From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more —John 6:66
When God, by His Spirit through His Word, gives you a clear vision of His will, you must “walk in the light” of that vision (1 John 1:7). Even though your mind and soul may be thrilled by it, if you don’t “walk in the light” of it you will sink to a level of bondage never envisioned by our Lord. Mentally disobeying the “heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) will make you a slave to ideas and views that are completely foreign to Jesus Christ. Don’t look at someone else and say, “Well, if he can have those views and prosper, why can’t I?” You have to “walk in the light” of the vision that has been given to you. Don’t compare yourself with others or judge them— that is between God and them. When you find that one of your favorite and strongly held views clashes with the “heavenly vision,” do not begin to debate it. If you do, a sense of property and personal right will emerge in you— things on which Jesus placed no value. He was against these things as being the root of everything foreign to Himself— “. . . for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). If we don’t see and understand this, it is because we are ignoring the underlying principles of our Lord’s teaching.
Our tendency is to lie back and bask in the memory of the wonderful experience we had when God revealed His will to us. But if a New Testament standard is revealed to us by the light of God, and we don’t try to measure up, or even feel inclined to do so, then we begin to backslide. It means your conscience does not respond to the truth. You can never be the same after the unveiling of a truth. That moment marks you as one who either continues on with even more devotion as a disciple of Jesus Christ, or as one who turns to go back as a deserter.
逃兵還是門徒？
從此他門徒中多有退去的，不再和他同行。 （約六66）
神藉聖靈透過他的話語，現實他的心意，使你心靈興奮萬分；但你若不行在這異象的光中，就沉淪在努力的狀態中，受制於一種不屬於主的觀點。你若心裡不服從天上來的異象，就必服役於主耶穌以外的觀點。不要指著別人說：[看哪，他持那些觀點，仍然順利亨通，我為什麼不可以？ ]你要行在異象的光中，不要與人比較，或判斷別人，那是他與神之間的事。你若發現自己所喜悅的觀點，與天上來的異象相違，你為此爭辯，漸漸裡面就會產生一種擁有感和個人權利感，這些都是主耶穌所棄絕的。他反對這些，因為這一切是叫人離開神的根源。 [人的生命不在乎家道豐富。 ]我們不體會這一點，是因為我們漠視主基本的教訓。
我們很容易回想過往美妙的經歷。可是，神的光若向你顯示一個標準，而你未能達到，或不想達到，那你就開始退後了，因為這表示你的良心對真理並未作出回應。真理一旦開啟，便再也無法依然故我。那一刻就決定你是向前做主的真門徒，還是退後做逃兵。
祈禱◆主啊，願我們四周的每一寸空間，今天都被你所充滿。願你引導的手，適當而奇妙地掌管一切；願你將我們舉起，進入你奇妙的計劃中，並且使我們不至衝動鹵莽。
Showing posts with label Obedience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obedience. Show all posts
December 29, 2014
December 28, 2014
Continuous Conversion
. . . unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven —Matthew 18:3
These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.
To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.
不斷迴轉
你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式……（太十八3）
這話不但在我們初信之時十分真確，就是在我們生命的每一天，也要迴轉，向神作小孩子。我們若信賴自己的頭腦過於神，他就要我們負責後果。我們的身體既在神安排下進入新的境況，就要讓天然生命順服聖靈的指揮。一次成功，並不等於第二次也可以成功。肉體生命與屬靈生命的關係，是不斷的迴轉，這是我們本性所不願的。不管在什麼環境下，神的靈始終不變，神的救恩也不變，但我們要[穿上新人]。我們每次不肯迴轉，神都要我們自己負責，因為我們的拒絕，是出於故意的頑梗。我們不要被肉體的生命管轄，必須讓神掌管。
屬靈生命的阻礙，是不肯經常迴轉悔改，我們用許多頑梗的藉口，在神的寶座前自傲地說：[我不肯。 ]我們尊崇獨立固執，給它們錯誤的稱號。神看作頑梗的軟弱，我們卻稱之為力量。我們生命中還有許多地方未受管治的，這只有靠經常迴轉才可以達成。逐漸地，我們必然被聖靈收復所有失地。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我能被你帶進你與我同在的境地，從你的立場觀看事情。今天早上，我要向你的百姓說話，噢，主啊，以你恩慈的靈重新膏立我。
These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.
To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.
不斷迴轉
你們若不迴轉，變成小孩子的樣式……（太十八3）
這話不但在我們初信之時十分真確，就是在我們生命的每一天，也要迴轉，向神作小孩子。我們若信賴自己的頭腦過於神，他就要我們負責後果。我們的身體既在神安排下進入新的境況，就要讓天然生命順服聖靈的指揮。一次成功，並不等於第二次也可以成功。肉體生命與屬靈生命的關係，是不斷的迴轉，這是我們本性所不願的。不管在什麼環境下，神的靈始終不變，神的救恩也不變，但我們要[穿上新人]。我們每次不肯迴轉，神都要我們自己負責，因為我們的拒絕，是出於故意的頑梗。我們不要被肉體的生命管轄，必須讓神掌管。
屬靈生命的阻礙，是不肯經常迴轉悔改，我們用許多頑梗的藉口，在神的寶座前自傲地說：[我不肯。 ]我們尊崇獨立固執，給它們錯誤的稱號。神看作頑梗的軟弱，我們卻稱之為力量。我們生命中還有許多地方未受管治的，這只有靠經常迴轉才可以達成。逐漸地，我們必然被聖靈收復所有失地。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我能被你帶進你與我同在的境地，從你的立場觀看事情。今天早上，我要向你的百姓說話，噢，主啊，以你恩慈的靈重新膏立我。
December 14, 2014
The Great Life
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled . . . —John 14:27
Whenever we experience something difficult in our personal life, we are tempted to blame God. But we are the ones in the wrong, not God. Blaming God is evidence that we are refusing to let go of some disobedience somewhere in our lives. But as soon as we let go, everything becomes as clear as daylight to us. As long as we try to serve two masters, ourselves and God, there will be difficulties combined with doubt and confusion. Our attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. Once we get to that point, there is nothing easier than living the life of a saint. We encounter difficulties when we try to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own purposes.
God’s mark of approval, whenever you obey Him, is peace. He sends an immeasurable, deep peace; not a natural peace, “as the world gives,” but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, wait until it does, or seek to find out why it is not coming. If you are acting on your own impulse, or out of a sense of the heroic, to be seen by others, the peace of Jesus will not exhibit itself. This shows no unity with God or confidence in Him. The spirit of simplicity, clarity, and unity is born through the Holy Spirit, not through your decisions. God counters our self-willed decisions with an appeal for simplicity and unity.
My questions arise whenever I cease to obey. When I do obey God, problems come, not between me and God, but as a means to keep my mind examining with amazement the revealed truth of God. But any problem that comes between God and myself is the result of disobedience. Any problem that comes while I obey God (and there will be many), increases my overjoyed delight, because I know that my Father knows and cares, and I can watch and anticipate how He will unravel my problems.
偉大的生命
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們……你們心裡不要憂愁……（約十四27）
個人經歷若有什麼難過的事，我們很容易會怪責神；但出錯的實在不是神，而是我們。我們必定有什麼執著不肯放手，一旦肯放手，一切就必晴朗如白晝。若我們要同時事奉神，又事奉自己，就必產生困惑。我們必須對神抱完全信賴的態度，這樣，過成聖生活就輕而易舉了。有難處是因我們侵奪聖靈的主權，欲達成自己的目的。
你什麼時候順服神，他的印證就是平安。那無比的平安，不是天然的，乃是主耶穌的平安。若平安不來，就要等候直至得著，或找出沒有平安的因由。若你行事是出於衝動，或英雄氣概，主的平安就不會印證；因為其中沒有對神的單純與信心。單純的靈是從聖靈而生的，不是出於你的決定，每一個決定，都帶來反作用，以致失掉單純。
我一不順服，問題就來了。我若順服，問題就不會出於我與神之間，而只會挑旺我的心，叫我稀奇神啟示的奇妙。神與我之間任何的問題，都是出於順服。反之，若許多的問題在我順服神的當兒出現，只會增加我驚喜的欣愉，因為天父是明察的，我將可細察他怎樣解決這些問題。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我投向你。我原本是一個無家可歸的人，直至你以你平安的穩妥、你慈愛的甜蜜感覺感動我，我的生命才產生改變。
Whenever we experience something difficult in our personal life, we are tempted to blame God. But we are the ones in the wrong, not God. Blaming God is evidence that we are refusing to let go of some disobedience somewhere in our lives. But as soon as we let go, everything becomes as clear as daylight to us. As long as we try to serve two masters, ourselves and God, there will be difficulties combined with doubt and confusion. Our attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. Once we get to that point, there is nothing easier than living the life of a saint. We encounter difficulties when we try to usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own purposes.
God’s mark of approval, whenever you obey Him, is peace. He sends an immeasurable, deep peace; not a natural peace, “as the world gives,” but the peace of Jesus. Whenever peace does not come, wait until it does, or seek to find out why it is not coming. If you are acting on your own impulse, or out of a sense of the heroic, to be seen by others, the peace of Jesus will not exhibit itself. This shows no unity with God or confidence in Him. The spirit of simplicity, clarity, and unity is born through the Holy Spirit, not through your decisions. God counters our self-willed decisions with an appeal for simplicity and unity.
My questions arise whenever I cease to obey. When I do obey God, problems come, not between me and God, but as a means to keep my mind examining with amazement the revealed truth of God. But any problem that comes between God and myself is the result of disobedience. Any problem that comes while I obey God (and there will be many), increases my overjoyed delight, because I know that my Father knows and cares, and I can watch and anticipate how He will unravel my problems.
偉大的生命
我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們……你們心裡不要憂愁……（約十四27）
個人經歷若有什麼難過的事，我們很容易會怪責神；但出錯的實在不是神，而是我們。我們必定有什麼執著不肯放手，一旦肯放手，一切就必晴朗如白晝。若我們要同時事奉神，又事奉自己，就必產生困惑。我們必須對神抱完全信賴的態度，這樣，過成聖生活就輕而易舉了。有難處是因我們侵奪聖靈的主權，欲達成自己的目的。
你什麼時候順服神，他的印證就是平安。那無比的平安，不是天然的，乃是主耶穌的平安。若平安不來，就要等候直至得著，或找出沒有平安的因由。若你行事是出於衝動，或英雄氣概，主的平安就不會印證；因為其中沒有對神的單純與信心。單純的靈是從聖靈而生的，不是出於你的決定，每一個決定，都帶來反作用，以致失掉單純。
我一不順服，問題就來了。我若順服，問題就不會出於我與神之間，而只會挑旺我的心，叫我稀奇神啟示的奇妙。神與我之間任何的問題，都是出於順服。反之，若許多的問題在我順服神的當兒出現，只會增加我驚喜的欣愉，因為天父是明察的，我將可細察他怎樣解決這些問題。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我投向你。我原本是一個無家可歸的人，直至你以你平安的穩妥、你慈愛的甜蜜感覺感動我，我的生命才產生改變。
November 18, 2014
Winning into Freedom
If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed —John 8:36
If there is even a trace of individual self-satisfaction left in us, it always says, “I can’t surrender,” or “I can’t be free.” But the spiritual part of our being never says “I can’t”; it simply soaks up everything around it. Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin— we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience.
God pays no attention to our natural individuality in the development of our spiritual life. His plan runs right through our natural life. We must see to it that we aid and assist God, and not stand against Him by saying, “I can’t do that.” God will not discipline us; we must discipline ourselves. God will not bring our “arguments . . . and every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)— we have to do it. Don’t say, “Oh, Lord, I suffer from wandering thoughts.” Don’t suffer from wandering thoughts. Stop listening to the tyranny of your individual natural life and win freedom into the spiritual life.
“If the Son makes you free . . . .” Do not substitute Savior for Son in this passage. The Savior has set us free from sin, but this is the freedom that comes from being set free from myself by the Son. It is what Paul meant in Galatians 2:20 when he said, “I have been crucified with Christ . . . .” His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his Lord; not just merged into Him, but made one with Him. “. . . you shall be free indeed”— free to the very core of your being; free from the inside to the outside. We tend to rely on our own energy, instead of being energized by the power that comes from identification with Jesus.
