Streams In the Desert for June 22 2008

"Love covereth." (Prov. 10:12.)

"Be eager in pursuit of this love."(1 Cor. 13:7-13.) (Weymount.)

REHEARSE your troubles to God only. Not long ago I read in a paper a bit of personal experience from a precious child of God, and it made such an impression upon me that I record it here. She wrote:

"I found myself one midnight wholly sleepless as the surges of a cruel injustice swept over me, and the love which covers seemed to have crept out of my heart. Then I cried to God in an agony for the power to obey His injunction, `Love covereth.'

"Immediately the Spirit began to work in me the power that brought about the forgetfulness."

"Mentally I dug a grave. Deliberately I threw up the earth until the excavation was deep."

"Sorrowfully I lowered into it the thing which wounded me. Quickly I shoveled in the clods."

"Over the mound I carefully laid the green sods. Then I covered it with white roses and forget-
me-nots, and quickly walked away."

"Sweet sleep came. The wound which had been so nearly deadly was healed without a scar, and I know not today what caused my grief."

"There was a scar on yonder mountain-side,
Gashed out where once the cruel storm had trod;
A barren, desolate chasm, reaching wide
Across the soft green sod.

"But years crept by beneath the purple pines,
And veiled the scar with grass and moss once more,
And left it fairer now with flowers and vines
Than it had been before.

"There was a wound once in a gentle heart,
Whence all life's sweetness seemed to ebb and die;
And love's confiding changed to bitter smart,
While slow, sad years went by.

"Yet as they passed, unseen an angel stole
And laid a balm of healing on the pain,
Till love grew purer in the heart made whole,
And peace came back again."

行在爱中
邱清萍

爱人如己四部曲

　　不分你、我

　　生命荡漾在母体里：吃母亲所吃，感母亲所感，母亲到那里我也到那里。出生头几个月，虽然与母体分离，但在意识上仍然分不清你、我。世界基本上跟在胎里没有什么分别：饿了就自动有东西喂进咀里，一举手一投足都仿佛世界在动，母亲仍然时刻同在。

　　发现自己

　　渐渐经验转变了。饿了不立刻有食物，要大哭大叫才送上来。手舞足蹈却发现旁边的东西依然不动，最不惯的是母亲有时不见了，界线开始分明：我与周围的世界是分开的，我与母亲也是分明的。这个个体化的过程延至青少人期，经常问的问题是：「我是谁？」所谓身份危机(我是什么、不是什么)其实是人成长必经之路。每个人迟早要发现自己有独立的人格、价值和责任，与旁人是谁无关，否则会影响心智的成熟和人际的关系。

　　发现别人

　　在发现自己的过程里，有时会显得很自我中心，只看到自己的需要和满足，甚至在爱人的时候，也是带着自私的动机。另一方面会发现别人也有他们独立的身份，也有他们的需求，两个自我中心的人只能引起很多的矛盾与冲突。更重要的是发现世界没有「纯我」，都是我中有你，你中有我，这是造物主放在我们里面群性的镜子，互相映照。

　　爱人如己

　　「水中照脸，彼此相符；人与人，心也相对。」(箴廿七19)人为找寻自我经过困惑与挣扎，若也经历在基督里的肯定与释放，心镜澄明，也必照出别人的挣扎与在基督里的价值。有人说：「最个人的东西都是最共通的。」有了这个认识，就能体会「你的软弱我也有，我的自由你也可以享。」就能以己之心恕人，以责人之心责己。

　　咀嚼生命粮：路六36-42，十25-37

　　穿上走路鞋：

　　1.你是谁？你的价值是用什么来衡量？

　　2.选一个你最难相处的家人或朋友，试找你与他共通的地方，最少列出七样。


图书馆资料

《生命的触动－查尔斯史丹利讲道 78集》共 3 张 DVD

DVD 3 包含：
01 十字架的救赎
02 以真理建设生命
03 渴慕神
04 寻求神引导
05 与神独处
06 进入神内心－顺服最重要
07 成功有时
08 持守信心
09 此路不通时
10 恩典领我前进
11 风暴中有神的旨意
12 复活的信息
13 如何展现忍耐
14 当称谢耶和华
15 当神发出呼召
16 父亲的脚踪
17 禁食祷告
18 来认识他
19 若我们忽视神
20 神的忍耐
21 神奖赏顺服者
22 天国之路
23 无亏的良心
24 心中的渴望
25 倚靠神走过黑暗
26 良心的功用

