我們要學習注目在神的標准上生活。 [你當在我面前。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，你的道路就像你那般完美；而我的道路就像我自己那樣不完全。感動我，讓我今天能有效地認同你的感覺和你的道路。
April 10, 2013
Complete and Effective Decision About Sin
. . . our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin —Romans 6:6
Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin—that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you-not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified—just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.
Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, “Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.
This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life— to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin— that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin” (Romans 6:11) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.
Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . .” (Galatians 2:20).
對罪的道德判斷
因為知道我們的舊人，和他同釘十字架，使罪身滅絕，叫我們不再作罪的奴僕（羅六6）
同釘十字架。我對罪所作的道德判決，是要花很長時間的。可是，這卻是我生命的轉捩點。我看準了，耶穌基督既為世人的罪而死，照樣地，罪也必須在我裡面死去。不是要把罪約制、壓抑或是抵擋，乃是要把它釘死在十字架上。沒有人可以使別人下這決心；我們也許會在宗教意識裡同意，但我們必須照保羅在此所強調的，作出決定。
要鼓起勇氣，振作起來，花時間與神單獨相對，作一個道德上的抉擇，對主說：[主阿，讓你的死成為我的死，直至我知道罪已在我裡面死去。 ]要斬釘截鐵，下定決心，把罪治死。
對保羅來說，這不是一種屬靈的期望，而是一個非常基本而肯定的經驗。我肯不肯讓神的靈鑑察我，直到我真知道罪的本相－－就是在我裡面與神的靈相爭的事物？若肯的話，我接受神對罪的判斷－－就是與耶穌同死嗎？我必須解決這個基本的意志問題，在神面前尋求清楚，否則不能算己[向罪死了]。
我有沒有進入與基督同釘的最高福祉裡，直到我血肉之軀，除了基督的生命以外，再無別的？ [我已經與基督同釘十字架，現在活著的，不再是我，乃是基督在我裡面活著。 ]
祈禱◆[我的靈在生病]－－何等適切地描述我今天的狀況！求你控制它，幫助我在當中起來和超越它。
Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin—that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you-not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified—just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.
Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, “Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.
This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life— to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin— that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin” (Romans 6:11) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.
Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . .” (Galatians 2:20).
對罪的道德判斷
因為知道我們的舊人，和他同釘十字架，使罪身滅絕，叫我們不再作罪的奴僕（羅六6）
同釘十字架。我對罪所作的道德判決，是要花很長時間的。可是，這卻是我生命的轉捩點。我看準了，耶穌基督既為世人的罪而死，照樣地，罪也必須在我裡面死去。不是要把罪約制、壓抑或是抵擋，乃是要把它釘死在十字架上。沒有人可以使別人下這決心；我們也許會在宗教意識裡同意，但我們必須照保羅在此所強調的，作出決定。
要鼓起勇氣，振作起來，花時間與神單獨相對，作一個道德上的抉擇，對主說：[主阿，讓你的死成為我的死，直至我知道罪已在我裡面死去。 ]要斬釘截鐵，下定決心，把罪治死。
對保羅來說，這不是一種屬靈的期望，而是一個非常基本而肯定的經驗。我肯不肯讓神的靈鑑察我，直到我真知道罪的本相－－就是在我裡面與神的靈相爭的事物？若肯的話，我接受神對罪的判斷－－就是與耶穌同死嗎？我必須解決這個基本的意志問題，在神面前尋求清楚，否則不能算己[向罪死了]。
我有沒有進入與基督同釘的最高福祉裡，直到我血肉之軀，除了基督的生命以外，再無別的？ [我已經與基督同釘十字架，現在活著的，不再是我，乃是基督在我裡面活著。 ]
祈禱◆[我的靈在生病]－－何等適切地描述我今天的狀況！求你控制它，幫助我在當中起來和超越它。
March 22, 2013
The Burning Heart
Did not our heart burn within us . . . ? —Luke 24:32
We need to learn this secret of the burning heart. Suddenly Jesus appears to us, fires are set ablaze, and we are given wonderful visions; but then we must learn to maintain the secret of the burning heart— a heart that can go through anything. It is the simple, dreary day, with its commonplace duties and people, that smothers the burning heart— unless we have learned the secret of abiding in Jesus.
