’If you will return, O Israel,’ says the Lord . . . —Jeremiah 4:1
Our battles are first won or lost in the secret places of our will in God’s presence, never in full view of the world. The Spirit of God seizes me and I am compelled to get alone with God and fight the battle before Him. Until I do this, I will lose every time. The battle may take one minute or one year, but that will depend on me, not God. However long it takes, I must wrestle with it alone before God, and I must resolve to go through the hell of renunciation or rejection before Him. Nothing has any power over someone who has fought the battle before God and won there.
I should never say, “I will wait until I get into difficult circumstances and then I’ll put God to the test.” Trying to do that will not work. I must first get the issue settled between God and myself in the secret places of my soul, where no one else can interfere. Then I can go ahead, knowing with certainty that the battle is won. Lose it there, and calamity, disaster, and defeat before the world are as sure as the laws of God. The reason the battle is lost is that I fight it first in the external world. Get alone with God, do battle before Him, and settle the matter once and for all.
In dealing with other people, our stance should always be to drive them toward making a decision of their will. That is how surrendering to God begins. Not often, but every once in a while, God brings us to a major turning point— a great crossroads in our life. From that point we either go toward a more and more slow, lazy, and useless Christian life, or we become more and more on fire, giving our utmost for His highest— our best for His glory.
勝敗所在
耶和華說，以色列啊，你若回來歸向我……（耶四1）
爭戰的勝敗決定於在神面前意志的隱秘處，而不是外在的世界。神的靈提醒我，催促我獨自見神，在他面前作戰。若不這樣行，我每次必敗。爭戰是一分鐘還是一年，是在於我的決定，而不是神；但必須在神面前自己摔跤，斷然棄絕主權。沒有什麼能推倒一個在神面前爭戰勝利的人。
我若說：[還是等到事情來到，再試試神吧！ ]我必發覺自己辦不到。我要在神面前，自己在心靈的隱秘處，沒有他人騷擾的地方，好好解決；然後放膽地出去，因為知道仗已經打贏了。若在那裡打敗，災禍難處必然不絕臨到，就如神的命令一樣堅定。仗打不贏的道理，是我想先從外在世界去打。其實應該獨自見神，在那裡先打勝了，才可一次過解決問題。對得其他人也是如此，要把他們推到意志的邊緣－－完全歸服的起點。有時候，神帶我們來到一個頂點，就是生命的大分水線；從那一點，我們可以逐漸退隱過一種無大用處的信徒生活；或從那一點，我們為神的榮耀燒旺－－竭誠為主。
祈禱◆噢，我的神，請你現在感動我。在其中一次改變生命的觸動中，你確實從所有事物中清楚而具體地啟示你自己；在那些燦爛的時刻中，我看見你、敬拜你，並讚歎你.
Showing posts with label Growth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Growth. Show all posts
December 27, 2014
December 24, 2014
The Hidden Life
. . . your life is hidden with Christ in God —Colossians 3:3
The Spirit of God testifies to and confirms the simple, but almighty, security of the life that “is hidden with Christ in God.” Paul continually brought this out in his New Testament letters. We talk as if living a sanctified life were the most uncertain and insecure thing we could do. Yet it is the most secure thing possible, because it has Almighty God in and behind it. The most dangerous and unsure thing is to try to live without God. For one who is born again, it is easier to live in a right-standing relationship with God than it is to go wrong, provided we heed God’s warnings and “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7).
When we think of being delivered from sin, being “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), and “walk[ing] in the light,” we picture the peak of a great mountain. We see it as very high and wonderful, but we say, “Oh, I could never live up there!” However, when we do get there through God’s grace, we find it is not a mountain peak at all, but a plateau with plenty of room to live and to grow. “You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip” (Psalm 18:36).
When you really see Jesus, I defy you to doubt Him. If you see Him when He says, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27), I defy you to worry. It is virtually impossible to doubt when He is there. Every time you are in personal contact with Jesus, His words are real to you. “My peace I give to you . . .” (John 14:27)— a peace which brings an unconstrained confidence and covers you completely, from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. “. . . your life is hidden with Christ in God,” and the peace of Jesus Christ that cannot be disturbed has been imparted to you.
隱藏的生命
你們的生命與基督一同藏在神裡面。 （西三3）
我與基督一同藏在神裡面的生命有大能安穩，這事實是神的靈見證的，並且也不斷見諸新約的各書信中。我往往視成聖生活中最不穩定的東西，其實這是最有保障的，因為全能的神在裡面在後面支援著。最不穩固的，是不靠神而活。我們若已重生，只要肯聽神的警告，行在光中，最容易的是與神有正確的關係，而最難的是走差路。有時想脫離罪惡，被聖靈充滿，行在光明中，好像高山的頂崇高峻妙，我們就會說：[可惜，我怎麼也攀不上去！ ]但一旦靠神恩典上去了，卻發現這原來不是一個山頂，而是一片高原，有足夠的地方生長。 [你使我的道路寬廣。 ]
你若真看見耶穌，我保證你不會對他疑惑。當他說[你心裡不要憂愁]，你若真看見他，必然不會憂愁，因為他在這裡，根本不用疑惑。每次你單獨與他相交，他的話都活現出來。 [我將我的平安賜給你們。 ]這平安要從頭頂滲透至腳踵，是無可抗拒的可靠。 [你們的生命與基督一同藏在神裡面]，主無比的平安就臨到你。
祈禱◆[與基督一同藏在神裡面]的生命，是何等喜樂的生命！可是，我的神，儘管有著你一切的恩典和忍耐，我仍然不敢有一刻想到我離開這生命有多遠。然而，我是你所造的，我要感謝你。
The Spirit of God testifies to and confirms the simple, but almighty, security of the life that “is hidden with Christ in God.” Paul continually brought this out in his New Testament letters. We talk as if living a sanctified life were the most uncertain and insecure thing we could do. Yet it is the most secure thing possible, because it has Almighty God in and behind it. The most dangerous and unsure thing is to try to live without God. For one who is born again, it is easier to live in a right-standing relationship with God than it is to go wrong, provided we heed God’s warnings and “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7).
When we think of being delivered from sin, being “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), and “walk[ing] in the light,” we picture the peak of a great mountain. We see it as very high and wonderful, but we say, “Oh, I could never live up there!” However, when we do get there through God’s grace, we find it is not a mountain peak at all, but a plateau with plenty of room to live and to grow. “You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip” (Psalm 18:36).
When you really see Jesus, I defy you to doubt Him. If you see Him when He says, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27), I defy you to worry. It is virtually impossible to doubt when He is there. Every time you are in personal contact with Jesus, His words are real to you. “My peace I give to you . . .” (John 14:27)— a peace which brings an unconstrained confidence and covers you completely, from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. “. . . your life is hidden with Christ in God,” and the peace of Jesus Christ that cannot be disturbed has been imparted to you.
隱藏的生命
你們的生命與基督一同藏在神裡面。 （西三3）
我與基督一同藏在神裡面的生命有大能安穩，這事實是神的靈見證的，並且也不斷見諸新約的各書信中。我往往視成聖生活中最不穩定的東西，其實這是最有保障的，因為全能的神在裡面在後面支援著。最不穩固的，是不靠神而活。我們若已重生，只要肯聽神的警告，行在光中，最容易的是與神有正確的關係，而最難的是走差路。有時想脫離罪惡，被聖靈充滿，行在光明中，好像高山的頂崇高峻妙，我們就會說：[可惜，我怎麼也攀不上去！ ]但一旦靠神恩典上去了，卻發現這原來不是一個山頂，而是一片高原，有足夠的地方生長。 [你使我的道路寬廣。 ]
你若真看見耶穌，我保證你不會對他疑惑。當他說[你心裡不要憂愁]，你若真看見他，必然不會憂愁，因為他在這裡，根本不用疑惑。每次你單獨與他相交，他的話都活現出來。 [我將我的平安賜給你們。 ]這平安要從頭頂滲透至腳踵，是無可抗拒的可靠。 [你們的生命與基督一同藏在神裡面]，主無比的平安就臨到你。
祈禱◆[與基督一同藏在神裡面]的生命，是何等喜樂的生命！可是，我的神，儘管有著你一切的恩典和忍耐，我仍然不敢有一刻想到我離開這生命有多遠。然而，我是你所造的，我要感謝你。
December 17, 2014
Redemption— Creating the Need it Satisfies
The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him . . . —1 Corinthians 2:14
The gospel of God creates the sense of need for the gospel. Is the gospel hidden to those who are servants already? No, Paul said, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe . . .” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The majority of people think of themselves as being completely moral, and have no sense of need for the gospel. It is God who creates this sense of need in a human being, but that person remains totally unaware of his need until God makes Himself evident. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you . . .” (Matthew 7:7). But God cannot give until a man asks. It is not that He wants to withhold something from us, but that is the plan He has established for the way of redemption. Through our asking, God puts His process in motion, creating something in us that was nonexistent until we asked. The inner reality of redemption is that it creates all the time. And as redemption creates the life of God in us, it also creates the things which belong to that life. The only thing that can possibly satisfy the need is what created the need. This is the meaning of redemption— it creates and it satisfies.
Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32). When we preach our own experiences, people may be interested, but it awakens no real sense of need. But once Jesus Christ is “lifted up,” the Spirit of God creates an awareness of the need for Him. The creative power of the redemption of God works in the souls of men only through the preaching of the gospel. It is never the sharing of personal experiences that saves people, but the truth of redemption. “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).
救贖創造需要，也滿足需要
然而屬血氣的人不領會神聖靈的事，反倒以為愚拙。 （林前二14）
神的福音能叫人產生對福音的需要。保羅說：[如果我們的福音蒙蔽。 ]是對那些惡人蒙蔽嗎？不是的。 [蒙蔽在滅亡的人身上，此等不信之人，被這世界的神弄瞎了心眼。 ]大多數人都有自己持守的道德觀念，覺得不需要福音。神於是造出這個需要來；他若不彰顯自己，根本沒有人覺得有此需要。耶穌說：[祈求，就給你們。 ]但人未祈求，神就不能給。不是他保留不給，但這是他根據救贖所定下的原則。正因我們求，神就作工，為我們創造那些未求之前不存在的東西。救贖的精義，就是不斷的創造。救贖既在我們裡面創造了神的生命，也創造屬於那生命的東西。惟有叫人產生這需要的，才能滿足這需要。這就是救贖的意思－－它創造，它也滿足。
[人子若從地上被舉起來，就必吸引萬人來歸我。 ]我們傳講自己的經歷，別人雖感興趣，可是卻不喚起他的需要。若耶穌基督被舉起來，神的靈便叫人覺得需要基督。在傳揚福音的背後，是神不斷創造的救贖大工在人心裡動工。個人見證絕對不能拯救人。 [我對你們說的話，就是靈，就是生命。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，我何其渴望看見你、聽見你、默想你和愈來愈像你！你曾經說過：[又要以耶和華為樂，他就將你心裡所求的賜給你。 ]
The gospel of God creates the sense of need for the gospel. Is the gospel hidden to those who are servants already? No, Paul said, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe . . .” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The majority of people think of themselves as being completely moral, and have no sense of need for the gospel. It is God who creates this sense of need in a human being, but that person remains totally unaware of his need until God makes Himself evident. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you . . .” (Matthew 7:7). But God cannot give until a man asks. It is not that He wants to withhold something from us, but that is the plan He has established for the way of redemption. Through our asking, God puts His process in motion, creating something in us that was nonexistent until we asked. The inner reality of redemption is that it creates all the time. And as redemption creates the life of God in us, it also creates the things which belong to that life. The only thing that can possibly satisfy the need is what created the need. This is the meaning of redemption— it creates and it satisfies.
Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32). When we preach our own experiences, people may be interested, but it awakens no real sense of need. But once Jesus Christ is “lifted up,” the Spirit of God creates an awareness of the need for Him. The creative power of the redemption of God works in the souls of men only through the preaching of the gospel. It is never the sharing of personal experiences that saves people, but the truth of redemption. “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).
