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。
April 07, 2014
April 06, 2014
The Collision of God and Sin
. . . who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree . . . —1 Peter 2:24
The Cross of Christ is the revealed truth of God’s judgment on sin. Never associate the idea of martyrdom with the Cross of Christ. It was the supreme triumph, and it shook the very foundations of hell. There is nothing in time or eternity more absolutely certain and irrefutable than what Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross— He made it possible for the entire human race to be brought back into a right-standing relationship with God. He made redemption the foundation of human life; that is, He made a way for every person to have fellowship with God.
The Cross was not something that happened to Jesus— He came to die; the Cross was His purpose in coming. He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). The incarnation of Christ would have no meaning without the Cross. Beware of separating “God was manifested in the flesh. . .” from “. . . He made Him. . . to be sin for us. . .” (1 Timothy 3:16 ; 2 Corinthians 5:21). The purpose of the incarnation was redemption. God came in the flesh to take sin away, not to accomplish something for Himself. The Cross is the central event in time and eternity, and the answer to all the problems of both.
The Cross is not the cross of a man, but the Cross of God, and it can never be fully comprehended through human experience. The Cross is God exhibiting His nature. It is the gate through which any and every individual can enter into oneness with God. But it is not a gate we pass right through; it is one where we abide in the life that is found there.
The heart of salvation is the Cross of Christ. The reason salvation is so easy to obtain is that it cost God so much. The Cross was the place where God and sinful man merged with a tremendous collision and where the way to life was opened. But all the cost and pain of the collision was absorbed by the heart of God.
神與罪的衝突
他被掛在木頭上親身擔當了我們的罪。 （彼前二24）
耶穌的十字架，說明神對罪惡的審判。但千萬別以為耶穌的十字架是一種殉道精神；十字架是至高無上的勝利，連地獄的根基也震動了。不論今生或是來世，再沒有比耶穌基督在十字架上所成就的，更加確實。他挽回了全人類，使他們與神恢復正常的關係。他使救贖成為人類生命的根基，也就是說，他為人開了一道通往神的途徑。
十字架並非偶然臨到耶穌的，他是為此目的而來。他是[那創世以先被殺的羔羊]。道成肉身的整個意義，就是十字架。當心別把神在肉身顯現，與人子成為罪分開來看。道成肉身的目的，正是為了顯露自己。十字架是今生與永世的中心，是兩者的謎底。
十字架不是人的十字架，是神的十字架，神的十字架永遠不能以人的經歷去體驗。十字架是神本性的顯露，是任何人得以達致與神合一的通道。我們是來到十字架面前，不是越過去；我們住在十字架所帶進來的生命裡。
救恩的中心，就是耶穌的十字架；救恩所以如此易得，是因為神付出了重大得代價。十字架是神與罪人碰頭得地方，這猛然的撞擊，開拓了生命的路；可是，這撞擊是發生在神心裡的。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著你在我們最核心的問題上施行大能的救贖，我讚美你。願藉著你的大能，使我複活，進入新的生命。
The Cross of Christ is the revealed truth of God’s judgment on sin. Never associate the idea of martyrdom with the Cross of Christ. It was the supreme triumph, and it shook the very foundations of hell. There is nothing in time or eternity more absolutely certain and irrefutable than what Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross— He made it possible for the entire human race to be brought back into a right-standing relationship with God. He made redemption the foundation of human life; that is, He made a way for every person to have fellowship with God.
The Cross was not something that happened to Jesus— He came to die; the Cross was His purpose in coming. He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). The incarnation of Christ would have no meaning without the Cross. Beware of separating “God was manifested in the flesh. . .” from “. . . He made Him. . . to be sin for us. . .” (1 Timothy 3:16 ; 2 Corinthians 5:21). The purpose of the incarnation was redemption. God came in the flesh to take sin away, not to accomplish something for Himself. The Cross is the central event in time and eternity, and the answer to all the problems of both.
The Cross is not the cross of a man, but the Cross of God, and it can never be fully comprehended through human experience. The Cross is God exhibiting His nature. It is the gate through which any and every individual can enter into oneness with God. But it is not a gate we pass right through; it is one where we abide in the life that is found there.
The heart of salvation is the Cross of Christ. The reason salvation is so easy to obtain is that it cost God so much. The Cross was the place where God and sinful man merged with a tremendous collision and where the way to life was opened. But all the cost and pain of the collision was absorbed by the heart of God.