邁進自由
天父的兒子若叫你們自由，你們就真自由了。 （約八36）
人若還存在留任何的自負，總是說：[我辦不到。 ]但[人格]永不說[辦不到]，它會不斷吸取。 [人格]總是渴求得到更多，因為我們是被造成這樣的。我們被造，對神有極大的渴求；阻隔我們近神的，是罪和我們的[個性]。神救我們脫離罪；我們卻要救自己脫離個性，就是要天然的生命作活祭獻給神，直至因順服而改變成屬靈的生命。
在屬靈生命的過程中，神不會理會我們天然的個性，他的命令會直闖我們天然的生命。我們要協助神，而不要阻擋他說：[我辦不到。 ]神不會操練我們，我們要操練自己。神不會管制我們每一個念頭與幻想，這工作我們要自己做。不要說：[主啊，我思想時常浮游，好苦！ ]那就不要再浮游，不要再受個性的操縱，乃要釋放出來，活出真正的個性。
[天父的兒子若叫你們自由……]不要用[救主]代替[兒子]，救主救我們離罪；這個自由卻是從[兒子]而來的。保羅在加拉太書二章20節正是這意思：[我已經與基督同釘十字架]，他天然的[個性]已破碎了，他的人格與主合一，不是混合，乃是合一。 [你們就真自由了]，自由的本質是內裡的自由。我們堅持的是主動，而不是被動的推向與主耶穌認同。
祈禱◆主啊，我何等需要你和渴慕你。求你完完全全地回到我裡面，將你的生命注滿我們的意念和心靈，直至滿溢，願榮耀歸於你的名。
If there is even a trace of individual self-satisfaction left in us, it always says, “I can’t surrender,” or “I can’t be free.” But the spiritual part of our being never says “I can’t”; it simply soaks up everything around it. Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin— we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience.
God pays no attention to our natural individuality in the development of our spiritual life. His plan runs right through our natural life. We must see to it that we aid and assist God, and not stand against Him by saying, “I can’t do that.” God will not discipline us; we must discipline ourselves. God will not bring our “arguments . . . and every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)— we have to do it. Don’t say, “Oh, Lord, I suffer from wandering thoughts.” Don’t suffer from wandering thoughts. Stop listening to the tyranny of your individual natural life and win freedom into the spiritual life.
“If the Son makes you free . . . .” Do not substitute Savior for Son in this passage. The Savior has set us free from sin, but this is the freedom that comes from being set free from myself by the Son. It is what Paul meant in Galatians 2:20 when he said, “I have been crucified with Christ . . . .” His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his Lord; not just merged into Him, but made one with Him. “. . . you shall be free indeed”— free to the very core of your being; free from the inside to the outside. We tend to rely on our own energy, instead of being energized by the power that comes from identification with Jesus.
邁進自由
天父的兒子若叫你們自由，你們就真自由了。 （約八36）
人若還存在留任何的自負，總是說：[我辦不到。 ]但[人格]永不說[辦不到]，它會不斷吸取。 [人格]總是渴求得到更多，因為我們是被造成這樣的。我們被造，對神有極大的渴求；阻隔我們近神的，是罪和我們的[個性]。神救我們脫離罪；我們卻要救自己脫離個性，就是要天然的生命作活祭獻給神，直至因順服而改變成屬靈的生命。
在屬靈生命的過程中，神不會理會我們天然的個性，他的命令會直闖我們天然的生命。我們要協助神，而不要阻擋他說：[我辦不到。 ]神不會操練我們，我們要操練自己。神不會管制我們每一個念頭與幻想，這工作我們要自己做。不要說：[主啊，我思想時常浮游，好苦！ ]那就不要再浮游，不要再受個性的操縱，乃要釋放出來，活出真正的個性。
[天父的兒子若叫你們自由……]不要用[救主]代替[兒子]，救主救我們離罪；這個自由卻是從[兒子]而來的。保羅在加拉太書二章20節正是這意思：[我已經與基督同釘十字架]，他天然的[個性]已破碎了，他的人格與主合一，不是混合，乃是合一。 [你們就真自由了]，自由的本質是內裡的自由。我們堅持的是主動，而不是被動的推向與主耶穌認同。
祈禱◆主啊，我何等需要你和渴慕你。求你完完全全地回到我裡面，將你的生命注滿我們的意念和心靈，直至滿溢，願榮耀歸於你的名。
November 17, 2014
The Eternal Goal
By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing . . . I will bless you . . . —Genesis 22:16-17
Abraham, at this point, has reached where he is in touch with the very nature of God. He now understands the reality of God.
My goal is God Himself . . .
At any cost, dear Lord, by any road.
“At any cost . . . by any road” means submitting to God’s way of bringing us to the goal.
There is no possibility of questioning God when He speaks, if He speaks to His own nature in me. Prompt obedience is the only result. When Jesus says, “Come,” I simply come; when He says, “Let go,” I let go; when He says, “Trust God in this matter,” I trust. This work of obedience is the evidence that the nature of God is in me.
God’s revelation of Himself to me is influenced by my character, not by God’s character.
’Tis because I am ordinary,
Thy ways so often look ordinary to me.
It is through the discipline of obedience that I get to the place where Abraham was and I see who God is. God will never be real to me until I come face to face with Him in Jesus Christ. Then I will know and can boldly proclaim, “In all the world, my God, there is none but Thee, there is none but Thee.”
The promises of God are of no value to us until, through obedience, we come to understand the nature of God. We may read some things in the Bible every day for a year and they may mean nothing to us. Then, because we have been obedient to God in some small detail, we suddenly see what God means and His nature is instantly opened up to us. “All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen . . .” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Our “Yes” must be born of obedience; when by obedience we ratify a promise of God by saying, “Amen,” or, “So be it.” That promise becomes ours.
永恆的目標
你既行了這事……我便指著自己起誓說，論福，我必賜大福給你……。 （創二十二15-19）
亞伯拉罕接觸到神的本性，他如今明白神的真實。 [神自己，是我的目標，不論代價，親愛的主，不論何方。 ]
不論代價，不論何方，就是自己沒有任何可選擇的，只求神帶領到達目標。若神對我裡面的性情說話，我根本不會質疑發問，只會馬上順服。耶穌說：[來]，我就來；他說：[放手]，我就放手；他說：[這事要信靠神]，我就信靠。整個過程證明了神的性情在我裡面。
神對我啟示他自己，決定於我的品性，而不在於神的品性。 [由於我是卑賤的，以致你的道路，在我看來也往往是卑賤的。 ]在順服的操練下，我來到亞伯拉罕曾到之處，認識神是誰。我沒有在主耶穌裡與神面對面以前，沒有遇到一位真的神，但如今我知道[在整個世界中，除你以外，我再沒有誰]。
神的應許對我們毫無價值，除非我們藉順服明白神的本性。聖經的話可以念過三百六十五次，而仍對我們毫無意義。但突然我們卻看出神的意思，因為在某些事上我們順服神，他的性情立刻向我們開敞了。 [神的應許不論有多少，在基督都是是的，所以藉著他也是實在的。 ]這個[是的]，必須從順服中出來；我們若藉著生命中的順服對應許說[阿們]，那應許就屬於我們。
祈禱◆主啊，求你喚醒我，以致我那必死的身體，能真正成為一個順服聖靈的僕人。
Abraham, at this point, has reached where he is in touch with the very nature of God. He now understands the reality of God.
My goal is God Himself . . .
At any cost, dear Lord, by any road.
“At any cost . . . by any road” means submitting to God’s way of bringing us to the goal.
There is no possibility of questioning God when He speaks, if He speaks to His own nature in me. Prompt obedience is the only result. When Jesus says, “Come,” I simply come; when He says, “Let go,” I let go; when He says, “Trust God in this matter,” I trust. This work of obedience is the evidence that the nature of God is in me.
God’s revelation of Himself to me is influenced by my character, not by God’s character.
’Tis because I am ordinary,
Thy ways so often look ordinary to me.
It is through the discipline of obedience that I get to the place where Abraham was and I see who God is. God will never be real to me until I come face to face with Him in Jesus Christ. Then I will know and can boldly proclaim, “In all the world, my God, there is none but Thee, there is none but Thee.”
The promises of God are of no value to us until, through obedience, we come to understand the nature of God. We may read some things in the Bible every day for a year and they may mean nothing to us. Then, because we have been obedient to God in some small detail, we suddenly see what God means and His nature is instantly opened up to us. “All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen . . .” (2 Corinthians 1:20). Our “Yes” must be born of obedience; when by obedience we ratify a promise of God by saying, “Amen,” or, “So be it.” That promise becomes ours.
永恆的目標
你既行了這事……我便指著自己起誓說，論福，我必賜大福給你……。 （創二十二15-19）
亞伯拉罕接觸到神的本性，他如今明白神的真實。 [神自己，是我的目標，不論代價，親愛的主，不論何方。 ]
不論代價，不論何方，就是自己沒有任何可選擇的，只求神帶領到達目標。若神對我裡面的性情說話，我根本不會質疑發問，只會馬上順服。耶穌說：[來]，我就來；他說：[放手]，我就放手；他說：[這事要信靠神]，我就信靠。整個過程證明了神的性情在我裡面。
神對我啟示他自己，決定於我的品性，而不在於神的品性。 [由於我是卑賤的，以致你的道路，在我看來也往往是卑賤的。 ]在順服的操練下，我來到亞伯拉罕曾到之處，認識神是誰。我沒有在主耶穌裡與神面對面以前，沒有遇到一位真的神，但如今我知道[在整個世界中，除你以外，我再沒有誰]。
神的應許對我們毫無價值，除非我們藉順服明白神的本性。聖經的話可以念過三百六十五次，而仍對我們毫無意義。但突然我們卻看出神的意思，因為在某些事上我們順服神，他的性情立刻向我們開敞了。 [神的應許不論有多少，在基督都是是的，所以藉著他也是實在的。 ]這個[是的]，必須從順服中出來；我們若藉著生命中的順服對應許說[阿們]，那應許就屬於我們。
祈禱◆主啊，求你喚醒我，以致我那必死的身體，能真正成為一個順服聖靈的僕人。
November 11, 2014
The Supreme Climb
He said, ’Take now your son . . .’ —Genesis 22:2
God’s command is, “Take now,” not later. It is incredible how we debate! We know something is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it immediately. If we are to climb to the height God reveals, it can never be done later— it must be done now. And the sacrifice must be worked through our will before we actually perform it.
“So Abraham rose early in the morning . . . and went to the place of which God had told him” (Genesis 22:3). Oh, the wonderful simplicity of Abraham! When God spoke, he did not “confer with flesh and blood” (Galatians 1:16). Beware when you want to “confer with flesh and blood” or even your own thoughts, insights, or understandings— anything that is not based on your personal relationship with God. These are all things that compete with and hinder obedience to God.
Abraham did not choose what the sacrifice would be. Always guard against self-chosen service for God. Self-sacrifice may be a disease that impairs your service. If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; or even if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him. If the providential will of God means a hard and difficult time for you, go through it. But never decide the place of your own martyrdom, as if to say, “I will only go to there, but no farther.” God chose the test for Abraham, and Abraham neither delayed nor protested, but steadily obeyed. If you are not living in touch with God, it is easy to blame Him or pass judgment on Him. You must go through the trial before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, because by going through the trial you learn to know God better. God is working in us to reach His highest goals until His purpose and our purpose become one.