Much of the distress we experience as Christians comes not as the result of sin, but because we are ignorant of the laws of our own nature. For instance, the only test we should use to determine whether or not to allow a particular emotion to run its course in our lives is to examine what the final outcome of that emotion will be. Think it through to its logical conclusion, and if the outcome is something that God would condemn, put a stop to it immediately. But if it is an emotion that has been kindled by the Spirit of God and you don’t allow it to have its way in your life, it will cause a reaction on a lower level than God intended. That is the way unrealistic and overly emotional people are made. And the higher the emotion, the deeper the level of corruption, if it is not exercised on its intended level. If the Spirit of God has stirred you, make as many of your decisions as possible irrevocable, and let the consequences be what they will. We cannot stay forever on the “mount of transfiguration,” basking in the light of our mountaintop experience (see Mark 9:1-9). But we must obey the light we received there; we must put it into action. When God gives us a vision, we must transact business with Him at that point, no matter what the cost.
We cannot kindle when we will The fire which in the heart resides, The spirit bloweth and is still, In mystery our soul abides; But tasks in hours of insight willed Can be through hours of gloom fulfilled.
焚燒的心
我們的心豈不是火熱的麼？
我們要學習這火熱的心的秘訣。耶穌忽然向我們顯現，熱火就焚燒起來，我們得了奇妙的異象；然後就要學習怎樣持守這火熱的心，以致能經歷各樣的際遇。平淡無奇、日復一日的生活、加上日常的工作與來往的人事，會叫心中的火熄滅－－除非我們學會常住在主耶穌裡面。
我們作基督徒的痛苦，多半不是因罪而來，乃是因我們不認識自己本性的律，例如，要認驗某一種感情是否應該發展，唯一的方法就是看看那感情的後果如何。把它退到邏輯上的結論去，若後果是神會定罪的，就不要讓它繼續下去；但若那感情是神的靈燃點的，而你卻不容它在你生命中佔該有的位置，它就會在低一層的水平上發揮作用。情感主義者就是這樣造成的。我們若不讓感情有正確的宣洩，那麼情緒愈高，那墮落的光景就愈深了。神的靈若激動你，就要盡量付諸實行，不要管後果怎樣。我們不能長留在變象的山頂，而必須順服在山上所接受的亮光，神賜你異象；就要照著異象所指示的，切實去做，不管代價有多大。
心靈所存的火，不是人意可燃點，靈在吹動又靜止，人心活在隱秘裡。但密室啟示的順服，卻藉暗地的勞苦完成大工。
祈禱◆這個日子，噢，主啊，是你的日子；求你使它像寶石一般，永遠在我們的生命中發光。
We need to learn this secret of the burning heart. Suddenly Jesus appears to us, fires are set ablaze, and we are given wonderful visions; but then we must learn to maintain the secret of the burning heart— a heart that can go through anything. It is the simple, dreary day, with its commonplace duties and people, that smothers the burning heart— unless we have learned the secret of abiding in Jesus.
Much of the distress we experience as Christians comes not as the result of sin, but because we are ignorant of the laws of our own nature. For instance, the only test we should use to determine whether or not to allow a particular emotion to run its course in our lives is to examine what the final outcome of that emotion will be. Think it through to its logical conclusion, and if the outcome is something that God would condemn, put a stop to it immediately. But if it is an emotion that has been kindled by the Spirit of God and you don’t allow it to have its way in your life, it will cause a reaction on a lower level than God intended. That is the way unrealistic and overly emotional people are made. And the higher the emotion, the deeper the level of corruption, if it is not exercised on its intended level. If the Spirit of God has stirred you, make as many of your decisions as possible irrevocable, and let the consequences be what they will. We cannot stay forever on the “mount of transfiguration,” basking in the light of our mountaintop experience (see Mark 9:1-9). But we must obey the light we received there; we must put it into action. When God gives us a vision, we must transact business with Him at that point, no matter what the cost.
We cannot kindle when we will The fire which in the heart resides, The spirit bloweth and is still, In mystery our soul abides; But tasks in hours of insight willed Can be through hours of gloom fulfilled.
焚燒的心
我們的心豈不是火熱的麼？
我們要學習這火熱的心的秘訣。耶穌忽然向我們顯現，熱火就焚燒起來，我們得了奇妙的異象；然後就要學習怎樣持守這火熱的心，以致能經歷各樣的際遇。平淡無奇、日復一日的生活、加上日常的工作與來往的人事，會叫心中的火熄滅－－除非我們學會常住在主耶穌裡面。
我們作基督徒的痛苦，多半不是因罪而來，乃是因我們不認識自己本性的律，例如，要認驗某一種感情是否應該發展，唯一的方法就是看看那感情的後果如何。把它退到邏輯上的結論去，若後果是神會定罪的，就不要讓它繼續下去；但若那感情是神的靈燃點的，而你卻不容它在你生命中佔該有的位置，它就會在低一層的水平上發揮作用。情感主義者就是這樣造成的。我們若不讓感情有正確的宣洩，那麼情緒愈高，那墮落的光景就愈深了。神的靈若激動你，就要盡量付諸實行，不要管後果怎樣。我們不能長留在變象的山頂，而必須順服在山上所接受的亮光，神賜你異象；就要照著異象所指示的，切實去做，不管代價有多大。
心靈所存的火，不是人意可燃點，靈在吹動又靜止，人心活在隱秘裡。但密室啟示的順服，卻藉暗地的勞苦完成大工。
祈禱◆這個日子，噢，主啊，是你的日子；求你使它像寶石一般，永遠在我們的生命中發光。
December 29, 2012
Deserter or Disciple?
