2月10日 弟兄的控告者
弟兄的控告者
撒但最喜欢将你所尽的本分肢解得支离破碎，扭曲得面目全非，以至于你虽满腔热忱，牠却叫那本分看起来浮浅潦草；你虽真心诚意，牠却叫那本分看起来像法利赛人般假冒为善。
魔鬼去教会的次数恐怕不比你少。牠常守在你内室门外，窥听你在暗中对神诉说的心声，处心积虑地研究该如何控告你。那敢于妄评神治理天庭的悖逆之灵，绝不会迟疑去审判你如何治理自己的灵魂。牠正如那些听道只为挑错的人，只要讲员有一处措辞不当，牠便抓住不放，定人为有罪。撒但最喜欢将你所尽的本分肢解得支离破碎，扭曲得面目全非，以至于你虽满腔热忱，牠却叫那本分看起来浮浅潦草；你虽真心诚意，牠却叫那本分看起来像法利赛人般假冒为善。牠绝不罢休，除非牠能对你的灵魂递交一份“有罪”的判决书。
当你已经尽心竭力，这个巧舌如簧的批评者就开始做工了。牠会说：“看哪，你这不过是在演戏——表面高尚，其实是服事自己。这里你分心了，那里你懈怠了；再往后看，你又骄傲自大了。你既然败坏了神的工作，还指望从神手里得什么赏赐呢？”这种无休止的吹毛求疵，使许多可怜的灵魂活得精疲力竭。你也是这样灵里枯竭的人吗？牠是否对你所行的一切都冷嘲热讽，以至于你不知该不该祷告、该不该听道？甚至当你祷告了、听道了，还要怀疑这是否有意义、是否徒劳？于是你的灵魂悬在疑惑中，日子在忧愁里流逝，而你的仇敌却躲在角落里，暗笑牠在你身上耍弄的诡计。这是牠的总计划：如果牠不能夺走你因信基督而得的义，牠就要夺走你的喜乐。
牠来是要将你从圣约安慰的青草地上拽走，把你拖入绝望的深渊。牠这样做时，还伪装成是为你着想，说你对罪的谦卑痛悔还不够。使徒保罗深知魔鬼玩弄人心的高明手段，称之为牠的“诡计”（林后2:11），意思是牠那些狡诈的诡辩。在这里，撒但极度依赖牠那油滑的舌头；牠所说的一切，都是赤裸裸的谎言和两面三刀的鬼话。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：创43章，可13章，
个人灵修：伯9章，罗13章
FEBRUARY 10, TUESDAY
THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN
Satan delights in taking your duties to pieces and so disfiguring them that they appear superficial, though they are truly zealous; pharisaical, though they are really sincere.
The devil is at church as often as you are. And he stands outside your closet door and listens to what you say to God in secret, all the while studying how he may accuse you. The rebellious spirit who dared to criticize God’s rule of heaven will not hesitate to pass judgment on the way you rule your soul. He is like those who listen to sermons only to find fault so they can call the minister an offender for some misplaced word or other. Satan delights in taking your duties to pieces and so disfiguring them that they appear superficial, though they are truly zealous; pharisaical, though they are really sincere. He will not rest until he can hand in a verdict of “Guilty!” against your soul.
When you have done your best, then this persuasive critic goes to work, “There,” he will say, “you played the hypocrite— appearing noble, but really serving self. Here you wandered; there, you were lazy; farther along, puffed up with pride. What reward can you hope for at God’s hands, now that you have spoiled His work?” Such constant nitpicking makes many poor souls lead a weary life. Are you one of these—spiritually exhausted? Does he snipe at everything you do until you know not whether to pray or not, to listen or not? And, when you have prayed and listened, whether it is to any purpose or not? Thus your soul hangs in doubt, and your days pass in sorrow, while your enemy stands in a corner and laughs at the trick he has played upon you. It is his master plan that if he cannot rob you of your righteousness, he will deprive you of your joy.
He comes to fetch you away from the green pastures of covenant comfort and drag you into the depths of despair. He does this under the false pretense that you are not humble enough over sin. The apostle knew what sophisticated mind-games the devil plays. He called them his “devices” (2 Corinthians 2:11), meaning his clever arguments. Here Satan relies heavily on his smooth tongue. Everything he says is flagrant lies and double-talk.