. . . All my springs are in you —Psalm 87:7
Our Lord never “patches up” our natural virtues, that is, our natural traits, qualities, or characteristics. He completely remakes a person on the inside— “. . . put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). In other words, see that your natural human life is putting on all that is in keeping with the new life. The life God places within us develops its own new virtues, not the virtues of the seed of Adam, but of Jesus Christ. Once God has begun the process of sanctification in your life, watch and see how God causes your confidence in your own natural virtues and power to wither away. He will continue until you learn to draw your life from the reservoir of the resurrection life of Jesus. Thank God if you are going through this drying-up experience!
The sign that God is at work in us is that He is destroying our confidence in the natural virtues, because they are not promises of what we are going to be, but only a wasted reminder of what God created man to be. We want to cling to our natural virtues, while all the time God is trying to get us in contact with the life of Jesus Christ— a life that can never be described in terms of natural virtues. It is the saddest thing to see people who are trying to serve God depending on that which the grace of God never gave them. They are depending solely on what they have by virtue of heredity. God does not take our natural virtues and transform them, because our natural virtues could never even come close to what Jesus Christ wants. No natural love, no natural patience, no natural purity can ever come up to His demands. But as we bring every part of our natural bodily life into harmony with the new life God has placed within us, He will exhibit in us the virtues that were characteristic of the Lord Jesus.
And every virtue we possess
Is His alone.
我們一切的美德
我的泉源都在你裡面。 （詩八十七7）
我們的主從不修補天然美德，他乃是從裡面重新再造。 [穿上新人]，意思是你要給肉體的生命穿上與新生命相配的衣服。神種在我們裡頭的生命，會萌發本身的美德，不是亞當的，乃是主耶穌的。你成聖以後，會叫你對天然美德，並個人一切力量的信心枯萎，直至你學會怎樣從主耶穌復活的泉源中支取生命。你若正經歷那乾涸的階段，就得感謝神。
神在我們裡面作工的徵象，就是敗壞我們對天然德行的信念，因為那些本不是神應許的，不過是他初造人時所剩餘的品質。我們總是抓住天然品德，而神卻不住要我接駁到主耶穌的生命去，他的美德是無法用天然德行來比較的。最可悲的是事奉神的人，一味仗賴從遺傳而得的品質，這些並不是神恩典所賜下的。神不會建立並改變天然的德行，因為天然德行不能達到耶穌萬分之一的心意。任何天然的愛、忍耐、清潔，都不可能達到他的要求。只有把肉體生命的每一部分配合神放在我們裡頭的生命，他才能透過我們彰顯主耶穌的美德。而我們所有的一切美德也只是他的。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，你是永遠的活井，我所有清新的泉源都在你裡面。我來到你面前；願你大能的生命在我裡面湧現，真正地流入我的身體和心靈中。
Showing posts with label Submission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Submission. Show all posts
December 30, 2014
December 27, 2014
Where the Battle is Won or Lost
’If you will return, O Israel,’ says the Lord . . . —Jeremiah 4:1
Our battles are first won or lost in the secret places of our will in God’s presence, never in full view of the world. The Spirit of God seizes me and I am compelled to get alone with God and fight the battle before Him. Until I do this, I will lose every time. The battle may take one minute or one year, but that will depend on me, not God. However long it takes, I must wrestle with it alone before God, and I must resolve to go through the hell of renunciation or rejection before Him. Nothing has any power over someone who has fought the battle before God and won there.
I should never say, “I will wait until I get into difficult circumstances and then I’ll put God to the test.” Trying to do that will not work. I must first get the issue settled between God and myself in the secret places of my soul, where no one else can interfere. Then I can go ahead, knowing with certainty that the battle is won. Lose it there, and calamity, disaster, and defeat before the world are as sure as the laws of God. The reason the battle is lost is that I fight it first in the external world. Get alone with God, do battle before Him, and settle the matter once and for all.
In dealing with other people, our stance should always be to drive them toward making a decision of their will. That is how surrendering to God begins. Not often, but every once in a while, God brings us to a major turning point— a great crossroads in our life. From that point we either go toward a more and more slow, lazy, and useless Christian life, or we become more and more on fire, giving our utmost for His highest— our best for His glory.
勝敗所在
耶和華說，以色列啊，你若回來歸向我……（耶四1）
爭戰的勝敗決定於在神面前意志的隱秘處，而不是外在的世界。神的靈提醒我，催促我獨自見神，在他面前作戰。若不這樣行，我每次必敗。爭戰是一分鐘還是一年，是在於我的決定，而不是神；但必須在神面前自己摔跤，斷然棄絕主權。沒有什麼能推倒一個在神面前爭戰勝利的人。
我若說：[還是等到事情來到，再試試神吧！ ]我必發覺自己辦不到。我要在神面前，自己在心靈的隱秘處，沒有他人騷擾的地方，好好解決；然後放膽地出去，因為知道仗已經打贏了。若在那裡打敗，災禍難處必然不絕臨到，就如神的命令一樣堅定。仗打不贏的道理，是我想先從外在世界去打。其實應該獨自見神，在那裡先打勝了，才可一次過解決問題。對得其他人也是如此，要把他們推到意志的邊緣－－完全歸服的起點。有時候，神帶我們來到一個頂點，就是生命的大分水線；從那一點，我們可以逐漸退隱過一種無大用處的信徒生活；或從那一點，我們為神的榮耀燒旺－－竭誠為主。
祈禱◆噢，我的神，請你現在感動我。在其中一次改變生命的觸動中，你確實從所有事物中清楚而具體地啟示你自己；在那些燦爛的時刻中，我看見你、敬拜你，並讚歎你.
Our battles are first won or lost in the secret places of our will in God’s presence, never in full view of the world. The Spirit of God seizes me and I am compelled to get alone with God and fight the battle before Him. Until I do this, I will lose every time. The battle may take one minute or one year, but that will depend on me, not God. However long it takes, I must wrestle with it alone before God, and I must resolve to go through the hell of renunciation or rejection before Him. Nothing has any power over someone who has fought the battle before God and won there.
I should never say, “I will wait until I get into difficult circumstances and then I’ll put God to the test.” Trying to do that will not work. I must first get the issue settled between God and myself in the secret places of my soul, where no one else can interfere. Then I can go ahead, knowing with certainty that the battle is won. Lose it there, and calamity, disaster, and defeat before the world are as sure as the laws of God. The reason the battle is lost is that I fight it first in the external world. Get alone with God, do battle before Him, and settle the matter once and for all.
In dealing with other people, our stance should always be to drive them toward making a decision of their will. That is how surrendering to God begins. Not often, but every once in a while, God brings us to a major turning point— a great crossroads in our life. From that point we either go toward a more and more slow, lazy, and useless Christian life, or we become more and more on fire, giving our utmost for His highest— our best for His glory.
勝敗所在
耶和華說，以色列啊，你若回來歸向我……（耶四1）
爭戰的勝敗決定於在神面前意志的隱秘處，而不是外在的世界。神的靈提醒我，催促我獨自見神，在他面前作戰。若不這樣行，我每次必敗。爭戰是一分鐘還是一年，是在於我的決定，而不是神；但必須在神面前自己摔跤，斷然棄絕主權。沒有什麼能推倒一個在神面前爭戰勝利的人。
我若說：[還是等到事情來到，再試試神吧！ ]我必發覺自己辦不到。我要在神面前，自己在心靈的隱秘處，沒有他人騷擾的地方，好好解決；然後放膽地出去，因為知道仗已經打贏了。若在那裡打敗，災禍難處必然不絕臨到，就如神的命令一樣堅定。仗打不贏的道理，是我想先從外在世界去打。其實應該獨自見神，在那裡先打勝了，才可一次過解決問題。對得其他人也是如此，要把他們推到意志的邊緣－－完全歸服的起點。有時候，神帶我們來到一個頂點，就是生命的大分水線；從那一點，我們可以逐漸退隱過一種無大用處的信徒生活；或從那一點，我們為神的榮耀燒旺－－竭誠為主。
祈禱◆噢，我的神，請你現在感動我。在其中一次改變生命的觸動中，你確實從所有事物中清楚而具體地啟示你自己；在那些燦爛的時刻中，我看見你、敬拜你，並讚歎你.
December 22, 2014
The Drawing of the Father
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him . . . —John 6:44
When God begins to draw me to Himself, the problem of my will comes in immediately. Will I react positively to the truth that God has revealed? Will I come to Him? To discuss or deliberate over spiritual matters when God calls is inappropriate and disrespectful to Him. When God speaks, never discuss it with anyone as if to decide what your response may be (see Galatians 1:15-16). Belief is not the result of an intellectual act, but the result of an act of my will whereby I deliberately commit myself. But will I commit, placing myself completely and absolutely on God, and be willing to act solely on what He says? If I will, I will find that I am grounded on reality as certain as God’s throne.
In preaching the gospel, always focus on the matter of the will. Belief must come from the will to believe. There must be a surrender of the will, not a surrender to a persuasive or powerful argument. I must deliberately step out, placing my faith in God and in His truth. And I must place no confidence in my own works, but only in God. Trusting in my own mental understanding becomes a hindrance to complete trust in God. I must be willing to ignore and leave my feelings behind. I must will to believe. But this can never be accomplished without my forceful, determined effort to separate myself from my old ways of looking at things. I must surrender myself completely to God.
Everyone has been created with the ability to reach out beyond his own grasp. But it is God who draws me, and my relationship to Him in the first place is an inner, personal one, not an intellectual one. I come into the relationship through the miracle of God and through my own will to believe. Then I begin to get an intelligent appreciation and understanding of the wonder of the transformation in my life.
父吸引人
若不是差我的父吸引人，就沒有能到我這裡來的。 （約六44）
神吸引我的時候，就是要運用意志的時候－－我對神賜的啟示有反應嗎？我肯到他那裡去麼？把屬靈的事拿來議論，是不合體統的；神說話的時候，不要人討論。信心不是一項智力上的舉動，乃是一種道德的反應，特意要把自己投上去。我願否絕無保留地把自己投上，照神所說的去做？若肯，就會發現自己紮根於安穩如神寶座的實體上。
傳福音的時候，記得要提出意志的問題。信仰必須出於意志。意志必須順服，而不是屈服在說服力之下，乃是立誌全部投向神和他所說的話，直至不再把信心建在自己所作的事上，而是惟獨信神。其中的攔阻在於我不肯信神，只信自己頭腦的理解。以感覺上來說，我必須不顧一切的投注，必須憑意志相信；這樣，我必須盡很大的努力，把以往對事物的看法丟棄，只對準神自己，否則便無法做到。
人有一種向自己以外去尋索的本能。是神先吸引我，我與他的首要關係，是個人的，不是理智上的。我因著神的吸引，和我決意的相信，便進入與神的關係中，然後，開始在理智上體會並明白這相交的奇妙。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你大能的同在，今天如帳棚般四面環繞我，願你的榮耀就在其中。
When God begins to draw me to Himself, the problem of my will comes in immediately. Will I react positively to the truth that God has revealed? Will I come to Him? To discuss or deliberate over spiritual matters when God calls is inappropriate and disrespectful to Him. When God speaks, never discuss it with anyone as if to decide what your response may be (see Galatians 1:15-16). Belief is not the result of an intellectual act, but the result of an act of my will whereby I deliberately commit myself. But will I commit, placing myself completely and absolutely on God, and be willing to act solely on what He says? If I will, I will find that I am grounded on reality as certain as God’s throne.
In preaching the gospel, always focus on the matter of the will. Belief must come from the will to believe. There must be a surrender of the will, not a surrender to a persuasive or powerful argument. I must deliberately step out, placing my faith in God and in His truth. And I must place no confidence in my own works, but only in God. Trusting in my own mental understanding becomes a hindrance to complete trust in God. I must be willing to ignore and leave my feelings behind. I must will to believe. But this can never be accomplished without my forceful, determined effort to separate myself from my old ways of looking at things. I must surrender myself completely to God.
Everyone has been created with the ability to reach out beyond his own grasp. But it is God who draws me, and my relationship to Him in the first place is an inner, personal one, not an intellectual one. I come into the relationship through the miracle of God and through my own will to believe. Then I begin to get an intelligent appreciation and understanding of the wonder of the transformation in my life.
父吸引人
若不是差我的父吸引人，就沒有能到我這裡來的。 （約六44）
神吸引我的時候，就是要運用意志的時候－－我對神賜的啟示有反應嗎？我肯到他那裡去麼？把屬靈的事拿來議論，是不合體統的；神說話的時候，不要人討論。信心不是一項智力上的舉動，乃是一種道德的反應，特意要把自己投上去。我願否絕無保留地把自己投上，照神所說的去做？若肯，就會發現自己紮根於安穩如神寶座的實體上。
傳福音的時候，記得要提出意志的問題。信仰必須出於意志。意志必須順服，而不是屈服在說服力之下，乃是立誌全部投向神和他所說的話，直至不再把信心建在自己所作的事上，而是惟獨信神。其中的攔阻在於我不肯信神，只信自己頭腦的理解。以感覺上來說，我必須不顧一切的投注，必須憑意志相信；這樣，我必須盡很大的努力，把以往對事物的看法丟棄，只對準神自己，否則便無法做到。
人有一種向自己以外去尋索的本能。是神先吸引我，我與他的首要關係，是個人的，不是理智上的。我因著神的吸引，和我決意的相信，便進入與神的關係中，然後，開始在理智上體會並明白這相交的奇妙。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你大能的同在，今天如帳棚般四面環繞我，願你的榮耀就在其中。
December 10, 2014
The Offering of the Natural
It is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman —Galatians 4:22
Paul was not dealing with sin in this chapter of Galatians, but with the relation of the natural to the spiritual. The natural can be turned into the spiritual only through sacrifice. Without this a person will lead a divided life. Why did God demand that the natural must be sacrificed? God did not demand it. It is not God’s perfect will, but His permissive will. God’s perfect will was for the natural to be changed into the spiritual through obedience. Sin is what made it necessary for the natural to be sacrificed.
