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.

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.

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.

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.

安全堡壘 Complete Safety

經文: 「論便雅憫說：耶和華所親愛的必同耶和華安然居住；耶和華終日遮蔽他，也住在他兩肩之中。」（申命記卅三︰12）

是的，再沒有一個地方，比上帝的懷抱更安全可靠！對上帝所愛的人而言，那是最安全的堡壘。主啊，讓我永遠住在祢的蔭下，貼近祢受傷的胸膛，緊緊地依偎著祢。          耶和華賜與祂所揀選的人，是何等的蔭疪！不是堅固的屋頂，防彈的地下室，或是天使的翅膀，而是耶和華祂自己。在祂的保護下，沒有什麼危險會臨到我們，而且是廿四小時全天候的看顧。主啊，讓我今天就刻意地躲在祢的磐石穴中，享受祢的權能與看顧。 Scripture: "And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between His shoulders"(Deuteronomy 33:12).         Yes, there is no safety like that which comes of dwelling near to God. For His best beloved the LORD can find no surer or safer place. O LORD, let me always abide under Thy shadow, close to Thy wounded side. Nearer and nearer would I come to Thee, my LORD; and when once specially near Thee, I would abide there forever.         What a covering is that which the LORD gives to His chosen! Not a fair roof shall cover him, nor a bomb-proof casement, nor even an angel’s wing, but Jehovah Himself. Nothing can come at us when we are thus covered. This covering the LORD will grant us all the day long, however long the day. LORD, let me abide this day consciously beneath this canopy of love, this pavilion of sovereign power.         Does the third clause mean that the LORD in His temple would dwell among the mountains of Benjamin or that the LORD would be where Benjamin’s burden should be placed, or does it mean that we are borne upon the shoulders of the Eternal? In any case, the LORD is the support and strength of His saints. LORD, let me ever enjoy Thy help, and then my arms will be sufficient for me.

如棕櫚樹，香柏樹 Like Palm and Cedar

經文: 「義人要發旺如棕樹，生長如黎巴嫩的香柏樹。」（詩篇九十二︰12）

棕櫚樹、香柏樹是上帝的樹，不經人手的修剪、栽培，乃是在上帝的看顧下發旺長大。聖徒也是如此，他們常在上帝的眷顧下。這些樹四季常青，有如玉樹臨風。信徒也應如此，不可起伏太大，有時堅強屬靈，有時卻軟弱屬世，而應該永遠屹立在上帝的家中。只要有棕櫚樹、香柏樹的地方，他們是無法不立刻映入眼簾，因為他們是這樣地出類拔萃，引人注目。耶穌的信徒，也像山上的城堡，海上的燈塔，堪為表率，是眾目的焦點，無法藏在斗底或桌下。          上帝的兒女也要發旺如棕櫚樹，它要盡全力地筆直往上長，不浪費精力去發展多餘的枝葉，直到高聳入雲，才結實纍纍。主啊，求祢教導我，奮力追求祢，結出屬天的果實。         香柏樹則歷經風雪的考驗，仍然堅強挺立，是上帝供應它樹汁營養，使它樹幹粗壯，枝葉耐寒。主啊，求祢也將這樣的秉性放在我身上，阿門。 Scripture: "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon"(Psalm 92:12).         These trees are not trained and pruned by man: palms and cedars are "trees of the LORD," and it is by His care that they flourish. Even so it is with the saints of the LORD: they are His own care. These trees are evergreen and are beautiful objects at all seasons of the year. Believers are not sometimes holy and sometimes ungodly: they stand in the beauty of the LORD under all weathers. Everywhere these trees are noteworthy: no one can gaze upon a landscape in which there are either palms or cedars without his attention being fixed upon these royal growths. The followers of Jesus are the observed of all observers: like a city set on a hill, they cannot be hid.         The child of God flourishes like a palm tree, which pushes all its strength upward in one erect column without a single branch. It is a pillar with a glorious capital. It has no growth to the right or to the left but sends all its force heavenward and bears its fruit as near the sky as possible. LORD, fulfill this type in me.         The cedar braves all storms and grows near the eternal snows, the LORD Himself filling it with a sap which keeps its heart warm and its bough strong. LORD, so let it be with me, I pray Thee. Amen.