From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more —John 6:66
When God, by His Spirit through His Word, gives you a clear vision of His will, you must “walk in the light” of that vision (1 John 1:7). Even though your mind and soul may be thrilled by it, if you don’t “walk in the light” of it you will sink to a level of bondage never envisioned by our Lord. Mentally disobeying the “heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) will make you a slave to ideas and views that are completely foreign to Jesus Christ. Don’t look at someone else and say, “Well, if he can have those views and prosper, why can’t I?” You have to “walk in the light” of the vision that has been given to you. Don’t compare yourself with others or judge them— that is between God and them. When you find that one of your favorite and strongly held views clashes with the “heavenly vision,” do not begin to debate it. If you do, a sense of property and personal right will emerge in you— things on which Jesus placed no value. He was against these things as being the root of everything foreign to Himself— “. . . for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). If we don’t see and understand this, it is because we are ignoring the underlying principles of our Lord’s teaching.
Our tendency is to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we had when God revealed His will to us. But if a New Testament standard is revealed to us by the light of God, and we don’t try to measure up, or even feel inclined to do so, then we begin to backslide. It means your conscience does not respond to the truth. You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth. That moment marks you as one who either continues on with even more devotion as a disciple of Jesus Christ, or as one who turns to go back as a deserter.
逃兵還是門徒？
從此他門徒中多有退去的，不再和他同行。 （約六66）
神藉聖靈透過他的話語，現實他的心意，使你心靈興奮萬分；但你若不行在這異象的光中，就沉淪在努力的狀態中，受制於一種不屬於主的觀點。你若心裡不服從天上來的異象，就必服役於主耶穌以外的觀點。不要指著別人說：[看哪，他持那些觀點，仍然順利亨通，我為什麼不可以？ ]你要行在異象的光中，不要與人比較，或判斷別人，那是他與神之間的事。你若發現自己所喜悅的觀點，與天上來的異象相違，你為此爭辯，漸漸裡面就會產生一種擁有感和個人權利感，這些都是主耶穌所棄絕的。他反對這些，因為這一切是叫人離開神的根源。 [人的生命不在乎家道豐富。 ]我們不體會這一點，是因為我們漠視主基本的教訓。
我們很容易回想過往美妙的經歷。可是，神的光若向你顯示一個標準，而你未能達到，或不想達到，那你就開始退後了，因為這表示你的良心對真理並未作出回應。真理一旦開啟，便再也無法依然故我。那一刻就決定你是向前做主的真門徒，還是退後做逃兵。
祈禱◆主啊，願我們四周的每一寸空間，今天都被你所充滿。願你引導的手，適當而奇妙地掌管一切；願你將我們舉起，進入你奇妙的計劃中，並且使我們不至衝動鹵莽。
When God, by His Spirit through His Word, gives you a clear vision of His will, you must “walk in the light” of that vision (1 John 1:7). Even though your mind and soul may be thrilled by it, if you don’t “walk in the light” of it you will sink to a level of bondage never envisioned by our Lord. Mentally disobeying the “heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) will make you a slave to ideas and views that are completely foreign to Jesus Christ. Don’t look at someone else and say, “Well, if he can have those views and prosper, why can’t I?” You have to “walk in the light” of the vision that has been given to you. Don’t compare yourself with others or judge them— that is between God and them. When you find that one of your favorite and strongly held views clashes with the “heavenly vision,” do not begin to debate it. If you do, a sense of property and personal right will emerge in you— things on which Jesus placed no value. He was against these things as being the root of everything foreign to Himself— “. . . for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). If we don’t see and understand this, it is because we are ignoring the underlying principles of our Lord’s teaching.
Our tendency is to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we had when God revealed His will to us. But if a New Testament standard is revealed to us by the light of God, and we don’t try to measure up, or even feel inclined to do so, then we begin to backslide. It means your conscience does not respond to the truth. You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth. That moment marks you as one who either continues on with even more devotion as a disciple of Jesus Christ, or as one who turns to go back as a deserter.
