If you have faith as a mustard seed . . . nothing will be impossible for you —Matthew 17:20
We have the idea that God rewards us for our faith, and it may be so in the initial stages. But we do not earn anything through faith— faith brings us into the right relationship with God and gives Him His opportunity to work. Yet God frequently has to knock the bottom out of your experience as His saint to get you in direct contact with Himself. God wants you to understand that it is a life of faith, not a life of emotional enjoyment of His blessings. The beginning of your life of faith was very narrow and intense, centered around a small amount of experience that had as much emotion as faith in it, and it was full of light and sweetness. Then God withdrew His conscious blessings to teach you to “walk by faith” (2 Corinthians 5:7). And you are worth much more to Him now than you were in your days of conscious delight with your thrilling testimony.
Faith by its very nature must be tested and tried. And the real trial of faith is not that we find it difficult to trust God, but that God’s character must be proven as trustworthy in our own minds. Faith being worked out into reality must experience times of unbroken isolation. Never confuse the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life, because a great deal of what we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith, as the Bible teaches it, is faith in God coming against everything that contradicts Him— a faith that says, “I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do.” The highest and the greatest expression of faith in the whole Bible is— “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).
信心的辨識
你們若有信心像一粒芥菜種（太十七20）
我們往往認為神會因我們的信心，報答我們。初時可能是這樣，但其實我們不能藉信心賺取什麼。信心使我們與神的關係正確，以致神有機會作工。你若是聖徒，神往往要把你的經驗底板抽去，好使你直接與他接觸。神要你明白，這是信心的生命，而不是情感化地享受他祝福的生命。你早期的信心生命是狹窄的、緊張的，環繞著一小撮光明的經歷，滿了陽光與甜蜜，可是其中信心的成他分，與常理的成他分差不多同等。後來神把可見的祝福挪開，教你行信心的路，你如今在他手上更有價值，遠超那些感覺喜樂、滿有激動見證的日子。
信心必須經過試驗。信心真正的考驗，不是在於我們覺得難以信靠神，而是在於我們對神的性情，必須有清楚的認識。信心的實現，必須經過一連串個別孤立的考驗。不要把信心的試驗與一般生活的操練混為一談。許多我們成為信心的考驗，不過是活在地上無法避免的事情。聖經中的信心，是在一切違反神自己的事上，還持定信神－－[不管神怎樣做，我必定忠於神的本性。 ][他雖然殺我，我仍要信靠他。 ]－－這是聖經中信心的最高表現。
祈禱◆主啊，今天早上，一堆微小但實際的事情擠進我的思想，我將它們直接帶到你的面前。你以智慧說：[住了吧！靜了吧！ ]願我們那接受你吩咐的生命，承認你的平靜是何等美好。
October 31, 2014
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 29, 2014
Substitution
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him —2 Corinthians 5:21
The modern view of the death of Jesus is that He died for our sins out of sympathy for us. Yet the New Testament view is that He took our sin on Himself not because of sympathy, but because of His identification with us. He was “made . . . to be sin . . .” Our sins are removed because of the death of Jesus, and the only explanation for His death is His obedience to His Father, not His sympathy for us. We are acceptable to God not because we have obeyed, nor because we have promised to give up things, but because of the death of Christ, and for no other reason. We say that Jesus Christ came to reveal the fatherhood and the lovingkindness of God, but the New Testament says that He came to take “away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). And the revealing of the fatherhood of God is only to those to whom Jesus has been introduced as Savior. In speaking to the world, Jesus Christ never referred to Himself as One who revealed the Father, but He spoke instead of being a stumbling block (see John 15:22-24). John 14:9, where Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father,” was spoken to His disciples.
That Christ died for me, and therefore I am completely free from penalty, is never taught in the New Testament. What is taught in the New Testament is that “He died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15)— not, “He died my death”— and that through identification with His death I can be freed from sin, and have His very righteousness imparted as a gift to me. The substitution which is taught in the New Testament is twofold— “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The teaching is not Christ for me unless I am determined to have Christ formed in me (see Galatians 4:19).
