Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt —Psalm 123:3
What we must beware of is not damage to our belief in God but damage to our Christian disposition or state of mind. “Take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously” (Malachi 2:16). Our state of mind is powerful in its effects. It can be the enemy that penetrates right into our soul and distracts our mind from God. There are certain attitudes we should never dare to indulge. If we do, we will find they have distracted us from faith in God. Until we get back into a quiet mood before Him, our faith is of no value, and our confidence in the flesh and in human ingenuity is what rules our lives.
Beware of “the cares of this world . . .” (Mark 4:19). They are the very things that produce the wrong attitudes in our soul. It is incredible what enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention away from God. Refuse to be swamped by “the cares of this world.”
Another thing that distracts us is our passion for vindication. St. Augustine prayed, “O Lord, deliver me from this lust of always vindicating myself.” Such a need for constant vindication destroys our soul’s faith in God. Don’t say, “I must explain myself,” or, “I must get people to understand.” Our Lord never explained anything— He left the misunderstandings or misconceptions of others to correct themselves.
When we discern that other people are not growing spiritually and allow that discernment to turn to criticism, we block our fellowship with God. God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.
Showing posts with label Relating To Others. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Relating To Others. Show all posts
November 23, 2012
September 26, 2012
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 20, 2012
The Divine Commandment of Life
. . . be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect —Matthew 5:48
Our Lord’s exhortation to us in Matthew 5:38-48 is to be generous in our behavior toward everyone. Beware of living according to your natural affections in your spiritual life. Everyone has natural affections— some people we like and others we don’t like. Yet we must never let those likes and dislikes rule our Christian life. “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another” (1 John 1:7), even those toward whom we have no affection.
The example our Lord gave us here is not that of a good person, or even of a good Christian, but of God Himself. “. . . be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” In other words, simply show to the other person what God has shown to you. And God will give you plenty of real life opportunities to prove whether or not you are “perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Being a disciple means deliberately identifying yourself with God’s interests in other people. Jesus says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly. The secret of a Christian’s life is that the supernatural becomes natural in him as a result of the grace of God, and the experience of this becomes evident in the practical, everyday details of life, not in times of intimate fellowship with God. And when we come in contact with things that create confusion and a flurry of activity, we find to our own amazement that we have the power to stay wonderfully poised even in the center of it all.
生命的神聖定律
所以你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。 （太五48）
在這經文中，主勸勉我們對所有人都要寬大慷慨。在屬靈的生活中。當心依從人性的喜好行事。人人都有天然的喜好，我們喜歡某些人，不喜歡某些人。切勿讓這些喜好操縱我們基督徒的生命。 [我們若在光明中行，如同神在光中]，神可以使我們與天性不喜歡的人相交。
主給我們的榜樣不是一個好人，也不是一個好的基督徒，乃是神自己。 [所以你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。 ]－－向人表彰神向你表彰的；神在實際生活上會給我們足夠的機會，去證明我們是否像他一樣完全。作門徒，就是立志要愛神所關注的人。 [叫你們彼此相愛，我怎樣愛你們，你們也要怎樣相愛。 ]
信徒品德的表現不在於善行，乃在於像神。若神的靈已改變你的內心，你生命所表現的是屬天的特性，而不是好人的特性。神的生命在我們裡面，表現的就是神的生命，不是力求敬虔的人的生命。信徒的秘訣，就是藉神的恩典，使超然的在他裡面成為自然，這種經歷並非在與神相交的時刻中表現，而是在日常生活的細節中實行。當我們碰到叫人頭昏腦脹的事，便會稀奇自己竟有能力保持平靜安穩。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，當今天這個屬你的日子正要展開，願你在一切事情上，成為我們獨特的珍寶。願你的靈充滿我們，以致我們各人都被那甜蜜、愜意的屬靈能力所改變。
Our Lord’s exhortation to us in Matthew 5:38-48 is to be generous in our behavior toward everyone. Beware of living according to your natural affections in your spiritual life. Everyone has natural affections— some people we like and others we don’t like. Yet we must never let those likes and dislikes rule our Christian life. “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another” (1 John 1:7), even those toward whom we have no affection.
The example our Lord gave us here is not that of a good person, or even of a good Christian, but of God Himself. “. . . be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” In other words, simply show to the other person what God has shown to you. And God will give you plenty of real life opportunities to prove whether or not you are “perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Being a disciple means deliberately identifying yourself with God’s interests in other people. Jesus says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly. The secret of a Christian’s life is that the supernatural becomes natural in him as a result of the grace of God, and the experience of this becomes evident in the practical, everyday details of life, not in times of intimate fellowship with God. And when we come in contact with things that create confusion and a flurry of activity, we find to our own amazement that we have the power to stay wonderfully poised even in the center of it all.
生命的神聖定律
所以你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。 （太五48）
在這經文中，主勸勉我們對所有人都要寬大慷慨。在屬靈的生活中。當心依從人性的喜好行事。人人都有天然的喜好，我們喜歡某些人，不喜歡某些人。切勿讓這些喜好操縱我們基督徒的生命。 [我們若在光明中行，如同神在光中]，神可以使我們與天性不喜歡的人相交。
主給我們的榜樣不是一個好人，也不是一個好的基督徒，乃是神自己。 [所以你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。 ]－－向人表彰神向你表彰的；神在實際生活上會給我們足夠的機會，去證明我們是否像他一樣完全。作門徒，就是立志要愛神所關注的人。 [叫你們彼此相愛，我怎樣愛你們，你們也要怎樣相愛。 ]
信徒品德的表現不在於善行，乃在於像神。若神的靈已改變你的內心，你生命所表現的是屬天的特性，而不是好人的特性。神的生命在我們裡面，表現的就是神的生命，不是力求敬虔的人的生命。信徒的秘訣，就是藉神的恩典，使超然的在他裡面成為自然，這種經歷並非在與神相交的時刻中表現，而是在日常生活的細節中實行。當我們碰到叫人頭昏腦脹的事，便會稀奇自己竟有能力保持平靜安穩。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，當今天這個屬你的日子正要展開，願你在一切事情上，成為我們獨特的珍寶。願你的靈充滿我們，以致我們各人都被那甜蜜、愜意的屬靈能力所改變。
August 27, 2012
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。
July 30, 2012
The Teaching of Disillusionment
Jesus did not commit Himself to them . . . , for He knew what was in man —John 2:24-25
Disillusionment means having no more misconceptions, false impressions, and false judgments in life; it means being free from these deceptions. However, though no longer deceived, our experience of disillusionment may actually leave us cynical and overly critical in our judgment of others. But the disillusionment that comes from God brings us to the point where we see people as they really are, yet without any cynicism or any stinging and bitter criticism. Many of the things in life that inflict the greatest injury, grief, or pain, stem from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts, seeing each other as we really are; we are only true to our misconceived ideas of one another. According to our thinking, everything is either delightful and good, or it is evil, malicious, and cowardly.
Refusing to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering of human life. And this is how that suffering happens— if we love someone, but do not love God, we demand total perfection and righteousness from that person, and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; yet we are demanding of a human being something which he or she cannot possibly give. There is only one Being who can completely satisfy to the absolute depth of the hurting human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is so obviously uncompromising with regard to every human relationship because He knows that every relationship that is not based on faithfulness to Himself will end in disaster. Our Lord trusted no one, and never placed His faith in people, yet He was never suspicious or bitter. Our Lord’s confidence in God, and in what God’s grace could do for anyone, was so perfect that He never despaired, never giving up hope for any person. If our trust is placed in human beings, we will end up despairing of everyone.
覺醒的操練
耶穌卻不將自己交託他們……因他知道人心裡所存的。 （約二24-25）
覺醒就是在生命中再沒有錯誤的判斷。受錯覺的矇騙，會使我們對人的批評變得苛刻，好冷嘲熱諷。但從神而來的覺醒，卻使我們認清人的本相，而又不憤世嫉俗，也沒有尖酸苦毒的說話。人生許多的痛苦，都是由於我們受錯覺的蒙蔽。對別人的觀感，我們只憑自己的想法，而非忠於事實。對我們來說，每一事物若非好便是壞。不願從錯覺中醒悟，是導致人生種種痛苦的因由。情形就是這樣：我們若愛一個人，卻不愛神，便會要求他完全正直無暇。一旦得不到，就變得殘酷，要報復；我們要求的，是一個人無法做到。只有主耶穌才能滿足人心中最深的渴求。主耶穌對每種人際關係的看法，是相當嚴厲的；因為他知道任何一種不忠於主為基礎的關係，到頭來必定悲劇收場。主雖然不把自己交託給人，但他從不多疑，也不尖刻苦毒。他對神的信賴，以及對他恩典全能的信賴，使他對任何人都不絕望。我們的信賴若在人身上，結果必是對人失望。
祈禱◆主啊，對於你道路的細節，我雖然一無所知，但我期盼你奇妙的作為儘快顯明。我是何其全然安息，得見你的道路時，又是何其釋然。
Disillusionment means having no more misconceptions, false impressions, and false judgments in life; it means being free from these deceptions. However, though no longer deceived, our experience of disillusionment may actually leave us cynical and overly critical in our judgment of others. But the disillusionment that comes from God brings us to the point where we see people as they really are, yet without any cynicism or any stinging and bitter criticism. Many of the things in life that inflict the greatest injury, grief, or pain, stem from the fact that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as facts, seeing each other as we really are; we are only true to our misconceived ideas of one another. According to our thinking, everything is either delightful and good, or it is evil, malicious, and cowardly.
Refusing to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering of human life. And this is how that suffering happens— if we love someone, but do not love God, we demand total perfection and righteousness from that person, and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; yet we are demanding of a human being something which he or she cannot possibly give. There is only one Being who can completely satisfy to the absolute depth of the hurting human heart, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord is so obviously uncompromising with regard to every human relationship because He knows that every relationship that is not based on faithfulness to Himself will end in disaster. Our Lord trusted no one, and never placed His faith in people, yet He was never suspicious or bitter. Our Lord’s confidence in God, and in what God’s grace could do for anyone, was so perfect that He never despaired, never giving up hope for any person. If our trust is placed in human beings, we will end up despairing of everyone.
覺醒的操練
耶穌卻不將自己交託他們……因他知道人心裡所存的。 （約二24-25）
覺醒就是在生命中再沒有錯誤的判斷。受錯覺的矇騙，會使我們對人的批評變得苛刻，好冷嘲熱諷。但從神而來的覺醒，卻使我們認清人的本相，而又不憤世嫉俗，也沒有尖酸苦毒的說話。人生許多的痛苦，都是由於我們受錯覺的蒙蔽。對別人的觀感，我們只憑自己的想法，而非忠於事實。對我們來說，每一事物若非好便是壞。不願從錯覺中醒悟，是導致人生種種痛苦的因由。情形就是這樣：我們若愛一個人，卻不愛神，便會要求他完全正直無暇。一旦得不到，就變得殘酷，要報復；我們要求的，是一個人無法做到。只有主耶穌才能滿足人心中最深的渴求。主耶穌對每種人際關係的看法，是相當嚴厲的；因為他知道任何一種不忠於主為基礎的關係，到頭來必定悲劇收場。主雖然不把自己交託給人，但他從不多疑，也不尖刻苦毒。他對神的信賴，以及對他恩典全能的信賴，使他對任何人都不絕望。我們的信賴若在人身上，結果必是對人失望。
祈禱◆主啊，對於你道路的細節，我雖然一無所知，但我期盼你奇妙的作為儘快顯明。我是何其全然安息，得見你的道路時，又是何其釋然。
June 30, 2012
Do It Now!