逃兵還是門徒？
從此他門徒中多有退去的，不再和他同行。 （約六66）
神藉聖靈透過他的話語，現實他的心意，使你心靈興奮萬分；但你若不行在這異象的光中，就沉淪在努力的狀態中，受制於一種不屬於主的觀點。你若心裡不服從天上來的異象，就必服役於主耶穌以外的觀點。不要指著別人說：[看哪，他持那些觀點，仍然順利亨通，我為什麼不可以？ ]你要行在異象的光中，不要與人比較，或判斷別人，那是他與神之間的事。你若發現自己所喜悅的觀點，與天上來的異象相違，你為此爭辯，漸漸裡面就會產生一種擁有感和個人權利感，這些都是主耶穌所棄絕的。他反對這些，因為這一切是叫人離開神的根源。 [人的生命不在乎家道豐富。 ]我們不體會這一點，是因為我們漠視主基本的教訓。
我們很容易回想過往美妙的經歷。可是，神的光若向你顯示一個標準，而你未能達到，或不想達到，那你就開始退後了，因為這表示你的良心對真理並未作出回應。真理一旦開啟，便再也無法依然故我。那一刻就決定你是向前做主的真門徒，還是退後做逃兵。
祈禱◆主啊，願我們四周的每一寸空間，今天都被你所充滿。願你引導的手，適當而奇妙地掌管一切；願你將我們舉起，進入你奇妙的計劃中，並且使我們不至衝動鹵莽。
December 28, 2012
Continuous Conversion
. . . unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven —Matthew 18:3
These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.
To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.
不斷迴轉
你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式……（太十八3）
這話不但在我們初信之時十分真確，就是在我們生命的每一天，也要迴轉，向神作小孩子。我們若信賴自己的頭腦過於神，他就要我們負責後果。我們的身體既在神安排下進入新的境況，就要讓天然生命順服聖靈的指揮。一次成功，並不等於第二次也可以成功。肉體生命與屬靈生命的關係，是不斷的迴轉，這是我們本性所不願的。不管在什麼環境下，神的靈始終不變，神的救恩也不變，但我們要[穿上新人]。我們每次不肯迴轉，神都要我們自己負責，因為我們的拒絕，是出於故意的頑梗。我們不要被肉體的生命管轄，必須讓神掌管。
屬靈生命的阻礙，是不肯經常迴轉悔改，我們用許多頑梗的藉口，在神的寶座前自傲地說：[我不肯。 ]我們尊崇獨立固執，給它們錯誤的稱號。神看作頑梗的軟弱，我們卻稱之為力量。我們生命中還有許多地方未受管治的，這只有靠經常迴轉才可以達成。逐漸地，我們必然被聖靈收復所有失地。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我能被你帶進你與我同在的境地，從你的立場觀看事情。今天早上，我要向你的百姓說話，噢，主啊，以你恩慈的靈重新膏立我。
These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.
To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.
不斷迴轉
你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式……（太十八3）
這話不但在我們初信之時十分真確，就是在我們生命的每一天，也要迴轉，向神作小孩子。我們若信賴自己的頭腦過於神，他就要我們負責後果。我們的身體既在神安排下進入新的境況，就要讓天然生命順服聖靈的指揮。一次成功，並不等於第二次也可以成功。肉體生命與屬靈生命的關係，是不斷的迴轉，這是我們本性所不願的。不管在什麼環境下，神的靈始終不變，神的救恩也不變，但我們要[穿上新人]。我們每次不肯迴轉，神都要我們自己負責，因為我們的拒絕，是出於故意的頑梗。我們不要被肉體的生命管轄，必須讓神掌管。
屬靈生命的阻礙，是不肯經常迴轉悔改，我們用許多頑梗的藉口，在神的寶座前自傲地說：[我不肯。 ]我們尊崇獨立固執，給它們錯誤的稱號。神看作頑梗的軟弱，我們卻稱之為力量。我們生命中還有許多地方未受管治的，這只有靠經常迴轉才可以達成。逐漸地，我們必然被聖靈收復所有失地。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我能被你帶進你與我同在的境地，從你的立場觀看事情。今天早上，我要向你的百姓說話，噢，主啊，以你恩慈的靈重新膏立我。
July 08, 2012
Will To Be Faithful
. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . —Joshua 24:15
A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will— I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.
“. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . .” Your choice must be a deliberate determination— it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God— do not “confer with flesh and blood” about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading— the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.
Openly declare to Him, “I will be faithful.” But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, “You are witnesses against yourselves . . .” (Joshua 24:22). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, “I will serve You.” Will to be faithful— and give other people credit for being faithful too.
