11月18日 我们怎样认识神
11月18日，周二
我们怎样认识神
神把祂的灵赐给我们，我们就知道我们是住在祂里面，祂也住在我们里面。（约翰壹书4:13）
我们如何得着关于神真实而又确实的认识呢？答案就在这节经文里：“我们就知道我们是住在祂里面，祂也住在我们里面。”我们怎么知道呢？经文继续给出答案：“因为神把祂的灵赐给我们。”最终一切都归结于此。 那我怎么知道自己真的领受了神的灵呢？我如何确定圣灵已经赐下，并临到了我，住在我里面呢？
你是否关心这些属灵的事？是否渴望认识神？若是，那说明不是你自己在追求，而是圣灵已经在你里面动工。因为远离神的人，“专以地上的事为念”（腓3:19），这样的人心思所关心的，完全是属肉体的事。 你是否会关心永恒、看不见的、不朽的事？若你的心真的会被这些事吸引、会思量、挂念，这本身就是圣灵住在你里面的记号。
你是否对罪有真实的感觉呢？不仅仅是对自己做错了几件事感到懊恼，而是意识到自己里面有一个败坏的本性，有罪的原则在自己心中，如同一个污秽的泉源不断涌出不配的、不洁的事。甚至在某种意义上，你厌恶这种败坏。主耶稣说：爱自己的人是处在非常危险的光景之中的。保罗也这样说：“我知道在我里面，就是在我肉体之中，没有良善……我这个人真是苦啊！”（罗7:18、24）。若你曾真切地感到自己是个罪人，并且恨恶那拉你下沉的罪性，这就是你已领受圣灵恩赐的确据与明证。
默想主题：
若你曾真切地感到自己是罪人，这本身就是圣灵在你里面的明证。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：代上11-12章，来13章
个人灵修：摩7章，路2章
November 18, Tuesday
HOW WE KNOW GOD
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. (1 JOHN 4:13)
How do we have knowledge about God? “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us.” How? The answer is, “because he hath given us of his Spirit.” So it all comes down to that in the last analysis. How do I know I have received God’s Spirit? How may I know for certain that I have been given and received something of the Holy Spirit of God?
Are you concerned about these things, and have you a desire to have them? Are you concerned about the life of your soul? Are you concerned about knowing God? I assure you that if you are, the Holy Spirit is in you, for people apart from God “mind earthly things” (Philippians 3:19)—carnal, fleshly things. Are you concerned about immortality and the things invisible and eternal? If you are minding these things, that is a proof that the Holy Spirit is in you.
Do you have a sense of sin? Are you aware that there is an evil principle within you? Not simply that you do certain things you should not do and feel annoyed with yourself because of it. No; rather, I mean that you are aware that you have an evil nature, that there is a principle of sin and wrong in your heart, that there is a fountain emitting unworthy, ugly, and foul things, and in a sense you hate yourself. Our Lord said that the man who loves himself is in a very dangerous condition. The apostle Paul was a man who could say about himself, “In me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing. . . . O wretched man that I am!” (Romans 7:18, 24). If you have ever felt yourself a sinner, and if you have hated this thing that gets you down, that is proof that you have received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
A Thought to Ponder: If you have ever felt yourself a sinner, that is proof that you have received the gift of the Holy Spirit.