Agree with your adversary quickly . . . —Matthew 5:25
In this verse, Jesus Christ laid down a very important principle by saying, “Do what you know you must do— now. Do it quickly. If you don’t, an inevitable process will begin to work ’till you have paid the last penny’ (Matthew 5:26) in pain, agony, and distress.” God’s laws are unchangeable and there is no escape from them. The teachings of Jesus always penetrate right to the heart of our being.
Wanting to make sure that my adversary gives me all my rights is a natural thing. But Jesus says that it is a matter of inescapable and eternal importance to me that I pay my adversary what I owe him. From our Lord’s standpoint it doesn’t matter whether I am cheated or not, but what does matter is that I don’t cheat someone else. Am I insisting on having my own rights, or am I paying what I owe from Jesus Christ’s standpoint?
Do it quickly— bring yourself to judgment now. In moral and spiritual matters, you must act immediately. If you don’t, the inevitable, relentless process will begin to work. God is determined to have His child as pure, clean, and white as driven snow, and as long as there is disobedience in any point of His teaching, He will allow His Spirit to use whatever process it may take to bring us to obedience. The fact that we insist on proving that we are right is almost always a clear indication that we have some point of disobedience. No wonder the Spirit of God so strongly urges us to stay steadfastly in the light! (see John 3:19-21).
“Agree with your adversary quickly . . . .” Have you suddenly reached a certain place in your relationship with someone, only to find that you have anger in your heart? Confess it quickly— make it right before God. Be reconciled to that person— do it now!
In this verse, Jesus Christ laid down a very important principle by saying, “Do what you know you must do— now. Do it quickly. If you don’t, an inevitable process will begin to work ’till you have paid the last penny’ (Matthew 5:26) in pain, agony, and distress.” God’s laws are unchangeable and there is no escape from them. The teachings of Jesus always penetrate right to the heart of our being.
Wanting to make sure that my adversary gives me all my rights is a natural thing. But Jesus says that it is a matter of inescapable and eternal importance to me that I pay my adversary what I owe him. From our Lord’s standpoint it doesn’t matter whether I am cheated or not, but what does matter is that I don’t cheat someone else. Am I insisting on having my own rights, or am I paying what I owe from Jesus Christ’s standpoint?
Do it quickly— bring yourself to judgment now. In moral and spiritual matters, you must act immediately. If you don’t, the inevitable, relentless process will begin to work. God is determined to have His child as pure, clean, and white as driven snow, and as long as there is disobedience in any point of His teaching, He will allow His Spirit to use whatever process it may take to bring us to obedience. The fact that we insist on proving that we are right is almost always a clear indication that we have some point of disobedience. No wonder the Spirit of God so strongly urges us to stay steadfastly in the light! (see John 3:19-21).
“Agree with your adversary quickly . . . .” Have you suddenly reached a certain place in your relationship with someone, only to find that you have anger in your heart? Confess it quickly— make it right before God. Be reconciled to that person— do it now!
June 29, 2012
The Strictest Discipline
If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell —Matthew 5:30
Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off his right hand, but that “if your right hand causes you to sin” in your walk with Him, then it is better to “cut it off.” There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them. Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but Jesus says that if it hinders you in following His precepts, then “cut it off.” The principle taught here is the strictest discipline or lesson that ever hit humankind.
When God changes you through regeneration, giving you new life through spiritual rebirth, your life initially has the characteristic of being maimed. There are a hundred and one things that you dare not do— things that would be sin for you, and would be recognized as sin by those who really know you. But the unspiritual people around you will say, “What’s so wrong with doing that? How absurd you are!” There has never yet been a saint who has not lived a maimed life initially. Yet it is better to enter into life maimed but lovely in God’s sight than to appear lovely to man’s eyes but lame to God’s. At first, Jesus Christ through His Spirit has to restrain you from doing a great many things that may be perfectly right for everyone else but not right for you. Yet, see that you don’t use your restrictions to criticize someone else.
The Christian life is a maimed life initially, but in Matthew 5:48 Jesus gave us the picture of a perfectly well-rounded life— “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
操練的方向
若是右手叫你跌倒，就砍下來丟掉。寧可失去百體中的一體，不叫全身下入地獄。 （太五30）
耶穌並沒有叫人把手砍掉，他只是說：[若你右手阻礙你與我同行，就把它砍下來。 ]有許多事本來是完全合情合理的，但你若要專心跟從神，就不能去做了。右手是你最有用的東西，但耶穌說如果它阻礙你跟從他，就把它砍掉。這種鍛煉的方法，是人類空前最嚴厲的。
神藉著重生改變了一個人，那生命起初的特徵就是殘廢。你有許多事不敢做了，而那些事在你眼中，在認識你的世界眼中，是等於你的右手或眼睛那樣重要。不屬靈的人就會說：[這件事有何不妥？你真是太古怪了！ ]有史以來，從沒有一個聖徒開始的時候，不是從無手無足的殘缺中起步的。可是，寧可被神視為美好而帶著殘廢進入永生，勝過在人眼中看為美麗，在神卻視為殘廢。重生初期，有許多事情是耶穌藉著殘廢禁止你做的；雖然別人作這些事或許完全沒有問題，你卻不可作。但得小心；不可以用你所受的限制去批評別人。
生命的開始是殘廢的，但在第四十八節中，耶穌卻展開了一幅豐盛生命的圖畫－－[你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。 ]
祈禱◆主啊！願你今天帶領我進入你更多恩慈和奇妙的作為中。願你那滿有恩典和能力的慈手，今天覆庇我。
Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off his right hand, but that “if your right hand causes you to sin” in your walk with Him, then it is better to “cut it off.” There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them. Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but Jesus says that if it hinders you in following His precepts, then “cut it off.” The principle taught here is the strictest discipline or lesson that ever hit humankind.
When God changes you through regeneration, giving you new life through spiritual rebirth, your life initially has the characteristic of being maimed. There are a hundred and one things that you dare not do— things that would be sin for you, and would be recognized as sin by those who really know you. But the unspiritual people around you will say, “What’s so wrong with doing that? How absurd you are!” There has never yet been a saint who has not lived a maimed life initially. Yet it is better to enter into life maimed but lovely in God’s sight than to appear lovely to man’s eyes but lame to God’s. At first, Jesus Christ through His Spirit has to restrain you from doing a great many things that may be perfectly right for everyone else but not right for you. Yet, see that you don’t use your restrictions to criticize someone else.
The Christian life is a maimed life initially, but in Matthew 5:48 Jesus gave us the picture of a perfectly well-rounded life— “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
操練的方向
若是右手叫你跌倒，就砍下來丟掉。寧可失去百體中的一體，不叫全身下入地獄。 （太五30）
耶穌並沒有叫人把手砍掉，他只是說：[若你右手阻礙你與我同行，就把它砍下來。 ]有許多事本來是完全合情合理的，但你若要專心跟從神，就不能去做了。右手是你最有用的東西，但耶穌說如果它阻礙你跟從他，就把它砍掉。這種鍛煉的方法，是人類空前最嚴厲的。
神藉著重生改變了一個人，那生命起初的特徵就是殘廢。你有許多事不敢做了，而那些事在你眼中，在認識你的世界眼中，是等於你的右手或眼睛那樣重要。不屬靈的人就會說：[這件事有何不妥？你真是太古怪了！ ]有史以來，從沒有一個聖徒開始的時候，不是從無手無足的殘缺中起步的。可是，寧可被神視為美好而帶著殘廢進入永生，勝過在人眼中看為美麗，在神卻視為殘廢。重生初期，有許多事情是耶穌藉著殘廢禁止你做的；雖然別人作這些事或許完全沒有問題，你卻不可作。但得小心；不可以用你所受的限制去批評別人。
生命的開始是殘廢的，但在第四十八節中，耶穌卻展開了一幅豐盛生命的圖畫－－[你們要完全，像你們的天父完全一樣。 ]
祈禱◆主啊！願你今天帶領我進入你更多恩慈和奇妙的作為中。願你那滿有恩典和能力的慈手，今天覆庇我。
June 22, 2012
The Unchanging Law of Judgment
With what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you —Matthew 7:2
This statement is not some haphazard theory, but it is an eternal law of God. Whatever judgment you give will be the very way you are judged. There is a difference between retaliation and retribution. Jesus said that the basis of life is retribution— “with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” If you have been shrewd in finding out the shortcomings of others, remember that will be exactly how you will be measured. The way you pay is the way life will pay you back. This eternal law works from God’s throne down to us (see Psalm 18:25-26).
Romans 2:1 applies it in even a more definite way by saying that the one who criticizes another is guilty of the very same thing. God looks not only at the act itself, but also at the possibility of committing it, which He sees by looking at our hearts. To begin with, we do not believe the statements of the Bible. For instance, do we really believe the statement that says we criticize in others the very things we are guilty of ourselves? The reason we see hypocrisy, deceit, and a lack of genuineness in others is that they are all in our own hearts. The greatest characteristic of a saint is humility, as evidenced by being able to say honestly and humbly, “Yes, all those, as well as other evils, would have been exhibited in me if it were not for the grace of God. Therefore, I have no right to judge.”
Jesus said, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). He went on to say, in effect, “If you do judge, you will be judged in exactly the same way.” Who of us would dare to stand before God and say, “My God, judge me as I have judged others”? We have judged others as sinners— if God should judge us in the same way, we would be condemned to hell. Yet God judges us on the basis of the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ.
不變的考驗
因為你們怎樣論斷人，也必怎樣被論斷。你們用什麼量器量給人，也必用什麼量器量給你們。 （太七2）
這句話不是信口開河的瞎猜，而是神永恆的定律。你怎樣論斷人，就得同樣的回報。報復與報應是不同的。耶穌說人生是以報應為本的－－你用量器量人，人也必用什麼量器量你。你若善於挑剔別人，那你所得的也必如此。你付出多少，就收回多少。這定律是由神的寶座上頒下來的（詩十八25-26）
羅馬書第二章對這定律，更為肯定。其中說人批評別人，自己正犯了同樣的罪。神不單看外面的行為，更看人內心的動機。首先，我們不信聖經的話。試問我們真的相信所批評別人的，正是自己所犯上的罪麼？我們所以能看見別人的虛偽、欺詐、虛浮，是因為我們自己心中也有這些東西。聖徒最大的特徵是謙卑－－[是的，若不是神的恩典，這些東西或其他罪惡，都會發生在我身上，因此我無權批判。 ]
耶穌說：[你們不要論斷人，免得你們被論斷。 ]你若論斷人，神則必照你所論斷的量你。我們誰敢對神說：[我的神，請你照我論斷他人的判斷我吧]?我們判斷別人為罪人，若神也同樣判斷我們，我們早已在地獄了。可是，神卻透過耶穌基督奇妙的代贖來判斷我們。
祈禱◆噢，我只求得嘗祢的靈如風吹拂，或得驅策、或使甦醒、或蒙釋放、或被感動，我就心滿意足了。
This statement is not some haphazard theory, but it is an eternal law of God. Whatever judgment you give will be the very way you are judged. There is a difference between retaliation and retribution. Jesus said that the basis of life is retribution— “with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” If you have been shrewd in finding out the shortcomings of others, remember that will be exactly how you will be measured. The way you pay is the way life will pay you back. This eternal law works from God’s throne down to us (see Psalm 18:25-26).