神與罪的衝突
他被掛在木頭上親身擔當了我們的罪。 （彼前二24）
耶穌的十字架，說明神對罪惡的審判。但千萬別以為耶穌的十字架是一種殉道精神；十字架是至高無上的勝利，連地獄的根基也震動了。不論今生或是來世，再沒有比耶穌基督在十字架上所成就的，更加確實。他挽回了全人類，使他們與神恢復正常的關係。他使救贖成為人類生命的根基，也就是說，他為人開了一道通往神的途徑。
十字架並非偶然臨到耶穌的，他是為此目的而來。他是[那創世以先被殺的羔羊]。道成肉身的整個意義，就是十字架。當心別把神在肉身顯現，與人子成為罪分開來看。道成肉身的目的，正是為了顯露自己。十字架是今生與永世的中心，是兩者的謎底。
十字架不是人的十字架，是神的十字架，神的十字架永遠不能以人的經歷去體驗。十字架是神本性的顯露，是任何人得以達致與神合一的通道。我們是來到十字架面前，不是越過去；我們住在十字架所帶進來的生命裡。
救恩的中心，就是耶穌的十字架；救恩所以如此易得，是因為神付出了重大得代價。十字架是神與罪人碰頭得地方，這猛然的撞擊，開拓了生命的路；可是，這撞擊是發生在神心裡的。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，為著你在我們最核心的問題上施行大能的救贖，我讚美你。願藉著你的大能，使我複活，進入新的生命。
April 05, 2014
His Agony and Our Access
Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples . . . . ’Stay here and watch with Me’ —Matthew 26:36, 38
We can never fully comprehend Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, but at least we don’t have to misunderstand it. It is the agony of God and man in one Person, coming face to face with sin. We cannot learn about Gethsemane through personal experience. Gethsemane and Calvary represent something totally unique— they are the gateway into life for us.
It was not death on the cross that Jesus agonized over in Gethsemane. In fact, He stated very emphatically that He came with the purpose of dying. His concern here was that He might not get through this struggle as the Son of Man. He was confident of getting through it as the Son of God— Satan could not touch Him there. But Satan’s assault was that our Lord would come through for us on His own solely as the Son of Man. If Jesus had done that, He could not have been our Savior (see Hebrews 9:11-15). Read the record of His agony in Gethsemane in light of His earlier wilderness temptation— “. . . the devil . . . departed from Him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). In Gethsemane, Satan came back and was overthrown again. Satan’s final assault against our Lord as the Son of Man was in Gethsemane.
The agony in Gethsemane was the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Savior of the world. The veil is pulled back here to reveal all that it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God. His agony was the basis for the simplicity of our salvation. The Cross of Christ was a triumph for the Son of Man. It was not only a sign that our Lord had triumphed, but that He had triumphed to save the human race. Because of what the Son of Man went through, every human being has been provided with a way of access into the very presence of God.
他的痛苦與我們的相交
耶穌同門徒來到一個地方，名叫客西馬尼，就對他們說……你們在這裡等候，和我一同儆醒。 （太二十六36、38）
縱然我們無法體會主在客西馬尼的痛苦，但我們也不要誤解。這是神人一體面對罪惡的痛苦。因此就我們個人的經歷，是無法體會的。客西馬尼與各各他，是耶穌所專有的，叫我們得生命的門。
耶穌在客西馬尼，並不是因十架的死亡而恐懼；他曾強調說，他是為死而來的。他所恐懼的是不能以[人子]的身分過這一關。作為神子，耶穌絕對可以過關，撒但不能碰他分毫；但撒但要毀滅的，是他以一個孤獨的個體過這一關；就是說，使他不能成為救主。試以主受試探的情景去讀客西馬尼痛苦的禱告：[魔鬼暫時離開耶穌。 ]在客西馬尼，撒但最後向主以人子身份所施的襲擊，是在客西馬尼。
客西馬尼的痛苦，是神子為要完成他作世人救主的使命所忍受的痛苦。幔子裂開，顯示他付出何等的代價，為叫我們可以成為神的兒子。我們如此容易得救，是基於他的痛苦。基督的十字架，是人子的勝利。這不但表明我們的主已經得勝，而且帶來人類的拯救。如今人人可以來到神面前，完全因為[人子]所經歷的痛苦。
祈禱◆主啊，我對你的救贖和完全的救恩，是何其缺乏欣賞。主啊，驅使我產生豐富的感恩；讓我對主耶穌基督懷著永遠的愛。
We can never fully comprehend Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, but at least we don’t have to misunderstand it. It is the agony of God and man in one Person, coming face to face with sin. We cannot learn about Gethsemane through personal experience. Gethsemane and Calvary represent something totally unique— they are the gateway into life for us.