替代
神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 （林後五21）
現代人以為耶穌為我們的罪死，是因為他同情我們。但新約的觀點卻不然，他並非因同情而背負我們的罪，他乃是因為於我們認同。神使他成為罪。他的死，叫我們得以除罪；而他的死，是順服他父的旨意，而不是出於對我們的同情。我們蒙神悅納，不是因為順服，或答應放棄什麼東西，乃是因為基督的死，除此別無他法。我們說耶穌基督來，是彰顯神為父的地位，和他的恩慈；但新約卻說：他來是擔當世人的罪。他彰顯父神，只是向那些人他為救主的人。主從來沒有向世人說他自己就是彰顯父神的那一位，他只說自己是絆腳石（約十五22-24）。約翰福音十四章第9節是對門徒說的。
新約從沒有說基督為我死，所以我就免罰了。新約的教訓是[他為萬人死]（不是代替了我死），而我在他的死上與他合一，就從罪中得著釋放，並承受了他的義。新約所教導的代替是有雙重的意義：[神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 ]除非我決意讓基督成形在我裡面，否則，基督就不是[替]我死了。
祈禱◆主啊，為著再次感受到與你之間有著喜樂的相交，我讚美你。願你將平靜的思想和堅定的決心賜給我。讓我毫無懷疑和毫不偏斜地屬於你。
The modern view of the death of Jesus is that He died for our sins out of sympathy for us. Yet the New Testament view is that He took our sin on Himself not because of sympathy, but because of His identification with us. He was “made . . . to be sin . . .” Our sins are removed because of the death of Jesus, and the only explanation for His death is His obedience to His Father, not His sympathy for us. We are acceptable to God not because we have obeyed, nor because we have promised to give up things, but because of the death of Christ, and for no other reason. We say that Jesus Christ came to reveal the fatherhood and the lovingkindness of God, but the New Testament says that He came to take “away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). And the revealing of the fatherhood of God is only to those to whom Jesus has been introduced as Savior. In speaking to the world, Jesus Christ never referred to Himself as One who revealed the Father, but He spoke instead of being a stumbling block (see John 15:22-24). John 14:9, where Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father,” was spoken to His disciples.
That Christ died for me, and therefore I am completely free from penalty, is never taught in the New Testament. What is taught in the New Testament is that “He died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15)— not, “He died my death”— and that through identification with His death I can be freed from sin, and have His very righteousness imparted as a gift to me. The substitution which is taught in the New Testament is twofold— “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The teaching is not Christ for me unless I am determined to have Christ formed in me (see Galatians 4:19).
替代
神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 （林後五21）
現代人以為耶穌為我們的罪死，是因為他同情我們。但新約的觀點卻不然，他並非因同情而背負我們的罪，他乃是因為於我們認同。神使他成為罪。他的死，叫我們得以除罪；而他的死，是順服他父的旨意，而不是出於對我們的同情。我們蒙神悅納，不是因為順服，或答應放棄什麼東西，乃是因為基督的死，除此別無他法。我們說耶穌基督來，是彰顯神為父的地位，和他的恩慈；但新約卻說：他來是擔當世人的罪。他彰顯父神，只是向那些人他為救主的人。主從來沒有向世人說他自己就是彰顯父神的那一位，他只說自己是絆腳石（約十五22-24）。約翰福音十四章第9節是對門徒說的。
新約從沒有說基督為我死，所以我就免罰了。新約的教訓是[他為萬人死]（不是代替了我死），而我在他的死上與他合一，就從罪中得著釋放，並承受了他的義。新約所教導的代替是有雙重的意義：[神使那無罪的，替我們成為罪，好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。 ]除非我決意讓基督成形在我裡面，否則，基督就不是[替]我死了。
祈禱◆主啊，為著再次感受到與你之間有著喜樂的相交，我讚美你。願你將平靜的思想和堅定的決心賜給我。讓我毫無懷疑和毫不偏斜地屬於你。
October 28, 2014
Justification by Faith
If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life —Romans 5:10
I am not saved by believing— I simply realize I am saved by believing. And it is not repentance that saves me— repentance is only the sign that I realize what God has done through Christ Jesus. The danger here is putting the emphasis on the effect, instead of on the cause. Is it my obedience, consecration, and dedication that make me right with God? It is never that! I am made right with God because, prior to all of that, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals, the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ instantly places me into a right relationship with God. And as a result of the supernatural miracle of God’s grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, or because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The Spirit of God brings justification with a shattering, radiant light, and I know that I am saved, even though I don’t know how it was accomplished.
