. . . when Moses was grown . . . he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens —Exodus 2:11
Moses saw the oppression of his people and felt certain that he was the one to deliver them, and in the righteous indignation of his own spirit he started to right their wrongs. After he launched his first strike for God and for what was right, God allowed Moses to be driven into empty discouragement, sending him into the desert to feed sheep for forty years. At the end of that time, God appeared to Moses and said to him, ” ’. . . bring My people . . . out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ’Who am I that I should go . . . ?’ ” (Exodus 3:10-11). In the beginning Moses had realized that he was the one to deliver the people, but he had to be trained and disciplined by God first. He was right in his individual perspective, but he was not the person for the work until he had learned true fellowship and oneness with God.
We may have the vision of God and a very clear understanding of what God wants, and yet when we start to do it, there comes to us something equivalent to Moses’ forty years in the wilderness. It’s as if God had ignored the entire thing, and when we are thoroughly discouraged, God comes back and revives His call to us. And then we begin to tremble and say, “Who am I that I should go . . . ?” We must learn that God’s great stride is summed up in these words— “I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). We must also learn that our individual effort for God shows nothing but disrespect for Him— our individuality is to be rendered radiant through a personal relationship with God, so that He may be “well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). We are focused on the right individual perspective of things; we have the vision and can say, “I know this is what God wants me to do.” But we have not yet learned to get into God’s stride. If you are going through a time of discouragement, there is a time of great personal growth ahead.
沮喪與拓展
他出去到他弟兄那裡，看他們的重擔。 （出二11）
摩西看見自己的同胞受欺壓，深覺自己是他們的救星；於是按自己的義憤，伸手為他們伸冤。他為神的正義出手，神卻容許人把他趕逐到絕境裡去，要他在曠野牧羊四十年。時候滿足，神顯現告訴他去領百姓出來；摩西那時說：[我是什麼人，竟能去？ ]摩西起初就知道自己是拯救百姓的那一位，但卻先要經過神的訓練。他的觀點是沒有錯的，但在沒有學會與神聯合以前，他仍是未合用的工人。
我們看見神的異象，又清楚神的心意，於是著手去做；然後，是類似那四十年曠野的經歷，似乎神完全不理這回事樂。政黨我們完全絕望，神的呼召又重新臨到，我哦們就顫抖地說：[我是誰？ ]我們必須學習跨出第一大步－－[那自有永有的差遣你！ ]我們必須認識到憑個人的血氣為神工作，是狂妄的表現；我們個人的特質，必須與神相交才能熾熱起來（太三11）。我們往往著重個人對事物的看法，有異象就說：[這就是神要我做的。 ]但我們的步伐，還未與神一致。若你正陷入失望的階段，等著吧，遼遠的拓展就在前頭。
祈禱◆主啊，為著昨晚的睡眠，我感謝你；為著你既不打盹，也不睡眠，不論日夜都保護我們，我稱頌你。
Showing posts with label Emotions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Emotions. Show all posts
October 13, 2012
September 14, 2012
Arguments or Obedience
. . . the simplicity that is in Christ. —2 Corinthians 11:3
Simplicity is the secret to seeing things clearly. A saint does not think clearly until a long time passes, but a saint ought to see clearly without any difficulty. You cannot think through spiritual confusion to make things clear; to make things clear, you must obey. In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in spiritual matters you will only think yourself into further wandering thoughts and more confusion. If there is something in your life upon which God has put His pressure, then obey Him in that matter. Bring all your “arguments and . . . every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” regarding the matter, and everything will become as clear as daylight to you (2 Corinthians 10:5). Your reasoning capacity will come later, but reasoning is not how we see. We see like children, and when we try to be wise we see nothing (see Matthew 11:25).
Even the very smallest thing that we allow in our lives that is not under the control of the Holy Spirit is completely sufficient to account for spiritual confusion, and spending all of our time thinking about it will still never make it clear. Spiritual confusion can only be conquered through obedience. As soon as we obey, we have discernment. This is humiliating, because when we are confused we know that the reason lies in the state of our mind. But when our natural power of sight is devoted and submitted in obedience to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the very power by which we perceive God’s will, and our entire life is kept in simplicity.
幻想與靈感
向基督所存純一清潔的心
純一是看清事務的要訣.聖徒有時思路不清,可是應該可以毫無困難的看得清楚.屬靈的迷亂並不是靠思想可以得出頭緒.
必須順服神,就清楚了.屬乎理性的事,你可以賴思想得著出路,但屬靈的事,只會愈想愈一團糟.若在什麼事上神的手加壓力, 就要順服,把幻想拘禁在你對基督得順服裡; 這樣,一切就會明亮如白晝.理智是在後面才用的,但憑自己的聰明去看事物, 就一無所見. ( 太十一25)
我們若容讓極小的事不順服聖靈的控制, 就會陷入屬靈的迷亂中,即使花上多少思慮,也不能叫事態明朗. 屬靈的亂堆, 只有靠順服才可以澄清. 我們一順服, 就能辨明. 這是叫我們羞愧, 因為在迷亂之中, 我們知道問題是出於心志的狀態. 天然的視力若交給聖靈,就變成透察神旨意的能力,而整個生命也就能保持純一.
祈禱◆噢，我何等渴望被祢全然佔有,讓我的身,心,靈都被祢如火挑旺. 黑暗中仍潛伏著許多東西, 這些東西是何等的丟臉.
Simplicity is the secret to seeing things clearly. A saint does not think clearly until a long time passes, but a saint ought to see clearly without any difficulty. You cannot think through spiritual confusion to make things clear; to make things clear, you must obey. In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in spiritual matters you will only think yourself into further wandering thoughts and more confusion. If there is something in your life upon which God has put His pressure, then obey Him in that matter. Bring all your “arguments and . . . every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” regarding the matter, and everything will become as clear as daylight to you (2 Corinthians 10:5). Your reasoning capacity will come later, but reasoning is not how we see. We see like children, and when we try to be wise we see nothing (see Matthew 11:25).
Even the very smallest thing that we allow in our lives that is not under the control of the Holy Spirit is completely sufficient to account for spiritual confusion, and spending all of our time thinking about it will still never make it clear. Spiritual confusion can only be conquered through obedience. As soon as we obey, we have discernment. This is humiliating, because when we are confused we know that the reason lies in the state of our mind. But when our natural power of sight is devoted and submitted in obedience to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the very power by which we perceive God’s will, and our entire life is kept in simplicity.
幻想與靈感
向基督所存純一清潔的心
純一是看清事務的要訣.聖徒有時思路不清,可是應該可以毫無困難的看得清楚.屬靈的迷亂並不是靠思想可以得出頭緒.
必須順服神,就清楚了.屬乎理性的事,你可以賴思想得著出路,但屬靈的事,只會愈想愈一團糟.若在什麼事上神的手加壓力, 就要順服,把幻想拘禁在你對基督得順服裡; 這樣,一切就會明亮如白晝.理智是在後面才用的,但憑自己的聰明去看事物, 就一無所見. ( 太十一25)
我們若容讓極小的事不順服聖靈的控制, 就會陷入屬靈的迷亂中,即使花上多少思慮,也不能叫事態明朗. 屬靈的亂堆, 只有靠順服才可以澄清. 我們一順服, 就能辨明. 這是叫我們羞愧, 因為在迷亂之中, 我們知道問題是出於心志的狀態. 天然的視力若交給聖靈,就變成透察神旨意的能力,而整個生命也就能保持純一.
祈禱◆噢，我何等渴望被祢全然佔有,讓我的身,心,靈都被祢如火挑旺. 黑暗中仍潛伏著許多東西, 這些東西是何等的丟臉.
September 12, 2012
Going Through Spiritual Confusion
Jesus answered and said, ’You do not know what you ask’ —Matthew 20:22
There are times in your spiritual life when there is confusion, and the way out of it is not simply to say that you should not be confused. It is not a matter of right and wrong, but a matter of God taking you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you.
The Shrouding of His Friendship (see Luke 11:5-8). Jesus gave the illustration here of a man who appears not to care for his friend. He was saying, in effect, that is how the heavenly Father will appear to you at times. You will think that He is an unkind friend, but remember?He is not. The time will come when everything will be explained. There seems to be a cloud on the friendship of the heart, and often even love itself has to wait in pain and tears for the blessing of fuller fellowship and oneness. When God appears to be completely shrouded, will you hang on with confidence in Him?
The Shadow on His Fatherhood (see Luke 11:11-13). Jesus said that there are times when your Father will appear as if He were an unnatural father?as if He were callous and indifferent— but remember, He is not. “Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Luke 11:10). If all you see is a shadow on the face of the Father right now, hang on to the fact that He will ultimately give you clear understanding and will fully justify Himself in everything that He has allowed into your life.
The Strangeness of His Faithfulness (see Luke 18:1-8). “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Will He find the kind of faith that counts on Him in spite of the confusion? Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now.
屬靈的困惑
你們不知道所求的是什麼。 （太二十22）
在屬靈生命中，有時會有困惑的時刻；若強說沒有是解決不了問題的。這不是對或不對的問題，而是神有時要領你走一條你不明白的路，只有經過了這一段困惑時期，你才知道神想要的是甚麼。
他的友情隱藏了（路十一5-8）。耶穌比喻中的那個人，好像對他的朋友漠不關心；有時候，在我們看來，天父也好像那個人。時候到了，一切都會明朗。心中的友情被雲層遮蔽，有時連愛本身也要在痛苦與眼淚中等待那更完全契合的福氣。當神似乎完全隱藏了，你能否依然因著對他的信心而堅持？
他的父愛在陰影裡（路十一11-13）。耶穌說，天父有時像一個不近人情的父親，冷漠不仁；要記住他不是這樣的。我已告訴你：[凡祈求的就得著。 ]若此刻他的臉被陰影遮蔽，要持守到底，因為至終他必向你清楚解明，叫你知道他所容許的事都有其用意。
他信實不比尋常（路十八1-8）。 [人子來的時候，遇得見世上有信德麼？ ]他能否找到在困惑中仍緊抓著他信心的人？要在信心中起步，知道耶穌所說的是可信的，雖然當時你不明白他所作的。在你所祈求的事以外，神還有更重大更危急的事。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天我將要奉你的名傳講你的資訊，但我至今仍沒有聖靈的感動。噢，因著耶穌基督的緣故，求你將你的思想傳達至我那靈性遲緩的腦袋中。
There are times in your spiritual life when there is confusion, and the way out of it is not simply to say that you should not be confused. It is not a matter of right and wrong, but a matter of God taking you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you.
The Shrouding of His Friendship (see Luke 11:5-8). Jesus gave the illustration here of a man who appears not to care for his friend. He was saying, in effect, that is how the heavenly Father will appear to you at times. You will think that He is an unkind friend, but remember?He is not. The time will come when everything will be explained. There seems to be a cloud on the friendship of the heart, and often even love itself has to wait in pain and tears for the blessing of fuller fellowship and oneness. When God appears to be completely shrouded, will you hang on with confidence in Him?
The Shadow on His Fatherhood (see Luke 11:11-13). Jesus said that there are times when your Father will appear as if He were an unnatural father?as if He were callous and indifferent— but remember, He is not. “Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Luke 11:10). If all you see is a shadow on the face of the Father right now, hang on to the fact that He will ultimately give you clear understanding and will fully justify Himself in everything that He has allowed into your life.
The Strangeness of His Faithfulness (see Luke 18:1-8). “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Will He find the kind of faith that counts on Him in spite of the confusion? Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now.
屬靈的困惑
你們不知道所求的是什麼。 （太二十22）
在屬靈生命中，有時會有困惑的時刻；若強說沒有是解決不了問題的。這不是對或不對的問題，而是神有時要領你走一條你不明白的路，只有經過了這一段困惑時期，你才知道神想要的是甚麼。
他的友情隱藏了（路十一5-8）。耶穌比喻中的那個人，好像對他的朋友漠不關心；有時候，在我們看來，天父也好像那個人。時候到了，一切都會明朗。心中的友情被雲層遮蔽，有時連愛本身也要在痛苦與眼淚中等待那更完全契合的福氣。當神似乎完全隱藏了，你能否依然因著對他的信心而堅持？
他的父愛在陰影裡（路十一11-13）。耶穌說，天父有時像一個不近人情的父親，冷漠不仁；要記住他不是這樣的。我已告訴你：[凡祈求的就得著。 ]若此刻他的臉被陰影遮蔽，要持守到底，因為至終他必向你清楚解明，叫你知道他所容許的事都有其用意。
他信實不比尋常（路十八1-8）。 [人子來的時候，遇得見世上有信德麼？ ]他能否找到在困惑中仍緊抓著他信心的人？要在信心中起步，知道耶穌所說的是可信的，雖然當時你不明白他所作的。在你所祈求的事以外，神還有更重大更危急的事。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天我將要奉你的名傳講你的資訊，但我至今仍沒有聖靈的感動。噢，因著耶穌基督的緣故，求你將你的思想傳達至我那靈性遲緩的腦袋中。
August 31, 2012
“My Joy . . . Your Joy”
These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full —John 15:11
What was the joy that Jesus had? Joy should not be confused with happiness. In fact, it is an insult to Jesus Christ to use the word happiness in connection with Him. The joy of Jesus was His absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice to His Father— the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do— “. . . who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross . . .” (Hebrews 12:2). “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . .” (Psalm 40:8). Jesus prayed that our joy might continue fulfilling itself until it becomes the same joy as His. Have I allowed Jesus Christ to introduce His joy to me?
