《竭诚为主》1月12日 你曾独自与神同在吗？
没有人的时候，就把一切的道讲给门徒听。（可四34）


我们与神独处。耶稣不会时常把我们拉在一旁，独自把事情向我们讲解；他乃按着我们所能了解的，讲给我们听。别人的生命都不过是比喻，神所要的乃是我们对自己的反省。这是一项缓慢的工作，神要用无尽的时间才把一个人塑造成合他心意的。我们若要被神使用，就要让他带我们认识自己的不足与丑陋。我们对自己认识之少，简直令人惊奇。嫉妒、怠惰、骄傲，我们早已视若无睹。耶稣就是要把我们未蒙他恩典改造之前，所有蕴藏在肉体里的东西显明出来。有多少人肯鼓起勇气往内里一看？


要除掉自以为认识自己的骄傲，这是最难的。唯一明白我们的只有神。在属灵生命中，最大的咒诅就是自负。我们若有机会瞥见自己在神的眼中本来面目，就永不会说：“啊，我是多么不配。”因为我们实实在在不配，所以用不着说出来。一日我们还未完全认识自己真的不配，神就会追着我们，直至与我们碰头。因为只要有一些自负或骄傲存在，耶稣就无法向我们解明真理。他要领我们经过理智骄傲的创痛，或心灵的沮丧；他会披露不合宜的感情－－这些东西是我们从未想过神要用来对付我们的。在教室里，我们听了许多话，但未明白。惟有当神单独与我们相处，我们才真正明白。

《竭诚为主》1月13日 你曾独自与神同在吗？


无人的时候，……十二个门徒问……（可四10）


他与我们独处。神藉困苦、创伤、试诱、失望、疾病、爱情的挫折、友谊的破裂，或新友情的建立，把我们带到一个孤单的境况；我们哑口无言，一句话也问不出来。这时，他才开始向我们解说。试看看耶稣怎样训练十二门徒。当时困惑不解的是门徒，不是外面的群众。他们不住地发问，他也不住地讲解：可是要等到他们接受了圣灵，才真正了解（约十四26）。


你若与神同行，你唯一可以明了的事，也是神唯一要你明了的事，就是他要对付你的内心。弟兄的愁苦和疑难，你是一概不明白的。我们以为很明白别人的情况，直到神向我们的毛病给上一服药。其实每人心中都有一大片顽梗愚昧的区域，有待圣灵向我们显明。只有当耶稣抓住我们单独见面，才能作成。我们现在是否与主独处？还是浮游于无谓的思想里？忙乱于无关重要的事奉上？或是为身体作无谓的打算？除非我们停止头脑上杂七杂八的问题、单独面对耶稣，否则他无法向我们讲解真理。

《竭诚为主》1月14日 被神选召

我可以差遣谁呢？谁肯为我们去呢？我说，我在这里，请差遣我。（赛六8）


神并没有直接呼召以赛亚，是以赛亚听到神在说：“谁肯为我们去呢？”神的呼召不是单为特殊几个人而发，而是对每一个人的。听不听见神的呼召，要视乎我耳朵的状况；而到底听见什么，则视乎我的性情了。“被召的人多，选上的人少。”意思是：很少人有被选上的条件。被选上的人，是藉着耶稣基督与神建立关系，以致性情改变了，耳朵开通了，就听见那微小的声音不住地在问：“谁肯为我们去呢！？”神不是特别指着一个人说：“听着，你去吧！”神并没有强逼以赛亚；以赛亚只在神跟前，刚好听见他的呼召，觉得没有别的话可以回答，就甘心情愿地说：“我在这里，请差遣我。”


别以为神会催逼你，恳求你！（把这意念除去吧。）当日主呼召门徒，也没有从外面施予无法抗拒的压力。他只是平静而热切地要求“跟从我”，是对那些理智清醒能以自主的人发出的。我们若让圣灵带我们与神面对面，也会听见类似以赛亚所听见的——神微小的声音；也会自然而然地回答说：“我在这里，请差遣我。”

《竭诚为主》1月15日 你穿白衣而行吗？

和他一同埋葬……一举一动有新生的样式。（罗六4）


一个人要经历完全的成圣，不能不先经过“白色的葬礼”——旧生命的埋葬。若没有这死的转捩点，成圣只不过是幻影。必须有一次“白色的丧礼”，死才有复活 ——复活在耶稣基督的生命里头。什么都不能摇动这生命，这是与神合一的生命；而我们的目的只有一个，就是为他作见证。你真的来到生命的尽头了吗？在情绪上你固然时常会来到，但是否真真正正面对它？你不可能兴兴奋奋地死去。死的意思是你不复存在。你有没有答应神，让往日那竭力挣扎、热情充沛的信徒经历成为过去？我们往往巡视坟场的四周，始终不肯死去。我们并不是要竭力求死，乃是“受洗归入他的死”。


你行过你“白色的葬礼”没有？还是在与自己的灵魂愚弄嬉耍？你生命中有没有一个地方标明“末日”？有没有一个地方让你想起当日所受的管教，心中万分感激地说：“是了，就在那时，在那‘白色丧礼’中，我与神立了约”？神的旨意是叫我们成圣。当你一旦觉察到神的旨意是什么，就十分自然地进到成圣的地步。你愿意现在就行那“白色丧礼”吗？你能否向神首肯说，这一天是你在地上的最后一天？首肯的时刻是在你手上。

《竭诚为主》1月16日 神本性的呼声

经文：我又听见主的声音，说，我可以差遣谁呢？（赛六8）



说到神的呼召，我们很容易忘记一件最重要的事：就是呼召者的本性。海有海的呼声，山有山的呼声，冰山有冰山的呼声；这些呼声只有少数人听见。呼声是事物本性的一种表现，必须有同样的性情才能接收那呼声。神的呼召是神本性的流露，而不是我们的。神的呼声中，有好些线路是预定给我们用的，所以我们才认得那声音。神的声音透过那线路来呼召我们，别人是呼不出来的。在某些特别的事上，与人磋商斟酌是无济于事，我们必须保持与神的密切关系。



神的呼召不是我们本性的反响；我的喜好倾向于个性，也渺不相涉。如果只一直注视自己的个性，想看自己到底适合做什么，那将永远听不见神的呼召。但当我与神深交，就落在以赛亚的情景里了。以赛亚的心灵因经历了重大的事件，与神密切贴近，他惊异的心灵就录下了神呼唤的声音。我们多半只用耳朵听自己，神所说的，一点也听不进去。我们若一旦进入神呼召的音城里，必然彻底改变。

《竭诚为主》1月17日 今生的事奉

经文：神既然乐意将他的儿子启示在我心里……（加一15-16）

      神的呼召并不是要我们去做某一种工作；我这样的解释也许是由于与神亲密的相交，使我自然领会该为他做什么。呼召是神本性的表达，而事奉则是适合我个性工作的结果。使徒保罗说：“神乐意将他儿子启示在我心里，叫我把他传在外邦人中。”（传就是神圣的表达）这说明了保罗在地上的职务是要传扬神的儿子。

      事奉是内里无限热诚的涌流；可是，深入一点说，其实是没有事奉的呼召的；这乃是我对神的体认和回应，以微不足道的行动表现出来。事奉是属于我天然生命的一部分。神与我们建立关系，叫人认出他的呼声，然后就甘心情愿为爱他而有所行动。事奉神，是人听见了神的呼召而专诚献上爱的礼物。事奉是我的一种表达；而神的呼召是他的表达。因此，当我有了他的性情，又听见他的呼召时，两者就同时响应，互相配合。神的儿子启示在我心里，于是我以诚以爱在日常生活中事奉他。

《竭诚为主》1月18日 是主！

       多马说：“我的主，我的神！”（约二十28）

      
“请你给我水喝。”我们许多人只期望耶稣解我们的渴，没想到我们该叫他得着满足！今天，我们早该倒空一切，竭尽所有服侍基督，而不再是要求主来满足我们。“你们要作我的见证”，不玷污、不妥协、不打折扣的对主尽忠；不论主放我们在什么岗位，都叫主的心满足。

      
当心那些与我们忠于基督的心争竞的事物。忠于基督最大的敌人是事奉主的工作。因为事奉主，比全然将生命倾倒给主容易。神呼召我们的唯一目的，是叫他心满意足，而不是呼召人去为他做点什么。神不是差派我们去为他打仗，而是在他的战场上被他所用。我们献身于事奉的热诚，是否过于我们爱主的热诚呢？

《竭诚为主》1月19日  异象与黑暗

忽然有惊人的大黑暗落在他身上。（创十五12）


神什么时候把异象给信徒，就什么时候把他放在他手的阴影底下。圣徒那时的责任，是要安静聆听。在极度强烈的光线下，会产生一种黑暗，那时就得洗耳恭听。创世记十五章就是个好例子。在黑暗中，人只会寻求人的指示，却不等候神的光照。每逢神赐下异象，黑暗却接踵而来的话，就要等候。只要等候神的时间，他会按照给你的异象成就。切勿自告奋勇地帮助神成就他的应许。亚伯拉罕有十三年在静默中度过，在那些年日里，一切自己的办法都行不通，故不能凭头脑理智去解决问题。那段寂静的日子是操练的日子，而不是愁苦的日子。不必故意制造喜乐和勇气，只要心坚依靠神。（赛五十10-11）

我对肉体还有所倚恃吗？还是我已经脱离了对自己、对神的儿女、对书本、对祷告、及兴奋感觉的信赖，甚至是他的祝福，而把信心完全放在神身上，“我是全能的神”——是作为父母的神。我们受操练的目的，是要认识神是真实的。一旦看见神是真实的，其他人就成为影子了。其他信徒无论说什么，做什么，再也无法影响一个建造在神里面的人。

《竭诚为主》1月20日 你对每事物都有新鲜的感觉吗？

人若不重生，就不能见 神的国。（约三3）


有时我们对祈祷会很感兴趣，但对洗脏靴子却一点兴趣也没有。


从圣灵重生，绝无疑问是神的工作，这如风的来去无踪，像神一样叫人惊讶莫测。我们不晓得它始于何方，却隐藏在我们生命的深处。从神而来的重生，是连绵不绝、永不衰息的永恆开端。这生命在任何时刻都是有生气的——在思想上、话语上、生活上，都是如此；是不住活在神测不透的奇妙中。陈旧腐朽的思想表示有些地方与神脱节了。“我一定要这样做，否则永远也办不成。”这是臣服的第一迹象。我们这一分钟是否活泼重生？还是呆滞不前，绞尽脑汁地去找事情来做？活泼的生命不是从顺服而来，乃是从圣灵而来的。顺服不过使我们活在光中，正如神活在光中一样。


紧紧维持你与神的关系。耶稣祷告说：“使他们合一，正如我们合一一样。”毫无阻隔地，让你生命全然地向他敞开，不要对他装模作样。除神之外，你还能从其他源头支取生命吗？若你不单靠他，还去靠赖别的东西，那么他什么时候走了，你也不觉察。


从圣灵而生的意思是何等深广，超乎我们一般所论的。它给我们新的异象，使我们对每事每物都感到新鲜有趣，这都因神源源不断的生命力。

《竭诚为主》1月21日 想想神记得什么？


你幼年的恩爱……我都记得。（耶二2）


我爱神是否像昔日一样甘心自发？还是只指望以仁慈对待我？我有没有许多微小的事可以讨他欢心？还是因路不顺遂而唉哼怨叹？你心若忘记了神所看为宝贵的，就不会喜乐。试想主耶稣需要我－－“请给我水喝”，这是多么美妙的事！过去的一个礼拜里，我怎样表示爱他呢？在我的生活中，有没有彰显他的名呢？


神对他子民说：“你现在不再爱我了，但我很记得你爱我的那段日子。”“我记得……你婚姻般的爱情。”当日我怎样撇开一切，表明诚心爱他；如今，我是否仍对他有这不断涌流的爱情？我除了他别无眷恋的日子，是否要在回忆中去追寻？我如今还在那境地，还是懂得怎样去爱他？我是否深深地爱他而不管前途如何？还是在注视自己该得的地位，估计着该摆上多少事奉？假若我想起神纪念我的日子，却发觉他在我心中已不复昔日重要的地位，就叫我羞愧自卑，因为羞愧会带来忧愁，叫我悔改。