It was not death on the cross that Jesus agonized over in Gethsemane. In fact, He stated very emphatically that He came with the purpose of dying. His concern here was that He might not get through this struggle as the Son of Man. He was confident of getting through it as the Son of God— Satan could not touch Him there. But Satan’s assault was that our Lord would come through for us on His own solely as the Son of Man. If Jesus had done that, He could not have been our Savior (see Hebrews 9:11-15). Read the record of His agony in Gethsemane in light of His earlier wilderness temptation— “. . . the devil . . . departed from Him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). In Gethsemane, Satan came back and was overthrown again. Satan’s final assault against our Lord as the Son of Man was in Gethsemane.
The agony in Gethsemane was the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Savior of the world. The veil is pulled back here to reveal all that it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God. His agony was the basis for the simplicity of our salvation. The Cross of Christ was a triumph for the Son of Man. It was not only a sign that our Lord had triumphed, but that He had triumphed to save the human race. Because of what the Son of Man went through, every human being has been provided with a way of access into the very presence of God.
他的痛苦與我們的相交
耶穌同門徒來到一個地方，名叫客西馬尼，就對他們說……你們在這裡等候，和我一同儆醒。 （太二十六36、38）
縱然我們無法體會主在客西馬尼的痛苦，但我們也不要誤解。這是神人一體面對罪惡的痛苦。因此就我們個人的經歷，是無法體會的。客西馬尼與各各他，是耶穌所專有的，叫我們得生命的門。
耶穌在客西馬尼，並不是因十架的死亡而恐懼；他曾強調說，他是為死而來的。他所恐懼的是不能以[人子]的身分過這一關。作為神子，耶穌絕對可以過關，撒但不能碰他分毫；但撒但要毀滅的，是他以一個孤獨的個體過這一關；就是說，使他不能成為救主。試以主受試探的情景去讀客西馬尼痛苦的禱告：[魔鬼暫時離開耶穌。 ]在客西馬尼，撒但最後向主以人子身份所施的襲擊，是在客西馬尼。
客西馬尼的痛苦，是神子為要完成他作世人救主的使命所忍受的痛苦。幔子裂開，顯示他付出何等的代價，為叫我們可以成為神的兒子。我們如此容易得救，是基於他的痛苦。基督的十字架，是人子的勝利。這不但表明我們的主已經得勝，而且帶來人類的拯救。如今人人可以來到神面前，完全因為[人子]所經歷的痛苦。
祈禱◆主啊，我對你的救贖和完全的救恩，是何其缺乏欣賞。主啊，驅使我產生豐富的感恩；讓我對主耶穌基督懷著永遠的愛。
April 04, 2014
The Way to Permanent Faith
Indeed the hour is coming . . . that you will be scattered . . . —John 16:32
Jesus was not rebuking the disciples in this passage. Their faith was real, but it was disordered and unfocused, and was not at work in the important realities of life. The disciples were scattered to their own concerns and they had interests apart from Jesus Christ. After we have the perfect relationship with God, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, our faith must be exercised in the realities of everyday life. We will be scattered, not into service but into the emptiness of our lives where we will see ruin and barrenness, to know what internal death to God’s blessings means. Are we prepared for this? It is certainly not of our own choosing, but God engineers our circumstances to take us there. Until we have been through that experience, our faith is sustained only by feelings and by blessings. But once we get there, no matter where God may place us or what inner emptiness we experience, we can praise God that all is well. That is what is meant by faith being exercised in the realities of life.