救贖創造需要，也滿足需要
然而屬血氣的人不領會神聖靈的事，反倒以為愚拙。 （林前二14）
神的福音能叫人產生對福音的需要。保羅說：[如果我們的福音蒙蔽。 ]是對那些惡人蒙蔽嗎？不是的。 [蒙蔽在滅亡的人身上，此等不信之人，被這世界的神弄瞎了心眼。 ]大多數人都有自己持守的道德觀念，覺得不需要福音。神於是造出這個需要來；他若不彰顯自己，根本沒有人覺得有此需要。耶穌說：[祈求，就給你們。 ]但人未祈求，神就不能給。不是他保留不給，但這是他根據救贖所定下的原則。正因我們求，神就作工，為我們創造那些未求之前不存在的東西。救贖的精義，就是不斷的創造。救贖既在我們裡面創造了神的生命，也創造屬於那生命的東西。惟有叫人產生這需要的，才能滿足這需要。這就是救贖的意思－－它創造，它也滿足。
[人子若從地上被舉起來，就必吸引萬人來歸我。 ]我們傳講自己的經歷，別人雖感興趣，可是卻不喚起他的需要。若耶穌基督被舉起來，神的靈便叫人覺得需要基督。在傳揚福音的背後，是神不斷創造的救贖大工在人心裡動工。個人見證絕對不能拯救人。 [我對你們說的話，就是靈，就是生命。 ]
祈禱◆主啊，我何其渴望看見你、聽見你、默想你和愈來愈像你！你曾經說過：[又要以耶和華為樂，他就將你心裡所求的賜給你。 ]
December 13, 2014
Intercessory Prayer
. . . men always ought to pray and not lose heart —Luke 18:1
You cannot truly intercede through prayer if you do not believe in the reality of redemption. Instead, you will simply be turning intercession into useless sympathy for others, which will serve only to increase the contentment they have for remaining out of touch with God. True intercession involves bringing the person, or the circumstance that seems to be crashing in on you, before God, until you are changed by His attitude toward that person or circumstance. Intercession means to “fill up . . . [with] what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ” (Colossians 1:24), and this is precisely why there are so few intercessors. People describe intercession by saying, “It is putting yourself in someone else’s place.” That is not true! Intercession is putting yourself in God’s place; it is having His mind and His perspective.
As an intercessor, be careful not to seek too much information from God regarding the situation you are praying about, because you may be overwhelmed. If you know too much, more than God has ordained for you to know, you can’t pray; the circumstances of the people become so overpowering that you are no longer able to get to the underlying truth.
Our work is to be in such close contact with God that we may have His mind about everything, but we shirk that responsibility by substituting doing for interceding. And yet intercession is the only thing that has no drawbacks, because it keeps our relationship completely open with God.
What we must avoid in intercession is praying for someone to be simply “patched up.” We must pray that person completely through into contact with the very life of God. Think of the number of people God has brought across our path, only to see us drop them! When we pray on the basis of redemption, God creates something He can create in no other way than through intercessory prayer.
求什麼？
常常禱告，不可灰心。 （路十八1）
你若不深信救贖的實在，就無法代求；因為你只會把代求變成對人類無可奈何的同情，徒增人的自滿自足與神隔絕。代求，是把激動你心的那個人或事，帶到神面前，知道你被神對那人那事的態度所推動。代求是[補滿基督患難的缺欠]，無怪乎代求的人那麼少。很多人說代求是[設身處地的為那人著想]，不！代求其實是把自己放在神的位置上，從他的角度看事物。
作為一個神的工人，你所知道的實情是神要你知道的，否則便會重壓難當。知得過多，過於神要你知道的，你就無法禱告；因人的景況把你壓下去，以致你不能進入現實去。
我們的工作是在凡事上與神聯繫，可是我們卻因做個活躍不已的工人，而推卸這個職責。我們拼命做一些可統計的工作，但不做代求的工作。代求是完全沒有纏繞網羅的，因為可使我們與神的關係完全敝開。
代求時要當心的，就是不要草草了事。心靈必須著實地接觸神的生命。試想神在我們生命的路途上，叫我們遇見多少的人，而我們卻輕易的讓他們溜走，若我們踏穩在救贖的根基上禱告，神就會創造除代求以外無法成就的新事。
祈禱◆主啊，願你高舉我，使我靠近你，以致你那完美的閃耀著喜樂的救恩，能為著你的榮耀而臨到我和照亮我。求你保守我，讓我向你的代求通行無阻。
You cannot truly intercede through prayer if you do not believe in the reality of redemption. Instead, you will simply be turning intercession into useless sympathy for others, which will serve only to increase the contentment they have for remaining out of touch with God. True intercession involves bringing the person, or the circumstance that seems to be crashing in on you, before God, until you are changed by His attitude toward that person or circumstance. Intercession means to “fill up . . . [with] what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ” (Colossians 1:24), and this is precisely why there are so few intercessors. People describe intercession by saying, “It is putting yourself in someone else’s place.” That is not true! Intercession is putting yourself in God’s place; it is having His mind and His perspective.
As an intercessor, be careful not to seek too much information from God regarding the situation you are praying about, because you may be overwhelmed. If you know too much, more than God has ordained for you to know, you can’t pray; the circumstances of the people become so overpowering that you are no longer able to get to the underlying truth.
Our work is to be in such close contact with God that we may have His mind about everything, but we shirk that responsibility by substituting doing for interceding. And yet intercession is the only thing that has no drawbacks, because it keeps our relationship completely open with God.
What we must avoid in intercession is praying for someone to be simply “patched up.” We must pray that person completely through into contact with the very life of God. Think of the number of people God has brought across our path, only to see us drop them! When we pray on the basis of redemption, God creates something He can create in no other way than through intercessory prayer.
求什麼？
常常禱告，不可灰心。 （路十八1）
你若不深信救贖的實在，就無法代求；因為你只會把代求變成對人類無可奈何的同情，徒增人的自滿自足與神隔絕。代求，是把激動你心的那個人或事，帶到神面前，知道你被神對那人那事的態度所推動。代求是[補滿基督患難的缺欠]，無怪乎代求的人那麼少。很多人說代求是[設身處地的為那人著想]，不！代求其實是把自己放在神的位置上，從他的角度看事物。
作為一個神的工人，你所知道的實情是神要你知道的，否則便會重壓難當。知得過多，過於神要你知道的，你就無法禱告；因人的景況把你壓下去，以致你不能進入現實去。
我們的工作是在凡事上與神聯繫，可是我們卻因做個活躍不已的工人，而推卸這個職責。我們拼命做一些可統計的工作，但不做代求的工作。代求是完全沒有纏繞網羅的，因為可使我們與神的關係完全敝開。
代求時要當心的，就是不要草草了事。心靈必須著實地接觸神的生命。試想神在我們生命的路途上，叫我們遇見多少的人，而我們卻輕易的讓他們溜走，若我們踏穩在救贖的根基上禱告，神就會創造除代求以外無法成就的新事。
祈禱◆主啊，願你高舉我，使我靠近你，以致你那完美的閃耀著喜樂的救恩，能為著你的榮耀而臨到我和照亮我。求你保守我，讓我向你的代求通行無阻。
December 11, 2014
Individuality
Jesus said to His disciples, ’If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . .’ —Matthew 16:24
Individuality is the hard outer layer surrounding the inner spiritual life. Individuality shoves others aside, separating and isolating people. We see it as the primary characteristic of a child, and rightly so. When we confuse individuality with the spiritual life, we remain isolated. This shell of individuality is God’s created natural covering designed to protect the spiritual life. But our individuality must be yielded to God so that our spiritual life may be brought forth into fellowship with Him. Individuality counterfeits spirituality, just as lust counterfeits love. God designed human nature for Himself, but individuality corrupts that human nature for its own purposes.
The characteristics of individuality are independence and self-will. We hinder our spiritual growth more than any other way by continually asserting our individuality. If you say, “I can’t believe,” it is because your individuality is blocking the way; individuality can never believe. But our spirit cannot help believing. Watch yourself closely when the Spirit of God is at work in you. He pushes you to the limits of your individuality where a choice must be made. The choice is either to say, “I will not surrender,” or to surrender, breaking the hard shell of individuality, which allows the spiritual life to emerge. The Holy Spirit narrows it down every time to one thing (see Matthew 5:23-24). It is your individuality that refuses to “be reconciled to your brother” (Matthew 5:24). God wants to bring you into union with Himself, but unless you are willing to give up your right to yourself, He cannot. “. . . let him deny himself . . .”— deny his independent right to himself. Then the real life-the spiritual life-is allowed the opportunity to grow.
個性
若有人要跟從我，就當捨己。 （太十六24）
個性是個人生命的外殼，會拒人千里之外，又會把人隔離。不錯，個性是每個人的特質，但若錯把個性當作個人生命的話，我們只會一直與人隔絕。個性是神創造的天然保障，為覆庇生命的外衣。但是若要生命與神相交，則必須放下我們的個性。個性會冒充性格，正如情慾冒充愛情。神造人的天性，是為他自己；而個性卻把人的天性低貶成只為自己。
個性的特徵，就是獨立自主，自我表現。最攔阻屬靈生命的，是個性不斷湧流。你若說[我不相信]，是因為個性的攔阻。個性永不會相信。反之，性格卻不能不信。聖靈在你身上作工時，會把你推到個性的盡頭處，這時你只能說[我不願]；或降服神，打破個性的外殼，讓個人生命流出來。聖靈每次往往集中在一件事上（參太五23-24）。叫你不肯與弟兄和好的，就是你的個性。神要你與他聯合，可是你若不肯放下自己的主權，就無法實現。 [就當捨己]－－捨棄自己獨立的主權，這樣，真正的生命才有生長的機會。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我的主人，願我今天自覺地屬於你，以致我與你在一起。因著你擁有了我而充滿了童真的喜悅。
Individuality is the hard outer layer surrounding the inner spiritual life. Individuality shoves others aside, separating and isolating people. We see it as the primary characteristic of a child, and rightly so. When we confuse individuality with the spiritual life, we remain isolated. This shell of individuality is God’s created natural covering designed to protect the spiritual life. But our individuality must be yielded to God so that our spiritual life may be brought forth into fellowship with Him. Individuality counterfeits spirituality, just as lust counterfeits love. God designed human nature for Himself, but individuality corrupts that human nature for its own purposes.
The characteristics of individuality are independence and self-will. We hinder our spiritual growth more than any other way by continually asserting our individuality. If you say, “I can’t believe,” it is because your individuality is blocking the way; individuality can never believe. But our spirit cannot help believing. Watch yourself closely when the Spirit of God is at work in you. He pushes you to the limits of your individuality where a choice must be made. The choice is either to say, “I will not surrender,” or to surrender, breaking the hard shell of individuality, which allows the spiritual life to emerge. The Holy Spirit narrows it down every time to one thing (see Matthew 5:23-24). It is your individuality that refuses to “be reconciled to your brother” (Matthew 5:24). God wants to bring you into union with Himself, but unless you are willing to give up your right to yourself, He cannot. “. . . let him deny himself . . .”— deny his independent right to himself. Then the real life-the spiritual life-is allowed the opportunity to grow.
個性
若有人要跟從我，就當捨己。 （太十六24）
個性是個人生命的外殼，會拒人千里之外，又會把人隔離。不錯，個性是每個人的特質，但若錯把個性當作個人生命的話，我們只會一直與人隔絕。個性是神創造的天然保障，為覆庇生命的外衣。但是若要生命與神相交，則必須放下我們的個性。個性會冒充性格，正如情慾冒充愛情。神造人的天性，是為他自己；而個性卻把人的天性低貶成只為自己。
個性的特徵，就是獨立自主，自我表現。最攔阻屬靈生命的，是個性不斷湧流。你若說[我不相信]，是因為個性的攔阻。個性永不會相信。反之，性格卻不能不信。聖靈在你身上作工時，會把你推到個性的盡頭處，這時你只能說[我不願]；或降服神，打破個性的外殼，讓個人生命流出來。聖靈每次往往集中在一件事上（參太五23-24）。叫你不肯與弟兄和好的，就是你的個性。神要你與他聯合，可是你若不肯放下自己的主權，就無法實現。 [就當捨己]－－捨棄自己獨立的主權，這樣，真正的生命才有生長的機會。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我的主人，願我今天自覺地屬於你，以致我與你在一起。因著你擁有了我而充滿了童真的喜悅。
December 10, 2014
The Offering of the Natural
It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman —Galatians 4:22
Paul was not dealing with sin in this chapter of Galatians, but with the relation of the natural to the spiritual. The natural can be turned into the spiritual only through sacrifice. Without this a person will lead a divided life. Why did God demand that the natural must be sacrificed? God did not demand it. It is not God’s perfect will, but His permissive will. God’s perfect will was for the natural to be changed into the spiritual through obedience. Sin is what made it necessary for the natural to be sacrificed.
Abraham had to offer up Ishmael before he offered up Isaac (see Genesis 21:8-14). Some of us are trying to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God before we have sacrificed the natural. The only way we can offer a spiritual sacrifice to God is to “present [our] bodies a living sacrifice . . .” (Romans 12:1). Sanctification means more than being freed from sin. It means the deliberate commitment of myself to the God of my salvation, and being willing to pay whatever it may cost.