登峰造極
你帶著你的兒子……（創二十二2）
神的命令是：現在就帶去，不是等一會兒。我們辯論的伎倆是高超的，知道某件事是對的，但總設法找藉口拖延，不立刻去做。要攀上神的高峰，絕不可等一會兒，必須立刻去做。犧牲首先在意志裡作成；然後才有實際的行動。 [亞伯拉罕清早起來……起身往神指示他的地方去了。 ]（第3節）亞伯拉罕的單純多可愛！神對他說的話，他沒有與屬肉身的人商量。你要是想與屬肉身的人商量，就是與你的自憐和觀點，以及一切在你與神的個人關係以外的東西商量。那你就得當心，這些東西是爭奪並攔阻你對神的順服。
亞伯拉罕並沒有推薦自己去奉獻。總要提防自我揀選為神工作，自我犧牲可以是病態的。若神給你的杯是舔的，存感恩的心去喝；若苦的，就與他聯合去喝。若神為你鋪設的道路是困苦的，仍要走上去；但千萬不要挑選殉道。神揀選亞伯拉罕接受磨難，亞伯拉罕沒有異議，只勇往直前。你若非與神親密地一同生活，就很容易會指控神。在未有經歷磨難以先，你沒有權利下斷語，因為在磨難中，你會更認識神。神一直為他至高的目標而作工直至他的心意與人的心意合而為一。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，靠近我，進入我知覺的領域，直至我完全被你所佔有。願今天閃耀著你的能力。
God’s command is, “Take now,” not later. It is incredible how we debate! We know something is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it immediately. If we are to climb to the height God reveals, it can never be done later— it must be done now. And the sacrifice must be worked through our will before we actually perform it.
“So Abraham rose early in the morning . . . and went to the place of which God had told him” (Genesis 22:3). Oh, the wonderful simplicity of Abraham! When God spoke, he did not “confer with flesh and blood” (Galatians 1:16). Beware when you want to “confer with flesh and blood” or even your own thoughts, insights, or understandings— anything that is not based on your personal relationship with God. These are all things that compete with and hinder obedience to God.
Abraham did not choose what the sacrifice would be. Always guard against self-chosen service for God. Self-sacrifice may be a disease that impairs your service. If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; or even if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him. If the providential will of God means a hard and difficult time for you, go through it. But never decide the place of your own martyrdom, as if to say, “I will only go to there, but no farther.” God chose the test for Abraham, and Abraham neither delayed nor protested, but steadily obeyed. If you are not living in touch with God, it is easy to blame Him or pass judgment on Him. You must go through the trial before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, because by going through the trial you learn to know God better. God is working in us to reach His highest goals until His purpose and our purpose become one.
登峰造極
你帶著你的兒子……（創二十二2）
神的命令是：現在就帶去，不是等一會兒。我們辯論的伎倆是高超的，知道某件事是對的，但總設法找藉口拖延，不立刻去做。要攀上神的高峰，絕不可等一會兒，必須立刻去做。犧牲首先在意志裡作成；然後才有實際的行動。 [亞伯拉罕清早起來……起身往神指示他的地方去了。 ]（第3節）亞伯拉罕的單純多可愛！神對他說的話，他沒有與屬肉身的人商量。你要是想與屬肉身的人商量，就是與你的自憐和觀點，以及一切在你與神的個人關係以外的東西商量。那你就得當心，這些東西是爭奪並攔阻你對神的順服。
亞伯拉罕並沒有推薦自己去奉獻。總要提防自我揀選為神工作，自我犧牲可以是病態的。若神給你的杯是舔的，存感恩的心去喝；若苦的，就與他聯合去喝。若神為你鋪設的道路是困苦的，仍要走上去；但千萬不要挑選殉道。神揀選亞伯拉罕接受磨難，亞伯拉罕沒有異議，只勇往直前。你若非與神親密地一同生活，就很容易會指控神。在未有經歷磨難以先，你沒有權利下斷語，因為在磨難中，你會更認識神。神一直為他至高的目標而作工直至他的心意與人的心意合而為一。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，靠近我，進入我知覺的領域，直至我完全被你所佔有。願今天閃耀著你的能力。
November 04, 2014
The Authority of Truth
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you —James 4:8
It is essential that you give people the opportunity to act on the truth of God. The responsibility must be left with the individual— you cannot act for him. It must be his own deliberate act, but the evangelical message should always lead him to action. Refusing to act leaves a person paralyzed, exactly where he was previously. But once he acts, he is never the same. It is the apparent folly of the truth that stands in the way of hundreds who have been convicted by the Spirit of God. Once I press myself into action, I immediately begin to live. Anything less is merely existing. The moments I truly live are the moments when I act with my entire will.
When a truth of God is brought home to your soul, never allow it to pass without acting on it internally in your will, not necessarily externally in your physical life. Record it with ink and with blood— work it into your life. The weakest saint who transacts business with Jesus Christ is liberated the second he acts and God’s almighty power is available on his behalf. We come up to the truth of God, confess we are wrong, but go back again. Then we approach it again and turn back, until we finally learn we have no business going back. When we are confronted with such a word of truth from our redeeming Lord, we must move directly to transact business with Him. “Come to Me . . .” (Matthew 11:28). His word come means “to act.” Yet the last thing we want to do is come. But everyone who does come knows that, at that very moment, the supernatural power of the life of God invades him. The dominating power of the world, the flesh, and the devil is now paralyzed; not by your act, but because your act has joined you to God and tapped you in to His redemptive power.
真實的權威
你們親近神，神就必親近你們。 （雅四8）
我們必須讓人有機會行神的真理，這責任是個人的，別人無法代行。他必須蓄意去行，但福音的資訊也該引導他的行動。不肯行動叫人癱瘓，使人依然故我；一有行動，就不同了。多少被神的靈感動的人，都因不肯行動而受阻擋。行動的那一刻，我就活了；其馀的時候，我不過是存在的個體。以整個意志投入行動，就是我存在的個體。以整個意志投入行動，就是我真正活著的時候。
不要讓神放在你心裡的某一真理成為過去，無所行動。不單是肉身的行動，更是意誌上的。不管用筆墨或用血，要把它記錄下來。最柔弱的信徒若與耶穌基督相交，在他行動的那一刻，就得著釋放，神的大能就屬於他了。我們明白神的真理，承認自己的錯，又重蹈覆轍；以後又再達到真理，但不久又故態復萌；這情況要到我們學會不應回頭，才停止下來。對救主的話要全無保留地接納，與他來一次交易。他說[來]，就是交易的意思。 [到我這裡來。 ]我們往往非到最後也不肯[來]。其實過來人就知道，一[來]，神超然的生命就立刻進到他裡面。世界、肉體、魔鬼對他的控制就立刻癱瘓，不是因為你的行動，而是因你的行動把你連接到神救贖的大能去。
祈禱◆主啊，我只有一件事情- 就是有聲和無聲的需要你。 [靈性貧乏]這詞，正描述了我對自己的一點認識。我來到你面前，全然地需要你。
It is essential that you give people the opportunity to act on the truth of God. The responsibility must be left with the individual— you cannot act for him. It must be his own deliberate act, but the evangelical message should always lead him to action. Refusing to act leaves a person paralyzed, exactly where he was previously. But once he acts, he is never the same. It is the apparent folly of the truth that stands in the way of hundreds who have been convicted by the Spirit of God. Once I press myself into action, I immediately begin to live. Anything less is merely existing. The moments I truly live are the moments when I act with my entire will.
When a truth of God is brought home to your soul, never allow it to pass without acting on it internally in your will, not necessarily externally in your physical life. Record it with ink and with blood— work it into your life. The weakest saint who transacts business with Jesus Christ is liberated the second he acts and God’s almighty power is available on his behalf. We come up to the truth of God, confess we are wrong, but go back again. Then we approach it again and turn back, until we finally learn we have no business going back. When we are confronted with such a word of truth from our redeeming Lord, we must move directly to transact business with Him. “Come to Me . . .” (Matthew 11:28). His word come means “to act.” Yet the last thing we want to do is come. But everyone who does come knows that, at that very moment, the supernatural power of the life of God invades him. The dominating power of the world, the flesh, and the devil is now paralyzed; not by your act, but because your act has joined you to God and tapped you in to His redemptive power.
真實的權威
你們親近神，神就必親近你們。 （雅四8）
我們必須讓人有機會行神的真理，這責任是個人的，別人無法代行。他必須蓄意去行，但福音的資訊也該引導他的行動。不肯行動叫人癱瘓，使人依然故我；一有行動，就不同了。多少被神的靈感動的人，都因不肯行動而受阻擋。行動的那一刻，我就活了；其馀的時候，我不過是存在的個體。以整個意志投入行動，就是我存在的個體。以整個意志投入行動，就是我真正活著的時候。
不要讓神放在你心裡的某一真理成為過去，無所行動。不單是肉身的行動，更是意誌上的。不管用筆墨或用血，要把它記錄下來。最柔弱的信徒若與耶穌基督相交，在他行動的那一刻，就得著釋放，神的大能就屬於他了。我們明白神的真理，承認自己的錯，又重蹈覆轍；以後又再達到真理，但不久又故態復萌；這情況要到我們學會不應回頭，才停止下來。對救主的話要全無保留地接納，與他來一次交易。他說[來]，就是交易的意思。 [到我這裡來。 ]我們往往非到最後也不肯[來]。其實過來人就知道，一[來]，神超然的生命就立刻進到他裡面。世界、肉體、魔鬼對他的控制就立刻癱瘓，不是因為你的行動，而是因你的行動把你連接到神救贖的大能去。
祈禱◆主啊，我只有一件事情- 就是有聲和無聲的需要你。 [靈性貧乏]這詞，正描述了我對自己的一點認識。我來到你面前，全然地需要你。
November 02, 2014
Obedience or Independence?
If you love Me, keep My commandments —John 14:15
Our Lord never insists on obedience. He stresses very definitely what we ought to do, but He never forces us to do it. We have to obey Him out of a oneness of spirit with Him. That is why whenever our Lord talked about discipleship, He prefaced it with an “If,” meaning, “You do not need to do this unless you desire to do so.” “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . .” (Luke 9:23). In other words, “To be My disciple, let him give up his right to himself to Me.” Our Lord is not talking about our eternal position, but about our being of value to Him in this life here and now. That is why He sounds so stern (see Luke 14:26). Never try to make sense from these words by separating them from the One who spoke them.
The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself. Jesus Christ will not force me to obey Him, but I must. And as soon as I obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny. My personal life may be crowded with small, petty happenings, altogether insignificant. But if I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God. Then, when I stand face to face with God, I will discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed. When God’s redemption brings a human soul to the point of obedience, it always produces. If I obey Jesus Christ, the redemption of God will flow through me to the lives of others, because behind the deed of obedience is the reality of Almighty God.
權柄與自主
你們若愛我，就必遵守我的命令。 （約十四15）
我們的主從不堅持要人順服他；他雖然強調什麽是當行的，卻從不運用手段強逼我們去行。我們順服他必須出於靈裡的合一。因此，主談到作門徒時，總加上[若]字- 你要是不想，可以不做。 [若有人要跟從我，就當捨己。 ]你要放棄自己的主權，把它交給主。主並不是論及永世的地位，他乃是說在現今的景況中，怎樣才可以成為他合用的器皿。正因如此，主的話聽來是這樣嚴厲（比較路十四26）。千萬不要撇下說這話的那一位主，去解釋經文。
主並沒有給我什麽規條，他把標准說得很清楚；我若是愛他，會毫不猶豫去遵行他的話。若我猶豫不行，就表明我另有所愛，而這一位與他爭競的，就是我自己。主耶穌不會推我順服他，我必須自己順服。一順服，我就成就了在屬靈領域中神所定命的。個人生命中也許充塞了無數瑣事，根本無人留意的；可是若在這等無常的際遇中順服主，這些事就成為我見神面的洞口。
當我與神面對面，會發現千萬人因我的順服而蒙福。人的心一旦順服，神的救贖就必然產生創造力。我若順服基督，神的救贖就會透過我湧流倒別的生命上，因為在順服的行動背後，是全能神的實體。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你探測我靈裡最深藏的動機- 聖靈就在此處為我們代求，並且看出我們未能表達的禱文。
Our Lord never insists on obedience. He stresses very definitely what we ought to do, but He never forces us to do it. We have to obey Him out of a oneness of spirit with Him. That is why whenever our Lord talked about discipleship, He prefaced it with an “If,” meaning, “You do not need to do this unless you desire to do so.” “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . .” (Luke 9:23). In other words, “To be My disciple, let him give up his right to himself to Me.” Our Lord is not talking about our eternal position, but about our being of value to Him in this life here and now. That is why He sounds so stern (see Luke 14:26). Never try to make sense from these words by separating them from the One who spoke them.
