. . . the simplicity that is in Christ. —2 Corinthians 11:3
Simplicity is the secret to seeing things clearly. A saint does not think clearly until a long time passes, but a saint ought to see clearly without any difficulty. You cannot think through spiritual confusion to make things clear; to make things clear, you must obey. In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in spiritual matters you will only think yourself into further wandering thoughts and more confusion. If there is something in your life upon which God has put His pressure, then obey Him in that matter. Bring all your “arguments and . . . every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” regarding the matter, and everything will become as clear as daylight to you (2 Corinthians 10:5). Your reasoning capacity will come later, but reasoning is not how we see. We see like children, and when we try to be wise we see nothing (see Matthew 11:25).
Even the very smallest thing that we allow in our lives that is not under the control of the Holy Spirit is completely sufficient to account for spiritual confusion, and spending all of our time thinking about it will still never make it clear. Spiritual confusion can only be conquered through obedience. As soon as we obey, we have discernment. This is humiliating, because when we are confused we know that the reason lies in the state of our mind. But when our natural power of sight is devoted and submitted in obedience to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the very power by which we perceive God’s will, and our entire life is kept in simplicity.
幻想與靈感
向基督所存純一清潔的心
純一是看清事務的要訣.聖徒有時思路不清,可是應該可以毫無困難的看得清楚.屬靈的迷亂並不是靠思想可以得出頭緒.
必須順服神,就清楚了.屬乎理性的事,你可以賴思想得著出路,但屬靈的事,只會愈想愈一團糟.若在什麼事上神的手加壓力, 就要順服,把幻想拘禁在你對基督得順服裡; 這樣,一切就會明亮如白晝.理智是在後面才用的,但憑自己的聰明去看事物, 就一無所見. ( 太十一25)
我們若容讓極小的事不順服聖靈的控制, 就會陷入屬靈的迷亂中,即使花上多少思慮,也不能叫事態明朗. 屬靈的亂堆, 只有靠順服才可以澄清. 我們一順服, 就能辨明. 這是叫我們羞愧, 因為在迷亂之中, 我們知道問題是出於心志的狀態. 天然的視力若交給聖靈,就變成透察神旨意的能力,而整個生命也就能保持純一.
祈禱◆噢，我何等渴望被祢全然佔有,讓我的身,心,靈都被祢如火挑旺. 黑暗中仍潛伏著許多東西, 這些東西是何等的丟臉.
September 14, 2014
September 13, 2014
After Surrender— Then What?
I have finished the work which You have given Me to do —John 17:4
True surrender is not simply surrender of our external life but surrender of our will— and once that is done, surrender is complete. The greatest crisis we ever face is the surrender of our will. Yet God never forces a person’s will into surrender, and He never begs. He patiently waits until that person willingly yields to Him. And once that battle has been fought, it never needs to be fought again.
Surrender for Deliverance. “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). It is only after we have begun to experience what salvation really means that we surrender our will to Jesus for rest. Whatever is causing us a sense of uncertainty is actually a call to our will— “Come to Me.” And it is a voluntary coming.
Surrender for Devotion. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . . ” (Matthew 16:24). The surrender here is of my self to Jesus, with His rest at the heart of my being. He says, “If you want to be My disciple, you must give up your right to yourself to Me.” And once this is done, the remainder of your life will exhibit nothing but the evidence of this surrender, and you never need to be concerned again with what the future may hold for you. Whatever your circumstances may be, Jesus is totally sufficient (see 2 Corinthians 12:9 and Philippians 4:19).
Surrender for Death. “. . . another will gird you . . .” (John 21:18 ; also see John 21:19). Have you learned what it means to be girded for death? Beware of some surrender that you make to God in an ecstatic moment in your life, because you are apt to take it back again. True surrender is a matter of being “united together [with Jesus] in the likeness of His death” (Romans 6:5) until nothing ever appeals to you that did not appeal to Him.
And after you surrender— then what? Your entire life should be characterized by an eagerness to maintain unbroken fellowship and oneness with God.