Abraham had to offer up Ishmael before he offered up Isaac (see Genesis 21:8-14). Some of us are trying to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God before we have sacrificed the natural. The only way we can offer a spiritual sacrifice to God is to “present [our] bodies a living sacrifice . . .” (Romans 12:1). Sanctification means more than being freed from sin. It means the deliberate commitment of myself to the God of my salvation, and being willing to pay whatever it may cost.
If we do not sacrifice the natural to the spiritual, the natural life will resist and defy the life of the Son of God in us and will produce continual turmoil. This is always the result of an undisciplined spiritual nature. We go wrong because we stubbornly refuse to discipline ourselves physically, morally, or mentally. We excuse ourselves by saying, “Well, I wasn’t taught to be disciplined when I was a child.” Then discipline yourself now! If you don’t, you will ruin your entire personal life for God.
God is not actively involved with our natural life as long as we continue to pamper and gratify it. But once we are willing to put it out in the desert and are determined to keep it under control, God will be with it. He will then provide wells and oases and fulfill all His promises for the natural (see Genesis 21:15-19).
獻上天然生命
亞伯拉罕有兩個兒子，一個是使女生的，一個是自主之婦人生的。 （加四22）
保羅在加拉太書這一章中，不是討論罪的問題，而是討論天然與屬靈二者的關係。天然的必須獻上，成為屬靈，否則在實際生活上，會產生很大的分歧。為什麼神要命定天然生命必須被釘死？神並沒有如此命定。這並不是神的命令，而是他許可的旨意。神的命令是要肉體的生命藉順服成為屬靈；因為罪，肉體的生命才必須成為祭品。
亞伯拉罕必須先獻上以實瑪利，才能獻上以撒。不少人想在未治死肉體之先，就獻屬靈的祭給神。向神獻屬靈的祭唯一的途徑，就是把身體當作活祭獻上。成聖不只是脫離罪惡，乃是立志把神所救贖出來的這個自己交付神，是不惜任何代價的。
若不把天然生命獻給屬靈生命，那肉體生命會嘲弄神兒子在我們裡面的生命，而產生一種延續的拉鋸戰。這是一個不受約束的屬靈品性必然的後果。我們走差路，是因為執意不肯在身體、道德及心誌上操練管治自己[作孩子的時候，不受約束]。如今你必須約束自己。否則，你會毀掉整個為神而活的生命。
我們若放任肉體的生命，神就不與它同在；但當我們肯把它放逐出去，決意制服它，神就與它同在，啟開活井綠洲，成就對肉體生命的一切應許。
祈禱◆願你使這一整天，成為甘甜和喜樂的日子。願你那隨心所欲的大能，恩慈地臨到我的身心靈，讓我們藉此承擔今天的一切事情。
Paul was not dealing with sin in this chapter of Galatians, but with the relation of the natural to the spiritual. The natural can be turned into the spiritual only through sacrifice. Without this a person will lead a divided life. Why did God demand that the natural must be sacrificed? God did not demand it. It is not God’s perfect will, but His permissive will. God’s perfect will was for the natural to be changed into the spiritual through obedience. Sin is what made it necessary for the natural to be sacrificed.
Abraham had to offer up Ishmael before he offered up Isaac (see Genesis 21:8-14). Some of us are trying to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God before we have sacrificed the natural. The only way we can offer a spiritual sacrifice to God is to “present [our] bodies a living sacrifice . . .” (Romans 12:1). Sanctification means more than being freed from sin. It means the deliberate commitment of myself to the God of my salvation, and being willing to pay whatever it may cost.
If we do not sacrifice the natural to the spiritual, the natural life will resist and defy the life of the Son of God in us and will produce continual turmoil. This is always the result of an undisciplined spiritual nature. We go wrong because we stubbornly refuse to discipline ourselves physically, morally, or mentally. We excuse ourselves by saying, “Well, I wasn’t taught to be disciplined when I was a child.” Then discipline yourself now! If you don’t, you will ruin your entire personal life for God.
God is not actively involved with our natural life as long as we continue to pamper and gratify it. But once we are willing to put it out in the desert and are determined to keep it under control, God will be with it. He will then provide wells and oases and fulfill all His promises for the natural (see Genesis 21:15-19).
獻上天然生命
亞伯拉罕有兩個兒子，一個是使女生的，一個是自主之婦人生的。 （加四22）
保羅在加拉太書這一章中，不是討論罪的問題，而是討論天然與屬靈二者的關係。天然的必須獻上，成為屬靈，否則在實際生活上，會產生很大的分歧。為什麼神要命定天然生命必須被釘死？神並沒有如此命定。這並不是神的命令，而是他許可的旨意。神的命令是要肉體的生命藉順服成為屬靈；因為罪，肉體的生命才必須成為祭品。
亞伯拉罕必須先獻上以實瑪利，才能獻上以撒。不少人想在未治死肉體之先，就獻屬靈的祭給神。向神獻屬靈的祭唯一的途徑，就是把身體當作活祭獻上。成聖不只是脫離罪惡，乃是立志把神所救贖出來的這個自己交付神，是不惜任何代價的。
若不把天然生命獻給屬靈生命，那肉體生命會嘲弄神兒子在我們裡面的生命，而產生一種延續的拉鋸戰。這是一個不受約束的屬靈品性必然的後果。我們走差路，是因為執意不肯在身體、道德及心誌上操練管治自己[作孩子的時候，不受約束]。如今你必須約束自己。否則，你會毀掉整個為神而活的生命。
我們若放任肉體的生命，神就不與它同在；但當我們肯把它放逐出去，決意制服它，神就與它同在，啟開活井綠洲，成就對肉體生命的一切應許。
祈禱◆願你使這一整天，成為甘甜和喜樂的日子。願你那隨心所欲的大能，恩慈地臨到我的身心靈，讓我們藉此承擔今天的一切事情。
December 03, 2014
“Not by Might nor by Power”
My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power . . . —1 Corinthians 2:4
If in preaching the gospel you substitute your knowledge of the way of salvation for confidence in the power of the gospel, you hinder people from getting to reality. Take care to see while you proclaim your knowledge of the way of salvation, that you yourself are rooted and grounded by faith in God. Never rely on the clearness of your presentation, but as you give your explanation make sure that you are relying on the Holy Spirit. Rely on the certainty of God’s redemptive power, and He will create His own life in people.
Once you are rooted in reality, nothing can shake you. If your faith is in experiences, anything that happens is likely to upset that faith. But nothing can ever change God or the reality of redemption. Base your faith on that, and you are as eternally secure as God Himself. Once you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you will never be moved again. That is the meaning of sanctification. God disapproves of our human efforts to cling to the concept that sanctification is merely an experience, while forgetting that even our sanctification must also be sanctified (see John 17:19). I must deliberately give my sanctified life to God for His service, so that He can use me as His hands and His feet.
非勢力非才能
我說的話講的道，不是用智慧委婉的言語，乃是用聖靈和大能的明證。 （林前二4）
傳福音的時候，會攔阻人接觸神的實體。宣揚救恩之道時，你對神的信心有根有基。千萬不可依靠自己闡釋的精確；在你闡釋的當兒，緊記依靠聖靈。要靠賴神救贖的大能，相信這能力的確實，這樣，他就要在人心中創造他自己的生命。
你一旦紮根於那真正的實體，就無可動搖。但若信心建基於經歷，那末，任何事情都可以推翻你的信心；神和他救贖大能的真實，是無法推捯的；把信心建基其上，你就像神一樣永遠堅定。你一旦與主耶穌接觸過，就永不再動搖了，這就是成聖的意思。我們若把成聖單放在經歷上，忘記了成聖本身也需要先經潔淨（約十七19），神就會對人的經歷加以否定。我要立志把成聖的生命交給神使用，這樣他能用我做他的手、他的腳。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，當我沒有用足夠的時間祈禱，感謝你給予那些無以言狀的預感和心靈之光。主啊，如今我仰望你；願你臨近，噢，恩慈的主啊，願你臨近，並且願你在今天賜給我恩典，使我在你裡面歡喜快樂。
If in preaching the gospel you substitute your knowledge of the way of salvation for confidence in the power of the gospel, you hinder people from getting to reality. Take care to see while you proclaim your knowledge of the way of salvation, that you yourself are rooted and grounded by faith in God. Never rely on the clearness of your presentation, but as you give your explanation make sure that you are relying on the Holy Spirit. Rely on the certainty of God’s redemptive power, and He will create His own life in people.
Once you are rooted in reality, nothing can shake you. If your faith is in experiences, anything that happens is likely to upset that faith. But nothing can ever change God or the reality of redemption. Base your faith on that, and you are as eternally secure as God Himself. Once you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you will never be moved again. That is the meaning of sanctification. God disapproves of our human efforts to cling to the concept that sanctification is merely an experience, while forgetting that even our sanctification must also be sanctified (see John 17:19). I must deliberately give my sanctified life to God for His service, so that He can use me as His hands and His feet.
非勢力非才能
我說的話講的道，不是用智慧委婉的言語，乃是用聖靈和大能的明證。 （林前二4）
傳福音的時候，會攔阻人接觸神的實體。宣揚救恩之道時，你對神的信心有根有基。千萬不可依靠自己闡釋的精確；在你闡釋的當兒，緊記依靠聖靈。要靠賴神救贖的大能，相信這能力的確實，這樣，他就要在人心中創造他自己的生命。
你一旦紮根於那真正的實體，就無可動搖。但若信心建基於經歷，那末，任何事情都可以推翻你的信心；神和他救贖大能的真實，是無法推捯的；把信心建基其上，你就像神一樣永遠堅定。你一旦與主耶穌接觸過，就永不再動搖了，這就是成聖的意思。我們若把成聖單放在經歷上，忘記了成聖本身也需要先經潔淨（約十七19），神就會對人的經歷加以否定。我要立志把成聖的生命交給神使用，這樣他能用我做他的手、他的腳。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，當我沒有用足夠的時間祈禱，感謝你給予那些無以言狀的預感和心靈之光。主啊，如今我仰望你；願你臨近，噢，恩慈的主啊，願你臨近，並且願你在今天賜給我恩典，使我在你裡面歡喜快樂。
November 22, 2014
Shallow and Profound
Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God —1 Corinthians 10:31
Beware of allowing yourself to think that the shallow aspects of life are not ordained by God; they are ordained by Him equally as much as the profound. We sometimes refuse to be shallow, not out of our deep devotion to God but because we wish to impress other people with the fact that we are not shallow. This is a sure sign of spiritual pride. We must be careful, for this is how contempt for others is produced in our lives. And it causes us to be a walking rebuke to other people because they are more shallow than we are. Beware of posing as a profound person— God became a baby.
To be shallow is not a sign of being sinful, nor is shallowness an indication that there is no depth to your life at all— the ocean has a shore. Even the shallow things of life, such as eating and drinking, walking and talking, are ordained by God. These are all things our Lord did. He did them as the Son of God, and He said, “A disciple is not above his teacher . . .” (Matthew 10:24).
We are safeguarded by the shallow things of life. We have to live the surface, commonsense life in a commonsense way. Then when God gives us the deeper things, they are obviously separated from the shallow concerns. Never show the depth of your life to anyone but God. We are so nauseatingly serious, so desperately interested in our own character and reputation, we refuse to behave like Christians in the shallow concerns of life.
Make a determination to take no one seriously except God. You may find that the first person you must be the most critical with, as being the greatest fraud you have ever known, is yourself.
淺與深
所以你們或吃或喝，無論作什麽，都要為榮耀神而行。 （林前十31）
別以為生活上淺顯的事，不是出於神；這些事與深奧的事一樣，同是出於神。你不肯表現膚淺，不是由於你對神的忠誠虔敬，而是你想叫人覺得你並不膚淺；這樣，正好表現了你屬靈的驕傲。若是如此，你就得當心：不要讓鄙視在你心裡成形，使你隨時指控人，因為覺得人人都比你膚淺。當心別以高深莫測自居；神也是成了嬰孩而來的。
膚淺並不是奸惡的表現，也並不表示沒有深度，海洋也有邊岸。生活中表面化的常事，如飲食、行走、談話，都是神所定的。這也是主的生活。作為神的兒子，他也這樣生活，他說：[學生不能高過先生。 ]
我們的保障是在於淺顯的事。我們必須以平常之道過日常平凡的生活。深奧的事，是神在淺近的事以外賜給我們。除了向神，我們不必向任何人顯露深度。我們往往太過專注於自己的品性，以致不肯在日常平凡生活中，活得像基督徒。要下決心除了神，不把任何人放在心內；這樣你會發現第一個要摒棄不管的，就是最會假冒的傢伙 - 你自己。
祈禱◆主啊，願你今天將聖靈的直覺力和你所有的靈感賜給我，以致我可以在一切事情上辨別你。願你恩慈的同在和平安充滿這一整天。
Beware of allowing yourself to think that the shallow aspects of life are not ordained by God; they are ordained by Him equally as much as the profound. We sometimes refuse to be shallow, not out of our deep devotion to God but because we wish to impress other people with the fact that we are not shallow. This is a sure sign of spiritual pride. We must be careful, for this is how contempt for others is produced in our lives. And it causes us to be a walking rebuke to other people because they are more shallow than we are. Beware of posing as a profound person— God became a baby.