The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear. If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself. Jesus Christ will not force me to obey Him, but I must. And as soon as I obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny. My personal life may be crowded with small, petty happenings, altogether insignificant. But if I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God. Then, when I stand face to face with God, I will discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed. When God’s redemption brings a human soul to the point of obedience, it always produces. If I obey Jesus Christ, the redemption of God will flow through me to the lives of others, because behind the deed of obedience is the reality of Almighty God.
權柄與自主
你們若愛我，就必遵守我的命令。 （約十四15）
我們的主從不堅持要人順服他；他雖然強調什麽是當行的，卻從不運用手段強逼我們去行。我們順服他必須出於靈裡的合一。因此，主談到作門徒時，總加上[若]字- 你要是不想，可以不做。 [若有人要跟從我，就當捨己。 ]你要放棄自己的主權，把它交給主。主並不是論及永世的地位，他乃是說在現今的景況中，怎樣才可以成為他合用的器皿。正因如此，主的話聽來是這樣嚴厲（比較路十四26）。千萬不要撇下說這話的那一位主，去解釋經文。
主並沒有給我什麽規條，他把標准說得很清楚；我若是愛他，會毫不猶豫去遵行他的話。若我猶豫不行，就表明我另有所愛，而這一位與他爭競的，就是我自己。主耶穌不會推我順服他，我必須自己順服。一順服，我就成就了在屬靈領域中神所定命的。個人生命中也許充塞了無數瑣事，根本無人留意的；可是若在這等無常的際遇中順服主，這些事就成為我見神面的洞口。
當我與神面對面，會發現千萬人因我的順服而蒙福。人的心一旦順服，神的救贖就必然產生創造力。我若順服基督，神的救贖就會透過我湧流倒別的生命上，因為在順服的行動背後，是全能神的實體。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你探測我靈裡最深藏的動機- 聖靈就在此處為我們代求，並且看出我們未能表達的禱文。
October 10, 2014
How Will I Know?
Jesus answered and said, ’I thank You, Father . . . that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes’ —Matthew 11:25
We do not grow into a spiritual relationship step by step— we either have a relationship or we do not. God does not continue to cleanse us more and more from sin— “But if we walk in the light,” we are cleansed “from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It is a matter of obedience, and once we obey, the relationship is instantly perfected. But if we turn away from obedience for even one second, darkness and death are immediately at work again.
All of God’s revealed truths are sealed until they are opened to us through obedience. You will never open them through philosophy or thinking. But once you obey, a flash of light comes immediately. Let God’s truth work into you by immersing yourself in it, not by worrying into it. The only way you can get to know the truth of God is to stop trying to find out and by being born again. If you obey God in the first thing He shows you, then He instantly opens up the next truth to you. You could read volumes on the work of the Holy Spirit, when five minutes of total, uncompromising obedience would make things as clear as sunlight. Don’t say, “I suppose I will understand these things someday!” You can understand them now. And it is not study that brings understanding to you, but obedience. Even the smallest bit of obedience opens heaven, and the deepest truths of God immediately become yours. Yet God will never reveal more truth about Himself to you, until you have obeyed what you know already. Beware of becoming one of the “wise and prudent.” “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know . . .” (John 7:17).
我怎知道？
父啊，天地的主，我感謝你，因為你將這些事，向聰明通達人，就藏起來，向嬰孩，就顯出來。 （太十一25）
在屬靈的關係上，沒有漸長這回事；有就有，沒有就是沒有。神並不是愈來愈洗清我們的罪，而是我們若行在光中，一切罪就除掉了。問題是順服與否，若順服，那關係就隨即完全了。只要一秒鐘不順服，黑暗與死亡就隨即作工。
神所有的啟示全都是密封的，不能靠哲學或思想開啟。只有靠順服，才向我們開啟。一順服，亮光就來。不是牽腸掛肚地要進入真理，乃是要浸在真理中，好叫他能在你裡面作工。要認識真理，就只有靠重生，而不是靠追尋。順服神告訴你的事，下一步就會向你顯明。關於聖靈的工作，我們可以讀萬卷書，但只要有五分鐘的完全順服，事情就明朗如目光。 [我想總有一天會明白的。 ]其實你如今就可以明白。不是靠研究，乃是靠順服。一點點的順服，就能打開天門，神深奧的真理就立即屬於你了。你若尚未順服神向你啟示的真理，他不會再向你顯示更多真理。要當心變得[聰明通達]。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我從肉體和心靈的各種污穢中自潔；除去屬靈生命中所有的粗糙品質，以致我可以在滿足的喜樂中，在你裡面居住。
We do not grow into a spiritual relationship step by step— we either have a relationship or we do not. God does not continue to cleanse us more and more from sin— “But if we walk in the light,” we are cleansed “from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It is a matter of obedience, and once we obey, the relationship is instantly perfected. But if we turn away from obedience for even one second, darkness and death are immediately at work again.
All of God’s revealed truths are sealed until they are opened to us through obedience. You will never open them through philosophy or thinking. But once you obey, a flash of light comes immediately. Let God’s truth work into you by immersing yourself in it, not by worrying into it. The only way you can get to know the truth of God is to stop trying to find out and by being born again. If you obey God in the first thing He shows you, then He instantly opens up the next truth to you. You could read volumes on the work of the Holy Spirit, when five minutes of total, uncompromising obedience would make things as clear as sunlight. Don’t say, “I suppose I will understand these things someday!” You can understand them now. And it is not study that brings understanding to you, but obedience. Even the smallest bit of obedience opens heaven, and the deepest truths of God immediately become yours. Yet God will never reveal more truth about Himself to you, until you have obeyed what you know already. Beware of becoming one of the “wise and prudent.” “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know . . .” (John 7:17).
我怎知道？
父啊，天地的主，我感謝你，因為你將這些事，向聰明通達人，就藏起來，向嬰孩，就顯出來。 （太十一25）
在屬靈的關係上，沒有漸長這回事；有就有，沒有就是沒有。神並不是愈來愈洗清我們的罪，而是我們若行在光中，一切罪就除掉了。問題是順服與否，若順服，那關係就隨即完全了。只要一秒鐘不順服，黑暗與死亡就隨即作工。
神所有的啟示全都是密封的，不能靠哲學或思想開啟。只有靠順服，才向我們開啟。一順服，亮光就來。不是牽腸掛肚地要進入真理，乃是要浸在真理中，好叫他能在你裡面作工。要認識真理，就只有靠重生，而不是靠追尋。順服神告訴你的事，下一步就會向你顯明。關於聖靈的工作，我們可以讀萬卷書，但只要有五分鐘的完全順服，事情就明朗如目光。 [我想總有一天會明白的。 ]其實你如今就可以明白。不是靠研究，乃是靠順服。一點點的順服，就能打開天門，神深奧的真理就立即屬於你了。你若尚未順服神向你啟示的真理，他不會再向你顯示更多真理。要當心變得[聰明通達]。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願我從肉體和心靈的各種污穢中自潔；除去屬靈生命中所有的粗糙品質，以致我可以在滿足的喜樂中，在你裡面居住。
October 08, 2014
Coming to Jesus
Come to Me . . . —Matthew 11:28
Isn’t it humiliating to be told that we must come to Jesus! Think of the things about which we will not come to Jesus Christ. If you want to know how real you are, test yourself by these words— “Come to Me . . . .” In every dimension in which you are not real, you will argue or evade the issue altogether rather than come; you will go through sorrow rather than come; and you will do anything rather than come the last lap of the race of seemingly unspeakable foolishness and say, “Just as I am, I come.” As long as you have even the least bit of spiritual disrespect, it will always reveal itself in the fact that you are expecting God to tell you to do something very big, and yet all He is telling you to do is to “Come . . . .”
“Come to Me . . . .” When you hear those words, you will know that something must happen in you before you can come. The Holy Spirit will show you what you have to do, and it will involve anything that will uproot whatever is preventing you from getting through to Jesus. And you will never get any further until you are willing to do that very thing. The Holy Spirit will search out that one immovable stronghold within you, but He cannot budge it unless you are willing to let Him do so.
How often have you come to God with your requests and gone away thinking, “I’ve really received what I wanted this time!” And yet you go away with nothing, while all the time God has stood with His hands outstretched not only to take you but also for you to take Him. Just think of the invincible, unconquerable, and untiring patience of Jesus, who lovingly says, “Come to Me. . . .”
唯獨基督
到我這裡來。 （太十一28）
要我到耶穌那裡去，豈非卑躬屈膝？試想想有什麼事令我們不想到耶穌那裡去。若想知道自己的真面目，可以用[到我這裡來]這句話考一考自己。你若有任何不真誠，都會千方百計爭辯，不肯到主那裡去；你會逃避，不肯去；你寧可吃苦也不去；你寧可作任何事，也不願走這最後一程自認完全無知的路－－[依我本相到主跟前]。只要你仍有一丁點兒屬靈的自負，總會期望神叫你做大事，而他只叫你到他那裡去。
[到我這裡來。 ]聽見這句話時，便知道你未去他那里以前，某些事情必然發生。聖靈會指示你所當作的，叫你從根本的問題上下斧，除掉那阻路的東西。你不去解決，就無法再前進。聖靈會指出死結所在，但他不能強行解開，他要你自己甘願去解開。
多少時候，你來到神面前祈求，覺得這一次總可以成就了，可是每次都空手而回。其實神一直張開手等待你，要得著你，也要你得著他。想想主耶穌那無法淹沒、無可抗拒、不厭其煩的忍耐－－[到我這裡來]。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，詩人的話對我何其真實－－[我的性命幾乎歸於塵土。 ]我的靈魂鋪滿了塵土，主啊，求你按照你的話語激發我。言語藉著你的靈而得著生機，它所帶來的生命將是何等完美！主啊，願你現在便發聲。
Isn’t it humiliating to be told that we must come to Jesus! Think of the things about which we will not come to Jesus Christ. If you want to know how real you are, test yourself by these words— “Come to Me . . . .” In every dimension in which you are not real, you will argue or evade the issue altogether rather than come; you will go through sorrow rather than come; and you will do anything rather than come the last lap of the race of seemingly unspeakable foolishness and say, “Just as I am, I come.” As long as you have even the least bit of spiritual disrespect, it will always reveal itself in the fact that you are expecting God to tell you to do something very big, and yet all He is telling you to do is to “Come . . . .”
“Come to Me . . . .” When you hear those words, you will know that something must happen in you before you can come. The Holy Spirit will show you what you have to do, and it will involve anything that will uproot whatever is preventing you from getting through to Jesus. And you will never get any further until you are willing to do that very thing. The Holy Spirit will search out that one immovable stronghold within you, but He cannot budge it unless you are willing to let Him do so.
How often have you come to God with your requests and gone away thinking, “I’ve really received what I wanted this time!” And yet you go away with nothing, while all the time God has stood with His hands outstretched not only to take you but also for you to take Him. Just think of the invincible, unconquerable, and untiring patience of Jesus, who lovingly says, “Come to Me. . . .”
唯獨基督
到我這裡來。 （太十一28）
要我到耶穌那裡去，豈非卑躬屈膝？試想想有什麼事令我們不想到耶穌那裡去。若想知道自己的真面目，可以用[到我這裡來]這句話考一考自己。你若有任何不真誠，都會千方百計爭辯，不肯到主那裡去；你會逃避，不肯去；你寧可吃苦也不去；你寧可作任何事，也不願走這最後一程自認完全無知的路－－[依我本相到主跟前]。只要你仍有一丁點兒屬靈的自負，總會期望神叫你做大事，而他只叫你到他那裡去。
[到我這裡來。 ]聽見這句話時，便知道你未去他那里以前，某些事情必然發生。聖靈會指示你所當作的，叫你從根本的問題上下斧，除掉那阻路的東西。你不去解決，就無法再前進。聖靈會指出死結所在，但他不能強行解開，他要你自己甘願去解開。
多少時候，你來到神面前祈求，覺得這一次總可以成就了，可是每次都空手而回。其實神一直張開手等待你，要得著你，也要你得著他。想想主耶穌那無法淹沒、無可抗拒、不厭其煩的忍耐－－[到我這裡來]。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，詩人的話對我何其真實－－[我的性命幾乎歸於塵土。 ]我的靈魂鋪滿了塵土，主啊，求你按照你的話語激發我。言語藉著你的靈而得著生機，它所帶來的生命將是何等完美！主啊，願你現在便發聲。
September 27, 2014
The “Go” of Renunciation
. . . someone said to Him, ’Lord, I will follow You wherever You go’ —Luke 9:57
Our Lord’s attitude toward this man was one of severe discouragement, “for He knew what was in man” (John 2:25). We would have said, “I can’t imagine why He lost the opportunity of winning that man! Imagine being so cold to him and turning him away so discouraged!” Never apologize for your Lord. The words of the Lord hurt and offend until there is nothing left to be hurt or offended. Jesus Christ had no tenderness whatsoever toward anything that was ultimately going to ruin a person in his service to God. Our Lord’s answers were not based on some whim or impulsive thought, but on the knowledge of “what was in man.” If the Spirit of God brings to your mind a word of the Lord that hurts you, you can be sure that there is something in you that He wants to hurt to the point of its death.