順服之後又怎樣？
你所託付我的事，我已成全了。 （約十七4）
順服不在於外在生活的順服，而在於意志的順服，這點一旦達到，一切問題都解決了。在人一生中，要面臨的決定性時刻並不多；其中最決定性的時刻，就是意志的順服。神從來不強逼人順服他，也不會苦苦哀求人順服，他是等候人甘心情願把意志降服。這場仗是一次過的，打完就不必再打。
得釋放的順服。 [到我這裡來，我就使你得安息。 ] 只有再我們明白了救恩得意義後，才會把意志降服主，得著安息。任何叫人心思困惑的事，都是對意志的呼喚－－[到我這裡來。 ] 這是出於自願的行動。
獻身的順服。 [若有人要跟從我，就當捨己。 ] 這裡的降服，是指把己交給耶穌，成為一個有他安息的己。 [你若願作我得門徒，就把你自己的主權交給我。 ]這樣，你餘下的人生，就是這個降服的彰顯。一旦這樣降服了，就不再有什麼[假如]。我們不比再理會環境，因為耶穌就是一切。
至死的順服（約二十一18-19）。 [……別人要把你束上……] 你懂不懂什麼叫做視死如歸？當心在狂喜中對神許下順服的願；你很容易會收回的。要緊的是你與耶穌在他的死上聯合，直至他不感興趣的東西，你也一點不再感興趣。
順服之後又怎樣？順服之後的整個生命，就是渴求與神親密無間的契合。
祈禱◆主啊，我懇求能夠看見你。我一直被外院的生活所佔據，遠離了你；求你寬恕我，吸引我靠近你，以致我能再次與你共用罕有的相交。
True surrender is not simply surrender of our external life but surrender of our will— and once that is done, surrender is complete. The greatest crisis we ever face is the surrender of our will. Yet God never forces a person’s will into surrender, and He never begs. He patiently waits until that person willingly yields to Him. And once that battle has been fought, it never needs to be fought again.
Surrender for Deliverance. “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). It is only after we have begun to experience what salvation really means that we surrender our will to Jesus for rest. Whatever is causing us a sense of uncertainty is actually a call to our will— “Come to Me.” And it is a voluntary coming.
Surrender for Devotion. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . . ” (Matthew 16:24). The surrender here is of my self to Jesus, with His rest at the heart of my being. He says, “If you want to be My disciple, you must give up your right to yourself to Me.” And once this is done, the remainder of your life will exhibit nothing but the evidence of this surrender, and you never need to be concerned again with what the future may hold for you. Whatever your circumstances may be, Jesus is totally sufficient (see 2 Corinthians 12:9 and Philippians 4:19).
Surrender for Death. “. . . another will gird you . . .” (John 21:18 ; also see John 21:19). Have you learned what it means to be girded for death? Beware of some surrender that you make to God in an ecstatic moment in your life, because you are apt to take it back again. True surrender is a matter of being “united together [with Jesus] in the likeness of His death” (Romans 6:5) until nothing ever appeals to you that did not appeal to Him.
And after you surrender— then what? Your entire life should be characterized by an eagerness to maintain unbroken fellowship and oneness with God.
順服之後又怎樣？
你所託付我的事，我已成全了。 （約十七4）
順服不在於外在生活的順服，而在於意志的順服，這點一旦達到，一切問題都解決了。在人一生中，要面臨的決定性時刻並不多；其中最決定性的時刻，就是意志的順服。神從來不強逼人順服他，也不會苦苦哀求人順服，他是等候人甘心情願把意志降服。這場仗是一次過的，打完就不必再打。
得釋放的順服。 [到我這裡來，我就使你得安息。 ] 只有再我們明白了救恩得意義後，才會把意志降服主，得著安息。任何叫人心思困惑的事，都是對意志的呼喚－－[到我這裡來。 ] 這是出於自願的行動。
獻身的順服。 [若有人要跟從我，就當捨己。 ] 這裡的降服，是指把己交給耶穌，成為一個有他安息的己。 [你若願作我得門徒，就把你自己的主權交給我。 ]這樣，你餘下的人生，就是這個降服的彰顯。一旦這樣降服了，就不再有什麼[假如]。我們不比再理會環境，因為耶穌就是一切。
至死的順服（約二十一18-19）。 [……別人要把你束上……] 你懂不懂什麼叫做視死如歸？當心在狂喜中對神許下順服的願；你很容易會收回的。要緊的是你與耶穌在他的死上聯合，直至他不感興趣的東西，你也一點不再感興趣。
順服之後又怎樣？順服之後的整個生命，就是渴求與神親密無間的契合。
祈禱◆主啊，我懇求能夠看見你。我一直被外院的生活所佔據，遠離了你；求你寬恕我，吸引我靠近你，以致我能再次與你共用罕有的相交。
September 12, 2014
Going Through Spiritual Confusion
Jesus answered and said, ’You do not know what you ask’ —Matthew 20:22
There are times in your spiritual life when there is confusion, and the way out of it is not simply to say that you should not be confused. It is not a matter of right and wrong, but a matter of God taking you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you.
The Shrouding of His Friendship (see Luke 11:5-8). Jesus gave the illustration here of a man who appears not to care for his friend. He was saying, in effect, that is how the heavenly Father will appear to you at times. You will think that He is an unkind friend, but remember?He is not. The time will come when everything will be explained. There seems to be a cloud on the friendship of the heart, and often even love itself has to wait in pain and tears for the blessing of fuller fellowship and oneness. When God appears to be completely shrouded, will you hang on with confidence in Him?