立志忠心
“……今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”約書亞記24：15
意志是全人的活動。我不能放棄我的意志，我必須要訓練我的意志。我必須要立志順服，立志接受上帝的靈。當上帝給了我們真理的異像時，他要做什麼不是一個問題，問題是我們要做什麼。主已經把一些大的任務擺在我們面前，最好要做的事是回想從前被上帝感動的時候你做了什麼？就是在你得救的時候，或者第一次看到耶穌，或者認識到一些真理。那時候對上帝順服忠心是容易的。當上帝的靈把一些新的任務帶到你面前時，現在就回想從前的那些時候吧。
“今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”這是經過深思熟慮的計算，不是你可以容易進入的事情；其他一切都被暫時擱置，直到你做出決定。這任務是在你與上帝之間的，不要和屬血氣的商量這事。對於每一個新的任務，其他人會越來越遠離它，這正是壓力來的地方。上帝允許他的聖徒的意見影響到你，但你被帶領到越來越遠，別人無法確實理解你所走的路。你不用去發現上帝把你帶到哪裡，上帝唯一要向你解釋的事就是他自己。
向他宣告：“我要忠心。”一旦你選擇了向耶穌基督忠心，你就不再是你自己的見證。不要諮詢別的基督徒，只要在他面前宣告——我要服侍你。立志忠心——並且也為別人的忠心而讚許他們。
A person’s will is embodied in the actions of the whole person. I cannot give up my will— I must exercise it, putting it into action. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God’s Spirit. When God gives me a vision of truth, there is never a question of what He will do, but only of what I will do. The Lord has been placing in front of each of us some big proposals and plans. The best thing to do is to remember what you did before when you were touched by God. Recall the moment when you were saved, or first recognized Jesus, or realized some truth. It was easy then to yield your allegiance to God. Immediately recall those moments each time the Spirit of God brings some new proposal before you.
“. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. . . .” Your choice must be a deliberate determination— it is not something into which you will automatically drift. And everything else in your life will be held in temporary suspension until you make a decision. The proposal is between you and God— do not “confer with flesh and blood” about it (Galatians 1:16). With every new proposal, the people around us seem to become more and more isolated, and that is where the tension develops. God allows the opinion of His other saints to matter to you, and yet you become less and less certain that others really understand the step you are taking. You have no business trying to find out where God is leading— the only thing God will explain to you is Himself.
Openly declare to Him, “I will be faithful.” But remember that as soon as you choose to be faithful to Jesus Christ, “You are witnesses against yourselves . . .” (Joshua 24:22). Don’t consult with other Christians, but simply and freely declare before Him, “I will serve You.” Will to be faithful— and give other people credit for being faithful too.
立志忠心
“……今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”約書亞記24：15
意志是全人的活動。我不能放棄我的意志，我必須要訓練我的意志。我必須要立志順服，立志接受上帝的靈。當上帝給了我們真理的異像時，他要做什麼不是一個問題，問題是我們要做什麼。主已經把一些大的任務擺在我們面前，最好要做的事是回想從前被上帝感動的時候你做了什麼？就是在你得救的時候，或者第一次看到耶穌，或者認識到一些真理。那時候對上帝順服忠心是容易的。當上帝的靈把一些新的任務帶到你面前時，現在就回想從前的那些時候吧。
“今日就可以選擇所要事奉的。”這是經過深思熟慮的計算，不是你可以容易進入的事情；其他一切都被暫時擱置，直到你做出決定。這任務是在你與上帝之間的，不要和屬血氣的商量這事。對於每一個新的任務，其他人會越來越遠離它，這正是壓力來的地方。上帝允許他的聖徒的意見影響到你，但你被帶領到越來越遠，別人無法確實理解你所走的路。你不用去發現上帝把你帶到哪裡，上帝唯一要向你解釋的事就是他自己。
向他宣告：“我要忠心。”一旦你選擇了向耶穌基督忠心，你就不再是你自己的見證。不要諮詢別的基督徒，只要在他面前宣告——我要服侍你。立志忠心——並且也為別人的忠心而讚許他們。
May 25, 2012
The Good or The Best?
If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left —Genesis 13:9
As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and physically gratifying possibilities will open up before you. These things are yours by right, but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God make your choice for you. God sometimes allows you to get into a place of testing where your own welfare would be the appropriate thing to consider, if you were not living the life of faith. But if you are, you will joyfully waive your right and allow God to make your choice for you. This is the discipline God uses to transform the natural into the spiritual through obedience to His voice.
Whenever our right becomes the guiding factor of our lives, it dulls our spiritual insight. The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. In this passage, it would seem that the wisest thing in the world for Abram to do would be to choose. It was his right, and the people around him would consider him to be a fool for not choosing.
Many of us do not continue to grow spiritually because we prefer to choose on the basis of our rights, instead of relying on God to make the choice for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eyes focused on God. And God says to us, as He did to Abram, “. . . walk before Me. . .” (Genesis 17:1).