15/06/08 彩虹

读经 ：创世纪9：1－17
　　金句：“我把虹放在云彩中，这就可作我与你地立约的记号了。”(创世纪9：13)
　　敬拜与智慧之言 列王记下 23－25章

你喜欢看彩虹吗？当你在看彩虹时，曾想起过上帝也在看它吗？下次，当五彩缤纷的彩虹高挂于天空时，你不妨花点时间看它，想想上帝对挪亚的应许：“虹必现在云彩中，我看见，就要记念我与地上各样有血肉的活物所立的永约。”(创世纪9：16)
　　
　　彩虹令人想起上帝施恩及祂决不再用洪水来毁坏全地的约定，但是有一个更糟的灾难即将来临。彼得曾警告我们：“但现在的天地，还是凭着那命存留，直留到不敬虔之人受审判遭沈沦的日子，用火焚烧。”(彼后 3:7)
　　
　　彩虹于审判之云彩是对立的。彩虹是恩典的代表，但当它与耶稣在加略山被钉十架所显的恩典比较时，却不禁黯然失色。在十字架上，上帝把对罪的愤怒加诸在耶稣基督身上，耶稣是所有基督徒的代罪羔羊。当世上的光在加略山遭逢审判的风暴时，一道象征应许与宽恕的美丽彩虹却映入眼帘。将来有一天，所有的基督徒皆会环绕在彩虹围着的宝座旁。(启示录4：1－3)
　　
　　所以下次你看到彩虹的时候，请记得上帝无尽的仁慈与恩典。

每当我看到天上有一道彩虹，
就记起上帝的大慈爱和祂的信实。

每一道彩虹都在提醒我们：上帝是守约的上帝。

生命是神赐的礼物

读经 撒母耳记上1：19－28
　　
金句：“我祈求为要得这孩子，耶和华已将我所求的赐给我了。……使他终身归与耶和华。”(撒母耳记上1：27－28)
　　
敬拜与智慧之言 诗篇92篇；箴言30章

　　
　　我八岁时，有个同学去世。葬礼中我看着他，感到他是“安详地睡在主耶稣的怀中”。这使我得到很大的安慰，同时也让我不再那么害怕死亡。
　　
　　同年，隔壁五岁的小男孩也不幸去世了。那时，我觉得我似乎能体会他父母亲的哀伤。他们的心碎了，并且近乎愤恨。很显然他们认为死亡夺走了那应当属于他们的宝贝。当我们所爱的人死时，我们会经历怀疑，甚至是愤恨的心路历程，这是可以理解的。然而，我们不能停留在那里。与其把生命当作是财产，何不把它看成是上帝所赐的礼物。
　　
　　约翰·克莱蒲牧师夫妇的十岁女儿不幸因患上血癌去世。因他们把女儿的生命当作是上帝所赐的一份最纯洁、完美的礼物；如今主把她收回去了，他们就以感恩的心来接受，心里得着平安。
　　
　　从圣经撒母耳记上1：27－28，我们看到哈拿因着把她儿子撒母耳当做是神所赐的宝贝礼物，所以她也早已预备好随时要把这份礼物还给上帝。
　　
　　若是我们也能有哈拿这样的心境来看待生命，那么，当我们面对死亡的离别时，我们就能够以感恩来取代愤恨之心情。

主啊！谢谢你赐下生命，
以及你所赐的一切；
当你把我们所爱的人接走时，
求你的恩典帮助我们倚靠你。

生命是上帝所赐，也必归回于祂。

图书馆资料

《生命的触动－查尔斯史丹利讲道 78集》 3DVD

DVD2：

01 不饶恕的地雷
02 怠惰的地雷
03 妒忌的地雷
04 灰心丧志
05 急躁的后果
06 骄傲的地雷
07 惧怕的地雷
08 面对惧怕
09 面对批评和赞美
10 面对人生障碍
11 面对失败
12 如何克服自卑感
13 如何培养忍耐
14 如何孝敬你的母亲
15 生命的触动－慈爱的神
16 生命的触动－神的赦罪
17 生命的触动－神的旨意
18 圣诞节a
19 圣诞节b
20 提防假教师
21 体验非凡人生
22 天上的赏赐
23 性罪行的地雷
24 一时之快
25 属灵保全系统
26 罪恶感

Streams In the Desert for June 15

"For God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction." (Gen. 41:52.)

THE summer showers are falling. The poet stands by the window watching them. They are beating and buffeting the earth with their fierce downpour. But the poet sees in his imaginings more than the showers which are falling before his eyes. He sees myriads of lovely flowers which shall be soon breaking forth from the watered earth, filling it with matchless beauty and fragrance. And so he sings:

"It isn't raining rain for me, it's raining daffodils; In every dimpling drop I see wild flowers upon the hills. A cloud of gray engulfs the day, and overwhelms the town; It isn't raining rain for me: it's raining roses down."

Perchance some one of God's chastened children is even now saying, "O God, it is raining hard for me tonight.

"Testings are raining upon me which seem beyond my power to endure. Disappointments are raining fast, to the utter defeat of all my chosen plans. Bereavements are raining into my life which are making my shrinking heart quiver in its intensity of suffering. The rain of affliction is surely beating down upon my soul these days."