《竭诚为主》1月22日 我观望什么？

地极的人都当仰望我，就必得救。（赛四十五22）


我们是否指望神带着许多祝福来拯救我们？他说：“仰望我，就必得救。”属灵生命上最难做到的，就是专心一意仰望神，这可是出于他的祝福。因为困难使我们仰望神，祝福却使我们望到别处去。登山宝训的精意，其实是：把你所有的注意力收窄，直到你的心志、心灵与身体，完全集中在主耶稣身上——仰望他。


不少人对做基督徒存一固定模式，就是其他圣徒的榜样，成了我们集中在神身上的障碍。这样是不会得救的，那太复杂了。“仰望我”不是“将会得救”，而是“就必得救”。我们期盼的东西，只要集中在他身上，就必得着。但我们对神往往心不在焉，或向神怨叹愤懣，可是他却一直在对我们说：“仰望我就得救。”一切困难试炼，如这个暑假我有什么计划，明天又该作什么？这些萦绕在脑际的问题，一经仰望神，都会得着解决了。


醒来吧，仰望神。把盼望建筑在神身上，不论有多少件事情压着你，只管放下它们，一心一意望着他。“仰望我”，必得救，就在你望的一刹那。

《竭诚为主》1月23日 因瞻仰而改变


经文：我们众人既然敞着脸，得以看见主的荣光，好像从镜子里反照，就变成主的形状。（林后三18）



信徒最卓越的品德与特征，就是在神面前毫无掩饰，以致他的生命成为别人的一面镜子。我们被圣灵充满而改变，又因“定睛仰望”而成为镜子。一个人若有主的荣光，你必然会觉察出来，也会感到他正是主性情的反照。要提防那些叫这镜子模糊的东西；这些东西多半是好的，却不是最好的。



你我生活的准则，就是要专注地保持向神开放。其他一切如工作、服饰、食物，地上的东西就任它去吧。次要的东西不断涌来，很容易阻碍对神的专一。所以我们要常常瞻仰主的荣光，同时要保持生命完全属灵。旁的事随它去吧，旁的人任他批评吧，却绝不可让任何事务迷糊了与基督一同藏在神里面的生命。不要让忙乱破坏了你与他同住的关系，虽然这是很容易被摇动的。信徒生活上最严格的操练，就是学习不断“看见主的荣光，好像从镜子反照。”

《竭诚为主》1月24日 全权在握的指挥


经文：我特意向你显现。（徒二十六16）

       保罗在大马色路上所见的异象，绝非霎时的冲动，而是十分清楚肯定是从神而来的指示，因此他说：“故此我没有违背那从天上来的异象。”主其实是对保罗说：“你的一生完全由我作主；除了我，你不能再有任何目标与计划。”“我拣选了他。”

       我们重生了，必然都有异象。要是我们要灵命长进，便要行主要我们行的；而最要紧的就是学习不违背异象，不要说那是无法达致的（或作高不可及的）。

       单单知道神救赎了世人，又知道圣灵叫耶稣所成就的一切并实现在我身上，这还是不够的；我必须与他有个人的关系，作为根基。保罗所得的不是一篇道理、一套教义，叫他去传扬；他乃是与耶稣基督有一个亲身的经历，让主完全占有了他。第16节最令人触目——“派你作执事作见证”。保罗是效忠于主，而不是一个使命。他是完完全全属于耶稣基督的；此外，便别无所见，也不再为别的事物而活。“我在你们中间不知道别的，只知道耶稣基督并他钉十字架。”

《竭诚为主》1月25日 留位置给神


神既然乐意......（加一15-16）

   作为神的工人，我们必须学习给神留下应有的地位，就是给他有自由活动的空间。我们会计算量度，说这个那个会这样那样，却忘记腾出空间，给神自由进出的余地。神若突然闯入我们的聚会中，或我们讲道时他来了，我们会诧异吗？不要指望神照你指定的方式来到，只要注目在他身上，这才是给他空间。要指望他来，但不要限制他只能用某种方式来。不论我们认识神有多少，最重要的是要知道：神任何一分钟都可以裂天而降。我们很容易忽视这个突如其来的可能性，其实神做工一向就是如此。神往往出其不意地临到人当中——“神乐意......”。

   经常与神保持贴近，以致神奇异的大能随时地从他右手或左手发出。要常在期待当中，给神空间随他的意思降临。

《竭诚为主》1月26日 专心审查，重新奉献

野地里的草……神还给它这样的妆饰，何况你们呢？（太六30）


这是耶稣一句很简单的话语，若果我们不单纯，就会大惑不解。我们怎样才能像耶稣那样单纯呢？接受他的灵，承认他，依靠他，顺服他所传递神的话语，这样，生命就会变得单纯了。耶稣说：“试想，天父怎样妆饰野地里的草，你若与他亲近，他岂不更加照样妆饰你？”每次我们灵性上后退，都是因为妄自尊大，以为自己比主耶稣懂得更多。我们让世界的忧虑进来，忘记了天父的“何况……”


“你们看那天上的飞鸟”——它们主要的任务就是服从那生命的律，神便看顾它们了。耶稣说如果你与他有好的关系，同时又顺服圣灵，神自然照顾你。


“你想野地里的百合花”——它们被放置在哪里，就生长在那里。我们不少人不肯在所处的地方生长，因此无法扎根。耶稣说，如果我们顺服神，他便会料理其他的一切。耶稣基督撒了谎吗？我们若未经验到那“何况”，是因为我们尚未顺服神，自讨烦恼，落在诸般忧虑里。我们花多少时间向神发问，叫他担忧，而其实我们该毫无束缚地献身在他的工作上？献身就是为某特定的目标，不断地把自己投上。献身不是一次便解决的事。我是否每天不断地把自己分别出来、以神为念？

《竭诚为主》1月27日 再三思量


不要为生命忧虑。


今世的忧虑，钱财的迷惑，及其他的私欲一点进入我们心中，就会把神所赐予的生命窒息，这是必须再三告诫的。属世的东西势如潮涌，连连进击，使我们无法摆脱。若不从衣食而来，就会从金钱或贫乏而来；不从朋友而来，就从孤独无友而来；甚至又会从困境而来。这些东西不住地、逐步地蚕食我们属灵的生命，除非我们让圣灵来抵抗，否则这些东西将如洪水泛滥，淹没我们。


“不要为生命忧虑。”主说：“只要关心一件事便够了，那就是你与我的关系。”我们会理性地大声疾呼，说：“真是无稽，我不能不为生计打算，打算吃什么喝什么啊!”耶稣却说不可。不要以为说这话的主根本不明白我们的境况。其实耶稣基督知道得比我们更清楚。他说，我们不应该把这些事当作生活中唯一需要关注的事。什么时候属世的事务与主相争，就要把你和神的关系摆在前头。


“一天的难处一天当就够了。”今日有多少难处在向你威吓？有什么顽童小鬼在窥探说：“看你下个月怎么办？暑期又如何？”耶稣说：“应当一无挂虑。”请你再三思想，慎加明辨！把你的心思放在天父的“何况你们”这一句话上吧。

《竭诚为主》1月28日 人这样逼迫耶稣实在不可思议！



扫罗，扫罗，为什么逼迫我？（使徒行转26:14）


对神我是否自作主张？除非我们先经历了圣灵与火的洗，否则永远也不能脱离这个网罗。刚愎自用是会刺伤耶稣基督的，也许别人不会受损害，但主却受了伤。每当我们顽梗、自我、野心勃勃的去行事，我们就伤了耶稣的心。每当我们坚持自己的主张，坚持自己的意向，我们就是逼迫耶稣了。每当我们维护自己的尊严，就势必叫他的灵痛苦担忧。当我们恍悟自己一直再逼迫耶稣，这实在是最沉痛的光照。


我把神的话传给你的时候，这些话对我是否真的如此敏锐？还是我的生活与口所教导的两相违背？我可能教导人成圣，而同时却表现出撒旦的灵，就是逼迫耶稣基督。耶稣的灵只知道一件事，就是与父全然合一。他说：“我心里柔和谦卑，你们要学我的样式。”我所做的一切，应以与他完全合一为根基，而不是凭自己的意志去过敬虔生活。这样我可能被人欺压，被人排挤，被人忽视；但我若肯顺服，主就不用受逼迫了。

《竭诚为主》1月29日 人这样无知实在难以置信！


主啊，你是谁？（徒二十六15）


“耶和华以大能的手，指教我......”(赛八11) 我们的主一开口，我们再无可躲藏。他来的时候，总要抓住你。神的声音有没有直接临到你？若有，你对他的话里的亲切肯定，对他用你所熟悉的语句，必不至于认不出来。你不是用耳朵听，乃是透过环境际遇去辨认出来。


神必须先破坏我们执着自信的主见。“我晓得我该做什么。”突然，神的声音震撼我们，显出我们是何等的无知。我们如何用自己的方法来事奉主，正表现出自己的无知。我们事奉耶稣的心，与圣灵并不合一，因为没有属基督的灵。我们为他辩护，却伤害了他；我们推崇他的主权，却附从了魔鬼的邪灵。我们说的话没有什么不对，只是我们是敌基督的。“他责备她们说，你们的心如何，你们并不知道。”(路九55) 哥林多前书十三章所说的，才是真正为主发言，因为是出自他的灵。


我有没有以自己的方法，抱着满腔热诚，立志事奉主，然而却逼迫了他？我若自以为尽了一己的任务，却因此伤了主的心，那么，那决不是我应该做的，因为这工作没有使温柔谦卑的灵得以长进，反而带来自满自足。我们总以为凡是不讨好的工作，就是自己的任务！这像不像我们主的表现？“我的神啊，我乐意照你的旨意行。”

《竭诚为主》1月30日 顺服的难关


经文：撒母耳……不敢将默示告诉以利。（撒上三15）


神从来不用惊天动地的方式对我们说话，他说话的方式，往往容易被我们误解。我们会说：“不知这到底是不是神的声音？”以赛亚说神的手在他身上沉重（对他说话），也就是说，神用环境的压力。任何发生在我们身上的事，都是神在说话。我们有没有辨认出他的手，还是只当作偶发的事件？


能养成“主啊，请说”的习惯，这样生命就变得多姿多彩。每一次说：“主啊，请说。”要拨出时间来静听！管教不单只为了操练，也是为了要把我带到一个地步，使我能说：“主啊，请说。”请你追忆一下神对你说过的话，你还记得他说过什么吗？是路加福音十一章13节，还是帖撒罗尼迦前书五章23节？我们多听，耳朵就开通，像耶稣随时都听见神的声音。


我应该把神给我的指示，告诉我的“以利”吗？这样就来到顺服的难关了。我们若以神明自居，说我必须保护“以利”，因他是我熟悉的人中最善良的。这样，我就是违背神了。神没有叫撒母耳去告诉以利，他要自作决定。神对你的呼召可能伤害你的“以利”；但是你若设法护卫另一个人，使其不受伤害，这样你心灵与神之间便有了阻隔。你不肯砍下右手，剜出眼睛，只会自取其咎，招来毁灭。


神要你在他面前决定的事，不要咨询别人的意见。你听取人的意见，就不期然的袒护撒旦了。“我没有与属血气的人商量。”这是保罗的态度。

《竭诚为主》1月31日 你看清你的呼召没有？

经文：特派传神的福音（特派有分别出来之意）。（罗一1）


基本上来说，神呼召我们并不是叫我们做圣洁的人，乃是要我们宣扬他的福音。因为其中最要紧的，就是神的福音是永存的事实。人的良善、圣洁，固然不是那事实，而天堂、地狱也都不是，只有救赎才是。今日基督的工人最要了解的，就是这个。作为工人，我们必须熟悉这个启示，就是救赎是唯一的永存事实。个人的圣洁只是救赎的果，不是因。如果我们把信心寄托于人的良善上，以救恩为果，试炼一来，我们就站立不住了。


保罗并没有说他分别自己，他乃说：“神既喜悦将我分别出来……。”保罗对自己的性情，并没有过分的注意。我们的眼睛一天放在自己的成圣上，一天就不能进入救赎的实际里去。许多工人一败涂地，就是因为他们的愿望只为自己的圣洁，而不是为神。“由于人性是堕落与污秽的，请不要叫我面对救赎崎岖的现实吧！我要的，是神为我做点什么，叫我更欣赏自己。”说这样的话，表明神福音的实际尚未摸着我，我还未完全献身，向神降服。保罗能够忘我，毫无顾虑地撇弃一切，被神分别出来，为的只是一个目标——传扬神的福音（参罗九3）