Living a full and overflowing life does not rest in bodily health, in circumstances, nor even in seeing God’s work succeed, but in the perfect understanding of God, and in the same fellowship and oneness with Him that Jesus Himself enjoyed. But the first thing that will hinder this joy is the subtle irritability caused by giving too much thought to our circumstances. Jesus said, “. . . the cares of this world, . . . choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). And before we even realize what has happened, we are caught up in our cares. All that God has done for us is merely the threshold— He wants us to come to the place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim who Jesus is.
Have the right relationship with God, finding your joy there, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Be a fountain through which Jesus can pour His “living water.” Stop being hypocritical and proud, aware only of yourself, and live “your life . . . hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). A person who has the right relationship with God lives a life as natural as breathing wherever he goes. The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing.
我的喜樂……你們的喜樂
要叫我的喜樂，存在你們心裡，並叫你們的喜樂可以滿足。 （約十五11）
耶穌的喜樂是什麼？若在耶穌身上應用[快樂]這詞，實在是一種侮辱。耶穌的喜樂是對父絕對的順服與捨己。因作成他父差他來作的工而喜樂。 [我樂意照你的旨意行。 ]耶穌的禱告是要我們的喜樂日趨完備，直到像他的喜樂一樣。我有沒有讓主把喜樂帶給我？
生命的滿溢不是在身體的健康，不是在外在的事物，不是在看見神的事工成就，乃在對神完全的明白，有耶穌與父神那種契合。攔阻這喜樂的第一件事，是挑剔猜度而來的惱怒。耶穌說今生的憂慮會阻塞神的話。我們還未知身處何方，已經被紛繁的事物抓住了。神為我們所作成的一切只帶我們來到門檻，他還要我們進入，作他的見證，活出耶穌是誰。更與神連合，從而得喜樂，就有活水從你湧流。要做活水得中心，讓主透過你倒出活水。不要在沉浸在自覺裡，不要做成聖得自負者，要藏在基督里活。與神連合的生命，自然得像呼吸一般。那些最叫你蒙福的人，是那些不覺自己成為別人祝福的人。
祈禱◆噢，神啊，讓我更多的認識你，並更切實地認識你的兒子、我的救主和主。願你賜我愈來愈認識你的主權和統治，並且愈享受在你裡面的單純喜樂。
What was the joy that Jesus had? Joy should not be confused with happiness. In fact, it is an insult to Jesus Christ to use the word happiness in connection with Him. The joy of Jesus was His absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice to His Father— the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do— “. . . who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross . . .” (Hebrews 12:2). “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . .” (Psalm 40:8). Jesus prayed that our joy might continue fulfilling itself until it becomes the same joy as His. Have I allowed Jesus Christ to introduce His joy to me?
Living a full and overflowing life does not rest in bodily health, in circumstances, nor even in seeing God’s work succeed, but in the perfect understanding of God, and in the same fellowship and oneness with Him that Jesus Himself enjoyed. But the first thing that will hinder this joy is the subtle irritability caused by giving too much thought to our circumstances. Jesus said, “. . . the cares of this world, . . . choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). And before we even realize what has happened, we are caught up in our cares. All that God has done for us is merely the threshold— He wants us to come to the place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim who Jesus is.
Have the right relationship with God, finding your joy there, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Be a fountain through which Jesus can pour His “living water.” Stop being hypocritical and proud, aware only of yourself, and live “your life . . . hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). A person who has the right relationship with God lives a life as natural as breathing wherever he goes. The lives that have been the greatest blessing to you are the lives of those people who themselves were unaware of having been a blessing.
我的喜樂……你們的喜樂
要叫我的喜樂，存在你們心裡，並叫你們的喜樂可以滿足。 （約十五11）
耶穌的喜樂是什麼？若在耶穌身上應用[快樂]這詞，實在是一種侮辱。耶穌的喜樂是對父絕對的順服與捨己。因作成他父差他來作的工而喜樂。 [我樂意照你的旨意行。 ]耶穌的禱告是要我們的喜樂日趨完備，直到像他的喜樂一樣。我有沒有讓主把喜樂帶給我？
生命的滿溢不是在身體的健康，不是在外在的事物，不是在看見神的事工成就，乃在對神完全的明白，有耶穌與父神那種契合。攔阻這喜樂的第一件事，是挑剔猜度而來的惱怒。耶穌說今生的憂慮會阻塞神的話。我們還未知身處何方，已經被紛繁的事物抓住了。神為我們所作成的一切只帶我們來到門檻，他還要我們進入，作他的見證，活出耶穌是誰。更與神連合，從而得喜樂，就有活水從你湧流。要做活水得中心，讓主透過你倒出活水。不要在沉浸在自覺裡，不要做成聖得自負者，要藏在基督里活。與神連合的生命，自然得像呼吸一般。那些最叫你蒙福的人，是那些不覺自己成為別人祝福的人。
祈禱◆噢，神啊，讓我更多的認識你，並更切實地認識你的兒子、我的救主和主。願你賜我愈來愈認識你的主權和統治，並且愈享受在你裡面的單純喜樂。
August 18, 2012
Have You Ever Been Speechless with Sorrow?
When he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich —Luke 18:23
The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow, having nothing to say in response to Jesus’ words. He had no doubt about what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God’s Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you to yield it to Him? Maybe He has pointed out certain personal qualities, desires, and interests, or possibly relationships of your heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But every time He meets you at the place where He has pointed, He will simply repeat His words, saying, “If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions.”
“Sell all that you have . . .” (Luke 18:22). In other words, rid yourself before God of everything that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought— in the realm of your will before God. Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult— it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the hard words of Jesus Christ.
I can be so rich in my own poverty, or in the awareness of the fact that I am nobody, that I will never be a disciple of Jesus. Or I can be so rich in the awareness that I am somebody that I will never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute and poor even in my sense of awareness of my destitution and poverty? If not, that is why I become discouraged. Discouragement is disillusioned self-love, and self-love may be love for my devotion to Jesus— not love for Jesus Himself.
必會臨到的經歷
以後不再見他了。 （王下二12）
倚賴以利亞是沒有錯的，只要是神把他給你；可是別忘記，總有一天他會離開。他不再做你的領導，因為神認為他不應該再做你的領導。你會說：[沒有以利亞，我無法前行。 ]但神說你一定要前行。
獨自在你的約但（14節）。約但是分離的表徵，表示再沒有人與你相交，沒有人分擔你的責任。你必須把從以利亞學習所得的，拿出來考驗。你跟以利亞過約但河不知有多少次了，但如今你得獨自面對。空說不能過，是沒有用處的。這事已經臨到，你必定要前行。你若要知道神是否如你所信的一樣，就得單獨的過你的約但河。
獨自在你的耶利哥（15節）。你曾在耶利哥看見以利亞行大事，但當你來到自己的耶利哥，就退縮，不肯主動去信靠神，只想別人去替你擔當。可是，你若遵從以利亞所學的，就必得著神與你同在。
獨自在你的伯利恆（23節）。在伯利恆你來到自己才智的盡頭，這卻是神智慧的開端。千萬不可在智窮力竭時，仆倒恐慌之中，要緊靠著神，忠於他，他自有方法把真理顯明，使你的生命成聖。把你跟以利亞所學的行出來，用他的外衣和他的祈禱。立志信靠神，不要再尋找你的以利亞了。
祈禱◆主啊，我餓生命是如此傾斜，如此充滿漏洞，求你今天讓我全神貫注於你！願我回到你的家中，重新過著完全倚靠你的生活。
The rich young ruler went away from Jesus speechless with sorrow, having nothing to say in response to Jesus’ words. He had no doubt about what Jesus had said or what it meant, and it produced in him a sorrow with no words with which to respond. Have you ever been there? Has God’s Word ever come to you, pointing out an area of your life, requiring you to yield it to Him? Maybe He has pointed out certain personal qualities, desires, and interests, or possibly relationships of your heart and mind. If so, then you have often been speechless with sorrow. The Lord will not go after you, and He will not plead with you. But every time He meets you at the place where He has pointed, He will simply repeat His words, saying, “If you really mean what you say, these are the conditions.”
“Sell all that you have . . .” (Luke 18:22). In other words, rid yourself before God of everything that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought— in the realm of your will before God. Are you more devoted to your idea of what Jesus wants than to Jesus Himself? If so, you are likely to hear one of His harsh and unyielding statements that will produce sorrow in you. What Jesus says is difficult— it is only easy when it is heard by those who have His nature in them. Beware of allowing anything to soften the hard words of Jesus Christ.
I can be so rich in my own poverty, or in the awareness of the fact that I am nobody, that I will never be a disciple of Jesus. Or I can be so rich in the awareness that I am somebody that I will never be a disciple. Am I willing to be destitute and poor even in my sense of awareness of my destitution and poverty? If not, that is why I become discouraged. Discouragement is disillusioned self-love, and self-love may be love for my devotion to Jesus— not love for Jesus Himself.
必會臨到的經歷
以後不再見他了。 （王下二12）
倚賴以利亞是沒有錯的，只要是神把他給你；可是別忘記，總有一天他會離開。他不再做你的領導，因為神認為他不應該再做你的領導。你會說：[沒有以利亞，我無法前行。 ]但神說你一定要前行。
獨自在你的約但（14節）。約但是分離的表徵，表示再沒有人與你相交，沒有人分擔你的責任。你必須把從以利亞學習所得的，拿出來考驗。你跟以利亞過約但河不知有多少次了，但如今你得獨自面對。空說不能過，是沒有用處的。這事已經臨到，你必定要前行。你若要知道神是否如你所信的一樣，就得單獨的過你的約但河。
獨自在你的耶利哥（15節）。你曾在耶利哥看見以利亞行大事，但當你來到自己的耶利哥，就退縮，不肯主動去信靠神，只想別人去替你擔當。可是，你若遵從以利亞所學的，就必得著神與你同在。
獨自在你的伯利恆（23節）。在伯利恆你來到自己才智的盡頭，這卻是神智慧的開端。千萬不可在智窮力竭時，仆倒恐慌之中，要緊靠著神，忠於他，他自有方法把真理顯明，使你的生命成聖。把你跟以利亞所學的行出來，用他的外衣和他的祈禱。立志信靠神，不要再尋找你的以利亞了。
祈禱◆主啊，我餓生命是如此傾斜，如此充滿漏洞，求你今天讓我全神貫注於你！願我回到你的家中，重新過著完全倚靠你的生活。
August 12, 2012
The Theology of Resting in God
Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? —Matthew 8:26
When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.
“. . . O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.
There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.
We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.
安息神學
你們這小信的人哪，為什麼膽怯呢？ （太八26）
我們恐懼的時候，最不可少的就是向神禱告；可是，我們的主有權要求屬他的人，對他有一種深切了解的信任。神期望他的兒女對他大有信心，以致再任何重要關頭，仍然站得住。但我們對神的信任往往只止於某一點，就回复禱告初階時的驚惶失措，像那些不認識神的人一樣。在走投無路時，我們表現得對神毫無信心，也不信他掌管全世界；他似乎睡了，我們只看見前面得風浪。
[你們這小信得人哪！ ]門徒是何等難過－－[又失敗了！ ]我們也會同樣難過。我們知道其實可以叫主得心歡暢快樂－－只要對他保持絕對的信心，不管前路如何。人生風平浪靜時，我們會安然的盡人的力量做到最好；但當危難一到，就立即顯出倚靠的到底是誰。我們若不斷地學習敬拜神，信靠他，那末在風浪的日子，對他的信心也同樣至死不移。我們多次的談到成聖的問題－－最終的目的是什麼呢？就是在神裡面安息，與神合一。這合一不但使我們在他眼前成為無可指摘的，更叫我們成為他的喜樂。
祈禱◆主啊，我的快樂全在乎對你的紀念，否則對你那歡愉而單純的信靠，不過是一種輕率的舉動。願你今天讓快樂四面環繞我們。
When we are afraid, the least we can do is pray to God. But our Lord has a right to expect that those who name His name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him that in any crisis they are the ones who are reliable. Yet our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the elementary panic-stricken prayers of those people who do not even know God. We come to our wits’ end, showing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To us He seems to be asleep, and we can see nothing but giant, breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.
“. . . O you of little faith!” What a stinging pain must have shot through the disciples as they surely thought to themselves, “We missed the mark again!” And what a sharp pain will go through us when we suddenly realize that we could have produced complete and utter joy in the heart of Jesus by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.