If we do not sacrifice the natural to the spiritual, the natural life will resist and defy the life of the Son of God in us and will produce continual turmoil. This is always the result of an undisciplined spiritual nature. We go wrong because we stubbornly refuse to discipline ourselves physically, morally, or mentally. We excuse ourselves by saying, “Well, I wasn’t taught to be disciplined when I was a child.” Then discipline yourself now! If you don’t, you will ruin your entire personal life for God.
God is not actively involved with our natural life as long as we continue to pamper and gratify it. But once we are willing to put it out in the desert and are determined to keep it under control, God will be with it. He will then provide wells and oases and fulfill all His promises for the natural (see Genesis 21:15-19).
獻上天然生命
亞伯拉罕有兩個兒子，一個是使女生的，一個是自主之婦人生的。 （加四22）
保羅在加拉太書這一章中，不是討論罪的問題，而是討論天然與屬靈二者的關係。天然的必須獻上，成為屬靈，否則在實際生活上，會產生很大的分歧。為什麼神要命定天然生命必須被釘死？神並沒有如此命定。這並不是神的命令，而是他許可的旨意。神的命令是要肉體的生命藉順服成為屬靈；因為罪，肉體的生命才必須成為祭品。
亞伯拉罕必須先獻上以實瑪利，才能獻上以撒。不少人想在未治死肉體之先，就獻屬靈的祭給神。向神獻屬靈的祭唯一的途徑，就是把身體當作活祭獻上。成聖不只是脫離罪惡，乃是立志把神所救贖出來的這個自己交付神，是不惜任何代價的。
若不把天然生命獻給屬靈生命，那肉體生命會嘲弄神兒子在我們裡面的生命，而產生一種延續的拉鋸戰。這是一個不受約束的屬靈品性必然的後果。我們走差路，是因為執意不肯在身體、道德及心誌上操練管治自己[作孩子的時候，不受約束]。如今你必須約束自己。否則，你會毀掉整個為神而活的生命。
我們若放任肉體的生命，神就不與它同在；但當我們肯把它放逐出去，決意制服它，神就與它同在，啟開活井綠洲，成就對肉體生命的一切應許。
祈禱◆願你使這一整天，成為甘甜和喜樂的日子。願你那隨心所欲的大能，恩慈地臨到我的身心靈，讓我們藉此承擔今天的一切事情。
Paul was not dealing with sin in this chapter of Galatians, but with the relation of the natural to the spiritual. The natural can be turned into the spiritual only through sacrifice. Without this a person will lead a divided life. Why did God demand that the natural must be sacrificed? God did not demand it. It is not God’s perfect will, but His permissive will. God’s perfect will was for the natural to be changed into the spiritual through obedience. Sin is what made it necessary for the natural to be sacrificed.
Abraham had to offer up Ishmael before he offered up Isaac (see Genesis 21:8-14). Some of us are trying to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God before we have sacrificed the natural. The only way we can offer a spiritual sacrifice to God is to “present [our] bodies a living sacrifice . . .” (Romans 12:1). Sanctification means more than being freed from sin. It means the deliberate commitment of myself to the God of my salvation, and being willing to pay whatever it may cost.
If we do not sacrifice the natural to the spiritual, the natural life will resist and defy the life of the Son of God in us and will produce continual turmoil. This is always the result of an undisciplined spiritual nature. We go wrong because we stubbornly refuse to discipline ourselves physically, morally, or mentally. We excuse ourselves by saying, “Well, I wasn’t taught to be disciplined when I was a child.” Then discipline yourself now! If you don’t, you will ruin your entire personal life for God.
God is not actively involved with our natural life as long as we continue to pamper and gratify it. But once we are willing to put it out in the desert and are determined to keep it under control, God will be with it. He will then provide wells and oases and fulfill all His promises for the natural (see Genesis 21:15-19).
獻上天然生命
亞伯拉罕有兩個兒子，一個是使女生的，一個是自主之婦人生的。 （加四22）
保羅在加拉太書這一章中，不是討論罪的問題，而是討論天然與屬靈二者的關係。天然的必須獻上，成為屬靈，否則在實際生活上，會產生很大的分歧。為什麼神要命定天然生命必須被釘死？神並沒有如此命定。這並不是神的命令，而是他許可的旨意。神的命令是要肉體的生命藉順服成為屬靈；因為罪，肉體的生命才必須成為祭品。
亞伯拉罕必須先獻上以實瑪利，才能獻上以撒。不少人想在未治死肉體之先，就獻屬靈的祭給神。向神獻屬靈的祭唯一的途徑，就是把身體當作活祭獻上。成聖不只是脫離罪惡，乃是立志把神所救贖出來的這個自己交付神，是不惜任何代價的。
若不把天然生命獻給屬靈生命，那肉體生命會嘲弄神兒子在我們裡面的生命，而產生一種延續的拉鋸戰。這是一個不受約束的屬靈品性必然的後果。我們走差路，是因為執意不肯在身體、道德及心誌上操練管治自己[作孩子的時候，不受約束]。如今你必須約束自己。否則，你會毀掉整個為神而活的生命。
我們若放任肉體的生命，神就不與它同在；但當我們肯把它放逐出去，決意制服它，神就與它同在，啟開活井綠洲，成就對肉體生命的一切應許。
祈禱◆願你使這一整天，成為甘甜和喜樂的日子。願你那隨心所欲的大能，恩慈地臨到我的身心靈，讓我們藉此承擔今天的一切事情。
December 09, 2014
The Opposition of the Natural
Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires —Galatians 5:24
The natural life itself is not sinful. But we must abandon sin, having nothing to do with it in any way whatsoever. Sin belongs to hell and to the devil. I, as a child of God, belong to heaven and to God. It is not a question of giving up sin, but of giving up my right to myself, my natural independence, and my self-will. This is where the battle has to be fought. The things that are right, noble, and good from the natural standpoint are the very things that keep us from being God’s best. Once we come to understand that natural moral excellence opposes or counteracts surrender to God, we bring our soul into the center of its greatest battle. Very few of us would debate over what is filthy, evil, and wrong, but we do debate over what is good. It is the good that opposes the best. The higher up the scale of moral excellence a person goes, the more intense the opposition to Jesus Christ. “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh . . . .” The cost to your natural life is not just one or two things, but everything. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself. . .” (Matthew 16:24). That is, he must deny his right to himself, and he must realize who Jesus Christ is before he will bring himself to do it. Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence.
The natural life is not spiritual, and it can be made spiritual only through sacrifice. If we do not purposely sacrifice the natural, the supernatural can never become natural to us. There is no high or easy road. Each of us has the means to accomplish it entirely in his own hands. It is not a question of praying, but of sacrificing, and thereby performing His will.
天然生命的叛逆
凡屬基督耶穌的人，是已經把肉體，連肉體的邪情私慾，同釘在十字架上了。 （加五24）
天然生命不是罪惡的，我們必須脫離罪，不再與罪有任何膠葛。罪屬於地獄和魔鬼；我，神的兒女，屬於天堂和神。問題不是要放棄罪，而是放棄自己的主權，我天然的獨斷與自恃，是爭戰之所在地。天然觀點看來善美正確的東西，往往使我們得不著神最好的。天然善行往往是降服神的攔阻。洞悉這一點，就到了心靈大戰的核心。少有人為錯失、卑污、邪惡爭辯，但卻會為善德爭辯。善事是至善的對頭，天然善行愈高，與耶穌基督的敵對就愈勁。 [在基督裡的人是把肉體釘在十字架上了。 ]你要付出天然生命的一切，不是一部分。耶穌說：[人若要作我的門徒，就當捨己。 ]就是放下自己的主權；人先要認識耶穌基督是誰，才能這樣放下。當心，不要拒絕參加你自主權的喪禮。
天然生命不是屬靈的，只有獻上，才成為屬靈。若不徹底把天然生命當祭物獻上，超然的生命就無法在我們裡面成為天然的。這條不是康莊大道，各人必須下定決心。這也不是祈禱的問題，而是行動的問題。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等肯定自己需要對你有一個更崇高的觀念。在這個祈求中，我願放下所有次要的東西，為了叫自己配去榮耀你。
The natural life itself is not sinful. But we must abandon sin, having nothing to do with it in any way whatsoever. Sin belongs to hell and to the devil. I, as a child of God, belong to heaven and to God. It is not a question of giving up sin, but of giving up my right to myself, my natural independence, and my self-will. This is where the battle has to be fought. The things that are right, noble, and good from the natural standpoint are the very things that keep us from being God’s best. Once we come to understand that natural moral excellence opposes or counteracts surrender to God, we bring our soul into the center of its greatest battle. Very few of us would debate over what is filthy, evil, and wrong, but we do debate over what is good. It is the good that opposes the best. The higher up the scale of moral excellence a person goes, the more intense the opposition to Jesus Christ. “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh . . . .” The cost to your natural life is not just one or two things, but everything. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself. . .” (Matthew 16:24). That is, he must deny his right to himself, and he must realize who Jesus Christ is before he will bring himself to do it. Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence.
The natural life is not spiritual, and it can be made spiritual only through sacrifice. If we do not purposely sacrifice the natural, the supernatural can never become natural to us. There is no high or easy road. Each of us has the means to accomplish it entirely in his own hands. It is not a question of praying, but of sacrificing, and thereby performing His will.
天然生命的叛逆
凡屬基督耶穌的人，是已經把肉體，連肉體的邪情私慾，同釘在十字架上了。 （加五24）
天然生命不是罪惡的，我們必須脫離罪，不再與罪有任何膠葛。罪屬於地獄和魔鬼；我，神的兒女，屬於天堂和神。問題不是要放棄罪，而是放棄自己的主權，我天然的獨斷與自恃，是爭戰之所在地。天然觀點看來善美正確的東西，往往使我們得不著神最好的。天然善行往往是降服神的攔阻。洞悉這一點，就到了心靈大戰的核心。少有人為錯失、卑污、邪惡爭辯，但卻會為善德爭辯。善事是至善的對頭，天然善行愈高，與耶穌基督的敵對就愈勁。 [在基督裡的人是把肉體釘在十字架上了。 ]你要付出天然生命的一切，不是一部分。耶穌說：[人若要作我的門徒，就當捨己。 ]就是放下自己的主權；人先要認識耶穌基督是誰，才能這樣放下。當心，不要拒絕參加你自主權的喪禮。
天然生命不是屬靈的，只有獻上，才成為屬靈。若不徹底把天然生命當祭物獻上，超然的生命就無法在我們裡面成為天然的。這條不是康莊大道，各人必須下定決心。這也不是祈禱的問題，而是行動的問題。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等肯定自己需要對你有一個更崇高的觀念。在這個祈求中，我願放下所有次要的東西，為了叫自己配去榮耀你。
December 06, 2014
The Bow in the Cloud
I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth —Genesis 9:13
It is the will of God that human beings should get into a right-standing relationship with Him, and His covenants are designed for this purpose. Why doesn’t God save me? He has accomplished and provided for my salvation, but I have not yet entered into a relationship with Him. Why doesn’t God do everything we ask? He has done it. The point is— will I step into that covenant relationship? All the great blessings of God are finished and complete, but they are not mine until I enter into a relationship with Him on the basis of His covenant.
Waiting for God to act is fleshly unbelief. It means that I have no faith in Him. I wait for Him to do something in me so I may trust in that. But God won’t do it, because that is not the basis of the God-and-man relationship. Man must go beyond the physical body and feelings in his covenant with God, just as God goes beyond Himself in reaching out with His covenant to man. It is a question of faith in God–a very rare thing. We only have faith in our feelings. I don’t believe God until He puts something tangible in my hand, so that I know I have it. Then I say, “Now I believe.” There is no faith exhibited in that. God says, “Look to Me, and be saved . . .” (Isaiah 45:22).
When I have really transacted business with God on the basis of His covenant, letting everything else go, there is no sense of personal achievement— no human ingredient in it at all. Instead, there is a complete overwhelming sense of being brought into union with God, and my life is transformed and radiates peace and joy.
雲中彩虹
我把虹放在雲彩中，這就可作我與地立約的記號了。 （創九13）
神的旨意是要人類與他有道德上的關係，而他的約就是為此。 [為什麼神不救我？ ]他已經救了我，只是我還沒有與他建立關係。 [為什麼神不作這個？又不作那個？ ]他已經做了，問題是我是否肯踏進這個約的關係裡？神一切大恩已經作成，不過我要先因他的約，與他建立關係，這一切才成為我的。
等待神是不信的化身，表示我對他不信任；我等待神在我裡面作事，好叫我可以信得過他。神不會這樣做，因為這不是神與人關係的基礎。在人與神的約中，人要離開自己，正如神在他與人的約中付出自己一樣。問題是在於我們對神的信心－－一樣非常難得的東西。我們往往只信自己的感覺；要神把東西放進我們手裡，知道實在有了，否則就不肯信。得著了，就說[如今我信了。 ]這並不是信。 [仰望我的，必然得救。 ]
我若當真與神立約，完全交託，不再自覺有功，不再有人的成分在內，只意識到完全與神合一，那時一切都會變得平安喜樂。
祈禱◆主啊，願你今天以充沛的能力，與及甜蜜的恩慈和美善，來感動我們每個人的生命；讓它有機會彰顯你的面容和能力。
It is the will of God that human beings should get into a right-standing relationship with Him, and His covenants are designed for this purpose. Why doesn’t God save me? He has accomplished and provided for my salvation, but I have not yet entered into a relationship with Him. Why doesn’t God do everything we ask? He has done it. The point is— will I step into that covenant relationship? All the great blessings of God are finished and complete, but they are not mine until I enter into a relationship with Him on the basis of His covenant.