The salvation that comes from God is not based on human logic, but on the sacrificial death of Jesus. We can be born again solely because of the atonement of our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creations, not through their repentance or their belief, but through the wonderful work of God in Christ Jesus which preceded all of our experience (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-19). The unconquerable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself. We do not have to accomplish these things ourselves— they have been accomplished through the atonement of the Cross of Christ. The supernatural becomes natural to us through the miracle of God, and there is the realization of what Jesus Christ has already done— “It is finished!” (John 19:30).
因信稱義
因為我們作仇敵的時候，且藉著神兒子的死，得與神和好，既已和好，就更要因他得生得救了。 （羅五10）
我不是因我的信得救，我是因著信，知道自己得救。悔改不能救我；悔改只表示我體會神在基督耶穌裡所成就的。最危險的是把重點放在果效，而不放在基因上。因為我順服，所以與神和好－－我的成聖。不！我與神和好，是因為在一切以先，基督死了。當我轉向神，憑信心接納神所啟示我－－耶穌基督救贖的大能－－就立時進入與神和好的境地；又憑著神恩典超然的神蹟，我立在稱義的地位上。這不是因為我認罪，不是因為我悔改，而是因為主耶穌所成就的。神的靈帶來一道透澈的光芒，於是我知道自己得救了，雖然我不知道這到底怎樣發生的。
神的救贖並不建基於人的邏輯，乃建基於耶穌的捨身。我們得以重生，是因為主的救贖。有罪的人可以成為新造的人，不是由於他們悔改，不是由於他們相信，乃是由於神在主耶穌里奇妙的工作，這是一切經歷之首。稱義成聖的穩固保障，是神自己。我們不必去做什麼，因為一切已在救贖中作成了。神奇妙的作為使超然的成為自然，我們可以認識主耶穌已春泥果酒的－－[成了]。
祈禱◆主啊，因著在你這位眾光之父裡，[沒有改變，也沒有轉動的影兒]，我便歡喜快樂。願你使我能辨別你的統治和管理。
I am not saved by believing— I simply realize I am saved by believing. And it is not repentance that saves me— repentance is only the sign that I realize what God has done through Christ Jesus. The danger here is putting the emphasis on the effect, instead of on the cause. Is it my obedience, consecration, and dedication that make me right with God? It is never that! I am made right with God because, prior to all of that, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals, the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ instantly places me into a right relationship with God. And as a result of the supernatural miracle of God’s grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, or because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The Spirit of God brings justification with a shattering, radiant light, and I know that I am saved, even though I don’t know how it was accomplished.
The salvation that comes from God is not based on human logic, but on the sacrificial death of Jesus. We can be born again solely because of the atonement of our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creations, not through their repentance or their belief, but through the wonderful work of God in Christ Jesus which preceded all of our experience (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-19). The unconquerable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself. We do not have to accomplish these things ourselves— they have been accomplished through the atonement of the Cross of Christ. The supernatural becomes natural to us through the miracle of God, and there is the realization of what Jesus Christ has already done— “It is finished!” (John 19:30).
