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。
祈祷◆噢,主啊,吹向我,直至我的意念、心思和气质,都能与你一致。我的依靠在乎你。我再一次透彻认识到,没有了你,我是何其失丧!
January 20 Are You Fresh For Everything?
“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3
Sometimes we are fresh for a prayer meeting but not fresh for cleaning boots!
Being born again of the Spirit is an unmistakable work of God, as mysterious as the wind, as surprising as God Himself. We do not know where it begins, it is hidden away in the depths of our personal life. Being born again from above is a perennial, perpetual and eternal beginning; a freshness all the time in thinking and in talking and in living, the continual surprise of the life of God. Staleness is an indication of something out of joint with God – “I must do this thing or it will never be done.” That is the first sign of staleness. Are we freshly born this minute or are we stale, raking in our minds for something to do? Freshness does not come from obedience but from the Holy Spirit; obedience keeps us in the light as God is in the light.
Guard jealously your relationship to God. Jesus prayed “that they may be one, even as we are one” – nothing between. Keep all the life perennially open to Jesus Christ, don't pretend with Him. Are you drawing your life from any other source than God Himself? If you are depending upon anything but Him, you will never know when He is gone.
Being born of the Spirit means much more than we generally take it to mean. It gives us a new vision and keeps us absolutely fresh for everything by the perennial supply of the life of God.