Waiting for God to act is fleshly unbelief. It means that I have no faith in Him. I wait for Him to do something in me so I may trust in that. But God won’t do it, because that is not the basis of the God-and-man relationship. Man must go beyond the physical body and feelings in his covenant with God, just as God goes beyond Himself in reaching out with His covenant to man. It is a question of faith in God–a very rare thing. We only have faith in our feelings. I don’t believe God until He puts something tangible in my hand, so that I know I have it. Then I say, “Now I believe.” There is no faith exhibited in that. God says, “Look to Me, and be saved . . .” (Isaiah 45:22).
When I have really transacted business with God on the basis of His covenant, letting everything else go, there is no sense of personal achievement— no human ingredient in it at all. Instead, there is a complete overwhelming sense of being brought into union with God, and my life is transformed and radiates peace and joy.
雲中彩虹
我把虹放在雲彩中，這就可作我與地立約的記號了。 （創九13）
神的旨意是要人類與他有道德上的關係，而他的約就是為此。 [為什麼神不救我？ ]他已經救了我，只是我還沒有與他建立關係。 [為什麼神不作這個？又不作那個？ ]他已經做了，問題是我是否肯踏進這個約的關係裡？神一切大恩已經作成，不過我要先因他的約，與他建立關係，這一切才成為我的。
等待神是不信的化身，表示我對他不信任；我等待神在我裡面作事，好叫我可以信得過他。神不會這樣做，因為這不是神與人關係的基礎。在人與神的約中，人要離開自己，正如神在他與人的約中付出自己一樣。問題是在於我們對神的信心－－一樣非常難得的東西。我們往往只信自己的感覺；要神把東西放進我們手裡，知道實在有了，否則就不肯信。得著了，就說[如今我信了。 ]這並不是信。 [仰望我的，必然得救。 ]
我若當真與神立約，完全交託，不再自覺有功，不再有人的成分在內，只意識到完全與神合一，那時一切都會變得平安喜樂。
祈禱◆主啊，願你今天以充沛的能力，與及甜蜜的恩慈和美善，來感動我們每個人的生命；讓它有機會彰顯你的面容和能力。
December 04, 2014
The Law of Opposition
To him who overcomes . . . —Revelation 2:7
Life without war is impossible in the natural or the supernatural realm. It is a fact that there is a continuing struggle in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual areas of life.
Health is the balance between the physical parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. To maintain good health I must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external. Everything outside my physical life is designed to cause my death. The very elements that sustain me while I am alive work to decay and disintegrate my body once it is dead. If I have enough inner strength to fight, I help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true of the mental life. If I want to maintain a strong and active mental life, I have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance called thought.
Morally it is the same. Anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue within me. Whether I overcome, thereby producing virtue, depends on the level of moral excellence in my life. But we must fight to be moral. Morality does not happen by accident; moral virtue is acquired.
And spiritually it is also the same. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation . . .” (John 16:33). This means that anything which is not spiritual leads to my downfall. Jesus went on to say, “. . . but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” I must learn to fight against and overcome the things that come against me, and in that way produce the balance of holiness. Then it becomes a delight to meet opposition.
Holiness is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ.
敵對的律
得勝的……（啟二7）
不管天然生命或是在恩典中的生命，都不可能沒有爭戰。物質、精神、道德、與及屬靈生命的基礎，在於敵對。這是生命中顯而易見的事實。健康就是物質生命與外在自然界之間的平衡。人必須內在有足夠的活力，對抗外界的東西，才能維持健康。外在的東西，可以危害肉體的生命，置我於死地。在我生時養活我的東西，在我死後把我分化。我若有足夠的戰鬥力，就有健康的平衡。精神生活也是如此，若要保持強健的智力，必須鬥爭，然後心智的平衡－－思想－－才能產生。
在道德方面，都是我裡面德行的敵人。我能否得勝，生髮善行，就視乎我道德的力量如何了。只要我一爭戰，在那一事上，我就有了道德。沒有人的德行是自然而然的；德行是要經後天的奮鬥而取得的。
靈性方面，亦是如此。耶穌說：[在世上你們有苦難。 ]任何不屬靈的東西，都是於我有害。但[你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 ]我要學習勝過那些敵對我的，這樣就可以產生聖潔的平衡；而面對敵擋，也成了興奮的事。聖潔就是我的性情與神藉耶穌基督所表現的律，二者之間的平衡。
祈禱◆主耶穌啊，你在兩千年前曾[道成肉身]，來到這世上。願你今天再次臨到這裡，藉著我的肉身彰顯你自己－－[基督在你裡面，成為榮耀的盼望]。
Life without war is impossible in the natural or the supernatural realm. It is a fact that there is a continuing struggle in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual areas of life.
Health is the balance between the physical parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. To maintain good health I must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external. Everything outside my physical life is designed to cause my death. The very elements that sustain me while I am alive work to decay and disintegrate my body once it is dead. If I have enough inner strength to fight, I help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true of the mental life. If I want to maintain a strong and active mental life, I have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance called thought.
Morally it is the same. Anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue within me. Whether I overcome, thereby producing virtue, depends on the level of moral excellence in my life. But we must fight to be moral. Morality does not happen by accident; moral virtue is acquired.
And spiritually it is also the same. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation . . .” (John 16:33). This means that anything which is not spiritual leads to my downfall. Jesus went on to say, “. . . but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” I must learn to fight against and overcome the things that come against me, and in that way produce the balance of holiness. Then it becomes a delight to meet opposition.
Holiness is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ.
敵對的律
得勝的……（啟二7）
不管天然生命或是在恩典中的生命，都不可能沒有爭戰。物質、精神、道德、與及屬靈生命的基礎，在於敵對。這是生命中顯而易見的事實。健康就是物質生命與外在自然界之間的平衡。人必須內在有足夠的活力，對抗外界的東西，才能維持健康。外在的東西，可以危害肉體的生命，置我於死地。在我生時養活我的東西，在我死後把我分化。我若有足夠的戰鬥力，就有健康的平衡。精神生活也是如此，若要保持強健的智力，必須鬥爭，然後心智的平衡－－思想－－才能產生。
在道德方面，都是我裡面德行的敵人。我能否得勝，生髮善行，就視乎我道德的力量如何了。只要我一爭戰，在那一事上，我就有了道德。沒有人的德行是自然而然的；德行是要經後天的奮鬥而取得的。
靈性方面，亦是如此。耶穌說：[在世上你們有苦難。 ]任何不屬靈的東西，都是於我有害。但[你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 ]我要學習勝過那些敵對我的，這樣就可以產生聖潔的平衡；而面對敵擋，也成了興奮的事。聖潔就是我的性情與神藉耶穌基督所表現的律，二者之間的平衡。
祈禱◆主耶穌啊，你在兩千年前曾[道成肉身]，來到這世上。願你今天再次臨到這裡，藉著我的肉身彰顯你自己－－[基督在你裡面，成為榮耀的盼望]。
December 02, 2014
Christian Perfection
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect . . . —Philippians 3:12
It is a trap to presume that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do— God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you accept this concept of personal holiness, your life’s determined purpose will not be for God, but for what you call the evidence of God in your life. How can we say, “It could never be God’s will for me to be sick”? If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son (Isaiah 53:10), why shouldn’t He bruise you? What shines forth and reveals God in your life is not your relative consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your genuine, living relationship with Jesus Christ, and your unrestrained devotion to Him whether you are well or sick.
Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of human life. When you obey the call of Jesus Christ, the first thing that hits you is the pointlessness of the things you have to do. The next thought that strikes you is that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives may leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary— that through your own human effort and devotion you can attain God’s standard for your life. In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in such a perfect relationship with God that my life produces a yearning for God in the lives of others, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God’s purpose is not to perfect me to make me a trophy in His showcase; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He wants.
信徒的完全
這不是說，我已經得著了，已經完全了……（腓三12）
以為神要把我們造成一個完全的樣本，好表彰他的能力，這是個陷阱。神的目的是要我們與他合一。強調聖潔的運動，很容易使我們有一種觀念，就是以為神要製造一些聖潔的樣本，放在他的博物館裡。你若一心追求這種個人聖潔的觀念，你生命的指標就不是神。而是你所稱為彰顯神的東西。你說：[神的旨意絕不會叫我生病。 ]若按神的旨意，他的兒子也要受壓傷的話，為什麼他不可以壓傷你？神旨意的彰顯，不再乎你認為聖徒應該怎樣；你與耶穌基督的關係，才是最重要的。不論健康或生病，都要一心一歸依他。
信徒的完全，絕不是人的完全。信徒的完全是與神關係的完全，在人生毫不相干的大小事上顯明出來。當你順服主耶穌的呼召，第一件叫你驚訝的事，就是你所作的都無關痛癢。另一件叫你詫異的事，是別人都似乎過著合情合理的生活。他們的生活很容易使你覺得不需要神。即使單靠人努力與熱心，也能達到神的要求。可是在失落的世界裡，這是絕不可能的。我被召，是要過一個與神有完美關係的生活，以致我的生命能引發別人對神的渴慕，而不是對我本身的欽仰。只顧自己會減低給神使用的效能。神不是要把我塑造到十全十美，好放在陳列室裡；他是要帶領我到一個她可以使用我的地方。讓神喜歡怎樣做就怎樣做。
祈禱◆主啊，今天早上，我察覺自己多麼強烈的需要你；願你照你在基督耶穌裡的豐盛，滿足我的需要，直至我完全被你的供應所改變。
It is a trap to presume that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do— God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum. If you accept this concept of personal holiness, your life’s determined purpose will not be for God, but for what you call the evidence of God in your life. How can we say, “It could never be God’s will for me to be sick”? If it was God’s will to bruise His own Son (Isaiah 53:10), why shouldn’t He bruise you? What shines forth and reveals God in your life is not your relative consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your genuine, living relationship with Jesus Christ, and your unrestrained devotion to Him whether you are well or sick.
Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of human life. When you obey the call of Jesus Christ, the first thing that hits you is the pointlessness of the things you have to do. The next thought that strikes you is that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives may leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary— that through your own human effort and devotion you can attain God’s standard for your life. In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in such a perfect relationship with God that my life produces a yearning for God in the lives of others, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God’s purpose is not to perfect me to make me a trophy in His showcase; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He wants.
信徒的完全
這不是說，我已經得著了，已經完全了……（腓三12）
以為神要把我們造成一個完全的樣本，好表彰他的能力，這是個陷阱。神的目的是要我們與他合一。強調聖潔的運動，很容易使我們有一種觀念，就是以為神要製造一些聖潔的樣本，放在他的博物館裡。你若一心追求這種個人聖潔的觀念，你生命的指標就不是神。而是你所稱為彰顯神的東西。你說：[神的旨意絕不會叫我生病。 ]若按神的旨意，他的兒子也要受壓傷的話，為什麼他不可以壓傷你？神旨意的彰顯，不再乎你認為聖徒應該怎樣；你與耶穌基督的關係，才是最重要的。不論健康或生病，都要一心一歸依他。
信徒的完全，絕不是人的完全。信徒的完全是與神關係的完全，在人生毫不相干的大小事上顯明出來。當你順服主耶穌的呼召，第一件叫你驚訝的事，就是你所作的都無關痛癢。另一件叫你詫異的事，是別人都似乎過著合情合理的生活。他們的生活很容易使你覺得不需要神。即使單靠人努力與熱心，也能達到神的要求。可是在失落的世界裡，這是絕不可能的。我被召，是要過一個與神有完美關係的生活，以致我的生命能引發別人對神的渴慕，而不是對我本身的欽仰。只顧自己會減低給神使用的效能。神不是要把我塑造到十全十美，好放在陳列室裡；他是要帶領我到一個她可以使用我的地方。讓神喜歡怎樣做就怎樣做。
祈禱◆主啊，今天早上，我察覺自己多麼強烈的需要你；願你照你在基督耶穌裡的豐盛，滿足我的需要，直至我完全被你的供應所改變。
November 14, 2014
Discovering Divine Design
As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me . . . —Genesis 24:27
We should be so one with God that we don’t need to ask continually for guidance. Sanctification means that we are made the children of God. A child’s life is normally obedient, until he chooses disobedience. But as soon as he chooses to disobey, an inherent inner conflict is produced. On the spiritual level, inner conflict is the warning of the Spirit of God. When He warns us in this way, we must stop at once and be renewed in the spirit of our mind to discern God’s will (see Romans 12:2). If we are born again by the Spirit of God, our devotion to Him is hindered, or even stopped, by continually asking Him to guide us here and there. “. . . the Lord led me . . .” and on looking back we see the presence of an amazing design. If we are born of God we will see His guiding hand and give Him the credit.