自利的考驗
你向左、我就向右、你向右、我就向左。 （創十三9）
你一開始過信靠神的生活，就會有許多滿有吸引和有利的機會出現在你面前，而這些都是你理所應得的。可是你若憑信心生活，就會主動放棄這些權益，讓神替你選擇。神有時讓你置身於試驗之中，若你不是憑信而活，圖謀切身的福利並不算錯。但你既然信靠神，就當快快樂樂地放下自己的權利，讓神替你去選擇。這個操練，是藉著對神話語的順服，使人天然的本質改造成屬靈的樣式。
人生若以權利來做指南，就會把屬靈的生命窒息了。在信靠神的生活中，最大的敵人並不是罪，而是不及標準的善良。善良永遠是至善的仇敵。亞伯拉罕易地而居，本是時間最明智之舉，因他有主權。但他不作選擇，以致周遭的人都視他為愚妄。我們許多人靈性不長進，是因為要自己選擇自以為好的，不信靠神去替我們選擇。我們要學習注目在神的標准上生活。 [你當在我面前。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，你的道路就像你那般完美；而我的道路就像我自己那樣不完全。感動我，讓我今天能有效地認同你的感覺和你的道路。
As soon as you begin to live the life of faith in God, fascinating and physically gratifying possibilities will open up before you. These things are yours by right, but if you are living the life of faith you will exercise your right to waive your rights, and let God make your choice for you. God sometimes allows you to get into a place of testing where your own welfare would be the appropriate thing to consider, if you were not living the life of faith. But if you are, you will joyfully waive your right and allow God to make your choice for you. This is the discipline God uses to transform the natural into the spiritual through obedience to His voice.
Whenever our right becomes the guiding factor of our lives, it dulls our spiritual insight. The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best. In this passage, it would seem that the wisest thing in the world for Abram to do would be to choose. It was his right, and the people around him would consider him to be a fool for not choosing.
Many of us do not continue to grow spiritually because we prefer to choose on the basis of our rights, instead of relying on God to make the choice for us. We have to learn to walk according to the standard which has its eyes focused on God. And God says to us, as He did to Abram, “. . . walk before Me. . .” (Genesis 17:1).
自利的考驗
你向左、我就向右、你向右、我就向左。 （創十三9）
你一開始過信靠神的生活，就會有許多滿有吸引和有利的機會出現在你面前，而這些都是你理所應得的。可是你若憑信心生活，就會主動放棄這些權益，讓神替你選擇。神有時讓你置身於試驗之中，若你不是憑信而活，圖謀切身的福利並不算錯。但你既然信靠神，就當快快樂樂地放下自己的權利，讓神替你去選擇。這個操練，是藉著對神話語的順服，使人天然的本質改造成屬靈的樣式。
人生若以權利來做指南，就會把屬靈的生命窒息了。在信靠神的生活中，最大的敵人並不是罪，而是不及標準的善良。善良永遠是至善的仇敵。亞伯拉罕易地而居，本是時間最明智之舉，因他有主權。但他不作選擇，以致周遭的人都視他為愚妄。我們許多人靈性不長進，是因為要自己選擇自以為好的，不信靠神去替我們選擇。我們要學習注目在神的標准上生活。 [你當在我面前。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，你的道路就像你那般完美；而我的道路就像我自己那樣不完全。感動我，讓我今天能有效地認同你的感覺和你的道路。
April 10, 2012
Complete and Effective Decision About Sin
. . . our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin —Romans 6:6
Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin—that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you-not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified—just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.
Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, “Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.
This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life— to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin— that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin” (Romans 6:11) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.
Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . .” (Galatians 2:20).
