第二十二周 事奉
“我所属所事奉的神。”（徒27:23）
诗：主！我专心求你面，
甘愿一生事奉神。
在地服事不扬显，
以你自己作我分。
向主有爱，就能叫我们起来作工，别的我无所知。
一切真正的事奉，必须以认识祂自己为根据。
在这些日子里，力量的秘诀，乃是相信神的灵同在。
要在外面向着神而活，惟一可能的方法，是先在心灵里向神而活。所有外面的活动，若没有里面的推动，就顶容易使人失去基督，而带进了“己”。我顶怕人与神没有深的交通，而有大的活动。
我们在工作上，何等需要完全投靠主的灵！若我们真正的投靠祂，一切就变为何等的简单！有一个得力量的方法，就是不断的亲近基督。若工作繁重而缺乏主的力量，心就狭窄，失去那应有的那浩大，而不能把神的大爱新鲜的分给人。
在我们的工作上，并不是常常能自由的把一切都看得分明，有时也必须要运用信心来走路。不错的，主最好的工人，都见证过这一点。一个使徒，也是一个瓦器，被放在主与灵魂之敌人的争战中，因着看见这争战在他自己里面，并由他躬亲出战，有时难免会感到这一场战事的剧烈。
哦！但愿神多多兴起合乎祂心意的工人，能把基督送到人心里。
一个真正的工人，就是“神人”，是世界最大的宝贝。
一个人一下子就被高举上讲台，是一件危险的事。人的接纳，未必是神的批准。虽然因着真理要传开的缘故；神能够把讲台给我们，但我们若得以上讲台，就自满不前，而远离了源头，这样一来，讲台不是帮助我们去把神的丰富，输送到别人身上的地方，反而成为我们的灵里枯干的罗网。
关于工作的问题，你要寻求主，并投靠祂。工作乃是神赐给我们的特恩。要在恩典中享受平安和喜乐，然后去把这一个平安倾泻到人心里。这样作是真的在事奉。回来时，身体可能觉得疲倦，心灵却蒙扶持，且满有喜乐。人要安息在神的翅膀下，直到再享受真安息，才去继续作事奉的工。
哦！我们所能容易对付撒但诡计的灵力，实在太少了！神的教会应当不只有真理，更需要有圣灵的能力，虽经试炼，却能胜过撒但一切的网罗。有一件事，使我深感惭愧，就是没有充足的力量，能叫每个圣徒活在圣灵的同在中，而脱离撒但的权势。
“人若渴了，可以到我这里来喝，从他腹中要流出活水的江河来。”你们要为着自己渴，也要为着自己而喝，这样作，就有活水的江河流出来供应人。
TWENTY-SECOND WEEK SERVICE
“Whose I am, and whom
I serve.” Acts 27:23
Lord! let me wait for Thee alone:
My life be only this—
To serve Thee here on earth unknown,
Then share Thy heavenly bliss.
——————————————————————————–
Love for Jesus sets one to work. I know no other way.
All true service must result from the knowledge of Himself.
The grand secret of power in these days is faith in the presence of the Spirit of God.
Living to God inwardly is the only possible means of living to Him outwardly. All outward activity not moved … by this … tends to make us do without Christ, and brings in self. … I dread great activity without great communion.
What need we have to cast ourselves entirely on Him (the Spirit) in the work, and how simple it is when we do this! There is one thing that gives strength and that is to keep close to Christ. … The pressure of the work without that … contracts the heart, tends to make us lose that largeness of heart, that capacity of presenting the love of God freshly to souls.
It is not that I believe in the work one will always be in that liberty which sees all in the light. It is necessary to walk by faith sometimes. Alas! the best workmen have borne witness to it; an apostle, an earthen vessel … placed in a contest between the Lord and the enemy of souls, will feel sometimes the shock of the battle, seeing it takes place in him and by him and the engaged forces.
Oh! for labourers who after God’s heart might present Christ to souls.
A real workman, “a man of God,” is a great, the greatest treasure in the world.
It is a dangerous thing to be raised all at once into a pulpit. … Man’s acceptation is not God’s approbation, although God can give it to us to favour the propagation of the truth; but if we stop at the result we are at a distance from the source, and that becomes a snare to wither up our soul, instead of a means to lead us to those upon whom we should pour out His riches.
In connection with your work … seek the Lord’s face, and lean on Him. Work is a favour which is granted us. Be quite peaceful and happy in the sense of grace; then go and pour out that peace to souls. This is true service, from which one returns very weary it may be in body, but sustained and happy; one rests beneath God’s wings, and takes up the service again till the true rest comes.
Oh! how little have we of the Spirit, to baffle the plans and devices and snares of Satan! The church ought to be not only in possession of truth but so possessed with the Spirit as, though tried, to baffle all his snares. This is what so humbles me … no strength or adequate power to keep every saint by the presence of His Spirit out of his power.
“If any thirst, let him come unto me and drink, and out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” You drink for yourself, you thirst for yourself, thus it is that rivers flow from us for others.