必得賞賜 Reward Is Certain

經文: 「無論何人，因為門徒的名，只把一杯涼水給這小子裡的一個喝，我實在告訴你們，這人不能不得賞賜。」（馬太福音十︰42）

倒杯涼水給人不是難事，我真願意行善，上帝知道我愛祂的僕人，甚至願意為他們洗腳；為了主的緣故，我也愛屬祂的門徒。         多麼仁慈的主啊，竟然提到這麼一件微不足道的小事，「給人一杯涼水」。無論我多窮，我都能做到；無論我多卑微，我也能做到，而且我能高高興興地做出來。雖然這舉動並沒什麼了不起，但上帝注意到──即使我們做在一個最小的弟兄身上。這不在於這杯水值多少錢，或我們擁有怎樣的技巧，乃在於我們的動機，所謂禮輕情意重。只因他是門徒，所以我做在他身上，他的主看到了，祂要酬勞施惠者；不是因為我們本身有什麼善行優點，只因為上帝是樂於施恩、仁慈的主！          我給人一杯涼水，祂卻賜我活水的泉源；我做在那最小的弟兄身上，上帝卻把我當做門徒當中的一個看待。上帝為祂的慷慨施恩做個說詞，因為在祂裡面有豐富的恩典，所以這人不能不得賞賜。 Scripture: "And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward"(Matthew 10:42).         Well, I can do as much as that. I can do a kind act toward the LORD’s servant. The LORD knows l love them all and would count it an honor to wash their feet. For the sake of their Master, I love the disciples.         How gracious of the LORD to mention so insignificant an action — "to give to drink a cup of cold water only"! This I can do, however poor: this I may do, however lowly: this I will do right cheerfully. This, which seems so little, the LORD notices — notices when done to the least of His followers. Evidently it is not the cost, nor the skill, nor the quantity, that He looks at, but the motive: that which we do to a disciple, because he is a disciple, his LORD observes and recompenses. He does not reward us for the merit of what we do but according to His riches of His grace.         I give a cup of cold water, and He makes me to drink of living water. I give to one of His little ones, and He treats me as one of them. Jesus finds an apology for His liberality in that which His grace has led me to do, and He says, "He shall in no wise lose his reward."

安全保障 The Safest Shelter

經文: 　　「必有一人像避風所和避暴風雨的隱密處。」（以賽亞書卅二︰2）

我們都知道這個人是誰，除了從天而降，道成肉身的人子耶穌，還會有誰﹖祂是信徒的避難所，因為祂掌管風雨，所以我們可以在上帝的翅膀下，找到避風港。藉此，我們可以逃避上帝的震怒，也可以躲避人的怒氣，摒除生活的煩惱，以及死亡的威脅。我們既有這等可靠的避難所，我們何苦淒慘地忍受風吹雨淋？趕快進來吧，躲在上帝懷中，那是最平安穩妥的避難所！          常常不怎樣的風，會演變成狂風驟雨，把地面的一切看得見的都吹跑；同樣地，本來看似堅固穩妥的事物，會因我們軟弱的信心而動搖垮掉。我們的主耶穌，榮耀的上帝，是我們的避難所，永遠不會倒塌垮掉，只要隱藏在祂裡面，即使外面風狂雨暴，我們內心仍有說不出的寧靜和平安。          今天就讓我們躲在上帝的蔭疪下，自在地坐著，唱著信心的詩歌，稱頌祂的保護，奇妙的主啊，我們真是愛祢，因為祢是我們暴風雨中的避難所！ Scripture: "And a Man shall be as an hiding-place from the wind and a covert from the tempest"(Isaiah 32:2).         Who this Man is we all know. Who could He be but the Second Man, the LORD from heaven, the man of sorrows, the Son of Man? What a hiding place He has been to His people! He bears the full force of the wind Himself, and so He shelters those who hide themselves in Him. We have thus escaped the wrath of God, and we shall thus escape the anger of men, the cares of this life, and the dread of death. Why do we stand in the wind when we may so readily and so surely get out of it by hiding behind our LORD? Let us this day run to Him and be at peace.         Often the common wind of trouble rises in its force and becomes a tempest, sweeping everything before it. Things which looked firm and stable rock in the blast, and many and great are the falls among our carnal confidences. Our LORD Jesus, the glorious man, is a covert which is never blown down. In Him we mark the tempest sweeping by, but we ourselves rest in delightful serenity.         This day let us just stow ourselves away in our hiding place and sit and sing under the protection of our Covert. Blessed Jesus! Blessed Jesus! How we love Thee! Well we may, for Thou art to us a shelter in the time of storm.