對罪的道德判斷
因為知道我們的舊人，和他同釘十字架，使罪身滅絕，叫我們不再作罪的奴僕（羅六6）
同釘十字架。我對罪所作的道德判決，是要花很長時間的。可是，這卻是我生命的轉捩點。我看準了，耶穌基督既為世人的罪而死，照樣地，罪也必須在我裡面死去。不是要把罪約制、壓抑或是抵擋，乃是要把它釘死在十字架上。沒有人可以使別人下這決心；我們也許會在宗教意識裡同意，但我們必須照保羅在此所強調的，作出決定。
要鼓起勇氣，振作起來，花時間與神單獨相對，作一個道德上的抉擇，對主說：[主阿，讓你的死成為我的死，直至我知道罪已在我裡面死去。 ]要斬釘截鐵，下定決心，把罪治死。
對保羅來說，這不是一種屬靈的期望，而是一個非常基本而肯定的經驗。我肯不肯讓神的靈鑑察我，直到我真知道罪的本相－－就是在我裡面與神的靈相爭的事物？若肯的話，我接受神對罪的判斷－－就是與耶穌同死嗎？我必須解決這個基本的意志問題，在神面前尋求清楚，否則不能算己[向罪死了]。
我有沒有進入與基督同釘的最高福祉裡，直到我血肉之軀，除了基督的生命以外，再無別的？ [我已經與基督同釘十字架，現在活著的，不再是我，乃是基督在我裡面活著。 ]
祈禱◆[我的靈在生病]－－何等適切地描述我今天的狀況！求你控制它，幫助我在當中起來和超越它。
Co-Crucifixion. Have you made the following decision about sin—that it must be completely killed in you? It takes a long time to come to the point of making this complete and effective decision about sin. It is, however, the greatest moment in your life once you decide that sin must die in you-not simply be restrained, suppressed, or counteracted, but crucified—just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world. No one can bring anyone else to this decision. We may be mentally and spiritually convinced, but what we need to do is actually make the decision that Paul urged us to do in this passage.
Pull yourself up, take some time alone with God, and make this important decision, saying, “Lord, identify me with Your death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.
This was not some divine future expectation on the part of Paul, but was a very radical and definite experience in his life. Are you prepared to let the Spirit of God search you until you know what the level and nature of sin is in your life— to see the very things that struggle against God’s Spirit in you? If so, will you then agree with God’s verdict on the nature of sin— that it should be identified with the death of Jesus? You cannot “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin” (Romans 6:11) unless you have radically dealt with the issue of your will before God.
Have you entered into the glorious privilege of being crucified with Christ, until all that remains in your flesh and blood is His life? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . .” (Galatians 2:20).
對罪的道德判斷
因為知道我們的舊人，和他同釘十字架，使罪身滅絕，叫我們不再作罪的奴僕（羅六6）
同釘十字架。我對罪所作的道德判決，是要花很長時間的。可是，這卻是我生命的轉捩點。我看準了，耶穌基督既為世人的罪而死，照樣地，罪也必須在我裡面死去。不是要把罪約制、壓抑或是抵擋，乃是要把它釘死在十字架上。沒有人可以使別人下這決心；我們也許會在宗教意識裡同意，但我們必須照保羅在此所強調的，作出決定。
要鼓起勇氣，振作起來，花時間與神單獨相對，作一個道德上的抉擇，對主說：[主阿，讓你的死成為我的死，直至我知道罪已在我裡面死去。 ]要斬釘截鐵，下定決心，把罪治死。
對保羅來說，這不是一種屬靈的期望，而是一個非常基本而肯定的經驗。我肯不肯讓神的靈鑑察我，直到我真知道罪的本相－－就是在我裡面與神的靈相爭的事物？若肯的話，我接受神對罪的判斷－－就是與耶穌同死嗎？我必須解決這個基本的意志問題，在神面前尋求清楚，否則不能算己[向罪死了]。
我有沒有進入與基督同釘的最高福祉裡，直到我血肉之軀，除了基督的生命以外，再無別的？ [我已經與基督同釘十字架，現在活著的，不再是我，乃是基督在我裡面活著。 ]
祈禱◆[我的靈在生病]－－何等適切地描述我今天的狀況！求你控制它，幫助我在當中起來和超越它。
March 22, 2012
The Burning Heart
Did not our heart burn within us . . . ? —Luke 24:32
We need to learn this secret of the burning heart. Suddenly Jesus appears to us, fires are set ablaze, and we are given wonderful visions; but then we must learn to maintain the secret of the burning heart— a heart that can go through anything. It is the simple, dreary day, with its commonplace duties and people, that smothers the burning heart— unless we have learned the secret of abiding in Jesus.
Much of the distress we experience as Christians comes not as the result of sin, but because we are ignorant of the laws of our own nature. For instance, the only test we should use to determine whether or not to allow a particular emotion to run its course in our lives is to examine what the final outcome of that emotion will be. Think it through to its logical conclusion, and if the outcome is something that God would condemn, put a stop to it immediately. But if it is an emotion that has been kindled by the Spirit of God and you don’t allow it to have its way in your life, it will cause a reaction on a lower level than God intended. That is the way unrealistic and overly emotional people are made. And the higher the emotion, the deeper the level of corruption, if it is not exercised on its intended level. If the Spirit of God has stirred you, make as many of your decisions as possible irrevocable, and let the consequences be what they will. We cannot stay forever on the “mount of transfiguration,” basking in the light of our mountaintop experience (see Mark 9:1-9). But we must obey the light we received there; we must put it into action. When God gives us a vision, we must transact business with Him at that point, no matter what the cost.