《竭诚为主》2月1日 神的呼召



基督差遣我，原不是为施洗，乃是为传福音。（林前一17）

      
保罗在此指明，神的呼召是传福音；不过要知道保罗所说的福音究竟是什么意思。福音就是主耶稣基督救赎的实在。我们很容易把成圣作为我们传道的最终目的，然而保罗却把个人的经历作为例证，而非结果。神从来没有吩咐我们去传扬得救或成圣；他乃吩咐我们高举耶稣基督（参约十二32）。我若说耶稣基督在救赎中受苦，为要使我成为圣徒，这便是曲解圣经。耶稣基督在救赎中受苦，乃是要拯救全人类，使他们无瑕疵地重新活在神的宝座面前。我们能够经历救赎，便足以证明救赎之实在大能，可是这仍旧非救赎的终极目标。神若像人一样，对我们日夕要求得救，要求成圣，他将感到多么心烦与厌倦哩！我们朝夕为自己求这求那，求把我拯救出来！真是消耗了神许多的精力！一旦我们触摸到福音的真正意义时，就不会再为个人微不足道的事去烦神了。

       保罗一生唯一的愿望就是传福音。他面对创痛、误解、逼迫而不退后，唯一的原因就是这些事保守他对福音忠心不移。

《竭诚为主》2月2日 呼召的催逼


若不传福音，我就有祸了。（林前九16）


当心对神的呼召充耳不闻。每一个得救的人，神都呼召他作见证；可是那并不是传道的呼召，那只是传道中的例证。保罗所指的是神催逼他传福音所带来的压力。千万不要把保罗在此所说的，与人来到神面前求拯救一事相提并论。得救是最容易不过的事，因为这是神完成的工作－－“你来就我，我必定拯救。”主并没有把作门徒的条件，作为得救的条件。我们藉耶稣基督的十字架，由定罪而获得拯救。但作门徒却有取舍的余地－－“若有人……”。


保罗是说我们既成为耶稣基督的仆人，无论他要我们做什么或往哪里去，都不必征得我们的同意。我们成为擘开的饼、倒出来的酒，为要叫神喜悦。“为福音分别出来”，就是听见神的呼召。当人听见这个呼召，痛苦随即便来，因为要为这名受苦。所有的生活欲望停止了，所有的期望理想也消失净尽，雄心大志也像花草在萌芽时摘下，如今只剩下一件事——为福音分别出来。一旦呼召临到，却偏行己路、自作抉择，那人便有祸了。本圣经学院的设立，原是为了你们，要你们看看神在这里是否寻得一个弟兄或一个姊妹，肯摆上自己传福音；也要看看神有没有抓住你。神若真的抓住你，就当留心那些与神为敌的事物。


原文：


February 2 The Compelling Force of the Call


Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! —1 Corinthians 9:16

Beware of refusing to hear the call of God. Everyone who is saved is called to testify to the fact of his salvation. That, however, is not the same as the call to preach, but is merely an illustration which can be used in preaching. In this verse, Paul was referring to the stinging pains produced in him by the compelling force of the call to preach the gospel. Never try to apply what Paul said regarding the call to preach to those souls who are being called to God for salvation. There is nothing easier than getting saved, because it is solely God's sovereign work— “Look to Me, and be saved . . .” (Isaiah 45:22). Our Lord never requires the same conditions for discipleship that he requires for salvation. We are condemned to salvation through the Cross of Christ. But discipleship has an option with it-“If anyone . . .” (Luke 14:26).


Paul's words have to do with our being made servants of Jesus Christ, and our permission is never asked as to what we will do or where we will go. God makes us as broken bread and poured-out wine to please Himself. To be “separated to the gospel” means being able to hear the call of God (Romans 1:1). Once someone begins to hear that call, a suffering worthy of the name of Christ is produced. Suddenly, every ambition, every desire of life, and every outlook is completely blotted out and extinguished. Only one thing remains— “. . . separated to the gospel. . . .” Woe be to the soul who tries to head in any other direction once that call has come to him. The Bible Training College exists so that each of you may know whether or not God has a man or woman here who truly cares about proclaiming His gospel and to see if God grips you for this purpose. Beware of competing calls once the call of God grips you.

《竭诚为主》2月3日 公然断绝关系


人还把我们看作世界上的污秽。（林前四13）


这并非夸大的话。我们这些称为福音的使者，看不见这话在我们身上实现，不是因为保罗这话不真确，而是我们仍有太多恋栈不舍的事物，以致未让自己成为“世界上的污秽”。“为基督的苦难而受苦”，并不是成圣的证明，乃是“为福音分别出来”的表现。


彼得说：“有火炼的试验临到你们，不要以为奇怪。”我们若对所遇的事以为奇怪，乃是由于我们懦弱胆怯。我们顾惜面子，保持自己不掉入泥泞中去——“我不要低头，我不要折腰”。你大可不必，你是可以咬紧牙根过关的。你可以拒绝神，不让他将你为福音分别出来。你也许会说：“只要福音被传扬，即使自己被看作地上的渣滓，也不介意。”耶稣基督的仆人，就是肯为福音而殉道的人。一个徒有道德修养的人，当他接触到卑污、邪淫和诡诈，人性的良善使他感到极度的恶心，以致退缩不前，在绝望中把心门关闭起来。反之，神救赎的最奇特之处，就是他也爱那些罪恶滔天的人。保罗并没有说神把他分别出来，要造成一个怎样可爱的人，而是 “把他儿子启示在我心里”。



原文：


February 3 Becoming the “Filth of the World”


We have been made as the filth of the world . . . —1 Corinthians 4:13


These words are not an exaggeration. The only reason they may not be true of us who call ourselves ministers of the gospel is not that Paul forgot or misunderstood the exact truth of them, but that we are too cautious and concerned about our own desires to allow ourselves to become the refuse or “filth of the world.” “Fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ . . .” (Colossians 1:24) is not the result of the holiness of sanctification, but the evidence of consecration-being “separated to the gospel of God . . .” (Romans 1:1).


“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you . . .” (1 Peter 4:12). If we do think the things we encounter are strange, it is because we are fearful and cowardly. We pay such close attention to our own interests and desires that we stay out of the mire and say, “I won't submit; I won't bow or bend.” And you don't have to— you can be saved by the “skin of your teeth” if you like. You can refuse to let God count you as one who is “separated to the gospel . . . .” Or you can say, “I don't care if I am treated like 'the filth of the world' as long as the gospel is proclaimed.” A true servant of Jesus Christ is one who is willing to experience martyrdom for the reality of the gospel of God. When a moral person is confronted with contempt, immorality, disloyalty, or dishonesty, he is so repulsed by the offense that he turns away and in despair closes his heart to the offender. But the miracle of the redemptive reality of God is that the worst and the vilest offender can never exhaust the depths of His love. Paul did not say that God separated him to show what a wonderful man He could make of him, but “to reveal His Son in me. . .” (Galatians 1:16).

《竭诚为主》2月4日 无以抗拒的大能


原来基督的爱激励我们。（林后五14）


保罗说他被基督的爱统管支配，如同给钳子钳住一样。很少人知道被神的爱抓紧是怎么一回事，因我们往往被自己的经历所约制。但约制保罗的只有一件，就是神的爱，除此便别无所见。“基督的爱激励我们”，信徒身上有没有这个音符，一听便知。在这些人的生命里，圣灵通行无阻。


当圣灵重生了我们，我们作见证的重点在神为我作了什么，这是对的。但受了圣灵的洗，这些就成为过去的经验，我们才开始了解耶稣说“你们是我的见证”的意思了。不是见证耶稣能够做什么，那是初步的见证，而是“见证我”。我们要视所有的事，都是发生在他身上，不论是称许或指责，是逼迫或赞赏。人若未曾被他能力的威严所感召，绝不能为他站立。这是最要紧的事，而奇怪的，这却是基督工人最忽略的。保罗说他被神的爱抓住了，就成了他一生行事的动力。


人说他疯狂，说他拘谨，他也毫不介意。他只为一件事而活，就是叫人相信神的审判和基督的爱。这种为基督的爱丢弃万事的人生，才可以结出生命的果子，将神圣洁与大能的形象刻在人心里。这是神的圣洁，绝不是我们个人的圣洁。


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February 4 The Compelling Majesty of His Power

The love of Christ compels us . . . —2 Corinthians 5:14


Paul said that he was overpowered, subdued, and held as in a vise by “the love of Christ.” Very few of us really know what it means to be held in the grip of the love of God. We tend so often to be controlled simply by our own experience. The one thing that gripped and held Paul, to the exclusion of everything else, was the love of God. “The love of Christ compels us . . . .” When you hear that coming from the life of a man or woman it is unmistakable. You will know that the Spirit of God is completely unhindered in that person’s life.


When we are born again by the Spirit of God, our testimony is based solely on what God has done for us, and rightly so. But that will change and be removed forever once you “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you . . .” (Acts 1:8). Only then will you begin to realize what Jesus meant when He went on to say, “. . . you shall be witnesses to Me . . . .” Not witnesses to what Jesus can do— that is basic and understood— but “witnesses to Me . . . .” We will accept everything that happens as if it were happening to Him, whether we receive praise or blame, persecution or reward. No one is able to take this stand for Jesus Christ who is not totally compelled by the majesty of His power. It is the only thing that matters, and yet it is strange that it’s the last thing we as Christian workers realize. Paul said that he was gripped by the love of God and that is why he acted as he did. People could perceive him as mad or sane-he did not care. There was only one thing he lived for— to persuade people of the coming judgment of God and to tell them of “the love of Christ.” This total surrender to “the love of Christ” is the only thing that will bear fruit in your life. And it will always leave the mark of God’s holiness and His power, never drawing attention to your personal holiness.

《竭诚为主》2月5日 你准备好被浇奠吗？
2015-02-05 章伯斯 每日恩典

我以你们的信心为供献的祭物，我若被浇奠在其上，也是喜乐，并且与你们众人一同喜乐。（腓二17）


你愿意为建立别人的信心而被浇奠吗？就是把自己的生命，为信仰像献祭一般倾倒出来。还是你说：“我现在还未能献上；我不想神为我选择工作。我要自己挑选奉献的岗位；我要得人的注意，得人的赞赏，说我行事得宜。”


献身服侍神，被人视为英雄的滋味，跟你甘愿走上神为你预备的道路、成为他人脚下的“地毯”，往往是两回事。设若神要教你“我懂得处卑贱”的功课，你甘愿吗？你愿意成为连桶里的一滴水还不如的人，不被人重视，甚至耗尽己力所服侍的人也忘了你吗？你愿意花财费力，不受人服侍而去服侍人吗？在卑贱的工作中而不失圣徒的身份，是许多圣徒办不到的，因为他们感到有失个人尊严。



原文：


February 5 Are You Ready To Be Poured Out As an Offering?


If I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all—Philippians 2:17


Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the work of another believer—to pour out your life sacrificially for the ministry and faith of others? Or do you say, “I am not willing to be poured out right now, and I don't want God to tell me how to serve Him. I want to choose the place of my own sacrifice. And I want to have certain people watching me and saying, 'Well done.' ”


It is one thing to follow God's way of service if you are regarded as a hero, but quite another thing if the road marked out for you by God requires becoming a “doormat” under other people's feet. God's purpose may be to teach you to say, “I know how to be abased . . .” (Philippians 4:12). Are you ready to be sacrificed like that? Are you ready to be less than a mere drop in the bucket—to be so totally insignificant that no one remembers you even if they think of those you served? Are you willing to give and be poured out until you are used up and exhausted—not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister? Some saints cannot do menial work while maintaining a saintly attitude, because they feel such service is beneath their dignity.

《竭诚为主》2月6日 你准备好被浇奠吗？(2)
2015-02-06 章伯斯 每日恩典
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功能介绍 让我们一起来快乐的学习圣经，每日与主同行，领受神的恩典！ 回复“帮助”或者“help”，查看所有关键字命令。

经文：我已经预备好被浇奠。（提后四6，意译）


“我现在已预备好献上。”这是意志的抉择，而不是情绪的冲动。告诉神你已预备好献上；就是不顾后果，神怎样安排也没有丝毫的怨叹。神能把你带过难关，这是没有人可以帮你的。外面环境可能依旧，里面的心志却有了不同。在心志里首先经历这种转变，那么当事情临到，就不会斤斤计较了。你若没有与神这样碰头，最终便会自怜自叹。


“用绳索把祭牲绑上、拴在祭坛的角上。”祭坛就是火的意思——焚烧、洁净、隔离，其目的就是断绝一切不由神而来的关系，隔绝所有不属于神的物品。不是你去烧毁，乃是神；你只要把祭牲拴在坛角。当火起来燃烧，不要去惋惜这些东西。经过了火的焚烧，就再没有什么会压制你，或使你沮丧。当重要关头临到，发觉没有什么可以像昔日那样摸着你了。你的“火”是什么？告诉神你预备献上，神便会向你显示他自己，就是你日夕所想的。


原文：


February 6 Are You Ready To Be Poured Out As an Offering? (2)


I am already being poured out as a drink offering . . . —2 Timothy 4:6


Are you ready to be poured out as an offering? It is an act of your will, not your emotions. Tell God you are ready to be offered as a sacrifice for Him. Then accept the consequences as they come, without any complaints, in spite of what God may send your way. God sends you through a crisis in private, where no other person can help you. From the outside your life may appear to be the same, but the difference is taking place in your will. Once you have experienced the crisis in your will, you will take no thought of the cost when it begins to affect you externally. If you don't deal with God on the level of your will first, the result will be only to arouse sympathy for yourself.


“Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar” (Psalm 118:27). You must be willing to be placed on the altar and go through the fire; willing to experience what the altar represents -burning, purification, and separation for only one purpose- the elimination of every desire and affection not grounded in or directed toward God. But you don't eliminate it, God does. You “bind the sacrifice . . . to the horns of the altar” and see to it that you don't wallow in self-pity once the fire begins. After you have gone through the fire, there will be nothing that will be able to trouble or depress you. When another crisis arises, you will realize that things cannot touch you as they used to do. What fire lies ahead in your life?


Tell God you are ready to be poured out as an offering, and God will prove Himself to be all you ever dreamed He would be.

《竭诚为主》2月7日 沮丧的操练
2015-02-07 章伯斯 每日恩典
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功能介绍 让我们一起来快乐的学习圣经，每日与主同行，领受神的恩典！ 回复“帮助”或者“help”，查看所有关键字命令。

经文：但我们素来所盼望……不但如此，……现在已经三天了。（路二十四21）


门徒在这里讲述的都没有错；但他们从其中所得的推断却是错的。任何叫灵性沮丧的事，必然是错的。苦闷和沮丧来到，是咎由自取，不必怨天尤人。沮丧颓唐，来源有二，非此即彼：一是我的私欲得到满足，一是我得不到所欲望的。情欲的意思是必须立刻得着。属灵的欲望叫我逼神应允我，而不是叫我寻求那位有求必应的神。我一向相信神会怎样行，到今日——就是此时此刻——已经三天了，他还未动工，我就有理由沮丧，可以怪责神。什么时候我们要神答允祷告，便已经是走差了。祷告是我们抓住神，而不是抓住祷告的应允。身体健康，便绝不颓丧；颓丧是病态的表现，在属灵上也是这样。属灵的沮丧是错的，要责怪就责怪自己吧。


我们盼望从天看见异象，从地震、雷轰中搜寻神的大能（我们的沮丧表示我们确是这样去搜寻），却没想到神竟一直在最平凡的事物、在我们周遭的人中间。我们若尽上义务，就必看见他。主耶稣的神圣，是在最平凡的事上显现出来，我们一旦明白这一点，对神就有了最深切的认识。



原文：

February 7 Spiritual Dejection


We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened —Luke 24:21


Every fact that the disciples stated was right, but the conclusions they drew from those facts were wrong. Anything that has even a hint of dejection spiritually is always wrong. If I am depressed or burdened, I am to blame, not God or anyone else. Dejection stems from one of two sources— I have either satisfied a lust or I have not had it satisfied. In either case, dejection is the result. Lust means “I must have it at once.” Spiritual lust causes me to demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God Himself who gives the answer. What have I been hoping or trusting God would do? Is today “the third day” and He has still not done what I expected? Am I therefore justified in being dejected and in blaming God? Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get ahold of God, not of the answer. It is impossible to be well physically and to be dejected, because dejection is a sign of sickness. This is also true spiritually. Dejection spiritually is wrong, and we are always to blame for it.


We look for visions from heaven and for earth-shaking events to see God's power. Even the fact that we are dejected is proof that we do this. Yet we never realize that all the time God is at work in our everyday events and in the people around us. If we will only obey, and do the task that He has placed closest to us, we will see Him. One of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that it is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ.

《竭诚为主》2月8日 成圣的代价
2015-02-08 章伯斯 每日恩典
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功能介绍 让我们一起来快乐的学习圣经，每日与主同行，领受神的恩典！ 回复“帮助”或者“help”，查看所有关键字命令。

愿赐平安的神，亲自使你们全然成圣。（帖前五23-24）


我们成圣，有没有打算按这经文中的标准呢？我们把成圣这句话看得太轻率了。对成圣所要求的代价，我们有没有预备付出？代价是我们减少一切属地的兴趣，而扩大对神国度的兴趣。成圣是我们全神贯注留意神的心意与观点；也是约束身体灵魂所有的智慧，专为完成神的旨意。我们肯不肯让神在我们身上下工夫，成就神分别为圣的目的？他在我们身上的工作完成之后，我们是否肯像耶稣一样，甘愿分别自己为圣归于神？“我为他们的缘故分别为圣”。我们未能进入成圣的经历里，是我们未从神的观点了解成圣的意义。成圣就是与耶稣合而为一，以致那支配他的，也支配我们。我们预备付出那代价吗？就是一切在我们里面不属于神的东西，都要放下。


我们能否与保罗的祷告起共鸣？我们能否说：“主，你能叫一个蒙恩得救的罪人有多圣洁，就求你使我有多圣洁”？耶稣祷告要我们与他合一，正如他与父合一一样。圣灵在人身上唯一的特征，就是叫人酷肖耶稣基督，宛如骨肉，同时摆脱一切与基督相反的性情。我们肯把自己分别出来，让圣灵在我们里头作工吗？


原文：


February 8 The Cost of Sanctification


May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely . . . —1 Thessalonians 5:23


When we pray, asking God to sanctify us, are we prepared to measure up to what that really means? We take the word sanctification much too lightly. Are we prepared to pay the cost of sanctification? The cost will be a deep restriction of all our earthly concerns, and an extensive cultivation of all our godly concerns. Sanctification means to be intensely focused on God's point of view. It means to secure and to keep all the strength of our body, soul, and spirit for God's purpose alone. Are we really prepared for God to perform in us everything for which He separated us? And after He has done His work, are we then prepared to separate ourselves to God just as Jesus did? “For their sakes I sanctify Myself . . .” (John 17:19). The reason some of us have not entered into the experience of sanctification is that we have not realized the meaning of sanctification from God's perspective. Sanctification means being made one with Jesus so that the nature that controlled Him will control us. Are we really prepared for what that will cost? It will cost absolutely everything in us which is not of God.


Are we prepared to be caught up into the full meaning of Paul's prayer in this verse? Are we prepared to say, “Lord, make me, a sinner saved by grace, as holy as You can”? Jesus prayed that we might be one with Him, just as He is one with the Father (see John 17:21-23). The resounding evidence of the Holy Spirit in a person's life is the unmistakable family likeness to Jesus Christ, and the freedom from everything which is not like Him. Are we prepared to set ourselves apart for the Holy Spirit's work in us?

《竭诚为主》2月9日 你的灵疲惫不堪吗？
2015-02-09 亨利.布克比 每日恩典
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功能介绍 让我们一起来快乐的学习圣经，每日与主同行，领受神的恩典！ 回复“帮助”或者“help”，查看所有关键字命令。

永在的 神耶和华……并不疲乏，也不困倦。（赛四十28）


疲惫就是生命的活力耗尽。属灵的疲惫并非因罪而来，而是因事奉而来。你疲惫与否，就视乎你的供应从何而得。耶稣对彼得说：“喂养我的羊。”却没有给他饲料。要成为擘开的饼，倒出来的酒，就必须要耗尽你的一点一滴，所以你要赶快得着供应，否则不需多久，你就精疲力竭了。人未懂得直接向主汲取供应之前，他们要透过你去获得；你要像被人吮吸一般，直到他们学会了从神得养料。我们在神面前有这责任，不但要尽忠于他，也要为他的羊群尽上一切。


你事奉神的方式是否令你疲惫不堪？若然，就该重新挑旺你的热诚。你的事奉从哪里出发？是从你个人的同情心，还是基于耶稣基督的救赎？要追溯你热诚的根源，并回想你能力来自何方。你没有权这样说：“主啊，我多么困倦。”他拯救你，叫你成圣，正是要燃烧你。为神耗尽吧，但紧记你的供应从他而来。“我的泉源都在你里面。”


原文：


February 9 Are You Exhausted Spiritually?


The everlasting God . . . neither faints nor is weary —Isaiah 40:28


Exhaustion means that our vital energies are completely worn out and spent. Spiritual exhaustion is never the result of sin, but of service. Whether or not you experience exhaustion will depend on where you get your supplies. Jesus said to Peter, “Feed My sheep,” but He gave him nothing with which to feed them (John 21:17). The process of being made broken bread and poured-out wine means that you have to be the nourishment for other people's souls until they learn to feed on God. They must drain you completely— to the very last drop. But be careful to replenish your supply, or you will quickly be utterly exhausted. Until others learn to draw on the life of the Lord Jesus directly, they will have to draw on His life through you. You must literally be their source of supply, until they learn to take their nourishment from God. We owe it to God to be our best for His lambs and sheep, as well as for Him.


Have you delivered yourself over to exhaustion because of the way you have been serving God? If so, then renew and rekindle your desires and affections. Examine your reasons for service. Is your source based on your own understanding or is it grounded on the redemption of Jesus Christ? Continually look back to the foundation of your love and affection and remember where your Source of power lies. You have no right to complain, “O Lord, I am so exhausted.” He saved and sanctified you to exhaust you. Be exhausted for God, but remember that He is your supply. “All my springs are in you” (Psalm 87:7).

《竭诚为主》2月10日 你对神的想像力衰退了吗？
2015-02-10 亨利.布克比 每日恩典
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功能介绍 让我们一起来快乐的学习圣经，每日与主同行，领受神的恩典！ 回复“帮助”或者“help”，查看所有关键字命令。

你们向上举目，看谁创造这万象。（赛四十26）


以赛亚时代神的百姓，只看偶像的面孔，以致缺乏想像力。以赛亚吩咐他们举目望天，就是叫他们再用想像力。大自然对圣徒而言，是神圣的。我们若是神的儿女，在大自然中就必发掘无限的宝藏。一阵微风，一个昼夜，天空的变化，大地的兴衰，都实实在在是神向我们说话。只要我们运用那呆滞已久的想像力，便可以领略。


属灵上的专一是一个考验，要看我们能否利用想像力专一向神。你的“思想”是否向着偶像？这偶像是你自己？你的作为？你事奉的观念？你得救与成圣的经历？那么，你对神的想像力是呆滞了。当你面对困难，你就无能为力，只好在黑暗中忍受吧。你的想像力若是贫乏，切勿回头看自己的经历，因你需要的是神。你要摆脱偶像的羁绊，离开任何阻拦你思想神的事物。醒来吧，接受以赛亚对百姓的吩咐，把“心思意念”转向神。


祷告含混模糊的原因之一是没有想像力，没有决志把自己摆在神面前。我们要先学习怎样做擘开的饼、倒出来的酒，做代祷的工夫，多于做与人接触的工作。想像力是神给圣徒的一种能力，叫他从“己”出来，进入从未经历过的关系里去。


原文：


February 10 Is Your Ability to See God Blinded?


Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things . . . —Isaiah 40:26

The people of God in Isaiah's time had blinded their minds' ability to see God by looking on the face of idols. But Isaiah made them look up at the heavens; that is, he made them begin to use their power to think and to visualize correctly. If we are children of God, we have a tremendous treasure in nature and will realize that it is holy and sacred. We will see God reaching out to us in every wind that blows, every sunrise and sunset, every cloud in the sky, every flower that blooms, and every leaf that fades, if we will only begin to use our blinded thinking to visualize it.


The real test of spiritual focus is being able to bring your mind and thoughts under control. Is your mind focused on the face of an idol? Is the idol yourself? Is it your work? Is it your idea of what a servant should be, or maybe your experience of salvation and sanctification? If so, then your ability to see God is blinded. You will be powerless when faced with difficulties and will be forced to endure in darkness. If your power to see has been blinded, don't look back on your own experiences, but look to God. It is God you need. Go beyond yourself and away from the faces of your idols and away from everything else that has been blinding your thinking. Wake up and accept the ridicule that Isaiah gave to his people, and deliberately turn your thoughts and your eyes to God.