We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the growth of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail. Never believe that the so-called random events of life are anything less than God’s appointed order. Be ready to discover His divine designs anywhere and everywhere.
Beware of being obsessed with consistency to your own convictions instead of being devoted to God. If you are a saint and say, “I will never do this or that,” in all probability this will be exactly what God will require of you. There was never a more inconsistent being on this earth than our Lord, but He was never inconsistent with His Father. The important consistency in a saint is not to a principle but to the divine life. It is the divine life that continually makes more and more discoveries about the divine mind. It is easier to be an excessive fanatic than it is to be consistently faithful, because God causes an amazing humbling of our religious conceit when we are faithful to Him.
看出神的安排
耶和華在路上引領我……（創二十四27）
我們應該與神合一到一個地步，不必一天到晚求他指引。成聖就是成為神的兒女，而兒女的生命就是順服－－一旦不順服，就立刻直覺地感到一種隔膜。在屬靈的範疇裡，這隔膜是聖靈的一個警號。當聖靈警告，我們就該立即停下來，在心靈裡更新，好知道神的旨意。我們若是神的靈重生的，仍不住求神引我到這裡、到那裡，就是不敬虔。 [耶和華引領我]，回顧過去，我沒恩可以處處看見神奇妙無比的安排。我們若是從神生的，就必歸榮耀給神。在特殊的事上容易看見神的作為，可是只有在屬靈上有操練，才會在每一細節上看見神。別忽略一些偶然的事，認為這些是在神的旨意以外；要隨時隨地明白神的安排。
當心只顧崇拜自己一貫的信念，而不是專心愛神。 [我永不做那件事]－－若你是個聖徒的話，很可能你不能不做。主在世上是最不持守一貫做法的人，但他從不違背父神。聖徒唯一要持守的，不是一套原則，乃是神的生命。有神的生命，才不斷增加對神心意的認識。做狂熱主義者容易，做忠心耿耿的人難，因為要效忠神，需要一種出奇的謙卑；尤其是對在宗教上的虛偽，尤為困難。
祈禱◆[凡有智慧的……也必思想耶和華的慈愛。 ]主啊，那是多麼美好！為著你的榮耀，請賜給我這個記號。今天，我仰望你；願你的恩惠和美善豐厚地臨到我們。
We should be so one with God that we don’t need to ask continually for guidance. Sanctification means that we are made the children of God. A child’s life is normally obedient, until he chooses disobedience. But as soon as he chooses to disobey, an inherent inner conflict is produced. On the spiritual level, inner conflict is the warning of the Spirit of God. When He warns us in this way, we must stop at once and be renewed in the spirit of our mind to discern God’s will (see Romans 12:2). If we are born again by the Spirit of God, our devotion to Him is hindered, or even stopped, by continually asking Him to guide us here and there. “. . . the Lord led me . . .” and on looking back we see the presence of an amazing design. If we are born of God we will see His guiding hand and give Him the credit.
We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the growth of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail. Never believe that the so-called random events of life are anything less than God’s appointed order. Be ready to discover His divine designs anywhere and everywhere.
Beware of being obsessed with consistency to your own convictions instead of being devoted to God. If you are a saint and say, “I will never do this or that,” in all probability this will be exactly what God will require of you. There was never a more inconsistent being on this earth than our Lord, but He was never inconsistent with His Father. The important consistency in a saint is not to a principle but to the divine life. It is the divine life that continually makes more and more discoveries about the divine mind. It is easier to be an excessive fanatic than it is to be consistently faithful, because God causes an amazing humbling of our religious conceit when we are faithful to Him.
看出神的安排
耶和華在路上引領我……（創二十四27）
我們應該與神合一到一個地步，不必一天到晚求他指引。成聖就是成為神的兒女，而兒女的生命就是順服－－一旦不順服，就立刻直覺地感到一種隔膜。在屬靈的範疇裡，這隔膜是聖靈的一個警號。當聖靈警告，我們就該立即停下來，在心靈裡更新，好知道神的旨意。我們若是神的靈重生的，仍不住求神引我到這裡、到那裡，就是不敬虔。 [耶和華引領我]，回顧過去，我沒恩可以處處看見神奇妙無比的安排。我們若是從神生的，就必歸榮耀給神。在特殊的事上容易看見神的作為，可是只有在屬靈上有操練，才會在每一細節上看見神。別忽略一些偶然的事，認為這些是在神的旨意以外；要隨時隨地明白神的安排。
當心只顧崇拜自己一貫的信念，而不是專心愛神。 [我永不做那件事]－－若你是個聖徒的話，很可能你不能不做。主在世上是最不持守一貫做法的人，但他從不違背父神。聖徒唯一要持守的，不是一套原則，乃是神的生命。有神的生命，才不斷增加對神心意的認識。做狂熱主義者容易，做忠心耿耿的人難，因為要效忠神，需要一種出奇的謙卑；尤其是對在宗教上的虛偽，尤為困難。
祈禱◆[凡有智慧的……也必思想耶和華的慈愛。 ]主啊，那是多麼美好！為著你的榮耀，請賜給我這個記號。今天，我仰望你；願你的恩惠和美善豐厚地臨到我們。
October 31, 2014
The Trial of Faith
If you have faith as a mustard seed . . . nothing will be impossible for you —Matthew 17:20
We have the idea that God rewards us for our faith, and it may be so in the initial stages. But we do not earn anything through faith— faith brings us into the right relationship with God and gives Him His opportunity to work. Yet God frequently has to knock the bottom out of your experience as His saint to get you in direct contact with Himself. God wants you to understand that it is a life of faith, not a life of emotional enjoyment of His blessings. The beginning of your life of faith was very narrow and intense, centered around a small amount of experience that had as much emotion as faith in it, and it was full of light and sweetness. Then God withdrew His conscious blessings to teach you to “walk by faith” (2 Corinthians 5:7). And you are worth much more to Him now than you were in your days of conscious delight with your thrilling testimony.
Faith by its very nature must be tested and tried. And the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character must be proven as trustworthy in our own minds. Faith being worked out into reality must experience times of unbroken isolation. Never confuse the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life, because a great deal of what we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith, as the Bible teaches it, is faith in God coming against everything that contradicts Him— a faith that says, “I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do.” The highest and the greatest expression of faith in the whole Bible is— “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).
信心的辨識
你們若有信心像一粒芥菜種（太十七20）
我們往往認為神會因我們的信心，報答我們。初時可能是這樣，但其實我們不能藉信心賺取什麼。信心使我們與神的關係正確，以致神有機會作工。你若是聖徒，神往往要把你的經驗底板抽去，好使你直接與他接觸。神要你明白，這是信心的生命，而不是情感化地享受他祝福的生命。你早期的信心生命是狹窄的、緊張的，環繞著一小撮光明的經歷，滿了陽光與甜蜜，可是其中信心的成他分，與常理的成他分差不多同等。後來神把可見的祝福挪開，教你行信心的路，你如今在他手上更有價值，遠超那些感覺喜樂、滿有激動見證的日子。
信心必須經過試驗。信心真正的考驗，不是在於我們覺得難以信靠神，而是在於我們對神的性情，必須有清楚的認識。信心的實現，必須經過一連串個別孤立的考驗。不要把信心的試驗與一般生活的操練混為一談。許多我們成為信心的考驗，不過是活在地上無法避免的事情。聖經中的信心，是在一切違反神自己的事上，還持定信神－－[不管神怎樣做，我必定忠於神的本性。 ][他雖然殺我，我仍要信靠他。 ]－－這是聖經中信心的最高表現。
祈禱◆主啊，今天早上，一堆微小但實際的事情擠進我的思想，我將它們直接帶到你的面前。你以智慧說：[住了吧！靜了吧！ ]願我們那接受你吩咐的生命，承認你的平靜是何等美好。
We have the idea that God rewards us for our faith, and it may be so in the initial stages. But we do not earn anything through faith— faith brings us into the right relationship with God and gives Him His opportunity to work. Yet God frequently has to knock the bottom out of your experience as His saint to get you in direct contact with Himself. God wants you to understand that it is a life of faith, not a life of emotional enjoyment of His blessings. The beginning of your life of faith was very narrow and intense, centered around a small amount of experience that had as much emotion as faith in it, and it was full of light and sweetness. Then God withdrew His conscious blessings to teach you to “walk by faith” (2 Corinthians 5:7). And you are worth much more to Him now than you were in your days of conscious delight with your thrilling testimony.
Faith by its very nature must be tested and tried. And the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character must be proven as trustworthy in our own minds. Faith being worked out into reality must experience times of unbroken isolation. Never confuse the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life, because a great deal of what we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith, as the Bible teaches it, is faith in God coming against everything that contradicts Him— a faith that says, “I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do.” The highest and the greatest expression of faith in the whole Bible is— “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).
信心的辨識
你們若有信心像一粒芥菜種（太十七20）
我們往往認為神會因我們的信心，報答我們。初時可能是這樣，但其實我們不能藉信心賺取什麼。信心使我們與神的關係正確，以致神有機會作工。你若是聖徒，神往往要把你的經驗底板抽去，好使你直接與他接觸。神要你明白，這是信心的生命，而不是情感化地享受他祝福的生命。你早期的信心生命是狹窄的、緊張的，環繞著一小撮光明的經歷，滿了陽光與甜蜜，可是其中信心的成他分，與常理的成他分差不多同等。後來神把可見的祝福挪開，教你行信心的路，你如今在他手上更有價值，遠超那些感覺喜樂、滿有激動見證的日子。
信心必須經過試驗。信心真正的考驗，不是在於我們覺得難以信靠神，而是在於我們對神的性情，必須有清楚的認識。信心的實現，必須經過一連串個別孤立的考驗。不要把信心的試驗與一般生活的操練混為一談。許多我們成為信心的考驗，不過是活在地上無法避免的事情。聖經中的信心，是在一切違反神自己的事上，還持定信神－－[不管神怎樣做，我必定忠於神的本性。 ][他雖然殺我，我仍要信靠他。 ]－－這是聖經中信心的最高表現。
祈禱◆主啊，今天早上，一堆微小但實際的事情擠進我的思想，我將它們直接帶到你的面前。你以智慧說：[住了吧！靜了吧！ ]願我們那接受你吩咐的生命，承認你的平靜是何等美好。
October 13, 2014
Individual Discouragement and Personal Growth
. . . 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。
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。
October 04, 2014
The Vision and The Reality
. . . to those who are . . . called to be saints . . . —1 Corinthians 1:2
Thank God for being able to see all that you have not yet been. You have had the vision, but you are not yet to the reality of it by any means. It is when we are in the valley, where we prove whether we will be the choice ones, that most of us turn back. We are not quite prepared for the bumps and bruises that must come if we are going to be turned into the shape of the vision. We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us to be, but are we willing to be battered into the shape of the vision to be used by God? The beatings will always come in the most common, everyday ways and through common, everyday people.
There are times when we do know what God’s purpose is; whether we will let the vision be turned into actual character depends on us, not on God. If we prefer to relax on the mountaintop and live in the memory of the vision, then we will be of no real use in the ordinary things of which human life is made. We have to learn to live in reliance upon what we saw in the vision, not simply live in ecstatic delight and conscious reflection upon God. This means living the realities of our lives in the light of the vision until the truth of the vision is actually realized in us. Every bit of our training is in that direction. Learn to thank God for making His demands known.
Our little “I am” always sulks and pouts when God says do. Let your little “I am” be shriveled up in God’s wrath and indignation–”I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). He must dominate. Isn’t it piercing to realize that God not only knows where we live, but also knows the gutters into which we crawl! He will hunt us down as fast as a flash of lightning. No human being knows human beings as God does.