We cannot kindle when we will The fire which in the heart resides, The spirit bloweth and is still, In mystery our soul abides; But tasks in hours of insight willed Can be through hours of gloom fulfilled.
焚燒的心
我們的心豈不是火熱的麼？
我們要學習這火熱的心的秘訣。耶穌忽然向我們顯現，熱火就焚燒起來，我們得了奇妙的異象；然後就要學習怎樣持守這火熱的心，以致能經歷各樣的際遇。平淡無奇、日復一日的生活、加上日常的工作與來往的人事，會叫心中的火熄滅－－除非我們學會常住在主耶穌裡面。
我們作基督徒的痛苦，多半不是因罪而來，乃是因我們不認識自己本性的律，例如，要認驗某一種感情是否應該發展，唯一的方法就是看看那感情的後果如何。把它退到邏輯上的結論去，若後果是神會定罪的，就不要讓它繼續下去；但若那感情是神的靈燃點的，而你卻不容它在你生命中佔該有的位置，它就會在低一層的水平上發揮作用。情感主義者就是這樣造成的。我們若不讓感情有正確的宣洩，那麼情緒愈高，那墮落的光景就愈深了。神的靈若激動你，就要盡量付諸實行，不要管後果怎樣。我們不能長留在變象的山頂，而必須順服在山上所接受的亮光，神賜你異象；就要照著異象所指示的，切實去做，不管代價有多大。
心靈所存的火，不是人意可燃點，靈在吹動又靜止，人心活在隱秘裡。但密室啟示的順服，卻藉暗地的勞苦完成大工。
祈禱◆這個日子，噢，主啊，是你的日子；求你使它像寶石一般，永遠在我們的生命中發光。
We need to learn this secret of the burning heart. Suddenly Jesus appears to us, fires are set ablaze, and we are given wonderful visions; but then we must learn to maintain the secret of the burning heart— a heart that can go through anything. It is the simple, dreary day, with its commonplace duties and people, that smothers the burning heart— unless we have learned the secret of abiding in Jesus.
Much of the distress we experience as Christians comes not as the result of sin, but because we are ignorant of the laws of our own nature. For instance, the only test we should use to determine whether or not to allow a particular emotion to run its course in our lives is to examine what the final outcome of that emotion will be. Think it through to its logical conclusion, and if the outcome is something that God would condemn, put a stop to it immediately. But if it is an emotion that has been kindled by the Spirit of God and you don’t allow it to have its way in your life, it will cause a reaction on a lower level than God intended. That is the way unrealistic and overly emotional people are made. And the higher the emotion, the deeper the level of corruption, if it is not exercised on its intended level. If the Spirit of God has stirred you, make as many of your decisions as possible irrevocable, and let the consequences be what they will. We cannot stay forever on the “mount of transfiguration,” basking in the light of our mountaintop experience (see Mark 9:1-9). But we must obey the light we received there; we must put it into action. When God gives us a vision, we must transact business with Him at that point, no matter what the cost.
We cannot kindle when we will The fire which in the heart resides, The spirit bloweth and is still, In mystery our soul abides; But tasks in hours of insight willed Can be through hours of gloom fulfilled.
焚燒的心
我們的心豈不是火熱的麼？
我們要學習這火熱的心的秘訣。耶穌忽然向我們顯現，熱火就焚燒起來，我們得了奇妙的異象；然後就要學習怎樣持守這火熱的心，以致能經歷各樣的際遇。平淡無奇、日復一日的生活、加上日常的工作與來往的人事，會叫心中的火熄滅－－除非我們學會常住在主耶穌裡面。
我們作基督徒的痛苦，多半不是因罪而來，乃是因我們不認識自己本性的律，例如，要認驗某一種感情是否應該發展，唯一的方法就是看看那感情的後果如何。把它退到邏輯上的結論去，若後果是神會定罪的，就不要讓它繼續下去；但若那感情是神的靈燃點的，而你卻不容它在你生命中佔該有的位置，它就會在低一層的水平上發揮作用。情感主義者就是這樣造成的。我們若不讓感情有正確的宣洩，那麼情緒愈高，那墮落的光景就愈深了。神的靈若激動你，就要盡量付諸實行，不要管後果怎樣。我們不能長留在變象的山頂，而必須順服在山上所接受的亮光，神賜你異象；就要照著異象所指示的，切實去做，不管代價有多大。
心靈所存的火，不是人意可燃點，靈在吹動又靜止，人心活在隱秘裡。但密室啟示的順服，卻藉暗地的勞苦完成大工。
祈禱◆這個日子，噢，主啊，是你的日子；求你使它像寶石一般，永遠在我們的生命中發光。
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