Withal, friend, you are mistaken. It isn't raining rain for you. It's raining blessing. for, if you will but believe your Father's Word, under that beating rain are springing up spiritual flowers of such fragrance and beauty as never before grew in that stormless, unchastened life of yours.

You indeed see the rain. But do you see also the flowers? You are pained by the testings. But God sees the sweet flower of faith which is upspringing in your life under those very trials.

You shrink from the suffering. But God sees the tender compassion for other sufferers which is finding birth in your soul.

Your heart winces under the sore bereavement. But God sees the deepening and enriching which that sorrow has brought to you.

It isn't raining afflictions for you. It is raining tenderness, love, compassion, patience, and a thousand other flowers and fruits of the blessed Spirit, which are bringing into your life such a spiritual enrichment as all the fullness of worldly prosperity and ease was never able to beget in your innermost soul. --- J. M. McC.

SONGS ACROSS THE STORM "A harp stood in the moveless air, Where showers of sunshine washed a thousand fragrant blooms; A traveler bowed with loads of care, Essayed from morning till the dusk of evening gloom. To thrum sweet sounds from the songless strings; The pilgrim strives in vain with each unanswering chord, Until the tempest's thunder sings, And, moving on the storm, the fingers of the Lord A wondrous melody awakes; And though the battling winds their soldier deeds perform, Their trumpet-sound brave music makes, While God's assuring voice sings love across the storm."

08/06/08 敬拜神和祂的道路

(一)
在我们所想、所说、所做的一切事上，当以神和神的荣耀为前提。在今生该有这个目的，就是将我们自己奉献给神，作一个完全的敬拜者，像在无限的永世里一样。在属灵生命的路上，借着神恩典的帮助，我们应当坚决的定意，来胜过各种困难。

(二)
当我们进入属灵的生命时，应当有很深的考虑，看我们到底是谁，然后就会看见，我们是绝对该被藐视，配不上基督的名。我们有各样的毛病，许多的软弱，以至生命不能健全，常是动摇不定，站立不稳的。其实，这是神的心意，他要在我们的里面和外面，用各样的困苦和难处责打我们，使我们谦卑。

(三)
我们应当坚定地相信，永远不可疑惑，就是神的管教也是为着我们的益处。神的管教乃是神的美意。神允许我们经过各样的困难和试炼，是神在环境中所安排的道路。我们为着爱神的缘故，忍受各样长期的忧愁和苦难；在神看来，这是我们的需要。因为我们的心灵，若不是这样绝对地降服在神的旨意之下，事奉神要达到完全的境地，是不可能的。

(四)
当人的生命越长进时，他越依靠恩典，几乎每一分钟都需要神的恩典；若没有恩典，他就不能做什么。世界、撒但、肉体，联合了它们的势力，紧逼地、不倦地向著信徒攻击。若没有谦卑地依靠那常与你同在之神的帮助，无论你如何抵挡，它们必得将你拉下去。人的天然本不喜欢依靠的，但是恩典能使你依靠，也能给你因依靠而来的喜乐。


图书馆资料：
《生命的触动－查尔斯史丹利讲道 78集》共3DVD

DVD 1

01 改变生命的祷告
02 广传福音
03 孩童死后的去处
04 敬虔的传承
05 劳苦与重担
06 良心可信吗
07 蒙恩得救
08 梦想
09 母亲的传承
10 凭信心面对未知
11 缺乏安全感
12 忍耐的大能
13 若我们忽视神
14 神的忍耐
15 神的旨意1
16 神的旨意2 寻求
17 神的旨意3 拦阻
18 神的旨意4 确知
19 神对你的心意1
20 神丰盛的恩典
21 神羔羊
22 格守承诺
23 神回答祷告
24 神回答祷告－查尔斯史丹利
25 神使用的小事物
26 神意外的造

Streams In the Desert for June 8

"For every child of God overcomes the world: and the victorious principle which has overcome the world is our faith." (1 John 5:4.) (Weymouth.)

AT every turn in the road one can find something that will rob him of his victory and peace of mind, if he permits it. Satan is a long way from having retired from the business of deluding and ruining God's children if he can. At every milestone it is well to look carefully to the thermometer of one's experience, to see whether the temperature is well up.

Sometimes a person can, if he will, actually snatch victory from the very jaws of defeat, if he will resolutely put his faith up at just the right moment.

Faith can change any situation. No matter how dark it is, no matter what the trouble may be, a quick lifting of the heart to God in a moment of real, actual faith in Him, will alter the situation in a moment.

God is still on His throne, and He can turn defeat into victory in a second of time, if we really trust Him.

"When one has faith, one does not retire; one stops the enemy where he finds him.' --- Marshal Foch.