新视域的力量
为甚么无故哭泣?

经文
约翰福音八31-41
31耶稣对信他的犹太人说:你们若常常遵守我的道,就真是我的门徒;
32你们必晓得真理,真理必叫你们得以自由。
33他们回答说:我们是亚伯拉罕的后裔,从来没有作过谁的奴仆。你怎么说你们必得自由呢?
34耶稣回答说:我实实在在的告诉你们,所有犯罪的就是罪的奴仆。
35奴仆不能永远住在家里;儿子是永远住在家里。
36所以天父的儿子若叫你们自由,你们就真自由了。
37我知道你们是亚伯拉罕的子孙,你们却想要杀我,因为你们心里容不下我的道。
38我所说的是在我父那里看见的;你们所行的是在你们的父那里听见的。
39他们说:我们的父就是亚伯拉罕。耶稣说:你们若是亚伯拉罕的儿子,就必行亚伯拉罕所行的事。
40我将在神那里所听见的真理告诉了你们,现在你们却想要杀我,这不是亚伯拉罕所行的事。
41你们是行你们父所行的事。他们说:我们不是从淫乱生的;我们只有一位父,就是神。
信息分享
你可能已经意识到我们近日所探讨的问题是极为重要的。当信徒在面对生命的难题时,如果单单接受那些不算是答案的答案,这种做法对基督教会带来巨大的影响。让我来把意思说清楚。
多年前,在一个祷告会结束时有一位姊妹走来问我:「我为甚么常常会无故的痛哭得那么厉害呢?」我告诉她这可能有好些原因,并建议如果情况持续,她应该向基督徒辅导员求助。我自己的看法是,那问题源自她生命中一些没有解决的冲突,是她所需要找出来的。过了一段时间,我再次遇到那位姊妹,她说:「我仍然有那个问题,但我现在知道为甚么它会发生在我身上,因为那是撒旦的攻击。」
她的结论令我很忧虑,因为我感到她接受了一个有助减轻她的疑惑,但却不能真正解决问题的答案。不错,撒旦经常攻击和骚扰我们,但我认为她里面还有其他问题存在,是需要注意的。我于是温和地向她提出这一点,可惜她坚持撒旦需要为这个问题负上责任,而她认为问题最终会消失的。我为那位姊妹祷告了很长的时间,因为我在她身上看见基督教会一个普遍的情况,那就是:总是寻找并满足于有助减低疑惑,但无助于促进属灵成长和理解的「答案」。
「我要真实地活着」
进深研究
诗五十一1-6;耶十七9;太十五16-20
1. 神对我们的内心有甚么样的要求?
2. 内心的状况怎么样?
祈祷
神啊,我不想虚幻过活,我想做一个真实的人,真实地活着。求您帮助我在面对生命的难题时,懂得寻找真正的答案──您给的答案。奉耶稣的名祈求,阿们。
The Power of a New Perspective
"Why do I cry over nothing?"

Bible reading:
John 8:31-41
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
34 Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
37 I know that you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word.
38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[a]"
39 "Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would[b] do what Abraham did.
40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things.
41 You are doing the works of your own father." "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."
Message
You have probably sensed that the issue we have been dealing with is extremely important. In fact, I know of nothing of greater consequence for the Christian Church than the need to resolve the issue of why it is, when facing the tough questions of life, we settle for answers that are not answers. Let me illustrate what I mean.
Many years ago a woman approached me at the end of a prayer meeting and said: "Why is it that I cry so much over nothing?" I replied that there could be a number of reasons and I recommended that if this situation continued she should seek the help of a Christian counsellor. My own feeling was that the problem arose from some unresolved conflicts in her life that needed identifying. Some time later I met the woman again and she said to me: "I still have the problem, but I know now why it happens to me - it is an attack of the devil."
I felt deeply saddened by her conclusion for I sensed that she had settled for an answer that helped to reduce her confusion but was not a real solution. Yes, the devil does attack and harass, but in my opinion something else was going on inside her which needed attention. I gently suggested this to her, but she was adamant that the devil was responsible and that the problem would eventually go. I prayed much for that woman because I saw in her what I see in many parts of the Christian Church - a tendency to reach out and settle for "answers" that help reduce the confusion but do nothing to stimulate spiritual growth and understanding.
"I want to be real"
Prayer
O God, I do not want to live my life amid illusions. I want to be real and I want to live really. Help me face the tough questions of life and not be content until I find the true answers - Your answers. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.
Further study
Psalm 51:1-6
Jeremiah 17:9
Matthew 15:16-20
1. What does God require in the inner parts?
2. What is the condition of the heart?
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