異象與實在
蒙召作聖徒。 （林前一2）
為你所看見而未達成的一切感謝神。你見到異象，但其實你一點也未達那境地。我們往往在山谷中退後回頭，但山谷卻正是我們是否被選上的考驗。我們未能接受打擊，就是要實現異象必須有的打擊。我們看見自己的缺欠，也看見神心目中要我們達到的，但我們到底願不願意有被神擊打、塑造、使用的異象？神的熬煉，總是從平凡的方法，透過平凡的人而來的。
有時我們不曉得神的用意是什麼；但到底我們的異象能否變作我們的個性，全在乎我們，不在乎神。若我們留戀山頂，活在異象的回憶中，那末，在現實平凡的人生中，我們實一無用處。我們必須學習倚靠異象所見的去活，不是靠當時那種極樂，也不是靠刻意的默想神。要在異象的真光中活，直至把異象完全實現。所有訓練都是朝這個方向走，要學習感謝神讓我們知道他的要求。
在神說[做]的時候，那小小的[我]總是怏怏不樂。要把[我]在神的義怒下萎縮，神說：[我是自有永有的，我差遣你。 ]他必須作主。若知道神透察我們生活的每一洞口，那是何等的啟迪哩！他像電光般把我們搜出來，沒有誰像神那樣認識人。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著昨天我能迅速認知你在我裡面，我感謝你；求你幫助我今天在穩定和持續的禱告中，與你心意聯合。
Thank God for being able to see all that you have not yet been. You have had the vision, but you are not yet to the reality of it by any means. It is when we are in the valley, where we prove whether we will be the choice ones, that most of us turn back. We are not quite prepared for the bumps and bruises that must come if we are going to be turned into the shape of the vision. We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us to be, but are we willing to be battered into the shape of the vision to be used by God? The beatings will always come in the most common, everyday ways and through common, everyday people.
There are times when we do know what God’s purpose is; whether we will let the vision be turned into actual character depends on us, not on God. If we prefer to relax on the mountaintop and live in the memory of the vision, then we will be of no real use in the ordinary things of which human life is made. We have to learn to live in reliance upon what we saw in the vision, not simply live in ecstatic delight and conscious reflection upon God. This means living the realities of our lives in the light of the vision until the truth of the vision is actually realized in us. Every bit of our training is in that direction. Learn to thank God for making His demands known.
Our little “I am” always sulks and pouts when God says do. Let your little “I am” be shriveled up in God’s wrath and indignation–”I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). He must dominate. Isn’t it piercing to realize that God not only knows where we live, but also knows the gutters into which we crawl! He will hunt us down as fast as a flash of lightning. No human being knows human beings as God does.
異象與實在
蒙召作聖徒。 （林前一2）
為你所看見而未達成的一切感謝神。你見到異象，但其實你一點也未達那境地。我們往往在山谷中退後回頭，但山谷卻正是我們是否被選上的考驗。我們未能接受打擊，就是要實現異象必須有的打擊。我們看見自己的缺欠，也看見神心目中要我們達到的，但我們到底願不願意有被神擊打、塑造、使用的異象？神的熬煉，總是從平凡的方法，透過平凡的人而來的。
有時我們不曉得神的用意是什麼；但到底我們的異象能否變作我們的個性，全在乎我們，不在乎神。若我們留戀山頂，活在異象的回憶中，那末，在現實平凡的人生中，我們實一無用處。我們必須學習倚靠異象所見的去活，不是靠當時那種極樂，也不是靠刻意的默想神。要在異象的真光中活，直至把異象完全實現。所有訓練都是朝這個方向走，要學習感謝神讓我們知道他的要求。
在神說[做]的時候，那小小的[我]總是怏怏不樂。要把[我]在神的義怒下萎縮，神說：[我是自有永有的，我差遣你。 ]他必須作主。若知道神透察我們生活的每一洞口，那是何等的啟迪哩！他像電光般把我們搜出來，沒有誰像神那樣認識人。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著昨天我能迅速認知你在我裡面，我感謝你；求你幫助我今天在穩定和持續的禱告中，與你心意聯合。
October 03, 2014
The Place of Ministry
He said to them, ’This kind [of unclean spirit] can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting’ —Mark 9:29
His disciples asked Him privately, ’Why could we not cast it out?’ ” (Mark 9:28). The answer lies in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “This kind can come out by nothing but” concentrating on Him, and then doubling and redoubling that concentration on Him. We can remain powerless forever, as the disciples were in this situation, by trying to do God’s work without concentrating on His power, and by following instead the ideas that we draw from our own nature. We actually slander and dishonor God by our very eagerness to serve Him without knowing Him.
When you are brought face to face with a difficult situation and nothing happens externally, you can still know that freedom and release will be given because of your continued concentration on Jesus Christ. Your duty in service and ministry is to see that there is nothing between Jesus and yourself. Is there anything between you and Jesus even now? If there is, you must get through it, not by ignoring it as an irritation, or by going up and over it, but by facing it and getting through it into the presence of Jesus Christ. Then that very problem itself, and all that you have been through in connection with it, will glorify Jesus Christ in a way that you will never know until you see Him face to face.
We must be able to “mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31), but we must also know how to come down. The power of the saint lies in the coming down and in the living that is done in the valley. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and what he was referring to were mostly humiliating things. And yet it is in our power to refuse to be humiliated and to say, “No, thank you, I much prefer to be on the mountaintop with God.” Can I face things as they actually are in the light of the reality of Jesus Christ, or do things as they really are destroy my faith in Him, and put me into a panic?
事奉的領域
非用禱告禁食，這一類的鬼，不能出來。 （可九29）
[我們為什麼不能趕他出去呢？ ]這問題的答案在於人與主耶穌的關係。只有集中在主身上，加倍的仰望主，才能把這類鬼趕出去。若不集中靠神的能力去作神的工，只靠自己的主意，就變得無能，像昔日門徒一樣。我們熱心為他作工，卻又不認識他，只會給神帶來羞辱。
當你面臨一件困難的事，外表看來好像沒有什麼改變，可是你卻曉得事情必得以解決，因為你專注在主耶穌身上。這就是你事奉的途徑－－與主之間毫無阻隔。若有任何阻隔的話，就必須挪開，不是因惱怒而置之不理，也不是越過它，而是面對它，把它直接帶到主耶穌面前。那樣，這件事和所有與此相關的，都會榮耀神；你甚至詫異莫名，知道面對面見主那一天才會完全明白。
我們要像鷹一般展翅上騰，但必須知道如何降落。聖徒的能力，就是能降落，能在平地上生活。保羅說：[我靠著那加給我力量的，凡事都能作。 ]他所指的事，多半是低賤的事，我們大可拒絕降卑，說：[謝了，我還是喜歡與神在山頂上。 ]主耶穌是真實的，我能否在這亮光中，面對現實？還是讓事情完全抹煞了我對他的信心，以致陷在恐慌中？
祈禱◆主啊，將我高舉至你那裡，以致你救恩那豐富和充滿光輝的喜樂，能為著你的榮耀而面臨我和照亮我。願你使我與你之間的祈禱保持暢通。
His disciples asked Him privately, ’Why could we not cast it out?’ ” (Mark 9:28). The answer lies in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “This kind can come out by nothing but” concentrating on Him, and then doubling and redoubling that concentration on Him. We can remain powerless forever, as the disciples were in this situation, by trying to do God’s work without concentrating on His power, and by following instead the ideas that we draw from our own nature. We actually slander and dishonor God by our very eagerness to serve Him without knowing Him.
When you are brought face to face with a difficult situation and nothing happens externally, you can still know that freedom and release will be given because of your continued concentration on Jesus Christ. Your duty in service and ministry is to see that there is nothing between Jesus and yourself. Is there anything between you and Jesus even now? If there is, you must get through it, not by ignoring it as an irritation, or by going up and over it, but by facing it and getting through it into the presence of Jesus Christ. Then that very problem itself, and all that you have been through in connection with it, will glorify Jesus Christ in a way that you will never know until you see Him face to face.
We must be able to “mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31), but we must also know how to come down. The power of the saint lies in the coming down and in the living that is done in the valley. Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and what he was referring to were mostly humiliating things. And yet it is in our power to refuse to be humiliated and to say, “No, thank you, I much prefer to be on the mountaintop with God.” Can I face things as they actually are in the light of the reality of Jesus Christ, or do things as they really are destroy my faith in Him, and put me into a panic?
事奉的領域
非用禱告禁食，這一類的鬼，不能出來。 （可九29）
[我們為什麼不能趕他出去呢？ ]這問題的答案在於人與主耶穌的關係。只有集中在主身上，加倍的仰望主，才能把這類鬼趕出去。若不集中靠神的能力去作神的工，只靠自己的主意，就變得無能，像昔日門徒一樣。我們熱心為他作工，卻又不認識他，只會給神帶來羞辱。
當你面臨一件困難的事，外表看來好像沒有什麼改變，可是你卻曉得事情必得以解決，因為你專注在主耶穌身上。這就是你事奉的途徑－－與主之間毫無阻隔。若有任何阻隔的話，就必須挪開，不是因惱怒而置之不理，也不是越過它，而是面對它，把它直接帶到主耶穌面前。那樣，這件事和所有與此相關的，都會榮耀神；你甚至詫異莫名，知道面對面見主那一天才會完全明白。
我們要像鷹一般展翅上騰，但必須知道如何降落。聖徒的能力，就是能降落，能在平地上生活。保羅說：[我靠著那加給我力量的，凡事都能作。 ]他所指的事，多半是低賤的事，我們大可拒絕降卑，說：[謝了，我還是喜歡與神在山頂上。 ]主耶穌是真實的，我能否在這亮光中，面對現實？還是讓事情完全抹煞了我對他的信心，以致陷在恐慌中？
祈禱◆主啊，將我高舉至你那裡，以致你救恩那豐富和充滿光輝的喜樂，能為著你的榮耀而面臨我和照亮我。願你使我與你之間的祈禱保持暢通。
September 22, 2014
The Missionary’s Master and Teacher
You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am . . . . I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master . . .—John 13:13, 16
To have a master and teacher is not the same thing as being mastered and taught. Having a master and teacher means that there is someone who knows me better than I know myself, who is closer than a friend, and who understands the remotest depths of my heart and is able to satisfy them fully. It means having someone who has made me secure in the knowledge that he has met and solved all the doubts, uncertainties, and problems in my mind. To have a master and teacher is this and nothing less— “. . . for One is your Teacher, the Christ . . .” (Matthew 23:8).
Our Lord never takes measures to make me do what He wants. Sometimes I wish God would master and control me to make me do what He wants, but He will not. And at other times I wish He would leave me alone, and He does not.
“You call Me Teacher and Lord . . .”— but is He? Teacher, Master, and Lord have little place in our vocabulary. We prefer the words Savior, Sanctifier, and Healer. The only word that truly describes the experience of being mastered is love, and we know little about love as God reveals it in His Word. The way we use the word obey is proof of this. In the Bible, obedience is based on a relationship between equals; for example, that of a son with his father. Our Lord was not simply God’s servant— He was His Son. “. . . though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience. . .” (Hebrews 5:8). If we are consciously aware that we are being mastered, that idea itself is proof that we have no master. If that is our attitude toward Jesus, we are far away from having the relationship He wants with us. He wants us in a relationship where He is so easily our Master and Teacher that we have no conscious awareness of it—a relationship where all we know is that we are His to obey.
傳道者的主人
你們稱呼我夫子，稱呼我主，你們說的不錯，我本來是。 （約十三13）
有一位主人與被人驅使，是兩回事。有一位主人，就是有一位元比我更認識我的人；他比朋友更親密；他深入我內心的深處，叫我滿足；他解決我心思裡一切的困惑與疑難，叫我安穩。這就是主人的意思，不折不扣－－只有一位是我們的主人，就是基督。
主從不勉強人順服，也不會設計使我們做他要我做的。有時我寧願神管制我，迫我做某些事，可是他不會這樣；有時我又希望他不要管我，但他也不會這樣。 [你們稱呼我夫子，稱呼我主]－－他果真是麼？夫子和主，在我們的字彙中很少出現；我們喜歡用救主、使人成聖者、醫治者等字眼。唯一可以描寫有一位主人這經歷的字眼，就是愛，而我們對神所啟示的愛，認識又那麼少。這在我們對[順服]一詞的運用上，就可以看出來。在聖經中，順服是根據平等關係而言，就是兒子與父親的關係。我們的主並不是神的僕人，他是神的兒子。 [他雖然為兒子，還是……學了順服。 ]若我們以為是被轄管，這就是我們並未有主人的明證；這種對耶穌的態度，與他所想望的關係相距實在太遠。他要我們與他的關係，應該是自然地以他為主人，只知道我們屬他，聽他的話。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我懷著靈性上極之枯乾和貧乏的感覺，來到你面前；噢，主啊，為著你的名，求你激發我。我不會在你面前悲嘆，卻會被你的靈所充滿。
To have a master and teacher is not the same thing as being mastered and taught. Having a master and teacher means that there is someone who knows me better than I know myself, who is closer than a friend, and who understands the remotest depths of my heart and is able to satisfy them fully. It means having someone who has made me secure in the knowledge that he has met and solved all the doubts, uncertainties, and problems in my mind. To have a master and teacher is this and nothing less— “. . . for One is your Teacher, the Christ . . .” (Matthew 23:8).