One of the reasons for our sense of futility in prayer is that we have lost our power to visualize. We can no longer even imagine putting ourselves deliberately before God. It is actually more important to be broken bread and poured-out wine in the area of intercession than in our personal contact with others. The power of visualization is what God gives a saint so that he can go beyond himself and be firmly placed into relationships he never before experienced.

《竭诚为主》2月11日 你对神的盼望弱如垂死？
2015-02-11 章伯斯 每日恩典
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功能介绍 让我们一起来快乐的学习圣经，每日与主同行，领受神的恩典！ 回复“帮助”或者“help”，查看所有关键字命令。

坚心倚赖你的，你必保守他十分平安。（坚心倚赖：有把心思意念寄放在神身上的意思。）（赛二十六3）


你的想像力是停留在神身上，还是逐渐衰退消失？叫主工人生命枯槁衰竭最主要的原因，就是缺乏想像力。你若从来未运用想像力来到神面前，现在就开始吧。老等神来是无济于事的，你必须把想像力从偶像的脸上转移到神身上，以致得救。想像力是神给我们最大的恩赐，理当全然献给他。你若已经将所有的心思夺回，顺服基督，当试炼临到，你的信心就有了宝贵的资产，因为你可以与神的灵同心同工。要学习把一切合神心意的思想，同自然界所发生的事联系起来——太阳的出没，日月星辰的运转，四时的变换。这样，你的想像力就不会受别的影响，而是受神的支配，为神而用。


“我们和我们的列祖犯罪……忘记了……”——这样就要放一把匕首在你沉睡的地方（意即枕戈待旦，不眠不休的等候神）。“神现时不和我说话”，但其实他是时常和我说话的。要记住你是属于谁，你事奉的是谁。挑起回忆，你爱神的心势必增添十倍。你的想像力也不再呆滞，而是变得活泼、热切；你的盼望也必光辉灿烂不可言状了。


原文：


February 11 Is Your Hope In GOD Faint And Dying?


“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose imagination is stayed on Thee.” Isaiah 26:3 (R. V. marg.)


Is your imagination stayed on God or is it starved? The starvation of the imagination is one of the most fruitful sources of exhaustion and sapping in a worker's life. If you have never used your imagination to put yourself before God, begin to do it now. It is no use waiting for God to come; you must put your imagination away from the face of idols and look unto Him and be saved. Imagination is the greatest gift God has given us and it ought to be devoted entirely to Him. If you have been bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, it will be one of the greatest assets to faith when the time of trial comes, because your faith and the Spirit of God will work together. Learn to associate ideas worthy of God with all that happens in Nature – the sunrises and the sunsets, the sun and the stars, the changing seasons, and your imagination will never be at the mercy of your impulses, but will always be at the service of God.


“We have sinned with our fathers; . . . and have forgotten” – then put a stiletto in the place where you have gone to sleep. “God is not talking to me just now,” but He ought to be. Remember Whose you are and Whom you serve. Provoke yourself by recollection, and your affection for God will increase tenfold; your imagination will not be starved any longer, but will be quick and enthusiastic, and your hope will be inexpressibly bright.

《竭诚为主》2月12日 我非听不可吗？
2015-02-12 章伯斯 每日恩典 每日恩典
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（百姓）对摩西说：求你和我们说话，我们必听。不要 神和我们说话，恐怕我们死亡。（出二十19）


我们并不是有意违背神，只是我们并不重视神。神给我们命令，我们却不理会。这不是出于故意的反叛，而是我们不爱他，也不尊敬他。“你们若爱我，就必遵守我的命令。”我们如果觉察自己一直在轻慢神，就必满面羞愧自咎，因为我们没有把他放在眼里。


“求你和我们说话……不要神和我们说话。”这表示我们爱神多么少，宁可听他的仆人。我们喜欢听人的见证，却不愿神向我们说话。我们何以会害怕神对我们说话呢？因为知道神一开口，就事在必行；除非我们告诉神，我们不肯听从。若是神仆人的话，就觉得不是绝对的命令，我们会说：“嗯，那不过是你个人的见解，虽然我不否认这可能是真理。”


神一直把我如儿女般看待，而我却老是不理睬他。我是否把神贬低而羞辱他？若我真听见他，那我加在他身上的羞愧便会回到我的头上——“主啊，为什么我这样愚顽？”每次听见神的时候，总会有这种感觉。听见神的声音，我们会愧喜交集，以为听从得如此迟缓。


原文：

February 12 Must I Listen?


“And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” Exodus 20:19


We do not consciously disobey God, we simply do not heed Him. God has given us His commands; there they are, but we do not pay any attention to them, not because of wilful disobedience but because we do not love and respect Him. “If ye love Me, ye will keep My commandments.” When once we realize that we have been “disrespecting” God all the time, we are covered with shame and humiliation because we have not heeded Him.


“Speak thou with us . . . but let not God speak with us.” We show how little we love God by preferring to listen to His servants only. We like to listen to personal testimonies, but we do not desire that God Himself should speak to us. Why are we so terrified lest God should speak to us? Because we know that if God does speak, either the thing must be done or we must tell God we will not obey Him. If it is only the servant's voice we hear, we feel it is not imperative, we can say, “Well, that is simply your own idea, though I don't deny it is probably God's truth.”


Am I putting God in the humiliating position of having treated me as a child of His whilst all the time I have been ignoring Him? When I do hear Him, the humiliation I have put on Him comes back on me – “Lord, why was I so dull and so obstinate?” This is always the result when once we do hear God. The real delight of hearing Him is tempered with shame in having been so long in hearing Him.

《竭诚为主》2月13日 专一的听
2015-02-13 章伯斯 每日恩典 每日恩典
每日恩典

微信号 ed365cn

功能介绍 让我们一起来快乐的学习圣经，每日与主同行，领受神的恩典！ 回复“帮助”或者“help”，查看所有关键字命令。

经文：请说，仆人敬听。（撒上三10）


我在某一件事上专一听神，并不表示我凡事都听从他。我的灵与心志对他的话反应迟钝，正表示我不爱神，也不尊敬他。若我爱朋友，自然体察他的需要。耶稣说： “你们是我的朋友。”这一周里，我有没有违背主的命令呢？我若明白那是主的命令，就不会故意违背了。但我们多数蔑视神，根本不听神在说什么，似乎神从未说过话一般。


属灵生活的极峰，就是达到与耶稣基督合而为一，常常听神说话。神也时常听我（约十一4），若我与耶稣基督联合，就会随时随地专心听他。一朵百合花、一棵树、一位神的仆人，都可以带来神的信息。叫我听不到神的，是缠累我的其他事物。我不肯听他，是我心有外婺，不在适当的事上专心。我只专注在事物上、事奉上、信念上。神只管说，我却置若罔闻。婴孩的态度始终是：“主啊，请说，仆人敬听。”要是没有培养好这种专心聆听的习惯，就只能在某些时刻听到神的声音，其他时间却被世务缠身，无法摆脱。于是我向神就是聋了耳，没有孩子的样式。我今日听见神的声音没有？


原文：


February 13 The Devotion of Hearing


Samuel answered, ‘Speak, for Your servant hears’ —1 Samuel 3:10


Just because I have listened carefully and intently to one thing from God does not mean that I will listen to everything He says. I show God my lack of love and respect for Him by the insensitivity of my heart and mind toward what He says. If I love my friend, I will instinctively understand what he wants. And Jesus said, “You are My friends . . .” (John 15:14). Have I disobeyed some command of my Lord's this week? If I had realized that it was a command of Jesus, I would not have deliberately disobeyed it. But most of us show incredible disrespect to God because we don't even hear Him. He might as well never have spoken to us.


The goal of my spiritual life is such close identification with Jesus Christ that I will always hear God and know that God always hears me (see John 11:41). If I am united with Jesus Christ, I hear God all the time through the devotion of hearing. A flower, a tree, or a servant of God may convey God's message to me. What hinders me from hearing is my attention to other things. It is not that I don't want to hear God, but I am not devoted in the right areas of my life. I am devoted to things and even to service and my own convictions. God may say whatever He wants, but I just don't hear Him. The attitude of a child of God should always be, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” If I have not developed and nurtured this devotion of hearing, I can only hear God's voice at certain times. At other times I become deaf to Him because my attention is to other things— things which I think I must do. This is not living the life of a child of God. Have you heard God's voice today?

《竭诚为主》2月14日 聆听的操练
2015-02-14 章伯斯 每日恩典 每日恩典
每日恩典

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功能介绍 让我们一起来快乐的学习圣经，每日与主同行，领受神的恩典！ 回复“帮助”或者“help”，查看所有关键字命令。


经文：我在暗中告诉你们的，你们要在明处说出来。你们耳中所听的，要在房上宣扬出来。（太十27）


有时神放我们在黑暗中，是要教导我们听话。鸣鸟在黑暗里学习唱歌，我们也要在神的阴影下学习听他。“我在暗中告诉你们的”——留意神把你放在什么黑暗的地方，在那里你要闭口不言。你如今四面漆黑吗？你的生命与神之间幽暗吗？保持安静吧。在暗中开口，说话会不合宜。黑暗正是静听的时刻。不必告诉别人，不必去寻找黑暗的原因，只要留意静听；你若告诉人，就听不见神在说什么！所以，你在黑暗中要听；神会给你极宝贵的资讯，让你出到光明后，可以向别人分享。


每一次经过黑暗，都会有一种欣喜与谦卑交织的心情（若只有欣喜，就不是真的听见神了）。欣喜的时候听见了神，但主要是谦卑——“我竟花这许多时间才听见！我多么迟钝！而一直以来，神就不断地说话。”这时，神叫你谦卑，使你柔顺，从此听命于他。



原文：

February 14 The Discipline Of Heeding



“What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.” Matthew 10:27


At times God puts us through the discipline of darkness to teach us to heed Him. Song birds are taught to sing in the dark, and we are put into the shadow of God's hand until we learn to hear Him. “What I tell you in darkness” – watch where God puts you into darkness, and when you are there keep your mouth shut. Are you in the dark just now in your circumstances, or in your life with God? Then remain quiet. If you open your mouth in the dark, you will talk in the wrong mood: darkness is the time to listen. Don't talk to other people about it; don't read books to find out the reason of the darkness, but listen and heed. If you talk to other people, you cannot hear what God is saying. When you are in the dark, listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else when you get into the light.


After every time of darkness there comes a mixture of delight and humiliation (if there is delight only, I question whether we have heard God at all), delight in hearing God speak, but chiefly humiliation – What a long time I was in hearing that! How slow I have been in understanding that! And yet God has been saying it all these days and weeks. Now He gives you the gift of humiliation which brings the softness of heart that will always listen to God now.

《竭诚为主》2月15日 我岂是看守我弟兄的吗？
2015-02-15 章伯斯 每日恩典 每日恩典
每日恩典

微信号 ed365cn

功能介绍 让我们一起来快乐的学习圣经，每日与主同行，领受神的恩典！ 回复“帮助”或者“help”，查看所有关键字命令。

经文：我们没有一个人为自己活。（罗十四7）


你有没有想过别人灵性的光景，在神面前我们是有责任要承担？例如我暗地里偏离神，四周的人都必受累。我们是“一同坐在天上”、“一个肢体受苦，所有的肢体就一同受苦”。你一旦容让肉体的私欲、思想的怠惰，德行的放松、属灵的迟钝，你的同伴就要受损。你会说：“立这样的标准，谁能当得起呢？”惟有神自己，我们所能承担的是出于神。


“你们要作我的见证”。有多少人肯把精力、智力、德性、灵性的每一分为耶稣基督摆上呢？见证这个字在神的心目中，正是这个意思。是要用时间，要耐心。神留我们在地上是为了什么？得拯救？得成圣？绝不，乃是为他。我愿否为他成为擘开的饼、倒出的酒？我甘愿被剥夺一切，完全舍弃观点立场，只为主使万人作门徒？我以生命作主工人，是对神说不尽的救恩的致谢。记住，每个人都有可能成为被废弃的银子——“……恐怕我传福音给别人，自己反被弃绝了。”


原文：


February 15 Am I My Brother's Keeper?


“None of us liveth to himself.” Romans 14:7.


Has it ever dawned on you that you are responsible for other souls spiritually before God? For instance, if I allow any private deflection from God in my life, everyone about me suffers. We “sit together in heavenly places.”“Whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it.” When once you allow physical selfishness, mental slovenliness, moral obtuseness, spiritual density, everyone belonging to your crowd will suffer. “But,” you say, “who is sufficient for these things if you erect a standard like that?”“Our sufficiency is of God,” and of Him alone.


