行動自如 Free to Travel

經文: 「我必使他們倚靠我，得以堅固；一舉一動必奉我的名。」（撒迦利亞書十︰12）

這經文是病痛中信徒的一帖安慰劑。當他們纏綿病榻，體力孱弱，難免陷入憂懼的幽谷，但全能的大醫生可以除掉我們的病痛，挪開我們的軟弱，使我們剛強健壯，因為只要「在耶穌裏」一切的應許都是肯定的。我們的能力，若靠著自己，不但有限，且容易自義；若靠著上帝，則源頭不竭，且帶來神人的契合。 我們的日子如何，力量也如何。我們的一舉一動都奉主的名，大病初癒，能夠自由行動，是多麼喜悅的事！尤其在主裡得以健壯，更是令人快慰的事！主給祂的百姓有這樣的自由，能到處走動，也給我們內心的平安舒坦，來行使這自由。我們不再是工作或金錢的奴僕，我們自在地到處旅行，享受主所賜的平安生活。 來吧，我的心，勿再受傷軟弱；上帝叫你健壯與祂同行，就讓我們默然靠主，聽從祂慈愛的吩咐吧！

Scripture: “And I will strengthen them in the LORD: and they shall walk up and down in His Name, saith the LORD” (Zechariah 10:12).

A solace for sick saints. They have grown faint, and they fear that they shall never rise from the bed of doubt and fear; but the Great Physician can both remove the disease and take away the weakness which has come of it. He will strengthen the feeble. This He will do in the best possible way, for it shall be “in Jehovah.” Our strength is far better in God than in self. In the LORD it causes fellowship, in ourselves it would create pride. In ourselves it would be sadly limited, but in God it knows no bound.  When strength is given, the believer uses it. He walks up and down in the name of the LORD. What an enjoyment it is to walk abroad after illness, and what a delight to be strong in the LORD after a season of prostration! The LORD gives His people liberty to walk up and down and an inward leisure to exercise that liberty. He makes gentlemen of us: we are not slaves who know no rest and see no sights, but we are free to travel at our ease throughout Immanuel’s land. Come, my heart, be thou no more sick and sorry; Jesus bids thee be strong and walk with God in holy contemplation. Obey His word of love.

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贖罪祭壇 What Sanctifies Our Offerings?

經文: 「又要把些血抹在會幕內、耶和華面前香壇的四角上。」（利未記四︰7）

焚香的祭壇，是聖者獻上禱告與讚美的地方，若能想像此處是耶穌寶血傾洒之處，更能使我們的敬拜蒙上帝悅納。因為祂看到祂愛子的血，祂就接納我們的奉獻與敬拜。 定睛在寶血上是必要的，因為那是惟一的贖罪祭。而罪常與我們看為是好的事混雜在一起，若沒有耶穌寶血的挽回祭，我們的悔改、信心、禱告，在上帝眼中，都不算數。有人輕看耶穌的流血，覺得那沒什麼，但對我們而言，這卻是我們一切盼望的基礎。寶血抹在香壇的四角，意味著當我們近到上帝面前，那將是最搶眼的部份。寶血使我們的禱告有力，所以它被抹在壇上最醒目之處。因為祂是獻在上帝面前，所以也擺在我們面前，藉以我們的獻祭得以潔淨。 來吧，因為羔羊已經代贖罪債，就讓我們坦然無懼地來到上帝面前，知道藉著寶血的遮蓋，我們已蒙悅納，我們的禱告，必像馨香之氣，達到上帝面前。  Scripture: “And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD” (Leviticus 4:7). The altar of incense is the place where saints present their prayers and praises; and it is delightful to think of it as sprinkled with the blood of the great sacrifice. This it is which makes all our worship acceptable with Jehovah: He sees the blood of His own Son and therefore accepts our homage.  It is well for us to fix our eyes upon the blood of the one offering for sin. Sin mingles even with our holy things, and our best repentance, faith, prayer, and thanksgiving could not be received of God were it not for the merit of the atoning sacrifice. Many sneer at “the blood”; but to us it is the foundation of comfort and hope. That which is on the horns of the altar is meant to be prominently before our eyes when we draw near to God. The blood gives strength to prayer, and hence it is on the altar’s horns. It is “before the LORD,” and therefore it ought to be before us. It is on the altar before we bring the incense; it is there to sanctify our offerings and gifts. Come, let us pray with confidence, since the Victim is offered, the merit has been pleaded, the blood is within the veil, and the prayers of believers must be sweet unto the LORD.