The Shadow on His Fatherhood (see Luke 11:11-13). Jesus said that there are times when your Father will appear as if He were an unnatural father?as if He were callous and indifferent— but remember, He is not. “Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Luke 11:10). If all you see is a shadow on the face of the Father right now, hang on to the fact that He will ultimately give you clear understanding and will fully justify Himself in everything that He has allowed into your life.
The Strangeness of His Faithfulness (see Luke 18:1-8). “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Will He find the kind of faith that counts on Him in spite of the confusion? Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now.
屬靈的困惑
你們不知道所求的是什麼。 （太二十22）
在屬靈生命中，有時會有困惑的時刻；若強說沒有是解決不了問題的。這不是對或不對的問題，而是神有時要領你走一條你不明白的路，只有經過了這一段困惑時期，你才知道神想要的是甚麼。
他的友情隱藏了（路十一5-8）。耶穌比喻中的那個人，好像對他的朋友漠不關心；有時候，在我們看來，天父也好像那個人。時候到了，一切都會明朗。心中的友情被雲層遮蔽，有時連愛本身也要在痛苦與眼淚中等待那更完全契合的福氣。當神似乎完全隱藏了，你能否依然因著對他的信心而堅持？
他的父愛在陰影裡（路十一11-13）。耶穌說，天父有時像一個不近人情的父親，冷漠不仁；要記住他不是這樣的。我已告訴你：[凡祈求的就得著。 ]若此刻他的臉被陰影遮蔽，要持守到底，因為至終他必向你清楚解明，叫你知道他所容許的事都有其用意。
他信實不比尋常（路十八1-8）。 [人子來的時候，遇得見世上有信德麼？ ]他能否找到在困惑中仍緊抓著他信心的人？要在信心中起步，知道耶穌所說的是可信的，雖然當時你不明白他所作的。在你所祈求的事以外，神還有更重大更危急的事。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天我將要奉你的名傳講你的資訊，但我至今仍沒有聖靈的感動。噢，因著耶穌基督的緣故，求你將你的思想傳達至我那靈性遲緩的腦袋中。
There are times in your spiritual life when there is confusion, and the way out of it is not simply to say that you should not be confused. It is not a matter of right and wrong, but a matter of God taking you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you.
The Shrouding of His Friendship (see Luke 11:5-8). Jesus gave the illustration here of a man who appears not to care for his friend. He was saying, in effect, that is how the heavenly Father will appear to you at times. You will think that He is an unkind friend, but remember?He is not. The time will come when everything will be explained. There seems to be a cloud on the friendship of the heart, and often even love itself has to wait in pain and tears for the blessing of fuller fellowship and oneness. When God appears to be completely shrouded, will you hang on with confidence in Him?
The Shadow on His Fatherhood (see Luke 11:11-13). Jesus said that there are times when your Father will appear as if He were an unnatural father?as if He were callous and indifferent— but remember, He is not. “Everyone who asks receives . . .” (Luke 11:10). If all you see is a shadow on the face of the Father right now, hang on to the fact that He will ultimately give you clear understanding and will fully justify Himself in everything that He has allowed into your life.
The Strangeness of His Faithfulness (see Luke 18:1-8). “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Will He find the kind of faith that counts on Him in spite of the confusion? Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now.
屬靈的困惑
你們不知道所求的是什麼。 （太二十22）
在屬靈生命中，有時會有困惑的時刻；若強說沒有是解決不了問題的。這不是對或不對的問題，而是神有時要領你走一條你不明白的路，只有經過了這一段困惑時期，你才知道神想要的是甚麼。
他的友情隱藏了（路十一5-8）。耶穌比喻中的那個人，好像對他的朋友漠不關心；有時候，在我們看來，天父也好像那個人。時候到了，一切都會明朗。心中的友情被雲層遮蔽，有時連愛本身也要在痛苦與眼淚中等待那更完全契合的福氣。當神似乎完全隱藏了，你能否依然因著對他的信心而堅持？
他的父愛在陰影裡（路十一11-13）。耶穌說，天父有時像一個不近人情的父親，冷漠不仁；要記住他不是這樣的。我已告訴你：[凡祈求的就得著。 ]若此刻他的臉被陰影遮蔽，要持守到底，因為至終他必向你清楚解明，叫你知道他所容許的事都有其用意。
他信實不比尋常（路十八1-8）。 [人子來的時候，遇得見世上有信德麼？ ]他能否找到在困惑中仍緊抓著他信心的人？要在信心中起步，知道耶穌所說的是可信的，雖然當時你不明白他所作的。在你所祈求的事以外，神還有更重大更危急的事。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，今天我將要奉你的名傳講你的資訊，但我至今仍沒有聖靈的感動。噢，因著耶穌基督的緣故，求你將你的思想傳達至我那靈性遲緩的腦袋中。
September 11, 2014
Missionary Weapons (2)
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet —John 13:14
Ministering in Everyday Opportunities. Ministering in everyday opportunities that surround us does not mean that we select our own surroundings— it means being God’s very special choice to be available for use in any of the seemingly random surroundings which He has engineered for us. The very character we exhibit in our present surroundings is an indication of what we will be like in other surroundings.