“Ye shall be My witnesses.” How many of us are willing to spend every ounce of nervous energy, of mental, moral and spiritual energy we have for Jesus Christ? That is the meaning of a witness in God's sense of the word. It takes time, be patient with yourself. God has left us on the earth – what for? To be saved and sanctified? No, to be at it for Him. Am I willing to be broken bread and poured out wine for Him? To be spoilt for this age, for this life, to be spoilt from every standpoint but one – saving as I can disciple men and women to the Lord Jesus Christ. My life as a worker is the way I say “thank you” to God for His unspeakable salvation. Remember it is quite possible for any one of us to be flung out as reprobate silver – “. . . lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

《竭诚为主》2月16日 属灵动力的源头
2015-02-16 章伯斯 每日恩典 每日恩典
每日恩典

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功能介绍 让我们一起来快乐的学习圣经，每日与主同行，领受神的恩典！ 回复“帮助”或者“help”，查看所有关键字命令。

当醒过来，从死里复活。（弗五14）


并非所有推动力都是从神感动来的。有人会对你说：“振作起来吧！把你的闲懒治死，勇往直前！”这属于人的推动力。但神的灵进前来认真地说：“振作吧。”这推动力是从神发出。


年轻的时候，我们都有不少异象理想；可是总有一天，会发觉根本无力实现。所渴望的若无法实行，就会视这等异象理想为已死。然后神对你说：“从死里复活。” 当神的感动真的临到，会带出神奇无比的能力，叫我们能从死里复生，作出不可能的事。属灵推动力最特别之处，是我们先要“振作起来”，然后才有生命力。神的感动来了，他说：“从死里复活。”我们必须自己起来，因神并不拖我们起来。主对那枯干了手的人说：“伸出你的手来。”那人一伸手，就得了医治。他必须采取主动。你若肯起来，就必发现神的感动，因为他立即把生命给你。


原文：


February 16 The Inspiration of Spiritual Initiative


Arise from the dead . . . —Ephesians 5:14


Not all initiative, the willingness to take the first step, is inspired by God. Someone may say to you, “Get up and get going! Take your reluctance by the throat and throw it overboard— just do what needs to be done!” That is what we mean by ordinary human initiative. But when the Spirit of God comes to us and says, in effect, “Get up and get going,” suddenly we find that the initiative is inspired.


We all have many dreams and aspirations when we are young, but sooner or later we realize we have no power to accomplish them. We cannot do the things we long to do, so our tendency is to think of our dreams and aspirations as dead. But God comes and says to us, “Arise from the dead . . . .” When God sends His inspiration, it comes to us with such miraculous power that we are able to “arise from the dead” and do the impossible. The remarkable thing about spiritual initiative is that the life and power comes after we “get up and get going.” God does not give us overcoming life— He gives us life as we overcome. When the inspiration of God comes, and He says, “Arise from the dead . . . ,” we have to get ourselves up; God will not lift us up. Our Lord said to the man with the withered hand, “Stretch out your hand” (Matthew 12:13). As soon as the man did so, his hand was healed. But he had to take the initiative. If we will take the initiative to overcome, we will find that we have the inspiration of God, because He immediately gives us the power of life.

《竭诚为主》2月17日 冲破苦闷的动力
2015-02-17 章伯斯 每日恩典 每日恩典
每日恩典

起来吃吧。（王上十九5）


天使没有给以利亚异象，没有向他解释圣经，也没有做什么特殊的事；他只吩咐以利亚做一件最简单的事——起来吃吧。我们若从不曾沮丧，就不是真正生活过的人；只有水晶体才从不会沮丧。人，是会苦闷低沉的，就是会死亡的东西；你对自己的评估里，总要把沮丧的可能性计算在内。


神来临，并不是给我们异象，只是吩咐我们做最寻常的事。沮丧往往令我们转离神创造的寻常事物，但神来到，却感动人做最简单的事。我们以为神绝不会在那些事物里面，谁知稍有行动，就发现他在那里。这样的感动临到我们，就是对抗苦闷低沉的一种动力；要跟着做该做的，依神的感动去做。反之，若我们故意做什么，企图去胜过沮丧，就只会变本加厉；我们若照神的吩咐去做，沮丧就会消失。随即可以起来，遵神的旨意去行。这时，已进入生命的另一更高境界了。


原文：


February 17 The Initiative Against Depression


“Arise and eat.” 1 Kings 19:5


The angel did not give Elijah a vision, or explain the Scriptures to him, or do anything remarkable; he told Elijah to do the most ordinary thing, viz., to get up and eat. If we were never depressed we should not be alive; it is the nature of a crystal never to be depressed. A human being is capable of depression, otherwise there would be no capacity for exaltation. There are things that are calculated to depress, things that are of the nature of death; and in taking an estimate of yourself, always take into account the capacity for depression.


When the Spirit of God comes He does not give us visions, He tells us to do the most ordinary things conceivable. Depression is apt to turn us away from the ordinary commonplace things of God's creation, but whenever God comes, the inspiration is to do the most natural simple thing – the things we would never have imagined God was in, and as we do them we find He is there. The inspiration which comes to us in this way is an initiative against depression; we have to do the next thing and do it in the inspiration of God. If we do a thing in order to overcome depression, we deepen the depression; but if the Spirit of God makes us feel intuitively that we must do the thing, and we do it, the depression is gone. Immediately we arise and obey, we enter on a higher plane of life.

《竭诚为主》2月18日 抗拒绝望的动力

2015-02-18章伯斯 每日恩典
      起来，我们走吧。（太二十六46）

      
门徒该儆醒的时候，却睡着了。当我们发现自己这个样子，就失望灰心。事情既无可追悔，就很容易沮丧说：“事到如今，再无挽回的余地了。”我们若认为这样的沮丧是不经常的，那就错了，这实在是司空见惯的人生经历。当我们醒觉自己错过了大好的行事机会，势必沉溺在失望之中，耶稣基督说：“安睡吧，机会失去不再回来，也无法挽回。但起来吧，百尺竿头，更进一步。”

      
让过去的事消逝吧！只要消逝在主的胸怀里；然后与他一同迎接不可抗拒的未来。在各自的人生中，我们都有这样的经验——陷在颓唐沮丧中。这种沮丧是从现实而来，我们无法自拔。这里门徒做了无可饶恕的事，就是没有与耶稣一同警醒，反而睡着了。但他却给予他们对抗沮丧的动力——“起来，行下一步吧。”我们有了神的感动，下一步该是什么？完全信靠他，在他救赎的凭据上祷告。

      千万别让失败的意识阻碍你新的行动。

      原文：

      February 18 The Initiative Against Despair

      “Rise, let us be going.” Matthew 26:46

      The disciples went to sleep when they should have kept awake, and
when they realized what they had done it produced despair. The sense of the
irreparable is apt to make us despair, and we say – “It is all up now, it is no
use trying any more.” If we imagine that this kind of despair is exceptional, we
are mistaken, it is a very ordinary human experience. Whenever we realize that
we have not done that which we had a magnificent opportunity of doing, then we
are apt to sink into despair; and Jesus Christ comes and says – “Sleep on now,
that opportunity is lost for ever, you cannot alter it, but arise and go to the
next thing.” Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ, and go
out into the irresistible future with Him.

      There are experiences like this in each of our lives. We are in
despair, the despair that comes from actualities, and we cannot lift ourselves
out of it. The disciples in this instance had done a downright unforgivable
thing; they had gone to sleep instead of watching with Jesus, but He came with a
spiritual initiative against their despair and said – “Arise and do the next
thing.” If we are inspired of God, what is the next thing? To trust Him
absolutely and to pray on the ground of His Redemption.

      Never let the sense of failure corrupt your new action.

《竭诚为主》2月19日 应付苦差的动力

2015-02-19章伯斯每日恩典
兴起发光（赛六十1）

      
我们踏上第一步，好像神没有在那里一般。空等神来帮助是无济于事的，他不会来；然而当我们有所行动，就发现他在那里了。神的感动往往是道德性的。我们不要老是呆在那里，像一根方木似的，是要起来行动。只要兴起发光，苦差便在神的光中变相。

      
苦差是磨练人最佳的试金石。苦差不是理想的工作，而是最低贱的工作。但一触及这些工作，就立刻知道我们的属灵情况。约翰福音十三章记载：道成肉身的神作了一件最不讨好的苦差，就是洗渔夫的脚。他说：“我是你们的主，尚且洗你们的脚，你们也当彼此洗脚。”苦差需要神的感动，有神的光照在其中。有些人做一件事，便有好的表现，使那件事染上光彩。可能是一件极普通的事，但当他们做过之后，就完全不同了。每当主叫我们做事，他总叫那事变了形象。我们的主披上了血肉之体，叫它改变形象，使之成为圣徒圣灵的殿。

原文：

      February 19 The Initiative Against Drudgery

      “Arise, shine.” Isaiah 60:1

      We have to take the first step as though there were no God. It is no
use to wait for God to help us, He will not; but immediately we arise we find He
is there. Whenever God inspires, the initiative is a moral one. We must do the
thing and not lie like a log. If we will arise and shine, drudgery becomes
divinely transfigured.

      Drudgery is one of the finest touchstones of character there is.
Drudgery is work that is very far removed from anything to do with the ideal –
the utterly mean grubby things; and when we come in contact with them we know
instantly whether or not we are spiritually real. Read John 13. We see there the
Incarnate God doing the most desperate piece of drudgery, washing fishermen's
feet, and He says – “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye
also ought to wash one another's feet.” It requires the inspiration of God to go
through drudgery with the light of God upon it. Some people do a certain thing
and the way in which they do it hallows that thing for ever afterwards. It may
be the most commonplace thing, but after we have seen them do it, it becomes
different. When the Lord does a thing through us, He always transfigures it. Our
Lord took on Him our human flesh and transfigured it, and it has become for
every saint the temple of the Holy Ghost.

《竭诚为主》2月20日 控制梦想的动力



       经文：起来，我们走吧。（约十四31）


       为求事情做得好而产生的梦想，原是对的。但在实行时仍在发梦，那就不对了。我们的主对门徒说完了那番美好的教训后，我们多半以为他会吩咐门徒好好去默想；但主从来不容让我们只有空想。与神相交，要寻求他的心意，梦想是可以的；但当神已经告诉我们怎样做，我们仍想花时间去做梦，这就不对了，神是不会祝福这事。神对此等梦想，总是鞭辟入里，要给我们一个当头棒喝。这一棒叫我们“不要再坐着、再站着，乃要出去”。


       若果我们正安静等候神，他说：“来歇一歇吧！”这是在神面前的默想，为要明白神的心意，但一旦神已经说了，就不要耽搁在梦想里。让神成为你一切的梦想、一切赏心乐事的源头，然后遵行他所吩咐的。在爱情里，你不会一天到晚坐在那里，梦想你所爱的人；你会去为他有所行动；这正是耶稣基督期望我们做的。当神显明他的心意，而我们仍在发梦，那表示我们并不信任他。


原文：
        February 20 The Initiative Against Dreaming


       “Arise, let us go hence.” John 14:31


       Dreaming about a thing in order to do it properly is right; but dreaming about it when we should be doing it is wrong. After Our Lord had said those wonderful things to His disciples, we might have expected that He would tell them to go away and meditate over them all; but Our Lord never allowed “mooning.” When we are getting into contact with God in order to find out what He wants, dreaming is right; but when we are inclined to spend our time in dreaming over what we have been told to do, it is a bad thing and God's blessing is never on it. God's initiative is always in the nature of a stab against this kind of dreaming, the stab that bids us “neither sit nor stand but go.”?


       If we are quietly waiting before God and He has said – “Come ye yourselves apart,” then that is meditation before God in order to get at the line He wants; but always beware of giving over to mere dreaming when once God has spoken. Leave Him to be the source of all your dreams and joys and delights, and go out and obey what He has said. If you are in love, you do not sit down and dream about the one you love all the time, you go and do something for him; and that is what Jesus Christ expects us to do. Dreaming after God has spoken is an indication that we do not trust Him.