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永不孤單 Never Alone

經文: 「你必不再稱為『撇棄的』。」（以賽亞書六十二︰4）

「被拋棄」是多麼悽慘的字！聽起來像是一場悲劇。那是一種椎心刺骨的傷痛，是一種痛徹心肺的哀絕，那是一種說不出來的心結糾纏。你曾被父母親遺棄？你曾被海誓山盟的情人甩掉？你曾被至友出賣？或是被你的親人欺騙？這的確是令人哀痛欲絕的不幸遭遇，但上帝若醫治我們，這樣的傷痛，隨著時間的沖淡，還是可慢慢痊癒。 然而，若上帝拋棄你，那又是怎樣的光景？請聽耶穌在十字架上慘絕人寰的哀鳴︰「上帝哪，上帝哪，祢為什麼拋棄我？」我們可曾飽受凌遲酷刑的折磨？可曾親嚐這種備極羞辱的滋味？若有，求上帝為我們把這一切挪開，不要讓這樣的苦況重現。惡人常指著受苦的聖人說︰「你的上帝已經拋棄你，所以祂使你吃苦受罪。」不，這完全錯了。上帝純全的大愛要覆庇我們，要逼著仇敵收回他的話，至少要封住他的舌頭。 相反地，上帝說︰「我喜悅你。」，我們的哭泣要轉為歡欣。讓那些以為被拋棄的人，聽到主的聲音︰「我必不離開你，也不撇棄你。」  Scripture: “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken” (Isaiah 62:4). “Forsaken” is a dreary word. It sounds like a knell. It is the record of sharpest sorrows and the prophecy of direst ills. An abyss of misery yawns in that word forsaken. Forsaken by one who pledges his honor! Forsaken by a friend so long tried and trusted! Forsaken by a dear relative! Forsaken by father and mother! Forsaken by all! This is woe indeed, and yet it may be patiently born if the LORD will take us up.  But what must it be to feel forsaken of God? Think of that bitterest of cries, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Have we ever in any degree tasted the wormwood and the gall of “forsaken” in that sense? If so, let us beseech our LORD to save us from any repetition of so unspeakable a sorrow. Oh, that such darkness may never return! Men in malice said of a saint, “God hath forsaken him; persecute and take him.” But it was always false. The LORD’s loving favor shall compel our cruel foes to eat their own words or, at least, to hold their tongues. The reverse of all this is that superlative word Hephzibah “the LORD delighteth in thee.” This turns weeping into dancing. Let those who dreamed that they were forsaken hear the LORD say, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”

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先他們而去 Always First in Fellowship

經文: 「祂在你們以先往加利利去。在那裡你們要見祂，正如祂從前所告訴你們的。」（馬可福音十六︰7）

耶穌和門徒講好在那兒碰面，祂必準時出現，祂永不食言。耶穌若講好可在祂的寶座前，或聚會崇拜中得以見到祂，祂必說話算話。有時我們會有意無意地迴避聚會，但耶穌絕不會這樣做。祂說︰「若兩三人奉我的名聚會，我就在他們當中。」祂說：「我就在」，而非「我將在」。 耶穌總是第一個到場，因她先我們而去。祂的心總是繫掛在我們身上，祂總是惦記著我們，急於想見到我們，所以祂總是先我們而去。 但祂只向那跟隨祂的人顯現。「在那裡你們要見祂」多麼令人高興的場面！我們不在意見到世上的大人物，但卻很關心是否看到耶穌，因祂的笑臉是我們最大的滿足，祂也應許我們，要向那信靠祂的人顯現。讓我們安心地站在祂的應許上，因為上帝一向說話算話。祂既然開出這樣的支票，我們就緊緊地抓住這應許，等待祂的語言兌現。

Scripture: “He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you” (Mark 16:7).

Where He appointed to meet His disciples, there He would be in due time. Jesus keeps His trust. If He promises to meet us at the mercy seat, or in public worship, or in the ordinances, we may depend upon it that He will be there. We may wickedly stay away from the appointed meeting place, but He never does. He says, “Where two or three are met together in my name, there am I”; He says not, “There will I be,” but, “I am there already.” Jesus is always first in fellowship: “He goeth before you.” His heart is with His people, His delight is in them, He is never slow to meet them. In all fellowship He goeth before us. But He reveals Himself to those who come after Him: “There shall ye see him.” Joyful sight! We care not to see the greatest of mere men, but to see Him is to be filled with joy and peace. And we shall see Him, for He promises Himself to them. Rest assured that it will be so, for He does everything according to His word of promise: “As he said unto you.” Catch at those last words, and be assured that to the end He will do for you “as he said unto you.”

