害怕死去的麦子
对自己说「不」，对神说「是」
经文
歌罗西书三1-17
1所以，你们若真与基督一同复活，就当求在上面的事；那里有基督坐在神的右边。
2你们要思念上面的事，不要思念地上的事。
3因为你们已经死了，你们的生命与基督一同藏在神里面。
4基督是我们的生命，他显现的时候，你们也要与他一同显现在荣耀里。
5所以，要治死你们在地上的肢体，就如淫乱、污秽、邪情、恶欲，和贪婪。贪婪就与拜偶像一样。
6因这些事，神的忿怒必临到那悖逆之子。
7当你们在这些事中活着的时候，也曾这样行过。
8但现在你们要弃绝这一切的事，以及恼恨、忿怒、恶毒（或作：阴毒）、毁谤，并口中污秽的言语。
9不要彼此说谎；因你们已经脱去旧人和旧人的行为，
10穿上了新人。这新人在知识上渐渐更新，正如造他主的形像。
11在此并不分希利尼人、犹太人，受割礼的、未受割礼的，化外人，西古提人，为奴的、自主的，惟有基督是包括一切，又住在各人之内。
12所以，你们既是神的选民，圣洁蒙爱的人，就要存（原文作穿；下同）怜悯、恩慈、谦虚、温柔、忍耐的心。
13倘若这人与那人有嫌隙，总要彼此包容，彼此饶恕；主怎样饶恕了你们，你们也要怎样饶恕人。
14在这一切之外，要存着爱心，爱心就是联络全德的。
15又要叫基督的平安在你们心里作主；你们也为此蒙召，归为一体；且要存感谢的心。
16当用各样的智慧，把基督的道理丰丰富富的存在心里，（或作：当把基督的道理丰丰富富的存在心里，以各样的智慧），用诗章、颂词、灵歌，彼此教导，互相劝戒，心被恩感，歌颂神。
17无论作甚么，或说话或行事，都要奉主耶稣的名，借着他感谢父神。
信息分享
让我们来继续昨天的讨论。我们说今天有很多基督徒挺容易向试探投降，那是因为他们从没有真正学会如何向神降服。很多寻求辅导的人会面对这样的挣扎（我是说很多，并不是所有）──他们从来不知道应当如何完全放弃自己的意愿，只为神的目的而活。在多年辅导的过程中，我常常看到许多人逐渐发现自己的问题不是来自所发生的事情，而是来自他们自己对那些事情的反应，而他们往往就会决定不采取任何行动。
许多人以为圣经的原则具有选择性而不是绝对性，这使我感到相当忧虑。令人惊讶的是很多人对圣经抱着相当随便的态度，他们说：「我大概不应该这样生活下去，如果可以的话，我最好尝试改变一下。」一个人一旦有了这种随意的态度，他的生命就不可能经历太大的改变。你明白吗？如果没有经历过死亡，就不可能经历生命。
无论我们喜欢与否，无论遇到甚么痛苦，我们都需要承认──神的方法就是顺服，并且要把错误的思想和行为的模式治死。如果我们不明白这两点的重要性，就不可能获得胜利和改变。要穿上新的性情以前我们首先得脱下旧的本性，不论肉体的本性提出怎样的抗议，我们都要肯定自己是走在神的道路上。
「圣经的原则是绝对性、并非选择性」
进深研究
雅四1-8；弗六11；彼前五8-9
1. 雅各书四章提出哪三个可以胜过魔鬼的步骤？
2. 你会如何应用这些步骤？
祈祷
天父，求您帮助我向所有违反您的事情高喊「不」，而向您所要在我生命中行使的计划说「好」。当我肉体的本性提出抗议的时候，求您帮助我把它放在我的脚下。奉耶稣的名祈求，阿们。
The Corn of Wheat Afraid to Die
"No" to self - "Yes" to God
Bible reading:
Colossians 3:1-17
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b]
7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices
10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Message
We continue from where we left off yesterday, saying that the reason why many of today's Christians surrender so easily to temptation is because they have never really learned how to surrender to God. Many (not all) of the people who come for counselling are struggling with the fact that they have never understood how to die to their own purposes and live for God's purposes. Time and time again in counselling, it has been my experience to watch a person slowly recognise that his problem is due, not so much to what is happening to him as his reactions to what is happening to him - and then decide not to do anything about it.
I am saddened by the trend to treat biblical principles as optional rather than obligatory. It is amazing to notice the casualness with which so many approach Scripture and say: "I suppose I shouldn't really be living like this, I had better try to change - if I can." When that attitude is present, there is little hope of change. You see, if there is no experienced death, there can be no experienced life.
When a person does not see the importance of recognising, albeit painfully, that God's way is the way of obedience, irrespective of whether we feel like it or not, and involves death to wrong patterns of thinking and wrong patterns of behaving, there will be no victory and no change. Putting on the new nature requires first putting off the old nature by asserting, with all the conviction possible, that one is going to go God's way no matter how much the carnal nature argues to the contrary.
"Biblical principles are obligatory not optional"
Prayer
O Father, help me shout a thunderous "No" to anything that is contrary to You, and a mighty "Yes" to all You want to do in my life. And when my carnal nature argues back, help me to put it in its place - under my feet. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
Further study
James 4:1-8
Ephesians 6:11
1 Peter 5:8-9
1.What 3 steps are given in James 4 for overcoming the devil?
2. How would you apply these steps in a practical way?
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