“. . . you . . . will leave Me alone.” Have we been scattered and have we left Jesus alone by not seeing His providential care for us? Do we not see God at work in our circumstances? Dark times are allowed and come to us through the sovereignty of God. Are we prepared to let God do what He wants with us? Are we prepared to be separated from the outward, evident blessings of God? Until Jesus Christ is truly our Lord, we each have goals of our own which we serve. Our faith is real, but it is not yet permanent. And God is never in a hurry. If we are willing to wait, we will see God pointing out that we have been interested only in His blessings, instead of in God Himself. The sense of God’s blessings is fundamental
“. . . be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Unyielding spiritual fortitude is what we need.
不信的邊緣
看哪，時候將到，……你們要分散。 （約十六32）
耶穌不是在責備門徒，他們的信心是真實的，只不過受到困擾；以致在實際的事情臨到，信心沒有發生果效。他們分散，各顧各的事，而這些事不是屬基督的。我們與神有了分別為聖的關係後，就必須在實際行動上活出信心來。我們被解散，不是到工廠上去，而是到個人內心的絕境裡，叫我們體會什麼叫做向神的賜福死去。我們準備好嗎？這不是我們所揀選的，乃是神所安排的環境，帶我們進入這經歷裡去。
除非我們有了這樣的經歷，否則，我們的信心不過是建立在感覺與福氣之上，為二者所支撐而已。一旦我們到了這個地步，不論神放我們在哪裡，也不論落到怎樣的絕境，我們仍然可以讚美神，知道一切都盡善盡美，這才是信心真實地發揮出來。
[……留下我獨自一人。 ]我們有沒有因著追逐個人的嗜欲，偏離神旨，留下耶穌獨自一人？這時因為我們在所遇的環境裡看不見神嗎？黑暗來臨，也是出於神的全能。我們預備讓神照他的心意對待我們嗎？就是甘願拋棄我們能察覺的福氣嗎？除非等到耶穌基督作我們的主，否則我們總會去爭取自己的目標；我們的信心是真實的，卻仍未堅固。神從來不草率行事；只要我們等候，神必要指明。但我們所專注的不是神，而是他的賜福。只意識到神的賜福，乃是靈程的初階。 [你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 ]我們需要屬靈的剛毅。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等需要你！求你今天以豐盛的能力，臨到我們實際的環境中。
Jesus was not rebuking the disciples in this passage. Their faith was real, but it was disordered and unfocused, and was not at work in the important realities of life. The disciples were scattered to their own concerns and they had interests apart from Jesus Christ. After we have the perfect relationship with God, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, our faith must be exercised in the realities of everyday life. We will be scattered, not into service but into the emptiness of our lives where we will see ruin and barrenness, to know what internal death to God’s blessings means. Are we prepared for this? It is certainly not of our own choosing, but God engineers our circumstances to take us there. Until we have been through that experience, our faith is sustained only by feelings and by blessings. But once we get there, no matter where God may place us or what inner emptiness we experience, we can praise God that all is well. That is what is meant by faith being exercised in the realities of life.
“. . . you . . . will leave Me alone.” Have we been scattered and have we left Jesus alone by not seeing His providential care for us? Do we not see God at work in our circumstances? Dark times are allowed and come to us through the sovereignty of God. Are we prepared to let God do what He wants with us? Are we prepared to be separated from the outward, evident blessings of God? Until Jesus Christ is truly our Lord, we each have goals of our own which we serve. Our faith is real, but it is not yet permanent. And God is never in a hurry. If we are willing to wait, we will see God pointing out that we have been interested only in His blessings, instead of in God Himself. The sense of God’s blessings is fundamental
“. . . be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Unyielding spiritual fortitude is what we need.
不信的邊緣
看哪，時候將到，……你們要分散。 （約十六32）
耶穌不是在責備門徒，他們的信心是真實的，只不過受到困擾；以致在實際的事情臨到，信心沒有發生果效。他們分散，各顧各的事，而這些事不是屬基督的。我們與神有了分別為聖的關係後，就必須在實際行動上活出信心來。我們被解散，不是到工廠上去，而是到個人內心的絕境裡，叫我們體會什麼叫做向神的賜福死去。我們準備好嗎？這不是我們所揀選的，乃是神所安排的環境，帶我們進入這經歷裡去。
除非我們有了這樣的經歷，否則，我們的信心不過是建立在感覺與福氣之上，為二者所支撐而已。一旦我們到了這個地步，不論神放我們在哪裡，也不論落到怎樣的絕境，我們仍然可以讚美神，知道一切都盡善盡美，這才是信心真實地發揮出來。
[……留下我獨自一人。 ]我們有沒有因著追逐個人的嗜欲，偏離神旨，留下耶穌獨自一人？這時因為我們在所遇的環境裡看不見神嗎？黑暗來臨，也是出於神的全能。我們預備讓神照他的心意對待我們嗎？就是甘願拋棄我們能察覺的福氣嗎？除非等到耶穌基督作我們的主，否則我們總會去爭取自己的目標；我們的信心是真實的，卻仍未堅固。神從來不草率行事；只要我們等候，神必要指明。但我們所專注的不是神，而是他的賜福。只意識到神的賜福，乃是靈程的初階。 [你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界。 ]我們需要屬靈的剛毅。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，我何等需要你！求你今天以豐盛的能力，臨到我們實際的環境中。
April 03, 2014
"If You Had Known!"