The things Jesus did were the most menial of everyday tasks, and this is an indication that it takes all of God’s power in me to accomplish even the most common tasks in His way. Can I use a towel as He did? Towels, dishes, sandals, and all the other ordinary things in our lives reveal what we are made of more quickly than anything else. It takes God Almighty Incarnate in us to do the most menial duty as it ought to be done.
Jesus said, “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (13:15). Notice the kind of people that God brings around you, and you will be humiliated once you realize that this is actually His way of revealing to you the kind of person you have been to Him. Now He says we should exhibit to those around us exactly what He has exhibited to us.
Do you find yourself responding by saying, “Oh, I will do all that once I’m out on the mission field”? Talking in this way is like trying to produce the weapons of war while in the trenches of the battlefield–you will be killed while trying to do it.
We have to go the “second mile” with God (see Matthew 5:41). Yet some of us become worn out in the first ten steps. Then we say, “Well, I’ll just wait until I get closer to the next big crisis in my life.” But if we do not steadily minister in everyday opportunities, we will do nothing when the crisis comes.
傳道者的彈藥
我是你們的主，你們的夫子，尚且洗你們的腳，你們也當彼此洗腳。 （約十三14）
就現有機會事奉，是不揀選自己的環境，而是在神安排的任何環境下，都為神所選用。我們在現有環境下表現的特性，可以代表在任何別的環境下的表現。耶穌所作的，是最卑下的日常工作；這就是說我需要神全部的能力，才能依他的腳踪作最平常普通的事。我能像他那樣用一條毛巾麼？毛巾、碗碟、鞋，以及一切日常生活中卑微的事，比別的東西更能反映出我們的本相。最低賤的任務，若要做得完全，就需要我們裡面那位元道成肉身的全能主去做。
[我給你們作了榜樣，叫你們照著我向你們所作的去作。 ]留意神擺在你周圍的人；他要藉此使你認識在他眼中你是怎麼樣的人，你會因此而羞愧。他現在說：[要照我向你所作的，向那個人行。 ]你會說：[呀！到了海外的工廠，我自然會一一去做了。 ]這樣的說法，就等於去到戰壕才製造彈藥，結果在製造的當兒，就送命了。
我們要與神行第[二里路]。有些人在頭十碼就放棄了，因為神要我們行看不見方向的路，我們就說：[我還是等到重大關頭來到時再走。 ]若你在日常小事上不穩步前進，危機來到時，你什麼也做不來。
祈禱◆[耶和華必作王]；噢，主啊，今天願你統治的能力，為著你的榮耀，在你僕人身上彰顯。
Ministering in Everyday Opportunities. Ministering in everyday opportunities that surround us does not mean that we select our own surroundings— it means being God’s very special choice to be available for use in any of the seemingly random surroundings which He has engineered for us. The very character we exhibit in our present surroundings is an indication of what we will be like in other surroundings.
The things Jesus did were the most menial of everyday tasks, and this is an indication that it takes all of God’s power in me to accomplish even the most common tasks in His way. Can I use a towel as He did? Towels, dishes, sandals, and all the other ordinary things in our lives reveal what we are made of more quickly than anything else. It takes God Almighty Incarnate in us to do the most menial duty as it ought to be done.
Jesus said, “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (13:15). Notice the kind of people that God brings around you, and you will be humiliated once you realize that this is actually His way of revealing to you the kind of person you have been to Him. Now He says we should exhibit to those around us exactly what He has exhibited to us.
Do you find yourself responding by saying, “Oh, I will do all that once I’m out on the mission field”? Talking in this way is like trying to produce the weapons of war while in the trenches of the battlefield–you will be killed while trying to do it.
We have to go the “second mile” with God (see Matthew 5:41). Yet some of us become worn out in the first ten steps. Then we say, “Well, I’ll just wait until I get closer to the next big crisis in my life.” But if we do not steadily minister in everyday opportunities, we will do nothing when the crisis comes.