Romans 2:1 applies it in even a more definite way by saying that the one who criticizes another is guilty of the very same thing. God looks not only at the act itself, but also at the possibility of committing it, which He sees by looking at our hearts. To begin with, we do not believe the statements of the Bible. For instance, do we really believe the statement that says we criticize in others the very things we are guilty of ourselves? The reason we see hypocrisy, deceit, and a lack of genuineness in others is that they are all in our own hearts. The greatest characteristic of a saint is humility, as evidenced by being able to say honestly and humbly, “Yes, all those, as well as other evils, would have been exhibited in me if it were not for the grace of God. Therefore, I have no right to judge.”
Jesus said, “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). He went on to say, in effect, “If you do judge, you will be judged in exactly the same way.” Who of us would dare to stand before God and say, “My God, judge me as I have judged others”? We have judged others as sinners— if God should judge us in the same way, we would be condemned to hell. Yet God judges us on the basis of the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ.
不變的考驗
因為你們怎樣論斷人，也必怎樣被論斷。你們用什麼量器量給人，也必用什麼量器量給你們。 （太七2）
這句話不是信口開河的瞎猜，而是神永恆的定律。你怎樣論斷人，就得同樣的回報。報復與報應是不同的。耶穌說人生是以報應為本的－－你用量器量人，人也必用什麼量器量你。你若善於挑剔別人，那你所得的也必如此。你付出多少，就收回多少。這定律是由神的寶座上頒下來的（詩十八25-26）
羅馬書第二章對這定律，更為肯定。其中說人批評別人，自己正犯了同樣的罪。神不單看外面的行為，更看人內心的動機。首先，我們不信聖經的話。試問我們真的相信所批評別人的，正是自己所犯上的罪麼？我們所以能看見別人的虛偽、欺詐、虛浮，是因為我們自己心中也有這些東西。聖徒最大的特徵是謙卑－－[是的，若不是神的恩典，這些東西或其他罪惡，都會發生在我身上，因此我無權批判。 ]
耶穌說：[你們不要論斷人，免得你們被論斷。 ]你若論斷人，神則必照你所論斷的量你。我們誰敢對神說：[我的神，請你照我論斷他人的判斷我吧]?我們判斷別人為罪人，若神也同樣判斷我們，我們早已在地獄了。可是，神卻透過耶穌基督奇妙的代贖來判斷我們。
祈禱◆噢，我只求得嘗祢的靈如風吹拂，或得驅策、或使甦醒、或蒙釋放、或被感動，我就心滿意足了。
June 20, 2012
Have You Come to “When” Yet?
The Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends —Job 42:10
A pitiful, sickly, and self-centered kind of prayer and a determined effort and selfish desire to be right with God are never found in the New Testament. The fact that I am trying to be right with God is actually a sign that I am rebelling against the atonement by the Cross of Christ. I pray, “Lord, I will purify my heart if You will answer my prayer— I will walk rightly before You if You will help me.” But I cannot make myself right with God; I cannot make my life perfect. I can only be right with God if I accept the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ as an absolute gift. Am I humble enough to accept it? I have to surrender all my rights and demands, and cease from every self-effort. I must leave myself completely alone in His hands, and then I can begin to pour my life out in the priestly work of intercession. There is a great deal of prayer that comes from actual disbelief in the atonement. Jesus is not just beginning to save us— He has already saved us completely. It is an accomplished fact, and it is an insult to Him for us to ask Him to do what He has already done.
If you are not now receiving the “hundredfold” which Jesus promised (see Matthew 19:29), and not getting insight into God’s Word, then start praying for your friends— enter into the ministry of the inner life. “The Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends.” As a saved soul, the real business of your life is intercessory prayer. Whatever circumstances God may place you in, always pray immediately that His atonement may be recognized and as fully understood in the lives of others as it has been in yours. Pray for your friends now, and pray for those with whom you come in contact now.
你什麼時候開始代求？
約伯為他的朋友祈禱，耶和華就使約伯從苦境轉回。 （伯四十二10）
以自我為中心的病態式祈禱，苦苦哀求一意強求自己的好轉，在新約中是找不到的。我若要努力弄好與神的關係，正表明我正離棄神救贖的大恩。 [主啊，你若垂聽我禱告，我的心就潔淨；你若幫助我，我就行事正直。 ]我無法使自己的生命在神面前正直，也無法使生命完全；只有接受主耶穌白白的救贖，我才可以與神有正常的關係。我謙卑地接受這個事實麼？我必須放下一切權利，放下一切為自己付出的努力，把自己完全的放在神手中，然後以祭司的身分做代求的工作。今日許多禱告是出於對救恩的不信。耶穌不是開始拯救我們，而是已經救了我們，事情已經成就，因此求他再做是一種侮辱。
你若尚未得著百倍的恩典，未領悟話語的亮光，那就該開始為你的朋友禱告，進入內室的事奉。 [約伯為他的朋友祈禱，耶和華就使約伯從苦境中轉回。 ]作為一個得救的人，你生命的真正事業，就是為人代求。不論神把你放在什麼環境裡，都要立刻禱告，求他救贖的大工在別人身上成就，正如在你身上一樣。現在就為你的朋友祈禱，為那些與你有接觸的人祈禱吧！
祈禱◆噢，主啊，打發更多工人到我們這裡來，直至這教會擠滿了人，而你能透過他們，在全地榮耀你自己。
A pitiful, sickly, and self-centered kind of prayer and a determined effort and selfish desire to be right with God are never found in the New Testament. The fact that I am trying to be right with God is actually a sign that I am rebelling against the atonement by the Cross of Christ. I pray, “Lord, I will purify my heart if You will answer my prayer— I will walk rightly before You if You will help me.” But I cannot make myself right with God; I cannot make my life perfect. I can only be right with God if I accept the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ as an absolute gift. Am I humble enough to accept it? I have to surrender all my rights and demands, and cease from every self-effort. I must leave myself completely alone in His hands, and then I can begin to pour my life out in the priestly work of intercession. There is a great deal of prayer that comes from actual disbelief in the atonement. Jesus is not just beginning to save us— He has already saved us completely. It is an accomplished fact, and it is an insult to Him for us to ask Him to do what He has already done.
If you are not now receiving the “hundredfold” which Jesus promised (see Matthew 19:29), and not getting insight into God’s Word, then start praying for your friends— enter into the ministry of the inner life. “The Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends.” As a saved soul, the real business of your life is intercessory prayer. Whatever circumstances God may place you in, always pray immediately that His atonement may be recognized and as fully understood in the lives of others as it has been in yours. Pray for your friends now, and pray for those with whom you come in contact now.
你什麼時候開始代求？
約伯為他的朋友祈禱，耶和華就使約伯從苦境轉回。 （伯四十二10）
以自我為中心的病態式祈禱，苦苦哀求一意強求自己的好轉，在新約中是找不到的。我若要努力弄好與神的關係，正表明我正離棄神救贖的大恩。 [主啊，你若垂聽我禱告，我的心就潔淨；你若幫助我，我就行事正直。 ]我無法使自己的生命在神面前正直，也無法使生命完全；只有接受主耶穌白白的救贖，我才可以與神有正常的關係。我謙卑地接受這個事實麼？我必須放下一切權利，放下一切為自己付出的努力，把自己完全的放在神手中，然後以祭司的身分做代求的工作。今日許多禱告是出於對救恩的不信。耶穌不是開始拯救我們，而是已經救了我們，事情已經成就，因此求他再做是一種侮辱。
你若尚未得著百倍的恩典，未領悟話語的亮光，那就該開始為你的朋友禱告，進入內室的事奉。 [約伯為他的朋友祈禱，耶和華就使約伯從苦境中轉回。 ]作為一個得救的人，你生命的真正事業，就是為人代求。不論神把你放在什麼環境裡，都要立刻禱告，求他救贖的大工在別人身上成就，正如在你身上一樣。現在就為你的朋友祈禱，為那些與你有接觸的人祈禱吧！
祈禱◆噢，主啊，打發更多工人到我們這裡來，直至這教會擠滿了人，而你能透過他們，在全地榮耀你自己。
June 17, 2012
Beware of Criticizing Others
Judge not, that you be not judged —Matthew 7:1
Jesus’ instructions with regard to judging others is very simply put; He says, “Don’t.” The average Christian is the most piercingly critical individual known. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. The effect of criticism is the dividing up of the strengths of the one being criticized. The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood. Criticism serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. Jesus says that as His disciple you should cultivate a temperament that is never critical. This will not happen quickly but must be developed over a span of time. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of yourself as a superior person.
There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of timber in my own (see Matthew 7:3-5). Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-24). Stop having a measuring stick for other people. There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person’s situation. The first thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleaning. After that, there is no possibility of pride remaining in us. I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.
不挑剔的品性
你們不要論斷人，免得你們被論斷。 （太七1）
耶穌對論斷的看法是：[不要]。一般信徒是最擅於挑剔的。批評是人的本性，但在屬靈領域裡，批評絕不能成事。批評就是將被批評者的力量削弱。其實只有聖靈才真有批評的身分，指出錯處而不至招來傷害。你若帶著挑剔的脾氣，是無法與神交通契合的。你會變得剛硬、敵視、殘忍，或沾沾自喜，以為高人一等。耶穌說，作為一個門徒，應當培養口不言人過的品質。這不是一勞永逸的，要隨時當心，不讓任何事使你自高、睥睨一切。
耶穌洞悉一切，誰也無可遁形。我若見你眼中有刺，那我眼中必然有樑木。我見到你的任何錯失，神都在我身上找到了。我什麼時候論斷人，就什麼時候定自己的罪（羅二17-20）。不要在他人身上濫施尺度，每個人總有些隱情，是我們無法了解的。神首先要來一次屬靈大掃除，使我們不再驕傲自滿。每想到若非神的恩典，我裡面根本一無所有，那就不會對任何人感到絕望了。
祈禱◆主啊，我仰望你，求你幫助我正確地敬拜你。為著我與生俱來可敬拜你，我讚美你，可是，我的生活卻沒有速速按照著它當行的去回應你和你的美善。主啊，幫助我。
Jesus’ instructions with regard to judging others is very simply put; He says, “Don’t.” The average Christian is the most piercingly critical individual known. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. The effect of criticism is the dividing up of the strengths of the one being criticized. The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood. Criticism serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. Jesus says that as His disciple you should cultivate a temperament that is never critical. This will not happen quickly but must be developed over a span of time. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of yourself as a superior person.