生命冠冕 Mark of Divine Approval

經文: 「忍受試探的人是有福的，因為他經過試驗以後，必得生命的冠冕；這是主應許給那些愛祂之人的。」（雅各書一︰12）

那在試驗中忍耐到底的人，必然蒙福。沒有人能看透這點，除非他的心眼被上帝膏抹打開，但他必須在其中忍耐，既不拂逆上帝的心意，也不違背自己正直的原則。那經歷火的試驗，而沒有像草木禾被燒毀的人有福了，因為他們必得獎賞。         經過考驗之後，他們要獲得上帝的讚許與肯定，得著「生命的冠冕」。就如上帝所說，「讓他進來與我同住；因為他經過秤稱，發現沒有虧欠。」永恆的生命，就是最好的獎賞，因為那是關於我們未來，一種快樂、聖潔，永遠的存在，那通過信心與愛心嚴格考驗的人，已獲得更高層次的屬靈生命，以及永遠滿足的喜樂。         主曾應許將生命冠冕賜給愛祂的人，只有愛主的人才能在考驗的時刻支撐到底；其餘的人不是隨流失去，就是回到舊路。喔，我的心哪，是否完全真心地愛主？若是，你就會受到考驗，眾水不會蓋過你，洪水也不會淹沒你，主的愛要支持你，直到末了。 Scripture: "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown Of Life, which the LORD hath promised to them that love Him"(James 1:12).         Yes, he is blessed while he is enduring the trial. No eye can see this till he has been anointed with heavenly eye salve. But he must endure it and neither rebel against God nor turn aside from his integrity. He is blessed who has gone through the fire and has not been consumed as a counterfeit.         When the test is over, then comes the hallmark of divine approval — "the crown of life." As if the LORD said, "Let him live; he has been weighed in the balances, and he is not found wanting." Life is the reward: not mere being, but holy, happy, true existence, the realization of the divine purpose concerning us. Already a higher form of spiritual life and enjoyment crowns those who have safely passed through fiercest trials of faith and love.         The LORD hath promised the crown of life to those who love Him. Only lovers of the LORD will hold out in the hour of trial; the rest will either sink or sulk, or slink back to the world. Come, my heart, dost thou love thy LORD? Truly? Deeply? Wholly? Then that love will be tried; but many waters will not quench it, neither will the floods drown it. LORD, let Thy love nourish mine to the end.

天堂甘露 The Dew of Heaven

經文: 「祂的天也滴甘露。」（申命記卅三︰28）

清晨甘露對大自然是何等的重要，聖靈的霈降對信徒心靈是何等的滋潤！我多麼需要祂，若失去聖靈的同在，我將枯乾、萎縮、死掉。但聖靈甘露使我清醒、振作。一旦有其同在，我就覺得快樂，神采飛揚，充滿活力。我別無所求，我只要聖靈的同在與充滿，即使我禱告唱詩，或用聖餐若無聖靈同在，我就覺得索然無味。反之，我就覺得一切都美好、有意義。          這應許對我何其寶貴，「天也滴甘露。」恩典要臨到我，我不致被瑣事攪擾得心煩氣躁，或落入撒但的網羅陷阱；因為聖靈總是適時地滋潤我，使我沐浴在祂馨香的油膏裡。天怎樣滋潤大地，讓草生長，祂也要照樣恩待看顧我。上帝連不會禱告的青草，都賜下甘露滋潤，更何況仰望祂的兒女，祂更要從天賜下恩雨，滿足我們的飢渴。 Scripture: "His heavens shall drop down dew"(Deuteronomy 33:28).         What the dew in the East is to the world of nature, that is the influence of the Spirit in the realm of grace. How greatly do I need it! Without the Spirit of God I am a dry and withered thing. I droop, I fade, I die. How sweetly does this dew refresh me! When once favored with it I feel happy, lively, vigorous, elevated. I want nothing more. The Holy Spirit brings me life and all that life requires. All else without the dew of the Spirit is less than nothing to me: I hear, I read, I pray, I sing, I go to the table of Communion, and I find no blessing there until the Holy Ghost visits me. But when He bedews me, every means of grace is sweet and profitable.         What a promise is this for me! "His heavens shall drop down dew." I shall be visited with grace. I shall not be left to my natural drought, or to the world’s burning heat, or to the sirocco of satanic temptation. Oh, that l may at this very hour feel the gentle, silent, saturating dew of the LORD! Why should I not! He who has made me to live as the grass lives in the meadow will treat me as He treats the grass; He will refresh me from above. Grass cannot call for dew as I do. Surely, the LORD who visits the unpraying plant will answer to His pleading child.