Luke 9:58 These words destroy the argument of serving Jesus Christ because it is a pleasant thing to do. And the strictness of the rejection that He demands of me allows for nothing to remain in my life but my Lord, myself, and a sense of desperate hope. He says that I must let everyone else come or go, and that I must be guided solely by my relationship to Him. And He says, “. . . the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Luke 9:59 This man did not want to disappoint Jesus, nor did he want to show a lack of respect for his father. We put our sense of loyalty to our relatives ahead of our loyalty to Jesus Christ, forcing Him to take last place. When your loyalties conflict, always obey Jesus Christ whatever the cost.
Luke 9:61 The person who says, “Lord, I will follow You, but . . .,” is the person who is intensely ready to go, but never goes. This man had reservations about going. The exacting call of Jesus has no room for good-byes; good-byes, as we often use them, are pagan, not Christian, because they divert us from the call. Once the call of God comes to you, start going and never stop.
[去]的放棄
你無論往那裡去，我要跟從你。 （路九57）
主叫這人極度的洩氣，他用這個態度是因為他知道人心。我們會說：[多可惜，失去了得著那個人的機會！ ][竟用北風把他凍結，叫他沮喪而回。 ]不必為你的主抱歉。主的話往往頂撞刺傷，知道無可再頂撞刺傷。主耶穌對那些至終摧毀人事奉神的東西，絕不憐惜呵護。主的回答不是順口而出，乃是根據他對人內心的認識而說。若神的靈叫你想起主一句刺傷你的話，那麼一定有什麼東西，是主想戳傷至死地的。
第58節這幾句話，對那為悅己心而事奉主的人是當頭棒喝。棄絕的要求是嚴峻的，最後只剩下我的主，我，和一個孤絕的盼望。 [讓那一百倍去或留，你的目標必須是我與你的關係，而我沒有枕頭的地方。 ]
第59節這人不想令耶穌失望，也不想傷父親的心。我們會把對家人敏感的忠誠，替代了對主耶穌的忠誠，主耶穌竟排在末位。在效忠的矛盾裡，必須不惜代價順服主。
第61節有人說：[主，我要跟從你，但……]這人準備齊全了，卻從不出發。他還有一兩項保留。主耶穌肯定的呼召是沒有話別的餘地，因為話別往往出於不信者，而非信徒。神的呼召一來，就要出發，不可止步。
祈禱◆我們感謝你，因為在你裡面沒有永別。我們向你祈求，願你的冠冕和印記臨到我們每個人，直至我們能面對面地見你。
Our Lord’s attitude toward this man was one of severe discouragement, “for He knew what was in man” (John 2:25). We would have said, “I can’t imagine why He lost the opportunity of winning that man! Imagine being so cold to him and turning him away so discouraged!” Never apologize for your Lord. The words of the Lord hurt and offend until there is nothing left to be hurt or offended. Jesus Christ had no tenderness whatsoever toward anything that was ultimately going to ruin a person in his service to God. Our Lord’s answers were not based on some whim or impulsive thought, but on the knowledge of “what was in man.” If the Spirit of God brings to your mind a word of the Lord that hurts you, you can be sure that there is something in you that He wants to hurt to the point of its death.
Luke 9:58 These words destroy the argument of serving Jesus Christ because it is a pleasant thing to do. And the strictness of the rejection that He demands of me allows for nothing to remain in my life but my Lord, myself, and a sense of desperate hope. He says that I must let everyone else come or go, and that I must be guided solely by my relationship to Him. And He says, “. . . the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Luke 9:59 This man did not want to disappoint Jesus, nor did he want to show a lack of respect for his father. We put our sense of loyalty to our relatives ahead of our loyalty to Jesus Christ, forcing Him to take last place. When your loyalties conflict, always obey Jesus Christ whatever the cost.
Luke 9:61 The person who says, “Lord, I will follow You, but . . .,” is the person who is intensely ready to go, but never goes. This man had reservations about going. The exacting call of Jesus has no room for good-byes; good-byes, as we often use them, are pagan, not Christian, because they divert us from the call. Once the call of God comes to you, start going and never stop.
[去]的放棄
你無論往那裡去，我要跟從你。 （路九57）
主叫這人極度的洩氣，他用這個態度是因為他知道人心。我們會說：[多可惜，失去了得著那個人的機會！ ][竟用北風把他凍結，叫他沮喪而回。 ]不必為你的主抱歉。主的話往往頂撞刺傷，知道無可再頂撞刺傷。主耶穌對那些至終摧毀人事奉神的東西，絕不憐惜呵護。主的回答不是順口而出，乃是根據他對人內心的認識而說。若神的靈叫你想起主一句刺傷你的話，那麼一定有什麼東西，是主想戳傷至死地的。
第58節這幾句話，對那為悅己心而事奉主的人是當頭棒喝。棄絕的要求是嚴峻的，最後只剩下我的主，我，和一個孤絕的盼望。 [讓那一百倍去或留，你的目標必須是我與你的關係，而我沒有枕頭的地方。 ]
第59節這人不想令耶穌失望，也不想傷父親的心。我們會把對家人敏感的忠誠，替代了對主耶穌的忠誠，主耶穌竟排在末位。在效忠的矛盾裡，必須不惜代價順服主。
第61節有人說：[主，我要跟從你，但……]這人準備齊全了，卻從不出發。他還有一兩項保留。主耶穌肯定的呼召是沒有話別的餘地，因為話別往往出於不信者，而非信徒。神的呼召一來，就要出發，不可止步。
祈禱◆我們感謝你，因為在你裡面沒有永別。我們向你祈求，願你的冠冕和印記臨到我們每個人，直至我們能面對面地見你。
September 26, 2014
The “Go” of Reconciliation
If you . . . remember that your brother has something against you . . . —Matthew 5:23
This verse says, “If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you . . . .” It is not saying, “If you search and find something because of your unbalanced sensitivity,” but, “If you . . . remember . . . .” In other words, if something is brought to your conscious mind by the Spirit of God— “First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:24). Never object to the intense sensitivity of the Spirit of God in you when He is instructing you down to the smallest detail.
“First be reconciled to your brother . . . .” Our Lord’s directive is simple— “First be reconciled . . . .” He says, in effect, “Go back the way you came— the way indicated to you by the conviction given to you at the altar; have an attitude in your mind and soul toward the person who has something against you that makes reconciliation as natural as breathing.” Jesus does not mention the other person— He says for you to go. It is not a matter of your rights. The true mark of the saint is that he can waive his own rights and obey the Lord Jesus.
“. . . and then come and offer your gift.” The process of reconciliation is clearly marked. First we have the heroic spirit of self-sacrifice, then the sudden restraint by the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit, and then we are stopped at the point of our conviction. This is followed by obedience to the Word of God, which builds an attitude or state of mind that places no blame on the one with whom you have been in the wrong. And finally there is the glad, simple, unhindered offering of your gift to God.
無可指摘的態度
若想起弟兄向你懷怨……（太五23）
當你來到祭壇前，想起弟兄向你懷怨，若這不是病態地、敏感地翻出來的事，而是[想起]，那就是說神的靈在提醒你，那麼就要[先去同弟兄和好，然後來獻禮物]。聖靈要徹底教導你的時候，千萬不要拒絕他在你裡面那種極度的敏感性。
[先去同弟兄和好……]主的吩咐是簡明的:[先和好。 ]從原路回去，依從祭壇所得的指示回去。對那向你懷怨的人，要有正確的態度，以致和解就像呼吸一樣自然。耶穌並沒有提到另外那個人，他只說－－你去。不必考慮自己的主權。聖徒的印記就是放棄自己的主權，順服主耶穌。
[然後來獻禮物。 ]過程很清楚。首先，是放下英雄氣概；然後被聖靈敏銳的查察，在服罪中停下來；接著向神的話順服，對那懷怨的，在心志與心性上，建立無可指摘的態度；最後是快樂的、單純的、無阻攔的向神獻上禮物。
祈禱◆[我們的主為大，最有能力；他的智慧無法測度。 ]所有能力和智慧肯定是屬於你，而我又肯定地渴望著你，並藉著你的恩典，叫你的道路能在我身上通行無阻。
This verse says, “If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you . . . .” It is not saying, “If you search and find something because of your unbalanced sensitivity,” but, “If you . . . remember . . . .” In other words, if something is brought to your conscious mind by the Spirit of God— “First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:24). Never object to the intense sensitivity of the Spirit of God in you when He is instructing you down to the smallest detail.
“First be reconciled to your brother . . . .” Our Lord’s directive is simple— “First be reconciled . . . .” He says, in effect, “Go back the way you came— the way indicated to you by the conviction given to you at the altar; have an attitude in your mind and soul toward the person who has something against you that makes reconciliation as natural as breathing.” Jesus does not mention the other person— He says for you to go. It is not a matter of your rights. The true mark of the saint is that he can waive his own rights and obey the Lord Jesus.
“. . . and then come and offer your gift.” The process of reconciliation is clearly marked. First we have the heroic spirit of self-sacrifice, then the sudden restraint by the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit, and then we are stopped at the point of our conviction. This is followed by obedience to the Word of God, which builds an attitude or state of mind that places no blame on the one with whom you have been in the wrong. And finally there is the glad, simple, unhindered offering of your gift to God.
無可指摘的態度
若想起弟兄向你懷怨……（太五23）
當你來到祭壇前，想起弟兄向你懷怨，若這不是病態地、敏感地翻出來的事，而是[想起]，那就是說神的靈在提醒你，那麼就要[先去同弟兄和好，然後來獻禮物]。聖靈要徹底教導你的時候，千萬不要拒絕他在你裡面那種極度的敏感性。
[先去同弟兄和好……]主的吩咐是簡明的:[先和好。 ]從原路回去，依從祭壇所得的指示回去。對那向你懷怨的人，要有正確的態度，以致和解就像呼吸一樣自然。耶穌並沒有提到另外那個人，他只說－－你去。不必考慮自己的主權。聖徒的印記就是放棄自己的主權，順服主耶穌。
[然後來獻禮物。 ]過程很清楚。首先，是放下英雄氣概；然後被聖靈敏銳的查察，在服罪中停下來；接著向神的話順服，對那懷怨的，在心志與心性上，建立無可指摘的態度；最後是快樂的、單純的、無阻攔的向神獻上禮物。
祈禱◆[我們的主為大，最有能力；他的智慧無法測度。 ]所有能力和智慧肯定是屬於你，而我又肯定地渴望著你，並藉著你的恩典，叫你的道路能在我身上通行無阻。
September 14, 2014
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 09, 2014
Do It Yourself (2)
. . . bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ . . . —2 Corinthians 10:5
Determinedly Discipline Other Things. This is another difficult aspect of the strenuous nature of sainthood. Paul said, according to the Moffatt translation of this verse, “. . . I take every project prisoner to make it obey Christ . . . .” So much Christian work today has never been disciplined, but has simply come into being by impulse! In our Lord’s life every project was disciplined to the will of His Father. There was never the slightest tendency to follow the impulse of His own will as distinct from His Father’s will— “the Son can do nothing of Himself . . . ” (John 5:19). Then compare this with what we do— we take “every thought” or project that comes to us by impulse and jump into action immediately, instead of imprisoning and disciplining ourselves to obey Christ.