《竭诚为主》2月21日 你曾否为他忘形？


        经文：她在我身上作的是一件美事。（可十四6）


        爱若不能叫人忘形，就不是爱。爱若是拘谨、明智、合理、计较、从不会忘形的，那根本不是爱。那可能是感情，令人感觉温暖，却不是真正的爱。


        我曾否为神成就一事而虚己忘形，不是因为责任，不是因着有用，也不是因着任何缘故，而单单因为我爱他？我有没有奉上他所看为珍贵的东西？还是我在他伟大的救恩里游手好闲，不去做周围无数正等着我去做的事？不一定是大事，才称为美妙的，日常的、平凡的俗务，都可以见证我向神的顺服。我曾否使主喜悦，正如伯大尼马利亚所做的？


        有时神似乎在观察，看我们愿不愿意把真爱毫不保留地表现出来。完全归神，比个人的圣洁更有价值。个人的圣洁使我们只注视本身的洁白，叫我们十分谨慎自己的言行举止，唯恐得罪了神。若我们无保留地归神，完全的爱情就能把这些一概拋开。要除掉这个念头：“我有没有用？”要深信自己无用，这才更接近真相。因为那根本不是有用与否的问题，而在神是否看为宝贵。我们若全然归神，他每时每刻都藉着我们作工。


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        February 21 Have You Ever Been Carried Away For Him?


        “She hath wrought a good work on Me.” Mark 14:6


        If human love does not carry a man beyond himself, it is not love. If love is always discreet, always wise, always sensible and calculating, never carried beyond itself, it is not love at all. It may be affection, it may be warmth of feeling, but it has not the true nature of love in it.


        Have I ever been carried away to do something for God not because it was my duty, nor because it was useful, nor because there was anything in it at all beyond the fact that I love Him? Have I ever realized that I can bring to God things which are of value to Him, or am I mooning round the magnitude of His Redemption whilst there are any number of things I might be doing? Not Divine, colossal things which could be recorded as marvellous, but ordinary, simple human things which will give evidence to God that I am abandoned to Him? Have I ever produced in the heart of the Lord Jesus what Mary of Bethany produced?


        There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him the abandoned tokens of how genuinely we do love Him. Abandon to God is of more value than personal holiness. Personal holiness focuses the eye on our own whiteness; we are greatly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, fearful lest we offend Him. Perfect love casts out all that when once we are abandoned to God. We have to get rid of this notion – “Am I of any use?” and make up our minds that we are not, and we may be near the truth. It is never a question of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. When we are abandoned to God, He works through us all the time.

《竭诚为主》2月22日 属灵韧力的操练



        你们要休息（英文作安静），要知道我是神。（诗四十六10）

        坚韧不单是忍耐，乃是在忍耐之上，加上绝对的肯定，知道所期待的必然实现。坚韧也不单是持定，那可能只是怕倒下来的软弱。坚韧是以最大的努力，拒绝相信他所尊崇的英雄会被打败。一个门徒最深的恐惧，不是他会被定罪，而是耶稣基督被贬低，叫他所代表的一切——对人的爱、公义、饶恕和仁慈，至终不能奏凯；而他所表彰的一切只像电光一闪而过。这是，属灵的坚韧力叫我们不要徒然持守而无所事事，乃是著实地作工，确信神绝不被挫败。

        若我们的盼望似乎幻灭了，那正是进行洁净的工夫。人心里一切所想所求，都必一一实现。生命中最竭尽心力的事，莫过于等候神。“你遵守了我忍耐之道。”

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        February 22 The Discipline Of Spiritual Tenacity

        “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

        Tenacity is more than endurance, it is endurance combined with the absolute certainty that what we are looking for is going to transpire. Tenacity is more than hanging on, which may be but the weakness of being too afraid to fall off. Tenacity is the supreme effort of a man refusing to believe that his hero is going to be conquered. The greatest fear a man has is not that he will be damned, but that Jesus Christ will be worsted, that the things He stood for – love and justice and forgiveness and kindness among men – will not win out in the end; the things He stands for look like will-o'-the-wisps. Then comes the call to spiritual tenacity, not to hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately on the certainty that God is not going to be worsted.

        If our hopes are being disappointed just now, it means that they are being purified. There is nothing noble the human mind has ever hoped for or dreamed of that will not be fulfilled. One of the greatest strains in life is the strain of waiting for God. “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience.”

        Remain spiritually tenacious.

《竭诚为主》2月23日 事奉的决心


人子来，不是要受人的服侍，乃是要服侍人。（太二十28）

保罗对事奉的观念与主一样：“我在你们中间作服侍的，像他一样。”“我们为基督的缘故作你们的仆人。”我们常以为一个蒙召作传道的人，是被召成为与众不同的人。对于耶稣基督，他被召的是别人门前的地毯；做他们的属灵领袖，却绝不是他们的上司。保罗说:“我晓得怎样处卑贱。”

保罗对事奉的观念是这样：“我为你们耗尽了最后一分力量，你尽管称赞我，或是指责我，一点也没有关系。”只要有一个人尚未认识耶稣基督，保罗就是欠他的债，要服侍他直到认识主。保罗事奉的根源不是爱人，乃是爱主。我们若献身人类的幸福努力，很快就会心碎而倒退，因为人忘恩负义，比狗更加厉害。但若动机是出于爱神，那么怎样冷酷无情也不能阻拦我们的服侍。

保罗体会耶稣基督怎样对待他，就成为他决意服侍人的秘诀。“我从前是亵渎神的，逼迫人的，侮慢人的。”——不论人怎样对待我，也绝对比不上我昔日怎样以恶毒来对待耶稣基督。我们一旦体会耶稣基督怎样为我们的卑鄙、自私、罪恶服侍到底，那么，不论别人怎样待我们，也不能改变我们为主服侍人的决心。

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February 23 The Determination To Serve

“The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.” Matthew 20:28

Paul's idea of service is the same as Our Lord's: “I am among you as He that serveth;” “ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.” We have the idea that a man called to the ministry is called to be a different kind of being from other men. According to Jesus Christ, he is called to be the “door-mat” of other men; their spiritual leader, but never their superior. “I know how to be abased,” says Paul. This is Paul's idea of service – “I will spend myself to the last ebb for you; you may give me praise or give me blame, it will make no difference.” So long as there is a human being who does not know Jesus Christ, I am his debtor to serve him until he does. The mainspring of Paul's service is not love for men, but love for Jesus Christ. If we are devoted to the cause of humanity, we shall soon be crushed and broken-hearted, for we shall often meet with more ingratitude from men than we would from a dog; but if our motive is love to God, no ingratitude can hinder us from serving our fellow men.

Paul's realization of how Jesus Christ had dealt with him is the secret of his determination to serve others. “I was before a perjurer, a blasphemer, an injurious person” – no matter how men may treat me, they will never treat me with the spite and hatred with which I treated Jesus Christ. When we realize that Jesus Christ has served us to the end of our meanness, our selfishness, and sin, nothing that we meet with from others can exhaust our determination to serve men for His sake.

《竭诚为主》2月24日 牺牲的快乐

我也甘心乐意为你们的灵魂费财费力。（林后十二15）

圣灵一旦将神的爱浇灌在我们心里，我们就立即与耶稣基督一样关怀别人。耶稣基督对任何一种人都有爱心。在事奉的工作上，我们不能以自己的嗜好为指导；这是我们与主的关系中最大的考验之一。牺牲的快乐，在于我为“朋友”舍命，这并不是随手丢出，而是经过深思熟虑后，为他和他对人的爱，甘愿把生命舍去。这也不是为了别的什么使命。保罗只为一个目的而把自己耗尽——为主得人。他时刻被主吸引，而不体贴自己。“向什么样的人，我就作什么样的人。无论如何，总要救些人。”

人若一心独自与主一起，只为建立个人圣洁生命，他对别人就丝毫无益了；他不过把自己安置在台阶上，与人群脱节。保罗成了一个祭牲，他所到之处，主耶稣都使用他，作成神的旨意。我们不少人只追求自己的目标，以致主无法随意使用我们。若我们真的委身于耶稣，就该没有自己的目标了。保罗说他晓得怎样作一块门前的地毯而心无恼怒，因为他的生命已全属于耶稣了。我们很容易转移目标，不归属基督，而专注于那些叫我们心灵得自由的事物。保罗的动机不是这样：“为我弟兄，我骨肉之亲，就是自己被诅咒，与基督分离，我也愿意。”——太狂放，太夸大了，是吗？人在爱情里这样说话，并不是夸大，乃是爱上了基督，如保罗一样。

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February 24 The Delight Of Sacrifice

“I will very gladly spend and be spent for you;” 2 Corinthians 12:15

When the Spirit of God has shed abroad the love of God in our hearts, we begin deliberately to identify ourselves with Jesus Christ's interests in other people, and Jesus Christ is interested in every kind of man there is. We have no right in Christian work to be guided by our affinities; this is one of the biggest tests of our relationship to Jesus Christ. The delight of sacrifice is that I lay down my life for my Friend, not fling it away, but deliberately lay my life out for Him and His interests in other people, not for a cause. Paul spent himself for one purpose only – that he might win men to Jesus Christ. Paul attracted to Jesus all the time, never to himself. “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

When a man says he must develop a holy life alone with God, he is of no more use to his fellow men: he puts himself on a pedestal, away from the common run of men. Paul became a sacramental personality; wherever he went, Jesus Christ helped Himself to his life. Many of us are after our own ends, and Jesus Christ cannot help Himself to our lives. If we are abandoned to Jesus, we have no ends of our own to serve. Paul said he knew how to be a “door-mat” without resenting it, because the mainspring of his life was devotion to Jesus. We are apt to be devoted, not to Jesus Christ, but to the things which emancipate us spiritually. That was not Paul's motive. “I could wish my self were accursed from Christ for my brethren” – wild, extravagant – is it? When a man is in love it is not an exaggeration to talk in that way, and Paul is in love with Jesus Christ.

《竭诚为主》2月25日 倾尽的事奉



难道我越发爱你们，就越发少得你们爱吗？（林后十二15）


天然的爱是期望回报的，但保罗却说：“我不管你爱不爱我，我甘愿竭尽一切牺牲自己，不单是为你的缘故，更是要把你带到神那里。”“你们知道主耶稣基督的恩典，他本来富足，却为你们成了贫穷。”保罗事奉的观念正是：“不管我怎样竭尽心力，也是甘心情愿的。”对保罗来说，这是一件乐事。


一般传统教会对作神仆人的观念，并不是耶稣基督的观念。他的观念是要我们藉着服侍人而事奉他。耶稣基督的思想比社会主义者更富社会主义的色彩。他说在他的国里，最大的要作众人的仆人。作圣徒真正的考验不在传讲福音，乃在洗门徒的脚，就是做那些在人眼光中无足轻重的事，在神看来却是非常重要。保罗乐意为神的缘故，不计算代价地为别人耗尽一切。但我们会把经济和个人问题带过来——“假如神要我到那里，薪金怎样？气候怎样？福利怎样？人总要考虑这些的。”这一切表示我们事奉神仍有保留：而使徒保罗却毫无保留。主耶稣对新约圣徒的观念，保罗都集中在自己的生活中；他不但传播福音，更为别人成为擘开的饼、倒出来的酒。



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February 25 The Destitution Of Service


“Though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” 2 Corinthians 12:15


Natural love expects some return, but Paul says – I do not care whether you love me or not, I am willing to destitute myself completely, not merely for your sakes, but that I may get you to God. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor.” Paul's idea of service is exactly along that line – I do not care with what extravagance I spend myself, and I will do it gladly. It was a joyful thing to Paul.


The ecclesiastical idea of a servant of God is not Jesus Christ's idea. His idea is that we serve Him by being the servants of other men. Jesus Christ out-socialists the socialists. He says that in His Kingdom he that is greatest shall be the servant of all. The real test of the saint is not preaching the gospel, but washing disciples' feet, that is, doing the things that do not count in the actual estimate of men but count everything in the estimate of God. Paul delighted to spend himself out for God's interests in other people, and he did not care what it cost. We come in with our economical notions –“Suppose God wants me to go there – what about the salary? What about the climate? How shall I be looked after? A man must consider these things.” All that is an indication that we are serving God with a reserve. The apostle Paul had no reserve. Paul focuses Jesus Christ's idea of a New Testament saint in his life, viz.: not one who proclaims the Gospel merely, but one who becomes broken bread and poured out wine in the hands of Jesus Christ for other lives.