There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of timber in my own (see Matthew 7:3-5). Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-24). Stop having a measuring stick for other people. There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person’s situation. The first thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleaning. After that, there is no possibility of pride remaining in us. I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.
不挑剔的品性
你們不要論斷人，免得你們被論斷。 （太七1）
耶穌對論斷的看法是：[不要]。一般信徒是最擅於挑剔的。批評是人的本性，但在屬靈領域裡，批評絕不能成事。批評就是將被批評者的力量削弱。其實只有聖靈才真有批評的身分，指出錯處而不至招來傷害。你若帶著挑剔的脾氣，是無法與神交通契合的。你會變得剛硬、敵視、殘忍，或沾沾自喜，以為高人一等。耶穌說，作為一個門徒，應當培養口不言人過的品質。這不是一勞永逸的，要隨時當心，不讓任何事使你自高、睥睨一切。
耶穌洞悉一切，誰也無可遁形。我若見你眼中有刺，那我眼中必然有樑木。我見到你的任何錯失，神都在我身上找到了。我什麼時候論斷人，就什麼時候定自己的罪（羅二17-20）。不要在他人身上濫施尺度，每個人總有些隱情，是我們無法了解的。神首先要來一次屬靈大掃除，使我們不再驕傲自滿。每想到若非神的恩典，我裡面根本一無所有，那就不會對任何人感到絕望了。
祈禱◆主啊，我仰望你，求你幫助我正確地敬拜你。為著我與生俱來可敬拜你，我讚美你，可是，我的生活卻沒有速速按照著它當行的去回應你和你的美善。主啊，幫助我。
June 16, 2012
“Will You Lay Down Your Life?”
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. . . . I have called you friends . . . —John 15:13, 15
Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. Peter said to the Lord, “I will lay down my life for Your sake,” and he meant it (John 13:37). He had a magnificent sense of the heroic. For us to be incapable of making this same statement Peter made would be a bad thing— our sense of duty is only fully realized through our sense of heroism. Has the Lord ever asked you, “Will you lay down your life for My sake?” (John 13:38). It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God. We are not made for the bright-shining moments of life, but we have to walk in the light of them in our everyday ways. There was only one bright-shining moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration. It was there that He emptied Himself of His glory for the second time, and then came down into the demon-possessed valley (see Mark 9:1-29). For thirty-three years Jesus laid down His life to do the will of His Father. “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). Yet it is contrary to our human nature to do so.
If I am a friend of Jesus, I must deliberately and carefully lay down my life for Him. It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is. Salvation is easy for us, because it cost God so much. But the exhibiting of salvation in my life is difficult. God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, “Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful.” And Jesus says to us, “. . . I have called you friends. . . .” Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life.
你怎樣對這事？
人為朋友捨命，人的愛心沒有比這個大的。 ……我乃稱你們為朋友。 （約十五13、15）
耶穌雖然沒有叫我為他死，卻要我為他把生命放下。彼得說：[我願意為你捨命。 ]他說的是真心話，他的英雄意識是偉大的。若不能像彼得那樣宣告，實在太差勁了。我們的責任感只有藉著英雄意識，發揮出來。主曾否問你說：[你不願意為我捨命麼？ ]在平凡的生活中，因不忘從上而來的呼召而放下生命，比一死了之困難得多。人生不是為壯烈的一刻而活，乃是在平凡的路上，行在啟示的光中。耶穌一生中，也只有一個壯烈的時刻，就是在登山變像的時候；後來他再度從榮耀中倒空自己，下到鬼附的山谷裡。三十年之久，耶穌擺上自己的生命來遵行父神的旨意。
約翰說：[我們也當為弟兄捨命。 ]這樣行是違反人性的。我若是耶穌的朋友，就要定意為他放下自己的生命。難是難的，感謝神，難並不要緊！救恩是易得的，因為神付出了重大的代價，但要在我生命中彰顯出來，卻是困難重重。神救了一個人，把聖靈賜給他，然後認真的對他說：[好了，要忠於我，即使周遭的事物會令你不忠。 ][我乃稱你們為朋友。 ]要忠於你的朋友，要緊記你肉身的生命，是神尊榮得失之所繫。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著你所賜的救恩，為著聖徒的禱告所帶來的好處和祝福，我讚美你。可是，我是那樣悄悄地領受了你的恩惠，很久才開始思想自己是否配得領受，或是表現得好像自己配得領受一樣。主啊，赦免我。
Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. Peter said to the Lord, “I will lay down my life for Your sake,” and he meant it (John 13:37). He had a magnificent sense of the heroic. For us to be incapable of making this same statement Peter made would be a bad thing— our sense of duty is only fully realized through our sense of heroism. Has the Lord ever asked you, “Will you lay down your life for My sake?” (John 13:38). It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God. We are not made for the bright-shining moments of life, but we have to walk in the light of them in our everyday ways. There was only one bright-shining moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration. It was there that He emptied Himself of His glory for the second time, and then came down into the demon-possessed valley (see Mark 9:1-29). For thirty-three years Jesus laid down His life to do the will of His Father. “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). Yet it is contrary to our human nature to do so.
If I am a friend of Jesus, I must deliberately and carefully lay down my life for Him. It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is. Salvation is easy for us, because it cost God so much. But the exhibiting of salvation in my life is difficult. God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, “Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful.” And Jesus says to us, “. . . I have called you friends. . . .” Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life.
你怎樣對這事？
人為朋友捨命，人的愛心沒有比這個大的。 ……我乃稱你們為朋友。 （約十五13、15）
耶穌雖然沒有叫我為他死，卻要我為他把生命放下。彼得說：[我願意為你捨命。 ]他說的是真心話，他的英雄意識是偉大的。若不能像彼得那樣宣告，實在太差勁了。我們的責任感只有藉著英雄意識，發揮出來。主曾否問你說：[你不願意為我捨命麼？ ]在平凡的生活中，因不忘從上而來的呼召而放下生命，比一死了之困難得多。人生不是為壯烈的一刻而活，乃是在平凡的路上，行在啟示的光中。耶穌一生中，也只有一個壯烈的時刻，就是在登山變像的時候；後來他再度從榮耀中倒空自己，下到鬼附的山谷裡。三十年之久，耶穌擺上自己的生命來遵行父神的旨意。
約翰說：[我們也當為弟兄捨命。 ]這樣行是違反人性的。我若是耶穌的朋友，就要定意為他放下自己的生命。難是難的，感謝神，難並不要緊！救恩是易得的，因為神付出了重大的代價，但要在我生命中彰顯出來，卻是困難重重。神救了一個人，把聖靈賜給他，然後認真的對他說：[好了，要忠於我，即使周遭的事物會令你不忠。 ][我乃稱你們為朋友。 ]要忠於你的朋友，要緊記你肉身的生命，是神尊榮得失之所繫。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著你所賜的救恩，為著聖徒的禱告所帶來的好處和祝福，我讚美你。可是，我是那樣悄悄地領受了你的恩惠，很久才開始思想自己是否配得領受，或是表現得好像自己配得領受一樣。主啊，赦免我。
May 11, 2012
"Love One Another"
. . . add to your . . . brotherly kindness love —2 Peter 1:5, 7
Love is an indefinite thing to most of us; we don’t know what we mean when we talk about love. Love is the loftiest preference of one person for another, and spiritually Jesus demands that this sovereign preference be for Himself (see Luke 14:26). Initially, when “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5), it is easy to put Jesus first. But then we must practice the things mentioned in 2 Peter 1 to see them worked out in our lives.
The first thing God does is forcibly remove any insincerity, pride, and vanity from my life. And the Holy Spirit reveals to me that God loved me not because I was lovable, but because it was His nature to do so. Now He commands me to show the same love to others by saying, “. . . love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). He is saying, “I will bring a number of people around you whom you cannot respect, but you must exhibit My love to them, just as I have exhibited it to you.” This kind of love is not a patronizing love for the unlovable— it is His love, and it will not be evidenced in us overnight. Some of us may have tried to force it, but we were soon tired and frustrated.
“The Lord . . . is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish . . .” (2 Peter 3:9). I should look within and remember how wonderfully He has dealt with me. The knowledge that God has loved me beyond all limits will compel me to go into the world to love others in the same way. I may get irritated because I have to live with an unusually difficult person. But just think how disagreeable I have been with God! Am I prepared to be identified so closely with the Lord Jesus that His life and His sweetness will be continually poured out through Me? Neither natural love nor God’s divine love will remain and grow in me unless it is nurtured. Love is spontaneous, but it has to be maintained through discipline.
你不能一蹴而就
有了愛弟兄的心，又要加上愛眾人的心。 （彼後一7）
對大多數人來說，愛的意義是模糊的；人談論愛，卻不知愛是什麼。愛是一個人對另一個人超出一切的欣賞。屬靈方面，耶穌要求我們揀選他超過一切（路十四26）。當聖靈將神的愛澆灌在我們心裡，耶穌基督就很自然的居首位了。從此，我們就能活出彼得在此所列舉的種種德行了。
首先，神要把我的偽裝、外表的敬虔，一概拆除。聖靈顯明神愛我，不是因為我可愛，而是因為他愛的本性。他對我說：[好了，如今你要用同樣的愛去愛別人。 ][我怎樣愛你們，你們也要怎樣相愛。 ][我會把好些你看不在眼內的人，擺在你周圍，你必須用我的愛去愛他們，像我愛你們一樣。 ]愛是不能矯揉造作的。不少人試著這樣作，但不久就厭倦了。
[主長久忍耐……]讓我看看自己，又看看他怎樣待我。神愛我到一個地步，以致我一切的罪惡、卑鄙、自私、惡行，他都不追究；因此我就能活在世上，以神的愛去愛人。神對我的愛既是用之不竭，我對別人的愛也必須如此。若我一動怒，在恩典中的長進就會停止。我所以發怒，是因為要與一個怪癖的人共處。但試想，從前我與神相處，叫他多麼難堪！我們是否願意與主耶穌合而為一，讓他的生命與溫馨，每時每刻流露出來？不論人性的愛，或神聖的愛，都需要加以培育，才能存留。愛雖然是自然流露的，卻要操練去持守。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，以你活潑的能力、恩賜和美善，影響我們生活的每一方面，使它能反映出你臉上的榮光。這似乎是我全部的禱告。
Love is an indefinite thing to most of us; we don’t know what we mean when we talk about love. Love is the loftiest preference of one person for another, and spiritually Jesus demands that this sovereign preference be for Himself (see Luke 14:26). Initially, when “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5), it is easy to put Jesus first. But then we must practice the things mentioned in 2 Peter 1 to see them worked out in our lives.
The first thing God does is forcibly remove any insincerity, pride, and vanity from my life. And the Holy Spirit reveals to me that God loved me not because I was lovable, but because it was His nature to do so. Now He commands me to show the same love to others by saying, “. . . love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). He is saying, “I will bring a number of people around you whom you cannot respect, but you must exhibit My love to them, just as I have exhibited it to you.” This kind of love is not a patronizing love for the unlovable— it is His love, and it will not be evidenced in us overnight. Some of us may have tried to force it, but we were soon tired and frustrated.