There are times when there is no storm or crisis in our lives, and we do all that is humanly possible. But it is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.
We have been talking quite a lot about sanctification, but what will be the result in our lives? It will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God, which means a total oneness with Him. And this oneness will make us not only blameless in His sight, but also a profound joy to Him.
安息神學
你們這小信的人哪，為什麼膽怯呢？ （太八26）
我們恐懼的時候，最不可少的就是向神禱告；可是，我們的主有權要求屬他的人，對他有一種深切了解的信任。神期望他的兒女對他大有信心，以致再任何重要關頭，仍然站得住。但我們對神的信任往往只止於某一點，就回复禱告初階時的驚惶失措，像那些不認識神的人一樣。在走投無路時，我們表現得對神毫無信心，也不信他掌管全世界；他似乎睡了，我們只看見前面得風浪。
[你們這小信得人哪！ ]門徒是何等難過－－[又失敗了！ ]我們也會同樣難過。我們知道其實可以叫主得心歡暢快樂－－只要對他保持絕對的信心，不管前路如何。人生風平浪靜時，我們會安然的盡人的力量做到最好；但當危難一到，就立即顯出倚靠的到底是誰。我們若不斷地學習敬拜神，信靠他，那末在風浪的日子，對他的信心也同樣至死不移。我們多次的談到成聖的問題－－最終的目的是什麼呢？就是在神裡面安息，與神合一。這合一不但使我們在他眼前成為無可指摘的，更叫我們成為他的喜樂。
祈禱◆主啊，我的快樂全在乎對你的紀念，否則對你那歡愉而單純的信靠，不過是一種輕率的舉動。願你今天讓快樂四面環繞我們。
August 02, 2012
The Teaching of Adversity
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world —John 16:33
The typical view of the Christian life is that it means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something very different. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling . . .” (Psalm 91:1,10)— the place where you are at one with God.
If you are a child of God, you will certainly encounter adversities, but Jesus says you should not be surprised when they come. “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” He is saying, “There is nothing for you to fear.” The same people who refused to talk about their adversities before they were saved often complain and worry after being born again because they have the wrong idea of what it means to live the life of a saint.
God does not give us overcoming life— He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and take the first step. Then God will give you nourishment— “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life . . .” (Revelation 2:7). If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength. God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment. Our temptation is to face adversities from the standpoint of our own common sense. But a saint can “be of good cheer” even when seemingly defeated by adversities, because victory is absurdly impossible to everyone, except God.
苦難的操練
在世上你們有苦難，但你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 （約十六33）
一般人都以為基督徒的人生，是沒有苦難的。其實並非如此，基督徒乃是患難中得拯救。 [住在至高者隱密處得，必住在全能者得蔭下……禍患必不臨到你。 ]沒有災難能臨到你與神合一的處所。你若是神的兒女，必定會遭遇困難，但主耶穌說不必驚奇：[在世上你們有苦難，但你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 ]意思就是沒有什麼值得你害怕。在信主前不屑談苦難的人，重生後往往變得軟弱無力，因為他們對作聖徒有錯誤的理解。
神沒有給我們勝過一切的生命；卻在我們誇勝時，賜給生命。壓力就是力量。沒有壓力，就沒有力量。你求神賜生命、自由與喜樂嗎？除非你肯接受壓力，否則他無法把這些賜給你。你一面對壓力，就得力量。勝過膽怯，踏上那一步，神就讓你得吃生命樹得果子，你就得著滋養。你若消耗體力，會覺得疲憊；但若你在屬靈上愈用力，便愈發得力。神從來不賜明天得力量，也不賜下一刻的力量，他只給你勝過現今壓力的力量。我們很容易以常理去面對困難；但聖徒若被苦難壓透，反會大大喜樂，因為事情是這樣困難，除了神以外，根本沒有人能有辦法。
祈禱◆主啊，你的思想是何等令人驚服！可是，我何時才發現自己順服的心，全然被你所佔據？我似乎已被本身的渺小，自私和罪惡弄得毫無力量。
The typical view of the Christian life is that it means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something very different. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling . . .” (Psalm 91:1,10)— the place where you are at one with God.
If you are a child of God, you will certainly encounter adversities, but Jesus says you should not be surprised when they come. “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” He is saying, “There is nothing for you to fear.” The same people who refused to talk about their adversities before they were saved often complain and worry after being born again because they have the wrong idea of what it means to live the life of a saint.
God does not give us overcoming life— He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and take the first step. Then God will give you nourishment— “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life . . .” (Revelation 2:7). If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength. God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment. Our temptation is to face adversities from the standpoint of our own common sense. But a saint can “be of good cheer” even when seemingly defeated by adversities, because victory is absurdly impossible to everyone, except God.
苦難的操練
在世上你們有苦難，但你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 （約十六33）
一般人都以為基督徒的人生，是沒有苦難的。其實並非如此，基督徒乃是患難中得拯救。 [住在至高者隱密處得，必住在全能者得蔭下……禍患必不臨到你。 ]沒有災難能臨到你與神合一的處所。你若是神的兒女，必定會遭遇困難，但主耶穌說不必驚奇：[在世上你們有苦難，但你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 ]意思就是沒有什麼值得你害怕。在信主前不屑談苦難的人，重生後往往變得軟弱無力，因為他們對作聖徒有錯誤的理解。
神沒有給我們勝過一切的生命；卻在我們誇勝時，賜給生命。壓力就是力量。沒有壓力，就沒有力量。你求神賜生命、自由與喜樂嗎？除非你肯接受壓力，否則他無法把這些賜給你。你一面對壓力，就得力量。勝過膽怯，踏上那一步，神就讓你得吃生命樹得果子，你就得著滋養。你若消耗體力，會覺得疲憊；但若你在屬靈上愈用力，便愈發得力。神從來不賜明天得力量，也不賜下一刻的力量，他只給你勝過現今壓力的力量。我們很容易以常理去面對困難；但聖徒若被苦難壓透，反會大大喜樂，因為事情是這樣困難，除了神以外，根本沒有人能有辦法。
祈禱◆主啊，你的思想是何等令人驚服！可是，我何時才發現自己順服的心，全然被你所佔據？我似乎已被本身的渺小，自私和罪惡弄得毫無力量。
July 30, 2012
The Teaching of Disillusionment
Jesus did not commit Himself to them . . . , for He knew what was in man —John 2:24-25
Disillusionment means having no more misconceptions, false impressions, and false judgments in life; it means being free from these deceptions. However, though no longer deceived, our experience of disillusionment may actually leave us cynical and overly critical in our judgment of others. But the disillusionment that comes from God brings us to the point where we see people as they really are, yet without any cynicism or any stinging and bitter criticism. Many of the things in life that inflict the greatest injury, grief, or pain, stem from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts, seeing each other as we really are; we are only true to our misconceived ideas of one another. According to our thinking, everything is either delightful and good, or it is evil, malicious, and cowardly.
Refusing to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering of human life. And this is how that suffering happens— if we love someone, but do not love God, we demand total perfection and righteousness from that person, and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; yet we are demanding of a human being something which he or she cannot possibly give. There is only one Being who can completely satisfy to the absolute depth of the hurting human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is so obviously uncompromising with regard to every human relationship because He knows that every relationship that is not based on faithfulness to Himself will end in disaster. Our Lord trusted no one, and never placed His faith in people, yet He was never suspicious or bitter. Our Lord’s confidence in God, and in what God’s grace could do for anyone, was so perfect that He never despaired, never giving up hope for any person. If our trust is placed in human beings, we will end up despairing of everyone.
覺醒的操練
耶穌卻不將自己交託他們……因他知道人心裡所存的。 （約二24-25）
覺醒就是在生命中再沒有錯誤的判斷。受錯覺的矇騙，會使我們對人的批評變得苛刻，好冷嘲熱諷。但從神而來的覺醒，卻使我們認清人的本相，而又不憤世嫉俗，也沒有尖酸苦毒的說話。人生許多的痛苦，都是由於我們受錯覺的蒙蔽。對別人的觀感，我們只憑自己的想法，而非忠於事實。對我們來說，每一事物若非好便是壞。不願從錯覺中醒悟，是導致人生種種痛苦的因由。情形就是這樣：我們若愛一個人，卻不愛神，便會要求他完全正直無暇。一旦得不到，就變得殘酷，要報復；我們要求的，是一個人無法做到。只有主耶穌才能滿足人心中最深的渴求。主耶穌對每種人際關係的看法，是相當嚴厲的；因為他知道任何一種不忠於主為基礎的關係，到頭來必定悲劇收場。主雖然不把自己交託給人，但他從不多疑，也不尖刻苦毒。他對神的信賴，以及對他恩典全能的信賴，使他對任何人都不絕望。我們的信賴若在人身上，結果必是對人失望。
祈禱◆主啊，對於你道路的細節，我雖然一無所知，但我期盼你奇妙的作為儘快顯明。我是何其全然安息，得見你的道路時，又是何其釋然。
Disillusionment means having no more misconceptions, false impressions, and false judgments in life; it means being free from these deceptions. However, though no longer deceived, our experience of disillusionment may actually leave us cynical and overly critical in our judgment of others. But the disillusionment that comes from God brings us to the point where we see people as they really are, yet without any cynicism or any stinging and bitter criticism. Many of the things in life that inflict the greatest injury, grief, or pain, stem from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts, seeing each other as we really are; we are only true to our misconceived ideas of one another. According to our thinking, everything is either delightful and good, or it is evil, malicious, and cowardly.
Refusing to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering of human life. And this is how that suffering happens— if we love someone, but do not love God, we demand total perfection and righteousness from that person, and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; yet we are demanding of a human being something which he or she cannot possibly give. There is only one Being who can completely satisfy to the absolute depth of the hurting human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is so obviously uncompromising with regard to every human relationship because He knows that every relationship that is not based on faithfulness to Himself will end in disaster. Our Lord trusted no one, and never placed His faith in people, yet He was never suspicious or bitter. Our Lord’s confidence in God, and in what God’s grace could do for anyone, was so perfect that He never despaired, never giving up hope for any person. If our trust is placed in human beings, we will end up despairing of everyone.
覺醒的操練
耶穌卻不將自己交託他們……因他知道人心裡所存的。 （約二24-25）
覺醒就是在生命中再沒有錯誤的判斷。受錯覺的矇騙，會使我們對人的批評變得苛刻，好冷嘲熱諷。但從神而來的覺醒，卻使我們認清人的本相，而又不憤世嫉俗，也沒有尖酸苦毒的說話。人生許多的痛苦，都是由於我們受錯覺的蒙蔽。對別人的觀感，我們只憑自己的想法，而非忠於事實。對我們來說，每一事物若非好便是壞。不願從錯覺中醒悟，是導致人生種種痛苦的因由。情形就是這樣：我們若愛一個人，卻不愛神，便會要求他完全正直無暇。一旦得不到，就變得殘酷，要報復；我們要求的，是一個人無法做到。只有主耶穌才能滿足人心中最深的渴求。主耶穌對每種人際關係的看法，是相當嚴厲的；因為他知道任何一種不忠於主為基礎的關係，到頭來必定悲劇收場。主雖然不把自己交託給人，但他從不多疑，也不尖刻苦毒。他對神的信賴，以及對他恩典全能的信賴，使他對任何人都不絕望。我們的信賴若在人身上，結果必是對人失望。
祈禱◆主啊，對於你道路的細節，我雖然一無所知，但我期盼你奇妙的作為儘快顯明。我是何其全然安息，得見你的道路時，又是何其釋然。
June 25, 2012
Receiving Yourself in the Fires of Sorrow
. . . what shall I say? ’Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. ’Father, glorify Your name’ —John 12:27-28
As a saint of God, my attitude toward sorrow and difficulty should not be to ask that they be prevented, but to ask that God protect me so that I may remain what He created me to be, in spite of all my fires of sorrow. Our Lord received Himself, accepting His position and realizing His purpose, in the midst of the fire of sorrow. He was saved not from the hour, but out of the hour.
We say that there ought to be no sorrow, but there is sorrow, and we have to accept and receive ourselves in its fires. If we try to evade sorrow, refusing to deal with it, we are foolish. Sorrow is one of the biggest facts in life, and there is no use in saying it should not be. Sin, sorrow, and suffering are, and it is not for us to say that God has made a mistake in allowing them.
Sorrow removes a great deal of a person’s shallowness, but it does not always make that person better. Suffering either gives me to myself or it destroys me. You cannot find or receive yourself through success, because you lose your head over pride. And you cannot receive yourself through the monotony of your daily life, because you give in to complaining. The only way to find yourself is in the fires of sorrow. Why it should be this way is immaterial. The fact is that it is true in the Scriptures and in human experience. You can always recognize who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, and you know that you can go to him in your moment of trouble and find that he has plenty of time for you. But if a person has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, having no respect or time for you, only turning you away. If you will receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people.