傳道者的彈藥
我是你們的主，你們的夫子，尚且洗你們的腳，你們也當彼此洗腳。 （約十三14）
就現有機會事奉，是不揀選自己的環境，而是在神安排的任何環境下，都為神所選用。我們在現有環境下表現的特性，可以代表在任何別的環境下的表現。耶穌所作的，是最卑下的日常工作；這就是說我需要神全部的能力，才能依他的腳踪作最平常普通的事。我能像他那樣用一條毛巾麼？毛巾、碗碟、鞋，以及一切日常生活中卑微的事，比別的東西更能反映出我們的本相。最低賤的任務，若要做得完全，就需要我們裡面那位元道成肉身的全能主去做。
[我給你們作了榜樣，叫你們照著我向你們所作的去作。 ]留意神擺在你周圍的人；他要藉此使你認識在他眼中你是怎麼樣的人，你會因此而羞愧。他現在說：[要照我向你所作的，向那個人行。 ]你會說：[呀！到了海外的工廠，我自然會一一去做了。 ]這樣的說法，就等於去到戰壕才製造彈藥，結果在製造的當兒，就送命了。
我們要與神行第[二里路]。有些人在頭十碼就放棄了，因為神要我們行看不見方向的路，我們就說：[我還是等到重大關頭來到時再走。 ]若你在日常小事上不穩步前進，危機來到時，你什麼也做不來。
祈禱◆[耶和華必作王]；噢，主啊，今天願你統治的能力，為著你的榮耀，在你僕人身上彰顯。
September 10, 2014
Missionary Weapons (1)
When you were under the fig tree, I saw you —John 1:48
Worshiping in Everyday Occasions. We presume that we would be ready for battle if confronted with a great crisis, but it is not the crisis that builds something within us— it simply reveals what we are made of already. Do you find yourself saying, “If God calls me to battle, of course I will rise to the occasion”? Yet you won’t rise to the occasion unless you have done so on God’s training ground. If you are not doing the task that is closest to you now, which God has engineered into your life, when the crisis comes, instead of being fit for battle, you will be revealed as being unfit. Crises always reveal a person’s true character.
A private relationship of worshiping God is the greatest essential element of spiritual fitness. The time will come, as Nathanael experienced in this passage, that a private “fig-tree” life will no longer be possible. Everything will be out in the open, and you will find yourself to be of no value there if you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions in your own home. If your worship is right in your private relationship with God, then when He sets you free, you will be ready. It is in the unseen life, which only God saw, that you have become perfectly fit. And when the strain of the crisis comes, you can be relied upon by God.
Are you saying, “But I can’t be expected to live a sanctified life in my present circumstances; I have no time for prayer or Bible study right now; besides, my opportunity for battle hasn’t come yet, but when it does, of course I will be ready”? No, you will not. If you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions, when you get involved in God’s work, you will not only be useless yourself but also a hindrance to those around you.
God’s training ground, where the missionary weapons are found, is the hidden, personal, worshiping life of the saint.
傳道者的彈藥
你在無花果樹底下，我就看見你了。 （約一48）
我們一位面臨重大關頭的時候，不然應付得來；可是，重大關頭只會揭露我們的本相，不會給我們加增什麼。 [要是神呼召我，我自會應付得來。 ]除非你能善處工廠的工作，在神面前有真材實料，否則，在重大關頭時，你必不能應付。倘若現在你連神在你身旁安排的事也不作，當重大關頭來到，你不但擔當不起，反而顯得不合用。重要關頭往往能把人的品性顯露出來。
在隱秘處敬拜神，是人合用與否的先決條件。時候到了，不會再有[無花果樹下]的生活，你要出到外頭，在日光之下工作。那時你會發現，除非在家中你一向敬拜神，否則就一無可取。所以要有正確的敬拜，這樣，當神釋放你，你才准備妥當；因為在除了神就沒有人看得見的生命裡，你已完全茁壯合用。考驗來到，神才可以倚重你。
[現今的環境不容我過成聖的生活，我現在沒有時間讀經祈禱，我的機會還未來到，若時機一到，我自然可以應付。 ]錯了。你若一向沒有經常趁機會敬拜，一旦進入工廠，你不但無用，更會成為同工極大的障礙。聖徒私下隱藏的敬拜生活，乃是傳道工廠的彈藥。
祈禱◆噢，主，我的神，幫助我敬拜你。為著你的恆久不變，我讚美你。感動我，噢，主啊，藉著你的能力更新我的靈，使它對你和你的真理更加渴慕與感激。
Worshiping in Everyday Occasions. We presume that we would be ready for battle if confronted with a great crisis, but it is not the crisis that builds something within us— it simply reveals what we are made of already. Do you find yourself saying, “If God calls me to battle, of course I will rise to the occasion”? Yet you won’t rise to the occasion unless you have done so on God’s training ground. If you are not doing the task that is closest to you now, which God has engineered into your life, when the crisis comes, instead of being fit for battle, you will be revealed as being unfit. Crises always reveal a person’s true character.