“The Lord . . . is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish . . .” (2 Peter 3:9). I should look within and remember how wonderfully He has dealt with me. The knowledge that God has loved me beyond all limits will compel me to go into the world to love others in the same way. I may get irritated because I have to live with an unusually difficult person. But just think how disagreeable I have been with God! Am I prepared to be identified so closely with the Lord Jesus that His life and His sweetness will be continually poured out through Me? Neither natural love nor God’s divine love will remain and grow in me unless it is nurtured. Love is spontaneous, but it has to be maintained through discipline.
你不能一蹴而就
有了愛弟兄的心，又要加上愛眾人的心。 （彼後一7）
對大多數人來說，愛的意義是模糊的；人談論愛，卻不知愛是什麼。愛是一個人對另一個人超出一切的欣賞。屬靈方面，耶穌要求我們揀選他超過一切（路十四26）。當聖靈將神的愛澆灌在我們心裡，耶穌基督就很自然的居首位了。從此，我們就能活出彼得在此所列舉的種種德行了。
首先，神要把我的偽裝、外表的敬虔，一概拆除。聖靈顯明神愛我，不是因為我可愛，而是因為他愛的本性。他對我說：[好了，如今你要用同樣的愛去愛別人。 ][我怎樣愛你們，你們也要怎樣相愛。 ][我會把好些你看不在眼內的人，擺在你周圍，你必須用我的愛去愛他們，像我愛你們一樣。 ]愛是不能矯揉造作的。不少人試著這樣作，但不久就厭倦了。
[主長久忍耐……]讓我看看自己，又看看他怎樣待我。神愛我到一個地步，以致我一切的罪惡、卑鄙、自私、惡行，他都不追究；因此我就能活在世上，以神的愛去愛人。神對我的愛既是用之不竭，我對別人的愛也必須如此。若我一動怒，在恩典中的長進就會停止。我所以發怒，是因為要與一個怪癖的人共處。但試想，從前我與神相處，叫他多麼難堪！我們是否願意與主耶穌合而為一，讓他的生命與溫馨，每時每刻流露出來？不論人性的愛，或神聖的愛，都需要加以培育，才能存留。愛雖然是自然流露的，卻要操練去持守。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，以你活潑的能力、恩賜和美善，影響我們生活的每一方面，使它能反映出你臉上的榮光。這似乎是我全部的禱告。
April 30, 2012
Spontaneous Love
Love suffers long and is kind . . . —1 Corinthians 13:4
Love is not premeditated—it is spontaneous; that is, it bursts forth in extraordinary ways. There is nothing of precise certainty in Paul’s description of love. We cannot predetermine our thoughts and actions by saying, “Now I will never think any evil thoughts, and I will believe everything that Jesus would have me to believe.” No, the characteristic of love is spontaneity. We don’t deliberately set the statements of Jesus before us as our standard, but when His Spirit is having His way with us, we live according to His standard without even realizing it. And when we look back, we are amazed at how unconcerned we have been over our emotions, which is the very evidence that real spontaneous love was there. The nature of everything involved in the life of God in us is only discerned when we have been through it and it is in our past.
The fountains from which love flows are in God, not in us. It is absurd to think that the love of God is naturally in our hearts, as a result of our own nature. His love is there only because it “has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit . . .” (Romans 5:5).
If we try to prove to God how much we love Him, it is a sure sign that we really don’t love Him. The evidence of our love for Him is the absolute spontaneity of our love, which flows naturally from His nature within us. And when we look back, we will not be able to determine why we did certain things, but we can know that we did them according to the spontaneous nature of His love in us. The life of God exhibits itself in this spontaneous way because the fountains of His love are in the Holy Spirit.
自發的愛
愛是恆久忍耐，又有恩慈……（林前十三4-8）
愛不是預先精打細算，而是自然流露的，是不知不覺地湧現。保羅所舉出的愛，不是清單式地計算出來。我們不能說：[好，現在我不再思想惡事，我要凡事相信。 ]愛的特質是自動自發。我們不是把耶穌的說話擺在面前，當準則去遵行；而是當他的靈在我們裡面自由作工，我們就不知不覺地照著他的標準去生活。當我們回顧過去的經歷，就會詫異某種感情是如此公正無私，這就證明有真愛自然流露在其中。神的生命在我們裡面，但每每等到我們經歷過後，才恍然發覺。
愛的泉源是在神裡面，而不是在我們裡面。若想在自己天然性情中去找神的愛，簡直是緣木求魚。只有當聖靈將神的愛澆灌在我們心裡，我們才有真正的愛。
若我們想向神證明是多麼愛他，這正表示我們並不愛他；若要證明愛他，就要讓愛自動自發地流露出來。回想起來，也說不出為何我們會這樣做，是神的愛在裡面流露，故我們有這樣的表現。神的生命是自然的彰顯，因為愛的泉源是在聖靈裡面（羅五5）
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等需要被你的同在所充滿和振奮。賜我在你裡面得著愉快而寧靜的信心，他正是聖靈的憑證。
Love is not premeditated—it is spontaneous; that is, it bursts forth in extraordinary ways. There is nothing of precise certainty in Paul’s description of love. We cannot predetermine our thoughts and actions by saying, “Now I will never think any evil thoughts, and I will believe everything that Jesus would have me to believe.” No, the characteristic of love is spontaneity. We don’t deliberately set the statements of Jesus before us as our standard, but when His Spirit is having His way with us, we live according to His standard without even realizing it. And when we look back, we are amazed at how unconcerned we have been over our emotions, which is the very evidence that real spontaneous love was there. The nature of everything involved in the life of God in us is only discerned when we have been through it and it is in our past.
The fountains from which love flows are in God, not in us. It is absurd to think that the love of God is naturally in our hearts, as a result of our own nature. His love is there only because it “has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit . . .” (Romans 5:5).
If we try to prove to God how much we love Him, it is a sure sign that we really don’t love Him. The evidence of our love for Him is the absolute spontaneity of our love, which flows naturally from His nature within us. And when we look back, we will not be able to determine why we did certain things, but we can know that we did them according to the spontaneous nature of His love in us. The life of God exhibits itself in this spontaneous way because the fountains of His love are in the Holy Spirit.
自發的愛
愛是恆久忍耐，又有恩慈……（林前十三4-8）
愛不是預先精打細算，而是自然流露的，是不知不覺地湧現。保羅所舉出的愛，不是清單式地計算出來。我們不能說：[好，現在我不再思想惡事，我要凡事相信。 ]愛的特質是自動自發。我們不是把耶穌的說話擺在面前，當準則去遵行；而是當他的靈在我們裡面自由作工，我們就不知不覺地照著他的標準去生活。當我們回顧過去的經歷，就會詫異某種感情是如此公正無私，這就證明有真愛自然流露在其中。神的生命在我們裡面，但每每等到我們經歷過後，才恍然發覺。
愛的泉源是在神裡面，而不是在我們裡面。若想在自己天然性情中去找神的愛，簡直是緣木求魚。只有當聖靈將神的愛澆灌在我們心裡，我們才有真正的愛。
若我們想向神證明是多麼愛他，這正表示我們並不愛他；若要證明愛他，就要讓愛自動自發地流露出來。回想起來，也說不出為何我們會這樣做，是神的愛在裡面流露，故我們有這樣的表現。神的生命是自然的彰顯，因為愛的泉源是在聖靈裡面（羅五5）
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等需要被你的同在所充滿和振奮。賜我在你裡面得著愉快而寧靜的信心，他正是聖靈的憑證。
April 09, 2012
Have You Seen Jesus?
After that, He appeared in another form to two of them . . . —Mark 16:12
Being saved and seeing Jesus are not the same thing. Many people who have never seen Jesus have received and share in God’s grace. But once you have seen Him, you can never be the same. Other things will not have the appeal they did before.
You should always recognize the difference between what you see Jesus to be and what He has done for you. If you see only what He has done for you, your God is not big enough. But if you have had a vision, seeing Jesus as He really is, experiences can come and go, yet you will endure “as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). The man who was blind from birth did not know who Jesus was until Christ appeared and revealed Himself to him (see John 9). Jesus appears to those for whom He has done something, but we cannot order or predict when He will come. He may appear suddenly, at any turn. Then you can exclaim, “Now I see Him!” (see John 9:25).
Jesus must appear to you and to your friend individually; no one can see Jesus with your eyes. And division takes place when one has seen Him and the other has not. You cannot bring your friend to the point of seeing; God must do it. Have you seen Jesus? If so, you will want others to see Him too. “And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either” (Mark 16:13). When you see Him, you must tell, even if they don’t believe.
O could I tell, you surely would believe it!
O could I only say what I have seen!
How should I tell or how can you receive it,
How, till He bringeth you where I have been?
我見過他麼？
這事以後，門徒中間有兩個人……耶穌變了形像向他們顯現。 （可十六12）
得救與看見耶穌，是兩回事。許多人在神的恩上有分，卻從未見過耶穌。但若見了耶穌，你就完全改觀了，其他事物再不像往日那樣吸引你。要時常分辨清楚，你看見的是耶穌本身，還是他為你成就的事。如果你只知道他為你做的事，那麼你的神還未夠偉大；要是你真看見耶穌本身，那麼，縱使經歷千變萬化，你仍能堅定不移，[如同看見那不能看見的主]。
那生來瞎眼的人，並不認識耶穌是誰，直等到主出現，又向他顯示，他才恍然大悟。耶穌為誰行事，就為誰顯現；只是我們不能規定他什麼時候顯現。他任何時刻都可能驀然出現；[如今我看見他！ ]
耶穌不但向你顯現，也向你的朋友顯現：別人不能藉著你的眼睛看見耶穌。一個人看見主，另一個沒看見，隔膜就從此形成，除非神領你的朋友到他面前來。你見過耶穌麼？要是見過，你一定盼望別人也看見他。 [他們就去告訴其餘的門徒，其餘的門徒也是不信。 ]即使他們不信，你仍要去傳。
[啊，但願我能告訴你，你一定會相信的！
啊，但願我能說出我所見的！
我怎樣說才好？你怎樣才接納？
怎麼樣？除非他帶你去嘗受我所經歷的。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，讓我今天聽見你榮耀的聲音。噢，對我說話，以你振興的大能，在我的心靈、思想和言語中，創造屬你的安寧。
Being saved and seeing Jesus are not the same thing. Many people who have never seen Jesus have received and share in God’s grace. But once you have seen Him, you can never be the same. Other things will not have the appeal they did before.
You should always recognize the difference between what you see Jesus to be and what He has done for you. If you see only what He has done for you, your God is not big enough. But if you have had a vision, seeing Jesus as He really is, experiences can come and go, yet you will endure “as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27). The man who was blind from birth did not know who Jesus was until Christ appeared and revealed Himself to him (see John 9). Jesus appears to those for whom He has done something, but we cannot order or predict when He will come. He may appear suddenly, at any turn. Then you can exclaim, “Now I see Him!” (see John 9:25).