To be shallow is not a sign of being sinful, nor is shallowness an indication that there is no depth to your life at all— the ocean has a shore. Even the shallow things of life, such as eating and drinking, walking and talking, are ordained by God. These are all things our Lord did. He did them as the Son of God, and He said, “A disciple is not above his teacher . . .” (Matthew 10:24).
We are safeguarded by the shallow things of life. We have to live the surface, commonsense life in a commonsense way. Then when God gives us the deeper things, they are obviously separated from the shallow concerns. Never show the depth of your life to anyone but God. We are so nauseatingly serious, so desperately interested in our own character and reputation, we refuse to behave like Christians in the shallow concerns of life.
Make a determination to take no one seriously except God. You may find that the first person you must be the most critical with, as being the greatest fraud you have ever known, is yourself.
淺與深
所以你們或吃或喝，無論作什麽，都要為榮耀神而行。 （林前十31）
別以為生活上淺顯的事，不是出於神；這些事與深奧的事一樣，同是出於神。你不肯表現膚淺，不是由於你對神的忠誠虔敬，而是你想叫人覺得你並不膚淺；這樣，正好表現了你屬靈的驕傲。若是如此，你就得當心：不要讓鄙視在你心裡成形，使你隨時指控人，因為覺得人人都比你膚淺。當心別以高深莫測自居；神也是成了嬰孩而來的。
膚淺並不是奸惡的表現，也並不表示沒有深度，海洋也有邊岸。生活中表面化的常事，如飲食、行走、談話，都是神所定的。這也是主的生活。作為神的兒子，他也這樣生活，他說：[學生不能高過先生。 ]
我們的保障是在於淺顯的事。我們必須以平常之道過日常平凡的生活。深奧的事，是神在淺近的事以外賜給我們。除了向神，我們不必向任何人顯露深度。我們往往太過專注於自己的品性，以致不肯在日常平凡生活中，活得像基督徒。要下決心除了神，不把任何人放在心內；這樣你會發現第一個要摒棄不管的，就是最會假冒的傢伙 - 你自己。
祈禱◆主啊，願你今天將聖靈的直覺力和你所有的靈感賜給我，以致我可以在一切事情上辨別你。願你恩慈的同在和平安充滿這一整天。
November 15, 2014
“What Is That to You?”
Peter . . . said to Jesus, ’But Lord, what about this man?’ Jesus said to him, ’. . . what is that to you? You follow Me’ —John 21:21-22
One of the hardest lessons to learn comes from our stubborn refusal to refrain from interfering in other people’s lives. It takes a long time to realize the danger of being an amateur providence, that is, interfering with God’s plan for others. You see someone suffering and say, “He will not suffer, and I will make sure that he doesn’t.” You put your hand right in front of God’s permissive will to stop it, and then God says, “What is that to you?” Is there stagnation in your spiritual life? Don’t allow it to continue, but get into God’s presence and find out the reason for it. You will possibly find it is because you have been interfering in the life of another— proposing things you had no right to propose, or advising when you had no right to advise. When you do have to give advice to another person, God will advise through you with the direct understanding of His Spirit. Your part is to maintain the right relationship with God so that His discernment can come through you continually for the purpose of blessing someone else.
Most of us live only within the level of consciousness— consciously serving and consciously devoted to God. This shows immaturity and the fact that we’re not yet living the real Christian life. Maturity is produced in the life of a child of God on the unconscious level, until we become so totally surrendered to God that we are not even aware of being used by Him. When we are consciously aware of being used as broken bread and poured-out wine, we have yet another level to reach— a level where all awareness of ourselves and of what God is doing through us is completely eliminated. A saint is never consciously a saint— a saint is consciously dependent on God.
與你何干？
主啊，這人將來如何？ ……與你何干？你跟從我罷。 （約二十一21-22）
我們最難學的功課之一，就是放棄對別人生命的干涉。我們要經很長的時間才明白，干涉神在別人生命中的吩咐，是很危險的。你看見人家受苦，你就說：[他不該受苦，我要設法使他不受苦。 ]那你便是阻撓神容許的旨意。神說：[與你何干？ ]若你的靈性停滯不前，不可聽其自然，必須到神面前尋出根源。很可能是因為你在干擾別人的生命；或提供你無權提供的；或指點你無權指點的。要是神真要你勸勉別人，他必定叫你的勸勉，直接有聖靈感動。你的責任是保持與神有正確良好的關係，以致他的智慧，能隨時隨地透過你叫他人得福。
我們多半活在意識的邊境上－－自覺是在事奉神，自覺愛神。這都是不成熟的，並不屬於那真正的生命。成熟的表現是不再憑觀感知覺；我們對神完全的歸服，以致不再意識到自己被神使用。我們若仍意識到被神用作劈開的餅何澆奠的酒，那麼，就得追求另一個境界，就是把自覺的意識，以及神透過我們工作的意識，都同時消除。聖徒是從不自覺是聖徒，他們只知依靠神。
祈禱◆噢，願我藉著你內住的聖靈，將我與敬拜、美善和聖潔連合起來。主啊，感動我的身體和心靈，直至它們能為著你而融合為一。
One of the hardest lessons to learn comes from our stubborn refusal to refrain from interfering in other people’s lives. It takes a long time to realize the danger of being an amateur providence, that is, interfering with God’s plan for others. You see someone suffering and say, “He will not suffer, and I will make sure that he doesn’t.” You put your hand right in front of God’s permissive will to stop it, and then God says, “What is that to you?” Is there stagnation in your spiritual life? Don’t allow it to continue, but get into God’s presence and find out the reason for it. You will possibly find it is because you have been interfering in the life of another— proposing things you had no right to propose, or advising when you had no right to advise. When you do have to give advice to another person, God will advise through you with the direct understanding of His Spirit. Your part is to maintain the right relationship with God so that His discernment can come through you continually for the purpose of blessing someone else.
Most of us live only within the level of consciousness— consciously serving and consciously devoted to God. This shows immaturity and the fact that we’re not yet living the real Christian life. Maturity is produced in the life of a child of God on the unconscious level, until we become so totally surrendered to God that we are not even aware of being used by Him. When we are consciously aware of being used as broken bread and poured-out wine, we have yet another level to reach— a level where all awareness of ourselves and of what God is doing through us is completely eliminated. A saint is never consciously a saint— a saint is consciously dependent on God.
與你何干？
主啊，這人將來如何？ ……與你何干？你跟從我罷。 （約二十一21-22）
我們最難學的功課之一，就是放棄對別人生命的干涉。我們要經很長的時間才明白，干涉神在別人生命中的吩咐，是很危險的。你看見人家受苦，你就說：[他不該受苦，我要設法使他不受苦。 ]那你便是阻撓神容許的旨意。神說：[與你何干？ ]若你的靈性停滯不前，不可聽其自然，必須到神面前尋出根源。很可能是因為你在干擾別人的生命；或提供你無權提供的；或指點你無權指點的。要是神真要你勸勉別人，他必定叫你的勸勉，直接有聖靈感動。你的責任是保持與神有正確良好的關係，以致他的智慧，能隨時隨地透過你叫他人得福。
我們多半活在意識的邊境上－－自覺是在事奉神，自覺愛神。這都是不成熟的，並不屬於那真正的生命。成熟的表現是不再憑觀感知覺；我們對神完全的歸服，以致不再意識到自己被神使用。我們若仍意識到被神用作劈開的餅何澆奠的酒，那麼，就得追求另一個境界，就是把自覺的意識，以及神透過我們工作的意識，都同時消除。聖徒是從不自覺是聖徒，他們只知依靠神。
祈禱◆噢，願我藉著你內住的聖靈，將我與敬拜、美善和聖潔連合起來。主啊，感動我的身體和心靈，直至它們能為著你而融合為一。
November 03, 2014
A Bondservant of Jesus
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . . —Galatians 2:20
These words mean the breaking and collapse of my independence brought about by my own hands, and the surrendering of my life to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. No one can do this for me, I must do it myself. God may bring me up to this point three hundred and sixty-five times a year, but He cannot push me through it. It means breaking the hard outer layer of my individual independence from God, and the liberating of myself and my nature into oneness with Him; not following my own ideas, but choosing absolute loyalty to Jesus. Once I am at that point, there is no possibility of misunderstanding. Very few of us know anything about loyalty to Christ or understand what He meant when He said, “. . . for My sake” (Matthew 5:11). That is what makes a strong saint.
Has that breaking of my independence come? All the rest is religious fraud. The one point to decide is— will I give up? Will I surrender to Jesus Christ, placing no conditions whatsoever as to how the brokenness will come? I must be broken from my own understanding of myself. When I reach that point, immediately the reality of the supernatural identification with Jesus Christ takes place. And the witness of the Spirit of God is unmistakable— “I have been crucified with Christ . . .”
The passion of Christianity comes from deliberately signing away my own rights and becoming a bondservant of Jesus Christ. Until I do that, I will not begin to be a saint.
One student a year who hears God’s call would be sufficient for God to have called the Bible Training College into existence. This college has no value as an organization, not even academically. Its sole value for existence is for God to help Himself to lives. Will we allow Him to help Himself to us, or are we more concerned with our own ideas of what we are going to be?
耶穌的奴隸
我已經與基督同釘十字架，現在活著的，不再是我，乃是基督在我裡面活著。 （加二20）
這句話的意思是我親手折斷自己的主權，完全降服於主耶穌至高的權威。沒有人可以替我做，我必須自己去行。神可以在一年有三百六十五次叫我們面臨作決定的時刻，可是他不能推我過去。我必須打破脫離神而獨立的外殼，釋放整個人格，與他合一；不再跟從自己的主意，完全效忠主耶穌。一旦，如此，就無可爭辯了。很少人真正知道甚麽叫效忠基督- 就是[為我（主）的緣故。 ]有這個才有精忠的聖徒。
這破碎的關鍵到了沒有？其他的事都不過是敬虔的偽殼。決定性的一點是- 我肯不肯無條件投降，順服基督？我必須打破實現自我的企圖，這樣，與主認同的超然事實就隨即出現，聖靈的見證就明明可見- [我已經與基督同釘十字架。 ]
我對基督教的熱誠，就是特意把自己的主權捨棄，作耶穌基督的奴僕。若非如此，我尚未踏上成聖之路。
只要每年有一個學生被神呼召，就是以肯定這間神學院的存在價值。若只作為一間機構，這學院沒有什麽價值。它不是為學術研究，其最大的用意是讓神可以隨意得著人的生命。他可以隨意使用我們麽？還是我們仍然讓自我實現的念頭佔據？
祈禱◆主啊，因著我肉體的軟弱，我與你的相交也顯得枯燥乏味，然而我的心卻是欣喜的，我的肉體亦將在盼望中安息。
These words mean the breaking and collapse of my independence brought about by my own hands, and the surrendering of my life to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. No one can do this for me, I must do it myself. God may bring me up to this point three hundred and sixty-five times a year, but He cannot push me through it. It means breaking the hard outer layer of my individual independence from God, and the liberating of myself and my nature into oneness with Him; not following my own ideas, but choosing absolute loyalty to Jesus. Once I am at that point, there is no possibility of misunderstanding. Very few of us know anything about loyalty to Christ or understand what He meant when He said, “. . . for My sake” (Matthew 5:11). That is what makes a strong saint.
Has that breaking of my independence come? All the rest is religious fraud. The one point to decide is— will I give up? Will I surrender to Jesus Christ, placing no conditions whatsoever as to how the brokenness will come? I must be broken from my own understanding of myself. When I reach that point, immediately the reality of the supernatural identification with Jesus Christ takes place. And the witness of the Spirit of God is unmistakable— “I have been crucified with Christ . . .”
The passion of Christianity comes from deliberately signing away my own rights and becoming a bondservant of Jesus Christ. Until I do that, I will not begin to be a saint.
One student a year who hears God’s call would be sufficient for God to have called the Bible Training College into existence. This college has no value as an organization, not even academically. Its sole value for existence is for God to help Himself to lives. Will we allow Him to help Himself to us, or are we more concerned with our own ideas of what we are going to be?