A private relationship of worshiping God is the greatest essential element of spiritual fitness. The time will come, as Nathanael experienced in this passage, that a private “fig-tree” life will no longer be possible. Everything will be out in the open, and you will find yourself to be of no value there if you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions in your own home. If your worship is right in your private relationship with God, then when He sets you free, you will be ready. It is in the unseen life, which only God saw, that you have become perfectly fit. And when the strain of the crisis comes, you can be relied upon by God.
Are you saying, “But I can’t be expected to live a sanctified life in my present circumstances; I have no time for prayer or Bible study right now; besides, my opportunity for battle hasn’t come yet, but when it does, of course I will be ready”? No, you will not. If you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions, when you get involved in God’s work, you will not only be useless yourself but also a hindrance to those around you.
God’s training ground, where the missionary weapons are found, is the hidden, personal, worshiping life of the saint.
傳道者的彈藥
你在無花果樹底下，我就看見你了。 （約一48）
我們一位面臨重大關頭的時候，不然應付得來；可是，重大關頭只會揭露我們的本相，不會給我們加增什麼。 [要是神呼召我，我自會應付得來。 ]除非你能善處工廠的工作，在神面前有真材實料，否則，在重大關頭時，你必不能應付。倘若現在你連神在你身旁安排的事也不作，當重大關頭來到，你不但擔當不起，反而顯得不合用。重要關頭往往能把人的品性顯露出來。
在隱秘處敬拜神，是人合用與否的先決條件。時候到了，不會再有[無花果樹下]的生活，你要出到外頭，在日光之下工作。那時你會發現，除非在家中你一向敬拜神，否則就一無可取。所以要有正確的敬拜，這樣，當神釋放你，你才准備妥當；因為在除了神就沒有人看得見的生命裡，你已完全茁壯合用。考驗來到，神才可以倚重你。
[現今的環境不容我過成聖的生活，我現在沒有時間讀經祈禱，我的機會還未來到，若時機一到，我自然可以應付。 ]錯了。你若一向沒有經常趁機會敬拜，一旦進入工廠，你不但無用，更會成為同工極大的障礙。聖徒私下隱藏的敬拜生活，乃是傳道工廠的彈藥。
祈禱◆噢，主，我的神，幫助我敬拜你。為著你的恆久不變，我讚美你。感動我，噢，主啊，藉著你的能力更新我的靈，使它對你和你的真理更加渴慕與感激。
September 09, 2014
Do It Yourself (2)
. . . bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ . . . —2 Corinthians 10:5
Determinedly Discipline Other Things. This is another difficult aspect of the strenuous nature of sainthood. Paul said, according to the Moffatt translation of this verse, “. . . I take every project prisoner to make it obey Christ . . . .” So much Christian work today has never been disciplined, but has simply come into being by impulse! In our Lord’s life every project was disciplined to the will of His Father. There was never the slightest tendency to follow the impulse of His own will as distinct from His Father’s will— “the Son can do nothing of Himself . . . ” (John 5:19). Then compare this with what we do— we take “every thought” or project that comes to us by impulse and jump into action immediately, instead of imprisoning and disciplining ourselves to obey Christ.
Practical work for Christians is greatly overemphasized today, and the saints who are “bringing every thought [and project] into captivity” are criticized and told that they are not determined, and that they lack zeal for God or zeal for the souls of others. But true determination and zeal are found in obeying God, not in the inclination to serve Him that arises from our own undisciplined human nature. It is inconceivable, but true nevertheless, that saints are not “bringing every thought [and project] into captivity,” but are simply doing work for God that has been instigated by their own human nature, and has not been made spiritual through determined discipline.
We have a tendency to forget that a person is not only committed to Jesus Christ for salvation, but is also committed, responsible, and accountable to Jesus Christ’s view of God, the world, and of sin and the devil. This means that each person must recognize the responsibility to “be transformed by the renewing of [his] mind. . . .” (Romans 12:2).