Jesus must appear to you and to your friend individually; no one can see Jesus with your eyes. And division takes place when one has seen Him and the other has not. You cannot bring your friend to the point of seeing; God must do it. Have you seen Jesus? If so, you will want others to see Him too. “And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either” (Mark 16:13). When you see Him, you must tell, even if they don’t believe.
O could I tell, you surely would believe it!
O could I only say what I have seen!
How should I tell or how can you receive it,
How, till He bringeth you where I have been?
我見過他麼？
這事以後，門徒中間有兩個人……耶穌變了形像向他們顯現。 （可十六12）
得救與看見耶穌，是兩回事。許多人在神的恩上有分，卻從未見過耶穌。但若見了耶穌，你就完全改觀了，其他事物再不像往日那樣吸引你。要時常分辨清楚，你看見的是耶穌本身，還是他為你成就的事。如果你只知道他為你做的事，那麼你的神還未夠偉大；要是你真看見耶穌本身，那麼，縱使經歷千變萬化，你仍能堅定不移，[如同看見那不能看見的主]。
那生來瞎眼的人，並不認識耶穌是誰，直等到主出現，又向他顯示，他才恍然大悟。耶穌為誰行事，就為誰顯現；只是我們不能規定他什麼時候顯現。他任何時刻都可能驀然出現；[如今我看見他！ ]
耶穌不但向你顯現，也向你的朋友顯現：別人不能藉著你的眼睛看見耶穌。一個人看見主，另一個沒看見，隔膜就從此形成，除非神領你的朋友到他面前來。你見過耶穌麼？要是見過，你一定盼望別人也看見他。 [他們就去告訴其餘的門徒，其餘的門徒也是不信。 ]即使他們不信，你仍要去傳。
[啊，但願我能告訴你，你一定會相信的！
啊，但願我能說出我所見的！
我怎樣說才好？你怎樣才接納？
怎麼樣？除非他帶你去嘗受我所經歷的。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，讓我今天聽見你榮耀的聲音。噢，對我說話，以你振興的大能，在我的心靈、思想和言語中，創造屬你的安寧。
April 07, 2012
Why We Lack Understanding
He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead —Mark 9:9
As the disciples were commanded, you should also say nothing until the Son of Man has risen in you— until the life of the risen Christ so dominates you that you truly understand what He taught while here on earth. When you grow and develop the right condition inwardly, the words Jesus spoke become so clear that you are amazed you did not grasp them before. In fact, you were not able to understand them before because you had not yet developed the proper spiritual condition to deal with them.
Our Lord doesn’t hide these things from us, but we are not prepared to receive them until we are in the right condition in our spiritual life. Jesus said, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). We must have a oneness with His risen life before we are prepared to bear any particular truth from Him. Do we really know anything about the indwelling of the risen life of Jesus? The evidence that we do is that His Word is becoming understandable to us. God cannot reveal anything to us if we don’t have His Spirit. And our own unyielding and headstrong opinions will effectively prevent God from revealing anything to us. But our insensible thinking will end immediately once His resurrection life has its way with us.
“. . . tell no one . . . .” But so many people do tell what they saw on the Mount of Transfiguration— their mountaintop experience. They have seen a vision and they testify to it, but there is no connection between what they say and how they live. Their lives don’t add up because the Son of Man has not yet risen in them. How long will it be before His resurrection life is formed and evident in you and in me?
為什麼不明明告訴我們？
耶穌囑咐他們說，人子還沒有從死裡復活，你們不要將所看見的告訴人。 （可九9）
人子還未在你面前復活，什麼都不要說－－直到基督復活的生命完全掌管你，使你真正明白基督的教訓。當你裡面有真正的改變，耶穌所說的話就很清楚明白，以致你稀奇何以從前看不出來。你從前不明白，因為你的性情沒有地方容納他的話語。
主並沒有隱藏這些事，只是我們屬靈的生命未到一個合適的地步，所以承擔不起這些事。 [我還有好些事要告訴你們，但你們現在擔當不了。 ]我們必須與主復活的生命有了連接，才能接受他的話。耶穌復活的生命如何流注，我們有所知聞嗎？證明我們知道的證據就是：我們能夠明白他的話。我們若沒有神的靈，神是無法向我們顯明真理最大的障礙。我們若對某一項教義堅持己見，神的亮光就不再照明，我們便無法得見。可是一旦他復活的生命支配我們，這愚頑不靈的光景，就會立即終止！
[不要告訴人……]但許多人都把山上變像的事實告訴人，他們見了異象，就大作見證；可是，靈命卻未成熟，因人子還未在他們心裡復活。他什麼時候才成形在你我身上呢？
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你使我們變得柔和與溫順，被你所激勵和振奮，求你提升我們進入與你榮耀相交得境地，以致我們可以捕捉你的形像。
As the disciples were commanded, you should also say nothing until the Son of Man has risen in you— until the life of the risen Christ so dominates you that you truly understand what He taught while here on earth. When you grow and develop the right condition inwardly, the words Jesus spoke become so clear that you are amazed you did not grasp them before. In fact, you were not able to understand them before because you had not yet developed the proper spiritual condition to deal with them.
Our Lord doesn’t hide these things from us, but we are not prepared to receive them until we are in the right condition in our spiritual life. Jesus said, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). We must have a oneness with His risen life before we are prepared to bear any particular truth from Him. Do we really know anything about the indwelling of the risen life of Jesus? The evidence that we do is that His Word is becoming understandable to us. God cannot reveal anything to us if we don’t have His Spirit. And our own unyielding and headstrong opinions will effectively prevent God from revealing anything to us. But our insensible thinking will end immediately once His resurrection life has its way with us.
“. . . tell no one . . . .” But so many people do tell what they saw on the Mount of Transfiguration— their mountaintop experience. They have seen a vision and they testify to it, but there is no connection between what they say and how they live. Their lives don’t add up because the Son of Man has not yet risen in them. How long will it be before His resurrection life is formed and evident in you and in me?
為什麼不明明告訴我們？
耶穌囑咐他們說，人子還沒有從死裡復活，你們不要將所看見的告訴人。 （可九9）
人子還未在你面前復活，什麼都不要說－－直到基督復活的生命完全掌管你，使你真正明白基督的教訓。當你裡面有真正的改變，耶穌所說的話就很清楚明白，以致你稀奇何以從前看不出來。你從前不明白，因為你的性情沒有地方容納他的話語。
主並沒有隱藏這些事，只是我們屬靈的生命未到一個合適的地步，所以承擔不起這些事。 [我還有好些事要告訴你們，但你們現在擔當不了。 ]我們必須與主復活的生命有了連接，才能接受他的話。耶穌復活的生命如何流注，我們有所知聞嗎？證明我們知道的證據就是：我們能夠明白他的話。我們若沒有神的靈，神是無法向我們顯明真理最大的障礙。我們若對某一項教義堅持己見，神的亮光就不再照明，我們便無法得見。可是一旦他復活的生命支配我們，這愚頑不靈的光景，就會立即終止！
[不要告訴人……]但許多人都把山上變像的事實告訴人，他們見了異象，就大作見證；可是，靈命卻未成熟，因人子還未在他們心裡復活。他什麼時候才成形在你我身上呢？
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你使我們變得柔和與溫順，被你所激勵和振奮，求你提升我們進入與你榮耀相交得境地，以致我們可以捕捉你的形像。
March 31, 2012
Heedfulness or Hypocrisy in Ourselves?
If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death —1 John 5:16
If we are not heedful and pay no attention to the way the Spirit of God works in us, we will become spiritual hypocrites. We see where other people are failing, and then we take our discernment and turn it into comments of ridicule and criticism, instead of turning it into intercession on their behalf. God reveals this truth about others to us not through the sharpness of our minds but through the direct penetration of His Spirit. If we are not attentive, we will be completely unaware of the source of the discernment God has given us, becoming critical of others and forgetting that God says, “. . . he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death.” Be careful that you don’t become a hypocrite by spending all your time trying to get others right with God before you worship Him yourself.
One of the most subtle and illusive burdens God ever places on us as saints is this burden of discernment concerning others. He gives us discernment so that we may accept the responsibility for those souls before Him and form the mind of Christ about them (see Philippians 2:5). We should intercede in accordance with what God says He will give us, namely, “life for those who commit sin not leading to death.” It is not that we are able to bring God into contact with our minds, but that we awaken ourselves to the point where God is able to convey His mind to us regarding the people for whom we intercede.
Can Jesus Christ see the agony of His soul in us? He can’t unless we are so closely identified with Him that we have His view concerning the people for whom we pray. May we learn to intercede so wholeheartedly that Jesus Christ will be completely and overwhelmingly satisfied with us as intercessors.
你是專一還是假冒？
人若看見弟兄犯了不至於死的罪，就當為他祈求，神必將生命賜給他。 （約壹五16）
我們若不留意神的靈如何在我們裡面工作，就會變成屬靈的偽君子。我們看見別人的失敗，就把它當作笑柄，肆意批評，並不為他們代求。我們所看見的，原不是出於自己機敏的腦筋，乃是神的靈直接啟示我們。因此，我們若不留意那啟示的來源，就會變成評論專家，忘記了神所說的－－[不至於死的罪，就當為他祈求，神必將生命賜給他]。當心不要扮演偽君子；自己未敬拜神，就花盡時間去糾正別人。
神將一個最奇妙的擔子放在聖徒身上，就是為他人守望。神向我們啟示一些事情，為叫我們把這些人的擔子帶到他面前。然後，我們有了基督憐憫的心腸，就為他們代求。我們若這樣行，神說會[將生命賜給他]。我們並不是叫神遷就我們，按自己的心意去事奉，乃是激勵自己，直至神把他對我們所代求的人的心意傳遞給我們。
主耶穌在我們身上能否看見他勞苦的功效，就在乎我們是否與他合一，使自己有神的看法，以同樣的眼光看代求的人。這樣，主才能心滿意足。願我們學習全心全意的代求，以致主對我們這些代求者，能心滿意足。
祈禱◆噢，主神啊，我開始模糊地識別到你對我的意義－－超過清晨的亮光、超過喜樂和健康、超過你一切的福氣。求你今天早上重新蒞臨到我身上，並且透過你的光，使我整天都散發光輝。
If we are not heedful and pay no attention to the way the Spirit of God works in us, we will become spiritual hypocrites. We see where other people are failing, and then we take our discernment and turn it into comments of ridicule and criticism, instead of turning it into intercession on their behalf. God reveals this truth about others to us not through the sharpness of our minds but through the direct penetration of His Spirit. If we are not attentive, we will be completely unaware of the source of the discernment God has given us, becoming critical of others and forgetting that God says, “. . . he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death.” Be careful that you don’t become a hypocrite by spending all your time trying to get others right with God before you worship Him yourself.
One of the most subtle and illusive burdens God ever places on us as saints is this burden of discernment concerning others. He gives us discernment so that we may accept the responsibility for those souls before Him and form the mind of Christ about them (see Philippians 2:5). We should intercede in accordance with what God says He will give us, namely, “life for those who commit sin not leading to death.” It is not that we are able to bring God into contact with our minds, but that we awaken ourselves to the point where God is able to convey His mind to us regarding the people for whom we intercede.