 

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工作已了，靜享安息 Work is Done; Rest in Him

經文: 「必另有一安息日的安息為上帝的子民存留。」（希伯來書四︰9）

上帝已經預備了安息日，只有某些人才進得去。上帝第一次向他們傳講這信息，人得不著，因為他們不相信，所以只好留給相信的人享用。大衛也曾歌頌這安息，但他的百姓卻沒聽進去，拒絕上帝所賜的安息。約書亞對進迦南有極大的信心，但他也無法將這信心分給他人，這安息只留給那相信上帝話語的人。          來吧，讓我們努力，以得著這安息。讓我們不再自我中心，不再受罪和私慾的干擾；甚至不要落入自信自義的牢籠，你有這些毛病嗎﹖摒除這一切，甚至停止自我的努力或工作，讓上帝自己來動工。讓我們在主耶穌已完成的事工裏找到安息，因為大功已經告成，公義的要求已得著滿足，享有在耶穌裡的平安，是我們應得的份。         至於上帝的預定、人的得救、成聖功夫的完成，這些傷神的問題，就交給上帝自己來處理吧！若上帝託負我們這樣的責任，我們自會很輕省地扛起這個責任；憑著信心，我們努力進入上帝所賜的安息，同時拒絕陶醉在自義自滿中，那不是真正的安息，只有主耶穌自己是我們惟一的滿足，也只有浸沐在祂裏面，才能找到真正的安息。 Scripture: "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God"(Hebrews 4:9).         God has provided a Sabbath, and some must enter into it. Those to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief; therefore, that Sabbath remains for the people of God. David sang of it; but he had to touch the minor key, for Israel refused the rest of God. Joshua could not give it, nor Canaan yield it: it remains for believers.         Come, then, let us labor to enter into this rest. Let us quit the weary toil of sin and self. Let us cease from all confidence, even in those works of which it might be said, "They are very good." Have we any such? Still, let us cease from our own works, as God did from His. Now let us find solace in the finished work of our LORD Jesus. Everything is fully done: justice demands no more. Great peace is our portion in Christ Jesus.         As to providential matters, the work of grace in the soul and the work of the LORD in the souls of others, let us cast these burdens upon the LORD and rest in Him. When the LORD gives us a yoke to bear, He does so that by taking it up we may find rest. By faith we labor to enter into the rest of God, and we renounce all rest in self-satisfaction or indolence. Jesus Himself is perfect rest, and we are filled to the brim in Him.

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列在被救贖中 Among the Redeemed

經文: 「這是獨居的民，不列在萬邦之中。」（民數記廿三︰9）

誰願住在列邦中，而被數算為其中之民？憑良心說，即使在教會中，要找出那些真正跟隨耶穌，完全遵行祂旨意的人也很難。大多是掛名的、冒牌的、摻雜的，以致真正的基督徒，有如鳳毛鱗角。         上帝一定會要求祂的子民走一條窄路，那是從世界分別出來的。我們是被救贖的一群，是被揀選的族類，有君尊祭司的身份和特別的呼召，我們內在的經驗也叫我們分別為聖。所以，我的家不在這浮華世界，也不在這毀滅之城，而是一條跟隨主的窄路。         這樣的信念，會使我們不在意世人的藐視與恥笑，也願意接納世人與我們有別的事實。畢竟，我們的名字是在生命冊上；我們是從聖靈而生，而非血氣而生；我們有不同的人生目標，我們是要往天家去。所以，我們是獨居的民，不列在萬邦之中，我們是列在被救贖的民當中。因此即使在我一生的日子，被世人認為是孤僻怪異，我也不以為忤，反而心中坦蕩自在。 Scripture: "Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be redeemed among the nations"(Numbers 23:9).         Who would wish to dwell among the nations and to be numbered with them? Why, even the professing church is such that to follow the LORD fully within its bounds is very difficult. There is such a mingling and mixing that one often sighs for "a lodge in some vast wilderness."         Certain it is that the LORD would have His people follow a separated path as to the world and come out decidedly and distinctly from it. We are set apart by the divine decree, purchase, and calling, and our inward experience has made us greatly to differ from men of the world; and therefore our place is not in their Vanity Fair, nor in their City of Destruction, but in the narrow way where all true pilgrims must follow their LORD.         This may not only reconcile us to the world’s cold shoulder and sneers but even cause us to accept them with pleasure as being a part of our covenant portion. Our names are not in the same book, we are not of the same seed, we are not bound for the same place, neither are we trusting to the same guide; therefore it is well that we are not of their number. Only let us be found in the number of the redeemed, and we are content to be off and solitary to the end of the chapter.