自己做
又將人所有的心意奪回，使他都順服基督。 （林後十5）
這是信徒成聖須竭盡心力的另一面。保羅說：[我將所有計劃都封鎖，使它們都歸服於基督。 ]（摩法特譯本）今天多少基督徒的事工是沒有紀律，只出於一時衝動的！主每一件事都律己，遵照父的旨意。他沒有一絲行動，是脫離父的旨意，出於私意的衝動－－[子憑自己不能作什麼。 ]
再看看我們自己－－有活現的宗教經歷，就立刻衝動地把計劃付諸行動，而不是把它約束在對基督的順服裡。這時代太強調實際工作，以致那些為主把計劃俘擄的人，被批評為不熱心為神，也不愛靈魂。真心的熱誠，在於順服神，而不在於人性、不受約束的事奉熱誠。聖徒還未把每一計劃俘擄，就按本性－－未經定志律己而來的屬靈性情－－慫動去作神的工作，這雖是不可思議，卻確有其事。
我們很容易會忘記人不單要在救恩上歸服基督，也要歸服於基督對神、對世界、對罪、對魔鬼的觀點。這就是說，他必須藉心意的更新而改變。
祈禱◆主啊，我來到你面前。求你將你的生命豐盛地賜給我，直至我的理解力、想像力和言語，都全屬於你。你更新了我的靈，使我重獲救恩之樂，你是何等偉大！
Determinedly Discipline Other Things. This is another difficult aspect of the strenuous nature of sainthood. Paul said, according to the Moffatt translation of this verse, “. . . I take every project prisoner to make it obey Christ . . . .” So much Christian work today has never been disciplined, but has simply come into being by impulse! In our Lord’s life every project was disciplined to the will of His Father. There was never the slightest tendency to follow the impulse of His own will as distinct from His Father’s will— “the Son can do nothing of Himself . . . ” (John 5:19). Then compare this with what we do— we take “every thought” or project that comes to us by impulse and jump into action immediately, instead of imprisoning and disciplining ourselves to obey Christ.
Practical work for Christians is greatly overemphasized today, and the saints who are “bringing every thought [and project] into captivity” are criticized and told that they are not determined, and that they lack zeal for God or zeal for the souls of others. But true determination and zeal are found in obeying God, not in the inclination to serve Him that arises from our own undisciplined human nature. It is inconceivable, but true nevertheless, that saints are not “bringing every thought [and project] into captivity,” but are simply doing work for God that has been instigated by their own human nature, and has not been made spiritual through determined discipline.
We have a tendency to forget that a person is not only committed to Jesus Christ for salvation, but is also committed, responsible, and accountable to Jesus Christ’s view of God, the world, and of sin and the devil. This means that each person must recognize the responsibility to “be transformed by the renewing of [his] mind. . . .” (Romans 12:2).
自己做
又將人所有的心意奪回，使他都順服基督。 （林後十5）
這是信徒成聖須竭盡心力的另一面。保羅說：[我將所有計劃都封鎖，使它們都歸服於基督。 ]（摩法特譯本）今天多少基督徒的事工是沒有紀律，只出於一時衝動的！主每一件事都律己，遵照父的旨意。他沒有一絲行動，是脫離父的旨意，出於私意的衝動－－[子憑自己不能作什麼。 ]
再看看我們自己－－有活現的宗教經歷，就立刻衝動地把計劃付諸行動，而不是把它約束在對基督的順服裡。這時代太強調實際工作，以致那些為主把計劃俘擄的人，被批評為不熱心為神，也不愛靈魂。真心的熱誠，在於順服神，而不在於人性、不受約束的事奉熱誠。聖徒還未把每一計劃俘擄，就按本性－－未經定志律己而來的屬靈性情－－慫動去作神的工作，這雖是不可思議，卻確有其事。
我們很容易會忘記人不單要在救恩上歸服基督，也要歸服於基督對神、對世界、對罪、對魔鬼的觀點。這就是說，他必須藉心意的更新而改變。
祈禱◆主啊，我來到你面前。求你將你的生命豐盛地賜給我，直至我的理解力、想像力和言語，都全屬於你。你更新了我的靈，使我重獲救恩之樂，你是何等偉大！
September 08, 2014
Do It Yourself (1)
. . . casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God . . . —2 Corinthians 10:5
Determinedly Demolish Some Things. Deliverance from sin is not the same as deliverance from human nature. There are things in human nature, such as prejudices, that the saint can only destroy through sheer neglect. But there are other things that have to be destroyed through violence, that is, through God’s divine strength imparted by His Spirit. There are some things over which we are not to fight, but only to “stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord . . .” (see Exodus 14:13). But every theory or thought that raises itself up as a fortified barrier “against the knowledge of God” is to be determinedly demolished by drawing on God’s power, not through human effort or by compromise (see 2 Corinthians 10:4).
It is only when God has transformed our nature and we have entered into the experience of sanctification that the fight begins. The warfare is not against sin; we can never fight against sin— Jesus Christ conquered that in His redemption of us. The conflict is waged over turning our natural life into a spiritual life. This is never done easily, nor does God intend that it be so. It is accomplished only through a series of moral choices. God does not make us holy in the sense that He makes our character holy. He makes us holy in the sense that He has made us innocent before Him. And then we have to turn that innocence into holy character through the moral choices we make. These choices are continually opposed and hostile to the things of our natural life which have become so deeply entrenched— the very things that raise themselves up as fortified barriers “against the knowledge of God.” We can either turn back, making ourselves of no value to the kingdom of God, or we can determinedly demolish these things, allowing Jesus to bring another son to glory (see Hebrews 2:10).