從憂患中找著自己
我說什麼才好呢？父啊，救我脫離這時候，但我原是為這時候來的。 （約十二27-29）
身為一個聖徒，我對愁苦困難的態度，不是求神攔阻，乃是求神叫我經過痛苦的火煉，保存他造在我裡面的生命。我們的主在愁苦的火中，接受了自己。他沒有擺脫那時刻，卻從那時刻中出來了。
我們說世上不該有憂患，但事實上憂患卻存在，而且我們還要從火中體認自己。若我們企圖逃避憂患，不肯面對它，實在是愚不可及的。憂患是人生中最具體的事實；硬說世上不該有憂患是無濟於事的。罪惡、憂患、痛苦，的確存在；我們沒有資格說神容讓痛苦存在是錯的。
憂患雖然把人許多膚淺的東西都燒掉，卻不一定使人更完美。憂患可以建立人，也可以毀滅人。在成功之中，很難建立自己，因為你會得意忘形。在枯燥而單調的生活中，也找不到自己，因你會大發牢騷。惟有在憂患的火中，你才找著自己。為什麼會這樣是另一回事；在聖經中，在人的經歷中，都證實如此。一個從憂患中找到自己的人，很容易辨認出來。你有困難去找他，必然大得幫助，他必樂於幫助你。一個未受過苦的人，多偏於浮誇，也沒有時間理會你。你若從苦難的火中找著自己，神便會使你成為別人的供應。
祈禱◆主啊，藉著你那不可逃避和滿有能力的撫摸，今天向我顯明你的慈愛，並在你溫柔的大能中，按照你的計劃使用我！
As a saint of God, my attitude toward sorrow and difficulty should not be to ask that they be prevented, but to ask that God protect me so that I may remain what He created me to be, in spite of all my fires of sorrow. Our Lord received Himself, accepting His position and realizing His purpose, in the midst of the fire of sorrow. He was saved not from the hour, but out of the hour.
We say that there ought to be no sorrow, but there is sorrow, and we have to accept and receive ourselves in its fires. If we try to evade sorrow, refusing to deal with it, we are foolish. Sorrow is one of the biggest facts in life, and there is no use in saying it should not be. Sin, sorrow, and suffering are, and it is not for us to say that God has made a mistake in allowing them.
Sorrow removes a great deal of a person’s shallowness, but it does not always make that person better. Suffering either gives me to myself or it destroys me. You cannot find or receive yourself through success, because you lose your head over pride. And you cannot receive yourself through the monotony of your daily life, because you give in to complaining. The only way to find yourself is in the fires of sorrow. Why it should be this way is immaterial. The fact is that it is true in the Scriptures and in human experience. You can always recognize who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, and you know that you can go to him in your moment of trouble and find that he has plenty of time for you. But if a person has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, having no respect or time for you, only turning you away. If you will receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people.
從憂患中找著自己
我說什麼才好呢？父啊，救我脫離這時候，但我原是為這時候來的。 （約十二27-29）
身為一個聖徒，我對愁苦困難的態度，不是求神攔阻，乃是求神叫我經過痛苦的火煉，保存他造在我裡面的生命。我們的主在愁苦的火中，接受了自己。他沒有擺脫那時刻，卻從那時刻中出來了。
我們說世上不該有憂患，但事實上憂患卻存在，而且我們還要從火中體認自己。若我們企圖逃避憂患，不肯面對它，實在是愚不可及的。憂患是人生中最具體的事實；硬說世上不該有憂患是無濟於事的。罪惡、憂患、痛苦，的確存在；我們沒有資格說神容讓痛苦存在是錯的。
憂患雖然把人許多膚淺的東西都燒掉，卻不一定使人更完美。憂患可以建立人，也可以毀滅人。在成功之中，很難建立自己，因為你會得意忘形。在枯燥而單調的生活中，也找不到自己，因你會大發牢騷。惟有在憂患的火中，你才找著自己。為什麼會這樣是另一回事；在聖經中，在人的經歷中，都證實如此。一個從憂患中找到自己的人，很容易辨認出來。你有困難去找他，必然大得幫助，他必樂於幫助你。一個未受過苦的人，多偏於浮誇，也沒有時間理會你。你若從苦難的火中找著自己，神便會使你成為別人的供應。
祈禱◆主啊，藉著你那不可逃避和滿有能力的撫摸，今天向我顯明你的慈愛，並在你溫柔的大能中，按照你的計劃使用我！
June 18, 2012
Keep Recognizing Jesus
. . . Peter . . . walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid . . . —Matthew 14:29-30
The wind really was boisterous and the waves really were high, but Peter didn’t see them at first. He didn’t consider them at all; he simply recognized his Lord, stepped out in recognition of Him, and “walked on the water.” Then he began to take those things around him into account, and instantly, down he went. Why couldn’t our Lord have enabled him to walk at the bottom of the waves, as well as on top of them? He could have, yet neither could be done without Peter’s continuing recognition of the Lord Jesus.
We step right out with recognition of God in some things, then self-consideration enters our lives and down we go. If you are truly recognizing your Lord, you have no business being concerned about how and where He engineers your circumstances. The things surrounding you are real, but when you look at them you are immediately overwhelmed, and even unable to recognize Jesus. Then comes His rebuke, “. . . why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). Let your actual circumstances be what they may, but keep recognizing Jesus, maintaining complete reliance upon Him.
If you debate for even one second when God has spoken, it is all over for you. Never start to say, “Well, I wonder if He really did speak to me?” Be reckless immediately— totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything— by casting your all upon Him. You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself, surrendering everything to Him. It is only through abandonment of yourself and your circumstances that you will recognize Him. You will only recognize His voice more clearly through recklessness— being willing to risk your all.
不必籌算了，上路吧！
彼得就……在水面上走，要到耶穌那裡去。只因見風甚大，就害怕。 （太十四29-30）
風雖然大，浪雖然高，但彼得卻視若無睹。他並不怕波濤洶湧，因為他一心一意只知道主，而且因主在水面上走。過後，他發現到現實的環境，隨即就下沉了。何以主不使他在水底行走，像在水面上一樣呢？若不認識是主耶穌，兩者都不能行。
在某些事上，我們會毅然信靠神，稍後就姑息自己，便往下沉了。所以只要認清是主，就不必問他怎樣處理環境。現實本來就是如此，你一旦注目其上，就被它支配，看不見耶穌了。神就會責備你說：[為什麼疑惑呢？ ]不管現實環境怎樣，總要認識耶穌，保持對他完全的信賴。
神的話一發出，只要你有一刻的遲疑，就完了。切勿說：[唔，他到底有沒有說過呢？ ]這時要立即孤注一擲，把一切投在他身上。你不知道他什麼時候說話，但只要稍微認識他，就該不顧一切地投上。只有捨棄一切，你才會認出他來。只有當你不顧一切時，才更清楚認出他的聲音。
祈禱◆主啊，求你在這天，讓那使我們在你的事奉中軟弱下來的自我意識永遠消失，使我們所認知的，就只有耶穌。
The wind really was boisterous and the waves really were high, but Peter didn’t see them at first. He didn’t consider them at all; he simply recognized his Lord, stepped out in recognition of Him, and “walked on the water.” Then he began to take those things around him into account, and instantly, down he went. Why couldn’t our Lord have enabled him to walk at the bottom of the waves, as well as on top of them? He could have, yet neither could be done without Peter’s continuing recognition of the Lord Jesus.
We step right out with recognition of God in some things, then self-consideration enters our lives and down we go. If you are truly recognizing your Lord, you have no business being concerned about how and where He engineers your circumstances. The things surrounding you are real, but when you look at them you are immediately overwhelmed, and even unable to recognize Jesus. Then comes His rebuke, “. . . why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31). Let your actual circumstances be what they may, but keep recognizing Jesus, maintaining complete reliance upon Him.
If you debate for even one second when God has spoken, it is all over for you. Never start to say, “Well, I wonder if He really did speak to me?” Be reckless immediately— totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything— by casting your all upon Him. You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself, surrendering everything to Him. It is only through abandonment of yourself and your circumstances that you will recognize Him. You will only recognize His voice more clearly through recklessness— being willing to risk your all.
不必籌算了，上路吧！
彼得就……在水面上走，要到耶穌那裡去。只因見風甚大，就害怕。 （太十四29-30）
風雖然大，浪雖然高，但彼得卻視若無睹。他並不怕波濤洶湧，因為他一心一意只知道主，而且因主在水面上走。過後，他發現到現實的環境，隨即就下沉了。何以主不使他在水底行走，像在水面上一樣呢？若不認識是主耶穌，兩者都不能行。
在某些事上，我們會毅然信靠神，稍後就姑息自己，便往下沉了。所以只要認清是主，就不必問他怎樣處理環境。現實本來就是如此，你一旦注目其上，就被它支配，看不見耶穌了。神就會責備你說：[為什麼疑惑呢？ ]不管現實環境怎樣，總要認識耶穌，保持對他完全的信賴。
神的話一發出，只要你有一刻的遲疑，就完了。切勿說：[唔，他到底有沒有說過呢？ ]這時要立即孤注一擲，把一切投在他身上。你不知道他什麼時候說話，但只要稍微認識他，就該不顧一切地投上。只有捨棄一切，你才會認出他來。只有當你不顧一切時，才更清楚認出他的聲音。
祈禱◆主啊，求你在這天，讓那使我們在你的事奉中軟弱下來的自我意識永遠消失，使我們所認知的，就只有耶穌。
June 05, 2012
God’s Assurance
He Himself has said . . . . So we may boldly say . . . —Hebrews 13:5-6
My assurance is to be built upon God’s assurance to me. God says, “I will never leave you,” so that then I “may boldly say, ’The Lord is my helper; I will not fear’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6). In other words, I will not be obsessed with apprehension. This does not mean that I will not be tempted to fear, but I will remember God’s words of assurance. I will be full of courage, like a child who strives to reach the standard his father has set for him. The faith of many people begins to falter when apprehensions enter their thinking, and they forget the meaning of God’s assurance— they forget to take a deep spiritual breath. The only way to remove the fear from our lives is to listen to God’s assurance to us.
What are you fearing? Whatever it may be, you are not a coward about it— you are determined to face it, yet you still have a feeling of fear. When it seems that there is nothing and no one to help you, say to yourself, “But ’The Lord is my helper’ this very moment, even in my present circumstance.” Are you learning to listen to God before you speak, or are you saying things and then trying to make God’s Word fit what you have said? Take hold of the Father’s assurance, and then say with strong courage, “I will not fear.” It does not matter what evil or wrong may be in our way, because “He Himself has said, ’I will never leave you . . . .’ ”
Human frailty is another thing that gets between God’s words of assurance and our own words and thoughts. When we realize how feeble we are in facing difficulties, the difficulties become like giants, we become like grasshoppers, and God seems to be nonexistent. But remember God’s assurance to us— “I will never. . . forsake you.” Have we learned to sing after hearing God’s keynote? Are we continually filled with enough courage to say, “The Lord is my helper,” or are we yielding to fear?
神如此說
主曾說……所以我們可以放膽說……(來十三5-6)
[我如此說]必須以[神如此說]做根基。神既說：[我總不撇下你。 ]我就可以勇敢地說：[主是幫助我的，我必不懼怕。 ]——我不會被恐懼侵擾。這不是說我不會有恐懼的試探，乃是我知道神曾如此說。這樣我就會鼓起勇氣，像孩子一鼓作氣似的，竭力達到父親所要求的水平。不少人在恐懼中信心動搖，忘記了神曾[如此說]，忘記了在聖靈裡深深地吸一口氣。唯一脫離恐懼的方法，就是聽神[如此說]。
你害怕的是什麼？你不是懦夫，你要面對現實，可是總有一種恐懼的感覺。你在孤獨無援之中，要說：[主是幫助我的，就在此時此地。 ]你有沒有學習先聽神的話，然後才開口說話？抑或你擅自發言，然後企圖拿神的話來支持？你當抓住父神的[如此說]，然後勇氣十足地說：[我必不懼怕。 ]路上的兇險不要緊，因他已說過：[我總不撇下你。 ]
另一樣阻隔神[如此說]的，就是意志薄弱。我們在難處中，往往很柔弱；難處就成為強大的巨人，而我們反而像蚱蜢，就像神不存在一般。要記住神如此說：[我總不撇下你。 ]我們是否學會聽見神的主音想起就唱和？我們是否時常有這勇氣：[主是幫助我的。 ]還是就此一蹶不振？
祈禱◆主啊，現在向我說話，為著今天的日子激勵我；那深沉而具有破壞力的暗晦，似乎正緊緊操縱著我的能力。主啊，與我們同在。
My assurance is to be built upon God’s assurance to me. God says, “I will never leave you,” so that then I “may boldly say, ’The Lord is my helper; I will not fear’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6). In other words, I will not be obsessed with apprehension. This does not mean that I will not be tempted to fear, but I will remember God’s words of assurance. I will be full of courage, like a child who strives to reach the standard his father has set for him. The faith of many people begins to falter when apprehensions enter their thinking, and they forget the meaning of God’s assurance— they forget to take a deep spiritual breath. The only way to remove the fear from our lives is to listen to God’s assurance to us.