耶穌的奴隸
我已經與基督同釘十字架，現在活著的，不再是我，乃是基督在我裡面活著。 （加二20）
這句話的意思是我親手折斷自己的主權，完全降服於主耶穌至高的權威。沒有人可以替我做，我必須自己去行。神可以在一年有三百六十五次叫我們面臨作決定的時刻，可是他不能推我過去。我必須打破脫離神而獨立的外殼，釋放整個人格，與他合一；不再跟從自己的主意，完全效忠主耶穌。一旦，如此，就無可爭辯了。很少人真正知道甚麽叫效忠基督- 就是[為我（主）的緣故。 ]有這個才有精忠的聖徒。
這破碎的關鍵到了沒有？其他的事都不過是敬虔的偽殼。決定性的一點是- 我肯不肯無條件投降，順服基督？我必須打破實現自我的企圖，這樣，與主認同的超然事實就隨即出現，聖靈的見證就明明可見- [我已經與基督同釘十字架。 ]
我對基督教的熱誠，就是特意把自己的主權捨棄，作耶穌基督的奴僕。若非如此，我尚未踏上成聖之路。
只要每年有一個學生被神呼召，就是以肯定這間神學院的存在價值。若只作為一間機構，這學院沒有什麽價值。它不是為學術研究，其最大的用意是讓神可以隨意得著人的生命。他可以隨意使用我們麽？還是我們仍然讓自我實現的念頭佔據？
祈禱◆主啊，因著我肉體的軟弱，我與你的相交也顯得枯燥乏味，然而我的心卻是欣喜的，我的肉體亦將在盼望中安息。
November 01, 2014
“You Are Not Your Own”
Do you not know that . . . you are not your own? —1 Corinthians 6:19
There is no such thing as a private life, or a place to hide in this world, for a man or woman who is intimately aware of and shares in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. God divides the private life of His saints and makes it a highway for the world on one hand and for Himself on the other. No human being can stand that unless he is identified with Jesus Christ. We are not sanctified for ourselves. We are called into intimacy with the gospel, and things happen that appear to have nothing to do with us. But God is getting us into fellowship with Himself. Let Him have His way. If you refuse, you will be of no value to God in His redemptive work in the world, but will be a hindrance and a stumbling block.
The first thing God does is get us grounded on strong reality and truth. He does this until our cares for ourselves individually have been brought into submission to His way for the purpose of His redemption. Why shouldn’t we experience heartbreak? Through those doorways God is opening up ways of fellowship with His Son. Most of us collapse at the first grip of pain. We sit down at the door of God’s purpose and enter a slow death through self-pity. And all the so-called Christian sympathy of others helps us to our deathbed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, as if to say, “Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine.” If God can accomplish His purposes in this world through a broken heart, then why not thank Him for breaking yours?
你不屬自己
豈不知……你們不是自己的人。 （林前六19）
一個在耶穌基督受苦上有分的人，根本就沒有所謂的私生活，亦即[世界裡的世界]。神把聖徒的私生活打碎了，造成一條通道，是通往他自己的通道。除非人與主耶穌認同，否則沒有人能受得住這個。我們成聖，不是為自己，乃是蒙召同得福音的好處；與我們無關的事發生，為要叫我們與神相交。所以，要讓神旨意通行，否則你不但在他救贖世界的大工上沒有絲毫用處，反成為阻礙。
神首先做的，是使我們面對最粗陋的現實，直至我們對任何發生在個人身上的時不再介懷，只要他救贖的目的達成。我們為何不可以經歷一下心痛欲絕呢？通過這些門徒，神開啟與他兒子相通的道路。多半人一受痛楚，就仆倒；我們坐在神心意的門檻上，死在自憐自憫之中。信徒間所謂同情心，更加速了死亡率。神卻不是這樣，他拿著他兒子釘痕的手，說：[進來與我相交，起來發光。 ]若破碎的心靈能使神的旨意在世上成就，那麽，要為他破碎你的心而感謝他。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你今天的說話帶著能力和恩慈。願你引導我，與你進入內心隱密的相交，以致你可以正確地傳達你自己。
There is no such thing as a private life, or a place to hide in this world, for a man or woman who is intimately aware of and shares in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. God divides the private life of His saints and makes it a highway for the world on one hand and for Himself on the other. No human being can stand that unless he is identified with Jesus Christ. We are not sanctified for ourselves. We are called into intimacy with the gospel, and things happen that appear to have nothing to do with us. But God is getting us into fellowship with Himself. Let Him have His way. If you refuse, you will be of no value to God in His redemptive work in the world, but will be a hindrance and a stumbling block.
The first thing God does is get us grounded on strong reality and truth. He does this until our cares for ourselves individually have been brought into submission to His way for the purpose of His redemption. Why shouldn’t we experience heartbreak? Through those doorways God is opening up ways of fellowship with His Son. Most of us collapse at the first grip of pain. We sit down at the door of God’s purpose and enter a slow death through self-pity. And all the so-called Christian sympathy of others helps us to our deathbed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, as if to say, “Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine.” If God can accomplish His purposes in this world through a broken heart, then why not thank Him for breaking yours?
你不屬自己
豈不知……你們不是自己的人。 （林前六19）
一個在耶穌基督受苦上有分的人，根本就沒有所謂的私生活，亦即[世界裡的世界]。神把聖徒的私生活打碎了，造成一條通道，是通往他自己的通道。除非人與主耶穌認同，否則沒有人能受得住這個。我們成聖，不是為自己，乃是蒙召同得福音的好處；與我們無關的事發生，為要叫我們與神相交。所以，要讓神旨意通行，否則你不但在他救贖世界的大工上沒有絲毫用處，反成為阻礙。
神首先做的，是使我們面對最粗陋的現實，直至我們對任何發生在個人身上的時不再介懷，只要他救贖的目的達成。我們為何不可以經歷一下心痛欲絕呢？通過這些門徒，神開啟與他兒子相通的道路。多半人一受痛楚，就仆倒；我們坐在神心意的門檻上，死在自憐自憫之中。信徒間所謂同情心，更加速了死亡率。神卻不是這樣，他拿著他兒子釘痕的手，說：[進來與我相交，起來發光。 ]若破碎的心靈能使神的旨意在世上成就，那麽，要為他破碎你的心而感謝他。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你今天的說話帶著能力和恩慈。願你引導我，與你進入內心隱密的相交，以致你可以正確地傳達你自己。
October 30, 2014
Faith
Without faith it is impossible to please Him . . . —Hebrews 11:6
Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindedness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth. The life of faith brings the two of these into the proper relationship. Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short. Yet faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. “We know that all things work together for good . . .” (Romans 8:28) so that no matter what happens, the transforming power of God’s providence transforms perfect faith into reality. Faith always works in a personal way, because the purpose of God is to see that perfect faith is made real in His children.
For every detail of common sense in life, there is a truth God has revealed by which we can prove in our practical experience what we believe God to be. Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus Christ first. The life of faith says, “Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word” (for example, see Matthew 6:33). Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us. Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can’t have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless. Faith is the entire person in the right relationship with God through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
信
人非有信，就不能得神的喜悅。 （來十一6）
反常理的信心，是宗教狂熱；反信心的常理，是理性主義。信心的生活卻將二者調和成正確的關係。常理不是信心，信心也非常理。二者代表了自然與超然的關係，直覺與啟示的關係。耶穌基督所說的一切話，非從常理，乃從啟示，在常理無效之際，他的話依然有效。信心必須受試驗，然後這信心才真實。 [我們知道萬事都互相效力]，這樣，無論什麼事發生，神的煉金術總能把理想的信心，變作實際。信心必須從個人開始，神整個計劃就是使理想的信心，在他兒女身上實現。
日常生活中每一細節，都在啟示神，叫我們可以在實際經歷中，證實我們所信的。信心是一項極主動的原則，總把主耶穌放在首位－－[主啊，你這樣說過（太六33），看來全不合理，但我要依你的話去做。 ]若要把頭腦的信心變成個人產業，便市場都要經歷爭戰，不是偶爾經歷。神放我們在某一環境中，是要教育我們的信心；但一旦聽見耶穌說：[人看見了我，就看見了父。 ]我們就有了實際的東西，信心就毫無止境。信心就是透過耶穌基督的能力，全人與神建立正確的關係。
祈禱◆但如今，[神啊，求你堅固我的守]－－主啊，請在這一刻，到我這裡來，以你自己來充滿我，那麼，我便不會再有未滿足的渴求。
Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindedness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth. The life of faith brings the two of these into the proper relationship. Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense, and is complete, whereas common sense falls short. Yet faith must be tested and tried before it becomes real in your life. “We know that all things work together for good . . .” (Romans 8:28) so that no matter what happens, the transforming power of God’s providence transforms perfect faith into reality. Faith always works in a personal way, because the purpose of God is to see that perfect faith is made real in His children.
For every detail of common sense in life, there is a truth God has revealed by which we can prove in our practical experience what we believe God to be. Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus Christ first. The life of faith says, “Lord, You have said it, it appears to be irrational, but I’m going to step out boldly, trusting in Your Word” (for example, see Matthew 6:33). Turning intellectual faith into our personal possession is always a fight, not just sometimes. God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us. Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can’t have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless. Faith is the entire person in the right relationship with God through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
信
人非有信，就不能得神的喜悅。 （來十一6）
反常理的信心，是宗教狂熱；反信心的常理，是理性主義。信心的生活卻將二者調和成正確的關係。常理不是信心，信心也非常理。二者代表了自然與超然的關係，直覺與啟示的關係。耶穌基督所說的一切話，非從常理，乃從啟示，在常理無效之際，他的話依然有效。信心必須受試驗，然後這信心才真實。 [我們知道萬事都互相效力]，這樣，無論什麼事發生，神的煉金術總能把理想的信心，變作實際。信心必須從個人開始，神整個計劃就是使理想的信心，在他兒女身上實現。
日常生活中每一細節，都在啟示神，叫我們可以在實際經歷中，證實我們所信的。信心是一項極主動的原則，總把主耶穌放在首位－－[主啊，你這樣說過（太六33），看來全不合理，但我要依你的話去做。 ]若要把頭腦的信心變成個人產業，便市場都要經歷爭戰，不是偶爾經歷。神放我們在某一環境中，是要教育我們的信心；但一旦聽見耶穌說：[人看見了我，就看見了父。 ]我們就有了實際的東西，信心就毫無止境。信心就是透過耶穌基督的能力，全人與神建立正確的關係。
祈禱◆但如今，[神啊，求你堅固我的守]－－主啊，請在這一刻，到我這裡來，以你自己來充滿我，那麼，我便不會再有未滿足的渴求。
October 27, 2014
The Method of Missions
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . —Matthew 28:19
Jesus Christ did not say, “Go and save souls” (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but He said, “Go . . . make disciples of all the nations . . . .” Yet you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. When the disciples returned from their first mission, they were filled with joy because even the demons were subject to them. But Jesus said, in effect, “Don’t rejoice in successful service— the great secret of joy is that you have the right relationship with Me” (see Luke 10:17-20). The missionary’s great essential is remaining true to the call of God, and realizing that his one and only purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus. Remember that there is a passion for souls that does not come from God, but from our desire to make converts to our point of view.
The challenge to the missionary does not come from the fact that people are difficult to bring to salvation, that backsliders are difficult to reclaim, or that there is a barrier of callous indifference. No, the challenge comes from the perspective of the missionary’s own personal relationship with Jesus Christ— “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28). Our Lord unwaveringly asks us that question, and it confronts us in every individual situation we encounter. The one great challenge to us is— do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God’s sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said? Or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of limitless confidence in Christ Jesus, which is really God’s only call for a missionary? If I follow any other method, I depart altogether from the methods prescribed by our Lord— “All authority has been given to Me . . . . Gotherefore. . .” (Matthew 28:18-19).
宣教之方
所以你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒。 （太二十八19）
耶穌基督不是說：[去拯救靈魂。 ]（靈魂的得救，是神超然的工作。）他乃是說：[去，使萬民作我的門徒。 ]除非你自己先作門徒，否則無法叫人作門徒。昔日門徒第一次奉差遣出去，因為污鬼也服了他們，歡樂而回。耶穌就說：[不要因工作成功而歡欣；快樂最大的秘訣，是與我保持正確的關係。 ]宣教士最要緊的是對神的呼召效忠，知道他唯一的目標是使人作主的門徒。有時對靈魂的熱切，不是由神而來，而是出於想人家跟從自己的觀點。
宣教士的挑戰，並不是人難以得救；不是退後的人難以迴轉；也不是人的冷漠、毫不動心；而是他與主耶穌基督的關係。 [你們信我能作這事麼？ ]我們的主不斷問這個問題，每遇一事，主都會這樣問。我們唯一的大挑戰是－－我認識我的複活主麼？我認識他內居的靈的大能麼？我是否因著對主耶穌話語的完全信靠，以致在神眼中成為智慧的，而在世界看來，卻是愚拙？還是我拋棄了那超然的地位，也就是神對宣教士唯一的呼召－－對主耶穌基督無限的信賴？我若用其他任何方法，就脫離了主所定下的方法了，主說：[天上地下所有的權柄都賜給我了，所以你們要去……]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，吸引我靠近你；願我以你自己為榮，因為你將我這樣的一個罪人，變成你有用的僕人。
Jesus Christ did not say, “Go and save souls” (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but He said, “Go . . . make disciples of all the nations . . . .” Yet you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. When the disciples returned from their first mission, they were filled with joy because even the demons were subject to them. But Jesus said, in effect, “Don’t rejoice in successful service— the great secret of joy is that you have the right relationship with Me” (see Luke 10:17-20). The missionary’s great essential is remaining true to the call of God, and realizing that his one and only purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus. Remember that there is a passion for souls that does not come from God, but from our desire to make converts to our point of view.
The challenge to the missionary does not come from the fact that people are difficult to bring to salvation, that backsliders are difficult to reclaim, or that there is a barrier of callous indifference. No, the challenge comes from the perspective of the missionary’s own personal relationship with Jesus Christ— “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28). Our Lord unwaveringly asks us that question, and it confronts us in every individual situation we encounter. The one great challenge to us is— do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God’s sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said? Or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of limitless confidence in Christ Jesus, which is really God’s only call for a missionary? If I follow any other method, I depart altogether from the methods prescribed by our Lord— “All authority has been given to Me . . . . Gotherefore. . .” (Matthew 28:18-19).