自己做
將各樣的計謀，各樣阻攔人認識神的那些自高之事，一概攻破了。 （林後十5）
從罪得釋放，並不等於從人性中得釋放。人性中有些東西（例如偏見），聖徒要不顧，才能毀滅；有些東西要靠強力，就是神屬天得能力來拆毀；而另外有些東西則不用爭戰，我們只管站住，靜靜觀看神的拯救。任何理論或觀念，若阻礙了對神的認識，就必須立志靠神的能力去拆毀，而不是靠肉體的努力或妥協（林後十4）。
惟有當我們的性情被神改造，進入成聖的經驗裡去，這一場爭戰才可開始。這場仗不是向罪打，我們永無法與罪對抗：耶穌嫉妒的救贖已對付了罪。戰線是在於把天然生命轉為屬靈生命，這不是容易的，神也不想把這事變得容易。這事的作成，是要經過一連串的道德選擇，神使我們成聖，並不在品性上；乃是叫我們無罪，然後把這無罪透過一連串的道德選擇，轉變成為聖潔的品性。這些選擇往往不斷與我們天然生命的盤踞點，及那些阻攔我們認識神的保壘對抗。我們以回頭，在神的國里一事無成；或者，我們可以決意拆毀這些東西，讓耶穌多得一個兒子進到榮耀裡去。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你這天成為一個完全屬乎你這位王的日子。感動我們，噢，主啊，讓我們在屬靈和物質上的一切生活，都可以配合你的計劃。只要是出於你的感動，一切都會變得美好。
Determinedly Demolish Some Things. Deliverance from sin is not the same as deliverance from human nature. There are things in human nature, such as prejudices, that the saint can only destroy through sheer neglect. But there are other things that have to be destroyed through violence, that is, through God’s divine strength imparted by His Spirit. There are some things over which we are not to fight, but only to “stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord . . .” (see Exodus 14:13). But every theory or thought that raises itself up as a fortified barrier “against the knowledge of God” is to be determinedly demolished by drawing on God’s power, not through human effort or by compromise (see 2 Corinthians 10:4).
It is only when God has transformed our nature and we have entered into the experience of sanctification that the fight begins. The warfare is not against sin; we can never fight against sin— Jesus Christ conquered that in His redemption of us. The conflict is waged over turning our natural life into a spiritual life. This is never done easily, nor does God intend that it be so. It is accomplished only through a series of moral choices. God does not make us holy in the sense that He makes our character holy. He makes us holy in the sense that He has made us innocent before Him. And then we have to turn that innocence into holy character through the moral choices we make. These choices are continually opposed and hostile to the things of our natural life which have become so deeply entrenched— the very things that raise themselves up as fortified barriers “against the knowledge of God.” We can either turn back, making ourselves of no value to the kingdom of God, or we can determinedly demolish these things, allowing Jesus to bring another son to glory (see Hebrews 2:10).
自己做
將各樣的計謀，各樣阻攔人認識神的那些自高之事，一概攻破了。 （林後十5）
從罪得釋放，並不等於從人性中得釋放。人性中有些東西（例如偏見），聖徒要不顧，才能毀滅；有些東西要靠強力，就是神屬天得能力來拆毀；而另外有些東西則不用爭戰，我們只管站住，靜靜觀看神的拯救。任何理論或觀念，若阻礙了對神的認識，就必須立志靠神的能力去拆毀，而不是靠肉體的努力或妥協（林後十4）。
惟有當我們的性情被神改造，進入成聖的經驗裡去，這一場爭戰才可開始。這場仗不是向罪打，我們永無法與罪對抗：耶穌嫉妒的救贖已對付了罪。戰線是在於把天然生命轉為屬靈生命，這不是容易的，神也不想把這事變得容易。這事的作成，是要經過一連串的道德選擇，神使我們成聖，並不在品性上；乃是叫我們無罪，然後把這無罪透過一連串的道德選擇，轉變成為聖潔的品性。這些選擇往往不斷與我們天然生命的盤踞點，及那些阻攔我們認識神的保壘對抗。我們以回頭，在神的國里一事無成；或者，我們可以決意拆毀這些東西，讓耶穌多得一個兒子進到榮耀裡去。
祈禱◆噢，主啊，願你這天成為一個完全屬乎你這位王的日子。感動我們，噢，主啊，讓我們在屬靈和物質上的一切生活，都可以配合你的計劃。只要是出於你的感動，一切都會變得美好。
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