What are you fearing? Whatever it may be, you are not a coward about it— you are determined to face it, yet you still have a feeling of fear. When it seems that there is nothing and no one to help you, say to yourself, “But ’The Lord is my helper’ this very moment, even in my present circumstance.” Are you learning to listen to God before you speak, or are you saying things and then trying to make God’s Word fit what you have said? Take hold of the Father’s assurance, and then say with strong courage, “I will not fear.” It does not matter what evil or wrong may be in our way, because “He Himself has said, ’I will never leave you . . . .’ ”
Human frailty is another thing that gets between God’s words of assurance and our own words and thoughts. When we realize how feeble we are in facing difficulties, the difficulties become like giants, we become like grasshoppers, and God seems to be nonexistent. But remember God’s assurance to us— “I will never. . . forsake you.” Have we learned to sing after hearing God’s keynote? Are we continually filled with enough courage to say, “The Lord is my helper,” or are we yielding to fear?
神如此說
主曾說……所以我們可以放膽說……(來十三5-6)
[我如此說]必須以[神如此說]做根基。神既說：[我總不撇下你。 ]我就可以勇敢地說：[主是幫助我的，我必不懼怕。 ]——我不會被恐懼侵擾。這不是說我不會有恐懼的試探，乃是我知道神曾如此說。這樣我就會鼓起勇氣，像孩子一鼓作氣似的，竭力達到父親所要求的水平。不少人在恐懼中信心動搖，忘記了神曾[如此說]，忘記了在聖靈裡深深地吸一口氣。唯一脫離恐懼的方法，就是聽神[如此說]。
你害怕的是什麼？你不是懦夫，你要面對現實，可是總有一種恐懼的感覺。你在孤獨無援之中，要說：[主是幫助我的，就在此時此地。 ]你有沒有學習先聽神的話，然後才開口說話？抑或你擅自發言，然後企圖拿神的話來支持？你當抓住父神的[如此說]，然後勇氣十足地說：[我必不懼怕。 ]路上的兇險不要緊，因他已說過：[我總不撇下你。 ]
另一樣阻隔神[如此說]的，就是意志薄弱。我們在難處中，往往很柔弱；難處就成為強大的巨人，而我們反而像蚱蜢，就像神不存在一般。要記住神如此說：[我總不撇下你。 ]我們是否學會聽見神的主音想起就唱和？我們是否時常有這勇氣：[主是幫助我的。 ]還是就此一蹶不振？
祈禱◆主啊，現在向我說話，為著今天的日子激勵我；那深沉而具有破壞力的暗晦，似乎正緊緊操縱著我的能力。主啊，與我們同在。
May 24, 2012
The Delight of Despair
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead —Revelation 1:17
It may be that, like the apostle John, you know Jesus Christ intimately. Yet when He suddenly appears to you with totally unfamiliar characteristics, the only thing you can do is fall “at His feet as dead.” There are times when God cannot reveal Himself in any other way than in His majesty, and it is the awesomeness of the vision which brings you to the delight of despair. You experience this joy in hopelessness, realizing that if you are ever to be raised up it must be by the hand of God.
“He laid His right hand on me . . .” (Revelation 1:17). In the midst of the awesomeness, a touch comes, and you know it is the right hand of Jesus Christ. You know it is not the hand of restraint, correction, nor chastisement, but the right hand of the Everlasting Father. Whenever His hand is laid upon you, it gives inexpressible peace and comfort, and the sense that “underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27), full of support, provision, comfort, and strength. And once His touch comes, nothing at all can throw you into fear again. In the midst of all His ascended glory, the Lord Jesus comes to speak to an insignificant disciple, saying, “Do not be afraid” (Revelation 1:17). His tenderness is inexpressibly sweet. Do I know Him like that?
Take a look at some of the things that cause despair. There is despair which has no delight, no limits whatsoever, and no hope of anything brighter. But the delight of despair comes when “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells . . .” (Romans 7:18). I delight in knowing that there is something in me which must fall prostrate before God when He reveals Himself to me, and also in knowing that if I am ever to be raised up it must be by the hand of God. God can do nothing for me until I recognize the limits of what is humanly possible, allowing Him to do the impossible.
絕望中的興奮
我一看見，就仆倒在他腳前，像死了一樣。 （啟一17）
也許你像約翰一樣，與主耶穌相知甚深。但當他突然以完全陌生的面貌出現，你只能仆倒他腳前像死去一樣。有時神不能以別的辦法顯示他自己，就只好以他的威嚴顯現。那異像中的威榮，叫你在絕望中心懷興奮。那時，你要再起來，就必須捉著神的手了。
[他用右手按著我說。 ]在驚恐中，有人觸摸你，你便曉得那時耶穌基督的右手。不是阻止、糾正或管教的右手，而是永在的父的右手。無論他的手什麼時候放在你身上，總有難以形容的平安與安慰，因為知道有永遠的膀臂在扶持，就得著供應、安慰與力量。神的撫摸一來，就再沒有什麼能叫你恐懼的了。主耶穌帶著天上的榮耀，對一個微不足道的門徒說：[不要懼怕。 ]他的仁慈是那樣的溫柔，我對他有這樣的認識麼？
留心那些令人絕望的事物。有一種絕望是沒有喜樂、沒有展望、沒有曙光。可是只要我知道[在我裡頭，就是在我肉體之中，沒有良善]，那時絕望中的喜樂就來了。在神榮耀的彰顯之中，我必須謙恭俯伏。若要起來，神必親手攙扶。除非我到了一切的盡頭，否則神不能為我作什麼。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，在屬靈和各方滿，願你加倍地保守這聖靈的殿。賜給我們你所喜悅的光輝和明亮。
It may be that, like the apostle John, you know Jesus Christ intimately. Yet when He suddenly appears to you with totally unfamiliar characteristics, the only thing you can do is fall “at His feet as dead.” There are times when God cannot reveal Himself in any other way than in His majesty, and it is the awesomeness of the vision which brings you to the delight of despair. You experience this joy in hopelessness, realizing that if you are ever to be raised up it must be by the hand of God.
“He laid His right hand on me . . .” (Revelation 1:17). In the midst of the awesomeness, a touch comes, and you know it is the right hand of Jesus Christ. You know it is not the hand of restraint, correction, nor chastisement, but the right hand of the Everlasting Father. Whenever His hand is laid upon you, it gives inexpressible peace and comfort, and the sense that “underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27), full of support, provision, comfort, and strength. And once His touch comes, nothing at all can throw you into fear again. In the midst of all His ascended glory, the Lord Jesus comes to speak to an insignificant disciple, saying, “Do not be afraid” (Revelation 1:17). His tenderness is inexpressibly sweet. Do I know Him like that?
Take a look at some of the things that cause despair. There is despair which has no delight, no limits whatsoever, and no hope of anything brighter. But the delight of despair comes when “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells . . .” (Romans 7:18). I delight in knowing that there is something in me which must fall prostrate before God when He reveals Himself to me, and also in knowing that if I am ever to be raised up it must be by the hand of God. God can do nothing for me until I recognize the limits of what is humanly possible, allowing Him to do the impossible.
絕望中的興奮
我一看見，就仆倒在他腳前，像死了一樣。 （啟一17）
也許你像約翰一樣，與主耶穌相知甚深。但當他突然以完全陌生的面貌出現，你只能仆倒他腳前像死去一樣。有時神不能以別的辦法顯示他自己，就只好以他的威嚴顯現。那異像中的威榮，叫你在絕望中心懷興奮。那時，你要再起來，就必須捉著神的手了。
[他用右手按著我說。 ]在驚恐中，有人觸摸你，你便曉得那時耶穌基督的右手。不是阻止、糾正或管教的右手，而是永在的父的右手。無論他的手什麼時候放在你身上，總有難以形容的平安與安慰，因為知道有永遠的膀臂在扶持，就得著供應、安慰與力量。神的撫摸一來，就再沒有什麼能叫你恐懼的了。主耶穌帶著天上的榮耀，對一個微不足道的門徒說：[不要懼怕。 ]他的仁慈是那樣的溫柔，我對他有這樣的認識麼？
留心那些令人絕望的事物。有一種絕望是沒有喜樂、沒有展望、沒有曙光。可是只要我知道[在我裡頭，就是在我肉體之中，沒有良善]，那時絕望中的喜樂就來了。在神榮耀的彰顯之中，我必須謙恭俯伏。若要起來，神必親手攙扶。除非我到了一切的盡頭，否則神不能為我作什麼。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，在屬靈和各方滿，願你加倍地保守這聖靈的殿。賜給我們你所喜悅的光輝和明亮。
April 16, 2012
Can You Come Down From the Mountain?
While you have the light, believe in the light . . . —John 12:36
We all have moments when we feel better than ever before, and we say, “I feel fit for anything; if only I could always be like this!” We are not meant to be. Those moments are moments of insight which we have to live up to even when we do not feel like it. Many of us are no good for the everyday world when we are not on the mountaintop. Yet we must bring our everyday life up to the standard revealed to us on the mountaintop when we were there.
Never allow a feeling that was awakened in you on the mountaintop to evaporate. Don’t place yourself on the shelf by thinking, “How great to be in such a wonderful state of mind!” Act immediately— do something, even if your only reason to act is that you would rather not. If, during a prayer meeting, God shows you something to do, don’t say, “I’ll do it”— just doit! Pick yourself up by the back of the neck and shake off your fleshly laziness. Laziness can always be seen in our cravings for a mountaintop experience; all we talk about is our planning for our time on the mountain. We must learn to live in the ordinary “gray” day according to what we saw on the mountain.
Don’t give up because you have been blocked and confused once— go after it again. Burn your bridges behind you, and stand committed to God by an act of your own will. Never change your decisions, but be sure to make your decisions in the light of what you saw and learned on the mountain.
信從這光
你們當趁著有光，信從這光。 （約十二36）
我們都有躊躇滿志的時刻，那時便會說：[我覺得萬事都能勝任，巴不得經常如此。 ]神的旨意並不要我們如此。那些時刻，是深入體驗的時候，藉著這種體驗，要在平淡的日子裡把真理活出來。若沒有那高超的時刻，許多人就在日常生活的輪子上，頹廢無用。我們應該把日常生活提升到靈程高處所體驗的水平。
切勿讓在高處所獲的感受如煙雲消散，也不要安於自逸的說：[如此的心境多麼美妙啊！ ]要立即行動，進入事奉。你若不甘心地做，就更該去做。若在禱告中會見神，他叫你做什麼，要立即去做。別說：[我會去做。 ]振作起來，把你與生俱來的惰性甩掉。懶惰的人總渴望想得意的時刻，總愛談怎樣攀上高峰。但是，我們要學習照著山上所見的，行在灰暗的生活中。
你一次迷惑，不必氣餒，重頭再來吧。要燒絕棧道，義不回顧，心甘情願地站在神面前，而且決不朝秦暮楚。你要認清所決志的，是根據在高山上所見的亮光。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，但願我的一切思想、情感和言語都帶著愛－－對你完全的愛，並且透過這愛去接觸人。
We all have moments when we feel better than ever before, and we say, “I feel fit for anything; if only I could always be like this!” We are not meant to be. Those moments are moments of insight which we have to live up to even when we do not feel like it. Many of us are no good for the everyday world when we are not on the mountaintop. Yet we must bring our everyday life up to the standard revealed to us on the mountaintop when we were there.
Never allow a feeling that was awakened in you on the mountaintop to evaporate. Don’t place yourself on the shelf by thinking, “How great to be in such a wonderful state of mind!” Act immediately— do something, even if your only reason to act is that you would rather not. If, during a prayer meeting, God shows you something to do, don’t say, “I’ll do it”— just doit! Pick yourself up by the back of the neck and shake off your fleshly laziness. Laziness can always be seen in our cravings for a mountaintop experience; all we talk about is our planning for our time on the mountain. We must learn to live in the ordinary “gray” day according to what we saw on the mountain.
Don’t give up because you have been blocked and confused once— go after it again. Burn your bridges behind you, and stand committed to God by an act of your own will. Never change your decisions, but be sure to make your decisions in the light of what you saw and learned on the mountain.
信從這光
你們當趁著有光，信從這光。 （約十二36）
我們都有躊躇滿志的時刻，那時便會說：[我覺得萬事都能勝任，巴不得經常如此。 ]神的旨意並不要我們如此。那些時刻，是深入體驗的時候，藉著這種體驗，要在平淡的日子裡把真理活出來。若沒有那高超的時刻，許多人就在日常生活的輪子上，頹廢無用。我們應該把日常生活提升到靈程高處所體驗的水平。
切勿讓在高處所獲的感受如煙雲消散，也不要安於自逸的說：[如此的心境多麼美妙啊！ ]要立即行動，進入事奉。你若不甘心地做，就更該去做。若在禱告中會見神，他叫你做什麼，要立即去做。別說：[我會去做。 ]振作起來，把你與生俱來的惰性甩掉。懶惰的人總渴望想得意的時刻，總愛談怎樣攀上高峰。但是，我們要學習照著山上所見的，行在灰暗的生活中。
你一次迷惑，不必氣餒，重頭再來吧。要燒絕棧道，義不回顧，心甘情願地站在神面前，而且決不朝秦暮楚。你要認清所決志的，是根據在高山上所見的亮光。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，但願我的一切思想、情感和言語都帶著愛－－對你完全的愛，並且透過這愛去接觸人。
March 28, 2012
Isn’t There Some Misunderstanding?