Practical work for Christians is greatly overemphasized today, and the saints who are “bringing every thought [and project] into captivity” are criticized and told that they are not determined, and that they lack zeal for God or zeal for the souls of others. But true determination and zeal are found in obeying God, not in the inclination to serve Him that arises from our own undisciplined human nature. It is inconceivable, but true nevertheless, that saints are not “bringing every thought [and project] into captivity,” but are simply doing work for God that has been instigated by their own human nature, and has not been made spiritual through determined discipline.
We have a tendency to forget that a person is not only committed to Jesus Christ for salvation, but is also committed, responsible, and accountable to Jesus Christ’s view of God, the world, and of sin and the devil. This means that each person must recognize the responsibility to “be transformed by the renewing of [his] mind. . . .” (Romans 12:2).
自己做
又將人所有的心意奪回，使他都順服基督。 （林後十5）
這是信徒成聖須竭盡心力的另一面。保羅說：[我將所有計劃都封鎖，使它們都歸服於基督。 ]（摩法特譯本）今天多少基督徒的事工是沒有紀律，只出於一時衝動的！主每一件事都律己，遵照父的旨意。他沒有一絲行動，是脫離父的旨意，出於私意的衝動－－[子憑自己不能作什麼。 ]
再看看我們自己－－有活現的宗教經歷，就立刻衝動地把計劃付諸行動，而不是把它約束在對基督的順服裡。這時代太強調實際工作，以致那些為主把計劃俘擄的人，被批評為不熱心為神，也不愛靈魂。真心的熱誠，在於順服神，而不在於人性、不受約束的事奉熱誠。聖徒還未把每一計劃俘擄，就按本性－－未經定志律己而來的屬靈性情－－慫動去作神的工作，這雖是不可思議，卻確有其事。
我們很容易會忘記人不單要在救恩上歸服基督，也要歸服於基督對神、對世界、對罪、對魔鬼的觀點。這就是說，他必須藉心意的更新而改變。
祈禱◆主啊，我來到你面前。求你將你的生命豐盛地賜給我，直至我的理解力、想像力和言語，都全屬於你。你更新了我的靈，使我重獲救恩之樂，你是何等偉大！
Determinedly Discipline Other Things. This is another difficult aspect of the strenuous nature of sainthood. Paul said, according to the Moffatt translation of this verse, “. . . I take every project prisoner to make it obey Christ . . . .” So much Christian work today has never been disciplined, but has simply come into being by impulse! In our Lord’s life every project was disciplined to the will of His Father. There was never the slightest tendency to follow the impulse of His own will as distinct from His Father’s will— “the Son can do nothing of Himself . . . ” (John 5:19). Then compare this with what we do— we take “every thought” or project that comes to us by impulse and jump into action immediately, instead of imprisoning and disciplining ourselves to obey Christ.
Practical work for Christians is greatly overemphasized today, and the saints who are “bringing every thought [and project] into captivity” are criticized and told that they are not determined, and that they lack zeal for God or zeal for the souls of others. But true determination and zeal are found in obeying God, not in the inclination to serve Him that arises from our own undisciplined human nature. It is inconceivable, but true nevertheless, that saints are not “bringing every thought [and project] into captivity,” but are simply doing work for God that has been instigated by their own human nature, and has not been made spiritual through determined discipline.
We have a tendency to forget that a person is not only committed to Jesus Christ for salvation, but is also committed, responsible, and accountable to Jesus Christ’s view of God, the world, and of sin and the devil. This means that each person must recognize the responsibility to “be transformed by the renewing of [his] mind. . . .” (Romans 12:2).
自己做
又將人所有的心意奪回，使他都順服基督。 （林後十5）
這是信徒成聖須竭盡心力的另一面。保羅說：[我將所有計劃都封鎖，使它們都歸服於基督。 ]（摩法特譯本）今天多少基督徒的事工是沒有紀律，只出於一時衝動的！主每一件事都律己，遵照父的旨意。他沒有一絲行動，是脫離父的旨意，出於私意的衝動－－[子憑自己不能作什麼。 ]
再看看我們自己－－有活現的宗教經歷，就立刻衝動地把計劃付諸行動，而不是把它約束在對基督的順服裡。這時代太強調實際工作，以致那些為主把計劃俘擄的人，被批評為不熱心為神，也不愛靈魂。真心的熱誠，在於順服神，而不在於人性、不受約束的事奉熱誠。聖徒還未把每一計劃俘擄，就按本性－－未經定志律己而來的屬靈性情－－慫動去作神的工作，這雖是不可思議，卻確有其事。
我們很容易會忘記人不單要在救恩上歸服基督，也要歸服於基督對神、對世界、對罪、對魔鬼的觀點。這就是說，他必須藉心意的更新而改變。
祈禱◆主啊，我來到你面前。求你將你的生命豐盛地賜給我，直至我的理解力、想像力和言語，都全屬於你。你更新了我的靈，使我重獲救恩之樂，你是何等偉大！
August 27, 2014
Living Your Theology
Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you . . . —John 12:35
Beware of not acting upon what you see in your moments on the mountaintop with God. If you do not obey the light, it will turn into darkness. “If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). The moment you forsake the matter of sanctification or neglect anything else on which God has given you His light, your spiritual life begins to disintegrate within you. Continually bring the truth out into your real life, working it out into every area, or else even the light that you possess will itself prove to be a curse.
The most difficult person to deal with is the one who has the prideful self-satisfaction of a past experience, but is not working that experience out in his everyday life. If you say you are sanctified, show it. The experience must be so genuine that it shows in your life. Beware of any belief that makes you self-indulgent or self-gratifying; that belief came from the pit of hell itself, regardless of how beautiful it may sound.
Your theology must work itself out, exhibiting itself in your most common everyday relationships. Our Lord said, “. . . unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). In other words, you must be more moral than the most moral person you know. You may know all about the doctrine of sanctification, but are you working it out in the everyday issues of your life? Every detail of your life, whether physical, moral, or spiritual, is to be judged and measured by the standard of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.
活的神學
應當趁著有光行走，免得黑暗臨到你們。 （約十二35）
應當把你在山上與神同在時所見的活出來。你若不順從光，光就會變成黑暗。 [你裡頭的光若黑暗了，那黑暗是何等大哩！ ]每當你放開成聖的問題，或任何事上神給你的亮光，你屬靈生命就開始陷入枯乾腐爛之中。要不斷把真理活出來，在每一個範疇內都要實行，否則你所得的光，反成了咒詛。
最難對付的人，就是因過去的經歷自滿自足，卻又沒有把經歷付諸實行的人。你若說成聖了，就要表現出來。經歷若是真的，就必然在生活中流露。當心那些叫你自我放縱的信念，不論它們有多動聽，都是從暗坑中出來的。
神學必須在最實際的關係中表現出來。主說：[你們的義若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義……]那就是說，你必須比最具德行的人更有道德。你可以懂得一切成聖的教義，但到底有沒有在生活上行出來？你生命的每一部分：身體、道德、靈性，都要憑救贖的標準去審定。
祈禱◆主啊，願我[像一顆樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子]。求你顯明這句話的真實。
Beware of not acting upon what you see in your moments on the mountaintop with God. If you do not obey the light, it will turn into darkness. “If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). The moment you forsake the matter of sanctification or neglect anything else on which God has given you His light, your spiritual life begins to disintegrate within you. Continually bring the truth out into your real life, working it out into every area, or else even the light that you possess will itself prove to be a curse.
The most difficult person to deal with is the one who has the prideful self-satisfaction of a past experience, but is not working that experience out in his everyday life. If you say you are sanctified, show it. The experience must be so genuine that it shows in your life. Beware of any belief that makes you self-indulgent or self-gratifying; that belief came from the pit of hell itself, regardless of how beautiful it may sound.
Your theology must work itself out, exhibiting itself in your most common everyday relationships. Our Lord said, “. . . unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). In other words, you must be more moral than the most moral person you know. You may know all about the doctrine of sanctification, but are you working it out in the everyday issues of your life? Every detail of your life, whether physical, moral, or spiritual, is to be judged and measured by the standard of the atonement by the Cross of Christ.
活的神學
應當趁著有光行走，免得黑暗臨到你們。 （約十二35）
應當把你在山上與神同在時所見的活出來。你若不順從光，光就會變成黑暗。 [你裡頭的光若黑暗了，那黑暗是何等大哩！ ]每當你放開成聖的問題，或任何事上神給你的亮光，你屬靈生命就開始陷入枯乾腐爛之中。要不斷把真理活出來，在每一個範疇內都要實行，否則你所得的光，反成了咒詛。
最難對付的人，就是因過去的經歷自滿自足，卻又沒有把經歷付諸實行的人。你若說成聖了，就要表現出來。經歷若是真的，就必然在生活中流露。當心那些叫你自我放縱的信念，不論它們有多動聽，都是從暗坑中出來的。
神學必須在最實際的關係中表現出來。主說：[你們的義若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義……]那就是說，你必須比最具德行的人更有道德。你可以懂得一切成聖的教義，但到底有沒有在生活上行出來？你生命的每一部分：身體、道德、靈性，都要憑救贖的標準去審定。
祈禱◆主啊，願我[像一顆樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子]。求你顯明這句話的真實。
August 10, 2014
The Holy Suffering of the Saint
Let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good . . . —1 Peter 4:19
Choosing to suffer means that there must be something wrong with you, but choosing God’s will— even if it means you will suffer— is something very different. No normal, healthy saint ever chooses suffering; he simply chooses God’s will, just as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not. And no saint should ever dare to interfere with the lesson of suffering being taught in another saint’s life.
The saint who satisfies the heart of Jesus will make other saints strong and mature for God. But the people used to strengthen us are never those who sympathize with us; in fact, we are hindered by those who give us their sympathy, because sympathy only serves to weaken us. No one better understands a saint than the saint who is as close and as intimate with Jesus as possible. If we accept the sympathy of another saint, our spontaneous feeling is, “God is dealing too harshly with me and making my life too difficult.” That is why Jesus said that self-pity was of the devil (see Matthew 16:21-23). We must be merciful to God’s reputation. It is easy for us to tarnish God’s character because He never argues back; He never tries to defend or vindicate Himself. Beware of thinking that Jesus needed sympathy during His life on earth. He refused the sympathy of people because in His great wisdom He knew that no one on earth understood His purpose (see Matthew 16:23). He accepted only the sympathy of His Father and the angels (see Luke 15:10).
Look at God’s incredible waste of His saints, according to the world’s judgment. God seems to plant His saints in the most useless places. And then we say, “God intends for me to be here because I am so useful to Him.” Yet Jesus never measured His life by how or where He was of the greatest use. God places His saints where they will bring the most glory to Him, and we are totally incapable of judging where that may be.
聖徒的分別為聖
所以那照神旨意受苦的人，要一心為善，將自己靈魂交與那信實的造化之主。 （彼前四19）
故意選擇受苦是不妥當的；但若是為了神的旨意而甘心受苦，就完全不同了。正常的聖徒不會選擇受苦；像主耶穌一樣，他的選擇是為了神的旨意，不管這是否需要受苦。沒有聖徒能干預別的聖徒在受苦上的操練。
一個滿足主心意的聖徒，能使別的聖徒靠神堅強、成熟起來。能幫助我們的，並非那些一味同情的我們的人。他們會成為阻礙，因為同情可能叫人軟弱。醉明白聖徒的，就是最靠近主心懷的聖徒。我們若接受別人的同情，反應就是－－[神對我實在太苛刻了。 ]所以主耶穌說自憐出於魔鬼（太十六23）。他從不反駁，也從不維護自己。
不要以為主耶穌在世時需要人的同情；他從不接受人的同情，是因為深知地上沒有人真明白他的使命。他只接受天父及天使的同情（比較路十五10）。按世人的眼光來看，神把聖徒放在最無出色的角落去，實在是極大的浪費。我們會說：[神放我在這裡，因為我非常有用。 ]耶穌卻從不這樣衡量自己的生命。其實神是把聖徒放在能榮耀他的地方，我們是無權選擇到底那是甚麼地方。
祈禱◆主啊，我完全仰賴你；在你出現之前，我若有[迷失]的感覺，相信對我是好的.