宣教之方
所以你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒。 （太二十八19）
耶穌基督不是說：[去拯救靈魂。 ]（靈魂的得救，是神超然的工作。）他乃是說：[去，使萬民作我的門徒。 ]除非你自己先作門徒，否則無法叫人作門徒。昔日門徒第一次奉差遣出去，因為污鬼也服了他們，歡樂而回。耶穌就說：[不要因工作成功而歡欣；快樂最大的秘訣，是與我保持正確的關係。 ]宣教士最要緊的是對神的呼召效忠，知道他唯一的目標是使人作主的門徒。有時對靈魂的熱切，不是由神而來，而是出於想人家跟從自己的觀點。
宣教士的挑戰，並不是人難以得救；不是退後的人難以迴轉；也不是人的冷漠、毫不動心；而是他與主耶穌基督的關係。 [你們信我能作這事麼？ ]我們的主不斷問這個問題，每遇一事，主都會這樣問。我們唯一的大挑戰是－－我認識我的複活主麼？我認識他內居的靈的大能麼？我是否因著對主耶穌話語的完全信靠，以致在神眼中成為智慧的，而在世界看來，卻是愚拙？還是我拋棄了那超然的地位，也就是神對宣教士唯一的呼召－－對主耶穌基督無限的信賴？我若用其他任何方法，就脫離了主所定下的方法了，主說：[天上地下所有的權柄都賜給我了，所以你們要去……]
祈禱◆噢，主啊，吸引我靠近你；願我以你自己為榮，因為你將我這樣的一個罪人，變成你有用的僕人。
October 23, 2014
Nothing of the Old Life!
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new —2 Corinthians 5:17
Our Lord never tolerates our prejudices— He is directly opposed to them and puts them to death. We tend to think that God has some special interest in our particular prejudices, and are very sure that He will never deal with us as He has to deal with others. We even say to ourselves, “God has to deal with other people in a very strict way, but of course He knows that my prejudices are all right.” But we must learn that God accepts nothing of the old life! Instead of being on the side of our prejudices, He is deliberately removing them from us. It is part of our moral education to see our prejudices put to death by His providence, and to watch how He does it. God pays no respect to anything we bring to Him. There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender.
When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begins to work His new creation in us, and there will come a time when there is nothing remaining of the old life. Our old gloomy outlook disappears, as does our old attitude toward things, and “all things are of God” (2 Corinthians 5:18). How are we going to get a life that has no lust, no self-interest, and is not sensitive to the ridicule of others? How will we have the type of love that “is kind . . . is not provoked, [and] thinks no evil”? (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). The only way is by allowing nothing of the old life to remain, and by having only simple, perfect trust in God— such a trust that we no longer want God’s blessings, but only want God Himself. Have we come to the point where God can withdraw His blessings from us without our trust in Him being affected? Once we truly see God at work, we will never be concerned again about the things that happen, because we are actually trusting in our Father in heaven, whom the world cannot see.
一點也不
"若有人在基督裡，他就是新造的人，舊事已過，都變成新的了。"林後5:17
我們的主從不看護我們的成見，他只克服它們，清理它們。我們想像神對我們的特別成見有著特別的興趣；我們很肯定神不會像對付其他人那樣對付我們。 "神一定會非常嚴厲的對付其他人，他當然知道我的成見是對的。可是我們必須認識到神不但不站在我們的成見這邊，反而有意地要將它們清掃出去。我們所受的道德教育的一部分是，讓神的旨意除去我們的成見，並看看他怎麼做。神毫不在意我們帶給他什麼。神只想要我們做一件事，就是無條件的降服。
當我們重生的時候，聖靈開始將他的新創造做在我們裡面，必有一天舊秩序所遺留的會蕩然無存，離開舊的儀式，離開舊的態度，"所有的都是屬神的。 "我們如何得到那沒有情慾，沒有自我利益，對別人的刺痛不敏感，有不輕易發怒的愛，不思想罪惡，常待人有恩慈的生命呢？唯一的辦法是不讓一點點舊生命留下來，而只單單完全的信靠神，以致我們不再想要神的祝福，只想要他自己。我們是否到達一個地步，神可以撤回他的祝福而不會影響我們對他的信靠？當一旦我們看到神在做工，我們就不會為所發生的事煩擾，因為我們正實際的信靠我們在天上的父，他是這世界無法看到的。
Our Lord never tolerates our prejudices— He is directly opposed to them and puts them to death. We tend to think that God has some special interest in our particular prejudices, and are very sure that He will never deal with us as He has to deal with others. We even say to ourselves, “God has to deal with other people in a very strict way, but of course He knows that my prejudices are all right.” But we must learn that God accepts nothing of the old life! Instead of being on the side of our prejudices, He is deliberately removing them from us. It is part of our moral education to see our prejudices put to death by His providence, and to watch how He does it. God pays no respect to anything we bring to Him. There is only one thing God wants of us, and that is our unconditional surrender.
When we are born again, the Holy Spirit begins to work His new creation in us, and there will come a time when there is nothing remaining of the old life. Our old gloomy outlook disappears, as does our old attitude toward things, and “all things are of God” (2 Corinthians 5:18). How are we going to get a life that has no lust, no self-interest, and is not sensitive to the ridicule of others? How will we have the type of love that “is kind . . . is not provoked, [and] thinks no evil”? (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). The only way is by allowing nothing of the old life to remain, and by having only simple, perfect trust in God— such a trust that we no longer want God’s blessings, but only want God Himself. Have we come to the point where God can withdraw His blessings from us without our trust in Him being affected? Once we truly see God at work, we will never be concerned again about the things that happen, because we are actually trusting in our Father in heaven, whom the world cannot see.
一點也不
"若有人在基督裡，他就是新造的人，舊事已過，都變成新的了。"林後5:17
我們的主從不看護我們的成見，他只克服它們，清理它們。我們想像神對我們的特別成見有著特別的興趣；我們很肯定神不會像對付其他人那樣對付我們。 "神一定會非常嚴厲的對付其他人，他當然知道我的成見是對的。可是我們必須認識到神不但不站在我們的成見這邊，反而有意地要將它們清掃出去。我們所受的道德教育的一部分是，讓神的旨意除去我們的成見，並看看他怎麼做。神毫不在意我們帶給他什麼。神只想要我們做一件事，就是無條件的降服。
當我們重生的時候，聖靈開始將他的新創造做在我們裡面，必有一天舊秩序所遺留的會蕩然無存，離開舊的儀式，離開舊的態度，"所有的都是屬神的。 "我們如何得到那沒有情慾，沒有自我利益，對別人的刺痛不敏感，有不輕易發怒的愛，不思想罪惡，常待人有恩慈的生命呢？唯一的辦法是不讓一點點舊生命留下來，而只單單完全的信靠神，以致我們不再想要神的祝福，只想要他自己。我們是否到達一個地步，神可以撤回他的祝福而不會影響我們對他的信靠？當一旦我們看到神在做工，我們就不會為所發生的事煩擾，因為我們正實際的信靠我們在天上的父，他是這世界無法看到的。
October 20, 2014
Is God’s Will My Will?
This is the will of God, your sanctification . . . —1 Thessalonians 4:3
Sanctification is not a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me— is it my will? Am I willing to let God do in me everything that has been made possible through the atonement of the Cross of Christ? Am I willing to let Jesus become sanctification to me, and to let His life be exhibited in my human flesh? (see 1 Corinthians 1:30). Beware of saying, “Oh, I am longing to be sanctified.” No, you are not. Recognize your need, but stop longing and make it a matter of action. Receive Jesus Christ to become sanctification for you by absolute, unquestioning faith, and the great miracle of the atonement of Jesus will become real in you.
All that Jesus made possible becomes mine through the free and loving gift of God on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound, humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness). It is a holiness based on agonizing repentance, a sense of inexpressible shame and degradation, and also on the amazing realization that the love of God demonstrated itself to me while I cared nothing about Him (see Romans 5:8). He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification. No wonder Paul said that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
Sanctification makes me one with Jesus Christ, and in Him one with God, and it is accomplished only through the magnificent atonement of Christ. Never confuse the effect with the cause. The effect in me is obedience, service, and prayer, and is the outcome of inexpressible thanks and adoration for the miraculous sanctification that has been brought about in me because of the atonement through the Cross of Christ.
上帝的旨意是我的心願嗎？
" 神的旨意就是要你們成為聖潔。" 帖前4：3
神是否願意使我成聖並不是一個問題，而是這是我的心願嗎？我是否願意讓神將所有贖罪已經成功的事做在我的里面？我是否願意讓耶穌成為我的聖潔，讓耶穌的生命在我的肉身裡彰顯？當心你會說："噢，我渴望成聖。"其實，你並非如此，你要停止渴望，付出實際行動達到預定目標??"我兩手空空。"要以絕對的信心接受耶穌基督成為你的聖潔，耶穌救贖的偉大奇跡將在你裡面成為真實。耶穌所成就的一切,因著神充滿愛的禮物白白的給了你。作為一個得救和得以成聖的靈魂，我的態度是完全謙卑的聖潔（並沒有驕傲的聖潔這件事），這聖潔是基於痛苦難忍的悔改，及無法言說的羞愧和降卑；同時,令人驚異的認識到，當我根本對他毫不在意時，神的愛將自己託付給我，他為我的得救和成聖完成了一切（參看羅5:8）。保羅說沒有一件事"能叫我們與神的愛隔絕；這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。"（羅8:39）
成聖使我與耶穌基督合一，並在他裡面與神合一，這只能藉由基督的贖罪才能做到。不要把效果當成原因。在我裡面的效果是順服、事奉和禱告，這是出於無法用言語表達的感謝和崇拜，為著因贖罪而在我裡面做出的非凡的成聖。
Sanctification is not a question of whether God is willing to sanctify me— is it my will? Am I willing to let God do in me everything that has been made possible through the atonement of the Cross of Christ? Am I willing to let Jesus become sanctification to me, and to let His life be exhibited in my human flesh? (see 1 Corinthians 1:30). Beware of saying, “Oh, I am longing to be sanctified.” No, you are not. Recognize your need, but stop longing and make it a matter of action. Receive Jesus Christ to become sanctification for you by absolute, unquestioning faith, and the great miracle of the atonement of Jesus will become real in you.
All that Jesus made possible becomes mine through the free and loving gift of God on the basis of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And my attitude as a saved and sanctified soul is that of profound, humble holiness (there is no such thing as proud holiness). It is a holiness based on agonizing repentance, a sense of inexpressible shame and degradation, and also on the amazing realization that the love of God demonstrated itself to me while I cared nothing about Him (see Romans 5:8). He completed everything for my salvation and sanctification. No wonder Paul said that nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39).
Sanctification makes me one with Jesus Christ, and in Him one with God, and it is accomplished only through the magnificent atonement of Christ. Never confuse the effect with the cause. The effect in me is obedience, service, and prayer, and is the outcome of inexpressible thanks and adoration for the miraculous sanctification that has been brought about in me because of the atonement through the Cross of Christ.
上帝的旨意是我的心願嗎？
" 神的旨意就是要你們成為聖潔。" 帖前4：3
神是否願意使我成聖並不是一個問題，而是這是我的心願嗎？我是否願意讓神將所有贖罪已經成功的事做在我的里面？我是否願意讓耶穌成為我的聖潔，讓耶穌的生命在我的肉身裡彰顯？當心你會說："噢，我渴望成聖。"其實，你並非如此，你要停止渴望，付出實際行動達到預定目標??"我兩手空空。"要以絕對的信心接受耶穌基督成為你的聖潔，耶穌救贖的偉大奇跡將在你裡面成為真實。耶穌所成就的一切,因著神充滿愛的禮物白白的給了你。作為一個得救和得以成聖的靈魂，我的態度是完全謙卑的聖潔（並沒有驕傲的聖潔這件事），這聖潔是基於痛苦難忍的悔改，及無法言說的羞愧和降卑；同時,令人驚異的認識到，當我根本對他毫不在意時，神的愛將自己託付給我，他為我的得救和成聖完成了一切（參看羅5:8）。保羅說沒有一件事"能叫我們與神的愛隔絕；這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。"（羅8:39）
成聖使我與耶穌基督合一，並在他裡面與神合一，這只能藉由基督的贖罪才能做到。不要把效果當成原因。在我裡面的效果是順服、事奉和禱告，這是出於無法用言語表達的感謝和崇拜，為著因贖罪而在我裡面做出的非凡的成聖。
October 18, 2014
The Key to the Missionary’s Devotion
. . . they went forth for His name’s sake . . . —3 John 7
Our Lord told us how our love for Him is to exhibit itself when He asked, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:17). And then He said, “Feed My sheep.” In effect, He said, “Identify yourself with My interests in other people,” not, “Identify Me with your interests in other people.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 shows us the characteristics of this love— it is actually the love of God expressing itself. The true test of my love for Jesus is a very practical one, and all the rest is sentimental talk.
Faithfulness to Jesus Christ is the supernatural work of redemption that has been performed in me by the Holy Spirit— “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit . . .” (Romans 5:5). And it is that love in me that effectively works through me and comes in contact with everyone I meet. I remain faithful to His name, even though the commonsense view of my life may seemingly deny that, and may appear to be declaring that He has no more power than the morning mist.