'Let us go to Judea again.' The disciples said to Him, '. . . are You going there again?' —John 11:7-8
Just because I don’t understand what Jesus Christ says, I have no right to determine that He must be mistaken in what He says. That is a dangerous view, and it is never right to think that my obedience to God’s directive will bring dishonor to Jesus. The only thing that will bring dishonor is not obeying Him. To put my view of His honor ahead of what He is plainly guiding me to do is never right, even though it may come from a real desire to prevent Him from being put to an open shame. I know when the instructions have come from God because of their quiet persistence. But when I begin to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate enter into my mind, I am bringing in an element that is not of God. This will only result in my concluding that His instructions to me were not right. Many of us are faithful to our ideas about Jesus Christ, but how many of us are faithful to Jesus Himself? Faithfulness to Jesus means that I must step out even when and where I can’t see anything (see Matthew 14:29). But faithfulness to my own ideas means that I first clear the way mentally. Faith, however, is not intellectual understanding; faith is a deliberate commitment to the Person of Jesus Christ, even when I can’t see the way ahead.
Are you debating whether you should take a step of faith in Jesus, or whether you should wait until you can clearly see how to do what He has asked? Simply obey Him with unrestrained joy. When He tells you something and you begin to debate, it is because you have a misunderstanding of what honors Him and what doesn’t. Are you faithful to Jesus, or faithful to your ideas about Him? Are you faithful to what He says, or are you trying to compromise His words with thoughts that never came from Him? “Whatever He says to you, do it ” (John 2:5).
豈無誤解？
我們再往猶太去吧。門徒說……你還往那裡去麼？ （約十一7-8）
我可能不明白主耶穌的話，但若如此說他的話有錯，就很危險了。若以為順服神的一句話，會羞辱耶穌，這是絕對錯誤的想法，唯一羞辱主的是不順服他。我用自己的觀點來維護他的榮耀，代替了聽從他明確的命令，必然是錯的；即使動機的確是想避免叫主受辱。從神來的意思，可從那安靜而持續的感動認出來。但當我要反复思考，權衡得失時，隨之而來時疑慮爭辯，我就是把不屬於神的東西帶了進來。於是便知道，這意思是不對的。我們多半忠於自己對耶穌的概念，甚少忠於他自己。 （試問我們中間有多少人是忠於他的？）忠於耶穌就是聽命開步，不憑眼見（太十四29），忠於我自己對耶穌的概念，就是在理智上鋪了路。信心不是理智的了悟，信心是在未見之先，立志委身於他。
你是否反復自辯，要靠耶穌走信心之路呢？還是你自己應付？用歡喜快樂的心，無所顧忌地順服他吧。當他這樣對你說，而你卻心裡反复思量，這是因為你對他的榮譽有所顧慮，而其實你所認為的榮譽，並非主的榮譽。你到底是忠於耶穌？還是忠於你對神的概念？你是忠於他所說的話？還是拿那不出於他的觀點來折衷妥協？ [他告訴你們什麼，你們就作什麼。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等需要靠近你。當你進入我的生命，我何需顫抖？
Just because I don’t understand what Jesus Christ says, I have no right to determine that He must be mistaken in what He says. That is a dangerous view, and it is never right to think that my obedience to God’s directive will bring dishonor to Jesus. The only thing that will bring dishonor is not obeying Him. To put my view of His honor ahead of what He is plainly guiding me to do is never right, even though it may come from a real desire to prevent Him from being put to an open shame. I know when the instructions have come from God because of their quiet persistence. But when I begin to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate enter into my mind, I am bringing in an element that is not of God. This will only result in my concluding that His instructions to me were not right. Many of us are faithful to our ideas about Jesus Christ, but how many of us are faithful to Jesus Himself? Faithfulness to Jesus means that I must step out even when and where I can’t see anything (see Matthew 14:29). But faithfulness to my own ideas means that I first clear the way mentally. Faith, however, is not intellectual understanding; faith is a deliberate commitment to the Person of Jesus Christ, even when I can’t see the way ahead.
Are you debating whether you should take a step of faith in Jesus, or whether you should wait until you can clearly see how to do what He has asked? Simply obey Him with unrestrained joy. When He tells you something and you begin to debate, it is because you have a misunderstanding of what honors Him and what doesn’t. Are you faithful to Jesus, or faithful to your ideas about Him? Are you faithful to what He says, or are you trying to compromise His words with thoughts that never came from Him? “Whatever He says to you, do it ” (John 2:5).
豈無誤解？
我們再往猶太去吧。門徒說……你還往那裡去麼？ （約十一7-8）
我可能不明白主耶穌的話，但若如此說他的話有錯，就很危險了。若以為順服神的一句話，會羞辱耶穌，這是絕對錯誤的想法，唯一羞辱主的是不順服他。我用自己的觀點來維護他的榮耀，代替了聽從他明確的命令，必然是錯的；即使動機的確是想避免叫主受辱。從神來的意思，可從那安靜而持續的感動認出來。但當我要反复思考，權衡得失時，隨之而來時疑慮爭辯，我就是把不屬於神的東西帶了進來。於是便知道，這意思是不對的。我們多半忠於自己對耶穌的概念，甚少忠於他自己。 （試問我們中間有多少人是忠於他的？）忠於耶穌就是聽命開步，不憑眼見（太十四29），忠於我自己對耶穌的概念，就是在理智上鋪了路。信心不是理智的了悟，信心是在未見之先，立志委身於他。
你是否反復自辯，要靠耶穌走信心之路呢？還是你自己應付？用歡喜快樂的心，無所顧忌地順服他吧。當他這樣對你說，而你卻心裡反复思量，這是因為你對他的榮譽有所顧慮，而其實你所認為的榮譽，並非主的榮譽。你到底是忠於耶穌？還是忠於你對神的概念？你是忠於他所說的話？還是拿那不出於他的觀點來折衷妥協？ [他告訴你們什麼，你們就作什麼。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等需要靠近你。當你進入我的生命，我何需顫抖？
March 23, 2012
Am I Carnally Minded?
Where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal . . . ? —1 Corinthians 3:3
The natural man, or unbeliever, knows nothing about carnality. The desires of the flesh warring against the Spirit, and the Spirit warring against the flesh, which began at rebirth, are what produce carnality and the awareness of it. But Paul said, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). In other words, carnality will disappear.
Are you quarrelsome and easily upset over small things? Do you think that no one who is a Christian is ever like that? Paul said they are, and he connected these attitudes with carnality. Is there a truth in the Bible that instantly awakens a spirit of malice or resentment in you? If so, that is proof that you are still carnal. If the process of sanctification is continuing in your life, there will be no trace of that kind of spirit remaining.
If the Spirit of God detects anything in you that is wrong, He doesn’t ask you to make it right; He only asks you to accept the light of truth, and then He will make it right. A child of the light will confess sin instantly and stand completely open before God. But a child of the darkness will say, “Oh, I can explain that.” When the light shines and the Spirit brings conviction of sin, be a child of the light. Confess your wrongdoing, and God will deal with it. If, however, you try to vindicate yourself, you prove yourself to be a child of the darkness.
What is the proof that carnality has gone? Never deceive yourself; when carnality is gone you will know it-it is the most real thing you can imagine. And God will see to it that you have a number of opportunities to prove to yourself the miracle of His grace. The proof is in a very practical test. You will find yourself saying, “If this had happened before, I would have had the spirit of resentment!” And you will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.
是體貼肉體麼？
你們中間有嫉妒分爭，這豈不是屬乎肉體？ （林前三3）
未重生的人根本不知何為肉體。人重生之後，肉體與聖靈相爭，聖靈與肉體相爭，結果就產生了[肉慾]的問題。保羅說：[在聖靈裡行事，就不放縱肉體的情慾。 ]如此，肉慾就消失了。
你是否好爭論？易被瑣事煩惱？ [不，信徒不會如此！ ]保羅卻說會。他把這些事與肉體連在一起。在聖經真理中，有那一項容易引起你的怒氣？這便證明你仍然屬肉體。若成聖的工夫作成了，這種狀態就不復存在。
聖靈若發現你裡面有任何錯處，並不叫你去糾正；乃是要你接受那光照，然後他才去糾正。光明的子女會立即認罪，赤露敞開地站在神面前。黑暗之子卻說：[噢，我可以自圓其說開脫出去的。 ]所以，一旦光照來了，就要做光明之子，真知道有錯，要向神認罪，神自會對付那罪；你若為自己辯護，就仍是黑暗之子。
怎樣證明肉慾已經消失了？不要自欺，肉慾一旦克服了，是最真實不過的事。神會讓你有無數的機會，去證實他在你身上的奇恩。實際的考驗是唯一的證據。你會說：[奇怪得很，若在從前，這件事必叫我懷恨在心！ ]神在你裡面所作的改變，會令你畢生驚訝，沒齒難忘。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，你的道路何等奇妙！當我回顧你帶領我走過的道路，和你的耐心寬待，我便在驚嘆、愛意和讚美中渾然忘我。
The natural man, or unbeliever, knows nothing about carnality. The desires of the flesh warring against the Spirit, and the Spirit warring against the flesh, which began at rebirth, are what produce carnality and the awareness of it. But Paul said, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). In other words, carnality will disappear.
Are you quarrelsome and easily upset over small things? Do you think that no one who is a Christian is ever like that? Paul said they are, and he connected these attitudes with carnality. Is there a truth in the Bible that instantly awakens a spirit of malice or resentment in you? If so, that is proof that you are still carnal. If the process of sanctification is continuing in your life, there will be no trace of that kind of spirit remaining.
If the Spirit of God detects anything in you that is wrong, He doesn’t ask you to make it right; He only asks you to accept the light of truth, and then He will make it right. A child of the light will confess sin instantly and stand completely open before God. But a child of the darkness will say, “Oh, I can explain that.” When the light shines and the Spirit brings conviction of sin, be a child of the light. Confess your wrongdoing, and God will deal with it. If, however, you try to vindicate yourself, you prove yourself to be a child of the darkness.
What is the proof that carnality has gone? Never deceive yourself; when carnality is gone you will know it-it is the most real thing you can imagine. And God will see to it that you have a number of opportunities to prove to yourself the miracle of His grace. The proof is in a very practical test. You will find yourself saying, “If this had happened before, I would have had the spirit of resentment!” And you will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.
是體貼肉體麼？
你們中間有嫉妒分爭，這豈不是屬乎肉體？ （林前三3）
未重生的人根本不知何為肉體。人重生之後，肉體與聖靈相爭，聖靈與肉體相爭，結果就產生了[肉慾]的問題。保羅說：[在聖靈裡行事，就不放縱肉體的情慾。 ]如此，肉慾就消失了。
你是否好爭論？易被瑣事煩惱？ [不，信徒不會如此！ ]保羅卻說會。他把這些事與肉體連在一起。在聖經真理中，有那一項容易引起你的怒氣？這便證明你仍然屬肉體。若成聖的工夫作成了，這種狀態就不復存在。
聖靈若發現你裡面有任何錯處，並不叫你去糾正；乃是要你接受那光照，然後他才去糾正。光明的子女會立即認罪，赤露敞開地站在神面前。黑暗之子卻說：[噢，我可以自圓其說開脫出去的。 ]所以，一旦光照來了，就要做光明之子，真知道有錯，要向神認罪，神自會對付那罪；你若為自己辯護，就仍是黑暗之子。
怎樣證明肉慾已經消失了？不要自欺，肉慾一旦克服了，是最真實不過的事。神會讓你有無數的機會，去證實他在你身上的奇恩。實際的考驗是唯一的證據。你會說：[奇怪得很，若在從前，這件事必叫我懷恨在心！ ]神在你裡面所作的改變，會令你畢生驚訝，沒齒難忘。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，你的道路何等奇妙！當我回顧你帶領我走過的道路，和你的耐心寬待，我便在驚嘆、愛意和讚美中渾然忘我。
March 07, 2012
The Source of Abundant Joy
In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us —Romans 8:37
Paul was speaking here of the things that might seem likely to separate a saint from the love of God. But the remarkable thing is that nothing can come between the love of God and a saint. The things Paul mentioned in this passage can and do disrupt the close fellowship of our soul with God and separate our natural life from Him. But none of them is able to come between the love of God and the soul of a saint on the spiritual level. The underlying foundation of the Christian faith is the undeserved, limitless miracle of the love of God that was exhibited on the Cross of Calvary; a love that is not earned and can never be. Paul said this is the reason that “in all these things we are more than conquerors.” We are super-victors with a joy that comes from experiencing the very things which look as if they are going to overwhelm us.