Our Lord never takes measures to make me do what He wants. Sometimes I wish God would master and control me to make me do what He wants, but He will not. And at other times I wish He would leave me alone, and He does not.
“You call Me Teacher and Lord . . .”— but is He? Teacher, Master, and Lord have little place in our vocabulary. We prefer the words Savior, Sanctifier, and Healer. The only word that truly describes the experience of being mastered is love, and we know little about love as God reveals it in His Word. The way we use the word obey is proof of this. In the Bible, obedience is based on a relationship between equals; for example, that of a son with his father. Our Lord was not simply God’s servant— He was His Son. “. . . though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience. . .” (Hebrews 5:8). If we are consciously aware that we are being mastered, that idea itself is proof that we have no master. If that is our attitude toward Jesus, we are far away from having the relationship He wants with us. He wants us in a relationship where He is so easily our Master and Teacher that we have no conscious awareness of it—a relationship where all we know is that we are His to obey.
傳道者的主人
你們稱呼我夫子，稱呼我主，你們說的不錯，我本來是。 （約十三13）
有一位主人與被人驅使，是兩回事。有一位主人，就是有一位元比我更認識我的人；他比朋友更親密；他深入我內心的深處，叫我滿足；他解決我心思裡一切的困惑與疑難，叫我安穩。這就是主人的意思，不折不扣－－只有一位是我們的主人，就是基督。
主從不勉強人順服，也不會設計使我們做他要我做的。有時我寧願神管制我，迫我做某些事，可是他不會這樣；有時我又希望他不要管我，但他也不會這樣。 [你們稱呼我夫子，稱呼我主]－－他果真是麼？夫子和主，在我們的字彙中很少出現；我們喜歡用救主、使人成聖者、醫治者等字眼。唯一可以描寫有一位主人這經歷的字眼，就是愛，而我們對神所啟示的愛，認識又那麼少。這在我們對[順服]一詞的運用上，就可以看出來。在聖經中，順服是根據平等關係而言，就是兒子與父親的關係。我們的主並不是神的僕人，他是神的兒子。 [他雖然為兒子，還是……學了順服。 ]若我們以為是被轄管，這就是我們並未有主人的明證；這種對耶穌的態度，與他所想望的關係相距實在太遠。他要我們與他的關係，應該是自然地以他為主人，只知道我們屬他，聽他的話。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我懷著靈性上極之枯乾和貧乏的感覺，來到你面前；噢，主啊，為著你的名，求你激發我。我不會在你面前悲嘆，卻會被你的靈所充滿。
September 17, 2014
Is There Good in Temptation?
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man . . . —1 Corinthians 10:13
The word temptation has come to mean something bad to us today, but we tend to use the word in the wrong way. Temptation itself is not sin; it is something we are bound to face simply by virtue of being human. Not to be tempted would mean that we were already so shameful that we would be beneath contempt. Yet many of us suffer from temptations we should never have to suffer, simply because we have refused to allow God to lift us to a higher level where we would face temptations of another kind.
A person’s inner nature, what he possesses in the inner, spiritual part of his being, determines what he is tempted by on the outside. The temptation fits the true nature of the person being tempted and reveals the possibilities of his nature. Every person actually determines or sets the level of his own temptation, because temptation will come to him in accordance with the level of his controlling, inner nature.
Temptation comes to me, suggesting a possible shortcut to the realization of my highest goal— it does not direct me toward what I understand to be evil, but toward what I understand to be good. Temptation is something that confuses me for a while, and I don’t know whether something is right or wrong. When I yield to it, I have made lust a god, and the temptation itself becomes the proof that it was only my own fear that prevented me from falling into the sin earlier.
Temptation is not something we can escape; in fact, it is essential to the well-rounded life of a person. Beware of thinking that you are tempted as no one else–what you go through is the common inheritance of the human race, not something that no one has ever before endured. God does not save us from temptations–He sustains us in the midst of them (see Hebrews 2:18 and Hebrews 4:15-16).
試探何益？
你們所遇見的試探，無非是人所能受的。 （林前十13）
[試探]一詞地位日益低落，我們很容易把這詞錯用。試探並非等於罪。凡是人，都會遇到試探。若說不會受試探，實在是自貶身價。不過，許多人所受的試探，本是不該受的。這完全是由於我們不肯讓神領我們到一個更高的境地，去面對另一種試探的緣故。
人內在的性向，就是他人的性格，決定他外在所受的試探。所受的試探是配合受試探者的本質，同時也顯出他的潛能。每一個人都有他獨特受試探的背景，試探也會沿著他主要的性向而來。
試探為人所要實現的最高目標，提供了一條捷徑－－並不是我走向邪惡，乃是朝著我認為善的方向走。試探是一些令我一時感到困惑的東西，因我不知它到底是對還是錯。向試探低頭，就是奉情慾為神；也證明過去不是沒有犯這罪，只是不敢做出來。
試探是無可避免的，對一個人的完整生命是不可或缺的。別以為從沒有人像你一樣，受到這樣的試探；你所經歷的，其實是整個人類共有的經歷，並非前所未有。神不會救我們離開試探，他乃是在試探當中救拔我們（來二18）。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我們對你的認知，被即時的現況所堵塞，產生了窒息的感覺；求你拯救和悅納我們。
The word temptation has come to mean something bad to us today, but we tend to use the word in the wrong way. Temptation itself is not sin; it is something we are bound to face simply by virtue of being human. Not to be tempted would mean that we were already so shameful that we would be beneath contempt. Yet many of us suffer from temptations we should never have to suffer, simply because we have refused to allow God to lift us to a higher level where we would face temptations of another kind.
A person’s inner nature, what he possesses in the inner, spiritual part of his being, determines what he is tempted by on the outside. The temptation fits the true nature of the person being tempted and reveals the possibilities of his nature. Every person actually determines or sets the level of his own temptation, because temptation will come to him in accordance with the level of his controlling, inner nature.
Temptation comes to me, suggesting a possible shortcut to the realization of my highest goal— it does not direct me toward what I understand to be evil, but toward what I understand to be good. Temptation is something that confuses me for a while, and I don’t know whether something is right or wrong. When I yield to it, I have made lust a god, and the temptation itself becomes the proof that it was only my own fear that prevented me from falling into the sin earlier.
Temptation is not something we can escape; in fact, it is essential to the well-rounded life of a person. Beware of thinking that you are tempted as no one else–what you go through is the common inheritance of the human race, not something that no one has ever before endured. God does not save us from temptations–He sustains us in the midst of them (see Hebrews 2:18 and Hebrews 4:15-16).
試探何益？
你們所遇見的試探，無非是人所能受的。 （林前十13）
[試探]一詞地位日益低落，我們很容易把這詞錯用。試探並非等於罪。凡是人，都會遇到試探。若說不會受試探，實在是自貶身價。不過，許多人所受的試探，本是不該受的。這完全是由於我們不肯讓神領我們到一個更高的境地，去面對另一種試探的緣故。
人內在的性向，就是他人的性格，決定他外在所受的試探。所受的試探是配合受試探者的本質，同時也顯出他的潛能。每一個人都有他獨特受試探的背景，試探也會沿著他主要的性向而來。
試探為人所要實現的最高目標，提供了一條捷徑－－並不是我走向邪惡，乃是朝著我認為善的方向走。試探是一些令我一時感到困惑的東西，因我不知它到底是對還是錯。向試探低頭，就是奉情慾為神；也證明過去不是沒有犯這罪，只是不敢做出來。
試探是無可避免的，對一個人的完整生命是不可或缺的。別以為從沒有人像你一樣，受到這樣的試探；你所經歷的，其實是整個人類共有的經歷，並非前所未有。神不會救我們離開試探，他乃是在試探當中救拔我們（來二18）。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我們對你的認知，被即時的現況所堵塞，產生了窒息的感覺；求你拯救和悅納我們。
September 16, 2014
Praying to God in Secret
When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place . . . —Matthew 6:6
The primary thought in the area of religion is— keep your eyes on God, not on people. Your motivation should not be the desire to be known as a praying person. Find an inner room in which to pray where no one even knows you are praying, shut the door, and talk to God in secret. Have no motivation other than to know your Father in heaven. It is impossible to carry on your life as a disciple without definite times of secret prayer.
“When you pray, do not use vain repetitions . . .” (Matthew 6:7). God does not hear us because we pray earnestly— He hears us solely on the basis of redemption. God is never impressed by our earnestness. Prayer is not simply getting things from God— that is only the most elementary kind of prayer. Prayer is coming into perfect fellowship and oneness with God. If the Son of God has been formed in us through regeneration (see Galatians 4:19), then He will continue to press on beyond our common sense and will change our attitude about the things for which we pray.
“Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Matthew 7:8). We pray religious nonsense without even involving our will, and then we say that God did not answer— but in reality we have never asked for anything. Jesus said, “. . . you will ask what you desire. . .” (John 15:7). Asking means that our will must be involved. Whenever Jesus talked about prayer, He spoke with wonderful childlike simplicity. Then we respond with our critical attitude, saying, “Yes, but even Jesus said that we must ask.” But remember that we have to ask things of God that are in keeping with the God whom Jesus Christ revealed.
宗教神聖的領域
你禱告的時候，要進你的內屋，關上門，禱告你在暗中的父。 （太六6）
在宗信信仰中，最主要的觀念就是仰望神，不仰望人。切不可有這個動機：希望人家知道你時刻禱告。要進入內室，在沒有人知道你在禱告的地方，關上門，暗中與神交談。禱告唯一的動機，就是認識你在天上的父。若要過門徒的生活，就要按時在暗中禱告，此外別無他途。
[你們禱告，不可……用許多重複話。 ]（第7節）神聽我們禱告，並不是因為我們懇切；他並不受我們的迫切誠心打動，他聽我們只因他的救贖。禱告並非單單向神求東西，那隻是最原始的起點。禱告是與神完全的合一。神的兒子若藉重生成形在我們裡面，他必然會超越我們的常理觀念，改變我們對所求事物的態度。
[凡祈求的，就得著。 ]我們禱告時往往用敬虔的術語，可是我們的意志並不在裡面，然後我們又怨神不垂聽；其實我們根本就沒有求什麼。耶穌說：[你們要什麼，可以求。 ]求的意思就是我們的意志也在裡面。耶穌把小孩子的至純與禱告相提並論；但我們卻發出批判：[好是好的，可是……]。耶穌說：[求吧。 ]但得記著我們所求於神的必須與主耶穌所彰顯神的心意相符。
祈禱◆主啊，今早的[每日亮光]發出何其有力的說話：[要剛強和具有勇氣；不要恐懼，也不要喪膽；因為無論你往哪裡去，主你的神都會與你在一起。 ]阿們！哈利路亞！
The primary thought in the area of religion is— keep your eyes on God, not on people. Your motivation should not be the desire to be known as a praying person. Find an inner room in which to pray where no one even knows you are praying, shut the door, and talk to God in secret. Have no motivation other than to know your Father in heaven. It is impossible to carry on your life as a disciple without definite times of secret prayer.
“When you pray, do not use vain repetitions . . .” (Matthew 6:7). God does not hear us because we pray earnestly— He hears us solely on the basis of redemption. God is never impressed by our earnestness. Prayer is not simply getting things from God— that is only the most elementary kind of prayer. Prayer is coming into perfect fellowship and oneness with God. If the Son of God has been formed in us through regeneration (see Galatians 4:19), then He will continue to press on beyond our common sense and will change our attitude about the things for which we pray.
“Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Matthew 7:8). We pray religious nonsense without even involving our will, and then we say that God did not answer— but in reality we have never asked for anything. Jesus said, “. . . you will ask what you desire. . .” (John 15:7). Asking means that our will must be involved. Whenever Jesus talked about prayer, He spoke with wonderful childlike simplicity. Then we respond with our critical attitude, saying, “Yes, but even Jesus said that we must ask.” But remember that we have to ask things of God that are in keeping with the God whom Jesus Christ revealed.