《竭诚为主》2月26日 对耶稣的低估

  

先生没有打水的器具。（约四11）


“神所说的一切奇妙我很钦仰，但他休想我能在生活里真正行出来！”论到主耶稣本身的美德，往往叫我们有一种敬虔的优越感。“你的理想甚高，令我们心悦诚服，但一涉及实际事物，就行不通了。”我们各人对耶稣或多或少总有这样的想法。当我们向人讲说与神立约，人家会好奇地问：“你的钱从哪里来？你怎么应付生活？”因而使我们对耶稣发生质疑。有时这种疑虑会发自我们本身，对主说这件事他也许难以应付。“说信靠主是不错的，但人总要生活的啊，耶稣连打水的器具也没有，他怎样供应我们？”你要留心里面那敬虔的虚伪说：“我不怪主耶稣，只怪自己。”人从来不会怪责自己；我们无能为力的地方，自己知得很清楚，但不满意主的却很多。对他能做而我们所不能的，我们会觉得有损自尊。


当我省察自己，才发现神对任何事物都能应付自如，这样，不满就油然而生，因为我的自卑感在作祟。若真的是这样，要来到神面前承认：“主，我对你有误会，我未能放下自己，去信任你的智慧；我没有离开自我的悟性，去相信你的全能。”


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February 26 Inferior Misgivings About Jesus


“Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with.” John 4:11


“I am impressed with the wonder of what God says, but He cannot expect me really to live it out in the details of my life!” When it comes to facing Jesus Christ on His own merits, our attitude is one of pious superiority – Your ideals are high and they impress us, but in touch with actual things, it cannot be done. Each of us thinks about Jesus in this way in some particular. These misgivings about Jesus start from the amused questions put to us when we talk of our transactions with God – Where are you going to get your money from? How are you going to be looked after? Or they start from ourselves when we tell Jesus that our case is a bit too hard for Him. It is all very well to say “Trust in the Lord,” but a man must live, and Jesus has nothing to draw with – nothing whereby to give us these things. Beware of the pious fraud in you which says – I have no misgivings about Jesus, only about myself. None of us ever had misgivings about ourselves; we know exactly what we cannot do, but we do have misgivings about Jesus. We are rather hurt at the idea that He can do what we cannot.


My misgivings arise from the fact that I ransack my own person to find out how He will be able to do it. My questions spring from the depths of my own inferiority. If I detect these misgivings in myself, let me bring them to the light and confess them – “Lord, I have had misgivings about Thee, I have not believed in Thy wits apart from my own; I have not believed in Thine almighty power apart from my finite understanding of it.”

《竭诚为主》2月27日 限制了耶稣的工作

你从哪里得活水呢？（约四11）

“井又深。”——比撒玛利亚妇人所想的更深。想想人本性的深奥、生命的奥妙，和你“里面的井”的深度。你是否限制了主耶稣的工作，以致他不能有所作为？假设你心中有一个像无底深井的烦恼，耶稣会对你说: “你心里不要忧愁。”你就耸耸肩说：“可是，主啊，井太深；我无法从其中汲取平静与安慰的水。”其实，耶稣要从上头带下力量来，而不会从人的井里打什么上来。我们若只记得以往让神为我们做过的事，或说：“我当然不会奢望神这样做。”那么，我们就限制了以色列的圣者的工作。要全能才做得到的事，信徒该相信耶稣能够做到。我们若忘记他的全能，就局限了主的工作；那使主的工作显得衰退的是我们，不是他。我们只接受耶稣作安慰者、同情者，而不接受他为全能者。

我们中间有些人之所以成为差劲的基督徒，是因为心中没有全能的基督。我们有基督徒的性情与经历，却没有委身于耶稣基督，向他降服。到有了难题，就说：“他实在无能为力。”是我们限制了他的工作。我们挣扎到井底，想自己去打水；并且在放弃时心安理得地说：“这事不可能。”你知道仰望耶稣就可以做成。你的缺欠深如井，惟有竭力抬头仰望神

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February Impoverished Ministry Of JESUS

“From whence then hast Thou that living water?” John 4:11

“The well is deep” – and a great deal deeper than the Samaritan woman knew! Think of the depths of human nature, of human life, think of the depths of the “wells” in you. Have you been impoverishing the ministry of Jesus so that He can not do anything? Suppose there is a well of fathomless trouble inside your heart, and Jesus comes and says – “Let not your heart be troubled”; and you shrug your shoulders and say, “But, Lord, the well is deep; You cannot draw up quietness and comfort out of it.” No, He will bring them down from above. Jesus does not bring anything up from the wells of human nature. We limit the Holy One of Israel by remembering what we have allowed Him to do for us in the past, and by saying, “Of course I cannot expect God to do this thing.” The thing that taxes almightiness is the very thing which we as disciples of Jesus ought to believe He will do. We impoverish His ministry the moment we forget He is Almighty; the impoverishment is in us, not in Him. We will come to Jesus as Comforter or as Sympathizer, but we will not come to Him as Almighty.

The reason some of us are such poor specimens of Christianity is because we have no Almighty Christ. We have Christian attributes and experiences, but there is no abandonment to Jesus Christ. When we get into difficult circumstances, we impoverish His ministry by saying – “Of course He cannot do any thing,” and we struggle down to the deeps and try to get the water for ourselves. Beware of the satisfaction of sinking back and saying – “It can't be done”; you know it can be done if you look to Jesus. The well of your incompleteness is deep, but make the effort and look away to Him.

《竭诚为主》2月28日 现在你们信吗？


       因此我们信……耶稣说，现在你们信吗？（约十六30-31）

        “现在我们信。”耶稣说：“你们信吗？时候将到……你们要分散……留下我独自一人。”许多基督的工人留下主独自一人，凭自己的责任感去作工，或凭自己的判断觉得需要而做；这是因为缺少复活主的生命，与神失去了亲密的关系，只倚仗自己信仰上的知识(箴三5-6)。这个不涉及罪恶，也与刑罚无关；只是当发现这事成为我们认识基督的障碍，带来何等的困惑、愁苦、难处，就必然蒙羞抱愧，痛悔地回转。

        我们必须更深切地投靠主耶稣复活的生命，养成一种习惯，在一切事情上不断寻求他的指引。可是我们往往会作出合常理的决定，然后才求神赐福。但他无法赐福，因为这事不属他国度的事，而且脱离现实。我们若凭责任感行事，就是坚立了一个标准与耶稣基督敌对。我们自视为“超人”，说：“这件事我要这样那样做。”我们把责任感放在宝座上，代替了主复活的生命。神没有叫我们行在良心或责任感的光中，乃是行在神的光中，正如神行在光中一样。出于责任感的工作，可以言之成理，持之有故；但出于顺服主的工作，没有别的解释——单单出于顺服。正因如此，圣徒容易被人嘲讽和误会！

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        February Do Ye Now Believe?

        “By this we believe . . . Jesus answered, Do ye now believe?” John 16:30-31

        Now we believe. Jesus says – Do you? The time is coming when you will leave Me alone. Many a Christian worker has left Jesus Christ alone and gone into work from a sense of duty, or from a sense of need arising out of his own particular discernment. The reason for this is the absence of the resurrection life of Jesus. The soul has got out of intimate contact with God by leaning to its own religious understanding. There is no sin in it, and no punishment attached to it; but when the soul realizes how he has hindered his understanding of Jesus Christ, and produced for himself perplexities and sorrows and difficulties, it is with shame and contrition he has to come back.

      We need to rely on the resurrection life of Jesus much deeper down than we do, to get into the habit of steadily referring everything back to Him; instead of this we make our common-sense decisions and ask God to bless them. He cannot, it is not in His domain, it is severed from reality. If we do a thing from a sense of duty, we are putting up a standard in competition with Jesus Christ. We become a “superior person,” and say – “Now in this matter I must do this and that.” We have put our sense of duty on the throne instead of the resurrection life of Jesus. We are not told to walk in the light of conscience or of a sense of duty, but to walk in the light as God is in the light. When we do anything from a sense of duty, we can back it up by argument; when we do anything in obedience to the Lord, there is no argument possible; that is why a saint can be easily ridiculed.

《竭诚为主》3月1日 毫不放松的问话

       你爱我吗？（约二十一17）

        彼得这时不再宣告什么了（参太二十六33-35）。人天然的性情总喜欢扬声宣告；但当耶稣基督的问话一针见血时，才显露那人爱的品质。彼得对耶稣的爱，是人本性中爱一个好人的那种爱。那是属于性情里的爱，这也许会深入人的个性里，但并不触及人的内里。真爱是从不宣告什么。耶稣说：“凡在人面前认我的。”承认他的爱不单凭口里所说的话，也凭所行的一切。

        除非主的话刺破我们的假面具，否则神的话根本进不到我们里面。神的话刺伤比罪的刺伤更厉害，因为罪使感觉迟钝。但主的话却加强我们的感觉，以致他的刺伤比任何我们所能意想到的刺伤更痛。这痛不单是一般性的，而是更深入的，对准人内心的。主的话刺透我们，将灵与魂分开，再无虚假可以存留。对主的问话，我们不能用感情来敷衍。主直接对你说话时，你不能只说好话，那痛太厉害了。刺痛使任何事物都不再算一回事了。主的话在他儿女身上的刺痛，是不会有错的；刺痛的地方，正是启示的重要开端。

         原文：

        March 1: The Undeviating Question

        “Lovest thou Me?” John 21:17

        Peter declares nothing now (cf. Matthew 26:33-35). Natural individuality professes and declares; the love of the personality is only discovered by the hurt of the question of Jesus Christ. Peter loved Jesus in the way in which any natural man loves a good man. That is temperamental love; it may go deep into the individuality, but it does not touch the centre of the person. True love never professes anything. Jesus said – “Whosoever shall confess Me before men,” i.e., confess his love not merely by his words, but by everything he does.

     Unless we get hurt right out of every deception about ourselves, the word of God is not having its way with us. The word of God hurts as no sin can ever hurt, because sin blunts feeling. The question of the Lord intensifies feeling, until to be hurt by Jesus is the most exquisite hurt conceivable. It hurts not only in the natural way but in the profound personal way. The word of the Lord pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, there is no deception left. There is no possibility of being sentimental with the Lord's question; you cannot say nice things when the Lord speaks directly to you, the hurt is too terrific. It is such a hurt that it stings every other concern out of account. There never can be any mistake about the hurt of the Lord's word when it comes to His child; but the point of the hurt is the great point of revelation.

《竭诚为主》3月2日 你感到主的刺伤吗？


第三次对他说：“约翰的儿子西门，你爱我吗？”（约二十一17）

你感到主的刺伤痛入骨髓，正中你生命是最敏感的要害吗？魔鬼从不刺入那里，罪恶或人的感情也不刺到那里，惟有神的话才透得过。“彼得因为耶稣第三次对他说……就忧愁。”他开始觉悟在他生命的最深处，是全心爱耶稣的，也开始明白主再三问他的用意。他心里再没有丝毫的疑惑，也不再迷糊了。这时，已没有冲动诉说的余地，也不能用激昂的情绪示爱了。他醒悟自己原来有多爱主，以致他满心赞叹他说：“主啊，你是无所不知的。”彼得开始发现自己多么爱主；但他并没有说：“请看这件那件事便可以证明。”他心里发现对主的爱有多深，就是在天上地下除了主耶稣，再没有别的了。但他一直都不知道，直到主的问话刺入剖开。主的问话总是把我自己显露出来。

主耶稣对彼得是多么忍耐、坦率和巧妙，他总是在合适的时刻才发问。他会把我们引到一个角落，用他毫不放松的问话刺透我们；虽然他并不常是这样，也可能只此一次。不过，我们却觉察到自己真真爱他，比任何口头的宣称更真。

原文：

March 2: Have You Felt The Hurt Of The LORD?

“Jesus said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me?” John 21:17

Have you felt the hurt of the Lord to the uncovered quick, the place where the real sensitiveness of your life is lodged? The devil never hurts there, neither sin nor human affection hurts there, nothing goes through to that place but the word of God. “Peter was grieved because Jesus said unto him the third time. . . .” He was awakening to the fact that in the real true centre of his personal life he was devoted to Jesus, and he began to see what the patient questioning meant. There was not the slightest strand of delusion left in Peter's mind, he never could be deluded again. There was no room for passionate utterance, no room for exhilaration or sentiment. It was a revelation to him to realize how much he did love the Lord, and with amazement he said – “Lord, Thou knowest all things.” Peter began to see how much he did love Jesus; but he did not say – “Look at this or that to confirm it.” Peter was beginning to discover to himself how much he did love the Lord, that there was no one in heaven above or upon earth beneath beside Jesus Christ; but he did not know it until the probing, hurting questions of the Lord came. The Lord's questions always reveal me to myself.

The patient directness and skill of Jesus Christ with Peter! Our Lord never asks questions until the right time. Rarely, but probably once, He will get us into a corner where He will hurt us with His undeviating questions, and we will realize that we do love Him far more deeply than any profession can ever show.