Huge waves that would frighten an ordinary swimmer produce a tremendous thrill for the surfer who has ridden them. Let’s apply that to our own circumstances. The things we try to avoid and fight against— tribulation, suffering, and persecution— are the very things that produce abundant joy in us. “We are more than conquerors through Him” “in all these things”; not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. A saint doesn’t know the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but because of it. Paul said, “I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation” (2 Corinthians 7:4).
The undiminished radiance, which is the result of abundant joy, is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can change. And the experiences of life, whether they are everyday events or terrifying ones, are powerless to “separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
不朽的喜樂
然而靠著愛我們的主，在這一切的事上，已經得勝有餘了。 （羅八37）
保羅列舉許多的事情，似乎會把聖徒與神的愛隔開；但奇特的是，沒有任何事物可以將聖徒與神的愛隔絕。這些事可以而且實際的進入人的事奉操練中，隔開了神，叫個人的生命與神分開。但是，絕沒有一樣能插入神的愛與聖徒的心靈中間。我們信仰的基石，就是神在加略十架上彰顯出來那高深莫測、奇妙無比的愛，這愛是我們永遠不配得的。保羅說正因為這緣故，我們在這一切事上已經得勝有餘，成為超然的得勝者。正在那似乎要把我們制服的事上，獲得無比的喜樂。
游泳者所懼怕的波濤，對滑浪者卻是駕浪凌空的賞心樂事。應用在我們的身上，這些事——患難、困苦、逼迫——在我們裡面卻生出喜樂來；這些事不是我們爭鬥的物件、藉著他，我們在這一切困擾裡面，已經得勝有餘。不是[儘管]有這些也得勝，乃是置身其中仍然得勝。信徒從來不會因為[徒有]患難，就體會主裡的喜樂，乃是由於在患難之中而體會到的。保羅說：[我在患難中格外喜樂。 ]
不朽的喜樂，並不建築在短暫的事上，乃是在神永不改變的愛上。人生的經歷不論是可怕的或是單調的，都無法影響神的愛，這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。
祈禱◆主啊，為著如今在我生命中的喜樂——妻兒之愛、所教的學生、聖靈的恩惠——我讚美你。它們所帶來的喜樂和福氣，是何等奇妙！
Paul was speaking here of the things that might seem likely to separate a saint from the love of God. But the remarkable thing is that nothing can come between the love of God and a saint. The things Paul mentioned in this passage can and do disrupt the close fellowship of our soul with God and separate our natural life from Him. But none of them is able to come between the love of God and the soul of a saint on the spiritual level. The underlying foundation of the Christian faith is the undeserved, limitless miracle of the love of God that was exhibited on the Cross of Calvary; a love that is not earned and can never be. Paul said this is the reason that “in all these things we are more than conquerors.” We are super-victors with a joy that comes from experiencing the very things which look as if they are going to overwhelm us.
Huge waves that would frighten an ordinary swimmer produce a tremendous thrill for the surfer who has ridden them. Let’s apply that to our own circumstances. The things we try to avoid and fight against— tribulation, suffering, and persecution— are the very things that produce abundant joy in us. “We are more than conquerors through Him” “in all these things”; not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. A saint doesn’t know the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but because of it. Paul said, “I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation” (2 Corinthians 7:4).
The undiminished radiance, which is the result of abundant joy, is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can change. And the experiences of life, whether they are everyday events or terrifying ones, are powerless to “separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
不朽的喜樂
然而靠著愛我們的主，在這一切的事上，已經得勝有餘了。 （羅八37）
保羅列舉許多的事情，似乎會把聖徒與神的愛隔開；但奇特的是，沒有任何事物可以將聖徒與神的愛隔絕。這些事可以而且實際的進入人的事奉操練中，隔開了神，叫個人的生命與神分開。但是，絕沒有一樣能插入神的愛與聖徒的心靈中間。我們信仰的基石，就是神在加略十架上彰顯出來那高深莫測、奇妙無比的愛，這愛是我們永遠不配得的。保羅說正因為這緣故，我們在這一切事上已經得勝有餘，成為超然的得勝者。正在那似乎要把我們制服的事上，獲得無比的喜樂。
游泳者所懼怕的波濤，對滑浪者卻是駕浪凌空的賞心樂事。應用在我們的身上，這些事——患難、困苦、逼迫——在我們裡面卻生出喜樂來；這些事不是我們爭鬥的物件、藉著他，我們在這一切困擾裡面，已經得勝有餘。不是[儘管]有這些也得勝，乃是置身其中仍然得勝。信徒從來不會因為[徒有]患難，就體會主裡的喜樂，乃是由於在患難之中而體會到的。保羅說：[我在患難中格外喜樂。 ]
不朽的喜樂，並不建築在短暫的事上，乃是在神永不改變的愛上。人生的經歷不論是可怕的或是單調的，都無法影響神的愛，這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。
祈禱◆主啊，為著如今在我生命中的喜樂——妻兒之愛、所教的學生、聖靈的恩惠——我讚美你。它們所帶來的喜樂和福氣，是何等奇妙！
February 26, 2012
Our Misgivings About Jesus
The woman said to Him, ’Sir, You have nothing to draw [water] with, and the well is deep’ —John 4:11
Have you ever said to yourself, “I am impressed with the wonderful truths of God’s Word, but He can’t really expect me to live up to that and work all those details into my life!” When it comes to confronting Jesus Christ on the basis of His qualities and abilities, our attitudes reflect religious superiority. We think His ideals are lofty and they impress us, but we believe He is not in touch with reality— that what He says cannot actually be done. Each of us thinks this about Jesus in one area of our life or another. These doubts or misgivings about Jesus begin as we consider questions that divert our focus away from God. While we talk of our dealings with Him, others ask us, “Where are you going to get enough money to live? How will you live and who will take care of you?” Or our misgivings begin within ourselves when we tell Jesus that our circumstances are just a little too difficult for Him. We say, “It’s easy to say, ’Trust in the Lord,’ but a person has to live; and besides, Jesus has nothing with which to draw water— no means to be able to give us these things.” And beware of exhibiting religious deceit by saying, “Oh, I have no misgivings about Jesus, only misgivings about myself.” If we are honest, we will admit that we never have misgivings or doubts about ourselves, because we know exactly what we are capable or incapable of doing. But we do have misgivings about Jesus. And our pride is hurt even at the thought that He can do what we can’t.
My misgivings arise from the fact that I search within to find how He will do what He says. My doubts spring from the depths of my own inferiority. If I detect these misgivings in myself, I should bring them into the light and confess them openly— “Lord, I have had misgivings about You. I have not believed in Your abilities, but only my own. And I have not believed in Your almighty power apart from my finite understanding of it.”
對耶穌的低估
先生沒有打水的器具。 （約四11）
[神所說的一切奇妙我很欽仰，但他休想我能在生活裡真正行出來！ ]論到主耶穌本身的美德，往往叫我們有一種敬虔的優越感。 [你的理想甚高，令我們心悅誠服，但一涉及實際事物，就行不通了。 ]我們各人對耶穌或多或少總有這樣的想法。當我們向人講說與神立約，人家會好奇地問：[你的錢從哪裡來？你怎麼應付生活？ ]因而使我們對耶穌發生質疑。有時這種疑慮會發自我們本身，對主說這件事他也許難以應付。 [說信靠主是不錯的，但人總要生活的啊，耶穌連打水的器具也沒有，他怎樣供應我們？ ]你要留心裡面那敬虔的虛偽說：[我不怪主耶穌，只怪自己。 ]人從來不會怪責自己；我們無能為力的地方，自己知得很清楚，但不滿意主得卻很多。對他能做而我們所不能的，我們會覺得有損自尊。
當我省察自己，才發現神對任何事物都能應付自如，這樣，不滿就油然而生，因為我的自卑感在作祟。若真的是這樣，要來到神面前承認：[主，我對你有誤會，我未能放下自己，去信任你的智慧；我沒有離開自我的悟性，去相信你的全能。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我懷著何等的釋然投向你。我對你的需要真是數之不盡，而在那奇異的釋放和喜樂中，我發現我所需要的，就只有你。
Have you ever said to yourself, “I am impressed with the wonderful truths of God’s Word, but He can’t really expect me to live up to that and work all those details into my life!” When it comes to confronting Jesus Christ on the basis of His qualities and abilities, our attitudes reflect religious superiority. We think His ideals are lofty and they impress us, but we believe He is not in touch with reality— that what He says cannot actually be done. Each of us thinks this about Jesus in one area of our life or another. These doubts or misgivings about Jesus begin as we consider questions that divert our focus away from God. While we talk of our dealings with Him, others ask us, “Where are you going to get enough money to live? How will you live and who will take care of you?” Or our misgivings begin within ourselves when we tell Jesus that our circumstances are just a little too difficult for Him. We say, “It’s easy to say, ’Trust in the Lord,’ but a person has to live; and besides, Jesus has nothing with which to draw water— no means to be able to give us these things.” And beware of exhibiting religious deceit by saying, “Oh, I have no misgivings about Jesus, only misgivings about myself.” If we are honest, we will admit that we never have misgivings or doubts about ourselves, because we know exactly what we are capable or incapable of doing. But we do have misgivings about Jesus. And our pride is hurt even at the thought that He can do what we can’t.
My misgivings arise from the fact that I search within to find how He will do what He says. My doubts spring from the depths of my own inferiority. If I detect these misgivings in myself, I should bring them into the light and confess them openly— “Lord, I have had misgivings about You. I have not believed in Your abilities, but only my own. And I have not believed in Your almighty power apart from my finite understanding of it.”
對耶穌的低估
先生沒有打水的器具。 （約四11）
[神所說的一切奇妙我很欽仰，但他休想我能在生活裡真正行出來！ ]論到主耶穌本身的美德，往往叫我們有一種敬虔的優越感。 [你的理想甚高，令我們心悅誠服，但一涉及實際事物，就行不通了。 ]我們各人對耶穌或多或少總有這樣的想法。當我們向人講說與神立約，人家會好奇地問：[你的錢從哪裡來？你怎麼應付生活？ ]因而使我們對耶穌發生質疑。有時這種疑慮會發自我們本身，對主說這件事他也許難以應付。 [說信靠主是不錯的，但人總要生活的啊，耶穌連打水的器具也沒有，他怎樣供應我們？ ]你要留心裡面那敬虔的虛偽說：[我不怪主耶穌，只怪自己。 ]人從來不會怪責自己；我們無能為力的地方，自己知得很清楚，但不滿意主得卻很多。對他能做而我們所不能的，我們會覺得有損自尊。
當我省察自己，才發現神對任何事物都能應付自如，這樣，不滿就油然而生，因為我的自卑感在作祟。若真的是這樣，要來到神面前承認：[主，我對你有誤會，我未能放下自己，去信任你的智慧；我沒有離開自我的悟性，去相信你的全能。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我懷著何等的釋然投向你。我對你的需要真是數之不盡，而在那奇異的釋放和喜樂中，我發現我所需要的，就只有你。
February 18, 2012
Taking the Initiative Against Despair
Rise, let us be going —Matthew 26:46
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples went to sleep when they should have stayed awake, and once they realized what they had done it produced despair. The sense of having done something irreversible tends to make us despair. We say, “Well, it’s all over and ruined now; what’s the point in trying anymore.” If we think this kind of despair is an exception, we are mistaken. It is a very ordinary human experience. Whenever we realize we have not taken advantage of a magnificent opportunity, we are apt to sink into despair. But Jesus comes and lovingly says to us, in essence, “Sleep on now. That opportunity is lost forever and you can’t change that. But get up, and let’s go on to the next thing.” In other words, let the past sleep, but let it sleep in the sweet embrace of Christ, and let us go on into the invincible future with Him.
There will be experiences like this in each of our lives. We will have times of despair caused by real events in our lives, and we will be unable to lift ourselves out of them. The disciples, in this instance, had done a downright unthinkable thing— they had gone to sleep instead of watching with Jesus. But our Lord came to them taking the spiritual initiative against their despair and said, in effect, “Get up, and do the next thing.” If we are inspired by God, what is the next thing? It is to trust Him absolutely and to pray on the basis of His redemption.
Never let the sense of past failure defeat your next step.