If you had known . . . in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes —Luke 19:42
Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly and the city was stirred to its very foundations, but a strange god was there-the pride of the Pharisees. It was a god that seemed religious and upright, but Jesus compared it to “whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27).
What is it that blinds you to the peace of God “in this your day”? Do you have a strange god-not a disgusting monster but perhaps an unholy nature that controls your life? More than once God has brought me face to face with a strange god in my life, and I knew that I should have given it up, but I didn’t do it. I got through the crisis “by the skin of my teeth,” only to find myself still under the control of that strange god. I am blind to the very things that make for my own peace. It is a shocking thing that we can be in the exact place where the Spirit of God should be having His completely unhindered way with us, and yet we only make matters worse, increasing our blame in God’s eyes.
“If you had known . . . .” God’s words here cut directly to the heart, with the tears of Jesus behind them. These words imply responsibility for our own faults. God holds us accountable for what we refuse to see or are unable to see because of our sin. And “now they are hidden from your eyes” because you have never completely yielded your nature to Him. Oh, the deep, unending sadness for what might have been! God never again opens the doors that have been closed. He opens other doors, but He reminds us that there are doors which we have shut-doors which had no need to be shut. Never be afraid when God brings back your past. Let your memory have its way with you. It is a minister of God bringing its rebuke and sorrow to you. God will turn what might have been into a wonderful lesson of growth for the future.
巴不得你知道
巴不得你在這日子，知道關係你平安的事。無奈這事現在是隱藏的，叫你的眼看不出來。 （路十九42）
耶穌威武地進入耶路撒冷，合城都震動了；可是，有一個怪異的神袛在那裡，就是驕傲的法利賽主義；表面是敬虔公正，卻是[粉飾的墳墓]。在我的年日里，令我瞎了眼究竟是什麼呢？我有了一個外邦的神袛？我所指的並不是醜惡的怪物，乃是轄制我的性情。神曾經三番四次使我面對這個外邦的神袛；我知道要降服神，把它棄掉，卻始終沒有付諸實行。我咬緊牙齦要衝過難關，卻仍然受制於這古怪的神明。我看不見使我平安的事。我們可以一方面讓聖靈毫無攔阻地得著，而另一方面卻在神面前不斷責備自己，這實在是一件可怕的事。
[巴不得你知道]－－神在耶穌的眼淚裡，直接摸著人的心。這話表示罪有應得；我們看不清的事，神要我們承擔責任。 [這事現在是隱藏的，叫你的眼看不出來]－－是因為我們未曾降服。那[早該如此！ ]是多麼悲慘絕倫呀！神關了的門，就永不再開。但他開了其他的門，並提醒我們有些門是我們關的，有些門則不需要關。我們的想像力千萬不要遲鈍才好。當神把舊事重提，我們不必懼怕，讓回憶過去吧！它是神的用人，要責備、管教和追悔。神會把那[早該如此]，變成未來的優良教育。
祈禱◆主啊，對於要選擇的方向，我仍感模糊；這個決定已遠超越我的判斷能力。我並非對你懷疑，只是，眼前的一切卻是那樣全然隱蔽。
Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly and the city was stirred to its very foundations, but a strange god was there-the pride of the Pharisees. It was a god that seemed religious and upright, but Jesus compared it to “whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27).