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生命之河 The Life-Giving Stream

經文: 「這河水所到之處，凡滋生的動物都必生活……這河水所到之處，百物都必生活。」（以西結書四十七︰9）

在先知的眼中，活水流進死海，也把生命帶進停滯的湖泊。當恩典流過，屬靈的生命就復甦發旺。至高無上的恩典憐憫，按著上帝的心意發出，就像河川按著它既有的計劃，蜿蜒向前流著，無論它往那兒去，它並沒有等著生命進來，而它本身快速地流動，就帶出生命來。喔，它流向街道，湧向社區，甚至進到屋子，讓每個房間都漲滿了水。          喔，主啊，讓生命的活水流到我的家庭、我的親朋好友，我希望我飲於這活水的泉源，而且是浸沐在其間，可以游泳在其中。喔，我的救主，我需要更豐盛的生命，求祢充滿我，使我身體的每一部份都充滿的生命活力。          我是一根乾枯可憐的木杖，我求祢來滋潤我，就像亞倫的杖那樣，會發芽開花，甚至結果，以榮耀祢。主啊，求祢速來，為了主名的緣故，阿門。 Scripture: "And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live"(Ezekiel 47:9).         The living waters, in the prophet’s vision, flowed into the Dead Sea and carried life with them, even into that stagnant lake. Where grace goes, spiritual life is the immediate and the everlasting consequence. Grace proceeds sovereignly according to the will of God, even as a river in all its windings follows its own sweet will; and wherever it comes it does not wait for life to come to it, but it creates life by its own quickening flow. Oh, that it would pour along our streets and flood our slums! Oh, that it would now come into my house and rise till every chamber were made to swim with it! LORD, let the living water flow to my family and my friends, and let it not pass me by. I hope I have drunk of it already; but I desire to bathe in it, yea, to swim in it. O my Savior, I need life more abundantly. Come to me, I pray Thee, till every part of my nature is vividly energetic and intensely active. Living God, I pray Thee, fill me with Thine own life.         I am a poor, dry stick; come and make me so to live that, like Aaron’s rod, I may bud and blossom and bring forth fruit unto Thy glory. Quicken me, for the sake of my LORD Jesus. Amen.

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去蕪存菁 Deliverance from Dust and Chaff

經文: 「我必出令，將以色列家分散在列國中，好像用篩子篩穀，連一粒也不落在地上。」（阿摩司書九︰9）

上帝要繼續做篩選的工作。無論我往那兒去，我們都要歷經考驗與篩選；在各邦，上帝的選民都要像麥穗經過打穀機。魔鬼甚至猛力地翻動畚箕，想把信徒從裡面摔出去。世界不信上帝的潮流，也不斷衝擊我們的信仰，使我們落入恐懼與驚慌。世人更在一旁冷嘲熱諷，想激動我們的心，偏離正道。更糟的是，教會中變節背道的層出不窮，使得動盪不安的局面，更是雪上加霜，變本加厲。          唉，讓這樣局勢繼續下去吧！所謂板蕩識忠臣，疾風知勁草；而上帝的恩典是這樣保守我們，有如經文最後一節說的「連一粒也不落在地上。」那些好的穀粒都會被存留，好的信徒一個也不流失。若真有什麼損失，對信徒而言，身外之物的損失，也算不得什麼損失。只要我們活在基督裏，我們是絕不會有被篩落而遭淘汰的命運。 Scripture: "For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all sections, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth"(Amos 9:9).         The sifting process is going on still. Wherever we go, we are still being winnowed and sifted. In all countries God’s people are being tried "like as corn is sifted in a sieve." Sometimes the devil holds the sieve and tosses us up and down at a great rate, with the earnest desire to get rid of us forever. Unbelief is not slow to agitate our heart and mind with its restless fears. The world lends a willing hand at the same process and shakes us to the right and to the left with great vigor. Worst of all, the church, so largely apostate as it is, comes in to give a more furious force to the sifting process.         Well, well! Let it go on. Thus is the chaff severed from the wheat. Thus is the wheat delivered from dust and chaff. And how great is the mercy which comes to us in the text, "Yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth"! All shall be preserved that is good, true, gracious. Not one of the least of believers lose anything worth calling a loss. We shall be so kept in the sifting that it shall be a real gain to us through Christ Jesus.

