4月15日 察验你的思想生活
察验你的思想生活
蜜蜂不会停在没有花蜜的花上；基督徒也不该容留任何不能滋养自己灵魂的思想。
这里有一个可以迅速省察你内心的方法：你的思想是善的，还是恶的？若是善的，你是否将荣耀归给基督？若是恶的，你是否感到震惊，并立志驱逐这些肮脏的小流氓？若你心存痛恨，这就显明这些属灵的恶念更多是出于撒但的搅扰，而非出于你意志的认同。
除了邪恶的思想，还有一些思想也不该被容留，即那些空洞、轻浮、虚妄的幻想。或许你并不觉得它们本身有多么可憎，但它们会拦阻你追求更美的事。况且，在今生短暂的客旅生涯中，谁有时间可以挥霍呢？正如磨坊旁白白流逝的水，凡不能助你成全神工作的思想，皆是浪费。蜜蜂不会停在没有花蜜的花上；基督徒也不该容留任何不能滋养自己灵魂的思想。
即便你的善念，也非全然不受撒但的侵扰。例如，你可能因深觉罪孽沉重而在主面前诚实哀恸；但若你整个人被悔恨所吞噬，就有可能失去对神借恩典赐下之救赎应许的信心。又或者，你的心思转向家庭的眷顾。照管家务固然合乎圣经，但若你为此忧虑过度，以致忘记神才是那真正的供应者，你便再次显出信心的严重匮乏。
我们蒙受教导，要学习并谨守神全备的旨意。你若只偏爱神某一条诫命，却轻慢其余的一切，这于你有何益处？这就好比一名外科医生，虽疏通了一条细小的静脉，却在手术中割断了主动脉。这样的疏忽不仅会使人残废，甚至会导致丧命。你的灵魂是极其精细的受造之物，需要极大的敬虔功夫来维系其平衡。因此，你必须时刻警醒，免得因过度关注一两项神的条例，以致无暇顾及神其他的旨意。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：利19章，诗23-24章，
个人灵修：传2章，提前4章
APRIL 15, WENDESDAY
MONITORING YOUR THOUGHT LIFE
The bee will not sit on a flower that has no nectar. Neither should the Christian entertain a thought that does not feed his spirit.
Here is a quick way to check your heart. Are your thoughts good or evil? When good, do you give credit to Christ? When evil, are you appalled and determined to expel these nasty urchins? If so, you show that these spirituals of wickedness are more Satan’s than your own.
Besides evil thoughts, there are others that should also be unwelcome. These are empty, frothy, vain imaginations. Though you may not find them so abominable in themselves, still they keep you from something better. And who among us has time to waste in this life? Like the water that runs beside the mill, every thought that does not help you do God’s work is wasted. The bee will not sit on a flower that has no nectar. Neither should the Christian entertain a thought that does not feed his spirit.
Even your good thoughts are not impervious to Satan’s tampering. For instance, you may be overcome with the guilt of your sins and honestly mourn before the Lord. Yet if you become consumed with remorse, you are in danger of losing your faith in God’s glorious promise of redemption by His grace. Or perhaps your thoughts turn to the needs and care of your family. Providing for your own is certainly scriptural. But if you worry so much about this responsibility that you forget God is the real provider, you again show a serious deficiency of faith.
We are instructed to learn and observe the whole counsel of God. What will it profit to light upon one of God’s commandments and show it to be your favorite, if you slight all the rest? You will be in as much trouble as the person whose surgeon restores the flow of blood in a minor vein, but in the process severs a major artery. Such carelessness is likely to maim the man, if not kill him outright. Your soul is a delicate creature, and requires the utmost skill to maintain its equilibrium. Be constantly on your guard against concentrating so hard on one or two of God’s ordinances, that you have no time for all the others.