Choosing to suffer means that there must be something wrong with you, but choosing God’s will— even if it means you will suffer— is something very different. No normal, healthy saint ever chooses suffering; he simply chooses God’s will, just as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not. And no saint should ever dare to interfere with the lesson of suffering being taught in another saint’s life.
The saint who satisfies the heart of Jesus will make other saints strong and mature for God. But the people used to strengthen us are never those who sympathize with us; in fact, we are hindered by those who give us their sympathy, because sympathy only serves to weaken us. No one better understands a saint than the saint who is as close and as intimate with Jesus as possible. If we accept the sympathy of another saint, our spontaneous feeling is, “God is dealing too harshly with me and making my life too difficult.” That is why Jesus said that self-pity was of the devil (see Matthew 16:21-23). We must be merciful to God’s reputation. It is easy for us to tarnish God’s character because He never argues back; He never tries to defend or vindicate Himself. Beware of thinking that Jesus needed sympathy during His life on earth. He refused the sympathy of people because in His great wisdom He knew that no one on earth understood His purpose (see Matthew 16:23). He accepted only the sympathy of His Father and the angels (see Luke 15:10).
Look at God’s incredible waste of His saints, according to the world’s judgment. God seems to plant His saints in the most useless places. And then we say, “God intends for me to be here because I am so useful to Him.” Yet Jesus never measured His life by how or where He was of the greatest use. God places His saints where they will bring the most glory to Him, and we are totally incapable of judging where that may be.
聖徒的分別為聖
所以那照神旨意受苦的人，要一心為善，將自己靈魂交與那信實的造化之主。 （彼前四19）
故意選擇受苦是不妥當的；但若是為了神的旨意而甘心受苦，就完全不同了。正常的聖徒不會選擇受苦；像主耶穌一樣，他的選擇是為了神的旨意，不管這是否需要受苦。沒有聖徒能干預別的聖徒在受苦上的操練。
一個滿足主心意的聖徒，能使別的聖徒靠神堅強、成熟起來。能幫助我們的，並非那些一味同情的我們的人。他們會成為阻礙，因為同情可能叫人軟弱。醉明白聖徒的，就是最靠近主心懷的聖徒。我們若接受別人的同情，反應就是－－[神對我實在太苛刻了。 ]所以主耶穌說自憐出於魔鬼（太十六23）。他從不反駁，也從不維護自己。
不要以為主耶穌在世時需要人的同情；他從不接受人的同情，是因為深知地上沒有人真明白他的使命。他只接受天父及天使的同情（比較路十五10）。按世人的眼光來看，神把聖徒放在最無出色的角落去，實在是極大的浪費。我們會說：[神放我在這裡，因為我非常有用。 ]耶穌卻從不這樣衡量自己的生命。其實神是把聖徒放在能榮耀他的地方，我們是無權選擇到底那是甚麼地方。
祈禱◆主啊，我完全仰賴你；在你出現之前，我若有[迷失]的感覺，相信對我是好的.
August 01, 2014
Learning About His Ways
When Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples . . . He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities —Matthew 11:1
He comes where He commands us to leave. If you stayed home when God told you to go because you were so concerned about your own people there, then you actually robbed them of the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself. When you obeyed and left all the consequences to God, the Lord went into your city to teach, but as long as you were disobedient, you blocked His way. Watch where you begin to debate with Him and put what you call your duty into competition with His commands. If you say, “I know that He told me to go, but my duty is here,” it simply means that you do not believe that Jesus means what He says.
He teaches where He instructs us not to teach. “Master . . . let us make three tabernacles . . .” (Luke 9:33).
Are we playing the part of an amateur providence, trying to play God’s role in the lives of others? Are we so noisy in our instruction of other people that God cannot get near them? We must learn to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert. God wants to instruct us regarding His Son, and He wants to turn our times of prayer into mounts of transfiguration. When we become certain that God is going to work in a particular way, He will never work in that way again.
He works where He sends us to wait. “. . . tarry . . . until . . .” (Luke 24:49). “Wait on the Lord” and He will work (Psalm 37:34). But don’t wait sulking spiritually and feeling sorry for yourself, just because you can’t see one inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our own spiritual fits of emotion to “wait patiently for Him”? (Psalm 37:7). Waiting is not sitting with folded hands doing nothing, but it is learning to do what we are told.
These are some of the facets of His ways that we rarely recognize.
更認識他的作為
耶穌吩咐完了十二個門徒，就離開那裡，往各城去傳道教訓人。 （太十一1）
若神叫你[去]，你卻因為過於牽掛本地的人而留下來；那末，你反剝奪了他們領受主耶穌教訓的機會。你若順服，把一切後果交給神，他就到你的城裡去教訓人。你一天不順服，就成了阻礙。當心辯論一開始，你所謂的責任，就與主的命令相抗衡。 [我知道神叫我去，但他們——我的責任卻在此。 ]這樣說，就表示你不把主的話當真。他吩咐我們不要去教導的地方，他自己會去。
[夫子……我們搭三座棚。 ]我們是否在別人身上，充當了業餘的神明？我們教導別人的聲音，是否使神根本無法就近他人？要閉嘴，保持心靈的敏銳。神要把他兒子的事教訓我們，要把我們禱告的時間變成登山變像的經歷。可是，我們卻不讓他這樣做。我們自以為知道神一定用某種方法行事時，他就不再用那種方法。他吩咐我們在那裡等候，他就在那裡作工。
[等候，直到……]等候神，他就必作工。可是等候的時候，不要因為看不到出路而鬱鬱不樂。我們能否離開自己那份屬靈的激情去等候神？等候不是抱著手呆著，乃是學習按神的吩咐而行。神在這幾方面的作為，我們甚少人認識。
祈禱◆主啊，在這個早上，我的處境對我的意識構成極大的壓力。讓我的思想、情感，我的整個本性，去思想你為我所命定的是甚麼；由此，我便可以知道我所做的並沒有錯。
He comes where He commands us to leave. If you stayed home when God told you to go because you were so concerned about your own people there, then you actually robbed them of the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself. When you obeyed and left all the consequences to God, the Lord went into your city to teach, but as long as you were disobedient, you blocked His way. Watch where you begin to debate with Him and put what you call your duty into competition with His commands. If you say, “I know that He told me to go, but my duty is here,” it simply means that you do not believe that Jesus means what He says.
He teaches where He instructs us not to teach. “Master . . . let us make three tabernacles . . .” (Luke 9:33).
Are we playing the part of an amateur providence, trying to play God’s role in the lives of others? Are we so noisy in our instruction of other people that God cannot get near them? We must learn to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert. God wants to instruct us regarding His Son, and He wants to turn our times of prayer into mounts of transfiguration. When we become certain that God is going to work in a particular way, He will never work in that way again.
He works where He sends us to wait. “. . . tarry . . . until . . .” (Luke 24:49). “Wait on the Lord” and He will work (Psalm 37:34). But don’t wait sulking spiritually and feeling sorry for yourself, just because you can’t see one inch in front of you! Are we detached enough from our own spiritual fits of emotion to “wait patiently for Him”? (Psalm 37:7). Waiting is not sitting with folded hands doing nothing, but it is learning to do what we are told.
These are some of the facets of His ways that we rarely recognize.
更認識他的作為
耶穌吩咐完了十二個門徒，就離開那裡，往各城去傳道教訓人。 （太十一1）
若神叫你[去]，你卻因為過於牽掛本地的人而留下來；那末，你反剝奪了他們領受主耶穌教訓的機會。你若順服，把一切後果交給神，他就到你的城裡去教訓人。你一天不順服，就成了阻礙。當心辯論一開始，你所謂的責任，就與主的命令相抗衡。 [我知道神叫我去，但他們——我的責任卻在此。 ]這樣說，就表示你不把主的話當真。他吩咐我們不要去教導的地方，他自己會去。
[夫子……我們搭三座棚。 ]我們是否在別人身上，充當了業餘的神明？我們教導別人的聲音，是否使神根本無法就近他人？要閉嘴，保持心靈的敏銳。神要把他兒子的事教訓我們，要把我們禱告的時間變成登山變像的經歷。可是，我們卻不讓他這樣做。我們自以為知道神一定用某種方法行事時，他就不再用那種方法。他吩咐我們在那裡等候，他就在那裡作工。
[等候，直到……]等候神，他就必作工。可是等候的時候，不要因為看不到出路而鬱鬱不樂。我們能否離開自己那份屬靈的激情去等候神？等候不是抱著手呆著，乃是學習按神的吩咐而行。神在這幾方面的作為，我們甚少人認識。
祈禱◆主啊，在這個早上，我的處境對我的意識構成極大的壓力。讓我的思想、情感，我的整個本性，去思想你為我所命定的是甚麼；由此，我便可以知道我所做的並沒有錯。
July 19, 2014
The Submission of the Believer
You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am —John 13:13
Our Lord never insists on having authority over us. He never says, “You will submit to me.” No, He leaves us perfectly free to choose— so free, in fact, that we can spit in His face or we can put Him to death, as others have done; and yet He will never say a word. But once His life has been created in me through His redemption, I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over me. It is a complete and effective domination, in which I acknowledge that “You are worthy, O Lord . . .” (Revelation 4:11). It is simply the unworthiness within me that refuses to bow down or to submit to one who is worthy. When I meet someone who is more holy than myself, and I don’t recognize his worthiness, nor obey his instructions for me, it is a sign of my own unworthiness being revealed. God teaches us by using these people who are a little better than we are; not better intellectually, but more holy. And He continues to do so until we willingly submit. Then the whole attitude of our life is one of obedience to Him.
If our Lord insisted on our obedience, He would simply become a taskmaster and cease to have any real authority. He never insists on obedience, but when we truly see Him we will instantly obey Him. Then He is easily Lord of our life, and we live in adoration of Him from morning till night. The level of my growth in grace is revealed by the way I look at obedience. We should have a much higher view of the word obedience, rescuing it from the mire of the world. Obedience is only possible between people who are equals in their relationship to each other; like the relationship between father and son, not that between master and servant. Jesus showed this relationship by saying, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). “. . . though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). The Son was obedient as our Redeemer, because He was the Son, not in order to become God’s Son.
信徒的主
你們稱呼我夫子，稱呼我主，你們說的不錯，我未來是。 （約十三13）
我們的主從不堅持他的主權；他從不說——[你必須這樣]。他給我們絕對的自由。我們可以吐唾沫在他面前，像世人一樣；也可以把他置諸死地，像昔日的人一樣；他不會發一言。可是當他的生命藉救恩創造在我裡面後，他在我身上便有絕對的主權。這屬道德上的管治——[你配得]。只是我裡面那不配的，拒絕向那配的俯伏。當我碰見一個比我聖潔的人，不肯去尊敬他，也不肯順服從他發出的命令，這正暴露了我的不配。神往往用一些比我們好的人——不是知識上比我們好，而是比我們聖潔的人——來管教我們，直至我們服在他的管治之下，直至我們整個的人生態度都順服他。
若我們的主堅持要我們順服，他就成了一個管工，不再有什麼權威了。他從不堅持要我們順服，可是我們若真看見他，就必立時順服。他很自然地成為我們的主，從早到晚我們都活在對他的欽慕之中。對順服的看法，可以顯示我在恩典中有多少長進。 [順服]一詞，指到必須從泥坑中救拔出來。只有地位平等才有順服，這是父子的關係，而非主僕的關係。 [我與父原為一]，[他雖然為兒子，還是因所受的苦難學了順從]。身子的順服是要做救贖者，他順服是因為他是兒子，而不是為了成為兒子而順服。
祈禱◆主啊，帶領我更加靠近你，直至我在你的工作中，對你愈來愈有用。
Our Lord never insists on having authority over us. He never says, “You will submit to me.” No, He leaves us perfectly free to choose— so free, in fact, that we can spit in His face or we can put Him to death, as others have done; and yet He will never say a word. But once His life has been created in me through His redemption, I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over me. It is a complete and effective domination, in which I acknowledge that “You are worthy, O Lord . . .” (Revelation 4:11). It is simply the unworthiness within me that refuses to bow down or to submit to one who is worthy. When I meet someone who is more holy than myself, and I don’t recognize his worthiness, nor obey his instructions for me, it is a sign of my own unworthiness being revealed. God teaches us by using these people who are a little better than we are; not better intellectually, but more holy. And He continues to do so until we willingly submit. Then the whole attitude of our life is one of obedience to Him.