因信稱義
因為我們作仇敵的時候，且藉著神兒子的死，得與神和好，既已和好，就更要因他得生得救了。 （羅五10）
我不是因我的信得救，我是因著信，知道自己得救。悔改不能救我；悔改只表示我體會神在基督耶穌裡所成就的。最危險的是把重點放在果效，而不放在基因上。因為我順服，所以與神和好－－我的成聖。不！我與神和好，是因為在一切以先，基督死了。當我轉向神，憑信心接納神所啟示我－－耶穌基督救贖的大能－－就立時進入與神和好的境地；又憑著神恩典超然的神蹟，我立在稱義的地位上。這不是因為我認罪，不是因為我悔改，而是因為主耶穌所成就的。神的靈帶來一道透澈的光芒，於是我知道自己得救了，雖然我不知道這到底怎樣發生的。
神的救贖並不建基於人的邏輯，乃建基於耶穌的捨身。我們得以重生，是因為主的救贖。有罪的人可以成為新造的人，不是由於他們悔改，不是由於他們相信，乃是由於神在主耶穌里奇妙的工作，這是一切經歷之首。稱義成聖的穩固保障，是神自己。我們不必去做什麼，因為一切已在救贖中作成了。神奇妙的作為使超然的成為自然，我們可以認識主耶穌已春泥果酒的－－[成了]。
祈禱◆主啊，因著在你這位眾光之父裡，[沒有改變，也沒有轉動的影兒]，我便歡喜快樂。願你使我能辨別你的統治和管理。
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 26, 2014
What is a Missionary?
Jesus said to them again, ’. . . As the Father has sent Me, I also send you’ —John 20:21
A missionary is someone sent by Jesus Christ just as He was sent by God. The great controlling factor is not the needs of people, but the command of Jesus. The source of our inspiration in our service for God is behind us, not ahead of us. The tendency today is to put the inspiration out in front— to sweep everything together in front of us and make it conform to our definition of success. But in the New Testament the inspiration is put behind us, and is the Lord Jesus Himself. The goal is to be true to Him— to carry out His plans.
Personal attachment to the Lord Jesus and to His perspective is the one thing that must not be overlooked. In missionary work the great danger is that God’s call will be replaced by the needs of the people, to the point that human sympathy for those needs will absolutely overwhelm the meaning of being sent by Jesus. The needs are so enormous, and the conditions so difficult, that every power of the mind falters and fails. We tend to forget that the one great reason underneath all missionary work is not primarily the elevation of the people, their education, nor their needs, but is first and foremost the command of Jesus Christ— “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . .” (Matthew 28:19).
When looking back on the lives of men and women of God, the tendency is to say, “What wonderfully keen and intelligent wisdom they had, and how perfectly they understood all that God wanted!” But the keen and intelligent mind behind them was the mind of God, not human wisdom at all. We give credit to human wisdom when we should give credit to the divine guidance of God being exhibited through childlike people who were “foolish” enough to trust God’s wisdom and His supernatural equipment.
宣教士是什麼？
"父怎樣差遣了我，我也照樣差遣你們。"約20：21
宣教士是被耶穌所差遣的人，正如耶穌被神差遣一樣。最重要的不是人的需要，而是耶穌的命令。激勵我們為神工作的根源是在後面，而不是在前面。今日的趨勢是將激勵放在前面，把每一件事帶到我們面前，使其達到我們對勝利的看法。在新約裡面，激勵是放在我們後頭，就是主耶穌。目標是向他真誠，實現他的事業。
一定不可以忽視個人對主耶穌和他的觀點的忠誠。在宣教事業中，最大的危險是神的呼召被人的需要逐漸削弱，以致人的同情心絕對的壓倒了被耶穌差遣的意義。需要是如此巨大，環境是如此令人困惑，以致我們心思裡的所有力量都動搖和失敗。我們忘記了在所有宣教事業背後最大的原因首先不是人的高尚，不是人的教育，也不是滿足他們的需要；居首位的和最重要的是耶穌基督的命令－－"所以，你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒。"（太28： 19）
當回過頭來看屬神的男女的生平，趨向說－－"他們有何等奇妙機敏的智慧！他們如此完全的明白神的旨意！"其實這機敏的心思乃是神的心思，根本不是人的智慧。我們本當信任神的屬天指引的時候，我們卻信任人的智慧；神藉著小孩子一樣的人來引導我們，他們是"愚拙"而完全信靠神的智慧和他超自然才能的人。
祈禱◆主啊，求你今天在我的禱告、敬拜和工作中，以你的靈重新膏抹我，以致在一切事情上，你都可以得居優越的位置。
A missionary is someone sent by Jesus Christ just as He was sent by God. The great controlling factor is not the needs of people, but the command of Jesus. The source of our inspiration in our service for God is behind us, not ahead of us. The tendency today is to put the inspiration out in front— to sweep everything together in front of us and make it conform to our definition of success. But in the New Testament the inspiration is put behind us, and is the Lord Jesus Himself. The goal is to be true to Him— to carry out His plans.