What is it that blinds you to the peace of God “in this your day”? Do you have a strange god-not a disgusting monster but perhaps an unholy nature that controls your life? More than once God has brought me face to face with a strange god in my life, and I knew that I should have given it up, but I didn’t do it. I got through the crisis “by the skin of my teeth,” only to find myself still under the control of that strange god. I am blind to the very things that make for my own peace. It is a shocking thing that we can be in the exact place where the Spirit of God should be having His completely unhindered way with us, and yet we only make matters worse, increasing our blame in God’s eyes.
“If you had known . . . .” God’s words here cut directly to the heart, with the tears of Jesus behind them. These words imply responsibility for our own faults. God holds us accountable for what we refuse to see or are unable to see because of our sin. And “now they are hidden from your eyes” because you have never completely yielded your nature to Him. Oh, the deep, unending sadness for what might have been! God never again opens the doors that have been closed. He opens other doors, but He reminds us that there are doors which we have shut-doors which had no need to be shut. Never be afraid when God brings back your past. Let your memory have its way with you. It is a minister of God bringing its rebuke and sorrow to you. God will turn what might have been into a wonderful lesson of growth for the future.
巴不得你知道
巴不得你在這日子，知道關係你平安的事。無奈這事現在是隱藏的，叫你的眼看不出來。 （路十九42）
耶穌威武地進入耶路撒冷，合城都震動了；可是，有一個怪異的神袛在那裡，就是驕傲的法利賽主義；表面是敬虔公正，卻是[粉飾的墳墓]。在我的年日里，令我瞎了眼究竟是什麼呢？我有了一個外邦的神袛？我所指的並不是醜惡的怪物，乃是轄制我的性情。神曾經三番四次使我面對這個外邦的神袛；我知道要降服神，把它棄掉，卻始終沒有付諸實行。我咬緊牙齦要衝過難關，卻仍然受制於這古怪的神明。我看不見使我平安的事。我們可以一方面讓聖靈毫無攔阻地得著，而另一方面卻在神面前不斷責備自己，這實在是一件可怕的事。
[巴不得你知道]－－神在耶穌的眼淚裡，直接摸著人的心。這話表示罪有應得；我們看不清的事，神要我們承擔責任。 [這事現在是隱藏的，叫你的眼看不出來]－－是因為我們未曾降服。那[早該如此！ ]是多麼悲慘絕倫呀！神關了的門，就永不再開。但他開了其他的門，並提醒我們有些門是我們關的，有些門則不需要關。我們的想像力千萬不要遲鈍才好。當神把舊事重提，我們不必懼怕，讓回憶過去吧！它是神的用人，要責備、管教和追悔。神會把那[早該如此]，變成未來的優良教育。
祈禱◆主啊，對於要選擇的方向，我仍感模糊；這個決定已遠超越我的判斷能力。我並非對你懷疑，只是，眼前的一切卻是那樣全然隱蔽。
April 02, 2014
The Glory That’s Unsurpassed
. . . the Lord Jesus . . . has sent me that you may receive your sight . . . —Acts 9:17
When Paul received his sight, he also received spiritual insight into the Person of Jesus Christ. His entire life and preaching from that point on were totally consumed with nothing but Jesus Christ— “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). Paul never again allowed anything to attract and hold the attention of his mind and soul except the face of Jesus Christ.
We must learn to maintain a strong degree of character in our lives, even to the level that has been revealed in our vision of Jesus Christ.
The lasting characteristic of a spiritual man is the ability to understand correctly the meaning of the Lord Jesus Christ in his life, and the ability to explain the purposes of God to others. The overruling passion of his life is Jesus Christ. Whenever you see this quality in a person, you get the feeling that he is truly a man after God’s own heart (see Acts 13:22).
Never allow anything to divert you from your insight into Jesus Christ. It is the true test of whether you are spiritual or not. To be unspiritual means that other things have a growing fascination for you. Since mine eyes have looked on Jesus, I’ve lost sight of all beside, So enchained my spirit’s vision, Gazing on the Crucified.