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甘心樂意 Perfect Willingness

經文: 「當祢掌權的日子，祢的民……甘心犧牲自己。」（詩篇一一○︰3）

上帝的名是可稱頌的，祂的恩典何其浩大！祂揀選一班人跟隨祂。這些人原本也像亞當的後裔那樣，是背逆固執，但上帝的憐憫臨到，權能施展時，他們就願悔改，相信耶穌，而且甘心樂意將心志降服在主前。上帝的權能大愛是何等奧妙，祂不是脅迫、勉強人的意志，乃是用祂犧牲的大愛，感化人堅硬的心；祂不是用外力打碎這把鎖，乃是用特別的一把鑰匙，輕啟心房的鎖，而這把鑰匙，只有上帝祂單獨持有。          現在我們甘心情願地願意為上帝而活，為上帝受苦。若我們不順服時，上帝就會親自以祂的權柄來調整我們，使我們願意死心塌地來追隨祂。主啊，我願意今天是充滿祢全能的一天，也願在的智慧權柄下，任憑主使用，一切所做的，都是為福音的緣故，能達到榮神益人的神聖目的。主啊，我懇求祢，賜下這樣的能力！好讓我力能從心，過得勝的生活，有餘力行善，配得祢的呼召！ Scripture: "Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power"(Psalm 110:3).         Blessed be the God of grace that it is so! He has a people whom He has chosen from of old to be His peculiar portion. These by nature have wills as stubborn as the rest of the froward sons of Adam; but when the day of His power comes and grace displays its omnipotence, they become willing to repent and to believe in Jesus. None are saved unwillingly, but the will is made sweetly to yield itself. What a wondrous power is this, which never violates the will and yet rules it! God does not break the lock, but He opens it by a master key which He alone can handle.         Now are we willing to be, to do, or to suffer as the LORD wills. If at any time we grow rebellious, He has but to come to us with power, and straightway we run in the way of His commands with all our hearts. May this be a day of power with me as to some noble effort for the glory of God and the good of my fellowmen! LORD, I am willing; may I not hope that this is a day of Thy power? I am wholly at Thy disposal; willing, yea, eager, to be used of Thee for Thy holy purposes. O LORD, let me not have to cry, "To will is present with me, but how to perform that which I would, I find not"; but give me power as Thou givest me will.

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欣喜、唱和、頌讚 The Reason for Singing

經文: 「耶和華──的上帝是施行拯救、大有能力的主。祂在你中間必因歡欣喜樂，默然愛你，且因你喜樂而歡呼。」（西番雅書三︰17）

這是多麼令人振奮的話！大有能力的主，要在祂的百姓中間，祂的同在足以讓我們心中充滿平安、希望。在耶穌裏有數不盡的福份，而祂又住在教會中；所以祂的百姓要歡欣歌唱。          我們不僅享有祂的同在，而且祂不停地做工，施行祂拯救的工作。所以我們不用害怕任何危險的騷擾，因全能的主要拯救我們。          不單如此，祂全然愛我們，祂在付出時找到滿足，祂不停止對我們的愛；祂因愛我們而感到喜樂，祂也因祂所愛的人而唱出一首新歌，這豈不極為美妙？當上帝完成祂創造工作時，祂說︰「這是好的。」祂完成救贖工作時，這位三位一體的上帝卻欣喜高歌。想想啊！這真叫人不可思議？耶和華為祂所揀選的新婦唱一首愛情之歌。信徒是祂所愛的新婦，是祂的安息，是祂的詩歌。主啊，為那長闊高深、無可測度的愛感激祢，也教導我們如何回應祢的愛，以祢為樂，在一生之中，讚美的詩歌常在我口中。 Scripture: "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in his love, He will joy over thee with singing"(Zephaniah 3:17).         What a Word is this! Jehovah God in the center of His people in all the majesty of His power! This presence alone suffices to inspire us with peace and hope. Treasures of boundless might are stored in our Jehovah, and He dwells in His church; therefore may His people shout for joy.         We not only have His presence, but He is engaged upon His choice work of salvation. "He will save." He is always saving: He takes His name of Jesus from it. Let us not fear any danger, for He is mighty to save.         Nor is this all. He abides evermore the same, He saves, He finds rest in loving, He will not cease to love. His love gives Him joy. He even finds a theme for song in His beloved. This is exceedingly wonderful. When God wrought creation He did not sing but simply said, "It is very good"; but when He came to redemption, then the sacred Trinity felt a joy to be expressed in song. Think of it, and be astonished! Jehovah Jesus sings a marriage song over His chosen bride. She is to Him His love, His joy, His rest, His song. O LORD Jesus, by Thine immeasurable love to us teach us to love Thee, to rejoice in Thee, and to sing unto Thee our life-psalm.

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