Personal attachment to the Lord Jesus and to His perspective is the one thing that must not be overlooked. In missionary work the great danger is that God’s call will be replaced by the needs of the people, to the point that human sympathy for those needs will absolutely overwhelm the meaning of being sent by Jesus. The needs are so enormous, and the conditions so difficult, that every power of the mind falters and fails. We tend to forget that the one great reason underneath all missionary work is not primarily the elevation of the people, their education, nor their needs, but is first and foremost the command of Jesus Christ— “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . .” (Matthew 28:19).
When looking back on the lives of men and women of God, the tendency is to say, “What wonderfully keen and intelligent wisdom they had, and how perfectly they understood all that God wanted!” But the keen and intelligent mind behind them was the mind of God, not human wisdom at all. We give credit to human wisdom when we should give credit to the divine guidance of God being exhibited through childlike people who were “foolish” enough to trust God’s wisdom and His supernatural equipment.
宣教士是什麼？
"父怎樣差遣了我，我也照樣差遣你們。"約20：21
宣教士是被耶穌所差遣的人，正如耶穌被神差遣一樣。最重要的不是人的需要，而是耶穌的命令。激勵我們為神工作的根源是在後面，而不是在前面。今日的趨勢是將激勵放在前面，把每一件事帶到我們面前，使其達到我們對勝利的看法。在新約裡面，激勵是放在我們後頭，就是主耶穌。目標是向他真誠，實現他的事業。
一定不可以忽視個人對主耶穌和他的觀點的忠誠。在宣教事業中，最大的危險是神的呼召被人的需要逐漸削弱，以致人的同情心絕對的壓倒了被耶穌差遣的意義。需要是如此巨大，環境是如此令人困惑，以致我們心思裡的所有力量都動搖和失敗。我們忘記了在所有宣教事業背後最大的原因首先不是人的高尚，不是人的教育，也不是滿足他們的需要；居首位的和最重要的是耶穌基督的命令－－"所以，你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒。"（太28： 19）
當回過頭來看屬神的男女的生平，趨向說－－"他們有何等奇妙機敏的智慧！他們如此完全的明白神的旨意！"其實這機敏的心思乃是神的心思，根本不是人的智慧。我們本當信任神的屬天指引的時候，我們卻信任人的智慧；神藉著小孩子一樣的人來引導我們，他們是"愚拙"而完全信靠神的智慧和他超自然才能的人。
祈禱◆主啊，求你今天在我的禱告、敬拜和工作中，以你的靈重新膏抹我，以致在一切事情上，你都可以得居優越的位置。
October 25, 2014
Submitting to God’s Purpose
I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some —1 Corinthians 9:22
A Christian worker has to learn how to be God’s man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things. Never protest by saying, “If only I were somewhere else!” All of God’s people are ordinary people who have been made extraordinary by the purpose He has given them. Unless we have the right purpose intellectually in our minds and lovingly in our hearts, we will very quickly be diverted from being useful to God. We are not workers for God by choice. Many people deliberately choose to be workers, but they have no purpose of God’s almighty grace or His mighty Word in them. Paul’s whole heart, mind, and soul were consumed with the great purpose of what Jesus Christ came to do, and he never lost sight of that one thing. We must continually confront ourselves with one central fact— “. . . Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
“I chose you . . .” (John 15:16). Keep these words as a wonderful reminder in your theology. It is not that you have gotten God, but that He has gotten you. God is at work bending, breaking, molding, and doing exactly as He chooses. And why is He doing it? He is doing it for only one purpose— that He may be able to say, “This is My man, and this is My woman.” We have to be in God’s hand so that He can place others on the Rock, Jesus Christ, just as He has placed us.
Never choose to be a worker, but once God has placed His call upon you, woe be to you if you “turn aside . . . to the right or the left . . .” (Deuteronomy 28:14). He will do with you what He never did before His call came to you, and He will do with you what He is not doing with other people. Let Him have His way.