The key to the missionary’s devotion is that he is attached to nothing and to no one except our Lord Himself. It does not mean simply being detached from the external things surrounding us. Our Lord was amazingly in touch with the ordinary things of life, but He had an inner detachment except toward God. External detachment is often an actual indication of a secret, growing, inner attachment to the things we stay away from externally.
The duty of a faithful missionary is to concentrate on keeping his soul completely and continually open to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. The men and women our Lord sends out on His endeavors are ordinary human people, but people who are controlled by their devotion to Him, which has been brought about through the work of the Holy Spirit.
傳道者忠貞的要決
因他們是為主的名(原文作“那名”)出外，對於外邦人一無所取。 （約翰三書7節）
主曾告訴我們，怎樣才是愛祂。 「你愛我嗎？（約翰福音21：15-17） 」「你餵養我的羊。（約翰福音21：15-17） 」——把你放在我對人的關懷裡，而不是把我放在你對人的興趣裡。哥林多前書13：4-8節 「愛是恆久忍耐，又有恩慈；愛是不嫉妒；愛是不自誇，不張狂，不作害羞的事，不求自己的益處，不輕易發怒，不計算人的惡，不喜歡不義，只喜歡真理；凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。愛是永不止息。 」 描述這愛的品質，是神自己的愛。我對主耶穌愛的考驗，是在實際事情上，其他的不過是空口的賣弄愛情。
我對主耶穌的忠心，是聖靈在我心裡做成超自然的救贖聖工，把神的愛澆灌在我心裡。這愛在我與人接觸時，就產生功效。雖然一切的常理都否定祂，說祂好像晨霧般虛渺，但我仍忠於祂的名。
傳道者忠貞的要決，就是單歸附主耶穌，不受任何人任何事的纏累，但又不是與外界隔絕。主不斷與外界事物接觸，祂的分別為聖，是在於內心朝向神。外表的隔絕，往往表示人裡面暗暗地戀慕著表面上拒絕的東西。
傳道者的忠貞，是要保持心靈單向主耶穌開敞。主所差派出去做工的人，均是平凡人，只是聖靈在他們裡面加上專一不移的忠貞。
Our Lord told us how our love for Him is to exhibit itself when He asked, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:17). And then He said, “Feed My sheep.” In effect, He said, “Identify yourself with My interests in other people,” not, “Identify Me with your interests in other people.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 shows us the characteristics of this love— it is actually the love of God expressing itself. The true test of my love for Jesus is a very practical one, and all the rest is sentimental talk.
Faithfulness to Jesus Christ is the supernatural work of redemption that has been performed in me by the Holy Spirit— “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit . . .” (Romans 5:5). And it is that love in me that effectively works through me and comes in contact with everyone I meet. I remain faithful to His name, even though the commonsense view of my life may seemingly deny that, and may appear to be declaring that He has no more power than the morning mist.
The key to the missionary’s devotion is that he is attached to nothing and to no one except our Lord Himself. It does not mean simply being detached from the external things surrounding us. Our Lord was amazingly in touch with the ordinary things of life, but He had an inner detachment except toward God. External detachment is often an actual indication of a secret, growing, inner attachment to the things we stay away from externally.
The duty of a faithful missionary is to concentrate on keeping his soul completely and continually open to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. The men and women our Lord sends out on His endeavors are ordinary human people, but people who are controlled by their devotion to Him, which has been brought about through the work of the Holy Spirit.
傳道者忠貞的要決
因他們是為主的名(原文作“那名”)出外，對於外邦人一無所取。 （約翰三書7節）
主曾告訴我們，怎樣才是愛祂。 「你愛我嗎？（約翰福音21：15-17） 」「你餵養我的羊。（約翰福音21：15-17） 」——把你放在我對人的關懷裡，而不是把我放在你對人的興趣裡。哥林多前書13：4-8節 「愛是恆久忍耐，又有恩慈；愛是不嫉妒；愛是不自誇，不張狂，不作害羞的事，不求自己的益處，不輕易發怒，不計算人的惡，不喜歡不義，只喜歡真理；凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。愛是永不止息。 」 描述這愛的品質，是神自己的愛。我對主耶穌愛的考驗，是在實際事情上，其他的不過是空口的賣弄愛情。
我對主耶穌的忠心，是聖靈在我心裡做成超自然的救贖聖工，把神的愛澆灌在我心裡。這愛在我與人接觸時，就產生功效。雖然一切的常理都否定祂，說祂好像晨霧般虛渺，但我仍忠於祂的名。
傳道者忠貞的要決，就是單歸附主耶穌，不受任何人任何事的纏累，但又不是與外界隔絕。主不斷與外界事物接觸，祂的分別為聖，是在於內心朝向神。外表的隔絕，往往表示人裡面暗暗地戀慕著表面上拒絕的東西。
傳道者的忠貞，是要保持心靈單向主耶穌開敞。主所差派出去做工的人，均是平凡人，只是聖靈在他們裡面加上專一不移的忠貞。
October 06, 2014
The Nature of Regeneration
When it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me . . . —Galatians 1:15-16
If Jesus Christ is going to regenerate me, what is the problem He faces? It is simply this— I have a heredity in which I had no say or decision; I am not holy, nor am I likely to be; and if all Jesus Christ can do is tell me that I must be holy, His teaching only causes me to despair. But if Jesus Christ is truly a regenerator, someone who can put His own heredity of holiness into me, then I can begin to see what He means when He says that I have to be holy. Redemption means that Jesus Christ can put into anyone the hereditary nature that was in Himself, and all the standards He gives us are based on that nature— His teaching is meant to be applied to the life which He puts within us. The proper action on my part is simply to agree with God’s verdict on sin as judged on the Cross of Christ.
The New Testament teaching about regeneration is that when a person is hit by his own sense of need, God will put the Holy Spirit into his spirit, and his personal spirit will be energized by the Spirit of the Son of God— “. . . until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). The moral miracle of redemption is that God can put a new nature into me through which I can live a totally new life. When I finally reach the edge of my need and know my own limitations, then Jesus says, “Blessed are you . . .” (Matthew 5:11). But I must get to that point. God cannot put into me, the responsible moral person that I am, the nature that was in Jesus Christ unless I am aware of my need for it.
Just as the nature of sin entered into the human race through one man, the Holy Spirit entered into the human race through another Man (see Romans 5:12-19). And redemption means that I can be delivered from the heredity of sin, and that through Jesus Christ I can receive a pure and spotless heredity, namely, the Holy Spirit.
再造的改變
神……樂意將他兒子啟示在我心裡。 （加一15-16）
主耶穌若要把我重生過來，要面對什麼困難呢？我承襲的罪性，是我無能為力的；我並不聖潔，自己也不可能聖潔。若主耶穌所能作的，只是告訴我要聖潔，他的教訓只會帶來絕望；但主耶穌若是生命的再造者，能把自己聖潔的遺傳放進人裡面，我便可以明白要聖潔是什麼意思。救贖就是主耶穌把自己的性情傳襲到任何人身上，而他所設的標準，就是根據他的教訓，為放進去的生命而設的。我在道德方面能作的，就是承認神在十字架上對罪的判定。
新約對重生的教訓，就是當人深深感到屬靈的需要，神就把聖靈放進他的靈裡去，他的靈就被神兒子的靈所感動－－[真等到基督成形在你們心裡]。救贖的道德神蹟，就是神把一個新性情放在我裡面，以致我能活出全新的生命來。當我來到自己欠缺的極限，知道自己的有限時，耶穌說：[你有福了。 ]但要到達那境地，除非我先意識到自己的需要，否則，神不能把耶穌基督的性情放在我裡面。正如罪性是因一人進入人類，同樣，聖潔也藉另一個人進入。救贖就是透過主耶穌，把我從罪的傳襲中救出來，領受一個無玷污的遺傳，就是聖靈。
祈禱◆主啊，我的靈性－－或更準確地說，是我的思想領域－－仍是何等愚鈍和模糊，以致瑣碎的事情佔據了龐大的範圍，卻將生命中那些重要的問題擠掉。求你拯救的大能釋放我。
If Jesus Christ is going to regenerate me, what is the problem He faces? It is simply this— I have a heredity in which I had no say or decision; I am not holy, nor am I likely to be; and if all Jesus Christ can do is tell me that I must be holy, His teaching only causes me to despair. But if Jesus Christ is truly a regenerator, someone who can put His own heredity of holiness into me, then I can begin to see what He means when He says that I have to be holy. Redemption means that Jesus Christ can put into anyone the hereditary nature that was in Himself, and all the standards He gives us are based on that nature— His teaching is meant to be applied to the life which He puts within us. The proper action on my part is simply to agree with God’s verdict on sin as judged on the Cross of Christ.
The New Testament teaching about regeneration is that when a person is hit by his own sense of need, God will put the Holy Spirit into his spirit, and his personal spirit will be energized by the Spirit of the Son of God— “. . . until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). The moral miracle of redemption is that God can put a new nature into me through which I can live a totally new life. When I finally reach the edge of my need and know my own limitations, then Jesus says, “Blessed are you . . .” (Matthew 5:11). But I must get to that point. God cannot put into me, the responsible moral person that I am, the nature that was in Jesus Christ unless I am aware of my need for it.
Just as the nature of sin entered into the human race through one man, the Holy Spirit entered into the human race through another Man (see Romans 5:12-19). And redemption means that I can be delivered from the heredity of sin, and that through Jesus Christ I can receive a pure and spotless heredity, namely, the Holy Spirit.
再造的改變
神……樂意將他兒子啟示在我心裡。 （加一15-16）
主耶穌若要把我重生過來，要面對什麼困難呢？我承襲的罪性，是我無能為力的；我並不聖潔，自己也不可能聖潔。若主耶穌所能作的，只是告訴我要聖潔，他的教訓只會帶來絕望；但主耶穌若是生命的再造者，能把自己聖潔的遺傳放進人裡面，我便可以明白要聖潔是什麼意思。救贖就是主耶穌把自己的性情傳襲到任何人身上，而他所設的標準，就是根據他的教訓，為放進去的生命而設的。我在道德方面能作的，就是承認神在十字架上對罪的判定。
新約對重生的教訓，就是當人深深感到屬靈的需要，神就把聖靈放進他的靈裡去，他的靈就被神兒子的靈所感動－－[真等到基督成形在你們心裡]。救贖的道德神蹟，就是神把一個新性情放在我裡面，以致我能活出全新的生命來。當我來到自己欠缺的極限，知道自己的有限時，耶穌說：[你有福了。 ]但要到達那境地，除非我先意識到自己的需要，否則，神不能把耶穌基督的性情放在我裡面。正如罪性是因一人進入人類，同樣，聖潔也藉另一個人進入。救贖就是透過主耶穌，把我從罪的傳襲中救出來，領受一個無玷污的遺傳，就是聖靈。
祈禱◆主啊，我的靈性－－或更準確地說，是我的思想領域－－仍是何等愚鈍和模糊，以致瑣碎的事情佔據了龐大的範圍，卻將生命中那些重要的問題擠掉。求你拯救的大能釋放我。
October 04, 2014
The Vision and The Reality
. . . to those who are . . . called to be saints . . . —1 Corinthians 1:2
Thank God for being able to see all that you have not yet been. You have had the vision, but you are not yet to the reality of it by any means. It is when we are in the valley, where we prove whether we will be the choice ones, that most of us turn back. We are not quite prepared for the bumps and bruises that must come if we are going to be turned into the shape of the vision. We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us to be, but are we willing to be battered into the shape of the vision to be used by God? The beatings will always come in the most common, everyday ways and through common, everyday people.
There are times when we do know what God’s purpose is; whether we will let the vision be turned into actual character depends on us, not on God. If we prefer to relax on the mountaintop and live in the memory of the vision, then we will be of no real use in the ordinary things of which human life is made. We have to learn to live in reliance upon what we saw in the vision, not simply live in ecstatic delight and conscious reflection upon God. This means living the realities of our lives in the light of the vision until the truth of the vision is actually realized in us. Every bit of our training is in that direction. Learn to thank God for making His demands known.
Our little “I am” always sulks and pouts when God says do. Let your little “I am” be shriveled up in God’s wrath and indignation–”I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). He must dominate. Isn’t it piercing to realize that God not only knows where we live, but also knows the gutters into which we crawl! He will hunt us down as fast as a flash of lightning. No human being knows human beings as God does.
異象與實在
蒙召作聖徒。 （林前一2）
為你所看見而未達成的一切感謝神。你見到異象，但其實你一點也未達那境地。我們往往在山谷中退後回頭，但山谷卻正是我們是否被選上的考驗。我們未能接受打擊，就是要實現異象必須有的打擊。我們看見自己的缺欠，也看見神心目中要我們達到的，但我們到底願不願意有被神擊打、塑造、使用的異象？神的熬煉，總是從平凡的方法，透過平凡的人而來的。
有時我們不曉得神的用意是什麼；但到底我們的異象能否變作我們的個性，全在乎我們，不在乎神。若我們留戀山頂，活在異象的回憶中，那末，在現實平凡的人生中，我們實一無用處。我們必須學習倚靠異象所見的去活，不是靠當時那種極樂，也不是靠刻意的默想神。要在異象的真光中活，直至把異象完全實現。所有訓練都是朝這個方向走，要學習感謝神讓我們知道他的要求。
在神說[做]的時候，那小小的[我]總是怏怏不樂。要把[我]在神的義怒下萎縮，神說：[我是自有永有的，我差遣你。 ]他必須作主。若知道神透察我們生活的每一洞口，那是何等的啟迪哩！他像電光般把我們搜出來，沒有誰像神那樣認識人。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著昨天我能迅速認知你在我裡面，我感謝你；求你幫助我今天在穩定和持續的禱告中，與你心意聯合。
Thank God for being able to see all that you have not yet been. You have had the vision, but you are not yet to the reality of it by any means. It is when we are in the valley, where we prove whether we will be the choice ones, that most of us turn back. We are not quite prepared for the bumps and bruises that must come if we are going to be turned into the shape of the vision. We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us to be, but are we willing to be battered into the shape of the vision to be used by God? The beatings will always come in the most common, everyday ways and through common, everyday people.