Can Jesus Christ see the agony of His soul in us? He can’t unless we are so closely identified with Him that we have His view concerning the people for whom we pray. May we learn to intercede so wholeheartedly that Jesus Christ will be completely and overwhelmingly satisfied with us as intercessors.
你是專一還是假冒？
人若看見弟兄犯了不至於死的罪，就當為他祈求，神必將生命賜給他。 （約壹五16）
我們若不留意神的靈如何在我們裡面工作，就會變成屬靈的偽君子。我們看見別人的失敗，就把它當作笑柄，肆意批評，並不為他們代求。我們所看見的，原不是出於自己機敏的腦筋，乃是神的靈直接啟示我們。因此，我們若不留意那啟示的來源，就會變成評論專家，忘記了神所說的－－[不至於死的罪，就當為他祈求，神必將生命賜給他]。當心不要扮演偽君子；自己未敬拜神，就花盡時間去糾正別人。
神將一個最奇妙的擔子放在聖徒身上，就是為他人守望。神向我們啟示一些事情，為叫我們把這些人的擔子帶到他面前。然後，我們有了基督憐憫的心腸，就為他們代求。我們若這樣行，神說會[將生命賜給他]。我們並不是叫神遷就我們，按自己的心意去事奉，乃是激勵自己，直至神把他對我們所代求的人的心意傳遞給我們。
主耶穌在我們身上能否看見他勞苦的功效，就在乎我們是否與他合一，使自己有神的看法，以同樣的眼光看代求的人。這樣，主才能心滿意足。願我們學習全心全意的代求，以致主對我們這些代求者，能心滿意足。
祈禱◆噢，主神啊，我開始模糊地識別到你對我的意義－－超過清晨的亮光、超過喜樂和健康、超過你一切的福氣。求你今天早上重新蒞臨到我身上，並且透過你的光，使我整天都散發光輝。
March 25, 2012
Maintaining the Proper Relationship
. . . the friend of the bridegroom . . . —John 3:29
Goodness and purity should never be traits that draw attention to themselves, but should simply be magnets that draw people to Jesus Christ. If my holiness is not drawing others to Him, it is not the right kind of holiness; it is only an influence which awakens undue emotions and evil desires in people and diverts them from heading in the right direction. A person who is a beautiful saint can be a hindrance in leading people to the Lord by presenting only what Christ has done for him, instead of presenting Jesus Christ Himself. Others will be left with this thought— “What a fine person that man is!” That is not being a true “friend of the bridegroom”— I am increasing all the time; He is not.
To maintain this friendship and faithfulness to the Bridegroom, we have to be more careful to have the moral and vital relationship to Him above everything else, including obedience. Sometimes there is nothing to obey and our only task is to maintain a vital connection with Jesus Christ, seeing that nothing interferes with it. Only occasionally is it a matter of obedience. At those times when a crisis arises, we have to find out what God’s will is. Yet most of our life is not spent in trying to be consciously obedient, but in maintaining this relationship— being the “friend of the bridegroom.” Christian work can actually be a means of diverting a person’s focus away from Jesus Christ. Instead of being friends “of the bridegroom,” we may become amateur providences of God to someone else, working against Him while we use His weapons.
世上最微妙的使命
新郎的朋友。 （約三29）
人的良善與純潔，不該拿來吸引人歸向自己，只該用作引人歸主的磁石。若我聖潔的目的不是歸向神，就不是真正的聖潔；這只會掀起越軌的熱情，使人偏離正路。一個卓越的聖徒，若不表彰耶穌基督，只誇耀基督為他所做的事，他就會成為別人的絆腳石。他給人的印像是－－[那人品德多麼好！ ]這不是新郎的真朋友；因[我]不斷的在興旺，而他卻不然。
為要保持對新郎的友誼和忠誠，就要留心我們和他在道德上、生命上的關係。這些比一切都重要，甚至是順服。有時沒有什麼要順服的，只要保持與耶穌基督在生命上的關係，不讓任何事物從中破壞。當然亦有需要順服的事；如有危機來到，我們便要知道神的旨意如何。可是我們大部分的生活，並非有意識的順服，而是保持與神的關係－－作新郎的朋友。基督徒所做的工作，可能會轉移別人專一向主的心，使之外鶩！我們非但不是新郎的朋友，反而往往代天行道，用神的武器，作違背他的工作。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我知道自己近來很少將生命深處對耶穌的信心實踐出來，潛藏的動機似乎經常蠢蠢欲動。求你將基督裡面的單純引進我的生命中，使我只留心要獲得你的認可。
Goodness and purity should never be traits that draw attention to themselves, but should simply be magnets that draw people to Jesus Christ. If my holiness is not drawing others to Him, it is not the right kind of holiness; it is only an influence which awakens undue emotions and evil desires in people and diverts them from heading in the right direction. A person who is a beautiful saint can be a hindrance in leading people to the Lord by presenting only what Christ has done for him, instead of presenting Jesus Christ Himself. Others will be left with this thought— “What a fine person that man is!” That is not being a true “friend of the bridegroom”— I am increasing all the time; He is not.
To maintain this friendship and faithfulness to the Bridegroom, we have to be more careful to have the moral and vital relationship to Him above everything else, including obedience. Sometimes there is nothing to obey and our only task is to maintain a vital connection with Jesus Christ, seeing that nothing interferes with it. Only occasionally is it a matter of obedience. At those times when a crisis arises, we have to find out what God’s will is. Yet most of our life is not spent in trying to be consciously obedient, but in maintaining this relationship— being the “friend of the bridegroom.” Christian work can actually be a means of diverting a person’s focus away from Jesus Christ. Instead of being friends “of the bridegroom,” we may become amateur providences of God to someone else, working against Him while we use His weapons.
世上最微妙的使命
新郎的朋友。 （約三29）
人的良善與純潔，不該拿來吸引人歸向自己，只該用作引人歸主的磁石。若我聖潔的目的不是歸向神，就不是真正的聖潔；這只會掀起越軌的熱情，使人偏離正路。一個卓越的聖徒，若不表彰耶穌基督，只誇耀基督為他所做的事，他就會成為別人的絆腳石。他給人的印像是－－[那人品德多麼好！ ]這不是新郎的真朋友；因[我]不斷的在興旺，而他卻不然。
為要保持對新郎的友誼和忠誠，就要留心我們和他在道德上、生命上的關係。這些比一切都重要，甚至是順服。有時沒有什麼要順服的，只要保持與耶穌基督在生命上的關係，不讓任何事物從中破壞。當然亦有需要順服的事；如有危機來到，我們便要知道神的旨意如何。可是我們大部分的生活，並非有意識的順服，而是保持與神的關係－－作新郎的朋友。基督徒所做的工作，可能會轉移別人專一向主的心，使之外鶩！我們非但不是新郎的朋友，反而往往代天行道，用神的武器，作違背他的工作。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我知道自己近來很少將生命深處對耶穌的信心實踐出來，潛藏的動機似乎經常蠢蠢欲動。求你將基督裡面的單純引進我的生命中，使我只留心要獲得你的認可。
March 17, 2012
The Servant’s Primary Goal
We make it our aim . . . to be well pleasing to Him —2 Corinthians 5:9
We make it our aim. . . .” It requires a conscious decision and effort to keep our primary goal constantly in front of us. It means holding ourselves to the highest priority year in and year out; not making our first priority to win souls, or to establish churches, or to have revivals, but seeking only “to be well pleasing to Him.” It is not a lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but a lack of working to keep our eyes focused and on the right goal. At least once a week examine yourself before God to see if your life is measuring up to the standard He has for you. Paul was like a musician who gives no thought to audience approval, if he can only catch a look of approval from his Conductor.
Any goal we have that diverts us even to the slightest degree from the central goal of being “approved to God” (2 Timothy 2:15) may result in our rejection from further service for Him. When you discern where the goal leads, you will understand why it is so necessary to keep “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). Paul spoke of the importance of controlling his own body so that it would not take him in the wrong direction. He said, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest . . . I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).
I must learn to relate everything to the primary goal, maintaining it without interruption. My worth to God publicly is measured by what I really am in my private life. Is my primary goal in life to please Him and to be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how lofty it may sound?
工人專一的情志
我們立了志向，要得主的喜悅。 （林後五9）
[立了志向（英文有勞苦作工的意思）……]乃是盡心竭力，把最大的願望擺在首位。意即由年首至歲終，持守著最高的理想。這種理想，並不是熱心去得人靈魂，或者建立教會、舉辦奮興會，而是熱衷於[得主的喜悅]。我們的失敗，並非由於缺乏屬靈的經歷，而是沒有竭力持定那理想的標竿。每一個禮拜，至少要在神面前結算一次，看看你的生命是否夠得上他所要求得水平。
保羅好像一個音樂家，他不管聽眾讚賞不讚賞，只要獲得主人得青睞，就已心滿意足了。任何野心只要稍微偏差，不指向[得主喜悅]的目標，就會叫我們成為被棄絕的人。要學習分辨心志的方向，你就會明白為什麼要向著主耶穌而活。保羅說：[我怕我的身體會領我走入歧途，因此我不斷地提高警覺，攻克己身，叫身服我。 ]（林前九27）
我必須學習把一切所做的連接在這首要的心誌上，同時保守它不間斷。在公眾面前我在身心裡有多少價值，是視乎我私下里的為人。我最高的心志是要討神喜悅，還是為了次一等看來很高貴的目標？
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著今早的經文，我感謝你－－[所以你當歸向你的神，謹守仁愛、公平，常常等候你的神。 ]願你榮耀的同在充滿這廣大的營地；阻止罪惡，激發敬虔。
We make it our aim. . . .” It requires a conscious decision and effort to keep our primary goal constantly in front of us. It means holding ourselves to the highest priority year in and year out; not making our first priority to win souls, or to establish churches, or to have revivals, but seeking only “to be well pleasing to Him.” It is not a lack of spiritual experience that leads to failure, but a lack of working to keep our eyes focused and on the right goal. At least once a week examine yourself before God to see if your life is measuring up to the standard He has for you. Paul was like a musician who gives no thought to audience approval, if he can only catch a look of approval from his Conductor.
Any goal we have that diverts us even to the slightest degree from the central goal of being “approved to God” (2 Timothy 2:15) may result in our rejection from further service for Him. When you discern where the goal leads, you will understand why it is so necessary to keep “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). Paul spoke of the importance of controlling his own body so that it would not take him in the wrong direction. He said, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest . . . I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).
I must learn to relate everything to the primary goal, maintaining it without interruption. My worth to God publicly is measured by what I really am in my private life. Is my primary goal in life to please Him and to be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how lofty it may sound?