永遠的破碎
"向什麼樣的人，我就作什麼樣的人。無論如何總要救些人。"林前9：22
一個基督徒工人要學會如何在卑賤的事中成為屬神的高尚之人。千萬不要用這個藉口－－如果我在其他地方就好了！所有屬神的人都是平凡人，只是因神所給予他們的內容而成為特別。除非我們在心智和情感上都有了正確的內容，否則我們會對神毫無用處。我們不是選擇作神的工人。許多人刻意地選擇作神的工人，但在他們裡面沒有神全能的恩典，也沒有他大能的話語。保羅的整個心、思想和靈魂都被耶穌基督降世的偉大使命所吸引，他從沒有忘記這件事。我們也要面對自己在這個中心的事實－－耶穌基督並他釘十字架。
"我已經揀選了你。"要在你的信條裡牢記這偉大的話語。不是你得到了神，而是他得到了你。在這所學校裡，神在做工，他改變人，他打碎人，他模造人，按照他所揀選的去做。我們不知道他為什麼做這個，他只是為了一個唯一的目的－－就是他可以說，這是屬於我的男人，這是屬於我的女人。我們要在神的手裡，好讓他把人栽種在磐石上，就像栽種我們一樣。
不要自己選擇去做一個工人，但是當神呼召你時，如果你左推右搪，就有禍了。他會在你身上做些事情，是呼召你以前所未做過的；他會對付你，不像對其他人那樣。讓他按他的方式做吧。
A Christian worker has to learn how to be God’s man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things. Never protest by saying, “If only I were somewhere else!” All of God’s people are ordinary people who have been made extraordinary by the purpose He has given them. Unless we have the right purpose intellectually in our minds and lovingly in our hearts, we will very quickly be diverted from being useful to God. We are not workers for God by choice. Many people deliberately choose to be workers, but they have no purpose of God’s almighty grace or His mighty Word in them. Paul’s whole heart, mind, and soul were consumed with the great purpose of what Jesus Christ came to do, and he never lost sight of that one thing. We must continually confront ourselves with one central fact— “. . . Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
“I chose you . . .” (John 15:16). Keep these words as a wonderful reminder in your theology. It is not that you have gotten God, but that He has gotten you. God is at work bending, breaking, molding, and doing exactly as He chooses. And why is He doing it? He is doing it for only one purpose— that He may be able to say, “This is My man, and this is My woman.” We have to be in God’s hand so that He can place others on the Rock, Jesus Christ, just as He has placed us.
Never choose to be a worker, but once God has placed His call upon you, woe be to you if you “turn aside . . . to the right or the left . . .” (Deuteronomy 28:14). He will do with you what He never did before His call came to you, and He will do with you what He is not doing with other people. Let Him have His way.
永遠的破碎
"向什麼樣的人，我就作什麼樣的人。無論如何總要救些人。"林前9：22
一個基督徒工人要學會如何在卑賤的事中成為屬神的高尚之人。千萬不要用這個藉口－－如果我在其他地方就好了！所有屬神的人都是平凡人，只是因神所給予他們的內容而成為特別。除非我們在心智和情感上都有了正確的內容，否則我們會對神毫無用處。我們不是選擇作神的工人。許多人刻意地選擇作神的工人，但在他們裡面沒有神全能的恩典，也沒有他大能的話語。保羅的整個心、思想和靈魂都被耶穌基督降世的偉大使命所吸引，他從沒有忘記這件事。我們也要面對自己在這個中心的事實－－耶穌基督並他釘十字架。
"我已經揀選了你。"要在你的信條裡牢記這偉大的話語。不是你得到了神，而是他得到了你。在這所學校裡，神在做工，他改變人，他打碎人，他模造人，按照他所揀選的去做。我們不知道他為什麼做這個，他只是為了一個唯一的目的－－就是他可以說，這是屬於我的男人，這是屬於我的女人。我們要在神的手裡，好讓他把人栽種在磐石上，就像栽種我們一樣。
不要自己選擇去做一個工人，但是當神呼召你時，如果你左推右搪，就有禍了。他會在你身上做些事情，是呼召你以前所未做過的；他會對付你，不像對其他人那樣。讓他按他的方式做吧。
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