If our Lord insisted on our obedience, He would simply become a taskmaster and cease to have any real authority. He never insists on obedience, but when we truly see Him we will instantly obey Him. Then He is easily Lord of our life, and we live in adoration of Him from morning till night. The level of my growth in grace is revealed by the way I look at obedience. We should have a much higher view of the word obedience, rescuing it from the mire of the world. Obedience is only possible between people who are equals in their relationship to each other; like the relationship between father and son, not that between master and servant. Jesus showed this relationship by saying, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). “. . . though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). The Son was obedient as our Redeemer, because He was the Son, not in order to become God’s Son.
信徒的主
你們稱呼我夫子，稱呼我主，你們說的不錯，我未來是。 （約十三13）
我們的主從不堅持他的主權；他從不說——[你必須這樣]。他給我們絕對的自由。我們可以吐唾沫在他面前，像世人一樣；也可以把他置諸死地，像昔日的人一樣；他不會發一言。可是當他的生命藉救恩創造在我裡面後，他在我身上便有絕對的主權。這屬道德上的管治——[你配得]。只是我裡面那不配的，拒絕向那配的俯伏。當我碰見一個比我聖潔的人，不肯去尊敬他，也不肯順服從他發出的命令，這正暴露了我的不配。神往往用一些比我們好的人——不是知識上比我們好，而是比我們聖潔的人——來管教我們，直至我們服在他的管治之下，直至我們整個的人生態度都順服他。
若我們的主堅持要我們順服，他就成了一個管工，不再有什麼權威了。他從不堅持要我們順服，可是我們若真看見他，就必立時順服。他很自然地成為我們的主，從早到晚我們都活在對他的欽慕之中。對順服的看法，可以顯示我在恩典中有多少長進。 [順服]一詞，指到必須從泥坑中救拔出來。只有地位平等才有順服，這是父子的關係，而非主僕的關係。 [我與父原為一]，[他雖然為兒子，還是因所受的苦難學了順從]。身子的順服是要做救贖者，他順服是因為他是兒子，而不是為了成為兒子而順服。
祈禱◆主啊，帶領我更加靠近你，直至我在你的工作中，對你愈來愈有用。
July 18, 2014
The Mystery of Believing
He said, "Who are You, Lord? —Acts 9:5
Through the miracle of redemption, Saul of Tarsus was instantly changed from a strong-willed and forceful Pharisee into a humble and devoted bondservant of the Lord Jesus.
There is nothing miraculous or mysterious about the things we can explain. We control what we are able to explain, consequently it is only natural to seek an explanation for everything. It is not natural to obey, yet it is not necessarily sinful to disobey. There can be no real disobedience, nor any moral virtue in obedience, unless a person recognizes the higher authority of the one giving the orders. If this recognition does not exist, even the one giving the orders may view the other person’s disobedience as freedom. If one rules another by saying, “You must do this,” and, “You will do that,” he breaks the human spirit, making it unfit for God. A person is simply a slave for obeying, unless behind his obedience is the recognition of a holy God.
Many people begin coming to God once they stop being religious, because there is only one master of the human heart— Jesus Christ, not religion. But “Woe is me” if after seeing Him I still will not obey (Isaiah 6:5 , also see Isaiah 6:1). Jesus will never insist that I obey, but if I don’t,I have already begun to sign the death certificate of the Son of God in my soul. When I stand face to face with Jesus Christ and say, “I will not obey,” He will never insist. But when I do this, I am backing away from the recreating power of His redemption. It makes no difference to God’s grace what an abomination I am, if I will only come to the light. But “Woe is me” if I refuse the light (see John 3:19-21).
信的奧秘
他說，主啊，你是誰？ （徒九5）
救贖的奇跡，使大數的掃羅由一個認真、意志堅強的法利賽人，一刻之間變成主耶穌謙卑的忠僕。可以解釋的事根本就無奇妙可言。可以解釋的事便能控制，所以我們要求解釋是極自然的。順服並非自然的事；不順服也並不一定有罪。除非我承認有一更高的權威指揮一切，否則順服不算甚麼德行。對別人而言，不順服可能是一種解放。一個人若對另一個人說：[你一定要這樣。 ]他就傷害了那人的靈，這樣的靈並不合神用。順服的背後必須承認有一位聖潔的神，否則，只淪為順服的奴隸。許多人要擺脫宗教的外殼，才能真正來到神面前。因為心裡只有一位主人，這不是宗教，而是耶穌基督。倘若我見他，卻對他說：[我不肯。 ]我就有禍了。他不會強求，但我已在心裡神兒子的死亡證上簽了字。我面對主耶穌，卻對他說：[我不願意。 ]他斷不會堅持，但這樣我就從救恩的再造大能中退後了。我若肯來就光，不管我怎樣可惡，神的恩典總不會計較；我若不肯來到光中，就有禍了（參約三19-21）。
祈禱◆[看啊！這些不過是他的道路顯而易見的部分，至於他能力的響聲誰能明白呢？ ]那許多無根的思緒在我的腦海中浮過，除非我的黑暗蒙你光照，否則對於屬你的東西，我全無智慧和知識。
Through the miracle of redemption, Saul of Tarsus was instantly changed from a strong-willed and forceful Pharisee into a humble and devoted bondservant of the Lord Jesus.
There is nothing miraculous or mysterious about the things we can explain. We control what we are able to explain, consequently it is only natural to seek an explanation for everything. It is not natural to obey, yet it is not necessarily sinful to disobey. There can be no real disobedience, nor any moral virtue in obedience, unless a person recognizes the higher authority of the one giving the orders. If this recognition does not exist, even the one giving the orders may view the other person’s disobedience as freedom. If one rules another by saying, “You must do this,” and, “You will do that,” he breaks the human spirit, making it unfit for God. A person is simply a slave for obeying, unless behind his obedience is the recognition of a holy God.
Many people begin coming to God once they stop being religious, because there is only one master of the human heart— Jesus Christ, not religion. But “Woe is me” if after seeing Him I still will not obey (Isaiah 6:5 , also see Isaiah 6:1). Jesus will never insist that I obey, but if I don’t,I have already begun to sign the death certificate of the Son of God in my soul. When I stand face to face with Jesus Christ and say, “I will not obey,” He will never insist. But when I do this, I am backing away from the recreating power of His redemption. It makes no difference to God’s grace what an abomination I am, if I will only come to the light. But “Woe is me” if I refuse the light (see John 3:19-21).
信的奧秘
他說，主啊，你是誰？ （徒九5）
救贖的奇跡，使大數的掃羅由一個認真、意志堅強的法利賽人，一刻之間變成主耶穌謙卑的忠僕。可以解釋的事根本就無奇妙可言。可以解釋的事便能控制，所以我們要求解釋是極自然的。順服並非自然的事；不順服也並不一定有罪。除非我承認有一更高的權威指揮一切，否則順服不算甚麼德行。對別人而言，不順服可能是一種解放。一個人若對另一個人說：[你一定要這樣。 ]他就傷害了那人的靈，這樣的靈並不合神用。順服的背後必須承認有一位聖潔的神，否則，只淪為順服的奴隸。許多人要擺脫宗教的外殼，才能真正來到神面前。因為心裡只有一位主人，這不是宗教，而是耶穌基督。倘若我見他，卻對他說：[我不肯。 ]我就有禍了。他不會強求，但我已在心裡神兒子的死亡證上簽了字。我面對主耶穌，卻對他說：[我不願意。 ]他斷不會堅持，但這樣我就從救恩的再造大能中退後了。我若肯來就光，不管我怎樣可惡，神的恩典總不會計較；我若不肯來到光中，就有禍了（參約三19-21）。
祈禱◆[看啊！這些不過是他的道路顯而易見的部分，至於他能力的響聲誰能明白呢？ ]那許多無根的思緒在我的腦海中浮過，除非我的黑暗蒙你光照，否則對於屬你的東西，我全無智慧和知識。
July 13, 2014
The Price of the Vision
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord . . . —Isaiah 6:1
Our soul’s personal history with God is often an account of the death of our heroes. Over and over again God has to remove our friends to put Himself in their place, and that is when we falter, fail, and become discouraged. Let me think about this personally— when the person died who represented for me all that God was, did I give up on everything in life? Did I become ill or disheartened? Or did I do as Isaiah did and see the Lord?
My vision of God is dependent upon the condition of my character. My character determines whether or not truth can even be revealed to me. Before I can say, “I saw the Lord,” there must be something in my character that conforms to the likeness of God. Until I am born again and really begin to see the kingdom of God, I only see from the perspective of my own biases. What I need is God’s surgical procedure— His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification.
Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God and no one else is taken into account whatsoever. Your prayer will then be, “In all the world there is no one but You, dear God; there is no one but You.”
Keep paying the price. Let God see that you are willing to live up to the vision.
異象的代價
當烏西雅王崩的那年，我見主坐在高高的寶座上。 （賽六1）
我們心靈與神的歷程，往往是英雄人物式逝去的歷程。神一次又一次地把我們的朋友挪開，使他自己可以代替他們的地位，我們卻因此失敗灰心。就個人經驗來說：那年那個替代了神位置的人死了——我是否萬念俱灰？病了？頹喪灰心？還是看見了主？
我對神的異象，有賴於我品性的狀況。品性決定啟示。我若要說[我看見了主]，就必先在品性上有了與神相呼應的成分。在我重生得見神的國以前，所看見的都隨我的偏見而定；我需要接受手術，切除外在的事物，也需要內裡的潔淨。第一是神，第二、第三也是神，直到生命單單面對神，其他人都無關重要。 [世上除你還有誰？我的神，只有你。 ]不斷付代價，讓神知道你甘願達成異象。
祈禱◆主啊，我感謝你，因為我發現自己在盼望你再來時，深感熱切的喜樂！噢由此我可以在你眼前蒙恩，並且，要讓自己的行事為人，與你的偉大救恩更為相稱！
Our soul’s personal history with God is often an account of the death of our heroes. Over and over again God has to remove our friends to put Himself in their place, and that is when we falter, fail, and become discouraged. Let me think about this personally— when the person died who represented for me all that God was, did I give up on everything in life? Did I become ill or disheartened? Or did I do as Isaiah did and see the Lord?
My vision of God is dependent upon the condition of my character. My character determines whether or not truth can even be revealed to me. Before I can say, “I saw the Lord,” there must be something in my character that conforms to the likeness of God. Until I am born again and really begin to see the kingdom of God, I only see from the perspective of my own biases. What I need is God’s surgical procedure— His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification.
Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God and no one else is taken into account whatsoever. Your prayer will then be, “In all the world there is no one but You, dear God; there is no one but You.”
Keep paying the price. Let God see that you are willing to live up to the vision.
異象的代價
當烏西雅王崩的那年，我見主坐在高高的寶座上。 （賽六1）
我們心靈與神的歷程，往往是英雄人物式逝去的歷程。神一次又一次地把我們的朋友挪開，使他自己可以代替他們的地位，我們卻因此失敗灰心。就個人經驗來說：那年那個替代了神位置的人死了——我是否萬念俱灰？病了？頹喪灰心？還是看見了主？
我對神的異象，有賴於我品性的狀況。品性決定啟示。我若要說[我看見了主]，就必先在品性上有了與神相呼應的成分。在我重生得見神的國以前，所看見的都隨我的偏見而定；我需要接受手術，切除外在的事物，也需要內裡的潔淨。第一是神，第二、第三也是神，直到生命單單面對神，其他人都無關重要。 [世上除你還有誰？我的神，只有你。 ]不斷付代價，讓神知道你甘願達成異象。
祈禱◆主啊，我感謝你，因為我發現自己在盼望你再來時，深感熱切的喜樂！噢由此我可以在你眼前蒙恩，並且，要讓自己的行事為人，與你的偉大救恩更為相稱！
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