工人專一的情志
我們立了志向，要得主的喜悅。 （林後五9）
[立了志向（英文有勞苦作工的意思）……]乃是盡心竭力，把最大的願望擺在首位。意即由年首至歲終，持守著最高的理想。這種理想，並不是熱心去得人靈魂，或者建立教會、舉辦奮興會，而是熱衷於[得主的喜悅]。我們的失敗，並非由於缺乏屬靈的經歷，而是沒有竭力持定那理想的標竿。每一個禮拜，至少要在神面前結算一次，看看你的生命是否夠得上他所要求得水平。
保羅好像一個音樂家，他不管聽眾讚賞不讚賞，只要獲得主人得青睞，就已心滿意足了。任何野心只要稍微偏差，不指向[得主喜悅]的目標，就會叫我們成為被棄絕的人。要學習分辨心志的方向，你就會明白為什麼要向著主耶穌而活。保羅說：[我怕我的身體會領我走入歧途，因此我不斷地提高警覺，攻克己身，叫身服我。 ]（林前九27）
我必須學習把一切所做的連接在這首要的心誌上，同時保守它不間斷。在公眾面前我在身心裡有多少價值，是視乎我私下里的為人。我最高的心志是要討神喜悅，還是為了次一等看來很高貴的目標？
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著今早的經文，我感謝你－－[所以你當歸向你的神，謹守仁愛、公平，常常等候你的神。 ]願你榮耀的同在充滿這廣大的營地；阻止罪惡，激發敬虔。
March 10, 2012
Being an Example of His Message
Preach the word! —2 Timothy 4:2
We are not saved only to be instruments for God, but to be His sons and daughters. He does not turn us into spiritual agents but into spiritual messengers, and the message must be a part of us. The Son of God was His own message— “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). As His disciples, our lives must be a holy example of the reality of our message. Even the natural heart of the unsaved will serve if called upon to do so, but it takes a heart broken by conviction of sin, baptized by the Holy Spirit, and crushed into submission to God’s purpose to make a person’s life a holy example of God’s message.
There is a difference between giving a testimony and preaching. A preacher is someone who has received the call of God and is determined to use all his energy to proclaim God’s truth. God takes us beyond our own aspirations and ideas for our lives, and molds and shapes us for His purpose, just as He worked in the disciples’ lives after Pentecost. The purpose of Pentecost was not to teach the disciples something, but to make them the incarnation of what they preached so that they would literally become God’s message in the flesh. “. . . you shall be witnesses to Me . . .” (Acts 1:8).
Allow God to have complete liberty in your life when you speak. Before God’s message can liberate other people, His liberation must first be real in you. Gather your material carefully, and then allow God to “set your words on fire” for His glory.
要有言教，更要有身教
務要傳道。 （提後四2）
我們得救，並不單是做[導管]，乃是做神的兒女。我們不是變成屬靈的媒介，乃是屬靈的使者；所傳的資訊必須是我們本身一部分。神的兒子本身就是神的資訊，他的話就是靈和生命。我們作他門徒的，生命必須成為資訊的印證。人天然的心喜歡做許多的事奉，但是要心靈真正在罪的自責中破碎，被聖靈澆灌，被搓揉進神的旨意裡去，這時生命才成為資訊的印證。
作見證與講道原有分別。傳道人是有神的呼召，決志竭盡一切傳神的真理。神把我們從自己的觀念裡領出來，把我們陶冶塑造，加以使用，正如五旬節後的門徒一般。五旬節並沒有教導門徒什麼，神只是把門徒變成為他們所傳的資訊——[你們要作我的見證]。你說話的時候，要讓神有絕對的自由。神的話釋放別人靈魂之先，必須先釋放你。然後將你所經歷的說出來，為主發光。
祈禱◆無所不知的主神，求你在今天將智慧賜給我，讓我的敬拜、正確的行為都討你的喜悅。主啊，求你在你的完全和美善中，不斷向我述說你自己。妙！
We are not saved only to be instruments for God, but to be His sons and daughters. He does not turn us into spiritual agents but into spiritual messengers, and the message must be a part of us. The Son of God was His own message— “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). As His disciples, our lives must be a holy example of the reality of our message. Even the natural heart of the unsaved will serve if called upon to do so, but it takes a heart broken by conviction of sin, baptized by the Holy Spirit, and crushed into submission to God’s purpose to make a person’s life a holy example of God’s message.
There is a difference between giving a testimony and preaching. A preacher is someone who has received the call of God and is determined to use all his energy to proclaim God’s truth. God takes us beyond our own aspirations and ideas for our lives, and molds and shapes us for His purpose, just as He worked in the disciples’ lives after Pentecost. The purpose of Pentecost was not to teach the disciples something, but to make them the incarnation of what they preached so that they would literally become God’s message in the flesh. “. . . you shall be witnesses to Me . . .” (Acts 1:8).
Allow God to have complete liberty in your life when you speak. Before God’s message can liberate other people, His liberation must first be real in you. Gather your material carefully, and then allow God to “set your words on fire” for His glory.
要有言教，更要有身教
務要傳道。 （提後四2）
我們得救，並不單是做[導管]，乃是做神的兒女。我們不是變成屬靈的媒介，乃是屬靈的使者；所傳的資訊必須是我們本身一部分。神的兒子本身就是神的資訊，他的話就是靈和生命。我們作他門徒的，生命必須成為資訊的印證。人天然的心喜歡做許多的事奉，但是要心靈真正在罪的自責中破碎，被聖靈澆灌，被搓揉進神的旨意裡去，這時生命才成為資訊的印證。
作見證與講道原有分別。傳道人是有神的呼召，決志竭盡一切傳神的真理。神把我們從自己的觀念裡領出來，把我們陶冶塑造，加以使用，正如五旬節後的門徒一般。五旬節並沒有教導門徒什麼，神只是把門徒變成為他們所傳的資訊——[你們要作我的見證]。你說話的時候，要讓神有絕對的自由。神的話釋放別人靈魂之先，必須先釋放你。然後將你所經歷的說出來，為主發光。
祈禱◆無所不知的主神，求你在今天將智慧賜給我，讓我的敬拜、正確的行為都討你的喜悅。主啊，求你在你的完全和美善中，不斷向我述說你自己。妙！
March 03, 2012
His Commission to Us
Feed My sheep —John 21:17
This is love in the making. The love of God is not created— it is His nature. When we receive the life of Christ through the Holy Spirit, He unites us with God so that His love is demonstrated in us. The goal of the indwelling Holy Spirit is not just to unite us with God, but to do it in such a way that we will be one with the Father in exactly the same way Jesus was. And what kind of oneness did Jesus Christ have with the Father? He had such a oneness with the Father that He was obedient when His Father sent Him down here to be poured out for us. And He says to us, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21).
Peter now realizes that he does love Him, due to the revelation that came with the Lord’s piercing question. The Lord’s next point is— “Pour yourself out. Don’t testify about how much you love Me and don’t talk about the wonderful revelation you have had, just ’Feed My sheep.’ ” Jesus has some extraordinarily peculiar sheep: some that are unkempt and dirty, some that are awkward or pushy, and some that have gone astray! But it is impossible to exhaust God’s love, and it is impossible to exhaust my love if it flows from the Spirit of God within me. The love of God pays no attention to my prejudices caused by my natural individuality. If I love my Lord, I have no business being guided by natural emotions— I have to feed His sheep. We will not be delivered or released from His commission to us. Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by following your own natural human emotions, sympathies, or understandings. That will only serve to revile and abuse the true love of God.
放不下的使命
你餵養我的羊。 （約二十一17）
這是愛的模造。神的愛不是被造的，乃是他的本性。我們一接受了聖靈，他就使我們與神聯合，神的愛就藉我們彰顯出來。人的心靈藉著聖靈的內住與神聯合，並不就完事；我們是要與父合一，正如耶穌與父合一一樣。耶穌與父的合一是怎樣的呢？就是父差他到時間來，為我們竭盡所有。然後說：[父怎樣差遣了我，我也照樣差遣他們。 ]
彼得這時被主刺心的問話啟示，體會自己真的愛刺；接著就是將自己耗盡。主對他說：[你不必見證你怎樣愛我，也不必宣告你所得的超奇啟示，只要餵養我的羊。 ]耶穌有許多奇特古怪的羊，有骯髒的羊，有粗魯好鬥的羊，還有迷路的羊！神的愛從不會枯乾，人的愛若從同一源泉發出，也就同樣的不會枯乾。神的愛是不理會那個性中的差異。我若愛主，就不該受天然性情所左右；我必須餵養他的羊。這使命是不容間斷的。但當心不可依照人天然的同情心去假冒神的愛，否則就是褻瀆神的愛。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，但願我所有的思想、情感和說話，都蘊含著愛－－對你的完全之愛，並透過它來與人接觸。
This is love in the making. The love of God is not created— it is His nature. When we receive the life of Christ through the Holy Spirit, He unites us with God so that His love is demonstrated in us. The goal of the indwelling Holy Spirit is not just to unite us with God, but to do it in such a way that we will be one with the Father in exactly the same way Jesus was. And what kind of oneness did Jesus Christ have with the Father? He had such a oneness with the Father that He was obedient when His Father sent Him down here to be poured out for us. And He says to us, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21).
Peter now realizes that he does love Him, due to the revelation that came with the Lord’s piercing question. The Lord’s next point is— “Pour yourself out. Don’t testify about how much you love Me and don’t talk about the wonderful revelation you have had, just ’Feed My sheep.’ ” Jesus has some extraordinarily peculiar sheep: some that are unkempt and dirty, some that are awkward or pushy, and some that have gone astray! But it is impossible to exhaust God’s love, and it is impossible to exhaust my love if it flows from the Spirit of God within me. The love of God pays no attention to my prejudices caused by my natural individuality. If I love my Lord, I have no business being guided by natural emotions— I have to feed His sheep. We will not be delivered or released from His commission to us. Beware of counterfeiting the love of God by following your own natural human emotions, sympathies, or understandings. That will only serve to revile and abuse the true love of God.
放不下的使命
你餵養我的羊。 （約二十一17）
這是愛的模造。神的愛不是被造的，乃是他的本性。我們一接受了聖靈，他就使我們與神聯合，神的愛就藉我們彰顯出來。人的心靈藉著聖靈的內住與神聯合，並不就完事；我們是要與父合一，正如耶穌與父合一一樣。耶穌與父的合一是怎樣的呢？就是父差他到時間來，為我們竭盡所有。然後說：[父怎樣差遣了我，我也照樣差遣他們。 ]
彼得這時被主刺心的問話啟示，體會自己真的愛刺；接著就是將自己耗盡。主對他說：[你不必見證你怎樣愛我，也不必宣告你所得的超奇啟示，只要餵養我的羊。 ]耶穌有許多奇特古怪的羊，有骯髒的羊，有粗魯好鬥的羊，還有迷路的羊！神的愛從不會枯乾，人的愛若從同一源泉發出，也就同樣的不會枯乾。神的愛是不理會那個性中的差異。我若愛主，就不該受天然性情所左右；我必須餵養他的羊。這使命是不容間斷的。但當心不可依照人天然的同情心去假冒神的愛，否則就是褻瀆神的愛。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，但願我所有的思想、情感和說話，都蘊含著愛－－對你的完全之愛，並透過它來與人接觸。
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