5月9日 抵挡试探
抵挡试探
使基督徒恩典兴旺的，不在于外在事奉的频率，而在于事奉时的属灵生命力。
然而，能够抵挡试探，并不一定意味着你里面的恩典是强壮的。为了防止你陷入自满，请自省：你为何要拒绝魔鬼的陷阱？也许你还记得，曾几何时，你对基督的热爱足以让你在面对撒但的诱惑时，向牠脸上喷吐烈火；但如今，那圣洁的火几乎熄灭了，以至于你只是出于某种低下的动机才不至犯罪。例如，你若只是顾惜自己的名声，而对神的名声却毫无顾念，那么你的恩典已降至低谷。毕竟，罪得罪得最深的是神。每一个出于恩典的行动，若不是为了给神的荣耀竖立丰碑，就会沦为绊脚石。
或许曾有一段时间，你的心甘心回应圣灵的呼召，寻求神的面，说：“耶和华啊，祢的面我正要寻求”（诗27:8）。你渴慕敬拜的时刻，正如罪人渴望敬拜结束那样迫切。你珍惜与天父独处的时光。饥渴慕义是属灵健康的标志，因为一个有渴慕的灵魂，才是兴旺的灵魂。相反，一个不再不断向神呼求属灵粮食的灵魂，必将日渐衰弱。
那些与神交通最亲密的人，最懂得如何事奉祂。正如统帅若要引导士兵，士兵就必须待在能听见其号令的范围之内。你若常常退到隐秘处与神亲近，便能确保在祂说话时听见祂的声音，并直接领受祂的命令。使基督徒恩典兴旺的，不在于外在事奉的频率，而在于事奉时的属灵生命力。仅仅忙于为主作工是不够的，你必须确保你的事奉带着信心、热心和爱心。若你发现自己事奉是出于习惯而非爱心，那么，这就该是时候 修理你的属灵军装了。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：民17-18章，诗55章，
个人灵修：赛7章，雅1章
MAY 9, SATURDAY
RESISTING TEMPTATION
It is not frequency of duty but spirituality in duty that causes a Christian’s graces to thrive.
Being able to resist temptation does not guarantee that God’s grace in you is strong, however. Lest you grow complacent, ask yourself why you are resisting the devil’s trap. Perhaps you remember a time when your love for Christ would have spit fire in Satan’s face for tempting you to sin. But now that holy fire is so nearly extinguished that some base motive is the only thing that keeps you from sinning. If all you care about is your own reputation, for instance, and you have little or no regard for God’s reputation, your grace is at a low ebb. After all, He is the one most offended by your sin. Every act of grace must be a building stone in the monument to His glory, or it becomes a stone of offense.
Perhaps at one time your heart eagerly answered the call of the Holy Spirit, bidding you to seek God’s face: “Thy face, Lord, will I seek” (Psalm 27:8). You longed as much for the season of worship to come as the sinner does for it to be gone. You cherished time alone with your heavenly Father. To hunger and thirst after righteousness is a sign of health, for a craving soul is a thriving soul. On the other hand, the soul that does not constantly cry out to God for spiritual food will grow weaker by the day.
Those who commune most with God know best how to serve Him. A captain can lead his soldiers only if they stay within the sound of his voice. Your frequent retreats into the secret places of God assure that you will hear Him when He speaks and receive your orders direct from Him. It is not frequency of duty but spirituality in duty that causes a Christian’s graces to thrive. Just to be busy doing something for the Lord is not enough; you must make certain your work is stamped with faith, zeal, and love. If you find yourself going about your spiritual tasks out of habit rather than love, it is time to repair your armor.