宗教神聖的領域
你禱告的時候，要進你的內屋，關上門，禱告你在暗中的父。 （太六6）
在宗信信仰中，最主要的觀念就是仰望神，不仰望人。切不可有這個動機：希望人家知道你時刻禱告。要進入內室，在沒有人知道你在禱告的地方，關上門，暗中與神交談。禱告唯一的動機，就是認識你在天上的父。若要過門徒的生活，就要按時在暗中禱告，此外別無他途。
[你們禱告，不可……用許多重複話。 ]（第7節）神聽我們禱告，並不是因為我們懇切；他並不受我們的迫切誠心打動，他聽我們只因他的救贖。禱告並非單單向神求東西，那隻是最原始的起點。禱告是與神完全的合一。神的兒子若藉重生成形在我們裡面，他必然會超越我們的常理觀念，改變我們對所求事物的態度。
[凡祈求的，就得著。 ]我們禱告時往往用敬虔的術語，可是我們的意志並不在裡面，然後我們又怨神不垂聽；其實我們根本就沒有求什麼。耶穌說：[你們要什麼，可以求。 ]求的意思就是我們的意志也在裡面。耶穌把小孩子的至純與禱告相提並論；但我們卻發出批判：[好是好的，可是……]。耶穌說：[求吧。 ]但得記著我們所求於神的必須與主耶穌所彰顯神的心意相符。
祈禱◆主啊，今早的[每日亮光]發出何其有力的說話：[要剛強和具有勇氣；不要恐懼，也不要喪膽；因為無論你往哪裡去，主你的神都會與你在一起。 ]阿們！哈利路亞！
September 15, 2014
What To Renounce
We have renounced the hidden things of shame . . . —2 Corinthians 4:2
Have you “renounced the hidden things of shame” in your life—the things that your sense of honor or pride will not allow to come into the light? You can easily hide them. Is there a thought in your heart about anyone that you would not like to be brought into the light? Then renounce it as soon as it comes to mind—renounce everything in its entirety until there is no hidden dishonesty or craftiness about you at all. Envy, jealousy, and strife don’t necessarily arise from your old nature of sin, but from the flesh which was used for these kinds of things in the past (see Romans 6:19 and 1 Peter 4:1-3). You must maintain continual watchfulness so that nothing arises in your life that would cause you shame.
“. . . not walking in craftiness. . .” (2 Corinthians 4:2). This means not resorting to something simply to make your own point. This is a terrible trap. You know that God will allow you to work in only one way—the way of truth. Then be careful never to catch people through the other way—the way of deceit. If you act deceitfully, God’s blight and ruin will be upon you. What may be craftiness for you, may not be for others—God has called you to a higher standard. Never dull your sense of being your utmost for His highest—your best for His glory. For you, doing certain things would mean craftiness coming into your life for a purpose other than what is the highest and best, and it would dull the motivation that God has given you. Many people have turned back because they are afraid to look at things from God’s perspective. The greatest spiritual crisis comes when a person has to move a little farther on in his faith than the beliefs he has already accepted
棄絕什麼？
將那些暗昧可恥的事棄絕了。 （林後四2）
你有沒有將暗昧可恥的事棄絕？ －－那些你廉恥之心不想敞露的東西。要遮掩這些事並不難。你心中是否有一些念頭，是不想放在光中的？當這些念頭一出現，就要立刻棄絕，完全的棄絕，直至沒有絲毫可恥詭詐在你裡面隱藏。嫉忌、貪戀、爭競－－未必是出於罪根性，而是因為你在過去的日子中，肢體慣於和這種事（參羅六19，彼前四1-2）。要不住的警醒，使生命沒有絲毫可恥的東西生長。
[不行詭詐]，詭詐就是運用手段以求達到目的。這是個極大的網羅。若你知道神只容許你以某一方法行事，那麼，就不可用別的方法。不然，神的責難必然臨到。人家做的事，在你看來是行詭詐，但在他們可能並非詭詐，因為神給你另一個觀點。切勿削弱竭誠為主的敏銳性觸覺。你所作的某件事，可能叫你離開神的旨意去追求別的目標：若是這樣，詭詐就隨之而生，而你對神也變得遲鈍。許多人退後，是由於不敢從神的觀點看事物。一個人若要越過自己已接納的信念，在屬靈上就有大危機。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，求你護衛我生命的中心免受腐蝕；願你隱密地保守我，使我與你有著滿意的關係，以致我能彰顯你的榮耀。
Have you “renounced the hidden things of shame” in your life—the things that your sense of honor or pride will not allow to come into the light? You can easily hide them. Is there a thought in your heart about anyone that you would not like to be brought into the light? Then renounce it as soon as it comes to mind—renounce everything in its entirety until there is no hidden dishonesty or craftiness about you at all. Envy, jealousy, and strife don’t necessarily arise from your old nature of sin, but from the flesh which was used for these kinds of things in the past (see Romans 6:19 and 1 Peter 4:1-3). You must maintain continual watchfulness so that nothing arises in your life that would cause you shame.
“. . . not walking in craftiness. . .” (2 Corinthians 4:2). This means not resorting to something simply to make your own point. This is a terrible trap. You know that God will allow you to work in only one way—the way of truth. Then be careful never to catch people through the other way—the way of deceit. If you act deceitfully, God’s blight and ruin will be upon you. What may be craftiness for you, may not be for others—God has called you to a higher standard. Never dull your sense of being your utmost for His highest—your best for His glory. For you, doing certain things would mean craftiness coming into your life for a purpose other than what is the highest and best, and it would dull the motivation that God has given you. Many people have turned back because they are afraid to look at things from God’s perspective. The greatest spiritual crisis comes when a person has to move a little farther on in his faith than the beliefs he has already accepted
棄絕什麼？
將那些暗昧可恥的事棄絕了。 （林後四2）
你有沒有將暗昧可恥的事棄絕？ －－那些你廉恥之心不想敞露的東西。要遮掩這些事並不難。你心中是否有一些念頭，是不想放在光中的？當這些念頭一出現，就要立刻棄絕，完全的棄絕，直至沒有絲毫可恥詭詐在你裡面隱藏。嫉忌、貪戀、爭競－－未必是出於罪根性，而是因為你在過去的日子中，肢體慣於和這種事（參羅六19，彼前四1-2）。要不住的警醒，使生命沒有絲毫可恥的東西生長。
[不行詭詐]，詭詐就是運用手段以求達到目的。這是個極大的網羅。若你知道神只容許你以某一方法行事，那麼，就不可用別的方法。不然，神的責難必然臨到。人家做的事，在你看來是行詭詐，但在他們可能並非詭詐，因為神給你另一個觀點。切勿削弱竭誠為主的敏銳性觸覺。你所作的某件事，可能叫你離開神的旨意去追求別的目標：若是這樣，詭詐就隨之而生，而你對神也變得遲鈍。許多人退後，是由於不敢從神的觀點看事物。一個人若要越過自己已接納的信念，在屬靈上就有大危機。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，求你護衛我生命的中心免受腐蝕；願你隱密地保守我，使我與你有著滿意的關係，以致我能彰顯你的榮耀。
September 13, 2014
After Surrender— Then What?
I have finished the work which You have given Me to do —John 17:4
True surrender is not simply surrender of our external life but surrender of our will— and once that is done, surrender is complete. The greatest crisis we ever face is the surrender of our will. Yet God never forces a person’s will into surrender, and He never begs. He patiently waits until that person willingly yields to Him. And once that battle has been fought, it never needs to be fought again.
Surrender for Deliverance. “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). It is only after we have begun to experience what salvation really means that we surrender our will to Jesus for rest. Whatever is causing us a sense of uncertainty is actually a call to our will— “Come to Me.” And it is a voluntary coming.
Surrender for Devotion. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . . ” (Matthew 16:24). The surrender here is of my self to Jesus, with His rest at the heart of my being. He says, “If you want to be My disciple, you must give up your right to yourself to Me.” And once this is done, the remainder of your life will exhibit nothing but the evidence of this surrender, and you never need to be concerned again with what the future may hold for you. Whatever your circumstances may be, Jesus is totally sufficient (see 2 Corinthians 12:9 and Philippians 4:19).
Surrender for Death. “. . . another will gird you . . .” (John 21:18 ; also see John 21:19). Have you learned what it means to be girded for death? Beware of some surrender that you make to God in an ecstatic moment in your life, because you are apt to take it back again. True surrender is a matter of being “united together [with Jesus] in the likeness of His death” (Romans 6:5) until nothing ever appeals to you that did not appeal to Him.
And after you surrender— then what? Your entire life should be characterized by an eagerness to maintain unbroken fellowship and oneness with God.
順服之後又怎樣？
你所託付我的事，我已成全了。 （約十七4）
順服不在於外在生活的順服，而在於意志的順服，這點一旦達到，一切問題都解決了。在人一生中，要面臨的決定性時刻並不多；其中最決定性的時刻，就是意志的順服。神從來不強逼人順服他，也不會苦苦哀求人順服，他是等候人甘心情願把意志降服。這場仗是一次過的，打完就不必再打。
得釋放的順服。 [到我這裡來，我就使你得安息。 ] 只有再我們明白了救恩得意義後，才會把意志降服主，得著安息。任何叫人心思困惑的事，都是對意志的呼喚－－[到我這裡來。 ] 這是出於自願的行動。
獻身的順服。 [若有人要跟從我，就當捨己。 ] 這裡的降服，是指把己交給耶穌，成為一個有他安息的己。 [你若願作我得門徒，就把你自己的主權交給我。 ]這樣，你餘下的人生，就是這個降服的彰顯。一旦這樣降服了，就不再有什麼[假如]。我們不比再理會環境，因為耶穌就是一切。
至死的順服（約二十一18-19）。 [……別人要把你束上……] 你懂不懂什麼叫做視死如歸？當心在狂喜中對神許下順服的願；你很容易會收回的。要緊的是你與耶穌在他的死上聯合，直至他不感興趣的東西，你也一點不再感興趣。
順服之後又怎樣？順服之後的整個生命，就是渴求與神親密無間的契合。
祈禱◆主啊，我懇求能夠看見你。我一直被外院的生活所佔據，遠離了你；求你寬恕我，吸引我靠近你，以致我能再次與你共用罕有的相交。
True surrender is not simply surrender of our external life but surrender of our will— and once that is done, surrender is complete. The greatest crisis we ever face is the surrender of our will. Yet God never forces a person’s will into surrender, and He never begs. He patiently waits until that person willingly yields to Him. And once that battle has been fought, it never needs to be fought again.
Surrender for Deliverance. “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). It is only after we have begun to experience what salvation really means that we surrender our will to Jesus for rest. Whatever is causing us a sense of uncertainty is actually a call to our will— “Come to Me.” And it is a voluntary coming.
Surrender for Devotion. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . . ” (Matthew 16:24). The surrender here is of my self to Jesus, with His rest at the heart of my being. He says, “If you want to be My disciple, you must give up your right to yourself to Me.” And once this is done, the remainder of your life will exhibit nothing but the evidence of this surrender, and you never need to be concerned again with what the future may hold for you. Whatever your circumstances may be, Jesus is totally sufficient (see 2 Corinthians 12:9 and Philippians 4:19).
Surrender for Death. “. . . another will gird you . . .” (John 21:18 ; also see John 21:19). Have you learned what it means to be girded for death? Beware of some surrender that you make to God in an ecstatic moment in your life, because you are apt to take it back again. True surrender is a matter of being “united together [with Jesus] in the likeness of His death” (Romans 6:5) until nothing ever appeals to you that did not appeal to Him.
And after you surrender— then what? Your entire life should be characterized by an eagerness to maintain unbroken fellowship and oneness with God.
順服之後又怎樣？
你所託付我的事，我已成全了。 （約十七4）
順服不在於外在生活的順服，而在於意志的順服，這點一旦達到，一切問題都解決了。在人一生中，要面臨的決定性時刻並不多；其中最決定性的時刻，就是意志的順服。神從來不強逼人順服他，也不會苦苦哀求人順服，他是等候人甘心情願把意志降服。這場仗是一次過的，打完就不必再打。
得釋放的順服。 [到我這裡來，我就使你得安息。 ] 只有再我們明白了救恩得意義後，才會把意志降服主，得著安息。任何叫人心思困惑的事，都是對意志的呼喚－－[到我這裡來。 ] 這是出於自願的行動。
獻身的順服。 [若有人要跟從我，就當捨己。 ] 這裡的降服，是指把己交給耶穌，成為一個有他安息的己。 [你若願作我得門徒，就把你自己的主權交給我。 ]這樣，你餘下的人生，就是這個降服的彰顯。一旦這樣降服了，就不再有什麼[假如]。我們不比再理會環境，因為耶穌就是一切。
至死的順服（約二十一18-19）。 [……別人要把你束上……] 你懂不懂什麼叫做視死如歸？當心在狂喜中對神許下順服的願；你很容易會收回的。要緊的是你與耶穌在他的死上聯合，直至他不感興趣的東西，你也一點不再感興趣。
順服之後又怎樣？順服之後的整個生命，就是渴求與神親密無間的契合。
祈禱◆主啊，我懇求能夠看見你。我一直被外院的生活所佔據，遠離了你；求你寬恕我，吸引我靠近你，以致我能再次與你共用罕有的相交。
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