抗拒絕望的動力
起來，我們走罷。 （太二十六46）
門徒該儆醒的時候，卻睡著了。當我們發現自己這個樣子，就失望灰心。事情既無可追悔，就很容易沮喪說：[事到如今，再無挽回的餘地了。 ]我們若認為這樣的沮喪是不經常的，那就錯了，這實在是司空見慣的人生經歷。當我們醒覺自己錯過了大好的行事機會，勢必沉溺在失望之中，耶穌基督說：[安睡罷，機會失去不再回來，也無法挽回。但起來罷，百尺竿頭，更進一步。 ]
讓過去的事消逝吧！只要消逝在主的胸懷裡；然後與他一同迎接不可抗拒的未來。在各自的人生中，我們都有這樣的經驗——陷在頹唐沮喪中。這種沮喪是從現實而來，我們無法自拔。這里門徒做了無可饒恕的事，就是沒有與耶穌一同警醒，反而睡著了。但他卻給予他們對抗沮喪的動力——[起來，行下一步吧。 ]我們有了神的感動，下一步該是什麼？完全信靠他，在他救贖的憑據上禱告。千萬別讓失敗的意識阻礙你新的行動。
祈禱◆主啊，一份茫然的孤寂感似乎圍繞著我的生命，它是那樣的模糊不清，令我難以將它說明。我沒有下過錯誤的決定，因為我已經按照你所指示的去行，但那種不肯定的感覺卻揮之不去。求你抹去這片迷濛的雲霧，將它變成帶著秩序和形式的青天。
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples went to sleep when they should have stayed awake, and once they realized what they had done it produced despair. The sense of having done something irreversible tends to make us despair. We say, “Well, it’s all over and ruined now; what’s the point in trying anymore.” If we think this kind of despair is an exception, we are mistaken. It is a very ordinary human experience. Whenever we realize we have not taken advantage of a magnificent opportunity, we are apt to sink into despair. But Jesus comes and lovingly says to us, in essence, “Sleep on now. That opportunity is lost forever and you can’t change that. But get up, and let’s go on to the next thing.” In other words, let the past sleep, but let it sleep in the sweet embrace of Christ, and let us go on into the invincible future with Him.
There will be experiences like this in each of our lives. We will have times of despair caused by real events in our lives, and we will be unable to lift ourselves out of them. The disciples, in this instance, had done a downright unthinkable thing— they had gone to sleep instead of watching with Jesus. But our Lord came to them taking the spiritual initiative against their despair and said, in effect, “Get up, and do the next thing.” If we are inspired by God, what is the next thing? It is to trust Him absolutely and to pray on the basis of His redemption.
Never let the sense of past failure defeat your next step.
抗拒絕望的動力
起來，我們走罷。 （太二十六46）
門徒該儆醒的時候，卻睡著了。當我們發現自己這個樣子，就失望灰心。事情既無可追悔，就很容易沮喪說：[事到如今，再無挽回的餘地了。 ]我們若認為這樣的沮喪是不經常的，那就錯了，這實在是司空見慣的人生經歷。當我們醒覺自己錯過了大好的行事機會，勢必沉溺在失望之中，耶穌基督說：[安睡罷，機會失去不再回來，也無法挽回。但起來罷，百尺竿頭，更進一步。 ]
讓過去的事消逝吧！只要消逝在主的胸懷裡；然後與他一同迎接不可抗拒的未來。在各自的人生中，我們都有這樣的經驗——陷在頹唐沮喪中。這種沮喪是從現實而來，我們無法自拔。這里門徒做了無可饒恕的事，就是沒有與耶穌一同警醒，反而睡著了。但他卻給予他們對抗沮喪的動力——[起來，行下一步吧。 ]我們有了神的感動，下一步該是什麼？完全信靠他，在他救贖的憑據上禱告。千萬別讓失敗的意識阻礙你新的行動。
祈禱◆主啊，一份茫然的孤寂感似乎圍繞著我的生命，它是那樣的模糊不清，令我難以將它說明。我沒有下過錯誤的決定，因為我已經按照你所指示的去行，但那種不肯定的感覺卻揮之不去。求你抹去這片迷濛的雲霧，將它變成帶著秩序和形式的青天。
February 17, 2012
Taking the Initiative Against Depression
Arise and eat—1 Kings 19:5
The angel in this passage did not give Elijah a vision, or explain the Scriptures to him, or do anything remarkable. He simply told Elijah to do a very ordinary thing, that is, to get up and eat. If we were never depressed, we would not be alive—only material things don’t suffer depression. If human beings were not capable of depression, we would have no capacity for happiness and exaltation. There are things in life that are designed to depress us; for example, things that are associated with death. Whenever you examine yourself, always take into account your capacity for depression.
When the Spirit of God comes to us, He does not give us glorious visions, but He tells us to do the most ordinary things imaginable. Depression tends to turn us away from the everyday things of God’s creation. But whenever God steps in, His inspiration is to do the most natural, simple things-things we would never have imagined God was in, but as we do them we find Him there. The inspiration that comes to us in this way is an initiative against depression. But we must take the first step and do it in the inspiration of God. If, however, we do something simply to overcome our depression, we will only deepen it. But when the Spirit of God leads us instinctively to do something, the moment we do it the depression is gone. As soon as we arise and obey, we enter a higher plane of life.
衝破苦悶的動力
起來吃罷。 （王上十九5）
天使沒有給以利亞異象，沒有向他解釋聖經，也沒有做什麼特殊的事；他只吩咐以利亞做一件最簡單的事——起來吃罷。我們若從不曾沮喪，就不是真正生活過的人；只有水晶體才從不會沮喪。人，是會苦悶低沉的，就是會死亡的東西；你對自己的估評裡，總要把沮喪的可能性計算在內。
神來臨，並不是給我們異象，只是吩咐我們做最尋常的事。沮喪往往令我們轉離神創造的尋常事物，但神來到，卻感動人做最簡單的事。我們以為神絕不會在那些事物裡面，誰知稍有行動，就發現他在那裡。這樣的感動臨到我們，就是對抗苦悶低沉的一種動力；要跟著做該做的，依神的感動去做。反之，若我們故意做什麼，企圖去勝過沮喪，就只會變本加厲；我們若照神的吩咐去做，沮喪就會消失。隨即可以起來，遵神的旨意去行。這時，已進入生命的另一更高境界了。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，令我感到驚訝的是，在我外在的生活中，我幾乎是完全無力去彰顯你和你的美善。願主我的神的美善，在今天臨到我身上。
The angel in this passage did not give Elijah a vision, or explain the Scriptures to him, or do anything remarkable. He simply told Elijah to do a very ordinary thing, that is, to get up and eat. If we were never depressed, we would not be alive—only material things don’t suffer depression. If human beings were not capable of depression, we would have no capacity for happiness and exaltation. There are things in life that are designed to depress us; for example, things that are associated with death. Whenever you examine yourself, always take into account your capacity for depression.
When the Spirit of God comes to us, He does not give us glorious visions, but He tells us to do the most ordinary things imaginable. Depression tends to turn us away from the everyday things of God’s creation. But whenever God steps in, His inspiration is to do the most natural, simple things-things we would never have imagined God was in, but as we do them we find Him there. The inspiration that comes to us in this way is an initiative against depression. But we must take the first step and do it in the inspiration of God. If, however, we do something simply to overcome our depression, we will only deepen it. But when the Spirit of God leads us instinctively to do something, the moment we do it the depression is gone. As soon as we arise and obey, we enter a higher plane of life.
衝破苦悶的動力
起來吃罷。 （王上十九5）
天使沒有給以利亞異象，沒有向他解釋聖經，也沒有做什麼特殊的事；他只吩咐以利亞做一件最簡單的事——起來吃罷。我們若從不曾沮喪，就不是真正生活過的人；只有水晶體才從不會沮喪。人，是會苦悶低沉的，就是會死亡的東西；你對自己的估評裡，總要把沮喪的可能性計算在內。
神來臨，並不是給我們異象，只是吩咐我們做最尋常的事。沮喪往往令我們轉離神創造的尋常事物，但神來到，卻感動人做最簡單的事。我們以為神絕不會在那些事物裡面，誰知稍有行動，就發現他在那裡。這樣的感動臨到我們，就是對抗苦悶低沉的一種動力；要跟著做該做的，依神的感動去做。反之，若我們故意做什麼，企圖去勝過沮喪，就只會變本加厲；我們若照神的吩咐去做，沮喪就會消失。隨即可以起來，遵神的旨意去行。這時，已進入生命的另一更高境界了。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，令我感到驚訝的是，在我外在的生活中，我幾乎是完全無力去彰顯你和你的美善。願主我的神的美善，在今天臨到我身上。
January 27, 2012
Look Again And Think
Take no thought for your life. — Matthew 6:25
A warning which needs to be reiterated is that the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things entering in, will choke all that God puts in. We are never free from the recurring tides of this encroachment. If it does not come on the line of clothes and food, it will come on the line of money or lack of money; of friends or lack of friends; or on the line of difficult circumstances. It is one steady encroachment all the time, and unless we allow the Spirit of God to raise up the standard against it, these things will come in like a flood.
"Take no thought for your life." "Be careful about one thing only," says our Lord – "your relationship to Me." Common sense shouts loud and says – "That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, I must consider what I am going to eat and drink." Jesus says you must not. Beware of allowing the thought that this statement is made by One Who does not understand our particular circumstances. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things so as to make them the one concern of our life. Whenever there is competition, be sure that you put your relationship to God first.
"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." How much evil has begun to threaten you to-day? What kind of mean little imps have been looking in and saying – Now what are you going to do next month – this summer? "Be anxious for nothing," Jesus says. Look again and think. Keep your mind on the "much more" of your heavenly Father.
再三思量
不要為生命憂慮。
今世的憂慮、錢財的迷惑，及其他的私慾一點進入我們心中，就會把神所賜予的生命窒息，這是必須再三告誡的。屬世的東西勢如潮湧，連連進擊，使我們無法擺脫。若不從衣食而來，就會從金錢或貧乏而來；不從朋友而來，就從孤獨無友而來；甚至又會從困境而來。這些東西不住地、逐步地蠶食我們屬靈的生命，除非我們讓聖靈來抵抗，否則這些東西將如洪水氾濫，淹沒我們。
[不要為生命憂慮。 ]主說：[只要關心一件事便夠了，那就是你與我的關係。 ]我們會理性地大聲疾呼，說：[真是無稽，我不能不為生計打算，打算吃什麼喝什麼阿!]耶穌卻說不可。不要以為說這話的主，根本不明白我們的境況。其實耶穌基督知道得比我們更清楚。他說，我們不應該把這些事當作生活中唯一需要關注的事。什麼時候屬世的事務與主相爭，就要把你和神的關係擺在前頭。
[一天的難處一天當就夠了。 ]今日有多少難處在向你威嚇？有什麼頑童小鬼在窺探說：[看你下個月怎辦？暑假又如何？ ]耶穌說：[應當一無掛慮。 ]請你再三思想，慎加明辨！把你的心思放在天父的[何況你們]這一句話上吧。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，使我離開那些關乎感官和時間的事情，引導我進入與大君王同在之境地。保守我的心思意念全屬於你。
A warning which needs to be reiterated is that the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things entering in, will choke all that God puts in. We are never free from the recurring tides of this encroachment. If it does not come on the line of clothes and food, it will come on the line of money or lack of money; of friends or lack of friends; or on the line of difficult circumstances. It is one steady encroachment all the time, and unless we allow the Spirit of God to raise up the standard against it, these things will come in like a flood.
"Take no thought for your life." "Be careful about one thing only," says our Lord – "your relationship to Me." Common sense shouts loud and says – "That is absurd, I must consider how I am going to live, I must consider what I am going to eat and drink." Jesus says you must not. Beware of allowing the thought that this statement is made by One Who does not understand our particular circumstances. Jesus Christ knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things so as to make them the one concern of our life. Whenever there is competition, be sure that you put your relationship to God first.
"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." How much evil has begun to threaten you to-day? What kind of mean little imps have been looking in and saying – Now what are you going to do next month – this summer? "Be anxious for nothing," Jesus says. Look again and think. Keep your mind on the "much more" of your heavenly Father.
再三思量
不要為生命憂慮。
今世的憂慮、錢財的迷惑，及其他的私慾一點進入我們心中，就會把神所賜予的生命窒息，這是必須再三告誡的。屬世的東西勢如潮湧，連連進擊，使我們無法擺脫。若不從衣食而來，就會從金錢或貧乏而來；不從朋友而來，就從孤獨無友而來；甚至又會從困境而來。這些東西不住地、逐步地蠶食我們屬靈的生命，除非我們讓聖靈來抵抗，否則這些東西將如洪水氾濫，淹沒我們。
[不要為生命憂慮。 ]主說：[只要關心一件事便夠了，那就是你與我的關係。 ]我們會理性地大聲疾呼，說：[真是無稽，我不能不為生計打算，打算吃什麼喝什麼阿!]耶穌卻說不可。不要以為說這話的主，根本不明白我們的境況。其實耶穌基督知道得比我們更清楚。他說，我們不應該把這些事當作生活中唯一需要關注的事。什麼時候屬世的事務與主相爭，就要把你和神的關係擺在前頭。
[一天的難處一天當就夠了。 ]今日有多少難處在向你威嚇？有什麼頑童小鬼在窺探說：[看你下個月怎辦？暑假又如何？ ]耶穌說：[應當一無掛慮。 ]請你再三思想，慎加明辨！把你的心思放在天父的[何況你們]這一句話上吧。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，使我離開那些關乎感官和時間的事情，引導我進入與大君王同在之境地。保守我的心思意念全屬於你。
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