从迷惘到信靠
我就是不想那样做
经文
约翰福音十五1-11
1我是真葡萄树,我父是栽培的人。
2凡属我不结果子的枝子,他就剪去;凡结果子的,他就修理干净,使枝子结果子更多。
3现在你们因我讲给你们的道,已经干净了。
4你们要常在我里面,我也常在你们里面。枝子若不常在葡萄树上,自己就不能结果子;你们若不常在我里面,也是这样。
5我是葡萄树,你们是枝子。常在我里面的,我也常在他里面,这人就多结果子;因为离了我,你们就不能作甚么。
6人若不常在我里面,就像枝子丢在外面枯干,人拾起来,扔在火里烧了。
7你们若常在我里面,我的话也常在你们里面,凡你们所愿意的,祈求,就给你们成就。
8你们多结果子,我父就因此得荣耀,你们也就是我的门徒了。
9我爱你们,正如父爱我一样;你们要常在我的爱里。
10你们若遵守我的命令,就常在我的爱里,正如我遵守了我父的命令,常在他的爱里。
11这些事我已经对你们说了,是要叫我的喜乐存在你们心里,并叫你们的喜乐可以满足。
信息分享
让我们来思考一个事实:祷告的答案并非总是我们想得到的。我们称这为「祷告蒙应允的痛苦」。有一位讲员说,他向会众讲了一系列关于引导的讲道,到最后一堂的时候,他鼓励会众回去作一个实验,他说:「按照我所给予你们的原则去做,然后告诉我有甚么情况。」
几个星期后,他留意到一位听取了整个系列讲道的妇人没有回来参加聚会,他于是前往探望她。见到那妇人的时候,他问她为甚么不来参加敬拜。妇人说因为她将讲员所教关于引导的原则付诸实行后,感到很失望。这位牧者听后很焦急地问她:「究竟发生了甚么事?难道你没有听到神给你的回应吗?」妇人回答说:「不,我听到了,我听到我应该写信给我的弟媳,因为我七年前跟她吵了架。只是我就是不想那样做……」
在我给你们讲述这个故事时,我想到一句你们必定是很熟悉的经节:「光来到世间,世人因自己的行为是恶的,不爱光,倒爱黑暗,定他们的罪就是在此。」(约三19)。请让我重复一个重点:永远不要忘记,当你向神祈求亮光的时候,神所向你显示出来的可能超过你的祈求。
「当你向神祈求亮光的时候,神所向你显示出来的可能超过你的祈求。」
进深研究
雅四1-17;诗五十二3;箴二14
1. 雅各怎样定义罪?
2. 个人的应用是甚么?
祈祷
「每一日我主,我恳求三件事,更深刻认识你,更虔诚敬爱你,更紧紧地跟随你,每一日。」奉基督至高无上和宝贵的名祈求。阿们。
From Confusion to Confidence
"I just won't do that"
Bible reading:
John 15:1-11
1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful.
3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
Message
We are spending time meditating on the fact that the answers our prayers receive are not always the answers our hearts desire. This we are calling "the pain of answered prayer". A preacher tells how he preached a series of sermons to his congregation on the subject of guidance, and in the last message of the series he encouraged them to put the matter to personal test. "Follow the principles I have laid before you," he said, "and let me know what happens."
Several weeks later, he noticed that one woman who had attended the whole of the series on guidance no longer attended the services - so he decided to call on her. During the course of his visit, he asked what was the reason for her non-attendance at church. She said that it was due to the disappointment she had experienced after putting into operation the principles he had taught on guidance. "What happened?" asked the minister, anxiously. "Did you hear nothing?" "Oh, yes," she replied, "I heard something all right. It came to me that I ought to write to my sister-in-law, the cat, with whom I quarrelled seven years ago. I just won't do that..."
The verse that comes to my mind as I tell that story is one I am sure you will know well: "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because there deeds were evil" (John 3:19). At the risk of being repetitive, the point is so important that it must be made yet again: never forget that when you pray for light, it may reveal far more than you wish.
"When you pray for light, it may reveal far more than you wish"
Prayer
"Dear Lord, these three things I pray: to see Thee more clearly, love Thee more dearly, follow Thee more nearly day by day." In Christ's peerless and precious Name I ask it. Amen.
Further study
James 4:1-17
Psalm 52:3
Proverbs 2:14
1. How does James define sin?
2. What is the personal application?
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