無比的榮耀
耶穌打發我來，叫你能看見。 （徒九17）
保羅回複視力後，他屬靈的眼睛就注目在耶穌基督身上，他此後的生活和傳道，就只以耶穌基督為中心－－[我在你們中間，不知道別的，只知道耶穌基督，並他釘十字架。 ]除了耶穌基督的榮面，保羅的心思意念絕不誘於任何事物，受其操縱。我們藉著耶穌基督所啟示的亮光，學習在主裡保持毫無玷污。
一個屬靈人不變的特徵，就是把主耶穌基督的人格，轉化為自己的人格，然又將神的旨意傳達與別人。他人生中所專注愛戀的，就是耶穌基督。每當你碰到一個人有這樣的素質，你就知道他是合神心意的。不要讓任何事物轉移你對耶穌基督的注意力，這是屬靈的考驗。所謂不屬靈，就是其他事物對你的吸引與日俱增。
[自我定睛注視耶穌，
塵世一切，視若無睹，
我靈注視不移，
定睛被釘的主。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主，我的神、我的力量、我的盼望和我的喜樂，縱然是緩慢，但我似乎肯定可以逐漸更清晰地辨認你。求你在今天將人世間所製造的雲霧驅散。
When Paul received his sight, he also received spiritual insight into the Person of Jesus Christ. His entire life and preaching from that point on were totally consumed with nothing but Jesus Christ— “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). Paul never again allowed anything to attract and hold the attention of his mind and soul except the face of Jesus Christ.
We must learn to maintain a strong degree of character in our lives, even to the level that has been revealed in our vision of Jesus Christ.
The lasting characteristic of a spiritual man is the ability to understand correctly the meaning of the Lord Jesus Christ in his life, and the ability to explain the purposes of God to others. The overruling passion of his life is Jesus Christ. Whenever you see this quality in a person, you get the feeling that he is truly a man after God’s own heart (see Acts 13:22).
Never allow anything to divert you from your insight into Jesus Christ. It is the true test of whether you are spiritual or not. To be unspiritual means that other things have a growing fascination for you. Since mine eyes have looked on Jesus, I’ve lost sight of all beside, So enchained my spirit’s vision, Gazing on the Crucified.
無比的榮耀
耶穌打發我來，叫你能看見。 （徒九17）
保羅回複視力後，他屬靈的眼睛就注目在耶穌基督身上，他此後的生活和傳道，就只以耶穌基督為中心－－[我在你們中間，不知道別的，只知道耶穌基督，並他釘十字架。 ]除了耶穌基督的榮面，保羅的心思意念絕不誘於任何事物，受其操縱。我們藉著耶穌基督所啟示的亮光，學習在主裡保持毫無玷污。
一個屬靈人不變的特徵，就是把主耶穌基督的人格，轉化為自己的人格，然又將神的旨意傳達與別人。他人生中所專注愛戀的，就是耶穌基督。每當你碰到一個人有這樣的素質，你就知道他是合神心意的。不要讓任何事物轉移你對耶穌基督的注意力，這是屬靈的考驗。所謂不屬靈，就是其他事物對你的吸引與日俱增。
[自我定睛注視耶穌，
塵世一切，視若無睹，
我靈注視不移，
定睛被釘的主。 ]
祈禱◆噢，主，我的神、我的力量、我的盼望和我的喜樂，縱然是緩慢，但我似乎肯定可以逐漸更清晰地辨認你。求你在今天將人世間所製造的雲霧驅散。
April 01, 2014
Helpful or Heartless Toward Others?
It is Christ . . . who also makes intercession for us. . . . the Spirit . . . makes intercession for the saints . . . —Romans 8:34, 27
Do we need any more arguments than these to become intercessors-that Christ “always lives to make intercession” (Hebrews 7:25), and that the Holy Spirit “makes intercession for the saints”? Are we living in such a relationship with others that we do the work of intercession as a result of being the children of God who are taught by His Spirit? We should take a look at our current circumstances. Do crises which affect us or others in our home, business, country, or elsewhere, seem to be crushing in on us? Are we being pushed out of the presence of God and left with no time for worship? If so, we must put a stop to such distractions and get into such a living relationship with God that our relationship with others is maintained through the work of intercession, where God works His miracles.
Beware of getting ahead of God by your very desire to do His will. We run ahead of Him in a thousand and one activities, becoming so burdened with people and problems that we don’t worship God, and we fail to intercede. If a burden and its resulting pressure come upon us while we are not in an attitude of worship, it will only produce a hardness toward God and despair in our own souls. God continually introduces us to people in whom we have no interest, and unless we are worshiping God the natural tendency is to be heartless toward them. We give them a quick verse of Scripture, like jabbing them with a spear, or leave them with a hurried, uncaring word of counsel before we go. A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief to our Lord.