There are times when we do know what God’s purpose is; whether we will let the vision be turned into actual character depends on us, not on God. If we prefer to relax on the mountaintop and live in the memory of the vision, then we will be of no real use in the ordinary things of which human life is made. We have to learn to live in reliance upon what we saw in the vision, not simply live in ecstatic delight and conscious reflection upon God. This means living the realities of our lives in the light of the vision until the truth of the vision is actually realized in us. Every bit of our training is in that direction. Learn to thank God for making His demands known.
Our little “I am” always sulks and pouts when God says do. Let your little “I am” be shriveled up in God’s wrath and indignation–”I AM WHO I AM . . . has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14). He must dominate. Isn’t it piercing to realize that God not only knows where we live, but also knows the gutters into which we crawl! He will hunt us down as fast as a flash of lightning. No human being knows human beings as God does.
異象與實在
蒙召作聖徒。 （林前一2）
為你所看見而未達成的一切感謝神。你見到異象，但其實你一點也未達那境地。我們往往在山谷中退後回頭，但山谷卻正是我們是否被選上的考驗。我們未能接受打擊，就是要實現異象必須有的打擊。我們看見自己的缺欠，也看見神心目中要我們達到的，但我們到底願不願意有被神擊打、塑造、使用的異象？神的熬煉，總是從平凡的方法，透過平凡的人而來的。
有時我們不曉得神的用意是什麼；但到底我們的異象能否變作我們的個性，全在乎我們，不在乎神。若我們留戀山頂，活在異象的回憶中，那末，在現實平凡的人生中，我們實一無用處。我們必須學習倚靠異象所見的去活，不是靠當時那種極樂，也不是靠刻意的默想神。要在異象的真光中活，直至把異象完全實現。所有訓練都是朝這個方向走，要學習感謝神讓我們知道他的要求。
在神說[做]的時候，那小小的[我]總是怏怏不樂。要把[我]在神的義怒下萎縮，神說：[我是自有永有的，我差遣你。 ]他必須作主。若知道神透察我們生活的每一洞口，那是何等的啟迪哩！他像電光般把我們搜出來，沒有誰像神那樣認識人。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著昨天我能迅速認知你在我裡面，我感謝你；求你幫助我今天在穩定和持續的禱告中，與你心意聯合。
September 30, 2014
The Assigning of the Call
I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church . . . —Colossians 1:24
We take our own spiritual consecration and try to make it into a call of God, but when we get right with Him He brushes all this aside. Then He gives us a tremendous, riveting pain to fasten our attention on something that we never even dreamed could be His call for us. And for one radiant, flashing moment we see His purpose, and we say, “Here am I! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8).
This call has nothing to do with personal sanctification, but with being made broken bread and poured-out wine. Yet God can never make us into wine if we object to the fingers He chooses to use to crush us. We say, “If God would only use His own fingers, and make me broken bread and poured-out wine in a special way, then I wouldn’t object!” But when He uses someone we dislike, or some set of circumstances to which we said we would never submit, to crush us, then we object. Yet we must never try to choose the place of our own martyrdom. If we are ever going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed—you cannot drink grapes. Grapes become wine only when they have been squeezed.
I wonder what finger and thumb God has been using to squeeze you? Have you been as hard as a marble and escaped? If you are not ripe yet, and if God had squeezed you anyway, the wine produced would have been remarkably bitter. To be a holy person means that the elements of our natural life experience the very presence of God as they are providentially broken in His service. We have to be placed into God and brought into agreement with Him before we can be broken bread in His hands. Stay right with God and let Him do as He likes, and you will find that He is producing the kind of bread and wine that will benefit His other children.
呼召的使命
現在我為你們受苦，倒覺快樂，並且為基督的身體，就是為教會，要在我肉身上補滿基督患難的缺欠。 （西一24）
我們在自以為是的分別為聖上，自己製造出呼召來；但當我們與神的關係和諧無間，他就把一切挪開，把我們接駁到我們從未夢想過的東西。這過程痛苦得可怖，但就在金光閃耀得一瞬，卻看出神得心意。就說：[我在這裡，請差遣我。 ]
這呼召與個人成聖無關，乃是要我們成為破碎得餅，澆奠的酒。若拒絕神的擠壓，酒永遠不會成酒。但願神用自己的指頭，用特別的方法來是我成劈開的餅澆奠的酒就好了！但他往往用我們不喜歡的人，或用我們曾說死也不依順的環境來做壓器，於是，我們就抗拒了。我們千萬不可自己挑選殉道的場景。若要成酒，就必須被壓榨；葡萄是不能喝的，必須被擠壓才能成酒。我不知道神用什麼樣的指頭來擠壓，而你就像彈子一般滾避開去。若神在你尚未成熟時壓榨你，那酒就會苦澀得可怕。分別為聖的意思，就是天然生命的每一部分，被神破碎。在事奉中，有神自己的臨在。我們若要在他手中成為劈開的餅，就要先與他配合。要與神有正確的關係，讓他可以隨意而行。這樣你會發現，他要用你做出對其他兒女有益的餅和酒來。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你今天是我脫離慌張忙亂讓我保持平靜和單純屬你。願你使這個地方成為神的居所，以及人靈魂進入天堂的門檻。
We take our own spiritual consecration and try to make it into a call of God, but when we get right with Him He brushes all this aside. Then He gives us a tremendous, riveting pain to fasten our attention on something that we never even dreamed could be His call for us. And for one radiant, flashing moment we see His purpose, and we say, “Here am I! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8).
This call has nothing to do with personal sanctification, but with being made broken bread and poured-out wine. Yet God can never make us into wine if we object to the fingers He chooses to use to crush us. We say, “If God would only use His own fingers, and make me broken bread and poured-out wine in a special way, then I wouldn’t object!” But when He uses someone we dislike, or some set of circumstances to which we said we would never submit, to crush us, then we object. Yet we must never try to choose the place of our own martyrdom. If we are ever going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed—you cannot drink grapes. Grapes become wine only when they have been squeezed.
I wonder what finger and thumb God has been using to squeeze you? Have you been as hard as a marble and escaped? If you are not ripe yet, and if God had squeezed you anyway, the wine produced would have been remarkably bitter. To be a holy person means that the elements of our natural life experience the very presence of God as they are providentially broken in His service. We have to be placed into God and brought into agreement with Him before we can be broken bread in His hands. Stay right with God and let Him do as He likes, and you will find that He is producing the kind of bread and wine that will benefit His other children.
呼召的使命
現在我為你們受苦，倒覺快樂，並且為基督的身體，就是為教會，要在我肉身上補滿基督患難的缺欠。 （西一24）
我們在自以為是的分別為聖上，自己製造出呼召來；但當我們與神的關係和諧無間，他就把一切挪開，把我們接駁到我們從未夢想過的東西。這過程痛苦得可怖，但就在金光閃耀得一瞬，卻看出神得心意。就說：[我在這裡，請差遣我。 ]
這呼召與個人成聖無關，乃是要我們成為破碎得餅，澆奠的酒。若拒絕神的擠壓，酒永遠不會成酒。但願神用自己的指頭，用特別的方法來是我成劈開的餅澆奠的酒就好了！但他往往用我們不喜歡的人，或用我們曾說死也不依順的環境來做壓器，於是，我們就抗拒了。我們千萬不可自己挑選殉道的場景。若要成酒，就必須被壓榨；葡萄是不能喝的，必須被擠壓才能成酒。我不知道神用什麼樣的指頭來擠壓，而你就像彈子一般滾避開去。若神在你尚未成熟時壓榨你，那酒就會苦澀得可怕。分別為聖的意思，就是天然生命的每一部分，被神破碎。在事奉中，有神自己的臨在。我們若要在他手中成為劈開的餅，就要先與他配合。要與神有正確的關係，讓他可以隨意而行。這樣你會發現，他要用你做出對其他兒女有益的餅和酒來。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你今天是我脫離慌張忙亂讓我保持平靜和單純屬你。願你使這個地方成為神的居所，以及人靈魂進入天堂的門檻。
September 28, 2014
The “Go” of Unconditional Identification
Jesus . . . said to him, ’One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor . . . and come, take up the cross, and follow Me’ —Mark 10:21
The rich young ruler had the controlling passion to be perfect. When he saw Jesus Christ, he wanted to be like Him. Our Lord never places anyone’s personal holiness above everything else when He calls a disciple. Jesus’ primary consideration is my absolute annihilation of my right to myself and my identification with Him, which means having a relationship with Him in which there are no other relationships. Luke 14:26 has nothing to do with salvation or sanctification, but deals solely with unconditional identification with Jesus Christ. Very few of us truly know what is meant by the absolute “go” of unconditional identification with, and abandonment and surrender to, Jesus.
“Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him . . .” (Mark 10:21). This look of Jesus will require breaking your heart away forever from allegiance to any other person or thing. Has Jesus ever looked in this way at you? This look of Jesus transforms, penetrates, and captivates. Where you are soft and pliable with God is where the Lord has looked at you. If you are hard and vindictive, insistent on having your own way, and always certain that the other person is more likely to be in the wrong than you are, then there are whole areas of your nature that have never been transformed by His gaze.
“One thing you lack . . . .” From Jesus Christ’s perspective, oneness with Him, with nothing between, is the only good thing.
“. . . sell whatever you have . . . .” I must humble myself until I am merely a living person. I must essentially renounce possessions of all kinds, not for salvation (for only one thing saves a person and that is absolute reliance in faith upon Jesus Christ), but to follow Jesus. “. . . come. . . and follow Me.” And the road is the way He went.
[去]的無條件認同
你還缺少一件，……你還要來跟從我。 （可十21）
那年輕富有的官有股追求完美的熱情，他一看見主耶穌，就像想他。主呼召門徒的時候，從不把個人的聖潔放在首位；他以自我主權的絕對降服，與他完全認同為先決條件－－這是一種不夾雜別的關係的關係。路加福音十四章26節與救恩成聖完全無關，這經文是論到與主無條件的認同。很少人真認識降服主的絕對一[去]不回。
[耶穌看著他就愛他。 ]被耶穌的目光觸及意味著永遠脫離其他任何人或物。他曾否看著你？主的目光改變人、抓住人。你向神特別柔順的時候，一定是曾經被主目光看過。你若剛硬堅持己意，自以為義，把過錯歸咎別人，就表示你天性中仍有大部分未經主目光的注視而改變。
[你還缺少一件……]在主看來，唯一[善美]之事，就是與他聯合，沒有別的事物在中間阻隔。變賣你所有的……]我必須放下自己，知道只剩下一個意識。我必須徹底捨棄一切，不是為靈魂得救（只有一件事可以救人－－就是絕對仰望耶穌基督），乃是為跟從耶穌。 [來跟從我。 ]這道路就是他當日所行的道路。
祈禱◆主啊，我完完全全地來到你面前。我感到自己全然地需要你，我只等候你向我說話，此外我還能向你說什麼呢？正如沙漠的沙粒靜臥在陽光之下，讓我也在你面前坦然躺下。
The rich young ruler had the controlling passion to be perfect. When he saw Jesus Christ, he wanted to be like Him. Our Lord never places anyone’s personal holiness above everything else when He calls a disciple. Jesus’ primary consideration is my absolute annihilation of my right to myself and my identification with Him, which means having a relationship with Him in which there are no other relationships. Luke 14:26 has nothing to do with salvation or sanctification, but deals solely with unconditional identification with Jesus Christ. Very few of us truly know what is meant by the absolute “go” of unconditional identification with, and abandonment and surrender to, Jesus.
“Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him . . .” (Mark 10:21). This look of Jesus will require breaking your heart away forever from allegiance to any other person or thing. Has Jesus ever looked in this way at you? This look of Jesus transforms, penetrates, and captivates. Where you are soft and pliable with God is where the Lord has looked at you. If you are hard and vindictive, insistent on having your own way, and always certain that the other person is more likely to be in the wrong than you are, then there are whole areas of your nature that have never been transformed by His gaze.
“One thing you lack . . . .” From Jesus Christ’s perspective, oneness with Him, with nothing between, is the only good thing.
“. . . sell whatever you have . . . .” I must humble myself until I am merely a living person. I must essentially renounce possessions of all kinds, not for salvation (for only one thing saves a person and that is absolute reliance in faith upon Jesus Christ), but to follow Jesus. “. . . come. . . and follow Me.” And the road is the way He went.
[去]的無條件認同
你還缺少一件，……你還要來跟從我。 （可十21）
那年輕富有的官有股追求完美的熱情，他一看見主耶穌，就像想他。主呼召門徒的時候，從不把個人的聖潔放在首位；他以自我主權的絕對降服，與他完全認同為先決條件－－這是一種不夾雜別的關係的關係。路加福音十四章26節與救恩成聖完全無關，這經文是論到與主無條件的認同。很少人真認識降服主的絕對一[去]不回。
[耶穌看著他就愛他。 ]被耶穌的目光觸及意味著永遠脫離其他任何人或物。他曾否看著你？主的目光改變人、抓住人。你向神特別柔順的時候，一定是曾經被主目光看過。你若剛硬堅持己意，自以為義，把過錯歸咎別人，就表示你天性中仍有大部分未經主目光的注視而改變。
[你還缺少一件……]在主看來，唯一[善美]之事，就是與他聯合，沒有別的事物在中間阻隔。變賣你所有的……]我必須放下自己，知道只剩下一個意識。我必須徹底捨棄一切，不是為靈魂得救（只有一件事可以救人－－就是絕對仰望耶穌基督），乃是為跟從耶穌。 [來跟從我。 ]這道路就是他當日所行的道路。
祈禱◆主啊，我完完全全地來到你面前。我感到自己全然地需要你，我只等候你向我說話，此外我還能向你說什麼呢？正如沙漠的沙粒靜臥在陽光之下，讓我也在你面前坦然躺下。
September 25, 2014
The “Go” of Relationship
Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two—Matthew 5:41
Our Lord’s teaching can be summed up in this: the relationship that He demands for us is an impossible one unless He has done a super-natural work in us. Jesus Christ demands that His disciple does not allow even the slightest trace of resentment in his heart when faced with tyranny and injustice. No amount of enthusiasm will ever stand up to the strain that Jesus Christ will put upon His servant. Only one thing will bear the strain, and that is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ Himself— a relationship that has been examined, purified, and tested until only one purpose remains and I can truly say, “I am here for God to send me where He will.” Everything else may become blurred, but this relationship with Jesus Christ must never be.
The Sermon on the Mount is not some unattainable goal; it is a statement of what will happen in me when Jesus Christ has changed my nature by putting His own nature in me. Jesus Christ is the only One who can fulfill the Sermon on the Mount.
If we are to be disciples of Jesus, we must be made disciples supernaturally. And as long as we consciously maintain the determined purpose to be His disciples, we can be sure that we are not disciples. Jesus says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you. . .” (John 15:16). That is the way the grace of God begins. It is a constraint we can never escape; we can disobey it, but we can never start it or produce it ourselves. We are drawn to God by a work of His supernatural grace, and we can never trace back to find where the work began. Our Lord’s making of a disciple is supernatural. He does not build on any natural capacity of ours at all. God does not ask us to do the things that are naturally easy for us— He only asks us to do the things that we are perfectly fit to do through His grace, and that is where the cross we must bear will always come.
[去]的關係
有人強逼你走一里路，你就同他走二里。 （太五41）
除非主在我們身上行超然的工作，否則他所要求的那種是不可能的。主耶穌要求門徒在遇到暴虐不平時，不可有絲毫的怨恨，即使藏在內心也不可。無論怎樣的熱誠，也受不住主耶穌加在工人身上的考驗。只有一件事可以，就是與他有密切的關係，經歷過他潔淨的磨坊，以致只有一個心志留存－－[我在此任神差派往何方。 ]別的東西都可以消失，但與主的關係絕對不可。
登山寶訓不是一套理想。它說明了我內心要發生的事：就是當主改變我，把他自己的性情放在我裡面時所要成就的光景。只有耶穌基督才能達成登山寶訓。我們若要做主的門徒，就必須循超然的途徑；若死持作門徒的存心，就必不能作門徒。 [我揀選了你們。 ]這是神恩典的開始。這個催迫是我們無法逃避的，我們可以不聽命，但我們斷不能產生這個催迫。神超然的恩典是圖畫的主筆，我們無法追溯他工作的起源。他塑造門徒的工作是超然的，並不建基於天然的力量。神不會叫我們做人力容易達成的事，他只叫我們做那些憑恩典才能應付裕如的事，而十字架往往就循這個途徑而來。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著那環繞我，是我猶如在天堂的聖徒祈禱，我讚美你。為著那透過你的救贖而臨到我的無言恩典，我稱頌你。
Our Lord’s teaching can be summed up in this: the relationship that He demands for us is an impossible one unless He has done a super-natural work in us. Jesus Christ demands that His disciple does not allow even the slightest trace of resentment in his heart when faced with tyranny and injustice. No amount of enthusiasm will ever stand up to the strain that Jesus Christ will put upon His servant. Only one thing will bear the strain, and that is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ Himself— a relationship that has been examined, purified, and tested until only one purpose remains and I can truly say, “I am here for God to send me where He will.” Everything else may become blurred, but this relationship with Jesus Christ must never be.
The Sermon on the Mount is not some unattainable goal; it is a statement of what will happen in me when Jesus Christ has changed my nature by putting His own nature in me. Jesus Christ is the only One who can fulfill the Sermon on the Mount.
If we are to be disciples of Jesus, we must be made disciples supernaturally. And as long as we consciously maintain the determined purpose to be His disciples, we can be sure that we are not disciples. Jesus says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you. . .” (John 15:16). That is the way the grace of God begins. It is a constraint we can never escape; we can disobey it, but we can never start it or produce it ourselves. We are drawn to God by a work of His supernatural grace, and we can never trace back to find where the work began. Our Lord’s making of a disciple is supernatural. He does not build on any natural capacity of ours at all. God does not ask us to do the things that are naturally easy for us— He only asks us to do the things that we are perfectly fit to do through His grace, and that is where the cross we must bear will always come.
[去]的關係
有人強逼你走一里路，你就同他走二里。 （太五41）
除非主在我們身上行超然的工作，否則他所要求的那種是不可能的。主耶穌要求門徒在遇到暴虐不平時，不可有絲毫的怨恨，即使藏在內心也不可。無論怎樣的熱誠，也受不住主耶穌加在工人身上的考驗。只有一件事可以，就是與他有密切的關係，經歷過他潔淨的磨坊，以致只有一個心志留存－－[我在此任神差派往何方。 ]別的東西都可以消失，但與主的關係絕對不可。
登山寶訓不是一套理想。它說明了我內心要發生的事：就是當主改變我，把他自己的性情放在我裡面時所要成就的光景。只有耶穌基督才能達成登山寶訓。我們若要做主的門徒，就必須循超然的途徑；若死持作門徒的存心，就必不能作門徒。 [我揀選了你們。 ]這是神恩典的開始。這個催迫是我們無法逃避的，我們可以不聽命，但我們斷不能產生這個催迫。神超然的恩典是圖畫的主筆，我們無法追溯他工作的起源。他塑造門徒的工作是超然的，並不建基於天然的力量。神不會叫我們做人力容易達成的事，他只叫我們做那些憑恩典才能應付裕如的事，而十字架往往就循這個途徑而來。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著那環繞我，是我猶如在天堂的聖徒祈禱，我讚美你。為著那透過你的救贖而臨到我的無言恩典，我稱頌你。
September 23, 2014
The Missionary’s Goal
He . . . said to them, ’Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem . . . ’ —Luke 18:31
In our natural life our ambitions change as we grow, but in the Christian life the goal is given at the very beginning, and the beginning and the end are exactly the same, namely, our Lord Himself. We start with Christ and we end with Him—”. . . till we all come . . . to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ . . .” (Ephesians 4:13), not simply to our own idea of what the Christian life should be. The goal of the missionary is to do God’s will, not to be useful or to win the lost. A missionary is useful and he does win the lost, but that is not his goal. His goal is to do the will of his Lord.
In our Lord’s life, Jerusalem was the place where He reached the culmination of His Father’s will upon the cross, and unless we go there with Jesus we will have no friendship or fellowship with Him. Nothing ever diverted our Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He never hurried through certain villages where He was persecuted, or lingered in others where He was blessed. Neither gratitude nor ingratitude turned our Lord even the slightest degree away from His purpose to go “up to Jerusalem.”
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Matthew 10:24). In other words, the same things that happened to our Lord will happen to us on our way to our “Jerusalem.” There will be works of God exhibited through us, people will get blessed, and one or two will show gratitude while the rest will show total ingratitude, but nothing must divert us from going “up to [our] Jerusalem.”
“. . . there they crucified Him . . .” (Luke 23:33). That is what happened when our Lord reached Jerusalem, and that event is the doorway to our salvation. The saints, however, do not end in crucifixion; by the Lord’s grace they end in glory. In the meantime our watchword should be summed up by each of us saying, “I too go ’up to Jerusalem.’ “
傳道者的目標
看哪，我們上耶路撒冷去。 （路十八31）
在天然生命中，我們會按著發展而改變自己的野心。可是在信徒生命中，目標一開始就擺明出來，而這目標是始終如一的：主自己。我們始於基督，也終於基督－－[直等到我們……長大成人，滿有基督長成的身量。 ]我們並不是依自己認為的理想信徒生命而行。傳道人的目標是要行神的旨意，不是要大得使用，不是要贏得許多不信的人。他當然要合用，也當然要贏多人信主，但那不是他的目標。他的目標是遵行神的旨意。
在主的一生中，耶路撒冷是他在十架上成就天父旨意的頂峰。我們若未與他同往，就並未與他同行。主上耶路撒冷的路上，沒有什麼事物可以叫他灰心。在備受攻擊的村鎮，他沒匆匆避過；在大受擁戴的地方，他也不會流連不去。不管人對他感恩或是忘恩，總不能叫他走向耶路撒冷的心意改變一丁點兒。
[僕人不能高過主人。 ]在往耶路撒冷的路上，我們也要遭遇同樣的事。神的工作會透過我們彰顯，有人得著祝福，一兩個人會表示感激，其他的人可能會忘恩負義。可是，不要讓任何事物使我們偏離上耶路撒冷的路。
[他們在那裡釘他十字架。 ]這就是主到耶路撒冷所遭遇的，而這卻開啟我們得救的門。聖徒的終局不是釘十字架；憑神的恩典，他們的終局是榮耀的。在這當兒，我們口號是：也上耶路撒冷去。
祈禱◆主啊，我能夠認識你是何等美好；我何其需要靠近你。當你成為我的生命時，我怎能顫抖！
In our natural life our ambitions change as we grow, but in the Christian life the goal is given at the very beginning, and the beginning and the end are exactly the same, namely, our Lord Himself. We start with Christ and we end with Him—”. . . till we all come . . . to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ . . .” (Ephesians 4:13), not simply to our own idea of what the Christian life should be. The goal of the missionary is to do God’s will, not to be useful or to win the lost. A missionary is useful and he does win the lost, but that is not his goal. His goal is to do the will of his Lord.
In our Lord’s life, Jerusalem was the place where He reached the culmination of His Father’s will upon the cross, and unless we go there with Jesus we will have no friendship or fellowship with Him. Nothing ever diverted our Lord on His way to Jerusalem. He never hurried through certain villages where He was persecuted, or lingered in others where He was blessed. Neither gratitude nor ingratitude turned our Lord even the slightest degree away from His purpose to go “up to Jerusalem.”
“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Matthew 10:24). In other words, the same things that happened to our Lord will happen to us on our way to our “Jerusalem.” There will be works of God exhibited through us, people will get blessed, and one or two will show gratitude while the rest will show total ingratitude, but nothing must divert us from going “up to [our] Jerusalem.”
“. . . there they crucified Him . . .” (Luke 23:33). That is what happened when our Lord reached Jerusalem, and that event is the doorway to our salvation. The saints, however, do not end in crucifixion; by the Lord’s grace they end in glory. In the meantime our watchword should be summed up by each of us saying, “I too go ’up to Jerusalem.’ “
傳道者的目標
看哪，我們上耶路撒冷去。 （路十八31）
在天然生命中，我們會按著發展而改變自己的野心。可是在信徒生命中，目標一開始就擺明出來，而這目標是始終如一的：主自己。我們始於基督，也終於基督－－[直等到我們……長大成人，滿有基督長成的身量。 ]我們並不是依自己認為的理想信徒生命而行。傳道人的目標是要行神的旨意，不是要大得使用，不是要贏得許多不信的人。他當然要合用，也當然要贏多人信主，但那不是他的目標。他的目標是遵行神的旨意。
在主的一生中，耶路撒冷是他在十架上成就天父旨意的頂峰。我們若未與他同往，就並未與他同行。主上耶路撒冷的路上，沒有什麼事物可以叫他灰心。在備受攻擊的村鎮，他沒匆匆避過；在大受擁戴的地方，他也不會流連不去。不管人對他感恩或是忘恩，總不能叫他走向耶路撒冷的心意改變一丁點兒。
[僕人不能高過主人。 ]在往耶路撒冷的路上，我們也要遭遇同樣的事。神的工作會透過我們彰顯，有人得著祝福，一兩個人會表示感激，其他的人可能會忘恩負義。可是，不要讓任何事物使我們偏離上耶路撒冷的路。
[他們在那裡釘他十字架。 ]這就是主到耶路撒冷所遭遇的，而這卻開啟我們得救的門。聖徒的終局不是釘十字架；憑神的恩典，他們的終局是榮耀的。在這當兒，我們口號是：也上耶路撒冷去。
祈禱◆主啊，我能夠認識你是何等美好；我何其需要靠近你。當你成為我的生命時，我怎能顫抖！
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