Are our lives in the proper place so that we may participate in the intercession of our Lord and the Holy Spirit?
對別人衷誠還是冷漠？
有基督耶穌……也替我們祈求……聖靈……替聖徒祈求。 （羅八34、27）
我們還需要什麼理論去支援自己做代求者的工作呢？基督活著為我們代求，聖靈又為聖徒祈求。我們與人的關係，有沒有這種休戚相關的樣式，以致我們真像受聖靈教導的兒女，忠於代求的事奉。當從日常的環境中開始——家庭、工作、國家，以及人人共受的境遇——這些事是否重壓著我們？是否使我們離開神的面，沒有時間敬拜？這樣，讓我們停住腳步，回復與神活潑的關係；叫我們與人的關係也回復代求的位置，使神行奇事。
當心不要因渴望遵行神的旨意，而超越了神。我們在許多的事上都走在神的前頭，結果被人事和困難的擔子壓倒，不再敬拜神，也不再代求。每逢重擔與壓力來到，而我們又沒有一種敬拜的態度，這不但會造成對神硬心，更會給自己帶來沮喪。神不斷的把與我們毫不相干的人給我們，這時，除非我們有敬拜神的心，否則我們最自然的反應，就是冷漠無情地對待他們。給他們一段扎心的經文，或代表神作一番責備的勸導後，就一走了之。這樣一個無情的信徒，實在令主痛心。
我們是否與主並聖靈站在同一陣線上，作代求的工作？
祈禱◆噢，主啊，求你探測我心靈最深藏的動機，讓聖靈在那里為我們代求，說出我不能發出的禱告。
Do we need any more arguments than these to become intercessors-that Christ “always lives to make intercession” (Hebrews 7:25), and that the Holy Spirit “makes intercession for the saints”? Are we living in such a relationship with others that we do the work of intercession as a result of being the children of God who are taught by His Spirit? We should take a look at our current circumstances. Do crises which affect us or others in our home, business, country, or elsewhere, seem to be crushing in on us? Are we being pushed out of the presence of God and left with no time for worship? If so, we must put a stop to such distractions and get into such a living relationship with God that our relationship with others is maintained through the work of intercession, where God works His miracles.
Beware of getting ahead of God by your very desire to do His will. We run ahead of Him in a thousand and one activities, becoming so burdened with people and problems that we don’t worship God, and we fail to intercede. If a burden and its resulting pressure come upon us while we are not in an attitude of worship, it will only produce a hardness toward God and despair in our own souls. God continually introduces us to people in whom we have no interest, and unless we are worshiping God the natural tendency is to be heartless toward them. We give them a quick verse of Scripture, like jabbing them with a spear, or leave them with a hurried, uncaring word of counsel before we go. A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief to our Lord.
Are our lives in the proper place so that we may participate in the intercession of our Lord and the Holy Spirit?
對別人衷誠還是冷漠？
有基督耶穌……也替我們祈求……聖靈……替聖徒祈求。 （羅八34、27）
我們還需要什麼理論去支援自己做代求者的工作呢？基督活著為我們代求，聖靈又為聖徒祈求。我們與人的關係，有沒有這種休戚相關的樣式，以致我們真像受聖靈教導的兒女，忠於代求的事奉。當從日常的環境中開始——家庭、工作、國家，以及人人共受的境遇——這些事是否重壓著我們？是否使我們離開神的面，沒有時間敬拜？這樣，讓我們停住腳步，回復與神活潑的關係；叫我們與人的關係也回復代求的位置，使神行奇事。
當心不要因渴望遵行神的旨意，而超越了神。我們在許多的事上都走在神的前頭，結果被人事和困難的擔子壓倒，不再敬拜神，也不再代求。每逢重擔與壓力來到，而我們又沒有一種敬拜的態度，這不但會造成對神硬心，更會給自己帶來沮喪。神不斷的把與我們毫不相干的人給我們，這時，除非我們有敬拜神的心，否則我們最自然的反應，就是冷漠無情地對待他們。給他們一段扎心的經文，或代表神作一番責備的勸導後，就一走了之。這樣一個無情的信徒，實在令主痛心。
我們是否與主並聖靈站在同一陣線上，作代求的工作？
祈禱◆噢，主啊，求你探測我心靈最深藏的動機，讓聖靈在那里為我們代求，說出我不能發出的禱告。
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